Priestly office had been spoken chap. 53. here of his Prophetical and Princely These were frequently set forth even in the Old Testament by the Crown or golden plate on the high-Priests head was signified Christs Kingly office by the breast plate his Priestly and by the bells his Prophetical Ver. 5. Behold thou shalt call a Nation Yea all Nations that yet dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death being utterly ignorant of God and his will of themselves and their duties But now when they shall know God or rather be known of him they shall run to Christ and yea flye as a cloud and flock into the Church as doves scour into their columbaries rushing into the windows chap. 66.8 Because of the Lord thy God Through the mighty operation of his Spirit by the preaching of his Word The Philosophers though never so able could hardly perswade some few to embrace their Tenents Plato went thrice into Sicily to convert Dionysius but could not do it Socrates could not work upon Alcibiades nor Cicero upon his own son because God was not with them nor was willing to glorify his Son Christ by them as he did afterwards by his holy Apostles Ver. 6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found Seek not his Omnipresence for that ye need not do sith he is not far from any one of us Acts 17.27 but his gracious presence his face and favour seek to be in the fear of the Lord and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost in communion with him and conformity unto him and give not over till you find it Seek him seriously seek him seasonably There is a time when men shall seek the Lord with their flocks and heards and yet not find him when once he hath withdrawn himself from them Hos 5.6 Call ye upon him while he is near In a time of acceptance Psal 32.6 before he hath sworn that he will not be spoken with Psal â—5 11 God is but a while with men in the opportunities of grace Prov. 1.24 28. Ver. 7. Let the wicked forsake his wayes Or else never think of finding favour with God or of calling upon him to any purpose The Leapers lips should be covered according to the Law A good motion from an ill mouth will never take with God Pura Deus mens est purâ vult mente vocari Et puras jussit pondus habere preces And the unrighteous man his thoughts See Jam. 4.8 with the Note A Pilat may wash his hands a Pharisee clense the outside of the platter Castae manus sunt sed mens habet piacula said an Heathen who saw by the light of nature that clean hands and foul hearts did not suit well And let him return unto the Lord See the Notes on Zach. 1.2 Joel 2.12 13. For he will abundantly pardon Heb. he will multiply to pardon as we multiply sins Epist 7. ad Venant he will multiply pardons God in Christ mollis est misericors not an austere man implacable inexorable but multus ad ignoscendum as the Vulgar here rendereth it and Fulgentius thus descanteth upon it In hoc multo nihil deest in quo est omnipotens misericordia omnipotentia misericors c. In this much nothing is wanting how can there say sith there is in it omnipotent mercy and merciful omnipotence A pardon of course He giveth us for involuntary and unavoidable infirmities this we have included in that general pardon which we have upon our general repentance And for other sins be they blasphemies Matth. 12.13 God hath all plaisters and pardons at hand and ready made and sealed for else we might dye in our sins while the pardon is in providing He hath also hanged out his tables as I may say in the holy Scriptures shewing what great sinners he hath pardoned Act. Mon. 109. as Adam that Arch-rebel Manasseh who was all manner of naughts David Peter Paul Magdalen c. The Lord Hungerford of Hatesby was beheaded for buggery in Henry the eights time The Lord Thomas Cromwel a better man but executed together with him cheared him up and bad him be of good comfort for said he If your repent and be heartily sorry for that you have done there is for you also mercy with the Lord who for Christs sake will forgive you therefore be not dismaid God seemeth to say to sinners as once the French King Francis the first did to one that begged pardon for some ill words spoken against his Majesty Do thou learn to speak little so to sin no more and I will not fail to pardon much I can remit whatsoever you can commit never doubt it Ver. 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts q. d. You may think it impossible likely that such great and grievous sinners as you have been should ever be received to mercy but what talk you of your thoughts mine are infinitely above them neither may you measure my mercies by your own models Bring broken and bleeding hearts to my Mercy-seat and I shall soon think all the meritorious sufferings of my Son all the promises in my Book all the comforts of my Spirit all the pleasures of my kingdom but enough for you Ver. 9. For as the heavens are higher then the earth And that 's no small deal see the Note on Psal 103.11 12. Lo such is the proportion that my mercy beareth to your mercy even the very best of you that the heaven doth to the earth i. e. That a most vast circumference doth to one little point or center Ver. 10. For as the rain cometh down Simile omnium elegantissimum pariter notissimum Of the use and efficacy of fit similitudes See the Note on Hos 12.10 Ver. 11. So shall the word be that goeth out of my mouth The word in general but specially the word of Promise it shall surely give seed to the sower and bread to the eater comforts of all sorts both for the present and for the future Onely we must see that we be good ground and then pray that the heaven may hear the earth as Hos 2.21 But it shall accomplish that which I please It shall produce the sweet fruits of righteousnesse Rom. 8.13 14. There is saith a good Author a certan shell-fish that lyeth alwaies open towards Heaven as it were looking upward and begging one fruitful drop of dew which being fallen it shutteth presently and keepeth the door close against all outward things till it hath made a pearl of it In reading or hearing the Promises if we open our shells our souls the Heaven will drop the fruitful dew of grace to be employed worthily in making pearles of good works and solid virtues Who is she that commeth out of the wildernesse to joyn her self to her well-beloved Cant. 6.9 Ver. 12. For ye shall go out with joy sc Out of your spiritual bondage worse then that of Babylon The mountains and the hills The mute and brute creatures as they
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
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
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
Vers 20. Hear counsel and receive instruction Or correction Here hee directs his speech to the younger sort and exhorts them 1 To hear counsel that is to keep the Commandement as vers 16. 2 To receive correction of Parents as vers 18. as the onely way to sound and lasting wisdome For Vexatio dat intellectum Piscator ictus sapit Quae nocent docent c. Or Salomon may here bring in the Father thus lessoning his untoward childe whom hee hath lashed For to correct and not instruct is to snuff the Lamp but not poure in oyl to feed it Vers 21. There are many devises in a mans heart They may purpose but God alone disposeth of all See the Note on chap. 16.1.9 Some think to rise by ill principles but it will not bee Some to bee rich but God crosseth them and holds them to prisoners pittances to hard meat as wee say Some to live long and to enjoy what they have gotten but they hear Thou fool Luk. 12. this very night shall thy soul bee taken from thee c. Some set themselves to root out true Religion to dethrone the Lord Christ c. But God sees and smiles looks and laughs Psal 2. The counsel of the Lord that shall stand when all is done Christ shall reign in the midst of his enemies the stone cut out of the mountains without hands shall bring down the golden Image with a vengeance and make it like the chaff of the Summer-floor Dan. 2.35 Sciat Celfitudo vestra nihil dubitet saith Luther in a letter to the Electour of Saxony longè aliter in coelo quà m Noribergae de hoc negotio conclusum esse Scult Annal. Let your highness bee sure that the Churches business is far otherwise ordered in Heaven than it is by the Emperour and States at Norinberg And Gaud eo quod Christus Dominus est alioqui totus desperassem I am glad that Christ is King for otherwise I had been utterly out of heart and hope saith holy Myconius in a Letter to Calvin upon the view of the Churches enemies Vers 22. The desire of a man is his kindness Or his mercy Many have a great mind to bee held merciful men and vainly give