we have a more sure word of prophesie Gods blessed booke assures us of a third heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 called elsewhere the heaven of heavens the Paradise of God the bosome of Abraham the Fathers house the City of the living God the Country of his pilgrims A body it is for bodies are in it but a subtile fine spirituall body next in purity to the substance of Angels and mens soules It is also say some solid as stone but cleare as chrystall Rev. 21.11 Job 37.18 A true firmament indeed not penetrable by any no not by Angells Yates his Modell spirits and bodies of just men made perfect but by a miracle God making way by his power where there is no naturall passage It opens to the very Angels Job 1.51 Gen. 28.12 who yet are able to penetrate all under it The other two heavens are to be passed through by the grossest bodies Verse 8. And the evening c. Here 's no mention of Gods approbation of this second dayes worke Not for that hell was then ceated or the reprobate Angels then ejected as the Jewes give in the reason of it but because this dayes worke was left unperfected till the next to the which therefore the blessing was reserved and is then redoubled God delights to doe his workes not all at once but by degrees that we may take time to contemplate them peece-meal and see him in every of them as in an opticke glasse Consider the lillies of the field saith our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 6.18 Prov. 6.6 Goe to the Pismire thou sluggard saith Solomon Luther wisht Pontanus the Chancellour of Saxony to contemplate the Starchamber of Heaven that stupendious arch-worke born up by no props or pillars Proponit contemplandam pulcherrimam coeli concamerationem Nullis pilis columnis impositam c. Scultet Annal. 276. and yet not falling on our heads the thicke clouds also hanging often over us with great weight and yet vanishing againe when they have saluted us but with their threatning lookes And cannot God as easily uphold his sinking Saints and blow over any storme that hangs over their heads An Artificer takes it ill if when he hath finished some curious piece of work and sets it forth to be seen as Apelles was wont to do men slight it and take no notice of his handy-work And is there not a woe to such stupid persons as regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the operation of his hands A sino quispiam narrabat fabulam Esay 5.12 at ille movebat aures is a proverb among the Greeks Christ was by at the Creation and rejoyced Prov. 8.30 Angels also were by at the doing of a great deale and were rapt with admiration Job 38.4 5 6. Shall they shout for joy and we be silent Oh how should we vex at the vile dulnesse of our hearts are no more affected with these indelible ravishments Verse 9 10. Let the waters under the heaven be gathered c. The water they say is ten times greater then the earth as is the ayre ten times greater then the water and the fire then the ayre Sure it it is that the proper place of the water is to be above the earth Psal 104.6 Saylers tell us that as they draw nigh to shore when they enter into the haven they run as it were downe-hill The waters stood above the mountains till at Gods rebuke here they fled and hasted away at the voyce of his thunder Psal 104.6 7. to the place which he had founded for them This drew from Aristotle Lib. de mirabil in one place a testimony of Gods providence which elsewhere he denyes And David in that Psal 104. which one calleth his Physicks tells us that till this word of command Let the waters c. God had covered the earth with the deepe as with a garment For as the garment in the proper use of it is above the body so is the sea above the land And such a garment saith the divine Cosmographer would it have been to the earth but for Gods providence toward us as the shirt made for the murthâ—ring of Agamemnon Psal 104.6 9. where he had no issue out But thou hast set a bound saith the Psalmist that they may not passe over that they turn not againe to cover the earth God hath set the solid earth upon and above the liquid waters for our conveniâ—nâ—y so that men are said to goe downe not up to the sea in ships Psal 107.23 See his mercy herein as in a mirrour and believe that God whose work it is still to appoint us the bounds of our habitations will not faile to provide us an hospitium Act. 17.26 a place to reside in when cast out of all as he did David Psal 27.10 and Davids parents 1 Sam 22.4 and the Apostles 2 Cor 6.10 and the English exiles in Queen Maries dayes Sculâ—et Aâ—â—al and before them Luther who being asked where he thought to be safe answered Sub Coelo and yet before him those persecuted Waldenses Rev. 12.15 after whom the Romish Dragon cast out so much water as a flood but the earth swallowed it and God so provided that they could travell from Cullen in Germany to Millain in Italy Cade of the Church p. 180. and every night lodge with hosts of their own profession The waters of affliction are often gathered together against the godly but by Gods gracious appointment ever under the heaven where our conversation is Tareus in loc Philip. 3.20 though our commoration be a while upon earth and unto one place as the Text here hath it The dry-land will appeare and we shall come safe to shore be sure of it Esay 26.4 The Rock of eternity whereupon we are set is above all billows washt we may be as Paul was in the shipwrack drowned we cannot be 1 Pet. 1.5 because in the same bottome with Christ and kept by the power of God through faith to salvation Verse 11.12 Psal 104. Let the earth bring forth c. Grasse for the cattle and herb for the use of man and both these before either man or or beast were created He made meat before mouthes He fills for us two bottles of milke before we come into the world Herbes and other creatures we have still ad esum ad usum Our land flowes not with milke onely for necessity but with hone too for delight Nature amidst all is content with a little Grace with lesse Sing we merrily with him Hoc mihi pro certo Georg. Fabricius Chemnicensis quod vitam qui dedit idem Et velit possit suppeditare cibum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 12. and the earth brought forth c. St. Austine thinks that thorns and thistles brambles and briars were before the Fall Aug de Gen. 〈…〉 cap. â— 8 though not in that abundance that now
and a goodly creature Sweet saith Solomon Eccles 11.7 Comfortable saith David Psal 97.11 Which when one made question of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot Beatumâ—ssâ— hominem Deo fruentem sicut oculus luce August de Civitat Dei l. 8. 2 Cor. 6.14 1 Thes 5. â— 6 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.13 Lactant. That 's a blinde mans question said the Philosopher What is it then to enjoy him that is Light Essential The Platonists who were blinde in divinis and could not see far off yet they could say that he was a blessed man who enjoyed God as the eye doth enjoy the light And God divided the light c. Let not us confound them and so alter Gods order by doing deeds of darkness in a day of Grace in a Land of Light What make Owls at Athens or such spots among Saints as count it pleasure to riot in the day time It was a shame that it should be said There was never less wisdom in Greece then in the time of the seven wisemen of Greece It was a worse shame that it should be said to the Corinthians That some of them had not the knowledg of God 1 Cor. 15. 1 Cor. 5.1 2 Cor. 6. and that such Fornication was found among them as was not heard of among the Heathen For what fellowship hath light with darkness Surely none Our morning shadows fall as far as they can toward the West Evening toward the East Plutarch Noon day toward the North c. Alexander having a souldier of his name that was a coward he bade him either leave off the name of Alexander or be a souldier Verse 5. And God called the light Day c. He taught men to call them so Day from the noise and hurry Night from the yelling of wild beasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Darknesse he created not but onely by accident and yet not that without some notable use Much lesse that darknesse of affliction which he is said to create Esa 45.7 Vnto the upright there ariseth light in darknesse yea light by darknesse Psal 112.4 as to Paul whose bodily blindnesse opened the eyes of his minde Opera Dei sunt in mediis coâ—trariis saith Luther Gods workes are effected usually by contraries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naziâ—nz Laerâ—ius And the evening and the morning c. Thales one of the seven Sages had learned this truth by going to Schoole in Egypt For being asked whether was first the Day or the Night he answered that the Night was sooner by one Day As who should say afore God had created the light it must needs be confessed that out of him there was nothing but darknesse Evening seperates by darknesse morning by light so the one dis-joynes day from night the other night from day Onely this first evening seperated not because light was then uncreated Yet was it of God appointed even then to stand betwixt light and darknesse In the first Evening was Heaven and Earth created and in the first Morning the light 2 Cor. 11.25 both which make the civill day called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Apostle And this which doubtlesse is the naturall order of reckoning the day Pliâ— lib. 2. c. 7 from evening to evening was in use among the Athenians and is to this day retained by the Jewes Italians Bohemians Si esians and other Nations Our life likewise is such a day and begins with the darke evening of misery here but death is to Saints the day-breake of eternall brightnesse Morning lasteth but till morning Nay Psal 30.5 not so long for Behold at even-tide trouble and before the morning he is not Esay 17.14 It is but a moment yea a very little moment and the indignation will pertransire be overpast saith the Prophet Esa 16.