but fell into a great perplexity of conscience acknowledged his fault to the Owner and promised restitution if ever able to make it And take the name of my God in vain Hee saith not lest I being poor steal and be fined burnt in the hand whipped c. No but lest I take thy name in vain that is cause thy name to stink among the ungodly open their mouths break down the banks of blasphemy by such a base sin committed by such a forward Professor Good men take Gods Name in vain no way so much as by confuting and shaming their Profession by a scandalous conversation such as becometh not the Gospel of Christ Moreover they count sin to bee the greatest smart in sin as being more sensible of the wound they therein give the glory of God than of any personal punishment Vers 10. Accuâ—e not a servant unto his Master Unless it be in an Ordinance for the benefit of both Much lesse may we falsly accuse Wives to their Husbands as Stephen Gardiner and other Court-parasites did King Henry the eighth his Wives to him of Adultery Heresie Conspiracy c. Children to their Parents as the Jesuits the Popes Bloud-hounds did Charls eldest Son of Philip King of Spain for suspicion of Heresie whereupon he was murdered by the cruel Inquisition one friend to another a sin that David could not endure Psal 101. and Christ the Son of David as deeply disliked it in the Pharisees those make-bates that by accusing his Disciples to him one while and him to his Disciples another while sought to make a breach in his Family by setting off the one from the other Lest he curse thee and thou be found guilty Lest to cry quittance with thee he rip up thy faults such as it will be for thy shame Et dici potuisse non potuisse râ—fâ—lli He that speaketh what he should not shall hear of what he would not Put them in mind to speak evil of no man falsly and rashly without cause and necessity And why For we our selves also even I Paul and thou Titus were sometimes foolish disobedient c. Tit. 3.1 2 3. and may haply hear of it to our shame and sorrow if wee irritate others thereunto by way of recrimination Vers 11. There is a generation that curseth their father An evil and an adulterous generation doubtless a bastardly brood as were those in the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 3. a generation of Vipers that make their way into the world by their Dammes death These monsters of men are doomed to destruction Levit. 20. Hell gapes for them as also it doth for such as revile or denigrate their Masters Magistrates Ministers Benefactours Ancients There is a certain Plant which our Herbalists call Herbam impiam or wicked endweed whose younger branches still yeeld flowers to over-top the elder Such weeds grow too rife abroad It is an ill soyl that produceth them But of this before Vers 12. There are a generation that are pure c. As the ancient Puritans the Novatians Donatists Catharists Illuminates Non habeo Domine cui ignoscas said one Justitiary I have done nothing Lord that needs thy pardon Yee are those that justifie your selves saith Christ to the Pharisees All these things have I done from my youth what want I yet said one of them that farre over-weened his own worth and raâ—ed himself above the market In all my labours they shall finde none iniquity in me saith guilty Ephraim that were sin Hos 12.8 that were a foul businesse to find iniquity in Ephraim whose iniquities were yet grown over his head as appears throughout that whole Prophecy That Man of Sin the Pope will needs be held sinless and sundry of his Votaries say they can supererrogate And are there not amongst us even amongst us such Sinners before the Lord that stand upon their Pantofles and proudly ask who can say black is their eye There is a generation of these that is a continual succession of them Such dust-heaps you may finde in every corner And yet is not washed from their filthinesse Either of flesh or spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 they wallow in sin like Swine and welter in wickednesse which is filth and bloud Isa 4.4 the vomit of a Dog 2 Pet. 2.22 the excrement of the Devil the superfluity or garbage of naughtinesse and the stinking filth of a pestilent Ulcer as the Greek words used by St. James chap. 1.21 doe signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole world lyeth in wickednesse 1 Joh. 5.19 as a Lubber in a Lake as a Carcase in its slime Nil mundum in mundo and yet who so forward to boast or their good hearts to God-ward Vers 13. Oh how lofty are their eyes The eyes are the seat of pride and disdain which peep out at these windows The Hebrews have a saying that a mans minde is soonest seen in oculis in loculis in piculis in his eyes expences cups See chap. 6.17 Vers 14. There is a generation whose teeth c. These are sycophants and greedy gripers Speed of whom before often in this book In the year 1235. there were spread through England certain Roman usurers called Caursinâ— quasi capientes ursi devouring bears quoth Paris who had intangled the King Nobles and all that had to do with them These were called the Popes Merchants Sanguisuga Hirudo ab haerendo Non missura cutem nisi plena cruoris hirudo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 15. The Horse-leech hath two daughters That is two forks in her tongue whereby she first pricketh the flesh and then sucketh the blood Hereunto Salomon seemeth to resemble those cruel cormorants spoken of in the former verse By the horse-leech some understand the devil that great red Dragon red with the blood of souls which he hath sucked and swallowed 1 Pet. 5.8 seeking whom he may let down his wide gullet whiles he glut-gluts their blood as the young Eaglets are said to do Joh. 39.30 by a word made from the sound By the horse-leeches two daughters they understand Covetousness and Luxury whom the devil hath long since espoused to the Romish Clergy Jegna legundum Cujus avaritiae totus non sufficit orbis Cujus luxuriae meretrix non sufficit omnis Vers 16. The grave Which in Hebrew hath its name of craving It is a Sarcophagus feeds on flesh and it as little appears as once in Pharaohs lean kine or as in those that having a flux take in much but are neither fuller nor fatter The word here used may be rendered Hell called by the Latins Infernus ab Inferendo from the devils continual carrying in souls to that place of torment And the barren womb Barren women are most desirous of children which yet are certain cares but uncertain comforts How impatient was Rachel how importunate was Hannah One hath well observed that the barren women in Scripture had the
This day have I paid my vows A votary then shee was by all means and so more than ordinarily religious So was Doeg why else was hee deteined before the Lord 1 Sam. 21.7 A Doeg may set his foot as far into Gods Sanctuary as a David That many Popish Votaries are no better than this huswife in the text see the Lisbon-Nunnery c. besides those thousands of Infants skulls found in the fish-pools by Gregory the Great Vers 15. Therefore came I forth As having much good chear at home Sine Cerere Libero frigâ—t Venâ—â— as at all peace-offerings they had Gluttony is the gallery that libidinousness walks through Diligently to seek thy face Or thy person not thy purse thee not thine do I seek Quis credit And I have found thee By a providence no doubt God must have a hand in it or else 't is marvel God hath given mee my hire said Leah because I have given my Maid to my Husband Gen. 30.18 See 1 Sam. 23.7 Zach. 11.5 Vers 16. I have decked my bed Lest haply by being abroad so late hee should question where to have a bed shee assures him of a dainty one with curious curtains Vers 17. With Myrrhe Aloes c. This might have minded the young man that hee was going to his grave for the bodies of the dead were so perfumed Such a meditation would have much rebated his edge cooled his courage Jerusalems filthiness was in her skirts and why shee remembred not her latter end Lam. 1.9 As the stroaking of a dead hand they say cureth a tympany and as the ashes of a viper applied to the part that is stung draws the venome out of it so the serious thought of death will prove a death to fleshly lusts Mr. Wards Sermons I meet with a story of one that gave a loose young man a Ring with a deaths-head with this condition that hee should one hour daily for seven daies together look and think upon it which bred a strange alteration in his life Vers 18. Until the morning But what if death draw the curtains and look in the while If death do not yet guilt will And here beasts are more happy in carnal contentments than sensual voluptuaries for in their delights they seldome surfeit but never sin and so never finde any cause or use for pangs of repentance as Epicures do whose pleasure passeth but a sting staies behinde Job calleth sparks the sons of fire being ingendred by it upon fuel as pleasures are the sons of mens lusts when the object and they lye and couple together And they are not long-lived they are but as sparks they dye as soon as begotten Vers 19. For the good man is not at home Heb. The man not my man or my husband c. the very mention how much more the presence of such a man might have marred the mirth Vers 20. Hee hath taken a bag of mony And so will not return in haste Let not the children of this world bee wiser than wee Lay up treasure in Heaven provide your selves baggs that wax not old Luk. 12.33 Do as Merchants that being to travel into a far Country deliver their mony here upon the Exchange that there they may receive it Evagrius in Cedrenus bequeathed three hundred pound to the poor in his will but took a bond beforehand of Synesius the Bishop for the re-payment of this in another life according to the promise of our Saviour of an hundred fold advantage Vers 21. With much fair speech Fair words make fools fain This Circe so enchanted the yonker with her fine language that now shee may do what she will with him for hee is wholly at her devotion Vers 22. Hee goeth after her straightway Without any consideration of the sad consequents Lust had blinded and besotted him and even transformed him into a brute Nos animas etiam incarnavimus saith one Many men have made their very spirit a lump of flesh and are hurried on to Hell with greatest violence Chide them you do but give physick in a fit counsel them you do but give advice to a man that is running a race bee your counsel never so good hee cannot stay to hear you but will bee ready to answer as Antipater did when one presented him with a book treating of happiness he rejected it and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have no leasure to read such discourses As an Oxe goeth to the slaughter When hee thinks hee goeth to the pasture or as those Oxen brought forth by Jupiters Priest with garlands unto the gates but it was for a slain-sacrifice Acts 14.13 Fatted ware are but fitted for the shambles Numella Beza in loc Or as a fool to the correction of the Stocks Such stocks as Paul and Silas yet no fools were thrust into feet and neck also as the word there signifieth Acts 14.24 This the fool fears not till hee feels till his head bee cooled and his heels too till hee hath slept out his drunkenness and then hee findes where hee is and must stick by it See this exemplified Prov. 5.11 How many such fools have wee now adaies Mori morantur quocunque sub axe morantur that rejoyce in their spiritual bondage and dance to Hell in their bolts as one saith nay are weary of deliverance They sit in the stocks when they are at prayers and come out of the Church when the tedious Sermon runs somewhat beyond the hour like prisoners out of a Gaol The Devil is at Iâ—ne with such saith Master Bradford and the Devil will keep holy-day as it were in Hell in respect of such saith another Vers 23. Till a dart strike thorow his liver i. e. Filthy lust that fiery dart of the Devil Plato in hepate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ponit Horat Ode 1. lib. 4. Ode 25. lib. 5. Ovid. Trist pointed and poisoned as the Sythian darts are said to bee with the gall of Asps and Vipers Philosophers place lust in the liver Mathematicians subject the liver to Venus the Poets complain of Cupids wounding them in that part Cor sapit pulmo loquitur fel commovit iras Splen ridere facit cogit amare jecor Or as some sense it till the Adulterer bee by the Whores husband or friends or by the hand of justice deprived of life perhaps in the very act as Zimri and Cozbi were by Phineas in the very flagrancy of their lust Vers 24. Hearken now therefore Call up the ears of thy minde to the ears of thy body that one sound may pierce both Solomon knew well how hard it was to get ground of a raging lust even as hard as to get ground of the Sea Hence hee so sets on his exhortation Vers 25. Let not thine heart Think not of her lust not after her Thoughts and affections are sibi mutuo causae Whilest I mused the fire burned Psal 39. so that thoughts kindle affections and these cause thoughts to boyl See Job
that distemperature departed the world which himself had so oft distempered Vers 22. A merry heart doth good like a medicine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Septuagint render it And indeed it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All true mirth is from rectitude of the mind from a right frame of soul When Faith hath once healed the conscience and grace hath husht the affections and composed all within so that there is a Sabbath of Spirit and a blessed tranquillity lodged in the soul then the body also is vigorous and vigetous for most part in very good plight and healthful constitution which makes mans life very comfortable For si vales bene est And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go thy waies saith Solomon to him that hath a good conscience eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart Eccles 9.7 8 9. sith God accepteth thy works Let thy garments bee alwaies white and let thy head lack no ointment Live joyfully with the wife of thy youth c. bee lightsome in thy cloaths merry at thy meats painful in thy calling c. these do notably conduce to and help on health They that in the use of lawful means wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not bee weary they shall walk and not faint Isa 40.31 But a broken spirit drieth the bones By drinking up the marrow and radical moisture See this in David Psal 32.3 whose bones waxed old whose moisture or chief sap was turned into the drought of Summer his heart was smitten and withered like grass his daies consumed like smoak Psal 102.3 4. his whole body was like a bottle in the smoak Psal 119.83 hee was a very bag of bones and those also burnt as an hearth Psal 102. Aristotle in his book of long and short life assigns grief for a chief cause of death And the Apostle saith as much 2 Cor. 7.10 See the Note there and on Prov. 12.25 All immoderations saith Hippocrates are great enemies to health Vers 23. A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosome i. e. closely and covertly as if neither God nor man should see him The words may bee also read thus Hee that is the corrupt Judge taketh a gift out of the wicked mans bosome there being never a better of them as Solomon intimateth by this ambiguous expression Stapleten Rain is good and ground is good yet ex corum conjunctione fit lutum So giving is kind and taking is courteous yet the mixing of them makes the smooth paths of justice foul and uneven Vers 24. Wisdome is before him that hath understanding Or Vultut index animi Profecto oculis animus inhabitat Plin. the face of an understanding man is wisdome his very face speaks him wise the government of his eyes especially is an argument of his gravity His eyes are in his head Eccles 2.14 hee scattereth away all evil with them Prov. 20.8 Hee hath oculum irretortum as Job had chap. 31. and Joseph had oculum in metam which was Ludovicus vives his Motto his eye fixt upon the mark hee looks right on Prov. 4.25 hee goes through the world as one in a deep muse or as one that hath haste of some special businesse and therefore over-looks every thing besides it Hee hath learned out of Isa 33.14 15. that he that shall see God to his comfort must not onely shake his hands from taking gifts as in the former verse but also stop his ears from hearing of blood and shut his eyes from seeing of evil Vitiis nobis in animum per oculos est via saith Quintilian Quintil. declam sin entereth into the little world thorow these windows and death by sin as fools finde too oft by casting their eyes into the corners of the earth suffering them to rove at randome without restraint by irregular glancing and inordinate gazing In Hebrew the same word signifies both an eye and a fountain to shew saith one that from the eye as from a fountain flows both sin and misery Shut up therefore the five windows that the house may be full of light as the Arabian Proverb hath it Wee read of one that making a journey to Rome and knowing it to bee a corrupt place and a corrupter of others entred the City with eyes close shut neither would hee see any thing there but Saint Peters Church which hee had a great mind to go visit Alipius in Austin being importuned to go to those bloody spectacles of the gladiatory combats resolved to wink and did But hearing an out-cry of applause looked abroad and was so taken with the sport that hee became an ordinary frequenter of those cruel meetings Vers 25. A foolish Son is a grief to his Father See the Note on chap. 10.1 and 15.20 Vers 26. Also to punish the just is not good The righteous are to be cherished and protected as those that uphold the state Semen sanctum statumen terrae Isa 6.13 What Aeneas Sylvins said of learning may bee more properly said of righteousness Vulgar men should esteem it as silver Noble-men as gold Prines prize it as pearls But they that punish it as persecutors do shall bee punished to purpose when God makes inquisition for blood Psal 9. Nor to strike Princes for equity Righteous men are Princes in all Lands Psa 45. yea they are Kings in righteousnesse as Melchisedec Indeed they are somewhat obscure Kings as hee was but Kings they appear to bee by comparing Mat. 13.17 with Luk. 10.24 Many righteous saith Matthew many Kings saith Luke Now to strike a King is high-treason Daniels Hist 198. And although Princes have put up blows as when one struck our Henry the sixth hee onely said Forsooth you do wrong your self more than mee to strike the Lords annointed Another also that had drawn blood of him when hee was in prison hee freely pardoned when hee was restored to his Kingdome saying Alass poor soul hee struck mee more to win favour with others than of any evil will hee bare mee So when one came to cry Cato mercy for having struck him once in the Bath hee answered that hee remembred no such matter Likewise Lycurgus is famous for pardoning him that smote out one of his eyes yet hee that shall touch the apple of Gods eye as every one doth that wrongeth a righteous man for equity especially shall have God for a revenger And it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10. Vers 27. Hee that hath knowledge spareth his words Taciturnity is a sign of solidity and talkativeness of worthlesness Epaminondas is worthily praised for this saith Plutarch that as no man knew more than hee so none spake less than hee did And a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit Or of a cool spirit The deepest Seas are the most calm Where river smoothest
him more than ever it delighted him So doth sin At Alvolana in Portugal 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 as it was thought And how the treacherous Greeks destroyed many of the Western Christians French and English marching toward the Holy-land by selling them meal mingled with Lime is well known out of the Turkish History Vers 18. Every purpose is established by counsel That thy proceedings bee not either unconstant or uncomfortable Deliberandum est diu quod statuendum est semel deliberate long ere thou resolve on any enterprise Advise with God especially who hath said Woe bee to the rebellious children that take counsel but not of me c. Isa 30.1 David had able Counsellours about him but those he most esteemed and made use of were Gods testimonies Psal 119.24 Thy testimonies also are my delight and the men of my counsel Princes had learned men ever with them called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remembrancers Monitors Counsellours as Themistocles had his Anaxagoras Alexander his Aristotle Scipio his Panaetius and Polybius of which latter Pausanias testifieth Pasuan lib. 8. that he was so great a Politician that what he advised never miscarried But that is very remarkable that Gellius reports of Scipio Africanus that it was his custome before day to goe into the Capitol in cellam Jevis and there to stay a great while quasi consultans de Rep. cum Jove as if hee were there advising with his God concerning the Common-wealth Gell. lib. 7. Whence it was that his deeds were pleraque admiranda admirable for the most part saith the Author But we have a better example David in all his streights went to ask counsel of the Lord 1 Cor. 1.30 Isa 9.6 who answered him Doe we so and God will not fail us for he hath made Christ wisedome unto us and a wonderful Counsellour And with good advice make warre Ahab in this might have been a Precedent to good Josiah He would not goe against Ramoth-Gilead till he had first advised with his false Prophets But that other Peerless Prince though the famous Prophet Jeremy was then living and Zephaniah and a whole Colledge of Seers yet he doth not so much as once send out of doors to ask shall I goe up against the King of Aegypt Sometimes both grace and wit are asleep in the holiest and wariest breasts The Souldiers rule among the Romans was Non sequi Vege◠l. 1. c. 17 Lucian non fugere bellum Neither to fly nor to follow after warre The Christian Motto is Nec temorè nec timidê be neither temerarious nor timorous And that 's a very true saying of the Greek Poet Lucian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 19. He that goeth about as a Tale-bearer Therefore make not such of thy counsel For if they can give counsel yet they can keep none See the note on chap. 11.13 Therefore meddle not with him that flattereth Tale-carriers and flatterers are neither of them fit Counsellors These will say as you say bee it right or wrong those will tell abroad all that you say and more too to do you a mischief The good Emperour Aurelius was even bought and sold by such evil Counsellors And Augustus complained when Varus was dead that hee had none now left that would deal plainly and faithfully with him Vers 20. Who so curseth his father c. See the Notes on Exod. 21.17 and on Mat. 15.4 Parents usually give their children sweet and savoury counsel but they for want of grace listen rather to flatterers and whisperers vilipending their Parents advice and vilifying them for the same as Elies sons did His lamp shall bee put out in obscure darkness Heb. In blackness of darkness These are those raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever Jude 13. An exquisite torment such are sure of in hell whom the Holy Ghost curseth in such emphatical manner in such exquisite termes Besides the extream misery they are likely here to meet with who when they ought to bee a lamp to their parents 1 King 15.4 as Abner was or by his name should have been do seek to put out their lamp to cast a slur upon them and to quench their coal that is left as shee said 2 Sam. 14.7 It may very well bee that the temporal judgement here threatned is that such a graceless childe shall dye childless and that there shall bee Nullus cui lampada tradat Vers 21. An inheritance may bee gotten hastily c. By wishing and working the death of Parents or by any other evil arts whatsoever See an instance hereof in Achan Achab Gehezi Adonijah his leaping into the Throne without his Fathers leave Jehoahaz also the younger son of Josiah would needs bee King after his Father putting by his eldest brother Jehoiakim but hee was soon put down again and put into bands by Pharaoh Necho 2 King 23. Hee pourtrayed the Ambitionist to the life that pictured him snatching at a Crown and falling with this Motto Sic mea fata sequor Vers 22. Say not thou I will recompence evil Much less swear it as some miscreants do to whom Est vindicta bonum vitâ dulcius ipsâ In reason tallying of injuries is but justice It is the first office of justice saith Tully to hurt no body unless first provoked by injury Whereupon Lactantius O quà m simplicem veramque sententiam saith hee duorum verborum adjectione corrupit O what a dainty sentence marred the Oratour by adding those two last words How much better Seneca immane verbum est ultio Non minus mali est injuriam referre quam inferre La et Instit l. 6. c. 20. Revenge is a base word but a worse deed it being no less an offence to requite an injury than to offer it as Lactantius hath it The mild and milken man as his name speaks him was such an enemy to revenge that hee dislikes the waging either of law or of war with any that have wronged us Wherein though I cannot bee of his minde yet I am clearly of opinion that not revenge but right should bee sought in both Neither can I hold it valour but rashness in our Richard the first who being told as hee sate at supper that the French King had besiedged his Town of Vernoil in Normandy protested that hee would not turn his back untill hee had confronted the French and thereupon hee caused the wall of his palace that was before him to bee broken down toward the South and poasted to the Sea-coast immediately into Normandy But wait on the Lord Who claims vengeance as his Deut. 32.35 Rom. 12.19 See the Notes there and will strike in for the patient as hee did Num. 12.2 While Moses is dumb God speaks deaf God hears
