all those Abby-lubbers are good for nothing but to devour grain like vermine those wine-bibbers and flesh-mongers as Salmon calleth them are no better then the execrements of humane society gelulim belly-gods and fit servants of those dungy-gods as idols are called Hab. 2.18 with Ezek. 4.17 18. And a scavenger whose living is to empty privies is far to be preferred before such an one as looking to other gods and making his gut his god lives but to fill privies For a flagon of wine or a meals-meat any god may soon have the hearts and services of such as have Poliphemus-like no supream deity but their belly Verse 2. So I bought her to me God is to be obeyed though it go never so much against the heart Epictet and the hair with us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Follow God was a Heathen but an honest precept This he that would do must first deny himself and say with that Dutch Divine Veniat veniat verbum Dei c. Let a word of command come forth from God and we will submit thereto though we had six hundred lives to lose yea though we can see no reason for it Indeed in humane governments where reason is shut out there tyranny is thrust in But where God commandeth there to ask a reason is presumption to oppose reason is 〈◊〉 rebellion I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver That is fifteen shekels or shillings or thereabouts no great price it was that he gave for her whether for hire or dowry probably it was in order to marrying her and in reference to that law Deut. 21.11 Israel was once a precious people Gods peculiar treasure such as comprehended all his gettings The Jews have a saying that those seventy souls that went down with Jacob into Egypt were more worth then all the seventy Nations of the earth beside But now behold how cheap they are grown they are valued all of them at fifteen pieces of silver a goodly price Zach. 11.12 Matt. 27.9 If the tongue of the righteous be as choice silver yet the heart of the wicked is little worth Prov. 10.20 There as in the Sea is that Leviathan the king of all the children of pride and there are creeping things innumerable crawling lusts and lawlesse passions but for any thing of worth it is not there to be had Hence as at the last destruction of Jerusalem thirty Jews were sold for one penny so here the whole body of the Nation are bought and sold for a small sum How weak is thine heart how light-cheap saith the Lord God to this light-huswife seeing thou dost all these things Ezek. 16.30 the work of an imperious whorish woman God and his people reckon of men by their righteousnesse He looked down from heaven to see who sought after God c. Psal 14.3 As for others he regards them no more then men do drosse draffe chaffe or such like refuse stuffe Psal 119.119 Psal 1.3 c. what ever great thoughts they take up of themselves and how ever the world rate them Antiochus Epiphanes that great king of Syria is called a vile person Dan. 11.21 And the adversary is this wicked Haman saith Esther that was his true title which he perhaps never heard till now And an homer of barley and an half homer of barley God buyes not this people though for never so little to starve them but alloweth them alimony though not so fine a food barley and not wheat See Revel 6.5 prisoners pittance course fare such as slaves and beasts are fed with as she had been like horse and mule Psal 32. and lest she should wax fat and kick she is held to strait allowance Whereby is signified the mean and low condition that the ten Tribes and afterwards all the Jews should be in till Christ came to marry them to himselfe First they should be valued but at half the price of a slave Secondly they should be coursly fed as beasts with barley or perhaps not so well as the Jews beasts for among them the mouth of the Ox treading out their corn might not be muzled But the Heathens were wont to put an Engin about their servants necks This engin was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it reached down to their hands that they might not so much as lick of the wheat-meal when they were siâ—ting it Now they were scattered among the Heathen and sold to the Nations for nought Psal 44.11 12. They that were wont to feed delicately were desolate in the streets they that were brought up in scarlet embraced dunghils Lam. 4.5 their flagons of wine were turned into tankards of water and their bellaria or junkets so the Septuagint render it and not flagons into brown-bread horse-bread that so those whom pride Ezek. 16.49 fulnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse had undone hardship and penury might reduce to duty God would seem for a time to have forgotten them that they might at length remember themselves he loves to chastise mens insolency with indigency as he did Hagars Gen. 21.15 and the Prodigals Luke 15. who for his swinish life was brought to swines-meat and thereby brought home to his father It is the way of God to humble those he intendeth good unto to prepare them for mercy by cutting them short of these outward comforts Though this be here a threatning yet there is a promise in it verse 3. that God will take off the smarting plaister so soon as it hath eaten out the proud flesh It is in very faithfulnesse that he afflicteth his people because he will be true to their souls and save them And hence it is that he so diets them and keeps them short that he may do them good in the latter end that he may change their bricks made in their bondage into Saphires and Agates See Exod. 24.10 with Isai 54 11. Verse 3. Thou shalt abide for me many dayes Even till the last dayes verse 5. or last year as Ezekiel hath it chap. 38.8 Thus they have abode or sat as a desolate widow so the Hebrew hath it 700. years before Christ and above 1600. years since in a most forlorn condition crying out in their daily prayers to God Veniat regnum trum bimherah bejamenu Let thy kingdom come speedily even in our dayes And again Aedificu templum tuum aedifica aedifica citò citò citò Lord build build build thy Temple quickly quickly quickly But Gods time is not yet come for they are not yet throughly humbled Were they but ripe he is ready when help is seasonable his fingers itch saith One to be doing as the mothers breast akes when it is time the childe had suck Exod. 12.40 41. At midnight were the first-born slain and Israel sent away because then exactly the 400. or 430. years of their captivity in Egypt were expired So Dan. 5.30 In that night was Belshazzar slain because then exactly the seventy years were ended God promiseth to take this
