Gods Eye on His Israel, Treatise (1 of 3)
GODS EYE ON HIS ISRAEL. An Explication and Application of Balaams words recorded Numbers 23.21.
THat which had wont to be said of Africke, that it was aforeign. Aristot. de gener. animal. l. 2. c. 7. Vulgare Graeciae dictum, Semper aliqid novi Africa… afferre, Plin. hist. nat. l. 8. c. 16. inde Anaxilas Hyacinth. foreign. it… potius restituendum metrum, qam ut Scalig. aut Grot. comici verbis demendo. Habet Athenaeus l. 14. apud qem & de eadem, non Eubulus, ut Campens. & Grot. sed Eupolis, foreign. Excogitat novi quid Musica jugiter.ever producing some new monster or other; is too true of the age, I would I might not say of the land, wherein we live. But the thing it selfe is so notorious, that lamented it may be, concealed it cannot be. We have many strange and uncouth, some even monstrous and prodigious opinions, daily started up amongst us: which men of corrupt, either judgement, or affection, or both, taking liberty to themselves, from the present distractions of the state, and disturbances of the times, stick not to broach and disperse, as well in publique as in private: whereby multitudes of people, of the weaker sort and sex especially, are seduced and misled; grievous rents and schisms are made both in Church and State; the doctrine of the Gospell is much wronged and abused; and a wide gap is laid open unto all manner of licentiousnesse and loosnesse of life.
Among these none to me seemeth more pestiferous and pernicious, then that of those, who from one of the first Authours thereof are commonly called Eatonists, from their opposition to the mandatory and obligatory power of the Law morall, or the Decalog, Antinomians or Antinomists; and such as have further built on the grounds by them laid; whereby they maintain, among other erroneous conceits, that bJohn Eaton, Honey-comb of free justification. chap. 3. p. 36.God seeth no sinne at all in his justified children: one covering cMr. Eaton.the hour-glasse, that he preacheth by in publik, an other dMr. Randall.the Bible that he collateth by in private; and affirming withall, that God no more seeth any sin in any justified persons, then the auditory then present saw, either the Glass the one, or the Book the other; and consequently, that he taketh not notice of it, nor is at all displeased with them, fall they never so foully, or live they never so loosly, for ought that such doe: nor doth he inflict ought on them, or on any other, as the Land or State they live in, and are limmes of, either by way of punishment, or in way of chastisement, for any sinne by them committed. Yea that therefore, they neither need to crave pardon for any sinne or excesse, nor to afflict and humble themselves for the same: one of them affirming, that eMr. Randall; as was averred by testimony of those that heard him affirm it.what fPsal. 51.David did in this kind, after his grievous excesses in the matter of Vriah, proceeded in him from weaknesse: as also, that gMr. Randall openly by word of mouth in the Star-chamber.what hMath. 27.7….Peter did in the like kind, after his foul fact of deniall, issued from the weaknesse of his faith. On which their principles others raising further super structures, have so farre proceeded as to affirm, that iChrists counsell to Laodice….neither faith, nor repentance, nor humiliation, nor selfe deniall, nor use of Ordinances, nor doing as one would be done to, are duties required of Christians, or such things as they must exercise themselves in, or they can have no part in Christ. Albeit the kJohn 3.18, 36 Mark 1.15. & …6.16. Luke 13.3, 5. Mat. 16.24. & 18.3. & 6.20. & 7.1…. 1 Cor. 6.9, 10.Scriptures be so pregnant, and so expresse to the contrary.
One principall pillar or shore, that hath by these men been erected and applied to the bearing up of that their first main assertion before-mentioned, is hewn out of, and taken from lNum. 23.21.a passage of Balaam, delivered in a speech of his to Balak, thus commonly read, mGeneva Translation▪He seeth none iniquity in Jacob; nor seeth no transgression in Israel.
Or somewhat neerer to the originall, thus, nLast English edition.He hath not beheld iniquity in Iacob; neither hath he seen perversnes in Israel.
Which place, because it is not onelyonly grossely misexpounded and mis-applyed by them, but is also, as I conceive, commonly mistranslated and mistaken by the most; I have thought good to impart such thoughts as long since I have had concerning the same to the publik; thereby endeavouring to give some further light, if it may be, to the Text; to cleare it, at least, from that wicked and wretched abuse and wrong, which from these men it doth sustain.
In prosecution hereof I shall use this method:Parts 4.
1. Deal with the sense that these men fasten on it.
2. Deliver and debate the versions and expositions rendred by others.
3. Discusse the severall branches and tearms of the Text.
4. Draw forth and pursue that Doctrine that the place understood aright affords.
To begin with the first of these; against the sense that these men would fasten upon it, to wit,Part 1. that God saw no sinne at all in Iacob, nor transgression in Israel, Antinomian Exposition.I shall use a fourfold prescription or plea.
First, that this can not be the meaning of the place,Exception 1. because it evidently crosseth the main tenor of the story, and the truth of Gods Word. For how could God but see those sinnes in that people, which so oft he grievously oExod. 32.8. & 33.3. Num. 14.11.complaineth of, professeth to take pExod. 32.9. Deut. 9.13.notice of, and to be highly displeased with, threatneth to avenge, yea not threatned alone so to do, but severely, and that frequently also,qDeut. 9.19. Num. 11.1, 10. sExod. 3….35. Num. 11.1.33. & 16 49. & 21.6. & 25.9.punished by plagues and judgements of sundry sorts; yea for which he destroyed in the wildernesse the main body of that people which he brought out of Egypt,rExod. 32.10, 33, 34. Num. 14.12, 22, 23, 35. reserving onelyonly their issue, to enter upon, and enjoy the Land promised them, in their stead? Or what reasonable creature can be induced to beleive, that all this should by God be done, when he had so hoodwinked and blindfolded himself, that he neither did nor could see that, for which he did all this?tDeut. 2.15, 16.
Exception 2.Secondly, that Balaam, who uttered these words unto Balak, did not so understand them, nor was of any such mind. That which appeares by the advise that he gave unto Balak. For as the Nobles of Babylon, being well assured that aDan. 6.5.they should never be able to get any advantage against Daniel, whereby to ensnare him, and bring him into danger, save in something that might concern him in his duty to his God, bDan. 6.7, 8.solicited Darius to enact and publish such an edict as might straiten him that way: cNum. 31.16, Rev. 2.14.so Balaam well wotting, that no advantage could be gotten against that people, whereby the enemy might be enabled to have the better of them, but by making a breach between them and their God; cNum. 31.16, Rev. 2.14.advised Balak therefore by the enticements of the daughters of his people to endeavour to enduce them to fornication and superstition, to adultery and idolatry, (two sinnes that are dNum. 25.1, 2. Hos. 4.13.14. Rev. 2.15, 20.wont to goe hand in hand together) that so the wrath of God being incensed against them, and his protection withdrawn from them, they might either ly eExod. 32.25.open to the enemy, or be fPsal. 106.41, 42.delivered up by God unto them, to be scourged and punished for their sinne. But in vain had it been for Balaam to give such counsell to Balak, or for Balak to have practised what Balaam suggested, had God been so affected towards this people, that he could not, or would not see, or take notice of what was done amisse, either in that, or in any other kind, by them, nor would be displeased at all with them for it.
Exception 3.Thirdly, that this sense of the words will not stand with other their own principles, but directly crosseth that which themselves otherwhiles averre. For when we object unto them, against this their position, the examples of holy men recorded in Scripture; as of Moses, of whom it is said, that God was gExod. 4.14.angry, yea very angry with him,hExod. 4.24. for his flinching and hanging back, when he was to go on Gods errand to Pharaoh; had like to have slain him in his Inne by the way for the neglect of his childs circumcision; was iPsal. 106.32, 33· Num. 11.11,-13 21, 22. & 20.12.displeased with him and Aaron for their incredulity and failings in some unadvised carriages; kDeut. 9.20.with Aaron also for having an hand in the calf; and punished them both with lNum. 20.24. Deut. 3.25, 27.exclusion from possession and enjoyment of the promised Land: of David, concerning whom it is affirmed, that the thing he did in his folly with Bathsheba, and in the murther of Vriah, was m2 Sam. 11.27.evill in Gods eys; himself also confessing, that those his sinnes were committed nPsal. 51.4.in Gods sight, as also that his other sinnes, such as he had (for some he was oPsal. 7.3, 4. 1 Sam. 24.9.falsly charged with) were pPsal. 69.5.not hidden from him; and that God by Nathan sharply q2 Sam. 12.9.reproved him for the same; threatning withall to r2 Sam. 12.10, 11.repay his sinne in either kind by the like; which s2 Sam. 13, 14.29. & 16.22. & 18.14.accordingly also he did: and again that upon the numbring of his people, which t1 Chro. 21.1. 2 Sam. 24.1. Vbi Jun. cum incitasset adversarius Davidem. at Pisc. audax supplementum▪ Ipse audentior; Jehovah ipse incitavit. Verum neutrum horum hoc loco necessarium est. potest indefinitè & passivè sumi. ita Castell. impulsus est D. qo modo Gen. 41.13. Deut. 32.37. Num. 26.59. 2 Sam. 22.8 1 Kings 22.38. Mal. 1.4. Luke 12.20. Addo posse reddi, eo qod impulsus est, sive, quon… am impulsus est. Vau saepe causale est, Psal. 60.11. & 75.1. & 108.12. Isaiah 9.11 & …4.4, 5.Satan and his own corrupt heart had put him upon, u2 Sam. 24.10.his conscience smote him, as having done that, which he knew God would take notice of, and take to heart, as the event sheweth that he did; for God not onelyonly signified so much to him by xVers. 12.13.Gad, but made him yVers. 1….smart for it in his people: of Iehoshaphat, whom for his assistance of Ahab, God a2 Chro. 19.2.by Iehu …s messenger summoned to answer it, and gave him notice of his wrath incensed against him for it; Of Ezekiah, with whom for a vain bIsaiah 39.2.ostentation of his wealth and state to the Babylonian Ambassadors, he was not a little displeased, and in displeasure, to his no small grief (no doubt) made known unto him, cVers. 6, 7.what in after times should become, not of all his treasures onelyonly, but of his posterity. When, I say, we object unto them these and the like examples of Gods people, recorded in Gods Book, whose excesses and oversights God beheld, and that also with an angry and wrathfull eye; they use to tell us, that these persons were under the cloud, dSee Hony-comb, c. 6. p. 97.they lived in the times of the Old Testament: that it is not now as it was then; God saw that in them then, which he seeth not in us now: It is true, that in those times God saw sinne, and took notice of it, and punished it, even in his own justified ones; but he doth not so now adaies. For, not to insist on that, which in way of reply might be returned hereunto, to wit, that the Apostle Paul acknowledgeth no other kind or manner of justification, then that, whereby eRom. 4.3. Gen… 15.6.Abraham, and fRom. 4.6. Psal. 32.1, 2, 5.David were justified; from whose examples he draweth an argument to prove, men to be in these times gRom. 3.24▪ 25, 28. & 4.12, 22, 24.justified freely by faith, as they also in their times were: as also that the Apostle Peter affirmeth▪ that those that lived in those times were hActs 15.1▪saved by the grace, yea the free grace (for (i)Rom. 11.5, 6 Nullo modo est gratia, qe non est omni modo gratuita. Aug. de Pecc. mer. & rem. l· 4. c. 24.unlesse free, it is no (k)Promissio de remittendis peccatis, ei… qi confientur Deo p…ccata sua, non videtur ulla extare in divinis literis Bellarm. de poenit. l. 2.… 4▪ loc. 4 Locus ille Prov. 28.13. loqitur de confessione, qae fit hominibus, Jdem ibid. c. 11. except. 3. qi & cap 3. eodem trahit illa Lev. 5.5 Num. 5.7. sicut & Annot. Duac. in Num.Grace) of God in Christ Iesus, as well as we that live in these dayes. Not to insist, I say, and stay hereupon; but to turn them over to their own tenents; these men herein deale with us in this argument, as the Papists doe in some others. For as they to make good, that Preists under the Gospel have a power to heare confessions and remit sinnes, produce some places out of the Old Testament to prove it; whereas yet they themselves confesse that (l)Nondum data erat sacerdetibus potestas remittendi peccata Bellar. ib. 3.….3the Preists in those times had no such power: and to confirme invocation and intercession of Saints deceased, they produce likewise some passages (m)Job 5.1. Annotat. on Doway Bible. Genes. 48.16. Bellar. de sanct. beatit. l. 1. c. 20. Alfons. de Castr. apud Chamier panstr. l. 20. c. 2. Sect. 10. The triple Cord, … 16.95.out of those Scriptures; when as yet being pressed with the practise of the holy men that then lived, who used no such invokements of any deceased, they are wont to answer, that (n)Bellar. de Christ. l. 4. c. 10. & de purgat. l. 2. c. 6. & de Sanct. beat. l. 1. c. 20.the Saints in those times deceased could not heare prayers, or be prayed to, because they remained shut up in limbo, and were not gotten yet into heaven. In like manner doe these men, To prove that God seeth no sinne now in his justified ones, (o)Eaton Honycomb, c. 3. p. 35, 37. &c. 4. p. 57.they alledge these words of Balaam, spoken of the Israel that then was, as affirming that God saw no sinne in them; and other places likewise, where he is said upon their repentance to have (p)Psal. 32.1. & 85.2.hidden all their sinnes; (as also to the same purpose they (q)Honycomb, c. 3. p. 29.30.produce those passages, where God is said, to have (r)Psal. 103.12.removed their sinnes as farre from them, as the East is f…om the West; & to have (s)Mic. 7.19.taken them, and cast them into the bottome of the sea:) whereas yet they are enforced by evidence of truth to confesse, that (t)Honycomb. c. 6. p. 98, 99.in those times God might and did see, take notice of, and punish sinne, even in the best that then were; and this cannot therefore be Balaams meaning in this place, if what themselves hold be true: nor can they alledge this place for the proofe of what they herein maintaine, without crossing and contradicting that which otherwhiles they acknowledge.