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb 6.10.37 so little a while as you can scarce imagine saith the Apostle If it seem otherwise to any of us consider 1 That we have some lucida intervalla some respites interspiriates breathing whiles And it is a mercy that the man is not alwayes sweating out a poor living Gen. 3. Rom. 6.23 the woman ever in pangs of child-birth c. 2 That this is nothing to eternity of extreamity which is the just hire of the least sin 3 That much good accrues unto us hereby Heb. 12.10 Yea this light affliction which is but for a moment 2 Cor. 4.17 worketh out unto us that far most excellent and eternall weight of glory Oh pray pray that the eyes of our understanding being enlightned by that Spirit of wisdome and râ—vellation we may know what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints c. Eph. 1.17 18. Verse 6. Let there be a firmament Yet not so firme but it shall be dissolved 2 Pet. 3.11 That it is not presently so that those windowes of heaven are not opened as once in the deluge having no better a bar then the liquid ayre and we suddenly buried in one universall grave of waters see a miracle of Gods mercy and thanke him for this powerfull word of his Let there be a firmament Bartholinus tells us that in the yeare of Christ 1551. a very great multitude of men and cattell were drowned by a terrible tempest the clouds suddenly dissolving and the waters pouring downe againe Barthol lib. 2 de meteoris with such a strange stupendious violence that the massie walls of many Cities divers Vineyards and faire houses were utterly destroyed and ruined Clouds those bottles of raine are vessells as thin as the liquor which is contained in them D. H. Conteâ—p There they hang and move though weighty with their burdens How they are upheld saith a Reverend Divine and why they fall here and now we know not and wonder Job 26.8 They water our lands as we doe our gardens and are therefore called our heavens Deut. 33.28 Verse 7. Waters which were above the firmament That is the clouds and watery meteors above the lower region of the ayre where Gods pavillion round about him is darke waters Psal 18.11 Jer. 10.13 and thicke clouds of the skies These he weighes by measure not a drop falls in vaine or in a wrong place Job 28.15 And this is the first heaven As the second is the starry skie which is firme and fast as a molten looking-glasse Job 37.18 To this heaven some that have calculated curiously have found it 500 yeares journey Others say that if a stone should fall from from the eight sphere and should passe every houre an hundreth miles Burton of Melancholly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Câ—lo texâ— 99. Deut. 10.14 Luke 22.42 Luke 16.22 Job 14.2 Heb. 12.22 Heb. 11.14 it would be 65 yeares or more before it would come to ground Beyond this second heaven Aristotle acknowledgeth none other Beyond the moveable heavens saith he there is neither body nor time nor place nor Vacuum But
Chap. 114. Ver. 8. For the sin-offering first For till un bee expiâ—ted no sacrifice or service can bee accepted Therefore Isa 1. Wash you â—â—ans you and then com and let us reason Ver. 9. Vpon the side of the Altar The North-side and not upon the East 1. that Israël might not symbolize with the Heathens who worshipped toward the East 2. to signifie that they had no more under the Law then dark shadows of good things to com Heb. 10.1 until the time of reformation Heb. 9.10 Ver. 10. According to the manner That is the forms and rites prescribed So Amos 8.14 The manner of Beersheba i.e. the forms and rites of worshipping in Beersheba as the Caldee paraphraseth it Ver. 11. But if hee bee not able So low doth the most High stoop to man's meanness that hee will accept of a verie small present from him that would bring a better if it were in the power of his hand Lycurgus enjoyned his Lacedemonians to offer small sacrifices For God said hee respecteth more the internal devotion then the external oblation Ver. 12. Even a memorial This is spoken after the manner of men who have need of remembrancers God somtimes seem's to lose his mercie and then wee must finde it for him as they Isa 63.15 somtimes to forget sleep delaie c. and then wee must in-minde awaken quicken him Isa 62.7 Ver. 13. And it shall bee forgiven him See a like promiss made to our Ministerie Jam. 5.15 Ver. 15. In the bolie things of the Lord Things consecrate to him by robbing and wronging of God and his Priests bee it but through ignorance or error Sacrum qui clepserit rapseritve parricida este For to do such a thing presumptuously was death Numb 15.30 and by the laws of the twelv Tables in Rome such were to bee punished as parricides Ver. 16. And hee shall make amends No remission without restitution God abhors holocaustum ex rapina Latimer's Sex And if yee make no restitution ye shall cough in hell said father Latimer Ver. 17. Though hee wist not Ignorance though invincible and unavoidable well may excuse à tanto but not à toto Luke 12.48 CHAP. VI. Ver. 2. Against the Lord AS David in defiling his neighbours wise and afterwards killing him is said to have despised the commandment of the Lord and to have don evil in his sight 2 Sam. 12.9 which also hee penitently acknowledgeth Psal 51.4 Sin is properly against none but God Godw. Heb. Antiq. p. 98. beeing a transgression of his law Hence the manslaier was confined to the Citie of refuge as to a prison during the life of the high-Priest as beeing saith one the chief God on earth That was a true position of the Pelagians Omne peccatum est contemptus Dei that everie sin is a contempt of God Prov. 18.3 In fellowship Heb. Job 8.20 Dextram conjungere dextrâ Quid non mortalia pectora cogit Auri sacra fames 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. In putting of the hand It is said in Iob that God will not take a wicked man by the hand i. e. hee will have no fellowship with him Ver. 3. And lieth concerning it and sweareth falsty Thorough inordinate love of money that root of all evil but such monie shall perish with them Zech. 5.2 Ver. 4. And is guiltie Found guiltie by a self-condemning conscience which now like Samson's wife conceal's not the riddle but tel's all as shee said of our Saviour Iohn 4. Ver. 5. In the daie of his trespass offering Before hee compass God's altar Mat. 5.23 with the Note there Ver. 6. With thy estimation i. e. as thou shalt rate it Moses did the Priests office for present Hee was likewise a Prophet Deut. 18.15 and King in Ieshurun Deut. 33.5 and so became a type of Christ that true Trismegist the Priest Prophet and Prince Dan. 9.25 Ver. 7. Shall make an attonement Thorough the sacrifice of Christ Heb. 10.1 4 10 14. Ver. 9. All night until the morning God must bee thought upon in the night season Psal 4.4 David willingly brake his sleep to do it Psal 119.62 The daie is thine the night also is thine saith hee Psal 74.16 Ver. 10. Besides the altar On the East-side furthest from the Sanctuarie Levit. 1.16 in reverence of the divine majestie Ver. 11. In a clean place Becaus they came from the Lord 's holie hous See the contrarie commanded concerning the stones and dust of a leprous hous Levit. 14.40 Ver. 12. It shall not bee put out No more should our faith love zeal that flame of God as Solomon cal's it Cant. 8.6 that should never go out the waters should not quench it nor the ashes cover it Cant. 8.10 2 Tim. 1.6 Ver. 13. The fire shall ever bee burning The Gentiles by an apish imitation hereof had their vestal fire salted meal and manie other sacred rites Basil chargeth the divel as a thief of the truth in that hee had decked his crows with her fethers Ver. 14. The law of the meat-offering Besides what is set down chap. 2.1 2. Thus one text explain's another as the diamond is brightened with its own dust Ver. 15. Even the memorial See the Note on Levit. 2.2 Ver. 16. Shall Aaron and his sons eat See 1 Cor. 9.13 14. with the Note there Ver. 17. It shall not bee baken with leaven Which is 1. souring 2. swelling 3. spreading 4. impuring Ver. 18. Shall bee holie God will bee sanctified in all that draw near unto him procul binc procul este profani Ver. 20. When hee is anointed i. e. When anie high-priest for hee onely was anointed Exod. 29.7 on the head at least Ver. 21. In a pan Figuring out the sufferings of Christ who was so parched with the fire of afflictions for our sins Ver. 23. It shall not bee eaten To teach the high-priest to look â—or salvation out of himself Ver. 25. In the place i. e. at the North-side of the altar And why see the Note on Chap. 5.9 Ver. 26. Shall eat it Except in that case vers 30. Ver. 27. Shall bee holie This taught an holie use of the mysterie of our redemption for the sin-offering in special sort figured Christ Ver. 28. But the earthen vessel So contagious a thing is sin that it defileth the verie visible heaven and earth which therefore must bee likewise purged by the last fire as the earthen pot which held the sin-offering was broken and the brasen scoured and rinsed in water Ver. 30. And no sin-offering Here the ordinarie gloss make's this observation Remissionem dare Dei solius est qui per ignem significatur That to pardon sin belong's to God alone who is a consuming fire The Rhemists tell us of a man that could remove mountains Rhem. Annot. in Joâ— 20. Sect. 3. which they may assoon perswade us as that their Priests have as full power to pardon sins as Christ had One of their Priests meeting with a
