behold the face of God the Father and of his Son here is one held forth in the next verse Vers 5. Every word of God is pure Oda septima Pind. tanta fuit admirationis apud Rhodios ut fuerit scripta in templo aure is literis c. Joh. Manl. loc Com. 414. he is a shield Albeit all the sacred sentences contain'd in this blessed book are pure precious and profitable yet as one star in Heaven out-shineth another so doth one Proverb another and this is among the rest velut inter stellas luna minores an eminent sentence often recorded in Scripture and far better worthy than ever Pindarus his seventh Ode was to be written in letters of gold Every word of God is pure purer than gold tried in the fire Rev. 3.17 purer than silver tried in a furnace and seven times purified Psal 12.6 Julian therefore that odious Apostate is not to be hearkened to who said there was as good stuff in Phocillides as in Salomon in Pindarus his Odes as in Davids Psalms Nor is that brawling dog Porphyry to be regarded who blasphemously accuseth Daniel the Prophet and Matthew the Evangelist Spec. Europae as writers of lies Os durum The Jesuits some of them say little less of Saint Pauls Epistles which they could wish by some means censured and reformed as dangerous to be read and savouring of heresie in some places Traditions they commonly account the touch-stone of doctrine and foundation of faith the Scriptures to be rather a Commonitorium as Bellarmine calls it a kind of store-house for advice Greg. in 3. Reg. then Cor animam Dei the heart and soul of God as Gregory calls them a Fortress against Errours Firmamentum contra errores Aug. in Johan 1. Tract 2. Possevin Appar sac verbo Pat. Antiq as Augustine The Apostle calleth concupiscence sin at non licet nobis ita loqui but we may not call it so saith Possevine the Jesuit The Author to the Hebrews saith Marriage is honourable among all men but the Rhemists on 1 Cor. 7.9 say that the marriage of Priests is the worst sort of incontinency Christ saith the Sin against the Holy Ghost hath no remission Bellarmine saith that it may be forgiven The Council of Constance comes in with a non-obstance against Christs institution Lib. 2. de Paeâ—it cap. 16. Montan. in 1 Cor. 14. withholding the Cup from the People at the Sacrament And a Parisian Doctor tells us that although the Apostle would have sermons and service celebrated in a known tongue yet the Church for very good cause hath otherwise ordered it Bishop Bonners Chaplain called the Bible in scorn his little pretty Gods book and judged it worthy to be burnt tanquam doctrina peregrina as strange doctrine Gilford and Raynolds said it contained some things prophane and apocryphal Others have stiled it the mother of heresie and therefore not fit to be read by the common people lest they suck poyson out of it Prodigious blasphemy Of the purity and perennity of the holy Scriptures See more in my True treasure pag. 85.139 He is a shield to them that put their trust in him See Gen. 15.1 with the note and Prov. 29.25 Buxtorf Tiberias Vers 6. Adde thou not unto his words As the Jews at this day do by their traditions which they arrogantly call Mashlamnutha Completio perfectio because they think that thereby the Law is compleated and perfected as the Artemonites Brightm upon Rev. p. 292. and after them the school-men corrupted the Scripture out of Aristotle and Theophrastus turning all into questions and quillets As Mahomet joyned his Alfurta his service book an horrible heap of all blasphemies to the three parts of holy Scripture as he divides them the Law Psalmes and Gospel As the Papists adde their humane inventions and unwritten verities which they equallize unto if not prefer before the book of God as appears by that Heathenish decree of the Council of Trent And when at the Council of Basil the Hussites denied to receive any doctrine that could not be proved by Scripture Jacob Revius hist Pontif. p. 235. Cardinal Cusan answered that Scriptures were not of the being of the Church but of the well-being and that they were to be expounded according to the current rite of the Church which if it change its mind the judgement of God is also changed Lastly such adde to Gods Word as wrest it and rack it making it speak that which it never thought causing it to go two miles where it would go but one gnawing and tawing it to their own purposes as the Shoo-maker taws his upper-leather with his teeth Tertullian calls Marcion the heretick Mus Ponticus of his arroding and gnawing the Scripture to make it serviceable to his errours Lest he reprove thee Both verbally and penally both with words and blows Lest he severely punish thee as one that addes to his will or imbaseth his coyn And thou be found a lier As all Popish forgers and foysters at this day are found to be God hath ever raised up such as have detected their impostures and vindicated the purity and perfection of the sacred Scriptures Vers 7. Two things have I required of thee Two special requests he had among many for our present condition is a condition of singular vanity and indigency we get our living by begging and are never without somewhat to bee required of God never without out wants and aylments and sutes for supplies Deny me them not See here both his familiarity with God in Prayer and his importunity for a lazie Sutâ—r beggs a denial Agur therefore re-enforceth his request it was honest else he would never have begun it but being so he is resolved to follow it So doth David with his one thing which hee did desire and he would desire Psal 27.4 he would never give it over So Jacob would have a blessing and therefore wrastles with might and slight and this he doth in the night and alone and when God was leaving him and upon one legge He had a hard pull of it and yet he prevailed Let me goe saith God No thou shalt not goe saith Jacob till I have my request It is not unlawful for us to be unmannerly in Prayer to be importunate and after a sort impudent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 11.8 Propter improbitatem Luke 18.8 Was not the Woman of Canaan so Matth. 15.22 Shee came for a Cure and a Cure she would have and had it too with an high commendation of her heroical faith Christ he was no Penny-father he had more blessings than one even the abundance of Spirit for them that ask it When poor men make requests to us we usually answer them as the Eccho doth the voyce the answer cuts off half the Petition if they ask us two things we think we deal well if we grant them one Few Naamans that when you beg one talent will force
â—…a Effigies IOHANNIS TRAPP A. M. Aetat Suae 59. 1660. A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION UPON These following Books of holy Scripture Proverbs of Solomon Ecclesiastes the Song of Songs Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Being a Third Volume of ANNOTATIONS Upon the whole BIBLE By John Trapp M. A. once of christ-Christ-Church in Oxford now Pastour of Weston upon Avon in Glocester-shire LONDON Printed by Robert White for Nevil Simmons Bookseller in Kederminster and are to be sold by Henry Mortlock at the Phenix in Pauls Church-yard and by Thomas Basset in Dunstans Church-yard in Fleet-street Anno Dom. 1660. To the Worshipful his much honoured Friends Edward Stephens of Sadbury Esq together with the Worshipful Colonel Thomas Stephens Esq and his thrice-Worthy Consort Mris Katharine Stephens as also to their only Son Mr. Thomas Stephens the younger Much honoured and dearly beloved in the Lord I No sooner bethought me of this Dedication then there came likewise into my mind that Apostolical Distinction of true Christians into Fathers Young men and Little children 1 John 2.12 13. All these taken conjunctim Saint John had by a most kind compellation called Little children ver 1. My little children saith he these things write I unto you as in an Epistle Dedicatory that ye sin not sc sinningly as chap. 3.6 and mortally as chap. 5.16 But if any man do sin as alas we can do no less we have an Advocate with the Father appearing for us as a Lawyer appeareth for his Client Heb. 9.24 even Jesus Christ the just one Vorstius the Judges own Son and he is the propitiation that is the Propitiatour by a Metalepsis for our sins Learn this in general saith the holy Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1.9 and hold it fast as with both hands for it is of the very foundation As for particulars I have yet somewhat more to say to you divisim severally and asunder And first for you Little children or Babes in Christ who have had your spiritual Conception Gal. 4.19 Birth 1 Pet. 1.23 and are now in your child-hood 1 Cor. 3.12 Heb. 5.13 as well appeareth 1. Because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake ver 12. for an assurance whereof God hath given you the Sacrament of Baptism to signifie as by sign to ascertain you as by seal to convey to you as by instrument Christ Jesus with all his benefits 2. Because ye have known the Father in some degree at least whilest he hath inwardly sealed you up by his Spirit set his mark upon you and sent you word as it were how well he loveth you Now then the lesson that I have to lay before you Little Ones is only this That it is the last hour and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even now there are many Antichrists abroad ver 18. look well to your selves therefore that ye be not beguiled as little ones are apt to be that ye fall not from your own stedfastness but for a Preservative grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to him be glory both now and for ever Amen 2 Pet. 3.18 Next for you Fathers you that are old Disciples as Mnason is called Acts 21.16 you that are already gray-headed and experienced Christians Saints of the first magnitude Ephes 4.13 such as the Psalmist celebrateth Psalm 92.14 I grant that ye have known him that is from the beginning ver 13. and I say it again for your singular commendation and encouragement Ye have known him that is from the beginning ver 14. even that Antient of daies whose head and hair are white like wool as white as snow Rev. 1.14 You know him I say with a knowledge not only Apprehensive and Disciplinary but also Affective and Directive of your whole life Nevertheless I must friendly forewarn you of this one thing Old Melancthon was much delighted with that saying of Achilles in Philostratus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though ye know it already Love not the world neither the things that are in the world ver 15. 'T is strange you should and yet 't is often seen you do dote over impotently on these things here below even then when you have one foot in the grave and should have the other foot in heaven whether ye are hasting The higher the Sun the shorter surely should be the shade The nearer to the Sea the sooner should come in the tide And as in a Piramide the higher you go the lesser compass you find So ought it to be with you Reverend Fathers upon whose heads God hath set a silver crown of hoary hairs already and will shortly set upon them an immarcessible crown of glory Lastly for you Young men that are not only past the spoon but come to a well-grown age in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have to praise you for this and again I praise you that ye have in a good measure overcome that wicked One the Troubler ver 13 14. because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you ver 14 But yet as strong as ye are and the glory of young men Heb. of choice young men is their strength Prov. 20.29 well improved by you because made use of against the devil yet let me caution you also as well as Elder Saints to beware of the world a subtile a sly enemy and very insinuative into the best breasts Love not the world neither the things that are in the world is your lesson too ver 15. Divorce the flesh from the world and then your Adversary the Devil can do you no hurt Hitherto worthy Sirs you have heard the beloved Disciple only glossed and paraphrased a little and a better you cannot hear for he was à secretis to the wonderful Counsellour and leaned on his bosom Shall I now take the humble boldness Gentlemen after so great an Apostle to bespeak you severally in like sort only with a little inversion of the Apostles order And first for you Sir the Grand-sire the Antientest and most honourable of this thrice-worthy Ternio besides your singular sagacity and prudence both civil and sacred the holy Apostles character of a Father these four Notes of an old man in Christ are all fairly pensil'd out and exemplified in your religious and righteous life and practice absit verbo invidia as in any mans I know alive at this day 1. Such an one is exceeding humble as Abraham was Gen. 18.27 I am but dust and ashes as Jacob was Gen. 32.10 I am less then the least of thy loving kindnesses Lord as David was Psalm 22.6 I am a worm and no man as Nehemiah was when he prayed for pardon of his Reformations chap. 13 22. As Paul was with his Minimissimus sum so Estius rendereth him Ephes 3.8 as Ignatius was with his Tantillitas nostra our utmost meanness as Austin was with his Non sum dignus quem tu diligas I am utterly unworthy