Exception 4.Fourthly, that this (t)Affirmanti in cumbit onu… probandi. Paul. in Digest. l. 22. tit. 3. leg. 2. & Vlp…an. ibid. leg. 24.burden lies upon them, who undertake to ground such a point as this upon this place, to prove, that this, not onelyonly in probability may be, but of necessity must be, the true sense of the words, which they give; for if the words will bear any other sense as well as that which they assigne, then cannot the Doctrine, which thence they endeavour to deduce, be raised necessarily from the place.
But that the words of the Text may well admit and bear some other orthodox sense, then this which they strive and contend (all they can) to fasten upon it; and that very aptly also agreeing with the drift and course of the context; shall by Gods assistance be shewed in the ensuing discourse.
Which yet before I come to make manifest in that,Part. 2. which is herein principally intended; I shall crave leave to spend some time in considering and discussing the divers versions and expositions, that I find given of the same by others.
And here my purpose is not to make any long stay upon such of them, as depart much, either from the Originall, Translations and Exposition les common.or from the Translations with us commonly received, which alone may seem to intimate some such thing as these men, whom at present we deale with, would have them to hold out: Those of this sort may well be referred to two principal heads. Chaldee. foreign Latine.The former is of the Chaldie Paraphrast, who rendreth th Text thus, He beholdeth no (a) worshippers of Idols in Jacob, nor seeth any (b) workers of falshood in Israel, and the Vulgar Latine, that giveth it much to the same purpose, (c)Non est Idolum in Jacob, nec videtur simulacrum in Israel.There is no Idol in Jacob, nor Jmage seene in Israel; of which we shall, God willing, say somewhat more hereafter: for as for that of (d)Aug. Steuchius in Pentateuch.a learned writer, (who would look also that way,) (e)Non declinabit vanitas ad Iacob. (qod foreign potius esset, qam foreign) nec videtur opificium in Jsrael. Greek.Vanity shall not decline unto Iacob, nor workmanship be seene in Israel; it runs so far wide from the Originals, that it is scarce worth the taking notice of.
The latter head is of the Greek Interpreters, who thus yeeld them, (f)foreign.No toilsome travell shall be in Iacob, nor paine, or painfull labour seene in Israel. Which version both the (g)Philo▪ in vita Mosis, Origen. in Num. Latine.Greek Interpreters, and the (h)Non est labor in Jacob, neqe dolor in Israel. Ambr. l. 6▪ Epist. 37. Non erit, &c. Hieron. in Eccles. 3. Hugo Ca…din▪ & alii. Non est labor in Iacob, nec afflictio in Israel, Ferus.Latine also divers, as well ancient, as moderne, either in whole or in part, following; expound (i)Hieron. ab Oleastr. Non videre fecit fatigationem in I. & non vidit laberem in I. non permisit eum plus aeqo in itinere laborare, neqe fatigari. Videre pro sentire, pati▪ Jer. 20.18. Psal. 89.48. Sed foreign est intueri; non sacere ut qis intue atursome of Gods providence over the people of Jsrael in keeping them from being over-toiled and tired out in their tedious passage through the wildernesse; or his (k)Ferus. Promittitur facilis victoria contra hostes. foreign Cajetan. qia non erat iniqitas in Jacob; factum est, ut non esset labor in Israel, ad hostes debellandos, & terram eorum possidend…mpowerfull assistance in enabling them with ease, to subdue their enemies and surprise their Cities: others (l)Origen. in Num. hom. 16. Futurae vitae statum denunciat. Hieron. in Eccl. 3. cum de his nos. Dominus in futuro liberaverit.of the state and condition of Gods elect in the life to come, wherein there shall be no pain, nor travell; the glorified Saints then (m)Revel. 21.4.being freed from all grievance, and (n)Rev. 14.13.resting wholly from their labours. And true it is that the words here used signifie affliction and vexation, as we shall hereafter at large shew. But neither doe the versions come exactly home to the Originall, nor doe the interpretations of them suit well with Balaams intendements; Nor shal we need to be over-solicitous about them; because tho admitted, they would not afford the least colour, for the maintenance of that erroneous conceit, that these men would thence assert. They may serve onelyonly to shew, that the words have not anciently, or generally been taken, either in such a sense, the latter, or in such a latitude of sense, the former, as is now usually given them.
Translations more commonPasse we on therefore to consider of the severall interpretations of the words so read as we have them in our English translations, and as before we have in part related.
(o)The Bishops Bible.He beheld no vanity in Jacob, nor saw transgression in Israel.
Or, (p)The Geneva Translation.He seeth none iniquity in Jacob, nor seeth no transgression in Israel.
Or, (q)The last Edition.He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seene perversnesse in Israel.
In the exposition hereof Interpreters (none that I have seene, taking them simply, as they may seeme at first reading to sound) distinguish, some of the object or thing seene; some of the act, the sight, or manner of seeing here mentioned.
Of the Object, or thing seene, they distinguish two wayes.
Exposition. 1.First, some more strictly taking iniquity and transgression, not for sinne in generall, but for one species or particular kind of it only, to wit, idolatry. So, (as you heard before) both the (r)foreignChaldee Paraphrast understandeth it, and the (s)Idolum, simulacrum.old Latine translator, whom (t)Lyranus, Lorinus, Ferus, alii.the Popish commenters most follow; nor doe (u)Vict. Strigelius, Mart, Borrha. Deodat…. & alii.some of our Protestant writers herein depart from them. This sense some build on the word used in the former branch, some on that in the latter; some on the word (a)foreignAven in the former branch, translated iniquity. (b)Jo. Wee…se of Law. Morall Com. 2. exerc. 5. attrib. 3. p. 81.He saw, saith a learned Writer of ours, no iniquity in Jacob: that is, no id…latry. The reason whereof he thus rendreth. God, as he is, ens entium, is benum, goodnesse: (c)Matth. 19.17.(none good but God onelyonly, having his goodnesse of himselfe) but Idols by way of appropriation are called sinne; So Jeremy, (d)Lam. 1.8.My people have committed a sinne; that is, idolatry, and,(e)Exo. 32.22 This people is prone to sinne, that is, to idolatry; and in this sense is that of Siracides to be understood, (f)Eccl. 49.5. Exception 1.All the Kings of Israel were sinners, except David, Iosias, and Ezekias, that is, they were idolaters. Thus he. wherein some things seeme not so sound, not of so clear truth at least. For first, no one of the places produced, doe prove that for which they are alleadged; to wit, that an Idol is in Scripture termed sinne. for no man will expound either those words of Ieremy, (g)Lam. 1.8.My people have committed an Idol, or those of Aaron to Moses, (h)Exo. 32.21.This people is prone to an Idol; nor doth this Author himselfe so expound them: it is true indeed, (which had beene a a fitter allegation then any of these are) that Moses speaking of the golden Calfe saith, (i)Deut. 9.21.I took your sinne, meaning the Calfe they had made; but sinne is there put by (k)Metonymia adjuncti. Pisc.a metonymie for the object of their sinne, Exception 2.that wherein they had sinned.
Secondly, there is no necessity by sinne in those places to understand idolatry; since that the people there spoken of, both had committed many hideous and horrible sinnes besides their idolatries, and were prone to many other sinnes as well as to the worships of their Idols: but, (l)Lam. 1.8.They have si…n…d sin, saith Ieremy, that is, (m)Peccatum peccavit. i. graviter peccavit. Pisc. foreign Chald.they have greatly and grievously sinned; as David (n)Psal. 25.11. foreign qamvi… magnum sit▪ ut Psal. 23.4.41 4. Gen. 8.21. Josh. 17.18.of himselfe, tho his sinne were not such: nor doe Aarons (o)Exod. 32.22words imply any more, but that they were a people (p)foreignbent unto evill, as the word there is; or sat upon mischeife, as our English hath it: nor need the sonne of Sirach… (q)Eccl. 49.5.words be taken so strictly, but that the Kings of Israel (thereby meaning, not those of the ten Tribes, so most commonly (r)1▪ King. 12.20. & 14, 19. & 15▪17. … King. 3.1, 4▪ 5 9, 10, &c. & 5.5, 7, 8, &c.styled, by a denomination from the greater part; but of I… dah, to whom (s)1 King. 12.21, 23.Benjamin still stuck fast, as appeareth by the Kings he mentioneth; sometime also (t)2 Chron. 11 3, & 12.1, & 15.17, & 21.2, 4. & …9.…1, 24so tearmed, by a denomination from the better part) were all greivous offendors in some one kind or other; those three onelyonly excepted: for to say that the rest of them were all idolaters, were not agreeable to truth▪ since that neither (a)2 Chron. 17 6. & 19.4.Iehoshaphat was an idolater, tho he wanted not (b)2 Chron. 18.1. & 19.2.his wants and weaknesses; nor (c)2 Chron. 15 8, 16.Asa, tho he had (d)2 Chron. 16.7, 9, 10, 12. 1 King. 15.18, 19.his failings and faultings: and that therefore which is said of him, that (e)1 King. 15.14. 2 Chron. 15.17.tho the high places in his dayes were not utterly abandoned, yet his heart was upright with God all his life long; is by good Interpreters understood of his constancy in retaining and maintaining (f)E… ga Iehovam, i. erga cultum ejus, quamvis reliquam vitam huic studio non conformaverit. Iun. & Pisc.Gods true service and worship (not withstanding his other over-sights and excesses) to the last.
