Eph. 2.17 whose Authour is the God of peace 1 Cor. 14.33 whose Ministers are Messengers of peace Rom. 10.15 whose followers are the children of peace Luk. 10.6 c. If any know not how they came by their peace but are like the Israelitish women quick of delivery before ever the Midwife the Minister can come at them they have cause to suspect their peace That bringeth good tydings As before but never enough mentioned and memorized Some Criticks tell us that the Hebrew word here used signifying also Flesh B. Andrews shewed that the incarnation or taking flesh should be generally good news to the whole world even the best tydings The Old Church had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Promise we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the joyful tydings Leo Castrius ex Procop. Euseb That publisheth Salvation Publicantis Jesum so some have rendred it the concrete for the abstract That saith to Zion Thy God raigneth Maugre the malice of earth and of hell this is the sum of all the good news in the world It is happy that Christ liveth and raigneth said a godly man for else I had utterly despaired Ver. 8. Thy watchmen shall lift up the voyce Heb. the voyce of thy watchmen sc Thy God raigneth or as in the following verse Break forth into joy c. They lift up the voyce they sing together As having no greater joy than that their children walk in the truth 2 Joh. 4. 1 Thes 3.8 and the contrary Id est cominus evidentissime ui Num. 14.14 Jun. For they shall see eye to eye And be able to say as 1 Joh. 1.1 That which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and what so sure as sight declare we unto you Ver. 9. Break forth into you This is the subject matter of Gospel-Ministers discourses they shall call upon Gods people to rejoyce ver 9.10 and to repent ver 11 12. and shall shew them that it is as well a sin not to rejoyce as not to repent Ver. 10. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm Nudavit id est exeruit in answer to your prayer Confes l. 5. c. 8. Turk hist fol. 287. chap. 51.9 God oft answereth his praying people ad cardinem desiderii as Austin saith letteth it be to them even as they will Scanderbeg ever fought against the Turkes with his arm bare and that with such fierceness that the blood did oftentimes burst out of his lips It is written that he with that bare arm of his slew three thousand Turkes in the time of his wars against them Shall see the Salvation of the Lord Shall see it and sing of it ver 9. Ver. 11. Depart ye depart ye go ye out c. Here we have a double repetition redoubled and all little enough to bring them out of Babylon not half as may be probably thought returned which was no small prejudice to those that did and us out of this wicked world whereunto we are so affixed and addicted that nothing can sunder us but an extraordinary touch from the hand of heaven Save your selves from this perverse generation Act. 2.40 Exter not into the path of those wicked and go not in the way of evil men avoid it passe not by it turn from it and passe away Prov. 4.14 15. a parallel place Be ye clean ye that bear the vessels of the Lord Id est qui gestatis arma instramenta adeoque insignia Christi all ye true beleevers who are made spiritual Priests Rev. 1.6 and especially all ye holy Ministers who as Mystagogues handle the Law Jer. 2.8 and administer the Sacraments being your selves choyce vessels of honour to bear Christs name unto his people Act. 9.15 See 2 Tim. 2.21 Ver. 12. For ye shall not go out with haste Neither with fright nor flight shall ye depart as once ye did out of Egypt Diod. And this spiritually denoteth the mature deliberation and calm mind with which beleevers do forsake the world to follow Christ For the Lord will go before you He will be unto you both Van and Rere The Lord is a man of war Exod. 15.3 yea he alone is a whole army of men as here Ver. 13. Behold my servant shall deal prudently Or shall prosper as chap. 53.10 Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 18 cap. 29. Justin contra Tryphon Oâ—ig lib. 1 cont cos Here some and not unfitly begin the next Chapter which hath Christ also for its subject as the Chaldee Paraphrast and some old Jew-Doctors acknowldge Johannes Isaac a Jew was converted by reading of it This I confess ingenuously saith he that that Chapter brought me to the Faith of Jesus Christ and well it might for taken together with these three last verses it is an entire Prophecy or rather an history of Christs person and acts both in the state of his Humiliation and Exaltation He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high This great advancement was the consequent of his great abasement Phil. 2.6 7 8 9 10 11. His humane nature wherein he suffered so for our sakes hath by vertue of the Union with the Deity these high prerogatives 1. An exuberancy and excesse of glory Eph. 1.21 2. The grace of divine Adoration together with the Deity Heb. 1.6 Phil. 2.9 3. Power over all things for his peoples use Mat. 28.18 4. Judiciary power to be Judge of all Act. 17.30 Ver. 14. As many were astonied at thee Viz. at thine abasement first and then at thine advancement thereupon All things in Christ are admirable well therefore might he be called wonderful Isa 9.6 His visage was so marred more than any man Partly through the anguish of his mind at his passion and on the cross and partly also by the misusage of his body whil'st they made totum pro vulnere corpus by their scourging scratching racking on the tree piercing buffeting c. And his form more than the sons of men Plusquam filii Adae more than those of the vulgar sort whereas naturally his body being of the finest temperament and no way diseased could not but be very beautiful See Psal 45.2 with the Note Ver. 15. So shall he sprinkle many Nations With his Doctrine Ezek. 20.46 Am. 7.16 or with his blood that blood of sprinkling See Heb. 10.22 or with water in baptisme wherein sprinkling insufficient Kings shall shut their mouths at him As being astonied at his prudence and prosperity ver 13. They shall also silently and reverently submit to his Scepter and to the Laws of his Kingdom with all humble observance For that which had not been told them The mystery of the Gospel so long time concealed Rom. 15.21 and 16.25 Shall they see Viz. with the eyes of their faith God enlightening both Organ and Object And that which they had not heard Gospel-truthes See 1 Cor. 2.9 with the Note CHAP. LIII Ver. 1. WHo hath believed our report q. d. The Gentiles some of them even of
speak hath not God given us two ears and one tongue to teach us better to precipitate a censure or passe sentence before both Parties bee heard to speak evil of the things that a man knows not or weakly and insufficiently to defend that which is good against a subtle adversary Austin professeth this was it that hardened him and made him to triumph in his former Manichism that hee met with feeble opponents and such as his nimble wit was easily able to overturn Oecolampadius said of Carolostadius that hee had a good cause but wanted shoulders to support it Vers 14. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity Some sorry shift a man may make to bustle with and to rub thorow other aylements and aggrievances disasters or diseases sores or sicknesses of the body as the word here properly importeth Let a man bee sound within and upon good terms at peace with his own conscience and hee will bravely bear unspeakable pressures 2 Cor. 1.9 12. Paul was merry under his load because his heart was cheary in the Lord as an old beaten Porter to the Crosse maluit tolerare quà m deplorare his stroak was heavier than his groaning as Job chap. 23.2 Alexander Aphrodiseus gives a reason why Porters under their burdens go singing because the mind being delighted with the sweetnesse of the musick Problem 1. Numb 78. the body feels the weight so much the lesse Their shoulders while sound will bear great luggage but let a bone bee broken or but the skin rubbed up and raw the lightest load will bee grievous A little water in a leaden vessel is heavy so is a little trouble in an evil conscience But a wounded spirit who can bear q. d. It is a burthen importable able to quail the courage and crush the shoulders of the hugest Hercules of the mightiest man upon earth who can bear it The body cannot much lesse a diseased body And if the soul bee at unrest the body cannot but co-suffer Hence Job preferred and Judas chose strangling before it Bilney and Bainbam Act. Mon. fol. 938. after they had abjured felt such an hell in their consciences till they had openly professed their sorrow for that sin as they would not feel again for all the worlds good Daniel chose rather to bee cast into the den of Lions than to carry about a Lion in his bosome an enraged conscience The primitive Christians cried likewise Ad Leones potiùs quà m ad Lenones adjiciamur What a terrour to himself was our Richard the third after the cruel murther of his two innocent Nephews and Charls the ninth of France after that bloody massacre Hee could never endure to bee awakened in the night without musick or some like diversion But alass if the soul it self bee out of tune these outward things do no more good than a fair shooe to a gowty foot or a silken stocken to a broken legg Vers 15. The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge Such as can keep the bird singing in their bosome and are free from inward perturbations these by meditating on the good Word of God and by listening to the wholesome words 〈◊〉 others get and gather knowledge that is great store of all sorts of knowlâ—â—â—e that which is divine especially and tends to the perfecting of the soul Vers â—â— A mans gift maketh roomth for him This Jacob knew well Gen. 43.11 and therefore â—â—de his Sons take a present for the Governour of the Land though it were but of every good thing a little So Saul 1 Sam. 9.7 when to go to the man of God to enquire about the Asses But behold said hee to his servant if wee go what shall wee bring the man what have wee See more in the Note on Chap. 17. vers 8. 