servants and services never the like known we pull upon our land Amos his famine not of bread but which is a thousand-fold worse of hearing the words of the Lord. A famine long since foretold and feared by our Martyrs and Confessours Am. 8.11 and now if ever if God forefend not in procinctu to fall upon us as the most unworthy and unthankfull people that ever the Sun of heaven beheld or the sun of Christs Gospel shone upon so fair and so long together The best way of prevention is prevision and reformation beginning at our own as Gidcon did at his fathers houshold Judg. 6.27 And the best Almanack we can rely upon for seasonable weather and the lengthening of our tranquillity is our obedience to God love to our neighbours care of our selves c. Verse 12. Then Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel c. So mighty in operation so quick and powerfull is the good word of God in the mouthes of his faithfull Ministers when seconded and set on by his holy Spirit See for this Esay 55.10 11. Jer. 23.28 29. Act. 19.20 1 Cor. 14.24 25. Heb. 4.12 See that scala coeli ladder of heaven as One calleth it Rom. 10.14 15. and consider how mightily the word of God grew and prevailed in those primitive times It spread thorow the world like a Sun beam saith Eusebius it was carried about into all places as on Eagles or rather as on Angels wings Athanasius of old and Luther alate were strangely upheld and prospered against a world of Opposites to the truth they preached Melch. Adâ—m in vit Farel Farellus gained five great cities with their territories to Christ How admirably and effectually King Edward the sixth was wrought upon by a sermon of Bishop Ridleys touching works of charity see his life written by Sir John Heywood Pag. 169 170 c. It is the spirit that quickeneth the seed of the word and maketh it prolificall and generative And as in the body there are veins to carry the blood and arteries to carry the spirits that quicken the blood so is it with the word and spirit in the soul If Gods Spirit open not mans heart the word cannot enter If he illighten not both Organ and Object Christ though never so powerfully preacht is both unkent and unkist as the Northern Proverb hath it The word heard profited them not because not mixt with faith in them that heard it Heb. 4.2 They heard it onely with the hearing of the ear with that gristle that grew on the outside of the head whereas they should have drawn up the inward ear to the outward that one and the same sound might have pierced both But this all that hear cannot do because all are not of God Joh. 8.47 and so have not his ear-mark spirituall senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5. ult they have an heavy ear which is a singular judgement Esay 6.10 With all the remnant of the people i.e. The generality of the returned captives followed their leaders A remnant they are called because but few in comparison of those many hedge-rogues Mr. Dyke calleth them potters they are called 1 Chro. 4.23 men of base and low spirits that dwelt still in Babylon among plants and hedges being the base brood of those degenerated Israelites who when liberty was proclaimed for their return to Jerusalem chose rather to get their living by making pots for the king of Babylon These are ancient or rather obsolete things as Junius rendreth it worn out and forgotten and indeed they deserve to be utterly forgotten and not written or reckoned among the living in Jerusalem Esay 4.3 Obeyed the voyce of the Lord their God with the obedience of faith and this they did by the good example of their Rulers Thus when Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue beleeved many of the Corinthians beleeved also Acts 18.8 When the kings of Judah were good or evil the people were so likewise Great men are the looking-glasses of their countrey according to which most men dresse themselves Qualis Rex talis grex Why compellest thou the Gentiles said Paul to Peter sc by thine example to Judaize Gal. 2.14 and the words of Haggai the Prophet whose mouth God was pleased to make use of And this is added for a confirmation of the Prophets calling to the work because of long time before there had been no Prophet among the people nor any to tell how long as the Church complaineth Psal 74.9 as the Lord their God had sent him Heb. according as the Lord their God had sent him after the same manner they heard and obeyed the Prophet as the Lord had sent him they did not wrest his words to a wrong sence nor did they question his Commission but receiving it as the word not of man but of God they set forthwith upon the work yeelding as prompt and present obedience as if God with his own mouth had immediately spoken to them from heaven and the people did fear before the Lord as if He himself had been visibly present in his own person So Saint Peters hearers Acts 10.33 Now therefore say they we are all here present before God to hear all things commanded thee of God If young Samuel had known that it was the Lord that called him once and again he would not have returned to his bed to sleep If men were well perswaded that the God of heaven bespeaks them by his faithfull Ministers they would not give way to wilfull wandrings but hear as for life and fear to do any thing unworthy of such a presence they would work out their salvation with fear and trembling yea work hard at it as afraid to be taken with their task undone Psal 103. â—3 Eccles 12. They that fear the Lord will keep his covenant saith David Fear God and keep his commandements saith Solomon And in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him saith Peter Acts 10.35 Verse 13. Then spake Haggai the Lords messenger Or Angel See the Note on Mal. 1.1 Then speaks Namely on the four and twentieth day of the moneth as it is in the last verse untill which day they had been building for three weeks together But Governour Tatnai and his complices came upon them and discouraged the people and hindred the work Ezra 5.3 It was but need full therefore that Gods command should be repeated and a speciall promise added I am with you saith the Lord. Where we may well take up that of Tully concerning Brutus his Laconicall Epistle Quam multa quà m paucis how much in a little I am with you saith the Lord you need not therefore fear what man can do unto you God is All-sufficient to those that are Altogether his See 2 Chron. 15.2 Cint 2.15 The Church is called Jehovah Shammah that is The Lord is there Ezek. 48.35 God is in the middest of her shee shall not be moved Psal 46.5 Immota
plurall Verse 12. And spake unto him saying Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying that is Confidently and Constantly affirme and averr it that notwithstanding all unlikely hood and unbeliefe on the peoples part Almighty God will surely bring it to passe This heape of words importeth so much for do ye think the scripture speaketh in vaine saith St. James not without some holy indignation chap. 4.5 behold the man whose name is the Branch The man Christ Jesus Rom. 1.3 who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and as a Branch grew out of his roots Esay 11.1 See the Note above on chap. 3.4 Jehoshuah 2 Cor. 12.7 Rom. 12.3 that he might not be exaited above measure with the abundance of this new honour or think of himself more highly then he ought to think is given to understand that he is crownned for no other cause then this that the Jewes might understand that there should One arise that should be both a King and a Priest also for ever after the order of Melchisedeck and his name should be the Branch Not only because when he was a child he grew in age and in wisdome and in grace with God and men which is Vatablus his reason but because he is the â—oot fountain and foundation of all the faithfull who do grow up and increase in him with the increase of God Hence it followeth he shall grow up out of his place and shall build the Temple of God that is the Church which at all times hath been gathered together by Christ through the preaching of the Gospel and he shall grow up out of his place Or He the Branch shall branch up de sub se from under hinself he shall be born of himself as it were of poor parentage for this Branch grew out of the root of Iesse when that goodly family was sunk so low as from David the king to Joseph the carpenter He that writeth the life of King Edward 6. saith of his Tutours Dr. Cox and Mr. Iohn Cheek Sr. Iohn Heywood that they were men of meane birth but so well esteemed for vertue and learning that they might well be said to be born of themselves and he shall build the Temple of the Lord i. e. the spirituall temple that Temple the Church the glory where of was far greater then the glory of the former Hag. 2.9 See the Note there And this he should do in the quality of a king and with royall magnificence Ye also as lively stones elect and precious are built up a spirituall house an holy Priesthood c. 1. Pet. 2.5 Verse 13. Even he shall build the Temple of the Lord The same againe for greater assurance as Pharaoh's dream was doubled Or Even he shall build it that is he shall both begin and finish it It is the same word againe but in the future tense Christ is called the Authour and Fimsher of our faith Heb. 12.2 and he shall beare the glory Jesus shall not thou Jehoshuah in Greek Jesus though now thou beare the crown All thy glory is but figurative of his Thus saith the Lord Remove the diadem or mitre take off the crown this shall not be the same c. I will overturn overturn overturn it and it shall be no more untill he come whose right it is and I will give it him that is Christ the king and priest of his Church Particularly for his Kingly office he shall sit and rule upon his throne as a Soveraigne Lord of all And for his Priestly office he shall be a Priest upon his throne likewise for the Church also hath her throne and jurisdiction though distinct and severed from the civill and the counsell of peace shall be between them both i. e. there shall be no clashing between these two offices in Christ as there was sometimes between the Kings and the Priests of former ages but they should as it were take sweet counsell together for the good of the Church Christ having purchased all peace to his people by his Prâ—esâ—hood and maintaining and defending it by his Kingdome Verse 14. And the crownes shall be to Halem for a memoriall Or monument of their incredulity saith Calvin and for their full conviction See the Note above on verse 10. Or their liberality fay others and peradventure with some inseription or remembrance of their names here recorded for honour sake But best of all those that say these duties were for a memoriall in the Temple of the Messiah that was shortly to be expected and was presently promised The poor Jewes at this day are said to have a crown hanging in their synagogues against the comming of their long lookt-for Messiah Taim in Sanhed cap. 11 And that he comes not all thiâ— while they say it is for their sins which are many and bony or mighâ—y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But now seeing he stayes so long he shalibe say they a forerunner of the end of the world Spec. Eur. and shall gather by his power all nation into one fold according to that which here followeth Verse 15. And they that are farr off This was fulfilled in the conversion of the Gentiles who together with the Christian Jewes grew up into an holy Temple in the Lord Eph. 2.19 c. It was also in some sense fulfilled in Cyrus Darius Aâ—taâ—â—â—â—â—s Herod who were at great charge for the Temple-work See Ezra 7.15 16. the King and his Councel the Babylonian and Jewes make a contribution to the work and ye shall know sc by the event and by your own experience If you will diligâ—ntly obey the voyce That is If by faith ye receive Christ held forth in the promise and then petfift in the obedience oâ— faith unto the end CHAP. VII Verse 1. IN the sourth yeer of King Daritâ—s Two yeers and a month after the former sermon The word of the Lord was precious in those dayes Tâ—â— Lod gave the word Psal 68.11 but it cannot be said that great was the company of those â—hat prâ—achâ—a it during the Captivity they complained that there was no more any Prophet neither any among them that knew how long their miâ—ery should last Soon after their return God stined them up Haggie and Zachary and after that Malachy and then there was Chathimath chazon as the Jewes phâ—afe it a sealing up or end of Prophesie Onely they had Bath-gol as they ca lt it a voice from heavâ—n sometime as Mat. 3.17 Ioh. 12.28 This and the pool of Betheida only were left them as extraordinary fignes of Gods love to that people But for a punishment of their killing the Prophets as they did this Zachary between the Porch and the Altar and stoning those that were sent unto them as they did the other Zachary the son of Jehojadah they had no more Prophetâ— Mat. 23.37 till the Arch-prophet and his forerunner the Baptist came And now also by thiâ— long vacation of two yeers