Heaven and the Angels were of necessity say some to be created the first instant that they might have their perfection of matter and form together otherwise they should be corruptible For whatsoever is of a praeexistent matter is resolvable and subject to corruption But that which is immediately of nothing is perfectly composed hath no other change but by the same hand to return to nothing again But if this were the Heaven Quest what was the Earth here mentioned Not that we now tread upon for that was not made till the third day But the Matter of all Answ that was afterwards to be created being all things in power nothing in act Vers 2. And the earth was without form and voyd That is as yet it had neither essential nor accidental perfection The Lord afterward did form it into Light the Firmament the Water and the Earth So beginning above and building downwards in the new Creature he doth otherwise and in three days laying the parts of the World and in other three days adorning them The Rabbins tell us Alsted Lexic Theol. p. 111. that Tohu and Bohu do properly import Materia prima and privatio and others of Tohu derive Chaos whence the ancient Latines called the World Chohus and borrowed their word Inchoâ— c. And darkness was upon the face of the deep That is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of Hell as Origen expounds it but of the deep waters see the like Luke 8.31 Which as a garment covered the earth and stood above the mountains Psal 104.6 This darkness God created not for it was but the want of Light And to say That God dwelt in darkness till he had created Light was a devilish sarcasm of the Manichees as if God were not Light it self and the Father of lights 1 John 1.5 James 1. Or as if God had not ever been a Heaven to himself Ere ever he had formed the earth and the heavens Psal 92.2 What he did or how he imployed himself before the Creation is a Sea over which no ship hath sailed a Mine into which no spade hath delved an Abyss into which no bucket hath dived D. Preston of Gods Attributes p. 34. Our sight is too tender to behold this Sun A thousand yeers saith a great Divine are to God but as one day c. And who knoweth what the Lord hath done Indeed he made but one World to our knowledg but who knoweth what he did before and what he will do after Thus he As for Saint Augustine Prasul ad haec Lybicus Sabin Poâ—â— fabricabat Tartara dixit His quos scrutari â—â—lia mente juvat Excellently another Cuff his Differ of Ages p. 22. who wanted no wit As in the eliament of fire saith he there is a faculty of heating and inlightning whence proceedeth heat and light unto the external neer bodies And besides this faculty there is also in it a natural power to go upward which when it cometh into act is received into no other subject but the fire it self So that if fire could by abstractive imagination be conceived of as wanting those two transient operations yet could we not justly say it had no action forasmuch as it might move upward which is an immanent and inward action So and much more so though we grant that there was no external work of the Godhead until the making of the World yet can there be no necessary illation of idleness Seeing it might have as indeed it had actions immanent included in the circle of the Trinity This is an answer to such as ask what God did before he made the World Plotin Eunâ—â—d 3. lib. 2. c. 2. God saith Plotinus the Platonist not working at all but resting in himself doth and performeth very great things And the Spirit of God moved c. Or hovered over and hatched out the creature Ferebatur super aquas non pervagatione sed potestate non per spatium locorum ut Sol super terram sed per potentiam sublimitatis suae Eucberius Psal 145 9. as the Hen doth her chickens or as the Eagle fluttereth over her young to provoke them to flight Deut. 32.11 Or as by a like operation this same holy Spirit formed the childe Jesus in the Virgins womb in that wonderful over shadowing Luke 1.35 The Chaldee here hath it The Spirit breathed and David saith the same Psal 33.6 He became to that rude dead mass a quickning comforting Spirit He kept it together which else would have shattered And so he doth still or else all would soon fall asunder Heb. 1.3 Psal 104.29 were not his conserving Mercy still over or upon all his Works Verse 3. And God said Let there c. He commanded the light to shine out of darkness He spake the word and it was done 2 Cor. 4.6 Psal 33.9 148.5 Creation is no motion but a simple and bare emanation which is when without any repugnancy of the Patient or labor of the Agent the work or effect Dei Dicere eft Efficere doth voluntarily and freely arise from the action of the working cause as the shadow from the body So Gods irresistible power made this admirable Work of the world by his bare word as the shadow and obscure representation of his unsearchable wisdom and omnipotency And there was light This first light was not the Angels as Augustine would have it nor the Element of fire as Damascen nor the Sun which was not yet created nor a lightsome cloud or any such thing but the first day which God could make without means as Galvin well observeth This light was the first ornament of the visible World and so is still of the hidden man of the heart the new Creature Acts 26.18 The first thing in Saint Pauls commission there was to open mens eyes to turn them from darkness to light c. To dart such a saving light into the soul as might illighten both Organ and Object In which great work also Christs words are operative together with his commands in the mouths of his Ministers Know the Lord understand O ye bruitish among the people c. There goes forth a Power to heal as it did Luke 5 1â— Or as when he bade Lazarus ariâ—e he made him to arise So here the Word and the Spirit go together and then what wonder that the spirit of darkness falls from the heaven of mens hearts Ephes 5 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet 2 9. as lightning Luke 10.18 So as that they that eâ—st were darkness are now light in the Lord and do preach forth the praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light Verse 4. And God saw the light that it was good Praeviderat autèm â—â—sberellus so one rendereth it he saw this long before but he would have us to see it he commends the goodness of this work of his to us Good it is surely
they are called Stars of light Psal 148.3 and to worke upon inferiour bodies which they doe by their motion light and influence efficiendo imbres ventos grandines procellas sudum c. by causing foule or faire weather as God appoints it Stars are the store-houses of Gods good treasure which he openeth to our profit Deut. 38.12 By their influence they make a scatter of riches upon the earth which good men gather and muck-wormes scramble for Every star is like a purse of gold out of which God throwes downe riches and plentiounesse into the earth The heavens also are garnished by them Job 26.13 they are as it were the spangled curtaine of the Bride-groomes chamber the glorious and glittering rough-cast of his heavenly palace the utmost court of it at least from the which they twinckle to us and teach us to remember our and their Creator who in them makes himselfe visible nay palpable Psal 19 1. Habaâ— 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17.27 his wisdome power justice and goodnesse are lined out unto us in the browes of the firmament the countenance whereof we are bound to marke and to discerne the face of the heavens which therefore are somewhere compared to a scroll that is written The heavens those Catholicke Preachers declare the glory of God c. Their line saith David their voice saith Paul citing the same text is gone out throughout all the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 10.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2.16 they are reall postills of his Divinity These nay far meaner creatures teach us as Balaams Asse did that mad Prophet to this Schoole are we now put backe as idle truants to their ABC Onely let us not as children looke most on the babies on the backside of our bookes gaze not as they doe on the guilded leaves and covers never looking to our lessons but as travellers in a forreigne Country observe and make use of every thing not content with the naturall use of the creature as bruite beasts but marke how every creature reads us a Divinity Lecture from the highest Angell to the lowest worme Verse 21. And God created great Whales In creating whereof Plin. l. 9. c. 3. Ad quas nautae appellentes non nunquam magnum incurrunt discrimen Heid Plin. 32. c. 1. Cur piscos vocat reptile Repere communiter dicuntur omnia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel quae habent pedes brevieres ut nâ—ures c. creavit Deus vastitatus stupores For as Pliny writeth of them when they swim and shew themselves above water annare insulas putes they seem to be so many Islands and have been so esteemed by sea-faring men to their great danger and disadvantage Into the Rivers of Arabia saith Pliny there have come Whales 600 foot long and 360 foot broad This is that Leviathan that playes in the sea besides other creeping or mooving things innumerble Psal 104.25 This one word of Gods mouth Fiat hath made such infinite numbers of fishes that their names may fill a Dictionary Philosophers tell us that whatsoever creature is upon the earth there is the like thereof in the sea yea many that are no where else to be found but with this difference that those things that on the earth are hurtfull the like thereunto in the waters are hurtlesse as Eeles those water-snakes are without