Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 2 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Verſe 1. And it came to paſſe in the monethmonth Niſan]
TIme and place is to be regiſtred of ſpecial mercies received. This ſhall be written for the generation to come: and the people which ſhall be created ſhall praiſe the Lord, Pſal. 102.18.
In the twentieth year of Artaxerxes] Sirnamed Longhand; as our Edward, foreign. Omnium hominum pulcherrimus. Aemil. Prob.the firſt was called Long-ſhanks, and another Longeſpes or Long-ſword. This Long-hand is renowned for the faireſt among men in that age: and no wonder, if he were (as is generally thought) the ſonne of that faireſt Eſther.
That wine was before him] There was a feaſt, as verſe 6. Not by chance, but by Gods providence: who of ſmall occaſions worketh greateſt matters many times; as he put ſmall thoughts into the heart of Ahaſhueroſh for great purpoſes, Eſth. 6.1.
And I took up the wine, &c.] As Eſther was come to the Kingdome, ſo Nehemiah to this office, for ſuch a time as this, Eſther 4.14. Though he were a priſoner, a ſtranger, one of another Religion, yet is he the Kings Cup-bearer and taſter: an office of great truſt, and credit. This was a ſtrange work of God, to cauſe heathen Princes thus to favour the Religion that they knew not; and to defend that people, which their ſubjects hated.
Now I had not beene before-time ſad in his preſence] Princes are uſually ſet upon the merry pin; and all deviſes are uſed by Jeſters and otherwiſe, to make them merry: no mourner might be ſeen in Ahaſhueroſh his Court, Eſth. 4.4. But good Nehemiah had been, for certaine moneths ſpace, afflicting his ſoul, and macerating his body, as in the former Chapter: Hence his preſent ſadneſſe, which the King (being a wiſe man, and a loving maſter) ſoon obſerved.
Verſe 2. Wherefore the King ſaid unto me, Why is thy countenance ſad?] Some would have chid him, and bid him be packing, for they liked not his looks; there might be treaſon hatching in his heart: he was a man of an ill aſpect. But love thinketh no evil.
Seeing thou art not ſick] Sickneſſe will cauſe ſadneſſe in the beſt. Thoſe Stoicks that ſaid a wiſe man muſt be merry, though ſick, when ſickneſſe came, were convinced, ſe magnificentiùs locutos eſſe quàm veriùs, Tull.that they ſpake rather bravely, then truly. And therefore Cicero to a merry life requireth three things. 1. To enjoy health. 2. To poſſeſſe honour. 3. Not to ſuffer neceſſity. Faith in Chriſt is more to the purpoſe, then any, or all of theſe.
This is nothing elſe but ſorrow of heart] The heart commonly ſitteth in the countenance; and there ſheweth how it ſtands affected. Momus needeth not carp at mans make; and wiſh a window in his breaſt that his thoughts might be ſeene: for a merry heart maketh a chearful countenance: but by ſorrow of heart, the ſpirit is broken, Prov. 15.13. The Hebrews ſay, that a mans inſide is turned out and diſcovered, in oculis, in loculis, in poculis, in his eyes, purſe, and cup.
Then I was very ſore afraid] Grieved before, now afraid. Thus, aliud ex alio malum: fluctus fluctum trudit, One ſorrow followeth another, and a Chriſtians faith and patience is continually exerciſed. But in the multitude of Nehemiahs perplexed thoughts within him, Gods comforts refreſhed his ſoul, Pſal. 94.19. he caſts his ſuit or his burthen upon the Lord, Pſal. 55.22. and doubteth not, but he will effect his deſire.
Verſe 3. And I ſaid unto the King] After he had pull'd up his beſt heart, and recovered his ſpirits, he declareth unto the King the cauſe of his ſadneſſe. How ready ſhould our tongues be to lay open our cares to the God of all comfort, when we ſee Nehemiah ſo quick in the expreſſions of his ſorrow to an uncertain ear.
Let the King live for ever] i. e. Very long. Let him not ſuſpect by my ſadneſſe, that I have any evil intent or treaſonable deſigne againſt him: for I heartily wiſh his welfare. It was not Court-holy-water (as they call it) wherewith he here beſprinkleth his Prince; it was not counterfeit courteſie; ſuch as was that of Squier the Traytor, Anno 1597. ſent by Walpoole the Jeſuite,Speed. to poyſon the pummel of Queen Elizabeths ſaddle, when ſhe was to ride abroad: which alſo he did (but without effect) ſaying chearfully at the ſame time, God ſave the Queen. Saluta libentèr is by many practiſed, from the teeth outward; but by Nehemiah, heartily.
