will not hearken unto them See Prov. 1.28 Zech. 7.13 with the Notes Ver. 12. Then shall the Cities of Judah go and cry unto the Gods Or Let them go and cry unto them q. d. Let them for me This is one of those bitter answers that God giveth to wicked suitors Ezek. 14. See Judg. 10.14 Or if he give them better at any time it is in wrath and for a mischief to them Ver. 13. For according to the number of thy Cities See chap. 2.28 And according to the number of thy streets See Ezek. 16.31 Ver. 14. Therefore pray not thou for this people See on chap. 7.16 When they cry unto me for their trouble It is not the cry of the spirit for grace but of the flesh only for ease it is but the fruit of sinful self-love In thee indeed it proceedeth from a better principle but I am at a point Ver. 15. What hath my beloved to do in mine house i. e. Mine once-beloved people which had the liberty of mine house and was welcome thither Vatab. but is now discarded and discovenanted as if an husband should say to his adulterous wife What maketh this strumpet in my bed sith she hath so many paramouts And the holy flesh The sacrifices sanctified by the Altar Is passed from thee Shall be wholly taken away from you together with the Temple When thou doest evil then thou rejoycest Thou revellest in thine impurities and sensualities as dreading no danger but slighting all admonition Ver. 16. The Lord called thy name a green Olive-tree Green all the year long fair and fruitful this was thy prosperous and flourishing condition but now thy best dayes are over For With the noise of a great tumult Barritu militari such as souldiers make when they storm a City Ver. 17. For the evil of the house of Israel That evil by a specialty that land-desolating sin of Idolatry Ver. 18. And the Lord hath given me knowledge of it i. e. Of the treacherous plot of my country-men of Anathoth against me who should never have dreamt of any such danger Dius pro suis excubat Ver. 19. But I was like a lamb or an Ox Harmlesse and blamelesse busied in my function and not in the least suspecting any such evil designe against me Mâ—t. 10. I send you forth as lambs amongst wolves saith Christ who himself being the Lamb of God was slain from the beginning of the world his servants also are slain all the day long and counted as sheep to the slaughter Rom. 8. Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof Let us poison his food so the Chaldee senseth it Ponamus lignum taxi in sorbitiunculam Others let us destroy the Prophet and his prophecyes together Others let us make an end of him either by sword or by famine as the punishment threatned ver 22. pointeth us to That his name may be no more remembred Sic veritas odium peperit So the Papists have given order that wheresoever Calvins name is found it shall be blotted out and by a most malicious Anagram they have turned Calvin into Lucian One of them lately took a long journey to Rome only to have his name changed from Calvin to some other and that out of devilish hatred of that most learned and holy man Ipsa à quo virtus virtutem discere posset Ver. 20. But O Lord of hosts Thou who art potentissimus liberrimus a most powerful and free Agent That tryest the reines and the heart And so knowest with what mind I make this complaint and request Let me see thy vengeance upon them A prophetical imprecation guided by Gods Spirit and not lightly to be imitated So the Church prayed against Julian the Apostate whom they knew to be a desperate enemy and to have committed that sin unto death So perhaps had these men of Anathoth Ver. 21. Of the men of Anathoth that seek thy life Where shall a man find worse friends then at home A Prophet is nowhere so little set by as in his own countrey Epist famil lib. 7. ep 6. Mat. 13.57 Probatissimus optimus quisque peregrè vivit saith Ennius in Tully Saying Prophecy not in the Name of the Lord A desperate speech proceeding from an height of hatred and coasting upon the unpardonable sin Ver. 22. Behold I will punish them Sic tandem bona causa triumphat The visible vengeance of God followeth close at the heels the persecutors of his faithful messengers Ver. 23. And there shall be no remnant Behold the severity of God their bloody design was to destroy Jeremies stock and fruit stalk and grain together ver 19. God meteth unto them the self-same measure leaveth them not a remnant This is not ordinary justice chap. 4.27 Isa 1. and 10. A remnant shall be left saith he here not so Let Rome that shambles of the Saints and Prophets especially look to it God is now coming to make inquisition for blood c. CHAP. XII Ver. 1. RIghteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee Or though I should contend with thee Est elegans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This the Prophet fitly premiseth to the ensuing disceptation that he might not be mistaken Thy judgements saith he are sometimes secret alwayes just this I am well assured of though I thus argue Yet let me talk with thee of thy judgements Let me take the humble boldnesse so to do that I may be further cleared and instructed by thee Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper Viz. Whil'st better men suffer as now the wicked Anathothites do whil'st I go in danger of my life by them This is that noble question which hath exercised the wits and molested the minds of many wise men both within and without the Church See Job 21.7 13. Psal 37.1 and 73.1 2 12. Hab. 1.4 5. Plato Cicero Seneca Epictetus Claudian against Ruffin c. Wherefore are they all happy Heb. at ease Not all neither for some wicked have their payment here their hell afore-hand To this question the Lord who knoweth our frame Psal 103. being content to condescend where he might have judged calmly maketh answer ver 5. like as Christ in like case did to Peter Joh. 21.21 22. Ver. 2. Thou hast planted them and they have taken root All goes haile with them they have more then heart can wish Psal 73.7 And in lieu of Gods goodnesse to them they professe largely and pretend to great devotion but that 's all Thou art near in their mouth and far from their reines That is from their affections Tit. 1.16 Hypocrites are like that heap of heads 2 King 10.8 that had never a heart among them they have vocem in chorâ— mentem in foro virtutem non colunt sed colorant That Persian Embassadour of whom before when conversing with Christians he had so oft in his moth Soli Deo Gloria made believe that he gave glory to the only true God when as he meant the
lovely though not pure so is the Church comely though not clear The Coy Daughters of Jerusalem might make a wonderment that so black a doudy as the Church appeared to them that saw not her inward beauty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 7. should ever hope to have love from the fairest among men Wee read how Aaron and Miriam murmured against Moses who was fair to God because of the Tauny-Moor-woman whom hee had married Numb 12.1 For answer to whom the Spouse here grants that shee is black or blackish at least 1 As having some hypocrites in her bosome that as that blasted corn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frumentum adustum Mat. 13.25 smutcheth and sullieth the better sort 2 As being not fully freed from sin till after death Sin is dejected indeed in the Saints but not utterly ejected while they are here For why it is in them as the spots of the Leopard not by accident but by nature which no Art can cure no water can wash off because they are not in the skin but in the flesh and bones in the sinewes and the most inward parts Job 30.30 Lam. 4.8 Jer. 8.21 Howbeit the Church is freed from the damning and domineering power of sin And whereas 3 Shee is looked upon as black because of her afflictions those fruits of sin and seems to have lain among the pots as the Psalmist hath it places where Scullions use to lye and so are black and collied yet shall shee bee as the wings of a Dove that are covered with silver c. Psal 68.13 though shee sit in darkness the Lord shall give her light Micah 7.8 And as black soap makes white cloathes so do sharp afflictions make holy hearts Act. Mon. 1486. Where God is pleased to set in with his battle-door as that Martyr said Puriores coelo afflictione facti sunt saith Chrysostome of those that were praying for Peter Act. 12. And some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and to make them white saith the Prophet of those suffering-Saints Dan. 11.35 The face of the Church is never so beautiful as when it is washed with its own tears as some faces appear most orientally fair when they are most instampt with sorrow Christ did so Isa 52.14 But comely Or goodly lovely desirable delectable viz. For my double Righteousness those righteousnesses of the Saints Rev. 19.8 imputed and imparted Hence the Church may better sing than Sappho did Si mihi difficilis formam natura negavit Ovid. Epist Justitia formae damna rependo meae Ingenio formae damna rependo meae As the tents of Kedar as the curtains of Solomon Kedar signifieth black Plin◠lib. 6. cap. 28. Solin cap. 26. Isa 13.20 and the Kedarens a people of Arabia descended of Ismael dwelt in black tents made of hair-cloath and had no other houses they also dwelt not far from the Ethiopians or Black-moors 2 Chron. 