love toward his Sister as nearest unto him in consanguinity his Spouse is nearest also in affinity Sanctior est copula cordis quam corporis Christ is indeared to his people in all manner of nearest relations For whosoever shall do the will of his Father the same is his Brother and Sister and Mother Mat. 12.50 Act. 10.35 And in every Nation hee that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him With one of thine eyes With that single eye of thine Mat. 6.22 that looks on mee singly abstracted from all other things and affects thine heart with pure love to mee for my self more than for my love-tokens that eye of Faith that looks up to my Mercy-seat yea that peirceth Heaven as St. Stephens bodily eye did hee being full of the Holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw Jesus standing on the right hand of Câ—â— Act. 7.55 Heaven is so high above the Earth that it is a just wonder that wee can look up to so admirable an height and that the very eye is not tired in the way But Faith hath a visive faculty peculiar to it self it is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 whiles it looks not at the things which are seen scil with the eye of sense but at the things that are not seen viz. but by the eye of Faith 2 Cor. 4.18 whereby Moses saw him who is invisible Heb. 1â— 27 Let as many as would behold the King in his beauty study Moses his Opticks get a Patriarchs eye see Christs day afar off as Abraham did and set him at their right hand as David Psal 16. So shall the King greatly desire their beauty yea set them at his right hand with the Queen his Spouse in gold of Ophir Psal 45.9 11. But then Christ must see their chain of obedience as well as their eye of Faith even the whole chain of spiritual graces linked one to another These are the daughters of Faith and good works the products of them are the fruits of Faith As chains adorn the neck so do true virtues a true Christian these as chains are visible and honourable testimonies of a lively Faith which works by love These make the true Manlii Torquati See the Notes on chap. 1. vers 10. Vers 10. How fair is thy love Heb. Loves in the plural noting not onely their multitude but excellency also such as do far praeponderate all carnal affections These are said to bee inexpressibly fair and lovely noted by the exclamation and repetition here used as if words were too weak to utter it because it is undissembled A man may paint fire but hee cannot paint heat A man may dissemble actions in Religion but hee cannot dissemble affections 2. It is rare and in respect of common Christians it may bee said as Ephes 3.18 to pass knowledge sith most have little of the life of it in their breasts less of the light and lustre of it in their lives How much better is thy love than Wine This same shee had said of him chap. 1.2 Now hee returns it upon her as is usual among Lovers Hee had confessed himself ravished with her love vers 9. Now here hee shews why hee was so Hee found her not lovely onely but loving hee had made her so and now takes singular delight and complacency in his own work as once hee did in his work of Creation Hee well perceived that hee had not lost his love upon his Church as David did upon his Absalom as Paul did upon his Corinthians of whom hee complains that the more hee had loved the less hee was beloved as Job upon his miserable comforters whom hee compares to the Brooks of Tema Job 6. that in a moisture swell in a drought fail But Christ findes no such fickleness or false-heartedness in his Beloved hee had love for love and as hee had been a sweet friend to her so was shee to him Her love was better than the best Wine which yet is both costly and comfortable yea than all the delights that this life can afford so much is implied by Wine here and so hee is pleased to esteem it Unworthy shee of so kind acceptance of that little shee can do this way if shee do not her utmost if shee cry not out with her son David I will love thee dearly or entirely with mine utmost bowels with the same tenderness of affections as is in Mothers towards the fruit of their bodies so the Hebrew word signifies Psal 18.1 And again I love so hee abruptly expresseth himself by a passionate pang of love because the Lord hath heard the voice of my supplications c. Psal 116.1 Hee saw and wee may all see so much cause to love the Lord as that hee must needs bee a monster and not a man that loves not the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity It was a miracle that those Worthies in Daniel should bee in the midst of a fiery furnace and not burn It is no less that men should bee in the midst of mercies on all hands and not love Christ It would bee as great a wonder men should fail here as for a River to run backwards I have drawn them by the bands of love by the cords of a man Hos 11.4 that is with reasons and motives of love befitting the nature of a man of a rational creature Oculis in utram partem fluat judicari non potest Caesar de bello Gal. lib. 1. But most men alass and those that profess to bee the children of the Church too move like the River Araris backward or forward who can tell This is to give Christ Vinegar for Wine this is as lukewarm water to his nice and nauseating stomack Rev. 3.16 There is a Prophesie reported in Telesphorus that Antichrist shall never overcome Venice nor Paris nor London But wee have a more certain word and let us take heed lest for our lukewarmness Christ spues us out of his mouth What hath been the opinion and fear of some not inconsiderable Divines that Antichrist before his abolition shall once again overflow the whole face of the West and suppress the whole Protestant Churches for a punishment of their loss of their first love I pray Christ to avert And the smell of thine Oyntments than all spice That is of thy sweet graces actuated and exercised See Psal 89.20 John 2.20 27. It was an aggravation of the fall of Saul that hee fell as though hee had not been anointed 2 Sam. 1.21 So for the Saints to fall from their first love or from their own stedfastness Such a dead fly will cause their once-sweet Ointments to send forth a stinking savour Eccles 10.1 Corruptio optimâ— est pessima Vers 11. Thy lips Oh my Spouse drop as an Hony-comb Heb. drop the Hony-comb So Christ calls the doctrines and prayers of the Church her thanksgivings confessions conferences c. which are things most pleasing to Christ and do much comfort and
Father glorifie thy name Joh. 12.27 28. All the while the eye of his humanity was fixed upon deliverance from the hour of temptation there was no peace nor rest in his soul because there hee found not onely incertainty but impossibility For this cause came I to this hour But when hee could come to this Father glorifie thy name when hee could wait on acquiesce in and resign to the will of his Father wee never hear of any more objection fear or trouble Thus hee Plato finem bujus mandi bonitatem Dei esse affirmavis Vers 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself that is for his own glory which hee seeks in all his works and well hee may for first hee hath none higher than himself to whom to have respect And secondly hee is not in danger as wee should bee in like case of being puffed up or desirous of vain-glory Or thus Hee hath made all things for himself that is for the demonstration of his goodness De Doctr. Christiana according to that of Augustine Quiabonus est Deus sumus in quantum sumus boni sumus Wee owe both our being and well-being and the glory of all to God alone Rom. 1â— ult Bern. The wicked also for the day of evil i. e. of destruction Hereof Dei voluntas est ratio rationum nec tantum recta sed regula Howbeit whereas Divines make two parts of the decree of Reprobation viz. Preterition and Predamnation All agree for the latter saith a learned Interpreter that God did never determine to damn any man for his own pleasure but the cause of his Perdition was his own sin And there is a reason for it For God may to shew his Sovereignty annihilate his creature but to appoint a reasonable creature to an estate of endless pain without respect of his desert cannot agree to the unspotted justiâ—e of God And for the other part of passing over and forsaking a great part of men for the glory of his Justice the exactest Divines do not attribute that to the meer will of God but hold that God did first look upon those men as sinners at least in the general corruption brought in by the Fall For all men have sinned by Adam and are guilty of high Treason against God Vers 5. Every one that is proud in heart c. That lifts up himself against God and his righteous Decree daring to reprehend what they do not comprehend about the doctrine of Reprobation as those Chatters Rom. 9.20 These whiles like proud and yet brickle clay they will bee knocking their sides against the solid and eternal Decree of God called Mountains of brass Zach. 6.1 they break themselves in peeces So likewise do such as stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed 1 Pet. 2.8 How much better were it for them to take the Prophets counsel Hear and give ear bee not proud for the Lord hath spoken it Give glory to the Lord your God let him bee justified and every mouth stopped subscribe to his most perfect justice though it were in your own utter destruction before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains c. Jer. 13.15 16. That was a proud and Atheistical speech of Lewis the eleventh St salvabor salvabor si vero damnabor damnabor If I shall be saved I shall bee saved and if I shall bee damned I shall bee damned and there is all the care that I shall take Not unlike to this was that wretched resolution of one Ruffus of whom it is storied that hee painted God on the one side of his shield and the Devil on the other with this mad Motto Si tu me nolis iste rogitat If thou wilt not have mee here is one will Though hand joyn in hand See the Note on Chap. 11.21 Some make hand in hand to bee no more than out of hand Immediately or with â—ase for nothing is sooner or with more ease done than to fold one hand in another God shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them as hee that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim and hee shall bring down their pride together with the spoil of their hands Isa 25.11 The motion in swimming is easie not strong for strong stroaks in the water would rather sink than support God with greatest facility can subdue his stoutest adversary when once it comes to handy-gripes when once his hand joyns to the proud mans hand so some sense this text so that they do manus conserere then shall it appear that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10. Vers 6. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged Lest the proud person hearing these dreadful threats should fall into despair here is a way shewed him how to escape By mercy and truth that is by the goodness and faithfulness of God by his love that moved him to promise pardon to the penitent and by his truth that bindes him to perform iniquity though never so hateful bee it blasphemy or any like hainous sin Mat. 12.31 is purged or expiated viz. through Christ who is the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 2.2 See Chap. 14.22 with the Note And by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil As in the former clause were declared the causes of Justification so here the exercise of Sanctification for these two go ever together Christ doth not onely wash all his in the fountain of his blood opened for sin and for uncleanness Zach. 13.1 but healeth their natures of that swinish disposition whereby they would else wallow again in their former filth The Layer and Altar under the Law situated in the same Priests Court signified the same as the water and blood issuing out of Christs side viz. The necessary concurrence of Justification and Sanctification in all that shall bee saved that was intimated by the Laver and water this by the Altar and blood Vers 7. When a mans waies please the Lord Sin is the onely make-bate that sets God and man at difference Now when God is displeased all his creatures are up in arms to fetch in his rebels and to do execution Who then would set the briars and thorns against him in battel would hee not go thorow them would hee not burn them together Let him then take hold of my strength saith God that hee may make peace with mee and hee shall make peace with mee Isa 27.4 5. And not with God onely but with the Creature too that gladly takes his part and is at his beck and check Laban followed Jacob with one troop Esau met him with another both with hostile intentions But God so wrought for Jacob whom hee had chosen that Laban leaves him with a kisse Esau meets him with a kisse Of the one hee hath an Oath Tears of the other Peace with both Who shall need to fear men that is in league with God Vers 8. Better is a little
sweet sight of the Son of God and the Church above Next Ut liberer ab immanibus implicabilibus odiis Theologorum that I may bee delivered from the cruel and implacable hatreds of dissenting Divines There is a most sad story of those that fled to Frankford hence in Queen Maries time yet among them there were such grievous breaches that they sought the lives one of another Great care therefore must bee taken that brethren break not friendship Or if they do that they re-unite and peece again as soon as is possible Vers 20. A mans belly shall bee satisfied with the fruit of his mouth See the Notes on Chap. 12.14 and 13.2 And with the encrease of his lips shall hee bee satisfied It is worthy the observing saith an Interpreter here that Salomon doth vary his words Hee speaketh sometimes of the mouth sometimes of the lips sometimes of the tongue as vers 21. to shew that all the instruments or means of speech shall have as it were their proper and just reward Vers 21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue That best and worst member of the body as Bias told Amasis King of Aegypt Plutarch an unruly evil set on fire of Hell saith Saint James of an ill tongue as contrarily a good one is fired with zeal by the Holy Ghost Act. 2. Fire wee know is a good servant but an ill Lord If it get above us once there is no dealing with it Hence it is that as the careful housholder laies a strict charge upon his children and servants to look well to their fire So doth Solomon give often warning to have a care of the tongue For by thy words shalt thou bee justified and by thy words thou shalt bee condemned saith a greater than Solomon Mat. 12. Cave ne fâ—riat lingua tua cellum tuum Scalig. The Arabians have a Proverb Take heed that thy tongue cut not thy throat A word and a pest grow upon the same root in the Hebrew to shew saith one that an evil tongue hath the pestilence in it It spits up and down the room as the Serpent Dipsas or as a Candle whose tallow is mixt with brine Vers 22. Whoso findeth a wise c. Whoso after much seeking by prayer to God and his own utmost industry as Gen. 24. Isaac went forth to pray and his servant went forth to seek findeth a fit and faithful yoak-fellow called here a wife that is a good wife Hilbah id est umbra ipsius quomodo Menander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dixit as Eccles 7.1 a name is put for a good name and as Isa 1.18 wooll is put for white wooll every married woman is not a wife a bad woman is but the shadow of a wife according to Lamechs second wives name Zillah hee findeth a good thing a singular blessing and such as should draw from him abundance of thanks Hee may well say as they were wont to do at Athens when they were married 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have left a worse condition and found a better Zenodo prov If any bee the worse for a wife for a good wife especially it is from his own corrupt heart that like a Toad turns all it takes into rank poison Vers 23. The poor useth intreaties Speaks supplications comes in a submisse manner uses a low language as a broken man How much more should we do so to God quanta cum reverentia quanto timore Bern. quanta ad Deum humilitate accedere debet è palude sua procedens repens vilis ranuncula creeping into his presence with utmost humility and reverence Vers 24. A man that hath friends c. For Cos amoris amor Love is the whet-stone or load-stone rather of Love Marce ut ameris ama Martial Love is a coin that must bee returned in kind And there is a friend c. Such a friend is as ones own soul Deut. 13.6 a peece so just cut for him as answers him rightly in every joint This is a rare happinesse CHAP. XIX Vers 1. Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity THat poor but honest man that speaks supplications Chap. 18.23 but abuseth not his lips to leud and loose language is better than that rich fool that answers him roughly and robustiously as Nabal did Davids messengers and otherwise speaks ill thinks worse Wee usually call a poor man a poor soul a poor soul may bee a rich Christian and a rich man may have a poor soul Vers 2. Also that the soul bee without knowledge Lib. 3. Eth. it is not good An ignorant man is a naughty man Ignorat sanè improbus omnis saith Aristotle Every bad-minded man is in the dark neither can any good come into the heart but it must pass through the understanding and the difference of stature in Christianity grows from different degrees of knowledge The Romans were full of knowledge and therefore full of goodness chap. 15.14 And hee that hasteth with his feet sinneth Or wandreth out of the way As hee that is out of his way the faster hee rides or runs the farther hee is out so is blinde zeal It is like metal in a blind horse that running upon the rocks and precipices first breaks his hoofs and then his neck Or like the Devil in the possessed that cast him sometimes into the fire and sometimes into the water Vers 3. The foolishness of a man perverteth his way So that all goes cross with him Lev. 26.21 and God walks contrary to him as it befell our King John Queen Mary and Henry the fourth of France King John saw and acknowledged it in these words Mat. Paris Posiquam ut dixi Deo reconciliatus me ac mea regna proh dolor Romanae subjeci Ecclesiae nulla mihi prospera sed omnia contraria advenerunt Ever since I submitted to the Sea of Rome nothing hath prospered with mee And his heart frets against the Lord As the cause of his calamity Birds of prey that have been long kept in the dark when they get abroad are out of measure raging and ravenous so are ignorant spirits they let flye on all hands when in durance especially and spare not to spit their venome in the very face of God as did Pharaoh when that thick darkness was upon him the King of Israel that said Behold this evil is of the Lord and what should I wait for the Lord any longer 2 King 6.33 Mahomet the first Emperour of the Turks being wonderfully grieved with the dishonour and loss hee had received at the last assault of Scodra Turk hist fol. 423. in his choler and frantick rage most horribly blasphemed against God saying that it were enough for him to have care of heavenly things and not to cross him in his worldly actions Vers 4. Wealth maketh many friends Res amicos invenit saith hee in Plautus Wine saith Athenaeus hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a
hee will speak of and the dark saying that hee will open And hereunto hee makes a solemn Oyez Hear this all yee people and give ear all yee Inhabitants of the World c. Because hee is poor As the greater fish devour the lesser and as the Mastiff falls upon the Cur and worries him only because hee is bigger than the other This is a brutish ferity See Psal 10. And if those that relieve not the poor shall bee damned surely they that rob them shall bee double-damned Neither oppress the afflicted The poor man must needs bee an afflicted man obnoxious to all manner of injuries and hard usages But God who is the poor mans King more truly so called then James the fourth of Scotland was takes order here that no man oppress or wrong him either at the gate of his house whither hee comes a begging or at the gate of the City where hee sues for redress of injury Gel. l. 11. c. 18. let not might suppress right lest some Cato complain as once and not without cause that poor Theeves sit in the stocks when greater Theeves sit on the seats of Judicature Vers 23. For the Lord will plead their cause Without fee for those that come to him formâ pauperis and without fear of their oppressours against whom hee will plead with pestilence and with blood Ezek. 38.22 as hee did against the house of Saul for the poor Gibeonites and against Ahab for Naboth And spoil the soul or life of those that spoiled them A poor mans livelihood is his life Mark 12. ult Luke 8.43 Hee is in his house as a Snail in his shell crush that and you kill him quite God therefore who loves par pari referre to pay oppressors home in their own coyn will have life for life if they may escape so and not bee cast to hell among those cruel ones Prov. 5.9 See the Note O that these Cannibals would think of this before the cold grave hold their bodies and hot hell hold their souls Vers 24. Make no friendship with an angry man Anger is a short madness it is a leprosie breaking out of a burning Lev. 13.5 and renders a man unfit for civil society for his unruly passions cause the climate where hee lives to bee like the torrid Zone too hot for any to live near him The Dog-dayes continue with him all the year long hee rageth and eateth fire-brands so that every man that will provide for his own safety must flye from him as from a netling dangerous and unsociable creature fit to live alone as Dragons and wilde Beasts or to bee looked on only through a grate as they where if they will do mischief Turk hist they may do it to themselves only As Bajazet the great Turk who being taken by Tamberlain and carried up and down in an iron Cage beat out his own brains against the bars thereof Vers 25. Lest thou learn his wayes As a man is an imitating creature and easily conformed to the company hee keepeth Sin is also very spreading and more infectious than the plague This of rash anger especially whereunto being naturally inclined wee shall easily get an habit of frowardness Intireness with wicked consorts is one of the strongest chains of hell and bindes us to a participation both of sin and punishment And get a snare to thy soul This is all thou art like to get by such mens company An angry man a master of anger as the Hebrew here hath it or rather one that is mastered by his anger and enslaved thereunto is fitly compared by one to a Cock of the game that quarrelsome creature that is still bloody with the blood either of others or of himself he flyes upon his best friends sometimes as Alexander did and slayes those whom hee would revive again with his own heart blood Dogs in a chase bark oft at their best friends Vers 26. Bee not thou of them See the Notes on Chap. 6.1 2 3. Vers 27. If thou hast nothing to pay And yet art gotten into the Usurers furnace hee will leave thee at last neither metal nor matter Vers 28. Remove not the ancient land-mark Unless yee covet a curse Deut. 27.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccles 10.8 Let Levellers look to it and know that property is Gods Ordinance Act. 5.4 Psal 17.14 That Magistracy is the hedge of a Nation and that hee that breaks an hedge a Serpent shall bite him That the Ministry is Christs own Institution Eph. 4.11 And that Lay-preachers may look to speed as Nadab and Abihu as Uzzah and Uzziah or as other Usurpers See the Note on Deut. 1◠14. Vers 29. Seest thou a man diligent God loves nimbleness what thou dost do quickly said Christ to Judas though it were so ill a businesse that he was about Princes love such and imploy them as Pharoah did Joseph and those that were men of activity among his brethren Salomon also made use of Jeroboam for the same reason though that was not the wisest act that ever he did 1 Kings 11.28 How dear was Daniel to Darius because though sick yet he dispatched the Kings business What Favourites to our Henry 8 were Wolsey Cromwell Cranmer for like reason A diligent man shall not fit long in a low place Or if he do all the days of his life yet if his diligence proceed out of conscience he shall stand before the King of Kings when he dies And surely if Salomons servants were held happy for this and the greatest reward Salomon could promise the diligent is this in the text what an unconceivable honour must it needs be to look for ever upon the face of God and Angel-like stand in his presence CHAP. XXIII Vers 1. When thou sittest to eat SEe my common place of Abstinence Consider diligently what is before thee And feed with fear Iude 12. Lest thou lose by thy luxury that praise and preferment that thou hadst gotten by thine industry chap. 22.9 Non minor est virtus quà m quaerere parta tueri Vers 2. And put a knife to thy throat Put into thy throat as Aben-ezra reads it rather than offend by inordinate appetite Some read it thus For thou puttest a knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to appetite Thou shortnest thy life and diggest as it were thine own grave with thine own teeth Meat kills as many as the Musket the board as the sword Chrysost Tennis mensa sanitatis mater but much meat much malady Vers 3. Be not desirous of his dainties It is a shame for a Saint to be a slave to his Palat. Isaac loved venison too too well the Disciples are cautioned by Christ Luk. 21.34 who well enough knew where they were weakest For they are deceitful meat There is a hook under that bait it may prove as dangerous as Ionathans hony of which he had no sooner tasted but his head was forfeited There is a deceitfulness in sin Heb. 3.13 a