Why ſhould not my countenance be ſad?] In time of common calamities there is juſt cauſe of a general ſadneſſe, ſhould we then make mirth? Ezek. 21.10? The Romanes ſeverely puniſhed one that ſhewed himſelf out of a window with a garland on his head in the time of the Punick warre, when it went ill with the Common-wealth. Juſtinus the good Emperour of Conſtantinople, Func. Chron.took the downfal of the City of Antioch by an Earth-quake, ſo much to heart, that it cauſed him a grievous fit of ſickneſſe, Anno Dom. 527. When Pope Clement and his Cardinals were impriſoned by the Duke of Burbons men in Saint Angelo, Ceſar in Spain forbad all enterludes to be plaid, &c. In France, the Duke of Burbon was condemned of treaſon, his name and memorial were accurſed, his armes pull'd down, his lands and goods confiſcated, In England King Henry was extremely diſpleaſed. Cardinal Wolſey wept tenderly,Speed. 1027. and emptied the Land of twelveſcore thouſand pounds to relieve and ranſome the diſtreſſed Pope.
When the City, the place of my fathers ſepulchers] A good argument to an Heathen, who ſet great ſtore by (as now the Papiſts keep great ſtir about) their burial-places; as if one place were holier then another for that purpoſe; a meer deviſe to pick poor mens purſes.
And the gates thereof are conſumed with fire] The Jews at this day, when they build an houſe, they are, ſay the Rabbines, to leave one part of it unfiniſhed, & lying rude; in remembrance that Jeruſalem and the Temple are, at preſent, deſolate. At leaſt, they uſe to leave about a yard ſquare of the houſe unplaiſtered, on which they write in great letters that of the Pſalmiſt, If I forget Jeruſalem, then let my right hand forget her cunning, Pſal. 137.Hiſt of Rites of Jews by Leo Moden. or elſe theſe words, Zecher Lechorban, The memory of the Deſolation.
Verſe 4. Then the King ſaid unto me] Some think that Nehemiah looked thus ſad before the King on purpoſe, to make way to this his requeſt.
For what doeſt thou make requeſt?] Not for any other honour or great office about the Court, or in the Countrey: nor for any private friend, or the like, but the good of the Church. Thus Nebridius in Hierome (though a Courtier and Nephew to the Empreſſe,Tom. 1. Ep. 6. yet) never made ſuit but for the relief of the poor afflicted. Thus Terence, that Noble General under Valens the Emperour, being bidden to aske what he would, asked nothing but that the Church might be diſempeſtered of Arians. And when the Emperour, being himſelf an Arian, tore his Petition, he ſaid he would never aske any thing for himſelf, if he might not prevaile for the Church.Theodor. l. c. 32.
So I prayed to the God of heaven] Darting up an ejaculation, a ſudden and ſecret deſire to God, to order and ſpeed his Petition. Begin all with prayer; and then expect a bleſſing. Call in the Divine help, if it be but by darting out our deſires to God.Crebras habere orationes, ſed breviſſimas & raptim ejaculatas. Thus Moſes cryed to God, yet ſaid nothing, Exod. 14.15. Hannah was not heard, and yet ſhe prayed. Auſtin reports the cuſtome of the Egyptian Churches, to pray frequently and fervently, but briefly, and by way of ejaculation, ne fervor langueſceret, leſt their heat ſhould abate.
Verſe 5. If it pleaſe the King] Silken words muſt be given to Kings, as the mother of Darius ſaid: neither muſt they be rudely and roughly dealt with, as Joab dealt with David, foreign.2 Sam. 19.5. who therefore could never well brook him afterward, but ſet another in his place.
And if thy ſervant have found favour] Pellican obſerveth here, that Nehemiah was a great favourite of this Kings: as appeareth in that having ſo many Nobles, he choſe him to this Office, rather then any of them. He therefore pleads it as a pledge of further favour: ſo may we with God, as being no ſmall favourites in the beloved One, Epheſians 1.5.
That thou wouldeſt ſend me unto Judah] Not only give me leave to go, but alſo ſend me with a Commiſſion to be Governour. This was a bold requeſt, but modeſtly propoſed, and eaſily obtained. The King is not he that can deny you any thing, Jer. 38.5. Love is liberal, charity is no churle.
