the earth His wrath is like Elijah's cloud which was at first but a smal matter to see to or as thunder which we hear at first a little roaring noise afar off but stay a while it is a dreadful crack or as fire that at first burneth a little upon a few boards but when it prevaileth bursteth out in a most terrible flame Ver. 20. Shall shake at my presence And wriggle into their holes as worms do in time of thunder And the mountains shall be thrown down Hyperbolical threats to set forth the dreadfulnesse of Gods fierce wrath which burns as low as hell it self Ver. 21. And I will call for a sword Against Antiochus by the Maccabees against the Turk and Pope by the Christian Princes Hunniades Scanderbeg Queen Elizabeth the late and present Kings of Sweden the English and French forces in Flanders now before Gravelin after Dunkirk and Bergen taken from the Spaniard Certain it is that ere long the Beast and the false Prophet shall be taken and all the fouls of the heaven filled with the flesh of those Kings and Captains that fight against the Gospel Rev. 19.19 20 21. Ver. 22. An overflowing rain and great hail-stones As once at the general deluge destruction of Sodom discomfiture of the Kings of Canaan in Joshua's dayes chap. 10.11 Some think that these Judgements here threatened shall towards the end of the world be executed upon Antichrist and his adherents according to the letter See Rev 16.21 See the Note there Ver. 23. Thus will I magnify my self This end God proposeth to himself in all his works and well he may sith he hath none higher then himself to whom to have respect And let all this that hath been said comfort us against the rage and good successe if any such yet be of the Antichristian rout sith these are but as he said once of decaying Carthage the last sprunts and bites of dying wild beastes CHAP. XXXIX Ver. 1. PRophecy against Gog Prophecy again against him for my peoples greater comfort The Jews noted ever to have been a light aerial and fanatical nation apt to work themselves into the fools paradise of a sublime dotage they expounding this Prophecy according to the letter conclude that Christ is not yet come because these things here foretold are not yet fulfilled When he doth come they say he shall set up his kingdom at Jerusalem gather all Israel out of all coasts unto himself there send each one to his own Tribe and that most certainly by the operation of his holy Spirit There they shall be no sooner setled and the kingdom not yet fully stablished In frusta vel scintillas redigam te Pintus Sextabo te but Gog and Magog shall bring a huge army against Jerusalem where they shall fall by the sword lye unburied c. Ver. 2. And I will turn thee back Convertam vel Conteram te See ch 38.3 And leave but the sixth part of thee Or strike thee with six plagues or draw thee back with an hook of six teeth as chap. 38.4 And will cause thee to come This is much and oft inculcated that it is God who brings in and drives out the Churches enemies This is a quieting consideration Ver. 3. And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand I will disarm thee Lib. 2. as Herodotus reporteth of Sennacherib and his Assyrians in Egypt that their quivers bow-strings and targets were gnawn to pieces by Mice and Rats in one night so that they were forced to flye for their lives And as our Chroniclers tell us that in the battle between Edward the third of England and Philip of France their fell such a piercing shower of rain as dissolved their strings and made their bowes unseful Dan. 237. Ver. 4. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel Thither thou shalt come indeed as Antiochus did into the Temple Antichrist into the Church of God 2 Thess 2. but there thou shalt take thy end Ver. 5. Thou shalt fall upon the open field Heb. the face of the field which thou shalt dung with thy dead carkasse Ver. 6. And I will send a fire on Magog So God will one day on Rome that Radix omnium malorum Rev. 18. And among them that dwell carelesly in the Isles Who must not think there to mott up themselves against my fire Ver. 7. I will not let them pollute my holy Name As if I were less able to deliver my people or less mindful of my Promises Ver. 8. Behold it is come and it is done It is as good as done So Babylon is fallen i. e. it will fall certainly quickly utterly This is the day O dieculam illam when shall it once be O mora Christe veni Ver. 9. And they that dwell Hyperbolical expressions though the Jews hold otherwise See on ver 1. Shall set on fire and burn the weapons Do not the Churches Champions so at this day ever since they proclaimed and proved the Pope to be that Antichrist burning up his weapons his false doctrines and heresies by the fire of Gods Word and giving their bodyes to be burned for the testimony of Jesus And they shall burn them with fire seven years i. e. Diutissime saepissime This seven