poyson c. yea they are wholesome and delicious food Pisâ—is comes of Pasco And in Hebrew the same word signifieth a pond or fish-pool 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and blessing Many Islands are maintained and people fed by fish besides the wealth of the Sea The ill-favoured Oyster hath sometimes a bright pearle in it In allusion whereunto we have our treasure that pearle of price the Gospell saith S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 4.7 in Oyster-shells And albeit now every creature of God is good 1 Tim. 4.3 and to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe yet under the Law those fish onely were reputed cleane Lev. 11.9 Deut. 14.9 Bern. Serm. 1. in die Sancti Andrâ—ae that had fins and scales So saith St. Bernard are those onely cleane in the sight of God qui squammas loricam habent patientiae pinnulas hilaritatis that have the scales of patience and sins of cheerfulnesse And every winged foule Birds were made of all foure clements yet have more of the earth Gen. 2.19 And therefore that they are so light and doe so delight in the ayre it is so much the more marvellous They sing not at all till they have taken up a stand to their minde nor shall we praise God till content with our estate They use not to sing when they are on the ground but when got into the ayre or on the tops of trees Nor can we praise God aright unlesse weanedly affected to the world It was a good speech of Heathen Epictetus Si luscinia essem facerem quod luscinia Cum autem Epist Enchirid. homo rationalis sim quid faciam Laudabo Deum nec cessabo unquam vos vero ut idem faciatis hortor But concerning the creation of birds Macrob. l. 7 c. 16 there is in Macrobius a large dispute and disquisition whether were first the egge or the bird And here Reason cannot resolve it sith neither can the egge be produced without the bird nor yet the bird without the egge But now both Scripture and Nature determine it that all things were at first produced in their essentiall perfection Verse 22. Be fruitfull and multiply By bidding them do so he made them do so for his words are operative Trismegist saith the selfe same things in effect that Moses here doth God saith he Morneuâ— de verit relig cap. 9. cryeth out to his works by his holy word saying Bring yee forth fruit grow and increase c. Note the harmony here and in twenty more passages between Mercury and Moses God hath not left his truth without witness from the mouthes of heathen writers We may profitably read them but not for ostentation That were to make a calfe of the treasure gotten out of Egypt Verse 24.25 Let the earth c. Loe here the earth Act. 16.8 in it selfe a dead element brings forth at Gods command living creatures tame wild and creeping Why then should it be thought a thing incredible that the same earth at Gods command should bring forth againe our dead bodies restored to life at the last day Surely if that speech of Christ Joh. 11.43 Lazarus come forth had been directed to all the dead they had all presently risen If he speake to the rocks they rent if to the mountaines they melt if to the earth it opens if to the sea it yeelds up her dead if to the whole host of heaven they tremble and stand amazed waiting his pleasure And shall he not prevaile by his mighty power the same that he put forth in the
body should have been in health 3 Joâ— 2. as his soule prospered The tree of knowledge of good and evill So called not because it selfe either knew or could cause man to know but from the event God Forewarning our first parents that they should know by wofull experience unlesse they abstained what was the worth of good by the want of it and what the presence of evill by the sence of it In like sort the waters of Meribah and Kibroth Hattaavah or the graves of lust received their names from that which fell out in those places Verse 10. And a river went out Pliny writeth Plin. l. 2. c. 106. that in the Province of Babylon there is burning and smothering a certaine lake or bog about the bignesse of an acre And who knowes whether that be not a peece of Paradise now drowned and destroyed V. 11. Where there is gold Which though never so much admired studiously acquired is but the guts garbage of the earth Gold is that which the basest element yeelds the most savage Indians get servile Apprentices work Midianitish Camels carry miserable muck-worms adore unthrifty Ruffians spend It is to be wondred thatt reading upon the Minerals we canot contemn them They lye furthest from heaven and the best of them in Havilah furthest of all from the Church Adam had them in the first paradise In the second we shall not need them Money is the Monarch of this world and answers all things but in the matters of God money bears no mastery will fetch in no commodity Iob 28.15 Wisemen esteemed it as the stones of the street 2 Chron. 1.15 children of wisdome might not possesse it in their girdles Matth. 10.9 Medes cared not for it Esa 13.17 and divels were set to keep rich and pleasant Palaces verse 22. So subject these mettals are to ensnare and defile us that God made a law to have them purified ere he would have them used Num. 31.22 23. and appointed the snuffers and snuffe-dishes of the Sanctuary to be made of pure gold Exod. 25.28 to teach us to make no account of that that he put to so base offices and is frequently given to so bad men The Spaniard found in the mines of America more gold then earth D. Heyl. Geogr. p 774. Hasten we to that Country where God shall be our gold and we shall have plenty of silver Iob 22.25 Verse 15. To dresse it and to keepe it This he did as without necessity so without paines without wearinesse It was rather his recreation then his occupation He laboured now by an Ordinance it was after his fall laid upon him as a punishment Gen. 3.19 to eat his bread in the sweat of his nose God never made any as he made Leviathan to sport himselfe only or to do as it is said of the people of Tombutum in Affrick that they spend their whole time in piping and dancing â—ph 4.28 but to work either with his hands or his head in the sweat of his brow or of his braine the thing that is good and with how much the more cheerfulnesse any one goeth about his businesse by so much the nearer he commeth to his Paradise Verse 16. Commanded the man saying God hath given man dominion over all the sublunary creatures and lest he should forget that he had a Lord whom to serve and obey he gave him this command to keep Of every tree of the Garden thou maist freely eat The lesse need he had to have been so licorish after forbidden fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic adhibet quod miserecordiae est But stoln waters are sweet Nitimur in vetitum c. Verse 17. But of the tree c. An exploratory prohibition God knew well where we are weakest and worst able to withstand viz. about moderating the pleasures of our touch and taste because these befall us not as men Arist Ethic. l. 1. c. 3. but as living creatures Here therefore he layes a law upon Adam for the triall of his love which left to his owne free-will he soon transgressed Thou shalt surely dye Certissimè citissiméque morieris saith Zuinglius thou shalt surely and shortly or suddenly dye And without doubt every man should dye the same day he is born the wages of death should be paid him presently But Christ begs their lives for a season For which cause he is said to be the Saviour of all men not of eternall preservation but of temporall reservation 1 Tim. 4.10 In which respect also God is said so to have loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. It was a mercy to all mankind Iob. 3.16 that the Messiah was promised and provided sealed and sent into the world that some might be saved and the rest sustained in life for their sakes Symmachus renders it Thou shalt be mortall Verse 18. And the Lord God said Had said to wit on the sixth day when he made Man and there was not a meet help found for him Then God said It is not good c. and so created the woman by deliberate councell as before he had done the man Only there it was in the plural Let us make here I will make to shew the unity of the Essence in the Trinity of persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athenis in nuptiis dici solitum Zenod. Proverb It is not good for man to be alone It is neither for his profit nor his comfort Optimum solatium sodalatium I will make him a helpe meet for him or such another as himselfe of the same form for perfection of nature and for gifts inward and outward one in whom he may see himself and that may be to him as an Alter-ego a second-self Eph. 5.28 Such an one as may be a help to him both so this life 1. By continuall society and cohabitation 2. For procreation and education of children And for the life to come 1. As a remedy against sin 1 Cor. 7.2 Secondly As a companion in Gods service 1 Pet. 3.7 Nazianzen saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. in pat â—pitaph that his mother was not only a meet help to his father in matters of piety but also a doctresse and a governesse and yet he was no baby but an able Minister of the Gospel Budaeus that learned French-man had a great help of his wife in points of learning she would be as busie in his study Non tractat negligentius libros â—eos quà m liberos Daniels Chron. fol. 262. as about her huswifery Placilla the Empresse was a singular help to her husband Theodosius in things both temporall and spirituall And so was our King Edward the thirds Queen a Lady of excellent vertue the same that built Queens Colledge in Oxford She drew evenly saith the Historian with the King her husband in all the courses of honour that appertained to her side and seems a piece so just cut for him as answered him