of the chiefest good Serranus compiled and composed with such a picked frame of words with such pithy strength of sentences with such a thick series of demonstrative arguments that the sharp wit of all the Philosophers compared with this Divine discourse seems to be utterly cold and of small account 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Experientia optima magistra their elaborate Treatises of Happiness to be learned dotages and laborious losse of time How many several opinions there were amongst them concerning the Chief Good in Solomon's days is uncertain divers of them hee confuteth in this book and that from his own experience the best School-dame But Varro the learned'st of the Romans reckoneth up 280 in his time and no wonder considering mans natural blindness not unlike that of the Syrians at Dothan Aug. de civ Dei lib. 18. or that of the Sodomites at Lots door What is an eye without the optick spirit but a dead member and what is all humane wisdom without divine illumination but wickedness of folly yea foolishness of madness as our Preacher not without good cause calleth it A spirit there is in man saith Elihu viz. the light of reason and thus far the Animal-man goes and there hee makes an halt Eccles 7.15 hee cannot transcend his orb but the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Job 32.8 God had given Solomon wisdom above any man Abulensis saith above Adam in his innocency which I believe not He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Macarius was called a man at twelve years old Niceph. His Father had taught him Prov. 4.4 His Mother had lessoned him Prov. 31.1 The Prophet Nathan had had the breeding of him But besides as he was Jedidiah loved of God so he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God And being now when hee penned this Penitential Sermon grown an old man he had experimented all this that hee here affirmeth So that hee might better begin his speech to his scholars than once Augustus Caesar did to his souldiers Audite senem juvenes quem juvenem senes audierunt Young men hearken to mee an old man whom old men hearkened unto when I was yet but young Have not I written for you excellent things in counsels and knowledge Prov. 22.20 Or Have I not written three books for thee so some read those words Proverbial Penitential Nuptial See the Note there Nescis temerarie nescis Ovid. Metam Quem fugias ideoque fugis Job 4. Esay 55. Surely if thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that speaketh unto thee thou wouldst encline thine ear and hear thou wouldst listen as for life it self Knowest thou not that I am a Preacher a Prince Son of David King in Jerusalem 2 Cor. 3.1 Regis epistolis acceptis quo calamo scriptae sint ridiculum est quaerere Greg. Luke 13.28 Bellarminus Solomonem inter reprobos numerat and so do come multis nominibus tibi commendatissimus much commended to thee in many respects But need I as some others epistles of commendation to my Readers or Letters of commendation from them Is it not sufficient to know that this book of mine both for matter and words is the very work of the Holy Ghost speaking in mee and writing by mee For Prophecy comes not by the will of man but holy men of God speak it as they are moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 And albeit this be proof good enough of my true though late repentance whereof some have doubted some denied it yet take another Of the Preacher Or of a preaching Soul for the Hebrew word Koheleth is of the feminine gender and hath Nephesh Soul understood or of a person re-united and reconciled to the Church Anima congregata cum Ecclesia se colligens Cartw. and in token of reconciliation to God re-admitted by him to this Office in his Church like as Christ sealed up his love to Peter after his shameful fall by bidding him feed his lambs and to the rest of the Apostles that had basely forsaken him by saying to them after his resurrection Peace be unto you As my Father hath sent mee even so send I you Receive yee the holy Ghost John 20.21 See the like mercy shewed to St. Paul 1 Tim. 1.12 Howbeit some learned men here observe that it is no new thing in the Hebrew tongue to put feminine names upon men as Ezra is called Sophereth descriptrix a Shee-scribe in the very same form as Solomon is here called Koheleth a Preacheress and the Gospel-preachers Mebaseroth Psal 68.11 with Esay 52.7 either to set forth the excellency and elegancy of the business or else to teach Ministers to keep themselves pure as Virgins whence they are also called Wisdomes Maids Prov. 9.3 and Christs Paranymphs John 3.29 to present the Church as a chaste Virgin to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 The Son of David So Christ also is said to be Mat. 1.1 as if David had been his immediate father The glory of children are their fathers Prov. 17.6 to wit if they be godly and pious The Jews made great boasts that they were the seed of Abraham Mat. 3.9 John 8.33 And that caitiff Elymas the Sorcerer Act. 13.6 had surnamed himself Barjesus or the son of Jesus as if hee had been of neerest alliance to our Saviour of whom all the families of heaven and earth are called Eph. 3. What an honour is it now accounted to be of the posterity of Latimer Bradford Ridley c How much more of David that man of renown the Father of our princely Preacher who himself took also not scorn to teach and do the office of a Preacher Psal 32.9 and 34.11 though he were the Governour of Gods people Psal 78.71 and head of many Heathen Psal 18.43 The like may be said of Joseph of Arimathea who of a Counsellor of State became a preacher of the Gospel so did Chrysostome a noble Antiochian Ambrose Lieutenant and Consul of Millain George Prince of Anhalt Earl Martinengus John a Lasco a noble Polonian and sundry others of like quality and condition Psal 138.4 5. and 119.72 the Psalmist shews by prophecying that they that have tasted of the joys of a crown shall leave the throne and palace to sing with the Saints and to publish the excelling glory of God and godliness King in Jerusalem and of Jerusalem The Pope will allow the Duke of Millain to be King in Tuscany but not King of Tuscany Solomon was both Prov. 1.1 See the Note there Spec. Europ Hither came the Queen of Sheba from the utmost parts of the earth to hear him here hee wrote this excellent book these words of delight which he had learned from that one Shepheard the Lord Christ ch 12.10 11. and hath left them faithfully set down for the use of the Church so honouring learning with his own labours as Sylverius said of Caesar Here lastly it was that he soveraigned
Ephes 2.14 New attendance Psal 91.11 New wages new work Isa 62.11 A new Commandement 1 Joh. 2.8 A new Covenant Jer. 31.33 A new way to Heaven Heb. 10.20 And a new Mansion in Heaven Joh. 14.2 2 Cor. 5.8 Vers 11. There is no remembrance of former things None to speak of How many memorable matters were never recorded How many ancient records long since perished How many fragments of very good Authors are come bleeding to our hands that live as many of our Castles doe but only by their ruines God hath by a Miracle preserved the holy Bible from the injury of times and Tyrants who have sought to abolish it There wee have a true remembrance of former things done in the Church by Abraham and his off-spring when the Grandees of the Earth Ninus Belus c. lye wrapt up in the sheet of shame or buried in the grave of utter oblivion Diodorus Siculus confesseth that all Heathen antiquities before the Theban and Trojan Warres are either fabulous relations or little better Ezra that wrote one of the last in the Old Testament lived afore any Chronicles of the world now extant in the world Neither shall there be any remembrance Unless transmitted to posterity by Books and Writings which may preserve and keep alive their memory and testifie for their Authors that such have one day lived Quis nosset Erasmum Chilias aeternum si latuisset opus Niniveh that great City is nothing else but a sepulture of her self no more shall Rome be ere long Time shall triumph over it when it shall but then live by fame if at all as others now doe Vers 12. I the Preacher was King over Israel And so had all the helps that heart could wish the benefit of the best Books and Records that men or mony could bring me in the happinesse of holy conference beside mine own plentiful experience and therefore you may well give credit to my verdict Mr. Fox had a large Commission under the Great Seal to search for all such Monuments Manuscripts Registers legier-Legier-books as might make for his purpose in setting forth that worthy Work the Acts and Monuments of the Church of England And the like had Polydor Virgil for the framing of his History though with unlike successe for he had the ill hap to write nothing well saith one Peacham save the life of Henry the seventh wherein he had reason to take a little more pains than ordinary the Book being dedicated to Henry the eighth his Son See the note on vers 1. Vers 13. And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdome God had given Solomon a large heart and great store of wisdome and this made him not more idle but more industrious more sedulous and serious in seeking and searching out by wisdome i. e. by the best skill that hee had maturely and methodically the causes properties and effects with the reason of all things that are and are done under heaven Neither did he this in pride and curiosity as Hugo de Sancto Victore here sharply censureth him but soberly and modestly setting down his disquisitions and observations of things Political and Natural for the use of posterity And forasmuch as these are now lost because haply too much admired and trusted to 1 King 4 3â— by those that had the use of them under the first Temple in and with the which some Jewes say they were burnt what an high price should we all set upon this and the other two Books of Solomon the wisest of men as not Apollo but the true God of Heaven hath called him and commended him unto us Surely as in the Revelation Heaven never opened but some great Mystery was revealed some Divine Oracle uttered So we may be confident that the Holy Ghost never sets any Pen-man of Scripture a work but for excellent purpose And if we dis-regard it he will complain of us as once Hos 8.12 I have written for them the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing As for those other worthy Works of Solomon the fruits of this privie search into the natures of the Creatures here mentioned that the injury of time hath bereft us of how much better may we say of them Rolloc de vocatione p. 130. than a godly and learned man once did of Origens Octapla Hujus operis jacturam deplorare possumus compensare non possumus This great losse we may well bewayl but cannot help Vers 14. I have seen all the works that are done I have seen them and set down mine observations of them 1 King 4.33 Pliny did somewhat like unto this in his Natural History which work of his saith Erasmus Non minus varium est quam ipsa rerum natura imo non opus sed the saurus sed vere mundus rerum cognitu dignissimarum it hath as much variety in it as Nature her self hath To speak truth it is not a Work but a Treasury nay a world of things most worthy to be known of all men And behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit Nothing in themselves and yet of sufficient activity to inflict vengeance and vexation upon the spirit of a man so farre are they from making him truly happy They doe but feed the soul with wind as the text may be rendred wind gotten into the veins is a sore vexation Vers 15. That which is crooked cannot bee made streight Most men are so wedded and wedged to their wicked wayes that they cannot bee rectified but by an extraordinary touch from the hand of Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hes Hesiod speaking of God saith that he can easily set crooked things streight and only hee Holy Melanchthon being himself newly converted thought it impossible for his Hearers to withstand the evidence of the Gospel But after he had been a Preacher a while he complained that old Adam was too hard for young Melanchthon and yet besides the singular skil and learning that God had given him for the which he merited to be called the Phoenix of Germany Ad cum modum in hoc vitae theatro versatum Philippum Melanchthonem apparet saith a friend and Scholar of his i. e. It well appeareth that Melanchthon was Solomon-like on this wise busied upon the Theatre of his life that seeing and observing all he could he made profit of every thing and stored his heart as the Bee doth her Hive out of all sorts of flowers for the common benefit Howbeit he met with much crosness and crookedness that wrâ—ng many tears from him as it did likewise from St. Paul Phil. 3.18 not in open enemies only as Eccius and other Papists but in professed friends as Flaccius Osiander Melch. Adam in vita Mel Melanchthon mortuus tantum non ut blasphemus in Deum cruci affigitur Zanch. Miscel ep ded c. who not only vexed him grievously whiles alive but also fell foul upon him when he was dead
died saw a list of their names who conspired with the King of France and Earl Richard his sonne and successor against him And finding therein his son John whom hee had made Earl of Cornwal Sommerset Nottingham Derby and Lancaster and given him a vast estate to bee the first he fell into a grievous passion both cursing his sons and the day wherein himself was born Dan. hist 112. and in that distemperature departs the world which so often himself had distempered Vers 20. Therefore I went about to cause my heart c. i. e. I set my self to take off the edge of my affections from these outward comforts that are so uncertain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Symmachus Metaph. ab equis quos qui agitant circumagunt and so unsatisfactory and to take another course for the attaining of true happinesse The Hebrew word signifies I set a compass I turned round or I turned short again upon my self by a reflex act of my mind as Ephraim did Jer. 31.19 20. as the prodigal did when hee came to himself who before had been besides himself in point of salvation and as Solomon elsewhere prays that the captive people may bethink themselves or as the Hebrew hath it bring back to their heart 1 King 8.47 return and discern between the righteous and the wicked Mal. 3.18 Thus David examined his ways and finding all to be naught and stark naught contrary to that of God who reviewing his works found all good and very good hee bethought himself of a better course hee turned his feet to Gods testimonies Psal 119.59 Set not thy heart upon the asses said the Prophet to Saul forasmuch as better things abide thee the desire of all Israel is to thee Vers 21. For there is a man whose labour is in wisdome This seemed to Solomon whose own case it was like to be so unworthy a thing and such a vexation of spirit that hee can never say enough of it but could find in his heart to cry out with the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am thrice miserable nay ten times nay an hundred nay a thousand times so that am born to be a provident and a perfect drudge of an idledrone or perhaps of a meer stranger This is also vanity and a great evill Not privation of good onely a nothing but a position of evill a sad thing an inconveniency not to bee avoided by the most circumspect prudence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is written Hee taketh the wise in their own craftiness And again The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise their inward disceptations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their debating the matter with themselves that they are vain 1 Cor. 3.19 20. The rich fool talked to himself as fools use to do and set down how every thing should be Luke 12.17 but it proved somewhat otherwise ere he was a day elder Vers 22. For what hath a man of all his labour What makes hee of it every thing reckoned see chap. 1.3 what takes hee with him when hee dies more than a poor winding sheet as that Great Emperour of Egypt caused to bee proclaimed at his funeral Caron Chron. that that shirt of his there hanged up for the purpose was all that hee now had of all his labour and great atchivements Saladine the mighty Monarch of the East is gone and hath taken no more with him than what you see said the bare Priest that went before the bier Carion Chron. See the Note on 1 Tim. 6.7 Vers 23. For all his days are sorrows c. All the days of the afflicted are evil Prov. 1◠15 and every day hath a sufficient evil laid upon it by God Matth. 