out what they would do if they had wherewith and perhaps they speak as they think too this may bee one of those many devises those variae vanae cogitationes in the heart of a man vers 21. But the poor man is better than a liar For though hee hath nothing to give yet having a giving affection hee is better than a lyar that is than such a rich man who before hee was rich would brag what hee would do if hee were rich and yet now is a niggard Saturatus pernoctabit Hee shall not go supperless to bed Vers 23. The fear of the Lord tendeth to life c. Life saturity and security from evil from the hurt if not from the smart of it are all assured here to those that fear God Who would not then turn spiritual purchaser See Chap. 22.4 Vers 24. A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosome The Latines say Hee wraps it in his cloak Manum habet sub pallio Hee puts it in his pocket say wee Erewhiles wee had him fast asleep and here going about his business as if hee were still asleep so lazie that any the least labour is grievous to him hee can hardly finde in his heart to feed himself so to uphold the life of his hands which hee should maintain with the labour of his hands 2 Thess 3.10 and with the sweat of his brows Gen. 3. Very sucklings get not their milk without much tugging and tyring themselves at the Dug Vers 25. Smite a scorner and the simple will leware Alterius perditio tua sit cautio saith the Wise-man Seest thou another man shipwrackt look well to thy tackling Poena ad paucos c. Let but a few bee punished and many will bee warned and wised any will but the scorner himself who will not bee better though braid in a mortar This scorner may very well bee the sluggard mentioned in the former verse Smite him never so much there is no beating any wit into him Pharaoh was not a button the better for all that hee suffered but Jethro taking notice of Gods heavy hand upon Pharaoh and likewise upon the Amalekites was thereby converted and became a Proselyte as Rabbi Salomon noteth upon this Text. Vers 26. Hee that wasteth his father That spoileth pilfereth pillageth preyeth upon his father Not so much as saying with that Scape-thrift in the Gospel Luke 15. Give mee the portion that falls to my share Idleness and incorrigibleness lead to this wickedness as may appear by the context Vers 27. Cease my son to hear the instruction Beware of false Prophets Mat. 7.24 See the Note there Take heed also what books yee read for as water relisheth of the soil it runs through so do the soul of the Authors that a man readeth Vers 28. An ungodly witness scorneth judgement As if hee were out of the reach of Gods rod. Eccles 8. Psal 50. And because judgement is not presently executed therefore his heart is set in him to do wickedly hee looks upon God as an Abbettor of his perjury His mouth devoureth iniquity as some savoury morsel But know they not that there will bee bitterness in the end Let them but mark what follows Vers 29. Judgements are prepared for scorners For these scorners that promise themselves impunity are judgements not one but many not appointed onely but prepared long since and now ready to bee executed CHAP. XX. Vers 1. Wine is a mocker c. FOr first it mocks the Drunkard and makes a fool of him promising him pleasure Decepit ebrietas Lotum quem Sodoma non decepit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but paying him with the stinging of an Adder and biting of a Cockatrice Chap. 23.32 See the Note there Wine is a comfortable creature Judg. 9.12 one of the chief lenitives of humane miseries as Plato calls it but excess of wine 1 Pet. 4.3 is as one well saith Blondus daemon dulce venenum suave peccatum quam qui in se habet se non habet quam qui facit non facit peccatum sed totus est peccatum That is a fair spoken Devil a sweet poison a sin which hee that hath in him hath not himself and which hee that runs into runs not into a single sin but is wholly turned into sin Secondly It renders a man a mocker even one of those scorners for whom judgements are prepared as Solomon had said in the fore-going verse See Hos 7.5 Isa 28.1 1 Sam. 25. Abigail would not tell Nabal of his danger till hee had slept out his Drunkenness lest shee should have met wich a mock if not with a knock Strong drink is raging All kinde of drink that will alienate the understanding of a man and make
that he hath no wise man ever yet gave God thanks for it And Seneca saith It is of the gods that wee live but of our selves that wee live well and honestly How different are the Saints in Scripture from the worlds wisards Nor have the knowledge of the holy That is of the Angels as Dan. 4.13 17. 8.13 whom Jacob saw ascending and descending Gen. 28.12 compared with the next verse of this Chapter and with John 1.51 Moses made them looking intently into the Mercy Seat Exod. 25.18 19. Peter sets them forth as stooping down to look wishtly and earnestly into the Mystery of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.12 which was hid from them till the discovery and ever since that they are great students in it Ephes 3.10 But how should Agur or any man else due cannot tell the form and the quintessence of things that cannot enter into the depth of the Flower or the Grass he treads on that cannot understand the nature and properties of so small a Creature as an Ant or Bee Pliny tells of one that spent eight and fifty years in learning out the nature of the Bee Lib. 11. cap. 9. and yet had not fully attained unto it How is it possible I say that the wisest Naturalist should have the wit to enter into the deep things of God Eye hath not seen nor ear heard c. 1 Cor. 2.9 Vers 4. Who hath ascended up into heaven or descended Who but the Son of man which is in heaven 1 Joh. 3.13 who but the holy Angels upon that Son of man the Ladder of life Joh. 1.51 Who but those that have in some measure the knowledge of those holy ones vers 3. the knowledge of God in Christ which is life eternal Joh. 17.3 Heaven aforehand Holy Agur holds it out to us here that to know heavenly things is to ascend into heaven Even Aristotle saith that a little knowledge though but conjectural about heavenly things is to be preferred above much knowledge though certain about inferiour things De â—â—lo tâ—m 99 and yet he knew no heaven beyond the moveable heavens neither acknowledged any body or time or place or vacuum there The truth is no natural knowledge can be had of the third heaven nor any help by Human Arts for it is neither aspectable nor moveable As no man hath seen God at any time so nor Heaven the Throne of God only the only begotten Son of God which is in the bosome of the Father hee hath declared both him and Heaven Joh. 1.18 as that there are many Mansions Crowns Scepters Kingdoms Glories Beauties Angelical entertainments beatifical Visions sweetest varieties felicities eternities And yet all this or whatsoever more can be said of Heavens happiness is not the one half as shee said of Salomons Magnificence of what we shall finde in that City of Pearl To expresse it is as impossible as to compass the Heavens with a span or contain the Ocean in a Nut-shel Let there be continual ascensions thither in our hearts let us lift up hearts and hands to God in the Heavens and hee will shortly send his Chariots for us as Joseph did for his Father fetch us riding upon the Clouds convoy us by his Angels thorow the ayr as thorow the enemies Country and puts us into that Panegyris that General Assembly and solemn celebrity of holy and happy souls Heb. 12.23 As in the mean space how should we every day take a turn or two with Christ upon Mount Tabor get up to the top of Pisgah with Moses and take a prospect of Heaven turn every solemnity into a School of Divinity Say as Fulgentius when hee saw the Nobility of Rome sit mounted in their bravery Si talis est Roma terrestris qualis est Roma caelestis If Rome bee such a glorious place what is Heaven What Musick may we think there is in Heaven said another good soul when he sate and heard a good Consort of Musick This this is the principal end and most profitable use of all Creatures Cum scalae nobis alae fiant when they become Ladders and Wings to us to mount up to Heaven Who hath gathered the Wind in his fists c. None but God the great Wonder-worker the right Aeolus that bringeth the winds out of his treasures Psal 135. and bids them at his pleasure Peace and be still We read of a Whirlwind raised by the Devil Job 1.19 and of a Tempest laid by the Magicians Herodotus in Polyâ—nia But it cannot bee said as 1 King 19.11 that God was not in that Wind for hee hath the royalty of all the Creatures though hee suffer the Devil