Patriarks to those spirits once in pleasure now in prison but prevailed not 1 Pet. 3.18 19. shall not alway strive with perverse men by preaching disputing convincing in the mouths of my servants whom I have sent unto them nor in their own mindes and consciences by inward checks and motions which they have made no good use of Delicata res est spiritus Dei Grieve it once and you may drive it away for ever Ideò detâ—riores sumus quia meliores esse dâ—bâ—mus Saâ—v It bloweth where it listeth and will not be at your whistle For that he also is flesh He is therefore the worse because he ought to be better God expects singular things from his people and takes it ill when they are carnal and walk as men 1 Cor. 3.3 They should be higher then others by head and shoulders as Saul was and all that is in them or comes from them should be as the fruit of the trees in Paradise fair to the eye and sweâ—t to the taste Yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty yeers It shall be so long ere I destroy 1 Pet. 3.19 20. 2 Pet 2.5 This long-suffering of God is celebrated by St. Peter and well it may for had he not been God and not man he could never have held his hands so long Neither indeed did he for so extream was the provocation that he cut them off twenty yeers of this promised count That all the earth might know to their wo Numb 14.34 his breach of promise Vers 4. There were Gyants Gigantes quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Earth-sprung John 3.31 They were of the earth they spake of the earth and the earth heard them Heard them I say and fell before them as the beasts of the field do before the roaring Lyon Hence they are called in Hebrew Nephilim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as being faln from God fell upon men Job 1.15 and by fear and force made others fall before them Thus they sought to renown and raise themselves by depressing others and doing violence But this was not the way For now they lie shrowded in the sheet of shame To do Worthily in Ephrata is to be famous in Bethlehem Ruth 4.11 To be patiently perseverant in well-doing is to seek for glory and honor yea to attain immortality and eternal life Romans 2.7 Vers 5. The wickedness of man was great in the earth Which was now grown so foul that God saw it but time to wash it with a flood as he shall shortly do again with streams of fire He destroyed the world then with water for the heat of lust he shall destroy it with fire for the coldness of love as saith Ludolfus Devita Christi l. 2. c. 7. And that every imagination of the thoughts Omne figmentum cogitationum The whole fiction or every creature of the heart as the Apostle hath it Hebr. 4.13 speaking there of the thoughts All the thoughts extensively are intensively onely evil and protensively continually and intents of the heart There is a general ataxy the whole frame is out of frame The understanding dark as hell and yet proud as the devil The will cross and overthwart The memory slippery and waterish to receive and retain good impressions but of a marble firmness to hold fast that which is evil The affections crooked and preposterous The very tongue a world of wickedness what then the heart Si trabes in oculo strues in corde The operations thereof are evil onely evil Every day evil saith this Text And assigneth it for the source of the old worlds wickedness David also resolves his adultery and murther into this pravity of his nature as the principle of it Psal 51.5 so doth Job Chap. 40.4 Paul Rom. 7.24 Isaiah Chap. 6.5 The whole Church Isai 64.6 cryes out Vnclean Vnclean and Chap. 53.6 Lev. 13.45 Esa 1.3 All we like sheep have gone astray Now as no creature is more apt to wander so none less able to return then a sheep The Oxe knoweth his owner the Asse his masters crib The very Swine accustomed to the trough if he goe abroad yet at night will finde the way home again Not so the Sheep Loe such is man Quintilian therefore was quite out when he said It is more marvell that one man sinneth then that all men should live honestly sin is so against the nature of man But he erred not knowing the Scripture For doe ye think Jam. 4.5 saith St. James alluding to this text that the Scripture saith in vaine The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy The civill mans namans nature is as bad as the worst not changed but chained up Truely said Tully Cum primùm nascimur in omni continuò pravitate versamur We are no sooner born then buried in a bog of wickedness Vers 6. And it repented the Lord c. and it grieved him These things are spoken of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of men but must be taken and understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it beseemeth God Perkins When Repentance is attributed to God saith Mr. Perkins it noteth onely the alteration of things and actions done by him and no change of his purpose and secret decree which is immutable M. Gataker Gods repentance saith another learned Divine is not a change of his will but of his work Repentance with man is the changing of his will Repentance with God is the willing of a change Mutatiorei non Dei effectus non affectus facti non consilii Vers 7. I will destroy man See here the venemous and mischievous nature of sin It causeth God to make a World and again to unmake it it sets him against Man his Master-piece and makes him though he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely to devise but to delight in the destruction of his owne creature to mock at and make merry in his calamity Prov. 1.26 to deliver the beloved of his soule into the hands of the destroyer Time was when Christ being by at the Creation Jer. 12 7. rejoyced in this habitable part of Gods earth his delights were with the sons of men Prov. 8.31 But since the Fall it is far otherwise Habaâ— 1. for he is of more pure eyes theâ—â— to behold sin with patience He hates it worse then he hates the Devill for he hates the Devill for sins sake and not sin for the Devills sake Now the naturall and next effect of hatred is revenge Hence he resolves I will destroy man Both man and beast the creeping thing c. Why what have those poore sheep done They are all undone by mans sin and are for his punishment to perish with him as they were created for him This is a piece of that bondage they are still subject to and grievously groan under waiting deliverance Rom. 8.21 22. Vers 8. But Noâ—h found grace Because in Covenant with God who of himself was
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
that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Romans in Plutarch said of Pâ—mpey is repentance that fair and happy daughter of an ugly and odious mother Swear not in heat and choller as David did when he was going against Nabal but soon after blessed Abigail for better counsell Swear not in jest lest ye go to hell in earnest Jam. 5.12 Swear not petty oaths those civilified complements and interjections of common talk Faith and Troth c. Thou must not swear by thy hairs thou canst not make one of them white or black much less by Faith and Troth that is more worth then hairs Remember that large rowl ten yards long and five yards broad full of curses against the swearer Zach. 5.2 And it reâ—â—s upon his house where he thinks himself most secure When we are called to take a lawfull oath we must be reverently affected as this good servant in the text according to the excellency of the duty and greatness of the person whom we attest and invocate The ancient form of taking and imposing an oath was Give glory to God Josh 7.19 Joh. 9.24 And he that took the oath was said to confess to God Esa 45.23 with Rom. 14.11 Therefore also St. Paul in swearing useth a word of attention and saith Behold I speak it before God Gal. 1.20 Lewis the French King was taken prisoner by Meletisaka the Sultan and conditions of peace being concluded between them for more assurance thereof the Sultan offered to swear that if he failed in performance of any thing to renounce his Mahomet Turk Hist requiring likewise of the King to swear if he failed in any thing that he had promised to deny his Christ to be God which profane oath the King detesting and wishing rather to dye then to give the same the Sultan wondring at his constancy took his word without any oath at all and so published the League As o'tother side King Iohn of England being overlaid in his Barons Wars when he sent Embassadors to the Monarch of Morocco for aid Heyl. Geog. p. 714. offering to swear fealty unto him and to receive the law of Mahomet he grew into such dislike of our King that ever after he abhorred the mention of him Vers 6. That thou bring not my son thither again Where yet he had never been but in his fathers loyns He would not his son should part with the promised Land for any out ward accommodations Let us fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 4.1 lest a promise being left us of entring into Gods rest any of us should seem to come short to fall back or be lâ—ft behinde Take we all heed lest for our lingering and hankering after the flesh-pots of Egypt God carry us back again into Egypt which was the last greatest curse threatned against the people of Israel and is the greatest misery can come upon this Nation Deut. 28.68 Vers 7. He shall send his Angel There are myriads of Angels and all sent out for the solace and safe conduct of the Saints Dan. 7. Heb. 1.14 Oh the dignity and safety of a childe of God! Thou shalt take a wife He argues from what God hath done for him to what he will doe Every former favour is a pledge of a future Thou hast thou wilt is a Scripture demonstration See Psal 