that found his Glove with a desire to restore it him Mr. Sam. Ward but pursued inwardly with a guilty conscience leaps over a hedge plunges into a Marle-pit behind it unseen and unthought of wherein he was drowned But the righteous is bold as a Lion Conscientia pura semper secura a good Conscience hath sure confidence and he that hath it sits Noah like Medius tranquillus in undis quiet in the greatest combustions freed if not from the common destruction yet from the common distraction for he knows whom hee hath trusted and is sure that neither life nor death nor things present nor things to come Rom. 8.38 can ever sunder him from Gods love in Christ He is bold as a Lion saith the Text yea as a young Lion that is in his hot bloud and therefore fears no other creature yea when he is fiercely pursued hee will never once alter his gate though he dye for it No more will the righteous man his resolution against sin such is his Christian courage Daniel chose rather to be cast to the lyons than to bear a lyon in his own bosome to violate his conscience The primitive Christians chose rather to be abandoned ad leones quam ad lenones they preferred affliction before sin And this their persecutors counted not courage and magnanimity but wilfulness and obstinacy Tertul. in Apolog But they knew not the power of the Spirit nor the privy armour of proof that the righteous have about their hearts that insuperable faith whereby some have stopped the mouths of lyons quenched the violence of fire c. Heb. 11.33.34 and whereby they do all daily encounter and conquer that roaring lyon the devil quenching his fiery darts c. Eph. 6. Vers 2. For the transgression of a land many are the Princes Either many at once or many ejecting and succeeding one another to the great calamity and utter undoing of the People as may be seen in the books of Judges and Kings as in the Roman state after Nero's death by the succession of Galba Otho and Vitellius What a deal of trouble was here in the time of the Heptarchy and in the dissensions of the two houses of York and Lancaster causing the death of twice as many natives of England Daniels hist 249. as were lost in the two conquests of France besides 80 Princes of the blood royal slain And all this is said to be for the transgression of a land thus chastised by the LORD Elihu tells Job that the hypocrite is set to reign for the peoples sin Job 34. and Levit. 26. it is threatned as an heavy curse If yee still trespass against mee I will set Princes over you that shall hate you mischievous odious Princes odious to God malignant to the People And Isa 3.4 I will give children to be their Princes and babes shall rule over them How many Kings had the ten Tribes after their defection from the house of David and not one good one amongst them all And what got most of the Roman Cesars by their hasty honours nisi ut citius interficorentur saith one but to be slain the sooner Very few of them till Constantine but died unnatural deaths If ye do wickedly ye shall perish both you and your King 1 Sam. 12.25 But by a man of understanding and knowledge As one sinner may destroy much good Eccles 9.18 so one excellently wise man called here a man of understanding knowledge there is no copulative in the Original the state may be prolonged there may be a lengthening of its tranquillity it may be delivered by the pureness of thine hands Job 22.30 See 2 Sam. 20.16 c. Eccles 9.13 c. Jer. 5.1 Religious and prudent Princes especially may do much in this case 2 King 22.20 Vers 3. A poor man that oppresseth the poor c. Such an oppressour bites hard as a lean louse doth makes clean work plunders to the life as they say omnia corradit converret Poor men should pitty poor men as knowing the misery of poverty but to oppress or defraud their comperes is greatest inhumanity as that merciless fellow servant did Matth. 18.28 c. A Weesel is a ravenous beast as well as a Lyon a Sparrow-hauk as greedy as an Eagle and more mercy is to be expected from those more noble creatures than from the base and abject Vers 4. They that forsake the Law praise the wicked As Machiavel doth Cesar Borgia that bipedum nequissimum proposing him for a pattern to all Christian Princes as Onuphrius the Popes Biographer doth Hildebrand or Gregory 7th in five books written of his noble acts and great virtues whom Cardinal Benno truly describeth to have been a murtherer an adulterer Epiphan barcâ— 38. a conjurer a Schismatick an heretick and every way as bad as might be Epiphanius tells us that there were a sort of brain-sick hereticks that cried up Cain and were therefore called Cainites They also commended the Sodomites Korah Judas the traitour c. In the book of Judith the act of Simeon and Levi upon the Shechemites is extolled and there was one Bruno that wrote an Oration in commendation of the devil But they that keep the law contend with them Moved with a zeal of God they cannot be silent As Craesus his dumb son they cry out Wilt thou â—ill my father dishonour my God c Good blood will never belye it self good metal will appear How did young David bristle against black-mouthed Goliah and enter the lists with him Do not I hate them that hate thee saith he Psal 139. Yea I hate them with a perfeâ—â— hatred I cast down the gauntlet of defiance against them I count them mine enemies Asa cannot bear with Idolatry no not in his own mother Our Edward the sixth would by no means yield to a toleration for his sister Mary though solicited thereunto by Cranmer and Ridley for politick respects Mihi quâ—dem Auxentius non alius erit quam diabolus quamdiu Arrianus said Hilary I shall look upon Auxentius as a devil so long as he is an Arrian It was the speech of blessed Luther who though he was very earnest to have the Communion administred in both kinds contrary to the doctrine and custome of Rome yet if the Pope saith he as Pope commanded me to receive it in both kinds I would but receive it in one kind sith to obey what he commands as Pope is a receiving of the mark of the beast Vers 5. Evill men understand not judgement They are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge their wits work not that way they are bard and brutish as horse and asse Psal 32. Yea they fall beneath the stirrup of reason and know not their owner which yet the ox and asse doth Esa 1.3 no wiser at 70 years old than at seven Ut liberius peccent libenter ignorant not willing to know what they are not minded to practice But they
so here in the event all our wisedom is soon refuted with one black Theta which understanding us not snappeth us unrespectively without distinction and putteth at once a period to our reading and to our being And why was I then more wise This is a peece of peevishnesse a childish folly we are all prone to viz. to repent us of our best pains if not presently paid for it so short spirited are we that unlesse we may sow and reap all in a day unlesse all things may goe with us as well as we could wish wee repent us of our repentance with David Psal 73.13 hit God in the teeth with our obedience as those hypocrites in Esay chap. 58.2 3. and as that elder brother in the Parable that told his father he had never been worth a Kid to him for all his good service But what is God like to break or to dye in our debts that we are so hasty with him This was good Barucks fault and he is soundly chidden for it Jer. 45.1 with chap. 36.1 2. Good men oft find it more easie to bear evil than to wait till the promised good bee enjoyed It was so with those Christian Hebrews chap. 10.34 36. whom therefore the Apostle there tells they had need of patience or tarriance to carry Gods time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It needs not repent the wise of this world much lesse the children of Light of any good they have done or gotten however it prove with them sith some degree of comfort follows every good action as hear accompanies fire as beams and influences issue from the Sun And this is so true that very Heathens upon the discharge of a good Conscience have found comfort and peace answerable Vers 16. For there is no remembrance of the wise viz. unlesse hee bee also wise to salvation for then he shall be had in everlasting remembrance Or otherwise either he shall be utterly forgotten as being not written among the living in Jerusalem Esay 4.3 or else he shall not have the happiness to bee forgotten in the City where he had so done Eccl. 8.10 I mean where he had been either a dogmatical or at least a practical Atheist as the very best of the Philosophers were Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 1. the choysest and the most picked men amongst them 1 Cor. 3.21 And how dyeth the wise man as the fool See the Note on vers 14 15. wise men dye as well as fools Psal 49.10 good men dye as well as bad Ezek. 21.4 yet with this difference that the righteous hath hope in his death which to him is neither total but of the body only nor perpetual but for a time only till the day of refreshing See both these Rom. 8.10 11. Vers 17. Therefore I hated life i. e. I lesse loved it than I had done I saw mortality to be a mercy with Cato I was neither fond of life Vsque adeone mori miserum Virgil. nor afraid of death with Q. Elizabeth I preferred my Coffin before my Cradle my Burial-day before my Birth-day chap. 7.1 A greater than Solomon threatens those that love life with the loss of life Luk. 17.33 and hath purposely set a particular vanity and vexation upon every day of our life that wee may not dote upon it sith we dye daily Sufficient to the day is the evil that is the misery thereof Quicquid boni est in mundo saith Austin what good thing soever we have here is either past present or to come If past it 's nothing if to come it 's uncertain if present yet it is unsufficient unsatisfactory So that whilst I call to mind things past said that incomparable Q. Elizabeth behold things present and expect things to come Camb. Eliz. fol. 325. I hold them happiest that goe hence soonest Vers 18. Yea I hated all my labour i. e. I was sorry to think that I had been so eager and earnest in getting a great estate which now I must leave and to whom I know not sure I am to those that never took any pains for it And herein we see the corruption of our nature discover it self in that we are so wedded to the things of this world especially if gotten by our own art and industry that we think much to bee divorced from them by death and to leave them to others when our selves can enjoy them no longer Henry Beauford that rich and wretched Cardinal Bishop of Winchester and Chancellor of England in the reign of Henry 6. when hee perceived that hee must dye Act. Mon. fol. 925. and that there was no remedy murmured at death that his riches could not reprieve him till a further time For he asked wherefore should I dye being so rich If the whole Realm would save my life I am able either by policy to get it or by riches to buy it Fye quoth he will not death bee hired will money doe nothing Latimer in a Sermon before King Edward the 6. tells a story of a rich man that when hee lay upon his Sick bed there came one to him and told him that certainly by all reason they can judge by hee was like to be a man for another world a dead man As soon as ever he hears but these words saith Latimer What must I dye said he send for a Physician wounds sides heart must I dye wounds sides heart must I dye and thus he goes on and there could bee nothing got from him but wounds sides heart must I dye Must I dye and goe from these here was all here 's the end of a man that made his portion to bee in this world If this mans heart had been ript up aâ—ter hee was dead there might have been found written in it The God of this present world Serm. on Psal 17.14 April 3. 1643. before the L. Maior Mr. Jeremy Burroughes relates in print of another rich man that had sometime lived neer unto him who when hee heard his sickness was deadly sent for his bags of mony and hugg'd them in his arms saying Oh! must I leave you Oh! must I leave you And of another who when hee lay upon his sick bed called for his bags and laid a bag of gold to his heart and then bad them take it away it will not do it will not do Mr. Rogers in his Treatise of love tels of one that being near death clapt a twenty shillings peece of gold into his own mouth saying Some wiser than some I le take this with mee howsoever Vers 19. And who knoweth whether he shall bee a wise man A friend or an enemy an acquaintance or a meer stranger riches oft change masters How many by a just hand of God dye childless or else leave that they have to ding-thrifts that will spend it as merrily as ever their parents got it miserably scatter with a fork as it were what they have wretchedly raked together Our Henry 2. some few hours before hee
rich fool in the Gospel either knew not or considered not Eat drink and bee merry said he to himself but God was not in all his thoughts How much better David Hope in the Lord saith he to himself and others and be doing good dwell in the Land and verily thou shalt be fed Psal 37.3 Vers 14. I know that whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever i. e. That his Decree is unchangeable that his counsel shall stand Prov. 19. that the Sun may sooner be stopt in his course than God hindered of his will or in his work sith his power and grace is irresistable Nature Angels Devils Men may all be resisted and so miss of their design Not so God For who hath resisted his will Vain men whiles like proud and yet brittle clay they will be knocking their sides against the solid and eternal Decree of God break themselves in peeces 1 King 1. as Adoniah did And whilest with Pompey vanquished by Julius Caesar they complain that there is a great mist upon the eye of Divine Providence they doe but blame the Sun because of the sorenesse of their blear eyes Certain it is and Solomon knows it though the best of Heathens doubted of it when they saw good men suffer bad men prosper that every Creature walks blind-fold only he that dwels in light sees whither they goe and that the Charrets of all effects and actions come forth from between those mountains of Brasse Gods provident Decrees and counsels most firm and immutable Zach. 5.6 That men should fear before him And not lay the reigns in the neck casting away all care upon pretence of Gods decree as that French King did Ludo. 11. that thus desperately argued Si salvabor salvabor si vero damnabor damnabor If I shall bee saved I shall bee saved and if I shall bee damned I shall bee damned therefore I will live as I list This was to suck poyson out of a sweet flower to dash against the Rock of ages to fall into the pit like a profane beast which was digged for better purpose Exod. 21.23 to stumble at the word an ill sign and yet an ordinary sinne whereunto also they were appointed 1 Pet. 2.8 A bridge is made to give men safe passage over a dangerous River but hee that stumbleth on the bridge is in danger to fall into the River So here Vers 15. That which hath been is now c. viz. With God to whom all things are present Rom. 4.17 2 Pet. 3.8 Jer. 1.5 6 7. Hence God is said to know future things Exod. 3.9 John 18.4 not to foreknow them For indeed neither foreknowledge nor remembrance are properly in God sith his whole Essence is wholly an eye or a mind it is the example or pattern of all things so that hee needs but to look upon himself and then hee seeth all things as in a glass The eye of man beholds many things at once as Ants in a mole-hill but if it will see other things at the same time it must remove the sight The mind of man can take in a larger circuit even a City a Country a World but this it doth onely in the lump or whole masse of it for else it must remove from form to form and from thought to thought But God takes all at once most stedfastly and perfectly All things without him are but as a point or ball which with as much ease hee discerneth as wee turn our eyes And God requireth that which is past Or enquireth asketh that which is by-gone hee bespeaks it as present calling those things that are not as if they were Non aliter scivit Deus creatae quam creanda saith Austin God knew things to be created as if they had been before created Vers 16. The place of judgement that wickedness was there i. e. That wrong reigned in the places of Judicature that Justice was shamefully perverted and publick Authority abused to publick injury Cato saw as much in the Roman States and complained that private robbers were laid in cold irons A. Gell. lib. 21. cap. 16. when publick theeves went in gold chains and were cloathed in Purple Another not without cause complains that even among us Christians some follow the administration of Justice as a trade onely with an unquenchable and unconscionable desire of gain which justifies the common resemblance of the Courts of Justice to the Bush whereto whiles the Sheep flyes for defence in ill weather hee is sure to lose part of his fleece Such wickedness saw the Wiseman in the place of Judgement where hee least looked for it God himself looked for judgement but behold a scab Isa 5.7 So the Hebrew hath it Vers 17. I said in my heart God shall judge c. Hee did not deny the Divine Providence as Averroes for this cause did much less did hee turn Atheist with Diagoras because hee could not have Justice done upon a fellow that had stollen a Poem of his and published it in his own name But hee concluded within himself Psal 37. that God would surely take the matter into his own hand Judge those unrighteous Judges right and relieve the oppressed bring forth their righteousness as the light and their innocency as the noon-day if not in this world yet certainly at that great Assizes to bee held by his sonne Because hee hath appointed a day in the which hee will judge the world in righteousness whereof hee hath given assurance to allmen c. Act. 17 31. His petty Sessions he keepeth now letting the Law pass upon some few corrupt Judges by untimely death disgraces banishment remorse of conscience c. as hee did upon Judge Morgan that condemned the Lady Jane Gray Judge Hales Belknap Empson Dudley that I speak not of Pilate Felix c. reserving the rest till the great Assizes 1 Tim. 5.24 Some hee punisheth here lest his Providence but not all lest his patience and promise of Judgement should be called into question as Austin well observeth His two and twenty learned Books De civitate Dei were purposely written to clear up this truth And so were Salvians eight Books De gubernatione Dei de justo praesentique ejus judicio Vers 18. That they might see that they themselves are beasts It is reckoned a great matter that wicked men are made to know themselves to bee but men and no more Psal 37 22. Psal 9.20 But God will make good men see and say with David Ambr. in Psal 72. So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a Beast before thee Pulchre addidit Apúd te saith Ambrose upon those words Elegantly said the Psalmist Before thee because in respect of God what is man but an unreasonable Beast He that is wisest among men Socrat. apud Platon said Socrates who himself was held the wisest of men if hee bee compared to God Simia videbitur non sapiens hee will seem rather an Ape
