Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 1 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Verſe 1. Now the Lord had ſaid to Abraham]
BUt was not this to command him to do that which was againſt nature? No, but onelyonly againſt corrupt nature, which muſt be denyed, and mortified, or there is no Heaven to be had. Father and friends muſt be hated, (that is, not loved, as Eſau have I hated) where they hang in our light, or ſtand in our way to keep us from Chriſt, Matth. 10.37. [Get thee out of thy Countrey] This is a hard ſaying to fleſh and blood, for Neſcio qua natale ſolum, &c. But hard, or not hard, it muſt be done, becauſe God bids it; and difficulty in ſuch a caſe, doth but whet on heroick ſpirits, making them the more eager and reſolute. It pleaſed David well to be ſet to fetch a hundred foreskins of the Philiſtims. Gods Kingdom muſt be taken by violence. It is but a delicacy to dream of coming thither in a Feather-bed. Too many with Joſeph dream of their preferment, but not of their impriſonment. He that will be Chriſts Diſciple here, and coheire hereafter, muſt deny himſelf; that's an indiſpenſable duty. Abraham was old-excellent at it. [And from thy kinred, and fathers houſe] Who ſet out fair with Abraham, as did likewiſe Orphah with Ruth: But ſetled in Haran, which was alſo in Chaldea, not far from Ʋr, and would go no further, after the old mans death. There they had feathered their neſts, gathered ſubſtance, and got ſouls, that is ſervants, verſ. 4. and therefore, there they would ſet up their ſtaff, and afterwards turned again to Idolatry, Gen. 31.30, 53. Joſhua 24.2. Many follow God as Sampſon did his parents, till be light upon a honycomb; or as a dog doth his maſter, till he meet with carrion; and then turn him up. Demas forſook God, and embracing this preſent world, became afterwards a Prieſt in an Idol-Temple, as Dorotheus tells us. [Ʋnto a land, that I will ſhew thee.] Yet told him not whither, Dorotheus.till he was upon the way, but called him to his foot; that is, to follow him, and his direction, Iſai. 41.2. Magnus eſt animus qui ſe Deo tradidit; ſaith Seneca. Eundum quocunque Deus vocarit, ſaith Another, Etiamſi in ea loca migrandum eſſet
—Pigris ubi nulla lampas
Arbor aeſtivâ recreatur aurâ:
Quod latus mundi nebulae maluſque
Jupiter urget:
Verſ. 2. And I will make of thee a great Nation.] Pareus in Rom. 11.25. See my true Treaſure. … 297Why then ſhould the ſcornful Jews call us Nations or Gentiles in contempt? yea, Heathen-baſtards, Heathen-dogs, as they do at this day? Surely, either themſelves are of this great Goi or Nation here mentioned, or elſe they have not Abraham to their father; chuſe them which. [I will bleſs thee] As a father his children, with all ſpiritual comforts and earthly contentments; Eph. 1.3. Judg. 1.with the bleſſings of the right hand, and of the left; with the upper and nether ſprings, as Caleb bleſſed his daughter Achſah. He will give grace and glory, and (if that be not enough) no good thing will he withhold, &c. Pſal. 84.11. Hence Moſes cryes out, Happy art thou O Iſrael: Who is like unto thee, &c. Deut. 33.29. [And make thy name great] A great name then is a great bleſſing. So David took it, 2 Sam. 7.9. And it was no ſmall comfort to him, that whatever he did, pleaſed the people. Bleſſing and praiſe (or good name) is expreſſed, by one and the ſame word in both Teſtaments, Prov. 27.21. OnelyOnly (as it is in the ſame Text) it then proves a bleſſing, foreign.when it is to a man as the fining pot for ſilver, and furnace for gold; when it melts us, and makes us better; when it works in us a care to walk worthy of the praiſe is given us, to purge our ſelves from all filth, that we may be as pure veſſels, meet for the Maſters uſe, fit to be ſet upon the celeſtial ſhelf, as that Martyr phraſed it. Act. & Mon.Since thou haſt been precious in my ſight, thou haſt been honorable, Iſai. 43.4. Vertue is inſteed of a thouſand Eſcucheons. [And thou ſhalt be a bleſſing.] That is, in a high degree bleſſed; Vir bonus eſt commune bonum.or a common bleſſing to all, whereever thou comeſt, who ſhall fare the better for thee. Or, a publike pattern of bleſſing (ſo ſome Hebrews expound it.) Thoſe that wiſh well to themſelves, or others, ſhall pray God, that Abrahams bleſſedneſs may befal them. The contrary hereunto is now befaln his unhappy poſterity for their obſtinacy. A curſe they are become among the Gentiles, In execrationibus dicunt Judaeus ſim ſi fallo. Sanct.as was foretold them, Zach. 8.13. Sanctius upon that text tells us, That all over Turkey they have taken it up for a curſe, I would I might die a Jew then: And let me be a Jew if I deceive thee.
