Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Verſe 1. Now when theſe things were done.]
HEre are poſt maxima gaudia luctus, Heavens joyes are without meaſure or mixture: But this preſent life is overſpred with ſins and miſeries, as with a filthy morphew. Of good Ezra we may ſay as Pliny doth of Metellus; Metellus infelix dici non debet, felix non poteſt, Lib. 7. c. 47.Unhappy we may not call him, happy we cannot: witneſſe the dolefull diſcourſe of this Chapter.
The Princes came unto me] The better ſort of them that were ſenſible of the abuſes crept in, and deſired a Reformation. For ſome of the Princes alſo and Rulers had their hands elbow-deep, in the wickedneſſe complained of Verſe 2.
The people of Iſrael] The Many, foreignthe common ſort, that ſhallow-braind, but many-headed Beaſt, that loves to follow the herd and do as the moſt do, though thereby they be utterly undone for ever.
And the Prieſts, and the Levites] This was much: for theſe knew the Law, and made their boaſt of it, Rom. 2.18.23. They could not be ignorant of the unlawfulneſſe of this mixing themſelves in marriage with Heathens not proſelyted. Now ſins againſt knowledge and conſcience are of a double dye, of a crymſon colour: and make a great breach, a deep gaſh in a mans ſpirit. Eſay 59.11, 12. What was it that brought ſuch roarings and troubles on them, and that, when ſalvation was looked for? Our iniquities teſtify to our faces, and we know them.
Have not ſeparated themſelves] The ſeparation of the Saints from the wicked is a wonderful ſeparation, Exod. 33.16. ſuch as was that of light from darkneſſe in the creation. God hath brought them out of darkneſſe into his marvellous light. Why then ſhould they be unequally yoked together with unbeleevers? what communion hath light with darkneſſe, &c? 2 Cor. 6.14.1 Pet. 2.
Doing according to their abominations] How ſhould they chuſe but do ſo, when ſo matched and married? what's the reaſon the Pope will not diſpenſe in Spain or Italy, if a Papiſt marry a Proteſtant? yet here they will, but in hope thereby to draw more to them. The brown bread in the Oven will be ſure to fleece from the white; not that from it. So in married couples: ſeldome is the worſe bettered by the good, but the contrary. See Nehem. 13.26.
Verſe 2. For they have taken of their daughters] Taken them for wives: which was fllatly forbidden, Deut. 7.3. and a reaſon given, ver. 4. from the evil effect of ſuch unbleſt marriages. This abuſe Malachi complaineth of, chap. 2.11, 13. whom ſome make to be the ſame man with Ezra.
For themſelves and for their ſons] Whom they herein helped to a cold arm-ful, (as Lycophron calleth a bad wife:) or rather to an unnatural heat, worſe then that of a quartan ague, foreign.as ſaid Simonides: as bad as that of an evil ſpirit, ſaid another Heathen.
So that the holy ſeed] Id eſt, The children of Iſrael, who were all federally holy at leaſt, Deut. 7.6. as are alſo all the children of Chriſtian Parents, 1 Cor. 7.14.
Hath been chief in this treſpaſſe] Which they think audaciouſly to bear out with their big looks, to obtrude and juſtify to the World this moſt malapert miſdemeanour, becauſe it is facinus majoris abollae, the fact of a great one.
Verſe 3.Juvenal. I rent my garments and my mantle] In token of his deep and down-right humiliation, indignation, deteſtation of their dealings herein.
And pluckt …ff the hair of my head, and of my beard] To ſhew how paſſionately grieved and offended he was. The raging Turk did the like at the laſt aſſault of Scodra: being extremely vexed at the diſhonour and loſſe he had received there. But what followed? In his choler and frantick rage,Turk. Hiſt. he moſt horribly blaſphemed God: whereas holy Ezra, though he ſat aſtonied till the Evening ſacrifice, yet then he poureth forth his ſoul in an heavenly prayer, verſe 5, 6.