sound as a Roche as hungry as Hunters as weary as ever was dog of day as they say and therefore no sooner laid in their beds but fast asleep their hard labour causing easie digestion and uninterrupted rest Whereas the restless spirit of the rich wretch rideth his body day and night care of getting fear of keeping grief of losing these three vultures feed upon him continually Hee rowls a Sisyphus his stone his abundance like a lump of lead lies heavy upon his heart and breaks his sleep Much like the disease called the Mare or Ephialtes in which men in their slumber think they feel a thing as big as a mountain lying upon their breasts which they can no way remove His evill conscience eftsoons lasheth and launceth him as it did our Richard 3. after the murther of his two innocent nephews and Charles 9. of France after the bloody massacre God also terrifies him with dreams throws hand-fulls of hell fire in his face interpellat cogitantem excitat dormientem as Ambrose hath it interrupts him while hee is thinking awakeneth him while hee is sleeping rings that doleful peal in his ears that makes him start and stare Thou fool this night shall thy soul bee taken from thee Veni miser in judicium Come thou wretch receive thy judgement Vers 13. There is a sore evil Or an evil disease such as breaks the sleep Mala infamitas Pagn Plin. Hinc pallor genae pendulae item furiales somni inquies nocturna causing paleness leanness restlesness by night This disease is the Dropsie or Bulimy of covetousness as seldome cured as Heresie Phrensie Jealousie which three are held incurable maladies Riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt Worldlings sit abrood upon their wealth and hatch to their hurt as the silly bird doth the eggs of the Cockatrice Riches are called goods but it hath been well observed that hee that first called them so was a better Husband than Divine Such an Husband was hee in the Gospel who reckoned upon much goods laid up for many years But how come these goods to prove evil to the owners but by the evil usage of them riches in themselves are of an indifferent nature and it is through mens corruption ut magna sit cognatio nominis rei divitiis vitiis that riches are weapons of wickedness Engines of evil Jer. 17.11 Hee that getteth riches and not by right shall die a poor fool Dum peritura parat per male parta perit Hee that keepeth his riches having no quick silver no current money when God calls him to part with them for pious and charitable uses keepeth them to his own greatest hurt For the rust of his canker-eaten gold shall rise up in judgement against him at that great day James 5.3 Sic plures nimia congesta pecunia cura Juvenal Sal. 10 Strangulat See the Note on Prov. 1.19 Vers 14. But those riches perish by evil travel i. e. By evil trading trafficking or other cross event and accident They waste and wither either by vanity or violence they slip out of the hand as the panting bird or wrigling Eel there is no hold to bee taken of them no trust to bee put in them they were never true to those that trusted in them See the Note on Prov. 23.5 Vers 15. As hee came forth of his Mothers womb q. d. If riches leave not us while wee live yet wee are sure to leave them when wee die Haud ullas portabis opes Acherontis ad undas Nudus al◠inferna stulte vebere rate Propert Look how a false harlot leaves her lover when arrested for debt and follows other customers so is it here And as Doggs though they go along with us in company yet at parting they run every one to his own Master so do these to the world when wee come to leave the world Death as a Porter stands at the gate and strips us of all our thick clay wherewith wee are laden See the Note on chap. 2.22 To go as hee came Like an unwelcome guest or an unprofitable servant a cipher and excrement Oh live live live saith a Reverend man quickly much long so you are welcome to the world Else you are but hissed and kickt off this stage of the world as Phocas was by Heraclius Nay many as Job 27.23 who were buried before half dead c. Abn. fun by Dr. Harris And shall take nothing of his labour Ne obolum quo naulum Charonti solvant Some have had great store of gold and silver buried with them and others would needs bee buried in a Monkes cowl out of a superstitious conceit of speeding the better in another world but it hath profited them nothing at all Eccles 9.10 Vers 16. And this also is a sore evil Malum dolorificum so it will prove a singular vexation a sharp corrosive when Balaam and his bribes Laban and his baggs Nabal and his flocks Achan and his wedge Baltasar and his bouls Herod and his harlots Dives and his dishes c. shall part asunder for ever when they shall look from their death-beds see that terrible spectacle Death Judgement Hell and all to bee passed thorow by their poor souls Oh! what a dreadful shrick gives the guilty soul at death to see it self launching into an ocean of scalding lead and must swim naked in it for ever Who therefore unless hee had rather burn with Dives than reign with Lazarus will henceforth reach out his hand to bribery usury robbery deceit sacriledge or any such like wickedness or worldliness 1 Tim. 6.9 which drown mens souls in perdition and destruction If rich men could stave off death or stop its mouth with a bagg of gold it were somewhat like But that cannot bee as Henry Beauford that rich and wretched Cardinal found by experience as the King of Persia told Constantine the Emperour who had shewed him all the glory and bravery of Rome Fulg. Mira quidem haec said hee sed ut video sicut in Persia sic Romae homines moriuntur i. e. These be brave things but yet I see that as in Persia so at Rome also the owners of these things must needs die Agreeable whereunto was that speech of Nugas the Scythian Monarch to whom when Michael Paleologus the Emperour sent certain rich robes for a present Pachymer hist lib. 5. hee asked Nunquid calamitates morbos mortem depellere possent whether they could drive away calamities sicknesses death for if they could not do so they were not much to bee regarded What profit hath hee that hath laboured for the wind i. e. For just nothing See Hos 12.1 Jer. 22.22 The Greeks express the same by hunting after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and husbanding the wind The Apostle speaks of beating the air 1 Cor. 9. as hee doth that fights with his own shadow that disquiets himself in vain The four Monarchies are called the four
the Barons of England in King John's daies Marcidi Ribaldi Walsing Epit. hist Gallic p. 30. Godw. Catal. when declaring against the Pope and his Conclave by whom they were excommunicated they cried out thus in their Remonstrance Fy on such rascal ribals c. Adelmelect Bishop of Sherborn Anno 705. reproved Pope Sergius sharply to his face for his Adultery So did Bishop Lambert reprehend King Pepin for the same fault Anno 798. And Archbishop Odo King Edwin burning his Concubines in the fore-head with an hot Iron and banishing them into Ireland Father Latimer dealt no less faithfully with King Henry the Eighth in his Sermons at Court. And being asked by the King how hee durst bee so bold to preach after that manner hee answered that duty to God and to his Prince had enforced him to it and now that hee had discharged his conscience his life was in his Majesties hands c. Truth must bee spoken however it be taken If Gods Messengers must be mannerly in the form yet in the matter of their message to Great ones they must bee resolute It is probable that Joseph used some kinde of Preface to Pharaoh's Baker in reading him that hard destiny Dan. 4.19 Gen. 40.19 Such likely as was that of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar My Lord the Dream bee to them that hate thee c. or as Philo brings him in with an Utinam tale somnium non vidisses c. But for the matter hee gives him a sound though sharp interpretation Vers 5. Whoso keepeth the commandement scil The Kings commandement Hee that is morigerous and goes as far as hee can with a good conscience in his obedience to the commands of his Superiours Shall feel no evil i. e. hee shall lack no good encouragement Rom. 13.3 4. Or if men slight him God will see to him Ephes 6.7 8. as hee did to the poor Israelites in Egypt and to David under Saul Mordecai lost nothing at length by his love and loyalty to God and the King Sir Ralph Percy slain upon Hegely-Moor in Northumberland by the Lord Montacute General for Edward the Fourth hee would no waies depart the field though defeated but in dying said I have saved the bird in my breast Speed 869. meaning his oath to King Henry the Sixth for whom hee fought And a wise mans heart discerneth both time and judgement scil When and how to obey Kings commands the time the means and manner thereof dispatching them without offence to God or man And this a wise mans heart discerneth saith the Preacher it being the opinion of the Hebrews that in the heart especially the soul did keep her Court and exercise her noble operations of the understanding invention judgement c. Aristotle saith Sine calore cordis anima in corpore nihil efficit Without the heat of the heart the soul does nothing in the body The Scripture also makes the heart the Monarch of this Isle of Man Vers 6. Because to every purpose there is time Therefore the wise man seeketh after that nick of time that punctilio of judgement that hee may do every thing well and order his affairs with discretion A well-chosen season is the greatest advantage of any action which as it is seldome found in haste so it is too often lost in delay Therefore the misery of man is great upon him Because hee discerns not apprehends not his fittest opportunity hence hee creates himself a great deal of misery When Saul had taken upon him to sacrifice God intimates to him by Samuel that if hee had discerned his time hee might have saved his Kingdome So might many a man his life his livelihood nay his soul The men of Issachar in Davids daies are famous for this that they had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do 1 Chron. 12.32 their posterity are set below Stork and Swallow for want of this skill Jer. 8.7 and deeply doomed Luke 19.44 Vers 7. For hee knoweth not that which shall bee Mans misery is the greater because hee cannot fore-see to prevent it but hee is suddenly surprized and hit many times on the blinde side as wee say Nescia mens hominum fati sortisque futurae Men are in the dark in regard of future events God onely knows them and is thereby oft in Isaiah distinguished from the dung-hill-deities of the Heathens In his mercy to his people hee gave them Prophets to tell How long and when these failed the Church heavily bewails it Psal 74.9 Howbeit a prudent man fore-seeth an evil and hideth himself Amb. de Offic. l. 1. cap. 38. Prov. 22.3 See the Note there By the strength of his mind saith Ambrose hee presageth what will follow and can define what in such or such a case hee ought to do Sometimes hee turns over two or three things in his mind together of which conjecturing that either all may come to pass jointly or this or that severally or whether they fall out jointly or severally hee can by his understanding so order his actions as that they shall bee profitable to him Vers 8. There is no man that hath power c. Death man is sure to meet with whatsoever hee miss of but when hee knows not neither Of Dooms-day there are signs affirmative and negative not so of death Every one hath his own Balsam within him say some Chymicks Greg. Moral his own bane it is sure hee hath Ipsa suis augmentis vita ad detrimenta impellitur Every day wee yeeld somewhat to death Stat sua cuique dies Our last day stands the rest run Virg. Ancid Nulli cedo Death is this onely King against whom there is no rising up Prov. 30. The mortal Sithe is Master of the Royal Scepter and it mows down the Lillies of the Crown as well as the grass of the field saith a Reverend Writer Mr. Ley his Monitor of Mortality And again Death suddenly snatcheth away Physicians oft as it were in scorn and contempt of medicines when they are applying their preservatives or restoratives to others as it is storied of Caius Julius a Surgeon who dressing a sore-eye as hee drew the Instrument over it was struck with an Instrument of death in the act and place where hee did it Besides diseases many by mischances are taken as a bird with a bolt whiles hee gazeth at the bow There is no discharge in war Heb. No sending either of Forces to withstand death or of messages to make peace with him The world and wee must part and whether wee bee unstitcht by parcels or torn asunder at once the difference is not great Happy is hee that after due preparation is passed thorow the gates of death ere hee bee aware saith one Whether my death bee a burnt-offering of Martyrdome or a Peace-offâ—ring of a natural death I desire it may bee a Free-will-offering a sweet sacrifice to the Lord saith another Neither shall wickedness deliver No It is righteousness
Titus remembring one day that hee had done no good to any one cryed out Amici diem perdidi And again Hodie non regnavimus Wee have lost a day c. This was that Titus that never sent any suitor away with a sad heart and was therefore counted and called Humani generis deliciae the darling of mankind the peoples sweet-heart The Senate loaded him with more praises when hee was dead than ever they did living and present Vers 7. Truly the light is sweet The light of life of a lightsome life especially Any life is sweet which made the Gibeonites make such an hard shift to live though it were but to bee hewers of wood and drawers of water I pray thee let mee live live upon any terms said Benhadad in his submissive message to that merciful Non-such 1 King 20.32 If I have found favour in thy sight O King and if it please the King let my life bee given mee at my petition Sic de Aspasia Milesia Cyri concubina Aelian lib. 12. cap. 1. var. hist said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that paragon of her time Q. Esther cap. 7.3 Ebedmelech is promised his life for a prey Jer. 39.18 And so is Baruc as a sufficient reward of that good service hee had done in reading the Roll for the which hee expected some great preferment Jer. 45.5 compared with chap. 36.1 2. The Prophet chides him and tells him hee might bee glad of his life in those dear years of time when the arrows of death had so oft come whisking by him and hee had so oft stradled over the grave as it were and yet was not fallen into it To maintain our radical humour that feeds the lamp of life is as great a miracle saith One as the oyl in the widows cruise that failed her not To deliver us from so many deaths and dangers as wee are daily and hourly subject unto is a mercy that calls for continual praises to the Preserver of mankind But more when men do not onely live but live prosperously as Nabal did 1 Sam. 25.6 Thus said David to his messengers shall yee say to him that liveth viz. in prosperity Which such a man as Nabal reckons the onely life The Irish use to ask what such a man meant to dye And some good Interpreters are of opinion that the Preacher in this verse brings in the carnal carl objecting or replying for himself against the former perswasions to acts of charity Ah! saith hee but for all that to live at the full to have a goodly inheritance in a fertile soil in a wholesome air near to the River not far from the Town to bee free from all troubles and cares that poverty bringeth to live in a constant sun-shine of prosperity abundance honour and delight to have all that heart can wish or need require what an heavenly life is this what a lovely and desirable condition c. Psal 34.12 What man is hee that desireth life and loveth many daies that hee may see good saith David I do saith one and I saith another and I a third c. as St. Austin frames the answer It is that which all worldlings covet and hold it no policy to part with what they have to the poor for uncertainties in another world In answer to whom and for a cooler to their inordinate love of life the Preacher subjoyns Vers 8. But if a man live many years and rejoyce c. q.d. Say hee live pancratice basilice and sit many years in the worlds warm sun-shine yet he must not build upon a perpetuity as good Job did but was deceived when hee said I shall dye in my nest Job 29.18 Psal 30 and holy David when hee concluded I shall never bee moved For as sure as the night follows the day a change will come a storm will rise and such a storm as to wicked worldlings will never be blown over Look for it therefore and bee wise in time Remember the daies of darkness that is of adversity but especially of death and the grave The hottest season hath lightning and thunder The Sea is never so smooth but it may bee troubled the Mountain not so firm but it may bee shaken with an earthquake Light will bee one day turned into darkness pleasure into pain delights into wearisomeness and the dark daies of old age and death far exceed in number the lightsome daies of life which are but a warm gleam a momentary glance Let this bee seriously pondred and it will much rebate the edge of our desires after earthly vanities Dearly beloved saith St. Peter I beseech you as Pilgrims and strangers abstain from fleshly lust c. q. d. 1 Pet. 2.12 The sad and sober apprehension of this that you are here but sojourners for a season and must away to your long home will lay your lusts a bleeding and a dying at your feet It is an observation of a Commentator upon this Text that when Samuel had anointed Saul to bee King to confirm unto him the truth of the joy and withall to teach him how to bee careful in governing his joy hee gave him this sign When thou art departed from mee to day 1 Sam. 10.2 thou shalt finde two men at Rachels sepulchre For hee that findeth in his mind a remembrance of his grave and sepulchre will not easily bee found exorbitant in his delights and joyes For this it was belike that Joseph of Arimathea had his sepulchre ready hewn out in his garden The Aegyptians carried about the Table a deaths-head at their feasts and the Emperours of Constantinople Isidor on their Coronation-day had a Mason appointed to present unto them certain Marble-stones using these ensuing words Elige ab his saxis ex quo Invictissime Caesar Ipse tibi â—umulum me fabricare velis Chuse Mighty Sir under which of these stones Your pleasure is ere long to lay your bones Vers 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth i. e. Do if thou darest like as God said to Balaam Rise up and go to Balak Numb 22.20 that is go if thou thinkest it good go sith thou wilt needsly go but thou goest upon thy death Let no man imagine that it ever came into the Preachers heart here oleum camino addere to add fuel to the fire of youthful lusts to excite young people unruly enough of themselves to take their full swinge in sinful pleasures Thus to do might better befit a Protagoras of whom Plato reports Plato in Menen that hee many times boasted that whereas hee had lived threescore years forty of those threescore hee had spent in corrupting those young men that had been his pupils or that old Dotrel in Terence that said Non est mihi crede flagitium adolescentem helluari potare scortari fores effringere I hold it no fault for young men to swagger drink drab revel c. Solomon in this Text either by a Mimesis brings in the wilde
Epicureans that if any were good amongst them it was meerly from the goodness of their nature for they taught and thought otherwise And as Peter Moulin said of many of the Priests of France that they were for their loyalty not beholding to the Maxims of Italy and yet Bellarmine hath the face to say De notis Eccles l. 4. c. 13 Sunt quidem in Ecclesia Catholica plurimi mali sed ex haeriticis nullus est bonus Among Papists there are many bad men but among Protestants not one good man is to bee found Vers 10. Hee made the pillars thereof i. e. The faithful Ministers called Pillars Gal. 2.9 and that Atlas-like bear up the pillars of it Psalm 75.3 Those that offer violence to such Sampson-like they lay hands upon the pillars to pluck the house upon their own heads Yea they attempt to pull Stars out of Christs hand Revelations 1. which they will finde a work not feisable Of silver For the purity of matter and clearness of sound for their beauty stability and incorruption Let Ministers hereby learn how they ought to behave themselves in the house of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3.15 The bottom thereof of gold Understand it either of Gods Word which is compared to the finest gold or of that precious grace of Faith the root of all the rest whence it is laid by St. Peter as the bottom and basis the foundation and fountain of all the following graces 2 Epist 1.5 Add to your Faith virtue and to virtue knowledge c. they are all in Faith radically every grace is but Faith exercised Hence wee read of the joy of Faith the obedience of Faith the righteousness of Faith c. Shee is the Mother-grace the womb wherein all the graces are conceived Hence the bottom of Christs fruitful bed the pavement of his glorious Bride-chamber the Church is here said to bee of gold that is of Faith which is called gold Rev. 3.17 compared with 1 Pet. 1.7 that the tryal of your Faith or your well-tryed Faith for it seems to bee an Hebraism being much more precious than that of gold c. And here Bern. Melius est pallens aurum quam fulgens aurichalcum gold though paler is better than glittering copper Splendida peccata The Faith of Gods Elect is far more precious than the shining sins of the beautiful abominations of meer Moralists Suppose a simple man should get a stone and strike fire with it and thence conclude it a precious stone Why every flint or ordinary stone will do that So to think one hath this golden grace of Faith because hee can bee sober just chast liberal c. Why ordinary Heathens can do this True gold will comfort the fainting heart which Alchymy gold will not Think the same of Faith The covering of it of Purple I am of their mind that expound it of Christs blood wherewith as with a Canopy or a kinde of Heaven over head the Church is covered and cured Rev. 5.16 7.14 Rom. 6.3 4. Purple was a rich and dear commodity amongst them see Prov. 31.22 7.5 Mark 15.17 Luk. 16.19 The precious blood of Christ is worthily preferred before gold and silver 1 Pet. 1.18 19. The midst thereof being paved with love For Christ loved us and washed us with his blood Rev. 1.5 Hee also fills his faithful people with the sense of his love who therefore cannot but finde a great deal of pleasure in the waies of God because therein they let out their souls into God and taste of his unspeakable sweetness they cannot also but reciprocate and love his love So the bottom the top and the middle of this reposing place are answerable to those three Cardinal graces faith hope and love 1 Cor. 13. For the daughters of Jerusalem This Charret or Bridal-bed hee made for himself hee made it also for the daughters of Jerusalem for all his is theirs Union being the ground of Communion As wee must do all for Christ according to that Quicquid agas propter Deum agas and again Propter te Domine propter te choice and excellent Spirits are more taken up with what they shall do for God than what they shall receive from God so Christ doth all for us and seeks how to seal up his dearest love to us in all his actions and atchievements Christs death and bloodshed saith Mr. Bradford is the great Seal of England yea of all the world for the confirmation of all Patents and Perpetuities of the everlasting life whereunto hee hath called us This death of Christ therefore look on as the very pledge of Gods love toward thee c. See Gods hands are nailed they cannot strike thee Serm. of Repent 63 his feet also hee cannot run from thee His arms are wide open to embrace thee his head hangs down to kiss thee his very heart is open so that therein look nay even spy and thou shalt see nothing therein but love love love to thee Hide thee therefore lay thine head there with the Beloved Disciple joyn thee to Christs Charret as Philip did to the noble Eunuchs This is the cleft of the Rock wherein Elias stood This is for all aking heads a pillow of Down c. Vers 11. Go forth O yee Daughters of Zion i.e. All yee faithful souls which follow the Lord Christ the Lamb that stands upon Mount Zion Rev. 14.1 4. Yee shall not need to go far and yet far yee would go I dare say to see such a gallant sight as King Solomon in his Royalty the Queen of Sheba did behold hee is at hand Tell yee the Daughters of Zion behold thy King cometh c. Mat. 21.5 Go forth therefore forth of your selves forth from your friends means all as Abraham did and the holy Apostles Confessours and Martyrs and as the Church is bid to do Psal 45.10 forget also thine own people and thy Fathers house Good Nazianzen was glad that hee had something of value to wit his Athenian learning to part with for Christ Horreo quicquid de meo est ut meus sim saith Bernard Hee that will come to mee must go utterly out of himself saith our Saviour All Saint Pauls care was that hee might bee sound in Christ but lost in himself Epist ad Gabr. Vydym Ambula in timore contemptu tui ora Christum ut ipse tua omnia faciat tu nihil facias sed sis sabbatum Christi saith Luther walk in the fear and contempt of thy self and rest thy spirit in Christ this is to go forth to see King Solomon crowned yea this is to set the Crown upon Christs head Camd. Elisab Anno 1585. When Queen Elizabeth undertook the protection of the Netherlands against the Spaniard all Princes admired her fortitude and the King of Sweden said that shee had now taken the Diadem from her own Head and set
