all these fruits the fruits of Lebanon a most sertile mountain the valleys whereof were most rich grounds for pasture corn and vineyards as the dew unto Israel he shall blossom as the lilly Quot verba tot lumina imo flumina orationis This Prophet aboundeth with similitudes as is before noted See chap. 12.10 with the Note there He beginneth here with a Simile drawn from the dew of heaven a mercy very much set by in those hotter countreys especially where from May to October they had no rain The Chaldee Paraphrase and Hebrew Doctours understand this Text concerning Christ and his benefits Psal 73.1 Gal. 6.16 Ephes 1.3 Truely He is good to Israel to the pure in heart Peace and mercy sanctity and safety all spirituall benedictions in heavenly things in Christ shall be upon the Israel of God What the dew is to the herbs fields fruits that is Christ to his Israel 1. The dew comes when the air is clear so doth Christ by his blessing Aristot lib. 1. meteor cap. 10. Plin lib. 2. cap. 60. lib. 18. cap. 29. when the light of his countenance is lift up upon us 2. As the dew refresheth and cherisheth the dry and fady fields hence it is called the dew of herbs Esay 26.19 which thereby recover life and beauty so doth Christ our hearts scorcht with the sense of sinne and fear of wrath 3. As the dew allayeth great heats and moisteneth and mollifieth the earth that it may fructifie so Christ cooleth the Devils fiery darts and filleth his people with the fruits of righteousnesse He is unto them as a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest Esay 18.4 and maketh their souls as so many watered gardens Jer. 31.12 4. As the dew falls in a narrow compasse without noise and is felt onely by those in the force of it on whom it descends so the grace of Christ watereth his faithfull onely secretly and sweetly insinuating into their hearts the stranger medleth not with their comforts See Joh. 14.17 The cock on the dunghill knows them not he shall grow as the lilly which hath its name in the Hebrew from its six leaves and serves here and elsewhere to set forth the great comelinesse Cant. 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweet odour and true humility of the Church for the lilly groweth in vallies as Theophylact upon this Text noteth sweet it is but not great and the more it blossometh the more it shooteth upwards to teach us heavenly-mindednesse It is also of a perfect whitenesse to mind us of innocency Her Nazarites were purer then snow whiter then milk Lib. 21. cap. 5. Lam. 4.7 Lastly Lilio nihil est foecundius saith Pliny nothing is more fruitfull then the lillie Et lachrymâ suâ seritur saith the same Authour it is sown in its own tears Weeping Christians grow amain c. and cast forth his roots as Lebanon i. e. As the Cedars of Lebanon as the Chaldee Paraphrast interpreteth it or as the frankincense-tree which taketh very deep rooting so Cyril senceth it The lilly with its six white leaves and seven golden-coloured grains within it soon fadeth and loseth both beauty and sweetnesse Rom. 6.10 but so doth not Christ and his People He can as well die at the right hand of his Father as in the hearts of his Elect where he dwels by faith whereby they are rooted and grounded in love strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man Ephes 3.16 17. so that the gates of hell cannot prevail against them Immoâ—a manet is the Churches Motto Nec fluctu nec flatu movetur which is the Venetian Motto They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever Psal 125. Winds and storms move neither Libanus nor the well-rooted Cedars thereof which the more they are assaulted the better they are rooted So fareth it with the Saints Plato compareth man to a tree inverted The Scripture oft compareth a good man to a tree planted by the rivers of waters that taketh root downward and beareth fruit upward 2 King 19.30 quae quantum vertice ad auras Virg. Aeneid lib. 4. Aethereas tantum radice ad tartara tendit Let us cast forth our roots as Lebanon stand fast rooted in the truth being stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord and with full purpose of heart cleaving close unto him 1 Cor. 15. ult being established by his grace Col. 1.11 Heb. 12.28 and 13.9 In the Civil Law till a tree hath taken root it doth not belong to the soil whereon it is planted It is not enough to be in the Church except like the Cedars of Lebanon we cast forth our roots and are so planted that we flourish in the Courts of our God and bring forth fruit in our old age Psal 92.12 13 14. Verse 6. His branches shall spread Heb. shall walk or expatiate shall reach out and stretch themselves all abroad so shall the Church be propagated all the earth over She shall flourish as the Palm-tree which though it have many weights hung on the top and many snakes hissing at the root yet it still saith Nec premor nec perimor I am insuperable I am like a green Olive-tree in the house of God I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever Psal 52.8 and his beauty shall be as the Olive-tree that goodly tree Lev. 23 40. that retaineth her greennesse in the depth of Winter yea in that Universall deluge Noahs Dove met with an olive-leaf The Lord hath called thy name saith the Prophet to the Church Jer. 11.16 A green olive-tree fair and of goodly fruit The Cypresse is fair but not fruitfull the fig-tree fruitfull but not fair and flourishing But the olive-tree is both fair and fruitfull her fruit also is of singular use to mankind both for food and physick and light for the lamp Exod. 29.20 Lev. 6.15 16. In one respect it is an emblem of peace it maketh the face shine Psal 104.15 and in the other it is an emblem of grace and spiritual gifts 1 Iob. 2.20 of increasing with the increase of God by the Spirit and of reigning with him in eternall glory and his smell as Lebanon Whereby is meant the sweet savour of the Gospel which spreadeth it self abroad in the ministery of the Word and in the lives of belcevers 2 Cor. 2.14 15. who besides their continuall offering up to God spirituall incense and services in prayers thanksgivings alms and good-works they perfume the very air they breath upon by their gracious and savoury communication Ephes 4.29 yea the very company they come into as a man cannot come where sweet spices and odours are beaten to the smell but he shall carry away the scent thereof in his cloathes Nihil nisi foetidain â—â— foedum exhalavit River When the spirit of Christ blowes upon them and grace is poured into their hearts then their
Church again to wife but having found her formerly so fickle and faithlesse he would for a long time trie her and keep her unmarried as a probationer he would lay her as we do filthy garments a soaking and a frosting for many hundred years to try them and to purge and to make white even to the time of the end because it is yet for a time appointed Dan 11.35 And to presume to prescribe to him in this case is to set the Sun by our Dial. As he never fails his in his own time so he seldome comes at ours Here then our strength is to sit still Esay 30.7 and not to start up and say as that impatient Prince did 2 Kings 6.30 What should I wait for the Lord any longer Shall Christ lose his right in his wife because he takes her not by the day set down in our Calender Possibly the Calender of heaven hath a post-date to ours Sure it is that we are apt to antedate the promises in regard of the accomplishment as those Jer. 8.20 that looked for help that summer at furthest but were deceived See the disease and the remedy put together Hab. 2.2.3 and learn to wait God will surely bring us to it if we belong to him and thereby inure us both to patience and continence as here thou shalt not play the harlot c. thou shalt not hasten after another God and so multiply sorrowes upon thy self Psal 16.4 as he that hath broke prison gets but more irons to be laid upon him and a stricter watch Psal 44.19 the Church though sore broken in the place of dragons and covered with the shadow of death yet she stretched not out her hands to a strange God She knew that was not the way to get off with comfort Is it because there is no God in Israel that thou gaddest to the God of Ekron Isay 20.19 2 King 1. Should not a people seek unto their God from the living to the dead Should they seek to slip out at a back-dore and to help themselves by sorry shifts or sinister practises Is that ever like to do well or will not such be miserable even by their own election Ion. 2.8 Wherefore if God defer to help as he doth usually hold out faith and patience Wait upon him who even waits to be gracious Esay 30.18 for he is a God of judgement and well knoweth how and when to deale forth his favours Cito data cito vilescunt Manna being lightly come by was as lightly set by He therefore suspends us that he may commend his mercies to us and when he comes with them be the better welcome The longer he holds us in request the more will he do for us at length and if we abide for him many dayes we shall be no losers thereby for I also will be for thee He will love those that love him Prov. 8.17 1 Sam. 2.30 and honour those that honour him Yea if any man love me saith Christ my Father will love him and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Joh. 14.21.23 I will gather them sc into my bosome out of all nations that are sorrowfull for the solemn assembly who are of thee to whom the reproach of it was a burthen Behold at that time I will undo all that afflict thee c. Zeph. 5.18.19.20 God esteems highly of those that abide for him in their banishment that stay for him till he minde marriage with them that stick to him in affliction that resolve to reserve themselves for him so as if they cannot have comfort in God they will have none elsewhere The Cherethites and the Pelethites that were with David at Gath and afterwards stuck to him when Absalom was up they were ever neare about him as his guard and dear to him as his favourites God is All in all to those that with the Spouse will be his altogether Jer. 29.13 he will do good to them with his whole heart that seek him with their whole heart c. Verse 4. For the children of Israel shall abide many dayes without a king c. They shall be as it is said of the Brasileans Sine rege sine lege sine fide in a wofull confused estate both for State and Church This they had brought upon themselves by their Idols set up at Dan and Bethel that is in the place of Judgment and in the house of God so Dan and Bethel signify Bethel was become Bethaven and the place of judicature called by Solomon the place of the Holy God Eccle. 