to play Rex sometimes for ends best known to himself Who hath bound the waters in a garment Those above the Firmament in Clouds thorow which they distill and drop down as water would doe if bound up in a garment those below in Chanels and Bottles as the Psalmist hath it Water is naturally above the earth as the garment above the body and would but for the providence of God prove as the shirt made for the murthering of Agamemnon where the head had no issue out c. See my notes on Gen. 1. What is his name God is above all name to speak properly When Manoah enquires after his name the answer is 'T is Wonderful that is I am called as I am called but such is thy weakness that it passeth thy conception this Ocean will not be measured by thy Muscle-shel Multa nomina lumina sibi finxerunt Infideles The Heathens had many names for their Dunghil-deities but the Africans called an unknown God whom they worshipped Lib. de Isid Osirid Amon that is Heus tu quis est Heark who art thou as Plutarch relateth And what is his Sons name Christ hath many names in holy Scripture as Isa 9.6 7. So Jehovah our righteousnesse Messiah the Prince Dan. 9. whereunto answereth in the New-Testament the Lord Christ but who can declare his generation Isa 53.8 whether that eternal generation or that in the fulness of time the mystery whereof was beyond words Our safest eloquence here will be our silence our greatest knowledge a learned ignorance Only wee have here a clear testimony of the distinction of the Persons and that the Son is co-equal and con-substantial with the Father sith Hee is also as the Father above all name and notion If thou canst tell But so can none No man knoweth the Son but the Father neither doth any man know the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Matth. 11.27 The Son is so like the Father here that if you know the one yee cannot but know the other Joh. 14.7 8 9. Milk is not so like milk Non tam ovum ovo simile He is the brightness of his Fathers glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 See the Note there And if wee desire a glass wherein to
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
salvation when a Cardinal I feared my self but now that I am Pope I am almost out of hope And if the tree fall toward the South i. e. Which way soever it groweth it fructifieth so should rich men bee rich in good works 1 Tim. 6.18 and being fat Olive-trees Psal 52. â— they should bee as David green Olive-trees full of good fruits Or thus trees must down and men must die and as trees fall South-ward or North-ward so shall men bee set either at the right hand of the Judge or at the left according as they have carried themselves towards Christs poor members Matth. 25. Up therefore and bee doing whiles life lasteth and so lay hold upon eternal life Mors atra impendet agenti Where the boughs of holy desires and good deeds are most and greatest on that side no doubt the tree will fall but being fallen it can bear no fruit for ever Vers 4. Hee that observeth the wind shall not sow In sowing of mercy hee that sticks in such objections and doubts as carnal men use to frame out of their covetous and distrustful hearts neglects his seeds-time by looking at winds and clouds which is the guize of a lewd and lazy seeds-man A word in season saith Solomon so a charitable deed in season how good is it Hee that defers to do good in hope of better times or fitter objects or fewer obstacles or greater abilities c. it will bee long enough ere hee will do any thing to purpose When God sets us up an Altar wee must offer a sacrifice when hee affords us an opportunity wee must lay hold on it and not stand scrupling and casting perils lest wee lose the sowing of much seed and reaping of much fruit lest wee come with our talent tied up in a napkin and hear Thou idle and therefore evil servant Vers 5. As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit Or Of the wind as some render it grounding upon the former verse q. d. why should any so observe the wind the nature whereof hee so little understands John 3.8 and the inconstancy whereof is grown to and known by a common proverb But by spirit I rather think is meant the soul as by bones the body Who can tell when and how the body is formed the soul infused The body is the souls sheath Dan. 7.15 an abridgement of the visible world as the soul is of the invisible The members of the body were made all by book Psal 139.16 and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth that is in the womb Homo est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip. as curious work-men when they have some choice peece in hand they perfect it in private and then bring it forth to light for men to gaze at What an admirable peece of work is mans head-peece Gods Master-peece in this little world the chief seat of the soul that cura divini ingenii as one calls it There is nothing great on earth but man nothing in man but his mind said the Philosopher Favâ—rin Many locks and keyes argue the price of the Jewel that they keep and many papers wrapping the token within them the worth of the token The Tables of the Testament First Laid up in the Ark Secondly The Ark bound about with pure gold Thirdly Overshadowed with Cherubims wings Fourthly Inclosed with the veil of the Tabernacle Fifthly With the compass of the Tabernacle Sixthly With a Court about all Seventhly With a treble covering of Goats Rams and Badgers-skins above all must needs bee precious Tables So when the Almighty made mans head the seat of the reasonable soul and over-laid it with hair skin and flesh like the threefold covering of the Tabernacle and then incompassed it with a skull of bones like boards of Cedar and afterwards with divers skins like silken curtains and lastly Enclosed it with the yellow skin that covers the brain like the purple veil which Solomon calls the golden Ewre Eccles 12.6 hee would doubtless have us to know it was made for some great treasure to bee put therein How and when the reasonable soul is put into this curious Cabinet Philosophers dispute many things but can affirm nothing of a certainty as neither how the bones do grow in the womb how of the same substance the several parts as bones nerves arteries veins gristles flesh and blood are fashioned there and receive daily increase This David looks at as a just wonder Psal 139.14 15. Mirificatus sum mirabilibus operis tuis Montanus saith hee I am fearfully and wonderfully made and Galen a prophane Philosopher could not but hereupon sing an hymn to mans most wise Creator whom yet hee knew not Even so thou knowest not the work of God i. e. The rest of his works of creation and providence which are very various and to us no less unknown than uncertain Do thou that which God commandeth and let things fall out as they will Prov. 3.5 Isa 58.7 there is an over-ruling hand in all for the good of those that love God Trust therefore in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding Hide not thine eyes from thine own flesh Hee that doth so shall have many a curse The Apostle useth a word for liberality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 8.2 which properly signifieth simplicity and this hee doth in opposition to that crafty and witty wiliness of the covetous to defend themselves from the danger as they take it of liberality Vers 6. In the morning sow thy seed c. At all times bee ready to every good work as the Bee is abroad so soon as ever the Sun breaks forth Tit. 3.1 Sow mercy in the morning sow it likewise in the evening as those bountiful Macedonians did to the shame of those richer but harder Corinthians sending once and again to Pauls necessities 2 Cor. 8.3 with Phil. 4.16 Oh sow much and oft of this unfailable seed into Gods blessed bosome the fruit whereof you are sure to reap at your greatest need Men may bee thankful or they may not Perraro grati reperiuntur saith Cicero it is ten to one if any cured Leper turn again to give thanks But God is not unrighteous to forget your labour of love in ministring to his Saints Heb. 6.10 Haply you may not sow and reap the same day as the widow of Sarepta did haply the seed may lye under ground some while and not bee quckned except it dye but have patience nothing so sure as a crop of comfort to those that are duely merciful Up therefore and bee doing lose no time slip no season It but a morning and an evening one short day of life wherein wee have to work and to advance your blessedness Sow therefore continually blessed is hee that soweth besides all waters Acts and Mâ—n Blessed Bradford held that hour lost wherein hee had not done some good with his hand tongue or pen.
