Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 1 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Verſ. 1. And God remembred Noah]
HE might begin to think that God had forgotten him; having not heard from God for five months together; Fuit in arca per annum integrum & decem dies. Piſcator.and not yet ſeeing how he could poſſibly eſcape. He had been a whole year in the Arke, and now was ready to groan out that dolefull Ʋſquequò Domine: Haſt thou forgotten to be mercifull, &c? But forgetfulneſs befalls not the Almighty. The Butler may forget Joſeph, and Joſeph, his fathers houſe: Ahaſhueroſh may forget Mordecai, and the delivered City, Eccleſ. 9.15.the poor man that by his wiſdome preſerved it: The Sichemites may forget Gideon; But God is not unfaithfull to forget your worke and labour of love, ſaith the Apoſtle. Heb. 6.10.And there is a book of remembrance written before him, Mal. 3.16.ſaith the Prophet, for them that feare the Lord. A metaphor from Kings that commonly keep a Callendar or Chronicle of ſuch as have done them good ſervice; as Ahaſhueroſh and Tamerlain, Eſth. 6.1.who had a catalogue of their names and good deſerts, which he daily peruſed, oftentimes ſaying that day to be loſt, Turk. hiſt. p. 227.wherein he had not given them ſomething. God alſo is ſaid to have ſuch a book of remembrance. Not that he hath ſo, or needeth to have: for all things both paſt and future, are preſent with him: he hath the Idaea of them within himſelf, and every thought is before his eyes, Pſal. 139.16.ſo that he cannot be forgetfull. But he is ſaid to remember his people (ſo he is pleaſed to ſpeak to our capacity) when he ſheweth his care of us, and makes good his promiſe to us. We alſo are ſaid to be his remembrancers, when we plead his promiſe, Eſa. 62.6.and preſſe him to performance. Not that we perſwade him thereby to do us good, but we perſwade our own hearts to more faith, love, obedience, &c. whereby we become more capable of that good. [God made a wind] So he worketh uſually by means, though he needeth them not. But many times his works are, as Luther ſpeaketh, in contrariis mediis. As here he aſſwageth the waters by a wind, which naturally lifteth up the waves thereof, and inrageth them, Pſal. 107.25. foreign.Jon. 1.4. God worketh by contraries, ſaith Nazianzen, that he may be the more admired.
Verſ. 2. And the raine from heaven was reſtrained] Theſe four keyes (ſay the Rabbines) God keeps under his own girdle; 1. Of the Womb: 2. Of the Grave: 3. Of the Rain: 4. Of the heart. Revel. 3.He openeth, and no man ſhutteth; he ſhutteth, and no man openeth.
Verſ. 3. And the waters returned continually,] Or, haſtily. Heb. foreignIn going and returning; or, heaving and ſhooving, with all poſſible ſpeed to return to their place, at …ods appointment. See a like cheerfulneſs in Gods ſervants, Zach 8.21. Iſai. 60.8. Pſal. 110.3.
Verſ. 4. Mountains of Ararat.] On the tops of the Gordaean Mountains (where Noahs Ark reſted) we finde many ruines, The Pre…bers travels by Job. Cartwright. p. 32. Joſeph. Antiq lib. 1. cap. 5.and huge foundations (ſaith the Preacher in his travels) of which no reaſon can be rendered, but that which Joſephus gives; That they that eſcaped the flood, were ſo aſtoniſhed and amazed, that they durſt not deſcend into the Plains, and Low Countries, but kept on the tops of thoſe Mountains, and there builded.
Verſ. 5. The waters decreaſed.] Not all on the ſudden, but by little and little, Iſa…. 28.16.for exerciſe of Noahs faith. He that beleeveth, maketh not haſte. God limiteth our ſufferings for time, maner, and meaſure. Joſeph was a priſoner till the time came. Smyr… was in tribulation for ten days. Phyſick muſt have a time to work, and Gold muſt lye ſome-while in the fire. In the opportunity of time, foreign. 1 Pet. 5.6.ſaith Peter, God will exalt you. Preſcribe not to him, with thoſe Bethulians in Judith: but wait his leaſure, and let him do what is good in his own eyes. He waits a fit ſeaſon to ſhew us mercy, Iſai. 30.18. and thinks as long of the time, as we do.
Verſ. 7. And he ſent forth a Raven] Which when it is made tame, though it delights in dead carcaſes, whereof Noah knew the earth was now full; yet doth not eaſily forget its ſtation, but returns thereto, when nature is ſatisfied. [Which went forth to and fro.] Fluttered about the Ark, but kept out of it. Manet foris cum voce corvina, qui non habet ſimplicitatem columbinam, Auguſt.
