〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hostibus hand tergo sed forti pectore notus Vers 15. By mee Kings reign How then can the School-men defend Thomas Aquinas in that Paradox Dominium praelatio introducta sunt ex jure humano Dominion and Government is of man This crosseth the Apostle Rom. 13.1 2. and the wisest of the Heathens Vers 16. And Nobles So called in the original from their liberality and bounty Hence Luke 22.25 This word is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bountiful or Benefactors such as are ingenuous free munificent indued with that free Princely spirit Psal 51.14 Even all the Judges of the earth Though haply they bee reckoned in the rank of bad men but good Princes such as was Galba and our Richard the third Plin Secund. Dion Cass and Trajan much magnified for a good Emperour and yet a Drunkard a Baggerer and a cruel Persecutor Vers 17. I love them that love mee The Philosopher could say that if moral vertue could bee seen with mortal eyes shee would stir up wonderful loves of her self in the hearts of the beholders How much more then would the Wisdome of God in a Mystery 1 Cor. 2.7 that essential wisdome of God especially the Lord Jesus who is totus desiderabilis altogether lovely Cant. 5.16 the desire of all Nations Hag. 2.7 whom whosoever loveth not deserves to bee double accursed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15.22 My love was crucified said Ignatius who loved not his life unto the death Rev. 22.11 Neither was there any love lost or can be For I love them that love mee And if any man love mee my Father will love him and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him and wee will come unto him and make our abode with him Joh. 14.21 23. Men do not alwayes reciprocate nor return love for love For my love Psal 109.4 5. they are mine adversaries Yea they have rewarded mee hatred for my love David lost his love upon Absolom Paul upon the Corinthians Old Andronicus the Greek Emperor upon his graceless Nephew of the same name But here is no such danger it shall not bee easie for any man to out-love Wisdome For whereas some one might reply You are so taken up with States Ob. and have such great Suters Kings Princes Nobles Judges as vers 15 16. that it is not for mean men to look for any love from you Not so saith Wisdome for I love them that love mee Sol. bee they never so much below mee Grace bee with all them that love the Lord Jesus insincerity Tantum velis Deus tibi praeoccurret saith Nazianzen Ambulas si amas Eph. 6.23 Non enim passibus ad Deum sed affectibus curritur saith Augustin Thou walkest if thou lovest Thou actest if thou affectest They that seek mee early As Students sit close to it in the morning Aurora musis amica Vers 18. Riches and honour are with mee I come not unaccompanied but bring with mee that which is well worth having The Muses though Jupiters daughters and well deserving yet are said to have had no Suters because they had no portions Our Henry the eighth when hee dyed Engl. Elis gave his two daughters Mary and Elizabeth but ten thousand pounds apeece But this Lady is largely endowed and yet such is mens dulness shee is put to sollicit Suters by setting forth her great wealth See the Note on Matth. 6.33 Vers 19. My fruit is better than gold This Wisdome is as those two golden Pipes Zach. 4. through which the two Olive-branches do empty out of themselves the golden oyles of all precious graces into the Candlestick the Church Hence grace is here called fruits and Cant. 4.16 Pleasant fruits and fruits of the Spirit Gal. 6.22 Vers 20. I lead in the way of righteousness Which is to say I got not my wealth per fas atque nefas by right and wrong by wrench and wile My riches are not the riches of unrighteousness the Mammon of iniquity Luke 16.9 but are honestly come by and are therefore like to bee durable v. 18. or as others render it antient St. Hierom somewhere saith that most rich men are either themselves bad men or heirs of those that have been bad There is a prophane Proverb amongst us Happy is that childe whose Father goes to the Devil It is reported of Nevessan the Lawyer that hee should say Hee that will not venture his body shall never bee valiant hee that will not venture his soul never rich But Wisdomes walk lyes not any such way God forbid saith shee that I or any of mine should take of Satan Gen. 14.23 from a thread even to a shoo-latchet lest hee should say I have made you rich Vers 21. To inherit substance Heb. That that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that that hath some tack or substance in it some firmity or solid consistency Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not Outward things are not but onely in opinion in imagination In semblance not in substance The pomp of this world is but a fancy Act. 25.33 the glory of it a conceit Matth. 4. the whole fashion of it a meer notion 1 Cor. 7.31 Riches get them great Eagles wings Prov. 23.5 they flye away without once taking leave of the owner leaving nothing but the print of their talons in his heart to torment him When wee grasp them most greedily wee imbrace nothing but smoke which wrings tears from our eyes and vanisheth into nothing Onely true grace is durable substance the things above out-last the dayes of heaven and run parallel with the life of God and line of eternity Vers 22. The Lord possessed mee Not created mee as the Arrians out of the Septuagint pressed it to prove Christ a creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before his works of old Heb. Ante opera suo ante tunc id est priusquam quis dicere potest tunc before there was any either now or then before all time therefore from all eternity For whatsoever was before the world and time that was created with the world must needs bee eternal Vers 23. I was set up Coronata sum I was crowned so some render it Inuncta fuâ— I was anointed â—o others for King Priest and Prophet of my Church And to this high honour I grew not up by degrees but had it presently from before all beginnings Vers 24. When there were no depths In mentioning Gods works of Creation some observe here that wisdome proceeds from the lower elements to the superiour and heavenly bodies Shee begins with the earth vers 23. goes on here to the waters and so to the air called Streets rendred Fields vers 26. that is the vast element of the air which compared with the far less elements of earth and water must needs seem exceeding large spacious and open as streets or fields Lastly by the highest part of the dust
e. No more in haste after thy return from Babylon Caried away they were again Accommodant huc Isa 21.11 legentes prô Dumah Româ— many ages after by the Romans whom to this day they therefore call Edomites and the Popes hierarchy the wicked kingdom of Edom which they say shall be certainly destroyed as is here also foretold and then shall they be brought back again to Jerusalem and there resetled by their Messiah See the Chaldee Paraphrast upon this text He will discover thy sins i. e. Punish thee soundly for them in the sight of all men See on Psal 32.1 2. Job 20.17 CHAP. V. Ver. 1. REmember O Lord what is come upon us This last Chapter is a brief Recapitulation of what had been said in the four former Propheta per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repetit omnia mala supra commemorata remedium petit à Domino Figuelr that they might be the better remembred and considered by the Reader The ancient Greek and Latin Bibles stile it Jeremies prayer Herein the Prophet or rather the Church layeth open as a Lazar her sores and sufferings and beggeth to be remembred and considered of God Not that either forgetfulnesse or inobservancy can be found in him for All things both past and future are present with him but these are Metaphorical expressions and He alloweth us to be his Remembrancers Consider and behold Heb. behold and see Affectum cum effecta conjunctum significat Our reproach This is that which mans nature is most impatient of to the Saints it is so much the more grievous because they do quarter Arms with Christ Ver. 2. Our inheritance is turned to strangers So the Jews called all other Nations as the Greeks Barbarians From hence to ver 19. there are so many verses so many several complaints Whiles we are in this vale of misery and vally of tears we are sure of many ailements and still to have somewhat to cry for Ver. 3. We are orphans and fatherlesse And so are become thy clients just objects of thy pitty Hos 14.3 Offic. 1. Ver. 4. We have drunk our water for money Fire water and air are common good quae jure naturae sunt omnium singulorum saith Cicero Lysimachus paid dear for a cup of water when he parted with his Kingdom for it Dives would have done as much in hell for a drop and could not have it Our wood is sold to us This was strange to them who had enough of their own growing or might have it from the Commons for fetching but just upon them for their abuse of it to the service of the Queen of heaven Jer. 7.18 Ver. 5. Our necks are under persecution For that we would not stoop to the sweet yoke of thine obedience but held it heavy now we are under an intolerable yoke of extreme slavery We labour and have no rest Who once troubled Gods holy rest by bearing burdens and working thereon Jer. 17.21 In many places amongst us Gods Sabbath is made the voyder and dunghil for all refuse businesses The Sabbath of the Lord the sanctified day of his Rest saith a Reverend writer is shamelesly troubled and disquieted B. Kâ—ng on Joâ— Lec 7. The Sabbath was never so profaned saith such another Reverend man yet living with heart hand foot tongue pen and Presse as of late And is it not just with God that those who would justle his religious Rest out of its right Mr. Ley his Fast Serm. before Parl. April 26. 1643. should be restlesse in their condition as Lam. 5.5 Thus He. All wicked men acted and agitated by the devil day and night may well cry out as here We labour and have no rest but they are not sensible of this woful servitude Ver. 6. We have given the hand to the Egyptians and to the Assyrians Enemies to the Chaldaeans no lesse then they were to us but hard hunger that driveth the wolf out of the wood hath made us glad to be beholding to them for bread so ill have the cruel Chaldees relieved and rewarded us for our work Nobis soret jucundius semel emori quam vitam in vitam vivere Ver. 7. Our fathers have sinned and are not They had their payment but not comparable to ours who have out-sinned them and do therefore justly bear the punishment of both their sins and our own too Ver. 8. Servants have ruled over us And they are usually most insolent as was Tobiah the servant Neh. 2.19 Cicero after the defeat given to Pompey complaineth in a certain Epistle Lords we could not away with and now we are forced to serve our fellow-servant This was Canaans curse to be a servant of servants Gen. 9.25 See the Notes there Ver. 9. We gat our bread with the peril of our lives So did our good Ancestors the bread of life whilst their Preachers also were glad to do as Jotham did Judg. 9.21 when they had delivered what they had to say run away and fly for their lives See 2 Sam. 23.17 Because of the sword of the wildernesse Where rovers and robbers lay in wait for us neither could we passe them without apparent peril Ver. 10. Our skin was black like an oven Or at a chimney Isa 31.9 being still beaten upon with the fire that is within it Because of the terrible famine Propter procellas famis because of the tempests of famine which like a violent storm beareth down all before it Ver. 11. They ravished the women in Zion Heb. they humbled i. e. they dishonested although Virgo invita vexari quidem potest violari non potest The Chaldee Paraphraseth thus The wives were ravished by the Romans and the maides by the Chaldees for the Jew-doctours do understand this book of the Lamentations concerning both the destructions of Jerusalem Ver. 12. Princes are hanged up by the hand Made to dye a dogs death Calvin and as some will have it by their own hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The faces of the Elders were not honoured Magna fuit quondam capitis reverentia cani Inque suo precio ruga senilis erat Ovid. But now it was otherwise with the Jewish Elders who haply were not worthy of their years as we say like as the Princes had done wickedly with both hands earnestly and were therfore not undeservedly hanged up by the hand But if Quakers amongst us might have their way our families saith One would soon be like the cabbins of the Lestringonians in Sicily where every body was at liberty and none regarded or reverenced their Seniours or Superiours Ver. 13. They took the young men to grind i. e. To do any base and abject businesse Exod. 11.5 12.29 Frustra enim hic Hieronymus alii Sodomiticum quid cogitant And the children fell under the wood Being not able to stand under such unreasonable burthens as were laid upon their backs Ver. 14. The Elders have ceased from the gate Where they were wont to
