dies Ovid. We should have been as Sodom Those five Cities of the Plain are thrown forth for an Example Jude 7. Lot was no sooner taken out of Sodom but Sodom was taken out of the World and turned into a sea of salt Deut. 24.23 So Meroz Judg. 5.23 some City likely near the place where that battel was fought hath the very Name and memorial of it utterly extinct Ver. 10. Hear the Word of the Lord ye Princes of Sodom Having mentioned Sodom and Gomorrah vers 9. he maketh further use thereof probrosa hac appellatione auditores suos conveniens sharping up his Hearers in this sort whom he knew he should not wrong at all by so calling them see Ezek. 16.46 48. Non tam ovum ovo simile Like they were both Princes and people to those of Sodom and Gomorrah 1. In their ingratitude toward God 2. in their cruelty toward men Our Prophet therefore is very bold as Saint Paul also testifieth of him Rom. 10.20 fearing no colours although for his boldness he lost his life if at least that be true which Hierom out of the Rabbins telleth us Hier. â—â— Is 1. viz. that this Prophet Isay was sawn asunder 1. Because he said he had seen the Lord chap. 6.1 Secondly Because he called the great Ones of Judah Princes of Sodom c. giving them a Title agreeable to their wicked practises The like liberty of speech used Athanasius toward Constantius Agapetus toward Justinian Johannes Sarisburiensis toward the Pope c. Ver. 11. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices All which without faith and devotion are no better then meer hypocrisie and illusion It is saith Oecolampadius as if one should present his Prince with many Carts laden with dirt or as if good meat well-cooked should be brought to Table by a nasty sloven who hath been tumbling in a jakes They are your sacrifices and not mine and though many and costly yet I abhor such sacrificing Sodomites as you are neither shall you be a button the better for your pompous he catombe and holocausts Your devotions are placed more in the massy materiality then inward purity and therefore rejected Go ye and learn what that is I will have mercy so Faith Repentance new Obedience and not sacrifice Mat. 9.14 You stick in the bark rest in the work done your piety is potius in labris quam in fibris nata a meer outside shels Nut-kernels shews and Pageants not heart-workings c. Vna Dei est purum gratissima victima pectus I am full of the burnt offerings I am even cloyed and lothed with the sight of them And of the fat of fed beasts Though ye bring the very best of the best yet you do worse then lose your labour cast away your cost for therein ye commit sin Prov. 15.8 Displeasing service is double dishonour Deus homines istis ut vocant meritis praefidentes aversatur I delight not in the blood of Bullocks c. He that killeth an Ox unless withall he kill his corruptions is as if he slew a man He that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a dogs neck c. chap. 66.3 Those miscreants in Micah who offered largely for a License to live as they list are rejected with scorn Mic. 6 7. Ver. 12. When ye come to appear before me Heb. to be seen else all had been lost Hypocrisie is very ostentous it would be noted and noticed whereas true Devotion desireth not to be seen of any save Him who seeth in secret Who hath required this at your hand This is Gods Voyce to all superstitious Will-worshippers and carnal-Gospellers Friend how camest thou in hither Who sent for thee to my service Who hath forewarned this generation of Vipers to flye from the wrath to come What hast thou to do to take up my Name c. Psalm 50.16 to tread my Courts to pollute my Presence This is the gate of the Lord into which the Righteous only should enter Psalm 118.20 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind Prov. 21.27 To tread my Courts Or trample on as chap. 62.3 to foul it Calcaâ—is atria teritis pavimentum A Lap. Sands his Relat of West Relig. Sect. 8. and wear it out with their feet as in some places Marble-crosses graven in Pavements of Popish Churches with indulgences annexed for every time they are kissed are even worn by the kisses of the devouter Sexe especially Diodaete noteth here that a phrase is pickt out on purpose to shew that these false appearances were rather acts of prophane contempt then of right Religion The Greeks gave such honour to their Temples that they durst not tread on the Threshold thereof but leap over it The Priests at their solemn services cryed aloud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gressus removete prophani The Jews at this day before they come to the Synagogue wash themselves and scrape their shoos with an Iron fastened in a wall at the entrance The Habassines a mongrel kind of Christians in Africk do neither walk nor talk nor sit nor spit nor laugh in the Church nor admit dogs into the Church-yards Sed quorsum haec omnia to what end is all this without an honest care to lift up pure hands and holy hearts in Gods presence See Jer. 7.3 4 9 10 11. Ver. 13. Bring no more vain oblations Vain because unacceptable ineffectual unsubstantial Epitheton argumentosum saith Piscator Lip-labour is lost-labour For God is not mocked with shadows of service his sharp nose easily discerneth and is offended with the stinking breath of the Hypocrites rotten Lungs though his words be never so scented and perfumed with shews of holiness Hence it is added Incense is an abomination unto me sc because it stinketh of the hand that offereth it Incense of it self was a sweet and precious Perfume compounded of the best Odours and Spices In the incense of faithful prayer also how many sweet spices are burnt together by the fire of Faith as Humility Hope Love c. all which come up for a memorial before God through the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ Heb. 9.24 But it is otherwise with the wicked whose carnal heart is like some fen or bog and every prayer thence proceeding is as an evil vapour reaking and rising from that dunghill Never did those five Cities of the Plain send up such poisonous smels to Heaven which God being not able to abide sent down upon them a counter-poyson of fire and brimstone I cannot away with Heb. I cannot by an angry Aposiopesis I cannot that is I cannot behold bear with or forbear to punish as Oecolampadius maketh the supply to be It is iniquity Or an affliction a grievance as Joh. 5.6 Yea it is a Vexation as some render the next word viz. your solemn meeting Ver. 14. Your New Moons These were commanded to be kept to mind them of Gods gubernation of
life of God The Egyptians once sware by the life of Pharaoh as the proud Spaniards now do by the life of their King But to speak properly none liveth but the Lord and none should be sworn by but he alone an oath being a proof of the Divine Power which one worshippeth The Pythagoreans used to swear by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quaternity which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fountain of eternal being and this doubtless was the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah Tremel In truth in judgement and in righteousnesse Vere ritè juste 1. In truth Rom. 9.1 that is 1. To that which is true least we fall into perjury Lev. 19.12 And 2. Truly agreeable both to the intentions of our mind not deceitfully Psal 24.2 and agreeable also to the intentions of him that ministreth the oath and not with mental reservations as Romish Priests oft swear The Romans used that most considerate woâ—d Arbitror when the Jurors said those things which they knew most certainly Suidas In judgement Or considerately duely weighing the conditions and circumstances not rashly and unadvisedly Levit. 5.4 1 Sam. 14.39 as those that swear in heat and choler swear when they should fear Deut. 10.20 and 28.58 The Graecians when they would swear by their Jupiter out of the mere dread and reverence of his name forbore to mention him And the Egyptians bore such respect to Mercurius Trismegistus that they held it not lawful to pronounce his name lightly and rashly This is check to many swearing Pseudo-Christians Such also as swear in jest will without repentance go to hell in earnest The ancient form of taking and imposing an oath was Give glory to God Josh 7.19 Joh. 9.24 And in righteousnesse 1. Promising by oath lawful and possible things only not making an oath a bond of iniquity 1 Sam. 25.21 32. and 28.10 2. Careful to perform what we have sworn though to our own hindrance Psal 15.4 And the Nations shall blesse themselves in him Or shall be blessed in him that is in that God to whom thou returnest and by whom thou thus swearest They shall turn to God by thine example and hold themselves happy in such a good turn Ver. 3. Break up your fallow-ground Novellate vobis novale Tertullian rendreth it Renovate vobis novamen novum put off the old man and put on the new See Hos 10.11 with the Notes By the practise of Repentance runcate exstirpate root up and rid your hearts and lives of all vile lusts and vicious practises The breaking up of sinful hearts may prevent the breaking down of a sinful Nation Sow not among thornes i. e. Cares and lusts of life fitly called thornes because 1. They prick and gore the soul 2. Harbour the old Serpent 3. Choke the Word there 's no looking for a harvest in a hedge Stock them and stub them up therefore 1 Pet. 2.1 Jam. 1.21 do not plow here and make a bawk there c. Ver. 4. Circumcise your selves to the Lord There is a twofold circumcision Corporis Cordis Outward and Inward that without this availeth nothing Gal. 6.15 See the inward described Colos 2.11 It is the putting off the old Adam with his actions It is purgatio animae abjectio vitiorum saith Origen the clensing of the soul and the casting away of sin that filthy foreskin that superfluity of naughtinesse It is a wonderful work of the holy Spirit wrought by the Word upon the Saints at their first conversion whereby corruption of nature is wounded beloved sins cast away with sorrow and the sinner received into an everlasting communion with God and his Saints Those that are not thus circumcised are not Israelites but Ishmaelites whereas Jether though by nature an Ishmaelite 1 Chron. 2.17 yet being thus inwardly circumcised he was for his Faith and Religion called and counted an Israelite 2 Sam. 17.25 See Philip. 3.3 4 5. And take away the fore-skin of your heart Not of the flesh only see 1 Pet. 3.21 as the carnal Israelite who rests in the work done glorious in outward priviledges neglects the practice of religion and power of godlinesse pursueth him that is born after the spirit the Israelite indeed c. and is therefore dispriviledged hated and defied by God as Goliah that uncircumcised Philistin was by David dead in sins and the uncircumcision of the flesh Colos 2.13 subject to utter excision Gen. 17.14 as having no portion in Christ nor in Canaan Take away therefore the fore-skin of the heart stick not in the bark pare not off the fore-skin of the flesh only off with the whole body of sin Col. 2.11 begin at Adams sin bewail that then set upon the beloved sin out with that eye off with that hand cast away all your transgressions with as great indignation as angry Zipporah did her childs fore-skin Take unto you for this end the sword of the Spirit the word sharper then those stones that she made use of Exod. 4.24 consider the threats these will work faith and that will work fear apply the Promises Deut. 30.6 Ezek. 36.26 28. doubt not of Gods Power but pray him to thrust his holy hand into your bosoms and to fetch off the filthy fore-skin that is there Loe this is the way walk in it And burn that none can quench it When once it hath caught your thorns ver 3. Ver. 5. Declare ye in Judah As if the Prophet should say I do but lose my labour in calling upon you to mortify your corruptions and to cast away all your transgressions Uncircumcised ye are in heart and ears and so will be Now therefore stand upon your guard against the approaching enemy and defend your selves if at least you are able from the evil that is coming upon you Mott up your selves against Gods fire ver 4. Ver. 6. Set up the standard towards Zion All this seemeth to be Ironically spoken as ver 5. For I will bring evil from the North i. e. From Babylon Ab aquilone nihil boni There is also another Babylon spoken of in the Revelation which to the true Church hath of long time been lerna malorum Roma radiu omnium malolorum and so the poor persecuted Protestants in Poland feel at this day Ver. 7. The Lion is come up from his thicket i. e. Nebuchadnezzar from Babylon where he lyeth safe ficut leo in vepreto and will shorly shew himself for a mischief to many people who shall feel his force and fiercenesse Ver. 8. For this gird you with sack-cloth Repent if at least it be not too late as the next words hint that now it was For the fierce wrath of the Lord is not turned back from us Or because the fierce wrath of the Lord will not turn from us it will have its full forth See Zeph. 2.2 with the Notes Ver. 9. The heart of the King shall perish His courage shall be quailed and he shall be strangely crest-faln This was
4.6 And whereunto I will not do any more the like For where ever read we that the fathers did eat their sons in an open visible way and the sons the fathers Ver. 10. Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons See this fulfilled in the pittiful mothers Lam. 4.10 and may it be thought saith one that their hungry husbands shared not with them in those viands Oh the severity of God Cavebis si pavebis And the whole remnant of thee will I scatter A miserably disjected people the Jews are to this day banished out of the world as it were by a common consent of Nations Ver. 11. Wherefore as I live saith the Lord This is Gods usual oath in this Prophet especially and therefore should not be used as an oath or asseveration by any other sith He only liveth to speak properly Therefore will I also diminish thee Or I will break thee down or I will shave thee as ver 1. Jer. 48.37 Ver. 12. A third part of thee c. See ver 2. Ver. 13. Then shall mine anger be accomplished God is then said to be angry when he doth what men do when angry viz. 1. Chide 2. Smite And I will be comforted This also is spoken after the manner of men who are much comforted when they can be avenged Their song is Oh how sweet is revenge Virgil. animumque explêsse juvabit The same word in Hebrew that signifieth vengeance signifieth comfort also for God wll be comforted in the execution of his wrath But what a venomous and vile thing is sin that causeth the most merciful God to take comfort in the destruction of his creature And they shall know that I the Lord have spoken it in my zeale That is seriously threatened by my Prophets whom they have vilipended and derided but shall now feel the weight of their words When I have accomplished my fury in them This he doth not usually all at once but by degrees he suffereth not his whole wrath to arise till there be no remedy as 2 Chron. 36.16 Ver. 14. Moreover I will make thee waste In ariditatem a dry and barren wildernesse whose fruitfulnesse and plesantnesse is so much celebrated not only by divine but profane Authors also See Psal 107.34 with the Notes In the sight of all See on ver 8. Ver. 15. So it shall be a reproach and taunt See this fulfilled Lam. 2.15.16 An instruction They shall enjoy thy folly grow wise by thy harms Vulg. Exemplum I will make thee an example to the Heathen An astonishment A terrour some render it Ver. 16. When I shall send upon you tho evil arrows of famine Not to warn you as Jonathans arrows did David but to wound you to the heart and to lay you heaps upon heaps Deut. 32.23 24. And break your staff of bread See chap. 4.16 penuria fiet pecuniae saith Oecolampadius here you shall want mony to buy you bread Ver. 17. Evil beasts and they shall bereave thee Rob thee of thy children destroy thy cattle make thee few in number and thy high-way desolate as was long before threatened Levit. 26.22 See 2 Kings 17.25 I the Lord have spoken it I Jehovah who will give being to my menaces as well as to my promises CHAP. VI. Ver. 1. ANd the Word of the Lord came unto me Junius observeth that this and the two following Prophecies viz. those chap. 7 8. were delivered on the Sabbath day that 's the proper season of preaching Ver. 2. See thy face toward the mountains of Israel i. e. The Jews who are haughty and hard as mountains who are asperi inculti rough and rude as Mountaineirs use to be In Mount Olivet it self besides other mountains they boldly set up their idols even in the sight of the Lord so that he never looked out of the Sanctuary but he beheld that vile hill of abominations called therefore by an elegant Agnomination the Hill of Corruption 2 Kings 23.13 Ver. 3. Behold I even I will bring a sword upon you Because ye are polluted by mans sins and so made hateful unto me For as God thinks the better of the places wherein he is sincerely served yea where his Saints are born Psal 87.5 or make abode Isa 49.16 so the worse of such places where Satans seat is Ver. 4. Your images shall be broken down Heb. your Sun-images whence also Jupiter Hammon had his name which Macrobius saith was the same with the Sun Lib. 1. Sat. cap. 23. See 2 Chron. 23.5 And I will cast down your slain men Cruentatos vulneratos vel interfectos vestros such as when wounded flye to their idols for safety Before your idols Heb. your dâ—i stercorei dunghil-deities more loathsome then any excrements Ver. 5. And I will lay the dead carkasses of the children of Israel c. That in the very places where they have sinned there they may suffer So in the valley of Hinnom and at Pilates Praetorium c. Ver. 6. In all your dwelling-places Omnia everram evertam funditus I will turn all topsy-turvy Your works shall be abolished Those toilesom toies your Mawmets and monuments of idolatry This the Prophet telleth them again and again that he might waken them and work them to repentance Ver. 7. And ye shall know that I am the Lord That I am dicti mei Dominus one that will be as good as my word So shall all not idolaters only but broachers of heresies also quae furere faetere cultores suos faciunt saith Oecolampadius here Ver. 8. Yet will I leave a remnant For royal use See on chap. 5.3 Ver. 9. And they that escape of you shall remember me Here beginneth that true Repentance never to be repented of Psal 22.27 and 20.7 Because I am broken off from their whorish heart i. e. I am troubled saith Piscator I am tired out saith Zegedine and made to break off the course of my kindness I am broken off from their whorish heart so Polanus rendreth it that is saith he I leave them though loth to do it the breach is meerly on their part for they have an Impetus a spirit of whoredoms in them that causeth them to erre and go a whoring from under their God Hos 4.12 9.1 And with their eyes Those windows of wickedness through which the devil who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith Synesius doth oft wind himself into the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. And they shall loath themselves They shall displease themselves saith the Vulgar but that 's not enough Pudefient in faciebus suis say others they shall bleed inwardly and blush outwardly deeply detesting their former abominations and not waiting till others condemn them they shall condemn themselves Ver. 10. And they shall know By woful experience He that trembleth not in sinning shall be crusht to peices in feeling said blessed Bradford And that I have not said in vain In terrorem only Ver. 11. Thus saith
qui modò vivus erat We wonder now and then at the suddain death of a man In war many thousands exhale their breath without so much as Lord have mercy on us Death heweth its way through a wood of men in a minute of time c. Ver. 21. The strong among the mighty Who might have seen many fair summers had they not been cut off by Pharaoh's sword Shall speak to him out of the midst of hell What they say to him see Isa 14.10 where we have the like Prosopopaeja Poetica Ver. 22. Ashur is there To wit in the belly of Hell among the uncircumcised as Lazarus and other Saints are in the bosom of Abraham the place of blisse Slain they were with the sword but that was but a beginning of their sorrows a trap-door to eternal torment Virgil by a like figure brings in Aeneas going down to hell and there seeing Agamemnon Dido the Titans Cyclopes and other Tyrants Ver. 23. Whose graves are set in the sides of the pit In the bottom of the burning Lake which from the high top of a Kingdom is a foul fall Their being there buried may import that they shall never come out Which caused terror As breathing nothing but blood and slaughter raising a tempest wherever they came so that they became terrores terrae as dreadful as devils Ver. 24. There is Elam The Persians who in the reign of Cyaxares had been subdued by the Scythians and slain in great number Jer. 49.34 c. Jun. Into the nether parts of the earth Into hell as that rich glutton Luke 16.23 where our Saviour seemeth to allude to this place Yet have they born their shame Carried the matter of it to hell with them where is perpetual shame and confusion beside the vexing snuff they have left behind them upon earth Ver. 25. They have set her a bed i. e. The devils have set the Persian multitude a bed but an uneasy one such as they set for that rich wretch Luke 12.19 20. who thought to take his ease but was not suffered With all her multitude The grave is the Congregation-house of all living Job 30.23 Hell is of many dead that dye in their sins He is put in the middest In the hottest fire of hell Ver. 26. There is Meshâ—c and Tubal i. e. Say some the Cappadocians and Spaniards Others the Scythians and Sarmatians And all her multitude See ver 25. Ver. 27. Which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war They dyed not gloriously as Conquerours nor were buried triumphantly with their arms under their heads as valiant warriours were wont to be sed ingloria vita recessit but they dyed like dogs and were basely buried and yet that was not the worst of it neither But their iniquities shall be upon their bones They shall rue for their cruelty and bloodshed These shall be as a murthering-weapon in their bones Psal 42.10 throughout all eternity Ver. 28. Yea thou shalt be broken Thou O Pharaoh shalt have a deeper degree of torment in hell Potentes potentèr torquebuntur Ver. 29. They shall lye with the uncircumcised Though they were circumcised as now the Turks are yet that shall not profit them Faciunt vespae favos Simia quam similis turpissima bestia nobis Ver. 30. There be the Princes of the North i. e. saith Junius the Syrians Tyrians and others And all the Zidonianâ— All the Hunters saith the Vulgar taking the word appellatively Which are gone down The same again ad majus Pathos Ver. 31. Pharaoh shall see them This is the Epilogue or perclose of this doleful ditty And shall be comforted This was a miserable comfort the like whereto is that of some prophane persons among us who when threatened for their foul practises use to reply If we do go to hell yet we shall have company Ver. 32. For I have caused my terror By Pharaoh's exemplary punishment This will make good men tremble at my Judgements and bad men beware how they come under my wrath CHAP. XXXIII Ver. 1. AGain the Word of the Lord came unto me saying A new commission to preach again to his Country-men which he had not done since chap. 24.27 See the Note there Ver. 2. Speak to the children of thy people I say of thy people for I can scarce find in my heart to own them they be so â—ad When I bring the sword upon a Land The sword is of Gods sending chap. 14.17 and whencesoever it cometh it is bathed in heaven Isa 34.5 Think the same of any other publike calamity Amos 3.6 and therefore frame to a patient and peaceable behaviour under it Among Philosophers the most noted sect for patience was that of the Stoikes who ascribed all to Fate Ver. 3. He blow the trumpet Hence the Ancients infer Clem. Bern. that a Bishop must preach and that Praelati officium est sollicitudo non celsitudo He taketh upon him the office of a constant Preacher saith Gregory that undertaketh to be a Minister Ver. 4. His blood shall be upon his own The blame shall rest wholly upon himself Not to be warned is a just both presage and desert of destruction Ver. 5. But he that taketh warning Praevision is the best means of prevention Ver. 6. He is taken away in his iniquity This a dismal kind of death far worse then that of dying in prison or of dying in a ditch At the watch-man's hand By whose treachery or indiligence at least he miscarried Ver. 7 8 9. See Notes on chap. 3.17 18 19. Ver. 10. Thus ye speak But not well whilst ye have hard thoughts of God Refricat verba desperantium Omnis restitutionis species spes à Deo nobis praecisa est Heb. 2.1 and heavy thoughts of your selves as if your sins were unpardonable and that ye were already ruined beyond relief whereas true Repentance is a ready remedy a plank after shipwrak that would set you safe and render you right again This they had been told before chap. 18. but to little purpose the word was not mingled with faith in their hearts and did therefore run through them as water runs through a riven vessel And we pine away in them Ita punimur ut perâ—amus This the Prophet had threatened chap. 24.23 and they still stomackfully object it to him it lay as hard-meat and they raise a cavil upon it whereto the Lord answereth Ver. 11. As I live saith the Lord God c. This is one of those precious places those melliflous hony-combes which we should go on sucking towards heaven as Sampson once did toward his parents Judg 14.9 Here if anywhere we may find strong consolation God when he swears desires certainly to be credited saith Tertullian O happy we for whose sakes God vouchsafeth to swear Lib. de Poenitent cap. 4. and O thrice-wretched we if we believe not God no though he swear to us Oh saith Theodoret here who can ever sufficiently admire
the Note there And their dark sayings Dark to those that are acute obtusi that have not their senses exercised to discern both good and evil Heb. 5.14 Legum obscuritates non assignemus culpae scribentium sed inscitiae non asse quentium saith hee in Gellius If the Law bee dark to any the fault is not in the Law-giver but in those that should better understand it Vers 7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning Or the chief and principal point * The head or first-fruits the head and heigh of wisdome as the word here signifieth yea wisdome it self Job 28.28 This Solomon had learned by the instruction of his Father as it is in the next verse who had taught it him of a childe Prov. 4.4 with Psal 111.10 and therefore sets it here in the beginning of his works as the beginning of all Hoc est enim totus homo As in the end hee makes it the end of all Eccles 12.13 yea the All of man without which hee counts him not a compleat man though never so wise to the world-ward Heathen Sages as Seneca Socrates c. were wise in their Generation and had many excellent gifts but they missed of the main there was no fear of God before their eyes Being herein as Alchimists who miss of their end but yet finde many excellent things by the way These Merchants found goodly pearls but the pearl of price they failed of Mat. 13.45 46. The Prophet calls the fear of God our treasure Isa 33.6 But fools despise Fools so are all such as fear not God being abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobate or injudicious Tit. 1.16 Evil is Hebrew for a fool Nebulâ— of Nabal Fool of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When one highly commended the Cardinal Julian to Sigismund hee answered Tamen Romanus est Yet hee is a Popeling So yet hee is a Fool because void of Gods true fear Behold they have rejected the word of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rheâ— and what wisdome is in them Jer. 8.9 Vers 8. Hear the instruction of thy Father c. It is not fit to disobey God thy Father nor thy Teacher saith Aristotle Our Parents said Hierocles are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our houshold-gods and their words should bee received as Oracles This is a principal fruit of the fear of God which it here fitly followeth like as in the decalogue the Commandement for honouring of Parents is set next of all to those of the first Table nay is indeed as Philo saith of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mixt Commandement Vers 9. For they shall bee an ornament Virgil. Plato A mans wisdome maketh his face to shine Eccles 8.1 Tum pietate gravem c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither gold nor precious stone so glistereth saith Plato as the prudent mind of a pious person Nothing so beautifies as grace doth Moses and Joseph were fair to God and favoured of all men A Crown of Gold a Chain of Pearl are no such Ornaments as are here commended Vers 10. If sinners entice thee To an ill bargain to a match of mischief as Ahab did Jehosaphat as Potiphers wife would have done Joseph and truly that hee yeelded not was no less a wonder than that those three Worthies burnt not in the midst of the fiery furnace But as the Sun-shine puts out fire so did the fear of God the fire of lust Consent thou not But carry a severe rebuke in thy countenaâ—ce as God doth Psal 80.16 To rebuke them is the ready way to bee rid of them Vers 11. If they say The Dragon bites the Elephants â—ar and thence sucks his blood because hee knows that to bee the onely place that hee cannot reach with his trunck to defend So deal the red Dragon and his Angels with good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple â—om 16.18 With much fair speech shee caused him to yeeld with the flattering of her lips shee forced him Prov. 7.21 Come with mee If sinners have their Come should not Saints much more Come let us go to the house of the Lord Isa 2.3 Come let us walk in the light of the Lord Vers 5. Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts I will go also Zech. 8.21 should wee not incite intice wheâ— and provoke one another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.24 sharpen and extimulate as Prov 27.17 rouse and stir up each other to love and good works 2 Pet. 1.13 Vers 12. Let us swallow them up alive As the Devil doth 1 Pet. 5.8 2 Tim. 2.26 Homo homini daemon The poor Indians have been heard to say It had been better that their Countrey had been given to the Devils of Hell than to the Spaniards and that if the cruel Spaniards go to Heaven when they dye they for their parts desire not to come there Vers 13. Wee shall finde all precious substance But those that rake together rem rem quocunque modo rem that count all good fish that comes to net will in the end catch the Devil and all Fill our houses with spoil Not considering that they consult shame to their houses by cutting off many people and sinning against their own souls Hab. 2.10 Hee that brings home a pack of plaguy cloaths hath no such great booty of it Vers 14. Let us all have one purse How much better were a wallet to beg from door to door than such a cursed hoard of evil-gotten goods Vers 15. Walk not thou in the way with them God will not take the wicked by the hand Psal 26. Job 8.20 Why then should wee Gather not my soul with sinners saith David O Lord let mee not go to Hell where the wicked are for Lord thou knowest I never loved their company here said a good Gentlewoman when shee was to dye being in much trouble of conscience Vers 16. For their feet run to evil By the abuse of their locomotive faculty given them to a better purpose They run as if they should not come time enough they take long strides toward the burning lake which is now but a little before them Vers 17. Surely in vain the net Which is to say Silly birds pick up the meat but see not the net and so become a prey to the fowler If the fruits of the flesh grow out of the trees of your hearts saith blessed Bradford surely Sermon of Repent pag. 70. surely the Devil is at Inne with you you are his birds whom when hee hath well fed hee will broach you and eat you chaw you and champ you world without end in eternal woe and misery Vers 18. And they lay wait Their sin will surely finde them out No doubt this man is a Murderer Nemo nequitiam gorit in pectâ—re qui non idem Nemesin in tergo said those Barbarians Act. 28.4 whom though hee had escaped the Sea yet
and wretched Cardinal found by woful experience in the reign of Henry the sixth For perceiving death at hand hee 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 Fox Martyrol vol. 1. p. 925. Fye quoth hee will not death bee hired will mony do nothing No mony in this case bears no mastery Death as the jealous man will not regard any ransome neither will hee rest content though thou offer many gifts Prov. 6.35 Aug. de civit Dei l. 5. c. 25. And in her left hand riches and honour Bonus Deus Constantinum Magnum tantis terrenis implevit muneribus quantâ— optare nullus auderet The good Lord heaped so much outward happiness upon his faithful Servant Constantine the Great as no man ever durst to have wished more saith Austin If God give his People a Crown hee will not deny them a crust If they have bona throni the good things of a Throne they shall bee sure of bona scabelli the good things of the footstool Vers 17. Her waies are waies of pleasantnesse Such as were those of Adam before his fall strawed with Roses paved with Peace Some degree of comfort follows every good action as heat accompanies fire as beams and influences issue from the Sun Which is so true that very Heathens upon the discharge of a good conscience have found comfort and peace answerable This saith One is praemium ante praemium a fore-reward of well-doing In doing thereof not onely for doing thereof there is great reward Psal 19.11 Vers 18. Shee is a tree of life A tree that giveth life and quickeneth or as one interprets it a moâ—â— assured sign of eternal life whatsoever it is hee alludeth no doubt to the tree mentioned Gen. 2.9 3.22 See the Notes there And happy is every one that retains her Though despised by the world as a poor Sneak a contemptible caytiff We usually call a poor man a poor soul a poor soul may be a rich Christian as Roger sirnamed Paupere censu was Son to Roger Bishop of Salisbury Goodwins Catal p. 338. who made him Chancellour of England Vers 19. The Lord by wisdome By his essential wisdome by his eternal word Prov. 8.30 the Lord Christ who is the beginning of the Creation of God Rev. 3.14 See the Note on John 1.3 In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth Gen. 1.1 that is In his Son as some interpret it Heb. 1.2 Col. 1.16 This interpretation is grounded upon the Jerusalimy Targum who translates that Gen. 1.1 bechochmatha in sapientia So doth Augustine and others and for confirmation they bring Joh. 8.25 but that is a mistake as Beza shews in his Annotations there Hee established the Heaven Heb. Hee aptly and trimly framed and formed them in that comeliness that wee now see The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work Psal 19.1 Upon the third Heaven hee hath bestowed a great deal of curious skill and cunning workmanship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.10 But of that no natural knowledge can be had nor any help by humane arts Geometry Opticks c. For it neither is aspectable nor moveable The Visible Heavens are for the many varieties therein and the wonderful motion of the several sphears fitly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coelum maximè co nomine intelligunt Graci Mercer The Original word here used ratione conjugationis plus aliquid significat quam paravit vel stabilivit Conen Mirum in modum disposuit Hee hath cunningly contrived And hence haply our antient English word Koning and by contraction King comming of the Verb Con which signifies as Becanus noteth Possum Scio Andeo I can I wot I dare do it Vers 20. The depths are broken up viz. Those great chanels and hollow places made in the earth to hold the waters Gen. 1.9 that they may not overflow the earth and this the very Philosophers are forced to confess to bee a work of divine wisdome Others by depths here understand fountains and floods breaking out and as it were flowing from the nethermost parts of the earth even as though the earth did cleave it self in sunder to give them passage And the clouds drop down the dews Clouds the bottles of rain and dew are vessels as thin as the liquor that is contained in them there they hang move though weighty with their burden How they are upheld and why they fall here and now wee know not and wonder Vers 21. Let not them depart Ne effluant haec ab oculis tuis saith the Vulgar Ne haec à tuis oculis deflectant in obliquum huc illuc So Mercer Let thy eyes look right on Chap. 4.25 look wishly and intently on these great works of God and his wisdome therein set forth and conspicuous as on a theatre Eye these things as the Steersman doth the Load-star 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Archer doth the mark hee shoots at 2 Cor. 4.18 or as the Passenger doth his way which hee findes hard to hit and dangerous to miss Yea let them bee the delight of thine eyes with the sight whereof thou canst not bee sated or surfeited Vers 22. So shall they bee life unto thy soul For by these men live and this is the spirit of my life saith Hezekiah Isa 38.16 Even what God hath spoken and done vers 15. A godly man differs from a wicked as much as a living man from a dead carkass The wicked are stark dead and stone cold The Saints also want heat sometimes but they are soon made hot again because there is life of soul in them as Charcoal is quickly kindled because it hath been in the fire And grace unto thy neck Or to thy throat that is to thy words uttered through the throat See the Note on chap. 1.9 Vers 23. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely Fidneialiter saith the Vulgar confidently and securely Every Malvoy shall bee a Salvoy to thee thou shalt ever go under a double guard the Peace of God within thee Phil. 4.7 and the Power of God without thee 1 Pet. 1.5 Thou shalt bee in league also with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall bee at peace with thee Job 5.23 Vers 24. Thou shalt not bee afraid See this exemplified in David Psal 3.5 6. Peter Act. 12.6 and Mr. Rogers our late Protomartyr Act. Mon. fol. 1356. who when hee was warned suddenly to prepare for the fire hee then being sound asleep in the prison scarce with much shogging could bee awaked Thy sleep shall bee sweet As knowing that God thy Keeper Psal 121.4 5. doth wake and watch for thee Psal 120.1 Wicked mens sleep is often troublesome through the workings of their evil consciences Danielâ— Hist of Eng. as our Richard the third after the murther of his
own two innocent Nephews had fearful dreams insomuch that hee did often leap out of his bed in the dark and catching his sword which alway naked stuck by his side hee would go distractedly about the Chamber every where seeking to finde out the cause of his own-occasioned disquiet So Charles the ninth of France after that bloody Massacre of Paris was so inwardly terrified that hee was every night laid to sleep Thuâ—n lib. 57. and wakened again with a set of Musicians Vers 25. Bee not afraid Or thou shalt not bee afraid Nec si fractus illabatur orbis Sudden evils do commonly dis-spirit people and expectorate their abilities they be at their wits end But let a David walk through the vale of the shadow of death that is the darkest side of death death in its most horrid and hideous representations hee will not fear no though hee should go back again the same way for thou art with mee saith hee Hee had God by the hand and so long hee feared no colours Psal 23.4 Vers 26. For the Lord shall bee thy confidence The Hebrew word here used signifies both unconstant folly Eccles 7.27 and constant hope Psal 78.7 And Rabbi Solomon saith that hee had found in the Jerusalem-Targum this Text thus censured and expounded The Lord shall bee with thee in thy folly that is hee shall turn to thy good even thine inconsiderate and rash enterprizes if thou addict thy self to the study of wisdome And shall keep thy foot from being taken In the snare which thou wast near unto by chusing rather to bee held temerarious than timorous Vers 27. With-hold not good from them to whom it is due Either by the Law of equity or of charity For there is a debt of love Rom. 13.8 that wee must ever bee owing and ever pay And as wee say of thanks Gratiae habendae agendae Thanks must bee given and held as still due so must this debt of love Quicquid Clerici habent pauperum est saith Hierome It s true in a sense of others as well as of Ministers The poor Gods poor are the owners of that wee have wee are but stewards and dispensers of Gods bounty to his necessitous servants Now if our receits bee found great and our layings out small God will cast such bills back in our faces and turn us out of our stewardship They are fools that fear to lose their wealth by giving but fear not to lose themselves by keeping it When it is in the power of thy hand When thou hast opportunity and ability for wee must not stretch beyond the staple that were to marre all Neither when a price is put into our hands may wee play the fools and neglect it But wheresoever God sets us up an Altar Prov. 17.16 wee must bee ready with our Sacrifice of Alms for with such Sacrifices God is well-pleased Heb. 13. See my common place of Alms. Vers 28. To morrow Bis dat qui cito dat while yee have time do good to all your beneficence must bee prompt and present who can tell what a great-bellyed day may bring forth Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God Weoâ—sâ— Psal 58.32 currere faciet manus suas ad Dominum to note their speediness in giving Isa 23.18 saith one Tyrus also when converted once makes haste to feed and cloathe Gods poor Saints with the money and Merchandise shee was wont to heap up and hoard Vers 29. Devise not evil against thy neighbour Heb. Plow not evil i. e. plot not One of the Rabbines renders it Suspect not shun evil surmises 1 Tim. 6.4 Most unkindnesses among friends grow upon mistakes misprisions charity is candid and takes every thing in the best sense and by the right handle 1 Cor. 13. Vers 30. Strive not with a man without cause If mens hearts were not bigger than their sutes there would not bee half so many It is a fault to go lightly to Law but especially with such as have done thee no harm Zuinglius renders this Text thus Ne temere litem cum quoquam suscipias quo minus superior factus malum tibi retribuat Others sim mendax nisi rependat tibi malum Life of Card. Wolsey How Cardinal Wolsey when hee became Lord Chancellour paid home Sir James Paulet for setting him by the heels when as yet hee was but a poor School-master is well known How much better Arch-bishop Cranmer of whom the proverb passed Do my Lord of Canterbury a shrewd turn and you shall have him your friend for ever after Act. Mon. And Robert Holgat Arch-bishop of York of whom it is recorded that in the year 1541. hee obtained a benefice in a place where one Sir Francis Askew of Lincolnshire dwelt by whom hee was much troubled and molested in Law Upon occasion of these sutes hee was fain to repair to London where being hee found means to become the Kings Chaplain and by him was made Arch-bishop of York and President of the Kings Council for the North. The Knight before-mentioned happened to have a sute before the Council there and doubted much of hard measure from the Archbishop whose adversary hee had been But hee remembring the rule of the Gospel Godw. Catalog 625. to do good for evil yeelded him all favour that with justice he might saying afterwards merrily to his friends hee was much beholden to Sir Francis Askew for that had not hee been hee must have lived a hedge-Priest all the daies of his life Vers 31. Envy not the oppressor That grows rich by unjust quarrels and vexatious Law-sutes It is not for nothing surely that our Saviour Luke 12.15 after Who made mee a Judge adds Take heed and beware of covetousness Implying that most men go to Law with a covetous oâ— a vindictive mind whereas if they will needs wage Law they should do it as Charles the French King made war with our Henry the seventh more desiring peace than profit or victory It should bee with men in this case as it was with St. Austin and Hierom in their Disputations It was no matter who gained the day they would both win by understanding their errours Vers 32. For the froward is abomination The Vitilitigator the Wrangler the Common-barreter though hee may prosper in the world yet God cannot abide him his money will perish with him Hee will one day say to his cursed heaps of evil-gotten goods as Charles the fifth Emperour Phil. Morn in his old age did of his victories trophees riches honours hee cursed them all saying Abite hinc abite longe Avaunt bee packing hence away But his secret They shall bee of his Cabinet-councel that chuse rather to lye in the dust than to rise by evil arts by wicked principles such were Joseph Micaiah Daniel c. Vers 33. In the house of the wicked His wife children family possessions all are accursed his fine cloaths have the plague in them Or his house which
a wicked man for his lying is loathsome Heb. stinketh and cometh to shame Prov. 13.5 Pilate for instance of whom Egesippus saith that hee was Vir nequam parvi faciens mendacium A naughty man and that made light of a lye It may seem so by that scornful question of his What 's truth Joh. 18.38 Tacitus also is by Tertullian said to bee mendaciorum loquacissimus where hee speaks of Christians hee writes so many lines so many lies Liers pervert the end for which God created speech which was to give light to the notions of the mind Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And hands that shed innocent blood This is fitly subjoyned and set after a lying tongue because blood-shed is oft occasioned by lying nil est audacius illis Deprensis iram atque animos ex crimine sumunt Juvenal Ruffians revenge the lye given them with a stab Persecutors as in the French Massacre give out that Christians are the worst of men not fit to live for their notorious enormities and therefore not to bee pittied if taken from the earth Those that kill a Dog saith the French Proverb make the world beleeve hee was mad first so they alwaies belied the Church and traduced her to the world and then persecuted her first took away her veil and then wounded her Cant. 5.6 The Devil was first a slanderer and lyer and then a murtherer Hee cannot murder without hee slander first But God will destroy them that speak lies the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man Psal 5.6 Vers 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations This is the old Beldame the Mother of all the foregoing and following mischiefs and is therefore fitly set in the midst of the seven as having an influence into all From the eies the Wise-man descends to the mouth from the mouth to the hands from the hands to the heart from thence to the feet and so takes the parts in order as they stand But as for the heart it transfuseth its venome into all the rest and may say to them all as the heart of Apollodorus the Tyrant seemed to say to him who dreamed one night that hee was fleaed by the Scythians and boiled in a Caldron and that his heart spake to him out of the kettle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is I that have drawn thee to all this Those in Hell cry so doubtless Feet that bee swift As if they should come too late This is a foul abuse of the locomotive faculty given us by God for better purpose that wee should bee swift to hear run to and fro to encrease knowledge Dan. 12. walk in the way that is called holy go from strength to strength taking long strides towards Heaven Psal 84.7 Those then that walk in a contrary road and make all possible haste to heap up sin upon sin must needs be abominated and accursed of God Vers 19. A false witness that speaketh lies Heb. That blows abroad lies as with a pair of bellows that vents them boldly and freely in open Court in the face of the Countrey These Knights of the Post can lend an oath for a need as they did Jesabel against Naboth and like those in the history will not stick to swear that their friend or foe was at Rome and Interamna both at once God oft thundereth against such to shew his utter hatred of them and hath threatned that the winged flying-book that is full of curses within and without shall overtake them ere they get home and shall rest in the midst of their houses to consume them with the timber thereof and the stones thereof Zach. 5.4 And him that soweth discord See the Notes on vers 14. 16. Unity among brethren is fitly compared to a Cable-Rope which will not easily break but if once cut asunder its hard to tye a knot upon it what ill officers then are Breed-bates and boutefeus Vers 20. My Son keep thy Fathers Commandement The commandements of religious Parents are the very commandements of God himself and are therefore to bee as carefully kept as the apple of a mans eye Prov. 7.2 See the Note one Chap. 1.8 Vers 21. Binde them continually Observe them with as much care and conscience as thou art bound to do the Law of God given by Moses Deut. 6.8 See the Note there Ducet perducet Vers 22. When thou goest it shall lead thee No such guide to God as the Word which while a man holds to hee may safely say Lord if I bee deceived thou hast deceived mee If I bee out of the way thy word hath misled mee When thou sleepest it shall keep thee If thou sleep with some good meditation in thy mind it shall keep thee from foolish and sinful dreams and fancies and set thy heart in a holy frame when thou awakest Hee that raketh up his fire at night shall finde fire in the morning How precious are thy thoughts that is thoughts of thee unto mee O God Psal 139.17 what follows When I awake I am still with thee vers 18. Vers 23. For the Commandement is a Lamp Or Candle whereof there is no small use when men go to bed or rise betime Hee that hath the Word of Christ richly dwelling in him may lay his hand upon his heart and say as dying Oecolampadius did Hic sat lucis Here 's plenty of light Under the Law all was in riddles Moses was veyled And yet that saying was then verified Et latet lucet There was light enough to light men to Christ the end of the Law And reproofs of instruction Or corrections of instructions A lesson set on with a whipping is best remembred See the Note on Chap. 3.13 Vers 24. To keep thee from the evil woman Heb. From the woman of evil that is wholly given up to wickedness as Aaron saith of the people Exod. 32.22 and as Plautus In fermento tota jacet uxor In this sense Antichrist is called the man of sin 2 Thes 3. From the flattery of the tongue This is the proper effect of Gods word hid in the heart as an amulet Bellerophon and other Heathens without this preservative abstained from Adultery either for love of praise or fear of punishment or opinion of merit but this was not properly chastity but continency which kept them from the outward act sed non sine dolore not without inward lustings and hankerings after strange flesh Vellem si non essem Imperator said Scipio when a fair Harlot was offered to him I would if I were not a General Of a strange woman Filthiness as also swearing and drunkenness in a woman is most abominable Hence among other reasons saith one the whorish woman is called the strange woman Salust Vers 25. Lust not after her beauty Aureliae Orestillae praeter formam nihil unquam bonus landavit Aurelia Orestilla had beauty indeed but nothing else that was praise-worthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aelian ver hist
31.1 See therefore that evil thoughts though they rush into the heart yet they rest not in it Vers 26. For shee hath cast down many That have let in death at those windows of wickedness those loop-holes of lust that have dyed of the wound in the eye Aliorum perditio tua sit cautio Seest thou another man shipwrackt look well to thy tacklings Yea many strong men have been slain by her The valour of man hath oft been slaved by the wyses of a woman Witness many of your greatest Martialists who conquered Countries and were vanquished of vices being captivarum suarum captivi The Persian Kings commanded the whole world and were commanded by their concubines So was Alexander Sampson Hercules whom some make to bee the same with Sampson Lenam non potuit potuit superare leaenam Quem fera non potuit vincere vicit hera Vers 27. Her house is the way to hell The shortest cut to utter destruction This if well beleeved would make the young man stop or step back as if hee had trod upon a serpent Sed vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur Aut velut infernus fabula vana foret Going down to the Chambers of death Both temporal and eternal Lo those Hoasts that welcome men into their Inne with smiling countenance will cut their throats in their beds The Syrens are said to live in green meadows Natal Comes and to have by them ever an heap of dead mens bones CHAP. VIII Vers 1. Doth not Wisdome cry ANd shall a Harlot bee sooner heard than shee Shall men prefer dross before gold acorns before wheat a swine-sty before a Sanctuary dirty delights and sensual pleasures before peace that passeth all understanding Xenophon joy unspeakable and full of glory Heathen stories tell how Hercules when hee was young was courted by Vertue on the one hand and Pleasure on the other But Pleasure lost her sweet words upon him hee hearkned to Vertue rather Shall not wee to Wisdome Put forth her voyce In her Ministers who are Cryers by office and must bee earnest Isa 58.1 See an instance in holy Bradford I beseech you saith Hee I pray you I desire you I crave at your hands with all my very heart I ask of you with hand pen tongue and minde in Christ through Christ for Christ Act. Mon. 1490. for his Name Blood Mercy Power and Truths sake my most intirely beloved that you admit no doubting of Gods final mercies toward you c. Here was a lusty Cryer indeed And such another was Mr. Perkins of whom it is said that in expounding the Commandements when hee was Catechist of Christs Colledge hee applied them so home to his hearers Mr. Fullers Holy-state p 90. that hee made their very hearts fall down and their hairs stand upright Vers 2. Shee standeth in the top of high places That is saith an Interpreter in the lofty Oracles of the Patriarchs and Prophets Vers 3. At the entry of the City Heb. At the mouth for as words go out of the mouth Rod. Bain so do men out of the City onely men go and come at their pleasure Sed volat emissum semel irrevocabile verbum A word once uttered cannot bee recalled At the coming in at the doors Every where Christ offereth himself hence ariseth this phrase My salvation is gone forth but to little purpose through mens singular perversness Indeed if the Lord would set up a Pulpit at the Ale-house door they would hear oftner But sith hee doth not they will run to hell as fast as they can And if God cannot catch them they care not they will not return Vers 4. Unto you O men I call O viri praestantes so some render it O yee eminent men whether for greatness of birth wealth or learning The Pharisees and Philosophers for their learning are called the Princes of this world 1 Cor. 2.8 Sed sapientes sapienter in infernum descendunt saith one potentes potenter tâ—rquebuntur saith another But the world by wisdome knows not God 1 Cor. 1.21 and not many wise men not many mighty not many noble are called vers 26. And yet they shall not want for calling if that would do it for unto you O mighty men I call Sed surdo plerunque fabulam but all to little purpose for most part They that lay their heads upon down-pillows cannot so easily hear noyses Courts and great places prove ill air for Zeal Divitibus ideo pietas deest quia nihil deest Rich mens wealth proves an hindrance to their happiness And my voyce is to the Sons of men i. e. To the meaner sort of people See Psal 49.2 These usually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like little fishes bite more than bigger The poor are Gospellized saith our Saviour Smyrna was the poorest but best of the seven Churches Certain it is that many of the meaner sort hold that they are not bound to look after Scripture-matters but that it is for rich men and Scholars onely to do so Wee have nothing say they to live by but these hands How can day-labourers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 22. ad Pop. Antioch and poor Craftsmen intend such things The baser sort of people in Swethland do alwayes break the Sabbath saying that it is only for Gentlemen to keep that day See Jer. 5.4 Joh. 7.49 But Paul a poor Tent-maker could say Our conversation is in heaven and Gods people are afflicted and poor yet they trust in the Name of the Lord Zeph. 3.12 Who ever richer than Adam in Paradise Poorer than Job on the dunghill yet in Paradise Satan foiled Adam on the dunghil Job foiled Satan Think not that poverty can excuse from duty Poor men also must listen to wisdomes voyce or it will bee worse with them there is yet but a beginning of their sorrows Vers 5. O yee simple If yee bee not set in sin resolved of your way as good as yee mean to bee If yet there bee any place left for perswasion See the Note on Chap. 1.4 And yee fools Yee that have already made your conclusion and are wiser in your own conceit than seven men that can render a reason Ver. 6. I will speak of excellent things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruling-cases Master-sentences Axiomes of state principles for Princes I have written for them the great things of my Law Hos 8.12 Solomon calls the Scriptures Lords of Collections as some sense that Text Eccles 12.11 Shall hee right things Right for each mans particular purposes and occasions Athanâ—s The Scriptures are so peâ—â—â—â—l that every man may think they speak de se in re sua of him and his 〈◊〉 In all the Commandements of God there is so much rectitude and good reason could wee but see it that if God did not command them yet it were our best way to practise them For my mouth shall speak truth Heb. Shall meditate truth i. e. I will
third who well knowing it was no good policy to play the Devil by half deal resolved to leave never a rub to lye in the way that might hinder the running of his bowl and hence was he so infinitely hated of all Vers 16. Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge Observes circumstances and deports himself with discretion thrusts not himself into unnecessary dangers carves not a piece of his heart but to those hee is well assured of See an instance of this prudence in Ezra chap. 8.22 in Nehemiah chap. 2.5 Hee calls it not the place of Gods Worship such an expression that Heathen King might have disgusted but the place of his Fathers Sepulchres in Esther who concealed her Stock and Kindred till she saw her time in Christ when he was tried for his life in Paul Acts 23.6 Act. 19.10 he lived two years at Ephesus and spake not much against the Worship of their great Goddesse Diana vers 37. The prudent shall keep silence in an evil time Amos 5.13 'T is not good provoking evil men that are irreformable nor safe pulling a Bear or mad Dog by the ear But a fool layeth open his folly Plasheth it and setteth it a sunning as it were by his head-long head-strong exorbitances by his inconsiderate courses hee openly bewraies and proclaims what he is he sets his folly upon the cliffe of the rock that it should not be covered Ezek. 24.7 Vers 17. A wicked messenger falleth into mischief Incurs the displeasure and just revenge of them that sent him Or at least of God in case of their slacknesse How much more then wicked Ministers those Messengers of the Churches Jer. 4◠10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 8.23 that doe the Lords work negligently that corrupt his Message 2 Cor. 2.17 that huckster it and handle it craftily and covetously good evil and evil good c. Who is blinde but my servant or deaf as my messenger Isa 42.19 Such an Ambassadour was once worthily derided in the Roman State As at another time a certain stranger coming on Ambassage to the Senators of Rome and colouring his hoary hair and pale cheeks with vermilion hue a grave Senator espying the deceit stood up and said What sincerity are wee to expect at this mans hands whose locks and looks and lips do lye It was an honest complaint of a Popish Writer Wee saith hee handle the Scripture tantum ut nos pascat vestiat that wee may pick a living out of it and are therefore fain to preach placentia and so to put men into a Fools Paradise But shall they thus escape by iniquity Psal 56.7 have they no better Medicums But a faithful Ambassador is health To him that sendeth him to those hee is sent to and to himself So is a faithful Minister that delivers the whole counsel of God all that hee hath in Commission Jer. 1.17 Ezek. 3.17 Vers 18. Poverty and shame These two are fitly set together for poverty is usually slighted if not shamed Jam. 2.16 Nil habet infelix paupertas durius in se Quà m quod ridiculos homines facit The world looks over a poor though vertuous man Luke 15. This thy son not this my brother And why but because in poverty How much more an uncounselable and incorrigible man as here and that Prodigal had been till hee came to himself But hee that regardeth reproof shall bee honoured Though not haply inriched hee shall bee of good account with the wise and godly though in meaner condition Mr. Fox being asked whether hee knew such an honest poor man who had received succour and good counsel from him in time of trouble answered I remember him well I tell you I forget Lords and Ladies to remember such Vers 19. The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul Tota vita boni Christiani sanctum desiderium est saith Augustine The whole life of a good Christian is one holy desire hee even spends and exhales himself in continual sallyes as it were and expressions of strongest affection to God whom hee hath chosen and with whom hee hath much sweet intercourse hee cannot bee at rest without some comings in from him every day And then O the joyes the joyes Mrs. Kath. Brettergh the unconceivable joyes as shee once cryed out O that joy O my God when shall I bee with thee These were the dying words of the young Lord Harrington Hee was in heaven aforehand as having let out his holy soul into God Fun. Serm. by Mr. Stock the fountain of all good But it is abomination to fools to depart from evil To bee pulled from their vain delights though never so sinful never so destructive Esau for a mess of pottage sold his birth-right Cardinal Burbon would not part with his part in Paris for a part in paradise Theotimus in Ambrose being told that intemperance would bee the loss of his eye-sight cried out Vale lumen amicum Hee would rather lose his sight than his sin so doth many a man his soul The Panther loves mans dung they say so much that if it bee hanged a height from him hee will leap up and never leave till hee hath burst himself in peeces to get it and this is the way they get that creature Like policy useth Satan by base lusts to draw many to hell It was a speech of Gregory Nyssen Hee that doth but hear of Hell is without any further labour or study taken off from sinfull pleasures Mens hearts are grown harder now adayes Vers 20. Hee that walketh with wise men shall bee wise Hee that comes where sweet spices and ointments are stirring doth carry away some of the sweet savour though hee think not of it so he that converseth with good men shall get good Holiness is such an Elixar as by Contaction if there bee any disposition of goodness in the same mettal it will render it of the property A childe having been brought up with Plato Sen. de ita l. 3. c. 11. and afterwards hearing his Father break out into rage and passion said I have never seen the like with Plato But a companion of fools shall bee broken There is an elegancy in the Original that cannot bee Englished Bede by a companion or friend of fools here understands those that take delight in Jesters Stage-players and such idle companions unprofitable burdens fruges consumere nati the botch and canker of the Commonwalth Plutarch Theatra juvenes corrumpunt saith Plato ludi praebeut semina nequitiae saith Ovid. The Lacedemonians would not admit of them that so they might not hear any thing contrary to their laws whether in jest or in earnest Func Chron. And Henry the third Emperour of Germany when a great sort of such fellows flocked together at his wedding sent them all away not allowing them so much as a cup of drink Anno Dom. 1044. Vers 21. Evil pursueth sinners Hard at heels Flagitium flagellum ut acus filum Sin
Father glorifie thy name Joh. 12.27 28. All the while the eye of his humanity was fixed upon deliverance from the hour of temptation there was no peace nor rest in his soul because there hee found not onely incertainty but impossibility For this cause came I to this hour But when hee could come to this Father glorifie thy name when hee could wait on acquiesce in and resign to the will of his Father wee never hear of any more objection fear or trouble Thus hee Plato finem bujus mandi bonitatem Dei esse affirmavis Vers 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself that is for his own glory which hee seeks in all his works and well hee may for first hee hath none higher than himself to whom to have respect And secondly hee is not in danger as wee should bee in like case of being puffed up or desirous of vain-glory Or thus Hee hath made all things for himself that is for the demonstration of his goodness De Doctr. Christiana according to that of Augustine Quiabonus est Deus sumus in quantum sumus boni sumus Wee owe both our being and well-being and the glory of all to God alone Rom. 1â— ult Bern. The wicked also for the day of evil i. e. of destruction Hereof Dei voluntas est ratio rationum nec tantum recta sed regula Howbeit whereas Divines make two parts of the decree of Reprobation viz. Preterition and Predamnation All agree for the latter saith a learned Interpreter that God did never determine to damn any man for his own pleasure but the cause of his Perdition was his own sin And there is a reason for it For God may to shew his Sovereignty annihilate his creature but to appoint a reasonable creature to an estate of endless pain without respect of his desert cannot agree to the unspotted justiâ—e of God And for the other part of passing over and forsaking a great part of men for the glory of his Justice the exactest Divines do not attribute that to the meer will of God but hold that God did first look upon those men as sinners at least in the general corruption brought in by the Fall For all men have sinned by Adam and are guilty of high Treason against God Vers 5. Every one that is proud in heart c. That lifts up himself against God and his righteous Decree daring to reprehend what they do not comprehend about the doctrine of Reprobation as those Chatters Rom. 9.20 These whiles like proud and yet brickle clay they will bee knocking their sides against the solid and eternal Decree of God called Mountains of brass Zach. 6.1 they break themselves in peeces So likewise do such as stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed 1 Pet. 2.8 How much better were it for them to take the Prophets counsel Hear and give ear bee not proud for the Lord hath spoken it Give glory to the Lord your God let him bee justified and every mouth stopped subscribe to his most perfect justice though it were in your own utter destruction before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains c. Jer. 13.15 16. That was a proud and Atheistical speech of Lewis the eleventh St salvabor salvabor si vero damnabor damnabor If I shall be saved I shall bee saved and if I shall bee damned I shall bee damned and there is all the care that I shall take Not unlike to this was that wretched resolution of one Ruffus of whom it is storied that hee painted God on the one side of his shield and the Devil on the other with this mad Motto Si tu me nolis iste rogitat If thou wilt not have mee here is one will Though hand joyn in hand See the Note on Chap. 11.21 Some make hand in hand to bee no more than out of hand Immediately or with â—ase for nothing is sooner or with more ease done than to fold one hand in another God shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them as hee that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim and hee shall bring down their pride together with the spoil of their hands Isa 25.11 The motion in swimming is easie not strong for strong stroaks in the water would rather sink than support God with greatest facility can subdue his stoutest adversary when once it comes to handy-gripes when once his hand joyns to the proud mans hand so some sense this text so that they do manus conserere then shall it appear that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10. Vers 6. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged Lest the proud person hearing these dreadful threats should fall into despair here is a way shewed him how to escape By mercy and truth that is by the goodness and faithfulness of God by his love that moved him to promise pardon to the penitent and by his truth that bindes him to perform iniquity though never so hateful bee it blasphemy or any like hainous sin Mat. 12.31 is purged or expiated viz. through Christ who is the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 2.2 See Chap. 14.22 with the Note And by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil As in the former clause were declared the causes of Justification so here the exercise of Sanctification for these two go ever together Christ doth not onely wash all his in the fountain of his blood opened for sin and for uncleanness Zach. 13.1 but healeth their natures of that swinish disposition whereby they would else wallow again in their former filth The Layer and Altar under the Law situated in the same Priests Court signified the same as the water and blood issuing out of Christs side viz. The necessary concurrence of Justification and Sanctification in all that shall bee saved that was intimated by the Laver and water this by the Altar and blood Vers 7. When a mans waies please the Lord Sin is the onely make-bate that sets God and man at difference Now when God is displeased all his creatures are up in arms to fetch in his rebels and to do execution Who then would set the briars and thorns against him in battel would hee not go thorow them would hee not burn them together Let him then take hold of my strength saith God that hee may make peace with mee and hee shall make peace with mee Isa 27.4 5. And not with God onely but with the Creature too that gladly takes his part and is at his beck and check Laban followed Jacob with one troop Esau met him with another both with hostile intentions But God so wrought for Jacob whom hee had chosen that Laban leaves him with a kisse Esau meets him with a kisse Of the one hee hath an Oath Tears of the other Peace with both Who shall need to fear men that is in league with God Vers 8. Better is a little
speak hath not God given us two ears and one tongue to teach us better to precipitate a censure or passe sentence before both Parties bee heard to speak evil of the things that a man knows not or weakly and insufficiently to defend that which is good against a subtle adversary Austin professeth this was it that hardened him and made him to triumph in his former Manichism that hee met with feeble opponents and such as his nimble wit was easily able to overturn Oecolampadius said of Carolostadius that hee had a good cause but wanted shoulders to support it Vers 14. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity Some sorry shift a man may make to bustle with and to rub thorow other aylements and aggrievances disasters or diseases sores or sicknesses of the body as the word here properly importeth Let a man bee sound within and upon good terms at peace with his own conscience and hee will bravely bear unspeakable pressures 2 Cor. 1.9 12. Paul was merry under his load because his heart was cheary in the Lord as an old beaten Porter to the Crosse maluit tolerare quà m deplorare his stroak was heavier than his groaning as Job chap. 23.2 Alexander Aphrodiseus gives a reason why Porters under their burdens go singing because the mind being delighted with the sweetnesse of the musick Problem 1. Numb 78. the body feels the weight so much the lesse Their shoulders while sound will bear great luggage but let a bone bee broken or but the skin rubbed up and raw the lightest load will bee grievous A little water in a leaden vessel is heavy so is a little trouble in an evil conscience But a wounded spirit who can bear q. d. It is a burthen importable able to quail the courage and crush the shoulders of the hugest Hercules of the mightiest man upon earth who can bear it The body cannot much lesse a diseased body And if the soul bee at unrest the body cannot but co-suffer Hence Job preferred and Judas chose strangling before it Bilney and Bainbam Act. Mon. fol. 938. after they had abjured felt such an hell in their consciences till they had openly professed their sorrow for that sin as they would not feel again for all the worlds good Daniel chose rather to bee cast into the den of Lions than to carry about a Lion in his bosome an enraged conscience The primitive Christians cried likewise Ad Leones potiùs quà m ad Lenones adjiciamur What a terrour to himself was our Richard the third after the cruel murther of his two innocent Nephews and Charls the ninth of France after that bloody massacre Hee could never endure to bee awakened in the night without musick or some like diversion But alass if the soul it self bee out of tune these outward things do no more good than a fair shooe to a gowty foot or a silken stocken to a broken legg Vers 15. The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge Such as can keep the bird singing in their bosome and are free from inward perturbations these by meditating on the good Word of God and by listening to the wholesome words 〈◊〉 others get and gather knowledge that is great store of all sorts of knowlâ—â—â—e that which is divine especially and tends to the perfecting of the soul Vers â—â— A mans gift maketh roomth for him This Jacob knew well Gen. 43.11 and therefore â—â—de his Sons take a present for the Governour of the Land though it were but of every good thing a little So Saul 1 Sam. 9.7 when to go to the man of God to enquire about the Asses But behold said hee to his servant if wee go what shall wee bring the man what have wee See more in the Note on Chap. 17. vers 8. 23. Vers 17. Hee that is first in his own cause seemeth just The first tale is good till the second bee heard How fair a tale told Tertullus for the Jews against Paul till the Apostle came after him and unstarcht the Oratours trim speech Judges had need to get and keep that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Alexander boasted of to keep one ear clear and unprejudiced for the defendant for they shall meet with such active Actors or Pleaders as can make Quid libet ex quolibet Candida de nigris de candentibas atra as can draw a fair glove upon a foul hand blanch and smooth over the worst causes with goodly pretences as Ziba did against Mephibosheth Potiphars wife against Joseph c. Hee must therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Athenian Judges were sworn to do hear both sides indifferently and as that Levite said Judg. 19. Consider consult and then give sentence doing nothing by partiality or prejudice Vers 18. The lot causeth contentions to cease As it did Josh 14.2 Where it is remarkable that Joshua that lotted out the Land left none to himself and that portion that was given him and hee content withall was but a mean one in the barren mountains So again Act. 1.26 where it is remarkable that this Joseph called Barsabas seeing it was not Gods mind by lot to make choice of him now to succeed Judas in the Apostleship was content with a lower condition therefore afterwards God called him to that high and honourable office of an Apostle if at least this Joseph Barsabas were the same with that Joseph Barnabas Act. 4.36 as the Centurists are of opinion See the Note on Chap. 16.23 Vers 19. A brother offended is harder to bee won c. Whether it bee a brother by race place or grace Corruptio optimi pessima Those oft that loved most dearly if once the Devil cast his club betwixt them they hate most deadly See this exemplified in Cain and Abel Esau and Jacob Polynices and Eteocles Romulus and Remus Caracalla and Geta the two sons of Severus the Emperour Robert and Rufus the sons of William the Conquerour the Civil dissentions between the houses of York and Lancaster wherein were slain eighty Princes of the blood-royal the dissentions between England and Scotland Daniel 192. which consumed more Christian-blood wrought more spoil and destruction and continued longer than ever quarrel wee read of did between any two people of the world As for Brethren by profession and that of the true Religion too among Protestants you shall meet with many divisions and those prosecuted with a great deal of bitternesse Eucholcer Nullum bellum citius exardescit nullum deflagrat tardius quà m Theologicum No war breaks out sooner or lasts longer than that among Divines or as that about the Sacrament a Sacrament of love a Communion and yet the occasion by accident of much dissention Melch. Adam in vita This made holy Strigelius weary of his life Cupio ex hac vita migrare ob duas causas saith hee For two causes chiefly do I desire to depart out of this world First That I may injoy the
not as the rest did kisse the consecrated Charger the Cardinal I say that sung Masse being displeased thereat cried out Si non vis benedicticum Anno Dom. 1559. Bucholcer habeas tibi maledictionem in aeternum If thou wilt not have the blessing thou shalt have Gods curse and mine for ever Let them curse but blesse thou when they arise let them be ashamed but let thy servants rejoyce Psal 109.28 Vers 3. A whip for the horse Viz. To quicken his slow pace A bridle for the asse wherewith to lead him in the right way for he goes willingly but a foot-pace and would be oft out but for the bit and besides he is very refractory and must be held in with bit and bridle Psal 32.9 And a rod for the back of fools 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A fool will be the better for beating Vexatio dat intellectum Due punishment may well be to these horses and asses so the Scripture terms unreasonable and wicked men both for a whip to incite them to good and for a bridle to reign them in from evil God hath rods sticking in every corner of his house for these froward fools and if a rod serve not turn he hath a terrible sword Esay 27.1 So must Magistrates Cuncta prius tentanda If a rod will do they need not brandish the sword of Justice nor do as Draco did who punished with death every light offence This was to kill a fly upon a mans forehead with a beetle to the knocking out of his brains Vers 4. Answer not a fool according to his folly When either he curseth thee as verse 2 or cryeth out upon thee for giving him due correction verse 3. for every publike person had need to carry a spare handkerchief to wipe off the dirt of disgrace and obloquy cast upon him for doing his duty Pass such an one by in silence Chrysost as not worthy the answering Sile et funestam dedisti plagam say nothing and you pay him to purpose Hezekiah would not answer Rabshakeh nor Jeremy Hananiah chap. 28.11 nor our Saviour his adversaries Mat. 26.26 John 19.9 he reviled not his revilers hee threatned not his open opposites 1 Pet. 2.23 Lest thou also be like unto him As hot and as head-long as he for a little thing kindles us and we are apt to think that we have reason to be mad if evil-intreated to talk as fast for our selves as he doth against us and to give him as good as he brings so that at length there will be never a wiser of the two and people will say so Vers 5. Answer a fool according to his folly Cast in somewhat that may sting him and stop his mouth Stone him with soft words but hard arguments as Christ dealt with Pilat lest he lift up his crest and look upon himself as a conquerour and be held so by the hearers In fine when a fool is among such as himself answer him lest he seem wise If he be among wise men answer him not and they will regard rather quid tu taceas quam quod ille dicat thy seasonable silence than his passionate prattle Vers 6. He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool The worth of a faithfull messenger he had set forth Chap. 15.13 here the discommodity of a foolish one Such as were the Spies Moses sent Num. 13. and 14. So when the Prophet proves a fool the spiritual man is mad Hos 9.7 things go on as heavily as if feet were wanting to a traveller or as if a messenger had lost his legges Rodulph Bain Vers 7. The legs of the lame are not equal Locum habet proverbium cum is qui male vivit bene loquitur saith an Interpreter This Proverb hits such as speak well but live otherwise Uniformity and Ubiquity of obedience are sure signs of sincerity but as unequal pulse argues a distempered body so doth uneaven walking shew a diseased soul A wise mans life is all of one colour like it self and godliness runs thorow it as the woof runs thorow the warp But if all the parts of the line of thy life be not straight before God it is a crooked life If thy tongue speak by the talent but thine hands scarce work by the ounce thou shalt pass for a Pharisee Mat. 23.3 They spake like Angels lived like Devils had heaven commonly at their tongues end but the earth continually at their fingers end Odi homines ignavâ operà Philosophâ sententiâ said the Heathen that is I hate such Hypocrites as have mouths full of holiness hearts full of hollowness A certain stranger coming on Embassage to the Senate of Rome and colouring his hoary hair and pale cheeks with vermillion hiew a grave Senatour espying the deceit stood up and said What sincerity are we to expect at this mans hand whose locks and looks and lips do lye Vers 8. As he that bindeth a stone in a sling A precious stone is not fit for a sling where it will soon be cast away and lost no more is honour for a fool See vers 1. Aben-Ezra saith that Margemah here rendered a Sling signifies Purple and senseth it thus As it is an absurd thing to wrap a Pibble in purple so is it to prefer a fool as Saul did Doeg as Ahasuerosh Human. Vers 9. As a thorn goeth up into the hand c. He handleth it hard as if it were another kind of wood and it runs into his hand So do prophane persons pervert and pollute the holy Scriptures to their own and other mens destruction By a Parable here the Hebrews understand either these Parables of Salomon or the whole Book of God At this day no people under Heaven doe so abuse Scripture as the Jewes doe For commending in their familiar Epistles some Letter they have received they say Eloquia Domini eloquia pura The words of my Lord are pure words When they flatter their friends Pateat say they accessus ad aditum sanctitatis tuae Weemse Let me have accesse to the sanctuary of thy holinesse When they would testifie themselves thankful Nomini tuo psallam I will sing praise to thy Name When they complain friends forsake them Lord say they thou goest not forth with our armies When they invite their friends to a Banquet or a Wedding In thee have I trusted let me not be put to confusion Loe thus doe these witlesse wicked wretches abuse Gods Parables and take his Name in vain Whereas the very Heathen could say Non loquendum de Deo sine lumine God is not to be talked of lightly loosely disrespectively Thou shalt fear that glorious and fearful Name Jehovah thy God saith Moses their own Law-giver Deut. 28.58 Vers 10. The great God that formed all things As he made all so hee maintains all even the evil and the unthankful God deals not as that cruel Duke of Alva did in the Netherlands Grimston some he rosted to death saith
of the chiefest good Serranus compiled and composed with such a picked frame of words with such pithy strength of sentences with such a thick series of demonstrative arguments that the sharp wit of all the Philosophers compared with this Divine discourse seems to be utterly cold and of small account 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Experientia optima magistra their elaborate Treatises of Happiness to be learned dotages and laborious losse of time How many several opinions there were amongst them concerning the Chief Good in Solomon's days is uncertain divers of them hee confuteth in this book and that from his own experience the best School-dame But Varro the learned'st of the Romans reckoneth up 280 in his time and no wonder considering mans natural blindness not unlike that of the Syrians at Dothan Aug. de civ Dei lib. 18. or that of the Sodomites at Lots door What is an eye without the optick spirit but a dead member and what is all humane wisdom without divine illumination but wickedness of folly yea foolishness of madness as our Preacher not without good cause calleth it A spirit there is in man saith Elihu viz. the light of reason and thus far the Animal-man goes and there hee makes an halt Eccles 7.15 hee cannot transcend his orb but the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Job 32.8 God had given Solomon wisdom above any man Abulensis saith above Adam in his innocency which I believe not He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Macarius was called a man at twelve years old Niceph. His Father had taught him Prov. 4.4 His Mother had lessoned him Prov. 31.1 The Prophet Nathan had had the breeding of him But besides as he was Jedidiah loved of God so he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God And being now when hee penned this Penitential Sermon grown an old man he had experimented all this that hee here affirmeth So that hee might better begin his speech to his scholars than once Augustus Caesar did to his souldiers Audite senem juvenes quem juvenem senes audierunt Young men hearken to mee an old man whom old men hearkened unto when I was yet but young Have not I written for you excellent things in counsels and knowledge Prov. 22.20 Or Have I not written three books for thee so some read those words Proverbial Penitential Nuptial See the Note there Nescis temerarie nescis Ovid. Metam Quem fugias ideoque fugis Job 4. Esay 55. Surely if thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that speaketh unto thee thou wouldst encline thine ear and hear thou wouldst listen as for life it self Knowest thou not that I am a Preacher a Prince Son of David King in Jerusalem 2 Cor. 3.1 Regis epistolis acceptis quo calamo scriptae sint ridiculum est quaerere Greg. Luke 13.28 Bellarminus Solomonem inter reprobos numerat and so do come multis nominibus tibi commendatissimus much commended to thee in many respects But need I as some others epistles of commendation to my Readers or Letters of commendation from them Is it not sufficient to know that this book of mine both for matter and words is the very work of the Holy Ghost speaking in mee and writing by mee For Prophecy comes not by the will of man but holy men of God speak it as they are moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 And albeit this be proof good enough of my true though late repentance whereof some have doubted some denied it yet take another Of the Preacher Or of a preaching Soul for the Hebrew word Koheleth is of the feminine gender and hath Nephesh Soul understood or of a person re-united and reconciled to the Church Anima congregata cum Ecclesia se colligens Cartw. and in token of reconciliation to God re-admitted by him to this Office in his Church like as Christ sealed up his love to Peter after his shameful fall by bidding him feed his lambs and to the rest of the Apostles that had basely forsaken him by saying to them after his resurrection Peace be unto you As my Father hath sent mee even so send I you Receive yee the holy Ghost John 20.21 See the like mercy shewed to St. Paul 1 Tim. 1.12 Howbeit some learned men here observe that it is no new thing in the Hebrew tongue to put feminine names upon men as Ezra is called Sophereth descriptrix a Shee-scribe in the very same form as Solomon is here called Koheleth a Preacheress and the Gospel-preachers Mebaseroth Psal 68.11 with Esay 52.7 either to set forth the excellency and elegancy of the business or else to teach Ministers to keep themselves pure as Virgins whence they are also called Wisdomes Maids Prov. 9.3 and Christs Paranymphs John 3.29 to present the Church as a chaste Virgin to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 The Son of David So Christ also is said to be Mat. 1.1 as if David had been his immediate father The glory of children are their fathers Prov. 17.6 to wit if they be godly and pious The Jews made great boasts that they were the seed of Abraham Mat. 3.9 John 8.33 And that caitiff Elymas the Sorcerer Act. 13.6 had surnamed himself Barjesus or the son of Jesus as if hee had been of neerest alliance to our Saviour of whom all the families of heaven and earth are called Eph. 3. What an honour is it now accounted to be of the posterity of Latimer Bradford Ridley c How much more of David that man of renown the Father of our princely Preacher who himself took also not scorn to teach and do the office of a Preacher Psal 32.9 and 34.11 though he were the Governour of Gods people Psal 78.71 and head of many Heathen Psal 18.43 The like may be said of Joseph of Arimathea who of a Counsellor of State became a preacher of the Gospel so did Chrysostome a noble Antiochian Ambrose Lieutenant and Consul of Millain George Prince of Anhalt Earl Martinengus John a Lasco a noble Polonian and sundry others of like quality and condition Psal 138.4 5. and 119.72 the Psalmist shews by prophecying that they that have tasted of the joys of a crown shall leave the throne and palace to sing with the Saints and to publish the excelling glory of God and godliness King in Jerusalem and of Jerusalem The Pope will allow the Duke of Millain to be King in Tuscany but not King of Tuscany Solomon was both Prov. 1.1 See the Note there Spec. Europ Hither came the Queen of Sheba from the utmost parts of the earth to hear him here hee wrote this excellent book these words of delight which he had learned from that one Shepheard the Lord Christ ch 12.10 11. and hath left them faithfully set down for the use of the Church so honouring learning with his own labours as Sylverius said of Caesar Here lastly it was that he soveraigned
time held so that it bee well limited Carnal mirth and abuse of lawful things doth mightily weaken intenerate and emasculate the spirit yea it draws out the very vigour and vivacity of it and is therefore to be avoyded Some are so afraid of sadnesse that they banish all seriousnesse they affect mirth as the Eel doth mud or the Toad ditches These are those that dance to the Timbrel and Harp but suddenly turn into Hell Job 21. Vers 3. Yet acquainting my heart with wisdome i. e. resolving to retain my wisdome but that could not be For whoredome and wine Hos 4.11 and new wine take away the heart they dull and disable nature and so set us in a greater distance from grace they fight against the soul 1 Pet. 2.12 Arist de mirah auscul lib. 8. and take away all sent and sense of heavenly comforts Much like that parcel of ground in Sicily that sendeth such a strong smell of fragrant flowers to all the fields thereabouts that no Hound can hunt there And here I beleeve began Solomons Apostasie his laying the reigns in the neck to pursue sinful pleasures pleasing himself in a conceit that he could serve God and his lusts too A Christian hath ever God for his chief end and never sins with deliberation about this end he will not forgo God upon any terms only he erres in the way thinking he may fulfill such a lust and keep God too But God and sin cannot cohabit and Gods graces groaning under our abuses in this kind cry unto him for help who gives them thereupon as he did to the wronged Church Rev. 12.14 the wings of an Eagle after which one lust calls upon another as they once did upon their fellow-souldiers Now Moab to the spoyl till the heart be filled with as many corruptions as Solomon had Concubines Vers 4. I made me great works I took not pleasure in trifles as Domitian did in catching and killing flyes with his Pen-knife or as Artaxerxes did in making hafts for Knives or as Solyman the great Turk did in making notches of horn for Bowes but I built stately houses planted pleasant Vineyards c. A godly man may be busied in mean low things but he is not satisfied in them as adequate objects hee trades for better commodities and cannot rest without them I builded mee houses Curious and spacious such as is the Turks Seraglio or palace said to bee more than two miles in compass William Rufus built Westminster hall and when it was done found much fault with it for being built too little Daniels hist saying It was fitter for a chamber than for a hall for a King of England and took a plat for one far more spacious to bee added unto it I planted mee vineyards That no pleasant thing might be wanting to mee To plant a vineyard is a matter of much cost and care but it soon quits cost by bearing first plenty of fruit in clusters and bunches many grapes together Secondly by bearing pleasant fruit no fruit being more delectable to the taste than is the grape nor more comfortable to the heart than is the wine made of the grape Judg. 9.13 Solomon had one gallant vineyard at Baal-hamon that yeelded him great profit Cant. 8.1 Vers 5. I made mee gardens so called because garded and enclosed with a wall Cant. 4.12 like as we call garments quasi gardments in an active acception of the word because they guard our bodies from the injury of wind and weather The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gan comes likewise from a word that signifieth to protect or guard And there are that give this for a reason why the Lord forbad the Jews to keep swine because they are such enemies to gardens whereof that country is very full And Orchards Heb. Paradises famous for curious variety and excellency of all sorts of trees and forcin fruits resembling even the garden of God for amenity and delight Athenaeus Diod lib. 2. cap. 4. Q. Curt. lib. 5. And herein perhaps hee gratified Pharaoh's daughter the Aegyptians took great pleasure in gardens like as that King of Assyria did his wife Horto pensili with a garden that hung in the ayr to his incredible cost Vers 6. To water therewith the Wood i. e. the gardens or hort-yards that were as large as little woods Christs garden in the Canticles as it hath a wall Vers 5. so a well to water it and make it fruitful Vers 7. I got mee servants c Too many by one sc Jeroboam who rent ten tribes from his sonne Iâ— is well observed by an Interpreter that Solomon among all his delights got him not a Fool or Jester which some Princes cannot bee without no not when they should bee most serious It is recorded of Henry the third King of France that in a Solemn procession at Paris hee could not bee without his Jester Epic. hist Gallicae who walking between the King and the Cardinal made mirth to them both There was sweet devotion the while Melanch in Hesiod I had great possessions of great and small cattel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pecudes postea synechdochicâ—s opes significant sic pecunia a pecude So chesita signifies in Hebrew both mony and a lamb Vers 8. I gathered me also silver and gold Gold of Ophir now called Peru where the Spaniards are said to meet with more gold oar than earth Besides his great gifts from other Princes as Hiram Queen of Sheba c. his royal revenue Petrarch his tributes from forein nations subdued by his Father David to a very great value Sixtus the fourth was wont to say that a Pope could never want mony while he could hold a pen in his hand His predecessor John 22. left in his treasury to his heirs 250 tonnes of gold Boniface the 8. being plundered by the French Heidfield was found to have more wealth saith mine Authour than all the Kings of the earth could have raised by one years revenue It should seem by the peoples complaint after Solomons death 1 King 12.4 that hee lay over heavy upon them by his exactors and gold-gatherers which caused the revolt of the ten tribes One act of injustice oft loseth much that was justly gotten Kedarlaomer and his fellow-Kings were deprived of the whole victory because they spared not a man whom they should have spared Ill-gotten gold hath a poysonful operation and will bring up the good food together with ill humors Job 20.15 And the delights of the sons of men These drew out his spirits and dissolved him and brought him to so low an ebbe in grace his wealth did him far more hurt than his wisdome did him good it is as hard to bear prosperity as to drink much wine and not bee giddy it is also dangerous to take pleasure in pleasure to spend too much time in it as Solomon for seven years spent in building Gods house spent thirteen in his
between Him and thee therefore see to it that thou come to him with all possible reverence humility and self-abasement See Job 42.6 1 King 18.42 Matth. 26.38 It is observable that when the great Turk comes into his Mosche or Temple he lays by all his State and hath none to attend him all the while Therefore let thy words bee few But full as the Publicans were Luk. 18.13 O quam multa quam paucis Oh how much in a little said Tully of Brutus his Epistle so may wee say of that Publicans prayer how much more of the Lords prayer set in flat opposition to the Heathenish Battologies and vain repetitions usual with Pagans and Papagans c. See the Note on Mat. 6.7 8 9. It is reported of the ancient Christians of Aegypt Quod brevissimis raptim jaculatis orationibus uti voluerint ne per moras evanesceret hebetaretur intentio August that they made very short prayers that their devotion might not bee dulled by longer doings Cassian also makes mention of certain religious persons in his time Qui utilius censebant breves quidem orationes sed creberrimas fieri c. who thought it best that our prayers should bee short but frequent the one that there might bee continual intercourse maintained between God and us the other that by shortness wee might avoid the Devills darts which hee throws especially at us while wee are praying These bee good reasons and more may bee added out of Matth. 6. as that our Heavenly Father knows what wee need c. That which the Preacher here presseth is the transcendent Excellency and surpassing Majesty of Almighty God I am a great King saith Hee Mal. 1. And I look to bee served like my self Hos 14.2 Therefore take unto you words neither over curious nor over careless but such as are humble earnest direct to the point avoiding vain bablings needless and endless repetitions heartless digressions tedious prolixities wilde and idle discourses of such extemporary petitioners as not disposing their matter in due order by premeditation and withall being word-bound are forced to go forward and backward like Hounds at a loss and having hastily begun they know not how handsomly to make an end Vers 3. For a dream commeth through the multitude of business When all the rest of the senses are bound up by sleep the soul entreth into the shop of the fancy and operates there usually according to the businesses and imployments of the day past Tertull. de anima cap. 49. fierividentur quae fieri tamen non videntur saith Tertullian those things seem to bee done in a dream which yet are not seen to be done at all these are but vanae jactationes negotiosae animae the idle toffings of a busy minde In like sort a fool a heartless sapless fellow that being sensual and void of the spirit of grace and supplications hath neither the affections nor expressions of holy prayer multiplies words without knowledge thinks to make out in words what hee wants in worth being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutarch saith of Alcibicdes one that could talk much but speak little His voyce is known by multitude of words It is but a voyce that is heard it is but a sound that is made like the uncertain sound of a Trumpet that none can tell what it meaneth what to make of it Corniculas citius in Africa quam res rationâ—sque solidas in Turriani scriptis reperias saith one Beringer Contra Id. Cum. Lauret Aristot De divinat per insom So here If there be any worth of matter in the fools words it is but by chance as Aristotle saith that dreams doe by chance fore-tell those things that come to passe Let it be our care to shun as much as may be all lavish and superfluous talkativenesse and tediousnesse but especially in prayer lest wee offer the sacrifice of fools and God be angry with us For as it is not the loudnesse of a Preachers voyce but the weight and holiness of his matter and the spirit of the Preacher that moves a wife and intelligent hearer so it is not the labour of the lips but the travel of the heart that prevails with God The Baalites Prayer was not more tedious than Elijah's short yet more pithy than short And it was Elijah that spake loud and sped in heaven Let the fool learn therefore to shew more wit in his discourse than words lest being known by his voyce hee meet as the Nightingale did with some Laconian that will not let to tell him Vox in es praeterea nihil Thou art a voyce and that 's all Vers 4. When thou vowest a vow unto God deferre not to pay it See the Note on Deut. 23.21 It is in thy power to vow or not to vow Vovere nusquam est praeceptum saith Bellarmine We have no command to vow That of David Lib. 2. de Monac cap. 15. Vow and perform to the Lord your God is not purum praeceptum saith Mr. Cartwright a pure precept but like that other Be angry and sin not where anger is not commanded but limited So neither are wee simply commanded to vow but having voluntarily vowed we may not deferre to pay it delayes are taken for denials excuses for refusals For he hath no pleasure in fools He needs them as little as King Achish did 2 Sam. 22.15 he abhors them Psal 5.5 as deceitful workers as mockers of God Jephta in vovendo fuit stultus in praestando impius Jephta was a fool in vowing Hieron and wicked in performing But he that vowes a thing lawful and possible and yet de-deferres to perform it or seeks an evasion is two fools for fayling sith Vers 5. Better it is that thou shouldest not vow q. d. Who bad thee bee so forward Why wouldst thou become a voluntary Votary Dicta factis deficientibus erubescunt and so rashly ingage to the losse of thy liberty and the offence of thy God who expected thou shouldst have kept touch and not have dealt thus slipperily with him Thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God Acts 5.4 As the truth of Christ is in me saith Paul 2 Cor. 11.10 so he bindes himself by an oath as the learned have observed And as God is true our word toward you was not Yea and Nay 2 Cor. 1.19 20 for the Son of God who was preached among you by mee was not Yea and Nay but in him all the promises of God are Yea and Amen Why what of that might some say and what 's all this to the purpose Very much for it implieth that what a Christian doth promise to men how much more to God he is bound by the earnest penny of Gods Spirit to perform He dares no more alter or falsifie his word than the Spirit of God can lye And as he looks that Gods promises should bee made good to him so is hee careful to pay that
