or by any mans perswasion The Monarch of Morocco told the English Ambassadour for King John that hee had lately read Saint Pauls Epistles which he liked so well Heyl. Geog. that were he now to chuse his Religion he would before any other embrace Christianity But every one ought saith he to dye in the religion received from his Ancestors and the leaving of the faith wherein he was born was the only thing that he disliked in that Apostle But the prudent are crowned with knowledge They know that dies diem docet and therefore are not so wedded to their old Principles Superstitions and Fopperies but that they can as right reason requires relinquish and abjure them glorifying the Word Acts 13.48 Acts 13. And receiving the truth in love 2 Thes 2.10 whereby it soon comes to passe that they get good repute and report of all men as Demetrius had yea and of the truth it self 3 Joh. 12. which is the Crown of all commendation Haud velim Erasmi gloria aut nomine vehi saith Luther I care not to be cried up as Erasmus is c. Vers 19. The evil bow before the good Here they do so many times as Josephs brethren before him in his greatnesse as Saul before Samuel Balshazzar before Daniel Euseb the persecuting tyrants before Constantine the great yea one of them viz. Maximinus Galerius being visited with grievous sicknesse not only proclaimed liberty to the poor persecuted Christians but also commanded their Churches to be re-edified Cresius and publick Prayers to be made for his recovery So Ezra 6.10 Pray for the Kings life and for his Sons some of which had dyed in their minority for the rest therefore Prayer must be made by the Church That place is wel known Isa 49.23 Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and their Queens thy nursing mothers they shall bow down to thee with their faces toward the earth and lick up the dust of thy feet c. The Prophet seems to allude to the manner of the Persians Pictorum solea basiare regum Martial who when they were to speak to their King did first kisse the pavement whereon he trod Howsoever natural consciences cannot but doe homage to the Image of God stamped upon the natures and practices of the righteous as is afore-noted and the worst cannot but think well of such and honour them in their hearts In the life to come these things shall have their full accomplishment and at the last day when the Saints shall judge the world and Christ shall have put all things under his feet so that they shall have power over the Nations Rev. 2.26 Vers 20. The poor is hated i. e. Lesse loved little respected as Gen. 29.31 Mal. 1.5 Luke 14.26 The Heathen could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adversity findes few friends Et cum fortuna statque caditque fides Few will appear for suffering Saints This Job and David much complain of but as when a Deer is shot the rest of the Herd push him out of their company so here Tempora si fueriut nubila solus eris The same Hebrew word that signifies Winter an Embleme of Poverty signifies reproach This thy son Luke 15.30 Not this my brother Joseph because in poverty The Samaritans would not once own the Jewes when they were at an under but disavow them as they did to Antiochus Epiphanes But when in prosperity then they would curry favour with them and call them their sweet Cousins When it was sometimes disputed among the Romans in the Council using to deifie great men whether Christ having done many wonderful works should bee received into the number of the gods it was resolved that he should not Propter hoc quod paupertatem praedicarit elogerit quam mundus contemnit because he preached poverty and chose poor men whom the world cares not for Purchas But the rich man hath many friends Such as they are ollares amici trencher-flies such as follow the scent and like Bohemian Curtes will fawn upon a good suit As for faithful friends divitibus ideo amicus deest quia nihil deest saith one few such to be found such as with Ittai the Gittite and Hushai the Archite will stick close to a David when stripped of all Josephus relates of the Jewes that they were very careful how they received Proselites in Salomons time because then the State of the Jews flourished Vers 21. Hee that despiseth his neighbour sinneth His poor neighbour Where the hedge is low the beast will easily break over None usually are so trampled on with the feet of pride and contempt by the great Bulls of Basan as the necessitous and afflicted Hence poor and afflicted are set together Zeph. 3.12 so are to want and to be abased Phil. 4.11 This is a great sin saith Salomon it is to commit sin and to bee convinced of the Law as transgressors saith Saint James chap. 3.9 But he that hath mercy on the poor happy is he His sins shall be remitted his necessities relieved and the blessings of God multiplied upon him even a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See my Common-place of Almes Vers 22. Doe they not erre that devise evil Heb. That plow it and plot it that dig it and delve it that whet their wits and beat their brains about it Toto errant calet doe not these erre are they not heavenly wide utterly out shall they not misse of their purpose and meet with disappointment witnesse those Babel-builders Gen. 11. those Kil-Christs Psal 2. those State Traytors Sheba Shebna c. divers English Traytors who drew their last thread in the Triangle of Tiburn Knute the first Danique King caused the false Edrics head to bee set on the highest part of the Tower of London Daniels Hist 19. therein performing his promise of advancing him above any Lord in the Land Traytors always become edious though the treason bee commodious Philip Duke of Austria Parei Hist prof madul 769. paid the Ambassadours of Charls the fourth who had betrayed their trust in counterfeit coyn whereof when they complained he answered that false coyn was good enough for false knaves James the first King of Scots was murdered in Perth by Walter Earl of Athol in hope to attain the Crown Hect. Boeth but his hopes failed him Crowned indeed he was but with a Crown of red hot Iron clapt upon his head being one of the tortures wherewith hee ended at once his wicked dayes and devises But mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good Mercy and truth were the best that David could wish to his fast friend Ittai 2 Sam. 15.20 These two Attributes of God shall cause that good devises shall not miscarry His mercy moves him to promise his truth binds him to perform 2 Sam. 7.18 21. For thy words sake and according to thine own heart hast thou done all these things According to thine own heart that is of meer
desolate as ruinated houses or the wild waste shall by the Apostles and other Doctours of the Church be brought to Christ and built up in holiness And they shall repair The same thing is four several times said over for better assurance and to set forth the miracle Ver. 5. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks i. e. Shall be very well please to serve you so they may serve the true God with you yea being proselyted they shall become eminent Pastours and Teachers of the Gospel such as were Justin Martyr Cyprian Austin c. Shall be your plow-men See 1 Cor. 3.9 Ver. 6. But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord Or Princes of the Lord as the word is used 2 Sam. 8.18 See Exod. 19.6 Rev. 1.6 1 Pet. 2.9 Rom. 12.1 Heb. 13.15 Ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles Ye shall have the double honour of countenance and maintenance Ver. 7. For your shame ye shall have double i. e. Plentiful reparation double dammages as Job had chap. 42.10 12. And for confusion they shall rejoyce Your grief shall be turned into joy as our Saviour somewhere saith See Mat. 5.12 Everlasting joy shall be unto them They shall be everlastingly merry not so much for the double honour done to themselves as for the enlargement of Gods Kingdom and the increase of his people with whom they shall spiritually rejoyce and reign for ever Ver. 8. For I the Lord love Judgement c. One rendreth it roundly thus For I the Lord love right I hate rapine by iniquity q. d. Therefore I will right and repay the wrongs and dammages done to my people Neither is it for any one to think to expiate his bad deeds by his good to set off with God and to make him amends In the times of Popery indeed men were taught so to do they were perswaded that God would accept rapinam in holocaustum and they practised accordingly as did the French Fury Brunhildis who founded many Colledges and our King Stephen who built many Monasteries eo scilicet beneficio maleficia sua expiaverunt saith mine Author How much better Selymus the great Turk Turk hist fol. 567. who being on his death-bed moved by Pyrrhus his favourite to bestow the great wealth taken from the Persian Merchants in divers places of his Empire upon some notable Hospital for relief of the poor refused so to do and forthwith commanded restitution thereof to be made to the right owners And I will direct their work in truth i. e. In sincerity there shall be good actions and good aimes which two make a good Christian Some render the words thus And I will give them according to their work in truth making in truth to be Gods oath q. d. Truly and without all doubt I will perform my promises you have mine Oath and my Covenant both for your better assurance Ver. 9. And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles i. e. Shall be noted and noticed for eximious and exemplary non aliundè noscibiles quà m ex vitae emendatione as it was said of the Primitive Christians famous among the very Heathens Tertul. ad Scapul for their holy conversation Pliny giveth a very honourable testimony of their innocency in his second Epistle to Trajan Those that stood with the Lamb had his Fathers name in their foreheads Rev. 14. they led convincing lives so that their friends could never sufficiently praise them not their foes justly find any fault with them Such a one was Luther Bucer Bradford c. Christians should shine as lamps shew forth the power of godliness in their whole practice do more then others possibly can do Matth. 5.47 that all may see and say These are the seed that the Lord hath blessed these are his darlings his earthly Angels What a shame was it to those flagitious Jews that it should be asked Are these the people of Jehovah Ezek. 35.20 And the like to profligate Professours that Papists should say Are these your new Gospelers For certain said One when be had read Christs Sermon in the Mount Either this is not Gospel or we are not right Gospelers Linaker Ver. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord Me beatam quare dolerem O happy am I said the Church why should I be troubled at ought why should not I over-abound exceedingly with joy who have such rich and precious promises gaudium in re gaudium in spe gaudium de possessione gaudium de promissione c. i. e. Joy in hope and joy in hand joy in possession and joy in reversion c. as Bernard sweetly When once a soul enjoyeth God it is quiet as a Bee that is got into her hive or a Bird got into her nest or the Dove into the Ark nay it is triumphant as more then a conquerour For he hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation By salvation and righteousnesse Hierom here understandeth Christ our Saviour and Justifier whom we are bidden also to put on Rom. 13.14 Gal. 3.27 Rev. 12.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aquila As a Bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments Tanquam sponsum qui sacerdotem resert ornatu so Piscator rendreth it as a Bridegroom bravely arrayed like a Priest Os humerosque Deo similis And as a Bride adorneth her self with jewels Mundo suo with her ornaments habiliments Heb. implements The Church is here compared to a Bridegroom for her strength and constancy saith Cyril and again to a Bride for her fruitfulness beauty and glory There is in this verse a double elegancy in the Hebrew that cannot be englished here begun and hereafter to be perfected Ver. 11. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud Hic rursum loquitur Christus saith Piscator here Christ speaketh again giving us to understand that piety is planted by God in the hearts of his people We are Gods husbandry saith the Apostle See Mark 3.26 27 28. The Church is Christs garden Cant. 5.1 Howbeit it is with holy affections as with exotique noble plants this Countrey is not so kindly for them being but a stepmother to them therefore must they be much watered and cherished c. We have a gracious Promise that our hearts shall be like watered gardens chap. 58.11 and that if we quench not the Spirit but quicken and cherish it there shall flow out of our belly that is out of the bosom and bottom of our souls shall flow rivers of living water Joh. 7.38 better than those that watred the garden of Eden so that we shall be filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God Philip. 1.11 CHAP. LXII Ver. 1. FOr Zions sake I will not hold my peace Habes hic orationem prophetae sanctissimam Pro Panegyrico Ecclesia dicto omnia quae hoc capite dicuntur rectè meo judicio accipientur Hyper. saith Oecolampadius Here we have the Prophets Oration yea here we have the
humble confessions as doth David Ezra Daniel O Lord the great and dreadful God It is good in the beginnings of our prayers to propound God to our selves under such attributes and spiritual notions as wherein we may see the very thing we pray for Haec est ars orandi mendicandi Ver. 5. We have sinned and have committed iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled Mark how full in the mouth the good Prophet is and how he exaggerateth confessing against himself and his people laying on load Good men extenuate not their offences every sin swelleth as a toad in their eyes Ver. 6. Neither have we hearkened Sins of omission are in a special manner to be lamented in prayer Jer. 9.1 10 13. for as omission of diet breedeth diseases so of duties Ver. 7. O Lord righteousnesse belongeth unto thee Let God be justified in all his Judgements say of him as Deut. 32.4 Deo da claritatem tibi humilitatem Aug. A God of truth and without iniquity just and right is He. But unto us confusion of faces Whilst we look upon flagitia aequè ac flagella nostra our sins and miseries we cannot but blush and bleed before thee Ver. 8. O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face The same again is acknowledged not without a special Emphasis q. d. We are extreamly abashed and abased to the utmost Ver. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercyes and forgivenesses Matchlesse mercyes pardons ready prepared for poor penitents not for proud Pharisees such as Bellarmine was if at least it be true that is reported of him that when the Priest came to absolve him he could not remember any particular sin to confesse till he went back in his thoughts as far as his youth Vae hominum vitae quantumvis laudabili saith an Ancient Woe to the best unlesse they may find mercy with the Lord. And Fuligat telleth us that Bellarmine when he came to dye indeed begged of God to reckon him among his Saints non aestimator meriti sed veniae largitor not weighing his merits but pardoning his offences Ver. 10. Neither have we obeyed See on ver 6. The voice of the Lord our God It is the Lord who speaketh in and by his Ministers This because men either know not or weigh not they run another way when God calleth to them as young Samuel did 1 Sam. 3.5 Ver. 11. Yea all Israel There is a general defection the whole body of Israel hath deeply revolted a rabble of rebels have taken up arms against heaven even a Giantlike generation Therefore the curse Confirmed by oath by adjuration and execration Is poured upon us As by whole pailefulâ— the Vulgar hath it stillavit super not maledictio the curse hath dropped upon us There may be much poyson in little drops howsoever Because we have sinned against him This he hath never done with but still holdeth his finger on this sore as his greatest grievance Ver. 12. And he hath confirmed his words What he had spoken with his mouth he hath fulfilled with his hand There is an infallibility as in Gods Promises so in his Menaces And against our Judges By whose remisnesse all was out of order hence they smarted afore and above others For under the whole heaven This verse is an Abridgment of Jeremy's Lamentations Ver. 13. All this evil is come upon us But unlesse God set in and sanctify his hammers afflictions do but beat upon cold iron Jer. 2.30 Yet made we not our prayer Little or no right prayer was made by the Captives all those Seventy years and yet they had their set yearly fasts Zach. 7. because they failed therein both quoad fontem quoad finem See the Notes of Zach. 7.5 That we might turn from our iniquities This they had no mind to therefore they lost those prayers they made they faâ—ted to themselves and not to God Zach. 7.5 See on Joh. 3.10 And understand thy truth Those that turn from their iniquities shall know more of Gods truth The pure in heart shall see God Mat. 5.3 Ver. 14. Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil To bring it at the just time and when it might do us most mischief but all in a way of Justice Isa 31.2 as Daniel acknowledgeth in the next words For the Lord our God is righteous See ver 7. For we obeyed not his voice Neither that of his word nor that of his rod Jer. 31.19 Mâ—c 6.9 Isa 9.13 14. Ver. 15. And now O Lord God that hast brought thy people Thanksgiving is an artificial begging and every former mercy is a pledge of a future 2 Chron. 20. â—0 7.12 And hast gotten thee renown Heb. made thee a name and yet a greater name hast promised to make thee by bringing us back from Babylon Jer. 16.15 We have sinned we have done wickedly Such as desire mercies must first deny their worthinesse of them 2 Sam. 5.18 confessing their sins with utmost aggravation Ver. 16. O Lord according to all thy righteousnesse Not that of equitie but the other of fidelity 1 Joh. 1.9 Thy holy mountain So Jerusalem is called because dedicated to the Holy One who also chose it for the seat of his royal resiance the place of his holy Oracle Thy people are a reproach And this reflecteth upon thee as needs it must sith they do quarter armes with thee Ver. 17. Now therefore O our God Sith thou hast shewn us our sins and seen our reproach whereof we are sure thou art very sensible Psal 79.4 Hear the prayer of thy servant Who assumeth the boldness to plead his interest in thee and his relation to thee And his supplications Which are nothing else but prayers redoubled and reenforced as Gen. 32.11 Esay 63.16 And cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary Do it oh do it now for the time to favour Zion yea the set time is come And this I can tell because thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof Psal 102.13 14. See the Notes there That whole Psalm being a prayer for the afflicted may seem to have been made by this Prophet Daniel For the Lords sake i. e. For thine own sake or for thy Son Christs sake the Mediatour and Advocate of his people for so he was in the Old Testament also Heb. 9.15 like as still he is the high-Priest of the New And as whil'st the people were praying without the Priest was offering incense within the Temple Luk. 1.9 10. So is Christ interceding for us whil'st we are praying Whatsoever therefore ye do in word or deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him Colos 3.17 Ver. 18. O my God incline thine ear and hear open thine eyes and behold c. Thus growing to a conclusion of his prayer he prayes more earnestly he stretcheth out his petitions as it were upon the tenters with those good souls Act. 12.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
have an Eve a Tempter each one within us our own flesh saith Bernard And Nemâ— sibi de suo palpet quisque sibi Satan est saith another Father wee have enough to watch for our halting the Devil also casts his club at us that wee may stumble and fall and bee broken and snared and taken Isa 8.15 Vers 27. Turn not to the right Keep the Kings high-way keep within Gods precincts Cic. in Offic. and yee keep under his protection The Heathen Oratour could say A recta conscientia ne latum quidem nugnem discedendum A man may not depart an hairs-bredth all his life long from the dictates of a good conscience Remove thy foot from evil Bestir thee no otherwise than if thou hadst trod upon a Snake Abhor that which is evil Rom. 12.9 abstain from all appearance all shews and shadows of it 1 Thes 5.22 Run from the occasions of it come not near the doors of her house Prov. 5.8 CHAP. V. Verse 1. My Son attend unto my Wisdome ARistotle could say that young men are but cross and crooked hearers of moral Philosophy and have much need to bee stirred up to diligent attendance Ethic. lib. 7. cap. 3 4. Fornication is by many of them held a peccadillo And Aristotle spareth not to confess the disability of moral wisdome to rectifie the intemperance of nature which also hee made good in his practice for hee used a common strumpet to satisfie his lust Vers 2. That thou mayest regard discretion Or that thou mayest keep in thy thoughts as Job did Chap. 31.1 Why then should I think upon a Maid Out of the hearts of men proceed evil thoughts adulteries fornications c. saith our Saviour Mark 7.21 Many mens hearts are no better than stews and brothel-houses Psal 104. by reason of base and beastly thoughts and lusts that muster and swarm there like the flies of Aegypt There is that Leviathan and there are creeping things innumerable Yea the hypocrite who outwardly abstains from gross sins yet inwardly consenteth with the theef and partaketh with the Adulterer that is in his heart and fancy supposing himself with them and desiring to do what they do Psal 50.18 19. This is mental adultery this is contemplative wickedness So it is also to recall former filthiness with delight Ezek. 23.21 Shee multiplied her whoredomes in calling to remembrance the daies of her youth wherein shee had plaid the harlot Surely as a man may dye of an inward bleeding so may hee bee damned for these inward boilings of lust and concupiscence if not bewailed and mortified Jer. 4 14. The thoughts of the wicked are abominable to the Lord. Prov. 15.26 To look and lust is to commit Adultery Matth. 5.28 Therefore desire not her beauty in thy heart Prov. 6.25 And that thy lips may keep knowledge As Joseph did in answering his wanton Mistress Gen. 39. as hee in St. Austin did that replied to his minions Ego sum It is I At ego non sum but it is not I. Vers 3. For the lips of a strange woman drop Take heed therefore how thou exchange any words at all with her But if thou bee first set upon Jun in vita sua as Joseph was by his Mistress and as Franciscus Junius was by those impudent Queans at Lions in France whither hee was sent by his Father for learning-sake who night and day solicited him then to keep thee from the bitter-sweet lips of these Enchantresses let thy lips keep knowledge answer them as Joseph did with the words of truth and soberness Act. 26.25 with gracious and wholesome words 1 Tim. 6.3 such as have a cooling and healing property in them with Scripture-language which the Devil and his Agents cannot answer or away with When therefore thou art tempted to this of any like sin say No I may not I dare not for it is forbidden in such a place and again in such a place How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39.9 Lo this is the way walk in it Let thy lips keep knowledge and it shall keep thee from the lips of a strange woman though they drop as an hony-comb and seem to have plenty of pleasure and sweetness in them Drop as an hony-comb But is like that hony spoken of by Pliny that had poyson in it as being sucked out of poysonous herbs and flowers In the Cadiz voyage at Alvelana three miles from Lisbon many of our English Souldiers under the Earle of Essex perished by eating of hony purposely left in the houses and spiced with poyson as it was thought Speed 12.10 How much better is it to bee preserved in brine than to rot in hony to mortifie lusts than to enjoy them Rom. 8.13 Voluptatem vicisse voluptas est maxima saith Cyprian nec ulla major est victoria quam ea quae è cupiditatibus refertur De bonâ— pudicit There is no such pleasure as to have overcome an offered pleasure neither is there any greater conquest than that that is gotten over a mans corruptions Vers 4. But her end is bitter as wormwood The pleasure passeth In amore â—â—iltum est amari the sting remaineth for in the froth of this filthy pleasure is bred that hell-worm of guilt that never dyeth Principium dulce est sed finis amoris amarus Laeta venire Venus tristis abire solet Diana of the Ephesians was so artificially pourtrayed that shee seemed to smile most pleasantly upon such as came into her Temple Dulcis acerbitaâ— amarissima voluptas Tertul. but to frown at those that went out So doth sensual pleasure Heus tu scholastice dulce amarum gustulum carpis c. said the Harlot to Apuleius Hark Scholar it is but a bitter sweet that you are so fond of Plus aloes quam mellis habet knowest thou not that there will bee bitterness in the end Speed Walsing The Chroniclers have observed of our Edward the third that hee had alwayes fair weather at his passage into France and foul upon his return Such is the way of the Harlot The sin committed with her is as the poyson of Aspes When an Asp stings a man Plutarch it doth first tickle him so as it makes him laugh till the poyson by little and little get to the heart and then it pains him more than ever before it delighted him See Luke 6.25 16.25 Heb. 12.15 16. Job 13.26 Eccles 7.27 28. Vers 5. Her feet go down to death The Romans were wont to have their Funerals at the gates of Venus Temple to signifie that lust was the harbinger Plutarch and hastener of death saith Plutarch As for Whores they were of old shut out of the City and forced to seek places among the graves Lib. Advers 13.19 Hence they were called Maechae bustuariae de scortis dictum inter busta prostrantibus saith Turnebus See the Note on Chap. 2.18 Her steps take hold