Exception 3.Thirdly, In this passage of Balaam, there is neither of the words specified in these two other places neither evil, nor sin: and albeit therefore those other places were so to be understood as this Author would have; yet would they hardly come home to give any great strength to the like exposition of the word here used.
Exception 4.Fourthly, it is yet true indeed, that the word (g)foreignAven here used is sometime given to an Idol. (h)Esay 66.3.He that burneth incense, saith Esay, as if he blessed (i)foreignAven, an Idol. And the word is joyned with (k)foreignTeraphim, which signifieth (l)Gen. 31.19, 30. Jud. 17.5. & 1….14▪ 18, 24.Images, (m)foreign 1 Sam. 15.23.elsewhere▪ but it seemes to be attributed unto them, not so much in regard of the evill and sinfulnesse, as in regard of the (n)Vanitatem, J…n. Esai. 66.3. rem… va… Pi…c▪vanity and nothingnesse of them; which the word also sometime importeth, and some (o)Steuch…. Tigurina ver…. Tindals translation.here render it. In which regard likewise is the word (p)foreignshakar given to Idols, which signifieth falshood or a lye; (Is there not a lye in my right hand?) As they are opposite to the Deity, (q)Esai. 44.20.non qà bonum, sed qà verum, not as God is good, but as he is true. (r)Jer. 10.10.The Lord is the (s)foreign De… veritas.true God: saith Ieremy, but (t)Jer. 10.14. & 51.17.the image (whether graven or molten) is (u)foreign.a lye: and they (x)Rom. 1.25.turned the truth of God. (that is, the true God) into (y)foreign.a lye. As for the same cause are Idols also tearmed (a)foreign Levit. 26.▪ Psal. 96.….Elilim, as a thing of (b)foreign nihil, res▪ nihili. Medici nihili. Iob. 1….4. Pastores nihili. Zech. 11.17. foreign mendacium & res nihili. Ier. 14.14.nought: and are by the Apostle said to be (c)1 Cor. 8.4. foreign.nothing in the world. And hence it is, (which sheweth how this tearm is applyed unto Idols) that that place which had beene formerly called Bethel, that is, the house of God, in regard of (d)Gen. 28.17 19.22.Gods appearing there to Iacob, and (e)Gen. 35.… ▪ 6, 7.Iacobs solemn worshipping of God afterwards there; when in processe of time it became infamous for idol-worship by (f)1 King. 12.28, 29.the golden Calfe …at Ieroboam had there erected; it was in stead of Bethel stiled (g)Hos. ….15. & 5, 8. & 10, 5Bethaven, that is, the house of falshood and vanity; as both the Chaldee…Paraphrast, and (h)Jairu…, & Camius.the Jewish Doctors interpret it: and God by Amos threatning the ruine of it, saith, (i)Amos 5.5.Bethel shall be brought to Aven, that is, as the Chaldee well, it shall be brought (k)foreign nihilum ut Iob. 26.7to nothing, it shall have no being.
Thus then we have shewed and seene, how farre forth this sense either may, or may not; receive footing from the former word here used.
Others assay to infer and inforce it upon the latter word, the word (l)foreignAmal used in the other clause. This word indeed the Old Latine rendreth (m)Simulacrūan image, and our (n)Tindals Translation.Old English, idolatry. And those that here would have it understood of idols, go upon two divers grounds.
For whereas the word (o)foreignAmal hath a twofold signification, it is sometime taken for labour or work. (p)Eccles. 2.11I beheld, saith Solomon, all (q)foreignthe labour, wherein I had laboured, and, (r)Ec…l. 6.7.All a mans (s)foreignlabour is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled; or, Tho all a mans labour (s)Ori ejus obveniat. Jun.fall out to his owne mind, as himselfe would have it; yet his soule, or his desire, is not satisfied. Sometime for paine and griefe or trouble. (t)Iob 7.3.I have been made to possesse (u)foreignnights of paine, saith Iob: and (x)Esai. 10.1.Woe be to those, saith Esay; that enact griefe; that is, decrees of griefe, grievous decrees; Some would have this tearm here given unto Idols, (a)Steuch.in the former notion, because they are nothing but (b)Opificium.Workmanship, (c)Ps. 115.4. & …35.15.the work of mens hands; others (d)L… rin.in the latter, because (e)foreign Psal.16.4.they bring nothing but pain and grief in the end to their worshippers and followers;(y)foreign whereof they have foreignanother name commonly given them in holy Writ. And of that other name indeed it cannot be denied; for it is almost as frequently found in gPsal. 135.15. & 106.38. ita 18es reperitur.the one sense, as in hGen. 3.16, 17. & 5.25. ita 19es legitur.the other. But for the word here used, no place is, nor (I suppose) can be produced, where it may be fitly so understood.
Exception.Howbeit, tho it were granted that this latter were sometime used for an idol, as that the former is, hath been shewed; yet could not that be the sense of the words in this place: since that it cannot be said that this people kept free from … and idolatry, while they abode in the wildernesse. For, besides that the story of iExod. 32.6. Psalm. 106.19.the golden calf evidently evinceth the contrary; and kExod. 32.22.Aarons words taken with the above-mentioned Autors glosse on them, would further enforce it; God both by Moses and Amos expresly upbraides them therewith; the one taxing them for lDeut. 32.17.sacrificing to devils, the other mAmos 5.25, 26.to idols. (which yet comes all to one; for n1 Cor. 10 20what was offered to idols, was in them offered to devils) not unto God. Whereby it appeares, not onelyonly that they were faulty therein, but that God also so saw it as to take notice of it. That which the sequell of the present history more fully confirmeth; where we shall oNum. 25.4, 5, 9.find four and twenty thousand of them at once taken away, for this very sinne of idolatry; partly by an immediate stroke of Gods hand, and partly by execution of justice done at Gods command upon them. And thus much for the exposition of those, that restrain to idolatry the sin or iniquity presumed here to be mentioned.
Exposition 2.Others so distinguish of the sinnes which they suppose here meant, in regard of the nature and q…lity of them; as if it were meant, not that no sinne at all were to be seen in them, but pCalvin. Deodate▪no such hainous and grievous sinnes, as did reign among other people; they being qExod. 19.6. Deut. 7.6. & 14 2.an holy people, as whom God had sanctified and set apart to himself; and rRom. 11.16.branches in reputation at least holy, as springing up from an holy root.
Exception.And true it is indeed, that such they were by externall vocation, and by profession; as also by inward disposition of heart, and in holy life and conversation, they sLevit. 19.… ▪ & …0.26.ought to have been. But that they came farre short of what they should have been; yea, were tScimus Israelitas pessimis qibusqe vix suisse meliores. Calvin. Ezek. 5.6, 7.utterly crosse, (for a great, if not the greater part of them) and tooke courses cleane contrary unto what they professed, and were called to; the freqent exprobrations and manifold complaints of Moses, and God by Moses and other his Prophets, twitting them with, and taxing them for, their continuall uDeut. 9.27.stubbornnesse, xDeut. 9.7. & 33.3.rebelliousnesse, yExod. 32.9. & 31.27. Deut. 9.6, 13.stiffneckednesse, zDeut. 32.5.perversnesse, crookednesse, aPsalm. 78.8.tempting God, bNum. 14.22. Psalm 95.9. Psalm 78.40.provoking him, cDeut. 32.15.spurning against him, dExod. 16.28. Psal. 81.11.shaking off his yoake, eEsay 63.10.vexing and grieving his holy Spirit; that their Vines were Vines of Sodom, and their slips slips of Gomorrah, their Grapes, that is, their fruits and works, gall and bitternesse, and the Wine that came of them, the issue and effect of them, as the poison of Adders, and the cruell venome of Aspes; these, I say, and the like opprobrious tearms by the Spirit of God justly and deservedly given them, doe too evidently evince. Besides, that this their externall condition and profession was so farre from lesning and extenuating the guilt of their sinnes, or concealing them from Gods sight, that it served rather to aggravate them, as being found in those, among whom the contrary vertues and duties ought to have reigned;fDeut. 32.33. ibid. v. 33. and gCertè meliores esse debemus, & hoc utiqe deteriores sumus, si meliores non sumus, qui meliores esse debemus. Salvian de Provid. lib. 4. cap. 8. Possum nostr… & Barbarorum vitia esse paria, & nostra tamen in his vitiis graviora esse peccata, qia etsi eadém agant, qae nos agimus, nos tamen majore offensione peccamus. ibid. c. 9. Impugnamus enim professionem nostram moribus nostris, nec sumus id qod profitemur. ibid. cap. 10.who having been better taught, and professing better things, might justly therefore be deemed worse then other, tho they were no worse, yea or not so bad; because they ought to have been, and might have been, much better. For which cause also God threatens, the rather hAmos 3.2. Deut. 4.7, 8, 33, 34.to punish them for their sinnes before and above other people, whom he had not known and owned, as he had done them, that is, iPsalm 147.19, 20.whom he had not afforded the like favour unto, nor taken into speciall covenant with him.
Nor doth this sense therefore satisfie: and that as little,Exposition 3. that kNon esse populum violentiis & injuriis deditum▪ Calvin.they were not a people given to injurious and vexatious courses: because lVocabula hic usurpata, ea iniqitatum genera significant, qae ad …omines laedendos, vel ad nocendum & damnum cum injuri… inferendum cum tendunt. Idem.such kind of sins the words here used imp…y: (and indeed they so doe, as shall hereafter appeare) for that they were not free from such sinnes also as these, yea rather that such abuses also abounded among them,Exception. some of the mDeut. 32.32, 33.passages above-recited do as clearly prove, as the like nEsay 59.5, 6.expressions …, used by the Prophet Esay, concerning those of his times.
