Some genuine remains of the late pious and learned John Lightfoot, D.D. consisting of three tracts ... : together with a large preface concerning the author, his learned debates in the assembly of divines, his peculiar opinions, his Christian piety, and the faithful discharge of his ministry.

The Seventh Day.

* 1.1The next Day God, by his own Example ordain∣eth as a Day of Rest, for Adam and his Posterity to meditate upon these things.

Evil Concupiscence, generated in Adam by his Fall, doth readily forward Adam upon the present Necessity of Ge∣neration of Children.* 1.2 He hath two born at a Birth: First, that which was Natural, and after him that which was Spiritual. Their Mo∣ther, upon the Birth of the first of them, shews her Apprehension of the Promise, and calls his Name Cain, a Possession or Purchase: † 1.3 For, saith ••he, I have obtained the Lord, to become Man. But the Purchase or Possessi∣on of the Propagation of Original Sin, did most shew it self in the Nature of Cain. Because his Brother's bloody Sacrifice, which properly signified that of Chris•• was visibly fired from Heaven, and his dry Sheaves of Corn, the likelier Materials to burn, are not, he falls into a desperate Discontent; which, tho' God him∣self from Heaven would remove with † 1.4 comfor∣table Words, yet stick∣eth it fast, even to the Death of his Brother. For which he is made a Runnagate, and hedg∣ed in that he cannot die, as Job iii.21. tho' he begged of the Lord, Let any one, that findeth me, kill me. God gives

him a Token, that no one should kill him. Upon which he grows resolutely wicked, as appears in the Discipline of his Children. One of which Lamech, the seventh from Adam in this Line, is notoriously wicked, and bringeth in height of Wickedness by his double Marriage.* 1.5 Which Enoch, the se∣venth from Adam in the other Line, prophesieth against, Jud. ver. 12. Yet Lamech boasteth in his Villany, and even underva∣lues his great Grand••ire Cain. His Children give their Minds to Trades, that may further Luxury and Vanity; as fatting Cattel, Imagery, and Music. Thus is Cain's Generation scattered, and shall be utterly rooted out by the Flood.

But these are the Generations of Adam, that should hold out, and not fail.* 1.6 In the Day that God made Adam, he crea∣ted him in his own I∣mage; even both the Male and Female he made in this Image; and blessed them with Pow∣er of begetting Children, in the same Image also; but they fell on the Day of their Creation; so that God names them Earthly Adam, the Day that they were created.

And when Adam was an Hundred and Thirty Years old compleat, he begat a Son in his own Image, sinful like himself, and called his Name Seth. And all the Days of Adam were Nine Hundred and Thir∣ty Years; a Thousand within Seventy: But now Seventy Years are a Man's whole Age, Psal. xc.10▪

In this long time Adam saw his Children's Chil∣dren to the Ninth Generation. Enoch, the Seventh from Adam, is dedicated to God, as the Seventh Day, and God took him away, that he should not see Death, when he had lived as many Years as be Days in a Year. Enoch, before he was translated, prophesied against the Wickedness of the World, and foretold of the Flood. Which those that feared God believed; and therefore kept themselves long unmarried, because they would not beget many Children for the Waters. For Methuselah lived an Hundred Eighty-seven Years, and begat Lamech, and Lamech lived an Hundred Eighty-two, and be∣gat a Son, and foresaw that to him should be given Liberty for all the World to eat Flesh; whereby they should be much eased of the Toyl which they endured in Tillage of the Ground; when hitherto they ate nothing but the Fruits thereof; and he cal∣led his Name Noah. And when Noah was Five Hundred Years old,* 1.7 he be∣gat Japhet, and Two Years after he begat Sem, and afterward he begat Ham.