23. Vers 17. Hee that is first in his own cause seemeth just The first tale is good till the second bee heard How fair a tale told Tertullus for the Jews against Paul till the Apostle came after him and unstarcht the Oratours trim speech Judges had need to get and keep that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Alexander boasted of to keep one ear clear and unprejudiced for the defendant for they shall meet with such active Actors or Pleaders as can make Quid libet ex quolibet Candida de nigris de candentibas atra as can draw a fair glove upon a foul hand blanch and smooth over the worst causes with goodly pretences as Ziba did against Mephibosheth Potiphars wife against Joseph c. Hee must therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Athenian Judges were sworn to do hear both sides indifferently and as that Levite said Judg. 19. Consider consult and then give sentence doing nothing by partiality or prejudice Vers 18. The lot causeth contentions to cease As it did Josh 14.2 Where it is remarkable that Joshua that lotted out the Land left none to himself and that portion that was given him and hee content withall was but a mean one in the barren mountains So again Act. 1.26 where it is remarkable that this Joseph called Barsabas seeing it was not Gods mind by lot to make choice of him now to succeed Judas in the Apostleship was content with a lower condition therefore afterwards God called him to that high and honourable office of an Apostle if at least this Joseph Barsabas were the same with that Joseph Barnabas Act. 4.36 as the Centurists are of opinion See the Note on Chap. 16.23 Vers 19. A brother offended is harder to bee won c. Whether it bee a brother by race place or grace Corruptio optimi pessima Those oft that loved most dearly if once the Devil cast his club betwixt them they hate most deadly See this exemplified in Cain and Abel Esau and Jacob Polynices and Eteocles Romulus and Remus Caracalla and Geta the two sons of Severus the Emperour Robert and Rufus the sons of William the Conquerour the Civil dissentions between the houses of York and Lancaster wherein were slain eighty Princes of the blood-royal the dissentions between England and Scotland Daniel 192. which consumed more Christian-blood wrought more spoil and destruction and continued longer than ever quarrel wee read of did between any two people of the world As for Brethren by profession and that of the true Religion too among Protestants you shall meet with many divisions and those prosecuted with a great deal of bitternesse Eucholcer Nullum bellum citius exardescit nullum deflagrat tardius quà m Theologicum No war breaks out sooner or lasts longer than that among Divines or as that about the Sacrament a Sacrament of love a Communion and yet the occasion by accident of much dissention Melch. Adam in vita This made holy Strigelius weary of his life Cupio ex hac vita migrare ob duas causas saith hee For two causes chiefly do I desire to depart out of this world First That I may injoy the
cause That is Without calling being not thereunto required for this would speak thee spightful rash and revengeful as in the next verse And deceive not with thy lips When called to be a Witnesse speak thy mind simply and plainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without preface or passion without varnish of fine words whereby to mislead the Judge or deceive the Jurors to bolster out a bad cause or out-face a good Vers 29. Say not I will doe so to him as he hath done to me Nothing is more natural than revenge of wrongs and the world approves it as right temper true touch As to put up wrongs is held towardise and unmanliness But we have not so learned Christ Nay those that never heard of Christ have spoken much against this vindictive disposition See the Note on chap. 20.22 and on Mat. 5.39 Rom. 12.17 I will render to the man according to his works But is not that Gods Office And will you needs leap into his Chair wring the Sword out of his hand or at least will you be a Pope in your own cause depose the Magistrate or appeal from him to yourself What Luciferian pride is this Nemo te impunè lacessit Is not God the God of recompences Vers 30. I went by the field of the slothful Not purposely to spy faults for Nemo curiosus quin malevolus but my business lay that way and I was willing to make the best of every thing that came before me By the vineyard of the man voyd of understanding Hebr. That had no heart that is that made no use of it that was not Egregie cordatus homo as one describes a wise man Vers 31. And loe it was all grown over with thorns So is the Spiritual sluggards soul with lusts and sins under the which lurketh that old Serpent Vers 32. Then I saw and considered it well I made my best use of it for mine own instruction A Bee can suck honey out of a flower which a Fly cannot doe So a spiritual mind can extract good out of every object and occurrence even out of other mens faults and follies he can gather grapes of thorns and figgs of thistles as here Well therefore may grace be called the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 for as God draws light out of darkness good out of evil c. so doth grace by an heavenly kind of Alchymy as I may so say And received instruction Exemplo alterius qui sapit ille sapit The worse others are the better should we be getting as farre off from the wicked as wee can in our daily practice and saving our selves from this untoward generation Vers 33. Yet a little sleep Mercer makes this to be the lesson that the Wiseman both learnt himself and also layes before others viz. to be content with a little sleep to be up and at it betimes c. that the begger catch us not But I rather incline to those that think that he here brings in the sluggard pleading for his sloth and by an elegant Mimesis imitates and personates him saying as he used to doe yet a little more sleep a little more slumber c. A little and yet sleeps in the plural A little he would have but a little will not serve his turn See the Note on chap. 6.9 c. Vers 34. So shall thy poverty come Swiftly and irresistably Seneca calls Sloth the Nurse of beggery the Mother of misery CHAP. XXV Vers 1. These also are Proverbs of Solomon which the men SAlomon hath his thousand out of this his Vine-yard of three thousand Proverbs 1 King 4.32 and these men of Hezekiah that kept and yet communicated the fruit thereof Prima sequmtem bonestum est in secundi◠tertiisque confistere Gic. de Orat. their two hundred Cant. 8.12 It is good for men to be doing what they are able for the glory of God and good of others If it be but to Copy out another mans Work and prepare it for the Press Them that any way honour God he will honour that is a bargain of his own making and we may trust to it Vers 2. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing That what we conceive not we may admire mirari non rimari and cry out with Paul O the depth Rom. 11.33 as the Romans dedicated to their Goddesse Victoria a certain Lake the depth whereof they could not dive into God is much to be magnified for what hee hath revealed unto his people in the holy Scriptures for their eternal good But those unsearchable secrets of his such as are the union of the three Persons into one Nature and of two Natures into one Person his wonderful Decrees and the no lesse wonderful execution thereof c. these make exceeding much to the glory of his infinite Wisdom and surpassing greatnesse Aristot in speaking whereof our safest eloquence is our silence sith tantum recedit quantum capitur saith Nazianzen much like that Pool spoken of by Polycritus which in compasse at the first scarce seemed to exceed the breadth of a shield but if any went in to wash it extended it self more and more But the honour of Kings is to search out a matter As Salomon did that of the two Harlots 1 King 3. Job 29.16 There are that divide this Book of Proverbs into three parts In the nine first Chapters things of a lower nature and fit for instruction of youth are set down and described Next From thence to this five and twentieth Chapter the wise man discourseth of all sorts of virtues and vices sutable to all sorts of People Lastly From this Chapter to the end he treateth for the most part of higher matters as of King-craft and State-business Vers 3. The Heaven for height c. It is a wonder that we can look up to so admirable an height and that the very eye is not tired in the way If this ascending line could be drawn right forwards some that have calculated curiously have found it 500 years journey to the starry sky Other Mathematicians say that if a stone should fall from the 8th Sphere and should pass every hour 100 miles it would be 65. years or more before it would come to ground I suppose there is as little credit to be given to these Aug de Civit. Dei l. 16. as to Aratus the Astrologer who boasted that he had found out and set down the whole number of the stars in heaven or as to Archimedes the Mathematician that said Sphinx Philosoph that he could by his Art cast up the just number of all the sands both in the habitable and inhabitable parts of the world And the earth for depth From the surface to the center how far it is cannot be known exactly as neither whether hell be there but that it is somewhere below may be gathered from Rev. 14.11 and other places Ubi sit sentient qui curiosius quaerunt And the heart of Kings is