of the world the Hebrew Doctors understand the element of fire Judicium sit penes Lectorem Let the Reader judge Vers 25. Was I brought forth Or begotten Thus Wisdome describes her eternity in humane words and expressions for our better apprehension Which while Arrius either knew not or weighed not hee here hence took occasion to oppose the Deity of our Saviour and to propagate that damnable errour in the Eastern Churches to the ruine of many souls This Arch-heretick Arrius sitting on the stool to ease nature at Constantinople voided there his entrails And now Mahometisme is there as the excrement of Arrius Vers 26. Nor the fields nor the highest See the Note on vers 24. Vers 27. When hee prepared the heaven Or caused them to bee prepared took order to have it done viz. by mee who was with him and by whom hee made the worlds Joh. 3.35 Heb. 1.3 Joh. 1.3 Col. 1.16 For the Father loveth the Son and hath put all things into his hand When hee set a compass Or drew a circle round about the earth meaning the Out-spread firmament of heaven Gen. 1.6 Howbeit the Hebrews understand it of the world of Angels called by them the third world or the third heaven whereunto St. Paul also seems to allude 2 Cor. 12.2 Vers 28. When hee established the clouds above That they might bee kept there as it were in Tuns and Bottles till hee would have them to pour down their dew or rain Vers 29. When hee appointed the foundations That it should remain unmoveable though it hang in the air as it were by Geometry Ovid. Terra pilae similis nullo fulcimine nixa Aâ—re suspenso tam grave pendet â—nus Vers 30. Then I was by him Accursed then for ever bee that blasphemous assertion of the Arrians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was a time when hee was not This Scripture so much abused by them makes utterly against them But Hereticks pervert the Scriptures saith St. Peter 2 Pet. 3.15 A metaphor from those who put a man upon the rack and make him speak that which hee never thought Tertullian calls Marcion the Heretick Mus Ponticus because of his arroding and gnawing the Scripture to make it serviceable to his errours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As one brought up with him Or as a nourisher that is as a maintainer and upholder of that his excellent workmanship of Creation Heb. 1.3 The Septuagint render it I was with him making all fine and trim Eram apud cum aptans so Irenaeus More pueri qui alatur risum captans ac concilians Mercer Rejoycing alwayes Or laughing with him This as the very Jews are forced to confess doth notably set forth that unspeakable sweetness and joy that the blessed God findeth in the apprehension of his own wisdome which say they is one and the same with God himself Vers 31. Rejoycing in the habitable part That is In the humane nature wherein the fulness of the God-head dwelt bodily by means of the hypostatical union Or in the Saints whose hearts the Lord Christ inhabiteth by faith Or in the work of Creation which Christ did without either tools or tool Vers 32. Now therefore hearken unto meâ— Audite senem juvenes said Augustus to his seditious Souldiers and had audience And shall not Wisdome that is so ancient as before the Creation so eminent as to make and conserve a world so gracious with the Father c. shall not shee bee hearkened to For blessed are they And blessedness is the mark that every man shoots at Vers 33. Hear instruction and bee wise This way wisdome enters into the soul Hear therefore For else there is no hopes Hear howsoever Austin coming to Ambrose to have his ears tickled had his heart touched Vers 34. Waiting at the posts of my doors At the Schools and Synagogues say the Hebrews where men should come in with the first and go forth with the last as door-keepers do which was the office that David desired Psal 84. Vers 35. For who so findeth mee findeth life Lest any man should hold it too hard a task to wait at Wisdomes gates as Princes guards or as the Levites did in the Temple shee tells them what they shall have for so doing And shall obtain favour Which is better than life Gods favour is no empty favour It is not like the Winters Sun that casts a goodly countenance when it shines but gives little heat or comfort As air lights not without the Sun nor wood heats without fire so neither can any thing yeeld comfort without Gods favour Vers 36. Wrongeth his own soul Rapit animam suam Hee plunders his own soul of its happiness yea hee cruelly cuts the throat thereof being ambitious of his own destruction CHAP. IX Vers 1. Wisdome HEbr. Wisdomes in the plural and this either honoris causa for honours sake or else by an Ellypsis as if the whole of it were Wisdome of Wisdomes as the Song of Songs for a most excellent Song Cant. 1.1 Junius renders it Summa sapientia See the Note of Chap. 1.20 Hath builded her house That is the Church 1 Tim. 3.15 See the Note there Shee hath hewn out her seven pillars Pillars and polished pillars Any thing is good enough to make up a mud-wall but the Churches Pillars are of Marble and those not rough but hewn her safety is accompanied with beauty Vers 2. Shee hath killed her Beasts Christ provideth for his the best of the best fat things full of marrow wines on the lees c. Isa 26. his own flesh which is meat indeed his own blood which is drink indeed Joh. 6.55 besides that continual feast of a good conscience whereat the holy Angels saith Luther are as Cooks and Butlers and the blessed Trinity joyful guests Shee hath mingled her Wine That it may not inflame or distemper Christ spake as the people were able to hear lisping to them in their own low language So must all his Ministers accommodating themselves to the meanest capacities Mercers note here is Cum sobrietate tractandae Scripturae The Scriptures are to bee handled with sobriety Shee hath also furnished her table So that it even sweats with variety of precious viands wherewith her guests are daily and daintily fed Mr. Latimer sayes That the assurance of Salvation is the sweet-meats of this stately Feast But what a doâ—t was Cardinal Bobba who speaking in commendation of the Library of Bonony which being in an upper-room hath under it a Victualling-house Angel Roccha in Vatican p. 395. and under that a Wine-cellar had thought hee had hit it in applying thereunto this Text Wisdome hath built her an house hath mâ—ngled her wine and furnished her table Vers 3. Shee hath sent forth her Maidens So Ministers are called in prosecution of the allegory for it is fit that this great Lady should have suitable attendants to teach them innocency purity and sedulity as Maidens keeping the word in
passions as the former seems to have because close in cloaking his malice who yet is a fool too before God Vers 19. In the multitude of words In multiloquio stultiloquium Many words are hardly well managed Non est ejusdem saith one It is seldome seen that a man of many words miscarries not But hee that refraineth his lips As Elihu did Job 32.11 and as Epaminondas is worthily praised by Plutarch for this quod nemo plura nosset pauciora loqueretur that no man knew more and spake less than hee did Vers 20. The tongue of the just is as choice silver Hee scattereth pearls Mat. 7.6 hee throws abroad treasure Mat. 12.35 even Apples of Gold in shrines of Silver Prov. 25.11 I will turn to the people a pure language saith God Zeph. 3.9 a lip of excellency Prov. 17.7 the language of Heaven As William the Conquerour sought to bring in the French tongue here by enjoyning children to use no other in schools Lawyers to practise in French no man was graced Daniels Hist but hee that spake French c. The heart of the wicked is little worth Est quasi parum is as little as need to bee Hee is ever either hatching Cockatrice Eggs or weaving Spiders Webs as the Prophet hath it Vanity or villany is his whole study and his daily discourse Isa 59.5 Vers 21. The lips of the righteous feed many A great house-keeper hee is hath his doors ever open and though himself be poor yet hee maketh many rich 2 Cor. 6.10 hee well knows that to this end God put Hony and Milk under his tongue Cant. 3.11 that he might look to this Spiritual lip-feeding to this end hath he communicated to him those rivers of water Joh. 7.38 that they may flow from him to quench that world of wickednesse that being set on fire of Hell would set on fire the whole course of Nature Jam. 3.6 They are empty vines that bear fruit to themselves Hos 10.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those are voyd houses we say where the doors daily open not The people hung upon our Saviours lips as the young Bird doth on the Damms bill Luk. 19.43 Bishop Ridley preached every Lords-day and Holy-day except letted by some weighty businesse Act. Mon. fol. 1559. to whose Sermons the people resorted saith Master Fox swarming about him like Bees and coveting the sweet juyce of his gracious discourses Look how Joseph nourished his Fathers houshold with Bread according to their Families or according to the mouthes of their Families Gen. 47.12 So doth the righteous man those of his own charge especially Chepi tappam Welfare Popery for that saith a grave Divine I have heard old folks talk M. Sam. Hier. that when in those dayes they had Holy-bread as they called it given them at Church they would bear a part of it to those that did abide at home So should Masters of Families carry home the bread of life to their Housholds But fools dye for want of wisdome By their either refusing or abusing the food of their souls as the Pharisees they pine away in their iniquities Levit. 