may be a vassal to us both Thus the Pope gave away England Primo occupaturo to him that should first take it in Henry the eighths dayes but he reckoned without his Host as they say Even the son of Tabeel A Syrian likely as Tabrimmon 1 King 15.18 a good Rimmonite 2 King 5.18 So Tabeel a good God Rimmon was the Syrians God The Chaldee expoundeth it Good or Right for us Ver. 7. It shall not stand The Counsel of the Lord that shall stand Psal 33.11 when the worlds Wizzards shall be taken in their own craftiness 1 Cor. 3.19 It shall not be All their projects are dashed by a word Video Rideo saith He that sitteth in Heaven Psalm 2. I look and laugh and wherein they dealt proudly I am above them Exod. 18.11 Ver. 8. For the head of Syria is Damascus Not Jerusalem as they haply had contrived it looking upon Jerusalem as a City fatally founded to bear Rule as One saith of Constantinople And the head of Damascus is Rezin Let him set his heart at rest and not reach after the Dominion of Judah lest falling from his high hopes he lose that he hath already and cry out with that Ambitionist Sic mea fata sequor And within threescore and five years sc from the time that Amos foretold it Chap. 5.27 7.8 that is from the twenty fourth year of Vzziah to the sixth of Hezekiah when as the ten Tribes were carried away by Salmaneser 2 King 17. Thus Hierom out of Seder-Olam But I like better Piscators computation which is thus within 65. years that is from the fourth year of Ahaz now current to the 23. of Manasseh when Ephraim ceased indeed to be a people by the command of Esarhaddon Son of Senacherib whereof see Ezra 4.2 Ver. 9. And the head of Samariah Remaliah's son In contempt he hath neither his Name nor Title of a King given him but is fairly warned to keep within his bounds he is not like to hold long that he hath It is dangerous medling with Jerusalem Zech. 12.2 3 6. Valde brevis sententia est sed gravis admodum Oecolamp If ye will not believe surely ye shall not be established Jehosaphat said as much 2 Chron. 20.20 and our Saviour somewhat like John 8.20 Isaiah saw the King and people still fluctuating and trembling notwithstanding the divine Promise and telleth them what to trust to unless they will trust in God they will never be soundly settled Faith quelleth and killeth distrustful fear and maketh a man walk about the world like a Conquerour There is an Elegancy here in the Original that cannot be Englished Ver. 10. Moreover the Lord spake again unto Ahaz Wicked though he were and under the power of unbelief yet he shall see that he hath to do with a very gracious and long-suffering God who by a wonderful condescension will needs give him a sign Inauditum vero dari signum incredulo Christ would not so far gratifie the unbelieving Pharisees but calleth them an evil and bastardly brood for seeking a sign from Heaven Mat. 12.39 Ver. 11. Ask the sign of the Lord not of any other God to whom thou art addicted Thy God From whom thou hast deeply revolted but of whom thou mightest upon thy return be graciously re-accepted Ask it either in the depth This was a fair offer to so foul a sinner but all would not do no though he should have had a sight of Heaven or of Hell for a sign And yet Bellarmine thinketh that one glimpse of Hell were enough to work upon the most hard-hearted sinner in the world and to make him yield to any thing Ver. 12. I will not ask Ah lewd losel I will not ask what a base answer was this of a Bedlam Belialist what a wretched entertainment of such an over-bounding Mercy He doth upon the matter say I le ask no Asks I le try no signs I know a trick worth two of that God shall for me keep his signs to himself I crave no such curtesie at his hands I can otherwise help my self viz. by sending to the Assyrian If the Lord could and would have helped how happeth it that so lately no less then an hundred and twenty thousand of my Subjects were cut off in one day by this Remaliah's son as you contemptuously call him Neither will I tempt the Lord Or neither wâ—ll I make tryal of the Lord as in the former Note Ambrose was mistaken who thought that Ahaz refused to ask or try the Lord out of modesty and humility rather it was out of pervicacy or at best Hypocrisie Hic descendamus in nostras conscientias saith good Oecolampadius Here let us each descend and dive into his own conscience to see whether we also have not matched Ahaz in his madness or at least wise coasted too near upon his unkind usage of the Lord by rejecting his sweet offers of Grace and motions of Mercy by slighting his holy Sacraments those Signs and Seals of the Righteousness that is by Faith Adsit fides