sought for a comfortable use of the Creature and then be merry at thy meat and put sorrow from thy heart chap. 9.7 Eat the fat and drink the sweet c. for the joy of the Lord is your strength Nehem. 8.10 Vers 25. For who can eat or who can hasten c. And yet I have found and so shall you that tranquillity and true happiness the Kindgom of God doth not consist in meats and drinks A Turk may beleeve sensualities in his fools paradise but no servant of God is a slave to his palate Vers 26. Wisdome and knowledge To get these things rightly and to use them comfortably To gather and to heap up Converrere congerrere to rake and scrape together the muck-worms occupation That he may give As he did the Aegyptians goods to Israel Nabals to David Hamans to Mordecai CHAP. III. Vers 1. To every thing there is a season A Set time such as we can neither alter nor order This is one of those keys that God carries under his own girdle Act. 1.7 To seek to doe or get any thing before the time is to pull apples before they are ripe saith a Father which set the teeth on edge Fomâ— importuni tempore decerpunt Tertul. and breed stomack-worms They labour in vain that would prevent the time prefixed by God as those hasty Ephraimites in Aegypt 1 Chron. 7.22 with Psal 78.9 those heady Israelites in the Wilderness Numb 14.40 Moses would be acting the Judge before his time Exod. 2.12 he is therefore sent to keep sheep in Midian vers 15. David staid Gods leisure for the Kingdom those in Esther for deliverance they knew that God would keep his day exactly as he did with the Israelites in Aegypt Exod. 12.40 41. Evâ—n the self-same day when the four hundred and thirty years fore-told were expired Gods people were thrust out of Aegypt So Dan. 5.30 In that night was Belshazzar slain because then exactly the seventy years were ended And as God fails not his own time so he seldome comes at ours Jâ—r 8.20 for he loves not to be limited We are short-breath'd short-sighted apt to antedate the promises in regard of the accomplishment Hab. 2.2 And no less apt to out-stand our own markets to let slip opportunities of grace which are ever head-long and once past irrecoverable O if thou hadst known at the least in this thy day Heb. 2.3 Psal 32.6 c. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Therefore shall every one that is godly seek thee in a time when thou mayst be found There is a certain time set for men to come in and be saved as Alexander set up a Taper when he besieged a Town as Tamerlan hang'd out first a white flag and then a red Many a man loseth his soul as Saul did his Kingdome by not discerning his time Esau came too late so did the foolish Virgins If the gate of grace be over-past the gate shut the draw-bridge taken up there is no possibility of entrance Heb. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us and an overture made us of entring into Gods rest any of us should seem to fall short or come late a day after the fair an hour after the feast God who in his eternal Counsel hath appointed things to be done hath also ordained the opportunity and time wherein each thing should bee done which to neglect is such a presumption as hee usually punisheth with final hardning Ezek. 24.13 Vers 2. There is a time to be born and a time to dye Wee doe not hear the Wise-man say There is a time to live What is more fleeting than time yet life is not long enough to be worthy the title of time Death borders upon our birth and our cradle stands in our grave Orimur Morimur Multos ostendunt terris bona faeta nec ultra Esse siâ—unt Finisque ab origine pendet How many have we seen carried from the Womb to the Tomb from the birth to the burial Ab utero ab urnam And what a short cut hath the longest liver from the grave of the womb to the womb of the grave Men chop into the earth before they are aware many times like as he that walks in a field covered with snow falls suddenly into a marle pit A time to plant c. In point of good husbandry fit seasons are to be observed or else little increase can bee expected God also the great vine-dresser plants and plucks up more Churches or particular persons at his pleasure Esay 5.1 to the 8. Mat. 15.13 Jerusalem that plant of renown is now of an Eden become a Sodom and that which Moses threatned Deut. 28.49 c. fulfilled to the utmost Susa in Persia signifies a Lilly and was so called for the beauty and delectable sight Now it is called Valdac of the poverty of the place Niniveh that great City that once had more people within her walls than are now in some one Kingdome is at this day become a sepulture of it self a little Town of small Trade where the Patriarch of the Nestorians keeps his â—eat at the devotion of the Turks Frid. secund Imper. Roma diu titubans variis erroribus acta Corruet mundi desinet esse caput Vers 3. A time to kill viz. To cut off corrupt members by the sword of Justice or of War ne pars sincera trahatur There is a cruel mercy saith one there is a pious cruelty saith another But cursed is hee that doth the Lords work negligently and cursed is hee that in a good cause and upon a good calling keepeth back his sword from blood Jer. 48.10 But that souldier can never answer it before God that striketh not more as a Justice of Peace than as a souldier of fortune A time to break down and a time to build up This and the rest though every one knows to be so in common experience yet one and the same thing in effect is oft repeated that it may be once remembred viz. that this whole world is nothing else but a mass of mutabilities that every man every State every thing is a planet whose spherical revolutions are some of longer some of shorter continuance Omnia versantur in perpetuo ascensu descensu there is a perpetual ascending and descending of life and state Vers 4. A time to weep and a time to laugh Onely wee must not invert the order but weep with men that wee may laugh with Angels lay godly sorrow as a foundation of spiritual joy Surely out of this eater comes meat out of this strong sweet strong and sweet refreshments follow upon penitential performances these April showers bring on May flowers Tertullian saith that he was nulli rei natus nisi poenitentiae born for no other purpose but to repent but then he that truly repenteth de peccatis dolet de dolore gandet is grieved for his
the Mad-man without good reason To what end saith he should a man toyl and tire out himself with hard labour to compasse commodity making a drudge and a beast of himself for a little pelf sith he knows not who shall have the spending of it and he is sure to be either squeezed by his Superiours as vers 1. of this Chapter or else envied by his neighbours as vers 4 Is not a little with â—ase better a penny by begging better than two pence by true labour It is well observed by an Interpreter that this sentence uttered by the sluggard is in its true meaning not much different from that of the Wise-man Prov. 17.1 but ill applyed by him Good words are not alwayes to be trusted from ill men especially Vers 7. Then I returned and saw vanity c. i. e. another extream of vanity visible where-ever the Sun is seen Dum vitant stulti vitium in contrariae currant Fools whiles they shun the sands rush upon the rocks as Herod would needs prevent perjury by murther The sluggard here seeing those that doe best to be envied of others resolves to doe just nothing Again the covetous Miser seeing the sluggard lye under so much infamy for doing nothing se laboribus conficit undoes himself with over-doing Sed nemo ita perplexus tenetur inter duo vitia quinexitus pateat absque tertio saith an Ancient But no man is so held hampered betwixt two vices but that hee may well get off without falling into a third What need Eutyches fall into the other extream of Nestorius or Stancarus of Osiander or Illyricus of Strigelius but that they were for their pride justly given up to a spirit of giddinesse Vers 8. There is one alone and there is not a second A matchlesse Miser a fellow that hardly hath a fellow a solivagant or solitary vagrant that dare not marry for fear of a numerous off-spring Child he hath none to succeed him nor brother to share with him and yet there is no end of all his labour he takes uncessant pains and works like an horse neither is his eye satisfied with riches that lust of the eye as St. John calls covetousnesse is as a bottomlesse gulf 1 Joh. 2.15 as an unquenchable fire as Leviathan that wanteth room in the main Ocean or as Behemoth Job 40.23 that trusteth that hee can draw up Jordan into his mouth Neither saith he for whom doe I labour and bereave Si haec duo tecum verba reputasses Orat. pro Quintio Quid ago respirasset cupiditas avaritia panlulum saith Cicero to Nevius If thou wouldst but take up those two words and say to thy self What doe I thy lust and covetousnesse would bee somewhat rebated thereby But lust is inconsiderate and headlong neither is any thing more irrational than irreligion The rich glutton bethought himself of his store and resolved to take part of it Luk. 12.17 1 Cor. 9 So did Nabal but this wretch here hath not a second he plants a Vineyard and eats not of the fruit c. And bereave my soul of good i. e. deprive my self of necessary conveniencies and comforts and defraud my Genius of that which God hath given me richly to enjoy 1 Tim. 6. Or bereave my soul of good of God of grace of heaven never thinking of eternity 1 Tim. 6.18 of laying up for my self a good foundation that I may lay hold upon eternal life but by low ends even in religious duties making earth my throne and heaven my footstool This is vanity in the abstract this is a sore travel because Nulla emolumenta laborum no good to be gotten by it no pay for a mans pains But as the Bird that sitteth on the Serpents eggs by breaking and hatching them brings forth a perillous brood to her own destruction so doe those that sit abrood on the worlds vanities Vers 9. Two are better than one Friendly society is farre beyond that wretched alonenesse of the covetous Caitiff vers 8. Hee joyns house to house and land to land that he may live alone in the earth Esay 5.8 Horat. Quin fine rivali seque sua solus amato Let him enjoy his moping solitarinesse if he can It is not good for man to bee alone Gen. 2. Aristot Polis 1. saith God And he that loves to be alone is either a beast or a god saith the Philosopher Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sociable creature he is Natures good-fellow and holds this for a Rule Optimum solatium sodalitium There is great comfort in good company next to communion with God is the communion of Saints Christ sent out his Apostles by two and two Mar. 6.7 He himself came from Heaven to converse with us and shall we like Stoicks sty up our selves and not daily run into good company The evil spirit is for solitarinesse God is for society He dwels in the Assembly of his Saints yea Dupla compaginata pleraque fecit Deus ut coelum terram solem lunam marem foeminam Orig. in Gen. 1 Vid Eâ—â—sm in Adagio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there he hath a delight to dwell calling the Church his Chepht sibah Esay 62.4 and the Saints were Davids Chaphtfibam his delight Psal 16.2 Neither doth God nor good men take pleasure in a stern froward austerity or wild retirednesse but in a mild affablenesse and amiable conversation Vers 10. For if they fall the one will lift up his fellow Provided that they hold together and be both of a mind That which is stronger shoreth up that which is weaker While Latimer and Ridley lived they kept up Cranmer by intercourse of Letters and otherwise from entertaining counsels of revolt Bishop Ridley being Prisoner in the Tower had the liberty of the same to prove belike whether he would goe to Mass or no which once he did And Mr. Bradford being there Prisoner and hearing thereof Act. Mon. fol. 1930. wrote an effectual Letter to perswade him from the same which did Mr. Ridley no little good for he repented c. Bishop Farrar also being in the Kings-bench Prisoner was travelled withall by the Papists in the end of Lent to receive the Sacrament at Easter in one kind who after much perswading yeelded to them and promised so to doe But by Gods good providence the Easter-even the day before he should have done it was Bradford brought to the same Prison Ib. 1457. where the Lord making him his instrument Bradford only was the means that the said Bishop revoked his promise and would never after yeeld to bee spotted with that Papistical pitch Ibid. Dr. Taylor for like cause rejoyced that ever he came into prison there to be acquainted with that Angel of God John Bradford so he called him for the good he received from him One man may bee an Angel to another in regard of counsel and comfort nay a God to another as
nor the worlds opposition As for the former Christ blots out the thick cloud as well as the cloud Isa 44.22 that is enormities as well as infirmities Hee casts all the sins of his Saints into the bottom of the Sea which can as easily cover mountains as mole-hills And for the second Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey meaning than all the Churches enemies called for their ravenousness mountains of Lions and Leopards Cant. 4.8 The stout-hearted are spoiled c. Psal 76.4 5. And who art thou O great mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain Zech. 4.7 And whereas mans soul hath naturally many mountains of pride and prophaneness in it there is that Leviathan Psal 104.26 and creeping things innumerable as the Psalmist saith of the Sea And for his body there is not a vein in it that would not swell to the bigness of the highest hill to make resistance to the work of grace every such mountain and hill is made low before the Lord Christ Isa 40.4 and every high thing cast down that exalts it self against the knowledge of God 2 Cor. 10. Hee comes with authority and reigns over all impediments Vers 9. My Beloved is like a Roe or a young Hart Viz. For sweetness and swiftness as in the former verse His help seems long because wee are short In the opportunity of time hee will not bee wanting to those that wait for him The Lion seems to leave her young ones till they have almost killed themselves with roaring and howling but at last shee relieves them and hereby they become the more couragious God seems to forget his people sometimes but it is that they may the better remember themselves and reminde him Hee seems as here to have taken a long journey and to bee at a great distance from them when as indeed hee is as near us as once hee was to Mary Magdalen after his Resurrection but shee was so bleared shee could not see him If hee at any time absent himself for trial of our Faith and love to him and to let us know how ill wee can bee without him yet hee is no further off than behinde some wall or screen Or if hee get out of doors from us yet hee looks in at the window to see how wee take it and soon after shews himself thorow the Lattess that wee may not altogether despond or despair of his return 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apparuit instar floris exoricutis Yea hee flourisheth or blossometh thorow the Lattesses like some flower or fruit-tree that growing under or near unto a window sends in a sweet sent into the room or perhaps some pleasant branches to teach that Christ cometh not to his without profit and comfort to their souls Vers 10. My Beloved spake and said Heb. Answered and said Shee had sighed out belike some such request unto her Beloved as David did Psal 30.19 Return O Lord how long Lovers hours are full of eternity Hee replieth Even now my Love behold here I am for thy help Now will I rise now will I bee exalted Isa 33.10 now will I lift up my self Rise thou therefore out of the ashes wherewith thou hast been covered Lam. 3.16 and come away to a better condition Or Rise out of sin wherein by nature thou sittest Luk. 1.79 Stand up from the dead come away to Christ and hee shall give thee light Ephes 5.14 Come for the Master calleth as they said to blinde Bartimeus Mark 10.49 Come for it is high time to come sith now is our salvation nearer than when we beleeved The night is far spent the day is at hand c. Rom. 13.11 12. The winter is past the flowers appear c. Up therefore and come with mee to my Country-house as it were to take the pleasure of the Spring-tide In Heaven there is a perpetual Spring and here the Saints have hansel of heaven those first-fruits of the spirit even as many as are holy Brethren partakers of this heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 Vers 11. For loe the winter is past the Rain is over and gone In winter the clouds commonly return after the Rain Eccles 12.2 A showre or two doth not clear the air but though it rain much yet the sky is still over-cast with clouds and as one showre is unburthened another is brewed Loe such is the doleful and dismal condition of such as are not effectually called by Christ Omnis illis dies hybornus est it is ever winter with them no spring of grace no Sun-shine of sound comfort It is with such as it was with Paul and his fellow-sailers Act. 27.20 when as neither Sun nor Stars in many daies appeared and no small tempest lay on them all hope that they shall bee saved was then taken away All the hope is that God who by all his all-quickening voice raiseth the dead and calleth things that are not as if they were Rom. 4.17 that calleth those his people that were not his people and her Beloved which was not Beloved Rom. 9.25 Together with his voice there goeth forth a power as Luk. 5.17 as when hee bade Lazarus come forth hee made him rise and come away so here Of carnal Christ makes us a people created again Psal 102.18 Ephes 2.10 of a wilde Asse Colt hee makes a man Job 11.12 and of an hollow person as empty and void of heart as the hollow of a tree is of substance hee makes a solid Christian fit to bee set in the heavenly building This is as great a work as the making of a world with a word God plants the Heavens and laies the foundation of the Earth that hee may say to Zion Thou art my people Isa 51.16 Hence Christ is called the beginning of the Creation of God Rev. 3.14 And the Apostle Rom. 5.10 argues from Vocation to Glorification as the lesser Vers 12. The flowers appear on the Earth Here wee have a most dainty description of the Spring or prime time as the French call it far surpassing that of Horace and the rest of the Poets Prim-tempe who yet have shewed themselves very witty that way For the sense by flowers made rather to smell to than to feed upon are understood saith an Interpreter the first-fruits of the Spirit whereby the Elect give a pleasant smell and therein lyeth sweetness of speech and words going before works even as flowers before fruits For the which cause as the Apostle exhorteth that our speech bee gracious alwaies ministring Edification to the hearer Col. 4.6 so the Prophet calls it a pure language which the Lord will give to as many as love him as are called according to his purpose Zeph. 3.9 The time of the singing of birds is come Hic autem garritus avium plurimum facit ad veris commendationem this chirping of birds makes much to the Springs commendation saith â—â—nebrard How melodiously sing the Ministers of the Gospel whiles they aâ— unto
