Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Verſe 1. And when the ſeventh monethmonth was come]
HEb. And the ſeventh monethmonth approached; a monethmonth of many feſtivities, Levit. 23.24, 27, 34. 1 Kings 8.2. and ſo, to the good, a foretaſte of eternal life, where it ſhall be holiday every day, where they have no reſt (and yet no unreſt) praiſing the God of heaven, for heavens happineſſe, Pſal. 136. (the ſame that theſe good ſouls ſang together,Rev. 4. verſe 11. of this Chapter) God is praiſed five and twenty times for his mercies: but the concluſion is, O give thanks unto the God of heaven, &c. Chriſt hath caſt up ſuch a cauſway to it, that we may well travel thither from all coaſts, as theſe Jewes did to Jeruſalem from all their Cities.
As one man to Jeruſalem] There to ſerve the Lord with one ſhoulder, Zeph. 3.9. neither counted they it any trouble to travel thither, though they were ſcarce yet warme in their neſts, as we ſay.
Then ſtood up Joſhua] Miniſters, of all others ſhould be moſt forward and forth-putting: ready preſt and prepared to every good work, as patterns to the people, who are led more by their eyes then by their ears, &c.
And Zerubbabel the ſonne of Shealtiel] Theſe two ever went hand in hand: and hence the work ſo proſpered in their hand. It muſt needs be ſo (ſaid Queene Elizabeth once to the Suffolk-gentlemen who came to meet her with their Miniſters by their ſides) where the Word and the Sword go together.
And builded the Altar of the God of Iſrael] Which therefore, in their father Jacobs ſenſe, Gen. 33.20. they might ſafely have called El, Elohe-Iſrael, that is, God, the God of Iſrael, putting the ſigne for the thing ſignified. Thus alſo the Arke is called Gods face, Pſal. 105.4. Yea, even God himſelf, Pſal. 132.5.
As it is written in the Law of Moſes] This was the rule they wrought by, God requireth to have a reaſonable ſervice, Rom. 12.1. ſuch as whereof we can render a reaſon out of his Word; he hateth a Samaritan ſervice, John 4.22. and will not endure Popiſh Will-worſhip: Who required thoſe things at their hands, their Altars, Crucifixes, Penances, Pilgrimages, &c.? The whole number of the Beaſt is but the number of a man, Rev. 13.18. Men will have it ſo, and this is the ſumme of all Popiſh religion. All their ſuperſtructions are humane inventions.
Moſes the man of God] The Prophet, the Law-giver, a man of much communion with God above any other, Num. 12.8. One calleth him heavens Chancellour.
Verſe 3. And they ſet the Altar upon his baſes] Upon the old foundation in the Prieſts Courts, being glad of any place, where to worſhip God joyntly and publikely: for Temple, as yet, there was none. Our worſhip-ſcorners are rightly ſtiled by one, The laſt brood of Beelzebub.
For fear was upon them] Though that was a lewd ſpeech of the Poet Statius, Primus in orbe Deos fecit Timor, It was timorouſneſſe that firſt made men religious; yet there's no queſtion, but fear of danger driveth men to God, as it did theſe here. Their malignant neighbours bandying and bending their forces againſt them, make them haſten up an Altar, that they might get God on their ſide, and run to him reconciled, what ever evil ſhould befall them. Be not thou a terrour to me Lord, ſaith holy Jeremy, chap. 17.17. and then I fear no creature. Let us ſing the 46. Pſalme (ſaid Luther once in a great ſtrait) and then let the Devil do his worſt. What time I am afraid, I will truſt in thee, Pſal. 56.3. Some read the text thus, Though fear was upon them, yet that hindered not their ſetting up Gods Altar: but they brake through all diſcouragements, and did their duty. It is well obſerved that the very light of Nature taught Heathens, that the ſervices they performed to their gods with peril and hazard to themſelves, were beſt accepted. Caius Fabius ventured thorough the enemies camp to offer a ſolemne anniverſary ſacrifice, and returned in ſafety: ſatis ſperans (ſaith the Hiſtorian) propitios fore Deos, quorum cultum ne mortis quidem metu prohibitus intermiſiſſet, truſting that in ſuch a caſe his gods would ſecure him. When Numa (the ſecond King of the Romanes) heard, as he was ſacrificing, that the enemies were coming, he made this anſwer, At ego rem divinam facio: If God be for us,foreign. Plut. who ſhall be againſt us?
