Commentary on the Pentateuch

CHAP. XX. Ver. 2. That giveth any of his seed to Moloch ]

SEE the Note on Chap. 18.21. Lactantius report's out of Pescennius Festus, that the Carthaginians being overcome by Agathocles King of Sicily, and fearing lest their slackness in the service of Saturn (who is thought to be the same with Moloch ) was the caus, offered unto him for a sacrifice no fewer then four hundred young Gentlemen at once.

Ver. 3. To defile my Sanctuary ] Great sins do greatly pollute. See Lev. 18.21.

Ver. 5. I will set my face against that man ] See the reason. Ezek. 16.20, 21. Is this of thy whoredom • a small matter, that thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to pass thorough the fire for them? This was an enraging sin; such as God is absolute in threatening, and will be as resolute in punishing.

Ver. 6. I will cut him off ] Nemo cum serpent securus ludit, nemo cum diabolo jocatur impune.

Ver. 7. For I am the Lord your God] And God that is holy should be sanctified in righteousness. Isa. 5.16.

Ver. 8. I am the Lord that sanctify you ] Ut acti agatis, that ye may trade with your talents, sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and lives, and walk up to your principles.

Ver. 9. For everyone that curseth ] See the Note on Mat. 15.4. and on Exod. 21.17.

Ver. 10. Shall surely be put to death] Adultery was death long before this Law. Gen. 26.11. and 38.24. So it was afterwards among the Greeks, Romans, and many other Nations. Jer. 29.22, 23.

Ver. 15. Ye shall slaie the beast ] Though innocent: this show's the heinousness of the sin. See Chap. 18.9.

Ver. 17. And see her nakedness ] In the Pope's war against the Albigenses (those ancient French Protestants) when the Bishops had taken a great Town yielded to them, they commanded the inhabitants both men and women to depart stark naked, Partibus illis, quae honest nominari non possunt, sanctorum illorum cruciatorum oculis expositis, saith Rivet, not suffering them to hide from the impure eyes of those Pope holy fathers, those parts that nature would have covered. David that had faulted in looking lustfully on bathing Bathshedba, pray's hard, after he had smarted for it, Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, &c. _____ Cur aliquid vidi, cur noxia lumina feci? _____ See Hab. 2.15. Of looking come's lusting, especially when they do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (which is the Apostle's word. 2 Cor. 4.14.) so look, as the archer at the mark.

Ver. 21. They shall be childeless ] Either barren or bereft; for this is a sin, saith Job, that root's out all a man's increase. Chap. 31.12. Hence that of Hosea, They shall commit whoredom, velo iipparedu, they shall not increase. Pered is a mule, which is a beast very libidinous, but begetting nothing. Solomon had many concubines, yet but one son and two daughters. So had our Henry 8. He had uncovered his brother's nakedness, and was well-nigh childless by her. Afterwards he married many wives, and was blame-worthy for women, but left no more children then Solomon did. More happy he was in them then Solomon; for he had Rehoboam a man neither wise nor fortunate, as they call it: his daughters but obscure, and both of them subjects. But Henry had a Peerless Prince to his son ( viz. Edward 6.) and his two daughters were both Sovereigns of an imperial Crown.

Ver. 24. Separated you ] With a wonderful separation, such as was that of light from darkness at the Creätion.

Ver. 25. Between clean beasts ] How much more then shall you abstain from those unlawful copulations, whereby men put off all manhood, degenerate into dogs? Rom. 1.27. Deut. 23.18. 2 Sam. 3.8.

Ver. 27. That hath a familiar spirit] As Paracelsus had one confined to the pummel of his sword, or else Erastus belie's him.

CHAP. XXI. Ver. 1. There shall none be defiled for the dead ]

THis holy abstinence of the Priests in matter of mourning, marriage, &c. figured the transscendent holiness of Christ: The devils could call him that holy One of God. Mark 1.24. It taught also both Ministers and people (who are a Kingdom of Priests) 1. Well to govern their passions, and to be patterns of patience. 2. Ever to keep such a Sabbath of Spirit, that by no dead works, or persons dead in trespasses and sins, they be hindered in the discharge of the duties of either calling.

Ver. 2. And for his brother ] The high-priest might not for any of these, ver. 10, 11. nor might Eleazar and Ithamar for their dead brethren Nadab and Abihu. Levite. 10.6. because in that case, mourning might have seemed murmuring.

Ver. 3. And for his sister ] What? and not for his wife? Yes surely (though she be not mentioned) because she is nearer then either daughter or sister. See Ezek. 24.16. he was a Priest; but that was an exempt case, an exception from what was ordinarily don.

Ver. 4. Being a chief man ] A vir gregis, all whose actions were exemplary, and have not an impulsive only, but a compulsive power and property. Gal. 2.14. Why compellest thou the Gentiles? His example was a compulsion.

Ver. 5. They shall not make baldness, &c.] So Chap. 19.27. Howbeit in humiliation for sin the Lord God of hosts called them all, both Priests and people, to weeping and mourning. Jeel 2.17. yea to baldness and sackcloth. Isa. 22.12. Here we cannot easily over-do.

Ver. 6. They shall be holy ] Heb. Holiness, i.e. all holy, even as holiness itself, merely spiritual. [Not profane the Name of their God] Not do anything unworthy the majesty of the Ministry: but suffer the dead to bury their dead. Mat. 8.22.

Ver. 7. They shall not take a wife ] Lest his function be disgraced. That which Hosea was commanded to do against this prohibition. Chap. 1.2. was but visional. [Or profane] deflowered, ravished. [Put away from her husband] Becaus of evil report.

Ver. 8. Thou shalt sanctify him ] i. e. Thou Moses shalt command him to be sanctified, as Exod. 19.10.

Ver. 9. She shall be burnt with fire] A peculiar plague, to show the hatefulness of the sin.

Ver. 10. Shall not uncover his head ] So neither doth the Mufti among the Turks, nor the Pope of Rome uncover to any man: but this is their pride and stateliness.

Ver. 11. Nor defi • e himself ] But appear impassionate, as it were, and more than a man.

Ver. 12. For the crown of the anointing ] Noting thereby, that Christ now risen is crowned with glory and honor. Heb. 2.7. Zach. 6.12. and so shall we with him. Heb. 2.9, 10.1 Cor. 15.47, 48, 49.

Ver. 13. In her virginity ] Such is Christ's wife. 2 Cor. 11.2. Revel. 14.4. Mat. 25. not giving her love, or his worship to any other.

Ver. 14. Of his own people] A Jewess of any Tribe. Ezek. 44.22. 2 Chron. 22.11.

Ver. 15. Profane his seed ] Disable them for the Priesthood by marrying such a wife as was forbidden him.

Ver. 17. That hath any blemish ] Christ was without blemish, so should all the Saints be, but especially Ministers, of whom it should be said as of Absalom, that from top to toe there was no blemish in him. 2 Sam 14.25.

Ver. 18. He shall not approach ] Lest his Ministry be slighted for his personal defects and deformities: how much more for his ignorance, envy, indirect aims, uneven walking, injudiciousness, unheavenlie mindedness, &c. purported by these bodily imperfections?

Ver. 22. He shall eat the bread ] So might not the unclean Priests. Levite. 22.3. Our involuntarie weaknesses shall not debar us from benefit by Christ.

CHAP. XXII. Ver. 2. That they separate ]

THough Priests, yet they may not hold themselves privileged above others to commit sin, but are the rather obliged to duty. Why should any Chrysostom have caus to say? Non arbitror inter sacerdotes multos esse qui salvi fiant; I do not think that many of our Ministers can be saved: 'tis well if any? Or any Campian to exclaim? Ministris eorum nihil vilius.

Ver. 6. Unless he wash his flesh with water ] Whereby he was led to the laver of Christ's blood, which is opposed to legal washings. Heb. 9.9. Run we to that open fountain. Zach. 13.1. and be every day washing and cleansing our selves therein from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. Everie Jew had his water-pots for daily purification. John 2.6. We have a far better Bath.

Ver. 7. Becaus it is his food ] Animantis cujusque vita in fuga est, and must be preserved by food.

Ver. 9. And die therefore ] It is no dallying with God. Either do it we must, or die for it.

Ver. 10. There shall no stranger ] The equity of all this was, that Ministers should have a comfortable subsistence for them and theirs: and that the things that are appointed to that purpose should not be converted to other uses. 1 Cor. 9.13. It is certainly a sad complaint that Luther make's. Nisi superesset spolium Aegypti quod rapuimus Papae, omnibus Ministris verbi fame pereundum esset, &c. Were it not for such spoils of Egypt as we have won from the Pope, God's Ministers might starve and perish. And if ever it come to that, that they must be maintained by the people's benevolence, a miserable maintenance they are like to have of it. That little that we have now diripitur à Magistratu is got from us by the great Ones, who rob our Churches and Schools, as if they meant to make an end of us with hard hunger. Thus he. See Hag. 2.14. All the water in Jordan, and the Cerimonies in Leviticus, cannot cleans a man so long as the polluted thing remain's in his hand.

Ver. 16. Or suffer them ] From my other men's sins, Good Lord deliver me, said One: Have we not enough of our own to answer for? See 1 Tim. 5.22. wich the Note. That cannot be wholesome meat, that is sauced with the blood of souls, and spiced with the wrath of God.

Ver. 20. It shall not be acceptable ] Nay, it shall be abominable. Mal. 1.7. God require's the best of the best, fine flour without bran. Levite. 2.1, &c. and curseth that cousener, that having a sound or a fat male in his flock, bringeth to him a corrupt carrion, or a lean starvling for Sacrifice. Vers 14.

Ver. 23. That mayest thou offer ] Though it have some kind of defect, yet (in free-will offerings) it might pass. This was to signify, that our imperfect obedience after that we are once in Christ, is accepted by Christ, who is without all blame and blemish.

Ver. 24. Neither shall you make any offering ] No not a freewill offering. Religion love's to lie clean. God will take up with a poor, but it must be a pure sacrifice.

Ver. 25. Their corruption is in them] As not having their hearts purified by faith; and therefore not in case to pleas God.

Ver. 27. It shall be seven days] As not being man's meat, till then: but legally impure, and in their blood, as were likewise infants.

Ver. 28. Ye shall not kill it and her young ] Becaus it bear's a show of cruelty, and of adding affliction to the afflicted. See Gen 32.11. Hos. 10.14.

Ver. 29. Offer it at your own will ] God strain's upon no man. Virtus nolentium nullaest.

Ver. 30. On the same day ] See the Note on Chap. 7.15.

Ver. 31. I am the Lord ] Your rightful Lord, and my reward is with me, to give unto every man according to his works.

Ver. 32. My holy name▪ ] Holy, and therefore reverend. Psal. 111.9. Holiness hath honor.

CHAP. XXIII. Ver. 1. And the Lord spake ]

SEE the Note on chap. 7.22.

Ver. 2. To be holy convocations ] Not bare rests: as Plato said, that the God's, pitying men's labor, appointed their festivals to be a remission of their labor. See the Notes on Exod. 20.8, 9, 10, 11.

Ver. 3. Ye shall do no work therein ] Save only works of piety, charity and necessity. These are allowed by our Savior. Mark 2.29. and 3.4. and 3.27. The Jews superstitiously hold, that it is not lawful for a blind man to lean upon a staff on a Sabbath-day, as the lame may: That if a Flea bite a man on that day, he may take it, but not kill it: that if a thorn prick him in the foot on that day, he may not pull it out: That a Tailor may not carry a needle, much less a sword; that a man may not spet, or be taken out of a jakes, as that Jew of Tewksburie, who said,

Whereunto the Earl of Gloucester replied,

Sir, reverence of the Sabbath keep's me here:

In all your dwellings ] Where you are to sanctify this rest, and to repair to your Synagogues. Act. 15.21.

Ver. 5. In the fourteenth day ] See the Notes on Exodus 12.18.

Ver. 11. And he shall wave the sheaf ] This signified that they and theirs were accepted of God through Christ. [On the morrow after the Sabbath] Here the Lord's day was prefigured (saith one) therefore prescribed, and instituted of God. This shake-day-sheaf was a pregnant type of Christ's rising again, the first-fruits from the dead. It was fulfilled in Christ's resurrection, the day after the Sabbath: And because this Sabbath bath was chiefly meant of the Passover (which was an high Sabbath) it was a double Sabbath, wherein Christ rested in the grave. The very next morning was Christ waved before the Lord; when, in the earth-quake, he rose from the dead (the first fruits of them that sleep) and there-hence entered the everlasting gates as a King of glory. Psal. 24.7. which Psalm is in the Greek called, A Psalm of David of the first day of the week.

Ver. 15. Seven Sabbaths ] That is seven weeks; The Sabbath is queen of all the days of the week; and therefore carry's the name of the whole week.

Ver. 17. Out of your habitations ] That is, out of the new corn (growing of the same land which God gave them to inherit) not • orrein. [The first fruits] viz. of their wheatharvest, as the shake-sheaf, verse 10. was of their barlie-harvest. Thus were they to express their thankfulness to God for those precious fruits of the earth. Jam. 5.7.

Ver. 22. And when ye reap ] See Chap. 19.9. In these we entertain Christum convivam, Christ a guest, saith Jerome.

Ver. 24. Of blowing of trumpets ] This feast signified the spiritual joie and gladness of the Saints, that are redeemed by Christ, all their life long. Isa. 33.10.

Ver. 27. Also on the tenth day ] See the Note on Chap. 16.31. Thus they were kept in sorrow five days, before they might keep their feast of joie. verse 34.

Ver. 34. The feast of tabernacles ] It signified (the Prophet Zechariah being interpreter, Chap. 14.16, 17, 18, 19.) that the remembrance of our redemption by Christ should be perpetuated with all spiritual gladness.

Ver. 42. Ye shall dwell in booths ] The siege of Jerusalem by the Romans lasted six months. It began at the Passover, and ended at this feast of Tabernacles: Ità festum illud fuit finis istius politiae.

CHAP. XXIIII. Ver. 2. Beaten for the light ]

MInisters must beat their brains, and bend their utmost endeavors to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, and to guid their feet into the way of peace: as that burning and shining light, the Baptist did. Luk. 1.79.

Ver. 3. From the evening unto the morning ] In the morning it went out. 1 Sam. 3.3.

Ver. 4. Upon the pure candle-stick ] Pure, because daily purified by the Priests: so must our consciences be from dead works by daily repentance.

Ver. 5. Twelv Cakes ] See the Note on Mat. 12.4.

Ver. 6. Six on a row ] One by another, not one upon another, as they are commonly painted.

Ver. 8. Everie Sabbath ] So must the bread of life be every Sabbath at least set before the Saints.

Ver. 10. Whose father was an Egyptian ] His mother taught him to speak, his father to blaspheme. [Strove together] In the heat of contention, what will not men say or do?

Ver. 11. Blasphemed the name, &c.] Heb. bored it thorough, gored it, pierced it, as did those Syrians, slain by the fall of the wall of Ap • ek, Rabshakeh that dead dog, Julian the Apostate, Chosroes the Persian, the raging Turk at the siege of Seodra, that foul-mouthed Papist that durst say, The God of the Protestants is worse then Pan god of clowns, which can endure no cerimonies nor good manners at all. To these add Paul Best, who hath lately published blasphemous verses against the Trinity. See the London Minister's Testimonial to the Truth of Jesus Christ.

Ver. 14. And let all that heard him ] The Jews at this day abhor the blasphemies of Christians, so openly and ordinarily darted up with hellish mouths against God. The Turks punish their prisoners sorely, when as, through impatience or desperateness, they break out into them.

Ver. 16. And he that blasphemeth ] Swearers and blasphemers toss God's name to & fro with such impiety and profaneness, as if their speech could have no grace, but in his disgrace: as if Augustus Caesar were dealing with some god Neptune; or the three sons trying their archerie at their father's heart, to see who can shoot nighest. [Shall be surely put to death] Though he be never so much provoked by others, as this blasphemer was; that shall no whit excuse him.

Ver. 17. And be that killeth any man ] Though in hot blood; Scripture make's no difference between murder and manslaughter. See the Note on Gen. 9.6.

