priuiledge them from the wrath and iudgement of God and keepe them in safety and out of daunger from the same And here are other things reckoned vp vnto the which men vse and are wont to flee betake themselues as vnto safe couerts to hide theÌ„selues in namely the tops of most high mountaines such as is the top of Mount Carmel the deepe of the sea it selfe But euen from thence also God shal cast them out deliuer them to be spoyled and murthered of their enemies For from the bottome of the sea shall Snakes or Serpents be raised vp of God the which shal bite these fellowes with their venemous or poysoned teeth driue them from the waters euen whether they will or no. Vers 4. And though they goe into captiuity before their enemies thence will I commaund the sworde and it shall slay them and I will set mine eyes vpon them for euill and not for good Two parts of this verse THis verse containeth 2. parts The first wherin is comprehended yet another amplification of the remouing of the former aides The secoÌ„d 1. Another amplification of the remouing of the former aydes in the which is a coÌ„clusion of this remouing of theÌ„ The second amplification of the remouing of the former aydes is contayned in these words And though they goe into captiuitie before their enemies thence wil I commaund the sword and it shall slay them For God sheweth that these men shall not mitigate or lessen their punishment albeit they willingly yeeld themselues vnto their enemies that by this meanes they might escape their death and murther For whilest they shal yeeld vp themselues that willingly of their owne accord vnto the wil and pleasure of the conquerour and shall goe into captiuity yet shall they by the way bee killed with the sworde by the said conquerour their enemie So speaketh Isay of the cruelty of the Medes and Persians towards the Babylonians though they yeeld themselues and ioyne with them cap. 13. ver 15. Euery one that is found shall be striken through and whosoeuer ioyneth himselfe shall fall by the sworde And ver 16. Their children also shall be broken in pieces before their eyes their houses shal be spoyled and their wiues rauished Likewise doth God threaten his owne people that they shal both goe into captiuity and euen there also be consumed by the sword of their enemies Ierem. 9 cap. ver 16. I will scatter them also among the Heathen whom neither they nor their fathers haue knowen and I will send a sword after them till I haue consumed them The very like is cap. 49. ver 37. and almost in the same wordes For hee that by God is appoynted vnto the sworde because of his notorious sinnes must needes perish with the sword and shall not be able to deliuer himselfe by captiuity or voluntarie and willing yeelding And thus doth God shew Ierem. cap. 43. ver 11. that the Egyptians the which should fall into the handes of Nabuchad-nezzar shall die euery one that death whereunto he is appoynted saying And when he shall come to wit Nabuchad-nezzar he shall smite the land of Egypt such as are appoynted for death to death and such as are for captiuity to captiuity and such as are for the sword to the sword By the which is now gathered that men which are stubborne and hardened in their sins shal not anie where be safe and free from the wrath of God neither in heauen nor in earth nor in the sea Finally neither in their countrey neither among their enemies neither fighting it out neither yeelding themselues captiues shal they escape that iust punishment They must therefore repent 2. The conclusion of this remouing of their aydes Now the conclusion of this remouing of their aides followeth and is taken from the rendring of a reason of the same to wit from the iust anger of God against them There shall therefore bee no place in the which they shall not be in miserie because God who with his eyes vieweth all things shall not doe any thing for their good nor haue any louing care of them but shall deuise and dispose and ordaine all things for their destruction The eye of the Lord shall be vpon them vnto euill and that wholly and in all cases and he shall no where looke vpon them for their good or louingly Vers 5. And the Lord God of hostes shall touch the land and it shall melt away and all that dwell therein shall mourne and it shall rise vp wholly like a flood and shall be drowned as by the flood of Egypt The confirmation of the former conclusion by three effects THe confirmation of the conclusion by the euent or issue and falling out of things afterward For God shall manifestly appeare angry offended by the effects that shall follow with these Israelites And these effects are three The first There shall bee so great a smiting or affliction of this land 1 The punishmeÌ„t of the earth it selfe that euen the very earth it selfe which is a brute and dull or dead element shall tremble and shake feeling this curse and anger of God against it In which fearefull maner God powred forth his vengeance and tokens of his worthily incensed furie vpon the land of the Egyptians at what time he deliuered his owne people thence the horriblenes whereof is at large described Psal 114. ver 3 4 7 8. after this manner The Sea saw it and fled Iordan was turned back The mountains leaped like rams the little hils as lambs The earth trembled at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Iacob which turneth the rock into water pools 2 And vniuersall Mourning of al the inhabitaÌ„ts the flint into a fountain of water The second The great and common or vniuersall mourning of the men or inhabitants themselues the which sheweth that this punishment is sent of God and shall bee generall and exceeding great For all shall mourne none being excepted no not the stoutest hearts or the most mighty vnto the which the miseries of the common sorte doe not easily and vsually reach The third is The wastnes and deformity of the land it selfe after the driuing out of all the inhabitants 3. The laying of the land wast as if the whole land were couered and drowned with waters and so consequently vntilled and desolate or lying waste like a wildernesse Read chap. 8. before ver 8. Vers 6. He buildeth his spheres in the heauen and hath layd the foundation of his globe of elements in the earth he calleth the waters of the sea and powreth them out vppon the open earth the Lord is his name THe second confirmation of the sayd conclusion and miserie to insue vpoÌ„ the Israelites taken froÌ„ the peâ—son of him that threatneth the same to wit of God himself The second coÌ„firmatioÌ„ of the former conclusion who is both true and almighty that
worship him for euer OVT OF EPIPHAnius his booke of the life of the PROPHETS The lyfe and death of the Prophet Oseas OSee the Prophet the sonne of Beeri borne in Belemoth Osee of the stocke or tribe of Isachar gaue a signe and a wonder to wit that the Lord should come from heauen into the earth and that this should be the token of his comming if that same oke in Seloin be of it selfe clouen into twelue parts and doe become so many okes And so it came to passe He prophesied not a little of the fornication and whoredome of his nation When hee had layde downe his life in peace he was buried in his owne lande The lyfe and death of the Prophet Amos. AMos the Prophet borne in Theuca of the land of Zabulon Amos. was father vnto the Prophet Esaias And beeing continually beaten of Amasias the Priest of Beth el he was laid waite for and rayled at In the ende the sonne of Amasias slewe him striking him about the temples with a club because that he had checked him about the snares of the two calues of gold But yet breathing he went into his owne countrey and there dying was buried with his Auncetours The lyfe and death of the Prophet Micheas MIcheas the Prophet the Marathite Micheas was borne of the tribe of Ephraim When as he had shewed many things vnto Ahab king of Iuda he dyed beeing cast downe headlong by Ioram the sonne of Achab because he had reprooued him for the iniquities of himselfe and of his Auncetours the which they had committed He beeing deliuered from the prison of his bodie founde a tombe alone by himselfe at Maratha in his owne land neere vnto Polyandrum And his tombe is most famous euen vntill this day The lyfe and death of the Prophet Iohel IOhel the Prophet Iohel borne of the tribe of Reuben in the lande of Bethor prophesied many things ouer Ierusalem and or the ending of nations He also ended his daies in peace and was buried at Bethor in glorie and honour The life and death of the Prophet Abdiu ABdihu the Prophet born in Sichem Abdihu and in the land of Bethachamar This is he who caried the halfe Centurion or peâ—e Captaine and whome Elias the Thesbite spared He went down to speake with the king and after this being a forsaker of the kings ordinance he stucke vnto Elias the Prophet and became his disciple for whose sake sustaining many things he was saued And ending his life he was buried with his father in the land of Bethachamar The lyfe and death of the Prophet Ionas IOnas the Prophet was of the lande Cariathamarim Ionas not farre from Azotus a citie of the Greekes neere vnto the Sea At that time the Prophet Elias reprooued Achab the prince of Samaria The same Elias when as he gat him selfe into the wildernes by reason of a great famine the which he had called vpon the lande where beeing nourished by ravens he quenched his thirst with the water of the brooke and when the brooke was dried vp heâ— was an hungred and remooued vnto Saraptha a citie or towneâ— Sidonia It seemeth that in this some other things before and hereafter that Epiphanius was deceiued and therefore no futher to be credited then he hath the word of God to warrant him vnto a certaine poore woman a widowe the mother oâ— Ionas and entred into her house Nowe the woman left nothing vndone of that which he commanded her And he did eate and blessed her as well in her grayne as in her oyle and he remained with her for he could haue no aboad with the vncircumcised And when as Ionas the sonne of this widow was deceased God raised him vp by Elias and restored him aliue vnto his mother because of the entertainment which she gaue him When Ionas therefore came vnto full age he was sent vnto Ninive to the Assyrians and when as he went about to flie from God he was swallowed vp of a Whale in his iourney minding to haue gone vnto Tharsus And going forth againe out of the Whale he preached in Ninive Then the Ninivites repented before God made God to become fauourable vnto them but Ionas ouertaken with heauines returned vnto his natiue countrey and did not thinke good to remaine at home but taking vnto him his mother was a soiourner in Sur in the land of the Heathen for he said least peraduenture it be cast in my teeth that my prophesie against the Ninivites was vaine or false When as therefore he dwelled in the land of Saar he died there and was buried in the caue of Cenezeus the Iudge And the same Prophet prophesied that when they should see in Ierusalem innumerable strangers from the West the same citie should be pulled vp by the roote and vtterly be destroyed The lyfe and death of the Prophet Nahum NAhum the Prophet Nahum was borne at Elckesi beyond the riuer Iordan towards Hegabar of the tribe of Simeon This is that Prophet who after Ionas gaue a signe and a wonder ouer Ninive that in time to come it should be destroied by sweete waters and earthly fire That which in the end came to passe because that fire out of an earthquake compassing it round on euery side water also comming by and by from the wildernes drowned all the higher places of the citie As for Nahum he gaue ouer his life in peace and resteth in quiet death in Begabar in his owne home The life and death of the Prophet Abacuk ABacuk the Propher borne in the countrey of Bexzochar Abacuk and tribe of Simeon When as before the taking of it he did foresee the captiuitie of Ierusalem he did greatly lament both over the citie and also ouer the people of the same And when as Nabuchodonosor drewe neere Ierusalem to destroy it he fled into Ostracine and remained a dweller there in the land of Ismael But when as the Chaldees breaking vp from Ierusalem returned into their owne countrey with the spoile and captiues and the remnant of the citie Ierusalem went downe into Egypt this Prophet comming againe into his owne countrey serued the reapers in his field For he had sowen barly but straight as he had prepared meate for them he prophesied vnto his saying I shall goe into a farre countrey and returne quickly but if I make any long stay set you before our reapers what to eate And beeing carried vpon the sudden into Babylon he gaue Daniel his dinner who was in the caue with the lyons After comming forth he stood with his reapers as they were now at supper did not impart vnto any man any thing of this matter which had happened Furthermore within fewe dayes after Abacuk shewed afterwards out of Babylon that the people should returne to Ierusalem He gaue them also a signe which dwell in Indea namely that they should see in the Temple a great light shining clearely and so should behold
of afflictions or troubles They therefore which tooke away from the godlie this hope did impute or lay it vnto other causes both that the sea was dried vp in the passage of the people and also that the riuer Iordan was drie in like maner construing this to be done because God was especiallie angrie against these waters The Prophet denieth this to be true but answereth that so great maiestie of God appeared for the saluation or deliuerance of his Church for the preseruing whereof he stood in the battell against the enemies riding as it were vpon hooked or yron chariots and not triumphant chariots and fighting from his chariot Vers 9. Thy bowe was manifestly reuealed and the othes of the tribes were a sure word Selah Thou didst cleaue the earth with riuers An amplification of God his deliuerance of his people taken from the maner of his helping of them the which he also proueth by certaine adioynts AN amplification taken from the maner of the helpe shewed them For God most manifestly did cast his weapons against the enemies of his Church so that men did nothing at all doubt but that God did openly beare fauour vnto it The selfe same thing also he proueth by the adioynts of the which he reckoneth vp this first That out of the earth and rock strooken by the power of God there did gush forth water for drinke for the people Reade hereof Numb 20. 1. Cor. 10. Of all which benefites he addeth the foundation or ground lest the Iewes might ascribe so great fauour of God vnto their owne vertues 1. The giuing thē water out of the rocke namely the promise or word of God confirmed vnto the tribes that is the whole seed of Abraham by oth he sheweth to haue been the true cause of this helpe of God Vers 10. The mountaines sawe thee and they trembled the streamt of the water passed by the deepe made a noyse and lift vp his hand on hie 2. A double miracle THE second adioynt vnto this deliuerance of the people the which is a most cleere testimonie or witnesse both of the infinit or endles power of God ouer all things and also of his mercie and fauour toward his Church to wit a double miracle the which is described by an Anthropopatheia What Anthropopatheia is see Mich. cap. 7 ver 8. The first miracle was the trembling of the earth that is of the mountaines or a great earthquake there the which was at the giuing of the law wherwith the mountaine Sinai himselfe was shaken And this is reported Exod. 19.18 And mount Sinai was all on a smoke because the Lord came downe vpon it in sire the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a fornace and all the mount trembled exceedingly Hereof also speaketh Dauid Psal 114. ver 4.6 The mountaines leaped like rammes and the hilles as lambes Ye mountaines why leaped ye like rammes and ye hilles as lambes The second miracle appeared in the waters whilest both the red sea went backe and was dried vp at the commandement of God and also whilest the law being giuen in Mount Sinai there were thundrings and lightnings and most thicke cloudes and the noyse of a trumpet was heard in the ayre Of the going backe and drying vp of the sea thus it is written Exod. 14. ver 21. And Moses stretched forth his hand vpon the sea and the Lord caused the sea to runne backe by a strong East winde all the night and made the sea drie land for the waters were deuided Hereof the Psalmist speaketh thus Psal 114. ver 3. The sea sawe it and fled Iorden was turned back And Psal 77. ver 16.17 The waters sawe thee O God the waters saw thee and were afrayd yea the depths trembled The clowdes powred out water the heauens gaue a sound yea thine arrowes went abrode Of the thunder and lightning the thicke clowde and sound of a trumpet thus we reade Exod. 19. ver 16. And the third day when it was morning there was thunders and lightnings and a thicke clowde vpon the mount and the sound of the trumpet exceeding lowd so that all the people that was in the campe was afrayd Vers 11. The Sunne and the Moone stood still in their habitation at the light of thine arrowes they went and at the bright shining of thy speares THe third adioynt farre more wonderfull then the former miracles as namely that which appeared in heauen it selfe to wit 3. The standing still of the Sun the Moone in the Sunne and in the Moone who at the commandement of God stayed their course as it is Iosue 10. vers 12.13 Then spake Ioshua vnto the Lord in the day when the Lord gaue the Ammorites before the children of Israel and he sayd in the sight of Israel Sunne stay thou in Gibeon and thou Moone in the valley of Aialon And the Sunne abode and the Moone stood still vntill the people auenged themselues vpon their enemies is not this written in the booke of Iasher so the Sunne abode in the midst of the heauen and hasted not to go downe for a whole day Vnto this miracle the Prophet Habacuck ioyneth another like thereunto to wit for that the people went safely through the desert both by day and also by night in the light and shining both of a fierie piller giuing light vnto them in the night time and also of a clowde going before the Israelites in the day time This is recorded Exod 13. ver 21. after this maner And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a clowde to leade them the way and by night in a pillar of fire to giue them light that they might goe both by day and by night Vers 12. Thou trodest downe the land in anger and diddest thresh the heathen in displeasure The conclusion of the former discourse of the power of God for the good of his Church THe conclusion of the whole former meditation and narration of the power of GOD stretched out for the fauour of his church namely that there is no countrie or nation which the Lord cannot thresh and tread downe in his anger And therefore that the church hath a most excellent remedie and helpe of her saluation and deliuerance out of all euils in the same infinite or endles power of God Vers 13. Thou wentest forth for the saluation of thy people euen for saluation with thine anointed thou hast wounded the head of the house of the wicked and discoueredst the foundations vnto the necke Selah Another ground of this prayer hope of the Church A Light passing ouer vnto another matter by the which hee declareth another foundation or ground of this prayer and hope of the church namely the singular good will of God toward it whose foundation also and sundrie effects alreadie indeed tried and approued he rehearseth First therefore he affirmeth that God appeared to haue had a loue and a care of the saluation