And ſate down aſtonied] As one that hath neither life nor ſoul, (as we ſay) that can neither ſay nor do for himſelf, being wondrouſly amazed, aſtoniſhed, or deſolate, as David had been, Pſal. 143.4. The true Zealot, as his love is fervent, his deſires eager, his delights raviſhing, his hopes longing; ſo his hatred is deadly, his anger fierce, his grief deep, his fear terrible, &c. Zeal is an extreme heat of all the affections, Rom. 12.11. boyling-hot, hiſſing-hot, as the Greek importeth.foreign.
Verſe 4. Then were aſſembled unto me] It was ſoon noyſed and noticed among the godly party, how exceedingly Ezra was troubled: they therefore trouble themſelves, as our Saviour is ſaid to have done John. 11.33. and as Paul felt twinges when others were hurt. Who is offended ſaith he, and I burn not? Sheep when frighted, will get together;2 Cor. 11.29. Swine, when lugged, will grunt together. What ſhould Saints do, (in caſe of National ſins or judgments) but aſſemble and tremble together, as here; but vow and perform Reformation to the Lord their God, as in the next chapter?
Every one that trembled at the words] At the judgements of God whileſt they yet hang in the threatnings. To ſuch looketh the Lord, with ſpeciall intimations of his love, Iſa. 66.2. When as thoſe that tremble not in hearing, ſhall be cruſhed to pieces in feeling, ſaid Mr. Bradford the Martyr.
That had been carried away] But had not learned by the thing that they had ſuffered, were as bad as before, if not worſe, having loſt the fruit of their afflictions.foreign. This is fearful: a ſad ſigne of an incorrigible caſtaway, Jer. 6.30.
Ʋntill the Evening-ſacrifice] This time of the day good people, uſually took to pray at: that, together with the ſacrifice, their prayers might come up for a memorial before God in thoſe pillars of ſmoke, Cant. 3.6. Act. 10.4. See Luk. 1.10. Act. 3.11.
Verſe 5. I roſe up from my heavineſſe] In affliction, ſc. of ſpirit, wherewith his heart was leavened and ſowred, as Davids was, Pſal. 73.21. Imbittered as Peters, Matth. 26. ult. powred out upon him as Jobs, chap. 30.16. He did really afflict himſelf with voluntary ſorrowes for the tranſgreſſions of his people.
And having rent, &c.] See ver. 3.
I fel upon knees] This geſture did both evidence, & encreaſe the ardency of his affection.
And ſpread out my hands] With the palmes open toward Heaven in an having craving way, as Beggers. This was the Jewiſh manner of praying; and it was very becoming.
Verſe 6. And ſaid, O my God] This was a prayer of faith, and founded upon the Covenant, that bee-hive of Heavenly honey, as One well calleth it.
I am aſhamed and bluſh] Sin is a bluſhful thing and hales ſhame at the heeles of it,Illum ego periiſſe dico cui periit pudor. Salluſt. Rev. 3.17. Therefore when a man hath committed a ſin, he bluſheth: the blood as it were, would cover the ſin. But he is paſt grace that is paſt ſhame, and can bluſh no more then a ſackbut.
For our iniquities] He maketh himſelf a party, becauſe he was one of the ſame Community with them that had done that evil. He alſo knew himſelf to have an hand if not upon the great cart-ropes, ſet upon the leſſer cords that might draw down divine vengeance upon the Land. Hence he includeth himſelf after the example of Daniel, chap. 9.5.
Are increaſed over our heads] As an overwhelming flood, Pſal. 38.4. That threateneth to go over our ſoules too, Pſal. 124.4. and to ſink them in the bottomleſſe lake, that lowermoſt part of hel imported by that foreign locale (as Hebricians Note) Pſal. 9.17.
And our treſpaſſe is growen up unto the Heavens] So great is our guilt, that it is gotten as high as Heaven, that is, as high as may be. For beyond the moveable Heavens, Ariſtotle (Natures beſt Secretary) ſaith there is neither body, nor time, nor place, nor vacuum. De Coelo Text. 99.See Revel. 18.5. with the Note. Mans ſinne defileth even the very viſible Heavens; which muſt therefore be purged with the fire of the laſt day. Yea it pierceth into the Heavens of Heavens, & maketh a loud out-cry in gods eares for vengeance, Gen. 4.10. & 18.20.