fellowes sider ver 16. Verse 6. If it be marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people Here the Lord graciously answereth the secret objection of these Iewes unbeleeving and misgiving hearts It is impossible thought they that these promises should ever have their performance they are sure too good to be true This is the voice of carnall reason it usually tells a story of impossibilities and judgeth according to sense looketh upon Gods Iordan as Naaman did with Syrian eyes But faith can mount higher and see farther as a lark with a little eye getting aloft can see that which an Oxe with a bigger eye but being below on the ground cannot It is the nature of faith to look upon all things seisable I can do all things saith she thorough Christ that strengtheneth me Is there any thing too hard for the Almighty was to that an absurd question of these mens Ancestours Can he prepare a table for us in the wildernesse God can do much more then he will do but whatsoever he willeth that he doth both in heaven and earth And if faith have but a promise to fasten upon she can beleeve God upon his bare word without a pawn and that both against sense in things invisible and against reason in thing â—â—â—red ble â—â—â—uld it also be marvelous in mine eyes q. d. will ye measure me by your selves and make my thoughts to be as your thoughts my wayes as your wayes there is no compartion Abraham caâ—ed not for the deadnesse of his own body or his wâ—ves but was strong in faith and gave God the glory of his power Rom. 4.20 This was it indeed that God himself minded him of when he said unto him Gen. 17.1 I am God Almighty walk before me and be uprihgt q. d. Thou wilt never do the later unlesse thou beleeve the former Verse 7. Behold I will save my people from the East This was in part no doubt litterally meant of the scattered Jewes and fulfilled also in those five hundred yeers space between the Captivity and Christ though stories tell us not when and how and shall be much more at their much-desired conversion For this is laid down for a generall rule that all Evangelicall promises made to the Jewes seeing they neither at first received the Gospel nor ever hitherto enjoyed that peace plenty and prosperity which these and such like promises do purport cannot but aime at somewhat that is yet to come Albeit it cannot be denied but that the great and glorious things which in the height and excellency thereof are spoken particularly to them do in their measure and degree appertaine in common to all the faithfull and so in the New Testament are ordinarily applied Verse 8. And I will bring them and them they are sure to be brought For who hath resisted his will he will breathe life into those dead bones and flesh shall cover them he will make up those two sticks into one and David his servant shall be king over them for ever Ezek. 37. and they shall dwell in the midst of Ierusalem They shall they shall O the Rhetoricke of God! O the certainty of the promises what a monstrous sin is unbelief and they shall be my people and I will be their God This is a short Gospel this is the summ of the covenant of Grace Brevis longa planeque aurea est haec clausula as Pareus some-where speakes of another Teat This is a long and yet a short clause short in sound long in sense but golden all over in truth and righeousnesse I will be their God in truth that is in an assured performance of promise and they shall be my people in righteousnesse That is in obedience to my commandements So here is the covenant renued in a mutuall stipulation Verse 9. Let your hands be strong Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us take heart of grace against all occasions of distrust and feare 2 Cor. 7.1 let us up and be doing that the Lord may be with us Let us feare lest such a promise being left us yea such a bundle of promises as are contained in the New Covenant any of you Heb. 4.1 by shrinking from the service should seem to come short of it or by faintly forwarding the Temple-work should lose the things that he hath wrought Esay 35.3 4. but that ye receive a full reward 2 Ioh. 8. strengthen ye the weak hands and confirme the feeble knees Say to them of a fearefull heart Be strong feare not c. 2 Chr. 2â— 20 Say the same every man to himself Encourage your selves in the Lord your God as David did 1 Sam. 30.6 Beleeve the Prophets and ye shall prosper do ye not heare in these dayes these words by the mouth of the Prophets my self and Haggai Iob 15.11 And should the consolation of God be small unto you will ye not trust us whom you have alread tried and take comfort by our words now whom you have formerly found no liars Verse 10. Ez 3. Iohn 2. Zach. 7. For before these dayes sc during those fourty and four yeers wherein they ceased from the work minding only their own houses and managing their own affairs their labour was unprofitable their state unquiet thorought forraine forragers and homebred Malecontents there was no hire for man nor any hire for beast Nulla emolumenta laborum Both man and beast did their parts but to little purpose Ludit qui sterili semina mandat humo Ovid. They sowed much and brought in little they earned money but put it into a bottomelesse bag Hag. 1.6 See the Note there the gaines did not countervaile the paines the wages the work neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in whether a man were within dores or without he was in danger of the enemy See the like 2 Chron. 15.5 he did eat the bread of his soul in the perill of his life being wholy at the enemies mercy 1 Sam. 24.19 which is mere cruelty For if a man find his enemy will he let him go away said Saul I trow not till he have his penniworth of him as that Monster of Millaine as the bloody Papists in the Massacre of Paris as the mercilesse Spaniards on the harmelesse Indians fifty millions of whom they have murthered in forty two yeers as Acosta the Jesuite testifieth as Ptolomaeus Lathur us king of Egypt on these poor lewes thirty thousand of whom he cruelly killed and compelled the living to feed upon the flesh of the dead And lastly as the Iewes themselves of whom Tacitus takes notice and gives them this character that there was misericordia in promptu apud suos sed contra omnes alios hostile odium that they were kind enough to their own but cruel to all others whom they look upon as Idolaters and therefore think they may safely kill as they did the Cyprians and Cyrenians in Traâ—ans time to the number
this it was reinhabited for that bloody Herod that slew the Infants was borne there being sirnamed Ascalonita and at this day it is a strong garison of the Saracens Saladine pulled down the walls of it but our Richard the first set them up again as Adrichomius telleth us out of Gul. Tyrius Verse 6. But a bastard shall dwell at Ashdod Perhaps he meaneth Alexander In descripâ— Tur. sanâ— who was a bastard by his mother Olympia's confession The Greek here hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stranger an alien or one of another generation as the Greeks under Alexander and afterwards the Jews under the Maccabees Whence the Chaldee turnes this Text thus The house of Israel shall dwell in Ashdod and shall be there as strangers which have no father In the Acts we find that the Jewes were scattered up and down Palestina and some found at Azotus or Ashdod chap. 8.40 and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines that is their wealth strength and whatsoever else they gloried in and grew insolent and injurious to the Church Verse 7. And I will take away his blood out of his mouth That is his bloody prey for saith Aben-Ezra these Philistines did according to the salvage custome of those times eat of the flesh and drink of the blood of their slain enemies and I will keep them from devouring my people any more and his abominations Hoc est praedas abominabiles saith Calvin his abominable spoils his bloody robberies and pillages and he that remaineth The small remnant of Jews not yet altogether devoured by these cruell Canniballs the Babylonians Philistines and other enemies even he shall be for our God Though they be but an Hee a small poor company of them yet God will both own them and honour them and he shall be as a governour in Iudah They shall all be Magnifico's little Princes of high rank and dignity even as Governours in Iudab God will honour them in the hearts of all men See chap. 12.8 and Ekron as a Iebusite i. e. either slain or slave and tributary I know this Text is otherwise expounded by Iunius and others but I now like this Interpretation as most proper Verse 8. And I will encamp about mine house Though it be otherwise but ill fenced and fortified yet I will see it safegarded and secured from the inrodes and incursions of enemies who are ranging up and down and not onely robbing but ravishing Psal 10.9 For what was Alexander but an Arch-pirate a strong theef as the Pirate whom he had taken told him to his teeth And whether here be intimated by these words because of him that passeth by and him that returneth something of Alexanders voyages who passed by Judaea into Egypt and to Ammons Oracle with his Army and thence returned to Persia by the same way not hurting the Jewes or something about the many expeditions of the Seleucidae and Lagedae to and fro from Egypt to Syria and back again among which hurly-burly the Jewes State stood fast though sometime a little shaken I dare not say saith a learned Interpreter It may be both those and all other the like dangers are here generally comprized and no oppressour shall passe thorow them any more Chald. No Sultan not the Turkish tyrant Lord of Greece as verse 13. say those that take the text of the Jew glorious state at last Calvin thinkes that by this clause he only expounds what he had figuratively said before Danaeus takes it of violence and oppression among themselves or of wringing and vexing by their own rulers they shall be free from violence both abroad an at home for now have I seen with mine eyes i. e. I have taken good notice of it I have seen I have seen as Exod. 3.7 and mine eye hath affected mine heart I have well observed that the enemy is grown unsufferably insolent and therefore come to rescue and relieve my people The Chaldee hath it thus I have now revealed my power to do them good Ahen-Ezra makes these to be the Prophets words of himself q. d. I have seen all this in a manifest vision But this is frigidum imo insulsum saith Calvin and odd conceit unlesse we refer it with Montanus to the following words and make this the sense which yet I like not so well Behold I see in the spirit with the eyes of my mind the Lord Christ comming and entring with state the city and temple Verse 9. Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion Draw all thy waters with joy out of this welspring of salvation Loe here is the summ of all the good news in the world Ier. 31.12 and that which should make the saints everlastingly merry even to shouting and singing in the height of Zion that their king commeth This should swallow up all discontents and make them sing Hosanna in the highest Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. behold thy King commeth Not Zorobabel or Judas Maccabeus as some Jewes interpret it nor yet Alexander the Great as some others but a greater then he even Messiah the Prince as Christ is stiled Dan. 9.25 who shall cut off the charret c. as it followeth in the next verse yea all the 4 charret or Monarchies as some expound chap. 6. how much more Tyrus Gaza Ekron Damascus c. of which he spake before in this chapter unto thee i. e. meerely for thy behoof and benefit and not for his own Other kings are much for their own profit pleasures pomp c. Christ emptied himself of all his excellencies that we might be filled with his fulnesse he is just and having salvation That he may justifie thee by his righteousnesse and save thee by his merit and spirit The Vulgar rendreth it Iust and a Saviour so doth the Chaldee Salvation properly denotes the negative part of mans happinesse freedome from all evils and enemies but it is usually taken for the positive part also viz. fruition of all good because it is easier to tell from what then unto what we are saved by Jehovah our righteousnesse lowly Or poor afflicted abject See them set together Zeph. 3.12 and Phil. 4.12 I have learned to want and to be abased Poverty rendreth a man contemptible and ridiculous Pauper ubique jacet men go over the hedge where it is lowest the poor are trampled upon and vilipended as Luke 16.30 This thy Son he scorned to call him brother because he was poor Now Christ became poor to make us rich 2 Cor. 8. Rom. 2.7 a worm and no man nullificamâ—n populi as Tertullian phraseth it that we might be advanced to glory and honour and immortality Neither was he more low and mean in his estate then lowly and meek in mind as farr from pride and statelinesse as as his state was from Pomp and magnificence riding upon an asse A poor silly beast used by the meaner sort of people yea upon a colt the foale of an asse Heb. asses
fulfilled at the restitution of all things which they make to be at the time of the call of the Jewes But when I find Nebuchadnezzar and other enemies of the Church to be called Lions Leopards Wolves c. as Jerem. 5.6 and elswhere I cannot but think that these might be here meant in part at least Virg. ponentque ferocia Poeni Corda volente Deo according to Peters vision Act. 10. and that God will so meeken the spirits of his converts that they shall not hurt nor destroy in all his holy mountain Esay 11.9 The literall sense is very good I grant but yet it is still to be taken as all such promises are 1. with exception of the cross here 2. with expectation of the full accomplishment hereafter in the state of perfection And I will break the bowe and the sword and the battle out of the earth These words seem to be opposed to that threat Chap. 1.5 I will break the bowe of Israel c. And it is as if he should say After that I have broken their power and tamed their pride by the enemies forces then I will punish those enemies and so take order with them that they shall not hurt my people by any of their hostilities Lo peace is a piece of Gods Covenant and covenant-mercies are very sweet when all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth Psal 25.10 Not mercy onely but truth too that comes by vertue of a covenant Mark what God saith to Abraham Gen. 17.20 21. I have blessed Ishmael twelve Princes shall he beget but my Covenant will I establish with Isaac And in the same Chapter Divines observe that in ten verses thereof God repeateth his Covenant which he made with Abraham thirteen times to note thus much that that was the mercy indeed that must satisfie Abraham in all his troubles sorrows and afflictions For the Covenant of Gods peace shall not be removed no not when the mountains shall depart and the hils be removed Esay 54.10 The Lord will give strength to his people the Lord will blesse his people with peace Psal 29.11 and will make them to lie down safely Being gathered under my wings they shall repose themselves upon my power and providence committing themselves to me in well-doing All true and solid security whether inward or outward all true peace whether of countrey or of conscience floweth from Gods favour Psal 3. 4. Hence the Apostle wisheth grace and peace and the Angels sang Ephes 1.2 Luke 2 14. Deut. 33.16 Glory be to God on high and peace on earth even the peace of good-will toward men the good-will of him that dwelt in the bush The Lord is with me saith David I will not fear what man can do unto me I will sleep and wake and wake and sleep again Psal 3. for the Lord sustaineth me No wonder I slept so soundly and safely said King Philip when Antipater watched me Abner watched not so well when David fetcht away Sauls spear and pitcher and was barely told of it Phil. 4.7 1 Pet. 1.5 Lev. 26.5 Psal 116.7 Ishbosheth was slain whiles he slept The Saints go ever under a double guard the peace of God within them and the power of God without them and may therefore in utramque aurem dormire lie down safely See Ier. 23.6 call their souls to rest Verse 19. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever This because it could not be easily beleeved is thrice repeated We beleeve not what ever men may dream to the contrary without much ado and many conflicts When faith goes about to lay hold on Christ the devils raps her on the fingers and would beat her off Hence she is fain to take great pains for it to work hard for her living The Apostle speaks more then once of the work of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess 1.3 and 2 Epist 1.11 And it is no lesse difficult say Divines to beleeve the Gospel then to fulfill the Law No man can come unto the Son except the Father draw him the soul naturally hangs back and had as lief put off its immortality as put on Christ Joh. 6. The devil also doth his utmost to hinder The contest was not so great betwixt Michael and him concerning Moses his dead Body as it is here betwixt the beleever and him concerning Christs living body And should not God mightily assist the businesse would never be done Hence faith is called the faith of Gods power Tarnan Col. 2.12 the faith of his operation and what an Almighty power God doth therein put forth is elegantly described by the Apostle in that sixfold gradation Ephes 1.19 which shews it to be more then a morall swasion Betroth thee I will I will I will saith God here and some think the Sacred Trinity is here though darkly according to the manner of those times brought in betrothing the Church in this trina repetitio And mark that he doth not say I will be reconciled unto thee and receive thee again after thy foul-playes with me for Reconciliationes ferè sunt vulpinae amicitiae inter homines Men are seldom reconciled heartily but I will espouse thee marry thee unto me and that for ever I will null the Bill of divorce love you no lesse then if you had continued true to me or were now a pure Virgin Quis hanc Dei bonitatem dignè collaudet saith Drusius Who can sufficiently set forth this goodnesse of God When God once pardoneth sin he will remember it no more he will not come with back-reckonings Discharges in justification are never repealed or called in again Peccata non redeunt is a true axiom and it is no lesse true that peccata non minuunt justificationem God can pardon sins of all sizes and assoon disperse the thick cloud as the cloud Esay 44.22 See the matchlessnesse of his mercy to a repenting adulteresse Jer. 3.5 What greater love can he shew to her then to marry her again and rejoyce over her as a bridegroom rejoyceth over his bride Esay 62.5 Yea to rest in his love and to joy over her with singing Zeph. 3.17 and to do this for ever as it is here promised so that there shall be no more breach of conjugall love and communion for ever betwixt them Ama amorem illius Oh love this love of his saith Bernard and reciprocate And as the wife will keep her bed onely for her husband saith Mr. Bradford Martyr although in other things she is content to have fellowship with others Acts Mon. fol. 1503. as to speak sit eat drink go c. so our consciences which are Christs wives must needs keep the bed that is Gods sweet promises alonely for our selves and our husband there to meet together to embrace and laugh together and to be joyfull together If sin the law the devil or any thing would creep into the bed and lie there then complain to thine husband
Pekah as he had done Pekahiah Menahem killed Shallum as Shallum had done Zacharias so true is that of the Poet Ad generum Cereris sine caede sanguine pauci Descendunt Reges Juvenal siccâ morte tyranni What got most of the first Caesars by their adoption or designation to the Empire Nisi ut citius interficerentur but to be killed so much the sooner All or most of them till Constantine died unnaturall deaths As afterwards Phocas the traytour killed the good Emperour Mauritius stewing him in his own broth Heraclius slew Phocas putting him to a shamefull and tormentfull death c. Conradinus King of Germany and Duke of Sweveland was beheaded by Charles King of Naples and Sicily Balthas exner Val. Max. Christian. pag. 274. and the heads-man presently beheaded by another ne extaret qui jactaret tam generosum sanguinem à se effusum saith mine Authour that there might not be any left to boast that he had spilt so noble blood Our Richard the third Daniels hist 249. that bloody and deceitfull man is said to have used the instruments of his cruell plots his cut-throats I mean as men do their candles burn the first out to a snuffe and then having lighted another tread that under-foot Faux that fatall actor of the intended Powder-tragedy should have been thus rewarded by his brethren in evil had the plot taken effect It is that famous and never to be forgotten fifth of November 1651. wherein I writ these lines And therefore in way of thankfulnesse to our ever-gracious Deliverer I here think good to set down the relation as Mr. John Vicars in his Quintessence of cruelty or Poem of the popish Powder-plot hath declared it to the world as he had it from Mr. Clement Cotton the Composer of the English Concordance who also received it from Mr. Pickering of Titsmarsh-grove in North-hampton-shire