shaken they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater who shall devour them at a bit Nah. 3.12 as Shalman spoyled Betharbel Shalman signifieth peaceabley saith an Interpreter a man of a calme spirit but he answered not his name for he exercised greatest cruelty There is not a more troublesome sea then that which is called Mare pacificum There is oft Aliud in Titulo aliud in Pyxidc Absalom signifieth the Fathers peace but he proved otherwise then was hoped Fallitur augurio spes bena saepe suo But this Salman is by the best Interpreters thought to be Salmanasar king of Assyria in this Prophets time Salman is vox truncata a name cut off to the halves a thing very ordinary in all the learned languages as were easie to instance See Esay 15.2 Bamoth for Bamoth-Baal Josh 19.35 Chamath for Chamath-Dor Hesiod puts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Lips ep 19. lib. 1. Ennius hath Fabric for Fabricius This Salmanasar or as Luther will have it some other great warriour called Salman not elsewhere mentioned in Scripture but not unknown to the ten tribes did cruell execution it seems upon Betharbel a city beyond Jordan 1 Maccab. 9.2 like as Tamerlan for a terrour to the Greek Empire much whereof he afterwards subdued did at Sebastia Turk hist fol. 211. where he made a mercilesse slaughter of all sexes and sizes whereby he held the whole East in such awe as that he was commonly called The wrath of God and Terrour of the world There are that think this Arbel to be the same with that Arbela where Alexander defeated Darius and won the Persian Monarchy They make it a city or countrey of Assyria beneath Arpad and hinted at by Rabshakeh 2 King 18.34 See 2 King 15.29 16.34 19.13 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad sc Salmanasar hath utterly destroyed them Arbel is by some interpreted the city of Bel where Belus or Baal was worshipped By others Beth-arbel is interpreted The house of the insnaring god the god of policie or subtilty It seemeth to them that the people of this place had a god that they thought would ensnare and ensnarle all their enemies but it proved much otherwise For the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children Dashed against the ground so the word signifieth against the walls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. or pavement See Gen. 32.11 Psal 137.9 Esay 13.16 Such is the savage cruelty of warre when God lets it out Such was the barbarous dealing of the French in the Parisian Massacre such the Sicilian Vespers and at Merindoll where the paps of many women were cut off which gave suck to their children Act. Mon. fol. 868. â— which looking for suck at their mothers brests being dead before died also for hunger Was not this to kill the mother with the children which God forbade by a symboll of taking the dam with the young Deut. 22.6 and again of killing the ewe and the lamb both in one day Lev. 22.28 The Spaniards murdered fifty millions of Indians in 42. years as Acosta the Jesuite testifieth Arsenoe was killed upon her children by her bloody brother Ptolomce king of Egypt And another of that name killed thirty thousand Jewes and compel'd the living to feed upon the flesh of the dead When the Switzers vanquished the Thericcuses in battle Languet Chron. they banqueted in the place where they won the victory using the dead bodies of their Adversaries instead of stools and tables The sight of such like cruelties common in warre might well make Zuing lius say when he had been abroad with the Army Melch. Ad. in vit 36. that he had found more wickednesse and bad counsels and courses therein then ever he had known before either by experience or out of books This passage in Gods book and the like chap. 13.16 their infants shall be dashed-in pieces and their women with child shall be ript up he could not be ignorant of The Prophet refers his hearers to a sad example of fresh-bleeding cruelty well known to them that they might relent repent and prevent the like misery upon themselves This is the use we should all put such examples to Luke 13.2 3 5. 17.26.28 1 Cor. 10.6 7 8 11. Verse 15. So shall Bethel do unto you i. e. the idolatry that you have committed at Bethel by a Synechdoche of the place this shall undo you Or So shall he do unto you O inhabitants of Bethel Bethel shall be made a Betharbel They that take not example by others shall be made an example to others Lege historiam ne sias historiaâ— Because of your great wickednesse Heb. the wickednesse of your wickednesse the iniquity of your sin the foolishnesse of your madnesse Eccles 7.25 your idolatry especially that wickednesse with a witnesse Let us by Gods example learn to lay load upon our sins and not to extenuate but to aggravate them against our selves In a morning shall the king of Israel be utterly cut off This was fulfilled in Hoseâ—â— the last king of Israel 2 King 17. cut off in a morning that is in a moment as foam or a bubble upon the waters The morning-light lasteth not long but shineth on to the perefect day Or in a morning when some hope appears and some comfort is expected as Psal 30.6 it is but a lightning afore death Accidit in puncto quod non speratur in anâ—â— Contrarily the Saints at evening-time have light Zech. 14.7 See the Note there CHAP. XI Verse 1. WHen Israel was a childe then I loved him Or Because Israel was a childe I loved him Young things are lovely young children especially for their innocency and ignescency Some sence it thus Israel was a child and had nothing of worth or lovely in him yet I loved him freely Deut. 7.7 Hos 10.9 called him out of Egypt out of the iron furnace led him thorow the deep as an horse in the wildernesse Esay 63.13 possessed him of the promised land Out of which though I shall shortly cast him for him ingratitudes yet there is hope of his restauration by the Messiah my Sonne whom when I have called out of Egypt he shall gather together again the dispersed of Israel and bring life and immortality to light by the Gospel The foundation of which restauration he here maketh to be his own free-grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 1.53 He hath holpen his servant or his childe Israel in remembrance of his mercy God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son c. Joh. 3.16 Here then beginneth our Prophets first Evangelicall sermon as Tarnoviâ—s observeth who also readeth the Text thus Albeit Israel was a childe such a forlorn out-cast childe as is described Ezek. 16. and 23. Yet I loved him and adopted him for my sonne not for any defect on my part for I had an onely begotten Son in whom I am well
