Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 5 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Verſ. 1. ALL the Commandements] All, is but a little word, but of large extent. There are magnalia legis, & minutula legis; Look to both, the greater and the leſſer things of the law, Matth. 23.23.
Verſ 2. To know what was] i.e. To diſcover and make known to thy ſelf and others. When fire is put to green wood, Tentatut ſciat, i. c. ut ſcire nos faciat. Aug.there comes out abundance of watery ſtuffe, that afore appeared not. When the pond is empty, the mud, filth, and toades, come to light. The ſnow-drift covers many a muckhill; ſo doth proſperity, many a rotten heart. It is eaſie to wade in a warm bath; and every bird can ſing in a Sun-ſhine-day, &c. Hard weather tryes what health; afflictions try what ſap we have, what ſolidity. Withered leaves ſoon fall off in windy weather. Rotten boughes quickly break with heavy weights, &c.
Verſ. 3. And he humbled thee] Humbled they were, (many of them) but not humble: low, but not lowly. Perdiderunt fructum afflictionum, &c. Aug. [That he might make thee know] We never know ſo well, how good, ſweet, and ſeaſonable the Lord is, as when under the croſs. Vexatio dat intellectum.
That man doth not live] See the Note on Matth. 4.4.
Verſ. 4. Thy rayment waxed not old] It was not the worſe for wearing, but grew as their bodies did; as ſome are of opinion. They needed not to trouble themſelves with thoſe anxious thoughts of Heathens, what they ſhould eat, drink, or put on. Never was Prince ſerved and ſupplyed in ſuch ſtate, as theſe Iſraelites were.
Verſ. 5. That as a man chaſteneth his ſon] This is reckoned here, as an high favour. So Job accounts it, Chap. 7.17, 18. and Paul deſcribes it, Heb. 12.7, 8. and Jeremy prayes for it, Jer. 10.24.
Verſ. 6. Therefore thou ſhalt keep] As good children are the better for beating; and do gather under the wing of a frowning father.
Verſ. 7. That ſpring out of vallies] Quantum miraculi ſit in admiranda illa fontium perennitate, nemo, credo, Philoſophorum ſatis explicare hactenus potuit. The perennity of ſprings is a juſt wonder, and not far from a miracle.
Verſ. 8. A land of wheat and barley] Sumen totius orbis. Strabo baſely ſlandereth this fat and fertile country, as dry and barren; but Rabſhakeh, 1 King. 18.32. and Tacitus tell us otherwiſe. The teſtimony here given of it, is above all exception.
Verſ. 9. Thou ſhalt not lack any thing in it] Of the Iſland Cyprus, it is ſaid, that it ſendeth forth great abundance of commodities to other Countries; of whom it craveth ho help again. It was anciently called Macaria, Turk. hiſt.the Bleſſed. Marcellinus, to ſhew the fertilty of it, ſaith, that Cyprus aboundeth with ſuch plenty of all things, that without the help of any other forreign Countrey, it is, of it ſelf, able to build a tall ſhip, from the keel, to the top ſail, and ſo put it to Sea, furniſhed of all things needful. Of Egypt alſo it is reported, that it is ſo fruitful a Country, ut cunctos mortales paſcere, deos ipſos excipere hoſpitio ſalvâ re poſſe gloriaretur. It was anciently called publicum orbis horreum, the worlds great barn; as ſome forraign Writers have termed our Country, the Court of Queen Ceres, the granary of the Weſtern world, the Fortunate Iſland, the Paradiſe of Pleaſure, and garden of God. The worſt is, that as Ariſtotle was wont to tax his Athenians, that whereas they were famous for two things, Laert. l. 5. c. 1.the beſt land, and the beſt laws, frumentis uterentur, legibus nequaquàm, they abuſed their plenty, and lived lawleſly; ſo it may be ſaid of us, that we live in Gods good land, but not by Gods good laws.
Verſ. 10. Then thou ſhalt bleſſe] — rarae fumant foelicibus arae. Solomon's wealth did him more hurt, then ever his wiſdom did him good. But that ſhould not have been. Solomons Altar was four times as big as Moſes his, Exod. 27.1. to teach us, that as our peace and proſperity is more then others, ſo ſhould our ſervice, in a due proportion.
Verſ. 11. Beware that thou forget not the Lord] By caſting his words behind thee, Pſal. 50.17 and not conſidering the operation of his hands, Iſai. 5.12. fulneſs breeds this forgetfulneſs; laden bodies, leaden minds.
Verſ. 12. And haſt built goodly houſes] Haec ſu…t quae nos invitos faciunt mori; Theſe are the things that make us loth to die, ſaid Charles, 5. Emperour, to the Duke of Venice, who had ſhewed him the ſtatelineſs of his Palace, and Princely furniture.
Verſ. 13. When thy ſilver and thy geld] Which what is it elſe, but white and red mould, the guts and garbage of the earth? wonder it is, ſurely, that treading upon it, we ſhould ſo much eſteem it. Well; if ſi…ver and gold be our happineſs, then it is in the earth, and ſo (which is ſtrange) nearer hell, (which the Scripture placeth in the deep) then heaven, which all know to be aloft; and ſo nearer the Devil, then God.
Verſ. 14. Then thy heart be lifted up] The Devil will eaſily blow up this blab in the rich mans heart; whoſe uſual diſeaſes are earthly-mindedneſs, and high-mindedneſs. Proſperity makes men proud, ſecure, impatient, Ier. 22.21. In reſt, they contract much ruſt.
Verſ. 15. Who led thee thorow, &c.] Good turns, aggravate unkindneſſes; and our offences are increaſed by our obligations.
Verſ. 16. Who fed thee] God will give his people, Tertull. de patient.pluviam …ſcatilem, & petram aquatilem, Pſal. 78.20, 24. he will ſet the flint abroach, and rain corn from heaven, rather then they ſhall pine and periſh.
Verſ. 17. My power] As that great dragon of Egypt, lying at eaſe in the ſwoln waters of his Nilus, ſaith, Ezek. 29.2. Habac. 1.16.My river is mine own, I have made it for my ſelf.
Verſ. 19. ye ſhall ſurely periſh] Idolatry is a land-deſolating ſin, Judg. 5.8.