21.16 As the curtains c. i. e. As his costly tapestry Joseph Antiq. lib. 8.5 and other sumptuous houshold-stuff whereof read 1 King 10.1 2 c. Josephus also makes mention of the Babylonish rich furniture wherewith Solomons rooms were hanged These are to set forth the Churches comeliness as the other did her homeliness Let none be despised for his outward meanness for within that leathern purse may bee a Pearl Christ himself was hidden under the Carpenters son and a poor outside Isa 53.2 Saepe sub attrita latitat sapientia veste Vers 6. Look not upon mee because I am black Look not upon mee viz. with a lofty look with a coy countenance fix not your eyes upon mine infirmities and miseries so as to disdain mee or to disesteem mee for them Blackish I am I confess tanned and discoloured The old Latine translation renders it brown lovely brown wee call it belle brunette the French Others somewhat black q. d. My blackness is not so much as you may think for Judge not therefore according to the appearance Stumble not at my seeming deformities A faithful man may fall far but the seed abideth in him the new nature cannot bee lost the oyl of Gods Spirit wherewith hee is anointed setteth the colours which are of his own tempering so sure on and maketh them cleave so fast together that it is impossible hee should ever return to his own hiew to bee coal-black as before Howbeit hee is subject to much affliction anguish and distress as it were to the scorching of the Sun and that with many that have not senses exercised to discern good and evil renders him despicable but that should not bee Of Queen Elizabeth it is said Camb. Elis that shee hated no less than did Mithridates such as maliciously persecuted vertue forsaken of fortune as when a Deer is shot the rest of the Herd push him out of their company Because the Sun hath looked upon mee By Sun here some have understood the Sun of Righteousness whom when the Church looks intently upon shee is bedazled and sees her own nothingness in comparison of his incomparable brightness Others by Sun here will have original sin to bee meant which indeed hath brought the blackness of darkness upon the spirit of our minds and bored out the eye of our understandings The same Original pravity they understand by the following words Sons of the same Mother and by being kindled with wrath they understand sin encreasing and raging as it were And by appointing the Church to keep other Vineyards they understand the committing of the works of the flesh and the deeds of darkness with which shee was as it were holden so that shee could do nothing else till the Lord had loosed her out of these chains But they do best that by Sun in this place understand the heat of persecution and the parching of oppression according to Mat. 13.6 21. Lam. 1.6 13 14 c. What Bonefires were here made in Queen Maries daies burning the dear Saints of God to a black coal lighting them up for tapers in a dark night as they did in Neroes daies After John Husse was burnt his adversaries got his heart which was left untouched by the fire and beat it with their staves The story of the Maccabees persecutions prophecied of Dan. 11.36 and recorded Heb. 11.35 to the end is exceeding lamentable Opposition is as Calvin wrote to the French King Evangelii Genius Luth. in Gen. 29. and Ecclesia est haeres crucis saith Luther The Church hath its cross for its inheritance All that will live godly in Christ Jesus if they bee set upon it so to do shall suffer persecution there is no avoiding of it 2 Tim. 3.12 When Ignatius came to the wilde Beasts Now Act. and Mon. saith hee I begin to bee a Christian and not till now That Christian saith Mr. Bradford hath not yet learnt his ABC in Christianity that hath not learned the lesson of the Cross Luth.
Epicureans that if any were good amongst them it was meerly from the goodness of their nature for they taught and thought otherwise And as Peter Moulin said of many of the Priests of France that they were for their loyalty not beholding to the Maxims of Italy and yet Bellarmine hath the face to say De notis Eccles l. 4. c. 13 Sunt quidem in Ecclesia Catholica plurimi mali sed ex haeriticis nullus est bonus Among Papists there are many bad men but among Protestants not one good man is to bee found Vers 10. Hee made the pillars thereof i. e. The faithful Ministers called Pillars Gal. 2.9 and that Atlas-like bear up the pillars of it Psalm 75.3 Those that offer violence to such Sampson-like they lay hands upon the pillars to pluck the house upon their own heads Yea they attempt to pull Stars out of Christs hand Revelations 1. which they will finde a work not feisable Of silver For the purity of matter and clearness of sound for their beauty stability and incorruption Let Ministers hereby learn how they ought to behave themselves in the house of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3.15 The bottom thereof of gold Understand it either of Gods Word which is compared to the finest gold or of that precious grace of Faith the root of all the rest whence it is laid by St. Peter as the bottom and basis the foundation and fountain of all the following graces 2 Epist 1.5 Add to your Faith virtue and to virtue knowledge c. they are all in Faith radically every grace is but Faith exercised Hence wee read of the joy of Faith the obedience of Faith the righteousness of Faith c. Shee is the Mother-grace the womb wherein all the graces are conceived Hence the bottom of Christs fruitful bed the pavement of his glorious Bride-chamber the Church is here said to bee of gold that is of Faith which is called gold Rev. 3.17 compared with 1 Pet. 1.7 that the tryal of your Faith or your well-tryed Faith for it seems to bee an Hebraism being much more precious than that of gold c. And here Bern. Melius est pallens aurum quam fulgens aurichalcum gold though paler is better than glittering copper Splendida peccata The Faith of Gods Elect is far more precious than the shining sins of the beautiful abominations of meer Moralists Suppose a simple man should get a stone and strike fire with it and thence conclude it a precious stone Why every flint or ordinary stone will do that So to think one hath this golden grace of Faith because hee can bee sober just chast liberal c. Why ordinary Heathens can do this True gold will comfort the fainting heart which Alchymy gold will not Think the same of Faith The covering of it of Purple I am of their mind that expound it of Christs blood wherewith as with a Canopy or a kinde of Heaven over head the Church is covered and cured Rev. 5.16 7.14 Rom. 6.3 4. Purple was a rich and dear commodity amongst them see Prov. 31.22 7.5 Mark 15.17 Luk. 16.19 The precious blood of Christ is worthily preferred before gold and silver 1 Pet. 1.18 19. The midst thereof being paved with love For Christ loved us and washed us with his blood Rev. 1.5 Hee also fills his faithful people with the sense of his love who therefore cannot but finde a great deal of pleasure in the waies of God because therein they let out their souls into God and taste of his unspeakable sweetness they cannot also but reciprocate and love his love So the bottom the top and the middle of this reposing place are answerable to those three Cardinal graces faith hope and love 1 Cor. 13. For the daughters of Jerusalem This Charret or Bridal-bed hee made for himself hee made it also for the daughters of Jerusalem for all his is theirs Union being the ground of Communion As wee must do all for Christ according to that Quicquid agas propter Deum agas and again Propter te Domine propter te choice and excellent Spirits are more taken up with what they shall do for God than what they shall receive from God so Christ doth all for us and seeks how to seal up his dearest love to us in all his actions and atchievements Christs death and bloodshed saith Mr. Bradford is the great Seal of England yea of all the world for the confirmation of all Patents and Perpetuities of the everlasting life whereunto hee hath called us This death of Christ therefore look on as the very pledge of Gods love toward thee c. See Gods hands are nailed they cannot strike thee Serm. of Repent 63 his feet also hee cannot run from thee His arms are wide open to embrace thee his head hangs down to kiss thee his very heart is open so that therein look nay even spy and thou shalt see nothing therein but love love love to thee Hide thee therefore lay thine head there with the Beloved Disciple joyn thee to Christs Charret as Philip did to the noble Eunuchs This is the cleft of the Rock wherein Elias stood This is for all aking heads a pillow of Down c. Vers 11. Go forth