Exposition 4.That which oAbraham Ezrae filius.one of the Iewish teachers hath, were more probable, if the Text would admit it; who knitting this passage with the foregoing pVers. 19.proposition, maketh this to be the meaning of Balaams words here, that God would not repent him of protecting them and going along with them, so long as he saw them not break out into some outragious evil. Which, if he should see them do, he would not be with them, as formerly he had been. And referreth us for the proof hereof to that passage in Ieremy, where God telleth the Prophet, that as qIerem. 18.7, 8.upon a peoples repentance he would repent him of the evill that he had threatned to inflict on them, when they sinned; so on the other side rIbid. v. 9, 10.upon a peoples revolt or relapse, he would repent himself of the good that he had promised to do them, while they continued in a godly course. Withall sAben Ezrae ib.adding, that this very speech of Balaam gave Balak an hint to attempt what tNum: 25.1, 2. & 31.16.afterwards he did, to draw the children of Israel to fornication and idolatry. And it is true indeed, that albeit the people were never without sinne, (for u1 Kings 8.46 Eccles. 7.20. foreign. Clem. paedag. l. 1. cap. 2. foreign Exception. foreign. Crates Laert.who ever is?) nor without much sinne the most of them, (for xMatth. 17.13, 14. foreign. Eurip. Iph. Taur. foreign. Chrysost. in Rom. orat. 9. foreign. Clem. strom. lib. 1. foreign. plures mali. Bi…. Auson. lud. foreign, Plut. de orac. cess. Major ubique pars vincit meliorem. Livius l. Haec pars major est: ideò pejor. nunquam enim tam benè cum rebus humanis actum est, ut meliora pluribus placerent. Sen. de vit. beat. c. 2.the greater part, even every where is generally the worse) yet God did not usually proceed in any severe course of exemplary execution upon them, but upon some very hainous and notorious excesse. But the Rabbines analysis of the Text here, as oft elsewhere, seems not so naturall; nor will the sense he gives be made up out of the words without some unnecessary supplies.
Hitherto then we have considered the expositions of those who distinguish of the object or the thing seen.
Others distinguish of the act, of the sight, or manner of seeing.
God, say some, s…eth not, that is,Exposition 5. aNon videt, ut austere nimis vindicet, ut in maledictionem imputet, ut pro meritis ufciscatur. Pellican. Annotat. on Tindals Translat.doth not so see any sinne in them, as bNeque patitur eum deleri, utu… illud commer…atur. Pisc.to destroy them for it, or to give way to any that should endevour so to do. That which was Balaks intent in hiring Balaam to curse them; and was Gods purpose concerning those people whom he cast out before them.
And indeed true it is, that cPsal. 106.26, 27. Nec poenâ semper, sed poenitentiâ saepius contentus esse. Tacit. in Agri.God, tho they provoked him full oft thereunto, and gave him just occasion so to do, yet did not deal with them according to their due desert, nor destroy them utterly, as he justly might have done, and sometime dDeut. 9.19.threatned to do; but in much mercy forbare them, upon ePsalm 106.23.Moses his intercession, and their own, (tho many times fPsal. 78.34▪38.not sincere, but self-seeking onelyonly) humiliation.
But this seems not to be the thing by Balaam, Exception.or Gods Spirit speaking by Balaams tongue here, intended. For, besides that God did see and take notice of their excesses, gPsal. 99.8. Cum ultionem sumeres de actionibus eorum in gravissimis offensionibus, intercedente Mose & sacerdotio Levitico, condonan… parcensqu… populo. Jun.to take vengeance on them for the same; by hNum. 11.1, 33 & 16.47, 49.destroying whole multitudes of them: it neither sorteth well with the words, as they are above rendred, that imply no sight, or taking notice at all of any sinne in that people; nor with the scope of Balaam, which seems to be iNum. 23.21, 24.the setting out of the goodly, glorious, potent, and impregnable condition of that people, as having God himself residing as their Soveraigne in the middest of them, and as with great state and pompe, as Commander in chief, conducting them and marching along with them; so protecting them against all the might and malice of their adversaries enabling them to prevail against them, and rendring them succesfull and victorious in all their undertakings. Now what commendation were it of a people, or how sutable hereunto, to say, that tho they be never so bad or debauched, yet God doth not so see, or take notice of their loose and loud courses, as to destroy them utterly for the same?
The like exception lieth against that other exposition of some others, that God is said not to see or behold their sinnes, Exposition 6.kRespondent qid…m, non conspici, qi… Deus non imputat. Calvin.because he doth not impute them unto them but lNon imputat in suis, sed … per gratiam. Pellican, tegit, remittit, purgat. Jun. cond…. Pisc. … fidelis, sed st…im con…tur ei p…c…um. V…t…bl.doth hide them, remit them, and wash them away in, and for Christ. Understanding them of the better sort of the people, the godly and faithfull among them, the mIohn 1.47.true Israel, the nGal. 6.16.Israel of God, onelyonly.
And true it is indeed, that in ordinary speech we use to say, that a man will not know or see that, oPosthac etiam illud, qod …cies, nesciveris; Ne videris, qod videris. Plaut. Mil. 2.6. Tu pol, si sapis, qod scis, nescis. Ter. Eun. 4.4. Nescias qod scis; si sapis. Idem Heaut. 4.4. Proverbiale est. Donat.which he refuseth to take notice, or will not be acknown of. Nor is it lesse true, that when God upon mans repentance hath remitted sinne, he doth no more regard it, so as to alienate his fatherly affection from the party now repentant, or to cast him off and condemne him for the same, then pEzek. 10.6.as if he had never seen it, or taken notice of it, or been incensed against him, or displeased with him for it. In which sense also he is said, where he forgives sinne, to qEsay 43.5. Jerem. 31.34.forget it; that is, no more to regard, in the respects before-mentioned, what hath been done amisse by his people upon their repentance, then as if he had forgotten it, yea then as if it rEtiam si qod factum est, infectum esse non potest; Deo tamen, non imputante, sic erit, qasi non fuerit. Bem. in Annu. Ser. 1.never had been either done by them, or known to him. To which purpose is that speech of sHieron. nom. in Psal. 31.one of the ancients, writing on those words of the Psalmist, tPsalm 32.1.Blessed is the man whose iniquity is remitted, or uforeign Levatus Iun. sublatus. Pisc.removed, and whose sinne is covered; (to which may be adjoyned that parallel place, xPsalm 85.2.Thou hadst remitted the iniquity of thy people, thou hadst covered all their sinne.) yQuod tegitur, non videtur; quod non videtur, non imputatur: qod non imputatur, non punietur.What is covered, is not seen: what is not seen, is not imputed: what is not imputed, shall not be punished. As also of xAugustin in Psal. 31.another to the like effect on the same place, *Si voluit tegere, noluit videre; si noluit videre, noluit advertere: si noluit advertere, noluit animadvertere: noluit agnoscere; maluit ignoscere.What God is willing to hide, he is unwilling to see: what …e is unwilling to see, he is unwilling to mind: what he is unwilling to mind, he is unwilling to censure. He is not willing to take notice; more willing to wink at, to passe by, and pardon. All which is most true, and may from those passages of Scripture be averred, as well of the faithfull that lived before Christs comming in the flesh,vforeign. Pisc. as of those that live in these daies: and no way therefore furthereth or favoureth the Antinomian conceipt.
Exceptio.But yet, besides that so to expound the word here, considering the maine drift and scope of the wisards speech, would, as Calvi… observes well upon the place, afford but aDilutè resp…n…dem. Calvin.a flashy sense: the parties here spoken of under the names of Jacob and Israel, are not the better sort alone, or the faithfull ones onelyonly, tho more especially indeed, and most principally they; but bNum. 22.4, 5, 6.the main body of the people that came out of Egypt, and were now on their march towards the promised Land; and whom Balak was affraid of, and hired Balaam to curse.
However therefore some of these expositions of this Scripture, (to say nothing of the rest) are much more probable then that, which these corrupt teachers would fasten upon it, and were consequently enough to stop their mouths: (for if but as probable an exposition, as theirs is, can be produced, it is enough to shew, that it is not of necessity so to be taken as they require) yet because some just exception may be taken unto each of them, as hath already in part been shewed; I shal in the next place proceed to lay down what I conceive to be the true and genuin sense of the words;Part 3. and then further endeavour by collation of other Scriptures, both to cleer, and to confirm the same.
The Text soundeth word for word thus from the Originall,
He hath not beheld wrong against Jacob; nor hath he seen grievance against Israel.
And may more fully and familiarly to an English eare be thus rendred,
He hath not beheld, or, he doth not, or will not behold wrong offered to Iacob; nor hath he seen, or nor doth he, or will he see, grievance done to Israel.
For the further opening and strengthening hereof, we shall consider these four things:
1. What the words cforeignAven, and dforeignAmal here used do signifie.
2. Who the Iacob and Israel here spoken of, are.
3. How the particle beth prefixed and affixed to those two proper names, may be here taken.
4. What manner of sight it is, that is here intimated.
For the first of these, the words Aven and Amal here used,Considerat. 1. do neither of them, either properly or generally signifie sinne, but the former of them doth properly signifie affliction, and iniquity (as it is usually translated) or eWrong of wr…ng.wrong rather, (for there is fforeign …another word that more properly answereth to in…quity) as it is a means of affliction to the wronged, as that which causeth them by putting them to pain) gforeign ab foreign dolere, lugere. Esay 3.26. & 19.8. Lam. 3.39. Hos. 9.4.to mourn and lament. The latter signifieth labour, travell, trouble, grievance, vexation ▪ nor is ever found taken simply for sin.
The common use of the words to be such as is said, may by these places appear.
1. For the proper and native sense of them. hIob 5.6, 7.Affliction, iforeignsaith Eliphaz, commeth not forth of the dust: neither doth trouble, kforeignor grievance spring out of the ground; but man is born lforeignto trouble. not to labour; (tho that also be mGen. 2.15. & 3.23. foreign. Antonin. Imp. l. 8. § 19. foreign; Idem l. 5.91. Videatur Aristot. Ethic. l. 10 c. 6. Neque enim ita genera…i à naturâ sumus, ut ad ludum jocumque facti esse videamur, sed ad severitatem potius, & ad qae dam studia graviora atque majora. Cic. offic. lib. 1. Homo ad laborem natus est, non ad honorem. Bern. de consid. lib. 2.true; and the word sometime also nEccles. 2.10, 18, 19, 20. & 4.4. & 6.7. Psalm 105.44. Esay 53▪ 11.so signifie) but oforeign. Eurip. Iphig. Aulid. foreign. Idem Thyest. foreign. Soph. Mysis. Stob. c. 98. foreign. Phalar. ep. 144.to trouble; by Asaph called therefore the trouble of man in his present calamitous condition, where he saith of the wicked that seemed exempt from it, pPsal: 73.5.They are not in qforeignthe trouble of Enosh nor are they plagued with Adam. That is, they have not their share in those troubles that mortall men are subject to, nor in those plagues that men ordinarily endure. And, rPsalm 90.10.the daies of our yeers, saith Moses, are threescore and ten yeers; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore yeers, yet is their strength labour and sorrow. Or, as the words may well be translated, the daies of our yeers make up, or consist of, threescore and ten yeers; or with the strongest of fourscore: but the very tforeign excellentia, Jun. superbia, Pisc. potentia. inde Rahab Aegyptus à superbia & potentia sic dicta. Psal. 87.4. & 89.10. Esay▪ 51.9.pride (or prime) of them, (when they are at the best) is but labour and sorrow; or trouble and travell. Hence those complaints of Iob and Ieremy in some fits of impatience; the one wishing that he had never been born, or had perished in the birth, that uIob 3.10. foreignsorrow ot grievance might have been hidden from his eyes; that he might never have come to see it: The other bemoaning himself that ever he was born, xIer…m. 20.18. foreignto see labour and sorrow; or vexation and affliction. So Salomon, aProv. 12.21.There shall no evill, or, no bforeignaffliction rather, (for it is not the evill of sinne that is there spoken of) befall the just: but the wicked shall be filled with cforeignevill, or mischief. They shall have their fill of that, which the other shall be freed from. Yea so may we well translate that of Esay, dEsay 1.13.Your calling of solemn meetings I cannot endure; it is eforeign id enim foreign vox affinis significat Psal. 107.39. Esay 53.8. vox ipsa est foreign.affliction and vexation to m…. And David, fPsalm 25.18. foreignBehold mine affliction and my pain, or my grievance.