86.1 2 3 4 Six Thou-hasts whereupon he infers and inforceth his Turn us O God of our salvation c. Vers 8. Onely bring not my son thither again This second time he layes charge on his servant not to do it Better no wife then displease God then violate conscience He purchaseth his pleasure at too dear a rate that payes his honesâ—y to get it He hath lesse of the ballast and more of the sayl makes more haste then good speed that thus speeds himself Vers 9. And the servant put his hand c That and the lifting up of the hand to heaven Gen. 14.22 was the ceremony of old as now it is laying the hand upon the book Let it be what it will if not wicked we need not struple it Henry the Third of England undertaking the croysade in taking his oath laid his right hand on his breast according to the manner of a Priest Daniels Chron. saith the History and after on the book and kissed it as a Lay-man The Moors when they swear to be faithfull to any Turk Hist fol. 747. they put their sword to their own throats At the siege of Norwich by Ket and his complices in Edward the sixths time the Earle of Warwick Generall for the King Life of Edw. 6. by Sir Jo. Heywood p. 75. drew his sword and caused others to do the like and according to a Souldery custome in cases of extremity by enterchange of a kiss by every of them upon the swords of others they bound themselves as by an oath to maintain the place Vers 10. Took ten Camels Creatures that are famous for their swiftness strength hardiness for they will travell they say three dayes together without water which in those hot Countries is in many places hard to come by Sir Francis Drake in his Travels tells us of certain Sheep in America as big as a Cow World encomp p. 55. and supplying the room of Horses for burden or travell The Mule they say must have the bag hang by his mouth so must some the pipe or the pot at their elbows Vers 11. And he made his Camels kneel down Or rest themselves Prov. 12.10 Rom. 8.22 as the Greek interprets it A good man is mercifull to his beast but the poor creature groaneth and travelleth in pain under our abuses Vers 12. And he said O Lord God Begin we all our enterprizes with prayer God may give good success without but it will be nothing so sweet See therefore that Hoc primum repetas opuâ— Hor. Ep. 6. hoc postremus omittas Vers 13. And the daughters c. So did Rachel and those in Deborahs Song that rehearsed the Acts of the Lord at the places of drawing water Judg 5.11 and Jethro's daughters though he were Prince of Midian Oh the simplicity and plainness of those times They that plead Rebecca's ornaments for their garish attire would be loath to take her office be at the pains that she was Vers 14. Drink and I will give thy Camels c. This argued a good nature a kinde courteous disposition which therefore it may be he singled out as a token of a meet wife as a thing especially to be looked at in a wife Good dispositions sanctified become more usefull because more amiable and so more graceful to the Gospel and powerful with others As if not yet sanctified yet there is more hopes they may be For where a good nature is the Soul is a plain smooth board whereon a Painter may more easily draw a Picture and a harsh crabbed nature is as a board full of knots and rugged whereon
relateth Vers 4. And Jacob went in unto her Meerly to please his wise he yeelded to that which he could not but disallow as evil Heed must be taken that the hen crow not that the wife rule nor This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a part of Jacob's punishment Vers 6. God hath judged me c. A vile prophanation of Gods holy Name under an opinion and pretence of piety So they that brow-beating their brethren better then themselves said Let the Lord be glorified and it grew to a Proverb Isai 66.5 In nomine Domini incipit omne malum Act. Mon. The Conspirators in Edward the sixth's time indorsed their Letters with Glory be to God on high on â—arth peace c. A fair glove drawn upon a foul hand Vers 8. With great wrestlings Heb. with wrestlings of God Magno defiderio precibuâ— suspiriis luctata est adversus sorâ—rem Parcus in loc that is with excellent and most earnest wrestlings and endeavours by storms of sighs and showers of tears Stupidity is the lowe extreme like the dull earth Despair is as much too high as it were in the element of fire which scorches up the spirit The middle region of Air and Water Sighs and Tears is the best Vers 14. And found mandrakes Some render it Lovely flowers others Violets others Lilies others again Cherries of Jury the Greek and most Interpreters Mandrakes or Mandrake-apples It is a plant very amiable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Drus in fine com Ruth according to the name both for sweetness of smell Caâ—â— 7.13 the loveliness of the flower resembling a man and for the peculiar vertue it hath to cause sleep affection and conception Vers 15. Therefore he shall lie with thee c. Thus he is bought and sold by his emulous wives which was no small affliction to him and a punishment of his Polygamy Vers 16. Thou must come in unto me These contentions saith an Interpreter were not meerly carnal but partly also Ainsw for desire of Gods ordinary blessing in propagation and chiefly for the increase of the Church and obtaining the promised seed for salvation Vers 18. God hath given me my hire Wherein she was much mistaken as having not her senses exercised to discern good and evil Here she rejoyceth in that for which she should have repented and was in the common errour Foelix seclus virtus vocatur Tull. de divâ—n lib. 2. of measuring and judging of things by the success as if God were not many times angry with men though they outwardly prosper Thus Dionysius after the spoils of an Idol-temple finding the windes favourable Lo said he how the gods approve of sacriledge Vers 20. God hath endued me with a good dowry That is as it proves though Children are dulcis acerbitas saith One 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutar. de prolis amore certain cares but uncertain comforts saith Another yet all men desire them How much more should we covet grace and those things that accompany salvation These having gotten we may safely and surely say God hath endued me with a good dowry Vers 22. And God remembred Rachel She begun to think that God had forgotten her because she was so long suspended and her prayers not answerd This is a common fault David bewails it in himself Basil grew so weary of the Arrian persecution Psal 77. that once he cried out An Ecclesias suas prorsus dereliquit Dominus an novissima hora est c. So the Church of old Where is thy zeal and thy strength Isa 63.15 Lord the soundings of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards us are they restrained Here we must check and chide our selves for once questioning Gods kinde remembrance of us whom we cannot forget and learn and labour not to waken our Welbeloved Cant. 3.5 Isa 30.19 Cant. 2.17 until he please He Waits to be gracious and when it is fit will come leaping over the mountains of Bether all lets and impediments Vers 23. God hath taken away my reproach That is her barrenness with which she was often upbraided when now she was sufficiently humbled besides that her children as the rest of those women that were long barren are noted to have been the best and most gracious Ambrose as Isaac Iacob Ioseph Samuel the Baptist c. A childe of many prayers cannot lightly miscarry as he told Monica Vers 24. The Lord shall add to me another son A sweet and sure way of argumentation God that hath thus and thus done me good Psal 138.8 Bernard will not be wanting to me in any thing that may conduce to mine eternal comfort but will perfect that which concerneth me Qui ad vituli hortatur esum quid tandem mihi negaturus est Vers 26. Exod. 2. Let me goe Here Iacob was too hasty as Moses was in doing justice before his time and therefore fled for it Vers 27. I pray thee if I have found favour c. This miserable muck-worm so he may advance his own ends abaseth himself to his servants colloguing or any thing to curry favour and compass commodity But he that is swallowed up of the earth as Core was his eares stopped his heart stuffed and all passages for Gods spirit obstructed by it shall have earth enough when he dyes his mouth shall be filled with a spade-ful of mould and his Never-enough quit with fire enough in the bottom of hell Such another courteous caytife as this in the text was that Plautianus a rich Roman Dio in vita Severi Is tantum filiae suaededit quantum reginis 50 saâ—isesset Ibid. of great authority with Severus the Emperour Omnia enim petebat ab omnibus et cupiebat omnia saith the Historian Herein only he differed from Laban when he married his daughter to Antonius the son of Severus he gave her as much portion as would have sufficed for fifty Queens Vers 30. The Lord hath blessed thee since my coming Heb. at my foot Hence grew that proverb used in Africa Homo boni pedis a man whose coming is prosperous and is appliable to the Ministers of the Gospel whose feet are beautiful and prosperous if they faithfully feed the flock Vers 21. What shall I give thee Solent multum quaerere qui cupiunt parum dare But Laban would know his price that he might be out of his pain Vers 32. And of such shall be my hire As white and black sheep were most set by in Mesopotamia so were the party coloured in Palestina Jacob's countrey whence the shepherds there are called Nochudim Amos 1.1 that is keepers of spotted cattel This might be a reason why Jacob desires to be paid in such and perhaps had learned that skill there which he used in the following verses Vers 33. So shall my righteousness c. A good conscience fears no judge no not God himself in some particulars as Psal 7.3 4. That which Jacob did here
