Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 1 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Verſe 1. Now when Ezra had prayed.]
HAD preſented himſelf as a Suppliant, and opened his cauſe to God the Judge, appealing to him, that he might determine.
And when he had confeſſed] And begged pardon: deprecating the divine diſpleaſure,Hithpallel. as the word ſignifieth.
Weeping] Of this we read not in the former chapter, but of other effects of his paſſion, as renting his garments, tearing off the hair of his head and beard, &c. His ſorrow at firſt might be above tears, which afterwards came guſhing out amain, as the blood doth out of a Wound, but not till it hath firſt run back to the heart, to bear the newes to it, as I may ſo ſay. It is ſaid of Athanaſius, that by his tears, as by the bleeding of a chaſt vine, he cured the Leproſy of that tainted age. May we not ſay the ſame of this good man?
And caſting himſelf down before the houſe of God Where all might ſee him, that their eyes might affect their hearts, and contribute ſome tears of compunction and compaſſion toward the filling of Gods bottle, as they had done ſins toward the filling of his bag.
Of Men, Women, and Children] Anaſhim, Venaſhim, &c. A Woman is a man, cut ſhort by the head, 1 Cor. 11.3. Here was a general meeting of all Sexes and Sizes joyned together, to cut ſins cart-ropes.
And the people wept very ſore] They could not waſh their hands in innocency, they therefore waſhed them in tears: they knew, that as the ſins of the old World; ſo of this little World, needeth a deluge. Their ſins therefore are as ſo many Hazaels to them… their hearts as ſo many Hadad-rimmens, the place they made to become a very Bechi…, they wept with a great weeping, and ſo vented their ſins at their eyes, as ſick people do their ill humours at the pores of their bodies.
Verſe 2. And Shechaniah the ſon of Jehiel] Egregie cordatus homo, A prudent and a pious man; one that had feeding lips, and a healing tongue, one that knew how to time a word, Eſay … Prov. 25. ….and to ſet it upon the wheels.
Anſwered and ſaid unto Ezra] Such words as were uttered more from the bowels, then the brain: and thereby proved ſo effectual.
We have treſpaſſed againſt our God] His father Jehiel had taken a ſtrange Wife, ver. 18. 26. ſo perhaps had he himſelf: or if not, yet he might fear wrath, becauſe of the ſame body politike with thoſe ſinners againſt their own ſouls. God, he knew, might well draw blood of the arm for the cure of the head; as Theodoret ſaith he did when he ſlew Pharaohs firſt-born.
Yet now there is hope in Iſrael, &c.] Hope that the people will repent, and hope that God will have mercy, upon their repentance. Supereſt ſperare ſalutem, If it were not for hope, heart would break. God having opened a door of hope, let us go holdly to the Throne of grace; what ſhould hinder?
Qui nil ſperare poteſt, deſperet nihil.
Caſt not away your confidence which hath ſo great recompenſe of reward: but caſt Anchor within the veil, and wait for day, as Paul did in the Ship-wrack, See Eſay 50.10.
Verſe 3. Now therefore let us make a Covenant] And ſo tye our ſelves thereby, to the better abearance: that we ſlip not collar, that we detrect not the yoke of Gods obedience, Deut. 10.20 Cleaving to God with full purpoſe of heart will require ſwearing. Broken bones muſt have ſtrong bands to cloſe them. Tottering houſes muſt be crampt with iron barres, or they will ſoon down. If the vowes of God be upon us, if we be Covenanters, it will help againſt the fickleneſs of our falſe hearts: which cannot but know that if God ſhall be All-ſufficient to us, we muſt be Altogether his, Cant. 2.16. His is a Covenant of mercy, even the ſure mercies of David; ours is a Covenant of obedience to him, in every part and point of duty.
To put away all the Wives] This Jewes might do in this, and ſome other caſes. So did Romanes alſo with this onelyonly bill of divorce, Res tuas tibi habeto, Take what is thine own, and be packing. But Chriſtians may not do thus, becauſe of difference in Religion: 1 Cor. 7. ver. 12. Whatever ſome late upſtarts have printed and practiſed to the contrary.