years is not yet out The Jesuites say Satan sent Luther and God sent them to withstand him But there is a succession of Luthers to find them work enough still and to burn up their weapons that the Churches may be at rest Ver. 10. So that they shall take no wood This must needs be Hyperbolical as are also sundry other passages in holy Scripture When Luther burnt the Popes decrees and decretals at Wittenberg it was a fair fire doubtless as Solon once said of the fire he caused to be made at Athens of the bills and bonds of the Athenian usurers Ver. 11. I will give unto Gog a place there of graves That 's all the portion or possession he gets in the holy land On the East of the sea The dead sea or the lake of Sodom a fit place for Antichrist to be buried in he shall at last be cast alive into a worse lake Rev. 19.20 And it shall stop the noses of passengers By reason of stench or the mouthes of passengers from speaking evil of Gods people And they shall call it For a lasting monument of Gods great mercy in ridding the country of such Pests Ver. 12. And seven moneths shall the house of Israel be burying of them That is a long while like as the Reformed Churches were in â—ooting out Popery those damnable doctrines ceremonies images reliques bulls and books Here in England the Romish Religion stood a whole month and more after the death of Queen Mary as afore December 27. it was permitted that the Epistles Gospels ten Commandements Lords Prayer Creed and Letany should be used in the Vulgar tongue March 22. when the estates of the Realm were assembled by renewing of a law of
Ephes 2.14 New attendance Psal 91.11 New wages new work Isa 62.11 A new Commandement 1 Joh. 2.8 A new Covenant Jer. 31.33 A new way to Heaven Heb. 10.20 And a new Mansion in Heaven Joh. 14.2 2 Cor. 5.8 Vers 11. There is no remembrance of former things None to speak of How many memorable matters were never recorded How many ancient records long since perished How many fragments of very good Authors are come bleeding to our hands that live as many of our Castles doe but only by their ruines God hath by a Miracle preserved the holy Bible from the injury of times and Tyrants who have sought to abolish it There wee have a true remembrance of former things done in the Church by Abraham and his off-spring when the Grandees of the Earth Ninus Belus c. lye wrapt up in the sheet of shame or buried in the grave of utter oblivion Diodorus Siculus confesseth that all Heathen antiquities before the Theban and Trojan Warres are either fabulous relations or little better Ezra that wrote one of the last in the Old Testament lived afore any Chronicles of the world now extant in the world Neither shall there be any remembrance Unless transmitted to posterity by Books and Writings which may preserve and keep alive their memory and testifie for their Authors that such have one day lived Quis nosset Erasmum Chilias aeternum si latuisset opus Niniveh that great City is nothing else but a sepulture of her self no more shall Rome be ere long Time shall triumph over it when it shall but then live by fame if at all as others now doe Vers 12. I the Preacher was King over Israel And so had all the helps that heart could wish the benefit of the best Books and Records that men or mony could bring me in the happinesse of holy conference beside mine own plentiful experience and therefore you may well give credit to my verdict Mr. Fox had a large Commission under the Great Seal to search for all such Monuments Manuscripts Registers Legier-books as might make for his purpose in setting forth that worthy Work the Acts and Monuments of the Church of England And the like had Polydor Virgil for the framing of his History though with unlike successe for he had the ill hap to write nothing well saith one Peacham save the life of Henry the seventh wherein he had reason to take a little more pains than ordinary the Book being dedicated to Henry the eighth his Son See the note on vers 1. Vers 13. And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdome God had given Solomon a large heart and great store of wisdome and this made him not more idle but more industrious more sedulous and serious in seeking and searching out by wisdome i. e. by the best skill that hee had maturely and methodically the causes properties and effects with the reason of all things that are and are done under heaven Neither did he this in pride and curiosity as Hugo de Sancto Victore here sharply censureth him but soberly and modestly setting down his disquisitions and observations of things Political and Natural for the use of posterity And forasmuch as these are now lost because haply too much admired and trusted to 1 King 4 3â— by those that had the use of them under the first Temple in and with the which some Jewes say they were burnt what an high price should we all set upon this and the other