miraculous deliuerance out of Egypt but this helpe doth he now againe repeate vnto them by an especiall promise and expresse couenant Finally The passing dignitie of the second temple witnessed by he describeth by an effect which was by and by to insue what maner of dignitie and excellencie there should be of this second Temple Vers 7. For thus sayth the Lord of hostes yet a little while and I will shake the heauens and the earth and the sea and the drie land 1. Both heauen and earth THe which both the heauen it selfe and also the earth shall witnesse Vers 8. And I will moue all nations and the desire of all nations shall come and I will fill this house with glorie sayth the Lord of hosts 2. The acknowledgement of al nations ANd the which all nations shall acknowledge by offring of euerie their most pretious things And this ought most trulie to be referred vnto the kingdome of Christ whereof this second Temple was a Sacrament or token Vers 9. The siluer is mine and the gold is mine sayth the Lord of hostes A confirmatiō of the former promise GOd confirmeth the former promise by his authoritie and rule ouer all creatures Vers 10. The glorie of this last house shall be greater then the first sayth the Lord of hostes and in this place will I giue peace sayth the Lord of hostes The happie cōtinuance of the glorie of the second Temple THe conclusion whereunto is ioyned the happie and perpetuall enduring and continuance of this glorie of the second Temple as a certaine increase vnto the greater commendation of this Temple that is of the kingdome of Christ For in this respect or thus farre forth is this Temple commended and pleased God as it was a figure and shadow of Christ to come Vers 11. In the foure and twentieth day of the ninth moneth in the second yeare of Darius came the word of the Lord vnto the Prophet Haggai saying The second part of this sermon reprouing certaine grosse errors of this people THE second part of this second Sermon the which was made two moneths after wherein he reproueth the grosse errors of this people which builded the Temple who supposed that themselues and their workes were acceptable vnto God for the very piles frame and building of the stones for the very rites and ceremonies the which were vsed in the Temple and not rather for the inward godlines of minde and holines of the heart Vers 12. Thus sayth the Lord of hostes Aske now the Priests concerning the law and say Their error refuted by a similitude borowed from holie things HE refuteth or ouerthroweth them by a similitude the which because it is taken from holie things and such as are expressed in the law of God was especiallie to bee propounded moued or put vnto the Priests Vers 13. If one beare holie flesh in the skirt of his garment and with his skirt doe touch the bread or the pottage or the wine or oyle or any meate shall it be holie And the Priests answered and sayd no. Nothing without life doth sanctifie a man NO dead thing or without life such as were the rites ceremonies and the Temple doth sanctifie or make holie a man or any other thing els but contrariwise the polluted or defiled mind of a man polluteth or defileth all things For as Paul writeth Tit. 1. ver 15. Vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minds and consciences are defiled Vers 14. Then sayd Haggai If a polluted person touch any of these shall it be vncleane And the Priests answered and sayd it shall be vncleane An amplification of the similitude Vers 15. Then answered Haggai and sayd so is this people and so is this nation before me sayth the Lord and so are all the workes of their hands and that which they offer here is vncleane The answering of an obiection THe answering of an obiection least that therefore they should leaue off from the worke of the Temple because they are not sanctified or made holie by that same heape of stones and outward frame and building of the Temple Vers 16. And now I pray you consider in your mindes from this day and afore euen afore a stone was layd vpon a stone in the temple of the Lord Vers 17. Behold these things were when one came to an heape of twentie measures there were but ten when one came to the wine presse for to draw out fiftie vessels out of the presse there were but twentie Vers 18. I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with haile in all the labours of your hands yet you turned not to me sayth the Lord. Vers 19 Consider I pray you in your minds from this day and afore from the foure and twentieth day of the ninth moneth euen from the day that the foundation of the Lords temple was layd consider it in your minds He exhorteth them to goe lustilie forward in the building of the temple HE exhorteth them to goe diligently and lustilie forward in the worke of the Temple and not to leaue of or to be faint in heart by an example and comparing or laying together of the former calamities or punishments the which frō God were sent vpon thē when they ceased from the worke and also by the blessing hereafter to come the which is promised vnto them continuing in the worke Vers 20. Is the seede yet in the barne as yet the vine and the figge tree and the pomegranate and the oliue tree hath not brought forth from this day will I blesse you HE setteth before the Iewes their seedes not yet cast or put out into the ground that they may the more easilie vnderstand that this plentie of corne blessing of God is promised vnto them because of the work of the temple begū God promiseth henceforth to blesse them in the fruites of the earth because of their forwardnes in building his temple the which could not yet be surmised or imagined that it should be in any such store in regard of the time or the seede the which being as yet not cōmitted to the ground there could be no proportion made of any such plentifull yeeld of the same as God here through his blessing henceforth promiseth to increase them withall both in respect of their corne and also all other fruits of the earth Vers 21. And againe the word of the Lord came vnto Haggai in the foure and twentieth day of the moneth saying The third Sermon of Aggaus containing the estate that should be of the Church gathered of the Gentiles and Iewes THE third Sermon made the selfe same yeare and day in the which the former was made wherein is contained a prophesie of the estate that should bee of the Gentiles and Iewes that by the comparing of them both together the Iewes that is to say all the
bee looked for otherwise that is of the vnrepentant the which greatnesse is described and set forth by the adiuncts and the same diuers and sundrie 1. By the effect And first of all it is described by the effect because it shall be such and so grieuous a punishment plague the which remaineth for the obstinate and stubborne sinners as will not onely breed sorow and a bitter feeling and sadnes in their heart but also such as will procure open mourning that is to say publike gestures as witnesses and bewrayers of their great heauinesse because that this sorowe can be no longer smothered and kept in Now this punishment is most heauie the which shall draw forth and stirre vp such manifest and publike teares mourning and knocking of their breasts 2. By the place The second is described by the place for in all streetes and high waies these mournings and cryings shall be made The third by the persons 3. By the persons For they shal be made by all degrees of men yea euen by the husbandmen and vinedressers a kind of men otherwise most hard and tough and able to endure and beare out things and that most heauilie and in such sort as if they had been vsed and trained vp to mourning but because of the greatnesse of the punishments and miserie the which euen these hard men shall also feele they shall after this manner publikly mourne with weeping teares with others And that euen those persons the which are neuer so slow to repent may vnderstand all these things to be most true the Prophet rehearseth the power and maiestie and nature of God that cannot lye and whose power nothing can resist or withstand who threatneth these iudgements vnto them Titus 1. God then and that he which is the true Iehouah the Lord of hostes that is the Lord of heauen and earth threatneth these things and therefore they shall most assuredly come to passe vnto the vnrepentant Vers 17. And in all the vines shall be lamentation for I will passe through thee sayth the Lord. A reason why these kind of persons shall mourne THis is a rendring of a reason why the husbandmen being such persons as can abide and endure hardnes shall notwithstanding mourne namely because their labours and their fields and vineyards shall be vtterly wasted But it may also be an amplification as if not onely the husbandmen the which doe till the ground appoynted for corne and sowing but also the vinekeepers themselues the which doe deale with vines that is another kind of fields fit and necessarie for the vses of man his life shall lament after the same sort that the husbandmen do because of the like punishmenâ— and miserie the which they shall tast of in like manner for neithâ—â— shall these be free from the iudgements of God Wherfore by theâ—â— words husbandmen and vine dressers the Lord sheweth that 〈◊〉 will take from the Israelites all foode and meates necessarie for 〈◊〉 liue withall The reason is added Because I will passe through the midst of thâ—â—â— The passage of God is of two sorts God his passage ioyfull Fearfull The one ioyfull to be wishâ—â— for wherewith he doth recreate and refresh vs. The other fearfull wherewith as a burning fire he doth consume and deuoure vs. Oâ— the former sort was the passage of God by the houses of the Israelites in the land of Egypt where he spared them and slew the Egyptians whereof is mention Exod. 12. ver 13. in these words Aâ—â— the bloud shall be a token for you vpon the houses where ye are so wheâ— I see the bloud I will passe ouer you and the plague shall not be vpâ—â— you to destruction when I smite the land of Egypt Of the other paâ—sage vnto the destruction of those by whom God passeth we haâ—â— Exod. 11. ver 4.5 About midnight sayth God will I goe out into thâ— midst of Egypt and all the first borne of Egypt shall dye For as Mosâ—â— witnesseth Deut. 4. ver 24. The Lord is a consuming fire and aâ— alâ—â— God This place therefore of Amos must be taken of the latter pâ—â—sage of God And surely it is a fearfull thing to fall into the haâ—â— of God being angrie with vs. Hebr. 10. ver 31. Vers 18. Wo vnto you that desire the day of the Lord what haue yâ—â— to doe with it The day of the Lord is darknes and not light A sharpe reprouing of those which were not moued with the threatnings of God against the which they had many exceptions A Sharpe rebuking of those who after so many and so earnest admonitions or warnings were not moued with the threatnings of God nor did tremble at them who through a certaine brutish carelesnes being senseles or waxen fierce through the contempt of God wished to see those iudgements of God that is to say they did despise them It appeareth by many places that the hypocrites of this nation wanted not their exceptions against the threatningâ— of the Prophets as namely that they were Israelites and so consequently the seede of Abraham and blessed of God that they were circumcised and therefore in the couenant of God that they had the Temple of God the which last exception was peculiar and proper vnto the kingdome of Iudah and not vnto the kingdomeâ— Israel also This exception therefore of the hypocrites the Prophet refuteth or ouerthroweth two wayes First by this reprehension wo. For this reprehension teacheth that they are farre and wide deceiued which sayd these things For circumcision which is outward or he which is a Iew outwardly is not the seede of Abraham or true circumcision or a Iew indeed or the sonne of Abraham So Paul 2. Col. 4. ver 11. teacheth that the inward circumcision is the true circumcision speaking of the faithfull among them and saying Inwhom meaning in Christ also ye are circumcised with circumcision made without hands by putting off the sinful bodie of the flesh through the circumcision of Christ And to the Rom. cap. 2. ver 28. he sayth He is not a Iew which is one outward neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh And Rom. 9. ver 7. They are not sayth he all children because they are the seede of Abraham Therefore by this answer they shal seeke vnto themselues destruction and not helpe or ayd at all For this wo is threatned vnto them in the name of God that is there is threatned vnto them a curse anger and punishment Secondly the Prophet refuteth them by the description of the Day of the Lord that is of Iudgement the which these boasted that they would haue wished for to come the which sheweth most heauie destruction to fall vpon them For this day although it be the comming and day of the Lord yet shall it be vnto them not a day of light but of darknes So the Prophet Zephaniah cap. 1. ver 15. sayth That day is a day
Lord repented for this It shall not bee sayth the Lord. The effect of the for 〈◊〉 â—raie 〈…〉 Proâ—â—â—â— THe effect of the former prayer to wit the appeasing of the wrath of God and the turning away of the same from them hanging now as it were ouer the heads and neckes of the Iewes For the Prophet was heard of God and therefore that same pâ—nishment of famine ceased It repented God of his anger against them that is to say God changed his minde and hee that was aâ—grie with them before appeared afterwards to be fauourable anâ— reconciled or made friends with them In what sense and after what maner God is said to repent But GOD is said to repeâ—â— by a certaine kinde of humane affection attributed vnto himâ—â—â— our better vnderstanding in as much as thereby we do by the â—â—fects know his minde towards vs to be changed not that God 〈◊〉 his will which is alwayes one and the same is chaunged but 〈◊〉 that looke what effects of his anger and mercy he had from euâ—lasting decreed to be extant and to be felt diuers the same in thâ—â— times he bringeth forth and sheweth The true cause why Amos his prayer was heard Further the true cause 〈◊〉 this appeasing of God is not to be attributed vnto Amos or 〈◊〉 his prayer but vnto Christ or the mediatour the effects of whâ—â— death afterward to ensue were now felt of the people of God Yâ—â— the praiers of the godly offered in this name vnto God are accepâ—ble vnto him and therfore heard of him And therfore Iam. 〈◊〉 saith That the prayer of a righteous maÌ„ auayleth much if it be ferâ—â— Vers 4. Thus also hath the Lord God shewed vnto me and behâ—â—â— the Lord God called to iudgement by fire and it deuâ—â—red 〈◊〉 great deepe and did eate vp a part The second vision THe second vision wherein the second punishment decreed â—gaynst the Israelites is shewed vnto the Prophet And this 〈◊〉 shewed vnto him vnder the likenes of fire raging far abroad 〈◊〉 deuouring a certaine great deepe and land or possession and fully in the forme of fire with great shaking and crackling and labâ—â—ring getting the vpper hand of great masses and heapes of thiâ—â— that were in the way of it or set agaynst it Therefore this fire 〈◊〉 sayd to be called to iudge or contend and to fight because 〈◊〉 the matter layd agaynst it would not easily yeeld vnto it This â—â—fliction or punishment happened after the former already expoâ—â—ded And it was When this fire was and what it may be vnderstâ—od to be when as Thelgat Phalnasar King of Assyria caried away two tribes and the halfe tribe of Manasses the which were beyond Iordan and a part of the Kingdome of Israel Of thâ—â— history is mention 1. Chron. cap. 5. ver 26. in these wordes Aâ—â— the God of Israel stirred vp the spirit of Pul King of Asshur and the spirit of Tilgath Pilneeser King of Asshur and he carried them away euen the Reubenites and the Gadites and the halfe tribe of Manesseâ— and brought them vnto Halah and Habor and Harah and to the riuer Gozan vnto this day See more hereof 2. King cap. 15. ver 29. and cap. 16. ver 9. Of this also seemeth the Prophet Isai to meane cap. 9. ver 1. where it is thus written Yet the darkenes shall not bee according to the affliction that it had when at the first hee touched lightly the land of Zebulun and the land of Nepthali nor afterwards when he was more grieuous by the way of the sea beyond Iordan in Galile of the Gentiles For at that time that whole countrey and possession the which was as a deepe as being seated in the valleyes and monnataines of Galaad was consumed with fire that is afflicted by reason of the most grieuous warres which were then and the desolation or wasting of the land which was then brought in and made Thus doth my friend Franciscus Iunius notably expound this place Vers 5. Then said I O Lord God cease I beseech thee who shall rayse vp Iaacob for he is small See the meaning of this ver before in the exposition of the 2 verse of this chapter THis verse hath been expounded before in this selfe same chapter ver 2. in these wordes And I sayd O Lord God c. For as often as affliction ariseth so often must we pray and not onely concefor all during the whole terme of our life is God to be prayed vnto as the Atheists and Epicures or belly-gods doe affirme and hold Vers 6. So the Lord repented for this This also shall not be saith the Lord God See verse 3. of this chapter THis verse also is to be expounded after the same maner that the third verse of this chapter before was For where it is saide This shal not be the meaning hereof is this affliction shal not continue but shal be taken away this people shall be holpen relieued that if it may be they may repent being taught by their own punishment may returne vnto more thrift and vnto true godlines Vers 7. Thus againe he shewed me and behold the Lord stoode vpon a wall made by line with a line in his hand The 3. vision THe third vision the which containeth not onely a punishment but also the destruction of Israel for as much as the Israelites repented not being warned neither by the first nor yet by the second punishment nor turned themselues vnto God earnestly for abâ—â— that at the last vnder Oseas their last King that same outragioâ—â—â—â—grosse Idolatry were a little in some sorte repressed or restrayneâ— yet was not therefore notwithstanding the true worship of Godâ— stored or set vp among them as appeareth 2. King 17. And hâ—â— first of all in this verse the vision it selfe is described and the eâ—â—sition thereof in the verse that followeth The vision therefore 〈◊〉 presented these two things vnto the Prophet to wit God himseâ—â— who stoode vpon some wall and also who held now in his haâ—â— rule leauel or line For to the ende that the signification of 〈◊〉 vision might be the better vnderstood and from whence it was â—â—ken God after this maner shewed himselfe like vnto a master â—â—penter or chiefe builder as he doth also Zach. cap. 2. ver 1 2. Iâ—â— similitude therefore seemeth to be taken from Carpenters and â—â—â—sons weighing and considering some thing earnestly and diligently in a building The which that they may do whether anythiâ—â— be at the first or newly to be built or being already built be to 〈◊〉 corrected and amended or finally whether it be to be leauâ—â—â— they vse their line and squire that they may do it by leauel that 〈◊〉 by most iust measure and rule and that they doe not determine 〈◊〉 set downe any thing rashly or beyond the rules of their aâ—◠〈◊〉 word they frame it according vnto rule in all points Vers 8. And
declared vnto the Iewes and Israelites at that time because they weâ—â— accustomed and acquainted with these figures and kinds of speâ—king First of all therefore store and plentie of all kind of gooâ— things â— Al kind of good things promised and that in great plentie and abundance or all kind of good things is in this place promised and shâ—wed that this is a most true fruite of the kingdome of God And noâ— onely euery kind of good thing is promised but the same also in most great abundance For it is sayd that it shall come to passe that these shall bee cast vpon vs by God largely and plentifully in such wise that after the former the which wee haue alreadie receiued others forthwith shall succeed or follow yea whatsoeuer are necessarie and needfull for the life of man as are corne and wine whether they doe come by the industrie or trauaile of men as by plowing sowing vinedressing or whether they come of their owne accord from the earth as mountaines or hils doe vse to bring foorth many things of that sort There is a like place vnto this Leuit. 26. ver 5. where Moses telleth them that heare the lawe and followe the same that they shall haue all kind of blessings heaped one in the necke of another Your threshing sayth he shall reach vnto the vintage and the vintage shall reach vnto sowing time and you shall eate your bread in plenteousnes and dwell in your land safely But by these earthly things matters healthsome or concerning saluation and spirituall are of vs to be vnderstanded Vers 14. And I will bring againe the captiuitie of my people of Israel and they shall build the waste cities and inhabite them and they shall plant vineyards and drinke the wine thereof they shall also make gardens and eate the fruites of them The second fruit of the restoring of the kingdome of God THe second fruite of the Gospell or restoring of the kingdome of God to wit deliuerance and the same most full from all captiuitie For the greatest delicates and dainties are in exile and banishment vnioyfull and vnpleasant but in our owne countrey most welcome and ioyfull So Psal 137. ver 4. the godly answere vnto their scoffing enemies willing them to sing some of their Hebrewe songs How shall wee sing say they a song of the Lord in a strange land whereby they signifie that their musike could not be pleasant vnto them in their miserable captiuitie And therefore but a little before in the same Psalme they say that they hung vp their harpes and sate by the riuer sides weeping The godly therefore shall be deliuered and brought backe againe from that most miserable exile to wit from the captiuitie of Sathan and sinne and the lust of the flesh of the which tyrants men are held captiues before they haue faith in Christ Deliuerance from spirituall captiuitie and bondage And this deliuerance shall not bee slight and slender but a most full deliuerance because men may dwell in their owne cities and then plant there and plow and doe all those things the which all they whatsoeuer doe the which dwell in their owne homes in greatest securitie and safetie But these things are to be applied vnto the benefites of the Gospell towards the godly by Christ in a spirituall sense such as may proportionably be gathered from these earthly promises the which godly through Christ doe enioy great tranquilitie or quiet of mind and conscience euen whilest they liue here vpon earth and therefore much more in that euerlasting and blessed life Vers 15. And I will plant them vpon their land and they shall no more be pulled vp againe out of their land which I haue giuen them sayth the Lord thy God The third fruit THE third fruite the stabilitie or setlednes and continuance of euery godly and faithfull person in his owne seate and home that is in the same wherein he shall be placed by God the which is especially to be vnderstood of euerlasting life And this is as it were an accesse or increase of both the former benefites For many times neither doth pleÌ„tie of good things delight vs nor yet the dwelling in our own natiue couÌ„trey if in the same there haÌ„g ouer our heads continuall and assured feare that we shall forthwith be depriued spoyled of both these commodities but when as vnto the former benefites of God there commeth also a promise of continuall securitie or being without feare and daunger and of enioying and keeping of our goods then may we in deed and in trueth bee iudged most happie These things are chiefly to be vnderstood of our heauenly dwelling But these things as I haue sayd are rather to be vnderstood of that heauenly land that is of heauen in the which we shall be after this life then of that earthly mansion or dwelling for because that this seate onelie is firme stable stedfast and sure to wit heauen and eternall life ordained for vs of God And thus much doth the place of the Hebrewes cap 11. ver 14.15.16 a little before recited ver 13. of this chapter sufficiently enough declare But this earthly land is ofteÌ„ giuen vs of God to dwell in only for a time out of the which we are afterwards driuen into other seates either by enemies or by the ouerflowing of waters Wherefore let no man thinke himselfe to be here vpon earth placed by God in such sort that he cannot be pulled out but they which are in heauen they only and alone are so placed and dwell that they can neuer bee remoued FINIS A Commentary of Lambertus Danaeus vpon the Prophet Oseas CAP. 1. Vers 1. The word of the Lord that came vnto Hosea the sonne of Beeri in the dayes of Vzziah Iotham Ahaz and Hezekiah Kings of Iudah and in the dayes of Ieroboam sonne of Ioash King of Israel The great disobedience of the kingdome of Israel vnto God IT appeareth 2. King cap. 17. how great the disobedience and stubbornnesse of the people of Israel that is those which liued in the kingdome of Israel after the departure thereof from Iudah was against almightie God who had so long time been vnto them a most mercifull father The which also is confirmed Ierem. 25. for there was in them both vngodlines and iniustice most obstinate The long bearing of God with the Israelites albeit that the Lorde for the space of more then two hundreth yeares had borne with them and earnestly both day and night had admonished or warned them continuallie by his Prophets Whereupon that was needes to follow the which Paul saith 1. Rom. 18. That in the end the wrath of God was reuealed against them from heauen it selfe and that as it is Ephe. 5. ver 6. God should most sharply punish this disobedience For by meanes of the vngodlines and vnrighteousnes of men and of those especially which call themselues the sonnes of God the wrath of God is most