Father who tells him there that which hee found true by experience Loe children are an heritage of the Lord c. for by all his Wives Salomon had none but one Son and him none of the wisest neither Vers 2. What my son and what the son of my wombe An abrupt speech importing abundance of affection even more than might be uttered There is an Ocean of love in a Parents heart a fathomless depth of desire after the Childes welfare in the mother especially Some of the Hebrew Doctors hold that this was Bathsheba's speech to her son after his fathers death when she partly perceived which way his Genius leaned and lead him that then shee schooled him in this sort q. d. Is it even so my son my most dear son c. O doe not give thy strength to women c. Vers 3. Give not thy strength to women Waste not unworthily the fat and marrow of thy dear and precious time the strength of thy body the vigor of thy spirits in sinful pleasures and sensual delights See chap. 5.9 Nor thy wayes to that which destroyeth Kings Venery is called by one Deaths best Harbinger It was the destruction of Alexander the great of Otho the Emperour called for his good parts otherwise Miraculum mundi of Pope Sextus the fourth qui decessit tabidus voluptate saith the Historian dyed of a wicked waste and of Pope Paul the fourth of whom it passed for a Proverb Eum per candem partem animam profudisse per quam acceperat The Lacedemonian Common-wealth was by the hand of Divine Justice utterly overturned at Leuctra for a rape committed by their Messengers on the two Daughters of Scedosus And what befell the Benjamites on a like occasion is well known out of Judg. 20. that I speak not of the slaughter of the Shechemites Gen. 34. c. Vers 4. It is not for Kings to drink wine i. e. To bee drunk with Wine wherein is excess Ephes 5.18 where the Apostle determines excessive drinking to bee down-right drunkenness viz. when as Swine do their bellies so men break their heads with filthy quaffing This as no man may lawfully doe so least of all Princes for in maxima libertate minima est licentia Men are therefore the worse because they are bound to be better Nor for Princes strong drink Or as some read it where is the strong drink It is not for Princes to ask such a question All heady and intoxicating drinks are by statute here forbidden them Of Bonosus the Emperour it was said that he was born non ut vivat sed ut bibat not to live but to drink and when being overcome by Probus he afterwards hanged himself it was commonly jested that a tankard hung there and not a man But what a Beast was Marcus Antonius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strabo Camd. Elis that wrote or rather spued out a book concerning his own strength to bear strong drink And what another was Darius King of Persia who commanded this inscription to bee set upon his Sepulcher I was able to hunt lustily to drink wine soundly and to bear it bravely That Irish Rebel Tiroen Anno 1567. was such a Drunkard that to cool his body when hee was immoderately inflamed with Wine and Uskabagh hee would many times bee buried in the earth up to the chin These were unfit men to bear rule Vers 5 Lest they drink and forget the Law Drunkennesse causeth forgetfulness hence the Ancients feigned Bacchus to bee the sonne of forgetfulness and stands in full opposition to reason and religion when the Wine is in the Wit is out Plutarch in Sympos Seneca saith that for a man to think to be drunk and yet to retain his right reason is to think to drink rank poyson and yet not to dye by it And pervert the judgement c. Pronounce an unrighteous sentence which when Philip King of Macedony once did the poor woman whose cause it was presently appealed from Philip now drunk to Philp when hee should be sober again The Carthaginians made a Law that no Magistrate of theirs should drink wine The Persians permitted their Kings to be drunk one day in a year only Solon made a Law at Athens that drunkenness in a Prince should be punished with death See Eccles 10.16 17. Vers 6. Give strong drink to him c. To those that stand at the barre rather than to them that sit on the bench Wine maketh glad the heart of man Judg. 9.13 Psal 104.15 Plato calls Wine and Musick the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mitigaters of mens miseries Hence that laudable custome among the Jews at Funerals to invite the friends of the deceased to a feast and to give them the cup of consolation Jer. 16.7 And hence that not so laudable of giving Wine Bacchus afflictis requienâ— mortalibus affert Tibul. mingled with Myrrhe to crucified Malefactors to make them dye with lesssense Christ did not like the custom so well and therefore refused the potion People should be most serious and sober when they are to dye sith in Death as in Warre non licet bis errare if a man miss at all he misses for all and for ever Vitellius trepidus dâ—in temâ—lentus Vitellius therefore took a wrong course who looking for the messenger Death made himself drunk to drown the fear of it And Wine unto those that be of heavie hearts Heb. bitter of spirit as Naomi was when she would needs be called Marah Ruth 1.20 as Hannah was when she pleaded that she had neither drunk Wine nor strong drink though at that time she had need enough of it but was a Woman of a sorrowful spirit 1 Sam. 1.15 as David was when his heart was leavened and sowred with the greatness of his grief and he was pricked in his reins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 73.21 This grief was right because according to God 2 Cor. 7.11 so was that bitter mourning Zach. 10.12 and Peters weeping bitterly These waters of Marah that flow from the eyes of repentance are turned into wine they carry comfort in them there is a clear shining after this rain 2 Sam. 23.4 Such April-showers bring on May-flowers Dejicit ut revelet premit ut solatia praestet Enecat ut possit vivificare Deus Vers 7. Let him drink and forget his Poverty And yet let him drink moderately too lest he increase his sorrows as Lot did and not diminish them for drunkennesse leaves a sting behind it worse than that of a Serpent or of a Cockatrice Prov. 23.32 Wine is a prohibited ware among the Turks which makes some drink with scruple others with danger The baser sort when taken drunk are often bastinadoed upon the bare feet And I have seen some saith mine Author after a fit of drunkennesse lye a whole night crying and praying to Mahomet for intercession Bluâ—tâ— voyage p. 105. that I could not sleep neer them so strong is conscience even where
Champion as Christ who is in love with her and will take her part fight her quarrel and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn Isa 54.17 As the ecclipsed Moon by keeping her motion wades out of the shadow and recovers her splendour So it shall bee with the Spouse Yea shee shall bee able to answer those that reproach and cast dirt upon her for her keeping close to Christs colours and suffering hardship for him as the Emperour Adrian did the Poet Florus who sate on an Ale-bench and sang Nolo ego Caesar esse Ambulare per Britannos Rigidas pati pruinas c. The witty Emperour replied upon him assoon as hee heard of it Melanchthon in Chron. Carion Nolo ego Florus esse Ambulare per tabernas Latitare per popinas Pulices pati rotundos Vers 5. Stay mee with flaggons Not with cups or bowls onely but with flaggons larger measures of that Wine that was set before her in Christs Wine-house Comfort mee with Apples such as fall from Christs Apple-tree spoken of in the former verse the precious mellifluous promises which are sweet like the Apples of the Garden of Eden as the Chaldee here hath it Boulster mee up with these for I am even sinking and swooning with an excess of love with an exuberancy of spiritual joy in God my Saviour such as I can hardly stand under Stay mee therefore saith shee to the Ministers Poly. hist cap. 56. Smells are applied to the nostrils of them that faint those pillars to support the weak Gal. 2.9 and to comfort the feeble minded 1 Thes 5.14 Stay mee or sustain mee with flaggons comfort mee with Apples Solinus tells of some near the River Ganges that live odore pomorum sylvestrium by the smell of Forrest Apples which is somewhat strange For I am sick of love Surprized with a love-qualm as an honest Virgin may bee meeting her Love unawares enjoying him in the fulness of joy and fearing the loss of his company for a long season Lomb. Seâ—t lib. 3. distine 34. Vide August Epist 121. ad Hoxorâ— This is timor amicalis which Lombard thus describeth ne offendamus quem diligimus ne ab eo separemur The fear of love is lest wee should offend him whom our soul loveth and so cause him to withdraw Hic timor transit in charitatem saith Gregory This fear passeth into love and overwhelms the spirit sometimes This was it that made Jacob when hee saw nothing but visions of love and mercy cry out How dreadful is this place This made that mixture of passions in those good women that coming to look Christ Gosr in Vit. Bern. departed from the grave with fear and great joy From this cause it was that Bernard for a certain time after his conversion remained as it were deprived of his senses by the excessive consolations hee had from God Cyprian writes to his friend Donatus that before his conversion hee thought it impossible to finde such raptures and ravishments as now hee did in a Christian course Epist l. 1. Confess l. 6. c. 22. Hee begins his Epistle thus Accipe quod sentitur antequam discitur c. Augustine saith the like of himself What unconceiveable and unutterable extasies of joy then may wee well think there is in Heaven where the Lord Christ perpetually and without intermission manifesteth the most glorious and visible signs of his presence and seals of his love Hee pours forth all plenteous demonstrations of his