such an affliction Rebecca was weary of her life by reason of the daughters of Heth brought in to her by Esau Gen. 27.45 If they lye lusking at home mothers have the misery of it if they do worse abroad the worst is made of it to the mother at home by fame that loud lyer Vers 2. Treasures of wickedness Our Saviour calls it Mammon of iniquity Luke 16. â— that next odious name to the Devil Most mens care is how to grasp and get wealth for their children rem rem quocunque modo rem Virtus post nummos c. But what saith a grave Author Mr. Bolton Better leave thy childe a Wallet to beg from door to door than a cursed heard of evil-gotten goods There is for most part lucrum in arca damnum in conscientia gain in the purse August but loss in the conscience But righteousness delivereth from death Piety though poor delivereth from the second death and from the first too as to the evil of it For as Christ took away the guilt of sin not sin it self so hee hath taken away not death but the sting of death from all beleevers making it to such of a curse a blessing of a punishment a benefit of a Trap-door to hell a Portal to heaven a Postern to let out temporal life but a Street-door to let in eternal life Vers 3. The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous That refuseth to inrich himself by evil arts and to rise by wicked principles For it might bee objected If I strain not my conscience I may starve for it Ob. Sol. Fear not that saith the Wise-man Faith fears not famine Necessaries thou shalt bee sure of Psal 37.25 26. Psal 34.11 Superfluities thou art not to stand upon 1 Tim. 6.8 The Hebrews by righteousness in the former verse understand Almsdeeds as Dan. 4.24 27. See the Note on Matth. 7.1 and so the sense here may bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The righteous though hee give much to the poor shall â—â—e never the poorer sith not getting but giving is the way to thrive See my Common-place of Alms. But hee casteth away the substance of the wicked For either they lose it or live beside it and are little the better for it Hee that gotteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the middest of his dayes and in his end bee a fool God will make a poor fool of him quickly Quo mihi divitias queis non conceditur â—ti Jer. 17.11 And the like may bee said of the illiberal and tenacious person See the Note on Chap. 3.27 Niggards fear to lose their wealth by giving but fear not to lose their wealth and souls and all by keeping it Ob. Sol. Vers 4. Hee becometh poor Lest any should say If God do all wee need do the less Doing you must bee saith the Wise-man or else the beggar will catch you by the back Labour also you must with your hands working the thing that is good that yee may have to give to him that needeth Ephes 4.28 But the hand of the diligent Or of the nimble that do motitare saith Kimchi are active and agile that will lose nothing for looking after but take care of smallest matters that all go right being frugal and parcimonious of time husbanding the opportunity of thriving and plenty How did Boaz follow the business himself How were his eyes in every corner on the servants and on the Reapers yea on the Gleaners too Hee doth even lodge in the midst of his husbandry Ruth 2. and 3. as knowing well the truth of that proverbial sentence Columel Procul à villa sua dissitus jacturae vicinus Hee that is far from his business is not far from loss Vers 5. Hee that gathereth in Summer A well-chosen season is the greatest advantage of any action which as it is seldome found in haste so it is too often lost in delay The men of Issachar were in great account with David because they had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do and when to do it 1 Chron. 12.32 So are they in great account with God for their wisdome who observe and use the season of well-doing But hee that sleepeth in harvest i. e. That lets slip his opportunity as Plutarch writes of Hannibal that when hee could have taken Rome hee would not when hee would hee could not And as its storied of Charles King of Sicily and Jerusalem that hee was called Carolus Cunctator Charles the Lingerer not in the sense as Fabius because hee stayed till opportunity came but because hee stayed till opportunity was lost Vers 6. Blessings are upon the head Plentifully and conspicuously they shall abound with blessings Prov. 28.20 As the fear of the Lord is not onely in them but upon them 2 Chron. 19.7 so blessings of all sorts a confluence of all spiritual and temporal comforts and contentments shall bee not onely with them but upon them so that nothing shall hinder it See Gal. 6.16 They are blessed and they shall bee blessed Gen. 27.33 Neither shall any roaring or repining Esau bee able to reverse it But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked They shall bee certainly shamed condemned executed as Haman whose face they covered Esth 7.8 and shortly after strangled And as Sir Gervaise Ellowayes Lieutenant of the Tower hanged on Tower-hill for poysoning Sir Thomas Overbury his prisoner This Sir Gervaise being on the Gallows freely confessed that hee had oft in his playing at Cards and Dice wished that hee might bee hang'd if it were not so and so and therefore confessed it was just upon him Vers 7. The memory of the just is blessed Demetrius had a good report of the truth 3 Joh. 12. In the Hebrew tongue the same word signifieth a good name and a blessing This is one of those blessings mentioned vers 6. that shall bee heaped upon holy men Holy and reverend is his Name Psal 111.9 How comes Gods Name to bee reverend but by being holy Bee good and do good so shall thy name bee heir to thy life yea when thou art laid in thy grave thy stock remains goes forward and shall do till the day of Doom But the name of the wicked shall rot and stink as putrified flesh Hypocrites then must bee detected though they carry it never so clearly how else shall they bee detested and stink above ground Simon Magus so handled the matter that Philip mistook him for a Beleever and baptized him but Peter soon smelt him out and laid him open in his colours Hee that perverteth his wayes shall bee known Prov. 10.9 The Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity for all their cunning contrivances Psal 125.5 Vers 8. The wise in heart shall receive Commandement i.e. Submit to Gods holy Word without replies and cavils This is check to the brave gallants of our age which exercise their ripe heads and
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as the Hebrews well note in a Proverb they have A mans minde is soonest discovered bekis bekos becognos in loculis in poculis in ira in his purse in his drink in his anger See my Common-place of Anger But a wise man covereth shame By concealing his wrath or rather by suppressing it when it would break forth to his disgrace or the just grief of another Ovid. Ut fragilis glacies occidit ira morâ This was Sauls wisdome 1 Sam. 10.27 And Jonathans when incensed by his Fathers frowardness hee went a shooting 1 Sam. 12.35 And Ahashuerosh when in a rage against Haman hee walked into the Garden The Philosopher wished Augustus when angry to say over the Greek Alphabet Ambrose desired an Angels Authority Gal. 1.8 Theodosius to repeat the Lords Prayer before hee decreed any thing Vers 17. Hee that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness will bee ready to help the truth in necessity and will do it boldly as the word signifies even with a courage not budging for Charity rejoyceth not in unrighteousness but rejoyceth in the truth 1 Cor. 13.6 But a false witness uttereth deceit Coloureth his sycophancies with plausible pretences and faceth down an untruth Psal 119.69 The proud have forged a lye against mee The Hebrew hath it Assuunt mendacium mendacio they eek out one lye with another they are loud and lewd liars as Egesippus saith of Pilate that hee was Vir nequam et parvi facieus mendacium What is truth said hee scornfully to our Saviour q. d. Thy life is in question and dost thou talk of truth Vers 18. There is that speaketh lies like the piercing c. False witnesses do so with a witness As Doeg Psal 52.2 And his fellow-hacksters with their murthering weapons in Davids bones Psal 42.10 whereby they killed him alive and buried him in their throats those gaping graves open sepulchres Ahimelech and his fellow-Priests were killed with the tongue as with a Tuck or Rapiet so was Naboth and his sons so was our Saviour Christ himself Reckon thou Shimei and Rabshekeh among the first and chiefest Kil-Christs saith one because ever an honest mind is more afflicted with words than with blows Act. 2.23 and 3.15 You shall finde some saith Erasmus that if death bee threatned can despise it but to bee belied they cannot brook nor from revenge contain themselves How was David enraged by Nabals railings Moses by the Peoples murmurings Jeremy by the derisions of the rude rabble Chap. 20.7 8 But the tongue of the wise is health Or a medicine as the Tench is to the wounded fishes or as that Noble Lady Elianors tongue was to her Husband Prince Edward afterward Edward the first who being traiterously wounded by a poisoned knife in the holy land Speed Camden was perfectly cured by her daily licking his rankling wounds whilest hee slept and yet her self received no harm So soveraign a medicine is a good tongue anointed with the virtue of love and wisdome Wholesome words as certain salves or treacles cure the wounds of afflicted hearts and extract the poison infused by evil tongues Vers 19. The lips of truth shall bee established for ever Veritas odium parit Truth breeds hatred a good Mistress shee is but hee that follows her too close at heels may hap have his teeth struck out Hee that prizeth truth shall never prosper by the possession or profession thereof saith Sir Walter Rawleigh Hist lib. 1. c. 1. This is most true for most part of the truth of the Gospel Gal. 2.5 the Doctrine according to godliness 1 Tim. 6.3 sweet in the mouth but bitter in the belly Rev. 10.9 very pleasant in it self but the publishing of it whereby the fruit of it might come to the rest of the members is full of trouble and anguish How many faithful witnesses of the truth have lost their lives in the defence of it All which notwithstanding the lips of truth shall bee established saith the Spirit here Great is the truth and shall prevail Hee that loseth his life in Christs cause shall finde it in Heaven his name also shall bee famous upon earth the Generation of the upright shall bee blessed The lying tongue is but for a moment As is to bee seen in Gehezi in Ananias and Sapphira in Doeg and others Psal 52.5 God shall likewise destroy thee for ever and root thee out of the land of the living Did hee not deal so by Julian Ecebolius Latomus Bomelius Pendleton Harding and other both antient and modern Renegadoes and Apostates How are they brought into desolation as in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrour Psal 73.19 Vers 20. Deceit is in the heart of them c. Incendiaries and Make-bates Counsellours of contention have twenty devices to make trouble and to put all into a combustion but they shall either bee defeated of their purposes or have small joy of their atchievements witness our late English Boutifeaus with the whole Nation of Ignatius whose practice is to machinate mischief and breed hate being herein no less dangerous than once those Jews were who before they were banished hence threw bags of poison into the wells and fountains that the people were to drink of and so endeavoured to poison them all The just judgement of God upon Nicholas Saunders Priest the fire-brand of Ireland Anno 1580. spent with famine and forsaken of all succour is most worthy to bee kept in perpetual remembrance Hee being impatiently grieved at the evil successe of his rebellion with Earl Desmond and seeing that neither the Popes blessing B. Carletons thankf remem pag. 49. nor the consecrated banner nor the plume of Phoenix feathers so said to bee at least sent from Rome could do him any help lost himself and ran stark mad wandring up and down in the Mountains and Woods and finding no comfort died miserably Thus God met with a restlesse and wretched man and that foul mouth was stopped with famine that was ever open to sow sedition and stir up rebellions against the state But to the counsellours of peace there is joy They shall have peace for peace peace of conscience for peace of Country pax pectoris for pa◠temporis they shall be called and counted the children of peace yea the children of God have the comfort and credit of it Matth. 5.9 see the Note there as Augustus Caesar and our Henry the seventh had who as hee went into banishment together with the publick peace so hee brought it back with him at his return and was afterwards wont to say If wee Princes should take every occasion that is offered the world should never bee quiet but wearied with continual wars Vers 21. There shall no evil happen to the just First for evil of sin God wil not lead him into temptation but will cut off occasions remove stumbling-blocks out of his way devoratory evils as Tertullian calls them hee shall be sure not to fall
with righteousness A small stock well gotten is more comfortably enjoyed and bequeathed to Posterity than a cursed hoard of evil gotten goods The reason why people please not God and are contrary to all men as this verse refers to the former is because they prefer gain before God and care not how they wrong men so they may have it See Chap. 15.16 Vers 9. A mans heart deviseth his way but God directeth his steps Man purposeth God disposeth of all Prov. 19.21 Events many times crosse expectation neither is it in man to order his own waies Jer. 10.23 This the Heathen saw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucyd. Dio. and were much troubled at as the Athenians were when their good General Nicias lost himself and his Army in Sicily So the Romans when Pompey Cato and others worthy Patriots were worsted by Julius Caesar Brutiu a wise and valiant man overthrown by Antonius cries out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. O miserable virtue thou art a meer slave to fortune Christians have learned better language and can set down themselves with founder reason if crossed of their designs or desires they know it is the Lord they are dumb because it is his doing and they are punished less than their deserts Ezra 9.13 Pompey that seeing all to go on Casars side said there was a great deal of mist over the eye of Providence did no better than blame the Sun because of his sore eyes Vers 10. A divine sentence is in the lips of the King It is or should bee His words usually passe for Oracles and many times stand for Laws It should bee his care therefore to speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4.11 yea so to speak and so to do as one that shall bee judged by the Law of Liberty Jam. 2.12 Or as some read it as they that should judge by the Law of Liberty Our old word Koning and by contraction King comes of Con saith Becanus which comprehends three things Possum Scio Audio I can do it I know how to do it and I dare do it If either hee want power or skill or courage to do justice the people instead of admiting his divinations will cry out of him as the Romans did of Pompey miseria nostra Magnus est This Grandee is our great misery His mouth transgresseth not in judgement viz. If hee ask counsel at Gods mouth as David did and execute Justice Justice as Moses speaks Deut. 16.20 that is pure Justice without mud or mixture of selfish affections sparing neither the great for might nor the mean for misery Vers 11. A just weight and ballance are the Lords i. e. Are commanded and commended by him See Chap. 11.1 Deut. 25.14 15 16. with the Notes All the weights of the bag are his work i. e. His Ordinance and therefore not to bee violated Yea they are judicia Domini as the Vulgar here reads the former clause Gods Judgements Let no man therefore go beyond or defraud his Brother in buying and selling for God is the Avenger of all such 1 Thes 4. Gal. l. 11. c. 18 Colum. lib. 1. Surely his Magistrates must not transgresse in judgement lest they prove but fures publici as Cato called them latrones cum privilegio as Columella publick theeves scabs as the Prophet Isaiah terms them chap. 5.7 and lest their regiment without righteousnesse appear to bee but robbery with authority So neither must private persons cheat and deceive their Brethren by false weights and measures c. lest they bee looked upon as the botches of the Common-wealth and enemies to civil society Vers 12. It is an abomination for Kings to commit wickednesse It is so for any man but especially for great men Peter Martyr told Queen Elizabeth in an Epistle that Princes were doubly obliged to God first as men secondly as chief men When I was born into the world said Henry the fourth of France French Chrom there were thousands of others born besides my self what have I done to God more than they it is his meer grace and mercy which doth binde mee more unto his justice for the faults of great men are never small Thus hee It is reported of Tamberlane that war-like Scythian that having overcome Bajazet the Great Turk hee asked him whether ever hee had given God thanks for making him so great an Emperour who confessed ingenuously hee never thought of it To whom Tamberlane replied that it was no wonder so ungrateful a man should bee made a spectacle of misery For you saith hee being blinde of one eye and I lame of a leg was there any worth in us why God should set us over two great Empires of Turks and Tartars Leunclav Annal Turâ—â—c to command many more worthy than our selves Good turns aggravate unkindnesses and mens offences are encreased by their obligations For the Throne is established by righteousness Politicians give many directions for the upholding and conserving of Kingdomes but this of Solomon is far beyond them all See it exemplified Jer. 22.13 to 20. Shalt thou reign because thou closest thy self in Cedar did not thy Father eat and drink and do judgement and justice and then it was well with him c. Vers 13. Righteous lips are the delight of Kings i. e. Of good Kings such as David was who loved Nathan never the worse but the better for dealing plainly with him gave him free accesse to his bed-chamber and named him a Commissioner for the declaring of his Successour 1 King 1. King Edward the sixth took much delight in Latimer that faithful Preacher and Queen Elizabeth enquired much after Dearing after shee had once heard him telling her in a Sermon that once it was Tanquam Ovis but now Velut indomita Juvenca c. But Dearing was without her Privity laid up fast enough by the Bishops and kept far enough from coming near the Court any more And they love him that speaketh right They should do so but it falls out somewhat otherwise oft-times Ahab hated Micaiah and looks upon Elijah as a troubler of Israel Alass what had these righteous ones done they taxed his sin they foretold his judgement they deserved it not they inflicted it not they were therefore become his enemies because they told him the truth Truth breeds hatred as the fair Nymphs are feigned to do the ugly Faunâ—s and Satyres Most Princes are led by their Parasites who sooth them up in their sins and smooth them up with fair words which soak into them as oyl doth into earthen vessels David was none such Psal 101. hee went not attended saith one ut nunc fit magno agmine Aionum Negonum Gaâ—eonum Palponum Gnathonum Balatronum with a great sort of Sycophants Court-parasites Flatterers c. but had the best hee could pick to bee next his Person and loved them that spoke right Vers 14. The wrath of a King is as messengers of death In the plural number the better
skill of those good words that do ingratiate with God and man Gen. 49.21 compared with Deut. 33.23 Hee is fit to make a Courtier a Favourite such as was Joseph Mordecai Daniel who though hee used not alwayes verbis byssinis soft and silken words but delivered heavy messages from God to Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar yet God so wrought their hearts though Tyrants that they greatly honoured him and highly preferred him And when out of his love to pureness of heart hee chose rather affliction than sin to bee cast to the Lions than to bear a Lion in his own bosome by offending his conscience God made the Kings heart yearn towards him c. So that this plain-dealing Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian Dan. 6.28 Vers 12. The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge That is knowing persons Those in the former verse that love truth in the inward parts and hold this a rule Truth must bee spoken however it bee taken these howsoever they may suffer for a season as Daniel in the den Micaiah in the stock-house yet the watchful providence of God will preserve them and provide for them Hee will clear their innocency and so plead for them in the hearts of greatest Princes that they shall find the truth of this divine Proverb and the falsity of that other so common amongst men Obsequium amicos veritas odium parit Flattery gets friends but truth hatred And hee overthroweth the words or matters of the transgressors That is of the Court-parasites who speak onely pleasing things saepe leonum laudibus murem obruunt flatter abominably as those Acts 12. did Herod as the false Prophets did Ahab God will confute and convince their soothing words 2 King 21.13 of singular vanity he will also overthrow their matters attempts practices as a man wipeth a dish turning it upside down See in that claw-back Amalekite 2 Sam. 1.4 5 6. c. in Ahitophel Haman Scianus c. Vers 13. The sloathful man saith There is a Lion c. The Lion is not so fiere as is painted saith the Spanish Proverb much less this sluggards Lion a meer fiction of his own brain to cover and colour over his idleness Hee pretends two Lions for failing first Leo est Foris There is a Lion abroad or in the field where his work lyes Psal 104.23 and another in the streets A likely matter Lions haunt not in streets but in Woods and Wildernesses Here is no talk of Satan that roaring Lion that lyes couchant in the sluggards bed with him and prompts him to these senseless excuses Not yet of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah who will one day send out summons for sleepers and tearing the very caul of their hearts in sunder send them packing to their place in hell Matth. 10. But to hell never came any yet that had not some pretence for their coming thither The flesh never wants excuses Corrupt nature needs not bee taught to tell her own tale Sin and shifting came into the world together and as there is no wool so coarse but will take some colour so no sin so gross but admits of a defence Sin and Satan are alike in this they cannot abide to appear in their own likeness Some deal with their souls as others deal with their bodies when their beauty is decayed they desire to hide it from themselves by false glasses and from others by painting so their sins from themselves by false glosses and from others by idle excuses Vers 14. The mouth of a strange woman Diabolus capite blanditur venire oblectat caudâ ligat saith Rupertus These shee-sinners as their stallions call them are most dangerous See the Notes on Chap. 2.16 and 5.3 Solomon had the woful experience of it Eccles 7.26 and Sampson Judg. 16. who Lenam non potuit potuit superare leaenam Quem fera non potuit vincere vicit hera How did David moyl himself in this deep pit Psal 57. and there might have stuck in the mire had not God drawn him out by a merciful violenc and pureged him with hyssop from that abhorred filth Hee that in abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein As the Jesuits those odious Connubisanchfugae Commeretricitegae too often do though they boast that they can talk and dally with the fairest women without danger and the people must beleeve no otherwise but that when they are kissing a woman they are giving her good counsel David George that execrable Heretick was so far from accounting Adulteries Fornications Incests c. for being any sins Hist David Georgii that hee did recommend them to his most perfect Scholars as acts of grace and mortification and was confident that the whole world would submit to his doctrine Peccatum peccatum trabit as the Hebrew Proverb hath it One sin draws on another and the latter is oft a punishment of the former God by a peculiar kinde of revenge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delivering up such to a reprobate sense or a minde disallowed or abhorred of God as the Apostles word Rom. 1.28 signifies Vers 15. Foolishness is bound in the heart c. As a pack or fardle is bound to an horses back Errour and folly bee the knots of Satan wherewith hee tyes children to the stake to bee burnt in hell Better see their brains dashed out against the stones saith one than suffer the ignorance of God to abide in their heads Therefore that wee may loose the bands of death and works of the Devil Parents must bring their sons in their arms and their daughters upon their shoulders to the house of God that they may learn to know him Isa 49.22 They must also see to their profiting and exact of them a daily growth nurturing as well as nourishing them Eph. 6.4 the one being as needful as the other and using the rod where words will not do so to chase away that evil by chastisement seasoned with admonition and seconded with prayer that else will prove pernicious to their souls Eli brought up his sons to bring down his house Davids sons were undone by their Fathers fondness A fair hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee say makes a foul wound Correction is a kinde of cure saith Aristotle and God usually blesseth it to that purpose Corrections of instructions are the way of life Prov. 6.23 Vers 16. Hee that oppresseth the poor c. By fraud or force or any indirect means This man layes his foundation in fire-work Job 20. hee walks upon a Mine of Gun-powder brimstone is scattered upon his habitation Job 18.15 if but a flash of Gods lightning light upon it all will bee on fire all blown up and brought to nothing And hee that giveth to the rich Either to ingratiate and curry favour for countenancing their oppressive practices or with a mind to get more than they give for so saith one that clause To increase their riches must here
