Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Commentary 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Verſe 1. THE Word of the Lord that came, &c.] See the Note on Hoſea 1.1. with whom, Hierom and ſome other Interpreters, make this Prophet a Contemporary, for the likeneſſe of Argument: and that common Canon of the Jew-Doctours, that the Prophet who ſets not down his time, is to be held of the ſame time, with him that is placed before him. The Seventy ſet him not onelyonly after Hoſea, but alſo after Amos and Micah: Sedar Olam Zuta. Sic Funccius Genebrard.and the ancient Hebrew Chronicle, called Sedar-Olam affirmeth, that Joel propheſied together with Nahum and Habakkuk, in the dayes of king Manaſſeh: which Druſius would prove out of Joel 3.5. Others, with more ſhew of reaſon, out of 2 King. 21.10. and 23.26. Joel might very well be one of thoſe Prophets that denounced Gods heavy judgements againſt Iudah, for the ſinnes and abominations of Manaſſeh, whom ſome make to be his convert. For although at firſt the Lord ſpake to Manaſſeh, and to his people, but they would not hearken (2 Chron. 23.10) yet the rod might ſet the word awork afterwards: for Manaſſeh when he was in affliction beſought the Lord, and humbled himſelf greatly (verſe 12.) and Ioel might very well be to him a ſonne of Pethuel, or of Gods perſwaſion: God, by his miniſtery might ſpeak to his heart, Hoſ. 2.14. ſet before him an open door, Oſtium Dei.(another Etymon of the name Pethuel) Rev. 3.8. miniſter unto him an entrance further and further into Chriſts everlaſting kingdom, 2 Pet. 1.11. If any think it more likely that Ioel propheſied under Ioſiah king of Judah, when that great famine fell out which is deſcribed in like termes by Ieremy, chap. 14.1, 2. compared with 2 King. 23.26. I ſhall not ſtrive with him. But that this Joel was the ſonne of Samuel (here called Pethuel) a perſwader of God, becauſe what he asked of God he obtained) as R. Salomon would carry it, I cannot imagine: for that Joel was not a Prophet,1 Sam. 8.1, 3, 5. but a corrupt Judge.
Verſe 2. Hear this ye old men,] Who, as ye are fitteſt to hear ſerious diſcourſes (Ariſtotle excludeth young men from his Ethick-Lectures, becauſe raw, and raſh:Ariſt. Ethic. green wood is ever ſhrinking, and warping) ſo ye are more experienced; and yet not ſo wiſe, but that, by hearing, ye may become wiſer, Prov. 1.5. Solon ſaid, he could never be too old to learn. Julianus the Lawyer ſaid, that when he had one foot in the grave, yet he would have the other in the ſchool.foreign. Solon. David Chytraus, when he lay a dying, lifted up himſelf to hear the divine diſcourſes of his friends, that ſat by him; and ſaid, that he ſhould die with better cheer, if he might die, learning ſomething.
and give ear all, &c.] Hear and give ear: draw up the ears of your mindes to the ears of your bodies,Si moribundus o…iam aliquid didiciſſet. Melch Ad. Jer. 13.15. that one ſound may pierce both. When theſe two words are joyned together, as they are often, the matter propounded, is either very dark, or very remarkable, and commands attention, as Deut. 1.45. Eſay 1.2, 10. Jer. 13.15. Hoſ. 5.1.
all ye inhabitants of the land,] ſc. of Judea, or all ye inhabitants of the whole earth, q. d. I ſhall ſpeak of ſo great a matter, as that I could wiſh to be heard all the world over. And becauſe all men love to hear news, I ſhall tell you that, that was never known to fall out in any age. Rem novam pollicetur emphaticoter…s quam more Rhetorico, ſaith Oecolampadius. Prick up your ears therefore and liſten.