Rabshekah those are empty words an aery thing for counsel and strength are for the war so some read the words and not in a Parenthesis as our Translation hath it Neither yet bread to the wise To the worldly wise Those Young Lions doe lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing Psal 34.10 Prov. 30.8 Panem demensi Their daily bread day by day food convenient for them they shall be sure of Dwell in the land and doe good and verily thou shalt bee fed Psal 37.5 by vertue of a promise and not by a providence only as the young Ravens are Nor yet riches to men of understanding Plutus is said by the Poets to bee blind Epit. hist Gallic and Fortune to favour fools Of Pope Clement 5. the French Chronicler saith Papa hic ditior fuit quam sapientior This Pope was rather rich than wise Aristides was so poor that he brought a flurre upon Justice saith Plutarch as if she were not able to maintain her followers Phocion also Pelopidas Lamachus Aelian lib. 2. Ibid. l. 5. Ephialtes Socrates those Greek Sages were very poor Epaminondas had but one garment and that a sorry one too Lactantius had scarce a subsistence Many wise men have been hard put to 't Paupertas est Philosophiae vernacula saith Apuleius Rhodigin l. 29. c. 10. Nor yet favour to men of skill Rara ingeniorum praemia rara item est merces saith one wit and skill is little set by small regard or reward is given to it whereas popular men should esteem it as silver said Aeneas Sylvius Noblemen as gold Princes as pearls But time and chance happeneth to them all i. e. Every thing is done in its own time and as God by his providence ordereth it not as men will much lesse by hap-hazard for that which to us is casual and contingent is by God Almighty fore-appointed and effected who must therefore bee seen and sought unto in the use of means and second causes And if things succeed not to our minds but that wee labour in the fire yet wee must glorifie God in the fire and live by faith Vivere spe vidi qui moriturus erat Vers 12. For man also knoweth not his time His end say the Septuagint and Vulgar What may befall him in after time say others Flebile principium melior fortuna sequatur Accidit in puncto quod non speratur in anno So are the Sons of men snared in an evil time This is the reddition of the former proposition As the fishes are taken c. So are gracelesse men snared c. Security ushers in their calamity when they say peace and safety then sudden destruction breaks in upon them as travel upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thes 5.3 God made fair weather before Pharaoh till hee was in the heart of the red sea The old World Sodom Amnon Belshazzar Herod the rich Fool were all suddenly surprized in the ruff of their jolity Jerusalem had three years of extraordinary great plenty Joseph before her last utter destruction Philosophers tell us that before a Snow the weather will bee warmish when the wind lyes the great rain falls and the air is most quiet when suddenly there will be an Earth-quake Vers 13. This wisdome also have I seen i. e. This fruit and effect of wisdome have I observed that through the iniquity of the times it is slighted and left unrewarded if joyned with a mean condition And it seemed great unto me Though not unto the Many who value not wisdome if meanly habited according to its worth consider not that Saepe sub attrita latitat sapientia veste that within that leathern purse may be a pearl of great price and in those earthen pots abundance of golden treasure I know thy poverty but thou art rich Revel 2. The Cock on the dung-hil understands not this That which seems great to a Solomon Multis pro vili sub pedibusque jacet Stultorum enim plena sunt omnia Vers 14. There was a little City Such as was Lampsacum besieged by Alexander and saved by Anaximenes Rhodes besieged by the Great Turk Rochel by the French King Geneva by the Duke of Savoy This last a little City a small people environed with enemies and barred out from all ayd of neighbour Cities and Churches Brightman yet is strangely upheld Well may they write as they doe on the one side of their coyn Scultet Deus noster pugnat pro nobis Our God fights for us Vers 15. Now there was found in it a poor wise man Such as was Anaximener at Lampsacum and Archimides at Syracuse Vat. Max. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. lib. 14. of whose wisdome Plutarch testifieth that it was above the ordinary possibility of a man it was divine And of whose poverty Silius assures us that hee was Nadus opum sed cui coelum terraeque paterent By his warlike devises and engines hee so defended his City against Marcelius the Roman General that the souldiers called him Briareus and Centimanus a Giant invincible there was no taking of the Town as Livy relates it The City of Abel was delivered by a wise woman that was in it 2 Sam. 20. The City of Coccinum in the Isle of Lemnos See Judges 9.35 Turk hist 413. by Marulla a Maiden of that City Hippo could not bee taken whiles Augustine was in it not Heidelberg whiles Pareus lived Elisha preserved Samaria from the Syrians and the Prophet Isaiah Jerusalem from the Assyrians They shall not shoot an arrow there nor come before it with shields nor cast a bank against it saith the Lord Isa 37.33 Jeremy had preserved it longer but that his counsel was slighted Indeed hee was a Physician to a dying State Tunc etenim docta plus valet arte malum Yet no man remembred that same poor man Had hee been some Demetrius Phalareus or such like Magnifico hee should have had an hundred statues set up in honour of his good service Hee should have heard Saviour Saviour as Flaminius the Roman General did or Father Father as Huniades after hee had defeated Mesites the Turk But being poor hee is soon set aside and neither succoured nor honoured This is Merces mundi the worlds wages The Dutch have a Proverb that a man should bow to the tree that hath sheltered him in a storm But many well-deserving persons Sed restituta serenitate abeuntes vellicarent have cause to complain as Elias did when hee sate under the Juniper or as Themistocles did when hee compared himself to a Plane-tree whereunto his Country-men in a tempest would run for refuge but when once took up they would not onely leave him but pull the leaves from him Are you weary said hee once to them of receiving so many good turns from one man Vers 16. Then said I wisdome is better c. This
thus Mitte panem tuum super facies aquas sc emittentes cast thy bread upon faces watered with tears Or upon the waters upon the surface of the waters that it may be carried into the Ocean where the multitude of waters is gathered together so shall thine alms carried into Heaven bee found in the Ocean of Eternity where there is a confluence of all comforts and contentments Or lastly upon the waters i. e. in loca irrigua upon grounds well watered moist and fertile soil Blounts voy p. 37 Herod lib. 1. c. 193. Plin. lib. 6. c. 26. such as is that by the River Nilus where they do but throw in the seed and they have four rich Harvests in less than four months or as that in the Land of Shinar where Babel was founded Gen. 11. that returns if Herodotus and Pliny may bee beleeved the seed beyond credulity For thou shalt finde it after many daies Thou shalt reap in due time if thou faint not slack not withdraw not thy hand as vers 6. Mitte panem c. in verbo Domini promitto tibi c. saith one Cast thy bread confidently without fear and freely without compulsion cast it though thou seem to cast it away and I dare promise thee in the name and word of the Lord Greg. Thaum Nequaquam infrugifera apparebit beneficentia that thy bounty shall bee abundantly recompensed into thy bosome The liberal soul shall bee made fat and hee that watereth shall bee watered himself Prov. 11.25 See the Note there See also my Common-place of Alms. Non pereunt sed parturiunt pauperibus impensa That which is given to the poor is not lost but laid up Not getting but giving is the way to wealth Prov. 19.17 Abigail for a small present bestowed on David became a Queen whereas churlish Nabal was sent to his place Vers 2. Give a portion to seven and also to eight A portion i. e. a good deal a fair proportion to a good many as B. Hooper did to his board of beggers whom hee fed every day by course serving them by four at a mess Act. and Mon. f. 13 c 8. with whole and wholesome meats Or give a portion i. e. a part such as thou canst well part with not stretching beyond the staple lest yee mar all whiles others are eased and you burthened but by an equality c. 2 Cor. 8.13 14. Luk. 6 Give to him that asketh saith our Saviour scil according to his necessity and thine ability Give with discretion Psal 112. have a special respect to the family of faith Gal. 6. those excellent ones of the earth Psal 16.3 in whom was Davids delight The Jews from this Text grounded a custome of giving alms to seven poor people every day or to eight at utmost if they saw cause But here is a finite number put for an infinite as when Christ bade Peter forgive his brother seventy times seven times and as Micah 5.5 seven Shepheards and eight principal men signifie so many Shepheards both Teachers and Rulers as shall sufficiently feed the flock of Christ and defend it from enemies For thou knowest not what evil shall bee upon the earth Therefore lay in lustily or rather lay out liberally and so lay up for a rainy day thou mayest bee soon shred of thy goods and as much need other mens mercy as they now need thine Sow therefore whilst thou hast it that thou mayest reap again in due season Water that thou mayest bee watered again Prov. 11.25 lay up for thy self a good foundation against the time to come 1 Tim. 6.18 Lay out thy talent work whiles the tool is in thine hand Make friends with thy Mammon Say not as one rich churl did when requested to do somewhat toward his Ministers maintenance The more I give the less I have Another answered that hee knew how to bestow his mony better A third old man said I see the fore-end of my life but I see not my latter I may come to want that which I now give Thou mayest do so saith Solomon here and by thy tenacity thou art very likely to do so but wilt thou know O man how thou mayest prevent this misery and not feel what thou fearest Give a portion to seven c. part therefore freely with that which thou art not sure to keep that thou mayest gain that which thou art sure never to lose Hee that giveth to the poor shall not lack Prov. 28.27 Vers 3. If the clouds bee full of rain As the Sun draws up vapours into the air not to retain them there but to return them to the earth for its relief and the creatures comfort so those that have attracted to themselves much riches should plentifully pour them out for the benefit of their poorer brethren Clouds when full of great and strong Rain as the word here signifies pour down amain and the spouts run and the eves shed and the presses over-flow and the aromatical trees sweat out their precious oyls so should rich men bee ready to distribute willing to communicate But it falls out otherwise for commonly the richer the harder and those that should bee as clouds to water the earth as a common blessing are either waterlesse clouds as St. Jude hath it or at best they are but as water-pots that water a few spots of ground onely in a small garden Domini inarsupium The earth is Gods purse as one saith and rich mens houses are his store-houses This the righteous rich man knoweth and therefore hee disperseth as a steward for God hee giveth to the poor his righteousness and his riches too endureth for ever Psal 112.9 Whereas the wicked rich man retaineth his fulness to rot with him hee feedeth upon earth like a Serpent and striveth like a Toad to dye with much mould in his mouth and is therefore bidden by St. James to weep and howl for the miseries that are comming upon him for his cursed hoard of evil gotten and worse kept goods The rottenness of his riches the canker of his cash the moth of his garments shall bee a witness against him and eat up his flesh as fire James 5.1 2 3. Hee shall bee sure to bee arraigned as an arrant theef as a cursed cousener for that Mal. 1.14 having a better thing by him hee brings a worse and being a rich man hee makes himself poor lest hee should do good to the poor As Pope Alexander the fifth said of himself that when hee was a Bishop hee was rich when a Cardinal hee was poor and when hee was Pope hee was a begger I should sooner have beleeved him if hee had said as his successor Pius Quintus did Corn. a Lap. in Numb 11.11 Cum essem religiosus sperabam bene de salute animae meae Cardinalis factus extiâ—â—ui Pontifex creatus pene despero When I was first in Orders without any further Ecclesiastical dignity I had good hopes of my
being little less than a Monster What so monstrous as to behold green Apples on a tree in winter and what so indecent as to see the sins of youth prevailing in times of age among old decrepit Goats that they should bee capering after capparis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fruit of Capers as the Septuagint and Vulgar render it here Because man goeth to his long home Heb. to his old home scil to the dust from whence hee was taken Or to the house of his eternity that is the grave that house of all living where hee shall lye long till the Resurrection Tremellius renders it in domum saeculi sui to the house of his generation where hee and all his contemporaries meet Cajetan in domum mundi sui into the house of his world that which the world provides for him as nature at first provided for him the house of the womb Toward this home of his the old man is now on gate having one foot in the grave already Hee sits and sings with Job My spirit is spent my daies are extinct the graves are ready for mee Job 17.1 And the mourners go about the streets The proverb is Senex â—os non lugetur An old man dies unlamented But not so the good old man Great moan was made for old Jacob Moses Aaron Samuel The Romans took the death of old Augustus so heavily that they wished hee had either never been born or never died Those indeed that live wickedly dye wishedly But godly men are worthily lamented and ought to bee so Isa 57.1 This is one of the dues of the dead so it bee done aright But they were hard bestead that were fain to hire mourners that as Midwives brought their friends into the world so those widows should carry them out of it See Job 3.8 Jer. 9.17 Vers 6. Or ever the silver cord bee loosed Or lengthened i. e. before the marrow of the back which is of a silver colour bee consumed From this Cord many sinews are derived which when they are loosened the back bendeth motion is slow and feeling faileth Or the golden bowl be broken i. e. The heart say some or the Pericardium the Brain-pan say others or the Piamater compassing the brain like a swathing-cloath or inner rind of a tree Or the pitcher bee broken at the fountain That is the veins at the Liver which is the shop of sangnification or blood-making as one calls it but especially Vena porta and Vena cava Read the Anatomists Or the wheel bee broken at the cistern i. e. The head which draws the power of life from the heart to the which the blood runs back in any great fright as to the fountain of life Vers 7. Then shall the dust return to the earth c. What is man saith Nazianzen but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soul and Soil Breath and Body a puff of wind the one a pile of dust the other no solidity in either Zoroaster and some other antient Heathens imagined that the soul had wings that having broken these wings shee fell headlong into the body and that recovering her wings again shee flies up to Heaven her original habitation That of Epicharmus is better to bee liked and comes nearer to the truth here delivered by the Preacher Concretum fuit discretum est rediitque unde venerat terra deorsum spiritus sursum It was together but is now by death set asunder and returned to the place whence it came the Earth downward the Spirit upward See Gen. 2.7 God made man of the dust of the earth to note our frailty vility and impurity Lutum enim conspurcat omnia sic caro saith one Dirt defiles all things so doth the flesh It should seem so truly by mans soul which coming pure out of Gods hands soon becomes Mens oblita Dei vitiorumque oblita coeno Bernard complains not without just cause that our souls by commerce with the flesh are become fleshly Sure it is that by their mutual defilement corruption is so far rooted in us now that it is not cleansed out of us by meer death as is to bee seen in Lazarus and others that died but by cinerification or turning of the body to dust and ashes The spirit returns to God that gave it For it is divinae particula aurae an immaterial immortal substance that after death returns to God the Fountain of life D. Prest The soul moves and guides the body saith a worthy Divine as the Pilot doth the ship Now the Pilot may bee safe though the ship bee split on the rock And as in a chicken it grows still and so the shell breaks and falls off So it is with the soul the body hangs on it but as a shell and when the soul is grown to perfection it falls away and the soul returns to the Father of spirits Augustine after Origen held a long while that the soul was begotten by the Parents as was the body At length hee began to doubt of this point and afterward altered his opinion confessing inter caetera testimonia hoc esse praecipuum that among other testimonies this to bee the chief to prove the contrary to that which hee had formerly held Vers 8. Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher Who chose for his Text this Argument of the vanity of humane things which having fully proved and improved hee here resumes and concludes Vide supra Vers 9. And moreover because the Preacher was wise Hee well knew how hard it was to work men to a beleef of what hee had affirmed concerning earthly vanities and therefore heaps up here many forcible and cogent Arguments as First that himself was no baby but wise above all men in the world by Gods own testimony therefore his words should bee well regarded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our wise men expound to day said the Jews one to another Come let us go up to the house of the Lord c. Cicero had that high opinion of Plato for his wisdome that hee professed that hee would rather go wrong with him than go right with others Averroes over-admired Aristotle as if hee had been infallible But this is a praise proper to the holy Pen-men guided by the Spirit of Truth and filled with wisdome from on high for the purpose To them therefore and to the word of prophecy by them must men give heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place c. 2 Pet. 1.19 Hee still taught the people knowledge Hee hid not his talent in a Napkin but used it to the instruction of his people Have not I written for thee excellent things or three several sorts of Books viz. Proverbial Penitential Nuptial in counsels and knowledge Prov. 22.20 Synesius speaks of some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synes that having great worth in them will as soon part with their hearts as with their conceptions And Gregory observeth that there are not a few who being enriched with spiritual gifts
wherein thou shalt finde fulness of matter in fewness of words Or by these that is by the holy Scriptures which according to some interpreters are called in the former verse Lords of Collections because they are as Lords paramount above all other words and writings of men that ever were collected into volumes Odi ego meos libros saith Luther Luth. in Genes I do even hate the Books set forth by my self and could wish them utterly abolished because I fear that by reading them some are hindred from spending their time in reading the sacred Scriptures Of these it is that the Psalmist saith Moreover by them is thy servant warned or clearly admonished as the word signifies and in doing thereof there is great reward Psal 19.11 Of making many Books there is no end Ambition and covetousness sets many Authors a work in this scribling age Scribimus indocti doctique c. Presses are greatly oppressed and every fool will bee medling that hee may bee a fool in Print Multi mei similes hoc morbo laborant ut cum scribere nesciant tamen a scribendo temperare non possunt Many are sick of my very disease saith Erasmus that though they can do nothing worthy of the publick yet they must bee publishing hence the world so abounds with books even to satiety and surfeit many of them being no better than the scurf of scald and scabby heads And much study is a weariness to the flesh Hierome renders it Labor carnis a work of the flesh They will finde it so one day to their sorrow that are better read in Sir Philip than in St. Peter in Monsieur Balsaâ—s letters than St. Pauls Epistles The holy Bible is to bee chiefly studied and herein wee are to labour even to lassitude to read till being overcome with sleep wee bow down as it were to salute the leaves with a kiss Hierom ad Eust as Hierome exhorted some good women of his time All other Books in comparison of this wee are to account as waste Paper and not to read them further than they some way conduce to the better understanding or practising of the things herein contained and commended unto our care Vers 13. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter scil Touching the attainment of true happiness Let us see for a perclose of all where and how it may bee had Shall I tell you in two words saith the Preacher I will so and see that yee mark it In the Original the word rendred conclusion here hath the first letter bigger than the rest to stir up the greater attention to that which follows sith in this short sentence is contained the sum of all Divinity Fear God and keep his commandements Bear an awful respect to the Divine Majesty a reverential fear and from this principle obey God in every part and point of duty Do this and live for ever Do it in an Evangelical way I mean for wee can do it now no otherwise Wish well to exact obedience as David doth Psal 119.4 5. Oh that I could keep thy commandements accurately and woe is mee that I cannot And then bee doing as thou canst for affection without indeavour is like Rachel beautiful but barren Bee doing I say at every thing as well as at any thing for thou must not bee funambulus vertutum as Tertullian phraseth it one that goeth in a narrow tract of obedience No thine obedience must bee universal extending to the compass of the whole Law which is but one copulative as the Schools speak And then Aug. beati sunt qui praecepta faciunt etiam si non perficiunt they are blessed that do what they can Bern. though they cannot but under-do And in libro tuo scribuntur omnes qui quod possunt faciunt si quod debent non possunt They are surely written all in Gods Book that do what they can though they cannot do as they ought I cannot let slip a Note given by one that was once a famous Preacher in this Kingdome and still lives in his printed Sermons The Book of Ecclesiastes saith hee begins with All is vanity and ends with fear God and keep his commandements Now if that sentence were knit to this which Solomon keepeth to the end as the haven of rest after the turmoils of vanity it is like that which Christ said to Martha Thou art troubled about many things but one thing is necessary That which troubleth us Solomon calls vanity that which is necessary hee calls the fear of God From that to this should bee every mans pilgrimage in this world Wee begin at vanity and never know perfectly that wee are vain till wee come to fear God and keep his commandements For this is the whole duty of man Heb. This is the whole man q. d. Hee is not a compleat man hee loseth all his other praises that fears not God It is the very nature and essence of man to bee a reasonable creature Now what more reasonable than that God should bee feared and served What more irrational than irreligion See 2 Thes 3.2 and what is man without true grace but praestantissimum brutum as one saith a very fair beast Vers 14. For God shall bring every work into judgement Full loth is sinful flesh to come to judgement but will they nill they come they must God will bring them Angels will hale them out of their hiding holes Rocks and mountains will then prove a sorry shelter sith rocks shall rent and mountains melt at the presence of the Judge Let us therefore judge our selves if hee shall not judge us and take unto us words against our sins if wee will not have him to take unto him words against our souls Hos 14.2 And then Ita vivamus ut rationem nobis reddendam arbitremur saith the Heathen Oratour Let us so live as those that must shortly bee called to an account For who can tell but that hee may suddenly hear as that Pope did and was soon after found dead Veni miser in judicium Come thou wretch receive thy judgement Let this bee firmly beleeved and thorowly digested and it will notably incite us to the fear and service of God This some Heathens knew Zaleucus Locrensis in the Proeme to his Laws hath these words Hoc inculcatum sit esse Deos venturum esse summum fatalem illum diem Remember to press often upon the people these two things First That there are Gods Next to these Gods an account of all must bee given The Areopagites at their Council were wont diligently to enquire what every of the Athenians did Rouz his Archaeol Atti. 125 and how hee lived that men knowing and remembring that once they must give an account of their lives though but to earthly Judges might imbrace honesty With every secret thing For at that day of Revelation as it is called Wee must all appear or bee made transparent pellucid and clear like
Caveatur osculum Iscarioticum consign their treachery with so sweet a symbol of amity yet those that love out of a pure heart fervently do therefore kiss 1 Pet. 1.22 as desiring to transfuse if it might bee the souls of either into other and to become one with the party so beloved and in the best sense suaviated That therefore which the Church here desireth Heb. 1.1 is not so much Christs coming in the flesh that God who at sundry times and in divers manners had spoken in times past unto her by the Prophets would now speak unto her by his Son as some have sensed it as that shee may have utmost conjunction to him and nearest communion with him here as much as may bee and hereafter in all fulness of fruition Let him kiss mee and so seal up his hearty love unto mee even the sure mercies of David with the kisses of his mouth Not with one kiss onely with one pledge of his love but with many there is no satiety no measure no bounds or bottome of this holy love as there is in carnal desires ubi etiam vota post usum fastidio sunt Neither covers mee to kiss his hand as they deal by Kings or his feet as they do the Popes but his mouth shee would have true kisses the basia the busses of those lips whereinto grace is poured Psal 45.3 and where hence those words of grace are uttered Prov. 31.26 Mat. 5.2 3 c. Hee openeth his mouth with wisdome and in his lips is the Law of kindness Hence her affectionate desires her earnest pantings inquietations and unsatisfiablenesses Shee must have Christ or else shee dies shee must have the kisses of Christs mouth even those sweet pledges of love in his word or shee cannot bee contented but will complain in the confluence of all other comforts as Abraham did Gen. 15.2 Lord God what wilt thou give mee seeing I go childeless Or as Artabâ—zus in Xenophon did when Cyrus had given him a cup of gold and Chrysantas a kiss in token of his special favour saying that the cup that hee gave him was nothing so good gold as the kiss that hee gave Chrysantas The Poets fable that the Moon was wont to come down from her orb to kiss Endymion It is a certain truth that Christ came down from Heaven to reconcile us to his Father to unite us to himself and still to communicate unto our souls the sense of his love the feeling of his favour the sweet breath of his holy Spirit For thy Love is better than Wine Heb. Loves The Septuagint and Vulgar render it Ubera Thy breasts but that is not so proper sith it is the Church that here speaks to Christ and by the sudden change of person shews the strength and liveliness of her affection As by the Plural Loves shee means all fruits of his love righteousness peace joy in the Holy Ghost assurance of Heaven which Mr. Latimer calls the sweet-meats of the feast of a good conscience There are other dainty dishes at that feast but this is the banquet this is better than Wine which yet is a very comfortable creature Psal 104.15 and highly set by Psal 4.7 Plato calls wine a musick miseriarum humanarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chief allayments of mens miseries Vers 3. Because of the savour of thy good ointments Or To smell to thy ointments are best Odoratissimus es As the Panther casts abroad a fragrant savour as Alexander the Great is said to have had a natural sweetness with him by reason of the good temperament of his body So and much more than so the Lord Christ Euseb that sweetest of sweets Hee kisseth his poor persecuted people as Constantine once kissed Paphnutius his lost eye and departing for here hee comes but as a suter onely till the marriage bee made up in Heaven hee leaves such a sweet scent behinde him such a balmy verdure as attracts all good hearts unto him so that where this all-quickning carkass is there would the Eagles bee also Mat. 24. The Israelites removed their tents from Mithcah which signifies sweetness to Cashmonah which signifies swiftness Numb 33.29 To teach us saith one that the Saints have no sooner tasted Christs sweetness but they are carried after him presently with incredible swiftness Hence they are said to have a nose like the Tower of Lebanon Cant. 7. for their singular sagacity in smelling after Christ and to flee to the holy Assemblies where Christs odors are beaten out to the smell as the clouds Isa 60.8 or as the Doves to their windaws For why they have their senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5.14 and their love abounds yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement Phil. 1.9 Thy name is as ointment poured forth There is an elegant allusion in the Original betwixt Shem and Shemen that is Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Ointment And Christ hath his name both in Hebrew and Greek from ointment for these three words in signification are all one Messias Christ Anointed See the reason Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord that oil of gladness Heb. 1.9 is upon mee because hee hath anointed and appointed mee to preach good tidings to the meek 2 Cor. 2.2 14 15 16 c. Now when this is done to the life when Christ crucified is preached when the Holy Ghost in the mouth and ministry of his faithful servants shall take of Christs excellencies as it is his office to do Joh. 16.14 and hold them out to the world when hee shall hold up the tapestry as it were 2 Tim. 2.5 and shew men the Lord Christ with an Ecce virum Behold the man that one Mediatour betwixt God and Man the Man Christ Jesus See him in his Natures in his Offices in his Works in the blessed Effects of all This cannot but stir up wonderful loves in all good souls with hearty wishes 1 Cor. 16.22 that If any one love not the Lord Jesus Christ hee may bee Anathema Maranatha accurst upon accurst and put over to God to punish Therefore the Virgins love thee i. e. All that are adjoyned to mee in comely sort as chast Damosels to their Mother and Mistress The elect and faithful are called Virgins for their spiritual chastity They are Gods hidden ones as the word here used signifieth as they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paellae absconditae propter secretiorem educationem Riv. Speed 1236. Psal 83.3 they are not defiled with the corruptions that are in the world through lust for they are Virgins Rev. 14.4 Else the Bride would not suffer them about her Psal 45.14 Of Queen Elizabeth it is said that shee never suffered any Lady to approach her presence of whose stain shee had but the least suspition These follow the Lamb wheresoever hee goeth ib. as the other creatures follow the Panther for his sweet odors as birds
nor the worlds opposition As for the former Christ blots out the thick cloud as well as the cloud Isa 44.22 that is enormities as well as infirmities Hee casts all the sins of his Saints into the bottom of the Sea which can as easily cover mountains as mole-hills And for the second Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey meaning than all the Churches enemies called for their ravenousness mountains of Lions and Leopards Cant. 4.8 The stout-hearted are spoiled c. Psal 76.4 5. And who art thou O great mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain Zech. 4.7 And whereas mans soul hath naturally many mountains of pride and prophaneness in it there is that Leviathan Psal 104.26 and creeping things innumerable as the Psalmist saith of the Sea And for his body there is not a vein in it that would not swell to the bigness of the highest hill to make resistance to the work of grace every such mountain and hill is made low before the Lord Christ Isa 40.4 and every high thing cast down that exalts it self against the knowledge of God 2 Cor. 10. Hee comes with authority and reigns over all impediments Vers 9. My Beloved is like a Roe or a young Hart Viz. For sweetness and swiftness as in the former verse His help seems long because wee are short In the opportunity of time hee will not bee wanting to those that wait for him The Lion seems to leave her young ones till they have almost killed themselves with roaring and howling but at last shee relieves them and hereby they become the more couragious God seems to forget his people sometimes but it is that they may the better remember themselves and reminde him Hee seems as here to have taken a long journey and to bee at a great distance from them when as indeed hee is as near us as once hee was to Mary Magdalen after his Resurrection but shee was so bleared shee could not see him If hee at any time absent himself for trial of our Faith and love to him and to let us know how ill wee can bee without him yet hee is no further off than behinde some wall or screen Or if hee get out of doors from us yet hee looks in at the window to see how wee take it and soon after shews himself thorow the Lattess that wee may not altogether despond or despair of his return 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apparuit instar floris exoricutis Yea hee flourisheth or blossometh thorow the Lattesses like some flower or fruit-tree that growing under or near unto a window sends in a sweet sent into the room or perhaps some pleasant branches to teach that Christ cometh not to his without profit and comfort to their souls Vers 10. My Beloved spake and said Heb. Answered and said Shee had sighed out belike some such request unto her Beloved as David did Psal 30.19 Return O Lord how long Lovers hours are full of eternity Hee replieth Even now my Love behold here I am for thy help Now will I rise now will I bee exalted Isa 33.10 now will I lift up my self Rise thou therefore out of the ashes wherewith thou hast been covered Lam. 3.16 and come away to a better condition Or Rise out of sin wherein by nature thou sittest Luk. 1.79 Stand up from the dead come away to Christ and hee shall give thee light Ephes 5.14 Come for the Master calleth as they said to blinde Bartimeus Mark 10.49 Come for it is high time to come sith now is our salvation nearer than when we beleeved The night is far spent the day is at hand c. Rom. 13.11 12. The winter is past the flowers appear c. Up therefore and come with mee to my Country-house as it were to take the pleasure of the Spring-tide In Heaven there is a perpetual Spring and here the Saints have hansel of heaven those first-fruits of the spirit even as many as are holy Brethren partakers of this heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 Vers 11. For loe the winter is past the Rain is over and gone In winter the clouds commonly return after the Rain Eccles 12.2 A showre or two doth not clear the air but though it rain much yet the sky is still over-cast with clouds and as one showre is unburthened another is brewed Loe such is the doleful and dismal condition of such as are not effectually called by Christ Omnis illis dies hybornus est it is ever winter with them no spring of grace no Sun-shine of sound comfort It is with such as it was with Paul and his fellow-sailers Act. 27.20 when as neither Sun nor Stars in many daies appeared and no small tempest lay on them all hope that they shall bee saved was then taken away All the hope is that God who by all his all-quickening voice raiseth the dead and calleth things that are not as if they were Rom. 4.17 that calleth those his people that were not his people and her Beloved which was not Beloved Rom. 9.25 Together with his voice there goeth forth a power as Luk. 5.17 as when hee bade Lazarus come forth hee made him rise and come away so here Of carnal Christ makes us a people created again Psal 102.18 Ephes 2.10 of a wilde Asse Colt hee makes a man Job 11.12 and of an hollow person as empty and void of heart as the hollow of a tree is of substance hee makes a solid Christian fit to bee set in the heavenly building This is as great a work as the making of a world with a word God plants the Heavens and laies the foundation of the Earth that hee may say to Zion Thou art my people Isa 51.16 Hence Christ is called the beginning of the Creation of God Rev. 3.14 And the Apostle Rom. 5.10 argues from Vocation to Glorification as the lesser Vers 12. The flowers appear on the Earth Here wee have a most dainty description of the Spring or prime time as the French call it far surpassing that of Horace and the rest of the Poets Prim-tempe who yet have shewed themselves very witty that way For the sense by flowers made rather to smell to than to feed upon are understood saith an Interpreter the first-fruits of the Spirit whereby the Elect give a pleasant smell and therein lyeth sweetness of speech and words going before works even as flowers before fruits For the which cause as the Apostle exhorteth that our speech bee gracious alwaies ministring Edification to the hearer Col. 4.6 so the Prophet calls it a pure language which the Lord will give to as many as love him as are called according to his purpose Zeph. 3.9 The time of the singing of birds is come Hic autem garritus avium plurimum facit ad veris commendationem this chirping of birds makes much to the Springs commendation saith â—â—nebrard How melodiously sing the Ministers of the Gospel whiles they aâ— unto
love toward his Sister as nearest unto him in consanguinity his Spouse is nearest also in affinity Sanctior est copula cordis quam corporis Christ is indeared to his people in all manner of nearest relations For whosoever shall do the will of his Father the same is his Brother and Sister and Mother Mat. 12.50 Act. 10.35 And in every Nation hee that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him With one of thine eyes With that single eye of thine Mat. 6.22 that looks on mee singly abstracted from all other things and affects thine heart with pure love to mee for my self more than for my love-tokens that eye of Faith that looks up to my Mercy-seat yea that peirceth Heaven as St. Stephens bodily eye did hee being full of the Holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw Jesus standing on the right hand of Câ—â— Act. 7.55 Heaven is so high above the Earth that it is a just wonder that wee can look up to so admirable an height and that the very eye is not tired in the way But Faith hath a visive faculty peculiar to it self it is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 whiles it looks not at the things which are seen scil with the eye of sense but at the things that are not seen viz. but by the eye of Faith 2 Cor. 4.18 whereby Moses saw him who is invisible Heb. 1â— 27 Let as many as would behold the King in his beauty study Moses his Opticks get a Patriarchs eye see Christs day afar off as Abraham did and set him at their right hand as David Psal 16. So shall the King greatly desire their beauty yea set them at his right hand with the Queen his Spouse in gold of Ophir Psal 45.9 11. But then Christ must see their chain of obedience as well as their eye of Faith even the whole chain of spiritual graces linked one to another These are the daughters of Faith and good works the products of them are the fruits of Faith As chains adorn the neck so do true virtues a true Christian these as chains are visible and honourable testimonies of a lively Faith which works by love These make the true Manlii Torquati See the Notes on chap. 1. vers 10. Vers 10. How fair is thy love Heb. Loves in the plural noting not onely their multitude but excellency also such as do far praeponderate all carnal affections These are said to bee inexpressibly fair and lovely noted by the exclamation and repetition here used as if words were too weak to utter it because it is undissembled A man may paint fire but hee cannot paint heat A man may dissemble actions in Religion but hee cannot dissemble affections 2. It is rare and in respect of common Christians it may bee said as Ephes 3.18 to pass knowledge sith most have little of the life of it in their breasts less of the light and lustre of it in their lives How much better is thy love than Wine This same shee had said of him chap. 1.2 Now hee returns it upon her as is usual among Lovers Hee had confessed himself ravished with her love vers 9. Now here hee shews why hee was so Hee found her not lovely onely but loving hee had made her so and now takes singular delight and complacency in his own work as once hee did in his work of Creation Hee well perceived that hee had not lost his love upon his Church as David did upon his Absalom as Paul did upon his Corinthians of whom hee complains that the more hee had loved the less hee was beloved as Job upon his miserable comforters whom hee compares to the Brooks of Tema Job 6. that in a moisture swell in a drought fail But Christ findes no such fickleness or false-heartedness in his Beloved hee had love for love and as hee had been a sweet friend to her so was shee to him Her love was better than the best Wine which yet is both costly and comfortable yea than all the delights that this life can afford so much is implied by Wine here and so hee is pleased to esteem it Unworthy shee of so kind acceptance of that little shee can do this way if shee do not her utmost if shee cry not out with her son David I will love thee dearly or entirely with mine utmost bowels with the same tenderness of affections as is in Mothers towards the fruit of their bodies so the Hebrew word signifies Psal 18.1 And again I love so hee abruptly expresseth himself by a passionate pang of love because the Lord hath heard the voice of my supplications c. Psal 116.1 Hee saw and wee may all see so much cause to love the Lord as that hee must needs bee a monster and not a man that loves not the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity It was a miracle that those Worthies in Daniel should bee in the midst of a fiery furnace and not burn It is no less that men should bee in the midst of mercies on all hands and not love Christ It would bee as great a wonder men should fail here as for a River to run backwards I have drawn them by the bands of love by the cords of a man Hos 11.4 that is with reasons and motives of love befitting the nature of a man of a rational creature Oculis in utram partem fluat judicari non potest Caesar de bello Gal. lib. 1. But most men alass and those that profess to bee the children of the Church too move like the River Araris backward or forward who can tell This is to give Christ Vinegar for Wine this is as lukewarm water to his nice and nauseating stomack Rev. 3.16 There is a Prophesie reported in Telesphorus that Antichrist shall never overcome Venice nor Paris nor London But wee have a more certain word and let us take heed lest for our lukewarmness Christ spues us out of his mouth What hath been the opinion and fear of some not inconsiderable Divines that Antichrist before his abolition shall once again overflow the whole face of the West and suppress the whole Protestant Churches for a punishment of their loss of their first love I pray Christ to avert And the smell of thine Oyntments than all spice That is of thy sweet graces actuated and exercised See Psal 89.20 John 2.20 27. It was an aggravation of the fall of Saul that hee fell as though hee had not been anointed 2 Sam. 1.21 So for the Saints to fall from their first love or from their own stedfastness Such a dead fly will cause their once-sweet Ointments to send forth a stinking savour Eccles 10.1 Corruptio optimâ— est pessima Vers 11. Thy lips Oh my Spouse drop as an Hony-comb Heb. drop the Hony-comb So Christ calls the doctrines and prayers of the Church her thanksgivings confessions conferences c. which are things most pleasing to Christ and do much comfort and
those six Martyrs burnt by Harpsfield Archdeacon of Canterbury when Queen Mary lay a dying One of those six that were then burnt and those were the last John Cornford stirred with a vehement zeal of God when they were excommunicated pronounced sentence of excommunication against all Papists in these words In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the power of his holy Spirit and authority of his holy Catholick and Apostolick Church wee do give here into the hands of Satan to bee destroyed the bodies of all those blasphemers and hereticks that do maintain any errour against his most holy Word Act. Mon. fol. 1862. or do condemn his most holy truth for heresie to the maintenance of any false Church or feigned religion so that by this thy most just judgement O most mighty God against thine adversaries thy true religion may bee known to thy great glory and our comfort and the edifying of all our Nation Good Lord so bee it Vers 8. I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem Being evill intreated by her enemies shee turns her to her friends those damsels or daughters of Jerusalem See chap. 2.7 3.5 so the Lord Christ being tired out with the untractableness of his untoward hearers turns him to his Father Mat. 11.25 26. Kings as they have their cares and cumbers above other men so they had of old their friends by a specialty as Hushai was Davids friend 2 Sam. 15.37 to whom they might ease themselves and take sweet counsell Psal 55.14 The servants of God are Princes in all lands Psal 45. and as they have their crosses not a few so their comforts in and by the communion of Saints The very opening of their grievances one to another doth many times ease them as the very opening of a vein cools the blood Their mutual prayers one with and for another prevail much if they bee fervent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5.26 Prov. 27.17 or thorough-well wrought as in this case they likely will be for as Iron wheâ—s Iron so doth the face of a man his friend And as ferrum potest quod anrum non potest Iron can do that sometimes that Gold cannot An Iron-key may open a chest wherein Gold is laid up so a meaner mans prayer may bee more effectual sometimes than a better mans for himself His own key may be rusty or out of order and another mans do it better Hence the Church is so importunate with the daughters of Jerusalem who were far behinde her in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ as appears by that which follows to commend her and her misery to Christ to tell him where ever they meet with him Behold shee whom thou lovest is sick thy Church in whom thy love is concentrate as it were and gathered to an head doth even languish with love and is in ill case Tell him saith shee What shall yee tell him as the Hebrew hath it An earnest and passionate kinde of speech somewhat like that in Hosea Give them O Lord Hos 9.14 What wilt thou give them as if shee should say would you know what you should tell him even that which followeth that I am sick of love See chap. 2.5 Vers 9. What is thy beloved more than another beloved This capital question is here doubled for the more vehemency as also for the strangeness of the matter wherein they desire much to bee better informed and the rather because shee so straightly chargeth or rather sweareth them Something they must needs think was in it more than ordinary sith good people do not use to bee hot in a cold matter But as in the Revelation whensoever heaven opened some singular thing ensued So when the Saints bee so serious in a business sure it is of very great concernment Great matters are carried with great movings as for the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart Judg 5.15 16 great impressions great searchings It is a common saying Admiratio peperit Philosophiam Wonderment at the works of God set men a work to enquire into the natural causes of them Semblably these damsells of Jerusalem friends to the Church little knowing the love of the Spouse to Christ which passed their knowledge and yet willing to comprehend with all Saints the several dimensions thereof Eph. 3.18 19 first they acknowledge her amidst all her miseries to be the fairest among women See chap. 1.8 as gold is gold though found in the dirt or cast into the furnace and stars have their glory though we see them sometimes in a puddle in the bottom of a well nay in a stinking ditch Secondly they propound to her two most profitable questions The one concerning his person Whereof wee have here a very lively and lofty description both generally and in his parts The other concerning the place of his abode and where hee may be had chap. 6.1 to the which she makes answer vers 2. and so her faith begins to revive vers 3. which was the blessed effect of this their gracious communication Conference in all arts and sciences is a course of incredible profiting Est aliquid quod ex magno viro vel tacente proficias the very sight Prov. 31.26 Prov. 20.5 nay thought of a good man oft doth good how much more when hee openeth his mouth with wisdome and in his tongue is the Law of kindness And surely it is a fine art to bee able to pierce a man that is like a vessell full of wine and to set him a running Elihu would speak that hee might bee refresht Job 32. It would bee an ease to him it would bee a great benefit to others as the mother is in pain till the childe hath suckt and the childe not at quiet till hee hath done so Foolish and unlearned questions about those things whereof wee can neither have proof nor profit wee are bound to avoid 2 Tim. 2.23 knowing that they do gender strifes and breed crudities fill men with winde and make them question-sick 1 Tim. 6.4 But profitable questions are frequently to bee propounded with a desire to learn and resolution to practice as the Virgin Mary demanded of the Angel Luk. 1.34 the Disciples of our Saviour John 16.17 19. c. and hee resolved them which hee refused to do for the Jews that asked him the same question John 7.35 36. because not with the same mind and desire So that frollick self-seeker with his fair offer of following Christ was rejected when those that had more honest aims and ends heard Come and see Mat. 8.19 20. John 1.46 These daughters of Jerusalem do not therefore ask because they were utterly ignorant of Christ but 1 That they might hear the Church what shee had to say of him as they that love Christ love to hear talk of him his very name is melâ—in ore melos in aure c. 2 That by her discourse they might better their knowledge for
gold that is upon a foundation both fine and firm for gold hardly rusteth or cankereth whence it was likely that Tithonus and his Son Memnon when they built the City of Susa in Persia they joyned the stones together with gold as Cassiodorus writeth Christs power is founded upon his divine Nature and this is the Rock upon which the Church is built and whereby it is set in safety from all miseries and molestations satanical or secular The gates of Hell shall not prevail against her Christ and the Father are one Psal 89.19 therefore none shall take her out of his hands God hath laid help upon one that is mighty even upon Emanuel the mighty strong God as hee is called Isa 9.6 declared to bee the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.4 that your Faith and hope might bee in God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prorsus perpotuo perfecte 1 Pet. 1.21 Trust perfectly therefore to or hope to the end for the grace that is to bee brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus sith hee is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him 1 Pet. 1.13 Heb. 7.25 His countenance is as Lebanon His aspect his look or general view i. e. Whatsoever of himself Christ is pleased to manifest and lay open unto us is pleasant and delightful goodly and glorious excellent and eximious choice as the Cedars that are chosen before other trees and why see the Note on chap. 1.17 Vers 16. His mouth is most sweet Heb. His palat that is his word and promises which are as it were the breath of Christs mouth is all sweet This shee had celebrated before vers 13. but as not satisfied therewith shee repeats it and rolls it again as sugar under her tongue Shee doubles this commendation to shew that that is the chief lovely thing in Christ his Word this fruit shee had found sweet unto her palat chap. 2.3 and shee spareth not to set it forth as here the second time Mallemus carere c. Wee had rather bee without Fire Water Bread Sun Air c. saith a Dutch Divine than that one sweet sentence of our blessed Saviour Come unto mee all yee that are weary c. Yea hee is altogether lovely Totus totus desiderabilis wholly amiable every whit of him to bee desired Moses thought him so when hee preferred the reproach of Christ the worst part of him the heaviest peece of his cross before all the treasures in Egypt that Magazin of the world Heb. 11.26 Those of this world see no such excellency and desireableness in Christ and his waies Psal 22.7 nor can do till soundly shaken Hag. 2.7 I will shake all Nations and then the desire of all Nations that is Christ shall come with stirring affections saying as Isa 26.9 with my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within mee will I seek thee early Loe this is the voice of every true childe of the Church and these desires of the righteous shall bee satisfied Prov. 10.24 This is my Beloved c. q.d. You may see I have cause to seek after him neither can you do better than to do likewise howsoever when you see him do my errand to him as vers 7. And here wee have most excellent Rhetorick which in the beginning of a speech requires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 milder affections in the end of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stronger passions that may leaved deepest impressions CHAP. VI. Vers 1. Whither is thy Beloved gone c ALL Christs Disciples are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquisitive after the truth that is in Jesus Ephes 4.21 and are fellow-helpers to it John 3.8 There is also quid divinum in auscultatione as one well noteth that is a strange and strong energy or forcibleness in hearing whether publiquely or in private conference Christ and his excellencies displayed and discoursed of Let but his name as an ointment bee powred out and the Virgins can do no less than love him Cant. 1.3 These daughters of Jerusalem are by hearing the Church describing her Spouse and painting him out in lively colours fired up to an holy contention in godliness and might they but know where to have him they would bee at any pains to partake of the benefit 1 Tim. 6.2 They wondred at first why shee should make such ado about Christ But when they conversed a while with her and had heard her speak with such affection and admiration they are turned and will now go seek him with her God is pleased many times to water the holy meetings and conferences of his people with blessing beyond expectation or belief Wee should frame our selves to an easie discourse of the glory of Christs Kingdome and talk of his power Psal 145.8 9. Our tongues in this argument should bee as the pen of a ready writer Psal 45.1 that wee may bee able to speak oft to one another with profit and power in the best thing Mal. 3.10 Little do wee know what a deal of good may bee done hereby Mr. Fox speaking of Gods little flock in the days of Henry the 8. saith in such rarity of good books and want of teachers Act. Mon. fol. 750. this one thing I cannot but marvell and muse at to note in the registers and consider how the word of God did multiply so exceedingly amongst them For I finde that one neighbour resorting and conferring with another eftsoons with a few words of their first or second talk did win and turn their minds to that wherein they desired to perswade them touching the truth of Gods Word and Sacraments c. In all ages such as were ordained to eternal life believed Acts 13.48 after that they had heard the Word of truth they beleeved and were sealed Irridentis vex non interrogantis Contrariwise reprobates either refuse to hear the Church preaching Christ John 8.47 Of else they hear and jear as Pilat with his What 's truth in meer mockage John 18.38 hear and blaspheme Acts 13.45 or at best hear and admire and that 's all they leave the Word where they found it for any thing they will practice They think they do a great chare to sit out a Sermon and then commend it But Wisdoms children will not onely justifie her Mat. 11.19 but also glorifie her Acts 13.48 they will seek the Lord and his strength seek his face evermore Psal 105.4 Seek him in his holy Temple seek him in and with the Church as here They know that extra Ecclesiam nulla salus The Church is the pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3.15 in as much as by her ministery the authority dignity knowledge virtue and use of the truth of the Gospel is preserved in the world and held out Philip. 2.16 as the hand holds forth the torch or the watch-tower the light and so the haven to the weather-beaten Mariners
countenance when hee stood before the Council It should suffice for the present that the Church looketh for or is looked for so some render this Text at first as the morning somewhat dark and duskish Shee shall bee fair as the Moon at least in regard of Sanctification and for Justification shee is clear as the Sun so that God seeth no sin in her or if hee do yet as the Sun hee blots out the thick cloud as well as the cloud the thickest mist as well as the thinnest vapour Isa 44.12 And therefore to the Devill and his Angells shee must needs bee terrible as an Army with Banners 2 Cor. 10.4 because as shee marcheth under the banner of Christs mercy and love chap. 2.4 so the weapons of her warfare are not carnal but mighty through God c. and do strike as great a terrour into her enemies as once Christ did into those ruffian souldiers that came to apprehend him Greg. Orat. de laude Basil or as Basil did into Valens the Emperour that came to disturb him when hee was in holy exercises See the Note on v. 4. of this chapter Vers 11. I went down into the garden of Nuts Or Nutmegs Tremellius and those that follow him render it the well-dressed or pruned Gardens These are the particular Churches and several Saints Christs mystical and spiritual garden that need much pruning and trimming Of all possessions Nulla majorem operam requirit saith Cato none requireth so much pains to bee taken with it as a Garden or Orchard Corn comes up and grows alone ripeneth and commeth to perfection the husbandman sleeping and waking c. Mark 3. hee knows not how But Gardens must bee dressed trimmed pruned pared almost every day or else all will bee out of order Christ therefore as a careful Gardiner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Putat purgat amputat weeds lops prunes his garden John 15.2 Be careful therefore saith a Worthy Divine Christ walks in his Garden spies how many raw unripe indigested prayers c. hang on such a branch What gum of pride what leaves or luxuriant sprigs and rotten boughes there are and with his pruning-knife cuts and slashes where hee sees things amiss c. Thus hee Neither may wee think that Christ doth this or any of this in ill-will but out of singular love and faithfulness to our souls which else would soon bee wofully over-grown with the weeds of wickedness as a neglected garden The wicked God never meddleth with as I may so say till hee come with his ax to hew them down to the fire because hee findes them incorrigible Hos 4.17 Isa 1. Let him alone faith God concerning Ephraim And why should yee be smitten any more sith yee revolt more and more They have a great deal of freedome for present but the end is utter extirpation Non surget hic afflictio Nehem. 1.9 they shall totally and finally bee consumed at once To see the fruits of the valley Green valley-plants that is the humble spirits which tremble at Gods Word and present him with the first ripe fruits which his soul desireth Mic. 7.1 And to see whether the Vine flourished These Vines and Pomegranates are the faithful who are compared to thâ—se trees for the plenty and sweetness of their fruits Christ came to see whether the former were flowring and the latter budding to see if there were any hopes of ripe fruit in due time for hee liketh not those out-landish plants that every year bud and blossom but never bring any fruit to its perfection No when hee hath done all that can be done for his Vineyard hee looks for fruit Isa 5.2 Matth. 21.34 1 Cor. 9.7 For who saith hee planteth a Vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof Danda igitur est opera ut hujus agricolae votis respondeamus Answer Christs expectation or else hee will lay down his Basket and take up his Axe Luk. 13.7 Vers 12. Or ever I was aware my soul c. Heb. I knew not So Christ speaketh after the manner of men And it is as if hee should say I could not conceive that my people were in so good a forwardness as indeed I found them for they have over and above answered mine expectation being full of goodness as those beleeving Romans chap. 15.14 filled with all knowledge and alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord from whom therefore they shall bee sure to receive a full reward 2 John 8. Or thus I know not that is I perceived not that the Vines flourished the Pomegranates budded that all was ripe and ready therefore I withdrew my self for a season O my Spouse And therein I dealt with thee no otherwise than as good Gardiners and Vinedressers do who coming perhaps before the time of fruit to look for fruit and finding none depart for present till a more convenient season But that thou mayest know my dear love and tender care of thy comfort behold my haste to call thee to thy former feelings again for dicto citius my soul set mee on the Charrets of Amminadib who may seem to bee some famous Charret-driver of Solomons that could out-drive all the rest There is another sense given of these words and perhaps a better For by some these are thought to bee the words of the Church confessing her ignorance I knew not Lord saith shee that thou wast gone down into the Garden to do those things I thought rather that thou hadst departed in great anger against mee for my negligence and therefore I sought thee carefully I made out after thee with all my might my soul made mee like the Charrets of Amminadib Amor addidit alas I drove furiously till I had found thee I was like unto those two women in Zachary that had wings and wind in their wings chap. 5.9 This was well that missing her Spouse shee followed so hard after him Psal 63.8 My soul cleaveth after thee saith David thereby shewing his love constancy and humility But then that was not so well that shee so far mistook Christ as to think that hee went away from her in deep displeasure and kept away from her as loathing her company Such hard conceits of Christ and heavy conceits wee are apt to have of our selves as if hee had forsaken us because wee cannot presently finde him when as hee is onely gone down in his Garden to prune it or to see how things thrive there as it hee had cast off the care of us because finding us too light hee make us heavy as there is need with manifold temptations 1 Cor. 11. 1 Pet. 1.6 Wee are therefore judged of the Lord that wee may not bee condemned with the world Hee leaves us on the other side the stile as Fathers sometimes do their children and then helps us over when wee cry To say God hath cast us off because hee hath hid his face is a fallacy fetcht out of the Devils Topicks Non est
Christ unto the glory and praise of God Phil. 1.11 See the Notes on chap. 4.14 6.11 Neither can she be long kept under by any pressure of persecution or heavy affliction Premi potest opprimi non potest As Paul when stoned started up with Sic petitur coelum Sic Sic oportet intrare Tyrants might curse the Saints as hee did that cryed out to those ancient Confessours O miseri num vobis desunt restes rupes O wretches cannot you hang or drown your selves but that I must bee thus troubled with you to put you to death but crush them they never could The valour of the patients the savageness of the persecutors have striven together till both exceeding nature and belief bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and readers Hence Trajan forbade Pliny to seek after Christians But if any were brought to him to punish them Antoninus Pius set forth an Edict in Asia that no Christian should bee persecuted For said hee it is their joy to dye they are conquerours and do overcome you c. Trucidabantur multiplicabantur saith Augustine of the ancient Martyrs they were Martyred and yet they were multiplied Plures efficimur quoties metimur saith Tertullian the more we are cropt the more we are increased as the Lilly is increased by its own juyce that flows from it Plin. Hence Rev. 7.9 the Saints that by their victorious faith overcame the world are brought in with palm-branches in their hands in token of victory Plutarch tells us that the Babylonians made three hundred and sixty commodities of the palm-tree and did therefore very highly honour it The world hath a great deal of benefit by the Church could they but see it For Absque stationibus non staret mandus were it not for the Saints a short work would the Lord make upon the earth and cut it short in righteousness Rom. 9.28 And great is the gain of godliness even an hundred fold here and life eternal hereafter Who would not then turn spiritual merchant who would not pass from strength to strength and flourish in Gods house like a palm-tree Psal 29.12 till hee attain to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4.13 And thy breasts to clusters of grapes Not well-fashioned onely as Ezek. 16.7 but full-strutting with milk yea with wine plenty and dainty to lay hunger and slake thirst to nourish and cherish her children even as the Lord doth the Church Eph. 5.29 See the Note on chap. 4.5 Vers 8. I said I will go up to the palm-tree c. I said it and I will do it for Christi dicere est facere together with Christs word there goes forth a power as it did Luk. 5.17 David said hee would confess his sins and take heed to his waies Psal 32.5 39.1 and accordingly hee did it Shall Christ purpose and promise mercy to his people and not perform it Is hee yea and nay 2 Cor. 1.19 can hee say and unsay doth not the constant experience of all ages fully confute any such fond conceit of him The Saints will not lye Isa 63.8 Christ cannot Tit. 1.2 Hee will not suffer his faithfulness to fail nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 89.33 All his sayings are the issue of a most faithful and right will void of all insincerity and falshood Now when Christ promiseth to climb his palm-tree and to take hold of the boughes thereof hee meaneth that hee will dwell most familiarly with his Church even in the branches thereof pruning and trimming it and accepting the fruits of his Spirit in his Spouse Or thus Hee will so joyn himself unto his Church as hee may cause her to bee fruitful hee will lay hold on her boughes which are very fit and apt to climb so covertly and elegantly noting the work of spiritual generation The effect follows Now also thy breasts shall bee as clusters of the vine Whatsoever they have been heretofore now at this time and for ever hereafter they shall be delightful to mee and nourishable to thy children who shall suck and be satisfied Isa 66.11 Albeit some Interpreters of good note conceive that all this is nothing else but a figurative description of Christs perfect conjunction with his Church in the Kingdom of heaven and of the unspeakable pleasure which Christ will take in her for ever And the smell of thy nose like apples i. e. The breath that comes out of thy nostrils is sweet as spice-apples The breath that the Church draweth into her lungs and sends out again is the spirit of grace without which shee can as little live as wee can without ayr This sweet Spirit is the joy of her heart and the breath of her nostrils and thereby shee draws many into her company If that bee true that one here noteth that the fruit of the palm partaketh of the nature both of the grape having a sweet and pleasant juyce and of the apple for pleasant meat it may well signifie that the Word of God is both meat and drink to the soul Vers 9. And the roof of thy mouth like the best vine Her word and doctrine for the palate is an instrument of speech often before commended by Christ Instrumenta novem c. and here again like as shee comes over it in him the second time chap. 3.13.16 See the Note there This hee resembleth to the best and most generous wine Such the Word of Gods grace is to those that have Spiritual palates that do not carry fel in aure their galles in their ears as some creatures are said to do that have their ears healed as Demosthenes said of his Athenians and their inward senses habitually exercised to discern good and evill The doctrine of the Church seems to some bitter and grievous it goeth down like the waters of Marah Pausanias Aristot or that water that caused the curse in case of jealousie Numb 5. It becomes a savour of death unto him as the viper is killed with palm-branches and vultures with oyl of roses But this is meerly their own fault For doth not my Word do good to them that are good saith the Lord Micah 2.6 Excellently St. Austin Adversarius est nobis quamdin sumus ipsi nobis quamdiu tu tibi inimicus es inimicum habebis sermonem Dei Gods Word is an enemy to none but to such as are enemies to themselves and sinners against their own souls This holy word in the mouths of Gods Ministers is like Moses his rod which while held in his hand flourished and brought forth almonds but being cast to the ground it became a serpent The application is easie See the Note on chap. 1.2 For my Beloved These are Christs words but hee speaks as if the Church spake to shew her great affection that had dedicated all her good things to him Some read it thus which goeth straight to my
and make good your own standing Cato could say Plut. Dio. Gen. Josh 24.14 Curam exegeris non curationem Bern. that hee could pardon all mens faults but his own And Augustus going about to redress some abuses in the State was upbraided with his own domestical disorders Abraham had a well ordered family so had Joshua David Psal 101. And although his house were not so with God yet that was all his desire 2 Sam. 23.5 and he well knew that it was the care not the cure of his charge that hee stood charged with Noah may bring the Lord Christ into his house and labour to set him up in the hearts of his children speaking perswasively to that purpose But when all 's done God must perswade Japheth and speak to his heart Now this the Lord doth Monendo potius quam minando docendo quam ducendo Hence the Church in the next words cryes out Thou shalt instruct mee For so the Text is to be rendred Thou who art the Arch-Prophet a Teacher sent from God anointed and appointed for the purpose to put Divine learning into us Thou shalt instruct or learn us Now quando Christus magister quam cito descitur quod docetur saith Austin Christ is a quick teacher and all his scholars are very forwardly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 6.45 Nescit tarda molimina gratia Spiritus Sancti saith Ambrose Gods people must needs be well taught because they are all taught of God I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine Such as wee call Ipocras which besides the nature and strength of the wine it self hath by the mixture of many spices with it great power and pleasantness to the comforting of the heart and satisfying of the smell And this was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minerval recompense that Christ should have for teaching her shee resolveth to testifie her thankfulness by her obedience rendring unto him such fruits of faith and holiness as should bee sweetned and spicened with his own Spirit in her and should exceedingly delight him Contrary to these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these dainty and goodly fruits are those nasty and naughty ones Rev. 18.14 Isa 5.4 that besides their stench are so offensive to the taste that they cannot bee eaten they are so naught Jer. 24.2 Wicked mens grapes are of gall and their Wine is venome Deut. 32.32 33. both their natures and practices are abominable Vers 3. His left hand should bee under my head Or prayer-wise Let his left hand c. Conscious and sensible of her own inability shee begs the benefit of both Christs hands and all little enough his whole power and providence to support and relieve her Vna est in tenui mihi re medicina Jehova Cor patrium os verax omnipotensque manus See the Note on chap. 2.6 Vers 4. I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem See the Note on chap. 2.7 Why should you stir up What shall you get by it or what reason can yee give for it But lust is head-long and considers not what an evill and bitter thing sin is Besides it so blears the understanding Jer. 2.19 that a man shall think hee hath reason to bee mad and that there is great sense in sinning Vers 5. Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness See the Note on chap. 3.6 There are continual ascensions in the hearts of Gods people whiles here And whereas the men of this world which have their portion here Psal 17.14 animas etiam incarnaverunt as Bernard complaineth and are born downward to hell by their own weight the Saints of God are ever aspiring and do groan being burdened as knowing that whilest they are at home in the body such an home as it is they are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.4 6. from their heavenly home Either Egypt was not Moses his home or but a miserable one and yet in reference to it hee called his son born in Midian Gershom i. e. a stranger there If hee so thought of this Egyptian home where was nothing but bondage and tyranny what marvell though the Saints think of that home of theirs above and hasten to it in their affections where is nothing but rest and blessedness Leaning upon her Beloved For otherwise shee could not ascend as unable to sustain her steps Jer. 10.23 The Church as the Vine is the most fruitful but the weakest of all trees and must have a supporter hence shee leans upon her Beloved Brightman Sunt qui exponunt Delicians which phrase beside recumbency denotes a more than ordinary familiarity qua solent amantes insinus amasiorum sc projicere like as Lovers throw themselves sometimes into their sweet-hearts arms or bosomes Now thus to lean upon Christ is an act of faith of the faith of Gods Elect. Others seem to lean upon Christ but it is no otherwise than as the Apricock which leaneth against the walls but is fast rooted in the earth So these lean upon Christ for Salvation but are rooted in the world in pride filthiness c. and though they make some assaies yet like the door upon the hinges they will not come off See the folly and confidence of these wretched men the same Hebrew word signifies both and may both waies be taken Psal 49.13 graphically described by the Prophet Mich. 3.11 The heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us none evill can come upon us These men perish by catching at their own catch hanging on their own fancy making a bridge of their own shadow they will not otherwise believe but that Christ is their sweet Saviour and so doubt not but they are safe when it is no such matter They grow aged and crooked with such false conceits and can seldome or never bee set straight again These must know that to rely upon Christ is to bee utterly unbottomed of a mans self and of every creature and so to lean upon Christ alone that if hee fail thou sinkest if hee set not in thou art lost for ever Papists think that as hee that standeth on two firm branches of a tree is surer than hee that standeth upon one so hee that trusteth to Christ and his own works too But it must bee considered first that hee which looketh to bee justified by the law is fallen from grace Christ is of no effect unto him Gal. 5.4 Hee will not mingle his purple-blood with our puddle-stuff his rich robes with our tattered rags his Eagles feathers with our Pigeons plumes There can bee but one Sun in heaven Sol quasi Solus and they set up rush candles to the Sun that joyn other Saviours to this Sun of righteousness Secondly hee that hath one foot on a firm branch another on a rotten one stands not so sure as if wholly on that which is sound
also reap in due season if they faint not if they grow not weary of well-doing Gal. 6.9 See the Note on vers 11. Vers 13. Thou that dwellest in the Gardens i. e. O thou Church universal that dwellest in the particular Churches frequently called Gardens in this book The French Protestants at Lions called their meeting-house Paradise The companions hearken to thy voyce The Angels so some interpret it learn of the Church and profit in the knowledge of the manifold wisdome of God in mans redemption Ephes 3.10 1 Cor. 11.10 1 Pet. 1.10 Or rather thy Fellow-Christians thine obedient children that will hearken to their mothers counsell No sooner can shee say Hear and give ear bee not proud for the Lord hath spoken it but they give glory to the Lord their God as Jer. 13.15 16. glorifie his Word Acts 13.48 set to their seals John 3.33 dispute not Christs commands but dispatch them Illi garriant nos credamus said Augustine of hereticks that would not bee satisfied The Philosophers called the Christians Credentes Believers by way of reproach because they believed God upon his bare word Wee believe and know saith Peter John 6.69 And wee believe and speak saith Paul after David 2 Cor. 4.13 And wee believe and practice as Noah and those other Worthies did Heb. 11.7 laying faith for a foundation of all their doings and sufferings in and for the Lord like as Ezra 6.4 the foundation of the Temple was laid with three rows of great stones and a row of new timber This is the guise of the Churches children they are soon perswaded to beleeve and obey their mother whom they look upon as the pillar and ground of truth Cause mee to hear it See the Note on chap. 2.14 Tremellius renders it Fac ut me andiant Cause them to hear mee deliver nothing to them for truth but what is consonant to my Word of truth let all thy doctrines bear my stamp come forth cum privilegeo carry mine authority What said Austin to an adversary it was Faustus the Manichee I trow what matter is it what either thou saiest or I say to this or that point Audiamus ambo quid dicit Dominus Let us both hear what God saith and sit down by it Vers 14. Make haste my beloved Heb. Flee or speed thee away as Amaziah said to Amos Go flee thee away into the land of Judah Amos 7.12 And as a Senatour of Hala in Suevia wrote to Brentius Fuge fuge Brenti cito citius citissime make all possible speed haste haste haste So the Church is at it here with her Come Lord Jesus come quickly O mora Christe veni Thus Augustine as this Book began with a wish so it ends Tota vita boni Christiani sunctum desideriumest The whole life of a good Christian is an holy wish Hee loves and longs and looks for Christs second appearance and even spends and exhales himself in continual salleys and egressions of affection unto him in the mean while Hee hath taken some turns with Christ upon those mountains of spices so heaven is called for its unconceiveable height and sweetness he hath tasted of the grapes of this celestial Canaan hence he is as eager after it Plut. in vita Camilli as once the Gauls were after Italy when they had once tasted of the sweet wine of those grapes that grew there The old character of Gods people was they waited for the consolation of Israel Christs first comming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Isa 16.5 Septu Now they long as much for his second as the espoused maid doth after the marriage as the Apprentice for his freedom the captive for his ransom the traveller for his Inn the mariner for the haven c. looking for and hasting the coming of that day of God 2 Pet. 3.12 Soli Deo gloria in aeternum FINIS A Commentary or Exposition Upon the BOOK Of the Prophet ISAIAH CHAP. I. Verse 1. THE Vision of Isaiah That which was not unfitly affirmed of a Modern Expositor Snepfius that his Commentaries on this Prophesie of Isaiah are mole parvi eruditione magni small in bulk but great in worth may much more fitly be spoken of the Prophesie it self which is aureus quantivis precii libellus worth its weight in gold A great roll or volume it is called chap. 8.6 because it is Magnum in parvo much in a little and is said there to be written with a mans pen that is plainly and perspicuously so little reason was there that John Haselbach Mercat Atlas Professor at Vienna should read twenty and one years to his Auditors upon this first chapter only and yet not finish it I confess there is no Prophesie but hath its obscurity the picture of Prophesie is said to hang in the Popes Library like a Matron with her eyes covered and Jerom saith that this of Isaiah containeth all Rhetorick Ethicks and Theologie But if Brevity and Suavity which Fulgentius maketh to be the greatest graces of a sentence if Eloquence of stile and Evidence of Vision may carry it with the Reader Casaub here they are eminently met in this Seraphical Orator of whom we may far better say then the learned Critick doth of Livy Non ita copiosus ut nimius neque ita suavis ut lascivus nec adeò lenis ut remissus non sic tristis ut horridus neque ita simplex ut nudus aut adeò comptus ut affectatâ compositione calamistris videatur inustus Par verbis materia par sententia ribus c. A Courtier he was and a Master of speech a man of Noble birth and as noble a spirit not the first of the holy Prophets and yet worthily set in the first place as St. Pauls Epistle to the Romans is for like cause set before the rest because in abundance of Visions he exceedeth his fellows and in speaking of the Lord Christ he delivereth himself more like an Evangelist then a Prophet Hieronym Est in fragmentis Demadâ— orationes Demostheniâ— esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Isaiae vision bus idem pâ— Conciones haâ— poenitentialâ— comminator as Consâ—â—ortas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is therefore called The Evangelical Prophet In the New-Testament he is cited by Christ and his Apostles sixty several times at least and by the devouter Heathens he was not a little respected as appeareth by the history of that Ethiopian Eunuch Acts 8. The vision That is the several Visions or Doctrines so certainly and clearly revealed to him by God as if he had seen them with his bodily eyes see chap. 2.1 Nahum 1.1 for they are not to be hearkened to who hold that these Seers the Prophets understood not their own prophesies 1 Pet. 1.10 11. though it is true that those holy men of God spake as they were moved acted and powerfully carryed on to see and say as they did by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 Of Isaiah Which signifieth
Gods health He would indeed have healed that perverse people to whom he was sent but they would not be healed as he sadly complaineth chap. 44.4 53.1 turning them over to God with a Non convertentur They will not repent let them therefore perish When there is no hope of curing there must be cutting The Son of Amoz Who likewise was a Prophet say the Hebrews and of royal extraction Luth. in Psal 127. Which he saw Not which I saw thus he speaketh for modesty sake Luther wittily saith that Haec ego feci Haec ego feci shews men to be nothing else but Faeces dregs Concerning Judah and Jerusalem The Inhabitants whereof lived in Gods good land but would not live by Gods good laws to them was objected as afterwards to the Athenians Eos scire quae recta sunt sed facere nolle that they knew what was right but had no mind to do it though this and other Prophets used their best Oratory in inviting those of them that did rebel inciting those that did neglect hastening those that did linger and recalling those that did wander to sue out their pardons and make their peace with their Maker In the days of Vzziah Jotham Ahaz and Hezekiah And longer too if that be true which the Hebrews tell us that at the age of one hundred twenty and six years he was sawn asunder by Manasseh his grand-son by the Mothers side with a wooden saw Hier. lib. 15. in Isa in sine Sure it is that Manasseh was a most bloody persecutor and perhaps not inferior to Dioclesian in whose days such cruelty was exercised toward the Christian Bishops and others Vt totum orcum dicas in orbem effusum Bussieres ubi nemo nisi tortus vel tortor sit as if Hell had been broke loose and all men turned either Torturers or Tortured Deut. 4.26 30.19 31.28 Verse 2. Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth Exordium patheticum Moses-like he calleth heaven and earth brutas illas mutasque creaturas to record against Gods rebels whose stupendious stupidity is hereby taxed Heaven and earth do hear and obey Gods voyce for they are all his servants Psal 119.91 keeping their constant course Only Man that great Heteroclite breaketh order and is therefore worse then other creatures because he should be better For the Lord hath spoken it So Jer. 13.15 Hear and give ear be not proud for the Lord hath spoken it Jehovah whose voyce shaketh not the earth only but the heavens also Heb. 12.26 Psal 104.32 at whose dreadful presence Mountains melt Rocks rent asunder and the whole fabrick of heaven and earth is astonished horribly afraid and very desolate Jer. 2.12 This Great Jehovah whose Name is great among the Heathen Mal. 1.11 The Pythagoreans used to swear by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quaternity the name Jehovah consisting of four letters in the Hebrew Lingua mea est calamus S. S. guttur meum est tuba divino inflata clangens anhelitu Deut. 32.15 which also they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fountain of Eternity Aphâ—hu even he hath spoken or is about to speak sc by my mouth and Ministery Hear now this O foolish people and without understanding which have eyes and see not which have ears and hear not Fear ye not me saith Jehovah Will ye not tremble at my presence c. Jer. 5.21 22. Hear ye deaf and look ye blind that ye may see Isa 42.18 Thus must Ministers preach to the conscience cut to the quick rouse up themselves and wrestle with their hearers goring their very souls with smarting pain whilest they speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4.11 with all gravity and authority I have nourished and brought up children Or advanced exalted them Brevicula verba sed causa querulandi maxima A short but sharp contest God had adopted educated Plato Aristotelem vocabat mulum and advanced the people of Israel but Jesurun waxed fat and kicked as young Mulets when they have sucked lift up the heel and kick the dams dugs as Hawks when full fed forget their Master And they have rebelled against me Or transgressed blasphemed Rebellion is a kind of blasphemy Numb 15.30 31. with Ezek. 20.27 and unthankfulness is as one saith an accumulative sin a voluminous wickedness many sins are bound up in it as Cicero saith of parricide Solon would make no law against parricide because he thought none would be so vile as to commit it Lycurgus would make no law against Ingratitude for like reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 3. The Ox knoweth his owner Yea helpeth him whence these creatures are called juumenta a juvando and the Ass hath his name in Greek from his usefulness Yea the most savage creatures will be at the beck and check of those that feed them Diobedience therefore is against the Principles of nature and Gods Rebels fall below the stirrup of Reason yea of Sense so great cause was there that our Prophet tantas tragoedias ageret should begin his Sermon with such a solemn contestation Hear O Heavens c. O coelum O terram But Israel doth not know quo est stupore he needeth to be set to School to these dullest of creatures to learn the knowledge of God and of his will of himself and his duty Oh the brutish ignorance of many profligate professours they are a people of no understanding Psalm 53.4 So chap. 44.18 My people doth not consider Though them only have I known of all the Families of the Earth Amos 3.2 culling and calling them owning and honouring them adopting and accepting them for my people when I had all the world before me to chuse in Deut. 10.14 15. yet they value not my benefits they stir not up themselves as the Hebrew word signifieth to apprehend them and to be affected with them All 's lost that I have laid out upon them Unthankfulness is as a grave which receiveth dead bodies but rendreth them not up again without a Miracle But should ye thus requite the Lord Oh foolish people and unwise Deut. 32.6 See the Note there Ver. 4. Ah sinful Nation Hoi goi chote He beginneth his complaint with a sigh as well he might when he saw that the better God was to them the worse they were to him like Springs of water which are then coldest when the Sun is hottest like the Thracian flint which is said to burn with water and to be quenched with oyl or like that Countrey where drought maketh dirt and rain dust Siccitas dat lutum imbres pulverem Plin. Ah geus peccatrix Oh thou that art wholly made up of mischief as Aaron once said of their Fore-fathers in the Wilderness that they were wholly set upon wickedness Exod. 32.22 and as the Prophet saith What is the transgression of Jacob Gens quae non nisi peccare didicit Scult secura petulans Piseat Luke 15.30 Is it not
a double dye sins in grain enormia horrenda such as ye may well think will never wash out They shall be white as snow i. e. You shall be fully freed of the guilt and filth of your most heinous offences by the blood of my Son sc Not your peccadilla's only shall be remitted but your many and mighty sins quae coccini quae vermiculi instar sunt Ciâ—cr l. 4. Acad. quest Galen l. 2. De virt â—mp remediorum But what meant that mad Philosopher Anaxagoras to affirm that snow was black Purge me with Hysop wash me by the blood of sprinkling from the sting and stink of sin and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Psalm 51.7 Cleaner I shall be then the picked glass whiter then the driven snow The Law saith one is like a glass wherein we see our spots but the Gospel is like the Laver Ainsw in loc Exod. 38.8 which was made of the womens Looking-glasses whereby they might both see their Faces and also wash out their spots for it was both a Glass to look in and a Laver to wash in and this typified Christ see 1 Joh. 1.7 Revel 1.1 Though they be redlike crimson which is say the Rabbins of a deeper colour then the former They shall be as wool which naturally is exceeding white in those Countries Psalm 147.16 Scultetus noteth that God here promiseth not only pardoning but purging Grace also Ver. 19. If ye be willing and obedient If ye love God and keep his Commandements Exod. 20.6 If ye love to be his servants Isa 56.6 willing in all things to live honestly Basil Conc. de prodigo Enchir. id cap. 32. Heb 13.18 Tantum velis Deus tibi praecurret say thou canst not open the door yet be lifting at the latch ever holding that of Austin Nolentem praevenit Deus ut velit volentem subsequitur ne frustra velit It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2.8 Austin after Paul stood so much for free-grace that the Papists say be yielded too little to free will Ye shall eat the good things of the land Ye shall and not strangers for you as ver 7. The Easterlings shall not eat thy fruit nor drink thy milk as Ezek. 25.4 Thine enemies shall not eat thy corn nor the sons of the stranger drink thy wine But they that have gathered it shall eat it and praise the Lord and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the Courts of my holiness Isa 62.8 9. Godliness hath a Cornucopia Religion is the right Palladium of a Nation The Heathen Poet could acknowledge that so long as Rome stood Religious so long she continued victorious and prosperous as on the contrary Horat. Dii multa neglecti dederunt Hesperiae mala luctuosae Italy was undone by irreligion The Greek Empire had not faln from the Paleologi to the Turks Non caliditate robore sed pietate religione omnes gentes supera â—is Orat. de Art respons â—ib 3. had the Christian verity stood firm in Constantinople Tully confesseth that the Instruments by which the Romans subdued the world were not strength and policy but Religion and Piety Wherefore also Mecaenas in Dion Cassius adviseth Augustus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by all means and at all times to advance the worship of God to cause others to do the same and not suffer Innovations in Religion Ver. 20. But if ye refuse and rebel The Romans sent the Carthaginians caduceum hastam that they might take their choice of Peace upon submission or war upon refusal so to do Semblably dealeth the Lord by this people here See Deut. 30.19 Yet shall be devoured with the sword War is threatned which is saith One the Slaughter-house of mankind and the Hell of this present world and that we may not think that these are but big words brute thunder-bolts it is added for confirmation For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Now whatsoever he hath spoken with his mouth he will surely make good with his hand as Solomon phraseth it in his prayer The Original hath it For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken q. d. let his Word stand for a Law with you Justinian telleth us in his Institutes that it was a Prerogative belonging to the Roman Emperour Quicquid principi placuirit legis habet vigorem whatsoever he pleased to bid be done was a Law And the French Kings Edicts or Proclamations alwayes end with these binding words Car bel est nostre plasir for such is our pleasure and we look to be obeyed May not the King of Kings say so much more Ver. 21. How is the faithful City Here beginneth as some think Nota est admirantis deplorantis a new Sermon and it beginneth as Jeremiah's Lamentations do with an Ecack How a particle of Admiration mixt with grief q. d. Proh pudor proh dolor O shamefull O dolefull What a strange business is this and how unworthily is this matter carried Here 's a City so altered that ye can scarce know her to be the same ye may seek Jerusalem in Jerusalem and not find her tota est jam Roma lupanar Mantuan See Ezek. 16.15 23. 23.3 c. Become an Harlot In meretricem not a privy Harlot only but a prostituted harlot a very prostibulum meretrix meretricissima utpote quae cubile dilatavit Isa 57. Tibias devaricavit Ezek. 16. Such a trite harlot is the great whore of Babylon at this day whose faithfulness was once famous all the world over Rom. 1. But now O quantum haec Niobe Ex aurea factam argenteam ex argentea ferream ex ferrea terream superesse ut in stercus abiret Theod. Urias Augustinianus circa An. 1414. One of her own sons once complained that of gold she was become silver of silver brass and that she was ready to degenerate into dirt and worse It was full of judgement topfull Sad that it was so Fuimus Troes It 's a misery to have been happy Righteousness lodged there Not in Melchisedecks days only who was King of Righteousness according to his Name and King also of Salem afterwards called Jerusalem but also in the raignes of David Solomon Jehosophat and other good Princes But now no such matter nay the contrary like as the Prince of Orange his Country is fertil of all fruits save Orenges whence the French Proverb En Orenge it n'y a point de Oranges But now Murtherers Hierapolis was become a very Poneropolis the City of God a den of Thieves or as the Papists maliciovsly say of Geneva a professed Sanctuary of roguery By Murtherers here may be meant Persecutors of the pious and oppressours of the poor man whose livelihood is his life Mark 12. ult Luke 8.43 A poor man in his house is like a snail in his shell crush that and you kill him
times of the Gospel imported the same Notion And the Government shall be upon his shoulders The Power and Majestie of the Kingdom is committed to him by his Father chap. 22.22 with Matth. 28.18 and he hath strength enough to manage it Princeps est hajulus Reip. The Hebrews call a Prince Nassi because Atlas-like he is to bear up the Common-wealth and not to overload his Subjects Christ both as Prince of his Church and as High-Priest also beareth up and beareth out his people helping their infirmities Rom. 8.26 See the Note And his Name shall be called Heb. He shall call his Name 1. God his Father shall or every true Believer shall call him and count him all this And sure it is had we but skill to spell all the Letters in this Name of Christ Prov. 18.10 it would be a strong Tower unto us better then that of David builded for an Armoury and compleatly furnished Cant. 4.4 Compare this Text with 1 Cor. 1.30 and see all our doubts answered Are we perplexed He is our wonderful Counsellour and made unto us of God Wisdom Are we in depths of distress He is the mighty God our Redemption Want we Grace and his Image He is the Everlasting Father our Sanctification Doth the guilt of sin sting us He is the Prince of peace our Righteousness Wonderful Heb. A Miracle or Wonder viz. in all his Counsels and Courses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Symmach Ipsa admirabilitas A Lap. especially for his Glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders Exod. 15.11 Counsellour The Septuagint here calleth Him the Angel of the great Counsel Rev. 1.13 He is set forth as cloathed with a garment down to the foot which is the Habit of Counsellors at Law who are therehence called Gentlemen of the long Robe See Rev. 3.17 Prov. 8.14 Jer. 32.19 But because Counsellors are but Subjects it is added in Christs stile The mighty God Able to effect his own Counsels for the behoof of his Subjects Saint Paul calleth him the great God Tit. 2.13 and God above all to be blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 God the Potentate so the Sept. render this Text God the Giant so Oecolampadius The Everlasting Father The Father of Eternity the King Eternal Immortal 1 Tim. 1.17 Ferdinand the Emperour on his death bed would not acknowledge the Title Invictissimus but commanded his Counsellour to call him Ferdinand without more addition Christ is also the Author of Eternity to all his people whom he hath begotten again to an Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for them 1 Pet. 1.3 4. The Prince of peace Pacis omnimodae of all kinds of peace outward inward of countrey and of conscience temporal and eternal Of all these he is the Prince as having full power to bestow them for he is son to the God of peace Rom. 16.20 He was brought from Heaven with that song of peace Luc. 2.14 He himself purged our sins and made our peace Heb. 1.3 Eph. 2.14 Returned up to Heaven with that farewel of peace Joh. 14.27 Left to the world the Gospel of peace Eph. 2.17 Whose Ministers are messengers of peace Rom. 10.15 Whose followers are the children of peace Luk. 10.6 c. Wherefore Christ doth far better deserve then our Hen. 7. did to be stiled the Prince of peace Especially since Ver. 7. Of the increase of his government there shall be no end Here the Mem final in the middle of the word Lemarbeh hath occasioned some to give many guesses at the reason of it yea to conceit many mysteries where wiser men can find no such matter It is a good note which One giveth here viz. that the more Christs government increaseth in the soul the more peace there is See chap. 32.17 Psal 119.136 To establish it Or support it uphold it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A King hath his name in Greek from being the foundation of the people This King of Kings is only worthy of that name he is not maintained and supported by us our Subsidies but we by him and by the supplies of his Spirit Philip. 1.19 All our springs are in him Psal 87.7 Non amat qui non zelat The Zeal of the Lord of hosts i. e. the philanthropy Tit. 3.4 and free grace of God Dilexisti me Domine magis quam te saith a Father Let us reciprocate by being zealous of good works fervent in spirit serving the Lord. And when Satan telleth us of our no merits tell we him that the Zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do it notwithstanding Ver. 8. The Lord fâ—râ— a word into Jacob He sent it as a shaft out of a bow that will be sure to hit God loveth to premonish but woe be to those that will not be warned The Septuagint render it The Lord sent a plague or Death into Jacob and indeed after the white horse followeth the red and the black Revel 6.2 4 5. Like as Tamerlan that warlike Scythian displayed first a white flag in token of mercy and then a red menacing and threatning blood and then lastly a black flag the messenger and ensign of death was hung abroad And it hath lighted upon Israel 1. They were not ignorant of such a word ver 9.2 They could neither avert nor avoid his wrath Ver. 9. And all the people shall know Know it they do already but they shall know it by wofull experience He that trembleth not in hearing shall be crushed to pieces in feeling said Mr. Bradford Martyr That say in pride and sloutness of heart The Poet could say of his Ajax 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His pride undid him so doth it many a man especially when come to that height that it fighteth against God as here When earthen pots will needs be dashing against the Rock of ages and doing this or that al despito di Dio as that profane Pope once said whether God will or no divine vengeance doggs at heels such Desperado's Ver. 10. The bricks are fallen down Not thrown down by Providence but fallen down by Fate or blind fortune God is not so far honoured as once to be owned by these Atheists who think they can make their party good against him and mend what he had marr'd whether he would or not Thus this giantlike generation and the like impiety is in the corrupt nature of us all For as in water face answereth to face so doth the heart of a man to a man saith Solomon Prov. 27.19 The Sycomores are cut down c. Another proverbial speech to the same purpose Sycomores were then very common in that countrey and little set by 1 King 10.27 Now they are not to be found there saith Hierom as neither are Cedars in Lebanon Ver. 11. Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin in whom ye trust He shall shortly be destroyed by the Assyrian 2 King 16.9 and then your hopes