8.10 so corrupted that people were ready to say as Themistocles once did that if there were two wayes shew'd him the one leading to hell and the other to the Tribunal he would chuse that which went to hell and forsake the other That corruption caused this confusion The children of Israel shall be without and without here are six withouts that they might be sensible of their abuse of mercies and see bona a tergo formosissima good things fairest behind their worth best appearing by their want The Persian law commanded that at the death of their kings there should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a suspension of lawes Stob. orat 42. a lawlesse liberty for the space of five dayes that subjects might know the necessity of government by being bereft of the benefit of it for a time and the better prize it when they had it The like custome they have now in Turky at the death of the Grand Signor Turk hist. which is no sooner known but every man doth what is good in his own eyes till his successor be sent for and set upon his throne Israel hath neither King nor Prince Ruler nor Civil Magistrate of their own the ten tribes I meane for Judah had both Prince and Priests after the captivity till the last desolation since which they have no forme nor face of Church or common-wealth no not of a corrupt or depraved Church meant here by Image and Teraphim See 2 King 17.10 Judg. 17.5 much less of such an one as God had prescribed meant by sacrifices and Ephod Prospers conceit was that this people were called Judaei because they received jus Dei their law from Gods mouth And Josephus calleth their common wealth a Theocratie or God-government They received their order both for Church and common-wealth from heaven which no other people ever did in the same manner and might truly take up that of the Prophet Esay The Lord is our Judge Esay 33.22 the Lord is our law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us But man being in honour is without understanding c. Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked then he forsook God which made him and sacrificed unto devils not to God to Gods whom they knew not to new Gods that came newly up c. Deut. 32.15.17 When Ephraim spake and
have Spain to be meant subdued say they by Nebuchadnezzar after other his great conquests and by him planted with Iews carried captive from Ierusalem With such bold and frivolous fancies do these poor deluded creatures fondly feed themselves They are generally light aeriall and fanaticall brains saith One apt to work themselves into the fools-paradise of a sublime dotage They not onely expect a corporall restitution to their own countrey Blounts voyage but also a soveraignty over all other nations and possession of their Provinces saith Another they beleeve that the Messias is not yet come Buxtorf synag c. 5. because the Christian Empire is not yet destroyed and therefore they pray daily for the overthrow of the Roman Empire Out of the East it is that they expect their Messiah whither the Spanish Iews fled when they were banished and are exceedingly multiplied for those do they hold to be this captivity of Ierusalem here mentioned Spec. Europ viz. of the tribe of Iudah and the other in Germany and Italy to be of the tribe of Benjamin who in honour of the more noble tribe and to correspond with them the better do learn the Spanish Tongue which those still retain in hope belike to be one day Lords of that large and rich countrey Shall Possesse the cities of the South i. e. shall return to their own Southerly cities and provinces And this Prophesie of recovering the holy land is to be taken in a spirituall sence and it importeth that all those that are Israelites indeed Iews inwardly shall flee to the Church of Christ Rom. 9. Verse 21. And Saviours shall come up on mount Zion Judas Macchabeus and Hircanus in the history as in the mysterie the Apostles and other of Christs Ministers who are here and elsewhere called Saviours a very high stile because God maketh use of their Ministery as he doth likewise of the Angels for the good of them that are heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 and by their help the faithfull are saved Hence those expressions 1 Tim. 4.16 thou shalt save thy self and those that hear thee Iam. 5.20 he shall save a soul from death Iob 33.24 Deliver him from going down to the pit I have received a ransom See also Mic. 5.6 Iude 23. 1 Cor. 3.6 7 9 and 4.1 and 9.22 Let Ministers hence learn their dignity and their duty Christ hath communicated to them many of his own most honourable titles as Light of the world Doctour Pastour Saviour Redeemer c. True it is He alone is the principall Saviour and therefore it followeth in the closure of this shortest Brevissimus sed difficilimus Propheta Merâ—er but most difficult Prophet the kingdom shall be the Lords He to speak properly is the sole both Soveraign and Saviour of his body the Church Sed servatores dicuntur saith Mercer but they are called Saviours because they preach the word of this salvation and are instrumentall to Christ in that great work like as the Apothecary is to the skilfull Physician in curing his patient of a deadly disease to judge the mount of Esau Antichrist with his adherents all other Infidels also and Atheists condemned here by Christ and his faithfull Ministers Ezek. 20.4 as rebels against God and sinners against their own souls Wilt thou judge them sonne of man wilt thou judge them cause them to know their abomination and to judge themselves worthy to bee destroyed that judging themselves they may not bee judged 1 Cor. 11.31 but of Esauites may become true Iacobites as Iether by nature an Ismaelite 1 Chron. 7.17 is for his faith and piety called an Israelite 2 Sam. 17.25 Lo thus to judge the mount of Esau ought to bee the ambition of Christs Ministers for to gain them to Christ by convincing the world of sinne of righteousnesse and of judgement that is of the mischief of sinne the necessity of justification by Christs merit and of sanctification by his Spirit This is to be both Iudges and Saviours as those Iudges of old were whereunto the Prophet here seemeth to allude This is to save people with fear pulling them out of the fire Joh. 16. â— Iude 23. This is to proclaim Christ King and to set the Crown upon his head as Cant. 3.11 with that glorious acclamation The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our law-giver the Lord is our King and He will save us Esay 33.22 The Kingdom shall be the Lords Not onely the Kingdom of Power over all creature 1 Chron. 29.11 and Grace in the hearts of his people here called oft the kingdom of heaven in the Gospel but also of Righteousnesse and of Glory hereafter to be chiefly exercised at that Great and dreadfull day Now to this King Eternal Immortal Invisible the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 1 Tim. 1.17 A COMMENT OR EXPOSITION Upon the Prophesie of JONAH CHAP. I. Verse 1. NOw the word of the Lord came Heb. And the word For with that particle And the Hebrews sometimes begin a discourse as Ezek. 1.1 Levit. 1.1 an elegancy proper to that tongue Howbeit Hugo Cardinalis maketh this And not an inceptive particle but a copulative to many other things that were in the Prophets mind Others conceive it to be continuative of some other history not now extant or at least connexive of this history with the course of his ordinary calling and Prophetike employment among the ten tribes to whom he prophesied together with Hosea 2 King 14.25 Amos and others but with little good successe in the reigne of Ieroboam the second a Prince more prosperous then pious Ionah prophesied of his prosperity and victories whereof when no good use was made by the house of Israel their calamity and captivity was likewise foretold by Hosea Amos and Esay and hence some conclude that Jonas was the first of all the Prophets whose writings are extant For he lived say they before the battell of Joash King of Israel with the Syrians about the end of the life and prophesâ—e of Elisha 2 King 13.14 c. and 14.25 unto Ionah the sonne of Amittai Ionah signifieth a Dove but Ionah had too little of the dove in him plenus enim fuit effraenatis motâ—bus saith One as passionate a man of an honest man Luther D. Harris as you have lightly heard of saith Another Whether he was that mad fellow as those much more mad Captains called him 2 King 9.11 that was sent to anoint Iehu or else the widow of Sarepta's sonne raised by Eliah as the Hebrewes will have him to be I have not to say But that he was a servant of the Lord we finde 2 King 14.25 and a type of Christ Mat. 12.40 concerning whom he prophesied Augustine non tam sermone quam sua quadam passione far more plainely then if he had by voice foretold his death and resurrection And whereas the Grandees and Potentates of the world get them a
Church out of which went the law that is the Gospâ—l ver 2. See Esa 40.9 and 52.7 Heb. 12 22. There shall Christ raigne and so he did ever but now he shall declare himself to be Messiah the Prinâ—e Dan. 9.25 Lord and hâ—â—st Act. 2.36 Saviour and Soveraigne As king he 1. of rebels makes them sâ—â—jects willing to be ruled by him 2. He preserves them in that priviledge by his spirit 3. He gives them lawes far better then those of the twelve tables â—â— Rome which yet far exceeded saith Cicero all the learned libraries of the Philosâ—phâ—rs in worth and weight 4. He sweetly inclineth their wilâ— to yeâ—â—d universal obedience thereunto and to crosse themselves so they may please 〈◊〉 5 He rewards them with comfort and peace here and with life eternall hereafter 6. He destroyes all the enemies of his Church and then at last delivers up the kingdome to his Father 1 Cor. 15.24 not his essentiall kingdome as God but his oecâ—â—omical kingdome as Mediatour Verse 8. And thou O tower of the flock that is O Church of Christ who is oft compared to a shepherdesse in the Canticles here to a Migdal-â—der or tower of the flock that flock of Christ which hath golden fleeces precious souse in reference either to that tower Gen. 35.21 built for the safety and seâ—vice of shepherds or else to the sheep-gate in Ierusalem whereof read Nâ—h 3.1 and 12.39 so called from the sheep-market which for the conveniency of the Temple was neare to it as was also the sheep-pool called Bethesda Ioh 5.2 where the sacrifices were washed The world is a field the Church a fold in that field and a strong fold strong as a tower yea a strong-hold Ophel as it is stiled in the next words and that of the daughter of Zion that is of the Christian Church the inviolable security whereof is here noted unto thee shall it come even the first dominion such as was in Davidâ— dayes and Solomons laâ—ge rich peaceable prosperous terrible to other nations c. This was carnally understood by the Jewes who therefore drâ—ame to thiâ— day of an earthly kingdome and have in their â—ynagogues a crown ready to set upon the head of their Messiah whensoever he shall come neither were Christs disciples without a tincture of this Pharisaicall leaven whence their often-enquiries when the kingdome of God shall come and their frivolâ—us contests among themselves