than the Lion they have no power to flye from him Kings have long hands strong clutches Good therefore is the wise mans counsel Eccles 8.2 3 4. See the Note on Chap. 16.14 15. Vers 13. A foolish Son is the calamity of his Father Children are certain cares but uncertain comforts Let them prove never so towardly yet there is somewhat to do to breed them up and bring them to good But if they answer not expectation the Parents grief is unexpressible See the Note on Chap. 10.1 and 15.20 How many an unhappy Father is tempted to wish with Augustus O utinam caelebs vixissem orbusque perissem And the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping Like as a man that hath met with hard usage abroad thinks to mend himself at home but is no sooner sate down there but the rain dropping thorow the roof upon his head drives him out of doors again Conjugium Conjurgium De discordi conjugio Theomistocles dixit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such is the case of him that hath a contentious wife a far greater cross than that of ungracious children which yet are the Fathers calamities and heart-breaks Augustus had been happy if hee had had no children Sylla if hee had had no wife All evils as elements are most troublesome when out of their proper place as impiety in Professours injustice in Judges discomfort in a wife This is like a tempest in the Haven most troublesome most dangerous Vers 14. House and riches are the inheritance of the Fathers Viz. More immediately God gives them to the Parents and they leave them to their children being moved thereto by God Though a carnal heart looks no higher than Parents cares not so hee may have it whence hee hath it It is Dos non Deus that maketh marriages with them good enough if goods enough mony is the greatest medlet and drives the bargain and business to an upsho◠Mostly such matches prove unhappy and uncomfortable How can it bee otherwise sith Hic Deus nihil fecit God indeed had a hand in it but for their just punishment that so followed after lying vanities and so forsook their own mercies But a prudent wife is of the Lord Nature makes a Woman Election a Wife but to bee prudent wise and virtuous is of the Lord. A good wife was one of the first real and royal gifts bestowed on Adam God set all the creatures before him ere hee gave him a wife that seeing no other fit help hee might prize such a gift not a gift of industry but of destiny as one saith for Marriages are made in Heaven as the common sort can say and as very Heathens acknowledge The Governour of Eskichisar hearing Othoman the Great Turk his relation of a fair Lady whom hee was in love with and had highly commended for her virtues seemed greatly to like of his choice saying that shee was by the divine providence appointed onely for him to have Turk Hist fol. 136. Vers 15. Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep Sloth bringeth sleep and sleep poverty See this excellently set forth Chap. 6.9 10 11. See the Notes there and on chap. 10.4 Vers 16. Hee that keepeth the Commandement keepeth his own soul This is the first fruit of shaking off sloth and sleepiness Hee that stirs up himself to take hold of God Isa 64.7 and to take hold of his Covenant Isa 56.4 to love the name of the Lord and to bee his servant vers 6. to love him and keep his Commandements Exod. 20.6 to do that little hee does out of love if it bee no more than to think upon his Commandements to do them Psal 103.18 this mans soul shall bee bound up in the bundle of life hee shall finde his name written in the book of life For in vitae libro scribuntur omnes qui quod possunt faciunt etsi quod debeut non possunt saith Bernard Their names are written in Heaven who do what they can though they cannot do what they ought If there bee a willing mind 2 Cor. 8.12 God accepts according to what a man hath not according to what hee hath not Aug. Exchir cap. 32. And here also Nolentem praevenit Deus ut velit volentem subsequitur ne frustrà velit God that gives both to will and to do causeth his people to keep his Commandements Ezek. 36. Isa 26. and worketh all their works in them and for them Lex jubet gratia juvat petamus ut det quod ut habeamus jubet Aug. in Exod. quast 55. The Law commandeth but Grace helpeth let us beg that God would make us to be what hee requires us to be But hee that despiseth his waies That is Gods waies chalked out in his word See the Note on chap. 13.13 Or Hee that despiseth his own waies Aut mentem aut restim comparandum Chrysip lives carelesly and at randome walks at all adventures with God cui vita est incomposita possimè morata contra gnomonem canonem Decalogi a loose and lawless person hee shall dye not a natural death onely as all do but spiritual and eternal There is but an inch betwixt him and hell which already gapes for him and will certainly swallow him up Vers 17. Hee that hath pitty upon the poor lendeth c. This is a second fruit of shaking off sloth and working with the hands the thing that is good Ephes 4.28 that one may have to give to him that needeth Hee doth not give it but lend it God accepts it both as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a gift and a Loue saith Basil Nay Orat. de Eleemos he lends it upon usury Faeneratur Domino and that to the Lord who both binds himself to repay and gives us security for it under his own hand here Hee will pay him again to bee sure of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Piel hee will fully and abundantly repay him mostly in this world but infallibly in the world to come Evagrius in Cedrenus bequeathed three hundred pounds to the poor in his Will but took a bond before-hand of Synesius the Bishop for the repayment of it in another life And the very next night saith the history after his departure appearing to him in his shape delivered in the bond cancelled and fully discharged Vers 18. Chasten thy Son while there is hope See the Note on chap. 13.24 Vers 19. A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment Hee that laies the reynes in the neck and sets no bounds to his wrath whether in chastising his childe or otherwise shall bee sure to smart for it shall bring himself and his friends into great trouble Such therefore as are cholerick should pray much and prevent all occasions of wrath as Callius and Cotis because they would not bee stirred up to anger burned their enemies letters before they were read The like did Pompey to the Letters of Sertorius and Casar to Pompey's Letters
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
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
it be considered whether they be not Spain Germany and France or whether this prefigured not saith One his triple crown And behold in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man In respect of his feined curtesy and profound policy To be sharpsighted is commendable but to be wittily wicked is to do the devil doubty service And a mouth speaking great thing Big swoln with blasphemies both against God and his Vicegerents upon earth Pope Boniface wrot to Philip the Fair King of France Volumus te scire te in temporali spirituali nobis subjacere We would you should know Sir that you are to subject your selves to us Alsted Chron. both in temporals and spirituals c. Accordingly he took upon him to overtop and command at pleasure all Christian Kings and Emperours The application that the malicious Jew-doctours blasphemously make of this little horn to our Lord Jesus Christ is worthy of all execration Ver. 9. I beheld till the thrones were cast down All these tyrannous dominions overturned Some read it till the thrones were set up for till the last Judgement Antichrist is to continue ver 21 22 25 26. And the Ancient of dayes did sit i. e. God Almighty whom Thales also an Heathen Philosopher called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most Ancient of all that are The Poets say also that Saturn the father of their gods had his name from his fulnesse of years Gods Eternity and Wisdom is set forth by this his Title here Laert. in vlt. Thalet Saturnus est appellatus quòd saturetur annâ— Cic. de nat deor lib. 2. like as also is by his white garments his Majesty and Authority by his hair as pure wooll his Innocency and Integrity in Judgement by his throne like the fiery flame his just Anger and Severity against the man of sin especially by his wheels or the wheels thereof viz. of his Throne for Princes thrones used in those dayes to be set upon wheels as burning fire is set forth his Facility and Dexterity in executing his Judgements his Efficacy also sith all things are fiery Ver. 10. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him The last and great Judgement must needs be very dreadful when as beside that wicked men shall give account with all the world flaming about their ears the Law they shall be judged by is a fiery Law Deut 32.2 the tribunal of fire Ezek. 1.27 the Judge a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 His Attendants flaming Seraphims his pleading with sinners shall be in flames of fire 2 Thes 1.7 The trial of their works shall be by fire 1 Cor. 3.13 The place of punishment a lake of fire fed with tormenting temper and kindled by the breath of the Lord Isa 30 33. Well may the sinners in Zion be afraid and fearfulnesse surprize hypocrites well may they run away if they can at least tell whither with these words in their mouths Who among us shall dwell with this devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 Thousand thousands ministred unto him There is an innumerable company of Angels Heb. 12.22 and when Christ cometh to judge the world he shall bring them all with him not one being left behind him in heaven Mat. 16.27 that he may have their assistance in the sentence and execution of Judgement 1 Cor. 6.2 3. Sedendo quiescendo animasit prudens Aristot Physic lib. 6. The Judgement was set and the books were opened Terms taken from judgements amongst men wherein inditements are read proofs are produced Laws also are considered The books that shall here be opened are Gods Records and Consciences Register quae scripta sunt non atrameâ—â—o sed flagitiorum inquinamento saith Ambrose which are written not with ink but with sins filth I beheld then because of the voice of the great words As Antichrist shall be judged for his blasphemies so shall all ungodly men for their hard speeches Jude 12. yea for their waste words Mat. 12. Cotton the Jesuite confesseth that the authority of the Pope is incomparably lesse then it was and that now the Christian Church is but a diminutive Ver. 11. I beheld even till the beast was slain Till the whole body of the monster and with it the Papal kingdom came to ruine This Bellarmine confesseth and lamenteth that ever since we began to call the Pope Antichrist the Church of Rome hath suffered losse And his body destroyed and given to the burning flame The Revelation which is an heavenly Commentary upon this Prophecy hath it thus The beast and the false Prophet were cast alive for more torment into a lake of fiâ—e burning with brimstone Chap. 19.20 Ver. 12. As concerning the rest of the beasts The four great Monarchies as was before noted had their times and their turns their rise and their ruine Yet their lives were prolonged for a season Such is the Lords lenity respiting his enemies for a time 1 Kings 21.29 The Persian and Turk are yet puissant Princes The successe that the Antichristian rout yet hath in some places maketh good that which was sometime said of dying Carthage Morientium nempe bestiarum violentiores esse morsus i. e. The bites of dying beasts are more violent then ordinary Ver. 13. I saw in the night visions c. Here comes in the fifth Monarchy properly so called the kingdom being wrested from the fourth tyrant Well might Hierom call Daniel Polyhistora the general Historian And behold one like the son of man So Christ shewed himself oft to the Fathers before his Incarnation for their confirmation in that Article which being the ground of his Passion was to be especially believed for the foundation of Christian faith Christs Godhead also another main Article is here not obscurely deciphered whilest he is said to be like the son of man therefore he is more then a mere man Again he came with the clouds confer Mat. 24.30 Then shall they see the son of man coming in the clouds as in his charet of State Adde hereunto his solemn glorious accesse unto the Father that Ancient of dayes that is the Eternal God as being his Coâ—qual of the same nature power glory c. with his Father and Coeternal unto him So the Lamb is said to approach to him that sat upon the Throne to receive the Book Rev. 5.7 Et qui assistebaâ—â— ei abtulerant eum sic Cyprian legit And they brought him near before him The Angels did as great mens Attendants are said to bring their Masters to the Court. Ver. 14. And there was given him dominion Christ hath a manyfold right to the kingdom it is his by Inheritance conquest donation c. This is comfortable to consider of forasmuch as he will not reign without his Members who all hold all in capite and have all already 1. In precio 2. In promisso 3. In primitiis That all people nations and languages c. Christs Kingdiom is