two Books of Solomon the wisest of men as not Apollo but the true God of Heaven hath called him and commended him unto us Surely as in the Revelation Heaven never opened but some great Mystery was revealed some Divine Oracle uttered So we may be confident that the Holy Ghost never sets any Pen-man of Scripture a work but for excellent purpose And if we dis-regard it he will complain of us as once Hos 8.12 I have written for them the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing As for those other worthy Works of Solomon the fruits of this privie search into the natures of the Creatures here mentioned that the injury of time hath bereft us of how much better may we say of them Rolloc de vocatione p. 130. than a godly and learned man once did of Origens Octapla Hujus operis jacturam deplorare possumus compensare non possumus This great losse we may well bewayl but cannot help Vers 14. I have seen all the works that are done I have seen them and set down mine observations of them 1 King 4.33 Pliny did somewhat like unto this in his Natural History which work of his saith Erasmus Non minus varium est quam ipsa rerum natura imo non opus sed the saurus sed vere mundus rerum cognitu dignissimarum it hath as much variety in it as Nature her self hath To speak truth it is not a Work but a Treasury nay a world of things most worthy to be known of all men And behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit Nothing in themselves and yet of sufficient activity to inflict vengeance and vexation upon the spirit of a man so farre are they from making him truly happy They doe but feed the soul with wind as the text may be rendred wind gotten into the veins is a sore vexation Vers 15. That which is crooked cannot bee made streight Most men are so wedded and wedged to their wicked wayes that they cannot bee rectified but by an extraordinary touch from the hand of Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hes Hesiod speaking of God saith that he can easily set crooked things streight and only hee Holy Melanchthon being himself newly converted thought it impossible for his Hearers to withstand the evidence of the Gospel But after he had been a Preacher a while he complained that old Adam was too hard for young Melanchthon and yet besides the singular skil and learning that God had given him for the which he merited to be called the Phoenix of Germany Ad cum modum in hoc vitae theatro versatum Philippum Melanchthonem apparet saith a friend and Scholar of his i. e. It well appeareth that Melanchthon was Solomon-like on this wise busied upon the Theatre of his life that seeing and observing all he could he made profit of every thing and stored his heart as the Bee doth her Hive out of all sorts of flowers for the common benefit Howbeit he met with much crosness and crookedness that wrâ—ng many tears from him as it did likewise from St. Paul Phil. 3.18 not in open enemies only as Eccius and other Papists but in professed friends as Flaccius Osiander Melch. Adam in vita Mel Melanchthon mortuus tantum non ut blasphemus in Deum cruci affigitur Zanch. Miscel ep ded c. who not only vexed him grievously whiles alive but also fell foul upon him when he was dead
it upon the doubtful chance of war Hee that forsakes all for Christ and puts himself by Faith under his protection submitting to the Scepter of his Kingdome and sending a Lamb to this Ruler of the Land Isa 16.1 in token of homage and fealty his eyes shall see the King in his beauty and instead of a Vivat Rex hee shall break forth into this glorious acclamation The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King and hee will save us Isa 33.17.22 It was St. Augustines wish that hee might see Romam in flore Paulum in ore Christum in corpore Rome as of old flourishing Paul as hee did once preaching and Christ as in the daies of his flesh going up and down doing good There are that hold that by Solomon crowned here is meant Christ incarnated taking flesh as a Crown of his Mother Mary and that this was the day of his Espousals when the Word was made flesh and the day of the gladness of his heart when hee rejoyced in the habitable part of Gods Earth that is in the humane Nature wherein the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelt bodily and his delights were with the sonnes of men Proverbs 8.31 Some understand it of the Crown of Thorns set upon him by his Mother the Synagogue Others the Resurrection Phil. 2.9 and that Name above all Names that hee gat by his Death I am of Mercers mind who expounds it of that glory that Christ hath when hee is preached up as the sole and absolute Saviour and so beleeved on in the world 1 Tim. 3.16 that the obedience of Faith is yeelded unto him When Faith and Obedience make a perfect pair of Compasses then Christs head is compassed with a Crown Faith as the one foot is pitcht upon the Crown of