16.34 Few and evil were the days of Jacobs pilgrimage Gen. 47.9 God gave him not a draught only of the cup of affliction but made him a diet-drink Man is born to trouble saith Eliphaz Job 5.7 as the spark flyes upward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Isocr Man and Miserable are in a manner terms convertible He that remembers that himself is a man will not think much of any sorrow betides him saith the Heathen Oratour For Si nisi res cujus nulla est contraria votis Vivere nemo potest vivere nemo potest Yea his heart taketh no rest in the night As a clock can never stand still so long as the plummets hang thereat so neither can a worldlings heart for cares and anxieties These gnats will not suffer him to sleep these flyes of Aegypt are continually stinging him Nocte ac die non dabunt requiem as those Tyrants Jer. 16. Night and day he is disquieted with them he lyes upon a pillow stuft with thorns Not so the godly man he contracts his cares into a narrow compasse communes with his own heart upon his bed and having made all even with God sleeps undisturbed Psal 3. 4. Jacob rests sweetly when his head lay upon a hard stone at Bethel Ahasuerosh cannot rest though upon a Bed of Doun but calls for the Chronicles It was wisely done of Burleigh L. Treasurer to put off his cares together with his clothes Camden when he laid by his Gown he would commonly say Lye there Lord Treasurer and so quietly compose himself to take his sleep In nothing be careful saith the Apostle but let the peace of God guard your hearts and mindes in Christ Jesus Phil. 4.6 7. Vers 24. There is nothing better for a man c. This may seem to savour of Epicurisme as may also some following passages of this book For which cause some of the old Jew-Doctors were once in a minde to hide this whole book out of the way and not suffer the common sort to 〈◊〉 any more But this they needed never to have done for the Preacher expresly calls carnal mirth madnesse in this very chapter and sheweth that the happiness of a man stands in fearing God and keeping his Commandements chap. 12. All which is poynt-blank against Atheisme and Epicurisme And whereas here and elsewhere the liberal use of the Creatures is commended and commanded this is done in opposition to and detestation of such parsimonious penny-fathers as deny themselves that necessary and honest affluence that God hath permitted and afforded them living sordidly that they may grow rich suddenly although they know not how soon they may leave all nor yet to whom This also I saw that it was from the hand of God It is he that fills our hearts as with food so with gladnesse Acts 14.17 He can curse our blessings make our table a snare sauce that we eat spice that we drink with his fierce wrath as he did the Quails to those Israelites He can dissweeten our Delicates either with sicknesse Job 33.20 or sorrow Psal 107.17 18. or sudden terrour 1 Sam. 30.16 17. 1 King 1.41 Adoniah's feast ended in horrour astonishment was served up for their last dish Let God therefore bee
yonker thus bespeaking himself Rejoyce my soul in thy youth c. and then nips him on the crown again with that stinging But in the end of the verse Or else which I rather think by an ironical Concession hee bids him rejoyce c. yeelds him what hee would have by way of mockage and bitter-scoff like as Elias jeered the Baalites bidding them cry aloud unto their drowsie or busie God or as Micaiah bade Ahab by an holy scoff go up against Ramoth Gilead and prosper Mark 14.41 Or as our Saviour bade his drowsie Disciples Sleep on now and take your rest viz. if you can at least or have any minde to it with so many Bills and Halberds about your ears And let thine heart chear thee in the daies of thy youth In diebus electionum tuarum so Arias Montanus reads it in the daies of thy chusings that is Luke 12. when thou followest the choice and the chase of thine own desires and dost what thou wilt without controll Walk in the way of thine heart Which bids thee Eat drink and bee merry and had as lief bee knockt on the head as do otherwise Hence fasting is called an afflicting of the soul and the best finde it no less grievous to go about holy duties than it is to children to bee called from their sports and set to their books And in the sight of thine eyes Those windows of wickedness and loop-holes of lust But know Here is that which marrs all the mirth here is a cooler for the yonkers courage sowre sauce to his sweet meats for fear hee should surfeit Verbahaet Solomonis valde emphatica sunt saith Lavater there is a great deal of emphasis in these words of Solomon Let mee tell thee this as a Preacher saith hee And oh that I could get words to gore the very soul with smarting pain that this Doctrine might bee written in thy flesh That for all these things These tricae as the world accounts them these trifles and tricks of youth which Job and David bitterly bewailed as sore businesses God will bring thee to judgement Either in this life as hee did Absolom and Adoniah Hophni and Phinehas Nadab and Abihu or infallibly at thy deaths-day which indeed is thy dooms-day then God will bring thee perforce bee thou never so loth to come to it hee will hale thee to his tribunal bee it never so much against thy heart and against the hair with thee And as for the judgement what it shall bee God himself shews it Isa 28.17 Judgement will I lay to the line and righteousness to the plummet and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies and the waters shall over-flow the hiding-place Where what is the hail saith One but the multitude of accusations which shall sweep away the vain hope that men have that the infinite mercy of God will save them howsoever they live And what is the hiding-place but the multitude of excuses which men are ready to make for themselves and which the waters of Gods justice shall quite destroy and overthrow Young men of all men are apt to make a Covenant with death and to put far away from them the thought of judgement But it boots them not so to do for Senibus mors in januis adolescentibus in insidiis saith Bernard Death doth not alwaies knock at door but comes often like a lightning or thunderbolt it blasteth the green corn and consumeth the new and strong building Now at death it will fare nothing better with the wilde and wicked youngster than with that theef that having stollen a Gelding rideth away bravely mounted till such time as being overtaken by hue and cry he is soon afterwards sentenced and put to death James 4.8 Vers 10. Therefore remove sorrow from thine heart One would have thought hee should have said rather considering the premises Remove joy from thy heart Let thy laughter be turned into mourning and thy joy into heaviness turn all the streams into that chanel that may drive that Mill that may grind the heart But by sorrow here or indignation as Tremellius renders it the Preacher means sin the cause of sorrow and so hee interprets himself in the next words Put away evil from thy flesh i. e. Mortifie thy lusts For childe-hood and youth are vanity The Septuagint and Vulgar render it Youth and pleasure are vain things They both will soon bee at an end CHAP. XII Vers 1. Remember now thy Creatour HEB. Creatours scil Father Son and Holy Ghost called by Elihu Eloa Gnosai God my Makers Job 35.10 and by David the Makers of Israel Psal 149.1 so Isa 54.5 Thy Makers is thine Husbands Let us make man Gen. 1.26 and verse 1. Dei creavit Those three in One and One in Three made all things but man hee made fearfully and wonderfully Psal 139.14 The Father did it Ephes 3.9 The Son Heb. 1.8 10. Col. 1.16 The Holy Ghost Psal 33.6 and 104.30 Job 36.13 and 33.4 To the making of Man a Council was called Gen. 1.29 Sun Moon and Stars are but the work of his fingers Psal 8.3 but Man is the work of his hands Psal 139.14 Thine hands have made mee or took special pains about mee and fashioned mee saith Job chap. 10.8 thou hast formed mee by the book saith David Psal 139.16 Hence the whole Church so celebrates this great work with Crowns cast down at the Creators feet Rev. 4.10 11. And hence young men also who are mostly most mindless of any thing serious for childe-hood and youth are vanity are here charged to remember their Creatour that is as dying David taught his young Son Solomon to know love and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind 1 Chron. 28.9 for words of knowledge in Scripture imply affection and practice Tam Dei meminisse opus est quam respirare To remember God is every whit as needful as to draw breath sith it is hee that gave us being at first and that still gives us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life and breath Act. 17.25 Let every thing therefore that hath breath praise the Lord even so long as it hath breath yea let it spend and exhale it self in continual sallies as it were and egressions of affection unto God till it hath gotten not onely an union but an unity with him Of all things God cannot endure to bee forgotten In the daies of thy youth Augustus began his speech to his mutinous souldiers with Audite senem juvenes quem juvenem senes and ierunt You that are young hear mee that am old whom old men were content to hear when I was but young And Augustine beginneth one of his Sermons thus Ad vos mihi sermo O juvenes flos aetatis periculum mentis To you is my speech O young men the flower of age the danger of the mind To keep them from danger and direct them to their duty it is that the Preacher here exhorts them to remember
a diaphanous body as the word there signifies before the judgement-seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 all shall bee laid naked and open the Books of Gods Omniscience and mans Conscience also shall bee then opened and secret sins shall bee as legible in thy fore-head as if written with the brightest Stars or the most glittering Sun-beams upon a wall of Crystal Mens actions are all in print in Heaven and God will at that day read them aloud in the ears of all the world Whether it bee good or evil Then it shall appear what it is which before was not so clear like as in April both wholesome roots and poisonable discover themselves which in winter were not seen Then men shall give an account 1 De bonis commissis of good things committed unto them 2. De bonis dimissis of good things neglected by them 3. De malis commissis of evils committed by them 4. Lastly De malis permissis of evils done by others suffered by them when they might have hindered it LAUS DEO A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION UPON THE CANTICLES OR Solomons Song of Songs CHAP. I. Vers 1. The Song of Songs NOt a light Love-song as some prophane persons have fancied and have therefore held it no part of the sacred Canon Theodoret. lib. 5. de Provid Sic coena a Dionysio caeremonia caeremoniarum ab alio Pascha celebritas celebritatum dicitur But a most excellent Epithalamium a very divine Ditty an heavenly Allegory a Mystical-marriage-song called here The Song of Songs as God is called the God of Gods Deut. 10.7 as Christ is called the King of Kings Rev. 19.16 as the Most Holy is called the Holy of Holies to the which the Jew-doctors liken this Canticle as they do Ecclesiastes to the Holy place and Proverbs to the Court to signifie that it is the treasury of the most sacred and highest mysteries of holy Scripture It streams out all along under the parable of a Marriage Hieron prooem in Ezech. that full torrent of spiritual love that is betwixt Christ and the Church This is a great mystery saith that great Apostle Ephes 5.32 It passeth the capacity of man to understand it in the perfection of it Hence the Jews permitted none to read this sacred Song before thirty years of age Let him that reads think hee sees written over this Solomons porch Holiness to the Lord T. W. on Canti◠Procul hinc procul este profani nihil hic nisi castum If any think this kind of dealing to bee over-light for so grave and weighty a matter let them take heed saith one that in the height of their own hearts they do not proudly censure God and his order who in many places useth the same similitude of marriage to express his love to his Church by and interchangeably her duty toward him as Hos 2.19 2 Cor. 11.2 Ephes 5.25 with vers 22 23 24. where the Apostle plainly alludeth and referreth to this Song of Songs in sundry passages borrowing both matter and frame of speech from hence Which is Solomons Hee was the Pen-man God the Author Of many other Songs hee was both Author and instrument 1 King 4.32 Not so of this which therefore the Chaldee Paraphrast here entituleth Songs and Hymns in the plural for the surpassing excellency of it which Solomon the Prophet the King of Israel uttered by the spirit of Prophecy before the Lord the Lord of all the Earth A Prophet hee was and is therefore now in the Kingdome of Heaven notwithstanding his foul fall whereof hee repented Luk. 11.28 For as it is not the falling into the water that drowns but lying in it So neither is it the falling into sin that damns but dying in it Solomon was also King of Israel and surpassed all the Kings of the Earth in wealth and wisdome 2 Chron. 9.22 yea hee was wiser than all men 1 King 4.31 And as himself was a King Psal 45.2 so hee made this singular Song as David did the 45 Psalm concerning the King Christ and his spiritual marriage to the Church who is also called Solomon Cant. 3.11 and greater than Solomon Matth. 12.42 If therefore either the worth of the writer or the weightiness of the matter may make to the commendation of any book this wants for neither That is a silly exception of some against this Song as if not Canonical because God is not once named in it for as oft as the Bridegroom is brought in speaking here Rom. 9. ◠so oft Christ himself speaketh who is God blessed for ever Besides whereas Solomon made a thousand Songs and five 1 King 4.32 this onely as being the chief of all and part of the holy Canon hath been hitherto kept safe when the rest are lost in the Cabinet of Gods special providence and in the chest of the Jews Gods faithful Library-keepers Rom. 3.2 Joh. 5.39 It being not the will of our heavenly Father that any one hair of that sacred head should fall to the ground Vers 2. Let him kiss mee with the kisses of his mouth It must bee premised and remembred that this Book is penitus allegoricus parabolicus as one saith allegorical throughout and aboundeth all along with types and figures with parables and similitudes Quot verba tot sacramenta So many words so many mysteries saith Hierome of the Revelation Apocalypsin fateor me nescire exponere c. exponat cui Deus concesserit Cajet Possev in Biblioth select which made Cajetan not dare to comment upon it The like may bee truly affirmed of the Canticles nay wee may say of it in a special manner as Possevinus doth of the whole Hebrew Bible tot esse sacramenta quot literae tot mysteria quot puncta tot arcana quot apices Hence Psellus in Theodoret asketh pardon for presuming to expound it But difficilium facilis est venia In magnis voluisse sat est In hard things the pardon is easie and in high things let a man shew his good will and it suffiseth The matter of this Book hath been pointed at already as for the form of it it is Dramatical and Dialogistical The chief speakers are not Solomon and the Shulamite as Castalio makes it but Christ and his Church John 3.29 Christ also hath his Associates those friends of the Bridegroom viz. the Prophets Apostles Pastors and Teachers who put in a word sometimes As likewise do the fellow-friends of the Bride viz. whole Churches or particular Christians The Bride begins here abruptly after the manner of a Tragedy through impatience of love and an holy impotency of desire after not an union onely but an unity also with him whom her soul loveth Let him kiss mee c. Kissing is a token of love 1 Pet. 5.14 Luk. 7.45 and of reconciliation 2 Sam. 14.33 And albeit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Philo observeth Love is not alwaies in a kiss Joab and Judas could kiss and kill