runs deep is the ford The Dial stirs yet none perceives it move c. Vers 28. Even a fool when hee holdeth his peace c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O that you would altogether hold your peace and it should bee your wisdome saith Job to his friends that spake much but said little Job 13.5 CHAP. XVIII Vers 1. Through desire a man having separated himself c. HEre the reading that is in Margin mee thinks is the better Hee that separates himself either from his friend as the old interpreter makes the sense or from any thing else that hee hath formerly followed seeketh according to his desire seeketh to satisfie his own hearts lust and to compass what hee coveteth and intermedleth with every business stirs very busily in every thing that is done and leaves no stone unrowled no course unattempted whereby hee may effect his design and come off with his credit The practice hereof wee may observe in the Pharisees those old Separatists who slandered all that our Saviour did and in their pertinacious malice never left till they had slain him for a deceiver of the people So the Donatists separated and affirmed that there were no true Churches but theirs They were also divided among themselves in minutula frustula into small sucking Congregations as Austin saith whose arguments not being able to confute they reproached him for his former life when hee was a Manichee In like sort dealt the Anabaptists with Luther whom they held more pestiferous than the Pope Muncer wrote a book against him dedicating it to the illustrious Prince Christ and rails at him Scultet Annal. 238. as one that wanted the Spirit of Revelation and savoured onely the things of the flesh Apologet. Narrat p. 6. Our Separatists the better sort of them have said that the differences are so small between themselves and us that they can for a need come to our Churches partake in the Sacraments and hold communion with us as the Churches of Christ c. But if so how then dare they separate and intermeddle with every business that they may have some specious pretence for it Turks wonder at English for cutting or pinking their cloaths counting them little better than mad to make holes in whole cloath which time of it self would tear too soon Men may do pro libitu as some render through desire in this Text as they will with their own but woe bee to those that cut and rend the seamless coat of Christ with causeless separations Vers 2. A fool hath no delight in understanding but that his heart may discover it self Or in discovering his own heart i. e. in following his own humour against all that can bee said to the contrary Hee is wilful and so stands as a stake in the midst of a stream le ts all pass by him but hee stands where hee was It is easier to deal with twenty mens reasons than with one mans will Hee hath made his conclusion you may as soon remove a rock as him Quecquid vult valde vult quicquid vult sanctum est His will is his rule and when a man hath said and done his utmost to convince him by force of reason hee shall finde him like a Mill-horse just there in the evening where hee began his morning circuit Some think that Solomon here taxeth not so much the wilfulness as the vain-gloriousness and ostentation of fond fools who seem to delight in wisdom but it is onely for a name and that they may by setting their good parts a sunning gain the applause and admiration of the world for men singularly qualified But why should any affect the vain praises of men and not rest content with the Euge of a good conscience The blessed Virgin was troubled when truly praised of an Angel Moses had more glory by his veil than by his face Christ beside the veil of his humanity sayes See you tell no man c. Vers 3. When the wicked cometh then cometh contempt It comes into the world with him so the Hebrew Doctors expound it Hee is born a contemner of God of his people and of his ordinances being vainly puffed up by his fleshly minde Col. 2.18 and having a base esteem of others in comparison of himself Thus vain man would bee wise yea the onely wise though man bee born like a wilde Asses colt Job 11.12 and so hee could not but confess would hee but consult a while with himself But hee doth with himself as some people do by Dogs and Monkeyes which they know to bee paltry carrion beasts and yet they set great store by them and make precious account of them meerly for their minds sake And with ignominy reproach These two hee shall bee sure of according to that 1 Sam. 2.30 They that despise mee shall bee lightly esteemed and Prov. 3.34 Surely God scorneth the scorners see the Note there hee payes them in their own coyn over-shoots them in their own bow makes them to meet with such as will mete them out their own measure and for their contempt repay them with ignominy reproach Vers 4. The words of a mans mouth are as deep waters Fitly are the words of the wise resembled to waters saith one in as much as they both wash the mindes of the hearers that the foulness of sin remain not therein and water them in such sort that they faint not nor wither by a drought and burning desire of heavenly doctrine Now these words of the wise are of two sorts some are as deep waters and cannot easily bee fathomed as Sampsons Riddles and Solomons Apophthegms so very much admired by the Queen of Sheba 2 Chron. 9. some again are plain and flow so easily as a flowing brook that the simplest may understand them The same may bee affirmed of the holy Scriptures those words of the wise and their dark sayings Prov. 1.6 The Scriptures saith one are both text and gloss one place opens another one place hath that plainly that another delivers darkly The Rabbius have one saying That there is a mountain of sense hangs upon every Apex of the word of God And another they have Nulla est objectio in lege quae non habet solutionem in latere i. e. There is not any doubt in the Law but may bee resolved by some other Text. Parallel Scriptures cast a mutual light one upon another and is there not a thin veil laid over the word which is more rarified by reading and at last wholly worn away A friend saith Chrysostome that is acquainted with his friend will get out the meaning of a letter or phrase which another could not that is a stranger So it is in the Scripture Vers 5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked Indeed it is so bad as can hardly bee expressed and is therefore here set forth by the figure Liptote which is say Grammarians cum minus dicitur plus intelligitur when little is said Vt
These treacherous kissers are of kin to that mad Hacket hanged in Queen Elizabeths days who bit off his honest schoolmasters nose as he embraced him under colour of renewing their love and ear it down before the poor mans face So and no better are the kisses that is the fawnings and flatteries of perfideous persons Vers 7. The full soul loatheth an hony comb Heb. treadeth it under feet as dung or dogs-meat Chrysostome reports the saying of a certain Philosopher to the same purpose Anima in satietate posita etiam favis illudit The sated soul rejecteth finest fare and most sweetest sustenance This holds true in spirituals too The hony of Gods holy word how is it trampled on by those stall-fed beasts in whom fulness hath bred forgetfulness saturity security Our soul loatheth this light meat said they of their Manna when once cloyed with it The Pharisees found no more sweetness or savouriness in our Saviours own Sermons than in the white of an egge or a dry chip Our Nation is also sick of a spiritual plethory or plurifie we begin to surfeit on the bread of life Now when God sees his mercies lying under Table 't is just with him to call to the enemy to take away Behold therefore I will deliver thee to the men of the East who shall eat thy fruit and drink thy milk Ezek. 25.4 But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet Hunger is the best Cook say the Dutch the best sawce say we experience proves it so how sweetly doth it season homely cates Jejunus stomachus raro vulgaeria temâ—it Horat. coarse fare Artaxerxes Memor being put to flie for his life fed hungerly on barley-bread with dried figs and said he never made a better meal in all his life Huniades once driven out of the field by the Turks and lighting upon a shepheard craved for Gods sake of him something to eat who brought him to a poor cottage not farre off causing to be set before him bread and water with a few Onions who in the pleasant remembrance of that passed misery Turk Hist fol. 310. would oftentimes after in his greatest banguers say that he never in his life fared better or more daintily than when he supped with this shepheard Vers 8. As a bird that wandereth from her nest Doth it of inconstancy and oft meets with misery whereas God had taken order that none should molest a bird upon her nest Deut. 22.6 7. So is a man that wandreth from his place A vagrant an idleby or a busy-body that keeps not his station abides not in the calling wherein he was called 1 Cor. 7.20 exposed to misery and mischief to ruth and ruine Numb 16.32 2 Sam. 6.6 7. 2 Chron. 26.19 Jonah 1. Jude 6. Psal 107.4 An honest mans heart is where his calling is such an one when he is abroad is like a fish in the ayr whereinto if it leap for recreation or necessity yet it soon returns to its own element Vers 9. Oyntment and perfume rejoyce the heart Sweet oyntment sensum afficit spiritum reficit cerebrum juvat affects the sense refresheth the spirit comforteth the brain So doth the sweetness of a mans friend by hearty counsel It is as a fresh gale of sweet ayr to him that lives among walking dung-hils open sepulchres It preserveth the soul as a pomander and refresheth it more than musk or civet doth the brain The Counsel of such especially Ministers I mean of whom the Scripture saith that they are unto God a sweet savour of Christ unto them that are saved 2 Cor. 2.15 These are they that can sell us oyl for our lamps that we may buy for our selves Mat. 25.9 Such a Counsellour may be an Angel nay a God to another as Moses was to Aaron the comfort given by such as the blessing of Parents is usually most effectual because they are in Gods room See Job 33.23 If there be a messenger with him an interpreter one among a thousand Unus è millibus not Vnus è similibus as the Vulgar reads it falsely and from the purpose Vers 10. Thine own friend and thy Fathers friend forsake not To forsake a friend an old friend especially is to forsake ones self for a friend is a second self and friendship as wine is commendable from its oldness What a Price set Salomon upon Hiram who had been his fathers friend 1 King 5 and how did he seek his love as a precious inheritance left him as it were by his father and how courteously for his fathers sake likewise dealt hee with Abiathar that had dealt disloyally with him Neither go into thy brothers house Cajetan reads it and perhaps better Thy brothers house will not come in the day of thy calamity When thine old friend will visit thee and stick close to thee as Jonathan did to David and Onesiphorus to Paul David complains of his carnal kindred My lovers and my friends stand a far off from my sore and mine acquaintance stand aloof Psal 88.18 as the Priest and Levite did from the wounded man when the Samaritan a stranger but a neighbour indeed relieved him Vers 11. My sonne be wise and make my heart glad See the note on chap. 10.1 Vers 12. A prudent man foreseeth the evill See the note on Chap. 22.3 Vers 13. Take his garment that is surety See the note on chap. 20.16 Vers 14. He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice Qui leonum laudibus murem obruit that extols a man above measure as the false Prophets did Ahab and the People Herod that praiseth him to his face In vita Alphons which when a Court-parasite did to Sigismund the Emperour he gave him a sound box on the ear A Preacher in Constantines time ausus est Imperatorem in os beatum dicere Euseb de vit Const l. 4. c. 4. saith Eusebius presumed to call the Emperour a Saint to his face but he went away with a check When Aristobulus the Historian presented to Alexander the great book that he had written of his glorious acts wherein he had flatteringly made him greater than he was Alexander after he had read the book threw it into the River Hydaspes and said to the Authour It were a good deed to throw thee after it Rising early in the morning As afraid to be prevented by another or that he shall not have time enough all day after to do it in Vers 15. A continual dropping See the note on chap. 19.24 Vers 16. Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind i. e. One may as soon hide the wind or hold it from blowing as hide her shame or hush her brawling The wife should make her husband her covering when she is abroad especially but many wives are so intemperate and wilful that a man may as well hide the wind in his fist or oyl in his clutch-fist as his wives infirmities Let this be marked by those that venture upon shrews if rich fair
that found his Glove with a desire to restore it him Mr. Sam. Ward but pursued inwardly with a guilty conscience leaps over a hedge plunges into a Marle-pit behind it unseen and unthought of wherein he was drowned But the righteous is bold as a Lion Conscientia pura semper secura a good Conscience hath sure confidence and he that hath it sits Noah like Medius tranquillus in undis quiet in the greatest combustions freed if not from the common destruction yet from the common distraction for he knows whom hee hath trusted and is sure that neither life nor death nor things present nor things to come Rom. 8.38 can ever sunder him from Gods love in Christ He is bold as a Lion saith the Text yea as a young Lion that is in his hot bloud and therefore fears no other creature yea when he is fiercely pursued hee will never once alter his gate though he dye for it No more will the righteous man his resolution against sin such is his Christian courage Daniel chose rather to be cast to the lyons than to bear a lyon in his own bosome to violate his conscience The primitive Christians chose rather to be abandoned ad leones quam ad lenones they preferred affliction before sin And this their persecutors counted not courage and magnanimity but wilfulness and obstinacy Tertul. in Apolog But they knew not the power of the Spirit nor the privy armour of proof that the righteous have about their hearts that insuperable faith whereby some have stopped the mouths of lyons quenched the violence of fire c. Heb. 11.33.34 and whereby they do all daily encounter and conquer that roaring lyon the devil quenching his fiery darts c. Eph. 6. Vers 2. For the transgression of a land many are the Princes Either many at once or many ejecting and succeeding one another to the great calamity and utter undoing of the People as may be seen in the books of Judges and Kings as in the Roman state after Nero's death by the succession of Galba Otho and Vitellius What a deal of trouble was here in the time of the Heptarchy and in the dissensions of the two houses of York and Lancaster causing the death of twice as many natives of England Daniels hist 249. as were lost in the two conquests of France besides 80 Princes of the blood royal slain And all this is said to be for the transgression of a land thus chastised by the LORD Elihu tells Job that the hypocrite is set to reign for the peoples sin Job 34. and Levit. 