Exposition of the Moral Law, Book 1 · Exercitation 4
EXERCITAT. IIII. The Preface of the Law.
Exod. 2.20. I am the Lord thy God, &c.
THe Lord, Exod. 34.28. wrote upon the Tables the Words of the Covenant, the ten Commandements. Some erre in dividing the Commandements.Here it is expreſsly ſayd, that there are ten Commandements; but men have erred ſundry wayes in dividing theſe Commandements: for ſome of the Iewes make the firſt and ſecond but one Commandement; yet to make up the number of ten, they made this the firſt Commandement, I am the Lord thy God &c. and they ſay, this muſt of neceſſity be preſuppoſed, To beleeve that there is a God who commandeth; and they hold, that in this Commandement the Lord bindeth them To beleeve in him. They cleare the matter by this compariſon. If a King ſhould come to a people whom they know not, and hee were to give them Lawes, it were neceſſarie firſt that they ſhould know him to be a King; and what right hee had over them to give them Lawes: So when God ſayeth I am the Lord your God, it is as much as if hee ſhould ſay,The Iſraelites beleeved in God before they received the Law. receive me for your King and ſubmit you to my Lawes. But this ſhould not induce us to thinke, that theſe words are a command: for the Iſraelites before they came to receive the Law, they beleeved in him, Exod. 4.31. and Exod. 14.31. after that they had paſſed the red ſea, They beleeved in God and in Moſes. They believed in God already, and therefore they needed not a new precept to be given them that they ſhould believe, but that was preſuppoſed: for if they had not firſt beleeved, he ſhould not have given them theſe Lawes: and they promiſed that when hee was about to give them the Law, that all things the Lord would bid them doe, that they would do Exod. 19.8. In theſe words then, I am the Lord thy God, The Lord made an intimation to them in theſe words.there is nothing commanded, but onelyonly an intimation made to them who it is that ſpeaketh to them, to wit, the Lord God.
All the Commandements are ſet downe by way of precept. Thou ſhalt not commit Adultery, and, Thou ſhalt not steale. The right expoſition of the words.Theſe words Exod. 34.28. God wrote in Tables the ten words of the Covenant, ſhould not bee tranſlated here, He wrote ten Sentences. as Mat. 21.24. I will aske you one word; that is, one Sentence, or one Queſtion: but it is taken here, Proſententia precipiente, for a commanding Sentence, as Eſth. 1.10. The Queene refuſed to come at the word of the King, Theſe words are not a Commandement, but a Preface.that is, at the commandement of the King. So De calogus is called foreign by the Apoſtle, a command: ten words, that is, ten commands. Theſe words then are not a command, but a preface to the commands; becauſe they are not ſet downe by way of precept as the reſt of the Commandements.
In this preface we have to conſider what is craved of us? ſecondly who craveth it of us? Firſt, what is craved; obedience, that they ſhould hearken: for obedience beginneth at the eare, Speake Lord, for thy Servant heareth 1 Sam. 3.10. Secondly who craveth this attention? it is Iehova, the great and mighty God.
There are foure things to be marked in this name Iehova; firſt, that God revealed not himſelfe to any,Foure things to be marked in the name Iehova. by his name Iehova untill Moſes time, Exod. 6.3. I was knowne before to be ſhaddai, and I manifeſted my ſelfe to the Patriarches by Adonai, and Elohim; but I manifeſted not my ſelfe, by my name Iehova, which ſignifieth my eſſence, untill I revealed my ſelfe unto thee, Moſes.
But this name Iehova was knowne before Moſes time, Ob. Gen. 4.26. incaptum eſt nomen Iehova invocari, So Gen. 15.8.