who should be the greatest in Christs kingdome who should sit at his right hand and at his left c. as if there should have been in Christs kingdome as in Solomons a distribution here of honours and offices And this groundlesse conceit hung as bullets of lead at their eye-lids that they could not look up to see that Christs kingdome was spirituall and not of this present world the kingdome shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem This the Jewes mistaking it as before pray earnestly that it may come citò Baxtor Syn Jud. citiùs citissimè bimherah bejamenâ—s with speed and even in our dayes oft throwing open their windowes to behold their King and to receive their long-looked-for preferment in his earthly monarchy Ver. 9. Now why doest thou cry out aloud Hout and houle q.d. hast thou any such cause to be so unreasonably and out ragiously impatient so long as Christ is thy king and counsellour What if there now be no king in thâ—e What if thy counsellour be perished A wo-case I confesse and great confusion most needes be the issue of it as it fell out in Ierusalem after Iosiah was slaine Confer Hos 3.4 with the Note there But yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing neither need the Saints be so excessively dejected with outward crosses so long as Christ is with them and for them If Seneca could say to his friend Polybius Fas tibi non est salvo Caesare de fortuna tua queri Be thy case never so miserable Sen. ad â—olyb Consol thou hast no cause to complaine so long as Caesar is in safety How much lesse ground of mourning or murmuring have Christs subjects so long as He liveth and raigneth Gaudeo quod Christus Dominus est Calvin Epist alioqui totus desperassem writeth Miconius to Calvin of the Churches enemies I am glad that Christ is Lord of all for otherwise I should have had no hope of help at all David in deep distress comforteth himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30.6 and Psal 119.94 I am thine save me saith He q. d. my professed subjection to thee calleth for thy care and protection of me and here he stayes himself Kings and Councellours are great stayes to a state but Christ is not tied to them These are but particular good things as is health against sicknesse wealth against poverty c. but Christ is an Vniversall good all sufficient and satisfactory every way proportionable and fitting to our soules and severall necessities Why then do we cry aloud as utterly undone why sing we not rather with David when at greatest under The Lord liveth and blessed be the God of my salvation Psal 18.46 It is God that avengeth me and delivereth me from the violent man c He is King of all the earth He is wonderfull in counsel and excellent in working c. It was a learned mans Motto Blessed be God that he is God and blessed be Christ that he reignes for ever that Counsel is his and sound wisdome that he hath understanding he hath strength Prov. 8.14 for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travel They have but they needed not hadst thou but turned into thy counting-house and considered thy manifold priviledges in Christ thy King and Counsellour We oft punish our selves by our passions as the lion that beates himself with his own taile Sed ô benè saith an Interpreter here quod sint hidolores saltem similes parturientium It is yet an happinesse that the Churches pangs though bitter Tarnou yet are no worse then as those of a woman in travell For 1. The paines of travell seldome bring death but life both to mother and child so do afflictions to the Saints 2 Cor. 4.17 Heb. 12.9 2. Travell comes not by chance nor for long continuance neither doth affliction Ioh. 7.30 Luk. 22.53 3. Travell is unavoidable and must be patiently born so must affliction or else we lose the fruit of it Act. 14.22 2 Tim. 3.12 4. Sharp though it be yet it is short so mourning lasteth but till morning Psal 30.6 and 73.24 and 135.14 Ioh. 16.15 Ier. 10.23 5. As the travelling woman hath the help of other women so hath the afflicted of God Angels and men 6. Lastly as she remembreth the sorrow no more for joy of a manchild born into the world so is it here Ioh. 16.20 Rom. 8.17 18. Verse 10. Be in pain and labour to bring forth c. Be sensible of thine ensuing captivity and take on but yet with hope
his people shall stand and fall together But he shall stand at the later day upon the earth Iob 19.25 yea he shall set his right foot upon the sea and his left foot upon the earth Rev. 10.2 as Lord of sea and land maugre the malice of all that sought to supplant him who shall there-hence fall and never rise up againe Am. 8.14 Verse 13. Arise and thresh O daughter of Zion Go in this thy might wherewith thou so lustily threshest out thy wheat by the wine-presse said the Angell to Gideon Judg. 6.14 and thresh the Midianites another while thou shalt smite them as one man ver 16. thresh them as the sheaves of the floore that lie ready for the flaile or as the custome of those countries was Deut. 25.4 1 Cor. 9.9 1 Tim. 5 18. for oxen to tread out or the wheel to turn over Esa 2.28 for I will make thine horne iron c. So that thou shalt do great exploites by mine assistance against Sennacherib Antiochus and other enemies subdued and threshed down to straw by the valiant Macchabees Spiritualiter etiam hoc intelligendum saith Sa. here this is also spiritually to be understood of converting people to the faith separatâ paleâ infidelitatis This the Apostles did vigorously and effectually being furnished by Christ with hornes of iron and hoofes of brass with spirituall courage and metall whereby they did soon beat in peeces many people and brought them to Christ by the obedience of faith together with all their wealth and substance which they cheerfully consecrate unto the Lord of the whole earth This was typified of old by the Tabernacle built with the spoils of the Egyptians and by Davids dedicating to the Lord the gold and silver which in great abundance he had taken from the enemies 2 Sam. 8. It is prophecied of Tyrus that being converted she should find another manner of merchandise then formerly viz to feed and cloth Gods poore with durable cloathing The Centurion Esa 23.18 Luke 7. when once he became a Proselyte built the Jewish Synagogues that had been thrown down by Antiochus Constantine the Great was bountifull to the Church above measure insomuch as that he was by the heathens in scorn called Pupillus as if he had wanted a guardian to over-rule and order his expences Sed refriguit hoc studium hodiè in magistratibus plerisque as Gualtheâ— â—re complaineth and not without cause The Church is not only scanted but spoâ—ed of her revenues and that which was piously consecrated is impiously converted to other uses c. Thus He. CHAP. V. Ver. 1. NOw gather thy self in troopes O daughter of troopes Here the Virgin the daughter of Zion despiseth her adversaries of Assyria and Babylon and laughes them to scorn the daughter of Ierusalem shaketh her head at them Isa 37.22 and bearing her self bold upon the foregoing promise chap. 4.13 that she should beat in peeces many people she taketh liberty to taunt the Assyrian Monarch with all his troopes beleaguering her and basely abusing her Judges telling him that the Babe of Bethlehem would shortly take an order with him And although she were but a Virgin yet having such a Champion as Christ who is in love with her that will take her part and fight her quarrell she doubteth not to say Now gather thy self in troopes c. Nunc turmatim coito ô turmaria Increase thine army and come forth Gather your selves and ye shall be broken in peeces gird your selves and ye shall be broken in peeces Take counsel together Isai 8.9 10. Isai 33.22 and it shall come to naught speak the word and it shall not stand for God is with us Jehovah is our Juge Jehovah is our Champion Jehovah is our king he will save us Lo this is the Churches confident boasting in Christ this is the triumph of her trust in him Psal 32.7 The thought of his birth swalloweth up all her fears and discontents and compasseth her about with songs of deliverance He hath laid siege against us And already devoured us in his hopes but if we do but turne us to Christ and say Behold she whom thou lovest is distressed the Assyrian as a strong river is come up over all his channels and reacheth even to the neck yea the stretching out of his wings filleth the breadth of thy land O Immanuel Esay 8.7 8. he will soon bestir himself he will besiege our besiegers he will smite them upon the cheek-bone Psal 3.7 and break the teeth of those ungodly that smot the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek for a reproach to the whole people Hugo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bacillis ceciderunt Beza by this Iudge of Israel understandeth Christ who was indeed at his passion contumeliously buffetted and smitten with rods upon the cheek Mat. 20.6 7. But this though it be true yet cannot be the sence of this text Verse 2. But thou Bethlehem Ephratah Not so called from Ephratah Calebt wife 1 Chron. 2.19 50 51. but from its fruitfulnesse whence also it had the name Bethlehem Joh. 6. that is the house of bread where Jesus that Bread of life that came down from heaven was born in the fulnesse of time as is here first foretold by this Prophet that great mystery of godlinesse being revealed to the world by degrees in severall Ages Here was Christ born by meer accident in regard of his parents who were brought hither by a tyrannicall Edict of Augustus Luk. 2.2 but yet by a sweet providence of God that this Scripture might be fulfilled and our faith in Christ setled Though thou be little among the thousands of Iudah Or Art thou little c q.d. No such matter and so it agreeth with Mat. 2.6 Or thus And thou Bethlehem Ephrata it is a small thing to be among the Princes of Judah Out of thee shall come a Ruler c. q. d thou hast a dignity above this and above them all in that out of thee shall come a Ruler c. Take tsagnir in the Neuter gender as Scultetus after Osiander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Forster doth and then the â—eeming difference betwixt the Prophet and Evangelist is taken away Some make St. Matthew to relate the words of the Scribes to Herod as they had varied the Text before him But we finde not that they are any where taxed for altering or corrupting the Text but for misinterpreting it onely Mat. 5. Besides that they were by their office Text-men to look to the letter of the Scripture and to keep it pure 1 Cor. 1 20. where they are distinguished from teachers of traditions and teachers of Allegories yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to God the Father that we may know that the coming of Christ in the flesh was a plot of Gods own contriving He came not by câ—â—â—ce but by counsel him hath God the Father sealed anointed and appointed to the work Joh.