26. it is threatned as an heavy curse If yee still trespass against mee I will set Princes over you that shall hate you mischievous odious Princes odious to God malignant to the People And Isa 3.4 I will give children to be their Princes and babes shall rule over them How many Kings had the ten Tribes after their defection from the house of David and not one good one amongst them all And what got most of the Roman Cesars by their hasty honours nisi ut citius interficorentur saith one but to be slain the sooner Very few of them till Constantine but died unnatural deaths If ye do wickedly ye shall perish both you and your King 1 Sam. 12.25 But by a man of understanding and knowledge As one sinner may destroy much good Eccles 9.18 so one excellently wise man called here a man of understanding knowledge there is no copulative in the Original the state may be prolonged there may be a lengthening of its tranquillity it may be delivered by the pureness of thine hands Job 22.30 See 2 Sam. 20.16 c. Eccles 9.13 c. Jer. 5.1 Religious and prudent Princes especially may do much in this case 2 King 22.20 Vers 3. A poor man that oppresseth the poor c. Such an oppressour bites hard as a lean louse doth makes clean work plunders to the life as they say omnia corradit converret Poor men should pitty poor men as knowing the misery of poverty but to oppress or defraud their comperes is greatest inhumanity as that merciless fellow servant did Matth. 18.28 c. A Weesel is a ravenous beast as well as a Lyon a Sparrow-hauk as greedy as an Eagle and more mercy is to be expected from those more noble creatures than from the base and abject Vers 4. They that forsake the Law praise the wicked As Machiavel doth Cesar Borgia that bipedum nequissimum proposing him for a pattern to all Christian Princes as Onuphrius the Popes Biographer doth Hildebrand or Gregory 7th in five books written of his noble acts and great virtues whom Cardinal Benno truly describeth to have been a murtherer an adulterer Epiphan barcâ— 38. a conjurer a Schismatick an heretick and every way as bad as might be Epiphanius tells us that there were a sort of brain-sick hereticks that cried up Cain and were therefore called Cainites They also commended the Sodomites Korah Judas the traitour c. In the book of Judith the act of Simeon and Levi upon the Shechemites is extolled and there was one Bruno that wrote an Oration in commendation of the devil But they that keep the law contend with them Moved with a zeal of God they cannot be silent As Craesus his dumb son they cry out Wilt thou â—ill my father dishonour my God c Good blood will never belye it self good metal will appear How did young David bristle against black-mouthed Goliah and enter the lists with him Do not I hate them that hate thee saith he Psal 139. Yea I hate them with a perfeâ—â— hatred I cast down the gauntlet of defiance against them I count them mine enemies Asa cannot bear with Idolatry no not in his own mother Our Edward the sixth would by no means yield to a toleration for his sister Mary though solicited thereunto by Cranmer and Ridley for politick respects Mihi quâ—dem Auxentius non alius erit quam diabolus quamdiu Arrianus said Hilary I shall look upon Auxentius as a devil so long as he is an Arrian It was the speech of blessed Luther who though he was very earnest to have the Communion administred in both kinds contrary to the doctrine and custome of Rome yet if the Pope saith he as Pope commanded me to receive it in both kinds I would but receive it in one kind sith to obey what he commands as Pope is a receiving of the mark of the beast Vers 5. Evill men understand not judgement They are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge their wits work not that way they are bard and brutish as horse and asse Psal 32. Yea they fall beneath the stirrup of reason and know not their owner which yet the ox and asse doth Esa 1.3 no wiser at 70 years old than at seven Ut liberius peccent libenter ignorant not willing to know what they are not minded to practice But they
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
rich fool in the Gospel either knew not or considered not Eat drink and bee merry said he to himself but God was not in all his thoughts How much better David Hope in the Lord saith he to himself and others and be doing good dwell in the Land and verily thou shalt be fed Psal 37.3 Vers 14. I know that whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever i. e. That his Decree is unchangeable that his counsel shall stand Prov. 19. that the Sun may sooner be stopt in his course than God hindered of his will or in his work sith his power and grace is irresistable Nature Angels Devils Men may all be resisted and so miss of their design Not so God For who hath resisted his will Vain men whiles like proud and yet brittle clay they will be knocking their sides against the solid and eternal Decree of God break themselves in peeces 1 King 1. as Adoniah did And whilest with Pompey vanquished by Julius Caesar they complain that there is a great mist upon the eye of Divine Providence they doe but blame the Sun because of the sorenesse of their blear eyes Certain it is and Solomon knows it though the best of Heathens doubted of it when they saw good men suffer bad men prosper that every Creature walks blind-fold only he that dwels in light sees whither they goe and that the Charrets of all effects and actions come forth from between those mountains of Brasse Gods provident Decrees and counsels most firm and immutable Zach. 5.6 That men should fear before him And not lay the reigns in the neck casting away all care upon pretence of Gods decree as that French King did Ludo. 11. that thus desperately argued Si salvabor salvabor si vero damnabor damnabor If I shall bee saved I shall bee saved and if I shall bee damned I shall bee damned therefore I will live as I list This was to suck poyson out of a sweet flower to dash against the Rock of ages to fall into the pit like a profane beast which was digged for better purpose Exod. 21.23 to stumble at the word an ill sign and yet an ordinary sinne whereunto also they were appointed 1 Pet. 2.8 A bridge is made to give men safe passage over a dangerous River but hee that stumbleth on the bridge is in danger to fall into the River So here Vers 15. That which hath been is now c. viz. With God to whom all things are present Rom. 4.17 2 Pet. 3.8 Jer. 1.5 6 7. Hence God is said to know future things Exod. 3.9 John 18.4 not to foreknow them For indeed neither foreknowledge nor remembrance are properly in God sith his whole Essence is wholly an eye or a mind it is the example or pattern of all things so that hee needs but to look upon himself and then hee seeth all things as in a glass The eye of man beholds many things at once as Ants in a mole-hill but if it will see other things at the same time it must remove the sight The mind of man can take in a larger circuit even a City a Country a World but this it doth onely in the lump or whole masse of it for else it must remove from form to form and from thought to thought But God takes all at once most stedfastly and perfectly All things without him are but as a point or ball which with as much ease hee discerneth as wee turn our eyes And God requireth that which is past Or enquireth asketh that which is by-gone hee bespeaks it as present calling those things that are not as if they were Non aliter scivit Deus creatae quam creanda saith Austin God knew things to be created as if they had been before created Vers 16. The place of judgement that wickedness was there i. e. That wrong reigned in the places of Judicature that Justice was shamefully perverted and publick Authority abused to publick injury Cato saw as much in the Roman States and complained that private robbers were laid in cold irons A. Gell. lib. 21. cap. 16. when publick theeves went in gold chains and were cloathed in Purple Another not without cause complains that even among us Christians some follow the administration of Justice as a trade onely with an unquenchable and unconscionable desire of gain which justifies the common resemblance of the Courts of Justice to the Bush whereto whiles the Sheep flyes for defence in ill weather hee is sure to lose part of his fleece Such wickedness saw the Wiseman in the place of Judgement where hee least looked for it God himself looked for judgement but behold a scab Isa 5.7 So the Hebrew hath it Vers 17. I said in my heart God shall judge c. Hee did not deny the Divine Providence as Averroes for this cause did much less did hee turn Atheist with Diagoras because hee could not have Justice done upon a fellow that had stollen a Poem of his and published it in his own name But hee concluded within himself Psal 37. that God would surely take the matter into his own hand Judge those unrighteous Judges right and relieve the oppressed bring forth their righteousness as the light and their innocency as the noon-day if not in this world yet certainly at that great Assizes to bee held by his sonne Because hee hath appointed a day in the which hee will judge the world in righteousness whereof hee hath given assurance to allmen c. Act. 17 31. His petty Sessions he keepeth now letting the Law pass upon some few corrupt Judges by untimely death disgraces banishment remorse of conscience c. as hee did upon Judge Morgan that condemned the Lady Jane Gray Judge Hales Belknap Empson Dudley that I speak not of Pilate Felix c. reserving the rest till the great Assizes 1 Tim. 5.24 Some hee punisheth here lest his Providence but not all lest his patience and promise of Judgement should be called into question as Austin well observeth His two and twenty learned Books De civitate Dei were purposely written to clear up this truth And so were Salvians eight Books De gubernatione Dei de justo praesentique ejus judicio Vers 18. That they might see that they themselves are beasts It is reckoned a great matter that wicked men are made to know themselves to bee but men and no more Psal 37 22. Psal 9.20 But God will make good men see and say with David Ambr. in Psal 72. So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a Beast before thee Pulchre addidit Apúd te saith Ambrose upon those words Elegantly said the Psalmist Before thee because in respect of God what is man but an unreasonable Beast He that is wisest among men Socrat. apud Platon said Socrates who himself was held the wisest of men if hee bee compared to God Simia videbitur non sapiens hee will seem rather an Ape
Mon. 865. than swear The Merindolians those antient French Protestants were known by this through all the Country of Province that they would not swear nor easily bee brought to take an oath except it were in judgement or making some solemn covenant Vers 3. This is an evil Hoc est pessimum so Hierome the Vulgar and Tremellius renders it this is the worst evil this is wickedness with a witness scil that sith there is one event to all graceless men should therehence conclude that sith there is one event to all graceless men should therehence conclude that it is a bootless business a course of no profit to serve God Hence they walk about the world with hearts as full as hell of lewd and lawless lusts Hence they run a madding after the pleasures of sin which with a restlesse giddiness they earnestly pursue yea they live and die in so doing saith the Wise-man here noting their final impenitency that hate of Heaven and gate to Hell Ex primis per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eorum sermones Lav. Joh. 24. Sic Benedic 9. Alexand. 6. Leo. 10. Vers 4. For to him that is joyned to all the living there is hope These are the words of those wicked ones whose lives and hopes end together whose song is Post mortem nulla voluptas when life ends there is an end of all Is there not such language in some mens hearts who knows whether there bee any such thing as a life to come c. Now I shall know said that dying Pope whether the soul of man bee immortal yea or no and whether that tale concerning Christ have any truth in it Oh wretch So a living Dogg is better than a dead Lion But so is not a living sinner better that a dead Saint for the righteous hath hope in his death and they that dye in the Lord are blessed Rev. 14.13 how much more if they also dye for the Lord these love not their lives unto the death Rev. 12.11 but go as willingly to dye as ever they did to dine being as glad to leave the world for a better especially as men are wont to bee to rise from the board when they have eaten their fill to take possession of a Lordship Cur non ut plenus vitae conviva recedis Lucret. Vers 5. For the living know that they shall dye Hence that Proverb amongst us As sure as death Howbeit that they think little of it to any good purpose appears by that other Proverb I thought no more of it than of my dying-day But the dead know not any thing So it seemeth to those Atheists that deny the immortality of the soul but they shall know at death that there is another life beyond this wherein the righteous shall bee comforted Luk. 16.25 and their knowledge perfected but the wicked tormented and with nothing more than to know that such and such poor souls as they would have disdained to have set with the Doggs of their flocks are now sitting down with Abraham Job 30.1 Luk. 13.28 Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of God and themselves thrust out into utter darkness Augustin in tenebras extenebris infeliciter exclusi infelicius excludendi Neither have they any more a reward What Psal 58.11 not a reward for the righteous Not a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour evil-doers That were strange Heb. 10.27 But wicked men would fain perswade themselves so ut liberius peccent libenter ignorant Bern 2 Pet. 2.5 Of these things they are willingly ignorant For the memory of them is forgotten This is true in part but not altogether Joseph was forgotten in Egypt Gideon in Israel Exod. 1 Judg. 9 Joash remembred not the kindness which Jehoiadah had done to him but slew his son 2 Chron. 24.22 Nevertheless the foundation of God stands firm having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2 Mal. 3.16 Luk. 10.20 and there is a book of remembrance written before him for them that fear the Lord their names are written in Heaven and the memory of the just is blessed Proverbs 10.7 See the Note there Vers 6. Also their love and their hatred c. Here is lie upon lie The Atheist as hee had denyed knowledge to the dead so here hee denies affections as love hatred envy or zeal as Hierome renders it But it is certain that those that are dead in Jesus do very dearly love God and hate evil with a perfect hatred The wicked on the other side continue in that other world to hate God and goodness to love such as themselves are to stomach the happiness of those in Heaven c. Vers 7. Go thy way eat thy bread with joy Vade juste Go thy way thou righteous man live in cheerfulness of mind proceeding from the testimony of a good conscience so Lyra senseth the words Gods grace and favour turned brown bread and water into manchet and wine to the Martyrs in prison Rejoyce not thou O Israel for joy as other people for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God Hos 9.1 Thou eatest thy bane thou drinkest thy poison because to the impure all things are impure and without faith it is impossible to please God Prov. 29.6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare or a cord to strangle his joy with but the righteous doth sing and rejoyce Hee may do so hee must do so what should hinder him hee hath made his peace with God and is rectus in curia let him bee merry at his meals lightsome and spruise in his cloaths cheerful with his wife and children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5.13 c. Is any man merry at heart saith St. James is hee right set and hath hee a right frame of soul is all well within let him sing Psalms yea as a traveller rides on merrily and wears out the rediousnesse of the way by singing sweet songs unto himself so should the Saints Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage Psal 119.54 Vers 8. Let thy garments bee alwayes white i. e. Neat spruse cleanly comely Or by a metaphor it may signifie Be merry in good manner for they used to wear white clothing on Festivals Devita theoretica Stuckius in Antiq. conviv Anton. Margarit and at Weddings as Philo witnesseth At this day also the Jewes come to their Synagogues in white rayment the day before the Calends of September which is their New-years-tide Purple was affected by the Romans white by the Jewes see Jam. 2.2 Hence Pilate clad Christ in purple Matth. 27.28 Herod in white Luke 23.11 Herod himself Acts 12.21 was arrayed in royal apparrel that is in cloth of silver saith Josephus which being beaten upon by the Sun-beams dazeled the peoples eyes and drew from them that blasphemous acclamation The voyce of God and not of man And let thine