26.39 Vers 22. The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich As is to be seen in the examples of the Patriarches Abraham Isaac Jacob and others Whereas there is a curse upon unlawful practices though men be industrious as in Jehoâ—achim Jer. 22. And all our policies without prayer are but Arena sine calce Sand without Lime they will not hold together And he addeth no sorrow with it Those three vultures shall bee driven away that constantly feed on the wealthy worldlings heart Care in getting Fear in keeping Grief in losing the things of this life God giveth to his wealth without woe store without sore gold without guilt one little drop whereof troubleth the whole sea of all outward comforts Richard the third had a whole Kingdom at command and yet could not rest in his bed for disquietment of mind Polydor Virgil thus writes of his Dreame that night before Bosworth-field That he thought all the Devils in Hell pulled and haled him in most hideous and ugly shapes and concludes of it at last I do not think it was so much his dreame as his evil conscience that bred those terrours Vers 23. It is a sport to a fool to doe mischief He is then merriest when hee hath the Devil for his play-fellow He danceth to Hell in his bolts and is passing well a paid for his woful bondage Was hee a Father or a Monster think you that playing with his own Childe for a pastime put his thumbs in the boyes eyes and thrust out the balls thereof Speed This was Robert de Beliasme Earl of Shrewsbury in the reign of our Henry the first Anno Dom. 1111. And what a mad sport was that of Joab and Abner 2 Sam. 2.14 to see and set those youngsters of Helkath Hazzurim to sheath their swords in their fellows bowels And that of Nero who set the City of Rome on fire for his pleasure whiles he plaid on his Harp the destruction of Troy But a man of understanding hath wisdome Viz. For his sport or delight It is his meat and drink his Hony and Hony-comb c. Libâ—nter omnibus omnes opes concesserim ut mihi liceat vi nulla interpellante isto modo in literis vivere saith Cicero I would give all the wealth in the world Lib. 9. Epist that I might live altogether in my Study and have nothing to trouble me Leo. Digges Slatt oâ— 1 Ep. to Thessal Ep. dedic Peach Comp Gentle Idem in his vally of vanity p. 116. Crede mihi extingui duâ—ce esset Mathematicarum artium studio saith another Beleeve me it were a dainty death to dye studying the Mathematicks Nusquam requiem invenâ— nisi in libro claustro saith a third All the comfort I have is in a Book and a Cloyster or Closet Mentior if my soul accord him not saith learned Doctor Slatter The old Lord Burley Lord high Treasurer to his dying day would carry always a Tullies Offices about him either in his bosome or pocket And the Emperour Charls the Fifth took such delight in the Mathematicks that even in the midst of his whole Army in his Tent he sate close at his study having for that purpose as his instructer Turrianus of Cremona evermore with him So sweet is the knowledge of Human Arts to those that have tasted them How much more the knowledge of the Holy which saith Agur is to ascend up into Heaven Prov. 30.3 4. to those mature ones who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil Heb. 5.14 See Psal 119.103 Job 23.12 Rom. 7.22 Vers 24. The fear of the wicked shall come upon him A sound of fear is in his ears in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him Job 15.21 Pessimus in dubiis Augur Timor Thus it befel Cain Statius in
and cloaths to put on it sufficeth him and this hee dare bee bold to promise himself Beg his bread hee hopes hee shall not but if hee should hee can say with Luther who made many a meal with a broyled herring Mendicato pane hic vivamus Luth. in Psal 132. annon hoc pulchrè sarcitur in eo quod pascimur pane cum angelis vitâ aterna Christo sacramentis Let us bee content to fare hard here Have wee not the bread that came down from heaven But the belly of the wicked shall want Because their belly prepares deceit Job 15.35 not their heads onely Job 20.22 Mic. 6.14 16. they take as much delight in their witty wickedness as the Epicure in his belly-timber therefore in the fulness of their sufficiency they are in straights they are sick of the bulimy or doggish appetite CHAP. XIV Vers 1. Every wise woman buildeth her house QUavis pia perita Every holy and handy woman buildeth her house not onely by bearing and breeding up children as Rachel and Leah builded the house of Israel Ruth 4.11 but by a prudent and provident preventing of losses and dangers as Abigail as also by a careful plotting and putting every thing to the best like as a Carpenter that is to build an house laies the plot and platform of it first in his brain forecasts in his mind how every thing shall be and then so orders his stuff that nothing bee cut to waste Lo such is the guise of the good housewife As the husband is as the head from whom all the sinews do flow so shee is as the hands into which they flow and enable them to do their office But the foolish plucketh it down with her hands With both hands earnestly shee undoes the family Sicut ut liguo vermis ita perdit virum suum mulier malefica Hier. whereof shee is the calamity bee shee never so witty if withall shee bee not religious and thrifty heedy and handy Bee the husband never so frugal if the wife bee idle or lavish or proud or given to gadding and gossipping c. hee doth but draw water with a sieve or seek to pull a loaded cart through a sandy way without the help of a horse it little boots him to bestir himself for hee puts his gets into a bag with holes Hag. 1.6 Hee labours in the very fire Hab. 2.15 as Cowper Bishop of Lincolne did whose wife burnt all his Notes that hee had been eight years in gathering lest hee should kill himself with over much study for shee had much ado to get him to his meals so that hee was forced to fall to work again Young his benefit of Afflict 153. and was eight years in gathering the same Notes wherewith hee composed his Dictionary that useful book How much happier in a wife was that learned Gul. Budaeus Conjux mea saith hee sic mihi morem gerit ut non tractet negligentius libros meos quam liberos c. My wife seeing mee bookish is no less diligent about my Books than about my Barus whom shee breeds up with singular care and tenderness How well might hee have done having such a learned helper as a Country man of his did of whom Thuanus reporteth quod singulis annis singulos libros liberos Reip. dederit that hee set forth every year a book and a childe Andreas Tiraquellius a book and a childe But this by the way onely Vers 2. Hee that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord Hee is in the fear of the Lord all day long Prov. 23.17 hee walketh in the fear of the Lord and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost Act. 11.31 The fear of the Lord is upon him so that hee takes heed and does it 2 Chron. 19.7 for hee knows it shall bee well with them that fear God that fear before him Eccles 8.12 Gods Covenant was with Levi of life and peace for the fear wherewith hee feared God and was afraid before his Name Hence the Law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips hee walked with God in peace and equity and did turn many from iniquity Mal. 2.5 6. Hee that truly fears God is like into Cato of whom it is said that hee was Homo virtuti simillimus and that hee never did well that hee might appear to do so sed quia aliter facere non potuit but because hee could not do otherwise But hee that is perverse in his waies despiseth him Sets him aside departs from his fear dares to do that before him that hee would bee loth to do before a grave person Thus David despised God when hee defiled his neighbours wife 2 Sam. 12.9 Not but that even then hee had God for his chief end but hee erred in the way thinking hee might fulfil his lust and keep his God too hee would not forgo God upon any terms as Solomon thought to retain his wisdome and yet to pursue his pleasures Hence his partial and temporary Apostacy as the word here rendred perverse importeth his warping and writhing from the way of righteousness as the Septnagint here interpret it which was interpretative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ortuose incedens a despising of God a saying Hee seeth it not Vers 3. In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride wherewith hee beats others and layes about him like a Mad-man or rather like a mad Dog hee bites all he meets and barks against God himself till he procure the hate of God and men and smart for his petulancy being beaten at length with his own rod as the Lion beats himself with his own tayl But the lips of the wise shall preserve them From the aspersion of false and foolish tongues Their good names are oyled so that evil reports will not stick to them Dirt will stick upon a mud wall not so upon marble Or if they lye under some undeserved reproach for a season either by a real or verbal Apologie they wade out of it as the eclipsed Moon by keeping her motion wades out of the shadow and recovers her splendor Isa 54.17 Vers 4. Where no Oxen are the Crib is clean The Barn and Garners are empty Neque mola neque farina no good to bee got without hard labour of men and Cattel Let the idle mans Motto be that of the Lilly Neque laborant neque neut They neither toyl nor spin Matth. 6.28 Man is born to toyl as the sparks fly unwards Job 5.7 And Spinster they say is a term given the greatest women in our Law Our lives are called the lives of our hands Isa 57.10 because to be maintained by the labour of our hands But much increase is by the strength of the Oxe This is one of those beasts that serve ad esum ad usum and are profitable both alive and dead An Heathen counselleth good husbands that would thrive in the world to get first