Hath this been in your dayes, or even in the dayes of your fathers?] Was there ever ſuch havock made by ſeverall ſorts of vermine ſucceſſively, for four yeers together? This was the very finger of God, Exod. 8.19. all whoſe works (by how ſmall inſtruments ſoever) are great, ſought out of all them that have pleaſure therein, Pſal. 111.2. His extraordinary works eſpecially, are to be noted and noticed; the memory of them is to be tranſmitted to all poſterity. This ſhall be written for the generation to come, Pſal. 102.18. They ſhall come and ſhall declare his righteouſneſſe, unto a people that ſhall be born, that he hath done this, Pſal. 22.31. Sed vae ſtupori noſtro. There is a wo to ſuch as regard not the works of the Lord, neither conſider the operation of his hands, Eſay 5 12. that make of them but a nine dayes wonderment at beſt, and ſo paſſe them over. Whereas every judgement of God ſhould be a warning-peal to repentance. We be like the Smiths dog, (ſaith One) who the harder the Anvil is beaten on, lyes by, and ſleeps the ſounder. Like the hen (ſaith Another) which loſeth her chickens one after another by the devouring kite; and yet ſtill continues to pick up what lies before her: ſuch a deep drowſineſſe and droſſineſſe of ſpirit, there is upon moſt of us.
Verſe 3. Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children,] Heb. Cipher them up diligently, after the manner of A…ithmeticians: reckon up the ſeverall years,Deut. 19.20. with the ſeverall calamities thereof to your children and nephews; that they may hear, and fear, and do no more ſo. Let your woes be their warnings, your ſufferings their ſtanding-ſermons; your corrections their inſtructions. See 1 Cor. 10.5, to 12.Greg. Mor. Ruina majorum ſit cautela minorum. Haſt thou marked the old-way (ſaith Eliphas to Job, Chap. 22.15, 16.) which wicked men have trodden, which were cut down out of time: whoſe foundation was overflowen with a flood, (Heb. a flood was poured upon their foundation) which ſaid unto God, Depart from us, &c? He ſpeaketh of thoſe Antediluvian Atheiſts, buried in one univerſall grave of waters. See Ioſh. 22.20. Neh. 13.26. Iude 5, 6, 7. and learn to keep a Catalogue of Gods great works, whether of mercy or judgement; yea to poliſh and garniſh them for the uſe of poſterity, not with vain affectation of wit, not with pedantick pomp of words, but with ſobriety, and holy gravity, as here: ſuch as may ſtick by our children, and leave impreſſion.
Verſe 4.foreign. Zachala. foreign Eruca ab erodendo. Iſidor. lib. 12. Orig c 5. Lecuſta quaft locae uſtulans. foreign. That which the palmer-worm hath left, hath the locuſt eaten,] The palmer-worm hath its name in Hebrew from ſhaving. (becauſe it ſhaveth off the fruits of the earth.) In Chaldee from creeping: In Greek from crookning: In Latine from gnawing. The Locuſt hath its name in Hebrew from multitudo, wherewith the very Sun is darkened: In Latine from burning places, where it ſpoileth: In Greek from cropping the tops of corne, and plants, which as they fled, they fed upon. The Canker-worm hath its name in Hebrew from licking: In Chaldee from fleeing: In Greek and Latine from feeding upon the flowers of apples and other fruits. Comeſter ſome render it. Flemings call it, The preacher, a bombo quem polando edit from the noiſe it maketh as it flies. The Caterpiller hath its name Chaſil, from waſting, becauſe it utterly conſumeth all, not onelyonly fruits and leaves, but tender boughes and branches: Ʋt ita creſcat oratio ſicut ipſum malum, to ſhew that as their ſinne increaſed, ſo did their puniſhment. The Lord of Hoſts cannot poſſibly want a weapon wherewith to beat a rebel: neither may wicked men expect that He ſhould lay down the bucklers firſt. To that bold queſtion of Pharaoh, Exod. 5.2.Who is the Lord that I ſhould obey him? God made a large reply, by his armies of locuſts, lice, ſlies, &c. till Pharaoh was forced to anſwer himſelf, The Lord is righteous. What ſpoil hath been made by theſe deſpicable creatures here mentioned in other countreys, Pliny recordeth. Pierius teſtifieth that the Egyptians made the Locuſt an Hieroglyphick of Famine.Plin. l. 11. c. 29 And although we finde not expreſſely ſet down in the holy Hiſtory, when this particular plague was executed, yet we need not doubt but it was done according to Deut. 28.38, 39. See 1 King. 8.37.