shake his hand over the River The River Nilus The sense is he shall remove all obstacles and impediments This was fulfilled Acts 2. With his mighty wind The Chaldee paraphraseth in eloquio prophetarum suorum by the word of his Prophets quod Apostolis non parum congruit saith Oecolampadius which very well agreeth to the Apostles converting the Elect whom neither heighth nor depth could keep from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.39 The Jews expect but in vain that all these things should be fulfilled unto them in the letter by their Messias as once they were by Moses at the red Sea And make men go over dry-shod without boat or boot Ver. 16. And there shall be an high-way Agger via strata a Causey chap. 7.3 In the day that he came up out of the Land of Aegypt This signal deliverance was a clear Type of our Redemption by Christ And this Prophesie was fulfilled when thousands of the Aegyptians were converted by Mark the Evangelist and other Preachers as also when other Nations forsook Spiritual Aegypt Rev. 11.8 and embraced the Truth CHAP. XII Ver. 1. ANd in that day sc when there shall come forth a Rod out of the stem of Jesse as chap. 11.1 Blessed be God for a Christ See Psalm 96.1 13. Rev. 6.11 Thou shalt say It is not a dumb kind of thankfulness that is required of the Lords Redeemed but such as from an heart full of Spiritual Joy breaketh forth into fit words such as are here set down in this ditty or Directory I will praise thee The whole life of a true Christian is an holy desire saith an Ancient It is or should be surely continua laetitia laus Dei a continual Hallelujah Deo gratias was ever in Austins mouth Laudetur Deus laudetur Deus in Anothers i.e. Praised be God praised be God The Saints here with one mind and one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15.6 The Saints and Angels do so in Heaven uncessantly Rev. 4. hoc est juge eorum negotiosum otium otiosum negotium Thine anger is turned away My sins are forgiven me and hence I am of so good chear though otherwise distressed Feri Domine feri à peccatis absolutus sum said Luther Strike while thou wilt Lord so long as my sins are pardoned See Psal 103.1 2 3. And thou comfortedst me viz. with Gospel-comforts which are strong and satisfying I do over-abound exceedingly with joy in all our tribulation saith Paul 2 Cor. 7.4 Ver. 2. Behold God is my salvation Let such take notice of it as said when time was There is no help for him in God Salvation it self cannot save him Behold Oecolamp and My there is much matter in this Adverb and that Pronoun saith an Interpreter Behold God is my Jesus so Hierom readeth it according to that of old Simeon Mine eyes have seen thy Salvation And in this and the next Verse Salvation is thrice mentioned so sweet it was to those that thus sang of it See the Note on 1 Cor. 1.8 I will trust and not be afraid There is an Elegancy in the Hebrew that cannot be Englished This Spiritual security floweth from Faith Experience should both breed and feed it See Psalm 46.3 2 Cor. 1.10 For the Lord is my strength Salvation properly denoteth the privative part of mans happiness viz. freedom from evil but it includeth also position in a good estate and preservation therein whilst we are kept by the power or strength of God through faith unto Salvation Ver. 3. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water Joy is the just mans portion and Christ is the never-failing fountain whence by a lively faith he may infallibly fetch it John 4.10 14. 7.37 Christ was much delighted with this Metaphor see Joh. 1.16 Out of this Fountain only may men quench their Spiritual thirst after Righteousness Haec sola est aqua quae animas arentes maerentes squalidas reficit recreat These Wells of Salvation are those Words of Eternal Life John 6 68. Sanchez the rich and precious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 whereby we are made partakers of the Divine Nature and of the Holy Spirit which is frequently and fitly compared to water in regard of First Ablution Ezek. 36.25 Secondly of Fructification Job 8.11 Isa 35.6 7. 44.3 4. And thirdly of Refrigeration Psalm 42.1 Rom. 5.5 Some think the Prophet here alludeth to those softly-running Waters of Siloam chap. 8. or to the Rock-water that followed them in the Wilderness or to that famous Fountain Numb 21.16 18. whence they drew waters with so much mirth and melody Ver. 4. And in that day shall ye say Praise the Lord Viz. with us and for us Every true Confitebâ—r tibi hath its Confitemini Domino annexed unto it The Saints are unsatisfiable in praising God for the great work of their Redemption and do therefore call in help all that may be Call upon his Name Which is a special way of praising Him whilest we make Him the sole Object of our prayers professing our distance from him our whole dependence upon him c. See 1 Chron. 16.8 and Psalm 105.1 Declare his doings Sept. his glorious things those many Miracles of Mercy wrought in our Redemption which is a work much more excellent then that of making all things at first of nothing keeping Heaven still upon its hinges and upholding the whole Universe without a Foundation Magna sunt opera Dei Creatoris Recreatoris autem longe maxima saith Gregory Make mention that his Name is exalted Or celebrate his Name which is High far above all praise Ver. 5. Sing unto the Lord Or sing of the Lord. Sing a concise and short Song amputatis omnibus supervacantis He hath done excellent things Heb. Excellency or Majesty All other Spiritual Blessings meet in our Redemption by Christ as the lines do in the Center streams in the Fountain This is known in all the earth Or let this be known let all the world ring of it As when the Argives were delivered by the Romans from the Tyrannie of the Macedonians and Spartans the ayr was so dissipated with their acclamations and out-cries Plutarch that the Birds that flew over the place fell down amated to the ground Ver. 6. Cry out Heb. hinni neigh as Horses do that are full fed or fitted for fight Jubila quantum potes valide totis viribus clama claram laetam vocem ede For great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee Or for the Holy One of Israel who is great is in the midst of thee How shouldest thou then do otherwise then well CHAP. XIII Ver. 1. THe burden That is the burdenous Prophesie it should not have seemed a burden See the Notes on Nah. 1.1 and on Mal. 1.1 Jer. 23.36 but it is a grievous burden to graceless persons to be told of their sins and foretold
of their punishments Of Babylon Not that Babylon in Egypt of which St. Peter 1 Epist 5.13 as some hold now called Grâ—ndcair the Soldans Seat-royal but the Metropolis of Chaldaea built by Semiramis about an hundred years after the Flood whetheâ— the Jews were to be carried captive and concerning which calamity they are here aforehand comforted See Mic. 7.8 16. Ver. 2. Life up a Banner Deus hic quasi classicum canit God as Generalissimo gives forth his Orders to the Medes and Persians He is a man of War Exod 15.3 yea the Lord victour of War as the Chaldee there paraphraseth See the like Jer. 50.2 Vpon the High Mountain Where it may best be seen Media is a Mountanous Countrey Or contra montem calâ—ginosum against the dark Mountain i. e. Babylon which though scituated in a Plain yet was tuâ—ouâ—'d up with her wealth and power Strabo lib. 16. Curtius lib. 5. Josephus l. 10. and seemed unmoveable Famous this City was for an hortus pensilis an Artificial Garden made by Nebuchadnezzar for the pleasure of his Wife Nicotris which hanging over the City darkeneth it like as that continual Cloud doth the Island of St. Thomas on the backside of Africa Exalt the voyce unto them shake the hand Propinquos voce longinquos significatione adarma convocate give the alarm to those that are near-hand and further off Junius That they may go into the gates of the Nobles Or of the munificent or Bounteous Lords for such all Nobles are or ought to be Our English word Lord contracted of the Saxon word Laford cometh of Luef to sustain or succour others Ver. 3. I have commanded my sanctified ones i. e. I have by my secret instinct stirred up and set on my Medes and Persians ver 17. whom in my Decree I have set apart for this holy work of executing vengeance on the Babylonians I have also called my Mighties My Heroes armed with my Might Even them that rejoyce in my Highness Heb. Exultantes superbiae meos My brave Souldiers whom I render victorious and triumphant Ver. 4. The noise of the multitude The Medes that come against Babylon are both numerous and streperous as is here graphically described by an Elegant Hypotyposis The Lord of Hosts mustereth the host of the battel No marvel then that the Forces are so many and mighty For if he but stamp with his foot all creatures are up in Arms immediately Ver. 5. They come from a far Countrey Heb. from a Land of Longinquity Even the Lord and the weapons of his Indignation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vessels of wrath the Septuagint render them but in another sence then the Apostle useth that expression concerning Reprobates designed to destruction To destroy the whole Land Or the whole world for so the Chaldees in the pride of their Empire stiled it The Romans did the like Luke 2.1 The Turks do the same at this day such is their ambition Ver. 6. Howl ye For the evils that are coming upon you as Jam. 5.1 we may well say the same to mystical Babylon For the day of the Lord is at hand And yet it came not till above two hundred years after Think the same of the day of Judgement and reckon that a thousand years with God is but as one day It shall come as a destruction from the Almighty Heb. Cleshod Mishaddai an elegancy that cannot be Englished Shâ—ddai Gods name signifieth a Conqueror say some a Destroyer say others which a Conqueror must needs be Eundem victorem vastatorem esse oportet Here is threatened a devastation from the Devastatour Ver. 7. Therefore shall all hands be faint Base fear that cowardly passion shall betray them to the enemy by expectorating their courage and causing their hearts to fall into their heels as we say But this also cometh from the Lord of â—â—osts who is wonderful in Counsel and excellent in working for He ordereth the Armor Jer. 50.25 and he strengtheneth or weakeneth the Armies of either party Ezek. 30.24 whencesoever the Sword cometh it is bathed in Heaven Isa 34.5 And every heart shall melt How much more shall wicked mens hearts do so at the day of Judgement when the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken Luke 21.26 Allegoricè haec veriora erunt in diâ— judicii cujus hic est typus Ver. 8. And they shall be afraid Conturbabuntur Innumerabilibus sollicitudinibus They shall be amazed one at another Amused amazed amated as being at their wits ends Their faces shall be as flames So Jer. 30.5 6. a voyce of fear and trembling every man with his hands on his loines the posture of a travelling Woman and all faces turned into paleness The Prophet here alludeth saith Musculus to the face of a Smith at dark night when he standeth blowing his fite for his face appears as if it had no blood in it most wan and paâ—e Or as others think to a man afrighted who first looketh pale the blood running to the heart to relieve it afterwards upon the return of the blood to the outward parts he looketh red and of a flame-colour Ver. 9. Behold the day of the Lord cometh cruel So it shall seem to the enemies because an evil an only evil behold is come Ezek. 7.5 without mixture of Mercy Ver. 10. For the Stars of Heaven shall not give their light They shall have punishment without pitty misery without mercy sorrow without succour Est Hyperbole Hypallage mischief without measure crying without comfort c. and all this shall be but a typical hell to them a foretast of eternal torments The Constellations thereof Which yet some Interpreters take for some single and signal Star magnam luceus magnae sequuntur tenebrae The Sun shall be darkened They shall neither have good day nor good night Ver. 11. And I will punish the world That is the Chaldean State Dan. 4.17 for they reckoned themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lords of the world See on ver 5. Or to shew that if the whole world should conspire against the Lord he can as easily punish them as he did that rabble of Rebels the old world And lay low the haughtiness of the terrible Or of the roysters or Tyrants Ver. 12. I will make a man more precious Quod rarum carum Men shall be reduced to a small number not Nobles only sed triobolares homunciones but Pesants nor shall any money be taken in exchange for lives Ver. 13. Therefore I will shake the Heavens i.e. for the pride arrogancy cruelty and other impieties of these Babylonians I will bring upon them Tragical calamities and horrid confusions so that they shall think that Heaven and earth are blended together and each be ready to say In me omnis terraeque polique marisque ruina est Ver. 14. And it shall be as the chased Roe Or she that is Babylon shall be when drunk with security that Usher of Deâ—truction she shall be suddenly surprized So strong
be with us in regard of fellow-feeling We should feel others hard cords thorough our soft beds Ver. 12. That Moah is weary on the high place tired out in his superstitious services by all which he is not a button the better but a great deal the worse But he shall not prevail This is every wicked mans case and curse for we know that God heareth not sinners Joh. 9 31. He will never accept of a good motion from a bad mouth Isa 1. The very heathen could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 13. This is the word that the Lord hath spoken And is therefore sure and certain for the word of the Lord cannot be broken Joh. 10.35 Since that time i. e. Since Balaam hired by Balac say the Hebrews cursed not the Israelites as he would have done but the Moabites as he was made to do Ex tunc Ver. 14. Within three years In which time the sins of the Moabites shall be full and themselves ripe and ready for vengeance Three years hence therefore sc in the fourth year of King Hezekiah for then came up Salm inezer against Samaria and t is probable that in his march thither he invaded and subdued these Moabites that he might leave all safe behind him An hundred years after which or more Nebuchadnezzar utterly ruined them according to Jer. 48. As the years of an hireling i. e. praecisè nec citius nec tardius three years precisely This time Moab had to make his peace in but he minded nothing less and therefore deservedly perished So alas shall all such infallibly as repent not within their three years space which perhaps may not be three moneths or three dayes saith Oecolampadius I may add three minutes and yet ex hoc momento pendet aeternitas upon this short inch of time dependeth eternity Up therefore and be doing Stat sua cuique dies c. CHAP. XVII Ver. 1. THe burden of Damascus See chap. 13.1 Of Damascus That is of the Kingdom of Syria the head City wherof was Damascus and it was destroyed by Salmaneser five or six years after this burdenous Prophecy the like whereunto see chap. 49.23 Am. 1.2 Zech. 9.1 It had been taken before by Tiglath-pileser 2 King 1. and hath been rebuilded since Act. 9.2 2 Cor. 11.32 being at this day a noble City of the East civitas laetitiae landabilis as Jeremy calleth it Chap. 49. And it shall be a ruinous heap It was so till re-edified and inhabited by a new people Ver. 2. The cities of Aroer are forsaken i. e. The countrey beyond Jordan Deut. 2.36 is desolated and depopulated the Gadites and the Reubenites being also together with the Syrians carried captive by Tiglath-pileser 1 Chron. 5.26 Ver. 3. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim Heb. shall sabbatizâ— or rest Ephraim or the ten tribes had joyned with Syria in a confederacy against Judah they justly therefore partake with them in their punishment Shall be as the glory of the children of Israel Poor glory now but so their low condition is called Ironically and by way of contempt saith Oecolamp Ver. 4. The glory of Jacob shall be made thin Their multitudes wherein they gloried shall be greatly impaired And the fatness He shall be cast into a deadly consumption Now the consumption of a Kingdom is poverty and the death of it is loss of authority saith Scultetus wickedness being the root of its wretchedness like as the causes of diseases are in the body it self Ver. 5. And it shall be as when the harvest man Their utter captivity is set forth by three lively Similitudes for better assurance a very small remnant only left in the Land This by some Ancients is alledged to shew how few shall be saved surely not one of ten thousand said Simeon And before him Chrysostom How many think you shall be saved in this City of Antioch Hom. 4. ad Pop. Antioch Though there be so many thousands of you yet there cannot be found an hundred that shall enter into Gods Kingdom and I doubt much of those too c. In the valley of Rephaim which was nigh to Jerusalem Jun. Josh 15.8 nam simili tudine populari propheta ulitur Ver. 6. Yeâ— gleaâ—ing grapes c. See on ver 5. Ver. 7. At that day shall a man look to his Maker The Elect among the Isralites shall do so having been whipt home as before There is an Elegancy in the original as there are many in this Prophet that cannot be Englished Here also and in the next Verse we have a description of true Repentance the right fruit of Afflicton sanctified Penitency and Punishment are words of one derivation Ver. 8. And he shall not look to the Altars As having looked before to his Maker with a single eye with an eye of Adamant that will turn only to one point See on Hos 14.8 Ver 9. Which they left for the children of Israel Which the enemy left by a sweet providence of God the like whereto see on Zech. 7.14 Ver. 10. Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation Thou hast disloyally departed from him as a Wife doth from her Husband though he were both able and ready to have saved thee Therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants But all to no purpose Hoc patres familias pro regula habeant oeconomica There is a curse upon the wicked though never so industrious all will not do God cannot abide to be forgotten And shalt set it with strange slips i. e. Rare and excellent ones Exotica fere non nisi preciosa afferuntur Jun. but for the enemies use as ver 11. Deut. 28.29 Ver. 11. In the day thou shalt make thy plant to grow So Prov. 22.8 he that soweth inquity shall reap vanity and the more serious and sedulous he is at it the worse shall it be with him Gal. 6.8 But thy harvest shall be an heap This is a Proverb among the Jews to signifie labour in vain In the day of grief and desperate sorrow Heb. aegrae sc plagae for grapes ye shall gather thorns for figs thistles Ver. 12. Wo to the multitude of many people Met to make up Sennacheribs Army Mihi hoc loco admirantis vi etur Oecolamp Or O the multitude c. The Prophet wondereth as it were at the huge multitude of the enemies and their horrible noise Like the rushing of many waters Ob impetum fremitum Ver. 13. The Nations shall rush Or rustle The Assyrians did so when they brake in chap. 36.1 20. But God shall rebuke them i. e. Chide them smite them and so set it on as none shall be able to take it off And they shall flee far off Heb. he shall flee viz. Sennacherib who frighted with the slaughter of his Souldiers by the Angel shall flee his utmost Ver. 14. And behold at even-tide trouble Or terrour sc within Jerusalem besieged by Sennacheribs forces But this mourning lasted but till morning The
Called the Jews language chap. 35.11 13. the Hebrew tongue wherein were written the lively Oracles of God This Language therefore the Elect Egyptians shall learn and labour for that pure lip Zeph. 3.9 to speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet 4.11 Wholsom words 2 Tim. 1.13 Right words Job 6.25 Words of wisdom Prov. 1.6 Of truth and soberness Act. 26.25 to be Examples to others not only in faith and conversation but also in words and communication 1 Tim. 4.12 And swear to the Lord of hosts Devote themselves to his fear and service Nempe susceptione baptismi Piscat taking a corporal oath for that purpose as in baptisme and other holy covenants whereupon haply they might be inabled to speak with tongues the holy tongue especially as most necessary for Christians Here then we have a description of a true Christian not such as the Jesuites in their Catechisme give us viz. A Christian is he who believeth whatsoever the Church of Rome commandeth to be believed swearing fealty to Her One shall be called the City of destruction i. e. Nevertheless there shall be a few cities that shall despise Christian Religion and shall therefore be destroyed for neglecting so great salvation It shall be easier for Sodom one day then for such Others render the text Heliopolis or the city of the Sun shall be accounted one sc of those 5 converted cities and become consecrated to the Sun of righteousness Joseph Ant. lâ—b 13. cap. 6. Ver. 19. In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord A spiritual altar for spiritual sacrifices as ver 20. Heb. 13.10 Onias the Jewish Priest who hereupon went and built an altar at Heliopolis in Egypt and sacrificed to God there was as much mistaken as the Anabaptists of Germany were in their Munster which they termed new Jerusalem and acted accordingly sending forth Apostles casting out orthodox Ministers c. And a pillar in the border thereof that is saith One the Gospels and writings of the Apostles that pillar and ground of truth Or a publike confession of the Christian faith Rom. 10 9. An allusion to Josh 22.10 25. See Zech. 14.9 20 21. Ver. 20. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness The doctrine of Christs death is a clear testimony of Gods great love and kindness to mankind Rom. 5. and 8. For they shall cry unto the Lord for their oppressours As the Israelites sometimes had done under the Egyptian servitude Exod. 3.9 And he shall send them a Saviour not Moses but Messias that great Saviour Servatorem magnatem vel magistrum for God hath laid his peoples help on One that is mighty Psal 89.19 See Tit. 2 13. Ver. 21. And the Lord shall be known to Egypt They shall both know the Lord Christ and be known of him as Gal. 4.9 See Rom. 10.20 And shall do sacrifice and oblation Perform reasonable service Rom 12.1 such as whereof they can render a reason Not a Samaritan service Joh. 4.22 or Athenian Act. 17.23 Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship c. God will have no such blind sacrifices Mal. 1.8 Yea they shall vow a vow c. That in baptisme especially Facit opus aâ—tenum ut faciat proprium Isa 28. Ver. 22. And the Lord shall smite Egypt That he may bring it into the bond of the covenant Ezek. 20.37 Heb. 12.9 Hos 6.1 He shall smite and heal it Heb. smiting and healing Vna eademque manus c. Vna gerit bellum monstrat manus altera pacew as it was said of Charles 5. And shall heal them Pardon their sins heal their natures and make up all breaches in their outward estates Ver. 23. In that day there shall be an highway c. All hostility shall cease and a blessed unanimity be settled amongst Christs subjects of several nations Hereunto way was made by the Roman Empire reducing both these great countries into Provinces And the Egyptiant shall serve Serve the Lord with one shoulder as Zeph. 3.9 Ver. 24. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt The posterity of Sem Ham and Japhâ—t shall concur in the communion of Saints the pale and partition-wall being taken away Even a blessing in the middest of the earth The Saints are so Absque stationibus non staret mundus If it were not for them the world would soon shatter and fall in pieces Jun. Ver. 25. Whom the Lord of hostes shall bless Or For the Lord of hostes shall bless and then he shall be blessed as Isaac said of Jacob Gen. 27.33 Blessed be Egypt my people A new title to Egypt and no less honorable Vide quantum profecerit Aegyptus flagellis saith Oecolampad here i e. See how Egypt hath got by her sufferings See ver 22. She who was not a people but a rabble of rebels conspiring against heaven is now owned and taken into covenant And Assyria the work of my hands For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2.10 And Israel mine Inheritance This is upon the matter one and the same with the former every regenerate person whether Jew or Gentile is all these three in conjunction O the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heaped up happiness of all such Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the children of Zion be joyful in their King Psalm 149.2 For the Lord her God in the midst of her is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over her with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over her with singing Zeph. 3.17 CHAP. XX. Ver. 1. IN the year that Tartan A certain Commander under Sennacherib 2 King 18.17 who came against Ashdod among other Cities of Judah about the twelfth year of King Hezekiah Came to Ashdod Called also Azotus Act. 8.40 and much praised by Herodotus in Euterpe When Sargon That is Sennacherib most likely who had seven Names saith Hierom eighth say some Rabbins Commodus the Roman Emperour took unto himself as many names as there are months in the year 1 â—on which also he changed ever and anon but constantly kept that of Exuperans because he would have been thought to excel all men The like might be true of Sargon Herod l. 2. And fought against Ashdod and took it Psammetichus King of Egypt had before taken it after a very long siege now it is taken again from the Aegyptian by the Assyrian to teach them and others not to trust to Forts and fenced Cities Ver. 2. At the same time spake the Lord Against Egypt and Ethiopia whom he had comforted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Per Isaiam tanquam organum disâ—ensatorem suoâ—um myster Oecolamp Vestimentum â—i losum ver 18. 19 and yet now again threateneth shewing by an ocular demonstration what miseries should befall them This was done in Jury but the report thereof might easily come to these confederate Countreys and the Jews howsoever were given hereby to
see how vain a thing it was to trust to such Confederates By Isaiah the son of Amos Heb. by the hand of Isaiah whom God used as a dispenser of this precious Treasure Go loose the sackcloth from off thy loins i. e. Thy thick rough garment such as Prophets usually wore 2 Kings 1.8 Zech. 13.4 Matth. 3.4 Or else thy sackcloth put on as a mourning-weed either for ten Tribes lately carried captive or else for the miseries ready to fall shortly upon thine own people And put off thy shoo from thy foot The Nudipedales in Moravia might aswell a vouch Isaiah for their founder as the Carmelites do Elias And he did so God is to be obeyed without sciscitation his Commands how unreasonable soever they may seem are not to be disputed but dispatched Walking naked Not stark-naked but stript as a prisoner his Mantle or upper garment cast off See 1 Sam. 19.24 Act. 19.16 Mic. 1.8 Ver. 3. Like as my servant Isaiah Servants are either Menial or Magisterial Prophets and Preachers are of this latter sort Hath walked naked and barefoot three years i. e. Three dayes a day for a year as Ezek. 4.4 5 6. Tremelius rendreth the Text thus hath walked naked and barefoot for a sign and wonder of the third year against the Aegyptians and against the Aethiopians that is for a sign that the third year after this Prophesie the Forces of the Egyptians and Ethiopians under the conduct of Tirhaka shall be worsted slaughtered and carried captive by the Assyrian Monarch And this was preached not more to their ears then to their eyes ad fidem faciendam for more assurance Ver. 4. So shall the King of Assyria led away As men use to lead or drive cattel for so the Hebrew word Nahag importeth so are poor captives led and so shall the Lord also one day lead forth with or in company of the workers of iniquity notorious offendors all such as turn aside unto their crooked wayes Hypocrites and dissemblers when as peace shall be upon Israel upon the pure in heart Psalm 125.5 Young and old Young men are for action old men for counsel Consilia senum hastae juvenum sunt Pindar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were all carried away together in a sad and sorry condition little better and sometimes more bitter then death it self Even with their buttocks uncovered Vel ad Iudibrium vel ad libidinem hostium for the enemies either to scorn at or to feed their filthy eyes upon Thus and for such a purpose dealt the mitred fathers with the poor Albigenses those ancient Protestants in France when they had forced them to take quarter for their lives voluerunt Episcopi viros mulieres nudos egredi c. And so Tilly dealt with the miserable Citizens at the sack of Magdeburg And much worse then so dealeth the Devil with all his wretched captives whom be driveth away Hell-ward naked and barefoot with their buttocks uncovered Disceopertis natibus the shame of their nakedness exposed to publick view for want of the white Rayment of Christs Righteousness that they might be cloathed Rev. 3.18 Ver. 5. And they shall be afraid and ashamed They that is as many as confided in them seeing themselves thus confuted shall be abashed and terrified perterrefient at the fall of their Confederates and their own approaching calamity Ver. 6. And the Inhabitant of this Isle shall say c. Judaea though part of the Continent is here called an Isle or Island whereas it was indeed an inland 1. Because it was bounded on the West with the Midland-sea and on the East with the Lake of Gennesaret 2. Because it was beset with many enemies and beaten upon by the waves of Wars from all parts but especially from Egypt and Babylon which is called a sea chap. 21.1 See chap. 8.8 3. Because begirt with Gods favour Venice is invironed with her embracing Neptune to whom she marrieth her self with yearly nuptials casting a ring into the Sea power and protection which was greater security to it then the Sea is to Venice which yet is media insuperabilis unda or then wooden walls can be to any Island Behold such is our expectation c. Here 's their shame and well it might be for if Hezekah relyed not upon the Egyptian for help against the Assyrian yet the people did as Rabshakeb also could tell 2 Kings 18.24 And how shall we escape Here 's their fear ver 5. How much more shall wicked men say thus at the last day CHAP. XXI Ver. 1. THe burden of the Desart of the Sea i. e. Of Babylon ver 9. which is here called a sea because scituate by many waters Jer. 51.13 36. and the desart or plain of the sea because it stood in a Plain Gen. 11.2 Or was to be turned into a Desart see chap. 13. 14. Jer. 51. It is so often prophesied against 1. For the comfort of Gods people who were to suffer hard and heavy things from this City 2. For a caution to them not to trust in such a tottering State A Lapide saith that about the time of this Prophesie Hezekiah was making a League and amity with Merodach King of Babylon to whose Ambassadours he had shewed all his Treasures and was well shent for it 2 King 20.12 To take him off which Design the ruine of Babylon is here fore-prophesied Pliny saith the greatest tempests at Sea come from tâ—e South As whirlwinds in the South pass thorow Patentibus campis ac locis arenosis vehementissimo impetu cuncta prosternentes without stop or stay bearing down all before them covering whole armies with sand sometimes and destroying them So it cometh Or so He cometh that is Cyrus with his Armies Vastator Babyloniae he cometh fiercely and furiously From the Wilderness From Persia which is desart in many places especially toward Babylon From a terrible Land From Media the people whereof were barbarous and brutish Herodot skilful to destroy Nitocris Queen of Babylon feared an hostile irruption from this Land did her utmost to prevent it but that would not be Ver. 2. A grievous Vision Heb. Hard harsh tyrannorum speculum here 's hard for hard God loveth to retaliate Babylon had been the maul of the earth Jer 51.20 now a hard Messenger is sent a harsh Vision is declared against her They who do what they should not shall hear what they would not a burdenous Prophesie a grievous Vision This treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously and this spoyler spoyleth for so some read the next words The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously Or O thou treacherous dealer and notable spoyler thou Elam I mean go up thou Media besiege God oft maketh use of one Tyrant to punish another as here he stirreth up the Persians to plunder and waste the Babylonians So the Persians were afterwards in like sort punished by the Macedonians the Macedonians by the Romans those Romans by the Hunnes Vandals Lombards
Sarazens Turks all whom Christ shall destroy at his last coming Go up O Elam i.e. Thou Persian Elymais is properly that part of Persia that lyeth towards Media Here they are appointed their work 170. years before it was done and Cyrus afterwards named as the chief doer All the sighing thereof have I made to cease Thereof or of her that is of Babylon not of Judaea which the Prophet ever had in his heart as some sence it the sighing Vatab. quo ipsa sua tyrannide appressione cogebat alios flere gemere that she forced from others specially from Gods oppressed people Or they shall not have long to sigh for I will soon put an end to their lives Ver. 3. Therefore are my loyns filled with pains I Babylon or I Belshazzar am in a wo case Zeâ—ed this is here set forth by a notable Hypotyposis ac si res ipsa jam tum gereretur personâ Regis in se per Mimesin assumptâ acting Belshazzars part as Dan. 5.5 6. where we may read this Prophesie punctually fulfilled I was bowed down at the hearing of it Belshazzars sences were sorely afflicted how much more shall it be so in Hell Oecolamp The Prophet here elegantly imitateth his groans and out-crâ—es O dolorem lumborum O torsiones O cordis amissionem O tremorem terrorem O the doleful wo and alass of the damned spirits Ver. 4. My heart panted Or fluttereth too and fro as not able to keep in its place Viro impio calamitatibus presso nihil desperatius est Nothing is more hopeless and crestfaln then a wicked man in distress for why his life and hopes end together The night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear That dreadful and dismal nigh Dan. 5. intended for a revelling night and dedicated to the honour of Shac but the Hand-writing on the Wall and the irruption of the Persians marred the mirth Ver. 5. Prepare the Table Insultat regi Balthasari Zeged ac irridendo voces illius memorat Prepare the Table said Balthasar but more need he had to have said Prepare the battel set the Army in array c. But this secure sot thought of no such matter his destruction though at hand was hid from his eyes by the Lord who Auferre mentem talibus primum solet Caliginemque affundit ut ruant suas Furenter in clades sibi quas noxii Accersierunt ultro consiliis malis Watch in the watch-Tower That we may revel the more securely Eat drink Etiam si Hannibal sit ad portas feed without fear notwithstanding the siege Arise ye Princes annoint the shield q. d. It would better become you Non convivandi sed pugnandi tempuâ— est A Lapide O Babylonian Princes so to do viz. to stand to your Arms to furbish your shields for your better defence against the Medes and Persians Some make these words to be the Watchmans warning given upon the Persians entering the City Ver. 6. For thus hath the Lord said unto me Confirming by a Prophetical Vision what I had foretold concerning the calamity of the Chaldees Ver. 7. And he saw sc In a Vision A Chariot with a couple of horsmen Darius and Cyrus A Chariot of Assesand a Chariot of Camels Beasts of both sorts both for burden and service great store of them And he hearkened diligently with much heed Attendit attente attentissime the Watchman did who was set to watch in the Vision Ver. 8. And he cryed a Lyon i. e. A stout and cruel enemy is upon us Or he cryed as a Lyon so some render it that is the Watchman cryed aloud professing his utmost vigilancy in performance of his duty Ver. 9. And behold here cometh a Chariot of men Or behold even now are gone in that is Cyrus and Darius as ver 7. have broken into the Town and surprized it And he answered and said He that is the Watchman numinis quodam afflatu commotus by a divine instinct or rather God himself Babylon is fallen is fallen That is shall fall certo cito penitus certainly speedily utterly ruit alto à culmine Troja so shall shortly mystical Babylon Rev. 18. as the Jesuites themselves Ribera a Lapide confess only they say This shall be toward the end of the world when Rome shall become Idolatrous as though it were not so now But what said Petrarch long since There yet standeth near at hand a second Babylon cito itidem casura si vos essetis viri which would soon be down would you but stand up as men Ver. 10. O my threshing and the corn of my floor That is O my Church and people whom by so many tribulations I have hitherto been threshing that I might sunder thee from the chaff and make thee the corn of the floor or Non ut perdam sed ut probem purgem Frumentum Dei sum c. Ignat. as the Hebrew here hath it my son of the floor and may lay thee up as pure grain in my Garner See chap. 28.27 That which I have heard from the Lord of Hosts viz. That you my poor Country-men shall be threshed for a while and winnowed by Babylon see chap. 25.10 41.15 Jer. 51.33 Mic. 4.13 Vt cum triturando è gluma follibus suis utriculisque triticum educitur and that you shall at length be delivered from this grievous affliction all this you may write upon as certain and infallible I have herein told you not the dreams of mine own heart but the very undoubted words of God himself Ver. 11. The burden of Dumah i. e. Of Idumea or of the Edomites Onus Idumea Sept. for burden see on chap. 31.1 This Prophesie is the shorter the harder The Jews apply this Prophesie to Rome they read for Dumah Roma the Romans they call the new Idumaeans and the Popes Kingdom the wicked Kingdom of Edom. Some of them say that Julius Caesaer was an Idumean Others that Aeneas came out of Idumea into Egypt from thence into Lybia thence to Carthage thence to Italy and that there he built Alba out of which sprang Rome The rise of this Fiction seemeth to have been the destruction of the Jewish State by Titus and his Romans who were thereupon for their cruelty by those Jews called Edomites He calleth to me out of Seir Or One is calling to me out of Seir which was a Mountain possessed by the Edomites Custos quid de nocte Watchman what of the night Interrogatio Ironica est atque sarcastica a scoffing question whereby the Prophet is derided and upbraided with false foretelling a night of misery to the Edomites when as they felt no change but enjoyed rather a lightsome morning a fine time as we say of liberty and prosperity Non omnium dicrum sol occidit Nescis quid serus vesper vehat Ver. 12. The Watchman said The morning cometh and also the night This is a short and sharp answer q. d.
not his flesh so here When he maketh all the stones of the Altar as Chalk-stones When he that is Jacob in token of his true repentance abandoneth all his mawmets and monuments of idolatry and them abolisheth and demolisheth so as never to be re-edified The Jews after the captivity were so far from idolatry that they would not admit a Painter or Carver into their City And how zealous they were to keep their Temple from such defilement both in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes and of the Romans Histories shew us Ver. 10. Yet the defenced City shall be desolate Or But or Therefore shall they suffer ut ad saniorem mentem ad frugem calamitesi redeant that they may be thereby bettered See on ver 9. Ver. 11. For it is a people of no understanding Heb. Not a people of understandings i. e. non sapiunt nisi plagis emendentur they will not be wise without whipping I must therefore handle them the more sharply and severely Castigat Deus quem amat etiamsi non amat castigare Therefore he that made them Deus factor ejus fictor A fearful sentence such as should affright those many Ignaro's that say God that made us will surely save us Ver. 12. In that day sc When God shall have purged his people by his Word and by his Rod. The Lord shall beat off Or shall thresh The Ministry of the Word is Gods Flail to sever the Chaff from Corn to single his out of the midst of wicked and prophane worldlings See the like of Afflictions sanctified ver 9. And ye shall be gathered As Ears of Corn are for threshing One by one There is no thresher in the world saith one here that thresheth half so clean for he looseth not one grain See Joh. 17 12. 10.3 Christ hath a care of every one particularly and by the poll some gather from hence that the calling of the Jews shall be general and universal Ver. 13. The great Trumpet shall be blown Or a blast shall be blown with a great trumpet Tuba haec magna Apostolica praedicatio est saith Oecolampadius This great trumpet is the Gospel the preaching whereof is of power to save those that perish to put life into the dead Joh. 5.25 CHAP. XXVIII Ver. 1. VVO to the crown of pride to the drunkards of Ephraim Drunkenness is a sin at the heel whereof hangeth many a Woe Some think it is a dry drunkenness that is here threatned that there is a dry drunkenness as well as a wet see chap. 51.21 2 Tim. 2.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may awake out of their drunken sleep a drunkenness with prosperity which made them proud and dissolute even the King of Israel and his Counsellors also not considering that in maxima libertate minima est licentia It is not for Kings to drink wine Prov. 31.4 Whose glorious beauty is a fading flower Or and to the fading flower of his goodly gallantry Some conceive that the Prophet here alludeth to the Etymologie of the word Ephraim whereof see Gen. 41.42 but Ephraim was now declining and decaying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crapula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That are overcome with wine Heb. smitten beaten overmastered as Sisera was by Jaels hammer which hath its name from the word here used Judges 4.23 Tremellius rendreth it Obtusis vino to those that are blunted with wine or beaten about ears with it Ver. 2. Behold the Lord hath a mighty and a strong One viz. Salmaneser King of Assyria For whereas Ephraim might say Who is there that can or dare pull off the flower of our goodly gallantry God answereth that he hath at hand One that can do it The Romans pictured Pride with a triple crown on the first crown was written Transcendo on the next Non obedio on the third Perturbo and do it with a turn of a hand with little ado Ver. 3. The Crown of pride shall be trodden under foot This noteth utmost ignominy Finge ideam animo saith one here imagine you saw Salmantser pulling the Crown from the King of Israels head throwing it to the ground and then trampling on it What brave Rhetorick is here Ver. 4. As the hasty fruit quasi primae praematurae ficus rath-ripe fruits much coveted and caught at Ver. 5. For a Crown of glory and for a diadem of beauty so he was to Judah alled here the residue of his people during Hezekiahs daies a crown unfading or a garland made of Amaranth as 1 Pet. 1.4 which is saith Clemens a certain flower that being hung up in the house yet is still fresh and green And as God is thus to his people so enterchangeably are they to him a crown of glory Isa 62.3 and a royal diadem ib. his throne of glory Jer. 4.21 The beauty of his Ornament Ezek. 7.20 Ver. 6. And for a spirit of judgement A sagacity more then ordinary◠in regard whereof Solomon calleth the Kings doom a divination Prov. 16.10 as is well observed And for strength to them c. In this verse we have the description of an happy State governed justly at home Diod. and able abroad to resist any endeavour of the enemy Ver. 7. But they also have erred through wine Judah had caught this disease of Ephraim as the English are said to have done of the drunken Dutchmen Sin is more contagious and catching then the plague The Hebrew word importeth an alienation of mind Prov. 20.1 Hos 11. Jer. 23.9 Vino sapientia obscuratur said Alphonsus King of Arragon They are swallowed up of wine they are out of the way through strong drink Errarunt propter Shecar they are buckt in beer they are drowned in drink like as George Duke of Clarence was drowned in a out of Malmsey by his own election Nam sicut athletico potore dignum erat ut potando moreretur elegit saith mine Author for being condemned to die by his brother King Edward the fourth he chose that kind of death as became a stout drunkard They err in vision the Prophets do They stumble in judgement the Priests do for they were to interpret the law and to decide differences Drunkenness in Rulers is a capital sin and maketh the land reel Ver. 8. For all places are full of vomit and filthiness Vah vah vah Cum tu Narbone mensas hospitum convomeres said Tully to Antony who was not ashamed likewise to write or rather to spue out a book concerning his own great strength to bear strong drink and to lay up others who strove with him for the mastery Tully taxeth Julius Caesar for this soul custom so doth Philo Caligula Veniunt ut edant edunt ut vomant Senec. and Suetonius Vitellius Ver. 9. Whom shall he teach knowledge Quem docebit scientiam Doceo governeth two Accusative cases Ministers must have 1. Quem whom to teach and 2. Quid what to teach sc Knowledge Isaiah had no want of knowledge
as being apt and able to teach but he wanted a fit Audience as having to do with a sort of drunken sots that were unteachable uncapable So Ezek. 47.11 when the waters of the Sanctuary flowed the miry places could not be healed Think the same also of those that are drunk with pride as ver 1. and self-conceitedness who make Divinity only a matter of discourse or that come to sit as Judges or Criticks on their Ministers gifts c. It will be long enough ere such will be taught any thing One may as good undertake to teach a young weanling void of understanding and in some respects better for these to their natural corruption and impotency have added habitual hardness and obstinacy to their sinews of iron brows of brass Isaiah 48.4 and what hope can there be of working upon such Ver. 10. For precept must be upon precept Children are of weak understanding and of short memories and Hebraei dicunt hisce verbis infantilitatem significari they must also have short words and sentences prescribed unto them such as are kau and flau and inculcated upon them that something at least may stick so must most of our Hearers or little good will be done Deut. 6.7 thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children Heb. thou shalt whet or repeat them by often going over the same thing as the knife goeth over the whetstone till it be sharp But very many of our common hearers are not only unteachable but untameable deriding sound doctrine and making a mocking stock of their godliest Ministers And so some very good Expositors haec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à Prophetadici tradunt make these words here recited to be the scoffs and taunts of those profane mockers ver 14. 22. which they put upon the Prophet q. d. We have nothing but rule upon rule precept upon precept c. Zaulazau kau lakau the very sound of the words carrieth a jear like as scornful people by the tone of their voice and riming words scorn at such as they despise Thus this good Prophet became the drunkards song Any man may be witty in a biting way and those that have the dullest brains have commonly the sharpest teeth to that purpose Rightly said the Comedian Homine imperito nunquam quicquam injustius Terent. Qui nisi quod ipse fecit nihil rectum putat Ver. 11. For with stammering lips c. with a lisping lip Heb. with scoffs of lip or with language of mocks Surely God scorneth the scorners Prov. 3.34 for he loveth to retaliate and proportion choice to choice Isa 66.3 4 device to device Micah 2.1.3 frowardness to forwardness Psal 18.26 scoffing to scoffing Prov. 1.25.26 And with another tongue lingua exotica such as they shall be no whit the better for see 1 Cor. 14.21 We read of John Elmar Bishop of London in Queen Elizabeth's raign that on a time when he saw his Auditory grow dull in their attention to his Sermon he presently read unto them many verses out of the Hebrew Text whereat they all started admiring what use he meant to make thereof then shewed he them their folly that whereas they neglected English whereby they might be edifyed they listened to Hebrew whereof they understood not a word and how justly God might bring in Popery again with Latine service blind obedience and dumb offices for their contempt of the Gospel Ver. 12. To whom he said This is the rest i. e. the ready way to find rest to your souls as Mat. 11.28 29. sc by obeying my precepts and embracing my promises Wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest i. e. Me who am pressed by your sins Amos 2.13 and wearied out with your iniquities Isa 43.24 or your poor brethren tired with miseries or your own souls laden with sin guiltiness Ver. 13. But the word of God was unto them precept upon precept c. i. e. a derision as ver 10. therefore henceforth hearing they shall hear and not understand Sic Sanniones Deus punit That they may go and fall backward ut vadant cadant retrorsum tanquam turpiter ab hoste superati resuperati laid flat on their backs brought to remediless ruin This came of their obstinacy though not intentionally yet eventually Ver. 14. Wherefore hear the word of the Lord Stand forth and hear your doom ye that jear when you should fear as if ye were out of the reach of Gods rod. Ye scornful men Heb. ye men of mockage ye who mock at the word of God by your words deeds and gestures quales sycophantas quotidie videmus of which sort we find not a few now a dayes such dust-heaps as these we have in every corner men that have turned religion not only into a form but also into a scorn accounting the wisdom of God foolishness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Saint Peter calleth scoffers or such as make sport with the word 2 Pet. 3.3 And the Prophet here uno verbo multa peccata exprimit dum Illusores nominat in calling them mockers calleth them all that naught is That rule the people such as Shebna now was and afterwards Tobiah Neh. 2.19 Herod Domitian Julian Sr. Thomas Moor c. Ver. 15. Because ye have said i. e. ye have thought and reckoned so but without your hoast as they say Jer. 6.19 Hear O earth behold I will bring evil upon this people even the fruit of their thoughts We have made a covenant with death Nos ab omni malo sumus securissimi Thrasonicae hyperbolae we are shot-free and shall scape scotfree Beckets friends advised him for his security to have a Mass in honour of St. Stephen to keep him from the hands of his enemies Spencer He had so but it saved him not As not to have been dipt in Lethe-lake could save the Son of Thetis from to dye c. And with hell are we at agreement Heb. we have made provision or taken order egimus cantum The Prophets tell us a tale of death and hell but we shall yet dance upon their graves and for hell we fear it not The Lyon is not so fierce as he is painted nor the Devil so black as he is represented Diabolo optimè convenit cum lurconib us Good-fellows shall have good quarter with the Devil say our modern Atheists But what a mad fellow was that Advocate in the Court of Rome mentioned by Bellarmine who lying at his last gasp almost and being called upon to repent and cry to God for mercy prayed thus O Lord I have much desired to speak one word unto thee before I dye not for my self but for my wife and children ego enim propero ad inferos neque est ut aliquid pro me agas for I am hasting to hell neither is there any thing now to be done by thee for me De arte mor. lib. 2. cap. 10. And this he spoke saith Bellarmine who was
Calvin readeth it thus Shall be esteemed as the Potters clay i. e. is as easily effected as he maketh a vessel at his pleasure For shall the work say of him that made it He made me not It should say so upon the matter by denying his knowledge of it The Watch-maker knoweth every pin and wheel in it so the Heart-maker knoweth every turning and winding in it were they more then they are Ver. 17. Is it yet not a very little while Nonne adhuc paululum paululum or an hundred years hence the Gentiles shall be called by the preaching of the Apostles for here beginneth the Consolatory part of this Chapter see on ver 1. and that 's but a very small time with God He speeds away the generation that he may finish the calling of his elect and so put an end to All. And Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field Heb. Lebanon shall be turned into Carmel Sylvestria corda electorum inter gentes Piscator the wide world the wilde waste of the Gentiles confer Isai 22.15 the Elect amongst them shall be made Gods husbandry or vineyard Eph. 2.12 Rom. 11.17 è contra Carmelus fiet Libanus The fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forrest The obstinate Jews with their seeming fruitfulness shall be rejected Lo here is a turning of things upside down that you dream not of this is that marvellous work ver 14. Ver. 18. In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book i. e. the deaf and blind Gentiles being by the preaching of the Gospel drawn out of darkness into Gods marvellous light shall see and hear that which eye never saw nor ear heard neither hath entred into the heart of any natural man to conceive 1 Cor. 2.9 They shall first be illightened secondly accheared ver 19. so Act. 13.48 Rom. 14.17 The words of the book the holy Scriptures that book which the proud would not read the ignorant could not ver 11. 12. Shall see out of obscurity see their Saviour as Simeon see that blisful vision Eph. 1.18 19. See Joh. 9.39 Ver. 19. The meek also shall increase their Joy in the Lord All sincere Converts such especially as have mastered and mortified their unruly passions and are cured of the Fret these shall add Joy these shall have Joy upon Joy they shall over-abound exceedingly with Joy 2 Cor. 7.4 The poor amongst men the poor in spirit These shall greatly rejoyce both for the mercy of God to themselves and for the Justice of God exercised upon others ver 20 21. Ver. 20. For the terrible one is brought to nought This is part-matter of the Just mans joy where observe the contrary Characters given to the godly and the wicked those are said to be lowly meek poor in spirit these to be tyrants scorners sedulous in sin catch-poles incorrigible such as turn aside the Just c. ver 20.21 And all that watch for iniquity Surgunt de nocte latrones they also break their sleep to devise mischief Psal 36.4 Mic. 2.1 but they should watch for a better purpose Mar. 13.37 as Seneca also could say and Pliny qui vitam mortalium vigiliam esse pronunciat Proaem nat Hist who calleth mans life a watch Ver. 21. That make a man an offendor for a word when he meant no hurt or by perverting and misconstruing his speeches Thus they sought to trap Christ in his speeches and thus they dealt by many of the Martyrs and Confessors To say The Lord Act. Mon. fol. 1116. and not Our Lord is called by Stephen Gardner symbolum haereticorum a note of an Heretick Dr. Stories rule to know an heretick was they will say The Lord and We praise God and The living God Robert Cook was abjured for saying that the blessing with a shoo-sole was as good as the Bishops blessing Ibid. 1803. Another for saying that Alms should not be given untill it did sweat in a mans hand Mrs. Catismore for saying that when men go to offer to images Ib 952. Ib. 765. they did it to shew their new geare and that images were but Carpenters Chips and that folks go on pilgrimage more for the green way then for devotion Ib. 763. Philip Brasier for saying that when any miracle is done the Priests do noint the images and make men believe these images sweat in labouring for them Ib. 952. c. Every day they wrest my words saith David of his enemies Psal 56.5 As the spleen is subservient to the liver to take from it only the most putrid and feculent blood so do Detractors pick out the worst of every thing to lay it in a mans dish or alledge it against him And lay a snare for him that reproveth See the Note on Amos 5.10 Freedom of speech used by the Waldenses in blaming and reproving the vices and errors of great ones Girard offecit ut plures nefariae affingerentur eis opiniones à quibus omnino fuerant alieni made them hardly thought and spoken of Ver. 22. Who redeemed Abraham sc out of his Idolatry that pulled him as a brand out of Up of the Chaldees Josh 24.2 3. The Rabbins say that his Father Terah was a maker and seller of Images Concerning the house of Jacob i. e. The calling of the Jews confer Rom. 11.25 Ver. 23. The work of mine hands Created in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2.10 and now sanctifying Gods name in their hearts and lives and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost Thus as it were ex profâ—sso doth the Prophet Isaiah here handle the doctrine of Regeneration which and other like places whiles Nicodemus had not noted he was worthily reproved Joh. 3. Ver. 24. They also that erred in spirit Erroneous opinions and muttering against Ministers are here instanced as two special Opposites to effectual Conversion Those that relinquish not these two evils are far enough from Gods Kingdom and yet now adayes nothing more ordinary hence so few Converts so many Apostates CHAP. XXX Ver. 1. WOe to the rebellious children Vae filiis desertoribus vel Apostatis so he boldly calleth the Politicians of his time the Counsellors of State Est species quadam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliunde quam à Deo auxilium petere Shebna and others who gave good Hezekiah ill counsel to send to Egypt for help when Sennacherib invaded him Well might St. Paul say Esaias is very bold Rom. 10.20 Consurgens enim Proceres inquit quid hoc rei est quod occeptatis malè omnino factum vae vohis vae reip toti such another bold Court-preacher was Elias Amos John Baptist Chrysostom Latimer Deering c. See Latimers letter to King Henry the eighth after the proclamation for abolishing English Books Act. Mon. fol 1591. where we may see and marvel at his great boldness and stoutness saith Mr. Fox who as yet being no Bishop so freely
himself safe till he come thither And his Princes shall be afraid of the Ensign lifted up by Gods Angels in the slaughter of their fellows Whose fire is in Zion Who keep house there sumpta Metaphora à re Oeconomica there he had his fire and his chimney sc in the Temple from whence also came this destruction to the enemy Psal 76.2 3. with the Notes there CHAP. XXXII Ver. 1. BEhold a King Hezekiah in the type Christ in the Antytipe Shall reign in righteousness Regiment without righteousness is but robbery with authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Princes shall rule in Judgement Not as Shebna and those other placed in by wicked Ahaz do now whiles the King is young and not so well able to weed them out Evil under-rulers are a great mischief to a State Nerva was a good Emperor and so was Aurelian but so bought and sold by bad Counsellors and inferior Magistrates that the people were in a worse case then when they were under Nero. Hezekiah would see to his Princes that they were right Christ hath none about him but such All his people are righteous Isa 60.21 his Ministers and Officers especially These are Princes in all lands Psal 45 16. yea they are Kings because righteous ones Mat. 13.17 compared with Luk. 10 24. Ministers especially are Plenipotentiaries under Christ Mat. 18. John 20. Ver. 2. And a man shall be i. e. Each man of those forementioned Princes Or that man viz. Hezekiah how much more the man Christ Jesus shall be a comfort to distressed Consciences an absolute and All sufficient Saviour such as his people may trust unto for safety here and salvation hereafter Ver. 3. And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim Or shall not be closed they shall not wink or be wilfully ignorant Festucam quaerunt unde oculos sibi eruant shutting the windows lest the light should come in or seeking straws to put out their eyes withall as Bernard expresseth it And the ears of them that hear shall hearken they shall listen to Christs word as for life they shall draw up the ears of their souls to the ears of their bodies that one found may pierce both they shall hear what the Spirit speaketh to the Churches Ver. 4. The heart also of the rash Heb. of the hasty ones such as are headlong and inconsiderate that weigh not things that say not What shall we do in the end thereof And the tongue of the stammerers that once did but bungle at holy discourse pronouncing as it were Sibboleth for Shibboleth and marring a good tale in the telling as not understanding either what they say or whereof they affirm 1 Tim. 1.7 Shall be ready to speak plainly shall be forward to speak fruitfully having an holy dexterity therein The Corinthians are commended for their utterance 1 Cor. 1.5 they could express themselves firly and they would do it freely Limpida nitida To speak plainly Heb. neat or clear words A Metaphor from clear or fair weather Ver. 5. The vile person shall be no more called liberal Benefici magnifici Domini That sapless fellow Nabal shall no more be called Nadib that is Bountiful benefactor or Gracious Lord. Of Arch-bishop Bancroft was made this Distich Here lyes his Grace in cold clay clad Who dyed for want of what he had In Ahaz his time the worst of men gat honours and offices Hezekiah would look to that Dignity shall henceforth wait upon desert and flattery shall be utterly out of fashion and request at Court Our old English Bibles have it thus A niggard shall not be called a gentle or gentleman Nor the Churl said to be bountiful The Hold-fast whose Logick is all little enough to conclude for himself shall not be cleped a Magnifico The Vulgar Latine hath it Neque frandulentus appellabitur major Ver. 6. For the vile person will speak villany Why then should he be advanced to great places why should he be smoothed and soothed up with high titles The adversary and the enemy is this wicked Haman said Esther chap. 7.6 Before some had stiled him Noble others Great and some perhaps Vertuous only Esther giveth him his own Pessimus iste That most wicked Haman so Go tell that fox saith our Saviour and God shall smite thee thou whited wall saith St. Paul to Ananias c. Nomina rebus consentanta imponentur a spade shall be called a spade Bernard a fool a fool there shall not be nomen inant crimen immane sedes prima vita ima ingens authoritas nutans stabilitas c. And his heart will work iniquity Exegefis flagitiosi the true portraiture of an evil Magistrate Judex locusta civitatis est malus Scalig. Ver. 7. The instruments also of the chur are evil There is an elegancy in the Original cujus lepos in vertendo perit By his instruments or vessels are meant say some his evil arts and deceits of all sorts Or as others hold his under-Officers and Teasors Even when the needy speaketh right right or wrong he is sure to be undone the doing of any thing or of nothing he findeth alike dangerous Ver. 8. But the liberal deviseth liberal things Beneficus beneficia cogitat munificentias consultat consulit in opposition to the churl ver 7. He is of a publike spirit and studyeth how and where to do most good Augustus Caesar was for this called Pater patriae Charls the great Pater orbis Claudian thus bespake Honorius Tu civem patremque geras tu consule cunctis Non tibi nec tua te moveant sed publica damna And by liberal things shall be stand One would think he should fall rather but he knows what he does and that not getting but giving not hoarding but distributing is the way to thrive Ver. 9. Rise up ye women that are at ease Secure sedentes ye Court-ladies whose pride hath brought on the wars chap. 3.25 Or ye hen hearted Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or ye lesser Cities and villages of Judah rise up and rouse up your selves ad exhibendum honorem verbo Dei in honour of Gods holy word as Judg. 3.20 Ver. 10. Many dayes and years shall ye be troubled A just punishment of your former security which usually ushereth in destruction Dayes above a year your calamity shall last by the invasion of the Assyrians but not two full years take that for your comfort For the Vintage shall fail War makes woful work and waste Ver. 11. Tremble ye women Adhortatio ad poenitentiam saith Hyperius an exhortation to repentance not unlike that of St. James chap. 4.9 10. Afflict your selves Trepidate O tranquillae Tremel and weep and mourn let your laughter be turned into mourning your Joy into heaviness Ver. 12. They shall mourn for the teats That it for their Corn and wine The Heathens called Ceres their goddess of plenty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mammosam fullteated some sense it thus
making peace with God as they ought to do they mutter and growl against him as these hypocrites do for his over-great severity Fearfulnesse hath surprised the hypocrites The Jews were an hypocritical Nation chap. 9. Epiphanius when he left Constantinople said that he left three great things behind him viz. a great City a great Palace ingentem hypocrisin and a great deal of hypocrisy That facies hypocritic of our Nation is that facies Hippocratica which Physicians speak of of a spent dying man that looks gastly it is a mortal complexion a sad prognistick Oh that these frozen hearts of ours sith they must have a thew or it will be worse might melt here and be unfoldered from hypocrisy that we might be saved though so as by fire rather then to be reserved to be thawed with everlasting burnings the portion of hypocrites Matth. 24. So might we dwell with everlasting burnings that is within the knowledge of Gods terrible presence and sight of his great Judgements whereof the hypocrites of the world are afraid because this fire melteth off their paint and threatneth to wash off their varnish with rivers of brimstone Who among us shall dwell Or who of us can but fear a devouring fire Ver. 15. He that walketh righteously q. d. Though you cannot yet there are those that can viz. those that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Surely to such there is no one condemnation Rom. 8.1 Christ standeth as a skreen betwixt the wrath of God and his Elect for whose sake also this Paschal Lamb was once for all roasted in the fire of his fathers indignation whereby they are not only delivered from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 but also have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of him Eph. 3.12 2.18 He that walketh righteously Through whose whole life righteousness runneth as the woof doth through the web as the blood doth through the veins c. And speaketh uprightly Heb. Evennesses non blasphema impudica fescennina not the language of Hell but of Canaan see Jam. 3.2 That despiseth the gain of oppressions The Mammon of iniquity wealth gotten by force or fraud A publick person especially as he should have nothing to lose so he should have nothing to get he should be above all price or sale Nec prece nec precio should be his Motto That shaketh his hands from holding of bribes He doth not only not do wrong but not receive a gift whereby he may be engaged or inclined to do it That stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood He not only not sheddeth it but refuseth to hear any communing about such a business Quintil. declam That shutteth his eyes from seeing of evil Lest his heart should thereby be betrayed for vitiis nobis in animum per oculos est via could an Heathen say By the eyes evil getteth into the heart by looking cometh lusting and millions dye of the wound in the eye Ver. 16. He shall dwell on high Extra jactum out of the gun-shot the reach of evils and enemies Or in heaven shall he dwell with God in safety who is to the wicked a consuming fire ver 14. His place of defence shall be the munitions of Rocks Rocks within Rocks Rocks beneath above Rocks Rocks so deep no Pioner can undermine them so thick no Canon can pierce them so high no Ladder can scale them c. Bread shall be given him his waters shall not fail He shall have all that heart can wish or need require Ver. 17. Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty Hezekiah in his pristine state and lustre yea more glorious and renowned then ever before Hierom understandeth it of Christ reigning gloriously in Heaven and the Saints looking from thence should see the earth a farre off as little and contemptible and say O quam angusti sunt mortalium termini O quam angusti sunt mortalium animi Austine wished that he might have seen these three things Romam in flore Paulum in ore Christum in corpore Rome in the flourish Paul in the pulpit Christ in the body of flesh Venerable Bede came after him and wished rather that he might see his King Christ in his beauty as he is now at the right-hand of his Father far outshining the brightest Cherub in Heaven Oiim haec meminisse juvabit Ver. 18. Thine hearts shall meditate terror But thou shalt now think of it as waters that are past calling to mind what speeches amongst those late distractions had fallen from thee Where is the Scribe Or the Muster-master of the Assyrian Army Verba sunt insultantium exsultantium saith Piscator they are the words of Gods people insulting over the enemy now overthrown and dispersed See the like done by the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.10 Ver. 19. Thou shalt not see a fierce people Or Look not upon a fierce people or as some render it a barbarous people of a stammering tongue that thou canst not understand such as are most of the School-men seven years said one are but sufficient to understand the barbarisms of Scotus upon Lombard but rather look upon Zion Ver. 20. Look upon Zion the City of our Solemnities where God is daily and duely served and is therefore her sheild and exceeding great reward Gen. 17.1 If that Heathen King hearing of his enemies approach whilst he was sacrificing could answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am serving my Gods and therefore fear not their force how much more cause had Zion to be confident and to sing as Psal 46.1 2 3 c. See Psal 48.12 13. Ver. 21. But there the glorious Lord will be The Church must needs be invincible because the glorious Lord is her Champion or will do gallantly for us as the words may be rendered Her name is Jehovah-Shammah Ezek. 48.35 The Lord is there and how many reckon we him at He alone is a potent Army Isa 52.12 A place of broad rivers and Streams Such as Mesopotamia was or the Garden of God Or he shall be instead of broad rivers c. even a river that shall not be drawn dry or sucked out as Euphrates was by Cyrus when he took Babylon a river that shall not fail the dwellers by as Nilus once at least did Egypt for nine years together Ovid Art l. 1. Creditur Aegyptus caruisse juvantibus arva Imbribus atque annis sicca fuisse novem But shall fill its banks and shores perpetually and keep a full stock of streams and waters Wherein shall go no gally nor gallant ship i. e. None of the enemies navies shall annoy it England had the experience of this in that famous 88. when the Seas were turreted with such a Navy of Ships as her swelling waves could hardly be seen and the Flags Streamers and Ensignes so spred in the wind that they seemed to darken even the Sun but the glorious God defeated them Ver. 22. For the Lord
money-Merchants hath mystical Babylon also not a few Rev. 18.11 Non desunt Antichristo sui Augures malefici saith Oecolampadius Antichrist hath those abroad that trade with him and for him these shall be cast alive with him into the burning lake Rev. 19.20 and though they wander yet not so wide as to misse of hell CHAP. XLVIII Ver. 1. HEar ye this O house of Jacob Ye stiffenecked of Israel and uncircumcised in heart and eares who do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost Act. 7.51 to you be it spoken for to the Israelites indeed enough hath been said of this subject already Which are called by the name of Israel Sed nomen inane crimen immane Ye are called Jews and make your boast of God Rom. 2.17 having a form of knowledge Picti estis Israelitae est◠hypocritae Rom. 2.20 and of godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 and that 's all the voyce of Jacob but the hands of Esau Let such fear Jacobs fear My Father perhaps will feel me and I shall seem to him as a deceiver and I shall bring a curse upon me and not a blessing Gen. 27.12 'T is sure enough And are come forth out of the waters of Judah i. e. Out of the bowels Pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 videtur hic legendum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Gen. 15.4 as waters out of a spring Deut. 33.28 Psal 68.26 Judah was the tribe royal hence they so gloried and remained ruling with God and faithful with the Saints when other tribes revolted Which swear by the Name of the Lord And not of Baal And make mention of the God of Israel Who was neer in their mouths but far from their reines Jer. 22.2 Psal 50.16 Religionem simulabant cum in cute essent nequissimi arrant hypocrites But not in truth nor in righteousnesse i. e. Without faith and sound conversion Ver. 2. For they call themselves of the holy City Inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah yea they swore by their City and Temple as appeareth in the Gospel and cryed out ad ravim usque The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Jer. 7. like as the Romists now do The Church the Church glorying in the false and empty title of Roman Catholicks Sed grande est Christianum esse non dici saith Hierom and it is a great vanity saith the Poet Respicere ad fumos nomina vana Catonum And stay themselves As far as a few good words will go See on Mic. 3.11 The Lord of hosts is his Name So said these hypocrites bearing themselves bold upon so great a God who had all creatures at his command Ver. 3. I have declared the former things This God had said oft before but being now to conclude this comfortable Sermon he repeats here the heads of what had been spoken in the seven foregoing Chapters Ver. 4. Because I knew that thou art obstinate Heb. hard obduraete therefore do I so inculcate these things if by any means I may mollify thee Hypocrites are harder to be wrought upon then other sinners And thy neck is an iron sinew Thou art utterly averse from yea adverse to any good no more bended thereunto than if the body had for every sinew a plate of iron And thy brow brasse Sinews of iron argue a natural impotency and somewhat more but brows of brasse impudency in evil quando pudet non esse impudentes when men are shamelesse in sin setting it upon the cliffe of the Rock Ezek. 24.7 and declaring it as Sodom Isa 3.9 Ver. 5. I have even from the beginning c. See ver 3. It is probable that there were many among the Jews who when they saw themselves to be so punished and the heathen prospered would be ready to think that the God of Israel either could not or would not do for his people as those Devil-gods did for theirs For their help therefore under such a temptation God was pleased to foretell his people what good or evil should betide them and accordingly to accomplish it Ver. 6. Thou hast heard see all this Here God extorteth from them a confession of the aforesaid truth and urgeth them to attest and publish it Ver. 7. They are created now i. e. They are now brought to light by my Revelations and predictions Behold I knew them By my gods or Diviners or by my natural sagacity Ver. 8. Yea thou heardest not yea thou knewest not Yea so oft used here is very emphatical and sheweth how hardly sinners are born down and made to beleeve plain truths where they are prepossessed with conceits to the contrary And wast called a transgressour from the womb Ever since thou madest and worshippedst a golden Calf in the wildernesse See here the Note on Psal 58.3 and art still as good at resisting the Holy Ghost as ever thy Fathers were Act. 7.51 Ver. 9. For my name sake will I defer mine anger Heb. prolong it Here he setteth forth the cause of his patience toward so perverse a people viz. the sole respect to his own glory whereof he is so tender and so loth to be a loser in Propter me faciam And for my praise The praise of my might and mercy That I cut thee not off Which I would do were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy lest thine adversaries should behave themselves strangely and lest they should say Our hand is high and the Lord hath not done all this Deut. 32.27 Ver. 10. Behold I have refined thee but not with silver Much lesse as gold which is wont to be fined most exactly Non agam summo jure tecum Jun. and to the uttermost because these precious mettles will not perish by fire But thou hast more drosse in thee than good oare therefore I have refined thee with favour Psal 118.18 Ne totus disperires lest I should undoe thee for if thy punishment should be commensurate to thine offence thou must needsly perish I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction i. e. In affliction which is as a furnace or crucible See Ezek. 20.37 Ver. 11. For mine own sake even for mine own sake This is oft repeated that it may once be well observed Bene cavet spiritus sanctus ubique in Scripturis ne nostris operibus salutem tribuamus it is Oecolampadius his Note upon the first verse of this Chapter i. e. The holy Ghost doth everywhere in Scripture take course that we ascribe not our safety to our own works See on chap. 43.13 For how should my Name be polluted As it will be by the blasphemous Heathens who else will say that their gods are fortiores faventiores more powerful and more merciful than the God of the Hebrews Thus the Turkes at this day when they have beaten the Christians cry up their Mahomet as mightier than Christ And I will not give my glory to another Presse this in prayer 't is an excellent argument Exod. 32.12 Josh 7.9 Psal 79.9 10. Psal
art also the head of the Elect that Israel of God Gal. 6.16 Ver. 4. Then said I I have laboured in vaine I have done little more than preached my hearers to hell The Pharisees and the Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves Luk. 7.30 they would not be forewarned to flee from the wrath to come Mat. 3.7 to escape the damnation of hell Mat. 23.33 Our Saviour lost his sweet words upon them so did the Prophet Isaiah upon his untoward Countrymen who refused to be reformed hated to be healed Nothing was unconquerable to his pains who had as one saith of Jul. Scaliger a golden wit in an iron body but this matter was not malleable hence he spake to them to as little purpose as Bede did when he preached to an heap of stones Hence his complaint chap. 53.1 Who hath beleeved our report he might haply hope at first as holy Melanchthon did that it was impossible for his hearers to withstand the evidence of the Gospel but after he had been a Preacher a while 't is said be complained that old Adam was too hard for young Melanchthon Reverend Mr. Greenham besides his publike paines in season and out of season was wont to walk out into the fields and to confer with his neighbours as they were at plough But Dry-Draiton the place where he was Minister many years though so often watered with his teares prayers and paines was little the better for all Mr. Fullers Church-hist the generality of his parish remained ignorant and obstinate to their Pastours great grief and their own greater dammage and disgrace Hence the verses Greenham had pastures green But sheep full lean c. He might well cry out as many also do at this day Eheu quam pingui macer est mihi taurus in arvo Our people alasse are like Labans-lambs or Pharaohs kine they are even Ministrorum opprobria But if Ministers toyle all night and take nothing 't is to be feared saith one well that Satan caught the fish ere they came at their net Yet surely my judgement is with the Lord He will do me right and reward me howsoever The Physician hath his praise and pay though his Patient dyes The Lawyer hath his see though his Clients cause miscarry Curam exigeris non curationem saith Bernard to a frienk of his Jer. 20. it is the care not the cure of your charge that is charged upon you Jeremy was impatient and would preach no more but that might not be Mr. Greenham left Dry-Draiton upon friends importunity and removed to London but he afterwards repented it Latimer speaking of a certain Minister who gave this answer why he left off preaching because he saw he did no good This saith Latimer is a naughty a very naughty answer Ver. 5. To bring Jacob again to him To convert and reduce him to the fold this is the proper work of the Archshepherd 1 Pet. 2.25 and 3.18 and 5.4 Men may speak perswasively but Christ alone can perswade the heart Meum est docere saith Cyril vestrum auscultare Dei verò perficere Though Israel be not gathered Viz. By Gods Word which is his Arme chap. 53.1 or will not be gathered as Mat. 23.37 Yet I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord Who will reward me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to my paines and not according to my successe yea it is more than probable that such as patiently persist in the work of the ministery Secundum laborem non secundum proventum Bern. though few or none be converted thereby shall have a greater measure of glory than those that see much fruit of their labours and so have their honey-comb here to feed on Ver. 6. I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles De vocatione gentium illustre testimonium and to this purpose it is cited by Paul and Barnabas Act. 13.47 See Joh. 12.46 Luk. 1.78 79. That thou mayst be my Salvation Vide quam Deo cordi curae sit salus nostra A Lap cum eam vocat suam See how God mindeth and fancieth our salvation when he calleth it here his salvation Ver. 7. To him whom man despiseth Christ was extreamly despised in the state of his humiliation Isa 53.2 3. his Soul was filled with scorn and contempt as Psal 123.3 4. he was hartily hated To him whom the Nation abhorreth Hierom saith that to this day that execrable nation curseth Christ three times a day in their Synagogues and professeth that if their Messiah should come rather than the Gentiles should share with them in his benefits they would crucifie him over and over To a servant of Rulers Christ was basely used by the Rulers of the Jews who never left till they had nailed him to the Tree which was a slaves death among the Romans Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship As did Constantine Theodosius Valentinian Charles the Great c. who called themselves vasallos Christi the vasals of Christ And he shall choose thee i. e. He shall declare that he hath chosen thee to be the Saviour of his people Ver. 8. In an acceptable time Heb. In a time of my good pleasure or goodwill i. e. when of free grace I am pleased to send thee into the world and to cause the Gospel to be preached all abroad thereby declaring my self fully appeased which the men of my good will as the Elect are called Luk. 2.14 Confer 2 Cor. 6.2 Have I heard thee Or will I hear thee sc interceding and will I help thee sc conflicting And give thee for a Covenant i. e. For a Mediatour of the New Covenant which is ratified by thy blood as was signified by the book sprinkled with the blood of the slain sacrifice To establish the earth Had not Christ undertook the shattered condition of the world to uphold it it had faln about Adams cares To cause to inherit the desolate heritages i. e. Heaven forfeited by us in our first Parents or as others the Countries of the Nations now converted Ver. 9. That thou mayst say to the prisoners i. e. To such as lie hampered and enthralled in the invisible chaines of the Kingdom of darkness To these Christ saith be refreshed with the light of saving knowledge and with the liberty of the sons of God They shall feed in the wayes As cattle do that are removed from place to place they shall have a subsistence till they get home to their Fathers house where is bread enough Ver. 10. They shall not hunger nor thirst A sufficiency the Saints have even of outward comfotts if not a superfluity and for inward sunt nobis pascua pocula panis coelestis they shall not want Psal 23.1 yea they shall over-exceedingly abound 2 Cor. 7.4 So little cause is there for the Jew to jear us as poor and forlorn spiritual alimony we are sure of and bread and water with the Gospel are good chear See Rev.
seem to groan together with the fathfull Rom. 8. so here by a Prosopopâ—ia they are brought in as congratulating and applauding their deliverance Ver. 13. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree There shall be a blessed change of men and of manners those who before were stark naught or good for naught yea vexatious and mischievous shall become fruitful and beneficial Spinis paliurus acutis Virg. Eclog. The Fir-tree is good for many uses the Myrtle brings berriers of excellent taste as Pliny tells us The Chaldee thus paraphraseth here Just men shall rise up instead of sinners and such at fear the Lord in the room of the unrighteous Sed cave ne hic somnies saith Oecolampadius but be warned you dream not as some do that in this world and before the day of Judgement the wicked shall all be rooted out For there will alwaies be Cains to persecute Abels c. And it shall be to the Lord for a name i. e. For an honour it shall be much for his glory which is the end that he propoundeth to himself in all that he doth and well he may sith 1. He is not in danger of doing any thing through vain-glory 2. He hath none higher then himself to whom to have respect For an everlasting sign In monumentum non momentaneum Heb. for a sign of pepetuity or eternity That shall not be cut off Or that it the Church shall not be cut off CHAP. LVI Ver. 1. Thus saith the Lord Keep ye judgement and do justice i. e. Repent ye as ye were exhorted chap. 55.6 7. and bring forth fruits meet for repentance as Matth. 3.8 for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Matth. 3.1 Tit. 2.12 Christ came to call sinners to repentance Mar. 2.17 and to good works of all sorts which are here called Judgement and Justice as he himself is here called not only Gods salvation but his righteousnesse Ver. 2. Blessed is the man that doth this And withal layeth hold on that i. e. That performeth the duties of both Tables of Piety and of Charity that maketh conscience of keeping the Sabbath especially the fourth Commandement standeth fitly in the heart of the Decalogue and betwixt the two tables of the Law as having an influence into both From polluting it Either by corporal labour or spiritual idlenesse spending the holy time holily And keepeth his hand from doing any evil That is righteous as well as religious not yielding his members as instruments of unrighteousnesse unto sin Rom. 6.13 Ver. 3. Neither let the son of the stranger If a Proselite let not him interline the Covenant of Grace in Christ and say It belongeth not to me Let not him turn the back of his hand to the promise as if he were not concerned in it because no Jew born for now the partition-wall is by Christ to be broken down and the rigour of that old prohibition taken away Acts 10.34 35. Gal. 3.28 Colos 3.11 Ezek. 47.22 Neither let the Eunuch See the Note on Mat. 19.12 Ver. 4. For thus saith the Lord Who comforteth those that are cast down 2 Cor. 7.6 those that are forsaken of their hopes Jer. 30.17 That keep my Sabbaths Which who so do not are worthily deemed to have no true goodnesse in them at all And choose the things that please me Chuse them upon mature deliberation and good advice as Moses did Heb. 11.25 By a free election as Psal 119.30 so shewing themselves wise Eunuchs Ennius such as have their name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Scaliger deriveth it i. e. well-minded men egregiè cordati homines And take hold of my Covenant By a lively faith which is said to have two hands one wherewith she layeth hold on Christ and another whereby she giveth up her self unto him and although the Devil rap her on the fingers for so doing yet she is resolute and holds her own Ver. 5. Even unto them will I give in mine house In the Church of the New Testament Ephes 2.19 20 21. A place Heb. a hand A door-keepers place in Gods House is worth having Psal 84. this was that one thing that he so dearly begged Psal 27.4 And a name That new name Rev. 2.17 that power or prerogative royal that heavenly honour Nonnus there calleth it Joh. 1.12 viz. to be the Sons of God and so to be called 1 Joh. 3.1 to have both the comfort and the credit of it this is nomen in mundo prastantissimum none to this 2 Cor. 6. ult for if sons then heirs c. Rom. 8.16 17. Ver. 6. Also the sons of the stranger that joyneth Relinquishing his heathenish superstition and devoting himself to my fear The Levites had their name from the word here used and Leviathan whose scales and parts are so fast joyned and joynted together To love the name of the Lord to be his servants Plato could say Parere legibus est Deo servire haec summa est libertas To obey the laws is to serve God and this is the chiefest liberty this is perfect freedom But Plato never knew what it was to love to be Gods servant In Psal 1. Lex voluntarios quaerit saith Ambrose All Gods Souldiers are volunteires all his people free-hearted Psal 110.3 they wait for his Law Isa 42.8 See Deut 10.12 Every one that keepeth the Sabbath See on ver 2. Ver. 7. Even them will I bring unto my holy mountain i. e. Into my Church and Church-Assemblies Quaere whether Eunuches and strangers were made partakers of all holy services in the second Temple according to the letter Sure we are that that holy Eunuch Acts 8. and the rest of the Gentiles had and still have free admission under the Gospel And will make them joyful in mine house of prayer by their free accesse unto me and all good successe in their suits Pray that your joy may be full Joh. 16.24 Draw water with joy out of this well of salvation Isa 12. Rejoyce evermore and that you may so do Pray without ceasing 1 Thes 5.16 17. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine Altar Their Evangelical Sacrifices of prayer praise alms obedience c. shall be accepted through Christ Heb. 13.10 15. who is the true altar that sanctifieth all that is offered on it Rev. 8.3 4. For mine house shall be called c. See on Mat. 21.13 Ver. 8. Which gathereth the out-casts of Israel According to that ancient promise of his Deut. 30.4 None of his shall be lost for looking after he will fetch back his banished as that witty woman said 2 Sam. 14.14 Yet will I gather others to him Strangers Eunuches all mine other sheep that are not yet of this fold Joh. 10 16. together with all my straglers those that are relapsed will I recover Ver. 9. All ye beasts of the field come to devour Statim quasi vehementer ira accensus c. All upon the suddain as one much enraged against
On the contrary our Henry the third for his ill managing of matters was called Regni dilapidator and Richard the third The Calamity of his Country Ver. 13. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabboth If thou abstain from Journies and all secular businesses as much as may be Ezek. 22.26 Otherwise God will sue thee upon an action of waste and the superstitious Jew will rise up and condemn thee who if in his journy he be overtaken by the Sabbath he must stay though in the midst of a field or wood though in danger of theeves storms or hunger he may not budge From doing thy pleasure on mine holy day Plutarch thought Sabbath was from Sabbos a name of Bacchus that signifieth to live jocundly and jovially The Sabbath that many pleasure mongers keep may well have such a derivation and their Dies Dominicus be called dies Daemoniacus for they make it as Bacchus his Orgies rather then Gods holy solemnity as doing thereon things no day lawful but then most abominable And call the Sabbath a delight Counting it so and making it so The Jews call it Desiderium dierum the desireable day they meet it with these words Veni sponsa mea come my Spouse Of old they blessed God for it Neh. 9.14 and gave the whole week the denomination from it Luk. 18.12 they strictly and spiritually kept it but now they think the Sabbath is not sufficiently observed Buxt Synag except they eat and drink largely and give themselves to other sensual delights After dinner the most of their discourse is about their use-money and other worldly businesses c. They pray indeed but it is that Elias would hasten his coming even the next Sabbath if he please that he might give them notice of the Messiah's his coming c. Let us take heed of being weary of the Sabbath and wishing it over as they did Am. 8.5 Mal. 1.12 13. walk into Gods garden taste how good the Lord is in his Ordinances feel a continual encrease of sweetnesse in the pleasure and dainties of holy duties whereof we have such variety that we cannot easily be sated so little need is there that we should with the Râ—bbines expound this delight in the text of dainty and delightful meats to be eaten on this day The holy of the Lord honourable And therefore honourable because holy as it is said also of the Lord of the Sabbath Holy and reverend is his name Psal 111.9 A holy convocation the Sabbath is called Levit. 23.3 See Levit. 19.30 and 26.2 Let us sanctifie this holy Rest else it will degenerate into idlenesse which is a sin any day one of Sodoms sins but on the Lords day a double sin Better not do our own work any day than not Gods work on his day Debâ—t totus dies festivus à Christiano expendi operibus sanctis saith Rob. Grosthead Bishop of Lincoln In decalog praec 3. The whole Sabbath should be spent in holy duties Debemus die Dominico solummodo spiritualibus gandiis repleri we should be in the spirit on the Lords day and be filled with spiritual delights only saith the Council of Paris held Anno Dom. 829. Christ hath for this purpose made us an holy Nation and a Kingdom of Priests Exod. 19.9 that is holy and honourable and God hath sanctified it for a day of blessing to those that sanctifie it Exod. 20.11 Ezek. 20.12 He hath called it an everlasting Covenant by way of eminency Exod. 31.16 as if nothing of Gods Covenant were kept if this were not kept holy Not doing thine own wayes Ea tantum facias quae ad anima salutem pertinent saith Hierom. Those things only are then to be done that pertain to thy souls health works of piety of charity and of necessity none else Tantum divinis cultibus serviamus saith Austin What meant then that good King Edward 6. and where were those that should have better instructed him Cranmer Ridley c. to deliver to his Council these Articles following Life of Ed. 6. by Sr. J. Heyn that upon Sundayes they intend publick affaires of the Realme dispatch answers to letters for good order of the State and make full dispatches of all things concluded in the week before Provided that they be present at Common-Prayer c Nor speaking thine own words Those words of vanity or vexation ver 9. but words of wisdom and sobriety suitable to the holinesse of the day Ver. 14. Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord Find such inexplicable sweetnesse in communion with God use of his heart-ravishing ordinances meditation on his word and works especially that of our Redemption as far far exceedeth all the dirty delights of profane Sensualists and Sabbath-breakers Job 27.10 Prov. 14.10 And I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea upon the heights of heaven where thou shalt keep an everlasting Sabbath in which all Sabbaths meet and whereof there is no evening And feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy Father i. e. With heavenly Manna such food as eye hath not seen ear heard or mouth of natural man ever tasted For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it The Lord cujus ego sum os organon will certainly do all this you may build upon it CHAP. LIX Ver. 1. BEhold the Lords hand is not shortened That their Fasts were not regarded their Sabbath-keeping rewarded as chap. 58.3 14. their prayers answered chap. 59.1 2. according to expectation the fault is not at all in God saith the Prophet as if he were now grown old impotent deafish or bison as they were apt to conceit it but meerly in themselves as appeareth by the following catalogue of sins which he therefore also in his own and their names confesseth to God and assigneth for the cause of their so long-lasting calamity Ver. 2. But your iniquities have severed i. e. Have set you at a very great distance hinted also by the redundancy of speech that is here in the Original or rather defiance Psal 5.5 Prov. 15.29 chap. 29.13 Nothing intricates our actions more than our sins which do likewise ensnare our souls whiles they are as a wall of separation between God and us Ezek. 43.8 and as an interstitium such as is the firmament that divideth the upper and the lower waters Gen. 1.6 Mimus And your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear Crudelem medicum intemperant aeger facit Sin is as a devil in the ayre saith one to hinder our prayers turning from sin will charm the devil and make him fall from heaven Ver. 3. For your hands are defiled with blood The Prophet well knew that these perverse Jews would stand upon their justification and put God to his proofs as their posterity also did Jer. 2.35 catalogum ergo bene longum texit therefore he here brings in a long bedrol of their sins wherein their
spred out my hands A Preachers use to do or as those that invite and becken others to themselves with the hand See Mat. 11.28 Vnto a rebellious people Whose destruction therefore is of themselves sith they will not be ruled reclaimed After their own thoughts Which were evil only evil continually so A Toad may as easily spet a cordial as a natural man think a good thought Ver. 3. A people that provoketh me to my face As it were for the nouce in despite and defiance of me Siquis me in faciem depalmaret vix indignius essem laturus I could almost as well bear a blow on the face And burneth incense upon altars of brick Erected on the house-tops Lateres per Meiosin cum contemptu 2 King 33.12 Zeph. 1.5 they should have offered on the golden altar only Exod. 30. Ver. 4. Which remain among the graves Which use Necromancy and consult with devils as Saul did and dyed for it contrary to Deut. 18.11 See chap. 8.19 Mark 5.5 with the Notes This they had learned of the Heathens with whom it was common as Tertullian teacheth And lodge in the monuments As beleeving that there they should dream dreams divinatory or have revelations in the night By such ill arts as these Timotheus Herulus made himself Bishop of Alexandria Anno 467. and Boniface 8. gulled Celestine 5. of the Popedome Anno 1295. Some render it Jun. Piscat that lodge with the kept ones i. e. with their Idols which they were fain to keep for fear they should be stollen That eat swines-flesh Which was flatly forbidden Lev. 11.7 and which those Martyrs in the Maccabees would rather dye than do But these belly-gods who like swine had their souls only to keep their bodies from putrifying securely violated this plain law gratifying their lusts and making their gut their God And broth of abominable things is in their vessels They had animos in patinis Porcus quasi spureus Rupert catinis calicibus c. Therein they kept the broth of their swines-flesh which they offered and in offering eat of But what saith one from this text men must not only abhorre the Devils beef but his broth too all occasions appearances Ver. 5. Which say Stand by thy self come not near to me These Jews were all manner of naughts and therefore worthily rejected by God Necromancers Idolaters Epicures gross hypocrites as here their words full of pride and contempt of others shew them to be Such were the Pharisees with their Sanctior sum quam tu Luk. 7.39 the Monkes and Masse-Priests among the Papists and the Brownists with their broad leaves of formal profession amongst us Abbots his trial of Church forsakers pag. 148. From Mat. 18.19 because Christ promiseth not doing for them that ask except they agree on earth Brownists peremptorily conclude that they ought not to pray with them that do not consent with them in their opinions nor will they pray with their own wives and children though never so pious if they do not meet in the same center of conceits These are a smoke in my nose a fire that burneth all the day i. e. A continual offence to me as smoke is to the nose and eyes Prov. 10.20 and shall be perpetually tormented by me in the hottest fire of hell whereof hypocrites are the free-holders and other sinners are but tenants as it were to them whiles they are said to have their portion with the Devil and hypocrites Some think he hinteth at their smoking and sacrificing in their gardens and groves ver 3. Ver. 6. Behold it is written before me Heb. before my face as your sins were committed to my face ver 3. which therefore I shall surely remember and punish But will recompense even recompense Certo cito penitus surely severely suddainly you may write upon 't Ver. 7. Your iniquities and the iniquities of your Fathers together Your vain conversation received by tradition from your Fathers 1 Pet. 1.18 whom you have striven to out-sin See Gen. 15.16 Mat. 23.32 35 36. and 27.25 1 Thes 2.15 16. And blasphemed me upon the hills Or reproached or dishonoured me displeasing service is double dishonour because men dishonour God in that wherein they pretend or presume at least to please him Such are all Popish will worshippers neither will it help them to plead the example of their fore-Fathers for here that of the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 20. should take place Walk ye not in the wayes of your Fathers Therefore will I measure into their bosom Or Lap very largely See Psal 79.12 Luk. 6.38 I will pay them home for the new and the old together Ver. 8. Thus saith the Lord This he saith in effect I will not destroy the righteous with the wicked but still reserve a seed a remnant and this he setteth forth by a fine and fit comparison even as the husbandman if he find any wine in the cluster that is any life or sap in the vine cutteth it not down utterly So will I do for my servants sake Few though they be even as one cluster of grapes upon a vine yet because they are botri mustei clusters full of new and sweet wine full of the juyce of piety they shall be preserved Ver. 9. And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob The good husband keeps some of his corn for seed which though it be not much yet it will come to much And mine elect shall inherit it i. e. Reinhabit the land a type of the last conversion of the Jews to Christ Rom. 11.25 26. Ver. 10. And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks The fieldlings shall be folds and I will feed them dayly and daintily Psal 23.1 with my graces and blessings Sharon is a very sweet and fruitful quarter reaching from Caesarea of Palestine to Joppa Achor is also a very rich vale near Jericho Northward Josh 3.16 their first footing in the promised land By both these they are assured that they shall want for nothing and least of all for the Word of God the food of their souls Ver. 11. But ye are they that forsake the Lord Or As for you that have forsaken the Lord to observe lying vanities and so are miserable by your own election Joâ— 2.8 you shall be yet more miserable at the great day of Judgment especially of which some take this following part of the Chapter to be meant and intended Then these improbi reprobi shall be sure to smoke for it then they shall return and discern betwixt the righteous and the wicked yea the Judge himself shall shew them a manifest difference as ver 13 14 15 c. That forget my holy mountain i. e. My Temple and pure worship which ye slight and neglect q. d. there is no new wine in your cluster but rather gall and deadly poison therefore it shall be otherwise with you That prepare a table for that troop As the Israelites feasted before the Lord Deut. 16.14 15.