and it is thus This Mr. Pickering being in great esteem with King Iames had an horse of speciall note on which he used to hunt with the King This horse was borrowed of him a little before the blow was to be given by his brother in law Keyes one of the Conspiratours and conveyed to London for a bloody purpose which thus was plotted Faux on the day of the fatall blow was appointed to retire himself to St. Georges-fields where this said horse was to attend him to make his escape so soon as the Parlament-house was blowen up It was likewise contrived that the said Mr. Pickering noted for a Puritan should be that very morning murthered in his bed and secretly conveyed away As also that Faux himself should have been murthered in St. Georges-fields and there so mangled and cut in pieces as that it might not be discovered who he was Whereupon it was to be bruited abroad that the Puritans had blown up the Parliament-house And the better to make the world beleeve so there was Mr. Pickering with his horse ready to make an escape but that God stirred up some who seeing the hainousnesse of the fact and he ready to escape by flight in detestation of so horrible a deed fell upon him and killed him and so had hackt him in pieces And yet to make it to be more apparant to be so indeed there was his horse found also which was of speciall speed and swiftnesse to carry him away and upon this rumour as massacre should have gone thorow the whole Kingdome upon the Puritans But when this plot thus contrived was confest by some of the Conspiratours and Faux in the Tower was made acquainted with it who had been born in hand to be bountifully rewarded for that his service in the Catholike cause when he saw how his ruine was contrived he also thereupon confessed freely all that he knew touching that horrid and hideous conspiracie which before all the torture of the rack could not force him to The truth of all this is attested by Mr. William Perkins an eminent Christian and Citizen of London who had it from the mouth of Mr. Clement Cotton which I could not but here insert as coming to my minde and Pen on the very day whereon 46. years since it should have been acted when my self was but four yeers of age and it being the utmost that I can remember but if ever I forget let my right hand forger her cunning Remember O Lord these children of Edom Psal 134.5 7 8. c. these Romish Edomites Esauites Jesuites who said Rase it Rase it even to the foundation O daughter of Babylon c. The Rabbines call the Romists Edomites they interpret the mount of Esau Obad. ver 21. to be meant of Rome and well they may for their blood-guiltinesse for which they are hated of God Psal 5.6 Who cannot but remember 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that their sins as a cart-rope have reached up to heaven Rev 18.5 there having been a concatenation or a continued series of them as the Greek there imports and as some here interpret blood touching blood according to Esay 1.15 Your hands are full of blood And Chap. 4.4 The filth of the daughter of Zion and the blood of Jerusalem This sence the Chaldee Paraphrase maketh The Septuagint with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mingle blood with blood seem to understand it of incestuous matches and mixtures forbidden Levit. 18.6 and yet avowed by David George and his disciples and practised in the Court of Spain by Papall dispensation Verse 3. Therefore shall the land mourn Here the Lord proceeds to give sentence and it is dreadfull indeed Lugebit terra languebit incola c. You will not mourn therefore your land shall the ugly face of your sin shall appear in the miserable desolation of your Countrey There is no truth mercy or knowledge of God in your land which even groans under your burden the axeltree thereof being ready to break therefore it shall be eased of you by my sore and great and strong sword which shall soon make work amongst you and lay all wast And as Gods red horse of warre is followed by the black horse of famine and that blace one by the pale horse of pestilence Rev. 6.4 5 8. so shall it be here As by swearing and lying c. you have broke out so shall my whole wrath break out upon you as mighty torrent As blood hath touched blood so punishment shall follow hard upon sin for these two are knit together with chains of Adamant saith the Poet. if thou do evil sin lies at the door saith God Gen. 4.7 that is supplicium imminet idque proximum praesentissimum saith Junius there Evil shall hunt the wicked man to destroy him his sin shall find him out as a blood-hound and haunt him as an hell-hag Where iniquity breaks-fast calamity will be sure to dine to sup where it dines and to lodge where it sups No sooner had man sinned but the earth was cursed for his sake Gen. 3.17
hedge-fruits how should he say of such clusters of Gomorrah Destroy it not for there is a blessing in it The good soul as she bears all her fruit in Christ Ieh 15.2 so she keeps all her fruit for him Cant. 7.13 Es 65.8 and cries out Propter te Domine propter te As all his springs are in her so all she has and is is for him and if she had more and better she could beteem it him Hence it is that when he comes into his garden upon her invitation Cant. 4.16 to eat his pleasant fruits he gathereth his myrrhe with his spice he eateth his honey with his hony-comb as it were crust and crumb together Chap. 5.1 He takes in good part the better and worse-performed services he passeth by failings in the manner where the heart is upright for the main wicked men present also some kind of fruit as the oak bears some kind of apples and acorns but they are not mans meat swine indeed will haunch them up so the devil likes well enough of these self-fruits but they make not to Gods palat Delicata res est Spiritus Dei our oaken apples will not down with him Self must be strained out and God set up Tertull. that ye may be called Trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that he alone may be glorified Esay 61.3 being filled with the fruits of righteonsnesse which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God Phil. 1.11 according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars Juxta ubertatem exuberant simulachris saith the Vulgar elegantly but yet short of the Original where there is a dainty Agnomination and a double Polyptôton For the sence the Prophet as he had accused Israel of emptinesse and selfishnesse so hee doth here of unthankfulnesse in abusing Gods plenty to the promoting of idolatry as if God had hired them to be wicked See the like before chap. 2.8 with the Note and consider how far against the ingenuity of a Christian it is to bee least for God when he hath most from him when his own turn is served then to turn his back from the Authour of all his good to do as the Moon that gettest furthest off the Sun when she is fullest of his light according to the goodnesse of his land Idolaters desire to be where there are good lands fruitfull fields that they may lavish upon their Mawmets that they may so beautifie or as the Hebrew word here is bonifie their images as Jezebel did her head with tires and brave dresses 2 King 9.30 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another God or that endow another God and give gifts to him as that Text may be rendred Psal 16.4 What excessive cost the superstitious papists bestow upon their idols or images which are one and the same as we see here and especially upon their â—ady of Loretto the Jesuite Tursellinus hath set forth to the world And why they so much desire and endeavour to recover England praying for it as is to be seen written on the gates of their Colledges Jesu Jesu converte Angliam fiat fiat the reason is evident it is a good land and would easily yeeld them goodly images stately altars c. England was wont to be called the Popes asse and his puteus inexhaustus his pit of treasure that could never be drawn dry he was wont to say that he could never want money so long as hee could hold a pen in his fingers to write to England He received here-hence yearly Job Manl. loc com p. 492. above nine tunne of gold Now according to what they received they expended upon their images What a shame is it then for true worshippers that there is no proportion between their increases for God and their encreases from God that those that are rich in this world 1 Tim 6.17 18. are not rich in good works that they lay not by for pious and charitable uses according as God hath blessed them 1 Cor. 16.2 but that they should be the richer the harder as children that have their mouthes full and both hands full yet will part with none but spill it rather It is observed of men that grow very far that they have so much the lesse blood And so the fatter many men are in their estates the lesse blood life and spirits they have for God Verse 2. Their heart is divided sc From God whose soul therefore is justly disjoynted from them Ier. 6.8 They professed to worship the true God and yet they transferred the honour due to him alone upon dumb-idols they halted between two and would needs serve two Lords but God would none of that Be the gods of the Heathen good-fellows saith One the true God is a jealous God and will not part stakes with another The double-minded man is not for his service for he will be served truely that there be no halting and totally that there be no halving Good therefore and worthy of all acceptation is the counsell of St. Iames to such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 4.8 Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded or ye cloven-hearted Out with the corruption that cleaveth to your hearts and then there will be a constancy and evennesse in your mindes mouthes and manners which is absolutely necessary to such as draw nigh to God in holy duties and the contrary abominable Esay 29.13 Now shall they be found faulty Sinners against their own souls procurers of their own ruth and ruine And this they shall so clearly be convinced of as afflictiâ— dat intellectum smart makes wit that they shall cry out with Josephs brethren We are verily guilty Gen. 42.21 and conscience awakened shall answer as Reuben in the next verse Spake I not unto you saying Do not sin O do not this abominable thing and yee would not hear Did not the Prophets foretell you what would be the fruit of your idolatries did they not even slit up your hearts with the sacrificing knife of Gods word sharper then any two-edâ—â—d sword and lay all your evil thoughts naked and open 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or dissected quartered and cleft in the back-bone as the Apostles word signifieth Heb. 4.13 but ye would not then be convinced of all and falling down upon your face worship God as 1 Cor. 14.24 25 Now you are found faulty or guilty and cry peccavi or now you are that is shortly ye shall be wasted and desolated as some render it or now shall they die Interibunt so the Vulgar shall they perish how should they do otherwise whose heart that seat of life is cut in twain and whom the jealous and just God will cut in twain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tearing their souls from their bodies by death Satans slaughter-man and appointing them their portion with hypocrites Matth. 24.51 He shall break down their altars He that is God my God