Ver. 19. As he hath don ] God love's to retaliate; it is his usual manner of proceeding in punishing.

CHAP. XXV. Ver. 2. Then shall the Land keep a Sabbath ]

BY their weekly Sabbath they professed that themselves belonged to God (though Seneca jeer them for it, as those that cast away the seventh part of their time) by this seventh year Sabbath, they professed, That their Land belonged to God, and that they were only his hinds, his tenants, and tithe-men. Hence it is called, the Lord's land. Hos. 9.3. and Immanuels. Isa. 8.8.

Ver. 4. A Sabbath of rest unto the Land ] This and the Jubilee year shadowed our eternal rest. Col. 2.16, 17. Heb. 4.9. 1. Everie seventh-day they rested from their labors. 2. Everie seventh year the ground rested. Everie seventh seventh (as some reckon it) was the Jubilean Sabbath: at which time all debts were remitted, prisoners released, morgages restored to the right inheritors. The great and eternal Sabbath comprehend's all these. How then should we breath after it, and even go forth to meet it (as the Jews do their weekly Sabbath) beginning it an hour sooner then the Law required; and this they called their Sabbatulum, or little Sabbath?

Ver. 6. Shall be meat for you ] Thus God taught and inured them to depend upon his providence, and to feed on faith, as some read that text. Psal. 37.3. For though the owner of the field might gather, even on that year, for the maintenence of himself and family, yet he was neither to sow his field, thereby to greaten his harvest, nor to hedge his field, or lock up his vineyard, &c.

Ver. 9. In the day of atonement ] Here began the Jubilee: this feast was founded in a fast. They that sow in tears shall reap in joie: neither is there any such comfort as theirs, that have soundly soaked themselves in godly sorrow.

Ver. 10. And proclaim liberty ] See this expounded by the Prophet Isaiah. Cap. 61.1, 2, with Luk. 4.21. A most joifull Jubilee indeed. In the year of Christ, 1617, the Pope proclaimed a Jubilee for the peace of Italy and Austria. The Protestants also of Germany did the like, in honor of God, and for joie of the Reformation begun by Luther in Germany, a just hundred of years before.

Ver. 12. Out of the field ] See the Note on ver. 6.

Ver. 14. Ye shall not oppress ] But proceed by that golden rule, What ever ye would that men should do to you, even so do ye to them.

Ver. 17. But thou shalt fear thy God] And so depart from this evil also. Gen. 42.18. Joseph said to his brethren (who feared he would roll himself upon them) This do and live, for I fear God. q. d. I dare do you no hurt, though ye be fallen into my danger. So his grand-father Isaac, seeing that he had don unwilling justice, durst not revers the blessing, though he had some mind to it, for God had overawed him. Gen. 27.33. And ought ye not to have walked in the fear of the Lord, said good Nehemiah to those mercieless griping Usurers? Cha. 5.9.

Ver. 20. And if ye shall say] A clear answer to a carnal objection. Usually God conceal's the objection in Scripture, and meet's it with an answer, which is an act of grace.

Ver. 21. Command my blessing ] Now if God send his Mandamus, who shall gainst and it?

Ver. 23. The Land is mine ] See Vers 2.

Ver. 25. And if any of his kin ] Christ is our near kinsman, and so by propinquitie (as a man) had the right of redemption. Ruth 2.20. and 3.9, 11, 13.

Ver. 34. May not be sold ] This Law lasted but during the paedagogie: for Joses a Levite sold his land, and brought the monie, and laid it at the Apostle's feet. Act. 4.36, 37.

Ver. 35. That he may live with thee ] i. e. Live in good fashion; for a necessitous life is a lifeless life. Thus shall ye say to him that liveth. 1 Sam. 25.6. So Joh. 4.50. thy daughter liveth.

Ver. 36. Take thou no usury ] God dispenseth with no usury, but condemn's both Neshec the biting, and Tarbith the toothless. In Rome at this day, all usurers are excommunicated monthly. The Jews indeed are permitted to strain up their usury to eighteen in the hundred upon the Christian (for among themselves they nowhere use it) which causseth many of the unconscionable Christians to use these Jews under hand in improving their unlawful rents to the utmost proportion.

Ver. 43. Rule over him with rigor] As the Egyptians did over the Israelites. Exod. 1.13. Thy servant is made of the same earth with thee, and hath right to the same heaven with thee. See Gal. 3.28. The servant paid the half shekel as well as the master. Stand not therefore on terms of inequality: but know that yourselves also have a master in heaven. Do therefore to them that which is right and equal. Col. 4.

CHAP. XXVI. Ver. 1. Ye shall make you no idols ]

SEE the Notes on Exod. 20.4, 5. God knew the people's proneness to idolatry.

Ver. 2. Ye shall keep ] See the Note on Chap. 19.30.

Ver. 4. Rain in due season ] The best Almanac we should rely upon for seasonable weather, is our obedience to God, love to our neighbor, care of our selves.

Ver. 5. Dwell in your land safely ] Confidently, fiducially, as boldly relying upon God's protection.

Ver. 6. Neither shall the sword ] To devour and desolate it, to eat flesh and drink blood, without measure or satiety. A fire it is that feed's upon the people. Isa. 9.19. a hungry Wolf that snatcheth on both hands. Ver. 20.

Ver. 7. And ye shall chase your enemies ] If foreigners invade you, you shall be able to quel and quiet them quickly.

Ver. 8. And five of you ] God strengthen's or weaken's the arm of either party. Ezek. 30.24. strike's a Panick terror oft, as into those Aramites that heard an hurrie-nois in the aër (made by the Angels likely) and fled.

Ver. 9. And establish my Covenant with you ] This is more then all the rest. So Gen. 17.30, 21. I have blessed Ismaël; twelv princes shall he leget, but my Covenant will I establish with Isaac.

Ver. 11. I will set my tabernacle ] The Philosopher could comfort himself, that though he had little else to trust to, yet 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , here are the gods with me, meaning his housholdgods. And he in Plutarch said of the Scythians, That though they had no music, nor vines amongst them, yet they had gods. How much more may the Saints glory in God's presence? Habent omnia qui habent habentem omnia.

Ver. 12. And I will walk ] See the Note on 2 Cor. 6.16.

Ver. 13. Which brought you forth ] This they often hear of, not by way of exprobration. Jam. 1.5. but to incite them to thankful obedience Deut. 8 11. Josh. 24. Servati sumus, ut serviamus.

Ver. 14. But if ye will not hearken ] Here we may observe twice so many threatenings as promises; which serv's to set forth the baseness of our natures, that will do more for fear then love.

Ver. 16. I will even appoint ] Put them in commission, send them with such authority as shall be irresistible. [Terror, consumption, and the burning ague] i. e. terrible sicknesses of all sorts, such as was the sweating sickness, called, Sudor Anglicus, quia Anglis perpetuum malum. It reigned here some forty years together, and slew so many, that strangers wondered how this Island could be so populous to bear and bury such incredible multitudes. No stranger in England was touched with this diseas, and yet the English were chased therewith, not only in England, but in other countries abroad: which made them like tyrants, both feared and avoided, wherever they came.

Ver. 17. They that hate you] A heavy curs to any people, to have mischievous malicious Princes set over them: odious to God, malignant to the people.

Ver. 18. Seven times more ] God will have the better of us, and good reason: for is it fit that he should cast down the bucklers first? Illud quidem sic habeto, said the Orator, nisi sanatus animus sit, quod sine Philosophia fieri non potest, finem miseriarum nullum fore. Be sure of this; if thy mind mend not, there will be no end of thy misery.

Ver. 19. Your heaven as iron ] Hard hearts make hard times.

Ver. 20. Your land shall not yield ] See this fulfilled. Jer. 14.1, 2, &c. and Joel 1.12. Jer. 8 13. And yet their country was called, Sumen totius orbis, Cornelius Tacitus yield's it to be a fruitful country. So did Rabshakeh long before. 2 King. 18.32.

Ver. 21. Contrarie unto me ] Or, Carelesly before me, as our ungirt Christians. Profligate Professors do. [Seven times more plagues] God cannot be exhausted, neither need we fear as he did of his Jupiter,

Ver. 22. I will also send wild beasts] As he did, Num. 21.6. 2 King. 17.25. 2 King. 2.24. See Isa. 13.21. Jer. 5.6.

Ver. 23. Ye will not be reformed ] Or, Chastised. God will master us, but the wicked refuse to receive corrections: like naughty boies they prove more stubborn or more stupid: they stout it out, and will not stoop. When God's hand is lifted up, they will not see; bu they shall see, and be ashamed, &c. Isa. 26.11.

Ver. 24. Then will. I walk contrary ] God will be as froward as they for the hearts of them. Ps. 18.20. He will wrie with them; neither may they look to get anything of him by wriggling and wrestling.

Ver. 25. I will bring a sword ] God make's peace and create's evil. i. e. war, called evil, per Antonomasiam. Whencesoever the sword come's, it is bathed in heaven. Isa 34.5. [The quarrel of my Covenant] For breach whereof Jerusalem is long since laid waste, those seven golden Candlesticks are broken in pieces, Bohemia lie's still a bleeding, which was the seat of the first open and autoriz • d Reformation. And what may we think will become of us all, who like men have transgressed the Covenant. Hos. 6.7. or as Junius read's it, not tanquam homines, but tanquam hominis, &c. We have made no more of breaking Covenant (alas! our National League and solemn Covenant!) then if therein we had had to do with dust and ashes like our selves, and not with the great God; who is therefore whetting his sword, and furbishing it for slaughter, Quod Deus avertat.

Ver. 26. And not be satisfied] As sick of a bûlimie, or doglike appetite, common in times of famine, such as was that of Samaria, Saguntum, Jerusalem, Sancerra, &c.

Ver. 28. Seven times more for your sins ] God will not cease pursuing till Sheba 's head be thrown over the wall. Three times in this Chapter God raiseth his note of threatening, and he raiseth it by sevens, and those are discords in music. Such sayings will be heavy songs, and their execution heavy pangs to the wicked.

Ver. 29. And ye shall eat] As they did 2 King. 6.29. Lam. 4.19. Pone pretium humanae carni, was once heard openly proclaimed at Rome, in the reign of Honorius the Emperor. A hard case indeed. Here in England, in Edward 2. his time, Anno 1316. there was so terribe a famine, that horses, dogs, yea men and children were stolen for food, and the thieves newly brought into the Gaol were torn in pieces, and eaten presently half alive, by such as had been longer there.

Ver. 30. Upon the carcasses ] Or, Stumps and shivers of your idols overturned. Jer. 16.18. Ezek. 4.37. Thus in Ket 's conspiracy those rebels of Norfolk, that brought with them into the field the Pix under his Canopy in a cart, not without masses, crosses, banners, candlesticks, &c. All which trumpery, together with their breaden god was tumbled in the dirt, amidst the carcasses of their late idolatrous worshippers.

Ver. 39, 40, &c.] A special text touching the rejection and conversion of the Jews.

CHAP. XXVII. Ver. 1. And the Lord spake ]

THis is oft premised and prefaced for authority's sake, and that we may learn to resolv all divine doctrines into Deus dixit.

Ver. 2. When a man shall make a singular vow ] Votum eximium as Vatablus render's it, a personal, particular, voluntary vow; which, drawn by some peculiar reason, a man promiseth to God of his own accord; It is a binding of ones self to God by an holy & religious promise, to do or not to do something lawful, possible, useful for our increase in godliness: As here of persons, afterwards of things: all which might be redeemed (under such exception as the Law provideth) by the estimation of the Priest for certain shekels of silver, after the shekel of the Sanctuary: this was double to the ordinary shekel. The alm and intent of these personal vows was (say some) that the price of their redemption might be employed either for the maintenence of the Priests. Numb. 18.14. or for the repair of the Sanctuary. 2 King. 12.4, 5. Neither by such vows do we cast any new snares upon our selves, but rather a new tie to the payment of an old debt.

Ver. 3. Fiftie shekels of silver ] This was the greatest rate, because people are then in their prime; and yet no very great one, lest they should think much to vow, or perform to the Lord their God.

Ver. 4. And if it be a female ] She is set at a lower valuation then the male; because less able for any laborious or rational employment.

Ver. 5. From five years old ] Childhood and youth is vanity. There is a bundle of folly in a child's heart. Prov. 22.15. The same Greek word signifieth a fool, and a child. And Eccles. 11.10. the Hebrew word used to signify youth, signifieth blackness or darkness, to note, that youth is a dark and dangerous age. Few Macariusses to be found, who, for his gravity in youth, was sir-named 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the old young man.

Ver. 8. But if he be poorer ] Indulged he shall be, but not exempted. Vows (in things lawful and possible) must be performed, as we can at least. If rashly made, that rashness must be repented of, but the vow, if otherwise lawful, must be kept, without delaie or diminution, to the utmost of our power. Men may not play with vows, as Monkies with their collars, which they can slip at pleasure. Eccles. 5.3, 4. Ps. 76.11. To vow is voluntary, to pay is necessary. And yet what more common in the world then ship-men's vows? As he in Erasmus, who in a storm promised his Saint a picture of wax as big as S. Christopher, but when he came to shore, would not give a tallow candle.

Ver. 10. Then it, and the exchange thereof ] For a punishment of his instabilitie and lightness.

Ver. 28. Notwithstanding no devoted ] Hitherto of things consecrate, now of things exsecrate (whereof see a command. Deut. 13.15, 17. an example. Numb. 21.2.) These could not be sold, nor redeemed, but must remain with the Priest: if it were a beast, then to be put to death.

Ver. 30. And all the tithe ] See here in this Chapter what a liberal maintenence God allowed the Priests: 1. Divers votive oblations, or their redemptions. 2. All the first-born, or their redemtions. 3. Everie devoted thing, unless devoted to some particular use. 4. All the tithes of what kind soever. Besides first-fruits, oblations, portions of sacrifices, &c. And I see not (saith a reverend man) but that tithes at least, or some better thing should be due to the Ministers of the Gospel by divine ordinance: and that those that take them from us should give us a better thing, as those here that had a mind to redeem their tithe, were bound by the Law to add to the price every fifth penny above the true value.

CHAP. I. Vers. 1. In the Wilderness of Sinai ]

H ERE God held his people, well-nigh a twelve-month. Here they received the Law, both Moral and Ceremonial: the Moral, drove them to the Ceremonial, which was then Christ in figure; as it doth now drive us to Christ, in truth. The Ceremonial Law, saith one, was their Gospel. We must also pass by Sinai, to Zion; unless we like rather to be carnally secured, then soundly comforted. See the notes on Exod. 19.1.

Vers. 2. Take ye the sum ] Hence this Book is named (in the Greek,) Numbers.

Vers. 3. All that are able ] The people perceiving, how many hundred thousand strong they were, might go on, with more courage against their enemies. It is an ancient custom in Scotland, in cases of importance, to command the fire-cross to be carried; that is, two fire-brands to be set in fashion of a cross, and pitched upon the point of a spear, and proclamation is thereupon made; that all men, above sixteen years of age, and under sixty, shall come into the field, to advance against the common enemy.

Vers. 4. A man of every tribe ] These were men of renown. Vers. 16. To do worthily in Ephratah, is the way to be famous in Bethlebem, Ruth 4.11. It is said of a great States-man, in Queen Elizabeth's days, that he was in the number of those few, that both lived and died with glory.

Vers. 16. Princes of the tribes ] Thes • were those officers over them in Egypt, (saith an Hebrew Dectour,) that had been beaten for them, Exad. 5.14. Now they are raised to great preferment. Sic per augusta ad angustum, per spinas ad rosas, per motum ad quietem, per crucem • ad caelum contendimus.

Vers. 17. Which are expressed by their names] And they are all excellent good names, and very significant; hereby is testified to posterity, that they forgot not the Name of their God, when they were in the iron furnace; but could say, as Psal. 44.17. All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee: Though thou hast sore broken us, in the place of dragons, &c.

