that found his Glove with a desire to restore it him Mr. Sam. Ward but pursued inwardly with a guilty conscience leaps over a hedge plunges into a Marle-pit behind it unseen and unthought of wherein he was drowned But the righteous is bold as a Lion Conscientia pura semper secura a good Conscience hath sure confidence and he that hath it sits Noah like Medius tranquillus in undis quiet in the greatest combustions freed if not from the common destruction yet from the common distraction for he knows whom hee hath trusted and is sure that neither life nor death nor things present nor things to come Rom. 8.38 can ever sunder him from Gods love in Christ He is bold as a Lion saith the Text yea as a young Lion that is in his hot bloud and therefore fears no other creature yea when he is fiercely pursued hee will never once alter his gate though he dye for it No more will the righteous man his resolution against sin such is his Christian courage Daniel chose rather to be cast to the lyons than to bear a lyon in his own bosome to violate his conscience The primitive Christians chose rather to be abandoned ad leones quam ad lenones they preferred affliction before sin And this their persecutors counted not courage and magnanimity but wilfulness and obstinacy Tertul. in Apolog But they knew not the power of the Spirit nor the privy armour of proof that the righteous have about their hearts that insuperable faith whereby some have stopped the mouths of lyons quenched the violence of fire c. Heb. 11.33.34 and whereby they do all daily encounter and conquer that roaring lyon the devil quenching his fiery darts c. Eph. 6. Vers 2. For the transgression of a land many are the Princes Either many at once or many ejecting and succeeding one another to the great calamity and utter undoing of the People as may be seen in the books of Judges and Kings as in the Roman state after Nero's death by the succession of Galba Otho and Vitellius What a deal of trouble was here in the time of the Heptarchy and in the dissensions of the two houses of York and Lancaster causing the death of twice as many natives of England Daniels hist 249. as were lost in the two conquests of France besides 80 Princes of the blood royal slain And all this is said to be for the transgression of a land thus chastised by the LORD Elihu tells Job that the hypocrite is set to reign for the peoples sin Job 34. and Levit. 26. it is threatned as an heavy curse If yee still trespass against mee I will set Princes over you that shall hate you mischievous odious Princes odious to God malignant to the People And Isa 3.4 I will give children to be their Princes and babes shall rule over them How many Kings had the ten Tribes after their defection from the house of David and not one good one amongst them all And what got most of the Roman Cesars by their hasty honours nisi ut citius interficorentur saith one but to be slain the sooner Very few of them till Constantine but died unnatural deaths If ye do wickedly ye shall perish both you and your King 1 Sam. 12.25 But by a man of understanding and knowledge As one sinner may destroy much good Eccles 9.18 so one excellently wise man called here a man of understanding knowledge there is no copulative in the Original the state may be prolonged there may be a lengthening of its tranquillity it may be delivered by the pureness of thine hands Job 22.30 See 2 Sam. 20.16 c. Eccles 9.13 c. Jer. 5.1 Religious and prudent Princes especially may do much in this case 2 King 22.20 Vers 3. A poor man that oppresseth the poor c. Such an oppressour bites hard as a lean louse doth makes clean work plunders to the life as they say omnia corradit converret Poor men should pitty poor men as knowing the misery of poverty but to oppress or defraud their comperes is greatest inhumanity as that merciless fellow servant did Matth. 18.28 c. A Weesel is a ravenous beast as well as a Lyon a Sparrow-hauk as greedy as an Eagle and more mercy is to be expected from those more noble creatures than from the base and abject Vers 4. They that forsake the Law praise the wicked As Machiavel doth Cesar Borgia that bipedum nequissimum proposing him for a pattern to all Christian Princes as Onuphrius the Popes Biographer doth Hildebrand or Gregory 7th in five books written of his noble acts and great virtues whom Cardinal Benno truly describeth to have been a murtherer an adulterer Epiphan barcâ— 38. a conjurer a Schismatick an heretick and every way as bad as might be Epiphanius tells us that there were a sort of brain-sick hereticks that cried up Cain and were therefore called Cainites They also commended the Sodomites Korah Judas the traitour c. In the book of Judith the act of Simeon and Levi upon the Shechemites is extolled and there was one Bruno that wrote an Oration in commendation of the devil But they that keep the law contend with them Moved with a zeal of God they cannot be silent As Craesus his dumb son they cry out Wilt thou â—ill my father dishonour my God c Good blood will never belye it self good metal will appear How did young David bristle against black-mouthed Goliah and enter the lists with him Do not I hate them that hate thee saith he Psal 139. Yea I hate them with a perfeâ—â— hatred I cast down the gauntlet of defiance against them I count them mine enemies Asa cannot bear with Idolatry no not in his own mother Our Edward the sixth would by no means yield to a toleration for his sister Mary though solicited thereunto by Cranmer and Ridley for politick respects Mihi quâ—dem Auxentius non alius erit quam diabolus quamdiu Arrianus said Hilary I shall look upon Auxentius as a devil so long as he is an Arrian It was the speech of blessed Luther who though he was very earnest to have the Communion administred in both kinds contrary to the doctrine and custome of Rome yet if the Pope saith he as Pope commanded me to receive it in both kinds I would but receive it in one kind sith to obey what he commands as Pope is a receiving of the mark of the beast Vers 5. Evill men understand not judgement They are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge their wits work not that way they are bard and brutish as horse and asse Psal 32. Yea they fall beneath the stirrup of reason and know not their owner which yet the ox and asse doth Esa 1.3 no wiser at 70 years old than at seven Ut liberius peccent libenter ignorant not willing to know what they are not minded to practice But they
is holy both in body and spirit 1 Cor. 7.34 and this with delight out of fear of God and love of vertue God did much for that libidinous Gentleman who sporting with a Curtezan in a house of sin happened to ask her name which she said was Mary Mountaignes Essayes whereat he was stricken with such a remorse and reverence that he instantly not only cast off the Harlot but amended his future life But the Sinner shall be taken by her See the Note on Prov. 22.14 The Poets fable that when Prometheus had discovered Truth to men that had long lain hid from them Jupiter or the Devil to crosse that design sent Pandora that is Pleasure that should so besot them as that they should neither mind nor make out after Truth and Honesty Vers 27. Behold this I have found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have found it I have found it said the Philosopher Vicimus Vicimus we have prevailed we have prevailed said Luther when hee had been praying in his Closet for the good successe of the consultation about Religion in Germany So the Preacher here Aperit sibi diligentia januam veritatis Amb. having by diligence set open the door of truth cries Venite videte Come and see my discoveries in the making whereof I have been very exact counting one by one Ne mole obruerer lest I should bee oppressed with many things at once Vers 28. Which yet my soul seeketh but I finde not There is a place in Wiltshire called Stonage for divers great stones lying and standing there together of which stones it is said Camden that though a man number them one by one never so carefully yet that he cannot finde the true number of them but that every time he numbers them he findes a different number from that he found before This may well shew as one well applies it the erring of mans labour in seeking the account of wisdome and knowledge For though his diligence be never so great in making the reckoning he will alwayes be out and not able to find it out One man among a thousand Hand facile invenies multis è milibus unum There is a very great scarcity of good people These are as Gideons three hundred when the wicked as the Midianites lye like Grashoppers for multitude upon the earth Judg. 7. and as those Syrians 1 King 20.27 they fill the country they darken the air as the swarms did the Land of Aegypt and there is plenty of such dust-heaps in every corner But a Woman among all those have I not found i. e. Among all my Wives and Concubines which made him ready to sing Foemina nulla bona est But that there are and ever have been many gracious Women see besides the Scriptures the Writings of many Learned men De illustribus foeminis It is easie to observe saith one that the New-Testament affords more store of good Wives than the Old And I can say as Hierom does Novi ego multas ad omne opus bonum promptas I know many Tabithaes full of good works But in respect of the discoverie of hearts and natures whether in good or evil it is harder to find out throughly the perfect disposition of a Woman than of Men. And that I take to be the meaning of this text Vers 29. That God hath made man upright viz. In his own Image i. e. knowledge in his understanding part rightnesse in his will and holinesse in his affections his heart was a lump of love c. when he came first out of Gods Mint he shone most glorious clad with the royal robe of righteousnesse created with the imperial crown Psal 8.5 But the Devil soon stript him of it he cheated and cousened him of the Crown as we use to doe children with the apple or whatsoever fruit it was that he tendred to Eve Porrexit pomum surripuit paradisum Bernard Lib. 1. legis allegor Hee also set his limbs in the place of Gods Image so that now Is qui factus est homo differt ab eo quem Deus fecit as Philo saith Man is now of another make than God made him Totus homo est inversus decalogus whole evil is in man and whole man in evil Neither can hee cast the blame upon God but must fault himself and fly to the second Adam for repair But they have sought out many inventions New tricks and devises like those poetical fictions and fabulous relations whereof there is neither proof nor profit The Vulgar Latine hath it Et ipse se infinitis miscuit quaestionibus And hee hath intangled himself with numberless questions and fruitless speculations See 1 Tim. 1.4 and cap. 6.4 doting about questions or question-sick Bernard reads it thus Ipse autem se implicuit doloribus multis but hee hath involved himself in many troubles the fruit of his inventions shifts and sherking tricks See Jer. 6.19 CHAP. VIII Vers 1. Who is as the Wise man Velut inter stellas Luna minores QUa dic Hee is a matchless man a peerless Paragon out-shining others as much as the Moon doth the lesser Stars Plato could say that no Gold or Precious stone doth glister so gloriously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the prudent spirit of a good man Gen. 41.38 Thou art a Prince of God amongst us said the Hittites to Abraham Can wee finde such a man as this Joseph in whom the Spirit of God is said Pharaoh to his Counsellors Hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him on the earth c Job 1.8 My servant Moses is not so who is faithful in all my house and shall bee of my Cabinet-Counsel Numb 12.7 To him God said Tu verò hic sta mecum But do thou stand here by mee Exod. 34.5 Sapiens Dei comes est saith Philo. Look how Kings have their Favourites whom they call Comites their Cousins and Companions so hath God Nay the righteous are Princes in all Lands Psal 45.16 Kings in righteousness compare Mat. 13.17 with Luk. 10.24 the excellent Ones of the Earth Psal 16.3 the Worthies of the world Hom. 55. in Matth. Heb. 11.5 fitter to bee set as Stars in Heaven and to bee continually before the Throne of God Chrysostome calls some holy men of his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Earthly Angels and speaking of Babylas the Martyr hee saith of him Magnus at que admirabilis vir hee was an excellent and an admirable man Orat. contra Gentiles c. And Tertullian writing to some of the Martyrs sayes Non tantus sum ut vos alloquar I am not good enough to speak unto you Oh that my life and a thousand such wretches more might go for yours Oh why doth God suffer mee and other such Caterpillars to live saith John Careless Martyr in a letter to that Angel of God Mr. Bradford as Dr. Taylor called him that can do nothing but consume the alms of the
Caveatur osculum Iscarioticum consign their treachery with so sweet a symbol of amity yet those that love out of a pure heart fervently do therefore kiss 1 Pet. 1.22 as desiring to transfuse if it might bee the souls of either into other and to become one with the party so beloved and in the best sense suaviated That therefore which the Church here desireth Heb. 1.1 is not so much Christs coming in the flesh that God who at sundry times and in divers manners had spoken in times past unto her by the Prophets would now speak unto her by his Son as some have sensed it as that shee may have utmost conjunction to him and nearest communion with him here as much as may bee and hereafter in all fulness of fruition Let him kiss mee and so seal up his hearty love unto mee even the sure mercies of David with the kisses of his mouth Not with one kiss onely with one pledge of his love but with many there is no satiety no measure no bounds or bottome of this holy love as there is in carnal desires ubi etiam vota post usum fastidio sunt Neither covers mee to kiss his hand as they deal by Kings or his feet as they do the Popes but his mouth shee would have true kisses the basia the busses of those lips whereinto grace is poured Psal 45.3 and where hence those words of grace are uttered Prov. 31.26 Mat. 5.2 3 c. Hee openeth his mouth with wisdome and in his lips is the Law of kindness Hence her affectionate desires her earnest pantings inquietations and unsatisfiablenesses Shee must have Christ or else shee dies shee must have the kisses of Christs mouth even those sweet pledges of love in his word or shee cannot bee contented but will complain in the confluence of all other comforts as Abraham did Gen. 15.2 Lord God what wilt thou give mee seeing I go childeless Or as Artabâ—zus in Xenophon did when Cyrus had given him a cup of gold and Chrysantas a kiss in token of his special favour saying that the cup that hee gave him was nothing so good gold as the kiss that hee gave Chrysantas The Poets fable that the Moon was wont to come down from her orb to kiss Endymion It is a certain truth that Christ came down from Heaven to reconcile us to his Father to unite us to himself and still to communicate unto our souls the sense of his love the feeling of his favour the sweet breath of his holy Spirit For thy Love is better than Wine Heb. Loves The Septuagint and Vulgar render it Ubera Thy breasts but that is not so proper sith it is the Church that here speaks to Christ and by the sudden change of person shews the strength and liveliness of her affection As by the Plural Loves shee means all fruits of his love righteousness peace joy in the Holy Ghost assurance of Heaven which Mr. Latimer calls the sweet-meats of the feast of a good conscience There are other dainty dishes at that feast but this is the banquet this is better than Wine which yet is a very comfortable creature Psal 104.15 and highly set by Psal 4.7 Plato calls wine a musick miseriarum humanarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chief allayments of mens miseries Vers 3. Because of the savour of thy good ointments Or To smell to thy ointments are best Odoratissimus es As the Panther casts abroad a fragrant savour as Alexander the Great is said to have had a natural sweetness with him by reason of the good temperament of his body So and much more than so the Lord Christ Euseb that sweetest of sweets Hee kisseth his poor persecuted people as Constantine once kissed Paphnutius his lost eye and departing for here hee comes but as a suter onely till the marriage bee made up in Heaven hee leaves such a sweet scent behinde him such a balmy verdure as attracts all good hearts unto him so that where this all-quickning carkass is there would the Eagles bee also Mat. 24. The Israelites removed their tents from Mithcah which signifies sweetness to Cashmonah which signifies swiftness Numb 33.29 To teach us saith one that the Saints have no sooner tasted Christs sweetness but they are carried after him presently with incredible swiftness Hence they are said to have a nose like the Tower of Lebanon Cant. 7. for their singular sagacity in smelling after Christ and to flee to the holy Assemblies where Christs odors are beaten out to the smell as the clouds Isa 60.8 or as the Doves to their windaws For why they have their senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5.14 and their love abounds yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement Phil. 1.9 Thy name is as ointment poured forth There is an elegant allusion in the Original betwixt Shem and Shemen that is Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Ointment And Christ hath his name both in Hebrew and Greek from ointment for these three words in signification are all one Messias Christ Anointed See the reason Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord that oil of gladness Heb. 1.9 is upon mee because hee hath anointed and appointed mee to preach good tidings to the meek 2 Cor. 2.2 14 15 16 c. Now when this is done to the life when Christ crucified is preached when the Holy Ghost in the mouth and ministry of his faithful servants shall take of Christs excellencies as it is his office to do Joh. 16.14 and hold them out to the world when hee shall hold up the tapestry as it were 2 Tim. 2.5 and shew men the Lord Christ with an Ecce virum Behold the man that one Mediatour betwixt God and Man the Man Christ Jesus See him in his Natures in his Offices in his Works in the blessed Effects of all This cannot but stir up wonderful loves in all good souls with hearty wishes 1 Cor. 16.22 that If any one love not the Lord Jesus Christ hee may bee Anathema Maranatha accurst upon accurst and put over to God to punish Therefore the Virgins love thee i. e. All that are adjoyned to mee in comely sort as chast Damosels to their Mother and Mistress The elect and faithful are called Virgins for their spiritual chastity They are Gods hidden ones as the word here used signifieth as they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paellae absconditae propter secretiorem educationem Riv. Speed 1236. Psal 83.3 they are not defiled with the corruptions that are in the world through lust for they are Virgins Rev. 14.4 Else the Bride would not suffer them about her Psal 45.14 Of Queen Elizabeth it is said that shee never suffered any Lady to approach her presence of whose stain shee had but the least suspition These follow the Lamb wheresoever hee goeth ib. as the other creatures follow the Panther for his sweet odors as birds
those six Martyrs burnt by Harpsfield Archdeacon of Canterbury when Queen Mary lay a dying One of those six that were then burnt and those were the last John Cornford stirred with a vehement zeal of God when they were excommunicated pronounced sentence of excommunication against all Papists in these words In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the power of his holy Spirit and authority of his holy Catholick and Apostolick Church wee do give here into the hands of Satan to bee destroyed the bodies of all those blasphemers and hereticks that do maintain any errour against his most holy Word Act. Mon. fol. 1862. or do condemn his most holy truth for heresie to the maintenance of any false Church or feigned religion so that by this thy most just judgement O most mighty God against thine adversaries thy true religion may bee known to thy great glory and our comfort and the edifying of all our Nation Good Lord so bee it Vers 8. I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem Being evill intreated by her enemies shee turns her to her friends those damsels or daughters of Jerusalem See chap. 2.7 3.5 so the Lord Christ being tired out with the untractableness of his untoward hearers turns him to his Father Mat. 11.25 26. Kings as they have their cares and cumbers above other men so they had of old their friends by a specialty as Hushai was Davids friend 2 Sam. 15.37 to whom they might ease themselves and take sweet counsell Psal 55.14 The servants of God are Princes in all lands Psal 45. and as they have their crosses not a few so their comforts in and by the communion of Saints The very opening of their grievances one to another doth many times ease them as the very opening of a vein cools the blood Their mutual prayers one with and for another prevail much if they bee fervent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5.26 Prov. 27.17 or thorough-well wrought as in this case they likely will be for as Iron wheâ—s Iron so doth the face of a man his friend And as ferrum potest quod anrum non potest Iron can do that sometimes that Gold cannot An Iron-key may open a chest wherein Gold is laid up so a meaner mans prayer may bee more effectual sometimes than a better mans for himself His own key may be rusty or out of order and another mans do it better Hence the Church is so importunate with the daughters of Jerusalem who were far behinde her in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ as appears by that which follows to commend her and her misery to Christ to tell him where ever they meet with him Behold shee whom thou lovest is sick thy Church in whom thy love is concentrate as it were and gathered to an head doth even languish with love and is in ill case Tell him saith shee What shall yee tell him as the Hebrew hath it An earnest and passionate kinde of speech somewhat like that in Hosea Give them O Lord Hos 9.14 What wilt thou give them as if shee should say would you know what you should tell him even that which followeth that I am sick of love See chap. 2.5 Vers 9. What is thy beloved more than another beloved This capital question is here doubled for the more vehemency as also for the strangeness of the matter wherein they desire much to bee better informed and the rather because shee so straightly chargeth or rather sweareth them Something they must needs think was in it more than ordinary sith good people do not use to bee hot in a cold matter But as in the Revelation whensoever heaven opened some singular thing ensued So when the Saints bee so serious in a business sure it is of very great concernment Great matters are carried with great movings as for the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart Judg 5.15 16 great impressions great searchings It is a common saying Admiratio peperit Philosophiam Wonderment at the works of God set men a work to enquire into the natural causes of them Semblably these damsells of Jerusalem friends to the Church little knowing the love of the Spouse to Christ which passed their knowledge and yet willing to comprehend with all Saints the several dimensions thereof Eph. 3.18 19 first they acknowledge her amidst all her miseries to be the fairest among women See chap. 1.8 as gold is gold though found in the dirt or cast into the furnace and stars have their glory though we see them sometimes in a puddle in the bottom of a well nay in a stinking ditch Secondly they propound to her two most profitable questions The one concerning his person Whereof wee have here a very lively and lofty description both generally and in his parts The other concerning the place of his abode and where hee may be had chap. 6.1 to the which she makes answer vers 2. and so her faith begins to revive vers 3. which was the blessed effect of this their gracious communication Conference in all arts and sciences is a course of incredible profiting Est aliquid quod ex magno viro vel tacente proficias the very sight Prov. 31.26 Prov. 20.5 nay thought of a good man oft doth good how much more when hee openeth his mouth with wisdome and in his tongue is the Law of kindness And surely it is a fine art to bee able to pierce a man that is like a vessell full of wine and to set him a running Elihu would speak that hee might bee refresht Job 32. It would bee an ease to him it would bee a great benefit to others as the mother is in pain till the childe hath suckt and the childe not at quiet till hee hath done so Foolish and unlearned questions about those things whereof wee can neither have proof nor profit wee are bound to avoid 2 Tim. 2.23 knowing that they do gender strifes and breed crudities fill men with winde and make them question-sick 1 Tim. 6.4 But profitable questions are frequently to bee propounded with a desire to learn and resolution to practice as the Virgin Mary demanded of the Angel Luk. 1.34 the Disciples of our Saviour John 16.17 19. c. and hee resolved them which hee refused to do for the Jews that asked him the same question John 7.35 36. because not with the same mind and desire So that frollick self-seeker with his fair offer of following Christ was rejected when those that had more honest aims and ends heard Come and see Mat. 8.19 20. John 1.46 These daughters of Jerusalem do not therefore ask because they were utterly ignorant of Christ but 1 That they might hear the Church what shee had to say of him as they that love Christ love to hear talk of him his very name is melâ—in ore melos in aure c. 2 That by her discourse they might better their knowledge for
natural men are very hardly drawn to do The best are so backward that an Ezekiel may hear Son of man behold with thine eye and hear with thine ears and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee c. chap. 40.4 and Hagget calleth upon the good people of his time to consider and better consider chap. 1.5 7. Ver. 21. Produce your cause saith the Lord He had dealt with the Heathens and convinced them now have at their Gods and their best proofs are called for Bring forth your strong reasons Heb. your bony arguments argumenta trabalia but alass they had none such Saith the King of Jacob Not the God of Jacob for that was now the matter in question whether he were God or the Heathen deities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And because they were silent and to seek of such arguments he helpeth them to a couple Ver. 22. Let them bring forth and shew what shall happen By such arguments as these Cleanthes in Tully testifieth though himself were an Heathen that the deity might be known And whereas it may be objected Lib 2. de nat deorum that the Delphick devil had foretold things to come it is answered that the devil cannot foretel all future things nor any thing infallibly and of himself but either as it is revealed unto him by God as was Ahabs fall at Rameth-Gilead or as he forseeth it in the causes signes or Prophecies of holy Scripture wherein he is not a little skilled Ver. 23. Shew the things that are to come This first argument is much insisted on God alone can properly predict Tertul. Apol. cap. 20. and Testimonium divinitatis est veritas divinationis Cato Major was wont to say that he wondered how one Diviner could look upon another and not laugh as knowing themselves to be no better then deceivers of the people Yea do good or evil good to your friends evil to your foes this is the second argument and it is unanswerable If it be objected that this the Devil can do and hath done The answer is 1. that Idols can do neither good nor evil 2. No nor yet Devils but the good they do their clients is a meer juggle and the evil they do to any is by divine permission Vide etiam Aug. de Civ Dei l. 2. c. 22. 25. Baruc. 6. See Cyprians fourth treatise de vanitate idolorum Ver. 24. Behold ye are of nothing Hence Paul took that assertion of his 1 Cor. 8.4 we know that an Idol is nothing in the world For the matter of it t is true wood is wood and stone is stone but the relation and signification which is fastned thereunto is nothing at all all the being of an Idol is nothing but the Idolaters imagination And your work of nought Or of the Basilisk or Viper it will doe you to death An abomination is he that curseth you Papists therefore must needs be abominable Idolaters Dr. Rainolds his work De Idololatria Romana is yet unanswered Weston writes that his head aked in reading it Ver. 25. I have raised up one from the North Here God beginneth to prove that He can do both those things whereof the Heathen vanities could do neither This One in the Text is Cyrus say some Christ say others by whom God here foretelleth that he will punish his enemies but do good to his Church and chosen He shall call upon my name Or proclaim my name Ver. 26. Who hath declared Who besides my self ever did or could predict such a thing If any other hath done it we will do him right clepe him a God Ver. 27. The first shall say to Zion Or I first said to Zion I first brought her that good tidings by my Prophets Ver. 28. For I beheld and there was no man None to say any thing for these dumb Idols why I should not pass a definitive sentence against them It is therefore this Ver. 29. Behold they are all vanity Jer. 10.3 15. Their works are nothing See ver 24. Are wind and confusion Or emptynesse Heb. Tohu Nothing in themselves and yet of sufficient efficacy to inflict vengeance on their worshippers CHAP. XLII Ver. 1. BEhold my servant Cyrus partly but Christ principally Matth. 12.18 See the Notes there with Philip. 2.7 A Servant he was yet not Menial but Magisterial that he was one or other is admirable and well deserveth an Ecce Whom I uphold That he faint not under the weight of his Mediatorship and the importable burthen of my wrath which he must suffer for a season Some render it whom I lean upon see 2 King 5.18 7.2 13. Mine elect Or choice one Cyrus was so chap. 44.28 45.3 4. but Christ much more chap. 43.10 Joh. 6.27 29. 10.36 See the Notes on Matth. 12.18 Cyrus was so singular a man saith Herodotus that no Persian ever held himself worthy to be compared unto him Herod lib. 3. Xenoph. Cyrop lib. 8. And of his Court Xenophon hath this merable saying that though a man should seek or chuse blindfold he could not miss of a good man How much more truly may this be spoken of the Lord Christ and his people In whom my Soul delighteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God affected Cyrus chap. 45.3 4. 44.28 but nothing so well as Christ Matth. 3.17 17.5 Once God repented him that he had made man but now it is otherwise He shall bring forth Judgement to the Gentiles Who shall all cry Grace Grace unto it to see mercy rejoycing against judgement See on Matth. 12.18 Lib. 3. Ver. 2. He shall not cry nor lift up See on Matth. 12.19 Cyrus was a very mild and gentle Prince so that his Persians called him their Father but his Son Cambyses their Lord as Herodotus recordeth Christs government is much more gentle he will not by a loud and terrible voice affright broken spirits or rule them with rigour Cyrus umbra Christus Sol ipse c. Christians must likewise put away all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour And be kind one to another tender-hearted Eph. 4.31 32. This is to be like unto Christ all whose actions whether Moral or Mediatory were either for our Imitation or Instruction Ver. 3. A bruised reed shall he not break i. e. A contrite heart Psal 51.17 in whom there shall appear to be any thing of Christ Mar. 9. though never so little that are faithful in weakness Cruclger though but weak in Faith as He was who cried out Lord I believe help mine unbelief and Another Invoco te fide quamvis languidâ fide tamen See on Matth. 12.20 He shall bring forth judgement unto truth Unto victory saith the Evangelist after the Septuagint Truth will prevail sincerity proceed to perfection The righteous also shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 Where there is truth of grace there will be victory Bernard