Verſe 7. Since the dayes of our Fathers] Confeſſion with aggravation is that happy Spunge, that wipeth out all the blottes and blurres of our lives: for, if we confeſſe our ſinnes, and therein lay load enough upon our ſelves, as Ezra here, & Daniel doth c. 9.5. (mark how ful in the mouth theſe good men are, out of the abundant hatred of ſin in their hearts) God is faithful and juſt to forgive us our ſins, &c. 1 John 1.9. But in confeſſion we muſt not extenuate or excuſe: every ſin, muſt ſwel as a toad in our eyes, and we muſt ſpet it out of our mouthes with utmoſt indignation; ſhewing the Lord the iniquity of our ſin, the filthineſſe of our leudneſſe, the abomination of our provocations, Rom. 7.13. Thus if we weigh our ſinnes in a true balance, and put in ſo many weights, as to bring to a juſt humiliation, to a godly ſorrow; then it will prove a right Apology, the ſame that the Apoſtle maketh a fruit and ſign of ſound repentance 2 Cor. 7.11.Chennit. Exam. quae magis deprecatione conſtat, quàm depulſione criminum, ſuch an Apology as conſiſteth rather in deprecating, then defending.
We havebeen in a great treſpaſſe unto this day] And ſo there hath bin a concatenation, a continued ſeries of our ſinnes from one generation to another. We are a race of Rebels, a ſeed of ſerpents, &c.
And for our inquities have we, our Kings and our Prieſts] Our National ſinnes have produced National plagues; which yet we have not improved to a publike or perſonall reformation. Many hands have drawn the cable with greateſt violence; the leproſy hath over-run the whole body: there is (as Phyſicians ſay of ſome diſeaſes) corruptio totius ſubſtantiae, a general defection, a conjuncture, of all perſons, in all ſins and miſeries, which like cloudes cluſter together, and no clearing up by repentance.
And to confuſion of face,] So that we are a ſcorn to our Enemies, and a terrour to our ſelves, in a low and lamentable condition.
Verſe 8. And now for a little ſpace] Heb. point, or moment of time. God let looſe his hand for a while, and gave them ſome little liberty, to make them inſtances of his mercy, who had been objects of his wrath: but nothing would mend them and make them better.
And to give us a nail] that is, ſome ſettlement, ſome ſubject of hope, and ſupport of faith. He ſeemeth to allude to ſuch nailes as wherewith they faſtened their tents to the ground (Jael drove one of thoſe Tent-nails thorough Siſera's Temples, and laid him ſafe enough) or elſe to thoſe nailes that, driven into pales, do faſten them to their nailes.
That our God may lighten our eyes] Id eſt, Chear up our hearts, and ſo clear up our eyeſight: which, when the ſpirit is dejected, grows dim, for want of ſpirits. Profectò oculis animus inhabitat, ſaith Pliny; Truly ſo it is, that the heart dwelleth in the eye: there it ſitteth and ſheweth it ſelf pleaſed or diſpleaſed with whatſoever occurrences. And as a looking-glaſſe is the eye of art: ſo is the eye the looking-glaſſe of nature.Lib, 2. cap. 32.
And to give us a little reviving in our bondage] Not light onelyonly, but heat alſo by the beames of his pleaſed countenance, which is better then life. The life of ſome kinds of creatures is meerly in the Sun; In Winter they lie for dead: in Summer, they revive. So it is with the Saints: all their comfort conſiſts in Gods grace and favour. They look unto him and are lightened, Pſal. 34.5. he hideth his face and they are troubled; their breath is taken away, they die and return to their duſt, Pſal. 104.29. Theſe captives in Babylon lay for that time as dead and buried, Eſay 26.19. God opened their graves, and cauſed them to come up cut of their graves, and brought them to the land of Iſrael. Ezek. 37.13. For his favour is no empty favour: It is not like the Winter-ſun that caſts a Goodly countenance when it ſhineth, but gives little comfort and heat. He is the Father of lights, and the God of all grace and conſolation, &c. he gives all things needful to life and godlineſſe, ſo that to have ſinned againſt ſo good a God, to kick againſt ſuch tender bowels, was a further aggravation of their ſinne: and ſo it is here uſed and urged.