Christs head whiles Obedience as the other walks about in a perfect circle of good duties whereby hee is made glad Psal 45.8 CHAP. IV. Vers 1. Behold thou art fair my Love behold thou art fair THou art thou art and I am much taken with it so that I cannot but set an Ecce admirantis upon it I am so rapt and ravished yea I would that others also should behold it and bee enamoured with it As the Church called upon her Daughters of Zion in the last verse of the former chapter to go forth and see her Bridegroom in all his bravery and to help to crown him Ezek. 16.14 so here interchangeably Christ calls upon all sorts to contemplate his beautiful Bride in all the comeliness that hee hath put upon her and that Crown of twelve Stars that hee hath set upon her head Rev. 12.1 so that in every thing shee is enriched by him and cometh behind in no gift 1 Cor. 1.5 7. Thou hast Doves eyes Particularly Christ commendeth her eyes hair teeth lips temples neck and breasts Hee that would praise another is careful to take in whatsoever of him may bee thought praise-worthy Christ onely is able to give his Church her due commendation because hee onely knows all men And needeth not that any should testifie of man for hee knoweth what is in man John 2.24 25. All others that shall undertake such a business had need say as Mr. Bradford the Martyr saith of that Peerless King Edward the Sixth Serm. of Repent 37 So many things are to bee spoken in commendation of Gods graces in this childe who yet was but one of those many that make up the Church but yet such an one that as hee was the chifest so I think the holiest and godliest in the Realm of England Pictores pulchram absolutamque faciem raro nisi in pejus effingunt saith the same blessed Bradford that as Salust writeth of Carthage I had rather speak nothing than too little in that too much is too little An exact face saith Pliny is seldome drawn but with great disadvantage how much more when a bungler hath it in hand In which regard Alexander the Great forbade his pourtraiture to bee painted by any other than Apelles or to bee carved by any other but Lysippus men famous in those faculties Behold here one that goes far beyond them both the greatest Artisan in the world pensilling out to the life and setting forth a complete Character of his dearest Spouse whom hee had in his heart to dye Exod. 28.29 2 Cor. 7.3 2 Cor. 11. and to live with as the High-Priest had the twelve Tribes and St. Paul his Corinthians though the more hee loved the less hee was beloved But to come to her particular praises Thou hast Doves eyes that is fair full clear chast See the Note on chap. 1.15 Eyes the true Church hath and those both opened and enlightened Act. 26.18 Shee cries not up ignorance as the Mother of Devotion neither doth shee send forth blind guides to require blind obedience as the Popish Padres do with their novices to put out the eyes of those poor mis-lead and muzzled Ignoramusses and to lead them blind-fold into the midst of their deadly enemies as Elisha did the Syrians into Samaria The Church here described hath as Solomons wise man her eyes in her head yea shee hath two eyes when the rest of the world hath but one as the Chinois vainly brag of themselves a praise proper to the Church of Christ Description of the world chap. of China Shee lifteth not up her eyes unto Idols Ezek. 18.6 but to the Holy One of Israel Isa 17.7 her eyes are Doves eyes Every childe of Christs Church hath a spiritual eye-sight an insight into the Mystery of Christ communication of Christs secrets the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.15 Shee hath no blind children for though born blind yet Christ hath anointed them with his eye-salve Rev. 3.18 and given both light and sight But by eyes here wee are chiefly to understand Pastours and Ministers those Seers as they were called of old 1 Sam. 9.9 those lights of the world John 5. Mat. 5.14 15 16. burning and shining lights as the Baptist was called whose Office is to bee to Gods people instead of eyes Numb 10.31 and to open the eyes of the blind to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God c. Act. 26.18 And these are to have Doves eyes seeking to present unto Christ every man chast and pure in the simplicity of the Gospel 2 Cor. 11.2 3. Within thy locks Seemly tied up and covered as the word imports without pride or affectation not laid out as the manner is of vain and unshame-faced women but thick fair and modestly made up to shew the Churches modesty and humility which is the knot of every virtue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ornament of every grace as St. Peters word holds it forth 1 Pet. 5.5 Their hair is as a flock of Goats c. They are fat and well-liking and so their hair lay smooth slick and shining By the