shall shine as the Sun in his strength Rom. 2.7 Mat. 13.43 Ver. 30. Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them They shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord Psal 107.43 they shall know the salvation of their God Psal 50.23 they shall have a plerophory of faith as Rom. 8.38 Ver. 31. And ye my flock are men Sheep ye are but rational sheep having your spiritual senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5.14 so that ye take and see my goodness Psal 34.8 CHAP. XXXV Ver. 1. MOreover the Word of the Lord Chap. 18.1 Ver. 2. Set thy face Chap. 6.2 Against mount Seir Inhabited by the Edomites And prophecy against it This had been done before chap. 25.12 but not enough God hath a further saying to them and that for the comfort of his poor people who might thus object Peace and security from danger is promised us in the foregoeing Chapter but we have still many deadly enemies and none worse then our near allies and next neighbours the Edomites Here therefore they are heavily threatened with utter desolation for their malignity against Israel and their blasphemy against God Ver. 3. Behold O mount Seir I am against thee Ecce ego ad te have at thee And I will stretch out my hand against thee I will have my full blow at thee I will make thee most desolate Heb. desolation and desolation I will make an utter end desolation shall not rise up the second time Nahum 1.9 I will make short work Rom. 9.28 4. I will lay thy Cities waste Even Theman Dedan Bozra mentioned in Scripture besides many others mentioned by Geographers Maresa Rhinocorura Raphia Gaza Anthedon c. And thou shall know To thy small comfort That I am the Lord A Lord of Lords a God of Gods a great God a mighty and a terrible which regardeth not persons nor taketh reward Deut. 10.17 Ver. 5. Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred An hereditary deadly feud against Israel Heb. an enemy of ages yea of many ages continuance such as is as we use to say of Runnet the older the stronger And hast shed the blood of the children of Israel Vt diffluant hast let out their life-blood all malice is bloody In time of their calamity Watching the worst time to do them the most mischief In the time that their iniquity had an end When I had in a manner done with them yet thou hadst not done with them but didst stir up Nebuzaradan to burn the City and Temple with fire This was to help forward the affliction Zach. 1.15 See the Note there Ver. 6. I will prepare thee unto blood Thou shalt have blood thy bellyful which thou hast so greedily sought and sucked Satiabis te sanguine quem sitiisti cujusque insatiabilis semper fuisti as the Scythian Queen said to Cyrus's head Even blood shall pursue thee As a bloodhound It shall it shall believe me it shall Ver. 7. Most desolate See ver 3. Iterum repetit ne excidisse videatur I am in good earnest Ver. 8. And I will fill his mountains Oh the woe of war 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bellum à belluis the Greek word for it signifies much blood Ver. 9. I will make thee perpetual desolations For thy perpetual hatred ver 5. And thy Cities See ver 4. Ver. 10. Because thou hast said Ungodly men must answer for their ungodly speeches also Jude 15. These two Nations Israel and Judah Shall be mine Such was their avarice and ambition that they made account all was their own they had in their hopes devoured these two Countries which God had reserved for a better purpose He kept the room empty till the rerurn of the natives and the land kept her Sabbaths resting from tillage c. And yet these miscreants added Whereas the Lords was there Or be it that the Lord is there Though it be a Jehovah shammah as chap. 48 3◠sc to keep possession against us we will out him and have it in despite of him O tongues worthy to be puld out cut in gobbets and driven down their throats that did thus blaspheme Ver. 11. I Will do even according to thine anger Let the Romish Edomites expect the like punishment their malice and mischief will come home to them And according to thine envy That quick sighted and sharp-fanged malignity which none can stand before Prov. 27.4 Ver. 12. And that I have heard all thy blasphemies Of both sorts those in the first table against my self and those in the second table against my people They are said desolate And we have helpt after They are given us to consume Heb. to devour Nay but stay till they be and then know that ye may devour that on earth that ye shall disgest in hell Ver. 13. Thus with your mouth ye have boasted Heb. magnified setting your mouths against heaven your tongues also have walked thorough the earth Psal 73.9 See the Notes there And have multiplied your words against me When it would have better become you to have multiplied your words before me in prayer and praises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Hebrew word here used mostly signifieth Ver. 14. When the whole earth rejoyceth sc For my peoples deliverances Or when the whole land sc of Israel rejoyceth as it is sometimes hail and well with the Church when the wicked are in the suds Judea was the world of the world as Athens was the Epitome of Greece the Greece of Greece Ver. 15. As thou didst rejoyce As thou wast sick of the devils disease rejoiceing at other mens harms so by a strange turn of things others shall rejoyce at thy just destruction and revel in thy ruines and at the last day espcially when thou shalt be awarded thy portion with the devil and his angels 2. Thes 1.6 7 8. Thou shalt be desolate O mount Seir This was accordingly effected shortly after by Nebuchadnezzar and his Chaldees Lib. 12. cap. 11. as Josephus testifieth and is daily executed on the Churches enemies who shall all be ere long in the place that is fittest for them sc under Christs feet And all Idumea even all of it The Edomites that thought of seizing on others lands lost their own They who covet all do oft lose all yea even the pleasure of that they possesse as a greedy dog swalloweth the whole meat that is cast him without any pleasure as gaping still for the next morsel CHAP. XXXVI Ver. 1. PRophesie to the mountains of Israel Better things then thou didst to Mount Seir in the foregoing Chapter See Isa 3.10 11. with the Notes Ye mountains That is ye Mountainers qui fere asperi atque inculti Sed Nemo aedeò ferus est qui non mitescere possit Hor. Si moaò culturae patientem accommodet aurem Ver. 2. Because the enemy hath said The Church fareth the better for her enemies petulancies and insolencies against her Even the
the Note there And their dark sayings Dark to those that are acute obtusi that have not their senses exercised to discern both good and evil Heb. 5.14 Legum obscuritates non assignemus culpae scribentium sed inscitiae non asse quentium saith hee in Gellius If the Law bee dark to any the fault is not in the Law-giver but in those that should better understand it Vers 7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning Or the chief and principal point * The head or first-fruits the head and heigh of wisdome as the word here signifieth yea wisdome it self Job 28.28 This Solomon had learned by the instruction of his Father as it is in the next verse who had taught it him of a childe Prov. 4.4 with Psal 111.10 and therefore sets it here in the beginning of his works as the beginning of all Hoc est enim totus homo As in the end hee makes it the end of all Eccles 12.13 yea the All of man without which hee counts him not a compleat man though never so wise to the world-ward Heathen Sages as Seneca Socrates c. were wise in their Generation and had many excellent gifts but they missed of the main there was no fear of God before their eyes Being herein as Alchimists who miss of their end but yet finde many excellent things by the way These Merchants found goodly pearls but the pearl of price they failed of Mat. 13.45 46. The Prophet calls the fear of God our treasure Isa 33.6 But fools despise Fools so are all such as fear not God being abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobate or injudicious Tit. 1.16 Evil is Hebrew for a fool Nebulâ— of Nabal Fool of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When one highly commended the Cardinal Julian to Sigismund hee answered Tamen Romanus est Yet hee is a Popeling So yet hee is a Fool because void of Gods true fear Behold they have rejected the word of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rheâ— and what wisdome is in them Jer. 8.9 Vers 8. Hear the instruction of thy Father c. It is not fit to disobey God thy Father nor thy Teacher saith Aristotle Our Parents said Hierocles are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our houshold-gods and their words should bee received as Oracles This is a principal fruit of the fear of God which it here fitly followeth like as in the decalogue the Commandement for honouring of Parents is set next of all to those of the first Table nay is indeed as Philo saith of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mixt Commandement Vers 9. For they shall bee an ornament Virgil. Plato A mans wisdome maketh his face to shine Eccles 8.1 Tum pietate gravem c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither gold nor precious stone so glistereth saith Plato as the prudent mind of a pious person Nothing so beautifies as grace doth Moses and Joseph were fair to God and favoured of all men A Crown of Gold a Chain of Pearl are no such Ornaments as are here commended Vers 10. If sinners entice thee To an ill bargain to a match of mischief as Ahab did Jehosaphat as Potiphers wife would have done Joseph and truly that hee yeelded not was no less a wonder than that those three Worthies burnt not in the midst of the fiery furnace But as the Sun-shine puts out fire so did the fear of God the fire of lust Consent thou not But carry a severe rebuke in thy countenaâ—ce as God doth Psal 80.16 To rebuke them is the ready way to bee rid of them Vers 11. If they say The Dragon bites the Elephants â—ar and thence sucks his blood because hee knows that to bee the onely place that hee cannot reach with his trunck to defend So deal the red Dragon and his Angels with good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple â—om 16.18 With much fair speech shee caused him to yeeld with the flattering of her lips shee forced him Prov. 7.21 Come with mee If sinners have their Come should not Saints much more Come let us go to the house of the Lord Isa 2.3 Come let us walk in the light of the Lord Vers 5. Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts I will go also Zech. 8.21 should wee not incite intice wheâ— and provoke one another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.24 sharpen and extimulate as Prov 27.17 rouse and stir up each other to love and good works 2 Pet. 1.13 Vers 12. Let us swallow them up alive As the Devil doth 1 Pet. 5.8 2 Tim. 2.26 Homo homini daemon The poor Indians have been heard to say It had been better that their Countrey had been given to the Devils of Hell than to the Spaniards and that if the cruel Spaniards go to Heaven when they dye they for their parts desire not to come there Vers 13. Wee shall finde all precious substance But those that rake together rem rem quocunque modo rem that count all good fish that comes to net will in the end catch the Devil and all Fill our houses with spoil Not considering that they consult shame to their houses by cutting off many people and sinning against their own souls Hab. 2.10 Hee that brings home a pack of plaguy cloaths hath no such great booty of it Vers 14. Let us all have one purse How much better were a wallet to beg from door to door than such a cursed hoard of evil-gotten goods Vers 15. Walk not thou in the way with them God will not take the wicked by the hand Psal 26. Job 8.20 Why then should wee Gather not my soul with sinners saith David O Lord let mee not go to Hell where the wicked are for Lord thou knowest I never loved their company here said a good Gentlewoman when shee was to dye being in much trouble of conscience Vers 16. For their feet run to evil By the abuse of their locomotive faculty given them to a better purpose They run as if they should not come time enough they take long strides toward the burning lake which is now but a little before them Vers 17. Surely in vain the net Which is to say Silly birds pick up the meat but see not the net and so become a prey to the fowler If the fruits of the flesh grow out of the trees of your hearts saith blessed Bradford surely Sermon of Repent pag. 70. surely the Devil is at Inne with you you are his birds whom when hee hath well fed hee will broach you and eat you chaw you and champ you world without end in eternal woe and misery Vers 18. And they lay wait Their sin will surely finde them out No doubt this man is a Murderer Nemo nequitiam gorit in pectâ—re qui non idem Nemesin in tergo said those Barbarians Act. 28.4 whom though hee had escaped the Sea yet
own two innocent Nephews had fearful dreams insomuch that hee did often leap out of his bed in the dark and catching his sword which alway naked stuck by his side hee would go distractedly about the Chamber every where seeking to finde out the cause of his own-occasioned disquiet So Charles the ninth of France after that bloody Massacre of Paris was so inwardly terrified that hee was every night laid to sleep Thuâ—n lib. 57. and wakened again with a set of Musicians Vers 25. Bee not afraid Or thou shalt not bee afraid Nec si fractus illabatur orbis Sudden evils do commonly dis-spirit people and expectorate their abilities they be at their wits end But let a David walk through the vale of the shadow of death that is the darkest side of death death in its most horrid and hideous representations hee will not fear no though hee should go back again the same way for thou art with mee saith hee Hee had God by the hand and so long hee feared no colours Psal 23.4 Vers 26. For the Lord shall bee thy confidence The Hebrew word here used signifies both unconstant folly Eccles 7.27 and constant hope Psal 78.7 And Rabbi Solomon saith that hee had found in the Jerusalem-Targum this Text thus censured and expounded The Lord shall bee with thee in thy folly that is hee shall turn to thy good even thine inconsiderate and rash enterprizes if thou addict thy self to the study of wisdome And shall keep thy foot from being taken In the snare which thou wast near unto by chusing rather to bee held temerarious than timorous Vers 27. With-hold not good from them to whom it is due Either by the Law of equity or of charity For there is a debt of love Rom. 13.8 that wee must ever bee owing and ever pay And as wee say of thanks Gratiae habendae agendae Thanks must bee given and held as still due so must this debt of love Quicquid Clerici habent pauperum est saith Hierome It s true in a sense of others as well as of Ministers The poor Gods poor are the owners of that wee have wee are but stewards and dispensers of Gods bounty to his necessitous servants Now if our receits bee found great and our layings out small God will cast such bills back in our faces and turn us out of our stewardship They are fools that fear to lose their wealth by giving but fear not to lose themselves by keeping it When it is in the power of thy hand When thou hast opportunity and ability for wee must not stretch beyond the staple that were to marre all Neither when a price is put into our hands may wee play the fools and neglect it But wheresoever God sets us up an Altar Prov. 17.16 wee must bee ready with our Sacrifice of Alms for with such Sacrifices God is well-pleased Heb. 13. See my common place of Alms. Vers 28. To morrow Bis dat qui cito dat while yee have time do good to all your beneficence must bee prompt and present who can tell what a great-bellyed day may bring forth Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God Weoâ—sâ— Psal 58.32 currere faciet manus suas ad Dominum to note their speediness in giving Isa 23.18 saith one Tyrus also when converted once makes haste to feed and cloathe Gods poor Saints with the money and Merchandise shee was wont to heap up and hoard Vers 29. Devise not evil against thy neighbour Heb. Plow not evil i. e. plot not One of the Rabbines renders it Suspect not shun evil surmises 1 Tim. 6.4 Most unkindnesses among friends grow upon mistakes misprisions charity is candid and takes every thing in the best sense and by the right handle 1 Cor. 13. Vers 30. Strive not with a man without cause If mens hearts were not bigger than their sutes there would not bee half so many It is a fault to go lightly to Law but especially with such as have done thee no harm Zuinglius renders this Text thus Ne temere litem cum quoquam suscipias quo minus superior factus malum tibi retribuat Others sim mendax nisi rependat tibi malum Life of Card. Wolsey How Cardinal Wolsey when hee became Lord Chancellour paid home Sir James Paulet for setting him by the heels when as yet hee was but a poor School-master is well known How much better Arch-bishop Cranmer of whom the proverb passed Do my Lord of Canterbury a shrewd turn and you shall have him your friend for ever after Act. Mon. And Robert Holgat Arch-bishop of York of whom it is recorded that in the year 1541. hee obtained a benefice in a place where one Sir Francis Askew of Lincolnshire dwelt by whom hee was much troubled and molested in Law Upon occasion of these sutes hee was fain to repair to London where being hee found means to become the Kings Chaplain and by him was made Arch-bishop of York and President of the Kings Council for the North. The Knight before-mentioned happened to have a sute before the Council there and doubted much of hard measure from the Archbishop whose adversary hee had been But hee remembring the rule of the Gospel Godw. Catalog 625. to do good for evil yeelded him all favour that with justice he might saying afterwards merrily to his friends hee was much beholden to Sir Francis Askew for that had not hee been hee must have lived a hedge-Priest all the daies of his life Vers 31. Envy not the oppressor That grows rich by unjust quarrels and vexatious Law-sutes It is not for nothing surely that our Saviour Luke 12.15 after Who made mee a Judge adds Take heed and beware of covetousness Implying that most men go to Law with a covetous oâ— a vindictive mind whereas if they will needs wage Law they should do it as Charles the French King made war with our Henry the seventh more desiring peace than profit or victory It should bee with men in this case as it was with St. Austin and Hierom in their Disputations It was no matter who gained the day they would both win by understanding their errours Vers 32. For the froward is abomination The Vitilitigator the Wrangler the Common-barreter though hee may prosper in the world yet God cannot abide him his money will perish with him Hee will one day say to his cursed heaps of evil-gotten goods as Charles the fifth Emperour Phil. Morn in his old age did of his victories trophees riches honours hee cursed them all saying Abite hinc abite longe Avaunt bee packing hence away But his secret They shall bee of his Cabinet-councel that chuse rather to lye in the dust than to rise by evil arts by wicked principles such were Joseph Micaiah Daniel c. Vers 33. In the house of the wicked His wife children family possessions all are accursed his fine cloaths have the plague in them Or his house which
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
to go over it but is fallen into the brook Hee thought hee had taken hold of God but it is but with him as with a childe that catcheth at the shadow on the wall which hee thinks hee holds fast but hee onely thinks so Vers 8. And the wicked cometh in his stead Thus it befel Haman and Daniels enemies and those inhumane Edomites Lam. 4.21 And Herod with his Hacksters Act. 12. It is a righteous thing with God 2 Thes 1.6 7. though to men it seem an incredible paradox and a news by far more admirable than acceptable that there should bee such a transmutation of conditions on both sides to contraries But thus it falls out frequently John Martin of Briqueras a mile from Angrogne in France vaunted every where Act Mon. fol. 871. that hee would slit the Ministers nose of Angrogne But behold himself was shortly after assaulted by a Woolf which bit off his nose so that hee died mad thereof Vers 9. An Hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth That is the flatterer slanderer evil counsellour but especially the Heretick as the Valentinians Tertul. qui artificium habuerunt quo prius persuaderent quà m docerent by their Pithanology by good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16.19 they bring men into the Lions mouth as that old seducer did by telling them of an Angel that spoke to them and so make prize of them Col. 2.8 and drag Disciples after them Act. 20.30 But through knowledge shall the just bee delivered Hee is too wise to bee flattered and too knowing to bee plucked away with the errour of the wicked Zanch. Misc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dion 1 Pet. 3.17 18. Zanchius was set upon by Socinus but the Heretick lost his labour Wherefore adde to your virtue knowledge 2 Pet. 1.5 and have your senses exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5. ult Vers 10. When it goeth well with the righteous When they are set in place of Authority all the Country fare the better for it All cannot chuse but do well so long as thou rulest well said the Senate to Severus the Emperour And Ita nati estis said hee in Tacitus ut bona malaque vestra ad rempublicam pertineant Publick persons are either a great mercy or a great misery to the whole Country And when the wicked perish there is shouting For by their fall the people rise and their ruine is the repair of the City Cum mors crudelem rapuisset saeva Neronem Credibile est multos Romam agitasse jocos Vers 11. By the blessing of the upright the City is exalted This is given in as a reason of that publick joy in the welfare of the just Because they are of publick spirits and will by their good deeds good doctrines good counsels and good prayers Lucan promote the publick good to their utmost Catonis mores erant Toti genitum se credere mundo Saints are clouds Heb. 12.1 that water the earth as a common blessing But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked Whether hee bee a seeds-man of sedition or a seducer of the people a Sheba or a Shebna a carnal Gospeller or a godless Politician whose drift is to formalize and enervate the power of truth till at length they leave us a heartless and sapless Religion one of these sinners may destroy much good Eccles 9.18 Vers 12. Hee that is void of wisdome despiseth his neighbour Not remembring that hee is his neighbour cut out of the same cloth the shears onely going between and as capable of Heaven as himself though never so poor mean deformed or otherwise despicable None but a fool will do so none but hee that hath a base and beggarly heart of his own as the words signifie But a man of understanding holdeth his peace That is refraineth his tongue from such opprobrious language speaketh the best hee can of another thinks with himself Aut sumus aut fuimus aut possumus esse quod hic est Or if himself bee slighted or reviled objecta probra digno supplicio punit festivo scilicet contemptu oblivione vel si tanti est misericordia elevat Hee knows it is to no purpose to wash off dirt with dirt and is therefore as a dumb man c. Vers 13. A tale-bearer revealeth secrets Heb. A Pedler See the Note on Levit. 19.16 and on 1 Tim. 5.13 Si sapis arcano vina reconde cado God forbids us to chaffer with these petty-chapmen Prov. 20.19 Concealeth the matter Tacitus to him is the best Historian primus in Historia Hee is a rare friend that can both give counsel and keep counsel One being hit in the teeth with his stinking breath wittily excused it that it was by reason of the many secrets committed to him and concealed by him so long till they were even rotten in his bosome Vers 14. Where no counsel is the people fall As where no Pilot is the ship miscarrieth The Vulgar renders it Ubi non est gubernator corruit populus Tyranny is better than Anarchy And yet Woe also to thee O Land whose King is a childe that is wilful and uncounsellable as Rehoboam who was a childe at forty years old when as his Father was a man at twelve Age is no just measure of wisdome and royalty without wisdome is but eminent dishonour Solomon the wise chose him an excellent Council of state whom Rehoboam refused to hear being as much more wilful than his Father as lesse wise all head Turk Hist Keckerm Politic Ulysses interrogat quaie regnum esset Cyclopicum responde◠Silenus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no heart losing those ten tribes with a churlish breath and returning to Jerusalem lighter by a Crown than hee went forth Hee and his green-headed Council was like Acribiades and his Army where all would be Leaders none Learners Or it may bee it was now in Israel as once it was in Persia and as now it is in Turkey when the Great Turk stands at the dangerous door where if any Counsellor delivered any thing contrary to the Kings mind flagris caedebatur hee was chastised with Rods Or as in Regno Cyclopico ubi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where no man cared for better counsel but each one did what was good in his own eyes Such cannot long subsist But in the multitude of Counsellors So they bee good Counsellours better than Balaam was better than Achitophel better than those of Aurelius Tertul. Apol. by whom the good Emperour was even bought and sold One special thing the Primitive Christians prayed for the Emperour was that God would send him Senatum fidelem a faithful Council There were in Josiah's dayes horrible abominations And why The Princes were as roaring Lions the Judges Wolves c. Zeph. 3.3 Queen Elizabeth was happy in her Council by whom shee was most-what ruled and grew amiable to her friends and formidable to her enemies both at home and
shall not bee moved For though shaken with winds yet they are rooted as trees like a Ship at Anchor they wagg up and down yet remove not God is my Rock I shall not bee greatly moved Psal 62.2 Nay I shall not bee moved at all vers 6. the gates of Hell cannot do it Mat. 16.18 None can take them out of Gods hands John 10.28 for hee hath laid help upon one that is mighty Psal 89.19 Vers 4. A virtuous woman is a Crown to her husband Heb. A valiant woman an able huswife such as Bathsheba commends to her son Chap. 31. and as Paul describes Tit. 2.4 5. Shee is said to bee a Crown to her husband not a Ring for his finger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. or a Chain of gold for his neck but a Crown or Garland for his head a chief and choice Ornament as Sarah was to Abraham as Livia to Augustus as Placilla to Theodosius as Nazianzens Mother to her Husband c. Is as rottenness in his bones Not a disgrace onely to him but a disease and such a disease as is far worse than a quartan Ague for there bee two good daies for one bad but here a continual pain and hardly curable The wise man here expresseth the mischief of an evil wife by a very apt similitude And that of Hierome is not much behinde it Sicut in ligno vermis ita perdit virum suum uxor malefica As the worm eats into the heart of the tree and destroies it so doth a naughty wife her husband All evils as elements are most troublesome when out of their proper place as impiety in Professors injustice in Judges dishonour and discomfort in a wife c. Vers 5. The thoughts of the righteous are right Hee feeds his thoughts upon the best objects those especially mentioned in that little Bible Phil. 4.8 Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest c. if there bee any virtue if there bee any praise think on these things If worse break in as they will hee justles them out and rids the room of them See the Note on Chap. 11.23 But the counsels of the wicked are deceit Not their rash thoughts onely but also their deliberate ones are how to circumvent others or to cloak their own wickedness Gen. 6. Every imagination the whole frame of their thoughts is evil onely evil and continually evil If good thoughts look into a wicked heart they stay not there as those that like not their lodging The flashes of lightnings may bee discerned into the darkest prisons The light that shines into an holy heart is constant like that of the Sun which keeps due times and varies not the course for any of these sublunary occasions Vers 6. The words of the wicked are to lye in wait for blood As they think not Mat. 5. so neither speak they the language of the righteous Yee are the light of the world and because the light stands in the light of their wicked waies as the Angel in Balaams way to his sin therefore they hate the Saints and as all hatred is bloody seek their lives mixing cruelty with their craft as Cain Herod Julian c. The old Serpent lends them his seven heads to plot and his ten horns to push Their own study and exercise also hath made them expert and skilful in their hellish trade and the taste of blood hath made them as hungry as hounds after it Thus I kept the ban-dogs at staves end said Nicholas Shetterden Martyr not as thinking to escape them but that I would see the Foxes leap above ground for my blood Act. Mon. if they can reach it so it bee the will of God yet wee shall see them gape and leap for it But the mouth of the upright shall deliver them Shall defend harmless men that are helpless Prov. 24.11 Hence those many Apologies of Tertullian Apollonius Arnobius and others for the Primitive Christians under persecution Hence wee had that unparralleld peece Calvins Institutions which was written upon this occasion Francis King of France willing to excuse his cruelty exercised upon his Protestant Subjects to the German Princes whose friendship hee then desired wrote to them that hee onely punished Anabaptists for their contempt of the Scriptures and of all Civil Government Calvin though then but five and twenty years of age not able to bear that blur cast upon the Reformed Religion under the name of those Sectaries Scultet Annal. 454. set forth that excellent work as well to vindicate the truth as to plead for the innocency of those that professed it Vers 7. The wicked are overthrown and are not Say that the righteous cannot prevail by their Apologies for themselves and others God will take the matter into his own hand and avenge them Luk. 18.7 as he did the Primitive Christians and the French Protestants upon their mercilesse Persecutors Tu vero Herodes sanguinolente time As Beza warned Charls the Ninth Author of the Massacre But the house of the righteous shall stand Gods house the Church shall as the Glosse applies this Text The mountain of the Lord shall bee exalted above all mountains The Church as it is highest in the favour of God so it shall bee highest in it self when the enemies shall be in that place that is fittest for them the lowest that is the foot-stool of Christ There is a Council in Heaven will dash the mould of all contrary Counsels upon earth Psal 2. Gaudeo quod Christus dominus est alioqui totus desperassem I am glad yet that Christ is King For otherwise I should have been utterly out of hope writes Miconius to Calvin upon the view of the Churches enemies Vers 8. A man shall be commended according to his wisdome And all wisdome consists in this Ut Deum quis cognoscat colat saith Lactantius That a man rightly know and worship God This did not Apollonius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. whom yet Philostratus commendeth that he was non doctus sed natus sapiens not instructed but born wise See the contrary Job 11.12 Nor Archimides who yet had the name and note saith Plutarch of a Divine and not Human wisdome Nor Aristotle whom yet Averroes admires as the very Rule and Copy that Nature invented wherein to set forth the utmost of Human perfection And further saith that his doctrin was the chiefest truth and his understanding the utmost extent of human wisdome These were wise I confesse in their generations and so accounted But by whom Not by Saint Paul he had another opinion of them See Rom. 1.22 23. 1 Cor. 2.6 Not by our Saviour Matth. 11.25 Not by any that are rightly instructed to the Kingdom of Heaven and have their senses exercised to discern good and evil The Italians arrogate to themselves the monopoly of Wisdome in that Proverb of theirs Italus sapit ante factum Hispanus in facto Germanus post factum Italians say