that they shall long after God and seeke his word I will allure them sayth hee After the same sorte God speaketh before Amos 8. ver 12. of their longing and seeking after the word of God So Dauid Psal 42. ver 2. expresseth his longing after GOD saying My soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God When shall I come and appeare before the presence of God And agayne Psalm 84. ver 2. My soule longeth yea and faynteth for the courts of the Lorde for mine heart and my flesh reioyce in the liuing God Secondly he shal speak vnto that remnant with a sounding voice in the outward ministery by his Prophets and Apostles and their lawful successours Thirdly God speaketh those things which shall be vnto them most holesome wished for ioyfull and pleasant and well liking to theyr hearts to wit he shall speake of their saluation of their peace with God of the forgiuenes of their sinnes All which thinges are most ioyfull newes and indeede the Gospel of Christ So Psal 85. ver 2 and 10. Dauid saith Thou hast forgiuen the iniquitie of thy people and couered all their sinnes Mercie and trueth shall meete righteousnesse and peace shall kisse one another And so is the Psal 126. full of most sweet ioyes that the godly after their returne from the captiuitie shal be filled withall The fourth thing here to be noted 4. Whē this great mercy shall bee shewed vnto them is the time after the which this so great mercie of God shall happen vnto them namely after that God hath afflicted or punished this nation of Israell and that after such a sort that as at the first they wandred in the most waste desart of Sinai when as they were deliuered out of Egypt so when as they shall be brought againe euen vnto the same condition and estate and shall be driuen againe into an horrible desart because of their long captiuitie in the mountains of Media for thither were they dispersed as appeareth 2. King 17. These things then were not to come to passe forth with and by and by but then at last after the long exile and captiuity of this people among strange and sauage nations and countries And these things shall then especially come to passe when as God shall haue pittie on Israel and that whole people shall be saued and by fayth shall receiue Christ as Paul teacheth that it shall come to passe Rom. 11. ver 26. where he writeth And so all Israel shall be saued as it is written The deliuerer shall come out of Sion and shall turne away the vngodlines from Iaacob Yet notwithstanding these things did in parte fall out as often as God in any age before that same generall calling did by the preaching of the Gospel conuert or turne any of them vnto him or else by the preaching of his Prophets brought them vnto his true worship as vnder King Ezechias Vers 15. And I will giue her her vineyards from thence and the valley of Achor for the doore of hope and she shall sing there as in the dayes of her youth and as in the day when she came vp out of the land of Egypt A making more plaine of the matter AN explanation or making of the matter more playne for God doth seuerally and particularly set downe what the promise of the restoring of the Church in the remnant of this people doth containe and how great benefites it doth comprehend that accordingly as it is meet 1. God promiseth them earthly blessings it may of vs most especially be accounted of And first God promiseth earthly benefites For godlines sayth Paul hath promises not only of the life to come but also of this brittle fleeting and present life 1. Tim. 4. ver 8. But these benefites by the figure Synecdoche are comprehended vnder the name of vineyards because that among other nourishments of the life of man a chiefe place reckoning is of wine What Synecdoche is see Amos cap. 5 ver 21 wherewith the strength of our body is verie greatly sustayned like as the goodnes of God is greatly by the Prophet cōmended for the benefit of the same Psal 22. 104. Yet that the rest are here comprehended appeareth by the verses 21. and 22. hereafter following Furthermore 2. He promiseth them most plētifully by an argument from comparison God promiseth these benefites most aboundant that is great store and plenty of them For looke after what manner and how great he gaue those benefites when as at the first hee brought them into the promised land so great also afterwards will he bestow them on them Therefore they shall reioyce as in the day of their youth c. Lastly he wil giue them most vnlooked for and so shall these benefites be the more welcome vnto them 3. He promiseth them most valooked for like as when at the first in the valley of Achor God gaue vnto them the sight and vse of that holy and most fruitful land For that valley was as it were the beginning of those benefits first entrance into that hope whereby they saw and knew indeede that they should in short time enioy possesse those good giftes of God For Hiericho was destroyed and there they gathered together both in that citie and in that valley an infinite masse of gold and siluer lof 6. vers 19. where Ioshuah willeth that it shuld be consecrated vnto the Lord saying But all siluer and golde and vessels of brasse and yron shal be consecrate vnto the Lord and shall come into the Lords treasurie Vers 16. And at that day sayth the Lord thou shalt call me Ishi and shalt cal me no more Baali Another kinde of benefites ANother kinde of benefites the which then also GOD will bestow vpon his that is Spiritual benefites the which being sundry and manifolde there is but one sort of them in this place reckoned vp to wit the mutuall mariage of GOD and them For this marriage is betweene God and all the godly 2. Corinth 11. And Christ Mat. 9. ver 15. compareth himselfe vnto a bridgroome and his disciples vnto the bride where he sayth Can the children of the marriage chamber mourne as long as the bridegroome is with them So Cant. 4. ver 8. Christ calleth the Church his spouse as also in many other places of that most holy sweete and excellent song saying Come with me from Lebanon my spouse God so hateth Idolatry that he wil not haue his people vse so much as a name that hath been superstiticusly abused euen with me from Lebanon and looke from the top of Amanah c. For our soules are the spouses of Christ And this shal appeare by the wordes the which the Church shal vse For she shal cal that same true God and Ichouah her husband and not any longer her Baal or by the name of Baal albeit that name doe oftentimes signifie an husband also But lest there should any
on whoring after them committing the same vpon euery corne floore for most filthy reward that is the reward of an harlot being drawen and allured thereunto For they had their idols and their altars in euery corne floore and in euery wine presse in the which they did offer sacrifice vnto those their gods that plenty and store of corne wine and other things necessary for the life of man might be giuen vnto them The which was and is playnely the reward of an harlot when as a rewarde is giuen vnto idols that is vnto spiritual harlots And all these things indeede are both promised and also giuen by the onely and true God and not by idols whatsoeuer idolators do wickedly think and contend to the contrary For saith Paul 1. Cor. 8. vers 6. There is one God which is the father of whom are all things And so is Dauid perswaded that howsoeuer or whence soeuer others looke to obtain their desires and things necessary for this life he shall by the louing fauour and countenance of God towards him haue more ioye and comfort of heart and peace of conscience then the vngodly in all their aboundance vnto whomsoeuer they impute the same the which commeth onely from the goodnes and bounty of God Psalm 4. vers 6 7. Many say who will shew vs any good but Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. Thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart then they haue had when their wheate and wine did abound Vers 2. The floore and the wine presse shall not feede them and the new wine shall fayle in her A confirmatiō of the former the eatning taken from the effects A Confirmation of the former threatning and answere concerning the punishment of GOD being not remoued from their necks And it is taken from the effects the which the Israelites themselues shall shortly feele and the which effects are a reuenge and the same most righteous of the filthy whoredome and Idolatry by them committed in all corne floores and wine presses What then are those effects Answere The effects Neither shall the corne nourish them nor the wine giue vnto them drinke For there shall be none Both the haruest and the vintage shall deceiue them They shall gather no fruits but as Aggeus threatneth to those of his time The heauens ouer them shall stay themselues from dewe and the earth shall stay her selfe from fruit cap 1. vers 10. And as hee sayth in the second chapter and the seuenteenth vers When one came to an heape of twenty measures there were but tenne when one came to the wine presse to drawe out fifty vessels out of the presse there were but twenty Or if they gather any fruits yet shall they not bee fed with them either for that those fruits shall putrifie and rotte or els the vertue or power of nourishing shall be taken from the meates by God as is like wise threatned by God in Aggeus cap. 1. vers 6. Ye haue sowen much saith he but bring in little ye eate but haue not enough ye drink but ye are not filled ye cloth you but ye be not warm and he that earneth wages putteth the wages into a broken bagge And to this effect God threatneth them by Moses Deut. 28 vers 38. Thou shalt carrie much corne into the field and shalt gather but little in for the grashoppers shall destoy it Or finally it shall be taken away by the enemies as was threatned before cap. 8. vers 7. So then God doth chastice vs after diuers manners Vers 3. They will not dwell in the Lordes land but Ephraim will returne to Egypt and they will eate vncleane thinges in Asshur The punishmēt amplified from three places AN amplification of the punishment to ensue vpon these idolators and the same taken from three places First from their banishment or captiuity and the same most lamentable For the Israelites shaldwel no longer in that land wherin then they were 1. From their captiuitie to wit the land of God and the blessed land a land giuen them by God for a signe of their adoption and his peculiar couenant with them but shal be cast forth and led away into captiuity The secōd place of this amplification is frō the place people among whom the Israelites shall be in banishment and captiuitie 2. From the place of their captiuitie that is to say among the Egyptians Assyrians their most mortall and deadly enemies yea and moreouer they shall voluntarily and of their owne accord goe into captiuitie and banishment vnto those their enemies the Egyptians in especiall by reason of the intollerable miseries the which they shall feele in their natiue soyle and countrey and in that land the which sometimes was most blessed and happie The third place is from the great want of all things or hunger the which shal then sal out vnto them and from their vngodlines 3. From their vngodlines and want of all things For there they shall eate meates polluted or vncleane and such as were of old forbibden them being both driuen therunto by necessitie and also of contempt or despising of God Whereof the godly Iewes indeede had alwaies an especiall regarde so that they would not suffer themselues by any meanes to bee drawen to the eating of such things as by the law of God were vnlawfull as may appeare by the example of Peter Act. 10.14 who being an hungry and falling into a trance whiles they made ready for him and hauing all maner of meates offered vnto his viewe and being by a voyce from heauen willed to kill and eate maketh answere Not so Lord for I haue neuer eaten any thing that is polluted or vncleane Vers 4. They shall not offer wine to the Lord neither shall their sacrifices be pleasant vnto him but they shall bee vnto them as the bread of mourners all that eat therof shall be polluted for their bread for their soules shall not come into the house of the Lord. The figure Hypophora what it is see Amos cap. ◠ver 21. THe figure Hypophora or answering an obiection that might be made For if the Israelites should take exception and say We neuerthe les wil sacrifice vnto God in our captiuity in Egypt and in Assyria as hypocrites are wont to imagine vnto themselues any thing to perswade themselues withall that they shall escape the iudgements of God and haue a most certain and assured way to appease him be he neuer so angry with them the Prophet maketh answere after two sortes They shall not offer wine that is to say they shal not be able then to sacrifice and make offering vnto God when as they shall be in captiuity nay albeit they do offer and sacrifice yet notwithstanding God will not there accept of their offerings and sacrifices as welcome and pleasant vnto him For they shall be vnto him as the meates of those that mourne and of those that haue touched
gouernment of Othoniel R. Solomo Iarchi writeth that those things came to passe vnder the Iudge Othoniel How soeuer it be that lewd fact and so cruel and wicked deede of the Israelites is most old and auncient The stubborne disebedient nature of these Israelites Therefore they doe not nowe first of al begin to offend God in this manner without al seare but euen so soone as they entred into the selfe same lande which they then possessed as yet Afterwarde their obstinacie and stubborne nature is also declared as namly being such who were not brought vnto repentance no not with those most grieuous punishments the which they sawe by God to be laide vpon the Gibeonites because of that hainous offence For thereupon insued a most lamentable battel the tribe of Beniamin was almost vtterly rooted out by God the other eleuen tribes were grieuously slaine and that twise Yet did these men neuer cal to minde those so great iudgements of God that thereby they might become the better and might learne to be wise by their home punishments and examples So then that same so grieuous warre which at that time was made against those sonnes of Belial or wicked sonnes that is to say against those lewde Gibeonites in the which doubtles the most great displeasure of God appeared most manifestly against the wicked this warre I say mooued not them feared them not that is tooke not holde on them to wit that they did thinke vpon it and called to remembrance that both themselues and those wicked persons were for this cause punished by God and therfore that they should abstaine from sinne hereafter But from that day and time they alwaies waxed worse and continued in their wicked life The which was a most desperate boldnes and most stubborne rebellion against God Vers 10. It is my desire that I should chastise them and the people shall be gathered against them when they shall gather themselues in their two furrowes A conclusion for their assured punishmēt inferred vpon the former verse and also their vngodly life The punishmēt twofold A Consequence the which out of the former verse and their vngodlines iustly gathereth and inferreth as it were for an ouerplus aduantage this conclusion to wit that it shal come to passe that like as these haue liued wickedly according vnto their owne minde and pleasure so shal they be punished by God according to his wil and pleasure And this punishment also is in this selfe same verse more plainly laide out by way of explanation and it is here shewed to be of two sortes First they shal be chastised or bound by God that they shal not be able to defend themselues against their enemies rushing and breaking in vpon them 1. They shall be bound by God For they which haue their hands tied and which are bounde are not able to defend themselues against strokes but he open vnto other mens iniuries and stripes to be beaten at their pleasure By this means God teacheth that all the aydes weapons and furniture of warre diligently prouided by the Israelites shal stand them in no stead but shal be vnprofitable vnto them 2. Sundrie natiōs shal be gathered together against them The second punishment is That sundrie peoples and not one nation onely shall by God bee gathered together against them that they may vnderstand that albeit they were left loose and vnboūd yet that they should notwithstanding be oppressed and ouercome of so great a number of enemies Further to amplifie the matter withall it is added by God I will binde them in their lands grounds furrowes and dwellings the which they possesse and plow and where they liue and dwell daintilie For the kingdome of Israel was partly on this side the riuer Iordan and partly beyond the riuer Iordan also So then the Israelites shall be punished by God and that iustly and worthely in both those countries beyond and on this side Iordan the which he compareth to a plowed field Vers 11. And Ephraim is as an heifer vsed to delight in threshing but I will passe by her faire necke I will make Ephraim to ride Iudah shall plow and Iaacob shall breake his clods An amplification of the equitie of this punishment AN amplification of this equitie and iustice in punishing of thē because that the Israelites contemned or despised all the labour of God in calling them backe and dressing and tilling them as it were a field and mocked euen God himselfe the which is an vngodlines to be punished worthie of as great punishment as may be But because in the former verse God vsed the Metaphor of furrowes borowed from husbandmen and tillage What the figure Metaphora is see Amos cap. 4.12 put in that place for dwellings so he doth now also continue the same in this verse as he doth likewise in the verse following For by this meanes and similitude the great labour of God might the better bee expressed and shewed in tilling plowing and cherishing both those kingdomes and people to wit that of the Iewes and Israelites as appeareth by the parable of the vine Isai 5. Two parts of this verse This verse hath two parts The first appertaineth vnto the kingdome of Israel The latter vnto the kingdome of Iudah The whole kingdome of Israel is here by the figure Synecdoche vnderstood by the name Ephraim and the kingdome of Iudah 1. Concerning the kingdome of Israel by these words Iudah and Iaacob Therefore as concerning the kingdome of Israel or those ten tribes 2. Concerning the kingdome of Iudah The figure Synecdoche what it is see Amos cap. 5. vers 21. first God sheweth what their disposition nature was vnder the similitude of an heifer the which had rather to tread out or thresh the corne then to plow that is which was giuen to pleasure and ease and would take but little paine in doing her dutie but wished forthwith to redeiue the fruite of her labour For such are the cattel which had rather to tread out the corne that is quietly and eating to doe some thing lightly vnder the roofe and at home then to plow abroade and in the fields that is 1. The kingdome of Israel in the open ayre and heate to take great paynes and worke Thus then in these words doubtlesse is described the nature of dissolute or loose and idle persons and such as are altogether giuen vnto pleasures And albeit these by nature were such yet GOD notwithstanding with great diligence dressed and tilled them For he vsed both his lawe the which he gaue them by Moses and also the labour and trauaile of diuers Prophets the which he raised vp vnto them that he might ride vpon them and as an honorable Rider sit vpon them breake them beate downe the fiercenes of their nature and that he might rule and reigne in their hearts And these things are declared and made plaine by the selfe same Metaphor