c. Omnis Christianus Crucianus This the worldling cannot away with and although he make a fair shew in the flesh or set a good face on it as the word signifies as if hee had set his face toward Sion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet when it comes to a matter of suffering hee stumbles at the Cross and falls backwards hee will not suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ Gal. 6.12 Hee looks at the Church with a Vultures eye as though hee would behold nothing in her but corruption and carrion Hee makes an ill construction of her infirmities and will not stick to say if hee have a mind to shake her off that shee is black and despicable that shee provides but poorly for her followers that the great ones favour her as little as the Lords of the Philistims did David Cic. pro. L. Flavio c. Cicero veram religionem splendore imperii gravitate nominis Romani majorum institutis fortunae successibus metitur Cicero's marks of the True Religion were the largeness of the Roman Empire their spreading fame their Ancestours Ordinances and their singular success The Papists have the like Arguments for proof of their Church Luth. T. 2 But what saith Luther Ego non habeo aliud contra Papae regnum robustius argumentum quam quod sine cruce regnat I have no stronger argument against the Popes Kingdome than this that hee reigns without the Cross My Mothers children were angry with mee i. e. Worldly men that are of the same humane race that I am these fretted at mee as Moab did at Israel because they were of a different Religion Numb 22.3 4. or as Tobiah and his complices did at Nehemiah and his Jews Neh. 6.1 it was quarrel enough to Jerusalem that it would not bee miserable Hypocrites and Hereticks especially are here understood as some conceive such as pretend to bee children of the Church and her greatest friends as the Donatists would bee the onely Christians and after them the Rogation Hereticks called themselves the onely Catholicks So did the Arians and so do the Papists whose anger against the true children of the Church is far hotter than Nebuchadnezzars Oven after it had been seven times heated for those three constant Worthies Hypocritis nihil est crudelius impatientius vindictae cupidius saith Luther who had the experience of it plane sunt serpentes c. there is not a more cruel creature more impatient and vindictive than an hypocrite Hee is as angry as an Asp as revengeful as a Serpent c. Hee is of the Serpentine seed and carries the old enmity Gen. 3.15 Cains club Gen. 4.8 with 1 John 3.12 Your Brethren that hated you that cast you out for my names sake said Let the Lord bee glorified Isa 66.5 Here was a fair glove drawn upon a foul hand Act. Mon. In nomine Domini incipit omne malum was grown to a Proverb here in times of Popery They made mee the Keeper of the Vineyards No marvel therefore that I am Sun-burnt sith I have born the burden and heat of the day as Matth. 20.12 it hath been my task to keep out Boars Foxes and other noisome creatures yea it hath been my lot to bee put upon some servile offices as those poor Vinedressers were 2 King 25.12 not so suitable to my place and station assigned mee by God Yea although I am dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world yet as though living in the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have by these Impostours and Impositours been made to dogmatize after the commandements and doctrines of men Col. 2.20 22. But mine own Vineyard have I not kept q. d. Being burdened with humane rites and traditions and having been the servant of men 1 Cor. 7.23 I have departed from the duty that God prescribed unto mee Sane bene Full well truly have I rejected or slighted the commandement of God that I might keep mens tradition Mark 7.9 Thus shee shames and shents her self shee blusheth and bleedeth before the Lord for her carelesness in duty Yea shee tells the world the true reason of her present blackness somewhat shee had to say against others but most against her self After I was made known to my self Postquam ostensum fuerit mihi Trem. laid Ephraim scil by looking in the glass of Gods Law I repented Jer. 31.19 Get thee this Law as a glass to look in said Mr. Bradford so shalt thou see thy face foul arrayed and so shamefully sawcy mangy pocky and scabbed Serm. of Repent pag. 26 that thou canst not but bee sorry at the sight thereof Thus hee Physicians in some kinde of unseemly Convulsions wish their Patients to look themselves in a Glass which will help them to strive the more when they shall see their own deformities It is fit wee should oft reflect and see every man the plague of his heart the errour of his life keeping our hearts soft 1 King 8. Psal 19. supple and soluble for softness of heart discovers sin as blots do run abroad and seem biggest in wet paper When the Cockatrices egg is crushed it breaks out into a viper Isa 59.5 Vers 7. Tell mee O thou whom my soul loveth The sins of Gods Elect turn to their good Venenum aliquando pro remedio fuit saith Seneca De Benef. l. 2. c. 18. Poison is by Art turned into a Medicine make them cry more upon Christ love him more with all their soul desire more earnestly to bee joyned unto him use all holy means of attaining thereunto and that with such affection that when others are at their rest or repast the Christian can neither eat nor rest unless hee bee with Christ Where thou feedest This Book of Canticles is a kind of Pastoral a song of a Beloved concerning a Beloved The Church therefore gives and Christ takes oft herein upon himself the tearm and carriage of a loving and skilful Shepheard that feeds his flock daily and daintily feedeth them among the Lillies and beds of spices makes them to lye down in green pastures Ezek. 24.13 John 10.1 1 Pet. 5.2 Jer. 3.10 13 Rev. 13.1 and leads them beside the still waters Psal 23.2 his Word and Sacraments makes them also to lye down at noon i. e. as the chief Pastor of his sheep hee wholly ordereth them in all their spiritual labours toils and afflictions giving them safe repose in the hottest seasons Isa 49.10 For why should I bee as one that turneth aside q d. This would bee no less to thy dishonour than my disadvantage If I miscarry thou wilt bee no small loser by it Exod. 32 To urge God with the respect of his own glory lying now at stake is a most effectual way of speeding in prayer If thou destroy this people what will the Egyptians say how will the very banks of blasphemy bee broken down Josh 7.9 and they speak evil of thee with open
serving the Lord with one shoulder Zeph. 3.9 not shouldering one another and striving for precedency but content with a parity and in giving honour going one before another The six branches in the golden Candlestick joyned all in one and the Cherubims in the Temple looked one toward another which some think signified the agreement and oneness that should bee between the Ministers of the Gospel Which came up from the washing 2. Fair and white washed in the Kings Bath of Christs blood famous and eximious for their extraordinary and exemplary holiness It is their office to bee fullones animarum to make and keep white the fleeces of their flocks the peoples souls And therefore themselvs had need bee as Jerusalems Nazarites were Lam. 4.7 Purer than Snow whiter than Milk c. Whereof every one bears Twins Gemelliparae It must bee Ministers care to bring many to God whom they may one day present with Here am I and the children whom thou hast given mee Aarons sonnes by generation are said to bee Moses his sonnes by institution and instruction Numb 3.1 See Gal. 4.19 1 Cor. 4.15 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them Vers 3. Thy lips are like a threed of Scarlet Which hath two comely properties Small and Ruddy A thin lip is a sign of eloquence Job 12.20 Pitho sits upon it as on the other side a thick lip is an uncircumcised lip Exod. 6.12 a polluted lip Isa 6.5 Scarlet or Coralline lips are counted a great grace as white black blewish lips are held no small deformity The Churches lips are her Christian confessions whether to God or men To God when she acknowledgeth his favours and so covereth his Altar with the calves of her lips or confesseth her sins with all the aggravations bringing them forth as they did the vessels of the Sanctuary Ezra 8.34 by tale and by weight bewailing and begging pardon of all their transgressions in all their sins as the words are Levit. 16.21 To man shee confesseth when shee makes a wise and bold profession of the truth not afraid with any amazement 1 Pet. 3.6 but ready to resist even unto blood Heb. 12.4 The Tabernacle was covered over with Red and the Scarlet Whore would fain perswade us that shee takes up that colour for the same intent to note that wee must stand to the profession of the truth even to effusion of blood This confession of the mouth Rom. 10.10 is set forth here by lips red as Scarlet because it must be lively not fady or frigid but full of Faith and died in Christs blood It is also described by a threed of Scarlet because as a threed it must bee drawn out to the full length and not cut off so long as life lasteth for any fear or other by-respect whatsoever Surely as Austin said of the feast of Pentecost Gaudet produci haec solennitas so may wee say of Christian confession It rejoyceth to bee held out to the last breath And as the silk-worm stretcheth forth her self before shee spin and ends her life in her long wrought clew so is it with the faithful Confessour And thy speech is comely Because grave and gracious framed in Scripture-phrase as much as may bee and therefore comly and delectable Loquamur verba Scripturae utamur sermone Spiritus Sancti c. said that incomparable man Peter Ramus Let us speak the very words of Scripture let us make use of the language of the Holy Ghost and for ever abominate those Logodaedali learned Asses that prophanely disdain at the stately plainness of Gods blessed Book and that think to correct the Divine Wisdome and eloquence with their own infancy and sophistry It is the Church onely that speaks handsomely because holily and as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4.11 Shee is as one well saith of Basil suaviter gravis graviter suavis nihil habens affectatae loquacitatis sweetly grave and gravely sweet neither troublesomely talkative nor sinfully silent verborum parca Casaub sententiarum dives as another saith of Livy few words but full of matter Thy Temples are like a peece of a Pomegranate A Pomegranate hath many grains within his case and a little round circle or Crown without upon his head Now these grains being sweet in taste and red in colour are orderly set one by another and point up and as it were look up altogether unto the Crown To intimate thus much say Beda and Haimo that the children of the Church must grow on still toward the mark not onely when they enjoy the sweet taste of pleasant prosperity but also when they bear the red colour of bloody persecution And consenting in a kinde of conformity and perfect peace they must point up all together with the finger of Faith to Christ and look up continually with the eye of love to their head Christ who being first crossed is now come to be crowned with honour and glory Some do explain this peece of a Pomegranate when it is cut to signifie the reverend and modest countenance of the Church as fearing and taking heed lest shee should speak or do amiss or blushing if shee hath failed Others expound it of the good works of Gods people compared vers 9. to an Orchard of Pomegranates beautiful and comely but yet imperfect like as there is no Pomegranate that hath not one rotten grain in it Vers 4. Thy neck is like the Tower of David i. e. Fair and forcible erectum celsum upright and lofty It betokeneth the invincible courage and comfortable carriage of the Church not giving place to her enemies by subjection no not for an hour Gal. 2.5 Many a time have they afflicted mee from my youth may Israel now say yet never have they prevailed against mee c. Psal 129.1 2 c. Neither shall the gates of Hell ever do it Shee shall set her feet in the necks of her enemies but her neck as the horses Job 39.19 shall bee cloathed with thunder so long as with stretcht-out neck shee looks up unto the Hills from whence cometh her help Psal 121.1 Even those everlasting Hills Gen. 49.26 where her David the Lord Christ dwells as in a Tower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from thence succours her as the people said once to David 2 Sam. 18.3 Besides the fresh supply of his free Spirit Phil. 1.19 fortifying their hearts against the tyranny of sin and terrour of hell hee hath furnished for her a most admirable Armory viz. the Sacred Scriptures with armour that is polished and prepared for most necessary uses Justin So that the Saints are those true Argyraspides as Alexanders old souldiers were called for defence they have besides that privy armour of peace with God Phil. 4.7 and joy in the Holy Ghost Nehem. 8.13 the breast-plate of righteousness the girdle of truth the shield of faith and shooes of patience And for offence they have the sword of the Spirit and darts of Prayer Ephes 6 14