2. For the figurative and metaphorical acception of them.gJob 4.8. foreign The ploughers of iniquity, or wrong, saith Eliphaz, (those that plough it, or plough for it) and hforeignthe sowers of trouble, (wickednesse, saith our English) they that sow it for others, reap the same. Those that deal wrongfully, and thereby procure trouble to others are paid in their own coin; that through Gods judgement is repaid to them, that they have been autors of to others. As Salomon, iProv. 22.8.He that soweth kforeignwickednesse, shall reap lforeignaffliction. Affliction, or vexation, I say, with good autors, rather then vanity: and so it may well be translated in that of Eliphaz also. And again, nIob 15.35.They conceive oforeignmischiefe, (so our English) or grievance, mMolestiam. Iun. Piscat. calamitatem. Tigurin. infortunium. Castell. Qui aliis molestiam creat, ipse qoqe molestià afficietur. Pisc.and bring forth pforeignwrong, or iniquity; (our English, vanity) and their belly prepares deceit. He compareth wicked men to a teeming woman, that is alwaies breeding, never without a great belly. They are continually, saith Eliphaz, contriving of some mischievous plot, and producing of some wrongfull designe, and going great with some fraudulent device or other: no sooner delivered of one, but projecting another. Where why I rather translate Aven wrong, or iniquity, then vanity, besides the course of the context, and the use so frequent in that common phrase of qforeign Iob 34.5.22. Psalm 5.5. & 6.8. & 144. & 28.3. & 36.12. & 64.2. & 92.7, 9. & 94.4, 16, &c. Esay 59.4.workers of iniquity, or wrong-doers, (for it is nothing else) parallel places speak for it. For so the Prophet Esay pursuing the same metaphore, and retaining the same words, (r) They conceive sforeignmischief, or grievance; and bring forth tforeigniniquity, or wrong. And the Psalmist, uPsalm 7.14.Behold, he travelleth with xforeigniniquity, or wrong; and hath conceived yforeignmischief, or grievance; and brought forth zforeignfalshood. he is delivered of some false and fraudulent businesse; as the word is aExod. 23.7.elsewhere used. some deceit, as Eliphaz bIob 15.35.before. or, but he shall bring forth falshood, or aly. cFrustrabitur spe suâ atque conatu. Pisc.He shall faile of his purpose, his expectation shall be frustrate. Again, of the like … person, d…His mouth is full of cursing, and deceit, and fraud: … his tongue is e…mischief, or grievance; and vanity; or, iniquity and wrong rather, the very words here used. And again, where the latter of them, f…the words of his mouth are g…mischief and fraud. And yet again, speaking of a wicked State given to oppression, h…J have seen violence and strife in the City; i…mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. Where the former word is translated mischief, as the latter was before. As alsokV…s 3.in the same Psalm, where we have it thus rendred, they lforeigncast mforeign vanitatem, falsitatem. perfidè mecum agunt. Camius.iniquity upon me. as if the meaning were, that nObtrudunt▪ iniquitatem mihi. Leo Jad. i. imputant. Vatab. comminiscuntur in me crimen. ita Chald. & Jairus.they wrongfully charged him with some crime. which Calvin justly censureth as oArgutum nimis, & à contextu dissentaneum.a nicety, not well agreeing with the context. others rather translate it, pDevolvunt in me afflictionem. Pisc.they throw down affliction upon me. qCalvin, & Moller.by injurious, vexatious and pernicious courses, seeking to work mine overthrow. as rDeodat.alluding to a siege, wherein the besieged are wont to throw down on the besiegers, stones, and dirt, and logs▪ and fire-brands, and whatsoever else may destroy, or annoy them.
Lastly, to heap up no more places, tho many more might be; that of Esay shall close up all; where he denounceth a kEsay 10▪1.wo against those rulers that lforeignenact decrees of wrong, that is, unjust and wrongfull; or, of affliction, that is, afflicting and vexing, decrees; and that write mforeign molestiam, pro decretis molestis. vel decreta molestiae. foreign.grief, or grievance, decrees of grievance, grievous ones, such as are made of purpose to vex and molest poor people. By these p…aces then it doth evidently appear, what the usuall and constant signification is of the two tearms here used. Which Calvin also doth accordingly observe to signifie nQae ad alios laedendos tendunt C…lvin. Considerat. 2.such kinds of iniquity or evill doing as do tend to the wronging and hurting, or molesting and vexing of others.
The second thing to be considered, is who they be that are here styled Iacob and Israel.
Where first, that by Jacob and Israel is not meant the Patriark himself who was at first oGen. 25.26.named Iacob, because at his comming into the world, like a cunning runner or wrestler, as he followed his brother, who had got the start of him, close at the heels, so he caught him and held him fast by the heel, as intending to supplant him, and recover ground of him: which in processe of time also accordingly he did, as (p)Hos. 12.3.the Prophet intimates, and (q)Gen. 27.36his brother supplanted by him comp…aineth: and was afterward, upon his wrestling with the Angel, and by a godly and (r)Grata Deo vis haec. Tertull. apolog. c.gratefull kind of violence, prevailing over him, (s)Gen. 32.28new named, and in stead of Iacob styled Israel, by the Angel, (t)Hos. 12.3.whom he had so strived and struggled with, at their parting: that not the Patriark himself, I say, who bare both those names, and is indifferently called by either, is here meant; but his issue and posterity, called sometime, (u)Psal. 77.15.the sonnes, and (v)Psal. 105.6the seed of Jacob, sometime (x)Psal. 148.14.the sonnes, and (y)Esay 45.25the seed of Israel, and sometime (i)Num. 23.7.23. & 24.5.17. Esay 9.8 & 27.6. & 40.27▪ & 4….8. & 42.24. & 43 1. & 44.23 & 45.4.Jacob and Israel simply, as in this place, so elsewhere, there is no doubt made, nor is it denied by any.
But secondly whether the whole body of that people, then abiding in the wildernesse, or some speciall part of them onelyonly, be here understood, may be and is by some questioned. And that the rather, because the Apostle, when he saith, that (a)Rom▪ 9.6.they are not all Israel that are of Israel; as also elsewhere, by way of eminencie, tearming some (b)Gal. 6.16.the Jsrael of God; doth thereby seem to imply, that there is a twofold Israel; (c)John 1.47.a true and genuine, and (d)Rev. 2.9. & 3.9.a counterfeit and bastardly Israel: an Israel according to man, and an Israel according to God; an (e)1 Cor. 10.18Israel after the flesh, and an (f)Rom. 2.29. Phil. 3.3.Israel after the spirit. Now some restrain to the former onelyonly, what is here spoken, and make it to be either a priviledge of such alone as were holy and upright in that people, or a prophecie of the faithfull that should live in these times.
But this, as in part we have formerly shewed, is groundlesse; yea, is directly against, both the course of the story, and the current of the context.
For first, the Israel here spoken of is said to be (g)Num. 23.22 & 24.8.the Israel, that God brought out of Egypt. But it was the main body of the people, that was thence brought forth, consisting as well of unfaithfull as faithfull, as well of those (h)Num. 14.29, 32.whose carcasses for their disobedience and rebellions fell in the Wildernesse, as of those, who (i)Deut. 4.3, 4 Jud. 5. 1 Cor. 10.5. Deut. 2.14.16.continuing stedfast in covenant with God, either (k)Num. 27.3.deceased by the way, or (l)Num. 14.24 30.entred into the land of promise.
2. They are those whom Balak hired Balaam to curse. But those that he hired him to curse, was the main body of that people, (m)Num. 22.4 6. Iosh. 24.9. Deut. 23.4.which he feared, by their multitude would lick up and wast the wealth of his land, as a drove of Oxen licketh up grasse, and depastureth a ground.
3. They are those that(n)Num. 23.13, 24 & 24.2, 5, 6. Balaam beheld when he uttred these words▪ but Balaam beheld them under no other notion but as a numerous and powerfull people, encamping and marching under Gods conduct and safegard; not distinguishing between them in regard of any inward disposition, which his eye was not able to discry.
4. The Israel here mentioned, is that Israel, (o)Num. 23.23against which Balaam by no sorcery or inchantment was able to prevaile. But it was the mixt body consisting of both sorts, which by no sorcery or such like evill art he was able any way to impeach.
Of the main body therefore of the Israelites, which came out of Egypt, were at present encamped on the confines of Moab, whom Balak being afraid of, hired Balaam to curse, and whom Balaam beheld, but durst not curse, nor by any of his divelish arts was able to doe ought against, it is apparent that Balaam under the names of Iacob and Israel here speaketh.
Consideration 3.The third question is concerning the signification of the particle beth before the names of Iacob and Israel prefixed, and affixed thereunto.
It is usually indeed taken subjectivè, as denoting the subject of some attribute. As when it is said by the Psalmist; (p)Psal. 139.23, 24.Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me. And, (q)Psal. 7.3.O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands. And, (r)Ier. 23.13.I have seene, saith God by Ieremy, folly in the Prophets of Samaria. and, (s)Ibid. v. 14.I have seen also an horrible thing in the Prophets of Ierusalem, and so the most Interpreters here understand it.