and there was no straunge god with him What then could be done more kindly and courteously towardes them And truly Paul frō this place tearmeth that good wil wherewith God loueth vs philanthropia or loue towards man Tit. 3. v. 4. So then God at that time brought them forth and afterward cherished them and made much of them with the cords of a man or of loue and the same most thicke that is with most manifest and many signes waies and tokens of his loue and did in like manner for them as he that taketh the yoke from the iawes of a beast that the yoke wring not nor strangle not the beast and finally laieth meate before it which the beast may eate After this maner God relieued deliuered nourished that miserable and poore people perishing with famine and labour in Egypt By how much the greater is their ingratitude or vnthankfulnes who not onely despised and set at nought so great a benefite but also bestowed vpon them by God with so louing a minde Vers 5. He shall no more returne into the land of Egypt but Asshur shall be his King because they refused to conuert A threatning of sundrie punishments and miseries against the Israelites A Threatning the which is made against the Israelites because of the former rebellion and the same of many punishments and miseries And first of all because they would not repent and refused to returne vnto the true God beeing neuer so much warned thereunto the Prophet threatneth that it shall come to passe that they shal obey and be subiect vnto strangers and forraine kings and those not their neighbours or neere vnto them as were the kings of Egypt but such as dwelt most farre from them and therefore such as should be most fierce and cruel vnto them as the kings of countries lying most farre from vs are wont to be when as once they get the vpper hand and soueraignitie ouer vs. For al things are disposed and ordred among vs by their gouernours and presidents who are wont to be most couetous and cruel there is none or very seldome fellowship and dealing of vs with them because of the difference of language and maners finally there is no loue of them to vs ward whome they suspect of rebellion Therefore such kings doe vexe and burden the people distant so farre from them both with garrisons and with tributes that as much as they can they may diminish their strength and take from them all possibilitie of shaking off their yoke from their necks Hereof it commeth that this kinde of punishment is reckened vp for a great curse Deut. 28. ver 49. c. The Lord saith Moses shall bring vpon thee a nation from farre euen from the ende of the worlde flying swift as an egle a nation whose tongue thou shalt not vnderstande A nation of a fierce countenance which will not regard the person of the old nor haue compassion of the young Wherefore here is threatned a most grieuous punishment when as it is foretold the Israelites that they must take vpon them and come vnder the yoke and gouernment of such forraine kings They shal not returne into Egypt Neither in deed should they at any time haue returned thither to stay there or to seeke ayde thence as it appeareth Deut. 17. ver 16. where among other thinges the which the king that the Israelites should chose ouer them was to auoide it is said In any wise he shall not prepare him many horses nor bring the people againe to Egypt for to increase the number of horses seeing the Lord hath said vnto you Ye shall hence forth goe no more that way Againe the Lord saith vnto them by Ierem. cap. 42. ver 14 16. But if ye say we will not dwell in this land neither heare the voyce of the Lord your God saying Nay but we will goe into the land of Egypt where we shal see no warre nor heare the sound of the trumpet nor haue hunger of breade and therewill we dwell then the sword that ye feared shall take you there in the land of Egypt and the famine for the which ye care shall there hang vpon you in Egypt and there shall ye die Likewise Esay 31. They should not I say therefore at any time goe into Egypt but trust and stay onely vpon the promises and helpe of God alone yet notwithstanding should their bondage and subiection be more tolerable vnder their neighbours with whome they had some traficke and dealing then vnder these nations so farre distant from them namely the Assyrians whose tributaries they nowe were as we haue seene but a little before 2. King cap. 15. Another iust punishment Asshur shall be their King that is the king of the Israelites And this also is a iust punishment of their disobedience and stubbornnes For they were not conuerted or rather returned vnto the worshipping of the true God by any meanes by any exhortations by any care of God or admonitions of his Prophets Wherefore they are iustly thus punished by God For like as they tooke vnto themselues a strange god so shal they also haue and feele a strange king Thus then beeing no way to be reclaimed they are like vnto those whome Christ complaineth of Matt. 11. ver 16 17. when he saith But whereunto shall I liken this genration It is like vnto little children which sit in the markets and call vnto their fellowes and say We haue pyped vnto you and ye haue not daunced we haue mourned vnto you and ye haue not lamented Vers 6. And the sworde shall fall on his cities and shall consume his barres and deuoure them because of their owne counsels AN other kinde of punishment the which is threatned vnto Idolatours namely Another kinde of punishment namely that it shall come to passe that their most fensed cities and also their members or barres shall perish And by the name of members or barres I doe vnderstand both the citizens themselues and also the villages the which belonged and were appertaining vnto those fortified and fenced cities as appeareth Ios 15. Therefore not onely they themselues shall be pressed with that forraine and heauie yoke but also all their aydes shal be laide wast which thing came to passe both by their ciuill and also by their forraine warres Yea they shall be consumed that is to say they shal not onely be destroied in part but they shall vtterly be cut off that they be not any more a people And this shal fal out because of their counsels to wit their idolatrie and rebellion against God See before cap. 10. ver 6. So God threatneth them with vtter destruction Deut. 28. ver 20. where he speaketh by Moses The Lord shall sende vpon thee cursing trouble and shame in all that which thou settest thine hande to doe vntill thou be destroyed and perish quickly because of the wickednes of thy workes whereby thou hast forsaken me Vers 7. And my people are
this people was flourished so long as they serued the true God or was not so much giuen vnto idolatrie as it was then and of that state in which they now be after that they haue begun to worship idols so outragiouslie and those also of all sortes The first estate of the Ephraimites As for their first estate it was happie For then When Ephraim spake and gaue sentence among the other tribes they were feared For they had gotten vnto themselues reuerence and authoritie among all the Israelites in so much that they obtained the kingdome among those ten tribes and that this tribe of Ephraim made the other tribes to feare them and ruled ouer them as their head For Ieroboam which first ordained and set vp the kingdome of Israel was an Ephraimite 1. King 11. ver 26. he made the citie Sichem the chiefe citie of that Kingdome in mount Ephraim in the which afterward he and Nadab reigned and dwelled 1. King 12.25 Then Ieroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim and dwelt therein and went from thence and built Penuel But after that the familie of Ieroboam was rooted out and the kingdome taken by Baasa of the tribe of Issachar 1. King 15. ver 27. the seate of the kingdome and the chiefe citie was Thersa or Tirza ver 33. And this Thersa or Tirza was beyond Iordan in the countrie of Galaad or Gilead neer vnto Thapsus 2. King 15. ver 16. And Thapsus or Tiphsah which of Stephanus is called Thapsacus and of Plinius lib. 5. cap. 24. Amphipolis is situate by the riuer Euphrates at leastwise beyond Iordan 1. King 4. ver 24. For there it is said that Solomon ruled in all the region on the other side of the riuer from Tiphsah euen vnto Azzah c. Wherefore the authoritie and preheminence of the tribe of Ephraim was now in part diminished The autoritie of the tribe of Ephraim in part diminished when as the chiefe citie of the kingdome was translated into another tribe And this came to passe because those two Ephraimite kings namely Ieroboam and Nadab were idolators And this was the first condition or estate of Ephraim and the same in deede happie before that it fell vnto idolatrie But after that outragious and filthie idolatrie began among them The second estate of the Ephraimites and the worship of Baal and all kinde of idols to bee receiued and worshipped for God then began Ephraim to be most vnhappie to be counted weake and for dead and of no authoritie aboue the other tribes That which happened first vnder King Achab For he first brought Baalims into Israel seeking to please his wife Iezabel of Sidonia 1. King 16. ver 31. Achab was the first that brought Baalims into Israel For there by way of admiration it is asked thus concerning him For was it a light thing for him to walke in the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat except he tooke Iezabel also the daughter of Eth-baal King of the Zidonians to wife and went and serued Baal and worshiped him And thus hee worse prouoked God then all the former Kings of Israel Finally he opened a window vnto all kinde of idolatrie were it neuer so absurd or against reason and blasphemous For that which was ordeined and set vp by Ieroboam might seeme to haue some colour and excuse for that Aaron in the wildernes did set vp and cast a calfe for the Israelites whom the people themselues worshipped Exod. 32. ver 4.5 For whon the molten calfe was made and shewed them then they said These bee thy gods O Israel which brought thee out of the land of Egypt when Aaron saw that he made an altar before it c. and they offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings c. But the worship of Baalims could not be defended by any home example of the Israelites and it was altogether profane or filthie and heathenish Whereupon euen from that time especially the matters and strength of the Israelites began to goe to wracke and to bee diminished and troubled by the Syrians and Arabians For Achab himselfe with his armie was slaine by Benadad the King of the Syrians at the citie Ramoth Gilead Achab slaine at Ramoth Gilead by Benadad King of Syria when as he would haue taken it againe and recouered it out of the hands of the Syrians which had gotten and taken it before Afterward also their power began to decay vnder the other kings of the Israelites there were ciuill warres and daily murtherings one of another among them lastly the estate of this nation was miserable and pittifull and they themselues were laid open for a pray vnto their neighbours Their strength was so small or rather none at all as is the strength of a dead man Samaria in deed was alwaies the chiefe citie of that kingdome 1. King 16. This seemeth to haue been situate in the tribe of Ephraim or at least wise in that countrie the which was common vnto the tribe of Ephraim and the halfe tribe of Manasses and therefore a certaine kingly and royall dignitie might yet still bee thought to remaine in the tribe of Ephraim but yet now at this time the strength of that kingdome was very small And therefore it was a name without a bodie or onely a bare shadow of a great name as one saith of old Pompeius Vers 2. And now they sinne more and more and haue made them molten images of their siluer and idols according vnto their owne vnderstanding they were all the worke of the craftesmen they say one to another * Or as some translate while men doe sacrifice The first amplification of the idolatrie of the Israelites taken from three places while they sacrifice a man let them kisse the calues THe first amplification of the idolatrie of the Israelites that the complaint of God and the punishment of this sinne may appeare to be the more iust It is amplified frō three places shewed how great hurt there commeth thereby that the Israelites being warned by their owne punishment and harme may be called back vnto repentance if so bee that they can bee called back 1. From their continuance in idolatrie The first 02 place is taken from their continuance in idolatrie For after that they once tooke vpon them the worship of Baalims the Israelites grew and waxed worse and worse Thus doubtles doe they alwaies fall to worse and worse which haue once cast away the true worship of God They frame vnto themselues euery day new idols they be at new charges they bestowe wastefully vpon these superstitions euery their best and most pretious things And finally this their dooing hath no meane nor measure For a windowe being once opened vnto idolatrie men run daylie into new worshippings of new Gods and as euery new religion best liketh them or is forged by them according to the pleasure of their minde so doe they receiue and set it vp as it
the true worship of God It appeareth by the diuision of the land described in the booke of Ioshua and by cap. 4. of the first booke of Kings that there were belonging vnto this kingdome of Israel both most fruitfull places and also fine and beautifull places The Antithesis or contrarietie the which is manifestly seene in this sentence of the Prophet 2. The Antithesis or matching of contraries one against another expresly to bee gathered out of the words of this verse is first in the word Saphir the which signifieth fine and beautifull and faire and in these words naked with shame So then the places which before were fine and faire places and a pleasant dwelling the same shall now become naked yea and that with shame because the fearfull tokens of the most iust wrath of God shal be extant and remaining against that countrie Againe there is an Antithesis or setting of contraries one against another in these words goe or flee and the inhabitant of the place that is full of cattell shall not come forth to helpe thee or to receiue thee or ayde thee that is no husbandman or farmer albeit that he neuer so much haue or receiue of thee that his standing to wit both his house which he dwelleth in in the fieldes and the cattell themselues which he feedeth For the farmers and tillers of farmes in the countrie haue them for the most part of the citie owners hired for a rent or for a reward vnles that they themselues bee rich and the owners of them But the Prophets meaning is that those farmers which shall hold these farmes of them shal not meet them when they flee away that they may refresh and helpe their Landlords The reason is added because that the husbandmen being so awhaped and frighted shall not doe it for feare so that they shall not dare to goe out of their rockes fields and farmes For saith the Prophet there shall be mourning and it shall bee heard euery where both in the places and houses the which shall be adioyning and neere vnto these farmes Finally both in the townes and in the fields there shall be great feare great trembling great dismaying abashment so that not so much as the countrie seruants who in their farmes haue their foode and dwelling of their masters shall come out of those their farmes and houses to comfort and meete their masters nor to bring them any helpe at all when as they slee and passe by that way And this doubtles is a description of exceeding great miserie calamitie or distresse to be lamented whereas for feare the very lawes of nature and humanitie are altogether neglected and forslowed Vers 12. For the inhabitant of Maroth waited for good but euill came from the Lord vnto the gate of Ierusalem A yeelding a reason of this so great abashment THis is a rendring of a reason of this so great an abashment the which shall be in the inhabitants of the pasture place and full of cattell that is to say in the husbandmen For albeit that it was shewed before that this should come to passe because of the feare of the husbandmen yet here is now declared how iust this feare is and that it cannot bee accused or found fault withall Therefore sayth the Prophet the inhabitant of the place abounding with cattell the which is here called the inhabitant of Maroth or of the rough place that is of the rocks and mountaines for in the mountaines as well as in the valleyes there are wont to bee places for pastures and flocks and heards of cattell that same inhabitant I say that is the husbandmen shall mourne and shall wonderfully bee tormented with in themselues and shall be afrighted for the benefit and commodities of victuals and of the countrie by the enemies gotten from them that is taken away by force And especially when as they shall see this euill or punishment to be from God to haue reached and come euen vnto the gates of Ierusalem that is of that holie citie There is a like place to cause the people to bestirre themselues looke about them Mat. 24. ver 15. when they shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet standing in the holie place For then sayth he let him that readeth consider it We are taught by this example that the afflictions or punishments which God sendeth vpon his Church The iudgemēts of God vpon his Church ought especially to be regarded are especially to bee considered of vs and regarded For they are most assured tokens of his wrath against the world and most true prognostications of great miseries the which shall afterwards insue vnto therest of mortall men Ezech. 9. And therefore Peter sayth 1. Epist cap. 4. ver 17. If iudgement first begin at the house of God what shall be the end of those that obey not the Gospell of God Vers 13. O thou inhabitant of Lachish binde the charet to the beasts of price or dromedaries she is the beginning of the sinne to the daughter of Zion for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee THis is a descending or comming downe vnto particulars For after that he hath generally shewed the laying waste and destruction of the whole land to come A comming vnto particulars that he might declare the greatnes of this punishment and ouerthrowe he now commeth downe vnto certaine places and describeth what trembling and miserie shall be in them especially What the figure Prosopopoeia is see Oseas cap. 6. ver 1. as in this verse by Prosopopoeia or feining of a person the Prophet speaketh vnto Lachish a citie of the kingdome of Iudah the which he sheweth shall bee punished for the same impietie or vngodlines which was in Israel that thereby Israel himselfe may iudge that is that kingdome that he must be punished for the like vngodlines Two parts of this verse Wherefore there are two things here to be noted One the speedie fleeing and feare of the citie Lachish and of the citizens The other 1. Their speedie fleeing the cause of the same The fleeing and that not onely vpon horses such as posts are wont to ride on but also vpon Dromedaries And this is a kind of beast most quicke and swift 2. The cause thereof farre exceeding the swiftnes of horses as writers of histories doe affirme For they are called Dromedaries of their swiftnes in running But whereas it is sayd that this calamitie or miserie shall make the citie of Lachish it selfe afrayd it appeareth to be great Ierem. 34. ver 7. Lachish and Azekah are called strong cities of Iudah For Lachish was a strong citie in the kingdome of Iudah but yet such a citie the which Sennacherib afterwards wonne as it is Isai 36. ver 2. and the citizens thereof as wee see them here in this verse willed for to doe ranne away most fearefully whilest Salmanazar taketh Samaria and spoyleth and wasteth