aberit periculum Ver. 13. Hear ye now ye House of David But shamefully degenerate from your thrice-worthy Progenitours and strangely forgetful of Gods Promises for a perpetual Succession which if ye remembred and believed ye would not be so causlesly terrified Is it a small thing for you How heartily angry is the Prophet how blessedly blown up in this case of so great dishonour done to God we should be so too To weary men to vex and molest the Septuagint have it to strive Agoneus redditis or wrestle a fall with men By men he meaneth himself and his fellow-Prophets whom Ahaz and his Courtiers slighted and misused Let this comfort Gods faithful Ministers under the worlds indignities and injuries See Matth. 5.11 12. But will ye weary my God whom I serve in my spirit and now no more thy God as ver 11. sith thou hast refused to be Ruled by him Non autem tuum ô rex Ahase Piscat and that after manifest conviction and greatest importunity to bring thee to a better temper Ver. 14. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign Give it you ingratiis vestris without your leave of his own proffer If we believe not yet God remaineth faithful 2 Tim. 2.13 Rom. 3.3 The House of David was as it were great with child with Christ and with Gods promises in him therefore to be sure it could not be rooted out as these two Kings designed before Christ were come into the world Hence his wonderfull Conception and Birth is made here a Sign of his peoples Safety here and Salvation hereafter And had Ahaz and his people believed this latter they would not have much doubted of the former but rather argued with St. Paul Having given us his Son Rom. 8.32 how shall he not with him give us all things also A sign A singular sign a sign both from above and from beneath for he joyned lumen
Let them infants mourn for the teats denied them in this day of humiliation as Jon. 3.5 6. or so dryed up that there is no milk for them Others render it Beating upon their breasts plangentes pectora palmis Ver. 13. Vpon the Land of my people shall come up thorns Here the Prophet proceedeth to denounce the destruction of the Land that should one day come by the Babylonians and yet he foretelleth that afterwards God shall receive them into favour and restore unto them such a Kingdom as wherein righteousness and peace shall meet and mutually salute In the Joyous City Or revelling City see chap. 22.2 13. Zeph. 2.15 Ver. 14. The multitude of the City shall be left for the City shall be left of its multitude The Forts and Towers Heb. Ophel and Bachan The Hebrews tell us that these were two high Towers in Jerusalem now they were to be dismantled and lye wast Ver. 15. Vntill the Spirit be poured upon us from on high Donec Dominus dignabitur suum favorem gratiam denuo nobis impertiri Till God shall please once more to impart unto us his grace and favour So he sets them no certain time of restauration as desirous thereby to stir them up to pray continually and to bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life This effusion of the Spirit upon all flesh Joel 2.28 that is of the best thing upon the basest is a very great mercy And the wildernesse be a fruitful field Heb. a Carmel Such a change worketh the Spirit of grace it maketh barren hearts fruitful and manifesteth hypocrites whatever they seem to be no better than wild trees that beare no good fruit Ver. 16. Then judgement shall dwell in the wildernesse In this and the next Verse he setteth forth the sweet effects of Gods Spirit in the Saints in hypocrites also when once they come to be converted these are Righteousnesse Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost as Rom. 14.17 By Righteousnesse and Judgement there is to be understood the Righteousnesse of Faith together with all those good works the fruits thereof Obedience I mean which Luther was wont to call fidem incarnatam Faith incarnate Ver. 17. And the work of Righteousnesse shall be Peace Peace both of Countrey and of Conscience none other but this last can last for ever Quietnesse and assurance for ever Such as the world giveth not such as the wicked meddleth not with the Cock on the dunghil knoweth not the worth of this jewel it is the new name that none knoweth but he who hath it Oh this blessed quietnesse and assurance for ever this boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the Faith of him Eph. 3.12 having a full certainty Luk. 1.4 yea a confident glorying and boasting Rom. 5.3 so as to stand upon Interrogatories 1 Pet. 3.21 such as are those Rom. 8.35 36 37. and to have God to make answer as Isa 43.25 Ver. 18. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation Great peace have all those that love Gods Law and nothing shall offend them Psal 119.165 Peace shall be within their walls and prosperity within their Palaces From this and the next Verse one well gathereth that when the heart lyeth lowest it lyeth quietest in loco humili humilis erit civitas sc Dei. Ver. 19. When it shall hail coming down on the Forrest When reprobates here compared to a Forrest or tall wood shall be hail-beaten that is grievously plagued as those Egyptians once were Exod. 9.22 26. it shall be hail or well with the Elect the Church as a City that standeth in a low bottome is secure and safe her afflictions also working together for her good In humbling her God remembreth her for his mercy endureth for ever Psal 136.23 Ver. 20. Blessed are ye that sow besides all waters Conclusionem texit ipse Propheta The Prophet concludeth with an exclamation as admiring the happinesse of such as should live till the Common-wealth should be thus restored but especially when Christ should come in the power and purity of his Ordinances filling his people with the fruits of Righteousnesse and fattening them for the purpose with those waters of the Sanctuary as Nilus doth the land of Egypt c. Oh the heaped up happinesse of such O terque quaterque beati Say they sow in tears yet they shall reap in joy Psal 126.5 say they send thither the feet of the Ox and the Asse those laborious and useful creatures to ear the ground and fit it for receipt of seed Psal 144.14 they shall surely eat the fruit of their labours Psal 128.2 They shall reap in due time if they faint not Gal. 6.9 His faecunda sine dubio messis indulgantiae orietur saith Arnobius their labour cannot be in vaine in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult CHAP. XXXIII Ver. 1. VVOe to thee that spoilest Minatur vastationem vastatori Sennacherib vel Antichristo quem praesignat Oecol Sennacherib and Antichrist are here threatned And thou wast not spoiled Thou abusest thy present peace and the riches of Gods goodness and patience toward thee to fall foule upon others unprovoked And dealest treacherously This some understand of Sennacherib Oecol See 2 King 18.14 17. others of Shebna and other Traitours in Jerusalem who dealt underhand with the enemy against Hezekiah and might haply meet with the like meed as he did who betrayed the Rhodes to the Turkes who fleaed him and salted him Or at least as Charles the fourths Agents did from Philip Duke of Austria who paid them the summe he promised them but in counterfeit money saying that false coyn is good enough for such false knaves as they had shewed themselves Thou shalt be spoiled Of Kingdome and life and all by thy treacherous sons Chap. 37 38. Siquis quod fecit patitur justissima lex est See Judg. 7.11 with the Note and fear thou God who loveth to retaliate to pay wicked men home in their own coyn to fill them with their own wayes to overshoot them in their own bow c. Vae ergo vastatoribus one time or other God will be even with such Ver. 2. O Lord be gracious unto us Brevicula sed pulchra precatio a short but sweet prayer of the Prophet teaching thereby the people to put the promise in suit and to do it effectually using a throng of strong arguments as here is Much in few Be thou their arm Here the Church seemeth to pray for her children as they before had prayed for her Plena est affectibus haec precatio Every morning Heb. In the mornings That is speedily seasonably continually and for Christs sake Voce enim matutinis allusum ad juge sacrificium Scultet Piscat A Voce Angeli Vulg. Exod. 29. Ver. 3. At the noise of the tumult the people fled i. e. The Assyrian Souldiers shall flee at the coming of the Angel with a hurry noise in the aire for greater terrour but he shall give them their pasport This
for Cyrus signifieth the Sun saith Plutarch Lord say others in the Persian as in Hebrew it seemeth to signifie an heir or possessour Some derive our word Sir from it Cyrus was at first called Achzadat and Space being the son of Cambyses a noble Persian and Mandane the daughter of Astyages King of Medes De Cyro fluvio scricit trabo l. 15. The name of Cyrus he took when he entred upon the Kingdom and that from Cyrus a river of Persia as some hold I have sirnamed thee Or I have entitled thee sc My Shepherd mine annointed c. Though thou hast not known me sc Savingly For albeit he knew the true God in part and acknowledged him to be great above other gods yet he forsook not his Idols saith Hierom Scultet and therefore perished miserably by the hands of the Scythianâ— Nevertheless others are of opinion that he was instructed by Daniel and brought to a true belief as was also Darius Ver. 5. I am the Lord and none else None of thy Persian gods to whom thou didst offer solemn sacrifice Xenoph. Cyr. lib. 1. 