And ſuch as are born of them] The children of thoſe ſtrange Wives, perſiſting in their paganiſme. Theſe children though diſinherited, yet were not to be altogether deſerted; but nouriſhed, and nurtured alſo in the fear and admonition of the Lord, Eph. 6.4. Proving if perad venture, God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, &c. 2. Tim. 2.25.
According to the counſel of my Lord] Termes full of hearty reſpect, and humble ſubmiſſion. He calles Ezra My lord, as Hannah did Eli, with an eye to his dignity, and authority, both as a Prieſt, and as a Commiſſioner from the King of Perſia. At Venice every ordinary Mechanike is called Magnifico. At Vicenza in Italy the common title to a common Gentleman is Signor Conte, as much as My Lord Earle. But Ezra was every way honourable and deſerving: titles of honour were not worthy of him.
And of thoſe that tremble at the Commandement of our God] A periphraſis of a truly pious perſon, ſc. ſuch a one as feareth God and keepeth his Commandements. And this is the Man alone that is fit to judge of caſes of conſcience, and to comfort the feeble minded. Now although the comfort given by Gods Miniſters (ſuch as Ezra was) be ordinarily moſt effectual (as is the bleſſing of Parents, who are in Gods Room) yet others alſo (that are conſciencious and experienced perſons, that tremble at the Commandement of God, as here) may give excellent counſel and comfort in ſuch a caſe. But how like the motion of a Puppet, the language of a Parret is the beſt diſcourſe (in this ſubject of conſcience) of the not-intereſſed man.
And let it be done according to the Law] Which, though it take no direct and expreſſe order in this caſe, yet by due deduction and juſt inference it was determined both here and in Nehemiah, chap. 9.2. that thoſe ſtrange Wives ſhould be put away.
Verſe 4. Ariſe] Surge age Summe Pater, ſaid Mantuan to the Pope, exciting him to take Arms againſt the Turk: to the ſame ſenſe Shechaniah here to Ezra: or rather as Jehovah to Joſhuah chap. 7.10. Get thee up: why lyeſt thou here on thy face?
For this matter belongeth unto thee] Who haſt both an heart to do it, as appeares by thine humiliation, and alſo power in thine hand, as witneſſeth thy commiſſion.
We alſo will be with thee] Every man muſt ſhew himſelf forward to further the work of Reformation, moving regularly within his own ſphere, and trading every talent for that end and purpoſe.
Be of good courage and do it] Theſe were verba non inflantia, ſed inflammantia. And thus may one by his hearty good counſel, become an Angel, nay a God to another. Senarclaeus, in an Epiſtle to Bucer, telling how John Diazius the Martyr diſcourſed unto him the Night before, he was butchered by the appointment of his own Brother Alphonſus, hath this notable expreſſion; Ego verò illius oratione ſic incendebar, &c. I was ſo inflamed with his words, as if I had heard the Holy Ghoſt himſelf ſpeaking unto me.
Verſe 5. Then aroſe Ezra] According to the counſel of Shecaniah, ver. 4. How forcible are right words; Job 6.25. One ſeaſonable ſpeech falling upon a prepared heart, hath oft a ſtrong and ſweet operation; as that ſimilitude uſed by Peter martyr, reading upon the firſt to the Corinthians had upon Galeacius Caracciolus that Noble Italian convert: & as ſome ſpeeches of Staupicius, had upon Luther; who was likewiſe much confirmed and cheared up by conference with an old Prieſt at Erford; who largely diſcourſed about juſtification by faith,Life of Luther by Mr. Clark. and explained the Articles of the Creed to him.
And made the chief Prieſts, the Levites, and all Iſrael to ſwear] foreign. An oath is a fence: and, added to a vow or covenant: it, doth notably conduce (as a holy exorciſm) to conjure down our rebellious wills, and as cords or chains to hamper our treacherous hearts, that they backſlide not like back ſliding heifers; Moiſt bodies (as water) muſt be put into cloſe Veſſels: ſo muſt mans heart be bound together by ſtrongeſt helps, and reſolutions. Neither caſt we any new ſnare hereby upon ourſelves, (1 Cor. 7.35) but rather a new provocation to the payment of an old debt we owe to God. Such was that of Jacob, Gen. 28.20. and 31.13. of David, Pſal. 119.106. Of the Nazarites, Num. 6.2, 3. Rechabites, Jer. 35.6. This ſhewes a very earneſt deſire to obey: it ſharpneth alſo our prayers, and diſhearteneth the Devil: who ſeeing us thus peremptory and reſolute, will deſpair, and depart.