Vers 19. So he numbered them ] See the note on Exod. 30.12. At every general muster, they paid poll-money; See ib. verse. 16. Such a taxation was first granted, in this kingdom, to Edward the third; but in the next reign, proved of ill consequence; the exactours receiving from the people no less sums of curses, then of coin; whereupon, also, followed the first and greatest popular insurrection, that ever was seen in this kingdom.

Vers. 47. Were not numbered ] Because, by special privilege, enempted from secular and military employments, that they may wholly devote themselves to the service of the Sanctuary. Peter, in like sort, must put up his sword; and Timothy not entangle himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier, of another nature, 2 Tim. 2.4. But Timothy • s Herulus that warlike Bishop of Alexandria, Anno Dom. 467, was a gallant fellow in his generation. And some of Peters pretended successors were, viri biliosi et bellicosi; cast the keys into Tiber, and took up Saints Paul's sword, and the Imperial habit. So have divers of their dear sons done; as Philip, Bishop of Beau-vi •• in France; who, being taken in battle, by Richard the first, in a skirmish, had his armor he was taken in, sent to the Pope, with these words engraven thereon; Vide utru • filii tui tunica sit, vel non; See whether this be thy sons coat or not.

Vers. 53. Shall pitch round about] As the living creatures; (the Ministers) are between the 24 elders, the congregation of the faithful, and the throne, Rev. 4.

CHAP. II.

Vers. 1. ANd the Lord spake ] He being the Lord of these Hosts of Israel, Exod. 12.41. gives order for the marshalling of them, in such good array, and allcomely equipage, as made them as a city, that is compact together; both beautiful as the Moon, and terrible, as an army with banners, Psal. 122.3. Cant. 6.10. This Balaam beheld with admiration, Num. 24.5, 6.

Vers. 2. Far off about the Tabernacle] About it: The Emperors tent, is among his Soldiers. Xerxes pitched his tent, not only among, but above his soldiers, that he might look on them, when in fight, for their encouragement. So the Lord; who as he is round about his people, Psal. 125.2. so they are round about the Lord, Psal. 76.12. A people near unto him, Psal. 148.14. Yet not so near, but they must know, and keep their just distance; as here, they pitched far off, about the Tabernacle; a mile off, as is gathered from Josh. 3.4. God, though he loves to be acquainted with men, in the walks of their obedience, yet he takes State upon him in his ordinances, and will be trembled at, in our addresses to his Majesty.

Vers. 3. And on the East-side] Judah encamped foremost. It was fit the Lion should lead the way. Better an army of Harts, with a Lion to lead them on, &c. This order in their march, shown the principality that should continue in this tribe, till Shiloh came. Judah herein also was a type of Christ, who is the Captain of the Lord's Hosts, Josh. 5.14. and of our salvation. Heb. 2.10. and goeth before his heavenly armies, Rev. 12.7.

Vers. 10. And on the South-side ] The order proceed • th, from East to South, and so to the West, and North; according to the course of the Sun, and climates of the world, saith one. I may add, according to the course and progress of the Gospel: which went out of Judea, (lying East) into Greece, which lieth South, And from thence passed to the Western parts, the Latin Church, and so to us of the North. And because.

CHAP. III.

OF Aaron and Moses ] Of Aaron by nature, of Moses by education, and instruction. See 1 Cor. 4.15. Gal. 4.19. with the Notes there. So the Jesuits call themselves Padres, and require of their Novices blind obedience, which is more then ever Moses did.

Vers. 3. Which were anointed] And so should have walked, as became God's anointed; leaving a sweet smell behind them everywhere: but they went out in a stench, they fell, as if they had not been anointed with oil, 2 Sam. 1 21.

Vers. 4. And Nadab and Abihu ] Such a cross had David, in his two eldest, Amnon and Absalom. See the Notes on Levite. 10.1, 2.

Vers. 9. They are wholly given unto him ] Heb. they are given, they are given. So the Ministers of the Gospel, are called gifts, Eph. 4.8, 11. honouraries, such as Christ bestowed upon his Church, at the day of his Coronation, and solemn inauguration into his throne, at his wonderful Ascension.

Vers. 10. And the stranger ] Though a Levite, yet if not of Aaron's seed, Num. 18.3. Heb. 5.4. Let this be thought upon by our over-bold intruders into the work of the Ministry.

Vers. 13. Because all the first-born ] So they were from the beginning: but here is noted a continuance of this ordinance; when it is said, that he sanctified the first-born to himself, what time he smote every first-born in Egypt. Now, the first born are said to be God's, by a singular right, Exod. 13.2. and so they were types, 1. Of Christ, Rom. 8.29. to whom therefore we must give the honor, of his first-birth-right; all our sheaves must veil and bow to his sheaf. 2. Of Christians; those first-born, whose names are written in Heaven, Heb. 12.23. who are dear to God, as his first born, Exod. 4.22. and so higher then the Kings of the earth, Psal. 89.27. for they are Kings and Priests unto God, Rev. 1.6. to serve him day and night in his temple, Rev. 7.15.

CHAP. IIII.

Vers. 2. OF the sons of Kohath ] Kohath, was not Levies first born, but Gershom: and yet he hath the preeminence, and chief charge; as of the Ark, Table, Candlestick Altars, &c. Num. 3.31.

Vers. 3. To do the work ] The work of the Ministry, is, not an idle man's occupation, but a laboring even to lassitude; compared therefore to harvest-work, and to that of cleaving wood, digging in mine-pits, rowing with oars, &c. All the comfort is, that God that helped the Levites, to bear the Ark of the Covenant, 1 Chron 15.26. will not be wanting to his weak, but willing servants, that labor in the word and doctrine, 1 Tim. 5.17.

Vers. 5. And when the Camp setteth forward ] Which was not, till the cloud was taken up from off the Tabernacle, by the Lord. Num. 10.11, 12: who went before them. Semper memento illud Pythagoricum, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Let God lead us, and we cannot miscarry.

Vers. 8. And cover the same ] It is well observed, that only the Ark (representing Christ,) and the Table with show-bread, (representing the Church) had three coverings; all the other holy things had but two, for a covert from storm and from rain. Thus, upon all the glory shall be a defense.

Vers. 13. The ashes from the Alta • ] The fire from Heaven, was also carefully kept alive, Lev. 6.12. though nothing be here said of it.

Vers. 15. Lest they die] As Uzzah did, 1 Chron. 13.10. [The burden of the sons of Kohath] Who as they had the honos, so the onus, See verse. 1.

Vers. 16. And to the office of Eleaz • r ] Called therefore Prince of the Princes of the Levites. Num. 3.32.

Vers. 18. Cut ye not off] i.e. Cause them not, by your default, to be cut off. Heed must be taken, that we neither give offense carelessly, nor take offense causelessly.

Vers. 20. But they shall not go in to see ] The men of ' Bethshem • sh paid for their peeping, 1 Sam. 6.9. Search not into God's secrets: hìc oportet, non rimari, Dent. 29.29. Remember that saying of Xenocrates the Philosopher; Nihil interesse, pedesue quisquam, an oculos in aliena domo ponat, It is as great unmannerliness, to pry into another man's house, as to press into it.

Vers. 30. From thirty years ] The Greek hath it, from 25 years: for then they began to be learners, and probationers; and at 30, they set upon the service: See Num. 8.24. In their old age, they had leave to retire.

Vers. 32. By name ye shall reckon ] That all might be ready and forth coming, when the Sanctuary was set up again. Christ knoweth and calleth all his by name, Joh. 10.3. not the meanest of them is missing, John. 17.12.

Vers. 44. Trhee thousand, and two hundred ] By this diversity of number among the Levites families, God showeth his wisdom, saith an Interpreter; in fitting men for the work, whereunto he hath appointed them, whether it requireth multitude or gifts. For to one is given by the Spirit, the Word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit, &c. dividing to every man severally as he will. 1 Cor. 12.8, 12. It is reported, that in Luther's house was found written: Res et verba Philippus, res sine verbis Lutherus, verba sine re Erasmus. Melancthon hath both matter and words; Luther hath matter, but wants words; Erasmus hath words, but wants matter. Everyone hath his own share: all are not alike gifted.

Vers. 48. Eight thousand, &c. What a poor few were these to the other tribes? God's portion is ever the least.

CHAP. V.

Vers. 2. PUt out of the Camp ] To show, that sin unrepented of, throws us out of the communion of Faith, and Saints; shuts us out of the congregation of God, in earth and heaven. No fellowship, place, or reward with them. See Rev. 21.27. with the note there.

Vers. 3. Without the Camp shall ye put them ] Evil doers are to be suspended, excommunicated, 1 Cor. 5.13. which text showeth plainly, the truth of this ceremony.

Vers. 6. Any sin that men do commit ] For what man is he, that liveth and sinneth not? I am a man, a sinner, saith Peter, Luk. 5.8. not more a man, then a sinner. Our lives are fuller of sin, then the firmament of stars, or the furnace of sparks: we can as little cease to sin, as the heart to pant, pulse to beat, &c. The devil when he speaks lies, speaks of his own, John. 8.44. so when we do evil, we work of our own, we walk as men, 1 Cor. 3.3. Sins are here called human fins, as the Greek hath it.

Vers. 7. Then they shall confess their sin ] So they were bound to do, all their sins, Prov. 28.13. Job 33.27, 28. Confessio peccati est medicina peccati, saith Nazanzen. A sin acknowledged is halfeamended. _____ And he shall recompense his trespass ] Restitution must be made of goods unjustly detained; or else you shall cough in hell, said Mr. Latimer. Our King Henry the seventh, in his last will and testament, after the disposition of his soul and body; he Devised, and willed restitution should be made, of all such moneys, as had unjustly been levied by his officers. So did Selymus the great Turk, give order at his death, for the restoring and recompensing of the great treasure he had taken from the Persian merchants.

Vers. 8. Unto the Lord, even to the Priest ] The Priest is the Lord's receiver. So Heb. 7.6, 7, 8, 9. Tithes are due to the Ministers of Christ that lives, because due to him; and they are in his stead, 2 Cor. 5.20.

Vers. 9. And every offering ] So liberally doth the Lord provide for his Priests. See the Note on Levite. 27.30. And is not the right of lively-hood, as equal and due to the Ministers of the Gospel, whose Ministry is far more glorious? 2 Cor. 3.8, 9. even greater then that of John the Baptist, Mat. 11.11.

Vers. 12. If a man's wife go aside] Adalterum, vel ad alterius torum, vnde dicitur adulterium. If as a wanton, she want one, when she hath her own. But what wittals are the Lituanians, who give way to their wives, to have their stallions, (if Maginus bely them not,) and call such connubii adjutores; prizing them, far above all their acquaintances.

Vers. 13. And it be hid from the eyes] As Prov. 30.20. Such a privy whore was Livia, the wife of Augustus Caesar; who, (though otherwise very observant of her husband,) yet lived in adultery with Eudemus her Physician: qui specie artis frequens secretis, saith Tacitus; who, under a show of curing her, corrupted her. So do the Jesuits many dames at this day; being, as one saith of them, Conn • bisanctifugae, clammeretricitegae The Friers are said to send men, whose wives are barren, in pilgrimage; to Saint Ioyce, the patroness of fruitfulness, and mean while, to lie with their wives.

Vers. 14. And the spirit of jealousy come upon him ] In the bathes at upper- Baden, in Helvetia, cernunt viri vxores tractari, cernunt cum alienis loqui, et quidem solam cum solo, saith Munster, and yet are not jealous. But the Italians are so jealous, that how many husbands, so many jaylours. And the Turks as far exceed the Italians herein, as the Italians do us. Therefore their women go muffled, all but the eyes: nor are they suffered to go to Church, or so much as look out at their own windows. In Barbary, 'tis death for any • an to see one of the Xeriffes concubines: and for them too, if when they see a man, though but through a casement, they do not suddenly screek out.

Vers. 15. Barly-meal ] Barly, not wheat. She hath done the act of a beast, and her oblation is the meat of a beast, as Sal. Jarchi here noteth.

Vers. 16. Set her before the Lord ] Whose the judgment was; that, if guilty, she might be scared, from submitting herself to this trial; since God knows all our thefts.

Vers. 17. Holy-water] i.e. Water taken out of the holy laver: no warrant for popish lustrall water, and sprinkling of Sepulchers: for the ground whereof, Cardinal Baronius fairly refers us to Iuvenals sixth Satire.

Vers. 18. Vncover the Woman's head ] Because she stood, now, upon her justification, and thereupon laid aside, for present, this sign of subjection to the man, 1 Cor. 11.7. _____ [The offering of memorial] Brought by her husband, verse. 15. who was now sick, of one of those three diseases, that they say are hardly cured; jealousy, frenzy, and heresy.

Vers. 21. Thy thigh to rot, and belly to swell ] God takes notice of the offending member; as he did in those blasphemers, who gnawed their tongues, Rev • l. 9. Absolom's hair, Jeroboams hand, the adulterers loins, Prov. 5.11. Zimri and Cozli, thrust through the belly, Num. 25.8. Charles the 2. King of Navarre: Joan Queen of Naples, &c. Suffered as they sinned.

Vers. 22. Amen, Amen ] Twice; to show the fervency of her zeal, the innocence of her cause, the uprightness of her conscience, and the p • rity of her heart.

Vers. 23. Shall write these curses in a book ] To show, that the word written, should cause the water thus to work, according to the cleanness, or uncleanness of the party. See 2 Cor. 2.16. with the note there.

CHAP. VI.

Vers. 1. ANd the Lord spake] Est Venus in vinis: therefore after the law, for the privy harlot; here is a law given, for abstinence from wine, and strong drink; which some have called lac Veneris, Rev. 17.4. The whore comm • th forth with a cup, as with a fit instrument.

Vers. 2. To vow a vow] A voluntary vow, a religious promise made in prayer: hence 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a prayer. [To separate themselves unto the Lord] As mirrours of singular sobriety and sanctimony, Lam. 4.7. (especially required in such, as are separated unto the Gospel of God, Rom. 1.1.) and as types of Christ, that great Votary, true Nazarite, holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sins, Heb. 7.26. that holy thing, Mat. 1.20. that holy of holies, or most holy, Dan. 9.24.

Vers. 3. He shall separate himself from wine ] Lest he should drink and forget the law, Prov, 31.5. which he was to study diligently: but loaden bellies, make leaden wits; intemperance takes away the heart, Hos. 4.11 overchargeth it, Luk. 21.34. [Moist grapes or dried] Dryed as raisins, currants, (or grapes of Corinth, whence they come, and are called.)

Vers. 4. From the kernels, even to the husk ] Nothing that that might occasion, or tempt him to break his vow. All shadows and shows of evil, must be shunned: quicquid fuerit male coloratum, as Bernard hath it; whatsoever looks but ill-favored, 1 Thess. 5.22. Jude 23. He that would not eat the meat, must not meddle with the broth. He that would not toll the bell, must not tuggle with the rope. He that would shun the blow, must keep aloof from the train.

Vers. 5. There shall no razor ] In opposition to Heathens; Uotaries, who nourished their hair, to offer to their gods. The popish Priests also, cut and shave their hair, that they may still look neat, and effeminate; which God allowed not in his Nazarites, Amos 2.11.

Vers. 6. At no dead body ] Christ was never defiled, by any person dead in sin, nor by any dead work: no more must we.

Vers. 7. He shall not make himself unclean ] In all changes, he must be unchangeable: so was Christ, so must we.

Vers. 9. And if any man die] A figure of the involuntary and unavoidable infirmity of the Saints, which must be bewailed, as direct fruits of the flesh; and for which there is, through Christ, a pardon of course.

Vers. 12. And he shall consecrate ] He shall begin the world a new: so must we; after some foul fall especially: repent and do thy first works. Revel. 2.5. as the Shulamite did, Cant. 5.2. &c.

Vers. 14. And he shall offer his offering ] Though he had fulfilled his vow in the best manner, yet he must come with his sinoffering, &c. leading him to Christ, for pardon of failings in the manner; and with his thank-offering, for what he had been enabled to do, before he could be released of his Nazarite -ship.

Vers. 18. And put it in the fire ] To teach us, that the Lord so loveth his children, that he esteemeth the least hair of their head, as a precious gift.

