c. Note this against Anabaptists who exclude Infants for that they want the use of reason And yet that was but a foolish reason of the Canonist that Infants are therefore to be baptised Sphinx Philos pag. 229. because the Disciples brought to our Saviour not the Asse onely but the Foal also Vers 12. This is the tâ—ken of the Covenant c. See here the antiquity of confirming mens faith by outward signs as by the two trees in Paradise and here the Word and Sacrament go together And as God in Noah made a Covenant with his posterity also and confirmed it with a sign so doth he in Christ with the Church and ratified it with the Sacraments besides witnesses we have three in heaven and three in earth c. Vers 13. I doe set my bow in the cloud c. There it was before but not till now as a token of the Covenant as still it is applyed for a sign of grace from God to his Church Rev. 4.3 and 10.1 Ezek. 1.28 It is planted in the clouds as if man were shooting at God and not God at man This bow with both ends downward and back to heaven must needs be an emblem of mercy for he that shooteth holdeth the back of the bow from him Of Gods bow we read Ambros but not of his arrows saith Ambrose on this text Psal 7.12 13. He hath bent his bow and made it ready saith David but if he ordain his arrows it is not but against the perseâ—â—tours If he shoot at his servants it is as Jonathan shot at his friend David to warn them not to wound them They are arrows of the Lords deliverance 2 King 13.17 19. Psal 32.7 which therefore he multiplyes that they may compass him about with songs of deliverance If he bend his bow like an enemy Lam. â— 4 yet in wrath he remembreth mercy Vers 14. The bow shall be seen in the cloud In this heaven-bow there are many wonders First the beautifull shape and various colours In which respect Plato thinks the Poets feign Iris or the Rainbow to be the daughter of Thanmas or admiration The waterish colours therein signifie say some the former overthrow of the world by water The fiery colours the future judgement of the world by fire The green that present grace of freedome from both by vertue of Gods Covenant whereof this bow is a sign Next the Rainbow hath in it two contrary significations viz. of rain and fair-weather of this in the evening of that in the morning saith Scaliger Adde hereunto that whereas naturally it is a sign of rain and is therefore feigned by the Poets to be the messenger of Junâ— and called imbrifera or showry yet it is turned by God into a sure sign of dry weather and of restraint of waters Let us learn to look upon it not onely in the naturall causes as it is an effect of the Sun in a thick cloud but as a Sacramentall sign of the Covenant of Grace Esa 54.9 10. a monument of Gods both Justice in drowning the world and Mercy in conserving it from the like calamity The Jews have an odd conceit That the name Jehovah is written on the Rainbow And therefore as oft as it appeareth unto them they go forth of doors Maimoâ—y hide their eyes confess their sins that deserved a second deluge and celebrate Gods goodness in sparing the wicked world and remembring his Covenant Set aside their superstition and their practice invites our imitation Bern. Tam Dei meminisse opui est quam respirare Vers 15 16. I will remember That is I will make you to know and remember by this visible Monitor Segniùs irritant animum demissa per aures Quam quae sunt oculis commissa fidelibus The Rainbow is a double Sacrament answering both to Baptism and the Lords Supper and declares by its colours saith One how Christ came by water and blood 1 John 5.6 Vers 17. This is the token of the Covenant This is often repeated that it may be the better observed and we full assured Deut. 6.7 Exacues ea iâ— est accuratè commodissimè inculcabis Buxtorf Lexic as Pharaohs dream was for this cause doubled God goes over the same thing often with us as the knif doth the Whetstone which is the Scripture-allusion He well knows how slow of heart we are and how dull of hearing and therefore whets and beats things of high concernment upon us that we may once apprehend and embrace them Revel 10.1 Revel 10.1 exp Christ is said to have a Rainbow on his head to shew that he is faithful and constant in his promises and that tempests shall blow over Let us see Gods love in his corrections as by a Rainbow we see the beautiful image of the Suns light in the midst of a dark and waterish cloud Vers 20. And Noah began to be an husbandman Veteres si quem virum bonum colonum appellassent amplissime laudasse existimabant Cic. Nunquam vilior erat annona Romae referente Pliuio quà m cum terram colerent iidem qui Remp. regerent quasi gauderet terra laureato vomere scilicet Aratore triumphali See 2 Chron. 26.10 And he planted a vineyard Hence Berosus and the Poets call him Janus Oenotrius Janus of the Hebrew iajin vinum and Oenotrius of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence our English word Wine Vers 21. And was drunk For his own shame but our learning Instruunt nos patres tum docentes tum labentes Augustin The best have their blemishes and a black-part as that cloud had that conducted Israel out of Egypt Heb. 12.1 which while the Egyptians followed they fell into the Sea And was uncovered within his tent Operta recludit One hours drunkenness bewrayes that which more then six hundred yeers sobriety had modestly concealed Well might Solomon say Wine is a mocker For it mocked Noah with a witness and exposed him to the mockage of his own bosom-bird Vers 22. And Ham the father of Canaan saw The Hebrews say That Canaan first saw it and then shewed it to Ham his father who looks upon it with delight Vt vultures ad malè olentia feruntur saith Basil As carrion-kites are carried after stinking carcases And told his two brethren without Sic impii hodiè ex Ecclesiae tragoediis comoedias componunt How glad are the wicked if they can but get any hint to lay hold on whereby to blaspheme Jere. 20.10 and blaze abroad the Saints infirmities Report say they and wee 'l report yea rather then want matter against Gods people they 'll suck it out of their own fingers ends But if such a thing as this fall out that Noah be drunk though but once in an age the banks of blasphemy will soon be broken down and the whole race of Religious persons must rue for it among these Canaanites some also will be found to excuse them