for his great goodnesse We are so joyfull that I wish you part of my joy c. The posy of the city of Geneva stamped round about their mony was formerly out of Iob Ibid. Post tenebras spero lucem After darknesse I look for light But the Reformation once settled amongst them they changed it into Post tenebras lux Light after darknesse Scultet Aunal Like as the Saxon Princes before they became Christians gave for their armes a black horse Cranz in Saxon. but being once baptized a white Verse 9. I will beare the Indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him The Church had sinned and God was angry with her So Zech. 1.12 Esay 57.17 What meane then the Antinomians to tell us that God is never angry with his people for their foule and flagitious practises no not with a fatherly anger nor chastiseth them for the same no not so much as with a fatherly chastizement Virg. Aeneid Is not this contra Solem mingere Godlinesse is on target against affliction Blind Nature saw this nec te tua plurima Pentheu Labentem texit pietas Onely it helpes to patient the heart under affliction by considering 1. That it is the Lord. 2. That a man suffers for his sin as the penitent theef also confessed Luk. 24.41.3 That the rod of the wicked shall not lie long upon the lot of the righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Say we then every one with David I know that thy judgements are right and thou hast afflicted me justly Psal 119.75 yea in very faithfulnesse hast thou done it that thou mightest be true to my soule And with that Noble Du-plessy who when he had lost his onely son a gentleman of great hopes which was the breaking of his mothers heart quieted himself with these words of David I was silent and said no word because thou Lord diddest it Psal 39. See my Love-tokens pag. 145.146 c. It shall be our wisdome in affliction to look to God and to reflect upon our sins taking his part against our selves as a Physician observes which way nature workes and helpes it until he plead my cause As a faithfull Patron and powerfull Avenger for though it be just in God that I suffer yet it is unjust in mine enemies who shall shortly be soundly paid for their insolencies and cruelties he will bring me forth to the light He will discloud these gloomy dayes and in his light I shall see light I shall behold his righteousnesse that is his faithfulnesse in fulfilling his Promise of deliverance in due time Meane-while I will live upon reversions live by faith and think to make a good living of it too All the wayes of God to his people are mercy and truth Psa 25.10 this is a soul-satisfying place of scripture indeed All the passages of his providence to them are not onely mercy but truth and righteousnesse they come to them in a way of a promise and by vertue of the Covenant wherein God hath made himself a voluntary debter to them 1 Joh. 1.9 Verse 10. Then she that is mine enemy shall see it c. Not onely shall I behold his righteousnesse as before but mine enemy shall see it and feel it too to her small comfort They shall see it when 't is too late to remedy it as they say the Mole never opens her eyes till pangs of death are upon her And shame shall cover her when she shall see that thou hast shewed me a token for good that thou hast holpen me and comforted me Psal 86.17 which said unto me Where is the Lord thy God So laying her religion in her dish whereby God became interested in her cause and concerned in point of honor to appear for her The Church is no lesse beholden to her enemies insolencies for help then to her own devotions for God will right himself and her together See Joel 2.17 with the Note Mine eyes shall behold her and feed upon her misery not as mine enemy but as Gods nor out of private revenge but out of zeal for his glory Now shall she be trodden down as the myre of the streets Erit infra omnes infimos she shall be as mean as may be Nineveh that great city is now a little town of small trade Babylon is nothing else but a sepulture of her self Those four Monarchies that so heavily oppressed the Church are now laid in the dust and live by fame onely so shall the Romish Hierarchie and Turkish Empire All Christs enemies shall shortly be in that place that is fittest for them sc under his feet as was before noted he will dung his Church with the carcasses of all those wilde boars and buls of Bashan that have trod it down Verse 11. In the day that thy walls are to be built In the type by Nehemiah chap. 3. who did the work with all his might and having a ready heart made riddance and good dispatch of it Mar. 16.15 In the truth and spiritually when the Gospel was to be preached to every creature and a Church collected of Jews and Gentiles The Church is in the Canticles said to be a garden enclosed such as hath a wall about it and a well within it Cant. 4.12 See the Note there God will be favourable in his good pleasure unto Zion Psal 51.18 and build the walls of Jerusalem His spirit also will set up a standard in his Saints against strong corruptions and temptations and make them more then conquerours even Triumphers Esay 59.19 Rom. 8.37 2 Cor. 2.14 In that day shall the decree be farre removed That decree of the Babylonians forbidding the building of the Temple and City shall be reversed and those statutes that were not good given them by Gods permission because they had despised his statutes Ezek. 20.24 25. shall be annulled and removed farre away Some read it In that day shall the decree go farre abroad and interpret it by Psal 2.7 8. of the doctrine of the Gospel Verse 12. In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria To thee Ierusalem in the Type shall recourse be had from all parts as if thou wert the chief city of the world Pliny saith that in his time she was the most famous of all the cities of the East and Titus himself is said to have wept at the last destruction of it by his souldiers whom he could not restrain from firing the Temple To the new Jerusalem the Church of the New Testament in the Antitype from whence the Gospel was sent out to every creature which is under heaven Col. 1.23 and whereunto people of all sorts flowed and many nations came Mic. 4.1 2. with highest acclamations most vigorous affections and utmost indeavours bestowing themselves upon the Lord Christ Act. 2.9 c. Jerusalem in the Hebrew tongue is of the duall number in regard of the two parts of the city the upper and the nether town Or
beaten with 300. stripes and cast a pair of fetters into it to make it his prisoner But to how small purpose all this together with his digging through Isthmus his drinking up rivers with his army and the like it well appeared when he was forced to fly back out of Greece in a poor fishers boat which being overburdened had sunk all if the Persians by the casting away themselves had not saved the life of their king The story of Canutus the Dane somtimes king of England is well known He was told by a Court-Parasite that all things in his dominions were at his beck and command Canutus to confute him caused a chair to be set on the sea-shore wherein being set he said to the sea flowing fast toward him Thou belongest to me and the land upon which I now sit is mine own neither is there any whosoever that obeyes me not shall escape unpunished I command thee therefore thou sea that thou come up no higher into my land nor presumest once to wet thy masters legs or garments But the Sea keeping his ordinary course without duty or reverence washed both his legs and gown He then leaping back said Let alâ— the inhabitants of the world know â—en Huntington that the power of kings is frivolous and vaine neither is there any mortall man worthy the name of a king but he to whose beck heaven earth and sea by his lawes eternally are obedient Neither did Canutus after this time weare a crown but set it upon the Crucifix according to the superstition of those times thereby acknowledging it to be a royalty proper to Christ alone to rebuke the surges of the sea and to say unto them Peace and be still Luk. 4.24 Mar. 4.39 and drieth up all the rivers As he did Jordan Ios 4 2 King 2. Chereth 1 King 17.7 the great river Euphrates Rev. 16.12 See the Note there See also Plin. nat hist l. 2. cap. 85. and 103. Bashan languisheth and Carmel and the flower of Lebanon languisheth all the beauty of those fertile and pleasant places fadeth When the earth beareth fruit and flowers she is said to yeeld her strength to bring forth her increase as when through drought or otherwise she doth not she is said to languish and hang the head See Ioe 1.10.12 If the Eclipse of the Sun cause a drooping in the whole frame of nature how much more the wrath and vengeance of God Ver. 5. The mountaines quake at him and the hills melt Though vallies and low places are also liable to earthquakes as Antioch often Ferrara in Italy An. Dom. 1514. and 1573. yet hill-countreys much more because there are more holes and cavernes Alsâ—ed Chronol See Psal 29.6 and 144.4 Zach. 14.4 5. In the yeere 1618. Aug. 25. Pleurs a town in Rhetia was overwhelmed by a hill which with a most swift motion opprest 1500. men So that village aforementioned in the country of Bern that was over-covered by a hill in an earthquake to the destruction of 50. Polan synt families All this and that which followeth is alledged here to shew how easily God can overturn the Assyrian greatnesse and the earth is burnt at his presence Viz. by his fire from heaven as Sodom and by other his land-desolating judgments such as Judea that once fertile now barren country Greece Asia once so flourishing Germany Ireland c. do at this day grone under God turneth a fruitful land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Psal 107.34 yea the world and all that dwell therein Quae quidem sunt mira sed tamen vera divinae potentiae effecta Wicked men besides what they here suffer Tarnou shall one day give an account of what they have done in the body with the world all on a light fire about their eares The triall of their workes shall be by fire 1 Cor. 3.13 the tribunall of fire Ezek. 1.27 the Judge a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 His attendants Seraphins flaming creatures Isai 6.2 his pleading with sinners in flames of fire 2 Thess 1.7 the place of punishment a lake of fire fed with tormenting temper Isai 30.33 Sodoms fire and brimstone was but a toy to it And shall the Ninivites think to mott up themselves against this formidable fire which the most solid parts of the world cannot avoid or abide Ver. 6. What can stand before his indignation A glasse bottle may as well stand before a cannon-shot There 's no standing before a lion much lesse before a devouring fire least of all before an angry God When our Saviour did but put forth a beame of his Deity and said I am he the stout souldiers fell to the ground Ioh. 18.6 and there they had lame if he had not licensed them to rise againe Augustin Quid autem judicaturus faciet qui judicandus hoc fecit The wicked shall not stand in judgment saith David Psal 1.7 who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger Heb Collectumque premeus volviâ— sub naribus ignem in the inflammation of his nostrils Thus the Prophet describeth Gods terrible executions of justice on the Churches enemies pulcherrimis metaphoris hypotypôsi evidentissima distributionis artisicio insignissimo by most elegant Metaphors evident demonstrations and artificiall distributions Crocius in loc his fury is powred out like fire A metaphor either from metalls melted or from showâ—es of raine such as God powred down upon Sodom whereunto probably the Prophet here alludeth as verse 8. to Noahs flood flaming showers Jer. 7.20 and 44.6 and the rocks are thrown down by him that is by his fierce wrath when it is at the full height as the fire which at first burns a little within upon a few boards and rasters but when it prevaileth bursteth out in a most terrible flame as thunder which we heare at first a little roaâ—ing noise afarr off but stay awhile and it is a dreadfull crack cleaving the very rocks See Ier. 4.23 24. Mat. 27.51 Verse 7. The Lord is good To Israel though terrible to the Assyrians as hath been plainly and plentifully set forth to the pure in heart Psal 73.1 and he doth good Psal 119.68 to those that are good that are upright in their hearts Psal 125.4 These shall tast and see that the Lord is good these shall feelingly fay ' Oh blessed is the man that trusteth in him Psal 34.8 Oh praise the Lord for he is good c. a strong hold in the day of trouble Praesidium aut fortalitium A strong fort or fortification better then aâ—â—wer of brasse or town of warr the righteous run thereunto and are safe Prov. 18.10 Hezekiah for whose sake this is spoken had the experience of it He had a day of trouble and of rebuke and of blasphemy the children were come to the birth and there was not strength to bring forth Esai 37.3 To God therefore he runs in this dolefull day of his and had present help