Verſe 6. And the King ſaid unto me] He yeelds for the thing, only indents for the time: as being loth to deny Nehemiah his ſuit, and yet as loth to forgo ſo faithful a ſervant. Ipſe aſpectus viri boni delectat.Seneca.
The Queene alſo ſitting by him] And aſſiſting his cauſe likely. Some think this was Eſther the Queen-mother. But the Hebrew word here is, Wife: Now the Kings of Perſia were noted for uxorious.
For how long, &c.] The departure of a dear friend is ſo grievous, that Death it ſelf is called by that name.
So it pleaſed the King to ſend me] As a Governour, chap. 5.14. This was the fruit of prayer, and therefore ſo much the ſweeter.
And I ſet him a time] ſc. Twelve years, chap. 5.14. But more probably a ſhorter time at firſt.
Verſe 7. Moreover I ſaid unto the King] He taketh further boldneſſe upon the former encouragement: ſo may we with Almighty God, the Sunne of our righteouſnes, the Sea of our ſalvation. Conclude as ſhe did, A company comes. God never left bating, till Abraham left begging.
Let letters be given me to the Governours] Thoſe neareſt neighbours, but greateſt enemies.
That they may conveigh me over] He committed himſelf to God, and yet petitions the King for a Convoy. In all our enterprizes God is ſo to be truſted, as if we had uſed to means: and yet the means is ſo to be uſed, as if we had no God to truſt in.
Verſe 8.Epit H…ſt. Gall c. 114. Keeper of the Kings forreſt] Heb. Paradiſe; probably ſo called, for the pleaſantneſſe of it. The French Proteſtants called their Temple or Church at Lyons, Paradiſe Davids delight, Pſal. 27. and 84.
Of the palace that appertained to the houſe] Id eſt, To the Temple, which is called The houſe, by an excellency: as the Scriptures are called the Bible, that is, the Book, as being the onelyonly beſt Book, in compariſon whereof all other books in the World are no better then waſt paper.
And for the houſe that I ſhall enter into] Id eſt, A dwelling houſe for my ſelf, when once the publike is ſerved. Junius underſtands it of a Common-hal or Shire-houſe, wherein he might ſit and judge cauſes brought before him.
And the King granted me] It was but ask and have, and ſo it is betwixt God and his people. When there was a ſpeech among ſome holy men, what was the beſt trade? One anſwered, Beggery: it is the hardeſt & richeſt trade. Common beggery is indeed the pooreſt and eaſieſt; but prayer, he meant. A courtier gets more by one ſute oft, then a tradeſman or merchant, haply with twenty years labour: ſo doth a faithfull prayer, &c.
According to the good hand] He calleth him, his God, as if he loved or cared more for him then for the reſt of the World. It is the property of true faith, foreign to make all its own, that it can lay hold upon. See the Note on Ezra 7.6.
Verſ. 9. Then I came to the Governours] Joſephus ſaith, that the next day he took his journey and delivered his letters to Saddeus Governour of Syria, Phoenicia and Samaria. A ſtrange example, ſaith one, to ſee a Courtier leave that wealth, eaſe and authority that he was in, and go dwell ſo far from Court in an old, Torn, and decayed City, among a rude poor people, where he ſhould not live quietly, but toyl and drudge like a day-labourer, in dread and danger of his life. But this is the caſe of earneſt, and zealous men in Religion, &c.
Now the King had ſent Captains] This was more then Nehemiah had deſired: and as much as he could have done for the greateſt Lord in the Land. God is likewiſe uſually better to his people, than their prayers: and when they ask but one talent, he (Naaman-like) will force them to take two.
Verſe 10. When Sanballet the Horonite] That is, the Moabite, Iſa. 15.5. Jer. 48.3, 5.34. His name ſignifieth, ſaith one, a pure Enemy: he was come of that ſpiteful people, who were anciently irked becauſe of Iſrael, Num. 22.3, 4. or did inwardly fret and vex at them, as Exod. 1.12. who yet were allied unto them, and did them no hurt in their paſſage by them, yea had done them good by the ſlaughter of the Amorites, their encroaching Neighbours.
And Tobiah the ſervant] A ſervant or bond-ſlave once he had been, though now a Toparch, a Lieutenant to the King of Perſia. Now ſuch are moſt troubleſome, Prov. 30. ver. 22.