Soles ucidere redire possunt Nobis cum semeÌ„l occidit brevis lux Nox est perpetua una dâ—rmienda Catull. The Sunne doth set and rise But wee contrariwise Sleep after one short light An everlasting night Vers 6. The wind goeth toward the South c. It is a very small thing at first a little vapour rising out of the earth but by circuiting and whirling about it gathers strength now rushing toward the South and anon toward the North Virg. Aneid c. the Original is very lively in expressing the manner of it Vna Eurusque Notusque ruunt c. The restlesness of these insensible creatures and diligence in doing their duties as it taxeth our dulness and dis-affection so it re-minds us of the instability of our states and that we should seek and set up ouâ— rest in God alone All earthly things are to the soul but as the air to the stone can give it no stay till it come to God the center Vers 7. All the Rivers run into the Sea And the nearer they come to the Sea the sooner are they met by the tide sent out as it were to take their tribute due to the Sea that seat and source of waters Surely as the Rivers lead a man to the Sea so doe all these Creatures carry him to God by their circular motion A circle we say is the perfectest figure because it begins and ends the points doe meet together the last point meets in the first from whence it came so shall we never come to perfection or satisfaction till our souls come to God till he make the circle meet A wise Philosopher could say that man is the end of all things in a semicircle that is All things in the World are made for him and he is made for God to whom he must therefore hasten Unto the place from whence the Rivers come Sc. from the Sea through the pores and passages of the earth where they leave their saltness This is Solomons opinion as it was likewise the opinion of the ancient Philosophers which yet Aristotle findes fault with and assigns another cause of the perennity of rivers of their beginning and original Hinc Poetae flugunt Inachum fluvium ex Oceano genitum viz. that the air thickned in the earth by reason of cold doth resolve and turn into water c. This agrees not with that which Solomon here saith by the instinct of the Holy Ghost And therefore Averroes is by no means to be hearkned unto in that excessive commendation he gives Aristotle viz. That there was no errour in his writings Alsted Chronol p. 460. that his doctrin was the chiefest truthes and that his understanding was the utmost that was by any one attainable himself the rule and pattern that Nature invented to shew her most perfect skill c. Vers 8. All things are full of labour Labor est etiam ipsa voluptas Chiron cum ob justitiam Dii permitterent ut perpetuo viverâ—t maluis mori quod offenderetur taedio rerum semper eodem tenure recurrentium Molestation and misery meet us at every turn The whole world is a Sea of glasse for its vanity mingled with fire for its vexation Rev. 4.6 Vota etiam post usum fastidio sunt All things are sweeter in the ambition than in the fruition There is a singular vanity in this splendid misery One well compares it to a beautiful Picture drawn with white and red colours in sackcloth which afarre off is very lovely but near by it is like the filthy matter of a sore or wound purulent rottennesse or the back of a galled horse No man ever yet found any constant contentation in any state yet may his outward appearance deceive others and anothers him Man cannot utter it If Solomon cannot no man can for what can the man doe that cometh after the King chap. 2.12 The eye is not satisfied with seeing Though these be the two learned senses as Aristotle calls them whereby Learning is let into the soul yet no man knows so much but he would know more Herillius therefore and those other Philosophers that placed the happiness of a man in the knowledge of Natural causes and events were not in the right There is a curse of unsatisfiableness lies upon the creature The soul that acts in and by the outward senses flickers up and down as Noahs Dove did but finds no firm footing sharks and shifts from one thing to another for content as the Bee doth from flower to flower for hony and desires still more things in number and new things for manner Hence the particles in the Hebrew that signifie And and Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come of a word that signifieth to desire because the desires of Man would have this and that and that and another and doth also tire it self not knowing whether to have this or that or that or tother so restlesse it is after utmost endeavours of plenary satisfaction which this life affords not Vers 9. The thing that hath been it is that which shall be History therefore must needs be of noble and necessary use because by setting before us what hath been it premonisheth us of what will be again Plato in Cratylo Macrob. Joseph Plin. sith the self-same fable is acted over again in the world the persons only are altered that act it Plato will therefore have History to have its name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of stopping the flux of endless errours and restlesse uncertainties His conceit of a general revolution of all things after thirty thousand years expired is worthily exploded and learnedly confuted by St. Austin De Civ Dei lib. 12. cap. 13. but in no wise confirmed by this text as some would have it and Origen among the rest Plato might haply hint at the general Resurrection called the Regeneration by our Saviour Mat. 19.28 See the Note Vers 10. Is there any thing whereof it may be said See this is new Hoc ego primus vidi saith Zabarel But how could he tell that Many men have been so befooled Wee look upon Guns and Printing as new inventions the former found out by Birchtoldin the Monk Anno Dom. 1380. the other by Frier Faustus Anno 1446. But the Chineses are said to have had the use of both these long before Should we then so eagerly hunt after Novelties those meer New-nothings till we lose our selves in the chase Nil admirari prope res est una Numici Get spiritual eyes rather to behold the beauty of the New Creature all other things are but nine dayes wonderment the bravery of the new Jerusalem Yea get this natural itch after novelties kild by the practice of mortification and get into Christ that thou mayst be a new creature So shalt thou have a new name upon thee Isa 62.2 A new Spirit within thee Ezek. 36.27 New alliance
of him delight in him indignation against any that speak or do ought against him The object of zeal is either Man as 2 Cor. 7.7 Coloss 4.17 Basil venturing himself very far for his friend and by some blamed for it answered Ego aliter amare non didici I cannot love a man but I must do mine utmost for him Or Secondly God as John 3.17 2 Cor. 7.11 Rev. 3.19 And here out love will be and must appear to be fervent desire eager delights ravishing hopes longing hatred deadly anger fierce fear terrible grief deep deeper than those black deeps a place so called at the Thames-mouth whereinto Richard the third caused the dead bodies of his two smothered Nephews to be cast Speed 935. being first closed up in lead c. The coals thereof are coals of fire Or fiery darts that set the soul all on a light fire and turn it into a coal or lump of love to Christ The word here used is elsewhere taken for fiery thunderbolts Psal 78.48 and for brass-headed arrows that gather heat by motion Psal 76.4 also for a carbuncle or burning feaver Deut. 32.24 The Church had said before more than once that shee was sick of love here shee feels her self in a feaver as it were or as if her liver were struck through with a love-dart by that spirit of judgement and of burning Isa 4.4 kindling this flame of God as shee calls it here upon the haâ—h of her heart The word signifies the consuming flame of God and zeal may be very fitly so called For as it comes from above even from the father of lights as the fire of the Altar did so it tends to him and ends in him it carries a man up as it were in a fiery Chariot and conformes his corruptions by the way It quencheth also those fiery darts of the devill as the Sun-beams will put out the kitchin fire and sets the tongue a work as the Holy Ghost set on fire the Apostles tongues Act. 2. when as wicked mens tongues full of deadly poyson are yet further set on fire from hell Jam. 3.6 yea the whole man a work for God and his glory as Elias with his Zelando zelavi hee sucked in fire with his mothers breast as some have legended St. Paul is mad for God so some misjudged him 2 Cor. 5.13 as ever hee had once been against him Act. 26.11 Peter was a man made all of fire walking amongst stubble saith Chrysostome And of one that desired to know what manner of man Basil was it is said there was presented in a dream a pillar of fire with this Motto Talis est Basilius such an one is Basil Such also was Savanarola Farel Luther Latimer that bold Tell-troth who when hee was demanded the reason why there was so much preaching and so little practiced answered roundly deest ignis the flame of God is wanting in mens hearts Vers 7. Many waters cannot quench love Water was proved long since to be above fire in that ancient contest between those two Nations about the precedency and precellency of their Gods the one worshipping Fire and the other Water But though there be Gods many and Lords many yet to the Church there is but one Lord and to him shee will go thorow thick and thin thorow fire and water Her love to him is such as no good can match it no evill over-match it it cannot be quenched with any calamity nay it is much kindled by it as fire in the smiths-forge or as lime that is the hotter for the water that is cast upon it Elias would have water poured on the sacrifice covered therewith that the power of God might the more appear in the fire from heaven Semblably Christ suffers the ship of his Church to be covered sometimes with waves of persecutions and afflictions that the strength of their love to him may bee the more manifested and the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed Luk. 2.35 It is easie to swim in a warm bath and every bird can sing in a summers day but to swim to heaven as Queen Elizabeth did to her throne through a sea of sorrows to sing as some birds will do in the spring most sweetly then when it rains most sadly that 's a true trial indeed Many will imbark themselves in the Churches cause in a calm that with the Mariners in the Acts will flee out of the ship in a storm Many will own a prospering truth a blessing Ark but hee is an Obed-Edom indeed that will own a persecuted tossed banished Ark an Ark that brings the plague with it God sets an high price on their love that stick to him in affliction 2 Sam. 15.18 as David did on those men that were with him at Gath those Cherethites and Pelethites that stuck to him when Absalom was up And notwithstanding their late mutiny at Ziklag hee takes them to Hebron with him where hee was to bee crowned that as they had shared with him in his misery so they might partake of his prosperity Lo thus likewise deals our heavenly David with all his fellow-sufferers Hee removes them at length from the ashes of their forlorn Ziklog to the Hebron of heaven And at the general judgement in that great Amphitheater of Men and Angels Christ will stand forth and say Ye are they that continued with me in my temptations and I appoint unto you a Kingdome c. Luke 22.28 29. Neither can the floods drown it surgit hic afflictio Neh. 1.9 This is not a vain repetition but serves to shew that no persecution tribulation anguish though never so grievous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though the devil should cast out of his mouth water enough to carry us down the stream as Rev. 12.15 shall be able to separate the Saints from the love of Christ Rom. 8.35 If a man would give all the substance of his house c. i. e. To buy this love of me or to get it from me I should cry out with Peter Thy money perish with thee or with Luther Contemptus est à me Romanus favor furor I care neither for Romes favour nor fury When they offered to make him a Cardinal if he would be quiet hee replied No not if I might be Pope And when they consulted about stopping of his mouth with money one wiser than the rest cryed out Hem Germana illa bestia non curat aurum Alack that German beast cares not for money Galeacius Caracciolus His Life by Mr. Crashaw that noble Italian Convert left all for the love of Christ and went to live a poor obscure life at Geneva Where when hee was tempted to revolt for money hee cried out Let their mony perish with them who esteem all the gold in the world worth one daies society with Jesus Christ and his holy Spirit And cursed bee that religion for ever that by such baits of profit pleasure and preferment seeks to draw men aside from the