shield Psal 84.11 and children have a place of refuge Prov. 14.26 Verse 16. Feare thou not why shouldest thou whilest the king of Israel is in the middest of thee Be of good cheer said Caesar to the ferriman in a storm thou canst not miscarry Caesarem enim fers fortunam Caesaris so long as Caesar is in the same bottome with thee May not the church much more gather comfort having God in her company and so many of his servants to fay to her Feare thou not True faith quelleth and killeth distrustfull feare but awfull dread it breedeth feedeth fostereth and cherisheth and to Zion let not thine hands be slack Remollescant Let not thy feares weaken but rather waken thy diligence in well-doing lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees Heb. 12.12 Up and be active pluck up your good hearts and buckle close to your businesse your task is long your time short your master urgent you wages unconceiveable It troubled a martyr at the stake that he should then go to a place where he should ever be receiving wages and do no more work Up therefore and be doing Be not slothfull but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises Heb. 6.12 Hippoc. Aphoris Spontaneae lassitudines morbos loquuntur faithlessnesse argueth a diseased soule Verse 17. The Lord thy God in the middest of thee is mighty Even the mighty strong God Esay 9.6 the Giant as the word signifies the champion of his church He being in the middest of thee cannot but see how thou art set upon and how many dangers and difficulties thou encounterest with and will send thee in new supplies Eph. 1.19 seasonable succour He will save This properly signifieth the privative part of mans happinesse but includeth also the positive Jesus will do all for his people He will rejoyce over thee with joy As a bridegroome doth over his bride Esa Gesti super te laetitiâ 62.5 He will take speciall complacency and content in thee being made accepted in the beloved Eph. 1.6 He will rest in his love And seek no further Heb. He will be silent in his love passing by small faults without any the least signification of his displeasure as if he were even fond over his church and did err in his love towards her as husbands are licensed to do toward their wives Prov. 5.19 Some render it obmutescet in amore suo he shall be dumb in his love so as he cannot speak through excesse of love Lovers are so transported sometimes that they cannot utter their minds He will joy over thee with singing As a father doth over his child whom he beareth in his bosome or dandleth on his knee Verse 18. I will gather them that are sorrowfull for the solemne assembly which now they cannot celebrate as being in captivity and are therefore in great heavinesse as was David Psal 42.2 3 5. Nothing goes nearer to a good heart then to be debarred the benefit of Gods holy ordinances then to heare the sabbaths mocked at by the enemies as these good soules did Lam. 2.7 and to be asked as David was Where is now thy God Psal 42.3 All outward comforts in this case are meer Ichabods When the Ark was taken Eli could live no longer that word struck him down back ward and killed him in the fall No sword of a Philistine could have slaine him more painefully neither is it easie to say whether his neck or heart were first broken who are of thee True children of the church as appeareth by their strong affections to the ordinances 1 Pet. 2.2 Luther said he would not live in Paradise without the word as with it be could easily live in hell An infant cannot be quieted with gawdes or fine cloaths without the dugg so neither cana true chirstian with any thing but the publike services the solemne assemblies to whom the reproach of it was a burden It lay heavy upon their spirits and made them send up many a deep sigh to God who heareth the breathings of his people Lam. 3.56 1 Chr. 15.26 and will restore comfort to such his mourners Esa 57.18 He that helped his Levites to bear the Ark will help those that grieve at the want of it and grone under the reproach cast upon it which they ever honoured as the face of God Psal 105.4 Yea as God himself Psal 132.5 Verse 19. Behold at that time I will undoe all that afflict thee Heb. Behold Me Look not to thy self as unworthy or unlikely to inherit such precious promises for not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you but for mine own holy Names sake Ezek. 36.22 32. your unworthinesse shall serve for a foile to set forth the freenesse of my love your unlikelinesse the greatnesse of my power my grace is sufficient for thee my strength is perfected in thy weaknesse 2 Cor. 19.9 Againe look not to thine enemies how many and mighty they are how witty and wealthy how active and combined loricaâ—us incedit Satan cataphractus said Luther let thine eyes be upon me as Jehosaphats were when he knew not whither else to look 2 Chron. 20.12 let thine heart be lift up in my wayes as his was 2 Chron. 17.6 behold me behold me Esay 65.1 Look not downward on the rushing and roating streames of miseries and troubles which run so swiftly under thee for then thou wilt be giddy but look upward and stedfastly fasten on my power and promise beleeve in the Lord thy God so shalt thou be established beleeve his Prophets so shalt thou prosper 2 Chr. 20.20 thine enemies also shall be found liars unto thee and thou shalt tread upon their high places Deut. 33.29 I will undo them saith God here Heb. I will do them per Antiphrasin or I will bruise them and break them in peeces as R David rendreth it by comparing Ezek. 23.3 21. I will not only represse them but root them out Those that offer violence to the Church like blind Sampson they lay hands upon their pillars to pluck the house upon their own heads and I will save her that halteth As enemies shall not hinder the Churches happinesse so neither shall her own infirmities Grant she be lame and luxated maimed and disjoynted so that she goeth sideling and halteth down right Psal 38.17 Say she be driven out of her countrey as an exile out of all companies as an outcast whom no man seeketh after Ier. 30.17 and out of all good conceit of her self as an abject vile in her own eyes not fit for the communion of Saints or kingdome of heaven Yea I will save her I will gather her like as the gathering host in the wildernesse see Iosh 6.9 took up the lame feeble and those that were left behind See Mic. 4.6 with the Note and Ezek. 32.16 I will seek that which was lost and reduce that which was driven away c. and I will
among the princes of Judah Mat. 2.6 because Christ was born there The tribe of Nepthali is first reckoned of those by Rachels side because at Capernaum in this tribe Christ inhabited Rev. 7.6 in which respect also this town is said to be lifted up to beaven Mat. Gen. 42.4 11.2 3. Benjamin is called the beloved of the Lord Gods darling as their father Ben amin was old Jacobs because God dwelt between his shoulders sc in his Temple built upon those two mountaines Moriath and Zion Deut. 33.12 The glory of that first Temple was that the Majesty of God appeared in it covering it self in a cloud The glory of this later house was greater because therein the same divine Majesty appeared not covered with a cloud but really incarnated For the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Ioh. 1.14 In this flesh of ours and under this second Temple Christ not only uttered oracles did miracles and finished the great work of our redemption but also laid the foundation of the Christian Church Jam. 1. For the Law that perfect Law of liberty the Gospell came out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem to all the ends of the earth Esay 2.3 Psal 110.1 From hence it was that the Lord of glory whom the blind Jewes had crucified sent out his Apostles those messengers of the churches and the glory of Christ as they are called 2 Cor 8.23 to gather together unto him those desirable ones his elect verse 7. See the Note there whom he calleth the glory Esa 46.13 the house of his glory Esay 60.7 a crown of glory Esay 62.3 the throne of glory Ier. 4â— 21 the ornament of God Ezek 7.20 the beauty of his ornament ib. and that set in majesty ib. a royall diadem in the hand of Jehovah Esay 62.3 and in this place will I give peace Even the Prince of peace and with him all things also Rom. 8.32 pacem Pectoris Temporis Peace of countrey and of conscionce this later especially seemeth here to be meant For the former viz. outward Peace was not long enjoyed by these Jewes and their second Temple was often spoyled by the enemies Ioh. 14. and at length burnt and overturned But the Peace of God that passeth all understanding is that Legacy which the world can neither give nor take from Gods people And of this inward Peace the Septuagint according to the Roman edition taketh the Text and so doth Ambrose Haec est pax suâ—er pacem saith He. Christ as he was brought from heaven with that song of Peace Luk 2.14 Onearth peace good will toward men which is the same with that salutation of St. Paul who learned it belike of those Angels Grace be to you and Peace so he returned up againe with that farewell of peace Ioh. 14.27 and left to the world the doctrine of peace the gospell of peace Eph. 2.17 whose Authour is the God of peace 1 Cor. 14.33 whose Ministers are ministers of peace Rom. 10.15 whose followers are the children of peace Luk 10.6 whose unity is in the bond of peace Eph. 4.3 whose duty is the study of peace Rom. 12.18 and whose end is to enter into peace to rest in their beds their soules resting in heaven their bodyes in the grave till the joyfull resurrection even every one walking in his uprightnesse Esay 57.2 Psal 37.33 Verse 10. In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month in the second yeer of Darius This diligence of the Prophets in noting and noticing the precise time of Gods hand upon them Scultet Annal. should teach us to do the like See the Note on chap. 1. ver 1. Melch. Adam in vit Bugenhà g The churches in Switzerland kept that day yearely as an holiday whereon the Reformation began amongst them Bugenhagius kept a feast every yeer on that day of the month wherein he and some other Divines had finished the Dutch Bible and called it The feast of the Translation of the Bible Philipp Pareus in vita Dau. Parei The University of Heidelberg kept an Evangelicall Iubilee three whole dayes together Anno Dom. 1617. in the Calends of November in the remembrance of