argumentum aversi Dei quemadmodum diabolus interpretatuâ— Lavat in Prov. 3. sed potius paternae ipsius benevolentiae saith learned Lavater It is not an argument of Gods wrath and displeasure as the Devil would make it but rather of his fatherly love and affection hee hides his love as Joseph did out of increasement of love And yet how apt are wee to say in this case with those male-contents in Malachi In quo dilexisti nos Wherein hast thou loved us and with those Israelites in the Wilderness Is God amongst us as if that could not bee Exod 17.7 Judg. 6.12 and they athirst O my Lord said Gideon If the Lord bee with us why then is all this evil befallen us And Lord God said Abraham when hee had received many gracious promises What wilt thou give mee seeing I go childless Gen. 15.1 2. We see then how ready the best of us are to cast the helve after the hatchet as they say and like little children because wee may not have what wee would sullenly to say God loves us not and we will not have what hee thinks good to give unto us My soul refused comfort saith hee Psal 77.2 And I said my hope and my strength is perished from the Lord remembring mine afflictions and my misery the wormwood and the gall Lam. 3.18 19 This our folly and fault wee must confess to Christ as the Church here doth and beseech him by his Spirit to teach us better things that wee may not mistake the cause of our calamities and make them heavier than God meant them by our frowardness and impatience Pondus ipsa jactatione incommodius fit saith Seneca Vers 13. Return return O Shulamite The Church is so called of her peace and perfection with God in Christ Brightman gathers from this word that the Church of the Jews in special is meant the Church in general being usually before signified by the daughters of Jerusalem and applies it to the recalling of the Jews according to Rom. 11.25 c. which is yet to be fulfilled Solomons wife saith another was after his name called the Shulamite according to Isa 4.1 And as Christ in this Book is named Solomon so the Church is called Shulamite to shew the communion that shee hath with him and therefore also the forming of the Hebrew word is rather passive than active That which shee is again and again called upon to do is to return It seems shee had so posted apace after Christ as on swift chariots vers 12. that shee had gone quite beyond him Hee therefore as it were by houting and shouting to her calls her back How easily wee overshoot and run into extreams may bee seen in Peter John 13.9 and the Galatians chap. 4. It is best to hold the golden mean Howbeit as in falling forward is nothing so much danger as backward so hee that is earnest in good though hee may over do and carry some things indiscreetly yet is he far better than a lusk or Apostate especially if he afterwards return and discern and hearken to better counsell But some are so set upon it that like a man that is running a race though you give them never so good advice they will not stay to hear it Of these the Proverb is verified Prov. 19.2 Hee that hasteth with his feet sinneth Prov. 19.2 See the Note there That wee may look upon thee Or contemplate thee with complacency and delight This is the speech of the Bridegroom and his friends The Church though in her fright and grief for want of her Beloved though unveyled and evil-intreated by the Watch-men c. and so not so sightly as at some other times yet wanted not that beauty that made her desireable like as some faces appear most oriently beautiful when they are most instampt with sorrow and as the sky is most clear after a storm What will yee see in the Shulamite as it were the company of two Armies Ready to joyn battail or maintaining Civil War within her for in the Christian conflict the very same faculties are opposed because in every faculty the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other Gal. 5.17 These maintain civil broils within the Shulamite as the two Babes did in Rebecca's womb so that shee cannot do what shee would And this the Apostle spake by woful experience as appears Rom. 7.21 15. Something lay at the fountain head and stopt it There is a continual contest with spiritual wickednesses about heavenly priviledges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 6.12 Put fire and water together there is no quiet till one of them get the victory So in sicknesses Let a man have a strong disease and a strong body hee shall never have any rest as long as they both continue in their strength When Christ was born all Jerusalem was troubled When Paul came to Ephesus there arose no small stir about that way Acts 19.23 So when grace is wrought once there 's somewhat to do within though till then all was jolly quiet When cold Salt-Peter and hot Brimstone meet they make a great noise so do the flesh and spirit in their skirmishes and encounters Now these two duellars meet and fight in every faculty of the soul as hot and cold do in luke-warm water as light and darkness meet in the morning light or as wine and water in a cup mixt of both In the wicked one faculty may and sometimes doth oppose another as sensual appetite may resist natural reason c. But in such as are sanctified the understanding is against the understanding the will against the will c. as the sick patient both wills and nills those physical slibber-sauces But Satan is not so divided against himself Luke 11.18 No more is the flesh It is in the Shulamite onely and in every part of her that this conflict is found which maketh her cry out with Rebecca sometimes If it bee so Why am I thus and with Paul Wretched creature that I am c. CHAP. VII Vers 1. How beautiful are thy â—eet with shooes c. BEfore hee had described her from head to foot now back again from foot to head taking in ten parts of his Spouse concerning whom such was his love hee thought hee could never say sufficient Hee begins at the lowest and most abject part the feet not without admiration of them O quam pulchri sunt pedes tui O how beautiful are thy feet with shooes c A temporal calling honours our profession so some understand it Others make the meaning to bee the Churches being shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace ready prest to run with patience the race that is set before her To run is active to run with patience is passive Ephes 6.15 Heb. 12.1 This Princes daughter Atalanta-like can only skill of this running with patience as being shod with Tachash-skin Ezek. 16.10
way of truth and holiness The Papists propose rewards to such as shall relinquish the Protestant religion and turn to theirs as in Ausborough where they say there is a known price for it of ten Florens a year In France Spec. Europ where the Clergy have made contributions for the maintenance of runagate Ministers Stratagema nunc est Pontificum ditare multos ut pii esse desinant saith one that was no stranger to them Joh. Bapt. Gell. dial 5. It is a cunning trick that the Popes have taken up to enrich men that they may rob them of their religion And though Luther would not swallow that hook yet there are those that will not a few Tell men a tale of Utile promise them preferment and you may perswade them to any thing Fac me Pontificem ero Christianus said one Pammachius an Heathen once to the Pope Make mee a Bishop and I 'le turn Christian But as one said of Papists that they must have two conversions ere they come to heaven one from Popery and another from prophaneness like as corn must be first threshed and then winnowed so this money-merchant this preferment-proselyte might have been a Christian at large had hee had his desired Bishoprick but Christ never favoured any such self-seeking followers See Mat. 8.20 John 6.26 their love hee knows to be no better than meretricious and mercenary It is a sad thing that any Augustine should have cause to complain Vix diligitur Jesus propter Jesum that scarce any man loves Christ but for his rewards like the mixt multitude that came up with Israel out of Egypt for a better fortune Or those Persians that in Mordecai's daies for self-respects became Jews All Gods people should bee like those Medes in Isaiah that regarded not silver and as for gold they delighted not in it chap. 13.17 Christs love should bee better to them than wine Cant. 1.2 and when in exchange for it the devill doth offer them this worlds good they should answer him as the witch of Endor did Saul 1 Sam. 28.9 Judg. 9.11 Wherefore laiest thou a snare for my soul to cause mee to dye or as the vine and fig-tree in Jonathans Parable answered the rest of the trees Should I leave my fatness and sweetness derived unto mee from Christ and so go out of Gods blessing into the worlds warm Sunne God forbid that I should part with my patrimony as Naboth said take an apple for paradise as Adam did lose the love of Christ for the worlds blandishments c. Vers 8. Wee have a little sister Thou Lord and I have such a sister sc the Church of the Gentiles known to thee and fore-appointed to conversion as James speaketh in that first Christian counsell Act. 15.18 from the beginning of the world unknown to mee more than by hear-say from the holy Prophets 1 Pet. 1.10 who prophecied of the grace that should come unto her but not unloved or undesired Now therefore as a fruit of my true love unto thee such as no floods of troubles can quench or drench no earthly commodity can compass or buy off I desire not onely to deliberate with thee about the enlargement of thy Kingdome by the accession of the elect Gentiles thereunto but also by making as I may say large and liberal offers set forth my care and study for their eternal salvation See the like affection in St. Paul toward his country-men the Jews proceeding from that full assurance that hee found in himself Rom. 8.38 39. with chap. 9.1 And learn wee to pray as earnestly for their conversion as they have done for ours longing after them from the very heart-root in Jesus Christ as Philipp 1.8 and turning to the Lord that they may the sooner finde compassion It is Hezekiah's reason and a very remarkable one 2 Chron. 30.9 And shee hath no breasts i. e. Shee is not yet Nubilis apta viro marriageable and fit for Christ to bee presented as a chaste Virgin unto him shee wanted such paranymphs as Paul was to do it for her 2 Cor. 11.2 Shee had not a stablished Ministry to nurse up her children withall And at this same pass was the old Church at first not onely small but unshapen Ezek. 16.7 8. A society of men without the preaching of the Word is like a mother of children without breasts All the Churches children must suck and bee satisfied Isa 66.11 they must desire the sincere milk of the Word and grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 not like the changeling Luther speaks of ever sucking never batling Such shall be made to know that their mother hath verbera as well as ubera rods as well as dugges Their father will also repent him as once David did of his kindness to Nabal and take up his old complaint Isai 1.2 I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me The ox knoweth his owner c. the most salvage creatures will bee at the beck and check of those that feed them disobedience therefore under means of grace especially is against the principles of nature It is to bee like the horse and mule yea like the young mulet which hath no sooner done sucking her dammes teats but shee turns up her heels and kicks her What shall wee do for our sister Love is not more cogitative than operative and delights to bee doing for the beloved I love the Lord c. What shall I render unto him I will pay my vows c. Psal 116. Jonathan will disrobe and strip himself even to his sword and girdle for David because hee loved him as his own soul 1 Sam. 18.3 4. Shechem will do all that can be done for his beloved Dinah The Macedonians will over-do for their poor brethren Pauls love to the Jews was like the Ivy which if it cleave to a stone or an old wall will rather die than forsake it Rom. 9.3 He tells his Hebrews of their labour of love Heb. 6. all love is laborious In the day when shee shall bee spoken for Or wherein speech shall he had concerning her viz. for an husband for her how wee may best prefer her in marriage The care of disposing young people to fit yoke-fellows lay upon their parents and other kindred The Church as an elder-sister shews her self solicitous and propounds the matter to Christ as the onely best husband for her the partition-wall being broken down Vers 9. If shee be a wall wee will build upon her c. Christ answers If she be as she ought to be strong and well-grounded in the faith able to bear a good weight laid upon her as a wall pillar and ground of truth not sinking or fainting under the heaviest burden of these light afflictions which are but for a moment but patient and perseverant in the faith unto the death then will I do all for her that may bee done to make her happy This speech is somewhat like that of Solomon concerning Adonijah
that God hath been is and shall be Judge and that in his Judgement nihil relinquetur inexpensum nothing shall be left unconsidered Ver. 14. The Lord will enter into judgement with the ancients 1. with the Prince and Rulers each of which shall have cause to cry out Judex ante fui nunc judicis ante tribunal Sistor For ye have eaten up the Vineyard Vos non caret Emphasi Ye even ye that should have preserved it and wrought in it have depastured and destroyed my Vineyard that is my Church as chap. 5.17 or poor mens possessions through your extortions and oppressions And the spoil of the poor is in your houses You are taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the very act of your theft as Cacus was and Verres Deprehensi estis in surto Oecolamp c. Ver. 15. What mean you that you beat my people to pieces Heb. What to you all in a word short and sharp q. d. What reason had you What authority to do thus That was a witty answer that was given once here to the Popes Exactor Tuitione who pleaded that all Churches were his and therefore he might call for what summs he pleased a nimble Disputant replyed that all Churches were the Popes in a sence viz. Tuitione sed non fruitione defensione non dissipatione i. e. to defend them but not to destroy them If God give any man power it is for edification and not for destruction 2 Cor. 13.10 And grind the faces holding their Noses to the grind stone as we say by hard usage See on Mic. 3.3 Saith the Lord God Dixit Dominator dominus he who is higher then the highest and being Lord of Hosts hath those at hand that are higher then they Eccles 5.8 Ver. 16. Moreover the Lord saith He hath this other saying to the other sex for the maintaining of whose pride and luxury their Husbands and Paramours exercised such cruelty as before in the Raign of Henry 2. King of France Anno 1554. many were burned there for Religion as they said but indeed to satiate the covetousness and support the pomp of Diana Valentina the Kings Mistress Hist of Counc of Trent 387. to whom he had given all the confiscation of goods made in the Kingdom for cause of Heresie Because the Daughters of Zion the Court Ladies Are haughty Elatae h. e. superbia inflatae puft up wth pride first in heart and then in habit for pride will bud Ezek. 7.10 And walk Women should keep the house saith Paul Sarah was in the Tent Tit. 2.5 Gen. 17.9 and these professed to be her Daughters but were nothing like her Modestia enim à superbia triumphata est With stretcht forth necks like Cranes or Swans that they might shew their fair foreheads whereas nature hath given the submiss and modest visages And wanton eyes Heb. Lying or deceiving viz. by their lewd lascivious looks twinkling and making signes Some render it facie sercussata with their painted faces and counterfeit visages whereby to the reproach of their Maker they would seem fairer then they are Walking and mincing as they go Or tripping or tabering with an affected gate after the manner of Dancers Or ruffling in their Silks and Taffaties with which last word the original seemeth to have affinity Others derive it from Taph a little child Minutim numerose passus conserunt Jac. Revius render it instar parvulorum ambulant they take short steps as little ones do so nice they are in their gate and garbe elaborata quadam concinnitate gressum modulantes Making a tinkling with their feet going as if they were shackled or as yong Colts that are to be broken and brought to a pace Some think they wore bels about their legs or spangles on their pantofles Pope Sixtus quartus was wont to give his Harlot Tyresia pantofles covered with Pearls Turpe pecus mutilum turpis sine gramine campus Et fine pâ—onde frutex sine crine caput Ovid. Ver. 17. Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head He will not only pull off their rich pantofles off their feet but also their lovely looks from off their heads with scabs and scales perhaps caused by some soul Disease as the lues Venerea or plica Polonica And will discover their secret parts not having a rag left to cover them with whilest stript of all by the enemy they are driven away as those Aegyptians were chap. 20.4 naked and bare-foot even with their buttocks uncovered to the shame of Aegypt or as the Albigenses in France at Carcassona had quarter for their lives given them by the Popish Bishops and other Cruciats that persecuted them but on this condition Rivet Jesuit vapul that both men and women should depart the Town stark naked in the view of the whole Army Ver. 18. The Lord will take away the bravery All the following bravery for the Prophet as punctually and particularly threatneth all down as if he had lately seen the Ladies Wardrobes in Jerusalem And if this vanity of gallantry be so blame-worthy in a woman who is naturally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 addicted to fine attire how much more in a man who shall turn Lands into laces and embroyder his cloak with Woods and Parks and Lordships lining it haply with Obligations and Bonds and Statutes Of their tinkling ornament c. Here and in the following Verses we have an Inventory of the Ladies gallantry such as made the mighty men fall in the War ver 25.26 This was the fruit of their twinkling eyes and tinkling Ornaments Vatablus saith that the Spanish women did wear bells about their heels when they danced And the round tires like the Meon Lunata monilia Statius Ver. 19.20 21 22 23. And the chains and the bracelets c. The particulars of all their bravery we can say little unto upon certainty sith we are at this day ignorant what Ornaments and Abiliments were then in use and besides the Names here given unto them are such as the Jews themselves can hardly tell what to make of It is a sad thing that the gawds and gayeties of this Age and Country are such and so many as that not six or seven Verses but so many whole Chapters might be easily taken up in Inventarying them Lysander a Heathen will rise up in Judgement against many amongst us for he would not suffer his Daughters to wear gorgeous attire saying it would not make them so comely as common That is very remarkable that is storied of Mr. Fox the Martyrologue Hist of mod Div. by Lupton that when a son of his returning from his travels into forraign parts came to him in Oxford attired in a loose outlandish fashion Who are you said his old Father not knowing him He replyed I am your son O what enemy of thine said he hath taught thee so much vanity The Hebrew word beghed for a garment comes from Baghad which
art also the head of the Elect that Israel of God Gal. 6.16 Ver. 4. Then said I I have laboured in vaine I have done little more than preached my hearers to hell The Pharisees and the Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves Luk. 7.30 they would not be forewarned to flee from the wrath to come Mat. 3.7 to escape the damnation of hell Mat. 23.33 Our Saviour lost his sweet words upon them so did the Prophet Isaiah upon his untoward Countrymen who refused to be reformed hated to be healed Nothing was unconquerable to his pains who had as one saith of Jul. Scaliger a golden wit in an iron body but this matter was not malleable hence he spake to them to as little purpose as Bede did when he preached to an heap of stones Hence his complaint chap. 53.1 Who hath beleeved our report he might haply hope at first as holy Melanchthon did that it was impossible for his hearers to withstand the evidence of the Gospel but after he had been a Preacher a while 't is said be complained that old Adam was too hard for young Melanchthon Reverend Mr. Greenham besides his publike paines in season and out of season was wont to walk out into the fields and to confer with his neighbours as they were at plough But Dry-Draiton the place where he was Minister many years though so often watered with his teares prayers and paines was little the better for all Mr. Fullers Church-hist the generality of his parish remained ignorant and obstinate to their Pastours great grief and their own greater dammage and disgrace Hence the verses Greenham had pastures green But sheep full lean c. He might well cry out as many also do at this day Eheu quam pingui macer est mihi taurus in arvo Our people alasse are like Labans-lambs or Pharaohs kine they are even Ministrorum opprobria But if Ministers toyle all night and take nothing 't is to be feared saith one well that Satan caught the fish ere they came at their net Yet surely my judgement is with the Lord He will do me right and reward me howsoever The Physician hath his praise and pay though his Patient dyes The Lawyer hath his see though his Clients cause miscarry Curam exigeris non curationem saith Bernard to a frienk of his Jer. 20. it is the care not the cure of your charge that is charged upon you Jeremy was impatient and would preach no more but that might not be Mr. Greenham left Dry-Draiton upon friends importunity and removed to London but he afterwards repented it Latimer speaking of a certain Minister who gave this answer why he left off preaching because he saw he did no good This saith Latimer is a naughty a very naughty answer Ver. 5. To bring Jacob again to him To convert and reduce him to the fold this is the proper work of the Archshepherd 1 Pet. 2.25 and 3.18 and 5.4 Men may speak perswasively but Christ alone can perswade the heart Meum est docere saith Cyril vestrum auscultare Dei verò perficere Though Israel be not gathered Viz. By Gods Word which is his Arme chap. 53.1 or will not be gathered as Mat. 23.37 Yet I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord Who will reward me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to my paines and not according to my successe yea it is more than probable that such as patiently persist in the work of the ministery Secundum laborem non secundum proventum Bern. though few or none be converted thereby shall have a greater measure of glory than those that see much fruit of their labours and so have their honey-comb here to feed on Ver. 6. I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles De vocatione gentium illustre testimonium and to this purpose it is cited by Paul and Barnabas Act. 13.47 See Joh. 12.46 Luk. 1.78 79. That thou mayst be my Salvation Vide quam Deo cordi curae sit salus nostra A Lap cum eam vocat suam See how God mindeth and fancieth our salvation when he calleth it here his salvation Ver. 7. To him whom man despiseth Christ was extreamly despised in the state of his humiliation Isa 53.2 3. his Soul was filled with scorn and contempt as Psal 123.3 4. he was hartily hated To him whom the Nation abhorreth Hierom saith that to this day that execrable nation curseth Christ three times a day in their Synagogues and professeth that if their Messiah should come rather than the Gentiles should share with them in his benefits they would crucifie him over and over To a servant of Rulers Christ was basely used by the Rulers of the Jews who never left till they had nailed him to the Tree which was a slaves death among the Romans Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship As did Constantine Theodosius Valentinian Charles the Great c. who called themselves vasallos Christi the vasals of Christ And he shall choose thee i. e. He shall declare that he hath chosen thee to be the Saviour of his people Ver. 8. In an acceptable time Heb. In a time of my good pleasure or goodwill i. e. when of free grace I am pleased to send thee into the world and to cause the Gospel to be preached all abroad thereby declaring my self fully appeased which the men of my good will as the Elect are called Luk. 2.14 Confer 2 Cor. 6.2 Have I heard thee Or will I hear thee sc interceding and will I help thee sc conflicting And give thee for a Covenant i. e. For a Mediatour of the New Covenant which is ratified by thy blood as was signified by the book sprinkled with the blood of the slain sacrifice To establish the earth Had not Christ undertook the shattered condition of the world to uphold it it had faln about Adams cares To cause to inherit the desolate heritages i. e. Heaven forfeited by us in our first Parents or as others the Countries of the Nations now converted Ver. 9. That thou mayst say to the prisoners i. e. To such as lie hampered and enthralled in the invisible chaines of the Kingdom of darkness To these Christ saith be refreshed with the light of saving knowledge and with the liberty of the sons of God They shall feed in the wayes As cattle do that are removed from place to place they shall have a subsistence till they get home to their Fathers house where is bread enough Ver. 10. They shall not hunger nor thirst A sufficiency the Saints have even of outward comfotts if not a superfluity and for inward sunt nobis pascua pocula panis coelestis they shall not want Psal 23.1 yea they shall over-exceedingly abound 2 Cor. 7.4 So little cause is there for the Jew to jear us as poor and forlorn spiritual alimony we are sure of and bread and water with the Gospel are good chear See Rev.