were her Walls and Bulwarks that she feared no irruption of the enemy and so bold she bore her self upon her twenty years provision laid in aforehand that she feared no famine by the straitness of a long siege Herodotus telleth us Herod lib. 1. Arist Polit. lib. 3. that when Babylon was taken by Cyrus some part of the City knew not of their condition till the third day after the suddenness of their surprisal must needs be very dreadful They shall every man i.e. All her Confederates and Presidiaries Ver. 15. Every one that is found shall be thrust thorow This maketh them flye for it Quis enim vult mori prorsus nemo Life is sweet and men will rather flie then dye Every one that is joyned unto them Or that is decrepid worn out with old age See 2 Chron. 36.17 Ver. 16. Their children shall be dasht in pieces c. As had been prayd and prophecyed long before Psal 137.9 and this was but lex talionis See 2 Chron. 36.17 Lam. 5.11 Their houses shall be spoyled and their wives ravished As those three Commandements Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steal are ranked together in the Law so they are commonly violated together in the lawless violence of war Ver. 17. Behold I will stir up the Medes together with the Persians under the conduct of Darius and Cyrus Which shall not regard silver sc For a ransom but shall kill all they meet though never so rich and able to redeem their lives as Pro. 13.8 Jer. 41.8 Incredibilis sanguinis aviditas in milite bacchabiâ—â—r Ver. 18. Their bowes also shall dash the yong men They shall double destroy them O Barbaram crudelitatem And they shall have no pitty on the fruit of the womb Quamvis adhuc teneri essent fructus novelli ripping up their mothers as Am. 1.13 as at the Sicilian Vespers and as in the late Parisian and Irish Massacres which were the most prodigious horrid villanâ—es that ever the Sun saw Their eye shall not spare children In the Massacre of Paris a bloody Papist having snatcht up a little child of one of the Protestants in his arms the poor Babe began to play with his beard Act. Mon. and to smile upon him But he more mercyless then a Tiger stabbed it with a dagger and so cast it all gore-blood into the River Ver. 19. And Babylon the glory of Kingdoms Those four great Monarchies of the world had their times and their turns their rise and their ruine The Roman Empire can scarce stand on its feet of clay and by the death of the late Emperour no King of Romans being nominated is like to suffer great concussions Shall be as when Gid overthrew Sodom The destruction whereof was the greatest and most stupendious that ever we read of Hiâ— Babylonia contermini Ver. 20. Neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there The Scenites or vagrant Shepherds of Arabia deserta that oft flitted for better pasture shall shun Babylon as haunted with wild beasts or rather with Dragons and Devils in the Revelation all this is applyed to and shall be verified of Rome cap. 18. Ver. 21. But wild beasts of the Desart Heb. Ijâ—m Ochim c. These are names of wild creatures unknown to us in these parts And Satyrs Or Devils in borrowed shapes and hideous apparitions Ver. 22. And the wild beasts of the Islands Heb Ijim i. e. desolate places and far remote And her time is near to come Though two hundred year hence and more ere it commence So Babylon is fallen is fallen Rev. 19.2 that is certo cito penitus surely shortly utterly O mora Christe veni CHAP. XIV Ver. 1. FOr the Lord will have mercy upon Jacob And therefore destroy Babylon as chap. 13. Such is his Love to his Church that for her sake and in Revenge of her wrongs Bern. he will fall foul upon her enemies Si in Hierosolymis fiat scrutinium quanto magis in Babylone And the strangers shall be joyned with them Proselyted especially when made partakers of the grace of the Gospel Ver. 2. For servants and for hand-maids Their Converts shall be willing to lay their hands under their feet as we say and glad to do them any service like as Cyprian was for Caecilius whom be called novae vitae parentem and Latimer for Bilney whom he called Blessed Bilney See Isa 49.23 Ver. 3. That the Lord shall give thee rest c. The Church hath her Halcyons here neither is she smitten as those are that smote her but in measure in the branches c. God stayeth his rough-wind Isa 27.8 that is such afflictions as would shake his plants too much or quite blow them down Yea whether South or North-wind bloweth all shall blow good to them Cant. 4. ult Blow off their unkindly blossoms and refresh them both under and after all their sorrow fear and hardship Ver. 4. That thou shalt take up this Proverb Or taunting speech Carmen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this exultatory and insultatory song which upon the fall of Babylon shall be in every mans mouth How hath the Oppressour ceased q. d. This is wonderful and beyond all expectation The golden City Or Gold-thirsty City Aurata vel auri avida Ver. 5. The Lord hath broken the staffe Wherewith these Exactors cudgelled men as so many beasts into subjection and obedience And the Scepter Or Rod of the Rulers who ruled with rigour Ver. 6. He that smote the people in wrath c. This is the Tyrants Epitaph Aurel. Victor there is at their death a general joy as was when the world was well rid of Tiberius Caligula Nero Heliogabalus c. When Domitian dyed the Senate decreed that his name should be razed that all his Acts should be rescinded and his memorial abolished quite for ever When Caligula was cut off his monies were all melted by the decree of the Senate like as King Richard the thirds cognizance Speed the white Bore was torn from every sign that his memory might perish Ver. 7. The whole earth is at rest and is quiet Quievit conticuit All 's husht 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. that was used to be set in an uproar by these restless Ambitionists They break forth into singing By a wide opening of the lips and lungs as the word signifieth Ver. 8. Yea the Fir-trees rejoyce at thee A notable Metaphor whereby sense and speech is attributed to sensless creatures the trees once afraid to be felled are now freed from that fear This Tyrant was the terrour of things on earth and things under earth Hence men and trees are said to rejoyce Hell to be in an hurry c. No feller is come up against us As was wont to do for thy Shipping Buildings Warlike Engines c. Ver. 9. Hell from beneath is moved for thee Infernus ab inferendo Shaeal from its unsatiableness and
continual craving Here is an Ironical and Poetical representation of the King of Babylons coming into Hell and his entertainment there the dead Kings rising from their places for reverence to receive him Even all the chief ones of the earth Heb. The He-goats such as lead and go before the flock such Rhetorick as this we meet with in Lucians Dialogues Of Laurentius Valla that great Critick who found fault with almost all Latine Authors One made this Tetrastich Nunc postquà m manes defunctus Valla petivit Trithem Non audet Pluto verba Latina loqui Jupiter hunc caeli dignatus honore fuisset Censorem linguae sed timet ipse suae From their Thrones i. e. From their Sepulchres saith Piscator Ver. 10. Art thou also become weak as we Interrogatio sarcastica insultabunda Hast thou also an Hic fitus est or Mortuus est set upon thy Tombstone This if thou hadst fore-thought thou wouldest have better behaved thy self whilest alive the meditation of Death would have been a death to thy passions and an allay to thine insolencies Virgil saith if swarms of Bees meet in the ayr they will sometimes fight as it were in a set battel with great violence But if you cast but a little dust upon them they will be all presently quiet Hi motus animorum atqueâ—aec certamina tanta Georg. lib. â— Pulveris exigui jactu compressa quiescunt Had Nebuchadnezzar or his Successors bethought themselves of their Mortality and of Deaths impartiality they would have been more moderate Ver. 11. Thy pomp is brought down to the grave Ipsaque justa sepulta jacent Funeral rites those Dues of the Dead are wanting to thee This was fulfilled in Belshazzar slain at his impious Feast These Feast-dayes were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Roman Saturnalia whilest he profaned the vessels of Gods house to quaff in to the honour of Shac his drunken god and had no doubt variety of Musick See Jer. 51.39 41 47. Dan. 5.1 30. The worm is spread under thee and worms cover thee Pro liâ—eamine tinea sternitur pro lodice vermes superimponuntur for sheets thou hast Maggots and for a coverled worms and this the rather because whereas the Assyrian Kings as Strabo testifieth Lib. 16. Lib. 1. and the Babylonian Kings as Herodotus were wont to be Embalmed after their death that they might keep sweet Belshazzar was not so ver 19.20 Ver. 12. How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer That is not O Belzeebub as some Ancients but O Belshazzar rather called Lucifer here or the Morning-star for his beauty and brightness and as much wonder it was to see the Chaldaean Monarch at such an under as to have seen Lucifer the Suns constant companion fallen from Heaven He was the terrour of the world and as he thought superiour to Fortune yet a sudden and dismal change befell him In the Chariot of the Roman Triumpher there hung up a little bell and a whip to put him in mind he might one day be whipt as a slave or as an offendor lose his head Nemo confidat minium secundis Ver. 13. For thou hast said in thine heart The natural heart is a Palace of Satanical pride it is like unto the Table of Adonibezek at which he sat in a Chair of State and made others even Kings to eat meat like dogs under his feet with their thumbs cut off Oecolamp I will ascend into Heaven Vide quomodo non satientur honore superbi Ambition as the Crocodile grows is long as it lives and is never satisfied Above the stars of God i. e. Above all the Kings of the earth or above the Saints Rev. 12.1 those earthly Angels I will sit also upon the Mount of the Congregation I will sit upon the skirts of Gods Church yea I will set my Throne upon Gods Throne and take up his room See the like madness in Pharaoh Ezek. 29.3 that proud Prince of Tyre Ezek. 22.28 Antiochus sirnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod Act. 12. Caligula Chosroes Diocletian Antichrist of whom and his practises One cryes out O Lucifer out-devil'd c. 2 Thess 2.4 One of the Popes Parasites Valladerius saith of Paul the fifth that he was a God lived familiarly with the Godhead heard Predestination it self whispering to him had a place to sit in Council with the most blessed Trinity c. In the sides of the North In Mount Moriah where the Temple stood Ver. 14. I will ascend above the height of the clouds Vt verbo dicam ero summa sacra majestas Hor. lib. 1. Ode 3. Attingit solium Jovis coelestia tentat Ver. 15. Yet thou shalt be brought down to Hell To the counterpoint of thy haughtiest conceits ad infimam Erebi sedem So a merry fellow said that Xerxes that great Warrior who took upon him to controul the Sea was now mending old shoos under a shop-board in Hell Adagium Homer cum To the sides of the pit i. e. Of the infernal Lake a Tartesso in Tartarum detrusus from the sides of the North ver 13. whether thou hadst pierked thy self ad latera luci to the sides of the pit and to an odd corner of the burying place This was a foul fall Rev. Hist Pontif. 195. and worse then that of Hermannus Ferrariensis who having been canonized for a Saint was thirty years after unburied and burnt for an Heretick by Pope Boniface the eight or that of Thomas Becket of whom fourty eight years after he had been Sainted Dan. Hist Fol. 99. it was disputed among the Doctors of Paris whether he were damned or saved Ver. 16. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee Shall look wishly upon thee as scarce believing their own eyes for the strangeness of the thing Is this the man that made the earth to tremble The earth to quake and mens hearts to ake yea sure this is very He. At one end of the Library at Dublin was a Globe at the other a Sceleton to shew saith mine Author that though a man be Lord of all the world yet he must dye nullusque fiet qui omnia esse affectabat Ver. 17. That made the world as a Wilderness Nero the Tyrant came into the world an Agrippa or born with his feet forward and turned the world upside down ere he went out of it so that the Senate at last proclaimed him a publick enemy to mankind and condemned him to be drawn through the City and whipped to death That opened not the house of his prisoners Or that did not lose his prisoners homewards but kept them in durance with prisoners pittance Lam. 3.34 Ver. 18. All the Kings of the Nations i. e. Very many of them have their stately Pyramides Tombs Mausolaean Monuments erected as amongst us at Westminster Henry the sevenths Chappel is a curious and costly piece Ver. 19. But thou art cast out of thy grave i. e. Cast out Insepultâ
sepulturâ turpissâ—me abiectus es â—cult and kept from thy grave This befell Baltasar upon the surprizal of the City Dan. 5 30. And the like also befell Alexander the Great dying at the same City and our Will. Conqueror who having utterly sackt the City of Mants in France and in the destruction thereof got his own dyed shortly after at Rouen Dan. Hist 42. 50. where his corpse lay three dayes unburied his interment being hindered by one that claimed the ground to be his Like an abominable branch The matter is here set forth by three notable similitudes such as this Prophet is full of Ver. 20. Thou shalt not be joyned to them in burial i. e. To thy Compeers thy fellow Kings in Funeral-state and pomp Christians have an honest care 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with whom they be buried and where they are laid when dead that as they lived together and loved together so in their death they may not be divided 2 Sam. 1.23 Because thou hast destroyed thy land Tyrannized over thine own Subjects also The Septuagint read it my land and my people So did Saul Manassâ—h Herod who butchered about Bethlehem 14000. Infants as some affirm and his own son among the rest Tyberius that Tyger Nero that Lion Commodus who was saith Orosius cunctis incommodus Charls 9 of France c. The seed of evil-doers shall never be renowned The house of the wicked shall be ouerthrown but the Tabernacle of the upright shall flourish Prov. 14.11 See the Note there notanto hoc parentes à sceleribus se abstinento ni sibi velint parcere ut posteritati parcant Ver. 21. Prepare another slaughter for his children For Baltsars posterity This is Gods charge to the Medes and Persians See on ver 20. Ver. 22. For I will rise up against him And therefore it is to no purpose for them to rise up to possess the Land and to fill the face of the world with Cities as ver 21. I will overturn overturn overturn c. Ezek. 21.27 and who shall gain-stand it Ver. 23. I will also make it a possession for the Bittern Which is a kind of water-fowl that maketh a hideous noise And I will sweep it with the besom of destruction Scopa vastatrice verram cam Scopis â— en purgatoriis sed perditoriis R. David in Radâ—c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercer in Pagnin Thesaur Vatab. I will not brush them for Ornament but sweep them or rather scrub them to their ruine by my Persian Praedones whom I will set upon them And here the Jewish Rabbins acknowledge that they came to understand this Text by hearing an Arabian woman mention a broom or a besom in her Language to her maid Apollos a learned Teacher may yet learn of a Tent-maker Ver. 24. The Lord of Hosts hath sworn If he had but said it only it had been sure enough for he cannot lye he cannot denye himself but when he sweareth any thing we may build upon it especially since he is Lord of Hosts He can do more then he will but whatsoever He willeth shall undoubtedly be done for what should hinder Juravit Jehovah is the best assurance Ver. 25. That I will break the Assyrian in my Land Or as in breaking the Assyrian in my Land for here saith Junius the overthrow of the Assyrian Monarchy which should shortly be is given for a sign of the overthrow of the Babylonian Ver. 26. This is the purpose that is purposed Heb. The Council that is consulted Now there are many devices in the heart of man but when all 's done the Counsel of the Lord that shall stand Prov. 19.21 Ver. 27. For the Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disannul it Emphasin habet interrogatio An excellent and unanswerable way of arguing from the irresistible Will and Almighty power of God the like whereof is used by a certain Persian in Herodotus In Calliope in most Elegant expressions as Junius here noteth Ver. 28. In the year that King Ahaz dyed A very good worlds riddance When Tiberius the Tyrant died some of the people offered sacrifice for joy others in detestation of him cryed out Tiberium in Tiberim Let Tiberius be thrown into Tiber Think the like of Ahaz that stigmatical Belialist Howbeit as bad as he was the Philistins hearing of his death hoped to find some advantage thereby against the Jews who are therefore here encouraged Ver. 29. Rejoyce not thou whole Palestine That is the Philistins quos Judaei animis armisque sibi infestissimos habuere These were as bad Neighbours to the Jews as the Dunkâ—rkers now are to us Vzziah had subdued them 2 Chron. 26.6 but Ahaz had been much damnified and despoiled by them 2 Chron. 28.18 and in the beginning of Hezekiahs Raign they thought to have over-run all the Countrey Here therefore Gods decree concerning them is published for the comfort of his poor people and it is this Philistaeis non jubilandum sed ejulandum Philistins must not be over joyed but rather weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon them Because the Rod of him that smote thee is broken Because Vzziah is dead and Ahaz hath had ill success against you through his own sinfulness and sluggishness do not you thereupon take boldness to set up your crest and think all 's your own For out of the Serpents root Out of Vzziah's issue Shall come forth a Cockatrice or Basilisk which is said to kill with his looks only and hereby is meant Hezekiah as also by the fiery flying Serpent for thus he is called both for his fierceness and for his swiftness two very commendable properties of a Commander J. Caesar was in omnia praeceps very fierce and withal notable nimble witness his Veni Vidi Vici I no sooner came but overcame The Hebrews from this text have a Proverb Deradice colubri egredietur regulus i e. Afflictissimi inter pauperes praecipui ac primi atque adeò tolerandis Calamitatibus nati Quis globu◠ó cives caligine volvitur â—tra Hostis adest Virg. Out of the Serpents root shall come forth a Cockatrice i. e. One woe is past but behold a worse at hand Ver. 30. And the first-born of the poor shall feed i. e. Gods poor people shall who though never so poor as they were at a very low ebb under Ahaz were Gods first-born and in that respect higher then the Kings of the earth Psal 89.27 And I will kill thy root See Zeph. 2.4 with the Note Ver. 31. Howle O gate Philistines are elsewhere taxed for flashy and foolish mirth Judg. 16. 2 Sam. 1. Here they are told they have more cause to fear then stear to sigh then sing to bowle then hollow From the North a smoke i. e. Hezekiah's army raising a dust and setting all in a combustion Ver. 32. That the Lord hath founded Zion Not Hezekiah but Jehovah hath done it CHAP. XV. Ver. 1. THe burthen of