the renowned Reformation of religion begun by Luther a just hundred yeers before Hereby Gods name shall be sanctified our faith strengthened and our good affection both evidenced and excited By the time here described it appeareth that they had now been three moneths building and the Prophet meane-while had given them great incouragement thereunto But forasmuch as he found that they stuck in the bark as they say rested in the work done thought they should therefore win upon God because they built him a Temple the Prophet gives them to understand that there is more required of them then a Temple viz. that therein they worship the Lord purely and holily in spirit and in truth that their divine worships bee right both quoad fontem quoad finem for principle and end of intention for else they impure all that they touch and are no whit better but a great deal the worse for all their performances This the Prophet teacheth them in the two following oracles propounded by way of demand to the Priests How apt are men to lose themselves in a wildernesse of duties To dig for pearls in their own dunghils to think to oblige God to themselves by their good works to spin a threed of their own to climbe up to heaven by to rest in their own righteousnesse to save themselves by riding on horses Hos 14.3 The Prophets designe is here to beat them off from such fond conceits telling them that the person must be accepted ere the service can bee regarded as Abels To the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbeleeving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 saith the Apostle Calvin upon this Text saith no more and yet Cor. a Lapide is very angry with him for saying so much Aug. de vera innocent c. 56. There is in Peter Lumbard this golden sentence eited out of August inc The whole life of unbeleevers is sinne neither is any thing good without the cheifest good This sentence Ambrose Rybera a Poprsh Postiller censureth for harsh and cruell But doth not God here say the same thing Crudelis est illa sententia Certain it is that good actions from bad men displease as a man may speak good words but we cannot hear because of his stinking breath The facrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 Charity is nothing unlesse it flow out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 Verse 11. Ask now the Priest concerning the Law For who should know the law better then the Priests And who so fit to
have dealt by revenge and have taken vengeance with a deceitfull heart to destroy it for the old hatred Ezek. 25.15 17. and 26.2 Therefore I will execute great vengeances upon them with furious rebukes and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall laymy vengeance upon them 2 Sam. 13.39 Joab never pleased David better then when he made intercession for banished Absolom for the soule of king David longed to go forth unto Absolom whom yet he had very just cause to be greatly displeased with God in a heat as it were against Israel offereth Moses a great fortune Exod. 32.10 but would have taken it very ill that Mosâ—s should have taken him at his word He is but a little angry with his people and soon repenteth him of the evill But woe be to those that help forward the indignation that deale by Gods afflicted as the Herd of Deer do which when any of the herd is shot the hest push him out of their company Camden It is said of Q. Elisabeth that she hated ho lesse then did Mithridates such as maliciously persecuted vertue forsaken of fortune Think the same of God He weareth his rod to the stumps and then throwes it into the fire He sets his horse-leeches to his people when he findes them sick of a plethory of pride when fulnesse hath bred forgetfulnesse saturity security and suffereth them to suck rill they burst and then treads them under his feet and puts them away as drosse Psal 119.118 119. Verse 16. Psal 42.7 Therefore thus saith the Lord Thus one deep calleth another the lower deep of our misery the higher deep of Gods mercy As Craesus his dumb son burst out into Kill not king Craesus so when enemies are ready to devoure the Church Gods bowels work he can hold no longer but cryes Save my child Handle the yong man gently for my sake See Ier. 31.20 Isa 57.16 I will not contend for ever neither will I be alwayes wroth for the spirit should faile before me c. when the child swoons in the whipping God let falls the rod and falls a kissing it to fetch life into it againe A Physitian in some cases purgeth his patient till nothing be lest almost but skin and bone or blooddeth him ad deliquium animae till he faint and sink but yet his care is still to maintain nature so this heavenly Father and Physitian is carefull to keep up the spirits of his suffering Saints by comforts and cordials as here I am returned to Ierusalem with mercies Miserationibus visceralibus with multitudes of tender mercies that flow from the inwards from the bowels from the bosom and bottom of the heart had that of a Parent nay of a mother toward her child in an extremity as 1 King 3.26 And here observes how fully and sweetly the Angels prayer verse 12. is answered even ad cardinem desiderij Aug. Confes lib. 5. c. 8. God not only grants him according to his own heart but fulfills all his counsell as it is Psal 20.4 Le ts it be to him even as he will nay gives him an enlarged answer presseth upon him as Naaman did upon Gehezi's two talents when he desired but one How long wilt thou not be mercifull to Jerusalem saith He behold I am returned to Jerusalem with many mercies saith God I went away and hid me from it in my anger Hos 5.15 but am come again with many comforts to relieve it As all light is from the Sun and all waters from the sea so is all comfort from God In thy light shall we see light but Thou diddest hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30.7 as when the Sun is eclipsed all creatures here flag and hang the head there is a drooping in the whole frame or nature and as when the extracting force of the Sun leaves the vapours that are drawn up they fall down again to the earth So sares it with the Church If God withdraw she lyes all amort yea she lieth open to all sorts of evils and enemies for her shadow is departed from her But he cannot be long absent such is his love he will repent for his people when he seeth their power is gone Dent. 32.36 when there is a dignus vindice nodus an extremity fit for divine power to interpose when misery weighs down nothing but mercy turns the scale then at furthest in the very turning and criticall point He will return to Jerusalem with mercies He will return to her not as the winter sun that casts a goodly countenance when it shines but gives little comfort and heat but with a Cornu-copia of all manner of blessings will he come my house shall be built in it saith the Lord of Hosts and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem that is both Church and State shall flourish God will both do good in his good pleasure unto Sion be will also build the walls of Jerusalem Psal 51.18 but mark that he saith in his good pleasure as here in tender mercies to teachus that all the good we enjoy is merely of mercy it is all of free grace for otherwise there should not be so much as any face of Church or common-wealth as we see in the Jewes at this day a miserable dissected people because Lo-ruhamah Hos 1. such as have not obtained mercy Then Ancestours acknowledged with all thankfulnesse for so undeserved a favour that Except the Lord of Hosts had left unto them a very small remnant Isay 1.9 they should have been as Sodom and like unto Gomorrah Had not the Angels laid hold upon Lots hand and the good Lord been mercifull unto him Gen. 19.16 he also had perished amongst those sinners against their own soules Jehoshua was a brand pluckt out of the fire Zech. 3.2 And when One said to Mr. Bradford the Martyr God hath done much for you since I first knew you and hath wrought wonderously in you to his glory he thus answered Truth it is for He hath dealt favourably with me Act. Mon. 1473. Ezra 9.13 in that he hath not punished me according to my sins but hath suffered me to live that I might seek repentance Thou hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve saith Ezra And it is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed saith the Church because his compassions faile not Lam. 3.22 Verse 17. Cry yet saying Thus saith the Lord of Hosts my cities Here are foure Yets in this one verse and all very gracious ones to break their hard harts and to raise their faith in his promised mercies For it is as if God should say Though I was sore displeased with your Fathers and ye are risen up in their roomes a very rate of rebels so that I have had indignation against you full seventy yeers ver 12. yet I do you to know and by my Propher I proclaime with great earnestness and evidence of truth that I do
expanse as a curtain or as a molten looking-glasse Job 37.18 Job 26.7 2. From the wisdome of God in laying the foundation of the earth and hanging it by Geometry as we say in the midst of heaven like Archimedes his pigeon equally poized with its own weight Terra pilae similis nullo fulcimine nixa Ovid. Fast l. 5 Aere subjecto tam grave pendet onus 3. From the goodnesse of God who formeth the spirit of man within him who hath made us these souls Esay 57.16 which he doth daily create and infuse into mens bodies yea and that alone without any help of their parents hence hee is called the Father of spirits Heb. 12.9 and the spirit of a dying man is said to return to God that gave it Eccles 12.7 This last text convinced Augustine who held sometime with Origen that the soul as well as the body was begotten by the parents farre more then the peremptory rashnesse of Vincentius Victor who censured boldly the Fathers unresolvednesse Chemnitius when hee doubted concerning the originall of a rationall soul and vaunted that he would prove by demonstration that souls are created de novo by God Aristotle Natures chief Secretary was much puzled about this point of the soul which indeed cannot fully bee conceived of nor defined by man Onely this we can say that the soul as it comes from God so it is like him viz. One immateriall immortall understanding Spirit distinguisht into three Powers which all make up one Spirit Verse 2. Behold I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling Or slumber or poyson A Metaphor taken from a cup of generous wine but empoysoned so that those that drink of it do presently tremble grow giddy sleepy sick as heart can hold Poyson in wine works more furiously Thou hast made us to drink the wine of giddinesse saith the Church Psal 60.3 In the hand of the Lord is a cup and the wine is red it is full mixed c. The Prophet here seems to allude to Jer. 25.15 Esay 29.8 Jer. 31.7 Ovid saith of the river Gallus that whoso drinketh of it runneth mad immediatly Hierom telleth of a Lake neer Naples whereinto if a dog be thrown he presently dieth The like is reported by Josephus of the Lake Asphaltites Jerusalem shall be a murthering morsell to those that swallow it His meat in his bowels is turned it is the gall of aspes within him Hee hath swallowed down her spoil and he shall vomit it up again Job 20.14 15 God shall rake it out of his belly He shall have as little joy of his tid-bits of his sweet draughts as Jonathan had of his honey whereof he had no sooner tasted but his head was forfeited Pliny speaketh of a kind of honey that poysoneth because it is sucked out of poysonous flowers Our Chronicler telleth us Speed 1210. that at Alvelana three miles from Lisbon many of our English souldiers under the Earl of Essex perished by eating of honey purposely