love of praise or fear of punishment but not without grief for inwardly he is scalded with boyling lust Whereas the chaste man like S. Pauls virgin 1 Cor. 7.34 is holy both in body and in spirit and this with delight out of fear of God and love of vertue Now if upon such a ground we can refuse proferred pleasures and preferments resolving rather to lye in the dust with Ioseph then to rise by wicked principles the triall is as sound as if we had indured the tortures of the rack Heb. 11. As she spake to Ioseph day by day Satan will not be said with a little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor sit down by a light repulse A man must give him a peremptory denial again and again as our Saviour did and yet the tempter departed not but for a season He is called Beelzebub that is the Master-flye because he is impudent as a flye and soon returns to the bait from which he was beaten He will be egging us again and again to the same sin and try every way to overturn us Many times he tempts by extreams Mr. Perkins as he did Mr. Iohn Knox on his death bed first to despair by setting before him his sins and when foyled there afterwards to presumption and challenging of heaven as his due for his many good works and zeal in the Scottish Reformation So he dealt here by Ioseph he first set upon him on the left hand when he sold him for a slave And when this prevailed not he sets here a Dalilah to tickle him on the right side and to tye him with the green withes of youthful pleasures Sed pari successu but he lost his labour Ioseph was semper idem famous for all the four cardinal vertues if ever any were See here in this one temptation his fortitude justice temperance prudence in that he shuns the occasion for he would not only not lye with her but not be with her saith the Text And that a man is indeed that he is in a temptation which is but a tap to give vent to corruption Exod. 23.7 Prov. 5.8 1 Cor. 6.18 To lye by her or to be with her Keep thee far from an evil matter saith Moses Come not nigh the door of the harlots house saith Solomon Flee fornication saith Paul And flye youthful lusts Not abstain from them only 2 Tim. 2.22 but flye them as ye would do a flying Serpent These are Gods commandements and they are to be kept as the sight of the eye Prov. 7.2 The Nazarite might not only not drink wine but not taste a rasin or the husk of a grape The Leper was to shave his hair Numb 7. and pare his nailes 1 Thess 5. The good Christian is taught to abstain from all appearance of evil and to hate the very garment that is spotted by the flesh The Devil counts a fit occasion half a Conquest for he knows that corrupt Nature hath a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seed-plot of all sin which being drawn forth and watered by the breath of ill company or some other occasion is soon set awork to the producing of death Satan cozens us when he perswades us it s no conquest except we beat away the temptation yet keep the occasion by us God will not remove the temptation till we remove the occasion And in such case to pray Lead us not c. but deliver us from evil is to thrust our finger into the fire and then pray it may not be burnt A bird whiles aloft is safe but she comes not near the snare without danger Solomon thought himself wise enough to convert his wives not be corrupted by them 1 King 11.4 But it came to passe when Solomon was old that his wives turned away his heart after other gods c. He that can shun or remove the occasion of his own proper motion as Ioseph did hee 's the Man this is grace here 's a victory Vers 10. To do his businesse To look up his bills of account saith the Chaldee Idleness is the Devils opportunity the hour of temptation But let a man be never so busie about his lawfull employments he is to expect assaults As he is not idle so neither is Satan but walks about and spreads his snares for us in all places and businesses speaking a good word also in temptations that come from the flesh which are therefore called his messengers 2 Cor. 12.7 and by giving place to them we give place to the Devil Ephes 4.26 And there was none of the men of the house within Josephus saith that they were all gone forth to a feast and she only left at home as faining her self sick Sick she was as likewise Amnon with the lust of concupiscence which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a disease 1 Thess 4.5 such as those which the Physitians say are corruptio totius substantiae the body and soul Quod sanitas in corpore sanctitas in corde Bern. are both tainted and rotted by it Other diseases consume only the matter of the body but this the holiness and honour of the body Other sicknesses sanctifie us but this profanes us and lets the divell into our hearts Behemoth lyeth in the fennes Iob 40.21 That is the divill in sensuall hearts Gul. Paris Ezek. 47.11 as Gul. Paris applyeth it And when the waters of the Sanctuary slowed the miry places could not be healed Vers 12. And she caught him by the garment By wanton touches and dalliance mentall adultery is oft committed He that toucheth his neighbours wife Prov. 6.29 shall not be innocent saith Solomon This is the offensive right hand that must be cut off Mat. 5.30 The harlot caught the silly simple and kissed him and with an impudent face said unto him Prov. 7.13 till a dart struck through his liver vers 23. cogit amare jecur And he left his garment in her hand This second time is Joseph stript of his garment before in the violence of envy now of lust before of necessity now of choyce before to deceive his father now his master Infamy and other misery he was sure to suffer but that must not drive from duty 2 Cor. 6.8 The Church comes from the wilderness Cant. 8.5 expounded that is through troubles and afflictions leaning on her beloved chusing rather to suffer then to sin The good heart goes in a right line to God and will not fetch a compass but strikes through all troubles and hazards to get to him It will not break the hedg of any commandement to avoid any piece of foul way The primitive Christians chose rather to be thrown to lyons without then left to lusts within Ad leonem magis quam lenonem saith Tertullian I had rather go to hell pure from sin saith Anselme then to Heaven polluted with that filth Mallem purus a peccato innocens gehennam intrare c. Potius in ardentem
of Aetius the Roman Prefect of Gaul using these words To Aetius thrice consul the sigh's of the Britains Daniels Chronicle and after thus they complain The barbarous enemie beat 's us to the sea the sea beats us back to the enemie between these two kindes of deaths wee are either murthered or drowned But their implorations prevailed not Neither found they anie other remedie then what the Prince of Orange shewed to his souldiers at the battle of Newport Hist of Netherl when they had the sea on one side and the Spaniards on the other If saith Hee you will live you must either eat up these Spaniards or drink up this Sea Ver. 11. Becaus there were no graves Thus they rebelled at the sea at the red-sea yet hee saved them for his names sake Psal 106.7.8 Ver. 12. Is not this the word Invalidum omne naturâ querulum Weak spirits are ever quarrelling and contending Seneca Ver. 13. Stand still and see the salvation Thus God heard their crie at the red-sea Neh. 9.9 Though it were not the crie of faith but of fright and perturbation So hee heard the voice of the lad Gen. 21.17 Ver. 14. Yee shall hold your peace i. e. Yee shall neither saie nor do Ver. 15. Wherefore criest thou unto mee sc with inward groanings without anie audible voice Moses egit vocis silentium ut corde clamaret And God was readier to answer then hee to ask Speak unto the children of Israël q. d. August Ther 's somthing more to bee don then to praie Ora labora Wee must not onely crave God's help but bee forward in the cours whereby to make waie for God's help That they gforward Though upon a manifest danger This is an act of strong faith pure obedience Ver. 16. But lift thou up thy rod This rod God make 's use of for the greater manifestation of his own power and the gracing of his servant Moses Ver. 18. When I have gotten mee honor Made mee a name as at this daie Neh. 9.10 For this hee was famous in far countries Jethro the first proselyte to the Jewish Church was hereby converted saie the Rabbines 1 Sam. 4.8 And the Philistimes crie Woe unto us these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the Wilderness Ver. 19. And the Angel of God Christ the Angel of God's presence See chap. 13.21 and 23.22 Went behinde them So the glorie of the Lord was their rereward Isai 58.8 Hee will bee to his both Van and Rere Isai 52.12 Ver. 20. A cloud and darkness to them See the Note on Heb. 12.2 Ver. 21. Func Chron. And Moses stretched out his hand Of that Pseudo-Moses that cozeâ—ed manie credulous Jews of Creet into the midâ—st of the sea Anno. 434. See Funccius at that year And the waters were divided So was that torrent of fire if Aristotle may bee beleived that ran from Aetna De mundo cap. 6. consuming the countrie and yet parted it self making a kinde of a lane for those that ventured to rescue their aged parents Ver. 22. Were a wall unto them Everie main affliction is our red-sea saith One which while it threat's to swallow preserv's us Ver. 24. In the morning watch God watcheth upon the evil to bring it upon his enemies then when hee may do them a greatest mischeif Dan. 9.14 Hee picketh his times for vengeance Isai 33.10 The Lord looked upon the host Hoe set his eies upon them as Paul did upon Elymas the