your God See Esay 21.9 understand Mereury Verse 17. Therefore will cause you Idolatry is a land-desolating sin beyond Damascus and not only so but also beyond Babylon Act. 7 by the way of Damascus by Tiglath Pileser sent for by Ahaz for that purpose Es 8.4 King 15.29 CHAP. VI. Verse 1. In utramv is aurem dorin WOe to them that are at ease in Zion that lye sleeping on both sides and slighting the former menaces as Leviathan doth the iron-weapons Iob. 41.27 that live as if ye were out of the reach of Gods rod and as for all your enemies ye puff at them saying We shall not be moved we shall never be in adversity Psal 10.5 6. To these sleepers in Zion God here sends forth his summons the word Hoi signifieth as well Heus as Vae Ho as Wo Esay 55.1 Zach. 2.6 Ho ho come forth that were quiet and still Zach. 1.11 lulled asleep by Satan or rather cast into a dead lethargy Sampson-like their enemies are upon them and they fast asleep the while Ishbosheth-like they stretch themselves upon their beds of ivory till they lose not their precious lives onely but their immortall souls Security ushereth in destruction those that are at ease in Zion shall be raised by a dreadfull Woe rung in their ears that shall make their hearts fall down and their hairs stand upright In the froth of carnall security and sensuall delights is bred that worm of conscience that never dieth Mar. 9. and here begins to grub and gnaw like as while the Crocodile sleepeth with open mouth the Ichneumon or Indian Rat shoots himself into his bowels after which he never is at ease as having his entrails daily devoured so that one while he will be in the water and anon after on the land till life fails him and trust in the mountain of Samaria Are carnally confident and secure as good David also was when gotten upon his strong mountain Psal 30.6 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag but was soon confuted Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled The best are apt by rest to contract rust and being full-fed to wax wanton Deut. 32.15 To affect more mundi delicias quam Christi divitias as One saith the worlds dainties then Christs comforts to trust in uncertain riches then to rely upon the living God who giveth them all things richly to enjoy This must be lookt to 1 Tim. 6.17 for it hath a woe hanging at the heels of it Jer. 17.5 6. Psal 52.7 9. which are named chief of the Nations Heb. expressely named declared notified celebrated chief the head or first fruits the head and height Principium id est praecipuum gentium So Amalec is called the first of the Nations Numb 24.20 haply they held themselves so Justin lib. 2. as the Egyptians afterwards boasted much of their Antiquity and the Chinois at this day do of their excellency and perspicuity above other Nations Many wicked ones are of great renown in this world Psal 73.4 6. and stand much upon their titles and termes of honour who yet in the next generation shall be utterly forgotten Psal 109.13 for that their names are not written in heaven Rev. 17.8 and look how much they have glorified themselves and lived deliciously so much torment and ignominy shall be given them Rev. 18.7 To whom the house of Israel came The whole house of Israel viz. the two tribes to Zion the ten to Samaria Vel sacrorum causà vel judiciorum saith Drusius as to places of worship and besies courts of Justice Others sence it thus The house of Israel came unto them that is the Israelites invaded those nations that once held Zion and Samaria and succeeded them therein not by any strength of their own but by Gods mighty hand and out-stretched arm which they ungratefull wretches acknowledge not but came in for themselves so Ribera rendreth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quasi sibi tantum nati se solos esse aliquid as if they were the onely proprietaries the sole owners of all and owed no service to any chief-Lord Such insolency grows from security See Job 21.23 Verse 2. Passe ye unto Calneh and see Take a voyage to and a view of those most famous bordering cities Calneh or Selencia in Mesopotamia on the East whereof see Gen. 10.10 the beginning of Nimrods Kingdom Hamath the great or Antiochia now Aleppo a famous Mart-town on the North. Then go down Southward to Gath of the Philistines which was of all the five satrapies potissima potentissima and is therefore called Metheg-Ammah 2 Sam. 8.1 with 1 Chron. 18.1 because being a town of great strength it was as it were the bridle whereby the whole countrey about was kept in awe It was afterwards known by the name of Diocaesarea Away to these neighbouring cities and see in them as in so many Optick-glasses how much more God hath done for you then for them in every respect the greater is your guilt and the deeper will be your judgement in the end for abuse of these rich mercies of a fertile soil a large Empire c. to security oppression and other detestable vices and villanies be they better then these kingdoms sc of Judah and Israel which were certainly multis nominibus laudatissima very fruitfull and pleasant countries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 8.7 8 9. Numb 14.7 8. whatsoever Strabo spitefully reporteth to the contrary Lib. 7. being therein worse then Rabshakeh Esay 36.17 Or their border greater then your border sc till the Babylonians Syrians and Assyrians took part of your countrey from you and cooped you up cut you short And now that you are so straitned for room doth not the Lord recompense you in multitudes of people Judea was not above 200. miles long and 50. miles broad say Geographers and yet what huge armies brought they into the field Observe then saith the Prophet the great things that God hath done for you above other Nations and walk accordingly or else take lessons out of their losses and damages and know that the case will be your own Aliorum perditio vestra sit cautio Learn by other mens harms to beware Verse 3. Ye that put farre away the evil day Wo to you that would do so if you could that fondly perswade your selves there is no such danger in evil-doing as the Prophets pretend but that all shall be hail and well with you though yee walk in the imagination of your hearts to adde drunkennesse to thirst Deut. 29.19 and to heap up sin as high as heaven Quae longinqua sunt non metuuntur Arist Rhet. l. 2. c. 5. Rev. 18.5 This cursed security and hope of impunity is the source of much wickednesse in the world See Prov. 7.19 20. Matth. 24.48 with the Notes It is a sad thing when men shall say as Ezek. 12.27 The vision that he seeth is for many dayes to come and he prophesieth of the times
to those that drank most and fourty one of the company killed themselves with drinking to get that crown Darius king of Persia caused this to bee ingraven upon his tomb I was able to drink much wine and to bear it bravely Was not this to glory in his shame had he no way else to shew his valour Athenâ—â—â— Did he never take notice of that Persian law that it should not bee lawfull for their King to be drunk but onely once a yeer when they sacrificed to the Sunne Idem whom they took to be the greatest of the gods How much better Bathsheba in her Lemuels-lesson It is not for Kings Lemuel it is not for Kings to drink wine nor for Princes strong-drink lest they drink and forget the law c. Prov. 31.4 And if not for kings much lesse is it for others to be drunk with wine wherein is excesse Eph. 5.18 lest with Nabal and the rich glutton they drink deep of the wine of Gods wrath and have the full vials of his vengeance poured upon them for ever and anoint themselves with the chief ointments After the manner of the Jewish Nation whereof see 2 Sam. 12.20 Eccles 9.8 Luk. 7.38 46. Psal 23.5 and 104.15 Mat. 6.17 They spare for no cost or pains to please all their senses And such a prodigall pleasure-monger was that rich citizens sonne mentioned in the second part of the Theatre of Gods judgments who to please all his five senses at once allowed to the delight of every severall sense a severall hundred pound For which end 1. Theat of Gods judgments part 2. pag. 110.111 He bespake a curious faire room richly hangd and furnished with the most exquisite pictures to please the eye 2. He had all the choysest Musick that could be heard of to give content to the eare 3. He had all the Aromatickes and odoriferous perfumes to delight his cent in smelling 4. All the Candies Preserves Junkets even to the stretching of the Apothecaries or Confectionaries art to please his taft 5. And lastly a beautifull and faire strumpet lodg'd with him in a soft bed and the daintiest linnen that could be compassed to accommodate his touch and all these this Epicure more then ever Sardanapalus did enjoy'd at one instant He spent thirty thousand pounds in three yeares and swore after all that if he had ten times more then ever he had he would spend it all to live one week like a God though he were sure to be damn'd in hell the next day after they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph i. e. of the Israelites Psal 80.2 and 77.16 Amos. 5.6 Joseph is mentioned and put for all the rest because he was famous amongst his brethren Aug. de doct Christian lib. 4. cap. 6. vel ob mala quae pendit vel ob bona quae rependit both for the evils that he suffered and for the good turns that he returned Time was when poor Joseph was ill handled by his mercilesse brethren and could not be heard though he used many intreaties Gen. 37.23 any 42 21. They when they had cast him into the pit there to pine and perish with hunger sat down to eat and so to ease themselves of any remorse of conscience that might be wrought in them See 1 Sam. 22.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They should have been sick at heart as the word here signifieth for the affliction the confraction the breaking to shivers of Joseph poor Reuben was so as farr as he durst shew it and Joseph forgat not his kindnesse when he came to his greatnesse God who is all bowels will never forget those that forget not his afflicted but commiserate and relieve them as they have opportunity and ability Verse 7. Therefore now shall they go captive with the first Heb. in the head of those that go captive as they have been first in the degrees of honour and of sin so shall they be now of punishment according to that saying of the Centuristâ— Ingentia beneficia Magdeburg Esa 50.11 ingentia flagitia ingentia supplicia This they shall have of Gods hand they shall lie down in sorrow yea many sorrowes shall be to these wicked ones Psal 32.10 these mercilesse men shall not have the least mercy shewed them Iam. 2.13 God will surely set off all hearts from such as he did from Haman for whom in his misery not one man openeth his mouth once to intercede and he will punish magnum luxum magno luctu as One saith great luxury with great necessity and the banquet of them that stretched themselves They shall neither have mind nor mony to make feasts that were wont to lay on in all sorts of superfluities That prodigall above-mentioned was by a just hand of God reduced to extreame penury and cast off by all his former acquaintance Senâ—â—â— That luxurious Roman Apicius the expences of whose kitchin amounted to more then two millions of gold having eaten up his estate and fearing poverty poysoued himself leaving behind him ten bookes of direction how to furnish and set forth a feast with all manner of varieties which now he could sooner talk of then take of The word here rendred banquet is taken for a funerall feast Jer. 16.5 and so some think the sense here is Lively they shall be carried captive into a farr country and there be deprived of the honour of burialls which is a judgement elsewhere threatened Jer. 22.18 19. Aben-Ezra rendreth it facesset canticum the song of the wanton shall be set packing and for this he alledgeth that in the Arabick dialect the root word here used signifieth to lift up the voyce either for joy or grief The Seventy render it the neighing of horses as noting their immoderate lust according to Jer. 5.8 And this sense Ribera commendeth Verse 8. The Lord God hath sworn by himself Heb. by his soul which is himself sith whatsoever is in God is God So chap. 4.2 Gen 22.16 Heb. 6.16.17 Or He hath sworn by his soule that is Seriè ex animo Seriously and heartily Among the Heathens ex animi sui sententia was instead of an oath saith the Lord God of hosts who hath power enough in his hand to performe what he hath so solemnly assured I abhorr the excellency or the pomp and pride of Jacob So Basil speaking of the Western Church Odi fastum istius Ecclesiae saith He I hate their pride This he elsewhere calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Western brow from the fore-head that seat of pride and arrogancy which at length occasioned that lamentable separation of the Easterne or Greek church from communion with the Latine Field Gerson Carlton the other foure Patriarks dividing themselves from the bishop of Rome Pride is an odious evill fitly compared by One to a great swelling in the body which unfits it for any good service and is apt to putrify and break and run with loathsome and foule matter