The Fathers who lived before Moſes time, Anſ. The Lord revealed not himſelfe by his name Iehova, untill he reveal…d himſelfe to Moſes. foreigncalled him not Iehova, but Elohim or Adonai; but Moſes, who wrote the hiſtorie of Geneſis, after that this name was revealed unto him, he uſed this word, Iehova, in the hiſtorie of Geneſis. Moſes doth not ſet downe here the words of the Patriarches, but the ſenſe of their words: they called him Elohim and Adonai, but Moſes called him Iehova. This name was Peli before, a hid name, admirable, or ſecret. Peloni almoni, is a name in the Scriptures, which is not expreſſed but underſtood; as Ruth. 4.1. So in the Goſpell, Ye ſhall goe unto what ſhall I call him his houſe. foreignMat. 26.18. and of Peloni almoni, is made Palmoni, Dan. 8.13. which the Seventy tranſlate foreign for it is a hid name of reverence, which is communicated to none.foreign When Manoah asked the Angell what his name was, he anſwered my name is Peli, admirable or ſecret Iudg. 13.18.The Heathen had ſome darke footeſteps of the name Iehova, The Heathen had ſome darke footſteps of this admirable and ſecret name; for upon the gate of the Temple of Minerva which was called Sai, they had this inſcription written: Ego ſum omne quod extitit, eſt, et erit, meumque peplum nemo adhuc mortalium detexit. And they prayed that their God would unvaile himſelfe unto them, that they might underſtand ſomething of his great majeſty. It was not for the benefit of the Church to know the Angels name; and therefore he concealed it.
Sundry cauſes which make men conceale their names.There are many cauſes wherefore men conceall their names; ſometimes feare, ſometimes ſhame, ſometimes deceit, ſometimes wiſedome, ſometimes charitie and humility makes them to conceall their names. When Paul wrote his Epiſtle to the Hebrews; wiſedome made him to conceall his name: for he becomming now of a Iew, a Chriſtian; his Epiſtle would have had the leſſe credit with the Iewes: and therefore hee concealeth his name.Why the Lord kept up his name Iehova from the Patriarchs ſo long. The reaſon, why the Lord kept up his name Iehova from the Patriarchs ſo long, was his wiſedome: but now when the promiſes were to bee accompliſhed which hee had made before; hee expreſſeth his name Iehova.
The ſecond thing to be conſidered in this name is, that he is called Eheie, Ero quì ero, Exod. 3.14. that is, whoſe eternitie endureth for ever: and hee is called Eheie, who was, is, and is to come: for, the future tenſe with the Hebrews comprehendeth all the three times, paſt, preſent, and to come. Iohn ſaith of the beaſt, Reve. 17.11. the beaſt which was, and is not: the thing that is paſt, is not: and Ezekiel. 26.19. thou ſhalt be no more: God is oppoſite to man by way of contradiction.when a man is dead he was, and is no more. God is onelyonly immortalitie, he is Alpha and Omega, & he is oppoſite to man by way of contradiction, which is the greateſt contrarietie that is. deus eſt, homo non eſt, Iohn expreſſing this name Eheie, expreſſeth it thus foreign, Revel. 1.8. ſetting them downe as nounes; and he would rather commit a ſoloeciſme in the Greeke tongue, then not to expreſſe the name Iehova by them: for by nature they are participles, they ſhould not bee taken materially here foreign, but as participles, and they ſhould be declined foreign: but to expreſſe Eheie and Iehova, he calleth them foreign &c.
The third thing to bee obſerved in this name is,The letter Iod added to ſome words for the whole name Iehova. that ſome times the letter Iod and no more of the name Iehova, is added to words: example Ionas. 1.9. I am an Hebrew & I feare the Lord God; it is in the original Gnibhri anochi, as if he ſhould ſay,foreign I am an Hebrew of Iehova or belonging to him, the letter Iod is not Affixum here, and the ſentence would be perfect without it Gnebher anochi: but this Iod added to it, carrieth this ſenſe,foreign I am an Hebrew belonging to Iehova.
The fourth thing to bee obſerved in the name Iehova, The name Iehova is given to no creature, as the reſt of Gods attributes are.is this, that his other attributes, Adonai, and Elohim, are given to creatures, as to Angels and to men; but this name Iehova is never given to any creature.