these peoples shall be so cast downe and darkened that neither people shall euer afterward be able to lift vp themselues vnto the olde dignitie which they had vnder their kings Therefore I take the worde Romah in good parte in this place This to bee true that which fell out vnto them hath declared For the kingdome of Israel vtterly perished and the kingdome of Iudah was neuer afterward restored vnto his former glory renowme no not after their return from the captiuitie of Babylon as may appeare Ezechiel 21. vers 26 27. of that which is threatned concerning the fall of Zedekiah and his Kingdome neuer to be restored to his former dignity in these wordes Thus sayth the Lorde GOD I will take away the Diadem and take off the Crowne this shall be no more the same I will exalte the humble and abase him that is high I will ouerturne ouerturne ouerturne it and it shall bee no more vntill he come whose right it is and I will giue it him The reason followeth in our Prophet A reason of this so great punishment because all that time following shall be an euill time and a time of affliction or trouble For albeit that the affliction of the Israelites and especially of the Iewes were eased and diminished or lessened by GOD and their condition or estate changed yet the print and token of this iudgement of GOD the which is nowe threatned agaynst both those peoples remayned and abode still alwayes euen very grieuous and are manifest also at this day It shall therefore be an euill time By these so many true and earnest descriptions of the punishment to come the purpose of GOD was to recal them vnto a better and more sound minde were they neuer so great Hypocrites and stubborne the portion giuen them sometimes by GOD the Lord in token of his fauour Vers 6. They that prophesied prophesie ye not They shall not prophesie to them neither shall they take shame The figure Hypophora or answering an obiection What this figure is see Amos cap. 5. ver 21. THis is the figure Hypophora wherby he answereth an obiection or exception of that stubborne people especially the Israelites and by the selfe same the Prophet not onely signifieth but also declareth and liuely painteth out as it were in colours the impietie or vngodlinesse and the more then bruitish contempt of God among them in this nation This then was the exception of this people and the same springing from notorious impudencie or shamelesnes contumacie or stubbornnes against God to wit The Prophets shal not prophesie among vs that is to say wee will not suffer them to threaten these things vnto vs yea if any messenger of such feare threatnings shall come vnto vs we will send him packing and will not suffer him to speake to terrifie or feare our men So Amos 7. ver 12 13. Amaziah sayth vnto Amos O thou seer goe flee thou away into the land of Iudah and there eate thy bread and prophesie there but prophesie no more at Bethel for it is the Kings chappel and it is the Kings court So Isai 30. ver 10. The people say vnto the Seers See not and to the Prophets prophesie not to vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs prophesie errors This was passing wantonnes against God and blockishnes vnheard of as if God therefore could be letted in his worke because some stoppes and lets are layd in the way of his ministers and for that they are forbidden to threaten those iudgements of God by the vngodly The Prophet therefore answereth this disobedience two wayes 1. God his Prophets shall prophesie whether they will or no that forbid thē First nay the Prophets of God shall preach and prophesie among you in spite of your teeth and in your hearing notwithstanding Hereof there is example 1. King cap. 22. ver 8. in the Prophet Michaiah who telleth the trueth notwithstanding the wicked King Achab hate him neuer so much and cannot abide to heare him And Amos 7. ver 16. the Prophet ceaseth not to denounce God his iudgements against Amaziah the priest albeit he were forbidden by him to prophesie in the land of Israel Secondly albeit these Prophets of God preach not Though the Prophets being forbidden prophesie not yet shall not the people therfore escape vnpunished or prophesie not vnto this people shall this people therfore feele no punishment Therefore in my iudgement the second part of this verse is an interrogation or asking of a question thus If the Prophets prophesie not to wit as being stopped and letted by one meanes or other shall they therefore namely the people not take shame And it is easily vnderstood what the Prophet would haue vnderstood to wit This people shall not therefore bee free from the punishment to come although they will not haue the Prophets of God to threaten the same vnto them The reason whereof followeth in the next verse Vers 7. O thou that art named the house of Iaacob is the spirit of the Lord shortned are these his workes Are not my words good to him that walketh vprightlie A rendring of a reason of the former repreheasion THis is the rendring of a reason of the former reprehension taken from the nature of God and the force and power of his spirit the which by no meanes can be let changed restrained shortned shifted off or pent vp but that it will effect or bring to passe those things which God willeth and hath decreed howsoeuer men seeke shifts and starting holes Three partes of this verse and goe about to mocke and dallie with God And this verse hath three certaine pointes to be noted 1. The maner of speaking The first is the maner of speaking The second the epithet or title the which is giuen vnto the Israelites vnto whome the Prophet speaketh in this place The third the manifold reason 2. The title giuen to the Israelites for the which they are shewed to be reproued worthely and this their cogitation or surmise and mocking of God declared to be altogether absurd or foolish and blasphemous For the first 3. Many reasons why they are reprehended the maner of speaking is an earnest interrogation or asking of a question and the same repeared wherewith the dull consciences of these men are not onely pricked and stirred vp but also is prooued albeit they would denie that which is here set downe that the same notwithstanding is true and acknowledged of all other people Hereunto therefore appertaine the so often interrogations of this verse Now the title which is here giuen vnto the Israelites doth the more condemne them and make them vnexcusable who thinke such things of God and by this cunning goe about to limit the wordes of God or to disanull them to wit looke by how much the more they doe glorie and boast of the true feare and true knowledge of the true God vnder this selfe same
meete and right that she should bee so punished For shee hath sinned against God For this is the first reason and preparation of a minde submitting it sâ—lfe vnto the iudgements of God namely earnestly and truely to acknowledge his sinnes and to be displeased with it selfe for the same For this sence or feeling of sin causeth that we murmure not against God but that wee beare his wrath with a quiet minde 2. The punishmeÌ„t shall not be perpetuall The second reason of this comfort and patience of the Church is because this punishment shall not bee perpetuall but onely vntill such time as God shew himselfe a pleader and Iudge betweene his church and the enemies thereof For then will he acquite his church in regard of her enemies and will condemne the enemies of the same So speaketh Dauid of GOD his iudging of his cause against his enemies and the enemies of his church Psal 7. vers 7 8. Awake for me according to the iudgement that thou hast appoynted So shall the congregation of the people compasse thee about for their sakes therefore returne on high The Lord shall iudge the people iudge thou me O Lord according to my righteousnes according to mine innocencie that is in me This the church calleth her iudgement that is the gayning winning of her cause and the time of her deliuerance when as God himselfe shall pronounce or giue sentence of the cause of his church her enemies The third reason of the patience of the church â—s 3. God shall bring forth the righteousnes of his church into the sight of al men that GOD shall bring forth that same righteousnes of his church into the light and eyes of all men that she may be acquired iustified of euery body This is a most singular comfort of the godly and a true foundation of patience for that God at the last and in the end notwithstanding those that be his be neuer so much afflicted by the vngodly will shew and declare that they were iust and guiltles in regarde of their enemies that afflict them Then therefore shall the Church see and perceiue her owne righteousnes not in respect of GOD but in respect of her enemies and of men that vexed and afflicted her Vers 10. Then she that is mine enemie shall looke vpon it and shame shall couer her which sayd vnto me where is the Lord thy God Mine eyes shall behold her now shall she be troden downe as the mire in the streetes An amplification of the former patience and comfort of the church AN amplification of the former patience and comfort the which is felt by the Church by meanes of her iustification to wit because in the end the very enemies of God themselues shal acknowledge and confesse the same righteousnes of the Church This shall come to passe both in the last iudgemeÌ„t also it doth com to passe as often as God by the preaching of his word doth make it known vnto the world that the doctrine of his church is the truelight of the Gospel and heauenly godlines And now out of this confession and acknowledging of this righteousnes wherewith the Church was endued and the which is made by the enemies followeth the shame reproch of the sayd enemies and that especially in those scoffes and taunts wherewith they sharply and bitterly laughed to scorne the hope which the Church did repose or put in GGD demanding of the poore afflicted church Where is thy God And after this sort doe the wicked gibe and floute the godly Psal 42. and 43. Finally The great shame and reproch of the enemies of the Church how great this shame and reproch of the enemies of the church shal be is declared by a double effect namely both for that the church her selfe shall see with her eyes and also euen in this world that same exceeding confusion of her enemies and the enemies themselues shall be despised of all men and be troden vnder foote of euery one as the mire in the streetes These things no doubt come to passe when as God openeth the light of his truth vnto the world Then the enemies of the church are most abiect and contemned as we see in these our dayes when as poperie is banished and cast away in this yeare of the Lord 1582. Vers 11. This is the day that thy walles shall bee built this day shall driue farre away the decree An other confirmation of the comfort hope of the Church ANother confirmation of the comfort and hope of the church the which is taken from GOD himselfe promising the same For here now is GOD brought in by the Prophet promising help vnto those that are his and pronouncing their deliuerance from miserie So then these wordes The day to builde and the verses following vnto the 18. verse are the wordes of God speaking and shewing him selfe vnto his Church trusting in him and most fully comforting her First GOD himselfe promiseth and declareth that it shall come to passe that the Church shall bee builded vp agayne and that assuredly and within a short time For the people was in the captiuitie of Babylon but onely seuentie yeares Ierem. 25. Vers 12. In this day also they shall come vnto thee from Asshur and from the strong cities and from the strong holdes euen vnto the riuer and from sea to sea and from mountaine to mountaine They shal come vnto the church from all places and countries SEcondly he promiseth that it shall come to passe that they shall come vnto her from all places euen by publike commandement and that from out of Assyria Euphrates Egypt other countries The which thing came to passe both vnder Cyrus and Darius wheÌ„ as the Temple of God was renued and restored by publike decree and also as often as before Christ was borne and made man God did helpe his Church as vnder the Machabees and lastly vnder the Gospell of Christ when as all nations came running vnto the true Church of God the which were prophane or wicked before and also enemies vnto the name of God Furthermore and now also when as the Gospell is preached vnto the world Vers 13. Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein and for the fruits of their inuentions THis is the figure Occupatio The figure Occupatio what it is see Amos cap. 5. ver 3. or preuenting an obiectioÌ„ the which the Lord addeth least that the godly because of the affliction of this people the which was very shortly to insue might despayre of the former promises Therfore that both they might be streÌ„gthened also that he might moderate their ioy God did put in this mentioÌ„ of the laying waste of the land which was to come And this verse hath two things First 1. The laying waste of this land a threatning of the laying waste of the nation and of this land that is of the Church the which
laying waste was for to come Secondly the cause of this punishment which were the sinnes of this people and the most bitter fruites 2. The cause of the same the which this vineyard brought vnto God the husbandman or her vine dresser in stead of good fruit Isai 5. And this cause was set downe that the godly should not murmur against God but that they should vnderstand that they were iustly punished by him Vers 14. Feede thy people with thy rod the flocke of thine heritage which dwell solitarie in the wood as in the midst of Carmel let them feede in Bashan and Gilead as in old time A comfort againâ—â— the former affliction A Comfort against the threatning of the former affliction or punishment to the end the godly may be the more strengthened in the former promises of God Two parts of this verse And this verse or comfort containeth two parts the one wherein God commandeth the heads or rulers of the Church to seede their people in or with their rod 1. A commandement to feede their people that is according vnto the authoritie and dignitie the which was left vnto them by God in the midst of their affliction and poore estate notwithstanding The kingdome I confesse ceased among the Iewes in those afflictions and also a long while afterward accordingly as the Lord threatned them by Ezech. cap. 21. ver 26. saying I will take away the diademe and take off the crowne this shall be no more the same I will exalt the humble and abase him that is hie but yet all policie or gouernment power and dignitie did not therfore cease in that people For they had Rulers or Gouernours of their nation and the Synedrion or Consistorie of Elders or chiefe men Therefore according vnto that authoritie and power which was left vnto them God commandeth the Rulers that they nourish gouerne and preserue the people of the Church and not that they cast them away and vtterly forsake them And why I pray you doth he this To wit for because how forsaken soeuer solitarie afflicted and small this people were God neuerthelesse would preserue theÌ„ and out of the selfe same people afterward gather vnto himselfe a most great Church as shall anon be shewed ver 15 and 16. Further God exhorting the Pastors and Rulers of this people to looke vnto it defend and feede it calleth this people their people flocke heritage not in contempt or reproch but that by this name and relation they may vnderstand that this which they are commanded for to doe cannot by them be ouerpassed and forslowed without a great offence For this is belonging vnto their dutie For God hath committed this people vnto them for to feede Hereupon is there a mutuall band by reason of these words betweene the Rulers and the people giuen vnto them by God This is one part of the comfort set forth by God in this verse 2. A promise concerning the deliuerance and restoring of this people The second part of this verse is a promise of the full deliuerance and restoring of this people into their owne seates and home as before how greatly soeuer the land were layd waste before the nation carried vnto another countrie For this land and this nation shall be restored This people shall feede as before and shall possesse Basan and Galaad and their other countries Vers 15. According to the dayes of thy comming out of the land of Egypt will I shewe vnto him meruailous things A confirmatioÌ„ of the latter promise of the full restoring of this people A Confirmation of the latter promise of the full restoring of this people that is of the Church of God For by a similitude he sheweth after what maner and how great it shall be nay how miraculous For it shall be such as was that wherby this people at the first was deliuered out of Egypt and that miraculouslie And truly the deliuerance of this people out of the captiuitie of Babylon was altogether miraculous also so that this comparison in resembling it vnto that of Egypt is truely made also of the maner whereof the Lord speaketh by his Prophet Isai cap. 27. ver 12.13 thus In that day shall the Lord thresh from the chanell of the riuer vnto the riuer of Egypt and ye shall be gathered one by one O children of Israel In that day also shall the great trumpe be blowne and they shall come that perished in the land of Asshur and they that were chased into the land of Egypt and they shall worship the Lord in the holie mount at Ierusalem Vers 16. The nations shall see and be confounded for all their power they shall lay their hand vpon their mouth their eares shall bee deafe An amplification of this deliuerance AN amplification of this deliuerance taken from the meruailous astonishment and wondring of men that were Infidels because of the same in so much that they shall be ashamed for that they doe not serue God but others and they shall not moue their mouth nor their cares for wondering so miraculous doubtles and wonderfull a worke of God vnto the wicked and vngodly is the deliuerance of his Church as may appeare Psal 126. ver 2. where the very heathen themselues doe confesse and acknowledge the mightie power of God shining so cleerely forth in that most wonderfull deliuerance of his people For thus doe the godly deliuered in that place testifie Then sayd they among the heathen The Lord hath done great things for them Vers 17. They shall licke the dust like a serpent they shall moue out of their holes like wormes or serpents they shall be afrayd of the Lord our God and shall feare because of thee Another amplification of this wonderfull deliuerance ANother amplification of the sayd miracle or wondrous deliuerance and of the astonishment and feare of the heathen because of this worke of God to wit taken from the most humble submission feare and trembling which shall then bee of those nations before the Church it selfe Therefore whatsoeuer the Church shall then command they will doe it not daring to doe anything or to stirre against it So then not onely the astonished mind of the infidels is in this place described but also this miracle of God in deliuering those that are his is amplified by their gesture and feare of minde and also by the similitude taken from the feare of serpents Of the like humbling and submitting of themselues vnto Salomon the true figure of Christ and his Church is spoken Psal 72. ver 9. where it is sayd They that dwell in the wildernesse shall kneele before him and his enemies shall licke the dust The great feare of the heathen at the deliuerance of God his church Further that which is here sayd and alleaged of serpents painteth out a wonderfull trembling and feare of the vnfaithful and vnbeleeuing nations before the Church For serpents stirre not out of their