signifieth to deal perfidiously or treacherously as Isa 21.3 perhaps because it is tegumentum testimonium not more a covering of mans shame then a testimony of his first sin in falling from God So that a man or woman hath no more cause to brag of his fine cloaths or to be proud of them then a Thief of a silk-rope or then one bath of a Plaister laid to his filthy sore Ver. 24. And there shall be in stead of sweet smell stink Ex illuvie sordibus captivitatis carceris Martial and Marcellinus tell us of a natural stench the Jews have such as made the Emperour Aurelius coming amongst some of them and annoyed with their ill savour Ammian li. 2. to cry out O Marcomanni O Quadi O Sarmatae c. O Marcomans Quades and Sarmatians at length I have met with those that are more nasty and loathsome then you are These dainty Dames are threatened with dirty doings in captivity and prison such as should render them odious And in stead of a girdle a rent Or rags or a beating the Vulgar rendereth it a cord And instead of well set hair Heb. work of even or smooth setting or trimming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or hair-trimmers were anciently noted for effeminate Pompey is taxed in History for that he did Vnico digitulo caput scalpere scratch his well-set hair with his little finger only Baldness Pro crispanti crine calvitium pro fascia pectorali cilicium Pride is so hatefull to God that such as are guilty of it seldom escape his visible vengeance And burning instead of beauty Burning that is Sun-burning Ver. 25. Thy men shall fall by the sword for suffering and favouring the womens excesses such as are now adaies naked breasts and shoulders Abhorred filth Our King Henry the 6. at such a sight cryed Fit fie Ladies in sooth you are too blame c. Ver. 26. And her gates shall lament because unfrequented as Lam. 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian And the King desolate swept and wiped of all not as once with her turrified head and stretcht forth neck Sitteth upon the ground as a sad mourner Mony was coined by Vespatian with a woman sitting at the root of a Palm-tree and this inscription Judae capta CHAP. IV. Ver. 1. ANd in that day sc that day of desolation chap. 3.26 Seven women i. e. many women See the like Zach. 8.23 The women had been grievously threatened chap. 3. the men also for their sakes ver 25.26 and yet the Prophet hath not done with them so hainous is sin in either sex Shall take hold of one man who themselves were wont to be sued unto by many men and perhaps were not content with their own Husbands when they had them alive but were sick of a Plurisie We will eat our own bread c. whereas the husband giveth to his wife food rayment and due benevolence these would crave the last only which yet they could not do neither in this sort but by laying aside womanlike modesty Only let us be called by thy name As wives used to be by their husbands names both among the Jews and other Nations as Mary Cleophas Mary Zebedee c. Solomons wife was after his name called Shulamite Cant. 6.13 and the Roman Ladies were wont to say to their husbands Vbi tu Cajus ibi ego Caja To take away our reproach of want of husbands and children See Psalm 78.63 Judg. 11.36 37. Jer. 30.17 Ver. 2. In that day the branch of the Lord Here the Prophet draweth to a close of this excellent Sermon and he concludeth it as he began with a gracious promise of the coming and Kingdom of Christ and of the felicity of his Subjects which consisteth first in their sanctity ver 3.4 Secondly in their security ver 5.6 This is more amply set forth chap. 11. The branch of the Lord The Lord Christ the Consolation and Expectation of Israel called elswhere the Bud or Branch Chap. 11.1 Zech. 3.8 6.12 See the Notes there Luke 1.78 The Day-spring from on high is by Beza rendred the Branch from on high and the Branch of Righteousness Jer. 23.5 33.15 The Jew Doctors also understand it of the Messiah Istud germen quod de virga Jesse virore virgineo pullulavit saith Bernard The Branch of the Lord he is called saith Oecolampadius because being true God he hath God to his Father in Heaven and the Fruit of the earth because being also true man he had the Virgin to his mother in earth Ecce habet incarnationis mysterium Lo here we have saith he the great Mysterie of God manifested in the flesh Others by the Fruit of the earth here do understand the body of the Church which is as the Plant that groweth out of that Branch Shall be beautiful and glorious excellent and comly Heb. Beauty and glory excellency and comliness or gayness and goodliness all in the abstract and yet all too little All this Christ is and more to his Elect Evasores â—rd elis who are here set forth by many Titles as the escaped of Israel the residue in Zion the remnant in Jerusalem the written among the living there c. Saepe autem ad paupertatem aut pancitatem redigitur Ecclesia Howbeit known to the Lord are all his as well as if He had their Names set down in a book Ver. 3. He that is left in Zion See on ver 2. Shall be called holy Heb. holy shall be said to him or of him he shall have the Name and Note of a Saint the comfort and the credit of it Christs holiness shall be both imputed and imparted unto them He shall both expiate their sins and heal their Natures pay their Debts and give them a stock of grace and holiness so that men shall call them an holy people chap. 62.12 Even every one that is written among the Living written in Gods book of Life which is matter of greater joy then to have the Devils subdued unto us Luk. 10.26 for a man may cast out Devils and yet be himself cast to the Devil Mat. 7.22 23. but in Gods book of Life there is no blots no crossings out but as many as are ordain-to eternal Life believe 1 Pet. 1.4 See Ezek. 13. and the same are kept as in a Garison by the power of God through faith unto salvation The Prophet seemeth her to allude to that custom in Jerusalem of enrolling the names of all the Citizens Psalm 48.3 Christ Jesus is the Master of the Rolls in Heaven Rev. 13. wherein none are recorded but such as are designed to glory and vertue 1 Pet. 1.2 2 Thess 2.13 All others are said to be dead in trespasses and sins Ezra 2.63 Eph. 2.1 and to be written in the earth Jer. 17.13 Those Priests that could not produce their genealogy were cashiered by the Tirshata so shall those one day be by Christ whose names are not found written among the
haply by exceeding his commission as Zach. 1.15 he might prove a deceitful razor as Psal 52.2 that instead of shaving the hair lanceth the flesh That is hired Whether by Ahaz himself but for a better purpose 2 King 16.7 8. not to hurt but to help though it fell out otherwise or by God who paid the Assyrian for his hire the Lands of Israel and of Syria see the like Ezek. 29.18 19. Barbers use not their razors but for reward Beyond the river Euphrates that ran between Syria and Assyria but could not keep off the Assyrian Destroyer The head and the hair of the feet Elsewhere called head and tail that is high and low Prince and Pesant And it shall also consume the beard 1. the Priests Psal 133.2 as some sense it or as others all the comeliness and virility of the Jewish nation Ver. 21. A man shall nourish two sheep He that was wont to say Virg. eclog. Mille meae Siculis errant in montibus agnae shall now be reduced to so great penury as to be glad of two sheep and have scarce a yong Heifer left for his necessary subsistence who was wont to have many ploughs going They shall not now as heretofore joyn house to house and land to land they shall not keep race-horses or hunting dogs c. Ver. 22. For the abundance of milk yielded him by his two Cows through the paucity of people and plenty of grass He shall eat butter eat his fill sith there are none to buy it of him none to pull it out of his mouth For butter and honey shall every one eat not cates and dainties as chap. 5.12 but mean fare such as he can get as wild-honey such as the Baptist fed on Ver. 23. Where there were a thousand vines Which once were to the sensual Jews an occasion of drunkenness and forgetfulness of God chap. 5.11 12. A Lapide on chap. 5.2 telleth us that at Herbipolis in Germany there are abundance of vineyards so that they have more wine there then water and such huge wine-vessels that the vintners have doors in the sides of them whereby they enter as Diogenes did into his tub to make them clean and fit for their use Shall be briars and thorns Agri quondam vitibus consiti erunt obsiti vepribus dumetis densissimis hirsuti Ver. 24. With arrows and with bows shall they come for their necessary defence against the wild beasts that haunt those desert places propter densa ferarum lustra hominibus infesta This was threatened Lev. 26.22 Ver. 25. And on all the hills that shall be digged Assemb Annot. c. A good Translation of a text is instead of a good Commentary Some very learned render the words thus And on the hills that had wont to be digged with mattock or spade that no fear of bryar or thorn might come thither shall a place also be for sending in of oxen and the treading of lesser cattle Which shall range and graze freely say they by way of gloss after their wonted manner in those places from whence they and their owners had formerly been ejected and excluded by the violent oppressions and undue enclosures of the richer and greater sort chap. 5.17 CHAP. VIII Ver. 1. TAke thee a great roll Or volume so called either because it was rolled up together like the web upon the pinne or as others because it revealeth that unto us which otherwise we knew not Blasphemous was that jear of the Jews who called the Evangel or Gospel Aven gillaion a volume of vanity And no better was that of B. Bonners Chaplain who called the Bible that blessed Book in scorn his little pretty Gods book Chald. vertit Scripturamclaram See Isa 30.8 This one small piece of it is here stiled grande volumen a great roll for the fulness of the matter in fewness of words And write in it with a mans pen that is plainly and clearly that when it shall be fastened to the gate of the Temple or some way else be exposed to publike view he that runneth may read it Habac. 2.2 and he that readeth may understand it and not be so written as that was Dan. 5.5 7. which none could read and unriddle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Prophet himself nor be as Aristotles Acroamaticks published and yet unpublished Concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz 1. Make speed to the spoil hasten the prey words whereby God calleth the King of Assyria out of his countrey to take the spoil speedily of Syria and Samaria both which groaned for his coming and hangd for his mowing This was afterwards given for a name to Isaiah's new-born babe viz. at his circumcision and that before two sufficient witnesses who might attest both the childs name and the reason of it which the Prophet likely told them Such another compound name was Shear-jashub chap. 7. Zorobabel Hagio-Christophorites c. and amongst us Keep-sabbath Hope-still c. Ver. 2. And I took unto me faithful witnesses So they might be and yet not godly men as Galba and our Rich. 3. were said to be bad men but yet good Princes Some think that this Vriah was the same with him that brought in the Altar of Damascus He had been better perhaps but at last revolted as did Demas of whom Dorotheus saith that he became a Priest in an idol temple at Thessalonica and Damascen who turned Mahometan as some write Zechariah the other witness was a man of great eminency as being grand-father by the mothers side to good Hezekiah Ver. 3. And I went unto the Prophetess Prophets wives were anciently called Prophetesses like as Bishops wives saith à Lapide the Jesuit were also called Bishoppesses Presbyters wives Presbyteresses Deacons wives Deaconesses Jesuits have still their Jesuitesses as Majors their Majoresses c. Maber-shalal-hash-baz q. d. Make haste come away to so rich a booty to the rifling and ruinating of these two potent and opulent Kingdoms God hereby seemeth to bespeak the Assyrian as Cicero once did his friend Si dormis expergiscere si stas ingredere si ingrederis curre si curris advola c. and at the calling of this child by his name the prediction was remembred and the thing ascertained Ver. 4. For before the child c. That is within a year or two for it was an extraordinary thing that is reported of Maximilian the Emperour that he was eight year old at least ere he spake any thing but afterwards he became a fluent and elegant Speaker The riches of Damascus Riches do many times change their masters and Kingdoms are oft turned upside down when they fall to persecuting the people of God especially as did these Syrians and Israelites Before the King of Assyria Spoils taken from the enemy were and are usually carried in triumph before the Conqueror Ver. 5. The Lord spake also unto me again saying Heb. And the Lord further added to speak unto me Here the Israelites a part from the Syrians