O yee Daughters of Zion i.e. All yee faithful souls which follow the Lord Christ the Lamb that stands upon Mount Zion Rev. 14.1 4. Yee shall not need to go far and yet far yee would go I dare say to see such a gallant sight as King Solomon in his Royalty the Queen of Sheba did behold hee is at hand Tell yee the Daughters of Zion behold thy King cometh c. Mat. 21.5 Go forth therefore forth of your selves forth from your friends means all as Abraham did and the holy Apostles Confessours and Martyrs and as the Church is bid to do Psal 45.10 forget also thine own people and thy Fathers house Good Nazianzen was glad that hee had something of value to wit his Athenian learning to part with for Christ Horreo quicquid de meo est ut meus sim saith Bernard Hee that will come to mee must go utterly out of himself saith our Saviour All Saint Pauls care was that hee might bee sound in Christ but lost in himself Epist ad Gabr. Vydym Ambula in timore contemptu tui ora Christum ut ipse tua omnia faciat tu nihil facias sed sis sabbatum Christi saith Luther walk in the fear and contempt of thy self and rest thy spirit in Christ this is to go forth to see King Solomon crowned yea this is to set the Crown upon Christs head Camd. Elisab Anno 1585. When Queen Elizabeth undertook the protection of the Netherlands against the Spaniard all Princes admired her fortitude and the King of Sweden said that shee had now taken the Diadem from her own Head and set
gold that is upon a foundation both fine and firm for gold hardly rusteth or cankereth whence it was likely that Tithonus and his Son Memnon when they built the City of Susa in Persia they joyned the stones together with gold as Cassiodorus writeth Christs power is founded upon his divine Nature and this is the Rock upon which the Church is built and whereby it is set in safety from all miseries and molestations satanical or secular The gates of Hell shall not prevail against her Christ and the Father are one Psal 89.19 therefore none shall take her out of his hands God hath laid help upon one that is mighty even upon Emanuel the mighty strong God as hee is called Isa 9.6 declared to bee the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.4 that your Faith and hope might bee in God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prorsus perpotuo perfecte 1 Pet. 1.21 Trust perfectly therefore to or hope to the end for the grace that is to bee brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus sith hee is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him 1 Pet. 1.13 Heb. 7.25 His countenance is as Lebanon His aspect his look or general view i. e. Whatsoever of himself Christ is pleased to manifest and lay open unto us is pleasant and delightful goodly and glorious excellent and eximious choice as the Cedars that are chosen before other trees and why see the Note on chap. 1.17 Vers 16. His mouth is most sweet Heb. His palat that is his word and promises which are as it were the breath of Christs mouth is all sweet This shee had celebrated before vers 13. but as not satisfied therewith shee repeats it and rolls it again as sugar under her tongue Shee doubles this commendation to shew that that is the chief lovely thing in Christ his Word this fruit shee had found sweet unto her palat chap. 2.3 and shee spareth not to set it forth as here the second time Mallemus carere c. Wee had rather bee without Fire Water Bread Sun Air c. saith a Dutch Divine than that one sweet sentence of our blessed Saviour Come unto mee all yee that are weary c. Yea hee is altogether lovely Totus totus desiderabilis wholly amiable every whit of him to bee desired Moses thought him so when hee preferred the reproach of Christ the worst part of him the heaviest peece of his cross before all the treasures in Egypt that Magazin of the world Heb. 11.26 Those of this world see no such excellency and desireableness in Christ and his waies Psal 22.7 nor can do till soundly shaken Hag. 2.7 I will shake all Nations and then the desire of all Nations that is Christ shall come with stirring affections saying as Isa 26.9 with my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within mee will I seek thee early Loe this is the voice of every true childe of the Church and these desires of the righteous shall bee satisfied Prov. 10.24 This is my Beloved c. q.d. You may see I have cause to seek after him neither can you do better than to do likewise howsoever when you see him do my errand to him as vers 7. And here wee have most excellent Rhetorick which in the beginning of a speech requires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 milder affections in the end of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stronger passions that may leaved deepest impressions CHAP. VI. Vers 1. Whither is thy Beloved gone c ALL Christs Disciples are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquisitive after the truth that is in Jesus Ephes 4.21 and are fellow-helpers to it John 3.8 There is also quid divinum in auscultatione as one well noteth that is a strange and strong energy or forcibleness in hearing whether publiquely or in private conference Christ and his excellencies displayed and discoursed of Let but his name as an ointment bee powred out and the Virgins can do no less than love him Cant. 1.3 These daughters of Jerusalem are by hearing the Church describing her Spouse and painting him out in lively colours fired up to an holy contention in godliness and might they but know where to have him they would bee at any pains to partake of the benefit 1 Tim. 6.2 They wondred at first why shee should make such ado about Christ But when they conversed a while with her and had heard her speak with such affection and admiration they are turned and will now go seek him with her God is pleased many times to water the holy meetings and conferences of his people with blessing beyond expectation or belief Wee should frame our selves to an easie discourse of the glory of Christs Kingdome and talk of his power Psal 145.8 9. Our tongues in this argument should bee as the pen of a ready writer Psal 45.1 that wee may bee able to speak oft to one another with profit and power in the best thing Mal. 3.10 Little do wee know what a deal of good may bee done hereby Mr. Fox speaking of Gods little flock in the days of Henry the 8. saith in such rarity of good books and want of teachers Act. Mon. fol. 750. this one thing I cannot but marvell and muse at to note in the registers and consider how the word of God did multiply so exceedingly amongst them For I finde that one neighbour resorting and conferring with another eftsoons with a few words of their first or second talk did win and turn their minds to that wherein they desired to perswade them touching the truth of Gods Word and Sacraments c. In all ages such as were ordained to eternal life believed Acts 13.48 after that they had heard the Word of truth they beleeved and were sealed Irridentis vex non interrogantis Contrariwise reprobates either refuse to hear the Church preaching Christ John 8.47 Of else they hear and jear as Pilat with his What 's truth in meer mockage John 18.38 hear and blaspheme Acts 13.45 or at best hear and admire and that 's all they leave the Word where they found it for any thing they will practice They think they do a great chare to sit out a Sermon and then commend it But Wisdoms children will not onely justifie her Mat. 11.19 but also glorifie her Acts 13.48 they will seek the Lord and his strength seek his face evermore Psal 105.4 Seek him in his holy Temple seek him in and with the Church as here They know that extra Ecclesiam nulla salus The Church is the pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3.15 in as much as by her ministery the authority dignity knowledge virtue and use of the truth of the Gospel is preserved in the world and held out Philip. 2.16 as the hand holds forth the torch or the watch-tower the light and so the haven to the weather-beaten Mariners