Verſ. 3. And I will bleſs them that bleſs thee] Some there are, that will curſe thoſe whom God bleſſeth, but nothing ſo many as they that will riſe up and call them bleſſed. Theſe are expreſſed here in the plural number, thoſe in the ſingular onelyonly. For who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good, 1 Pet. 3.13. But ſay there be ſome Balaams that would curſe Gods Iſrael, or ſome Eſaus that could wiſh them unbleſt again; yet God will turn Balaams curſe into a bleſſing, Neh…. 13.2.(which is reckoned as a great favor,) and he will tell Eſau (if not in his ear, yet in his conſcience) that Jacob is bleſt, and he ſhall be bleſt. If Iſaac, Gen. 27.33.drawn aſide by natural affection, would go about to reverſe the bleſſing, God will cauſe him to tremble very exceedingly, and ſo over-aw him, that he ſhall not be able to do it. But ſee here (as in a mirror) the wonderful love of God to his children: So dear they are unto him, that he cannot but love all that love them, and bleſs thoſe that bleſs them. They have a powerful ſpeech in Spain, He that wipes the childes noſe, kiſſeth the mothers cheek. Surely, as natural parents take the kindneſſes and unkindneſſes, ſhewed to their children as done to themſelves, ſo doth God. [And in thee ſhall all families, &c.] That is, In thy ſeed, as it is interpreted, Acts 3.25. Gal. 3.9, 16.Gen. 22.18. To wit, In Chriſt that ſhall take fleſh of thee, as both Peter and Paul expound it. Hence Chriſt is called the gift. John 4.10. and the benefit, 1 Tim. 6.2. by an excellency; and the deſire of all Nations, Haggai 2.7. ſent a purpoſe to bleſs us, in turning every one of us from our iniquities, Acts 3.25.
Verſ. 4. So Abram departed,] He had now enough, having ſuch precious promiſes, though he had had nothing elſe. He parted with his friends and kindred, but is now become the friend of God, and akin to Chriſt. Let their money periſh with them, who eſteem all the gold in the world worth one days ſociety with Jeſus Chriſt, and his holy Spirit, ſaid that Noble Marqueſs Galeacius Caracciolus, His life ſet forth by Maſter Craſhaw.who being Nephew to Pope Paul the fifth, and a Prince of great wealth and power, left all for Chriſt, living and dying a poor exile at Geneva, that he might enjoy the liberty of his Conſcience, and ſerve God according to the truth of the Goſpel. Remarkable is that which Calvin writes of him in his Dedicatory Epiſtle to him, ſet before his Commentary upon the firſt to the Corinthians. Etſi neque tu, &c. [And Lot went with him] Herein Abraham was more happy then Caracciolus. For he being converted by Peter Martyrs Lecture on the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians, and reſolving thereupon to leave all, and go to Geneva, opened his minde to ſome of his moſt familiar friends, and wrought upon them ſo far, as they promiſed and vowed to accompany him, &c. But when they came to the borders of Italy, and conſidered what they forſook, they firſt looked back with Lots wife; and then, without any intreaty, went back as Orphab; ſo going out of Gods bleſſing, into the worlds warm Sun, Ibid. p. 11.as they ſay, which yet they long enjoyed not: For they were after taken by the Spaniſh Inquiſition, and forced to abjure Chriſtian Religion, being neither truſted nor loved of one ſide nor other. [And Abraham was ſeventy five yeers old when he departed] So he continued a Pilgrim for a hundred yeers together, Gen. 25.7. having ten ſore tryals, and every one worſe then other.
Verſ. 5. And Abraham took Sarai his wife] The faithful companion of all his travels and troubles, One that did him good, and not evil all her days: Prov. 31.And although ſhe ſuffered much hardſhip with him, and for his ſake, and was oft put too't, yet ſhe was not afraid with any amazement, as many a woman would have been, 1 Pet. 3.6. A valiant woman ſhe was, and no leſs violent then he, for Gods Kingdom, whereof Canaan was but a type.