goodness to his Saints and gives them eyes to see it minds to conceive it and then fills them with exceeding fulness of love to him again so that they swim in pleasure and are even overwhelmed with joy a joy too big to enter into them they must enter into it Mat. 25.21 Oh pray pray with that great Apostle that had been in Heaven and seen that which eye never saw that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened Verbis exprimi non potest experimento opus est Chrys you may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints Ephes 1.18 3.19 A glory fitter to bee beleeved than possible to bee discoursed An exceeding excessive eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Such a weight as if the body were not upheld by the power of God it were impossible but it should faint under it How ready are our spirits to expire here when any extraordinary unexpected comfort befalls us The Church is sick of love Jacobs heart fainted when hee heard of Josephs life and honour in Egypt The Queen of Sheba was astonied at Solomons wisdome and magnificence so that shee had no spirit more in her Viscount Lisley in Henry the Eighths time died for joy of an unexpected pardon What then may wee think of those in Heaven and should not wee hasten in our affections to that happy place Oh do but think saith one though it far pass the reach of any mortal thought what an infinite inexplicable happiness it will bee to look for ever upon the glorious body of Christ shining with incomprehensible beauty far above the brightest Cherub and to consider that even every vein of that blessed body bled to bring thee to Heaven Think of it I say and then exhale thy self in continual sallies as it were of most earnest desires to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ which is far the better Phil. 1.23 As in the mean while let thy soul sweetly converse with him in all his holy Ordinances but especially at his Holy Table where hee saith unto thee as once to Thomas Reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and bee not faithless but beleeving Let thy soul also there reciprocate and say My Lord and my God! Whom have I in Heaven but thee and in Earth Psa 73.25 none in comparison of thee Rabboni Come quickly Vers 6. His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace mee As if shee should have said I called unto you my friends to relieve and raise mee falling into a spiritual swoon but behold the consolation that is in Christ Phil. 2.1 2 the comfort of love the fellowship of the Spirit the bowels and mercies of my dear Husband hee hath fulfilled my joy hee hath prevented your help or at least hee hath wrought together with the means and made it successeful You have stayed mee with flaggons Psal 23.2 but hee hath restored my soul You have bolstered mee up with Apples but when that would not do hee hath put his left hand under my head as a pillow to rest upon and with his right hand hee hath embraced mee as a loving Husband cherisheth his sick wife and doth her all the help hee can Ephes 5.29 The whole virtue and power of the Ministry cometh from Christ They do their worthy indeavour to stay and under-prop our Faith but
Ver. 22. Thy silver is become dross Heb drosses A proverbial kind of speech deciphering Apostacy It is as if the Prophet had said There is nothing pure in thee nothing sincere or simple sed omnia fallacia omnia fucata omnia inquinata but all things are deceitful degenerate and corrupt Dross looketh like silver and is nothing less Wine mixt or marred with water hath the name of wine when it is nil nisi vappa Hypocrites are meer seemers Jam 1.26 Juglers Job 13.16 having a form of Knowledge Rom. 2. a form of Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 fair professors they are and foul sinners But be not deceived God is not mocked he is a faithful Metallary saith a Father and will easily find out mens mixtures and impostures It is to be feared that he hath yet a further controversie with this Nation for our hateful Hypocrisie and Apostacy for where now alas is our ancient fervour and forwardness our heating and whetting one another O how dull and dilute are we c. Ver. 23. Thy Princes are rebellious Or Revolters Apostates there is an Elegancy in the Original such as this Prophet is full of ac si dicas primi sunt Pravi vel Perversi so saith Calvin here Episcopi may be called Aposcopi Cardinales Carnales vel Carpinales Carpet-men Canonisi Cenonici Praepositi praeposteri c. This note A Lapide is very angry at lapides loquitur And companions of Thieves Whilest they not only suffered such to go unpunished but also shared with them as Psalm 50.18 Cato complained that in his time some thieves stood at the bar in cold Irons when others and worse sat on the Bench with Gold-chains about their necks The bold Pirat told Alexander to his teeth that he was the Arch-Pirat of the World And what shall we think of Pope Alexander who Anno 1505. sent a Bull of Pardons for many Speed 992. dispensing thereby with such as kept away or by any fraud had gotten the goods of other men which they should now retain still without scruple of conscience so as they paid a rateable portion thereof to his Holinesses receivers And at this day Popish Priests will absolve a thief of his wickedness Scultet in loc if he may have half with him of the stollen goods Every one loveth gifts Not only taketh although in taking also the Greek proverb saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great care and caution should be used Olim didici quid sint munera said a grave man See Deut. 16 19. And followeth after rewards As an Hunter his game or a Merchant his gain or a Martialist his enemy Sectantur retributiones i. e. Collidunt inter se judices saith the Chaldee Paraphrast the Judges complot saying one to another Help thou me in Judging against the poor and I 'le do as much for thee another time They judge not the fatherless Because friendless pennilesse Sed pupillos laedere est pupillam oculi Dei contingere Neither doth the cause of the Widow come before them The Widow cannot speak for her self in the Original she hath her name from Dumness and hath no mony to make room for her hence her cause is slighted Ver. 24. Therefore thus saith the Lord Dominator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great House-keeper of the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord of Hosts Heb. Jehovah of Armies The mighty One of Israel Able enough to deal with them and to punish their facinus majoris abollae Ah Some render it Heu Alass to shew that God punisheth nolens dolens unwillingly and with grief Heu â—olentis Luther Oecolâ—mp Ab exultantis as Lam. 3.33 Others make it to be an expression of joy to shew what content he will take in punishing the obstinate and so it followeth I will ease me I will avenge me As it is an ease to a full stomack to disgorge and as to a vindictive person Revenge is very sweet Est vindicta bonum vita jucundius ipsa So but in a way of Justice God delighteth in the destruction of his stubborn enemies animumque explesse juvabit See Deut. 28.63 Ezek 5.13 Prov 1.26 Mine Adversaries Such by a specialty are corrupt Judges as Calvin here noteth Ver. 25. And I will turn my hand upon thee So Zech. 13. I will turn my hand upon the little ones so soon doth it repent the Lord concerning his servants Here he mitigateth the former fearful menace and promiseth a Reformation And purily purge away thy dross Et expurgabo ut purificativum scorias tuas The wicked are the dross of the State Psal 119.119 and wickedness is the dross and dregs of the soul Prov. 17.3 27.21 God promiseth her to purge out both to separate the precious from the vile to reform refine all a Metaphor from Metallaries And I will take away all thy tinne 1. Thine Hypocrisie for tinne hath a shew of silver but t is not so nay it is a deadly enemy to gold silver saith One making them hard and brittle Diod. It is also a Tyrant over them and will hardly be separated from them Hereby are figured your most noted rooted and inveterate sins Ver. 26. And I will restore By new minting the Common-wealth Volut adulterinum nummum as Jer. 9.7 Mal. 3.3 This I will do for thee after thy Captivity but especially after the coming of Christ in the flesh Thou shalt be called Thou shalt have the name and the note the comfort and the credit of such a one The City of Righteousness Wherein dwelleth Righteousness or the City of the Righteous of Jesus Christ the Righteous One 1 Ioh. 2.2 and of his people which shall be all righteous Isa 60.21 Thou shalt be a very Jehovah shammah Ezek 48.35 The faithful City As once thou wast ver 21. Ver. 27. Zion shall be redeemed in judgement Or by judgement executed on her enemies who are also Gods enemies ver 24. And her converts Such as were Manasseh made of a Lion a Lamb Matthew of a Publican an Evangelist Paul of a Pharisee an Apostle Justin of a Philosopher a Martyr Cyprian of a Rhetorician and as some think a Magician a most famous Bishop Austin of a Manichee a Champion of the Church Petrus Paulus Vergerius of the Popes Nuntio a zealous Preacher at Zurich that I speak not of Peter Martyrs converts in Italy Earl Martinens Marquess Caracciolus Lacisius Tremellius Zanchius and other great Divines Hist of Modern Divines by Lupton Bucer was first wrought upon by Luthers Sermon preached before the Emperour at Worms and so of a Dominican became a famous Protestant Bilney was converted by reading Erasmus his Translation of the New Testament for the Eloquence of it and particularly by that sweet sentence 1 Tim. 1.15 Latimer was converted by blessed Bilney as he calleth him from a stiff Papist to a stout Professor of the Truth Julius Palmer the Martyr by reading Calvins Institutions Dr. Sibbs by a