Gods watch-men they stand sentinell in heavens turret And that the sole of their feet is like the sole of Calves feet round and ready to go either forward or backward with greatest facility that as they see every way so they are apt to go every way for the dispensing of Gods benefits and executing of his chastisements toward the Elect and vengeance on the reprobates All this they do justly 2 Sam. 24.17 2 King 19.35 Gen. 19.11 Acts 12.23 Rev. 16.16 diligently and purely with faith in receiving Gods commands Rev. 15.6 clothed in pure white linen and having their breasts girded with golden girdles Let us labour to obey God as Angels do else we may be Angels for gifts and yet go to hell Verse 6. The black horses which are therein c. These Angels are appointed to severall Countries The black horses to Babylon which lay North from Judaea to inflict vengeance The white horses are sent with them to deliver the Church out of Babylon and to bring their brethren for an offering unto the Lord upon horses and in chariots and in litters and upon mules and upon swift beasts to Gods holy Mountain Jerusalem Esay 66 20. And the grisled go forth toward the South countrey To shew that the punishments of Egypt and Arabia which lay South-ward from Judaea should be somewhat mixed and mitigated they should be in better case then Babylon yet not so good as that the Jews should dream of a happy estate in those countries but rather repair to Judaea and there keep them sith those that are out of Gods precincts cincts are out of his protection Psal 91.9 10 11 12. Verse 7. And the bay went forth c. Junius reads it And the strong or confirmed ones that is the Angels armed with power and authority from God for the execution of his will Esay 10.34 Lebanon shall fall by a mighty One that is by an Angel 2 Thess 1.7 they are called the Angels of Gods power and elsewhere principalities and powers and sought to go that they might-walk to and fro thorow the earth Not onely toward the South as verse 6. This doth not teach that the Angels are more carefull of this world then God is of whom they desired it But first that they can do nothing without commission from Him Secondly that they are ever ready to offer their service and to yeeld obedience upon the least intimation of the Divine pleasure Verse 8. Then cried he upon me That I might the better observe it sith he spake it with so great vehemency Have pacified my spirit i.e. perfecerunt voluntatem meam as the Chaldee here hath it they have done my work thoroughly to my great content When the Churches enemies are slaughtered God inviteth the birds and beasts to a feast as it were for joy and taketh as much delight in their just punishment as any man can do in a cup of generous wine whence it is called the wine of Gods wrath Rev. 14.10 See Deut. 28.63 Verse 9. And the word of the Lord came unto me saying This second part of the Chapter is not a vision but a Sermon or an historicall prediction of what was really to be done For as Gods Spirit was quieted and as it were comforted by the Angels faithfull execution of their offices so He seeks by this Prophecy to quiet and comfort the spirits of his people the Iews that were returned out of Babylon For these finding themselves beset with enemies and exigencies might possibly despair of ever seeing the accomplishment of those promises and prophecies of the kingdome restored to the house of David and of the great glory of the second Temple above the first To keep up their hearts therefore is this declaration made them of the kingdome and priestood of Christ under the typicall coronation of Jehoshuah the High-priest Vers 10. Take of them of the captivity i. e. Of the returned captives even of Heldai Num. 16.2 of Tobijah and of Jedaiah Men famous in the Congregation men of renown That these four mentioned here taking in Josiah who is also called Her verse 14. were Embassadours from the godly Jews in Babylon and brought their gists as Junius thinketh I cannot affirm But that they were the same with Daniel Shadrach Meshach and Abednego as the Jews and Hierom tell us I do not beleeve Josiah seemeth to be the Hoste to the other three as Gaius was to St. Paul and other good people Though some think rather he was either treasurer for the Temple or else a gold-smith and one that could make crowns Calvin conjectures from the fourteenth verse where it is said that the crowns shall be to these men for a memoriall that being men of authority they were deeply guilty of infidelity and impatiency because they â—aw not a present performance of the promises they were discontented themselves and discouraged others Ye have need of patience saith the Apostle to those short spirited Hebrews chap. 10.36 who found it more easie to suffer evil thento wait for the promised good and come thou the same day Either the same day these men came from Babylon Or the self-same day that the Lord spake to the Prophet is hee commanded to go not to put it off a day longer for the people needed a speedy and hasty comfort No sooner had God prepared the people but the thing was done suddenly as 2 Chron. 29.36 No sooner were they ripe but he was ready He is a God of judgement a wise God that knowes when to deal forth his favours As till then he waits to be gracious Esay 30.18 His fingers itch to be doing good in his good pleasure to Sion as the mothers breasts ake when now it is time the child had suck He exalteth the lowly he filleth the hungry with good things When once David is poor and needy God will make no tarriance Psal 40.17 when his soul is even as a weaned child then he shall have the kingdom Psal 131.2 Verse 11. Make crowns Two saith Piscator one of gold for the Kingly dignity another of silver for the Priesthood Three saith A Lapide who makes it a type as of Christs threefold office so of the Popes triple crown which later relateth rather to Prides picture drawn by the old Romanes with three crowns on her head On the first whereof was in scribed Transcendo on the second Non obedio on the third Perturbo Danaeus thinks it likely by the 14. verse that here were foure crowns made according to the number of the foure persons here mentioned that brought in the gold and silver Ribera will have it to be all but one crown made of both metalls and called crowns for the greatnesse of it Chald. vertit Facies coronam magnam as Wisdomes for singular wisdome Pro. 1. Behemoth Beasts for an huge beast Iob 40. The Verb singular tihieh ver 14. seemes most to favour this conceit of his But in Hebrew the singular is oft put for the