have Spain to be meant subdued say they by Nebuchadnezzar after other his great conquests and by him planted with Iews carried captive from Ierusalem With such bold and frivolous fancies do these poor deluded creatures fondly feed themselves They are generally light aeriall and fanaticall brains saith One apt to work themselves into the fools-paradise of a sublime dotage They not onely expect a corporall restitution to their own countrey Blounts voyage but also a soveraignty over all other nations and possession of their Provinces saith Another they beleeve that the Messias is not yet come Buxtorf synag c. 5. because the Christian Empire is not yet destroyed and therefore they pray daily for the overthrow of the Roman Empire Out of the East it is that they expect their Messiah whither the Spanish Iews fled when they were banished and are exceedingly multiplied for those do they hold to be this captivity of Ierusalem here mentioned Spec. Europ viz. of the tribe of Iudah and the other in Germany and Italy to be of the tribe of Benjamin who in honour of the more noble tribe and to correspond with them the better do learn the Spanish Tongue which those still retain in hope belike to be one day Lords of that large and rich countrey Shall Possesse the cities of the South i. e. shall return to their own Southerly cities and provinces And this Prophesie of recovering the holy land is to be taken in a spirituall sence and it importeth that all those that are Israelites indeed Iews inwardly shall flee to the Church of Christ Rom. 9. Verse 21. And Saviours shall come up on mount Zion Judas Macchabeus and Hircanus in the history as in the mysterie the Apostles and other of Christs Ministers who are here and elsewhere called Saviours a very high stile because God maketh use of their Ministery as he doth likewise of the Angels for the good of them that are heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 and by their help the faithfull are saved Hence those expressions 1 Tim. 4.16 thou shalt save thy self and those that hear thee Iam. 5.20 he shall save a soul from death Iob 33.24 Deliver him from going down to the pit I have received a ransom See also Mic. 5.6 Iude 23. 1 Cor. 3.6 7 9 and 4.1 and 9.22 Let Ministers hence learn their dignity and their duty Christ hath communicated to them many of his own most honourable titles as Light of the world Doctour Pastour Saviour Redeemer c. True it is He alone is the principall Saviour and therefore it followeth in the closure of this shortest Brevissimus sed difficilimus Propheta Merâ—er but most difficult Prophet the kingdom shall be the Lords He to speak properly is the sole both Soveraign and Saviour of his body the Church Sed servatores dicuntur saith Mercer but they are called Saviours because they preach the word of this salvation and are instrumentall to Christ in that great work like as the Apothecary is to the skilfull Physician in curing his patient of a deadly disease to judge the mount of Esau Antichrist with his adherents all other Infidels also and Atheists condemned here by Christ and his faithfull Ministers Ezek. 20.4 as rebels against God and sinners against their own souls Wilt thou judge them sonne of man wilt thou judge them cause them to know their abomination and to judge themselves worthy to bee destroyed that judging themselves they may not bee judged 1 Cor. 11.31 but of Esauites may become true Iacobites as Iether by nature an Ismaelite 1 Chron. 7.17 is for his faith and piety called an Israelite 2 Sam. 17.25 Lo thus to judge the mount of Esau ought to bee the ambition of Christs Ministers for to gain them to Christ by convincing the world of sinne of righteousnesse and of judgement that is of the mischief of sinne the necessity of justification by Christs merit and of sanctification by his Spirit This is to be both Iudges and Saviours as those Iudges of old were whereunto the Prophet here seemeth to allude This is to save people with fear pulling them out of the fire Joh. 16. â— Iude 23. This is to proclaim Christ King and to set the Crown upon his head as Cant. 3.11 with that glorious acclamation The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our law-giver the Lord is our King and He will save us Esay 33.22 The Kingdom shall be the Lords Not onely the Kingdom of Power over all creature 1 Chron. 29.11 and Grace in the hearts of his people here called oft the kingdom of heaven in the Gospel but also of Righteousnesse and of Glory hereafter to be chiefly exercised at that Great and dreadfull day Now to this King Eternal Immortal Invisible the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 1 Tim. 1.17 A COMMENT OR EXPOSITION Upon the Prophesie of JONAH CHAP. I. Verse 1. NOw the word of the Lord came Heb. And the word For with that particle And the Hebrews sometimes begin a discourse as Ezek. 1.1 Levit. 1.1 an elegancy proper to that tongue Howbeit Hugo Cardinalis maketh this And not an inceptive particle but a copulative to many other things that were in the Prophets mind Others conceive it to be continuative of some other history not now extant or at least connexive of this history with the course of his ordinary calling and Prophetike employment among the ten tribes to whom he prophesied together with Hosea 2 King 14.25 Amos and others but with little good successe in the reigne of Ieroboam the second a Prince more prosperous then pious Ionah prophesied of his prosperity and victories whereof when no good use was made by the house of Israel their calamity and captivity was likewise foretold by Hosea Amos and Esay and hence some conclude that Jonas was the first of all the Prophets whose writings are extant For he lived say they before the battell of Joash King of Israel with the Syrians about the end of the life and prophesâ—e of Elisha 2 King 13.14 c. and 14.25 unto Ionah the sonne of Amittai Ionah signifieth a Dove but Ionah had too little of the dove in him plenus enim fuit effraenatis motâ—bus saith One as passionate a man of an honest man Luther D. Harris as you have lightly heard of saith Another Whether he was that mad fellow as those much more mad Captains called him 2 King 9.11 that was sent to anoint Iehu or else the widow of Sarepta's sonne raised by Eliah as the Hebrewes will have him to be I have not to say But that he was a servant of the Lord we finde 2 King 14.25 and a type of Christ Mat. 12.40 concerning whom he prophesied Augustine non tam sermone quam sua quadam passione far more plainely then if he had by voice foretold his death and resurrection And whereas the Grandees and Potentates of the world get them a
And what though the Gods of the nations had not delivered them yet Hezekiah's God in whom he trusted did not deceive him as Senacherib said he would ver 10.12 He is the champion of his church and will be the strong hold of his people when the heathens Tutelur Gods and the Papists Patrone-saints will leave them in the lurch England was sometime said to have a war-like George but the Papists being offended with us to do us as they suppose a mischief have robbed us of out George and left us God alone to be our Champion for which honour and favour all true English hearts are bound to thank them and can merrily sing as He did once Contemno minutulos istos deos modò Jovem propitium habeam We care not for their He-saints or she-saints to shelter us so that the great God will be good to us a streng-hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him that hover and cover under his wings as the chickens do under the hens for that 's the force of the Hebrew word here used Such as these God knoweth for his 2 Tim. 2.19 he knoweth their soule in adversity Psal 119. he knoweth how to deliver them as he did the righteous Lot 2 Pet. 2.9 then when they knew not what to do as Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20.12 yet if their eyes be toward him their affiance in him he will extricate and deliver them So well pleased is he with those that trust in him for that 's meant here by his knowing of them Psal 1.6 confer Iob 9.29 1 Thes 5.12 he taketh such complacency and delight in them Psal 147.11 and 33.18 and such continuall care of them as hath been proved by an universall experience nor one instance can be given to the contrary that they shall be sure to have whatsoever heart can wish or need require 2 Sam. 22.2 3. even miraculous loving kindnesse from God in a strong city Psal 17.7 and 31.21 so great as cannot be uttered Psal 31.19 This is for the comfort of Gods Israel But lest the wicked as they are apt should meddle with childrens meat which was never meant for them lest Niniveh should please her self in a fond conceit of Gods goodnesse to her also and so turn it into wantonnesse the Prophet brings in a stinging But in the next words Ver. 8. But with an over-running flood he will make an end of the place thereof i. e. of Niniveh that great but bloody city chap. 3.1 Her state shall be utterly ruinated as the old world by the generall deluge But because the word here rendred flood is used of rivers that overflow the bankes 2 Chron. 