Sermon preached by Mr. Paul Bains Mr. Whateley by Mr. Dod. In Righteousness or by Gods faithfulness in fulfilling his promises whereby they are made partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the World through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 Ver. 28. And the destruction Heb. the shivering or shattering Tremelius rendereth it the fragments or scraps sc of the dross above mentioned these shall be broken and burnt together Shall be together As well the sinners in Zion or Hypocrites as the Transgressors or notorious offendors shall be destroyed without distinction Such as turn aside unto their crooked wayes stealing their passage to Hell as it were the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity with openly prophane persons Psalm 125.5 The Angels also shall bundle them up together to be burnt Mat. 13.30 Ver. 29. For they shall be ashamed of the Okes Pudefient peribunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall be ashamed of their false wayes of worship but not with a godly shame such as was Ephraims Ier. 31.19 that made him say What have I do any more with Idols Hos 14.8 See Ezek. 16.61 36.31 Dan. 9.5 2 Thess 3.14 Of this holy shame Chrysostom saith that it is the beginning of Salvation as that which drives a man into himself makes him fall low in his own eyes shame and shent himself in the presence of God seek for covering by Christ that the shame of his nakedness may not appear Rev. 3.18 c. But the shame here mentioned is of another nature unseasonable unprofitable not conducing at all to true Repentance such as was that of Cain and of those Jews in Jeremy Chap. 2.26 and of Reprobates at the Resurrection Dan. 12.2 Which ye have desired Or have delighted in as Adulterers do sin their sweet sin Alludit verecunde ad scortationem qua est in idolorum cultu Oecolamp as they call it And the Gardens where you have wickedly worshipped Priapus or Baal-peor That ye have chosen Where ye have had your sacra electitia which now ye see cannot help you Ver. 30. For ye shall be as an oak Peccato poenam accommodat By oaks they sinned and by a withering oak is their punishment set forth Infelicissime marcesceth exarescetis Jun. as also by a garden that wanteth water wherein every thing fadeth and hangeth the head as suffering a Marasus Well might God say Hos 12.10 I have multiplied Visions and used similitudes by the Ministery of the Prophets such as are very natural plain and proper Ver. 31. And the strong shall be as tow The Idol is here called the strong one either by an Irony sicut siquis scelestum bonum virum dicat as if one should say to a knave You are a right honest man or else according to the Idolaters false opinion of it and vain expectation of it like as 2 Chron. 28.23 the gods of Damascus are said to have smitten or plagued Ahaz not that they did so indeed for an Idol is nothing in the world and this strong in the Text is weak as water Ier. 10.5 2 Cor. 8.4 but he thought they did so like as the silly Papists also think of their He-saints and She-saints whereof they have not a few but are shamefully foyled and frustrated besides that they are here and elswhere threatned with unquenchable fire Hierom following Symmachus for tow hath the refuse of tow which is quickly kindled And the maker of it Or and his work that is all your pains taken to no purpose in worshipping your mawmets and bringing your Memories as they are called and presents to them And they shall both burn together As one saith of Aretines obscene book that it is opus dignum quod cremetur cum Authore Boissard Biblioth Rev. 19.20 fit for nothing but to make a bone-fire to burn the Author of it in The Beast and his Complices shall be cast alive into the burning lake And none shall quench them Hell-fire is unquenchable chap. 30. ult Mat. 3.12 This Origen denied and is therefore justly condemned by all sound Divines CHAP. II. Ver. 1. THe word that Isaiah the son of Amos saw An august Title or inscription such as is not to be found in the whole book again unless it be in the former Chapter There alass he had laboured in vain and spent his strength for nought and in vain as chap. 49.4 Howbeit he will try again as considering that he had lost many a worse labour and although his Report were not believed chap. 53.1 yet he would bestow one more Sermon upon them the short Notes and general Heads whereof we have in this and the two following Chapters I say the general Heads For Calvin in his Preface to this Book telleth us that it was the manner of the holy Prophets to gather a compendious summ of what they had preached to the people and the same to affix to the gates of the Temple that the Prophesie might be the better viewed and learned of all after which it was taken down by the Priest and put into the Treasury of the Temple for the benefit of after-Ages Ver. 2 3 4. And it shall come to pass c. See for these three Verses what I have noted on Micah 4.1 2 3. where we shall find that that Prophet hath the self-same words with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So hath Obadiah the same with Jeremy St. Mark with St. Matthew St. Iude with St. Peter the blessed Virgin in her Magnificat with holy Hannah in her Canticle c. Ver. 5. O house of Jacob So Mic. 2.7 O thou that art called the house of Jacob and the house of Israel Isa 5.7 Thou that art called a Jew and makest thy boast of God Per aemulaticnem provocat Oecolamp Rom. 2.17 This Rupertus maketh to be the voyce and advice of the converted and Christian Gentiles to the Iews others of our Prophet to his perverse Country-men to joyn with the Gentiles or rather to go before them as worthy Guides in Heaven-wayes and not to lie behind those whom they have so much slighted Let us walk in the light of the Lord that is in the Law of the Lord for Lex est Lux Prov. 6.23 and not by the sparks of our own Tinder-boxes Isa 50.11 not by the Rush-candle of Philosophical prescriptions Let us walk in the fear of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est in Apostrophe and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost as Acts 9.31 Ver. 6. Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people Or But thou hast c. By a sad Apostrophe to God he sets forth the Iews dereliction and destruction irrecoverable together with the causes of it their impiety cruelty c. but especially their contempt of Christ and his Kingdom Let us beware and be warned by their example Rom. 11. To be forsaken of God is the greatest mischief Lay hold upon him therefore with Mary Magdalen and say nobiscum
Babylonians but especially by the Romans and as it did in Christendom about six hundred years after Christs Incarnation when Religion was become a matter of form yea of scorn then the Sarazens in the East and the barbarous Nations in the West brake in and bore down all before them Ver. 6. And I will lay it waste Heb. Wasteness I will utterly root it up and ruine it Lege Luge wrath is come upon Jury to the utmost Lukewarm Laodicea was swallowed up by an Earthquake as Eutropius testifieth The rest of those seven famous Churches are over-run by the Turk And our utter ruine unless we repent may be as plainly foreseen as if Letters had been sent us from Heaven to such a purpose It shall not be pruned nor digged sc by such painful Vine-dressers as were wont both to dig and beg for it as he Luke 13.8 Such labour shall now be no longer lost such cost cast away no more Cutting shall be used where there is no longer hope of curing But there shall come up Bryers and Thorns Being bereft of the means of Grace they shall run into foul and flagitious practices which shall ripen them for ruine See Heb. 6.8 I will also command the clouds The Prophets and Ministers That they rain no rain upon it No not a small showr or mist Non pluvia dignabitur nedum imbre saith Oecolampadius Ver. 7. For the Vineyard c. Exponit breviter mentem hujus Cantici Here we have the Parable expounded and applied the Scripture is its own best Interpreter sometimes as here and John 7.39 the sence is annexed The Rabbins have a saying Nulla est objectio in Lege quae non habet solutionem in latere His pleasant plant Delectabilis in patriarchis infructifera in palmitibus Heb. his plant of Delights but now turned into the degenerate plant of a strange Vine unto him Jer. 2.21 Good Progenitors may have a bad off-spring the reason whereof is given by Austin Homo liberos gignit ex carne vetusta peccatrice Con. Palag Lib. 2. cap. 9. non ex spiritu c. Man begetteth children of the old and sinful flesh and not of the Spirit And he looked for judgement but behold oppression Or conspiracy or as some render it a scab a cleaving scab such as a man cannot easily be rid or recovered of And here in the Original is excellent Rhetorick past Englishing it is as if we should say a Preacher a Prevaricator rather a Dispensation a Dissipation the sound is almost the same the sence much different There is a lawful use of Rhetorick in divine discourses Austin confesseth that whilst he heard Ambrose for his Eloquence only together with his words which he loved the matter which he at first cared not for came into his mind and whilest saith he I opened my heart to listen how trimly he spoke I came to consider also how truly he spoke gradatim quidem For righteousness but behold a cry The clamour of the oppressed entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbaoth who heareth their groans and beholdeth their grievances Job 34.28 Psalm 12.5 Jam. 5.4 Clamitat in caelum vox sanguinis Sodomorum Vox oppressorum mercesque retenta laborum The twofold Ecce Behold oppression Behold a cry sheweth it to be an evil action with an accent a wickedness with a witness Aliam Hebraeorum labrusiam notat Ver. 8. Wo unto them that joyn house to house The Prophet goeth on in the Exposition of his Parable shewing us some more of those wild or stinking grapes with the sad effects thereof to the end of the Chapter He beginneth with Covetousness that Root of all evil as Paul calleth it 1 Tim. 6.10 that Metropolis of all wickedness as Bion and throweth a Wo at it as do also sundry other Prophets Covetous persons are of the Dragons temper who they say is so thirsty that no water can quench his thirst Covetousness is a dry drunkenness saith One an insatiable Dropsie and like Hell it self ver 14. insatiabiliter cava guttura pandit its Never-enough will be once quit with fire enough in the bottom of Hell Here they are brought in joyning house to house as Shallum did at Jerusalem Jer. 22.13 14. as Nero did at Rome for the enlarging of his Palace to a vast extent whence that of the Poet Martial Roma domus fiet Veios migrate Quirites Si non Veios occupet ista domus That lay field to field encroaching upon others and engrossing all to your selves as Will. the Conquerer did at New-forrest wherein 46. Parish Churches were demolished with the removing of all the Inhabitants to make room for beasts or dogâ—-game But in true account Parva seges satis est laudato ingentia rura Exiguum colito The holy Patriarchs were content to dwell in Tents Abrahams only purchase was a burying place David in that Letany of his as One calleth it blesseth himself from those men of Gods hand who have their portion here Psalm 17.14 Christ biddeth us lay up Treasures and build Tabernacles for our selves in Heaven and having food and rayment saith the Apostle let us therewith be content 1 Tim. 6. Lucan l. har Lib. 4. Discite quam parvo liceat producere vitam Et quantum Natura petat If a man will study rather to satisfie his hunger then his humour a little will serve But it is as easie to quench the fire of Aetna as the thoughts set on fire by covetousness Juvenal Vnus Pelaeo juveni non sufficit orbis Till there be no place sc left unseized upon by you usque ad desitionem loci no place or room for any other That they may be placed alone Man is a sociable creature and not born for himself Aristotle calleth him Natures good-fellow but the covetous caytiff hath put off all Humanity and would have all to himself be placed alone And herein as Ambrose rightly observeth he is worse then the unreasonable creatures Avis avibus se associat saith he pecus pecori adjungitur piscis piscibus Birds Beasts and fishes sort and shoale together and account it no loss but a comfort to be in company of their own kind Solus tu homo consortem excludis includis feras Lib. de Naboth and Ahab cap. 3. struis habitacula bestiarum destruis hominum Onely thou O sorry man shuttest out men like thy self inclosest for cattle pullest down houses settest up pinfolds and sheep-cotes c. And yet thou canst not live without poor Labourers Onely thou hatest to have them live by thee Ver. 9. In mine ears said the Lord of hosts Or in the ears of the Lord of hosts q. d. God well heareth and knoweth all your cunning contrivances your coloured and cloaked covetousness as it is called 1 Thess 2.5 2 Pet. 2.3 The cryes also of those poor whom you have by fraud or force unroosted and undone is come into Gods ears Deut. 15.9 and 24.15 and he