by reading Erasmus his Colloquies I the Lord will hasten it in his time Heb. In its time that is in the time of the New Testament but most compleatly and gloriously at the Resurrection shall all these things that are foretold be accomplished CHAP. LXI Ver. 1. THe Spirit of the Lord God is upon me Christ had graciously promised to accomplish his peoples happinesse in its due time chap. 60.22 Here he sheweth how and when he will do it viz. by himself anointed and appointed by his heavenly Father to be Messiah the Prince Dan. 9.25 Christ the Lord Acts 4.26 Priest Prophet and King of his Church a Saviour ex Professo consecrated as the Priests of old were first with oyle and then with blood So was he 1. By the holy Spirit invisibly at the first instant of his conception and visibly at his Baptism 2. By his own blood sprinkled upon him at his Circumcision but especially at his Passion which was another Baptism Matth. 20.23 Luke 12.50 Because the Lord hath anointed me Prae consortibus proconsortibus Psal 45.7 Above thy fellows and also for thy fellows as some render that text See Joh. 1.33 3.34 Luke 4.18 Acts 10.38 Heb. 1.8 with Psal 105.15 2 Cor. 1.21 22. 1 Joh. 2.20 27. Only unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ephes 4.7 but God gave not the Spirit unto him by measure Job 3.34 he had it in an abundant and transcendent manner good measure pressed down shaken together and running over even as much as his humane nature was capable of Let the Saints love him for this Cant. 1.2 and labour to be more and more made partakers of his holinesse for of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace Joh. 1.16 a persection in some sort answerable to Christs own perfection There are that observe in this text and not amisse the Mystery of the holy Trinity viz. God the Father anointing his Son Christ with the Holy Ghost See the like at Christs baptism Mat. 3.16 with the Note there To preach good tidings to the meck To preach this referreth to Christs Prophetical Office as doth binding up the broken-hearted to his Priestly and proclaiming liberty to the captives to his Kingly Office To these three offices as God he was consecrated set apart for a Mediator as Exod. 30.30 and as Man he was qualified as before That which Christ came to preach was good tydings goodspeâ— or Gospel as we call it the best news that ever came into the world Luke 2.10 This he came and preached not in his own person only but by his Prophets and Apostles Ephes 2.17 in whom he spake 2 Cor. 13.3 and before all whom himself preached the first Gospel to our first parents Gen. 3.15 even the Gospel of grace Vnto the meek Or lowly for humility and meekness are sâ—rores collactancae twin-sisters These are those poor that are Gospellized viz. the poor in spirit sensible of their utter indigency and nothingnesse Matth. 5.3 whereby also our Saviour proveth himself to John's disciples sent unto him for the purpose to be the true Messiah foreshewed by Isaiah and foreshadowed in him Matth. 11.5 Luke 7.22 He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted This Christ doth as a fit High-priest sensible of our miseries Heb. 4.15 He hath manum medicam he is the true Samaritan Pungit ungit ut sanct not the Physician only but the Chirurgion of his people cataplasmans obligans plaistering and binding up their wounds given them by the Devil that wicked chief then when the Priest and the Levite the Law had passed them by and yeilded them no help at all The broken-hearted Broken with the sence of sin and fear of wrath so broken as if all their bones were rattling within their skin This was Davids case Psal 51.8 and this he pleads as one in case and capacity for mercy ver 17. he knew well enough that God poureth not the oyl of his mercy save only into broken vessels for whole vessels are full vessels and so this precious liquor would run over and be spilt upon the ground To proclaim liberty to the captives Liberty from the tyranny of sin and terror of Hell This Christ doth as a King with great power Joh. 8.32 34. Rom. 6.17 18. Col. 1.13 2 Tim. 2.26 And the opening of the prison i. e. Of Hell called here koach of lakach to receive because it is capacious and still taking in more company sic infernus dicicitur ab inferendo ut aliqui volunt Ver. 2. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord The new and true Jubilee or year of releasment called here in the Hebrew the year of good-will like as the Elect are called the men of Gods good-will Luke 2.14 This year is now 2 Cor. 6.2 and the present now must be embraced and improved sith God is but a while with men in the opportunities of grace which opportunities are headlong and once past irrecoverable And the day of vengeance of our God Tribulation to them that trouble his people 2 Thes 1.6 7. Gog and Magog shall down in that day all Hamans be hanged up at that feast royal at the last day especially Luke 19.27 To comfort all that mourn This Christ did both by word and deed and this must all his Ministers do comfort the feeble-minded 1 Thes 5.14 not burdening mens consciences with humane traditions and merit of works Popery is a doctrine of desperation Apud Hebraeos ornatus est in verbis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 3. To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion Here is shewed how it is that Christ comforteth his people sc by clearing up their consciences from the stain and sting of sin and by healing their natures causing them to grow in grace as trees of righteousness well rooted and well fruited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To appoint unto them sc Comfort as ver 2. To give unto them beauty for ashes Cidarim pro cinere lusum pro luctus risum pro rictu c. to turn all their sighing into singing all their musing into musick all their sadness into gladness all their tears into triumphs But then those that would rejoyce with joy unspeakable must stir up sighes that are unutterable for even Christ himself favos post fella gustavit tasted first of the sower and then of the sweet That they may be called Have the comfort and the credit of growing Christians full of goodness and filled with all knowledge able also to admonish one another as were those Romans chap. 15.14 to their eternal commendation See Joh. 15.5 8. Philip. 1.11 That he might be glorified As indeed he is by one gracious action performed by a fruitful Christian more then by all his works of Creation and Providence Ver. 4. And they shall build the old wasts Desolationes saeculi the Gentiles that have long lain forlorn and
the Lord sc As an aggravation of Israels great unkindness and unthankfulness to so liberal a Lord Summam Cantici sui paucis complectitur so bountiful a Benefactour Good turnes exaggerate unkindnesses and mens offences are increased by their obligations See Deut. 32.7 14. According to his mercies c. Which are such as words are too weak to utter hence this Copia verborum and all too little See the like Ephes 2.5 7. Ver. 8. For he said Surely they are my people children that will not lye q. d. I presume they will not it were a foul shame for them if they should deceive my expectation deale disloyally shew themselves deceitful in the Covenant The Officers of Merindol in France answered the Popish Bishop that moved them to abjure that they marvelled much that he would offer to perswade them to lye to God and the world And albeit that all men by nature are lyars yet they had learned by the Word of God that they ought diligently to take heed of lying in any matter be it never so small Also that they ought diligently to take heed that their children did not accustome or use themselves to lye and therefore punish them very sharply when they took them with any lye Act. Mon. 866. even as if they had committed a robbery for the devil is a lyar c. Here the Bishop rose up in a great anger and so departed Ver. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted See Exod. 3.7 9. Judg. 10.16 Zach. 2.8 Act. 9.4 Jer. 31.20 Of God we may better say than the Poet did of Augustus 2. de Ponto Eleg. 2. Est placidus facilisque parens veniaeque paratus Et qui fulmineo saepe sine igne tonat Qui cum triste aliquid statuit sit tristis ipse Cuique fere poenam sumere poena sua est And the Angel of his presence saved them i. e. Jesus Christ who is called the face of God Exod. 33.14 15. the image of the invisible God Colos 1.15 whom who so hath seen hath seen the Father also Joh. 14.9 He who is in the bosom of the Father Joh. 1.18 and as an everlasting Priest mediateth and ministreth in the presence of his Father making request for us Heb. 9.24 Rev. 8.3 that Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 And he bare them As Parents do their young children And carryed them As Eagles do their young See Exod. 19.4 Deut. 32.11 with the Note Ver. 10. But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit By sinning against light checks of conscience motions of the Spirit mercyes without measure c. Junius thinketh this a clear place for proof of the Trinity in Unity So he was turned to be their enemy This was an ill turn for them abused mercy turneth into fury with the froward God will wrestle Psal 18. Ver. 11. Thou he remembred i. e. Israel remembred the dayes of old Heb. of antiquity the dayes of yore as some old Translations have it See Psal 89.50 c. Saying Where is he that brought them up out of the sea q. d. How is it that he is not now to be found as then he was for the succour of his poor people They had vexed his holy Spirit and therefore he withdrew himself See Hos 5.6 With the shepherd of his flock Or shepherds as some ancient copies had it viz. Moses and Aaron Psal 77.20 Where is he that put his holy spirit within him But this holy Spirit they had vexed ver 10. and now they sorrowfully enquire after Delicata res est spiritus sanctus ita nos tractat sicut tractatur saith a Father i. e. The Spirit of God is a