8. both at the beginning of thy raigne and likewise at thy death if Xenophon may be beleeved saying Jupiter patriae Sol c. magnas ago vobis gratias quod vestram de me curam intellexi c. Though thou hast not known me Or when as yet thou wast altogether ignorant of me That he afterwards beleeved the immortality of the soul Tully testifieth in his Cato Major and that he beleeved in Christ for the salvation of his soul Scultetus thinketh because he was a type of Christ as was also Solomon saith he which to me is one good argument that he was saved Ver. 6. That they may know from the rising of the Sun i. e. All the world over by thy Proclamation Ezra 1.1 2. That there is none besides me Quia nihilum praeter me ego Dominus nihil â—iltra so Oecolampaedius rendreth it and saith further that it is oppido profunda sententia a very profound sentence teaching us that where God is not there is nothing for in him we are move and live and it is he who worketh all in all things Ver. 7. I form the light and create darknesse sc By withdrawing the light whence darkness succeedeth so doth misery when God withholdeth mercy But what an odd or rather mad conceit was that of the Manichees that there were two beginnings of things a good one and an evil that the latter was the God of the Old Testament and the former of the New that the God of the Old Testament did good by accident and occasionally but created evil of himself even evil of sin for so they mistook this text which is to be understood of evil of punishment only see Am. 3.6 Lam. 3.38 which he inflicteth on evil-doers for the manifestation of his justice and power ac propterea recte Vide Aug. contra Julian l. 3. c. 8. non male eo pacto quo per nos mala male fiunt I make peace and create evil Evil that is war by a specialty and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O mega nostrorum Mors est Mars Alpha malorum Sin Satan and War have all one name evil is the best of them The best of sin is deformity of Satan enmity of War misery Ver. 8. Drop down ye heavens from above A prayer of the poor captives in Babylon say some for a speedy performance of their promised deliverance and this the rather because else Christ could not come of them teach in their Country work miracles and fulfill the office of a Mediatour as the Prophets had foretold Whereunto God immediately answereth I the Lord have created him or will create him that is send him in due time doubt ye not Others make it a description of Cyrus his just and happy raign see the like of Solomon Psal 72.6 7. And indeed Cyrus is famous in Heathen Histories for his wisdom justice temperance magnanimity and liberality It is not the custome of Cyrus to hoard up money Cyrop l. 8. saith Xenophon for he taketh more delight in giving than in getting or possessing But it seemeth rather to be a command from God of plenty and prosperity opposite to that countermand chap. 5.6 The Papists apply it to Christ and his Mother and hence their roaring out of Rorate in their solemn service a moneth before the feast of the Nativity and then they call for their carousing cups Ver. 9. Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker That chats against him Rom. 9.20 or presumes to prescribe to him as some impatient spirits among the Captives may seem to have done We may not measure Gods dealings by our Models nor murmur against his counsels sith his holy will is the most perfect rule of right Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth And not dash against the Rock of ages Let him meddle with his match and not contend with a mightier than he Eccles 6.10 What though God create him darknesse and evil as ver 7. let him wait upon God for better times and not think to mend himself by murmuring against his Maker as too severe Shall the clay say c. q. d. This were an intolerable petulancy Or thy work it hath no hands Or he hath no hands sc to fashion me aright Thus the work seemeth to make answer to the clay for as the clay said to the Potter Quid fecisti what hast thou made So the work saith by way of jear He had no hands sc to make me as he should have done Ver. 10. Wo unto him that saith to his Father Are these fit words to a Father Is it not an impious morosity to talk unto him in this sort Why hast thou begotten me at all or if at all why not rich fair wise c. And to the woman i. e. To his Mother as chap. 49.15 but such as he can hardly find in his heart to call Mother Ver. 11. Thus saith the Lord c. q. d. Leave