the wicked Priests especially as greatest Traytors to the state the Lord thundereth and threateneth terribly By the beasts here called for we may understand the Babylonians Grecians Syrians Egyptians but especially the Romans who made clean work of them when as they were grown extreamly wicked and even ripe for ruine as Josephus witnesseth See Jer. 50.17 Ver. 10. His watchmen are blind they are all ignorant Invehit in Pseudepiscopos such as were and are still in part the Popish Clergy those of the ninth age especially and not much better a little before Luther stickled blind leaders of the blind lamentably ignorant as the Bishop of Dunkelden in Scotland for instance Act. Mon. Luther who professed that he knew neither the New Testament nor the Old so Bishop Albert reading the Bible and being asked by a Noble-man What book it was he read I know not said he what book it is but all that I read in it is contrary to our Religion As for the other ill qualities of the watchmen here enveighed against Hugo the Cardinal said that the Devil had two daughters Covetousness and Luxury the former he had heretofore married out to the Jews the latter to the Gentiles but now the Monkes and Priests had gotten them both from their old husbands and taken them for their own use The Hebrew Criticks have observed that the word here rendred watchmen hath a Tsade bigger than ordinary to shew what odious creatures such are as are here described They are all dumb dogs that cannot bark i. e. Will not deal plainly and faithfully with mens souls but either preach not at all or placentia only toothlesse truthes Lib. 29. chap. 4. Pliny tells of the dogs in Rome that were set to keep the Capitol because when the Gaules scaled it the dogs being fed too full lay sleeping and did not give warning they not only hanged them up but every year on that day of the year hanged up certain dogs in the City for exemplary justice yea crucified them alive upon an Elder-tree Let dumb dogs and parasitical Preachers treacherous to mens souls take heed they be not one day hanged in hell Sleeping lying down loving to slumber Non dormiunt solum sed dedita opera dormiunt Somnoâ—entia pastorum luporum est gaudium so full they have farced themselves and so deeply drunk they are that they sleep soundly though Lyons roare and wolves worry the poor flock and that many times far enough from the fold wherein they shew themselves to be worse then Vlysses his swineherd of whom Homer saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he would not be drawn to sleep from his swinesty Ver. 11. Yea they are greedy dogs that can never have enough Heb. strong of soul or of appetite they know not to be satisfied Lac lana is that they look for the instruments of a foolish shepherd forcipes mulctra the sheares and milk paile are in their hand Zach. 11.15 they eat the fruit and drink the milk as Ezek 25.4 yea they eat the fat and tear the claws in pieces Zach. 11.16 Albertus Magnus complained heavily of the covetousness of Pastours in his time In Mat. 10.16 Temporalia colligunt perse spiritualia seminant per alios saith he they take little paines but care not how much profit they make he that made Fasciculus temporum doth the like Another modern writer fitly applyeth that to them which Oedipus in Sophocles saith of Tiresias the Heathen-Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. that he looked only to his gain but was little seen in his profession Such a one was Balaam Jude 11. such were those false Prophets Ezek. 13. the covetous Pharisees Luke 16.14 the false Apostles Rom. 16.18 called dogs Phil. 3.2 such as had a greedy worm under their tongues and could never be satisfied And they are shepherds that cannot understand The dust of covetousnesse hath even put out their eyes Midas secundum Etymologiâ—m Graecam coecus est as it fared with the blind and greedy Pharisees Avidi à non videndo the world is a pearle in their eyes they cannot see God nor skill of their office Tremellius rendreth it nesciunt docere they know not to teach as being choaked haply with a fat benefice a common practice of the Pope They all look to their own way Mind their own commodity whereby they are led up and down as an Ox may be all a ground over by a bottle of hay Ver. 12. Come ye The wicked have their Come ye as well as the godly chap. 2. 3. See there I will fetch wine A Pastour should be no winebibber or Alestake 1 Tim. 3.8 Ebrietas in se culpas complectitur omnes Drunkennesse is a foul fault in any man saith Petrus Ravennas but in a Minister it is sacriledge especially if he draw on others to it as here and as the Popish Priests do at Paris and Lovain where the best wine is called Vinum Theologicum and they use to lengthen out their drunken compotations And to morrow shall be as this day Words of profane secureness and dissoluteness See Chap. 22.13 Prov. 23.35 CHAP. LVII Ver. 1. THe righteous perisheth So the world deemeth but not rightly for the righteous hath hope in his death when the wicked dying is driven away in his wickednesse Prov. 14.32 by him that hath the power of death even the devil Heb. 2.14 having been through fear of death all their life-time subject to bondage The Lacedemonians all the time of their life adored death The righteous can defie death with Paul and sing Death where 's they sting Hell where 's thy victory he is not killed with death as Jezabels children were Rev. 2.23 but dyeth in peace though he dye in battle as Josiah did of whom some interpret this Text. And no man layeth it to heart Heb. upon his heart that it may sink and soak into it so as to be soundly sensible of Gods holy hand and end in such a providence See chap. 5.12 There is a woe to oscitancy and stupidity of this kind And merciful men Heb. men of piety or pitty such as all righteous persons are they have received mercy and they can shew it Colos 3.12 they have steept their thoughts in the mercyes of God which have dyed theirs as the dye-fat doth the cloth Aâ— men gather flowers and candy them and preserve them by them so doth God his pious ones Are taken away Heb. gathered as corn is into the garner or fruit into the store-house so they into Abrahams bosom No man considering None of those debauched ones chap 56.12 to be sure of These are glad to be rid of the righteous as the Sodomites were of righteous Lot as the Heathen persecutors were of the Martyrs whom they counted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4.13 the sweepings of the world and the off-scourings of all things That the righteous is taken away
blows It speaketh deceit See Psal 52.2 with the Notes One speaketh peaceably but in his heart he layeth his wait Such a one was the tyrant Tiberius and our Richard 3. who would use most complements and shew greatest signs of love and curtesie to him in the morning Dan hist 249. whose throat he had taken order to be cut that evening Ver. 9. Shall I not visit them See on chap. 5.9 Ver. 10. For the mountains will I take up a weeping Accingit se Propheta ad luctum Jeremy was better at weeping then Heraclitus and from a better principle Lachrymas angustiae exprimit Crux lachrymas poenitentiae peccatum lachrymas sympathiae affectus humanitatis vel Christianitatis lachrymas nequitiae vel hypocrisis vel vindictae cupiditas Jeremies tears were of the best sort Because they are burnt up The Rabbines tell us that after the people were carried captive to Babylon the land of Jury was burnt up with sulphur and salt But this may well passe for a Jewish fable Both the fowl of the heaven See chap. 4.25 Ver. 11. And I will make Jerusalem heaps So small a distance is there saith Seneca betwixt a great City and none The world is as full of mutation as of motion And a den of Dragons Because she made mine house a den of theeves chap. 7.11 Ver. 12. Who is the wise man that he may understand this This who and who denoteth a great paucity of such wise ones as consider common calamities in the true causes of them propter quid pereat haec terra for what the land perisheth and that great sins produce grievous judgements The most are apt to say with those Philistines It is a chance to attribute their sufferings to Fate or Fortune to accuse God of injustice rather then to accept of the punishment of their iniquity And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken q. d. Is there never a one of your Prophets that will set you right herein but the dust of covetousnesse hath put out their eyes and they can better sing Placentia then Lachrymae c. Ver. 13. And the Lord saith Or therefore the Lord saith q. d. Because neither your selves know nor have any else to tell you the true cause of your calamities hear it from Gods own mouth Ver. 14. But have walked after the imagination of their own heart Then the which they could not have chosen a worse guide sith it is evil only evil and continually so Gen. 6.5 See the note there Which their fathers taught them See chap. 7.18 Ver. 15. Behold I will feed them with wormwood i. e. With bitter afflictions Et haec poena inobedientiae fidei respondet The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own wayes Prov. 14.14 he shall have his belly full of them as we use to say See chap. 8.14 Ver. 16. And I will scatter them also among the heathen As had been forethreatned Deut. 28. Lev. 26. But men will not beleeve till they feel They read the threats of Gods law as they do the old stories of forreign wars and as if they lived out of the reach of Gods rod. Ver. 17. Consider ye Intelligentes estote Is not your hard-heartednesse such as that ye need such an help to do that wherein you should be forward and free-hearted The Hollanders and French fast saith one but without exprobration be it spoken they had need to send for mourning-women Spec. bel sac 209. Vt flerent oculos erudiere suas Ovid. that by their cunning they may be taught to mourn And call for the mourning women In planctum omne pathos faciles such as could make exquisite lamentation and cunningly act the part of mourners at funerals so as to wring teares from the beholders These the Latines called Praeficas quia luctui praeficiebantur because they had the chief hand in funeral mournings for the better carrying on whereof they both sang doleful ditties See 2 Chron. 35.25 and played on certain heavily-sounding instruments Mat. 9.23 whence the Poet Cantabit maestis tibia funeribus Ovid. Ver. 18. And let them make haste and take up a wailing for us Of this vanity or affectation God approveth not as neither he did of the Olympick games of usury of that custome at Corinth 1 Ep. 15.29 which yet he maketh his use of Ver. 19. For a voyce of wailing is heard out of Zion How are we spoiled Ponit formulam threnodiae Quis tragoediam aptius magis graphice depingeret what tragedy was ever better set forth and in more lively expressions Ver. 20. Yet hear the Word of the Lord O ye women For souls have no sexes and ye are likely to have your share as deep as any in the common calamity you also are mostly more apt to weep then men and may sooner work your men to godly sorrow then those lamentatrices Ver. 21. For death is come up into our windows i. e. The killing Chaldees break in upon us at any place of entrance doors or windows Joel 2.9 Joh. 10.1 The Ancients give us warning here to see to our senses those windows of wickednesse that sin get not into the soul thereby and death by sin Ver. 22. Speak Thus saith the Lord Heb. Speak it is the Lords saying and therefore thou mayst be bold to speak it So 1 Thes 4.15 For I say unto you in or by the Word of the Lord. And as the handful after the harvest man Death shall cut them up by handfuls and lay them heaps upon heaps Ver. 23. Let not the wise-man glory in his wisdom q. d. You bear your selves bold upon your wisdom wealth strength and other such seeming supports and deceitful foundations as if these could save you from the evils threatned But all these will prove like a shadow that declineth delightful but deceitful as will well appear at the hour of death Charles the fifth whom of all men the world â—udged most happy cursed his honours a little afore his death his victories trophees and riches saying Abite hinc abite longe get you far enough for any good ye can now do me Abi perdita bestia quae me totum perdidisti be gone thou wretched creature that hast utterly undone me said Corn Agrippa the Magician to his familiar spirit when he lay a dying So may many say of their worldly wisdom wealth c. Let not the wise man glory Let not those of great parts be head-strong or top-heavy let them not think to wind out by their wiles and shifts Let not the mighty man glory Fortitudo nostra est infirmitatis in veritate cognitio Aug. in humilitate confessio Nor the rich man glory in his riches Sith they availe not in the day of wrath Zeph. 1.18 See the Note there Ver. 24. But let him that glorieth glory in this And yet not in this neither unlesse he can do it with self-denial and lowlymindednesse Let him glory
of an asse wherewith he had formerly been threatened chap. 22.19 His father Josiah was one of those few that lived and dyed with glory but he did nothing lesse Ver. 31. And I will punish him and his seed See on ver 26. The like is threatened to Zedekiah chap. 21.7 who was therefore the worse because he should hove been warned by his brothers miseries And I will bring upon them See chap. 35.17 Malis horrendis adobruentur omnes Ver. 32. Then took Jeremiah Who is therefore famous for his obedience which is then only right when it is prompt and present ready and speedy without delayes and consults as here And there were added besides unto them many like words So little is gotten by relucting against the Word of God and persecuting his messengers What do wicked men hereby but intangle themselves more and more as one that goeth amongst bâ—yars Did not my Word take hold of your fathers Zach. 1.6 See the Note there what do they else Oâ—pressus Christi Spiritus robustior in se coactus exilit Oecol but as she in the history who mâ—stâ—king her looking-glasse for shewing her truly the wrinckles in her old withered face brake it in displeasure and then she had for one glasse many every piece thereof presenting to her the decay of her beauty which she was so loth to take notice of The best way is to passe into the likenesse of the heavenly pattern See Mic. 2.7 with the Notes there CHAP. XXXVII Ver. 1. ANd King Zedekiah the son of Josiah This also and the next Chapter are as the former historical and so easy to be understood that to set long notes upon them were A Lap. saith One rather to obscure them then to explain them Ver. 2. But neither he nor his servants did harken And this was theis undoing sc that they humbed not themselves before this holy Prophet speaking unto them from the mouth of the Lord 2 Chron. 36.12 Ver 3. Pray now unto the Lord our God for us This King would seem to have some more goodnesse in him then his brother and predecessour Jehojakim but he played the hypocrite exceedingly as in other things so in this that he obeyed the Prophets prayers but would not obey his preaching The like did Pharaoh Saul Simon Magus c. Hezâ—kiah sent to the Prophet I say for prayers but withal he humbled himself and lived holily which Zedekiah did not Ver. 4. Jeremiah came in and went out He was yet at liberty as the Saints have some Halcyons yet are never unexercised as we see in the Apostles but especially in Paul Acts 5.13 For they had not put him in prison Not yet they had It was in our late wars a like difficult thing to find a wicked man in the enemies prisons or a godly man out of them Ver. 5. Then Pharaoh's Army was come out of Egypt This then seemeth to be the occasion that moved Zedekiak to send to the Prophet for his prayers viz that God would be pleased to prosper the Egyptians coming to raise the seige and to keep off the Chaldeans from returning to Jerusalem But God had before signified his will to the contrary and the Jews trusting to humane helps took not a right course for their own presevation See chap. 34. Ver. 6. Then came the Word of the Lord In answer to the messengers that came to request prayers Ver. 7. To enquire of me Or to seek to me to set me a work for you at the Throne of grace Behold Pharaoh's army c. The Talmudists tale here of what frighted back the Egyptians is not worth the telling It may be read in Corn à Lapide upon ver 6. Ver. 8. And the Chaldeans shall return See cha 32.12 29. Ver. 9. Deceive not your selves As too too many do qui praesumendo sperant sperando pereunt For they shall not depart sc For altogether not for any space of time or to any purpose Like hereunto is that Mat. 9.24 the damosel is not dead Ver. 10. For though ye had smitten Pro Anxesi ad icit Hyperbolen he useth an Hyperbolical supposition for illustration And there remained but wounded men amongst them God cannot be without a staff to beat a rebel Virum malum vel mus mordet saith the Proverb A mouse will bite a bad man Milez Cobelitz a Christian souldier sore wounded and all bloody seeing Amurath the great Turk viewing the dead bodies after a victory rose up out of a heap of slain men Turk Hist 200. and making toward the Conquerour as if he would have craved his life of him suddenly stabbed him in the bottom of his belly with a short dagger which he had under his coat and so slew him Yet should they rise every man in his Tent It is God who strengtheneth or weakeneth the arm of either party Ezek. 30.24 Those that fight against spiritual wickednesses in their own strength are sure to be foiled and although the unclean spirit may seem to be cast out yet he will return to his old house and bring seven worse with him Matth. 12. Ver. 11. For fear of Pharaoh's army Or rather because of Pharaoh's army whom now they drew off to encounter Ver. 12. Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem Where he saw there was so little good to be done by his Ministry This some think was an infirmity in him Mr. Greenham upon such a ground as this was perswaded to leave his charge at dry Draiton in Cambridgeshire and to go to live at London where he dyed of the plague and as some reported repented on his death-bed of having so done To go into the Land of Benjamin To Anathoth his own home and if he went thither for his one safety or conveniency sake why might he not To separate himself thence in the middest of the people Vt lubricificaret exinde in medio populi that he might slide or slip away thence in the throng undiscerned Pagnin Vatab. Ver. 13. Irijah the son of Shelemiah the son of Hananiah Of that Hananiah say the Rabbines whose death Jeremy foretold chap. 28.16 17. This Irijah ferox adolescens as Josephus calleth him a fierce young man bearing Jeremiah a gradge layeth hold on him in the gate and layeth treachery to his charge Tacâ—tus unicum crimen eorum qui crimine vacabant Saying Thou fallest away to the Chaldaeans Jeremy had spoken much of the Chaldaeans power and foretold their victory Hence he is here falsely accused of falling away to them and being false to his Countrey Indeed if the Chaldees could have fetcht off Jeremy as the French King Lewis did Philip de Comines from the Duke of Burgundy whose affaires thereupon declined immediately they might have made very good advantage of him But he was far enough from any such compliance with them and could better have said then ever Tully did Ne immortalitatem contra Remp. acciperem I would not be false to my Countrey for
28. He sitteth alone Sessio solitaria as being much in meditation according to that counsel of the Preacher In the day of adversity consider And keepeth silence When Gods hand is upon his back his hand is upon his mouth See on ver 26. Because he hath born it upon him Or When he hath taken it upon him taken up his crosse as being active in suffering Ver. 29. He putteth his mouth in the dust He lyeth low at Gods â—eet putting himself into the hands of Justice yet in hope of mercy See 1 Cor. 14 25. If so be there may be â—â—pe Heb. Peradventure there is hope q. d. doubtlesse there is however I will try sith I have lost many a worse labour Ver. 30. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him Humility the product of affliction sanctified is still at her lesson or rather practising what she hath learned David having suffered by Absolom can well enough bear with Shimei's tongue smitings and the Apostles after they had been in prison departed from the Council rejoycing that they were so far graced as to be disgraced for the name of Jesus Acts 5.41 He is filled full of reproach He can bravely bear all contumelies and contempts for his conscience taking them as crowns and confirmations of his conformity to Christ Ver. 31. For the Lord will not cast off for ever No nor at all however he may seem to some so to do Non deserit etiamsi deserat saith a Father He doth not put his poople far from him as the word here signifieth Ver. 32. For though he cause grief As sometimes he doth in very faithfulnesse and that he may be true to his peoples souls Yet he will have compassion He will repent and return and leave a blessing behind him that 's certain Joel 2.14 Ver. 33. For he doth not afflict willingly Heb. From the heart Non nisi coactus Non est Deo volupe proprium aut per se intentum Paenas dat dum paenas exigit Sen. de Augusto Justu etiam supplietis illacâ—ymavit ingeâ—uit De Vespas Sueton. as that Emperour said when he sealed a writ for execution of a condemned person I would not do it but upon necessity It goeth as much against the heart with God as it can do against the hair with us Ille dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox Ver. 34. To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth i. e. All those that are in misery to lay more load upon them and so to crush them to pieces yea to grind them to powder This he could as easily do as bid it be done but he takes no such delight in severity and harshnesse Ver. 35. To turn aside the right of a man To wrest his right by false witnesse and corrupt means as wicked men use to do before the face of the most High or of a Superiour under colour of law God liketh none of all this though eftsoones for excellent ends he suffereth it so to be and ordereth it when so it is Ver. 36. To subvert a man in his cause By legerdemain to tilt the ballance of Justice on t 'one side The Lord approveth not Heb seeth not Non videt i. e. non ei visum est it seemeth not good unto him he liketh it not Ver. 37. Who is he Tam imprudens imperitus Can any one be so simple as to think that the enemy could do ought against us but by the divine permission and appointment God as he made all by his power so he manageth all by his Providence This the Egyptians hieroglyphically set forth by painting God 1. As blowing an egge out of his mouth that is as making the round world by his Word 2. As compassing about that Orb with a girdle that is keeping all together and governing all by his Providence Ver. 38. Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good i. e. Prosperity and adversity q. d. Who doubteth of that Amos 3.5 Isa 45.7 Talk not then of â—ate and blind Fortune Ver. 39. Wherefore dâ—th a living mâ—n complain Mourn immoderately or murmure causelesly If he mourn let him mourn for his sin as the cause of his suffering let him revenge upon that If he be tempted to murmure let him remember that he is yet alive and that 's more then his part cometh to sith it is the Lords mercy that he is not consumed and sent packing hence to hell Life in any sence is a sweet mercy even that which to the afflicted may seem a lifelesse life as Prov. 15.15 Let this patient us that we are yet alive A man for the punishment of his sine Heb. man for his sin for sin doth as naturally draw and suck punishments to it as the Laod-stone doth Iron or Turpentine fire wherefore also the same word in Hebrew signifieth both Ver. 40. Let us search and try our wayes i. e. Make accurate enquiry into them so shall we soon find out selves to be a whole new-found world of wickedness Search we therefore and do it throughly Many either search not at all â—hey cannot endure these domestical Audits its death to them to reflect and recognize what they have done or as though they desired not to find they search as men do for their bad mony they know they have it but they would gladly have it passe for currant among the rest Heathens will rise up in judgement against such for they prescibed and practised self-examination Pythagoras once a day Non prius in dulcem declines lumina somnum Quam prius exactae reputaveris acta diei c. Phocyllides thrice a day if Stobaeus may be believed Serm. And turn again to the Lord Let self-examination end in reformation else sin will be thereby but imboldened and strengthened as idle vagrants and lawlesse subjects are if questioned only and not punished and restrained Of turning again to the Lord. See the Notes on Zach. 1.2 Ver. 41. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands Holy hearts pure hands Instead of wrangling with God as ver 39. let us wrastle with him in prayer this is the only way to get off with comfort Nazianzen saith that the best work we can put our hands unto is in coelos eas extendere ad precesque expandere to lift them up to God in prayer But then it must be with a true heart Heb. 10.22 See Job 11 13. with the Notes Ver. 42. We have transgressed and have rebelled We have committed evil and omited good and failed in the manner and are therefore justly punished Let God hear such words fall from our mouths set a work by our hearts and then we may have any thing Ver. 43. Thou hast covered with anger Overwhelmed us with thy Judgements None out of hell have ever suffered more then the Saints they have felt the sad effects of displeased Love Ver. 44. Thou hast covered thy self with a cloud Hid thy face from us and secreted