is our Judge Ours in all relations therefore we shall not dye or do amiss See Habak 1.12 with the Note Our Judge will do us right Our Law-giver will give us the best direction See Nehem. 9.13 with the Note Our King will see to our safety Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King Psal 149.2 Ver. 23. Thy Tacklings are loosed Thy shipping O Assyrian is wracked and dissipated Vbi per funes tentoria per vela vexilla intelliguntur The Prophet elegantly expresseth the matter in Sea-mens termes Ver. 24. And the inhabitant shall not say I am sick Sc. by reason of the long and streight seige None shall be so lame ver 23. or sick and in pain as here but that he shall be in case to pursue and prey upon the enemies The people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity Jehovah Rophe or the Physician shall heal them on both sides make them whole every whit This is a most sweet Promise and highly to be prized by all that are heires of the Promises Optandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano CHAP. XXXIV Ver. 1. COme near ye Nations In this Chapter and the next the Prophet for the terrour of the wicked and comfort of the godly summeth up what he had said before concerning the destruction of the enemies and the restauration of the Church Lib. 11. de praep Evang. Eusebius with many other Ancients will have this Chapter to be understood of the end of the world and the last judgement and further saith that Plato hath taken this place of the Prophet Isaiah into his writings and made it his own Litera vero hujus vaticinii de extremo judicio non loquitur but this cannot be the literal sense of the text saith Scultetus The Jew-Doctours will needs understand these two Chapters as a Prophecy of their return into the holy land when once Idumea shall be destroyed and for this they alledge Lam. 4.22 which yet proveth it not Ver. 2. For the indignation of the Lord is upon all Nations Is or shall be upon all the Churches enemies whether of former or latter time even his boyling wrath as the Word signifieth He hath utterly destroyed them Or he will make an Anathema of them as ver 5. the people of my curse devoted to destruction Ver 3. Their slain also shall be cast out Buried with the burial of an Asse Jer. 22.19 which Cicero somewhere calleth sepulturam insepultam This may also befall such as for Gods sake are slain all the day long but to them it is no such judgment Caelo tegitur qui caret urna And their stink shall come up out of their carcasses They stink alive as Goates as whited Tombes as walking dunghils and now their dead carcasses also shall stink above-ground And the mountaines shall be melted with their blood Justè omnino because they moistened the earth with the blood of Gods people and dunged the land with their dead carcasses Ver. 4. And all the host of Heaven shall be dissolved Inusitati supplicii atrocitas sic designatur So great shall be the slaughter of the Nations that the heavenly bodies shall seem to be sensible of it and amazed at it and the whole heaven to be rolled together as a scroll lest it should be forced to behold it In a bloody fight between Amurath the third King of Turkes and Lazarus Despot of Servia many thousands fell on both sides the Turkish Histories to express the terrour of the day vainly say that the Angels in Heaven amazed with that hideous noise for that time forgot the heavenly hymnes wherewith they alwayes glorifie God Ver. 5. For my sword shall be bathed in heaven Heb. drunk or drenched i. e. In caelo decretum est ut inebrietur whence-soever the sword comes it is bathed in Heaven hath its commission from God Jer. 47.6 7. See Jer. 46.9 and as a drunken man reeleth to and fro so the sword when once in commission roveth up and down and rideth circuit usually Ezek. 14.17 Behold it shall come down upon Idumea i e. Upon the Edomites who were assidui acerrimi hostes Judaeorum bitter enemies to the Jews though both Nations came of Isaac both were circumcised so are now the Romish Edomites to the Churches of Christ with whose blood they are red all over Rev. 17. The Hebrews understand here by Idumea Rome Ver. 6. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood c. That is it maketh clean work as the blood and fat were in sacrifices consumed Levit. 1.16 17. and this execution was no less pleasing to God than some solemn sacrifice For the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah The Metropolis of Idumea Ptolomy calleth it Botsra And it prefigured Rome saith Piscator the chief City and seat of Antichrists Kingdom Ver. 7. And the Vnicornes shall come down Monocerotes qui interimi possunt capi non possunt creatures of untameable fierceness or Rhinocerotes as the Margent hath it he meaneth the Great ones Ver. 8. For the controversie of Zion i. e. Of the Church both Jewish and Christian saith Piscator Confer Rev. 18.2 Alludit ad vicinam sâ—tu scelere clade Sodomam lib. 5. de bell Jud. Geog. l. 16. Ver. 9. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch Like the Lake of Sodom which is near to Idumea and whereof Josephus writeth that an Ox having all his legs bound will not sink into it the water is so thick and pitchy Strabo though a stranger to this Prophecy attesteth the accomplishment of it Lyra saith that in some part of Idumea there is still ascending a smoke of fire and brimstone as out of Mount Aetna in Sicily And Hyperius thinketh that the Edomites are here further threatned with hell-torments It should seem so by the next words Ver. 10. It shall not be quenched night nor day the smoak of it shall go up for ever See Revel 14.11 and 18.18 and 19.3 And observe how John the Divine picks out the choicest passages of the Old Testament and polisheth therewith his Revelation None shall passe thorough it for ever i. e. Incolendi animo to dwell there passengers did passe through it and wondred at Gods dreadful judgments thereon Jer. 49.17 Ver. 11. The cormorant and the bittern shall possesse it God cannot satisfie himself in saying what he will do to the Edomites because they had dealt by revenge and had taken vengeance with a despightful heart to destroy the Church for the old Satanical hatred as Ezek 25.15 He will turn in those animalia faeda fera terribelia to dwell in their land whereby is noted extream devastation which is here in many exquisite words more propemodum Poetico described And he shall stretch out upon it So that men shall in vain think of rebuilding and repeopling it Ver. 12. They shall call the Nobles thereof to the Kingdom The Venetians have Magistrates called Pregadi because at first men
hath the face to say that the Catholicks were never yet worsted by the Hereticks as they call us in a set battle Ver. 18. Hear ye deaf and look ye blind Ye who as so many sea monsters or deaf Adders will not hear and as so many blind moles will not see by a perulant blindnesse and of obstinate malice such were the Scribes and Pharisees who winked hard with their eyes and wilfully shut the windows lest the light should come in unto them See more of this in the Notes on chap. 6. and 29. That ye may see In nature Caecorum mens oculatissima est We read of Didymus Alexandrinus that though blind yet he wrote Commentaries and of two of Archb. Vshers Aunts that being blind from their cradles they taught him first to read such was their readinesse in the Scriptures But this was rare and in spirituals it is otherwise till God enlighten both Organ and Object Ver. 19. Who is blind but my servant Who so blind as he that will not see Israel was Gods peculiar and had the light of his Law yet were blind as beetles Or deaf as my messenger The Priests and Levites Mal. 3.7 Such were the Papists dolts till awakened by the Reformation Buxtorf Tiber p. 5. Who is blind as he that is perfect The Elders of the people who arrogated to themselves perfection chap. 65.5 Rom. 2.17 18 19 20. as likewise the Popish Perfectists the Jewish Doctours with their pretended Mashlamnutha's and the Turkish Mussalmans i. e. Perfectionaries Ver. 20. But observest not Viz. for holy practice But he heareth not Viz. for any good purpose he heareth not what the Spirit saith to the Churches Ver. 21. The Lord is well pleased he will magnifie his Law c. Or to magnifie his Law and make it honourable sc by recompensing so highly those that observed it this he did for his righteousnesse sake i. e. of his free grace and fidelity but these are none such they are practical Antinomians and to me direct Antipodes Ver. 22. But this is a people robbed and spoiled And all too little unless they were better Hierom expoundeth this of the destruction of the Jews by the Romans after their voluntary blindness and malice shewed against Christ at what time they were pulled out of holes and privies spoiled slaved sold thirty a penny Ver. 23. Who among you will give ear to this Magna nimirum haec sunt sed paucis persuasa We shall have much adoe to make you believe these things though your liberties lives and souls lie upon it Hyper. Ver. 24. Who gave Jacob for a spoile Omnia magno adfectu sunt pronuncianda debentque singula membra hujus orationis expendi This is a very remarkable passage Let us cry out O the severity and beware Cavebimus autem si pavebimus Ver. 25. And it hath set him on fire When the Country was wasted the City and Temple burnt and ruined Read Josephus Lege inquam luge And he laid is not to heart This was worse than all the rest Like a sleepy man fire burning in his bed-straw he cryeth not out when others haply lament his case that see a far off but cannot help him CHAP. XLIII Ver. 1. BVt now thus saith the Lord Here the Prophet comforteth those with the Gospel whom he had frighted with the Law saith Oecolampadius That created thee O Jacob By a new creation Aug. especially Isa 9.23 Eph. 2.10 2 Cor. 5.17 Magna sunt opera Dei Creatoris Dei Recreatoris longe maxima The work of Redemption is far beyond that of Creation And he that formed thee O Israel As the Potter formeth to himself a vessel of