two immutable things wherein it was impossible for God to lye his people might have strong consolation Heb. 6.18 Ver. 6. Into a land that I had espied for them Humanitus dictum Finding it out as it were by diligent search Num. 10.33 Look how a father findeth out for his son an habitation fit for him a help meet for him other things necessary for his comfortable subsistence so dealt God by his Israel He brought them to a land which himself had carefully sought out his eyes were alwayes upon it from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year Deut. 11.12 Flowing with milk and honey i. e. Abounding with choice and cheap commodities Which is the glory of all lands Or flower decorem disiderium It was so then it is not so now since the Jews were dispriviledged and disjected But as in the earthly paradise after man fallen cecidit rosa mansit spina the rose fell off the briar whereon it grew remained so here See on Dan. 8.9 11.16 Ver. 7. Then said I unto them Viz. Whilest yet in Egypt This we find not in Exodus 't is enough that we find it here See Joh. 5 9. with the Note Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes The idols to which your eyes are lifted up chap. 18.6 and which are or should be to you as Alexander called the Persian maides dolores oculorum eye-griefes Ver. 8. But they rebelled against me I might say what I would but they would do what their list Good they were ever if I may call it so at resisting the Holy Ghost obstinate idolaters from the very first so that God had even as much ado to forbear killing them as ever he had Moses in the same country for neglecting to circumcise his childe Exod. 4.24 Neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt This we read not of in Exodus neither t is enough that we have it here The ingratitude of these Israelites was the greater because God had done much for them and was dayly admonishing them of better things Then said I I will pour out my fury It was not therefore for nothing that Israel suffered so much in Egypt Many now marvel at their own miseries but think not of their sins the cause Ver. 9. But I wrought for my names sake Lest the Heathens should say to my dishonour me non voluisse aut valuisse eos educere that I either would not or could not bring them out of the house of bondage Ergo quod nomen suum in nobis servandis asserat sperandum est It is also well to be hoped that God will deal favourably with the reformed Churches though ill deserving for the dâ—shonour that else would redound to himself Fiat Fiat Ver. 10. Wherefore I caused them With a strong hand and an outstretcht arm I caused it against all the force of Egypt Exod. 13.18 God hath also mightily brought England out of Egypt spiritual and dealt with it not according to his ordinary rule but according to his prerogative And brought them into the wildernesse Where I was not any wildernesse unto them or land of darknesse Jer 2.31 but a God All-sufficient raining bread from heaven upon them and setting the flint abroach rather then they should pine and perish Ver. 11. And I gave them my statutes Which were far beyond the laws of the twelve Tables in Rome whereof yet Tully affirmeth that they were far beyond all the libraries of Philosophers And shewed them my judgements Statutes and Judgements are usually put in Scripture for one and the same though the Lawyers make a difference of them Prospers conceit was that this people were called Judaei because they received jus Dei Which if a man do But that he can never do exactly Evangelically he may and that sufficeth to life eternal Ver. 12. Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths A sweet mercy without which the best would even grow wild What a wretch then was that Egyptian in Phagius who said that those Jews and after them the Christians had a loathsome disease upon them and were therefore fain to rest the seventh day To be a sign between me and them A distinctive sign of my distinguishing grace to Israel above others who jeared them for sabbatizing as those that lost a seventh part of their precious time To be also both a sign of a godly person Anciently when the question was propounded Servasti Dominicum hast thou kept the Lords day The answer was returned I am a Christian and can do no lesse and a means of conveying more holinesse into his heart Ver. 13. But the house of Israel rebelled They did little else they made it their trade for forty years long Psal 95. And my Sabbaths they greatly polluted They vehemently violated either they rested only thereon or else they shamelesly troubled and disquieted that sanctified day of Gods rest B. King on Jon. The world saith one is now grown perfectly profane and can play on the Lords day without book Then I said I would pour out my fury Gods sayings are of two sorts some are the sayings of his eternal counsel and these are immutable Others of his threatening only and these oft are conditional God therefore threateneth that he may not punish saith