The laſt thing to be obſerved in this name, is this,The name Iehova is never pronounced with it owne vowels. that it is never pronounced, nor written with the owne vowels of it; but either with the vowels of Elohim, or Adonai, and the Seventie tranſlate it alwayes foreign,Of this ſee more Commandement. 3. and the Iewes call it foreign ineffabile, foreign, indicibile, and foreign ineloquibile.
I am the Lord thy God. The preface includeth in it remiſsion of ſinnes, the reſurrection and life everlaſting.To bee their God includeth three ſpeciall bleſſings in it. Firſt, remiſſion of ſinnes. Secondly, the reſurrection of the body. and thirdly, life everlaſting.
Firſt it includeth in it remiſſion of ſinnes, and it is concluded thus.
They who are bleſſed, have God to be their God.
They who have their ſinnes remitted, are bleſſed.
Therefore, they who have their ſinnes remitted, have God to be their God.
Secondly, the reſurrection of the body is contained within this preface I am the Lord thy God; as Chriſt proveth againſt the Sadduces. I am the God of Abraham and the God of Iſaack, and the God of Iacob, God is not the God of the dead; but of the living, that is, of thoſe who live to God, although their bodies bee in the grave. To prove the reſurrection out of this place, ſome frame the argument after this manner.
They who live in their ſoules after their bodies are dead, muſt riſe againe in their bodies;
But Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, live in their ſoules, although their bodies be dead;
Therefore, their bodyes muſt riſe againe.
But this argument, although it hold well enough againſt thoſe who hold the immortality of the ſoule, yet it proveth not againſt the Sadduces who deny the Immortalitie of the ſoule: but to fit the argument againſt the Sadduces, and thoſe who deny the Immortality of the ſoule; it muſt be framed thus.
An argument to convince the Sadduc…s, who denied all the Scriptures except the five bookes of Moſes.They who have God, to bee their God; muſt live againe,
But Abraham Iſaack and Iacob, have God, to be their God:
Therefore, they muſt live againe.
This argument will hold againſt the Sadduces who admitted the five bookes of Moſes, and granted that God made a covenant with Abraham Iſaack and Iacob.
Object. But the Sadduces might have ſaid, that God might have beene their God while they were living, and now ceaſed to be their God when they were dead.
Anſw. The covenant is pronounced in the preſent time, foreign foreign I am their God, and not, I was their God: for although the word Sum be not expreſſed in the covenant, yet it is to bee underſtood after Ani according to the manner of the Hebrewes.foreign
He might have beene the God of their ſoules, Object. although not of their bodies.
The Sadduces could not frame this anſwere, Anſ. who denied the immortalitie of the ſoule. Secondly, the Text ſaith, I am the God of Abraham, that is, of whole Abraham. For when any thing is attributed or aſtricted to a part, the Whole is preſuppoſed firſt. Example, the black Moore is white in his teeth,When any thing is attributed to the part, the whole is firſt underſtood. then the Moore muſt firſt exiſt who hath the white teeth. So if the Whole exiſt not, In potentia at leaſt, then this limitation cannot bee made to the ſoule, that he might bee the God of Abrahams ſoule; as though the body never were to riſe againe: and if their bodies were not to riſe againe, how could he be called the God of their bodies? or why commanded hee their bodies to bee circumciſed and made them Temples of the holy Ghoſt, if hee had not beene minded to raiſe them againe? To live then, muſt be underſtood here firſt of the ſoule, living actually, and of the body, living potentially, which by the power of God ſhall be raiſed againe; and it is ſaid in this ſenſe,The Churchyard is called the houſe of the Living. Mark. 5.39. She is not dead but alive. How was ſhe living? by the power of God who was able to raiſe her againe: and therefore the Hebrewes call the Church yard, Domus viventium, The houſe of the Living becauſe the bodies lived to God all this time. The Iewes themſelves believe the reſurrection Eſay 26.19.foreign Nebhelathi jekumun, Cadaver meum reſurgent that is, I beleeve that my body ſhall riſe againe and others with me, ſo. Ioh. 11.24. I know that he ſhall riſe againe in the reſurrection at the Laſt day.