But it is taken also sometime objectivè; as denoting the object, or matter, whereabout something is employed; as (a)Gen. 37.4.8, 11.Ioseph was the object of his brethrens envie; (b)1 Sam. 24.14. & 26.18, 20David the object of Sauls cruell persecution; (c)Iob 1.12. & 2.6, 7.Iob the object of the Devils malice, and the like. Thus is this particle also frequently used: as where it is said, (d)Exod. 14.25.God fights against (e)foreignEgypt for Israel; that is, against the Egyptians ▪ for the Israelites. And, (f)Exo. 20.16Thou shalt not bear fals-witnesse (g)foreignagainst thy neighbour. And,(h)Num. 12 1 Miriam and Aaron spake (i)foreignagainst Moses. And (k)Esay 21.13The burden upon Arabia. or, A burdensome prophecie (l)foreignagainst Arabia. And in the Psalm, (m)Psal. 119.133.Direct my steps in thy word; and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. or, (n)Gressus meos firma. Pisc.Confirme, and strengthen, my steppings according to thy word; (that is, (o)As verse▪ 38.76.123.thy promise) and (p)Ne des potestatem in me ulli iniqitati.let no iniquity prevaile (q)foreignagainst me; or, (r)Sicut Num. 23.19▪ & mentietur, & poenitebit; pro, u… mentiatur, ut poeniteat. Josh. 24.9. & bellavit, pro, ut bell…ret. Psal. 14….7. & si Simili… ero, pro, ne simili… sim▪ Mal. 1.9. & miscrebitur, pro▪ ut misereatur.that no iniquity prevaile against me. no iniquity, that is, no injurious course of any mine enemies and opposites. or no iniquity or wrongful dealing, for, no injurious and wrongfull dealers, as pride, for proud men, in those words of the Psalmist, (s)Psal. 36.11.Let not the foot of pride reach me; nor the hand of the wicked stirre me. And as in those words of the Apostle, (t)Heb. 12.4.Ye have not yet resisted unto bloud striving against sinne. (u)foreign·against sinne, that is, (as (x)Piscat. & alii.Interpreters of good note) either against the wickenesse of the enemies of the Gospel, who by cruell and bloudy courses strive to force men from the faith: or against sinne, that is▪ against (y)foreign· verse 3.sinners; such wicked ones, as he had spoken of in the verse next beforegoing. and that the Psalmists words are so to be taken, and understood; not of his owne, but of other mens iniquitie, the very next words evidently shew, where he saith, (z)Psal. 119.134.Deliver me from the oppressions of men. As also that of the Apostle may well be understood, (a)2 Tim. 4.18The Lord will deliver me from every evill work. not that might be committed by him, but that by wicked men might be plotted, or attempted against him. The like may be said of those words of the Psalmist, where he saith, (b)Psal. 49.5.Why should I feare in the day of evill, (or, why should I be afraid in the time of (c)As Eccl. 9.12. & 12.1. Mat▪ 6.34.adversity) when the iniquity of my heeles shall compasse me about? that is, (as the most judicious (d)Calvin. Moller▪Interpreters understand it) when wicked men (e)Cant. 1.8.that trace me, pursuing me close at the heels, or(f)Ps. 56.6. observing my heels that is, my steppings▪ and seek to supplant me, do on every side beset me. So do also the Greek Interpreters, and the Latine, that follow them, understand (g)Ps. 65.3….that place in the Psalm where we read, (h)Last Editi.iniquities prevaile, or (i)Geneva B…b…e, praeva…uerunt. Lat.have prevailed, against me. Taking iniquities, or wickednesses, for (k)foreign, Greek. verba iniqorum. Lat.unjust, or wicked men. The words are, word for word, (l)foreign verba i…iqitatum.words of iniquities. But words seem there, as oft (m)foreign … negotium jejuniorum. Est 9.30. & v. 31. foreign res, sive neg…tium dierum, seu festi, sortium, & Jer. 14.1. foreign res, sive negotium, cohibitionum, pluviae scil.elsewhere, to be put for things. Nor is it needfull indeed that iniquities there be taken for unrighteous men. Howbeit the iniquities there spoken of seem, not Davids own, but his adversaries, not committed by him, but (n)Impiis & iniqis hominibus servire coger. Theodoret.practised by his enemies against him; whose unjust courses, albeit they had sometime prevailed to the molestation and vexation of himselfe and of Gods people, (o)Abr. Esdrai.in whose person he there speaketh; yet God upon their serious seeking to him, (p)Tu eis ignosces peccatis, propter qae nos effecti sumus captivi, unde etiam liberabis nos. Euthym. ego tamen de liberatione praeterita malim intelligere, ex contextus serie, qam de futura. de exhibita jam, qam de expectata & exhibenda. Temporum enallage est freqentissima.had been propitious to them, in remitting their sinnes, which had given their adversaries such power against them, & vouchsafing them deliverance from them. And I shall make bold to propound it onelyonly and so leave it, to be weighed and deemed by better judgements, whether in that passage of the Psalmist if it be applied unto Christ, (g)Psal. 40.1….Evils without number (h)foreign circumdederunt super me, non ad latus omne tantum obsident, sed capiti etiam incumbunt. Calvin. circundantia invadunt me, Jun.assail me on every side; they have so fastened upon me, that I am not able (i)Suspicere. vers. Anglic.to look up, (they (k)Lam. 1.14. Luke 13.11.presse me down in that manner;) or, that I cannot (l)Di…picere. Jun. videre. Tigur. Vet. Lat.see, (mine (m)Psal. 6.7. & 38.10. Lam. 5.17.eye-sight through griefe, and faintnesse failing me;) or, cannot (n)Prospicere. Psal. 119.123. & 142.4.look out, look about me, for means of escape or reliefe; (being as one at his (o)Psal· 107.27.wits end;) they are (p)Psal. 69.4.more in number then the haires of mine head: (q)Et relinqit me cor meum. incido in deliqium animi. Pisc. et, pro, adeo ut, Jer. 14.19.in so much that my heart faileth me. Whether, I say, in this passage, those words, mine iniquities, or my wrongs ▪ may not thus also be understood; not of inquities, or wrongs committed by him, but of (r)as Psal. 65.3.iniquities, or wrongs done unto him. I am not ignorant, that there is no necessity of expounding them of Christ, albeit some passages in that Psalm be applied unto him: since that (s)Psal. 41 9. ad Judam & Christum transfertur. cum tamen qae vers. 8. dicuntur, in Christum competere nequeam. foreign. Athanas. de incarn. verb. nec qod vers. 4▪ peccavi in te, qū Christus peccatum non no…it▪ 2 Cor. 5.21. i. nec contracerit, nec fecerit. Bern. i… Cant. 1. Ioan. 3.5. Sed nec qae Psal. 22.2. licet multa ibi de Christi perpessionibus habeantur. Ioan. 10.….it is not necessary that every particular be understood of him in those Psalms, wherein some typicall prophecies of him and his sufferings are found; and I know that other sound and probable tIniqitate…. i. poenae, ex collatione membri praecedentis. Pisc. ut Gen. 4.13. Iun. Sic. 1 Sam. 28.10.expositions are given of them, by others, who understand them as spoken in the person of Christ. One thing I am sure of, that those grossely abuse them, who taking their rise from Luthers uLuther in Gal. c. 3. edit. Franco… 156 3. p. 4…3.456.application of them, with some harsh expressions, unto Christ, strain them so far, as to disswade Christian people from troubling themselves about confession of their sins, as being xMr. Simson preaching o… that Text.enough for them to beleeve, that Christ here hath confessed them for them already. But not to insist on this▪ being not so clear, or certain, as those others are before alleadged: As in those places the iniquity mentioned, is not subjectively, but objectively theirs that complain of it, and desire either protection against it, or deliverance from it: so the wrong and grievance of Jacob and Israel by Balaam here spoken of, seems to be, not that which they had, or did exercise on others, but that which by others was, or might be exercised on them. such yforeign Sicut foreign Deut. 26.7. molestiam, sive miseriā nostrā, non q… alios afficiebamus, sed qa ab aliis afficiebamur ipsi.grievance, or grievous misery, or vexation of Israel, aszIud. 10.16. & vers. 7.8. God is said to have been grieved for, when the Philistines and the Ammonites sometime sorely oppressed them.
Thus then I suppose the particle beth here to be used: as also without it, in a kind of defective speech, words either the same, or the like to these here used, appear oft-times to be of necessity understood. As where Sara being despised by her hand-maid Hagar, saith to Abraham her husband, aGen. 16.5. foreignMy wrong (not done by me, but done to me, by my servant) be upon thee. Where Gods people of the Babylonians, by whose cruell oppression they had endured much misery, bIer. 51.35. foreignMy violence (that is, as our English well) The violence done to me, be upon Babel. Let the guilt of it lie heavy on them, and from God be avenged with them. And where Rebekkah to her sonne Jacob, when he was fearfull of incurring his fathers curse, cGen. 27.13. foreignVponUpon me be thy curse. Not the curse wherewith he should or might curse any, but the curse wherewith he feared his father might curse him, for attempting to beguile him; let the curse, if any shall be by the father darted at thee, light upon me, let me bear the burden of it. But here the particle is expressed, which in these latter formes is concealed; and which I am the rather induced thus to take here, because I find it within a verse or two by Balaam himself so used: where howsoever the Greek and the Vulgate Latine, (which the dHugo, Lyra, Oleast. alii.Popish writers, and some of eTindals Translation. Bishops Bible. Geneva Trans.ours also have formerly followed) taking this particle in the former sense, read the words thus, There is no sorcery in Jacob; nor soothsaying in Israel. Yet the fCalvin. Jun. Piscat.later and sounder writers, upon more sedulous and exact consideration, (and as the gforeign. Eurip.latter thoughts are usually the more advised; so the hQo juniores, eo perspicaciores. Salmeron.later Interpreters are generally the quicker-sighted) take the particle (as I here also doe) in the latter sense, thus rendring the text, iThe Kings edition.There is no inchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel. and in like manner here, no iniquity or wrong done to Iacob, nor grievance, molestation, or vexation offered to Israel; either projected and plotted, or attempted and practised against him, that God can endure to s….Consider. 4.
And this leadeth me on to the fourth question, to wit, what sight, or manner of seeing it is, that Balaam here speaks of.
There is therefore kLombard sent. l. 1 dist. 36. c. 3. & Durand. ibid. qaest. 1.a twofold sight, as with man, so with God: to speak of him l1 Cor. 15.32. foreign. Rom. 6.19.as humane capacity is able to conceive the things of God, and to utter them in such language as our infirmity will affoard.
There is first, mVisio▪ contemplationis, sive considerationis.a vision or sight of simple contemplation or consideration; whereby God vieweth and taketh notice of all things in the world, and among the rest, of all men, and of all mens actions, good and bad. For, nPsal. 113, 5.6.tho God dwell on high; yet he stoopeth so low, as to behold and take notice of the things that are and are done, not in heaven onelyonly, but on earth also. oJob 28.24.He beholds the ends of the earth, pSub omnibus coelis. Iun. Sub coelo toto. Castell.and seeth all that is under any part of heaven. And there is qProv. 15.3.an eye of God in every place, beholding both the good and the bad. For rPsal. 33.13.15.the Lord looks down from heaven, and beholds all the sonnes of men: from his dwelling place he viewes all that dwell on the earth: and as he framed sforeign Pariter. ut Job. 31.38. Psal. 49.10.alike the souls of each of them, (as well of one as of another) so he considereth all their works. tJob 34.21, 22. Et videus neqitiam, non considera…et? Iun. verti tamen potest, et videret injuriam, sive vexationem, nec animadverteret? impunitam videre sustineret?His eyes are upon all the wayes of men; and he vieweth all their goings: he seeth every step they take: and there is no darknesse, nor deadly shade, wherein wrong-doers can be sheltered and concealed from his sight. Of such a sight therefore the words of seeing and beholding here cannot be understood. For thus uJob 11.11. foreignhe seeth wickednesse, or wrong, and considereth it too, saith Eliphaz: and, xPsal. 10.14. foreignhe beholdeth mischief ▪ or grievance, and spite, saith the Psalmist. And that then especially, when it is done to those that are more peculiarly his:yEvod. 3.7. Acts 7.34. I have seeing seen, I have certainly, considerately, wistfully seen, the affliction of my people; saith God to Moses, when they suffered so much in Egypt. and as he seeth it, so he taketh notice of it, and taketh it to heart.aEccles. 5.8. If thou seest, saith Salomon, oppression of the poore, and violent perverting of judgement and justice in a Province; marvell not at the matter, (be not troubled so much about it, as if there were no redresse for it) for he that is bRegum timendorum in proprios greges, Reges in ipsos imperium est Jovis. Horat. car…. l. 3. od. 1. Omne sub regno graviore regnum est. Sen. Thyest. 3.3. Nil ita sublime est,—Non sit ut inferius, suppositumqe Deo. Ovid. Trist. l. 4. & 7.higher then the highest of observeth it, (to wit, God; by Job styled the cJob 7.20. foreign Custos hominum qi instar custodis observas qid agant homines, ita ut te nescio nihil boni vel mali agere possint. Pisce Visio comprobationis & complacentiae.observer of men) and there dTrinitatis insinuatio. ut Josh. 24.29. Psal. 58.11.be higher then they: who therefore both can and will call them to account.