bee repeated which is a more artificial kinde of selling their gifts than if they had professedly set them to sale as the Greek Orator observeth Both these take a wrong course to bee rich Isocr ad Demon. The way were to give to the poor and not to oppress them Psal 76.11 1 Tim. 6.17 and to bring presents to him that ought to bee feared sith it is hee alone that giveth us all things richly to injoy Vers 17. Bow down thine ear and hear Here begins say some Interpreters the third book of Solomons Proverbs as the second began at Chap. 10. And indeed hee here seems to assume a new kinde of bespeaking his son different from his discourse in the twelve preceding Chapters and much like that in the nine first And apply thy heart c. q. d. Call up the ears of thy minde to the ears of thy body that one sound may pierce both at once otherwise thou wilt bee like the Wolf in the fables thou wilt never attain to any more divine learning than to spell Pater and when thou shouldest come to put together and to put thy heart to it as Solomons phrase here is instead of Pater thou wilt say Agum thy minde running a madding after profit and pleasures of the world as hath been once before noted Vers 18. For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee Heb. In thy belly that is in thine inwards Truth it is that St. John found the little book hee ate whether wee understand it of the Revelation only or of the whole Bible which Bishop Bonners Chaplain called in scorn his little pretty Gods-book it much matters not bitter in his belly though sweet in his mouth Rev. 10.10 because Ministers finde it grievous to bee kept from making known the whole counsel of God to their people But the Word of God attentively heard and by an after meditation well digested and incorporated into the soul is sweeter than hony as David felt it and yeelds more pleasure than all the tasteless fooleries of this present world They shall withall bee fitted in thy lips Thou shalt need no other help to discourse thou shalt get a singular dexterity and volubility of holy language being able to utter thy minde in pure Scripture Loquamar verba Scripturae saith that incomparable Peter Ramus Utamur sermone Spiritus sancti c. thou shalt so speak and so do as one that must bee judged by that law of liberty Jam. 2.12 Vers 19. That thy trust may bee in the Lord Onely a divine word can beget a divine faith and herein the Scripture excells all humane writings none of which can bring our hearts to the obedience of faith I can speak it by experience saith Erasmus that there is little good to bee got by the Scripture Erasm Praef. in Lucam if a man read it cursorily and carelesly But if hee exercise himself therein constantly and conscionably hee shall feel such a force in it Pet. Mart. Praf in com in Ep. ad Rom. as is not to bee found again in any other book whatsoever I know saith Peter Martyr that there are many that will never beleeve what wee say of the power of Gods word hidden in the heart and not a few that will jear us and think wee are mad for saying so But O that they would but bee pleased to make trial Malèe mihi sit ita enim in tanta causa jurare ausim nisi tandem capiantur Let it never go well with mee for so I am bold to swear in so weighty a business if they finde not themselves strangely taken and transformed into the same image if they pass not into the likeness of this heavenly pattern The Ephesians trusted in God so soon as they heard the word of truth they beleeved and were sealed Ephes 1.13 And the Thessalonians faith was famous all the Churches over when once the Gospel came to them in power 1 Thess 1.5 8. To thee even to thee Men must read the Scriptures as they do the Statute-books holding themselves as much concerned therein as any other threatning themselves in every Threat binding themselves in every Precept blessing themselves in every Promise resolving to obey God in all things as convinced of this that these are verba vivenda non legenda words to bee lived and not read only Vers 20. Have not I written to thee excellent things Heb. Princely things Principles for Princes Rare and Royal sentences The word signifies say some the third man in the Kingdome for Authority and Dignity Others read the words thus Have not I three times written for thee concerning Counsels and Knowledge meaning his three books Proverbial Penitential Nuptial Key of the Bible by Mr. Roberts The Canticles were penned perhaps in his younger years saith one when his affections were more warm active and lively in spirituals The Proverbs in his manly ripe age when his Prudence and parts were at highest most grave solid setled Ecclesiastes in his old age c. Vers 21. That I might make thee know the certainty And so finde firm footing for thy faith Luke 1.3 5. These words of God are true saith the Angel Rev. 21.9 These words are faithful and true Rev. 22.24 void of all insincerity and falshood How can it bee otherwise when as they are as Gregory speaks Cor animae the very heart and soul of the God of truth Greg. in Reg. 3. there must needs bee a certainty in these words of truth neither need wee hang in suspence When some took Christ for John Baptist some for Elias Mat. 16. some for Jeremias But whom say yee that I am to teach that Christ would not have men stand doubtful halt between two bee in Religion as beggers are in their way ready to go which way soever the staff falleth but to search the Scriptures and grounding thereon to get a certainty a full assurance of underderstanding Col. 2.2 so as to bee able to say Wee have beleeved therefore have wee spoken 2 Cor. 4.13 Vers 22. Rob not the poor c. Here some Caviller will bee apt to cry out Object Quid dignum tanto feret hic promissor hidlu After so promising a Preface and such wooing of attention wee looked for some new matter and that of best note too But behold here is nothing but what wee had before Sol. Phil. 3 1. It is truth saith the Wise man and yet I must tell you that to write the same things to mee indeed is not grievous but for you it is safe See the like Psal 49.1 2 3 c. The scope of the Psalm is to shew the happy and secure estate of the Saints in trouble Object Sol. and the slippery condition of the wicked when at their height Now whereas some might object and say this is an ordinary argument we have heard of it an hundred times The Psalmist answers that yet this is the great wisdome that
Ep 120. whiles as grasse they flourish and then de-flourish And thine expectation shall not be cut off As the wickeds shall Psal 37.38 Chear up therefore and doe not despond Flebile principium melior fortuna sequatur as Queen Elizabeth was wont to say whiles she was yet a prisoner Then she envied the Milk-maid that sang so merrily But if she had known what a glorious reign she should have had for four and forty years she would not have envied her Vers 19. Hear thou my son and be wise Hearing is one of the learned senses as Aristotle calls it Wisedome entreth into the soul by this door as folly did at first when the woman listned to the old Serpents illusions This sense is first up in a morning and this preface the Wise-man purposely premiseth to his following discourse as well knowing how hardly young men are drawn off from drinking matches and Good-fellow-meetings And guide thine heart in the way That is to say let knowledge and affection be as twins and run parallel let them mutually transfuse life and vigour the one into the other Practise Gods Will as fast as thou understandest it The Tigurine translation reads it Vt beatum fit in via cor tuum that thine heart may be blessed in the way Vers 20. Be not amongst Wine-bibbers Follow not the custom nor company of such thou knowest not what thou maist be drawn to doe though of thy self averse to such evil courses Noah got no good by the luxurious old world Matth. 24.38 with whom he lived Nor Lot by the intemperate Sodomites Ezek. 16.49 Vriah a good man was at length over-perswaded to over-drink himself 2 Sam. 11.13 Let him that stands take heed last he fall That evil servant that presumes to eat and drink with the drunken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be cut off in the middle Matth. 24.49 Among â—iâ—tous caters of flesh Amongst flesh-mongers qui crapula indulgent that pamper their panches In cute curanda plus aequo operaci See my Common-place of abstinence These be all for themselves as Nabal was Helluantursibi carnem so the Hebrew runs they ravin up flesh for themselves Vers 21. For the drunkard shall come to poverty Nay to eternal misery in Hell 1 Cor. 6.10 but few men fear that beggery they hold worse than any hell Per mare pauperiem fuginal per saxa per ignes Herat. But poverty to such is but a prelude to a worse matter Vers 22. Hearken to thy father c. See the Note on chap. 1.8 And despise not thy mother when she is old Dr. Taylour Martyr said to his Son among other things when he was to suffer When thy mother is waxed old forsake her not Act. M on 138. but provide for her to thy power and see that shee lack nothing for so will God blesse thee and give thee long life upon Earth and prosperity Vers 23. Buy the truth and sell it not Every parcell of truth is precious as the filings of gold as the Bezar-stone when beaten are carefully lookt to and preserved Hold last the faithfull word as with both hands Tit. 1.9 Strive together for the faith of the Gospel Phil. 1.27 Be zealous for it Jude 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Either live with it or dye for it As we have received it as a legacy from our fore-fathers who sealed it with their bloud and paid dear for it so we must transmit it to our Posterity pure and entire Arrii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nestorii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatever it stands us in They were so religious that they would not exchange a letter or syllable of the faith wherewith Christ had betrusted them So zealous in buying the truth that they would give five marks and more for a good book and that was more mony than ten pound is now Some gave a load of hay for a few Chapters of Saint James or of Saint Paul in English sitting up all night in reading and hearing c. What a deal of charge was the Queen of Sheba at for Salomons wisdome The wise Merchant for the pearl of price Act. Mon. fol. 756. Hieron and Reuchlin for their Hebrew-learning Pro singulis horis singulos aureos numerabant Reuchlin gave a crown an hour to the Jew that read to him Mat. 13.44 Hieron ventured his life to repair by night to a Jew-doctor Vers 24. The Father of the righteous c. See the Note on chap. 10.1 Vers 26. My son give me thy heart There is a strange strife not of earthly but of spiritual powers after the possession of mans heart and through mans transgression Satan hath gotten strong hold thereon Act. 5.3 Luke 22.3 Once he strove about a dead mans body Jude 9. but doubtlesse his purpose was therein to have set up an Idol for himself in the hearts of the living If Satan can get the heart he is safe and so is Satans Vicar It was a watch-word in Pope Gregory the thirteenths time in Queen Elizabeths days My son give me thy heart Be in heart a Papist and then go to Church dissemble do what ye will Among the Heathens when the beast was cut up for sacrifice the first thing the Priest lookt upon was the heart and if the heart were naught the sacrifice was rejected As among the Jews Philo observeth that the heart and the horns or brains were never offered with the sacrifices for they are the fountains and secret cels wherein lurks and out of which flows all impiety But whatever was in the type this is in the truth As the heart is by nature the Lord will have none of it yet till the heart be renewed and given to the Lord he will accept nothing can come from man Esay 29.13 and 66.3 Jer. 42.20 Of the heart God seems to say to us as Joseph did to his brethren concerning Benjamin Gen. 43.3 Ye shall not see my face without it The heart is Christs bed of spices Cant. 6.2 wherein the delights Psal 50.17 and for which he wisheth Deut. 5.29 O that there were such an heart c. And let thine eyes observe my ways Look well to thy pattern so fairly pensild out unto thee take true stitches out of this perfect sampler take right strokes after this incomparable Copy The Hebr. here hath it Let thine eyes run through my ways Get a full prospect of them and diligently peruse them Fix and feed thine eyes upon the best objects and restrain them from gazing up on forbidden beauties lest they prove to be windows of wickedness and loopholes of lust Vers 27. For an whore is a deep ditch Fitly so called quod nullus neque modus neque finis sit in amore meritricio because lust is boundless bottomless Hee is a perfect slave that serves a whore See the Note on Prov. 22.14 Vers 28. She also lyeth in wait Terence calls harlots Cruces crumeninculgas sordida poscinummia c. base beg-pennies
not when thine enemy falleth If thou dost it is a sure sign of devilish hatred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the devils disease what good will innocency or ignoscency soever thou makest shew off Job cleareth himself of this fault Job 31.24 and so doth David notably Psal 35.13 14. See his practice 2 Sam. 1.11 12. Caesar wept when Pompey's head was presented to him and said Victoriam volui non vindictam See the Notes on Mat. 5.44 and on Rom. 12.19 Vers 18. Lest the Lord see it viz. Thy pride and cruelty as he will for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All-eye and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he see he will kindle and turn the wheel upon thee as he threatned to do upon Edom for looking with liking upon Israels calamity For prevention hereof think thus with thy self Either I am like mine enemy or else I am better or worse than he If like him Ezek. Obad. 12. why may not I look for the like misery If better who made me to differ If worse what reason then have I to insult Vers 19. Fret not thy self because of evill men We are wondrous apt to be sick of the Fret hence so many precepts to this purpose See chap. 23.17 and 24.1 Vers 20. For there shall be no reward He shall suffer both pain of loss and pain of sense which whether is the more grievous is hard to determine Sure it is that the tears of hell are not sufficient to bewail the loss of heaven their worm of grief gnaws as painfully as their fire burns Depart from mee yee cursed sounds as harsh in their ears as that which follows into everlasting flames Vers 21. My sonne fear the Lord and the King Who would not fear thee O King of Nations Psal 76.11 for unto thee doth it appertain Jer. 10.7 God is the prime and proper object of fear Whence by an Appelative proper he is called Fear by the Psalmist The Greeks call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some think from the fear that is due to him Princes also must be feared and honoured 1 Pet. 2.17 as those that are invested with Gods Authority and intrusted with the administration of his Kingdome upon earth by the exercise of vindictive and remunerative Justice And whiles they be just ruling in the fear of God 2 Sam. 23.3 and commanding things consonant to the word and will of God they must be obeyed for conscience sake Rom. 13.3 otherwise not See the note on Acts 4.19 And meddle not with them that are given to change i. e. with seditious spirits that affect and effect alterations law lesse persons as Saint Paul calls them Male-contents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the present government is ever grievous as Thucydides noteth Such were Kore and his complices Absolom Sheba the ten tribes that cried Alleva jugum Ease our yoke and before them those in Samuels time that cried Nay but we will have a King Novatus hath still too many followers of whom Saint Cyprian under whom he lived thus testifieth Novatus rerum novarum semper cupidus arrogantia inflatus that he was an arrogant innovatour These turbulent spirits prove oft the pests and boutefeaus of the state they live in and it is dangerous having to deal with them Vers 22. For their calamity shall rise suddenly When they think they have made all cock-sure Had Zimri-peace that killed his master Had Absolom Sheba Rhodolphus Duke of Suevia Sanders Story Parry Campian Daniels Hist the powder-plotters Raviliac c. Knute the first Danique King caused the false Edrics head that had been his Agent to be set upon the highest part of the tower of London therein performing his promise of advancing him above any Lord in the Land James the first King of Scots was murdered in Perth by Walter Earl of Athol in hope to attain the Crown Crowned indeed he was but not as his witches and sorcerers had ambiguously insinuated with the Crown of that Realm but with a Crown of red hot Iron clapt upon his head Speed Chron. being one of the tortures wherewith he ended at once his wicked days and desires And who knoweth the ruine of them both i. e. That both God and the King will inflict upon the Rebels Or of them both i. e. both of the King if a Tyrant and of those that seditiously move against him Vers 23. These things also belong to the wise As subjects must know their duties so Magistrates theirs neither may they hold themselves too wise to learn God can send even a Salomon to School to the Raven to the Pismire yea to the Lillies of the Field as being able to teach the wisest man by the weakest Creature It is not good to have respect of Persons Hebr. to know faces to regard not so much the matter as the man to hear Persons speak and not Causes to judge not according to truth and equity but according to opinion and appearance to fear or favour This cannot be good lawful or safe Job 13.13 Hee will surely or thorowly reprove you not verbally only but penally too if you secretly accept Persons Of Trajan it is said that he neither feared nor hated any man but that he heard the Causes of his Subjects without praejudicate impiety judiciously examined them without sinister obliquity and sincerely judged them without unjust partiality Vers 24. Him shall the people curse Hebr. They shall run him thorow with their evil wishes for his evil sentence he shall be generally hated and set against as was Herod Pilate Festus Ferres c. Vers 25. But to them that rebuke him shall be delight Those Judges that reprove and punish the wicked shall besides the Euge of a good Conscience which is farre better than the worlds Plaudite delight themselves in the Lord and reign in the affections of all good men who shall eftsoons also say Gods blessing be on such a good Judges heart for he saveth the innocent and punisheth the wicked c. As he hath done worthily in Ephrata so he shall be famous in Bethlehem Ruth 4.11 See Job 29.11 12. Vers 26. Every man shall kisse his lips That is shall doe him honour as Gen. 41.40 All the people shall kisse at thy mouth saith Pharaoh to Joseph and Samuel kissed Saul when hee annoynted him King 1 Sam. 10.1 and Kisse the Son saith David Psal 2.11 That is give unto him the honour due unto his name Vers 27. Prepare thy work without c. God would have all his to be not good men only but good husbands too to order their affairs with discretion Lib. 18. cap. 1 and to take their fittest opportunities for dispatch of houshold businesses Pliny hath a saying to like sense with this Aedificandum saith he consito agro tunc quoque cunctanter Let building alone till thy field be tilled vined planted c. Vers 28. Be not a witnesse against thy neighbour without