famine and sword and want of consolation as ver 18. By whom shall I comfort thee By whom but by my self when thou art at thy greatest under and even forsaken of thy hopes See ver 12. Ver. 20. Thy sons have fainted Fame macie tabe vulnere utterly disabled to relieve thee ver 18. As a wild Bull in a net Taken in a toil where he struggles and strives foames and fumes but cannot get out Ver. 21. Thou afflicted and drunken With a dry drunkennesse which thou canst not so easily sleep out See ver 17. Ver. 22. Behold I have taken Though man could not Where humane help faileth Divine help beginneth Thou shalt no more drink it i. e Not of a long time till thy last devastation by the Romans Ver. 23. But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee Who shall drink it not to drunkennesse only as thou hast done but unto madnesse Jer. 25.10 Baltasar and his Babylonians did so the revenging hand of God was afterwards upon Antiochus Vespatian and his children Antichristians drink of the wine of Gods wrath Rev. 14.10 Bow down This passage setteth forth their extreame cruelty and Thrasonical insolency But the case shall be altered Rev. 3.9 CHAP. LII Ver. 1. AWake awake Pluck up thy best heart as we say and rouse up thy self to receive the sweet promises For as mans laws so Gods promises favour not them that are asleep but awake and watchful O Jerusalem the holy City Thou that hast been brought through the fire being refined as silver is refined and tryed as gold is tryed Zach. 13.9 There shall no more come into thee Or against thee i. e. I will not suffer tyrants to vex thee or profane ones to harbour with thee See chap. 35.8 Ver. 2. Shake thy self from the dust Wherein thou layest along when trampled on chap. 51.23 Arise and sit down O Jerusalem Rather arise sit up O Jerusalem It hath been noted before that when Vespasian had subdued Judaea money was stamped with a woman sitting in the dust with this inscription Judaea subacta Loose thy self from the bonds of thy neck From thy spiritual servitude especially as Luk. 1.74 Rom. 6.19 shake the devils-yoke from off thy neck gestaque monilia sponsae libertatis and get on the Spouses ornaments Ver. 3. For thus saith the Lord Thus he pleadeth the cause of his people chap. 51.22 Ye have sold your selves for nought Heb. ye were sold for nought Babylonii non egerunt mihi gratias Piscat Mat. Paris Hist A. D. 1072 I had not so much as thanks for you from the enemy no more hath he from the devil and yet a letter was framed in Hildebrands dayes as sent from the devil wherein he kindly thanked the Popish Clergy for the many souls they dayly sent him to hell by their negligence and wickednesse And ye shall be redeemed without money Heb. without silver so were we 1 Pet. 1.18 Ver. 4. And the Assyrian oppressed them without cause Nulla injuria lacesssitus So did the Primitive Persecutors the Christians of those times though they were non aliunde noscibiles quam ex vitae integritate saith Justin Martyr eminent for their innocency as Pliny also in his Epistle to Trajan the Emperour testifieth What hurt had the Israelites ever done to malicious Moah that he was irked at them Num. 22.3 or the Hebrews to the Assyrians that they should oppresse them Ver. 5. Now therefore what have I here Cui bono to what purpose or profit for what wealth or worth suffer I my poor people to lie captives here at Babylon Or as others sense it Piscator what make I here any longer at Jerusalem when my poor people are in durance at Babylon why hasten I not to help them out They that rule over them make them to houle i. e. The Chaldaans and after them the Romans and then the Scribes and Pharisees by binding heavy burthens grievous to be born and laying them on mens consciences Mat. 23.4 And my name continually every day or all the day long is blasphemed That 's all I get by the bargain Ver. 6. Therefore my people shall know my name sc That I am Jehovah as Exod. 6.3 the God of Amen Isa 65.16 who will not suffer my faithfulness to faile nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Psal 89.33 34. And it shall therefore be so because my name that nomen majestativum hath been blasphemed and vilified Gods people fare the better for their enemies insolencies That I am he that doth speak behold it is I Or that it is I that do speak saying Loe here I am This some understand of the second person in Trinity the eternal Son of the eternal Father called the Word Joh. 1.1 and there are that give us this Rule Where the Old Testament bringeth in God appearing and speaking we are to understand it alway of the second person See Joh. 12.37 to 42. Ver. 7. How beautiful Quam amaeni i. e. amabiles How amiable or desireable Interrogatio admirantis exultantis Vpon the mountains Whence they may best be heard as Judg. 9.7 saying as there Harken unto me that God may harken unto you Our Saviour that Arch-Evangelist who as some is here first and chiefly meant by Mebassher him that bringeth good tydings seeing the multitudes went up into a mountaine Mat. 5.1 which is said to be in the tribe of Nephthali and called Christs mount to this day blis Apostles afterwards travel'd and trudg'd on foot over hills and dales What a compasse fetcht Paul Rom. 15.19 Inter valium illud est milliarium Germanicorum 350. so that he might better be called than afterwards George Eagles the Martyr was Trudge-over-the world to preach the Gospel and to plant Churches to whom their feet though fouled and worn how much more their faces were deemed delectable and debonnaire Gal. 4.14 Act. 10.21 The Pope Peters pretended successor holdeth forth his feet to be kissed but preacheth not or not peace but war which he stirreth up by his roaring Bulls Of him that bringeth good tydings Whosoever he be that preacheth the Gospel that chief work of a Minister Rom. 10.15 Of Mr. John Dod it is written and I know it to be true that he was very Evangelical striving first to make men see their lost condition clearly for said he sense of misery must goe before sense of mercy and then largely and excellently opening the promises and the grace of God in Christ according to the Gospel looking at that as the most effectual preaching Some said he labour still to keep men under terrours loading them with threatnings c. lest they should not be humbled enough but the Gospel worketh true humiliation not the law it ariseth from sense of sin and misery joyned with hope of mercy The damned have terrour and sense of misery enough but that doth not humble them That publisheth peace The Gospel is a doctrine of peace
bruised or broken sc in their estates And that ye break every yoke Cancel every unjust writing say the Septuagint They took twelve in the hundred in Nehemia's time this was a yoke intolerable Specul Europi I pray you let us leave off this usury saith he chap. 5.10 At this day the Jews are in all places permitted to strain up their usury to eighteen in the hundred upon the Christians but then they are used as the Friars to suck from the meanest and to be sucked by the greatest Ver. 7. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry Thine own bread it must be and that especially whereof thou hast on the fast-day abbridged thy self for what the rich spare on such a day the poor should spend Hereby 1. Mens prayers shall speed the better Acts 10.4 2. They shall make God their debtor Prov. 19.17.3 That is best and most pleasing alms to God that is given in Church assemblies for 1. It is an Ordinance of God and a Sabbath-duty 1 Cor. 16.1 2. 2. Christ there sitteth and seeth the gift and mind of every alms-giver Luke 21.1 2. setting it down in his book of remembrance Mal. 3.16 And that thou bring the poor that are cast out Scilicet tanquam rebelles as those poor Albigenses were in France and their posterity lately in Piedmont Scultet Annal the Protestant Lorainers proscribed for religion by their Duke and entertained by the State of Strasborough at the earnest suit of the Ministers there till they could be conveniently provided for elsewhere there being some thousands of them which till then were forced to feed upon hips haws leaves of trees and grasse of the field That thou cover him Duties of the second Table only are here enjoyned because they are excellent evidences of true piety and pure religion Jam. 1. ult And that thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh Thy poor brother who is of the same nature with thee and is as capable of grace and glory as thy self Learn to see Christ in thy poor Pâ—titioner and thou wilt the sooner yield Matth. 25. Consider also what is said of him that shutteth up his bowels of compassion from his necessitous brother 1 Joh. 3.17 Ver. 8. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning He saith not shall appear but shall break forth ut velocitatem copiam dantis exprimeret saith Chrysostom that he might expresse the swiftnesse and bountifulnesse of God the giver of it And thy health shall spring forth speedily The Sun of righteousness shall arise unto thee with healing under his wings Mal. 4.2 See the Note And thy righteousnesse shall go before thee Thou shalt have the comfort and credit of thy bounty and charity which is oft called righteousnesse as Psal 112.9 Dan. 4.24 Acts 10.35 And the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward i. e. The glorious Jehovah shall see to thy safety See Psal 27.10 with the Note See also Isa 52.12 Ver. 9. Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer Thou shalt have the royalty of his ear easy accesse to and all best successe at the throne of grace no such cause to complain as thou didst ver 3. that thy prayers were lost If thou take away from the midst of thee E meditullio tui from thy very heart Jun. by an inward reformation si animo opere sermone aversaberis inhumanitatem if thou heartily hate cruelty and act accordingly The yoke As ver 6. The putting forth of the finger The finger of that wicked fist ver 4. or that finger wherewith thou threatenest thy servants or pointest at others in scorn or disdain as the proud Pharisee seemeth to have done at the poor Publican when he said I am not as that fellow Luke 18.11 And speaking vanity Or violence as the Chaldee here talk concerning the wringing and wronging of others All this must be done or else no hope that God will hear prayers look to it See Psal 66.18 with Notes Ver. 10. And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry Not thy sheaf only relieving the necessitous out of deep commiseration Ex animo liberaliter bilariterque and couldest part with thy very life also for them if duely called thereunto Compassion excelleth alms and outward works of mercy for when one giveth an alms he giveth something without himself but by compassion we relieve another by somewhat within and from our selves And satisfy Not save him alive only by a scant allowance prisoners pittance Then shall thy light arise in obscurity Thou shalt abound with blessings of all sorts See my common place of Alms. And thy darknesse be as the noon-day In agone horrore mortis erit tibi consolatio spes salutâ— ac lucis God will make thy bed in all thy sickness and comfort thee at the hour of death Ver. 11. And the Lord shall guide thee Or lead thee as thou leadest the harbourless outcast into thine house ver 7 And satisfy thy soul in drough As thou didst satisfy the poor hungry mans soul ver 10. See Psal 33.19 and Prov. 28.27 with the Notes And make fat thy bones i. e. Chear up thy heart for a sorrowful spirit drieth up the bones Prov. 17.22 The Vulgar Translation hath it he will deliver or set free thy bones sc from bands and fetters as thou hadst loosed or set free thy poor brethren from their bands and yokes ver 6. And thou shalt be like a watered garden Filled with the fruits of righteousness and with spiritual consolations unspeakable and glorious joyes And like a spring of water whose waters fail not Similitudines Allegoriae magnam habent gratiam Who would not now turn spiritual purchaser Ver. 12. And they that shall be of thee Thy posterity that have taken their being and beginning from thee Shall build the old waste places Heb. the wastes of antiquity i. e. The ruinous places of Jerusalem The Apostles also as master-builders and others as builders together with them have an happy hand in rearing the fair fabrick of the new man that hidden man of the heart See Ephes 2.20 21 22. And thou shalt be called the Repairer of the breach The Father of thy Country the repairer of peace the restorer of lost liberty c. Such honour had Nehemiah of old Hunniades alate who having overthrown Mesites the Turks General at his return into the Camp a wonderful number of the poor Captives came and falling at his feet and kissing them gave God thanks for their deliverance by him some called him the Father some the Defender of his Country the Souldiers their invincible General the Captives their Deliverer the women their Protectour the young men and children their most loving Father He again with tears standing in his eyes courteously embraced them rejoycing at the publick good and himself giving most hearty thanks to God commanded the like to be done in all the Churches of that Province Turk â—â—st 269. c.
de re rust or a countrey be brought forth in one day a Nation be born at once Cardinal Pool abused this Scripture in a letter to Pope Julius 3. applying it to the bringing in of Popery again here so universally and suddainly in Queen Maryes dayes So he did also another when at his first return hither from beyond sea he blasphemously saluted the same Queen Mary with those words of the Angel Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with thee Ver. 9. Shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth i. e. Shall I set upon a work and not go through with it God began and finished his work of Creation Christ is both Authour and finisher of his peoples faith Heb. 12.2 The holy Ghost will sanctifie the Elect wholly and keep them blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.23 Nescit tarda molimina Spiritus sancti gratia saith Ambrose Otherwise his power and mercy would not equally appear to his people in regeneration as the power and mercy of the Father and the Son in Creation and Redemption Ver. 10. Rejoyce ye with Jerusalem As friends use to do with her that is newly made a mother Luk. 1.58 Rejoyce for joy with her Out of the Church there is no solid joy See Hos 9.1 with the Note Others may revel the godly only rejoyce their joy is not that of the mouth but of the heart nec in labris nascitur sed fibris it doth not only smooth the brow but fills the breast wet the mouth but warm the heart c. Ver. 11. That ye may suck and be satisfied with the brests of her consolations Zion is not only a fruitful mother but a joyful nurse God giveth her the blessings both of the belly and of the brests and these brests of hers are full-strutting with the sincere milk of the Word that rational milk 1 Pet. 2.2 the sweet and precious promises of the Gospel These brests of consolation we must suck as the babe doth the mothers dug as long as he can get a drop out of it and then sucks still till more cometh Let us suck the blood of the Promises saith one as a dog that hath got the blood of the bear he hangs on and will hardly be beaten off Let us extort and oppress the Promises saith another descanting upon this text as a rich man oppresseth a poor man and getteth out of him all that he hath so deale thou with the Promises for they are rich there is a price in them consider it to the utmost wring it out The world layeth forth her two breasts or botches rather of Profit and Pleasure and hath enow to suck them though they can never thereby be satisfied And shall almamater Ecclesia want those that shall milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory Ver. 12. Behold I will extend peace to her This and the following Promises are the delicious milk spoken of before sc pax copiosa pâ—rennis peace as a river as the waters cover the sea joy unspeakable and full of glory Gods fatherly care motherly affection c. all that heart can wish or need require Like a river As Euphrates saith the Chaldee Like a flowing stream Or overflowing as Nilus Claudian Qui cunctis amnibus extat Vtilior Ye shall be born upon her side Humanissime suavissime traÌ„ctabimini ye shall be born in the Churches armes laid to her brests set in her lap dandled on her knees c. Hac Similitudine nihil fierà potest suavius See Num. 11.12 Ver. 13. And as one whom his mother comforteth Her darling and dandling especially when she perceiveth it to make a lip and to be displeased mothers also are very kind to and careful of their children when they are grown to be men A Lapide in Isai 56.20 as Monica was to Austin and as Matres Hollandicae the mothers in Holland of whom it is reported quod prae aliis matribus mirè filios suos etiam grandaevos ament ideóque eos vocant tractant ut pueros See Isa 46.4 with the Note Ver. 14. And when ye see this your heart shall rejoyce Videbitis gaudebitis you shall see that I do not give you good words only but that I am in good earnest ye shall know it within your selves in the workings of your own hearts as Heb. 10.34 And your bones shall flourish like an herb i. e. They shall be filled again with moisture and marrow See Ezek. 37.10 11. you shall be fair-liking and reflourish And the hand of the Lord i. e. His infinite power tantorum beneficiorum in piis operatrix the efficient cause of all these comforts Ver. 15. For behold the Lord will come with fire With hell-fire say the Rabbines here with the fire of the last day say we whereof his particular judgements are as pledges and preludes And with his charrets like a whirlwind As he did when he sent forth his armies the Romans and destroyed those murtherers the Jews and burnt up their City Mat. 22.7 And when they would have reedified their City and Temple under Julian the Apostate who in hatred to Christians animated them thereunto balls of fire broke forth of the earth which marred their work and destroyed many thousands of them Ver. 16. For with fire Then which nothing is more formidable And with his sword Which is no ordinary one chap. 27.1 Ver. 17. In the gardens Where these Idolaters had set up Altars offered sacrifices Donec me flumine vivo Abluero Virg. Qui noctem in flumine purgas Pers i. e. nocturnam Venerem and had their ponds wherein when they were about to sacrifice heathen-like they washed and purified themselves one after another and not together which they held to be the best way of purifying This they did also not apart and in private but in the midst ut hoc modo oculos in nudis lavantium praesertim muliercularum corporibus pascerent that they might feed their eyes with the sight of those parts which nature would have hid for your Pagan superstitions were oft-times contrary to natural honesty Behind one tree in the midst Or as others render it after or behind Ahad which was the name of a Syrian Idol Saturnal lib. 1. cap. 23. representing the Sun as Macrobius telleth us calling him Adad Ver. 18. For I know or I will punish their works and their thoughts Or yea their thoughts which they may think to be free See Jer. 6.19 It shall come to passe that I will gather It is easie to observe that this Chapter consisteth of various passages interwoven the one within the other of judgments to the wicked of mercyes and comforts to the godly c. All Nations and tongues A plain Prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles to the Kingdom of Christ for which purpose the miraculous gift of tongues was bestowed upon the Apostles And they shall come and see
blows It speaketh deceit See Psal 52.2 with the Notes One speaketh peaceably but in his heart he layeth his wait Such a one was the tyrant Tiberius and our Richard 3. who would use most complements and shew greatest signs of love and curtesie to him in the morning Dan hist 249. whose throat he had taken order to be cut that evening Ver. 9. Shall I not visit them See on chap. 5.9 Ver. 10. For the mountains will I take up a weeping Accingit se Propheta ad luctum Jeremy was better at weeping then Heraclitus and from a better principle Lachrymas angustiae exprimit Crux lachrymas poenitentiae peccatum lachrymas sympathiae affectus humanitatis vel Christianitatis lachrymas nequitiae vel hypocrisis vel vindictae cupiditas Jeremies tears were of the best sort Because they are burnt up The Rabbines tell us that after the people were carried captive to Babylon the land of Jury was burnt up with sulphur and salt But this may well passe for a Jewish fable Both the fowl of the heaven See chap. 4.25 Ver. 11. And I will make Jerusalem heaps So small a distance is there saith Seneca betwixt a great City and none The world is as full of mutation as of motion And a den of Dragons Because she made mine house a den of theeves chap. 7.11 Ver. 12. Who is the wise man that he may understand this This who and who denoteth a great paucity of such wise ones as consider common calamities in the true causes of them propter quid pereat haec terra for what the land perisheth and that great sins produce grievous judgements The most are apt to say with those Philistines It is a chance to attribute their sufferings to Fate or Fortune to accuse God of injustice rather then to accept of the punishment of their iniquity And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken q. d. Is there never a one of your Prophets that will set you right herein but the dust of covetousnesse hath put out their eyes and they can better sing Placentia then Lachrymae c. Ver. 13. And the Lord saith Or therefore the Lord saith q. d. Because neither your selves know nor have any else to tell you the true cause of your calamities hear it from Gods own mouth Ver. 14. But have walked after the imagination of their own heart Then the which they could not have chosen a worse guide sith it is evil only evil and continually so Gen. 6.5 See the note there Which their fathers taught them See chap. 7.18 Ver. 15. Behold I will feed them with wormwood i. e. With bitter afflictions Et haec poena inobedientiae fidei respondet The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own wayes Prov. 14.14 he shall have his belly full of them as we use to say See chap. 8.14 Ver. 16. And I will scatter them also among the heathen As had been forethreatned Deut. 28. Lev. 26. But men will not beleeve till they feel They read the threats of Gods law as they do the old stories of forreign wars and as if they lived out of the reach of Gods rod. Ver. 17. Consider ye Intelligentes estote Is not your hard-heartednesse such as that ye need such an help to do that wherein you should be forward and free-hearted The Hollanders and French fast saith one but without exprobration be it spoken they had need to send for mourning-women Spec. bel sac 209. Vt flerent oculos erudiere suas Ovid. that by their cunning they may be taught to mourn And call for the mourning women In planctum omne pathos faciles such as could make exquisite lamentation and cunningly act the part of mourners at funerals so as to wring teares from the beholders These the Latines called Praeficas quia luctui praeficiebantur because they had the chief hand in funeral mournings for the better carrying on whereof they both sang doleful ditties See 2 Chron. 35.25 and played on certain heavily-sounding instruments Mat. 9.23 whence the Poet Cantabit maestis tibia funeribus Ovid. Ver. 18. And let them make haste and take up a wailing for us Of this vanity or affectation God approveth not as neither he did of the Olympick games of usury of that custome at Corinth 1 Ep. 15.29 which yet he maketh his use of Ver. 19. For a voyce of wailing is heard out of Zion How are we spoiled Ponit formulam threnodiae Quis tragoediam aptius magis graphice depingeret what tragedy was ever better set forth and in more lively expressions Ver. 20. Yet hear the Word of the Lord O ye women For souls have no sexes and ye are likely to have your share as deep as any in the common calamity you also are mostly more apt to weep then men and may sooner work your men to godly sorrow then those lamentatrices Ver. 21. For death is come up into our windows i. e. The killing Chaldees break in upon us at any place of entrance doors or windows Joel 2.9 Joh. 10.1 The Ancients give us warning here to see to our senses those windows of wickednesse that sin get not into the soul thereby and death by sin Ver. 22. Speak Thus saith the Lord Heb. Speak it is the Lords saying and therefore thou mayst be bold to speak it So 1 Thes 4.15 For I say unto you in or by the Word of the Lord. And as the handful after the harvest man Death shall cut them up by handfuls and lay them heaps upon heaps Ver. 23. Let not the wise-man glory in his wisdom q. d. You bear your selves bold upon your wisdom wealth strength and other such seeming supports and deceitful foundations as if these could save you from the evils threatned But all these will prove like a shadow that declineth delightful but deceitful as will well appear at the hour of death Charles the fifth whom of all men the world â—udged most happy cursed his honours a little afore his death his victories trophees and riches saying Abite hinc abite longe get you far enough for any good ye can now do me Abi perdita bestia quae me totum perdidisti be gone thou wretched creature that hast utterly undone me said Corn Agrippa the Magician to his familiar spirit when he lay a dying So may many say of their worldly wisdom wealth c. Let not the wise man glory Let not those of great parts be head-strong or top-heavy let them not think to wind out by their wiles and shifts Let not the mighty man glory Fortitudo nostra est infirmitatis in veritate cognitio Aug. in humilitate confessio Nor the rich man glory in his riches Sith they availe not in the day of wrath Zeph. 1.18 See the Note there Ver. 24. But let him that glorieth glory in this And yet not in this neither unlesse he can do it with self-denial and lowlymindednesse Let him glory