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-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
was a prayer-hearing God Psal 65.2 O thou that art hearing prayers so the Hebrew hath it alwayes hearing some and ready to hear the rest Our God is not like Jupiter of Creet that had no cares nor as those other heathen-deities of whom Cicero sadly complaineth to his brother Quintus in these words I would pray to the gods for those things but that they have given over to hear my prayers Jeremy could upon better ground pray then ever he in Plato did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In English thus Great God the good thou hast to give Plat. in Alcibiad Whether we ask't or no Let 's still receive no mischief thrive To work our overthrow Ver. 17. Seest thou not what they do And hast thou yet an heart to pray for them and should I yet have an heart to pitty them there is only this hope left sometimes that something God will yeild to the prayers of his people Ratio additur quasi digito ad Jeremiam extenso even when he is most bitterly bent against them Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus Distribuunt inter se munera Ver. 18. The children gather wood All sorts sizes and sexes are as busie as bees Sed turpis labor est ineptiarum Oh that we were so intent with united forces to the worship of the true God of heaven Vae torpori nostro Oh take heed of industrious folly dispirâ—t not your selves in the pursuit of trifles c. Scilicet tenui popano corruptus Osiris Juven Sal. 6. To make cakes Popana cakes stampt with stars To the Queen of heaven i. e. To the heavenly bodies and as some will have it to the Moon in special The Hebrews have a saying that God is to be praised in the least gnat to be magnified in the Elephant but to be admired in the Sun Moon and Stars And if the Jews in the text had stayed here who could have blamed them but to deifie these creatures was gross Idolatry and an inexpiable sin Epiphanius telleth us of certain heretikes called Collyridians that they baked cakes and offered them to the Virgin Mary whom they called the Queen of heaven and do not the Papists at this day the very same Haeres 79. saying that hyperdulia is due unto her not to speak of Bonaventure his blasphemous Lady-Psalter Bernard Bauhusius the Jesuite hath set forth a book in praise of the Virgin Mary by changing this one verse Tot tibi sunt dotes Virgo quot sidera caelo A thousand twenty and two wayes according to the number of the known stars The Jesuites commonly write at the end of their books Laus Deo beatae Virgini Praise be given to God and to the blessed Virgin but this is the badge of the beast Let us say Soli Deo Gloria and yet not in the sense of that Persian Embassadour who whensoever his business lay with Christians was wont to have Soli Deo gloria very much in his mouth but by Soli he meant the Sun whom he honoured for his God Why the women here and chap. 44. should be so busie in kneading cakes to the Moon these reasons are given 1. Because the Moon was a Queen 2. Because the women at their labour were most beholden to the Moon who by her great moisture mollifies the secundines and makes the passage easie for their delivery This custom of offering cakes to the Moon saith one our Ancestors may seem not to have been ignorant of Greg. Posth 202. to this day our women make cakes at such times yea the child is no sooner born but called cake-bread Add that the Saxons did adore the Moon Ibid. 132. to whom they set a day apart which to this day we call Moonday The same Author telleth us that he who not long since conquered the Indies perswaded the Natives that he had complained of them to their Moon and that such a day the goddess should frown upon them which was nothing else but an Eclipse which he had found out in the Almanack Ver. 19. Do they provoke me to anger i. e. Hurt they me by their provocations or hope they to get the better of me and to cause me to lay down the bucklers first Surely as Vlysses his companions said to him when he would needs provoke Polydamas may we better say to such as provoke the Almighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or as the wise-man contend not with him that is mightier then thou meddle with thy match man Ver. 20. Mine anger and mine fury A very dreadful doom denounced against these daring monsters Those that provoke God to anger shall soon have enough of it It is a fearful thing to fall into the punishing hands of the living God Heb. 10. Oh keep out of them Ver. 21. Put your burnt-offerings to your sacrifices and eat flesh Congerite ingerite digerite egerite take away all your sacrifices wherewith ye fondly think to expiate your sins and feast your carcasses with them for I wot well that you offer them to me ventris potius gratiâ quam internae pietatis rather of gourmandise then good devotion You have therefore my good leave to make your best of them for I account them no other then ordinary and profane food such flesh as is bought and sold in the shambles So Hos 9.4 their meat-offering Lev. 2.5 is in scorn called their bread for their soul or life that is for their natural sustenance And no better are the elements in the Lords Supper to the unworthy Receiver whatever he may promise himself by them Videlicet solum aut simpliciter Ver. 22. For I spake not unto your Fathers I gave them not those holy rites as the substance of my service or that ye should thus hold them up against my threats for your rebellions as a buckler of defence Sacrifices without obedience nec placent nec placant Deum Ver. 23. But this thing I commanded them i. e. I principally commanded them giving them therefore first the Decalogue and then afterwards the ceremonial Law which was or should have been their Gospel Ver. 24. But they hearkened not nor inclined So crosse-grained they were and thwart from the very first In the imagination of their evil heart In sententia animi sui pessimi Trem. Heb. aspectu cordis ut Deut. 19.9 They went backward and not forward As Crabfish do as vise Apostates in pejus proficiunt grow every day worse then other being not only averse but adverse to any good they dayly grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived seipsit indies facti deteriores Islebius first became an Antinomian and the Father of that Sect and then a Papist and lastly Atheist and Epicure as Osiander testifieth Whilest he was an Antinomian only Cent. 16. pag. 802. he many times promised amendment being convinced of his errour but performed it not After that he condemned his errour and recanted it in a publike auditory and printed his
But Gods eye is like the Sun yea far brighter and more peircing then that eye of the world neither needeth he a window in mans breast as Momus wisht to look in at for every man before God is all window totus totus transparens pellucidus This Thales and other Philosophers saw and confessed Ver. 11. As the Partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not Because either she is taken in an evil net or the eggs are marred by the male or otherwise before they can be hatched So he that getteth riches and not by right That cryeth Rem rem quocunque modo rem Vnde habeat nemo quaerit sed oportet habere Right or wrong many are resolved to be rich but are usually crossed or else cursed with a blessing for treasures of wickedness profit not but righteousness delivereth from death Prov. 10.2 God sometimes giveth wealth to the wicked as men put money into an earthen bottle which that they may get out again they break the bottle in pieces Shall leave them in the midst of his dayes Either they shall leave him or he them to his unmedicinable grief and heart-break A poor fool God will be sure to make of him He that trusteth in his riches as every Mammonist doth shall fall Prov. 11.28 for although he blesse himself as well underlaid and what should ayle such an one saith the world yet the Lord abhorreth him Psal 10.3 so that he many times cometh in the midst of his daies to an untimely end as did Judas Ahab Achan Balaam Ananias and Sapphira c. And thus many a rich wretch spinneth a fair thred to strangle himself both temporally and eternally he by his covetousness not onely killeth others Prov. 1.19 but himself too Ver. 12. A glorious high throne from the beginning Therefore its best to trust in God at all times ye people and to pour out your hearts before him sith God is a refuge for us Psal 62.8 All that do otherwise shall be ashamed ver 12. and worthily because having so glorious a God resiant amongst them they so basely forsake him to serve and seek to Idols Ver. 13. Shall be written in the earth i. e. Aeternâ morte damnabuntur they shall be hurled into hell as not having their names written in Heaven Luke 10.20 where all that are written among the living in Jerusalem Isa 4.3 are enrolled Heb. 12.23 non pro gloriosis sed pro probrosis habiti See Psal 17.14 Prudentius rightly saith that their names that are written in red letters of blood in the Churches Calendar are written in golden letters in Christs register in the book of life As on the contrary these Idolaters whose sin was with an Iron-pen ingraven on the tables of their hearts as ver 1. are justly written in the earth i. e. cast to hell Ver. 14. Heal me O Lord and I shall be healed viz. of that cordolium that my malicious country-men cause me The Prophet was even sick at heart of their unworthy usages and prayes help and healing ne totus ipse labascat inter auditores deploratissimos lest he should perish by them and with them Ver. 15. Behold they say unto me Heb. they are saying unto me it is their daily dicterium or jear Where is the Word of the Lord Whereby thou so oft threatenest us with desolation Thus prophane persons flear when they should fear Vbi est i. e. nusquam est Piscat See 2 Pet. 3 4. Isa 5.19 Amos 5.18 Ver. 16. I have not hastned from being a Pastor before thee I have neither rashly taken up the work of the Ministry quo secundus abe te essem Pastor wherein I have been thine under-shepheard but was rightly called by thee thereunto and have obeyed thy call neither have I been over-hasty to rid my hands of this so troublesom and thanklesse an employment Latimer in one of his Sermons speaking of a Minister who gave this answer why he left off preaching because he saw he did no good but got the hatred of many This saith He was a naughty a very naughty answer Neither have I desired the woful day The doleful or deadly day sc of their desolation or my denunciation of it Gods Ministers take no delight to fling daggers at the faces of gracelesse persons whatever they may think or to terrify them causelesly but as knowing the terrour of the Lord they seek to affright them by the menaces of Gods mouth from such sinful practises as will be their ruine and hence they are hated an expectes ut Quintilianus ametur Juven Thou knowest it See chap. 12 1. 15.15 2 Cor. 1.12 Ver. 17. Be not a terrour unto me Let me have fair weather over head how foul soever it be under foot If we have peace with God though trouble in the world we can take no hurt If vapours be not got into the bowels of the earth and stir not there storms and tempests abroad cannot cause an earth-quake so if there be peace within c. But like as all the letters in the Alphabet without a Vowel will not make one word nor all the Stars in the firmament without a Sun will make a day so neither can all this worlds good make one happy without God and his favour Ver. 18. Let them be confounded A heavy imprecation Let persecutours take heed how they move Ministers to make intercession to God against them as Elias did against Israel Rom. 11.2 as Jeremy here and elsewhere doth against the Jews as the Christian Churches did against Julian the Apostate God will set to his Fiat Let them be dismaied but let not me be dismaied Paveant illi non paveam ego So the Vulgar Latin hath it But what a Lack-latin dolt was that Popish Priest who alledged to his Parishioners this text to prove that not he but they were to pave the Church-way So Another of them finding it written in the end of Paul's Epistles Missa est c. bragged he had found the Masse in his bible So another reading Joh. 1.44 Invenimus Messiam made the same conclusion Ver. 19. Go and stand in the gate of the children The sheep-gate say some whereof see Neh. 3.1 32. 12.39 or as others the water-gate whereof Neh. 3.26 a place it was of great resort and concourse and therefore fittest for this new Sermon to be made in first though afterwards also he was to preach it in all the gates of Jerusalem forasmuch as it was about a matter of greatest importance even the serious sanctification of the Sabbath-day Diem septimum Opifex mundi natalem sibi sacravit observari praecepit That fourth Commandement saith Philo is a famous precept and profitable to excite to all kind of virtue and piety Ver. 20. Ye Kings of Judah Magistrates being Lord-keepers of both the Tables of the Law should carefully see to it that both be duely observed Our King Edgar made laws for the sanctification of the Lords-day-Sabbath