this holy Prophet in the Spirit as was afterwards also John the Divine upon the Christian Sabbath Rev. 1.10 As I was among the captives In Chaldaea That rule of the Rabbines therefore holdeth not viz. that the Holy Ghost never spake to the Prophets but only in the holy land By the river of Chebar Which was rivus vel ramentum Euphratis a part or channel of Euphrates There sat the poor captives Psal 137.1 and there this Prophet received this Vision here and his Vocation in the next chapter It is observed that by the sides of rivers sundry Prophets had visions of God by a river side it was that Paul and his company met to preach and pray Act. 16.13 And of Archbishop Vssier that most reverend man of God it is recorded His life and death by D. Barnard that to a certain place by a water-side he frequently resorted when as yet he was but very young sorrowfully to recount his sins and with floods of teares to pour them out in confession to God That the heavens were opened Not by a division of the firmament saith Hierom but by the faith of the beleever The like befell Steven the Protomartyr when the stones were buzzing about his eares Speed 335. Vt Montes Dei Cedri Dei civitas Dei Act. 7. and if we may beleeve the Monkish writers Wulfin Bishop of Salisbury when he lay a dying And I saw visions of God i. e. Offered by God or excellent visions Ezekiel was not only a Priest and a Prophet but a Seer also Abraham was the like Joh. 8.56 with Gen. 20.7 This was no small honour Ver. 2. In the fifth day The Sabbath-day likely that Queen of dayes as the Jews call it see on ver 1. Which was the fifth year of Jehoiachims captivity With whom Ezekiel and other precious persons called by Jeremiah good figs were carried captive Existendo extitit chap. 40.1 Ver. 3. The Word of the Lord came expressely Heb. by being hath been or hath altogether been Accurate factum est it really wrought upon me and made me a Prophet Vnto Ezekiel the Priest Whom therefore some have called Vrim and Thummim in Babylon The son of Buzi Thas this Buzi was Jeremy so called because despised for his plaindealing as some Rabbines have affirmed is as true as that Ezekiel himself was the same with Pythagoras the Philosopher which yet some Ancients have fondly fancied In the land of the Chaldaeans Though a polluted land Mic. 2.10 and the dwelling-place of wickednesse Zach. 5.11 the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth Rev. 17.5 Sabbatian By the river Chebar The Rabbines call it the Sabbath-river and further tell us that it runneth not but resteth on the Sabbath-day Hor. Credat Judaeus Apella Non ego And the hand of the Lord was there upon him Not only came Gods Word expressely to him but the power and Spirit of God came mightily upon him so that he felt the intrinsecal vertue of this hand as one phraseth it the Spirit of God in his own heart it was a quick and lively word unto him and to as many as beleeved Ver. 4. And I looked and behold In this ensuing mysterious vision of a whirlewind four Cherubims four wheeles a Throne upon the firmament formidabilis Dei forma proponitur is set forth the appearance of the likenesse of the glory of the Lord as it is expounded ver 28. that hereby the peoples arrogancy might be the better subdued the Prophets doctrine more reverently received and the Prophet confirmed in his calling The sum of this celestial vision is that the Divine Providence doth rule in the world and is exercised in all parts thereof and not only in Heaven or in the Temple or in Jury as the Jews then thought As for the changes in the world which are here compared to Wheeles they befall not at all adventures or by hap-hazzard but are effected by God though all things may seem to run upon wheeles and to fall out as it fortuneth At the day of judgement at utmost men shall see an harmony in this discord of things and Providence shall then be unriddled Meanwhile God oft wrappeth himself in a cloud and will not be seen till afterwards All Gods dealings besure will appear beautiful in their season though for present we see not the contiguity and linking together of one thing with another A whirlwind came out of the North i. e. Nebuchadnezzar with his forces See Jer. 1.13 14 15. fitly compared to a whirlwind for suddennesse swiftnesse irresistiblenesse A lapide telleth of whirlwinds in Italy which have taken away stabula cum equis stables with horses carried them up into the aire and dashed them against the mountaines See Habbak 1.6 7 9 10. and consider that those Chaldaeans were of Gods sending A great cloud Nebuchadnezzars army Liv. Jer. 4.13 that peditum equitumque nubes 2 King 25.1 chap. 39.9 that stormed Jerusalem And a fire infolding it self Heb. that receiveth it self within it self as in an house on fire Understand it of Nebuchadnezzars wrath against Jerusalem much hotter then that furnace of his seven times more then ordinary heated Dan. 2. or rather of Gods wrath in using Nebuchadnezzar to set all on a light free And a brightnesse was about it The glory of Divine presence shining in the punishment of evil-doers Out of the midst thereof as of the colour of Amber Not of an Angel called Hasmal as Lyra after some Rabbines will have it Jarchi confesseth he knoweth not what the word Hasmal meaneth This Prophet only hath it here and ver 27 and chap. 8.2 as Daniel also hath some words proper to himself Ver. 5. Also out of the midst thereof i. e. From Gods glorious presence Came the likenesse of four living creatures i. e. Angels chap. 10.8 14 15 20. Quaest Acad. l. 4. Intelligentias animales Tully calleth them See like visions Dan. 7.9 Rev. 4.6 7. These are said to be four because God by his Angels diffuseth his power thorough the four quarters of the world They had the likenesse of a man sc For the greater part they had more of a man then of any other creature as hands legs c. ver 7.8 Ver. 6. And every one had four faces To set forth saith an Expositour that the power of Angels is exercised about all creatures It is as if the Angels did bear on them the heads of all living-wights i. e. did comprehend in themselves all the Elements and all the parts of the world not as if they did move or act by their own power but as they are Gods hands and Agents employed by him at pleasure for the good of his Church especially Heb. 1.14 as being fit and ready to every good work so should we strive to be Tit. 3.1 And every one had four wings To set forth their agility De ascens ment in Deum grad 7. their incredible swiftness far beyond that of the Sun
and palm-trees Viz. Upon the partition-walls This was to teach Christians who are the Temples of God 1. To live like Angels for holinesse 2. To suffer as Palm-trees any pressures or pains for his sake with invincible patience By their piety in their lives and patience at their death the Primitive Christians won much upon their their Persecutors Ver. 19. So that the face of a man See chap. 1.10 And the face of a young Lion towards the Palm-tree The Palm-tree as it grew best in Judaea so it is probable that from the Temple at Jerusalem it came at first that the Heathens put the Palm for a sign of victory and that the picture of Victory amongst them had in the one hand a Palm and in the other an Olive branch Wisdom the praise of a man and courage the property of a Lion zeal and discretion as they make a good mixture so they conquer and carry it Ver. 20. And on the wall of the Temple Yet this is no warrant for the use of Pictures in our Churches whether for worship as Papists or for ornaments only as Lutherans Mr. Burr on Hos vol. 1. pag. 465. At a consultation held not many years since at Hamborough by Lutheran Ministers concerning the cause and cure of Germanies calamities they concluded it was because their images were not adorned enough which therefore they would procure done A sad businesse Ver. 21. The Posts of the Temple i. e. Of the doors of the Temple were not round or arched but square as are at this day the doors of the Pantheon in Rome saith Vilalpandus built of old in honour of all Gods and now consecrated by the Pope to the honour of all Saints with like superstition The largeness of this Altar above that of old sheweth that the Saints under the Gospel would make much more improvement of the Lord Jesus in prayer and make use of his mediation and intercession by Faith in their heavenly sublimated supplications then the Saints of old were ordinarily wont to do Cobbet of Prayer pag. 235. Ver. 22. The Altar sc That for incense whereof see Exod. 30.6 but here of a much larger size See on chap. 40.1 This altar of wood and foursquare was a Type of Christ not of the Crosse as Vilalpand doteth in whom our prayers come before God as incense and He is the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 2.2 See Exod. 30 1. Psal 141.2 Rev. 5.8 This is the Table One and the same Christ is All in All to his people an Altar to sanctify them and their offerings a Table also to feed and feast them with the most precious provisions See Psal 23.5 6. 36.9 65.5 Prov. 9.1 2. Isa 25.6 7 8. Ver. 23. Had two doors Understand hereby the Means of Grace and Ministers dispensing the same whereby souls are brough home to Christ Ver. 24. Two leaves There are variety of Ordinances Ver. 25. Cherubimes and Palm trees Let Ministers resemble Angels and they shall be victorious and well rewarded The Palm is a symbol of constancy and of a crown Ver. 26. And thick Planks i. e. The heads or ends of thick beam◠or joyses supporting the rafters We see what use there is of Architecture among other Arts in expounding Scripture Vilalpand saith he bestowed two and twenty years study upon this fabrike of the Temple here described CHAP. XLII Ver. 1. THen he brought me forth into the utter Court sc Of the Temple at both ends and on either side whereof there were spacious places in manner of our Church-yards saith One. Sequitur locus valdè confusus muliò impeditissimus saith Castalio this is a very dark and difficult Chapter the sense whereof I would fain learn of some other for I know not what to make of it Thus He. Oecolampadius also to like purpose after R. Solomon and thus prayeth Suggerat Dominus conanti quae ad gloriam illius certè quae non officiant precor c. i. e. The Lord help our honest endeavours that we may do what may be for his glory and not for the hurt of any Reader That was an holy prayer of his Colleague Zuinglius in like case and may it be ours also Deum Opt. Max. precor ut vias nostras dirigat c. I beseech Almighty God to direct our wayes and if at any time Zuing. Epist l. 3. Balaam-like we shall obstinately resist the truth let him set his Angel against us who with the terrour of his sword may so dash this asse our ignorance I mean and presumptuous boldnesse against the wall that we may feel our feet that is our carnal sense and reason crusht and broken that we no longer dishonour the name of our Lord God Ver. 2. Before the length of an hundred cubits The measure mentioned in this Chapter The calling of the Jew by Finch and whatsoever followeth touching the division of the land the seats of the Tribes the portions allotted to the Prince Priests and Levites the manner of their sacrifices and oblations are all new varying from that which is in Moses though for their weaknesse by those outward things he shadoweth heavenly to shew both the abrogating of the legal ceremonies and the establishing of a spiritual Christian Church the magnificence whereof is here set forth to the Prophet by the Lord Christ qui Mystagogus noster est who is our God and will be our Guide even unto death Ver. 3. Which were for the inner Court Viz. Of the Temple this was a figure of the Church invisible as the outward Court described in this Chapter was of the visible and external The pavement which was for the utter Court Which might signify that those who would enter into heaven must keep themselves unspotted of the world undefiled in the way Psal 15. 24. Ver. 4. A way of one cubit A narrow way but such as led them into spacious walkes of ten cubits bredth inward Strait is the gate and narrow the way that leadeth unto life eternal Mat. 7.14 but they that hit it hold it shall once walk arm in arm with Angels Zach. 3.7 See the Note there Through many tribulations we must enter into Gods Kingdom Acts 14.22 but there God shall set our feet in a large room as Psal 31.8 we shall walk at liberty on the everlasting mountains Let it be remembred that this narrow way is but short it is but of one cubit c. Ver. 5. Now the upper chambers were shorter As being a kind of cock-lofts and not so fit for habitation Ver. 6. Therefore the building was straitned As the rules of Architecture direct and as right reason required Ne structura pondere dissiliret left the building should shrink under its own burden Ver. 7 8 9 c. Here the Rabbines call again for the help of their Elias See on chap. 40.6 Ver. 13. They be holy chambers Or cells of the Sanctuary belonging to those that serve in the Sanctuary God
home Eccles 12.5 One being asked what life was made an answer answerlesse for he presently went his way Ver. 10. And the Prince in the midst of them c. For example sake Vita Principis censura est and to see that all things be rightly carried in Gods service And although the Prince hath many weighty occasions yet he is to be at the publike Assemblies with the first and to stay till the last Ver. 11. An Ephah to a bullock and a Hin of oile A whole Ephah and a whole Hin whereas in the Mosaical service there was required but a certain part only of either Polan Because the Jewish Church was but of a part of mankind but the Church Christian is universal Ver. 12. A voluntary burnt-offering one shall then open him the gate c. Here is warrant for our week-day Lectures a voluntary service well accepted provided that afterwards one shut the gate and men return to their honest labours Ver. 13. Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt-offering God must be served daily and duely not on the Sabbath-day only See Psal 72.15 The Papists are at their Masse every morning and they bind much upon this text for it They have a Proverbe also Masse and meat hindereth no mans thrift Ver. 14. The sixth part of an Ephah This is also different from the Levitical Ordinance Num. 15 28. Exod. 29.40 though R. Solomon here extremely troubleth himself but to no purpose to reconcile them Ver. 15. Every morning Understand it of every evening also as Exod. 29.38 Ver. 16. If the Prince give a gift unto any of his sons As Jehosaphat did Cities to every of his sons though they long enjoyed them not through the barbarous cruelty of their elder-brother Jehoram Christ the Churches King giveth all his children gifts of great price such as the world can neither give nor take from them spiritual blessings in heavenly things and places Ephes 1.3 yea he bestoweth himself upon them and is therefore called The Gift Joh. 4.10 and The Benefit 1 Tim. 6.2 Ver. 17. But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants As Alexander the Great who going to subdue a great part of the habitable world gave away to his servants almost all he had and when one of his officers asked him What he would leave for himself Don̄a throni he said Hope Messiah the Prince besides his choycest gifts to his dear children giveth gifts unto men even to the rebellious also Psal 68.18 these are common gifts Dona scabelli temporal favours external privivedges See Mat. 7.22 23. 25.14 15 c. Luke 19.12 c. But as the servant abideth not in the house for ever as the son doth Job 8.35 so these gifts to servants but for the behoof and benefit of his Sons are but till the year of liberty or Jubilee till the last day at utmost Levit. 25.10 Then shall the wicked give a dreadful account of all with the whole world flaming about their eares Ver. 18. To thrust them out of their possession Ill accidents attend such Princes as affecting to be absolute in power will be too resolute in will or dissolute in life oppressing their subjects to enrich their servants and parasites Ver. 19. Afterward he brought me Here he returneth again to things sacred viz. to shew where the Priests should boyl and bake Polan Into the holy chambers of the Priests These holy cells or chambers are particular Christian Churches committed to the care of Christs faithful Ministers Acts 20.28 1 Pet. 5.2 Ver. 20. Where they shall bake the meat-offering i. e. The Ministers shall endite or boyl good matters in their hearts for the use of the people and then their tongues shall be as the pen of a ready writer Psal 45.1 See there They shall not feed their hearers with crude and indigested stuff but such as is well boyled and baked with the fire of the holy Spirit kindled on the harth of their own hearts that from the heart they may speak to the heart To sanctify the people As in promiscuous Communions where all are pelmel admitted Ver. 21. In every corner of the Court there was a Court And buildings in every of them for the same purpose round about ver 22. These served saith Hierom to set forth the four parts of the world out of all which the Church is gathered by Ministers c. It served also saith Another to shew that in Gods House which is his Church there shall alwaies be provision both for his Ministers and people Those that have but from hand to mouth have their bread hot as it were from Gods hand which is best of all Ver. 22. Courts joyned Or made with chimnies Caminata vaporaria See on ver 21. Ver. 23. With boyling places Such as the Ancients called Popinas Nolo ego Florus esse Adrian Imp. Latitare per popinas Ver. 24. These are the places of them that boyl Of Gods Cooks who dresse spiritual food for the use of his people See ver 20. CHAP. XLVII Ver. 1. AFterward he brought Christus Mystagogus me duxit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christo ducente docente Follow God whithersoever he leadeth thee this was an ancient rule among the Heathens And behold waters issued out i. e. The Gospel of grace and the gifts of the Holy Ghost thereby conveyed into the hearts of believers and poured out upon the world by the death of Christ The Prophet seems to allude to those waters which by conduits were conveyed to the Altar to wash away the blood of the sacrifices and filth of the Temple which else would have been very offensive and noisom See the like Zach. 14.8 where the Eastern and Western Churches also are pointed out See Rev. 22.1 From under the threshold Quod gloria Dei dudum triverat Christ is that door Oecol Joh. 10.7 and fountain of living water Jer. 2.13 Isa 12.3 55.1 and from the Temple at Jerusalem flowed forth the waters of saving truth to all nations and first Eastward not Rome-ward though the faith of the Romans was not long after spoken of throughout the whole world Rom. 1.8 Ver. 2. And behold there ran out waters As out of a Viall On the right side The right side is a place of honour and defence The doctrine of the Gospel hath the preheminence and is maintained by the right-hand of God against all opposites Ver. 3. And when the man that had the line in his hand The Man Christ Jesus the sole Architect of his Church and Measurer of his Gospel and that by his Gospel which is the line in his hand nec solum recta sed regula He measured a thousand cubits It was not for nothing that Plato said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is alwaies measuring the world The waters were to the ancles Grace is but a smal thing at first no more is the Gospel Matth. 13.31 32 33. The Church
