Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 5 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Verſ. 1. Theſe be the words which Moſes ſpake.
ANd ſurely he ſpake thick, if he ſpake (as ſome caſt it up) this whole Book in leſs then ten dayes ſpace. Certain it is, that he ſpake here (as ever) moſt divinely, and like himſelf, or rather beyond himſelf; the end of a thing being better (if better may be) then the beginning thereof, Eccleſ. 7.8. as good wine is beſt at laſt; and as the Sun ſhines moſt amiably when it is going down. This book of the law it was, that the King was to write out with his own hand, Deut. 17.18, 19. that it might ſerve as his Manual, and attend him in his running library. This was that happy book that good Joſiah lighting upon, (after it had long layn hid in the Temple) melted at the menaces thereof, and obtained of God, to dye in peace, though he were ſlain in battle. This onelyonly book was that ſilver brook, that pretiouſly-purling current, out of which the Lord Chriſt, our Champion, choſe all thoſe three ſmooth ſtones, wherewith he proſtrated the Goliah of hell, in that ſharp encounter, Mat. 47, 10. And ſurely, if Tully could call Ariſtotles Politicks, (for the elegancy of the ſtile, and for the excellency of the matter) aureum flumen orationis: And if the ſame Author durſt ſay. that the law of the twelve tables did exceed all the libraries of Philoſophers, both in weight and worth: how much rather is all this true of this ſecond edition of Gods law, with an addition?
Verſ. 2. There are eleven d…yes journey] So many dayes march for a foot army. Triduo confici potuit.But Philo the Jew ſaith, a horſeman might diſpatch it in three dayes.
Verſ. 3. In the eleventh monethmonth] And in the twelfth monethmonth of this ſame year, he dyed; ſo that this was his ſwan-like ſong: Sic ubi fata vocant, &c.
Verſ. 4. After he had ſlain Sihon] If Sampſon had not turned aſide to ſee the Lion, that not long before he had ſlain, he had not found the honey in the carkaſe, Iudg. 14.8. So if we recognize not our dangers, deliverances, and atchievements, we ſhall neither taſte how ſweet the Lord is, nor return him his due praiſes. To true thankfulneſs is required; 1 Recognition. 2. Eſtimation. 3. Retribution. See them all, Pſal. 116.3, 7, 12.
Verſ. 5. Began Moſes to declare] And he was not long about it. See the Note on verſ. 1. A ready heart makes riddance of Gods works; for being oyled with the Spirit, it becomes lithe and nimble, quick of diſpatch.
Verſ. 6. Long enough] The law is not for men to continue under, but for a time, till they be fitted for Chriſt, Gal. 3.16, 17, 18. Humbled they muſt be, and hammered for a ſeaſon; ſenſe of miſery, goes before ſenſe of mercy.
Verſ. 8. Go in and poſſeſſe it] God was ready, but they were not ripe for ſuch a mercy. So 2 Chron. 20.33. the high places were not taken away; for the people had not yet prepared their hearts for ſuch a reformation: the work was inſnarled and retarded by their unfitneſs. See Iſai. 59.2.
Verſ. 9. I am not able] Politici & Eccleſiaſtici labores maximi ſunt, ſaith Luther. None have ſo hard a tug of it, as Magiſtrates and Miniſters. foreign, ſaid Auguſtus to his Livia. Had we not buſineſſes, and cares, and feares, Dio Caſſ.above any private perſon, we ſhould be equall to the gods.
Verſ. 11. The Lord God of your fathers] Such holy ejaculation, ſuch ſallies of ſoul, and egreſſion of affection to God and his people, are frequently found in heavenly-minded men.
Verſ. 12. Bear your cumbrance] A Princes temples, are not ſo compaſſed with a crown, as his mind beſieged with cares: nor is he ſo lifted up with the Splendour of his train, as caſt down, with the multitude of his feares. See the Note on verſ. 9. Saint Paul alſo had the cumber of the churches, foreign.2 Cor. 11.28. All care numbred and muſtered together, and that with anxiety; with the ſame ſollicitude, that a man hath about his own moſt important buſineſs.
Verſ. 15. And officers among your tribes] That might put the laws in execution; which is the ſame to the law, that the clapper is to the bell. There were in good Ioſiah's dayes, horrible abominations. And why? by the ſlackneſs of under-officers, Zeph. 3.3.
Verſ. 16. Hear the cauſes, &c] Hear them out. Vlpian. in orat. Demoſt. dc fal. legat.In the Forum of Rome, the accuſer had ſix hours allotted him to accuſe; the accuſed had nine hours to make his anſwer. [And judg righteouſly] So upright was the ſentence of the Areopagites in Athens, that none could ever ſay, he was unjuſtly condemned: foreign.nay both parties, as well thoſe that are caſt, as they that caſt, are alike contented.