Vers. 19. The sodden shoulder ] i.e. The left shoulder; for the right was due unto him raw, Lev. 7.32. This taught the Nazarite special thankfulness: dignity requires duty.

Vers. 20. The Nazarite may drink wine ] The Popish Votaries will needs fetch color and approbation for their superstitious vows, from this order of Nazarites. But the abolishing of this ordinance is declared, Act. 21.25. and they are so far from the abstinence of Nazarites, that they eat of the best, and drink of the sweetest: the most generous wine in Lovain and Paris, is known by the name of vinum theologicum: the Divines (those S • rbonists ) do so whiffe it off.

Vers. 21. Besides that, that his hand ] i.e. Beside his voluntary devotion, according to his ability. This he may do, but that he must do, be he poor, or rich.

Vers. 23. Ye shall bless the children of Israel ] Praying for them with hands first stretched out to Heaven, and then laid upon the people; so putting the blessing of God upon them. So Christ did upon his Apostles, which was his last action upon earth, Luk. 24.50. And so must all Pastors do, that would do good on it, pray down a blessing on their people.

Vers. 24. The Lord bless thee ] Here some observe the mystery of the holy Trinity. See it explained, 2 Cor. 13.14.

CHAP. VII.

Veas. 2. The Princes of Israel offered ] So they did at the making of the Tabernacle, and at the building of the Temple, Exod. 35.27. 1 Chron. 29.6, 7, 8. which was but to give God of his own; as David acknowledgeth with all thankfulness, Vers. 14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Of thine own we offer unto thee, said Justnian, when he had offered up, in the Temple of Sophia, at Constantinople, a communion-table that had in it, (saith the Author,) all the riches of land and sea.

Vers. 8. And four wagons, and eight oxen ] Double the number of what the Gersonites had, because their carriage was heavier; God proportions the burden to the back: none of his shall be oppressed, though pressed out of measure, above strength, 2 Cor. 1.8. as Joseph was, whom the archers hated, and shot at: But his how abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong, by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, ever reserved for a dead lift, Gen. 49.23, 24. Mat. 8.17. See the note there.

Vers. 9. Bear upon their shoulders ] Therefore, when David carted the Ark. (as the Philistines had done before,) God was angry, and made a breach upon Uzzah, because they sough him not in due order 1 Cor. 15.13.

Vers. 11. For the dedicating of the Altar ] No warrant, at all, for Popish dedications of Altars, Churches, religious houses built for superstitious uses, as appears in stories: as pro remission & redemptione peccatorum; pro remedio et liberatione animae; pro amore caelestis patriae; pro salute regnorum, in honorem gloriosae virginis, &c.

Vers. 12. For the tribe of Judah ] Ut ubique superemineat praerogativa Christi a juda oriundi.

Vers. 17. And for peace-offerings ] Sacrifices of all sorts they brought, whereby, having made their peace, they kept a feast with joy, before the Lord, for his mercy to them through the merits of his son.

Vers. 18. On the second day ] Their offerings are severally and largely described; to show how highly accepted in Heaven.

Vers. 19. And when Moses was gone in, &c.] Scipio Africanus was wont, before day, to go into the Capitol; in cellam jovis, and there to stay a great while, quasi consultans de Rep. cùm Jove, as if he had advised with his god about the public businesses.

CHAP. VIII.

Vers. 3. HE lighted the lamps ] This Candlestick, on the Southside of the Tabernable, over against the Table, figured the Law of God shining in his Church, Prov. 6.23. 2 Pet. 1.19. and the lighting of one lamp from another, shown the opening of one text by another. The Rabbin's have a saying, Nulla est objectio in lege quae non habet solutionem in latere; i. e. there is not any doubt in the law, but may be resolved in the context.

Vers. 4. Beaten work ] To show, that Ministers must beat their brains, to beat out the sense of the Scriptures, as the fowl beats the shell, to get out the fish, with great vehemency.

Vers. 7. sprinkle water of purifying, &c.] This taught, that none were meet for the holy Ministry, but by the free favor of Christ, and by the sanctification of his Spirit, 2 Cor. 2.16. Gal. 1.15. Ministers are fullones animarum, their office is to whiten others; themselves therefore should be as those Nazarites, Lam. 4. whither then snow. [Shave all their flesh] As the Lepers did; Levites are by nature, no better then Lepers: Ministers, men subject to like passions as others, and liable to more temptations.

Vers. 9. The whole assembly ] By their Representatives the Elders, or the first-born; figuring the Church of Christ, those firstborn which are written in heaven, Heb. 12.23.

Vers. 10. shall put their lands ] Imposition of hands, is an ancient rite at the Ordination of Ministers.

Vers. 11. And Aaron shall offer the Levites ] Heb: wave the Levites, with might figure ministers miseries, and afflictions, by Satan's sifting them, and wicked men's turmoyling them; as Jeremy that man of contentions.

Vers. 12. The one for a sin-offering ] The sin-offering for actual sin; the burnt-offering for Original.

Vers. 19. As a gift to Aaron ]— Clarissima semper Munera sunt, Author quae pretiosa facit; Ministers also are given, as an honourary to the Church.

Vers. 24. From twenty five years ] See the Note on Chap. 4.30.

CHAP. IX.

Vers. 2. KEep the Passover ] This Passover; for they kept no more but this, till they came into the land of Canaan, ( Josh. 5.10. with Exod 12.25.) because of their often and uncertain removes. The feast of Tabernacles, likewise, was for many ages omitted; or at least, not in due manner observed; as by dwelling in boothes, reading the book of the law, &c. Neh. 8.16, 17, 18. which a man would wonder at; but Vexatio dat intellectum: those Jews were newly returned from captivity.

Vers. 3. According to all the rites ] It was a true saying of Socrates in Xenophon, Deum eo cultus genere coli velle, quem ipse instituerit, that God must be worshipped in his own way only. Whereunto agreeth that of Cicero, Deum non superstitione coli velle, sed pietate.

Vers. 5. And they kept the Passover ] See the Notes on Exod. 12.

Vers. 6. They could not keep the Passover ] Because they were to be unclean seven days, Numb. 19.11. Now among the very Heathen, the Sacrificers were to purify themselves some days before; they had their coena pura the night before, &c. and having expiated the company they cried, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; who is here? to which they made reply, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Many and good are here.

Vers. 7. And those men said unto him ] Moses, they knew, was a meet man to resolve this Case of Conscience. He was a Messenger, an Interpreter, one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness, Job 33.23. a Merchant to sell oil and balm from Gilead, to cure consciences, Matth. 25.9. Others may write Cases, that is covers of conscience; but resolve none. Conscience is a Diamond, and will be wrought on by nothing but dust of diamond, such as contrition hath ground it to.

Vers. 8. Stand still, and I will hear Moses was but the echo of God's voice; John the Baptist the voice of one crying in the Wilderness. St. Paul received of the Lord, what he delivered to the Church, 1 Cor. 11.23. and took care, that the faith of his heaters might not be in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God, 1 Cor. 2.4, 5. Unwarranted doctrines come not cum gratia & privilegio.

Vers. 10. Or be in a journey afar off ] This rendered a man unfit to partake; because either his head would be so taken up about his business then, or his mind so set upon home, that he would have little leisure or liberty to prepare for the Passover.

Vers. 11. With unleavened bread ] Teaching them to purge out the old leaven, that fusty, swelling, souring, spreading corruption of nature and practice. [And bitter herbs] Directing them to true humiliation and bitterness, for sin; without which, there can be no sweetness in the blood of Christ.

Vers. 12. They shall leave none ] The Lord in his infinite wisdom, would hereby prevent all occasions of idolatry; which is easily admitted in the reservations of holy things; as in Popery, at this day.

Vers. 17. And when the cloud ] This visible sign they had, of God's presence, for their motion or station by night or by day, through all their pilgrimage. In all thy ways acknowledge God, and he shall direct thy paths, Prov. 3.6. When thou sittest in darkness, the Lord shall give thee light, Mic. 7.8.

Vers. 19. Kept the charge of the Lord ] Or, his watch, viz. to be ready at any hour to remove; so must we always watch and be in readiness; as not knowing whether at Even, or at midnight, or cock-crowing, or in the dawning, Christ will come, Mar. 13.35.

Vers. 23. At the Commandment of the Lord ] This signified, that the Saints are to rest, or go on, at the voice of Christ, Joh. 10.3, 4. and that whatsoever they do in word or deed, to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, Colos. 3.17. to seek and find all their perfection and defense in him alone.

CHAP. X.

Vers. 2. TWo trumpets of silver Signifying, the voice of the Law and Gospel, in the mouths of God's Ministers, who must lift up the voice like a trumpet, with fervor, zeal, and courage; 1. To gather the people, and assemble the Elders, Joel 2.16. 2. To put them upon their marchings and motions towards the heavenly Canaan; and here, to blow an alarm, — sic clames ut Stentora vincere possis, (as that famous Farellus did, when the Friars, to drown his voice in the Pulpit, rang their greatest Bells; but he out-noised them,) 3. To get them upon their battlements, and there-hence to blow an alarm likewise, upon the approach of spiritual enemies; taking the same liberty, to cry down sin, that men take to commit it; and to descry the Devils stratagems, that are so destructive to men's souls. They must cast away the inverse trumpets of Furius Fulvius, which sounded a retreat, when they should have sounded an alarm: they must faithfully show God's people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins, Isaiah 58.1. yea all their transgressions in all their sins, Levite. 16.21. Lastly, as the Priests were to sound the silver trumpets at their solemn feasts, for a monument of spiritual gladness before the Lord; so must Ministers of the Gospel, publish the glad tidings of the Gospel; Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, her sin is pardoned, Isaiah. 40.2. make the people hear the joyful sound, that they may walk in the sense of God's presence, and in the light of his countenance; yea, rejoice in his Name all the day-long, Psal. 89.15, 16.

Vers. 7. But when the congregation ] Cenalis Bishop of Auranches was hard driven, when, to prove the church of Rome, a true church he makes no mention at all of Ministers, or ordinances, but alledgeth that the Catholics had bells, to assemble them together, whereas the Lutherans met, by the clap of harquebuzes and pistolets: And so he goes on, to triumph in a long Antithesis. The bells, saith he, do sound, the harquebuzes crack: The bells, give a sweet and melodious tune, but the harquebuzes, a foul and terrible noise. Bells open heaven, the other hell. Bells chase away clouds and thunder, the other gender clouds, and counterfeit thunder, &c. O the profound arguments of these doting Doctors! [But you shall not sound an alarm] Or, a broken sound; but a continued equal sound, as fittest for their quiet assembling, to the service of God, and hearing of the law. The sound of God's word, must not be broken or quavering; (Pompall, Tertullian calleth it) but downright and simple. Non oratorum filii sumus, sed piscatorum: nec verborum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , sed Spiritus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. 1 Cor. 2.1, 4.

Vers. 8. Shall blow with the trumpets] A trumpeter (as one observeth,) winds his trumpet with his mouth, and holds it up with his hand: so should a Minister, both preach and practice; vivere concionibus, concionari moribus.

Vers. 9. Ye shall be remembered before the Lord ] Who will arise, as it were awakened, by this sound of the trumpet. See 2 Chron. 13.12. with Isa. 51.9. That is, by the prayer of faith; such as were the prayers of the Ministers of Angrogne in France, wherewith their enemies cried out, they were so bewitched, that they could not fight. It was the custom of these poor persecuted Protestants, so soon as they saw the enemy approach, to cry all together, for aid and succor, to the Lord; and when the combat was ended, constantly to give him thanks, for the good success he had sent them. So at the siege of Mountabone, the people of God, using daily humiliation, as their service would permit, did sing a psalm after it, immediately before their sallying forth: with this practice, the enemy coming acquainted, ever upon the singing of the Psalm, (after which, they expected a sally;) they would so quake and tremble, saying, they come, they come, as though the wrath of God had been breaking out upon them.

Vers. 10. For a memorial ] Or a sacred sign, to mind and assure them, that God will hear their suits, and accept of their services thus performed with joy of faith.

Vers. 12. Out of the wilderness of Sinai ] Where they had dwelt long enough, Deut. 1.6, 7, 8. It being a place of bondage, by reason of the law there given, Gal 4.24, 25. The law is a yoke of bondage, as Jerome calls it; and they who look for righteousness from thence, are like oxen, who toil and draw, and when they have done their labor, are fatted for slaughter.

Vers. 25. The rearward of all the Camp ] Called the gathering Host, Josh. 6.9. Because to their charge was committed the care of gathering together the lame, faint, and feeble, and to look that nothing was lost, or left behind. And to this David seems to allude, Psal. 27.10. Confer Isai. 58.8. & 52.12.

Vers. 29. And Moses said ] Or, Moses had said, viz. Exod, 18.1, 2. [For the Lord hath spoken good] And God's promises he knew to be good sure-hold.

Vers. 30. To mine own land ] Patriam quisque amat, non quia pulchram sed quia suam. Nescio qua natale solum dulcedine cunctos du • it, et immemores non sinit esse sui.

Vers. 31. Instead of eyes ] To descry unto us the commodities, and discommodities of the country, which is well known to thee. Herein thou mayest be of singular use unto us, though we have God, going visibly before us. The Jews had a kind of officers, at their feasts, called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the eyes of the feast, & praefecti morum.

Vers. 33. Three days journey ] Three days together without resting: this made them murmur, Chap. 11.1. [Went before them] And, as the Jews conceive, for the facilitating of their march, the cloud levelled mountains, raised valleys, and laid all of a flat; that is, burnt up bushes, smoothed rocks, and made all plain, &c.

Vers. 35. Rise up Lord ] Commanders must pray, as well as lead on their forces; as did Charles the great, and that late brave King of Sweden, more addict to prayer, then to fight.

CHAP. XI.

Vers. 1. ANd when the people complained ] Or, were as it were complainers: they did inwardly and secretly repine and mutter, at their three days march, without intermission; like those horses that digest their choller, by biting the bridle. [Consumed them that were in the uttermost parts] There, it seems, the sin began amongst those that were faint and weary with travel, as Deut. 25.18.

Vers. 2. And the people cried to Moses ] That Lord Chancellor of Heaven, (as one calleth him,) that could rule with God, and over-rule. Of Moses it might be said, as once of Luther. Iste vir potuit apud deum quod voluit, he might have whatsoever he would of God.

Vers. 3. The name of the place Taberah ] So to perpetuate the memory of the people's sin, and God's judgment. Alterius perditio, tua sit cautio.

Vers. 4. And the mix • multitude ] See the Note on Exod. 12.38. Observe the danger of ill company. Fish retains their sweetness in the salt sea. The river Dee in Merioneth-shire, running through Pimble-mere, remains entire, and mingles not her streams, with the waters of the lake. The rivers of Peru, after they have run some miles into the sea, retain their sweetness, as writers report. But to converse with the ungodly, and not to learn their manners, is marvelous, rare, and difficult, A man may pass through Ethiopia unchanged; but he cannot dwell there, and not be discoloured.

Vers. 5. We remember the fish ] They forgot their servitude. Discontent is ever harping upon wants, and enjoys nothing; no more then Haman did his honor, or Al • ab his kingdom, when he longed for a sallet, out of Naboth's garden.

Vers. 6. There is nothing at all besides ] The wheat of heaven was held a light meat, because lightly come by; Cito parta vilescunt. How are many queasy stomachs even nauseated with the bread of life! it makes not to their dainty palates 3▪ plain preaching is dis-relished.

Vers. 7. And the Manna ] See the Note on Exod. 16.14, 31. There was therefore no such cause, they should so loath it.

Was as Coriander seed ] Small, but full of sweetness and nourishment. This might be some cause of Moses his undecayedness [As the color of Bdellium] A kind of transparent and precious gum.