Then Ezra roſe up from before the Houſe of God] Where God had promiſed to hear prayers for Chriſts ſake, whereof that houſe was a type. See ver. 1.
And went into the chamber of Johanan] As a fit meeting-place, where they might conſider, conſult and give counſel. Over the Counſel-chamber at Venice is written, Let nothing be done here againſt the Weal-publike. A Profeſſour of the Turks Law proclaimeth before they adviſe or attempt ought, That nothing be done againſt Religion. Over the Town hall in Zant are ſet theſe two Verſes in letters of gold.
Hic locus odit, amat, punit, conſervat, honorat,
Nequitiam, pacem, crimina, jura, bonos.
Think the ſame we muſt needs of this holy Conclave or Council-chamber, where the Sanhedrin was preſent, and Ezra Preſident.
He did eat no bread, nor drink no water] Though faſting and faint with much mourning; yet no food would down with him, till he had gone thorough-ſtitch with the work. It was his meat and drink to do the will of his Heavenly Father. So it was good Jobs, chap. 23.12. and our Saviours, Matth. 21.17, 23. It was then, when diſappointed of a breakfaſt at the barren Fig-tree, and coming hungry into the City, he went not into a Victualling-houſe, nor into a Friends houſe to refreſh himſelf: but into Gods Houſe, where he continued teaching the people all that day.
For he mourned becauſe of the tranſgreſſion] It was not then a natural abſtinence, ariſing from ſickneſſe; nor a civil for healths ſake; or for ſome other wordly reſpect: but a Religious faſt, which is uſually to be held out a whole day, uſque dum Stellae in Coelo appareant. (as an old Canon hath it) till the Stars appear, in the sky: yet ſo as that nature be chaſtiſed, not diſabled for duty.
Verſe 7. And they made proclamation] Heb. They cauſed a voyce to paſſe, viz. by an Herald or Cryer.
That they ſhould gather themſelves together] And ſo the guilty might be brought to their anſwer, in that general aſſembly.
Verſe 8. And that whoſoever would not come, &c.] Lawes, if they be not penal and compulſory, will ſoon be ſlighted by lawleſſe, aweleſſe perſons. Howbeit, Flies muſt not be killed upon mens browes with beetles? peccadillo's muſt not be puniſhed, as haynous crimes. Draco made it capital to be idle, to ſteal pot hearbs, &c. Of his Lawes Ariſtotle ſaith that they were not worthy remembrance, but onelyonly for their over-great ſeverity, Ezra's Laws were more mild.
All his ſubſtance ſhall be forfeited] This to men of their mettle, was a forcible motive. When ſome have a loſſe in their riches, it is as it were raked out of their bellies: a piece of their very heart goes with it, Job 20.15. and they are filled with unmedicinable ſorrowes, Eccleſ. 5.
And himſelf ſeparated from the Congregation] Baniſhed the Land, or at leaſt caſt out of the Church. Wo be to thoſe that ſeparate themſelves, Jude 19. Cainites you may call them, Gen. 4.16. Our Church-forſakers, Worſhip-ſcorners, that laſt brood of Beelzebub.
Verſe 9. Within three dayes] They durſt not outſtand their time, becauſe their eſtates were at ſtake. Why is there not the like care taken, and ſpeed uſed to make peace with God, ſith for ought we know 'tis now or never, to day or not at all? Is it nothing to loſe an immortal ſoul? why then cry we Cras Domine? why ſtand we trifling and baffling from day to day, till it be all-too-late? Remember the fooliſh Virgins, and be wiſer.
It was the ninth MonethMonth] Which was the MonethMonth of May, ſaith Diodate; counting September for the firſt, after the manner of the Perſians, Eſth. 2.16. and this great rain, being out of the accuſtomed ſeaſon, was ſomwhat prodigious, & ſeemed to portend Gods wrath, as 1 Sam. 12.17. Others make it to be in December the deep of Winter: which though it be an ordinary time of raine (whence in Greek alſo it hath its name foreign, and in Latine Hyems) yet theſe ſhowers were extraordinary, more like ſpouts then ſhowers; and thence the peoples fear much increaſed by their guilt: for as no body is without its ſhadow ſo is no ſin without its fear, quia nec ſine conſcientia ſui, Tertul.becauſe it cannot ſhake off conſcience.