Verſ. 6, 7. And the Canaanite was then in the Land. And the Lord appeared to Abram.] The ſight of thoſe wicked Canaanites might diſcourage him, and unſettle his faith. But then the ſight of God relieved him, (he is the firſt man that God is ſaid to appear to) and the promiſe unto thy ſeed will I give this Land, could not but put ſpirits into him, and make his good old heart to dance L…valtoes in his boſom. When the poor ſoul even ſinks ſometimes at the ſight of theſe Canaanites (corruptions) and deſpairs almoſt of a Conqueſt, God lets in a beam of his own Light, and comforts it with ſome cordial promiſe, which is as Boaz was to Naomi, A reſtorer of his life, and a nouriſher of his old age, Ruth 4.15.
Verſ. 8. And there builded he an altar to Jehovah] Although the Canaanite was then in the land. God hath promiſed when he cleanſeth his Church, that the Canaanite ſhall be there no more, Zach. 14.21. Philip. 2 15.But while they are there, we muſt ſhine as lamps amidſt a crooked and curſed generation, Holding forth the word of life, as an enſign, bearing up Gods name as a badge, or beacon; wearing his mark in our foreheads, Rev. 9. the place of open profeſſion; ſetting up an altar even amidſt Idolaters as Abraham, and calling it Jehovah Niſſi, The Lord is my banner, as Moſes, Exod. 17.15. Some that ſeemed to wiſh well to Edmund. Allin Martyr, bid him keep his conſcience to himſelf, and to follow Baruchs counſell. Act. & Mon. fol. 1796.Chap. 6. wherefore when ye ſee the multitude of people worſhipping them behinde and before, ſay in your hearts, O Lord, it is thou that oughteſt onelyonly to be worſhipped. Theſe had more of Nicodemus in them, then of Nathaniel.
Verſ. 8. And he removed from thence] Becauſe his building altars to Jehovah was offenſive to the Canaanites: Indeed it was a wonder they ſtoned him not; but God reſtrained them. [And there he builded an altar to the Lord] This was ſtill his firſt care, where ever he came, and ſhould be ours. We are a Kingdome of Prieſts, and have an altar, Heb. 13.10. which is Chriſt, who ſanctifies the offering, Matth. 23.19. By him therefore let us offer the ſacrifice of praiſe to God continually, Heb. 13.15. Imo altare extruamus non lapideum, ſed carneum in cordibus.
Verſ. 9. Going on ſtill toward the South] As toward the Sun, whereby may be figured, ſaith an Expoſitor, his progreſſe in faith and grace, as Prov. 8.14. 2 Cor. 3.18.
Verſ. 10. Abram went down into Egypt] Which the Hebrews much condemn him for, ſaying that it was out of diſtruſt, and that for this fault of his, the Iſraelites ſuffered ſo long and hard bondage in Egypt. But that's but a raſh judgement, and as weak an argument: For God, though he muſt be truſted, yet he may not be tempted. But tempted he is, Firſt, when men are too much addicted to the means, as Thomas. Secondly, when they reject them, as Ahaz, who would not ask a ſign, though offered him; it was not diffidence, but obedience in Abraham to go down to Egypt (that Granary of the world) when now by the want of food in Canaan, he found it was Gods will he ſhould ſeek out.
Verſ. 11. Behold now I know that thou art a fair woman] And yet ſhe was now ſixty five years of age; wherein ſhe was a figure of Jeruſalem the mother of us all, Gal. 4.26. with Cant. 1.14. and 4.1. Sarahs chief beauty was that of the hidden man of the heart, as ſaith St. Pet. 1 Pet. 3.4, 6. But outward beauty is very lovely and attractive. Plato calls it the principality of nature: Ariſtotle, a greater commendation then all Epiſtles: And being asked, whether beauty were amiable? He anſwered, foreign.That's a blinde mans queſtion. The Poet could ſay, Gratior eſt pulchro veniens in corpore virtus,
That virtue hath a better grace,
That ſhineth from a vertuous face.