signifieth to deal perfidiously or treacherously as Isa 21.3 perhaps because it is tegumentum testimonium not more a covering of mans shame then a testimony of his first sin in falling from God So that a man or woman hath no more cause to brag of his fine cloaths or to be proud of them then a Thief of a silk-rope or then one bath of a Plaister laid to his filthy sore Ver. 24. And there shall be in stead of sweet smell stink Ex illuvie sordibus captivitatis carceris Martial and Marcellinus tell us of a natural stench the Jews have such as made the Emperour Aurelius coming amongst some of them and annoyed with their ill savour Ammian li. 2. to cry out O Marcomanni O Quadi O Sarmatae c. O Marcomans Quades and Sarmatians at length I have met with those that are more nasty and loathsome then you are These dainty Dames are threatened with dirty doings in captivity and prison such as should render them odious And in stead of a girdle a rent Or rags or a beating the Vulgar rendereth it a cord And instead of well set hair Heb. work of even or smooth setting or trimming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or hair-trimmers were anciently noted for effeminate Pompey is taxed in History for that he did Vnico digitulo caput scalpere scratch his well-set hair with his little finger only Baldness Pro crispanti crine calvitium pro fascia pectorali cilicium Pride is so hatefull to God that such as are guilty of it seldom escape his visible vengeance And burning instead of beauty Burning that is Sun-burning Ver. 25. Thy men shall fall by the sword for suffering and favouring the womens excesses such as are now adaies naked breasts and shoulders Abhorred filth Our King Henry the 6. at such a sight cryed Fit fie Ladies in sooth you are too blame c. Ver. 26. And her gates shall lament because unfrequented as Lam. 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian And the King desolate swept and wiped of all not as once with her turrified head and stretcht forth neck Sitteth upon the ground as a sad mourner Mony was coined by Vespatian with a woman sitting at the root of a Palm-tree and this inscription Judae capta CHAP. IV. Ver. 1. ANd in that day sc that day of desolation chap. 3.26 Seven women i. e. many women See the like Zach. 8.23 The women had been grievously threatened chap. 3. the men also for their sakes ver 25.26 and yet the Prophet hath not done with them so hainous is sin in either sex Shall take hold of one man who themselves were wont to be sued unto by many men and perhaps were not content with their own Husbands when they had them alive but were sick of a Plurisie We will eat our own bread c. whereas the husband giveth to his wife food rayment and due benevolence these would crave the last only which yet they could not do neither in this sort but by laying aside womanlike modesty Only let us be called by thy name As wives used to be by their husbands names both among the Jews and other Nations as Mary Cleophas Mary Zebedee c. Solomons wife was after his name called Shulamite Cant. 6.13 and the Roman Ladies were wont to say to their husbands Vbi tu Cajus ibi ego Caja To take away our reproach of want of husbands and children See Psalm 78.63 Judg. 11.36 37. Jer. 30.17 Ver. 2. In that day the branch of the Lord Here the Prophet draweth to a close of this excellent Sermon and he concludeth it as he began with a gracious promise of the coming and Kingdom of Christ and of the felicity of his Subjects which consisteth first in their sanctity ver 3.4 Secondly in their security ver 5.6 This is more amply set forth chap. 11. The branch of the Lord The Lord Christ the Consolation and Expectation of Israel called elswhere the Bud or Branch Chap. 11.1 Zech. 3.8 6.12 See the Notes there Luke 1.78 The Day-spring from on high is by Beza rendred the Branch from on high and the Branch of Righteousness Jer. 23.5 33.15 The Jew Doctors also understand it of the Messiah Istud germen quod de virga Jesse virore virgineo pullulavit saith Bernard The Branch of the Lord he is called saith Oecolampadius because being true God he hath God to his Father in Heaven and the Fruit of the earth because being also true man he had the Virgin to his mother in earth Ecce habet incarnationis mysterium Lo here we have saith he the great Mysterie of God manifested in the flesh Others by the Fruit of the earth here do understand the body of the Church which is as the Plant that groweth out of that Branch Shall be beautiful and glorious excellent and comly Heb. Beauty and glory excellency and comliness or gayness and goodliness all in the abstract and yet all too little All this Christ is and more to his Elect Evasores â—rd elis who are here set forth by many Titles as the escaped of Israel the residue in Zion the remnant in Jerusalem the written among the living there c. Saepe autem ad paupertatem aut pancitatem redigitur Ecclesia Howbeit known to the Lord are all his as well as if He had their Names set down in a book Ver. 3. He that is left in Zion See on ver 2. Shall be called holy Heb. holy shall be said to him or of him he shall have the Name and Note of a Saint the comfort and the credit of it Christs holiness shall be both imputed and imparted unto them He shall both expiate their sins and heal their Natures pay their Debts and give them a stock of grace and holiness so that men shall call them an holy people chap. 62.12 Even every one that is written among the Living written in Gods book of Life which is matter of greater joy then to have the Devils subdued unto us Luk. 10.26 for a man may cast out Devils and yet be himself cast to the Devil Mat. 7.22 23. but in Gods book of Life there is no blots no crossings out but as many as are ordain-to eternal Life believe 1 Pet. 1.4 See Ezek. 13. and the same are kept as in a Garison by the power of God through faith unto salvation The Prophet seemeth her to allude to that custom in Jerusalem of enrolling the names of all the Citizens Psalm 48.3 Christ Jesus is the Master of the Rolls in Heaven Rev. 13. wherein none are recorded but such as are designed to glory and vertue 1 Pet. 1.2 2 Thess 2.13 All others are said to be dead in trespasses and sins Ezra 2.63 Eph. 2.1 and to be written in the earth Jer. 17.13 Those Priests that could not produce their genealogy were cashiered by the Tirshata so shall those one day be by Christ whose names are not found written among the
never went from God without God And holy Bradford would never give over any good duty till he found something coming in as in confession till his heart melted in begging pardon till it was quieted in seeking grace till it was quickened c. Ver. 4. He shall not fail nor be discouraged Non erit tristis nec turbulentus so the Vulgar hath it he shall be master of his passions and keep an even state of his looks and motions whatever befall as they report of Socrates He shall not knit his brows or chide which was Eli's fault 1 Sam. 3.13 but is Christs commendation so Lud. de Dieu rendereth it He shall not make to smoke so Junius from ver 3. nor shall he bruise any one Vntil he have set Judgement See on ver 3. And the Iles shall wait for his Law Heb. shall with desire expect his doctrine Ver. 5. Thus saith God the Lord he that created the Heavens and streched them out Heb. and they that streched them out noting the Trinity in Unity as Deut. 6.4 See there Some Pagans concluded the world must needs have had a beginning otherwise we could not know whether the egge or the bird the seed or the plant the day or the night the light or the darkness were first Ver. 6. I the Lord have called thee To the Mediatorship And will hold thine hand working wonders by thee and with thee And will keep thee That thou be not crucified till thine hour be come and that thou despair not when thou sufferest And give thee for a Covenant of the people i. e. For that Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 and that thou mayest reconcile all the Elect in one body to me by thy crosse c. Eph. 2.16 For a light to the Gentiles See chap. 9.2 Ver. 7. To open the blind eyes By the preaching of the Gospel Acts 26.18 2 Cor. 4.4 5 6. Rev. 3.18 To bring out the prisoners from the prison To free poor souls from the Tyranny of sin and terrour of hell This should make us say to Christ as one did once to Augustus for a deliverance nothing so great Effecisti Caesar ut viverem morerer ingratus let me do mine utmost I must live and dye in thy debt Ver. 8. I am the Lord I and no Heathen petty god as I have plainly and plentifully proved nemine contradicente That is my Name God though he be above all name when Manoah enquired after his name the answer was 'T is wounderful i. e. far above thy conception yet here we have his proper name Jehovah which is also called his glory because incommunicable to any creature And my glory will I not give to another To his Son Christ he hath given it Joh. 17.2 who although he is Alius yet he is not Aliud from the Father but of the same nature and essence God hath given being to all things life to many sense to others reason to men and Angels his glory he will not give to any Excellently hereupon Bernard My glory I will not c. what then wilt thou give us Lord Ser. 13. in Cant what wilt thou give us My peace saith he I give you my peace I leave unto you It 's enough for me Lord I thankfully take what thou leavest and leave what thou keepest to thy self c. Ver. 9. Behold the former things are come to passe The Prophecies are fulfilled Before they spring forth I tell you of them Therefore I am the true God undoubtedly and the doctrine of my Prophets is true assuredly veriora quam qua ex tripode Siquidem Satan etsi semel videatur verax millies est mendax semper fallax Ver. 10. Sing unto the Lord a new song The disputation being ended and God having