delicate thing he deals with us as we deal by him Ver. 12. That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm Or that maâ—e his gallant arm to go at Moses his right hand Funâ—cius Dividing the water before them So that Pseudo-Moses the devill likely made many over credulous Jews of Creet believe that he would do for them whom he cozened into the midst of the sea to their destruction Anno Christi 434. Some are of opinion that this affectionate prayer was purposely penned by the Prophet for the use of those poor Jews who after the coming of Christ and manifestation of the Gospel should see themselves to be rejected by God and his Church and should now beg to be owned again cui sanc instituto omnia magis quam dici queat conveniunt saith Hyperius the ensuing petitions suit very much Ver. 13. That led them through the deep Which threatened to swallow them but indeed preserved them so doth every main affliction As a horse in the wildernesse Or as an horse goeth in the plain when led by his rider in qua non est lutum vel lapis where there is neither mire to stick in nor stone to stumble at See Psal 106. Leniter commode Ver. 14. As a beast goeth down into the valley i. e. Gently and leisurely according to that known Distich Ascendente tuo vel descendente caballo Vox ait ista Fave vox ait illa Cave The Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest Or led them until he brought them to rest sc in the promised land To make thy self a glorious name q. d. So thou maist do again if thou please to shew mercy unto us Name is here put for fame or renown Ver. 15. Look down from heaven Affectus dolentium atque ardenter petentium scite exprimuntur a pathetical and pithy prayer And behold from the habitation of thy holiness c. They pray otherwise now then when the Temple stood Psal 121.1 now they look higher and Oh that they would do so The modern Jews pray thus daily but because not from a right principle they are not heard Where is thy zeal Thine ancient fervour and forwardness in vindicating thy people and being avenged of their enemies The sounding rumbling or yerning of thy bowels c. Sometimes God seemeth to loose his mercy and then we must find it for him as here sometimes to sleep or delay and then we must waken quicken him Psal 40.17 Isa 62.7 Are they restrained Chrysostom exhorteth people whether God grant or not to pray still for when God denies it is as good as if he grants And if we pray for any temporal mercy the very ability to pray Hom. 30. in Gen s is better then the thing we pray for for Whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Ver. 16. Doubtlest thou art our Father Though thou frownest and withdrawest The people of God saw that He was angry that their hearts also were hard yet they thought they should know him amidst all his austerities and they make to him for help And doubtless help the Jews might yet have could they seriously say as here Certainly thou art our Father and would no longer rest upon carnal things boasting of Abraham their Father Circumcision
fearlesnesse of death in so good a cause and with so good a conscience Ver. 13. Amend your wayes Fall out with your faults and not with your friends See chap. 7.3 And the Lord will repent him of the evil This he often inculcateth Ideo minatur Deus ut non puniat See chap. 18.8 Ver. 14. As for me behold I am in your hand See here how God gave his holy Prophet a mouth and wisedome such as his adversaries were not able to resist The like he did to other of his Martyrs and Confessours as were easie to instance If the Queen will give me life I will thank her if she will banish me I will thank her Act. Mon. 1462. if she will burn me I will thank her c. said Bradford to Creswel offering to intercede for him To do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you But this I can safely say Non omnis moriar all that ye can do is to kill the body kill me you may but hurt me you cannot Life in Gods displeasure is worse then death Eutipid in Aul de I am not of their mind who say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Better live basely then dye bravely Faxâ—t Deus ut quilibet nostrum epilogum habeat galeatum God grant that whether our death be a burnt offering of Martyrdome or a peace offering of a natural death it may be a free-will-offering a sweet sacrifice to the Lord. Ver. 15. Ye shall surely bring innocent blood c. So Mr. Rogers our Protomartyr in Queen Maryes dayes If God said he look not mercifully upon England the seeds of utter destruction are sown in it already by these hypocritical tyrants Act. Mon. and Antichristian prelates double traitours to their native countrey Ver. 16. Then said the Princes and all the people The Mobile vulgus See on ver 9. The good Prophet is acquitted as Athanasius afterwards was often for if to be accused were enough to make a man guilty none should be innocent Ver. 17. Then rose up certain of the Elders Vâ—ri illi admodum venerabiles erant saith Oecolampadius these were very worthy men whether Princes or pleaders well read in the Annals of the times as great men ought to be Ver. 18. Micah the Morashite See on Mic. 1.1 Zion shall be plowed like a field See Mic. 3.12 Ver. 19. Did Hezekiah King of Judah Laudable examples are to be remembred and as occasion requireth imitated That was a very good one of Constantine the Great when the Arrians brought accusations against the Orthodox Bishops as here the false Prophets did against Jeremy he burnt them and said These accusations will have proper hearing at the last day of judgement Sozomen Ver. 20. And there was also a man This seemeth to be the plea of the adverse party producing an example opposite to the former and shewing what the way was now whatever it had been heretofore New Lords new Laws According to all the words of Jeremiah Whose Contemporary he was and his memory was yet fresh bleeding Ver. 21. And when Jehoiakim This Tiger laid hold with his teeth on all the excellent spirits of the times See chap. 36.26 He was afraid and fled Not out of timorousnesse but prudence Tertullian was too rigid in condemning all kind of flight in times of persecution God hath not made his people as standing but markes to be shot at c. See Mat. 10.23 Ver. 22. And Jehoiakim sent men into Egypt Where he might have any thing for he was Pharaohs feudatary and vassal Ver. 23. And they fet forth Vriab out of Egypt As they did here Sir John Cheek out of the Low-countries and frightened him into a Recantation Not so this Vriah And they fet forth Vriah out of Egypt En collusio Principum mundi in parricidio Who slew him with the sword Without all law right or reason So John Baptist was murthered as if God had been nothing aware of him said that Martyr But Jehojakim got as little by this as he did afterwards by burning Jeremy's Book or as Vespasian afterwards did by banishing all the Philosophers of his time because they spake boldly against his vices and tyranny Ver. 24. Neverthelesse the hand of Ahikam Who had been one of Josiah's Councellours 2 King 22.12 By this mans authority and help Jeremiah was delivered and God rewarded him in his son Gedaliah made Governour of the Land 2 Kings 25.22 CHAP. XXVII Ver. 1. IN the beginning of the raign of Jehojakim By the date of this Prophecy compared with ver 12. of this Chapter and chap. 28.1 it should seem that it lay dormant for fourteen or fifteen years ere it was recited Ver. 2. Make thee bonds and yokes i. e. Yokes with bonds such as they are wont to be fastened with A Lapide And put them upon thy neck This was to the Prophet saith the Jesuite molesta probrosa poenitentia a troublesome and disgraceful pennance but this was no will-worship say we and much handsomer then the pennances they put the people to in Italy Bee-hive of Rome where you may see them go along the streets saith mine Author with a great rope about their necks as if they were dropped down from the Gallowes and sometimes they wear a Sawsedge or a Swines-pudding in place of a silver or gold chain for a sign of their mortification and that they may merit Ver. 3. By the hand of the messengers i. e. Embassadours of those neighbouring States who might come to Zedekiak to confederate with him against Nebuchadnezzar's growing greatnesse but all in vain and to their own ruine Deus quem destruit dementat The wicked oft run to meet their bane as if they were even ambitious of destruction Ver. 4. Go tell your Masters But they would not be warned and were therefore ruined So true is that of an Ancient Divinum consilium dum devitatur impletur humana sapientia dum reluctatur comprehenditur Ver. 5. I have made the earth And am therefore the great Proprietary and Lord Paramount of all to transfer Kingdoms at my pleasure This Nebuchadnezzar after seven years prentiship served among the beasts of the field had learned to acknowledge Oecolamp Dan. 4. Ver. 6. And now have I given all these lands Nebuchadnezzar shall be Monarch contra Gentes Dicunt nugatores equitasse Nabuchodonosor super Leonem infraenasse Draconem Ver. 7. And all Nations shall serve him All the neighbouring Nations and some others more remote but never was any man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vniversal Monarch though some have stiled themselves so as did Sesostris King of Egypt Qui Pharios currus regum cervicibus egit Vntil the very time of his land come The greatest Monarchies had their times and their turns their rise and their ruine And then many Nations and great Kings shall serve themselves of him As the Chaldaeans had served themselves of the Assyrians so did the Persians of the Chaldaeans the