between Him and thee therefore see to it that thou come to him with all possible reverence humility and self-abasement See Job 42.6 1 King 18.42 Matth. 26.38 It is observable that when the great Turk comes into his Mosche or Temple he lays by all his State and hath none to attend him all the while Therefore let thy words bee few But full as the Publicans were Luk. 18.13 O quam multa quam paucis Oh how much in a little said Tully of Brutus his Epistle so may wee say of that Publicans prayer how much more of the Lords prayer set in flat opposition to the Heathenish Battologies and vain repetitions usual with Pagans and Papagans c. See the Note on Mat. 6.7 8 9. It is reported of the ancient Christians of Aegypt Quod brevissimis raptim jaculatis orationibus uti voluerint ne per moras evanesceret hebetaretur intentio August that they made very short prayers that their devotion might not bee dulled by longer doings Cassian also makes mention of certain religious persons in his time Qui utilius censebant breves quidem orationes sed creberrimas fieri c. who thought it best that our prayers should bee short but frequent the one that there might bee continual intercourse maintained between God and us the other that by shortness wee might avoid the Devills darts which hee throws especially at us while wee are praying These bee good reasons and more may bee added out of Matth. 6. as that our Heavenly Father knows what wee need c. That which the Preacher here presseth is the transcendent Excellency and surpassing Majesty of Almighty God I am a great King saith Hee Mal. 1. And I look to bee served like my self Hos 14.2 Therefore take unto you words neither over curious nor over careless but such as are humble earnest direct to the point avoiding vain bablings needless and endless repetitions heartless digressions tedious prolixities wilde and idle discourses of such extemporary petitioners as not disposing their matter in due order by premeditation and withall being word-bound are forced to go forward and backward like Hounds at a loss and having hastily begun they know not how handsomly to make an end Vers 3. For a dream commeth through the multitude of business When all the rest of the senses are bound up by sleep the soul entreth into the shop of the fancy and operates there usually according to the businesses and imployments of the day past Tertull. de anima cap. 49. fierividentur quae fieri tamen non videntur saith Tertullian those things seem to bee done in a dream which yet are not seen to be done at all these are but vanae jactationes negotiosae animae the idle toffings of a busy minde In like sort a fool a heartless sapless fellow that being sensual and void of the spirit of grace and supplications hath neither the affections nor expressions of holy prayer multiplies words without knowledge thinks to make out in words what hee wants in worth being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutarch saith of Alcibicdes one that could talk much but speak little His voyce is known by multitude of words It is but a voyce that is heard it is but a sound that is made like the uncertain sound of a Trumpet that none can tell what it meaneth what to make of it Corniculas citius in Africa quam res rationâ—sque solidas in Turriani scriptis reperias saith one Beringer Contra Id. Cum. Lauret Aristot De divinat per insom So here If there be any worth of matter in the fools words it is but by chance as Aristotle saith that dreams doe by chance fore-tell those things that come to passe Let it be our care to shun as much as may be all lavish and superfluous talkativenesse and tediousnesse but especially in prayer lest wee offer the sacrifice of fools and God be angry with us For as it is not the loudnesse of a Preachers voyce but the weight and holiness of his matter and the spirit of the Preacher that moves a wife and intelligent hearer so it is not the labour of the lips but the travel of the heart that prevails with God The Baalites Prayer was not more tedious than Elijah's short yet more pithy than short And it was Elijah that spake loud and sped in heaven Let the fool learn therefore to shew more wit in his discourse than words lest being known by his voyce hee meet as the Nightingale did with some Laconian that will not let to tell him Vox in es praeterea nihil Thou art a voyce and that 's all Vers 4. When thou vowest a vow unto God deferre not to pay it See the Note on Deut. 23.21 It is in thy power to vow or not to vow Vovere nusquam est praeceptum saith Bellarmine We have no command to vow That of David Lib. 2. de Monac cap. 15. Vow and perform to the Lord your God is not purum praeceptum saith Mr. Cartwright a pure precept but like that other Be angry and sin not where anger is not commanded but limited So neither are wee simply commanded to vow but having voluntarily vowed we may not deferre to pay it delayes are taken for denials excuses for refusals For he hath no pleasure in fools He needs them as little as King Achish did 2 Sam. 22.15 he abhors them Psal 5.5 as deceitful workers as mockers of God Jephta in vovendo fuit stultus in praestando impius Jephta was a fool in vowing Hieron and wicked in performing But he that vowes a thing lawful and possible and yet de-deferres to perform it or seeks an evasion is two fools for fayling sith Vers 5. Better it is that thou shouldest not vow q. d. Who bad thee bee so forward Why wouldst thou become a voluntary Votary Dicta factis deficientibus erubescunt and so rashly ingage to the losse of thy liberty and the offence of thy God who expected thou shouldst have kept touch and not have dealt thus slipperily with him Thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God Acts 5.4 As the truth of Christ is in me saith Paul 2 Cor. 11.10 so he bindes himself by an oath as the learned have observed And as God is true our word toward you was not Yea and Nay 2 Cor. 1.19 20 for the Son of God who was preached among you by mee was not Yea and Nay but in him all the promises of God are Yea and Amen Why what of that might some say and what 's all this to the purpose Very much for it implieth that what a Christian doth promise to men how much more to God he is bound by the earnest penny of Gods Spirit to perform He dares no more alter or falsifie his word than the Spirit of God can lye And as he looks that Gods promises should bee made good to him so is hee careful to pay that
being little less than a Monster What so monstrous as to behold green Apples on a tree in winter and what so indecent as to see the sins of youth prevailing in times of age among old decrepit Goats that they should bee capering after capparis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fruit of Capers as the Septuagint and Vulgar render it here Because man goeth to his long home Heb. to his old home scil to the dust from whence hee was taken Or to the house of his eternity that is the grave that house of all living where hee shall lye long till the Resurrection Tremellius renders it in domum saeculi sui to the house of his generation where hee and all his contemporaries meet Cajetan in domum mundi sui into the house of his world that which the world provides for him as nature at first provided for him the house of the womb Toward this home of his the old man is now on gate having one foot in the grave already Hee sits and sings with Job My spirit is spent my daies are extinct the graves are ready for mee Job 17.1 And the mourners go about the streets The proverb is Senex â—os non lugetur An old man dies unlamented But not so the good old man Great moan was made for old Jacob Moses Aaron Samuel The Romans took the death of old Augustus so heavily that they wished hee had either never been born or never died Those indeed that live wickedly dye wishedly But godly men are worthily lamented and ought to bee so Isa 57.1 This is one of the dues of the dead so it bee done aright But they were hard bestead that were fain to hire mourners that as Midwives brought their friends into the world so those widows should carry them out of it See Job 3.8 Jer. 9.17 Vers 6. Or ever the silver cord bee loosed Or lengthened i. e. before the marrow of the back which is of a silver colour bee consumed From this Cord many sinews are derived which when they are loosened the back bendeth motion is slow and feeling faileth Or the golden bowl be broken i. e. The heart say some or the Pericardium the Brain-pan say others or the Piamater compassing the brain like a swathing-cloath or inner rind of a tree Or the pitcher bee broken at the fountain That is the veins at the Liver which is the shop of sangnification or blood-making as one calls it but especially Vena porta and Vena cava Read the Anatomists Or the wheel bee broken at the cistern i. e. The head which draws the power of life from the heart to the which the blood runs back in any great fright as to the fountain of life Vers 7. Then shall the dust return to the earth c. What is man saith Nazianzen but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soul and Soil Breath and Body a puff of wind the one a pile of dust the other no solidity in either Zoroaster and some other antient Heathens imagined that the soul had wings that having broken these wings shee fell headlong into the body and that recovering her wings again shee flies up to Heaven her original habitation That of Epicharmus is better to bee liked and comes nearer to the truth here delivered by the Preacher Concretum fuit discretum est rediitque unde venerat terra deorsum spiritus sursum It was together but is now by death set asunder and returned to the place whence it came the Earth downward the Spirit upward See Gen. 2.7 God made man of the dust of the earth to note our frailty vility and impurity Lutum enim conspurcat omnia sic caro saith one Dirt defiles all things so doth the flesh It should seem so truly by mans soul which coming pure out of Gods hands soon becomes Mens oblita Dei vitiorumque oblita coeno Bernard complains not without just cause that our souls by commerce with the flesh are become fleshly Sure it is that by their mutual defilement corruption is so far rooted in us now that it is not cleansed out of us by meer death as is to bee seen in Lazarus and others that died but by cinerification or turning of the body to dust and ashes The spirit returns to God that gave it For it is divinae particula aurae an immaterial immortal substance that after death returns to God the Fountain of life D. Prest The soul moves and guides the body saith a worthy Divine as the Pilot doth the ship Now the Pilot may bee safe though the ship bee split on the rock And as in a chicken it grows still and so the shell breaks and falls off So it is with the soul the body hangs on it but as a shell and when the soul is grown to perfection it falls away and the soul returns to the Father of spirits Augustine after Origen held a long while that the soul was begotten by the Parents as was the body At length hee began to doubt of this point and afterward altered his opinion confessing inter caetera testimonia hoc esse praecipuum that among other testimonies this to bee the chief to prove the contrary to that which hee had formerly held Vers 8. Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher Who chose for his Text this Argument of the vanity of humane things which having fully proved and improved hee here resumes and concludes Vide supra Vers 9. And moreover because the Preacher was wise Hee well knew how hard it was to work men to a beleef of what hee had affirmed concerning earthly vanities and therefore heaps up here many forcible and cogent Arguments as First that himself was no baby but wise above all men in the world by Gods own testimony therefore his words should bee well regarded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our wise men expound to day said the Jews one to another Come let us go up to the house of the Lord c. Cicero had that high opinion of Plato for his wisdome that hee professed that hee would rather go wrong with him than go right with others Averroes over-admired Aristotle as if hee had been infallible But this is a praise proper to the holy Pen-men guided by the Spirit of Truth and filled with wisdome from on high for the purpose To them therefore and to the word of prophecy by them must men give heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place c. 2 Pet. 1.19 Hee still taught the people knowledge Hee hid not his talent in a Napkin but used it to the instruction of his people Have not I written for thee excellent things or three several sorts of Books viz. Proverbial Penitential Nuptial in counsels and knowledge Prov. 22.20 Synesius speaks of some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synes that having great worth in them will as soon part with their hearts as with their conceptions And Gregory observeth that there are not a few who being enriched with spiritual gifts
Contrariwise the godly in the fulness of his want is in an All-sufficiency because hee is in Christ Col. 3. who hath filled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the neuter gender not onely all the hearts of his people but All things hee hath filled up that emptiness that was before in the creature and made it satisfactory I sate down under his shadow with great delight Heb. I delighted and sate down The Church being scortcht with troubles without and terrours within ran to Christ for shelter and found singular comfort Psal 91.1 Isa 25.4 Tua praesentia Domine Laurentio ipsam craticulam dulcem fecit saith an Antient Philip Lantgrave of Hesse being a long time prisoner under Charls the fifth was demanded what upheld him all that time Respondit divinas Martyrum consolationes se sensisse hee answered that Christ came in to him with such cordials as kept up his spirits above beleef There bee divine comforts that are felt by the suffering Saints that others taste not of nor themselves neither at other times When the childe is sick out come the conserves and sweet-meats Never sits hee so much on his Mothers lap and in her bosome as then And his fruit was sweet to my taste i. e. His word and promises which I rolled as Sugar under my tongue and sucked therehence more sweetness than Sampson did from his hony-comb Psal 19.10 119.103 Jer. 15.16 Luther said hee would not live in paradise Tom. 4. Oper. Lat. if hee might without the Word at cum verbo etiam in inferno facile est vivere saith hee but with the Word hee could live even in Hell it self True it is that those that have not the Spouses palate finde no such sweetness in Christ or his promises Most men are so full gorged with the Devils dainties so surfeited with sins sweet-meats that they finde no more relish in the good Word of God Multi in terris manducant quod apud inferos digerunt Aug. than in the white of an Egge or in a dry chip These feed upon that now that they must without repentance digest in Hell there will bee bitterness in the end Whereas they that by sucking those full-strutting breasts of consolation the promises have tasted and seen how good the Lord Christ is as their souls are satisfied with fat things full of marrow with the very best of the best Isa 25.6 so hee shall make them to drink abundantly of the river of his pleasures Psal 36.9 hee shall take them into his Wine-â—eller and fill them with gladness Vers 4. Hee brought mee to the banquetting-house Heb. to the house of Wine where hee giveth mee that which is better than Apple-drink as vers 3. As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 The lower that ebb the higher this tide as is to bee seen in the Martyrs who went as merrily to die as ever they did to dine sang in the flames and felt no more pain than if they had lain upon beds of Roses This their persecutors counted stupidity and vain-glory but they knew not the power of the Spirit and the force of Faith as Mr. Philpot told scoffing Morgan who coming to confer with him asked him How know you that you have the Spirit of God Mr. Philpot answered By the Faith of Christ which is in mee All by Faith quoth Morgan do yee so I ween it bee the spirit of the buttery which your fellows have had that have been burned before you who were drunk the night before they went to their death Act. and Mon. fol. 1653. and I ween went drunk unto it Whereunto Philpot replied It appears by your communication that you are better acquainted with the spirit of the buttery than of God Meethink you are liker a scoffer in a Play than a reasonable Doctor to instruct one Thou hast the spirit of illusion and sophistry which is not able to countervail the Spirit of truth Thou art but an Ass in the things of God c. God shall surely rain fire and brimstone upon such scorners of his Word and blasphemers of his people as thou art The like sensure was passed upon Nicholas Burton Martyr in Spain who because hee went chearfully to the stake and embraced death with all gladness and patience Ibid. 1866. his tormentours and enemies said that the Devil had his soul before hee came to the fire and therefore his sense of feeling was past These carnal creatures meddle not with the true Christians joy neither know they the privy armour of proof the joy of Faith that hee hath as an aes triplex about his heart making him insuperable and more than a Conquerour Rom. 8.35 True grace hath a fortifying comforting virtue which the world knows not of like as true gold comforts and strengthens the heart that Alchymy gold doth not And as a man that by good fare and plenty of the best Wines hath his bones filled with marrow and his veins with good blood and a fresh spring of spirits can endure to go with less cloathes than another because hee is well liâ—ed within So it is with a heart that by oft feasting with Christ in his Ordinances and by much reading and ruminating upon the Scriptures called here the Banquetting-house or Wine-celler as most are of opinion hath got a great deal of joy and peace such an one will go thorow troubles and make nothing of them yea though outward comforts utterly fail Hab. 3.17 Rom. 5.15 And his banner over mee was love As a Standard erected as a banner displayed so was the love of Christ shed abroad in her heart by the Holy Ghost who had also as a fruit of his love set up a Standard in her against strong temptations and corruptions Isa 59.19 and thereby assured her of his special presence like as where the colours are there is the Captain where the Standard there the King The wicked also have their banners of lust covetousness ambition malice under which they fight as the Dragon and his viperous brood Rev. 12.7 against Christ and his people but they may read their destiny Isa 8.9 10. Associate your selves O yee people stand to your arms repair to your colours c. yet yee shall bee broken in peeces gird your selves and yee shall bee broken in peeces c. Take counsel together and it shall come to nought c. for God is with us Immanuel is our General And how many do you reckon him for as Antigonus once said to his souldiers that feared their enemies numbers Surely if Christ bee for us and hee is never from us Matth. 28.20 but as Xerxes was wont to do hee pitcheth his tent and sets up his Standard in the midst of his people as once in the wilderness who can bee against us Rom. 8.31 And though many bee yet No weapon that is formed against the Church shall prosper how should it fith shee hath such a
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
read of faces eyes wings hands c. all to express the sufficiency of Gods providence for all means of help See Psal 33.18 19. 34.16 The Church is like the land of Canaan which is said to be a land which the Lord careth for the eyes of the Lord are alwaies upon it c. Deut. 11.11 Hee seeth that loveliness in her that hee overlooks all as it were to look upon her hee beholds that worth in her that the buzzards of the world cannot ken Therefore the world knows us not respects us not because it knew not him 1 John 3.1 saw no such beauty that they should desire him Isa 53.2 Nicostratus in Elian himself being a cunning Artisan finding a curious piece of work and being wondred at by one and asked by one what pleasure hee could take to stand gazing as hee did on the picture answered Hadst thou mine eyes thou wouldst not wonder but rather bee ravished as I am at the inimitable art of this piece Semblably had men those dove-like single eyes that Christ and his people have washed in milk that is in milk-white waters cleansed from the dust of sinful prejudice and fitly set as a precious stone in the foyl of a ring or as the precious filling-stones in the holy Ephod Exod. 25.7 they would kiss the Sonne and admire his Spouse Whereas for want of Spiritual eyes the Northern proverb is verified unkent unkist unknown unrespected Vers 13. His cheeks are as a bed of spices i. e. comely and pleasant to the sight sweet also to the smell areolis similes aromatum plenis flourishing with a goodly comely fresh and sweet beard so declaring his face not onely to be gracious and amiable but also full of gravity glory and majesty There are that would have all these things to bee taken literally of Christs natural body and that here is set down his Prosopography But this was written long before Christ was incarnate and therefore it must needs be meant in a metaphorical and allegorical sense hard to bee explained Ego quid de singulis statuam fateor me nescire saith a learned Interpreter Allegorically to handle all these is not in my purpose or power saith another sith the graces of Christ as they cannot well bee expressed so by reason of our weakness they cannot better bee declared The drift of the holy Ghost is to paint out unto us the spiritual and heavenly love of his Church to Christ who doth not nor cannot satisfie her self with any words or comparisons of this kind And secondly to stir up our heartiest and liveliest affections to him that hath such a world of worth and wealth in him As the worth and value of many peeces of silver is in one peece of gold so all the petty excellencies scattered abroad in the creatures are united in Christ yea all the whole volume of perfections which is spread thorow Heaven and Earth is epitomized in him why do wee not then make out to him and despise all for him with Paul Why do wee not with David chide our selves and others for loving vanity Psal 4.2 and seeking after leasing How long wilt thou go about O backsliding daughter Isa 7.14 and fetch a compass knowest thou not that the Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth a woman shall compass a man Jer. 31.22 that is a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son even the Man Christ Jesus in whom it pleased the Father that there should dwell all fulness Col. 1.19 Make wee therefore straight paths for our feet Heb. 12.13 Let us go speedily to Christ Zech. 8.21 as Bees do to a Meddow full of flowers as Merchants do to the Indies that are full of fruits and spices that wee may return from him full fraught with treasures of truth and grace His lips like Lillies dropping sweet-smelling myrrhe i. e. His word and doctrine is white sweet pleasant far-spreading as Lillies sweet to the smell and yet bitter to the taste as myrrhe no way pleasing to the flesh which it mortifieth calling upon men to repent reform walk by rule strive to enter in at the straight gate resist unto blood striving against sin These things are good and profitable to men as the Apostle speaks in another case Tit. 3.8 but they naturally care not to hear of them Drop not yee say they wee like not your Lillies dropping myrrhe and nitre Let those drop or prophesie Micah 2.6 that preach pleasing things Wee like your Lillies but care not for your Myrrhe or if wee smell it wee like not to taste of it because little toothsome however it may bee wholesome Vers 14. His hands are as gold Rings set with the Beril Or Chrysolite Heb. Tarshish whence our word Turkeis as it may seem a precious stone of colour blew like the Skie or as others say green like the Sea Asher was graven upon this stone who dwelt near the Sea Exod. 28.20 Some write that in former times this stone was most usually set in such Rings as Lovers did use to give one to another or in Marriage-Rings because of the power that was thought to bee in it to procure and continue love and liking one of them towards another Whatsoever stone it is whether a Beril Chrysolite Carbuncle Hyacinth Onyx for all these waies it is rendred the Churches meaning is that all the works of Christ whether in the state of Humiliation or of Exaltation for redemption wee have by his Abasement application of it by his Advancement are most rare dear precious and glorious as numbers of Rings filled with all manner of costly stones they are acceptable and honourable before God and man And like as great men are known by their Rings and rich Jewels so is Christ by his Saints the work of his hands Isa 64.8 His belly is as bright Ivory overlaid with Sapphires Heb. His bowels in the dual meaning his breast and belly and there the heart and lights those seats of the will and affections here the liver stomach entrails which serve for nutrition and generation By all this wee may well understand Christs inward affections outwardly manifested These are true and sincere as bright and white Ivory they are also hearty and heavenly as Sapphires various also and manifold sicut Sapphiri caeruleae sunt His bowels yearn toward his afflicted people his heart is turned within him his repentings are kindled together Hos 11.8 so the Poet Ingemuit miserans graviter dextramque tetendit Virg. Vers 15. His leggs are as pillars of marble A sign of Christs firmness in his Kingdome works word and government saith a learned Expositour and of his strength to trample upon his enemies as also of his united power to accomplish the course of his three-fold office Pillars both bear up the building and beautifie it neither can any thing be more sure and solid than these if set upon a firm foundation The Pillars here mentioned are said to bee set upon fine
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