32.4 and the adjunct over-running also implies as much See Esai 8.8 Dan. 11.10 40. I suppose the Holy Ghost here forethreateneth that ruine of this city by the river Tigris which at an inundation broke out upon the wall and threw down twenty furlongs thereof This was a sad foretoken to them of their ensuing desolation by the enemy as that raine was that fell in Egypt where it used not to raine a little before Cambyses with his Persians subdued it for it fell out in the time of the Siege as Diodorus testifieth according to an oracle that the Ninivites had received by tradition from their progenitours sc that their city should then be taken by the enemy Diod. Sic. when the river took part against them and it fell out accordingly and darknesse shall pursue his enemies i. e. terrible and inextricable calamities shall overtake them their ruine shall be irreparable And indeed it may now be said of Niniveh which once was of a great city in Strabo Magna civitas magna solitudo See Zeph. 2.13 14 15. Drusius rendreth it thus Hostes suos persequi faciet tenebras He shall cause darknesse to pursue his enemies Or He shall make his enemies to pursue darknesse according to that noted saying of the Ancients Deus quem destruit dementat whom God intends to destroy him He first infatuateth But the former sence is the better Ver. 9. What do ye imagine against the Lord because against his people So Psal 62.3 How long will ye imagine mischief against a man ye shall be slaine all of you as a bowing wall shall ye be and as a tottering fence The blind and bloody Ninivites looked no further then the Jewes whom they invaded they considered not that God was ingaged in the quarrel of his people This made the Virgin daughter of Zion confident of Gods help shake her head in scorn and pitty at them saying Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted up thine eyes on high even against the holy One of Israel Isai 37.22 23. She knew well though her enemies knew not that as an unskilfull archer in shooting at a beast hitteth a man sometimes so the Churches adversaries in troubling of her trouble Almighty God who will not faile to be even with them for he that toucheth Gods people toucheth the apple of his eye Zach. 2.8 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me â— Act. 9.4 It was a simple question of Satan to our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what have I to do with thee whilest he vexed a servant of his Hath he his name from knowledge and yet could he so mistake himwhom he confessed to be the son of the living God It is an idle misprision to-sever the sense of an injury done to any of the members from the head Drusius reades the text thus Quid cogitatis de Domino what think ye of the Lord what conceit or opinion have ye of him Doe ye imagine that he cannot performe what he threateneth by his Prophets or that he cannot when he pleaseth deliver his people out of your hand he will make an utter end Not a consumption only but a consummation This he is even doing as the Hebrew hath it he is busy about it and will not faile to sinish it for he useth not to do his work to the halves Surely a short work will the Lord make in your land now that he taketh you to do certo cito penitus assliction shall not rise up the second time God will dispatch you at one blow See a like expression 1 Sam. 26.8 Niniveh had many brushes before by Phraortes king of Medes and his son Ciaxares and afterwards by the Scythians whereof See Ier. 49.34 and by Astyages c. Now Nâ—buchadnezzar was appointed by God to make an utter end of it c. The wicked shall totally and finally be consumed at once Not so the Saints these he corrects with a rod those with a grounded staffe Esa 32.32 These in mercy and in measure in the bunches only he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the East-wind Esa 27.8 he stayeth such afflictions as would shake his plants too much or quite blow them down But to the wicked he hath no such tender respect he smites them at
that our special care should be to give God his due to seek first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and then all other things shall seek us Cicero Caetera aut aderunt aut caetera non oberunt But most people are so busied about their own houses their cottaeges of clay the body that Gods house 2 Cor. 5.1 the soul lies wast and neglected the lean kine eat up the fat the strength of the ground is spent in nourishing weeds Earthly mindednesse sucketh the sap of grace from the heart as the Ivy doth from the Oake and maketh it unfruitfull Men are so taken up about the world that they think not on Gods kingdome as the Duke of Alva told the French king Fren. Hist who asked him whether he had observed the late great Eclipse No said he I have so much to doe upon earth that I have no leisure to look toward heaven But is not one thing necessary and all other but by-businesses And have we not in our dayly prayer five petitions for spirituals and but one for temporals Are we not taught to make it our first request that Gods name may be hallowed though our turnes should not be served Is not Esau stigmatized for selling his birth-right for a messe of broth And is not Shemei chronicled for a foole Heb. 12.16 who by seeking after his servants lost his life Pope Sixtus for a mad man that sold his soul to the devil to enjoy the Popedome for seven years what shall it profit a man to win the world and lose his own soul to win Venice and then be hanged at the gates thereof as the Italian proverb hath it Surely such a mans losse will be 1. Mat. 16. Incomparable 2. Irreparable for what shall a man give in exchange of his soul It was no evill counsel that was given to John the third King of Portugal to meditate every day a quarter of an hour on that divine sentence It would be time well spent to ponder as oft and as long together on this Text Is it time for you O ye that are so sharp set upon the world so wholly taken up about your private profits your pleasures and preferments to sit in your ceiled houses as Ahab once did in his ivory Palace or Nebuchadnezzar in his house of the kingdome as he vain-gloriously calleth it Dan. 4.30 and Gods house lie waste and his service neglected to whom we owe our selves 1 Cor. 6.19 our lives Mat. 16.25 our parents children friends means Mat. 19.29 our gifts and abilities 1 Cor. 4.7 our honours and offices Psal 2.10 11 12. all that we are and have How justly may God curse our blessings Job 16.15.16.18 21. 1 Cor. 12.21 as he threateneth these selfe-seeking God-neglecting Jews both here and Mal. 2.2 scatter brimstone upon our houses drp up our roots beneath and above cut off our branches drive us from light into darknesse and chase us out of the world with his terrours Col. 3.2 Phil. 2.21 Surely such are the ceiled dwellings of the wicked and this is the place of him that knoweth not God that inverteth the order appointed of him by coveting not the best guists but an evil covetousnesse Hab. 2.9 by setting his affections not on things above but on things on the earth by seeking their own things every man and not the things of Jesus Christ Verse 5. Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts Haggai was but a yong man saith Epiphanius Now therefore lest any one that heard him should despise his youth and slight his doctrine he shews his authority he comes to them cum priviligio he delivers not the conceptions of his own brain but the Word and mind of God For as Chrysostom saith of St. Paul so may we say of all the rest of the pen men of the Holy Scripture Cor Pauli est cor Christi their heart is Christs own heart and their words are to be received reverenced and ruminated not as the words of mortal men but as they are indeed the words of the everliving God 1 Thes 2.13 Greg. in Reg 3 Excellently spake he who called the Scripture Cor animam Dei the heart and soul of God It is every whit of it divinely inspired or breathed by God saith the Apostle and is profitable both for reproof and for instruction in righteousnesse 2 Tim. 3.16 See an instance hereof in this Text together with the Prophets rhetorical artifice in first chiding and now directing them to reprove and not withal to instruct is to snuffe the lamp but not powre in oyle that may feed it consider your wayes Heb. set your hearts upon them diligently recogitate and recognize your evil doings and so shall ye soon find out the cause of your calamity Judge your selves so shall ye not be judged of the Lord accept of the puntshment of your iniquity so iniquity shall not be your ruine your ruth but not your rums Capite consilium ex rebus ipsis velexperiment is Learn at least by the things ye have suffered Let experience the mistrisse of fooles reduce you to a right mind Lay to heart your manifold miseries those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one calleth them Free Schoolmasters curst enough and crabbed but such as whereby God openeth mens ears to discipline and eyes to observation of his works and their own wayes Job 36.8 9 10. according to that of Ezechiel chap. 40.4 Son of man behold with thine eye and hear with thine ears and set thy heart upon all that I shall shew thee c. the senses must be exercised that the heart may be affected with the word and works of God according to that mine cye affecteth my heart Lam. 3.51 and Solomon gat much of his wisedom by observation as appeareth by his Ecclesiastes which some have not unfitly called Solomons Soliloquy It is but little that can be learn'd in this life without due and deep Consideration which is nothing else but an act of the Practical understanding whereby it reflects and staies upon its own intentions and comparing them with the rule it proceeds to lay a command upon the will and Affections to put them in execution Thus David considered his wayes and finding all out of order he turned his feet to Gods testimonies Psal 119.59 And to still Gods enemies Psal 4.4 he bids them commune with their own hearts and be still or make a pause viz. till they have brought their consideration to some good upshot and conclusion For when consideration hath soundly enlightened a mans mind informed his judgement according to that light that candle held to his mind and determined is will according to that judgement it must needs bring forth sound resolutions purposes and practises as it did in the Ninivites Ephraim Ier. 31.19 Iosiah 2 Chron. 34.27 the Prodigal Luke 15. the Church in Hosea chap. 2.6.7 She considered she was crossed and hedg'd in with afflictions and resolveth to return to