the very Angells know not so much of this mystery but they would know more and do therefore curiously pry into it 1 Pet. 1.12 Yea to these very Principalities and powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold wisdome of God in contriving mans salvation by Christ they cannot but see an abundance of curious variety in this divine wisdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as is to be seen in the best pictures or textures as the Apostles word importeth Eph. 3.10 Vers 10. My Beloved is white and ruddy c. Love lacks no Rhetorick to lay forth the thing beloved in liveliest colours White and ruddy What can bee more laudable and lovely What can come nearer to a perfect symmetry to a sound and sure constitution and complexion Sure it is that these two being comelily mixed do make the most beautifull or orient look or colour see the Prophets description of the Nazarites Lam. 4.7 And note saith an Expositour that the Holy Ghost joyneth both these together the whiteness making the ruddiness more fresh and fair and the ruddiness discerning the whiteness from paleness of face or phlegmatick complexion Sed sunt in his mysteria investiganda saith another itaque candor refert divinam Christi naturam rubor humanam White and red may signifie Christs God-head and Man-hood God is called the Ancient of days Dan. 9.7 his head and his hairs are white like wool as white as snow Rev. 1.14 Man had his name Adam of the red earth out of which hee was taken Gen. 2.7 Christ also the second Adam became red with his own blood whereby hee purchased the Church Act. 10.28 a bloody Spouse shee was unto him and paved for her a new and lively way into the most holy place Heb. 10.20 Upon the battlements whereof hee hangs out still as once that war-like Scythian did a white flag of grace and mercy to penitent persons that humble themselves at his feet for favour but a red flag of justice and severity to those his enemies that will not have him to rule over them in token whereof his rayment is said to be red Isa 63.1 2 3. his vesture dipt in blood Rev. 19.13 The chiefest among ten thousand Heb. vexillatus praedecem millibus that is famous and conspicuous among and above many as Saul was higher than the people by the head and shoulders as the Hachmonite was the chief of Davids mighties 1 Chron. 11.11 Or the standard-bearer of ten thousand Now the goodliest and withall the ablest men use to carry the banner or standard Christ standeth for an ensign of the people Isa 11.10 and hath ten thousand times ten thousand standing before him following him wheresoever he goeth Rev. 7.9 14. and singing We will rejoyce in thy salvation and in the name of our God vexillabimus wee will set up our banner Psal 20.6 The Churches design here is to hold out Christ as altogether matchless and incomparable that there is none like him in the earth as God said of Job chap. 1.8 to teach us to esteem him as the people did David more worth than ten thousand others 2 Sam. 18.3 to set him upon the chief chariot and to give him the sole command of all as Pharaoh dealt by Joseph And as the Sun Moon and eleven stars in Josephs vision did obeysance to him so let our souls bodies all our temporal natural moral and spiritual abilities be subject and serviceable to Christ who if hee be the chiefest of ten thousand ought to have as much love as ten thousand hearts put into one could hold Vers 11. His head is as the most fine gold Here shee begins her particular praise of his several parts and here shee may seem to speak with the tongues of men and of Angels performing as Lovers use to do that for him that hee had done for her before chap. 4.1 2 3 4 c. though all she could say falleth far short of him and well shee might say after all as Nazianzen sometime said of Basil There wants but his own tongue to commend him with Loquimur de Deo non quantum debemus sed quantum possumus In speaking of Christs excellencies men may speak what they can they cannot possibly speak so much as they ought they cannot hyperbolize If any shall think the Church doth here hee must needs bee of those that either know him not or are not able to judge aright of his worth Tull. de Orator as once Cicero said of Crassus and Antonius the Oratours Nusquam Origines non ardet sed nusquam est ardentior c. saith Erasmus Origen is never but earnest Eras in praef ad Orig. opera howbeit hee is never more earnest than when hee discourseth of Christ in other things hee may seem to excell others but in this hee excelleth himself The same wee may well say of the Church in this place in setting forth the surpassing purity and perfection of her Spouse Quem manibus propriis finxit cordata Minerva And first shee makes his head to bee of the finest and firmest gold Fess-gold so the Arabick from the Hebrew calleth it and the land of Fess seemeth to bee named of such gold there Davids Michtam or Golden Psalm comes from one of the words here used For in the Original thus it is Or he is the gold of gold as Athens was the Greece of Greece His head is most glistering gold yea most solid gold That is his deity which dwells in him is most pure and glorious for the head of Christ is God 1 Cor. 11.3 and that fulness of grace which is communicated to his humane nature is wondrously beautiful and so sets it forth as black curled locks do a fresh countenance Spectandus nigris oculis nigroque capillo est Ver. 12. His eyes are as the eyes of Doves by the rivers of water c. i. e. they are full of all innocency singleness and chastity See the Notes on chap. 1.15 4.1 where Christ had attributed the very same to the Church who is his image and glory as the woman is of the man 1 Cor. 11.7 the very looking-glass of his dignity and reflex of his comeliness His eyes are elsewhere said to bee as a flame of fire sharp and terrible such as pierce into the inward parts Rev. 1.14 Dan. 10.6 and need no outward light Here they are as the eyes of Doves casting an amiable gracious joyfull and comfortable look upon his Church As his eyes behold his eye-lids try the children of men the one points out his knowledge the other his critical descant Psal 11.4 So hee casteth an eye of singular providence and tender affection upon his afflicted people I have seen I have seen saith hee the sufferings of my people I know their sorrows and am come down to deliver them His eye affects his heart Exod. 3.7 8. and his heart sets his hand awork for their succour and safety Ezek. 1.8 wee
saw a pit full of mans blood O formosum spectaculum O brave sight The very name Dimon signifieth bloody so called as some think on this occasion instead of Dibon the old name ver 2. Additamenta plegarum Haymo I will bring more upon Dimon Lions upon him that escapeth of Moab Heb. I will put additions upon Dimon i. e. additions of evils viz. Lions and other like fierce and cruel creatures which shall prey upon the Moabites there Chap. 35.9 2 King 17.25 Some say by Lion is here meant Nebuchadnezzar Jer. 4.7 fitly compared to a Lion for his strength and swiftness Certain it is that God hath in store plenty of plagues for evil-doers and if they escape one mischief they shall fall into another their preservation is but a reservation except they repent CHAP. XVI Ver. 1. SEnd ye the Lamb For prevention of those Lions Chap. 15.9 submit to Hezekiah your right Liege-Lord 2 Sam. 8.2 with 2 King 3.4 a Lamb i.e. your appointed number of tribute-Lambs in token of homage But especially make your peace with God the Ruler of the whole World 1 Chron. 29.12 by paying him homage and fealty that there may be a lengthening of your tranquillity Strabo lib. 16. From Selo in the wilderness otherwise called Petra because beset with rocks whence the countrey it stood in was called Arabia Petraea Some make it the head-City of Moab others of Edom a place it seemeth it was full of cattle and by King Amaziah who took it called Jokâ—eel 2 King 14.7 Alioqui fiet Jun. Ver. 2. For it shall be that as a wandring bird c. Or Otherwise it shall be that as c. i. e. except ye do as I have advised you ver 1. a double mischief shall befal you 1 dissipation as a wandring bird c. 2 deportation at the foords of Arnon where ye shall be carried captive As a wandring bird See Prov. 27.8 with the Note Ver. 3. Take counsel execute judgment Or make a decree or deal equally and uprightly shew the like kindness to Abrahams posterity as he once did to your proginitour Lot whom he rescued or as Lot did to the Angels whom as strangers he entertained fac inquam quod suggero dum subdo Make thy shadow as the night in the midst of noonday i. e. Shelter and shade my persecuted people este illis securum perfugium jucundum refrigerium protect them refresh them do all kâ—nd offices for them which your fathers did not but the contrary Deut. 23.3 4. Ver. 4. Let mine out-casts who are dear to me Jer. 30.17 though I may seem to have cast off the care of them Out easts they may be but not castawayes See chap. 52.5 6. persecuted but not forsaken 2 Cor. 4.9 Bowels of mercy must be put on toward godly Exiles especially who are Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and