Vers. 8. And the people went about ] Or, went to and fro, as men ought still to increase knowledge, Dan. 12.4. laboring for the meat that endureth to eternal life, Joh. 6.27. God might have saved them this labor, by raining Manna into their mouths; but he would not, for the trial of their diligence; and that they might not think that worth nothing, that cost them nothing [And ground it in mills] So was Jesus Christ ground and pounded with passion, baked and dried up in the oven of his fathers displeasure, before he became fit food, and a Savior to his Church. [As the taste of fresh oil] Or wafers baked with honey, Exod. 16.31. The sweet promises of grace, are sweeter then honey, Psal. 19.10. No fresh and sweet oil can so cherish the face, as they do the heart of a believer.

Vers. 9. And when the dew fell] As Manna fell in the dew, so doth the Spirit descend, in and by the word preached, Gal. 3.2. [In the night] Figuring that hidden Manna, laid up and prepared for the Saints, Revel. 2.17.

Vers. 10. Weep throughout their families ] Generally and openly they mutinied and murmured; though so lately they had smarted at Taberah. And this they did, not once or twice, but ten times over: whereby it appears, that God chose this unthankful people, not for their merits; sedex mera et mira misericordia, he chose them for his love, and loved them for his choice.

Vers. 11. Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant ] Antoninus the Emperor, said often, Imperium Oceanum esse malorum, that to be a governor of others, is to be plunged into an Ocean of miseries. Pope Adrian caused to be engraven upon his own tomb, Felix si non imperitasset. Melancthon said, the three sorest labors of all, were, Docentis, imperantis, parturientis, the labors of Ministers, Magistrates, and of travelling women.

Vers. 12. As a nursing father beareth, &c.] Lovingly, mildly, gently. A Magistrate should carry himself as a Pater patriae. Queen Elizabeth would many times say, That she could believe nothing of her people, that parents would not believe of their children.

Vers. 13. Whence should I have flesh ] Lust is unsatisfiable; to go about it, is to go about an endless piece of work; it is to cast oil into the fire to quench it.

Vers. 14. It is too heavy for me ] Crowns have their cares; seats are uneasy, many a cumber attends honor. Beatus ill qui procul negotiis.

Vers. 15. And if thou deal thus with me ] Here the word, Thou, spoken to God, is of the feminine gender, At, for Atta, ex magna perturbatione, saith a Rabbi. Moses was so exceedingly moved with anger and grief; these passions did so overcarry him, that he could not complere vocem, utter his whole speech; as he that groaneth, or gapeth, in the beginning of his sentence, cannot make up his breath, to speak what he intended.

Vers. 16. Gather unto me seventy men ] Here, say some, began the Sanhedrim, that is, the great Counsel of the Jews, consisting of seventy Seniours, and one President. It continued till the time of Herod the Great, who took it away, and changed the form of it.

Vers. 17. And I will take of the spirit ] i. e. I will bestow the same Spirit upon them, as upon thee; and this shall be nothing at all to thy loss, or disadvantage. Habet Hispania montem ex sale magnum, de quo quantum demas, tantum accrescit.

shall bear the burden of the people ] Who are in nothing more a burden then in this, that with them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; Praesens imperium semper grave; they are ever grumbling at the present government, though never so gentle. Alleva jugum, Ease the yoke that thy father put upon us, said they to Rehoboam; forgetting the golden age they had lived in, under his father Solomon.

Vers. 18. Sanctify yourselves] Ironice dictum, or sanctify, that is, prepare yourselves for the day of slaughter, as Jer. 12.3.

For you have wept in the ears ] Tears (of what sort soever) have a voice in them, Psal. 39.12. as blood hath, Gen. 4.

For it was well with us in Egypt ] Such is the murmuring of those malecontents, that say, It was a merry world before there was so much preaching and teaching. [And ye shall eat] Flesh with a vengeance; which ye shall eat on earth, but digest in hell.

Vers. 20. But even a whole month] Deus saepe dat iratus quod negat propitius. Patientia Dei quo diuturnior, eo minacior. Poena venit gravior quo magis sera venit: God's forbearance is no quittance: fatted beasts are but fitted for the slaughter; wicked men are killed with kindnesses, Ease slayeth the foolish, Prov. 1.32.

Vers. 21. Six hundred thousand foot-men ] In the conquest of Canaan, there is no mention of horsemen. The adversaries, both Egyptians and Canaanites, had horses and chariots, not so this people of Israel. See Psal. 33.17.

Vers. 22. Or shall all the fish of the Sea] Moses forgot (belike) the fowls of the air; but God sent them such a drift of quail, as Moses dreamed not of: he fed them with meat of Kings, bread of Angels.

Vers. 23. And the Lord said unto Moses ] God bears with Moses here; which afterwards he did not, Num. 20.12. because then he shown his distrust before the people. God will not pass by the scandalous practices of his own people, without a sensible check.

Vers. 24. And set them round about the Tabernacle ] That the fear of the Lord might be upon them, &c. 2 Chron. 19.6, 7. and that they might carry themselves worthy of God, who had set them in place of Judicature. To the company of the Areopagites, (Judges in Athens ) none were admitted, but wise, wealthy, and noble men; famous for good life and innocence. Nay, men, whose behavior was intolerable; after they were chosen into the College of the Areopagites, abhorring and blushing at their former disposition, changed their natures, and embraced virtue.

Vers. 25. Took of the spirit ] See the Note on verse. 17.

They prophesied] Nec praedicendo, nec praedicando, but by uttering grave and wise sentences, Apophthegmes, or counsels (as Moses did) concerning the public affairs of Israel: by political and prudential speaking of things appertaining to government.

Vers. 26. But there remained two of the men ] Being stayed by some lawful occasion, as 1 Sam. 20.26. Jer. 36.5. or haply, out of sense of their own insufficiency; as 1 Sam. 10.22. Howsoever, hereby it appeared to all the people, that these seventy Seniours were set apart by God for the service.

Vers. 27. And there ran a young man ] Three manner of persons, said Mr. Latimer, can make no credible information: 1. Adversaries and enemies. 2. Ignorant persons, and without judgment. 3. Whisperers, and blowers in men's ears, that will utter in hugger-mugger, more then they dare avow openly.

Vers. 18. My Lord Moses forbid ] Thus, the spirit that is in us lusteth to envy, Jam. 4.5. Nero omnium erat aemulus, qui quoquo modo animum vulgi moverint. Nero envied every man that excelled.

Vers. 29. That all the Lord's people ] This is not meant of a salvificall teaching others, but a political discoursing unto others. See the Note on ver. 25.

Vers. 32. And they spread them ] They fed without fear, Jude 12. though foretold, they should pay dear for these murthering morsels, ver. 20. that which they eat being saweed, and that which they drank, being spiced with the bitter wrath of God, Job 20.23.

Vers. 34. They buried the people ] Who by a hasty testament, bequeathed this new name to the place they lay buried in.

CHAP. XII.

Vers. 1. ANd Miriam and Aaron spake ] She is set first, because chief in the transgression: Her discontent might arise from this, that being a Prophetess, she was not one of those seventy that were chosen to be helps in government, Chap. 11. According to her name, Miriam would be exalted: Ambition rides without reins.

Because of the Ethiopian woman] Zipporah the Midianitesse, (see Habac. 3.7.) to whom he had been married many years before; but they were resolved to pick a hole in Moses 's coat. An ungodly man diggeth up evil, Prov. 16.27. but for Moses to be thus used by his own brother and sister, was some trial of his patience. To be derided by Egyptians, is threatened as a misery, Hos. 7.16. but to be reproached by professors, is very grievous. Zedekiah feared more to be mocked by the Jews, then by the Chaldees, Jer. 38.19. [For he had married an Ethiopian] That was an old fault, if any; and should have been buried in oblivion. Luther married a wife unseasonably, when all Germany was now embroiled, and embrewed in the blood of the Bores; and when all Saxony was in heaviness for the death of their good Prince Elector Frederick. This, his best friends disliked and bewailed. As for Melancthon, Quoniam vero, inquit, ipsum Lutherum qu • dammodo tristiorem esse cerno, & perturbatum ob vitae mutationem, omni studio & benevolentia consolari eum conor; Because I see him somewhat cast down, saith He, at the late change of his condition, I strive all I can to comfort him.

Vers. 2. Hath the Lord spoken only by Moses?] Every man would be something at home; and many care not to raise themselves upon other men's ruins. Self-love teacheth such to turn the glass, to see themselves bigger, others lesser then they are. That man hath true light, that can be content to be a candle before the Sun of others.

And the Lord heard it ] Without any delation of Moses. But while Moses is dumb, God speaks; while he is deaf, God hears and stirs. The more silent the patient is, the more shrill his wrong will be.

Vers. 3. Now the man Moses was very meek ] So free from passions, (if Josephus may be believed) that he knew no such thing in his own soul; he only knew the names of such things, and saw them in others, rather then in himself. Of Beza it is said, quod sine felle vixerit, that he was without gall or guile; and he lived to a great age as Moses did, and as Mr. Dod did; their meekness preserved them. [Above all the men] And yet Moses could be angry enough when there was cause, Exod. 11.8. & 16.20. Levite. 1 • .16. Numb. 16.15, &c. Yea, how blessedly blown up was he, with a zeal for God, Exod. 32.19. and what a stomach shows he in that case? Nazianzen saith of Athanasius, that he was Magnes & Adamas, a Load-stone in his sweet gentle drawing nature, and yet an Adamant in his resolute stout carriage against those that were evil.

Vers. 4. And the Lord spake suddenly ] God takes his part ever, that fights not for himself. Christ that said, I seek not mine own glory, adds, But there is one that seeks is, and judgeth. Here he appears as a swift witness, Mal. 3.5, &c. a sharp revenger of his servants injuries. The rule is, Injuria illata legato redundat in legantem; Wrong done to a messenger, reflects on him that sent him.

Vers. 7. My servant Moses is not so ] God had never so much magnified Moses to them, but for their envy. We cannot devise to pleasure God's servants so much, as by despiting them. Quisquis volens detrahit famae meae, nolens addit mercedi meae, saith Augustine, He that willingly detracteth from mine honor, doth, though against his will, add to my reward.

Vers. 8. And the similitude ] See the Note on Exod. 33.20.

Vers. 9. And he departed] Yea woe also to them, when I depart from them, Hos. 9.12. then all evils come in as by a sluice; the final absence of God, is hell itself.

Vers. 10. Miriam became leprous ] How scaped Aaron? for the dignity of the Priesthoost he was spared, saith Chrysostom. Rather, he met God by repentance, and so disarmed his indignation, and redeemed his own sorrow.

CHAP. XIII.

Vers. 1. ANd the Lord spake ] Yeelding to the people's importunity, and winking at their infidelity; for he had before spied out the land for them, Ezek. 20.6. and searched it out, Deut. 1.33. but that satisfied them not; seeing was (with them) believing. See Deut. 1.22.

Vers. 2. Everyone a ruler amongst them ] That might be (as Uriah and Zachariah, Isai. 8.2.) Faithful witnesses, for, lying lips become not a Prince, Prov. 17.7.

Vers. 3. By the commandment of the Lord ] That is, by his permission; See the Note on verse. 1. God's command was, that they should forthwith (without any further search,) go up and possess the land, Deut. 1.21. Now wicked men are esteemed unjust, because they act against God's command, though according to his decree; like as believers are esteemed just, not because they obey God's decree, but his command.

Vers. 6. Caleb] A hearty man, according to his name; as Bishop Hooper Martyr, was called hearty Hooper; and as one of our Richards, was called Coeur Delion.

Vers. 16. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun, Jehoshua ] His name was now changed, from, save us O God, to, God shall save us: Under the law which brings us, as it were, into a wilderness, we may desire, wish and pray, that there were a Savior: but under the Gospel, we are sure of salvation, and that our Iehoshuah hath bound himself, to fulfill all righteousness for us.

Vers. 17. Go up into the mountain ] This was the great mountain of Seir, which incloseth Palestine on that side.

Vers. 22. Was built seven years before Zoan] And so was one of the ancientest cities of the world, seeing it did contend, with the Ancientest and chiefest city of Egypt, Isai. 19.11. Hebron signifies an association: there lay buried, those three reverend couples, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah, Gen. 39.41. Here David began his reign over Israel, 2 Sam. 2.1. and hither came Mary, to visit Elizabeth, Luk. 1.39.

Vers. 23. And they bare it between two] Christum utrique portamus, (ut botrum Israelitae) tum illi qui adventum Christi antecesserunt, tum nos, &c. So Christ is born between the believers of both Testaments.

Vers. 27. And this is the fruit of it] Plutarch tells of the Gauls, that after they had once a taste of the sweet wine of the grapes that grew in Italy, they inquired in what country such sweet wine was: And after they had understood where such grapes grew, they would never be at rest, till they had got that country. Sextus Rufus, writing of Cyprus, saith, Cyprus famosa divitiis, paupertatem populi Rom: ut occuparetur, solicitavit. Cyprus by her wealth, tempted the Romans to sieze it into their hands. The pearls usually cast out with the flood, and gathered with the ebb, drew Caesar's affection, for the conquest of Britain, as Suetonius saith: God hath given us here, a grape of the heavenly Canaan, to edge our desires.

Vers. 28. Nevertheless the people be strong ] Thus many amongst us, wish very well to Heaven, speak glorious things of it, and could gladly go to it; but there is a lyon in the way: they complain, with these Male-contents, of the strength of the Anakims, and the impossibility of the conquest. It is a hard thing, doubtless, to watch continually against a Spiritual enemy, to keep up the banks against the sea of lusts, and passions; to bear daily crosses without stooping, to carry the cup of prosperity, without spilling; to climb the hill of good duties, without fainting; to go against the crowd, without sweating; to bear the reproach of Christ, without buckling, &c. But hard though it be, should we be discouraged? The sweetness of the honey makes the bears break in upon the hives, contemning the stings. The Merchant refuseth no adventure, for hope of gain: the hunter shrinketh at no weather, for love of game: the soldier declineth no danger, for desire of spoil. The sweetness of God's face, though to be seen only in the dark glass of the ceremonies, cheered up those good souls, in their hard and tedious travel to Zion, Psal. 84.6. &c.

CHAP. XIIII.

Vers. 3. Were it not better for us to return into Egypt ] How could that be better? It is our wisest way, to crush the very first insurrections of unruly passions; (do not great storms rise out of little gusts?) to smoother the smoke thereof, which else will fume up into the head, and gather into so thick a cloud, as we shall soon lose the sight of ourselves, and what is best to be done.

Vers. 4. Let us make a Captain ] Thus they proceed from bad to worse. Passions, like heavy bodies down steep hills, once in motion move themselves, and know no ground but the bottom. Whether this people did make them such a Captain, for such a purpose, is uncertain; but howsoever, their very intention of doing it, is charged upon them, as if they had done it, Neh. 9.16, 17.

Vers. 9. They are bread for us] q.d. We shall make but a breakfast of them. So that valiant Prince of Orange, told his soldiers at the battle of Newport, (when they had the sea on the one side, and the Spaniards on the other;) that they must either eat up those Spaniards, or drink up that sea.

Vers. 10. But all the congregation bad stone them ] This is merces mundi. this is the fruit of Ochloeratie, that rule of rascality, as one calls it.

Vers. 11. Ere they believe me ] Unbelief is the root of rebellion and Apostasy, Heb. 3.12.

Vers. 12. And I will make of thee, a greater nation ] Here God offered Moses, a private fortune, which he prudently refuseth; because God should be a loser by it. And surely (saith a Divine.) as God was displeased with Balaam for going, though he bad him go: so the Lord would not have taken it so kindly of Moses, if he had taken him upon the offer he made in a time of his heat, against his people.

Vers. 13. Then the Egyptiuns shall hear it] And they will soon make comedyes, out of the Churches tragedies.

Vers. 14. And they will tell it ] The proverb is, Oculus & fama non patiuntur jocos. A man's eye and his good name, can bear no j • sts. And he was no fool that said, negligere quid de se quisque dicat, non solum arrogantis est, sed et dissoluti. He shall pass for a proud fool, that makes no matter, what men say of him. God is most tender of his glory; and we must take heed, how we cast any slur upon it, for we quarter arms, as it were, with God.