also reap in due season if they faint not if they grow not weary of well-doing Gal. 6.9 See the Note on vers 11. Vers 13. Thou that dwellest in the Gardens i. e. O thou Church universal that dwellest in the particular Churches frequently called Gardens in this book The French Protestants at Lions called their meeting-house Paradise The companions hearken to thy voyce The Angels so some interpret it learn of the Church and profit in the knowledge of the manifold wisdome of God in mans redemption Ephes 3.10 1 Cor. 11.10 1 Pet. 1.10 Or rather thy Fellow-Christians thine obedient children that will hearken to their mothers counsell No sooner can shee say Hear and give ear bee not proud for the Lord hath spoken it but they give glory to the Lord their God as Jer. 13.15 16. glorifie his Word Acts 13.48 set to their seals John 3.33 dispute not Christs commands but dispatch them Illi garriant nos credamus said Augustine of hereticks that would not bee satisfied The Philosophers called the Christians Credentes Believers by way of reproach because they believed God upon his bare word Wee believe and know saith Peter John 6.69 And wee believe and speak saith Paul after David 2 Cor. 4.13 And wee believe and practice as Noah and those other Worthies did Heb. 11.7 laying faith for a foundation of all their doings and sufferings in and for the Lord like as Ezra 6.4 the foundation of the Temple was laid with three rows of great stones and a row of new timber This is the guise of the Churches children they are soon perswaded to beleeve and obey their mother whom they look upon as the pillar and ground of truth Cause mee to hear it See the Note on chap. 2.14 Tremellius renders it Fac ut me andiant Cause them to hear mee deliver nothing to them for truth but what is consonant to my Word of truth let all thy doctrines bear my stamp come forth cum privilegeo carry mine authority What said Austin to an adversary it was Faustus the Manichee I trow what matter is it what either thou saiest or I say to this or that point Audiamus ambo quid dicit Dominus Let us both hear what God saith and sit down by it Vers 14. Make haste my beloved Heb. Flee or speed thee away as Amaziah said to Amos Go flee thee away into the land of Judah Amos 7.12 And as a Senatour of Hala in Suevia wrote to Brentius Fuge fuge Brenti cito citius citissime make all possible speed haste haste haste So the Church is at it here with her Come Lord Jesus come quickly O mora Christe veni Thus Augustine as this Book began with a wish so it ends Tota vita boni Christiani sunctum desideriumest The whole life of a good Christian is an holy wish Hee loves and longs and looks for Christs second appearance and even spends and exhales himself in continual salleys and egressions of affection unto him in the mean while Hee hath taken some turns with Christ upon those mountains of spices so heaven is called for its unconceiveable height and sweetness he hath tasted of the grapes of this celestial Canaan hence he is as eager after it Plut. in vita Camilli as once the Gauls were after Italy when they had once tasted of the sweet wine of those grapes that grew there The old character of Gods people was they waited for the consolation of Israel Christs first comming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Isa 16.5 Septu Now they long as much for his second as the espoused maid doth after the marriage as the Apprentice for his freedom the captive for his ransom the traveller for his Inn the mariner for the haven c. looking for and hasting the coming of that day of God 2 Pet. 3.12 Soli Deo gloria in aeternum FINIS A Commentary or Exposition Upon the BOOK Of the Prophet ISAIAH CHAP. I. Verse 1. THE Vision of Isaiah That which was not unfitly affirmed of a Modern Expositor Snepfius that his Commentaries on this Prophesie of Isaiah are mole parvi eruditione magni small in bulk but great in worth may much more fitly be spoken of the Prophesie it self which is aureus quantivis precii libellus worth its weight in gold A great roll or volume it is called chap. 8.6 because it is Magnum in parvo much in a little and is said there to be written with a mans pen that is plainly and perspicuously so little reason was there that John Haselbach Mercat Atlas Professor at Vienna should read twenty and one years to his Auditors upon this first chapter only and yet not finish it I confess there is no Prophesie but hath its obscurity the picture of Prophesie is said to hang in the Popes Library like a Matron with her eyes covered and Jerom saith that this of Isaiah containeth all Rhetorick Ethicks and Theologie But if Brevity and Suavity which Fulgentius maketh to be the greatest graces of a sentence if Eloquence of stile and Evidence of Vision may carry it with the Reader Casaub here they are eminently met in this Seraphical Orator of whom we may far better say then the learned Critick doth of Livy Non ita copiosus ut nimius neque ita suavis ut lascivus nec adeò lenis ut remissus non sic tristis ut horridus neque ita simplex ut nudus aut adeò comptus ut affectatâ compositione calamistris videatur inustus Par verbis materia par sententia ribus c. A Courtier he was and a Master of speech a man of Noble birth and as noble a spirit not the first of the holy Prophets and yet worthily set in the first place as St. Pauls Epistle to the Romans is for like cause set before the rest because in abundance of Visions he exceedeth his fellows and in speaking of the Lord Christ he delivereth himself more like an Evangelist then a Prophet Hieronym Est in fragmentis Demadâ— orationes Demostheniâ— esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Isaiae vision bus idem pâ— Conciones haâ— poenitentialâ— comminator as Consâ—â—ortas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is therefore called The Evangelical Prophet In the New-Testament he is cited by Christ and his Apostles sixty several times at least and by the devouter Heathens he was not a little respected as appeareth by the history of that Ethiopian Eunuch Acts 8. The vision That is the several Visions or Doctrines so certainly and clearly revealed to him by God as if he had seen them with his bodily eyes see chap. 2.1 Nahum 1.1 for they are not to be hearkened to who hold that these Seers the Prophets understood not their own prophesies 1 Pet. 1.10 11. though it is true that those holy men of God spake as they were moved acted and powerfully carryed on to see and say as they did by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 Of Isaiah Which signifieth
Called the Jews language chap. 35.11 13. the Hebrew tongue wherein were written the lively Oracles of God This Language therefore the Elect Egyptians shall learn and labour for that pure lip Zeph. 3.9 to speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet 4.11 Wholsom words 2 Tim. 1.13 Right words Job 6.25 Words of wisdom Prov. 1.6 Of truth and soberness Act. 26.25 to be Examples to others not only in faith and conversation but also in words and communication 1 Tim. 4.12 And swear to the Lord of hosts Devote themselves to his fear and service Nempe susceptione baptismi Piscat taking a corporal oath for that purpose as in baptisme and other holy covenants whereupon haply they might be inabled to speak with tongues the holy tongue especially as most necessary for Christians Here then we have a description of a true Christian not such as the Jesuites in their Catechisme give us viz. A Christian is he who believeth whatsoever the Church of Rome commandeth to be believed swearing fealty to Her One shall be called the City of destruction i. e. Nevertheless there shall be a few cities that shall despise Christian Religion and shall therefore be destroyed for neglecting so great salvation It shall be easier for Sodom one day then for such Others render the text Heliopolis or the city of the Sun shall be accounted one sc of those 5 converted cities and become consecrated to the Sun of righteousness Joseph Ant. lâ—b 13. cap. 6. Ver. 19. In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord A spiritual altar for spiritual sacrifices as ver 20. Heb. 13.10 Onias the Jewish Priest who hereupon went and built an altar at Heliopolis in Egypt and sacrificed to God there was as much mistaken as the Anabaptists of Germany were in their Munster which they termed new Jerusalem and acted accordingly sending forth Apostles casting out orthodox Ministers c. And a pillar in the border thereof that is saith One the Gospels and writings of the Apostles that pillar and ground of truth Or a publike confession of the Christian faith Rom. 10 9. An allusion to Josh 22.10 25. See Zech. 14.9 20 21. Ver. 20. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness The doctrine of Christs death is a clear testimony of Gods great love and kindness to mankind Rom. 5. and 8. For they shall cry unto the Lord for their oppressours As the Israelites sometimes had done under the Egyptian servitude Exod. 3.9 And he shall send them a Saviour not Moses but Messias that great Saviour Servatorem magnatem vel magistrum for God hath laid his peoples help on One that is mighty Psal 89.19 See Tit. 2 13. Ver. 21. And the Lord shall be known to Egypt They shall both know the Lord Christ and be known of him as Gal. 4.9 See Rom. 10.20 And shall do sacrifice and oblation Perform reasonable service Rom 12.1 such as whereof they can render a reason Not a Samaritan service Joh. 4.22 or Athenian Act. 17.23 Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship c. God will have no such blind sacrifices Mal. 1.8 Yea they shall vow a vow c. That in baptisme especially Facit opus aâ—tenum ut faciat proprium Isa 28. Ver. 22. And the Lord shall smite Egypt That he may bring it into the bond of the covenant Ezek. 20.37 Heb. 12.9 Hos 6.1 He shall smite and heal it Heb. smiting and healing Vna eademque manus c. Vna gerit bellum monstrat manus altera pacew as it was said of Charles 5. And shall heal them Pardon their sins heal their natures and make up all breaches in their outward estates Ver. 23. In that day there shall be an highway c. All hostility shall cease and a blessed unanimity be settled amongst Christs subjects of several nations Hereunto way was made by the Roman Empire reducing both these great countries into Provinces And the Egyptiant shall serve Serve the Lord with one shoulder as Zeph. 3.9 Ver. 24. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt The posterity of Sem Ham and Japhâ—t shall concur in the communion of Saints the pale and partition-wall being taken away Even a blessing in the middest of the earth The Saints are so Absque stationibus non staret mundus If it were not for them the world would soon shatter and fall in pieces Jun. Ver. 25. Whom the Lord of hostes shall bless Or For the Lord of hostes shall bless and then he shall be blessed as Isaac said of Jacob Gen. 27.33 Blessed be Egypt my people A new title to Egypt and no less honorable Vide quantum profecerit Aegyptus flagellis saith Oecolampad here i e. See how Egypt hath got by her sufferings See ver 22. She who was not a people but a rabble of rebels conspiring against heaven is now owned and taken into covenant And Assyria the work of my hands For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2.10 And Israel mine Inheritance This is upon the matter one and the same with the former every regenerate person whether Jew or Gentile is all these three in conjunction O the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heaped up happiness of all such Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the children of Zion be joyful in their King Psalm 149.2 For the Lord her God in the midst of her is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over her with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over her with singing Zeph. 3.17 CHAP. XX. Ver. 1. IN the year that Tartan A certain Commander under Sennacherib 2 King 18.17 who came against Ashdod among other Cities of Judah about the twelfth year of King Hezekiah Came to Ashdod Called also Azotus Act. 8.40 and much praised by Herodotus in Euterpe When Sargon That is Sennacherib most likely who had seven Names saith Hierom eighth say some Rabbins Commodus the Roman Emperour took unto himself as many names as there are months in the year 1 â—on which also he changed ever and anon but constantly kept that of Exuperans because he would have been thought to excel all men The like might be true of Sargon Herod l. 2. And fought against Ashdod and took it Psammetichus King of Egypt had before taken it after a very long siege now it is taken again from the Aegyptian by the Assyrian to teach them and others not to trust to Forts and fenced Cities Ver. 2. At the same time spake the Lord Against Egypt and Ethiopia whom he had comforted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Per Isaiam tanquam organum disâ—ensatorem suoâ—um myster Oecolamp Vestimentum â—i losum ver 18. 19 and yet now again threateneth shewing by an ocular demonstration what miseries should befall them This was done in Jury but the report thereof might easily come to these confederate Countreys and the Jews howsoever were given hereby to
wrought all our works in us Or for us Certum est nos facere quod facimus sed Deus facit ut faciamus without Christ we can do nothing Ioh. 15.5 In him alone is our fruit found Hos 14.8 It is well observed by a grave Interpreter that the Church in the Canticles is nowhere described by the beauty of her hands or fingers because God alone worketh all her works for her and had rather that she should abound in good works in silence then to boast of them at all Ver. 13. O Lord our God other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us Or have mastered us Oh that men were so sensible of their spiritual servitude as thus to complain thereof to Jesus Christ But alass they do nothing less for most part delighting on the Devils drudgery which they count the only liberty and dancing as it were to hell in their bolts Will we make mention of thy name For which end we would not be the servants of men much less the slaves of Satan 1 Cor. 7.27 that basest of slaves but the free-men of Christ where the spirit is there is liberty and if the Son set us free Joh. 8. we shall be free indeed Ver. 14. They are dead Those other Lords of ours are ver 13. But seldom lieth the devil dead in a dyke saith our proverb yet he and his agents have their deadly wound and shall be trodden under our feet shortly Rom. 16.20 Oh groan in spirit after that sweet day of full redemption c. Therefore thou hast visited Or because thou hast visited Wo be to a person or people when God taketh them to do Ver. 15. Thou hast increased the Nation That righteous Nation which keepeth the truth ver 2. Some render and sense the words thus Thou hast indeed increased the Nation sc of the Jews thou hadst done it O sweet mercy I am the better to speak of it and therefore I speak it twice but thou wast heavy-laden sc with their sins therefore thou hast removed it far unto all the ends of the Earth Who knoweth not what a dispersed and despised people the Jews are in all places banished as it were out of the world by a common consent of Nations Be not therefore high-minded but fear Ver. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee Pulcherrimus afflictationum fructus precandi ardor assiduitas Affliction exciteth devotion as blowing doth the fire Christ in his agony prayed most earnestly Luke 22.44 Martha and Mary when their Brother Lazarus was sick sent Messengers to Jesus Joh. 11.3 quos putas nisi suspiria continuata nisi prece◠irremissas saith Scultetus i. e. what were those Messengers but their continued groans and earnest prayers See Hos 5.15 with the Note Prayer is the Daughter of affliction and the Mother of comfort Not dropped but poured not prayers but a prayer one continual act and as in the speaking of three or four words there is much efficacy in a charm so their prayers were very prevalent They poured out Freely and largely and well-watered as 1 Sam. 1.10 7.6 ver 9.1 A prayer Heb. A charm a mussitation a submiss and lowly speech Spels and Enchantments were conceived to be full of efficacy containing much in few think the same of prayer But how much was he mistaken in this kind of charm or spell who would haunt the Taverns Play-houses and Whore houses at London all day but he durst not go forth without private prayer in the morning and then would say at his departure Now Devil do thy worst Ver. 17. So have we been in thy sight Heb. From thy face i. e. By reason of thy wrath So 2 Thes 1.9 who shall be punished from the presence of God that is of God himself present to their terrour Ver. 18. We have been with child With divers devices and hopes which yet have miscarryed and run aslope See Job 15.35 with the Note there We have as it were brought forth wind As did Queen Mary to her own great grief and the disappointment of her Expectants Dale the promoter for instance Well quoth he at the apprehending of Julian Living You hope and hope but your hope shall be aslope For although the Queens conceptions should still fail as they did yet she that you hope for shall never come at it for there is my Lord Cardinals grace and many more between her Act. Mon. fol. 1871. and it But my Lord Cardinals grace departed the very next day after Queen Mary Ib. 1905. having taken as t is thought some Italian Physick and Queen Elizabeth succeeded in the Throne to the great joy of all good men Ver. 19. Thy dead men shall rise So shall not thine enemies ver 14. This may seem to be Christs gracious answer to his poor desponding people and it is say some argumentum à beata Resurrections sumptum an argument taken from the happy resurrection of the righteous the wicked also shall be raised at the last day but not by the like means nor for the like blessed purpose Dan. 12.2 Some read the words thus Thy dead my dead body shall live for the faithful say they are Christs body Eph. 4.12 and therefore to shew this My dead body is here added by Apposition to shew how the faithful being dead and buried are to be accounted of even Christs dead body c. and shall be raised at the last day by vertue of that mystical union which still they hold with Christ Hence they are said to sleep in Jesus to be dead in Christ Phil. 3.21 who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself The Hebrews call a dead corpse Nephesh i. e. a soul Numb 5.2 9 10. 19.11 Hag. 2.14 to note that it shall live again and that the soul shall return to it At this day also they call the Church-yard Bethcaiim the house of the living Leo Modena Hist of Rites of the Iews pag. 238. and as they return from the burial-place every one plucks off grass from off the ground twice or thrice and casts it over his head saying florebunt de civitate tanquam foenum terrae c. Psal 92.12 13. so to set forth their hopes of a resurrection Neither need it seem incredible with any that God should raise the dead Acts 26.8 considering what followeth 1. Together with my dead body shall they arise i. e. with Christs body raised as the first fruits of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15. One of the Rabbins readeth it As my dead body they shall arise 2. The force of Christs all-powerful voice saying Awake and sing ye that dwell in dust Arise and come away lift up your heads for your Redemption is at hand The Resurrection is in the Syriack called the Consolation Joh. 11.24 3. Thy dew is as the dew of herbs
and Persians are at deadly feud to the great safeguard of Christendom and the Popish party are as a bulwark betwixt those Mahometans and the Protestants Ver. 4. Since thou hast been precious in my sight Nothing so ennobleth as Gods grace and being in the Covenant Gen. 17.20 21. I have blessed Ismael twelve Princes shall he beget but my Covenant will I establish with Isaac Some read the text thus Because thou wast precious in my sight thou wast honourable and I loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life Ver. 5. I will bring thy seed from the East From all coasts and quarters This was a Type of the Church in the New Testament see Mat. 8.11 Joh. 11.52 Joh. 10.16 Gal. 3.28 this was also a type of the last Resurrection See Revel 20.13 Ver. 6. I will say to the North Give up I will do it with a word of my mouth Ipse dixit Oecola p. facta sunt Bring my sons from far and my daughters That is say some my stronger and also weaker children of what size or sex soever Souls have no sexes Ver. 7. Even every one that is called by my Name i. e. My sons and my daughters ver 6. with 2 Cor. 6. ult such as have Christian for their name and Catholick for their Sirname I have created him for my glory See on ver 1. Feci i. e. magnum effeci Pisc Yea I have made him i. e. Advanced him as 1 Sam. 12.6 Ver. 8. Bring forth the blind people Such as were blind and ignorant but now are illightened And the deaf Such as were crosse and rebellious but now are tractable and obsequious chap. 42.7 16. Ver. 9. Let all the Nations See chap. 41.1 And shew us former things Much less can they shew us things future Varro calleth all the time before the flood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obscure because the Heathens had no certain relation of any thing then done And Diod. Siculus acknowledgeth that all that was written amongst them before the Theban and Trojan wars was little better than fabulous The gods of the Gentiles had not so much as any solid knowledge of things past neither could they orderly and perfectly set them forth by their Secretaries It is truth sc That there is but one true God Phocyllides did say so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Socrates suffered for holding this truth at Athens Plato held the same but durst not speak out these are his words It is neither easie to find out the Maker of all things nor safe to communicate to the Vulgar what we have found out of him Here for fear of the people he detained the truth in unrighteousnesse And the like did Seneca De civi Dei lib. b. cap. 10. whom Austin accuseth quod colebat quod reprehendebat agebat quod arguebat quod culpabat adorabat that he worshipped those gods whom he disliked and decryed Ver. 10. Ye are my witnesses He taketh to witness of this great Truth in question not heaven earth sea c. but his people among whom he had given in all ages so many clear arguments and experiments of his Divinity his Oracles and Miracles for instance And my servant whom I have chosen i. e. Christ saith the Chaldee Paraphrast the Prophet Isaiah say others or which is more likely Cyrus who is called Gods Elect servant chap. 42.1 and his Testimony concerning God is to be read Ezra 1.3 The Lord God of Israel he is God Every true beleever doth as much if not more for He that beleeveth hath set to his seal that God is true Joh. 3.33 hath given him a Testimonial such as is that Deut. 32.4 A God of truth and without iniquity just and right is He. Such a sealer was Abraham Rom. 4.20 and such honour have all his Saints That ye may know and beleeve and understand That ye may have a full assurance of knowledge as Luk. 1.4 and a full assurance of Faith Heb. 10.22 Ver. 11. I even I am the Lord This redoubled I is Emphatical and Exclusive And beside me there is no Saviour They are gross idolaters therefore that set up for Saviours the Saints departed Ver. 12. I have shewed when there was no strange God amongst you See Deut. 32.12 See also the Note on Exod. 34.14 Therefore ye are my witnesses See on ver 10. Ver. 13. Yea before the day was I am He The Ancient of dayes yea the Eternal The God of Israel was long before Israel was in being And there is none that can deliver out of my hand So Nebuchadnezzar vainly vaunted but was soon confuted Dan. 3.15 17 29. I will work and who shall let it Angels may be hindered God can come between their Essence and their executive power and so keep them from doing what they would In fire there is the substance and the quality of heat between these God can separate as he did in the Babylonish fire Dan. 2. But who shall hinder the most High Ver. 14. Thus saith the Lord your Redeemer For their greater comfort and confirmation the Prophet purposely premiseth to the promise of deliverance from Babylon these sweet Attributes of God Each of them dropping Myrrh and Mercy For your sakes I have sent to Babylon and have brought down Or I will send and I will bring down All their Nobles Heb. bars Psal 147.13 Bars Noble men should be to keep out evils and to secure Saints Eut these were crosse-bars c. Whose cry is in the ships Or whose out-cry is to the ships whereby they thought to save themselves but could not because Cyrus had drained and dried up their river Euphrates Tremellius rendereth it The Chaldees with their most famous ships Ver. 15. I am their Lord More of Gods holy Attributes are her heaped up for like reason as ver 14. Ver. 16. Which maketh a way in the Sea Or that made a way in the Sea c. sc when your Fathers came out of Egypt Why then should you doubt of deliverance Ver. 17. Which bringeth forth the Chariot and horse Or who brough forth the Chariot and horse the army and the power viz. Pharao's forces Exod. 14.4.9.23 Vt ellychnium extinguentur They are quenched as tow Heb. as a candle-weik made of flax quickly quenched with water poured on it See how easily God can confound his foes Ver. 18. Remember ye not the former things sc in comparison of those things I shall now do for you by Cyrus but especially by Christ who is that way in the Wilderness and that running Rock 1 Cor. 10.4 ver 14. Ver. 19. Shall ye not know it Or Do ye not perceive it He speaketh of it as present and under view And rivers in a desart As once when I set the flint abroach Exod. 17.6 Num. 20.8 11. Psal 105.41 By this way in the Wildernesse and rivers in the desart understand the doctrine of the Gospel and the comforts of the Spirit Joh.