an old Canon Turk hist. fol. 777. that our fasts should continue usque dum stellae in coelo appareant till the starrs appear in the sky The very Turks in their solemn fasts eate nothing all the day till night yea so precise they are that upon their fasting dayes they will not so much as wash their mouths with water till the starrs appear whith maketh their fasts especially in the Summer when the dayes be long and hot to be unto them very tedious Christians hold and teach that nature is by fasting to be chastised and not disabled for service and that such as cannot fast so long but they shall either indanger health or be unfitted for the spiritual duties of the day may eat provided that they abuse not this liberty to the satisfying of the flesh Coloss 2.23 1 Tim. 5.23 call a solemn assembly See chap. 1.14 with the Note Verse 16. Gather the people Sanctifie the Congregation c. Let the Priests Gods ministers see to it that the people come together and for the better too as much as in them lies For they are to the people in place of watchmen of Centinels of Embassadors and in Christs own stead who seemes to say unto them as Psal 50.5 Gather my saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me by sacrifice that they may meet me with intreaties of peace disarme mine indignation conceived against them and quench the flame thereof with their tears not quench the spirit in their teachers by their crossenesse and backwardnesse to businesse of this nature assemble the Elders Whether for age as Iob. 15.10 or for place of authority as Iosh 7.6 1 Sam. 15.30 Ruth 4.4 These must be chief doers and most forward at fasts as was Joshuah Jehosapat the King of Niniveh Ezra c. For 1 they are most guilty in regard of their years and their office which either addeth two wings to their sins viz. Example and Scandal whereby facilè volant non facilè violant they sore much higher and fly much further 2 Their presence counsel and countenance may be a great furtherance to the work See Ezek. 46.10 The Prince in the middest of the people when they go in shall go in and when they goe forth shall go forth A Lapide saith A Lapide in locum that the Elder sort are to meet because they are least lustfull and more prayerfull It should be so I confesse but how many old goats are there abroad that even hang over hell which gapeth for them and as the canker soonest entreth into the white rose so doth corruption easily creep into the white head He was a rare old man of whom we read that being tempted to sin said Nay least he should stain his white head Gather the children and those that suck the brests For they are church-members and to them also pertain the publike dangers and calamities out of which times and cases children and Novices are not to be tied to these austerities of religion as our Saviour sheweth Mat. 9.17 as little as new wine is to be put into old vesels Add hereunto that the parents might by the sight of their poor children subject to Gods wrath by their default Eph. 2.3 Rom. 5.12 be brought to a further sense of their own sinfulnesse and moved by their cryes and laments ut ferventius orent plâ—rent to cry and pray more earnestly Let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber The new-married-man was by the law allowed to cheare up his wife Deut. 24.5 and therefore exempted from warfare and other publike imployments abroad Deut. 20.7 and the wedding-day is called the day of the rejoycing of a mans heart Cant. 3.11 They were wont to have a week of feasting at such times Gen. 29.27 Fulfill her week sc of banquet and bride-ale as they call it And it is noted as an absurd thing in Sampsons wife Judg. 14.17 that she wept all the seven dayes of such a feast when mirth was so much in season But is it a time for men to hang their hearts upon the merry pin when God calles them to hang up their Harps upon the Willow-trees when the sword is sharpened to make a sore slaughter when it is fourbished and glittereth and contemneth the rod i. e. lesser and lighter judgements that usually fore-run it should wee then make mirth Ezek. 21.10 Should men eat and drink and marry and be merry when to morrow they may look to die and are already stumbling in the valley of the shadow of death Such a thing the old world may do buried in security and to be shortly therefore buried in one universall grave of waters But holy Noah was vexed at it and Ambrose thinks not without reason that during the time of the deluge all the while that he was in the Ark hee came as little at his wife as Vriah did while the Ark and Judah and Israel abode in Tents and Joab and the Hoste encamped in the fields 2 Sam. 11.11 Nehemiah though a great Courtier Neh. 2.2 3. and the Kings Cup-bearer could not but be sad when it went ill with the Church all comforts then were but Ichabods to him hee had no joy of them Sorrow at such a time is better then laughter for by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better Eccles 7.3 The mad world is a perfect stranger to the truth of this sacred Position as having so far banished sadnesse that they are profest enemies to seriousnesse and stick not to light a candle at the devil as they say for sinfull lightsomnesse But wo be to such mad Mirth-mongers saith our Saviour Luke 6.25 and after him St. James chap. 5.1 5. and before them both the Prophet Esay chap. 22.12 13 14. and the Prophet Amos chap. 6.4 5 6. What so lawfull as the use of the marriage-bed Heb. 13.4 and for whom more lawfull then for the bride-groom and bride Yet in a common calamity and in a day of restraint as a fast-day is called Joel 2.15 married couples must abstain 1 Cor. 7.5 where the Apostle speaketh of a publike fast as Peter Martyr observeth Pet. Mar. in loc Hence Zech. 8.19 they separated themselves at such a time And it is spoken of as a foul sinne Esay 58.3 behold in the day of your fast ye finde pleasure All sensuall delights though never so lawfull at other times must bee then suspended and laid aside As musick mirth perfumes Dan. 6.18 brave apparrell Exod. 33.4 c. all ornaments of the body soft-lying 2 Sam 12.16 all cheerfulnesse and outward joy Iudg. 20.26 1 Sam. 7.8 The Roman Censor punished one that shewed himself out of a window Liv. with a garland upon his head in the time of the second Punick war Verse 17. Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord Let not them be either dull Psal 103. Rev. 22. or dumb as Popish Masse-priests with their dumb-shews at divine Service but as