And they offered burnt-offerings thereon] That their ſinnes might be expiated, and their perſons protected. The Ceremonial Law was Chriſt in figure, it was their Goſpel.
Verſe 4. They kept alſo the feaſt of Tabernacles] Or boothes, built of boughs or branches of thick trees, Nehem. 8.15. in a grateful memorial of Gods gracious preſervation of them in the Wilderneſſe, where they dwelt in tents or tabernacles. It ſignified alſo (the Prophet Zachary being interpreter, chap. 14.16, 17, 18, 19.) that the remembrance of our redemption by Chriſt, ſhould be perpetuated with all ſpiritual gladneſſe.
By number, according to the cuſtome] There is an elegancie in the Original; the Book of God hath many ſuch, as I have elſewhere noted.
As the duty of every day required] Heb. The matter of the day in his day. Here we are all travellers, having no certaine habitation, Heb. 11.13. foreign, 1 Cor. 4.11. Let us account duty a debt,foreign. and be daily doing at it. Let us keep holy day, keep the Feaſt, 1 Cor. 5.8. Let us be in the feare of the Lord all the day long, Prov. 23.17.
Verſe 5. And afterward offered] Finding a flote of holy affections in their hearts, they paſſed from one good exerciſe to another, and were indefatigable in the Lords work. David finding ſuch an heat and height in his people, prayes God to keep it ever in the imagination of the thoughts of their hearts, which he knew well to be fickle and falſe, 1 Chron. 29.18.
Both of the new-moones] Kept in thankfulneſſe to God for their time renewed upon them, from monethmonth to monethmonth, and his mercies every morning, and moment.
And of all the ſet-feaſts of the Lord that were conſecrated] By an holy reſting both from corporall labour, and from ſpirituall idleneſſe.
A free will offering] See the note on Chap. 1.4.
Ver. 6. From the firſt day of the ſeventh monethmonth] Which was the feaſt of blowing of trumpets, ſignifying the juſt mans joyfulneſſe, and ſerving to put life and ſpirit into them.
Began they to offer.] And ſo held on: for this monethmonth had as many feaſts in it as were celebrated in all the yeare beſides: So as the Sabbath was the Queen of dayes, Regina dierum.ſo was this of moneths. See the note on verſe 1.
But the foundation of the Temple.] Heb. Of the Kingly Palace, aula baſilica, uſed here and elſewhere for the place where Gods honour dwelleth. God is a great King, Mal. 1.14. and requires to be ſerved like himſelfe.
Was not yet laid] Heb. Was not yet founded. Nevertheleſſe they would be worſhipping God as they could at an Altar, till they had a Temple. All the power of Perſia could not keep God and Daniel aſunder: the trade of godlineſſe never ſtandeth ſtill.Dan. 6. Contra Ariſt: Demoſthenes could ſay that an heart beautified with piety, juſtice and modeſty, is the beſt Temple, and to God moſt acceptable.
Verſ. 7. They gave mony alſo unto the Maſons and Carpenters.] Who uſually get it and eate it, laying up little: their life is called the Life of their hands, becauſe maintained by the labour of their hands: day-wages they muſt have, or they cannot ſubſiſt;Eſay 57.10. and theſe good Jews ſpared for no coſt, but gave mony out of the bag freely to theſe workmen. Idolaters care not what coſt they caſt away upon their dumb idols: Deum alienum dotant, ſo ſome read that text, Pſal. 16.4. The Turkiſh Stately Moſchees, and Popiſh Baſilicae ſtuffed with vowed preſents and memories (as they call them,) are things known to all. When the famous Artificer Phydias adviſed the Athenians to make the ſtatue of Minerva rather of marble then of ivory, 1. Becauſe more durable; this paſſed with allowance, 2. Becauſe leſſe chargeable; this they abhorred, and bade him ſay no more of ſuch a matter.