his heat in Venery and ill savour saith Plutarch He that offereth an oblation Unless withal he present his body for a sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God as Rom. 12.1 Is as if he offered swines blood Blood was not to be offered at all in an oblation or meat-offering but meal oyle wine Levit. 2. much less swines blood See Levit. 11.7 He that burneth incense In honour of me unless his heart ascend up withal in those pillars of sweet smoke as Manoahs Angel did in the smoke of the sacrifice Is as if he blessed an Idol i. e. Gave thankes to an Idol called here by a name that signifyeth vanity or vexation as if he were a God in doing whereof God holdeth himself less dishonoured then by their hypocritical services performed to himself Ezek. 20.39 Beâ—n Yea they have chosen their own wayes Which must needs be naught Nemo sibi de suo palpet Are ye not carnal and walk as men saith Paul that is as naughty men Horreo quicquid de meo est ut meus sim Ver. 4. I also will chuse their delusions As they have had their will so will I have mine another while I will make them to perish by their mockeries idque ex lege talionis See chap. 65.11.12 They thought to cozen me by an out-side-service but it shall appear that they have cozened themselves when I bring upon them mercedem multiplicis petulantiae corum as Piscator rendereth it the reward of their manyfold petulancies and illusions And will bring their fear upon them Inducam nivem super eos qui timuerunt à pruina They have feared the coming of the Chaldees and come they shall So their posterity feared the Romans Joh. 11. and they felt their fury See Prov. 10.24 with the Note Because when I called c. See chap. 65.12 Ver. 5. Hear the Word of the Lord ye that tremble c. Here 's a word of comfort for you who being lowly and meek-spirited are the apter to be trampled on and abused by the fat bulls of Basan where the hedge is lowest those beasts will leap over and every crow will be pulling off wooll from a sheeps sides Your brethren By race and place but not by Grace That hated you For like cause as Cain hated Abel 1 Joh. 3.12 for trembling at Gods judgements whilst they do yet hang in the threatnings And cast you out Either out of their company as not fit to be conversed with chap. 65.5 or out of their Synagogue by excommunications as fit to be cut off See 1 Thes 2.14 Papists at this day do the like whence that Proverb In nomine Domini incipâ—t omne malum Ye begin in a wrong name said that Martyr when they began the sentence of death against him with In the name of God Amen Let the Lord be glorified With such like goodly words and specious pretences did those odious hypocrites palliate and varnish over their abominations they would persecute godly men and molest them with Church-censures and say Let the Lord be glorified So do Papists and other Sectaries deal by the Orthodox Becket offered but subdolously to submit to his Sovereign salvo honere Dei so far as might stand with Gods glory Speed 508. Anno 1386. The Conspiratours in King Richard the seconds time endorsed all their letters with Glory be to God on high on earth peace good-will towards men The Swenck feldians stiled themselves The Confessours of the glory of Christ and Gentiles the Antitrinitarian when he was called to answer said that he was drawn to maintain his cause through touch of conscience and when he was to dye for his blasphemy he said that he did suffer for the glory of the most high God so easy a matter it is to draw a fair glove upon a foul hand c. Some for Let the Lord be glorified render it Gravis est Dominus The Lord is burdensom or heavy and they parallel it with those sayings in the Gospel This is an hard saying Thou art an austere man We will not have this man to reign over us c. But he shall appear to your joy Parallel to that your sorrow shall be turned into joy How did some of the Martyrs rejoyce when excommunicated degraded c. Diod. Ver. 6. A voice of noise from the City This is a Prophetical description of the last destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Romans A voice from the Temple Wherin they so much gloryed where they had oft heard Christ and his Apostles preaching repentance unto life but now have their ears filled with hideous and horrid outcries of such as were slain even in the very Temple which they defended as long as they were able and till it was fited That which Josephus reporteth of Jesus the son of Ananis a plain Country-fellow is very remarkable viz. that for four years together before the last devastation he went about the City day and night crying as he went in the words of this text almost A voice from the East Lib. 7. Bâ—lli cap. 12. a voice from the West a voice from the four Winds a voice against Jerusalem and the Temple a voice against all the people Woe woe woe to Jerusalem and thus he continued to do till at length roaring out louder then ordinary Woe to Jerusalem and to me also he was slain upon the wall with a stone shot out of an Engin as Josephus reporteth That rendereth recompence to his enemies So they are here called who pretended so much to the glorifying of God ver 5. False friends are true enemies Ver. 7. Before she travelled she brought forth Quum nondum parturiret paperit understand it of Zion or of the Church Christian which receiveth her children that is Converts suddainly on a cluster before she thought to have done Subito ac simul Margaret Countesse of Henneburg and in far greater numbers then she could ever have beleeved That Lady that brought forth as many as a birth as are dayes in the year was nothing to her nor those Hebrew women Exod. 1.10 She was delivered of a man-child For the which there is so great joy Joh. 16.21 and which is usually more able and active than a woman-child so good and bold Christians strong in faith unless he meaneth Christ himself saith Diodaâ— who is formed by faith in every beleevers heart Gal. 4.19 Ver. 8. Who hath heard such a thing who hath seen such things The birth of a man would seem a miracle were it not so ordinary miracula assiduitate vilescunt but the birth of a whole Nation at once how much more Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day Yes if the day be long enough as among the Hyperboreans of whom it is written that they sow shortly after the Sun-rising and reap before the Sun-set because the whole half year is one continual day with them But the words here should be rather read Can a land Heresbach
de re rust or a countrey be brought forth in one day a Nation be born at once Cardinal Pool abused this Scripture in a letter to Pope Julius 3. applying it to the bringing in of Popery again here so universally and suddainly in Queen Maryes dayes So he did also another when at his first return hither from beyond sea he blasphemously saluted the same Queen Mary with those words of the Angel Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with thee Ver. 9. Shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth i. e. Shall I set upon a work and not go through with it God began and finished his work of Creation Christ is both Authour and finisher of his peoples faith Heb. 12.2 The holy Ghost will sanctifie the Elect wholly and keep them blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.23 Nescit tarda molimina Spiritus sancti gratia saith Ambrose Otherwise his power and mercy would not equally appear to his people in regeneration as the power and mercy of the Father and the Son in Creation and Redemption Ver. 10. Rejoyce ye with Jerusalem As friends use to do with her that is newly made a mother Luk. 1.58 Rejoyce for joy with her Out of the Church there is no solid joy See Hos 9.1 with the Note Others may revel the godly only rejoyce their joy is not that of the mouth but of the heart nec in labris nascitur sed fibris it doth not only smooth the brow but fills the breast wet the mouth but warm the heart c. Ver. 11. That ye may suck and be satisfied with the brests of her consolations Zion is not only a fruitful mother but a joyful nurse God giveth her the blessings both of the belly and of the brests and these brests of hers are full-strutting with the sincere milk of the Word that rational milk 1 Pet. 2.2 the sweet and precious promises of the Gospel These brests of consolation we must suck as the babe doth the mothers dug as long as he can get a drop out of it and then sucks still till more cometh Let us suck the blood of the Promises saith one as a dog that hath got the blood of the bear he hangs on and will hardly be beaten off Let us extort and oppress the Promises saith another descanting upon this text as a rich man oppresseth a poor man and getteth out of him all that he hath so deale thou with the Promises for they are rich there is a price in them consider it to the utmost wring it out The world layeth forth her two breasts or botches rather of Profit and Pleasure and hath enow to suck them though they can never thereby be satisfied And shall almamater Ecclesia want those that shall milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory Ver. 12. Behold I will extend peace to her This and the following Promises are the delicious milk spoken of before sc pax copiosa pâ—rennis peace as a river as the waters cover the sea joy unspeakable and full of glory Gods fatherly care motherly affection c. all that heart can wish or need require Like a river As Euphrates saith the Chaldee Like a flowing stream Or overflowing as Nilus Claudian Qui cunctis amnibus extat Vtilior Ye shall be born upon her side Humanissime suavissime traÌ„ctabimini ye shall be born in the Churches armes laid to her brests set in her lap dandled on her knees c. Hac Similitudine nihil fierà potest suavius See Num. 11.12 Ver. 13. And as one whom his mother comforteth Her darling and dandling especially when she perceiveth it to make a lip and to be displeased mothers also are very kind to and careful of their children when they are grown to be men A Lapide in Isai 56.20 as Monica was to Austin and as Matres Hollandicae the mothers in Holland of whom it is reported quod prae aliis matribus mirè filios suos etiam grandaevos ament ideóque eos vocant tractant ut pueros See Isa 46.4 with the Note Ver. 14. And when ye see this your heart shall rejoyce Videbitis gaudebitis you shall see that I do not give you good words only but that I am in good earnest ye shall know it within your selves in the workings of your own hearts as Heb. 10.34 And your bones shall flourish like an herb i. e. They shall be filled again with moisture and marrow See Ezek. 37.10 11. you shall be fair-liking and reflourish And the hand of the Lord i. e. His infinite power tantorum beneficiorum in piis operatrix the efficient cause of all these comforts Ver. 15. For behold the Lord will come with fire With hell-fire say the Rabbines here with the fire of the last day say we whereof his particular judgements are as pledges and preludes And with his charrets like a whirlwind As he did when he sent forth his armies the Romans and destroyed those murtherers the Jews and burnt up their City Mat. 22.7 And when they would have reedified their City and Temple under Julian the Apostate who in hatred to Christians animated them thereunto balls of fire broke forth of the earth which marred their work and destroyed many thousands of them Ver. 16. For with fire Then which nothing is more formidable And with his sword Which is no ordinary one chap. 27.1 Ver. 17. In the gardens Where these Idolaters had set up Altars offered sacrifices Donec me flumine vivo Abluero Virg. Qui noctem in flumine purgas Pers i. e. nocturnam Venerem and had their ponds wherein when they were about to sacrifice heathen-like they washed and purified themselves one after another and not together which they held to be the best way of purifying This they did also not apart and in private but in the midst ut hoc modo oculos in nudis lavantium praesertim muliercularum corporibus pascerent that they might feed their eyes with the sight of those parts which nature would have hid for your Pagan superstitions were oft-times contrary to natural honesty Behind one tree in the midst Or as others render it after or behind Ahad which was the name of a Syrian Idol Saturnal lib. 1. cap. 23. representing the Sun as Macrobius telleth us calling him Adad Ver. 18. For I know or I will punish their works and their thoughts Or yea their thoughts which they may think to be free See Jer. 6.19 It shall come to passe that I will gather It is easie to observe that this Chapter consisteth of various passages interwoven the one within the other of judgments to the wicked of mercyes and comforts to the godly c. All Nations and tongues A plain Prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles to the Kingdom of Christ for which purpose the miraculous gift of tongues was bestowed upon the Apostles And they shall come and see
integrity good of a little child a young Saint and an old Angel an admirable Preacher as Keckerman rightly calleth him Keck de Rhet. Eccl. cap. ult and propoundeth him for a pattern to all Preachers of the Gospel Nevertheless this incomparable Prophet proved to be a man of many sorrows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 1. Epist 198. as Isidor Pelusiot a most calamitous person as appeareth by this Book and one that had his share in sufferings from and fellow-sufferings with his ungrateful Country-men as much as might be Nazianzen saith most truly of him Prophetarum omnium ad commiserationem propensissimus Orat. 17. ad cives Nazi n. that he was the most compassionate of all the Prophets witness that Pathetical wish of his chap. 9.1 2 3. Oh that my head were waters c. and that holy Resolve chap. 13.17 But if ye will not hear it my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride and mine eye shall weep sore and run down with tears because the Lords flock is carried away captive It was this good mans unhappiness to be a Physician to a dying State Tunc etenim doctâ plus valet arte malum Long time he had laboured amongst this perverse people but to very small purpose Vide Oecol as himself complaineth chap. 27.13 14. after Isaiah chap. 49. whom he succeeded in his office of a Prophet some scores of years between but with little good successe For as in a dying man his eyes wax dim and all his senses decay till at length they are utterly lost so fareth it with Common-wealths quando suis fatis urgentur when once they are ripe for ruine the nearer they draw to destruction the more they are overgrown with blindness madness security obstinacy such as despiseth all remedies and leaveth no place at all for wholesome advice and admonition Loe this was the case of those improbi reprobi reprobate silver shall men call them chap. 6.30 with whom our Prophet had to do Moses had not more to do with the Israelites in the wilderness then Jeremy had with these stifnecked and uncircumcised in in heart and ears Acts 7.51 as good at resisting the Holy Ghost as ever their Fathers were The times were not unlike those described by Tacitus concerning which Casaeubon saith quibus nulla unquam aut virtutum steriliora aut virtutbus inimiciora that no times were ever more barren of virtues or greater enemies to virtues And to say sooth how could they be much better when the Book of the Law was wanting for above sixty years and the whole land overspred with the deeds of darknesse Josiah indeed that good young King by the advice of this Prophet Jermy Josias à zelo ignis divini nomen babet Significat autem Jeremias Altitudinem Dei vel Exaltatum à Deo who was younger then himself but both full of zeal did what he could to reform both Church and State but he alass could not do withall the Reformation in his dayes was forced by him and there was foul work in secret as appeareth by Zephany who was our Prophets Contemporary it met with much opposition both from Princes Priest and People who all had been wofully habituated and hardned in their idolatry under Manasseh and Amon c. Unto which also and other abominations not a few they soon relapsed when once Josiah was taken away and his successours proved to be such as countenanced and complied with the people in all their impieties and excesses This Prophet therefore was stirred up by God to oppose the current of the times and the torrent of vices to call them to repentance and to threaten the Seventy years captivity which because they believed not neither returned unto the Lord came upon them accordingly as is set forth in the end of this Prophecy Whence Procopius Isidor and others have gathered that besides this Prophecy and the Lamentations Jeremiah wrot the first and second Book of Kings But that is as uncertain as that he was stoned to death by the Jews in Egypt Isidor Doroth. Epiphan or that the Egyptians afterwards built him an honourable Sepulcher and resorted much unto it for devotion sake when as R. Solomon thinketh from chap. 44.28 that Jeremy together with Baruc returned out of Egypt into Judaea and there dyed The son of Hilkiah The High-priest who found the Book of the Law say the Chaldee Paraphrast and others but many think otherwise and the Prophet himself addeth Isal 10. Of the Priests that were at Anathoth Poor Anathoth renowned as much by Jeremy Ex praepositis Templi Iunuitur in ipsum rectius potuisse competere Propheticum munus quam in multos alios vel ex aula vel ex caula vocatos as little Hippo was afterwards by great Austin Bishop there The Targum tels us that Jeremy was one of the twenty four Cheiftains of the Temple A Priest he was and so an ordinary Teacher before he acted as a Prophet but his Country-men of Anathoth evil-intreated him In the land of Benjamin Some three miles from Jerusalem Ver. 2. Vnto whom the Word of the Lord came in the dayes of Josiah Woe be to the world because of the Word The Lord keepeth count what Preachers he sendeth what pains they take and how long to how little purpose they preach unto a people He saith that it was the Word of the Lord for authority sake and that none might despise his youth sith he was sent by the Ancient of dayes In the thirteenth year of his reigne Eighteen years then he prophecyed under good Josiah who was too blame doubtlesse in not sending to advise with this or some other Prophet before he went forth against Pharaoh-Necho sometimes both grace and wit are asleep in the holiest and wariest breasts Ver. 3. It came also in the dayes of Jehoiachim Called at first Eliachim by his good Father Josiah from whom he degenerated cutting Jeremies roul with a pen-knife and burning it chap. 36. at which his Fathers heart would have melted as 2 Chron. 34.27 Vnto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah Jehoahaz and Jehoiachim are not mentioned because their raign was so short hardly half a year By this computation it appeareth that Jeremy prophecyed forty years at least And the Holy Ghost setteth a special mark as a Reverend Writer hath well observed upon those forty years of his prophecying Lightfoots Harmony Chron. of old Test Ezek. 4.6 where when the Lord summeth up the years that were betwixt the falling away of the ten Tribes and the burning of the Temple three hundred and ninety in all and counteth them by the Prophets lying so many dayes upon his left-side he bids him to lye forty dayes upon his right-side and bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty dayes a day for a year Not to signify that it was forty years above three hundred and ninety betwixt the revolt of the ten Tribes and
the captivity of Judah for it was but three hundred and ninety exactly in all but because he would set and mark out Judah's singular iniquity by a singular mark for that they had forty years so pregnant instructions and admonitions by so eminent a Prophet and yet were impenitent to their own destruction Vnto the carrying away of Jerusalem He thought belike when he prefixed this title that he should have prophecyed no more when once Jerusalem was carried captive but it proved otherwise for he peophecyed after that in Egypt chap. 44. yet not forty years also after the captivity as the Jews have fabled Nor is it so certain that for that prophecy he was slain by Pharaoh Ophrae whom Herodotus calleth Apryes and saith he was a very proud Prince as some have storied Lib. 2. in fine Ver. 4. Then the word of the Lord came unto me The Lord is said to come to Balaam Abimelech Laban c. but he never concredited his word to any but to his holy Prophets of whom it is said as here The Word of the Lord came to them Ver. 5. Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee viz. With a knowledge not Intuitive only but also Approbative Verba notitiae apud Hebraeos secum trahunt affectum I sanctified thee Infusing grace into thy heart as afterwards also into the Baptists Luke 1.15 and setting thee apart in my secret purpose to this sacred office of a Prophet as afterwards also God did Paul to the Apostleship Gal. 1.15 And I ordained thee a Prophet Magna semper fecerunt qui Deo vocante docuerunt saith Luther They have alwaies done great things whom God hath called to teach his people quod est contra eos qui Ecclesiam ruituram putant nisi ipsi doceant saith Oecolampadiusâ— This text maketh against such as think that the Church must needsly suffer unlesse they though uncalled turn Teachers Vnto the Nations i. e. First to the Jews qui fere in Gentiles evaserant who were little better then Gentiles so Papagant are called Pagans Rev. 11.2 Secondly to forreiners of and to whom he prophecyed chap. 44 c. Thirdly to people of all times who may and must be instructed by this Book which is such as was highly see by and cited in the Old Testament by Daniel Ezechiel Nehemiah Ezra Obadiah who taketh most of his Prophecy out of him as in the New by our Saviour Matth. 21. Mar. 11. Matthew the Evangelist chap. 2. Paul 2 Cor. 6.1 10. Heb. 8. 10. John the Divine Rev. 2. 15. Ver. 6. Then said I Ah Lord God Verbum angustiae The old Latin hath it A A A whereby is noted say some a threefold defect sc of age of knowledge and of eloquence but that 's more subtil then solid True worth is ever modest and the more fit any man is for whatsoever vocation the less he thinketh himself forwardnesse argueth insufficiency Behold I cannot speak Heb. I know not to speak i. e. a right and as I ought Tanto negotio tam instructum oratorem me non agnosco Jeremy was an excellent Speaker as well appeareth by these ensuing Homilies of his which shew that he was suaviter gravis graviter suavis as One saith of Basil a grave and sweet Preacher one that could deliver his mind fitly and durst do it freely Hence some of the Jews judged our Saviour to have been Jeremiah propter dicendi agendique gravitatem Parrhesian for his gravity and freedom of speech Neverthelesse Jeremy in his own opinion cannot speak that is was no way fit to speak So Moses is at it with his Who am I Exod. 3. when as none in all Egypt was comparably fit for such an Embassage It was an usual saying of Luther Etsi jam senex in concionando exercitus sum c. Although I am now an old man and an experienced Preacher yet I tremble as oft as I go up into the pulpit For I am a child Epiphanius saith that Jeremy was not now above fourteen or fifteen when he began to Prophecy Samuel also and Daniel began very young So did Timothy Origen Cornelius Mus a famous Preacher say his fellow Jesuites at eleven years of age Arch Bishop Vsher was converted at ten years old His life and death by D. Bern. preached betime and so continued to do for sixty years or near upon Mr. Beza was likewise converted at sixteen years old for the which as for a special mercy he giveth God thanks in his last Will and Testament and lived a Preacher in Geneva to a very great age God loveth not Quaerists but Currists did Luther Ver. 7. Say not I am a child Plead no excuses cast no perils never dispute but dispatch never reason but run depending for direction and success upon God alone in whom are all our fresh springs and from whom is all our sufficiency c. Paul was a most unlikely peice of wood to make what he was afterwards called a Mercury Act. 14.11 yet God made use of him Act. 9.13 14. For thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee Whether Kings or Captives Lords or Losels He preached before Jehoiachim concerning the office of a King and threatened him with the burial of an asse chap. 22. and 36. he dealt plainly with the Princes who beat him and with the Priests who stockt him with all sorts to his great cost he was of an heroical and unexpugnable spirit so are not many in these times Verbi Dei truncatores emasculatores men-pleasing Preachers Act. Mon. Ver. 8. Be not afraid of their faces Look they never so big as did Henery 8. upon Latimer and upon Lambert who yet told him his own as did Stephen Gardiner upon Dr. Taylour Martyr but had as good as he brought The majesty of a man as also his wrath sheweth itself in his countenance and young men especially are apt to be baffled and dasht with fierce looks For I am with thee to deliver thee On one sort or another thy crown be sure no man shall take from thee thy perpetual triumph thou shalt not lose Ver. 9. Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth This was a very great favour and a sweet settlement to the hesitating Prophet The like visible sign for confirmation was given to Isaiah chap. 6 to Ezekiel chap. 2. and 3. and to John the Divine Rev. 10. how much are we bound to God for his Word and Sacraments Behold I have put my words in thy mouth And in thy mind also together with good courage for the better uttering of them Fear not therefore though thou be as thou objectest infantissimus infirmissimus but go in this my might and Preach lustily Ver. 10. See I have set thee this day over Nations sc With authority to use the same liberty in reproving their sins that they take in committing them Fear not the highest for I have set thee over them
And of Ambrose Stilico the Earle said that he was the walls of Italy Peter and John are called Pillars Gal. 2.9 Athanasius the Churches Champion Virg. Ille velut pelagi rupes immota resistit Against the Kings of Judah against the Princes c. There was a general defection of all sorts and Jeremy was to declaim against them all and proclaim their utter destruction in case they repented not Well might Luther say for he had the sad experience of it Praedicare nihil aliud est quà m totius mundi furorem in se derivare To preach is nothing else but to derive upon a mans self the rage of all the world Vt jam quatuor clementa ferre nequeant He met with some even at Wittenberg where he lived who were so wicked and uncounselable that the four Elements could not endure them So did good Jeremy c. Ver. 19. They shall not prevail against me They shall not take thy Crown from thee no nor thy precious life for thou shalt survive them So Luther dyed in his bed maugre the malice of Rome and of hell For I am with thee And what can all the wicked do against one Minister armed with Gods presence and power CHAP. II. Ver. 1. MOreover the word of the Lord came to me saying The Prophet being thus called and confirmed as chap. 1. sets forthwith upon the work Est autem hoc caput plenum querelae quasi continuum pathos In this chapter the Lord heavily complaineth of Jerusalems unworthy usage of him convincing them thereof by sixteen several arguments as Alapide hath observed and all little enough for they put him to his proofs as is to be seen ver 35. Ver. 2. Go thou and cry For if I my self should do it immediately from heaven my stillest Rhetorike would be too loud for them Deut. 5.27 28. I remember thee Who hast forgot thy first love and loyalty to me Or I remember that is I put thee in mind of the kindness that hath been betwixt us Augustus might have some such meaning in those last words of his to his wife when he lay a dying O Livia remember our marriage and adeiu 'T is thought she had a finger in setting him going and that she was over-familiar with Eudemus the Physician qui specie artis frequent secretis saith Tacitus Peccatum est Deicidium The kindnesse of thy youth When thou camest out of Egypt after me and wast espoused unto me at the giving of the Law We use highly to prize nettle-buds when they first put forth so doth God our young services Others render it thus I record the mercy shewed to thee in thy youth and the love of thine espousals sc when as I loved thee because I loved thee and for no other reason Deut. 7.7 8. When thou wentest after me in the wildernesse God takes it kindly when men will chuse him and his wayes in affliction as did Moses Heb. 11.25 Cant. 8.5 Who is this that cometh from the wilderness from troubles and afflictions leaning on her beloved Ver. 3. Israel was holinesse unto the Lord A people consecrated and set apart for his peculiar Exod. 19.5 Psal 114.2 holy with a federal holiness at least And the first-fruits of his increase Yea his first-born and therefore higher than the Kings of the earth Psalm 89.27 All Gods people are so Heb. 12.23 James 1.18 All that devour them shall offend Rather thus all that devoured them trespassed evil befell them witness the four latter books of Moses Ver. 4. Hear ye the word of the Lord This is often inculcated in both Testaments to procure attention 1 Cor. 11.23 I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you 1 Thes 4.15 This we say unto you by the Word of the Lord. Thus to preach is to preach cum privilegio Ver. 5. What iniquity have your Fathers found in me How unreasonable was their Apostacy and how senseless is your pleading of their example nothing is more irrational then irreligion That they are gone far from me Are ye weary of receiving so many benefits by one man said Themistocles to his ungrateful Country-men And have walked after vanity An Idol is nothing at all but only in the vain opinion of the Idolater And are become vain sc In their imaginations Rom. 1.21 as vain as their very Idols Psal 115.8 Ver. 6. Neither said they In their minds or with their mouths Cicero That signal deliverance was obliterated and even lost upon them Plerique omnes sumus ingrati Through a land of deserts and of pits Per terram campestrem sepulchralem where we talked of making our graves neither was it any otherwise likely but that God gave us pluviam escatilem petram aquatilem all manner of necessaries Tertul. Ver. 7. And I brought you into a plentiful Countrey You lived in my good land but not by my good Laws you had aequissimajura sed iniquâ—ssima ingenia as was said of the Athenians as if I had hired you to be wicked so have you abused my mercies to my greatest dishonour Ver. 8. The Priests said not Where is the Lord Ignorant they were and idle Dixerunt Vbi victimae ubi nummi triobotarium Deum faciunt subque hastam mittunt Oecol they would not be at the paines of a serious inquisition after God and his will though he be a rewarder of all that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 And they that handled the Law That expounded and applyed it A Metaphor from such as are trained in the war who are said tractare bellum to handle their armes The Pastours also transgressed against me What marvel therefore that the people did so too For as in a fish the corruption of it beginneth at the head so here And the Prophets prophesied by Baal And taught others to worship Idols We see then 't is nothing new that stars fall from heaven that Church-chieftaines should fall from God and draw others after them It went for a Proverb a little afore Luther stirred Qui Theologum scholasticum videt videt septem peccata mortalia he that seeth a Divine seeth the seven deadly sins Ver. 9. I will yet plead with you i. e. Debate the case with you and set you down by sound reason So he did to our first Parents when they had sinned but doomed the serpent without any more ado Ver. 10. For passe over the isles of Chittim The Western parts of the World Greece Italy Cyprus c. And send unto Kedar The Eastern parts where dwell Kedarens Arabians Saracens c. Ver. 11. Hath a Nation changed their Gods No they are too pertinacious in their superstitions Xenophon saith it was an oracle of Apollo that those Gods are rightly worshipped which were delivered them by their ancestours and this he greatly applaudeth Cicero also saith that no reason shall ever prevaile with him to relinquish the religion of his fore-fathers Heyl. Cosm That Monarch of Morocco
will ye not yield to reason See on ver 19. Ye all have transgressed against me And yet ye have the face to ask as chap. 16.10 What is our iniquity or what is our sin that we have committed against the Lord and to say as Hos 12.8 In all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin See there Ver. 30. In vain have I smitten your children My hammers have but beaten cold Iron ye are incorrigible irreformable See Isa 1.5 with the Note Your own sword hath devoured your Prophets As it did in the dayes of Ahaz Joash Manasseh of whom Josephus saith Lib. 10 cap. 4. that he slew some Prophet of God every day Like a destroying Lion Cum saevitia summa exutâ omni humanitate ye have puulled them limmeale and caused them to dye piecemeale Ver. 31. O generation see ye the word of the Lord q. d. O generation rather leonine then humane as ver 30. See ye the word I say not to you Hear no more then I would to a savage beast for ye have no ears to hear reason but see with your eyes for so even beasts can do See now and say sooth Have I been a wildernesse unto Israel Such as is described before ver 6. Or have I not rather been a Paradise unto you and a store-house of all accommodations and comforts It well appeareth that they have wanted nothing but thankful hearts by this that fulnesse hath bred forgetfulnesse for so stout they are grown by reason of their great wealth that they will not come at me nor acknowledge my soveraignty over them but will needs be petty Gods within themselves We are Lords say they and will not now take it as we have done The ancient Greek rendreth it We will not be ruled Ver. 32. Can a maid forget her ornaments Not lightly or easily as minding them many times more then is meet and then their ornaments are but the nest of pride and whilst they think to gain more credit by their garments then by their graces they are much mistaken Yet my people have forgotten me dayes without number i. e. Time out of mind when as God should be remembred at every breath we draw sith from him we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life and breath as the Apostle saith elegaintly Acts 17.25 But into such a dead Lethargy hath sin cast most people that God is forgotten by them add his Service neglected Ver. 33. Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love Cur bonificas So Calvin rendereth it why dost thou make good thy way that is set a good glosse upon it even the best side outwards The same word is used of Jesabels dressing her head 2 King 9.30 What need this whorish tricking and trimming if all were right with thee Jactas vaenales quas vis oberudere merces Therefore also hast thou taught the wicked ones thy way Heb. the wicked women for the word is feminine those she-sinners may learn immodesty of thee who are meretricissimae And for this it is that thou art pointed at with the finger as it were vers 34 35. Ver. 34. Also in thy skirts In the skirts of thy garments Heb. in thy wings an allusion say some to birds of prey which stain their wings with the blood of lesser fouls Is the blood of the souls The life-blood of innocent poor ones of Prophets especially ver 30. I have not found it by secret search Non in suffessione as Calvin rendreth it as an allusion to Exod. 22.2 But upon all these that is in propatulo in publike view Or super haec omnia because they told thee of all thy faults Ver. 35. Yet thou sayest Because I am innocent Antiquum obtines thou standest still upon thy justification this doubleth thy fault Homo agnoscit Deus ignoscit The best way Cur cuâ—ftas is to plead guilty confesse and go free Ver. 36. why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way Or changing thy way as hoping some way to mend thy self Keep home and trust God go further and fare worse Creatures were never true to those that trusted them Ver. 37. Yea thou shalt go from him Or from hence into captivity With thine hands Lamenting as did Tamar 2 Sam. 13.19 For the Lord hath rejected thy confidence Where the beginning is carnal confidence the end is shame of any business even of this life CHAP. III. Ver. 1. THey say Vulgo dicitur saith the Vulgar Dicendo dicitur say others They say and they say well for they have good law for it Deut. 24.4 But I am above law saith God and will deal with thee not according to mine ordinary Rule but according to my Prerogative Thou shalt be a Paradox to the Bible for I will do that in favour of thee which I have inhibited others in like case to do and that scarce any man would do though there were no law to inhibit it as one here Paraphraseth Shall not the land be greatly polluted Great sins do greatly pollute that of adultery especially for this is an hainous crime yea it is an iniquity to be punished by the Judges Job 31.11 But thou hast plaid the harlot yet return unto me Haec est Dei clementia insuperabilis Gods mercy is matchless No man no God would shew mercy as he doth Mic. 7.18 Mal. 3.7 Zach. 1.3 He followeth after those that run from him as the Sun-beams do the passenger that goeth from them and as is sweetly set forth by our Saviour in those three Parables of the lost groat the lost sheep and the lost sonne Luk. 15. Paul alloweth of Marke 2 Tim. 4.11 though before he had refused him Act. 15.38 and willeth others to entertain him Colos 4.10 11. Let none despair that hath but a mind to return to God from whom he hath deeply revolted There is a natural Novatianisme in the timorous conscience of convinced sinners to doubt and question pardon for sins of Apostasie and falling after repentance But this need not be we see here Pernicious was Ahitophels counsel to Absolom Go in to thy Fathers Concubines this he judged such an injury as David would never put up yet return again to me saith the Lord and all shall be well betwixt us Ver. 2. And see where thou hast not been lien with Pouring out thy spiritual whoredoms as Papists now do with their Crosses Chappels Pictures set up in all places In the wayes hast thou sat for them For thy customers and copesmates like a common strumpet See Gen. 38.19 Ezek. 16.24 25 31. As the Arabian in the wildernesse As high-way-robbers wait for and way-lay passengers making it thy trade Ver. 3. Therefore the showrs have been withholden Drought and dearth have insued upon thy sin By showrs here understand the former rain called also the seeds rain Esay 20.23 And there hath been no latter rain That commonly came a little before harvest and was much desired And thou hadst a whores forehead Quam pudet
Lord of hosts said q. d. It is he who setteth thesâ— Chaldaean warriours awork and giveth them these words of command So Totilas Gensericus and others were the scourge in Gods hand as now also the Turkes are She is wholly oppression She was full of judgement righteousnesse lodged in her but now nothing less Nomen Alexandri ne te fortasse moretur De Alex. 6 Papa Pasquil Hospes abi jacet hic scelus vitium Ver. 7. As a Fountain casteth out her waters Incessantly and abundantly In Jeremia est continua quasi declamatio contra peccatum c. Before me continually This sheweth their impudency Ver. 8. Be thou instructed Affliction is a School-Master or rather an Vsher to the Law Maturant aspera mentem which the Apostle calleth a School-Master to Christ Afflâ—ction bringeth men to the Law and the Law to Christ Affliction is a Preacher saith one blow the Trumpet in Tekoah what saith the Trumpet Ee instructed O Jerusalem Least my soul depart from thee Heb. be loosed or disjoynted least I loath thee more then ever I loved thee and so thy ruine come rushing in as by a sluce Ver. 9. They shall throughly glean the remnant They shall make clean work of them as Judg. 20.45 Ver. 10. To whom shall I speak and give warning Heb. protest q. d. I know not where to meet with one teachable hearer in all Jerusalem Behold their ear is uncircumcised Obstructed and stopped with the superfluity of naughtinesse worse then any ear-wax or thick film overgrowing the organ of hearing Tanquam monstra marina surda aure Dei verba praetereunt The Word of the Lord is unto them a reproach They take reproofes for reproaches as Luk. 11.45 Ver. 11. Therefore I am full of the fury of the Lord i. e. of curses and menaces against this obstinate people as chap. 4.19 I am weary with holding in As hitherto I have done and could still in compassion but that of necessity I must obey Gods will and be the messenger of his wrath It is a folly to think that Gods Ministers delight to fling daggers at mens breasts or handfuls of hell-fire in their faces Non nisi coactus said he I will pour it forth I will denounce it and then God will soon effect it See on chap. 1.10 Ver. 12. With their fields and wives together These are mentioned as most dear to them who could haply say as he did Haec alii capiant liceat mihi paupere cultu Secure chara conjuge posse frui Heb. Ver. 13. Every one is given to covetousnesse Avet avaritia is coveting covetise Lib 11. cap. 34. cryeth still give give with the horseleech of which creature Pliny observeth and experience sheweth that it hath no thorough passage but taketh much in and letting nothing out breaks and kills it self with sucking So doth the covetous man Every one dealeth falsely Heb. each one is doing falshood as if that were their common trade Ver. 14. They have healed also the hurt of slightly Heb. Vpon a slight or slighted thing secundum curationem mali leviculi Secundum leviculum Jun. as men use to cure the slight hurts of their children by blowing on them only or stroking them over Thus these deceitful workers dealt by Gods people dallying with their deep and dangerous wounds which they search not neither cauterize according to necessary severity Saying peace peace Making all fair weather before them when as the storm of Gods wrath was even breaking out upon them such a storm as should never blow over Ver. 15. Were they at all ashamed Their shamelesness was no small aggravation of their sin Ita licet mult as abominationes commiserunt Papistae sine verecundia verecundari tamen non possunt saith Dr. John Raynols De idololat Rom. p. 85. Papists are frontless and shameless Dr. Story for instance I see nothing said he before the Parliament in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth to be ashamed of so less I see to be sorry for but rather because I have done no more c. wherein he said there was no default in him but in the higher powers who much against his mind had laboured only about the young and little sprigs and twigs whiles they should have struck at the root and rooted it out meaning thereby the Lady Elizabeth whom also he afterwards dayly cursed in his grace afore meat And concerning his persecuting and burning the Protestants Act. Mon. f. 1925. he denyed not but that he was once at the burning of an herewig for so he termed it at Vxbridge Mr. Denley Martyr where he tossed a faggot at his face as he was singing Psalmes and set a wine-bush of thornes under his feet a little to prick him c. Ver. 16. Stand ye in the wayes and see Duely deliberate and take time to consider whether you are in the right or not Ask for the old pathes Chalked out in the word and walked in by the Patriarches Think not as some do now-adayes by running through all religions to find out the right for this is viam per avia quaerere as Junius phraseth it to seek a way where none is to be found How many religions are there now amongst us So many men so many minds Non est sciens hodie qui novitates non invenit as one complained of old He 's Nobody that cannot invent a new way but as old wine is better so is the old way hold to it therefore Quod primum verum Alnar Pelagius That which was first is true but beware of new truths that cannot be proved to be old as 1 Joh. 2.7 Qui veteres linquit calles sequiturque novatos Saepius in fraudes incidet ille suaes But they said We will not walk therein So ver 17. but they said We will not hearken See the like resolute answers chap. 22.21 and 44.16 savouring of a self-willed obstinacy It is easier to deal with twenty mens reasons then with one mans will A wilfull man stands as a stake in the midst of a stream le ts all passe by him but he stands where he was Luther saith of some of his Wittembergians that so great was their obstinacy so headstrong and headlong they were that the four elements could not bear it Jeremy seems here to say as much of his Hierosolymitanes See ver 18 19. Ver. 17. Also I set Watchmen over you i. e. Priests and Prophets to watch for your welfare Hearken to the sound of the trumpet See on ver 8. We will not hearken See on ver 16. Ver. 18. Therefore hear O ye Nations For this people will not hear me though I speak never so good reason Scaliger telleth us that the nature of some kind of Amber is such Exercit. 140. Num. 12. that it will draw to it self all kind of stalks of any herb except Basilisk an herb called Capitalis because it makes men heady filling their braines with black exhalations
Thus those who by the fumes of their own corrupt wills are grown headstrong will not be drawn by that which draweth others who are not so prejudicated Malitiam eorum Piscat What is among them What their sins are Or Quid in eos sc constituerim what I have resolved to bring upon them Or Quae in eis know O congregation of the Saints which art among them Ver. 19. Hear O earth In case none else will hear Even the fruit of their thoughts Why then should any man think that thought is free free they are from mens courts and consistories but not from Gods eye law or hand Ver. 20. To what purpose cometh there to me incense Cui bono so long as it smelleth of the foul hand that offereth it so long as you think to bribe me with it See Isa 1.14 From Sheba Whence the Greeks seem to have their word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to worship and the Arabians call God the adequate object of divine worship Sabim and a Mystery Saba And the sweet cane Heb. cane the good The Septuagint render it cinamon and the Vulgar Calamus of which see Pliny lib. 12. cap. 22. From a far Country From India saith Hierom Haec omnia bene in nostros Papistas quadrabunt Strages sc â—lades in quas incident corruent Ver. 21. Behold I will lay stumbling blocks Heb. Stumblements i. e. occasions preparations and means to work their ruth and ruine what these are see ver 22. Ver. 22. Thus saith the Lord It is not in vain that this is so oft prefaced to the ensuing Prophecies Dictum Jehovae is very emphatical and authoritative Behold a people cometh from the North This the Prophet had oft foretold for fourty years together sed surdis fabulam but he could not be beleeved Ver. 23. They shall lay hold on bow and spear To destroy eminus cominus both afar off and at hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their voyce roareth like the sea Which is so dreadful that the horrible shriekings of the devils are set out by it Jam. 2.19 They who would not hear the Prophets sweet words shall hear the enemies roaring in the midst of their congregations Psal 74.4 Ver. 24. Our hands wax feeble He modestly reckoneth himself among the rest though the armes of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob Gen. 49.24 and his heart was fixed trusting in the Lord Psal 112.7 Ver. 25. Go not out into the field Sith there is no peace to him that goeth out nor to him that cometh in 2 Chron. 15.5 but Luctus ubique pavor plurima mortis imago Ver. 26. Gird thee with sack cloth Liv. lib. 3. and wallow thy self in ashes The very heathens did so when in danger of a merciless enemy veniam irarum caelestium poscentes saith Livy seeking the pardon of their sins and the favour of their Gods Ver. 27. I have set thee for a Tower and a fortresse Or a fortified watch-tower have I made thee among my people i. e. To discry and discover their dispositions and affections Ver. 28. They are all grievous revolters Heb. Revolters of revolters Chald. Princes of revolters arch-rebels Jeremy Gods champion such as was wont to be set forth compleatly armed at the Coronation of a King in this Nation findeth and reporth them such here and proveth it Walking with slanders Trotting up and down as pedlers dropping a tale here and another there contrary to Levit. 19.16 They are brasse and iron Base and drossy false and feculent metals silver and gold they would seem to be a sincere and holy people but they are malae monetae a degenerate and hypocritical generation adulterini sunt nihil habentes probi as Theodoret hath it here naught and good for naught not unlike those stones brought home in great quantity by Captain Forbisher in the raign of Queen Elizabeth Camd. Elis 189. He thought them to be minerals and of good worth but when there could be drawn from them neither gold nor silver nor any other mettal they were cast forth to mend the high-wayes Thy are all corrupters Of themselves and of others Ver. 29. The bellows are burnt The Prophets lungs are spent Let us to the wearing of our tongues to the stumps preach never so much men will on in sin Bradford Mr. Case his Treatise of afflictions all their paines spilt upon a perverse people See Ezek. 24.6 12 13. Jeremy had blowed hard as a Smith or Metallary doth with his bellows he had suffered as it were by the heat of a most ardent fire in trying and melting his oar he had used his best Art also by casting in lead as now-adayes they do quick-silver to melt it the more easily and with less loss and waste but all to no purpose at all The lead is consumed All the melting judgements which as lead is cast into the furnace to make it the hotter God added to the Ministry of the Prophets to make the Word more operative they will do no good The founder melteth in vain Whether God the Master-founder or the Prophets Gods co-founders or fellow-workmen as the Apostle calleth them 1 Cor. 6.1 The wicked are not pluckt away Or their wickednesses they will not part with their dross or be divorced from their dilecta delicta beloved sins The vile person will speak villany and his heart will work iniquity to practise hypocrisy and to utter errour against the Lord Isa 32.6 Ver. 30. Reprobate silver shall men call them Dross and refuse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unapproved rather then pure mettal silver they would seem to be but their hypocrisie shall be made known to all men who shall count them and call them reprobate because impurgabiles and inexpiabiles uncounsellable and incorrigible a sore sign of reprobation Hieron Lyra. as Aquinas noteth from Heb. 6.7 8. For the Lord hath rejected them As refuse and counterfeit Deus est sapiens nummularius such as will not passe in payment Hence they are to be cast into Babylons Iron-furnace quasi antro Aetnao Cyclopico adhuc decoquendi a type of that eternal fire of hell prepared of old for the devil and reprobates CHAP. VII Ver. 1. THe word that came to Jeremiah A new Sermon but to the same purpose as the former See on chap. 1 2. Oecol Toto libro idem argumentum sursum deorsum versat Ver. 2. Stand in the gate of the Lords house The East-gate which was the most famous and most frequented of the people and therefore fittest for the purpose And proclaim there this word Stand there with this Word as once the Angel with a terrible sword did at the porch of Paradise to excommunicate as it were this hypocritical people and do it verbis non tantum disertis sed exertis plainly and boldly Ver. 3. Amend your wayes and your doings Heb. make good your wayes sc by repentance for
rusheth with as much violence as an overflowing flood Hinc apparet fructus liberi arbitrii saith Oecolampadius See here the fruit of free-will and what man will do being left to himself Carnal affections are forcible and furious Plato himself saw and could say as much In Phadâ—o when he compared concupiscence to an headstrong horse that runneth away with his rider and cannot be ruled Ver. 7. Yea the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed time These fouls though wanting reason know well when to change quarters whether against summer as the stork turtle and swallow or against winter as the crane But my people know not the judgement of the Lord Whether his summer of grace offered or his winter of punishment threatened to embrace the one or to prevent the other See a like dissimilitude and opposition Isa 1.3 Ver. 8. How do ye say We are wise If ye were so ye would never say so Surely I am more brutish then any man said holy Agur Prov. 30.2 This only I know that I know nothing said Socrates Neither know I so much as this that I know just nothing said a third How could these in the text say We are wise when the fouls of the ayr outwitted them confer Job 35.11 The Law of the Lord is with us Vox est Pharisaeorum So the Jesuites at this day as of old the Gnosticks will needs be held the only knowing men The Empire of learning belongeth to the Jesuites say they a Jesuite cannot be an heretick Casaub ex Apologista Jungantur in unum dies cum nocte lux cum tenebris c. i. e. Let day and night be jumbled together light and darkness heat and cold health and sickness life and death so may there be some likelihood that a Jesuite may be an heretick saith one of them The Church is the soul of the world the Clergy of the Church and we of the Clergy saith another Lo certainly in vain made he it i. e. The Law for any good use that this people or their leaders put it to See Hos 8.12 Rom. 2.17 25. Ver. 9. The wise men are ashamed They have cause to be ashamed of their grosse ignorance and folly ver 7 8. and greater cause then ever humble Austin had to say Scientia mea me damnat my knowledge undoeth me Lo they have rejected the word of the Lord As to any holy practice their knowledge is only Apprehensive and notional not Affective and practical And what wisdom is in them q d. None worth speaking of they lose their civil praises because not wise to salvation Ver. 10. Therefore will I give their wives For a punishment of their rejecting my Word which ought to be received with all reverence and good affection Dilher Elect. lib. 1. cap. 2. The Turkes do so highly respect the Alchoran which is their Bible that if a Christian do but sit upon it though unwittingly they presently put him to death For every one c. See chap. 6.13 Ver. 11. For they have healed See chap. 6.14 Ver. 12. Were they ashamed See chap. 6.15 Ver. 13. I will surely consume them saith the Lord Texitur hic quasi tragoediae scena here followeth a kind of Tragedy saith an Expositour God is brought in threatening the Prophet bewailing the people despairing and yet bethinking themselves of some shelter and safeguard if they knew where to find it c. There shall be no grapes on the vine nor figs But instead thereof I will give them waters of gall to drink ver 14. Tremellius and Piscator read it thus There are no grapes on the vine nor figs on the figtree yea the leaves are fallen that is say they there is no power of godlinesse found among them no not so much as any profession neither fruit nor leafe And the things that I have given them shall passe away I will curse their blessings Mal. 2.2 and destroy them after that I have done them good Josh 24. Ver. 14. Why do we sit still Here the people speak see on ver 13. being grievously frighted upon the coming of the Chaldees and thereupon consulting what course to take but all would not do ver 16. Let us be silent Sic silent pavidimures coram fele For the Lord our God hath put us to silence Hath expectorated our courage and stopped our mouths And hath given us waters of gall to drink Succum cicutae our bane our deaths-draught so that now we know by woful experience what an evil and bitter thing sin is for a drop of honey we have now a sea of gall Ver. 15. We looked for peace but no good came Our false Prophets have merely deluded us So poor souls when stung by the Friers Sermons were set to pennances and good deeds which stilled them for a while but could not yeeld them any lasting comfort The soul is still ready to shift and shark in every by-corner for ease but that will not be till it comes to Christ Ver. 16. The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan See chap. 4.15 this caused in the Jews hearts a motion of trepidation confer Job 39.20 It is the priviledge of believers in nothing to be terrified by their adversaries Phil. 1.28 but with the horse spoken of Job 39.22 to mock at fear and not to turn back from the dint of the sword Ver. 17. Behold I will send Serpents Cockatrices i. e. Chaldees no lesse virulent then serpents as violent as horses Serpentum tot sunt venena quot genera tot pernicies quot species tot dolores quot colores saith an Ancient Serpents are of several sorts Isidor lib. 12. cap. 2. but all poisonful and pernicious The Basilisk or Cockatrice here instanced the worst sort of serpents say the Septuagint here goeth not upon the belly as other serpents but erect from the middle part and doth so infect the aire that by the pestilent breath coming therefrom fruits are killed and men being but lookt upon by it and birds flying over it stones also are broken thereby and all other serpents put to flight Dlod Pisc And they shall bite you There is an elegancy in the original Ver. 18. When I would comfort my selfe c. Or as some render it O my comfort against sorrow i. e. O my God others my recreation is joyned with sorrow Ver. 19. Behold the voyce of the cry This was it that broke the good Prophets heart the shrieks of his people Haec est querela hypocritarum Oecol Is not the Lord in Zion Thus in their distresse they leaned upon the Lord as Mic. 3.11 and enquired after him whom in their prosperity they made little reckoning of Why have they provoked me to anger q. d. The fault is meerly in themselves who have driven me out from amongst them by their Idolatries Ver. 20. The harvest is past the summer is ended They had set God a time and looked for help that summer at farthest but the Lord as he
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
only in the Lord saith Paul The pride of Virginity is as foul a sin as Impurity saith Austin so here Ver. 25. That I will punish all them c Promiscuously and impartially That are circumcised Some read it The circumcised in uncircumcision Unregenerate Israel notwithstanding their circumcision are to God as Ethiopians Am. 9.7 Ver. 26. That are in the utmost corners Heb. Praecisos in lateribus polled by the corner Tempora circumradunt which was the Arabian fashion saith Herodotus See chap. 49.32 For all these Nations are uncircumcised sc In heart though circumcised in the flesh as now also the Turks are CHAP. X. Ver. 1. HEar ye the Word which the Lord speaketh Exordium simplicissimum saith Junius A very plain preface calling for attention 1. From the authority of the Speaker 2. From the duty of the hearers O house of Israel The ten Tribes long since captivated and now directed what to do say some The Jews say others and in this former part of the chapter those of them that had been carried away to Babylon with Jeconiah Vide Selden de diis Syris Ver. 2. Learn not the way of the heathens Their sinful customes and irregular religions meer irreligions And be not dismayed at the signes of heaven Which the blind heathens feared and deified and none did more then the Syrians the Jews next neighbours Of the vanity of judicial Astrology see on Esa 47.13 He who feareth God needs not fear the stars for All things are yours saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.21 Muleasses King of Tunis a great star-gazer fore-seeing by them as he said the losse of his Kingdom and life together left Africa that he might shun that mischief but thereby he hastened it Anno 1544. God suffereth sometimes such fond predictions to fall out right upon men for a just punishment of their curiosity For the heathen are dismayed at them Therefore Gods people should not if it were for no other reason but that only See Mat. 6.32 Let Papists observe this Caeremoniae populotum Ver. 3. For the customes of the people are vain Their rites confirmed by custome their imagery for instance a very magnum nihil whether ye look to the Efficient Matter Form or End of those mawmets For one cutteth a tree out of the Forrest See Isa 40.2 and 44.12 17. which last place Jeremy here seemeth to have imitated Ver. 4. They deck it wâ—th silver and with gold Gild it over to make it sightly goodly gods therewhile See Esa 4.4 That it move not Vt non amittat saith Tremellius that it lose not the cost bestowed upon it Ver. 5. They are upright as the Palm-tree Which it straight tall smooth and in summo prosert fructus and beareth fruits at the very top of it Ver. 6. Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee None of all these dii minutuli these dunghil deities are worthy to be named in the same day with thee Thou art great God is great Psal 77.13 Greater Job 33.12 Greatest Psal 95.3 Greatnesse it self Psal 145.3 He is a degree above the superlative Think the same of other his names and attributes many of which we have here mentioned in this and the following verses which are therefore highly to be prized and oft to be perused Leonard Lessius a little before his death finished his book concerning the fifty Names of Almighty God Ex vita Lessii often affirming that in that little book he had found more light and spiritual support under those grievous fits of the stone which he suffered then in all his voluminous Commentaries upon Aquinas his summs which he had well-nigh fitted for the Presse Ver. 7. Who would not fear thee O King of Nations Tremble at thy transcendent greatnesse thy matchlesse Majesty power and prowesse See Mal. 1.14 Rev. 15.4 Psal 103.19 with the Notes Forasmuch as among all the wise men of the Nations Who used to deifie their wise men and their Kings Ver. 8. But they are altogether brutish and foolish The wise men are for that when they knew there was but one only true God as did Pythagoras Socrates Plato Seneca c. they detained the truth in unrighteousnesse and taught the people to worship stocks and stones Rom. 1.21 22 23. The Nations are because they yeeld to be taught devotion by images under what pretext soever Considerentur hic subterfugia Papistarum Pope Gregory first taught that images in Churches were Laey-mens books A doctrine of devils Ver. 9. Silver spread into plates See Isa 40.19 Is brought from Tarshish From Tarsus or Tartessus Ezek. 27.12 from Africa saith the Chaldee Idolaters spare for no cost And gold from Vphaz The same with Phaz Job 28.17 Or with Ophir as some Aurum Obzyrum They are all the work of cunning men Quaerunt suos Phidias Praxiteles but how could those give that deity which themselves had not Ver. 10. But the Lord is the true God Heb. Jehovah is God in truth not in conceit only or counterfeit He is the living God and an everlasting King See on ver 6. At his wrath the earth shall tremble The earth that greatest of all lifeless creatures And the Nations shall not be able Lesse able to stand before him then a glasse-bottle before a Cannon-shot Ver. 11. Thus shall ye say unto them Confession with the mouth is necessary to Salvation This verse written therefore in the Syriack tongue which was spoken at Babylon is a formulary given to Gods people to be made use of by them in detestation of the Idolatries of that City The Gods that made not the heaven and the earth The vanity of Idols and heathenish-gods is set forth 1. By their impotency 2. Frailty Quid ad haec respondebunt Papistae aut qualem contradictoriae reconciliationem afferent Ver. 12. He hath made the earth by his power Here we have the true Philosophy and right original of things Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas Almighty God made the earth the main bulk and body of it Gen. 1.1 He alone is the powerful Creatour the provident disposer the prudent preserver of all things both in heaven and in earth therefore the only true God Ver. 13. When he uttereth his voyce Again when he thundereth Ps 29.3 it raineth a main lighteneth in the midst of the rain which is a great miracle and bloweth for life as we say no man knowing whence or whither Joh. 3.8 All which wondrous works of God may well serve for a Theological Alphabet and cannot be attributed to any god but our God And he causeth the vapours to ascend See Psal 135.7 with the Notes Ver. 14. Every man is brutish in his knowledge Or Every man is become more brutish then to know That was therefore an hyperbolical praise given by Philostratus to Apollonius Non doctus sed natus sapiens that he was not taught but born a wise man See Job 11.12 Rom. 1.22 with the Notes Every man is become
brutish for want of knowledge so the words may be rendred the heathen idol-makers especially Brutescit homo prae scientia so Vatablus 1. Every man is brutish in comparison of knowledge viz. of Gods knowledge whil'st he goeth about to search into the causes of rain lightening wind c. which God only understandeth Ver. 15. They are vanity Vanity in its largest extent is properly predicated of them And the work of errours Meer mockeries making men to embrace vanity for verity In the time of their visitation See on Isa 46.1 Ver. 16. The portion of Jacob is not like them God is his peoples portion they are his possession Oh their dignity and security this the cock on the dunghil understands not Ver. 17. Gather up thy wares out of the land Make up thy pack and prevent a plundering Reculas tuas sarcinas compone Ver. 18. Behold I will fling out the inhabitants of this land I will easily and speedily sling them and fling them into Babylon so God will one day hurle into hell all the wicked of the earth Psal 9.17 And will distresse them that they may find it so Just so as they were foretold it would be but they could never be drawn to beleeve it Ver. 19. Wo is me for my hurt my wound is grievous This is the moane that people make when in distresse and they find it so But what after a while of pausing Truly this is my grief and I must bear it i. e. Bear it off as well as I may by head and shoulders or bear up under it and rub through it wearing it out as well as I can when things are at worst they 'l mend again Crosses as they had a time to come in so they must have a time to go out c. This is not patience but pertinaecy the strength of stones and flesh of brasse Job 6.12 it draweth on more weight of plagues and punishments God liketh not this indolency this stupidity this despising of his corrections as he calleth it Heb. 12.5 such shall be made to cry when God bindeth them Job 36.11 as here Ver. 20. My Tabernacle is spoiled I am irreparably ruined like as when a camp is quite broken up not any part of a tent or hut is left standing Ver. 21. For the Pastours are become brutish The corrupt Prophets and Priests who seduced the people from the truth were persons that made no conscience of prayer hence all went to wrack and ruine Ver. 22. Behold the noise of the bruit is come This doleful peal he oft rung in their eares but they little regarded it See chap. 9.11 Ver. 23. O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself He is not master of his own way but is directed and over-ruled by the powerful providence even this cruel Chaldaan also that marcheth against us It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps We know not what to do or which way to turn our selves only our eyes are toward thee Behold we submit to thy justice and implore thy mercy This text doth mainly make against free-will saith Oecolampadius and yet the Pelagiam would hence gather that man can by his own strength walk in the way to heaven but he must be holpen say they by Gods grace that he may be perfect Cum ratione seu modo Leniter discretè Lap. Ver. 24. O Lord correct me but with judgement i. e. In mercy and in measure Correction is not simply to be deprecated the Prophet here cryes Corret me David saith It was good for me Job calleth Gods afflicting of us his magnifying of us chap. 7.17 Feri Domine feri clementer ipse paratus sam saith Luther Smite Lord smite me but gently and I am ready to bear it patiently King Alfred prayed God to send him alwayes some sicknesse whereby his body might be tamed and he the better disposed and affectioned to God-ward Ecclesiastical history telleth of one Servulus who sick of a palsie so that his life was a lingering death said ordinarily God be thanked Ver. 25. Pour out c. This is not more votum then vaticinium a prayer then a prophecy And upon the families Neglect of family-prayer uncovers the roof as it were for Gods curse to be rained down upon mens tables meat enterprizes c. CHAP. XI Ver. 1. THe Word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord To him it came but to be imparted to other Prophets say some Priests of Anathoth say others ver 2. which might be the reason why they were so enraged against him and fought his life ver 18 19. as the Popish Priests did Mancinels Savanarolas and other faithful Preachers for exciting them to do their duties Ver. 2. Hear ye the words and speak ye Ye Priests whose ordinary office it is to teach Jacob Gods judgements and Israel his Law Deut. 33.10 Ver. 3. And say thou unto them Thou Jeremy whether the rest will joyn with thee or not Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant It is probable that Jeremy when he said thus held the book in his hand viz. the book of Deuteronomy which the Rabbines call Sepher Tochechoth because of the many increpations and curses therein contained Ver. 4. From the iron furnace Where iron is melted and a fierce fire required Obey my voyce See chap 7.23 Ver. 5. A land flowing with milk and honey With plenty of dainties The City of Aleppo is so called by the Turkes of Alep milk for if the via lactea were on earth it would be found there saith one So be it O Lord Amen Fiat Fiat Oh that there were an heart in this people to obey thy voyce And oh that thou would'st still continue them in this good land c. Our hearts should be stretched out after out Amen and we should be swallowed upon God say the Rabbines Ver. 6. Hear ye the words of this Covevant and do them Else ye hear to no purpose as the Salamander liveth in the fire and is not made hot by the fire as the Ethiopian goeth black into the Bath and as black he cometh forth Ver. 7. Rising early i. e. endeavouring earnestly See chap. 5.8 Ver. 8. Yet they obeyed not See chap. 7.24 Therefore I will bring Heb. and I brought upon them Ver. 9. A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah A combination in sinful courses this is not Vnity but Conspiracy See Ezek. 22.25 Hos 6.9 such is the unity of the Antichristian crew Rev. 17.13 The Turkes have as little dissension in their religion as any yet are a rabble of rebels conspiring against heaven Ver. 10. They are turned away to the iniquities of their fore-fathers Shewing themselves herein to be a race of rebels as good at resisting the holy Ghost as ever their Fathers were and are therefore justly chargeable with their iniquities which needeth not Ver. 11. Which they shall not be able to escape To avert avoid or abide I
out unto them in my word and their conformity thereunto for the lives of Gods people are but the Word exemplified they walk as patters of the rule and are of exemplary holinesse as Luk. 1.6 To swear by my Name In righteousness in truth and in judgement as chap. 4.2 Then shall they be built i. e. Blest Ver. 17. But if they will not obey The tartnesse of the threatning maketh us best taste the sweetness of the Promise and a mixture of them serves to keep the heart in the best temper I will utterly pluck up and destroy that Nation This is fulfilled to the utmost upon the Jews especially since the last destruction of Jerusalem CHAP. XIII Ver. 1. GO get thee a linnen girdle Or belt or swath And put it not in water Or lye to wash it or whiten it but take it as it is first made us sordâ—ciem magis contrahat to shew say some that the Jewish Nation when first chosen was black by sin and nothing amiable better skilled and exercised in making morter and bricks in Egypt then in the worship of God and in good manners Or put it not in water i. e. Keep it from being rotted as a type of Gods care of and kindnesses to that people Ver. 2. So I got a girdle God is to be obeyed readily and without sciscitation Ver. 3. And the Word of the Lord came to me Heb. Was to me At sundry times or piece-meal God spake to his servants the Prophets Heb. 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per gradus momenta non sâ—mul semel Ver. 4. Arise go to Euphrates A river which ran by Babylon six hundred and fourescore miles from Jerusalem The Prophets journey therefore thither seemeth to have been but visional as was Isay's going barefoot Hosea's marriage with a whore Ezekiels lying on one side three hundred and ninety dayes together his journey from Chaldea to Jerusalem chap. 8.3 c. Ver. 5. So I went and hid it by Euphrates In the cliffe of a rock where it might lye dry never once asking the reason This was simple and acceptable obedience far beyond that of the Popish Novices who yet if their Padres or Superiours send them to China or Peru without dispute or delay they do presently set forward Ver. 6. And it came to passe after many dayes See on ver 3. Ver. 7. Then I went to Euphrates See on ver 4. Those that are for an actual journey alledge that Jeremy might do this without danger in the dayes of Jehoiakim who was the King of Babylons Vassal and paid him tribute And behold the girdle was rotted it was profitable for nothing This shewed that the Jews should in that Country lye rotting as it were in basenesse and servility and sin together many years so that God might justly have left them there still in misery as a man leaves his rotten girdle to become dung Ver. 8. Then the word c. Adaptat simile See ver 3. Ver. 9. After this manner will I marre the pride Their pomp and power wherein they pride themselves Ver. 10. This evil people Populus ille pessimus these Pâ—neropolitans who are naught all over nequitiâ cooperti Walk in the imagination of their heart See chap. 9.13 and 11.8 Ver. 11. So have I caused to cleave unto me For nearness and dearness the loines are the seat of strongest desires and affections And for a name and for a praise That I might be magnified and glorified in them and for them also among other nations Ver. 12 Therefore Or Moreover Thou shalt speak unto them this word This other paradigmâ— or parable an excellent way of teaching and much used in both Testaments Every bottle shall be filled with wine Wine they loved well and a great vintage they now expected They shall have it saith God but of another nature then they look for Their heads not altogether unlike bottles for roundness and emptiness of all good shall be filled with a dry drunkennesse even with errours and terrours a spirit of giddinesse c. Do not we certainly know c. This they seem to speak insolently and jearingly q. d. you should tell us some news Ver. 13. Behold I will fill Heb. Lo I am filling but the lâ—quour is such as whereof you shall have small joy See ver 12. Ver. 14. And I will dash them one against another As so many earthen bottles brittle and soon broken Si collidimur frangimur said those in the fable Ver. 15. Hear and give ear Or Hear and hearken be not haughty Here the Prophet calleth upon them again to repent and to that end to listen diligently and to lay aside the highness of their hearts and the stoutness of their stomacks sith it is the Lord that speaketh The Lyon roareth who can but fear Am. 3.8 Repentance is the Removens prohibens as being founded in humility and wrought by the Word preached Jonah 3. Act. 2. Ver. 16. Give glory to the Lord your God Confess your sins Josh 7.19 one part of repentance put for the whole Jeremy was as constant a Preacher of Repentance as Paul and after him Austin were of the free-grace of God The impenitent person robbeth God of his right the penitent man sarcit injuriam Deo irrogatam seemeth to make some kind of amends to God whom he had wronged by restoring him his glory which he had run away with whilest he putteth himself into the hands of justice in hope of mercy Before he cause darknesse sc Of calamity and captivity Currat poenitentia ne praecurrat sententia Modestissima explicatio infaelicitatis Before your feet stumble So before ye fall upon the dark and dangerous cragges and precipices of eternal perdition Which to prevent work whiles the light lasteth walk whiles it is yet day Ver. 17. My soul shall weep in secret places Good men are apt to weep Et faciles motus mens generosa capit Good Ministers should be full of compassionate tears weeping in secret for their peoples unprofitableness and their danger thereby The breast and right shoulder of the sacrifice belonged to the Priest to shew that he should be a breast to love and a shoulder to support the people in their troubles and burthens Ver. 18. Say to the King and to the Queen Or Madam the Lady or Mistresse that is to the Queen Regent even to Necustah the mother of Jeconiab say the Jews When Beza in the behalf of the reformed Churches in France made a speech at Possiacum before the young King and the Queen-Mother he spake so effectually saith Rivet that a great Cardinal who heard it wished that either he had been dumb that day or that they had all been deaf This King and Queen in the text might be as much convinced though not throughly converted Humble your selves sit down Heb. Humble sit below For your Principalities Or your head-attires The crown of your glory Or your crown of glory that is your glorious crown
of which you shall have cause enough to say as Antigonus did of his Diadem O vilis pannus c. Or as another Monarch Nobilis es fateor rutilisque onerata lapillis Innumeris curis sed comitata venis Quod benè si nossent omnes expendere nemo Nemo foret qui te tollere vellet humo Ver. 19. The Cities of the South shall be shut up i. e. The Cities of Egypt whither ye think to fly shall be shut up against you through fear of the Chaldees Ver. 20. Lift up your eyes c. Still he bespeaketh the King and the Queen Where is the flock that was given thee Thee O Queen Regent for the Pronoun is Feminine or Thee O State Redde Vare legiones said Augustus bewailing the losse of so many gallant souldiers in Germany under the command of Varus who was there also slain Thy beautiful flock Heb. Thy flock of goodlinesse See Prov. 14.28 with the Note Ver. 21. For thou hast taught them to be Captaines and as chief over thee sc By thy crouching unto them and craving their help thou hast made the Chaldeans masters of all thou hast So did the Brittish Princes Vortiger and Vortimer bring in the Saxons here and the Greeks the Turkes Ver. 22. Are thy skirts discovered Thou art brought to most miserable shame and servitude having scarce a rag to thy back or a shooe for thy foot Ver. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin Proverbial speeches arguing a very great difficulty if not an utter impossibility Aethiopem abluo ut candidum reddam said Diogenes when he reproved an ill man to no purpose I do but wash a blackmore And the like said Nazianzen concerning Julian the Apostate It is said that the Negro's paint the devil white as being a colour contrary to their own and which they lesse well affect Will the Ethiopian change his skin so the Hebrew hath it Or the leopard his spots Sin is in us as the spots of a Leopard not by accident but by nature which no art can cure no water wash off because they are not in the skin but in the flesh and bones in the sinews and in the most inner parts Where then is mans free-will to good c Then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil Custome in sin takes away the sense of it and becomes a second nature which though expeld with a fork as it were will yet return again It looks for continual entertainment where it hath once gotten a haunt as humours fall toward their old issue Canâ—s qui semel didicerit edere corium nunquam desistet saith Lucian an evil custome is not easie left Nothing so weak as water yet let much water so sin Satan and custome be joyned together and nothing stronger It was not for nothing therefore that the Cretians when they would curse their enemies with most bitter execrations they wished that they might take delight in some or other evil custome modestoque voti genere efficacissimum ultionis genus reperiunt saith the Historian by a modest kind of with Vâ—l. Mâ—x they sufficiently avenged themselves Ver. 24. Therefore I will scatter them This was no small aggravation of their misery that they should be thus severed one from another So the Persecutors of the Primitive times relegated and confined the poor Christians to Isles and mines Cyprian epist where they could not have accesse one to another for mutual comfort and support as Cyprian complaineth Ver. 25. This is thy lot Look for no better sith thou by going after lying-vanities forsakest thine own mercies being miserable by thine own election Because thou hast forgotten me Esque oblita mei vitiorumque oblita coeno Ver. 26. Therefore I will discover thy skirts Sith thou hast discovered and prostituted thy self to other lovers I will shame thee before all men Ver. 27. Woe unto thee O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean He closeth with this emphatical and most affectionate contestation pressing them to hearty and speedy repentance as he had done oft before but with little good successe The cock crowed though Peter still denyed his Master Peter knockt still though Rhode opened not to him He launched out into the deep though he had laboured all night for nothing So did good Jeremy here in obedience to God and good will to his unworthy countrymen CHAP. XIV Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth De rebus retentionum that is concerning the drought or dearth by restraint of necessary raine and moisture unde frugum raritas annonâ— caritas fames whereupon followed a famine as there doth also a famine of the Word where the divine influences are restrained Junius rendreth it Super verbis cohibitionum concerning the words of cohibitions that is saith he concerning the prayers made by the Prophet and other good people for the diverting of Gods judgements publikely denounced Ver. 2. Judah mourneth The Prophets pitiful complaint bitterly bewailing the common calamity and labouring thereby to bring them to a sense of the true cause of it their sins See 2 Sam. 21.1 with the Note And the cry of Jerusalem is gone up sc To heaven for removal of this judgement Confer chap. 36.9 with ver 12. of this Chapter Ver. 3. And their Nobles Who would be sure to have it if it were to be had Sent their little ones Their boyes as they use to call their menial servants of the younger sort See Mat. 14.2 with the Note To the waters Such as were the waters of Siloe which only fountain saith Hierom Jerusalem maketh use of so long as it lasteth To the pits Or cisterns chap. 2.13 They covered their heads As close mourners do still Ver. 4. Because the ground is chapt As our hearts also are and will be when the heaven doth not hear the earth as Hos 2.21 It hath been before observed that in the use of the Ordinances if we open our shels our souls the heaven will drop the fruitful dew of grace to the making of pearles of good works and solid vertue Plin. l. 8. cap. 32. Ver. 5. Yea the hind also calved in the field and forlook it The loving Hind Prov. 5.19 Alioqui studiosa sui partus that is otherwise so exceeding chary and careful of her young Ver. 6. And the wild-asses Sectores alias vagae libidinis in sylvis that usually course up and down the woods and can bear hunger and thirst a long while together Plin. l. 10. cap. 72. Lib. de mirah auscult Snuffed up the wind like Dragons Quorum est vebementissima spiratio ac forbitio who in defect of water can continue long by drawing in the ayr as Aristotle likewise testifieth of the goates in Cephalonia that they drink not for divers dayes together but instead thereof gape and suck in the fresh ayre Ver. 7. O Lord though our iniquities testifie against us Though our guilty consciences bring in large rolles of
Invalidum omne naturâ querulum God graciously interrupted him and came leaping over all those mountains of Bether all lets and impediments to his comfort and best satisfaction ver 11 12. Neverthelesse Jeremy hath not done but goeth on as before humanum aliquid patitur Remember me and visite me He was full and speaks thick Take me not away in thy long-suffering Whilst thou bearest with them take care of me that I perish not by their persidy and cruelty Know that for thy cause I have suffered rebuke Se◠debitorem compellat Deum suaque adducit merita He delivers himself as if he held God to be his debter This was not so well Ver. 16. Thy words were found and I did eat them I was well apaid of thy messages that came at first to me and of that commission thou gavest me to be a Prophet yea I took no small delight and complacency therein and having found this hony I ate it as Prov. 25.16 but since I have met with much bitternesse in this wicked world for my plain-dealing See Ezek. 3.3 Rev. 10.10 Herodotus writeth of the River Hypanis that for five dayes journey the water of it runneth clear and sweet and then for four dayes journey further bitter and brackish The Ministry is an honourable and comfortable function but hath its troubles and encombrances Ver. 17. I sat not in the assembly of the mockers That scoffed and mocked at Gods messages and menaces Or I have not sat in the assembly of those that make merry sed serius fui spiransque compunctionem I came not at feasts and merry-meetings since I became a Prophet I sat alone As Moses in like case did Exod. 33.7 Ver. 18. Why is my pain perpetual c. Here the Prophet over-freely expostulateth with God as lesse faithful or lesse mindful at least of the promised preservation This was in a fit of diffidence and discontent as the best have their out-bursts and the greatest lamps have needed snuffers The Milesians saith the Philosopher are not fools yet they do the things that fools use to do So the Saints do oft as wicked ones but not in the same manner and degree Ver. 19. Therefore thus saith the Lord Or Notwithstanding mans perversnesse breaketh not off the course of God goodnesse If thou return If thou cast out this devil of discontent and accounting distrust worse then distresse apply thy self chearfully and constantly to the work of the Ministry Hic vides non praescribi gratiae Dei mentes annos I will continue and confirm thee in thine office notwithstanding thy present frailties and failings So our Saviour presently upon their repentance for their shameful forsaking him at his apprehension restored his Disciples to their Apostolical function Joh. 20.21 22 23. Probe vir hoc nihil ad te dixi Zwinglius cum in vitia acriter inveheretur And if thou take forth the pretious from the vile i. e. The gracious from the vicious preaching comfort to those and terrour to these not giving as he in the Fable did straw to the Dog and a bone to the Asse but to every one his proper portion without fear or flattery Thou shalt be as my mouth Speaking as a Prophet of mine and as I my self would do if in thy place Let them return to thee i. e. Conform to thee but do not thou chime in with them as the false-prophets do Ver. 20. And I will make thee See on chap. 1.18 19. Ver. 21. And I will deliver thee I will I will never fear it man but go on couragiously Deal couragiously and God shall be with the good 2 Chron. 19. ult CHAP. XVI Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord came also unto me It is the Property of this Prophet to handle the same thing several wayes and by sundry effectual arguments Gods Ministers must turn themselves as it were into all shapes and fashions both of speech and spirit to win People to God Ver. 2. Thou shalt not take thee a wife c. It is very likely that this befell the Prophet in a vision Or if otherwise it was but for a sign and in regard of the great calamity impendent that he is here forbidden marriage otherwise lawful enough and in some cases necessary The contrary doctrine such as was that of the Tacian-hereticks and Popish Canonists is a doctrine of devils 1 Tim. 4.1 Vtinam aut caelebs vixissem aut orbus periissem Ver. 3. For thus saith the Lord concerning the sons born in this place i. e. At Anathoth say some but others better at Jerusalem So great and grievous shall be the calamity that married people shall be ready to wish as Augustus did for another cause Oh that either I had lived single or else dyed childlesse Ver. 4. They shall dye of grievous deaths Heb. death of diseases or grievances as did Jehoram 2 Chron. 21.18 and Philip the second of Spain c. they shall dye piecemeal morte valetudinariorum which is a misery especially if the disease be slow and yet sharp as some are They shall not be lamented nor buried Which are two of the usual Dues of the dead Ver. 5. Enter not into the house of mourning Or banquets whether at burials or bridals as Am. 6.7 Of funeral-banquets see Deut. 26.14 These the Greeks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Parentalia See ver 7. Ver. 6. Both the great and the small shall dye Princes and pesants Lords and losels together Nor cut themselves nor make themselves bald Neque caedetur neque calvabitur This they had learned of the heathen and would needs use it though flatly forbidden them Lev. 19.27 28. Deut. 14.1 Now they were told that they should have little either lust or leisure to do any such matter Ver. 7. Neither shall men tear themselves for them Or neither shall they deal them bread in mourning to comfort any for the dead Confer Ezek. 24.17 Of feasting at funerals mention is made by Herodotus Cicero Lucian Pliny Clemens and Chrysostom See ver 5. Neither shall men give them the cup of consolation i. e. The consolatory cup usually given at funerals to the disconsolate friends of the deceased See on Prov. 31.6 7. Ver. 8 Thou shalt not also go into the house of feasting Ministers may lawfully go to feasts Joh. 2. but not in times of common calamity See Isa 22.12 13 14. Pliny telleth us that when as in the time of the second Punick war one Fulvius Argentarius was seen at Rome looking out at a window with a rose-garland on his head Lib. 2. cap. 7. the Senate sent for him laid him in prison and would not suffer him to come forth till the war was at an end Ver. 9. Behold I will cause to cease See chap. 7.34 with the Note Ver. 10. And they shall say unto thee Wherefore This is still the guise of hypocrites to justifie themselves and quarrel the Preacher that reproveth them See chap. 5.19 What
But Gods eye is like the Sun yea far brighter and more peircing then that eye of the world neither needeth he a window in mans breast as Momus wisht to look in at for every man before God is all window totus totus transparens pellucidus This Thales and other Philosophers saw and confessed Ver. 11. As the Partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not Because either she is taken in an evil net or the eggs are marred by the male or otherwise before they can be hatched So he that getteth riches and not by right That cryeth Rem rem quocunque modo rem Vnde habeat nemo quaerit sed oportet habere Right or wrong many are resolved to be rich but are usually crossed or else cursed with a blessing for treasures of wickedness profit not but righteousness delivereth from death Prov. 10.2 God sometimes giveth wealth to the wicked as men put money into an earthen bottle which that they may get out again they break the bottle in pieces Shall leave them in the midst of his dayes Either they shall leave him or he them to his unmedicinable grief and heart-break A poor fool God will be sure to make of him He that trusteth in his riches as every Mammonist doth shall fall Prov. 11.28 for although he blesse himself as well underlaid and what should ayle such an one saith the world yet the Lord abhorreth him Psal 10.3 so that he many times cometh in the midst of his daies to an untimely end as did Judas Ahab Achan Balaam Ananias and Sapphira c. And thus many a rich wretch spinneth a fair thred to strangle himself both temporally and eternally he by his covetousness not onely killeth others Prov. 1.19 but himself too Ver. 12. A glorious high throne from the beginning Therefore its best to trust in God at all times ye people and to pour out your hearts before him sith God is a refuge for us Psal 62.8 All that do otherwise shall be ashamed ver 12. and worthily because having so glorious a God resiant amongst them they so basely forsake him to serve and seek to Idols Ver. 13. Shall be written in the earth i. e. Aeternâ morte damnabuntur they shall be hurled into hell as not having their names written in Heaven Luke 10.20 where all that are written among the living in Jerusalem Isa 4.3 are enrolled Heb. 12.23 non pro gloriosis sed pro probrosis habiti See Psal 17.14 Prudentius rightly saith that their names that are written in red letters of blood in the Churches Calendar are written in golden letters in Christs register in the book of life As on the contrary these Idolaters whose sin was with an Iron-pen ingraven on the tables of their hearts as ver 1. are justly written in the earth i. e. cast to hell Ver. 14. Heal me O Lord and I shall be healed viz. of that cordolium that my malicious country-men cause me The Prophet was even sick at heart of their unworthy usages and prayes help and healing ne totus ipse labascat inter auditores deploratissimos lest he should perish by them and with them Ver. 15. Behold they say unto me Heb. they are saying unto me it is their daily dicterium or jear Where is the Word of the Lord Whereby thou so oft threatenest us with desolation Thus prophane persons flear when they should fear Vbi est i. e. nusquam est Piscat See 2 Pet. 3 4. Isa 5.19 Amos 5.18 Ver. 16. I have not hastned from being a Pastor before thee I have neither rashly taken up the work of the Ministry quo secundus abe te essem Pastor wherein I have been thine under-shepheard but was rightly called by thee thereunto and have obeyed thy call neither have I been over-hasty to rid my hands of this so troublesom and thanklesse an employment Latimer in one of his Sermons speaking of a Minister who gave this answer why he left off preaching because he saw he did no good but got the hatred of many This saith He was a naughty a very naughty answer Neither have I desired the woful day The doleful or deadly day sc of their desolation or my denunciation of it Gods Ministers take no delight to fling daggers at the faces of gracelesse persons whatever they may think or to terrify them causelesly but as knowing the terrour of the Lord they seek to affright them by the menaces of Gods mouth from such sinful practises as will be their ruine and hence they are hated an expectes ut Quintilianus ametur Juven Thou knowest it See chap. 12 1. 15.15 2 Cor. 1.12 Ver. 17. Be not a terrour unto me Let me have fair weather over head how foul soever it be under foot If we have peace with God though trouble in the world we can take no hurt If vapours be not got into the bowels of the earth and stir not there storms and tempests abroad cannot cause an earth-quake so if there be peace within c. But like as all the letters in the Alphabet without a Vowel will not make one word nor all the Stars in the firmament without a Sun will make a day so neither can all this worlds good make one happy without God and his favour Ver. 18. Let them be confounded A heavy imprecation Let persecutours take heed how they move Ministers to make intercession to God against them as Elias did against Israel Rom. 11.2 as Jeremy here and elsewhere doth against the Jews as the Christian Churches did against Julian the Apostate God will set to his Fiat Let them be dismaied but let not me be dismaied Paveant illi non paveam ego So the Vulgar Latin hath it But what a Lack-latin dolt was that Popish Priest who alledged to his Parishioners this text to prove that not he but they were to pave the Church-way So Another of them finding it written in the end of Paul's Epistles Missa est c. bragged he had found the Masse in his bible So another reading Joh. 1.44 Invenimus Messiam made the same conclusion Ver. 19. Go and stand in the gate of the children The sheep-gate say some whereof see Neh. 3.1 32. 12.39 or as others the water-gate whereof Neh. 3.26 a place it was of great resort and concourse and therefore fittest for this new Sermon to be made in first though afterwards also he was to preach it in all the gates of Jerusalem forasmuch as it was about a matter of greatest importance even the serious sanctification of the Sabbath-day Diem septimum Opifex mundi natalem sibi sacravit observari praecepit That fourth Commandement saith Philo is a famous precept and profitable to excite to all kind of virtue and piety Ver. 20. Ye Kings of Judah Magistrates being Lord-keepers of both the Tables of the Law should carefully see to it that both be duely observed Our King Edgar made laws for the sanctification of the Lords-day-Sabbath
as have also our present Governours Jer. Dike of Consc Estine in lib. Sentent distinc 11. cap. 2. to their lasting renowne The first blow given to the German Churches was on the Lords-day which they carelesly observed for on that day was Prague lost as was likewise Constantinople on Whit-sunday as they called it Ver. 21. Take hede to your selves Break not the Sabbath that ye fall not under the fierce wrath of God who paid him home with stones who but only gathered sticks on that day Cavete it concerns you much And bear no burthen See Neh. 13.15 16 19. with the Notes Ver. 22. Neither carry forth a burden Let not the Sabbath of the Lord that sanctified day of his Rest be so shamefully troubled and disquieted Make not Holy-day a Voider as some do to the weeke aforegoing Ver. 23. But they obeyed not See chap. 7.24 26. Ver. 24. But hallow the Sabbath-day sc By spending the holy time holily else God may sue us on an action of waste Idlensse is a sin any day but specially on the Sabbath-day spiritual idlenesse then is as had as corporal labour Ver. 25. Then shall there enter Then shall all go well with you publickly and privately ye shall have a confluence of all manner of comforts and contentments Ver. 26. And they shall come All the solemnity of the Temple shall continue with the exaltation of all the neighbourhood When the High-Priests would so workyday-like beg the body seal the sepulchre and set the watch on the Sabbath called by an Irony the day that followed the day of the preparation Matth. 27.62 they forfeited all Ver. 27. Then will I kindle a fire That furious Element whereby God hath so oft punished this sin as is to be seen in the Practice of Piety Denison's Wolf in Sheeps clothing Mr. Clark's Examples c. CHAP. XVIII Ver. 1. THe word which came to Jeremiah To shew the just punishment of the people for disobeying the precept concerning the Sabbath chap. 17. and other of Gods Commandements See on chap. 7.1 Ver. 2. Arise and go down to the Potters house Whether the Prophet was to go actually to the Potters house or in vision only it skilleth not This we know that our Saviour did actually wash his Disciples feet and at another time set a child in the midst of them when they were striving about the primacy expounding to them afterwards what he meant and so it might well be here It may not be amisse for us to go down oft with Jeremy to the Potters house in our meditations to consider I mean our original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the first man Adam was of the earth earthy so are we ex luto lutei Ver. 3. Then I went down to the Potters house Gods Commands must be obeyed without sciscitation Officiose paret Jeremy saw that verbal teaching without signs would not work upon his hearers he is therefore ready to do any thing or to go any whither for their eternal good And behold he wrought a work on the wheles So the Poet amphora coepit Institui currente rotâ cur urceus exit Hor. de art Poet. Ver. 4. And the vessel which he made of clay was marred Or the vessel which he was making miscarried as clay in the Potters hand Non semper feriet quodcunque minabitur arcus Ver. 5. Then came the Word of the Lord unto me See ver 1. To the visible word God alwaies addeth the audible as in the two Sacraments Ver. 6. O house of Israel cannot I do with you Make you or mar you at my pleasure have I not an absolute soveraignty over you that ye lift up the heel against me and awake my power by your provocations As the clay is in the Potters hand What then hath vain man to vaunt of or why should any proud Arminian say Quod potui miserentis est Dei quod volui Grevinchovius id meae est potestatis That I can do good is of Gods mercy that I will do it is merely in mine own power This man was sure his own Potter and not willing to owe overmuch of himself to God Ver. 7. At what instant I shall speak As God loveth to premonish and he therefore threateneth that he may not punish for he would be prevented Ver. 8. Turn from their evil If I may see such work amongst them as at Niniveh God did Joh. 3.10 He saw not their sackcloth and their ashes but their repentance and works those fruits of their Faith I will repent of the evil Not by any change of my will but by the willing of a change mutatione Rei non Dei. Ver. 9. And at what instant I shall speak All is done as God the great Induperator commandeth whether it be for or against a Nation or a particular man only Job 34.29 To build or to plant it As he did this kingdom of England which was therefore anciently called Regnum Dei and reckoned among the fortunate Ilands Ver. 10. Then will I repent of the good I will take away mine own and be gone Hos 2.9 curse their blessings Mal. 2.2 and destroy them after that I have done them good as Josh 24.20 and all this whether for the better or for the worse to a Nation God usually doth on the sudden At what instant c. Mercies the more unexpected the more welcome Judgements the more suddain the more direful they are Ver. 11. Behold I frame evil against you As the Potter frameth his vessel on the wheel Return ye now Currat poenitentia ne praecurrat sententia Mitte preces lacrymas cordis legatos Addresse your selves to God and be at peace so shall good be done unto you See chap. 3.12 7.3 Ver. 12. And they said There is no hope See the like desperate return Refert stomachose cantilenam illorum obstinatam chap. 2.25 13.9 Actum est vel desperatum est vel expectoratum est that is we are at a point and have made our conclusion Thou maist save a labour of further exhorting us for we are as good as we mean to be and shall nor stir from our resolution Keep thy breath to coole thy broth c. We will do every one the imagination of his evil heart As you forsooth please to count it and call it though we reckon that we have as good hearts as the purest or proudest of you all Ver. 13. Therefore thus saith the Lord God himself seemeth here to wonder at the desperate obstinacy of this people as not to be matched again Like as our Saviour marvelled at the unbelief of the Nazarites and could do for them no mighty work Mar. 6.5 6. See the Notes there The Virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing A Virgin she is called either by an Irony or else because she should have been a pure Virgin sincere in Gods Service but was nothing lesse What this horrible thing was see ver 15. Confer chap.