scatter of riches upon the earth by their influence I that stop and unstop those bottles of the skie the clouds which there hang and move though waightie with their own burden I that make the earth to bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and meat to the eater Esay 55.10 c. I will hear the heavens Heb. I will answer that is I will so hear as that I will answer so will not great ones sometimes or if they do yet the poor man speakes supplications but the rich answereth him roughly Solyman 2 The grand Signior when many thousands of his poor Christian subjects Prov. 18.23 to be eased of their heavie taxations fell down before him and offered to turn Mahumetans rejected their conversion and doubled their taxations God hath here a great sort of suppliants Blunts voyage 111. Hom. The Poets fam that Litae or Supplications are alwayes about Jupiter the heaven the earth the corn c. and he heareth and speedeth them all Never any humble petitioner went sad out of his presence Never said he to the house of Israel Seek ye me in vain The Heathen-idols may do so but He scorns it Are their any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain or can the heavens give showers Surely they cannot till God have heard and answered them Jer. 14.22 The genealogie of rain of corn and wine is here resolved into Jehovah and he promiseth to endow his beloved Spouse with them as part though the least part of her joynture All are yours for you are Christs 1 Cor. 3.23 In marrying with the heir you have right to All. Here is omnium rerum ubertas ob Deisemen Christum saith Hier. plenty of all things for Christs sake who where ever he comes cometh with a Cornucopia a horn of salvation besides a largesse of outward comforts This was very necessary doctrine at all times to be taught in the Church lest pressed with miseries men should faint in their minds Christ knowes we have need of these things also and therefore not only bids us pray but promiseth to give us our daily bread by a concatenation of causes by a ladder of providences which the Heathens called Destiny but the Saints call it the harmony of the world agallant description whereof we have Ezâ— 1. far different from the Stoikes Fate or the doctrine of Plato and Aristotle and other of the worlds wizzards concerning the divine providence which they either denied or imbased and they shall hear the earth which being chapt and scorcht seemeth to sollicite showers and fattening influences by an elegant Prosopopoeia as if these insensible creatures understood what they did when men are once in covenant with God all the creatures will be serviceable to them yea greedy to do them good they wil even cry for it Vinum pendulum i.e. vuas Verse 22. And the earth shall hear That is shall bear great store of corn wine and oil new and fresh oil the word signifies newly exprest clear and shining such as is called golden oil Deut. 28.14 Zech. 4. Gods dear children shall have the best of the best Esay 55. Even the kidneyes of wheat or whatsoever dainties the earth can afford them They shall suck honey out of the Rock or if it be but water yet it shall be to them as sweet as hony because therein they taste and see the Lords goodnesse and they have meat to eat that the world wots not of and they shall hear Jezreel that is they shall answer the pains and prayers of Gods people who are here called Jezreel still though the Septuagint â—ead it Israel not to upbraid them with their former wickedness and calamities thereby procured which yet was the first reason of that name given them Ch. 1. but rather to set forth the riches of his grace imparted to such a graceless people And withall to shew that nothing could hinder them from partaking of those covenant-mercies and that happy communion with God whereto they were now restored This very name of theirs once their shame should now turn to their glory Oâ— Jezreel scattered by God which is one signification of the name they should become Jezreel a seed of God which is another that they might comfort themselves with the hope of Christ the promised seed and know that their posteritie should not to degenerate into Gentility but that many of them should embrace Christ and inherite the promises as did Araunah the Jebusite who became a samous Proselyte Zack 9.7 see the Note there and as Jether the Ismaelite 1 Chron. 7.17 〈…〉 saith and religion called an Israelite 2 Sam. 17.25 and as Christ â—â—â—â—eth himself 〈◊〉 of Nazareth as a title of honour which was once cast upon him as a reproach Verse 23. And I will sow her unto me in the earth Not in the â—ir as once when they were scattered into the four winds of heaven but in the earth which the heavens should hear verse 21. the inhabitants whereof should â—â— multipâ—â—ed and become as the sand of the sea which cannot be measured nor numbred Chap. 1.10 See the Note there and Jer. 31.27 Ezek. 36.37 The Preaching of the Gospel iâ— a kind of sowing of seed Psal 129.7 1 Pet. 1.23 and this seeding is in the earth that they may be gathered into heaven where the mower shall fill his hand and he that bindeth sheaves his bosom And although Gods eâ—ect lie here for a time under the cloâ—s yet at length they shal fructifie and many spring from them by whom the name of Christ shall be so propagated He shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand Esay 53.10 and I will have mercy upon her Her unhappy name Lorubamah shall be done away and the contrary come in place Lo this is as it were the collogue of the Sermon and it is very comfortable The Sun of righteousness loves not to set in a cloud Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is mercifull Be it that he is once righteous yet he is both gracious and mercifull for it Psal 116.5 The Jewes for their seventie years captivity in Babylon had seven seventies of yeers set forth by Daniels weeks granted for the enjoying of their own country Gods mercie bear the same proportion to his punishments when he hath to deal with his elect people which seven a complete number hath to an unity This promise here made the Apostle testifieth Rom. 9.25 to be begun to be fulfilled in his time by the conversion of some Jewes and calling of some Gentiles The full accomplishment thereof we daily expect and pray for and I will say to them that is I will make them so as when he said to Lazarus come forth of the grave he brought him forth together with his word there went forth a power and they shall say Dicere nstrum est fides et