gracious answer he that beleeveth maketh not haste Ver. 13. I have raised him up i. e. Cyrus Ezra 1.1 And I will direct all his wayes sc When he cometh against the Babylonians Lydians c. on mine errand But when moved by his ambition he invaded Scythia and cruelly wasted the Country God took no further charge of him as I may say He that is out of Gods precincts is out of his protection Ver. 14. Thus saith the Lord the labour of Egypt Here he turneth his speech to Cyrus promising him that he should be no loser by his generous carriage toward the poor people of God his captives whom he freely dismissed without ransom ver 13. Gods retributions are more than bountiful Agatharch lib. 5. cap. 20. vel proceri i. e. potentissimi agro mercib Trem. In Psal 37. Men of stature The Arabians are reported to have been goodly personable men by Agatharchides an ancient writer from whom Plutarch and Pliny borrowed much They shall come over unto thee Commodissime dicemus promissionem hanc referendam ad tempus revelati Evangelii This was fulfilled chiefly when the Gospel was preached and Nations thereby converted See Psal 45.5 and 149.6 8. The bonds of the holy Spirit are stronger than Adamant saith Ambrose Surely God is in thee Or with thee and hence thou O Cyrus so prevailest and prosperest Thus these conquered Kings shall supplicate and say to Cyrus And there is none else there is no God Hence Mahometans seem to have taken that which out of their Alchoran they dayly proclaim in their Moschies or meeting-houses There is no god but God and Mahomet his Counsellour Thus those Kings but what saith the Prophet Hac approbatio est Prophetae Scultet Ver. 15. Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self As thou art invisible and dwellest in light inaccessible so in thy dispensations thou goest a way by thy self and thy judgements are unsearchable Thou hidest thy self and standest off a while sometimes from the help of thy poor people but wilt appear to them and for them in due time The Septuagint here translate Tues Deus nescitbamus Thou art God and we knew thee not And this the Fathers interpret concerning Christ and hence the Jews seem to have drawn that speech of theirs Christ when he cometh no man knoweth whence he is Ver. 16 That are makers of Idols The Word rendred Idols signifieth properly Tormina cruciatus paines and throws and straits Idolaters heap up sorrows to themselves and terrours of conscience See Psal 16.4 with the Note Ver. 17. But Israel with an evelasting salvation By Cyrus they were not so for not long after Antiochus afflicted them Herod gat the Scepter from them the Romans came and took away both them and their Nation But the Israel of God were and are still saved by Jesus with an everlasting salvation Ver. 18. He created it not in vain Therefore never think that he will forsake it or not take care of his Church therein for whose sake he made it at first and still upholdeth it by the word of his power 1 Cor. 3.22 23. Now if God created not the earth in vain much less the heavens wherein he hath shewed his greater skill Heb. 11.10 See the Note there but that his people might there inhabit for ever And here it is that they shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation Yea they shall not be ashamed or confounded world without end ver 17. Ver. 19. I have not spoken in secret As the Sibylls did out of their dens as the Idol-priests did out of their holes and under-ground vaults as hereticks and seducers who creep into corners and there vent their false wares as Vincentius Lirinensis long since observed Epiphanius fitly compareth them to Mouls who do all their mischief by working under ground But God as he delivered his Law openly on Mount Sina so his Gospel he commanded to be preached on the house-top and in Mount Zion Christ spoke openly to the world Joh. 18.20 Truth seeketh no corners I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Rom. 1.16 But what was this word that was delivered so plainly and pespicuously Seek ye me And for your encouragement ye shall not do it in vain for I am a rewarder of all those that diligently seek me Heb. 11.6 Let Heathen deities disappoint and delude those that seek to them Jacobs God scorneth the motion he is better to his people then their prayers better then their hopes and when with Gehezi they ask but one talent he like Naaman forceth them to take two I the Lord speak righteousnesse I declare the things that are right Or even so doth not the Devil but things sinful and obscene as humane sacrifices promiscuous uncleannesses ut in nefariis Priapi Veneris sacris Contrariwise all the words of Gods mouth are in righteousnesse ther is nothing froward or perverse in them Prov. 8.8 Ver. 20. Ye that are escaped of the Nations That have escaped the sword of Cyrus and well proved how little your gods can do for you That set up the wood of their graven Image Qui levant lignum carrying them in pomp and procession upon their shoulders as Papists now do their pictures their breaden god especially and crying to it Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbaoth Ver. 21. Who hath declared this sc that the people of God should be set at lilerty by Cyrus Ver. 22. Look unto me and be ye saved Whiles the Moon looketh directly upon the Sun she is bright and beautiful but if she once turn aside and be left to her self she looseth all her glory and enjoyes but only a shadow of light which is her own so while men look to Christ the Sun of righteousnesse and toward the stars in his right-hand c. For I am God and none else This Judas Maccabeus acknowledged in his Ensigne wherein this Motto was written Mi Camoca Belohim Jehovah Godw. Heb. Antiqu. i. e. Who is like unto thee among the Gods O Lord from the capital letters of which Motto he took his name Maccabi Ver. 23. That unto me every knee I will be known and obeyed all the world over sc by Christians Of the Jews Hierom noteth quod mentis superbiam demonstrantes genu non flectunt that they bow not the knee in Gods service but only stand up at times Ver. 24. Surely shall one say This shall be the Christian Confession In the Lord have I righteousnesse c. righteousnesse i. e. Mercy to those that come over to him and strength to enable them to come as the Sea sendeth out waters to fetch us to it c. Ver. 25. Shall be justified by faith in Christ Rom. 5.1 And shall glory Having peace of Conscience they shall glory in tribulation Rom. 5.1 3. Note this against Meritmongers CHAP. XLVI Ver. 1. BEl is bowed down Jupiter Belus as Pliny calleth him Babels chief God is now become a prey to the
hands lips heart feet c. were found guilty of high offence See chap. 1.15 Your lips have spoken lyes Those very lips of yours that have uttered prayers have muttered lyes See James 3.10 And your tongue hath muttered perversenesse How this was done none hath better set forth than the Prophet Jeremy chap. 9.3 4 5 6 7 8. Ver. 4. None calleth for justice Mindeth the Judges of their duty but rather connive collogue partake c. The Chaldee hath it There is none that delivereth the poor and needy They trust in vanity As those did Jer. 7.4 making a bridge of their own shadows they fall into the brook They conceive mischief c. This is taken out of Psal 7.14 See the Note there as also on Job 15.35 Heb. Going great with grievance and bringing forth vexation Ver. 5. They hatch cockatrice egges i. e. Poisonous and pernicious designes there are that interpret it of false doctrines as destructive to mens souls as Cockatrice egges-eaten or but broken would be to their bodies As the bird that sitteth on the serpents egges by breaking and hatching them bringeth forth a perilous brood to her own destruction so here And weave the spiders web Good for nothing but to catch flyes The natural man is ever either weaving spiders webs which are futiles and fragiles or hatching Cockatrice-egges Vanity or villany is his whole study and practice Ver. 6. Their webs shall not become garments Garments quasi gardments one use of them being to guard our bodies from the injury of wind and weather Wicked devices and false doctrines profit not those that are therein occupied as Heb. 13.9 In the day of Gods wrath they will prove but as a coat of cobweb Their works are works of iniquity Here Ministers may learn roundly to reprove the sins of the people Ver. 7. Their feet run unto evil c. They trot apace toward hell they take long strides as if they feared least hell should be full before they come thither And they make haste to shed innocent blood This is taken from Prov. 1.16 and fitly applyed by St. Paul to the whole race of mankind Rom. 3.15 sith by nature there 's never a better of us we are all in a pickle Ecce hic te las aranearum ova aspidum explicat A â—apide Wasting and destruction are in their paths A Metaphor from torrents or tempests or from a pestilence that sweepeth all as now it doth at Genna and as it did not long since at Naples Ver. 8. The way of peace they know not Like Salamanders they love to live in the fire of contention to swim against the stream with the Trout to sow sedition as the devil c. Shall not know peace Shall not know what it meaneth Ver. 9. Therefore is Judgement far from us Here followeth the complaint of the godly party together with their confession this they knew well to be the readiest way to get off with comfort God say they here hath neither avenged us on our enemies nor shewed us favour he letteth our foes deal with us as we have dealt one with another We wait for light but behold obscurity We promised our selves a better estate but the matter mendeth with us quoth that Martyr as sowr ale doth in summer Ver. 10. We grope for the wall like the blind We are altogether to seek utterly destitute of good counsel or advice neither can we enjoy those comforts that we have We are in desolate places as dead men As free among the dead free of that company Psal 88.5 Leo Judae rendreth it we are in our graves as dead carcasses Piscator thus In fatnesses that is in the abundance of all things we are as dead men Ver. 11. We roar all like bears Fremimus ac gemimus The bear when hurt or robbed runs into his den and roareth Doves when bereft of their mates sit solitary and groan So do we indisinenter intimè gemimus make pittiful moan and that 's all we can do Ver. 12. For our transgressions are multiplied before thee When complaints end in confessions it is right the Physick worketh kindly Some furious fools have brutish and fell affections full of rage when in pain or grief they fly upon God and man and all that comes next hand hoping to ease themselves not by confession or reformation but by revenge And our sins testifying against us Sin put a sting into their crosses and hence it was they lay so heavy This brought such roarings and groanings upon them Heb. PeccatuÌ„ respondit l. c. peccatorum unumquodque and that also when salvation was looked for For our transgressions are with us They lie like a loâ—d of lead upon our consciences where they are yet unpardoned And as for our iniquities we know them Our consciences are burdened with them and we feel the terrours of God in our souls Conscientia nihil aliud est quam cordis scientia Conscience is the reflection of the soul upon it self See 1 Cor. 4.4 So here As for our iniquities we know them namely by a second act of the understanding whereby after we think or know a thing we think what we think and know what we know and this is properly the action of Conscience Ver. 13. In transgressing and lying against the Lord Or dealing disloyally with him This is to lay on load to be full in the mouth to enter into particulars and to confess them all with utmost aggravation Ver. 14. And judgement is turned away backward Nihil amplius ex aequo bono agitur All 's out of order causes are carried the contrary way Truth is fallen in the streets When the disputation at Oxford with Cranmer Ridley and Latimer Martyrs was finished Weston the Prolocutor triumphed with Vicit Veritas whereas he should rather have said Vicit Potestas Act. Mon. 1300. not Truth but Force hath carried it In the Convocation at Pauls about the same time when Philpot and other good men argued for the truth against the Popish Prelates it was said that those distressed Ministers had the Word for them but the Prelates had the sword on their side and would therefore get the better Ver. 14. Yea truth faileth See ver 13. And he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey Praedae patet is like to suffer for his singularity and preciseness The luxurious Ephesians once made this decree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let there be never a sober man suffered to live amongst us The Athenians were wont to cast good men out of their Common-wealth by an Ostracisme Thrascaes was commanded by Nero to dye because he was a better man then was fit to live in so loose an age Josephus saith that before the last destruction of Jerusalem Religion was not only a matter of form but of scorn Bede reporteth of the ancient Brittons immediately before their destruction by the Saxons that they were come to that height of wickednesse as to cast odium
more then all this worlds good Ver. 14. Then said Jeremy Luther It is false Satanae pectus mendaciis foecundssimum est It is no news for innocency to be belyed and to go with a scratcht face But he harkened not unto him Right or wrong he must afore the Princes who do also handle the good Prophet very coursely Ver. 15. Wherefore the Princes were wroth with Jeremiah Upon the Captains false suggestion which they should better have sifted into first before they had believed it for Pellucet mendacium nec per omnia quadrat a lye is oft so thin that it may be seen through and soon found out And smot him Perhaps with their own hands as bloody Bonner buffeted some of the Martyrs pulling off part of their beards And put him in prison Causâ nondum cognitâ before they had heard his defence These Princes were worse then Jehojakims chap. 36.19 or if the same men they were now grown worse and here was as Bernard hath it sedes prima vita ima De Consider lib. 2. Act. Mon. ingens authoritas nutans stabilitas In the house of Jonathan the Scribe As bad as Lollards Tower to our Martyrs or the Bishop of Londons Cole-house which Mr. Philpot thought to be the worst prison about London Ver. 16. When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon Heb. into a place or house of the pit or hole where the Prophet could neither walk nor handsomly lye down In domum eisternae when worse men a great deal had what liberty they lifted And into the cabins Or cells where they scarce put any but traitours and like foul offenders Such they had at Athens called Barathrum at Rome Tullianum or Profundum maris c. into which whosoever was put could hardly be put to more misery And Jeremiah had remained there many dayes Till the return of the Chaldees likely Canes lingunt ulcera Lazari Ver. 17. Then Zedekiah the King Being now in distresse because of the Chaldees come again and willing to hear from the Prophet some word of comfort which yet might not be unlesse he had been better If comfort be applyed to a gracelesse person the truth of God is falsified Is there any word from the Lord Any new Oracle and different from that of destruction which thou hast so often rung in our ears ad ravim nauseam usque And Jeremy said There is sc A word from the Lord but the same as before for thou must mend ere the matter will mend with thee Ver. 18. What have I offended against thee As I know mine owne innocency so I would thou shouldest know that I am no Stoick or stock indolent or insensible of my grievous sufferings through the cruelty of thy Princes who have committed me to this ugly prison Ver. 19. Where are now your Prophets Let them appear now if you please and upon trial made let truth take place To this most equal motion when the King said nothing the Prophet proceedeth to move again for himself that he might be removed at least to a more convenient place unlesse they meant an end of him Ver. 20. Therefore hear now I pray thee O my Lord the King As stout as he was and impartial in delivering Gods message in supplicating for himself he is very submisse and humble to his Sovereign not daring to speak evil of dignities though he had wrongfully suffered much from them Ver. 21. Then Zedekiah the King commanded For this curtesy of his to the Prophet God granted him a natural death and an honourable burial in Babylon That they should commit Jeremiah into the Court of the Prison Where he might have more liberty and better accommodations and where his friends cum adire audire possent might come and hear him See chap. 22.2 And that they should give him daily a piece of bread And a piece of a cake we say is better then no bread I read of a gracious woman who said that she had made many a meals meat upon the promises when she wanted bread But Jeremy besides the promises chap. 1. and elsewhere was here by a sweet providence sustained in the prison during that extream famine in the City whereof we read in the Lamentations when it was no smal mercy to have a morsel of bread to keep him alive Sic amara interdum dulcescunt Who would not trust so good a God CHAP. XXXVIII Ver. 1. THen Shephatiah Here was aliud ex alio malum one affliction on the neck of another Matters mend with us as sowr Ale doth in summer said Bishop Ridley once when he was prisoner Poor Jeremy might well have said so if ever any as appeareth by this Chapter where we find him in a worse hole then was that of Jonathan but his extremity was Gods opportunity Shephathiah the son of Mattan and Gedaliah c. These four Princes here named to their eternal infamy were no small men as appeareth in that the King was not he that could do any thing against them ver 5. The grandees of the world are greatest enemies usually to the truth Little they had to say against his doctrines they quarrel with his affection as a perturber of the publike place ver 4. Ahab charged the like crime upon Elias the Jews upon Christ and afterwards upon Paul the Heathen persecutors upon the primitive Christians the hereticks still upon the Orthodox that they were seditious Antimonarchical c. Ver. 2. Thus saith the Lord He that remaineth in the City This is the sef-same truth which he had preached before and for the which he suffered See chap. 21.9 He is constant to his principles and although it be commonly said and seen that He who receives a curtesy sells his liberty yet it was not so with this holy Prophet He had received some enlargement and care was taken by the King that a piece or a roll of bread should be brought him daily to the prison out of the bakers-street but that stoppeth not his mouth Ver. 3. Thus saith the Lord And as long as the Lord saith so I must say so too whatever come of it chap. 1. Ver. 4. For thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war Thus out of canal policy is piety impugned So 1 Kings 12.27 Joh. 11.48 See on ver 1. Ver. 5. Then Zedekiah the King said Behold he is in your hand O nihili Regem qui ne verbulo quidem cruentis viris obluctatur O King of clouts saith One who knowing the Prophets innocency and these Princes bloodthirstinesse durst not say a word for him or against them This inconstancy of his and impotency of spirit proceeded meerly from diffidence and distrust in God Ver. 6. Then took they Jeremiah Whom the King had now against his conscience as afterwards Pilate dealt by Jesus either through fear or favour betrayed unto his deadly enemies and so he was in a pittiful plight in a forlorn condition But Jeremiah De profundit
obey the voyce of the Lord your God Which you ought to do whatever come of it sith rebellion is as witchcraft 1 Sam. 15. Ver. 14. Saying no but we will go into the land of Egypt Infamous for idolatry luxury and the oppression of your Ancestours there besides Gods expresse prohibition Deut. 17.16 and commination of it as the last and greatest plague The Lord shall bring thee into Egypt Deut. 28.68 And there will we dwell The Prophet now by their looks or some other way perceived their purpose so do do whatever they had promised ver 5 6. Ver. 15. If ye wholly set you faces As now I see you do and shall therefore tell you what to trust unto with the froward God will wrestle Psal 18.26 Ver. 16. Then it shall come to passe that the sword which ye feared shall overtake you there Categorice intonat Propheta God hath long hands neither can wicked men anywhere live out of the reach of his rod. And the famine whereof ye were afraid Egypt was very fertile the granary of the world and yet God could cause a famine there he hath treasures of plagues for sinners and can never be exhausted Ver. 17. They shall dye by the sword by the famine and by the pestilence Three threats answerable to those three promises ver 10 11 12. in case of their obedience Metaph. Ã metallis Ver. 8. As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth sc Like scalding lead or burning bell-metal which runeth fiercely spreadeth far and burneth extreamly Vpon the inhabitants of Jerusalem Out of which fire I have late pulled you as a brand the smell thereof is yet upon your clothes as it were Cavete Ver. 19. Go ye not into Egypt Be ruled or you will rue it when you have learned their evil manners and shall perish in their punishments It is better for you to be in cold irons at Babylon then to serve idols in Egypt at never so much liberty Your father 's brought a golden calf thence Jeroboam brought two Ver. 20. For ye dissembled in your hearts Heb. ye seduced in your souls or in your minds The Vulgar hath it you deceived your souls and not God by playing fast and loose with him by dealing with him ac si puer esset scurra vel morio Ver. 21. But ye have not obeyed the voyce of the Lord Nay you take a clean contrary course as if ye would despitefully spit in the face of heaven and wrestle a fall with the Almighty Ver. 22. Now therefore know certainly that ye shall dye In running from death ye shall but run to it as Jonas did Quo fugis Encelade quascun que accesseris oras Sub Jove semper eris CHAP. XLIII Ver. 1. ANd it came to passe that when Jeremiah had made an end c. See here how wicked men and hypocrites especially grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived Balaam being resolved to curse however went not as at other times but set his face toward the wildernesse Num. 24.12 Now he would build no more altars but curse whatever came of it so would these refractaries without Gods good leave go down to Egypt putting it to the venture Jeremyes sweet words were even lost upon them Ver. 2. Then spake Azariah See on chap. 42.1 And all the proud men Pride is the root of rebellion See chap. 13.15 These mens Pride budded as Ezek. 7.10 and as the leprosie brake forth in their foreheads See Hos 7.1 with the Note Saying unto Jeremiah Thou speakest falsely By this foul aspersion not proved at all they seek to discredit his Prophesie like as the Jews at this day do the New Testament and the Papists the book of Martyrs and other Monuments of the Church saying of them So many lines so many lyes Ver. 3. But Baruc the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us A likely matter what should Baruc get by that but malice careth not how truely or rationally it speaketh or acteth so it may gall or kill Jeremy and Baruc must be said to pack together and to collude for a common disturbance like as the Papists say Luther and Zuinglius did when as they knew nothing one of another for a long time after that they began to stickle against Popery in several climates and when they did hear of one another they differed exceedingly in the doctrine of the Sacrament especially Ver. 4. So Johanan the son of Kareah c. Nothing is more audacious and desperate then an hypocrite when once discovered Now these subdoli shew themselves in their colours appear in their likenesse going on end with their work Ver. 5. But Johanan took all the remnant of Judah Whose preservation had been but a reservation to further mischief a just punishment of their incorrigibleness Ver. 6. And Jeremiah the Prophet and Baruc the son of Neriah This was not without a special Providence of God that these Desperado's might still have a Prophet with them for the making of them the more inexcuseable If it befall any of Gods faithful servants to be hurried whither they would not as it did Jeremy and Baruc here Paul also and Peter Joh. 21.18 Ignatius Polycarp and other prisoners and sufferers for the truth in all ages let them comfort themselves with these examples Ver. 7. Thus came they even to Tahpanhes A chief City of Egypt called also Hanes Esa 30.4 Hierom calleth it Tunis and Herodotus Daphnis Pelusiae Ver. 8. Then came the Word of the Lord unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes saying And although many more words besides came to him whiles he was there and many remarkable passages fell out yet the holy Ghost hath recorded no more thereof then what we find in this and the next Chapter Ver. 9. Take great stones in thine hand Bricks wherewith Egypt abounded as being much of it muddy by reason of the inundation of the River Nilus hence also their chief City was called Pelusium or Daphnis Pelusiae See ver 7. It is ordinary with Jeremy to joyn Paradigms with his Prophecies as here that they might be the more evident and take the deeper impression Ver. 10. Behold I will send and take Nebuchadnezzar By a secret instinct put into his heart And will set his throne upon these stones This was dangerous for Jeremy to say at the Court-gate and in the hearing of so many disaffected Jews who would be ready enough to make the worst of every thing Some say they stoned him with brick-bats for this very prophesie Ver. 11. And when he cometh Being sent and set on by God He shall smite the land of Egypt As for their Idolatry c. so especially for harbouring these perfidious Jews whom divine Vengeance still pursueth hot-foot and will not suffer them to live anywhere sith they would not be perswaded to live in Gods good land and by his good laws Ver. 12. And I will kind's a fire in the house of the gods of Egypt Goodly gods they were that could
