And Jacob said] By this reproofe of Simeon and Levi, Jacob witnesseth his great dislike of their wickednesse; But he seemeth to take the matter upon himselfe, when he assigneth that which was gotten from the Shechemites to the power of his sword and bow for obtainment, and bequeatheth it for enjoyment unto Joseph, Genesis 49:22. Which words of Jacob are taken by some Interpreters as a Prophesie fulfilled in the expulsion of the Canaanites by his posteritie, whose bow he calls his bow, because they were then in his loynes, and speaks of the conquest as already made, because of the undoubted assurance of it upon Gods promise; but most take the words in an historicall sense, and so some referre them to this exploit of his sonnes Simeon and Levi against the Shechemites, wherein he approves of the fact, but so farre onely as it was the execution of Gods Justice for the injury to his daughter, and as God confirmed that title of what was taken from them by casting an awe upon the neighbouring Canaanites, that they durst not offer either revenge, or rescue of the prey out of his possession; this was Gods Sword and Bow, and he may be said to all it his because of the late great league betwixt God and him, whereof, see Genesis 32:28. &Genesis 33:20. but it is rather meant of that parcell of ground which Jacob bought of Hamor, Shechems father, who (Genesis 48:22.) might be called an Amorite, though he were an Hivite, either because he might be an Amorite by parentage, an Hivite by possession, or dwelling place; or the Amorites mingled with the Hivites, and being of more note then they might give the denomination for them both; and, (which is more then that) the Amorites were so famous among the Canaanites, as to give a name to all the people of the Land of Canaan, Genesis 15:16. This Land being Jacobs by particular purchase he bequeathed it with especiall favour as a Legacie to Joseph as a portion above his brethren, as he saith, Chap. 48. vers. 22. Object. But he bought this with his money or lambes, Chap. 33. vers. 19. How then did he take it with his sword and his bow? Answ. It is not unusuall in Metaphoricall phrase to call that by the name of a sword, and a bow, which in effect and use is answerable to them now, Money is (as Solomon saith) answerable to all things, Ecclesiastes 10:19. it is a defence, Ecclesiastes 7:12. and can do as much as the sword, and the bow, thence was the saying of a publique Warrier, that no City was so strongly walled, but an Asse, laden with gold, might make a breach into it; so may gold be called Artillerie, and great Ordnance, and silver may be called an hooke to take fish, and he that buyes it may be said (according to the proverbe) To catch it with a silver hooke; in like manner Jacobs silver wherewith he bought the ground, may be said to be taken with the sword, and bow; and he may use this phrase in this sense, with particular opposition to the bloody sword, and bow of his sonne Simeon and Levi: Or that which Jacob thus purchased might be violently invaded by the Amorite when he departed thence towards Hebron, and might by force of Armes of Jacob his sonnes and servants be recovered againe, as some conceive not without probabilitie; for though nothing of faith or life necessary to salvation be left out of the Scriptures, yet many particular actions, and occurrences are omitted in the History of both Testaments; and in this particular story of the slaughter and spoile of the Shechemites, though it be not set downe what became of the captives of women and children which were brought away by Simeon, and Levi, vers. 29. it is not unlike that many of them were by Jacob sent back to the Citie, (for he had not roome for them at home) with a proportion of the spoyle for their necessary maintenance, keeping what he thought sit to serve for a recompence of the wrong to his deflowred daughter. ye have troubled me] A wicked man is a troublesome mn, troublesome not onely to others, as Achan, Joshua 7:25. Ahab,1 Kings 18:18. but to himselfe, and therefore he is compared to the troubled Sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt, Isaiah 57:20. made me] Though with God the soule of the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father, nor the father the iniquitie of the sonne, Ezekiel 18:20. with men it is usually otherwise; for the miscarriage of the children is many times imputed to the reproach of the parents, though they deserve it no more then Jacob did here; the more must their care be by good example, and education, and by constant prayer to God, for his blessing upon it, to doe their best to make them unblameable in their wayes, and free from all scandall in their lives, and conversation; this would be a comfort and credit to both sides; and the contrary a double discomfort and disgrace, to parents, and children. stinke] (Exodus 5:21. 1 Chronicles 19:6.) Crueltie and treacherie are odious, and abominable sinnes, both in the sight of God and men, good, and bad; in the sight of the good, by whomsoever they be committed; and in the sight of the bad, if committed by any, but by themselves: for this the Popish Religion is infamous, and the infamie of it should make us keepe aloofe from the ill sent of that abomination. I being few] That is, I and my family consisting of a small number; The dwelling of a few faithfull among many Infidels is very dangerous; such is the condition of the Protestants with the Papists who are many for one in the Kingdome of Ireland, who now have shewed themselves as treacherous, and cruell as Simeon and Levi; who not under the check of a good father Jacob, but spurred on rather by the spirit of Esau, a man of the sword, Genesis 27:40. shew no moderation, or mercy in persecution, and pursuit of those, over whom the confidence in their overmatching number makes them insult, and with more intolerable Tyrannie to oppresse them; which will no doubt be a warning to our brethren, if they recover peace in that land, to be more curious in their course of life, that they may rather sweeten their reputation with pious, modest, temperate, chast, kind, and humble behaviour, then by any contrary excesses give any just cause of scandall to make them as it were to stinke and be abominable to those that live among or about them; It may be an admonition to England to use all good meanes to lessen the number of our English Papists, I meane not by putting them to the sword, for that is their way of advancing their Religion, but by driving out of Priests and Jesuits who seduce them; and by removall of the great scandals of lewd and unlearned Ministers, by setting up godly, able, and painfull Preachers, with especiall choice of them for their gifts and parts, for those places where Papists doe most abound; by taking the children of Papists, especially their heires, from the corrupt education of their owne parents, and placing them where they may be trained up in the truth of doctrine, and holynesse of life, and by other waies and meanes which the wisdome of the State conceiveth to be most meet to worke this effect.