clearly got the better the Prophet singeth this Gratulatory song and calleth upon others to bear a part with him therein and especially for Christ and his benefits aforementioned Ye that go down to the sea i. e. That dwell toward the West of Judea Ver. 11. Let the wilderness Ye that dwell Eastward It was called the wilderness because but thinly inhabited The Villages that Kedar doth inhabit The most fierce and savage people cicurated and civilized by the Gospel preached among them as it is with us at this day De nat deor whose Ancestours were most barbarous and brutish as Tully testifieth Let the inhabitants of the rock Or of Petra the chief City of Arabia Petraea Ver. 12. Let them give glory See ver 10. Ver. 13. The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man Or as a Gyant And here by an elegant Hypotyposis the fierce wrath of God against his foes is set forth to the life and appointed also to be sung for a second part of the ditty viz. Christs conquest over sin death and hell whereby we are made more than Conquerours He shall cry yea roar Jubilabit atque etiam barriet he shall make an hideous and horrible noise such as the Roman souldiers did of old when they began the battle Vegerius and as the Turks do at this day on purpose to affright their enemies Ver. 14. I have long time holden my peace As a travelling woman biteth in her pain as long as she is able So had God for causes best known to himself forborn a long while to appear for his people and to avenge them of their enemies But now Patientia laesa fit furor Deique patientia quo diuturnior eo minacior now down goeth Dagon and the devils whole Kingdom before this jealous Gyant Now will I cry like a traevelling woman Which when she can bear no longer sets up her note and is heard all the house over This is very comfortable God is pained as it were for his people in all their afflictions he is afflicted he longs for their deliverance which therefore shall not be long ere it come Ver. 15. I will make waste mountains and hills I will rather invert the order of nature and mingle heaven and earth together than my Church shall want seasonable help I will also remove all obstacles by sending fire upon the earth Luk. 12.49 and bring every high thought into an holy obedience 2 Cor. 10.5 Ver. 16. And I will bring the blind by a way This was fulfilled in the letter to the Jews brought back from Babylon where they had been close prisoners and in the mystery to all Christs converts more especially to that blind boy presented to Bishop Hooper Martyr the day before his death at Glocester Act. Mon. where the boy also had not long before suffered imprisonment for confessing the truth I will make darkness light before By bringing them out of darknesse into my marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Ver. 17. They shall be greatly ashamed Heb. be ashamed with shame because disappointed and defeated as the Papists oft have been when they have fought against Prorestants in that Bellum Hussiticum in Germany especially And yet Bellarmine
their Potentates have believed our report concerning the Messiah chap. 52.13 14 15. But Lord how few Jews will give credit to what we have said Lib. 1. de Consens Evang. cap. 31. Albeit this Chapter may not unfitly be called The Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Isaiah and things are here set down so plain that Austin thinks they need no exposition yet those Buzzards the later Rabbines cannot or rather will not see that the Prophet speaketh here all along concerning Christ but do strangely writh wring and wrest his words to a wrong sense applying them some to Moses some to Ezra some to Joshuah the son of Josadak c. John Isaac indeed the Jew confesseth of himself as hath been said before that by pondering upon this Chapter he was converted to the Christian Religion the like we read of some few others in Andreas Bayna and Cornelius à Lapid But the Jews themselves will tell you falsely and maliciously that such pretended Proselytes are not of them but poor Christians hired by us to personate their part such a thick veil is still before their eyes such a hard hoof upon their hearts till God pleases by his own holy arm made bare to remove it They could not that is they would not believe Joh. 12.39 They have not all nay scarce any in comparison obeyed the Gospel Rom. 10.16 but blasphemously call it Avengelaion a volume of vantiy scorning to be saved by a crucified God although by mighty miracles wrought amongst them he shewed himself to be the Son of God and an arm to save all that believe in his name Joh. 12.37 And to whom is the Arm of the Lord i. e. His Gospel which is his power to salvation Rom. 1.16 and is hid only to them that perish 2 Cor. 4.3 Ver. 2. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant His beginning shall be mean and despicable See chap. 11.1 with the Notes God hid his Son under the Carpenters son Humilis Christi prosapia nocatur this the Jews much stumbled at Matth. 13.55 57. Luke 24.1 Joh. 7.27 41 53. 1 Cor. 1.23 that Christ should come without sightly shew or state But they should have known that his Kingdom is not of this world Some of their Rabbines can say In regno Messiae nihil mundanum He hath no form or comliness How could he say when his fair face was covered sanguine sputo spinis lacrymis with blood black and blew swelths spettle tears scratches so that Pilat wondering at it said Behold the man q. d. he is not dealt with as a man but being in greatest misery he deserveth to be pittied And when we shall see him Here the Prophet taketh upon him the person of a carnal Jew who judged of Christ according to his outward appearance Joh. 7.24 But what saith the Chaldee Proverb Ne spectes cantharum vel urceum sed id quod in eo est Look not on the pitcher but on the liquor that is contained in it And when we shall see him there is no beauty Heb. And we shall see him and no sight or sightliness That we should desire him And yet he was a Man of desires yea the desire of all Nations Hag. 2.7 all over desirable Cant. 5.16 but so he is only to such as have their senses exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5. ult Ver. 3. He is despised and rejected of men Heb. desitus virorum one at whom the nature and name of man endeth as we would say the very list and fag-end of mankind Jun. Tertul. nullificamen hominis a worm and no man not held so good as wicked Barabbas but crucified betwixt two theeves as worse then either of them and made nothing of Mar. 9.12 This is so plainly here set forth that some of the Jew-doctours Aben-Ezra for one when as they cannot rightly distinguish betwixt the two comings of Christ the one in humility and the other in glory duos construunt Christos Genebrard they make us up two Christs the one the Son of Joseph to whom agree those things which the Scriptures speak of concerning Christs meanness and sufferings the other the Son of David to whom they apply those things that are written concerning the glory majesty and triumphs of Christ Ex doloribus conslatus A man of sorrows q. d. made up of sorrows Atque hic mirus artifex est Propheta and here the Prophet sheweth singular skill in discribing Christs state of humiliation through all the degrees of it And Faith is much happier in finding out his cross blood nails tomb and all then ever Helen was or any Popish relique-monger and in making use of them too to better purpose then that Popish Covent of Friars do who have hired those places of the Turk built Temples altars and silver floores in honour of the Passion And acquainted with grief Heb. knowing of infirmity or inured to it see Heb. 4.15 The Greek Letany hath By thine unknown sorrows and sufferings Good Lord deliver us And we hid as it were our faces from him Or And he hid as it were the face from us viz. as one for his loth somenesse his low condition ashamed to be seen The Jews in their Talmud question What is the name of Messiah Sanhedrin Some answer Hhenara leprous and he sitteth among the poor in the gates of Rome carrying their sicknesses He was despised double-despised and for the unworthinesse of the things this is repeated And we esteemed him not i. e. We contemned and derided him Ver. 4. Surely he hath born our griefs He took our infirmities natural though not sinful or He suffered for our offences and his satispassion is our satisfaction as Luther phraseth it he suffered saith Peter the just for the unjust he bore our sins in his own body on the tree 1 Pet. 2.24 he the true scapâ—-goat taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1.29 bearing them into the land of forgetfulnesse this is his continual act and this should be as a perpetual picture in our hearts Surely he did all this for us Juramentum est Vere This Surely or Truely is an oath for better assurance and satisfaction to any doubting conscience For which cause also the same thing is said over again ver 5. and herewith agreeth that of the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a sure saying and worthy of all men to be received that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners Yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God sc for his own deserts and not for ours we looked upon him as a deceiver a wine-bibber a blasphemer and one that wrought by Beelzebub c. and therefore we crucified him Smitten of God Percussus Dei saith the Syriack The Apostle saith God spared not his Son Flagellatum à Deo Theodotion Rom. 8.32 and because the creature could not strike a stroke hard enough himself was pleased to bruise him But that this was done