sorcerer with highest offence and utmost indignation After which lightening follow 's that terrible thunderclap wherewith hee troubled them and took off their wheeles See Psal 77.18 19. and 18.15 Ver. 25. For the Lord fighteth for them Our late great successes have extorted the like acknowledgments from som of Satan's sworn swordmen as at the dissolution of the seige at Plimmouth Ver. 26. That the waters may com again By winde that God sent Exod. 15.10 The windes blow the waters flow Psal 147.18 Ver. 27. Returned to his strength For by beeing divided it had been weakened si collidimur frangimur The daughter of dissension is dissolution Ver. 28. There remained not one of them No more doth there of our subdued iniquities Mic. 7.19 Peccata non redeunt Wee shall see them no more anie otherwise then these Israëlites did their enemies dead upon the shore CHAP. XV. Ver. 1. Then sang Moses PResently upon the deliverance whiles their hearts were hot and the mercie fresh No part of the thank-offering might bee kept unspent till the third day Benesits soon grow stale and putresie as fish Ver. 2. I will prepare him an habitation Or I will adorn him I will give him ornaments and trimmings Such God account's our poor praises Ver. 3. The Lord is a man of war Yea hee alone is a whole Armie of men Van and Rere both Isai 52.12 Hee send 's the sword Ezek. 14.17 Muster 's the men Isai 13.4 Order's the ammunition Jer. 50.25 Give 's the victorie Whence hee is here styled by the Chaldee The Lord and Victor of wars Ver. 4. In the red sea So called haply from that red man Esau or Edom who usurped the dominion of that sea now called Sinus Arabicus Ver. 5. As a stone So shall Rome Rev. 15.5 Ver. 6. Hath dashed in pieces It is a fearful thing to fall into the punishing hands of the living God Heb. 10.31 For who knoweth the power of his anger Psal 90.11 Ver. 7. That rose up against thee Becaus against thine There is a league offensive and defensive betwixt God and his people Ver. 8. And with the blast In celebrating God's favors wee must bee punctual and particular Ver. 9. The enemie said I will They made account all was their own but were soon confuted as were likewise Sisera and Sennacherib Where the begining of a business is conâ—idence the end is consusion Ver. 10. Thou did'st blow c. Here it was that the Arm of the Lord put on strength to cut Rahab and wound the dragon Isai 51.9 Ver. 11. Who is like thee One of the most stately descriptions of God that is found in holy-writ God is to bee magnified Wee must make room for him Ver. 12. The earth swallowed them That is the sea which compasseth the earth about as a girdle God having set the solid earth upon the liquid waters See Jon. 2.6 Psal 24.2 Ver. 13. Vnto thy holie habitation Canaan where God chose to dwell This Hee is said alreadie to have don becaus hee would certainly do it God's promises are his performances and everie former mercie a pledg of a future Ver. 14. Sorrow shall take hold So it did 1 Sam. 4.8 Then the Dukes of Edom See Deut. 2.4 Ver. 15. The mightie men See it fulfilled Num. 22.3 shall melt So they did Iosh 2.9 10 11. Ver. 16. Till thy people pass over Over Jordan as now they have don over the red sea into Canaan Ver. 17. Of thine
Vers 12. It shall be at the salt-Sea That is the Lake of Sodome called also Asphaltites and the dead Sea Josephus saith that an ox having all his legs bound will not sink into the water of this sea it is so thick Vers 17. Eleazar the Priest Pointing to the high Priest of the new Covenant by whom we have entrance into the promised inheritance whither he is gone before to prepare a place for us and hath told us that in his Fathers house are many mansions room enough CHAP. XXXV Vers 2. SVburbs These were for pasture pleasure and other Country-Commodities not for tillage for the Levites were to have no such employment Num. 18.20 24. Vers 6. That he may flee thither All sins then are not equal as the Stoicks held neither are all to be alike punished as by Draco's laws they were in a manner Those laws were said to be written not with black but with blood because they punished every peccadillo almost with death as idleness stealing of pot-herbs c. Aristotle gives them this small commendation that they are not worth remembrance but only for their great severity Vers 7. Shall be fourty and eight cities Thus the Levites were dispersed throughout the land for instruction of the people so ought Ministers of the Gospel who are fiâ—ly called the salt of the earth that being sprinkled up and down may keep the rest as flesh from rotting and putrisying Vers 8. From them that have many ye shall give By the equity of this proportion the richer are bound to give more to the Ministers maintenance then the poorer Let this be noted by those that refuse to give any thing to their Ministers because they have not those things the tithes whereof the law requires for this purpose See Gal 6.6 with the Note there Vers 15. Shall be a refuge Christ is our Asylum to whom running for refuge when pursued by the guilt of an evill conscience we are safe None can take us out of his hands If we be in Christ the Rock temptations and oppositions as waves dash upon us but break themselves Vers 16. So that he dye Though he had no intent to kill yet because he should have look't better to 't he is a murtherer he smote him purposely and presumptuously and the man dyes of it King James was wont to say that if God did leave him to kill a man though besides his intention he should think God did not love him Vers 18. The murderer shall surely be put to death This is jus gentium The Turks justice in this case will rather cut off two innocent men then let one offender escape Cartwr travels The Persians punish theft and man-slaughter so severely that in an age a man shall hardly hear either of the one or the other A severity fit for Italy where they blaspheme oftner then swear Spec. Europ Purchas and murther more then revile or slander like the dogs of Congo which they say bite but bark not And no less fit for France where Les ombres des defunde fieurs de Villemor within ten years 6000 gentlemen have been slain as it appears by the Kings pardons Byron Lord high-Marshal of France and Governour of Burgundy slew a certain Judge for putting to death a malefactor whom he had commanded to be spared Epitome hist Gall. pag. 275. For this he sued for a pardon and had it but not long after he turned traytor to his Prince that had pardoned him and was justly executed Vers 21. He shall surely be put to death And yet the Papists allow wilful murtherers also to take sanctuary who should as Joab was be taken from the altar to the slaughter Their hatred to Protestants is so deadly that they hold us unworthy to live on Gods ground fit for nothing but fire and fagot yea they send us to hell without bail or main-prize as worse then Turks or Jews They tell the people that Geneva is a professed Sanctuary of all roguery that in England the people are grown barbarous and eat young children that they are as black as Devils c. Vers 23. Or with any stone As at the funeral solemnities of Q. Anne a scholar was slain by the fall of a letter of stone thrust down from the battlements of the Earl of Northamptons house by one that was a spectatour Vers 25. Vnto the death of the high Priest Because he was amongst men the chief god on earth and so the offence did most directly strike against him Or rather because the high Priest was a type of Christ and so this release was a shadow of our freedom and redemption by the death of Christ CHAP. XXXVI Vers 1. ANd spake before Moses Who was their common Oracle to enquire of in all doubtful cases Like as at Rome C. Scipio Nasica whom the Senate by way of honor called Optimus had a house in the high-street assigned him at the publike charge quò faciliùs consuli posset that any man might go to him for counsel And surely as the Romane General never miscarried so long as he followed the advice of Polybius his historian so neither did or could this people do amiss if ruled by Moses who was the mouth of God vers 5. Vers 6. To whom they think best See Gen. 24.57 58. with the Note there Vers 7. Shall keep himself to the inheritance This was an excellent law to cut off quarrels strifes and law-suites and to frustrates those qui latrocinia intra moenia exercent as Columella said of the Lawyers of his time Vers 11. For Mahlah Tirzah and Hoglah c. The names of these virgins as one Interpreter elsewhere observeth seem to be not without mystery M. Ainsworth For Zelophehad by interpretation signifieth the shadow of fear or of dread his first daughter Machlah Infirmity the second Noah Wandering the third Hoglah Turning about for joy or Dancing the fourth Milcah a Queen the fifth Tirzah Well pleasing or Acceptable By these names we may observe the degrees of our reviving by grace in Christ for we all are born as of the shadow of fear being brought forth in sin and for fear of death were all our life-time subject to bondage Heb 2.15 This begetteth infirmity or sickness grief of heart for our estate After which Wandering abroad for help and comfort we finde it in Christ by whom our sorrow is turned into joy He communicates to us of his royalty making us Kings and Priests unto God his Father and we shall be presented unto him glorious and without blemish Ephes 5.27 So the Church is beautiful as Tirzâ—h Cant. 6.3 Deo soli Gloria A COMMENTARY or EXPOSITION UPON The Fifth Book of MOSES CALLED DEUTERONOMY CHAP. I. Vers 1. These be the words which Moses spake ANd surely he spake thick if he spake as some cast it up this whole Book in less then ten dayes space Certain it is that he spake here as ever most divinely and like