GEN. VI. To Noah God determines the Date of the old World an Hundred and Twenty Years; and then should all perish, but himself, and Family. Who should be preserved in a large and spacious Ark; which Noah and his Sons make, and enter into in the Year of the World MDCLVI,* 1.8 on the Seventeenth Day of Marheshwan, or the Second Month; having new∣ly buried his Grandfather † 1.9 Methuselah. With him he taketh of Birds, Beasts and Cattel; some for Preservation of the kind; of unclean Crea∣tures

only a Couple, but of clean three Couple for Breed, and an odd one to sacrifice upon his Deli∣very. The Rains begin, and within Forty Days the Earth is as it was at the Creation, all covered with Waters. When the Wicked see Destruction begin, it is too late to pray. For when they would not make their Prayer to God in a time, when he might be found, in the Flood of Waters they could not make their Prayers to come nigh him, Psal. xxxii.6. They are soon wiped away with Waters. Job xxii.15, 16. Hast thou marked the old way, which wicked Men have trodden? Which were cut down out of time; whose Foundation was overflown with a Flood. And their Spirits are now in Prison. 1 Pet. iii.19. The Waters grow Fifteen Cubits above the highest Mountain. The Ark draws Water Eleven Cubits.

On the First of Sivan the Waters ebb, and but a Cubit in Four Days for Two Months together; but faster,* 1.10 being got within the Compass of the Mountains. Af∣ter Noah had been a compleat Solar Year in the Ark, he cometh out,* 1.11 and sacrificeth, and receiveth a Blessing, and * 1.12 Liberty of eating Flesh, but with∣out the Blood. The Rain∣bow, that before was on∣ly Natural, is now also† 1.13 Sacramental. Man's Age is halfed. Noah many Years after the Flood is overtaken with Wine, and discovered. Sem and Japhet joyned in Religion. Cain cursed in his Son Canaan.

As before the Flood, so after, the Multitude grows wicked. The Children of Noah's Three Sons joyntly go about to build a Rendezvous for Idola∣try.* 1.14 Which Work God disannulleth, by confoun∣ding their Hebrew Tongue into divers Idioms. Our Father Japhet's Sons have every one a several Tongue, which Sem's and Ham's have not. This makes their calling home again to God to be the longer, by how much they are the further severed from that Tongue, in which only God was truly professed. At Ba∣bel began Heathenism, and Men, as before the Flood, to be the Sons of Men, Gen. xi.5. And so are to continue, till Christ give Priviledge to them to be called the Sons of God, Joh. i.12. The Means must be by the Gift of Tongues, Acts ii. At Babel Ages are again halfed. Peleg dies the youngest Man mentioned, since the Creation.* 1.15 His Father He∣ber holds the Language and Religion of the Ho∣ly

Fathers from the beginning: But his Chil∣dren swerve, especially Terah, who is Idolatrous in Ur of Chaldea: And when he is an Hundred and Thirty Years old, begets Abram, whom he traineth up in Idolatry also.

Christ is promised to Abram in a Heathen Town, which Promise in time was to concern the Heathens.* 1.16 Terah and Abram both leave their Idolatry, and Country, and embrace the Promise. They go for the Land, which was promised, as an earnest of a greater Mercy. Terah dies by the way. Abram goes into Canaan, and builds two Altars † 1.17, one upon Gerizim, and the other upon Ebal, by Faith taking Possession of that Land. Afterward by his own Sufferings he sheweth what they should suffer, that should in∣herit that Land, before they come there. For Fa∣mine drives him into Egypt; where, when Canaan wanteth Corn thro' want of Rain, the River Nilus supplies that Defect, and affords Sustenance. His Wife Sarai, a white Woman, is soon espied by the Blackamoors of Egypt, and commended, and taken to the King; but restored upon the plaguing of Pha∣roah; a Type of Things to come.

Upon his return to Canaan, Let at Mount Ebal, the Hill of Cursing, doth wilfully alienate himself, and His,* 1.18 from the Communion of Abram, and the Church in his House.