off such insolent and unbecoming language and learn of me about what ye should rather busie your selves Ask me of things to come Me and not your Wizzards Have recourse to my Prophets beleeve them and ye shall prosper Let your patient mind be known to all men the Lord is at hand for your deliverance Command ye me This is a wonderful expression and doth notably set forth the power of prayer Mr. Burr Luther it seemeth well understood the latitude of this royal Charter saith One when praying for the recovery of a godly useful Preacher who was far gone in a consumption amongst other passages he let fall this transcendent rapture of a daring faith Let my will be done but then he falls off sweetly My will Lord because thy will Ver. 12. I have made the earth q. d. I am the mighty Maker and Monarch of the world therefore pray on and patiently wait for a
famine and sword and want of consolation as ver 18. By whom shall I comfort thee By whom but by my self when thou art at thy greatest under and even forsaken of thy hopes See ver 12. Ver. 20. Thy sons have fainted Fame macie tabe vulnere utterly disabled to relieve thee ver 18. As a wild Bull in a net Taken in a toil where he struggles and strives foames and fumes but cannot get out Ver. 21. Thou afflicted and drunken With a dry drunkennesse which thou canst not so easily sleep out See ver 17. Ver. 22. Behold I have taken Though man could not Where humane help faileth Divine help beginneth Thou shalt no more drink it i. e Not of a long time till thy last devastation by the Romans Ver. 23. But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee Who shall drink it not to drunkennesse only as thou hast done but unto madnesse Jer. 25.10 Baltasar and his Babylonians did so the revenging hand of God was afterwards upon Antiochus Vespatian and his children Antichristians drink of the wine of Gods wrath Rev. 14.10 Bow down This passage setteth forth their extreame cruelty and Thrasonical insolency But the case shall be altered Rev. 3.9 CHAP. LII Ver. 1. AWake awake Pluck up thy best heart as we say and rouse up thy self to receive the sweet promises For as mans laws so Gods promises favour not them that are asleep but awake and watchful O Jerusalem the holy City Thou that hast been brought through the fire being refined as silver is refined and tryed as gold is tryed Zach. 13.9 There shall no more come into thee Or against thee i. e. I will not suffer tyrants to vex thee or profane ones to harbour with thee See chap. 35.8 Ver. 2. Shake thy self from the dust Wherein thou layest along when trampled on chap. 51.23 Arise and sit down O Jerusalem Rather arise sit up O Jerusalem It hath been noted before that when Vespasian had subdued Judaea money was stamped with a woman sitting in the dust with this inscription Judaea subacta Loose thy self from the bonds of thy neck From thy spiritual servitude especially as Luk. 1.74 Rom. 6.19 shake the devils-yoke from off thy neck gestaque monilia sponsae libertatis and get on the Spouses ornaments Ver. 3. For thus saith the Lord Thus he pleadeth the cause of his people chap. 51.22 Ye have sold your selves for nought Heb. ye were sold for nought Babylonii non egerunt mihi gratias Piscat Mat. Paris Hist A. D. 1072 I had not so much as thanks for you from the enemy no more hath he from the devil and yet a letter was framed in Hildebrands dayes as sent from the devil wherein he kindly thanked the Popish Clergy for the many souls they dayly sent him to hell by their negligence and wickednesse And ye shall be redeemed without money Heb. without silver so were we 1 Pet. 1.18 Ver. 4. And the Assyrian oppressed them without cause Nulla injuria lacesssitus So did the Primitive Persecutors the Christians of those times though they were non aliunde noscibiles quam ex vitae integritate saith Justin Martyr eminent for their innocency as Pliny also in his Epistle to Trajan the Emperour testifieth What hurt had the Israelites ever done to malicious Moah that he was irked at them Num. 22.3 or the Hebrews to the Assyrians that they should oppresse them Ver. 5. Now therefore what have I here Cui bono to what purpose or profit for what wealth or worth suffer I my poor people to lie captives here at Babylon Or as others sense it Piscator what make I here any longer at Jerusalem when my poor people are in durance at Babylon why hasten I not to help them out They that rule over them make them to houle i. e. The Chaldaans and after them the Romans and then the Scribes and Pharisees by binding heavy burthens grievous to be born and laying them on mens consciences Mat. 23.4 And my name continually every day