Doeg may set his foot as far within the Sanctuary as a David And sat before me Demurely and to see to devoutly But why could they not stand to hear the Word of God for reverence sake Balac did so Num. 23.18 though a King And Eglon though unweildy Judg. 3.20 and a better man then they both Constantine the Great as Eusebius recordeth and further telleth us that being pressed after long time of hearing to sit down De vâ—ta conâ— with a stern countenance he answered It were a great sin in me not to hear with utmost attention when God is speaking Ver. 2. And the word of the Lord came Lest the Prophet seeing these seniors coming thus unto him should favour them too far God uncaseth them as he doth mostly such grosse hypocrites in this present life Jerobâ—am and his wife Ananias and Sapphirah Simon Magus and others for instance How else indeed should the name of such wicked wretches rot as they must Prov. 10. Ver. 3. These men have set their Idols in their hearts Though they would seem to abhor idols yet the devil is at inne with them and their hearts are no beter then so many Idol-temples as thou wouldest easily perceive hadst thou but my fiery eyes and couldest see their insides as I do Piscat Sustulerunt stercoreos deos suos super cor suum they have laid their dungy-deities upon their very hearts a place where I only should be by right for it is the bridal-bed And put the stumbling-block of their iniquity i. e. They are impudent sinners as the Scholiast interprets it and resolved of their course whatever comes of it Hoc significat crassum Dei contemptum quali professam rebellionem Should I be enquired of at all by them q. d. No never I scorn the motion I abhor such ludibrious devotion as this is Away with it Piscator rendereth the words An ergò seriò interrogor ab eis Thinkest thou that I am seriously sought unto by these q. d. Nothing lesse Ver. 4. I the Lord will answer him Or as I am the Lord oath-wise I will answer him but with bitter answers According to the multitude of his idols i. e. As by his abominations he hath well deserved or concerning the multitude of his idols that 's a sin he shall be sure to hear of and to suffer for Ver. 5. That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart Vt deprehendam or as others ut reprehendam that I may convince their consciences of their impieties and sting them to the heart with unquestionable conviction and horrour Because they are all estranged from me And fallen in with the devil who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith Synesitu a great promoter of idolatry Idola sunt prima saliva Oecolamp initium deficiendi à Deo Idolatry paveth the way to utter Apostacy Ver. 6. Repent and turn your selves Or turn others for true converts will be converting their brethren They like not to go to heaven alone And turn away your faces Alii dicunt uxores vestras saith Lavater here your wives which are according to your hearts like as in water face answereth to face Wean them from their idols and win them over to the true God Ver. 7. For every one of the house of Israel The same over again and yet no vain repetition duris enim illis capitibus res non potuit satis inculcari to these dizzards nothing could be said too much Or of the stranger But proselyted to the Jewish religion as Jethro who was the first of that kind that we read of Which separateth himself from me As an harlot doth from her husband See Hos 4.14 9.10 I the Lord will answer him by my self Non verbis sed verberibus not with words but with blows Or according to my most holy Truth and Justice Or by my self sc do I swear that I will do it See ver 4. Ver. 8. And I will set my face against that man I will look him to death Or Vultuosè torveque illum intuear laying aside all other businesse I will see to it that he be soundly paid And will make him a sign and a proverb That when men would expresse a great punishent upon any Ier. 29.22 Tantalus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut vult Plato they shall resemble it to his as the Jews did to Ahab's and Zedekiah's that naughty couple and the Heathens to that of Tantalus and Tityus And I will cut him off from the midst of my people This is yet a further and a more formidable menace this is far worse then to be a by-word to the people Ver. 9. I the Lord have deceived that Prophet I had not only a permissive but an active hand in that imposture not as a sin but as a punishment of other sins See 1 Kings 22.20 Job 12.16 Jer. 4.10 2 Thes 2.11 And I will stretch out mine hand upon him i. e. Upon that false-prophet who although he hath thus acted not without my providence yet hath sinned against my Law which is the rule men must walk by or else suffer for their transgression Aut faciendum aut patiendum Now God hath long hands as we use to say of Princes neither may any think to live out of the reach of his rod. Ver. 10. And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity Neither shall excuse other but as they have sinned together so shall they suffer together quia volentes scientes errabant they wilfully went astray Quandoquidem hic populus vult decipi decipiatur they shall infallibly perish An evil Pilot may easily drown himself and all that are with him on the same bottom Ver. 11. That the house of Israel may go no more astray Thus when Gods Judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse Isa 26.9 Those elect that were bad will become good and they that were good will be made better Paena ad paucos metus ad omnes Ver. 12. The Word of the Lord came again to me The utter destruction of this perverse people is once again denounced and declared to be inevitable Ver. 13. Son of man See on chap. 2.1 When the land sinneth against me i. e. The Inhabitants of the land not as if the land it self were alive and endued with reason as Origen doated and as Plato held that the Spirit of God was the soul of the world Hom. 4. in loc By trespassing grievously Praevaricando perfidè by doing evil as men could Then will I stretch out my hand See ver 9. And will break the staff See chap. 4.16 5.26 And I will send famine Extream famine a heavy Judgement as hath elsewhere been shewed out of sacred and profane history Ver. 14. Though these three men See on Jer. 15.1 Noah Daniel and Job What could not these three so mighty with God have done if the matter had been feâ—sible Daniel was now
appointeth his Ministers their several stations together with the bounds of their habitations Shall eat the most holy things Ministers must eat as well as others they are not of the Camelion-kind cannot live upon air and the Lord Christ hath ordained that as they which waited at the Altar were partakers of the Altar so also should they that preach the Gospel live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.13 14. And the meat-offering and the sin-offering i. e. The Priests share out of them For besides their tithes and glâ—be or subburbs the Priests had many rich revenues and were far better provided for then now-adays Gospel-ministers are however begrudged that little that is allowed them Ver. 14. Then shall they not go out of the holy place Ministers may not leave their station lay aside their holy calling entangle themselves with worldly cares and businesses but Hoc agere make their Ministry their businesse giving themselves wholly to it Verbi Minister es hoc age this was Mr. Perkins his Motto And say to Archippus Take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfil it Coloss 4.17 But there they shall lay their garments And not go amongst the people in them lest they make themselves over-cheap or the people superstitious by placing holinesse in their seeing or touching those holy vestments And shall put on other garments Ministers Oecol as in doing their office they must use all becomming gravity and authority as the Embassadours of Christ so at other times they must familiarize themselves with their people becoming all things to all men in Paul's sense that they may win some Ver. 15. Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house The inner part of the Church the Church invisible is first and chiefly to be looked into rather then the external adjuncts as multitude prosperity clarity antiquity c. the Substantials rather then the Accidentals The Church of Rome borrows her mark from the market Plenty or cheapnesse c. Vilissimus pagus saith Luther the meane stvilage seems to me to be an ivory Palace if there be but in it a faithful Pastour and a few true believers Ver. 16. Five hundred reeds Loe here the large extent of the holy Catholike Church the Communion of Saints See the Note on chap. 40.1 Ver. 17.18 He measured the North-side five hundred reeds To shew that many should come from all coasts and quarters to sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven Mat. 8.11 See the Note there Ver. 20. He measured it by the four sides The Church is fair and firm for it is quadrangular so is every true member thereof homo quadratus four-square stedfast and unmovable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 always abounding in the Work of the Lord c. 1 Cor. 15. ult his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord Psal 112. He quits himself well in all estates and comes of a gainer Gold is purged in the fire shines in the water as on t'other side clay is scorcht in the fire dissolved in the water The new Jerusalem is said to lye four-square Rev. 21.16 See the Note there CHAP. XLIII Ver. 1. AFterwards he brought me Non nisi dimenso prius montis ambitu The Prophet saw not the glory of God till he had first seen the Mount measured the Temple restored Men must usually wait upon God in the use of means ere they see the King in his glory Even the gate that looketh toward the East Men must awake out of the West of wickednesse and stand up from dead courses and companies if Christ the day-star from on high shall give them light Ephes 5.14 Luke 2.78 79. Ver. 2. And behold the glory i. e. The vision of the glory God who by the East-gate had left the Temple and the City chap 10. doth now the same way return and filleth the house with the glory of his presence And his voice was like a noise of many waters Importing the multitude of his attendants and his irresistible power in his Gospel especially which is the power of God to salvation and like a mighty torrent bears down all before it And the earth shined with his glory How can it do otherwise when the Sun of righteousnesse cometh in place and irradiateth both Organ and Object 2 Cor. 4.6 Into Solomons Temple God came in a thick cloud not so here Light is now more diffused then ever woe be to those that wink or who seek straws to put out their eyes withal as Bernard hath it Ver. 3. And it was according to the vision Being so much the sweeter and the welcomer to me Hence he so oft repeateth it And the Jew-doctours observe that eight times in this one Verse Visionis ac videndi vocabulum repetitur the word for Vision and to see it is made use of When I came to destroy the City i. e. To foretel the destruction of it chap. 9.2 5. from which time forth it was a done thing See Jer. 1.10 with the Note And I fell upon my face In reverence to his Majesty in admiration of his mercy and in the sense of mine own unworthinesse The nearer any one cometh to God the lower he falleth in his own eyes and the more doth rottennesse enter into his bones Ver. 4. And the glory of the Lord See ver 2. By the way of the gate The ordinary entrance into the Temple There if anywhere God is to be found where should a man be sought for but at his house Say he be from home a while yet thither he returneth So here Ver. 5. So the Spirit took me up Who was fain upon my face The lowly shall be lifted up And brought me into the inner court As being a Priest so is every true believer 1 Pet. 2.9 Rev. 1.6 Filled the house Gods presence is the full glory of each good soul See Hag. 2.7 Ver. 6. And I heard him speaking unto me The man Christ Jesus standing by Here then is a meeting and the mystery of the blessed Trinity yea here is a double mystery to be taken notice of viz. those two wonderful unions of three persons in one God and of Christs two natures in one person Ver. 7. The place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet i. e. My Church which is unto me instead of heaven and earth Behold the place of my throne c. so some read it others as for the place of my throne c. Isa 66.1 No more defile But hallow for negative holiness alone is little worth Nor by the carcasses of their Kings i. e. Their idols not unfitly called carcasses Piscat 1. Because void of life 2. Stinking stuffe See Levit. 26.30 Jer. 16.18 These were oft brought in and countenanced by their Kings Ver. 8. In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds By broaching falshoods for truth and setting humane devices in competition with the good Word of God That
prepared for them that love him and sith this City is a type of heavens happiness which is fitter to be believed then possible to be expressed therefore I am the less troubled saith good Oecolampadius here that I understand no more of this surmounting matter Ver. 34. At the West-side c. See on ver 32 33. Ver. 35. It was round about eighteen thousand measures See on ver 32. and on Rev. 21.16 The Lord is there Jehovah-shammah this is the true Churches name and the true Christians happiness such as no good can match no evil overmatch viz. that wheresoever he is there God is and therefore there heaven is like as where the King is there his Court is this very name implyes Gods everlasting being with his Church according to those precious texts of Scripture every syllable whereof dropeth myrrh and mercy Lev. 26.11 12. Mat. 18.20 28.20 Joh. 14.23 1 Cor. 15.28 Rev. 7.14 c 21.3 4 5. 22.3 4 5 6. This is the truth of that which the Temple whil'st it stood as a type or figure did represent This is my rest for ever here will I dwell Psal 132.14 God will not forsake his Church as he did the Synagogue but have it up to heaven to him Rev. 21. where are crowns scepters Kingdoms beatifical visions unutterable exstasies sweetest varieties felicities eternities and all because Jehovah shammah the Lord is there to him be glory and praise everlasting Amen So be it Soli Deo Gloria The Jews having finished a book adde Benedictus qui dat fatigato robur FINIS A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION ON THE BOOK of the Prophet DANIEL Ver. 1. THE book of Daniel Written by himself not by another of his name Lib 12. contra Christian in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes as wicked Porphyry that professed enemy of Christianity Mr Ascham blaterateth like as Xenophon and Julius Caesar wrot their own acts so wisely and impartially as none have been so upright in writing the histories of others This divine Book is for the matter of it partly Historical and partly Prophetical The historical part we have in the six first Chapters sc a continuation of the history of the Books of Kings Hieron Ep. 103. ad Paulin during the whole time of the Captivity and after it Hence Hierom calleth Daniel Multiscum totius Mundi Polyhistorem a general Historian The Prophetical part beginning at the seventh Chapter foretelleth future things in the several Monarchies but very obscurely according to that of the Angel chap. 12.9 10. Go thy way Daniel for the words ore closed up and sealed till the end of the time c. and according to that Hieroglyphick of Prophecy which hangs they say among other pictures in the Vatican Library at Rome like a Matrone with the eyes covered for the difficulty Whence it was that Paulinus Bishop of Nola though able would never be drawn to write Commentaries Cajetan and Calvin would set no Notes upon the Revelation and Piscator after that he had commented upon the other Prophets when he came to Daniel he met with so many dark and difficult passages ut parum obfuerit saith he quin in medio commentandi cursu subsisterem calamum è manu deponerem that he was even ready to lay down his pen Piscat Epist dedicat ante Com. in Dan. and to lay aside the businesse But this he did not as considering that the best whiles here know but in part Prophecy but in part c. and that the promise is though none of the wicked understand this Prophecy yet the wise shall chap. 12.10 Hierom well saith Quod alio tempore canitur alio cernitur De vir perfect that a Prophecy is therefore obscure because it is said at one time and seen at another And one thing that causeth a cloud in Daniel is the transposing of the history here often used as the Prophesies contained in the seventh and eighth Chapters which were shewed unto Daniel under the reign of Belshazzar in order should be set before the sixth Chapter c. He seemeth indeed to have been laid aside in the dayes of Belshazzar that drunken Sot till the hand-writing on the wall brought him more in request again chap. 5. That cock on the dunghil knew not the worth of this peerlesse pearl highly prized both by his Predecessor and Successors to whom he was a secretis of their privy Coucil Famous he was grown and worthily for his extraordinary wisdom Ezek. 28.3 and holinesse Ezek. 14.14 so that the Angel Gabriel stileth him a man of Desires or a Desirable man Dan. 9.23 Seneca calleth Cato Virtutum vivam imaginem a lively picture of Virtues Pliny saith that the same Cato Censorius was an excellent Orator an excellent Senator an excellent Commander Lib. 2. and a Master of all good Arts. Paterculus saith that he was a man as like Virtue Dec. 4. lib. 9. as ever he could look per omnia virtutâ— diis quam hominibus propior Livy saith he was a man of rigid innocency and invincible integrity In vita Catonis Cornelius Nepos that being assayed and assaulted by many he not only never lost any part of his reputation but as long as he lived grew still in the praise of his virtues as being in all things of singular prudence and industry Lastly Cicero saith of Cato Cato Major that whereas he underwent the enmities of many potent persons Splendida peccata and suffered no little hardship all his time yet was he one of those few who lived and dyed with glory How much more truely might all this be affirmed of Daniel the Prophet then of Cato the Censor all whose virtues were but glistring sins and all whose praise-worthy parts and practises were but tinckling cymbals in comparison Daniel's whole life was a kind of Heaven adorned with most radiant stars of divine virtues Sixt. Senens Bib. Sanct. lib. 4. And although we cannot say of him as Aleander of Hales did of his scholar Bonavanture in an Hyperbolical strain that Adam seemed to him not to have sinned in Bonavanture such was his sanctity and knowledge yet with more colour of truth might the like he said of Daniel the Jews Jewel and the Worlds darlâ—ng Torshel He wrot this Book part of it in Hebrew and part in Chaldee all in a short but grave stile evident and elegant being a divine Polychronicon to the worlds end or as One calleth it the Apocalypse of the Old Testament CHAP. I. Ver. 1. IN the third year of the reign of Jehojakim That wicked King who killed the Prophet Vriah Jer. 26. cut Jeremia's Prophecy with a knife and cast it into the fire Jer. 36. was a grosse Idolater 2 Chron. 36.8 and therefore justly suffered Came Nebucahdnezzar Surnamed Magnus son to Nebuchadnezzar surnanamed Priscus See 2 King 24.1 2. 2 Chron. 36.8 with the Notes Ver. 2. And the Lord gave Jehojakim Because the affliction by
i. e. Against the Jews Gods Covenanters and against the true religion The Church is haeres crucis saith Luther the truth goes seldom without a scratcht face Ver. 29. At the time appointed After two years And come toward the South Toward Egypt 1 Mac. 1.30 But it shall not be as the former Expedition ver 25. Or as the latter Mentioned ver 40. God oft crosseth the wicked in the height of their hopes Job 20 6. Ver. 30. For the ships of Chittim shall come against him i. e. Publius Popilius the Roman Legat shall come in Italian or Grecian ships and shall Joseph l. 12. c. 6. Liv. dec 5. l. 5. â—pplan in Syr. â—ustin in the name of the Senat and people of Rome command Antiochus to depart with his army out of Egypt and that forthwith So true found Antiochus that of the Poet Omne sub regni graviore regnum est Therefore he shall be grieved and return And reck his teen upon the poor Church of God turning his rage against the Jews And have intelligence with them that forsake the Covenant None are so dangerous and desperate enemies to the truth as Apostates and Renegado's such as were here Jason Menelaus c. 2 Mac. 4. who privily pack'd with Antiochus against the City and people Ver. 31. And arms shall stand on his part i. e. Antiochus his Princes and Commanders whom he sent to spoil Jerusalem such as were Philip the Phrygian Andronicus Apollonius Bacchides c. who made havock of Gods people and revelled in their ruines And they shall place the abomination of desolation The abominable idol of Jupiter Olympius The like whereunto was done here in England in those Marian times of abhorâ—ed memory which yet lasted no longer then those of Antiochus sc five or six years Ver. 32. And such as do wickedly against the Covenant Apostates sin not common sins as Karab and his complices dyed not common deaths Forsakers of the Covenant ver â—0 will soon become wicked doers against the Covenant as here till they become altogether filthy Psal 53.3 See 1 Pet. 2.20 22. Matth. 12.43 45. Luke 9.62 non debet aeratro Sedulius Dignum opus ixercens vulium in sua terga referre But the people that do know their God The faithful Hassideans and zealots Irritamenta Terriculamenta who know and worship their Gâ—d aright these shall persevere and overcome all Allurements and Affrightments of the World Ver. 33. And they that understand c. God shall provide in the worst of times that his people shall have Teachers and faithful Monitors I find in the registers and wonder at it saith Mr. Fox that in Queen Maryes dayes one neighbour resorting to and conferring with another Act. Mon. eftsoones 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 Yet they shall fall by the sword and by flame The Instructers especially shall Of this persecution the Apostle seemeth to speak Heb. 11.35 37. Ver. 34. They shall be holpen with a little help With the valiant Asmonians or Maccabees who were but a handful and yet did great exploits against the Antiochians so did the Hussites in Bohemia against the Pontificians But why were they holpen with a little help that through weaker means they might see Gods greater strength But many shall cleave to them with flatteries So did the false Samaritans See on ver 21. And so the Donatists went to the Gothes when the Arians prevailed Hypocrites will not sail in a storm Something they will do for God but little or nothing t is they will suffer Ver. 35. And some of them of understanding shall fall Depth of divine knowledge and height of holinesse is no target against persecution the best fall under it soonest None out of hell have ever suffered more then Saints To try them As hard weather tryes what health hang heavy weights on rotten boughs and they suddenly break Withered leaves fall off in a strong wind not so the green that have sap Act. Mon. And to purge and to make them white As foul and stained cloathes are whitened by laying abroad in cold frosty nights Black sope maketh white cloathes so said that Martyr doth the black crosse help us to more whitenesse if God strike with his batteldors You know the vessel before it be made bright said John Careles the Martyr in a letter to Mr. Philpot another Martyr is soyled with oyle and other things that it may scour the better Oh happy be you that you be now in this scouring house Ib. 1743. for shortly you shall be set upon the celestial shelf as bright as Angels c. Refiners of sugar saith Another Author taking sugar out of the same chest D. Goodwin some thereof they melt but once other again and again not that it hath more drosse in it but because they would have it more refined so dealeth the Lord with his best children c. Ver. 36. And the King shall do according to his will In Judaea he shall though in Egypt he could not because the Romans trumped in his way ver 30. put a stop to his rage there But the Jews were looked upon by the proud Romans as a despicable people and of the God of the Jews Cicero speaketh basely not holding him worthy to be compared with Bacchus or Venus Orat. pro. Flacco c. And he shall exalt himself c. A type and picture of the Pope of Rome 2 Thes 2.4 Till the indignation be accomplished Till God have avenged the quarrel of his Covenant and the set time of deliverance be come Ver. 37. Neither shall he regard the God of his Fathers He shall disannul his own ancient religion caring neither for the old Mumpsimus nor the new Sumpsimus as they say but shewing himself to be a rank Atheist See 1 Maccab. 1.43 Nor the desire of women sc in an honest lawful way of matrimony But be addicted to vagrant lust yea and to the sin against nature with women as some sense it à Deo prohibito perdito in which case the Turkish women when so abused by their husbands those filthy beasts may sue a divorce St. Henry Blounts voy into the Levant which they do by taking off their shooes before the Judge and holding them the soles upward but speaking nothing for the unnameablenesse of the fact Nor regard any God See my Common place of Atheism Ver. 38. But in his estate shall be honour the God of forces Or As for the Almighty God in his seat he shall honour yea he shall honour a god whom his fathers knew not c. that is in Gods holy Temple at Jerusalem Antiochus shall set up Jupiter Olympius who was none of the dii Syri for the Syrians worshipped Apollo Diana Atargatis Geog. l. 16. as Strabo testifieth See 2 Maccab.