Verſe 10. We have treſpaſſed] We have diſloyally or rather ſacrilegiouſly treſpaſſed, by tranſgreſſing the Covenant. Other mens ſins are rebellions againſt God, but the Saints ſinnes are treacheries. Let the Philiſtins bind Sampſon, it will be nothing ſo grievous to him, as that his brethren ſhould do it. Mens offences are much increaſed by their obligations.
To increaſe the treſpaſſe of Iſrael] To adde to the heap which thereby is grown as high as Heaven, chap. 9.6. and calls hard for fire from thence, Pſal. 11.6. to revenge the quarel of the Covenant. Draw water therefore before the Lord, as thoſe did, 1 Sam. 7.6. Yea poure out your hearts before him. God is a refuge for us, Pſal. 62.7.
Verſe 11 Now therefore make confeſſion] This is the ſouls vomit: which is the hardeſt kind of Phyſick,Vomitus ſordiū animae. Naz. but healthſomeſt. This the Devil knowes, viz. that there is no way to purge the ſick ſoul but upwards, by caſting out the vicious humour wherewith it is clogged: and therefore he holds the lips cloſe, that the heart may not disburden it ſelf by ſo wholeſome evacuation. Confeſſion muſt follow upon conviction, as here: and be followed by reformation.
And do his pleaſure and ſeparate, &c.] For they that confeſſe and forſake not their ſins are onelyonly dog-ſick. When they have diſgorged their ſtomacks, and got a little eaſe, they will be as bad as before. Wicked people make account of confeſſion; as drunkards do of vomiting: that they may adde drunkenneſſe to thirſt. But the man that ſhall have mercy muſt both confeſſe and forſake, Prov. 28.13. Open a veyn, and let out his bad blood.
Verſe 12. Then all the Congregation anſwered and ſaid with a loud voyce] But not with a true heart, Heb. 10.22. For within a few years they returned to their vomit again.
As thou haſt ſaid, ſo muſt we do] Theſe were good words, and not unlike thoſe of Laelius in Lucan ſpoken to Caeſar.
Juſſa ſequi tàm velle mihi, quàm poſſe, neceſſe eſt.
But many of theſe fair promiſers turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their Fathers they were turned aſide like a deceitful bow, Pſal. 78.57. Look how a rotten bow, though otherwiſe fair, when an Arrow is drawn to the head, and both eye and arrow is leveld to the mark, yet it miſcarryeth: So do the deſires, purpoſes and promiſes that unſound hearts conceive in their afflictions, and under juſt convictions.
Verſe 13. Neither is this work of one day or two] No more is repentance, that firſt and continual work of every Chriſtian.Nulli reinatus … iſi poenitenti. …. Tert. de po…n. This made Tertullian ſay, that he was born for nothing elſe but for repentance. Surely as in a Ship there is continuall pumping; and as in a Beggers coat continual piecing; ſo in the beſt ſoul there wants not matter of daily repenting: this Houſe muſt be every day ſwept; this Candle-ſtick every day ſcoured. Beſides, ſome ſins are paſt in time, that are not paſt indeed, if we dwell not in the undoing and reverſing of them. The beſt of theſe hereafter mentioned, were to begin a new their repentance, becauſe they had not conſidered their marrying of ſtrange Wives.
For we are many that have tranſgreſſed] Heb. We have multiplyed to tranſgreſſe. The comfort is, that God will in like ſort multiply to pardon, if we return unto him that's the expreſſion, Eſay 55.7.
Verſe 14. Let now our Rulers of all the Congregation] Our Sanedrim or ſeventy Seniors, See Deut. 17.9. Let there be a matrimonial Conſiſtory erected, and matters in queſtion orderly heard and determined.
Ʋntil the fierce wrath of God] We muſt not think that he will ceaſe purſuing us, till the Traytours head be thrown over the Wall, till there be a thorough reformation. One Abimelech left alive, may be the death of Gideons 70 ſons: ſo may one ſin favoured, be thine utter undoing.
