Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 4 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Verſ. 2. TWo trumpets of ſilver Signifying, the voyce of the Law and Goſpel, in the mouthes of Gods Miniſters, Eſai. 58.1. Ad ravim uſque vocem intendit, nec vinci ſe à ſtrepitu ullo paſſu… eſt. Melch. Adam. 114.who muſt lift up the voyce like a trumpet, with fervour, zeal, and courage; 1. To gather the people, and aſſemble the Elders, Ioel 2.16. 2. To put them upon their marchings and motions towards the heavenly Canaan; and here, to blow an alarm, —ſic clames ut Stentora vincere poſſis, (as that famous Farellus did, when the Fryers, to drown his voyce in the Pulpit, rang their greateſt Bells; but he out-noyſed them,) 3. To get them upon their battlements, and there-hence to blow an alarm likewiſe, upon the approach of ſpiritual enemies; Suetonius eâ libertate ſcripfit Imperatorum vitas qua ipſi vixerunt.taking the ſame liberty, to cry down ſin, that men take to commit it; and to deſcry the Devils ſtratagems, that are ſo deſtructive to mens ſouls. They muſt caſt away the inverſe trumpets of Furius Fulvius, which ſounded a retreat, when they ſhould have ſounded an alarm: they muſt faithfully ſhew Gods people their tranſgreſſions, and the houſe of Iacob their ſins, Eſay 58.1. yea all their tranſgreſſions in all their ſins, Levit. 16.21. Laſtly, as the Prieſts were to ſound the ſilver trumpets at their ſolemn feaſts, for a monument of ſpiritual gladneſs before the Lord; Pſal. 81.4.ſo muſt Miniſters of the Goſpel, publiſh the glad tydings of the Goſpel; Speak to the heart of Ieruſalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accompliſhed, her ſin is pardoned, Eſay. 40.2. make the people hear the joyful ſound, that they may walk in the ſenſe of Gods preſence, and in the light of his countenance; yea, rejoyce in his Name all the day-long, Pſal. 89.15, 16.
Verſ. 7. But when the congregation] Cenalis Biſhop of Auranches was hard driven, when, to prove the church of Rome, a true church he makes no mention at all of Miniſters, or ordinances, but alledgeth that the Catholikes had bells, to aſſemble them together, whereas the Lutherans met, by the clap of harquebuzes and piſtolets: And ſo he goes on, to triumph in a long Antitheſis. The bells, ſaith he, do ſound, the harquebuzes crack: The bells, give a ſweet and melodious tune, but the harquebuzes, a foul and terrible noiſe. Bells open heaven, the other hell. Act. and Mon. fol. 838.Bells chaſe away clouds and thunder, the other gender clouds, and counterfeit thunder, &c. O the profound arguments of theſe doting Doctours! [But you ſhall not ſound an alarm] Or, a broken ſound; but a continued equall ſound, as fitteſt for their quiet aſſembling, to the ſervice of God, and hearing of the law. The ſound of Gods word, muſt not be broken or quavering; (Pompall, Tertullian calleth it) but downright and ſimple. Non oratorum filii ſumus, ſed piſcatorum: Nazianz. ad Libanium.nec verborum foreign, ſed Spiritus foreign, &c. 1 Cor. 2.1, 4.
Verſ. 8. Shall blow with the trumpets] A trumpeter (as one obſerveth,) winds his trumpet with his mouth, and holds it up with his hand: ſo ſhould a Miniſter, both preach and practiſe; vivere concionibus, concionari moribus.
Verſ. 9. Ye ſhall be remembred before the Lord] Who will ariſe, as it were awakened, by this ſound of the trumpet. See 2 Chron. 13.12. with Iſa. 51.9. That is, by the prayer of faith; ſuch as were the prayers of the Miniſters of Angrogne in France, wherewith their enemies cryed out, they were ſo bewitched, that they could not fight. It was the cuſtome of theſe poor perſecuted Proteſtants, Act. & Mon. fol. 883.ſo ſoon as they ſaw the enemy approach, to cry all together, for aid and ſuccour, to the Lord; and when the combate was ended, conſtantly to give him thanks, for the good ſucceſs he had ſent them. So at the ſiege of Mountabone, the people of God, uſing daily humiliation, as their ſervice would permit, did ſing a pſalme after it, immediately before their ſallying forth: with this practice, the enemy comming acquainted, ever upon the ſinging of the Pſalme, (after which, they expected a ſally;) they would ſo quake and tremble, ſaying, they come, they come, as though the wrath of God had been breaking out upon them.
Verſ. 10. For a memoriall] Or a ſacred ſign, to minde and aſſure them, that God will hear their ſuits, and accept of their ſervices thus performed with joy of faith.
Verſ. 12. Out of the wilderneſs of Sinai] Where they had dwelt long enough, Deut. 1.6, 7, 8. It being a place of bondage, by reaſon of the law there given, Gal 4.24, 25. The law is a yoke of bondage, as Jerome calls it; and they who look for righteouſneſs from thence, are like oxen, who toyl and draw, and when they have done their labour, are fatted for ſlaughter.
Verſ. 25. The rereward of all the Camp] Called the gathering Hoſt, Ioſh. 6.9. Becauſe to their charge was committed the care of gathering together the lame, faint, and feeble, and to look that nothing was loſt, or left behinde. And to this David ſeems to allude, Pſal. 27.10. Confer Iſai. 58.8. & 52.12.
Verſ. 29. And Moſes ſaid] Or, Moſes had ſaid, viz. Exod, 18.1, 2. [For the Lord hath ſpoken good] And Gods promiſes he knew to be good ſure-hold.Seneca.
Verſ. 30. To mine own land] Patriam quiſque amat, non quia pulchram ſed quia ſuam. Ovid.Neſcio qua natale ſolum dulcedine cunctos du… it, et immemores non ſinit eſſe ſui.
Verſ. 31. Inſtead of eyes] To deſcry unto us the commodities, and diſcommodities of the country, which is well known to thee. Herein thou maieſt be of ſingular uſe unto us, though we have God, going viſibly before us. Gaudentius, Caſaubon.The Iewes had a kinde of officers, at their feaſts, called foreign, the eyes of the feaſt, & praefecti morum.
Verſ. 33. Three dayes journey] Three dayes together without reſting: this made them murmure, Chap. 11.1. non quia dura, ſed quia molles patimur. Sen.[Went before them] And, as the Iewes conceive, for the facilitating of their march, the cloud levelled mountains, raiſed vallies, and laid all of a flat; that is, burnt up buſhes, ſmoothed rocks, and made all plain, &c.
Verſ. 35. Riſe up Lord] Commanders muſt pray, as well as lead on their forces; as did Charles the great, and that late brave King of Sweden, more addict to prayer, then to fight.