And meat, and drink, and oile] More prized by the Tyrians and Sidomans then money, becauſe their Countrey was nouriſhed by this Countrey, Acts 12.20. as being barren, and not bringing forth proviſion enough for themſelves. Diogenes deeply taxed the folly of his Athenians, that prized money ſo much, and bread-corne ſo little: when as the life of man could be without that, but not without the other.
To bring Cedar-trees] Smooth and durable, and every way fit for faire buildings: and therefore made choice of by God himſelf, 2 Sam. 7.7. by Solomon for the firſt Temple,Vitruvius. 1 Kings 5.6. and by theſe Jewes for the ſecond. The Temple of Diana at Epheſus was likewiſe built of Cedar: as the Devil affecteth to be Gods ape.
To the Sea of Joppa] This was an haven-towne, Joſh. 19.46. Acts 9.43. Jon. 1.3. and hath its name à pulchritudine & elegantiâ, from its beauty and bravery, ſuch as draweth love and liking. It might have beene called The faire havens, as well as that place nigh unto the City of Laſea, Acts 27.8. which retaineth the ſame name unto this day.
According to the grant] Or licenſe, which they took in the largeſt extent, as we alſo ought to do Gods gracious promiſes. Promiſſa ſunt amplianda; and we muſt labour to ſee our own names written in them.
Verſe 8. To ſet forward the work] To urge the continuance of it to the end, as the word ſignifieth; to encourage and call upon the workmen to haſten and go thoroughſtitch: to be as ſo many foreign, that the buſineſſe might go on end, and come to a good upſhot.
Verſe 9. Then ſtood Jeſhua] Not the High-Prieſt, but another, a Levite.
The ſonnes of Henadad with their ſonnes] A generation of godly and active men in the things of God, See Nehem. 3.18.24. and 10.9. Grace is not hereditary, the white Halegons hatch black young ones: Heroum filii noxae. Nevertheleſſe, nurture helpeth nature: and good men ſtrive to mend that by education, which they have marred by propagation. They cocker not, but correct their children; they pray for them, and drop good principles into them; they ſmooth them as arrowes, Pſal. 128.3, 4. getting off the knottineſſe of their nature; and leave not till they ſee them the work of Gods hands, ſo as to ſanctifie the holy One of Jacob, and to feare the God of Iſrael, Eſay 29.23. Theſe ſonnes of Henadad, as they attended upon the Temple-work, ſo themſelves were as the poliſhed corners of the Temple, Pſal. 144.12.
Verſe 10. With trumpets] Theſe were uſed on all occaſions of rejoycing.Aelian. hiſt. ult.
With Cymbals] Inſtruments of a ſhrill ſound, uſed alſo by the Heathens at offering of their ſacrifices. So, in Imitation of the Ʋrim and Thummim, Exod. 28.30. The Egyptian High-Prieſt wore about his neck a ſapphire-ſtone, which was called foreign. Satan Dei Mimus, ut & Momus. See before verſe 7.
After the ordinance of David] He very much added to the Church-muſick. He likewiſe anticipated the age of the Prieſts, entring into their ſervice five yeares earlier then the Moſaical appointment.
Verſe 11. And they ſang together by courſe] Amant alterna Camaenae: Antiphonies are of ancient uſe.
In praiſing and giving thanks] Men praiſe God for his excellencies, thank him for his benefits.
Becauſe he is good] So they ſang Davids Pſalmes a good warrant for us ſo to do. Heretofore happy were they held, that could ſound out aliquid Davidicum: Now ſome have found out new inventions.
Verſe 12. Who were ancient men] From ſeventy years of age, and upwards: for it was but threeſcore years before this, that the Temple was burnt.
Wept with a loud voice] Conſidering the diſproportion. Let us do the like, when we compare our ſtate of Creation with our ſtate of Corruption.
Verſe 13. The noiſe of the ſhout of joy from the noiſe, &c.] Nam partim jubilabant, partim ejulabant. Our joyes while we are here, will be mixt joyes. Let thoſe that would have joyes unſpeakable, ſtir up ſighes unutterable.