an ancient Ver. 14. But I wrought for my Names sake Oh how oft are we beholden to this Motive and do escape fair by this Means See on ver 9. Ver. 15. Yet also I lifted up mine hand Here we have an Epitome of Exodus and Numbers Flowing with milk and honey See on ver 6. If it be not so fertile and desireable now Joseph it is for the Jews inexpiable guilt in crucifying the Lord of glory The like befell Sodom once as the garden of God now a dead sea where nothing can live Ver. 16. For their heart went after their idols Heb. their dungy-deities those dirty delights carried them sheer away from God and goodnesse Any beloved sin will do so Ver. 17. Neverthelesse mine eye spared them It was by a Non-obstante of Gods mercy and by a prop of his extraordinary patience that they subsisted Ver. 18. Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers With this text Frederike the fourth Prince Palatine answered another Prince who pressed him to be of his late Noble Fathers Religion Laban swore by the god of Nahor or Abram and of their idolatrous Fathers but Jacob sware by the Fear of his Father Isaac his immediate Father more right in Religion Gen. 31.53 Joshua would not follow the footsteps of his forefathers chap. 24. but a better precedent Christ saith ego sum Veritas non Vetustas and contradicteth that which was said of old by those Kadmonim who had corrupted the letter of the law by their false glosses Mat. 5.21 Antiquity must have no more authority then it can maintaine Ver. 19. Walk in my statutes This is a surer and safer way Lâ—x Lux Prov. 6.23
although they know not what belongeth to honour yet do they exceedingly affect to be honoured and well not abide to be reproached Ver. 6. Behold the Princes of Israel Here beginneth the black bill or bed-roll And as in a fish corruption beginneth at the head so in a Nation at the Rulers Ver. 7. In thee have they see light by father and mother Whom very Heathens honoured as their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 houshold-gods In the midst of thee c. So Hierom complaineth of his country In mea patriae Deus Venter est in diem vivitur that they were all belly-gods and had no goodnesse in them So Bede complaineth of the ancient Brittons immediately before their destruction by the Saxons Bradford cryeth out of the iniquity of the times in King Edward's dayes You all know saith he in a certain letter of his there was never more knowledg of God and lesse godly living and true serving of God It was counted a foolish thing to serve God truly and earnest prayer was not past upon Act. Mon. Preaching was but pastime Communion was counted too common fasting was far out of use almes was almost nothing Malice covetousnsse and uncleanesse was common everywhere with swearing drunkennesse and idlenesse c. Ver. 8. Thou hast despised mine holy things These are all foretokens of a perishing people Emphasin habet quod dicit sancta mea Sabbata mea Shall that which hath the impresse of God upon it be slighted as his Sabbaths Sacraments Ordinances The holy God should in all these his holy things be sanctified in righteousnesse Isa 5.16 Ver. 9. In thee are men that carry tales Heb. men of slanders Exod. 23.1 Levit. 18.16 Whisperers backbiters tale-bearers Pedlars the Heb. word signifieth such as drop a tale here and another there are viri latrones thieves as the Septuagint here translate yea they are murtherers The devil was first a slanderer and then a murtherer His agents first take away the credit of the Church and then wound her Cant. 5.6 The Primitive Christians were first belyed and then cruelly handled So were the French Protestants before the Massacre of Paris Humphary Duke of Glocester was by the people of England notwithstanding the open shewing of his body and his pretended crimes thought to be doubly murthered viv by detraction and deadly practice saith the Chronicler Ver. 10. In thee have they discovered their fathers nakednesse i. e. Carnally known their fathers wives or concubines Reuben-like See 1 Cor. 5.1 with the Note Humbled her i. e. Ravshed her which was a double crime See Levit. 18.19 20.18 15.25 Ver. 11. And one hath committed So the Poet Hic thalamum invasit natae vetitosque Hymenaeos Virg. Aen. lib. 6. Ausi omnes immane nefas auso que potiti c. Ver. 12. Thou hast taken usury and increase Vsura quasi propter usum rei saith One and faenus quasi funus Such mony to necessity is like cold water to a hot ague that for a time refresheth but prolongeth the disease It is like the Timber-worm which is wonderful soft to touch but hath teeth so hard that it eateth the timber See on chap. 18.13 And hast greedily gained of thy neighbour Sept. Thou hast consummated the consummation of thy wickednesse in oppression And hast forgotten me All the forementioned evils are resolved into this as the root and original of them See the like Rom. 3.18 Dei oblivio convehit