For which he is justly punisht with Captivity, with the Sons and Curse of Canaan, and becomes a Prisoner to Chedorlao∣mer, a Son of Elam, the Son of Sem;* 1.19

but is released by Abram; who by Promise was Lord of that Land, and suffers not the Spoil to go out of the Land, but at Dan, upon the Frontiers of Canaan, gets it again. In his return he pays Tythes of the Spoil to Melchizedek, or Sem. Who having seen the two fearful Plagues of the World, the Flood, and the Confusion of Tongues, had out of a Godly Fear and Zeal given himself up totally to the Service of God, and voluntarily was become a Priest. He now refresheth Abram's weary Compa∣ny with Bread and Wine, and him with a Blessing.

Which Blessing God secondeth with Promise of Children numerous, like the † 1.20 Stars,* 1.21 and a new Promise of the Land of Canaan, with an evident Assurance by Vision, God himself passing in a Flame of Fire between the Parts of divided Beasts, as the Custom was in making Covenants, Jer. xxxiv.18. But withal sheweth Affliction by Egypt, before his Seed shall enjoy the Land.* 1.22 Which soon beginneth by Egyptian Hagar, that gendreth to Bondage.* 1.23 But the Son of the Freewoman must inherit the Promise. Which thing Abram believeth, and Cir∣cumcision is given him, a Seal of his Righteousness by Faith. And for the more Assurance † 1.24 his and Sarai's Names are chan∣ged.

The Trinity in visible Form ap∣pears to Abraham,* 1.25 and determines the time of the Birth of the promi∣sed Seed.

Cham's Derision of his Father's Nakedness, shews it self in the filthy Nakedness of his Sons of Sodom;* 1.26 whose Flames of Lust are punisht with Flames of Fire, and even their Hell comes down from Heaven. Lot is delivered from the Ruin, but not from the Corru∣ption of the City. God, that can bring Good out of Evil, brings a Mother of Christ according to the Flesh out of the Incest of Lot, viz. Ruth the Moa∣bitess.

Isaac in his Mother's Womb taken by Abimelech, as Christ in Mary's Womb taxed by Cesar.* 1.27 To this Story of Sarah's being taken and kept, and released by the Plagues of a Philistin, compare the Case of the Ark in the Land of the Philistins, 1 Sam. v.6.

Isaac born. In his being born above the Course of Nature, Abraham seeth the Day of Christ, and rejoyceth;* 1.28 and in token calleth his Son's Name Isaac, Laugh∣ter. At Isaac's Fifth Year Ishmael mocketh: Then begin the Four Hundred Years Affliction exactly.

Isaac and the Ram, a true Type of Christ's two Natures; the one only Suffer∣ing, and the other not;* 1.29 yet that that suffer'd not, giving Validity and Va∣lue to that that suffer'd.

Sarah dieth, the only Woman whose Age is re∣corded in Scripture. Abraham hath not a Foot of Land of his own in Canaan, but only a Burial Place.* 1.30 In the last Chapter you have Tidings of Rebecca, be∣fore the Death of Sarah; that one Sun may be ready to rise, before another set.

Isaac, having grieved Three Years for the Loss of his Mother, is comforted at last with Rebecca his Wife.* 1.31

Who of Necessity must be barren, that the Seed may be of Promise, and not of Na∣ture.* 1.32 This Barrenness of Sarah and Rebecca, and others; and yet ha∣ving Children at last, was as an Harbinger, to provide room for the Belief of Christ's Supernatural Birth. See Luke i.36. Jacob and Esau quarrel before they be born. Esau loseth his Interest in God in the sale of his Birthright.

The Genealogy of Abraham and Ishmael, their Age and Death, are set down here, because there is no more to be said of them. Howbeit, Abraham lived till Jacob was Fifteen Years old, and Ishmael till he was Sixty three.

At Abraham's Death, when Isaac is now just Se∣venty-five Years old, the same Blessing is given to him,* 1.33 that was given to Abraham, when he was Seventy-five.

At the same Age (probably) Jacob also getteth it from his Father, by taking on him to be Esau,* 1.34 when he was Jacob. And by this means obtains the Bles∣sing of his Father.