Howbeit, Seneca ſaith, he was out in that ſaying; Ipſa magnum ſui decu… eſt, & corpus ſuum conſecrat. Sen. Epiſt. 67.for that Vertue needs no ornament more then ſhe hath of her own, but beautifies her ſelf ſufficiently, and conſecrates the body, wherein ſhe dwels. But by the leave of ſo great a Philoſopher, I am of the Poets minde: And although I grant that favour without grace, Salvian. Gu…us praeter formam nihil unquam, bonus laudavit. Saluſt. foreign. Dio. Artax omnium hominum pulcher. ait. Aemil. Prob. Aelia… var. hiſt. l. 12. c. 1. Cavete ab hoc quem natura notavit.is but a gold ring in a Swines ſnout, as Solomon hath it, or ornamentum in luto, as another (ſo it was in Alcibiades for a man, and in Aurelia Oreſtilla for a woman) yet ſurely, where they meet, they make a happy conjunction, and draw all hearts to them, as in Germanicus (for a man) in whom beauty and vertue ſtrove for precedency: and Artaxerxes Longimanus, the ſon of Eſther, who is ſaid to have been of all men the moſt beautifull and moſt bountifull. So in Eſther (for a woman) who obtained favour in the ſight of all that looked upon her, Eſth. 2.15. And Aſpaſia Mileſia the wife of Cyrus, who deſerved to be ſtiled foreign, Fair and Wiſe, as Aelian relateth: As on the other ſide in Vatinius, deformity of body ſtrove with diſhoneſty of minde, adeo ut animus ejus digniſſimo domicilio incluſus videretur, ſaith Paterculus.
Verſ. 12. Therefore it ſhall come to paſſe, &c.] Note here (ſaith Pererius) the raging affection of the Egyptians, that made no conſcience of murther to enjoy their luſt. 2. Their blindneſs, that made leſs account of murther then adultery. Note again (ſaith Piſcator) that beauty expoſeth a body to the danger of diſhoneſty, and that, as the Poet hath it, Lis eſt cum formâ magna pudicitiae. Let thoſe therefore that have beauty, look to their chaſtity, and poſſeſſe their veſſels in holineſs and honour;
Theſaurum cum virgo, tuum vas fictile ſervet,
Ʋt caveas quae ſunt noxia, tuta time.
Filthineſs in a woman is moſt abominable; therefore is a Whore called a ſtrange woman.
Verſ. 13. Say I pray thee, thou art my ſiſter.] The truth was here not onelyonly concealed, but diſſembled. As the Moon hath her ſpecks, ſo the beſt have their blemiſhes: A Sheep may ſlip into a ſlough as ſoon as a Swine, and an Apple-tree may have a fit of barrenneſs, as well as a Crab-tree.
Verſ. 14. The Egyptians beheld the woman] Pleaſure is blamed, in Xenophon, for this, that ſhe ever and anon looketh back upon her own ſhadow, Decet haber… oculos continenter. ma… & linguam.and giveth her eyes leave to rove and range without reſtraint. An honeſt man (ſaith Plautus) ſhould have continent eyes, hands, and tongue. Nihil enim intereſt, quibus membris cinoedi ſitis poſterioribus an prioribus, ſaid Archelaus the Philoſopher to a wanton yonker. The eye (that light of all the members) is an ornament to the whole body. And yet that lightſome part of the body, draweth too too oft the whole ſoul into darkneſs. Job. 31.1.This Job knew, and therefore made a Covenant to look to his looks; …th of looking came lu…ing. Charles the fifth, when the City of Antwerp thought to gratifie him in a Mask, Job. Mauli… loc. Com. p. 34…. Saepe claufit ſeneſtram, n… inſpic… r…t formoſiores …mi… &c. De Carolo 5. P…reu… hiſt. preſ medul. pag. …08. Matth. 5.28, 29with the ſight of certain fair Maids brought in before him almoſt naked, he would not once look at them. The young Lord Harrington when he ſhould meet with fair women in the ſtreets, or elſewhere, would uſually pull his hat over his eyes, as knowing that of our Saviour, He that looks upon a woman to luſt after her, &c. whereupon immediately follows, If thine eye offend thee, &c. Eckius was ſharply rebuked at a feaſt, by a modeſt matrone, for his uncivill glances, and carriages in theſe words (as Melancthon relateth) Es tu doctor? Joh. Manlii loc. com. p. 32….Non exiſtimo te in honeſta familia, ſed in lupanari educatum: Thou a Doctour? I do not believe thou waſt bred any where elſe but in a brothel-houſe. See the Notes on Chap. 6. Verſ. 2.