2 The name and stock of the prophet This prophet then is Ioel and that not euery Ioel for it may be that at the same time there were many famous knowen men of that name but he which was the sonne of Pethuel so consequently most knowne among others of the same name For I thinke the name of the Father added here in this place elswhere by the Prophets to shew that they for as much as they were of an honest and knowen family or house were voyd of all suspicion as if after the example of the false Prophets they did preach for couetousnes and gaine or did any thing of flattery for vaineglory sake or tooke vpon them to deale publikely but God in such sort mouing and commaunding them Ver. 2. Here ye this O Elders and hearken ye all inhabitants of the land whether such a thing hath bin in your daies or yet in the daies of your fathers The proposition by way of amplification Insect a are a kind of small vermin deuided in the body betweene the head and the taile hauing no flesh bloud sinnues c. as are flies gnats bees antes waspes hornets and such like THe Proposition or priucipall poynt by way of amplification And this amplification was needefull because of mockers and scorners of God For when as the Prophet was to speake of locusts palmer wormes grashoppers caterpillers which are filly creatures and of the kinde which they call insecta and of their power against men and the kingdome of Iudah he should by by moue laughter vnto these scoffers in that he should thunder and so greatly go about to fray men so exceedingly with so smal and light matters He doth therefore by the effects describe the matter it selfe both as in part it was euery where felt already and was more to be perceiued yet hereafter sheweth that it is a most grieuous fearefull iudgement of God the which they otherwise peraduenture would haue contemned or despised So Exod. it appeareth that God by locusts ouercame the Egyptians And this plague among the rest is reckoned vp Psal 105. ver 34 in these wordes He spake and the grashoppers came and caterpillers innumerable So 1. Kinng 8. ver 37 such kind of creatures beasts are reckoned vp among the most bitter scourges whippes of God And elswhere they are called the great army or host of God For nothing is light or weake the which God armeth against vs. 1 Who are stirred vp to heare This verse hath two things to be noted For we must marke both whom he stirreth vp to heare and why he stirreth them vp And first of all he stirreth vp those who among that people are Elders in age 2 Why they are stirred vp and might haue noted and marked both more and greater iudgements of God by reason of the length of their yeares Secondly al the rest of the inhabitants of the land of Iudah as namely all vnto which this speech is directed And all these doth God wil to heare these things which follow not only with the eares of their body but also earnestly to applie their minde thereunto to weigh and thinke vpon them with themselues and diligently to hearken vnto them But why the Prophet thus dilignetly warneth them to heare both the regard of the mttaer and also the greatnes of the daunger wherein they either already are or presently are like to be doth perswade For as it is here sayd in that kinde there yet had neuer bin any daunger or hurt like or equall vnto it either in the memory or remembrance of those which were aliue or else in the times of their elders For where as it is sayd of the grashoppers which God in his anger sent vpon Pharao and his land that they were such as neither their fathers nor their fathers fathers had euer seene vpon the earth vnto that day that maketh nothing against this which is here spoken For there he speaketh not of the multitude of those kinde of creatures but of the greatnes of them that there should neuer after be the like of them that is so big great in the quantity of their bodies as those then in Egypt seemed and were Exod. 10. ver 6.14 Ver. 3. Tell you your children of it and let your children shew to their children and their children to an other generation A Confirmation of the greatnes of the daunger and of the extraordinary matter which was to come A confirmation of the greatnes of the daunger And it is taken from the commaundement of God who will haue it told vnto posterity vnto the third and fourth generation for the praise and glory of his power and Iustice towardes men and for the fearing of his church hereafter that they should not in such sort offend God as they had offended him who were punished after these so fearefull wayes manners For God will haue the notable and extraordinary testimonies or witnesses especially both of his Iustice and also of his mercy to be remembred and kept among men And therefore it is said Psal 22. ver 31. They shall come and shall declare his righteousnes vnto a people that shall be borne because he hath done it And Psal 135. ver 13. Thy name O Lord endureth for euer O Lord thy remembrance is from generation to generation And yet are not the daily and ordinary examples of them both that is of his iustice and also of his mercy therefore of vs to be forgotten or neglected and not cared for or to be passed ouer with blinde eyes Vers 4. That which is left of the palmer worme hath the grashopper eaten and the residue of the grashopper hath the canker worme eaten and the residue of the canker worme hath the caterpiller eaten A Making plaine of that which was set downe before For now in bare and simple speech he layeth forth the matter it selfe the which is to be heard and not any more in figuratiue speaking as he did in the former verses Hee sayth therefore See before ver 2. that in the iust iudgement of GOD there was a most grieuous famine brought into all the lande of Iudah by these foure kindes of creatures called Insecta or diuided the which in this place are recited namely the Palmer worme the Grashopper or Locust the Canker worme or the Melolontha which is also of the greater sorte of Locusts and the caterpiller All these sortes and kindes of Insecta doe croppe the fields eate the grasse and deuour the corne hurt the haruest and the graine waste the fruites and all leaues of trees Whereupon Plinius lib. 17. Natur. Histor. cap. 28. and other writers of naturall things doe reporte that medicines and remedies haue been inuented agaynst these beasts and wasters and spoylers of corne and trees Yea moreouer the same Plinius lib. 11. cap. 29. doth write being otherwise a prophane or heathen man that the multitude great numbers of these
insecta especially locusts is a signe of the anger and wrath of God but he wrote these things truely being compelled thereunto through the force of the trueth and generall confession of all men Now to declare and set down how these are bred and seuered one from another appertayneth vnto those that write of naturall matters but concerning these here spoken of I doe iudge that they were made at that time by God after an extraordinary maner both in respect of the number of them and also of this their such power and so great deuouring eating vp of things Neither was this famine caused and brought forth in foure diuers and continual yeares namely in the first yeare by the palmer worme in the second yeare by the locust and so forth but I thinke that all these were together and came in one and the same yeare and caused the famine And first the palmer worme hurte the corne and the trees then the locust or grashopper thirdly came the canker worme and fourthly the caterpiller For all these Insecta doe vse to breed in one and the same yeare partely by too much showers and partly by the ouer great heate of the sunne And there are diuers diseases of trees and fruits as it were natural and besides these others extraordinary as blasting with cold blasting with heate and drought and wasting or spoyling by such vermine as these as Plinius teacheth lib. 17. cap. 24.25 And which things ought to call vs backe vnto the feeling of our sinnes when as we are punished with these discommodities Vers 5. Awake ye drunkards and weepe and howle all yee drinkers of wine because of the new wine for it shall be pulled from your mouth An amplification of the anger of God What the figure Prosopopoeia is see Oseas cap. 6. v. 1. AN amplification of this anger of GOD and of this famine by the particular rehersall and reckoning vp of those things which these creatures did hurte And first of all heere is in this place rehearsed and recited wine the which that yeare was vtterly lost but the description of this punishment or plague is in such sorte sette forth that by a Prosopopoeia vnto the drunkards or wine bibbers this miserie is augmented or increased This verse hath two things to bee noted The first is this prosopopoeia The second Two parts of this verse the making more plaine of the thing that is lost 1 The Prosopopoeia The Prosopopoeia or feyning of persons is made both to rouze vp the drunkards that is those that doe ouerloade themselues with wine and generally also vnto all persons which are delighted or in loue with wine more then they ought to be 2. The laying opeÌ„ of the thing lost albeit they become not drunken therewithall For both these are stirred vp because of the losse of the wine the which was hoped to haue been gathered the vines being deuoured by these vermine called insecta as grashoppers caterpillers locusts and such like they are stirred vp I say onely to a wake for they which are drunkards or giuen to wine are wont to be drouzie and in a manner heauy and senceles as it were alwayes sleepie by reason of the wine continually fuming vp into their brayne but they are also stirred vp to mourn nay with alowd voyce to howle because of the great punishment brought vpon them and their lust or pleasure in drinking and the same punishment indeede most exceeding great And these are stirred vp aboue the rest and aboue those that are sober because that of themselues they both are asleepe at the iudgements of God euen when they are very sharpe and also because that this way God doth witnes that he when as he sendeth such scarcenes of wine doth punish the drunkennes of men and euery abuse of wine The thing it selfe which is lost is new wine the which was hoped for agaynst that yeare and therefore is called muste But it is vtterly lost and cut from their mouth as the Prophet speaketh albeit that these good fellowes seeke it neuer so diligently and earnestly in all countreyes and be ready to buy it dearely and most greatly wish to haue and it bee but a little sippe as it were This barrennesse then of the vines is doubtles a most iust punishment of drunkennesse and of the abuse of wine Vers 6. Yea a nation commeth vpon my land mighty and without number whose teeth are like the teeth of alyon and he hath the iawes of a great lyon A reason why this scarcitie should be THe yeelding of a reason For he sheweth by what meanes this either hath in parte already come to passe if we will haue Ionas to haue prophesied the famine being now already begun because that it continued many yeares or else why it should come to passe if we be of opinion that he foretolde vnto them a famin the which was immediately to insue Lest therfore this threatning might seem vaine vnto them especially by reason of the multitude of the vines wherewith all Iudea did abound he sheweth how great the number of these forenamed beasts wasting the vines shall be and how great plenty there shall be of them What the figure Metaphora is see Amâ—s cap. 4. ver 12. and that by a Metaphor taken from some mighty people or armie of men gathered together The multitude therefore of these creatures albeit in themselues they be neuer so small shall be so great that they may in number match a nation yea and that a mighty nation whose teeth are like the teeth of a lyon and consequently wost strong and deuouring and eating vp all things For a Lyon is a beast most rauenous and also most strong who with his teeth breaketh and teareth inâ—peeces the bones that are euen most hard And therefore the good king Hezechiah in the feeling of his fraile flesh thinking his visitation wherewith GOD in hs sicknes did for the time exercise him to be very hard and extreame compareth it vnto a Lyon breaking his bones Isai cap. 38. ver 13. saying I reckoned to the morning but he brake all my bones like a lyon from day to night wilt thou mak an end of mee Vers 7. He maketh my vine waste and pilleth off the barke of my figge tree he maketh it bare and casteth it downe the branches thereof are made white A second hurt by the forenamed creatures A Second kinde of harme and losse caused by these beasts namely the vtter eating vp of the vines themselues that there should be no hope left of gathering in of wines against the yeares to come A third kinde the spoyling of the figge trees The third hurt the breeding of wormes in them the pilling of the barke and blasting of them The which diseases and faultes are wont especially to bee in figge trees and figges For the figge is of that sort of trees the which easily looseth her fruits and yet besides it
so great plentie certainlie shall there then be of all fruites both drie and also moist And this is also a blessing which God promiseth to blesse the obedient vnto his voyce with all Deut. 30. ver 9. for thus speaketh Moyses in that place And the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in euery worke of thine hand in thy fruite of thy bodie and in the fruite of thy cattell and in the fruite of the land for thy welth for the Lord will turne againe and reioyce ouer thee to doe thee good as he reioysed ouer thy fathers See Deut. 28. more at large to this purpose Vers 25 And I will render you the yeares which the grashopper hath eaten the canker worme and the caterpiller and the palmer worme my great host which I sent among you The second amplifiction of the former blessing by comparing the plentie now with with the scarcitie before THe second amplification of the former earthlie blessing by comparing the extraordinarie famin and barrennes described before cap. 1 with the plentie and store which now is promised For this store plentie shal restore whatsoeuer that barrennes shal haue taken away Compare this verse with the first Chapter before ver 4.6.7 Wherefore this plentie shall be so much the more ioyfull and great because it shall leaue no signe nor senfie of the former miserie On the contrarie Gen. 41. there is a barrennes foretold of seuen yeares to come the which should deuoure the plentie of the seuen yeares which went before that we may know and vnderstand that both plentie and scarsitie of all things are of and from God Vers 26. So ye shall eate and be satisfied and prayse the name of the Lord your God that hath delt maruailouslie with you and my people shall neuer be ashamed The third amplification taken from the vse which God giueth of these benefites THe third amplification taken from the vse of so great benefits the which God will adioyne and graunt vnto them For both earthlie giftes are the gift of God and also the abilitie and power to vse them This may appeare by the contrarie when God giueth giftes and not power to vse them of the which Solomon complaineth Eccles 6. ver 1.2 There is an euill which I saw vnder the Sunne and it is much among men A man to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures and honor and he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth but God giueth him not power to eate thereof but a straunge man shall eate it vp this is vanitie and this is an euill sicknesse The contrarie blessing God promiseth vnto his Church Isay 62. ver 8.9 The Lord hath sworne by his right hand and by his strong arme surelie I will no more giue thy corne to be meate for thine enimies and surelie the sonnes of the straungers shall not drinke thy wine for the which thou hast laboured but they that haue gathered it shall eate it and prayse the Lord and the gatherers thereof shall drinke it in the courtes of my Sanctuarie So then I say not onelie all power and abilitie to vse and inioye the blessings of God is the gift of God but also such power as is here in this place described Thus the lewes shall eate the fruites of the earth and shall be satisfied or filled with them and they shall not be hunger staruen as they were before Further the scope or end of the vse of these giftes of God is added The end of the vse of all God his gifts toward vs. that men in so great plentie and store of things the which is a thing which easelie coÌ„meth to passe should not forget God or that they should not abuse or mispend the giftes of God or attribute the cause of them vnto any other to whom they should stand beholding for them then onelie vnto the grace of God For commonlie men doe attribute the cause of them either vnto the diligence and painefulnes of the husbandmen or of them selues or vnto the disposition of the Starres and the temperature of the heauen and of the aire or vnto the fatnes of the doung laide vpon the ground For after this manner doe profane men or wordlinges vse to speake The scope then or end both of this so great plentie of the giftes of God and of the vse of them which is of God graunted vnto vs is that we should blesse the name of God therefore giue him thanks with our whole heart and confesse and acknowledge him to be in deed our father So Paul 1. Tim. 4. v. 3. teacheth that all the creatures of God are good ought not to be refused but are to be receiued with thanks giuing of them whih beleeue and know the trueth Lastlie the Prophet teacheth that out of the same plentie they are to gather a testimonie or witnes of the grace and fauour of God towards them For it should be so great that all men should then easelie perceiue and know that God did in deed miraculously giue and bestow the same Vers 27. Ye shall also know that I am in the middest of Israell and that I am the Lord your God and none other and my people shall neuer be a shamed The fourth amplification of this blessing THe fourth amplification of the saide earthly blessing by the most holie and reuerend signification thereof For the same shal plainlie shew and witnes vnto the Iewes the singular fauour of God towardes them that is towardes his Church Therefore he sayth by this blessing ye shall know that God is louing vnto you and beareth you good will And this is a great comfort when as those earthlie blessings are in such sort giuen vnto vs of God that they may plainlie appeare to be signes and tokens of his loue towardes vs otherwise by this kinde of things it can hardlie be iudged or discerned betweene the loue and hatred of God also between the good or the elect and betweene the euill or Reprobate For as it is in Mat. cap. 5. ver 45. God maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and the vniust And Solomon Eccles 9. ver 1. teacheth that the iust and the wise and their workes are in the hand of God and no man knoweth either loue or hatred of all that is before them Three effects of God his fauour towardes his Church But this peculiar or espcial fauour of God toward his Church is described by three effects of the same to wit that God will be in the middest of them Now God is saide to be in the middest of them whom he defendeth from all miuries or wrongs 1. He will be in the middest of it and gouerneth by his spirit and â—rameth them vnto his obedience Secondlie that the true God yea and that he alone shall then be acknowledged of the Church to be their God And this is then done both when as all idolatrie
troubled and reioyced at their destruction For which cauâ—â—s the Lord also by other Prophets threatneth to be reuenged on â—â—em as Ierem. 49. vers 14. where he vseth the very selfe same beginning against them in a maner as this our Prophet Abdias doth saying I haue heard a rumor from the Lord and an ambassadour is sent vnto the heathen saying Gather you together and come against â—er and rise vp to the battel And Ezech. 24. vers 12 1â— The cause of the destruction of Edom. Thus sayth the Lord God Because that Edom hath done euill by taking vengeance vpon the house of Iudah and hath committed great offence and reâ—enged himselfe vpon them therefore thus sayth the Lord God I will â—lso stretch out mine hand vpon Edom and destroy man and beast out 〈◊〉 it and I will make it desolate from Teman and they of Dedan shall â—â—â—ll by the sword The briefnes of Danaeus vpon this Prophet may be supplied out of the Commentaries of Gualter which are in English Vers 1. The vision of Obadiah Thus sayth the Lord God against Edom we haue heard a rumor from the Lord and an ambassadour is sent among the heathen arise and let vs rise vp agaynst her to battell FIrst of all he auoucheth and ascertaineth his calling the which he teacheth to be from God He sheweth his calling to be from God And he sheweth that his prophesie shall forthwith be fulfilled in deede and in trueth for as much as the souldiers themselues mustered and gathered together by God are now already set in battell aray and ready to giue the onset vpon them Vers 2. Behold I haue made thee small among the heathen thou art vtterly despised Vtter destruction threatned vnto the Idumeans THe summe of the vengeance and punishment the which God threatneth vnto the Idumeans namely their vtter destruction Vers 3. The pride of thine heart hath deceiued thee thou that dwellest in the cliffes of the rockes whose habitation is hie that sayth in his heart who shall bring me downe to the ground Pride the first cause of the ouerthrow of the Idumeans THe first cause of this iudgement of God agaynst the Idumeans is their pride the which they conceiued of their vaine confidence or bold trust because of the scituation of their countrey seated so strongly among the rockes and cliffes that as they supposed it could neuer be surprised or taken Vers 4. Though thou exalt thy selfe as the Eagle and make thy nest among the starres thence will I bring thee downe sayth the Lord. An obiection of the Idumeans THe answering of an obiection which the Idumeans might make against these threatnings of the Prophet and say wee are sure enough from danger we dwell safely and most strongly and as it were among the starres and high in the ayre farre from al feare of hurte for thus much or the like in effect is implâ—ed in this obiection The Lord answereth The Lords answere Nothing shal let or hinder that God should not execute his iudgements vpon them albeit they dwell neuer so much in the rockes Vers 5. Came theeues to thee or robbers by night how wast thou brought to silence would they not haue stollen till they had enough if the grape-gatherers came to thee would they not leaue some grapes Sarcasmos what this figure is see Nahum cap. 3. ver 14. THe figure Sarcasmos or a most sharpe and bitter taunt which might onely or at the last bee vnderstood by the issue or falling out of the matter and ouerthrow of this people the which ensued afterward the which for the better vnderstanding of the simple reader I will make bolde with the adding of a fewe lines after this maner to make it some what more plaine thus And is this that gallant dainty land supposing that we now saw it miserably spoiled wasted by the enemie as it fel out afterward for to be nested in the stars and seated aloft out of reach in the ayre So strong so rich so wealthy what hath she fallen into the hands of theeues robbers that she hath bin thus stripped and wasted or haue the grape-gatherers been with her that she is so rifled and left thus naked and bare and gathered or plucked so neerely that there is not one cluster left hanging on her Thus much importeth this tart and biting frump or quip whereby the Prophet signifieth that they shall bee more pitifully and lamentably ransacked and spoyled then if they had been rifled by theeues or plucked by grape-gatherers for that both the one and the other how hardly or narrowly soeuer they had gone to worke with them yet would they haue left them some thing but the greedines and cruelty of those enemies into whose power they shall be yeelded vp and come shall be such that they will search al holes and corners stripping them as it were vnto the very skinne and turning them away naked leauing them nothing c. Vers 6. How are the things of Esau sought vp and his treasures searched An amplification of the greedines of the enemies AN amplification For there shall be nothing so secret hidden and well layd vp and deare vnto them the which shall not be taken away from the Idumeans by the enemies which God shall send in vpon them Vers 7. All the men of thy confederacie haue driuen thee to the borders the men that were at peace with thee haue deceiued thee and preuayled agaynst thee they that eate thy bread haue layd a wound vnder thee there is none vnderstanding in him Hypotyposis see what this figure is Amos cap. 8. ver 12. THe figure Hypotyposis For he describeth or setteth out very liuely the greatnes of the miserie to come First for that they shal then or at that time be betrayed by their owne friends Vers 8. Shall not I in that day sayth the Lord euen destroy the wise men out of Edom and vnderstanding from the mount of Esau Vers 9. And thy strong men O Teman shall be afrayd because euery one of the mount of Esau shall bee cut off by slaughter No remedie against their miseries ANd they shall not finde any remedie among themselues agaynst these so great miseries albeit they doe vse eyther counsell or strength Vers 10. For thy cruelty agaynst thy brother Iaacob shame shall couer thee and thou shalt bee cutte off for euer Cruelty another cause of their destructioÌ„ AN other cause of this so great ruine or ouerthrow of the Idumeans namely their cruelty against the Israelites their brethren now already declared and vttered indeede Vers 11. When thou stoodest on the other side in the day that the strangers carried away his substance and strangers entred into his gates and cast lots vpon Ierusalem euen thou wast as one of them A descriptioÌ„ of the crueltie of the Idumeans against the Israelites A Description or setting out and amplifiyng of this cruelty of the