righteous proceedings and the same recited after the manner of men in the preamble to their condemnatory sentences because ye have been a snare on Mizpah a net spred upon Tabor These were two very high hils much haunted by hunters and frequented by fowlers to whom these Idolaters striving to catch people ritibus suis velut retibus et laqueis with their nets and snares of errours and superstitions are fitly compared For they lie in in wait for mens souls and catch many of them either by perswasions or punishments by allurements or affrightments as Julian the Apostate did of old and as the Papists do at this day That Jeroboam and his counsellours set watchers in these two mountains to observe who would go from him to Judah to worship that he might intercept them and punish them is a plausible opinion but wants proof I know what is alledged Viz 1 King 12.28 and Hos 6.8 according to the vulgar translation I confesse also that it is not unlikely that such things should be done then as lately wait was laid by the Papists for such as had a minde to betake themselves as Geneva Tygure Basil c. for conscience sake It is more probable that upon those high hils Idolatry was committed see chap. 4.13 with the Note and thereby people ensnared as birds and wilde beasts are in the mountains and so made slaves to the devill and even fatted for his tooth Hence in the next words Verse 2. And the revolters are profound to make slaughter They lay their nets and snares deep and lie down upon the ground that they may take the silly birds that dread no danger He croucheth and humbleth himself that the poor may fall into his strong pawes Psal 10.10 He studies the devils depths Rev. 2.24 poisonfull and pestilent pollicies Machiavellian mysteries of mischief His head is a forge and fountain of wicked wiles he hath store strength of strange traps and trains frauds and fetches to draw in and deceive the silly simple That these seducers were deeply revolted Esay 31.6 they had deeply corrupted themselves Hos 9.9 they sinned not common sins as Kore and his complices died not a common death They made great flaughter of mens souls and of their bodies too that refused to yeeld to them Craft and cruelty seldom sundred in seducers as some write of the Asp that he never wanders alone without his companion with him and as those birds of prey and desolation Esay 34.16 it is said that none of them want their mate The devil lendeth them his seven heads to plot and his ten horns to push and gore c. though I have been a rebuker to them all Heb. a correction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Understand it either of the Prophet that he had dealt plainly with them and done his utmost to reclaim them yet they refused to be reformed hated to be healed We would have cured Babylon but she would not be cured Or else of God that he had both by words and scribes rebuked their superstitions but nothing had wrought upon them They were tormented with the wrath of God but repented not to give him the glory Rev. 16.9 Corrigimur might they say sed non corrigimur plectimur sed non flectimur See how God complains of this stubbornnesse Jer. 6.28 29 30. and learn to tremble at his rebukes to profit by his chastisements lest a worse thing befall us Zeph. 3.5 The just Lord is in the middest thereof he will not do iniquity every morning doth he bring his judgements to light he faileth not but the unjust knoweth no shame There are that take the words possively and render them thus Ego vero illis omnibus castigationi sum I have been rebuked or corrected by them all Levely See the like Lam. 3.13 and in the Psalms often I am a reproach to mine enemies thou makest us a reproach to all that are round about us c. So the Prophet here may seem to complain as Jeremy did after him that he was born a man of contentions that all the people cursed him that he was a common by-word and but-mark that they sharpened their tongues against him and flew in his face To Preach saith Luther Totius erbis furorem in 〈◊〉 â—â—are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11.19 Judicatur vel sententia pronunciaâ—ur Câ—merar Sâ—â—ltet Repetitione etiam auget populi rebelliauem Rivet is nothing else but to derive 〈◊〉 rage of the whole world upon a mans self Wisdom that should be justified of her children is eftsoones judged of her childrens as some read those words of our Saviour Mat. 11.19 But I like the actiue sence better Vers 3. I know Ephraim and Israel is not hid from me Those that by Ephraim understand the Princes and by Israel the common people etiam hoc operae addant et illud ex scriptura probent saith Tarnovius let them prove what they say by Scripture and we will say with them Till then we take them for Synonima's An hypocritical nation they were Isai 9.17 and Athiestically they thought by hiding God from themselves to hide themselves from God Hear them else Chap. 12.8 And Ephraim said yet I am become rich I have found me out substance In all my labour they shall finde none iniquity in me that were sin that were an hainous business that iniquity should be found in them though they were a people laden with iniquity But I know them through and through intus et in cute saith God Isai 1. I am privy to all their plots and policies And although they are profound to make slaughter Tindall reades it They kill sacrifices on heapes to deceive yet let not them be deceived I am not mocked They must not think to put me off with shewes and shadowes to colour and cover their base spirits and vile ends with specious pretences For I search the hearts and try the reines neither is there any creature no not the creature of the heart the thoughts and intentions that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open naked for the outside 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tectus clathratum Luc. and open for the inside the Greek word signifieth dissected quartered and as it were cleft through the back-bone before the eyes of him with whom we have to deal Heb. 4.13 Indeed he is all eye and every man before God is all window so that no man needeth a window in his breast as the Heathen Momus wisht for God to look in at For his eyes are upon the wayes of man and he seeth all his goings There is no darknesse nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves Job 24.21.22 His eyes behold his eye-lids try the children of men Psal 11.4 the former points out his knowledge the later his critical descant David Psal 139. findeth God not onely at his finger ends but at his tongues end too vers 4. His knowledge