31.1 See therefore that evil thoughts though they rush into the heart yet they rest not in it Vers 26. For shee hath cast down many That have let in death at those windows of wickedness those loop-holes of lust that have dyed of the wound in the eye Aliorum perditio tua sit cautio Seest thou another man shipwrackt look well to thy tacklings Yea many strong men have been slain by her The valour of man hath oft been slaved by the wyses of a woman Witness many of your greatest Martialists who conquered Countries and were vanquished of vices being captivarum suarum captivi The Persian Kings commanded the whole world and were commanded by their concubines So was Alexander Sampson Hercules whom some make to bee the same with Sampson Lenam non potuit potuit superare leaenam Quem fera non potuit vincere vicit hera Vers 27. Her house is the way to hell The shortest cut to utter destruction This if well beleeved would make the young man stop or step back as if hee had trod upon a serpent Sed vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur Aut velut infernus fabula vana foret Going down to the Chambers of death Both temporal and eternal Lo those Hoasts that welcome men into their Inne with smiling countenance will cut their throats in their beds The Syrens are said to live in green meadows Natal Comes and to have by them ever an heap of dead mens bones CHAP. VIII Vers 1. Doth not Wisdome cry ANd shall a Harlot bee sooner heard than shee Shall men prefer dross before gold acorns before wheat a swine-sty before a Sanctuary dirty delights and sensual pleasures before peace that passeth all understanding Xenophon joy unspeakable and full of glory Heathen stories tell how Hercules when hee was young was courted by Vertue on the one hand and Pleasure on the other But Pleasure lost her sweet words upon him hee hearkned to Vertue rather Shall not wee to Wisdome Put forth her voyce In her Ministers who are Cryers by office and must bee earnest Isa 58.1 See an instance in holy Bradford I beseech you saith Hee I pray you I desire you I crave at your hands with all my very heart I ask of you with hand pen tongue and minde in Christ through Christ for Christ Act. Mon. 1490. for his Name Blood Mercy Power and Truths sake my most intirely beloved that you admit no doubting of Gods final mercies toward you c. Here was a lusty Cryer indeed And such another was Mr. Perkins of whom it is said that in expounding the Commandements when hee was Catechist of Christs Colledge hee applied them so home to his hearers Mr. Fullers Holy-state p 90. that hee made their very hearts fall down and their hairs stand upright Vers 2. Shee standeth in the top of high places That is saith an Interpreter in the lofty Oracles of the Patriarchs and Prophets Vers 3. At the entry of the City Heb. At the mouth for as words go out of the mouth Rod. Bain so do men out of the City onely men go and come at their pleasure Sed volat emissum semel irrevocabile verbum A word once uttered cannot bee recalled At the coming in at the doors Every where Christ offereth himself hence ariseth this phrase My salvation is gone forth but to little purpose through mens singular perversness Indeed if the Lord would set up a Pulpit at the Ale-house door they would hear oftner But sith hee doth not they will run to hell as fast as they can And if God cannot catch them they care not they will not return Vers 4. Unto you O men I call O viri praestantes so some render it O yee eminent men whether for greatness of birth wealth or learning The Pharisees and Philosophers for their learning are called the Princes of this world 1 Cor. 2.8 Sed sapientes sapienter in infernum descendunt saith one potentes potenter tâ—rquebuntur saith another But the world by wisdome knows not God 1 Cor. 1.21 and not many wise men not many mighty not many noble are called vers 26. And yet they shall not want for calling if that would do it for unto you O mighty men I call Sed surdo plerunque fabulam but all to little purpose for most part They that lay their heads upon down-pillows cannot so easily hear noyses Courts and great places prove ill air for Zeal Divitibus ideo pietas deest quia nihil deest Rich mens wealth proves an hindrance to their happiness And my voyce is to the Sons of men i. e. To the meaner sort of people See Psal 49.2 These usually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like little fishes bite more than bigger The poor are Gospellized saith our Saviour Smyrna was the poorest but best of the seven Churches Certain it is that many of the meaner sort hold that they are not bound to look after Scripture-matters but that it is for rich men and Scholars onely to do so Wee have nothing say they to live by but these hands How can day-labourers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 22. ad Pop. Antioch and poor Craftsmen intend such things The baser sort of people in Swethland do alwayes break the Sabbath saying that it is only for Gentlemen to keep that day See Jer. 5.4 Joh. 7.49 But Paul a poor Tent-maker could say Our conversation is in heaven and Gods people are afflicted and poor yet they trust in the Name of the Lord Zeph. 3.12 Who ever richer than Adam in Paradise Poorer than Job on the dunghill yet in Paradise Satan foiled Adam on the dunghil Job foiled Satan Think not that poverty can excuse from duty Poor men also must listen to wisdomes voyce or it will bee worse with them there is yet but a beginning of their sorrows Vers 5. O yee simple If yee bee not set in sin resolved of your way as good as yee mean to bee If yet there bee any place left for perswasion See the Note on Chap. 1.4 And yee fools Yee that have already made your conclusion and are wiser in your own conceit than seven men that can render a reason Ver. 6. I will speak of excellent things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruling-cases Master-sentences Axiomes of state principles for Princes I have written for them the great things of my Law Hos 8.12 Solomon calls the Scriptures Lords of Collections as some sense that Text Eccles 12.11 Shall hee right things Right for each mans particular purposes and occasions Athanâ—s The Scriptures are so peâ—â—â—â—l that every man may think they speak de se in re sua of him and his 〈◊〉 In all the Commandements of God there is so much rectitude and good reason could wee but see it that if God did not command them yet it were our best way to practise them For my mouth shall speak truth Heb. Shall meditate truth i. e. I will
neither speak falsely nor rashly but upon due deliberation and undoubted certainty See my True treasure pag. 122. Vers 8. All the words The Rabbine have a saying That there is a mountain of sense hanging upon every tittle of the Scriptures There is nothing froward or perverse in them Some places of Scripture may seem to cross other places but they do only seem so Men may think they are like the accusers of Christ never a one speaking like the other but those that understand them shall finde them like Nathan and Bathsheba both speaking the same things The old Rabbins could not reconcile Ecclesiastes some passages in it to the rest of the holy Scriptures and had therefore some thoughts to conceal it from the people But this was their weakness Kabuenaki and would have been their wickedness Vers 9. They are all plain to him that understandeth Plain in things necessary to salvation for as all duties so all truths do not concern all men God doth not expect or require that every man should bee a Doctor in the chair but those points that direct to duty here and salvation hereafter are clear express and obvious to them that desire to understand them for some there are Bern. qui ut liberius peocent libenter ignorant It was a smart answer which Mr. Durant a witty and learned Minister of the Reformed Church of Paris gave to a Lady of suspected chastity and now revolted When shee pretended the hardness of the Scripture Why said hee Madam what can bee more plain than Thou shalt not commit Adultery Had shee not been failing in the practice of what shee could not but know shee had found no cause to complain of the difficulty of that which shee could not know Vers 10. Receive mine instruction and not money That is Rather than mony as I will have mercy and not sacrifice that is rather than sacrifice Knowledge of the Scriptures is the greatest riches Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christâ— dwell richly in you 1 Cor. 1.5 The Corinthians were inriched in all knowledge Plato gave three hundred flourens for a Book that hee liked Called Sophron Dionysius said that Aristippus was alwayes craving mony of him but Plato desired nothing but Books What spending of money and lavishing out of the bag is there for humane learning And yet Aristotle himself could say that a little knowledge though but conjectural about heavenly things is to bee preferred above much knowledge though certain about inferiour things Vers 11. For Wisdome is better than Rubies See the Note on Chap. 3.15 Vers 12. I Wisdome dwell with Prudence I draw all into practice and teach men to prove by their own experience what that good and holy and acceptable will of God is Of the most that would bee held knowing men it may well bee said as Tully sayes the Proverb went of the Athenians that they used their wisdome as men do artificial teeth for shew onely And that they did scire quae recta sunt sed facore nolle know what was right but had no minde to do accordingly Socrates said there was no difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisdome and Prudence or Moderation Xenoph. de dictis factis Socrat. Sith hee that knows good things to do them and evil things to avoid them is to bee held a wise man and none else And finde out knowledge of witâ—y inventions Tending to piety Not those toylsome toyes sophismata quae nec ignoranti nocent nec sciâ—ut enâ— juvant Seneca that are hard to come by but of no use or worth proof or profit These are but laborious loss of time as Aristotle hath it like an Olive of Date-stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist hard to crack the one or cleave the other but nothing or nothing worth ought when crackt or cloven within either Wisdome findes her Scholars somewhat else to do than to bee so busily idle Witty shee allows them to bee but not wittily wicked not wise to do evil inventers of 〈◊〉 or idle things Walk circumspectly saith shee not as fools but as wise â—â—ing the times understanding what the will of the Lord is and putting it in speedy execution Eph. 5. â—5 16 17. Keep therefore and do it for this is your wisdome c. Deut. 4.6 See the Note there this will speak you far more witty than those Wits of the World who seek out many inventions Eccles 7.28 but all to no purpose and become vain in their imaginations their foolish heart being darkned â—â—m 1.21 Vers 13. The fear of the Lord Which is an high point of heavenly wisdome Chap. 1.7 to the praise whereof this therefore appertaineth There are that make this verse an explanation of the former thus I finde out the knowledge of witty inventing such as are the fear of the Lord the hatred of evil yea of inward evils as Pride Arrogancy c. Odi fastum istius Ecclesiae I hate the pride of that Romish Church said Basil long since I hate vain thoughts But thy Law do I love Psal 119.113 I hate and abhor lying vers 163. Yea I hate every false way both in my self and others vers 104. Thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans which I also hate Rev. 2. Gods people partake of the Divine nature and so have God-like both sympathies and antipathies they not only leave sin but loath it and are at deadly feud with it They purge themselves by this clean fear of God Psal 19.7 from all pollutions not of flesh onely worldly lusts and gross evils but of spirit also that lye more up in the heart of the Country as Pride Arrogancy c. so Perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 There may bee some kinde of pride in sincerity and of humility in hypocrisie But hypocrisies humility is followed with pride and sincerities pride with humility This latter humility is the better And here onely it is seemly for vertue to come behinde vice Hypocrisie is proud because it is humble Sincerity is humble because it is proud And the evil way That is Custome of committing sin Viam pro frequentatione accipiunt Hebraei And this the godly man doth not that hee may appear to do so Velleius sed quia aliter facere non potuit as one falsly and flatteringly said of Cato but because having his heart seasoned with this holy fear hee can do no otherwise Vers 14. Counsel is mine c. Christ is wise in heart and mighty in strength Job 9.4 his Churches both Counsellor Isa 9.6 and Champion Isa 37.23 24. And though shee bee but a Virgin daughter of Zion yet shee despiseth her adversary and laughs him to scorn vers 22. because shee hath one that is in love with her and will fight her quarrel who is De Achille Homeurs De Achille Câ—ullus Tho 2.2 q. 10. aâ—t 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
mercy out of pure and unexcited love thou didst give thy Word and Promise and for thy words sake thou hast performed it Vers 23. In all labour there is profit In all honest labour for there are that doe wickedly with both hands earnestly and what profit have such of all their labour c. Eccles 1.3 doe they not take pains to goe to Hell There are also that labour about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 toylsome toys that pay not for the pains that doe magno conatu magnas nugas agere Such a one was Paleottus Arch-bishop of Bonony who made a great book of the shadow of Christs Body in a â—â—ndon and it was commented upon by the Professour there This Aristotle calls laborious losse of time The Apostle calls upon men to labour working with their hands the thing that is good so shall they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for their own uses only but also to give to him that needeth Ephes 4.28 But the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury Great talkers are doe-littles for most part Corniculas citiùs in Africa quam res rationesque solidas in Turriani scriptis invenies saith one Turrian was a very wordy man yee cannot finde matter for words in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Athenians fought against Philip with words and messages saith one but Rabshekah could tell Hezekiah that warre was to be made so is work to be done not with words and the talk of the lips but with counsel and strength Isa 36.5 And why stand you looking upon one another get you down to Aegypt said Jacob to his sons Gen. 42.1 Vers 24. The crown of the wise is their riches An ornament an incouragement in well-doing and an instrument of doing much good if God give an heart thereto for quid cervo ingentia cornua cum desit animus To what end is a treasure if a man have lost the Key that leads to it Vel mihi da clavem vel mihi tolle seram But the foolishnesse of fools is folly That is of rich fools such as was Pope Clemens the fifth of whom the Historian saith Papa hic ditior quam sapientior that hee was more wealthy than wise The Crown of the wise is their riches but yet give them a fool you put a sword into a mad mans hand the folly of such fools will soon bee foolishness Why was it not foolishness before they were rich yes but now it is become egregious foolishness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the earth cannot bear the insolencies of such Set a beggar on horse-back c. Vers 25. A true witness delivereth souls Or lives that lye at stake Hee that helps the truth in such a necessity doth a worthy work To walk about with slanders is to shed blood Ezek. 22.9 Way was made to that bloody French massacre by false reports cast abroad by the Fryar-lyars that the Protestants under pretence of Religion met by night that they might feed daintily and then lye together promiscuously He that hath a mind to hang his Dog saith the French Proverb will first give out that hee is run mad John 8.48 The Devil was first a lyar and then a murtherer from the beginning Vers 26. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence The reverential fear of God is monimentum munimentum ornamentum The wise man had said vers 24. The Crown of the wise are their riches and chap. 18.11 hee will tell us that the rich mans wealth is his strong City Now lest any should hereby bee brought to think of riches more highly than is meet hee gives us to know that wealth severed from the fear of God can neither adorn us nor secure us Great is the confidence of a good conscience Our God whom wee serve is able to deliver us and hee will deliver us out of thine hand Dan. 3.17 Hezekiah pulled down the brazen Serpent 2 King 18.5 for hee trusted in God At ego rem divinam facio But I am sacrificing said Numa when they told him the enemy was at hand Non sic Deos coluimus aut sic vivimus ut illi nos vincerent said the Emperour Antoninus Wee are bold to beleeve that God will deal better with us than so And his children have a place of Refuge i. e. Gods children run to his name and are safe Or the children of him that fears God For God will bless those that fear him both small and great Psal 115. If I can but once finde the fear of God in those about mee Selnecer said Reverend Claviger satis habeo satisquo mihi meae â—xori filiis filiabus prospexi I shall have enough for my self wife and children they will bee all cared for Vers 27. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life So said to bee both for the constant faithfulness as never failing and for the gracious effects viz. Blessings of all sorts 1 Temporal Prov. 22.4 Riches Honour Life 2 Spiritual Mal. 4.2 Such shall grow up as the Calves of the stall fat and fair-liking 3 Eternal Psal 31. O how great things c. eye hath not seen c. It shall bee alwaies well with them Eccles 8.12 And though many afflictions c. yet hee that feareth God shall come out of them all Eccles 7.18 To depart from the snares of death Satan that mighty hunter hath laid snares for us in all places And the way of this world is like the vale of Siddim slimy and slippery full of lime-pits and pitfalls snares and stumbling-blocks laid on purpose to maim us or mischief us Hee that fears God comes off without hurt by remembring that which as short as it is yet our memories are shorter Cave Deus videt Take heed God seeth thee A godly man had these verses written before him on a Table in his study Ne pecces Deut ipse videt tuus Angelus astat Accusat Satanas lex mens conscia culpae Mors incerta furit cruciat te lurid us Orcus Et manet aeternum tristi damnatio poenâ Vers 28. In the multitude of people is the Kings honour For that 's a sign of peace plenty prosperity and just government as in Salomons daies when Israel and Judah were many as the sand which is by the Sea in multitude eating and drinking and making merry Flor. hist lib. 4 1 King 4.20 and as in Augustus his daies when Christ the Prince of Peace was born into the world cuncta atque continua totius generis humani aut pax fuit aut pactio Ferdinand the third King of Spain reigned full 35 years In all which time nec fames nec pestis fuit in regnosuo saith Lopez Gloss in prolog part 1. there was neither famine nor pestilence throughout that Kingdome What incredible waste of men hath war lately made in Germany that stage of war in Ireland and here in this Kingdome besides what formerly In the Civil dissentions between the houses