ver 41. generally applye this saying of Habacuck vnto all the wicked 2. The thing it selfe foretold by the Prophet The second poynt which is here worthie the noting containeth the matter it selfe the which the Prophet foretelleth shall come to passe namely that same worke the which the Lord was to doe in their age and time Whereby appeareth that this prophesie went not long before those times wherein those things which are here threatned came to passe and wee haue sayd alreadie Further this worke is the rushing breaking in of the Chaldeans into the land of Iewrie and the destruction of Ierusalem For these euen at that time did God ordaine and prepare to bee the executioners of the people of the Iewes and the reuengers of the contemning or despising of his name Concerning this matter see Ierem. 5. Also Ierem. 13. ver 20. and 21. the are willed to enter into the consideration of these things in these words Lift vp your eyes and behold them that come from the North where is the flocke that was giuen thee euen thy beautifull flocke what wilt thou say when he shall visite thee for thou hast taught them to be captaines and as chiefe ouer thee shall not sorowe take thee as a woman in trauaile To this effect reade also the 20. and 25. chapters of his prophesie Furthermore God did thus prepare the Chaldeans vnto this Empire began to arise vp and gathered strength and power The Chaldeans growing in strength and power might the more easilie execute God his iudgements against the Iewes for so by this meanes it did the more easilie execute those iudgements of God against the Iewes Those increasings therefore of the Empire of the Chaldeans the which at that time began to waxe very great among other nations neere vnto them were as a gathering together and making readie of rods the which God would vse to whip his people withall And the Iewes are willed to marke this that very diligeÌ„tly because that within short time afterward they were to be punished and sharply corrected by those Chaldeans So in the times of our Elders when as God raysed vp the Empire of the Turkes all the Christians ought to set their eyes thereupon as on whippes The kingdome of Spaine likely to be a whip to correct the sins of the professors of the Gospell the which God ordained for them So if any idolatrous kingdome such as is that of Spaine in God his will and purpose do afterward gather great increase let vs Christians and the faithfull take it as if euen now there were by God ordayned correctors of our sinnes and of the nought setting by the doctrine of the Gospell and fearfull reuengers of the despised name of God Wherefore let men that are Christians at the least now at length begin to abstain from their sinnes and with speede and earnestly turne vnto the true God when as they see these things to be done and to be in preparing by God in the word Vers 6. For loe I raise vp the Chaldeans that bitter and furious nation which shall goe vpon the breadth of the land to possesse the dwelling places that are not theirs What that wonderfull worke is the which God shal worke against the Iewes A Making more plaine of that which went before For he sheweth what that so wonderfull a worke is the which God shall shortly worke against the wicked Iewes And it is this namely God shall raise vp and send in the Chaldeans most cruell and most mightie enemies that the Iewes may be punished by them And this agreeth with the threatnings of God the which are extant and to be found Deut. 28. ver 36.37 The Lord shall bring thee and thy king which thou shalt set ouer thee vnto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers haue knowne and there thou shalt serue others gods euen wood and stone And thou shalt be a wonder a prouerbe a common talke among all people A liuely de scription of the power and cruâ—â—ltie of the Chaldeans whither the Lord shall carrie thee Further there is added a liuely and effectuall description or setting out of the power and crueltie of the Chaldeans that hypocrites should not thinke that they can escape the iudgements of God or that they are impossible because of that strength of their owne the which such as it was they had in some measure at that time in the kingdome of Iudah Conferre this place with that of Ieremie cap. 6. ver 22.23 c. Thus sayth the Lord Behold a people commeth from the North countrie and a great nation shall arise from the sides of the earth With bow and shield shall they be weaponed they are cruell and will haue no compassion their voyce roreth like the sea and they ride vpon horses well appoynted like men of warre against thee O daughter Zion Two things here to be noted This verse hath two things especially to bee noted One the name it selfe of the Enemies whom God shall bring and raise vp against the Iewes And these are the Chaldeans 1. The name of the Enemies Now who these were it is knowne by other places of the holie Scriptures and also out of the prophane histories themselues or Chronicles of the heathen The second thing is the description of this nation 2. The description of that nation whereby the same appeareth to be very terrible or much to be feared And first of all it is said to be a most bitter nation namely 1 A most bitter nation such a nation as is bitter ouer other nation because of their hard rule and gouemment ouer them For the rule of the Chaldeans ouer the Iewes which were vnder their subiection was a Manlian gouernment that is most cruell tyrannicall as is the rule of masters ouer their slaues or of the Spaniards ouer the West Indians and not as of a father ouer his children It was a quick and hastie nation that is 2. A quicke and hastie nation diligent in the executing of matters And such must all nations be the which of small beginnings and kingdomes doe gather vnto themselues great power and beare rule ouer others to wit diligent and speedie in the dispatching of things Such were the Romanes at the first as Salust teacheth in his Catilinarie warres in these words But the Romanes are diligent at home and in warre speedie readie incouraging one another going against their enemies 3. A nation ranging farre abrode The same nation of the Chaldeans was ranging farre abrode and walking vpon the breadth of the land For the Chaldeans made warre vpon sundrie nations and waged battaile farre abrode as appeareth Iere. cap. 25. Finally they were desirous of other mens goods 4. Desirous of that is none of theirs or of that which was not theirs as namely being couetous and ambitious or proud such as is the nation of the Spaniards the which for praise gaines sake is
exceeding the truth not vnto the maintenance of a lye but to make that to be beleeued which seemeth almost incredible An amplification teaching that these threatnings concerne in generall all guiltie persons in those crimes whosoeuer A Confirmation of the former threatning by an Hyperbole or excessiue kinde of speech beyond and aboue the truth For he saith howsoeuer those which haue susteined and receiued wrong bee still and hold their peace yet doe the dum rafters and timber beames and the riches vninstlie horded and heaped vp complaine of so great iniurie or wrong done vnto them and doe require and aske vengeance at the hands of God against these sinnes Ver. 12. Woe vnto him that buildeth a towne with bloud and erecteth a citie by iniquitie AN amplification whereby he teacheth that the same iudgement of God doth appertaine and is threatned vnto couetous and cruell men not onlie such as are priuat persons but also vnto whole common wealthes Princes in like maner yea moreouer vnto the Kings and Emperours themselues Vers 13. Behold is it not of the Lord of hostes that the people shall labour in the very fire the people shall euen wearie themselues for very vanitie What the figure Hypophora is see Amos cap. 5. ver 21. THis is an Hypophora or answering of an obiection whereby he taketh away from them all hope of escaping the which they conceiued as appeareth vers 9. before First for that this vengeance and punishment shall be from God who is the rule ouer all things and whose will nothings can let nor hinder yea and it shall be most assuredly and speedilie And therefore hee said Behold Furthermore for that howsoeuer they doe flee vnto their idols either forging new or furbishing vp againe the old yet shall they wearie themselues in vaine and shall not for all this escape Vers 14. For the earth shall bee filled with the knowledge of the glorie of the Lord as the waters couer the sea A reason of the former the former iudgement THe rendring of a reason taken from the decree of God himselfe For God will haue himselfe and his glorie and power thus acknowledged of the world in stead of this that he was before in such sort contemned or despised of it And the Prophet looking especiallie into the destruction of the monarchie or Empire of Babylon the which hee had foretold in this selfe same chapter teacheth that then the iudgements of God shall euery where be scattered and spread so far a broad that they shall in such sort couer the whole earth as the waters doe the chanell of the sea And so in this place he returneth againe vnto the Chaldeans whom by meanes of the former digression or turning aside from the matter he had left Vers 15. Woe vnto him that giueth his neighbour drinke thou ioynest thine heate and makest him drunken also that thou mayst see their priuities An other cause of the destruction of the Chaldeans REturning vnto the Chaldeans he alleadgeth another cause of their destruction besides their couetousnes cruelty namely their exercrable or accursed treachery because that vnder a crafty counterfeiting of friendship and a pretence or colour of helpe learning out the weakenesse of their conferderates they inuadedor set vpon their goods kingdomes The which thing being then spoken of the nation of the Chaldeans appertayneth vnto all men yea priuate persons which are trothles and deceiuing others with counterfeiting of friendship But this meanes did the Romanes afterwardes increase and inlarge their Empire Vers 16. Thou art filled with shame for glorie drinke thou also and be naked the cup of the Lords right hand shall bee turned vnto thee It is meete the Chaldeans be serued as they haue serued others and shamefull spuing shall be for thy glorie BY the making of euery member of this verse to fit and answer God against the Chaldeans to wit that it is meete that they bee handled by God after the same maner and that they drink roundlie of the same cup the which they themselues had cruellie and treacherouslie mingled for others that they be shamefullie made naked as they haue made others naked Finallie that they feele at the last ignominie or reproch greater and more plentifull then that their cruell glorie and that they drinke of this cup of reproch and shame euen vntill they spue againe or vnto the very dregges Vers 17. For the crueltie of Lebanon shall couer thee so shall the spoyle of the beastes which made them afraid because of mens blood and for the wrong done in the land in the citie and vnto al that dwell therein THe fourth cause The fourth cause of the destruction of the Chaldeans What the figure Synecdoche is see Amos cap. 5 ver 21. and the same the chiefe cause of the destruction of the Chaldeans namely their crueltie against the people of God and the spoyling of all Iewrie the which by the figure Synecdoche is signified vnder the name of Libanon as which namelie was an earnest or pledge of the promise of God and finallie the sacking and ouerthrowing of the holy citie done by them most cruellie and mercileslie Isai 47. Vers 18. What profiteth the image for the maker thereof hath made it an image and a teacher of lyes though hee that made it trust therein when he maketh dumme idols The Idols shall not bee able to help the Chaldeans for these causes THis is an answering of an obiection least the Chaldeans might think to escape through the help of their idols and gods For he teacheth that the idols shall neither be able to defend nor help their worshippers the which thing hee proueth by the nature of the thing it selfe that is of the idols the which he describeth by these foure epithets or titles First because they are carued wood 1. Because they are carued wood and so consequentlie the work of mens hands Secondly because they remaine cast or molten images And therefore haue not by this workmanship of mā attained any diuine nature or new force 2. Because they remaine molten images Thirdly for that they teach lyes and false things And therefore Idolators are foulie deceiued when as they imagine them to bee gods and diuine powers Fourthly because such things are vaine and in themselues dumme and dead 3 Because they teach lyes And therefore they cannot doe anything nor answer vnto the prayers of them that pray vnto them Isa 40. and 44. ver 10. Who hath made a God or molten an image that is profitable for nothing And cap. 46. Vers 19. Woe vnto him that saith to the wood awake and to the dumbe stone rise vp it shall teach thee behold it is layde ouer with gold and siluer and there is no breath in it An amplification of the former refutation of the Chaldeans AN amplification of the former refutation or proouing of idols to bee vaine taken both from the curse pronounced against those
The conclusion is Iehouah or the Lord shall saue theÌ„ that is therfore that same almightie and euerlasting God who is called Iehouah shal deliuer them and saue them out of al the way-layings threatnings strength and dangers of their enemies The which hath euidently appeared in those altogether miraculous victories of the Machabees For I had rather referre these things vnto that time then vnto that deliuerance whereby the Iewes through the great miracle of God were deliuered from the threatnings rage and crueltie of Alexander the Great being angrie with the Iewes Alexander being by and by changed at the sight of Iaddi the high Priest Againe I doe expound the word Those generallie of all the Iewes both Elect and also hypocrites albeit the fruite of that benefit of God were healthsome and profitable in the Elect onely For the Hypocrites abused it And this is the conclusion of the former promise of the victorie that the Iewes should haue against the Grecians 1. The cause of their deliuerance that is the Grecian Kinges of Syria the successors of Alexander But the cause of this deliuerance and decree of God is for that Iehouah is peculiarlie the God keeper and shepheard of them that is of the Iewes the Iewes are his people flock Psal 105. Psal 78.71 Where the people coÌ„mitted vnto the gouernement of Dauid are called god his people and God his inheritance when he saith He chose Dauid also his seruant and tooke him from the sheepe foldes Euen from behind the ewes with young brought he him to feede his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel Now God saueth or deliuereth his sheepe whom he both will keepe and also according vnto the dutie of a Shepheard ought to keepe Lastly the effect of this deliuerance is described or set foorth namely the tokens 2. The effect of this victorie and those same notable monuments of their victorie set vp in euery place the which markes and monuments are in this place called stones of the crowne or excellent and notable stones and not Iewels or precious stones set vp by the Iewes vpon the ground or land after the maner of an ensigne or marke of victories as Gen. 28. ver 18. The stone that lay vnder the head of Iacob while hee slept and saw the ladder reaching from the earth vp vnto heauen the which stone hee set vp as a pillar and powred oyle vpon the top of it in remembrance of that which there had fallen out So Gen. 35. ver 20. Iacob setteth vp a pillar vpon the graue of Rachel who died in trauaile by the way homeward And in many other places of the Scriptures you shall reade of the like as for example the stones set vp in Iordan by Ioshuah and Exod. 17. ver 16. Moses built an altar and called the name thereof Iehouah-nissi for a memoriall of the great ouerthrow giuen vnto the Amalekites These Trophees also or monuments of victorie doe appertaine vnto the sundrie victories of the Machabees against Antiochus and his successor Vers 17. For how great is his goodnes and how great is his bewtie corne shall make the young men cheerefull and new wine the maides An amplification of the former promise by the figure Epiphonema which what it is see Ionas cap. 2. ver 9. AN amplification of the former promise by the figure Epiphonema or acclamation that men might be stirred vp vnto the earnest consideration and weighing of the benefites of God the which for the most part they make but small accounte of or passe them ouer blind folded The Prophet therefore wondring crieth out and pronounceth that neither the number of the benefites of God toward his church nor their profit and excellencie can sufficiently of any man be rehearsed no nor of himselfe neither Afterward by an argument from things compared he sheweth that at the length and in the end they shall bee publikely acknowledged and set forth by all sortes of men For if this goodnes and bounteousnes of God be praised of boyes and girles that are not indued with any great iudgement by reason of the exceeding great and euident store of all things powred out by God vpon his church how much more shall it so be by men growne and such as haue a setled and stayed iudgement in the considering of the liberalitie of God So then this blessing of God shall make then young men and maidens eloquent and full mouthed in the publishing and setting forth of the prayse of God Psalm 8. CAP. 10. Vers 1. Aske you of the Lord raine in the time of the latter raine so shall the Lord make white cloudes and giue you showres of raine and to euery one grasse in the fielde The scope and drift of this chapter THe scope and drift of this chapter is to teach the Iewes and consequently the church of God how she ought to behaue her selfe in whom alone she is to trust vnto whom she must hearken â—â—till the full accomplishment and performance of all the former promises dooth appeare which is Iesus Christ the Messias which was for to come And the summe of the doctrine here deliuered is that they relie vpon God alone and that they detest and shunne all idols and worshippers and seruers of idols because that God will grieuouslie punish such pastors or shepheardes of the people and will gloriouslie defend and aduance his people that serueth him and cleaueth vnto him So then this chapter is both an holsome admonition and also as it were a certaine answer of an obiection that might be made and a forewarning against the idolatries that should fall out among this people such as were diuers brought in among the Iewes in the time of the Antiochi and others Kings of Syria that being betimes warned to auoyde them they might learne to bee wise and contrariwise knowe what they were to hope for and to follow Two partes of this verse 1. A commandement to seeke vnto God in all our necessities But this verse containeth two things First of all a precept or commandement for the relying vpon God alone the calling on him 2. A promise that our prayers shall be heard and seeking vnto him in all things that shall be needefull for them The second an excellent promise of God concerning the hearing of their prayers that is the prayers of the church The commaundement is deliuered by the figure Synechdoche 1. What the figure Synecdoche is see Amos cap. 5. ver 21. setting downe the part for the whole for albeit it speake onely of the latter raine to be asked of God yet doth it generallie shew that wee are whollie and altogether to depend vpon that same Iehouah alone that is the true God and whatsoeuer wee desire to aske the same of him But by the name of the latter raine the Prophet by a Metaphor taken from fruite and seasonable raine What the figure Metaphora is see Amos cap 4. ver 12.