third who well knowing it was no good policy to play the Devil by half deal resolved to leave never a rub to lye in the way that might hinder the running of his bowl and hence was he so infinitely hated of all Vers 16. Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge Observes circumstances and deports himself with discretion thrusts not himself into unnecessary dangers carves not a piece of his heart but to those hee is well assured of See an instance of this prudence in Ezra chap. 8.22 in Nehemiah chap. 2.5 Hee calls it not the place of Gods Worship such an expression that Heathen King might have disgusted but the place of his Fathers Sepulchres in Esther who concealed her Stock and Kindred till she saw her time in Christ when he was tried for his life in Paul Acts 23.6 Act. 19.10 he lived two years at Ephesus and spake not much against the Worship of their great Goddesse Diana vers 37. The prudent shall keep silence in an evil time Amos 5.13 'T is not good provoking evil men that are irreformable nor safe pulling a Bear or mad Dog by the ear But a fool layeth open his folly Plasheth it and setteth it a sunning as it were by his head-long head-strong exorbitances by his inconsiderate courses hee openly bewraies and proclaims what he is he sets his folly upon the cliffe of the rock that it should not be covered Ezek. 24.7 Vers 17. A wicked messenger falleth into mischief Incurs the displeasure and just revenge of them that sent him Or at least of God in case of their slacknesse How much more then wicked Ministers those Messengers of the Churches Jer. 4◠10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 8.23 that doe the Lords work negligently that corrupt his Message 2 Cor. 2.17 that huckster it and handle it craftily and covetously good evil and evil good c. Who is blinde but my servant or deaf as my messenger Isa 42.19 Such an Ambassadour was once worthily derided in the Roman State As at another time a certain stranger coming on Ambassage to the Senators of Rome and colouring his hoary hair and pale cheeks with vermilion hue a grave Senator espying the deceit stood up and said What sincerity are wee to expect at this mans hands whose locks and looks and lips do lye It was an honest complaint of a Popish Writer Wee saith hee handle the Scripture tantum ut nos pascat vestiat that wee may pick a living out of it and are therefore fain to preach placentia and so to put men into a Fools Paradise But shall they thus escape by iniquity Psal 56.7 have they no better Medicums But a faithful Ambassador is health To him that sendeth him to those hee is sent to and to himself So is a faithful Minister that delivers the whole counsel of God all that hee hath in Commission Jer. 1.17 Ezek. 3.17 Vers 18. Poverty and shame These two are fitly set together for poverty is usually slighted if not shamed Jam. 2.16 Nil habet infelix paupertas durius in se Quà m quod ridiculos homines facit The world looks over a poor though vertuous man Luke 15. This thy son not this my brother And why but because in poverty How much more an uncounselable and incorrigible man as here and that Prodigal had been till hee came to himself But hee that regardeth reproof shall bee honoured Though not haply inriched hee shall bee of good account with the wise and godly though in meaner condition Mr. Fox being asked whether hee knew such an honest poor man who had received succour and good counsel from him in time of trouble answered I remember him well I tell you I forget Lords and Ladies to remember such Vers 19. The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul Tota vita boni Christiani sanctum desiderium est saith Augustine The whole life of a good Christian is one holy desire hee even spends and exhales himself in continual sallyes as it were and expressions of strongest affection to God whom hee hath chosen and with whom hee hath much sweet intercourse hee cannot bee at rest without some comings in from him every day And then O the joyes the joyes Mrs. Kath. Brettergh the unconceivable joyes as shee once cryed out O that joy O my God when shall I bee with thee These were the dying words of the young Lord Harrington Hee was in heaven aforehand as having let out his holy soul into God Fun. Serm. by Mr. Stock the fountain of all good But it is abomination to fools to depart from evil To bee pulled from their vain delights though never so sinful never so destructive Esau for a mess of pottage sold his birth-right Cardinal Burbon would not part with his part in Paris for a part in paradise Theotimus in Ambrose being told that intemperance would bee the loss of his eye-sight cried out Vale lumen amicum Hee would rather lose his sight than his sin so doth many a man his soul The Panther loves mans dung they say so much that if it bee hanged a height from him hee will leap up and never leave till hee hath burst himself in peeces to get it and this is the way they get that creature Like policy useth Satan by base lusts to draw many to hell It was a speech of Gregory Nyssen Hee that doth but hear of Hell is without any further labour or study taken off from sinfull pleasures Mens hearts are grown harder now adayes Vers 20. Hee that walketh with wise men shall bee wise Hee that comes where sweet spices and ointments are stirring doth carry away some of the sweet savour though hee think not of it so he that converseth with good men shall get good Holiness is such an Elixar as by Contaction if there bee any disposition of goodness in the same mettal it will render it of the property A childe having been brought up with Plato Sen. de ita l. 3. c. 11. and afterwards hearing his Father break out into rage and passion said I have never seen the like with Plato But a companion of fools shall bee broken There is an elegancy in the Original that cannot bee Englished Bede by a companion or friend of fools here understands those that take delight in Jesters Stage-players and such idle companions unprofitable burdens fruges consumere nati the botch and canker of the Commonwalth Plutarch Theatra juvenes corrumpunt saith Plato ludi praebeut semina nequitiae saith Ovid. The Lacedemonians would not admit of them that so they might not hear any thing contrary to their laws whether in jest or in earnest Func Chron. And Henry the third Emperour of Germany when a great sort of such fellows flocked together at his wedding sent them all away not allowing them so much as a cup of drink Anno Dom. 1044. Vers 21. Evil pursueth sinners Hard at heels Flagitium flagellum ut acus filum Sin
superiour to fortune yet in an instant with his state in one battel overthrown into the bottome of misery and despair Ibid. 287. and that in the middest of his greatest strength Vers 19. Better it is to bee of an humble spirit An humble man is worth his weight in gold hee hath far more comfort in his losses than proud Giants have in their rapines and robberies Truth it is that meekness of spirit commonly draws on injuries A Crow will pull wooll from a Sheeps side shee durst not do so to a Wolf or Mastiff Howbeit it is much better to suffer wrong than to do it to bee patient than to bee insolent to bee lowly in heart and low of port than to enjoy the pleasures or treasures of sin for a season Vers 20. Hee that handleth a matter wisely shall finde good Doing things with due deliberation and circumspection things of weight and importance especially for here Deliberandum est diu quod statuendum est semel wee may look for Gods blessing when the best that can come of rashness is repentance Youth rides in post to bee married but in the end findes the Inne of repentance to bee lodged in The best may bee sometimes miscarried by their passions to their cost as good Josiah was when hee encountred the King of Egypt and never so much as sent to Jeremy Zephany or any other Prophet then living to ask Shall I go up against Pharaoh or not And who so trusteth in the Lord happy is hee Let a man handle his matter never so wisely yet if hee trust to his own wisdome hee must not look to finde good God will cross even the likeliest projects of such and crack the strongest sinew in all the arm of flesh The Babylonians held their City impregnable and boasted as Xenophon witnesseth that they had twenty years provision afore-hand but God confuted their carnal confidence The Jews in Isaiah when they looked for an invasion looked in that day to the Armour of the house of the Forrest and gathered together the waters of the lower Pool numbred the houses and cast up the ditches to fortifie the wall but they looked not all this while to God their Maker c. therefore they had a day of trouble and of treading down and of perplexity by the Lord God of Hosts in the valley of Vision Isa 22.5 8 9 10. where the beginning is creature-confidence or self-conceitedness the end is commonly shame and confusion in any business Whereas hee that in the use of lawful means resteth upon God for direction and success though hee fail of his design yet hee knows whom hee hath trusted and God will know his soul in adversity Vers 21. The wise in heart shall bee called prudent Hee shall have the stile and esteem of an intelligent though not haply of an eloquent man Of some it may bee said Solin Praefat. as Solinus saith of his Poly-histor to his friend Antius Fermentum ut ita dicam cognitionis ei magis inesse quam bracteas eloquentiae deprehendas you may finde more worth of wisdome in them De libris Aâ—â—ici scriptum reliquit Cicero ces hoc ipso fulsse ornates quod ornamenta negligerent than force of words Bonaventure requireth to a perfect speech Congruity Truth and Ornament This latter some wise men want and it is their Ornament that they neglect Ornament as Tully writes of Atticus and as Beza writes of Calvin that hee was facundiae contemptor verborum parcus sed minime ineptus scriptor a plain but profitable Author And the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning That is eloquence with prudence edifieth and is of singular use for the laying forth of a mans talent to the good of others As one being asked whether light was pleasant replied That is a blinde mans question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so if any ask whether eloquence and a gracious utterance bee useful in the Church of God It is an insulse and inficete question Zanchy speaking of Calvin and Viret who were Preachers together at Geneva when hee first came thither out of Italy useth these words Zanch. Miscel Ep. ded Sicut in Calvino insignem doctrinam sic in Vireto singularem eloquentiam in commovendis affectibus efficacitatem admirabar i. e. As Calvin I admired for excellent learning so did I Viret no less for his singular eloquence and efficacy in drawing affections Beza also was of the same minde as appears by that Epigram of his Gallica mirata est Calvinum Ecclesia nuper Quo nemo docuit doctius Et miratur adhuc fundentem mella Viretum Quo nemo fatur dulcius Vers 22. Understanding is a well-spring of life Vena vitae as the heart is the principle of life the brain of sense so is wisdome in the heart of all good carriage in the life and of a timely laying hold upon eternal life besides the benefit that other men make of it by fetching water thence as from a common Well But the instruction of fools is folly When they would shew most gravity they betray their folly they act not from an inward principle therefore they cannot quit themselves so but that their folly at length will appear to all men that have their senses exercised to discern betwixt good and evil There are that read the Text Castigatio stultorum stuititia est It is a folly to correct or instruct a fool for it is to no more purpose than to wash a Blackmore c. Vers 23. The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth Frameth his speech for him and seasoneth it with salt of grace ere it sets it as a dish before the hearers Nescit paenitenda loqui qui proferenda prius suo tradidit examini saith Cassiodere Lib. 10. Ep. 4. Hee cannot lightly speak amiss that weighs his words before hee utters them The voice which is made in the mouth is nothing so melodious as that which comes from the depth of the breast Heart-sprung speech hath weight and worth in it And addeth learning to his lips By restraining talkativeness and making him as willing to hear as to speak to learn as to teach to bee an Auditour as an Oratour Vers 24. Pleasant words are as an hony-comb Dainty and delicious such as the Preacher set himself to search out Eccles 12.10 Such as his father David found Gods words to bee Psal 119.103 Wells of salvation Isa 12.2 Breasts of consolation Isa 66.11 The hony-drops of Christs mouth Cant 4. Oh hang upon his holy lips as they did Luke 19. ult Hast thou found hony with Sampson Eat it as hee did Prov. 25.6 Eat Gods book as John did Rev. 10.9 finde fatness and sweetness in it Psal 63.5 Get joy and gladness out of it Psal 51.8 And if at any time the word in searching our wounds put us to pain as hony will cause pain to exulcerate parts let us bear it and not bee like children who though they
so rewardeth evil for good c. Ingratitude is a monster in nature and doth therefore carry so much more detestation Nihil est tam inhumanum c. quam committere ut beneficio non dicam indignus sed victus esse videare Cic. as it is more odious even to themselves that have blotted out the image of God Some vices are such as nature smiles upon though frowned at by divine Justice not so this Licurgus would make no law against it because hee thought none could bee so absurd as to fall into it Amongst the Athenians there was an action 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a Master against a servant ungrateful for his manumission not doing his duty to his late Master Such were again to bee made bond-slaves Val. Max. lib. 2. cap. 1. Zonaras in Annal. Turk hist 642. Who can chuse but abhor that abominable act of Michael Balbus who that night that his Prince Le◠Armenius had pardoned and released him got out and slew him And that of Mulcasses King of Tunes who cruelly tortured to death the Manifet and Mesner by whose means especially hee had aspired to the Kingdome grieving to see them live to whom hee was so much beholding And that of Dr. Watson Bishop of Lincoln in Queen Maries dayes Act. Mon. fol. 1843. who being with Bonner at the Examination of Mr. Rough Martyr a man that had been a means to save Watsons life in the dayes of King Edward the sixth to requite him that good turn detected him there to bee a pernicious heretick who did more hurt in the North parts than a hundred more of his opinion Whereunto may bee added that of William Parry who having been for Burglary condemned to dye was saved by Queen Elizabeths pardon But hee ungrateful wretch sought to requite her by vowing her death anno Dom. 1584. Speed fol. 1178. To render good for evil is divine good for good is humane evil for evil is bruitish evil for good is Devilish Evil shall not depart from his house i. e. From his Person and Posterity though haply hee may escape the lash of mans Law for such an abhorred villany See this fulfilled in Sauls family for his unworthy dealing with David in Muleasses and many others Jeremy in a spirit of Prophecie bitterly curseth such and foretelleth the utter ruine of them and theirs Chap. 18.20 21. c. shall evil be recompenced for good saith hee Therefore deliver up their children to the famine and let their wives bee widows Let a cry bee heard from their houses c. Vers 14. The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water It is easier to stir strife than stint it Lis litem generat As water it is of a spreading nature Do therefore here as the Dutch-men do by their banks they keep them with little cost and trouble because they look narrowly to them and make them up in time If there bee but the least breach they stop it presently otherwise the Sea would soon overflow them Fertur in arva furens cumulo Virgil. Aneid 2. camposque per omnes Cum stabulis armenta trahit The same may fitly bee set forth also by a similitude from fire which if quenched presently little hurt is done As if not behold how great a wood a little fire kindleth James 3.5 saith Saint James If fire break out but of a bramble it will devour the Cedars of Lebanon Judg. 9.15 Cover therefore the fire of contention as William the Conquerour commanded the Coverfeu-bell Therefore leave off contention before it bee medled with Antequam commisceatur Stop or step back before it come to further trouble Satius est recurrere quam malè currere better retire than run on in those ignoble quarrels especially ubi vincere inglorium est atteri sordidum wherein whether hee win or lose hee is sure to lose in his credit and comfort Wee read of Francis the first King of France that consulting with his Captains how to lead his Army over the Alps into Italy whether this way or that way Amaril his fool sprang out of a corner where hee sate unseen and bad them rather take care which way they should bring their Army out of Italy again It is easie for one to interest himself in quarrels but hard to bee dis-ingaged from them when hee is once in Therefore Principiis obsta withstand the beginnings of these evils and study to bee quiet 1 Thes 4.11 Milk quencheth wild-fire Oyl saith Luther quencheth lime so doth meeknesse strife Vers 15. Hee that justifieth the wicked and hee that condemneth the just c. To wrong a righteous man in word onely is a grievous sin how much more to murther him under pretence of Justice as they did innocent Naboth as the bloody Papists do Christs faithful witnesses and as the Jews did Christ himself crying out Wee have a Law and by our Law hee ought to dye c. This is to play the Theef or Man-slayer cum privilegio this is to frame mischief by a Law Psal 94.20 The like may bee said of that other branch of in justice the justifying of the wicked Bonis nocet qui malis parcit Hee wrongs the good that spares the bad better turn so many wild-Boars Bears Wolves Leopards loose among them than these monstrous men of condition that will either corrupt them or otherwise mischieve them For thou knowest this people is set upon mischief Exod. 32.22 They cannot sleep unlesse they have hurt some one Neither pertains this Proverb to Magistrates onely but to private persons too who must take heed how they precipitate a censure Herein David was to blame in pronouncing the wicked happy and condemning the Generation of Gods children Psal 73. for the which over-sight hee afterwards shames and shents himself yea be fools and be beasts himself as well hee deserved vers 22. Vers 16. Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool c. Wealth without wit is ill bestowed Think the same of good natural parts either of body or mind so for authority opportunity and other advantages Whereto serve they if not rightly improved and employed Certainly they will prove no better than Uriahs letters to those that have them or as that sword which Hector gave Ajax which so long as hee used against his enemies served for help and defence but after hee began to abuse it to the hurt of hurtlesse beasts it turned into his own bowels This will bee a bodkin at thy heart one day I might have been saved but I wofully let slip those opportunities that God had thrust into my hands and wilfully cut the throat of mine own poor soul by an impenitent continuance in sinful courses against so many disswasives Oh the spirit of fornication that hath so besorted the minds of the most that they have no heart to look after Heaven while it is to bee had but trifle and fool away their own salvation
could say Job 9.30 31. If I wash my self with snow-water and make my hands never so clean yet God would plunge him in the ditch so that his own cloths should abhor him And if thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities saith David who should stand before thee Psal 130.3 Vers 10. Divers weights and divers measures c. See the Notes on chap. 11.1 16.11 Now if the very weights and measures are abomination how much more the men that make use of them And what shall become of such as measure to themselves a whole six daies but curtal Gods seventh or mis-imploy it Vers 11. Even a childe is known by his doings c. Either for the better as wee see in young Joseph Sampson Samuel Solomon Timothy Athanasius Origen c. It is not a young Saint an old Devil but a young Saint an old Angel Or for the worse as Canaan the son of Ham who is therefore cursed with his Father because probably hee had a hand in the sin Ismael Esau Vajezatha the youngest son of Haman Esth 10.9 Hebricians observe that in the Hebrew this youths name is written with a little Zain Amama but a great Vau to shew that though the youngest yet he was the most malicious against the Jews of all the ten Early sharp say we that will be thorn Vers 12. The hearing ear and the seeing eye c. There are that have ears to hear and hear not that have eyes to see and see not for they are a rebellious house Ezek. 12.2 Now when God shall say to such as Isa 42.18 Hear yee deaf and look yee blind that you may see when hee shall give them an obedient ear and a Scripture-searching eye senses habitually exercised to discern both good and evil Heb. 5.14 so that they hear a voyce behind them saying This is the way c. and they see him that is invisible as Moses then is it with them as it is written Eye hath not seen nor ear heard c. i. e. Natural eye never saw natural ear never heard such things 1 Cor. 2.9 10 But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit Vers 13. Love not sleep lest thou come to poverty In sleep there is no use either of sight or hearing or any other sense And as little is there of the Spiritual senses in the sleep of sin Zach. 4.1 It fared with the good Prophet as with a drowsie Person who though awake and set to work yet was ready to sleep at it and Peter James and John if the Spirit hold not up their eyes may be in danger to fall asleep at their prayers Matth. 26. and so fall into Spiritual poverty for if Prayer stands still the whole trade of Godliness stands still And a powerless Prayer proceeding from a spirit of sloth joyned with presumption makes the best men liable to punishment for profaning Gods Name so that he may justly let them fall into some sin which shall awaken them with smart enough See chap. 19.15 with the Note Vers 14. It is naught it is naught saith the buyer Or saith the possessour and so Melancthon reads it as taxing that common fault and folly of slighting present mercies but desiring and commending them when they are lost Virtutem incolumem odimus sublatam ex oculis quarimus invidi Israel despised the pleasant land Psal 106.24 and the precious Manna Numb 11.6 and Solomons gentle Government 1 King 12.4 Our corrupt nature weighs not good things till we want them as the eye sees nothing that lyes upon it Vers 15. There is gold and a multitude of rubies Quintilian defines an Oratour Vir bonus dicendi peritus A good man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that can deliver himself in good language Such a master of speech was St. Paul who was therefore by those Heathen Lystrians called Mercury because he was the chief Speaker Acts 14.12 Such afore him was the Prophet Isaiah and our Saviour Christ who spake as never man spake his enemies themselves being Judges Such after him was Chrysostome Basil Nazianzen famous for their holy eloquence So were Mr. Rogers and Mr Bradford Martyrs in whom it was hard to say whether there were more force of eloquence and utterance in preaching Act. Mon. fol. 1782. Justin lib. 1. or more holinesse of life and conversation saith Mr. Fox Now it Darius could say that he preferred one Zopyrus before ten Babylons And if when one desired to see Alexanders Treasures and his Jewels he bade his Servants shew him not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not his talents of silver and such other precious things but his friends Liban exemplar Progym Chri. 1. What an invaluable Price think we doth the King of Heaven set upon such learned Scribes as doe out of the good treasure of their hearts throw forth good things for the use of many Vers 16. Take his garment and so provide for their own indempnity See the notes on chap. 6.1 2 3 4 5. And take a pledge of him for a strange woman i. e. for a Whorish woman utcunque tibi sit cog nita vel etiam cognata Hee that will undertake for such a ones debts or run in debt to gratifie her should bee carefully lookt to and not trusted without a sufficient pawn Euseb in vit Constant How can hee bee faithful to mee that is unfaithful to God said Constantinus Chlorus to his Courtiers and Counsellors Vers 17. Bread of deceit is sweet to a man Sins murthering-morsels will deceive those that devour them There is a deceitfulnesse in all sin Heb. 3.13 a lye in all vanity Jer. 2.8 The stollen waters of adultery are sweet Prov. 9.17 but bitternesse in the end such sweet meat hath sowre sauce Commodities craftily or cruelly compassed yeeld a great deal of content for present But when the unconscionable Cormorant hath swallowed down such riches he shall vomit them up again God shall cast them out of his belly Joh. 20.15 Either by remorse and restitution in the mean time or with despair and impenitent horrour hereafter His mouth shall be filled with gravel Pane lapidoso as Seneca hath it with grit and gravel to the torment of the teeth that is terrour of the Conscience and torture of the whole man Such a bitter-sweet was Adams Apple Esaus mess the Israelites Quails Jonathans Hony the Amalekites Cates after the sack of Ziklag 1 Sam. 30.16 Adonijahs Dainties 1 King 1. which ended in horrour ever after the meal is ended comes the reckoning Men must not think to dine with the Devil and then to sup with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of Heaven to feed upon the poyson of Asps and yet that the Vipers tongue shall not slay them Job 20.16 When the Aspe stings a man it doth first tickle him so as it makes him laugh till the poyson by little and little gets to the heart Speed in Q. Elizah and then it pains