afore Queen Elizabeth speaking of the disorders of the times These things are so saith He and you sit still and do nothing And again May we not well say with the Prophet saith He It 's the Lords mercy that we are not consumed seeing there is so much disobedience both in subjects and Prince Once it was Tanquam ovis as a sheep before the sheerer Act. Mon. but now it is Tanquam â—uvenca petulca as an untamed heifer c. In our dayes Reverend Mr. Stock had this commendation given him by a faithfull witnesse that hee could speak his minde fitly and that he durst speak it freely I will go to the Bishop Steven Gardiner then Lord Chancellour and tell him to his beard that he doth naught said Dr. Taylour Martyr and hee did so though his friends disswaded him Truth must be spoken however it bee taken And if Gods Messengers must be mannerly in the forme yet in the matter of their message they must be resolute and plain-dealing It is probable that Joseph used some kind of preface to Pharaohs Baker in reading him that hard destiny Gen. 40.19 such haply as was that of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar chap. 4.19 or as Phile brings him in with a Vtinam tale somnium non vidisses c. But for the matter he gives him a sound though a sharp interpretation So dealeth Micah by these corrupt Princes to whom neverthelesse he giveth their due Titles and of whom hee fairly begs audience Hear I pray you yee heads of Jacob c. Or hear yee now who formerly have refused to hearken It was in Hezekiah's dayes that this Sermon was preached as appeareth Jer. 26.18 not long before Sennacherib invaded the land Mic. 5. And although the King himself were religious and righteous yet many of his Princes and Courtiers who in the reigne of his father Ahaz had been habituated in rapine and wrong-dealing still played their pranks and are here as barely told their own Is it not for you to know judgement To know it and do it as it is said of our Saviour that he knew no sinne that is he did none And have the workers of iniquity no knowledge they eat up my people as they eat bread and call not upon God Psal 14.4 Of all men Magistrates should be knowing men fearing God hating covetousnesse and cruelty Exod. 18.21 They are the eyes of their Countrey and if they be dark how great is that darknesse They are the common looking-glasses by which other men use to dresse themselves Judges they are to discern and decide controversies fit it is therefore and necessary that they know â—udgement how else shall they execute it Tully complaineth of the Roman Priests in his dayes that there were many things in their own lawes that themselves understood not I will get me to the great men saith Jeremy when hee found things farre amisse among the vulgar and will speak unto them for they have known the way of the Lord and the judgement of their God but these have altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds Jer. 5.5 Verse 2. Who hate the good and love the evil q.d. That you know not judgement but are men ignorant of the truth which is according to godlinesse appeareth by your wicked practises For you stand acrosse to what God requireth Homo est inversus decalogus hating what you should love and loving where you should hate Goodnesse is in it self amiable and attractive but you are perfect strangers to it and therefore hate it and those that professe it Evil is of the Devil and must therefore needs be loathsome and yet you love it allow it and wallow in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas you should abhorre that which is evil hate it as hell and cleave or bee fast glued to that which is good Rom. 12.9 You are direct Antipodes to the godly Psal 15.4 and have nothing in you of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 or of the spot of Gods children but are a perverse and crooked generation Deut. 32.3 Who pluck off their skin from off them and their flesh from off their bones Like so many carnivorous Canibals or truculent wild-beasts As the Ossiâ—â—age or Breakbone pursueth the prey tears off the flesh breaks the bones and sucks out the marrow such were these griping tyrants their furious rapacity surmounted all bounds of humanity Such an one was Verres among the Romans as Tully describeth him that Tigre Tiberius those Romish Usurers in King Johns time here called Caursini quasi capienâ—es Vrsi quoth Paris devouring Bears who left not so much money in the whole Kingdom as they either carried with them or sent to Rome before them Money and lands are here called mens skin flesh and bones and a poor mans substance is his life See Mark 12. ult and Luke 8.43 Hence oppression is called a bony sinne Amos 5.12 13. and Oppressours Men-eaters Psal 14.4 and murtherers Hab. 2.12 Cyprian cries out Fâ—rae parcunt Danieli Aves pascunt Eliam homines saeviunt Lions spare Daniel ravens feed Elias but men rage and are worse then both Melancthon maketh mention of a certain Prince some few years before his time who to get money out of his subjects would send for them and by knocking out first one tooth and then another threatning to leave them toothlesse else would extort from them what summes soever he pleased Our King Johns exactours received from his subjects no lesse summes of curses then of coin Joh. Manl. loc com pag. 636. Speed 568. Ibid. 1012. saith the Chronicler And so did Cardinal Wolsey under Henry 8. by his importable Subsidies which caused Suffolk to rise up in arms making poverty their Captain Verse 3. Who also eat the flesh of my people and flay their skin c. He stills proceeds in the Allegory the better to argue and aggravate their extreme cruelty Money saith the Heathen is a mans flesh blood life all Of this when the people were pilled and polled by their cruel princes who are here compared to butchers and cooks they are looked upon as not onely excoriated but excaâ—â—iâ—ied and even exossaâ—ed and laid for dead for mortis habet viâ—es quae trahitur viâ—a gemitibus It is a lifelesse life that many poor people live for want of necessaries Such savage Shepherds Ezekiel inveighes against that not onely sheer their sheep Ezek. 34. Tiber. ap Sueton. but held them and suck their blood Atqui pastoris est pecus tondere non deglâ—bere non carnem ossa concidere c. Chop them in peeces as for the pot c. Making no more bones of undoing them and their families then to eat a meals-meat when hungry yea nourishing their hearts therewith as in a day of slaughter or good cheer Jam. 5.3 Verse 4. Then shall they cry unto the Lord but he will not hear them Then sc when God shall have changed their cheer pulled the fat morsell from between their