Vers. 15. Kill all this people as one man] As he can quickly do, with a turn of his hand, with a nod of his head, Psal. 80.16. with a breath of his nostrils, Job 4.9. he can as soon do it, as bid it be done, whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only, Job 34.29.

Vers. 17. Let the power of my Lord be great ] In multiplying pardons, Isai. 55.8. in passing by the many and bony, or mighty sins of this people; such sins as none else, could or would pardon: for who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth such iniquity, &c? Mic. 7.18. Hebricians have observed, that in the word jigdall here used; in the original, text there is a great Yod, (which in numbering is ten,) to show, that if the people should murmur, ten times more, against God then they had done, yet out of tender respect to his own great name, (which would otherwise be basely blasphemed, he should pardon and spare them.

Vers 18. And by no means clearing the guilty ] This last letter in God's dreadful Name, ought much to be marked. God may pardon men's sins, and yet lay it on upon the skin, to humble themselves, and to warn others. Thou forgavest them; though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions, Psal. 99.8.

Vers. 20. I have pardoned them] viz. So as not utterly and at once, to extirpe them. I will be as a moth unto them, and not as a devouring lyon, Hos. 5.12, 14.

Vers. 21. But as truly as I live ] This is an oath; as appears by comparing herewith, Psal. 95.11. To blame therefore are they, that use it so often. [All the earth shall be filled] I will make me a great name abroad; and even of those maid-servants, (the heathens) which thou hast spoken of, shall I be had in honor, as he said in another case, 2 Sam. 6.22.

Vers. 24. Because he had another Spirit] Let us go up and possess it, saith he, Chap. 13, 30. As if it were no more, then to go and see, and conquer. A free spirit is i • kindled with that, which quencheth others: as when a bowl runs down-hill, every rub, quickens it; whereas if up-hill, it would slug it.] And hath followed me fully ] Heb. hath fulfilled after me. A Metaphor from a ship under sail, carried strongly with the wind, as fearing neither rocks nor sands. [And his seed] Personal goodness, is profitable to posterity. Who would not serve such a Lord?

Vers. 25. Now the Amalekites ] There was but a mountain betwixt: so they were hard by the promised land, and yet could not enter, because of unbelief. Thou art not far from God's Kingdom; the greater is thine unhappiness, that fallest from so high hopes. [By the way of the red sea] Since you have such a mind to it, you shall have enough of it. The backslider in heart, shall be filled with his own ways, Prov. 14.14.

Vers. 28. So will I do to you ] God took them at their words▪ so he may well do our desperate swearers; since the mercy they desire God to show, is to damn them.

Vers. 29. Your carcasses shall fall] Cadaver a cadendo, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Who knows whether God purpose not, to wear out this generation, that hath been defiled with the superstitions of the land we live in; that we may not see the good that he will bring upon this Church.

Vers. 34. My breach of promise] i e. Ye shall find to your cost, what it is to charge me with breach of promise, through unbelief.

Vers. 39. Mourned greatly ] God gave them somewhat to cry for.

Vers. 40. We have sinned ] Here was confession of sin, without confusion of sin. So was that of Saul, 1 Sam. 15.30.

Vers. 45. And smote them ] To be out of God's precincts, is to be out of his protection.

CHAP. XXV.

Vers. 2. WHen ye be come into the land ] God, (who in the midst of judgment remembereth mercy, and suffereth not his whole wrath to arise;) seals up his love again, to these late revolters: And although he led them in and out, backward and forward, in that terrible wilderness, as if he had been treading a maze; yet he here gives them new directions what to do, when they (that is, their children,) came into the land of Canaan. Yea he further tells them, that he will smell a sweet savor of the herd, and of the flock; and is pleased to enlargeand explain some laws formerly delivered, in token of is reconciliation to them. So he renewed his favor to his relapsed spouse, now returning unto him, Cant. 5.3. with Chap. 6.4, 5, &c. and to his disciples, (that had basely forsaken him) by giving them a new commission to execute the ministerial function, John. 20.21.

Vers. 4. Bring a meat-offering] As an Appendix to the other sacrifices.

Vers. 5. For a drink-offering ] These drink offerings of wine signified that the Saints must be most ready and cheerful to offer themselves up to God in Martyrdom (as a drink-offering,) for the testimony of their faith, and for the service and Ministry of the Church, as Paul, Phil. 2.17. 2 Tim. 4.6. And many Martyrs, who went as willingly to die, as to dine. One of them called is his wedding-day, and invited his friends thereunto: Others, filled with the Holy Ghost, so rejoiced, that they were misjudged by their adversaries, to be drunk with wine, wherein is excess; as Morgan falsely objected to Mr. Philpot, in a conference.

Vers. 20. Ye shall offer up a cake] As an homage-penny, as acknowledging God, the chief Lord of all; and as craving his leave to partake of his creatures.

Vers. 22. And if ye have erred, and not observed ] Not serving of God, not sacrificing is a sin, Mal. • .18. Eccles. 9.2. Not robbing only, but the not relieving of the poor, was the rich man's ruin, Luk. 16. Omission of diet breeds diseases, so doth omission of duty: and makes work for hell, or for the Physician of our souls.

Vers. 24. By ignorance ] Or infirmity, incogitancy, inadvertency; for such there is a pardon, of course, ready sealed by God in Christ: else we might die in our sins, while the pardon is providing.

Vers. 30. But the soul that doth ought presumptuously ] When the heart at any time deliberates, (saith a learned Divine;) and yet that word is not sufficient, to express it; but when the heart works according to its own proper inclination; and then willfully disobeyes the Lord, in any commandment; certainly then it casts God away. And this is that great offense, Psal. 19.11. [The same reproacheth the Lord] As if he wanted, either wisdom to observe, or power to punish, such as take themselves to be out of the reach of his rod, See Ezek. 20.27.

Vers. 31. That gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day ] This he did with an high hand (as verse. 30) in contempt of God and his Law. The baser sort of people in Sweden do always break the Sabbath, saying, that 'tis only for gentlemen to keep that day: How much better that poor Indian in new-England, who coming by, and seeing one of the English profaning of the Lord's day, by felling of a tree, said unto him, do you not know, that this is the Lord's day? Much machet man, i.e. Very wicked man, what, break you God's day? The best and wealthieft of the Jews, (to prevent servile work on the Sabbath day,) with their own hands chop the herbs, sweep the house, cleave wood, kindle fire, &c. on the day before.

Vers. 38. That they may make them fringes ] See the Note on Mat. 23.5. [Aribband of blue] This sky-colourd ribband band taught them, that though their commoration was on earth, their conversation should be in Heaven, Philip. 3.20.

CHAP. XVI.

Vers. 1. THe son of Izhar] And so cozen german to Moses and Aaron; for Izhar was brother to Amram their father, Exod. 6.18. [Sons of Reuben] Who being next neighbors to Korah in the Camp, were the sooner corrupted by him.

Vers. 2. Princes of the Assembly] A very dangerous conspiracy: For as in a beast, the body follows the head; so in that bellua multorum capitum, the multitude. Great men are the looking-glasses of the Country; according to which, most men dress themselves: their sins do as seldom go unattended, as their persons: Height of place ever adds two wings to sin, Example, and Scandal, whereby it soars higher, and flies much further.

Vers. 3. Against Moses, and against Aaron ] They were against both Magistracy and Ministry, (as our late Levellers,) and would have brought in Anarchy, that every man might offer his own sacrific •• and do that which is good in his own eyes: Regnum Cyclopicum.

Vers. 4. He fell upon his face] As a suppliant to them, not to proceed in their rebellion; or rather to God, not to proceed against them for their sin.

Vers. 5. And he spake unto Korah ] By the instinct of the Spirit, who had given into his heart a present answer to his prayer, and furnished him with this answer.

Vers. 7. Ye take too much upon you ] He retorts that upon them, that they had falsely charged upon him and Aa • on: So doth Elias upon Ahab, 1 King. 18.17.18. So do we worthily upon Popery, the charge of novelty: When a Papist tauntingly demanded of a Protestant, Where was your Religion before Luther? he was answered, In the Bible, where yours never was.

Vers. 8. ye sons of Levi ] He took these to task apart; as hoping, haply, to withdraw them from their purpose, and to hide pride from them, Job 33.17. but they proved uncounsellable, incorrigible.

Vers. 9. Seemeth it but a small thing ] Whiles these ambitious Levites would be looking up to the Priests, Moses sends down their eyes to the people. The way not to repine at those above us, is to look at those below us.

Vers. 10. And seek ye the Priesthood also] Ambition is restless and unsatisfiable; for, like the Crocodile, it grows as long as it lives.

Vers. 11. And what is Aaron ] q. d. Is it not God, whom ye wound through Aaron 's sides? Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Act. 9.

Vers. 12. We will not come up ] Sturdy rebels, ripe for destruction. See Prov. 29.1. with the Note there. One perhaps had knocked off, and is therefore no more mentioned. Satius est recurrere, quam male currere, as that Emperor said, Better stop, or step back, then run on to utter ruin.

Vers. 13. That floweth with milk and honey ] So they falsely, and maliciously speak of the land of Egypt, in derision of the land of Canaan, whereunto that praise properly belonged. Those that were born in hell, know no other heaven.

Altogether a Prince over us ] So their quarrel was against Moses his principality, though they pretended the Priesthood only at first. If the Ministry once be taken away, let the Magist • ate see to himself; he's next.

Vers. 14. We will not come up ] Sc. to the place of judgment; so they add rebellion to sin, and justify their treasonful practices; as did Ravilliac, Faux, Saunders, others.

Vers. 15. And Moses was very wroth ] Or, very sore grieved. He might have said, as One once did, Felix essem si non imperitassem; Happy had I been, if I had never been in place of authority. Egypt is said, by Seneca, to have been loquax & ingeniosa in contumeliam praefectorum provincia, in qua qui vitaverit culpam non effugit infamiam, a Province apt to find fault with, and to speak hardly of their Rulers, though never so innocent. These rebels had, haply, learned those Egyptian manners, by living so long amongst them. [I have not taken one asse from them] Moses was not of them, that follow the administration of justice as a trade only, with an unquenchable and unconscionable desire of gain. This is but robbery with authority, and justifies the common resemblance of the Courts of justice to the Bush: whereto while the sheep flies for defense, in weather, he is sure to lose part of his fleece.

Vers. 16. Thy company ] Or, thy congregation, thy faction, or Church-Malignant, as Psal. 26.5. Act. 19.32, 40.

Vers. 17. And take every man his censer ] Which they had ready provided, when first they combined to thrust themselves into the Priests office.

Vers. 18. And stood in the door ] Such an impudency had sin oaded in their faces, that they stood stouting it out before the Lord; and made open profession of their wickedness: there was no need to dig, to find it out, Jer. 2.34. for they set it, as it were, upon the cliff of the rock, Ezek. 24.7.

Vers. 19. All the Congregation ] Not his own company only▪ for the whole multitude was too ready to favor his attempt, as he persuaded them God also would: his design being to introduce an equal popularity, an ochlocratie, that Rule of rascality, as One calleth it.

Vers. 21. Separate yourselves ] Good men are taken away from the evil to come. When God pulls away the pillars, what will become of the building? Lot was no sooner taken out of Sodom, but Sodom was taken out of the world.

Vers. 22. The God of the Spirits ] The Former and Father of Spirits, Zech. 12.1. Heb. 12.9. that giveth to all 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , life and breath, Act. 17.25. in whose hand is the soul of all living, and the spirit of all flesh, Job 12.10.

Vers. 24. Get you up from about ] Save yourselves from this untoward generation, Act. 2.40. force yourselves from them, stave them off, as the word signifies, 2 Thess. 3.6. and we charge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to do so; ut scias quàm aegre divellimur, saith One.

Vers. 26. Lest ye be consumed ] See verse. 24. and the Note on Revel. 18.4. Hamath fares the worse, for lying so near Damascus, Zech. 9.2. St. John sprang out of the Bath, where he found Cerinthus the heretic.

Vers. 27. Came out and stood] As out-facing Moses, and scorning the judgment threatened. Deus quem destruit dementat; Hardened sinners make no more of God's dreadful threatenings, then Behemoth doth of iron weapons, which he esteemeth as staws.

Vers. 28. Hereby ye shall know ] Thus he engageth the truth and honor of his office upon a miracle. But now he that expects a miracle, is himself a miracle, saith Augustine. Let Papists brag of their lying wonders, 2 Thess. 2.9. We dislike not altogether that observation of Gretser the Jesuit, Tam sterilis & deserta est Lutherana & Calviniana secta, ut diabolus ne dignetur quidem per eam aliquid fallacium & umbratilium prodigiorum aggredi, saltem frequenter & palam. So dull and dry is the Lutheran and Calvinian Sect, that the devil daynes not to work any, or not many miracles, amongst them, as he doth among the Catholics.

Vers. 29. The common death of all men ] Ne quisquam sua mor • e defunctus est, said Suetonius of Caesar 's murderers; So may we say of our powder-plotters, your sin will find you out.

Vers. 30. Quick unto the pit ] Not into hell, as the Papists conclude from this text; for how could their houses and goods go down to hell, verse. 32? and who would not hope that some of them were innocent, some penitent? The punishment they suffered in being buried alive, was very miserable; and so accounted by the Heathens, who served their vestall virgins in this sort, that had been deflowered.

Vers. 31. As he bad made an end of speaking ] Dictum factum, So it is still, Joh. 20.23. Vengeance is every whit as ready in God's hands, as in his Ministers mouths, 2 Cor. 10.6.

Vers. 32. And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up ] So it did a great part of Antioch, by a horrible earthquake, Anno, 527. for their horrible heresies and blasphemies there broached, by the Bishops, and defended by the people. So lately, Pleurs in Italy.

Vers. 33. And they perished from among ] So the powderplotters here; and before them the Northern rebels. That rebellion, saith One, like the bubbles which children blow up into the air, was no sooner blown up, then blown out, and fell into the eyes of those, which with blasts of ambition and superstition, held it up.

Vers. 34. Lest the earth swallow us up also ] Let the destruction of others, be a terror to us; that we may wash our feet in the blood of the wicked, Psal. 52.6. But he that is swallowed up with earth, (as K • rah ) his ears stopped, his heart stuffed with earth, shall have earth enough when he dies, but of heaven little enough.

Vers. 35. And there came out a fire ] By fire they sinned, and by a fire they suffer:

Vers. 37. For they are hallowed] And therefore may not be turned to any other use.

Vers. 38. These sinners against their own souls ] So are all such, as spend the span of this transitory life, after the ways of their own hearts, and thereby perish forever. Sin is the souls poison; yet how heartily do men feed upon it, as Tartarians do upon dead horses; as the maid, in Pliny, did upon Spiders; as the Turkish gally-slaves do upon Opiuns, an ounce whereof they will eat at once, as if it were bread.

Vers. 40. To be a memorial ] God cannot abide to be forgotten; and they are worthily made examples, that will not take them; as that second Captain, 2 King. 1.

Vers. 41. But on the morrow ] That after conviction, they should so soon again rebel, and run away with the bit in their mouths, was prodigious contumacy.

Vers. 42. And behold the cloud] Deus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , God, as out of an Engine, appears for his distressed servants.

Vers. 46. For there is wrath ] Moses is quick-sighted, and spies it at first setting out. By how much more faithful and familiar men are with God, so much earlier do they discern his wrath.

Vers. 47. The plague ] Which ran as a fire in a cornfield.

Vers. 48. And he stood between] A clear type of Christ.

CHAP. XVII.

Vers. 2. TAke of everyone of them a r • d ] Or, staff; the ensign of their honor, Num. 21.18. and of their civil authority, Psal. 110.2. Jer. 48.16, 17. a sufficient witness against them, that the Priesthood belonged not to them. Uzziah smarted for invading it. George Prince of Anhalt, was a singular example, qui primus & unus ex omni Principum Germanorum numer • , subdi •• s suos ipse & viva voice & scriptis editis de via salutis erudiret, who was the first, and the only German Prince, that both by preaching and writing, taught his Subjects.