Invalidum omne naturâ querulum God graciously interrupted him and came leaping over all those mountains of Bether all lets and impediments to his comfort and best satisfaction ver 11 12. Neverthelesse Jeremy hath not done but goeth on as before humanum aliquid patitur Remember me and visite me He was full and speaks thick Take me not away in thy long-suffering Whilst thou bearest with them take care of me that I perish not by their persidy and cruelty Know that for thy cause I have suffered rebuke Se◠debitorem compellat Deum suaque adducit merita He delivers himself as if he held God to be his debter This was not so well Ver. 16. Thy words were found and I did eat them I was well apaid of thy messages that came at first to me and of that commission thou gavest me to be a Prophet yea I took no small delight and complacency therein and having found this hony I ate it as Prov. 25.16 but since I have met with much bitternesse in this wicked world for my plain-dealing See Ezek. 3.3 Rev. 10.10 Herodotus writeth of the River Hypanis that for five dayes journey the water of it runneth clear and sweet and then for four dayes journey further bitter and brackish The Ministry is an honourable and comfortable function but hath its troubles and encombrances Ver. 17. I sat not in the assembly of the mockers That scoffed and mocked at Gods messages and menaces Or I have not sat in the assembly of those that make merry sed serius fui spiransque compunctionem I came not at feasts and merry-meetings since I became a Prophet I sat alone As Moses in like case did Exod. 33.7 Ver. 18. Why is my pain perpetual c. Here the Prophet over-freely expostulateth with God as lesse faithful or lesse mindful at least of the promised preservation This was in a fit of diffidence and discontent as the best have their out-bursts and the greatest lamps have needed snuffers The Milesians saith the Philosopher are not fools yet they do the things that fools use to do So the Saints do oft as wicked ones but not in the same manner and degree Ver. 19. Therefore thus saith the Lord Or Notwithstanding mans perversnesse breaketh not off the course of God goodnesse If thou return If thou cast out this devil of discontent and accounting distrust worse then distresse apply thy self chearfully and constantly to the work of the Ministry Hic vides non praescribi gratiae Dei mentes annos I will continue and confirm thee in thine office notwithstanding thy present frailties and failings So our Saviour presently upon their repentance for their shameful forsaking him at his apprehension restored his Disciples to their Apostolical function Joh. 20.21 22 23. Probe vir hoc nihil ad te dixi Zwinglius cum in vitia acriter inveheretur And if thou take forth the pretious from the vile i. e. The gracious from the vicious preaching comfort to those and terrour to these not giving as he in the Fable did straw to the Dog and a bone to the Asse but to every one his proper portion without fear or flattery Thou shalt be as my mouth Speaking as a Prophet of mine and as I my self would do if in thy place Let them return to thee i. e. Conform to thee but do not thou chime in with them as the false-prophets do Ver. 20. And I will make thee See on chap. 1.18 19. Ver. 21. And I will deliver thee I will I will never fear it man but go on couragiously Deal couragiously and God shall be with the good 2 Chron. 19. ult CHAP. XVI Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord came also unto me It is the Property of this Prophet to handle the same thing several wayes and by sundry effectual arguments Gods Ministers must turn themselves as it were into all shapes and fashions both of speech and spirit to win People to God Ver. 2. Thou shalt not take thee a wife c. It is very likely that this befell the Prophet in a vision Or if otherwise it was but for a sign and in regard of the great calamity impendent that he is here forbidden marriage otherwise lawful enough and in some cases necessary The contrary doctrine such as was that of the Tacian-hereticks and Popish Canonists is a doctrine of devils 1 Tim. 4.1 Vtinam aut caelebs vixissem aut orbus periissem Ver. 3. For thus saith the Lord concerning the sons born in this place i. e. At Anathoth say some but others better at Jerusalem So great and grievous shall be the calamity that married people shall be ready to wish as Augustus did for another cause Oh that either I had lived single or else dyed childlesse Ver. 4. They shall dye of grievous deaths Heb. death of diseases or grievances as did Jehoram 2 Chron. 21.18 and Philip the second of Spain c. they shall dye piecemeal morte valetudinariorum which is a misery especially if the disease be slow and yet sharp as some are They shall not be lamented nor buried Which are two of the usual Dues of the dead Ver. 5. Enter not into the house of mourning Or banquets whether at burials or bridals as Am. 6.7 Of funeral-banquets see Deut. 26.14 These the Greeks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Parentalia See ver 7. Ver. 6. Both the great and the small shall dye Princes and pesants Lords and losels together Nor cut themselves nor make themselves bald Neque caedetur neque calvabitur This they had learned of the heathen and would needs use it though flatly forbidden them Lev. 19.27 28. Deut. 14.1 Now they were told that they should have little either lust or leisure to do any such matter Ver. 7. Neither shall men tear themselves for them Or neither shall they deal them bread in mourning to comfort any for the dead Confer Ezek. 24.17 Of feasting at funerals mention is made by Herodotus Cicero Lucian Pliny Clemens and Chrysostom See ver 5. Neither shall men give them the cup of consolation i. e. The consolatory cup usually given at funerals to the disconsolate friends of the deceased See on Prov. 31.6 7. Ver. 8 Thou shalt not also go into the house of feasting Ministers may lawfully go to feasts Joh. 2. but not in times of common calamity See Isa 22.12 13 14. Pliny telleth us that when as in the time of the second Punick war one Fulvius Argentarius was seen at Rome looking out at a window with a rose-garland on his head Lib. 2. cap. 7. the Senate sent for him laid him in prison and would not suffer him to come forth till the war was at an end Ver. 9. Behold I will cause to cease See chap. 7.34 with the Note Ver. 10. And they shall say unto thee Wherefore This is still the guise of hypocrites to justifie themselves and quarrel the Preacher that reproveth them See chap. 5.19 What
as the motion of the heart and lungs is ever beating and t is a pain to restrain it to hold the breath so here Strangulat inclusus dolor atque exaestuat intus Ovid. Trist Cogitur vires multiplicare suas Ver. 10. For I heard the defaming of many fear on every side This passage is borrowed from Psal 31.13 See the Note there Some render the text I heard the defamation of many Magor-missabibs many of his complices and Coryphaei spies set a work by him to defame and bespattle me Report say they and we will report Calumniare audacter broach a slander and we will blazon it set it afoot and we will set it afloat give us but some small hint or inkling of ought spoken by Jeremy whereof to accuse him to the King and State and we desire no more Athanasius was about thirty times accused and of no smal crimes neither but falsly The Papists make it their trade to belye the Protestants their chieftaines especially They reported of Luther that he dyed despairing of Calvin that he was branded on the shoulder for a rogue of Beza that he ran away with another mans wife c. And for their Authors they alledge Baldwin and Bolsecus a couple of Apostates requested by themselves and as some say hired to write the lives of these Worthies their profest enemies But any thing of this kind serves their turn and they cite the writings of these runnagates as Canonical All my familiars Heb. every man of my peace from such there is the greatest danger Hence one prayed God to deliver him from his friends for as for his enemies he could better beware of them Many friends are like deep ponds clear at the top but all muddy at the bottom Ver. 11. But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one Instar Gigantis robusti Vt formidabilis heros Pisc as a strong Giant and mine only champion on whom I lean Here the Spirit begins to get the better of the Flesh could Jeremy but hold his own But as the ferry man plyes the oar and eyes the shoar homeward where he would be yet there comes a gust of wind that carryeth him back again so it fared with our Prophet See ver 14.15 c. Ver. 12. But O Lord of hosts See chap. 11.20 and 17.10 Let me see thy vengeance on them Some pert and pride themselves over the Ministery as if it were a dead Alexanders nose which they might wring off and not fear to be called to account therefore but the visible vengeance of God will seise such one day as it did Pharaoh Ahab Herod Julian For unto thee have I opened my cause Prayer is an opening of the souls causes and cases to the Lord. The same word for opened here is in another conjugation used for uncovering making bare and naked Gen 9.21 Gods people in prayer do or should nakedly present their souls causes without all cover-shames or so much as a ragge of self or flesh cleaving to them Ver. 13. Sing unto the Lord praise ye the Lord Nota hic alternantis animi motus estusque Here the Spirit triumpheth over the flesh as in the next verses the flesh again gets the wind and hill of the Spirit Every good man is a divided man For he hath delivered the soul of the poor i. e. Of poor me as Psal 34.4 Ver. 14. Cursed be the day wherin I was born What a suddain change of his note is here out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing My brethren saith James these things ought not so to be Jam. 3.10 But here humane weakness prevailed and this part of the Chapter hath much of man in it The best have their outbursts and as there be white teeth in the blackest Blackmore and again a black bill in the whitest swan so the worst have something in them to be commended and the best to be condemned See on ver 7. Some of the Fathers seek to excuse Jeremy altogether but that can hardly be neither needeth it Origen saith that the day of his birth was past and therefore nothing now so that cursing it he cursed nothing This is lâ—ke those amongst us who say they may now without sin swear by the Masse because it is gone out of the Country c. Isidor that Jeremie's cursing is but conditional if any let that day be cursed c. Ver. 15. Cursed be the man Let him have a curse for a reward of his so good news Thus the Prophet in a fit of impatiency carrieth himself as one who being cut by a Surgeon and extreamly pained striketh at and biteth those that hold him or like him in the Poet Aeneid l. 2. Quem non incusavi amens hominumque Deumque Surely as the bird in a cage because pent up beats her self so doth the discontented person Look to it therefore Satan thrusteth in upon us sometimes praying with a cloud of strange passions such as are ready to gallow us out of that little wit and faith we have Resist him betimes The wild-fire of Passion will be burning whilst the incense of Prayer is in offering this scum will be rising up in the boyling pot together with the meat See Jon. 4.1 with the Note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jon. 4.4 Ver. 16. And let that man be A most bitter curse but causelesse The devil of discontent where it prevaileth maketh the heart to be for the time a little hell as we see in Moses Job David Jeremy men otherwise made up of excellencies These sinned but not with full consent A godly man hath a flea in his ear somewhat within which saith Dost thou well to be angry Jonah Ver. 17. Because he slew me not c. Why but is not life a mercy a living Dog better then a dead Lion See on Job 3.10 10.18 19. Vincet aliquando pertinax bonitas Rev. 2 10. Ver. 18. Wherefore came I forth c. Passions are a most dangerous and heady water when once they are out That my dayes should be consumed with shame Why but a Christian souldier may have a very great arrear 2 Tim. 4.7 8. CHAP. XXI Ver. 1. THe word that came unto Jeremiah from the Lord This History is here set down out of course For Jerusalem was not besieged till chap. 32. and Jehoiakim reigned Chapter 25. It was in the ninth year of Zedekiah that this present Prophecy was uttered Est hic hysterologia sive praeposterus ordo 2 King 25.1 2. This Zedekiah was one of those semiperfectae virtutis homines as Philo calleth some Professours cakes half-baked Hos 7.8 no flat Atheist nor yet a pious Prince Of Galba the Emperour as also of our Richard the third it is recorded that they were bad men but good Princes We cannot say so much of Zedekiah Two things he is cheifly charged with 1. That he brake his oath and faith plighted to the King of Babylon
Ezek. 17.16 2. That he humbled not himself before Jeremiah the Prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord 2 Chron. 36.12 13. Hitherto he had not but now in his distresse he seeketh to this Prophet yea sendeth an Embassage Kings care not for souldiers said a great Commander till their crowns hang on the one side of their heads Sure it is that some of them slight Gods Ministers till they cannot tell what to doe without them as here Kingdomes have their cares and Thrones their thornes Antigonus cried out of his diadem O vilis pannus O base rag not worth taking up at a mans feet Julian complained of his own unhappinesse in being made Emperour Dioclesian laid down the Empire as weary of it Thirty of the ancient Kings of this our Land saith Capgrave resigned their crowns such were their cares crosses and emulations Zedekiah now could gladly have done as much But sith that might not be He sendeth to Jeremiah whom in his prosperity he had slighted and to gratifie his wicked Counsellours wrongfully imprisoned He sent unto him Pashur Not that Magor-missabib chap. 20.1 but another of his name though not much better as it afterwards appeared when seeing Jeremies stoutnesse for the Truth he counselled the King to put him to death Chap. 38. And Zephaniah the son of Maasciah Of whom see further chap. 29.25 29. 37.3 Ver. 2. Enquire I pray thee of the Lord for us He seeketh now to the Lord whom in his prosperity he regarded not so doth a drowning man catch at the tree or twig which before he made no reckoning of Rarae fumant felicibus arae In their affliction they will seek me early Hos 5. ult When he slew them then they sought him and enquired earely after God Psal 78.34 Pharaoh when plagued calleth earnestly for Moses to pray for him and Joab when in danger of his life runneth to the horns of the Altar If so be the Lord will deal with us according to his wondrous works Or it may be the Lord will deal with us c. sc As he did not long since with Hezekiah when invaded by Sennacherib Thus wicked wretches are willing to presume and promise themselves impunity See Deut. 29.19 with the Note Ver. 3. Then said Jeremiah unto them He answereth them modestly and without insultation but freely and boldly as a man of an heroik spirit and the Messenger of the King of Kings Ver. 4. Behold I will turn back the weapons of War i. e. I will render them vain and uselesse as it is God who in battel ordereth the ammunition chap. 50.25 and maketh the weapons vain or prosperous Isa 54. ult Jer. 50.9 This was plainly seen at Edge-hill-fight Ver. 5. And I my self will fight against you This was heavy tidings to Zedekiah and his Courtiers Optassent sibi Prophetas qui dixissent laeta saith Oecolampadius they could have wished for more pleasing Prophecies but those that do what they should not must look to hear what they would not Such bitter answers as this they must look for who seek to God only in a time of necessity silence or else sad answers they shall be sure of Ver. 6. They shall dye of a great Pestilence See chap. 16.4 18.21 Hippocrates calleth the Pestilence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the divine disease Sr. Jo. Heyw. Life of Edw. the sixth because there is much of Gods hand in it like as there was here in the sweating sicknesse wherewith the English only were chased not only in England but in all Countries Ver. 7. And afterward saith the Lord This is noted by the Hebrew Criticks for a very long verse as having in it two and forty words which consist of one hundred and threescore letters and it sounds very heavily all along to the Courtiers especially Potentes potenter torquebuntur Ver. 8. Behold I will set before you the way of life and the way of death They should have their option but a very sad one Saved they could not be from their enemies but by their enemies nor escape death but by captivity which is a kind of living death and not much to be preferred before death Only life is sweet as the Gibeonites held it and therefore chose rather to be hewers of wood and drawers of water then to be cut off with the rest of the Canaanites Ver. 9. His life shall be unto him for a prey And lawful prey or booty is counted good purchase Isa 49.24 He shall save his life though he lose his goods And it should not be grievous to any man to sacrifice his estate to the service of his life why else did Solomon make so many hundreds of targets and sheilds of gold Ver. 10. For I have set my face against this City I have looked this City to destruction I have decreed it and will do it When our Saviour set his face to go towards this City Luke 9.51 he was fully resolved on it and nothing should hinder him See Levit. 17.10 20.5 Ver. 11. And touching the house of the King of Judah say i. e. His Courtiers and his Counsellours which probably were now as bad or worse then they had been in his Father Josias dayes Zeph. 3.3 Her Princes within her were roaring Lions her Judges evening wolves See the Notes Ver. 12. O house of David But much degenerated from the piety of David So Mic. 2.7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob are these his doings c. See the Notes there To be a degenerate plant of so noble a vine is no small discommendation Thus saith the Lord After that the Court had sent to him he is sent to the Court with these Instructions Execute justice in the morning As David your Progenitour and pattern did Psal 101.8 Be up and at it betime and make quick dispatch of causes that poor men may go home about their businesses who have other things to do besides going to Law It is a lamentable thing that a suit should depend ten or twenty years in some Courts Oecolamp quo saturentur avarissimi rabulae omnia bona pauperum exugentes through the avarice of some Pleaders to the utter undoing of their poor Clients This made one such when he was perswaded to patience by the example of Job to reply Mane i. e. Maturè What do ye tell me of Job Job never had any suits in Chancery Jethro adviseth Moses Exod. 18. to dismsse those timely whom he cannot dispatch presently Ver. 13. Behold I am against thee I who alone am a whole army of men Van and Reare both Isa 52.12 and may better say then any other How many reckon you me at O inhabitant of the valley i. e. Of Jerusalem called elsewhere the valley of vision It stood high but yet was compassed about with mountains that were higher Psal 125.2 See there And rock of the plain The bulwark and beauty of the whole adjacent Country Pliny saith that it was the most famous of
too late ye shall subscribe to the truth of these threats which now you take as uttered in terrorem only and will not believe till you feel Sere saviunt Phryges Sero inquit Nero. Epimetheus that after-wit had too many fellows Ver. 21. I have not sent these Prophets Who have cozened you into the mouth of destruction as that old Bethelite did the young Prophet into the mouth of the Lion Yet they ran They have from me neither mission nor commission but do all on their own heads Observabilis est hic locus contra multos qui bodie plebem docendi â—â—unus sibi arrogant cum tamen non sint missi saith Oecolampadius This is a notable place against Laypreachers And as if he had lived in these loose times of ours he thus goeth on In the fourteenth and sixteenth of 1 Cor. order is commanded to be kept But there are now such as abide not in their own Churches but run into others where they teach without a calling These promte not but hinder the cause of Christ He is the God of peace but they go forth and say Mentiris Deus amat talem constantiam fortem confessionem sic enim vocant suam praefractam pertinaciam Thou lyest God loveth such constancy and bold confession of the truth as we hold forth for so they call saith he their stifnesse and obstinacy Besides that they come not into the Congregations of unbelievers to convert them to the faith sed nostras perplexas reddunt so that good man proceedeth in his complaint on this text but they trouble our Churches like as of old they came to Antioch and made disturbance there Acts 15 c. Luther also who lived in the same time with Oecolampadius cries out to like purpose Decem annis laboratur antequam Ecclesiolarectè piè instituta paretur c. We are ten or more years Tom. oper 4. fol. 18. A. saith he ere we can settle a small Church as it should be And yet when that 's done there creepeth in some silly Sectary whose only skil is to rail against godly Ministers Is uno momento evertit omnia And he presently marreth all See chap. 14 14. Ver. 22. But if they had stood in my counsel c. As they vainly vaunt they do ver 18. and that they know more of my mind then any others And had caused my people to hear my words And not their own fancies or cunning devised fables 2 Pet. 1.16 Then they should have turned them from the evil of their way Not but that a godly Preacher may want successe Isa 49.4 See the Notes there and on the contrary a bad Minister may be a means of good to others as the dull whetstone edgeth iron and the lifelesse heaven enliveneth other creatures The head of a Toad may yield the precious stone Bufonites and wholesome Sugar be found in a poysoned cane Noah's builders were a means to save him and his family Virgil. Aeneid 3. yet themselves were drowned so was Palinurus Aeneas his Pilot in the Poet c. But God usually honoureth his faithful laborers with some successe and they can say as Chrysostom doth Si decimus quisque si unus persuasus fuerit ad consolationem abunde sufficit If but one in ten be converted by our Ministry yea if but one in all t is comfort enough See James 5. ult Ver. 23. Am I a God at hand and not a far of See I not what is done on earth which seemeth further from me or think ye that you live out of the reach of my rod because remote from heaven the habitation of my holinesse and of my glory Lucan Jupiter est quodcunque vides quocunque moveâ—is Ver. 24. Can any man hide himself in secret places Hide he may God from him self but not himself from God though Atheists are apt to think as they say the Struthiocamelus doth when he hath thrust his head in an hole that because they see none therefore none seeth them Plin. Do I not fill heaven and earth See Psal 139.3 5 7 11. Isa 66.1 with the Notes Ver. 25. I have dreamed I have dreamed i. e. I have a prophetick revelation in a dream Such lying Prophets were the ancient and modern Enthusiasts and High attainers Messalanian heretikes they were called of old Anno 371. Ver. 26. How long shall this be in the hearts c. q. d. Will they never give over lying to the Holy Ghost Acts 5 3. and flying against the light of their own consciences as Bâ—â—s do Nam quod argutè commenti sunt Oecolamp haec aiunt ex spiritu se dicere studio enim suis mendaciis plebi imponunt falsumque datâ operâ docent for they father their falsities upon the spirit of truth cozening the credulous multitude And this they do wittingly and uncessantly Ver. 27. Which think to cause my people to forget my Name To drive them to Atheism which sometimes creepeth in at the back doore of a Reformation by the slight of Seducers and their cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive Our Church is at this day pestered with Atheists who first have bin Seekers Ranters Antinomians Antiscripturists c. and is even dark with them as Egypt once was with the Grashoppers They seemed to speak with judgement that said formerly As Antichristianism decreaseth so Atheism prevaileth And they seem still not to judge amisse that say that the Jesuites are acting vigorously by our Sectaries to bring in Popery again quasi postilimino upon us It hath been long the opinion and fear of some grave Divines that Antichrist before his abolition shall once again overflow the whole face of the West and suppresse the whole Protestant Churches quod Deus avertat Take we heed that these Sect-makers make us not forget Gods Name by their fopperies as our fathers forgot his Name for Baal Ver. 28. The Prophet that hath a dream let him tell a dream Or let him tell it as a dream and not as a divine revelation making more of it then the matter comes to and Laudans vaenales quas vul obtrudere merces What are dreams ordinarily but very vanities Eccles 5.7 with Zech. 10.2 pleasant follies and delusions the empty bubbles of the mind children and tales of fancy idle and fruitlesse notions mere bables why then should men make so much of them why should they tell their Midianitish dreams to others with so much confidence as if they were Oracles And he that hath my Word So he be sure he hath it and can on good ground say I believed therefore have I spoken What is the chaff to the wheat saith the Lord i. e. What is false doctrine to true surely nothing in comparison you may better set Palea that is Chaff upon it then the Pope doth upon any thing in the Decrees of his predecessours that pleaseth him not Sall not the whole body of Popery founded most part of it