Verſe 9. For we were bondmen] Heb. ſervants; and ſo wholly and onelyonly at the pleaſure of another: for a ſervant not foreign, ſaith Ariſtotle, one that moveth abſolutely of himſelf: but he is the Maſters underling and inſtrument, foreign, wholly at his diſpoſe. The Saints may ſay all as much. We were bondmen, ſlaves to ſin, drudges to the devil, driven about by him at his pleaſure, having as many Lords as luſts, Tit. 3.3. and thereby expoſed to a thouſand miſchiefes and miſeries: The Heathens Piſtrinum, the Turks Gallyes, Bajazets iron Cage, the Indian mines are nothing to it. This we ſhould frequently recognize; and remembring that our God hath not forſaken us in our bondage, but brought us from darkneſſe to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that we might receive forgiveneſſe of ſin, and inheritance among them which are ſanctified; Act 26.18.we ſhould bluſh and bleed in the ſenſe of our unthankfulneſſe, ſaying as ver. 14, ſhould we again break thy Commandements, &c.
Yet our God hath not forſaken us in our bondage] As he may ſeem to do his priſoners of hope, when he leaves them in the Enemies hand, or under ſome preſſing affliction, and ſeemes to forget them, that they may the better remember themſelves. But God had remembred theſe returned captives in their low eſtate; for his mercy endureth for ever: And had redeemed them from their Enemies, for his mercy endureth for ever; Pſal. 136. 23.24. Their ſin therefore was the greater, ſith againſt ſo much mercy: and God might juſtly have ſaid unto them as Ezek. 22.20. I wil gather you in my anger & in my fury, and will leave you there. A grievous judgment indeed! for wo be unto you when I forſake you, Hoſ. 9.12. Lord leave us not, Jer. 17, 17. Forſake us not utterly, Pſal. 119.8.
To give us reviving] See Ver. 8.
To ſet up the Houſe of our God, and to repaire. &c.] He reciteth and celebrateth Gods favours to that people, not in the lump onelyonly and by whole-ſale, as we ſay: but entreth into particulars, and reckoneth them up one by one: ſo doth Moſes, Exod. 18.8. So doth David, Pſal. 136. So muſt we, that we may ſhame and ſhent our ſelves as here for our unthankfulneſſe: and be inrited and inciced thereby to better obedience. God, for this cauſe, crumbleth his mercies unto us (ſaith One:) we have his bleſſings by retail, that we may make our utmoſt of them.
And to give us a Wall] Protection and ſafegard, as the Walles of Sparta was their Militia, and the Walls of England, is our Navy. They had the fence of the King of Perſia's favour. They had alſo Gods providence as an hedge or wall of fire round about them, Zech. 2.5. See the Note there.
Verſe 10. And now Our God what ſhall we ſay after this?] q.d. We have nothing to ſay for our ſelves, wherefore thou ſhouldſt not preſently pronounce againſt us, and execute upon us the ſentence of utter rejection. We are even ſpeechleſſe, excuſeleſſe, and muſt needs conclude. It is the Lords mercy that we are not conſumed, that we are at al on this ſide hell: it is becauſe his compaſſions fail not, Lam. 3.32.
For we have for ſaken thy Commandements] Better then this Ezra could not have ſaid for himſelf and his people, whileſt he thus confeſſeth ſin, and putteth himſelf into the hands of juſtice, in hope of mercy. In the courts of men tis ſafeſt to ſay, Non feci, I did it not (ſaith Quintilian.) But in our addreſſes unto God, 'tis beſt to ſay, Ego feci, miſerere; I did it, oh be merciful unto me O God, be merciful unto me. Per miſerere mei, tollitur ira Dei.