Aſperius nihil eſt humili, cùm ſurgit in altum
A'foreign.Dio. lib. 60. Rer. Rom.
Heard it] As they might ſoon do by means of their Wives, who were Jeweſſes. And the Jewes to this day are generally found the moſt nimble and Mercurial wits in the World. Every Viſier and Baſha of State among the Turkes uſeth to keep a Jew of his private counſel: whoſe malice, wit and experience of Chriſtendome, with their continual intelligence is thought to adviſe moſt of that miſchief, which the Turk puts in execution againſt us.Blounts Voy… P. 114.
It grieved them exceedingly] Heb. It ſeemed to them an evil, a great evil: It diſpleaſed them ſore, and vexed them at the very heart, ſuch was their ſpleen and ſpite. Envy is a deadly miſchief: and becauſe it cannot feed upon other mens hearts, it feedeth upon its own; drinking up the moſt part of its own venome. The envious man is not like the mayd in Avicen, who feeding upon poiſon, was her ſelf healthy; yet infected others with her venemous breath: But like the Serpent Porphyrius, which is full of poyſon; but, wanting teeth, hurteth none but himſelf: or as the hill Aetna, &c.
That there was come a man to ſeek the welfare, &c.] This they looked upon with an evil eye, and were vexed. Invidiâ Siculi, &c. Who can ſtand before envy, Prov, 27.4? It eſpieth with great grief the ſmalleſt things the good mandoth or hath? and is therefore abſolutely the beſt thing to clear the eye-ſight, ſaid Actius Sincerus a Noble-man, to King Frederike.
Verſe 11. So I came to Jeruſalem] Thither God brought him as on Eagles wings; maugre the malice of his Enemies. The Jewes had great reaſon to rejoyce, and to welcome him with great ſolemnity; which yet they did not, for ought we read: but that, hetaketh not for any diſcouragement; his reward was with God. He was of another ſpirit then his Countrey-men, who were all for their own ends, and intereſts, and little cared for the publike.
And was there three dayes] Reſting his body (Quod caret alterna requie, &c. See the Note on Ezra 8.32.) But caſting about in his mind how beſt to effect that he came for,Ovid. and to perſwade with others to joyn with him. And now he found that he was come from the Court to the Cart, from a pleaſant life, to a careful and cumberſome.
Verſe 12. And I aroſe in the night] His cares would not ſuffer him to ſleep (foreign, &c.) but up he gets, and about the Walles: taking the Night,Homer. as fitteſt for ſecrecy, and ſafety.
I and ſome few men with me] He went not alone, leſt he ſhould fall into ſome danger of life, Vae ſoli: Not yet with many, leſt he ſhould make a diſturbance, and bewray his counſel. Be wiſe as Serpents.Matth. 10.
Neither told I any man what God had put into my heart] That the thing was of God, he nothing doubted: hence his fervour in following it: he knew there was a curſe to thoſe that do the Lords work negligently. That he might not be defeated of his purpoſe, he telles no man. He that would have his counſel kept, let him keep it to himſelf. Hardly ſhall a man meet with ſuch a Counſel-keeper as he was, who being upbrayded with his ſtinking breath, anſwered, that he had kept his friends ſecrets committed to him ſo long in his breaſt, that there they rotted: and thence was the unſavourineſſe of his breath.
Si ſapis, arcano vina reconde cado.
Qui ſapit, arcano gaudeat ipſe ſinu.
Neither was there any beaſt] For the avoyding of noyſe.
Verſe 13. By the gate of the valley] By which men went into the Valley of Jehoſhaphat, Joel 3.2, 12. The Septuagint call it Portam Galilae; the gate of dead mens ſculles; becauſe that way they went out to Golgotha.
Even before the Dragon-well] So called, either becauſe ſome venemous Serpent had been found there; or becauſe the waters ran out of the mouth of a braſen Serpent; or becauſe they ran creepingly, ſoftly, as the waters of Siloe, Iſa. 8.6.
And to the Dung-port] Where was their common dunghil: a Voyder to the City: near whereunto ran the Brook Cedron, or the Town-ditch.
And viewed the Walls of Jeruſalem] Junius rendreth it, Ʋbi effringebam de muris, Where I brake off a piece of the Wall: ſc. that I might try the ſoundneſſe or unſoundneſſe of that which remaineth of it, that I might know whether it needed to be all pulled down, or whether it might be built upon. Our Tranſlatours read it, ſober, not ſhober; and thence the different interpretation.