and other external priviledges Though Abram be ignorant of us Ipsi nunc sua quiete fruuntur they are at rest and know nothing of our affaires The Monks tell us that the Saints departed see things done here in the face of God as in a glass But this is a meer fiction of theirs See Psal 27.10 2 King 22.20 Augustine saith of his mother Monica deceased Lib de curae pro mortuis agenda cap. 13. Eccius in locis that she did now no longer yeeld him comfort because she knew not what befel him The greatest Popish Clerkes themselves confess that the invocation of Saints departed hath neither precept promise nor precedent in the Book of God Moreover they cannot determine how the Saints know our hearts and prayers whether by hearing or seeing or presence everywhere or by Gods relating or revealing mens prayers and needs unto them All which wayes some of them hold as possible or probable and others deny and confute them as untrue Mortons Appeale lib. 2. cap. 12. sect 5. The Syriack and Arabick render the text thus Thou art our Father we are ignorant of Abraham and we acknowledge not Israel Thou O Lord art our Father c. Agreeable whereunto is that of the Heathen Contemno minutos istos Deos moao Jovem mihi propitium habeam I care not for those petty-gods so that Jupiter will stand my friend And that better saying of a devout Christian Vna est in trepida mihi re medicina Jehova Cor patrium os ver ax omnipotensque manus Nathan Chytraeus It hath been well observed that the defeat given to the Spanish Fleet Anno 1588. fell out to be on St. James his day whom the Spaniards pray to as their Patrone or St. Tutelar Thy name is from eternity i. e. This name of thine our Redeemer Some read the text thus Our Redeemer is from of old thy Name Our Redemption was not of yesterday but verily fore ordained before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1.20 Ver. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy waies c. i. e. Given us up to errour and obstinacy Why dost thou thus punish sin with sin for the illustration of thy Justice and jealousy against us who have rebelled and vexed thine holy Spirit ver 10. Oh be pleased to deal with us rather according to thy mercy Return for thy servants sake the good people that are yet left amongst us give us hearts of flesh and lead us in the way everlasting Here observe that Gods best children may find in themselves hardness of heart Hos 4.16 yet not total but mixt with softness and tenderness in every part so that though they resist neglect profit not as they might do through pride worldliness voluptuousness Mat 13.22 Luke 21.34 hypocritical hiding of any sin Psal 32.3 4. Prov. 28.14 letting fall the watch of the Lord 2 Chron. 32.25 yet it is not done with full consent but with reluctance now and repentance afterwards The tribes of thine inheritance q. d. Wilt thou abhor thy people in covenant with thee and abandon thine own inheritance How few are there that thus urge the seale and enter a suit with the Lord Ver. 18. The people of thine holiness have possessed it but a little while viz. In respect of that perpetuity promised them by Thee Gen. 17.8 26.3 28.13 Exod. 32.13 Besides the many calamities that have befaln us whereby we have had small enjoyment of this thine inheritance All the daies of the afflicted are evil Prov. 15.15 their life lifeless and not to be reckoned on Our adversaries have trodden down thy Sanctuary This they did in the daies of Antiochus but especially about the time of our Saviours incarnation when the scepter departed from Judah Pompey with his Army entered into the Sanctuary Herod got the governement the Romans sat up their Ensignes and Statues in the holy of holies c. This desolation of the second Temple the Jews do here bewail but we have cause to rejoyce for that by Christ the whole world is now become a Temple and every place a goodly Oratory 1 Tim. 2.8 Ver. 19. We are thine And shouldest thou then deal with us as some profane idolatrous Nation See here the holy boldness of Faith standing upon interrogatories 1 Pet. 3.21 and filling her mouth with arguments of all sorts Thou never barest rule over them No such reason or relation is there of children servants subjects wherefore they should thus be favoured and we disowned Amos 3.2 See on ver 17. CHAP. LXIV Ver. 1. O That thou wouldest rent the Heaven That Thou wouldest lie no longer hid there as to some it may seem but making thy way through all impediments and obstacles Lyra. Alex. Ales. thou wouldest powerfully appear for our help as out of an engine Vtinam lacerares coelos descenderes Some take the words for a hearty wish that Christ would come in the flesh others that he would make haste and come to Judgement laté fisso coelo ad percellendum impios The Metaphor seemeth to be taken from such as being desirous suddainly and effectually to help others in distress do break open doors and cast aside all lets to make their way to them That the mountains may flow down As Judg. 5.5 By mountains some understand the enemies kingdoms Ver. 2. As when the melting fire burneth So let the mountains burn and boyl at thy presence Aristotle reporteth that from the hill Aetna there once ran down a torrent of fire De mundo cap. 6. So Hecla and Hogla in Iseland that consumed all the houses thereabout The like is recorded of Vesuvius and of Peitra Mala a mountain in the highest part of the Apenines which perpetually burneth Ver. 3. When thou didest terrible things Or As when thou diddest c. as thou didst of old for our Forefathers Which we looked not for See Deut. 4.32 33. where God himself extolleth them Ver. 4. For from the beginning of the world men have not heard sc The mysteries of the Gospel revealed by the Spirit whereunto the Angels also desire to look as the Apostles witness 1 Cor. 2.9 1 Pet. 1.12 Neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee or a God beside thee i. e. That can do as thou doest For him that waiteth for him For them that love him saith the Apostle It is by faith and hope that we wait upon God now Faith Hope and Charity are near of kin and never severed All that truly love God are well content to wait for him yea to want if he see it fit being desirous rather that God may be glorified than themselves gratified Ver. 5. Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness That doth thy work diligently and with delight that being acted by thee acteth vigorously for thee Tantum velis Deus tibi praeoccurret saith an Ancient as the Prodigals Father met him upon the way If ye be willing and
was the way to Tophet and thither Jeremy led them A Lapide said an Expositour that considering their graves in that Valley according to chap. 7.32 and that their bodies those earthen vessels should soon after be broken and carried out as dung into Tophet by the Chaldeans and their souls into Hell by the devils they might repent and so prevent such a mischief And proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee God took his own times to tell his Prophets what they should tell the people The priviledge of infallibility saith a Divine was perpetual to the Apostles Prophetis verò saepius intervallatum fere non extra ipsos prophetandi paroxysmos durans not so to the Prophets but whil'st they were prophecying only for the most part neither knew they many times what they should Prophecy till the very instant Ver. 3. Hear the Word of the Lord ye Kings of Judah i. e. O King and thy counsellours who are so many little Kings as King James was wont to say of the Parliament men Behold I bring evil upon this place This he spake to all and with all authority catholicam miserabilem perniciem proclamans It is credible that he spake it with as good a courage or better as Bishop Ridley Martyr did those comminatory words of his to Queen Mary and her servants when they refused to hear him preach He uttered them with such a vehemency Act. Mon. 1â—70 saith mine Authour that some of the hearers afterwards confessed the haires to stand upright on their heads His cares shall tingle For grief and fear as if he had been stonied with a thunder-clap or were ready to swoon Ver. 4. Because they have forsaken me Chap. 16.11 And estranged this place Or strangely abused it so as I scarce know it or can find in my heart to own it Whom neither they nor their fathers sc Quamdiu probifuerunt pii so long as they had any goodness in them saith Hierom. Those afterwards that worshipped they knew not what as those Samaritans did Joh. 4. are not worthy to be reckoned on much less to be imitated Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers neither observe their judgements nor defile your selves with their Idols Ezek. 20.18 And have filled this place with the blood of innocents Especially of Infants sacrificed to Moloch in Tophet so filling up the measure of your sins Ver. 5. Which I commanded not Reprobatur voluntarius cultus factitiae religiones See chap. 7.31 and 32.35 2 King 23.10 Ver. 6. This place shall no more See chap. 7.32 Things are repeated that they may be the better observed Ver. 7. And I will make void the counsel of Judah As vain and empty as this earthen bottle now is See on ver 1. and take notice of an elegant Agnomination in the Original And their carcasses will I give See chap. 7.33 and 16.4 Ver. 6. And I will make this City desolate See chap. 18.10 Ver. 9. And I will cause them to eat the flesh This as it was threatned Lev. 26.29 Deut. 28 23. so accordingly accomplished Lam. 2.20 and 4.10 Ptolomaeus Lathurus King of Egypt barbarously slew thirty thousand Jews and forced the rest to feed upon the flesh of those that were slain Ver. 10. Then shalt thou break the bottle That the eyes of the by-standers and beholders may affect their hearts Non alia ratio Sacramentorum est Ver. 11. That cannot be made whole again Heb. cured No more was the Jewish Polity ever restored to its ancient dignity and lustre after the captivity neither was Tophet ever repaired at all but served for a charnel-house