confuso quodam temperamento mixtae that is there was a strange mixture of great Vertues and no less Vices found in this King But as for the pure his work is right For why Hee works by rule and therefore all his actions are uniform Hee is also one and the same in all estates of life 2 Cor. 1.17 18 as gold is purged in the fire shines in the water Did I use lightness saith St. Paul or is therewith mee Yea Yea and Nay Nay No But as God is true so our word toward you was not Yea and Nay I did not say and unsay do and undo c. Vers 9. It is better to dwell in a corner of the house-top Their house-tops were made flat by order of the Law The sense is then A man had better abide abroad sub dio exposed to wind and weather yea to croud into a corner and to live in a Little-ease than to cohabit in a convenient house with a contentious woman that is ever brawling and brangling that turns conjugium into conjurgium by inserting the Dogs letter r and leading her husband a Dogs life Such a one was Zillah Peninnah Xantippe the wife of Phoroneus the Law giver Bruson lib. 7. cap. 22. who upon his death-bed told his brother Hee had been a man happy if hee had never married Aristotle affirms that hee that hath miscarried in a wife Arist in Rhet. hath lost more than half the happiness of his life Rubius Celer and Albutius Tertius were held happy among the Romans because the former had lived with a wife three and forty years and eight months the latter five and twenty years sine querela without quarrelling or contending And this they gave order should bee engraven upon their Grave-stones See the Note on Prov. 19.13 Vers 10. The soul of the wicked desireth evil Sinful self-love the choak-weed of all true love prompteth the wicked man to envy the good and wish the evil of all but himself Hard-hearted hee is and inhumane unless it bee in a qualm of kindness as Saul to David the Aegyptians to the Israelites or meerly in dissimulation as John Oneale father to the Earl of Tyrone Camd. Elis that Rebel 1598. inscribed himself in all places I am great John Oneale friend to the Queen of England and foe to all the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said one wicked Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said another striving to out-vie him Dio. When I dye let the world bee confounded Nay whilest I live let it bee so said the other Monster His neighbour findes no favour in his eyes Whether hee sink or swim it is no part of his care What cares that churl Nabal though worthy David dye at his door so long as himself sits warm within feeding on the fat and drinking of the sweet The Priests and the Levites saw the wounded man that lay half dead and lent him no help It was well they fell not upon him and dispatched him as dogs fall upon a man that is down or as when a Deer is shot the rest of the Herd push him out of their company Such cruel beasts David complains of Psal 69.26 And such fierce salvages St. Paul foretels shall bee in these last and worst dayes Hard hearts shall make hard times 2 Tim. 3.3 Vers 11. When the scorner is punished c. See the Note on Prov. 19.25 And when the wise is instructed Or when hee accurately considers the wise and observes both their integrity and their prosperity by Gods blessing thereupon for the word imports both hee resolves to play the wise-man Vers 12. The righteous man wisely considereth c. Hee fore-seeth its fearful fall and is not offended at their present prosperity For God hee knows will shortly overturn it This consideration cures hi◠of the fret as it did David Psal 37. It doth also instruct him in many points of heavenly wisdome as it did the Church Isa 26.11 1 Cor. 10 11. The destruction of others should bee an instruction to us that wee may wash our feet in the blood of the wicked Psal 52.6 Vers 13. Who so stoppeth his ear at the cry c. This was fulfilled in Pharaoh Haman the rich glutton Hatto Archbishop of Mentz Mauricius the Emperour and many others who might have better provided for their own comfort in sickness and other exigences had they been more pitiful to poor people Whereas now when they shall lye tossing and tumbling upon their sick beds roaring as Bulls and tabring upon their breasts c. Nah. 2.7 God will not hear them Men will say It is good enough for them All hearts by a Divine hand will bee strangely set off from the merciless as it befell Scianus Vers 14. A gift in secret pacifieth anger That is say some alms rightly performed as Matth. 6.1 pacifieth Gods displeasure confer Dan. 4.27 And the Jews at this day write this sentence of Solomon in an abbreviature upon their Alms-box This sense suits well with the verse afore-going Buxtorf Synag Jud. But I conceive the Wise-mans drift here is to shew how prevalent gifts are if closely conveyed especially which takes away the shame of open receiving and what a pave they have to an amicable reconciliation Thus Jacob pacified Esau Abigail David Hezekiah the Assyrian that came up against him 2 King 18.24 25. Howbeit this doth not alwaies do the deed Our Chronicler tells us that the Lady de Bruse had by her virulent and railing tongue more exasperated the fury of King John whom shee reviled as a Tyrant and a murtherer of her husband than could bee pacified by her strange present viz. four hundred Kine Speed 572. and one Bull all Milk-white except onely the ears which were red sent unto the Queen See the Note on Chap. 17.8 Vers 15. It is joy to the just to do judgment They love it dearly and therefore cannot but rejoyce in it exceedingly I rejoyce at thy word as one that findeth great spoyl Psal 119.162 wherein the pleasure is usually as much as the profit Besides as every flower hath its sweet savour so every good duty carries meat in the mouth comfort in the performance Hence the Saints alacrity in Gods service so far as they are spiritual I delight in the Law of God Rom. 7. after the inward man saith Saint Paul who yet but a little before complained of a clog But destruction shall bee to the workers of iniquity Wicked men are great workmen they put themselves to no small pains in catering for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof yea and this they do with singular delight as the opposition implies they weary themselves to commit iniquity Jer. 9.5 and yet they give not over but lye grinding day and night in the Mill of some or other base lust Now what can come of this better than utter destruction which indeed is the just hire of the least sin and will befall the workers of
not as the rest did kisse the consecrated Charger the Cardinal I say that sung Masse being displeased thereat cried out Si non vis benedicticum Anno Dom. 1559. Bucholcer habeas tibi maledictionem in aeternum If thou wilt not have the blessing thou shalt have Gods curse and mine for ever Let them curse but blesse thou when they arise let them be ashamed but let thy servants rejoyce Psal 109.28 Vers 3. A whip for the horse Viz. To quicken his slow pace A bridle for the asse wherewith to lead him in the right way for he goes willingly but a foot-pace and would be oft out but for the bit and besides he is very refractory and must be held in with bit and bridle Psal 32.9 And a rod for the back of fools 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A fool will be the better for beating Vexatio dat intellectum Due punishment may well be to these horses and asses so the Scripture terms unreasonable and wicked men both for a whip to incite them to good and for a bridle to reign them in from evil God hath rods sticking in every corner of his house for these froward fools and if a rod serve not turn he hath a terrible sword Esay 27.1 So must Magistrates Cuncta prius tentanda If a rod will do they need not brandish the sword of Justice nor do as Draco did who punished with death every light offence This was to kill a fly upon a mans forehead with a beetle to the knocking out of his brains Vers 4. Answer not a fool according to his folly When either he curseth thee as verse 2 or cryeth out upon thee for giving him due correction verse 3. for every publike person had need to carry a spare handkerchief to wipe off the dirt of disgrace and obloquy cast upon him for doing his duty Pass such an one by in silence Chrysost as not worthy the answering Sile et funestam dedisti plagam say nothing and you pay him to purpose Hezekiah would not answer Rabshakeh nor Jeremy Hananiah chap. 28.11 nor our Saviour his adversaries Mat. 26.26 John 19.9 he reviled not his revilers hee threatned not his open opposites 1 Pet. 2.23 Lest thou also be like unto him As hot and as head-long as he for a little thing kindles us and we are apt to think that we have reason to be mad if evil-intreated to talk as fast for our selves as he doth against us and to give him as good as he brings so that at length there will be never a wiser of the two and people will say so Vers 5. Answer a fool according to his folly Cast in somewhat that may sting him and stop his mouth Stone him with soft words but hard arguments as Christ dealt with Pilat lest he lift up his crest and look upon himself as a conquerour and be held so by the hearers In fine when a fool is among such as himself answer him lest he seem wise If he be among wise men answer him not and they will regard rather quid tu taceas quam quod ille dicat thy seasonable silence than his passionate prattle Vers 6. He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool The worth of a faithfull messenger he had set forth Chap. 15.13 here the discommodity of a foolish one Such as were the Spies Moses sent Num. 13. and 14. So when the Prophet proves a fool the spiritual man is mad Hos 9.7 things go on as heavily as if feet were wanting to a traveller or as if a messenger had lost his legges Rodulph Bain Vers 7. The legs of the lame are not equal Locum habet proverbium cum is qui male vivit bene loquitur saith an Interpreter This Proverb hits such as speak well but live otherwise Uniformity and Ubiquity of obedience are sure signs of sincerity but as unequal pulse argues a distempered body so doth uneaven walking shew a diseased soul A wise mans life is all of one colour like it self and godliness runs thorow it as the woof runs thorow the warp But if all the parts of the line of thy life be not straight before God it is a crooked life If thy tongue speak by the talent but thine hands scarce work by the ounce thou shalt pass for a Pharisee Mat. 23.3 They spake like Angels lived like Devils had heaven commonly at their tongues end but the earth continually at their fingers end Odi homines ignavâ operà Philosophâ sententiâ said the Heathen that is I hate such Hypocrites as have mouths full of holiness hearts full of hollowness A certain stranger coming on Embassage to the Senate of Rome and colouring his hoary hair and pale cheeks with vermillion hiew a grave Senatour espying the deceit stood up and said What sincerity are we to expect at this mans hand whose locks and looks and lips do lye Vers 8. As he that bindeth a stone in a sling A precious stone is not fit for a sling where it will soon be cast away and lost no more is honour for a fool See vers 1. Aben-Ezra saith that Margemah here rendered a Sling signifies Purple and senseth it thus As it is an absurd thing to wrap a Pibble in purple so is it to prefer a fool as Saul did Doeg as Ahasuerosh Human. Vers 9. As a thorn goeth up into the hand c. He handleth it hard as if it were another kind of wood and it runs into his hand So do prophane persons pervert and pollute the holy Scriptures to their own and other mens destruction By a Parable here the Hebrews understand either these Parables of Salomon or the whole Book of God At this day no people under Heaven doe so abuse Scripture as the Jewes doe For commending in their familiar Epistles some Letter they have received they say Eloquia Domini eloquia pura The words of my Lord are pure words When they flatter their friends Pateat say they accessus ad aditum sanctitatis tuae Weemse Let me have accesse to the sanctuary of thy holinesse When they would testifie themselves thankful Nomini tuo psallam I will sing praise to thy Name When they complain friends forsake them Lord say they thou goest not forth with our armies When they invite their friends to a Banquet or a Wedding In thee have I trusted let me not be put to confusion Loe thus doe these witlesse wicked wretches abuse Gods Parables and take his Name in vain Whereas the very Heathen could say Non loquendum de Deo sine lumine God is not to be talked of lightly loosely disrespectively Thou shalt fear that glorious and fearful Name Jehovah thy God saith Moses their own Law-giver Deut. 28.58 Vers 10. The great God that formed all things As he made all so hee maintains all even the evil and the unthankful God deals not as that cruel Duke of Alva did in the Netherlands Grimston some he rosted to death saith
off from his body now a meal and then a meal which they roast before his eyes searing up the wounded place with a fire-brand to staunch the bloud to the unutterable aggravation of his horrour and torment Such a Lion Rampant was Nero 2 Tim. 4.17 I was delivered saith St. Paul out of the mouth of the Lion Tertullian calls him The Dedicator of the condemnation of the Christians whom he used as bad almost as the Spaniards at this day doe the poor Indians under pretence of converting them to the faith Their own Writers tell us that within the space of forty years twenty seven millions of people were destroyed and that with such cruelties as never were heard of before Let every good man blesse himself out of the pawes and jaws of these bloudy Catholicks more savage and fierce than the wild beasts as they soon shew when armed with power as were easie to instance See the Babylonian cruelty Graphically described Jerem. 51.34 and see whether it be not matched and overmatched by mystical Babylon The ranging Lion and ravening Bear is nothing to that Man of Sin that hath dyed all Christendome with the bloud of Gods Saints and dunged it with their carcases This Ostrich can digest any metal especially money witnesse his incredible exactions here in England anciently called the Popes Asse This Cannibal is a Pickrel in a Pond or Shark in the Sea devours the poorer as they the lesser Fishes Not unlike that cruel Prince mentioned by Melanchton who to get money of his miserable Subjects used to send for them and if they refused to furnish him with such sums of money as he demanded he would first knock out one of their teeth and then another threatning to leave them none at all Vers 16. The Prince that wanteth understanding As every Tyrant doth Psal 14.4 though they think they deal wisely as Pharaoh Exod. 1.10 for they usually come to untimely ends as most of the Caesars till Constantine Ad generum Cereris sine caede c. and as our Richard the third and Queen Mary whose reigns are the shortest of all the Kings since the Conquest Bloudy and deceitful men live not half their daies or if they doe it is for a further evil unto them Isa 65.20 But he that hateth Covetousnesse Covetousnesse in the original hath its name from peircing or wounding and fitly both in respect of others Prov. 1.19 and himself 1 Tim 6.10 Vers 17. A man that doth violence unto the bloud The Hebrew word Adam here rendred Man Baxtâ—rf hath one letter in the Original less than the rest to shew that a bloud-shedder is not worthy to be called a man Shall flee to the pit let no man stay him i. e. Let him dye without mercy let no man mediate for him lest he pay down as Ahab did life for life People for People 1 King 20.42 lest he draw upon the Land guilt of bloud Numb 35.33 34. and hinder the Man-slayer from repentance to salvation never to bee repented of To blame then are the Papists that open Sanctuaries to such and if a Cardinal put his red hat upon the head of a murderer going to execution he is delivered from death See Deut. 19.13 with the note there Vers 18. Who so walketh uprightly shall bee saved See the Note on chap. 10.9 Shall be saved A little word but of large extent It properly noteth the privative part of a mans happiness deliverance from evil but is put here and every where almost for the positive part too fruition of good as well as freedom from evil it comprehendeth 1 Malorum ademptionem 2 Bonorum adeptionem But he that is perverse in his wayes Heb. In his two wayes shall fall in one of them Evil shall hunt the wicked man to destroy him and albeit hee may shuffle for a season from side to side as Balaams Asse did to avoyd the Angels sword yet he shall not escape mischief Let our Politick Professors look to it that can tune their Fiddle to the base of the times that can shift their sayls to the sitting of every wind that like the Planet Mercury can be good in conjunction with good and bad with bad Vers 19. He that tilleth his land shall have plenty At fugiens molam fugit farinam Men must earn it ere they eat it and not think that bread and other good things will drop out of the clouds to them as Towns were said to come in to Timotheus his toyls while he slept Plut. in Sylla See chap. 12.11 Shall have poverty enough As the Prodigal had Luk. 15. and Pythias who in a bravery entertained Xerxes his whole Army but was so poor at length that he perished through want of meat Vers 20. A faithful man shall abound in blessings God will blesse him and all that blesse him Gen. 12.3 See the note there Men also shall rise up and call him blessed saying as Deut. 33.29 Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O People saved by the Lord the shield of thy help c. Stars though we see them sometimes in a puddle in the bottom of a Well nay in a stinking Ditch though they reflect there I say yet they have their situation in Heaven So Gods faithful servants though in a low condition yet are they fixed in the region of happinesse See Lev. 26. and Deut. 28. But he that maketh haste to bee rich shall not bee innocent Nevessan a better Lawyer than good Christian was wont to say He that will not venture his body shall never be valiant he that will not venture his soul shall never bee rich But let their money perish with them that Shimei-like by seeking their servants lose their souls or Jonas-like care not to bee cast over shipboard so the ship of their worldly wealth may be in safety Francis Xaverius counselled John the third King of Portugal to meditate every day a quarter of an hour on that Divine sentence What shall it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his own soul See 1 Tim. 6.9 with the note What a woful Will was that of rich but wretched Hubertus I yeeld said hee my goods to the King my body to the Grave my soul to the Devil Vers 21. To have respect of persons is not good See the note on Chap. 24.23 For for a piece of bread For a trifle he will transgresse and sell his soul dog-cheap for a groat or lesse money Cato in Gellius hits M. Caelius in the teeth with his baseness that for a morsel of bread hee would sell either his tongue or his silence And the false Prophets in Ezekiels days would doe the like Ezek. 13.19 Vers 22. He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye He is sick of the lust of the eye 1 John 2.16 for all sinful lusts are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicknesses coveting his neighbours goods envying his prosperity and begrudging him every bit he eats at his
he hath vowed to God sith his is a Covenant of Mercy ours of obedience and if hee shall be All-sufficient to us we must be Altogether his Cant. 2.16 Vers 6. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin Heb. Nec des Give not liberty to thy mouth which of itself is so apt to over-flow and run riot in sinful and superfluous language Reign it in therefore and lay Lawes upon it lest it cause thy flesh to sin thy self to become a sinner against thine own soul Say to it in this case as Christ did to those Pharisees in the Gospel Why temptest thou me thou hypocrite or as the Witch said to Saul that sought to her Wherefore layest thou a snare for my life to cause me to dye 1 Sam. 28.9 Shall my prayer become sin and my religious vowes through non-payment a cause of a curse Psal 109.7 When thou art making such an ill bargain say to thy mouth as Boaz said to his Kinsman At what time thou buyest it Ruth 4. Rom. 6. ult thou must have Ruth with it so thou must have Gods curse with it for that 's the just hire of the least sin how much more of thy crimson crime And let thy mouth answer No I may not doe it I shall mar and spoyl a better inheritance I shall anger the Angel of the Covenant who if his wrath be kindled yea but a little he will not pardon my transgression for Gods an◠is in him Exod. 23.21 Who as he is Pater miserationum the Father of mercies so he is eus ultionum the God of recompences Psal 94.1 True it is that Anger is not properly in God Fury is not in me Isa 27.4 but because he chides and smites for sin as angry men use to doe therefore is Anger here and elsewhere attributed to him that men may stand in awe and not sin sith sin and punishment are linked together with chains of Adamant Vers 7. For in the multitude of dreams and in many words i. e. As in the multitude of dreams so in many words c. There may bee some matter in some of either but neither of either wants their vanities Dreams are of divers sorts See the Note on Gen. 20.3 Epicurus judged them all vain The Telmisenses Tertul. de anima c. 46. nulla somnia evacuabant saith Tertullian made no dreams to bee vain But that some dreams are Divine some diabolical and some natural Peculiare solatium naturalis oraculi as one speaketh good symptomes and indications of the natural constitution no wise man ever doubted That of the Philosopher hath a truth in it Aristot Ethic. Justum ab injusto non somno sed somnio discerni that a good man may be distinguished from a bad though not by his sleep yet by his dreams in his sleep But fear thou God And so eschew this evil of fond babbling in Gods service especially which is no lesse a vanity than plain doting and procures Divine displeasure Fulgent Deum siquis parum metuit valde contemnit He that fears not Gods wrath is sure to feel it Psal 90.11 Vers 8. If thou seest the oppression of the poor And so mayst bee drawn to doubt of Divine providence and to with-draw thine awful regard to the Divine Majesty to forgoe godlinesse and to turn flat Atheist as Diagoras and Averroes did Horat. Marvel not at the matter Nil admirari prope res est una Numici A wise man wonders at nothing he knows there is good cause why God should suffer it so to be and gives him his glory Opera Dei sunt in mediis contrariis saith Luther Luther in Genes Nazian Cypr. Gods works are effected usually by contraries And this hee doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he may be the more marvelled at saith Nazianzen Hence he commonly goes a way by himself drawing light out of darkness good out of evil Exod. 15.11 heaven out of hell that his people may feelingly say Who is like unto thee O Lord glorious in holinesse fearful in praises doing Wonders Verily there is a reward for the righteous verily he is a God that judgeeth in the earth Psal 58.11 For he that is higher than the highest regardeth And wherein they deal proudly Psal 76.12 he is above them Exod. 18.11 and over-tops them Psal 2.4 sets a day for them and sees that their day is coming Psal 37.16 The most High cuts off the spirit of Princes hee slips them off as one should slip off a flower between his fingers or he cuts them off as Grape-gatherers doe the clusters off the Vines such a Metaphor there is in the Original He is terrible to all the Kings of the earth those dread Soveraigns those Hammers of the earth and Scourges of the world as Attilas stiled himself such as Sennacherib Mundi flagellum whom God so subdued and mastered that the Aegyptians in memory of it set up his statue in the Temple of Vulcan with this inscription Heredot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all that behold me 2 Chro. 19.6 learn to fear God It was therefore excellent counsel that Jehoshaphat gave his Judges Take heed what you doe for yee judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgement Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord our God bee upon you take heed and doe it Look upon him that over-looks all your doings saith he and then learn to sit upon the Tribunal in as great though not in so slavish a fear of doing wrong as Olanes in the History did upon the flayed skin of his Father Sisannus nayled by Cambyses on the Judgement-Seat or as a Russian Judge that fears the boyling Caldron or open battocking or the Turkish Senate when they think the great Turk to stand behind the Arras at the dangerous door In fine let the Grandees and Potentates of the Earth know and acknowledge with Constantine Valentinian and Theodosius three great Emperours as Socrates reports it of them that they are but Christi Vasalli Christs Vassals and that as he is Excelsus super Excelsos High above all even the highest so hee hath other high ones at hand viz. the Holy Angels who can resist the King of Persia as Michael the Prince did Dan. 10.13 Fright the Syrians with a pannick terrour 2 King 7.6 smite the Assyrians with an utter destruction Isa 37.36 deliver Peter from the hand of Herod and from the expectation of the Jewes Exod. 12. Acts 12.11 make a wonderful difference in the slaughter of the first-born of Aegypt Tyrants shall be sure sooner or later to meet with their match Look what a hand the Ephori had over the King of Sparta the Tribunes had over the Roman Consuls and the Prince Palsgrave of Rhine ought by the ancient orders to have over the Emperour of Germany Palatino haec dignitatis praerogativa est ut ipsum Caesarem judicare damnare possit Parci
winds of Heaven Zech. 6.3 4. And at the Popes inthronization a wad of straw is set on fire before him and one appointed to say Sic transit gloria mundi The glory of this world is but a blaze or blast Vers 17. All his daies also hee eats in darkness i. e. hee lives besides that hee hath and cannot so much as bee merry at meat Hence is much sorrow wrath and sickness especially if spoiled of his goods which hee made his god hee is no less troubled than Laban was for his Teraphim or Micah for his Mawmet Judg. 18. Hee is mad almost and ready to hang himself for woe having much fretting foaming fuming anger languor ready to flie at God and men Vers 18. It is good and comely for one to eat c. Niggardise and baseness is an ugly evil making a man though never so rich to bee vilipended and despised of all Nabal shall not bee called Nadib the vile person liberal the churl bountiful Isa 32.5 See the Notes on chap. 2.24 3.12 Vers 19. This is the gift of God A gift of his right hand donum throni non scabelli 1 Tim. 6.6 Godliness onely hath contentedness The comfort of wealth comes in by no other door than by the assurance of Gods love in bestowing it and of his grace in sanctifying it God give thee the dew of Heaven c. Gen. 27. 28. Esau likewise had the like but not with a God give thee A carnal heart cares not how so hee may have it hence his so little comfort and enjoyment A godly man will have God with it or else hee is all amort Moses would not bee put off with an Angel to go along with them Luther protessed Valde protestatus sum me nolle fio satiari Luth. when great gifts were offered him that hee would not bee satisfied or quieted with those rattles Vers 20. For hee shall not much remember c. Hee vexeth not at the brevity or misery of his life but looketh upon himself as a stranger here and therefore if hee can have a better condition hee useth it rather as if a traveller can get a better room in an Inne 1 Cor. 7. hee will if not hee can bee content for saith hee it is but for a night CHAP. VI. Vers 1. There is an evil that I have seen under the Sun THis wretched life is so pestered with evils that the Preacher could hardly cast his eye beside one or other of them A diligent observer hee was of humane miseries that hee might hang loose to life and the better press upon others the vanity of doting upon it One would wonder surely that our life here being so grievously afflicted should yet bee so inordinately affected and that even by those that are in deaths often that have born Gods yoak from their youth that have suffered troubles without and terrours within and who if they had hope in this life onely 1 Cor. 15. were by their own confession of all men the most unhappy And yet so it is God is forced to smoke us out of our clayie cottages and to make life unto us to bee nothing better than a lingering death that wee may grow weary of it and breathe after a better Aeterna vita vera vita Aug. where are riches without rust pleasure with out pain youth without decay joy without sorrow Ubi nihil sit quod nolis totum sit quod velis where is all that heart can wish c. The skilful Chirurgeon mortifieth with straight binding the member that must bee cut off So doth God fit us for our cutting off Bern. by binding us with the cords of afflictions Hee crieth not when God bindeth him Job 36.13 saith Elihu of hypocrites a Generation of men than the which nothing is more stupid and insensible till at length Hypocritis nihil stupidius Pareus Isa 28. God making forcible entry upon them doth violently break that cursed Covenant that they have made with Death and Hell dash the very breath out of their bodies with one plague upon another turn them out of their earthly Tabernacles with a firma ejectione and send them packing to their place in Hell from which they would not bee stopped by all those crosses that for that purpose hee cast in their way And it is common amongst men Proper to men for beasts are not subject to this evil disease and common to all sorts of men One evil may well bee common among many when many evils are so commonly upon one It fell out to bee a part of Mithridates misery that hee had made himself unpoisonable And Cato so left this miserable life Cic. in Tusc quast ut causam moriendi nactum se esse gauderet that hee was glad of an occasion to go out of the world Vers 2. So that hee wanteth nothing Nothing but every thing because hee dare not make use of any thing almost but is Tantalized by his own baseness Hee famisheth at a full feast hee starveth at a fire side And this is often repeated in this book because it can never enough bee observed and abhorred Yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof i. e. Hee with-holdeth his grace from him that hee cannot use it to his comfort Herein hee is like a Stag that hath great horns but no courage to use them or rather like an Ass loaded with gold and victuals but feeding upon thistles Pray wee therefore 1 Tim. 6.17 that God would together with riches give us all things richly to enjoy Vel mihi da clavem vel mihi tolle seram Either give mee the key saith One or take away the lock The Greeks describe a good housholder to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good husband as in getting keeping and setting out what hee hath to the best so in making good use of it for his own and others behoof and benefit But a stranger eats it God so providing that if one will not another shall that if the owner will not eat but sit pidling or sparing a stranger and perhaps an enemy shall take away Deut 28. That if men will not serve God with chearfulness in the abundance of all things they should fast another while and be forced to serve their enemies in hunger and thirst and nakedness and by the want of all bee taught the worth of them carendo quam fruendo Vers 3. If a man beget an hundred children As Ahab did half an hundred after that God had threatned to cut off all his house as it were in contempt of the divine threatning And as Proculus Caesar got twenty Maids with child in fifteen daies space Lib. 7. Erasm in Chisia Hier epist 7. as Pliny reporteth Erasmus mentioneth a Maid of Euboea called Combe that being married to an husband brought him an hundred children Like enough it might bee luctuosa foecunditas as Hierom saith of Laeta who buried many children And live many