Verſe 11. Which thou haſt commanded us by thy ſervants the Prophets] Whoſe office it was to expound the Law to us, and to apply it to our conſciences. This although they have done daily and duely, yet we have not been kept within the bounds of obedience, but have flown againſt the lights, (as Bats uſe to do,) and ſinned preſumptuouſly. Thus he aggravateth their ſin, by every circumſtance. And this is right confeſſion, ſuch as the School-men have ſet forth in this Tetraſtick.
Sit ſimplex, humilis confeſſio, pura, fidelis,
Atque frequens, nuda & diſcreta, lubens, verecunda,
Integra, cordata, & lachrymabilis, accelerata,
Fortis & accuſans, & ſe punire parata.
Is an unclean Land] Becauſe inhabited by an unclean people, who are acted and agitated by an unclean ſpirit, and do miſerably moil themſelves in the filthineſſe of leudneſſe, which defileth a man worſe then any leproſie, then any jakes, Mar. 7.23. Mr. Aſcham, (School-maſter to Q. Elizabeth) did thank God, that he was but nine dayes in Italy, wherein he ſaw, in that one City of Venice more uncleanneſſe and licentiouſneſſe, then in London he ever heard of in nine years.
With the filthineſſe of the people of the Lands] Thoſe Canaanites were very Borborites, ſhameleſſe ſinners before the Lord; who therefore rooted them out, and cauſed their Land, when it could bear them no longer, to ſpew them out. Sin is filthineſſe in the abſtract.foreign. St. James calleth it, The ſtinking filth of a peſtilent ulcer, and the ſuperfluity or garbage of naughtineſſe, Jam. 1.21. It is no better then the Devils excrement: It ſets his limbes in us, and drawes his picture upon us: for malice is the Devils eye, oppreſſion is his hand, hypocriſy is his cloven foot, &c. Great ſins do greatly pollute.
Which have filled it from one end to another] Hath over-ſpred it as a deluge, over-run it as the Jeruſalem-Artichoke doth the ground wherein it is planted: turned it into the ſame nature with it ſelf, as copres which will turn milk into ink: or leaven which turneth a very Paſſeover into pollution. See Mich. 1.5. with the Note.
Verſe 12. Now therefore give not your daughters] unleſſe ye have a mind to pitch them into hell-mouth. See ver. 2. with the Note.
Nor ſeek their peace or their wealth for ever] For they were devoted by God to utter deſtruction: and therefore Iſrael might have no intercourſe with them. The Jewes at this day count and call us Canaanites, Edomites, &c. and hold it an almeſdeed to knock us on the head. The beſt among the Gentiles, ſay they is worthy cui caput conteratur tanquam Serpenti to be killed up as a Serpent. Tacitus long ſince obſerved of them, that as they were very kind to their own, ſo to all others they bare a deadly hatred. Thrice a day in their prayers,Buxtorf. Synag. Jud. cop. 5. they curſe us Chriſtians; and in Polony (where they have a toleration) they print baſe and blaſphemous things againſt Chriſt and Religion.
That ye may be ſtrong] viz. by my preſence amongſt you, and providence over you: for cui adhaereo, prae eſt, as Q. Elizabeth could write: how much more may God Almighty, He whom I favour is ſure to prevail.
And cat the good of the Land] The beſt of the beſt, the fineſt Wheat, the choyfeſt fruit, and thoſe a pledge and fore-taft of the happineſs of Heaven, where there is nec fames, nec faſtidium, (as one ſaith) neither lack nor loathing, neither meaſure, nor mixture, but ſweeteſt varieties, felicities, eternities.
And leave it for an inheritance] perſonal goodneſſe is profitable to poſterity: the righteous ſhall leave inheritance to his childrens children. Prov. 13.22.God never caſteth out his good tenants; nor leaveth his ſervants unprovided for. See Pſal. 103.17. and 112.1, 2.