Which Blessing God seconds, giving him the same Promise, as he goeth to Ha∣ran,* 1.35 that he gave Abraham, to bring him thence.

But his unlawful Means of compassing his Father's Blessing God punisheth in the same kind.* 1.36 So that after Seven Years Service he embraceth Leah instead of Rachel, as he had pretended Esau, instead of Jacob. He serveth for this a Week in earnest, that he will serve Seven Years more for Rachel, and at the Weeks end he obtains her.

In Seven Years hard Affliction he begetteth many Children. God taketh Care of Pay∣ment of his Wages:* 1.37 Types of what should happen to his Posterity. His Riches endanger him both to La∣ban,* 1.38 who seeth with him the Fruit of his Flock; and to Esau,* 1.39 who now seeth the Effect of the Blessing got∣ten from him,* 1.40 and the Benefit of the Birthright, which he had sold. But Jacob is Israel, A Prevailer with God, before he meets with Esau, and he cannot chuse then, but prevail with him.

Jacob's Remisness in the Discipline of his Family causeth the Rape of Dinah. Here Leah's tender Eyes have Cause to weep for her Daughter.* 1.41 Till now Jacob had hardly held touch with God in the Per∣formance of his Vow, The Lord shall be my God.

And no wonder, if his Children miscarry. But at Bethel, where his Vow was made,* 1.42 he purgeth his House from Idols; and there he again receives a Blessing, and is called an Israelite indeed now without Guile. Hos. xii.4. He found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us: That is, at this time,

at Bethel, he calls him Israel, in Behalf of his Po∣sterity: Who, while they should be, as his Fami∣ly is here, purged from Iniquity, they should be Israel, powerful with God. Upon the naming of him Israel, which should concern all his Tribes, his Tribes are reckoned, upon the Birth of Benjamin, when they be now full.

Now the Story is to fall only upon Jacob, and his Children. Esau's Genealogy is reckoned;* 1.43 for no more is now to be said of him. Eight Kings of Edom before Israel had any; answerably Eight Kings of Israel kept the Kingdom of Edom.

Joseph sold by Judah to Midianites, Medanites and Ishmaelites. For which Fact Judah is justly punished in the Death of his Children,* 1.44 and his own Shame. Seek earnestly in this Story, and you shall find Judah to have Chil∣dren at the most at Twelve Years old, if not before.

Joseph sold into Egypt, is near ravishing by his black Mistress. His Coat is a∣gain shewed to colour the Wick∣edness of this Woman,* 1.45 as his bloody Coat was to colour that of his Brethren.

As for telling of Dreams he is sold, so by inter∣preting of Dreams he riseth to honour; when he seeth and telleth,* 1.46 how Plenty and Famine over Egypt should be caused by Nilus.* 1.47 And the Famine, he knew, came as a just Judgment upon Egypt, for keeping his Innocence so long in Prison.* 1.48 The same Justice is shewed upon Canaan, from whence he was sold.

Which makes his Brethren to bow to him for Corn, as their Corn-Sheaves did to his in his Dream.* 1.49 His Bro∣ther Benjamin, who had no Hand in his Sale, yet is brought also to crouch to him,* 1.50 to fulfil his Dream of his Mother bowing to him; for Ben∣jamin cost her her Life.* 1.51 When all things, according to the fore significa∣tion, are fulfilled,* 1.52 Joseph reveals him∣self to his Brethren, and sends for his Father; who cometh for Egypt. And then of his Generation, or that come out of his Loins, were Sixty-nine in number, and himself maketh the Seventieth.

He is presented before Pharaoh, who never saw so old a Man in all his Life. As he had nourished Joseph Seventeen Years before he was sold,* 1.53 so Joseph nourisheth him in Egypt Seven∣teen Years before he dieth.* 1.54 Before his Death he swears Joseph to interr him in Canaan,* 1.55 blesseth his two Sons particularly, and himself with the rest of his Brethren. He dieth an Hundred Forty-seven Years old. Joseph Fifty-three Years after dieth himself,* 1.56 and is cossined up in E∣gypt, to be carried to the Land of Promise, when Israel shall be delivered.

