For first,1 it is no such thing, but that the greatest enemies of God, hated of him, and cast out for ever from him have had it as well as others; what a succession of Princes and Dukes came from the loins of Esau? there reigned eight Kings in Edom, before there was a King over the children of Israel; yea before the government of Moses, and they flourished till the days of Obadiah, no less then twelve hundred years, yea they lived to see the ruin of the second Temple, as we find it related by Josephus: 2whatsoever is common to wicked men, Gods enemies, surely it hath no great excellency in it, neither should it be in high ⟨p. 14⟩esteem with us. That is observable that we find, Deut. 2. 12. and ver. 22. 23. where the Lord would teach Israel not to insult upon their outward conquests: he gives this reason, because they were such as he had given to others before them, who were wicked. In Seir, says the text, The Horims dwelt before time, and the sons of Esau possessed them, and destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead, as Israel did unto the land of his possession: [as Israel did] Israel had not yet possessed, but this is spoke prophetically, as it was afterwards in the days of Joshua; as if God should say, This is a favour indeed towards you, to make you conquerors over your enemies, to give their countries into your possession, this is an honour put upon you, but it is no other favour, no higher honour, then wicked profane Esau hath had before you, therefore you have no great cause to be puffed up with it. That which the Lord saith here of conquest, is true of parentage, of riches, of honour, of all outward excellencies, ⟨p. 15⟩they are indeed favours of the Lord, but no such excellent things, but that they have been made common to the enemies of the Lord; and therefore there is great reason that our hearts should not be puffed up with them, but sit loose from them.
For first,1 it is no such thing, but that the greatest enemies of God, hated of him, and cast out for ever from him have had it as well as others; what a succession of Princes and Dukes came from the loynes of Esau? there reigned eight Kings in Edom, before there was a King over the children of Israel; yea before the government of Moses, and they flourished till the dayes of Obadiah, no lesse then twelve hundred yeares, yea they lived to see the ruine of the second Temple, as wee finde it related by Josephus: 2whatsoever is common to wicked men, Gods enemies, surely it hath no great excellency in it, neither should it be in high ⟨p. 14⟩esteeme with us. That is observable that we finde, Deut. 2. 12. and ver. 22. 23. where the Lord would teach Israel not to insult upon their outward conquests: hee gives this reason, because they were such as hee had given to others before them, who were wicked. In Seir, saies the text, The Horims dwelt before time, and the sonnes of Esau possessed them, and destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their steade, as Israel did unto the land of his possession: [as Israel did] Israel had not yet possessed, but this is spoke prophetically, as it was afterwards in the dayes of Ioshua; as if God should say, This is a favour indeede towards you, to make you conquerours over your enemies, to give their countries into your possession, this is an honour put upon you, but it is no other favour, no higher honour, then wicked prophane Esau hath had before you, therefore you have no great cause to bee puffed up with it. That which the Lord saith here of conquest, is true of parentage, of riches, of honour, of al outward excellencies, ⟨p. 15⟩they are indeede favours of the Lord, but no such excellent things, but that they have beene made common to the enemies of the Lord; and therefore there is great reason that our hearts should not bee puffed up with them, but sit loose from them.
- 1Reas. 1.
- 2Joseph. de belle Judaico. lib. 7. cap. 22.Ioseph. de belle Iudaico. lib. 7. cap. 22.