growth is not alwaies to be measured by joy and other accessory graces These sweet blooms may fall off when fruit comes on c. Verse 15. A fountain of gardens a well c Or Oh fountain of the Gardens c. For they do best in mine opinion that make this to be the Churches speech to Christ grounded upon his former commendation of her And it is as if she should say Callest thou me Lord a Garden enclosed a Spring shut up a Fountain scaled True it is I am the garden which thine own right hand hath planted walled watered c. but for all that I am or have the entire praise belongs to thee alone All my plenty of spiritual graces all my perennity of spiritual comforts all my pleasancy and sweetness is derived from thee no otherwise than the streams of Jordan are from mount Lebanon all my springs are in thee as in their Well-head Certum est nos facere quod facimus sed Ille facit ut faciamus saith Augustine True it is that wee do what wee do but it is as true that Christ maketh us to do what wee do For without him we can do nothing John 15.5 In him is our fruit found Hos 14.8 It is hee that works all our works in us Isa 26.12 Hence it is that the Church is no where in all this book described by the beauty of her hands or fingers because hee alone doth all for her The Church of Rome that will needs hammer out her own happiness like the Spider climbing up by a threed of her own weaving and boasting with her in the Emblem Mihi soli debeo shews thereby of what Spirit shee is That wretched Monk died blasphemously who said Redde mihi aeternam vitam quam debes Pay mee heaven which thou owest mee And what an arrogant speech was that of Vega Coelum gratis non accipiam I will not have heaven of free-cost Haec ego feci haec ego feci shews men to be no better than meer Feces said Luther wittily This I have done and that I have done speaks them dregs and dogges that shall stand without doors Rev. 22.15 Hear a childe of our Church speaking thus of himself Georg. Fab. Chemnicensis de scipso Fabricius studuit bene de pictate mereri Sed quicquid potuit gloria Christe tua est This was Matrissare to be like his mother whose Motto hath ever been Non nobis Domine Not unto us Lord not unto us but to thy name give the praise Psal 115.1 If I be thy garden Thou art my fountain from whence unless I be continually watered all will be soon withered and I shall bee as one that inhabiteth the parched places in the wilderness in a salt land and not inhabited Abbot his Georg. 251. Jer. 17.6 In the Island of St. Thomas on the back-side of Africa in the midst of it is an hill and over that a continual cloud wherewith the whole Island is watered Such is the Lord Christ to his Church Hos 14.5 6 7. which therefore as Gideons Fleece must needs be wet and moist when all the Earth besides is dry and desolate as the mountains of Gilboah or as St. Davids in Wales which is said to be a place neither pleasant fertile nor safe A well of living Or A pit of living and life-giving waters Christus coelum non patiuntur hyperbolen 2 Sam. 1.20 Godw Catal. Giral Camb. Puteus effossus ubi est aqua viva scaturiens clara Merc. A man cannot say too much in commendation of Christ and his Kingdome Hence the Church here cannot satisfie her self A Fountain shee calls him a well a stream such as makes glad the City of God even that pure river of the water of life proceeding out of Gods Throne Rev. 22.1 with Ezek. 47.6 Gregory makes this Fountain to bee the Scriptures which bee saith are like both to a Fountain and to a pit Some things in them are plain and open and may be compared to a spring which runs in an open and eminent place Other things therein are dark and deep and like unto a pit that a man must dive into and draw out with hard labour And streams from Lebanon Watering the whole Church as Jordan did the holy Land and tasting no doubt of that sweetness mentioned before vers 11. Even as we see by experience saith one that the waters that come out of the hills of some of the Islands of Molucca taste of the Cinnamon cloves c. that grow there Verse 16. Awake O North winde come thou South c. These windes she supposeth to be asleep because they blow not Rupertus calls the windes Mundi scopas the worlds Beesomes because God makes use of them to sweep out his large house and to purge the air The Spirit of God first purgeth and then watereth the faithful whom the Church here calleth her garden though indeed it bee Christs by reason of the nigh conjunction that is between him and her Ephes 5.30 so that they both make but one mystical Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 Now wee all know that to a compleat Garden are necessary 1 that it be well enclosed 2 Well planted 3 Well watered 4 that it bee amaena coeli aspiratione perflabilis well situate for winde and air 5 that it bee fruitful and profitable The Churches Garden hath every of these good properties as appears here And for the fourth Christ is all the diverse windes both cold and hot moist and dry binding and opening North and South fit for every season What winde soever blows it blows good to the Church for Christ speaks to them as David did to his Captains Do this young man no hurt handle him gently for my sake The Sunne may not smite him by day Psal 121. nor the Moon by night The nipping North of adversity the cherishing South winde of prosperity must both make for him That the spices thereof may flow out That I may be some way serviceable to God and profitable to men Shee knew that in Gods account to be idle is all one as to bee evil Matth. 25.26 to bee unthankfull Horat. is to bee wicked Luke 6.35 Paulum sepulta distat inertia Celata virtus could one Poet say and another Vile latens virtus quid enim submersa tenebris Proderit obscuro veluti sub remige puppis Claudian de Consul Honor. Vel lyra quae reticet vel qui non tenditur arcus Christ had made his Church a garden of sweetest sweets Her desire is therefore that her fruits being rightly ripened her graces greatned and made mature by the benign breath of the Holy Ghost compared here as elsewhere to the several windes their sweetness may bee dispread and conveyed to the nostrils of such as have their senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5.14 As for others their heads are so stuffed with the stenches of the world that great muck-hill and themselves so choaked up
argumentum aversi Dei quemadmodum diabolus interpretatuâ— Lavat in Prov. 3. sed potius paternae ipsius benevolentiae saith learned Lavater It is not an argument of Gods wrath and displeasure as the Devil would make it but rather of his fatherly love and affection hee hides his love as Joseph did out of increasement of love And yet how apt are wee to say in this case with those male-contents in Malachi In quo dilexisti nos Wherein hast thou loved us and with those Israelites in the Wilderness Is God amongst us as if that could not bee Exod 17.7 Judg. 6.12 and they athirst O my Lord said Gideon If the Lord bee with us why then is all this evil befallen us And Lord God said Abraham when hee had received many gracious promises What wilt thou give mee seeing I go childless Gen. 15.1 2. We see then how ready the best of us are to cast the helve after the hatchet as they say and like little children because wee may not have what wee would sullenly to say God loves us not and we will not have what hee thinks good to give unto us My soul refused comfort saith hee Psal 77.2 And I said my hope and my strength is perished from the Lord remembring mine afflictions and my misery the wormwood and the gall Lam. 3.18 19 This our folly and fault wee must confess to Christ as the Church here doth and beseech him by his Spirit to teach us better things that wee may not mistake the cause of our calamities and make them heavier than God meant them by our frowardness and impatience Pondus ipsa jactatione incommodius fit saith Seneca Vers 13. Return return O Shulamite The Church is so called of her peace and perfection with God in Christ Brightman gathers from this word that the Church of the Jews in special is meant the Church in general being usually before signified by the daughters of Jerusalem and applies it to the recalling of the Jews according to Rom. 11.25 c. which is yet to be fulfilled Solomons wife saith another was after his name called the Shulamite according to Isa 4.1 And as Christ in this Book is named Solomon so the Church is called Shulamite to shew the communion that shee hath with him and therefore also the forming of the Hebrew word is rather passive than active That which shee is again and again called upon to do is to return It seems shee had so posted apace after Christ as on swift chariots vers 12. that shee had gone quite beyond him Hee therefore as it were by houting and shouting to her calls her back How easily wee overshoot and run into extreams may bee seen in Peter John 13.9 and the Galatians chap. 4. It is best to hold the golden mean Howbeit as in falling forward is nothing so much danger as backward so hee that is earnest in good though hee may over do and carry some things indiscreetly yet is he far better than a lusk or Apostate especially if he afterwards return and discern and hearken to better counsell But some are so set upon it that like a man that is running a race though you give them never so good advice they will not stay to hear it Of these the Proverb is verified Prov. 19.2 Hee that hasteth with his feet sinneth Prov. 19.2 See the Note there That wee may look upon thee Or contemplate thee with complacency and delight This is the speech of the Bridegroom and his friends The Church though in her fright and grief for want of her Beloved though unveyled and evil-intreated by the Watch-men c. and so not so sightly as at some other times yet wanted not that beauty that made her desireable like as some faces appear most oriently beautiful when they are most instampt with sorrow and as the sky is most clear after a storm What will yee see in the Shulamite as it were the company of two Armies Ready to joyn battail or maintaining Civil War within her for in the Christian conflict the very same faculties are opposed because in every faculty the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other Gal. 5.17 These maintain civil broils within the Shulamite as the two Babes did in Rebecca's womb so that shee cannot do what shee would And this the Apostle spake by woful experience as appears Rom. 7.21 15. Something lay at the fountain head and stopt it There is a continual contest with spiritual wickednesses about heavenly priviledges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 6.12 Put fire and water together there is no quiet till one of them get the victory So in sicknesses Let a man have a strong disease and a strong body hee shall never have any rest as long as they both continue in their strength When Christ was born all Jerusalem was troubled When Paul came to Ephesus there arose no small stir about that way Acts 19.23 So when grace is wrought once there 's somewhat to do within though till then all was jolly quiet When cold Salt-Peter and hot Brimstone meet they make a great noise so do the flesh and spirit in their skirmishes and encounters Now these two duellars meet and fight in every faculty of the soul as hot and cold do in luke-warm water as light and darkness meet in the morning light or as wine and water in a cup mixt of both In the wicked one faculty may and sometimes doth oppose another as sensual appetite may resist natural reason c. But in such as are sanctified the understanding is against the understanding the will against the will c. as the sick patient both wills and nills those physical slibber-sauces But Satan is not so divided against himself Luke 11.18 No more is the flesh It is in the Shulamite onely and in every part of her that this conflict is found which maketh her cry out with Rebecca sometimes If it bee so Why am I thus and with Paul Wretched creature that I am c. CHAP. VII Vers 1. How beautiful are thy â—eet with shooes c. BEfore hee had described her from head to foot now back again from foot to head taking in ten parts of his Spouse concerning whom such was his love hee thought hee could never say sufficient Hee begins at the lowest and most abject part the feet not without admiration of them O quam pulchri sunt pedes tui O how beautiful are thy feet with shooes c A temporal calling honours our profession so some understand it Others make the meaning to bee the Churches being shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace ready prest to run with patience the race that is set before her To run is active to run with patience is passive Ephes 6.15 Heb. 12.1 This Princes daughter Atalanta-like can only skill of this running with patience as being shod with Tachash-skin Ezek. 16.10