Which were broken down] Aſher hem perutſim: Hem with an open Mem which is not uſual; to ſet forth (as ſome think) the rupture and openneſſe of the Walles,foreign pro foreign ſo much bewailed by this good man in this chapter.
Verſe 14. Then I went to the Gate of the Fountain] Or Well-gate; where was great plenty of Water-ponds, Watering-places, &c. Junius ſaith it was that, whereby men went out to the pool of Siloah, and Rogel.
And to the Kings-pool] The Water-courſe made (or repayred at leaſt) by King Hezekiah, 2 King. 20.20.
But there was no place for the beaſt, &c.] There was ſo much rubbiſh, and ſuch ruines: This was the fruit of ſin, which makes of a City an heap, (as the Prophet ſpeakes) and hurleth ſuch confuſion over the World, that had not Chriſt (our true Nehemiah) undertaken the ſhattered condition thereof to uphold it, it had ſurely fallen about Adams ears.
Verſe 15. Then went I up in the night] Sc. by Moon-light; for the Moon is Miſtreſſe of the Night, Pſal. 136.9. by the brightneſſe ſhe …orroweth from the body of the Sun, which the Moon receiveth and reflecteth, like a looking-glaſſe.
And viewed the Wall] That which was left of it, foreign as Scaligers Epitaph is, Scaligeri quod reliquum eſt, Scaligers reliques.
And entred by the Gate of the Valley] Where he firſt went out: ſo he walked the round, not earing to obſerve that Rule of Pythagoras, Eâdem viâ quâ progreſſ us fueris ne regrediare, Go not back the ſame way thou cameſt forth.
Verſe 16. And the Rulers knew not whither I went] Taciturnity, in ſome caſes, is a vertue: and every thing is beautifull in its ſeaſon. There is a time to keep ſilence, and a time to ſpeak, Eccleſ. 3.7. And he is a truly wiſe man, that can diſcern his ſeaſon for both. Diſcamiu priùs non loqui, ſaith Hierome, Let us firſt learn not to ſpeak, that we may afterwards open our mouths and minds with diſcretion. Silence is by Solomon firſt ſet before ſpeaking; and firſt takes its time and turn, as it did here in Nehemiah the prudent. See the Note on ver. 12. The word here rendred Rulers is rather Chaldee, then Hebrew.
Nor to the Nobles] Heb. White ones. Among the Jewes great men affected to go in white; as among the Romans in purple or ſcarlet. Hence Pilates Souldiers clad Chriſt in purple: Herods in white, Luk. 23.11. Mat. 27.28.
Nor to the reſt, &c.] So, as to ask their adviſe.
Verſe 17. Then ſaid I unto them] Then when I ſaw it a fit ſeaſon to ſay it. It is an excellent skill to time a word, Iſa. 50.4. To circumſtantiate it aright, Prov. 25.11. That it may run as upon wheels: Nehemiah's words do ſo, notably. Verba priùs ad limam revocata, quàm ad linguam, words well weighed ere uttered. Neſcit poenitenda loqui qui proferenda priùs ſuo tradidit examini; He cannot but ſpeak wiſely, who ſpeaketh warily.
Jeruſalem lyeth waſt] Id eſt, open to the ſpoyler: as the Pope made account this Land was in Henry the eighth his time, when he had given it primo ocoupaturo, to him that ſhould firſt invade and ſeize it.
Come and let us build, &c.] With forces united, with one ſhoulder, Multorum manibus grande levatur onus.
That we be no more a reproach] Quàm multa quàm paucis! How much in a little! ſaid Tully of Brutus his Laconical Epiſtle: and the like may we ſay of this pithy and pathetike ſpeech. Thoſe that love to hear themſelves talk, (ſaith a reverend Man upon this Text) and with many words to colour their ill meaning, may here learn how a ſimple ttuth plainly told in few words,B. Pilkington. worketh more in good mens hearts, then a painted tale, that hath little truth, and leſſe good meaning in it. An honeſt matter ſpeaketh for it ſelf, and needeth no colouring: and he that uſeth moſt flattering and ſubtle words maketh wiſe men miſtruſt the matter to be ill. A few words well placed are much better then a long unſavoury tale. Thus he.
Verſe 18. Then I told them of the hand of my God] Id eſt, of his gracious providence in proſpering me in all.