was the way to Tophet and thither Jeremy led them A Lapide said an Expositour that considering their graves in that Valley according to chap. 7.32 and that their bodies those earthen vessels should soon after be broken and carried out as dung into Tophet by the Chaldeans and their souls into Hell by the devils they might repent and so prevent such a mischief And proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee God took his own times to tell his Prophets what they should tell the people The priviledge of infallibility saith a Divine was perpetual to the Apostles Prophetis verò saepius intervallatum fere non extra ipsos prophetandi paroxysmos durans not so to the Prophets but whil'st they were prophecying only for the most part neither knew they many times what they should Prophecy till the very instant Ver. 3. Hear the Word of the Lord ye Kings of Judah i. e. O King and thy counsellours who are so many little Kings as King James was wont to say of the Parliament men Behold I bring evil upon this place This he spake to all and with all authority catholicam miserabilem perniciem proclamans It is credible that he spake it with as good a courage or better as Bishop Ridley Martyr did those comminatory words of his to Queen Mary and her servants when they refused to hear him preach He uttered them with such a vehemency Act. Mon. 1â—70 saith mine Authour that some of the hearers afterwards confessed the haires to stand upright on their heads His cares shall tingle For grief and fear as if he had been stonied with a thunder-clap or were ready to swoon Ver. 4. Because they have forsaken me Chap. 16.11 And estranged this place Or strangely abused it so as I scarce know it or can find in my heart to own it Whom neither they nor their fathers sc Quamdiu probifuerunt pii so long as they had any goodness in them saith Hierom. Those afterwards that worshipped they knew not what as those Samaritans did Joh. 4. are not worthy to be reckoned on much less to be imitated Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers neither observe their judgements nor defile your selves with their Idols Ezek. 20.18 And have filled this place with the blood of innocents Especially of Infants sacrificed to Moloch in Tophet so filling up the measure of your sins Ver. 5. Which I commanded not Reprobatur voluntarius cultus factitiae religiones See chap. 7.31 and 32.35 2 King 23.10 Ver. 6. This place shall no more See chap. 7.32 Things are repeated that they may be the better observed Ver. 7. And I will make void the counsel of Judah As vain and empty as this earthen bottle now is See on ver 1. and take notice of an elegant Agnomination in the Original And their carcasses will I give See chap. 7.33 and 16.4 Ver. 6. And I will make this City desolate See chap. 18.10 Ver. 9. And I will cause them to eat the flesh This as it was threatned Lev. 26.29 Deut. 28 23. so accordingly accomplished Lam. 2.20 and 4.10 Ptolomaeus Lathurus King of Egypt barbarously slew thirty thousand Jews and forced the rest to feed upon the flesh of those that were slain Ver. 10. Then shalt thou break the bottle That the eyes of the by-standers and beholders may affect their hearts Non alia ratio Sacramentorum est Ver. 11. That cannot be made whole again Heb. cured No more was the Jewish Polity ever restored to its ancient dignity and lustre after the captivity neither was Tophet ever repaired at all but served for a charnel-house a place to lay dead mens bones in Ver. 12. And even make their City as Tophet Every whit as abominable and horrid a very hell above ground Ver. 13. And the houses of Jerusalem Wherein they had their chambers of imagery and their private chappels for Idolatrous uses as Papists also have Ezek. 8.12 Zeph. 1. Because all the houses upon whose roofes See on Zeph. 1.4 Ver. 14. And he stood in the court of the Lords house A place of greatest concourse of people and where he might meet with many hearers Here he spred his net that he might catch some souls dilated his discourse at Tophet whereof we have here but the short notes minding them of their sinne and punishment And surely this Prophet should be so much the more regarded by us for that he so freely and fully delivered the divine messages omitting no part thereof either for fear or favour Ambrose bad Austin read the Prophet Isaiah diligently for the confirmation of his faith We may all very profitably read the Prophet Jeremy who is full of incitation to repentance and new obedience Ver. 15. Because they have hardened their necks Which may seem possessed with an iron sinew so stiffe they are and sturdy having manum in aure aurem in cervice cervicem in corde cor in obstinatione their hand on their eare their eare in their neck their neck in their heart and their heart in obstinacy c. CHAP. XX. Ver. 1. NOw Pashur the son of Immer i. e. One of the posterity of Immer after many generations See 1 Chron. 24.14 Who was also chief Governour Not high Priest as some have said but a principal Priest haply the head of the sixteenth course or as Junius and others think the High Priests Vicar or second such as was Eleazer to Aaron his father Num 4. Heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things Or heard Jeremiah prophesying and having gall in his eares as they say some creatures have he was galled at the hearing of so smart a truth Ver. 2. Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the Prophet Either with his fist as Zedekiah did Micaiah 1 King 22.24 and as Bonner did Hawkes and other Martyrs pulling off part of their beards or else with a staffe as they dealt by our Saviour Mat. 26.67 and as that Popish Bishop degrading a Martyr-Minister struck him so hard with his Crosier staffe as he was kneeling on the stairs at Pauls that he fell down backwards and broke his head Act Mon. Contra Arrian orat 2. Atqui lapidandâ—sunt haeretici sacrarum literarum argumentis saith Athanasius but hereticks are to be stoned with Scripture arguments and men may a great deal sooner be cudgeled into a treaty then into a Tenet And put him in the stockes As they did afterwards Paul and Silas Act. 16. Clerinus the Martyr mentioned in Cyprians Epistles Epist l. 4. Mr. Phâ—lpot in the Bishop of Londons coal-house and that good woman who suffering afterwards for the same cause rejoyced much that her leg was put in the same hole of the stocks where Philpots leg had lain before That were in the high-gate of Benjamin Which might be a Prison like Lollards Tower in London whereunto were sent the Martyrs many of them for their zeal and forwardness Action and passion go together Omne agent agendo repatitur especially
if men go a little faster then others do They who will live godly in Christ Jesus and be set upon 't shall suffer persecution this gate-house might well be the Priests prison whither they used to send such as they took for false Prophets Ver. 3. Pashur brought forth Jeremiah To be judged say some but why then did he first smite him an Officer should retain the Majesty of the Law and not do any thing passionately To set him at liberty say others as perceiving that the Word of God could not be bound nor a Prophets mouth stopped by a prison as Pashur also shall well perceive ere Jeremy hath done with him Act. Mon. Bonner said to Hawkes the Martyr A faggot will make you believe the Sacrament of the Altar He answered No no a point for your faggot God will be meet with you one day So true is that of the Poet Pressa sub ingenâ—i ceu pondere palma virescit Sub cruce sic florent debita corda Deo The Lord hath not called thy name Pashur That is black-mouth as some derive it Junius q d. non Augustus sed angustus non nobilis sed mobâ—lâ—s futurus es Non tumor sed tiimor Daniel Thuan. or diffusing palenesse as others but on the contrary Magor-missabib i. e. Terrour round about or fear on every side a Proverbial form of speech denoting extreame consternation of spirit and greatest distress such as befell Tullus Hostilius King of Rome who had for his gods Pavor and Pallor dignâ—ssimus sanè qui deos suos semper haberet praesentes saith Lactantius wittily i. e. great pitty but this man should ever have had his gods at hand sith he was so fond of them Our Richard 3. and Charles the ninth of France a paire of bloody Princes were Magor-missabibs in their generations as terrible at length to themselves as they had been formerly to others and therefore could never endure to be awakened in the night without musick or some like diversion Ver. 4. I will make thee a terrour Heb. I will give thee unto a terrour i. e. I will affright thy conscience and then turn it loose upon thee so that thou shalt be à corde tuo fugitivus and thy friends shall have small joy of thee or thou help by them See on ver 3. Ver. 5. Moreover I will deliver all the strength of this City Thus Pashur prevailed nothing at all with good Jeremy by imprisoning him to make him give over menacing But as Baruch wrot the roll anew that had been cut in pieces and added besides unto it many like words chap. 36.32 so doth Jeremy here he will not budge to dye for it This was to shew the magnanimity of a Prophetical Spirit Ver 6. There shalt thou be buried In a dunghil perhaps as Bishop Bonner was and have cause enough to cry out as that great Parisian Doctour did from his heir when brought to be buried Parcite funeribus mihi nil prodesse valebit Heu infelicem cur me genuere parentes Ah miser aeternos vado damnatus ad ignes Spare funeral-costs why was I born By hells black feinds now to be torn Ver. 7. O Lord thou hast deceived me and I was deceived From hence to the end of the Chapter the Prophet Iterum more solitâ— causam suam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coram Deo agit Oecolamp not without some tang and taint of humane frailty grievously quiritateth and expostulateth with God about the hard usage and ill success he met with in the execution of his prophetical function But as ex incredulitate Thomae nostra confirmata est fides Thomas his unbelief serveth to the setling of our faith and as Peters fall warneth us to look well to our standing so when such a man as Jeremy shall miscarry in this sort and have such out-bursts oh be not high-minded but fear Some render the text Lord if I be deceived thou hast deceived me and so every faithful man who keepeth to the rule may safely say Piscator hath it persuasisti mihi Jehova persuasus sum O Lord thou perswadedst me and I was perswaded sc to undertake this Prophetical office but I have small joy of it some think he thus complained when he was put in prison by Pashur I am in derision dayly every one mocketh me This is the worlds wages The Cynik said of the Megarians long ago Better be their horse dog or Pander then their teacher and better he should be regarded Ver. 8. For since I spake I cryed out i. e. Ever since I took upon me the office of a Prophet I executed it vigorously I cryed with full mouth as chap. 4.5 Isa 58.1 I cryed violence and spoile Sc. will surely befall you by the Chaldees or I cryed out of my misusages Because the Word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me and a derision dayly This was all the recompence I reaped of my good-will to this perverse people and of my paines taken amongst them Few sins are more dangerous then those of casting reproaches upon Gods Word as here of snuffing at it Mal. 1.13 of enviously swelling at it Act. 13.45 of chatting at it Rom. 9.19 20. of stumbling at it 1 Pet. 2.8 of gathering odious consequences from it Rom. 3.8 Ex humano motu metu hoc in mentem incidit A Lap. Pisc Quoque magis tegitur tanto magis aestuat ignis Ovid. Chrysost de Lazaro Hanc legem ex hoc loco dat concionatori ne defatigetur nec ullo tempore sileat sive sit qui auscultet sive non Ver. 9. Then I said I will not make mention of him nor speak any more in his Name i. e. I will give over preaching This said Latimer in a like case was a naughty a very naughty resolution But his Word was in my heart as a burning fire Ex sensu malae conscientiae propter illud propositum And here was the work of the Spirit against that carnal resolution of his Gods people cannot do the things that they would saith the Apostle Gal. 5.17 As they cannot do the good they would because of the flesh so neither the evil that they would because of the Spirit there is a continual conflict and as it were the company of two opposite armies Cant. 6.13 True grace will as little be hid as fire quis enim celaverit ignem And I was weary with forbearing and could not stay Jeremies service among the Jews was something like that of Manlius Torquatus among the Romans who gave it over saying Neither can I bear their manners nor they my government He began to think with that painful Patriarch that rest was good Gen. 49.15 and with the Olive Vine and Fig-tree in Jothams parable that it was best to enjoy a beloved privacy He was ready to say Bene qui latuit bene vixit And Bene qui tacuit bene dixit c. But this could not hold with him he saw well for
as the motion of the heart and lungs is ever beating and t is a pain to restrain it to hold the breath so here Strangulat inclusus dolor atque exaestuat intus Ovid. Trist Cogitur vires multiplicare suas Ver. 10. For I heard the defaming of many fear on every side This passage is borrowed from Psal 31.13 See the Note there Some render the text I heard the defamation of many Magor-missabibs many of his complices and Coryphaei spies set a work by him to defame and bespattle me Report say they and we will report Calumniare audacter broach a slander and we will blazon it set it afoot and we will set it afloat give us but some small hint or inkling of ought spoken by Jeremy whereof to accuse him to the King and State and we desire no more Athanasius was about thirty times accused and of no smal crimes neither but falsly The Papists make it their trade to belye the Protestants their chieftaines especially They reported of Luther that he dyed despairing of Calvin that he was branded on the shoulder for a rogue of Beza that he ran away with another mans wife c. And for their Authors they alledge Baldwin and Bolsecus a couple of Apostates requested by themselves and as some say hired to write the lives of these Worthies their profest enemies But any thing of this kind serves their turn and they cite the writings of these runnagates as Canonical All my familiars Heb. every man of my peace from such there is the greatest danger Hence one prayed God to deliver him from his friends for as for his enemies he could better beware of them Many friends are like deep ponds clear at the top but all muddy at the bottom Ver. 11. But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one Instar Gigantis robusti Vt formidabilis heros Pisc as a strong Giant and mine only champion on whom I lean Here the Spirit begins to get the better of the Flesh could Jeremy but hold his own But as the ferry man plyes the oar and eyes the shoar homeward where he would be yet there comes a gust of wind that carryeth him back again so it fared with our Prophet See ver 14.15 c. Ver. 12. But O Lord of hosts See chap. 11.20 and 17.10 Let me see thy vengeance on them Some pert and pride themselves over the Ministery as if it were a dead Alexanders nose which they might wring off and not fear to be called to account therefore but the visible vengeance of God will seise such one day as it did Pharaoh Ahab Herod Julian For unto thee have I opened my cause Prayer is an opening of the souls causes and cases to the Lord. The same word for opened here is in another conjugation used for uncovering making bare and naked Gen 9.21 Gods people in prayer do or should nakedly present their souls causes without all cover-shames or so much as a ragge of self or flesh cleaving to them Ver. 13. Sing unto the Lord praise ye the Lord Nota hic alternantis animi motus estusque Here the Spirit triumpheth over the flesh as in the next verses the flesh again gets the wind and hill of the Spirit Every good man is a divided man For he hath delivered the soul of the poor i. e. Of poor me as Psal 34.4 Ver. 14. Cursed be the day wherin I was born What a suddain change of his note is here out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing My brethren saith James these things ought not so to be Jam. 3.10 But here humane weakness prevailed and this part of the Chapter hath much of man in it The best have their outbursts and as there be white teeth in the blackest Blackmore and again a black bill in the whitest swan so the worst have something in them to be commended and the best to be condemned See on ver 7. Some of the Fathers seek to excuse Jeremy altogether but that can hardly be neither needeth it Origen saith that the day of his birth was past and therefore nothing now so that cursing it he cursed nothing This is lâ—ke those amongst us who say they may now without sin swear by the Masse because it is gone out of the Country c. Isidor that Jeremie's cursing is but conditional if any let that day be cursed c. Ver. 15. Cursed be the man Let him have a curse for a reward of his so good news Thus the Prophet in a fit of impatiency carrieth himself as one who being cut by a Surgeon and extreamly pained striketh at and biteth those that hold him or like him in the Poet Aeneid l. 2. Quem non incusavi amens hominumque Deumque Surely as the bird in a cage because pent up beats her self so doth the discontented person Look to it therefore Satan thrusteth in upon us sometimes praying with a cloud of strange passions such as are ready to gallow us out of that little wit and faith we have Resist him betimes The wild-fire of Passion will be burning whilst the incense of Prayer is in offering this scum will be rising up in the boyling pot together with the meat See Jon. 4.1 with the Note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jon. 4.4 Ver. 16. And let that man be A most bitter curse but causelesse The devil of discontent where it prevaileth maketh the heart to be for the time a little hell as we see in Moses Job David Jeremy men otherwise made up of excellencies These sinned but not with full consent A godly man hath a flea in his ear somewhat within which saith Dost thou well to be angry Jonah Ver. 17. Because he slew me not c. Why but is not life a mercy a living Dog better then a dead Lion See on Job 3.10 10.18 19. Vincet aliquando pertinax bonitas Rev. 2 10. Ver. 18. Wherefore came I forth c. Passions are a most dangerous and heady water when once they are out That my dayes should be consumed with shame Why but a Christian souldier may have a very great arrear 2 Tim. 4.7 8. CHAP. XXI Ver. 1. THe word that came unto Jeremiah from the Lord This History is here set down out of course For Jerusalem was not besieged till chap. 32. and Jehoiakim reigned Chapter 25. It was in the ninth year of Zedekiah that this present Prophecy was uttered Est hic hysterologia sive praeposterus ordo 2 King 25.1 2. This Zedekiah was one of those semiperfectae virtutis homines as Philo calleth some Professours cakes half-baked Hos 7.8 no flat Atheist nor yet a pious Prince Of Galba the Emperour as also of our Richard the third it is recorded that they were bad men but good Princes We cannot say so much of Zedekiah Two things he is cheifly charged with 1. That he brake his oath and faith plighted to the King of Babylon
fitly applyeth to Preachers such as prove vile and vitious Ver. 25. And I will give thee into the hand No sooner was he pluckt off Gods hand but he fell into his enemies hands So Sauls doleful complaint was God hath forsaken me and the Philistines are upon me 1 Sam. 28.15 Ver. 26. And I will cast thee out Heb. I will hurle thee out To be held captive by Idolaters in a strange country is no small misery Poor Zegedine found it so among the Turkes Ver. 27. But to the land that they desire to return Heb. which they lift up their soul to quam avent totaque anima expetunt ad quam summe anhelant they shall dye in banishment So they that are once shut out of heaven must for ever abide in hell would they never so fain get out with dragons and devils Ver. 28. Is this Coniah a despised broken Idol Is he not Interrogatio pathetica who would ever have thought to have seen a King of Judah so little set by like some old picture or inglorious trunk A vessel in which is no pleasure that is by a modest Periphrasis a close-stool or pispot so Hos 8.8 He and his seed If any he had or shall have in his captivity Ver. 29. O earth earth earth hear the Word of the Lord Hear this irrevocable decree of mine and this ensuing dreadful denunciation which I cannot get this stupid and incredulous people to beleeve His trebbling of the word is as Ezek. 21. 27. for more assurance Some sense it thus O Coniah thou who art earth by creation earth by generation and earth by resolution hear and give ear be not proud for the Lord hath spoken it as chap. 13.15 Ver. 30. Write ye this man childlesse As to succession in the royal dignity as well as to successe in his raign The Septuagint render it a man abdicâ—ted or prescribed This God would have to be written that is to be put upon publick record for the use of Posterity Ariri i. e. orbus vol solus sicut in deserto myrica Fuller Our Chronicles tell us of John Dudley that great Duke of Northumberland in King Edward the sixths dayes who endeavoured by all means to engrand his posterity reaching at the Crown also which cost him his head that though he had six sons all men all married yet none of them left any issue behind them Be wise now therefore O ye Kings c. Serve the Lord with fear c. CHAP. XXIII Ver. 1. VVOe to the Pastors i. e. To the Rulers and chieftaines whether in the State or Church woe to the wicked of both sorts and why They destroy and scatter the sheep of my Pasture So he calleth the people how bad soever because of the covenant with their fathers Ver. 2. Against the Pastors Impostors rather That feed my people Or that feed upon my people rather attonsioni gregis potius quam attentioni consulentes more minding gain then godliness Ye have scattered my flock And worried them as so many evening wolves Zeph. 3.3 grievous or fat wolves Act. 20.29 See the Notes there Behold I will visit upon you Ludit in voce visitare I will visit you in another sense for your not visiting my people according to your duty Ezek. 34.4 6 8. Ver. 3. And I will gather the remnant of my flock I will bring them back from Babylon but especially from out of this present evil world into the bosome of my Church by Christ the Archshepherd and by such undershepherds as he shall make use of to that purpose Eph. 4.11 And they shall be fruitful and encrease Gignendo gentes by begetting the Gentiles unto Christ through the preaching of the Gospel Ver. 4. And I will set up Shepherds over them Pastors after mine own heart such as were Zorobabel Ezra Nehemiah Jehoshua the High Priest Haggeâ— Zachary Malachy c. Christian Princes and Pastors under the Gospel but especially Christ the chief Shepherd and Bishop of our souls who is therefore here promised ver 5 6. for the comfort of Gods Elect who might well be troubled at that former dreadful denunciation chap. 22.29 30. And they shall fear no more But enjoy spiritual security and be of an invincible courage Bern. Neither shall they be lacking Christ the good shepherd will see to that Joh. 10.28 29. his undershepherds also whose Motto is Praesis ut prosis will have a care Ver. 5. I will raise to David a righteous branch Who shall raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof Am. 9.11 who shall also sit upon the throne of his Father David and of his Kingdome there shall be no end Luk. 1.32 33. Annon hoc probe sarcitur c. Is not this a good amends for that which is to befall Coniah and his posterity put beside the Kingdome Of Christ the righteous branch see Isa 11.1 and chap. 4.2 Zach. 3.8 See the Notes Vocat Scriptura nomen Messiae Jehova Tsidkenu quia erit Medâ—ator Deus per cujus manuâ— câ—nsecuturi sumus justitiam à Deo ipso inquit Rabbâ—nus quidam in lib. Ikharim Ver. 6. This is the name whereby he shall be called The Lord Our righteousnesse Jehovah Tsidkenu This is a most mellifluous and sweet name of our Lord Jesus Christ importing his Godhead as the righteous Branch of David ver 5. did his manhood and besides assuring us that as he hath for us fulfilled all righteousnesse Mat. 3.15 so he is by God made unto us righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1.30 and that we are become the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 This one Name of Christ is a strong tower Prov. 18.10 it is such as will answer all our doubts and objections were they never so many had we but skill to spell all the letters in it Cyprian was wont to comfort his friends thus Veniet Antichristus sed superveniet Christus Antichrist will come but then Christ will be at the heels of him We may well comfort our selves against all evils and enemies with this consideration Christ is Jehovah our righteousnesse God hath laid help on one that is mighty and he came to bring in everlasting righteousness Dan. 9.24 Why then should we fear in the dayes of evil when the iniquities of our heeles shall compasse us about Psal 49.5 Domine Satan saith Luther somewhere nihil me movent minae terrores tui Luth. Tom. 4. fol. 55. A. est enim unus qui vocatur Jehovah justitia nostra in quem credo Is legem abrogavit peccatum damnavit mortem abolevit infernum destruxit estque O Satan Satan tuus that is You Sir Satan your menaces and terrours trouble me not For why there is one whose name is called The Lord our Righteousness on whom I beleeve He it is who hath abrogated the Law condemned sin abolished death destroyed hell and is a Satan to thee O Satan Surely this brave saying of Luther may
too late ye shall subscribe to the truth of these threats which now you take as uttered in terrorem only and will not believe till you feel Sere saviunt Phryges Sero inquit Nero. Epimetheus that after-wit had too many fellows Ver. 21. I have not sent these Prophets Who have cozened you into the mouth of destruction as that old Bethelite did the young Prophet into the mouth of the Lion Yet they ran They have from me neither mission nor commission but do all on their own heads Observabilis est hic locus contra multos qui bodie plebem docendi â—â—unus sibi arrogant cum tamen non sint missi saith Oecolampadius This is a notable place against Laypreachers And as if he had lived in these loose times of ours he thus goeth on In the fourteenth and sixteenth of 1 Cor. order is commanded to be kept But there are now such as abide not in their own Churches but run into others where they teach without a calling These promte not but hinder the cause of Christ He is the God of peace but they go forth and say Mentiris Deus amat talem constantiam fortem confessionem sic enim vocant suam praefractam pertinaciam Thou lyest God loveth such constancy and bold confession of the truth as we hold forth for so they call saith he their stifnesse and obstinacy Besides that they come not into the Congregations of unbelievers to convert them to the faith sed nostras perplexas reddunt so that good man proceedeth in his complaint on this text but they trouble our Churches like as of old they came to Antioch and made disturbance there Acts 15 c. Luther also who lived in the same time with Oecolampadius cries out to like purpose Decem annis laboratur antequam Ecclesiolarectè piè instituta paretur c. We are ten or more years Tom. oper 4. fol. 18. A. saith he ere we can settle a small Church as it should be And yet when that 's done there creepeth in some silly Sectary whose only skil is to rail against godly Ministers Is uno momento evertit omnia And he presently marreth all See chap. 14 14. Ver. 22. But if they had stood in my counsel c. As they vainly vaunt they do ver 18. and that they know more of my mind then any others And had caused my people to hear my words And not their own fancies or cunning devised fables 2 Pet. 1.16 Then they should have turned them from the evil of their way Not but that a godly Preacher may want successe Isa 49.4 See the Notes there and on the contrary a bad Minister may be a means of good to others as the dull whetstone edgeth iron and the lifelesse heaven enliveneth other creatures The head of a Toad may yield the precious stone Bufonites and wholesome Sugar be found in a poysoned cane Noah's builders were a means to save him and his family Virgil. Aeneid 3. yet themselves were drowned so was Palinurus Aeneas his Pilot in the Poet c. But God usually honoureth his faithful laborers with some successe and they can say as Chrysostom doth Si decimus quisque si unus persuasus fuerit ad consolationem abunde sufficit If but one in ten be converted by our Ministry yea if but one in all t is comfort enough See James 5. ult Ver. 23. Am I a God at hand and not a far of See I not what is done on earth which seemeth further from me or think ye that you live out of the reach of my rod because remote from heaven the habitation of my holinesse and of my glory Lucan Jupiter est quodcunque vides quocunque moveâ—is Ver. 24. Can any man hide himself in secret places Hide he may God from him self but not himself from God though Atheists are apt to think as they say the Struthiocamelus doth when he hath thrust his head in an hole that because they see none therefore none seeth them Plin. Do I not fill heaven and earth See Psal 139.3 5 7 11. Isa 66.1 with the Notes Ver. 25. I have dreamed I have dreamed i. e. I have a prophetick revelation in a dream Such lying Prophets were the ancient and modern Enthusiasts and High attainers Messalanian heretikes they were called of old Anno 371. Ver. 26. How long shall this be in the hearts c. q. d. Will they never give over lying to the Holy Ghost Acts 5 3. and flying against the light of their own consciences as Bâ—â—s do Nam quod argutè commenti sunt Oecolamp haec aiunt ex spiritu se dicere studio enim suis mendaciis plebi imponunt falsumque datâ operâ docent for they father their falsities upon the spirit of truth cozening the credulous multitude And this they do wittingly and uncessantly Ver. 27. Which think to cause my people to forget my Name To drive them to Atheism which sometimes creepeth in at the back doore of a Reformation by the slight of Seducers and their cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive Our Church is at this day pestered with Atheists who first have bin Seekers Ranters Antinomians Antiscripturists c. and is even dark with them as Egypt once was with the Grashoppers They seemed to speak with judgement that said formerly As Antichristianism decreaseth so Atheism prevaileth And they seem still not to judge amisse that say that the Jesuites are acting vigorously by our Sectaries to bring in Popery again quasi postilimino upon us It hath been long the opinion and fear of some grave Divines that Antichrist before his abolition shall once again overflow the whole face of the West and suppresse the whole Protestant Churches quod Deus avertat Take we heed that these Sect-makers make us not forget Gods Name by their fopperies as our fathers forgot his Name for Baal Ver. 28. The Prophet that hath a dream let him tell a dream Or let him tell it as a dream and not as a divine revelation making more of it then the matter comes to and Laudans vaenales quas vul obtrudere merces What are dreams ordinarily but very vanities Eccles 5.7 with Zech. 10.2 pleasant follies and delusions the empty bubbles of the mind children and tales of fancy idle and fruitlesse notions mere bables why then should men make so much of them why should they tell their Midianitish dreams to others with so much confidence as if they were Oracles And he that hath my Word So he be sure he hath it and can on good ground say I believed therefore have I spoken What is the chaff to the wheat saith the Lord i. e. What is false doctrine to true surely nothing in comparison you may better set Palea that is Chaff upon it then the Pope doth upon any thing in the Decrees of his predecessours that pleaseth him not Sall not the whole body of Popery founded most part of it
upon Revelations and fained Miracles think the same of Rantâ—rs Quakers and some Anabaptists prove Palea that is chaff hay and stubble that shall be surely burnt 1 Cor. 3.11 Some render the text Quid paleae cum tritico what hath chaff to do with the wheat as Hos 14.9 Joh. 2.4 Away with any such mixtures In the writings of some Sectaries Sunt bona mista malis sunt mala mista bonis The speech in the text seemeth to have been Proverbial and is not unlike that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16. and those in humane Authors Quid sceptre plectro Suid. Qui specillo gladio quid lecytho strophio quid hyaenae cani quid bovi delphino quid cani balneo c. So what communion hath faith and unbelief zeal and passion c. And yet unbelief may be with faith Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief Mar. 9.24 zeal with passion yea in young Christians heat and passion goeth sometimes for zeale and yet it is but chaff which when blown away the heap is little else but wheat that is saith zeal humility though we have lesse pride passion presumption But this by the way only Ver. 29. Is not my Word like a fire As it is like solid wheat wholesom food 1 Tim. 6.3 so it is no lesse liâ—e fire that most active Element called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is pure saith One and fire because it is fair It inlighteneth enliveneth warmeth purgeth assimilateth aspireth consumeth combustible matter congregat hâ—mogenea segregat heterogenia so doth the Word when accompanied by the Spirit who is of a fiery nature and of a fiery operation Isa 4.4 Mal. 3.2 Matth. 3.11 The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and thee are life Job 6.65 Did not our hearts burn within us whiles he talked with us by the way and opened unto us the holy Scriptures Luke 24.32 when the word comes home to the heart in the power of it the preacher was sent of God See Gal. 2.8 And like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces i. e. The rockiest hearts and sturdiest stomacks are tamed terrified by the Word when God once takes them to do Iâ— is as his plough to break up their fallow ground and as his sword to run them through Jer. 4 Heb. 4. and to lay them for dead Rom. 7. And like as the hardest ice is broken with hot waters as well as with hammers so is the hardest heart with the Gospel as well as with the Law Ver 30. Behold I am against those Prophets Heb. Behold I against by an angry Aposiopesis That steal my Word every one from his neighbour That filth it either by hiding it from others as the Popish Doctors do from the common people or by wresting it to the defence of their false doctrines as Marcion the heretike whom therefore Tertullian fitly calleth Murem Ponticum the rat of Pontus for his gnawing and tawing of the Scriptures to bring them to his purpose Or by a fraudulent imitating of Gods true Prophets taking up their parables and making use of their expressions such as are Thus saith the Lord Grace be to you and peace c. Wasps also have their combs as well as Bees and Apes will be doing as they see men to do Or lastly by causing the people ro forget and lose the good that they had once learned of the true Prophets This we see daily done by the cunning fetches and flatteries of the Seducers of our times causing many to lose the things that they had wrought 2 Joh. 8. Ver. 31. That use their tongues Or abuse them rather to smoothing and soothing up people in their sins lenificant linguas id est blando sermone alliciunt plebem they flatter and collogue or tollunt linguam they sift up their tongues viz. by extolling themselves and speaking magnifically of their own doing As one hath observed of some Sectaries amongst us that they often call upon their hearers to mark Dulcorantium mollificantium False Prophets sooth sweeten men for it may be they shall hear that which they never heard before When the thing is either false or if true no more then is ordinarily taught by others and which they have stolen out of the writings of others And say He saith See on ver 30. Ver. 32. That cause my people to erre by their lyes and by their lightnesse By their lying discorses and light or lose courses So Zeph. 3.4 Judg. 9.4 If these false Prophets had been of a sober grave behaviour the people might have been with better excuse deluded by them as Aristotle noteth of Eudoxus and the same is true of Epicâ—rus himself as Tully telleth us that he prevailed much in disputing for pleasure because he was no voluptuous man himself But these in the text were no lesse leud then loud lyars Ver. 33. What is the burthen of the Lord Ironicum interrogandi genus thus they profanely asked by way of scoff or despite such as he will drive down their throats again plaguing them for their profane malignity Then shalt thou say What burthen q d. I 'le burden you to some purpose sith ye profanely count and call my Word a burthen you shall suddenly have your back-burthen of plagues and miseries for the contempt of it I will even forsake you And then Woe be unto you Hos 9.12 you shall be eased of these burthens and of me together and that you 'l find misery enough See chap. 12.7 Learn therefore to speak holily and honourably of Gods Word left thou hear this Word of his Thou shalt never enter into my rest Ver. 34. That shall say The burthen of the Lord Nempe per lâ—dibrium in contempt and derision See 2 Chron. 36.16 Ver. 35. Thus shall ye say God sets them a form who otherwise knew not how to lisp out a syllable of sober language Loquamur verba Scripturae saith Peter Ramus utamur sermone Spiritus Sancti Let us inure our selves to Scripture-Expressions Ver. 36. For every mans word shall be his burthen That jear of his aforementioned shall lye heavy upon him and cost him dear for under the weight he shall sink and be crusht in pieces Ver. 37. Thus shalt thou say to the Prophet See on ver 35. Ver. 38. But sith ye say The burthen of the Lord Sith ye accuse me as unmerciful my Word as a ponderous burthen and my Messengers as telling you nothing but terrible things and bloody businesses which therefore you are resolved to slight and neglect Ver. 39. Therefore behold I even I will utterly forget you I nunc ergo lude pasquillis putidis dicteriis saith One. Go thy waies now thou that thinkest it a goodly thing to gibe and jear at Gods Ministers and their messages Consider of this dreadful denunciation and thereby conceive aright of the hainousnesse of thy sin for God doth not use to kill flies upon mens foreheads
with beetles to threaten heavy punishments for light offences Ver. 40. And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you Contempt of the Word is such an enraging sin that God cannot easily satisfy himself in saying what he will do to such as are guilty of it CHAP. XXIV Ver. 1. THe Lord shewed me By shewing as well as by saying hath God ever signified his minde to his people by the visible as well as by the audible Word as in Sacrifices and Sacraments for their better confirmation in the Faith And behold two baskets Dodaim so called from Dodim Breasts because these two baskets resembled two breasts Were set before the Temple Either visionally or else actually there set whether presented for first-fruits as Deut. 26.2 or set to be sold in such a publike place Before the Temple To shew that the Jews of both sorts gloried in the same God but were differently regarded by him and accordingly sentenced After that Nebuchadnezzar This then was shewed to Jeremy about the beginning of Zedekiah's raign Had carried away captive Jeconiah Who was therefore and thenceforth called Jeconiah Asir 1 Chron. 3.16 that is Jeconiah the Prisoner He was a wicked Prince and therefore written childlesse and threatened with deportation chap. 22. Howbeit because by the advice of the Prophet Jeremy he submitted to Nebuchadnezzar who carried him away to Babylon where say the Rabbines he repented and was therefore at length advanced by Evil-merodâ—h as chap. 5â— he and his company are here comforted and pronounced more happy however it might seem otherwise then those that continued still in the land And this say the Hebrews was not obscurely set forth also by those two baskets of figs whereof that which was worst shewed best and the other shewed worst till they came to be tasted Raban Hugo Lyra. With the Carpenters Or Craftsmen 2 King 24.14 16. And Smiths Heb. Inclosers that is say some Gold-smiths whose work it is to set stones in gold And these thus carried away are as a type of such saith Oecolampadius as are penitent and patient till the Lord shall turn again their captivity as the streams in the south Ver. 2. One basket had very good figs Maturas praeâ—oquas ripe and ready betimes bursas melle plenas as one once called such good Figs purses full of Hony Passerat Ficus habet lactis nivei rutilique saporem Mellis ambrosiae similes cum nectare succos The other basket had very naughty figs Sowr and ill-tasted because blasted haply or worm-eaten In vit Dion c. Of the Athenians Plutarch saith that they were all very good or stark naught no middle-men like as that Country also produceth both the most excellent hony and the most deadly poyson Sure it is that non sunt media coram Deo neque placet tepiditas before God every man is either a good tree yielding good fruit or an evil tree bearing evil fruit He that is not with Christ is against him He acknowledgeth not a mediocrity he detesteth an indifferency in Religion hot or cold he wisheth men and threateneth to spue the lukewarm out out of his mouth Rev 3.15 16. The best that can be said of such Neuter-Passives is that which Tacitus saith of Galba Magis extra vitia quam cum virtutibus that they are rather not vitious then vertuous their goodnesse is meerly negative The world cryeth them up for right honest men but God decryeth them for naught stark naught they may not be endured they are so naught See Luke 16.15 Ver. 3. What seest thou Jeremy See on chap. 1.11 The good figs very good See on ver 2. Ver. 4. Again the Word of the Lord Transitio ad Anagogen the interpretation followeth whereby will appear the different judgement made of persons and things by God and men Ver. 5. Like these good figs Quas sic dat arbor aura when once God hath made the tree good the fruit will be good So will I acknowledge Heb. know that is own or take special notice of and this made the difference Whom I have sent out of this place for their good It is for their good temporal and eternal that God chastiseth his children Jehoiachin was preferred at length and as the Jew-Doctours say converted as Manasseh had been before him Daniel and his associates were set over the Kingdome The Jews got good estates and respect in the land of their captivity Jer. 29.4 Esth 9. and were at length sent back with many favours and priviledges c. Ver. 6. For I will set mine eyes upon them for good I will see to their safety and provide for their necessities See Psal 34.15 with the Note Ver. 7. And I will give them an heart to know me This was better then all the rest sc a sanctified use of their afflictions This we should highly prize Promissio Evangelica ut infra 31. 33. and pray for And they shall be my people This falling out of lovers shall but be a renewing of love betwixt us For they shall return unto me God must sometimes whip his people to duty and galter them from evil as well as entice them ut uvae dulces sint non labruscae Ver. 8. And as the evil figs Zedekiah and his subjects who were lookt upon as the happier because at home and derided likely Jechoniah and his concaptives as cowards Sure it is that they were not bettered by their brethrens miseries Ver. 9. And I will deliver them As men throw out naughty figs rotten apples or the like All the figs were carried out but in diverse baskets and for diverse purposes To be a taunt and a curse As when they were called in scorn by the heathen Verpi Apellae Recutiti c. and were noted as they are still for a nasty people Ver. 10. And I will send the sword So chap. 14.15 and 34.17 CHAP. XXV Ver. 1. IN the fourth year of Jehoiakim See on chap. 1.2 Above twenty years had Jeremy spent his worthy paines upon them illi vero ne teruntio quidem meliores facti sunt but they were nothing the better here therefore is their doom most deservedly denounced That was the first year This first year of Nebuchadnezzar raigning alone after his fathers death fell out part of Jehoiakims third and part of the fourth Dan. 1.1 Ver. 2. Vnto all the people of Judah The circumstances both of time when and of persons to whom is thus set down for the reason given on ver 1. Ver. 3. Rising early and speaking A diluculo indesinenter as good husbands use to do taking the best times Ver. 4. But ye have not hearkened See chap. 7.24 26. Ver. 5. They said Turn ye again This was the sum of all the Prophets Sermons as of the Apostles Repent and beleeve the Gospel Mark 1. Ver. 6. And I will do you no hurt Heb. I will not do evil to you as else I must The Romans honoured their Vejoves that
religious brothers of love and the Bramines successours to the Brachmanni among the Indians who are extremely impure and libidinous claiming the first nights lodging of every bride Heyl. Cosmog c. having nothing of a man but the voyce and shape and yet these are their Priests Even I know and am a witnesse saith the Lord Let them carry their villany never so cleanly and closely with their Si non caste saltem caute yet I know all am now an eye-witnesse and will be one day a swift witnesse against them Vtinam animadverterent haec Principes ille qui non in sede Petri sed in prostibulo Priapi Lampsaeceni sedens fornicationes tegit sancta conjugiae vetat mera somnia vendit Dei oculos claudit saith one Ver. 24. Thus shalt thou also speak to Chemajah the Nehelamite Or Dreamer dream-wright Enthusiast such as were the Messalanian heretikes of old and some of the same stamp loaves of the same leven now-adayes Ver. 25. Because thou hast sent letters in thy name Such as Sadoletus a Popish Bishop sent to Geneva in Calvins absence to bring them back again to the obedience of the See of Rome and as we have many from the Romish factors sent hither to the seducing of not a few a subtle and shrew'd way of deceiving the simple Act. Mon. And to Zâ—phaniah The second under the High-Priest Seraiah and successour likely to that Pashur chap. 20. who was deposed for some misdemeanour like as Dr. Weston was here in Queen Maries dayes put by all his Church-dignities for being taken in bed with an harlot Of this Zephaâ—iah see 2 Kings 25.18 his office was to judge of prophecies and to punish such as he found to be false Prophets And to all the Priests Who were too too forward of themselves to bandy against Gods true Prophets chap. 26.8 and did as little need by letter to be excited thereunto Clarkes Martyr l. 136. as Bishop Bonner did to be stirred up to persecute Protestants and yet to him were letters sent from King Philip and Queen Mary complaining that heretikes were not so reformed as they should be and exhorting him to more diligence c. Ver. 26. The Lord hath made thee Priest instead of Jehoiada the Priest That heroical Reformer in the dayes of Joash 2 King 11. Therefore as he did by Mattan the Baalite so do thou by Jeremiah the Anathothite But neither was Zephaniah Jehoiada nor Jeremiah Mattan Shemaiah himself was more like a Baalite and better deserved that punishment which shortly after also befell him as was foretold ver 32. A hot-spirited man he was and a boutefeau being therefore the more dangerous He also seemed to himself to be so much the more holy by how much the Prophet whom he set against was more famous for his holinesse For every one that is mad Maniacus arreptitius fanaticus so Gods zealous servants have alwayes been esteemed by the mad world ever besides it self in point of salvation See 2 King 9.11 Act. 26.24 Jer. 43.2 That thou shouldest put him in prison As chap. 20.2 Ver. 27. Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Or restrained Jeremiah Alasse what had the righteous Prophet done he taxed their sin he foretold their captivity he deserved it not he inflicted it not yet he must smart and they are guilty Zephaniah also is here blamed for his lenity as bloody Bonner once was by the rest of the Popish Bishops who made him their slaughter-slave Ver. 28. For therefore he sent to us in Babylon And is this all the thank he hath for his friendly counsel haec est merces mundi Ver. 29. And Zephaniah the Priest read this letter For ill-will likely and with exprobration Vbi insignis elucet Dei tutela saith an Interpreter where we may see a sweet providence of God in preserving his Prophet from the rage and violence of the people so incensed Ver. 30. Then came the Word of the Lord Or Therefore came c. In the five former verses we had narrationem causae Shemajah's crime In these three last we have dictionem sententiae Shemajah's doome Ver. 31. Send to all them of the captivity Send the second time let not so good a cause be deserâ—ed Vincâ—s aliquando pertinax bonitas Truth will take place at length Because Shemajah hath prophesied unto you He hath rewarded evil thereby to himself and to his seed after him his posterity shall rue for it saith Jeremy who was irrefracti plane animi orator a man of an invincible courage and might better have been called Doctor resolutus then was afterwards Bacon the Carmelite Ver. 32. Behold I will punish Shemajah and his seed As being part of his goods and walking likely in his evil wayes He shall not have a man to dwell among his people Viz. At the return from Babylon but both he and his shall perish in this banishment which he prophesied should be shortly at an end but shall prove it otherwise See the like Amos 7.17 Neither shall he see the good He nor any of his See the like threatned to that unbeleeving Prince 2 King 7.2 Because he hath taught rebellion against the Lord So chap. 28.16 See chap. 23.27 Mat. 5.19 To be tuba rebellionis is no small fault Luther was so secundum dici sed non secundum esse so may the best be but let not the sins of Teachers be teachers of sins c. CHAP. XXX Ver. 1. THe Word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord This Chapter and the next are Jeremyes thâ— teenth Sermon as some reckon them and it is wholly Consolatory The Authour of it he sheweth to be the God of all Consolation and this the Prophet inculcateth six several times in the five first verses pro majori efficaciae that it may take the better Ver. 2. Write thee all the Words that I have spoken to thee in a book For the use of posterity as Hab. 2.2 and that the consolations may not be forgotten as Heb. 12.5 Vox audita perit littera scripta manet Ver. 3. I will bring again the captivity of Israel and Judah This promise Oecolampadins thinketh was written in the book in greater letters then the rest it was fulfilled according to the letter in carnal Israel sent back by Cyrus upon Daniels prayer who understood by that book here mentioned that the time of deliverance Convertam conversionem Vulg. yea the set time was come Dan. 9 2 but more fully in those Jews inwardly Rom. 2.29 those Israelites indeed who are set at liberty by Christ Joh. 8. and shall be much more at the last day Ver. 4. And these are the words These are the contents of this precious book every leafe nay line nay letter whereof droppeth myrth and mercy That the Lord spake See on ver 1. Ver. 5. We have heard a voyce of trembling We were at first in a pittiful plight sc when the City was taken and the Temple burnt and
of perfect deliverance by Christ Ver. 19. And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving Mox ubi fides inde prodit laâ— confessio Faith is a fruitful grace the very womb wherein all the rest are conceived Ver. 20. Their children also shall be as aforetime How easily can the Lord turn again the captivity of his people set them statu quo prius Zach. 10.6 They shall be as if I had not cast them off See the Note there Ver. 21. And their Nobles shall be of themselves Forreiners shall no more domineer over them but they shall have Governours of their own Nation who shall be more tender of them and careful of their good Some apply all this and well they may to Jesus Christ who is here called Magnificus Dominator Christus Fortis ille Gâ—gat est Oecol his Magnificent or honourable One and his Ruler who also is one of them and proceedeth from amongst them See Deut. 18.18 And I will cause him to draw near and he shall approach unto me Either as God coequal and coessential with me or as Mediatour and so he shall approach unto me by the hypostatical union in respect of which he came the nearest unto God of any that ever was or could and by the execution of his Priestly office wherein he intercedeth for my people and reconcileth them unto me For who is this that engaged his heart Who but my Son Christ durst do it or was fit to do it he is a super-excellent person as is imported by this Mi-hu-ze Who this he Ver. 22. And ye shall be my people and I will be your God sc Through Christ and by his mediation As for those that are not in Covenant with God by Christ as the devil will one day sweep them so mean while Ver. 23. Behold the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury Sensim sese conglomerans ac demittens in eorum capita the vengeance of God followeth them close at heeles till at length they be wherried away by that terrible tempest at death Job 27.20 Ver. 24. The fierce anger of the Lord See chap. 23.20 In the latter dayes ye shall consider it In the dayes of the Messias but especially at the end of the world when all these things shall have their full accomplishment CHAP. XXXI Ver. 1. AT the same time i. e. In the beginning of Zedekiah's raign as before was this word uttered Or rather in those latter times forementioned chap. 30.24 after the return from Babylon but especially in the dayes of the Messiah The modern Jews vainly apply it to the coming of their Messiah quem tantis etiamnum ululatibus exposcunt whom they yet expect but to no purpose Ver. 2. The people that were left of the sword Of Pharaoh's sword who pursued them Fieri dicitur quod tentatur aut intenditur and though he smote them not because the Lord kept him off yet he is said to have done it like as Balac afterwards arose and fought against Israel Josh 24.9 he had a mind so to have done but that he was over-awed he did not indeed because he durst not When I went to bring him to rest i. e. To the land of Canaan after so long trouble and travel I effected that then though it were held improbable or impossible so I will do this promised reduction of my people from Babylon Indaeorum quiritantium verba Zeg Ver. 3. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me This seemeth to be the peoples objection You tell us what was done of old but these are ancient things and little pertaining to us who are now under a heavy captivity jam refrixit obsoleta videtur Dei beneficentia Hereunto is answered Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love I am one and the same I am Jehovah that change not whatever thou mayst think of me because I seem angry at thy misdoings Therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawn thee Or Therefore will I draw out loving kindnesse toward thee as Psal 36.10 See the Note there Ver. 4. Again I will build thee See chap. 34.18 Thou shalt he adorned with thy tabrets All shall be haile and merry with thee as heretofore yea thou shalt have spiritual joy which is res severa severe and solid such as doth not only smooth the brow but fill the breast Ver. 5. Thou shalt yet plant vines Profunda pax erit nemo te perterre faciat Thou shalt have plenty peace and security The planters shall plant them and shall eat them as common things i. e. Shall have Gods good leave and liking so to do Heb. Shall profane them i. e. not abuse them but use them freely even to an honest affluence See Levit. 19.23 with the Note Ver. 6. The watchmen upon the mount Ephraim Such as are set to keep those vineyards ver 5. Shall cry Arise ye and let us go up to Zion As the ten tribes first made defection so shall they be forwardest in the Reformation England was the like alate Ver. 7. Shout among the chief of the Nations Heb. neigh unto the heads of the Nations ut illa vobis adhinniant pariter in Christi fide jubilent that they may joyn joyes with you and help to make up the quire Publish ye and praise ye and say O Lord save The Saints have never so much matter of praise but that they may at the same time find cause enough to pray for more mercy Psal 18.3 Ver. 8. Behold I will bring them Here 's a present answer to such a Prayer and this promise hath its performance chiefly in the Kingdom of Christ who will not suffer the least or the weakest of his to miscarry See Esa 35.5 6. Ver. 9. They shall come with weeping Prae gandio inquit flebunt they shall weep for joy having first soaked themselves in godly sorrow by the spirit of grace and of supplications or deprecations poured upon them Zach. 12.10 being sollicitous about their salvation And I will make them to walk by the rivers of waters Heb. To the brooks of waters i. e. to the holy ordinances as Psal 23.3 For I am a Father to Israel I do all of free-grace Ephraim is my first-born And therefore higher then the Kings of the earth Psal 89.27 Ver. 10. Hear the Word of the Lord O ye Nations Hear and bear witnesse of the gracious promises that I make to my people for I would have them noted and noticed Ver. 11. For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob Redemption is a voluminous mercy an accumulative blessing From the hand of him that was stronger then he sc The Chaldean but especially from Satan Matth. 12.29 Joh. 12.31 Ver. 12. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion i. e. In the Temple shall they celebrate that singular mercy in the Congregation of the faithful And shall flow together i. e. Flock together by troops and caravans flock thither by sholes To the goodnesse of the Lord Or
to the goods of the Lord such as here instanced wheat wine and oyl whereby also better things are figured a confluence of inward and outward mercies is here assured the Saints And their soul shall be as a watered garden Where every good thing comes forward amain mens foecundata est rore coelesti See Isa 58.11 And they shall not sorrow any more at all As those do who have not this contented godlinesse but serve divers lusts to their great vexation Ver. 13. And make them rejoyce from their sorrow Or after their sorrow I will turn all their sadnesse into gladnesse their sighing into singing their tears into triumphs c. Ver. 14. And I will satiate the soul of the Priests with fatnesse i. e. Provide liberally for my Ministers Isa 66.21 they and theirs shall be well maintained Terms taken from the good and fat parts of the Sacrifices which were allotted for the Priests Ver. 15. A voice was heard in Ramah It was once when the poor captives were carried that way to Babylon the mothers bitterly bewayling their Luctuosam foecunditatem It was also another time when Herod barbarously butchered the babes of Bethlehem Mat. 2.16 17 18. But now the case is altered joy is restored c. Rachel weeping for her children Elegans Prosopopeja See the Notes on Mat. 2.18 Ver. 16. Refrain thy voice from weeping Take up in time O Rachel and the rest God comforteth the abject 2 Cor. 7.6 he restoreth comfort to his mourners Isa 57.18 Ver. 17. And there is hope in the end Or for thy posterity Tribulation causeth patience and patience experience and experience hope lively hope such as maketh not ashamed is not disappointed Spes in fundo God can recompense his peoples patience and obedience in their heires and executours Ver. 18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Heb. hearing I have heard his moans and laments have rung in mine eares So Hos 14 8. I have heard him and observed him This is Gods speech concerning the Christian Church of the Jews for in this Sermon we may easily observe a frequent change of persons tanquam in opere Dramatico as in an Interlude Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised i. e. I was chastised to good purpose taught my duty as Psal 94.12 See there Turn thou me Give me the whole turn that I be not as an untamed sturdy Heifer or as a cake half baked Ver. 19. Surely after that I was turned I repented After that I had turned short again upon my self as those Penitents 1 King 8.47 as Manasseh the Publican Luke 18. and that Prodigal Luke 15.17 And after that I was instructed Post quam ostensum fuerit mihi Tremel In gloss marginal Homer hath it oft 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he smot on his thigh Tully hath the like lib. 3. Tuscul After that I knew my self or rather was made known to my self sc by mine afflictions sanctified for Schola crucis schola lucis Afflictions are those pillulae lucis that serve notably to clear the souls eye-sight I smot upon my thigh Sicut mulierculae in puerperio facere solent saith Luther as travelling women use to do T is a token of greatest grief See Ezek. 21.12 I was ashamed yea even confounded Abashed and abased to the utmost my sorrow was deep and downright Because I did bear the reproach of my youth i. e. The brunt and burthen of my reproachful practises in my youth See Job 13.26 Psal 25.7 Ver. 20. Is Ephraim a dear son Is he a pleasant childe q. d. Ey sure is he and never more dear and pleasant then when thus beblubberd like as some faces appear most oriently beautiful when they are most instampt with sorrow Heb. Is he a childe of delight q. d. He may seem to be otherwise by my hard dealing with him but so he is assuredly Behold he whom thou lovest is sick Joh. 11. For since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still Or so oft as I speak of him I am mindful still of him See Isa 49.14 16. Therefore my bowels are troubled for him Perstrepunt viscera mea My bowels work as that mothers did toward her childe 1 Kings 3.26 as Croesus his dumb sons did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod when seeing a fellow ready to kill his Father he burst out into Kill not King Croesus See Hos 11.8 with the Notes Ver. 21. Set thee up way-markes Statue tibi statuas Mercuriales q. d. I will surely bring thee back by the same way thou wentest hence into captivity therefore take good notice of the way now that thou maiest know it again another time This God saith to quicken their faith and to ascertain them of his love and savour which is not like the winter-Sun which casteth a goodly countenance when it shineth but giveth little heat and comfort c. We must also set up way-markes observe how we fell from the Lord repent and do our first works Set thine heart towards the high-way This is done saith Austin when God is sought for Gods sake sed vix diligitur Jesus propter Jesum saith the same Father but this is rearely done Ver. 22. How long wilt thou go about Hunting after humane helps and refusing to set thy heart on the right straight way ver 21. fetch a compasse to thy losse of time and labour O thou backsliding daughter Who wast whilom O virgin of Israel ver 21. For the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth Or will create he is even about it Sicut hostis circundat hostem A woman shall compasse a man i. e. Say some the Jewes who are now looked upon as weak women and may say Imbelles damae quid nisi turba sumus shall compasse about and conquer the Chaldees those men of might Or as others sense it The Church Christian how weak soever at first it may seem and inconsiderable yet shall be able by the confession of her faith to resist her most potent persecutours and by faith to overcome them 1 Joh. 5.4 as she did in the Apostles Act. 4. 5. in the noble army of Martyrs and Confessours The text is generally understood of Christs wonderful conception in the womb of his Virgin-mother Ver. 23. Thus saith the Lord of hosts Et haec pertinent ad regnum Christi propriissime These words also to the end of the Chapter do most properly pertain to the Kingdom of Christ saith Oecolamp As yet Or Yet again as ver 5. The Lord blesse thee This prayer is daily made for the Church by all her children Ver. 24. Husbandmen and those that go out with flocks Agricola pecuarii the Citizens of the Church shall be plaine-hearted and profitable persons living together in amity and not jarring as husbandmen and shepheards oft doe Cain and Abel for instance Ver. 25. For I have satiated the weary soul Or I will satiate fill them with my fulnesse so that they shall have enough
Church which cannot be ruinated CHAP. XXXII Ver. 1. THe word that came to Jeremiah What this word was see ver 26. In the tenth year of Zedekiah The City had now been a year at least besieged Notanda est tam diutina populi pertinacia and yet these sinners against their own souls went on to do wickedly and held the Prophet prisoner for the faithful discharge of his duty Full forty years had he been prophecying to them and for many years he had foretold this seige and the following deportation but could never be believed and now he is imprisoned but not left destitute by God of prison-comforts such as made his Prison a Paradise and his sleep sweet unto him as chap. 31. Ver. 2. And Jeremiah the Prophet was shut up in the Court of the prison Where he had some liberty more then at some other times chap. 37.16 20 21. So had Paul at Rome Acts 28. Bradford in the Counter c. this was a mercy and so they esteemed it Good people were suffered to come about them and they made use of that opportunity to do what good they could Ver. 3. For Zedekiah had shut him up He who before had set him at liberty and thereby haply hoped to have stopt his mouth but that might not be Behold I will give this City This holy City as the false Prophets stiled it and therefore held this Prophecy little better then Blasphemy Ver. 4. And Zedekiah King of Judah shall not escape As he hoped to have done either by his wiles or by his wealth and accordingly attempted it but all in vain And he shall speak with him mouth to mouth This was no small punishment to Zedekiah that he must look him in the face from whom he had so persidiously revolted even against oath and hear his taunts before he felt his fingers How then will gracelesse persons do to stand before the King of Kings whom they have so greatly offended at that great day See Rev. 9.17 Ver. 5. And there shall he be untill I visit him sc With death but the Prophet useth a general term that might be taken either in good part or bad for his own safety sake Ver. 6. The Word of the Lord came unto me saying He had Gods Word for his warrant and this bore him out against the jeares of the ungodly who would easily think it a very simple part in him who prophesied a desolation of the whole land to go about to buy land Ver. 7. Behold Hanameel the son of Shallum This Shallum and Hilkiah the Father of Jeremiah were brethren And it was no lesse an honour to Hanameel to have such a kinsman as Jeremy then afterwards it was to Mark to be Barnabas his sisters son Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth The Priests though they had no corn-fields yet they had meadows for their cattle gardens and orchards in the suburbs of their Cities which in some cases they might sell one to another till the year of Jubilee howsoever Some say that if such a field were so sold to a kinsman as here it remained to him for ever But the possession of the Levites might at any time be redeemed Lev. 25.32 For the right of redemption is thine See Levit. 25.25 32. Ruth 3.12 4.3 4. Ver. 8. So Hanameel my uncles son came to me God ruleth and boweth mens wills and all second causes according to the good pleasure of his will he doth also so frame and contemper them among themselves that there may be an harmony and correspondency betwixt them Then I knew that this was the Word of the Lord Or that it was a businesse of God sc for the better settling of the faithful in the assurance of a return out of captivity Ver. 9. And I bought the field This was bravely done Liv. lib. 26. Plutar. in Annib Flor. l. 2. c. 6. to make a purchase at such a time when the enemy was seizing upon all That Roman is famous in history who adventured to purchase that field near Rome wherein Annibal had pitcht his camp Verum eorum res non erant ita deploratae but the Romans were nothing near so low at that time as the Jews were at this And weighed him the money That was the manner of payment in those times Olim moneta librabatur Pater puellae id aurum in dotem viro appendit Vnde nomen marcharum bodie nobis superest Zegedin Hence the Hebrew Shekel from Shakel to weigh Gen. 23.16 our English word Scale seemeth to come from it the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ponderare Exod. 30.13 Mat. 27.9 or of statera for a balance the Dutch and English Mark cometh from a like Original Even seventeen shekels of silver No great sum not much above fourty shillings but it might be as much as the thing was worth considering the times especially Ver. 10 And I subscribed the evidence Heb. I wrote in the book and sealed it Men love to be upon sure grounds in things temporal oh that they were as wise for their souls Ver. 11. So I took the evidence of the purchase both that which was sealed c. There were then two copies of these contracts and covenants for preventing of after-claimes and quarrels Ver. 12. And I gave the evidences of the purchase unto Baruch Who was Jeremiah's houshold servant and his Scribe or Notary such as was afterwards Paulus Concordiensis to Cyprian In the sight of Hanameel c. Here was good husbandry Fullers Church hist which Bishop Andrews was wont to say was good Divinity Before all the Jews who sat in the court of the prison Whither they came likely Act. Mon. 1457. to hear the Prophet as the well affected here did to hear and see the Martyrs in Queen Maryes dayes To Mr. Bradford by his keepers courtesie there was such resort at his lecture and ministration of the Sacrament that commonly his chamber was well-nigh filled therewith Ver. 13. And I charged Baruch See on ver 12. Ver. 14. That they may continue many dayes Even beyond the seventy years of Captivity and then be produced again Ver. 15. Houses and fields and vineyards c. How unlikely soever it may seem like as it did to Moses that the people should eat flesh a moneth together He thought that God had made an unadvised promise and prayes him to consider that the people were six hundred thousand footmen and that the flocks and herds would not suffice them Jeremy seemeth to object some such matter in his following prayer especially ver 25. But God answereth them both alike viz. that his hand was not waxen short that nothing was too hard for him that he was never non-plust c. See ver 27. with Num. 11.23 Ver. 16. I prayed unto the Lord saying His heart began to boile with unbelief and carnal reasonings he therefore setteth himself to pray down those distempers As a man may sleep out his
drunkennesse so he may pray away his perturbations It was Jobs restraining of prayer Eliphaz thought that made him so far to forget himself and to out-lash chap. 15.4 Ver. 17. Ah Lord God This Interjection in the beginning of his prayer sheweth that his heart was greatly grieved and perplexed Neverthelesse he reigneth in his passions and runneth not out into a brawle instead of a prayer as Jonas did chap. 4.1 See the Notes there Thou hast made the heaven and earth by thy great power God 's Might and mercy are the good souls Jachin and Boaz whereon it ever resteth These two doth Jeremy in this prayer of his chiefly plead and fly to And there is nothing too hard for thee Heb nothing is hidden from thee or wonderful with thee But for my part I am at a great stand neither know I how to bring both ends together Ver. 18. Thou shewest loving kindnesse See on ver 17. And recompensest the iniquity Thou art not made all of mercy neither as silly folk are apt to conceit it Into the bosom of their children Who have it in full measure long though it be first sometimes Such Parents are parricides The Great the mighty God Surgit hic oratio Let us learn to represent the Lord to our selves in prayer under fit notions and attributes This will both increase faith and inflame affection Ver. 19. Great in counsel and mighty in work See on Esay 9.6 and 28.29 For thine eyes are upon all the wayes of the sons of men Oh that we could alwayes look upon these eyes of God as looking on us it would be a notable retentive from evil and incentive to good To give unto every one according to his wayes Gods providence which is nothing else but the carrying on of his decree is that helm which turneth about the whole ship of the universe Ver. 20. Who hast set signes and wonders Psal 74.43 and 106.22 and 135.9 Oâ—os lib. 1. cap. 10. Even unto this day Orosius writeth that the tracks of Pharaohs charet-wheeles are yet to be seen at the red-sea Fides sit penes Authorem And hast made thee a name As Esay 63.12 ver 21 22 23. See Psal 136.10 11 12 c. and 105.44 Neh. 9.24 26. Ver. 24. Behold the mountaines Raised by the enemies as high as the walls that they might fight with the besieged upon even ground Ver. 25. And thou hast said unto me Which now I cannot but seriously wonder at seeing how things are carried yet I have obeyed thee without sciscitation For the City is given Or though the City be given Ver. 26. Then came the Word of the Lord See on ver 1. Ver. 27. Behold I am the Lord the God of all flesh Yea of the spirits of all flesh Num. 16.22 but what can weak flesh do against the Almighty Is there any thing too hard for me See on ver 15.17 Still God is careful to confirm and comfort his Ministers And here he doth Jeremy much what in his own words Ver. 28. Behold I will give this City as ver 3. Ver. 29. With the houses upon whole roofes Such was their impudence and so far was this now from being as once the holy City It was become a very Poneropolis excessively superstitious as was afterwards Athens Acts 17.22 Ver. 30. Have only done evil before me Have made it their whole practice to provoke me like as ver 23. they are said to have done nothing of all that God commanded them to do so crosse-grained they were and to every good work reprobate Ver. 31. From the day that they built it Ever since Solomon beautified it and made it the Metropolis Neverthelesse Hegesippus was out in saying that Jerusalem was so called quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solomon made it famous by his magnificence but odious by his idolatry there Ver. 32. Because of all the evil Their omissions ver 23. and commissions ver 30. doing evil as they could Ver. 33. And they have turned unto me See chap. 2.27 Though I taught them See chap. 7.13 and 25.3 and 26.3 Ver. 34. In the house which is called by my Name Templi Periphrasis haec est emphatica atque argumentosa Ver. 35. And they built See chap. 7.31 and 19 5. Ver. 36. And now therefore Or yet now notwithstanding when God thus cometh in with his Non-obstante what may not he do Ver. 37. Behold I will gather them See chap. 16.15 and 23.3 This was fulfilled especially in that golden age and perpetual Jubily of the Gospel that began five hundred years after Ver. 38. And they shall be my people See chap. 24.7 and 31.33 Ver. 39. And I will give them one heart Onenesse or singlenesse of heart in my service and unanimity among themselves untill they all come unto that onenesse of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man c. Eph. 4.13 That they may fear me for ever This the Jews say but falsly a man may do by the power of nature See ver 40. and Ezek. 36.26 27. Ver. 40. And I will make See chap. 31.31 Ezek. 39.29 Ver. 41. Yea I will rejoyce over them Volupe mihi erit it shall be as great a pleasure to me to bless them as it can be to them to obey me See chap. 24.7 Ps 119.2 10. Ver. 42. So will I bring upon them chap. 29.10 and 31.28 Ver. 43. And fields shall be bought For an assurance whereof I have caused thee to buy this field now Ver. 44. Men shall buy fields for money All shall be statu quo prius in that great restauration of all things And with this Chapter endeth the Commentary of Hierom upon Jeremy CHAP. XXXIII Ver. 1. MOreover the Word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the second time To the same purpose with the former chap. 32. which is reckoned his fourteenth Sermon as this his fifteenth by both we see that the Word of God is not bound though the Preacher may 2 Tim. 2.9 It runs and is glorified is free and not fettered 2 Thes 3.1 While he was yet shut up God forsaketh not his Prisoners but giveth them oft extraordinary comforts Philip Lantgrave of Hesse being a long time held prisoner by Charles the fifth for the defence of the Gospel was demanded what upheld him all that time he answered Divinas Martyrum consolationes se sensisse that he felt in his soul the divine consolations of Martyrs in whom as the afflictions of Christ do abound so do comforts by Christ abound much more 2 Cor. 1.5 Ver. 2. Thus saith the Lord the Maker thereof i. e. Of the promise of restauration chap. 32. Or of Jerusalem which he is said to make in the sense that he made Moses and Aaron 1 Sam. 12.6 that is advanced them The Lord is his Name Jehovah the Essectiator who giveth being to all things and particularly to his Word Ver. 3. Call unto me and I will answer thee Thou hast a promise and I will
performe it but so as that thou Jeremy and such as thou art Daniel Ezekiel Nehemiah c. pray over the promise The Angel told Daniel he came for his prayer-sake chap. 10.12 And shew thee great and mighty things Or abstruse and reserved things Gods praying people get to know much of his mind above others like as John by weeping gat the book opened and Daniel by prayer had the Kings secret revealed unto him in a night vision Dan. 2.18 19. Bene orasse est bene studuisse said Luther who as he had much communion with God by prayer so holy truths were dayly more and more made known unto him he knew not how nor which way as himself said Ver. 4. Which are thrown down by the mounts Or Catapults or engines of demolition used to batter with See chap. 32.24 And by the sword Or mattocks sc after that the enemy had entred the City and cryed as Psal 137.3 Destruite ex imis subvertite fundamentis Down with it down with it even to the ground Ver. 5. They come to fight with the Chaldeans But they fight not in Gods Name for he hath for all their wickednesse hid his face from them therefore they fight with such sorry successe the houses which they would defend are filled with their dead carcasses This whole verse would be hemmed in with a Parenthesis Ver. 6. Behold I will bring it health and cure Vna eademque manus vulnus opemque feret This is Gods usual method and manner of dealing with his people Hos 6.1 as a skilful Physician primo pungit deinde ungit Enecat ut possit vivificare Deus Revelabo 1. vt ipsa exhibebo And I will reveals unto them abundance of peace and truth Why then feri Domine feri such gold as peace and truth cannot be bought too dear The Chaldee here hath it Revelabo eis portam poenitentiae I will reveal unto them the gate of repentance and shew them how they may walk in the way of peace and truth Ver. 7. And I will cause the captivity of Judah As chap. 24.5 and 30.3 and 32.44 they shall be as if I had not cast them off and I will hear them Zach. 10.6 Ver. 8. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity Which must therefore needs be a filthy and loathsom thing else what need cleansing Christ for this cause came by water and blood And I will pardon all their iniquities This clause expoundeth the former and containeth the mother-mercy Ver. 9. And it shall be to me a name of joy i. e. An honour that I shall take singular delight in Iâ— nomen latum 1 laetificum And they shall fear and tremble for all the goodnesse Which bodes no good to them for the Churches welfare is ever joyned with the downfal and destruction of her enemies Ver. 10. Again there shall be heard in this place God loveth to help his people when they are forsaken of their hopes Ver. 11. The voyce of joy See chap. 7.34 and 16.9 The voyce of them that shall say Praise the Lord of hosts for he is good This carmen intercalare the Jews sang joyfully at their return from Babylon Ezra 3.11 and the Saints shall have cause to sing throughout all eternity And of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise Even the calves of their lips giving thanks to his name Heb. 13.15 together with other Evangelical sacrifices as contrition Psal 51.17 Confidence Psal 4.5 Almesdeeds Heb. 13.16 the obedience of faith Rom. 15.16 selfdenial Rom. 12.1 c. The Talmudists say that the sacrifice of praise here mentioned shall continue when all other sacrifices are abolished and this we see verified in the Christian Church Ver. 12. In all the Cities thereof shall be an habitation of Shepherds i. e. Several sorts of buildings yea even sheep-cotes and lodges for Shepherds and their flocks All these promises are Antitheta opposite to those menaces chap. 7.34 and 16.9 and 25.10 See chap. 31.24 Ver. 13. Shall the flocks passe again under the hand of him that telleth them As shepherds use oft to tell their sheep Christ the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls knoweth all his sheep and calleth them by name he hath them ever in numerato for he numbreth the stars also See Joh. 10.3 11 12. Ver. 14 I will perform that good thing Praestabo verbum istud optimum as Tremellius well rendereth it I will perform that best word or promise viz. concerning Christ in whom all the former and future promises are Yea and Amen to the glory of God 2 Cor. 1.20 Haec dicendâ— bono sunt bona verba die Ver. 15. I will cause the Branch of righteousnesse See the same chap. 23.5 This sweet promise concerning Christ can never be too often repeated The Greek and German versions have that clause here also as there And a King shall reign and prosper or understand Ver. 16. And this is the name wherewith she shall be called The Lord is our righteousnesse Heb. this is that he shall call her Jehovah our Righteousnesse Called the Church shall be by Christs own name which is a very high honour as being his Spouse and making up one mystical body with him Hence she is called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 and the fulnesse of him who filleth all in all Eph. 1. ult See chap. 23.6 with Ezek. 48.35 Ver. 17. David shall never want a man The Man Christ Jesus Luke 1.32.33 Ver. 18. Neither shall the Priest want a man The same Man Christ Jesus who is as a King everlasting so a Priest for ever after the order of Milchisedech and his sacrificing of himself once is more then equivalent to the daily perpetual sacrificing Whereunto may be added the continuance of an Evangelical Ministry in the Church to the worlds end Mat. 28.20 Eph. 4.11 12 13. Ver. 19. And the Word of the Lord c. Iterum de perpetuitate regni Christi tractat jurat saith Oecolampad Once more he treateth of the perpetuity of Christs kingdom and assureth it as by oath Ver. 20. If ye can break my Covenant of the day God hath hitherto kept promise with nights and dayes that one shall succeed the other and will he not then keep touch with his people Ver. 21. Then may also my Covenant See ver 17.18 The Poet hath somewhat like this Jungantur ansè saeva sideribus freta Et ignis undae tartaro tristi polus Lux alma tenebris râ—scidae nocti dies c. Sen. in Octavia Ver. 22. As the host of heaven See Gen. 13.16 15.5 So will I multiply the seed of David True believers And the Levites godly Ministers See Psal 68.11 Ver. 23. Moreover Or Again Idem repetit the same thing is repeated that it may be the better believed Ver. 24. Consider thou not what this people have spoken This unbelieving misgiving desponding people of mine The two families Judah Israel habentur pro peripsemate Ver. 25. If my Covenant
be not with day and night See on ver 20. If there be not a constant intercourse of either Ver. 26. Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob The body of the faithful whom he ruleth by his Word and Spirit Psal 105.1 6. Rom. 9.6 Gal. 3.16 17. 6.16 And will have mercy on them This is a complexive promise and better then mony answereth all things CHAP. XXXIV Ver. 1. THe Word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord Still he voucheth his Author for more authority sake And this is held to be his sixteenth Sermon And all the Kingdoms of the earth of his dominion For never any Monarch was master of the whole earth Ver. 2. Go and speak unto Zedekiah Tell him plainly what shall become of him and his though thou be sent to prison for thy plain-dealing Ver. 3. And thou shalt not escape Whatever vain hopes thou maist nourish and although thou thinkest thou hast a stake in store howsoever the world goes with the rest See chap. 32.4 5. Ver. 4. Yet hear the Word of the Lord A word of comfort The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works Psal 145.9 Out of his philanthropy he giveth this wicked Prince a mitigation of his just punishment and a further time to repent as Rev. 2.21 And possibly this goodnesse of God might in time lead him to repentance as Rom. 2.4 Thou shalt not dye by the sword And yet Josiah his Father a far better man did so unsearchable are Gods Judgements and his wayes past finding out Ver. 5. But thou shalt dye in peace Yet not as his Father Josiah did in that peace of God unlesse he amended his manners for he was reckoned among the naughty figs. And with the burnings of thy fathers the former Kings With the usual solemnities at the exequies of the better sort of Kings Nec una fuit veteribus sepeliendi ratio See 2 Chron. 16.14 21.19 The Jews have a tradition that Nebuchadnezzar upon a festival day caused him to be brought out of prison and so abused him before his Princes to make them sport that for shame and grief thereof he dyed soon after Joseph Antiq. lib. 10. c. 11. and then Nebuchadnezzar to make him some recompence caused him to be honourably buried suffering his quondam-subjects to burn sweet odours and to bewail his death Flanctús haec fuit â—ormula juxta Seder-Olam Heâ— quia mortuus est Rex Zedeâ— â—as bâ—bens faeces omnium aetatum i. e. Luens peccata priorum saeculorum interprete Genebrardo And they will lament thee The dues of the dead are honorifice lugeri honeste sepeliri to be honourably lamented and laid up which yet is not granted to all good men but heaven makes amends For I have pronounced the word Both the comminatory part of this message and the consolatory But Zedekiah was so moved at the former that he regarded not the latter Ver. 6. Then Jeremiah spake all these words Never fearing what might follow And he had no soner done but he was clapt up See chap. 32.3 Ver. 7. And against all the Cities of Judah which were left These were not many for the Chaldaean conquerour as an overflowing scourge had passed through Judah and gone over all reaching even to the neck as Isa 8.8 Ver. 8. This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord Here beginneth a new Sermon reckoned the seventeenth And here ought to begin a new Chapter saith Piscator After that the King Zedekiah had made a Covenant In their distresse they made some shews of remorse and some overtures of reformation So did Pharaoh Exod. 8.8 15 28 32. 9.28 34. 10.17 20. And the Israelites of old Judg. 10.15 16. Psal 78.34 35 36. See the Notes there Daemon languebat c. Pliny in one of his Epistles to one that desired rules from him how to order his life aright I will said he give you one rule that shall be instead of a thousand Vt tales esse perseveremus sani quales nos futuros esse profitemur infirmi i. e. That we continue to be as good in health as we promise and begin to be when sick Hic septimus annus fuit typus aeternae liberationis post curriculum sex dierum mundi sex mille annorum Ver. 9. That every man should let his man servant Should manumit and dismisse him at six years end according to the Law Exod. 21.1 2. The seventh year was called the year of liberty and then they were to let go their brethren that served them and this in a thankful remembrance of their deliverance from the Egyptian servitude But this they had neglected to doe and now to pacify Gods wrath and to prevent if it might be the Chaldaeans cruelty this course they took and not altogether without successe For the seige was thereupon raised for a season and had they returned to God with all their heart and with all their soul who knows what might have been further done for them But they did nothing lesse therefore came wrath upon them to the utmost Ver. 10. Then they obeyed and let them go They seemed to be very good as long as it lasted See on ver 8. So when God layes seige to men by sicknesse or otherwise then Covenants are made and kept for a while concerning the putting away of their sins but no sooner doth God slack his wrath but they retract their vows and return to their wonted wickednesse Aegrotus surgit sed pia vota jacent Ver. 11. But afterwards they turned and caused their servants Coveteousness prompting and pricking them on thereunto for that is the root of all evil Stimulante avaritia 1 Tim. 6.10 The Chaldaeans had drawn off to go belike to fight with the relief that was comeing out of Egypt chap. 37.7 11. and now these silly Jews thought themselves out of the reach of Gods rod perfidiously repealed their vows reimbondaged their servants and are therefore worthily threatened with a more cruel servitude to the Chaldaeans for this their relapse and breach of Covenant with God Jun. Ver. 12. Therefore the Word of the Lord Of God the Son Came to Jeremiah from the Lord From God the Father Ver. 13. I made a Covenant with your Fathers Heb. I cut a Covenant See v. 18. Out of the house of bondmen Such were you when there why then should you pull up the bridge before others which your selves have gone over make slaves of those whom God had made free Levit. 25.39 42. Ver. 14. At the end of seven years let ye go He layeth before them Gods Law which they had transgressed out of Exod. 21.2 Deut. 15.12 A Law so full of equity humanity and benignity that the honester Heathens approved and observed it as the Romans and Athenians Only these latter had an action at Law which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Master against his servant ungrateful for