should therefore be dear to us For the extortioner is at an end Heb. Emunctor the Milker or Squeezer or Wâ—inger out Prov. 30.33 so the Assyrian Tyrant is called as also Vastator Proculcator the spoiler or plunderer and Conculcator the Oppressour or Treader down is consumed out of the Land and it shall not be long ere I fetch home my banished be content therefore to harbour them awhile herein thou shalt do thy self no disservice at all Ver. 5. For in mercy or piety shall the throne be established Hezekiah's throne shall but especially Christs from whom ye may once have occasion to borrow that mercy which now you are called upon to lend to those outcasts of Israel And he shall set upon it i. e. He shall make it his business to relieve and right his people And seeking judgment Making inquisition after wrongs of such as dare not complain The Grand Signior they say shew himself on purpose weekly abroad for the receiving the poors petitions and punishing the Grandees of his Court by whom they are oppressed whence also he stileth himself Awlem Penawh i. e. the world 's Refuge And hastening justice Dispatching and dispeeding causes Ver. 6. We have heard of the pride of Moab His harsh and haughty carriage toward Gods poor people though he were advised the contrary ver 1.3 4. Good counsel is but cast away upon a proud person Now the Moabites were as much noted then for their pride as now the Spaniards are And their pride appeared by their braggs and threats But His lyes shall not be so Or his indignation is more then his strength as Hierom rendreth it His boastings and blusters shall come to nothing his pride shall be his bane and break-neck Ver. 7. Therefore shall Moab houle for Moab One Moabite to another or each within himself ut solent desperantes For the foundations of Kirharesheth Which shall be utterly rased and harased Kirhareseth is interpreted the city of brick walls as was Babylon or rather the city of the Sun as Bethshemesh and Heliopolis because there the Sun was in a special manner worshipped Shall ye mourn Or roar or mutter or muse Ver. 8. For the fields of Heshbon languâ—sh as being decayed and destroyed hence so great mourning in Moab Their father and founder was begotten in wine and themselves were likely great wine-bibbers Historians say that some of their Cities were built by Baâ—chus Fitly therefore are these drunken Moabites bereft of their vines as those gluttonous Sodomites were of their victuals Gen. 14.11 The Drunkards motto is Take away my liquour and take away my life The Lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants therereof The great Turk causeth all the vines to be cut down wherever he cometh as hearing out of the Alchoran that in every grape there dwelleth a devil Ver. 9. Therefore I will bewail with the weeping Defleo fletum Paronomasia that is the misery of Jazer Or I will with weeping bewail Jazer and the vine of Sibmah For the shouting for thy summer-fruits i.e. Thy joy and jollity over thy summer-fruits and over thine harvest expressed by songs and shouts do now fail and cease Ver. 10. And gladness is taken away Laetitia i. e. quicquid laetificum erat all matter of mirth is removed Heb. gathered up or gathered in as your harvest also is to your hand by the enemy Ver. 11. Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab The elect of God holy and beloved have bowels of mercy Ego ex intimiâ— visceribuâ— meis conturbaâ—m Jun. tenderness and kindness toward their very enemies also Colos 3.12 whom they do oft pitty more then they pitty themselves as Habakkuk did the Chaldeans calamity Chap. 3.16 and as Daniel did Nebuchadnezzars downfal Dan. 4.19 Sicut cithara plectro tacta dat sonitum in funere funereum As they have mournful musick at funerals Jer. 9.17 20. Mat. 9 23. or as the strings of a Shaulm sound heavily so do my heart-strings for miserable Moab In an harp if one string be touched all the rest sound so it should
Gentlewomen and others like beasts and dogs being naked and coupled together were led into the woods and there ravished Such as resisted the Souldiers stript naked whipped them cropt their ears and so sent them home again I will not meet the as a man But as a Lion rather Absque omni humanitatis contemperatione Scult Tractabo te pro divina potentia mea Piscat thou shalt have vengeance without mixture of mercy See 2 Sam. 7.24 Isa 13.6 27.7 8 Hos 5.14 Men use sometimes to deal favourably with women but they shall not do so with thee Ver. 4. As for our Redeemer c. This comes in by way of Parenthesis for the comfort of Gods poor people Ver. 5. Sit thou silent Here he threatneth Babylon with loss of her former fame she shall be buried in obscurity and oblivion as out of sight and out of mind no longer called the Lady of Kingdoms but a wretched drudge ut de Hecuba tradunt Tragici For thou shalt no more be called Heb. thou shalt not add to be called Ocolampadius senseth it thus Thou wast wont to be called the Lady of Kingdoms now they shall call thee Non adjicies as desperate and irrecoverable And why Ver. 6. I was wrath See on Zach. 1. ver 15. I have polluted mine inheritance God is his peoples inheritance and they are his but now for their sins He had dealt with them as with a profane and unclean thing Thou didest shew them no mercy Heb. thou didst set them no bowels Cruelty cries for vengeance See Jer. 50.17 with 51.24 Vpon the ancient Who should have been born with for their age and weakness Ver. 7. I shall be a Lady for ever Presumption precedeth destruction Psal 10.6 Rev. 18.7 So that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart The daughter of Pride is security and pleasure is her neece ver 8. Nor didst remember the latter end of it Heb. her latter end Memorare novissima tua in aeternum non peccabis See Lam. 1.4 Ver. 8. Thou that art given to pleasure Delicatula It is not good to take pleasure in pleasure no not to go as far here as we may verecunda sunt omnia initia peccati sin seemeth modestat first c. Thou faist in thine heart I am sc the Lady of the world Heathen Rome was called by the Heathens Terarum dea gentiumque Rome Papal saith as much Rev. 17.4 And none else besides me i. e. None worth speaking off The Jesuites brag in like sort of their transcendent learning and professe skil beyond the periphery of possible knowledge I shall not sit as a widdow i. e. Be bereft of my Monarchy which is as it were my husband Neither shall I know the losse of children I shall not cease to subdue Countries and Kingdoms which are added unto me as so many children Ver. 9. But these two things shall come upon thee in a moment Accidit in puncto c. Babylon was suddenly taken in one night as the Prophet had foretold chap. 21. and as the history testifieth Dan. 5. Periit inter pocula For the multitude of thy sorceries Thy taking upon thee to divine of each mans life and fortune by the Stars and Horoscope for which profession the Chaldeans were famous But what a madness was it in Cardanus who by the like skill went about to demonstrate that it was fatal to our Saviour Christ Alsted Encycl lib 30. cap. 10. to dye the death of the Cross Ver. 10. Thou hast trusted in thy wickednesse God calleth that wickednesse which they counted wisdom None seeth me Ne Deus quidem novit rationes meas Graceless men having hid God from themselves think also to hide themselves from God Thy wisdom and thy knowledge Thy Magical arts and practices Quantus artifex pereo quadrabit in te peritum periturum Ver. 11. Therefore shall evil come upon thee An evil an only evil as Ezek. 7.5 both unexpected and inexpiable such as thou canst neither avoid nor abide Ver. 12. Stand now with thine enchantments Try thine utmost skill and let 's see what thou canst do forthy self Sen. Hâ—nc divinaâ—oâ—es per Antoâ—nomasiam Châ—lâ—aeâ— appellati this is spoken in way of derision Wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth But found them to be no better than toilesome toyes quae nec ignoranti nocent nec scientem juvant Against judiciary Astrology see Aug. de civ Dei lib. 5. cap. 1 2 3 4 5. Ver. 13. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels As all such are sure to be with a woe to boot as take counsel but not of God and that cover with a covering but not by his spirit that they may add sin to sin Isa 30.1 Thus do those vain Astrologers that pretend to read mens fates and fortunes in the Heavens velut in Minervae peplo and thence to foretell good and evil But experience frequently confuteth them as it did Abraham the Jew who foretold by the stars the coming of their Messiah Anno Domini 1464. And Albumazar a Mahometan Wizzard who predicted an end of the Christian Religion Anno 1460. at utmost A great flood was foretold by these Diviners to fall out in the year 1524. cum planetae comitis in piscibus celebrarent Hollinsh in 1524. This caused the Prior of St. Bartholomews in London wise-man-like to go and build him an house at Harrow on the hill for his better security Stand up and save thee Save thee if they can but Baltasar found they could not though he called for them all Dan. 5.7 8. and they likely had promised him an everlasting Monarchy as some did the Romans imperium sine fine but falsly for now the Roman Empire is at a very low ebbe and who shall be Emperour This was wâ—itten Sept. 19. 1637. is much questioned Ver. 14. Behold they shall be as stubble As dryed stubble Nah. 1.10 See the Note there They shall not deliver themselves Much lesse others There shall not be a coal to warm at Like a fire of flax which is soon extinct and leaves no embers or cinders behind it In a spiritual sense it may be said of most of our hearts and houses as here There 's not a coal to warm at Deest ignis as Father Latimer was wont to say the fire of zeal is wanting that flame of God Cant. 8.6 Ver. 15. Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured But all in vain viz. with thy Wizzards and Diviners those deceivers of the people Cic de divinat lib. 2. concerning whom Cato once said Potest Augur Augurem videre non ridere Can those fellows look one on another and not laugh when they consider how they cozen people and cheat them of their moneys Cic. orat 4. in Ver. hence they are called merchants also in the next words as some think qui non tam coeli rationem quam coelati argenti ducunt Such