Verſ. 8. Alſo he ſent forth a Dove.] A bird that being ſwift and ſimple, …ai. 60.8.willingly flies back to his Windows, through …ove and faithfulneſs to his mate and young. Beſides, he fleeth a long while together, and very near the ground, and ſo was fitter for this ſervice. Joſephus ſaith, That he came into the Ark with his feet and wings, wet and dirty, which could not but be good news to Noah.
Verſ. 9. Pſal. 38.10. My heart pa…t…th foreign, as Merchants run from Countr…y to Couan…y. Buch…l….And the Dove found no reſt] No more doth mans ſoul (Gods Turtle) till it reſt in God. Domine, (ſaith Saint Auguſtine) feciſti nos ad te, ideoque cor noſtrum inquietum eſt, done… requieverit in te. Hic finis noſtrae formationis, ſaith another, ut homo ſit templum Dei, & Deus ara hominis. How oft doth the good ſoul cry, Oh that I had the wings of a Dove, &c. Or, if that Oh will not ſet him at liberty, ſhe takes up that (wo) to expreſs her miſery: Wo is me that I ſojourn in Meſhec, &c.
Verſ. 11. In her mouth was an olive-leaf.] The olive never caſteth her leaf, and is greeneſt in the ſpring, ſaith Pliny. It might very well continue ſo under water, during the flood. It may alſo very well, by an allegory, ſet forth that Grace and Peace by Jeſus Chriſt, brought in the mouth of his Miniſters in this Evening of the World, Rom. 10.15. The Dove returned at firſt without her errand; but ſent again, ſhe brought better tidings. foreign. 2 Tim. 2.24. foreign. Epictet.The Man of God muſt not onelyonly be apt to teach, but patient, in meekneſs inſtructing thoſe that oppoſe themſelves; proving, if at any time God will give them repentance. All are not ſent into the vineyard at the ſame hour of the day. Holy Melancthon, being himſelf newly converted, thought it impoſſible for his hearers to withſtand the evidence of the Goſpel. But after he had been a Preacher a while, 'tis ſaid he complained, That old Adam was too hard for young Melancthon. And yet, he wanted not afterwards the Seal of his Miniſtry. For, among many others converted by him, was that ſweet Saint, George Prince of Anhalt, whoſe houſe was Eccleſia, Academia, Curia; Melch. Adam.and whoſe heart was ſo upright with God, his life ſo laudable amongſt men, that Melancthon once, (publikely defending the certainty of our future felicity by this Argument, that godly men muſt be hereafter rewarded, wicked men puniſhed,) he named this pious Prince, Scultet. ex ore Bucholceri, qu… Melancthonis fuit auditor.as an unqueſtionable example of ſuch a man, as might aſſuredly expect the promiſed Crown of Life eternal, which God the righteous Judg will give to all his, 2 Tim. 4.8.
Verſ. 16. Go forth of the Ark] Learn we of this holy Patriark, to do all by Gods direction, and not dare to attempt any thing without his warrant; approving our ſelves to him in our comings in, and goings out. Pſal. 91.He hath charged his Angels with us ſo long as we keep the Kings high way: Jere. 20.7.But if we go out of his precincts, we go out of his protection. Take counſe… at his mouth, and then we may ſafely ſay, Lord, if I be deceived, thou haſt deceived me. This, as at all times we have need to do, ſo now eſpecially, when there is (as 2 Chron. 15.5) … peace to him that goeth out, nor to him that cometh in, but great vexation upon all countries. Nation being deſtroyed of Nation, and City of City, &c.
Verſ. 19. Every beaſt after their kinde.] Heb. after their families: That is, not confuſedly and pell-mell (as we ſay) but diſtinctly and in order: The Lyon with the Lyoneſs, &c. every male with his female, the clean by themſelves, and the unclean by themſelves. And as theſe latter came to the Ark unclean, and unclean they departed; ſo do millions now-adays, to the Ordinances. A Preacher hath as much joy to ſee them there, as John Baptiſt had to ſee the Phariſees thronging to his Baptiſm, when he cryed out, Matth. 3.O generation of vipers, who ſent for you? who hath forewarned you, &c?