2. There is eGen. 7.1.a vision of comprobation and complacency, wherewith God is said so to see things, that withall he approveth and liketh well of them. Thus saith God to Noah, eGen. 7.1.Thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. when looking upon the whole world besides,fGen. 6.7, 11, 12. he saw it all corrupt, and full of wickednesse. and gEsay 38.5.I have seen thy tears; saith God to Ezekiah: I have beheld them with acceptation. and, hEsay 66.2.I will look unto him, that is poor, or lowly, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word. to approve his person▪ and accept his service. So on the other side in the Lamentations of Ieremy, iLam. 3.34.36.For one to crush prisoners under his feet; to turn aside, or, kEsay 10.2. Prov. 18.5.overthrow a mans right before the face of the most high; and to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord lDominus ignoravit. Vetu… Lat. non novit. Leo Jud▪ non vidit. i. ne cogitavit qidem. Vatabl. non aspicit. Psal. 10.11.13. Esay 40 27. & 49.14. Calvin.seeth it not; that is, the Lord mLast Translat. non probat. Vatabl. Jun. delights not in it. Geneva not.approves not of it. tho some reading the words by way of interrogation, understand it rather as spoken in the former fense, and of the former sight, nNon videret? Pisc. malim, non videt? et sic Deodat.Doth not God see it? But so, without all question, in a place parallel to this: where the Prophet, as he complaineth to God, that oHabb. 1.3. foreignhe had made him to see wrong, and (as the words are almost generally pFacis ut aspiciam. Leo Iud. facis ut intuear. Jun. Pisc. reliqi ferè omnes.rendred) caused him to behold grievance; (the very tearms by Balaam here used) in the former sense: So he affirmeth of God, that qHabb. 1.3.he is of purer eyes rforeign Praevidere malum. ut Gen. 27 1. Psal. 69.23.then to see evill: and that sforeignhe cannot behold, or look on, vexation, or grievance. that is, he is one, that cannot endure to see or behold it, but with detestation and dislike. and by way of expostulation therefore, he demandeth of him, tHabb. 1, 3.why he himself uAfflictionem aspicis. i. sustines videre, cum punire debeas. Vatabl. laborem aspicis. Verbum foreign pro facere ut intueatur qis, nusqam reperitur. Drus.beholdeth grievance: for so indeed the words would be read▪ and some render them aright: and xPsal. 10.14. Habb. 1.3.doest thou, or wilt thou, behold grievance? or, yCum aspicias. Drus. vel, dum aspicis. ut Jer. 34.1. Mar. 15.25.while thou thy self beholdest the grievances, zHab. 1.13.that the godly sustain at the hands of the wicked: as they elsewhere, aEsay 26.17.we have been afflicted so and so, in thy sight. and again; as Ester sometime to Assuerus, bEster. 8.6.How can I endure to see the evill of my people, and the destruction of my kindred? so cHab. 1.13. foreign.how he can endure to look on, (as if he dforeign cum voluprate & delectatione intueri. Psal. 22 17. & 54.7. Obad 13, Drus. observ. l 3. c. 21.liked well enough of it, or did not greatly mislike it) and be silent, as if he were eSurdum ageres. Jun. Psal. 38.13.deafe; hold his peace, and say nothing, while the wicked devoureth him, that is more righteous then himself: fHab. 1.14.and make, or gSicut Psal. 119.10, 116. Esay 63.17.suffer men to be as the fish of the sea; that are without ruler; and hforeign. Hesiod. oper. l. 1. foreign ▪ Oppian. pisc. l. 2. foreign, Ib. l. …. foreign. Ixion apud. Athen. l. 4. foreign. Strabo lib. 1. Pisces majoribus minores pro escâ nasci: Ital. Prov. Scalig de subtil. exerc. 189. Imò Graecū, foreign. Polyb. l. 15. foreign. Athenag. apolog. foreign. Nemes. de nat. hom. c. 1. foreign, &c. Basil. hexam. orat. 7. Avaritiae potentiorum subjecti ubiqe inferiores funt. qo qisqe infirmior, eo praedae patet. minor esca majoris est. rursus ipse major à validiore invaditur; & fit esca alterius praedator alieni. Ambr. hexam. l. 5. c. 5. Qi pote plus, urget: pisces ut saepe minutos Magnu' comest. Varro Margepol. Ad utilitatem gentium regnum positum est a Deo, ut timentes hoc, non se …trutrum homines vice piscium consumant. Iren. l. 5.live iforeign. Pindar. Nem. 1.without rule: where the greater preyeth upon, and swalloweth down the lesser. as the most iAbraham Esdraid. Hieron. Theodoret. Theophylact. Cyrill. in Hos. 4. Lyran. Hugo. Remig▪ an Haimo. Calvin. Jun. alii.Interpreters expound that place. or, as some other; and make men to be as the fish of the Sea, kSat. Jairus.whom who will may catch without controle; and as the creeping things, as worms that crawl on the ground, lDav. Camius.which men kill at pleasure; because they have no governour, either mProv. 30.27.to order them, or nJerem. 8.19. Hos. 8.3. & 13.10. defensore carent. Iun.to protect them against the violence of others, not fish, or creeping things of their own kind, so much, as either oRibera.men in generall the one, or pIerem. 16.16. Amos 4.2.fishermen more especially, the other, who d…aw up whatsoever commeth to hand, with the hooke, and sweep all away hand over head, with their net. as qHabb. 1.15.in the next words, (whereto such, tyrans and oppressors of Gods people, are compared) the Prophet explaining himself, doth complain.
Now as in that passage of the Prophet, it is said of God, that rHabb. 1.13.he cannot endure to see evill, and behold grievance; so in the wisards speech here, the like is said of him, concerning wrong and grievance done to his people. and the words may be rendred, either in the time past, he hath not seen wrong, nor beheld grievance done to his people by any adversary hitherto, but hath righted and revenged it. witnesse his judgements executed on sGen. 15.13, 14. Exod. 1.12, 14, 15. Psal. 78.44▪51. & 106.28▪36. & 136.10, 15.Pharao and the Egyptians for their cruell oppression, hard usage and malicious pursuit of them; and that sad, severe, and irrevokable sentence passed upon the tExo. 17.14, 16Amalekites, for their molesting of them in their passage. Or in the time to come; (for the uNum. 23.7. adducet, pro, adduxit▪ & v. 9. aspiciam, pro, aspexi, vel aspicio. Num. 24.17. processit, pro, procedet, & v. 9. incurvavit, cubuit, pro, incurvat, cubat, vel incurvabit, cubabit. Joel 2.32. vocavit, pro▪ vocabit, Acts 2.39.tenses in the originall are oft promiscuously used) he will not see any wrong done to Iacob, or grievance done to Israel. as we use to say, I will not see such an one wronged: when our meaning is, that we will not endure it; but will either protect and secure them against it, or be revenged on those that shall either attempt it, or doe it. Or in the time present, but as in a potentiall form; (which in xGen. 19.14. Exod. 12.29. 2 Kings 3.27: Num. 23.9, 10. Jerem. 2.11, 23. & 11.12. Lam. 3.37. Iob 15.3. & 22.14.either tense is not unusuall) He cannot endure to behold wrong offered to Iacob; nor to see grievance done to Israel. Or, putting all together, as all closely implyed, and joyntly both intended and included, He hath not seen, or beheld, will not see, cannot endure to see, or behold any wrong or grievance, that hath been, shall be, is or may be, by any offered unto, or attempted against, his Iacob, his Israel. And this I conceive to be, as the true and genuine, so the full and entire sense of the place. and it is indeed in effect the same with that which Calvin not without some good approbation relateth, as the exposition of some before him; to wit, that God is said not to see wrong or molestation in, or against Israel, aQia permittere nolit illum injustè gravati vel affligi.because he will not suffer them to be wrongfully vexed and grieved, nor endure to see the same: and bSi qis injustè nocere velit huic Populo, Deus nullam vim nec injuriam admittet, sed potius se opponet, &c.if any therefore shall attempt to harm them, he will not admit any violence or wrong against them, but will oppose himself thereunto. whereunto also he addeth, that being so understood, it may be cMalim verba indefinitè accipere. nam Hebraei saepe ubi verbum sine subjecto ponunt, generaliter ad qosvis extendunt rem ipsam de qâ agitur: & tunc verba activa in passiva commodè resolvi possunt, Calvin.indefinitely and passively thus rendred, (as of d2 Sam. 24.1. & alii loci sup. Except. 3.many other places the like may be shewed) No wrong eIta Graec. foreign. Lat. Videtur, videbitur. Calvin.shal be seen done to Jacob, nor molestation beheld done to Israel. and fIta melius fluet contextus.so, saith he, the context will run more clearly. the gReddi causa videtur.reason thereof being rendred in the words next ensuing; because hJovah Deus ejus ipse praesto adest. Part 4.God is present with them, ready at hand, to protect them, and to oppose any that shall attempt to wrong or to molest them.
Thus then it appeares, that an other sense may be given of these words, then that which these corrupters of Scripture would fasten upon them; and that such, as well agreeth, both with the truth of story, and the analogy of faith; (whereas theirs agreeth with neither) and receiveth further co…firmation, from the ordinary and most usuall signification of the words, from the connexion of them with the residue of the context, and from the collation of other Scriptures.
And the result of all that hath hither to been said, is this, that that which these men would make them to speak, doth directly crosse the tenor of the story, and the truth of Gods word; doth contradict their own tenents, and is inconsistent with them; could not be the mind and meaning of him by whom they were uttered, nor can duly and justly be by them pressed as a ground for such a point of doctrine as they would build thereupon, since that they may well bear another sense.
Let us in the next place proceed, now we have the true sense, to consider, what the proper doctrine is of the place.
The Text then thus cleared, the point of instruction that of it self it naturally yeeldeth and affordeth us, is this, that
Doctrine.God cannot endure to see any wrong or grievance done or offered unto his.
This he manifested and made known to the world, from the very first beginning of his sequestration of persons and people to himself. When, iPsal. 105.12▪ 14.albeit they were but kforeign homines numeri, qui recenseri facile poterant: sic Gen. 34.30.few in number, yea very few, and those strangers in the lands wherein they lived; what time they wandred from Nation to Nation, out of one Kingdom to another: when the paucity of them, together with their present estate and condition, as not lJnter extraneos facile est inimicos invenire. Tertul. apolog. c. 1.strangers onelyonly, but mforeign. Homer. Odyss. o.travellers, might in all likelyhood expose them to contempt and despight, and consequently to much wrong and abuse; yet it is said, that even then nPsalm 105.14he suffered no man to do them wrong, but sharply reproved, yea and severely punished Kings themselves, and that not one alone, (as oGen. 12.17. & 20.3, 18.the sacred stories shew) for their sake; for attempting to wrong them. And when they were grown now to a greater multitude, to be a numerous people, tho pGen. 15.13. Exod. 1.11.he suffered them for a while to be oppressed in Egypt, yet as he had qGen. 15.14.long before threatned, rPsalm 135.9. Exod. 14.28.on the King and people that so oppressed them, he executed judgement, and that in such manner as made all the world ring of it, and the fame of it being spread abroad farre and neer, sExod. 15.4, 14, 15. Num. 22.3, 5.6made other Nations also to stand in aw of them. Too long and tedious it would be, to trace this point, as might easily be done, through the whole body of the holy story: to relate thence the heavy doom, first tExod. 17.14, 16. Num. 24.20.past, and after u1 Sam. 15.2, 3executed, on Amalek, for molesting them in their passage: the overthrows and slaughters, xNum. 21.23, 24, 33, 35. Psalm 136.18, 20.of Sihon and Og with their forces, that denied them passage through their Land, & opposed them in their way; and of those numberlesse multitudes of thea2 Chron. 14.9, 13, 15. Cushites, b2 Chron. 20.1, 22, 29.Syrians, c2 Chro. 32.1, 21.Assyrians, and others, that invaded them in their own Countrey under Asa, Iehoshaphat, and Ezekiah; together with thed2 Kings 19.36, 37. Esay 37.37, 38. shameful flight of Senacherib, & the execution done on him by the hands of his owne sonnes: and of theeEster 3.9. & 6.13. & 7.10. & 9.10. exemplary judgement shewed on Haman and his whole house; who by plotting and attempting the ruin of that people, ruined himself, and all his. Suffice it may in generall to have observed, that no people or person are in Gods booke read of, ever to have either wronged Gods people, or attempted so to do, but that first or last they have paid full dear for it.