years So that hee bee trisaeclisenex as Nestor was of old and Johannes de temporibus a French-man not many ages since to whom I may add that old Parre old very old man that died of late years having been born in Henry the sevenths daies or Edward the fourths And his soul bee not filled with good Though hee bee filled with years and filled with children that may survive and succeed him in his estate yet if hee bee a covetous caytiff a miserable muckworm that injoyes nothing as in the former verse is not Master of his wealth but is mastered by it lives beside what hee hath and dies to save charges * As hee in Camd. Remains And also that hee have no burial Hee leaves nothing to bring him honestly home as they say or if hee do yet his ungrateful greedy heirs deny him that last honour Jer. 22.19 so that hee is buried with the burial of an Ass as Coniah suffered to rot and stink above ground as that Assyrian Monarch Isa 14. 19 20. and after him Alexander the Great who lay unburied thirty daies together So Pompey the Great of whom Claudian the Poet sings thus Nudus pascit aves jacet en qui possidet orbem Exiguae telluris inops And the like is storied of our William the Conquerour and divers other greedy engrossers of the worlds good See here the poisonful and pernicious nature of niggardise and covetousness that turns long life and large issue those sweetest blessings of God into bitter curses And withall take notice of the just hand of God upon covetous old men that they should want comely burial which is usually one of their greatest cares as Plutarch observeth For giving the reason why old men that are going out of the world should bee so earnestly bent upon the world hee saith it is out of fear that they shall not have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 friends to keep them whiles alive and some to bury them when they are dead I say that an untimely birth I affirm it in the word of truth and upon mature deliberation That an untimely birth not onely a naked young childe as aforesaid that is carried ab utero ad urnam from the womb to the tomb from the birth to the burial but an abortive that coming too soon into the world comes not at all and by having no name findes it self a name as Pliny speaks of the herb Anonymus Vers 4. For hee cometh in with vanity c. As nothing being senseless of good or evil And departeth in darkness is buried in huggermugger And his Name shall bee covered c. that is there is no more talk of this abortive Vers 5. Moreover hee hath not seen the Sun A second priviledge and prerogative of the poor abortive None are so miserable wee see but they may bee comparatively happy It is ever best to look at those below us and then wee shall see cause to bee better contented This hath more rest than the other The Corn that is cropt as soon as it appeareth or is bruised in peeces when it lies in sprout is better than the old weed that is hated while it standeth and in the end is cut down for the fire Vers 6. Yea though hee live a thousand years Which yet never any man did Methusalah wanted thirty two of a thousand The reason thereof is given by Occolampadius quia numerus iste typum habeat perfectionis ut qui constet è centenario decies revoluto because the number of a thousand types out perâ—ection as consisting of an hundred ten times told But there is no perfection here saith hee Yet hath hee seen no good For All the daies of the afflicted are evil saith Solomon And mans daies are few and full of trouble Prov. 15.15 Job 14.1 Gen. 47.9 saith Job Few and evil are the daies of my pilgrimage saith Jacob and I have not attained to the daies of the years of the life of my Fathers c. For Abraham lived one hundred seventy five years and Isaac one hundred eighty near upon forty years longer than Jacob but to his small comfort for hee was blinde all that time yet nothing so blinde as the rich wretch in the Text qui privatus interno lumine tamen in hac vita din vult perpeti caecitatem suam as one speaketh who being blind as a Mole lies rooting and poring uncessantly in the bowels of the earth as if he would that way dig himself a new and a nearer way to Hell and with his own hands addeth to the load of this miserable life As hee hath done no good so hee hath seen or enjoyed none but goes to his place Do not all go to one place the place that Adam provided for all his posterity the house appointed for all living as Job calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12.23 chap. 30.23 the Congregation-house as One renders it Heaven the Apostle calls the Congregation-house of the first-born whose names also are there said to bee written in Heaven But covetous persons as they are called the inhabitants of the earth Rev. 12. Jer. 17.13 in opposition to those Coelicola Citizens of Heaven the Saints so their names are written in the earth because they have forsaken the Lord Jer. 2.13 the fountain of living waters and hewed them out cisterns that can hold no water What marvel then if they live long and yet see no good if they are driven to that doleful complaint that Saul made God hath forsaken mee 1 Sam. 28.15 and the Philistims are upon mee sickness death hell is upon mee I am even now about to make my bed in the dark and all the comfort I can have from God is that dismal sentence This shall yee have of mine hand yee shall lye down in sorrow Isa 50.11 Loe this is the cursed condition of the covetous carl as hee hath lived beside his goods having jaded his body broken his brains and burthened his conscience so hee dies hated of God and loathed of men the Earth groans under him Heaven is shut against him Hell gapes for him 1 Cor. 6.8 9. Phil. 3.18 Thus many a Miser spins a fair threed to strangle himself both temporally and eternally O that they would seriously think of this before the cold grave hold their bodies and hot hell torment their souls before death come with a writ of Habeas corpus and the Devil with a writ of Habeas animam as once to that rich fool Luk. 12. Vers 7. All the labour of man is for his mouth That is Dii boni quantum hominum unus exercet venter Seneca Deus homini augustum ventrem c. Sergius PP for food and rayment as 1 Tim. 6. a little whereof will content nature which hath therefore given us a little mouth and stomach to teach us moderation as Chrysostome well observeth to the shame of those beastly belly-gods that glut themselves and devour the creatures
the Barons of England in King John's daies Marcidi Ribaldi Walsing Epit. hist Gallic p. 30. Godw. Catal. when declaring against the Pope and his Conclave by whom they were excommunicated they cried out thus in their Remonstrance Fy on such rascal ribals c. Adelmelect Bishop of Sherborn Anno 705. reproved Pope Sergius sharply to his face for his Adultery So did Bishop Lambert reprehend King Pepin for the same fault Anno 798. And Archbishop Odo King Edwin burning his Concubines in the fore-head with an hot Iron and banishing them into Ireland Father Latimer dealt no less faithfully with King Henry the Eighth in his Sermons at Court. And being asked by the King how hee durst bee so bold to preach after that manner hee answered that duty to God and to his Prince had enforced him to it and now that hee had discharged his conscience his life was in his Majesties hands c. Truth must bee spoken however it be taken If Gods Messengers must be mannerly in the form yet in the matter of their message to Great ones they must bee resolute It is probable that Joseph used some kinde of Preface to Pharaoh's Baker in reading him that hard destiny Dan. 4.19 Gen. 40.19 Such likely as was that of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar My Lord the Dream bee to them that hate thee c. or as Philo brings him in with an Utinam tale somnium non vidisses c. But for the matter hee gives him a sound though sharp interpretation Vers 5. Whoso keepeth the commandement scil The Kings commandement Hee that is morigerous and goes as far as hee can with a good conscience in his obedience to the commands of his Superiours Shall feel no evil i. e. hee shall lack no good encouragement Rom. 13.3 4. Or if men slight him God will see to him Ephes 6.7 8. as hee did to the poor Israelites in Egypt and to David under Saul Mordecai lost nothing at length by his love and loyalty to God and the King Sir Ralph Percy slain upon Hegely-Moor in Northumberland by the Lord Montacute General for Edward the Fourth hee would no waies depart the field though defeated but in dying said I have saved the bird in my breast Speed 869. meaning his oath to King Henry the Sixth for whom hee fought And a wise mans heart discerneth both time and judgement scil When and how to obey Kings commands the time the means and manner thereof dispatching them without offence to God or man And this a wise mans heart discerneth saith the Preacher it being the opinion of the Hebrews that in the heart especially the soul did keep her Court and exercise her noble operations of the understanding invention judgement c. Aristotle saith Sine calore cordis anima in corpore nihil efficit Without the heat of the heart the soul does nothing in the body The Scripture also makes the heart the Monarch of this Isle of Man Vers 6. Because to every purpose there is time Therefore the wise man seeketh after that nick of time that punctilio of judgement that hee may do every thing well and order his affairs with discretion 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 Therefore the misery of man is great upon him Because hee discerns not apprehends not his fittest opportunity hence hee creates himself a great deal of misery When Saul had taken upon him to sacrifice God intimates to him by Samuel that if hee had discerned his time hee might have saved his Kingdome So might many a man his life his livelihood nay his soul The men of Issachar in Davids daies are famous for this that they had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do 1 Chron. 12.32 their posterity are set below Stork and Swallow for want of this skill Jer. 8.7 and deeply doomed Luke 19.44 Vers 7. For hee knoweth not that which shall bee Mans misery is the greater because hee cannot fore-see to prevent it but hee is suddenly surprized and hit many times on the blinde side as wee say Nescia mens hominum fati sortisque futurae Men are in the dark in regard of future events God onely knows them and is thereby oft in Isaiah distinguished from the dung-hill-deities of the Heathens In his mercy to his people hee gave them Prophets to tell How long and when these failed the Church heavily bewails it Psal 74.9 Howbeit a prudent man fore-seeth an evil and hideth himself Amb. de Offic. l. 1. cap. 38. Prov. 22.3 See the Note there By the strength of his mind saith Ambrose hee presageth what will follow and can define what in such or such a case hee ought to do Sometimes hee turns over two or three things in his mind together of which conjecturing that either all may come to pass jointly or this or that severally or whether they fall out jointly or severally hee can by his understanding so order his actions as that they shall bee profitable to him Vers 8. There is no man that hath power c. Death man is sure to meet with whatsoever hee miss of but when hee knows not neither Of Dooms-day there are signs affirmative and negative not so of death Every one hath his own Balsam within him say some Chymicks Greg. Moral his own bane it is sure hee hath Ipsa suis augmentis vita ad detrimenta impellitur Every day wee yeeld somewhat to death Stat sua cuique dies Our last day stands the rest run Virg. Ancid Nulli cedo Death is this onely King against whom there is no rising up Prov. 30. The mortal Sithe is Master of the Royal Scepter and it mows down the Lillies of the Crown as well as the grass of the field saith a Reverend Writer Mr. Ley his Monitor of Mortality And again Death suddenly snatcheth away Physicians oft as it were in scorn and contempt of medicines when they are applying their preservatives or restoratives to others as it is storied of Caius Julius a Surgeon who dressing a sore-eye as hee drew the Instrument over it was struck with an Instrument of death in the act and place where hee did it Besides diseases many by mischances are taken as a bird with a bolt whiles hee gazeth at the bow There is no discharge in war Heb. No sending either of Forces to withstand death or of messages to make peace with him The world and wee must part and whether wee bee unstitcht by parcels or torn asunder at once the difference is not great Happy is hee that after due preparation is passed thorow the gates of death ere hee bee aware saith one Whether my death bee a burnt-offering of Martyrdome or a Peace-offâ—ring of a natural death I desire it may bee a Free-will-offering a sweet sacrifice to the Lord saith another Neither shall wickedness deliver No It is righteousness
hee had said before chap. 7.19 Prov. 21.22 See the Notes there but now upon this new occasion Nunquam satis dicitur quod nunquam satis discitur Sen. Nevertheless the poor mans wisdome is despised Hierome reads it thus Et sapientia pauporis quae despecta est verba ejus quae non sunt audita that is And the wisdome of the poor man which is despised and his words which are not heard According to which reading the sense is wisdome is better than strength yea even the despised wisdome of the poor man c. The Septuagint and Vulgar Latine read it Quomodo ergo sapientia pauperis contempta est verba ejus non audita How therefore is the wisdome of the wise man despised and his words not heard As making a wonder and a strange thing of it Too often it befalls Gods poor Ministers either to bee rejected with scorn or if heard yet not regarded much less rewarded unless it bee as Micaiah was by Ahab and Jeremiah by his Country-men of Anathoth Jesus Christ by the proud Pharisees John 7.14 15 27. St. Paul by the ungrateful Corinthians 2 Cor. 4.7 His bodily presence said they is weak his Sermons without Philosophy and Rhetorick Vers 17. The words of wise men are heard in quiet The submiss words of a poor man speaking with good understanding are rather heard than the big and boisterous words of proud fools Fuit Nestorius homo indoctus superbus audax magnae loquentia saith Zanchy Zanch Miscel Nestorius the Heretick was an ignorant proud bold big-spoken man and prevailed very much thereby with some silly-simples How much better Chrysostome of whom it is said that hee was graviter suavis suaviter gravis gravely sweet and sweetly grave and hee was much admired for it Gentle showers and dews that distill leasurely comfort the earth when dashing storms drown the seed The words of wise men are by one well compared to the River Indus Indus fluvius serere Orientem dicitur rigare Minut. Felix in Octav. which is said both to sow the East and to water it for so it may bee said of the words of the wise that they are both semina flumina both seeds and rivers seeds because they sow goodness in their hearers rivers because they water that which is sown to make it to grow in them But the cry of fools is like a violent torrent which washeth away that which it soweth and doth not suffer it to continue in the ground More than the cry of him that ruleth among fools Tremellius reads it cum stolidis suis with his fools i e. cum suo stulto senatu with his foolish Counsellors who do commonly comply with him to obtrude with great authority his unreasonable and tyrannical edicts and mandates Vers 18. Wisdome is better than weapons of war As David found it in his encounter with Goliah Gideon in his stratagem against the Midianites and our renowned Drake in dissipating that invincible Armado which being three years in preparing with incredible cost was by his wisdome within a month overthrown and confounded with the losse of one English Ship onely and not an hundred persons Romani sedendo vincunt This was the glory of the Romans that they conquered the world by wisdome not by weapons Vnus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem Plutarch Not Achilles but Vlysses is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sacker of Cities Cyneas took more Towns by his policy than Pyrrhus by his prowesse But one sinner destroyeth much good Hee may bee as an Achan in the Army as a Jonas in the Ship a trouble-town a common mischief a traitor to the State especially if hee bee an eminent man as Jeroboam that ring-leader of rebellion and Manasseh who made Judah also to sin 2 King 21.11 and so brought such evil upon them that whosoever heard of it both his ears tingled vers 12. Great mens sins do more hurt 1 By Imitation for Regis ad exemplum c. 2 By Imputation for plectuntur Achivi the poor people pay for such mens faults as they did for Davids 2 Sam. 24. I shall close up this Chapter with that memorable passage of a Reverend Writer yet alive If Englands fears were greater thy Reformation may save it Jer. 5.1 If our hopes were greater thy sin and security might undo it Eccles 9.18 One sinner destroies much good I onely add how much more a rabble of rebels conspiring to provoke God Sure I am wee have great cause to wish for our Country as Ferus did for the Romish Synagogue I would wee had some Moses said hee to take away the evils Non enim unum tantum vitulum sed multos habemus for wee have not onely one golden Calf but many amongst us CHAP. X. Vers 1. Dead Flies cause the ointment c. THe Preacher had said that One sinner destroies much good chap. 8.18 here hee affirms the same of one sin bee it but a small sin a peccadillo no bigger than a few dead flies fallen into a pot of sweet odours it is of that stinking nature that it stains a good mans esteem and fly-blows his reputation A great many flies may fall into a tarr-box and no hurt done A small spot is soon seen in a Swan not so in a Swine Fine Lawn is sooner and deeper stained than course Canvase A City upon an hill cannot bee hid the least eclipse or aberration in the heavenly bodies is quickly noted and noticed If Jacob a plain man deal deceitfully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. the banks of blasphemy will bee broken down in a prophane Esau thereby If his unruly sons falsifie with the Shechemites hee shall have cause to complain Yee have made mee to stink among the inhabitants of the Land Gen. 34.30 If Moses marry an Ethiopian woman it shall be laid in his dish by his dearest friends Numb 12.1 If Sampson go down to Timnah the Philistims will soon have it by the end told it will bee in Gath published in the streets of Askelon If David do otherwise than well at home 2 Sam. 12. the name of God will soon stink abroad If Josiah go up unadvisedly against Pharoah Neeho and fall by his own folly this shall bee his derision in the Land of Egypt Hos 7.16 The enemies of God will soon compose Comedies out of the Churches tragedies and make themselves merry in her misery Shee is said to bee fair as the Moon which though it bee a beautiful creature Cant. 6.10 and full of light yet is shee not without her black spots and blemishes Galileus used perspective-glasses to descry mountains in her These the Church Malignant is ever eying and aggravating passing by or depraving the better practices of Gods people As Vultures they hunt after carkasses as Swine Vultures ad male olentia feruntur Basil they musk in the muck-hill As Beetles they would live and dye in horse-dung It
a diaphanous body as the word there signifies before the judgement-seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 all shall bee laid naked and open the Books of Gods Omniscience and mans Conscience also shall bee then opened and secret sins shall bee as legible in thy fore-head as if written with the brightest Stars or the most glittering Sun-beams upon a wall of Crystal Mens actions are all in print in Heaven and God will at that day read them aloud in the ears of all the world Whether it bee good or evil Then it shall appear what it is which before was not so clear like as in April both wholesome roots and poisonable discover themselves which in winter were not seen Then men shall give an account 1 De bonis commissis of good things committed unto them 2. De bonis dimissis of good things neglected by them 3. De malis commissis of evils committed by them 4. Lastly De malis permissis of evils done by others suffered by them when they might have hindered it LAUS DEO A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION UPON THE CANTICLES OR Solomons Song of Songs CHAP. I. Vers 1. The Song of Songs NOt a light Love-song as some prophane persons have fancied and have therefore held it no part of the sacred Canon Theodoret. lib. 5. de Provid Sic coena a Dionysio caeremonia caeremoniarum ab alio Pascha celebritas celebritatum dicitur But a most excellent Epithalamium a very divine Ditty an heavenly Allegory a Mystical-marriage-song called here The Song of Songs as God is called the God of Gods Deut. 10.7 as Christ is called the King of Kings Rev. 19.16 as the Most Holy is called the Holy of Holies to the which the Jew-doctors liken this Canticle as they do Ecclesiastes to the Holy place and Proverbs to the Court to signifie that it is the treasury of the most sacred and highest mysteries of holy Scripture It streams out all along under the parable of a Marriage Hieron prooem in Ezech. that full torrent of spiritual love that is betwixt Christ and the Church This is a great mystery saith that great Apostle Ephes 5.32 It passeth the capacity of man to understand it in the perfection of it Hence the Jews permitted none to read this sacred Song before thirty years of age Let him that reads think hee sees written over this Solomons porch Holiness to the Lord T. W. on Canti◠Procul hinc procul este profani nihil hic nisi castum If any think this kind of dealing to bee over-light for so grave and weighty a matter let them take heed saith one that in the height of their own hearts they do not proudly censure God and his order who in many places useth the same similitude of marriage to express his love to his Church by and interchangeably her duty toward him as Hos 2.19 2 Cor. 11.2 Ephes 5.25 with vers 22 23 24. where the Apostle plainly alludeth and referreth to this Song of Songs in sundry passages borrowing both matter and frame of speech from hence Which is Solomons Hee was the Pen-man God the Author Of many other Songs hee was both Author and instrument 1 King 4.32 Not so of this which therefore the Chaldee Paraphrast here entituleth Songs and Hymns in the plural for the surpassing excellency of it which Solomon the Prophet the King of Israel uttered by the spirit of Prophecy before the Lord the Lord of all the Earth A Prophet hee was and is therefore now in the Kingdome of Heaven notwithstanding his foul fall whereof hee repented Luk. 11.28 For as it is not the falling into the water that drowns but lying in it So neither is it the falling into sin that damns but dying in it Solomon was also King of Israel and surpassed all the Kings of the Earth in wealth and wisdome 2 Chron. 9.22 yea hee was wiser than all men 1 King 4.31 And as himself was a King Psal 45.2 so hee made this singular Song as David did the 45 Psalm concerning the King Christ and his spiritual marriage to the Church who is also called Solomon Cant. 3.11 and greater than Solomon Matth. 12.42 If therefore either the worth of the writer or the weightiness of the matter may make to the commendation of any book this wants for neither That is a silly exception of some against this Song as if not Canonical because God is not once named in it for as oft as the Bridegroom is brought in speaking here Rom. 9. ◠so oft Christ himself speaketh who is God blessed for ever Besides whereas Solomon made a thousand Songs and five 1 King 4.32 this onely as being the chief of all and part of the holy Canon hath been hitherto kept safe when the rest are lost in the Cabinet of Gods special providence and in the chest of the Jews Gods faithful Library-keepers Rom. 3.2 Joh. 5.39 It being not the will of our heavenly Father that any one hair of that sacred head should fall to the ground Vers 2. Let him kiss mee with the kisses of his mouth It must bee premised and remembred that this Book is penitus allegoricus parabolicus as one saith allegorical throughout and aboundeth all along with types and figures with parables and similitudes Quot verba tot sacramenta So many words so many mysteries saith Hierome of the Revelation Apocalypsin fateor me nescire exponere c. exponat cui Deus concesserit Cajet Possev in Biblioth select which made Cajetan not dare to comment upon it The like may bee truly affirmed of the Canticles nay wee may say of it in a special manner as Possevinus doth of the whole Hebrew Bible tot esse sacramenta quot literae tot mysteria quot puncta tot arcana quot apices Hence Psellus in Theodoret asketh pardon for presuming to expound it But difficilium facilis est venia In magnis voluisse sat est In hard things the pardon is easie and in high things let a man shew his good will and it suffiseth The matter of this Book hath been pointed at already as for the form of it it is Dramatical and Dialogistical The chief speakers are not Solomon and the Shulamite as Castalio makes it but Christ and his Church John 3.29 Christ also hath his Associates those friends of the Bridegroom viz. the Prophets Apostles Pastors and Teachers who put in a word sometimes As likewise do the fellow-friends of the Bride viz. whole Churches or particular Christians The Bride begins here abruptly after the manner of a Tragedy through impatience of love and an holy impotency of desire after not an union onely but an unity also with him whom her soul loveth Let him kiss mee c. Kissing is a token of love 1 Pet. 5.14 Luk. 7.45 and of reconciliation 2 Sam. 14.33 And albeit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Philo observeth Love is not alwaies in a kiss Joab and Judas could kiss and kill
lovely though not pure so is the Church comely though not clear The Coy Daughters of Jerusalem might make a wonderment that so black a doudy as the Church appeared to them that saw not her inward beauty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 7. should ever hope to have love from the fairest among men Wee read how Aaron and Miriam murmured against Moses who was fair to God because of the Tauny-Moor-woman whom hee had married Numb 12.1 For answer to whom the Spouse here grants that shee is black or blackish at least 1 As having some hypocrites in her bosome that as that blasted corn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frumentum adustum Mat. 13.25 smutcheth and sullieth the better sort 2 As being not fully freed from sin till after death Sin is dejected indeed in the Saints but not utterly ejected while they are here For why it is in them as the spots of the Leopard not by accident but by nature which no Art can cure no water can wash off because they are not in the skin but in the flesh and bones in the sinewes and the most inward parts Job 30.30 Lam. 4.8 Jer. 8.21 Howbeit the Church is freed from the damning and domineering power of sin And whereas 3 Shee is looked upon as black because of her afflictions those fruits of sin and seems to have lain among the pots as the Psalmist hath it places where Scullions use to lye and so are black and collied yet shall shee bee as the wings of a Dove that are covered with silver c. Psal 68.13 though shee sit in darkness the Lord shall give her light Micah 7.8 And as black soap makes white cloathes so do sharp afflictions make holy hearts Act. Mon. 1486. Where God is pleased to set in with his battle-door as that Martyr said Puriores coelo afflictione facti sunt saith Chrysostome of those that were praying for Peter Act. 12. And some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and to make them white saith the Prophet of those suffering-Saints Dan. 11.35 The face of the Church is never so beautiful as when it is washed with its own tears as some faces appear most orientally fair when they are most instampt with sorrow Christ did so Isa 52.14 But comely Or goodly lovely desirable delectable viz. For my double Righteousness those righteousnesses of the Saints Rev. 19.8 imputed and imparted Hence the Church may better sing than Sappho did Si mihi difficilis formam natura negavit Ovid. Epist Justitia formae damna rependo meae Ingenio formae damna rependo meae As the tents of Kedar as the curtains of Solomon Kedar signifieth black Plin◠lib. 6. cap. 28. Solin cap. 26. Isa 13.20 and the Kedarens a people of Arabia descended of Ismael dwelt in black tents made of hair-cloath and had no other houses they also dwelt not far from the Ethiopians or Black-moors 2 Chron. 21.16 As the curtains c. i. e. As his costly tapestry Joseph Antiq. lib. 8.5 and other sumptuous houshold-stuff whereof read 1 King 10.1 2 c. Josephus also makes mention of the Babylonish rich furniture wherewith Solomons rooms were hanged These are to set forth the Churches comeliness as the other did her homeliness Let none be despised for his outward meanness for within that leathern purse may bee a Pearl Christ himself was hidden under the Carpenters son and a poor outside Isa 53.2 Saepe sub attrita latitat sapientia veste Vers 6. Look not upon mee because I am black Look not upon mee viz. with a lofty look with a coy countenance fix not your eyes upon mine infirmities and miseries so as to disdain mee or to disesteem mee for them Blackish I am I confess tanned and discoloured The old Latine translation renders it brown lovely brown wee call it belle brunette the French Others somewhat black q. d. My blackness is not so much as you may think for Judge not therefore according to the appearance Stumble not at my seeming deformities A faithful man may fall far but the seed abideth in him the new nature cannot bee lost the oyl of Gods Spirit wherewith hee is anointed setteth the colours which are of his own tempering so sure on and maketh them cleave so fast together that it is impossible hee should ever return to his own hiew to bee coal-black as before Howbeit hee is subject to much affliction anguish and distress as it were to the scorching of the Sun and that with many that have not senses exercised to discern good and evil renders him despicable but that should not bee Of Queen Elizabeth it is said Camb. Elis that shee hated no less than did Mithridates such as maliciously persecuted vertue forsaken of fortune as when a Deer is shot the rest of the Herd push him out of their company Because the Sun hath looked upon mee By Sun here some have understood the Sun of Righteousness whom when the Church looks intently upon shee is bedazled and sees her own nothingness in comparison of his incomparable brightness Others by Sun here will have original sin to bee meant which indeed hath brought the blackness of darkness upon the spirit of our minds and bored out the eye of our understandings The same Original pravity they understand by the following words Sons of the same Mother and by being kindled with wrath they understand sin encreasing and raging as it were And by appointing the Church to keep other Vineyards they understand the committing of the works of the flesh and the deeds of darkness with which shee was as it were holden so that shee could do nothing else till the Lord had loosed her out of these chains But they do best that by Sun in this place understand the heat of persecution and the parching of oppression according to Mat. 13.6 21. Lam. 1.6 13 14 c. What Bonefires were here made in Queen Maries daies burning the dear Saints of God to a black coal lighting them up for tapers in a dark night as they did in Neroes daies After John Husse was burnt his adversaries got his heart which was left untouched by the fire and beat it with their staves The story of the Maccabees persecutions prophecied of Dan. 11.36 and recorded Heb. 11.35 to the end is exceeding lamentable Opposition is as Calvin wrote to the French King Evangelii Genius Luth. in Gen. 29. and Ecclesia est haeres crucis saith Luther The Church hath its cross for its inheritance All that will live godly in Christ Jesus if they bee set upon it so to do shall suffer persecution there is no avoiding of it 2 Tim. 3.12 When Ignatius came to the wilde Beasts Now Act. and Mon. saith hee I begin to bee a Christian and not till now That Christian saith Mr. Bradford hath not yet learnt his ABC in Christianity that hath not learned the lesson of the Cross Luth.