But in this place and in those that follow for the mouing and stirring vp of affections God vseth the figure Prosopopoeia What the figure Prosopopoeia is see Oseas cap. 6. ver 1. and the same is directed not vnto men but vnto mountaines and things without life as in Micheas often and in the Prophet Isai cap. 1. ver 2. Heare O Heauens and hearken O earth c. For the Lord or the Prophet speaketh vnto Libanum a mountaine of Phoenicia or rather of Syria to open his doores and gates And why I pray you doth he this To wit that the Cedars and most excellent trees the which this mountaine Libanus dooth beare as his riches wealth and ornaments might be burnt and consumed For that there doe growe the goodâ—y Cedars the Psal 29. ver 5. doth witnes where it is said The voyce of the Lord breaketh the Cedars yea the Lord breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon By this kinde of speaking the Prophets also doe shew that things without life doe notwithstanding heare the voyce of God and therefore that men ought so much the more to heare the same Further doores or gates are attributed vnto Libanus because as Plinius saith lib. 5. Nat. hist cap. 20. Against the mountaine Libanus the mountaine Antilibanus is set or lieth out in lengâ—h ioyned vnto it as it were with a certaine wall so that these were and are narrow passages and gates kept also some times of the kings of Persia by a wood ward or a wood-reeue that is a speciall officer for that turne as appeareth Nehem 2. ver 8. where mention is made of Asaph the kings keeper thereof that he should deliuer from thence timber for the building at Ierusalem By the name of Cedars some will haue all the most notable men of that countrie to be signified whose destruction is signified that the Church should not be troubled by meanes thereof Vers 2. Houle firre trees for the cedar is fallen because all the mightie are destroyed houle ye O Okes of Bashan for the defensed forrest is cut downe Two partes of this verse TWo things are to be noted in this verse The first is an amplification of the former prophesie For not onely the Cedars but also the Firre trees are stirred vp vnto mourning 1. An amplification of the former prophesie nay vnto howling that is exceeding wailing and crying to bee heard euery where The reason because euery the most excellent and most glorious things whether ye haue regard vnto men 2. The destruction of the land of Basan What the figure Synecdoche is see Amos cap. â— ver 21. or vnto any other things in those countries are cut downe wasted consumed and destroyed or to bee cut downe and destroyed By which effect the greatnes of the destruction is signified The latter part of the verse foretelleth the destruction of another countrie the which also is neere vnto Iudea to wit the prouince of Basan the which was neerer vnto Iudea and yet beyond Iordan For Basan was the land of king Og An Allegorie is a figure whereby one thing is said in wordes another thing signified in sence and meaning as in the former verse by Cedars great men and here by okes the poorer sort Numb 12. Afterward the historians as Stephanus haue giuen all that land vnto Arabia For it was wonne by the Arabians So then this land also is called vnto mourning because that the wooddes of that countrie yea the defensed forrest is destroyed By the figure Synecdoche by the most notable part of that countrie that is the Oken wood destroyed God sheweth the destruction of the whole people For that countrie was both full of mountaines also full of woodes abounding not with Cedars as Libanus but with Okes by which word some doe Allegoricallie vnderstand the common people and poorer sort vnto whom also destruction is threatned But all sortes of men of that place of what degree soeuer they bee are thereby vnderstood Vers 3. There is the voyce of the houling of the Shepheards for their glorie is destroyed the voyce of the roaring of Lyons whelps for the pride of Iorden is destroyed The foretelling of the iudgement of God against the Iewes themselues THe third foretelling of the Iudgement of God now against the Iewes themselues whose shepheards whom afterward he calleth Lyons are first of all said to houle because that God will first of all punish them for their negligence or slouthfulnes in feeding of the flock committed vnto them And he calleth Iudea the Pride or Excellencie of Iorden that is to say that countrie which of al those which adioyne vnto the riuer Iorden is and was without all doubt the most excellent and most braue and daintie This also doth God foreshew shall be destroyed Vers 4. Thus saith the Lorde my God Feede the sheepe of the slaughter The care of God his church committed to the Prophet THe mouing and stirring vp of affections for God by way of taking pittie and compassion dooth commend and commit the care and charge of his Church and people vnto the Prophet because it shall bee very ill gouerned by those which hereafter will call themselues the Shepheardes thereof Therefore both to condemne The things here spoken vnto Zacharias are chiefely fulfilled in Christ. and correct that same negligence of the Shepheardes the which should bee and waxed euery day worse and worse euen vntill the destruction of that nation and also to shew how great miseries there should be by this meanes in that people God will haue the gouernment of his people to be giuen vnto other Shepheardes But the things which are here spoken and commanded by God vnto the Prophet Zacharias because that Christ is the head both of the prophets and also of all Shepheards they are chiefelie to be vnderstood of Christ 1. Who is commaunded who at the length dooth take vpon himselfe the charge of his church those whom he hath appoynted Shepheardes either sleeping 2. What is commaunded or treacherouslie neglecting or foreslowing of their dutie 3. Whereof there is commaundements And this verse hath three things to be noted First whom God commandeth Secondly what hee commaundeth and thirdly whereof God giueth commandement For the first God commandeth the Prophet that is another then the ordinarie Shepherds but extraordinarie such as were the Prophets 1. The Prophet For thus doth God teach how carefull he is for his Church namely as who when as the ordinarie Shepheardes cease to doe their duties rayseth vp extraordinarie And thus much doth Christ seeme to win out of the mouthes of the pharises themselues by the parable of those vndutifull husbandmen which foreslowed the vineyard committed vnto their charge and also slew those that were sent to receiue the fruites thereof when as vnto Christ demaunding what they thinke that the Lorde of the vineyard will doe vnto those lewde husbandmen they make this answer Matth. 21. vers 41.
mercie towards the Church repenting and toward this his people the which promise of God Ioel had receiued that he should deliuer and declare the same as the answer of God vnto this people asking pardon for their fault to the ende they might knowe that their repentance was not vnprofitable before God and that the exhortation of the Prophet made thereunto in the beginning of this chapter was not in vaine neither Two parts of this verse But this verse containeth two parts One hath this answer of God the second foūdation of the promise set forth by Ioel. The other containeth a particular and peculiar laying open of this promise more at large And this is such 1. The answer of God that like as the people was put in feare with a double kinde of punishment namely of famin 2. A particular laying out of the poynts of this answer more plainly in the first chapter of the sword of the enemie in this chapter so there is now promised a double helpe from God and a double comfort one by which that famin shall be taken away For God shall giue or restore vnto them corne wine oyle the which in the chapter before he threatned that he would take away from them because of their sinnes The second part of this comfort set forth and deliuered by God in the verse following To wit Vers 20. But I wil remoue farre off from you the Northren armie I will driue him into a land barren and desolate with his face toward the East sea and his end to the vtmost sea and his stinke shal come vp and his corruption shall ascend because he hath exalted himselfe to doe this GOd shall deliuer them from that enemie the which he threatned before that he would send against them that they bee not a reproch vnto the heathen or among the prophane or wicked heathen But here God promiseth two things when as he sayth that he will deliuer his Church 1. God will scatter the enemies of his Church into the foure quarters of the world First that it shall come to passe that he will scatter into the foure quarters of the world all that same host of the Chaldees that is the armies of the enemies of his Church to wit that they shall not be able to be gathered together againe now against the same So then this armie which was gathered together out of the Northren countries for both the Assyrians and also the Chaldees were situated vnto the Iewes Northrenly or toward the North shall be scattered or driuen away namely one part of them vnto the South or into a drie land for the drie countrie is South vnto the Iewes The other part of them or the first band of them shall be driuen into the East The latter into the West These things came to passe not only when as God ouerthrew the Monarchie or Empire of the Babylonians that is of the Chaldees by the Persians but also when as the power of the Babylonians to take Syria and consequently to inuade Iewrie In that place of the Kings there is no mention made of the Syrians but of the Assyrians was scattered by King Necao 2. King cap. 23. ver 29. Concerning the ouerthrow of the Chaldees by the Medes or Persians for they are often taken the one for the other thus the Lord threatneth by his Prophet Isai cap. 13. ver 17. Behold I will stirre vp the Medes against them which shall not regard siluer nor be desirous of gold And Babel the glorie of Kingdomes the beautie and pride of the Chaldeans shall be as the destruction of God in Sodom and Gomorah The place of Isai cap. 31. ver 8. prophesieth of the destruction of the kingdome of the Assyrians in these words Then shall Asshur fall by the sword not of man neither shall the sword of man deuoure him and he shall flee from the sword and his yong men shall faint But cap. 48. ver 20. the Iewes are willed to get them out of Babel and to flee from the Chaldeans whereby is signified the ouerthrow of that citie by the Persians from the which the people of God are willed to flee lest by tarrying they should be partakers of their plagues 2. These enemies shall be lothed and abhorred of all men Secondly God threatneth that it shall come to passe that when as he shall after this maner scatter the enemies of his Church those selfe same enemies shall be an horror and a curse vnto all men for their bodies shall lye vnburied and therefore their stinke shall come vp and they shall now smell lothsomely vnto all men who before were so greatly feared of al men The reason is because namely they haue exalted or magnified themselues to doe this that is they haue laboured and with all the might they could possiblie haue indeuoured vtterly to destroy the Church of God For so I doe expound this sentence God would make a determined or limited correctiō and chastising of his people onely but these enemies went about vtterly to roote them out Wherefore the Lord by his Prophet Isai cap. 47. ver 6. signifieth his wrath against the Babylonians for this their vnmercifulnes and excessiue crueltie towards his people saying I was wroth with my people I haue polluted mine inheritance and giuen them into thine hand thou diddest shewe them no mercie but thou diddest lay thy very heauie yoke vpon the ancient Vers 21. Feare not O land but be glad and reioyce for the Lord will doe great things A confirmatiō of the former promises of God A Confirmation of the former promises of God by the gladnesse or signe of wonder whereunto the Church repenting is exhorted by God himselfe And to the end that this helpe and comfort promised by God may bee vnderstood to be most plentifull both those whom God at that time shall comfort are rehearsed those things also are reckoned vp the which God will giue for the comforting of his Church in such maner and these are partly earthie Two parts of this verse and partly spirituall The earthie are first declared and those especially 1. An exhortatiō vnto ioy the which did asswage ease the miserie at that time threatned by the Prophet 2. The cause of this exhortatiō What the figure Metonymia is see Oseas cap. 4. ve ◠But this verse hath two parts The first containeth an exhortation vnto wonderfull great ioy The second the cause of the same exhortation Now the land it selfe is exhorted to reioyce vnder which word we doe first of all by the figure Metonymia vnderstand the dwellers in the land and that all in generall that is the mightie and the poore the males and the females the masters and the seruants these of riper yeares and bigger growth and the little infants For as before vers 16. all were exhorted vnto sorowe and mourning so likewise are all now stirred vp vnto ioy and gladnes Secondly
by this selfe same word land is signified the element of the earth it selfe For the same it selfe shall then be made partaker of this blessing of God as it is made now of the curse because of the sinnes of the people So before cap. 1. ver 10. the earth is sayd to mourne And it is exhorted vnto all kind of gladnes feare dread being banished before the which doubtles might be a let or hinderance thereunto So be the words of this verse first Feare not then be glad and reioyce For here both inward and also outward ioy is described by the Prophet by the words of being glad and reioycing Now the cause of this stirring vp and exhortation vnto ioy is the most assured promise of God concerning the deliuerance helping and comforting of the earth that is of the Church the which was to insue and the same not any common or small but most excellent great and indeed miraculous or wonderfull vnlooked for and extraordinarie ioy and gladnes For God will studie withall his indeuour to doe it that is to lift it vp and aduance it as the enemies of whom mention was made before with all their indeuour laboured to oppresse and destroy it Wherefore here and in the verse before there is a manifest Antithesis or matching together of contraries betweene the indeuour of God and of the enemies of his Church his in comforting theirs in ouerthrowing of the Church Vers 22. Be not afrayd ye beasts of the field for the pastures of the wildernesse are greene for the tree beareth her fruit the figge tree and the vine doe giue their force An amplification of the former exhortatiō vnto ioy AN amplification of the former exhortation vnto gladnesse whereby not onely men themselues but also beasts are stirred vp vnto ioy because of God being pacified and because of his blessings vpon his land and vpon the Church So Psal 147. the Prophet proueth all creatures to praise the Lord because of his great mercie and goodnes towards the same After the same maner before cap. 1. ver 18.20 the beasts of all sorts are sayd to mourne because of the wrath of God There is here added a cause of this ioy or exhortation vnto ioy contrarie vnto that for the which they did mourne For then all kinde of fruites either naturall as are herbes which do grow in the deserts mountaines and pasture grounds or els such as are sowen and planted as are wine oyle figges shall abound and be enough fit and sufficient for the nourishing both of beasts and also men Hereby appeareth that the fruitfulnes of the earth and of plants nay that all fruits of the earth doe come of the only blessing and good will of God towards men and not from the starres or fortune Psal 107. Matth. 5. Vers 23. Be glad then ye children of Zion and reioyce in the Lord your God for he hath giuen you the rayne of righteousnes and he will cause to come downe for you the rayne euen the first rayne and the latter rayne in the first moneth An amplification of the former exhortation vnto the church AN amplification of the former exhortation or comfort vnto the Church it selfe the which is now her self spoken vnto by name and exhorted expresly to be glad and reioyce because of the blessings of God to come towards her And first of all the earthly blessings are set downe vnto the 28. verse and afterward the spirituall blessings But this verse containeth three things One a description of the Church in these words ye children or sonnes of Zion that is Three parts of this verse O ye the issue and ofspring of the Church 1. A description of the church and of that people and place whom God hath peculiarly chosen vnto himselfe and taken by couenant for his owne people and inheritance The second a declaratiō of that ioy the which the Prophet requireth of the Church 2. What maner of ioy their ioy must be to wit that it be holie not prophane or worldly spirituall not carnall true not fained profitable not hurtfull So then he will haue that the godly reioyce in Iehouah that is in the true God and that in their God that is in this respect and for this cause for that hee is their God he is their father he is their patrone or defender peculiarly Ioy then as also sadnes is two-fold that is to say godly and worldly as appeareth concerning sorowe expresly 2. Cor. cap. 7. ver 10. For godly sorowe causeth repentance vnto saluation not to be repented of but the wordly sorowe causeth death 3. The cause of this ioy The third sheweth the cause of this ioy to wit God pacified towards his and so consequently now exceeding louing and bounteous Of which thing this is a witnesse first the earthly blessing the which God will bestowe on his Church cleane contrarie vnto that iudgement the which was a signe of God being angrie with her For then was threatned that there should be a barrennes of all things necessarie to liue withall and consequentlie a famin but now is promised great fruitfulnes and that men shall sowe Therefore God shall giue raine of righteousnes that is both seasonable or the morning or first raine as Iames speaketh of the husband man patientlie wayting vntill he receiue the former and the latter rayne cap. 5. ver 7. and also the latter or iust raine that is in such measure and moderation as shall be needfull neither too much nor too hastie For vnseasonable and ouermuch raine maketh thinges sowen and corne rotten cap. 1. ver 17 corrupteth or spilleth it The like blessing God promiseth vnto the louers and such as are obedient vnto his lawe Deut 11. ver 14. I also will giue rayne vnto your laend in due time the first rayne and the latter that thou maist gather in thy wheat and thy wine and thine oyle And because God is the giuer of these things his people are commaunded to craue them at his hands Zach. 10. ver 1. Aske you of the Lord saith the Prophet rayne in the time of the latter rayne so shall the Lorde make white cloudes and giue you showers of raine and to euerie one grasse in the fielde Vers 24. And the barnes shall be full of wheate and the presses shall abound with wine and oyle The first amplification of the former benefit taken from the extraordinarie manner of performing the same THe first amplification of the former blessing and promised abundance of things necessarie to liue withall And it is taken from the extraordinarie maner after which it shall be done and that in euery kinde of fruite For then the garners or barnes shall not onelie haue great store of wheat of drie fruites of all sortes but also shall be filled full Their wine presses and other presses which are the instruments to make other liquid or moist commodities withall shall euen flow and runne by the streetes