also reap in due season if they faint not if they grow not weary of well-doing Gal. 6.9 See the Note on vers 11. Vers 13. Thou that dwellest in the Gardens i. e. O thou Church universal that dwellest in the particular Churches frequently called Gardens in this book The French Protestants at Lions called their meeting-house Paradise The companions hearken to thy voyce The Angels so some interpret it learn of the Church and profit in the knowledge of the manifold wisdome of God in mans redemption Ephes 3.10 1 Cor. 11.10 1 Pet. 1.10 Or rather thy Fellow-Christians thine obedient children that will hearken to their mothers counsell No sooner can shee say Hear and give ear bee not proud for the Lord hath spoken it but they give glory to the Lord their God as Jer. 13.15 16. glorifie his Word Acts 13.48 set to their seals John 3.33 dispute not Christs commands but dispatch them Illi garriant nos credamus said Augustine of hereticks that would not bee satisfied The Philosophers called the Christians Credentes Believers by way of reproach because they believed God upon his bare word Wee believe and know saith Peter John 6.69 And wee believe and speak saith Paul after David 2 Cor. 4.13 And wee believe and practice as Noah and those other Worthies did Heb. 11.7 laying faith for a foundation of all their doings and sufferings in and for the Lord like as Ezra 6.4 the foundation of the Temple was laid with three rows of great stones and a row of new timber This is the guise of the Churches children they are soon perswaded to beleeve and obey their mother whom they look upon as the pillar and ground of truth Cause mee to hear it See the Note on chap. 2.14 Tremellius renders it Fac ut me andiant Cause them to hear mee deliver nothing to them for truth but what is consonant to my Word of truth let all thy doctrines bear my stamp come forth cum privilegeo carry mine authority What said Austin to an adversary it was Faustus the Manichee I trow what matter is it what either thou saiest or I say to this or that point Audiamus ambo quid dicit Dominus Let us both hear what God saith and sit down by it Vers 14. Make haste my beloved Heb. Flee or speed thee away as Amaziah said to Amos Go flee thee away into the land of Judah Amos 7.12 And as a Senatour of Hala in Suevia wrote to Brentius Fuge fuge Brenti cito citius citissime make all possible speed haste haste haste So the Church is at it here with her Come Lord Jesus come quickly O mora Christe veni Thus Augustine as this Book began with a wish so it ends Tota vita boni Christiani sunctum desideriumest The whole life of a good Christian is an holy wish Hee loves and longs and looks for Christs second appearance and even spends and exhales himself in continual salleys and egressions of affection unto him in the mean while Hee hath taken some turns with Christ upon those mountains of spices so heaven is called for its unconceiveable height and sweetness he hath tasted of the grapes of this celestial Canaan hence he is as eager after it Plut. in vita Camilli as once the Gauls were after Italy when they had once tasted of the sweet wine of those grapes that grew there The old character of Gods people was they waited for the consolation of Israel Christs first comming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Isa 16.5 Septu Now they long as much for his second as the espoused maid doth after the marriage as the Apprentice for his freedom the captive for his ransom the traveller for his Inn the mariner for the haven c. looking for and hasting the coming of that day of God 2 Pet. 3.12 Soli Deo gloria in aeternum FINIS A Commentary or Exposition Upon the BOOK Of the Prophet ISAIAH CHAP. I. Verse 1. THE Vision of Isaiah That which was not unfitly affirmed of a Modern Expositor Snepfius that his Commentaries on this Prophesie of Isaiah are mole parvi eruditione magni small in bulk but great in worth may much more fitly be spoken of the Prophesie it self which is aureus quantivis precii libellus worth its weight in gold A great roll or volume it is called chap. 8.6 because it is Magnum in parvo much in a little and is said there to be written with a mans pen that is plainly and perspicuously so little reason was there that John Haselbach Mercat Atlas Professor at Vienna should read twenty and one years to his Auditors upon this first chapter only and yet not finish it I confess there is no Prophesie but hath its obscurity the picture of Prophesie is said to hang in the Popes Library like a Matron with her eyes covered and Jerom saith that this of Isaiah containeth all Rhetorick Ethicks and Theologie But if Brevity and Suavity which Fulgentius maketh to be the greatest graces of a sentence if Eloquence of stile and Evidence of Vision may carry it with the Reader Casaub here they are eminently met in this Seraphical Orator of whom we may far better say then the learned Critick doth of Livy Non ita copiosus ut nimius neque ita suavis ut lascivus nec adeò lenis ut remissus non sic tristis ut horridus neque ita simplex ut nudus aut adeò comptus ut affectatâ compositione calamistris videatur inustus Par verbis materia par sententia ribus c. A Courtier he was and a Master of speech a man of Noble birth and as noble a spirit not the first of the holy Prophets and yet worthily set in the first place as St. Pauls Epistle to the Romans is for like cause set before the rest because in abundance of Visions he exceedeth his fellows and in speaking of the Lord Christ he delivereth himself more like an Evangelist then a Prophet Hieronym Est in fragmentis Demadâ— orationes Demostheniâ— esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Isaiae vision bus idem pâ— Conciones haâ— poenitentialâ— comminator as Consâ—â—ortas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is therefore called The Evangelical Prophet In the New-Testament he is cited by Christ and his Apostles sixty several times at least and by the devouter Heathens he was not a little respected as appeareth by the history of that Ethiopian Eunuch Acts 8. The vision That is the several Visions or Doctrines so certainly and clearly revealed to him by God as if he had seen them with his bodily eyes see chap. 2.1 Nahum 1.1 for they are not to be hearkened to who hold that these Seers the Prophets understood not their own prophesies 1 Pet. 1.10 11. though it is true that those holy men of God spake as they were moved acted and powerfully carryed on to see and say as they did by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 Of Isaiah Which signifieth
by and heard it with as much confidence as if he were but travelling to the next town When the overflowing scourge shall pass thorough to sweep away such as are drowned in drunkenness and dread no danger It shall not come to us whatever the Prophets prate let them say as they please we will believe as we list For we have made lyes our refuge a poor refuge for tenue mendacium pellucot lyes are so thin they may be seen thorough but it may be that they called their false refuges lyes not because they held them so but because the Prophets called them so whereas to themselves they seemed prudent counsels Ver. 16. Therefore thus saith the Lord God This is purposely prefaced for the support of the faithful when they should hear the ensuing dreadful denunciations and see them executed We cannot beat the dogs but the children will be ready to cry For a foundation a stone firm and fast opposed here to the fickle stayes and vain fastnesses of wicked worldlings this foundation-stone is Christ Rom. 9.33 10.11 not Hezekiah as the Jews would have it or Peter as the Papists see Peter to the contrary 1 Pet. 2.6 and Paul 1 Corinth 3.11 He that believeth shall not make haste viz. to help himself as he can sith God defers his help as did faithless Saul Ahaz these Jews ver 15. those Bethulians that set him a time and sent for him by a post as it were David staid Gods leasure for the Kingdom those in Esther for deliverance and those other in the Hebrews for the accomplishment of the promises Heb. 10.36 Hold out faith and patience We know not what we lose by making haste and not holding up our hand as Moses did to the going down of the Sun Ver. 17. Judgement also will I lay to the line Or I will set out judgement by line and justice by plummet that is I will proportion your punishments to your offences as it were by line and by level that the wicked may have their due and the godly sustain no dammage See 2 Kings 21.12 13. Amos 7.8 Calvin saith that by this expression borrowed from builders the Lord here sheweth that when the corner-stone before spoken off shall be laid the Church of the faithful built thereupon shall rise up to a fair and uniform built temple in the Lord according to Ephes 2.20 And the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lyes Or shovel away or quasi furcillis extrudet shall fork away or burn up your vain confidences as he destroyed the Egyptians by hail mingled with fire And the waters see ver 15. Mat. 7.27 Ver. 18. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled See ver 15. They made a covenant with death and hell but death and hell make no covenant with them God shall shoot at such with an arrow suddenly Psal 64.7 and when they shall say peace and safety then shall suddain destruction come upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thes 5.3 Thus it befell the rich fool Luk 12. Alexander the great whom his parasites flattered into a fond conceit of an immortality and Pope Sylvester the second who dealt with the Devil for the Popedom and was perswaded by him that he should never dye till he sang Mass in Jerusalem but when he saw how he was cheated and that he must dye he cryed out Ah miser aeternâ—s vado damnatus ad ignes Ver. 19. From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you this was opposed to their fond conceit of impunity or at least immunity for a long season ver 15. the most secure are soonest surprized And it shall be a vexation c. Vexatio dabit intellectum Luther after the Vulgar rendreth it sententiam Prophetae non male exprimens See chap. 26.9 The Cross is the best Tutor Ver. 20. For the bed is short Here the Prophet seemeth to some to threaten them for their lectulorum luxus Amos 6.4 their beds of ivory whereon when well whittled they once stretcht themselves at full length and slept out their drunkenness but when brought to Babylon the case should be otherwise with them Diodate faith that these are figurative and proverbial terms importing that all means and devices they can use will no way defend them Gods wrath is such as none can avert or avoid Ver. 21. As in Mount Perazim See 2 Sam. 5.20 God usually sitteth amidst his people in his mercy-seat or throne of grace neither ariseth he to punish them till much provoked and then he may possibly deal as severely with them as he did with the Philistines at mount Perazim or with the Amorites in the valley of Gibeon Josh 10.10 But then he doth his work his strange work and brings to pass his act his strange act i. e. that which is neither his wont nor his delight Lam. 3.33 Mic. 7.18 Ezek. 33.11 To fall foul upon his people by his plagues and judgements goeth as much against the heart with him as against the hair with them And besides by doing this his strange work he maketh way for the doing of his own proper work 1 Cor. 11.32 Ver. 22. Now therefore be ye not mâ—ckers for those are the worst of men ver 14. Pests the Septuagint commonly render them Abjects and castawayes David calleth them and yet they proudly disdain others and far their betters as thimbles full of dust and the goodly braveries of their scorn But shall they escape by this iniquity shall they carry it away so In no wise for Ne vincula vestra invalescant Their bands shall be made strong their sorrows shall be multiplyed and they shall have more load of miseries and mischiefs laid upon them though now they mock at Gods menaces as uttered in terrorem only for fray-bugs and at his Ministers as false Prophets Among many other memorable examples of Gods judgements upon such out of Gods blessed book the Acts and Monuments of the Church and other Histories Nicholas Hemingius relateth a story of a lewd fellow in Denmark Anno Christi 1550. which usually made a mock at Religion and the professors of it and on a time coming into a Church where a godly Minister was preaching by his countenance and gestures shewed a great contempt against the Word but as he passed out of the Church a tyle fell upon his head and slew him in the place How much more mercifully dealt Almighty God with that Miller in Lecestershire who sitting in an Alehouse on a Sabbath day with one of his companions said to him I hear that bawling Hooker is come to Town let us go and hear him we shall have excellent sport and accordingly they went on purpose to jeer him But it pleased God the Sermon so wrought upon him that being pricked at the heart Mr. Clark from Mr. White Jun. he went to Mr. Hooker intreating him to tell him what he might do to be saved and afterwards
shall happen beyond all thought Diod. judgement and expectation as also in respect of the Chaldees themselves who will never be satisfied with tormenting thee as ver 8. and yet shall fail of what they hope for too Spes mortalium sunt somnia vigilantium saith Plato Ver. 8. It shall be as when See on ver 7. Ver. 9. Stay your selves and wonder Sistite gradum stand still and stand amazed at this peoples stupendious stupidity and desperate security Piscator rendreth the Text thus Cunctantur itaque admiramini deliciantur itaque vociferamini They delay to return therefore wonder ye at it they sport at it but cry ye out as lamenting their folly Ezek. 9.4 where the Original is very elegant Some translate the words thus Obstupefacite vos ipsi sitis stupidi excoecate vos ipsi sitis coeci stupifie your selves and be stupid blind your selves and be blind do so I say for ye will do so undoubtedly And here begin their spiritual miseries see ver 1. confer chap. 6.9 10. They are drunk but not with wine but yet with that which is much worse viz with a spirit of stupidity ver 10. they are not only drunk with a dry drunkenness but deadly sick of a lethargy being dulled in their understandings lulled asleep in their sinful practices ready to fly in the face of one that shall offer to awake them Other drunkenness a man may sleep out Homil. de plaga grandinis sleep himself sober as Noah did not so here as Nazianzen well observeth upon this Text. Ver. 10. For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep By a judiciary hardness ne hath rolled a stone upon your hearts and given you up to a reprobate sense He hath cast you into a dead lethargy a dedolent disposition so that because of the blindness of their hearts this people are past feeling Eph. 4.18 19. and because they have wilfully winked he hath even dashed out their eyes bereaving them of the light against which they rebelled Job 24.13 so that they have neither sight nor light lemosorum instar oculos mentis concretos habent they are miserably benighted The Prophets c. A blind Seer is a monster how could these thus blindly led avoid the ditch of destruction Ver. 11. And the vision of all is become unto you c. The Scriptures were so to the Scribes and Elders of the people who although when Herod asked them of the Messiah they could give such descriptions of him as agreed to none but the Babe of Bethlehem Mat. 2.5 6. yet would they by no means be drawn to believe in his name And the like woful obstinacy is found in the Rabbins and other Jews to this day The like spiritual judgement hath befaln the Papists also both the learned and unlearned and yet one of them sticks not to tell us to our heads that our damnation is so plainly and plentifully set down in our own English Bibles that no man needeth to doubt of it who hath but a book and can read English Thus who so bold as blind Bayard who so blind as those that will not see Ver. 12. And the book is delivered to one that is not learned Heb. knoweth not to read By the learned is meant say some the Rulers in Church and State by the unlearned the common people all were in a pickle Nicodemus had oft read in this our Prophet in Ezekiel and