Verſ. 15. The Princes alſo of Pharaoh, &c.] Flattering Courtiers pleaſe Princes humours, and ſerve their delights, though to the procuring of their plagues as here, and in young King Joaſh. If a ruler hearken to lyes, foreign. Herod. l. 3.ſaith Solomon, all his ſervants are wicked Prov. 29.12. Auliciſunt inſtar ſp…uli, ſaith One. And Mirifica eſt ſymp…thia, ſaith another, inter magnates & paraſit…s. Her…dorus writeth, that when Cambyſes demanded of his Courtiers and Counſellours, whether it were not lawfull for him to marry his own ſiſter whom he greatly deſired? they anſwered: That they found no law to licenſe ſuch a match: but another law they found, that the King of Perſia might do what he would. [And the woman was taken into Pharaohs houſe] Not for any worſe purpoſe, then to get her good will to become his wife.
Verſ. 16. And he entreated A…ram well for her ſake] To the end, that he might ſollicite his ſiſter to yeeld conſent; or might not be a back-friend, at leaſt, out of diſpleaſure, becauſe they had taken away his ſiſter from him to the Court. So K. Hen. 8. advanced all Anne Bullens kindred, &c.
Verſ. 17. And the Lord plagued Pharaoh] Plagued him with plagues, ſaith the Hebrew: tormented him with torments, or ſet him on the rack, ſaith the Greek. And for this, he might thank his Court-paraſites, who put him upon this rape. Chryſoſtome thinketh that Sarah was abed with the King; and that in the bed, God by his plague ſo reſtrained him, that ſhe remained untoucht. But we cannot gather by the text, that he intended to commit adultery, ſed quòd levitate & vaga libidine peccavit, but offended onelyonly, in going after the ſight of his eyes, a and luſt of his heart, as Solomon hath it.
Verſ. 18. What is this that thou haſt done unto me] God had reproved Pharaoh (according to that, Pſal. 105.14.He ſuffered no man to doe them wrong, but reproved Kings for them) and now Pharaoh reproves Abraham. It is a ſad thing, that Saints ſhould do that for which they ſhould juſtly fall under the reproofe of the wicked: we ſhould rather dazle their eyes, and draw from their conſciences, at leaſt, a teſtimony of our innocency, as David did from Sauls, when he ſaid, Thou art more righteous then I my ſon David: Whoſe oxe have I taken, ſaith Samuel? And which of you can condemne me of ſin, ſaith Chriſt? Now the life of a Chriſtian ſhould be a Commentary upon Chriſts life, 1 Pet. 2. Ye are a holy nation, foreign. 1 Pet. 2.9.a peculiar people, that ye ſhould preach forth his vertues, and not hang his picture (his image and graces) in a dark hole, but in a conſpicuous place. Bucer ſo lived that neither could his friends ſufficiently praiſe him, nor his foes juſtly blame him, for any miſcarriage. Act & Mon.And Bradford was had in ſo great reverence and admiration for his holineſs, that a multitude which never knew him, but by fame, Ibid. 1458.greatly lamented his death; yea and a number alſo of Papiſts themſelves wiſhed heartily his life. But to have Egyptians jear us, and that for ſin, is threatned as a grievous miſery, Hoſ. 7.16.
Verſ. 19. Why ſaidſt thou ſhe is my ſiſter?] He might have anſwered, becauſe I was afraid. His fear it was that put him upon this exploit. So it did David when he changed his behaviour, and Peter when he denied his Maſter, &c. Men ſhould rather dye then lye. Firmus Epiſc. Togaſtenſis.Nec prodam, nec mentiar, ſaid that good Biſhop in St. Auguſtine. And that was a brave woman in St. Hierome, that being on the rack reſolved, and anſwered the tormentour, Non ideo negare volo, ne peream, ſed ideo mentiri nolo, ne peccem. The Chamaeleon, ſaith Pliny, is the moſt fearfull of all creatures, and doth therefore turn into all colours, to ſave it ſelf. So will timorous perſons, See Zeph. 3.13. Let us fortifie our hearts againſt this cowardly paſſion.
Verſ. 20. And Pharaoh commanded] Thus God comes as it were out of an Engine, foreign.and helps his people at a pinch. Abraham had brought himſelf into the briars, and could finde no way out. Many a heavy heart he had, no doubt, for his dear wife (who ſuffered by his default) and ſhe again for him. God upon their repentance provides graciouſly for them both: She is kept undefiled, he greatly enriched for her ſake; and now they are both ſecured, and diſmiſſed with the Kings ſafe conduct. Oh who would not ſerve ſuch a God, as turns our errours and evill counſells to our great good, as the Athenians dreamt their goddeſſe Minerva did for them.