who so falleth not down and worshippeth c. Fire and sword are Idolaters best arguments But Conscience is the fountain and spring of duty and if that be not directed and awed by the Word of God in vain are Acts of Parliament and Proclamations though backed with menaces as if the spring of a clock be down in vain are all the wheels kept clean and put in order Ver. 7. All the people nations and languages fell down They that come of the yielding Willow and not of the sturdy Oak will yield with the time and ever be of the Kings religion In Queen Maries dayes here and so in the Palatinate lately scarce one in five hundred stood out but fell to Popery as fast as leaves fall in Autumn See on ver 5. Ver. 8. Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near and accused the Jews All the Jews are accused because some refused to worship So still all the generation of the righteous must be charged with the pretended miscarriages of some few amongst them The world we see is no changeling antiquum obtinet The Jews indeed ever since the Captivity have abhorred idolatry and the Papists worshipping of images for which both Jews and Turks call them idolatrous Christians is a main scandal to them Spec. Eur. and a let to their conversion Ver. 9. They spake and said O King live for ever Thus they insinuate themselves by flattery so Act. 24.2 3. Ver. 10. Thou O King hast made a decree Kings decrees are much urged by such as are resolved to be of King Harries religion whether he stand for the old Mumpsimus or the new Sumpsimus Ver. 11. And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth that he should be cast c. This with a graceless man is a swaying argument he will rather turn then burn as he came not frying into the world as one said in Queen Maries dayes so he cannot go frying out of it Aug. de â—iv D. lib. 18. c. 41. Epicurus in word confessed a God but indeed denyed him because Anaxagoras was put to death for denying God at Athens where Epicurus flourished Lib. 15. Ver. 12. There are certain Jews Everywhere spoken against as were afterwards Christians odio humani generis saith Tacitus hated for their religion Whom thou least set over the affaires This was it that irked these spiteful accusers Wrath is cruel and anger is outragious but who is able to stand before envy Prov. 27.4 Shadrach Meshac and Abednego Whom though thou hast highly preferred and by calling them by the names of thy gods engaged them to thy religion yet will they not yeild to it but be singular and refractory These men O King have not regarded thee Chald. have set no regard upon thee This was ever unicum crimen eorum qui crimine vacabant Ver. 13. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury His blood boyling at his heart as brimstone doth at the match for preventing whereof nature hath placed the heart near to the lungs ut cum irâ accenditur Pulmonis humore temperetur for an allay to the heat of it lest perturbations should boyle it into brine Commanded to bring Shadrach Who it seems were present at first with an holy boldness confronting their idolatries in the very teeth of the King and Nobles Daniel is excused by his absence and ignorance But perhaps Nebuchadnezzar might shew him the like favour as our Henry the eight did Cranmer who disputing zealously against the six Articles Act. Mon. 1037. was willed by the King to depart out of the Parliament-house into the Council-chamber for a time till the Act should passe and be granted which he notwithstanding with humble protestation refused to do and so its likely would Daniel who must therefore be excused as before Ver. 14. Is it true O Shadrach Meshac c. q. d. I can very hardly believe it Certè tu non occidisti patrem sure thou didst not kill thy father said Augustus Cesar once to a parricide whom he had in examination And Suetonius saith that it was usual with him to examine malefactors in that sort as if he could not believe any such thing of them Tremel Buxtoâ—f Some render the text Num de industria aut certo consilio Do ye this on set purpose to cross and provoke me others as Montanus Nunquid desolatio q. d. what you to oppose the command of a King If this be suffered what disorder yea desolation must needs follow Pride ever aggravateth any thing done against its own mind Ver. 15. Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear Many can no sooner hear flattering promises of preferment as it were Nebuchadnezzars instruments but they presently fall down and worship the Babylonish idol but these three Worthies were none such And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hand What God is he Sure a mean God he were thou poor thimbleful of dust could he not stay thy hand and stop thy blasphemous mouth with a spadeful of mould and that in a trice Ver. 16. Shadrach Meshac and Abednego answered With an heroical faith and well-knit resolution A sound faith and a clear conscience saith one are able by their native puissance to pull the very heart as it were out of hell and with confidence and conquest to look even death and the devil in the face We are not careful to answer thee The Saint hath a Quietus est that supersedeth all his cares Philip. 4.6 Some render it Non necesse habemus As the King would admit no discussing his decree but would have it absolutely obeyed so they were at a point never to do it nor to be removed from their religion The heavens shall sooner fall said that Martyr then I will start or stir an inch from what I have professed With the like undaunted courage answered Cyprian the Proconsul Bâ—sil the Arrian Emperour Valens D. Taylor Stephen Gardiner Mr. Hawkes bloody Bonner A faggot will make you believe the Sacrament of the Altar said Bonner Act. Mon. 1445. No no answered Hawkes a point for your faggot what God thinks meet to be done that shall ye do and no more Paenae sunt pennae queis super astra vehor Ver. 17. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us And deliver us he will either from death or thorough it and we are by his grace in utrumque parati wholly at his dispose Never ask then O King Who is that God that shall deliver you Our God is in heaven and doth whatsoever he will in heaven and in earth He well knoweth how to deliver his out of temptations and to reserve the unjust be he King or Caytiffe unto the day of judgement to be punished 2 Pet. 2.9 From the burning fiery furnace Sic fortissimum Martyrem saith Ambrose of Laurentius may we as well say of these saevissima presecutoris flamma superare non potuit quod longe ardentius veritatis radiis
it partly that he might not seem to slight the Kings courtesy and to be disaffected and partly that thereby he might be the better known to the Persians for the comfort of Gods poor people And put a chain of gold about his neck and made a proclamation c. All this the King commanded to be done out of an admiration of Daniel's divine wisdom and that he might be dicti sui dominus as good as his word But not a word hear we of his repentance such was his stupidity nor doth Daniel exhort him to it because he saw him to be past feeling and knew that the decree was gone forth Ver. 30. In that night was Belshazzar slain By Gaddatha and Gobrya two of Cyrus his Commanders who had been wronged by Belshazzar Xenoph. Cyrop lib. 7. as Xenophon also testifieth and now took revenge on him after that they had betrayed the City and brought in Cyrus his army So fell that famous Babylon fuit Ilium ingonâ— Gloria Teuerorum Ver. 31. And Darius Called by Câ—â—sias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which comes near to Dariaves as the Chaldeâ— here calleth him He is thought to be the same with Cyaxares son of Astyages and uncle to Cyrus Being about threescore and two years old Born the same year say the Rabbins Sedar Olam wherein Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem and destroyed it So Austin was born the same day is Afrike that Pelagius was in Wales say Chronologers by a wise and watchful providence of God for the good of his Church CHAP. VI. Ver. 1. IT pleased Darius Chald. Pulobrum fuit coram Dario. Order he knew must be observed or the kingdom could not continue Himself also was ancient and needed Assistants It was honour and work enough for him illos judicare quâ—s constituit judices aliorum as Petr. Blesensis saith that our Henry the second did to judge those whom he had made Judges of others The great Turk doth so to this day whence few of his Grandees his Visiers especially or chief Officers dye in their beds An hundred and twenty Princes For his 120 Provinces which afterward came to be 127 Esth 1.1 Monarchs will ever be adding Ver. 2. And over these three Presidents Triumvires five tres Rationalet three to whom the rest should Audit and be accountable And the King should have no dammage In his rights and in his revenues which were saith Herodotus yearly fourteen thousand five hundred and threescore Eubojan talents raised out of the several satrapies Ver. 3. Then this Daniel was preferred above the Presidents Chald. He became a conquerour over those Exarehes so that he might have been called as Charles the Great once was Pater Orbis the Worlds Father or as Titus the Worlds Darling Orbis deliciae Mirabiliae mundi or as Othe the third the Worlds wonder He was indeed no lesse and that Darius well found by him Whether he took him with him into Media as Hierom out of Josephus relateth I have not to say If he did it seemeth that after the death of Darius he returned again to Babylon and there served King Cyrus verse 28. Because an excellent spirit was in him Not only of Prophecy but of prudence justice zeal and other virtues which if a Governour want he is as a Sun without light a bird without wings a Master of a ship without an helm c. And the King thought to see him over the whole realm Thus dignity waiteth upon desert and envy upon dignity which made David love his hook the better after he had seen the Court and Daniel was never fond of this great preferment whereby for his own particular he got nothing nisi ut turbatior viveres occupatior interiret Feriunt summos fulmina montes as he said but vanity and vexation of spirit High-seats are never but uneasy neither want there those that are lifting at them and labouring to overturn them Ver. 4. Then the Presidents and Princes sought Chald. Were seeking they made it their businesse so to do Envious men are alwayes in excubiis set in their watch to observe where they may fasten their fangs and do most mischief See Prov. 27.4 with the Note But they could find none occasion His innocency thratled their envy and made them sith they could not come at his heart to feed upon their own Nor fault Neque in facto nec in signo and yet they waited for his halting as Psal 38.16 17. and watched as eagerly for it as a dog doth for a bone A blamelesse behaviour disappointeth malice and maketh it drink up the most part of its own venom Forasmuch as he was faithful Homo quadratus a square-dealing man and such as against whom lay no just exception Homo virtuti simillimus as Paterculus saith of Cato Major A man as like Virtue her self as could be possible Ver. 5. Then said these men But whatsoever they said Daniel said Ego sic vivam ut nemo eis credat My life shall be a real refutation of their lyes Against this Daniel This was the best language they could afford him so Behold this dreamer said Joseph's brethren and This fellow said the Pharisees of Christ and This Pest said they of Paul that most precious man upon earth In envy is steeped the venom of all other vices Except we find it against him concerning the Law of his God Whereof Daniel was both a strict observer in himself and a zealous preserver in others Religion then was the quarrel and all the fault they could find with him Novum crimen C. Caesar c. and yet no new accusation neither The first man that ever dyed dyed for religion and still All that will live godly in Christ Jesus if they will needs do it and be set upon 't shall suffer persecution Omnia cum liceant non licet esse pium Ver. 6. Then these Presidents and Princes assembled together to the King Or throâ—ged tumultuously as resolved to have that they came for James and John from the word here used are called Sons of thunder Marke 3.17 It seemeth these men came to the King with a bustle Filii fremitus sive fragorâ—â— and a rattle to affright him into a consent to their motion King Darius live for ever This was to sprinkle him with Court-holy-water as they say Ver. 7. All the Presidents of the Kingdom Not all neither for Daniel would sooner have dyed a thousand deaths then have voted such a grosse impiety But he was one of the most that knew least of the Council and it was he against whom hac endebatur faba this plot was laid though it proved at last to be against themselves The Governours and the Princes the Counsellors and the Captains A rabble of rebels conspiring against heaven Non numeranda sunt suffragia sed expendenda To establish a royal statute But a very irreligious and injurious one the like whereunto was that prohibition in France of Henry the third Polan in
for it came up four notable horns i. e. Four potent Princes out of the shipwrack of his Empire which four in processe of time came to two Dan. 11.5 6. Ver. 9. And out of one of them Out of the posterity of Seleucus King of Syria Came forth a little horn This was Antiochus sirnamed Epiphanes Illustrious Polybius called him Epimanes the mad man He is here called a little horn because he was vile and base from the very first to the last of him Indeed he was born a Prince but without a Kingdom a meer Nullatenensis till he became an V surper He was sent for an hostage to Rome by his father Antiochus Magnus whom the Romans had â—ndgeld into a treaty taking away from him the best part of his Kingdom After his fathers death he stole away from Rome and seized upon the Kingdom of Syria casting out of it his nephew Demetrius who was the right heir Afterwards he got into his hands also the Kingdom of Egypt under colour of Protectour to his young nephew Ptâ—lomy Philometor And being therehence discharged by the Romans and made to answer Parebo I will be gone he went thence in a rage and like a mad man recked his teem as we say upon the poor Jews playing the devil amongst them Toward the South i. e. Egypt And toward the East Persia which he also conquered And toward the pleasant land i. e. Judaea called here Decus Capreolus the delectable and desireable Country by reason of its great prerogatives So Ezek. 20.6 Psal 48.2 See there Ver. 10. And it waxed great even to the host of heaven Or against the host of heaven so the Church militant is called The Saints are the worlds great luminaries yea the only earthly Angels although wicked people count and call them the filth and off couring of all things And of the stars Such as shone in the light of holy doctrine Rev. 1.10 Persecutors spite is specially against such Zach. 13.7 Ver. 11. Yea he magnified himself extolled or extended himself such was his insolency Even to or against the Prince of the host Christ the Captain of his peoples sufferings and of their salvation Heb. 2.10 he bare an hostile spirit against the God of the Jews such an hell-bound hardly ever was born casting him out of his place and setting up in his room Jâ—piter Olympius that is the devil he defaced also and burnt up the books of the Law all he could light on 1 Mac. 1.59 Ver. 12. And an host was given him Or the host was given over for the trasgression against the daily sacrifice The Jewes were grown to a great height of profanesse even in Malachies dayes as is to be seen chap. 1 2 3. And by this time doubtlesse they were become much worse God therefore for punishment turned this Tiger loose upon them And it cast down the truth to the ground The doctrine of truth together with the Professors thereof The like whereunto is still done by the Romish Antichrist to whom some apply all this part of the Chapter as the proper and genuine sense of the Text. See the visions and Prophecies of Daniel expounded by Mr. Thomas Parker of Newbery in New-England pag. 43 44 c. And it practised and prospered Wicked practises against Religion may prosper for the time Acts 12.1 2 3. It was therefore no good argument that the Earl of Darby used to George Marsh Martyr telling him that the Dukes of Northumberland and of Suffolk and other of the new perswasion had ill luck Act. Mon. 1421. and were either put to death or in danger so to be And again he rehearsed unto him the good hap of the Queens highnesse and of those that held with her and said that the Duke of Northumberland confessed so plainly Ver. 13. And I heard one Saint speaking i. e. One holy Angel for they are sollicitous of Gods glory and sensible of the Saints sufferings whereof they would have a speedy end and should not we be so too weeping with those that weep and rejoycing with those that rejoyce And another Saint said unto that certain Saint which spake Anonymo illi qui loquebatur so Piscator rendereth it others To the wonderful Numberer who spake i. e. who commanded Gabriel to declare the vision to Daniel ver 16. This was Jesus Christ the Wisdom and Word of God He who knoweth all the secrets of his Father as perfectly as if they were numbred before him How long shall be the vision It appeareth then that Angels know not all secrets but that their knowledge is limited they know not so much but they would know more Ephes 3.10 1 Pet. 1.12 Concerning the daily sacrifice The losse whereof was a just matter of lamentation to godly minds See Zeph. 3.18 And the transgression of desolation Transgression is a land-desolating evil Lam. 1.9 And the host to be trodden under foot i. e. The Professors of the truth were over-turned some by perswasion others by persecution Ver. 14. And he 〈◊〉 unto me Not to the Angel but to me who should have proposed the question the holy Angel did it for me Vnto two thousand and three hundred dayes Heb. to the evening and morning two thousand and three hundred i. e. to so many natural dayes consisting of 24. hours which in all do make up six years three moneths and twenty dayes This point of skil Daniel here learneth of the Wonderful Numberer Christ who hath all secrets in numerato and will put a timely period to his peoples afflictions Not full seven years did they suffer here much lesse Seventy as once in Babylon How he moderateth the matter See on Rev. 2.10 How this Prophecy was fulfilled See 1 Maccab. 1.12 13 14. 2 Maccab. 4.12 c. with 1 Maccab. 4.52 Ver. 15. And it came to passe when I even I Daniel Not another as that black-mouthed Porphyry slanderously affirmed that not the Prophet Daniel saw Porphyr cont Christian l. 12. Hieronym and uttered these Prophecyes so long before they fell out but another who lived after the reign of Antiochus wrot an history of things past and entitled it falsely to Daniel as a prophecy of things to come Oâ—durum Then behold there stood before me They who seriously and sedulously seek after divine knowledge shall finde means to attain unto it Rev. 13.1 Ver. 16. And I heard a mans voice This was the Man Christ Jesus the great Doctour of his Church and Commander of Angels viro similis quia incarnandus Make this man to understand Angels and Ministers make men to understand secrets give the knowledge of salvation to Gods people Luke 1.77 not by infusion but by instruction Ver. 17. So he came near where I stood Let our obedience be like that of the Angels prompt and present I was afraid Through humane frailty and conscience of sin Vnderstand O son of man Ezekeil and Daniel only of all the Prophets are so called haply lest they should be exalted
of one learned Gentleman who ran out of his wits after many years study upon it The Doctours are much divided about the beginning and ending of these seventy weeks I chuse rather thus to compute then to dispute From the outgoing of the word ver 25. seemeth to me to fix the beginning of these weeks on Cyrus his decree concerning the holy City and the Temple to be reedified The end and period of them must be at the death of Christ though some will have it at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans It is well observed by the learned that the Jews after their seventy years captivity have seven seventies of years granted for the enjoying of their own country Gods mercies bear the same proportion to his punishments which seven a complete number have to an unit besides the mercy of mercies the grace of the Messiah Vpon thy people Of whose welfare thou art so sollicitous and inquisitive To finish the transgression Transgressionem illam that great tranâ—gression of our first Parents in Paradise that whereby sin entred into the world and death by sin Rom. 5.12 Now Christ by his death took away the power and destroyed the dominion of all sin Rom. 6.11 12. And to make an end of sins Heb. To seal up sins that they come not into Gods sight against us ever to be charged upon us A Metaphor say some from the Jews manner of writing in Rolles which being wrapped up and sealed on the backside all the writing was covered And to make reconciliation for iniquity viz. By the expiatory and propitiatory sacrifice of himself for his Elect whereby the divine Justice is fully satisfied And to bring in everlasting righteousnesse Those righteousnesses of the Saints Rev. 19 8. both Imputed and Imparted Righteousnesse called here everlasting as that which shall make the Saints accepted of God for ever never can be lost as Adams was And to seal up the vision and prophecy i. e. To fulfill all the Prophetical predictions concerning the life and death of the Lord Christ And to anoint the most holy This was done when Christ was baptized say some but others better when he ascended into heaven consecrating it to the service of God therein to be performed by the Elect throughout all eternity like as Moses once consecrated the most holy place to the ceremonial service there to be performed by the High-Priest Ver. 25. Know therefore and understand See on ver 24. Here the Angel brancheth the whole seventy sevens into three heads or into three distinct periods of time Shall be seven weeks Which make forty nine years these the Angel purposely speaketh of a part because they chiefly concerned the reparation of the City made under the Persian Monarchy Within this first seven weeks or forty nine years the street of Jerusalem was rebuilt and the wall with trench though the times proved troublous and full of straits And threescore and two weeks Which make four hundred thirty four years the events of which are mentioned ver 26. as those of the seven years following ver 27. out of which it might easily be supplyed and is therefore here omitted by the Angel Ver. 26. And after threescore and two weeks See on ver 25. within these threescore and two weeks befel the Jews many memorable things as may be seen chap. 8 11. Shall Messiah be cut off Excindetur not abscindetur cut off that is by wicked hands crucified and slain Act. 2.23 not only cast out of the synagogue and excommunicated as that malicious Rabbine read and sensed this text Others of the Jew Doctours by the evidence of these words have been compelled to confesse that Messiah is already come and that he was that Jesus whom their forefathers crucified See for this R. Samuels Epistle to R. Isâ—ak set down at large by Dionys Carthus in his Commentary on this text See also R. Osea his lamentation for this inexpiable guilt of the Jewish Nation recorded by Galatinus lib. 4. c. 18. Polanus reporteth that he living sometime in Moravia where he used the help of some Rabbines for the understanding of the Hebrew tongue heard them say that for this ninth chapters sake they acknowledged not Daniel to be authentical and therefore read it not amongst the people lest hereby they should be turned to Christ finding out how they had been by them deceived But not for himself i. e. Not for any fault of his nor yet for any good to himself but to mankind whence some render these words There being nothing therein for him Et non sibi vel nihil ei others when he shall have nothing i. e. nothing more to do at Jerusalem but shall utterly relinquish it and call his people out of it to Pella c. And the people of the Prince that shall come i. e. Titus his souldiers whose rage he himself could not repress Joseph but they would needs burn down the Temple which he would fain have preserved as one of the worlds wonders Messiah the Prince had a hand in it doubtless whence also those Roman forces are called his armyes Mat. 22.7 Shall destroy the City That slaughterhouse of the Saints And the Sanctuary That den of thieves And the end thereof shall be with a flood i. e. Their extirpation shall be suddain universal irresistible as was Noah's flood How this was fulfilled see Josephus Hegesippus Eusebius c. And unto the end of the war c. The Romans shall have somewhat to do but after tedious wars they shall effect it Ver. 27. And he Messiah shall confirm the Covenant See ver 24. with many Heb. with his Rabbines that is with his Elect. Confer Esa 53.11 Job 32.9 Jer. 41.2 For one week i. e. In the last seven years of the seventy And in the midst of the week i. e. In three years and a half he shall by his passion disannul the Jewish sacrifices and services And for the overspreading or wing or abominations i. e. For the abominable outrages committed by the seditious Jews those zelots as they called themselves who filled the Temple with dead bodyes Others from Mat. 24.15.16 with Luk. 20.20 21. think the Romans to be meant who set up their Eagles their ensignes in the Temple together with the images first of Caligula and then of Titus their Emperours Perpetuâ consummatiss consumptione urgentur Even untill the consummation Until the end and to the utmost The Jews have oft attempted but could never yet recover their country nor are like to do Shall be poured As if the windows of heaven were opened as once they were at the flood See ver 26. CHAP. X. Ver. 1. IN the third year of Cyrus King of Persia This whole chapter is but a Preface to the ensuing Prophecy or visional prediction recorded in the two following chapters It beginneth at the third year of Cyrus his Empire and reacheth till the time of the Jews rising from the dust of their