his manumission Val. Max. l. 2. c. 1. and not doing his duty to his Master for such were again to be made bond-slaves if the crime could be proved against them Ver. 15. And you were now turned Being frighted into a temporary reformation but all was in hypocrisy as now well appeareth Falling Stars were never but Meteors In proclaiming liberty every one to his neighbour Your servants were your neighbours and their flesh as your flesh Neh. 5.5 and should have been so considered In the Law the servant paid the half-shekel as well as his Master And in the Gospel Servus est domini sui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as there is neither Jew nor Greek so neither bond not free but all are one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.28 whether he be Lord or losel And ye had made a Covenant before And have not all done so in Baptism that Beersheba or well of an oath Ver. 16. But ye turned Exprobrat recidivum Judaeorum scelus qui scilicèt primam virtutem turpiter deluserint violarint He upbraideth them and deservedly with their Apostacy and perjury Peter also thundereth against such 2 Pet. 2. And polluted my name sc By the violation of your solemn vow so doth every profligate professour and ungirt Christian Whom he had set at liberty at their pleasure Liberty is a desirable and delectable commodity Those that live in Turky Persia yea or but in France c. esteem it so Ver. 17. Ye have not harkened unto me in proclaiming liberty Ye have not done it because ye have not continued to do it ye have lost the things that you had wrought Behold I proclaim a liberty for you God loves to retaliate Here he abandoneth these Apostates to the plagues instanced Let them use you at their pleasure saith God I have no mercy for such mercilesse wretches neither care I what becometh of you Ver. 18. That have transgressed my Covenant His Covenant he calleth it by a weighty Emphasis because about a businesse by him commanded and wherein he was engaged not as a bare spectatour but as a severe avenger of their perjury Hom. Il. l. 3. Tul. de Invent Liv. l. 1. Virg. Aeneid 8. Hinc foedus à foedo animali diviso When they cut the Calf in twain To shew the correspondency of wills whereunto the contracters did bind themselves and the punishment of dissection or other violent death whereunto they submitted themselves in case they brake promise The rise of this rite in covenanting See Gen. 15.9 10 17. The Heathens used the like ceremony as is to be seen in Homer Cicero Livy Virgil caesa jungebant faedera porcâ The Romans cut a sow in twain and when it was divided the Faeciales or heralds gave one half to one party and the other half to the other and said So God divide you asunder if you break this Covenant and let God do this so much the more as he is more able Ver. 19. The Princes of Judah These were most of them cut in pieces by the King of Babylon as the calf had been Ver. 20. And their dead bodies Chap. 7.33 16.4 Ver. 21. Which are gone up from you But will be upon you again ere long they are but gone back to fetch bear as it were You have deceived you servants with a vain hope of liberty and so you do now your selves See chap. 37.8 22. Ver. 22. Behold I will command i. e. By a secret instinct I will move CHAP. XXXV Ver. 1. THe Word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord The eighteenth Sermon ordine tamen arbitario non naturali delivered divers years before the former and here placed not in its proper order but as it pleased him that collected them into this Book Ver. 2. Go unto the house of the Rechabites So called of one Rechab the Father of Jonadab who was famous for his Piety in Jehu's dayes 2 Kings 10.15 three hundred years at least before this Prophecy of Jeremy They were of the posterity of Jethro Moses Father-in-Law and lived up and down in the land upon their employments weaned from the world and exercising themselves in the Law of God See 1 Chron. 2.55 Where they are called the families of the Scribes that dwelt at Jabez as being men learned in the Laws of God Of them came the Essenes a studious and abstemious Sect among the Jews and they might better then those Donatists have taken to themselves the title of Apotactici so called from their renouncing the world And give them wine to drink Heb. make them drink wine i. e. set it before them and then leave them to their own liberty Ver. 3. Then I took Jaazaniah Whether actually or in vision only it skilleth not but the former way probably Ver. 4. And I brought them into the house of the Lord That it might be made a publike businesse and so the better work upon all that should hear of it The son of Igdaliah a man of God A Priest and Prophet or Teacher of the people So in the new Testament others are called Gods children his servants and his people but Ministers only are called Gods men 1 Tim. 6.11 2 Tim. 3.17 Which was by the chamber of the Princes Or of the Prefects of the Temple that were next under the High-Priests Ver. 5. Drink ye wine T was a double temptation unto them 1. To have pots and cups of wine set befor them 2. To be bid drinke it by a Prophet and at Prophets chamber But they were resolved in obedience to their Father Jonadab to forbear Yet if Jeremy had said Thus saith the Lord Drink wine they ought to have done it but this he did not Ver. 6. We will not drink wine This they were resolved on not because they were perswaded as Mahomets followers are that in every grape there dwelt a devil but because Jonadab the son of Rechab their Progenitour 2 Kings 10.15 had two or three hundred years before charged them to forbear not thereby to establish any new arbitrary service or any rule of greater perfection of life as the Papists misalledge it in favour of Monkery and other will-worships and superstitious observances but only as a civil ordinance Hae leges vita potius erant honestatis quam salutis animae about things external the foundation whereof is laid in the word which commendeth modesty humility sobriety heavenly-mindednesse c. Ver. 7. Neither shall ye build house But be content and dwell in tents as the ancient Patriarches were and as your Ancestours in Midian removing from place to place after the manner of the old Nomades so shall ye be the better prepared for a change in the state which this good old man might foresee and foresignify to his Nephews enjoyning them therefore to follow their shipeherdy only as men lesse addicted to the world and bent for heaven That ye may live many dayes in the land Whilest ye obey my charge Long life is promised
to children that obey their Parents Where ye be strangers The Rechabites were originally Midianites but Jethro of whom they came was a famour proselite to the Church his son Hobab a guide to Gods people in the wildernesse and his posterity imped and incorporated into the body of Gods people Judg. 1.16 Neverthelesse they counted and called themselves strangers alienigenae as those that looked for a better country above See Heb. 11.9 Ver. 8. Thus have we obeyed the voyce of Jonadab Obedience to Parents in things not unlawful is very commendable Aristotle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. Rhet. it is not good for a man to dissent from the Gods from his Father and from his Teacher We read of a King of Poland who carried the picture of his Father in a plate of gold about his neck and when he was going about any great businesse he would kisse that picture and say God grant I may observe my Fathers charge and do nothing unworthy of him c. We our wives our sons and our daughters As themselves were obedient to their Father so had they their children obedient to them whereas ill children are punished in their posterity Fullers holy State One complained that never Father had so undutiful a child as he had yes said his son with lesse grace then truth my Grand-father had Ver. 9. Nor to build houses c. Jonadab being a prudent and withal a mortified man might foresee that the Israelites being so wicked a people could not long continue He knew also that wine was oft an occasion of drunkenness trading in the world of earthlimindedness fair houses of lothness to leave the world Haec sunt quae nos invitos faciunt mori as that Emperour once said of stately buildings He therefore for a quiet life and for their souls health forbad them the use of these lawful things and they accordingly forbare them Ver. 10. But we have dwelt in tents And fed much upon whitemeats as did Heber the Kenite who was one of them Judg. 4. living in abstinence and bodily labour that we might be free to divine contemplations Ver. 11. Come and let us go to Jerusalem So then it was lawful for them to dispense with those their observances in that inevitable necessity like as also they might have drunk wine rather then have perished But what can be reasonably pleaded for that man of sin who taketh upon him to dispense with Gods holy law Bellarm. lib. 4. de Pontif. Rom. and de injustitia facere justitiam ex nihilo aliquid ex virtute vitium to make righteousnesse of unrighteousnesse vice of vertue something of nothing So we dwell at Jerusalem But better they had kept out and held to their old course for so they might have escaped some way Ver. 12. Then came the Word of the Lord Then after this famous example of obedience thus proposed an excellent way of teaching surely Reason should rule and therefore lodgeth in the braine but when reason cannot perswade example will Ver. 13. Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my Words Quae est illa portentosa pertinacia what a strange stiffeness and obstinacy in you is this am not I to be better esteemed and obeyed by you then Jonadab is by the Rechabites Ver. 14. The words of Jonadab not to drink wine are performed So are the words of Mahomet to like purpose to this day by the Turks so are the commands of the Popish Padres to their young Novices though it be to make a voyage to China or Peru Per varios casm per tot discriminarerum For unto this day they drink none Neither dwell in houses as you do and may do eating of the fat and drinking of the sweet without restraint so that you keep within the bounds of sobriety I command you nothing but what in reason should be done for a worldly good as well as for a spiritual Rising early and speaking I began betimes with you my Law I gave you in Horeb eight or nine hundred years since and from that time to this I have constantly and instantly called upon you by my messengers for obedience whereas it is not yet full three hundred years since Jonadab left this charge with his Rechabites and dying left none to see it fulfilled or to reprove them for their neglects Ver. 15. I have sent unto you all my servants the Prophets But all to no purpose See on ver 14. Saying Return ye now every man from his evil way And was this so great a matter to part with that which profiteth you nothing yea which undoubtedly will undo you And go not after other gods For wherein can they bestead you And ye shall dwell in the land This was more then ever Jonadab could promise or promising perform to his Nephews But ye have not enclined your ear See chap. 7.24 26. and 11.8 and 17.23 and 34.14 Ver. 16. Because the sons of Jonadab This was a lively way of confuting their contumacy far more convincing then that of the heathens not changing their gods or the beasts knowing their owners the birds their seasons But this people have not hearkened unto me Whereas if I be a Father where is mine honour and if a Master where is mine obedience Mal. 1.6 See the Notes there Ver. 17. Behold I will bring upon Judah Aut poenitendum aut pereundum Men must either repent or perish obey Gods Law or bear the penalty no remedy Heb. 2.2 2 Thes 1.8 Ver. 18. Because ye have obeyed the Commandement Obedience to Parents hath an ample recompence of reward as that which is good and acceptable before God and men 1 Tim. 5.4 Ver. 19. Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever i. e. To be beloved by me and to be in special favour with me lifting up pure hands in all places of their abode Captive they were carried among the Jews but they returned also again with them as appeareth 1 Chron. 2. sub finem erantque Deo cordi curae and they were dear to God CHAP. XXXVI Ver. 1. ANd it came to passe in the fourth year This whole Chapter is historical and narrative as also are some others besides this Historias lege ne fias historia Oâ—im liber erat instar mappae Geographicae Ver. 2. Take thee a role of a book i. e. A volume as Isa 8.1 See the Note there And write therein Jeremy had a command to write so have not our empty Scripturients whose rapes on the innocency of paper as one phraseth it make the Presse almost execrable Pineda Ista prurientis calami scabies potius est quam scriptio All the words that I have spoken unto thee The sum and substance of all thy Sermons for these three and twenty years past See chap. 1.2 and 25.3 Ver. 3. It may be that the house of Judah will hear c. See here the utility of the holy
focum keeping himself warm in his winter chamber and carelesse of calling upon God whiles the people cold and empty were fasting and praying in the Temple and hearing the Word read by Baruch In the ninth moneth sc Of the sacred year which moneth was part of our November and part of December a cold season but that thing of nought his body which he now made so much of was shortly after to be cast out unburied in the day to the heat and in the night to the frost ver 30. Quintillan Ver. 23. When Jehudi had read three or four leaves Vespasian is said to have been patientissimus veri very patient of truth so was good Josiah whose heart melted at the hearing of the Law 2 Chron. 34.27 but so was not this degenerate son of his Jeboiakim but more like Tiberius that Tiger who tore with his teeth all that displeased him Lib. 3. hist or like Vitellius the Tyrant of whom Tacitus saith Ita formatae principis aures ut aspera quae utilia nec quidquam nisi jucundum non laesurum actiperet that his cares were of that temper that he could hear no counsel though never so profitable unless it were pleasant and did suit with his humours He cut it with the penknife Why what could he dislike in that precious piece Of Petronius his Satyricon one said well Tolle obscaena tollis omnia Of Jeremies prophecies I may safely say Tolle sancta tollis omnia But this brutish Prince could not away with downright-truth c. Oecolamp And cast it into the fire O stultitiam quid innocentes chartae commeruerant O madnesse what evil had those innocent papers deserved that they must dye this double death as it were Those Magical books at Ephesus were worthily burnt Act. 19. Aretines love-books are so lascivious that they deserve to be burned saith Boissard Bois biblioth together with their Authour Many seditious Pamphlets are now committed to Vulcan to be corrected and more should be But O sancta Apocalypsis as that Martyr once said when he took up the book of the Revelation cast into the same fire with himself So O holy Jeremy what hast thou said or written to be thus flasht and then cast into the fire Jehoiakim is the first we read of that ever offered to burn the Bible Antiochus indeed did the like afterwards and Dioclesian the Tyrant and now the Pope But though there were not a Bible left upon earth yet for ever O Lord thy Word is stablished in heaven saith David Psal 119 89. Vntill all the roll was consumed So far was he from repenting of that his wickednesse that he fed his eyes with such a sad spectacle and was ready to say as Solon did when he burnt the Usurers bonds in Athens that he never saw a fairer or clearer fire burn in all his life Ver. 24. Yet they were not afraid Ne paulum quidem perculsi sunt The King and his servants those Court-parasites were not stirred at all at such a Bible-bone-fire but jeared when they should have feared c. Nor rent their garments Such was their stupor seu non-curantia their security and insensibleness of that high offence for which their posterity keep a yearly fast See on ver 6. Rending of garments in token of grief was in use also among the Heathens Homer saith Priamus rent his clothes when he heard of the death of his son Hector The like hath Virgil of his Aeneas Tam pater Aeneas humeris abscindere vestem Auxilioque vocate deos Suetonius saith the like of Jalius Caesar c. Pro concione fidem militum flens veste à pectore dicissâ imploravit Suet. c. 55. Ver. 25. Neverthelesse Elnathan Who had before been active for the King in apprehending and slaughtering the Prophet Vriah chap. 26.22 but now haply touched with some rremorse for having any hand in so bloody an act Had made intercession to the King Verum frigide admodum but very coldly and such cold friends the truth hath still not a few at Kings Courts especially Ver. 26. But the King commanded Jerameel the son of Hammelech Or the Kings son whom he might employ against these two servants of God as once the King of France sent his son and heir with an Army against the Waldenses It is not for nothing therefore that the curse is denounced against Jehojakim and his posterity ver 30 31. But the Lord hid them i. e. He provided for them a hiding place in some good mans house and there safe guarded them from these blood-hounds who hunted after their precious lives There in no fence but flight nor counsel but concealement to secure an innocent subject against an enraged Soveraign Ver. 27. Then the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah Jehojakim took an ill course to free himself forom trouble as he counted it by burning the Roll for Gods Word cannot be burnt no more then it can be bound 2 Tim. 2.9 And shall they thus escape by iniquity No verily for it followeth and it is not more votum then vaticinium a wish then a Prophecy In thine anger cast down the people O God Psal 56.7 Ver. 28. Take thee again another roll Revertere accipe Gods Ministers must be stedfast and unweariable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as they know that their labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult And write in it all the former words If all the Tyrants on earth should fight against the very paper of the Scriptures striving to abolish it yet they could not possibly do it There will be Bibles when they shall be laid low enough in the slimy valley where are many already like them and more shall come alter them Job 21.31 32. Ver. 29. And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim i. e. Add this doleful doom of his to the new written roule and direct it to Jehojakim Some think the Prophet told him these things to his face like as Eliah presented himself to Ahab whom before he had fled from and dealt freely with him but that is not so likely Ver. 30. He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David i. e. None to make any reckoning of for his son Jeconâ—ah raigned but three moneths and ten dayes And Zedekiah is not looked upon as his lawful successour because he was his Uncle and set up likely by Nebuchadnezzar for a reproach to Jehojakim and Jeconiah Of Jehojakim it may be said as was afterwards of Ethelred King of England Ejus vitae cursus saevus in principio miser in medio turpis in exitu asseritur Malms lib. 2. cap. 10. and in as great spite as once Attilus King of Suesia made a dog King of the Danes in revenge of a great many injuries received by them appointing Councellours to do all things under his title And his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat This was that infamous burial
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
more then all this worlds good Ver. 14. Then said Jeremy Luther It is false Satanae pectus mendaciis foecundssimum est It is no news for innocency to be belyed and to go with a scratcht face But he harkened not unto him Right or wrong he must afore the Princes who do also handle the good Prophet very coursely Ver. 15. Wherefore the Princes were wroth with Jeremiah Upon the Captains false suggestion which they should better have sifted into first before they had believed it for Pellucet mendacium nec per omnia quadrat a lye is oft so thin that it may be seen through and soon found out And smot him Perhaps with their own hands as bloody Bonner buffeted some of the Martyrs pulling off part of their beards And put him in prison Causâ nondum cognitâ before they had heard his defence These Princes were worse then Jehojakims chap. 36.19 or if the same men they were now grown worse and here was as Bernard hath it sedes prima vita ima De Consider lib. 2. Act. Mon. ingens authoritas nutans stabilitas In the house of Jonathan the Scribe As bad as Lollards Tower to our Martyrs or the Bishop of Londons Cole-house which Mr. Philpot thought to be the worst prison about London Ver. 16. When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon Heb. into a place or house of the pit or hole where the Prophet could neither walk nor handsomly lye down In domum eisternae when worse men a great deal had what liberty they lifted And into the cabins Or cells where they scarce put any but traitours and like foul offenders Such they had at Athens called Barathrum at Rome Tullianum or Profundum maris c. into which whosoever was put could hardly be put to more misery And Jeremiah had remained there many dayes Till the return of the Chaldees likely Canes lingunt ulcera Lazari Ver. 17. Then Zedekiah the King Being now in distresse because of the Chaldees come again and willing to hear from the Prophet some word of comfort which yet might not be unlesse he had been better If comfort be applyed to a gracelesse person the truth of God is falsified Is there any word from the Lord Any new Oracle and different from that of destruction which thou hast so often rung in our ears ad ravim nauseam usque And Jeremy said There is sc A word from the Lord but the same as before for thou must mend ere the matter will mend with thee Ver. 18. What have I offended against thee As I know mine owne innocency so I would thou shouldest know that I am no Stoick or stock indolent or insensible of my grievous sufferings through the cruelty of thy Princes who have committed me to this ugly prison Ver. 19. Where are now your Prophets Let them appear now if you please and upon trial made let truth take place To this most equal motion when the King said nothing the Prophet proceedeth to move again for himself that he might be removed at least to a more convenient place unlesse they meant an end of him Ver. 20. Therefore hear now I pray thee O my Lord the King As stout as he was and impartial in delivering Gods message in supplicating for himself he is very submisse and humble to his Sovereign not daring to speak evil of dignities though he had wrongfully suffered much from them Ver. 21. Then Zedekiah the King commanded For this curtesy of his to the Prophet God granted him a natural death and an honourable burial in Babylon That they should commit Jeremiah into the Court of the Prison Where he might have more liberty and better accommodations and where his friends cum adire audire possent might come and hear him See chap. 22.2 And that they should give him daily a piece of bread And a piece of a cake we say is better then no bread I read of a gracious woman who said that she had made many a meals meat upon the promises when she wanted bread But Jeremy besides the promises chap. 1. and elsewhere was here by a sweet providence sustained in the prison during that extream famine in the City whereof we read in the Lamentations when it was no smal mercy to have a morsel of bread to keep him alive Sic amara interdum dulcescunt Who would not trust so good a God CHAP. XXXVIII Ver. 1. THen Shephatiah Here was aliud ex alio malum one affliction on the neck of another Matters mend with us as sowr Ale doth in summer said Bishop Ridley once when he was prisoner Poor Jeremy might well have said so if ever any as appeareth by this Chapter where we find him in a worse hole then was that of Jonathan but his extremity was Gods opportunity Shephathiah the son of Mattan and Gedaliah c. These four Princes here named to their eternal infamy were no small men as appeareth in that the King was not he that could do any thing against them ver 5. The grandees of the world are greatest enemies usually to the truth Little they had to say against his doctrines they quarrel with his affection as a perturber of the publike place ver 4. Ahab charged the like crime upon Elias the Jews upon Christ and afterwards upon Paul the Heathen persecutors upon the primitive Christians the hereticks still upon the Orthodox that they were seditious Antimonarchical c. Ver. 2. Thus saith the Lord He that remaineth in the City This is the sef-same truth which he had preached before and for the which he suffered See chap. 21.9 He is constant to his principles and although it be commonly said and seen that He who receives a curtesy sells his liberty yet it was not so with this holy Prophet He had received some enlargement and care was taken by the King that a piece or a roll of bread should be brought him daily to the prison out of the bakers-street but that stoppeth not his mouth Ver. 3. Thus saith the Lord And as long as the Lord saith so I must say so too whatever come of it chap. 1. Ver. 4. For thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war Thus out of canal policy is piety impugned So 1 Kings 12.27 Joh. 11.48 See on ver 1. Ver. 5. Then Zedekiah the King said Behold he is in your hand O nihili Regem qui ne verbulo quidem cruentis viris obluctatur O King of clouts saith One who knowing the Prophets innocency and these Princes bloodthirstinesse durst not say a word for him or against them This inconstancy of his and impotency of spirit proceeded meerly from diffidence and distrust in God Ver. 6. Then took they Jeremiah Whom the King had now against his conscience as afterwards Pilate dealt by Jesus either through fear or favour betrayed unto his deadly enemies and so he was in a pittiful plight in a forlorn condition But Jeremiah De profundit
chieftain among the Jews fell to the Chaldees as it may seem before the City was taken according to Jeremy's counsel and is now set over the land and hath the Prophet Jeremiah committed to his care The son of Ahikam Who had rescued the Prophet chap. 26.24 See the Note there Ver. 15. Now the Word of the Lord Which is never bound 2 Tim. 2.9 but tunneth and is glorified 2 Thes 3.1 Ver. 16. Go and speak unto Ebedmelech the Ethiopian Who yet was an Israelite indeed by his faith and religion as was likewise Jether the Ishmaelite 1 Chron. 7.17 with 2 Sam. 17.25 Thus saith the Lord of hosts Who will not fail to give unto him who sheweth kindnesse to any Prophet of his a Prophets reward Mat. 10. Behold I will bring my words upon this City for evil See chap. 21.16 and 44.27 And they shall be accomplished in that day before thee Thou shalt see it but shalt survive it And this prophecy may be unto us instead of a most certain history Ver. 17. But I will deliver thee in that day From the sword the famine and the pestilence a thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right-hand but it shall not come nigh thee Psal 91.7 8. Val. Max. only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked and that the Lord is sure though slow tarditatem supplicii gravitate compensans And thou shalt not be delivered into the hands of those men Zedekiah's Courtiers who do bear thee an aking tooth for thy kindnesse to my Prophet and have vowed revenge Ver. 18. For I will surely deliver thee Heb. delivering deliver thee It would be a great stay of mind if God should say the same to us in particular and by name as he doth here to this Ethiopian And yet he saith no lesse to us in the precious promises which we are by faith to appropriate But thy life shall be for a prey unto thee Pro lucro cessura est for saving my Prophets life thou shall have thine own so sure a gain is godlinesse Because thou hast put thy trust in me What may not faith have at Gods hands Those that trust him do after a sort engage him to deliver them and to doe them good CHAP. XL. Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah This word what it was Jeremy will shew chap. 42.7 after the circumstances of his enlargement related and other matters of story premised Vatablus rendereth it Actio quam gessit Dominus cum Jeremia After that Nebuzaradan had let him go from Ramah Which was the place of Rendevouz whether Jeremy was also brought with the rest of the Captives and manicled also as he was found in the court of the prison but soon set free and dismissed A difference shall one day at that great day especially be discerned between the righteous and the wicked betwixt him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Mal. 3. ult Jeremy is here by some oversight of the officers contrary to Nebuchadnezzars command chap. 39.11 14. but not without a special providence of God brought bound to Ramah ad opprobrium Gentis in gloriam suam that the Jews now captives and to be carried to Babylon might see their madnesse in persecuting so true a Prophet and persevering in their sinful practices to their so utter undoing against all admonition Ver. 2. And the Captain of the guard took Jeremiah Took him and loosed him as he should have done before Saying The Lord thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place Oratio militaris sed bene Theologica A strange speech to come out of such a mans mouth How could the captives present hear it and not be affected with it Thus Baalams Asse sometimes rebuked his Masters madnesse but to little good effect Ver. 3. Now the Lord hath brought it and done according A bad man we see may speak piously Samuel himsef could not have spoken more gravely severely divinely then the feind did to Saul 1 Sam. 28. Well then may lewd men be good Preachers c. Ver. 4. And now behold I loose thee I dismisse thee with all due honour as a true Prophet however undervalued and afflicted by thine unworthy Country-men Come and I will look well unto thee Heb. I will set mine eye upon thee that is I will give thee singular respect and observe thee to the utmost Behold all the land is before thee What could Pharaoh say more to Joseph Gen. 47.6 or Abraham to Lot Gen. 13.9 Ver. 5. Now while he was not yet gone back But yet shewed by his lookes or otherwise that he was not willing to go to Babylon Nebuchadnezzar Ex ipso vultu vel silentio Jeremiae c. who had already set his eyes upon him as ver 4. perceiving it said Go back unto Gedaliah Who shall both protect thee and provide for thee So the Captain of the guard gave him victuals i. e. Necessaries for his journey for he came out of prison nudus tanquam ex mari bare and needy And a reward Or a present fit for a Prophet donum honorarium such as they used to give the Seers 1 Sam. 9.8 1 King 14. and such as he might safely and comfortably take as from God himself who had promised it chap. 15.11 Ver. 6. Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah Blessing himself from the Chaldaeans proffered kindnesse as Luther also did alate from the great Turke 's who invited him to him and promised him to be his good Lord he maketh Moses his choice Heb. 11.25 and Davids Psal 84.10 rather to abide with Gods poor people in the promsed land then to be great in the Court of Babylon How few at this day would have been of his mind Ver. 7. Now when all the Captains of the forces that were in the fields The dispersed Jews with their Captains and Centurions such as had lain lurking during the seige or had fled when Zedekias did and escaped Heard that the King of Babylon had made Gedaliah Whom they knew to be a pious and prudent man and would be a father unto them instead of a King Nebuchadnezzar might have set a Babylonian Governour who would have ruled them with rigour But God in mercy to his poor people moved him to make choise of this man famous for his mildnesse and integrity to whom therefore they resort but not all for the same good end as the sequel shewed for Ishmael was a very Judas Ver. 8. Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah Where Samuel dwelt 1 Sam. 7. not far from Shiloh Even Ishmael Who was of the blood royal chap. 41.1 and envyed Gedaliah his so great preferment whom he looked upon for a transfuga and a traitour for revolting to Nebuchadnezzar which yet he did in obedience to Gods Word by the Prophet Jeremy Ver. 9. And Gedaliah sware unto them viz. That what he spake was from his heart and out of good affection to them all
obey the voyce of the Lord your God Which you ought to do whatever come of it sith rebellion is as witchcraft 1 Sam. 15. Ver. 14. Saying no but we will go into the land of Egypt Infamous for idolatry luxury and the oppression of your Ancestours there besides Gods expresse prohibition Deut. 17.16 and commination of it as the last and greatest plague The Lord shall bring thee into Egypt Deut. 28.68 And there will we dwell The Prophet now by their looks or some other way perceived their purpose so do do whatever they had promised ver 5 6. Ver. 15. If ye wholly set you faces As now I see you do and shall therefore tell you what to trust unto with the froward God will wrestle Psal 18.26 Ver. 16. Then it shall come to passe that the sword which ye feared shall overtake you there Categorice intonat Propheta God hath long hands neither can wicked men anywhere live out of the reach of his rod. And the famine whereof ye were afraid Egypt was very fertile the granary of the world and yet God could cause a famine there he hath treasures of plagues for sinners and can never be exhausted Ver. 17. They shall dye by the sword by the famine and by the pestilence Three threats answerable to those three promises ver 10 11 12. in case of their obedience Metaph. Ã metallis Ver. 8. As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth sc Like scalding lead or burning bell-metal which runeth fiercely spreadeth far and burneth extreamly Vpon the inhabitants of Jerusalem Out of which fire I have late pulled you as a brand the smell thereof is yet upon your clothes as it were Cavete Ver. 19. Go ye not into Egypt Be ruled or you will rue it when you have learned their evil manners and shall perish in their punishments It is better for you to be in cold irons at Babylon then to serve idols in Egypt at never so much liberty Your father 's brought a golden calf thence Jeroboam brought two Ver. 20. For ye dissembled in your hearts Heb. ye seduced in your souls or in your minds The Vulgar hath it you deceived your souls and not God by playing fast and loose with him by dealing with him ac si puer esset scurra vel morio Ver. 21. But ye have not obeyed the voyce of the Lord Nay you take a clean contrary course as if ye would despitefully spit in the face of heaven and wrestle a fall with the Almighty Ver. 22. Now therefore know certainly that ye shall dye In running from death ye shall but run to it as Jonas did Quo fugis Encelade quascun que accesseris oras Sub Jove semper eris CHAP. XLIII Ver. 1. ANd it came to passe that when Jeremiah had made an end c. See here how wicked men and hypocrites especially grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived Balaam being resolved to curse however went not as at other times but set his face toward the wildernesse Num. 24.12 Now he would build no more altars but curse whatever came of it so would these refractaries without Gods good leave go down to Egypt putting it to the venture Jeremyes sweet words were even lost upon them Ver. 2. Then spake Azariah See on chap. 42.1 And all the proud men Pride is the root of rebellion See chap. 13.15 These mens Pride budded as Ezek. 7.10 and as the leprosie brake forth in their foreheads See Hos 7.1 with the Note Saying unto Jeremiah Thou speakest falsely By this foul aspersion not proved at all they seek to discredit his Prophesie like as the Jews at this day do the New Testament and the Papists the book of Martyrs and other Monuments of the Church saying of them So many lines so many lyes Ver. 3. But Baruc the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us A likely matter what should Baruc get by that but malice careth not how truely or rationally it speaketh or acteth so it may gall or kill Jeremy and Baruc must be said to pack together and to collude for a common disturbance like as the Papists say Luther and Zuinglius did when as they knew nothing one of another for a long time after that they began to stickle against Popery in several climates and when they did hear of one another they differed exceedingly in the doctrine of the Sacrament especially Ver. 4. So Johanan the son of Kareah c. Nothing is more audacious and desperate then an hypocrite when once discovered Now these subdoli shew themselves in their colours appear in their likenesse going on end with their work Ver. 5. But Johanan took all the remnant of Judah Whose preservation had been but a reservation to further mischief a just punishment of their incorrigibleness Ver. 6. And Jeremiah the Prophet and Baruc the son of Neriah This was not without a special Providence of God that these Desperado's might still have a Prophet with them for the making of them the more inexcuseable If it befall any of Gods faithful servants to be hurried whither they would not as it did Jeremy and Baruc here Paul also and Peter Joh. 21.18 Ignatius Polycarp and other prisoners and sufferers for the truth in all ages let them comfort themselves with these examples Ver. 7. Thus came they even to Tahpanhes A chief City of Egypt called also Hanes Esa 30.4 Hierom calleth it Tunis and Herodotus Daphnis Pelusiae Ver. 8. Then came the Word of the Lord unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes saying And although many more words besides came to him whiles he was there and many remarkable passages fell out yet the holy Ghost hath recorded no more thereof then what we find in this and the next Chapter Ver. 9. Take great stones in thine hand Bricks wherewith Egypt abounded as being much of it muddy by reason of the inundation of the River Nilus hence also their chief City was called Pelusium or Daphnis Pelusiae See ver 7. It is ordinary with Jeremy to joyn Paradigms with his Prophecies as here that they might be the more evident and take the deeper impression Ver. 10. Behold I will send and take Nebuchadnezzar By a secret instinct put into his heart And will set his throne upon these stones This was dangerous for Jeremy to say at the Court-gate and in the hearing of so many disaffected Jews who would be ready enough to make the worst of every thing Some say they stoned him with brick-bats for this very prophesie Ver. 11. And when he cometh Being sent and set on by God He shall smite the land of Egypt As for their Idolatry c. so especially for harbouring these perfidious Jews whom divine Vengeance still pursueth hot-foot and will not suffer them to live anywhere sith they would not be perswaded to live in Gods good land and by his good laws Ver. 12. And I will kind's a fire in the house of the gods of Egypt Goodly gods they were that could
not keep their Temples from burning Diana said one jestingly was so busie at the birth of great Alexander that she could not a while to be at Ephesus where her stately Temple was at the same time set on fire by Herostratus And he shall array himself with the land of Egypt as a Shepherd putteth on his garment i. e. Easily and speedily shall he carry away the spoile of that rich country there being none there to hinder him either in taking them or carrying them away Pastor enim secum portat tectumque laremque Ver. 13. He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh Or Heliopolis Lib. 2. where the Sun was worshipped with great superstition as Herodotus writeth The Hebrews also called this City On or Aven that is Vanity or Iniquity as well they might for the abominable idolatry there committed Josephus saith that five years after this prophesie Antiq. l. 10. c. 11. Nebuchadâ—ezzar who had Egypt given him as pay for his paines at Tyre invaded Egypt and the King thereof being slain he set up another there and took the Jews that remained alive away into Babylon CHAP. XLIV Ver. 1. THe Word that came to Jeremiah No word of comfort how could it be so long as they lived in open rebellion against the Lord but all of reproof and threatning for why they were obdurate and obstinate and did dayly proficere in pejus grow worse and worse Which dwell at Migdol To these chief Cities Jeremiah resorted to speak unto them Noph alias Moph Hos 9.6 is held to be Memphis now Alcair Ver. 2. Ye have seen all the evils that I have brought upon Jerusalem And should have been warned by this exemplum terrificum dreadful instance of mine indignation They that will not take example are worthily made examples Ver. 3. Because of their wickednesse That root of all their wretchednesse Ver. 4. Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants Here the badnesse of men and goodnesse of God come equally to be considered Saying Oh do not this abominable thing which I hate Is were happy if this saying of God weres alway shrilly sounding in our eares whenever we are about to do any thing that is evil It would surely be a notable Retentive from vice Ver. 5. But they harkened not See chap. 7.24 26. Ver. 6. Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth A Metaphor from metalles See chap. 42.18 Ver. 7. Wherefore commit you this evil against your souls This land-desolating soul-destroying sin of idolatry Ver. 8. In that ye provoke me to wrath This is a most pithy and peircing Sermon all along not unlike that preached by Steven for the which he was stoned Acts 7. and likely enough that this was Jeremy's last Sermon also Ver. 9. Have ye forgotten the wickednesse of your fathers Mira hic verborum apparet emphasis What a powerful and pressing discourse is this Sed surdis fabulam but they were as a stake in the water that stirreth not Ver. 10. They are not humbled Not tamed not affected with attrition much lesse with contrition for their sins This I tell thee Jeremy for to them I am weary with talking to so little purpose Plactuntur sed non flectuntur corripiuntur sed non corriguntur Ver. 11. Behold I will set my face against you for evil I will be implacable as you are irreclaimable Ver. 12. That have set their faces I also will set my face against such ver 11. and they shall all be consumed and fall Oh what work hath sin made in the world Ver. 13. For I will punish them Let them never think that they shall one day be setled again in their own country they could easily come down into Egypt Sed revocare gradum c. Hic labor c. I will watch them for ever going back again let them set their hearts at rest for that matter it will never be Ver. 14. For none shall return but such as shall escape sc From these fighters against God Johanah and his complices The Talmudists tell us but who told them that Nebuchadnezzar at his conquest of Egypt sent back into Judea Jeremy and Baruch c. Ver. 15. Then all the men which knew that their wives had burnt incense And by suffering them so to do had consented to what they had done for qui non cum potest prohibet jubet And all the women that stood by Mulieres quicquid volunt valde volunt Women as they have lesse of reason then men Omne malum ex Gynaecio so more of passion being wilful in their way and oft carrying their men along with them Sicut ferrum trahit magnes Sic masculum suum trahit Agnes Answered Jeremiah saying One of the women speaking for the rest and that might well be one of Zedekiah's daughters the men conniving and well content therewith See ver 19. Ver. 16. As for the word which thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee This is just woman-like See ver 15. When man lost his free-will saith One woman got it and whereas there came twelve kabs measures of speech at first down from Heaven women ran away with ten of them say the Rabbines merrily Here they are very talkative and peremptory In some there is a strong inclination a vehement impetus to whoredom which the Prophet Hosea calleth a spirit of whoredom Such there was in these women to idolatry they were fully set upon 's Ver. 17. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth Heb. we will doing do every word hath gone forth from our mouth that we may be dicti nostri dominae as big as our words our vows especially as ver 25. which we made to worship the Queen of heaven in case we came safe into Egypt To burn incense to the Queen of heaven See chap. 7.18 As we have done we and our fathers our Kings and our Princes Antiquity is here pleaded and Authority and Plenty and Peace These are now the Popish plea's and the pillars of that rotten religion It is the old religion say they and hath potent Princes for her Patrons and is practised in Rome the Mother-Church and hath plenty and peace where it is professed and where they have nothing but Mosse and Matins These are their arguments but very poor ones as were easy to evince But as women counted the devouter sex have alwayes carryed a great stroke with their husbands as did Eve Jezabel Eudoxia c. the women of Antioch could do much against Paul and Barnabas Acts 13. so the people are indeed a weighty but unweildy body Plus valet malum inolitum quam bonum insolitum slow to remove from what they have been accustomed to The Irish will not be perswaded to put geeres and harnesse on their horses but will have the plough still tied to their tails as they have been neither in matters of religion will they be drawn
to leave their old Mumpsimus for the new Sumpsimus so powerful is usage and so sweet our present though perverse opinions and perswasions For then had we plenty of victuals Just so doth the Church of Rome borrow her Mark from the Markets plenty or cheapnesse of all things But one chief reason of that is the scarcity of mony that was in our fathers dayes and the plenty thereof that is in ours by means of the rich mines in the West-Indies not discovered till the dayes of Henry the seventh Hollinshead saith that some old men he knew who told of times in England when it was accounted a great matter that a Farmer could shew five shillings or a Noble together in silver And were well and saw no evil Vbi utilitas ibi pietas saith Epictetus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si ventri bene si lateri Horat. and deos quisque sibi utiles cudis saith Another for profit men will be of any religion If the belly may be filled the back fitted c. modo serveat olla so the pot may boil much will be yielded to It is well observed that the Papists are most corrupt in those things where their profit ease or honour is engaged In the doctrine of the Trinity and other points that touch not upon these they are sound Ver. 18. But since we have left off to burn Incense to the Queen of heaven we have wanted all things This was non-causa pro causa Not unlike hereunto was that grosse mistake of certain Lutheran Ministers Burroughs on Hos tom 1. pag. 465. who not long since consulting at Hamborough about the causes and cure of Germanies calamities concluded it was because their images in Churches were not adorned enough which therefore they would procure done Ver. 19. And when we burnt incense to the Queen of heaven So the Papists also call the Virgin Mary and idolize her as the word here rendered to worship her doth properly signify idoli rejectitii appellationem in eam transferentes Did we make her cakes without our men i. e. Without our husbands privity and approbation But is that a sufficient excuse should not God be obeyed rather then men Plutarch Moral 318. A wife is not to perform such blind obedience to her husband as Plutarch prescribeth when he layeth it as a law of wedlock on the wife to acknowledge and worship the same gods and none else but those whom her husband honoureth and reputeth for gods Ver. 20. Then Jeremiah said unto all the people The Prophet without any speciall command from God moved with a spirit of zeal confuteth that blasphemy of theirs and sheweth plainly that idolatry maketh no people happy but the contrary though this be an old plea or rather cavil answered fully long since by Cyprian against Demetrian Augustine de civt Dei and Orosius Ver. 21. Ye and your fathers your Kings and you Princes This was another thing they stood much upon that their fathers had done it so had their Grandees If men can say We have sinned with our fathers they think t is enough The heretike Dioscurus cried out I hold with the Fathers I am cast out with the Fathers c. yea Hierom once desired leave of Augustine to err with seven Fathers whom he found of his opinion But what saith the Scripture Be not ye the servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 And what said a great Politician I will not live by example but by rule neither will I pin my faith on anothers sleeve because I know not whither he may carry it Did not the Lord remember them When you thought he had forgot them Sin may sleep a long time like a sleeping debt not called for of many years c. Ver. 22. So that the Lord could no longer bear His abused mercy turned into fury See chap. 15.6 Ver. 23. Because ye have burnt incense c. See chap. 42.21 43.7 Ver. 24. Hear the Word of the Lord Not my word only See on ver 20. Ver. 25. Ye and your wives Who ought to be the better but are much worse the one for the other the devil having broken your head with your own rib We will surely perform our vowes A little better then many Popish votaries and others also not a few do now-a days Erasm Col. in Naufr not unlike him in Erasmus who in a storm promised the Virgin a picture of wax as big as St. Christopher but when he came to shore would not give a tallow-candle Ver. 26. Behold I have sworn by my great name Jehovah my incommunicable name my proper name or by myself and that 's no small oath Ver. 27. Behold I will watch over them for evil I will watch them a shrewd turn as we say I will take my time to hit them when I may most hurt them Ver. 28. Yet a small number Methe mispar men of number a poor few still God reserveth a remnant for royal use Shall know whose word shall stand Because they are so peremtory and resolute I shall try it out with them I shall be as crosse as they yet still in a way of Justice Ver. 29. That I will punish you in this place Which you looked upon as a place of surest security and safeguard and would not harken to me opening my bounties-bosom to you at home Ver. 30. Behold I will give Pharaoh Hophra Called also Vaphres and by Herodotus Apries Antiq. l. 10. c. 11. Hieron in Thren cap. 4. being nephew to Necho who slew Josiah A very proud Prince he saith Apries was slain by Amasis who succeeded him but others gather from this text and from Ezek. 29.19 31.11 15 18. that he was slain by Nebuchadnezzar Josephus also and Jerom say as much CHAP. XLV Ver. 1. THe word that Jeremiah the Prophet spake unto Baruch It is thought that Jeremiah preached his last when he prophecyed in the foregoing Chapter the destruction of Pharaoh Hophra and together with him of the Jewes that were found in Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar He seemed to them to speak stones as the proverb hath it and therefore they stoned him to death as Epiphanius and others report Lapides loquitur This word that he spake to Baruch belongeth to chap. 36. and should have been annexed unto it in a natural order as appeareth both by the date and by the matter Baruch had with much pains and patience first written out Jeremiah's Prophecies and then read them to the people and afterwards to the Princes For this piece of work he expected belike some good piece of preferment as the Apostles also did for their forsaking all and following Christ Mat. 18.19.20 c. Thus flesh will shew it self in the best and in many things we offend all But instead of any such thing Baruch together with his Master Jeremy was sought for to be slaughtered and besides he meets with here a contrary Prophecy wherby before he is comforted he is sharply reproved 1. For a
dastardly despondency of mind because his rising expectation it seems was frustrated 2. For a vain ambitious self-seeking which was not hid from God Ver. 2. Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel unto thee O Baruch Whom he knoweth by name and for whom he hath in store an ample recompence of reward for never yet did any one do or suffer ought for Gods sake that complained of an hard bargain Ver. 3. Thou didst say i. e. Thou didst think like a poor pusillanimous creature as thou art But Jeremy could pitty him in this infirmity because it had sometime been his own case chap. 15. and may befal the best Pray for me I say pray for me said Father Latimer for sometimes I am so fearfull and fainthearted that I could even run into a mouse-hole For the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow So we do oft complain non quia dura sed quia mollâ—s patimur without cause through feeble-mindednesse And when we speak of our crosses we are eloquent oft beyond truth we add we multiply we rise in our discourse as here Ver. 4. Behold that which I have built c. A Metaphor as is before noted ab architectura agricultura I am turning all upside-down and wouldest thou only go free and untoucht of the common calamity T is no whit likely thou must share with the rest Ver. 5. And seekest thou great things for thy self This is saith One as if a man should haue his house on fire and instead of seeking to quench his house should go and trim up his chambers or as if when the ship is sinking he should seek to inrich his cabbin Seek them not For what so great felicity canst thou fancy to thy self in things so fading as the case now stands especially But thy life will I give thee for a prey Which in these killing and dying times in such dear years of time is no small mercy CHAP. XLVI Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah against the Gentiles God had at first set him over the nations and over the Kingdoms as a plenipotentiary to root out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down to build and to plant chap. 1.10 This power of his the Prophet had put forth and exercised against his own Nation of the Jews whom he had doomed to destruction and lived to see execution done accordingly Now he takes their enemies the neighbour Nations to do telling them severally what they shall trust to And this indeed the Prophet had done before in part and in fewer words under the type of a cup of wine to be divided among and drunk up by the Nations chap. 25.15 16. c. but here to the end of chap. 51. more plainly and plentifully Isaiah had done the same in effect chap. 13. to 24. Ezekiel also from chap. 25. to 33. that by the mouth of three such witnesses every word might stand and this burthen of the Nations might be confirmed Jeremiah beginneth fitly with the Egyptians who beside the old enmity had lately slain good King Josiah with whom dyed all the prosperity of the Jewish people who were thenceforth known as the Thebanes also were after the death of their Epaminondas only by their overthrows and calamities Ver. 22. Against Egypt First That the Jews might not rely on that broken reed as they did to their ruine because they would never be warned Against the army of Pharaoh Neche Who had beaten Nebuchadnezzar Priscus at Carchemish and gotten all the Country from Egypt to Euphrates but was afterwards himself beaten out again by Nebuchadnezzar the second surnamed Magnus in the first year of his reign which was the fourth year of Jehojakim Joseph l. 10. c. 7. Hypotuâ—ôsis Ironica State galeati loricati lanceati sed frustrà 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pausan who also was glad to become his tributary Now this overthrow of the Egyptian who was driven out of all Syria as far as Pelusium by the Babylonian is here foretold Ver. 3. Order ye the buckler and sheild So Pharaoh is brought in bespeaking his forces when he was going to fight against Nebuchadnezzar Or so the Prophet bespeaketh the Egyptians Ironically and by way of scoff q. d. Do so but all shall be to no purpose see the like Isa 8.9 Congregamini vincemini yea though upon Pharaoh's should should be the same inscription that was once upon Agamemnon This is the terrour of all mortal wights Ver. 4. Harnesse the horses Those warlike creatures but yet vain things for safety Psal 33.17 Prov. 21.31 Egypt was famous for the best horses Deut. 17.16 1 King 10.26 28. but the Lord delighteth not in the strength of an horse c. Psal 147.10 11. Ver. 5. Wherefore have I seen them dismaià Surprized with a Panick terrour And are fled apace Heb. Fled a flight For fear was round about A proverbial form chap. 6.25 Ver. 6. Let not the swift flye away i. e. Think to save themselves by flight Nor the mighty man escape i. e. Think to save himself by his might be he never so stouth-earted Herod lib. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Toward the North i. e. Toward Carchemish the stage of the war where Pharaoh-Necho had beaten Nebuchadnezzar the elder and is now beaten in the same place by Nebuchadnezzar the younger alterna victoria Ver. 7. Who is this that cometh up like a flood Pharaoh with his forces is here notably described vivo sermonum colore and compared to an impetuous river that threatneth to overflow and swallow up all See Isa 8.7 Ver. 8. Egypt riseth up like a flood Nilus-like the Egyptians were an ancient proud luxurious people And he saith I will go up and cover the earth See the like vain vaunts of this proud people Exod. 1â— 9 10. Ver. 9. Come up ye horses i. e. Ye horsemen all the cavallery of Egypt as Exod. 14.7 And rage Or bestir your selves as if ye were wood or mad instar furiarum discurrite per campâ—s The Ethiopians and the Lybians The Africans that were confederates and Auxiliaries to the Egyptians Ver. 10. For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts See Esay 34.5 6 7 8. Ver. 11. Go up unto Gilead and take balm See chap. 8.22 with Gen. 37.25 q. d. thy calamity is no lesse uncurable then ignominious Ver. 12. The Nations have heard of thy shame Of the shameful defeat given thee so that thou who wast once a terrour to them art now a scorn For the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty And this is the sum of the talk that goeth of thee Ver. 13. The Word that the Lord spake Another Prophecy but against Egypt also God had yet a further quarrel to that Country for the death of good Josiah their delivering up Vriah Gods faithful servant to the sword of Jehoiakim their idolatry pride perfidy c. How Nebuchadnezzar should come and smite the land of Egypt In the five and
cannot be quiet Or There is sorrow as upon the sea which cannot rest Ver. 24. And fear hath seized on her Horrorem fâ—brilem apprehendit Piscat Shee shaketh as in a fit of an Ague Ver. 25. How is the City of praise not left Why is so praise-worthy and renowned a City so demolished See ver 23. Cause enough there was because it was a valley of vanity Am. 1. and Comus Venus and Bacchus there made their divident and shared their Devoto's Ver. 26. Therefore her young men Or Surely Ver. 27. And I will kindle a fire See on Amos 1.4 Ver. 28. Concerning Kedar These Kedarens the off-spring of Kedar-Jshmael's son Gen. 25.13 dwelt or rather abode for most part in Arabia the stony or desart Hagarens they were also called and afterward Saracens of Saraca their chief City saith Stephanus or of Sarach for more credit sake as others hold Lib. de Vâ—bib Of this people came Mahomet that grand-Impostour and the Turks who have now gotten into their hands so great a part of the habitable world A rude people they were in Jeremye's dayes and uncivilized yet because wicked they are here doomed And concerning the Kingdoms of Hazor Their bead-city Ver. 29. Their tents and their flocks For which they were termed Scenitae and Nomades as living a pastoral life in tents And they shall cry unto them Fear is on every side Magor-misabib might be their word wherewith loudly-uttered they might affright and overcome these enemies like as the Britones our Ancestours once overcame a mighty Army of Saxons and Picts in this Land by ringing out the word Hallelujah with a courage among the mountains nigh to the which the enemy had encamped Ussiâ—r de Brit. Eccles primord Ver. 30. Flee get you far off See on ver 8. Ver. 31. Arise go you up into the wealthy Nation Or quiet Nation that dwelleth without care Heb. in confidence but such a security doth not secure any but oft betrayeth Infelix felicitas quae non est in Domino saith Oecolampadius here There 's no true happinesse or safety but in God Ver. 32. Them that are in the uttermost corners Or that have the corners of their hair cut See chap. 9.26 and 25.23 Ver. 33. And Hazor shall be a dwelling for Dragons See chap. 9.11 and 12.22 and 51.37 Ver. 34. Against Elam i. e. The Medes say some the Persians say others or a people betwixt both whose head-City was that Susa where Alexander found fifty thousand talents of gold besides silver Aristagoras also thus cheared up his souldiers that besieged it This City if you can but take Cum Jove de divitiis licet certetis you may vie with Jove himself for wealth These Elamites joyned with the Chaldees against the Jews when they first wasted Judea and carried away Jehoiakim Hence they are here so threatned for their cruelty then Ver. 35. Behold I will break the bow of Elam In the use whereof they excelled being very skilful Archers Esa 22.6 Gunnes now-adayes carry it as bowes of old Ver. 36. And upon Elam will I bring the four winds i. e. Great concussions enemies on all sides Scythians and Sarmatians especially out of the North. Calvin thinketh this Prophesie was fulfilled after Alexanders death when his captaines strove most fiercely for the Kingdoms of the earth which he had subdued Ver. 37. For I will cause Elam to be dismayed q. d. They trust in their great strength and hold themselves insuperable but I can easily dispirit and so destroy them See ver 5.14 29. Diod. Ver. 38. And I will set my throne in Elam i. e. I will solemnly execute my judgements upon these people as if I sate in my Judgement-seat in a publick Court in the midst of them Ver. 39. I will bring again the captivity of Elam Principally by bringing them to Jesus Christ In vit Constant Claruit Theod Anno 390. And so we read Act. 2.9 of Parthians Medes and Elamites amongst those first and best believers Eusebius also telleth us that in the Council of Nice there was a Bishop from Persia And Theodoret a very good man withal a great writer served the Churches of the Elamites CHAP. L. Ver. 1. THe word that the Lord spake against Babylon Which was built by Nimrod as Ninive was afterwards by his nephew Ninus Gen. 10.11 Of the greatnesse of this City besides what we read in holy writ much may be read in Herodotus and Pliny It was the head-City of the Assyrian and Chaldaean Monarchy which lasted above 1700. years till Cyrus the Persian took the Kingdom Esay prophesied against it in several Chapters Habakkuk maketh it his whole businesse Jeremy had set forth how Sheshak that is Balthasar should drink the dregs of the cup of Gods wrath chap. 25.26 Here and in the next Chapter he discourseth it more at large shewing how it was that Babylon was to drink of that cup and for more certainty it is spoken of in this prophesie as already done Ver. 2. Declare ye among the nations Let all take notice of the good news there shall be a general goal-delivery sing therefore Jo triumphe Say Babylon is taken So Esay 21.9 Bel is confounded This Bel was Nimrod whose nephew Ninus set him up for a god Merodach a restorer of their Empire whereof Nimrod had been founder was likewise idolized Merodach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive sce tâ—ifer Chaldaicâ appellatione They are called dirty deities faeditates stercora a name good enough for them and said to be confounded See Esa 46.1 Sorrows also because their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another God Psal 16.4 Ver. 3. For out of the North there cometh up a Nation against her i. e. Out of Media and Persia which lay Northward from Chaldaea The Jews had their bane out of the North as had been foretold Jer. 1.14 15. sc from Babylon And now Babylon is to be baned from the same quarter This was some comfort doubtlesse to the poor Jews in captivitie Which shall make her land desolate This was not fulfilled till many years after Cyrus indeed began it but Seleucus Nicanor finished it Plin. lib. 6. cap. 26. by building near unto it another great City called Seleucia Ver. 4. In those dayes and at that time Destructio Babel salus est populo Dei so shall it be at the ruine of Rome The children of Israel shall come and the children of Judah together In better times they could not agree but when they were both in a weeping condition misery bred unity as it did also betwixt Hooper and Ridley when they were both in prison for the truth Going and weeping Teares of sorrow for their sinnes and teares of joy for their deliverance by Cyrus but especially by Christ They shall go and seek the Lord their God Whom they had long been without and do now long and linger after Ver. 5. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces
so killed him He hath called an assembly against me Vocant adversum me tempus so the Vulgar version hath it and Calvin to the same purpose He hath called the time against me i. e. a set time wherein to destroy my strong ones Howbeit One maketh this inference from the words D. Playfer For the very time which we have contemned we shall be condemned and for every day which we have spent idlely we shall be shent severely This is true but little to the present purpose like as Hushai said Ahitophel's counsel was good but not now The Lord hath trodden her as in a wine-presse By another like Metaphor God is said to have threshed Babylon as a threshing-flore Jer. 51.33 Ver. 16. For these things I weep I Jerusalem as ver 2. Or I Jeremy Ovid. Nam faciles motus mens generosa capit Mine eye mine eye runneth down with water Continuitatem significat imo emphasin dicit Niobe-like I weep excessively and without intermission God would not have the wounds of a godly sorrow to be ever so healed up but that they may bleed afresh again upon all good occasion As for worldly sorrow there must be a stop put to it left what we have over-wept we be forced to unweep again Because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me This was very sad and made both eyes run down with water God stood aloof off men were slack to shore up a poor sinking soul This was a condition and complaint not unlike that of Saul 1 Sam. 28.15 I am sore distressed for the Philistines are upon me and God is departed from me c. Ver. 17. Zion spreadeth forth her hands But to whom To God She should have done it sooner namely whilst he stretched out his hands to her all the day long To the Babylonian at barbarus nil nisi iras spirat but his tender mercyes are mere cruelties God will not take the wicked by the hand saith Bildad Job 8.20 Men may not when as God will not No better course can be taken in this case then that prescribed Lam. 3.40 41. then God will repent and men shall relent toward a distressed creature And there is none to comfort her See ver 16. This is oft complained of as a most heavy affliction The Lord hath commanded What marvel then that their hearts were so set off from him who had been so carelesse of keeping Gods Commands Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman amongst them Or as an abomination tanquam quisquiliae vel tanquam foetidae aliquae sordes Gods people are more shamefully slighted and reproached in the world then any else and the godliest most of all Ver. 18. The Lord is righteous Whatever I suffer or say haply in my passion that may seem to sound to the contrary Righteous art thou O Lord and just are thy judgements said David Psal 119.137 and after him Mauricius the Emperour when deposed by the traitor Phocas and the noble Du-plessis when he heard of the death of his only son slain in the Low-Countries For I have rebelled against his Commandements Heb. against his mouth and have therefore deserved thus to feel the weight of his hand to hear the rod and who hath appointed it because I would not hear the word and who preached it I have imbitered his mouth as some render the Hebrew text and therefore am worthily imbittered by him Hear I pray you all people See ver 12. But how agreeth this with that of David 2 Sam. 1.20 Tell it not in Gath It is answered that David there would not have that slaughter in Gilboah to be reported as the hand of the Philistines but of God My virgins and my young men are gone into captivity Are carried out of this land the signe of Gods favour and of heaven it self And here lay the pinch of their grief Let yong ones and maids quibus hoaie fraena laxari solent obey God unlesse they had rather perish Ver. 19. I called for my lovers but they deceived me My confederates idols and other sweet-hearts never yet true to any that trusted them See Jer. 22.20 30.14 My Priests and mine Elders c. What then became of poor folk and how gracious was God to Jeremy in the provision made for him by the King who yet loved him not Ver. 20. Behold O Lord for I am in distresse Thus ever and anon she is lifting up her soul to God by an holy Apostrophe in some short yet pithy expressions And surely if a long look toward God speedeth Psal 34.4 5. Jon. 2.4 7. how much more an hearty Ejaculation as here My bowels are troubled Lutulant bulliunt vel intumescunt non solum fluctuant aut strepunt ut alibi My bowels boyle and buble or are thick and muddy as waters are after and in a tempest or it is a Metaphor from mortar made by mingling water with lime and sand She was in a great perturbation and sought ease by submitting to Gods Justice and imploring his mercy Mine heart is turned within me Or turneth it self upside down See Hos 11.8 For I have grievously rebelled This was the right way to get ease and settle all within viz. to confesse sin with aggravation putting in weight laying on load Abroad the sword bereaveth at home there is as death Famine especially which is worse then the sword chap. 4.9 plurima mortis imago R. Solomon interpreteth it of evil Angels Ver. 21. They have heard that I sigh My friends have and yet they pitty me not this was a great vexation and is much complained of See ver 2 16 17 19. All mine enemies have heard of my trouble they are glad This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the devils disease the wicked compose Comedies out of the Saints Tragedies and revel in their ruines But God people in this case have a double comfort 1. That God hath done it and not the enemy that he hath a holy hand in all the troubles that befal them 2. That their enemies shall not scape scotfree but be soundly punished That thou hast done it Or but thou hast done it and sure we are thou wilt not overdo Thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called The dismal day of vengeance that thou hast threatened Babylon with especially by Isay and Jeremy And they shall be like unto me Their future desolation is my present consolation Ver. 22. Let their wickednesse come before thee God had pronounced Babylons destruction and therefore the Church might safely pray it Think the like of spiritual Babylon God seemeth to forget the insolencies of his enemies and deliverance of his people we must minde him and then it will be done Only let us see to it that our fire of zeal for Gods glory burn clear without the smoke of self-ends and of private revenge As thou hast done unto me for my transgressions This was it that put a sting into all her sufferings but then she had this
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
so do many feed greedily on sins murthering morsels Ver. 15. Loe I have given thee Cows-dung This was some mitigation Something God will yield to his praying people when most bitterly bent against them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contabescerâ— foetidum fieri Ver. 16. Behold I will break the staff of bread Bread shall be very scarce and that which men have shall not nourish or satisfy them they shall have appetitum caninum See Isa 3.1 with the Note and take that good cousel Amos. 5 14 15. lest we know the worth of good by the want of it Ver. 17. And be astonied At their straits and disappointments And consume away for their iniquity Levit. 26.31 They shall pine away in their iniquity this is the last and worst of judgements there threatened after those other dismal ones CHAP. V. Ver. 1. ANd thou son of man See on chap. 2.1 Take thee a sharp knife This was the King of Babylon as Isa 7.20 The Turk is at this day such another Mahomet the first was in his time the death of 800000 men Selymus the second in revenge of the losse received at Lepanto Turk Hist 885. would have put to death all the Christians in his dominions Take the a barbers razor Not a deceitful razor as Psal 52.2 but one that will do the deed sharp and sure Pliny telleth us out of Varro Lib. 7. cap. 59. that the Romans had no barbers till 454 years after the City was built antè intensi fuere And cause it to passe upon thy head and upon thy beard As hairs are an ornament to the head and beard so are people to a City But as when they begin to be a burthen or trouble to either they are cut off and cast away so are people by Gods Judgements when by their sins they are offensive to him dealing as Dionysius did by his god Aesculapius from whom he presumed to pull his golden beard David felt himself shaved in his Embassadours so doth God in his servants whose very hairs are numbred Matth. 10.30 in his Ministers especially who by a specialty are called Gods men 1 Tim. 6.11 2 Tim. 3.17 with whom to meddle is more dangerous then to take a Lion by the beard or a bear by the hair Then take the ballances to weigh This sheweth that Gods Judgements are just to a hairs weight And capillus nous suam habet umbram saith Mimus And divide the hair Dii nos quasi pilas habent saith Plautus imo quasi pilos saith Another Ver. 2. Thou shalt burn with fire a third part i. e. with famine pestilence and other mischiefs during the siege of Jerusalem Pythagoras gave this precept among others Vnguium criniumque praesegmina ne contemnito But God findeth so little worth in wicked people that he regardeth them not but casteth them as excrements to the dunghil yea to hell Psal 9.17 And smite about it with a knife They shall be slain with that sharp knife or sword ver 1. after that the City is taken Thou shalt scatter in the wind Sundry of them shall fly for their lives but in running from death they shall but run to it Amos 9.1 2 3 4. 2.13 14 15 16. Ver. 3. Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number A remnant is still reserved that the Lord God may dwell among men Psal 68.18 See Jer. 44.28 2 King 25.12 Isa 1.9 6.10 Ver. 4. Then take of them again and cast them into the midst of the fire Thus evil shall hunt a wicked man to overthrow him Psal 140.11 See the Note there he shall not escape though he hath escaped his preservation is but a reservation to further mischief except he repent And burn them in the fire Such he meaneth as were combustible matter for there were a sort of precious ones amongst them who being brought by God through the fire were thereby refined as silver is refined and tryed as gold is tryed c. Zach. 13.9 See the Notes there Ver. 5. This is Jerusalem i. e. This head and beard so to be shaved ver 1. by the hair of the head some think the wise men of that City are figured out and by the hair of the beard are the strong men the razor of Gods severity maketh clean work leaveth no stub or stump behind it I have set it in the midst of the nations As the head heart and center of the earth See Psal 74.10 Ezek. 38.12 and God had peculiar ends it it that the Law might go forth out of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem and that all Nations might flow unto it Isa 2.2 3. Talis est Roma Christianis Such now is Rome to Christians saith à Lapide bur lay a straw there say we or as the Glosse saith upon some decrees of Popes Haec non credo I believe it not See Rev. 17.5 Ver. 6. And she hath changed my judgements into wickednesse This was a foul change this was to do evil as she could Jer. 3.5 this was ingratitude of the worst sort such as Socrates called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifest in â—ustice Such a wretched change is complained of Jer. 2.11 Rom. 1.23 25. Jude 4. but nowhere in so high an expession as this as One observeth More then the Nations Because the Jews had better Laws but worse dispositions then they Ver. 7. Because ye multiplyed sc Your transgressions and superstitions or because ye have abounded with blessings and made me so ill a requital Some render it Quia tumultuastis ves plus quam vicinae gentes and indeed there were many murthers committed amongst them and many revolts from forrain Princes whom they had sworn to serve Neither have done according to the judgement of the nations But have out-sinned them qui deos suos quamvis viles multos non mutant who change not their gods as you have done Me Jer. 2.10.11 but follow the natural light of reason some of them at least do so Rom. 2.14 which you have debauched See 1 Cor. 5.1 Ezech. 16.46 47 48. Ver. 8. Behold I even I am against thee Whether thou wilt believe it or not Thou holdest it unlikely but shalt find it true and that I am very serious not saying these things in terrorem only Ecce me adversum te venientem so some render it Behold I am upon my march against thee and will punish thee surely severely suddenly And will execute Judgements For the non-execution of my Judgements in the former sense taken as ver 7. In the sight of the nations In whose sight thou hast so sinned and who will rejoyce at thy sufferings Ver. 9. And I will do in thee that which I have not done None shall suffer so much here or sink so deep in hell as a profane Jew a carnal Gospeller who is therefore worse then others because he ought to be better Oh the height and weight of those Judgements that shall be heaped upon such See Lam.
the Lord God Sic ait Dominater Dominus Smite with thine hand Manibus pedibusque obnixe omnia facito do thine utmost by gestures and speeches to make this stupid people perceive their sin and danger Alasse for all the evil abominations Propter omnes abominationes pessimas we cannot call sin bad enough Oecolamp the worst word in a mans belly is too good for it O perdita Israel dicere vult quae tot malas abominationes operata es c. Ver. 12. He that is far off shall dye of the pestilence Pluribus verbis hunc locum tractat Ointments must not only be laid upon the part that aketh but also rubbed and chafed in so must menaces and promises that they may soak and sink into the soul Ver. 13. Then shall ye know that I am the Lord Vexatio dabit intellectum smart shall make wit Aug. See ver 10. Four times in this chapter are these words used Verba toties inculcata viva sunt vera sunt sana sunt plana sunt Among their idols See on ver 4. Where they did offer sweet savour Idolatry is costly Ver. 14. Then the wildernesse toward Diblath Which was horriditate nobile bordering upon that terrible howling wilderness mentioned by Moses Deut. 8.15 See Jer. 48.22 CHAP. VII Ver. 1. MOreover the word of the Lord came unto me Five or six years afore it fell out God loveth to foresignifie to premonish or ere he punish Let us upon whom the ends of the world are come take warning and think we hear the trump of God sounding as here An end is come is come is come it watcheth for thee behold it is come ver 2 3 6. Ver. 2. An end the end is come Exitium excidium Great Kingdoms have their times and their turnes their rise and their ruine The wickeds happinesse will take its end surely and swiftly Vpon the four corners of the land Heb. the four wings called also the four winds Mat. 24.31 They had defiled the land from corner to corner as Ezra 9.11 God therefore now would sweep it all over with the beesom of utter destruction Ver. 3. Now is the end come upon thee Even upon thee O Israel who would ever have thought it Lam. 4.12 And I will send mine anger upon thee Reveal it from heaven as Rom. 1.18 And will judge thee according to thy wayes i. e. I will punish thee for thy wayes as Hos 4.9 Obad. 15. And will recompense upon thee Heb. I will give or put upon thee all thine abominations q. d. Thou hast hitherto put them upon me but I will have a writ of remove and set them upon their own base as Zach. 5.11 Ver. 4. And mine eye shall not spare thee Chap. 5.11 See on Jer. 13.14 And thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee Vt quae antea latuerant in apertum prodeant And ye shall know that I am the Lord That smiteth you ver 9. An evil an only evil viz. Without mixture of mercy or that shall smite thee down at one only blow as 1 Sam. 26.8 See on Nahum 1.9 The Vulgar after the Chaldee rendreth it An evil after an evil q. d. Lighter and lesser judgements have done no good upon thee Now I will finish the work and cut it short in righteousnesse Rom. 9.28 Ruinam pracedunt stillicidia Ver. 6. An end is come the end is come Still the Prophet ringeth this doleful knell in their eares whom sin and Satan had cast into such a dead lethargy that they could not easily be arroused Battologia est sed necessaria verborum redundantia saith Pintus It watcheth for thee Which hitherto lay at the door Gen. 4.7 sleeping dog-sleep as we say In the Hebrew there is an elegant Agnomination between hakets an end and hekits watcheth See 2 Pet. 3.3 Ver. 7. The morning is come unto thee The morning of execution Visitaberis summo mane id est mature Piscat Florulenta felicitas occidit Oecol as Jer. 21.12 Psal 101.8 Confer Hos 10.15 Gen. 19.23.24 worse then the Sicilian Vespers or the French Massacre Thine utter destruction bene mane in te irruet shall be upon thee betimes as it was upon Sodom and as the morning light breaketh in upon those that are fast asleep Sicut decoctores multa sibi promittunt interim pereunt so it befalleth the wicked The day of trouble is near Hajom mehumah Day in Hebrew is thought to have its name from the stir and noise that is made in it the humming noise and bustle of businesse A troublesome and tumultuous day is here forethreatned such as that Esay 22.5 and Zeph. 1.14 15 16 17. Not the sounding again of the mountaines Not an empty sound Virgil. or an Echo resonabilis Echo but a worse matter that shall do more then beat the aire Ver. 8. Now will I shortly poure out my fury See on chap. 5.13 And I will judge thee c. See on ver 3. Ver. 9. I will recompense The same as before Nunquam satis dicitur quod nunquam satis discitur That I am the Lord that smiteth Think not that I am made all of mercy or that I will ever serve you for a sinning-stock Ye shall know that I have verbera as well as ubera and can so set it on as no creature can take it off Ver. 10. The morning is gone forth Matutina sententia the decree bringeth forth as Zeph. 2.2 See there The rod hath blossomed You have had your Floralia and shall shortly have your Funeralia Nebuchadnezzar that rod of my wrath is at hand Pride hath budded And will shortly bring forth viz. the bitter fruit of your bold rebellion Not much unlike to this was the Almond rod seen by Jeremy chap. 1.11 Ver. 11. Violence is risen up into a rod of wickednesse Their oppressions speak them most wicked and will make them most wretched Nor of their multitude Or their tumultuous persons their Thraso's saith Tremellius quantumvis circumstrepant famulitio numeroso with all their traine and retinue that keep a clutter Neither shall there be wailing for them Their dearest friends shall not dare to lament the loss of them for fear of the enemyes who are present would punish it We read in the Roman history of one Vitia who was put to death by the command of Tiberius for that she had lamented Geminus her son executed as a friend to Sejanus Tacit. Ver. 12. The time is come the day draweth near Let this voyce ever sound in the ears of those negligent spirits who cry Cras Domine Advenit illud tempus pertigit illa dies whiling away their time as she Rev. 2 21. and so fooling away their own salvation as those Virgins Mat. 25. Let not the buyer rejoyce He shall have no such great joy of his purchase sith the enemy shall shortly take all qui latifundia habuerunt ne latum pedem retinebunt and no man shall be master of his own
was quite gone from the City then followed the fatal calamity in the ruine thereof But that he went away by degrees and not soon and at once was an argument of his very great love and long-suffering He left them step by step as it were and plaid Loth to depart but that there was no remedy Tyed he is not to any place as these fond Jews thought he was to their visible Temple which now he is about therefore to abandon and to make their very Sanctuary a slaughter-house Ver. 4. And the Lord That great Induperator Goe through the midst Discriminate make a difference take out the precious from the vile God will sever his Saints from others in common calamities and deliver them if not from the common destruction yet from the common distraction And set a mark upon the foreheads Vulg. Et signa Thau Whatever this mark was it was signum salutare The letter Tau some think it was as part of the word Tichieh i. e. Thou shalt live according to that The just shall live by his faith or as part of the word Torah i. e. The Law to shew that these had the Law of God written in their hearts and this made them mourn to see it so little set by Howsoever it is not the sign of the crosse as Papists would have it but rather the blood of the crosse wherewith when believers are sprinkled from an evil conscience as the houses of the Israelites in Goshen were with the blood of the Paschal-lamb they are sure of safety here and salvation hereafter The Election of God is sure and hath this seal The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 and it shall appear by them Psal 91. Tau is the basis of the Hebrew Alphabet saith One and marking by Christ is the basis of all true comfort and sound profession Tau endeth and closeth up the Alphabet saith another so he who persevereth to the end shall be saved The mark here mentioned was not corporal but spiritual even the Merit and Spirit of Christ the Value and Virtue of his death and sufferings Of the men that sigh and cry That sigh deeply and cry out bitterly for their own and other mens sinnes and miseries and this out of Piety and Pitty These are not many yet some such are found in all ages Rev. 11.3 Inter vepres rosa nascitur inter feras nonnullae mitescunt Ammian Le us mourn in time of sinning so shall we be marked in times of punishing Ver. 5. Goe ye ofter him Goe not till he hath marked the Mourners so chary and choise is God of his jewels Mercy is his first-born saith One and visites the Saints ere Judgements break out Isa 26.20 21. Ver. 6. Slay utterly old and young A dreadful commission see it fully executed 2 Chron. 36.17 all sorts sexes and sizes of people were corrupted Immedicabile vulnus Ense recidendum and sith there was no hope of curing there must be cutting But come not near any upon whom is the mark These were the precious sons of Zion the excellent ones of the earth as whatsoever is sealed is excellent in its kind Isa 28.25 hordeum signatum these are the darlings the favourites handle them gently therefore for my sake touch not mine anointed come not near any such to fright them but keep your distance And begin at my Sanctuary From whence went forth prophanesse into the whole land Jer. 23.15 These Sanctuary-men were an ill generation at them therefore begins the Judgement God will be sanctified in all that draw near unto him Nadab and Abihu found the flames of jealousy hottest about the Altar Vzza and the Bethshemites felt that justice as well as mercy is most active about the Ark. Murtherers must be drawn from the Altar to the slaughter Exod. 21.14 Holy places were wont to be refuges not so here but the contrary Then they began at the Ancient men At those seventy Seniours chap. 8.11 whose foul offences had flown far upon the two wings of evil example and scandal Ver. 7. Defile the house Once hallowed by my self but now abhorred and rejected as a stews or sty of filthiness Fill the courts That where they have sinned there they may suffer as did Ahab 1 King 22.38 2 King 9.26 Ver. 8. And I was left And as I was apt to think alone Rom. 11.3 I fell upon my face and cryed This is the guise of the gracious in evil times as may be seen in Moses Jeremy Paul Athanasius Ambrose c. Ah Lord God Adonai Jehovi not Jehova as elsewhere usually so the Saints have sometimes prayed Polan tanquam singultientes in patheticis precibus or rather sighed out their most earnest suits to God as Gen. 15.28 Deut. 3.24 and 9.26 Lavat Wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel Brevis quidem est haec querimonia Prophetae at multa complectitur This is a brief but a complexive complaint and hath much in it Nimis valde Ver. 9. The iniquity of Israel is exceeding great Still there is a cause to be sure and Gods judgements are sometimes secret ever just And as swift rivers when they once fall into lakes or seas are at rest so are our restlesse minds when once they fall into the depth of the Divine Justice duely considered Declinatione detorsione judicii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the City full of perversenesse Or wresting of judgement Mutteh id est mishpat din Mitteh saith the Hebrew Scholiast that is judgement turned from the biasse as it were when the ballance of Justice is tilted o' t 'one side as Pauls word importeth 1 Tim. 5.21 For they say The Lord hath forsaken the earth See on chap. 8.12 Hic est fons omnium scelerum saith à Lapide hinc ruunt homines in scelerum abyssum saith Theodoret When men are once turned Atheists what will they not dare to do what should hinder them from laying the reines in the neck and running riot in wickednesse Ver. 10. And as for me also Quapropter etiam ego wherefore also I and there 's a stop by an elegant Aposioposis Mine eye shall not spare Chap. 5.11 7.4 8.18 See a just Commentary upon these words Jer. 9.3 4 5. 17. Ver. 11. And behold the man reported the matter The Vulgar hath it Respondit verbum as if he had been asked before whether he had done as was bidden I have done as thou hast commanded me So did David Psal 119.112 Act. 13.22 and the son of David Joh. 17.4 14.51 and Paul witnesse his famous vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 4.6 7 8. Let every of us so carry the matter toward God that at death we may say with that servant Luk. 14.22 Lord it is done as thou hast commanded CHAP. X. Ver. 1. THen I looked and behold in the firmament Heb. In that expanse or firmament mentioned chap. 1.22 That was above the head of the Cherubims Called before