Before Joseph's Death Israel grows numerous in Egypt, if not before Jacob's, Gen. xlvii.27. And God chuseth them for his visible Church, Ezek. xx.5. And to his new chosen Church he appointed Levi to be Priest, to teach Israel the Ways of God, when their great Instructor, Jacob, is dead, 1 Sam.

ii.27. His Repentance upon his Father's Curse, Gen. xlix.6, 7. obtaineth Pardon; and his Dividing in Jacob, and Scattering in Israel, becomes a Bles∣sing. But after Joseph, Levi, and that Generation be dead, they forget God; as Judg. ii.7. They follow the Idols of Egypt, Ezek. xx.8. Jos. xxiv.14. They reject the Covenant of God, and Circum∣cision the Sign of it, they utterly neglect; so that they are uncircumcised like the Egyptians. Jos. v.9. Exod. iv.24, 25. They make mixt Marriages with the Egyptians, among whom they live; as Lev. xxiv.10. And following the Customs of Egypt, they make prohibited Matches among themselves, as Exod. ii.1. Lev. xviii.3, and 12.

Thus when his Church grows thus degenerate in Egypt, God hath ready a Church to shew among the Heathen,* 1.57 (thereby to provoke Israel to Jealou∣sie) even in the House of Job in Arabia. Whose like Israel had not,Job i.8. after the Death of Levi, and the Birth of Moses. God also cha∣stiseth them by hard Af∣fliction an Hundred and Twenty Years together, according to the time of the old World, Gen. vi.

Notes

• * 1.1

  After the end of Gen. iii. take in the three first Verses of Chap. ii.

  That Adam fell on the day of his Creation, were there no other Evidence, Gen. v. 2. were suffi∣cient.
• * 1.2

  GEN. IV.
• † 1.3

  The Original Words may well, if not best, bear this Sense.
• † 1.4

  The common Gloss upon ver. 7. Sin lies at the Door: That is, the Punishment for Sin is ready to seize on thee, is that, contrary to the Sense of the Verse going be∣fore, and the latter end of that Verse. God comes not there to deject, but comfort him. The Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 translated Sin, sig∣nifies the Sacrifice for Sin, all along Leviticus, which was brought to the Tabernacle Door.
• * 1.5

  This Chapter undertaking to set down the Wickedness of Cain's Brood, runs on with the holy Line, till it stop at Enosh. In whose time that Wickedness began to be notorious. See 2 Pet. ii.5.
• * 1.6

  GEN. V. This Chapter is a a Chronicle of 1656 Years, from the Creation to Methuse∣lah's Death. This time is cal∣led, Early in the M••••ning, or the dawning of the Day, Mat. xx.1. This Chapter, cast into a Chronological Table, giveth much Light to what went be∣fore, to what follows, and to it self.
• * 1.7

  That Sem was Noah's second Son, collect from Gen. v.32. and vii.11. and xi.10.
• * 1.8

  GEN. VII.
• † 1.9

  Methuselah dieth at the most not above Forty Days before the Rains begin. This Enoch foresaw, when he named him so. Methushelah, He dieth, and it is sent.
• * 1.10

  GEN. VIII.
• * 1.11

  GEN. IX.
• * 1.12

  The Doctrine of Transub∣stantiation is against this Law of Nature and Nations.
• † 1.13

  The Rainbow the likeli∣est Sacrament to be of Acci∣dents, that ever was, yet are they in a subject. Transub∣stantiation teacheth strange Philosophy.
• * 1.14