of Syria went to Jerusalem and in thankfulness to the God of the Jews offered his oblations at the Temple there Antiq. l. 12. c. 2 Of his father Philadelphus also he reporteth that he redeemed one hundred and twenty thousand Jews that were slaves in Egypt and sent them home and bestowed many rich gifts upon the Temple at Jerusalem Ver. 10. But his sons Callinicus his sons viz. Seleucus Ceraunus and Antiochus Magnus quasi duo fulmina belli Shall be stirred up At not enduring that Ptolomy Philepator son of Euergetes should possesse any part of Syria under their noses Lib 5. Shall assemble a multitude of great forces Seventy thousand footmen and fifty thousand horsemen saith Polybius Ceraunius id est fulminem quod audaci veloci ingenio praeditus Justin And one shall certainly come One not both because Ceraunus who seemed to be as swift and as irresistible as Lightning and therehence had his name was slain by Nicanor so that Antiochus Magnus was King alone And shall overflow and passe thorough To wit against the Captains of Ptolomy in Syriae Attalus and Theodatus And he shall be stirred up even to his fortresse To Ptolomies fortress or fortified City Raphia which lyeth in the entrances of Egypt saith Hierom. Ver. 11. And the King of the South Ptolomaeus Philopator so called say some per Antiphrasin because he killed his father he slew also his both sister and wife Eurydice and was otherwise very vicious and yet victorious Even with the King of the North i. e. With Antiochus Magnus who was so called perhaps saith one for undertaking much and performing little Pausan lib. 5. Spoliavisset regno Antiochum si fortunam virtute juvisset Justin And he shall set forth a great multitude Sixty two thousand footmen and six thousand horsemen And the multitude Antiochus his army himself hardly escaping with life through the deserts Ver. 12. His heart shall be lifted up So that he shall flight his enemy and not pursue his victory but give himself up to a luxurious life Vincere scis Annibal victoriauti nescis said that Roman General Ver. 13. For the King of the North Antiochus Magnus Shall return After Philopators death to fight against his yong son and successor Epiphanos Hierom. And shall set forth a multitude greater then the former Gathered out of the upper parts of Babylon He called in the help also of Philip King of Macedon and other Princes His army is said to have consisted of three hundred thousand footmen besides horse and Elephants And shall certainly come Heb. by coming he shall come i. e. surely swiftly suddenly but to small purpose Lib. 2. c. 8. Lib. 5. c. 5. And with much riches Gold silver purple silkes ivory at Florus and Gâ—llius testifie Ver. 14. And in those times there shall many stand up against the King of the South Many of the Jews who supplyed Antiochus in this expedition of his against Egypt Effractores Praevaricatoâ—es both with men and other warlike provision Howbeit sundry Jews called here robbers or refractories fierce furious and desperate fellows adhered to Ptolomy Epiphanes who gave them leave to build a Temple in Egypt which was accordingly also done by Onias not far from Memphis upon pretence of fulfilling that prophecy Isa 19.19 called here establishing the vision But they shall fall As they did afterwards by the Romans who destroyed the Jews there in great multitudes and burnt their mock Temple Ver. 15. So the King of the North shall come i. e. Not the Romans as some would have it but Antiochus Magnus still He had been foiled at Raphia now he greatly prevaileth against the Egyptians If we Princes said our Henry the seventh shall take every occasion that is offered the world shall never be quiet but wearied with continual wars And the armes of the South shall not withstand Scopas the Egyptian General though very skilful and valiant shall be beaten by Antiochus into Sidon besiged there and forced to yeild all the power of Egypt being not able to raise the siege and relieve Scopas The battle is not alwayes to the strong Eccles 9.11 Ver. 16. And he shall stand in the glorious land Heb. the land of ornaments that is Judaea which lying betwixt these two potent Princes was perpetually afflicted as corn is ground asunder lying betwixt two heavy milstones Now Judaea is called the glorious or beautiful land Ezek. 20.6 15. it is called the comeliness of all countries not so much for the fertility thereof Babylon was much more fertile nor for the miracles done therein many great works had been likewise done in Egypt as for the sincere service of God there set up This is the beauty and bulwark of any Nation Forrain writers have termed England The fortunate Island the Terraflorida the Kingdom of God the Paradise of pleasure c Plato commendeth the Attick Country for this that the Inhabitants were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the right Natives that grew out of it at first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucyd. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato but especially for this that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place that loved God and was interchangeably beloved of God May that be evermore Englands commendation Which by his hand shall be consumed Gods Church goes to wrack both by South and North. All she comfort is that whether North or South-wind blow on Gods garden they shall blow good to it at length Cant. 4.16 Ver. 17. He shall also set his face Antiochus longed sore to be Lord of Egypt and therefore undertook a third expedition against Epiphanes but that not succeeding to his mind he seweth the Foxes skin to the Lyons hide and seeketh to get that by treachery which by open hostility he could not And upright ones with him Or equal conditions with him he shall palliate his treachery with very fair pretences he shall seem to do righteous things drawing a fair glove over a foul hand Thus shall he do And he shall give him the daughter of women The fair Cleopatra his beautiful daughter like as Saul gave Michal to David to be a snare to him Filiam è mulieribus selectamâ— Munera pulchrae quidem mittis sed mittis in hamo Martial Corrupting her Suborning her to make away her husband Ptolomaeus Epiphanes This was devilish policy Simulata necessitudo duplex simultas but it took not But she shall not stand on his side neither be for him As became a good wife she â—lave to her husband so did the above-mentioned Michal in whom though we find no great store of religion for both she had an image in the house and afterwards mocked David for his devotion yet nature had taught her to prefer an husband to a father Ver. 18. After this he shall turn his face unto the Isles Missing of his design for Egypt and losing also much in Asia Minor which Epiphanes got of him by means
seeen as in a glasse for so the light pierceth the firmament and Stars Let us therefore keep these bodies of ours clean and filth-free that they may be fit vessels and receptacles of such a transcendent glory And they that turn many to righteousnesse Heb that justify many sc Ministerially as instruments in Christs hand for we preach Christ yea we give what we preach We give the knowledge of salvation for the remission of sins Luke 1.17 we deliver men from hell Job 33.24 we save the souls of them that hear us 1 Tim. 4.16 As the Stars frr ever and ever What a glorious place is heaven then Festinemus ad clarissimam patriam corrigamus mores moras c. What though Christs Ministers be here slighted and slurred they shall one day shine as stars yea the meanest of them velut inter stellas Luna minores What then the Doctores Seraphici Ver. 4. But thou O Daniel shut up the words Sith the full understanding of them is reserved to after-tâ—mes and event will prove the best interpreter as it doth in all Prophecies which are as riddles till accomplished and men must mean while be content with a learned ignorance Omnis prophetia priusquà m compleatur aenigma est Irenaeus But what meant Jachidâ—es the Jew to give us this glosse upon the text God sealed up the time of the coming of the Messias revealing it only to Daniel and that his coming might be accelerated by their deserts like as for their sins which are many it is retarded He concludeth well howsoever God will one day give us a clear vision viz. when he shall bring back our Captivity then shall we understand things as they are Even to the time of the end The time appointed ver 9. Many shall run to and fro For increase of divine knowledge they shall spare for no pains care or cost as the Queen of Sheba the Ethiopian Eunuch c. See Prov. 18.1 Acts 17.11 12. Increase of knowledge is promised only upon our industry and it is especially promised to these latter times Joel 2.28 wherein we find to be as in our climate much light little heat our heads are so big like children that have the rickets that the whole body fareth the worse for it Bullinger thus interpreteth the text that toward the end of the world men shall run to and fro being certain of nothing but destracted in opinion variis se adjungent sectis Zegedin they shall joyn themselves to diverse sects They shall run to and fro saith Another Expositor velut canes famelici as hungry dogs and there shall be much knowledge in the world that is there shall be innumerable opinions and sectâ— abroad wherewith many being infected shall be at no certainty in the matters of salvation For the confirmation therefore and comfort of the last ages of the World wherein these things shall befal shut up the words and seal the book Ver. 5. Then I Daniel looked As being as yet unsatisfied And behold there stood other two Angels on each bank of the river Tigris by whose interrogation Daniel is further resolved about the vision Ver. 6. And one said i. e. An Angel inquisitive about the affaires of the Church for Daniel's further information To the man cloathed in linnen Of whom see chap. 10.5 Which was upon the waters See chap. 8.16 How long shall it be to the end of these wonders i. e. The forementioned mysteries viz. concerning the Saints sufferings the end of the world the coming of Christ the resurrection of the dead life and death everlasting Ver. 7. And I heard the man The Man Christ Jesus When he hâ—ld up his right hand and his left hand Assuring and assevering the matter with both hands earnestly That it shall be for a time and times and an half i. e. For a time most certain with God and by him determined but to us uncertain and unknown Broughton thinketh that this term of three years and an half sheweth the term of Christs persecution in the dayes of his flesh which was just so many years But there is more in it then so See Revel 6.11 a parallel text and such like glasses set one against another do cast a mutual light When he shall have accomplished to scatter the power When the Church shall be at the greatest under when the number of the Elect shall be consummated and they sorely afflicted by the Devil and his Agents then shall Christ appear to their relief as it were out of an engine See 2 Thess 2. 1 Tim. 4. Rev. 6. Ver. 8. And I heard but I understood not This he ingenuously confesseth for the best know but in part 1 Cor. 13. And if any man thinketh that he knoweth ought he knoweth nothing yet as ought to know 1 Cor. 8.2 Let this be noted by such as professe to know beyond the periphery of humane knowledge all that is knowable Any created Understanding is but as Aeschylus saith of fire stolen by Prometheus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spark of the All-wise Gods fire The Prophets themselves understood not some things that were shewed unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 6. de Rep. without a further light from the Father of lights whose alone it is to illighten both Organ and Object as Plato also could say What shall be the end of these things An end he much desired and the Angel for him ver 6. But men must have patience and wait Gods end Ye have need of patience or tarryance saith the Apostle Heb. 10.36 that after ye have done the will of God and suffered it too grievous though it be for present ye may receive the promise Good men find it oft more easy to bear evil then to wait till the promised good be enjoyed Ver. 9. And he said Go thy way Daniel q. d. Though dearly beloved Quiesce tibi satis esto yet of some things thou must be content to be ignorant It should suffice thee to be of Gods Court though not altogether of his Council See ver 13. There is a laudable and learned ignorance as of Vnnecessaries of Impossibles or of Vnprofitables such as are the term of our lives the end of the world the Reprobation of others c. For the words are closed up Viz. Till future ages which are more concerned in them and till which these things shall be concealed Ver. 10. Many shall be purâ—fied and made white c. q. d. It is enough for thee to know and that I should now tell thee quales sint futuri homines postremi saeculi what kind of folk there shall be towards the end of the world Some shall be good people and they shall meet with hard measure but all shall be for the best unto them in the end See chap. 11.35 Others shall be as bad and so desperately set upon sinning that they shall mind nothing else no not when these Prophecies are fulfilled but be destroyed for lack of
is a borrowed beauty b. 431. she is invincible b. 43. Gods nest b. 113. she hath Gods presence with her b. 518. See Saints Conference sweet a. 350. profitable a. 55 67 99 167 179 Contention to be stinted not stirred a. 118. contentious persons are pests a. 119. incendiaries a. 175. dissentions of brethren a. 126. See Seedsmen of Sedition Conversion Philosophy converts not a. 224. wonderful Conversions a. 356. Instances of Converts b. 10 11. sound conversion b. 514. Gain others to Christ a 93. by Gospel-conversation b. 515 Corruption seeds of all sin found in all a. 180. we are all in the dark a. 200. Natural man described b. 193 Counsellours good a. 61. to be valued a. 78. do all by good advice a. 136 Covenant New b. 315 Covetousness destructive a. 4. 141 142. troublesom a. 101. unsatiable 249 250. b. 26 243. earthy b. 55 56. miserable b. 275. restless a. 250. basely tenacious a. 253 297 298. covet not a. 188 189. punishment of covetousness b. 453. Courage of a Christian and his armour a. 353 Cruelty of wicked ones a. 66. such shall have no mercy a. 190 Curiosity sinful a. 165 Curse causless comes not a. 171 Custom evil hardly left b. 265 Cyrus commended b. 134. his many conquests b. 144. riches ibid. his name whence ibid. his Religion b. 145 D DAmascus a pleasant City b. 357 Dancing disgraced a. 234 Daniel the worlds darling b. 545. his praise b. 520. his learning b. 524. his prophecy dark b. 519 David George an odious Herâ—â—ick b. 484 Death mind mortality a. 262 300 301. b. 370. Death unavoidable a. 277. disarmed to a Believer b. 90. who are oft taken away from evil to come b. 182 183 Dejectedness dangerous a. 280 Delight in sin damnable a. 55 Desertion a great affliction b. 173 174. let such trust in God b. 161. See the Notes on Cant. 5. Desires accepted a. 63. rewarded a. 77. not so sluggish wishes a. 146. beginings highly accepted in heaven a. 336. b. 8 Diligence ingratiateth a. 155 furthereth Gods service b. 511 Dreams what they are b. 294. See a. 248 Devil of discontent b. 437 Drunkenness damnable b. 28. a great sin a. 133. a mischief a. 159. and the mother of mischief a. 210 211. See b. 30 99. 522. great drunkards b. 27 E EArths compass b. 129 Edward 6. commended a. 294 350 Queen Elisabeths Majesty a. 107. her mothers diligence and bounty a. 213. Eloquence a rare gift a. 135. very useful in the Church a. 92 110. commendable in a Preacher a. 308 Englands happiness a. 360 English witty b. 521. hunted once by sweating sickness b. 448 Envy mischief of it a. 89 115 162 Essenes came from Rechabites b. 324 Evil devices end ill a. 87 Examples profit by domestical examples or perish b. 543 544 Excuses avail not a. 151 Ezekiel the hieroglyphical Prophet b. 391. dark and deep b. 500 502 509. why so oft called Son of man b. 397 Eyes look well to them a. 22 121 F FAith founded upon saving knowledge b. 172. particularly applyeth a. 324. holds her own of Christ a. 344. expells ignorance b. 90. causeth peace b. 91. patience b. 101. the force of faith b. 450 False-witness a pest a. 68. a leud lyar a. 81 Fast a true one described b. 188. read the Word on Fast-dayes b. 327 Fear of God foundation of wisdom a. 3. t is humble a. 11. watchful a. 44. hath happiness a. 88. fear and obey God a. 310. fear him only b. 44 Fear base betrayeth men a. 56 197. b. 60 61. caused by sin b. 37. punisht in Mr. Holt a. 211. t is oft causless a. 182 Few good a. 273. few saved b. 71 238 Flattery odious a. 178 pernicious a. 3 Folly is talkative a. 50. 293. tells all a. 193. all places full of fools a. 224. when a fool is to be answered and when not a. 172. a fool all over a. 290. and he proclaims it ibid. Formalists rejected b. 246 Friendship true what a. 118 Frugality be thrifty a. 181 182. unthrifts a. 230 Fruitfulness spiritual b. 200 G GAtakers great pains was his death b. 390 Gileads precious balsom b. 252 Gluttons condemned a. 184 255 256 b. 82 239 God his omniscience a. 92 95. he formeth our thoughts and speeches a. 103 104. his decree shall stand a. 236. All things are present to him a. 237. his surpassing greatness a. 248. b. 185. his forbearance no quittance a. 278. he protecteth his in danger b. 22 137. his back-parts only are seen b. 32. nothing is hid from him b. 105. his anger b. 111. he repents of the evil b. 127. is present with his in danger b. 137. his love more then motherly b. 157. immense ibid. his omnipresence b. 213. his attributes yield comfort b. 256. he is our portion b. 380 Godliness hath peace and plenty b. 8. the gain of it b. 116 156. See Grace It is aviled by the world b. 193 Gog and Magog who b. 492. Gogmagog-hills b. 497 Good chief opinions about it a. 217 Gospel a feast of fat things b. 90 glory of Gospel-times b. 498 Grace only is substantial a. 7. gainfull a. 13 14 45 49 78 84. better then wealth a. 264 265. it is victorious b. 134. enobleth b. 137. refresheth a. 12. is not propagated a. 51. is small at first b. 513 514. No perfection of it here attainable a. 270. See Godliness Grave a bed of rest b. 183 Great men should be good a. 107. if wicked they prove a publike mischief a. 185. they are set up for such purpose a. 183. self-willed Princes perish a. 342. Crowns are stuffed with cares a. 243. tell great ones the naked truth a. 276. their sins are pernicious to many a. 228. they are generally imitated b. 49. Dignity should wait upon desert a. 291. Kingdoms have their cares a. 284. great ones if wicked ill-spoken of at death b. 288. Some brought to extream poverty b. 385 539. Ill Princes a punishment to the people b. 560. Princes duties a. 118. See Kings Magistrates H HArm watch harm catch a. 176 Hatred is bloody a. 192. mutual hatred of good and bad people a. 198 Heart keep it carefully a. 21. watch it 22 33. give it to God a. 158. reflect oft upon it a. 260. t is deceitfull and desperately wicked b. 273 274. God searcheth it ibid. t is the fountain of all our misery b. 223. when once it becomes hard and horny a. 158. dead and dedolent b. 35 Hear attentively b. 177. Many hearers are dull and unteachable b. 99. Yea scoffers at the word b. 100 Heathens why called Pagans b. 238. they change not their Gods b. 225 Heaven curiously wrought a. 14. its great heighth a. 165. its unconceivable happiness a. 331 Heavenly-mindedness a. 100. Let there be continual ascensions in our hearts a. 345. heavenly Geometry b. 505 Hell its horrour a. 95. hell-fire what b. 112 torments b. 161. think of them b. 217 218 Hereticks are all in extreams a.