And ye shall know that I am the Lord That which ye would not take knowledge of by the words of your Prophets ye shall now be made to know by the swords of your enemies For ye have not walked in my statutes When God is about to proceed in judgement against evil doers there is ever a cause for it and they shall know it Ver. 13. And it came to passe that when I prophesied God heweth men by his Prophets and slayeth them by the words of his mouth and his Judgements are as the light or lightening that goeth forth Hos 6.5 Elisha hath his sword as well as Jehu and Hazael 1 Kings 19.17 See Jer. 1.10 2 Cor. 10.6 Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died Suddenly and before his time in Solomons sense Eccles 7.17 Driven away he was in his iniquity Prov. 14.32 so were Ananias and Sapphira Magnum est subito opprimi Corinthus Arius Steven Gardiner Cardinal Pool Dick of Dover as they called the persecuting Suffragan there Nightingal Parson of Bocking c. See Prov. 6.14 15. Then fell I down upon my face Out of an holy sollicitude about Gods Elect lest they also should have perished as Pelatiah had done whose very name might seem somewhat ominous for it signifieth The escaped one of the Lord and therefore his so suddain death might portend destruction to the remnant of Israel And cryed with a loud voice Suddain or singular Judgements put Saints upon humble earnest and argumentative prayer Ver. 14. Again the Word of the Lord came unto me In answer to my prayer though there was something in it of unbelief and humane frailty See Psal 31.22 with the Note Ver. 15. Thy brethren even thy brethren i. e. Thine unbrotherly brethren of Jerusalem seek to unbrother and to unchurch thee and the rest of thy concaptives See Isa 65.5 Papists and Sectaries deal so by us The men of thy kindred Viri vindiciarum tuarum or they that have the right of redemption And all the house of Israel Tota downs Israelis quanta quanta est The Hierosolymitanes challenged the Lord and the Land and all therein to be theirs excluding and as it were excommunicating the Captives at Babylon who were dear to God So dealt the Scribes and Pharisees by the Christians Joh. 16.2 Acts 26.9 10 11. So did the Rogatian Heretikes and the Donatists who gave themselves out as now the Papists do to be the only Catholikes The Arians called the Orthodox by way of scorn and contempt Ambrosians Athanasians Homousians c. Get ye far from the Lord Gressus removete profani Iee in malam crucem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye are cut off from the people of God and may go whither you will we are heirs and owners of the promises ye are outcasts and abjects Ver. 16. Although I have cast them What a Cornucopia of comfort may this promise be to poor prisoners forlorn Exiles and such as by sicknesse or otherwise are necessitated to keep from publike Ordinances that they shall have Gods presence and protection the comfort and conduct of his Spirit c Yet I will be to them as a little Sanctuary By hearing their prayers Sanctuarium modicum sanctifying their natures bringing to their remembrance what things they have heard and learned touching Me and my will Themselves and their duties They should in Babylon worship God in spirit and in truth and in the life to come the Lord God Almighty and his Lamb should be their Temple Rev 21.22 Ver. 17. I will even gather you from the people How impossible or improbable soever you may think it and those of Hierusalem pronounce it The Prophet Isay in many Chapters of his Gospel which beginneth at chap. 40. setteth himself to chear up these poor captives with good hopes of a return after a little while Paulisper as some render the word Megnat in the foregoing Verse Ver. 18. And they shall take away all the detestable things So God calleth their Mawmets and monuments of Idolatry They chose rather to dye then to suffer Caligula's statue to be set up in their Temple by Petronius not daigning to call them by their usual names After the Captivity the Jews would never endure idols To this day they say that there is an ounce of the golden calf in all their sufferings Ver. 19. And I will give them one heart Opposed to a divided heart such as the Paphlagonian Partridges are said to have Hos 10.2 that is partly for God and partly for the world Ezek. 33.31 This onenesse of heart truely and entirely cleaving to God alone is that boon that David so dearly beggeth Plin. l. 11. c. 37. Psal 86.11 that he might attend upon God without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 and as the visive beams are wholly bent upon the thing that is beheld by the eye and as it were concentred in it so might his desires and indeavours be entirely carried toward God and firmly fixed upon him And I will put a new spirit within you The same soul for substance but altered in the frame renewed in the qualities thereof Marke 16.17 they shall speak with new tongues So we read of a new Song The strings are the same but the tune is changed See Psal 51.12 Ephes 4.23 2 Cor. 5.17 And I will take the stony heart Extraham say the Sept. I will draw or pull it out which none can do but the hand of Heaven God only can make the flinty heart fleshly that is sensible soft pliant penetrable buxom and obedient to his holy Will Ver. 20. That they may walk in my statutes The Covenant of grace is suited to all the exigencies and indigencies of a poor Saint It is ordered in all things 2 Sam. 23.5 Ver. 21. But as for them This is added lest any wicked men should misapply the Promises as they do quisperando praesumunt praesumendo pereunt Ver. 22. Then did the Cherubims Now God is utterly leaving the refractory Jewes He did so much more after their rejection of Christ and his Gospel Ver. 23. From the midst of the City From the East-gate And stood upon the mountain Mount Olivet There he made his last stand to see if they would meet him with intreaties of peace that he might stop or step back Here it was that Christ wept over the City and hence he went up to heaven after which came the Romans and destroyed it Ver. 24. By the Spirit of God i. e. In a supernatural rapture Ver. 25. Then I spake unto them of the Captivity These were his proper charge and now Gods chiefest care to them therefore he delivered the whole counsel of God which he had seen and heard for their better settlement CHAP. XII Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord also came unto me This variety of visions shews the great unbelief of the people whose Captivity and calamity is here further described and assured by a new Type which is set out in the first six
verses and then applyed in the ten following One sermon pegs in another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the man of God must stick to his work and stand over it 2 Tim. 4.2 Ver. 2. A rebellious house Heb. a house of rebellion domus perduellis that hath cast down the gauntlet of defiance against me Which have eyes to see and see not sc To any good purpose they will not see Isa 26.11 and who so blind as such they wink wilfully which is no smal aggravation of their sin Joh. 9.4 Eph. 4.18 Which have ears to hear and hear not h. e. Castigatiores non evadunt they are not a button the better for what they hear they draw not up the ears of their minds to the ears of their bodies that one sound might peirce both Ver. 3. Therefore thou son of man i. e. Neverthelesse do thou as thou art bidden and let what thou doest and sayest be for a testimony against them stick in their souls and flesh as the invenomed arrows of the Almighty throughout all eternity Prepare thee stuff for removing Heb. instruments or vessels Convasa res tuas collige sarcinas pack up and away See if this way thou canst work upon them It may be they will consider sc By this expresse sign though they profit not by thy plain preaching Ministers must study their peoples souls turn themselves into all forms and shapes of spirit and of speech to win upon them Ver. 4. Thou shalt bring forth thy stuff Arma viatoria for an ocular demonstration What surer then sight Go forth at even The King and his men of war were glad to do so 2 Kings 25.4 but it would not do Ver. 5. Dig through the wall Make any shift Necessitas magnum telum He that digd Mortimer's hole as they call it at Nottingham Castle earned his liberty dearly God might have said to the Prophet at once Get thee gone out of thy country how sad a thing that is Ovid when banished setteth forth in many elegant Elegies sed cuncta per partes digerit but he must do it piecemeal and by degrees that it may the more affect them Ver. 6. In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders To shew that King Zedekiah himself should carry out some of his most precious things upon his shoulders when he fled See ver 12. This was a base thing for a King to do King Alphonsus indeed is renouned for drawing a poor perishing man out of a ditch and bearing him on his back to a place of relief Thou shalt cover thy face In token that Zedekiah should be made blind A just hand of God upon him who had eyes and saw not ver 2. like as it was upon Muleasses King of Tunis who had those eyes of his digd out which had been insets of lust and which he oft covered with his hat puld over them that he might listen the better to wanton ditties and profane Musick For I have set thee for a sign Portentum a sign portending their going into Captivity Ver. 7. And I did as I was commanded Though well laughed at for my labour by the mad world ever besides it self in point of salvation and looking upon Gods Jordans as Naaman did with Syrian eyes The outward signs in our Sacraments are in themselves mean and ordinary matters yet the Minister is to make use of them and the people to climb up to heaven by them as ladders of life Hence even in the ancient Churh-liturgy they had their Sursum corda Life up your hearts Rideant Athei ringantur Ver. 8. And in the morning came the Word of the Lord Mane id est Maturè God not only betime but timously admonished his people but they refused to be reformed would none of his counsel Quid sibi vult quod ita migras Tu habet emphasin Lavat Gnat Nasi massa Ver. 9. Hath not the house of Israel said unto thee What dost thou q. d. Nothing lesse so stupid they are or so stubborn that they never once asked any such question Or if they did it was in a jear as who should say you are a wise man to trouble your self and us in this foolish and childish manner a great deal of gravity sure you shew therewhile Ver. 10. This burden concerneth the Princes in Jerusalem There is an elegancy in the Original Princes who over-burthen their people shall one day have their back burden of miseries Potentes potenter torquebuntur Ver. 11. I am your sign And so it pleaseth you to make me your mocking-stock Sedrisus hic est Sardonius Of such laughter one may safely say it is mad and of such laughter What dost thou Eccles 2.2 Like as I have done My removal is Mira nova inimica ludicra but upon you it will fall heavily and horridly That which hath befaln me in type only shall befal you in truth and reality Ver. 12. And the Prince that is among them Zedekias that profane wicked Prince chap. 21.25 Shall bear upon his shoulders in the twilight His precious things see on ver 6. This though it be not recorded in the holy history yet that it was so we are assured by this Scripture Great men in exigents stoop to low offices This load upon his shoulders might hinder his flight and further his surprizal as it did Baiazets when he was beaten out of the field by Tamerlan that he stayed to water his horse The Vulgar rendereth it but not well in humeris portabitur he shall be carried on mens shoulders The Pope indeed is ordinarily so carried but he was glad to foot it when forced by the German and Spanish Souldiers A. D. 1527. he was glad to secure himself in his castle St. Angelo They shall dig through the wall The door haply or inlet of some under-ground passage He shall cover his face See on ver 6. This he did haply through fear or shame or for a disguise but his sin found him out Ver. 13. My not also will I spread upon him Princes usually love hunting and fouling Loe the Chaldees shall hunt him and over-catch him And he shall be taken in my snare Snares are set secretly catch suddenly Iun. hold certainly A strong hold the Hebrew word here used doth also signify Yet shall he not see it For his eyes were put out at Riblah 2 King 25. And yet behold a greater blindnesse that befel him then this Ioseph Ant. l. 6 10. cap. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Josephus testifieth that Zedekiah not understanding these words of Ezekiel and thinking them to be contrary to Jeremiah's words he resolved to believe neither of them Ver. 14. And I will scatter toward every wind His life-guard Esquires of his body Auxiliaries I will put him into an helplesse condition Psal 146.3 If the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee said that King to her that cryed to him for help 2 King 6.27 Ver. 15. And they shall know that
I am the Lord The Lord God of heaven the great and terrible God Neh. 1.5 This they shall know magno suo malo who would not take knowledge what was said unto them by the Prophets Ver. 16. But I will leave a few men Heb. Men of number a company scarce considerable in comparison of the Many That they may declare all their abominations Give glory to God take shame to themselves and thereby do much good to those Heathens hardened before by their evil behaviour Verè magnus est Deus Ghristianorum said one Calocerius an Heathen Ver. 17. Moreover the word c. See on ver 1. Ver. 18. Eat thy bread with quaking With tumult and trepidation as an affrighted and perplexed person that eateth his bread in peril of his life Ver. 19. They shall eat their bread with carefulnesse Better fast then feed on such bread Men may sooner by their carking care add a furlong to their grief then a cubit to their comfort saith One. Because of the violence The Jews were ever and are still a covetous and cruel people Ver. 20. And ye shall know By woful experience ver 15. Ver. 21. And the Word of the Lord See ver 1. Ver. 22. What is that Proverb We have also many prophane proverbs common amongst us as Thought is free Every man for himself and God for us all words are but wind In space comes grace Fair and softly goes far c. The dayes are prolonged Ludibrium crassum The Greeks had many such ill proverbs Chrysost complaineth Because judgement is not speedily exicuted c. Ver. 23. The dayes are at hand Opponit aliud dictum ferè tot syllabarum a plain and plenary confutation Ver. 24. For there shall be no more God could have really confuted them by present execution but he is patient Ver. 25. For I am the Lord And that you shall shortly feel to your small comfort What I have uttered with my mouth I will perform with my hand without fail For in your dayes Within six years Ver. 26. Again the Word See on ver 1. Ver. 27. For many dayes Either 't is nothing or long hence Ver. 28. There shall none of my words be prolonged Abused mercy turneth into fury CHAP. XIII Ver. 1. ANd the Word of the Lord See on chap. 12.1 Ver. 2. Prophesie against the Prophets Illis enim omnia mala feruâ—tur accepta See Jer. 29.32 33 38. That prophesie out of their own hearts Whose prophesies came by the will of man 2 Pet. 1.21 and not cum privilegio Ver. 3. Wo unto the foolish Prophets Wise enough they were in their generation and so are the foxes whereto they are compared ver 4. but in the things of God silly-simples blinder then moles That follow their own spirit And their own fancies acted and abused by that great lying spirit And have seen nothing Nothing from God though they thought and pretended they had seen something All was but lyes Jer. 27.10 dreams Jer. 23.32 things of naught Ezek. 22.28 As Antipheron Orietes in Aristotle thought that every where he saw his own shape and picture going before him so here Now a wo is denounced against these Vae is a little word but very comprehensive as there is oft much poison in little drops Ver. 4. O Israel thy Prophets are like the foxes Cowardly crafty cruel greedy venatores eludunt cum mortuae videntur reviviscunt Heretikes are such and false Prophets Arius for instance Ver. 5. Ye have not gone up into the gaps Reclaimed the People from their impieties those inlets of plagues nor interceded for them by your prayers to God to turn away wrath but hastened it Ye have built indeed a wall and dawbed it with morter but such as is untempered ver 10. arena sine calce like ill architects Neither made up the hedge To keep foxes out of Gods vineyard it is even opentide To stand in the battle As Davids three Worthies did in the Barly-field and delivered it Turk hist 417. 1 Chron. 11.14 Or as Marulla the maid of Lemnos who like a fierce Amazon desperately fought with the Turks in defence of her country Coccinum a City in that Island and kept them out till more company came to her relief moved with the alarm Ver. 6. They have seen vanity This is soon seen ver 3. Saying the Lord saith By a lying pretence familiar with falsaries to father their fancies upon God Ver. 7. Have ye not seen a vain vision i. e. I appeal to your own consciences have ye not falsely fained all Seducers are extreme impudent of perverse minds cauterized consciences Ver. 8. Behold I am against you Heb. Behold I against you by an angry Aposiopesis The Chaldee hath it I will send my wrath against you and that 's an evil messenger for who knoweth the power of thy Wrath saith Moses Psal 90.11 Dicit eos sore prorsus extraneos ch Ecclesia Tesseris Ecclesiae aspectabilibus abalienati permanebunt Jun. Ver. 9. And my hand shall be upon the Prophets Gods hand is a mighty hand 1 Pet. 5.6 the heaven is spanned by it the earth held in the hollow of it They shall not be in the assembly of my people Or in the secret or counsels they shall have no communion with them A heavy threat for the communion of Saints next unto communion with God is the greatest comfort here attainable Neither shall they be written As members of that Commonwealth much lesse of the Jerusalem that is above Esa 4.4 but rooted out of the world written in the earth Jer. 17.13 See Psal 69.28 Neither shall they enter They shall never come back out of Babylon nor enter into heaven Ver. 10. Because even because Heb. for that and for that an angry Epiziuxes See ver 8. Saying peace peace Making all fair weather before them when as the storm of Gods wrath never to be blown over was bursting out upon them And one built up a wall Ipse aedificabat parietem one of the devils chief dirt dawbers such as was Shemajah Hananiah c. Jer. 28.29 who together with their she upholsters that sewed pillows to allarwholes ver 17. made foul work and did much mischief among Gods people like as do the Jesuites and Jesuitisses into whom all the old seducers have fled and hid themselves at this day And lo others daubed it By cunning collusion they plaistered and parjetted over the mud wall that was so set up Ita extruunt illi vel potius destruunt Ecclesiam Dei such proper builders were these Like unto whom are the Popish Priests Juâ— who bring the poor people into a fools paradise and such idle Ministers amongst us as shoot off at best a few pot-guns against gross sins or when they have done their worst at it lick them whole again with I hope better things of you or I hope there are none such here c. Many silly people also judge themselves honest because the daubing Minister
Doeg may set his foot as far within the Sanctuary as a David And sat before me Demurely and to see to devoutly But why could they not stand to hear the Word of God for reverence sake Balac did so Num. 23.18 though a King And Eglon though unweildy Judg. 3.20 and a better man then they both Constantine the Great as Eusebius recordeth and further telleth us that being pressed after long time of hearing to sit down De vâ—ta conâ— with a stern countenance he answered It were a great sin in me not to hear with utmost attention when God is speaking Ver. 2. And the word of the Lord came Lest the Prophet seeing these seniors coming thus unto him should favour them too far God uncaseth them as he doth mostly such grosse hypocrites in this present life Jerobâ—am and his wife Ananias and Sapphirah Simon Magus and others for instance How else indeed should the name of such wicked wretches rot as they must Prov. 10. Ver. 3. These men have set their Idols in their hearts Though they would seem to abhor idols yet the devil is at inne with them and their hearts are no beter then so many Idol-temples as thou wouldest easily perceive hadst thou but my fiery eyes and couldest see their insides as I do Piscat Sustulerunt stercoreos deos suos super cor suum they have laid their dungy-deities upon their very hearts a place where I only should be by right for it is the bridal-bed And put the stumbling-block of their iniquity i. e. They are impudent sinners as the Scholiast interprets it and resolved of their course whatever comes of it Hoc significat crassum Dei contemptum quali professam rebellionem Should I be enquired of at all by them q. d. No never I scorn the motion I abhor such ludibrious devotion as this is Away with it Piscator rendereth the words An ergò seriò interrogor ab eis Thinkest thou that I am seriously sought unto by these q. d. Nothing lesse Ver. 4. I the Lord will answer him Or as I am the Lord oath-wise I will answer him but with bitter answers According to the multitude of his idols i. e. As by his abominations he hath well deserved or concerning the multitude of his idols that 's a sin he shall be sure to hear of and to suffer for Ver. 5. That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart Vt deprehendam or as others ut reprehendam that I may convince their consciences of their impieties and sting them to the heart with unquestionable conviction and horrour Because they are all estranged from me And fallen in with the devil who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith Synesitu a great promoter of idolatry Idola sunt prima saliva Oecolamp initium deficiendi à Deo Idolatry paveth the way to utter Apostacy Ver. 6. Repent and turn your selves Or turn others for true converts will be converting their brethren They like not to go to heaven alone And turn away your faces Alii dicunt uxores vestras saith Lavater here your wives which are according to your hearts like as in water face answereth to face Wean them from their idols and win them over to the true God Ver. 7. For every one of the house of Israel The same over again and yet no vain repetition duris enim illis capitibus res non potuit satis inculcari to these dizzards nothing could be said too much Or of the stranger But proselyted to the Jewish religion as Jethro who was the first of that kind that we read of Which separateth himself from me As an harlot doth from her husband See Hos 4.14 9.10 I the Lord will answer him by my self Non verbis sed verberibus not with words but with blows Or according to my most holy Truth and Justice Or by my self sc do I swear that I will do it See ver 4. Ver. 8. And I will set my face against that man I will look him to death Or Vultuosè torveque illum intuear laying aside all other businesse I will see to it that he be soundly paid And will make him a sign and a proverb That when men would expresse a great punishent upon any Ier. 29.22 Tantalus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut vult Plato they shall resemble it to his as the Jews did to Ahab's and Zedekiah's that naughty couple and the Heathens to that of Tantalus and Tityus And I will cut him off from the midst of my people This is yet a further and a more formidable menace this is far worse then to be a by-word to the people Ver. 9. I the Lord have deceived that Prophet I had not only a permissive but an active hand in that imposture not as a sin but as a punishment of other sins See 1 Kings 22.20 Job 12.16 Jer. 4.10 2 Thes 2.11 And I will stretch out mine hand upon him i. e. Upon that false-prophet who although he hath thus acted not without my providence yet hath sinned against my Law which is the rule men must walk by or else suffer for their transgression Aut faciendum aut patiendum Now God hath long hands as we use to say of Princes neither may any think to live out of the reach of his rod. Ver. 10. And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity Neither shall excuse other but as they have sinned together so shall they suffer together quia volentes scientes errabant they wilfully went astray Quandoquidem hic populus vult decipi decipiatur they shall infallibly perish An evil Pilot may easily drown himself and all that are with him on the same bottom Ver. 11. That the house of Israel may go no more astray Thus when Gods Judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse Isa 26.9 Those elect that were bad will become good and they that were good will be made better Paena ad paucos metus ad omnes Ver. 12. The Word of the Lord came again to me The utter destruction of this perverse people is once again denounced and declared to be inevitable Ver. 13. Son of man See on chap. 2.1 When the land sinneth against me i. e. The Inhabitants of the land not as if the land it self were alive and endued with reason as Origen doated and as Plato held that the Spirit of God was the soul of the world Hom. 4. in loc By trespassing grievously Praevaricando perfidè by doing evil as men could Then will I stretch out my hand See ver 9. And will break the staff See chap. 4.16 5.26 And I will send famine Extream famine a heavy Judgement as hath elsewhere been shewed out of sacred and profane history Ver. 14. Though these three men See on Jer. 15.1 Noah Daniel and Job What could not these three so mighty with God have done if the matter had been feâ—sible Daniel was now
alive and in his prime Ezekiel his contemporary and fellow-Prophet envyeth him not but celebrateth him as also Peter doth Paul 2 Epist 3. They should deliver but their own souls Because the decree was past an end was come chap. 7.2 4 5 6 10. Ver. 15. If I cause noisom beasts As Lyons Wolves Bears Serpents c. Great hurt hath been done not only by such as Num. 21.6 2 Kings 2.24 17.25 26. Josh 24.12 but also by tamer creatures Aug. whem set on by God Rebellis facta est quia homo numini creatura homini Rats Coneys Frogs Wasps Moths have done much mischief Ver. 16. Though these three men were in it All alive and lustily tugging yet it would not do In common calamities Heathens had their supplications and sacrifices Papists have their Letanies and Processions though to smal purpose Let us in the like ease up and be doing that the Lord may be with us Formula jurandi eâ—siptica They shall deliver neither sons Heb. if they deliver sons c. q. d. then never trust me more Ver. 17. Or if I bring a sword The sword whensoever it comes is bathed in heaven Esa 34.5 Omnis pestilentiae coeca delitescens est causa Fernel Sword go through the land When the sword rideth circuit as a Judge it is in commission See Jer. 47.67 Ver. 18. Neither sons nor daughters Though never so dear to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greeks call them Ver. 19 Or if I send a pestilence Which Hippocartes calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because God hath a special hand in it Physicians can give no good reason of it In blood i. e. In great slaughter laying heaps upon heaps Ver. 20. Neither son nor daughter Though it were an only one and so more dear to them They shall but deliver Howbeit a good man also may dye of the Plague as did Oecolampadius Greenham c. Ver. 21. My four sore Judgements Every of the four Cardan reckons three more of like nature viz. earthquakes inundations and great winds are sore judgements indeed each of them is pessimum i. e. perniciosum Cavete Ver. 22. Yet behold See a thing suddain and serious They shall come Be Captives here as you are And ye shall see their way How wicked it was and worthy of punishment Ver. 23. And they shall comfort i. e. Quiet and qualify your spirits CHAP. XV. Ver. 1. ANd the Word of the Lord came unto me This shortest Chapter is added to all the foregoing as a Corollary In consisteth of a Type or Simile and the Application thereof It is Gods usual way and should be ours to teach by Similitudes See Hos 12.10 with the Note Ver. 2. What is the vine-tree more then any tree The Jews took upon them because a vine brought out of Egypt and such as Gods own righ-hand had planted But insomuch as they were now become fruitlesse and also uselesse trees twice dead plucked up by the roots Jude 12. what had they to glory in above other Nations surely they were therefore worse then others because they ought to have been better True it is that a Vine in it self considered with the fruit it beareth is no contemptible tree But if it be withered or pull'd out of the earth Lignum tenus gibbosum tortuosum it is no way comparable to other trees or shrubs which when felled are put to sundry good uses that the Vine a crooked low writhen thing will never serve to as to make spears doors tables ships houses c. Ver. 3. Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work No hardly t is good for nothing no not so much as to make a pin or a peg of to hang a hat or bridle on because it is a sappy and brittle wood Think the same of that empty vine the profligate Professour being abominable disobedient and unto every good work reprobate Tit. 1. ult Ver. 4. Behold it is cast into the fire for fuel But then it must be taken afore it be over-dry and so Corn. à Lapide testifieth that they burn little else in Italy but faggots made of vine-branches See Joh. 15.6 with the Note The midst of it is burnt Vstulatum scorcht and seared so that it is altogether unuseful and is therefore cast again into the fire out of which for some other purpose it had been pulled Woe to Apostates the hottest fire in Hell abideth them Ver. 5. Behold when it was whole The Jews when at best were too too bad a foolish people and unwise disobedient and gainsaying all the day long how much more then now that they are hardened and seared with so many Judgements Ver. 6. As the Vine-tree Adaptat parabolam Here beginneth the Apodosis or Application of the parable That which is not for fruit is for the fiâ—e Salt which hath lost the savour is thrown out So will I give the Inhabitants of Jerusalem Those sinners in Sion Isa 33.14 those sacrificing Sodomites Isa 1.10 I will make them as a fiery oven in the time of mine anger I will swallow them up in my wrath Psal 21.9 besides that hell gapeth for them Ver. 7. And I will set my face against them See chap. 14.8 Levit. 17.10 They shall go out from one fire And then think themselves safe and happy but this is but gaudium lachrymosum their preservation is but only a reservation for Another fire shall devour them A man pulleth a brand out of the fire sometimes and then presently casteth it in again he gathereth up the sticks-ends but it is to cast them into the middle of the fire So dealeth God oft-times with the wicked to whom also whatsoever they suffer here is but a typical Tophet See Amos 5.19 Jer. 48.43 And ye shall know that I am the Lord i. e. True of my word and terrible in mine executions The Prophets could not get you to believe that your sins were so hainous that my wrath was so hot that your judgements were so heavy c. but now ye shall surely feel what you would not then believe and cry out Nos insensati c O we fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets had spoken unto us When I set my face against them As being fully resolved to have my full blow at them and to pay them home Ver. 8. And I will make the land desolate The land it self oft suffereth propter incolarum inemendabilem malitiam Psal 107.4 for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Idolatry especially is a land-desolating sin Because they have committed a trespasse A grand trespasse a wickednesse with a witnesse they have deeply revolted and backsliden with a perpetual back-sliding Apostates as they sin not common sins so with Core and his complices they dye not common deaths many times CHAP. XVI Ver. 1. AGain the Word of the Lord came unto me For the better setting on of what had been said in the foregoing Chapter
through thick and thin etiam in cloacalem faetulentiam to have worshipped it Ver. 35. Wherefore O harlot A name good enough for such an odious huswife the shame of her sex He is not worthy of an honest name whose deeds are not honest Hear the Word of the Lord Hear thy doom thy sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stoned thou shalt be as an adulteresse slain with the sword as a murtheresse burnt with fire as an incendiary because thou hast burnt thy children in honour of Moloch Ver. 36. Because thy filthinesse Heb. thy poâ—son Aerugo tua thy filthinesse issuing from thee by reason of thine over-frequent and excessive adulteries He meaneth the infamous fluxes of whores saith Diodat And by the blood Heb. bloods because scattered about in several drops Ver. 37. With whom thou hast taken pleasure Or Jocundata es with whom thou hast been commingled And will discover thy nakednesse unto them This is by modest women taken for a very great punishment Polyxena when she was sacrificed took great care to fall handsomely The Milesian maides would not be kept from killing themselves till there was a law made that such as so did should be drawn naked through the Market Till the dayes of Theodosius Senior if a woman were taken in adultery they shut her up in a stewes and compelled her beastly and without all shame to play the harlot ringing a bell whil'st the deed was doing that all the neighbours might be made privy to it This evil custom that good Emperour took away making other laws for the punishment of Adultery Ver. 38. And I will judge thee as women that break wedlock See Lev. 20.10 Deut. 22.22 The Egyptians cut off the harlots nose and the adulterers privy members The Romans beheaded them the old Germans whipt them through the streets Canutus the Danish King in this land banished them Tenedius a King in another land did cut them in sunder with an axe By our laws they are to be hanged as by the Jews laws to be stoned ver 40. And shed blood See ver 35. I will give thee blood God loveth to retaliate Ver. 39. They shall throw down thine eminent place So did the Turks throw down many both images and Churches in Christendom when people would not be perswaded to cast images out of their Churches They shall strip thee also of thy clothes So the Spaniards did the Dutch when once they grew fond of the Spanish fashions as Lavater here noteth Ver. 40. They shall also bring up a company against thee The Chaldeans that hasty and bitter Nation Hab. 1.6 And they shall stone thee See on ver 35. Ver. 41. In the sight of many women Those matrons whom thou hast misused and many others who may well be warned by thy just punishment to keep their faith to God and man Ver. 42. So I will make my fury toward thee to rest Sept. I will dismisse mine anger upon thee Like as when Hâ—mâ—n was hanged Ahashuâ—rosh his wrath was pacified Esth 7.10 and as when Jonah was cast over-board the sea was calmed Ver. 43. Because thou hast not remembred c. Thou hast not cared to converse with thy self nor to recogitate my goodness and thine own badness But hast fretted me Or hast kept a stir with me or rather stirred up thy self against me and all through want of reflection and self-examination See Jer. 8.6 Herodot I also will recompense thy way upon thy head As the darts of those Thracians thrown up against Jupiter for raining upon them unseasonably came down again upon their own heads so here Ver. 44. Behold every one that useth Proverbs That is skilful at and exercised in gibing and jearing Omnis paraemiator paraemiabit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as was Socrates called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scoffer Democritus Lucian Sir Thomas Moor Erasmus c. Shall use this proverb This taunting Proverb As is the mother so is her daughter The birth followeth the belly Ill birds lay ill eggs Qualis hera talis ancilla c. Ver. 45. Thou art thy mothers daughter As like her as if spet out of her mouth so like her that thou art the worse again Your mother was an Hittite And doth therefore seek her daughter in the oven because she had first been there her self See ver 3. Ver. 46. She and her daughters i. e. Her Cities and villages That dwell at thy left hand Thou art well set up therewhile well neighboured That dwelleth at thy right hand That did do so but now dwelleth with devils being thrown out for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire Jude 7. Ver. 47. Yet hast thou not walked after their wayes But hast outsinned them Nolunt solita peccare saith Seneca of some they will not sin in an ordinary way Et pudet non esse impudentes saith Austin of others i. e. they are ashamed not to be past shame But as if that were a very little thing Paululum pauxillumque A peccadillo Ver. 48. As I live saith the Lord God Sodom thy sister hath not done Heb. If Sodom thy sister hath done c. q. d. then let me never be trusted more Here then is a double oath taken by God to assure this people that they had outsinned Sodom a truth that they would not easily assent to To this day we cannot get men to believe that their natures are so naught their lives so leud their state so dangerous as the Preachers make them Their hearts are good their penny good silver c. The Prophet Esay lost his life say the Rabbines for calling the Rulers of Jerusalem Rulers of Sodom and the people of Judah people of Gomorrah Esa 1.10 Ver. 49. Behold this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom Pride i. e. Haughty-mindednesse and high conceitedness of their own surpassing excellency and stable felicity This was the first firebrand that set Sodom on fire Fulnesse of bread Gourmandise and surquedry This fulnesse bred forgetfulnesse and this saturity security Luxuriant animi rebus plerunque secundis Nec facile est aequâ commoda mente pati And abundance of idlenesse Tranquillitas tranquillitatis rest of rest and this abused to idleness deep idleness which is the devils pillow and the mother of many mischiefs for he shall not but do naughtily that does nothing Neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor Inhospital they were and unmerciful The two Angels might have lain in the streets for them neither would they let them rest when Lot had lodged them Ver. 50. And they were haughty This sin of theirs is once more instanced as the root of the rest the hate of heaven and gate to hell And committed abomination before me That unnatural filthiness which taketh its name from them This in the Levant is not held a vice and in Mexico it is one of the Spanish vertues Therefore I took them away as I saw good sc By raining down hell from
heaven upon them hereby also God gave men an example of that rule that hainous sins bring hideous plagues as Herodotus also saith of the Fall of Troy Ver. 51. Neither hath Samaria committed half thy sins And yet thou lookest aloof upon her as a far greater sinner then thy self because already carried captive when as thou hast done and spoken evil things as thou couldest Jer. 3.5 outdone her a fair deale And hast justified thy sisters Who may well seem Saints in comparison of thee and yet are as naught as need to be Ver. 52. Thou also which hast judged thy sisters Passed many harsh and rash censures upon them not looking at all to the hinder-part of the wallet Bear thine own shame Thou shalt do it sure enough for where sin is in the saddle there shame is on the crupper Accept therefore the punishment of thine iniquity Levit. 26.43 give glory to God take shame to thy self Ver. 53. When I shall bring again Or if I bring again which I shall never do The Jew doctours indeed would from this verse gather that Sodom and all shall one day be restored again but that is like to be a long day The Jews as they had taken up the opinion of Pythagoras about Transanimation so they had that other of Plato about the great Revolution or Restitution of all things after certain years Then will I bring again the captivity The Jews were never perfectly restored in respect of the glory of the Temple and the state of the Kingdom c. Ver. 54. In that thou art a comfort unto them Chap. 14.22 Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris to have companions in misery is some kind of comfort Ver. 55. When thy sister Sodom and her daughters See on ver 53. The Jews still dream that all this shall be done at the coming of their long lookt-for Messias Hieron in loc and in his raign on earth for a thousand years That then also Jerusalem shall be reedified and made up of gold silver and precious stones c. So apt are they to work themselves into the fooles paradise of a sublime dotage Ver. 56. For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned Thou thoughtest her not worthy to be named in the same day with thee and little dreamedst that thou shouldest be matched with her in misery Or thus Thou wouldest neither hear nor speak of her though I had thrown her forth for an example of divine vengeance Jude 7. In the day of thy pride Heb. Prides for pride buddeth chap. 7.10 and like a great swelling in the body which breaks and runs with loathsom and soul matter it breaks forth into odious practises Ver. 57. Before thy wickednesse was discovered sc By my punishments by my sending the Syrians and Philistines upon thee in the dayes of Ahaz to despoil and despise thee Confer Esa 9.12 Ver. 58. Thou hast born thy leudnesse i. e The punishment of it and yet art little the better See Esa 9.13 Ver. 59. I will even deal with thee I will avenge upon thee the quarrel of my Covenant Lev. 26.25 Ver. 60. Neverthelesse I will remember my Covenant Here beginneth the Evangelical part of the chapter which is for the comfort of the Elect who would be frighted to hear those direful threats like as in an house we cannot beat the dogs but the children will fall a crying Ver. 61. And be ashamed With a saving and savoury shame such as was that of Ezra and of the penitent Publican proceeding from true compunction and producing repentance never to be repented of Jer. 31.31 32 33 34. 2 Cor. 3.3 Heb. 8.8 When thou shalt receive thy sisters Not Sodom only and Samaria but all the Gentiles whom thou hast imitated but now shalt become a worthy example of better things But not by thy Covenant Made with thee in mount Sinai but by a covenant of grace made in mount Sion Ver. 62. And I will establish my Covenant My new spiritual and eternal Covenant grounded upon the Messias and made with the whole Israel according to faith Ver. 63. That thou mayst remember Thy many out-strayes And never open thy mouth To extenuate thy sins or to murmur at thy sufferings but be silent and submissive CHAP. XVII Ver. 1. ANd the Word of the Lord came In the foregoing chapter God had threatened the inhabitants of Jerusalem for violating their covenant with him and here he threateneth them no lesse for breach of Covenant with men In case of disobedience to himself he sheweth much patience many times but in case of disloyalty to a lawful Soveraign against oath especially he is quick and severe in his executions Ver. 2. Son of man put forth a riddle Acue acumen sharpen a sharpening or whet a whetting The Prophet might have expressed Gods mind in fewer words but then it would not have taken so deep an impression Parents must whet Gods Word upon their children Deut. 6.7 Ministers upon their people and Christians upon one another for the increase of love and good works Heb. 10.24 Riddles exercise the wit and parables help the memory and excite both attention and affection Ver. 3. A great Eagle with great wings An Eagle that King of birds is a fit emblem of an Emperour as here it is of Nebuchadnezzar the Great ver 12. See Jer. 48.40 49.22 Monarches Vide Pier. in Hieroglyph as Eagles have quick eyes long talons fly high pitches aime at great matters strive to get above all others chuse themselves high and firm seats c. See Job 39.30 31 32 33. with the Notes Ajax is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Eagle in Pindarus so is King Pyrrhus in Plutarch and took delight in that title The Spaniard was well laught at by Captaine Drake and his forces when they took Sancto Domingo 1585. and found in the Town-hall the King of Spaines armes and under them a Globe of the world out of which issued not a well plumed Eagle but a flying horse with this inscription Non sufficit Orbis We could not so well bridle his Pegasus at Sancto Domingo yet we put a stop to him at Jamaica but we have lately pulled his plumes in Flanders to some purpose by gaining from him Dunkirk now held by the English and likewise Berghen another place of great strength now held by the French This was written Jun. 28. 1658. the good news whereof came to us yesterday being June 27. 1658. praised be the holy Name of God for ever Came unto Lebanon i. e. Unto Judaea which lyeth near the forrest of Lebanon which forrest also lyeth in the way from Babylon to Judaea And took the highest branch of the Cedar Taleam the top-branch This was Jechoniah 2 King 24.12 Ver. 4. He cropt off the top of his young twigs i. e. The Nobles carried into captivity with their King Nulâ—a est objectio in lege quae non habet solutionem in latere Omnia Romae vaenalia as is to be
seen ver 12. So true is that saying of the Rabbines that there is no riddle in the law that hath not a solution by the sides of it And so little cause had that Jesuite Barradius to borrow an argument from this text to prove the Scriptures to be a riddle and obscure And carried it into a land of traffique Babylonia was so See Rev. 18.11 Rome is so where all things are saleable and soluble as was long since complained He set it in a City of Merchants Some City of Babylon saith Diodat assigned to the Jews which was commodious for traffique to keep them from all thoughts of war and State policy Ver. 5. He took also of the seed of the land No forrainer but one of their own country and of the blood-royal too viz. Zedekiah This was a great mercy as that most spitefully done of Attiius King of Suecia to make a dog King of the Danes as did likewise Gunno King of the Danes make a dog King of Norway appointing Counsellours to do all things under his title and name And planted it in a fruitful field i. e. In Judea that good land as Rabshakeh also yeeldeth it to have been whatever Strabo saith to the contrary where Zedekiah might have lived bravely and reigned prosperously could he but have been content with his condition At Paris ut vivat regnetque beatus Horat. Epist 2. Cogi posse negat He placed it by great waters and set it as a willow-tree A well-contented person grows up prosperously as the willows by the water-courses Ver. 6. And it grew And yet it had a great fall viz. from a tall cedar to a low vine Zedekiah though he had still the title of a King and was not left without wealth and dignity yet it was far inferiour to that of his Predecessours Magna repentè raunt summa cadunt subito Whose branches turned toward him i. e. Toward Nebuchadnezzar now the chief Lord of the land To him looked and leaned the Lords of the land and so long they did well for they and the whole Kingdom thrived Ver. 7. There was also another great Eagle sc Pharaoh another potent Monarch why called an Eagle see on ver 3. And behold this vine did bend her roots toward him Which was the worst chare for her self that ever she did The Devil of Discontent put her upon this unhappy project whereby instead of mending her self she soon marr'd all So true is that of Solomon Wisdom is better then weapons of war but one sinner destroyeth much good Eccles 9.18 Zedekiah little thought once ever to have been a King Nebuchadnezzar made him so when as he might as well have refused him for the rebellions of his two Predecessours He had also dealt nobly with him though his vassal and would have defended him against any adverse power c. so that he had no reason at all to rebel but that he was infatuated and besotted by Ambition and Avarice which Plutarch finely and fitly calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diseases natural to Potentates Ver. 8. It was planted in a good soil He was well enough if he could have kept him so O fortunatos homines bona si sua norint But discontent enjoyeth nothing Zedekiah liketh not to be a vine he must be a Cedar Aut Caesar aut nullus Ver. 9. Shall it prosper How should it say Hath ever any waxed fierce against God or his substitute and prospered Job 9.4 Is perfidy and perjury the right way to prosperity I trow not Shall he not pull up He that is the great Eagle ver 3. who would be upon them before they were aware Without great power or many people i. e. For any great need there shall be of them sith the work shall be done with little adoe If the Chaldaeans were but a few and they all wounded men they should yet rise up and burn this City saith Jeremy See 2 Chron. 24.23 24. It s no hard matter we know to pluck up a vine root and branch God telleth us in the next verse that he can do it with a wind with a wet finger as we say Ver. 10. Shall it not utterly wither As Jonah's gourd did when smitten with a worm as Phocas his wall came down with a witnesse because built upon mines of gunpowder sin lay at the bottom as One told him which being once fired would blow up all When the East-wind toucheth it Which is very hurtful to Vines saith Columella As all creatures so the winds are Gods Agents as to purge the air Rupertus calleth them the beesoms of the air and to refresh mens spirits so to execute many of Gods Judgements upon his rebels as here Aliorum perditio nostra sit cautio Let other mens destruction be our instruction It shall wither in the furrows where it grew i. e. In Egypt where it rained not but was all watered by furrows drawn from Nilus to run into all their fields Here this vine should thrive one would think if anywhere viz. in moist and fat furrows but it could not because blasted by Gods curse Ver. 11. Moreover the Word of the Lord came unto me saying God had one saying more to this rebellious house by way of Explication here and another of Application for Comfort and Encouragement to the better sort among them ver 22 23 24. Ver. 12. Know ye not what these things mean q. d. T is much you should not there is no such great difficulty in the parable but that ye are self-blinded and will not see far of either your wits serve you not in the things of God or if they do you will make believe otherwise Are ye not therefore rightly called a rebellious house Tell them For their learnings and that they may be left without excuse See on ver 4. Ver. 13. And hath taken an oath of him An oath of allegiance Heb. hath brought him into an execration or an oath with cursing that he shall be true and loyal to him and hold his Kingdom of him as his Leigh-Lord and pay him tribute This though we find not in the books of Kings yet from what we here find we are sure it was so Ver. 14. That the Kingdom might be base The mighty of the land being taken away as ver 13. and the spirits of the rest imbased by burdens and oppressions in their estates and liberties But that by keeping of his Covenant The breach whereof was the break-neck of the State as it hath been of many others and will be shortly of the Turks who hold that there is no faith to be kept with dogs that is with Christians and of the Popes who hold that there is no faith to be kept with keretikes that is with Protestants And for all others it is written by an Italian no stranger to the Court of Rome that their proverb is Mercatorum est non regum stare juramentis that it is for Merchants and not for Monarches to stand to their oathes Shall
such stand shall they thus escape by iniquity Ver. 15. But he rebelled against him As Ottocarus King of Bohemia did against Rodolphus the first Emperour of Germany by the instigation of his Queen and as Ladislaus King of Hungary did against Amurath the Turkes Emperour by the encouragement of Capistranus the Popes Agent to the very great reproach of the Christian Religion Ver. 16. As I live So surely will I punish perjury aâ—d treachery Histories are full of examples in this kind Mr. Greenhil and I have elsewhere recited some of them That of Henry the third of France related by a Reverend man deserves to be memorized After great differences between Him the Cardinal and Duke of Guise he was reconciled unto them confirmed the reconciliation with many oathes took the Sacrament upon it and gave himself to the devil body and soul in case he meant or should attempt any thing against them Yet saith the story he caused the Duke to be killed in his own presence and the Cardinal his brother the next day after Here was breach of Covenant but did he prosper escape do such things and have deliverance No within eight moneths after he was slain by a Friar in the midst of his Army Ver. 17. Neither shall Pharaoh God will cause the strongest sinew in the arm of flesh to crack See Psal 33.10 11. Ver. 18. Seeing he despised the oath Despised it ex fastu quodam out of pride and disdain as the word signifieth as Pascenius the Papist jeareth at King James for inventing the oath of allegiance There is in our Chronicles a memorable story of one Sr. Ralph Percy slain upon Hegely-moor in Northumberland Speed by the Lord Mountacute General for Edward the fourth He would no wayes depart the field though defeated but in dying said I have saved the bird in my breast meaning his oath to King Henry the sixth Had false Zedekiah done so he had for this once at least escaped But Ambition whose Motto is said to be Sic mea fata sequor was his ruine Ver. 19. Surely mine oath Because taken by my name so that I am deeply engaged highly concernd it it Ver. 20. And I will spread my net upon him See on chap. 12.13 The history telleth us that when Zedekiah with his Nobles were gotten into the plains of Jericho and thought themselves out of danger those great hunters the Babylonians caught him and carried him to their King Ver. 21. And all his fugitives See on chap. 14.13 14. They shall know Serò sapient Vexatio tandem dabit intellectum All too lâ—te they shall knowledge it Ver. 22. I will also take of the highest branch of the high Cedar Understand this great and precious Promise of Zerubbabel and his successours Insignis est haâ— prophetia Lavat but especially of Christ and his Kingdom How oft in the Prophets is he stiled the Branch Isa 11.1 And how ordinary is it with God after dreadful threats against the wicked to come in with his Attamen for the comfort of his Elect who in their deepest distresse have cause enough to encourage themselves in the Lord Christ their God as did David at the sack of Ziglag 1 Sam. 30.6 Here they are excited in the losse of all else to fetch comfort from Christs descent from David his Exaltation to the kingdom of the Church Universal his bounty and benefits his bringing in the fulnesse of the Gentiles and his setting forth of his Fathers glory A tender one Christ of weak and low beginning Tenellum Psal 2.6 And will plant it Upon Zion spiritual especially upon Calvary saith Theodoret expounding the Septuagint who render the text thus I will hang it upon the high mountain of Israel Ver. 23. In the mountain In the Church that highest top And it shall bring forth boughes c. Christ shall yield food and defence to all his All foul of every wing i. e. The just saith the Chaldee who mind heavenly things and mount upward Ver. 24. And all the trees of the field i. e. All men high and low Have brought down This God loves to do as Heathens could say Have exalted the low Lavater thinks our Saviour alluded to this text in that parable Matth. 13. of the grain of mustard-seed CHAP. XVIII Ver. 1. ANd the Word of the Lord came unto me This is oft prefaced by the Prophets to make their sermons more authoritative and authentike Pausanias telleth us that some Heathen Sages to adde weight to their works were wont to perfix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. God God Ver. 2. What mean you Or What 's come to you qua vos dementia cepit that you do so tosse this sinful and senselesse Proverb amongst you both at Jerusalem Jer. 31.29 and also here at Babylon delicta parentum Immeritus Judaee luis Must I be blasphemed rather then you faulted Is it for your fathers sins only that ye suffer and do ye thus think to put off the reproofs of the Prophets as if your selves had not seconded and out-sinned your Fathers and are therefore justly punished The fathers have eaten sour grapes Sin is no better it is an evil and a bitter thing to forsake the Lord Jer. 2. what wild sour grapes your fathers both bred and fed upon see Isa 5.2 8 11 20 21 22 c. and it was woe woe unto them And the childrens teeth are set on edge Or stupified But is there not a cause and are there not sins enough with you even with you to procure your ruth and your ruine but that I must be injurious rather then you be found obnoxious Ver. 3. Ye shall not have occasion any more For I will shortly take an order with you and not by words but by blows vindicate my just Judgements from your cavils and scurrilities Ver. 4. Behold all souls are mine So that to shew my Soveraignty I may do with them as I see good Howbeit let me tell you that I slay none but for his sins i. e. idque ipsi suâ injustitiâ evenit non injuriâ meâ the fault is meerly in himself so little reason is there that you shoud be thus quarrelsom and contumelious against me The soul that sinneth it shall dye i. e. Shall suffer for his sin either here or hereafter without repentance Every man shall bear his own burden every tub shall stand upon its own bottom and every fox yield his own skin to the fleaer as the Jews at this day proverbially can say Ver. 5. But if a man be just Keep faith and a good conscience do good acts and have good aimes do all as well as any not this or that but this and that too as here it followeth duties of Piety and duties of Charity Ver. 6. And hath not eaten upon the mountains i. e. Hath not offered there to idols for at their sacrifices they feasted Exod. 32. the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play See chap. 20.28
your offerings Not forbid and refuse them as I did theirs ver 39. Ver. 41. And I will be sanctified in you I will get me great glory by you among the heathen whilst you are non aliunde noscibiles quam de emendatione vitiorum pristinorum as Tertullian saith of the Primitive Christians no otherwise to be known better from others then by an alteration in you for the better Ver. 42. Into the land of Israel A pledge of a better place Ver. 43. Ye shall remember your wayes Recognition is the first thing in Reformation See chap. 16.61 And ye shall loath your selves Dissecabimini in faciebus vestris ye shall be as it were slashed with a sword over your faces like as those Percutietis facies vestras Sept. Acts 2. were prickt at heart they felt their sins as so many daggers at their hearts Ver. 44. And ye shall know that I am the Lord A sin-pardoning and heart-sanctifying God a rich rewarder of all that diligently seek me Heb. 11.6 Ver. 45. Moreover c. See on chap. 18.1 Ver. 46. Set thy face Prophecy freely and boldly against Jerusalem which is South from Chaldaea Against the forrest Against Judea which is mountainous and woody having good and bad trees in it Ver. 47. Every green tree Good and bad shall to the fire together chap. 21.3 See Luke 23.31 Shall be burnt therein Or scorched if they may scape so Ver. 48. That I the Lord Who my self am a consuming fire Heb. 12. ult Ver. 49. Doth he not speak parables Nonne artifex est parabolarum iste Davus sum non Oedipus Qui ergo non vult intelligi vult negligi He is so high that we cannot take him and shall therefore slight him as a mad man or not much better A Preacher shall have much adoe to please a profane people Neither maketh it much to the matter but it is grievous Ah Lord. CHAP. XXI Ver. 1. ANd the Word of the Lord See chap. 18.1 Ver. 2. Set thy face See on chap. 20.46 And drop thy Word See Deut. 32.2 Amos 7.16 As drops of rain follow one upon another so do words Speak thick speak home though they forbid thee to drop such vineger or nitre on their galled conscience Mic. 2.6 11. Toward the holy places i. e. Against the Temple which they so cryed up Jer. 7.5 like so many Oyster-wives ad ravim usque Ver. 3. Behold I am against thee That 's misery enough for all the creatures are soon against such as a Noble mans servants draw their swords when their Lord once draweth And will cut off from thee the righteous Who are sometimes wrapt up with the wicked in a common calamity The husbandman cutteth down his corn and weeds together but for a different end and purpose If the righteous also be judged of the Lord it that they may not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.31 Ver. 4. Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous Velut codem contubernio deprehensos This is repeated for more assurance because it might seem strange The Sept. hath it The unrighteous and the wicked The Chaldee I will make the righteous flee and destroy the wicked But the Hebrew verity is as before neither need we wonder sith the best have their infirmities Ver. 5. have drawn forth my sword And put it in commission not to return till the Circuit ended till it hath done full execution Ver. 6. Sigh therefore with the breaking of thy loines Gemituque gestu dolorem referas shew greatest grief such as is deep and downright Non ut praficae in funeribus solent sigh till thy buttons flye or as a travelling woman Ver. 7. For the tidings Ol the Chaldaeans comming This was to the wicked as those knuckles of a mans hand were afterward to Baltasar to write them their destiny or as Daniel was to him to read it unto them Whenas the righteous man is no whit afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord Psal 112.7 And every heart shall melt c. As wax before the fire which before the danger seemed to be made all of steel or adamant The wicked when in adversity are wofully despondent and crest-falne as was the King of Sodom Gen. 14. Manasseh among the bushes 2 Chron. 33.12 and others not a few who in their prosperity seem to face the heavens and to draw the devil himself to a duel And all hands shall be feeble The spirits and blood being run to the heart in that fright to relieve it And all knees shall be weak as water Heb. shall go into water that is they shall bepisse themselves for fear saith Jerom they shall be all on a cold sweat say others or their knees shall shake instar aquae tremulae and knock together as Belshazzar's did Dan. 5.6 Ver. 8. Again the word See on chap. 18.1 Exacutus extersus Ver. 9. A sword a sword is sharpened Not only drawn but sharpened that it may wound swiftly and deadly fourbished also that it may the more affray and make the quicker dispatch And that no doubt may be made of it the word sword is doubled Ver. 10. Sould we then make mirth Not if we be in our right minds for would it not be now a mad mirth when as we should be most serious and seek God See Isa 22.12 13 14. with the Notes It contemneth the rod of my son Other Judgements forerun the sword which when they will not do the deed the sword will then contemn the rod that is it will set at naught whatever those have done and come fourbished and sharpened for the slaughter See ver 3. Ver. 11. To give it into the hand of the slayer Nebuchadnezzar who will therewith lay about him lustily as Eleazar once did till his hand clave unto the sword 2 Sam. 23.10 or as since Scanderbeg who killed many hundred Turkes with his own hand Turk Hist and fought oft with so much eagernesse that the very blood brake forth at his lipps Ver. 12. Cry and howl son of man Whilest others make mirth as ver 10. and are insolent against God Mourners shall be marked chap. 9.4 comforted Isa 57.18 Smite therefore upon thy thigh See on Jer. 31.19 Ver. 13. Because it is a trial Sore and sharp therefore cry and howl especially since they are not bettered Hang heavy weights on rotten boughes they presently break the best divination of men is at the parting way See ver 21. And what if the sword contemn even the rod q. d. What doth this silly rod do here will they not stoop Will they not put their necks under the yoke of Gods Son ver 10. Let me come I 'le make them either bow or break either yeeld or bleed Ver. 14. Smite thy hands together So to shew what I will do shortly ver 17. Let the sword be doubled the third time Doubled and trebbled till it hath made an utter end of this
untoward generation Which entereth into their privy Chambers Ferretting and fetching them out of their lurking-holes Oecol Ver. 15. Ah it is made bright By this doleful exclamation the Prophet venteth himself tanquam corà m deformitatem cladis cerneret as if he had seen the execution Ver. 16. Go thee one way or other This he speaketh to the bright and sharp sword Trem. stirring it up to make impression that way whereunto it was appointed quocunque occurrent tibi res comparatae Exultat quasi hortator gladii saevientis Hier. Ver. 17. I will also smite mine hands together As animating the enemy and rejoycing at thy ruine Chaldee I will bring revenge upon revenge animumque explesse juvabit Ver. 18. The Word of the Lord See on chap. 18.1 Ver. 19. Appoint thee two wayes Pinge duas vias ut chap. 4.1 by prophetike action draw out two wayes by either of which Nebuchadnezzar may march against Egypt his present ayme as the great Turkes now is Italy Chuse it at the head of the way to the City All this the Jews heard and slighted as being infatuated and so fitted for destruction Ver. 20. And to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced Either against the one or the other of them not against both at once Ne Hercules quidem contra duos for they were both strong and Jerusalem was well aware of it for they had both revolted from Nebuchadnezzar and one of them was enough at once to undertake Ver. 21. For the King of Babylon stood at the parting Heb. at the mother of the way ubi via una in duas bifidata est Ubi se via findit in ambas Virg. To use divination Without which and offering sacrifice the very Heathens held it not fit to fight But this their art of divination was as One saith of Alchymie Ars falsissima fallacissima He made his arrows bright Vulg. he mingled his arrows that is saith Hierom he took two arrows writing upon the one Jerusalem and upon the other Rabbath Then putting them into a quiver together he took one out being blindfolded upon which seeing Jerusalem written he divined that he should go with successe against Jerusalem He consulted with images In which the devil sometimes spake See Aug. de C. D. lib. 4. cap. 18. He looked into the liver This was much practised by the Roman Generals Lucan as by Caesar when he went against Pompey Ver. 22. To appoint Captains Heb. raws fierce and forward to lead on their soldiers let them get off as they could To open their mouth To storm and take it by an onslaught and with a general slaughter non sine barritu militari vociferatione claugore insolenti Ver. 23. And it shall be to them as a false divination The Jewes shall believe nothing till wrath comes upon them to the utmost They shall laugh at Nebuchadnezzar's fopperies and think thee O Ezekiel to be little wiser then him Jun. ludificabuntur te adeoque teipsum divinationis nefariae quam de Nebuchadnetzare praedicas incusabunt but they shall rue this their madnesse To them that have sworn oaths But cared not at all to keep them Lingua juravi Medea Jusjurandum tanquam mantile adhibent quo novâ—e noxae quotidiè extergeantur Pacuvius mens injurata est But he will call to remembrance the iniquity The perfidy and perjury which they make nothing of They that harden themselves in any one sin put God in mind as it were of the rest which he had seemed to have forgotten Ver. 24. Because ye have made your iniquity Your old sins by an addition of new ones Your sins do appear You are scandalous shamelesse as Sodom Isa 3.9 Ver. 25. And thou profane Or worthy to be wounded to death Wicked Prince Zedekiah who now hath his own told him plainly by a Prophet See the like done 1 Sam. 13.13 1 Kings 18.18 2 Kings 3.13 14. with the Notes there Ver. 26. Remove the diadem This was a fine linnen cloth wherwith the Kings head used to be bound about and then the crown was set on Diadema of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumligare Take off the crown Our Richard the second when to be deposed was brought forth crowned and in royal robes Never saith the Chronicler was Prince so gorgeous with lesse glory and more grief This shall not be the same Haec non erit haeâ— This crown or kingdom shall not be as it hath been Exalt him that is low Jeconiah or as some will Christ the King of the Church And abase him that is high Zedekiah Just the same that Cambyses threatened unto Egypt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod lib. 2. Let him not henceforth be the Master of a mole-hill nor owner of his own liberty In him let it appear that Mortality is but the stage of Mutability Ver. 27. I will overturn overturn overturn it Curvam curvam curvam ponam â—am So the Tigurines translate A crown there shall be still but such as shall hang on one side of the head as it were Princes of the people there were Those three High-Priests Alexander Arostobulus and Hircanus who called themselves Kings had very ill successe Vntill he come Christ the rightful King of Israel To this text alludeth Nathaniel Joh. 1.49 Ver. 28. Concerning the Ammonites Who had likewise rebelled againg Nebuchadnezzar and were very injurious to Gods people See Chap. 25.3 6. Zeph. 2.8 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 29. To bring thee upon the necks of them thee are slain To deal inhumanely with the dead or to raise thy self upon the Jews ruine Ver. 30. Shall I cause it to return No but it shall still eat your flesh and drink your blood till none remaineth In the land of thy nativity In thine own nest and on thine own dunghil Ver. 31. Into the hand of brutish men Or of burning men Ardelionum artificum perditionis Saltem cum benedictione Polan Ver. 32. Thou shalt be no more remembred The Ammonites were so rooted out by the Medes and Persians that besides what we find in the Bible there is no mention of their name A type of such as are destroyed for ever in hell being fuel for that black fire and eternally forgotten CHAP. XXII Ver. 1. MOreover the Word See on chap. 18.1 Ver. 2. Wilt thou judge Or plead for or excuse See ch 20.4 The bloody City The Saints slaughter-house Ver. 3. In the midst of it Publicè impunè Against her self As a sinner against her own soul Ver. 4. Thou hast caused thy dayes Thou hast accelerated thy punishment as the old world did Ver. 5. Shall mock thee which art infamous This was forethreatened Deut. 28.37 Our natures are most impatient of reproach for there is none so mean but thinks himself worth of some regard Gens haec saith Giraldus Cambrensis of the wild Irish sicut natio quaevis barbara c. no Nation is so barbarous but that
diligenter de his malis concionatus est ut conciones ejus vix sine taedio legantur aut recitentur Ver. 23. And the Word See chap. 18.1 Ver. 24. Thou art the land that is not cleansed From thy filthinesse and the fire of my Judgements Nor rained upon Non compluta no mercy shewed thee no good done upon thee by all Ver. 25. Ther is a conspiracy of her Prophets They are all agreed to deceive the people and to persecute the true Prophets Here we have a lively description of the present Popish Clergy Planè palamque contrà faciunt quam ipsis imperavi lege Jun. Ver. 26. Her Priests have violated my Law By infringing and inforcing it to speak what it never meant to go two miles when it would go but one c. They have put no difference They have not taken out the precious from the vile but made it open-tide and admitted all pell mell as they say And have hid their eyes from my Sablaths i. e. Either framed excuse that they might themselves break it or else connived at others that have Ver. 27. Her Princes in the midst thereof There was in this State as Physicians say there is in some diseases corruptio totius substantiae Lupis ferociores voraciores erant a general defection and here they are particularly told of it for as Isocrates saith in his Oration to Philip King of Macedony that which is spoken to all is spoken to none See Mic. 3.11 Zeph. 3.3 Ver. 28. And her Prophets have daubed them Similes iis qui parietem incrustant luto friabili solubili See chap. 13.4 c. Ver. 29. The people of the land have used oppression Or deceit Eadem hodie fiunt charitas refrixit omnia injuriis calumniis rapinis plena sunt Ver. 30. And I sought for a man among them i. e. A competent company of holy men as once at Sodom Gen. 18. at Jerusalem Jer. 5.1 That should make up the hedge Which sin had thrown down And stand in the gap By his Piety and Prayers The Primum Mobile say Astronomers turneth about with such swiftnesse that but for the counter-motion of the Planets and other Spheres all would be fired so would this wicked world but for the Saints who keep a constant counter-motion to the corrupt practices thereof Ver. 31. I have consumed them with the fire Sith thou wouldest not be cleansed nor rained upon in the day of indignation ver 24. CHAP. XXIII Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord See chap. 18.1 Ver. 2. There were two women This is the same in effect with chap. 16. but there more plainly here parabolically expressed Sermo est eruditus elegans Lavat simul tamen spurcus obscoenus to set forth the hatefulnesse of idolatry creature-confidence and adultery The daughters of one mother sc Synagogae vel Sarae Some think the Prophet alludeth to Jacobs two sister-wives Ver. 3. And they committed whoredoms in Egypt See chap. 20.8 Josh 24.14 Pet. Satyr They committed whoredoms in their youth Like the Strumpet Quartilla in Petronius who said Junonem ego meam iratam habeam si unquam me meminerim virginem fuisse There were their brests pressed Violatam virginitatem mammarum laxitas consequitur Ver. 4. And the names of them were Aholah i. e. Her Tent not mine so he calleth Samaria or the ten tribes what have I to do with it or her Confer 1 King 12.16 28 31. She is gone to her Tent and hath set her up Tabernacles where to worship her golden idols The Elder So called because more numerous and potent then the other two tribes She was also first in the defection And Aholibah That is my tent is in her So Jerusalem is called because the Temple and Testimonies of Gods special presence were there as King Abijah well pleadeth it 2 Chron. 13.10 11. Samariah is Aholah In figure she is though some have held that these were the name of two notorious strumpets in Egypt Ver. 5. And Aholah plaid the harlot when she was mine Fornicata est sub me under colour and covert of a marriage made with me See what a fair glosse Jeroboam set upon his foul idolatry 1 King 12.28 On the Assyrians her neighbours So they were now become by the conquest of Syria Ver. 6. Which were cloathed with blew With rich and gorgeous attire Vestis luxuriae nidus Ver. 7. Thus she committed her whoredoms with them Heb. she bestowed her wheredomes upon them she was no niggard a little intreaty served turn euilibet sui copiam faciebat such was her idol-madnesse Ver. 8. Neither left she her idols brought from Egypt Witnesse her two golden calves brought therehence by Jeroboam in imitation of Apis a calf dedicated by the Egyptians to Serapis their chief idol Quis nescit qualia demens Aegyptus portenta colat Juvenal For in her youth See on ver 3. And poured their whoredome upon her This kind of language and the like is here and elsewhere used not to teach men to speak or do foul things but the contrary Of Petronius his Satyricon it is said Tolle obscaena tollis omnia and that he was impurissimus scriptor purissimae Latinitatis Of our Prophet it may as truely be said Tolle sancta tollis omnia See on ver 2. Ver. 9. Wherefore I have delivered her 2 King 17.23 Per quod quis peccat per idem punitur ipse Ver. 10. These discovered her nakednesse i. e. They have shamefully punished her for a stinking strumpet as ver 26. And she became famous For her sins and punishments much talked of Heb. a name Ver. 11. And when her sister Aholibah saw this And yet would not be warned which was a just both presage and desert of her utter destruction She was mere corrupt She was therefore the worse because she should have been better Ver. 12. She doated Amantes amentes See ver 5. Ver. 13. Then I saw that she was defiled Whence it is that mans nature is so prone to idolatry and why that sin is compared to adultery see Polanus upon this chapter p. 538 539 540. Ver. 14. For when she saw men pourtrayed upon the wall So unbrideled was her lust that she fell a doating upon those quos tantum per umbram imaginem aspexerat whose pictures only she had beheld In some Popish Churches there are to be seen wanton pictures such as do rather kindle lust then quicken devotion An eyewitnesse hath told us in print that in some places they will assemble diverse of the fairest curtisans when they would draw a picture of the Virgin Mary Spec. Eur. to draw the most modest beauty of a Virgin out of the flagrancy of harlots Ver. 15. Girded with girdles Rich cloathes are oft but fine covers of the foulest shame If every silken suit did cover a sanctified soul it would be brave Conciliatorem peccati oculum Talmudici nominant Ver. 16. And as soon
vindictae meae in te exhausero till I have emptied my quiver spent my wrath upon thee Ver. 14. I the Lord have spoken it And you may write upon it Sententia haec stabit Think not that these are only big words bug-bear terms devised on purpose to affright silly people for do it I will yea that I will Ver. 15. Also the Word of the Lord See chap. 18.1 Ver. 16. Behold I take from thee the desire of thine eyes i. e. Thy wife who is impendiò dilecta visu pergratiosa thy dearly beloved and greatly delighted in With a stroke With pestilence palsy or some like sudden death This was no smal trial of the Prophets patience and obedience Let us learn to hang loose to all outward comforts Yet neither shalt thou mourn or weep Which might he have done Est quaedam flere voluptas Ovid. l. 4. ed Trist Fletus aerumnas lenâ—t Sen. Justa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would have been some ease to him for Expletur lacrymis egeriturque dolor As hindes by calving so do men by weeping cast out their sorrows Job 39.3 Ver. 17. For hear to cry Heb. be silent and so suffocate thy sorrows ne plangas ne plores Not as if the dead were not to be lamented tears are the dues of the dead Mors mea ne careat lachrymis or that it were unbeseeming a Prophet to bewail his dead Consort but to set forth by this figure the greatnesse of their ensuing sorrow bigger then any tears for Curae leves loquuntur ingentes stupent Bind the tire of thy head upon thee Mourners it seems used to go bare-headed and bare-footed to cover their Mustachoes to eat what their friends sent them in at such a sad time to chear up their spirits Jer. 16.5 7. The Prophet must do none of all this Singultus devorat but keep his sorrows to himself Ver. 18. And at even my wife dyed Though a good woman probably and to the Prophet a great comfort the sweet companion of his life and miseries yet she dyed suddenly and by some extraordinary disease All things come alike to all And I did in the morning as I was commanded Grievous though it were and went much against the hair with me yet I did it Vxorem posthabuit praecepto Dei Obedience must be yielded to God even in the most difficult duties and conjugal love must give place to our love to him Ver. 19. Wilt thou not tell us They well knew that there was something in it more then ordinary for the Prophet was no Stoike but sensible enough of what he suffered Ver. 20. Then I answered them The Prophet was ready to tell them the true meaning of all so should Ministers be See Job 33.23 with the Note Ver. 21. Behold I will profane my Sanctuary I will put it into the hands of profane persons to be spoiled and polluted for a punishment of your manifold pollutions of it The excellency of your strength The Jewes had too high a conceit of and did put too much confidence in their Temple which therefore they called as here the excellency of their strength the desire of their eyes and that which their soul pittied animarum indulgentiam The Temple of the Lord they cryed but the Lord of the Temple they cared not for Jer. 7. Ver. 22. And ye shall do as I have done Your grief shall be above teares you shall be so over gone with it besides you shall have neither leisure nor leave of your enemies to bewaile your losses c. Ye shall not cover See on ver 17. Antonius Margarita a Christian Jew hath written a book of the Jewish rites of superstitions at the burial of the dead and otherwise so hath Leo Modena another Jew but no Christian Ver. 23. But ye shall pine away for your iniquities Non tam stupidi prae moestitia quam prae malitia stipites Oecol This was long since threatened Levit. 26. and it is reserved to the last as not the least of those dismal judgements Ver. 24. Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign Portentum portending no good to you whether he were made dumb till these things were fulfilled as some gather from ver 27. I have not to say Ver. 25. When I take from them their strength their Kingdom Temple all And that whereupon they set their minds Heb. the lifting up of the soul or the burthen of their souls that whereof they are most sollicitous Ver. 26. To cause thee to hear it Viz. The performance of that which now thou foretellest but canst not be believed till Experience the mistrisse of fools hath better taugth it them Ver. 27. In that day shall thy mouth be openâ—d Mean-while make use of a sacred silence wait till a new Prophecy concerning this peope shall be committed unto thee as was done chap. 33. Till then prophecy against forreiners Ammonites Tyrians Egyptians CHAP. XXV Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord Contra Gentes against those Nations chiefly that molested the Jews after their overthrow by the Babylonians Sins they had enow besides but for none did they suffer more deeply then for their malignity toward Gods poor afflicted The Ammonites Moabites Edomites and Philistines are here more briefly threatened The Tyrians and Egyptians more at large because it seemed impossible that they should be brought down Ver. 2. Set thy face against the Ammonites Look upon them firmo torvo minaci vultu as if then wouldst look through them and having so lightened thunder accordingly Against the Ammonites Who have had their part already of threatnings chap. 21.28 but not therir full due Ver. 3. Because thou saidst Aha Insolently insulting over mine Israel when under hatches as when a tree is down every man will be pulling at the branches and Leoni mortuo vel mus insultat but it is ill medling against Gods Church be it but by a frown or a frump as here An Aha or an Euge shall not escape unpunished Psal 35.21 Ver. 4. I will deliver thee to the men of the East To the Arabians Keturah's posterity who were Shepherds and Camel-masters They shall eat thy fruit and drink thy milk Sept. Thy fatnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est enim adeps lac coagulatum The Ammonites as now the Flemmings were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 butter-boxes as we say and lived much upon milk-meats So do we Let us use our plenty to Gods glory lest we lose all Ver. 5. And I will make Rabbah The Metropolis of the Ammonites it signifieth that Great City and was afterwards rebuilt by Ptolomy Philadelph and called Philadelphia Valet ima summis Mutare Hor. lib. 1. Od. 34. insignem attenuat Deus Obscura premens c. Ver. 6. Because thou hast clapped thine hands Manibus plaudis pedibus complodis c. God is very sensible of the least indignity and injury affront or offence done to his poor people by words looks gestures c. Cavete Ver.
to a naked rock will God now reduce her Ver. 5. It shall be a place for the spreading of nets Of fishers nets hung up in the Sun to be dryed The Prophets usually fetch their comparisons from things the people were most acquainted with and accustomed to as here Let Ministers now do the like Ver. 6. And her daughters which are in the field i. e. Other Cities and colonies sent out by her and subject to her as she was olim partu clara urbibus genitis as Pliny saith of her the mother of many fair Cities Leptis Vtica Carthage Some take it literally for people of both sexes Ver. 7. Behold I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadnezzar A name as dreadful then as was at any time the name of the great Turk a man as famous for his valour and victories as ever was Hercules saith Megasthenes in in Josephus Antiq. l. 10. c. 13. and such as whom we may well call as Orosius doth Alexander magnum miseriarum gurgitem totius Orientis atrocissimum turbinem the great Trouble-world Ver. 8. He shall slay with the sword See on ver 6. He shall lift up the buckler Or a continued series of bucklers ut omnes Ferre queant jubter densa testudine casus Helepoles injiciet Ver. 9. He shall set engines of war A graphical description of a siege And with his axes Or battering-rams or slings Heb. with his swords Gr. with his launces ferramentis mucronatis helepoleos Vide Am. Marcell lib. 23. Ver. 10. Thy walls shall shake With the noise of one charret walls and windows seem to shake what then with the rattle of so many Me thought I heard the noise and fright that shall be at the last day said one that was at the taking of a Town in the Low-countries The fragour and terrour was so great say A Lapide the Turkish histories speaking of a bloody battel betwixt Amurath the third and Lazarus Despot of Sernia that the Angels in heaven so they are pleased to Hyperbolize Turk Hist amazed with that hideous noise for that time forgat the heavenly hymnes wherewith they alwaies glorifie God When he shall enter into thy gates As our Henry the eighth did into Tournay a City of France which was ever counted so impregnable that this sentence was engraven over one of the gates Jannes ton me a perdu ton pucellage i. e. Thou hast never lost thy maiden-head Ver. 11. And thy strong garrisons Or statues or idols Their chief idols were Apollo Hercules and Astarie See on ver 3. Curt. l. 4. Plut. Probl. Ver. 12. And they shall make a spoil of thy riches Raked together by right and wrong See on ver 2. Malè parta malè dilà buntur Sallust Ver. 13. And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease The Tyrians were much addicted to Musick Isa 23.16 Ezek. 28.13 Pleasure-mongers shall suffer deeply by pain of losse and pain of sense And the sound of thy harp Qua tu O Tyre mercatrix quasi meretrix mercatores ad te pellicis wherewith thou gettest custom Ver. 14. Thou shalt be built no more i. e. Not in haste and not at all by the same inhabitants nor with the like neatnesse and celebrity Some say it was not built in the same place with Palaetyrus or old Tyre yet was it a famous City again near unto which our Saviour wrought miracles Hieron Ulp. diget Tit. de â—ens in which Paul abode seven dayes with the brethren Here Origen dyed Vlpian the great Lawyer was born c. Of this City read Gul. Tyrius de bello sacro lib. 13. cap. 1. Ver. 15. Shall not the Isles See the like Esa 23. Ver. 16. All the Princes of the sea i. e. Of the neighbouring Islands Cloath themselves with trembling Luth. with mourning Ver. 17. And they shall take up a lamentation The like shall be done shortly at Rome Rev. 18.9 That wast inhabited of seafaring men Who are usually the worst of men whence the Proverb Maritimi mores c. On all that haunt it Haunt the sea littorales qui sunt ferè duri horridi immanes latrociniis dediti feri inhospitales tales olim Britanni Isidor Ver. 18. Now shall the Isles tremble And seeing thy shipwrack they shall look better to their tackling Alterius perditio tua sit cautio At thy departure Into captivity Or tuus exitus hoc est tuum exitium Ver. 19. When I shall bring up the deep upon thee As ver 3. great forces And great waters shall cover thee So that thou shalt be irrecoverably lost as places drowned and never seen any more Godwins sands here in Kent for instance These did once belong to Godwin Earle of Kent as his lands but in the reign of William Rufus they were overflowed and remain to this day a dangerous sandy place where perished this present year 1658. Col. Reynolds and others in their return from Mardike Ver. 20. With the people of old time The multitude of those that are dead from the beginning of the world Or with the people of the old world as Hierom will have it and that the Tyrians destruction both temporal and eternal is hereby hinted When I shall set glory in the land of the living i. e. In Judaes where the living and true God is worshipped and where are the right heires of life will I reestablish my Church which is my glory Or when I shall glorifie mine elect in mine heavenly Kingdom Ver. 21. Yet shalt thou never be found again See on ver 14. CHAP. XXVII Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord See on chap. 18.1 Ver. 2. Take up a lamentation for Tyrus Fitly here compared to a goodly ship Apud Horat. Resp navis nomine sâ—gnificatur Carm. lib. 1. Od. 14. and her desolation to a dismal shipwrack Theodorets note on the text is that when we correct sinners or threaten them it should be done with commiseration and compassion Here we have Gods own example for it Ille dolet quoties cogitur esse ferex Ver. 3. O thou that art situate as the entry of the sea As now the City of Venice is Mediâ insuperabilis undâ Environed with her embracing Neptune to whom as the ceremony of throwing a ring into the sea implyeth saith one she marrieth her self with yearly nuptials But hath she so learned Christ and doth not the Nebuchadnezzar of Constantinople now threaten her sore Thou hast said I am of perfect beauty So that nothing can be added to me I am ocellus orbis But who made thee to differ is not all thy beauty borrowed will not this thy bulging wall down ere long Ver. 4. Thy borders are in the midst of the sea Wherewith thou art compassed and crowned as it were Isa 23.8 being half a mile distant from the continent till first Nebuchadnezzar and then Alexander the Great by casting earth wood and stones into the sea made it of an Island a Peniland c.