the wicked Priests especially as greatest Traytors to the state the Lord thundereth and threateneth terribly By the beasts here called for we may understand the Babylonians Grecians Syrians Egyptians but especially the Romans who made clean work of them when as they were grown extreamly wicked and even ripe for ruine as Josephus witnesseth See Jer. 50.17 Ver. 10. His watchmen are blind they are all ignorant Invehit in Pseudepiscopos such as were and are still in part the Popish Clergy those of the ninth age especially and not much better a little before Luther stickled blind leaders of the blind lamentably ignorant as the Bishop of Dunkelden in Scotland for instance Act. Mon. Luther who professed that he knew neither the New Testament nor the Old so Bishop Albert reading the Bible and being asked by a Noble-man What book it was he read I know not said he what book it is but all that I read in it is contrary to our Religion As for the other ill qualities of the watchmen here enveighed against Hugo the Cardinal said that the Devil had two daughters Covetousness and Luxury the former he had heretofore married out to the Jews the latter to the Gentiles but now the Monkes and Priests had gotten them both from their old husbands and taken them for their own use The Hebrew Criticks have observed that the word here rendred watchmen hath a Tsade bigger than ordinary to shew what odious creatures such are as are here described They are all dumb dogs that cannot bark i. e. Will not deal plainly and faithfully with mens souls but either preach not at all or placentia only toothlesse truthes Lib. 29. chap. 4. Pliny tells of the dogs in Rome that were set to keep the Capitol because when the Gaules scaled it the dogs being fed too full lay sleeping and did not give warning they not only hanged them up but every year on that day of the year hanged up certain dogs in the City for exemplary justice yea crucified them alive upon an Elder-tree Let dumb dogs and parasitical Preachers treacherous to mens souls take heed they be not one day hanged in hell Sleeping lying down loving to slumber Non dormiunt solum sed dedita opera dormiunt Somnoâ—entia pastorum luporum est gaudium so full they have farced themselves and so deeply drunk they are that they sleep soundly though Lyons roare and wolves worry the poor flock and that many times far enough from the fold wherein they shew themselves to be worse then Vlysses his swineherd of whom Homer saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he would not be drawn to sleep from his swinesty Ver. 11. Yea they are greedy dogs that can never have enough Heb. strong of soul or of appetite they know not to be satisfied Lac lana is that they look for the instruments of a foolish shepherd forcipes mulctra the sheares and milk paile are in their hand Zach. 11.15 they eat the fruit and drink the milk as Ezek 25.4 yea they eat the fat and tear the claws in pieces Zach. 11.16 Albertus Magnus complained heavily of the covetousness of Pastours in his time In Mat. 10.16 Temporalia colligunt perse spiritualia seminant per alios saith he they take little paines but care not how much profit they make he that made Fasciculus temporum doth the like Another modern writer fitly applyeth that to them which Oedipus in Sophocles saith of Tiresias the Heathen-Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. that he looked only to his gain but was little seen in his profession Such a one was Balaam Jude 11. such were those false Prophets Ezek. 13. the covetous Pharisees Luke 16.14 the false Apostles Rom. 16.18 called dogs Phil. 3.2 such as had a greedy worm under their tongues and could never be satisfied And they are shepherds that cannot understand The dust of covetousnesse hath even put out their eyes Midas secundum Etymologiâ—m Graecam coecus est as it fared with the blind and greedy Pharisees Avidi à non videndo the world is a pearle in their eyes they cannot see God nor skill of their office Tremellius rendreth it nesciunt docere they know not to teach as being choaked haply with a fat benefice a common practice of the Pope They all look to their own way Mind their own commodity whereby they are led up and down as an Ox may be all a ground over by a bottle of hay Ver. 12. Come ye The wicked have their Come ye as well as the godly chap. 2. 3. See there I will fetch wine A Pastour should be no winebibber or Alestake 1 Tim. 3.8 Ebrietas in se culpas complectitur omnes Drunkennesse is a foul fault in any man saith Petrus Ravennas but in a Minister it is sacriledge especially if he draw on others to it as here and as the Popish Priests do at Paris and Lovain where the best wine is called Vinum Theologicum and they use to lengthen out their drunken compotations And to morrow shall be as this day Words of profane secureness and dissoluteness See Chap. 22.13 Prov. 23.35 CHAP. LVII Ver. 1. THe righteous perisheth So the world deemeth but not rightly for the righteous hath hope in his death when the wicked dying is driven away in his wickednesse Prov. 14.32 by him that hath the power of death even the devil Heb. 2.14 having been through fear of death all their life-time subject to bondage The Lacedemonians all the time of their life adored death The righteous can defie death with Paul and sing Death where 's they sting Hell where 's thy victory he is not killed with death as Jezabels children were Rev. 2.23 but dyeth in peace though he dye in battle as Josiah did of whom some interpret this Text. And no man layeth it to heart Heb. upon his heart that it may sink and soak into it so as to be soundly sensible of Gods holy hand and end in such a providence See chap. 5.12 There is a woe to oscitancy and stupidity of this kind And merciful men Heb. men of piety or pitty such as all righteous persons are they have received mercy and they can shew it Colos 3.12 they have steept their thoughts in the mercyes of God which have dyed theirs as the dye-fat doth the cloth Aâ— men gather flowers and candy them and preserve them by them so doth God his pious ones Are taken away Heb. gathered as corn is into the garner or fruit into the store-house so they into Abrahams bosom No man considering None of those debauched ones chap 56.12 to be sure of These are glad to be rid of the righteous as the Sodomites were of righteous Lot as the Heathen persecutors were of the Martyrs whom they counted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4.13 the sweepings of the world and the off-scourings of all things That the righteous is taken away