left in the houses and spiced with poyson The enemies of the Church make a dangerous adventure they are even ambitious of destruction they run to meet their bane as did those Philistines at Mizpeh 1 Sam. 7. And had they but so much wit as Pilats wife in a dream they would take heed of having any thing to do with those just men of eating up Gods people as they eat bread Psal 14.4 of bowsing in the bowles of the Sanctuary with Baltasar who fell thereupon into a trembling Dan. 5.6 so that his loyns were loosed and his knees knockt one against another when they shall be in the siege And so about to do their last and worst against the Church The people of Rome was saepe praelio victus nunquam bello saith Florus they lost many battles but were never overcome in a set warre at the last at the long-runne as they say they crushed all their enemies so doth the Church See Psal 129. thorowout and the story of the Maccabees Verse 3. I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone Such a stone as that wherewith the woman brake Abimelech his brainpan at the tower of Thebez Judg. 9.53 He had slain all his brethren upon one stone verse 5. he receives therefore his deaths-wound by a stone and that by the hand of a woman which was his greatest grief The like death befell Pyrrhus king of Epirotes slain at the siege of Argos with a tyle thrown by a woman from the wall So was Earl Simon Mountfort that bloody persecutour of the Albigenses in Irance A woman discharged an engine at him Cades Justif of the Church from the walls of Tholouse and by a stone parted his head from his shoulders The virgin daughter of Zion shall do as much as all this comes to for her besiegers though all the people of the earth be gathered together against her For why she hath a strong champion that in maintaining her quarrell will dash them to pieces and grind them to powder Luke 20.18 They are no more able to stand before him then a glasse-bottle before a cannon-shot Hence her confidence her laughing and shaking her head by way of derision at her stoutest enemies Esay 37.22 She knows that all that burden themselves with her shall be cut in pieces Hamans wife could tell so much If Mordecai said she be of the seed of the Jews Esih 5.13 before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not prevail against him but shalt surely fall before him A Jew may-fall before a Fersian and get up and prevail But if a Persian or whosoever of the Gentiles begin to sall before a Jew he can neither stay nor rise There is an invisible hand of omnipotency that strikes in for his own and confounds their opposites That little stone cut out without hands Christs humane nature is called a tabernacle not made with hands not of this building Heb. 9.11 that is not by an ordinary course of generation smiteth the four mighty Monarchies and crumbleth them to crattle Dan. 2.34 Hierom upon this text and after him other Interpreters both Ancient and Modern tell us that the Holy Ghost here alludeth to a certain exercise or game used much among the Jews namely to take up a great round stone for the triall of a mans strength lifting it up from the ground sometimes to the knees sometimes to their navels sometimes to their breasts and sometimes as high as their heads or above their heads At which sport many times they did grievously hurt themselves or at least scarify and make cuts in their flesh See Levit. 21.5 where the same word is used The Churches enemies shall strive and try who shall do her most hurt but the stoutest of them all shall be fooled and foiled in the end The irrepairable ruine of Rome is graphically described and even set forth to the eye Rev. 18.21 by a notable gradation An Angel a mighty Angel taketh a stone a great stone
Iohn Careles 110.1 When the righteous shine as bright as silver upon the celestiall shelf as that martyr said and surpass us as farr as the lily doth the thorns Cant. 2.2 or as the gold doth the coals in the goldsmiths shop yea they are the throne of Christ Exod. 17.16 his Iewels Mal. 3.17 his ornament Ezek. 7.20 the beauty of his ornament and that set in majesty ib. a royall diadem on the head of Jehovah Esay 62.3 and so they shall one day appear to be though now they do not 1 Ioh. 3.2 it shall be no hard matter to discern them Between the righteous and the wicked Here they are together in the church militant and ever have been Sinners in Sion Isa 33.14 sacrificing Sodomites Isa 1.10 a devill in Christs family Ioh. 13.10 All men have not faith 2 Thess 3.2 all the Lords people are not holy Num. 16.3 that any are 't is just wonder What is man that he should be clean and he which is born of a woman that he should be righteous Iob 15.14 None are so but such as are arraied with that fine white linnen and shining the righteousnesses of the saints Rev. 19.8 that twofold righteousnesse Imputed and Imparted of Justification and of Sanctification See both 1 Cor. 6.11 and seek after both by Christs Merit and Spirit by his Value and Vertue He is Iehovah our righteousnesse Ier. 23.5 and of his fulnesse we all receive Ioh. 1.16 He it is that makes us to differ from the wicked of the world that have hearts full of hell and are ever either hatching cockatrices eggs or at best weaving spiders webbs vanity or villany is their whole practise The best among them would serve god and yet retain their lusts too as Solomon thought he could follow sinfull pleasures and yet keep his wisdome And with such we must converse whiles in this world Tares will be with the wheat goats among the sheep righteous and wicked together God permits it so to be for the glory of his free grace and for the triall and exercise of his people Our care must be the greater for evill men indanger good men as weeds do the corn as bad humours the blood or an infected house the neighbourhood We must resolve as Ioshuah to serve the Lord howsoever because a difference shall be one day set between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Where we see that not serving of God not sacrificing is a sinne Eccles 9 2. Not robbing onely but the not relieving of the poor was the rich mans ruin Not gluttony onely but overmuch abstinence may overthrow the body Omission of diet breeds diseases so doth omission of duties and makes work for hell or for the Physitian of our souls Let us therefore have grace whereby we may serve God with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12.27 Serve him as old Zachary in his Canticle saith we should do Luke 1.74 75. First out of sense of his dear love in our deliverance by Christ whereinto the deeper we dive the sweeter Servati sumus ut serviamus This will make us love to be his servants Esay 56.7 fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.12 Secondly serve him without fear slavish fear serve him with an holy security in full assurance of his gracious assistance and acceptance yea though thorough infirmity we misse or marre his work yet he will spare us Mal. 3.17 Thirdly serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse in all parts and points of duty shew your integrity both for subject and object not picking or chusing ' your work nor sticking at any thing but willing in all things to please God He doth not Gods but his own will that doth no more then himself will Fourthly serve him sincerely in holinesse and righteousnesse before him or as in his presence Set the Lord ever at your right hand look him full in the face approve your hearts and lives unto him do him but eye-service and it sufficeth Fifthly serve him constantly all the dayes of your lives hire your selves to him for terme of life why should you desire to shift or fleet where can you mend your selves either for fairnesse of work or fulnesse of wages Can the son of Iesse give you vineyards c. said Saul to his servants so may God say Can the world do for you as I both can and will if you cleave to me with full purpose of heart Sure it cannot c. FINIS An Alphabeticall Table of all the Principall things contained in this whole WORK A ABstinence Pag. 265 Admonition rejected p. 60 61. the best need it p. 480. Râ—ch 1. admonished by an Hermite p. 321 Adoption the whole Doctrine of it p. 912 913 914 915 916 c. Adultery goeth along with idolatry p. 69 70 71. punished p. 57 664 Affliction is Gods thorn-hedge p. 27. 't is usefull p. 26. humblâ—th us p. 89. teacheth us 90. maketh us pray ib. is Gods vocall instruction to us 377. Comforts under it 385. Difference of afflictions that befall saints and sinners 414 421. Saints are thereby purged 591 592 661 662. tried 593. gratified 593. How to live by faith in affliction 888 889. Despondency under affliction reproved 890. Suffer it patiently 891 892. though not presently delivered 893. Helps thereunto ib. 894. God a Father to his afflicted 928 Alchymy a pick-purse p. 420 Alexander M. meeting the high-priest p. 520 Ambition unsatisfiable p. 422 Amos who p. 221 Amurath 3 stabbed to death p. 579 Angels readily serve the Saints p. 504 537. and why 504. they are our Gardians 512. heavenly spirits c. 537 Anger rash the evil of it p. 326 Antiquity falsified by Papists p. 561 Apostasie p. 67. Apostates 74â— it is very dangerous 178 Apparrell pride in it condemned p. 448 Assurance labour after it p. 153 208. be not unsetled 618 Astrologie judiciary condemned p. 446 Atheists practicall p. 450 B BAal who p. 30. Baalim what 37 B. Babingtons three-leaved book p. 686 Baptisme promised p. 583 Bastards reproached p. 652 Bath of Christs Blood p. 660 Beauty lovely p. 281. stained with evil manners 408 Be Best in worst times and why 695 696 697 698 c. Blasphemy punished p. 676 Blood-guiltinesse wofull p. 406 Borbonius anagrammatized p. 23 Bribery condemned p. 73 354 382 C CAlling of the Gentiles p. 623 Get a lawfull Calling p. 309 Calvins Institutions when and why written p. 273. Calvin belied by A Lapide p. 601 Cardinals pompous creation p. 25 Censure not others harshly p. 936 937 940 Chemarims who p. 446 Children soon corrupted p. 83. unnaturall children 384. degenerate children 642. a fathers huge love to his children 585. Sennacherib why slain by his own sons 399 Church described by her afflictions p. 594. restlesse here 504. is invincible 527 576. is under persecution 594. she shall be delivered 887. onely she must pray for it 888. she is married to Christ 897 hath him for her Head 13 Christ his yoke is