shake Or the waves or the boats which they throw out of the ship See on chap. 26.10 Of the cry of thy Pilots At their Conclamatum est but why did they then steer no better Here we see all covet all loose Ver. 29. And all that handle the â—ar That have escaped to land with their lives Ver. 30. To be heard against thee Or for thee or over thee ver 31. Rev. 18. 11 15 16. Ver. 31. And they shall make Maerebunt induti saccis inducto calvitio If this had been for sin as it is offensivum Dei aversivum à Deo then it had been right Ver. 32. What City An elegant Mimesis Like the destroyed Quae obmutuit like her that lost her voyce and life together Ver. 33. When thy wares Good things are fairest on the back-side the worth of them is best known by the want of them Our eye seeth not things but at a distance Ver. 34. In the depths of the waters i. e. In the overflowing of the wars ver 26. Ver. 35. They shall be troubled in their countenance i. e. Appaled and dispirited Ver. 36. The Merchants shall hisse at thee Either as astonied at thee A Lapide or rather as deriding thee like as he who seeth another fall into the dirt first pittieth him and then jeareth him See the like Jer. 19.8 49.17 Thou shalt be a terrour Because God hath hanged thee up in gibbets as it were Or thou wast a terrour once but now a scorn And never shalt be any more See on chap. 26.14 CHAP. XXVIII Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord See on chap. 18.1 Ver. 2. Say unto the Prince of Tyre Princes must be told their own as well as others It was partly by flattery that this Prince was so high-flown His glory wealth and wit also had so blown him up that he forgat himself to be a man Tabael Josephus out of Berosus calleth him Diodâ—rus Siculus Ithâ—baal others Ethbaal A most proud and presumptuous person he was and a type of the devil who is the King of all the children of pride Job 41.34 Here he holdeth himself to be wiser then Daniel ver 3. yea to be the sum and perfection of all wisdom ver 12. to excell the high-Priest in all his ornaments Os humerosque Deo similis ver 13. yea to be above Adam ib. above the Cherubims ver 14. lastly to be God himself and to sit in his feat ver 2. O Lucifer out-devild And yet as there were many Marii in one Caesar so by nature there are many Ethbaals in the best of us for as in water face answereth to face so doth the heart of a man to a man Prov. 27.19 Julius Caesar suffered Altars and Temples to be dedicated unto him as to a god and what wonder when as his flatterers told him that the freckles in his face were like the stars in the firmament Sueton. Valladerius told Pope Paul the fifth and he beleeved it that he was a god that he lived familiarly with the Godhead that he heard predestination it self whispering to him that he had a place to sit in council with the Divine Trinity c. Prodigious blasphemy Is not this that man of sin that Merum scelus spoken of by Paul 2 Thes 2.4 see more of this there Was it not he that made Dandalus the Venetian Embassadour roul under his table and as a dog eat crusts there and that suffered the Sicilian Embassadours to use these words unto him Domine Deus papa miserere nostrum O Lord God the Pope have mercy upon us And again O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world grant us thy peace In the midst of the seas Where none can come at me Yes Nebuchadnezzar could and did though after thirteen years siege as Josephus writeth a hard tug and hot service he had of it but yet he did the deed as did afterwards also Alexander the great who never held any thing unfeisible Ver. 3. Behold thou art wiser then Daniel That oracular man who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one saith of Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most wise and knowing man alive His name was now up at Babylon and Ezekiel his Contemporary commendeth him So doth the Baptist Christ and Peter Paul 2 Ep. 3. though there had been a breach between them Gal. 2.14 there was no envy But such another Braggard as this in the text was Richardus de Sancto Victore a Monk of Paris who said that himself was a better Divine then any Prophet or Apostle of them all Paraei hist sac medul Moral 17. But How much better saith Gregory is humble ignorance then proud knowledge Ver. 4. With thy wisdom thou hast gotten thee riches Which yet is not every wise mans happinesse Aelian observeth that the wisest and best of the Grecians were very poor as Socrates Aristides Phecion Ephialtes Epaminondas Pelâ—pidas Var. hist lib. 2. Eumolpus Lamachus and others Fortuna fere favet fatuis nescio quomodo bona mentis soror est paupertas saith he in Petronius Piety goeth oft yoked with poverty Ver. 5. Thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches Like as the higher the flood riseth the higher also doth the boat that floateth thereon A small blast will blow up a bubble so will a few paltry poundâ—s puffe up a carnal heart By thy great wisdom Here God did nothing And such for all the world saith Oecolampadius are our free-will men with their ego feci this I did Such Feci's are no better then faeces saith Luther that is dregs and drosse Ver. 6. Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God Thou thinkest thy wisdome to be Divine and thy self the only one The Tyrians were famous for their great wisdom Zach. 9.2 and they are said to be the inventers of many arts yet should they not have overweened themselves in this sort which because they did let them hear their doom Ver. 7. Behold therefore I will bring strangers upon thee Who shall not at all regard thy great wisdom but grasp after thy wealth and suck thy blood for it Neither will they favour thee the more because thou art a King but slay thee the rather and say Hunc ipsum quaerimus This is the right bird as that souldier said who slew the most valiant King of Sweden at the battle of Lutzen Ver. 8. They shall bring thee down to the pit There shall lye the greatnesse of the god of Tyre And thou shalt dye the deaths Death will make no difference betwixt a Prince and a pesant a Lord and a lozel The mortal sithe is master of the royal scepter Ver. 9. Wilt thou say before him that slayeth thee I am a god That will prove a poor plea and thou wilt soon be confuted as afterwards great Alexander confuted his flatterers when being wounded in fight he shewed them his blood Ver. 10. Thou shalt dye the death of the uncircumcised
Not only a temporal but an eternal death as they must needs do that are out of the Covenant of grace whereof circumcision was the seal This is the sad Catastrophe of such as dream of a deity Of which number were Caligula Herod Heliogabalus Dioclesian and other monsters uncircumcised Vicegâ—ds as we may in the worst sense best term them Ver. 11. Moreâ—ver the word See on chap. 18.1 Ver. 12. Take up a lamentation for the King of Tyre Who shall have little leisure to lament for himself his destruction shall be so sudden See on chap. 27.2 Thou sealest up the sum i. e. Thou art a pattern of perfection in thine own conceit at least for a seal hath in it the perfect form of him that is thereby represented and then is a letter perfected when the last act of setting to a seal is done to it Literae consignatae clausae absoluta sunt Oecol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Hom. Tu es omnibus numeris absolutum exemplar so Vatablus and the Tigurines Ver. 13. Thou hast been in Eden As a bird of Paradise or as a tree growing there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou art equal to Adam in the state of innocency and thy Tyre is no whit inferiour to the garden of God Flores in pratis fragrant purpura campis Gemma coloratis fulgâ—t speciosa lapillis Every precious stone was thy covering Not thy diadem only was deckt with them as the Popes triple crown is at this day with gemmes of greatest value but thy royal robe not inferiour haply to that of Demetrius King of Macedony which none of his successours would wear propter invidiosam impendii magnificentiam it was so extream stately and costly yea thy pantofles possibly as Dioclesians the Emperour holding forth his feet to be kissed as doth also the Pope at this day who hath the cross in precious stones set upon his pantofle to the great reproach of Christianity The Sardius Topaz and the diamond Nine of those rich stones that were set in the high-Priests Rationale or breast-plate See on ver 2. The workmanship of thy tabrets At thy birth and at thine inauguration there was great mirth made concrepantibus tympanis tibiis tubis What a deal of joy and jollity was there lately expressed in many places for the birth of the Prince of Spain Trem. Ver. 14. Thou art the annointed Cherub Or thou art a Cherub ever since I annointed thee for Protectour as the Cherubims cover the Ark with their wings so dost thou thy people and therefore takest upon thee as if an earthly Angel Thou wast upon the holy mountain of God Thou hast been in heaven or at least on mount Sinai with Moses where God appeared with millions of his Angels having a fiery pavement under his feet Exod. 24.10 In the midst of the stones of fire i. e. Of Seraphims say some those flaming creatures of lightenings and thunderbolts say others which thou â—utlest about at thy pleasure Saevum praelustri fulmes ab arce venit Ver. 15. Thou wast perfect in thy wayes As the evil Angels also were but now it is otherwise Heaven spued out them in the very first act of their sin and soon after they were created Look thou therefore to speed accordingly sith iniquity is found in thee Potentes potenter torquebuntur Ver. 16. By the multitude of thy merchandise Multa sunt fraudes ubi mercatura servet Oecol Many Merchants think they may do any thing for their own advantage cheating and over-reaching passe for virtues with them And thou hast sinned By suffering it so to be for there is a passive injustice as well as an active I will cast thee I will bring thee down with a vengeance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and make thee an example of that rule Great sins have great punishments Ver. 17. Thine heart c. Fastus inest palchris By reason of thy brightnesse Thine own splendor hath dazeled thee Magna cognatio est ut rei sic nominis diâ—â—is vitiis That they may behold thee And beware by thee Ver. 18. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries i. e. Thy kingly palaces where thou art looked upon and honoured as a God but a wretched one and which for statelinesse may vye with my Sanctuary Adde hereto that as none might come into the Temple but Priests only so none might come into the palace but confiding persons The Turkes at this day suffer no stranger to come into the presence of their Emperour but first they clasp him by the arms under colour of doing him honour Turk Hist 715. but indeed to bereave him of the use of his hands lest he should offer him any violence Therefore will I bring forth a fire in the midst of thee Thou shalt perish by thine own sins as a house is burnt by fire kindled within it self And I will bring thee to ashes Which shall remain as a lasting monument of the divine displeasure as did the ashes and cinders of Sodom and Herodotus saith the same of the ashes of Troy Ver. 19. Thou shalt be a terrour As Kings exceed all others in glory so their fall is oft with so great ignominy that they become a wonder and a terrour to all people Ver. 20. Again the Word of the Lord See chap. 18.1 Ver. 21. Set thy face against Zidon An ancient and eminent City of Phenicia little inferior to Tyrus in Josua it is called Zidon the great Josh 11. A very superstitious place and a great enemy to Gods people Ver. 22. Behold I am against thee Heb. I against thee by an angry Aposiopesis I will be glorified Viz. In thy just destruction And shall be sanctified in her See on Levit. 10.3 Ver. 23. For I will send into her These are Gods evil Angels And the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her This was done likely by Nebuchaduezzar but certainly by Artaxerxes Ochus the Persian as the Prophet Zachary had foretold chap. 9. and as Diodorus Siculus hath left upon record Ver. 24. And there shall be no more a pricking bryar For God will take away the Canaanite out of the land Zach. 14. omnem spinum dolorificum he will by his Judgements provide for his own glory and for his peoples comfort Ver. 25. Then shall they dwel in their Land Provided that they cleave close to me otherwise I will out them again It hath been elsewhere noted that the Promises are with a condition which is as an oar in a boat or stern of a ship and turns the promise another way Ver. 26. And they shall dwell safely therein Or in confidence And this is reiterated here to shew what a mercy of God it is to live secure and free from the fear of enemies CHAP. XXIX Ver. 1. IN the tenth year The year before Jerusalem was taken chap. 24.1 In the tenth moneth Called Thebeth Estth 2. and it answereth to our January saith Bede Chronology is the eye of
to hold the remnant that returned And they shall be there a base Kingdom Reditum regnum illis promittit sed humile a Kingdom God promiseth them but base and abject because subject and tributary to the Persian so that the Israelites shall no more lean upon it God oft removeth occasions of sin from his people taketh away their stumbling blocks that they may not fall under his heavy displeasure Ver. 15. It shall be the basest of the Kingdoms And worthily for their worshiping the basest creatures See Rom. 1.23 24. but especially for their faithlesnesse to Gods Israel Turk Hist For I will diminish them As God hath likewise done the Persians at this day who have undone their confederates the Egyptians and Georgians and the Grecians no lesse who have now lost their liberty and are so degenerate by means of the Turkish oppression Ib. 260. that in all Graecia is hardly to be found any small remembrance of the glory thereof Ver. 16. And it shall be no more the confidence For I will cut them and keep them short enough I will pull their plumes so that they shall not stretch their wings beyond the nest they shall have nothing so many clients and adherents Which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance Creature-confidence is so hated of God that it inmindeth him of former miscarriages also and causeth him to plague men for the new and the old together Ver. 17. In the seven and twentieth year Of Jeconiah's captivity as Ezekiel ordinarily counteth or of Nebuchadnezzar's reign say the Jew-doctours when as Tyre was overthrown some part of Egypt wasted Jeremy and Baruch taken into his protection Sedar-olam The Word of the Lord came This was Ezekil's last sermon his swan-like song shewing wherefore and whereby Egypt should be so laid waste Ver. 18. To serve a great service For thirteen years together as saith Josephus Every head was made bald sc By continual carrying upon their heads and shoulders earth wood and stones for which they were much laughed at by the Tyrian souldiers to fill up that strait of the Sea which separated Tyre from the Continent before it could be taken Yet he had no wages The Tyrians when they saw they could hold out no longer had sent much of their wealth away to Carthage and other places much of it also they cast into the Sea saith Lyra so that Nebuchadnezzar at his entrance found nothing but a bare rock saith Hierom out of an old Assyrian Chronicle Ver. 19. Behold I will give the land of Egypt As pay for his pains at Tyre God is a liberal pay-master and his retributions are more then bountiful Serve him therefore with chearfulnesse Turk Hist 345. lb. 227. Ver. 20. I have given him the land of Egypt As the great Turk gave his souldiers the rich spoil of Constantinople and as Tamerlan never forgat the good service of his servants nor left the same long unrewarded often saying that day to be lost wherein he had not given them something Because they wrought for me By mine instinct though beside their own intent Ver. 21. The horn i. e. The strength power and authority in the Kingdom of Christ especially Luke 1.69 The opening Occasion to blesse my Name They shall know Nebuchadnezzar also and his Babylonians CHAP. XXX Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord See chap. 18.1 Ver. 2. Woe worth the day Ah de die ista This shall be the voice much more of reprobates at that last day of wrath and revelation of the righteous Judgement of God Rom. 2.5 Enoch foretold this dreadful day before Noah the deluge That day is longer before it comes but shall be more terrible when it is come Ver. 3. A cloudy day Heb. a day of a cloud which was rarely seen in Egypt Ver. 4. Great pain Heb. pain upon pain as the throws in childbirth Ver. 5. Chub Certain Africans who shall be worse put to 't then were those succeeding Africans who had a prophecy but not of like credit with this of Ezechiel that when the Romans sent an army into their country Mundus cum tota sua prole periret which made them think the world should then be at an end But afterwards the Romans sent an army thither under the conduct of one Mundus who in battle was slain together with his sons by the Africans Lib. 15. and discovered the illusion of the devil The Septuagint render Chub Spaniards which I like the better saith Lavater because Strabo saith Nebuchadonoser came with his victorious army as far as Spain Ver. 6. They that uphold Egypt shall fall i. e. Their confederates or as some their Tutelar gods Herodotus writeth that Cambyses wasted with the sword Egypt and Ethiopia killed their god Apis and defaced all their idols This he did doubtlesse rather in scorn of all religion then hatred of idolatry And the pride of her power shall come down Tumbling down as a great and weighty bullet from a very high and steep mountain From the tower of Syene See chap. 29.10 Ver. 7. And they shall be desolate See chap. 29.10 Non est Perissologia repetitur cum fructu Lavat Ver. 8. And they shall know that I am the Lord Men will not take knowledge of this till they have paid for their learning Vexatio dat intellectum smart makes wit When I have set a fire in Egypt War is fitly compared to fire it feeds upon the people See Esa 9.19 with the Note Ver. 9. In that day shall messengers go forth from me i. e. The Chaldeans by an instinct from me to subdue Ethiopia also In ships For Nilus was navigable Lene fluit Nilus Claudian To make the carelesse Ethiopians Heb. confident Cush Security ushereth in calamity As in the day of Egypt That cloudy day ver 3. when clouds of blood were dissolved upon them Or that dismal day of old when they perished in the red sea Exod. 15.14 Ver. 10. I will also make the multitude Or the great noise and hurry They shall have no more cause to complain that they are too many of them so that they cannot one live by another Ver. 11. The terrible of the nations Tyranni gentium Homo homini lupus Ver. 12. And I will make the rivers dry The Chaldees shall drink them up as 2 King 19.24 or I will dry them up for a punishment of your vain trust in them and boasting of them chap. 29.3 9. And sell the land Passe it away utterly from you The earth is the Lords he is the true Proprietary Ver. 13. I will also destroy their idols He did so by Cambyses See on ver 6. he doth so still by the Turkes when they invade Popish countries they break down their mawmets Out of Neph Called also Moph Hos 9.6 afterwards Memphis the Metropolis of idolatry Nazianzen calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mad City because mad-set upon idols Apis especially afterwards Babylon and now Aleair 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the Lords great goodnesse who being so shamefully slâ—ghted by the sinful sons of men doth yet swear his readinesse to receive them graciously who have revolted grievously Well might Nazianzen say that God delighteth in nothing so much as in mans conversion and salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Basil i. e. he would we should fear him Suffâ—ndere mavult sanguinem quam effundere Tertul. not fall by his hand redire nos sibi non perire desiderat as Chrysologus phraseth it return unto him not perish from the way Psal 2.12 For why will ye dye Turn ye must or burn See chap 18.31 32. Ver. 12. Say unto the children The same as before only with a Proviso of Perseverance in well-doing for else all 's lost Non enim quaeruntur in Christianis initia sed finis saith Hierom The end is better then the beginning Ver. 13. When I shall say to the righteous See on chap. 18.24 If he trust to his own righteousnesse As thinking that he hath thereby purchased a license to commit iniquity Ver. 14. Thou shalt surely dye Viz. Except thou repent for that altereth the case Poenitency is almost as good as innocency If he turn from his sin and do These two parts make up true Repentance Ver. 15. Give again that he had robbed Quod rapuit reddideret The law for restitution see Num. 5.6 7. Ver. 16. None of his sins This is point-blank against the doctrine of Purgatory Ver. 17. Yet the children of the people say This was a second cavil of theirs See ver 10. and chap. 18.25 Archesilas was surnamed Cavillator so might these well have been Their way is not equal There is no equity at all in this causelesse quarrel of theirs Ver. 18. When the righteous turneth To set them down if right reason would do it and man should be mancipium rationis a slave to reason he repeateth what he hath said before Ver. 19. He shall live thereby Provided that he rest not in his righteousnesse but learn to live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2. Ver. 20. Yet ye say But therein ye lye which is not the guise of Gods children Isa 63.8 I will judge you every one after his wayes And so wring a testimony if not from your mouthes yet from your consciences of mine impartial Justice such as is that Deut. 32.4 A God of truth and without iniquity just and right is He. Ver. 21. In the twelfth year Some read the eleventh year and indeed it was wonder that such ill news came no sooner for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Sophocles Superstes stragis That one that had escaped This God had promised chap. 24.26 The City is smitten i. e. Sacked and burnt This man spoke much in few Ver. 22. The hand of the Lord i. e. The Spirit of the Lord which acted me and caried me out 2 Pet. 1.21 See 1 Cor. 12.3 And my mouth was opened As God had promised chap. 24.27 And this fell out before the messengers narration This was much for the prophets honour Ver. 23. Then the Word of the Lord See chap. 18.1 Ver. 24. They that inhabit those wasts of the land of Israel Those poor few now left in the land 2 King 25.12 22. Jer. 40.5 c. Surely they are poor they are foolish they have lost the fruit of their affliction miserrimi facti sunt pessimi permanent as Austin saith of some in his time they are never the lesse wicked for being wretched Verba facis populi recitat Abrahae se conferre imò praeferre audebant Speak Bubbles of words Antiquum obtinent They are no changelings not at all crest-faln Abraham was one And no such one but that we may match him Thus these proud hypocrites set up their counter for a thousand pound and stand upon their comparisons without all shame or sense The land is given to us And here we will hold our own for we are well worthy Ver. 25. Ye eat with the blood Which wicked Saul would not do 1 Sam. 14. much lesse would righteous Abraham have done it sith it was against the light and letter of the Law Gen. 9.4 Levit. 7.26 Deut. 12.16 Nay ye do worse things and are you Abraham's children and heirs of the promised land together with that faithful Patriarch I trow not See a like manner of reasoning Mic. 2.7 Joh. 8.39 So the learned Linaker having read our Saviours Sermon in the mount and considering how little it is lived amongst us brake out into these words Certainly either this is not Gospel or we are not right Gospellers Ver. 26. Ye stand upon your sword Vivitur ex rapto He that hath the longest sword carrieth it amongst you ye are also very revengeful ready to say with him in the Poet Caparene ap Statum Theb. 2. Mezent ap Virg. Aeneid 10. Martin VI. vald in candelab virtus mihi numen ensis Quem teneo Dextra mihi deus telum quod missile libro Ye work abomination This R. Solomon understandeth de Venere obscaeniore It is in the original ye women work abomination as prostituting your selves to an unnatural filthinesse as the Casuists complain still of some Spanish Curtezans And shall ye possesse the land q. d. Ye shall be set up what should you expect better then exilium excitium banishment and destruction Ver. 27. They that are in the wastes Ver. 24. Shall dye of the pestilence Or else of the famine which is worse When where and how this was fulfilled upon them we read not In Egypt likely whither they went after Gedaliah's death if not sooner at home as Jeremy also had fore-prophecyed chap. 42 43 44. Ver. 28. For I will lay the land most desolate Heb. desolation desolation God made clean work there there was not a Jew left in the Country See Zach. 7.14 Ver. 29. Then shall they know By woful experience Ver. 30. The children of thy people These Captives in Babylon no whit better then those in Jury Still are talking Detracting from thee and deriding thee By the walls Susurros miscentes clancularios Vti otiosi sanniones in foro facere solent fearing left any one behind them should hear them they get the walls at their backs Come I pray you and hear Thus they jear and there are too many such scoffers at this day Ver. 31. And they come unto thee Very goodly And they sit before thee Very demurely and to see to devoutly taking up all the seats They hear thy Words But they were as heartlesse in hearing as they were listlesse in praying ver 10. They will not do them Of the Athenians also it was said of old that they knew well what was good and right but would do neither Their heart goeth after their covetousnesse Their heart is on their half-penny as we say neither can the Load-stone of Gods Word hale them one jot from the earth It should be Sursumcorda but when
many mens bodies are in sacellis Haram domisticam arae Dominicae prafer their hearts are in sacculis as Austin complaineth as Serpents have their bodies in the water their heads out of the water so here As those Gergesites they more mind a swine-stye then a Sanctuary Ver. 32. As a very lovely song Or a love-song Canticum amatorium Vatab. The word leaves no more impression upon carnal mens consciences then a sweet lesson upon the Lute in the ear when it is ended for then both the vocal and instrumental sweetnesse dissolve into the air and vanish into nothing Happy was Austin who coming to Ambrose to have his eares tickled had his heart touched Ver. 33. That a Prophet See on chap. 2.5 CHAP. XXXIV Ver. 1. ANd the Word See chap. 18.1 Ver. 2. Prophecy against the Shepherds Good Shepherds they should have been but they were naught Jer. 23. and naught would come of them for their mal-administration Wo be to the Shepherds of Israel Both to Princes and Priests by whose evil governement the people were so bad as in the former Chapter is fully set forth Qualis rex talis grex the Sheep will follow the Shepherd the common people are like a flock of Cranes as the first flye all follow Should not the Shepherds feed the flocks Such flocks especially as have golden fleeces precious souls Oh feed feed feed saith our Saviour to Peter Joh. 21.15 feed them for my sake as the Syriack there hath it rule them well teach them well go before them in good example do all the offices of a faithful Shepherd to them and be instant or stand close to the work 2 Tim. 4.2 Dominus propè the Arch-shepherd is at hand Ver. 3. Ye eat the fat Ecce lac lanam recipitis this ye might do if in measure for the workman is worthy of his wages see 1 Cor. 9.7 but ye gorge your selves with the best of the best si ventri benè si lateri as Epicurus in Horace if the belly may be filled the back fitted that 's all you take care for In parabola ovis capras quaeritis vestrum maximè compendium spectatis ye are all for your own ends nourishing your hearts as in a day of slaughter or of good chear Jam. 5.5 Ye kill them that are fed Heb. ye sacrifice them so ye pretend but mind your own fat paunches See Prov. 7.14 But ye feed not the flock As being falsi sicti imò picti pastores mock-shepherds Ver. 4. The diseased have ye not strengthened Five sorts of sheep are here reckoned up that needed the shepherds best care and cure but nothing was done or if any thing it was overdone for with force and cruelty they ruled over them See 1 Pet. 5.3 Ver. 5. And they were scattered because there is no shepherd None but an idol-shepherd Zach. 11.17 a foolish shepherd ver 15. and the sheep being a foolish creature even to a proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and apt to wander into harmes way will never return to the fold if not fetcht back but stick in the thornes or dye in a ditch or run into the wolves mouth Ver. 6. My sheep wandered Through the shepherds supine negligence or bloody truculence Surely as the herd of Deer forsake and push away the wounded Deer from them so did these cruel shepherds being non pastores sed impostores non Episcopi sed Aposcopi non praelati sed Pilati as Bernard wittily sheep-biters rather then shepherds greedy dogs Esa 56.10 11. grievous wolves Act. 20.29 And none did search or seek after them Nec erat qui quaereret aut requireret Ver. 7. Therefore ye shepherds hear the Word of the Lord And oh that this Word might ever sound aloud in the eares of all shepherds as the voyce of heavens trumpet Hyperbaton aetiolog cum Ver. 8. As I live saith the Lord surely because God here seemeth to be in a great heat in a perturbation of spirit causing a kind of impediment in his speech so throughly was he moved against these leud shepherds whose faults he rippeth up again to make better way to their sentence Because my flock became a prey To the Chaldees but especially to that old manslayer Because there was no shepherd None but a company of Nominals or rather Nullities Ver. 9. Therefore O ye shepherds See ver 7 8. Ver. 10. Behold I am against the shepherds Heb. Lo I against by an angry Aposiopesis And cause them to cease from feeding the flock They shall be Officiperdae Quondams laid aside like broken vessels as have been some Kings of this land in their several generations one of recent remembrance Popish Bishops not a few Bonner and others outed and deprived .. Ego ego Nominatium absolute â—o tuâ— Oeconom lib. 1. Ver. 11. Behold I even I will both search Ego ego reposcam anquiram rather then the work shall be undone I le do all my self and then 't is sure to be well done Aristotle telleth of a certain Persian who being asked What did most of all feed the horse answered the Masters eye And of a certain African of whom when it was demanded What was the best manure or soil for a field answered the owners foot-steps that is his presence and perambulation Praesul ut praesit profit suis ab iis non absit Shepherds should reside with their flocks the Archshepherd will not fail to do so Ver. 12. Aâ— a shepherd He prosecuteth the Allegory drawn from shepherdy all along striking still upon the same string with much sweetness So will I seek out my sheep Mat. 15.24 Psal 119. ult Esa 40.11 In the cloudy and dark day i. e. In the time of their calamity and captivity When things are at worst God himself will set in he reserveth his holy hand for a dead lift Ver. 13. And I will bring them out from the people This they could very hardly beleeve therefore he assureth them of it again and again God will do the like for all his Elect seem it never so impossible And feed them upon the mountaines of Israel Which are very high mountaines but the Church Gods hill is higher Esay 2.2 See the Note there Ver. 14. I will feed them in a good pasture Dayly and daintily feed them among the Lillyes Cant. 2.16 Psal 23.1 2 3. feed them with the flesh and blood of my dear Son Joh. 6. There shall they lye in a good fold Having a blessed calm in their consciences full of spiritual security and freed from all annoyances Mic. 5.5 Ver. 15. I will feed my flock Doing all the offices of a good shepheard for them and charging mine undershepheards to do so too And I will cause them to lye dowâ— By giving rest to their souls Mat. 11. together with many happy Halcyons that they may serve me without fear Luk. 1.74 Ver. 16. I will seek that which was lost c. As he did Peter Paul the good thief
shall shine as the Sun in his strength Rom. 2.7 Mat. 13.43 Ver. 30. Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them They shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord Psal 107.43 they shall know the salvation of their God Psal 50.23 they shall have a plerophory of faith as Rom. 8.38 Ver. 31. And ye my flock are men Sheep ye are but rational sheep having your spiritual senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5.14 so that ye take and see my goodness Psal 34.8 CHAP. XXXV Ver. 1. MOreover the Word of the Lord Chap. 18.1 Ver. 2. Set thy face Chap. 6.2 Against mount Seir Inhabited by the Edomites And prophecy against it This had been done before chap. 25.12 but not enough God hath a further saying to them and that for the comfort of his poor people who might thus object Peace and security from danger is promised us in the foregoeing Chapter but we have still many deadly enemies and none worse then our near allies and next neighbours the Edomites Here therefore they are heavily threatened with utter desolation for their malignity against Israel and their blasphemy against God Ver. 3. Behold O mount Seir I am against thee Ecce ego ad te have at thee And I will stretch out my hand against thee I will have my full blow at thee I will make thee most desolate Heb. desolation and desolation I will make an utter end desolation shall not rise up the second time Nahum 1.9 I will make short work Rom. 9.28 4. I will lay thy Cities waste Even Theman Dedan Bozra mentioned in Scripture besides many others mentioned by Geographers Maresa Rhinocorura Raphia Gaza Anthedon c. And thou shall know To thy small comfort That I am the Lord A Lord of Lords a God of Gods a great God a mighty and a terrible which regardeth not persons nor taketh reward Deut. 10.17 Ver. 5. Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred An hereditary deadly feud against Israel Heb. an enemy of ages yea of many ages continuance such as is as we use to say of Runnet the older the stronger And hast shed the blood of the children of Israel Vt diffluant hast let out their life-blood all malice is bloody In time of their calamity Watching the worst time to do them the most mischief In the time that their iniquity had an end When I had in a manner done with them yet thou hadst not done with them but didst stir up Nebuzaradan to burn the City and Temple with fire This was to help forward the affliction Zach. 1.15 See the Note there Ver. 6. I will prepare thee unto blood Thou shalt have blood thy bellyful which thou hast so greedily sought and sucked Satiabis te sanguine quem sitiisti cujusque insatiabilis semper fuisti as the Scythian Queen said to Cyrus's head Even blood shall pursue thee As a bloodhound It shall it shall believe me it shall Ver. 7. Most desolate See ver 3. Iterum repetit ne excidisse videatur I am in good earnest Ver. 8. And I will fill his mountains Oh the woe of war 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bellum à belluis the Greek word for it signifies much blood Ver. 9. I will make thee perpetual desolations For thy perpetual hatred ver 5. And thy Cities See ver 4. Ver. 10. Because thou hast said Ungodly men must answer for their ungodly speeches also Jude 15. These two Nations Israel and Judah Shall be mine Such was their avarice and ambition that they made account all was their own they had in their hopes devoured these two Countries which God had reserved for a better purpose He kept the room empty till the rerurn of the natives and the land kept her Sabbaths resting from tillage c. And yet these miscreants added Whereas the Lords was there Or be it that the Lord is there Though it be a Jehovah shammah as chap. 48 3◠sc to keep possession against us we will out him and have it in despite of him O tongues worthy to be puld out cut in gobbets and driven down their throats that did thus blaspheme Ver. 11. I Will do even according to thine anger Let the Romish Edomites expect the like punishment their malice and mischief will come home to them And according to thine envy That quick sighted and sharp-fanged malignity which none can stand before Prov. 27.4 Ver. 12. And that I have heard all thy blasphemies Of both sorts those in the first table against my self and those in the second table against my people They are said desolate And we have helpt after They are given us to consume Heb. to devour Nay but stay till they be and then know that ye may devour that on earth that ye shall disgest in hell Ver. 13. Thus with your mouth ye have boasted Heb. magnified setting your mouths against heaven your tongues also have walked thorough the earth Psal 73.9 See the Notes there And have multiplied your words against me When it would have better become you to have multiplied your words before me in prayer and praises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Hebrew word here used mostly signifieth Ver. 14. When the whole earth rejoyceth sc For my peoples deliverances Or when the whole land sc of Israel rejoyceth as it is sometimes hail and well with the Church when the wicked are in the suds Judea was the world of the world as Athens was the Epitome of Greece the Greece of Greece Ver. 15. As thou didst rejoyce As thou wast sick of the devils disease rejoiceing at other mens harms so by a strange turn of things others shall rejoyce at thy just destruction and revel in thy ruines and at the last day espcially when thou shalt be awarded thy portion with the devil and his angels 2. Thes 1.6 7 8. Thou shalt be desolate O mount Seir This was accordingly effected shortly after by Nebuchadnezzar and his Chaldees Lib. 12. cap. 11. as Josephus testifieth and is daily executed on the Churches enemies who shall all be ere long in the place that is fittest for them sc under Christs feet And all Idumea even all of it The Edomites that thought of seizing on others lands lost their own They who covet all do oft lose all yea even the pleasure of that they possesse as a greedy dog swalloweth the whole meat that is cast him without any pleasure as gaping still for the next morsel CHAP. XXXVI Ver. 1. PRophesie to the mountains of Israel Better things then thou didst to Mount Seir in the foregoing Chapter See Isa 3.10 11. with the Notes Ye mountains That is ye Mountainers qui fere asperi atque inculti Sed Nemo aedeò ferus est qui non mitescere possit Hor. Si moaò culturae patientem accommodet aurem Ver. 2. Because the enemy hath said The Church fareth the better for her enemies petulancies and insolencies against her Even the
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
the Father His companions i. e. Benjamin and Levi 2 Chron. 11.12 13. Ver. 17. And joyn them one to another into one stick See on ver 16. Man and wife are as these two branches in the Prophets hand inclosed in one bark and so closing together that they make but one branch Ver. 18. Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these People though they should not be question sick as some in St. Pauls time were 1 Tim. 6.4 yet they should be inquisitive after truth according to godliness Tit. 1.1 Ver. 19. And make them one stick Taking away the deadly feud that hath so long time been betwixt them breaking down the partition-wall c. I will once more bring them all under one King and make them of one mind Religion is the only best bond of affection The very heathens honoured the Primitive Christians for their unanimity See Cant. 6.9 with the Note Ver. 20. Shall be in thine hand before their eyes That by this Chria publikely acted they may be the better affected Ver. 21. Behold I will take the children of Israel This was fulfilled when the Jews and with them many of the ten tribes also returned to their own countrey under Zorobabel and Ezra As for the rest of the ten tribes that returned not they degenerated into Gentiles The Jews say that they were shut up by Alexander the great in the Caspian mountains and shall therehence break forth when the Messias appeareth Of the Jews in general Tacitus hath observed that they are very kind to their own countrymen but to all others very cruel This might haply move Alexander to serve them in that kind There are that understand that text Rev. 16.12 the Kings of the East concerning the ten tribes whom they place in China which is called the land of Sinim as Junius conjectureth Isa 49.12 And who knows but that when all Israel shall be called Rom. 11.26 raised from the dead ver 15. joyned into one stick as here many of those poor Heathens in Asia and America may have part in the same resurrection Ver. 22. And I will make them one nation Who were before at deadly feud and fought many bloody battles Solemur nos hac promissione contra schismata Let us also comfort our selves with this promise against schismes saith Oecolampadius Christ will cause the false Prophets and the unclean spirit to passe out of the land Zech. 13.2 he will also so work in the hearts of his people that they shall with one mind and one mouth glorify God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15.6 Ver. 23. Neither shall they defile After the Captivity the Jews could never endure idolatry The Popish image-worship is at this day a very great stumbling-block to them Out of all their dwelling-places Where being mingled among the Heathen they learned their works Psal 106.35 Ver. 24. And David my servant i. e. Christ who came to do the will of his Father in the shape of a servant Phil. 2.7 See Isa 42.1 And they shall all have one shepherd Even David their King is for his clemency here called a Shepherd saith Hierom tending and tendering his people See chap. 34. They shall also walk in my Judgements All Christs subjects can say as those Primitive Christians did Nos non eloquimur magna sed vivimus Athenagoras in his Apology saith No Christian is a bad man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unlesse he be a counterfeit Ver. 25. And they shall dwell in the land So they did for six hundred years or near upon and in heaven whereof Canaan was a type they shall live and reign for ever Ver. 26. Moreover c. See chap. 34.25 And it shall be an everlasting Covenant with them With all the Israel of God And I will place them sc In the holy Land saith Piscator or else I understand not what this word place them or give them meaneth And will set my Sanctuary in the midst of them i. e. I will indwel in them and walk in them c. as a Cor. 6.16 The Jews pray earnestly for the rebuilding of their material Temple Pray we as hard for the building up of the mystical Temple Ver. 27. My Tabernacle also i. e. Mine Ordinances those Testimonies of my special presence See Rev. 21.3 Ver. 28. Do sanctify Israel i. e. Do set them apart for mine use and will see to their safety When my sanctuary Wherehence they shall have continual both direction and protection CHAP. XXXVIII Ver. 1. AND the Word This particle And sheweth the dependance of this discourse upon the former Gods people shall be brought to their own country The Lord Christ also shall sit upon the throne of his Father David But betwixt these two great benefits the Church shall suffer much and her enemies a great deal more when once God takes them to do Ver. 2. Set thy face against Gog i. e. Against those last enemies of the Church before Skiloh come the Kings of the lesser Asia and Syria before his first coming see the books of Maccabees the Pope and Turk before his second coming See Rev. 20.8 with the Note Against these Ezekiel is commanded to set his face that is to prophesie with utmost intention of spirit and contention of speech Virtute opus est contra Antichristum dâ—cturo Polan The land of Magog Or in the land of Magog which some make to be Gogs country and especially Hierapolis for which they alledge Pliny lib. 5. cap. 23. a chief City of Syria This Hierapolis had its name from the multitude of religious houses or idol-temples there erected May not Rome the Metropolis of idolatry Ptolom in quarta Asiae tabula be rightly so called The chief Princes of Meshec and Tubal People neighbouring upon the Syrians and subject unto them great enemies to Israel See on chap. 27.13 In Meshec or Cappadocia the Turks began to grow great and formidable As for Tubal Hierom and Josephus among the Ancients Bellarmine and Gretserus among the Jesuites understand it of the Spaniards R. David and Ahen-ezra take Meshec for the Italians Ver. 3. Behold I am against thee O Gog Ecce ego ad te Have at thee Gog. The chief Prince of Meshec and Tubal These two are thus conjoyned to shew as some think that Turks and Popelings shall at length joyn their forces to root out the true religion and that whilst they are tumultuating and indeavouring the Churches downfal Christ shall come upon them and confound them See on Rev. 16.14 16. Propheta omnia loquitur magnâ—ficis verbis per Hyperbolas The Jews hold that this whole Prophecy shall be fulfilled at the coming of their long-looked for Messiah and whilst they take all things therein according to the letter they run into many very great errors Ver. 4. And I will turn thee back As he did Antiochus Epimanes by the Jewes the Turks oft by Hunniades the Popes forces by the Hussites in Germany and lately
by the Suedes It hath been long agoe foretold and for many ages believed and by the Turks themselves not a little feared that the Mahometan superstition by the sword begun and by the sword maintained Turk Hist 1153. shall at length by the Christian sword also be destroyed so that the name of Gog and Magog saith the Historian shall be no more heard of under heaven A cold sweat also stands at this time upon the limbs of the Western Antichrist by reason of the growing greatnesse of the Protestant Princes And put hooks into thy chaws A Metaphor from those that catch Whales Confer chap 29.4 And I will bring thee But for an ill bargain Ver. 5. Persia Ethiopia and Lybia A numerous army from all parts The Church is against all the world and all the world against the Church Hic vir totius orbis impetum sustinuis said One once concerning Athanasius A silly poor maid in the midst of many fierce and savage creatures assaulting her every moment is a true picture of the Church saith Luther Ver. 6. Gomer and all his hands The Cymbrians or Cimmerians saith Melancthon the Galatians saith Theodoret. The house of Togarmah The Phrygians as some the Armenians as others will Of Antichrist his great power See Rev. 9.1 20. 20.8 See on ch 27.14 Ver. 7. Be thou prepared Comparator comparate Muster up all thy forces and see to their safety But canst thou ward of my blows mote thy self up against my fire Ver. 8. After many dayes thou shalt be visited sc By mine heaviest Judgements for shall not God avenge his own Elect though he bear long with them I tell you that he will avenge them speedily Luke 18.7.8 In the latter years thou shalt come into the land Antiochus that little Antichrist did and made havock It is the opinion of some very grave Divines that the great Antichrist before his abolition shall once again overflow the whole face of the West Quod Deus avertat Which have been alwaies waste i. e. A long while Ver. 9. Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm With great hurry and terror but it shall soon blow over Thou shalt be like a cloud Sed cito transibis Ver. 10. Things shall come into thy mind Ascedent verba super cor tuum thou shalt machinate mischief but it shall fall on thine one pate O pray pray said a holy man once Pontifex enim Romanus Concilium Tridentinum mira moliuntur for the Pope and his Council of Trent are hatching strange businesses Ver. 11. I will go up to the land of unwalled villages That care not to fortify their towns but commit themselves to God and think to escape us but we shall soon shew them their folly therein The Hebrews have one and the same word for folly and confidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 49.14 Eccles 7.27 Psal 78.7 Job 31.24 See on Job 4.6 But in the fear of the Lord is strong confidence and his children though their towns be unwalled have a place of refuge Prov. 14.26 Ver. 12. To take a spoil Heb. to spoil the spoil and to prey the prey The Antichristian rout are all for robbing and ravaging What vaste sums of mony raked the Pope once out of England which was therefore truely and trimly called by Pope Innocent the fourth hortus deliciarum puteus inexhaustus his delicate garden and pit that could not be drawn dry To turn thine hand To plunder them to the very bones as they say Time was when the Popes receivers here left not so much money in the whole Kingdom as they either carried with them or sent to Rome before them Of this Papal expilation King John heavily complained and could get no remedy but Henry the eighth would bear it no longer England is no more a babe said he in his Protestation against the Pope there is no man here but now he knoweth that they do foolishly that give gold for lead Act. Mon. 990. more weight of that then they receive of this c. Ver. 13. Sheba and Dedan The Arabians who lived by roving and robbing With all the young Lions That lye in wait for gain as Lions do for prey Art thou come to take a prey q. d. If thou art we are ready to set in with thee or to traffique with thee for it Mahomet came of these Arabians the Pope hath his mony-merchants great store Rev. 18. Ver. 14. Prophecy and say unto Gog Say it over again that it may be the better considered for the strengthening of the hands and hearts of my people Shall thou not know it sc By thine Intelligencers and wilt thou not think to make thine advantage of it The Pope hath his Coricaei in every corner of Christendom The Jesuites Colledges placed upon the walls of Cities afford them passage into the City or abroad into the world at pleasure to give or receive intelligence as occasion serveth Ver. 15. Out of the North-parts Ab Aquilone nihil boni from spiritual Babylon comes all mischief to the Church The King of Syria is called King of the North Dan. 10. A great company and a mighty army Such was the army of Antiochus Epiphanes against the Jews of the Turk against Christians of the Pope against the Hussites Waldenses c. He deceiveth the Nations which are in the four quarters of the earth to gather them together to battle the number of whom is as the sand of the sea De Rom. Pont. lib. 3. cap. 16. 17. Rev. 20.8 He hath at his command the Italians Walloons Spaniards whom Bellarmine rightly reckoneth among the souldiers of Antichrist Ver. 16. And thou shalt come up against my people Oh happy they in such a priviledge maugre all thy malice Deut. 33.29 In the latter dayes Before the coming of the Messiah first and second And I will bring thee But for thy bane Against my land The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Psal 24.1 but that land where God is sincerely served is his peculiar portion It was said of old Anglia regnum Dei Polyd. Virg. It is now so much more When I shall be sanctified in thee i. e. Glorified in thy just and utter destruction Ver. 17. Art thou he T is sure enough thou art he for I cannot be deceived in thee nor shall fail to suppresse thee By my servants the Prophets Enoch Jude 15. Hos 2. Joel 3. Dan. 11. Zech. 14. Rev. 20.8 2 Thess 2. Which prophesied of thee Though under another name Ver. 18. My fury shall come up in my face Though it do not presently break forth Ira Dei quò diuturnior eò minacior Poena venit gravior quò magè tarda venit God delighteth to make fools of his enemies he lets them prevail a while and carry the ball on the foot as it were that they may fall with the greater disappointment Ver. 19. For in my jealousy God first kindleth and then speaketh and then shaketh
shadow Psal 39.6 Ye shall be cut in pieces Practisers of unjust flatteries do oft meet with unjust frowns Ver. 6. Ye shall receive of me gifts and reward This was that they gaped after but missed of and therefore out of envy called not Daniel and his companions as some think lest they should share with them And great honour Great learning deserveth great honour Aeneas Sylvius was wont to say that popular men should esteem it as silver Noblemen as gold Princes prize it as pearles Ver. 7. They answered again and said Let the King c. Thus these proud boasters vaunt of a false gift and become like clouds without rain as Solomon hath it Prov. 25.14 See ver 4. Ver. 8. I know of certainty There 's no halting afore a cripple Politicians can sound the depth of one another Dan. 11.27 That ye would gain the time Chald. buy or redeem it that is make your advantage of it to evade the danger And indeed if these sorcerers could have gained longer time much might have been done for either the King might have dyed or been employed in war or pacified by the mediation of friends c. Time oft cooleth the rage of hasty men as 1 Sam. 25.33 How Hubere de Burgo Earl of Kent escaped the Kings wrath by a little respite see Godwins catalogue of Bish p. 193. Ver. 9. There is but one decree for you But that was a very tyrannical and bloody one T is dangerous to affront great men though in a just cause Eccles 10.4 Saevum praelustri fulmen ab arce venit Ovid. Procul à culmine◠procul à fulmine Till the time be changed The Latine hath it till there be another state of things See on ver 8. Tell me the dream and I shall know that ye can show me the interpretation thereof If you cannot tell it surely you cannot interpret it sith they are both of a divine instinct and nothing is hid from God Ver. 10. There is not a man upon earth Yes there is But this is the guise of worldly wisdom fingit se scire omnia excusat ac ocoulit suam ignorantiam it would seem to know all things and to be ignorant of nothing that is within the periphery of humane possibility Ver. 11. And it is a rare thing Exceeding mans wit Except the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh They cohabit not with men that we might converse and confer with them Here these wisards 1. Superstitiously affirm a multitude of gods which the wiser heathens denyed Thales Pythagoras Socrates Plato Chrysippus c. 2. They deny Gods Providence as did also the Epicures who held that the gods did nothing out of themselves The Peripatetikes also held that they had nothing to do with things below the Moon yea the Platonists and Stoikes placed the gods in heaven only and other spirits good and bad in the aire which conversed with men and were as messengers betwixt them and the gods Thus these famous Philosophers became altogether vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened Rom. 1.21 3. They seem to affirm that man can know nothing of God unless he cohabited in the flesh with him But we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 and the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Psal 25.14 this is a Paradox to the natural man 1 Cor. 2.14 Lastly they deny the incarnation of Christ that great mysterie of godliness God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 Joh. 1.14 Ver. 12. For this cause the King was angry and very furious A cutting answer may mar a good cause Prov. 15.1 See on ver 9. And commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon So rash is rage it is no better then a short madness Cicero Sed de vita hominis nulla potest esse satis diuturna cunctatio saith the Orator In case of life and death nothing should be determined without mature deliberation for like as Saturn the highest of the planets hath the slowest motion of them all Willet So saith one should Princes which sit in their high thrones of Majesty be most considerate in their actions Ver. 13. And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain And the wise men were slain saith the Vulgar Latine some of them likely were cut off The end of worldly wisdom is certain destruction And they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain Wicked decrees are wrested to the butchery of the Saints as was that of the six Articles here in Henry the eighths dayes Tremel Ver. 14. Then Daniel answered with counsel Retulit consilium causam he conferred with Arioch the chief slaughterman giving him good reasons wherefore to defer further execution This good turn he did for the Magicians and Astrologers who were his utter enemies Ver. 15. Why is the decree so hasty from the King Daniel though now in danger of his life forgetteth not his old freedom of speech and God so wrought that the King who was stiffe to the Magicians was tractable to Daniel ver 16. Ver. 16. Then Daniel desired the King to give him time Not to study or deliberate but to pray with fervency and perseverance which is the best help to find out secrets Jer. 33.3 And that he would shew the King the interpretation Beatus ait Plato qui etiam in senectute veritatem consequitur he is happy who findeth out the truth though it be long first saith Plato Ver. 17. Then Daniel went to his house A house then he had though he had lost house and home for God and thither he repaireth as to his Oratory well perfumed with prayers And made the thing known to Ananiah c. That they also might pray setting sides and shoulders to the work as country men do to the wheel when the cart is stalled Ver. 18. That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven All Gods children can pray Cant. 5.8 Those daughters of Jerusalem though not so fully acquainted with Christ yet are requested to pray for the Church But these three were men of singular abilities no doubt and were themselves deeply concerned Concerning this secret In case of secrets and intricacies or riddles of Providence prayer is most seasonable as being Tephillah the usual Hebrew word for prayer a repair to the Lord for enquiry or for his sentence Gen. 25.22 23. Ver. 19. Then was the secret revealed Oh the power of joynt prayer It seldom or never miscarrieth Act. 4. while the Apostles were praying together the house where they prayed shook to shew that heaven it self was shaken and God overcome by such batteries Alb. Mag. In a night vision Vigilia noctis as he watched in the night for he watched as well as prayed Eph. 6.18 Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven Who had not turned away his prayer nor his mercy from him Psal 66. ult They that pray heartily shall never want matter of praise
humble confessions as doth David Ezra Daniel O Lord the great and dreadful God It is good in the beginnings of our prayers to propound God to our selves under such attributes and spiritual notions as wherein we may see the very thing we pray for Haec est ars orandi mendicandi Ver. 5. We have sinned and have committed iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled Mark how full in the mouth the good Prophet is and how he exaggerateth confessing against himself and his people laying on load Good men extenuate not their offences every sin swelleth as a toad in their eyes Ver. 6. Neither have we hearkened Sins of omission are in a special manner to be lamented in prayer Jer. 9.1 10 13. for as omission of diet breedeth diseases so of duties Ver. 7. O Lord righteousnesse belongeth unto thee Let God be justified in all his Judgements say of him as Deut. 32.4 Deo da claritatem tibi humilitatem Aug. A God of truth and without iniquity just and right is He. But unto us confusion of faces Whilst we look upon flagitia aequè ac flagella nostra our sins and miseries we cannot but blush and bleed before thee Ver. 8. O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face The same again is acknowledged not without a special Emphasis q. d. We are extreamly abashed and abased to the utmost Ver. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercyes and forgivenesses Matchlesse mercyes pardons ready prepared for poor penitents not for proud Pharisees such as Bellarmine was if at least it be true that is reported of him that when the Priest came to absolve him he could not remember any particular sin to confesse till he went back in his thoughts as far as his youth Vae hominum vitae quantumvis laudabili saith an Ancient Woe to the best unlesse they may find mercy with the Lord. And Fuligat telleth us that Bellarmine when he came to dye indeed begged of God to reckon him among his Saints non aestimator meriti sed veniae largitor not weighing his merits but pardoning his offences Ver. 10. Neither have we obeyed See on ver 6. The voice of the Lord our God It is the Lord who speaketh in and by his Ministers This because men either know not or weigh not they run another way when God calleth to them as young Samuel did 1 Sam. 3.5 Ver. 11. Yea all Israel There is a general defection the whole body of Israel hath deeply revolted a rabble of rebels have taken up arms against heaven even a Giantlike generation Therefore the curse Confirmed by oath by adjuration and execration Is poured upon us As by whole pailefulâ— the Vulgar hath it stillavit super not maledictio the curse hath dropped upon us There may be much poyson in little drops howsoever Because we have sinned against him This he hath never done with but still holdeth his finger on this sore as his greatest grievance Ver. 12. And he hath confirmed his words What he had spoken with his mouth he hath fulfilled with his hand There is an infallibility as in Gods Promises so in his Menaces And against our Judges By whose remisnesse all was out of order hence they smarted afore and above others For under the whole heaven This verse is an Abridgment of Jeremy's Lamentations Ver. 13. All this evil is come upon us But unlesse God set in and sanctify his hammers afflictions do but beat upon cold iron Jer. 2.30 Yet made we not our prayer Little or no right prayer was made by the Captives all those Seventy years and yet they had their set yearly fasts Zach. 7. because they failed therein both quoad fontem quoad finem See the Notes of Zach. 7.5 That we might turn from our iniquities This they had no mind to therefore they lost those prayers they made they faâ—ted to themselves and not to God Zach. 7.5 See on Joh. 3.10 And understand thy truth Those that turn from their iniquities shall know more of Gods truth The pure in heart shall see God Mat. 5.3 Ver. 14. Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil To bring it at the just time and when it might do us most mischief but all in a way of Justice Isa 31.2 as Daniel acknowledgeth in the next words For the Lord our God is righteous See ver 7. For we obeyed not his voice Neither that of his word nor that of his rod Jer. 31.19 Mâ—c 6.9 Isa 9.13 14. Ver. 15. And now O Lord God that hast brought thy people Thanksgiving is an artificial begging and every former mercy is a pledge of a future 2 Chron. 20. â—0 7.12 And hast gotten thee renown Heb. made thee a name and yet a greater name hast promised to make thee by bringing us back from Babylon Jer. 16.15 We have sinned we have done wickedly Such as desire mercies must first deny their worthinesse of them 2 Sam. 5.18 confessing their sins with utmost aggravation Ver. 16. O Lord according to all thy righteousnesse Not that of equitie but the other of fidelity 1 Joh. 1.9 Thy holy mountain So Jerusalem is called because dedicated to the Holy One who also chose it for the seat of his royal resiance the place of his holy Oracle Thy people are a reproach And this reflecteth upon thee as needs it must sith they do quarter armes with thee Ver. 17. Now therefore O our God Sith thou hast shewn us our sins and seen our reproach whereof we are sure thou art very sensible Psal 79.4 Hear the prayer of thy servant Who assumeth the boldness to plead his interest in thee and his relation to thee And his supplications Which are nothing else but prayers redoubled and reenforced as Gen. 32.11 Esay 63.16 And cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary Do it oh do it now for the time to favour Zion yea the set time is come And this I can tell because thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof Psal 102.13 14. See the Notes there That whole Psalm being a prayer for the afflicted may seem to have been made by this Prophet Daniel For the Lords sake i. e. For thine own sake or for thy Son Christs sake the Mediatour and Advocate of his people for so he was in the Old Testament also Heb. 9.15 like as still he is the high-Priest of the New And as whil'st the people were praying without the Priest was offering incense within the Temple Luk. 1.9 10. So is Christ interceding for us whil'st we are praying Whatsoever therefore ye do in word or deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him Colos 3.17 Ver. 18. O my God incline thine ear and hear open thine eyes and behold c. Thus growing to a conclusion of his prayer he prayes more earnestly he stretcheth out his petitions as it were upon the tenters with those good souls Act. 12.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
he stirreth up himself and taketh better hold as resolved not to let him go without the blessing The like before him did good Hezekiah with whom he concurreth in the very letter of his request Esa 37.17 See the Notes there For our own righteousnesses Which are nothing better then a rotten rag a menstruous clout such as a man would not dain to take up or touch But for thy great mercies Through the merits of the promised Messiah Ver. 19. O Lord hear O Lord forgive This was to pray yea this was to strive in prayer Luk. 13.22 to strive as those of old did in the Grecian exercises some whereof were with fists and batts to strive and struggle even to an agony as the Greek word signifieth and as the Lord Christ did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 22.44 who being in an agony prayed yet the more earnestly he sweat and sweltered out as it were his soul through his body in prayer Be we now followers herein of Christ as dear children and of Daniel here who is a worthy pattern to pray by Cold suitours who want the aspiration of the spirit to pronounce Shibboleth do but beg a denial O Lord hearken and do defer not This is coelum tundere preces fundere Tertul. misericordiam extorquere as those Primitive Christians did to bounce at heaven gates Beneficium se putabit accepisse cum rogaretur ignoscere Ambr. orat de exit Theod. to tug hard with God to wring the blessing out of his hands who looks to be importuned and counts it for a kindness to be asked forgiveness as Ambrose saith of Theodosius the Emperour Ver. 20. And whilst I was speaking and praying When haply I had now new done and yet not so done but that my heart was yet lifting and lifting as a bell-rope is oft hoysing up after men have done ringing the bell And confessing my sins So precious a Saint was not without his sins These therefore he confesseth that he might be the fitter to beg mercy for the Church having first made his own peace with God and so in case to lift up pure hands in prayer The like doth David Psal 25 and 51. For the holy mountain of my God This was his main request and to God marvellous acceptable Surely if the Lord saw us Daniel like studying his share more then our own we might have what we would and God even think himself beholding to us as one phraseth it Ver. 21. Yea whilest I was speaking in prayer This he recognizeth and celebrateth as a sweet and singular mercy God sometimes heareth his people before they pray Isa 65.24 Psal 21.3 David was sure up betimes when he prevented the Lord with his prayer Psal 88.13 and 119.147 sometâ—mes whiles they are praying as he did those Act. 4.31 and 12.5 17. and Luther who came leaping out of his study where he had been praying with Vicimus Vicimus in his mouth that is we have gained the day got the conquest but if not so yet certainly when they have now prayed Isa 30.12 Jon. 2.1 Jer. 33.3 Mat. 7.7 Luther affirmeth that he oft gat more spiritual light by some one ardent prayer Ipse ego in una aliqua ardenti oratione meae plura saepe didici quam ex multorum librorum lectione aut accuratissima meditatione consequâ— potuissem Tom. 1. According to the account of Astronomers it must be abâ—ve 160. millions of miles from heaven to earth All this space the Angel came flying to Daniel in a little time then ever he could do by the reading of many books or by most accurate meditation thereupon Even the man Gabriel i. e. The Angel Gabriel in mans shape Whom I had seen in the vision And whom I had good cause to remember the longest day of my life for the good offices he had done me formerly Being caused to fly swiftly Heb. with wearinesse of flight Not that the Angels flee as fouls though a certain Frier a lyar certainly undertook to shew to the people a feather of the Angel Gabriels wings or that they are ever wearied with speeding Gods commissions and commands for the Churches good Sed datur hic assumptae speciei but these things are spoken to our apprehension Touched me With a familiar touch in token of encouragement prensando mimirum ut solent qui contactâ—â— familiari promptam benevelam que mentem indicant About the time of the evening oblation When the joynt prayers of Gods people were wont to come up before him quasi manu facta and Daniel hopeth they may do so again Qui nihil sperat nihil orat Ver. 22. And he informed me and talked with me Rather then the Saints shall want information and comfort God will spare one out of his own train to do them any good office Luk. 1.19 Gal. 3.19 neither will the greatest Angel in heaven grudge to serve them I am now come forth to give thee skill Not by infusion for so the Holy Ghost only but by instruction as was before noted It is well observed by one that this following Oration of the Angel containeth an Abridgment of the New Testament and a light to the Old for confirming Daniel is touching the ensuing deliverance out of Babylons captivity he further advertiseth and assureth him of the spiritual deliverance which Christ shall effect by his Gospel at his coming and therefore describing the times most accurately he plainly setteth forth the salvation of the Church Christian and the destruction of the stubborn and rebellious Jews who judge themselves unworthy of eternal life Ver. 23. At the beginning of thy supplications Thy prayer was scarce in thy mouth ere it was in Gods eare The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his eares are open unto their cry Psal 34.15 See the Note He heard at the very first but answered not till Daniel had tugg'd with him See Jam. 5.16 17. For thâ—â— art greatly beloved Kimchi readeth it a man of measures a man every inch of thee But the word is not Hamiddoth but Chamudoth a man of desires a favourite in heaven Rerum expetendarum cupidâ—â— Vatab. De deratissimâ—â— es Trem. because desirous of things truely desireable Christ is said to be totus totus desiderabiliâ— lovely all over Can. 5.16 The Saints are also so in their measure as on the contrary the wicked are not desired Zeph. 2.1 but loathed and abhorred Prov. 13.5 Therefore understand the matter Good men shall know Gods secrets Gen. 18.17 19. Psal 25.14 Ver. 24. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people i. e. Seventy weeks of years ten Jubilees which make up four hundred and ninety years Thus the very time is here particularly foretold when the Messiah should be revealed and put to death The like hereunto is not to be found in any other of the Prophets as Hierom well observeth This therefore is a noble Prophecy and many great wits have been exercised about it Cornelius a Lâ—pide speaketh
2. and this Angel is accordingly strengthened by Michael ver 21. that is by Christ Which set me upon my knees In a praying posture but yet he continued trembling ver 11. and was not raised and restored but by certain degrees the better to frame and fit him to a religious attention and docility Ver. 11. O Daniel a man greatly beloved Such shall know Gods secrets Prov. 3.32 See chap. 9 23. Stand upright Heb. stand upon thy standing God by his Grace and Word will raise up those that humble themselves in his presence Dejicit ut relevet Ver. 12. Fear not Daniel Disquieting and expectorating sears should be laid aside 1 Joh. 4.18 For from the first day See on chap. 9.23 Let us but find a praying heart and God wâ—ll presently find a pittying heart though he may delay for a season to send in an answer Though Danel heard nothing of his prayers for three-weeks space yet was the Angel at work all that while for the removal of impediments Daniel in the mean-while wrought hard with God as it is elsewhere said of Jonathan 1 Sam. 14.45 And I am come for thy Word Brought hither by thy prayers God will come but he will have his peoples prayers lead him into the field as it were Ver. 13. But the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia withstood me By this Prince of Persia some understand wicked Cambyses Melancthon Osiander Pappus Others an evil Angel that by his suggestions swayed Cambyses to oppose and retard the reedifying of the Temple There is a principal devil Prince of this world and there are as some hold Princes or Principal spirits in Countries and Nations under him Eph. 6.12 But loe Michael one of the chief Princes i. e. Christ the Lord of Angels head of the Church chap. 12.1 Rev. 12.7 By these chief Princes may be understood the three Persons in Trinity or the created Angels The Septuagint translate the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chearful ones who serve the Lord readily freely and joyfully in his wars making Sion as dreadful to all her enemies Psal 68.17 as those Angels once made Sinai at the delivery of the Law And I remained there with the Kings of Persia With Canmbyses and his Councellors to represse their rage and to blast their designs against the Church which when it is opposed the holy Angels interpose Psal 34.7 Ver. 14. Now I am come As it were with wearinesse of flight as chap. 9.21 See there Comfort will come at length Heb. 10.37 In the latter dayes Toward the end of their politie and not long before the coming of the Messiah who shall begin another age and as it were a new world Ezek. 38.8 Heb. 2.3 Ver. 15. I set my face toward the ground and I became dumb Cohorrui totus vox faucibus haesit See how deeply Gods darlings are eftsoones affected at the hearing of his holy Word Hâ—bâ—k 3.16 Ver. 16. And behold one like the similitude i. e. The Angel in humane shape as ver 10. Touched my lips Restored unto me my speech Good affections wanting expression shall have Gods furtherance And said unto him that stood before me i. e. To Christ whom he had seen ver 5 6. My sorrows are turned upon me Heb. my bowels which are even strained and straitened And I have retained no strength It is ordinary with Gods people in their prayers to complain much of their own weaknesse Jer. 31.18 Ver. 17. For how can the servant of thâ—s my Lord Qui tantulus sum tam imbecâ—llis Gods praying servants use to speak as broken men They well understand 1. Their Distance 2. Dependance Talk with this my Lord Prayer is a holy interparlance with the divine Majesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.1 Neâ—ther is there breath in me I am hardly able to bear up or breathe Humane frailty cannot endure Gods presence without fainting Rev. 1.17 Ver 18. Then there came again and touched me Not all at once but by four degrees was Daniel raised 1. He is set upon his knees and palms of his hands ver 10. an Emblem or Prayer 2. He is caused to stand upon his feet though trembling and silent ver 11.15 3. His mouth is opened to speak though not without much weaknesse fears and sorrows ver 17. 4. He is fully strengthned here Park God loves to hold his praying people long in request He is also a God of Judgement Isa 30.18 one that well understandeth when and how to bestow his favours Blessed are all they that waâ—t for him Ver. 19. Be strong yea be strong Holy Angels are ready to strengthen such as are ready to faint in holy duties Ver. 20. Knowest thou wherefore I came unto thee q.d. I told thee that before ver 14. and I look thou shouldest remember it I will return to fight with the Prince of Persia To defeat and prevent his tyranny and cruel intents against thy people see ver 13. not without the devils hand and help And when I am gone forth sc Out of Persia Loe the Prince of Graecia Great Alexander whom I will fetch in so that the Persians shall have henceforth little leisure or mind to meddle with the Jews There were other Grecian Captains also before Alexander who found the Persians somewhat to do as Leonides Miltiades Themistocles but he overturned their Monarchy Ver. 21. In the Scripture of truth i e. Ex usu sorensi In Gods infallible and unchangable decree which for our apprehension are here compared to court rolles and Records And Gods Providence which is nothing else but the carrying on of his decree is that Helm which turneth about the whole ship of the Universe And there is none but Michael your Prince But how many reckon we him at as that King once said of himself to his fearful soldiers He alone is a whole army of men Van and Rear both Isa 52.12 CHAP. XI Ver. 1. ALso I i. e. I Gabriel the Angel glad of such an office for the good of Gods people whereunto also I was sent by Christ ch 10 9 10. In the first year of Darius the Mede Who now began to think of sending home the captive Jews but had some hesitations and fluctuations of mind about it I stood to confirm and to strengthen him Angels cannot inlighten the mind or powerfully incline the will of man for so the Holy Ghost only doth but as instruments of the Holy Ghost they can stir up phantasms of the Word read or heard they can also propose truth and right to the mind advise and perswade to it as Counsellors and inwardly instigate as it were by speaking and doing after a spiritual manner suggesting good thoughts as devils do evil Yea they can strangely wind themselves into mens imaginations so as to appear to them in their dreams Matth. 1. Ver. 2. And now I will shew thee the truth The plain naked truth in proper and downright terms dealing with thee more like an
And in his answer to Staphylus hee ingenuously confesseth or rather complaineth Quos fugiamus habemus quos sequamur nondum intelligimus Wee know whom wee are to flye from meaning the Papists but whom to follow wee as yet know not Such divisions there were amongst themselves and such lack of light at the beginning of the Reformation that it was an ingenuous thing to bee a right reformed Catholick A young man one Vincentius Victor as Chemnitius relates it when learned Augustine demurred and would not determine the point concerning the original of a rational soul censured boldly the Fathers unresolvedness and vaunted that he would undertake to prove by demonstration that souls are created de novo by God For which peremptory rashness the Father returned the young man a sober reprehension a milde answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat respondere humiliare negotiari as the Hebrew word here used importeth not so sharp as that of Basil to the Emperours Cook who yet well enough deserved it For when the fellow would needs bee pouring forth what hee thought of such and such deep points of Divinity which hee understood not Basil rounded him up with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is for thee man to look well to thy porridge-pot and not to meddle with these disputes Vers 29. The Lord is far from the wicked Hee was so from the proud Pharisee who yet gat as near God as hee could pressing up to the highest part of the Temple The poor Publican not daring to do so stood aloof off yet was God far from the Pharisee near to the Publican Videte magnum miraculum saith Augustine Altus est Deus erigis te fugit à inclinas te descendit ad te c. Behold a great miracle God is on high thou liftest up thy self and hee flyes from thee thou bowest thy self downward and hee descends to thee Low things hee respects that hee may raise them proud things hee knows a far off that hee may depress them When a stubborn fellow being committed was no whit mollified with his durance but the contrary One of the Senatours said to the rest let us forget him a while and then hee will remember himself Such is Gods dealing with those that stout it out with him I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction if ever they will seek mee early Hos 5.15 Hos 5.15 And it proved so Chap. 6.1 But hee heareth the prayer of the righteous The Lord is near to all that call upon him Psal 145.18 His ears are in their prayers 1 Pet. 3.12 Yea hee can feel breath when no voice can bee heard for faintness Lam. 3.56 when the flesh makes such a din that it is hard to hear the Spirits sighs hee knows the meaning of the Spirit Rom. 8.26 27. and can pick English out of our broken requests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea hee hears our afflictions Gen. 16.11 our tears Psal 39.12 our chatterings Isa 38.14 though wee cry to him but by implication onely as the young Ravens do Psal 147.9 It is not with God as with their Jupiter of Creet Non vacat exiguis Lucian Dialog that had no ears that was not at leasure to attend small matters that had cancellos in coelo as Lucian feigns certain crevises or chinks in heaven thorough which at certain times hee looks down upon men and hears prayers whereas at other times hee hears them not though they call upon him never so long never so loud Neither is it with God as with Baal that pursuing his enemies could not hear his friends nor yet as with Diana that being present at Alexanders birth could not at the same time preserve her Ephesian Temple from the fire Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God afar off Jer. 23.23 Yes yes hee is both and delights to distinguish himself from all dunghil-deities by hearing prayers Hereby Manasseh knew him to bee the true God 2 Chron. 33.13 and all Israel hereupon cryed out with one consent The Lord hee is God the Lord hee is God 1 King 18.39 See the Note on vers 8. of this Chapter Vers 30. The light of the eyes rejoyceth the heart Light and sight are very comfortable Hee was a mad fool that being warned of wine by the Physicians as hurtful to his eyes cryed out Vale lumen amicum If they will not bear with wine they are no eyes for mee Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is to behold the Sun Plutarch Eccles 11.7 Eudoxus professed that hee would bee willing to bee burnt up by the Sun presently so hee might bee admitted to come so near it as to behold the beauty of it and to see further into the nature of it And a good report maketh the bones fat Fama bona vel auditio bona A good name or good news Ego si bonam famam servasso sat dives ero saith hee in Plautus It is riches enough to bee well reputed and reported of It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenophon the sweetest hearing It pleased David well that whatsoever hee did pleased the people It pleased St. John well that his friend Demetrius had a good report of the truth 3 Joh. 12. and hee had no greater joy than to hear that his children walked in the truth Pindarus could say that the Bath doth not so refresh the bones as a good name doth the heart Vers 31. The ear that heareth the reproof of life That is lively and life-giving reproofs Veritas aspera est verùm amaritudo ejus utilior integris sensibus gratior quam meretricantis linguae distillans favus Truth is sharp but bee it bitter Joh. Saris de nugis curialium yet is it better and more savoury to sound senses than the hony-drops of a flattering tongue Vers 32. Hee that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul Is a sinner against his own soul as Core and his complices were and sets as light by it as if it were not worth looking after Oh is it nothing to lose an immortal soul to purchase an ever-living death wilt thou destroy that for which Christ dyed 1 Cor. 8.11 What shall a man give in exchange for his soul There is no great matter in the earth but man nothing great in man but his soul said Faverinus Whose image and superscription is it but Gods Give therefore unto God the things that are Gods by delivering it up to his discipline But hee that heareth reproof getteth understanding Hebr. Possesseth his heart This is like that sentence of our blessed Saviour Mat. 20.22 Luke 21.19 In your patience possess yee your souls They have need of patience that must hear reproof for man is a cross creature and likes not to bee controlled or contraried But suffer saith that great Apostle the words of exhortation suffer them in Gods name sharp
though they bee and set on with some more than ordinary earnestness Better it is that the vine should bleed than dye Sinite virgam coâ—ripientem ut sentitatis malleum conterentem Certes when the Lord shall have done to you according to all the good that hee hath spoken concerning you 1 Sam. 25.30 31. and hath brought you to his Kingdom This shall be no grief unto you or offence of heart as hee said in a like case that you have hearkned to instruction and been bettered by reproof Vers 33. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdome See the Note on Chap. 1.7 And before honour is humility David came not to the Kingdome till hee could truly say Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty c. Psal 131.1 Abigail was not made Davids wife till shee thought it honour enough to wash the feet of the meanest of Davids servants 1 Sam. 25.40 Moses must bee forty years a stranger in Midian before hee become King in Jeshurun hee must bee struck sick to death in the Inne before hee go to Pharaoh on that honourable Ambassage Luther observed that ever for most part before God set him upon any special service for the good of the Church hee had some fore fit of sickness Surely as the lower the ebbe the higher the tyde So the lower any descend in humiliation the higher they shall ascend in exaltation the lower this foundation of humility is laid the higher shall the roof of honour bee over-laid CHAP. XVI Vers 1. The Preparations of the heart in man HEE saith not of man as if it were in mans power to dispose of his own heart but in man as wholly wrought by God for our sufficiency is not in ourselves but in him as wee live so wee move Act. 18.28 understand it of the motions of the minde also It is hee that fashioneth the hearts of men Psal 33.13 shaping them at his pleasure Hee put small thoughts into the heart of Ahashuerosh but for great purposes And so hee did into the heart of our Henry 8. about his Marriage with Katherine of Spain Scult Annal. dec 2. ep dedic the Rise of that Reformation here Quam desperasset atas praterita admiratur praesens obstupescet futura as Scultetus hath it which former ages despaired of the present admireth and the future shall stand amazed at And the answer of the tongue is from the Lord For though a man have never so exactly marshalled his matter in hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disponere ordinare aciem instruere significat as it were in battel array as the Hebrew word here imports and as David using the same word saith hee will marshal his Prayer and then bee as a spy upon a watch-tower to see what became of it whether hee got the day Psal 5.3 though hee have set down with himself both what and how to speak so that it is not only scriptum in animo sed sculptum etiam as the Orator said yet hee shall never bee able to bring forth his conceptions without the obstetrication of Gods assistance The most eloquent Demosthenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being sent sundry times in Ambassage to Philip King of Macedony thrice stood speechless before him and thrice more forgot what hee intended to have spoken Likewise Latomus of Lovain a great Scholar having prepared a set speech to bee made before the Emperour Charles the fifth was so confounded when hee came to deliver it that he uttered nothing but non-sense and thereupon fell into a fit of despair So Augustine having once lost himself in a Sermon and wanting what else to say fell upon the Maâ—ichees a point that hee had well studied and by a good Providence of God converted one there present that was infected with that errour Digressions are not alwayes unuseful Gods Spirit sometimes draws aside the doctrine to satisfie some soul which the Preacher knows not But though God may force it yet man may not frame it and it is a most happy ability to speak punctually directly and readily to the point The Corinthians had elocution as a special gift of God And St. Paul gives God thanks for them that in every thing they were inriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledge 1 Cor. 1.5 Vers 2. All the wayes of a man are clean in his own eyes Every man is apt enough to think well of his own doings and would bee sorry but his penny should bee good silver They that were born in hell know no other heaven neither goes any man to hell but hee hath some excuse for it Quintilian could say Sceleri nunquam defuisse rationem As covetousness so most other sins go cloaked and coloured August Sed sordet in conspectu judiciis quod fulget in conspectu estimantis All is not gold that glisters A thing that I see in the night may shine and that shining proceed from nothing but rottenness Bern. Melius est pallens aurum quam fulgens aurichalcum That which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God Luke 16.15 But the Lord weigheth the spirits Not speeches and actions only as Prov. 5.21 but mens aims and insides Men see but the surface of things and so are many times mistaken but Gods fiery eyes pierce into the inward parts and there discover a new found world of wickedness Hee turns up the bottome of the bag as Josephs steward did and then out come all our thefts and mis-doings that had so long lain latent Vers 3. Commit thy works unto the Lord Depend upon him alone for direction and success this is the readiest way to an holy security and sound settlement Hang not in doubtful suspense as Meteors do in the ayr Luke 12.29 Neither make discourses in the ayr so one renders it as those use to do whose hearts are haunted with carking cares Let not your thoughts bee distracted about these things So the Syriack hath it But cast your burden upon the Lord Psal 55.22 by a Writ of remove as it were Yea cast all your care upon God for hee careth for you 1 Pet. 5.7 I will bee Careless according to my name said John Careless Martyr Commit the matter to God and hee will effect it Psal 37.5 And thy thoughts shall bee established Never is the heart at rest till it repose upon God till then it flickers up and down as Noahs Dove did upon the face of the Flood and found no footing till shee returned to the Ark. This is certain saith a Revered Divine Mr. Case yet living so far as a soul can stay on and trust in God so far it injoyes a sweet settlement and tranquillity of spirit Perfect trust is blessed with a perfect peace A famous instance for this we have in our Saviour Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I to this hour
it is but a spark of thy flame a drop of thine Ocean if I shine at all it is with thy beams onely if I bee any whit comely it is with the comeliness that thou hast put upon mee Christ as a man how much more as God blessed for ever was fairer by far than all the children of men Psal 45.2 because free from sin and full of grace and truth as in Ezek. 28.7 there is mentioned beauty of Wisdome And the * Plato Heathen Philosopher could say that if moral wisdome how much more spiritual could bee seen with mortal eyes it would draw all mens hearts unto it self But besides his inward beauty which was unconceiveable inasmuch as in him as in a Temple the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily that is personally in the body of Christ there was a most fair form and a Divine face Hee had a good complexion and such a comely countenance as did express a Divinity in him If St. Stephens face when hee stood before the Council shone like an Angels face Act. 6.15 and if his eye could peirce the Heavens Act. 7.55 how much more may wee think Christ did True it is that by reason of his sufferings in the flesh his visage was marred more than any mans and his form more than the sons of men Isa 52.14 And hee had no form nor comeliness viz. in the eyes of his perverse Country-men who when they saw him they could discern no such beauty wherefore they should so desire him Hee was despised and rejected of men for why Hee was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief which had so drunk up his spirits John 8.57 and furrowed his fair face that at little past thirty years of age hee was reckoned to bee towards fifty hee seemed to the Jews to bee much elder than hee was indeed as some are of opinion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. The Spring or flower of beauty Yea pleasant Sweet as a flower sweet as an hony-comb Mell in ore melos in aure jubilum in corde sweet to the soul and health to the bones Prov. 16.24 Hee that hath once but lightly tasted how sweet the Lord Christ is doth soon dis-relish yea loathe in comparison all this worlds homely fare tasteless fooleries Ovid. Met. lib. 15 Clitorio quicunque sitim de fonte levarit Vina fugit gaudetque meris abstemius undis Yea our bed is green Our Bridal-bed which was wont to bee decked with Garlands and green bows Or our Bedsted so it may bee rendred is green made of green and growing timber as Christs house is built of living and thriving stones 1 Pet. 2.5 There is a perpetual greenness the fruit of the vegetative Spirit of God within them upon all Christs Olive-trees Psal 52.8 And these green things must not bee hurt Rev. 9.4 Or if they bee by a wound at the root so as that they suffer a fit of barrenness or seem to be sapless yet they shall revirescere recover their former greenness as the Philippians did and had a new spring after a sharp winter they had deflourished for a time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but now reflourished Phil. 4.16 Vers 17. The beams of our house are Cedar Not My but Our house as before Our bed and after Our galleries All is common betwixt the Bridegroom and the Bride bed board house all It should bee so betwixt married couples who should not have several purses interests c. but both bring in what they have or get to the common hive The Church is Christs house 1 Tim. 3.15 Heb. 3.6 Isa 51.16 and every faithful soul is Gods building hee plants the Heavens and laies the foundation of the Earth that hee may say to Zion Thou art my people The great Architect of the world doth as wonderful a work in converting a soul to himself as hee did in setting up this goodly Edifice of the Universe This stately structure of the new creature hee makes of the best materials Cedar Cypress Boraâ—ine c. A mud wall may bee made up of dirt straw stones of the street c. Not so a stately Palace a Marble Monument Solomons Temple was built of Cedar-wood So was the Temple of Diana of the Ephesians as Vitruvius testifieth the Devil will needs bee Gods Ape Hee knew that Cedar is a tree strong and durable and for the driness of it the timber chawneth not rotteth not yea it hath a property to preserve other things from putrefaction A late writer observeth of it Hinc Horat. Cedro dignum Cerite cera Scribon in Physic lib. 2. that viventes res putrefacit perdit putridas autem restituit conservat The Church is also stable and cannot bee ruinated it is founded upon a Rock the Elect cannot bee finally deceived the faithful Ministers by preaching Law and Gospel kill the quick Pharisee and quicken the dead Publican Rom. 7.9 2 Cor. 2.16 they declare unto man his righteousness Job 33.23 and shew him how hee may be found in Christ viz. when sought for by the justice of God not having his own righteousness those filthy garments Phil. 3.9 Rev. 19.14 Zech. 3.4 but the Brides fine white linnen and shining and after a few turns taken here with Christ in the terrace or galleries of the Church Militant made of Firr hee shall have places given him in Heaven to walk among those that stand by Zach. 3.7 that is among the Seraphim as the Chaldee Paraphrast expounds it CHAP. II. Vers 1. I am the Rose of Sharon THe Greek renders it the flower of the field that grows without mans labour having Heaven for its Father Earth for its Mother So had Christ made of a woman manifested in the flesh without Father as man without Mother as God Heb. 7.3 And Heb. 9.11 The Tabernacle of Christs humane Nature so called because therein the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily Col. 2.9 was not made with hands that is not by mans help it was not of this building by the power of Nature But as matter in the beginning of time was taken from man to make a woman so matter in the fulness of time was taken from Woman to make the Man Christ Jesus And as Eve was a true Woman without woman so Christ was a true Man without man Hee is called filius hominis but it is onely of the feminine gender Hee is the flower of the field as here the Stone cut out without hands Dan. 2.45 the Phoenix that hath no Parents the Pearl that is not made through any earthly copulation but is begotten of the dew of Heaven For as Pearls are bred in shell-fishes of a celestial humour so was Christ by heavenly influence in the Virgins womb But let us weigh the words as they are commonly rendred Sharon was a most fruitful place situate under the hill Libanon 1 Chron. 27.29 coupled with Carmel for excellency Isa 35.2 not more a field than a fold for flocks
Isa 65.10 To a Rose that Queen of flowers here growing doth the Lord Christ fitly compare himself This flower delights in shadowy places and thence borroweth its name in the Original it is orient of hiew Habasteleth cold of complexion but passing redolent and of comfortable condition Such a Flower is Jesus saith an Expositour here most delighted in temperate places for hiew white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand Clapham a cooler to the conscience but passing savoury and comfortable to the distressed Patient And the Lilly of the Vallyes Or low places which are most fat and fertile Christ is both Rose and Lilly which two put together make a gallant shew and beautifie the bosomes of those that bear them but nothing like as Christ doth those that have him dwelling in their hearts by Faith These flowers do soon fade and lose both beauty and sweetness but so doth not Christ or his comforts Tam recens mihi nunc Christus est ac si hac hora fudisset sanguinem saith Luther Christ is as fresh to mee now as if hee had shed his blood this very hour Hee purposely compareth himself to a Vine to a door to bread and many other excellent and necessary creatures every where obvious that therein as in so many optick glasses wee may see him and bee transformed into him For this it is also that hee here commends himself not out of arrogancy or vain affectation of popular applause but for our sakes doubtless that wee may take notice of his excellencies and love him in sincerity The Spouse also praiseth her self sometimes not out of pride of her parts but to shew her thankfulness to Christ from whom shee had them Vers 2. As the Lilly among the Thorns The Lilly is white pure and pleasant Shosâ—â—â—nah having six leaves and thence its name in Hebrew and seven golden-coloured grains within it The forty fifth Psalm of like argument with this Song is dedicated to him that excelleth upon Shoshannim or upon this six-leaved flower the Lilly Moreover the chief City of Persia was called Shushan from the multitude of Lillies growing there Schindler Cassidor lib. 7. vâ—r Ep. 15. Here Alexander found fifty thousand Talents of gold the very stones of it are said to have been joyned together with Gold The Church is far richer and fuller of beauty and bravery but beset with thorns such as Abimelech was a right bramble indeed that grew in the base hedge-row of a Concubine and scratcht and drew blood to purpose wicked men are called Briers Micah 7.4 thorns twisted and folded Nahum 1.10 that hurt the earth and those that handle them Indeed they cannot bee taken with hands but the man that shall touch them must bee fenced with Iron and the staff of a spear But God shall thrust them all away seal into hell and they shall bee utterly burnt with fire in the same place 2 Sam. 23.6 7. In the mean space who will set the briers and thorns against mee in battel saith the Lord Christ being jealous for his Spouse with a great jealousie Zach. 1.14 who dare do it I would march against them I would burn them together Isa 27.4 Sin or Sinai a thorny place in the desert where it rained down Quails and Manna from Heaven was a type of the Church flourishing in the midst of her enemies like a Lilly among thorns So is my Love amongst the Daughters i. e. false Sisters quae dicuntur spinae propter malignitatem morum Aug. Epist 48. dicuntur filiae propter communionem sacramentorum saith Augustine these are called thorns for the malignity of their manners and Daughters for their profession and outward priviledges These prick sting and nettle the Church they cannot but do their nature till God take an order with them Matth. 13. till hee binde them in bundles and cast them into the furnace But as the Lilly is fresh and beautiful and looks pleasantly even that wilde Lilly that wee call Wood-binde though among thorns so should wee amidst trouble God hedgeth us about with these briars that hee may keep us within compass August hee pricks us with these thorns that hee may let out our ill humours O felices tribulos tribulationum O happy thorns of tribulation that open a vein for sin to gush out at Bee not weary my son of Gods correction saith Solomon Prov. 3.11 Ne ejus castigationes ut spinas quasdam existimes tibi molestas so Kabvenaki renders and expounds that text Feel not Gods corrections troublesome to thee as thorns in thine eyes or prickles in thy sides Especially since as Gideon by threshing those churls of Succoth with thorns and briars of the wilderness Judg. 8.16 taught them better behaviour so deals God by his people his House of correction is his School of instruction Psalm 94.12 See my Love-tokens pag. 144 145 c. God sets these thorns as hee did those four horns Zach. 1. to afflict his people which way soever they fled Zach. 1.19 20 21 Howbeit when they had pushed them to the Lord there were four Carpenters set a work to cut them short enough for ever doing any further hurt Vers 3. As the Apple-tree among the trees c. Among wilde trees moss-begrown trees trees that bring not forth meat for men but mast for Hoggs Such is every natural man Rom. 11.24 Ephraim is an empty Vine hee beareth fruit to himself Hos 10.1 paltry-hedge-fruit Oaks bring forth Apples such as they are and Acorns But what saith our Saviour John 15.2 Every branch in mee that beareth not fruit hee taketh away and without mee yee can do nothing vers 5. That is a true saying though Spiera the Postiller censure it for a cruel sentence Omnis vita infid elium peccatum est Aug. De. vera innocen cap. 56 nihil bonum sine summo bono The whole life of an unbeleever is sin neither is there any thing good without Christ the chiefest good Here hee is fitly compared by the Church to an Apple-tree which yeelds both shade and food to the weary and hungry traveller furnisheth him with whatsoever heart can wish or need require Christ is cornucopia an Universal Good All-sufficient and satisfactory proportionable and every way fitting to our necessities It is not with Christ as with Isaac that had but one blessing for in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and whatsoever worth Col. 2.3 So that as a friend of Cyrus in Xenophon being asked where his treasure was answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where Cyrus is my friend so may a Christian better answer to the like question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the Lord Christ is my friend Bern. For as sine Deo omnis copia est egestas without Christ all plenty is scarcity so with him there can bee no want of any thing that is good In the fulness of his sufficiency hee is in want saith Job of a wicked man
with dust See Jer. 2.25 Wo to their soul to their very soul All wickedness hath a woe hanging at the heels of it but especially that which is grown impudent a noon-day-Devil The Septuagint here have it thus Wo to their soul for that they have taken evil counsel saying let us bind the just One for that he is not for our purpose or profit Wherein they do insinuate the Mysterie of Christs Passion saith Oecolampadius and do manifestly tax their own Nation Epiphanius testifieth of the Jews at Tiberias after the last destruction of Jerusalem that it was usual with them when any of their dear friends or kindred were at the point of death Epiphan apud Lonicer in Theat Histor p. 96. to whisper these words secretly into their ears Crede in Jesum Nazarenum crucifixum Believe in Jesus of Nazareth whom our Chieftains crucified for he it is who shall come to judge thee at the last day Now if this be true how great is the obstinacy and impudence of that perverse people who still sin against such strong convictions Ver. 10. Say ye to the Righteous Tell them so from me saith God for their comfort and encouragement Zuinglius when he had preached terrour to the wicked was wont to add Probe vir hoc nihil ad te All this concerneth not thee O thou godly man When the dogs in a house are beaten the Children will be apt to fright and cry So when the wicked are threatened good men are apt to be troubled Say therefore to such and let them know assuredly That it shall be well with him Heb. that good sc shall betide him whatever befalleth others God shall be with the good 2 Chron. 19. ult Yet God is good to Israel to the pure in heart Psalm 73.1 Eccl. 8.12 For they shall eat the fruit of their doings They shall reap in due time if they faint not they shall eat of the fat and drink of the sweet Isa 25.6 See chap. 65.13 Prov 14.14 with the Notes Ver. 11. Wo to the wicked This Sentence should ever sound in the wicked mans ears for a powerfull retentive from wickedness considering the evil Consequent thereof that doleful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wo and alass for evermore And when thou art making saith One a covenant with sin say to thy soul as Boaz said to his kinsman Ruth 4.4 At what time thou buyest it thou must have Ruth with it If thou wilt have the pleasure of sin the wayes of wickedness thou must also have the vengeance and wrath of God with it and let thy soul answer as he here doth No I may not do it I shall mar and spoil a better Inheritance I shall inherit a curse c. Look saith Mr. Bradford Martyr to the tag tyed to Gods Law the malediction which is such as cannot but make us to cast our currish tails betwixt our legs Serm. of Repentance if we believe it Jun. It shall go ill with him Vtcunque sibi de rebus praesentibus gratuletur Though he stroake himself on the head saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst Deut. 29.19 Tell him from me saith God Evil sc shall betide him Yea An evil an only evil awaiteth him Ezek. 7.5 let him look for it The reward of his hands shall be given him He shall reap as he sowed drink as he brewed Gal 6.7 8. Mox aut poena manet miseros aut palma beatos Quisque suae vitae semina jacta metet Vers 12. A for my people Now the people of my wrath and of my curse Loammi discovenanted discarded Children are their oppressours Rulers he calleth them not as being too good a Name for them but Oppressours and these were boyes and women i. e. such as were no wiser then children nor had any more command of their passions then weak women Heyl. Cosmâ—g and were therefore unfit for Government Brunhild the wife of Sigebert King of Metz Friâ—egund the wife of Chilperick and Katherine Medices wife of Henry the 2. are said to be the Furies of France What work they made in that Kingdom in their generations by abusing their Husbands love and authority Histories are full The like did Jezabel in Israel Athaliah in Judah and Dame Alice Pierce here in England in King Edward the thirds dayes This Woman being the Kings Concubine and presuming on his favour whom in his old age she had subdued grew so insolent that she imprisoned Sir Peter la Mare Speaker for the Parliament Dan. Hist 257. intermeddled with Courts of Justice and other Offices where she her self would sit to effect her desire which though in all who are so exalted are ever excessive yet in a woman most immoderate as having less of discretion and more of greâ—diness Heliogabalus in a merriment set up a Senate of Women but then their Ordinances were correspondent as what Attire each Woman should use how they should take place when salute c. But these in the Text working upon their Husbands Impotencies who were children in the sence that Shechem the son of Hamor is so called Gen. 34.19 Neque distulit puer a lad or a boy because swayed not by right reason but by blind affection exacted of the poor people unreasonable Tributes and Pensions for the maintenance of their pride and luxury Est haec ingens plaga saith One this is a great mischief to a State such as Greece and Rome sometimes groaned under Diophantus the son of Themistocles once boasted that he Ruled all Greece because he Ruled his mother she Ruled his Father and he Ruled Greece Cato also complained Mulieres regunt nos nos Senatum Senatis Romam Roma orbem Our Women said he Rule us we Rule the Senate the Senate the City and the City the whole world Qui beaâ—â—ficant te O my people they which lead thee Or those that bless thee and pronounce thee happy saying as do thy false-Prophets those flatterers because thou hast with thee the Oracles and Ordinances of God the Ceremonies and Sacrifices praising thee therefore and promising thee all happiness soothing thee up in thy sins c. Qui ducunt te seducunt False Guides they are and Destroy the way of thy Paths Heb. They swallow up that is they hide from thee thy duty and so harden thee in thy sin Ver. 13. The Lord standeth up to plead Or to debate Job 9.3 Prov. 25.8 9. to argue the case and to hear pleas He is content for the clearing of his Justice and conviction of sinners to submit his courses unto scanning See chap. 5.3 Judicate quaeso Judge I pray you so Jer. 2.9 Wherefore I will yet plead with you and with your childrens children will I plead But when that is done He standeth to judge the people And the Lord will enter into Judgement ver 14. three several words are here made use of for Judgement to shew saith Oecolampadius
that God hath been is and shall be Judge and that in his Judgement nihil relinquetur inexpensum nothing shall be left unconsidered Ver. 14. The Lord will enter into judgement with the ancients 1. with the Prince and Rulers each of which shall have cause to cry out Judex ante fui nunc judicis ante tribunal Sistor For ye have eaten up the Vineyard Vos non caret Emphasi Ye even ye that should have preserved it and wrought in it have depastured and destroyed my Vineyard that is my Church as chap. 5.17 or poor mens possessions through your extortions and oppressions And the spoil of the poor is in your houses You are taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the very act of your theft as Cacus was and Verres Deprehensi estis in surto Oecolamp c. Ver. 15. What mean you that you beat my people to pieces Heb. What to you all in a word short and sharp q. d. What reason had you What authority to do thus That was a witty answer that was given once here to the Popes Exactor Tuitione who pleaded that all Churches were his and therefore he might call for what summs he pleased a nimble Disputant replyed that all Churches were the Popes in a sence viz. Tuitione sed non fruitione defensione non dissipatione i. e. to defend them but not to destroy them If God give any man power it is for edification and not for destruction 2 Cor. 13.10 And grind the faces holding their Noses to the grind stone as we say by hard usage See on Mic. 3.3 Saith the Lord God Dixit Dominator dominus he who is higher then the highest and being Lord of Hosts hath those at hand that are higher then they Eccles 5.8 Ver. 16. Moreover the Lord saith He hath this other saying to the other sex for the maintaining of whose pride and luxury their Husbands and Paramours exercised such cruelty as before in the Raign of Henry 2. King of France Anno 1554. many were burned there for Religion as they said but indeed to satiate the covetousness and support the pomp of Diana Valentina the Kings Mistress Hist of Counc of Trent 387. to whom he had given all the confiscation of goods made in the Kingdom for cause of Heresie Because the Daughters of Zion the Court Ladies Are haughty Elatae h. e. superbia inflatae puft up wth pride first in heart and then in habit for pride will bud Ezek. 7.10 And walk Women should keep the house saith Paul Sarah was in the Tent Tit. 2.5 Gen. 17.9 and these professed to be her Daughters but were nothing like her Modestia enim à superbia triumphata est With stretcht forth necks like Cranes or Swans that they might shew their fair foreheads whereas nature hath given the submiss and modest visages And wanton eyes Heb. Lying or deceiving viz. by their lewd lascivious looks twinkling and making signes Some render it facie sercussata with their painted faces and counterfeit visages whereby to the reproach of their Maker they would seem fairer then they are Walking and mincing as they go Or tripping or tabering with an affected gate after the manner of Dancers Or ruffling in their Silks and Taffaties with which last word the original seemeth to have affinity Others derive it from Taph a little child Minutim numerose passus conserunt Jac. Revius render it instar parvulorum ambulant they take short steps as little ones do so nice they are in their gate and garbe elaborata quadam concinnitate gressum modulantes Making a tinkling with their feet going as if they were shackled or as yong Colts that are to be broken and brought to a pace Some think they wore bels about their legs or spangles on their pantofles Pope Sixtus quartus was wont to give his Harlot Tyresia pantofles covered with Pearls Turpe pecus mutilum turpis sine gramine campus Et fine pâ—onde frutex sine crine caput Ovid. Ver. 17. Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head He will not only pull off their rich pantofles off their feet but also their lovely looks from off their heads with scabs and scales perhaps caused by some soul Disease as the lues Venerea or plica Polonica And will discover their secret parts not having a rag left to cover them with whilest stript of all by the enemy they are driven away as those Aegyptians were chap. 20.4 naked and bare-foot even with their buttocks uncovered to the shame of Aegypt or as the Albigenses in France at Carcassona had quarter for their lives given them by the Popish Bishops and other Cruciats that persecuted them but on this condition Rivet Jesuit vapul that both men and women should depart the Town stark naked in the view of the whole Army Ver. 18. The Lord will take away the bravery All the following bravery for the Prophet as punctually and particularly threatneth all down as if he had lately seen the Ladies Wardrobes in Jerusalem And if this vanity of gallantry be so blame-worthy in a woman who is naturally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 addicted to fine attire how much more in a man who shall turn Lands into laces and embroyder his cloak with Woods and Parks and Lordships lining it haply with Obligations and Bonds and Statutes Of their tinkling ornament c. Here and in the following Verses we have an Inventory of the Ladies gallantry such as made the mighty men fall in the War ver 25.26 This was the fruit of their twinkling eyes and tinkling Ornaments Vatablus saith that the Spanish women did wear bells about their heels when they danced And the round tires like the Meon Lunata monilia Statius Ver. 19.20 21 22 23. And the chains and the bracelets c. The particulars of all their bravery we can say little unto upon certainty sith we are at this day ignorant what Ornaments and Abiliments were then in use and besides the Names here given unto them are such as the Jews themselves can hardly tell what to make of It is a sad thing that the gawds and gayeties of this Age and Country are such and so many as that not six or seven Verses but so many whole Chapters might be easily taken up in Inventarying them Lysander a Heathen will rise up in Judgement against many amongst us for he would not suffer his Daughters to wear gorgeous attire saying it would not make them so comely as common That is very remarkable that is storied of Mr. Fox the Martyrologue Hist of mod Div. by Lupton that when a son of his returning from his travels into forraign parts came to him in Oxford attired in a loose outlandish fashion Who are you said his old Father not knowing him He replyed I am your son O what enemy of thine said he hath taught thee so much vanity The Hebrew word beghed for a garment comes from Baghad which
Greeks of the Persians the Romans of the Greeks the Gothes and Vandals and now the Turks of the Romans such an aestuaria vicissitudo there is in earthly Kingdoms such a strange uncertainty in all things here below Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly feare Heb. 12.28 Let us serve Him and not serve our selves upon him as self-seekers do Ver. 8. And it shall come to passe that the Nation c. It is better then to serve a forrein Prince then to perish by the sword famine or pestilence It should not be grievous to any man to sacrifice all his outward comforts to the service of his life And that will not put their neck under the yoke The Lord disposeth of the Kingdoms of the Heathens also though in such a way as may seem to us to be meer hap-hazard That Nation will I punish By seeking to shun a lesse mischief they shall fall into a greater if they escape frost the shall meet with snow Ver. 9. Therefore hearken not ye to your Prophets Whom the devil setteth a work to perswade you otherwise to your ruine as he is an old man-slayer and hath his breathing devils abroad as his agents such as are here mentioned Ver. 10. To remove you far from your Land So it would prove and such would be the event of their false prophecies Ver. 11. But the Nations that bring their neck When God bids us Yoke it is best to submit In all his commands there is so much reason for them that if God did not enjoyn them yet it were best in self-respects for us to practise them sith in serving him we shall have the creatures to serve us c. Ver. 12. I spake also to Zedekiah See on ver 1. Bring your necks under the yoke Better do so then worse if ye will not be active in it ye shall be passive and that because ye would not take upon you the lighter yoke of mine obedience Deus crudelius urit Quos videt invitos succubuisse sibi Tibul. Eleg. 1. Ver. 13. Why will ye dye thou and thy people Ecquae haec pertinacia If thou hast no mercy on thy self yet pitty the State which is like to perish by thy pertinacy Josephus highly commendeth Jeconiah for his yeelding to go into captivity for the safety of the City Tertullian giveth this counsel to Scapula the Persecutor If thou wilt not spare us yet spare thy self or if not thy self yet thy Country Carthage which is like to smoke for thy cruelty for God is the avenger of all such Ver. 14. Therefore hearken not unto the words of the Prophets Quantâ opus operâ saith Oecolampadius what a businesse it is to beat men off from fale Prophets and Seducers but let the end and the evils they lead to be remembred Cavete à Melampygo Ver. 15. For they prophesy a lye When they speak a lye they speak of their own as it is said of their father the devil Joh 8.44 See chap. 23.21 22. Ver. 16. Behold the vessels of the Lords house c. Notorious impudency but it hath ever been the lot of the Church to be pestered with such frontlesse rake-shames who dare affirm things flat opposite to the truth and flatter men in their sin to their utter ruine Those who are of God can do nothing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 Ver. 17. Harken not unto them Life and death is let in by the eare Isa 55.3 Take heed therefore what ye hear Serve the King of Babylon And so long as ye may have liberty of Conscience upon any reasonable terms be content and not as the bird in the cage which because pent up beateth her self Ver. 18. Let them make intercession to the Lord of hosts Let them pray in the Holy Ghost by whom they pretend to be inspired Let us see what answer So Elias called upon the Baalites to call aloud unto their god and forasmuch as he heard them not the people were satisfied that they were false Prophets God will fulfil what he hath foretold but then he looketh that his servants should make intercession Elias had foretold Ahab that there should be store of rain after a long drought but then he went up into Mount Carmel to pray for that rain I came for thy prayer said the Angel to Daniel Gods Prophets are his favourites and may have any thing of him Ver. 19. Concerning the sea and concerning the pillars c. Of these see 1 King 7.15 23 27. And concerning the residue of the vessels All the goodly plate whether sacred or prophane that the moderation of the Conquerour had lest in the City Ver. 20. Which Nebuchadnezzar took not See on ver 19. Diod. Ver. 21. Vntil the day that I visite them Till by my providence I appoint a great part of them to be brought back again and to be new consecrated to my service Ezr. 1.7 7.19 CHAP. XXVIII Ver. 1. ANd it came to passe the same year sc Wherein Jermiah spake to Zedekiah and the Priests cap. 27 12. In the beginning In his first year dividing his reign into three parts That Hananiah the son of Azur the Prophet i. e. The pretended Prophet Dictum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Priest he seemeth to have been by his Country Gibeon Josh 21.13 17. and a Prophet he taketh upon him to be preacheth pleasing things through flattery and for filthy lucre likely He saw how ill Vriah and Jeremy had sped by telling the truth He resolveth therefore upon another course These false Prophets would ever with the Squiril build and have their holes open to the Sunny-side ever keep in with the Princes and please the people Ver. 2. Thus speaketh the Lord of Hâ—sts the God of Israel Thus this wretch makes over-bold with that Nomen Majestaâ—ivum holy and reverend Name of God whom he entileth also to his falsities with singular impudence that he may passe for a Prophet of the Lord when as the root of the matter was not in him Ver. 3. Within two full years Jeremy had said seventy Hananiah a man of prime authority some say High-priest within two years This was some trial to good Jeremy to be thus confronted Jeremy's discourse was so much the more distasted because he not only contradicted Hananiah and his complices but also perswaded Zedekiah to submit to the King of Babylon and afterwards to yield up the City when as the Prophet Isay not long before had disswaded Hezekiah from so doing Ver. 5. Then the Prophet Jeremiah said Without gall or guilt Like the waters of Siloah at the foot of Sion Isa 8 6. which run softly he made but small noise though he heard great words and full of falsehood In the presence of the Priests and in the presence of the people Publikely he took him up though mildly because he had publickly offended See Gal. 2.14
1 Tim. 5.20 Ver. 6. Amen the Lord so do q. d. I wish it may be so as thou sayest with all my heart if God be so pleased But I know that this is magis optabile quà m opinabile rather to be wished then hoped for I could wish for my poor Countrymens sake to be found a false Prophet but I see little likelyhood of it Ver. 7. Neverthelesse hear thou now Audi quaeso Hear I pray thee soft words but hard arguments See on Isa 5.3 And in the ears of all the People Whom I desire to undeceive and to advise for the best whatever they think of me Let them think what they will modo impii silentii non arguar as Luther once said so that I be not found guilty of a sinful silence Ver. 8. The Prophets that have been before me c. q.d. Committamus Anania nos tempori c. Let 's be judged by our Peers or rather by our Ancients It hath been ever usual with true Prophets to declaim against the sins of the times and to proclaim divine vengeance if men amend not But thou doest nothing lesse then this Ergo. Vide Viscat 〈◊〉 Sâ—â—ol And of evil Or of famine that greatest evil of all the three where it is extream Ver. 9. The Prophet which prophesieth of peace As thou now doest but time will confute thee and event will shew thee to be a lyar Two years time will be soon come up c. How many that have taken upon them to predict the very year and day of the last Judgement have been thus confuted and confounded See Deut. 18.22 Ver. 10. Then Hananiah the Prophet took the yoke from off the Prophet Jeremiah's neck and brake it This was a most insolent and desperate fact in Hananiah but nihil est audacius illis Deprensis and a most dangerous temptation to the people to believe his prophecying Such another bold beacham was Nestorius the heretike Audâ—x erat saith Zanchy magnae loquentiae quâ unicâ fretus nihil non audebat quidom saepenumero foeliciter quod volebat obtinebat That is bold he was and big-spoken trusting whereunto he durst attempt any thing and too too oft he effected also that which he attempted so that he seduced for a while the good Emperour Theodosius and caused him to eject Cyril an Orthodox Bishop Zanch. Miscell epist dedic whom afterwards upon better consideration he restored again to his place with greater honour and condemned that hypocrite and heretike Nestorius of whom what became afterwards I wot not but Hananiah died as he well deserved for his thus daring to fight against God Ver. 11. And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people This was Prophet-like indeed first to teach by a sign and then to shew the sense of it But what maketh a parable in a fools mouth Prov. 26.7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool Prov. 17.7 The people of Rome sware to Carbo that they would not believe him though he sware so should this people have dealt by Hananiah And the Prophet went his way As weary and sorry to hear and see such grosse illusions haud dubium factus ridiculo omni populo praesenti being well laughed at Oecolamp no doubt by the seduced people but he had been well inured to bear their buffoneries besides that the bird in his bosom sang sweetly He went his way Conscia mens recti famae mendacia râ—det saith One as shunning contention and providing for edification which is not attained to by brawling and bitternesse Ver 12. After that Hananiah had broken the yoke Which he looked upon as an eye-sore while it was whole and a real contradiction to his false predictions Ver. 13. Thou hast broken the yokes of wood That were weaker and lighter nunc graviora feres But thou shalt make for them yokes of Iron Thou Jeremy shalt for a type of a cruel hard and strong bondage Bonfinius writeth of the Hungarians Hungar. rer decad 4. l. 9. that they are not to be handled gently or kindly dealt with sed virgâ ferreâ in obsequo continenendes esse but kept in order with a rod of Iron Such were these refractory Jews but they had enough of it ere God had done with them Ver. 14. For thus saith the Lord of hosts Here were right words not as ver 2. in labris nata non in fibris and therefore very forcible Job 6.25 I have put a yoke of Iron See on ver 13. And have given him the beasts All shall be his and he shall soveraign it over all as the Lion doth over the beasts of the field Ver. 15. Thou makest this people to trust in a lye Who loved to have it so chap. 6. ult and were therefore justly left to obduration and horrible destruction Ver. 16. Behold I will cast thee I will shortly lay thee low enough together with thy lordly looks as D. Taylor Martyr once told Gardiner Bishop of Winchester who reviled him and threatened him This year shalt thou dye Than which thou hadst better do any thing Ver. 17. So Hananiah dyed Two moneths after this prediction ver 1. yet the people relented not but persisted in their obstinacy to the end Such a sward or rather hoof is grown over some mens hearts as neither Ministry nor misery nor miracle nor mercy can possibly mollify CHAP. XXIX Ver. 1. NOw these are the words of the Letter Heb. of the book It is taken for any manner of writing whether longer as a book or shorter as a letter an Epistle cujus ornamentum est ornamentis carere saith Politian the two chief commendations whereof say others are shortnesse and plainnesse Here we have both and should therefore highly prize it not as Apocryphal Baruch's letter but as parcel of holy Writ worthy of all acceptation Which were carried away captive And longed for deliverance but are advised to have patience and not to antedate the promises which in their due time should be accomplished As till then obediendum est etiam dyscolis obedience must be yielded to the Babylonians now their Masters and not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward For this is thank-worthy c. 1 Pet. 2.18 Ver. 2. After that Jeconiah the King and the Queen and the Eunuches Angusta Eunuchi These Eunuches were Chamberlains to Queens but not alwaies so bold with them as Stephen the Persian presumed to be with the Queen-mother of the Emperour Justinian the second Func quam flagellis sicuti servam castigavit See chap. 24.1 Ver. 3. By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan c. Zedekiak having heard by Hananiah the Prophet that within two full years Jeconiah and the captives should come back to Jerusalem and knowing that if that should be so he must give place and part with his royal dignity sendeth an Embassage to Nebuchadnezzar to shew his obsequiousnesse Calvin and is content that his messengers should