  GEN. X, XI. These two Chapters may seem to lye wrong, in that the Dispersion of Nations is told, Chap. x. before the Cause of it; which was the building of Babel, Chap. xi. But the reason of reckon∣ing thus is, to shew first, that the Sons of Sem, Ham and Ja∣phet, were alike accessary to that Rebellion; and that when he had related the Story of Ba∣bel, and the Dispersion, he might follow the Story of Heber, and that Family that held to the first Tongue.
• * 1.15

  The Ages of these Fathers, before the Tower, are summed up, because there is no m••re to be said of them. Cast this Chapter into a Chronological Table, and you shall find Eber alive after A••raham is dead. In all this Chapter it is not said, 〈…〉〈…〉, as Gen. v. till it come to Terah, and Terah died in 〈◊〉〈◊〉. In Gen. v. it is said of those Fathers, that they Died; to 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ that they were not swept away with the Flood. 〈…〉〈…〉, with whom this Genealogy begins, is alive, and 〈…〉〈…〉 the Name of Melchizedek, Gen. xiv. 〈…〉〈…〉 the rest are not mentioned, till Terah; 〈…〉〈…〉, to shew, that Abram left 〈…〉〈…〉 Terah's Age at Abram's Birth 〈…〉〈…〉. 4. Gen. xi.3.
• * 1.16

  GEN. XII.
• † 1.17

  Compare Deut. xxvii. and Josh. viii. with this.
• * 1.18

  GEN. XIII.
• * 1.19

  GEN. XIV.
• † 1.20

  The Tribes are Stars in Joseph's Dream, Gen. xxxvii.
• * 1.21

  GEN. XV.
• * 1.22

  GEN. XVI.
• * 1.23

  GEN. XVII.
• † 1.24

  From this, that Abram hath a new Name given him, when the Command of Circumcision is given him, after-times used to give Names to their Children at their Circumcision, Luk. i.59. and ii.21. as Christians do now at Baptism.
• * 1.25

  GEN. XVIII.
• * 1.26

  GEN. XIX.
• * 1.27

  GEN. XX.
• * 1.28

  GEN. XXI.
• * 1.29

  GEN. XXII.
• * 1.30

  GEN. XXIII.
• * 1.31

  GEN. XXIV.
• * 1.32

  GEN. XXV.
• * 1.33

  GEN. XXVI.
• * 1.34

  GEN. XXVII.
• * 1.35

  GEN. XXVIII.
• * 1.36

  GEN. XXIX.
• * 1.37

  GEN. XXX.
• * 1.38

  XXXI.
• * 1.39

  XXXII.
• * 1.40

  XXXIII.
• * 1.41

  GEN. XXXIV.
• * 1.42

  GEN. XXXV.
• * 1.43

  GEN. XXXVI.
• * 1.44

  GEN. XXXVII, XXXVIII.
• * 1.45

  GEN. XXXIX.
• * 1.46

  GEN. XL.
• * 1.47

  XLI.
• * 1.48

  XLII.
• * 1.49

  XLIII.
• * 1.50

  XLIV.
• * 1.51

  XLV.
• * 1.52

  XLVI.
• * 1.53

  GEN. XLVII.
• * 1.54

  XLVIII.
• * 1.55

  XLIX.
• * 1.56

  L.
• * 1.57

  IOB. After Genesis, in or∣der of time, lies the Story, and Book of Job. Which to read here, before you begin with Exodus, will breed Interrupti∣on of a continued Story. But when you do read Job, remem∣ber his time; and withal exa∣mine and mark, how he and his Friends speak closely of foregoing Stories. As of the Creation, Chap. xxxviii, xxxix, &c. The Fall of Angels and Men, Chap. iv. latter end, Chap. v.2. Cain's Case, who was hid from God's Favour, yet hedged in that he could not die, Chap. iii.21. The Fl••••d and old World, Chap. xxii.6. Babel's Builders, Chap. iii.13. &c. V. 13. These and other such things you may find closely couched in their Speeches; which they came to know partly by Tradition, partly by living so near Israel, partly by Revelation; as Chap. iv.12. and Chap. xxxviii.1.