they might not hurt them Ver. 7. That ye might provoke me See chap 7.17 18. Ver. 8. Because ye have not heard i. e. Not heeded them as chap. 7 19. Ver. 9. Behold I will send and take By a secret instinct as chap. 1.15 And Nebuchadnezzar my servant i. e. Mine executioner the rod of my wrath Isa 10. and the scourge of the world as Attilâ—s stiled himself And against all these Nations round about Who were so infatuated that they did not combine against Nebuchadnezzar whom the Septuagint called a dove ver 38. of this chapter but he was a vulture rather and these Nations were as so many silly doves which save themselves by flight not fight and sitting in their dovecotes see their nests destroyed and their young ones killed before their eyes never offering to rescue or revenge as other souls do So dealt the old Britons when invaded by the Romans they joyned not their forces against the common enemy sed dum singuli pugnabant Tacitus universi vincebantur Ver. 10 Moreover I will take from them See chap. 7.34 and Rev. 18.22 Ver. 11. And this land shall be a desolation seventy yeares Which commenced at the deportation of Jeconiah 2 King 24.8 See Jer. 29.1 2 3. with Ezek. 4.1 and 33.21 Avignon in France was the residence of the Pope for seventy years Heyl Cosm fol. 188. which time the Romans yet remember till this day by the name of the Babylonian captivity Luther when he first began to stir against the Pope wrote a book bearing title De captivitate Babylonica which when Bugenhagius a Pomeranian Divine first read he pronounced it to be the most heretical piece that ever was written Scult Annal. but afterwards having better considered the contents of it he retracted his former censure he told his colleagues that all the world besides was in deep darkness and that Luther alone was in the light and in the right and him he would follow So he did and drew many more with hâ—m Ver. 12. I will punish the King of Babylon As had been forethreatned Isa 13 14 21 47. and was accomplished Dan. 5. Ver. 13. And I will bring upon that Lâ—nd sc By Cyrus and his Successours who out of the ruines of Babylon built two Cities Câ—esiphon and Seleucia Ver. 14. For many Nations The Medes and Persians together with the rest that served under them And great Kings Cyrus and Darius especially Vtitur demonstratione seu ostentâ— divino Ver. 15. Take the wine cup of this fury Or take this smoaking wine-cup A cup is oft put for affliction and wine for extream confusion and wrath Poison in wine works more furiously then in water See on Psal 75.8 And cause all the Nations According to that power which I have put into thine hands chap. 1.10 Vengeance is still in readiness for the disobedient 2 Cor. 10.6 as ready every whit in Gods hand as in the Ministers mouth who threatneth it Ver. 16. And be moved and be mad As men that are overcome by some hot and heady liquour are mad-drunk Because of the sword that I shall send For it is God who puts the sword in commission Jer. 47.6 7. and there it many times rideth circuit as a Judge in Scarlet There are certain seasons wherein as the Angel troubled the poole so doth God the Nations and commonly when he doth it to one he doth it to more as here and 2 Chron. 15.5 6. and as at this day in Europe Ver. 17. And made all drink viz. In vision and by denunciation Ver. 18. To wit in Jerusalem Judgement beginneth at Gods house 1 Pet. 4.17 See the Note there and on Mat. 25.41 Sed si in Hierosolymis maneat scrutinium quid fiet in Babylone saith an Ancient Ver. 19. Pharaoh King of Egypt Pharaoh Hophra chap. 44.30 of whom Herodotus writeth that he perswaded himself and boasted that his Kingdom was so strong that no god or man could take it from him Lib. 2. He was afterwards hanged by his own subjects The mixed people That lay scattered in the deserts and had no certain abode Scenitae and Hamaxobii And all the Kings of the land of Vz Jobs country called by the Greeks Ausitis Ver. 21. Edom and Moab c. By the destruction of all these Nations we may make a conjecture at the destruction of all the wicked when Christ shall come to judgement All that befalleth them in this world is but as drops of wrath foreruning the great storm or as a crack foretokening the fall of the whole house Here the leaves only fall upon them as it were but then the body of the tree in its full weight to crush them for ever Ver. 22. And all the Kings of the Isles As Cyprus Rhodes and the Cyclades subdued also by the Babylonian saith Hierom Rabanus and Vatablus Ver 23. Dedan and Temae and Buz The Hagarens or Saracens chap. 49. And all that are in the utmost corners Qui attonsi sunt in comam Roundheads See chap. 9.26 Ver. 24. And all the Kings of Arabia Petraea That dwell in the desert In Arabia deserta Ver. 25. And all the Kings of Zimri i. e. Of Arabia falix Lib. 6. cap. 28. Zamarens Pliny calleth them Ver. 26. And all the Kingdomes See on ver 16. And the King of Sheshac i. e. Baltasar that bezelling kink of Babylon whilest he is quaffing in the vessels of Gods house to the honour of Shac the Babylonian goddess whence those feast dayes were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shesac id est poculum laetitiae aut vanitatâ— vel sericum tuum being like the Roman Saturnalia Antichrist also who hath troubled all the Kingdomes of the earth shall himself perish together with his Babylon the great which hath made the Nations drunk with the wine of her fornications Ver. 27. Drink ye and be drunk and spew and fall Eckius or Eccius otherwise by some called Jeccius from his casting or spewing being nonplus't by Melancthon Manlii loc com 89. and well nigh madded fell to drinking for his own solace and drunk himself to death so should these do of the cup of Gods wrath not only till they were mad-drunk as ver 16. dut dead drunk Ver. 28. Ye shall certainly drink See on ver 15. Ver. 29. The City that is called by my Name Periphrasis Hierosolymae argumentosa And should ye be utterly unpunished See on ver 18. Ye shall not be unpunished But suffer as surely and as sorely Ver. 30. The Lord shall roar from on high As a lusty Lyon having discovered his prey runneth upon it roaring so horribly that he astonisheth the creatures and sets them at a stand He will mightily roar upon his habitation Pliny reporteth of the Lioness that she bringeth forth her whelps dead and so they remain for the space of three dayes until the Lyon coming near to the den where they lye lifteth up his voyce and roareth so fiercely
to children that obey their Parents Where ye be strangers The Rechabites were originally Midianites but Jethro of whom they came was a famour proselite to the Church his son Hobab a guide to Gods people in the wildernesse and his posterity imped and incorporated into the body of Gods people Judg. 1.16 Neverthelesse they counted and called themselves strangers alienigenae as those that looked for a better country above See Heb. 11.9 Ver. 8. Thus have we obeyed the voyce of Jonadab Obedience to Parents in things not unlawful is very commendable Aristotle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. Rhet. it is not good for a man to dissent from the Gods from his Father and from his Teacher We read of a King of Poland who carried the picture of his Father in a plate of gold about his neck and when he was going about any great businesse he would kisse that picture and say God grant I may observe my Fathers charge and do nothing unworthy of him c. We our wives our sons and our daughters As themselves were obedient to their Father so had they their children obedient to them whereas ill children are punished in their posterity Fullers holy State One complained that never Father had so undutiful a child as he had yes said his son with lesse grace then truth my Grand-father had Ver. 9. Nor to build houses c. Jonadab being a prudent and withal a mortified man might foresee that the Israelites being so wicked a people could not long continue He knew also that wine was oft an occasion of drunkenness trading in the world of earthlimindedness fair houses of lothness to leave the world Haec sunt quae nos invitos faciunt mori as that Emperour once said of stately buildings He therefore for a quiet life and for their souls health forbad them the use of these lawful things and they accordingly forbare them Ver. 10. But we have dwelt in tents And fed much upon whitemeats as did Heber the Kenite who was one of them Judg. 4. living in abstinence and bodily labour that we might be free to divine contemplations Ver. 11. Come and let us go to Jerusalem So then it was lawful for them to dispense with those their observances in that inevitable necessity like as also they might have drunk wine rather then have perished But what can be reasonably pleaded for that man of sin who taketh upon him to dispense with Gods holy law Bellarm. lib. 4. de Pontif. Rom. and de injustitia facere justitiam ex nihilo aliquid ex virtute vitium to make righteousnesse of unrighteousnesse vice of vertue something of nothing So we dwell at Jerusalem But better they had kept out and held to their old course for so they might have escaped some way Ver. 12. Then came the Word of the Lord Then after this famous example of obedience thus proposed an excellent way of teaching surely Reason should rule and therefore lodgeth in the braine but when reason cannot perswade example will Ver. 13. Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my Words Quae est illa portentosa pertinacia what a strange stiffeness and obstinacy in you is this am not I to be better esteemed and obeyed by you then Jonadab is by the Rechabites Ver. 14. The words of Jonadab not to drink wine are performed So are the words of Mahomet to like purpose to this day by the Turks so are the commands of the Popish Padres to their young Novices though it be to make a voyage to China or Peru Per varios casm per tot discriminarerum For unto this day they drink none Neither dwell in houses as you do and may do eating of the fat and drinking of the sweet without restraint so that you keep within the bounds of sobriety I command you nothing but what in reason should be done for a worldly good as well as for a spiritual Rising early and speaking I began betimes with you my Law I gave you in Horeb eight or nine hundred years since and from that time to this I have constantly and instantly called upon you by my messengers for obedience whereas it is not yet full three hundred years since Jonadab left this charge with his Rechabites and dying left none to see it fulfilled or to reprove them for their neglects Ver. 15. I have sent unto you all my servants the Prophets But all to no purpose See on ver 14. Saying Return ye now every man from his evil way And was this so great a matter to part with that which profiteth you nothing yea which undoubtedly will undo you And go not after other gods For wherein can they bestead you And ye shall dwell in the land This was more then ever Jonadab could promise or promising perform to his Nephews But ye have not enclined your ear See chap. 7.24 26. and 11.8 and 17.23 and 34.14 Ver. 16. Because the sons of Jonadab This was a lively way of confuting their contumacy far more convincing then that of the heathens not changing their gods or the beasts knowing their owners the birds their seasons But this people have not hearkened unto me Whereas if I be a Father where is mine honour and if a Master where is mine obedience Mal. 1.6 See the Notes there Ver. 17. Behold I will bring upon Judah Aut poenitendum aut pereundum Men must either repent or perish obey Gods Law or bear the penalty no remedy Heb. 2.2 2 Thes 1.8 Ver. 18. Because ye have obeyed the Commandement Obedience to Parents hath an ample recompence of reward as that which is good and acceptable before God and men 1 Tim. 5.4 Ver. 19. Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever i. e. To be beloved by me and to be in special favour with me lifting up pure hands in all places of their abode Captive they were carried among the Jews but they returned also again with them as appeareth 1 Chron. 2. sub finem erantque Deo cordi curae and they were dear to God CHAP. XXXVI Ver. 1. ANd it came to passe in the fourth year This whole Chapter is historical and narrative as also are some others besides this Historias lege ne fias historia Oâ—im liber erat instar mappae Geographicae Ver. 2. Take thee a role of a book i. e. A volume as Isa 8.1 See the Note there And write therein Jeremy had a command to write so have not our empty Scripturients whose rapes on the innocency of paper as one phraseth it make the Presse almost execrable Pineda Ista prurientis calami scabies potius est quam scriptio All the words that I have spoken unto thee The sum and substance of all thy Sermons for these three and twenty years past See chap. 1.2 and 25.3 Ver. 3. It may be that the house of Judah will hear c. See here the utility of the holy
Scriptures and the excellent use that may be made of reading them A man may be thereby doubtlesse converted where preaching is wanting as divers were in Queen Maries dayes Fox Martyrol when the Word of God was precious as Austin was by reading Rom. 13. Fulgentius by the Prophet Jonah Franciscus Junius by Joh. 1. c. The Eunuch Act. 8. and those noble Bereans Act. 17.11 were notably prepared for conversion by this ordinance That I may forgive their iniquity and their sin i. e. Their sins of all sorts giving them a free and full discharge Baruch Isle notarius diaconus Jeremiae simâ—â—que Propheta fuit Oecol Ver. 4. Then Jeremiah called Baruch and Baruch wrote from the mouth Dictantis ab ore pependit Jeremy it seemeth had either not written his prophecies or not so legibly or in loose papers only now he hath them fair written out into a book making the same use of Baruch as afterward Paul did of Tertius Rom. 16.22 who himself wrote no very good hand as some have gathered from Gal. 6.11 See my Notes there Ver. 5. I am shut up Or I am detained or restrained haply by some legal pollution that he had contracted as by touching a dead carcasse c. or by some bodily infirmity or by the lying in wait of his enemyes or by the Spirit of God as Act. 16 6 7. for a punishment to the Jews by the Prophets absence and silence and for the safety of his servant in those perilous times Ver. 6. Therefore go thou and read in the roll A Minister when he cannot himself officiate must provide another in his room Which thou hast written from my mouth And which the holy Ghost hath put into my mouth both matter and words Vpon the fasting-day A very fit time for the reading of the Scriptures that the people then convened might hear and fear and supplicate and convert and God might heal them The Fast here mentioned was not the ordinary yearly fast called the day of Expiation or Atonement but another that was conceptivum liberum kept on some special occasion for the averting of Gods judgement such as was that at Nineveh There was afterwards indeed a yearly Fast kept in November to bewaile this wicked practise of King Jehoiakim in cutting and casting into the fire this blessed-book Genebrard ex Menologio Hebraeor Ver. 7. It may be they will present their supplication Heb. Their supplication will fall before the Lord. Fasting of it self is but a bodily exercise and profiteth little If the soul be not afflicted rebel-flesh tamed prayers edged and reformation effected men fast to no purpose Isa 58.3 5. Zach. 5.5 7. Ver. 8. And Baruch the son of Neriâ—h did according c. Nihil de sua saliva admiscens He faithfully performed the Prophet Jeremyes commands not standing to cast perils being thereunto heartened and hardened by Jeremy chap. 45. Ver. 9. They proclaimed a fast Haply for fear of the Chaldaeans who having lately beaten Pharaoh-Necho was like enough to invade Judea or else because of that great dearth chap. 14 1 2 12 See on ver 6. Ver. 10. Then Baruch read in the book He read with a courage verbis non solum disertis sed exertis out of a chamber-window that the people under him might the better hear In the chamber of Gemariah Who himself it seemeth was not present but his son Micajah was and carried his father and the rest of the