a place to lay dead mens bones in Ver. 12. And even make their City as Tophet Every whit as abominable and horrid a very hell above ground Ver. 13. And the houses of Jerusalem Wherein they had their chambers of imagery and their private chappels for Idolatrous uses as Papists also have Ezek. 8.12 Zeph. 1. Because all the houses upon whose roofes See on Zeph. 1.4 Ver. 14. And he stood in the court of the Lords house A place of greatest concourse of people and where he might meet with many hearers Here he spred his net that he might catch some souls dilated his discourse at Tophet whereof we have here but the short notes minding them of their sinne and punishment And surely this Prophet should be so much the more regarded by us for that he so freely and fully delivered the divine messages omitting no part thereof either for fear or favour Ambrose bad Austin read the Prophet Isaiah diligently for the confirmation of his faith We may all very profitably read the Prophet Jeremy who is full of incitation to repentance and new obedience Ver. 15. Because they have hardened their necks Which may seem possessed with an iron sinew so stiffe they are and sturdy having manum in aure aurem in cervice cervicem in corde cor in obstinatione their hand on their eare their eare in their neck their neck in their heart and their heart in obstinacy c. CHAP. XX. Ver. 1. NOw Pashur the son of Immer i. e. One of the posterity of Immer after many generations See 1 Chron. 24.14 Who was also chief Governour Not high Priest as some have said but a principal Priest haply the head of the sixteenth course or as Junius and others think the High Priests Vicar or second such as was Eleazer to Aaron his father Num 4. Heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things Or heard Jeremiah prophesying and having gall in his eares as they say some creatures have he was galled at the hearing of so smart a truth Ver. 2. Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the Prophet Either with his fist as Zedekiah did Micaiah 1 King 22.24 and as Bonner did Hawkes and other Martyrs pulling off part of their beards or else with a staffe as they dealt by our Saviour Mat. 26.67 and as that Popish Bishop degrading a Martyr-Minister struck him so hard with his Crosier staffe as he was kneeling on the stairs at Pauls that he fell down backwards and broke his head Act Mon. Contra Arrian orat 2. Atqui lapidandâ—sunt haeretici sacrarum literarum argumentis saith Athanasius but hereticks are to be stoned with Scripture arguments and men may a great deal sooner be cudgeled into a treaty then into a Tenet And put him in the stockes As they did afterwards Paul and Silas Act. 16. Clerinus the Martyr mentioned in Cyprians Epistles Epist l. 4. Mr. Phâ—lpot in the Bishop of Londons coal-house and that good woman who suffering afterwards for the same cause rejoyced much that her leg was put in the same hole of the stocks where Philpots leg had lain before That were in the high-gate of Benjamin Which might be a Prison like Lollards Tower in London whereunto were sent the Martyrs many of them for their zeal and forwardness Action and passion go together Omne agent agendo repatitur especially
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
and such shall be ever driving an holy trade betwixt heaven and earth till they cease to pray but praise God throughout all eternity Ver. 20. Daniel answered and said Blessed be the name of God They who are slight in praying are usually as slight in praising Job 35.13 with ver 10 11 12. But Daniel was serious and zealous in both For wisdom and might are his These and all other excellencies are in God originally eminently transcendently Daniel found it in this secret thus revealed to him how much more may we in the mystery of the Gospel now made manifest Rom. 16.26 Ver. 21. He changeth the times and the seasons c. And so sheweth that strength is his such as is irresistible He removeth Kings c. As by the Kings dream Daniel was well advertised He giveth wisdom unto the wise And so sheweth that wisdom is his sith all the wisdom found in the creature is but a spark of his flame a drop of his Ocean Ver. 22. He revealeth the deep and secret things Daniel hath never done but is uncessant and unsatisfiable in praising God And although there was haste of answering the Kings expectation yet he shall stay till God have his due He knoweth what is in the dark See Psal 139.12 Ver. 23. I thank thee and praise thee A gracious man is a grateful man there is the same word in Greek for grace and gratitude See on ver 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A thankful man will enumerate Gods mercies and redouble his praises O thou God of my Fathers The very best inheritance that we can leave our children is the true God Who hast given me wisdom and might Wisdom to dive into deep matters and might to manage it Ver. 24. Destroy not the wise men of Babylon Who yet wished Daniel destroyed This was a noble kind of revenge to overcome evil with good Ver. 25. I have found a man Auliei aliorum sibi usurpant inventa Of the captives of Judah His worth deserved better respect Ver. 26. The King answered and said to Daniel Daniel se Danielem nominat whose name was Beltishazzar So the King and Courtiers had called him but he took no felicity in that idolatrous appellation which signified a treasurer to Bel or Baal Art thou able Interrogatio Regis admiratoria Ver. 27. The secret which the King hath demanded cannot the wise-men shew unto thee And therefore thou hast done amiss first in seeking to them next in slaying them though God hath an holy hand in it for their just punishment Ver. 28. But there is a God in heaven The Saints are ever tender of Gods glory Ezra 8.22 Let those that are endued with singular gifts beware of self-admiration apt to steale upon them Ver. 29. Thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed Kingdoms have their cares crowns are stuft with thrones These thoughts in the text were preparatory to the ensuing dream Eccles 5.2 the chief Efficient or Author whereof was God And he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee Yea maketh thee a conduit of divine revelation to the Church Ver. 30. But as for me this secret is not revealed to me c. So careful are Gods best Saints to give unto him all the glory which they look upon as Gods wife in the enjoying whereof he is a jealous God admitting no corrival in heaven or earth Thy talent hath gained ten talents saith he in the Gospel I have not done it And Not I but the grace of God that 's in me saith Paul The glory of God and the good of his Church is the chief thing that Saints aime at But for their sakes i. e. For the poor Jewes sake to whose prayer thou owest this Revelation toward whom therefore thou shouldest exercise more clemency and alleviate their misery Ver. 13. Then O King sawest sc By the force of thy fancy For in sleep the reasonable soul cometh into the shop of Phantasy and there doth strange works which are vented in our dreames And behold a great Image A fit representation and in a dream especially of worldly greatnesse An image saith Theodoret is but the figure of a thing and not the thing it self and this image in the text speciem habet gigantaam prorsus Chimaericam was a kind of Chimaera Sleid. de 4. Monarch Ver. 32. The images head was of fine gold This is the first and till now altogether unheard of Prophecy concerning the four Monarchies of the World Res planè digna quae memoriae tota commendetur saith One a Scripture worthy to be well remembred because it briefly comprehendeth the history of all Ages to the worlds end Theodoric Urias Anno 1414. His brest and his arms of silver The elder they are the baser So is Rome Papal of which one of her sons above two hundred years since complained not without good cause that she was become of gold silver of silver iron of iron earth superesse ut in stercus abiret and that she would turn next into dung Ver. 33. Part of clay The best things of of the World stand in an earthly foundation Huet Isa 40.6 Ver. 34. Which smot the image upon his feet c. All the powers of the world are but a knock soon gone Psal 2.9 Ver. 35. Then was the iron the clay the brasse c. Those four mighty Monarchies had their times and their turns their ruine as well as their rise And the stone that smot the image became a great mount The Kingdom of Christ Hist lib. 1. little at first increaseth wonderfully Nec minor ab exordio nec major incrementis ulla said Eutropius concerning Rome may we better say concerning the Church which shall stand when all other powers shall quite vanish and disappear for ever seem they for present never so splendid and solid Sic transit gloria mundi Ver. 36. This is the dream By this time Nebuchadnezzar began much to admire Daniel who modestly taketh in his Associates as Paul also doth Sylvanus and Timotheus when he saith And we will tell the interpretation thereof sc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God assisting us Ver. 37. Thou O King art a King of Kings And yet the whole Babylonian Empire was but as a crust cast by God the great house-keeper of the World to his dogs as Luther somewhere saith of the Turkish Ver. 38. Thou art this head of gold An head the Babylonian Monarchy is called because it was the first of the four And of gold because administred with great wisdom fortitude justice and other heroical virtues because of the glory also and greatnesse of it in all manner of magnificence See Isa 13.19 14.11 Jer. 27.6 Lib. 15. Geog. Megasthenes and Strabo say that Nebuchadnezzar was the mightiest of all other Kings and held of the Chaldeans to have exceeded Hercules in courage Ex hac Danielis visione Gentiles fabulam acceperunt de quatuor saeculis aureo argeneto c.