the Lord sc As an aggravation of Israels great unkindness and unthankfulness to so liberal a Lord Summam Cantici sui paucis complectitur so bountiful a Benefactour Good turnes exaggerate unkindnesses and mens offences are increased by their obligations See Deut. 32.7 14. According to his mercies c. Which are such as words are too weak to utter hence this Copia verborum and all too little See the like Ephes 2.5 7. Ver. 8. For he said Surely they are my people children that will not lye q. d. I presume they will not it were a foul shame for them if they should deceive my expectation deale disloyally shew themselves deceitful in the Covenant The Officers of Merindol in France answered the Popish Bishop that moved them to abjure that they marvelled much that he would offer to perswade them to lye to God and the world And albeit that all men by nature are lyars yet they had learned by the Word of God that they ought diligently to take heed of lying in any matter be it never so small Also that they ought diligently to take heed that their children did not accustome or use themselves to lye and therefore punish them very sharply when they took them with any lye Act. Mon. 866. even as if they had committed a robbery for the devil is a lyar c. Here the Bishop rose up in a great anger and so departed Ver. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted See Exod. 3.7 9. Judg. 10.16 Zach. 2.8 Act. 9.4 Jer. 31.20 Of God we may better say than the Poet did of Augustus 2. de Ponto Eleg. 2. Est placidus facilisque parens veniaeque paratus Et qui fulmineo saepe sine igne tonat Qui cum triste aliquid statuit sit tristis ipse Cuique fere poenam sumere poena sua est And the Angel of his presence saved them i. e. Jesus Christ who is called the face of God Exod. 33.14 15. the image of the invisible God Colos 1.15 whom who so hath seen hath seen the Father also Joh. 14.9 He who is in the bosom of the Father Joh. 1.18 and as an everlasting Priest mediateth and ministreth in the presence of his Father making request for us Heb. 9.24 Rev. 8.3 that Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 And he bare them As Parents do their young children And carryed them As Eagles do their young See Exod. 19.4 Deut. 32.11 with the Note Ver. 10. But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit By sinning against light checks of conscience motions of the Spirit mercyes without measure c. Junius thinketh this a clear place for proof of the Trinity in Unity So he was turned to be their enemy This was an ill turn for them abused mercy turneth into fury with the froward God will wrestle Psal 18. Ver. 11. Thou he remembred i. e. Israel remembred the dayes of old Heb. of antiquity the dayes of yore as some old Translations have it See Psal 89.50 c. Saying Where is he that brought them up out of the sea q. d. How is it that he is not now to be found as then he was for the succour of his poor people They had vexed his holy Spirit and therefore he withdrew himself See Hos 5.6 With the shepherd of his flock Or shepherds as some ancient copies had it viz. Moses and Aaron Psal 77.20 Where is he that put his holy spirit within him But this holy Spirit they had vexed ver 10. and now they sorrowfully enquire after Delicata res est spiritus sanctus ita nos tractat sicut tractatur saith a Father i. e. The Spirit of God is a delicate thing he deals with us as we deal by him Ver. 12. That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm Or that maâ—e his gallant arm to go at Moses his right hand Funâ—cius Dividing the water before them So that Pseudo-Moses the devill likely made many over credulous Jews of Creet believe that he would do for them whom he cozened into the midst of the sea to their destruction Anno Christi 434. Some are of opinion that this affectionate prayer was purposely penned by the Prophet for the use of those poor Jews who after the coming of Christ and manifestation of the Gospel should see themselves to be rejected by God and his Church and should now beg to be owned again cui sanc instituto omnia magis quam dici queat conveniunt saith Hyperius the ensuing petitions suit very much Ver. 13. That led them through the deep Which threatened to swallow them but indeed preserved them so doth every main affliction As a horse in the wildernesse Or as an horse goeth in the plain when led by his rider in qua non est lutum vel lapis where there is neither mire to stick in nor stone to stumble at See Psal 106. Leniter commode Ver. 14. As a beast goeth down into the valley i. e. Gently and leisurely according to that known Distich Ascendente tuo vel descendente caballo Vox ait ista Fave vox ait illa Cave The Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest Or led them until he brought them to rest sc in the promised land To make thy self a glorious name q. d. So thou maist do again if thou please to shew mercy unto us Name is here put for fame or renown Ver. 15. Look down from heaven Affectus dolentium atque ardenter petentium scite exprimuntur a pathetical and pithy prayer And behold from the habitation of thy holiness c. They pray otherwise now then when the Temple stood Psal 121.1 now they look higher and Oh that they would do so The modern Jews pray thus daily but because not from a right principle they are not heard Where is thy zeal Thine ancient fervour and forwardness in vindicating thy people and being avenged of their enemies The sounding rumbling or yerning of thy bowels c. Sometimes God seemeth to loose his mercy and then we must find it for him as here sometimes to sleep or delay and then we must waken quicken him Psal 40.17 Isa 62.7 Are they restrained Chrysostom exhorteth people whether God grant or not to pray still for when God denies it is as good as if he grants And if we pray for any temporal mercy the very ability to pray Hom. 30. in Gen s is better then the thing we pray for for Whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Ver. 16. Doubtlest thou art our Father Though thou frownest and withdrawest The people of God saw that He was angry that their hearts also were hard yet they thought they should know him amidst all his austerities and they make to him for help And doubtless help the Jews might yet have could they seriously say as here Certainly thou art our Father and would no longer rest upon carnal things boasting of Abraham their Father Circumcision
and other external priviledges Though Abram be ignorant of us Ipsi nunc sua quiete fruuntur they are at rest and know nothing of our affaires The Monks tell us that the Saints departed see things done here in the face of God as in a glass But this is a meer fiction of theirs See Psal 27.10 2 King 22.20 Augustine saith of his mother Monica deceased Lib de curae pro mortuis agenda cap. 13. Eccius in locis that she did now no longer yeeld him comfort because she knew not what befel him The greatest Popish Clerkes themselves confess that the invocation of Saints departed hath neither precept promise nor precedent in the Book of God Moreover they cannot determine how the Saints know our hearts and prayers whether by hearing or seeing or presence everywhere or by Gods relating or revealing mens prayers and needs unto them All which wayes some of them hold as possible or probable and others deny and confute them as untrue Mortons Appeale lib. 2. cap. 12. sect 5. The Syriack and Arabick render the text thus Thou art our Father we are ignorant of Abraham and we acknowledge not Israel Thou O Lord art our Father c. Agreeable whereunto is that of the Heathen Contemno minutos istos Deos moao Jovem mihi propitium habeam I care not for those petty-gods so that Jupiter will stand my friend And that better saying of a devout Christian Vna est in trepida mihi re medicina Jehova Cor patrium os ver ax omnipotensque manus Nathan Chytraeus It hath been well observed that the defeat given to the Spanish Fleet Anno 1588. fell out to be on St. James his day whom the Spaniards pray to as their Patrone or St. Tutelar Thy name is from eternity i. e. This name of thine our Redeemer Some read the text thus Our Redeemer is from of old thy Name Our Redemption was not of yesterday but verily fore ordained before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1.20 Ver. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy waies c. i. e. Given us up to errour and obstinacy Why dost thou thus punish sin with sin for the illustration of thy Justice and jealousy against us who have rebelled and vexed thine holy Spirit ver 10. Oh be pleased to deal with us rather according to thy mercy Return for thy servants sake the good people that are yet left amongst us give us hearts of flesh and lead us in the way everlasting Here observe that Gods best children may find in themselves hardness of heart Hos 4.16 yet not total but mixt with softness and tenderness in every part so that though they resist neglect profit not as they might do through pride worldliness voluptuousness Mat 13.22 Luke 21.34 hypocritical hiding of any sin Psal 32.3 4. Prov. 28.14 letting fall the watch of the Lord 2 Chron. 