or all the day long is blasphemed That 's all I get by the bargain Ver. 6. Therefore my people shall know my name sc That I am Jehovah as Exod. 6.3 the God of Amen Isa 65.16 who will not suffer my faithfulness to faile nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Psal 89.33 34. And it shall therefore be so because my name that nomen majestativum hath been blasphemed and vilified Gods people fare the better for their enemies insolencies That I am he that doth speak behold it is I Or that it is I that do speak saying Loe here I am This some understand of the second person in Trinity the eternal Son of the eternal Father called the Word Joh. 1.1 and there are that give us this Rule Where the Old Testament bringeth in God appearing and speaking we are to understand it alway of the second person See Joh. 12.37 to 42. Ver. 7. How beautiful Quam amaeni i. e. amabiles How amiable or desireable Interrogatio admirantis exultantis Vpon the mountains Whence they may best be heard as Judg. 9.7 saying as there Harken unto me that God may harken unto you Our Saviour that Arch-Evangelist who as some is here first and chiefly meant by Mebassher him that bringeth good tydings seeing the multitudes went up into a mountaine Mat. 5.1 which is said to be in the tribe of Nephthali and called Christs mount to this day blis Apostles afterwards travel'd and trudg'd on foot over hills and dales What a compasse fetcht Paul Rom. 15.19 Inter valium illud est milliarium Germanicorum 350. so that he might better be called than afterwards George Eagles the Martyr was Trudge-over-the world to preach the Gospel and to plant Churches to whom their feet though fouled and worn how much more their faces were deemed delectable and debonnaire Gal. 4.14 Act. 10.21 The Pope Peters pretended successor holdeth forth his feet to be kissed but preacheth not or not peace but war which he stirreth up by his roaring Bulls Of him that bringeth good tydings Whosoever he be that preacheth the Gospel that chief work of a Minister Rom. 10.15 Of Mr. John Dod it is written and I know it to be true that he was very Evangelical striving first to make men see their lost condition clearly for said he sense of misery must goe before sense of mercy and then largely and excellently opening the promises and the grace of God in Christ according to the Gospel looking at that as the most effectual preaching Some said he labour still to keep men under terrours loading them with threatnings c. lest they should not be humbled enough but the Gospel worketh true humiliation not the law it ariseth from sense of sin and misery joyned with hope of mercy The damned have terrour and sense of misery enough but that doth not humble them That publisheth peace The Gospel is a doctrine of peace
happy We should be oft counting of this coyn telling of this treasure Ver. 25. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you He alludeth to the legal purifications especially that made by the ashes of a red cow mixed with running water wherewith the people were sprinkled and so cleansed from legal defilement Num. 19. Semblably the Saints sprinkled with Christs blood from an evil conscience by the byssop-bunch of faith and so washed with clean water Heb. 10.22 in baptisme the saving vertue whereof is permanent 1 Pet. 3.21 are justified and sanctified 1 Cor. 6.11 This blessed sprinkling David prayeth for Psal 51. The Baptist also and others sprinkled those whom they baptized both to answer the â—â—pes of the Law Epist 83. and this prediction of the Prophet understood by Hierom of Baptisme which is a visible sign and seal of our being washed from the filth of sin by the merit and Spirit of Jesus Christ Tit. 3.5 Ver. 26. A new heart also will I give you For the old heart will never hold out the hardship of holiness the old fabâ—ike must be taken down and a new set up See chap. 11.19 a new man both in constitution and conversation one must be or else he is no man in Christ 2 Cor. 5.17 And I will take away the stony heart The natural heart which is hard and refractary to every good work reprobate Hord is that which resisteth the touch The old heart is inflexible to Gods Spirit insensible of his word and judgements and impenetrable to his grace Aug. Where then is mans freewill Garriant illi nos credamus there is no such thing beleeve it Nature is wholly stony it is God alone that of these stones raiseth up children to Abraham And I will give you an heart of flesh i. e. Tractable and capable of Divine impressions ready to every good work Tit. 3.1 Ver. 27. And I will put my spirit within you Qui mulcendo molliendo who by melting and mollifying your hard hearts shall bring you to a better obedience And cause you to walk in my statutes Lex jubet gratia juvat God undertaketh for himself and his people too viz. to work in them what he requireth of them Therefore it is an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and the fruits of it are sure mercies compassions that faile not c. See on chap. 11.20 A Lap. Ver. 28. And ye shall dwell in the land i. e. In Judaea or rather in the Church which began in Judaea saith the Jesuite well the Church of Rome then is not the mother-Church no though we take it in its Primitive purity Ver. 29. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses This is oft promised because not easily beleeved No article of our Creed it so much opposed by Satan as that of the forgiveness of sin by Christs merits which is the very life and soul of a Church All the former Articles of the Creed are perfected in this and all the following articles are effects thereof hold it fast therefore And I will call for the corn I have it at my call and a Mandamus from me will do it at any time See Hos 2.21 22. with the Note And lay no famine Which comes also at God Almighty his call Psal 105.16 Ver. 30. That ye shall receive no more reproach The heathen were oft twitting Gods people with their outward wants and crosses as if caused by their Religion So the persecutors did by the Primitive Christians and so the Papists still deal with the New-Gospellers as they scornfully call the reformed Churches Ver. 31. Then shall ye remember The goodness of God shall lead you to repentance so many mercies heaped upon so undeserving nay so ill-deserving creatures shall bring you to a deep detestation of your iniquities Your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good There are some things saith one that we can hardly forget viz. our sorrows and our pleasures as Esau some things we can hardly remember as our faults and our friends as Josephs Butler Augustine was famous saith another for two of his works his Retractations which are the confessions of his errours and his Confessions which are the Retractations of his life See chap 20.43 And shall loath your selves Or Litigabitis intra vos contra stagitia vestra ye shall look upon your selves as worthy to be destroyed Or ye shall scold within your selves against your iniquities Ver. 32. Not for your sakes See on ver 22. Be ashamed Abashed and abased as was Ezra chap. 9.6 Ephraim Jer. 31.19 the Publican Luk. 18. Ver. 33. I shall have cleansed you See on ver 29. I will also cause you to dwell See ver 28. Ver. 34. And the desolate land shall be tilled As now blessed be God it is in the Palatinate and other parts of Germany though now is no small danger of a new war quod Dominus avertat Ver. 35. This land Such a change can God soon make for worse or better Fear him therefore fear the Lord and his goodness Hos 3.5 Ver. 36. Then the heathen Haec jam ex parte facta sunt saith Oecolampadius This day is this Scripture fulfilled in our eyes the ruined Churches are reedified and the matter well amended by this blessed Reformation and Rome knows it Ver. 37. I will yet for this be enquired of i. e. Though I have promised my people all these boones yet I look they should put my promises in suit by praying them over Prayer is an indispensable duty and must not on any pretence whatsoever be neglected I will encrease them with men like a flock Plenty of men and store of children is a great blessing of God yet some are ready to say of them as that Rustick did of his afflictions when he was told they were Gods love-tokens Luther Ah quam velim alios amare non me Ver. 38. As the holy flock The sheep that came up for sacrifice at the Passeover especially so will I multiply the sheep of Christ the true Shepherd CHAP. XXXVII Ver. 1. THe hand of the Lord i. e. The force and impulse of the holy Spirit Theodoret Manus est impellere manus est organum agendi fitly called the hand of the Lord because holy men of old spake and acted as they were moved or carried out by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 2. ult In the spirit i. e. In a spiritual rapture And set me down Not really but visionally In the midst of the valley That same valley some think where chap. the first he saw that glorious vision Prophecies were oft received and prayers are best made in one and the same place Which was full of bones So it appeared to him in his ecstasy Ver. 2. And lo they were very dry Ex vetustate carie This added to the miracle Ver. 3. Can these bones live In the resurrection at the last day he knew they should for amongst the Jews that was generally beleeved