for their own and not emulate others A good man shall be satisfied from himself Prov. 14.14 as knowing within himself that whatever he hath here little or much he hath in heaven a better and more enduring substance Heb. 10.34 Ver. 26. Vpon this I awaked Out of my prophetike dream And my sleep was sweet unto me i. e. The promises Christ in the promises were sweet unto me and I was as much refreshed therewith as with sound sleep after hard toile or travel Ver. 27. I will sow the house of Israel I will repeople the country and raise up many believers to Christ Ver. 28. Like as I have watched over them I have been sedulous and assiduous To pluck up and break down c. See chap. 1.10 11. 10.12 18.7 So I will watch I will make them a plentiful amends Ver. 29. In those dayes they shall say no more There shall be tersius de operibus Dei judicium a righter judgement passed upon Gods proceedings See of this by-word Ezek. 18.2 Ver. 30. But every one shall dye for his own iniquity i. e. Every unbeliever shall neither shall the Gospel save him Ver. 31. I will make a new Covenant The same for substance with the former made with Adam Noah Abraham Moses and the Israelites in the Wildernesse but new in respect of the form thereof the manner of dispensing it viz. more clearly freely effectually and spiritually now under the Gospel then in those dayes of yore when they saw the Face of God only in that dark glasse of the ceremonies whereas we with open face c. 2 Cor. 3.18 Ver. 32. Not according to the Covenant Not so but a great deal better in regard of larger measures of the Spirit now poured out upon all flesh together with the efficacy thereof in the hearts of Gods Covenanters who have a duplicate of Gods Law written within them ver 33. Lex jubet gratia javat hence it is an everlasting Covenant and the fruits of it are sure mercies compassions that fail not as is here set forth Ver. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts This the Apostle calleth the law in their minds oppsed to the law of their members Rom. 7.23 for the natural man is inversus decalogus he is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be But God putteth into the hearts of his people the counterpant of his holy Law he stamps as it were a decalogue upon their spirits he puts into them an inward aptnesse answering the Law of God without as the lead answereth the mould wax the seal as tally answereth tally or as indenture indenture And I will be their God and they shall be my people This promise is divini mellis alveare as One calleth it The hive of heavenly hony Ver. 34. And they shall teach no more every man his Neighbour Deest coactie Oecolamp non deerit cohortatio Men shall learn with much lesse adoe because taught of God and lively illightened by his Holy Spirit quando Christus magister quam cito discitur quod docetur saith Agustine when Christ becomes a mans Teacher he must needs be a forwardly Scholar Some make this to be the sense of the words that in Gospel-times the truths of Christ and the knowledge of the Son of God should be so evident that men might get more of themselves without a teacher then with one in the legal administrations as Paul also sheweth 2 Cor. 3. Not that men should have no need of teaching at all in those times for the best know but in part and must daily grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3.18 For they shall all know me All mine Elesh shall know me in some competent measure know the Principles Heb. 6.1 2. and go on unto perfection ib. For I will forgive their iniquities In heaven and in their own consciences also Zach. 3.4 provided that they put this and the like promises in suit by their prayers Mal. 6.11 Augustine Mr. Perkins and Arch-bishop Vsher expired with crying for mercy and forgivenesse Ver. 35. Thus saith the Lord which giveth the Sun c. For their better security and setlement he borroweth a comparison from the surest things Sun Sea c. Which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar Or who when I trouble the the sea the waves thereof roar but cannot passe their bound which I have set them See Isa 51.15 Ver. 36. If these ordinances depart from before we If they alter their constant course Then shall the seed of Israel cease Then shall the faithful fail and rhe Israelitish nation be utterly abolished Ver. 37. If heaven above can be measured By man for God measureth it with his span Isa 40.12 And the foundations of the earth be searched out If any man can dig or dive to the Center Ver. 38. That the City should be built to the Lord Jerusalem shall be reedified the Church eternally reestablished by Christ From the tower of Hananeel Neh. 3.1 12.39 Zach. 14.10 Vnto the gate of the corner 2 Kings 14.13 Zach. 14.10 Ver. 39. Vpon the hill Garth Versus collem scabiosi toward the hill of the scabby so Tremellius rendereth it and Junius thinks it was so called because thither they used to send their Lepers and Lazars At Geneva in times of Popery there they had a in void place certain cottages set up whereunto they sent their Lepers wherewith that City then abounded through the horrible filthinesse that was there in those dayes committed But from the year 1535. wherein they embraced the purity of the Gospel there hath been not above one Leper seen in that City So restifieth Matthaeus Cottherius in his exposition of the Revelation printed at Sedan in France Anno 1625. And shall compasse about to Goath Alias Golgotha as some think but these places here mentioned as also those Zach. 8. 14. as they were known to the Ancients so to us at this day they are unknown Travellers tell us that Jerusalem is now a poor obscure place governed by a Turkish Sanzak and that Golgotha or Calvary is in the very midst of the town Ver. 40. And the whole valley of the dead bodies Of Rephaim say some of Tophet say others See on ver 39. Shall be holy unto the Lord So is the holy Catholike Church the new Jerusalem which is above especially It shall not be plucked up nor thrown down any more for ever This cannot be applyed to the earthly Jerusalem which was plucked up and thrown down by the Romans once and again but especially by Aelius Adrianus the Emperour who laid the whole Country waste almost drove the Jews utterly out of it set a Sow of white marble over the chief gate of Jerusalem in reproach of their Religion and called the City by his own name Aelia commanding the Jews not once to look towards it from any tower or hill It must be therefore meant of tht
and sith they think us not worthy to breath in the common aire whom thou hast made heires of the world together with faithful Abraham our Progenitour destroy them from under these heavens of thine in the compass and cope whereof thou raignest and rulest all From under the heavens of the Lord Do thou O Christ to whom the Father hath committed all judgment root them out from under the heavens of thy heavenly Father Thus some Paraphrase the words and observe therehence the mystery of the Trinity like as they do from Gen. 19.24 CHAP. IV. Pet. à Figueir Ver. 1. HOw is the gold become dim How by way of wonderment again as chap. 1.2 q. d. Quo tanto scelere hominum qua tanta indignatione Dei What have men done and how hath God been provoked that there are such strange alterations here all on the sudden By gold and fine gold here understand the Temple overlaid by Solomon with choice gold or Gods people his spiritual Temple who had now lost their lustre and dignity The stones of the Sanctuary are poured out Come tumbling down from the demolished Temple Ver. 2. The precious sons of Zion Those Porphyrogeniti as the Greek Emperours children were called Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because born and bred up in a room made up of precious stones Understand it of the Jews in general Gods peculiar people precious in his sight and therefore honourable Isa 43.4 of Zedekiahs sons in particular who as did also the rest of the Jewish Nobility if Josephus may be beleeved poudered their hair with gold dust Antiq. l. 8. c. 7. to the end that they might glister and sparkle against the beams of the Sun The precious children of the Church are all glorious within by means of the graces of the Spirit that golden oyle Zach. 4.12 and the blessings of God out of Zion Psal 134.3 which are far beyond all other the blessings of heaven and