as not to see God in that they suffered They had learned that out of Psal 78.47 48. Psal 29.3 c. Tully indeed thought that God minds not mildew or hail c. Nee si uredo aut grando quippiam nocuit id Iovi animadvert endum fuit neque enim in regnis reges omnia minima curant c. As kings take not notice of smaller businesses in their kingdoms saith He so neither doth God of these ordinary occurrences But the Jewes for the generality had learned better things And the Apostle tells those Heathens too Acts 14. that God had not left himself without witnesse amongst them in that he did good and gave rain from bâ—aven and fruitfull seasons c. â—Cicero himself likewise another time could say Curiosus est plenus negotii Deus God taketh care of all and is full of businesse And oh that this truth were as fruitfully improved as it is generally acknowledged Oh that men would turn at Gods reproof his recall reproofs his vocall rods Mic. 6.9 and not put him to his old complaint Why should ye be smitten any more Esay 1.5 ye revolt more and more This we may wish but God alone can effect For till he please to thrust his holy hand into mens bosomes and pull off the fore-skin of their hearts Afflictions those hammers of his do but beat cold iron Salvian See Ier. 2.30 31. and 6.29 30. Lev. 26.41 Plectimur à Deo nec flectimur tamen corripimur sed non corrigimur We are put to pain but to no prosit Jer. 12.13 as Abaz that stiffe stigmatick 2 Chron. 28.23 and Ahaziah who sent a third Captain to surprize the Prophet 2 King 1. after two before consumed with fire from heaven as if he would despitefully spit in the face of God and wrestle a fall with the Almighty Verse 18. Consider now from this day and upward And see how punctually the time of benediction answereth to the time of your conversion so that you no sooner begin to build but I begin to blesse It is said of the men of Issachar that they were in great account with David because they had understanding of the times 1 Chron. 12.32 It is certainly a point of spirituall prudence to consider the times and to compare things past with present and future Time is the wisest of all things Laert. lib. 1 said Thales the best counsellour said Plutarch Truth is the daughter of Time In Pericles saith Another Philosopher See the Note on verse 15. Verse 19. Is the seed yet in the barne Hierom rendreth it In germine In the sprouting or spirting as they call it and so farre enough from the harvest and yet further if yet in the barn and not put into the ground Neverthesse for your diligence in building Gods house I assure you in the word of truth that you shall have a very great increase a plentifull harvest From this day will I blesse you And it is the blessing of God that maketh rich as is to be seen in the examples of the Patriarchs Abraham Isaac Iacob Others whose godlinesse was their gain whose piety was profitable to all things as having the promises of both lives 1 Tim. 4.8 Now all that are of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham Gal. 3.9 are heirs of the world with him Rom. 4.13 and so have right to all things in Christ the heir of all things 1 Cor. 3.22 Heb. 1.2 though these things on earth be detained from them for present by those men of Gods hand Psal 17.14 as Canaan was from Israel by the cursed Amorites till their sinnes were full Gen. 14. yet they shall shortly have power over the Nations and which is better Christ will give them the morning-starre that is himself Rev. 2.26 28 and with himself a Cornucopia of spirituall blessings Ephes 1.3 The Lord that made heaven and earth will blesse them out of Zion that is with better blessings then heaven or earth afforded We read not here of any other blessings but increase of corn wine oil c. because this people was wholly almost affixed to earthly things 1 Cor. 2. The Prophet could not speak wisdom among those that were perfect But better things were implied and assured to the godly as appearâ—th by the ensuing Oracle Verse 20. And again the word of the Lord Again the same day Twice-aday-preaching is no new practise then This Prophet did it so did our Saviour Acts Mon. fâ—l 940. Mat. 13.1 So did Chrysostome as appeareth by his Note on 1 Thes 5.17 So did Luther which because one Nicholas White commended in him he was accused of heresie in the raign of Hen. 8. It is not so long since it was held here practicall Puritanisme The late Arch-prelate being sued unto by a Noble-man to preferre a Chaplain of his whom he commended for an able Divine Socraâ— and a twice-aday-preacher turned away in a great heat saying The more fool he Verse 21. Speak to Zerubbabel governour of Judah Governours are sure to meet with many difficulties and discouragements high-seats are never but uneasie and had need therefore of singular consolation that they may hold on their course like the Sun in the firmament and shew themselves to be of an undaunted resolution We may well say to Governours as that Propheticall Simeon spoke to the pillars which he whipped before the earth-quake Stand fast for yee shall be shaken I will shake the heavens and the earth sc by abrogating and abolishing both Jewish Ceremonies and Heathenish superstitions Heb. 12.27 As also by Nationall commotions and translations of Monarchies The Greeks shall break the power of the Persians the Romans of the Greeks the Goths and other barbarous nations of the Romans But especially by casting the devil out of the heaven of mens hearts Luke 10.18 those strong-holds wherein he had entrenched himself Mat. 24.7 2 Cor. 10.4 5. that the ransomed of the Lord may receive a kingdome which cannot bee moved Heb. 12.28 and partake of those new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.13 even that world to come as these dayes of the Gospel are called Heb. 2.5 See the Note above on vers 6.7 Verse 22. And I will overthrow the throne of kingdomes sc by pouring contempt upon Princes and causing them to wander in the wildernesse where there is no way Psal 107.40 as he dealt with Darius the last Persian Monarch by putting down the mighty from their seat and exalting them of low degree Luke 1.52 as hee dealt with Bajazet the great Turk and Tamerlan the Scythian shepherd by changing the â—imes and the seasons removing kings and setting up others in their stead Dan. 2.21 All this God will do and all that follows in the Text viz. destroy the strength of kingdoms overthrow the charets and their riders c. rather then his Church shall be unhelped or his kingdome of grace hindered Our help is in
the Name of the Lord who made heaven and earth and will rather unmake all again then we shall be unrelieved Psal 124.8 Yet have I set my king upon mine holy hill of Zion Psal 2.6 Yet for all the sorrow for all the malicious machinations and attempts of his enemies to the contrary who are therehence admonished to be wise for themselves and to kisse the sonne for he must raigne and all his foes must bee his foot-stool There is a Councill in heaven will dash the mould of all contrary counsels upon earth The stone cut out of the mountains without hands which is Christ the Conquerour will break in pieces the iron the brasse the clay the silver and the gold And in the dayes of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdome which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdomes and it shall stand for ever Dan. 2.44 45. So Dan. 7. after that the Prophet had described the greatnesse and glory of all the four Monarchies at length he comes to speak of a kingdome which is the greatest and mightiest under the whole heaven and that is the kingdome of the Saints of the most High Dan. 7.27 whose kingdome is an everlasting kingdome and all Rulers shall serve and obey him Verse 23. I will take thee O Zerubbabel That is O Christ of whom Zerubbabel was both a father and a figure Luke 3.27 Zach. 4.10 I will take thee that is I will advance and exalt thee See this expounded and applied by that great Apostle Philip. 2.5 to the 12. and will make thee as a signet that is I will highly esteem thee inviolably keep thee and entirely love thee Cant. 8.6 Jer. 22.24 and all my people in thee and for thee Esay 49.16 for I have chosen thee as Esay 42.1 Quoniam in te mihi complacui saith the Chaldee For in thee I am well pleased as Mat. 3.17 See the Note there Saith the Lord of hosts This is three severall times set down in this one verse for our greater assurance and confirmation of our faith I shall close up all with that observation of Divines that all the Prophets except Jonah and Nahum expressely end in some prophecy concerning Christ He being their mark at which all of them chiefly aimed Indeed he is both mark and matter of both old and new Testament And therefore if we will profit in teaching hearing reading we must have the eye of our minde turned toward Christ as the faces of the Cherubims were toward the Mercy seat Do this if ever you will do well A COMMENT OR EXPOSITION Upon the Prophesie of ZACHARIAH CHAP. I. Verse 1. IN the eighth moneth in the second year of Darius Two moneths after Haggai began to prophesie See the Note on Hagg. 1.1 These two Prophets did jointly together reprove the Jews for their sloth in reedifying the Temple and incite them to set forward the work Ezra 5.1 contributing their utmost help thereunto vers 2. They were also a singular help the one to the other in the execution of their office For two are better then one and why see Eccles 4.9 with the Note For which cause also Christ sent out first the twelve and then the seventy by two and two Mar. 6.7 Luk. 10.1 So Paul and Barnabas were sent abroad the two faithfull witnesses Revel 11.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Poet speaks of Vlysses and Diomedes sent to fetch in the Palladium Acts Mon Exod. 4.16 One good man may be an Angel to another as Bradford was to his fellow-Martyr Dr. Taylour nay a God to another as Moses was to Aaron And for others in the mouth of two or three witnesses a truth is better beleeved by them and a twisted cord not easily broken Haggai layes down the mind of God to the people more plainly in direct and down-right termes Zachary flies an higher pitch abounding with types and visions and is therefore worthily reckoned among the abstrusest and profoundest Pen-men of holy Scripture Praecaeteris obscurus est profundus varius prolixus aeigmaticus Cor. a Lapid For it must be understood and let it here be prefaced that albeit all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is prositable to instruct 2 Tim. 3.16 pure precious and profitable every leaf line and letter of it Psal 12.6 Prov. 30.5 Yet between scripture and scripture there is no small difference some pieces of Gods Book for their antiquity and some other for their obscurity do justly challenge our greater attention and industry Of the former sort famous for their antiquity are the five Books of Moses whom Theodoret fitly calleth the great Ocean of divinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fountaine of the following scriptures Of the second sort noted for their difficulty and that will not be acquainted with us but upon further suit some are hard through their fulnesse of matter in fewnesse of words as the Poeticall bookes wherein no doubt the verse also hath caused some cloud And others againe by the sublimity of the subject they handle such as are the bookes of Ezechiel and Daniel and this of Zachary who is totus ferè symbolicus and is much followed by St. Iohn in his Revelation Hence Hierome in his prologue to this Prophet saith Hieron Ab obscuris ad obscuriora transimus cum Mose ingredimâ—r ad nubem caliginem Abyssus abyssum invocat c. We passe from dark prophecyes to that which is much more dark and with Moses we are entring into the cloud and thick darknesse Here one deep calleth upon another and being in a Labyrinth we hope to get out by Christs golden clue concerning whose Passion Resurrection and glory he speaketh more like an Evangelist then a Prophet and may therefore be rightly stiled The Evangelicall Prophet came the word of the Lord unto Zachariah the son of Barachiah Therefore the same that our Saviour speaketh of Mat. 23.35 Luk 11.51 though I once thought otherwise after Hierome Luther Calvin Beza Glassius Grotius c. But 1. the name of his Father Berechiah 2. the manner of Christs account reckoning from Abel the first Martyr to this penultimus Prophetarum last save one of the Prophets and last of all that was slaine by the Jewes after the reedifying of the Temple Zach. 11.1 13 whither being assaulted he ran for sanctuary easily perswades me to alter mine opinion As for those that hold that our Saviour there spcaketh of Zachary the Father of Iohn Baptist Luk 1. slaine by the Jewes because he preached Virginis partum Christi ortum Christ born of a Virgin Baronius Tolet and others as they affirme it without reason so they may be dismissed without refutation Hoc quia de scripturis non habet authoritatem eâdem facilitate contemnitur quâ probatur saith Hierome the son of Iddo the Prophet Whether the