growth is not alwaies to be measured by joy and other accessory graces These sweet blooms may fall off when fruit comes on c. Verse 15. A fountain of gardens a well c Or Oh fountain of the Gardens c. For they do best in mine opinion that make this to be the Churches speech to Christ grounded upon his former commendation of her And it is as if she should say Callest thou me Lord a Garden enclosed a Spring shut up a Fountain scaled True it is I am the garden which thine own right hand hath planted walled watered c. but for all that I am or have the entire praise belongs to thee alone All my plenty of spiritual graces all my perennity of spiritual comforts all my pleasancy and sweetness is derived from thee no otherwise than the streams of Jordan are from mount Lebanon all my springs are in thee as in their Well-head Certum est nos facere quod facimus sed Ille facit ut faciamus saith Augustine True it is that wee do what wee do but it is as true that Christ maketh us to do what wee do For without him we can do nothing John 15.5 In him is our fruit found Hos 14.8 It is hee that works all our works in us Isa 26.12 Hence it is that the Church is no where in all this book described by the beauty of her hands or fingers because hee alone doth all for her The Church of Rome that will needs hammer out her own happiness like the Spider climbing up by a threed of her own weaving and boasting with her in the Emblem Mihi soli debeo shews thereby of what Spirit shee is That wretched Monk died blasphemously who said Redde mihi aeternam vitam quam debes Pay mee heaven which thou owest mee And what an arrogant speech was that of Vega Coelum gratis non accipiam I will not have heaven of free-cost Haec ego feci haec ego feci shews men to be no better than meer Feces said Luther wittily This I have done and that I have done speaks them dregs and dogges that shall stand without doors Rev. 22.15 Hear a childe of our Church speaking thus of himself Georg. Fab. Chemnicensis de scipso Fabricius studuit bene de pictate mereri Sed quicquid potuit gloria Christe tua est This was Matrissare to be like his mother whose Motto hath ever been Non nobis Domine Not unto us Lord not unto us but to thy name give the praise Psal 115.1 If I be thy garden Thou art my fountain from whence unless I be continually watered all will be soon withered and I shall bee as one that inhabiteth the parched places in the wilderness in a salt land and not inhabited Abbot his Georg. 251. Jer. 17.6 In the Island of St. Thomas on the back-side of Africa in the midst of it is an hill and over that a continual cloud wherewith the whole Island is watered Such is the Lord Christ to his Church Hos 14.5 6 7. which therefore as Gideons Fleece must needs be wet and moist when all the Earth besides is dry and desolate as the mountains of Gilboah or as St. Davids in Wales which is said to be a place neither pleasant fertile nor safe A well of living Or A pit of living and life-giving waters Christus coelum non patiuntur hyperbolen 2 Sam. 1.20 Godw Catal. Giral Camb. Puteus effossus ubi est aqua viva scaturiens clara Merc. A man cannot say too much in commendation of Christ and his Kingdome Hence the Church here cannot satisfie her self A Fountain shee calls him a well a stream such as makes glad the City of God even that pure river of the water of life proceeding out of Gods Throne Rev. 22.1 with Ezek. 47.6 Gregory makes this Fountain to bee the Scriptures which bee saith are like both to a Fountain and to a pit Some things in them are plain and open and may be compared to a spring which runs in an open and eminent place Other things therein are dark and deep and like unto a pit that a man must dive into and draw out with hard labour And streams from Lebanon Watering the whole Church as Jordan did the holy Land and tasting no doubt of that sweetness mentioned before vers 11. Even as we see by experience saith one that the waters that come out of the hills of some of the Islands of Molucca taste of the Cinnamon cloves c. that grow there Verse 16. Awake O North winde come thou South c. These windes she supposeth to be asleep because they blow not Rupertus calls the windes Mundi scopas the worlds Beesomes because God makes use of them to sweep out his large house and to purge the air The Spirit of God first purgeth and then watereth the faithful whom the Church here calleth her garden though indeed it bee Christs by reason of the nigh conjunction that is between him and her Ephes 5.30 so that they both make but one mystical Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 Now wee all know that to a compleat Garden are necessary 1 that it be well enclosed 2 Well planted 3 Well watered 4 that it bee amaena coeli aspiratione perflabilis well situate for winde and air 5 that it bee fruitful and profitable The Churches Garden hath every of these good properties as appears here And for the fourth Christ is all the diverse windes both cold and hot moist and dry binding and opening North and South fit for every season What winde soever blows it blows good to the Church for Christ speaks to them as David did to his Captains Do this young man no hurt handle him gently for my sake The Sunne may not smite him by day Psal 121. nor the Moon by night The nipping North of adversity the cherishing South winde of prosperity must both make for him That the spices thereof may flow out That I may be some way serviceable to God and profitable to men Shee knew that in Gods account to be idle is all one as to bee evil Matth. 25.26 to bee unthankfull Horat. is to bee wicked Luke 6.35 Paulum sepulta distat inertia Celata virtus could one Poet say and another Vile latens virtus quid enim submersa tenebris Proderit obscuro veluti sub remige puppis Claudian de Consul Honor. Vel lyra quae reticet vel qui non tenditur arcus Christ had made his Church a garden of sweetest sweets Her desire is therefore that her fruits being rightly ripened her graces greatned and made mature by the benign breath of the Holy Ghost compared here as elsewhere to the several windes their sweetness may bee dispread and conveyed to the nostrils of such as have their senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5.14 As for others their heads are so stuffed with the stenches of the world that great muck-hill and themselves so choaked up
hell hath inlarged herself c. To swallow up those insatiable Helluones and Lurcones Drunkards and Epicures These Swilbowles and Sensualists Cerberi instar tria guttura pundebant Diotimus of Athens was surnamed Tunbowl and yong Cicero Tricongius because he could take off three pottles of wine at a draught Therefore Death and Hell Have opened their mouth without measure hiante rictu amplissimo helluones istos absorbere to devour such pests and botches of mankind Oh that the carousers were perswaded as Mahomet told his followers that in every grape there dwelt a devil and Oh that they would foresee and prevent a worse punishment in hell then befell that poor Turk who being found drunk had a ladleful of boyling lead poured down his throat by the command of a certain Bashaw And their glory their great ones those men of honour ver 13. And their multitude The meaner sort Nos numeri sumus And their pomp Or their noise or tumult their revel-rout as they call it when they have drunk all the Out 's and are now a singing and hallowing Ver. 15. And the mean man shall be brought down c. Here the Prophet before he comes to the third denunciation for this part of the chapter like Ezekiels roule is full of lamentation and mourning and woe chap. 2.10 inserteth three good effects of the fore-threatened punishments 1. that the wicked shall be thereby tamed Piscat in this vers 2. that Gods glory shall be asserted ver 16. and 3. that Gods poor people shall be graciously provided for ver 17. See for this ver chap. 29. And the eyes of the haughty See on chap. 2.11 Ver. 16. But the Lord of Hosts shall be exalted See chap. 2.11 And God that is holy shall be sanctified He shall be religiously acknowledged Dio i. approved of and worshipped as an enemy to sin and an upright judge because of his most righteous judgments It shall be said Certainly there is a God that ruleth in the earth Psal 58.12 Ver. 17. Then shall the Lambs feed after their manner i. e. freely and quietly by Lambs here understand the godly poor those Lambs with golden fleeces who shall be graciously provided for And the waste places of the fat ones Medullatorum of those fat Buls of Bashan who had oppressed the poor and laid waste their dwellings but are now served in like sort by the enemy Shall the strangers eat Such as had been strangers at home because held captive in a far countrey but are now returned and repossessed of all Ver. 18. Woe unto them that draw iniquity that draw sin to them as a beast draweth a cart after it Here the Prophet reproveth and threateneth such Nihil agitantes nisi malum omni studio suo Jun. Qui datâ operâ peccant Scultet saith an Interpreter as sin without any strong temptation or occasion drawing them thereunto yea they draw sin to themselves as with ropes quodammodo velut invitum repugnans cogunt not remembring that sin haleth hell at the heels of it Let such get from under sins cart assoon as they can Otherwise they shall be holden with the cords punishments of their iniquity they shall dye without instruction c. Pro. 5.22 The Devils as they sinned without a tempter so they perish without a Saviour Cavete Ver. 19. That say Let him make speed That jear when they should fear jest at Gods judgments and mock at his menaces as if they were onely bug-bear terms devised on purpose to affright silly people but that themselves had more wit then to regard them This also was the guise of those Atheists in after-ages Jer. 17.15 Ezek. 12.23 Am. 5.18 2 Pet. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they made childrens play of Gods direfull threats as the Greek word signifieth and that they may not plead ignorance the Apostle addeth ver 5. that they were willingly ignorant they choaked their natural light and contradicted the testimony of their own consciences Magna corum hodieque seges est such dust-heapes are found in every corner And let the counsel of the Holy one of Israel Verba ludificantium Deum Prophetas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These scoffers are here brought in deriding the very name whereby the holy Prophets for more reverence sake commonly called the Lord viz. The Holy one of Israel Oecolamp Or thus God is the Holy one of Israel which Israel we are and thinkest thou that he will do us hurt Hereupon the Prophet addeth Ver. 20. Woe unto them that call evil good c. that can make Candida de nigris de candentibus atra and go about to invert the nature of things and to change the very names of them whilest they call not out of ignorance or infirmity but out of base calumny or gross flattery evil good and good evil cleping drunkenness good fellowship covetousness good husbandry prodigality liberality swearing with a grace a gentleman like quality fornication a trick of youth adultery an enjoyment of the fellow-creature as Ranters call it c. Thus the Athenians flattered their own vices calling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Catll c. Cicero said it was an ill omen of the overthrow of the Commonwealth that the true names of things were lost And in Divinity it is a rule Qui fingit nova verba nova gignit dogmata David Par. vlta He that affecteth new terms would bring in new opinions That saying of Luther was oft in Pareus his mouth Theologus gloriae dicit malum bonum bonum malum Theologus Crucis dicit id quod res est Not long before our late unhappy troubles the Martyrs of the Protestant religion were disgraced the Conspiratours in the Powder-treason excused in a Sermon at St. Maries in Cambridge by one Kemp of Queens Colledge The schools press and pulpit began to speak Italian apace Myst of iniq p. 15. and to perswade to a Moderation to a Reconciliation with Rome which now was said to be a true Church the Pope not Antichrist c. The great Elixar called State-policy hath with some at least so transmutative a faculty as to make copper seem gold right wrong and wrong right But let us pray with good David Psal 119.66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge give me senses habitually exercised to discern betwixt good and evil Heb. 5. Vlt. and then take heed that we neither make Censures whip nor Charities cloak too long we may offend in both Ver. 21. Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes wiser then Daniel as the proud Prince of Tyre thought himself Ezek. 28.3 or than any Prophet of them all This self conceitedness is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said that Heathen the hinderance of all true Proficiency and a mischievous marre-good here is a Woe hanged at the heels of it And left any should hold that to be a small matter let them consider what befell Meroz after that bitter
suae aeternitatis limo tuae mortalitatis Bern. the light of his Eternity to the mud of thy mortality as a Father hath it Joh. 1.14 Phil. 2.6.7 Behold A Note of attention and admiration One compareth it to the sounding of a Trumpet before some notable Proclamation Another to a hand in the Margent pointing to some remarkable matter so doth this Ecce to Christs incarnation as a thing in Gods Decree and to his peoples Faith already present A Virgin Hagnalmah that famous Virgin so long since spoken of Haec simul est genitrix filia sponsa Dei Tot tibi sunt dotes Virgo quot sidera caelo Gen. 3.15 that female glory the Virgin Mary with whom the Angel spake concerning mans salvation Matth. 1.18 23. Luke 1.27 35. as the Devil before had done with the first woman concerning the means of his destruction Of this Virgin-Mother the Sibulls are said thus to have prophesied also Virginis in corpus voluit dimittere caelo Ipse Deus prolem cum nuntiat Angelus almae Matri quae miseros contractâ sorde levabit See more in Virgils 4 th Eclog. and Aug. de civ Dei lib. 10. cap. 27. Some tell us that when this blessed Virgin brought forth there was seen at Rome about the Sun the likeness of a woman carrying a child in her arms and a voyce heard saying Pan the great God is born into the world Shall conceive and bear a sen Shiloh the son of her secundine Gen. 49.10 the true Melchisedeck as man without father and as God without mother Heb. 7.5 See Luke 1.35 But how blank were the Jews when they saw the issue of their late Jewish Virgin turned to a Daughter and how silly is that saying of theirs in their Talmud For our sins which are many the coming of the Messiah is deferred Sanhed cap. 11. Jachiades upon those words Dan. 12.4 would have us believe that God sealed up the time of Christs coming revealing it to Daniel only But why take they not notice that the very time of Messiah the Prince his coming is set down by Daniel chap. 9. and sith that time is long since past let them either condemn the Prophet of vanity or else confess with us that Christ is come already And shall call Or Thou Virgin shalt call as having the right of nomination His Name Immanuel That is God with us as Matth. 1.23 See the Note there Cujus nomen illius numen facile declarabit Christ indeed was not called by this name Immanuel that we anywhere read of as neither was Solomon by the name of Jedediah 2 Sam. 12.25 26. unless it be chap. 8.8 but the import of this name is most truly affirmed and acknowledged to be fully made good in him Ver. 15. Butter and Honey shall he eat i. e. He shall be fed with Childrens meat after the manner of other Infants for as he shall take upon him our nature Noematica periphrasis so shall he also partake with us in our natural infirmities feeding as other Children there did on butter and honey not able to discern good from evil through want of judgement till he came to be of discretion Luke 2.52 with Deut. 1.39 that he might be in all things like unto us and that we might once come unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4.13 that we might become strong in the Lord and in the power of his might able to do all things through Christ that strengtheneth us Phil. 4. Stumble not at his weakness but gather assurance of his Love who so sweetly joyned his Majesty to our meanness his might to our weakness abasing himself to the shape and state of a feeble weak and helpless child Ver. 16. For before the child Hannagnar this child Shear Jashub here present ver 3. the proper sign of this present deliverance as Isa 8.4 made so by occasion of the mention of Immanuel that was to be born many years after of a Virgin The land that thou abhorrest Or by which thou art vexed as ver 6. Confer Exod. 1.12 Num. 22.3 So the Danes were abhorred by the English the French by the Sicilians as appeared by those bloody Vespers Shall be left of both her Kings Who shall be cut off by a seasonable vengeance See this fulfilled 2 King 15.30 and 16.9 within a year or two of this prophecy Ver. 17. The Lord shall bring upon thee c. sc in case thou believe not Thou and thine shall perish notwithstanding this present deliverance the Lord will destroy thee after that he hath done thee good as Josh 24.20 Et cujus verbis credere noluisti ejus verberibus fidem habebis Thou shalt soon have enough of the Assyrian in whom thou wilt needs trust and not in Me. Him thou shalt call in for help against others but he having taken a taste of so fertile a soil and wealthy a state shall at length over-run all Like as afterwards also the old Gawls did Italy and the Saracens the Greek Empire Ver. 18. The Lord will hiss for the flye c. Out of Egypt and the confines The people of which parts are fitly called flyes say Expositors for their numerosity swiftness stench impudency harsh language ob vocis absonae stridorem The countrey being hot and lying low aboundeth with flyes and gnats such as proud Pharaoh was vexed with And for the bee that is in Assyria That countrey is full of woods and so of bees to which also the Assyrians are fitly compared as for their numerousness their military skill and comely marshalling of their forces their golden armour their industry and constancy in battle so for their force and fury especially Virgil speaking of bees saith Illis ira modum superat laefaeque venenum Inspirant stimulis vitam in vulnere linquunt See the Babylonical fierceness and cruelty graphically described Jer. 51.34 It was so much the greater because sent for and set on they were by Gods hiss or whistle Ver. 19. And they shall come and shall rest all of them As flyes do upon flesh and as bees upon trees they shall seise all In the desolate vallies c. Hereby is set forth saith Calvin that in no lurking place any of the Jews should be secreted or secured from their enemies but that they shall range about and rage everywhere thoroughout the whole land And because all this is done at an hiss the backwardness of Christians is condemned saith Musculus who cannot by most earnest preaching of long continuance be brought to do as God requireth them Ver. 20. In the same day shall the Lord shave Not shear but shave with a razor to set forth the calamity of war which wasteth and taketh away all and maketh clean work as we use to say nihil in toto regno intactum reliquit sed omnia à summo ad imum expilavit Assyrius The Assyrian is here called Gods razor because his instrument to shave as he pleaseth though
shall hop headless and make you ashamed And joyn his enemies together Heb. mingle them viz. in confederacy and agreement against him though otherwise at ods amongst themselves Ver. 12. The Syrians before Under the conduct of the Assyrian who hath slain their King Rezin and made them his vassals And the Philistins behind Or from the West westward And they shall devour Israel with open mouth The enemies of Gods people are more savage and ravenous then wild beasts Hence they are called in Scripture Boars Bears Lions Leopards Vnicorns Tigers Wolves c. Let us therefore bless us out of their bloody jawes which having escaped let us sing Blessed be God who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth Psal 124.6 The poor Jndians cryed out that it had been better their countrey had been given to the Devils of Hell then to those cruel Spaniards For all this his wrath is not turned away He still frowneth and hath his hand up to smite as angry people use to do Ver. 13. For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them This were the onely way to escape God viz. to run in to him there is no standing before a Lion no bearing up sail in a storm no stouting it out with God Almighty See the Notes on Am. 4.6 11. Ver. 14. Head and tail i. e. high and low as ver 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. Parvi properemus ampli Here he compareth Israel non sine morsu to a beast with a long tail for the perverseness of their practices Or else to the Serpent Amphisbaena which stingeth both with head and tail Branch and rush strong and feeble A branch or bough hath some tack in it a rush is a spungy unsubstantial substance Ver. 15. The ancient and honourable is the head Thus the Scripture frequently expoundeth it self In a general calamity all fare alike Lords and Losels And the Prophet that teacheth lies he is the tail Such like Dogs do caudâ adblandiri sooth and smooth men up in their sins and are the vilest of men Quid enim contemptius abjectius animo fingi potest quam assentari divitibus linguamque venalem habere Such also as Serpents glide smoothly over the body but sting with their tails Ver. 16. For the leaders of this people cause them to erre by their ill counsel and example Exempla enim non ibi consistunt ubi caeperunt The Ancients placed the Statues of their Princes and Patriots near the fountains to shew that they were the springheads of good or evil to the publike Some read the words thus Those that bless this people viz. the false Prophets have been misleaders ductores fuerunt seductores Pope Pius 2. hath this memorable saying Nihil excellenter malum in Ecclesia In Hist Auster Catholica patratur cujus prima origo à sacerdotibus non dependeat ni forte occulto quodam Dei consilio fiat And they that are led of them Or blessed by them Obiecti Tremel Are destroyed Or swallowed up or blindfolded Ver. 17. Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their yong men Nay he shall laugh at their destruction Prov. 1. Neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widdows They are deceived therefore that being unregenerate hope to find favour with God merely for their adversity and because they have their Hell as they call it here think to have Heaven hereafter Because every one is an hypocrite and an evil-doer That facies hypocritica of our nation is facies Hippocratica saith One a mortal complexion a sad Prognostick And every mouth speaketh folly Or villany sapless worthless rotten and stinking stuffe Eph. 4.29 Ver. 18. For wickedness burneth as a fire God will burn up these wicked Israelits as once he did those sinfull Sodomits for unregenerate Israel is to him as Ethiopia Am. 9.7 when once scelera abierunt in mores and there is a general defection of all sorts and States God will make an utter riddance of them he will fire the whole forrest Ver. 19. Through the wrath of the Lord of hostes is the Land darkened viz. by that pride of smoke or vast pillar of smoke mentioned ver 18. Tristem miseram rerum faciem designat No man shall spare his brother Wickedness is cruel and a man had as good deal with a Cannibal as with a truly covetous caytiffe Ver. 20. And he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry Inexplebilem illorum avaritiam rapacitatem notat They shall rape and scrape by right or wrong and yet as sick of a bulimy or under the curse of unsatisfiableness they shall never have enough Eccles 5.10 See the Note there They shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm that is they shall make a prey of they nearest allyes Some understand the text of civil wars which indeed are most unnatural Imbelles damae quid nisi praeda sumus and concerning which One saith well Dissidia nostra sunt amicorum dispendia hostium compendia publica irae divinae incendia Ver. 21. Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh Snarling at and intertearing one another as dogs about the kingly dignity or some other reasonless reason Thus the Prophet exemplifieth what he had spoken And they together shall be against Judah So Herod and Pilate could unite against Christ Luk. 23.7 8 9 and those that were at greatest enmity amongst themselves against the Church Psal 83.5 8. So in Julian the Apostates time Jews and Gentiles combined against Christians and in our dayes Papists and Lutherans against Calvinists In Syngram How unworthily and impotently do the Lutherans of Suevia rail upon that holy man Oecolampadius whose note it is upon this text that these last dangerous times were foretold by St. Paul 2 Tim. 3.1 2. Annon eosdem describunt Paulus Jesaias saith He Do not Paul and Isaiah describe the same men Bullinger observeth concerning the Anabaptists of Germany that as they are at great odds among themselves so they all agree against godly Ministers of the truth to despise and disparage them to the utmost CHAP. X. Ver. 1. VVOe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees Having denounced Woe to wicked of all sorts the Prophet here threatneth wicked Princes in particular as the chief causes of Gods judgements by their misgovernment Periculosissimum Prophetae factum Sculter cui seditionis dica scribi poterat This was boldly done of the Prophet and there wanted not those doubtless that would say it was sedition Luther for like cause was called the Trumpet of rebellion sc for declaring against the Popes decrees and decretals though never so unrighteous and vexatious not much short of that made by Nero Whosoever confesseth himself a Christian so a Protestant let him without further defence of himself be put to death as a convicted enemy of mankind And that write grievousness Or and to the writers that write grievous things viz. the publike Notaries registers
Gentlewomen and others like beasts and dogs being naked and coupled together were led into the woods and there ravished Such as resisted the Souldiers stript naked whipped them cropt their ears and so sent them home again I will not meet the as a man But as a Lion rather Absque omni humanitatis contemperatione Scult Tractabo te pro divina potentia mea Piscat thou shalt have vengeance without mixture of mercy See 2 Sam. 7.24 Isa 13.6 27.7 8 Hos 5.14 Men use sometimes to deal favourably with women but they shall not do so with thee Ver. 4. As for our Redeemer c. This comes in by way of Parenthesis for the comfort of Gods poor people Ver. 5. Sit thou silent Here he threatneth Babylon with loss of her former fame she shall be buried in obscurity and oblivion as out of sight and out of mind no longer called the Lady of Kingdoms but a wretched drudge ut de Hecuba tradunt Tragici For thou shalt no more be called Heb. thou shalt not add to be called Ocolampadius senseth it thus Thou wast wont to be called the Lady of Kingdoms now they shall call thee Non adjicies as desperate and irrecoverable And why Ver. 6. I was wrath See on Zach. 1. ver 15. I have polluted mine inheritance God is his peoples inheritance and they are his but now for their sins He had dealt with them as with a profane and unclean thing Thou didest shew them no mercy Heb. thou didst set them no bowels Cruelty cries for vengeance See Jer. 50.17 with 51.24 Vpon the ancient Who should have been born with for their age and weakness Ver. 7. I shall be a Lady for ever Presumption precedeth destruction Psal 10.6 Rev. 18.7 So that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart The daughter of Pride is security and pleasure is her neece ver 8. Nor didst remember the latter end of it Heb. her latter end Memorare novissima tua in aeternum non peccabis See Lam. 1.4 Ver. 8. Thou that art given to pleasure Delicatula It is not good to take pleasure in pleasure no not to go as far here as we may verecunda sunt omnia initia peccati sin seemeth modestat first c. Thou faist in thine heart I am sc the Lady of the world Heathen Rome was called by the Heathens Terarum dea gentiumque Rome Papal saith as much Rev. 17.4 And none else besides me i. e. None worth speaking off The Jesuites brag in like sort of their transcendent learning and professe skil beyond the periphery of possible knowledge I shall not sit as a widdow i. e. Be bereft of my Monarchy which is as it were my husband Neither shall I know the losse of children I shall not cease to subdue Countries and Kingdoms which are added unto me as so many children Ver. 9. But these two things shall come upon thee in a moment Accidit in puncto c. Babylon was suddenly taken in one night as the Prophet had foretold chap. 21. and as the history testifieth Dan. 5. Periit inter pocula For the multitude of thy sorceries Thy taking upon thee to divine of each mans life and fortune by the Stars and Horoscope for which profession the Chaldeans were famous But what a madness was it in Cardanus who by the like skill went about to demonstrate that it was fatal to our Saviour Christ Alsted Encycl lib 30. cap. 10. to dye the death of the Cross Ver. 10. Thou hast trusted in thy wickednesse God calleth that wickednesse which they counted wisdom None seeth me Ne Deus quidem novit rationes meas Graceless men having hid God from themselves think also to hide themselves from God Thy wisdom and thy knowledge Thy Magical arts and practices Quantus artifex pereo quadrabit in te peritum periturum Ver. 11. Therefore shall evil come upon thee An evil an only evil as Ezek. 7.5 both unexpected and inexpiable such as thou canst neither avoid nor abide Ver. 12. Stand now with thine enchantments Try thine utmost skill and let 's see what thou canst do forthy self Sen. Hâ—nc divinaâ—oâ—es per Antoâ—nomasiam Châ—lâ—aeâ— appellati this is spoken in way of derision Wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth But found them to be no better than toilesome toyes quae nec ignoranti nocent nec scientem juvant Against judiciary Astrology see Aug. de civ Dei lib. 5. cap. 1 2 3 4 5. Ver. 13. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels As all such are sure to be with a woe to boot as take counsel but not of God and that cover with a covering but not by his spirit that they may add sin to sin Isa 30.1 Thus do those vain Astrologers that pretend to read mens fates and fortunes in the Heavens velut in Minervae peplo and thence to foretell good and evil But experience frequently confuteth them as it did Abraham the Jew who foretold by the stars the coming of their Messiah Anno Domini 1464. And Albumazar a Mahometan Wizzard who predicted an end of the Christian Religion Anno 1460. at utmost A great flood was foretold by these Diviners to fall out in the year 1524. cum planetae comitis in piscibus celebrarent Hollinsh in 1524. This caused the Prior of St. Bartholomews in London wise-man-like to go and build him an house at Harrow on the hill for his better security Stand up and save thee Save thee if they can but Baltasar found they could not though he called for them all Dan. 5.7 8. and they likely had promised him an everlasting Monarchy as some did the Romans imperium sine fine but falsly for now the Roman Empire is at a very low ebbe and who shall be Emperour This was wâ—itten Sept. 19. 1637. is much questioned Ver. 14. Behold they shall be as stubble As dryed stubble Nah. 1.10 See the Note there They shall not deliver themselves Much lesse others There shall not be a coal to warm at Like a fire of flax which is soon extinct and leaves no embers or cinders behind it In a spiritual sense it may be said of most of our hearts and houses as here There 's not a coal to warm at Deest ignis as Father Latimer was wont to say the fire of zeal is wanting that flame of God Cant. 8.6 Ver. 15. Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured But all in vain viz. with thy Wizzards and Diviners those deceivers of the people Cic de divinat lib. 2. concerning whom Cato once said Potest Augur Augurem videre non ridere Can those fellows look one on another and not laugh when they consider how they cozen people and cheat them of their moneys Cic. orat 4. in Ver. hence they are called merchants also in the next words as some think qui non tam coeli rationem quam coelati argenti ducunt Such