Verſe 13. And after all that is come upon us] Affliction, like foul wheather, cometh before it is ſent for: yet not, but of Gods ſending: and then it is ever either probational, as Jobs; or Cautional, as Pauls prick in the fleſh; or penal, for chaſtiſement of ſome way of wickedneſſe, as here.
For our evil deeds] Theſe he thanketh, (as well he might) for all their ſufferings: ſin is the mother of miſery, and hales hell at the heeles of it.
Seeing that thou our God] Our God ſtill, and this is the ſixth time that he hath ſo ſtiled Him in this holy prayer, beſides three times My God. Theſe are ſpeeches of faith, and refer to the Covenant, that pabulum fidei food of faith. When ye ſtand and pray, beleeve; when ye humble and tremble before God, keep up your faith ſtill. Nihil retinet qui fidem amiſit, loſe that and loſe all.Seneca. Take away the iniquity of they ſervant, ſaith David, 2 Sam. 24.10. 'Tis as if he ſhould ſay, I am thy ſervant, Lord, ſtill, though an unworthy one. And to prove himſelf ſo, he addeth, For I have done very fooliſhly. I confeſſe it Lord, that thon mayeſt cover it. Homo agnoſcit, Deus ignoſcit. This he beleeves, and ſpeeds: when Judas confeſſing (but withal deſpairing) miſſeth of mercy.
Haſt puniſht us leſſe then our iniquities deſerve] Heb. Haſt withheld beneath our iniquities. The juſt hire of the leaſt ſin is death in the largeſt ſenſe, Rom. 6.23. What then might God do to us for our many and mighty ſins, or rather, what might he not do, and that moſt juſtly? How great is his mercy which maketh him ſay, Jeruſalem hath received at Gods hand double for all her ſins, Iſai. 40.1, 2. Too much, ſaith God there: too little, ſaith Ezra here: and yet how ſweetly and beautifully doth this kind of contradiction become both!
And haſt given us ſuch deliverance as this] A fruit of free mercy, and calls hard for duty. Gods bleſſings are binders: and every new deliverance calls for new obedience, Servaeti ſumus ut ſerviamus.
Verſe 14. Should we again break thy Commandements] There is ſo much unthankfulneſſe and diſingenuity in ſuch an entertainment of mercy, that holy Ezra here thinkes that Heaven and Earth would be aſhamed of it. And joyn in affinity with the people of theſe abominations] Eſpecially when we may hear God himſelf ſcreeching out as it were thoſe words of his, Oh do not this abominable thing! Save your ſelves from this untoward generation, &c!
Wouldſt thou not be angry with us?] Id eſt, Chide us, ſmite us, and ſo ſet it on, as no creature ſhould be able to take it off? Sin may move God, when we ask bread and fiſh to feed us, to anſwer us with a ſtone to bruiſe us, or a Serpent to bite us. Shun it therefore as a Serpent in your way, or as poyſon in your meats. Kiſſe the Son, leſt he be angry, and ye periſh from the way, &c.Pſal. 2.12.
So that there ſhould be no remnant] So that our late preſervation ſhould prove but a reſervation to further miſchief; as was Sodoms, Senacheribs, Pharaohs.
Verſe 15. O Lord God of Iſrael] So called, becauſe he is their portion, they His, Deut. 32.9. He had avouched them for his: and they him interchangeably, Deut. 26.17, 18. Seneca could ſay, that the baſeſt people (meaning the Jewes) gave Lawes unto all the World: that is, had the true God, Creatour of all, for their God.
Thou art righteous] In all thy judgments inflicted upon us: or, thou art faithful and true in thy promiſes: but we have forfeited thy favour, and deſerved deſtruction.
Behold we are before thee in our treſpaſſes] Or guiltineſſes, which is that iniquity of ſin (as David calleth it, Pſal. 32.5.) whereby the ſinner is bound over to condigne puniſhment.
For we cannot ſtand before thee] But muſt needs causâ cadere, being ſelf condemned; and ſuch as muſt needs ſubſcribe to thy perfect juſtice in our own utter deſtruction.