32.25 yet it is not done with full consent but with reluctance now and repentance afterwards The tribes of thine inheritance q. d. Wilt thou abhor thy people in covenant with thee and abandon thine own inheritance How few are there that thus urge the seale and enter a suit with the Lord Ver. 18. The people of thine holiness have possessed it but a little while viz. In respect of that perpetuity promised them by Thee Gen. 17.8 26.3 28.13 Exod. 32.13 Besides the many calamities that have befaln us whereby we have had small enjoyment of this thine inheritance All the daies of the afflicted are evil Prov. 15.15 their life lifeless and not to be reckoned on Our adversaries have trodden down thy Sanctuary This they did in the daies of Antiochus but especially about the time of our Saviours incarnation when the scepter departed from Judah Pompey with his Army entered into the Sanctuary Herod got the governement the Romans sat up their Ensignes and Statues in the holy of holies c. This desolation of the second Temple the Jews do here bewail but we have cause to rejoyce for that by Christ the whole world is now become a Temple and every place a goodly Oratory 1 Tim. 2.8 Ver. 19. We are thine And shouldest thou then deal with us as some profane idolatrous Nation See here the holy boldness of Faith standing upon interrogatories 1 Pet. 3.21 and filling her mouth with arguments of all sorts Thou never barest rule over them No such reason or relation is there of children servants subjects wherefore they should thus be favoured and we disowned Amos 3.2 See on ver 17. CHAP. LXIV Ver. 1. O That thou wouldest rent the Heaven That Thou wouldest lie no longer hid there as to some it may seem but making thy way through all impediments and obstacles Lyra. Alex. Ales. thou wouldest powerfully appear for our help as out of an engine Vtinam lacerares coelos descenderes Some take the words for a hearty wish that Christ would come in the flesh others that he would make haste and come to Judgement laté fisso coelo ad percellendum impios The Metaphor seemeth to be taken from such as being desirous suddainly and effectually to help others in distress do break open doors and cast aside all lets to make their way to them That the mountains may flow down As Judg. 5.5 By mountains some understand the enemies kingdoms Ver. 2. As when the melting fire burneth So let the mountains burn and boyl at thy presence Aristotle reporteth that from the hill Aetna there once ran down a torrent of fire De mundo cap. 6. So Hecla and Hogla in Iseland that consumed all the houses thereabout The like is recorded of Vesuvius and of Peitra Mala a mountain in the highest part of the Apenines which perpetually burneth Ver. 3. When thou didest terrible things Or As when thou diddest c. as thou didst of old for our Forefathers Which we looked not for See Deut. 4.32 33. where God himself extolleth them Ver. 4. For from the beginning of the world men have not heard sc The mysteries of the Gospel revealed by the Spirit whereunto the Angels also desire to look as the Apostles witness 1 Cor. 2.9 1 Pet. 1.12 Neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee or a God beside thee i. e. That can do as thou doest For him that waiteth for him For them that love him saith the Apostle It is by faith and hope that we wait upon God now Faith Hope and Charity are near of kin and never severed All that truly love God are well content to wait for him yea to want if he see it fit being desirous rather that God may be glorified than themselves gratified Ver. 5. Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness That doth thy work diligently and with delight that being acted by thee acteth vigorously for thee Tantum velis Deus tibi praeoccurret saith an Ancient as the Prodigals Father met him upon the way If ye be willing and
Poneropolitans breathing devils A hard knot must have a harder wedge as the Proverb is I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease I will crush the crests of those Potentates and lay them low See Esa 14.11 12. Their holy places shall be defiled Sacella lararia corum their Chappels or Oratories made in or near unto their houses for divine worship Ver. 25. Destruction cometh Not mercy shall come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Septuagint ill render it but utter excision as when a weaver cutteth the web he hath finished out of the loom Isa 38.12 They shall seek peace Of God but all too late of the Chaldees but all in vain for they were Cockatrices and would not be charmed Jer. 8.17.15 12.12 16.5 Note here how Jeremy and Ezekiel say the same thing as being acted by the same spirit Ver. 26. Mischief shall come upon mischief Aliud ex alio malum I will heap mischiefs upon them Deut. 32.23 War is called evil or mischief by a specialty Esa 45.7 And rumour shall be upon rumour sc Of Nebuchadnezzars advance acts and atcheivements Then shall they seek a vision of the Prophet As a drowning man catcheth at the sprig of a tree which before he slighted But the Law shall perish from the Priest Not only Prophecy which is an extraordinary gift shall fail them but also the ordinary preaching of Gods Word and all good advice and provision of humane wisdom And yet this foolish people were wont to sooth up themselves and say The Law shall not perish from the Priest nor wisdom from the Ancient Jer. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 27. The king shall mourn With a funeral mourning as the Sept. expresse it with a continued mourning as the Hebrew importeth The Prince shall be clothed with desolation Opplebitur tristitiâ ad stuporem And the hands Which they had so oft lifted up to vanity According to their desertes See ver 3 4 8 9. CHAP. VIII Ver. 1. IN the sixth year Of Jeconiah's captivity In the sixth moneth Elul answerable to our August In the fifth day Which was Sabbath-day saith Junius Sedentes quiescentes apti sunt ad percipiendam S. S. gratiam Hinc apparet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei Lavat As I sat in mine house In Mesopotamia among the captives And the Elders of Judah sat before me As their wont was upon the Sabbath-day 2 King 4.23 These Jews were ever learning but never came to the knowledge of the truth Yet God still bore with them and taught them better That the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me i. e. The Spirit the Spirit of Prophecy saith the Chaldee to whom the absolving and perfecting of Gods Work is congruously attributed He is fitly said to brood the waters Gen. 1.2 to overshadow the Virgin Mary Luke 1.35 to seal the elect Ephes 4.30 to add ultimam manum for God the Father doth all by the Son through the Holy Ghost Ezekiel had here a mighty impulse of the Spirit which fell upon him quasi fulgur efficax penetrans as lightening Ver. 2. Then I beheld and loe a likenesse Of a man likely This was the Lord Christ whose eyes are like a flaming fire Rev. 1.14 and even our God as well as the Jews God is a consuming fire Heb. 12. ult Here in the fire was set forth his vengeance against the wicked in his brightnesse upwards his Majesty say some his Clemency say others As the colour of amber Or of a coale intensely hot as chap. 1. Ver. 3. And he put forth his hand As to me it seemed for all was visional not real And took me by a lock of mine head Tanquam herus inofficiosum servum The Prophet seemeth to have had no great mind to the matter but there was no remedy Ducunt volentem fata nolentem trabunt Where was the seat of the image of jealousy Of Baal likely for whom wicked Ahaz had been so zealous 2 Kings 16.14 and against whom God was ever so jealous as to devour whole lands by the fire of his jealousy Zeph. 3.8 Ver. 4. And behold the glory of the God of Israel i. e. The glorious God of Israel Acts 7.2 See there Was there sc At the inner gate where that image of jealousy stood The Jews were great idolaters before the Captivity not so afterwards Rom. 2.22 Chap. 3.23 According to the vision This befel for his further confirmation ne remum abjiceret ut aiunt this was now the third time and all was but enough Ver. 5. The way toward the North Where was the greatest concourse of idolaters At the gate of the Altar Why so called see 2 Kings 16.14 This image of jealousy in the entry Idolatry committed in Gods own Temple was most abominable as when an adultresse hath her stallions under her husband's nose Messalina-like Ver. 6. That I should go far from my sanctuary Which is now become omnium turpitudinum Arx as was once said of Pompey's great theatre at Rome a receptacle of all roguery impiae gentis arcanum as afterward Florus unworthily called it And thou shalt see greater abominations All sins are not equally sinful then as the Stoicks affirmed but there are degrees of abominations See Deut. 32.5 with the Note Ver. 7. And he brought me Mystagogus ille Angelus To the door of the court Of the Priests court A hole in the wall Which should have been kept in better repair Ver. 8. Behold a door A secret door by which they entred into their idol-chappel Such privy-passages there are in the Popish Monasteries and in the whole Romish religion not a few Oecolamp Ante paucos annos suaviter convivebant Monachi Nonnae c. The Councel of Trent was carried by the Pope with such infinite guile and craft as that themselves will even smile at the triumphs of their own wits when they hear it but mentioned as at a master-stratagem But the Author of the history of that Councel hath found a hole in the walls of Rome and many of our worthy Champions have digged and discovered their detestable practises Ver. 9. Go in and behold the wicked abominations No words are bad enough for sin Solomon calleth it wickednesse of folly even foolishnesse of madnesse Eccles 7.25 mischeivous madnesse chap. 10.13 So Luke 16.11 Mammon of unrighteousnesse and 1 Pet. 4.3 abominable idolatries Ver. 10. And behold every form of creeping things These belike were their dii minorum gentium their petty-deities their vulgar idols whereof as there was great store so not so great respect given unto them This piece of idolatry the Jews had learned of the Egyptians who madly worshiped Oxen Asses Goats Dogs Cats Serpents Crocodils the bird Ibis c. Praeter impietatem ingens stultitiae exuperantia ostenditur saith Theodoret on this text besides their impiety were these men in their wits think we And what shall we say of Popish superstition Do not