money-Merchants hath mystical Babylon also not a few Rev. 18.11 Non desunt Antichristo sui Augures malefici saith Oecolampadius Antichrist hath those abroad that trade with him and for him these shall be cast alive with him into the burning lake Rev. 19.20 and though they wander yet not so wide as to misse of hell CHAP. XLVIII Ver. 1. HEar ye this O house of Jacob Ye stiffenecked of Israel and uncircumcised in heart and eares who do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost Act. 7.51 to you be it spoken for to the Israelites indeed enough hath been said of this subject already Which are called by the name of Israel Sed nomen inane crimen immane Ye are called Jews and make your boast of God Rom. 2.17 having a form of knowledge Picti estis Israelitae est◠hypocritae Rom. 2.20 and of godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 and that 's all the voyce of Jacob but the hands of Esau Let such fear Jacobs fear My Father perhaps will feel me and I shall seem to him as a deceiver and I shall bring a curse upon me and not a blessing Gen. 27.12 'T is sure enough And are come forth out of the waters of Judah i. e. Out of the bowels Pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 videtur hic legendum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Gen. 15.4 as waters out of a spring Deut. 33.28 Psal 68.26 Judah was the tribe royal hence they so gloried and remained ruling with God and faithful with the Saints when other tribes revolted Which swear by the Name of the Lord And not of Baal And make mention of the God of Israel Who was neer in their mouths but far from their reines Jer. 22.2 Psal 50.16 Religionem simulabant cum in cute essent nequissimi arrant hypocrites But not in truth nor in righteousnesse i. e. Without faith and sound conversion Ver. 2. For they call themselves of the holy City Inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah yea they swore by their City and Temple as appeareth in the Gospel and cryed out ad ravim usque The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Jer. 7. like as the Romists now do The Church the Church glorying in the false and empty title of Roman Catholicks Sed grande est Christianum esse non dici saith Hierom and it is a great vanity saith the Poet Respicere ad fumos nomina vana Catonum And stay themselves As far as a few good words will go See on Mic. 3.11 The Lord of hosts is his Name So said these hypocrites bearing themselves bold upon so great a God who had all creatures at his command Ver. 3. I have declared the former things This God had said oft before but being now to conclude this comfortable Sermon he repeats here the heads of what had been spoken in the seven foregoing Chapters Ver. 4. Because I knew that thou art obstinate Heb. hard obduraete therefore do I so inculcate these things if by any means I may mollify thee Hypocrites are harder to be wrought upon then other sinners And thy neck is an iron sinew Thou art utterly averse from yea adverse to any good no more bended thereunto than if the body had for every sinew a plate of iron And thy brow brasse Sinews of iron argue a natural impotency and somewhat more but brows of brasse impudency in evil quando pudet non esse impudentes when men are shamelesse in sin setting it upon the cliffe of the Rock Ezek. 24.7 and declaring it as Sodom Isa 3.9 Ver. 5. I have even from the beginning c. See ver 3. It is probable that there were many among the Jews who when they saw themselves to be so punished and the heathen prospered would be ready to think that the God of Israel either could not or would not do for his people as those Devil-gods did for theirs For their help therefore under such a temptation God was pleased to foretell his people what good or evil should betide them and accordingly to accomplish it Ver. 6. Thou hast heard see all this Here God extorteth from them a confession of the aforesaid truth and urgeth them to attest and publish it Ver. 7. They are created now i. e. They are now brought to light by my Revelations and predictions Behold I knew them By my gods or Diviners or by my natural sagacity Ver. 8. Yea thou heardest not yea thou knewest not Yea so oft used here is very emphatical and sheweth how hardly sinners are born down and made to beleeve plain truths where they are prepossessed with conceits to the contrary And wast called a transgressour from the womb Ever since thou madest and worshippedst a golden Calf in the wildernesse See here the Note on Psal 58.3 and art still as good at resisting the Holy Ghost as ever thy Fathers were Act. 7.51 Ver. 9. For my name sake will I defer mine anger Heb. prolong it Here he setteth forth the cause of his patience toward so perverse a people viz. the sole respect to his own glory whereof he is so tender and so loth to be a loser in Propter me faciam And for my praise The praise of my might and mercy That I cut thee not off Which I would do were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy lest thine adversaries should behave themselves strangely and lest they should say Our hand is high and the Lord hath not done all this Deut. 32.27 Ver. 10. Behold I have refined thee but not with silver Much lesse as gold which is wont to be fined most exactly Non agam summo jure tecum Jun. and to the uttermost because these precious mettles will not perish by fire But thou hast more drosse in thee than good oare therefore I have refined thee with favour Psal 118.18 Ne totus disperires lest I should undoe thee for if thy punishment should be commensurate to thine offence thou must needsly perish I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction i. e. In affliction which is as a furnace or crucible See Ezek. 20.37 Ver. 11. For mine own sake even for mine own sake This is oft repeated that it may once be well observed Bene cavet spiritus sanctus ubique in Scripturis ne nostris operibus salutem tribuamus it is Oecolampadius his Note upon the first verse of this Chapter i. e. The holy Ghost doth everywhere in Scripture take course that we ascribe not our safety to our own works See on chap. 43.13 For how should my Name be polluted As it will be by the blasphemous Heathens who else will say that their gods are fortiores faventiores more powerful and more merciful than the God of the Hebrews Thus the Turkes at this day when they have beaten the Christians cry up their Mahomet as mightier than Christ And I will not give my glory to another Presse this in prayer 't is an excellent argument Exod. 32.12 Josh 7.9 Psal 79.9 10. Psal
their Potentates have believed our report concerning the Messiah chap. 52.13 14 15. But Lord how few Jews will give credit to what we have said Lib. 1. de Consens Evang. cap. 31. Albeit this Chapter may not unfitly be called The Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Isaiah and things are here set down so plain that Austin thinks they need no exposition yet those Buzzards the later Rabbines cannot or rather will not see that the Prophet speaketh here all along concerning Christ but do strangely writh wring and wrest his words to a wrong sense applying them some to Moses some to Ezra some to Joshuah the son of Josadak c. John Isaac indeed the Jew confesseth of himself as hath been said before that by pondering upon this Chapter he was converted to the Christian Religion the like we read of some few others in Andreas Bayna and Cornelius à Lapid But the Jews themselves will tell you falsely and maliciously that such pretended Proselytes are not of them but poor Christians hired by us to personate their part such a thick veil is still before their eyes such a hard hoof upon their hearts till God pleases by his own holy arm made bare to remove it They could not that is they would not believe Joh. 12.39 They have not all nay scarce any in comparison obeyed the Gospel Rom. 10.16 but blasphemously call it Avengelaion a volume of vantiy scorning to be saved by a crucified God although by mighty miracles wrought amongst them he shewed himself to be the Son of God and an arm to save all that believe in his name Joh. 12.37 And to whom is the Arm of the Lord i. e. His Gospel which is his power to salvation Rom. 1.16 and is hid only to them that perish 2 Cor. 4.3 Ver. 2. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant His beginning shall be mean and despicable See chap. 11.1 with the Notes God hid his Son under the Carpenters son Humilis Christi prosapia nocatur this the Jews much stumbled at Matth. 13.55 57. Luke 24.1 Joh. 7.27 41 53. 1 Cor. 1.23 that Christ should come without sightly shew or state But they should have known that his Kingdom is not of this world Some of their Rabbines can say In regno Messiae nihil mundanum He hath no form or comliness How could he say when his fair face was covered sanguine sputo spinis lacrymis with blood black and blew swelths spettle tears scratches so that Pilat wondering at it said Behold the man q. d. he is not dealt with as a man but being in greatest misery he deserveth to be pittied And when we shall see him Here the Prophet taketh upon him the person of a carnal Jew who judged of Christ according to his outward appearance Joh. 7.24 But what saith the Chaldee Proverb Ne spectes cantharum vel urceum sed id quod in eo est Look not on the pitcher but on the liquor that is contained in it And when we shall see him there is no beauty Heb. And we shall see him and no sight or sightliness That we should desire him And yet he was a Man of desires yea the desire of all Nations Hag. 2.7 all over desirable Cant. 5.16 but so he is only to such as have their senses exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5. ult Ver. 3. He is despised and rejected of men Heb. desitus virorum one at whom the nature and name of man endeth as we would say the very list and fag-end of mankind Jun. Tertul. nullificamen hominis a worm and no man not held so good as wicked Barabbas but crucified betwixt two theeves as worse then either of them and made nothing of Mar. 9.12 This is so plainly here set forth that some of the Jew-doctours Aben-Ezra for one when as they cannot rightly distinguish betwixt the two comings of Christ the one in humility and the other in glory duos construunt Christos Genebrard they make us up two Christs the one the Son of Joseph to whom agree those things which the Scriptures speak of concerning Christs meanness and sufferings the other the Son of David to whom they apply those things that are written concerning the glory majesty and triumphs of Christ Ex doloribus conslatus A man of sorrows q. d. made up of sorrows Atque hic mirus artifex est Propheta and here the Prophet sheweth singular skill in discribing Christs state of humiliation through all the degrees of it And Faith is much happier in finding out his cross blood nails tomb and all then ever Helen was or any Popish relique-monger and in making use of them too to better purpose then that Popish Covent of Friars do who have hired those places of the Turk built Temples altars and silver floores in honour of the Passion And acquainted with grief Heb. knowing of infirmity or inured to it see Heb. 4.15 The Greek Letany hath By thine unknown sorrows and sufferings Good Lord deliver us And we hid as it were our faces from him Or And he hid as it were the face from us viz. as one for his loth somenesse his low condition ashamed to be seen The Jews in their Talmud question What is the name of Messiah Sanhedrin Some answer Hhenara leprous and he sitteth among the poor in the gates of Rome carrying their sicknesses He was despised double-despised and for the unworthinesse of the things this is repeated And we esteemed him not i. e. We contemned and derided him Ver. 4. Surely he hath born our griefs He took our infirmities natural though not sinful or He suffered for our offences and his satispassion is our satisfaction as Luther phraseth it he suffered saith Peter the just for the unjust he bore our sins in his own body on the tree 1 Pet. 2.24 he the true scapâ—-goat taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1.29 bearing them into the land of forgetfulnesse this is his continual act and this should be as a perpetual picture in our hearts Surely he did all this for us Juramentum est Vere This Surely or Truely is an oath for better assurance and satisfaction to any doubting conscience For which cause also the same thing is said over again ver 5. and herewith agreeth that of the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a sure saying and worthy of all men to be received that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners Yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God sc for his own deserts and not for ours we looked upon him as a deceiver a wine-bibber a blasphemer and one that wrought by Beelzebub c. and therefore we crucified him Smitten of God Percussus Dei saith the Syriack The Apostle saith God spared not his Son Flagellatum à Deo Theodotion Rom. 8.32 and because the creature could not strike a stroke hard enough himself was pleased to bruise him But that this was done
the seats they sit on the pillars they lean to the dead bodies they tread upon So shall ye serve strangers God loves to retaliate Ver. 20. Declare this in the house of Jacob c. Cease not to ring it in their ears whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for it is a rebellious people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the number of those who wink willingly that they may not see when some unsavory potion is ministred to them as Justin Martyr expresseth it Ver. 21. Hear now this O foolish people They were strangely stupified and were therefore thus rippled up Those that are in a Lethargy must have a double quantity of Physick to what others have And without understanding Heb. Without an heart Cor sapit pulmo loquitur c. The heart is the symbol and seat of wisdom See Hos 7.11 with the Note Which have eyes and see not c. See Esay 6.9 and 42.20 which have not senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5. ult Ver. 22. Fear ye not me saith the Lord What not me whom the sea it self that tumultuous and unruly creature feareth and obeyeth See Psal 65.7 and 93.4 Who have placed the sand for a bound to the sea A weak bound for so furious an element Vis maris infirmissimo sabuli pulvere cohibetur But so I will have it and then who or what can gainstand it Now who can but be moved at such miracles Know you not that I can soon make your arable sailable and that I can shake the earth as oft as there is a tempest in the Ocean sith the earth is founded not upon solid rocks but fluid waters See 2. Pet. 3.5 By a perpetual decree Heb. by an ordinance of antiquity or of perpetuity clapping it up close prisoner Ver. 23. But this people have a revolting and rebellious heart Cor recedens amaricans gone they are and return they will not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. Apostates are dangerous creatures and mischievous above others witnesse Julian once a forward professour Lucian once a Preacher at Antioch Staphylus and Latomus once great Lutherans afterwards eager Popelings Harding was the Target of Popery in England saith Peter Moulin against which he had once been a thundering Preacher in this land wishing he could cry out against it as loud as the bells of Oseney Act. Mon. fol. 1291. The Lady Jane Gray whose chaplain he had sometimes been gave him excellent counsel in a letter but he was revolted and gone past call Ver. 24. Neither say they in their hearts God understands heart language and expects a tribute there Let us now fear the Lord Fear him for his goodness as well as for his greatness ver 22. See Hos 3.5 and Notes That giveth rain Which God decreeth Job 28.26 prepareth Psal 147.8 withholdeth Am. 4.7 bestoweth Deut. 28.12 Mat. 5.41 for a witness Acts 17.14 of his general goodness Mat. 5.45 and special providence as a good housholder Act. 14.17 He reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of harvest Which if he should deny us but one year only how easily might he starve us all See his love and fear his Name Ver. 25. Your iniquities have turned See on Isa 59.1 2. Ver. 26. For among my people are found wicked men This was as bad as to find a nettle in a garden unchastity in a Virgin or the devil in Paradise All the Lords people are or ought to be holy They lye in wait Or watch or prey See on Mic. 7.2 They set a trap they catch men To spoil them or slay them Such a one was Otto the Popes Muscipulator as the story stileth him i. e. Mice-catcher sent hither by Gregory 9. to take and take away our money Tecelius sent by Leo 10. into Germany was another Ver. 27. As a cage is full of birds so are their houses full of deceit i. e. Of ill-gotten goods which will prove no such catch in the close as they count upon Ver. 28. They are waxen fat they shine Pingues nitidi sunt cutem curant ut Epicuri de grege porci fat they are and fair liking slick and smooth Yea they overpasse the deeds of the wicked They out-sin others Or as some sense it they escape better then others Psal 73.5 Ver. 29. Shall I not visit See ver 9. Ver. 30. A wonderful and horrible thing Res stupenda horrenda an abhorred filth such as may well draw from us an hen hen Domine Deus Is committed in the Land Heb. in this land where men are therefore the worse because they should be better Ver. 31. The Prophets phophecy falsely and the Priests bear rule The chief Priests bearing rule in the causes and consciences of the people had suborned their abbettours ambitious Prophets who applauded their greatness for preferment teaching the people to dote on the titles of Moses chair High-Priests the Temple of the Lord Mat. 15. Aposiopesis de extremo tam deploratae policiae exterminio c. as if there were not many a goodly box in the Apothecaries shop without one dram of any drug therein Such false Prophets were those Pharisees factours for the Priests with their Corban and such also for the Pope are the Jesuites and Seculars which differ only as hot and cold poison both destructive to the State What will ye do Alass what will become of you at last CHAP. VI. Ver. 1. O Ye children of Benjamin These were the Prophets Country-men for Anathoth was in that tribe so was also part of Jerusalem it self He forewarneth them of the enemies approach and bids them be gone The Benjamites were noted for valiant but vitious Judg. 19. Hos 9.9 and 10 9. And blow the trumpet in Tekoah A place that had its name from trumpetting so there is an elegan◠in the Original See the like Mic. 1.10 14. It was twelve miles from Jerusalem and six from Beth-haccerem Here dwelt that wise woman suborned by Joah 2 Sam. 14.2 Life of Ed. 6. by S J. Heyw. Set up a sign of fire A Beacon or such as the fire-crosse is in Scotland where for a signal to the people when the enemy is at hand two fire-brands set across and pitched upon a spear are carried about the Countrey Ver. 2. I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman Certatim amatae Bucolicae puellae some fair Shepherdess to whom the Kings with their armies make love but for no love that they may destroy and spoil her Ver. 3. The Shepherds See on ver 2. Ver. 4. Prepare ye warre against her Say those Chaldean sweet-hearts this is their wooing language like that of the English at Muscleborough Let us go up at noon Let us lose no time why burn we day-light by needless delays Ver. 5. Let us destroy her Palaces Where we shall find all precious substance we shall fill our hands with spoile as Prov. 1.13 Ver. 6. For thus hath the
is our iniquity Nature sheweth no sin it is no causelesse complaint of a grave Divine that some deale with their souls as others do 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 excuses Ver. 11. Because your fathers See chap. 2.5 and 7.24 25. Ver. 12. And you have done worse See chap. 7.26 For behold ye walk See chap. 9.13 and 11.8 and 13.10 Ver. 13. Therefore I will cast you Chap. 10.18 Because ye have sinned wilfully and willingly ye shall be cast out of this land though full sore against your wills And there shall ye serve other gods Will ye nill ye for a just punishment of your voluntary idolatries being compeld by your imperious enemies so to do Notatur poena talionis except ye will taste of the whip as now the Turkes gally-slaves Where I will not shew you favour This was a cutting speech and far worse then their captivity like as that was a sweet promise Zech. 10.6 They shall be as if I had not cast them off and I will hear them Ver. 14 Therefore behold Or notwithstanding sc these grievous threatnings and extream desolations Thus the Lord still remembreth his Remnant and the Covenant made with them Ministers also must comfort the precious as well as threaten the vile and vicious Evangelizatum non maledictum missus es laudo zelum modo non desideretur mansuetudo said Oecolampadius to Farellus in a certain Epistle Thou wert sent to preach Gospel and not Law only to poure oyle as well as wine into wounded consciences I commend thy zeal so it be tempered with meeknesse of wisdom That it shall no more be said i. e. Not so much be said the lustre of this deliverance shall in some sort dimme the lustre of that but both must be perpetually celebrated Ver. 15. But the Lord liveth c. Or let the Lord live and let the God of our salvation be exalted Psal 18.46 See the Notes there How much more then should our Redemption from Sin Death and Hell by Jesus Christ obscure all temporal deliverance See for this chap. 23.7 8. Confer also chap. 3.16 Ver. 16. Behold I will send for many fishers c. sc To inclose in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 large and capacious nets whole shoales of them together These were the Chaldees whom God sent for arcano instinctu cordium by putting it into their hearts to come up against Jerusalem Howbeit some by fishers understand the Egyptians who lived much by fishing and by hunters the Chaldeans as Gen. 10.8 9. And they shall hunt them Out of all their starting holes and lurking places as the Romans afterwards pul'd them out of their privies c. Ver. 17. For mine eyes are upon all their wayes And though they hide me from themselves yet can they not hide themselves from me possibly nor from my hunters who shall ferret them out Paenarum abund◠Jun. Ver. 18. And first i. e. Before I restore them I will recompence their iniquity and their sin double i. e. Abundantly I will have my full pennyworths of them not double to their deserts as Isa 40.2 and 60.1 With the carcasses i. e. With their Idolatries more odious and loathsome then any stinking carcasses can be Ver. 19. My refuge Better then those of the fugitive Jews out of which they were hunted and murthered The Gentiles shall come to thee By faith and repentance Ver. 20. Should a man make gods to himself Nonne res haec stupore digna Is not this a strange sottishnesse The Gentiles here see it and yet the Papists will not Ver. 21. I will for this once And this once shall stand for all Affliction shall not rise up the second time Nah. 1.9 And I will make them to know Effectu magis quam affectu My hand and my might i. e. My mighty hand mine irresistible power in their just punishment CHAP. XVII Ver. 1. THe sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron The foure first verses of this Chapter are left out by the Septuagint Hierom saith they omitted them in gratiam honorem populi sui in favour and for the honour of their country-men the Jews but that was no just reason For ever O Lord thy Word is setled in heaven Psal 119.89 though there were not a Bible left on earth These sinners against their own souls had their Idolatry so deeply engraven on their hearts that they could not get out the stamp and the guilt thereof stuck so fast to their consciences that they could hardly get off either the sting or the stain thereof It is graven upon the Tables of their hearts Their sin lay there where the law should have lain Ezek. 31.33 Like as Queen Mary when she dyed told those about her that the losse of Callice lay at her heart a place far fitter for Jesus Christ And upon the hornes of your Altars Whereon the blood of your sacrifices are sprinkled and so your sin proclaimed Ver. 2. While their children remember their Altars Or as they remember their children so they remember their Altars and their Groves sc with greatest love and delight The Greeks call children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Comedian Charissima so were their Idols to these Jews Ver. 3. O my mountain in the field Or O my mountain and field i. e. O ye mountaneirs and fieldlings Montani fere asperi sunt inculti molliores corpore atque moribus pratenses they should all be spoiled one with another for the sin of their high-places Ver. 4. And thou even thy self shalt discontinue Or intermit sc the tillage of thy land See Exod. 23.11 with Levit. 26.33 34. it shall keep her Sabbaths Ver. 5. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man Disserit hic de summo bono de summo malo saith one here the Prophet discourseth of the chief good and of the chief evil This later he pronounceth to be to depart from God and to depend upon the creature for help for such a man seem he never so manly a man haggheber is accursed of God whom he robbeth of his chief jewel that which giveth him the soveraignty and setteth as it were the crown upon his head See Judg. 9.15 Psal 78.22 and 52.7 And maketh flesh his arm i. e. His strength for in brachio est robur Now three wayes saith a Reverend man we make flesh our arm Mr. Case 1. By sitting down in a faithlesse sullen discontent and despair when we can see no second causes 2. By rising up in a corky frothy confidence when we see sufficient humane help 3. When we ascribe the glory of our good to it sacrificing to our own net Habak 1. This is to pull the curse upon our heads with twisted wrath and indignation Whose heart departeth from God He trusteth not God at all who trusteth him
2.13 32. Ver. 14. Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon See chap. 2.13 which may stand for a Commentary on this Verse The rocks of Lebanon were still covered with Snow whence also it was called Lebanon i. e. white Now the Lord was to the Jews as this snow was to the thirsty traveller cooling and comforting and therefore in no wise to be left Or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken Heb. shall strange cool flowing water be forsaken or fail Ver. 15. Because my people hath forgotten me Not forsaken me only Of all things God cannot abide to be forgotten this is that very horrible thing ver 13. this is filthinesse in Virgin Israel which is most abominable From the ancient paths Chalked out by the Law and walked in by the Patriarches and Prophets Vepreta avia Heb. paths of antiquity or of Eternity Set a jealous eye upon novelties and shun untrodden paths as dangerous Ver. 16. To make their land desolate Not intentionally so but yet eventually Idolatry is a land-desolating sin Ver. 17. I will scatter them Wherry and whirle them up and down as chaff before the force of the enemy I will shew them the back and not the face This was woful but just upon them for their unworthy dealing in like sort with the Lord 2 Chron. 29.6 chap. 2.27 32.33 Ezek. 8.16 Every transgression and disobedience hath a just recompence of reward Heb. 2.2 Ver. 18. Then said they Come let us devise devices Words savouring of a most exulcerate spirit against God and his faithful Prophet quem toto coelo hic explodunt whom they shamefully slight and desperately oppose both with their virulent tongues and violent hands Hence his ensuing complaint and not without cause For the Law shall not perish from the Priest c. As he would perswade us it shall We shall have Priests Sages and Prophets still berter then he is any let us therefore stop his mouth or make him away there will be no great losse of him Come let us smite him with the tongue By loading him with slanders and laying false accusations against him Some men have very sharp tongues He that was famous for Abuses stript and whipt had nothing but his tongue to whip them with Some render it Let us smite that tongue of his that is tie it up and tamper it that he reprove us no more Or if he do yet Let us not give heed to any of his words If we cannot rule his tongue yet let us rule our own ears and say Tu linguae nos aurium domini And is not this the very language of the Romists Non tam ovum ovo simile c. Ver. 19. Give heed to me O Lord Though they will not yet do thou I beseech thee This is ordinary with good men when wearied out with the worlds misusages to turn them to God and to seek help of him Ver. 20. Shall evil be recompensed for good q. d. That 's greatest disingenuity and unthankfulnesse To render good for evil is Divine good for good is humane evil for evil is bruitishâ—s but evil for good devilish Lo with such breathing devils had Jeremy here to do and indeed what good man hath not See 1 Sam. 24.17 Psal 35.12 109.5 Ver. 21. Wherefore deliver up their children to the famine He who had prayed so hard for them could and did pray here as earnestly against them yet not out of private revenge but by a prophetick spirit whereby he foretelleth their calamities auxesi verborum per hypotyposin This is usual with the Psalmist and other Prophets And let their men be put to death Heb. be killed with death See Rev. 2.23 with the Note Ver. 22. When thou shalt bring a troop The Vulgar rendereth it Latronem a thief or robber viz. Nebuchadnezzar that arch-thief whose Monarchy was grande latrocinium and whose regiment without righteousnesse was robbery by authority Ver. 23. Yet Lord thou knowest all their counsel Though I know it not yet thou art privy to it and canst prevent it for wisdom and might are thine Dan. 2.20 To slay me All malice is bloody Forgive not their iniquity He knew their sin to be unpardonable and therefore prayeth for vengeance upon them unavoydable This was fulfilled upon the Jews by the Babylonians in respect of Jeremy and by the Romans in respect of Christ Neither blot out their sin from thy sight A heavy curse Woe to such as whose debts stand uncrossed in Gods book Their sins may sleep a long time like a sleeping debt not called for of many years as Sauls sin in slaying the Gibeonites was not punished till forty years after as Joabs killing of Abner slept all Davids dayes Mens consciences also may sleep in such a case for a season but their damnation sleepeth not nor can their condition be safe till God have wiped out their sins for his own sake till he have crossed out the black lines of our iniquities with the red lines of his Sons blood and taken out of his coffers so much as may fully satisfie c. CHAP. XIX Ver. 1. THus saith the Lord By the former Type of a Potter and his Vessel God had shewed the Jews what he could do to them viz. break them at his pleasure and remake them upon their repentance Here by a like prophetical paradigme is set forth what the Lord now will do to them viz. break them so for their obstinacy as that they should never be repaired and restored to their ancient lustre and flourish And this the Prophet Jeremy fortissimus ille Dei athleta as One calleth him that valiant Champion of the Lord telleth them freely though he kissed the flocks and was well beaten for his boldnesse chap. 20.2 Where it is worthy our observation that as the Prophets task was more and more increased so was his strength and courage Deus gratiam multiplicat onere ingravescente So it was with Athanasius Luther Latimer Calvin c. Goe and get a Potters earthen bottle Called in Hebrew Bakbuk Onomatopaejae either from the emptinesse and hollownesse of it or else from the gugling sound that it made when it was either filled or emptyed By a like figure it is said of the vulturine Eagle Jegnalegnudam Job 39.30 that they doe glutglut blood And take of the ancients Of both sorts for witnesses Ver. 2. And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom See chap. 7.3 that where the Jews had sinned there they might be sentenced Which is by the entry of the East-gate Or as others render it Portam fictilem seu testaceam the Potters gate because the Potters dwelt near to it and thereby carried forth their potsheards called also the dung-gate saith the Chaldee Paraphrase an allusion being hereby made both to the pot he carried and to the pieces of it when broken which should be cast to the dunghil Inde ad gehennam via erat This