of perfect deliverance by Christ Ver. 19. And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving Mox ubi fides inde prodit laâ— confessio Faith is a fruitful grace the very womb wherein all the rest are conceived Ver. 20. Their children also shall be as aforetime How easily can the Lord turn again the captivity of his people set them statu quo prius Zach. 10.6 They shall be as if I had not cast them off See the Note there Ver. 21. And their Nobles shall be of themselves Forreiners shall no more domineer over them but they shall have Governours of their own Nation who shall be more tender of them and careful of their good Some apply all this and well they may to Jesus Christ who is here called Magnificus Dominator Christus Fortis ille Gâ—gat est Oecol his Magnificent or honourable One and his Ruler who also is one of them and proceedeth from amongst them See Deut. 18.18 And I will cause him to draw near and he shall approach unto me Either as God coequal and coessential with me or as Mediatour and so he shall approach unto me by the hypostatical union in respect of which he came the nearest unto God of any that ever was or could and by the execution of his Priestly office wherein he intercedeth for my people and reconcileth them unto me For who is this that engaged his heart Who but my Son Christ durst do it or was fit to do it he is a super-excellent person as is imported by this Mi-hu-ze Who this he Ver. 22. And ye shall be my people and I will be your God sc Through Christ and by his mediation As for those that are not in Covenant with God by Christ as the devil will one day sweep them so mean while Ver. 23. Behold the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury Sensim sese conglomerans ac demittens in eorum capita the vengeance of God followeth them close at heeles till at length they be wherried away by that terrible tempest at death Job 27.20 Ver. 24. The fierce anger of the Lord See chap. 23.20 In the latter dayes ye shall consider it In the dayes of the Messias but especially at the end of the world when all these things shall have their full accomplishment CHAP. XXXI Ver. 1. AT the same time i. e. In the beginning of Zedekiah's raign as before was this word uttered Or rather in those latter times forementioned chap. 30.24 after the return from Babylon but especially in the dayes of the Messiah The modern Jews vainly apply it to the coming of their Messiah quem tantis etiamnum ululatibus exposcunt whom they yet expect but to no purpose Ver. 2. The people that were left of the sword Of Pharaoh's sword who pursued them Fieri dicitur quod tentatur aut intenditur and though he smote them not because the Lord kept him off yet he is said to have done it like as Balac afterwards arose and fought against Israel Josh 24.9 he had a mind so to have done but that he was over-awed he did not indeed because he durst not When I went to bring him to rest i. e. To the land of Canaan after so long trouble and travel I effected that then though it were held improbable or impossible so I will do this promised reduction of my people from Babylon Indaeorum quiritantium verba Zeg Ver. 3. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me This seemeth to be the peoples objection You tell us what was done of old but these are ancient things and little pertaining to us who are now under a heavy captivity jam refrixit obsoleta videtur Dei beneficentia Hereunto is answered Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love I am one and the same I am Jehovah that change not whatever thou mayst think of me because I seem angry at thy misdoings Therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawn thee Or Therefore will I draw out loving kindnesse toward thee as Psal 36.10 See the Note there Ver. 4. Again I will build thee See chap. 34.18 Thou shalt he adorned with thy tabrets All shall be haile and merry with thee as heretofore yea thou shalt have spiritual joy which is res severa severe and solid such as doth not only smooth the brow but fill the breast Ver. 5. Thou shalt yet plant vines Profunda pax erit nemo te perterre faciat Thou shalt have plenty peace and security The planters shall plant them and shall eat them as common things i. e. Shall have Gods good leave and liking so to do Heb. Shall profane them i. e. not abuse them but use them freely even to an honest affluence See Levit. 19.23 with the Note Ver. 6. The watchmen upon the mount Ephraim Such as are set to keep those vineyards ver 5. Shall cry Arise ye and let us go up to Zion As the ten tribes first made defection so shall they be forwardest in the Reformation England was the like alate Ver. 7. Shout among the chief of the Nations Heb. neigh unto the heads of the Nations ut illa vobis adhinniant pariter in Christi fide jubilent that they may joyn joyes with you and help to make up the quire Publish ye and praise ye and say O Lord save The Saints have never so much matter of praise but that they may at the same time find cause enough to pray for more mercy Psal 18.3 Ver. 8. Behold I will bring them Here 's a present answer to such a Prayer and this promise hath its performance chiefly in the Kingdom of Christ who will not suffer the least or the weakest of his to miscarry See Esa 35.5 6. Ver. 9. They shall come with weeping Prae gandio inquit flebunt they shall weep for joy having first soaked themselves in godly sorrow by the spirit of grace and of supplications or deprecations poured upon them Zach. 12.10 being sollicitous about their salvation And I will make them to walk by the rivers of waters Heb. To the brooks of waters i. e. to the holy ordinances as Psal 23.3 For I am a Father to Israel I do all of free-grace Ephraim is my first-born And therefore higher then the Kings of the earth Psal 89.27 Ver. 10. Hear the Word of the Lord O ye Nations Hear and bear witnesse of the gracious promises that I make to my people for I would have them noted and noticed Ver. 11. For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob Redemption is a voluminous mercy an accumulative blessing From the hand of him that was stronger then he sc The Chaldean but especially from Satan Matth. 12.29 Joh. 12.31 Ver. 12. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion i. e. In the Temple shall they celebrate that singular mercy in the Congregation of the faithful And shall flow together i. e. Flock together by troops and caravans flock thither by sholes To the goodnesse of the Lord Or
performe it but so as that thou Jeremy and such as thou art Daniel Ezekiel Nehemiah c. pray over the promise The Angel told Daniel he came for his prayer-sake chap. 10.12 And shew thee great and mighty things Or abstruse and reserved things Gods praying people get to know much of his mind above others like as John by weeping gat the book opened and Daniel by prayer had the Kings secret revealed unto him in a night vision Dan. 2.18 19. Bene orasse est bene studuisse said Luther who as he had much communion with God by prayer so holy truths were dayly more and more made known unto him he knew not how nor which way as himself said Ver. 4. Which are thrown down by the mounts Or Catapults or engines of demolition used to batter with See chap. 32.24 And by the sword Or mattocks sc after that the enemy had entred the City and cryed as Psal 137.3 Destruite ex imis subvertite fundamentis Down with it down with it even to the ground Ver. 5. They come to fight with the Chaldeans But they fight not in Gods Name for he hath for all their wickednesse hid his face from them therefore they fight with such sorry successe the houses which they would defend are filled with their dead carcasses This whole verse would be hemmed in with a Parenthesis Ver. 6. Behold I will bring it health and cure Vna eademque manus vulnus opemque feret This is Gods usual method and manner of dealing with his people Hos 6.1 as a skilful Physician primo pungit deinde ungit Enecat ut possit vivificare Deus Revelabo 1. vt ipsa exhibebo And I will reveals unto them abundance of peace and truth Why then feri Domine feri such gold as peace and truth cannot be bought too dear The Chaldee here hath it Revelabo eis portam poenitentiae I will reveal unto them the gate of repentance and shew them how they may walk in the way of peace and truth Ver. 7. And I will cause the captivity of Judah As chap. 24.5 and 30.3 and 32.44 they shall be as if I had not cast them off and I will hear them Zach. 10.6 Ver. 8. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity Which must therefore needs be a filthy and loathsom thing else what need cleansing Christ for this cause came by water and blood And I will pardon all their iniquities This clause expoundeth the former and containeth the mother-mercy Ver. 9. And it shall be to me a name of joy i. e. An honour that I shall take singular delight in Iâ— nomen latum 1 laetificum And they shall fear and tremble for all the goodnesse Which bodes no good to them for the Churches welfare is ever joyned with the downfal and destruction of her enemies Ver. 10. Again there shall be heard in this place God loveth to help his people when they are forsaken of their hopes Ver. 11. The voyce of joy See chap. 7.34 and 16.9 The voyce of them that shall say Praise the Lord of hosts for he is good This carmen intercalare the Jews sang joyfully at their return from Babylon Ezra 3.11 and the Saints shall have cause to sing throughout all eternity And of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise Even the calves of their lips giving thanks to his name Heb. 13.15 together with other Evangelical sacrifices as contrition Psal 51.17 Confidence Psal 4.5 Almesdeeds Heb. 13.16 the obedience of faith Rom. 15.16 selfdenial Rom. 12.1 c. The Talmudists say that the sacrifice of praise here mentioned shall continue when all other sacrifices are abolished and this we see verified in the Christian Church Ver. 12. In all the Cities thereof shall be an habitation of Shepherds i. e. Several sorts of buildings yea even sheep-cotes and lodges for Shepherds and their flocks All these promises are Antitheta opposite to those menaces chap. 7.34 and 16.9 and 25.10 See chap. 31.24 Ver. 13. Shall the flocks passe again under the hand of him that telleth them As shepherds use oft to tell their sheep Christ the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls knoweth all his sheep and calleth them by name he hath them ever in numerato for he numbreth the stars also See Joh. 10.3 11 12. Ver. 14 I will perform that good thing Praestabo verbum istud optimum as Tremellius well rendereth it I will perform that best word or promise viz. concerning Christ in whom all the former and future promises are Yea and Amen to the glory of God 2 Cor. 1.20 Haec dicendâ— bono sunt bona verba die Ver. 15. I will cause the Branch of righteousnesse See the same chap. 23.5 This sweet promise concerning Christ can never be too often repeated The Greek and German versions have that clause here also as there And a King shall reign and prosper or understand Ver. 16. And this is the name wherewith she shall be called The Lord is our righteousnesse Heb. this is that he shall call her Jehovah our Righteousnesse Called the Church shall be by Christs own name which is a very high honour as being his Spouse and making up one mystical body with him Hence she is called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 and the fulnesse of him who filleth all in all Eph. 1. ult See chap. 23.6 with Ezek. 48.35 Ver. 17. David shall never want a man The Man Christ Jesus Luke 1.32.33 Ver. 18. Neither shall the Priest want a man The same Man Christ Jesus who is as a King everlasting so a Priest for ever after the order of Milchisedech and his sacrificing of himself once is more then equivalent to the daily perpetual sacrificing Whereunto may be added the continuance of an Evangelical Ministry in the Church to the worlds end Mat. 28.20 Eph. 4.11 12 13. Ver. 19. And the Word of the Lord c. Iterum de perpetuitate regni Christi tractat jurat saith Oecolampad Once more he treateth of the perpetuity of Christs kingdom and assureth it as by oath Ver. 20. If ye can break my Covenant of the day God hath hitherto kept promise with nights and dayes that one shall succeed the other and will he not then keep touch with his people Ver. 21. Then may also my Covenant See ver 17.18 The Poet hath somewhat like this Jungantur ansè saeva sideribus freta Et ignis undae tartaro tristi polus Lux alma tenebris râ—scidae nocti dies c. Sen. in Octavia Ver. 22. As the host of heaven See Gen. 13.16 15.5 So will I multiply the seed of David True believers And the Levites godly Ministers See Psal 68.11 Ver. 23. Moreover Or Again Idem repetit the same thing is repeated that it may be the better believed Ver. 24. Consider thou not what this people have spoken This unbelieving misgiving desponding people of mine The two families Judah Israel habentur pro peripsemate Ver. 25. If my Covenant
dastardly despondency of mind because his rising expectation it seems was frustrated 2. For a vain ambitious self-seeking which was not hid from God Ver. 2. Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel unto thee O Baruch Whom he knoweth by name and for whom he hath in store an ample recompence of reward for never yet did any one do or suffer ought for Gods sake that complained of an hard bargain Ver. 3. Thou didst say i. e. Thou didst think like a poor pusillanimous creature as thou art But Jeremy could pitty him in this infirmity because it had sometime been his own case chap. 15. and may befal the best Pray for me I say pray for me said Father Latimer for sometimes I am so fearfull and fainthearted that I could even run into a mouse-hole For the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow So we do oft complain non quia dura sed quia mollâ—s patimur without cause through feeble-mindednesse And when we speak of our crosses we are eloquent oft beyond truth we add we multiply we rise in our discourse as here Ver. 4. Behold that which I have built c. A Metaphor as is before noted ab architectura agricultura I am turning all upside-down and wouldest thou only go free and untoucht of the common calamity T is no whit likely thou must share with the rest Ver. 5. And seekest thou great things for thy self This is saith One as if a man should haue his house on fire and instead of seeking to quench his house should go and trim up his chambers or as if when the ship is sinking he should seek to inrich his cabbin Seek them not For what so great felicity canst thou fancy to thy self in things so fading as the case now stands especially But thy life will I give thee for a prey Which in these killing and dying times in such dear years of time is no small mercy CHAP. XLVI Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah against the Gentiles God had at first set him over the nations and over the Kingdoms as a plenipotentiary to root out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down to build and to plant chap. 1.10 This power of his the Prophet had put forth and exercised against his own Nation of the Jews whom he had doomed to destruction and lived to see execution done accordingly Now he takes their enemies the neighbour Nations to do telling them severally what they shall trust to And this indeed the Prophet had done before in part and in fewer words under the type of a cup of wine to be divided among and drunk up by the Nations chap. 25.15 16. c. but here to the end of chap. 51. more plainly and plentifully Isaiah had done the same in effect chap. 13. to 24. Ezekiel also from chap. 25. to 33. that by the mouth of three such witnesses every word might stand and this burthen of the Nations might be confirmed Jeremiah beginneth fitly with the Egyptians who beside the old enmity had lately slain good King Josiah with whom dyed all the prosperity of the Jewish people who were thenceforth known as the Thebanes also were after the death of their Epaminondas only by their overthrows and calamities Ver. 22. Against Egypt First That the Jews might not rely on that broken reed as they did to their ruine because they would never be warned Against the army of Pharaoh Neche Who had beaten Nebuchadnezzar Priscus at Carchemish and gotten all the Country from Egypt to Euphrates but was afterwards himself beaten out again by Nebuchadnezzar the second surnamed Magnus in the first year of his reign which was the fourth year of Jehojakim Joseph l. 10. c. 7. Hypotuâ—ôsis Ironica State galeati loricati lanceati sed frustrà 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pausan who also was glad to become his tributary Now this overthrow of the Egyptian who was driven out of all Syria as far as Pelusium by the Babylonian is here foretold Ver. 3. Order ye the buckler and sheild So Pharaoh is brought in bespeaking his forces when he was going to fight against Nebuchadnezzar Or so the Prophet bespeaketh the Egyptians Ironically and by way of scoff q. d. Do so but all shall be to no purpose see the like Isa 8.9 Congregamini vincemini yea though upon Pharaoh's should should be the same inscription that was once upon Agamemnon This is the terrour of all mortal wights Ver. 4. Harnesse the horses Those warlike creatures but yet vain things for safety Psal 33.17 Prov. 21.31 Egypt was famous for the best horses Deut. 17.16 1 King 10.26 28. but the Lord delighteth not in the strength of an horse c. Psal 147.10 11. Ver. 5. Wherefore have I seen them dismaià Surprized with a Panick terrour And are fled apace Heb. Fled a flight For fear was round about A proverbial form chap. 6.25 Ver. 6. Let not the swift flye away i. e. Think to save themselves by flight Nor the mighty man escape i. e. Think to save himself by his might be he never so stouth-earted Herod lib. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Toward the North i. e. Toward Carchemish the stage of the war where Pharaoh-Necho had beaten Nebuchadnezzar the elder and is now beaten in the same place by Nebuchadnezzar the younger alterna victoria Ver. 7. Who is this that cometh up like a flood Pharaoh with his forces is here notably described vivo sermonum colore and compared to an impetuous river that threatneth to overflow and swallow up all See Isa 8.7 Ver. 8. Egypt riseth up like a flood Nilus-like the Egyptians were an ancient proud luxurious people And he saith I will go up and cover the earth See the like vain vaunts of this proud people Exod. 1â— 9 10. Ver. 9. Come up ye horses i. e. Ye horsemen all the cavallery of Egypt as Exod. 14.7 And rage Or bestir your selves as if ye were wood or mad instar furiarum discurrite per campâ—s The Ethiopians and the Lybians The Africans that were confederates and Auxiliaries to the Egyptians Ver. 10. For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts See Esay 34.5 6 7 8. Ver. 11. Go up unto Gilead and take balm See chap. 8.22 with Gen. 37.25 q. d. thy calamity is no lesse uncurable then ignominious Ver. 12. The Nations have heard of thy shame Of the shameful defeat given thee so that thou who wast once a terrour to them art now a scorn For the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty And this is the sum of the talk that goeth of thee Ver. 13. The Word that the Lord spake Another Prophecy but against Egypt also God had yet a further quarrel to that Country for the death of good Josiah their delivering up Vriah Gods faithful servant to the sword of Jehoiakim their idolatry pride perfidy c. How Nebuchadnezzar should come and smite the land of Egypt In the five and
in the midst of their revels And thou wâ—st not aware The palace was suddenly seized upon but some parts of the City knew not that the enemy was entred till three dayes after for it was the greatest City that ever the Sun beheld Aristot Pollt Paus Arcad. saith Pausanias and the most suddainly surprized Because thou hast striven against the Lord Heb. hast mingled thy self with the Lord incertamen scilicet to wrestle and fall with him and to try masteries Ver. 25. The Lord hath opened his armory Heb. treasury Now Gods armory is omne id sub caelo usque ad diabolos all things both in heaven and under the cope of heaven as far as the very devils whereby he is able to subdue his enemies and to bring them to nothing Out of this treasury God took Darius and Cyrus with their forces and set them upon this expedition Ver. 26. Come against her This he speaketh to the Medes and Persians who though they were farther remote then they that could heare the Prophet yet God who spake by him could and did speak home to their hearts stirring them up by a secret instinct to do this execution Ver. 27. Slay all her bullocks Heb. sword them sheath your swords in their sides See ver 24. Ver. 28. The vengeance of his Temple Spoiled and burnt by the Chaldeans those wasters as their name also signifieth Woe then to such as destroy Gods living Temples Ver. 29. According to all that she hath done See ver 15. For she hath been proud against the Lord Who setteth himself in battle array against the proud 1 Pet. 5.5 Ver. 30. Therefore shall her young men See on chap. 49 26. Ver. 31. Behold I am against thee O most proud Heb. O pride in the abstract i. e. O Balshazzar as of a certain Pope was said Conditur hoc tumulo scelus vitium Ver. 32. And the most proud shall stumble Heb. Pride or that man of pride Praefractarius ille so Oecolampadius rendreth it that stubborn man who will do wickedly against conviction of conscience Ver. 33. The children of Judah and the children of Israel were oppressed together Or were oppressed alike sc In their several deportations and God mindful of his Covenant sheweth himself sensible of it though for present he seemed not to care what became of either of them Ille dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox Ver. 34. Their Redeemer is strong Or But their strong Avenger whose name is the Lord of hostes he shall thoroughly plead their cause i. e. right their wrongs That he may give rest to the land See on 2 Thes 1.8 9. Ver. 35. A sword is upon the Chaldaeans Those sworn swordmen of the Devil Ver. 36. A sword is upon the lyars i. e. The prognosticators and wizzards Mendaces nominat divinos as it was wont here to be saâ—d A friar a lyar Ver. 37. A sword is upon their horses Upon all their military preparations whereof see Herodot lib. 1. They shall become as womer Elumbes cowardly and crestfaln A sword is upon her treasures Which how inestimable they were see Strabo lib. 15. and Plin. lâ—b 33. cap. 3. Ver. 38. A drought is upon her waters Which Cyrus did so drain by many out-lets that without any great difficulty he took the City assâ—ulting it on two sides Lib. 3. cap. 7. Frontinus saith that thrice Babylon was taken by this stratagem 1. By Semiramis 2. By Cyrus 3. By Alexander the Great And they are mad upon their idols Deos terrificos truces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 statues of their Kings and Worthies which were of a huge vast stature See Dan. 3.1 Ver. 39. Therefore the wild beasts of the desart See Esa 13.21 Ver. 40. At God overthrew Sodom See Esay 13.19 and chap. 49.18 Ver. 41. Behold a people shall come from the North As ver 3.9 See chap. 6.22 Ver. 42. Against thee O daughter of Babylon In like sort as thou didst once against Gods Israel chap. 6.23 Now thou shalt meet with thy match Ver. 43. The King of Babylon c. See chap. 6.24 Dan. 5.6 Ver. 44. Behold he shall come up See chap. 49.19 Ver. 45. See on chap. 49.20 Ver. 46. See on chap. 49.22 CHAP. LI. Ver. 1. BEhold I will raise up against Babylon and against them that dwel in the midest sc Of the land of Chaldaea in the royal seat and center of that great Monarchy Ventum pestilentem Vulg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. A destroying wind Blasting and boisterous See chap. 4.11 12. Ver. 2. And I will send unto Babylon fannâ—rs Who shall make as clean work as they once did in Judaea disperse her inhabitants and dissipate her riches Ver. 3. Against him that bendeth Periphrasis Babylonii omnibus gentibus infesti Ver. 4. Thus the slain shall fall Both within the walls and without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there shall be neither measure nor end of manslaughters as Plutrach saith of Rome in Sylla's time Ver. 5. For Israel hath not been forsaken Heb. widowed Though their Land was filled with sin Heb. guilt or delinquency or devastation This Scripture hath been fully made good to us of this Nation whilst the fulnesse of sin in us hath not yet abated the fulnesse of grace in God toward us See those four gracious Yets Zach. 1.17 with the Notes there Ver. 6. Flee out of the midst of Babylon See chap. 50.8 So in the new Testament we are called upon to flee and avoid the corruptions of the world and of Antichrist 1 Joh. 2. Ephes 5. Rev. 14. 18.4 For this is a time c. As chap. 50.15 25 27 28. So 46.10 Ver. 7. Babylon hath been a golden cup See chap. 25.15 Rev. 17.4 In the Lords hand i. e. Oeconomiâ dispensatione ejus He had the mixing and distributing of it Ver. 8. Babylon is suddenly fallen Chap. 50.2 So ruet alto à culmine Roma Rev. 14.8 18.2 10. If so be she may be healed q.d. Try you may but t is to no purpose See c. 46.11 Ver. 9. We would have healed Babylon Say the forrein nations that came to help her or the people of God Vox electorum Oecolamp say others that were kept captive by her as Daniel the rest But she is not healed Or she could not be healed See Hos 7.1 For her judgement reacheth unto heaven It coelo clamor proportionable to her sin Rev. 18.5 Ver. 10. The Lord hath brought forth our righteousnesse i. e. Our just cause and the righteousnesse of our religion derided by the Babylonians Ver. 11. Make bright the arrows q. d. Do so O Chaldaeans if ye think it will boot you any thing at all for the shoaring up of your tottering State when as the Lord is resolved to bring it down Hortatio Iâ—onicâ— Pisc Ver. 12. Set up the standard An Irony all along as ver 11. Ver. 13. O thou that dwellest upon many waters Euphrates and Tigris especially famous rivers