Princes the news ver 12. Ver. 11. When Micajah the son of Gemariah had heard With what affection he heard the book read by Baruch is uncertain We have many Herodian hearers before us eftsoones such I mean as have an Herods heart toward the Preacher and little do we know who they are that sit before us those precious balmes we bring break their heads with a witnesse and make the blood run about their eares Ver. 12. Then he went down into the Kings house For there was his Father and the rest of the Princes suam aulam vel gulam consectantes following their court-delights whilest the people were now humbling themselves before the Lord and trembling at his Word Great men are many of them of that Earle of Westmerlands mind who profanely said I need not pray to God as having tenants enow to pray for me Ver. 13. Then Micajah declared unto them See ver 11. Ver. 14. Therefore all the Princes sent Jehudi Apparitorem Regis ut ex sequentibus constat Jun. Ver. 15. And they said Sit down now This was some curtesie Reverenter sedere susserunt Oecol Alter alterum intuentes vel alloquentes Piscat and token of good respect to Baruch These Princes were not all out so bad as their King Ver. 16. They were afraid both one and other Expavescunt sese mutuo respiciunt they were afraid and looked one upon another being much distracted at this new and unexpected occurrence neither wist they at first what to do being affected after a sort and smitten with the weightinesse of the businesse We will surely tell the King They durst do no otherwise for if these things should have come to the Kings ear and they not first tell him they might come into the danger of his displeasure Ver. 17. Tell us how didst thou write all these words at his mouth Praeposterum movent interrogationem they put an odd question saith one Hos fere simili responso eludere videtur sanctus Dei homo Zeg when they should rather have bethought themselves of breaking off their sins by Repentance God loves Currists and not Quaerists saith Luther Ver. 18. And Baruch answered them Answerably to the question they asked him ver 17. Dignum patellâ operculum And I wrote them with inke in the book The use then of writing with pen and ink is ancient among the Hebrews Ver. 19 Go hide thee thou and Jeremy This was well but not all They draw not Baruch before the King to answer what he had done but why do they not take him to the King with his roll and plead both for it and him too had they been true Patriots and hearty friends to the truth they would have done so But they knew that this wicked King could not endure the Prophets chap. 26.21 and 36.26 and one of their company had been the Kings agent in bringing Vriah the Prophet out of Egypt to be butchered by him chap. 26.22 Ver. 20. And they went in to the King God by his providence so disposed it that both King and Princes whether they would or not should hear their doom and as for some of the Princes they seem to have some good affections wrought in them but too weak to work unto true repentance to salvation Ver. 21. So the King sent Jehudi See on ver 14. Ver. 22. Now the King sat in the winter-house There sat he in that his stately and sumptuous Pallace built by iniquity chap. 22. curant cuticulam ad
focum keeping himself warm in his winter chamber and carelesse of calling upon God whiles the people cold and empty were fasting and praying in the Temple and hearing the Word read by Baruch In the ninth moneth sc Of the sacred year which moneth was part of our November and part of December a cold season but that thing of nought his body which he now made so much of was shortly after to be cast out unburied in the day to the heat and in the night to the frost ver 30. Quintillan Ver. 23. When Jehudi had read three or four leaves Vespasian is said to have been patientissimus veri very patient of truth so was good Josiah whose heart melted at the hearing of the Law 2 Chron. 34.27 but so was not this degenerate son of his Jeboiakim but more like Tiberius that Tiger who tore with his teeth all that displeased him Lib. 3. hist or like Vitellius the Tyrant of whom Tacitus saith Ita formatae principis aures ut aspera quae utilia nec quidquam nisi jucundum non laesurum actiperet that his cares were of that temper that he could hear no counsel though never so profitable unless it were pleasant and did suit with his humours He cut it with the penknife Why what could he dislike in that precious piece Of Petronius his Satyricon one said well Tolle obscaena tollis omnia Of Jeremies prophecies I may safely say Tolle sancta tollis omnia But this brutish Prince could not away with downright-truth c. Oecolamp And cast it into the fire O stultitiam quid innocentes chartae commeruerant O madnesse what evil had those innocent papers deserved that they must dye this double death as it were Those Magical books at Ephesus were worthily burnt Act. 19. Aretines love-books are so lascivious that they deserve to be burned saith Boissard Bois biblioth together with their Authour Many seditious Pamphlets are now committed to Vulcan to be corrected and more should be But O sancta Apocalypsis as that Martyr once said when he took up the book of the Revelation cast into the same fire with himself So O holy Jeremy what hast thou said or written to be thus flasht and then cast into the fire Jehoiakim is the first we read of that ever offered to burn the Bible Antiochus indeed did the like afterwards and Dioclesian the Tyrant and now the Pope But though there were not a Bible left upon earth yet for ever O Lord thy Word is stablished in heaven saith David Psal 119 89. Vntill all the roll was consumed So far was he from repenting of that his wickednesse that he fed his eyes with such a sad spectacle and was ready to say as Solon did when he burnt the Usurers bonds in Athens that he never saw a fairer or clearer fire burn in all his life Ver. 24. Yet they were not afraid Ne paulum quidem perculsi sunt The King and his servants those Court-parasites were not stirred at all at such a Bible-bone-fire but jeared when they should have feared c. Nor rent their garments Such was their stupor seu non-curantia their security and insensibleness of that high offence for which their posterity keep a yearly fast See on ver 6. Rending of garments in token of grief was in use also among the Heathens Homer saith Priamus rent his clothes when he heard of the death of his son Hector The like hath Virgil of his Aeneas Tam pater Aeneas humeris abscindere vestem Auxilioque vocate deos Suetonius saith the like of Jalius Caesar c. Pro concione fidem militum flens veste à pectore dicissâ imploravit Suet. c. 55. Ver. 25. Neverthelesse Elnathan Who had before been active for the King in apprehending and slaughtering the Prophet Vriah chap. 26.22 but now haply touched with some rremorse for having any hand in so bloody an act Had made intercession to the King Verum frigide admodum but very coldly and such cold friends the truth hath still not a few at Kings Courts especially Ver. 26. But the King commanded Jerameel the son of Hammelech Or the Kings son whom he might employ against these two servants of God as once the King of France sent his son and heir with an Army against the Waldenses It is not for nothing therefore that the curse is denounced against Jehojakim and his posterity ver 30 31. But the Lord hid them i. e. He provided for them a hiding place in some good mans house and there safe guarded them from these blood-hounds who hunted after their precious lives There in no fence but flight nor counsel but concealement to secure an innocent subject against an enraged Soveraign Ver. 27. Then the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah Jehojakim took an ill course to free himself forom trouble as he counted it by burning the Roll for Gods Word cannot be burnt no more then it can be bound 2 Tim. 2.9 And shall they thus escape by iniquity No verily for it followeth and it is not more votum then vaticinium a wish then a Prophecy In thine anger cast down the people O God Psal 56.7 Ver. 28. Take thee again another roll Revertere accipe Gods Ministers must be stedfast and unweariable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as they know that their labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult And write in it all the former words If all the Tyrants on earth should fight against the very paper of the Scriptures striving to abolish it yet they could not possibly do it There will be Bibles when they shall be laid low enough in the slimy valley where are many already like them and more shall come alter them Job 21.31 32. Ver. 29. And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim i. e. Add this doleful doom of his to the new written roule and direct it to Jehojakim Some think the Prophet told him these things to his face like as Eliah presented himself to Ahab whom before he had fled from and dealt freely with him but that is not so likely Ver. 30. He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David i. e. None to make any reckoning of for his son Jeconâ—ah raigned but three moneths and ten dayes And Zedekiah is not looked upon as his lawful successour because he was his Uncle and set up likely by Nebuchadnezzar for a reproach to Jehojakim and Jeconiah Of Jehojakim it may be said as was afterwards of Ethelred King of England Ejus vitae cursus saevus in principio miser in medio turpis in exitu asseritur Malms lib. 2. cap. 10. and in as great spite as once Attilus King of Suesia made a dog King of the Danes in revenge of a great many injuries received by them appointing Councellours to do all things under his title And his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat This was that infamous burial
prepared for them that love him and sith this City is a type of heavens happiness which is fitter to be believed then possible to be expressed therefore I am the less troubled saith good Oecolampadius here that I understand no more of this surmounting matter Ver. 34. At the West-side c. See on ver 32 33. Ver. 35. It was round about eighteen thousand measures See on ver 32. and on Rev. 21.16 The Lord is there Jehovah-shammah this is the true Churches name and the true Christians happiness such as no good can match no evil overmatch viz. that wheresoever he is there God is and therefore there heaven is like as where the King is there his Court is this very name implyes Gods everlasting being with his Church according to those precious texts of Scripture every syllable whereof dropeth myrrh and mercy Lev. 26.11 12. Mat. 18.20 28.20 Joh. 14.23 1 Cor. 15.28 Rev. 7.14 c 21.3 4 5. 22.3 4 5 6. This is the truth of that which the Temple whil'st it stood as a type or figure did represent This is my rest for ever here will I dwell Psal 132.14 God will not forsake his Church as he did the Synagogue but have it up to heaven to him Rev. 21. where are crowns scepters Kingdoms beatifical visions unutterable exstasies sweetest varieties felicities eternities and all because Jehovah shammah the Lord is there to him be glory and praise everlasting Amen So be it Soli Deo Gloria The Jews having finished a book adde Benedictus qui dat fatigato robur FINIS A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION ON THE BOOK of the Prophet DANIEL Ver. 1. THE book of Daniel Written by himself not by another of his name Lib 12. contra Christian in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes as wicked Porphyry that professed enemy of Christianity Mr Ascham blaterateth like as Xenophon and Julius Caesar wrot their own acts so wisely and impartially as none have been so upright in writing the histories of others This divine Book is for the matter of it partly Historical and partly Prophetical The historical part we have in the six first Chapters sc a continuation of the history of the Books of Kings Hieron Ep. 103. ad Paulin during the whole time of the Captivity and after it Hence Hierom calleth Daniel Multiscum totius Mundi Polyhistorem a general Historian The Prophetical part beginning at the seventh Chapter foretelleth future things in the several Monarchies but very obscurely according to that of the Angel chap. 12.9 10. Go thy way Daniel for the words ore closed up and sealed till the end of the time c. and according to that Hieroglyphick of Prophecy which hangs they say among other pictures in the Vatican Library at Rome like a Matrone with the eyes covered for the difficulty Whence it was that Paulinus Bishop of Nola though able would never be drawn to write Commentaries Cajetan and Calvin would set no Notes upon the Revelation and Piscator after that he had commented upon the other Prophets when he came to Daniel he met with so many dark and difficult passages ut parum obfuerit saith he quin in medio commentandi cursu subsisterem calamum è manu deponerem that he was even ready to lay down his pen Piscat Epist dedicat ante Com. in Dan. and to lay aside the businesse But this he did not as considering that the best whiles here know but in part Prophecy but in part c. and that the promise is though none of the wicked understand this Prophecy yet the wise shall chap. 12.10 Hierom well saith Quod alio tempore canitur alio cernitur De vir perfect that a Prophecy is therefore obscure because it is said at one time and seen at another And one thing that causeth a cloud in Daniel is the transposing of the history here often used as the Prophesies contained in the seventh and eighth Chapters which were shewed unto Daniel under the reign of Belshazzar in order should be set before the sixth Chapter c. He seemeth indeed to have been laid aside in the dayes of Belshazzar that drunken Sot till the hand-writing on the wall brought him more in request again chap. 5. That cock on the dunghil knew not the worth of this peerlesse pearl highly prized both by his Predecessor and Successors to whom he was a secretis of their privy Coucil Famous he was grown and worthily for his extraordinary wisdom Ezek. 28.3 and holinesse Ezek. 14.14 so that the Angel Gabriel stileth him a man of Desires or a Desirable man Dan. 9.23 Seneca calleth Cato Virtutum vivam imaginem a lively picture of Virtues Pliny saith that the same Cato Censorius was an excellent Orator an excellent Senator an excellent Commander Lib. 2. and a Master of all good Arts. Paterculus saith that he was a man as like Virtue Dec. 4. lib. 9. as ever he could look per omnia virtutâ— diis quam hominibus propior Livy saith he was a man of rigid innocency and invincible integrity In vita Catonis Cornelius Nepos that being assayed and assaulted by many he not only never lost any part of his reputation but as long as he lived grew still in the praise of his virtues as being in all things of singular prudence and industry Lastly Cicero saith of Cato Cato Major that whereas he underwent the enmities of many potent persons Splendida peccata and suffered no little hardship all his time yet was he one of those few who lived and dyed with glory How much more truely might all this be affirmed of Daniel the Prophet then of Cato the Censor all whose virtues were but glistring sins and all whose praise-worthy parts and practises were but tinckling cymbals in comparison Daniel's whole life was a kind of Heaven adorned with most radiant stars of divine virtues Sixt. Senens Bib. Sanct. lib. 4. And although we cannot say of him as Aleander of Hales did of his scholar Bonavanture in an Hyperbolical strain that Adam seemed to him not to have sinned in Bonavanture such was his sanctity and knowledge yet with more colour of truth might the like he said of Daniel the Jews Jewel and the Worlds darlâ—ng Torshel He wrot this Book part of it in Hebrew and part in Chaldee all in a short but grave stile evident and elegant being a divine Polychronicon to the worlds end or as One calleth it the Apocalypse of the Old Testament CHAP. I. Ver. 1. IN the third year of the reign of Jehojakim That wicked King who killed the Prophet Vriah Jer. 26. cut Jeremia's Prophecy with a knife and cast it into the fire Jer. 36. was a grosse Idolater 2 Chron. 36.8 and therefore justly suffered Came Nebucahdnezzar Surnamed Magnus son to Nebuchadnezzar surnanamed Priscus See 2 King 24.1 2. 2 Chron. 36.8 with the Notes Ver. 2. And the Lord gave Jehojakim Because the affliction by