of earth As earthen pitchers Weak and worthlesse Ver. 3. Even the sea-monsters Heb. Whales or Seales which being Amphibii have both a willingnesse Vulg. Lamiae and a place convenient to suckle their whelps The daughter of my people is become cruel She is so perforce being destitute of milk for want of food but much more by feeding upon them ver 10. and chap. 2.20 Oh what a mercy is it to have meat and how inexcusable are those unnatural mothers that neglect to nurse their children not out of want but wantonnesse Surely as there is a blessing of the womb to bring forth so of the brests to give suck Gen. 49.25 and the dry breasts and barren womb have been taken for a curse Hos 9.14 as some interpret that text Ver. 4. The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth For want of suck That was a miracle which is recorded of the old woman of Bolton in Lancashire who took up a poor child that lay crying at the breasts of her dead mother slain among many others by Prince Ruperts party and laying it to her own dry breasts that had not yeelded suck for above twenty years before on purpose to still it had milk came to nourish it to the admiration and astonishment of all beholders This and another like example of Gods good providence for the releif of little ones whom their mothers could not relieve may be read of in Mr. Clarks Mirror for Saints and Sinners Edit 3. fol. 495 507. And no man breaketh it unto them The parents either not having it for them or not having an heart to part with it to them Ver. 5. They that did feed delicately Such uncertainty there is of outward affluence Our Richad the second was famished to death Speed Lib. 3. c. 4. Henry Holland Duke of Excester grand-child to John of Gaunt was seen to run on foot bare-legged after the Duke of Burgundy's train begging his bread for Gods sake This I saw saith Philip de Comines This Henry was brother in law to King Edward the fourth from whom he fled They that were brought up in scarlet Qui nutriebantur in croceis sen cocceis In fimetis victum quaeritant prae inopia Jun. that were gorgeously arrayed or that rolling on their rich beds wrapped themselves in costly coverlets Embrace dunghils There take up their lodgings and there also are glad to find any thing to feed on though never so course and homely The Lapwing is made an Hieroglyphick of infelicity because he hath as a coronet upon the head and yet feedeth upon the worst of excrements It is pitty that any child of God washt in Christ's blood should bedabble his scarlet robe in the stinking guzzle of the worlds dunghill that any one who hath heretofore soared as an Eagle should now creep on the ground as a bettle or wallow as a swine in the mire of sensuality Ver. 6. For the punishment of the iniquity of Zion is greater For Sodom was destroyed by Angels Zion by malicious men The enemies were not enriched by Sodom as they were by Zion Sodom was destroyed in an instant not so Zion for she had her punishment piecemeal first a long seige and then the loss of all after a world of miseries sustained in the seige Julius Caesar was wont to say It is better once to fall then alwaies to hang in suspence Augustus wished that he might dye suddenly His life he called a Comedy and said that he thought he had acted his part therein pretty handsomly Now if he might soon passe through death he would hold it an happinesse Souldiers wish is thus set forth by the Poet quid enim concurritur horae Momento aut cita mors venit aut victoria laeta It is the ancient and manful fashion of the English who are naturally most impatient of lingering mischiefs to put their quarrels to the trial of the sword Speed 963. as the Chronicler observeth Ver. 7. Her Nazarites Who served God in a singular way of abstinence above other men These had their rules given them Num. 6. which whiles they observed They were purer then snow whiter then milk Temperance is the mother of beauty as luxury is of deformity This is nothing to the Popish Votaryes those Epicures and Abby-lubbers Quorum luxuriae totus non sufficit orbis Some by Nazarites here understand their Nobles and such as wore coronets on their heads Nezar is a crown 2 Sam. 1.10 2 Kings 11.12 thus Joseph was a Nazarite Gen. 49.26 So Daniel and his three Associates in whom that was verified Gratior est pulchro veniens in corpore virtus Ver. 8. Their visage is blacker then a coal Heb. their visage is more darkned then blacknesse sc With famine fear grief and car those vultures have so fed upon them that all sightlinesse and lovelinesse is lost Think the same of Apostates God may complain of such as Mic. 2.8 Ver. 9. They that be slain with the sword are better They suffer lesse pain in dying
sit Gen. 34.20 to judge between party and party The young men from their musick From their ordinary and honest recreations and disports Ver. 15. The joy of our heart is ceased Heb. keepeth Sabbath i. e. is vanished and that because we made not Gods Sabbath our delight as Isa 58.13 Ver. 16. The crown is fallen from our head i. e. All our glory both of Church and State because we refused to serve God which indeed is to reign in righteousnesse Now neither is all this nor any of this spoken to exasperate or exulcerate peoples hearts to fret against God or to faint under their pressures but to put them upon the practice of true humiliation that so they may not lose the fruit of their Afflictions whence the following passage Woe unto us that we have sinned Which as it runneth sweetly and rythmically in the Original so it pointeth us to that savory and soveraign practice of lamenting our sins more then our miseries and humbling our selves to the utmost under the mighty hand of God that he may lift up in due season Ver. 17. For this our heart is faine Ponit symbolum vere contritionis we are sin-sick even at heart our sins are as so many daggers at our hearts or bearded arrows in our flesh For these things our eyes are dim we have well-nigh wept them out whereby neverthelesse out minds have been illightened Lachrymae sunt succus cordis contriti seu liquores animae patientis Ver. 18. Because of the mountain of Zion which is desolate q. d. Next unto our sins which are our greatest sorrow nothing troubleth us more then this that the publike exercises of Piety are put down Sion the seat of Gods Sanctuary is desolate Ver. 19. Thou O Lord remainest for ever Alioqui totus totus desperassem as that good man said once in like case Otherwise I should have but small joy of my life But thou art everlasting and invariable in essence truth will and promises This is mine Anchor-hold Thy throne from generation to generation i. e. Thy most equal and righteous ordering of all things utut nobis quaedam confusiusculè currere videantur though some things may seem to us to be somewhat confusedly carried and even to run on wheels yet it shall one day appear that there was a wheel within a wheel Ezek. 1. that is an over ruling and all-disposing Providence Ver. 20. Wherefore dost thou forget us Sith thy Covenant runs otherwise 2 Sam. 7.14 See on ver 1. And forsakest us so long time Heb. to length of dayes as Psal 23 6. Not for Seventy years only but to the end of the world till wrath is come upon us to the utmost as 2 Thes 2. Ver. 21. Turn thou us unto thee That thou maist turn thee to us as Zach. 1.3 Let there be a through-reformation wrought in us and then a gracious restauration wrought for us Est Aposiopesis ad pathos Ver. 22. But thou hast utterly rejected us This is a sad Catastrophe or close of this doleful ditty Sometimes Gods suppliants are put hard to it in the course of their Prayers the last grain of their faith and patience seemeth to be put into the scale When the Son of man cometh with deliverance to his praying people shall he find faith in the earth Hard and scarce And yet he comes oft when they have even done looking for him he is seen in the Mount he helpeth those that are forsaken of their hopes Hallelujah Sure it is that God cannot utterly reject his people whom he hath chosen Rom. 11. Tremellius rendreth it and so the Margin of our Bibles hath it and I think better For wilt thou utterly reject us or be extreamly wrath with us sc supra modulum nostrum according to thine infinite power and above all that we are able to bear I cannot think it neither doth it consist with thy Covenant Here as also at the end of Ecclesiastes Isaiah and Malachy many of the Hebrew Bibles repeat the foregoing verse Turn thou us unto thee O Lord c. yet without pricks left any thing should seem added thereby to the holy Scriptures The reason here of read in the end of the Prophecy of Isa This is also here observed by the most renowned Mr. Thomas Gataker whom for honour sake I name and to whose most accurate and elaborate Annotations upon Isaiah and Jeremy I have been not a little beholden all along These he finished not long before his death to the great glory of God and good of his Church Fretum Magellanicum And of him and this worthy