elsewhere of Regeneration though not under that term but how little he understood of it see Joh. 3. And what a buzzard is Bellarmine himself in some such fundamentals as whereof it is a shame for a very child to be ignorant I must needs confess said a learned Papist to the Bishop of Cavaillon that I have often been at the schools of Sorbon in Paris where I have heard the Disputations of the Divines Act. Mon. 865. but yet I never learned so much as I have done by hearing these young children at Merindol posing one another before the Bishop about points of religion The poor men of Lions in France were enlightened when the great Doctors were blinded and besotted in their superstitious Tenets and practices Ver. 13. Because this people draweth near to me c. For their putid hypocrisie and outsideness in Gods service they were given up by him to be further hardened by the Devil and to have their necks possest by an iron sinew Hypocritis nihil stupidius see the Note on Mat. 15.8 Their fear towards me see on Mat. 15.9 Ver. 14. Therefore behold I do a marvellous work sc by infatuating these Masters in Israel and bereaving their wise men of their wisdom this was a greater Marvell then to take sight from the eye whiteness from the swan sweetness from sugar c. For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish And worthily sith they either hid their candle under a bushell or else their learning hung in their light whilst it better served them to devise a thousand shifts to elude the truth then their pride would suffer them once to yield and acknowledge it This the Prophet speaketh of the Pharisaical and Rabbinical wisdom and the Apostle fitly extendeth it to the wisdom of the Gentiles 1 Cor. 1.19 calling both the Pharisees and Philosophers Princes of this world for their learning but yet denying that they knew any thing to any purpose at all 1 Cor. 2.8 Si Christum nescis nihil est si caetera noscis Ver. 15. Wo unto them that seek deep to hide that carry two faces under a hood as all Formalists and double-minded persons do desirous to deceive the world and if it were possible God himself also with their pretences and professions and to cozen him of heaven To hide their counsel their cunning contrivances ut ita liberè in omnes veneres scelera ruant From the Lord which cannot be because he is All-eye and the searcher of hearts he is intimo nostro intimior nobis and will bring to light the hidden things of darkness 1 Cor. 4 5. Their works are in the dark Out of sight but not out of the light of his countenance Psal 90.8 Deo obscura liquent muta respondent silentium confitetur all things are naked and open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 Sin not therefore in hope of secrecy Si non caste tamen caute will prove too short a covering And say who seeth us and who knoweth us God doth to be sure whoever doth not hold this fast against that natural Atheism which is in us all See Ezek. 9.9 Rom. 3.18 with the Note Ver. 16. Surely your turning of things upside down your denying the Divine Providence and Omniscience Heb. Invertere vestrum whereby ye go about to pervert the whole course of nature and to put all into a confusion Shall be esteemed as the Potters clay Shall be confuted by a very familiar comparison
were prayed to take the office and to help to govern the State but here were none left for such a purpose Ver. 13. A Court for Owles Or Ostritches see on ver 11. Ver. 14. The wild beasts of the desart Heb. Ziim Jiim See Chap. 12.21 22. where these monstrous creatures are said to dance whence Basil noteth that men learned of devils to dance Conr. Clingius And another saith that a dance is a circle the centre whereof is the devil the circumference all his Angels And the Satyr shall cry to his fellow Heb. the rough or hairy one Chald. Daemones inter se colludent the devils shall play among themselves Satan is a rough harsh spirit so are his See Levit. 17.7 Ver. 15. There shall the great Owle make her nest Heb. Kippoz The Hebrews themselves agree not what creatures these are here mentioned so far are they faln from the knowledge of the Scripture Their tale about Lilits once Adams first wife but now a scriech-Owle or an evil spirit is not worthy the mentioning Ver. 16. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord Sciscitamini ex libro Domini the Holy Bible which Bishop Bonneri Chaplain called in scorn of the Martyrs Your little pretty Gods-book Another Bohemian blasphemer for Biblia called it Vitlia which in the Bohemian language signifieth Vomit But let us search the Scriptures and particularly this Prophecy commanded to be written in a book chap. 30.8 and compare the truth of these predictions with the events None shall want her mate Some write of the Asp he never wandreth alone without his companion and none of these birds of desolation want their mate so craft and cruelty do ever go together in the Churches enemies Ver. 17. And he hath cast the lot for them i. e. For those creatures of prey aforementioned From generation i. e. For many generations CHAP. XXXV Ver. 1. THe wildernesse and the solitary place shall be glad for them The Edomites and other enemyes have had their part It hath been sufficiently said Woe unto the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him And now the Prophet is bidden to say to the Righteous to tell him so from the Lord that it shall be well with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him Isa 3.10 11. The wildernesse and the desart that is the poor people of God that have been oppressed and slighted in this world shall be restored into a happy and flourishing estate the Church shall have her Halcyons under Hezekiah but especially under Christ She shall have it both in temporals and spirituals ver 2. Ver. 2. The glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it the excellency of Carmel c. Outward blessings shall be heaped upon Gods people even all that heart can wish or need require They shall see the glory of the Lord Spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ Jesus shall be conferred upon them also even every good gift and perfect giving from the Father of lights Qui icturatos intexit floribus hortos Quique jubet rutilis albescere lilia campis Ver. 3. Strengthen ye the weak hands q. d. Chear up my hearts be of good courage and God shall strengthen your hearts all ye that hope in the Lord. Comfort ye also one another with these words and build up each other on your most holy Faith and I will shew you how and in what termes you shall do it Ver. 4. Say to them that are of a fearful heart Inconsideratis to them that consider not the Promises but forget the consolations Heb. 12.5 so poring upon their sins that they see not their Saviour Behold your God will come with vengeance He will tread Satan under your feet shortly Rom. 16.20 Even your God with a recompence Diabolo par pari retribuet Christus saith Hierom Christ will be even with the devil He had got one of Christs Disciples Judas and to cry quittance Christ gat one of his Paul Cyprian was wont thus to comfort his hearers Veniet Antichristus sed superveniet Christus Antichrist will come but Christ will not be long behind him Ver. 5. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened This was fulfilled corporally in cures wrought by Christ Mat. 4.27 and 11.5 c. and spiritually in the preaching of the Gospel by the efficacy of his spirit Act. 26.18 and 16.14 Apollonius Tyanaeus could never do such miracles nor any other This sheweth that Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messiah Ver. 6. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart As that impotent man did Act. 3.8 and those Loripedes Heb. 12.13 And the tongue of the dumb sing As good old Zacharies did Luk. 1. Not so much for his speech restored or his son received as for his Saviour now at hand and as did those that sang He hath done all things well he maketh both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak Mac. 7.37 yea to utter the great things of God and to speak good of his name Lo here saith Luther miracles to confirm the Gospel to be of God against those that deride his Ministers saying They cannot make so much as a lame horse sound For all they in whose hearts it taketh effect of blind are made to see of deaf to hear of lame to go and of dumb to speak For in the wildernesse shall waters break out This and that which followeth in the next verse Junius maketh to be the matter of their song viz. the grace of God abundantly communicated to his Church See Joh. 7.38 39. The Jews dream that when their Messiah cometh the red sea shall again be divided and the rock cloven much water gushing out c. Thus they work themselves into the fooles Paradise of a sublime dotage by misunderstanding this text Ver. 7. And the parched ground c. See on ver 6. Ver. 8. And an high-way shall be there i. e. In the Church of Christ and a way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kings high-way to Heaven arcta ampla latet lucet The way of holinesse Or the way of the Sanctuary But it shall be for those Those Beneficiaries of Christ mentioned ver 5 6. the ransomed of the Lord ver 10. The wayfaring men though fooles Simple Christians Shall not erre Misse their way or miscarry in it Ver. 9. No Lyon shall be there The Devil that roaring Lyon nor his actuaries tyrants and hereticks shall haunt these holy high-wayes God will preserve his people from all deveratory evils as Tertullian calleth them 2 Thes 3.3 that wicked one the devil shall not once touch them 1 John 5.18 so as to thrust his deadly sting into them Ver. 10. And the ransomed of the Lord Those happy ones Deut. 33.29 Shall return To the Lord from whom they had deeply revolted Tantum gaudebimus quantum amabimus Tantum amabimus quantum cognoscemus Aug. With songs As they were wont to do in their
my glory i. e. In Christ who is the brightness of his Fathers glory and in sending of whom the glory of his truth wisdom power justice and goodness shone forth as the Sun at noon Ver. 19. And I will set a sign among them This sign may very well be that visible pouring out of the gifts of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost under the symbol of wind and fire Scultet Act. 2. together with the signes and wonders whereby the Apostles doctrine was confirmed Others make this signe to be the Profession of the Christian faith Some also the Doctrine of the Gospel and especially the Sacraments And I will send those that escape of them i. e. The Apostles and their fellow-helpers such as were Barnabas Silas Lucas c. To Tarshish Pul To all parts of the Word East West North and South That draw the bow The Mosches or Moscovites say the Septuagint the Turkes saith one of the Rabbines See the Notes on Rev. 9.15 16 17. Ver. 20. And they shall bring all your brethren Now become all your brethren in Christ Sanctior est copula cordis quam corporis Religion is the strongest eye Vpon horses and in charets and in litters i. e. With much swiftnesse and sweetnesse though sick weakly and unfit for travel yet rather in litters than not at all The Apostles became all things to all men that they might gain them to Christ Ver. 21. And I will also take of them for Priests and for Levites For Evangelical Pastors and Teachers who have a distinct function and employment in the Church of the New Testament as the Priests and Levites had in that of the Old to teach instruct and edifie Gods people Ver. 22. For as the new heaven So shall there be a true Church and a Ministry for the good of my people to the worlds end It shall not be taken away as is the Jewish Polity and Hierarchy Ver. 23. And it shall come to passe that from one new-Moon to another God shall be served with all diligence and delight In the Kingdom of Christ here but especially in heaven it shall be holy-day all the week as we say a constant solemnity a perpetual Sabbath Act. Mon. King Edgar ordained that the Lords day should be kept here in England from Saturday nine of the clock till Munday morning The Ebionites kept the Saturday with the Jews and the Sunday with the Christians But here it is foretold and we see it fulfilled that all flesh i. e. all the faithful whether Jews or Gentiles shall not only keep every day holy-day 1 Cor. 5.8 by resting from sin and rejoycing in God but shall also both in season and out of season have their Church-meetings for holy services worshipping God from day to day and from month to month as the phrase is Esth 3.7 in spirit and in truth and having the continual feast of a good conscience Ver. 24. And they shall go forth and look upon the carkasses Rhetoricians tell us that in the introduction to a discourse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 milder affections suit best to insinuate but in the conclusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passionate passages such as may leave a sting behind them and stick by the hearers This Art the Prophet here useth for being now to period his Prophecy he giveth all sorts to know what they shall trust to The godly shall go forth i. e. salvi evadent liberi abibunt they shall have safety here and salvation hereafter They shall also look upon the carkasses c. they shall be eye-witnesses of Gods exemplary judgements executed on the wicked that would not have Christ to reign over them Rev. 19.21 who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the glory of the Lord and from the presence of his power 2 Thes 1.9 This the righteous shall see and fear and laugh at them Psal 52.6 giving God the glory of his justice and goodness Some think they shall have at last day a real sight of hell and the damned there Rev. 14.10 and this may very well be Oh that wicked men would in their dayly meditations take a turn or two in hell and so be forewarned to fly from the wrath to come Is it nothing to have the worm of conscience ever grubbing upon their entrails and the fire of Gods vengeance feeding upon their souls and flesh throughout all eternity Oh that eternity of extremity Think of it seasonably and seriously that ye never suffer it The Jewish Masters have in some copies wholly left out this last verse as in other copies they repeat both here and in the end of Ecclesiastes Lamentations and Malachy the last verse save one which is more sweet and fuller of comfort and that for this reason that the Reader may not be sent away sad Amama in Antibarb and so fall into desperation But of that there is no such danger sith most people are over slight in their thoughts of hell-torments regarding them no more than they do a fire painted on the wall or a serpent wrought in Arras And besides Non sinit in Gehennam incidere Gehennae meminisse saith Chysostom to remember hell is a good means to preserve us from it This verse hath sufficient authority from our Saviours citing of it Mar. 9.44 See the Note there Plato also if that be any thing in his description of hell which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fiery lake saith the same as here In Phaed. pag. 400. Inde dictus est Moses Atticus that their worm dyeth not neither is their fire quenched He might possibly have read Isaiah as he had done Moses T is thought Laertius telleth us that he travelled into Egypt where he conversed with some Hebrews and learned much of them And they shall be an abhorring to all flesh i. e. All good men abominate them now as so many living Ghosts walking carkases Eph. 2.2 Prov. 29. ult and shall much more at the last day when they shall arise again to everlasting shame and contempt Dan. 12. Scribendo haec studui bene de pietate mereri Sed quicquid potui Gratia Christs tua est A Commentary or Exposition upon The BOOK of the Prophet IEREMIAH CHAP. I. Ver. 1. THe words of Jeremiah Piscator rendereth it Acta Jeremiae The Acts of Jeremy Verba sive Res. as we say The Acts of the Apostles which Book also saith One might have been called in some sense The Passions of the Apostles who were for the testimony of Jesus in deaths often And the same we may safely say of Jeremy Serm. 4. contra A â—â—nos who although he were not omnis criminis per totam vitam expers which yet great Athanaesius affirmeth of him that is free from all fault for he had his out-bursts and himself relateth them yet he was Judaeorum integerrimus as of Phocion it is said that he was Atheniensum integerrimus a man of singular sanctimony and