Verſe 5. Awake ye drunkards,] ye Ale-ſtakes, and Suckers (Heb. Shiccorim) that pour in heady and intoxicating drinks, ſuch as ſoon lay you to ſleep, and (beſides) take away your heart, Hoſ. 4.11. rob you of your ſelves, and lay a beaſt in your room. Portentoſum ſane potionis genus, ſaith Pliny concerning ale, Lib. 14. cap. ult.that exceſſively drunk, maketh men more ſleepy then dormiſe: beſides that worſe ſleep of carnall ſecurity, Eph. 5.14. Rom. 13.11. Theſe therefore are here called upon to be ſober and watch, (See 1 Theſſ. 5.6. 1 Pet. 5.8. 1 Pet. 4.7.) ye to weep and howl, to turn their laughter into mourning, and their joy into heavineſſe. And why? For their ſinne they ſhould have done (as that drunkard in the Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtory, that, toucht with a ſenſe of his ſin, wept himſelf blind) but here they are ſarcaſtically called upon to weep for their great loſſe, as they eſteem it.Vinum merum nondum dilutum.
Becauſe of the new-wine for it is cut off from your mouth,] As many things fall out betwixt the chin and the challice, the cup and the lip: You made account to have mouthed it, to have ſwilled your ſouls, as they ſay, and to have ſwallowed it down your wide gullets. But behold, it falls out ſomewhat otherwiſe: the caterpiller hath been before you, and left you nothing better then Adams-ale to tipple. This is cold comfort to the drunkard, whoſe Word is that of the Vine in Jothams parable, Non poſſum relinquere vinum meum, Take away my liquor,Aug. de temp. ſer. 131. you take away my life. Auſtin brings him in ſaying, Malle ſe vitam quàm vinum eripi, He had rather loſe his life then his wine. And Ambroſe tells of one Theotimus, that being told by his Phyſicians, that much quaffing would make him blinde, Vale lumen amicum, ſaid he, Farewell ſweet eyes; if ye will not bear wine, ye are no eyes for me. This drunkard would rather loſe his ſight then his ſin; his ſoul then his luſt. Such kinde of perſons are like the Panther, which is ſaid to love the dung of man ſo much, as if it be hang'd on high from it, it will skip and leap up, and never leave till it have burſt it ſelf in pieces to get it: and this is the way they take that creature. God will take theſe naturall brute beaſts, made to be taken and deſtroyed, 2 Pet. 2.14. after another manner. He will not onelyonly cut them ſhort enough here,Grand ſign. Serag. 186. but turn a cup of fire and brimſtone down their throats, Pſal. 11.6. which will be worſe to them then that ladle full of boyling lead, poured down the throat of a drunken Turk, by the command of a Baſhaw.
Verſe 6. For a nation is come up upon my land,] A nation, ſc. of vermine,Sic columella de apibus. Virgil. de piſcib Hom. de muſcis. by ſwarmes, as verſ. 9. called afterwards, an army chap. 2.11. and a people, chap. 2.2. See the like Prov. 30.25, 26. Is come,] that is, ſhortly ſhall come. Ʋpon my land,] this glorious and goodly land, as it is called Dan. 11.16. Tarnouius makes this by a miméſis to be the drunkards lamentation A nation is come up, &c. Strong and without number.] yea therefore ſtrong, becauſe without number: inſuperable, becauſe innumerable. Feeble they are, and yet formidable; becauſe ſet on by God Almighty, whoſe warriers they are, as the Roman ſpoylers are called, Matt. 22.7. And perhaps the Aſſyrians may here be hinted at. I doubt not but the literall ſence is chiefly intended: Neither can I concur with Oecolampadius, who holdeth it to be Propheta indignum, unbeſeeming the Prophet, to preach thus concerning worms and locuſts: For concerning ſuch poor creatures deal the Prophets by the inſtinct of the Holy Ghoſt, in ſundry other places, Prov. 6.6. Am. 4.9. and 7.1. Nahum. 3.15. Whoſe teeth are the teeth of a lion.] that is, they devour all that is in their way; as there is no ſtanding before a lion, no not before a moth, that hath commiſſion to cruſh a man, Job 4.19.