they read the predictions of an Almanack for wind and weather which they think may come to passe and it may be not but be confident of this very thing that God who hath denounced it will surely do it and that he will execute the judgement written in this roll Psal 149.9 yea every sicknesse and every plague which is not written in the book of this Law them will the Lord cause to descend upon the disobedient untill they be destroyed Deut. 28.61 Verse 3. This is the curse Or oath with execration and cursing Num. 5.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut Aâ— Graecè juramentum et execrationem significat Mercer Cursing men are cursed men and God hath sworn that swearers shall not enter into his rest that goeth forth yea flyeth verse 2. more swift then an eagle an arrow a flash of lightening Or if not yet Poena venit gravior quo magè sera venit over the face of the whole earth Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil but of the Jew sirst Ingentia beneficia flagitia supplicia who is therefore the worse because he ought 'to have been better and then Rom. 2.9 of the Gentile also Theodoret Lyra and Vatablus think that Iudaea is hinted in the measure of the book twenty cubites long and ten broad as being twice so long and somewhat more as it is broad witnesse Hierom in his Epistle to Dardanus Epist 129. But let the whole earth here be taken in its utmost latitude sith the Gentiles that sinne without the Law are yet liable to the punishments of the Law And some of them by the light of Nature saw the evil of swearing but all generally of stealing but especially of perjury and sacriledge here principally meant Confer Mal. 3.8 Neh. 13.10 for every one that stealeth shall be cut off By stealing understand all sins against the second Table as by swearing all against the first and so the sense is the same with that of the Apostle Every transgression and disobedience receiveth a just recompence of reward Heb. 2.2 And cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them Gal. 3.10 Howbeit because these two sins were more frequently and more impudently committed in those dayes therefore are they by a specialty instanced The Jewes comming poor out of Babylon held it no great sin to steal for supply of their necessities and then to forswear themselves for the better hiding of their theft Give me not poverty said holy Agur lest being poore I steale and as one sin drawes on another I take the name of my God in vaine Prov. 30.9 See the Note there Hunger is an evill counsellour necessity an hard weapon a sore temptation when it comes to this Either I must steale or starve But then to this must be opposed that of the law Thou shalt in no case steals Thou must rather dye then do wickedly Aut faciendum aut patiendum Either obey the law or suffer the curse as on this side according to it i. e. According to the curse described in the rowle the thees shall be cut off as well as the swearer they shall speed alike The tares shall be bound up in bundles theeves with theeves and swearers with swearers and burnt in the fire Mat. 13.30 40. According to the prediction shall be the execution Whether on this side that is in Judea so some sense it or on that side in other parts of the world such persons appeare they shall have their payment and every one that sweareth Not only falsely as verse 4. but lightly vainely causelesly in jest and not in judgement whether by God or by creatures and qualities Judaeis Pharisaeis vulgare vitium saith Paraeus on Iam. 5.12 a common fault among the Jewes and Pharisees Mat. 5.34 35. and 23.16.18 See the Notes there Among the Christians in Chrysostomes time as appeares by his many sermons against it at Antioch And in these dayes if ever because of oaths the land mourneth God hath a controversie Hos 4.1 2. We have lived to see iniquity in the fulnesse of oaths and blasphemies unparaleled darted with hellish mouths against God and our Saviour so ordinarily and openly that some of them are become very interjections of speech to the vulgar and other some meer phrases of gallantry to the braver I knew a great swearer saith a great Divine who comming to his death-bed Satan so filled his heart with a madded and enraged greedinesse after that most gainelesse Bolâ—on and pleasurelesse sin that though himself swore as fast and as furiously as he could yet as though he had bin already among the bannings and blasphemies of hell he desperatly desired the standers by to help him with oaths and to swear for him Verse 4. I will bring it forth sc out of my treasuries or store-houses of plagues and punishments Deut. 32.34 Or That which thou hast seen in vision I will put in action I will produce it into the open light into the theatre of the world their faults shall be written in their foreheads their sins shall go before to judgement my visible vengeance shall overtake them and it shall enter into the house of the theef which he calleth his castle and where he thinks himself most secure as out of the reach of Gods rod as iâ— he could mot up himself against Gods fire But what faith Bildad His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle and it shall bring him to the king of terrours It shall dwell in his tabernacle because it is none of his brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation Iob 18.14 15. so that if the fire of Gods wrath do but touch it all 's on a light flame A. Gell. He will unkennel these foxes and drag acus out of his denn to his deserved punishment Dioclesian the Persecutour one of those Latrones publici Eusub de vit Const lib. 5. as Cato called them giving over his Empire after that he had sufficiently feathered his nest decreed to lead the rest of his life quietly But he escaped not so for after that his house was wholy consumed with lightening and a flame of fire that fell from heaven he hiding himself for fear of the lightening died within a while after and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name Hence Ribera gathereth that by the whole earth in the former verse is meant Judaea only because none but Jewes swore by the name of the true God who is indeed the proper object of an oath Esay 65.16 Ier. 12.6 Howbeit in lawfull contracts with an Infidel or Idolater oaths by false gods may be admitted and are binding As for perjury it is a provoking sin as containing three great evils 1. The uttering or upholding of a lie 2. The calling upon God to testifie and justifie a lie 3. The praying for a curse upon a mans self and beseeching God
forth or moved forward with an open face and upper parts appearing as not afhamed the shew of her countenance witnessed against her she declared her sin as Sodom Esay 3.9 and as Lots daughters who savoured too much of Sodom when glorying in their shame they called their incestuous brâ—ts Mâ—ab that is the begotten of my father and Benammi which sounds to the same sense This woman is also said to sit as resolved of her course Confer Psal 1.1 and 50.20 the Jewes are still a stubborn and refractary people Antiquâ—m obtinent O that the falvation of Israel were come out of Zion c. Psal 14.7 Deus nos dignabitur clarissimá visione cum reducet Zion saith Jachiades one of their Rabbines I add Fiat Fiat Verse 8. And he said this is Wickednesse viz. this woman a figure of the whole sinfull nation of the Jewes as were Aholah and Aholibah Ezech. 23. and Babylon the great the mother of fornications and abominations Rev. 17.5 to whom I may add that grand-daughter of hers Katherine de Medices Queen-mother who by her wickednesse wonderfully troubled all France for thirty yeers together and he cast it into the midst of the Ephah The Angel as an executioner of divine justice throwes her down who before sat perking and priding her self and claps her upclose prisoner as it were in the Ephah casting the weight of lead into the mouth thereof that is of the Ephah or of the woman according to that Psal 107.42 the righteous shall â—ee it and rejoyce and all iniquity shall stop her mouth Montanus one of the Talmud addeâ—h that this woman is compel'd to take this lead into her mouth that moâ—ten lead was powred down her throat for a punishments of her frauds and thests ver 3. But the wicked shall not be so excused sor upon them God shall raine â—nares fire brimstone and a burning tempest this shall be the portion of their cup Psal 11.6 and this is farr worse then molten lead or burning bell-mettle Compare with this text ler. 51.64 and Rev. 18.21 with 20.1 An Angel a strong Angel for better assurance of Romes irrepairable ruine taketh a stone a great stone which he throweth and with force thrusteth into the bottom of the sea whence it cannot be boyâ—d up whence nothing ordinarily is recovered much lesse a milstone thrust from such a hand with such a force What do ye imagine against the Lord saith Nahum he will make an utter end affliction shall not rise up the second time chap. 1.9 that is the wicked shall be totally and finaily consumed at once neither will God make another doing of it I have overthrown some of you as God over threw Sodom and Gomorrah Am. 4.11 wickednesse is here crushed together as it were in a narrow veslell covered with lead and carried into a strange countrey Verse 9. Behold there came out two women Winged women and carried through the ayre with a pleasant wind to note their ready and speedy obedience prompt and present Women they are said to be to keep proportion with the present vision lest the meeting and mixing together of men and women in the same matter might minister occasion to some impure surmisings But that they were men and not women that are here meant is agreed upon by all These were Ezra and Nehemiah saith Willet on Levit. 11. after Junius and Piscator on the text those great Reformers of the Jewish Church But this stand not with the last verse I rather subscribe to those that expound the text of the Romanes who with great celerity and violence destroyed the Jewes state and so that which they feared befell them â—oh 11.48 The Romanes said they shall come to take away both our place and our nation and within a few yeers it proved accordingly as if God had taken them at their word as he did those murmuring miscreants Num. 14.28 As truly as I live saith the Lord as ye have spoken in mine cares so will I do unto you Hereunto the Chaldee Paraphrast consenteth when by these two women thus described he understandeth populos leves expeditos such Agents and Instâ—uments as God would imploy in the speedy execution of his wrath upon the Jewish Nation such as were Titus Vespasian and Aâ—lius Adrian See my Trite treasure chap. 7. sect 2. Diodate maketh these two women a figure of God two properties namely Mercy towards his Elect and Justice towards his Enemies wherewith he transports upon these last the judgements by which he had punished his own people which is done with admirable celerity Thus He. Danaeus makes those two women to be the Anger and Justice of God which do alwayes follow and waâ—t upon one another and take vengeance on mens wickednesse Judâ—ium sit penes lectorem and the wind was in their wings A masculine Affix reseâ—red to a Feminine Noune to intimate that these women were indeed types of men saith Mr. Pemble â—he Romanes were men every inch of them as the proverh is and therefore of cowards they were wont to say that they had nothing Roman in them and of Brutus that he was the lasi of the Romans and they lift up the Ephah between the Earth and the heaven This betokeneth a deportation and disiection of the Jewish Nation being tossed as a tennis-ball into all nations and scattered into the soure winds as Ier. 48.32 Rupertus hence concludeth them rejected of both carth and heaven Out of the earth they are as it were banished by a common consent of Nations and heaven admitteâ—n them not as those that please not God and are contrary to all men 1 Thess 2.15 And as their guide Judas when they took Jesus was hang'd betwixt heaven and earth being caelo terraeque perosus so fares it with that wretched people and will do till God shall call them a people which were not a people and her beloved which was not beloved Rom. 9.25 Verse 10 Whither do these beare the Ephah that is saith Ribera Quamdiu duratura est populi hujus impietas How long shall this peoples wickednesse last like as Isa 6.10 11. when the Prophet had heard make the heart of thâ— people fat and shut their eyes c. he cryes out How long Lord the answer whereunto is the same in effect with this of the Angel untill the cities be wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man and the land be utterly desolate And the Lord have removed men farr away and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land Verse 11. To build it an house in the land of Shinar That is of Babylon Gen. 10.10 and 11.2 where diverse of the Jews still remained in wilfull exile as loth to leave their houses and gardens which they had builded and planted there Jer. 29 5. preferring captivity before liberty See 1 Chron. 4.22 23. Hence upon their finall dispersion by the Romans diverse of them resorted thither for entertainment There Peter the Apostle of the circumcision