The reasons hereof may be drawn, either from those relations that such have unto God; or from Gods own nature and disposition, as in generall, so more especially, toward those who in more speciall manner are his.
First, I say, the relations that such have unto God: and these are manifold and various, but all herein concurring,Reason 1▪ that they necessarily imply, that affection in God toward them, and care of them, that is intimated in my Text.
For they are his anointed ones, his adopted ones, his first-born, his first-fruits, his deer ones, his darlings, his spouse, his turtle, his people.
1. They are Gods anointed ones. fPsalm 105.15.Touch not, saith he, mine anointed. Relation 1.take heed how you but gAttingat terram, liqescit. Amos 9.5. Attingat montes, fumigant. Psalm 104.32. Qur tetigerit, haud insons futurus est. Prov. 6.29. Attinge, in re ulla, Iob 1.11. tu cavebis ne me attiga…; si me tagis, &c. Plaut. Asinar. 2.2. si attingas cum manu, extemplo puer paedagogo …abulâ dirumpit caput. Idem Bacch. 3.3. Et mox paedagogo pueri pater: Ne attigas puerum. &c. et Pers. 5.2. cavesis attingas: ne tihi hoc scipione malum magnum dem. & Rud. 3.5. si illas attigeris, dabo tibi magnum malum, ibid. 4. tange uttamvis digit…l… minimo modo, &c.touch them, how you offer the least wrong to them, how you make the lightest or sleightest attempt against them. they are mine anointed; whom I will not have once touched. Kings are justly deemed hforeign Exod. 22.8, 9.28. Psalm 82.1, 6. & 89.51. Eccl. 10.20.sacred; because they are iEsay 45.1.the Lords anointed. and, k1 Sam. 24.7. & 26.9, 11. 2 Sam. 1.14, 16.who can be guiltlesse, saith David, that shall stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed? and God himself of David, lPsalm 89.20, 22.With mine holy Oyle have I anointed him: and the enemy therefore shall not exact upon him; nor m2 Sam. 3.4. & 4.10.the sons of any wrong-doers afflict him; I will beat down his foes before his face; and plague them that hate him.
They are nFrustra sunt ergò è nostris unus & alter, qi de regibus interpretantur.not indeed such anointed ones, of whom God there speaks, and in whose behalf, he claimeth this prerogative and priviledge, and proclaimeth such immunity and indemnity as you have heard. they are Kings, whom he speaks to, and whom he is said to have rebuked, for their sakes, of whom he there speaks. But the anointed he there speaks of, and for whom Kings are said to have been reproved, were o1 Iohn 2.20, 27.Abraham, Isaak and Jacob, with their issue and retinue; so tearmed in regard of that spirituall ointment, that being powred pIohn 3.34.without measure qPsalm. 45.7. Esay 61.1.on Christ their head, doth rIohn 1.12.from him descend and is derived, sEph. 4.7.in its due measure, unto tforeign. Psalm 133.2. Clem. strom. l. 6. ut ne minima quidem fimbri… unctione caruerit. Bern. de temp. ser. 40. & 91. Potho de dom. Dei l. 3. Petr. Celes. de pan. cap. 24.every member of that body whereof he is head; by vertue whereof they are enabled to become uExod. 19.6. Rev. 1.6. & 5.10. 1 Pet: 1.9. de horum enim unctione constat. de prophetis haud itidem. 1 Reg. 19.16, 19.Kings and Priests unto God. and so xIta Chrysostom Theodoret. Euthym. Augustin. Prosper. Hieron. nom. Arnob. nom. Cassidor. Lombard. Hugo. Lyran. alii.all sound interpreters generally, as well ancient as modern, expound that place. Howbeit, if the materiall anointing make those other inviolable, no marvell, if this spirituall anointing have with God the same effect in regard of those that partake of it, that he will not endure to see them in the least degree wronged, whom he holdeth as his anointed.
2. They are Gods adopted ones;Relation 2. adopted to be aIohn 1.12. Gal. 3.26.his children and bRom. 8.16, 17. Gal. 4.5, 6.coheires with his Christ. c2 Cor. 6.17, 18.I will receive you; I will dDeut. 4.34. Eph. 2.19. & 3.15.take you to me, take you into my family: and will be a father unto you; and ye shal be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. And, fDeut. 8.5.understand and consider in thine heart. saith Moses to this people, that as a father chastiseth his children, so the Lord chastiseth thee. And doth he carry himself towards them as a father, in gHeb. 12.7.chastising of them onelyonly; and not in taking care of them also, in matter h2 Cor. 12.14▪ 1 Tim. 5.8.of provision, in case of protection? yes undoubtedly, as well in the one kind as in the other. For is it not so with earthly, meer naturall parents? yea even with the dumb creatures, with brute beasts? How chary are affectionate parents wont to be of the safety and welfare of their children? more chary of theirs ordinarily then of their own.iQis non magis filiorum salutem qam suam curet? Tertul. contr. Marc. l. 2. Instituente naturâ, plus ferè filios qam nosmetipsos diligimus. Pacat. pan…g. it is an usuall speech with parents, when their children are ill used, Do to me what you will, but meddle not with my children. yea nature hath taught, and by a secret instinct doth incite, notlforeign, (Iliad. …. v. 134.) foreign; Plutarc. de amor. prol. the stronger and stouter onelyonly, but even mforeign. Plut. ibid. foreign. Idem ibid. foreign. Jdem de solart▪ animal. videatur Oppi…n. cyneg. l. 3. v. 118. &c. "Ex hoc ipso affectu, qo amare nos fecit pignora nostra, intelligere nos v…luit, q…ntum ipse amaret pignora sua, … qo affectum omnes qu… pignora nostra amamus accepimus. Deus ergo, qi etiam minimis animantibus hunc affectum proprii operis inseruit, se solum suorum amore privavit? imò amorem erga nos suum, per eum, qem nobis erga nostros dedit, voluit intelligi. Salvian. de provid. l. 4. c. 6. "Plus nos amat Deus, qam filium pater. Salvian. ibid. foreign. Chrysost. in Matth. 7.11.the weakest, the most timerous and cowardly, of the creatures, to expose themselves and their lives to hazard, for the safety and indemnity of their young. And is not Gods affection as great and as tender to his, as the affection of any parent can be to his child, or any creature to its issue? kCatulorum …mor in venabula impingit seras. Sen. ep. 7…."Yes undoubtedly, and infinitely much more, it being he that hath put this affection into them. Hence, nEsay 59.14, 15, 16.when Sion complaineth that the Lord had forsaken her, her God had forgotten her; can a woman, saith God, so forget her sucking child, (that is ever in her eye, never out of her lap or arms almost, ever and anon at her brest) that she should not have compassion on the fruit of her own womb? th… some should proove so unnaturall as so to do, yet oEsay 44.21. Ierem. 31.20.cannot I forget thee. I have engraven thee pCant. 2.6.upon the palms of my hands; (that I may no sooner open my hands, but I may be put in mind of thee) and thy wals (which lying desolate qLam. 2.7, 8.as a rufull spectacle, can not but rPsal. 102.14.move to compassion) are continually in mine ey. And, when he heareth Ephraim bemoaning himself with hearty remorse and regret for his forepassed unruly and rebellious carriages, sIer. 3….18, 19, 20.Is this Ephraim, saith God, my deare son? is it tHeb. a child of delights, as Esay 5.7.the child I delight in? (for so the words would there be read) to wit, that bemoaneth himself in this manner: Surely even since I spake against him, I do still uRemembring remember. as Deut. 7.17.seriously, or constantly, remember him. Notwithstanding my sharp reproofs, and severe menaces, I have him in mind still, tho I may seem not to regard him, yet I cannot but remember him. mine affection continueth intire and tender still towards him. my bowels within me are troubled, they yearn, or xEsay 63.15. Hos. 11.8.sound for him. they work and yearn towards him, as a y1 Kings 3.26.tender mothers are wont to do towards her child, when it lieth in pain, or when it is in danger and distresse. I will zMiserando miserebor.surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord. In a word, imagine we, how ill an affectionate *Si à qoq…m filius verberetur alienus in supplicio filii pietas paterna torqetur. Salvian. de provid. l. 8. c. 4. Relation 3.father or mother, Princes and great ones especially, that thinke theirs priviledged above others, can endure to see their children, whom they are so tender of, ill intreated: and thence may we well gather, how ill God can brooke any ill-usage of his.
3. They are Gods first born. not his children onelyonly, but his first born. God, when he will most pregnantly expresse his tender affection to David, and his singular respect of him, aPsalm 89.27.J will make him, saith he, my first born. And men can have but one such; but Gods children are all such with him. bforeign. Heb. 12.23.the assembly of the first born, saith the Apostle. in allusion to the Law; wherein cExod. 13.2.all the first born were consecrated to God, were peculiarly his. The affection of parents to their children, where many are, is in some sort entire to each. and there is somewhat usuall in each, out of which, tho it be but some weaknesse, yet a tender-hearted parent can pick matter enough, whereon to ground his affection. if there be nothing else, that is enough, dQuod de patriâ Se…. ep. 66. patriam amat qisqe, non qia magna, sed qia sua.that they are hi…. But if the affection be in any considerable degree carried more to some one than to the rest, it resteth cōmonly in the greatest eminency (unlesse eGen. 49.3, 8. 1 Chron. 5.1, 2.some other by-consideration abate it) upon the first born. he is fDeut. 21.16; 17the prime of his strength ▪ and the head of the house. and as the care therefore of provision for the first born, is the greatest: so the grief for the losse of the first born is the most grievous. gZech. 12.10.They shall mourn, saith he, as one mourneth for his onelyonly child, and grieve bitterly, as one grieveth for his first born. If then the dQuod de patriâ Sen. ep. 66. patriam amat qisqe, non qia magna, sed qia sua.affection of parents to their first born be such; no marvell if Gods affection be no other to his first born: and such are his all to him. It is the argument he useth by Moses to Pharao; hExod. 4 22, 23Israel is my son, even my first born. and I say unto thee, (take it from me;) Let my son goe to serve me. Or, if thou refuse to let him goe, I will slay thy son, even thy first born. and God made his word good. for so upon his refusall, after many other sad judgements, at last iExod. 12.29.accordingly he did.