wheeling businesses of the world These are so one within another as that all their motion dependeth on the Angels whom he also moderateth and ordereth at his own pleasure Dr. Prest Whensoever therefore we see such things come to passe that we can see no reason for as the Churches overthrown the wicked exalted c. consider that one wheel is within another and the wings of the Angels are one within another c. Ver. 17. When they went they went upon their four sides Or according to their four sides i. e. thorough the four parts of the world as they were moved by the four living creatures And they returned not when they went But kept on strait forward without stopping or stepping back Diod. A figure of the constant and consonant harmony which is in all the works of Gods Providence toward the world but especially toward his Church Ver. 18. As for their rings they were so high Apsides earum tam amplae seu altae ut propterea formidabiles The rings or strakes Heb. backs of these wheeles were so broad and high that they struck terrour into the beholders It is hard to take the altitude of second causes Well might one write a book of the Vanity of Sciences and another a Tractat Quod nihil scitur I would see the proudest of you all define the nature of a straw as one preached in Cambridge to all the Schollars so of a flower of a fly c. Well might David say Thy judgements Lord are a great deep Psal 36.6 such as hath neither bank nor bottom Well might Paul cry out O the depth how unsearchable are his wayes c. Rom. 11.23 And the rings were full of eyes Instead of cart-nailes Understand hereby Gods all-seeing Providence which never erreth but alwayes ordereth the worlds disorders to his own glory Round about them four The Divine Providence is like a well-drawn picture which eyeth all that are in the room See 2 Chron. 16.9 Psal 34.15 Zach. 4.10 Job 34.21 and 36.7 Jer. 16.17 and 32.17 Ver. 19. And when the living creatures went the wheels went by them The Angels are Gods hands as it were whereby are acted and agitated this lower world and the second causes therein The wheeles were lift no The spirits of the creatures were heightened and elevated to some unwonted and more then ordinary service by some special instinct We use to say Magnarum rerum tarda molimina when there are many wheeles some will be alwayes out But it is otherwise here and that of Ambrose is verified Nescit tarda molâ—mina Spiritus sancti gratia God can soon effect great things by his powerful grace Ver. 20. Whithersoever the Spirit was to go See ver 1â— and take notice that whatever the instrument is or means of this or that occurrence God is the main Agent It is Christ who by his Spirit worketh all in all in his Church 1 Cor. 12.16 Eph. 1.11 Col. 3.21 Spiritus vitalis There falleth not a haire from a mans head nay not a bristle from a sows back saith Tertullian without God For the spirit of the living creatures Or of life The Divine inspiration was the procreant cause of the wheels motion This is here called Haruach that spirit by an excellency Est Deus in nobis The spirit is in the wheels as an invisible but irresistible Agent The heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord he turneth it whithersoever he will Prov. 21.1 Ver. 21. When those went these went and when those stood these stood This is but the same again as before but more fully and plainly See the like Joh. 1.2 Ver. 22. And the likenesse of the firmament The glory of God in Christ is revealed to the Prophet in this ensuing vision even that great mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh c. 1 Tim. 3. whereof this was a kind of prelude To like purpose also was that visiion Isa 6.1 with Joh. 12.39 40 41. Vpon the heads of the living creature Between them and the Lord Christ as a skreen and supplyed likely the office or that other pair of wings Isa 6.2 See Exod. 24.10 Vide Plin. lib. 37. cap. 2. Chrystallus est gelu concretum Was as the colour of the terrible crystal Heb. of the formidable frost that is of the most vehement frost a Periphrasis of crystal All things above are dreadfully glorious as all things below are pellucid pervious and clear to Gods eye like a diaphanous body Heb. 4.13 Mountains of brasse are as transparent to him as the clearest Crystal The firmament is so clear that Christ seeth through it It s a molten looking-glasse Job 37.18 and those Atheists are utterly out who ask How doth God know can he judge through the dark clouds Job 22.13 Ver. 23. Were their wings strait sc When they flew for at other times they covered their bodies with them ver 11 in reverence to Christ their Creatour and Lord. The one toward the other They serve the Lord Christ with one shoulder or consent they do all mind the same thing Congeries similium faciens ad amplificat Ver. 24. And when they went I heard a noise of their wings A very great noise as is here set forth by a threefold similitude Like the noise of great waters Which fall with an horrible fragor as with the Catadupes for instance See Psal 46.3 As the noise of the Almighty i. e. As thunder Psal 29 4. 18.13 The voice of speech When a man cryeth aloud lifteth up his voice like a trumpet sic clamans ut Stentora vincat As the noise of an host Barritus ille militaris besides the roaring of Cannons rattling of wheels beating of drums c. This none heare but the spiritual man who discerneth all things 1 Cor. 2.15 and hath his senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5. ult They let down their wings As expecting a new commission Ver. 25. And there was a voice from the firmament i. e. From above the firmament even from Christ on the throne When they stood When all was husht So Rev. 8.1 there was half an hours silence in heaven that is in the Church on earth when the seventh seal was opened Sedate and silent spirits are fittest to hear Christ's voice Job 4.16 Ver. 26. And above the firmament See on ver 22. Was the likenesse of a throne Far beyond that of Solomon 1 King 10.18 19. That was of Ivory but this of Saphire that had a rich canopy over it but this the azured sky under it See Exod. 24.10 all to set forth Christ's kingly dignity and surpassing Majesty And upon the likenesse All was but likenesse and appearance because all was visional here As the appearance of a man This was the Man Christ Jesus and this is the last and best part of the vision viz. Christ set by his father in supercelestial places far above all Principality and Power c. Ephes
inscription and are therefore frivolous and fruitlesse worthily cast out of our Churches Ver. 3. Moreover take thee unto thee an iron pan Sartaginem ferream in token of Gods hard and inflâ—xible hatred bent against so hard-hearted a people whom he will therefore fry as in a pan and seeth as in a pot Jer. 1.13 so that they shall pine away in their iniquities Set thy face against it and thou shalt lay siege This the Prophet was to do in the name and person of God and his Souldiers the Chaldaeans Hard hearts make hard times yea they make Deum naturâ suâ mollem misericordem melleum durum esse ferreum as one saith God to harden his hand and hasten mens destruction Ver. 4. Lye thou also upon thy left side Which for so long a time to do could not but put the Prophet to great pain and try his patience to the utmost especially if he lay bound all the while as Theodoret thinketh he did to set forth Jerusalems great miseries during the siege or rather Gods infinite patience in bearing with their evil manners with so perverse a people Thou shalt bear their iniquity i. e. Represent my bearing it and forbearing to punish them for it Ver. 5. Three hundred and ninety dayes That is say some the siege of Jerusalem shall continue so many dayes viz. thirteen months or thereabouts But they do better who taking a day for a year in both the accounts as ver 6. and making the forty of Judah to run along with the last year of Israels 390. end both at Nabuzaradans carrying away to Babylon the last reliques of Israel and Judah and begin Israels years at Jeroboams Apostasy Confâ—r châ—o 1.1 2. with 3.15 24 25 26 27. 8.1 and Judah's at Huldah's prophesy in the eighteenth of Josiah's raign when the law was found but not observed by that idolatrous people as appeareth by the complaints made of them by Zephany and Jeremy neither were they warned by their brethrens miseries the ten tribes being now carried into captivity Ver. 6. And when thou hast accomplished them That is art within forty years of accomplishing them Thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty dayes i. e. Years beginning at the eighteenth year of Josiah or as others compute it at his thirteenth year and ending them in the eleventh of Zedekiah which are the bounds of Jeremy's prophecy A very learned man yet living observeth that God doth here set and mark out Judah's singular iniquity by a singular mark for that they had forty years so pregnant instructions and admonitions by so eminent a Prophet as Jeremy yet were they impenitent to their own destruction And the like may well be said of Dr. Vsher that Prophet of Ireland who upon the Toleration of Popery there preaching before the State at Dublin upon a special solemnity made a full and bold application of this text unto them in these very words From this year said he viz. Anno 1601. will I reckon the sin of Ireland and dare say that those whom you embrace shall be your ruine D. Vsher's fun Serm. by Dr. Bern. 39. and you shall bear this iniquity And it fell out accordingly for forty years after viz. Anno 1641 began the Rebellion and destruction of Ireland done by those Papists and Popish Priests then connived at Ver. 7. Set thy face toward the seige of Jerusalem Steel thy countenance be stern and resolute to shew that the Chaldees should be so Thus this Prophet proceedeth to write as it were in Hieroglyphicks and to preach in Emblems And thine arm shall be uncovered i. e. Thou shalt do thy work bodily which when soldiers and servants set themselves to do they make bare their armes ut sint expeditiores for quicker dispatch Even Orators also pleaded with their right arm as Oecolampadius here noteth stript up and strecht out And thou shalt prophecy against it By these signes and dumb shews at least See chap 3.26 Pertinacis poenae simulachrum est Oecolamp Ver. 8. And behold I will lay bands upon thee To shew that he was unchangeably resolved to ruine Judah whom the Prophet here personateth Some make the sense to be this I will give thee strength to hold out in that thy long lying on one side till the City be taken Of a Noble-man of Lovain it is storied that he lay sixteen years in one posture viz. with his face upwards And Pradus saith he saw a mad man who had lain upon one side fifteen years Ver. 9. Take thee also unto thee wheat and barly c. Promiscuam farragintes to shew what shall be the condition of the City in the time of the siege Miscellan bread shall be good fare but hard to come by in that grievous famine Three hundred and ninety dayes shalt thou eat thereof Not sleep all the while as some Papists would have it grounding their conceit upon their Trent-Translation of ver 4. Sleep thou also upon thy left-side c. but lying and sleeping are distinct things as may be seen Psal 3.5 4.8 Ver. 10. Twenty shekles a day Five ounces or ten at most not Prisoners pittance quâ proinde per diem trahitur magis anima quam sustentatur See this complained of Lam. 1.11 19. 2.11 12 19 20. 4.4 9 10. 5.6 9 10. They had sinned in excesse and now they are punished with cleannesse of teeth The famine of the Word is far worse Ver. 11. From time to time shalt thou drink i. e. At thy set times in flata tempora comparcito make no waste the least drop is precious Panem exhibuit Papa non ad purum ignem sed ad oleta Questionariorum Sorbonistarum Canonicorum coctum Pol. Ver. 12. And thou shalt eat it as barly cakes Baked on coales made of homely fuel mans-dung burnt And thou shalt bake it with dung For want of wood Lam. 5.4 To the hungry soul every bitter thin is sweet Pro. 27.7 In their sight This then was more then a vision Ver. 13. Eat their defiled bread Not able now to observe that ceremonial purity in their meats which God had commanded This was just upon them for their worshipping those their dungy-dieties Ver. 14. Ah Lord God behold my soul hath not been polluted Neither had it been here by eating such like bread because God bade him do it and his command legitimateth any thing But a good soul feareth and deprecateth all kind of pollution Keep thy self pure 1 Tim. 5.22 Abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thes 5.22 The Prophet in this Prayer of his is very pathetical Ah Domine Jehoviâ— not Jehova but Jehovi See the like Gen. 15.2 8. Deut. 3.24 9.26 Polan For from my youth up Let us be as careful of spiritual uncleannesse since the devils excrement the corruption of a dead soul Constantinus Copronymus is reported to have delighted in stench and filth The Panther preferreth mans dung before any meat
saith that in the faculty of Physick there is nothing small 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De part anim lib. 1. cap. 5. nothing contemptible Aristotle saith in all nature nothing is so mean vile and abject that deserveth not to be admired The Rabbines have a saying that there is a mountain of sense hangeth upon every Apex of the Word of God c. And brought me thither sc To Jerusalem in vision that valley of Vision In the beginning of this book the spirit carried him into the plain of Shinar there to see a vision purporting the destruction of the material Temple Here toward the close of it he is by the same hand carryed to Jerusalem to see a mystical Temple set up in the stead thereof far more stately The sufferings of this life are in no comparison worthy of the glory that shall be revealed Rom. 8.18 Ver. 2. Brought he me i. e. The Spirit brought me who is called Gods hand ver 1. quia à Patre Filioque quasi manus dimanat so he is called the finger of God Exod. 8.19 that is his power And set me upon a very high mountain Moriah where had stood the Temple which overlooked the City and had been a kind of heaven upon earth wherein the holy Priests and Israelites were as stars By which was the frame of a City So the Temple seemed to him for its many courts walls towers gates c. So doth the Seraglio at this day Ver. 3. And behold there was a man Christ the Soveraign Architect of his Church as Rev. 11.1 This might well be brought in with an Ecce He appeared after another manner in that first dreadful vision chap. 1. Whose appearance was like the appearance of brasse Bright and durable importing Christs purity and eternity With a line of flax in his hand Christs measuring-line is the holy Scripture and the preaching of the Word so is also his measuring rod here said to be of reed but Rev. 11. of gold Both these are in Christs hand to shew that the power and efficacy of the Word read or preached is from him alone See 1 Cor. 3 9 10. 18. 2 Cor. 10.13 17. Ver. 4. Son of man A most kind compellation holding forth Christs Philanthropy or love to mankind He calleth us sons of men who for our sakes became the Son of Man that we might become the sons of God It is observed that Ezekiel with the Seventy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the son of man but Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the son of Adam he was the next and only other common-person Behold with thine eyes and hear with thine eares and set thine heart c. We should give all possible diligence and heed to a discourse of the new Jerusalem that City of pearle setting a work both our outward and inward senses and those well exercised to discern both good and evil Heb. 5. ult Declare all that thou seest unto the house of Israel For therefore hast thou seen it The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 And as any man hath received the gift so let him minister the same to others 1 Pet. 4.10 What use is there of candle under a bushel Ver. 5. And behold a wall on the outside of the house Betokening Gods Almighty Protection of his Church and chosen Esa 26.1 Zach. 2.9 Job 1. Psal 125.1 2. Psal 46.1 c. Ver. 6. Then came he unto the gate Henceforth we shall read of gates greeces posts porches courts chambers windows c. after the manner of Solomons Temple now burnt to ashes Concerning all which various and very different are the opinions of Interpreters We shall see hereafter the whole building in heaven meanwhile for many things here mentioned we must content our selves with a learned ignorance and not call it descriptionem insulsam Sanctius Argum in hoc cap. as that Popish Commenter blasphemed or think that the holy Pen-man spake he knew not what This was basely to speak evil of the things that he knew not How much better those Rabbines who meeting with many things here inextricable and inexplicable say Elias cum venerit solvet omnia Ver. 7 And every little chamber Or Porters-lodge Ver. 8. He measured also the porch This porch which had neither doores nor roof that we read of was symbolum caeli De bell Jud. l. 6. c. 6. caelum enim undique conspicuum lateque patens significabat saith Josephus it represented heaven Ver. 9. And the porch of the gate was inward Or this was the porch of the inner gate Ver. 10. And the little chambers Here lay the door-keepers whose office was to keep out the unclean 2 Chron. 23.19 Oh for such officers amongst us Ver. 11. And the length That is the height of the gate Ver. 12. The space also before the little chambers Which space served either for seats walks or eaves rather at either end Ver. 13. Door against door The one facing the other in a direct line Ver. 14. Even unto the post i. e. The height was the same everywhere See these things best set forth by pictures at the end of Castalio's and Lavaters Annotations on the Text. Ver. 16. Narrow windows i. e. Narrowed the better to let in light and so shadowing out that spiritual illumination and joy wrought in the hearts of the children of light See Esa 42.7 49.6 60.19 20. Mic. 7.8 Luk. 2.32 Joh. 3.19 8.24 9.5 12.35 36 46. Were palm-trees As for ornament so in token of Victory gotten by the Saints who do over-overcome Rom. 8.31 37. 1 Cor. 15.54 55. Ver. 17. Then brought he me into the outward court In this Temple were more Courts and more Chambers then ever were in Solomons Heaven is large and full of mansions Joh. 14. And a pavement made More costly and stately then that of Ahashuerosh Esth 1.6 Gods people are said to be living stones 1 Pet. 2. more precious then Sapphires Esa 54. firm as a pavement by faith and low by humility submitting to their teachers Heb. 13.17 and obeying from the heart the form of doctrine delivered unto them Rom. 6.17 Ver. 18. Was the lower pavement See on ver 17. Ver. 19. An hundred cubits Square Ver. 21. Of the first gate i. e. Of the east gate first measured Ver. 22. And their windows See ver 16. And they went up unto it by seâ—â— steps Whereby was noted the Saints progress in knowledge and holinesse Luk. 17.5 Rom. 1.17 Rev. 22.11 still climing up toward the heavenly Temple Psal 84.7 Ver. 31. And palm-trees See on ver 16. Eight steps See on ver 22. Ver. 35. And measured it according to these measures Vilalpandus here noteth that whatsoever is measured in one gate the same is common to all the rest Ver. 38. Where they washed the burnt-offering All must be pure and clean in Gods Service Pura Deus mens est c. This washing of
the cross b. 306 Pauls painfulness b. 166 Peace spiritual is a Jewel a. 116. the wickeds peace unsound b. 154 Perjury punished b. 438 Persecution befalleth the best a. 318. wicked hate them b. 196. conspire against them b. 50. are Gods rods b. 51. terrour of 88. b. 120. Persevere in well-doing a. 262 Plain-dealing best a 106. See Arnulph Plato detained the truth b. 138 Persians Laws why irrepealable b. 546 Policy enemy to piety b. 107 237 355 Worldly wisdom flat folly b. 526 Popeâ— his pride b. 467 553. downfall 495 496. the number of his name 544. his blasphemy 556. he joyns with the Turk against the truth b. 493 Poverty excuseth not from duty a. 42. t is disregarded a. 86. forgot a. 287. deprecate it a. 204 Pragmaticalness censured a. 174 Praise the Lord for all b. 58. for recovery out of sickness b. 124. wicked cannot do it b. 126 Prayers power of prayer a. 63. 94. it ever prevaileth a. 102. pray in humility a. 166. with importunity a. 203. constancy ibid. b. 547. in few words a. 246. what to pray for a. 203. pray oâ— b. 205. though but broken petitions b. 125. in secret a. 337. God heareth his and why b. 212. he hearreth not the wicked a. 5. carnal prayers a. 146 Pride hatefull a. 32. self-conceited a. 68. breeds brawls a. 75. swelleth b. 467. breaketh a. 109. b. 98. 475. 530. mischief of pride a. 141. purse-proud a. 150. self-conceited foiled a. 271 Profess Christ wisely and boldly a. 343 b. 141. openly b. 547. to the last a. 353. good words and no more b. 261 Promises they are full of sweetness a. 329. b. 479. suck sweetness out of them b. 215 Proverbs of Solomon praised a. 1. 50. See Solomon Providence ordereth all a. 106 113 138 150. This Heathens doubted of denyed b. 130. One event to all a. 228 282 286 Publike Spirit a common blessing a. 60. honour of publike benefactors b. 190 Prosperity in sin a plague b. 34 559 Punishment of sin God befools those whom he will destroy b. 338. he loves to retaliate b. 78. he hath variety of plagues b. 88. he begins at his Sanctuary b. 415. See Sin Purity love of it a. 150 Q QUakers cross-grained b. 132 R RAin is of God b. 241 Raptures spiritual a. 331 332 Reformation wrought here by degrees b. 496 Remission of sin is free b. 140. full b. 143. plentiful b. 178. above all that we can think 179. Sin unpardoned lyeth heavy b. 279 Renovation the new creature b. 163. all things new in Christ a. 222. the change a. 345 Repent b. 233 234. throughly b. 7. speedily b. 80. lest All too late b. 247. Repentance the best defensive weapon b. 83. It reingratiateth with God b. 516. It is twofold b. 19 Reproaches We are naturally impatient of them b. 452. slight them a. 220 Reprobation a. 105 Reproof a friendly office a. 263. if fitly performed a. 167. bear it well a. 103. love a faithfull Reprover a. 48 63. Many are thereby enraged a. 95 96 Restitution b. 199 Resurrecton proved b. 94 95. See b. 490 Revenge is bloody a. 85. crossed b. 426 do not avenge your selves a. 16. 137. 164 Riches profit not a. 58. protect not 64. stave not off death 252. are uncertain a. 251. ill-gotten bring a curse a. 226 Money the Monarch of this world a. 296 Rivers Good meetings at Rivers sides b. 392 Rome must be burnt a. 207. See Pope Papists S SAbbath kept and broken how b. 191. scorned b. 370 Sacrament of the Lords Supper sweet to Saints a. 323 Sacrifices Evangelical b. 320 Sacriledge a. 138 sacrilegious buildings b. 287. See b. 541 Saints their excellency a. 72 274 275. beauty and bravery a. 322. safety b. 119. dignity b. 200. sobriety b. 527. their love to Christ a. 340. eager desires after him 341. they will not lie b. 203. their sins are soon ripe b. 223. A Saint is homo quadratus b. 504. much honoured b. 158 Saracens whence b. 357 Satan foretelleth not things future b. 133 Scandal Shun scandalous practices a. 289 Scriptures their worth a. 75 76. sweetness 110. extolled 309. a Rule of life b. 109. blasphemed b. 122. Two Testaments a. 315. distinction of verses but alate b. 111. Scripture is plain a. 43. profitable b. 498 Scorners odious a. 160. b. 183 184. See Mocking Security precedeth destruction b. 61. 101. t is a spiritual judgement b. 104 Seedsmen of sedition a. 32. Make-bates a. 69. 112. Shun such and why a. 163 Seducers a. 185. dangerous creatures a. 292. Foxes and why a. 338. shun them a. 320 smell them out ibid. they lead to Atheism b. 293. See Hereticks Self-conquest the best a. 113 Self-delusion b. 143. deadly a. 83 111 Self-flattery pernicious a. 140 Self-love sinful a. 143 Self-examination b. 381 382 Sensualists hardly converted b. 515. they shall smoke for it a. 201 202 Separation a great sin a. 122 Severity sometimes necessary a. 138 Shame for sin double b. 11 Silence seasonable a. 235 Sin the bitter-sweet of it a. 136 272. hath punishment at the heels of it a. 27 70 255. b. 13 17 18. it destroyeth whole States a. 91. freedom from guilt and filth of it b. 8. Saints sins turn to their good a. 319. upbraid them not with sins repented of a. 111. they work out sins scum b. 459. Hide not sin a. 186. bewail the sins of the times b. 452 Sincerity of Saints a. 357. 't is perfection b. 92. known by uniformity a. 172 Slander slurreth the best a. 264 Sycophants are Serpents a. 293. b. 283 Solomon his great wisdom a. 217 218. his three books a. 153. his Proverbs praised a. 1 2. his Ecclesiastes a. 218. Canticles a. 312. his Observations are lost a. 223. his Fasciculus temporum a. 232. he was well taught a. 229 Sorrow godly bettereth the heart a. 261. Mourn for sin b. 67 Soul is of God and returneth to God a. 307 Spirit is Gods hand b. 412. puts mettle into the Saints a. 330. his still voice b. 110. he is of a fiery nature b. 23. why compared to water b. 58 Submission appeaseth a. 108. submit to Gods holy hand a. 267. consider 268. submit to superiours a. 275 Superstition grosly mistaken b. 347. superstition of fore-fathers is to be abandoned b. 447 Suretyship unadvised dangerous a. 28 T TAle-bearers frown upon them a. 170. they are murtherers b. 452. See Slanderers and Seedsmen of Sedition Tears sow in tears a. 233. sorts of tears a. 238. Crocodile tears b. 340 Thoughts evil b. 236. rid them ibid. they are not free a. 100. See Heart Tillage very useful a. 249. 't is of Gods teaching b. 103 Time discern it a. 277. redeem it a. 300. make the best of it a. 232. waste it not on trifles b. 176. our time is short our task long a. 285 Tongue govern it a. 127. be advised what you speak a. 101 198. gracious language a. 214 335. Tongue mischievous to many a. 57 93 Treason comes to light a. 296. Traitors Meed b. 117. good men oft charged with treason b. 332 Trent-Council discovered b. 413. their high-presumption b. 505 Trinity a. 302. made man ibid. Trust God only a. 10. rest on him b. 108 make him thy refuge a. 124. they are happy that so do a. 109. creature-confidence disappointed a. 125 169 Truth prize it a. 158. it seeketh no corners b. 147 Turkish Empire Vaste b. 95 V VAin-glory naught a. 170. See Boasting Victories of English over the Spaniard b. 436 Union with Christ affect it a. 315 339 Vows make and keep them a. 247. a vow for holiness b. 522 D. Ushier preached sixty years b. 221. his Prophecy of Irelands desolation b. 403 Usury unlawful a. 184. b. 440. 453 W WAR wasteth people a. 89 wisdom best manageth it a. 145. Sword in commission b. 352 Wigelius an Antiacademian Widgin b. 521 Whirlwinds violent b. 393 Whoredom pernicious a. 8 9.23 24 25 34 35 36 39 40 41 151 273. costly b. 433. Harlot and Whore whence ibid. Two adulterous Priests punished b. 308. Whoredom how punished in sundry Nations b. 434 456. a beastly punishment of it b. 433 Wicked are dross a. 165. uncounsellable a. 190. uncorrigible a. 181. ambitious of destruction a. 66. they stink a. 323. yet oft they live long 208 279. they are restless b. 186. desperately naught b. 228. wilfully b. 244 praise them not a. 182 Widows Gods Clients a. 100 Wife good and evil 64. a. 80. Good Wife pretious a. 127 130. rare 212. described and praised a. 212 213 215 216. an evil Wife a great plague a. 143 144 Wine comforteth a. 211 Wisdom true what a. 65. wherein it consisteth a. 76. it doth much in War 145. saveth and sacketh Cities a. 287 288 Women unfit for Government b. 18. they oft sway their husbands ibid. they are still made use of by the Devil b. 346 347. their pride and luxury punisht b. 19 20 Word of God powerfull in operation a. 153. b. 2. 57. accompanied with the spirit b. 194. t is pure a. 202. add not to it ibid. it shall be accomplished b. 8 9. It is light b. 45. loathed a. 178. a famine of it a. 195. blasphemed a. 202. t is fire b. 294. a hammer ibid. will still shew men their faults b. 330. abuse of it is dangerous b. 282. Scripture-poetry b. 364 Works of God God is much seen in them b. 28. the wonder of the Sun a. 220. of the winds ibid. rivers ibid. of mans body 299 306 World a Wilderness a. 345. all here is vanity a. 219. unsatisfactory a. 221. empty a. 227. vexatious a. 229 changeable b. 64. World wheels about b. 394. See 558. Worship of God prepare to it a. 244 be not slight and overt in it a. 245 246. grow not secure after it a. 342. Speak reverently of holy things a. 173. Mens persons must first be accepted a. 140 Y SErve God in Youth a. 303 Z ZEal be resolute for God b. 533. Laurence his Zeal ibid. God hateth the Luke-warm b. 296 FINIS