Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 5 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Verſ. 1. ANd hath caſt out many nations] God did all, Pſal. 78.55. He caſt out the heathen before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, &c. Hence Joſephus calls the Common-wealth of Iſrael, foreign. Sic, Polydor. Virgil.Regnum Angliae, Regnum Dei.
Verſ. 2. Nor ſhew mercy unto them] Their iniquity was now full, Gen. 15.16. they filled the land with filthineſs, from corner to corner, Ezra 9.11. they were ripe for the ſickle, ready for the vintage of Gods wrath; which now came upon them to the utmoſt.
Verſ. 3. Neither ſhalt thou make marriages with them] As neither with any other that were idolaters, Ezra 9.1, 2.
Verſ. 4. For they will turn away thy ſon] As the outlandiſh women did Solomon, 1 King. 11.2, 4. What's the reaſon the Pope will not diſpence in Spain or Italy, if a Papiſt marry a Proteſtant, yet here they will, but in hope to draw more to them? The Tyrant Mezentius tyed the living bodies of his captives to the dead; but the dead did not revive by the living; Corpora corporibus jungebat mortua vivis. Virgil.the living rather putrified, by the dead.
Verſ. 5. And break down their images] Cromwel did notable ſervice here in Henry 8. time, by diſcovering the knavery of Popiſh Prieſts, and pulling down thoſe mawmets and monuments of idolatry, the Rood of grace, the blood of Hales, &c. And in Edw. 6. his dayes; the ſame day the Popiſh pictures were publikely burnt at Paul's Croſs, Act. & Mon.the great victory was gotten by the Engliſh at Muſcle-borough field in Scotland.
Verſ. 6. For thou art an holy people] Viz. with a federal holineſs; which yet, without an inherent holineſs in the heart and life, will profit a man no more then it did Dives in the flames, that Abraham called him Son; or Judas, that Chriſt called him Friend. An empty title yeelds but an empty comfort at laſt.
Verſ. 8. But becauſe he loved you] Loe, he loved you, becauſe he loved you. This may ſeem, idem per idem, a womans reaſon. But it excellently ſhews the ground of Gods love, to be wholly in himſelf.
Verſ. 9. The faithful God] The God of Amen, Pſal. 31.6. Amen, the faithful and true Witneſſe, Rev. 3.14. that will not ſuffer his faithfulneſs to fail, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips, Pſal. 89.33. all his precepts, predictions, promiſes, menaces, being the iſſue of a moſt faithful and righteous Will, void of the leaſt inſincerity or falſhood. Thou ſpakeſt alſo with thy mouth, and haſt fulfilled it with thy hand, as it is this day ſaith Solomon, in his prayer, 1 King. 8.24. Neither could ever any day or age produce one inſtance to the contrary. The promiſes are ancient, Tit. 1.1, 2. and yet they never failed: nor the menaces, Zeph. 3.5.
Verſ. 10. He will not be ſlack] ſlow he may be, but ſure he will be, Val. Man.ſupplicii tarditatem gravitate compenſat, The higher he holds his hand, the heavier he will ſtrike. Aries quo altius erigitur, hoc figit fortius. Arcus quò retrahitur longius, hoc jaculatur ulterius. Aqua quae aegre calefit, agrè denuò frigeſcit, &c.
Verſ. 13. And he will love thee] So he did before, verſ. 8. but ſo he will continue to doe. See a like expreſſion, 1. Joh. 5.13. Theſe things write I unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
Verſ. 14. Thou ſhalt be bleſſed] There is a foreign, in Godlineſs, 1 Tim. 6.6. See the Note there.
Verſ. Martial.15. And the Lord] Health is a ſweet mercy; Non eſt vivere, ſed valere, vita, A ſickly life, is a lifeleſs life. A healthy body is the reward of piety, Prov. 3.8.
Verſ. 20. Send the hornet] See the Note on Exod. 23.28.
Verſ. 21. For the Lord thy God is amongſt you] And how many do you reckon him for? as Antigonus ſaid once to his ſouldiers, when they feared their enemies, as more in number.
Verſ. Aurum Toloſanum.25. Left thou be ſnared] Leſt it prove as the gold of Tholouſe, baneful to all that fingered it; or the ſepulchre of Semiramis, which they that rifled, expecting to finde treaſure, met with a deadly poiſon.