honour and distinguisheth it from other vile and sordid vessels so have I dealt by thee I have redeemed thee A mercy much celebrated in this book and for very great reason I have called thee by thy Name Which was no small favour See Exod. 33.17 Psal 147.4 Some think he alludeth to his giving Jacob the name of Israel when he had wrestled with God and prevailed Thou art mine I have adopted thee which is no small honour 1 Joh. 3.1 Meus es tu may very well be the new name spoken of Rev. 2.17 with Hos 2.23 better than that of sons and of daughers Isa 56.5 See it displayed 1 Pet. 2.9 Ver. 2. When thou passest through the waters Fire and water we say have no mercy when once they get above us extream calamities are hereby denoted Psal 66.12 But Gods gracious presence kept the bush from burning burn it did but was not consumed through the good will of him that dwelt in it saith Moses Deut. 33.16 the Israelites in the red sea from drowning Exod. 14. His presence made the fiery furnace a gallery of pleasure the Lyons den an house of defence the Leonine prison a delectable Orchard as that Italian Martyr phrased it the fiery tryal a bed of roses as another Tua praesentia Domine Laurentio ipsam craticulam dulcem fecit Hierom of Prague and other Martyrs sang in the very flames Blessed Bilney being condemned to be burnt for the Testimony of Jesus when he was comforted by some against the extremity of the fire he put his hand toward the flame of the candle burning before them and feeling the heat thereof Oh said he I feel by experience and have learned by Philosophy that fire by Gods Ordinance is naturally hot But yet I am perswaded by Gods holy Word and by the experience of some spoken of in the same that in the flame they felt no heat and in the fire no consumption I constantly believe that howsoever the stubble of this my body shall be wasted by it yet my soul and spirit shall be purged thereby a pain for the time wherein notwithstanding followeth joy unspeakable and here he much treated on this text Fear not when thou passest through the waters c. So that some of his friends there present took such sweet benefit therein Act. Mon. fol. 923. that they caused the whole said sentence to be fair written in Tables and some in their books the comfort whereof in divers of them was never taken from them to their dying day Ver. 3. I gave Egypt for thy ransom quasi victimam piacularem à Sennacheribo mactandam loco Judaeae in exchange for thee so the Septuagint render it This was done when Tirhakah King of Egypt and Ethiopia was beaten by Sennacherib who was then making toward Jerusalem which he had already devoured in his hopes chap. 37.9 Thus the righteous is delivered out of trouble and the wicked cometh in his stead Prov. 11.8 Saul and his people were afflicted by the Philistins that David might escape 1 Sam. 23. The Canaanites were rooted out to make room for the Israelites Charles the fifth and Francis the French King after a mutual agreement to root out Lutheranisme fall together by the eares and the Church the while hath her Halcyons So the Turks
colours So that thou shalt be a City of pearl having for thy foundation the Lord Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 for thy windows the holy Prophets Dan. 12.3 Apostles and other faithful Preachers by whose ministry thou shalt receive the light of true knowledge and for thy walls and gates the divine protection See Rev. 21.11 21. All this is to be understood of the spiritual excellency of the Church which is begun in this life and to be perfected in the life to come And lay thy foundations with Saphirs Confer Exod. 24.10 where Moses and the Elders are said to have seen the God of Israel and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a Saphir-stone and as it were the body of heaven in its clearnesse To shew that God had now changed their condition their brickes made in their bondage to Saphir their lying and sooting among the pots into the wings of a Dove covered with silver and her feathers of pure gold as Psal 68.13 Ver. 12. And I will make thy windows of Agates Or of Crystal which is purus durus And thy gates of Carbuncles Which are of a flame-colour And all thy borders That is all thy bordering Cities say the Rabbines As Plutarch saith of the neighbour-villages of Rome in Numa's time that sucking in the aire of that City they breathed righteousnesse may be much better affirmed of the Church Ver. 13. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord Outwardly by his Word inwardly by his Spirit and here he explaineth that which he had spoken before concerning gemmes and jewels The glory of the Church consisteth not in outward splendour but in inward virtues and gifts of the Holy Ghost which are found only in Gods Disciples Ver. 14. In righteousnesse shalt thou be established Righteousnesse is here opposed to oppression Regiment without righteousnesse is but robbery with authority For thou shalt not fear Or that thou mayst not fear And from terrour Tyranny is terrible For it shall not come near thee See Psal 32.6 with the Note Ver. 15. Behold they shall surely or sedulously gather together Heb. He shall gathering gather together â—â—mmoâ—abunâ—â—â— i. e. the enemies as one man Some understand it of hereticks and hypocrites who shall dwell together with the Church so they render it but shall be evil-affected toward it but to their own ruine Whosoever shall gather together against thee Qui accolit tecum contra te Such are those Renegado Jesuites that run over to the Lutherans pretending to be Converts when it is only to keep up the bitter contention that is between them and us Ver. 16. Behold I have created the Smith that bloweth the Coales i. e. The devil say some rather his impes and instruments those kindle-coales and tooles of his And I have created the waster to destroy Those brats of Abaddon I have determined their evil-doings over ruling the same and directing them to a good end Ver. 17. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper But shall be as the Poets fain of Aiax his sword which so long as he used against men his enemies served for help and defence but after he began to abuse it to the hurt of hurtless beasts it turned into his own bowels And every tongue thou shalt condemn As the eclipsed Moon by keeping her motion wades out of the shadow and recovers her splendour so shalt thou when slandered See Psal 37.6 with the Note This is the heritage Given them freely and for perpetuity And their righteousnesse The clearing up of their wronged innocency CHAP. LV. Ver. 1. HO every one that thirsteth Sitit sitiri Dominus saith Nazianzen Oâ—at 40. in S. Baptis the Lord even thirsteth to be thirsted after he seeketh such to worship him as will worship him in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.23 Hence this present Proclamation Ho every one of what Nation soever that is duly affected with the preceding discourse of Christs alsufficiency to save chap. 53. and the Churches glory and safety chap. 54. That thirsteth That being scorched and parched with the sense of sin and fear of wrath brayeth and breatheth after true grace and sound comfort as the hunted Hind doth after the water-brooks Psal 42.1 3. See the Note there as David did after the water of the well of Bethlehem 2 Sam. 23.15 16. as the Lamb of God did when rosted in the fire of his Fathers wrath he cryed aloud Sitio I thirst Joh. 19.28 Psal 22.11 16. Come Non passibus sed affectibus itur ad Christum Repent and beleeve the Gospel Mar. 1.15 Repentance is here set out by a word of activity Come buy c. The frame of a true repenting heart is in an active coming posture fitted for any service when the wicked pine away in their sin Ezek. 33.10 and so perish eternally Psal 9.17 To the waters To Christ the fountain of living water upon which you had turned your backs Jer. 2.13 Ortelius telleth us that in Ireland there is a certain fountain whose water killeth all those beasts that drink thereof but hurteth not the people that usually drink of it Christ also is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel Luk. 2.34 his ordinances are a savour of life to some and of death to others 2 Cor. 3.16 And he that hath no money Or moneys-worth Many would come to Christ but they would come with their cost wherefore they run up and down to borrow money of the creatures or of the Ordinances using the means as Mediatours and sharking in every by-corner for comfort but men may be starved before they buy if they go this way to work for these in themselves are broken cisterns empty granaries and Horrea formicae tendunt ad inania nunquam In the Lord Christ is all fulness Joh. 1.16 not of plenty only but of bounty also To this fountain if we bring but our empty vessels well washed Jer. 4.14 we shall return well refreshed and replenished with good things when the proud Self-Justitiary shall be sent empty away and shall not once taste of Wisdomes dainties Prov. 9. Buy Emite i. e. comparate comedâ—te get Christ with all your gettings get him whatever else you go without part with all you have to compass this pearle of price Mat. 13.44 46 and 16.24 25. this gold cannot be too dear bought Rev. 3.18 Heus saeculares comparate vobis Biblia animae pharmaca saith Chrysostome by a like expression And eat That is beleeve hic enim edere est credere and this water this wine may be eaten also nec enim rigat tantum sed cibat Christ is to his water to cool them wine to comfort them milk to nourish them bread to strengthen them he is all that heart can wish or need require They who have once tasted how good the Lord is cannot but thirst after him and be unsatisfiable Optima demonstratio est à sensibus Eat therefore it is a vertue here