running from Babylonia into the Persian sea Hence most Geographers hold and not improbably that that land was a part of the garden of Eden fruitful it was beyond credulity Thine end is come and the measure Heb. the cubit of thy covetousnesse Cujus avaritia totus non sufficit orbis The covetous Cormorants mouth with his Give Give shall shortly be stopped with a spade-full of mould and his never-enough quit with fire enough in the bottom of hell Ver. 14. Surely I will fill thee with men as with caterpillars So they shall seem both for multitude and humming noise barritu militari They shall lift up a shout against thee As pesants did at their harvest-home See chap. 48.33 Ver. 15. He hath made the earth by his power And can therefore easily and quickly unmake this great Monarchy See chap. 10.12 with the Note Ver. 16. When he uttereth his voice c. See chap. 10.13 Ver. 17. Every man is brutish See chap. 10.14 Ver. 18. They are vanity See chap. 10.15 Ver. 19. The portion of Jacob c. See chap. 10.16 Ver. 20. Thou art my battle-ax and weapon of war Cestra fuisti mihi Thou hast been my pole-ax such as horse men use to batter their enemies helmets and other harnesse Ver. 21. And with thee O Babylonian King Will I break in pieces Or rather have I broken in pieces And hence thy perdition Ver. 22. With thee also will I break or by thee have I broken in pâ—eces man and woman But especially my people of the Jewes whom I more valued then all the men and women in the world besides Ver. 23. The shepherd and his flock the husbandman and his yoke c. This particular enumeration is very Emphatical so chap. 50.35 37 38. Ver. 24. And I will render unto Babylon See chap 50.15 29. Isa 47.6 8. 10.5 6 12. In your sight You my prisoners of hope shall live to see it Psal 79.10 Ver. 25. O destroying mountain O Babylon thou that art amplitudine altitudine instar montis for thy large command and lofty buildings like a mountain and that dost abuse thy power to other mens destruction And will make thee aburnt mountain A great heap of ashes and rubbish such as burned and ruined Cities are Ver. 26. And they shall not take of thee a stone Thou shalt never be reedified So it is foretold of Rome Tot a eris in cineres quasi nunquam Roma fuisses Ver. 27. Set up a standard Thus God the great Induperator bespeaketh the Medes and Persians as his field officers Prepare the Nations against her Heb. Sanctify call them together to wage this sacred war against Babylon Call together against her the Kingdoms of Ararat Minni Xenoph. Cyrop lâ—b 7. and Ashkenaz i. e. Of both the Armenia's and of Ascania subdued by Cyrus before he marched against Babylon Vatablus will have Ashkenaz to be Gothland the Jewes Germany but these were too far remote Ver. 28. Prepare against her Heb. Sanctify as ver 7. With the Kings of the Medes Darius and Cyrus Ver. 29. And the land shall tremble and sorrow As a travelling woman so shall it be pained Ver. 30. The mighty men of Babylon have forborn to fight At Cyrus his first coming they gave him battel but being worsted they from thenceforth remained in their holds till Babylon was taken Their might hath failed Or their courage is shrunk as Jacob's sinew did Gen. 32.32 They became as women See chap. 50.37 Ver. 31. One post shall run to meet another Observe how punctually all things were foretold in the several circumstances above fifty years before At one end sc where Euphrates had run till diverted and dryed up by Cyrus See on chap. 50.38 Ver. 32. And that the passages are stopt Or taken seized surprised as ch 48.41 And thereeds Or Marishes made by Euphrates overflowing It is well observed that the Babylonians might by this Prophecy have been forewarned and fore-armed against Cyrus his stratagem But they slighted it and never enquired after it likely Ver. 33. The daughter of Babylon Proud of her wealth and strength as young maids many are of their beauty And the time of her harvest shall come When God shall put in his sickle and cut her down being ripe and ready See Rev. 14.16 Gen. 15.16 Ver. 34. Nebuchadnezzar hath devoured me he hath crushed me A graphical description of the Babylonical cruelty He hath cast me out He hath gorged himself with me and laid up his gorge Ver. 35. The violence done to me and to my flesh Torn and tost as carrion by that ravenous beast the Lord look upon it and require it Ver. 36. Behold I will plead thy cause Not so much verbally as really here 's a present answer to Israels cry Ver. 37. And Babylon shall become heaps See chap. 50.39 Ver. 38. They shall roar together like Lions When hongerbit The Babylonians terrified and the Persians tumultuating together The old Latine Version hath it they shake their shaggy hair Ver. 39. In their heat I will make their feasts Or I will dispose their drinkings that is I will pour into their cups the wine of my wrath Now poison mixt with wine worketh the more furiously God can punish one kind of drunkennesse with another worse That they may rejoyce That they may revel it and sleep their last and so they did Ecce hic compotationum est finis as being slain in a night of publike solemn feasting and great dissolutenesse which was soon turned in moerorem metum into heavinesse and horrour And not wake Till awakened by the sound of the last trump The Chaldee here hath it They shall dye the second death and not be quickened in the world to come sc unto life everlasting Ver. 40. I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter All that with followeth here to the end of this oration is no lesse easy then elegant in holding forth the power justice and truth of God in fulfilling this Prophecy exactly though divers years after Ver. 41. How is Sheshack taken i. e. How is Babylon destroyed beyond all expectation See chap. 25.26 Ver. 42. The sea is come up upon Babylon A sea of hostile forces what wonder therefore though she be taken Ver. 43. Her Cities are a desolation See chap. 2.6 9.12 Ver. 44. And I will punish Bel in Babylon Nimrod was after his death called the Babylonian Saturn Belus who succeeded him the Babylonian Jupiter as Berosus testifieth This Idol of massy gold and of a huge bignesse was carried away by Cyrus thus Bel was punished And I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up Bolum ex ore Beli such an elegancy there is also in the Original Of the rich presents spoils costly furniture found in Bel's Temple see Diodore lib. 2. Those taken from Gods Temple at Jerusalem and laid up in his 2 Chron. 36.7 he was forced to regurgitate Ezr. 1.7 5.14 See
28. He sitteth alone Sessio solitaria as being much in meditation according to that counsel of the Preacher In the day of adversity consider And keepeth silence When Gods hand is upon his back his hand is upon his mouth See on ver 26. Because he hath born it upon him Or When he hath taken it upon him taken up his crosse as being active in suffering Ver. 29. He putteth his mouth in the dust He lyeth low at Gods â—eet putting himself into the hands of Justice yet in hope of mercy See 1 Cor. 14 25. If so be there may be â—â—pe Heb. Peradventure there is hope q. d. doubtlesse there is however I will try sith I have lost many a worse labour Ver. 30. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him Humility the product of affliction sanctified is still at her lesson or rather practising what she hath learned David having suffered by Absolom can well enough bear with Shimei's tongue smitings and the Apostles after they had been in prison departed from the Council rejoycing that they were so far graced as to be disgraced for the name of Jesus Acts 5.41 He is filled full of reproach He can bravely bear all contumelies and contempts for his conscience taking them as crowns and confirmations of his conformity to Christ Ver. 31. For the Lord will not cast off for ever No nor at all however he may seem to some so to do Non deserit etiamsi deserat saith a Father He doth not put his poople far from him as the word here signifieth Ver. 32. For though he cause grief As sometimes he doth in very faithfulnesse and that he may be true to his peoples souls Yet he will have compassion He will repent and return and leave a blessing behind him that 's certain Joel 2.14 Ver. 33. For he doth not afflict willingly Heb. From the heart Non nisi coactus Non est Deo volupe proprium aut per se intentum Paenas dat dum paenas exigit Sen. de Augusto Justu etiam supplietis illacâ—ymavit ingeâ—uit De Vespas Sueton. as that Emperour said when he sealed a writ for execution of a condemned person I would not do it but upon necessity It goeth as much against the heart with God as it can do against the hair with us Ille dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox Ver. 34. To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth i. e. All those that are in misery to lay more load upon them and so to crush them to pieces yea to grind them to powder This he could as easily do as bid it be done but he takes no such delight in severity and harshnesse Ver. 35. To turn aside the right of a man To wrest his right by false witnesse and corrupt means as wicked men use to do before the face of the most High or of a Superiour under colour of law God liketh none of all this though eftsoones for excellent ends he suffereth it so to be and ordereth it when so it is Ver. 36. To subvert a man in his cause By legerdemain to tilt the ballance of Justice on t 'one side The Lord approveth not Heb seeth not Non videt i. e. non ei visum est it seemeth not good unto him he liketh it not Ver. 37. Who is he Tam imprudens imperitus Can any one be so simple as to think that the enemy could do ought against us but by the divine permission and appointment God as he made all by his power so he manageth all by his Providence This the Egyptians hieroglyphically set forth by painting God 1. As blowing an egge out of his mouth that is as making the round world by his Word 2. As compassing about that Orb with a girdle that is keeping all together and governing all by his Providence Ver. 38. Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good i. e. Prosperity and adversity q. d. Who doubteth of that Amos 3.5 Isa 45.7 Talk not then of â—ate and blind Fortune Ver. 39. Wherefore dâ—th a living mâ—n complain Mourn immoderately or murmure causelesly If he mourn let him mourn for his sin as the cause of his suffering let him revenge upon that If he be tempted to murmure let him remember that he is yet alive and that 's more then his part cometh to sith it is the Lords mercy that he is not consumed and sent packing hence to hell Life in any sence is a sweet mercy even that which to the afflicted may seem a lifelesse life as Prov. 15.15 Let this patient us that we are yet alive A man for the punishment of his sine Heb. man for his sin for sin doth as naturally draw and suck punishments to it as the Laod-stone doth Iron or Turpentine fire wherefore also the same word in Hebrew signifieth both Ver. 40. Let us search and try our wayes i. e. Make accurate enquiry into them so shall we soon find out selves to be a whole new-found world of wickedness Search we therefore and do it throughly Many either search not at all â—hey cannot endure these domestical Audits its death to them to reflect and recognize what they have done or as though they desired not to find they search as men do for their bad mony they know they have it but they would gladly have it passe for currant among the rest Heathens will rise up in judgement against such for they prescibed and practised self-examination Pythagoras once a day Non prius in dulcem declines lumina somnum Quam prius exactae reputaveris acta diei c. Phocyllides thrice a day if Stobaeus may be believed Serm. And turn again to the Lord Let self-examination end in reformation else sin will be thereby but imboldened and strengthened as idle vagrants and lawlesse subjects are if questioned only and not punished and restrained Of turning again to the Lord. See the Notes on Zach. 1.2 Ver. 41. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands Holy hearts pure hands Instead of wrangling with God as ver 39. let us wrastle with him in prayer this is the only way to get off with comfort Nazianzen saith that the best work we can put our hands unto is in coelos eas extendere ad precesque expandere to lift them up to God in prayer But then it must be with a true heart Heb. 10.22 See Job 11 13. with the Notes Ver. 42. We have transgressed and have rebelled We have committed evil and omited good and failed in the manner and are therefore justly punished Let God hear such words fall from our mouths set a work by our hearts and then we may have any thing Ver. 43. Thou hast covered with anger Overwhelmed us with thy Judgements None out of hell have ever suffered more then the Saints they have felt the sad effects of displeased Love Ver. 44. Thou hast covered thy self with a cloud Hid thy face from us and secreted
thy self as a Judge doth when he hath passed sentence upon a malefactour that he may not be solicited to reverse it That our prayers should not passe through The veil of the Temple was of no debarring matter but thin and pervious that the incense might easily passe thorough it into the Holy of Holies but now it was otherwise God had set a barre betwixt him and his people Ver. 45. Thou hast made us as the off-scouring Eradicationem saith the Vulgar rasuram potius not the rooting out but the scrapings off As the Jews did rather extrinsecus radere peccata quam intrinsecus eradicare Bern. Exverras Scobes ramenta Excreamenta excrementa shave off their sinnes outwardly then root them out from within so God made them as despicable as the parings of a pavement or of a leprous house And refuse See 1 Cor. 4.13 with the Notes Ver. 46. All our enemies have opened their mouths against us i. e. Reviled and derided us See chap. 2.16 Ver. 47. Fear and a snare is come upon us Heb. a pit Great terrour and no way to escape See Isa 24.17 18. Ver. 48. Mine eye runneth down Heb. mine eye descendeth i. e. Falleth as it were wholly away See chap. 1.16 2.18 Ver. 49. Mine eye trickleth down and ceaseth not Put fire under the still and water droppeth from roses Fiery afflictions cause drops of repentance and Repentance like the Philosophers stone maketh golden afflictions 1 Pet. 1.7 Ver. 50. Till the Lord look down Let God but see the Rainbow of sound Repentance in our hearts and he will soon shine forth and cause it to clear up Ver. 51. Mine eye effecteth my heart Iisdem quibus videmus oculis flemus we see and weep with the same eyes Lib. 2. cap. 32. But Pliny wondereth where that humour is at other times that floweth out of the eyes so readily and plentifully in case of grief Because of all the daughters of my City Or more then all the daughters c. more then the most passionate women use to weep Prae omnibus filiabus when they are most grieved Ver. 52. Mine enemies chased me sore In most eager and extream manner with utmost cruelty and craft As a Bird Beaten from bush to bush Without cause Jeremy and the godly party might say so but not Zedekiah and other perfidious ones Ver. 53. They have cut off my life in the dungeon Where I lead a lifelesse life such as did Roger Bishop of Salisbury in King Stephens time who sustained such miseries in prison ut vivere noluerit mori nescierit that live he would not and yet dye he could not And cast a stone upon me As they did upon the mouths of dens dungeons or sepulchers to make sure work The Chaldee hath it they stoned me Ver. 54. Waters flowed over mine head Many and great miseries have overwhelmed and oppressed me both in body and soul These are frequently compared to waters Then I said I am cut off sc From the land of the living but God was better to me then my hopes Ver. 55. I called upon thy name O Lord out of the low dungeon See Psal 130.1 Jon. 2.1 with the Notes Ver. 56. Thou hast heard my voyce Seem a mans case never so desperate if he can but find a praying heart God will find a pittying heart Prayer is the best lever at a dead lift Hide not thine ear at my breathing As breathing is a proof of animal life so is prayer though never so weak of spiritual If therefore you cannot speak weep fletu saepe agitur non affatu teares also have a voyce Psal 39.12 if you cannot weep sigh a storm of sighs may do as much as a showe of teares if you cannot sigh yet breath as here God feels breath and happy is he that can say In te spero respiro In thee I hope Lord and after thee I breath or pant Ver. 57. Thou drewest near This thou hast done and this I hope thou yet wilt do Experience breedeth confidence Ver. 58. O Lord thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul whereof those Babylonians were no just Judges Thou hast redeemed my life It is the life nay the soul of the Saints that the wicked hunt after though they do not alwayes professe so to do Ver. 59. O Lord thou hast seen my wrong Thou hast seen it and art sensible of it that 's my comfort for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judge thou my cause As Psal 43.1 See there Ver. 60. Thou hast seen all their vengeance See on ver 59. The Saints fare the better for their enemies spite and cruelty and they may very well plead and present it to God in prayer Ver. 61. Thou hast heard their reproach Their spiteful speeches and taunting termes have come into thine eares And all their imaginations Heb. Their contrivements As the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his eares are open to their prayers Psal 34.15 so he both seeth the ill carriage and heareth the ill language of gracelesse persons against the godly Ver. 62. The lips of those that rose up See on ver 61. Ver. 63. Behold their sitting down and their rising up Or at their both sitting down to meat and at their rising up from meat I am their musick-maker their table talk and the matter of their mirth they make sport with us as the Philistines did with Sampson David complaineth of the like evil-dealing Psal 35.15 16 17. Ver. 64. Render unto them a recompense Call them to an account and requite them Let their musick be marred and the meale once ended send them in a reckoning Ver. 65. Give them sorrow of heart In place of their mad mirth and sinful musick turn their Psalm as the vulgar rendreth the word Musick in the foregoing verse into a black Santâ—â— as they call it ferale carmen a doleful ditty Dabis eis scutum cordis saith the Vulgar And indeed the word rendred sorrow signifieth a sheild or cover A lapide Mr. Burroughs Hos Operculum cordis vel apostema cordis It noteth saith one the Gardiaca passio whereby the heart is so opprest and there is such a stopping that it is as it were covered sicut scuto as with a shield there is a lid as it were put over the heart to keep off the most refreshing cordials and so the heart is suffocated with sorrow It is as if he should say put them into such a condition that no creature may yeild them the least refreshment Spira was in this condition Thy curse upon them All the curses written and unwritten in thy book This is not more a prayer then a prophecy How effectual Christs curse is may be seen in the withered fig-tree in the Gospel presently dryed up by the roots Ver. 66. Persecute and destroy them in anger Sith they are thine and our implacable and irreformable enemies be thou Lord implacably bent against them to their utter destruction
they are soon dispatcht See on ver 6. But Famine is an hard weapon Triste genus mortis miseris mortalibus omne Est tamen imprimis triste perire fame For these pine away By a lingering death as Drusus the Roman to whom meat being denied Speed 766. he had eaten the stuffings of his bed saith Suetonius and our Richard the second who was Tantalized and starved to death at Pomfret Castle where his diet being served in and set before him in the wonted Princely manner he was not suffered either to taste or touch thereof Jam. 5. Stricken through for want of the fruits of the field Those precious fruits of the earth as James the Apostle calleth them These as a sword defend us from death and the want of them as a sword runneth us thorough In the time of Otho the Emperour there was so great a scarcity of bread corn in Germany for three years together that many thousands dyed of hunger Melancth In remembrance of which great dearth there is yearly baked at Erphord a little loaf such as was then sold for much money Ver. 10. The hands of the pittiful women have sodden Sodden them rather then roasted them lest they should be discovered by the smell and so in danger to be despoiled of them as it sell out at the last seige by the Romans Lege Luge They were their meat In eadem viscera ex quibus exierant retrusi sunt they returned into the same bowels whence they came forth Ver. 11. The Lord hath accomplished his fury Which he had long deferred but now hath paid it home Cave ne ira delata fiat duplicata He hath poured out his fierce anger As it were by whole buckets or paile-fulls Gods anger may be set out in minums as there may be much poison in little drops But woe be those on whom it is poured He hath kindled a fire in Zion His wrath is like fire that furious Element which at first burneth a little upon a few bords but when it prevaileth it bursteth forth into a terrible flame Ver. 12. The Kings of the earth c. These knowing how impregnable a piece Jerusalem was how the Jebusites of old held out the Tower of Zion against David how long it had kept out Nebuchadnezzar viz. for two years space almost how it had been preserved by God against Sennacherib c. looked upon it as in a sort insuperable and could not but see a divine vengeance in the destruction of it Ver. 13. For the sins of her Prophets These these were the right cause of her ruine Not that the People were not faulty for they loved to have it so Jer. 5. ult but those were the ring-leaders in that general defection Ver. 14. They have wandred as blind men in the streets Well might a certain Expositour say Hic versus cum sequentibus varie exponitur The sense in short is this saith One that the Jewes misled by their Prophets and Priests were so blind in knowledge that every example of sin led to evil which for want of grace they could not refrain from Ver. 15. They cryed unto them The enemies in a mockery said aloud unto the Jewes Depart ye it is unclean depart depart Mimesis q. d. You that are so pure and as people say profanely amongst us so Pope-holy that none must come anear you but get away as far and as fast as they can as if they were Lepers c. They said among the Heathen The blind Ethnikes beholding the Jews wickednesse have judged that it was impossible God should suffer them any longer to live in his good land sith they would not live by his good Laws Ver. 16. The anger of the Lord hath divided them Say the Heathen still concerning the wicked Jews continuatur enim hic instituta Mimesis He will no more regard them Heb. look after them sc facie blandâ ac benevolâ in mercy Sacerdotes apud omnes gentes sunt venerabiles ob ministerium he hath utterly rejected them For why They respected not the persons of the Priests But vilely intreated them See Chron. 36.16 Ver. 17. As for us our eyes as yet failed With long and vain looking as Psal 119.82 123. For As for us some render Cum adhuc essemus while as yet we were sc a Nation for now we are none Fuimus Troes In our watching we have watched for a Nation sc for the Egyptians Jer. 2.18 36. 37.7 8. Ver. 18. They hunt our steps There is an elegancy in the Original as if we should say They hunt our haunts That we cannot go in our streets Because of their forts from whence they shoot at us Satan doth so much more cui nomina mille Mille nocendi artes Our end is come We are an undone people Ver. 19. Our persecutours are swifter then the Eagles Those swiftest of al foul whom Pindarus therefore calleth the Queen of Birds as the Dolphin is of fishes for like swiftnesse The Egyptians their pretended helpers were slow as snailes the Chaldees swifter then Eagles They pursued us Or they chased us or traced us like blood-hounds They laid wait for us in the Wildernesse They met us at every turn and left us no means of escape Ver. 20. The breath of our nostriles King Zedekiah in whose downfal we drew as it were our last breath The Chaldee Paraphrast understandeth it of Josiah with whom indeed dyed all the prosperity of the Jews as with Epaminondas did that of the Thebans and with Theodosius that of the Western Empire The Annointed of the Lord Who yet for his perfidy was vilely cast away like Saul as though he had not been annointed with oyle 2 Sam. 1.21 Was taken in their pits A term taken from hunters Ezek. 12.13 See ver 20. Jer. 52.8 Vnder his shadow As the chickens do under the hens Ver. 21. Rejoyce and be glad This is spoken to Edom by a certain Ironical and bitter concession q. d. Do so if thou hast any mind to it but thou shalt soon be made to change thy chear Thy flearing at us shall be soon turned into fearing for thy self thy mirth into mourning That dwellest in the land of Vz Job's country called also Siria saith R. Solomon and haply from Seir. Evil is at next door by to those who rejoyce at the evils of others The cup shall passe through unto thee The quassing cup of Gods Wrath Jer. 25.18 29. And shalt make thy self naked To the scorn of all Vt ebria omotae mentis as drunkards who are void of shame and common honesty baring those parts that nature would have covered See Jer. 49.10 Ver. 22. The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished O daughter of Zion A word of comfort in the close of this doleful ditty The Sun of Righteousnesse loveth not to set in a cloud See Isa 40.1 Profane Elegies have no comfort in them as this hath He will no more carry thee away into Captivity i.