2.29 It is a wonderful work of the Spirit wrought by the Word upon the Saints in their first Conversion whereby corruption of nature is wounded beloved sins cast away with sorrow and the sinner received into an everlasting communion with God and his Saints Labor this or you are not a button the better for your Baptism A man may go to Hell with font-Font-water on his face if not baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire Circumcision seals not up any Covenant of Grace to Turks as it did not of old to Ismaelites Edomites and Midianites who yet would needs be circumcised Vers 12. And he that is eight days old This warrants our baptising of Infants of both Sexes See the Notes on Chap. 9. Vers 10. Vers 13. He that is born in thy house Housholders must see to it that their families fear God They walk not in a perfect way that do otherwise Psal 101.2 that look not Aedibus in propriis quae prava aut recta gerantur My Covenant shall be in your flesh That is the signe of my Covenant by a Metonymy of the Subject seem it never so simple and prove it never so painful and shameful The foolishness of God is wiser then men that cry Credat Judaeus Apella c. Vers 14. That soul shall be cut off From the Common-wealth of Israel So shall those be from benefit by Christ that are uncircumcised in heart As hateful to him as Goliah was to David Pray therefore that God will thrust his holy hand into thy bosome and pull off that abominable fore-skin He had much ado to forbear Moses when he met him in the Inne and we know why Exod. 4.24 Vers 15. Thou shalt not call her name Sarai but Sarah The Chaldee Sarai is made Hebrew Sarah One of the four Letters of Jehovah being also added as before in Abraham that she may be absolutely a Lady or Princess Vers 17. Abraham fell upon his face and laughed Not as doubting much less deriding Rom. 4 19. but as rejoycing and admiring the goodness and power of God The narrow mouthed vessel of his heart not quickly capable of so great comfort for Tarda solet magnis rebus inesse fides he fell upon his face and laughed Vers 18. Oh that Ishmael might live The life of grace here and of glory hereafter That he be not killed with death when he dies as Jesabels children were Revel 2.23 Vers 19. I will establish my Covenant with him This was a far greater favor thâ—n that bestowed on Ismael in the next verse Twelve Princes shall he beget Nothing so ennobleth as Christ Graces being in the Covenant c. Isai 19.25 Assyria is the work of Gods hands but Israel his inheritance Vers 20. And as for Ismael I have heard thee Faithful prayer may have any thing at Gods hands It is but ask and have with Abraham As Zedekiah said to his courtiers glosingly God saith to his servants seriously The King can deny you nothing Let this encourage to pray for our selves and children for by prayer we may take out of Gods treasury plentiful mercy for our selves and ours Vers 21. But my Covenant This is the thirteenth time that the Covenant is named in this Chapter saith an Interpreter and hereby is meant the promise of Christ and salvation by him A subject so sweet to every sanctified soul that Saint Paul cannot come off it He names the Lord Jesus Christ ten times together in ten verses 1 Cor. 1.1 to 10. It was to him Mel in â—re melos in aure Bernard jubâ—lum in corde Vers 22. And he left off talking with him As a man with his friend Mr. John Holland Bach. of Divin See my True Treas p. 373. Such honor have all his Saints O speak it when I am gone and preach it at my funeral God dealeth familiarly with man said that heavenly Spark how ready to be extinct Saint Paul calls prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an entreparlance with God 1 Tim. 2.1 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the confident intergatory or rejoyndre of a good conscience toward God 1 Pet. 3.21 The Persian Monarks held it a piece of their silly glory to secret themselves from their greatest subjects Esther 4.11 And Jupiters Image at Creet was made without ears Plutarch gives the Reason Non enim convenit audiri ab eo quenquam qui omnium rerum sit Dominus at que princeps A pretty plea for Baal He is too great to talk with men Our God thinks not himself so He sollicites suitors and loves to be interchangeably sollicited by them Vers 23. Abraham took Ismael To make the other more willing Circumcised the flesh Not regarding the affliction danger scandal shame of the action in the eyes of the world Vers 26. In the self same day To shew his prompt and present obedience without shucking and hucking without delays and consults Vers 27. All the men of his house Faciles se praebent in re ardua ridicula An excellent pattern of a well ordered family CHAP. XVIII Vers 1. And the Lord appeared unto him 1. UT praeludium incarnationis 2. Ex Philanthropia his delight is in the habitable part of Gods earth Prov. 8.31 And he sate in the tent-door He dwelt in a tent let us be content though we dwell not to our minds yet kept a good house A very hearty housholder he was In the heat of the day The usuall time of rest and repast when travellers wax faint and hungry Vers 2. And he lift up his eyes and looked As pursuing hospitality that 's the Apostles expression Rom 12.13 and waiting an opportunity of doing good Charity is no churle The liberall man deviseth liberall things Aug. in Psal 103. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Usibus non necessitatibus Nequis existimet prius non succurrendum proxime quam ad necessitatem fit redactus Act Mon. so 1369. Ibid. 1388. Cicero Esa 32.8 he considereth the poor and needy Psal 41.1 Praeoccupat vocem petituri as Augustin expounds it he stayes not till he is asked a good turn he ministreth to the uses not onely to the necessities of the Saints as the Apostles word is Rom. 12.13 And as Bishop Hoopers and Dr. Taylours practise was The one had his boord of beggars sent for and served every day with whole and wholesome meats ere himself sate down to dinner And the other went once a fortnight at the least to the Almeshouse and other poor men that had many children and were sick to see what they lacked and to supply them And bowed himself toward the ground Piety is no enemy to courtesie it doth not remove but rectifie it that it be not onely complementall and ridiculous Potest Augur Augurem videre non ridere So it may it be said of our common cringers Vers 5. For therefore are ye come to your servant He meaneth not that they therefore came to him to taste of his chear but that God by
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