preferment Ver. 6. He went up and down c. Of whom he learned to King it and to lionize it See ver 2 3. Learned to catch the prey To pull his Subjects and to make havock as our Henry the third did who was therefore called Regni dilapidator And devoured men As ver 3. See Jer. 20.17 Ver. 7. And he knew their desolate places He had made them desolate and bereft them of their right owners whom he had devoured and then seized them for himself Some read and render it He knew their desolate widowes i. e. He first kild up their husbands and then lay with the widows the men he devoured the women he defloured such work this wicked Prince made till God took him in hand as he did also the other three here lamented of whom may be said as Plutarch doth of Galba Otho Vitellius Emperours that they were like Kings in a tragedy which last no longer then the time that they are represented on the stage Ver. 8. Then the Nations set against him on every side Nebuchadnezzar with the neighbour Nations his auxiliaries They spred their net over him As they did also over the two last Kings though not here specified Jehoiachin and Zedekiah because they chose rather to run the hazzard of ruine by rebellion then to continue safely with slavery Leones maxime foveis capiuntur In claustrum He was taken in their pit See ver 4. an ordinary way of taking lions as Pliny telleth us Ver. 9. And they put him inward in chaines Or hookes As lyons are not looked upon but through a gate God knows how to hamper the most truculent tyrants as he did also Bajazet They brought him into holds Into some strong tower or rock where he dyed and his body was afterwards thrown out upon a dunghil Jer. 22.18 Ver. 10. Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood The same lamentation is here continued though under another parable viz. of a wasted vine Jerusalem was once a generous fruitful spreading vine It began to be so again in some sort under Zedekiah if he could have been contented See on chap. 17.5 8. Ver. 11. And she had strong rods for scepters So firm were the branches of this vine so many and likely to succeed him in the Kingdom were Zedekiah's children his Nobles also were men of great parts and fit for greater employments And she appeared in her height High she grew and withall highminded and so ripe for ruine Ver. 12. But she was pluckt up in fury And so thrown with a force to the ground as a man doth a dry or barren plant The East wind dryed up her fruit See chap. 17.10 It is ventus urens exsiccans this was Nebuchadnezzar and his Army Herodot l. 1. cap. 193. Plin. l. 6. c. 26. Ver. 13. And now she is planted in a wildernesse Babylon was no wildernesse but fruitful beyond credulity But the poor captive Jews had little joy of it for some time at least In a dry and thirsty ground In terra sicca siticulosa so it was to them though never so well watered because they wanted there the waters of the Sanctuary and many other comforts of their own country See Psal 137. Ver. 14. And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches i. e. Zedekiah by his perjury and rebellion hath ruined all set all on a light fire So that she hath no strong rod c. None to speak of till Shiloh come Rulers indeed they had after this and Governours Hag. 2.21 but no Kings of their own Nation This is a lamentation See on ver 1. And shall be for a lamentation Jerusalem plangitur plangetur The nation of the Jews shall never want matter of mourning CHAP. XX. Ver. 1. ANd it came to passe This chapter fitly followeth the former There these Male-contents had complained that the fathers had sinned and the children suffered Here is evinced that there was never a better of them that a viperous brood they had been from the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eras Adag that they were some of them naught all In the seventh year sc Of Jechoniah's captivity and every year seemed seven till the seventy were expired The years of our misery we reckon not so of our prosperity which yet we should duely prize and improve That certain of the Elders of Israel Not Ananias Azarias and Misael as the Jews fable but worse men rank hypocrites Came to enquire But were resolved of their course and had made their conclusion before they came ver 32. Either the Prophet should chime in with the false Prophets who told them they should be sent home ere long or else they would for peace sake worship idols and comport with the Babylonians which yet if they had done it might have proved nothing better with them then it did with those Renegade-Christians in Turkey who falling down many thousands of them before Solyman the second and holding up the fore-finger S. H. Blunt vey into Levant p. 111. as their manner is in token of their conversion to Mahometisme he asked what moved them to turn they replyed it was to be eased of their heavy taxations He disdaining that basenesse or not willing to lose in tribute for an unsound accession in religion rejected their conversion and doubled their taxations Ver. 2. Then came See on chap. 18. ver 1. Ver. 3. Are ye come to enquire of me q. d. I scorn the motion I loath your false looks he packing with your putid hypocrisie God will detect and shame grosse hypocrites as he did Jeroboams wife the rotten-hearted Pharisees Ananias and Sapphira that sorry couple that consented to tempt the holy Ghost as these Elders also did that is to make tryal whether he be omniscient and able to detect and punish them I will not be enquired of by you The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination An causam ageres eorum Abigend sunt potius quam docendi Ostendit Dominus ulcus profundum esse how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind as these did Prov. 21.27 Ver. 4. Wilt thou judge them Or wilt thou excuse them Or wilt thou intercede for them If thou hast never so good a mind to do so yet do it not rather reprove them for and convince them of their sins Spare thy charity and exercise thine authority of having in readinesse to revenge their disobedience 2 Cor. 10.6 Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers By themselves avowed abbetted augmented their fathers iniquity they have drawn together with cart-ropes of vanity Ver. 5. In the day when I chose Israel Declared them to be my first-born and so higher then the Kings of the earth Psal 89.27 When I lifted up mine hand unto them saying I am the Lord your God This sweet promise is not so easily and indeed is never enough beleeved and is therefore here confirmed by Gods solemn oath thrice repeated that by
appointeth his Ministers their several stations together with the bounds of their habitations Shall eat the most holy things Ministers must eat as well as others they are not of the Camelion-kind cannot live upon air and the Lord Christ hath ordained that as they which waited at the Altar were partakers of the Altar so also should they that preach the Gospel live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.13 14. And the meat-offering and the sin-offering i. e. The Priests share out of them For besides their tithes and glâ—be or subburbs the Priests had many rich revenues and were far better provided for then now-adays Gospel-ministers are however begrudged that little that is allowed them Ver. 14. Then shall they not go out of the holy place Ministers may not leave their station lay aside their holy calling entangle themselves with worldly cares and businesses but Hoc agere make their Ministry their businesse giving themselves wholly to it Verbi Minister es hoc age this was Mr. Perkins his Motto And say to Archippus Take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfil it Coloss 4.17 But there they shall lay their garments And not go amongst the people in them lest they make themselves over-cheap or the people superstitious by placing holinesse in their seeing or touching those holy vestments And shall put on other garments Ministers Oecol as in doing their office they must use all becomming gravity and authority as the Embassadours of Christ so at other times they must familiarize themselves with their people becoming all things to all men in Paul's sense that they may win some Ver. 15. Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house The inner part of the Church the Church invisible is first and chiefly to be looked into rather then the external adjuncts as multitude prosperity clarity antiquity c. the Substantials rather then the Accidentals The Church of Rome borrows her mark from the market Plenty or cheapnesse c. Vilissimus pagus saith Luther the meane stvilage seems to me to be an ivory Palace if there be but in it a faithful Pastour and a few true believers Ver. 16. Five hundred reeds Loe here the large extent of the holy Catholike Church the Communion of Saints See the Note on chap. 40.1 Ver. 17.18 He measured the North-side five hundred reeds To shew that many should come from all coasts and quarters to sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven Mat. 8.11 See the Note there Ver. 20. He measured it by the four sides The Church is fair and firm for it is quadrangular so is every true member thereof homo quadratus four-square stedfast and unmovable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 always abounding in the Work of the Lord c. 1 Cor. 15. ult his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord Psal 112. He quits himself well in all estates and comes of a gainer Gold is purged in the fire shines in the water as on t'other side clay is scorcht in the fire dissolved in the water The new Jerusalem is said to lye four-square Rev. 21.16 See the Note there CHAP. XLIII Ver. 1. AFterwards he brought me Non nisi dimenso prius montis ambitu The Prophet saw not the glory of God till he had first seen the Mount measured the Temple restored Men must usually wait upon God in the use of means ere they see the King in his glory Even the gate that looketh toward the East Men must awake out of the West of wickednesse and stand up from dead courses and companies if Christ the day-star from on high shall give them light Ephes 5.14 Luke 2.78 79. Ver. 2. And behold the glory i. e. The vision of the glory God who by the East-gate had left the Temple and the City chap 10. doth now the same way return and filleth the house with the glory of his presence And his voice was like a noise of many waters Importing the multitude of his attendants and his irresistible power in his Gospel especially which is the power of God to salvation and like a mighty torrent bears down all before it And the earth shined with his glory How can it do otherwise when the Sun of righteousnesse cometh in place and irradiateth both Organ and Object 2 Cor. 4.6 Into Solomons Temple God came in a thick cloud not so here Light is now more diffused then ever woe be to those that wink or who seek straws to put out their eyes withal as Bernard hath it Ver. 3. And it was according to the vision Being so much the sweeter and the welcomer to me Hence he so oft repeateth it And the Jew-doctours observe that eight times in this one Verse Visionis ac videndi vocabulum repetitur the word for Vision and to see it is made use of When I came to destroy the City i. e. To foretel the destruction of it chap. 9.2 5. from which time forth it was a done thing See Jer. 1.10 with the Note And I fell upon my face In reverence to his Majesty in admiration of his mercy and in the sense of mine own unworthinesse The nearer any one cometh to God the lower he falleth in his own eyes and the more doth rottennesse enter into his bones Ver. 4. And the glory of the Lord See ver 2. By the way of the gate The ordinary entrance into the Temple There if anywhere God is to be found where should a man be sought for but at his house Say he be from home a while yet thither he returneth So here Ver. 5. So the Spirit took me up Who was fain upon my face The lowly shall be lifted up And brought me into the inner court As being a Priest so is every true believer 1 Pet. 2.9 Rev. 1.6 Filled the house Gods presence is the full glory of each good soul See Hag. 2.7 Ver. 6. And I heard him speaking unto me The man Christ Jesus standing by Here then is a meeting and the mystery of the blessed Trinity yea here is a double mystery to be taken notice of viz. those two wonderful unions of three persons in one God and of Christs two natures in one person Ver. 7. The place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet i. e. My Church which is unto me instead of heaven and earth Behold the place of my throne c. so some read it others as for the place of my throne c. Isa 66.1 No more defile But hallow for negative holiness alone is little worth Nor by the carcasses of their Kings i. e. Their idols not unfitly called carcasses Piscat 1. Because void of life 2. Stinking stuffe See Levit. 26.30 Jer. 16.18 These were oft brought in and countenanced by their Kings Ver. 8. In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds By broaching falshoods for truth and setting humane devices in competition with the good Word of God That