As alſo the Kings words] Which were likewiſe very gracious, and comfortable. Now he that hath both God and the King on his ſide, what would he have more?
And they ſaid, Let us ariſe and build] So forcible are right words, delivered in a mild and moderate manner, as here. Let us riſe, ſay they. Let us linger no longer, but ſpeedily fall to labour: and recover that with our diligence, that our Fathers loſt by their diſobedience.
So they ſtrengthened their hand for this good work] They took courage, and went an end with it. So much good may one man of place, power and zeal do for the Church, by …irring up to love and good works. It is ſaid of the precious ſtone Pyrites, that it puts not ſorth its fiery power, till well rubbed: and then it is ſo hot, that it burneth ones fingers.
Verſe 19. But when Sanballat the Horonite, &c.] At firſt theſe men were ſad: but now mad with malice. Wicked men grow worſe and worſe, in pejus proficiunt, but they ſhal proceed no further: for their madneſs ſhall appear to all men.
And Geſhem the Arabian] Lieutenant of Arabia for the King of Perſia He alſo joyns himſelf to the two former to hinder the work in hand. Such oppoſition met Luther with, when he began to reform. The Pope excommunicated him: the Emperour proſcribed him: Henry King of England, and Lewis King of Hungary wrote againſt him: but the work went on, nevertheleſſe, becauſe it was of God.
They laughed us to ſcorn and deſpiſed us] As a company of Fools, that could never effect what we attempted. So Eraſmus, and Sr. Tho. Moor thought to have mockt the Lutherans out of their Religion. Notum eſt Eraſmi dicterium, Qualem a ſe decimū Capito fore ſperat? &c. This the Scripture calleth Cruel mocking; and ranketh it with bloody perſecution. Indeed the favourableſt perſecution (ſaith One.) of any good cauſe,H…b. 11 36. is the laſh of lewd tongues; whether by bitter taunts, or ſcurrilous invectives: which it is as impoſſible to avoyd, as neceſſary to contemn, &c. Bravely contemn (ſaith another Worthy) all contumelies and contempts for thy conſcience; taking them as crowns and confirmations of thy conformity to Chriſt
And ſaid, what is this thing that ye do?] Scoffingly they ſaid it: like as Pilat ſaid to our Saviour, What's truth? Oh how eaſie is it to wagge a wicked tongue?Nibil tàm volucre quàm maledictum, nibil faciliùs emittitur. Cic. One while they charge this people with folly; another while, with treachery. If to accuſe a man onelyonly were ſufficient to make him guilty, none ſhould be innocent.
Will ye rebel againſt the King? This was ever; ſaith Lipſius, Ʋnicum crimen eorum, qui crimine vacabant, The onelyonly and ordinary charge laid upon the moſt innocent.In Tacit. Elias is a Troubler, Jeremy a Traytour, Paul a Peſt, Luther a Trumpet of rebellion, all the Orthodox, Antimagiſtratical. To colour the maſſacre of Paris, and to excuſe it to the World, there was coyn ſtamped in the forepart, whereof (together with the Kings picture) was this inſcription; Virtus in Rebelles Valour againſt the Rebels; and on the other ſide, Pietas excitavit Juſtitiam, Piety hath excited Juſtice.
Verſe 20. Then anſwered I them, and ſaid unto them] He would not honour them ſo farre, as to tell them of the Kings licence; but ſhapes them a ſharp anſwer,Camd. Eliſ. Fol. 163. and ſhakes them up as having nothing there to do. This was true Chriſtian courage; this was right, and much better then rayling for rayling: for that were but lutum luto purgare, to waſh off one dirt with another.
The God of heaven] Who doeth whatſoever he pleaſeth in Heaven and earth: who looketh and laugheth at your malice.
He will proſper us] He will break his Heavens, and come down amongſt us, and give good ſucceſſe. O the force of an heroick faith! Though ſenſe ſayes, It will not be, Reaſon, it cannot be; yet Faith gets above and ſayes, It ſhall be: God will proſper us. It eates its way thorough the Alpes of whatſoever difficulties.
But you have no portion] Nothing to do here, neither ought you to interpoſe in aliena republica, as buſy braggers and quarellers: meddle where you have command.
Nor right] Sc. Of intereſt or any good deſert.
Nor memoriall] Or enrollement there, as free deniſons: therefore we neither accept you as Friends, nor fear you as Enemies, &c.