omnem vitiorum catervam Hieron Ver. 13. I have smitten my hand In token of utmost indignation as Num. 24.10 At thy dishonest gain which thou hast made The Jew-doctours observe that whereas twenty four several abominations are here reckoned up the destruction of the City is attributed chiefly to Covetousnesse Lycurgus foretold his Lacedemonians Plut. that filthy lucre would be the overthrow of their City and it proved so The like is reported of Constantinople of Babylon the seat of the great Chaliph Turk Hist taken and sacked by Haalon brother to Mango the great Chan of Tartary who affamished to death the rich but wretched Chaliph in the midst of his hoards like as the Roman Souldiers first slew Ruffinus who affected to be co-Emperour with Arcadius and then cutting of his right-hand carried it up and down the City crying out to the people Date stipem viro avaritiae inexplebilis Parael Med. hist profan Give an alms to a man of unsatisfiable covetise Ver. 14. Can theine heart endure or can thine hands be strong Interrogatio continens latentem Ironiam q. d. Misella superbula erisâ—e ferendo mala futùra Thou poor proud thing of nought canst thou make thy party good with Me Canst thou either in mind or body bear my wrath will not thine heart soon fall into thy heels and thine hands be enfeebled when I shall grapple with thee and take thee to do And will do it Thou thinkest likely that all these are but terrible words devised on purpose to affright silly people but I will do it Ver. 15. I will scatter thee Deut. 4.27 28.25 64. And will consume thy filthinesse By thy captivity and misery I will refine Heb. Faciam ut integretur and reform thee Zach. 13.9 Ver. 16. And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thy self q. d. I will abandon thee Or Thou shalt be profaned and polluted And thou shalt know that I am the Lord Thou shalt know me by my punishments whom thou wouldest not know by my benefits Ver. 17. And the Word of the Lâ—rd See chap. 18.1 Ver. 18. The house of Israel is to me become drosse Recrementum argenti offalstuffe Silver they were once but now nothing lesse Haec ad nos quo que tranferenda sunt This is even our case we are quite degenerate and altogether unlike our zealous progenitours Heu pietas ubi prisca profana O tempora Mundi Faex vesper propè nox O Mora Christe veni All they are brasse See on Isa 1.22 Ver. 19. I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem Velut catinum fuforium as into a red-hot fornace or fiery crucible chap. 24 10. Ver. 20. As they gather silver and brasse The righteous perish with the wicked but either it is temporally only or else the seemingly righteous who are no better then reprobate silver And I will leave you there A terrible threat God will bring his enemies into the briars and there leave there See chap. 29.5 His own he will not leave or at least not forsake He will be with them in the fire and water c. Lord leave us not saith the Church Jer. 17.17 Ver. 21. And ye shall be melted in the midst thereof As in a fiery furnace Such was anciently Egypt Deut. 4. afterwards Babylon and in the year 1453. Constantinople where cruelly perished by the hand of the Turks a very great multitude of Christians Lavat Ver. 22. As silver is melted The same again for better fastening Tam
Joh. 11.24 But whether in this world and at this time that was the question The Jew-doctours boldly but groundlesly answer that these dead bones and bodies did then revive and that many of them did return into the land of Israel and married wives and begat children But this is as true as that other dotage of theirs that the dead bodies of Jews in what Country so ever buried do by certain under-ground passages travel into Judaea and there rest untill the general resurrection O Lord God thou knowest And he to whom thou art pleased to reveale it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Russians in a difficult question use to answer God and our great Duke know all this Ver. 4. Prophesie upon these bones Be thou the interpreter of my Will who by mine all-powerful Word do quicken the dead and call things that are not as if they were Rom. 4.17 And say unto them O ye dry bones Together with Gods Word many times there goeth forth a power Luk. 5.17 as when he said Lazarus come forth Joh. 11.43 So it is in the first resurrection and so it shall be at the last Joh. 5.25 28 29. See the Notes Ver. 5. Behold I will cause breath to enter into you i. e. Into each number of you that belong to each body Neither need the resurrection of the dead be held a thing incredible Act. 26.8 considering Gods Power and Truth The keeping green of Noahs Olive-tree in the time of the flood the blossoming of Aarons dry rod the flesh and sinews coming to these dry bones and the breath entring into them what were they all but so many lively Emblems of the Resurrection Ver. 6. And cover you with skin