Esay 56.11 which could never have enough they were sick of the bulimy or appetitus caninus yea they were as so many yong lions ramping and ravening as it is here and Ezek. 19.2 3. Psal 78.72 Both Princes and Priests were turned tyrants and instead of feeding the people in the integrity of their hearts and guiding them with the skilfulnesse of their hands prey'd upon them and pluckt the skin from off them and their flesh from off their bones Mio 3.2 for the pride of Iordan is spoiled the swelling of Iordan dryed up by the Romans as Hierome interprets it Or the proud and stately palaces and possessions that the great Ones had gotten upon the banks of Iordan for fruitfulnesse and pleasance as à Lapide Or the numerous and proud nation of the Iews likned to the yearly overflowing of Iordan whereof see Iosh 3.15 Ier. 49.19 as Diodate Verse 4. Thus saith the Lord my God Feed the flock of slaughter so lately pulled out of the jawes of those lions ver 3. with Am. 3.12 and yet destined to destruction by the Romans those Raptores Orbis their former preservation being but a reservation to future mischief for their desperate obstinacy and incorrigiblenesse feed them saith God to the Prophets for their ordinary shepheards have cast off all care of their good Tell them what evill will betide them unlesse they repent forewarn them to flee from the wrath to come Mat. 3. Luke 21.36 to take course that they may escape all these things that shall come to passe O the goodnesse of God to a nation so shamelesly so lawlesly wicked Besides himself the Shepheard of Israel that led Ioseph like a flock Psal 80.1 and neglected no good office of seeking and feeding them of handling and healing them of washing them and watching over them c. how carefull was he ever to raise them up seven shepheards and eight principal men Mic. 5.5 till at length he sent the man Christ Iesus who is the chief of ten thousand the chief Shepheard as St. Peter calls him 1 Epist 5.4 that One and only Shepheard as Solomon Eccles 12.11 that gteat Shepheard of the sheep as Paul Heb. 13.20 who came to look up the lost sheep of the house of Israel whom to move compassion and affection here calleth the sheep of slaughter untill the time prefixed for their totall dispersion by reason of their ingratitude Verse 5. Whose Possessours stay them flaying their skin from off them eating their flesh breaking their bones c. Mic. 3.3 feeding themselves and not the flock of God Ezek. 34.2 as if they had been Lords over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5.3 Owners and Possessours as here vel precio vel praemio and as the Pope and his Curia Romana quae non vult ovem sine lana as the old Proverb was and hold themselve not guilty Non peccant They fault not themselves they are not found guilty by others Such an illimited power over Gods people they have usurped as if they might use them at their pleasure and never be once questioned or punished for the same but scape scotfree This was the extremity of tyranny such as the cruell Spaniards exercise over the poor Indians they suppose they shew the wretches great favour when they do not for their pleasures whip them with cords and day by day drop their naked bodies with burning bacon which is one of the least cruelties they inflict upon them World encompassed by S. F. Drake 53. and they that sell them Sell them for slaves whom they ought to redeem rather with their own blood and grow rich by them being greedy of filthy lucre not without foule blasphemy against God whom they entitle to their riches sacrilegiously and most theevishly gotten whilest they say blessed be the Lord for I am rich Deo gratias Blessed be God is a very good saying and was much in Austins mouth But as the fountain of goodnesse will not be laden at with unwashen hands so fair words from a foul mouth are infinitely displeasing to him that inhabiteth the praises of Israel Psal 22.3 Hypocrites are not unfitly compared to Monkies that have the gravest countenances of all creatures but are uncessantly doing mischief or to the Harpies that are said to have Virgins faces Vultures tallons Mel in ore verba lactis Fel in corde fraus in factis Pharisees under pretence of long prayers devoured widdows houses Mat. 23.14 whiles their lips seemed to pray or praise God they were but chewing and champing some sweet morsel snatcht from the flock but sawced with the wrath of God Job 20.15 See how our Saviour sets them out in their colours Mat. 23.15 16 23. c. Such fair professours but foul sinners were their predecessours Esay 66.5 who when they had done evil as they could thought to salve all by saying Let the Lord be glorified And such also are their Successours The Pope and his followers Verba tua Dei planè sunt facta verò diaboli said one once to Pope Innocent the third preaching peace but sowing discord you speak like a God but do like a divel wherefore you shall receive the greater damnation When one of our persecuting Bishops read the sentence of excommunication against a certain Martyr and began as the usual form was Act. and Mon. In the name of God Amen the Martyr cryed out you begin in a wrong name And it grew to a common proverb In nomine Dei incipit omne malum All mischief begins on that maner Gentilis that impious Anti-Trinitarian gave out that he suffered for the glory of the most High God Becket the Arch-traitour pretended to submit to his Soveraign but with this false reserve Salv◠honore Dei The Swenckfeldians entituled themselves the confessours of the glory of Christ And Conradus Vorstius his late monster hath De Deo in the front and Atheisme and blasphemy in the text and their own shepheards pitty them not Which yet they ought to have done had they had never so much right and reason to destroy them A shepheard hath his name from friendly feeding in Greek from earnest desire and love to the sheep David when he was hunted from Samuel the Prophet he fleeth to Abimelech the Priest as one that knew Justice and Compassion should dwell in those breasts that are consecrated to God and his people But these shepheards through want of Gods holy fear Iob. 6.14 had brawny breasts horny heart-strings their hearts first turned into earth and mud did afterwards freeze into steel and adamant cursed children they were 2 Pet. 2.24 having their hearts exercised with covetousnesse and cruelty Verse 6. For I will no more pitty the inhabitants of the land Or surely I will no more c. A feareful sentence written in blood and breathing out nothing but utter destruction David knew what he did when he chose rather to fall into the hand of the Lord then of men For his mercies are many