Vers. 5. And I will make to cease ] But then he must do more then work miracles. For such is the habitual hardness of men's hearts, as neither Minister, nor misery, nor miracle, nor mercy, can possibly mollify. Nothing can do it, but an extraordinary touch from the hand of heaven.

Vers. 8. And bloomed blossoms ] 1. For a testimony of Aaron's calling from God, to the honor of the Priesthood. 2. For a type of Christ the branch, growing out of the stem of Jesse, Isaiah. 11.1. 3. For a figure of the Ministry of the Gospel, which although to profane persons, it seem a dry, barren, and vanishing voice, yet it bloometh and flourisheth in the hearts of God's Elect. And surely, fruitfulness is the best argument of our election, and that we are called of God. For not only all the plants of his setting, but the very boughs cut off from the body of them, will flourish. 4. For a lively representation of a glorious resurrection. At the French massacre, Aug. 25.1572. in the Church-yard of St. Innocent at Paris, a certain bush suddenly bloomed about the middle time of that bloody day, at an unusual time of the year: The Papists boasted, that God by that miracle, shown his good liking of that massacre they had made. But the Protestants took it for a confirmation of their religion, and a testimony of their innocence.

CHAP. XVIII.

Vers. 1. SHall bear the iniquity ] i.e. the punishment of whatsoever iniquity is done in the Sanctuary: Sin and punishment come under one name, as being tied together with chains of adamant: where the one dines, the other will sup; where the one is in the saddle, the other will be upon the crupper. Nemo crimen gerit in pectore qui non idem Nemesin in tergo; Sin doth as naturally draw and suck judgments to it, as the loadstone doth iron, or Turpentine fire.

The iniquity of your Priesthood ] Priests then are not Angels, free from sin, as that Popish Postiller dreamed and drew from Exod. 30.31, 32. Cajetan confesseth of the Popish Prelates, that whereas by their places, they should have been the salt of the earth, they had lost their favor, and were good for little else, but looking after the rites and revenues of the Church. John Hus complains of the Priests of his age, that Multa quae i • i ordinem dicunt, omntum rerum in Christianismo confusionem pariunt, Many things that they call order, bring all into confu • on. Non arbitror inter Sacerdotes multos esse qui salvi fiant, I believe few of our Priests will be saved, saith Chrysostom, of those of his time. And from the Prophets of Jerusalem, is profaneness gone forth into all the land, saith Jeremy, Chap 23.15.

Vers. 3. And you also die For your other-men's sins which you have not prevented, or prohibited. Qui non, cum potest prohibit. jubet.

Vers. 7. As a service of gift ] So our Savior counts and calls his work a gift, John. 17.4. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. Any employment for, and about God, is a special favor, a high honor.

Vers. 9. Which they shall render unto me] As a recompense for some trespass against me, Numb. 5.8. Levite. 6.6.

Vers. 10. In the most holy place ] i.e. In the Priests Court.

Vers. 12. All the best of the oil ] Heb. the fat. God can afford the Ministers the best of the best; though the most nowadayes, think the worst too good for them

Which they shall offer ] Not appointing them how much, but leaving that to the people's liberality. And what that was, let Philo the Jew speak, who well knew the customs of his own nation, and tells us, that all things due to the Priests, were paid very freely, and most cheerfully. At haec gens debitam pecuniam lubens gaudensque depromit, saith He; This people willingly, and with rejoicing, draw out their money for the Priests, not as if they gave, but received rather, adding happy ominations and gratulations.

Vers. 13. And whatsoever is first. ripe ] See what an honorable maintenance, and liberal entertainment God himself assigneth to the Levitical Priesthood; and shall the Ministers of the Gospel be held to hard allowance? Gal. 6.6. 1 Cor. 9.7, 9. Ad tenuitatem beneficiorum necessario sequitur ignorantia Sacerdotum.

Vers. 14. Every thing devoted ] Unless devoted to some particular use, Levite. 27.28, 29.

Vers. 18. And the flesh of them shall be thine] And besides these here touched, they had other revenues of no small value, as their cities, Suburbs, glebe, Num. 35. &c. that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord, 2 Chr. 31.9.

Vers. 19. It is a covenant of salt ] So 2 Chron. 13.5. that is, inviolable, i • corruptible, non computrescens vetustate, saith Flacius, Pierius also tells us, that amity and friendship was symbolized by salt, corpora enim solidiora facit, & diutissime conservat, for it's consolidating and conserving property.

Vers. 21. For their service which they serve ] No man did so much as shut the doors of God's Sanctuary, or kindle a fire on his altar, for naught, Mal. 1.10.

Vers. 22. Neither must the children ] But only God's Kinsmen, (the I riests and Levites) as they are called, Levite. 10.3. according to some translations, or his nigh-Ones.

Vers. 31. For it is your reward ] Or, wages, which you dearly carn, and may justly call for. So Luk. 10.7.

CHAP. XIX.

Vers. 2. THis is the ordinance of the law, which] An ordinance, a law, a commanded law: All this, to show the peremptoriness of the Lord in this point; that unless we lay hold upon the blood of Christ prefigured by this red heifer, we cannot escape the damnation of hell. [That they bring thee] At a common charge; because for a common good. All the Congregation must get them a bloody Savior.

A red heifer ] Typing out Christum cruentatum, Christ covered with his own blood: See Isaiah 63.1, 2. white and ruddy, as the Church says of him; Tam recens mihi Christus crucifixus, ac si jam fudisset sanguinem: The pressure of his sufferings made him sweat great drops, or rather clods of blood, in a cold night; besides what afterwards issued from his many wounds in his head and body. [Never came yoke] Christ never bore the yoke either of sin or servitude. He laid down his life of himself, Joh. 10.17, 18. See Heb. 9.13, 14. he was not subject to any command of man, Luk. 2.44. John. 2.4.

Vers. 3. To Eleazar the Priest ] To assure him of the succession of the Priesthood. Besides, it was fitter he should be defiled, then his Father, verse. 7. Hereby, also, might, haply, be foretold, that the Priests should kill Christ: but they were but our workmen; we should look upon him whom we have pierced, and mourn over him, Zech, 12.10. that the fountain opened for sin, and for separation from uncleanness, (see ver. 9. of this chapter,) may be free to us, the Kings-Bath of Christ's blood, Zech. 13.1.

without the Camp ] Signifying, that Christ should be taken from all earthly comforts, and crucified without the gate, Heb. 13.12. [Before his face] So was Christ, before God's face; yea his Father laid upon him with his own hand; and let loose all the powers of darkness at him.

Vers. 4. Shall take of the blood with his finger ] Not with his whole hand. Christ's blood must be touched, or applied, with great discretion and reverence; our practice also must be died in Christ's blood,

Vers. 5. Shall he burn ] To set forth Christ's ardent love, and bitter sufferings. Love itself is a passion; and delights to express itself, by suffering for the party beloved.

Vers. 6. Cedar-wood, and hyssop, and scarlet ] Hereby was signified, that Christ howsoever in respect of our sins he was burnt up with the fire of his Fathers wrath; yet by the everlasting Spirit, whereby he offered up himself, without spot, to God; and by the gift and graces of it, he was a full sacrifice of a sweetsmelling favor to God, to purge offenses, Heb. 9.14. Psal. 51.9.

Vers. 7. The Priest shall wash his clothes ] To show the contagion and pollution of sin, 2 Cor. 7.1. and imperfection of the legal Priesthood. [unclean until the Evening] So verse. 8. and 10. We had need take time till the Evening, to humble our souls, and bewail our unworthiness of the blood of Christ.

Vers. 9. And a man that is clean ] Hereby is meant, the Gentile purified by faith, (as One well observeth,) the gathering of the ashes, is the applying of the merits of Christ, and laying hold of the mysterìes of his Kingdom. The laying up of the ashes imports, that the Christian accounts Christ's merits his chief treasure. The clean place, is the clean heart: Without the Camp, notes, that the Gentiles were strangers from the Commonwealth of Israel, &c. These ashes kept for the Congregation, show the fullness of Christ's merits for all his people; when he saith, it is to make a water of separation, it notes, that our sins separate betwixt us and our God. But now in Christ Jesus, we who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by his blood, Ephes. 2.13.

Vers. 10. Shall wash his clothes ] To note, that even the nearer a Christian comes to the merits of Christ, the more he is affected with the sense of his own uncleanness; yea he retains it till Bven, that is, till death.

Vers. 11. He that toucheth ] To teach them to observe God's cu • se in death, and to avoid the society of sinful men.

Vers. 17. And running water ] Signifying the ashes of Christ's merit, and the water of his Spirit. See 1 Cor. 6.11. John. 7.38, 39.

Vers. 18. Shall take hyssop ] No benefit by Christ, without mortification of sin.

CHAP. XX.

Vers. 1. I In the first month] To wit, of their fortieth year, after they came out of Egypt. For from this Chapter, to the end of Deuteronomy, are described the passages of the last year, only of their journeying in the wilderness: little being regarded, of the thirty eight years, since the Spies report. [And Miriam died there] A good woman, and of great use to the people in their travels, Mic. 6.4. But once she raised a great storm, against her brothers wife, Chap. 12.1. about precedency, probably: as did likewise in this kingdom, Anne Stanhop Duchess of Sommerset, against Katherine Parre, Queen Dowager, wife to her husbands brother, the Lord Admiral, in the days of King Edward the sixth. This Anne died Anno Dom. 1587, being 99 years of age. Miriam could be no less, likely, then 130; taking her to be the same, that was set to watch what would become of Moses, when he was laid out in an Ark of bulrushes, Exod. 2.4.

Ver 3. And the people chod ] Wanting both water and patience, they broke the peace with their Superiors. See the Note on Chap. 15. verse. 15.

Vers. 4. And why have ye brought up ] See how this new generation doth patrissare: this is but the old coccysmus of those ancient Malecontents, Exod. 17.2. So much the worse in these, because they made no better use of God's dealing with their fathers, Dan. 5.22.

Vers. 5. Neither is there any water to drink ] Thirst, a most eager appetite, eneagreth their affections, and makes them thus hot with Moses.

Vers. 8. Take the rod ] God puts up their rebellion, and satisfies their thirst by a miracle. [Speak unto the rock] He is not bidden now to smite it; as once, Exod. 17.6. which because he did unbidden, God was deeply displeased, as some are of opinion.

Vers. 9. And Moses took the rod ] The same rod, that once smote the river, to destroy the Egyptians. The same word, is a savor of life to believers, and of death to unbelievers.

Vers. 10. Hear now ye rebels ] They could hardly hear; for the belly hath no ears; and their tongues scarce knew, to utter any language, but that of Sampson; Give me water, or I die, Jud. 15.18. But why did Mosos speak to them, when he should have spoken to the rock only? verse. 8. This was ill; but worse to speak so unadvisedly: He struck at the rock, and, as ready almost to split against it, he makes two arguments against it. 1. Hear now ye rebels. q.d. Will the Lord ever give water to such rebels? 2. Shall we give you water out of the rock? will that ever be done? To fetch fire out of a flinty rock, is far more likely; but to distill water out of it, how can that be done? Loe Moses is staggered, and now at a stand. Ade • nihil est in nobis magnum, quod non queat minui; the strongest faith, much assailed, may flag, and hang the wing. The best carry their treasure, but in earthen vessels; which dashing against the rock of unbelief, miseras rimas ducunt, &c. leak pitifully.

Vers. 11. He smote the rock twice ] In a great heat, and pang of passion. — qui non moderabitur irae,

Sometimes both grace and wit, are asleep in the holiest and wariest breasts. The best may be mis-carried by their passions, to their cost.

And the water came out abundantly ] This cleaving of the hard rock, was a work of Omnipotency, Psal. 78.15. The works of God are, in contrariis mediis. This rock was Christ, 1 Cor. 10.4. fitly compared to a rock. 1. For despicable appearance, Isai. 53.2, 3. 2. Next, for exaltation, and advancement. 3. For firmness and stability, Mat. 16.18. 4. For scandal, and offense to the wicked, Rou • . 9.32. 5. For weight and danger, Mat. 21.44. [And their beasts also] The wicked, in like sort, coming to the Lord's Supper, do receive there panem Domini, not panem Dominum.

Vers. 12. Because ye believed me not ] Ye could not conceive, and were not very willing, that I should show such favor to so undeserving a people: so measuring my thoughts, by your thoughts, and my ways, by your ways, Isai. 55.8. casting me into a dishonorable mould, as it were; and this publicly, before all the people. [Therefore ye shall not bring] So God was unto them, a God that forgiveth, and taketh vengeance of their practices, as the Psalmist saith, Psal. 99.8. Repentance may come too late, in regard of temporal chastisement, as here it did, Deut. 3.24, 25.

Vers. 13. And he was sanctified in them ] By overcoming their evil with good; striking the rock for them, when he might justly have stricken them, with utter destruction. Mans badness interrupteth not the course of God's goodness; his unbelief maketh not the faith of God without effect, Rom. 3.3.

Vers. 14. Thus saith thy brother] A brother is born for adversity, Prov. 17.17. and good blood will not bely itself. But a brother offended is harder to be won, then a strong city: and their contentions, are like the bars of a castle, Prov. 18.19.

Vers. 16. Sent an Angel ] This was Christ: or, (as some would have it) Moses: like as Phineas is thought, to be that Angel at Bochim, • udg. 2.1.

Vers. 17. We will not pass ] So should a Christian bespeak the world: Let us pass through thy country; we will neither touch nor taste of thy cates, but go by the Kings high-way; that good old way, that God hath scored out unto us; until we arrive at the key of Canaan, at the Kingdom of Heaven.

Vers. 18. Thou shalt not pass] As fearing what so great an army once got in might do; they are not usually so easily removed. It was therefore great injustice in Pope Julius, to excommunicate and depose John, King of Navarre, as an heretic, and public enemy to the See Apostolic, because being himself a Peer of the Realm of France, and having a great part of his patrimony in that country, he would not suffer the Spaniard (the Popes Champion,) to lead an army through his country, against the French, (his Liege-Lord) and deliver to him three of the strongest castles, he had in his kingdom.

CHAP. XXI.

Vers. 1. ANd took some of them prisoners ] 〈◊〉 . sore affliction, worse then any of those outward crosses that Job suffered, whose captivity therefore, (as that which comprehended all the rest;) God is said to have turned, Chap. 42.10. Barbarossa the Turkish General, returned from Tunes, towards Constantinople, with such a multitude of poor Christian captives, shut up so close under hatches, among the excrements of nature, that all the way as he went, almost every hour, some of them were cast dead over-board. The late Duke D'Alva, Governor of Flanders, roasted some of his prisoners to death, starved others, and that even after quarter; saying, though he promised to give them their lives, he did not promise to find them meat. In our late troubles, it was a like difficult thing, to find among our enemies, a wicked man in their prisons, or a godly man out of them: where some were little better used, then those that are taken by the American Cannibals, and are eaten up alive, and by degrees, to the unutterable aggravation of their horror and torment.

Vers. 2. And Israel vowed a vow ] This is the way to prevail with God, as Jacob found it, Gen. 28.36. Who is therefore called, the father of vows. Concerning vows, See the Note on that text, Gen. 28.20.

Vers 3. Delivered up the Canaanites ] This King Arab, heartened with his former success, might (as Guicciardine saith of Charles the eight of France, in his expedition against Naples; ) come into the field like thunder and lightning, but go out like a snuff: more then a man at first, less then a woman at last.

Vers. 4. Discouraged because of the way ] So are many in their voyage towards Heaven, which is an afflicted way, Mat. 7.14. strawed with crosses, Act. 14.22. Indeed, if men could go to heaven in a fether-bed, or pass e coeno in coelum▪ à deliciis ad delicias, feed on manchet, tread on roses, fly to heaven with pleasant wings, none should be so forward as they. But to go through fire and through water, Psal. 66.12. to run with p • tience, the race that is set before them, Heb. 12.1 and through many tribulations, to enter into Heaven, this they like not. Theotimus in Ambrose, would rather lose his sight, then his sin: Vale lumen amicum, said he, when forbidden wine, as naught for his eyes. Beetles love dunghills better then ointments; and swine love mud, better then a garden: so do swinish Epicures prefer earth to heaven, &c.