6.2 Shall he honour This doubling of the word seemeth to shew the Angels indignation at the indignity of the fact See the like Gen. 49.4 Ver. 31. Ver. 39. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds Heb. in the fortresses of munitions i. e. both in the Temple called elsewhere a strong-hold and in the places of defence near unto the Temple where he set a garrison to force the people to worship his Idols Whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory Or those whom he shall acknowledge to be favourers and furtherers of his abominable idolatry those he shall increase with glory he shall raise and prefer them as he did Jason Menelaus c. And he shall cause them to rule over many In praestantes illos so Piscator rendreth it over the godly Jews Gods Rabbines And he shall divide the land sc Of Judaea For gain Heb. for a price Sic omnia Romae vaenalia All things are saleable and soluble at Rome Ver. 40. And at the time of the end The year before his death Shall the King of the South Ptolomie Philometor And the King of the North Antiochus his third expedition into Egypt see ver 39 in favour of Physcon And shall overflow i. e. Victoriously overrun Egypt Ver. 41. He shall enter also into the glorious land Judaea as ver 16. but for no good In Greece they say Where the Grand Signior once setteth his foot there groweth no more grasse But these shall escape Because they shall side with him Ver. 42. He shall stretch forth his hand also He shall be very victorious toward his latter end that he may be the riper for ruine fatted ware are but fitted for destruction Ver. 43. Shall be at his steps i. e. Obey him as their Captain Ver. 44. But tidings out of the East c. It it seldom seen that God alloweth to the greatest darlings of the world a perfect contentment but something or other they must have to trouble them still Ver. 45. And he shall plant the Tabernacles of his palace i e 1 Mac. 3.40 4 3. He shall pitch his tent royal in token of full power given to his Captains Lysias and the rest in Emmaus near to Jerusalem to keep the Jews in subjection Between the Seas The Dead Sea and the Midland Sea Polyb. Joseph l. 12. c. 12. which are the bounds of Judaea called here the glorious holy mountain Yet he shall come to his end A loathsome and lamentable one See 1 Maccab. 6.8 2 Maccab. 9. not so much because he would have spoiled the Temple of Diana but because he did spoil the Temple at Jerusalem CHAP. XII Ver. 1. ANd at that time i. e. In the last dayes and toward the end of the World for in this Chapter seemeth to be set forth the State of the Church in the last times that it shall be most afflicted yet she shall be fully delivered by Christs second coming to Judgement Cyprian was in like sort wont to comfort his friends thus Venit Antichristus sed superveniet Christus Antichrist will come but then Christ will come after him and overcome him Shall Michael stand up i. e. The Lord Christ that Prince of Angels and Protector of his people not a created Angel much lesse Michael Servetus that blasphemous heretike burnt at Geneva who was not afraid to say as Calvin reporteth it se esse Michaelem illum Ecclesiae custodem that he was that Michael the Churches Guardian David George also another blackmouthed heretike said that he was that David foretold by the Prophets Jer. 30.9 Ezek. 34.23 Hos 3.5 and that he was confident that the whole World would in time submit to him Which standeth for the children of thy people For all the Israel of God to whom Christ is a fast friend and will he while the government is upon his shoulder Isa 9.6 And there shall be a time of trouble To the Jews by the Romans after Christs ascension Mat. 24.21 to the Christians by the Romists And at that time thy people shall be delivered The elect both Jews and Gentiles shall be secured and saved Every one that shall be found written in the book Called the writing or catalogue of the house of Israel Ezek. 13.9 and the Lambs book of life Rev. 21.27 which is nothing else but conscriptio electorum in mente divina saith Lyra the writing of the elect in the divine mind or knowledge such are said to be written among the living in Jerusalem Isa 4.4 Ver. 2. And many of them that sleep in the dust Many for all as Rom. 5.18 19. these are said to sleep which denoteth the immortality of the soul and the resurrection of the body The soul liveth in the sleep of death as it doth in the sleep of the body in this life And this the poor Jews when to lose land and life for the truth are here seasonably and plainly told of amidst other things that are but darkly delivered to bear up their sinking spirits Awake they shall as out of a sweet sleep those that are good and then be full of Gods Image Psal 17. â—it The wicked also shall come forth but by another principle and for another purpose they shall come out of their graves like filthy roads against this terrible storm c. Some to everlasting life Which is here first mentioned in the old Testament See Matth. 25.45 Joh. 5.29 And some to shame and everlasting contempt Christ shall shame them in that ample Amphitheatre and doom them to eternal destruction Graevissima paenarum pudor est saith Chrysostom Oh when Christ shall upbraid reprobates and say Ego vos pavi lavi vestivi c. which way will they look or who shall say for them They shall look then upon him whom they have pierced and lament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but all too late they shall be sore ashamed of their sinful practises which shall all be written in their foreheads and this shall be as a bodkin at their hearts that ever they turned their backs upon Christs bleeding embracements whilst they refused to be reformed hated to be healed Ver. 3. And they that be wise And withal do what they can do to wise others to salvation as all wise ones will for Goodnesse is diffusive of itself and would have others to share with it charity is no churl Shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament A good amends for their present sufferings chap. 11.33 with Rom. 8.18 Solomon allowed little or no considerable reward to his workmen Mat. 13.42 Cant. 8.12 but Christ doth For they shall shine as the firmament yea as the Stars yea as the Sun in his strength yea as Christ himself shineth they shall appear with him in glory Colos 3.4 Their souls shall shine through their bodies as the candle doth through the lanthorn their bodies shall also be so light-some and transparent saith Aquinas that all the veins humours nerves and bowels shall be
wherein thou shalt finde fulness of matter in fewness of words Or by these that is by the holy Scriptures which according to some interpreters are called in the former verse Lords of Collections because they are as Lords paramount above all other words and writings of men that ever were collected into volumes Odi ego meos libros saith Luther Luth. in Genes I do even hate the Books set forth by my self and could wish them utterly abolished because I fear that by reading them some are hindred from spending their time in reading the sacred Scriptures Of these it is that the Psalmist saith Moreover by them is thy servant warned or clearly admonished as the word signifies and in doing thereof there is great reward Psal 19.11 Of making many Books there is no end Ambition and covetousness sets many Authors a work in this scribling age Scribimus indocti doctique c. Presses are greatly oppressed and every fool will bee medling that hee may bee a fool in Print Multi mei similes hoc morbo laborant ut cum scribere nesciant tamen a scribendo temperare non possunt Many are sick of my very disease saith Erasmus that though they can do nothing worthy of the publick yet they must bee publishing hence the world so abounds with books even to satiety and surfeit many of them being no better than the scurf of scald and scabby heads And much study is a weariness to the flesh Hierome renders it Labor carnis a work of the flesh They will finde it so one day to their sorrow that are better read in Sir Philip than in St. Peter in Monsieur Balsaâ—s letters than St. Pauls Epistles The holy Bible is to bee chiefly studied and herein wee are to labour even to lassitude to read till being overcome with sleep wee bow down as it were to salute the leaves with a kiss Hierom ad Eust as Hierome exhorted some good women of his time All other Books in comparison of this wee are to account as waste Paper and not to read them further than they some way conduce to the better understanding or practising of the things herein contained and commended unto our care Vers 13. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter scil Touching the attainment of true happiness Let us see for a perclose of all where and how it may bee had Shall I tell you in two words saith the Preacher I will so and see that yee mark it In the Original the word rendred conclusion here hath the first letter bigger than the rest to stir up the greater attention to that which follows sith in this short sentence is contained the sum of all Divinity Fear God and keep his commandements Bear an awful respect to the Divine Majesty a reverential fear and from this principle obey God in every part and point of duty Do this and live for ever Do it in an Evangelical way I mean for wee can do it now no otherwise Wish well to exact obedience as David doth Psal 119.4 5. Oh that I could keep thy commandements accurately and woe is mee that I cannot And then bee doing as thou canst for affection without indeavour is like Rachel beautiful but barren Bee doing I say at every thing as well as at any thing for thou must not bee funambulus vertutum as Tertullian phraseth it one that goeth in a narrow tract of obedience No thine obedience must bee universal extending to the compass of the whole Law which is but one copulative as the Schools speak And then Aug. beati sunt qui praecepta faciunt etiam si non perficiunt they are blessed that do what they can Bern. though they cannot but under-do And in libro tuo scribuntur omnes qui quod possunt faciunt si quod debent non possunt They are surely written all in Gods Book that do what they can though they cannot do as they ought I cannot let slip a Note given by one that was once a famous Preacher in this Kingdome and still lives in his printed Sermons The Book of Ecclesiastes saith hee begins with All is vanity and ends with fear God and keep his commandements Now if that sentence were knit to this which Solomon keepeth to the end as the haven of rest after the turmoils of vanity it is like that which Christ said to Martha Thou art troubled about many things but one thing is necessary That which troubleth us Solomon calls vanity that which is necessary hee calls the fear of God From that to this should bee every mans pilgrimage in this world Wee begin at vanity and never know perfectly that wee are vain till wee come to fear God and keep his commandements For this is the whole duty of man Heb. This is the whole man q. d. Hee is not a compleat man hee loseth all his other praises that fears not God It is the very nature and essence of man to bee a reasonable creature Now what more reasonable than that God should bee feared and served What more irrational than irreligion See 2 Thes 3.2 and what is man without true grace but praestantissimum brutum as one saith a very fair beast Vers 14. For God shall bring every work into judgement Full loth is sinful flesh to come to judgement but will they nill they come they must God will bring them Angels will hale them out of their hiding holes Rocks and mountains will then prove a sorry shelter sith rocks shall rent and mountains melt at the presence of the Judge Let us therefore judge our selves if hee shall not judge us and take unto us words against our sins if wee will not have him to take unto him words against our souls Hos 14.2 And then Ita vivamus ut rationem nobis reddendam arbitremur saith the Heathen Oratour Let us so live as those that must shortly bee called to an account For who can tell but that hee may suddenly hear as that Pope did and was soon after found dead Veni miser in judicium Come thou wretch receive thy judgement Let this bee firmly beleeved and thorowly digested and it will notably incite us to the fear and service of God This some Heathens knew Zaleucus Locrensis in the Proeme to his Laws hath these words Hoc inculcatum sit esse Deos venturum esse summum fatalem illum diem Remember to press often upon the people these two things First That there are Gods Next to these Gods an account of all must bee given The Areopagites at their Council were wont diligently to enquire what every of the Athenians did Rouz his Archaeol Atti. 125 and how hee lived that men knowing and remembring that once they must give an account of their lives though but to earthly Judges might imbrace honesty With every secret thing For at that day of Revelation as it is called Wee must all appear or bee made transparent pellucid and clear like