obey the voyce of the Lord your God Which you ought to do whatever come of it sith rebellion is as witchcraft 1 Sam. 15. Ver. 14. Saying no but we will go into the land of Egypt Infamous for idolatry luxury and the oppression of your Ancestours there besides Gods expresse prohibition Deut. 17.16 and commination of it as the last and greatest plague The Lord shall bring thee into Egypt Deut. 28.68 And there will we dwell The Prophet now by their looks or some other way perceived their purpose so do do whatever they had promised ver 5 6. Ver. 15. If ye wholly set you faces As now I see you do and shall therefore tell you what to trust unto with the froward God will wrestle Psal 18.26 Ver. 16. Then it shall come to passe that the sword which ye feared shall overtake you there Categorice intonat Propheta God hath long hands neither can wicked men anywhere live out of the reach of his rod. And the famine whereof ye were afraid Egypt was very fertile the granary of the world and yet God could cause a famine there he hath treasures of plagues for sinners and can never be exhausted Ver. 17. They shall dye by the sword by the famine and by the pestilence Three threats answerable to those three promises ver 10 11 12. in case of their obedience Metaph. Ã metallis Ver. 8. As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth sc Like scalding lead or burning bell-metal which runeth fiercely spreadeth far and burneth extreamly Vpon the inhabitants of Jerusalem Out of which fire I have late pulled you as a brand the smell thereof is yet upon your clothes as it were Cavete Ver. 19. Go ye not into Egypt Be ruled or you will rue it when you have learned their evil manners and shall perish in their punishments It is better for you to be in cold irons at Babylon then to serve idols in Egypt at never so much liberty Your father 's brought a golden calf thence Jeroboam brought two Ver. 20. For ye dissembled in your hearts Heb. ye seduced in your souls or in your minds The Vulgar hath it you deceived your souls and not God by playing fast and loose with him by dealing with him ac si puer esset scurra vel morio Ver. 21. But ye have not obeyed the voyce of the Lord Nay you take a clean contrary course as if ye would despitefully spit in the face of heaven and wrestle a fall with the Almighty Ver. 22. Now therefore know certainly that ye shall dye In running from death ye shall but run to it as Jonas did Quo fugis Encelade quascun que accesseris oras Sub Jove semper eris CHAP. XLIII Ver. 1. ANd it came to passe that when Jeremiah had made an end c. See here how wicked men and hypocrites especially grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived Balaam being resolved to curse however went not as at other times but set his face toward the wildernesse Num. 24.12 Now he would build no more altars but curse whatever came of it so would these refractaries without Gods good leave go down to Egypt putting it to the venture Jeremyes sweet words were even lost upon them Ver. 2. Then spake Azariah See on chap. 42.1 And all the proud men Pride is the root of rebellion See chap. 13.15 These mens Pride budded as Ezek. 7.10 and as the leprosie brake forth in their foreheads See Hos 7.1 with the Note Saying unto Jeremiah Thou speakest falsely By this foul aspersion not proved at all they seek to discredit his Prophesie like as the Jews at this day do the New Testament and the Papists the book of Martyrs and other Monuments of the Church saying of them So many lines so many lyes Ver. 3. But Baruc the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us A likely matter what should Baruc get by that but malice careth not how truely or rationally it speaketh or acteth so it may gall or kill Jeremy and Baruc must be said to pack together and to collude for a common disturbance like as the Papists say Luther and Zuinglius did when as they knew nothing one of another for a long time after that they began to stickle against Popery in several climates and when they did hear of one another they differed exceedingly in the doctrine of the Sacrament especially Ver. 4. So Johanan the son of Kareah c. Nothing is more audacious and desperate then an hypocrite when once discovered Now these subdoli shew themselves in their colours appear in their likenesse going on end with their work Ver. 5. But Johanan took all the remnant of Judah Whose preservation had been but a reservation to further mischief a just punishment of their incorrigibleness Ver. 6. And Jeremiah the Prophet and Baruc the son of Neriah This was not without a special Providence of God that these Desperado's might still have a Prophet with them for the making of them the more inexcuseable If it befall any of Gods faithful servants to be hurried whither they would not as it did Jeremy and Baruc here Paul also and Peter Joh. 21.18 Ignatius Polycarp and other prisoners and sufferers for the truth in all ages let them comfort themselves with these examples Ver. 7. Thus came they even to Tahpanhes A chief City of Egypt called also Hanes Esa 30.4 Hierom calleth it Tunis and Herodotus Daphnis Pelusiae Ver. 8. Then came the Word of the Lord unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes saying And although many more words besides came to him whiles he was there and many remarkable passages fell out yet the holy Ghost hath recorded no more thereof then what we find in this and the next Chapter Ver. 9. Take great stones in thine hand Bricks wherewith Egypt abounded as being much of it muddy by reason of the inundation of the River Nilus hence also their chief City was called Pelusium or Daphnis Pelusiae See ver 7. It is ordinary with Jeremy to joyn Paradigms with his Prophecies as here that they might be the more evident and take the deeper impression Ver. 10. Behold I will send and take Nebuchadnezzar By a secret instinct put into his heart And will set his throne upon these stones This was dangerous for Jeremy to say at the Court-gate and in the hearing of so many disaffected Jews who would be ready enough to make the worst of every thing Some say they stoned him with brick-bats for this very prophesie Ver. 11. And when he cometh Being sent and set on by God He shall smite the land of Egypt As for their Idolatry c. so especially for harbouring these perfidious Jews whom divine Vengeance still pursueth hot-foot and will not suffer them to live anywhere sith they would not be perswaded to live in Gods good land and by his good laws Ver. 12. And I will kind's a fire in the house of the gods of Egypt Goodly gods they were that could
gracelesnesse She remembreth not her last end i. e. What a black tail of plagues sin draweth after it Plura de extremis loqui pars ignaviae est Tacit. lib. 2. Hist and that for all these things she must come to Judgment Memorare novissima is a good preservative from sin but most men are of Otho the Emperours mind who thought it a piece of dastardy to speak or think much of death whereas Moses assureth us that by keeping out the thoughts of death we keep our spirits void of true magnanimity and that one of those that will consider their latter end would chase a thousand Deut 32.30 Therefore she came down wonderfully Heb. with wondermentâ— Her incogitancy and inconsideratnesse together with the licentious wickednesse following thereupon being more heavy then a talent of lead Zach. 5.7 brought her down with a powder as we say ita ut ad miraculum corruerit O Lord behold mine affliction If not me as utterly unworthy yet mine affliction as thou once didst Hagar's Gen. 16.13 and if I may obtain no favour yet why should the enemy insult to thy dishonour Deut. 32.27 Psal 35.26 38.16 Jer. 48.26 42. Zeph. 2.20 Ver. 10. The adversary The common enemy both of God and us out of hatred of the truth and the professors thereof Hath spread out his hand His plundring and sacrilegious hand Vpon her pleasant things But especially those that were consecrated to the service of God in the Temple The Rabbines here by pleasant or desirable things understand principally the book of the Law which say they the Moabites and the Ammonites sought for in the Temple that they might burn it because therein was forbidden their admission into the Church for ever Ver. 11. All her people sigh And so think to ease their grief They shall seek bread The staff of life which without repaire by nutrition would be soon extinct so in the spiritual life which made Job prefer the word before his necessary food There is a famine of the Word which is much worse Amos 8. Isa 5. Pray against it and prevent it They have given their pleasant things for meat Which must be had at any rate much more must the food of the soul Act. Mon. 750. Keckerm praefat Geograph Our forefathers gave five Markes or more for a good book a load of hay for a few Chapters of St. James or of St. Paul in English saith Mr. Fox The Queen of Castile sold her jewels to furnish Columbus for his discovering voyage to the West Indies when he had shewed his Maps though our Henry the seventh loth to part with mony slâ—ghted his proffers and thereby the golden mines were found and gained to the Spanish Crown Let no man think much to part with his pleasant things for his precious soul or to sacrifice all that he hath to the service of his life which next to his soul should be most dear unto him Our ancestours in Queen Maries dayes were glad to eat the bread of their souls in peril of their lives To relieve the soul Heb. to make the soul come again For Animantis cujusque vita in fuga est Life must be fetcht again by food when it is fainting away See O Lord and consider Quam delicata epulatrix facta sim to what hard meat I am held to how strait an allowance See it and be sensible of my prisoners pittance and how I have made many a meals meat upon the promises when I have wanted bread as that good woman once said Ver. 12. Is it nothing to you all ye that passe by the way Siste viator Stay passenger hast not a tear to shed c. Sanchez thinks that this is Jerusalem's Epitaph made by her self as to be engraven on her tomb to move compassion The Septuagint have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hei ad vos subaudi clamo Woe and Alasse cry I to you Make ye nothing of my misery I wish the like may never befal you Ne sit super vos for so some render the words Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow What we see in the water seemeth greater then it is so in the waters of Marah See chap. 3.1 T is sure that no temptation taketh us but what is humane or common to man 1 Cor. 10.13 But what did the man Christ Jesus suffer All our sufferings are but chips of his cross saith Luther not worthy to be named in the same day c. Wherein the Lord hath afflicted me This was yet no smal allay to her grief that God had done it The Stoicks who held that all came by destiny were noted for their patience or rather tolerance and aequanimity in all conditions Ver. 13. Form above hath he sent fire into my bones Like as when the marrow and natural moisture is dryed up by a violent fever or rather as when the solid parts of bodies below are lightening-struk from above and scorcht by these sulphureous flames that pierce unto them And it prevailed against them Or. And he ruled it viz. the fire i. e. he directed and disposed it He hath spred a net for my feet And so hamperd me an unruly creature ut constricta fuerim in ruinam that there is no escaping from him yea the more I strive to get out the faster I stick He hath turned me back Laid me on my back He hath made me desolate and faint My calamities come thick one in the neck of another words are too weak to utter them and yet here is very great copy and variety of words so that Paschasius saith this book may well be called the Lamentations of Lamentations like as Solomon's Song is called for its excellenty The Song of Songs Ver. 14. The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand Compactum est Or is bound upon his hand that is the Lord carrieth them in his continual remembrance They are wreathed Wrapped and wreathed together as a strong cord My sins are twisted together saith One and sadly accented so are the punishments of my sins saith the Church here neither can I get free but as the heifer by wriggling against the yoke galleth her neck so do I. And come up upon my neck Praeclarum scilicet monile torques mearum virtutum index insigne He hath made my strength to fall Heb. he hath caused my power to stumble i. e. so to stumble as to fall for he who stumbleth and yet falleth not getteth ground From whom I am not able to arise Only God can raise me and it is a work worthy of God who Dejicit ut relevet premit ut solatia praestet Ver. 15. The Lord hath trodden under foot As unsavory salt that is he hath covered with the greatest contempt All my mighty men Vulg. My Magnifico's or Gallants in whom I too much trusted In the midst of me In the very bosom of their mother as Caracalla killed his brother Geta consecrating the sword wherewith he