Vers. 5. This light bread ] See the Note on Chap. 11.6.

Vers. 6. Fiery Serpents ] Heb. Seraphin, from their burning heat, whereby these ungrateful Israelites, that causelessly cried out of thirst, had somewhat given them to cry for. Their tongues so full of deadly poison, and set on fire from hell, are now parched and scorched with venomous heat and torments, the likest hell of any other. These serpents are here called Seraphims: that old serpent the devil, can transform himself into an Angel of light.

Vers. 7. Pray unto the Lord ] Prayer is the best lever at a dead lift.

Vers. 8. Make thee a fiery serpent ] i.e. The similitude of such a one; an unlikely means to effect such a cure. Yea some write, that it is deadly for those that are stung with a serpent, to look upon brass. Certain it is, that this cure was not wrought by anything in the nature of the brazen serpent, but by the institution and ordination of God, to be also a type of Christ; a noble and notable figure of Christ lifted up on the cross, John. 3.16. or rather in his ordinances, Gal. 3.1. They that looked upon their sores, and not upon the sign, died for it: As those that looked on the sign, though but with one eye, though but with a squint eye, or but with half an eye, they were healed presently: So they, that fix their eyes upon their sins only, and not upon their Savior, despair and die; but those that look to Christ, being faithful in weakness, though weak in faith, are sure to be saved: It is, but, look up and live. Only look up, (as they did that were wounded,) weepingly, wishly, pitifully, cravingly: See and sigh, look upon him whom you have pierced; let your sins be, as so many Hazaels, to you; and your hearts, as so many Hadadrimmons, Zech. 12.10, 11.

Vers. 14. In the book of the wars of the Lord ] This book here cited by Moses, is now either lost, or at least latent. It was not any part of the Canon, (for God hath provided, that not one hair of that sacred head is diminished;) but as the Chronicles of England, or some famous Poem.

Vers. 16 And I will give them water ] Now that they murmured not, they might have anything, Psal. 34.10. Only we must be content to wait God's time; (Is it fit to send for the Prince by a post?) or to want that particular mercy, if God see it meet; being content that God be glorified, though we be not gratified. Surely if God saw us thus studying his share more then our own, we might have what we would, and God even think himself beholding to us; as one phraseth it.

Vers. 17. Then Israel sang this song] A sign of that Christian joy, Isai. 12.3, 4.

Vers. 18. The Prince digged the well ] Called there-hence Beer-elim, i.e. the Well of the mighty ones, Isai. 15.8. Nunquam vilior erat annona Romae, quam cum terram colerent iidem qui remp. regerent: quasi ganderet terra laureato vomere scilicet, et aratore triumphali. [With their staves] Those Ensigns of their honor, they made to be instruments of the common good. See the Epist. dedicat. set before my Notes upon John.

Vers. 22. Let me pass ] See the Note on Chap. 20.17.

Vers. 23. And Sihon would not ] He durst not trust them: Men muse as they use: God had also hardened his heart, that he might come forth, to fetch his own destruction. Judgment need not go to find wicked men out, they run to meet their bane.

Vers. 27. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs ] Or by-words, by way of derision, as Deut. 28.17. Habac. 2.6. ballad-makers, Poetasters, that penned popular songs, such as this was.

Vers. 30. We have shot at them ] Great swelling words of vanity, uttered by the conquering Amorites: How much better our Henry the fifth, who after his victory at Agincourt, gave straight order, that no ballad or song should be made or sung, more then of thanksgiving to God, for his happy victory: and that nothing that might tend to ostentation, or boasting of the valiant, or cowardly act of any, should be set forth.

CHAP. XXII.

Vers. 1. IN the Plaines of Moab ] Once of Moab, then of the Amorites, now of the Israelites.] Lands and Lordships often change masters; adeo nihil certi est in rebus humanis, &c. In the greatness of the Turkish Empire is at this day swallowed up the name and Empire of the Saracens, the most glorious Empire of the Greeks, the renowned Kingdoms of Macedonia, Peloponnesus, Epirus, Bulgaria, Servia, Bosnia, Armenia, Cyprus, Syria, Egypt, Judea, Tunes, Argeirs, Media, Mesopotamia, with a great part of Hungary, as also of the Persian Kingdom; and (besides all those famous Churches spoken of in Scripture) so much in Christendom, as far exceedeth that which is thereof at this day left; yet, no doubt, Time shall triumph over this so great a Monarchy, when it shall but then live by fame, as others now do. It laboreth with nothing more already, then with the weightiness of itself.

Vers. 3. And Moab was distressed ] Or, was irked, fretted, vexed: And yet Moab was allied to Israel, eased by them of a troublesome encroaching neighbor Sihon, and assured by them, that they would not meddle, or molest them. But being of a different religion, they were carried with Satanical malice against God's people, and sought their ruin. This is the guise of graceless and absurd men, acted and agitated by the Devil.

Vers. 4. Unto the Elders of Midian ] Their neighbors and confederates. These are called the Dukes of Sihon, as having been subdued by his tyranny, whereof Israel had now freed them, and meant them no hurt, Num. 31.8. with Josh. 13.21.

And Balac the son of Zippor] A politick and potent Prince, Mic. 6.5. not more valiant, then vigilant, ingeniose nequam, wittily wicked.

Vers. 5. Balaam the son of Beor ] The Devils Spel-man, as one calls him, a sooth-sayer, or sorcerer, called a Prophet, 2 Pet. 2.16. as false-prophets are called Diviners, Jer. 27.9.

Vers. 6. Peradventure I shall prevail ] Hence he is said to have warred against Israel, Josh. 24.9. He did not, because he durst not. Sed fieri dicitur, quod tentatur, aut intenditur, saith Ribera, on Amos 9.5.

Vers. 7. With the rewards of divination ] Which Jude calls, the wages of wickedness. The Athenians complained▪ that Philip, by his gold, had corrupted the Oracle of Apollo, which now did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Vers. 8. As the Lord shall speak unto me ] Good words and wishes, may be found in hells-mouth; as wholesome sugar may be found in a poisoned cane; and a stone of great virtue in the head of a toad. The French have a berry, which they name, Uve de Spine, The grape of a thorn.

Vers. 9. And God came to Balaam ] So he came to Abimelech, to Laban, &c. he never concredited his word to these, as he did to the holy Prophets, of whom it is said, The Word of the Lord came to them.

Vers. 13. For the Lord refuseth ] Like a mercenary, and one that had a months-mind to the money, he hides from them that part of the answer, that might have kept them off from coming again to him, viz. Thou shalt not curse the people, for they are blessed; Auri sacra fames, &c.

Vers. 15. And Balac sent yet again ] So unweariable are wicked men, in pursuing and practicing their evil designs. This is check to our dullness for the good of our souls: Oh how soon said and sated are we! Felix trembles, and yet at the same instant, covets and expects a bribe from Paul, who had some occasion to expect repentance of Felix.

Vers. 17. For I will promote thee ] Thus Satan tempted our Savior, Matth. 4.8, 9. and the Pope Luther, offering him a Cardinalship, to hold his tongue; and proposing unto him the example of Aeneas Sylvius, who casting away his opinions, became Pope; and of Bessarion of Nice, who of a poor Calover of Trapezond, became a great renowned Cardinal, and wanted not much of being Pope. But Luther answered the messenger, Contemptus est a me Romanus & favor & furor; I care not for the Popes proffers of any preferment. And when one counseled to try him with money, another more wise answered, Hem, Germana illa bestia non curat aurum, That Dutch-beast cares not for gold. But Balaam was not a man of Luther's make.

Vers. 18. I cannot go beyond ] Intùs Nero, foris Cato: loquitur hic ut Piso, vivit ut Gallonius: Audi, nemo melius; specta, nemo pejus. A preacher (as Quintillian saith of an Orator) should be Vir bonus dicendi peritus. A well-spoken and well-deeded person.

Vers 19. Tarry also now this night, &c.] Very loath he was, to forgo so fat a morsel. His mouth even watered, his fingers itcht to be dealing with Balac. He therefore detains the messenger, and will try again what may be done for them.

Vers. 20. Rise up and go ] God answers him according to the idols of his heart; bids him go, (since he was set upon it) but at his utmost peril: lik as Solomon bids the young man follow the ways of his own heart; but then follows that stinging But.

Vers. 21. And saddled his asse ] Which never runs fast enough after preferment, till horse and man and all to the Devil.

Vers. 22. And God's anger ] Deus saepe dat iratus quod negat propitius. _____ [And his two servants were with him] This false Prophet rides not without two men. God's Levite had one man, Judge. 19.11. O let not Ministers of the Gospel be slaves to others, servants to themselves!

Vers. 23. And the asse saw the Angel ] Which Balaam saw not; his eyes were put out with the dust of covetousness, or dazzled at least with the glittering of the promised promotions.

Vers. 24. But the Angel ] If an Angel stand in the way of a sorcerer's sin, how much more ready are all those heavenly Spirits to stop the miscarriages of God's dear children! Surely, as our good endeavors are oft hindered by Satan; so are our evil, by good Angels: else were not our protection equal to our danger, and we could neither stand nor rise.

Vers. 27. She fell down under Balaam] And so condemned her masters madness, 2 Pet. 2.16. Polybius in his history saith, Whereas Man is held the wisest of all sublunary creatures, to me he seemeth the most foolish of all other. For whereas other creatures, when they have once smarted, will come no more there: (as the Fox returns not rashly to the snare, the Woolf to the pit-fall, the dog to the cudgel, the horse to the hole where he hath been stalked, &c.) solus homo ab aevo ad aevum peccat, fere in iisdem; Man only falls into the same offense and mischief from day today, and will not be warned, till he be utterly ruined, as it befell Balaam.

Vers. 28. And the Lord opened the mouth of the asse ] Fear not therefore thine own inability and rudeness to reply in a good cause. There is no mouth, into which God cannot put words; and how oft doth he choose the weak to confound the wise? _____ [And she said unto Balaam] The Angel (some think) did speak in the Ass, as the Devil had done to Eve in the garden.

Vers. 29. I would there were a sword ] Pity, but a mad-man should have a sword; how much fitter for him were that rod that Solomon speaks of, Prov. 26.3.

Vrs. 32. Because thy way is perverse ] Thou art resolved to curse howsoever, and not to lose so fair a preferment; which he must needs buy at a dear rate, that pays his honesty for it. Better a great deal lie in the dust, then rise by such ill principles. I shall shut up with that excellent prayer of Zwingli: Deum Opt. Max. precor, ut vias nostras dirigat: ac sicubi simus Bileami in morem, veritati pertinaciter obluc • at • ri, a • gelum suum opponat, qui machae, 〈◊〉 suoe minis 〈◊〉 asinum (insci • am • t audaciam dico nostram) sic ad ma • criam assligat, ut fraclum pedem, hoc est, impurum illicitumque carnis sensum, auferamus▪ ne ultra blasphememus nomen Domini Dei nostri.

CHAP. XXIII.

Vers. 1. BUild me here seven altars ] Here in Baals high-places, Chap. 22.41. A sinful mixture; such as was that of those Mongrels, 2 King. 17.28, 29. and their natural Nephews, the Samaritans, John. 4. Ambodexters in their religion, which being grosser at first, was afterward refined by Manasseh a Jew -Priest, (such another as Balaam, ) that in Alexanders time, made a defection to them, and brought many Jews with him. Of Constantine Copronymus it is said, (how truly I know not,) that he was neither Jew, Heathen, nor Christian, sed colluviem quandam impietatis, but a hodg-podg of wickedness. And of Redwald King of the East-Saxons (the first that was baptized) Camden reports, that he had in the same Church, one Altar for Christian Religion, and another for sacrificing to devils: And a loaf of the same leaven, was that resolute Rufus, that painted God on the one side of his shield, and the devil on the other, with this desperate inscription; In • trumque paratus; Ready for either, catch as catch may.

Vers. 2. And Balak did ] Ready to conform to any religion, so he might obtain his purposes. So did Henry the fourth of France; but it was his ruin: whiles he sought the love of all parties, aeque malo ac bono reconciliabilis, (as one saith of him,) he lost all: Whiles he stood to the true religion, he was Bonus Orbi, (as one wittily anagrammatized his name Borbonius, ) but when he fell from it, Orbus boni. And surely, he was not like to stand long to the truth, who at his best had told Beza, that he would launch no further into the sea, then he might be sure to return safe to the haven: some countenance he would show to religion, but yet so, as he would be sure to save himself. God abhors these luke-warm Neuter-passives, that are inter coelum terramque penduli, that halt between two, that commit Idolatry, between the porch and the altar, with those five and twenty miscreants, Ezek. 8.16.

Vers. 4. I have prepared seven Altars ] He boasts of his devotions, and so thinks to demerit God's favor: So those hypocrites in Isaiah, Chap. 58.3. Non sic deos coluimus, ut ill nos vinceret; we have not so served the gods, as that the enemy should have the better of us, said the Emperor Antoninus, the Philosopher.

Vers. 5. And the Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth ] The words thus put into his mouth, do but pass from him, they are not polluted by him, because they are not his: as the Trunk through which a man speaks, is not more eloquent, for the speech uttered through it: Balaam did not eat God's word, as Jeremiah did, Chap. 15.16. nor believe what he had spoken, as David, and after him Saint Paul did, Psal. 116.10. 2 Cor. 4.13. No more did Plato, Seneca, and other Heathens, in their divine sentences,

Vers. 7. And he took up his parable ] Or, pithy and powerful speech, uttered in numerous and sententious terms; and taken among the Heathen, for prophecies, or oracles: poëmata pro vaticiniis, &c. Poets were taken for Prophets, Tit. 1.2. and Poems, for prophecies. Hence their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , wherein, opening a book of Homer, Hesiod, &c. they took upon them, by the first verse they lighted upon, to divine. Tragedians also, for their p • rables, or Master-sentences, were highly esteemed of old; insomuch as, after the discomfit of the Athenians in Sicily, they were relieved, who could repeat somewhat of Euripides.

Out of Aram ] Aram Naharim, or Mesopotamia; so called, because it is scituate betwixt those two rivers of paradise, Tigris and Euphrates: This was Abraham's country; where, whiles he was it it, he served strange gods, Josh. 24.2.

Vers. 8. How shall I curse ] He had a good mind to it; but did not, because he durst not: God stood over him with a whip, as it were; the Angel, with a sword in his hand, could not be forgotten by him. Virtus nolentium nulla est.

Vers. 9. From the top of the rocks I see him] And have no power to hurt him. She heard me without daunting; I departed not without terror, when I opened the conspiracy against her life; howbeit, clothed with the best art I could, said Parry the traitor, concerning Queen Elizabeth: Achilles was said to be Styge armatus, but Israel was deo armatus, and therefore extra ja • tum.

Lo the people shall dwell alone ] That they might have no meddling with the heathen. God would not have them lie near the sea-coasts, (for the Philistines lay between them and the sea,) le • t they should by commerce wax prouder, as Tyrus did, Ezek 27.28. and learn foreign fashions. See Esther. 3.8. Hence Iudae • , (though part of the continent,) is called an Island, Isai. 20.6.

Vers. 10. Let me die the death ] But he was so far from living the life of the righteous, that he gave pestilent counsel against the lives of God's Israel: and though here in a fit of companction, he seem a friend; yet he was afterward slain, by the sword of Israel, whose happiness he admireth, and desires to share in. Carnales non curant quaerere, quem tamen desiderant invenire, cupieuses consequi, sed non et sequi. Carnal men care not to seek that which they would gladly find, &c. some faint desires, and short-winded wishes, may be sometimes found in them; but the mischief is, they would break God's chain, sunder happiness from holiness, salvation from sanctification, the end from the means; they would dance with the devil all day, and then sup with Christ at night: live all their lives-long in Delilah's lap, and then go to Abraham's bosom, when they die. The Papists have a saying, that a man would desire to live in Italy (a place of great pleasure,) but to die in Spain; because there the Catholic religion (as they call it,) is so sincerely professed. And a heathen being asked, whether he would rather be Socrates, a painful Philosopher, or, Croesus,