Verſ. 17. Ye ſhall not reſpect perſons] God will ſurely reprove you, ſaith Iob, if you ſecretly accept perſons, Chap. 13.10. Aequum me utrique parti tam in diſceptandis controverſiis, quam in tuenda diſciplina praebebo, ſaid Juſtinian; I will hear cauſes without prejudicate impiety, judiciouſly examine them without ſiniſter obliquity; and ſincerely judg them, without unjuſt partiality. It was the oath of the heathen Judges, as the Oratour relates, Audiam accuſatorem & reum ſine affectibus & perſonarum reſpectione: I will hear the plaintiffe and defendant, with an equall minde, without affection, and reſpect of perſons. And agreeable hereunto, is the oath taken by our Circuit-Judg, as it is recorded in the ſtatute of the 18 of Edward the third.
You ſhall not be afraid] For, facilè a juſtitia deviat, qui in cauſis non deum ſed homines pertimeſcit, ſaith Chryſoſtome: A fainthearted judg, doth eaſily pervert juſtice. A man of courage he muſt be, a Cuer-de-lion, another Cato, à quo nemo unquam rem injuſtam petere audebat, of whom no man ever durſt deſire any thing unjuſt. This, Solomon ſymbolized by the ſteps of his throne, adorned with lyons; the Athenian Judges, by ſitting in Mars-ſtreet. [For the judgment is Gods] whoſe perſon ye bear, and in whoſe ſeat ye ſit; and ſhould therefore ſit in as great, though not ſo ſlaviſh a fear of offending, as Olanes in the hiſtory, ſat upon the flaid skin of his father Silannes, nailed by Cambiſes on the tribunall: or as a Ruſſian Judg, that feares the boyling caldron; or the Turkiſh Senate, when they think the great Turk to ſtand behind the arras, at the dangerous doore. Cave, ſpectat Cato; take heed, Cato ſeeth you, was an ancient watchword among the Romans, and a great retentive from evil: how much more, amongſt us, ſhould, Cave, ſpectat Dominus; Take heed; the Lord looks on.
Verſ. 19. That great and terrible wilderneſs] Abounding with want of all neceſſaries, Jer. 2.6 and ſurrounded with many, mighty, and malicious enemies. Such is this preſent evill world, to thoſe that are bound for the Heavenly Canaan. Many miſeries and moleſtations, Heyl. Geog. pag. 802.both ſatanicall and ſecular, they are ſure to meet with; this world being a place of that nature, that (as it is reported of the ſtraits of Magellan,) which way ſoever a man bend his courſe (if homeward,) he is ſure to have the wind againſt him.
Verſ. 21. Behold the Lord] See the Note on verſ. 8.
Verſ. 22. We will ſend men before us] Thus empty man will be wiſer then God, (Iob 11.12.) though Man be born like a wild aſſe-colt. It was unbelief, that prompted them to this practice: for they could not enter, becauſe of unbelief. Carnall policy ſerves the worldling (as the Oſtrich wings,) to make him outrun others upon earth; but helps him never a whit towards Heaven.
Verſ. 23. Pleaſed we well] Seeing you were ſet upon it, and it would be no better.
Verſ. 25. And brought us word again] Ioſhua and Caleb did: for the reſt are not here reckoned of; God counts of men, by the goodneſs that is in them.
Verſ. 27. Becauſe the Lord hated us] A groſs miſtake: Why ſhould it then ſo greatly grieve us, that our good intentions, are ſo much miſconſtrued▪ That is here complain'd of, as an argument of Gods hatred, that he intended for an inſtance of his love. Deut. 4.37. & 7.8. In quo dilexiſtinos, Mal. 1.2.wherein haſt thou loved us? ſaid thoſe Male-contents in Malachy, that caſt the helve after the hatchet, (as the proverb is:) and like children, becauſe they might not have what they would, grew ſullen, and would have nothing.
Verſ. 31. As a man doth bear his ſon] Charily and tenderly, as his own bowels: not hating them, as they deſperately belyed the Lord, verſ. 27. For if a man finde his enemy, will he let him go well away? 1 Sam. 24.19. Will he accommodate him, as God did theſe murmurers? Never was any Prince ſerved in ſuch ſtate, as they were.
Verſ. 32. Ye did not believe] Sic ſurdo plerunque fabulam: there was none within to make anſwer. Who hath believed our report, &c? We cannot get men to credit us.
Verſ. 37. The Lord was angry with me] The Saints afflictions, proceed oft from love diſpleaſed, from love offended. Fury is not in God, Iſai. 27.
Verſ. 41. We have ſinned, we will go up] Temporaries are ſet upon ſin, in the very confeſſion therof. Unleſs to the confeſſion of ſin, we add confuſion of ſin, we do nothing, Prov. 28.13. Yet, honour me before the people, ſaid Saul: Give me a bribe, ſaid trembling Felix.