Verſe 15. OnelyOnly Jonathan the ſon of Aſahel and Jahaziah] Theſe two Prieſts onelyonly, of all the company, had kept themſelves unſpotted, and ſo were fit to be employed in the work in hand.Hier. Epiſt. Diaconos paucitas honorabiles fecit, ſaith Hierome, of his times. The paucity of good Deacons hath rendred them honourable. And I do not think, ſaith Chryſoſtome, that among the Clergy there are many that ſhall be ſaved.D. Hall. Clerus Britannicus ſtupor mundi: and yet there never wanted amongſt us thoſe dehoneſtamenta Cleri, that might give ſome occaſion to black-mouthed Campian to tell the World. Miniſtris eorum nihil vilius, Camp. Ra…Many of their Miniſters are moſt baſe.
Verſe 16. And the children of the captivity did ſo] Appointed ſuch a courſe ſhould be taken. And ſo it was a plain Plebiſcitum, and accordingly executed.
Verſe 17. By the firſt day of the firſt monethmonth] So that it was not the work of one day or two, as ver. 13. but of full three moneths, and yet they were not ſlothful in that buſineſs, but fervent in ſpirit ſerving the Lord. In the work of repentance take time enough, dig deep enough by thorough humiliation; leſt the fall of the houſe be great. The Engliſh are not ſick ſoon enough, ſaith One, and they are well too ſoon: This is true of their minds, as well as of their bodies.
Verſe 18. And among the ſons of the Prieſts, &c.] What a ſhame was this, and a ſtain to their cloth? Theſe mens white ephods covered foul ſinnes: whereas they ſhould have been carefull to have kept all clean: as that Eleazer was of whom it is ſtoried, that he would not do any thing that might ſeem to be ſinful, becauſe be would not ſpot his white head.
Of the ſons of Joſhua the ſon of Jozadak] This good High-prieſt had ſons none of the beſt. White Halcyons hatch black young ones. Caligula fuit optimi Viri Germanici filius. Eli his ſons were ſons of Belial. Samuels were little better: and yet it is not likely that he was faulty in that indulgence, for which his own mouth had denounced Gods judgements againſt Eli. When Ceſar Borgia Duke of Valence invited his Nobility to a Feaſt, and after Dinner cut off their heads, Pope Alexander (who was his Father) hearing of it ſmiled and ſaid, his Son had ſerved them a Spaniſh trick. When Petro Alingi Farneſis had committed an unſpeakable Violence on the perſon of Coſmus Chaerius, Biſhop of Fanum, and then poyſoned him, he received no other Chaſtiſement of his Father Pope Paul the third, then Haec vitia me non commonſtratore didicit, he never learned theſe faults of his Father. Good Joſhua had better bred his children, then thus to break out into an open violation of that Law, which they could not but know, and ſhould have obſerved. But God will ſhew, that grace is by gift, not inheritance: and men will ſhew, that though nourture may ſomewhat amend nature, yet it is grace alone that can keep us within the bounds of obedience.
Verſe 19. And they gave their hands,] Id eſt, They plighted their troth, and aſſured the aſſent of their hearts, 2 Kings 10.15.
That they would put away their Wives] Though as dear to them haply, as was George Carpenters (Martyr) burnt at Munchen in Bavaria: My Wife and Children, ſaid he, are ſo dear unto me, that they cannot be bought from me for all the riches and poſſeſſions of the Duke of Bavaria: but for the love of my Lord God I will willingly forſake them.Act. & Mon. 806. Let us do ſo by our dilecta delicta, our deareſt, and moſt delicious ſins.
They offered a Ram of the Flock] This ſhewes that they ſinned againſt knowledge: for for a ſin of ignorance the oblation was not a Ram, but a goat.
Verſe 44. And ſome of them had Wives by whom they had Children] Who yet for all that were put away, together with their children, ver. 3. The Hebrew hath it thus, And there were of them Women, & they had put forth ſons, or expoſed their ſons to do as they might, or to be diſpoſed of by the Judges: as that good Woman who told Bonner, Act. & Mon.that if he burnt her, ſhe hoped he would keep Faith, Hope, and Charity (thoſe were the names of her three daughters) No by my troth will not I, quoth the Biſhop: Ile meddle with none of them.