Verſ. 20. And Noah builded an altar to the Lord.] This was his firſt care, and ſo it was Abrahams where-ever he came. It muſt be alſo ours, after great deliverances eſpecially. Gods mercies are binders: Beneficium poſt…lat officium. He is content we have the comfort of his bleſſings, ſo he may have the praiſe of them. This Pepper-corn is all the rent he looks for. O cover we Gods Altar with the calves of our lips, Heb. 13.15. Pſal. 69.31.giving thanks to his name. This will pleaſe him better then an ox that hath horns and hoofs. OnelyOnly let it be done, the firſt thing that we do, after the receipt of a benefit, which elſe will ſoon wax ſtale and putrifie as fiſh. No part of the thank offering might be kept unſpent to the third day. Hezekiah wrote his ſong the third day after his recovery. Noah was no ſooner out of the Ark, but he offered on his new-built Altar; as well for teſtification of his thankfulneſs, as for confirmation of his Faith, in that Lamb of God, ſlain and ſacrificed from the beginning of the world. 2 Cor. 5.19.God was now alſo in Chriſt reconciling this new world to himſelf.
Verſ. 21. And the Lord ſmelled a ſweet ſavor,] Heb. a ſavor of reſt. —Minimo capi…ur thuris honor… Deu…. foreign. Iſai. 1.Greek, foreign, which the Apoſtle followeth, ſaying, That Chriſt gave himſelf for us an offering, and a ſacrifice to God, for a ſmall of ſweet ſavor, Epheſ. 5.2. All our ſacrifices are accepted for this of Chriſt, which otherwiſe would be turned off, with who required theſe things at your hands? The ſacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord; yea, though he ſhould bring thouſands of rams, Micah 6.7.and ten thouſand rivers of oy…, with thoſe miſcreants in Micah, that by their munificence would fain have purcreants chaſed a diſpenſation to ſin: whereas Noah with his Oxe, Ram, Propter animalia multa vel grandia non placuit. Peter. foreign.He-goat, Turtle, and young Pigeon, laid in for him by God himſelf for this ſame purpoſe, is highly accepted in that beloved One, as Chriſt is called, Eph. 1.6. [The Lord ſaid in his heart] All his promiſes are heart-ſprung, the iſſue of a moſt faithfull and righteous will, void of any the leaſt inſincerity and falſhood: whatſoever he ſpeaks, he ſpeaks from his heart; we may write upon't. The Eternity of Iſrael cannot lye, 1 Sam. 15.29. [I will not again curſe the ground, &c for the imagination of mans heart] As who ſhould ſay, Man doth but his kind now, in committing evill before me. He hath by his fall brought upon himſelf a miſerable neceſſity of ſinning, ſo that he cannot but doe wickedly with both hands earneſtly; which though it be no excuſe, Mic. 7.3.but an aggravation rather of his actuall ſin (that he doth it out of the pravity of his nature) yet I will not take advantages to deal with him after his deſerts; for then there would be no end of making worlds, and unmaking them againe. I will not curſe, I will not ſmite any more. Eſa. 9.13.Where note, That Gods ſmiting his creature, is a fruit of ſin, and a peece of the curſe. And unleſs men returne to him that ſmiteth them, all that they ſuffer here, is but a typicall hell. Here the leaves onelyonly fall upon them, the trees will fall upon them hereafter.
Verſ. 27. While the earth remaineth] Heb. All the dayes of the earth. The earth then (though Solomon in ſome ſenſe ſay it endureth for ever) hath its ſet and certaine number of dayes appointed it by God. For the earth alſo, and the works therein ſhall be burnt up, 2 Pet. 2.10. And this the Heathen had heard of, and hammered at; as Lucretius who diſputes the matter out of naturall cauſes. So doth Tully, de nat. Deorum, lib. 1, 2. And Ovid. Metamorph. 1. Eſſe quoque in fatis meminit, &c. There he hath alſo a large relation of the generall flood in Deucalions dayes; ſo he calleth Noah. Lucian hath the like in his book, de Dea Syriae. And Plutarch ſpeaketh of the ſending forth of the Dove, Dialog. de induſtr. animal.and of her return unto Deucalion into the Ark. But we have a more ſure word of Propheſie. [Cold and heat, and ſummer and winter, &c.] Lopez de Gomar…, ſaith that the Kings of Mexico, when they are conſecrated, Lopez de Gom.uſe to take their oath after this manner: I ſwear that the Sun, during my life ſhall bold on his courſe, and keep his wonted glory and brightneſſe and that the clouds ſhall ſend down rain, the rivers ſhall run, and the earth bring forth all manner of fruit, &c. But can any of the vanities of the Heathen give rain, &c?