Thirdly, this preface containeth in it life eterall. Heb. 11.16. God is not aſhamed to be called their God and he hath prepared for them a City to come,Heb. 11.16. it is concluded thus.
If their God had not prepared for them a City to come he might have beene aſhamed;
But their God cannot be aſhamed:
Therefore their God hath prepared for them a Citty to come.
I am the Lord thy God; here he teacheth them the, application of all the promiſes of Salvation to themſelves. Heb. 11.13. the faithfull embraced the promiſes and kiſſed them,The comforts in divinity ſtandeth in theſe poſſeſsive promiſes mine, thine, ours. this was their parrticular application of the promiſes. The Schoolemen ſay well, that all the comfort in divinitie lieth in theſe poſſeſſive pronounes mine, thine, and our's, foreign tu mihi.a Saviour is borne to you, Luc. 2.11. So Paul who hath given himſelfe for us Tit. 2.14. And the comfortable promiſes of the Goſpell,Thou art mine, this is the ſumme of the whole covenant. is Eſay 43.1. Li atta, tu mihi, which is foreign, a ſhort ſentence, but comprehending all the promiſes of Salvation in it: when God ſaith thou art mine, and our hearts can anſwere him againe we are thine. This is a happy meeting: the Iewes uſed to write theſe two ſhort words Li atta, the ſumme of the whole covenant, as a motto upon their rings, and above their gates: Mine and thine are words of love. 2 King 20.32. Achab ſaid to Benhadad he is my brother, then the text ſaith the men did diligently obſerve whether any thing would come from him (meaning from Achab) and they did haſtily catch this word, when he ſaid is my Brother: So when the Lord utterreth this word to us, I am your God, we ſhould haſtily catch it, and lay hold upon it; and make particular application to our ſelves of the promiſe: but hypocrites cannot make this particular application to themſelves of theſe promiſes of ſalvation;Hypocrites cannot make perticular application of God, nor his promiſes to themſelves. when the Lord offered a ſigne to Achaz, Eſay. 7. the Prophet ſaid to him aske a ſigne of the Lord thy God, but how anſwered the hypocrite? I will not tempt the Lord, but he durſt not ſay, I will not tempt the Lord my God: but Eſay can applie that to himſelfe, will ye tempt the Lord my God Eſay 7.13. Pharao ſayd Exod 10.17. Pray to your God for me, that he may take away this plague from me: and ſo Darius Dan. 6.20. calleth him Daniels God, and not my God, and ſee how ſtrangely the Iewes ſpake of Chriſt; There is one Chriſt who is dead and riſen againe, Act. 25.19. and the Devils ſay, Ieſus thou ſonne of the moſt high God, what have wee to doe with thee, Mark. 5.7.
How cometh it, Queſt. that Balaam that wizard maketh particular application to himſelfe, calling God his God Num. 22.18. I cannot goe beyond the word of the Lord my God.
Balaam called God his God, Anſw. after the manner of the Hetruſcians, How Balaam called God his God.taking him to be that Hetruſcian God who had informed his mind, and enlightened it at that time.
How commeth it that Ezekias ſaith to Eſay. 2 King 19.4. it may be the Lord will heare all the words of Rabſhakeh, Queſt. and will reprove the words which the Lord thy God hath heard?
He calleth him Eſayes God, and not his God, Anſ. not out of diſtruſt as Pharaoh and Nebuchad-nezzer did, but onelyonly becauſe Eſay was their mouth to the Lord at that time, who brought the anſweres to them from God.
The laſt thing which is contained in this preface, is, the reaſon why they ſhould obey him? becauſe hee brought them out of the Land of Aegypt.
The concluſion of this is, Pſal. 119.130.Concluſion. the entrance to thy words giveth light, and giveth underſtanding to the ſimple.