And ye shall know that I am the Lord That which ye would not take knowledge of by the words of your Prophets ye shall now be made to know by the swords of your enemies For ye have not walked in my statutes When God is about to proceed in judgement against evil doers there is ever a cause for it and they shall know it Ver. 13. And it came to passe that when I prophesied God heweth men by his Prophets and slayeth them by the words of his mouth and his Judgements are as the light or lightening that goeth forth Hos 6.5 Elisha hath his sword as well as Jehu and Hazael 1 Kings 19.17 See Jer. 1.10 2 Cor. 10.6 Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died Suddenly and before his time in Solomons sense Eccles 7.17 Driven away he was in his iniquity Prov. 14.32 so were Ananias and Sapphira Magnum est subito opprimi Corinthus Arius Steven Gardiner Cardinal Pool Dick of Dover as they called the persecuting Suffragan there Nightingal Parson of Bocking c. See Prov. 6.14 15. Then fell I down upon my face Out of an holy sollicitude about Gods Elect lest they also should have perished as Pelatiah had done whose very name might seem somewhat ominous for it signifieth The escaped one of the Lord and therefore his so suddain death might portend destruction to the remnant of Israel And cryed with a loud voice Suddain or singular Judgements put Saints upon humble earnest and argumentative prayer Ver. 14. Again the Word of the Lord came unto me In answer to my prayer though there was something in it of unbelief and humane frailty See Psal 31.22 with the Note Ver. 15. Thy brethren even thy brethren i. e. Thine unbrotherly brethren of Jerusalem seek to unbrother and to unchurch thee and the rest of thy concaptives See Isa 65.5 Papists and Sectaries deal so by us The men of thy kindred Viri vindiciarum tuarum or they that have the right of redemption And all the house of Israel Tota downs Israelis quanta quanta est The Hierosolymitanes challenged the Lord and the Land and all therein to be theirs excluding and as it were excommunicating the Captives at Babylon who were dear to God So dealt the Scribes and Pharisees by the Christians Joh. 16.2 Acts 26.9 10 11. So did the Rogatian Heretikes and the Donatists who gave themselves out as now the Papists do to be the only Catholikes The Arians called the Orthodox by way of scorn and contempt Ambrosians Athanasians Homousians c. Get ye far from the Lord Gressus removete profani Iee in malam crucem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye are cut off from the people of God and may go whither you will we are heirs and owners of the promises ye are outcasts and abjects Ver. 16. Although I have cast them What a Cornucopia of comfort may this promise be to poor prisoners forlorn Exiles and such as by sicknesse or otherwise are necessitated to keep from publike Ordinances that they shall have Gods presence and protection the comfort and conduct of his Spirit c Yet I will be to them as a little Sanctuary By hearing their prayers Sanctuarium modicum sanctifying their natures bringing to their remembrance what things they have heard and learned touching Me and my will Themselves and their duties They should in Babylon worship God in spirit and in truth and in the life to come the Lord God Almighty and his Lamb should be their Temple Rev 21.22 Ver. 17. I will even gather you from the people How impossible or improbable soever you may think it and those of Hierusalem pronounce it The Prophet Isay in many Chapters of his Gospel which beginneth at chap. 40. setteth himself to chear up these poor captives with good hopes of a return after a little while Paulisper as some render the word Megnat in the foregoing Verse Ver. 18. And they shall take away all the detestable things So God calleth their Mawmets and monuments of Idolatry They chose rather to dye then to suffer Caligula's statue to be set up in their Temple by Petronius not daigning to call them by their usual names After the Captivity the Jews would never endure idols To this day they say that there is an ounce of the golden calf in all their sufferings Ver. 19. And I will give them one heart Opposed to a divided heart such as the Paphlagonian Partridges are said to have Hos 10.2 that is partly for God and partly for the world Ezek. 33.31 This onenesse of heart truely and entirely cleaving to God alone is that boon that David so dearly beggeth Plin. l. 11. c. 37. Psal 86.11 that he might attend upon God without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 and as the visive beams are wholly bent upon the thing that is beheld by the eye and as it were concentred in it so might his desires and indeavours be entirely carried toward God and firmly fixed upon him And I will put a new spirit within you The same soul for substance but altered in the frame renewed in the qualities thereof Marke 16.17 they shall speak with new tongues So we read of a new Song The strings are the same but the tune is changed See Psal 51.12 Ephes 4.23 2 Cor. 5.17 And I will take the stony heart Extraham say the Sept. I will draw or pull it out which none can do but the hand of Heaven God only can make the flinty heart fleshly that is sensible soft pliant penetrable buxom and obedient to his holy Will Ver. 20. That they may walk in my statutes The Covenant of grace is suited to all the exigencies and indigencies of a poor Saint It is ordered in all things 2 Sam. 23.5 Ver. 21. But as for them This is added lest any wicked men should misapply the Promises as they do quisperando praesumunt praesumendo pereunt Ver. 22. Then did the Cherubims Now God is utterly leaving the refractory Jewes He did so much more after their rejection of Christ and his Gospel Ver. 23. From the midst of the City From the East-gate And stood upon the mountain Mount Olivet There he made his last stand to see if they would meet him with intreaties of peace that he might stop or step back Here it was that Christ wept over the City and hence he went up to heaven after which came the Romans and destroyed it Ver. 24. By the Spirit of God i. e. In a supernatural rapture Ver. 25. Then I spake unto them of the Captivity These were his proper charge and now Gods chiefest care to them therefore he delivered the whole counsel of God which he had seen and heard for their better settlement CHAP. XII Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord also came unto me This variety of visions shews the great unbelief of the people whose Captivity and calamity is here further described and assured by a new Type which is set out in the first six
such stand shall they thus escape by iniquity Ver. 15. But he rebelled against him As Ottocarus King of Bohemia did against Rodolphus the first Emperour of Germany by the instigation of his Queen and as Ladislaus King of Hungary did against Amurath the Turkes Emperour by the encouragement of Capistranus the Popes Agent to the very great reproach of the Christian Religion Ver. 16. As I live So surely will I punish perjury aâ—d treachery Histories are full of examples in this kind Mr. Greenhil and I have elsewhere recited some of them That of Henry the third of France related by a Reverend man deserves to be memorized After great differences between Him the Cardinal and Duke of Guise he was reconciled unto them confirmed the reconciliation with many oathes took the Sacrament upon it and gave himself to the devil body and soul in case he meant or should attempt any thing against them Yet saith the story he caused the Duke to be killed in his own presence and the Cardinal his brother the next day after Here was breach of Covenant but did he prosper escape do such things and have deliverance No within eight moneths after he was slain by a Friar in the midst of his Army Ver. 17. Neither shall Pharaoh God will cause the strongest sinew in the arm of flesh to crack See Psal 33.10 11. Ver. 18. Seeing he despised the oath Despised it ex fastu quodam out of pride and disdain as the word signifieth as Pascenius the Papist jeareth at King James for inventing the oath of allegiance There is in our Chronicles a memorable story of one Sr. Ralph Percy slain upon Hegely-moor in Northumberland Speed by the Lord Mountacute General for Edward the fourth He would no wayes depart the field though defeated but in dying said I have saved the bird in my breast meaning his oath to King Henry the sixth Had false Zedekiah done so he had for this once at least escaped But Ambition whose Motto is said to be Sic mea fata sequor was his ruine Ver. 19. Surely mine oath Because taken by my name so that I am deeply engaged highly concernd it it Ver. 20. And I will spread my net upon him See on chap. 12.13 The history telleth us that when Zedekiah with his Nobles were gotten into the plains of Jericho and thought themselves out of danger those great hunters the Babylonians caught him and carried him to their King Ver. 21. And all his fugitives See on chap. 14.13 14. They shall know Serò sapient Vexatio tandem dabit intellectum All too lâ—te they shall knowledge it Ver. 22. I will also take of the highest branch of the high Cedar Understand this great and precious Promise of Zerubbabel and his successours Insignis est haâ— prophetia Lavat but especially of Christ and his Kingdom How oft in the Prophets is he stiled the Branch Isa 11.1 And how ordinary is it with God after dreadful threats against the wicked to come in with his Attamen for the comfort of his Elect who in their deepest distresse have cause enough to encourage themselves in the Lord Christ their God as did David at the sack of Ziglag 1 Sam. 30.6 Here they are excited in the losse of all else to fetch comfort from Christs descent from David his Exaltation to the kingdom of the Church Universal his bounty and benefits his bringing in the fulnesse of the Gentiles and his setting forth of his Fathers glory A tender one Christ of weak and low beginning Tenellum Psal 2.6 And will plant it Upon Zion spiritual especially upon Calvary saith Theodoret expounding the Septuagint who render the text thus I will hang it upon the high mountain of Israel Ver. 23. In the mountain In the Church that highest top And it shall bring forth boughes c. Christ shall yield food and defence to all his All foul of every wing i. e. The just saith the Chaldee who mind heavenly things and mount upward Ver. 24. And all the trees of the field i. e. All men high and low Have brought down This God loves to do as Heathens could say Have exalted the low Lavater thinks our Saviour alluded to this text in that parable Matth. 13. of the grain of mustard-seed CHAP. XVIII Ver. 1. ANd the Word of the Lord came unto me This is oft prefaced by the Prophets to make their sermons more authoritative and authentike Pausanias telleth us that some Heathen Sages to adde weight to their works were wont to perfix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. God God Ver. 2. What mean you Or What 's come to you qua vos dementia cepit that you do so tosse this sinful and senselesse Proverb amongst you both at Jerusalem Jer. 31.29 and also here at Babylon delicta parentum Immeritus Judaee luis Must I be blasphemed rather then you faulted Is it for your fathers sins only that ye suffer and do ye thus think to put off the reproofs of the Prophets as if your selves had not seconded and out-sinned your Fathers and are therefore justly punished The fathers have eaten sour grapes Sin is no better it is an evil and a bitter thing to forsake the Lord Jer. 2. what wild sour grapes your fathers both bred and fed upon see Isa 5.2 8 11 20 21 22 c. and it was woe woe unto them And the childrens teeth are set on edge Or stupified But is there not a cause and are there not sins enough with you even with you to procure your ruth and your ruine but that I must be injurious rather then you be found obnoxious Ver. 3. Ye shall not have occasion any more For I will shortly take an order with you and not by words but by blows vindicate my just Judgements from your cavils and scurrilities Ver. 4. Behold all souls are mine So that to shew my Soveraignty I may do with them as I see good Howbeit let me tell you that I slay none but for his sins i. e. idque ipsi suâ injustitiâ evenit non injuriâ meâ the fault is meerly in himself so little reason is there that you shoud be thus quarrelsom and contumelious against me The soul that sinneth it shall dye i. e. Shall suffer for his sin either here or hereafter without repentance Every man shall bear his own burden every tub shall stand upon its own bottom and every fox yield his own skin to the fleaer as the Jews at this day proverbially can say Ver. 5. But if a man be just Keep faith and a good conscience do good acts and have good aimes do all as well as any not this or that but this and that too as here it followeth duties of Piety and duties of Charity Ver. 6. And hath not eaten upon the mountains i. e. Hath not offered there to idols for at their sacrifices they feasted Exod. 32. the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play See chap. 20.28
shadow Psal 39.6 Ye shall be cut in pieces Practisers of unjust flatteries do oft meet with unjust frowns Ver. 6. Ye shall receive of me gifts and reward This was that they gaped after but missed of and therefore out of envy called not Daniel and his companions as some think lest they should share with them And great honour Great learning deserveth great honour Aeneas Sylvius was wont to say that popular men should esteem it as silver Noblemen as gold Princes prize it as pearles Ver. 7. They answered again and said Let the King c. Thus these proud boasters vaunt of a false gift and become like clouds without rain as Solomon hath it Prov. 25.14 See ver 4. Ver. 8. I know of certainty There 's no halting afore a cripple Politicians can sound the depth of one another Dan. 11.27 That ye would gain the time Chald. buy or redeem it that is make your advantage of it to evade the danger And indeed if these sorcerers could have gained longer time much might have been done for either the King might have dyed or been employed in war or pacified by the mediation of friends c. Time oft cooleth the rage of hasty men as 1 Sam. 25.33 How Hubere de Burgo Earl of Kent escaped the Kings wrath by a little respite see Godwins catalogue of Bish p. 193. Ver. 9. There is but one decree for you But that was a very tyrannical and bloody one T is dangerous to affront great men though in a just cause Eccles 10.4 Saevum praelustri fulmen ab arce venit Ovid. Procul à culmine◠procul à fulmine Till the time be changed The Latine hath it till there be another state of things See on ver 8. Tell me the dream and I shall know that ye can show me the interpretation thereof If you cannot tell it surely you cannot interpret it sith they are both of a divine instinct and nothing is hid from God Ver. 10. There is not a man upon earth Yes there is But this is the guise of worldly wisdom fingit se scire omnia excusat ac ocoulit suam ignorantiam it would seem to know all things and to be ignorant of nothing that is within the periphery of humane possibility Ver. 11. And it is a rare thing Exceeding mans wit Except the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh They cohabit not with men that we might converse and confer with them Here these wisards 1. Superstitiously affirm a multitude of gods which the wiser heathens denyed Thales Pythagoras Socrates Plato Chrysippus c. 2. They deny Gods Providence as did also the Epicures who held that the gods did nothing out of themselves The Peripatetikes also held that they had nothing to do with things below the Moon yea the Platonists and Stoikes placed the gods in heaven only and other spirits good and bad in the aire which conversed with men and were as messengers betwixt them and the gods Thus these famous Philosophers became altogether vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened Rom. 1.21 3. They seem to affirm that man can know nothing of God unless he cohabited in the flesh with him But we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 and the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Psal 25.14 this is a Paradox to the natural man 1 Cor. 2.14 Lastly they deny the incarnation of Christ that great mysterie of godliness God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 Joh. 1.14 Ver. 12. For this cause the King was angry and very furious A cutting answer may mar a good cause Prov. 15.1 See on ver 9. And commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon So rash is rage it is no better then a short madness Cicero Sed de vita hominis nulla potest esse satis diuturna cunctatio saith the Orator In case of life and death nothing should be determined without mature deliberation for like as Saturn the highest of the planets hath the slowest motion of them all Willet So saith one should Princes which sit in their high thrones of Majesty be most considerate in their actions Ver. 13. And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain And the wise men were slain saith the Vulgar Latine some of them likely were cut off The end of worldly wisdom is certain destruction And they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain Wicked decrees are wrested to the butchery of the Saints as was that of the six Articles here in Henry the eighths dayes Tremel Ver. 14. Then Daniel answered with counsel Retulit consilium causam he conferred with Arioch the chief slaughterman giving him good reasons wherefore to defer further execution This good turn he did for the Magicians and Astrologers who were his utter enemies Ver. 15. Why is the decree so hasty from the King Daniel though now in danger of his life forgetteth not his old freedom of speech and God so wrought that the King who was stiffe to the Magicians was tractable to Daniel ver 16. Ver. 16. Then Daniel desired the King to give him time Not to study or deliberate but to pray with fervency and perseverance which is the best help to find out secrets Jer. 33.3 And that he would shew the King the interpretation Beatus ait Plato qui etiam in senectute veritatem consequitur he is happy who findeth out the truth though it be long first saith Plato Ver. 17. Then Daniel went to his house A house then he had though he had lost house and home for God and thither he repaireth as to his Oratory well perfumed with prayers And made the thing known to Ananiah c. That they also might pray setting sides and shoulders to the work as country men do to the wheel when the cart is stalled Ver. 18. That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven All Gods children can pray Cant. 5.8 Those daughters of Jerusalem though not so fully acquainted with Christ yet are requested to pray for the Church But these three were men of singular abilities no doubt and were themselves deeply concerned Concerning this secret In case of secrets and intricacies or riddles of Providence prayer is most seasonable as being Tephillah the usual Hebrew word for prayer a repair to the Lord for enquiry or for his sentence Gen. 25.22 23. Ver. 19. Then was the secret revealed Oh the power of joynt prayer It seldom or never miscarrieth Act. 4. while the Apostles were praying together the house where they prayed shook to shew that heaven it self was shaken and God overcome by such batteries Alb. Mag. In a night vision Vigilia noctis as he watched in the night for he watched as well as prayed Eph. 6.18 Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven Who had not turned away his prayer nor his mercy from him Psal 66. ult They that pray heartily shall never want matter of praise