Work of his I may fitly say as a learned man doth of Magellanus the Portingal that great Navigator that the Strait or Sea now called by his name unâ navigatione simul immortalem gloriam mortem ei attulerit Boxhorn histor universal was both his death and his never-dying Monument 1 Sam. 7.12 Hitherto hath the Lord helped us A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION ON THE BOOK of the Prophet EZEKIEL CHAP. I. THe Book of the Prophet Ezekiel The Book of Ezekiel so the Hebrews call it and forbid any to read the beginning and ending of it till he be thirty years of age because it is so abstruse and mysterious Nazianzen calleth this Prophet The Beholder of great things In Apolog. and the Interpreter of visions and mysteries Another calleth him the Hieroglyphical Prophet A third Jeremy vailed a hand shut up A lap Ezâ—chiel scripturarum Oceanâ—â— et mysteriorum Dei labyrinthus Hieron Many both waters and readers have passed over this Prophet as dark difficult and lâ—ssâ— useful Greenhil praef Orat. 47. and you know not what is in it c. Contemporary he was to Jeremy though in another Country and a great confirmer of what he had foretold but could not be credited To him therefore as to many others Ezekiel became according to the import of his name The strength of God who mightily enabled him as Lavater well noteth with a stout and undaunted spirit to reprove both people and Princes and to threaten them more terribly and vehemently then Jeremy had done before him But in the substance of their Prophecies there is no small conformity Ferunt Ezechielem servum Jeremiae prius extitisse saith Nazianzen Some have affirmed that Ezekiel had sometimes been Jeremiah's servant as was afterwards Baruch Ver. 1. Now it came to passe in the thirtieth year sc Since the Book of the Law found and that famous Passeover kept in King Josiah's dayes 2 King 22. 23. since the eighteenth year of his reign ver 33 So elsewhere they began their account from some memorable mercy or remarkable accident as from the promise made to Abraham the birth of Isaac the departure out of Egypt the division of the Kingdom into that of Israel and the other of Judah c. In the fifth day of the month Which was the Sabbath-day say some confer chap. 3.16 Then was
saith an Expositor we also fear not to go down to the grave Rolloc so long as we may hear God saying unto us as once he did to old Jacob thinking of his journey to Egypt Fear not to go down into Egypt for I will go with thee and I will also bring thee up again Gen. 46.3 4. Further note how these three Martyrs carry themselves toward the tyrant they do simply obey his command and come forth they are not puffed up by the strangeness of the miracle wrought upon them neither do they tattle but suffer the matter it self and experience to speak shewing themselves to all sorts to be looked upon with greatest humility and modesty Ver. 27. And the Princes Governours and Captaines Who were more obstinate then the King and willing to have shut the windows leâ—t the light should shine in upon them but that there was no withstanding it Vpon whose bodyes the fire had no power See on ver 23. The creatures are at a league with the Saints Job 5.22 Ver. 28. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake Being convinced but not converted as appeareth by the next Chapter whatever Austin and others charitably thought to the contrary A wicked man may pray and praise God extemporally Job 27.10 And have changed the Kings word Chald. secundo loco habuerunt they have preferred Gods Word before it Ver. 29. Therefore I make a decree Magistrates then have to do with men in matters of Religion Deut. 13.6 Rom. 13.4 Which speak any thing amisse But was this all he would do for God after so clear convictions t' was very poor A professor of the Turks law proclaimeth before they attempt any thing that nothing be done against religion Ver. 30 Then the King promoted Restored them to their dignities and strictly forbad others to maligne or molest them CHAP. IV. Ver. 1. NEbuchadnezzar the King This bare title seemed sufficient to him who came now newly out of the fornace of sharp affliction whereby he was tamed and taken a link lower as we say Vnto all People Nations and languages This Epistolary Narrative or Proclamation was sent abroad a year or two before his death And here observe saith one an omission of twenty seven years history wherein the Church in Babylon had her Halcyons the Emperour being exercised in forrein wars Mr. Hueâ— and the Nobles disheartned from attempting any thing against those four Worthies as having had formerly such ill success That dwell in all the earth Thus this great King is made a Catholike Preacher of humility and moderation of mind Peace be multiplied unto you Courtesie and kind language in great ones draweth all hearts unto them as fair flowers do the eyes of beholders in the springtide Ver. 2. I thought it good Chald. It was meet or seemly before me It was my duty so Junius To shew the signes and wonders Signs they were because evident testimonies of Gods Wisdom Justice Power Wonders because worthy to be wondred at Ver. 3. How great are his signes Mark how he is enlarged here so should we If David bad had the thing in band he would have cryed out also for his mercy endureth for ever But Nebuchadnezzar celebrateth his Kingdom only and that also he had learned of Daniel chap. 2. Ver. 4. I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in my house Having subdued all mine enemies round about But in the year of my triumph behold a vision of my downfal Suspecta nobis debet esse tranquillitas And flourishing in my palace But flourishing estates free not the mind of burthensome cares Eccles 5.12 Ver. 5. I saw a dream which made me afraid It is seldom seen that God alloweth unto the greatest darlings of the world a perfect contentment Something they must complain of that shall give an unsavoury verdure to their sweetest morsels and make their very felicity miserable Ver. 6. Therefore I made a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon Whom yet he had formerly found to be no better then Braghards and Impostours Was this man truly converted Ver. 7. Then came in the Magicians As if they would do the deed Seducers make up with boldnesse what they want of true worth 2 Pet. 2.19 Ver. 8. But at last Daniel came in before me And why at last Why was he not sooner sent for If the Soothsayers and Sorcerers could have served the turn Daniel had never been sought to This is the guise of graceless men they run not to God till all other refuges fail them According to the name of my god and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods Is this the language of a true Convert Should not former sinful practises be looked upon with a lively hatred and mentioned with utter distaste Ver. 9. Because I know that the spirit of the holy godâ— is in thee The spirit of divination and Prophecy And no secret troubleth thee Chald. puts thee to businesse Now he who had slighted Daniel before to get what he desired abaseth himself below the dignity of a King to him Ver. 10. Thus were the visions of my head in my bed He readily rememembreth this dream of his and roundly relateth it the more to befool the wise-men sith the Scripture whereof they were ignorant but Daniel well versed in revealeth sufficient direction for the interpretation thereof sc Ezek. 31.1 12. The wisdom of this World is not unlike the pains taken by Moles which dig dextrously under ground but are blind against the Sun-light Ver. 11. The tree grew and was strong See Ezek. 17.12 24. Plato compareth a man to a tree inverted with the root above and the branches below he also calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an heavenly plant Homer calleth great men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 12. The leaves theref were fair and the fruit But because pride harboured under these leaves and poisoned these fair fruits they were broken down and trod under foot The beasts of the field had shadow under it Great is the benefit of civil government and far extending But mose men content themselves with a natural use of it as beasts of the field do of their food without improvement of any higher good Ver. 13. And behold a Watcher and an holy One i. e. An holy Angel active and watchful to know and do the will and commands of God for the good of the Church Hence Angels are said to be full of eyes Ezek. 1. and to stand alwaies beholding the face of God Matth. 18.10 as waiting an employment How ready was that Angel here ver 31. to interrupt the proud King from heaven and to tell him his doom So in the next words Ver. 14. How down the tree and cut off his branches One Angel seems to call to another to expedite the execution so earnest they are in the Churches revenge Rev. 18.21 Let the beasts get away Let this great Conquerour be stript at once of his train and dignity The Duke of Florence gave for his ensign a great