Superindam that the flesh may not look gastly The word rendred cover is Chaldee and found only here and ver 8. And put breath in you and ye shall live As when man was first created Gen. 2. and cannot God as easily remake us of something as at first he made us of nothing Ver. 7. So I prophesied He might have said why should I speak to these bones will it be to any purpose but Gods commands are not to be disputed but dispatched without sciscitation And there was a noise A rattle perhaps a thunderclap And behold a shaking Perhaps an earthquake as was at Christs resurrection God will one day shake both the heavens and the earth The heavens shall passe away with a great noise 2 Pet. 3.10 the earth also and the workes therein shall be burnt and fall with a great crack Then shall the Lord descend from heaven with a shout c. 1 Thes 4.16 such as is that of Mariners in a storm or of Souldiers when to joyn battle with the enemy Ver. 8. Lo the sinews and the flesh came up upon them The body is the souls sheath Dan. 7.15 the souls suit the upper garment is the skin the inner the flesh the inmost of all bones and sinews Ver. 9. And say to the wind To the reasonable soul that breath of God Gen. 2.7 divinae particula aurae as one calleth it In this better part of man he is not absolutely perfect till after the resurrection for though the soul do in heaven enjoy an estate free from sin pain or misery yet two of the faculties or operations of the soul viz. that of Vegetation and of sense are without exercise till it be reunited to the body Here we have a representation at least of the Resurrection which the Hebrews call Gilgul the Revolution Come from the foure winds O breath i. e. From God that gave you return again at his command to your own numerical bodies wherever they lye And to this text our Saviour seemeth to allude Mat. 24.31 Ver. 10. And the breath came into them Deforas from without as at first they were infused by God so they are still This Austin sometime and for some space of time doubted of and was therefore censured boldly but unadvisedly by one Vincentius Victor as Chemnitius relateth it And they lived and stood up upon their feet As life will shew it self by sense and motion Live things will be stirring Arida etiam peccatorum corda Deus gratia vitali vegetabit Ver. 11. These bones are That is they signifie and betoken And here we have the Accommodation or Application of the preceding Parable or Type where also we may soon see that this chapter is of the same subject and method with the former only that which is there plainly is here more elegantly discoursed viz. the deplorable condition of the Israelites in Babylon together with their wonderful deliverance and restitution in this and the three next verses Our bones are dryed We lye in Babylon as in a sepulchre we are buried alive as it were we are free among the dead free of that company We are cut off for our parts q. d. Let them hope as hope can we have hanged up all our hopes now that the City and Temple are destroyed Thus carnal confidence as it riseth up into a corky frothy hope when it seeth sufficient help so it sitteth down in a faithless sullen discontent and despair when it can see no second causes Ver. 12. Behold O my people God owneth them still though they had little deserved it Shall mens unbelief make the faith of God without effect Rom. 3.3 Tumulos desperationis aperit he openeth the graves of desperation and lets in a marvellous light So the Lord did for his poor Church by this blessed Reformation begun by Luther whose book de Captivitate Babylonica did abundance of good Scultet Annal. dec 2. ep dedic As for that wrought here in England a forreiner saith of it that it is such as the ages past had despaired of the present worthily admireth and future ages shall stand amazed at O beatos qui Deum ducem è spirituali Babylonia eos educentem secuti sunt Ver. 13. And ye shall know that I am the Lord Ye shall experiment it The Reformed Churches have done so abundantly Gloria Deo in excelsis When I have opened your graves This is spoken over and over for their confirmation who were apt to think the news was too good to be true Ver. 14. And shall put my spirit in you Even my Spirit of Adoption that soul of the soul this was more then all the rest Thrice happy are they that are thus spirited they shall live and live comfortably Ver. 15. And the Word of the Lord See chap. 18.1 Ver. 16. Take thee one stick A cleft stick which is res vilis exilis a poor business in it self but if God please to make use of so slender a thing it may serve for very great purpose as here by the uniting of two sorry stickes in the hand of the Prophet is prefigured the uniting of Judah and Israel yea of Jews and Gentiles in the hand of the Lord that is in Christ Jesus who is the hand the right hand and the Arm of God
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.