Verſe 7. He hath laid my vine waſt] The Prophet proceeds in aggravating the the calamity, that he might make the people the more ſenſible. There is nothing in the world more ſtupid and more ſtubborn then a drunkard. Of ſuch it is that that ſaying of an Ancient is often verified, Ablatus eſt à peccantibus timor, ne poſſit eſſe cautela, Feare is taken away from offendours, that there ſhould be no caution againſt it. Here therefore let the words of the wiſe be as goads and as nailes faſtened by the Maſters of the aſſemblies. Let them ſo preach with Peter, that their hearers may be prickt at heart Act. 2, 37. may be galled and ſawed as it were Act. 7.54. may ſtartle and tremble, as Act. 24.25. may awaken out of that dead lathergy,2 Tim. 2.26. whereinto Satan hath caſt them, and recover out of his ſnare, who are taken captive by him at his pleaſure. True it is, we can hardly get men to believe that hell is ſo hot, or ſin ſo heavie, or the devill ſo black, or God ſo unmerciful as the Preachers make him. The Lion, ſay they, is not ſo terrible as he is painted; nor is our caſe ſo dangerous as is born us in hand. Sed nos pergamus exaggerare, ſaith Pareus here. Let Gods Miniſters lay load upon mens ſins, and ſet forth to the full the miſeries that will fall upon them. The Prophets did ſo for temporal (as here moſt graphically and to the life) ſhall not we much more for eternal puniſhments? Oh (ſaith One) that I could get words to gore your very hearts with ſmarting pain: that this doctrine might be written in your fleſh!
and barked my fig-tree] Take away the bark from the tree, and the ſap can never find the way to the boughes. Theſe Vermine had barked the trees with their teeth, caſt the bark out of their mouths upon the ground, and made the branches naked and all white as froth; ſo that the drunkards, deprived of their ſweet draughts, were brought ad efflationem animae (as the Calde here expoundeth Chetſephah) to an yielding up of the ghoſt, yea, ad laqueum & reſtim, as the Latines, to the very halter.
Verſe 8. Lament like a Virgin] Our Prophet hath done with his drunkards: and now applyeth himſelf to the ſoberer ſort, whom alſo he calleth to deep and downright mourning, in this caſe of common calamity; there being not any ſo innocent and holy, but had ſome hand, if not upon the greater cart-ropes yet ſurely upon the ſmaller cords that drew down dearth and judgment upon the land.
lament therefore like a Virgin] betrothed, but bereft of her eſpouſed husband, before ſhe was married to him; So Piſcator. Others underſtand it of her that (lately a virgin, but now new-married) paſſionately loved her husband and bitterly bewaileth his death; which ſome young women have taken ſo grievouſly, that they have refuſed to live any longer; but have choſen to put an end to their life and grief together, as hiſtorians teſtify.
girded with Sackcloth] Sacco non ſerico, with mourning weeds as a teſtimony of, help to your humiliation. The dead we ſee, may be lawfully lamented: indeed it is one of the dues of the dead. foreign. Justa defunctorum.It is fit that the body, when ſown in corruption, ſhould be watered by the tears of thoſe that plant it in the earth. Only we muſt not mourn in this caſe as heathens Without hope. 1 Theſ. 4.13. Our grief muſt not be exceſſive, either for meaſure or continuance; Neither muſt we mourn ſo much for our friends departed, as for our ſins againſt God. In the former caſe baldneſs is forbidden: in the later it is required Iſa. 22.12. And Zach. 12.10.11.13. One poor woman weeping over Chriſt ſhall be as deeply affected as all the people were in that unſpeakable loſſe of their good king Joſiah, at Hadadrimmon in the vally of Megiddo, where Jeremiah lamented, and all the ſinging men and ſinging women ſpake of Joſiah in their lamentation, and made them an ordinance &c. 2 Chron. 35.24.25.
Verſe 9. The meat-offering and the drink-offering is cut off] Periit libatio & oblatio. This was the godly mans greateſt grief, that there wanted matter of teſtifying their thankfulneſs to God in his commanded worſhips: and that God was ſo deeply diſpleaſed, as that he had deprived Himſelf and his Miniſters of the due allowance; ſo that they alſo mourned, and could not chreefully execute their office, for lack of maintenance; for they were not of the Camelion-kind.
Verſe 10. The field is waſted the land mourneth] The ſacrifices are not only cut off for preſent, but little hopes left for the future: for the field, that common ſtorehouſe, that horreum unde hauriatur, is waſted: Shuddad Sadeh, there is an elegant alluſion in the Original: as in the following words a Proſopopoeia not inferiour to thoſe of the Poets, as Luther and Vatablus here note.
The land mourneth] By an ordinary Metaphor among the Hebrewes, thoſe things are ſaid to mourn that are waſted, defolated, corrupted and changed for the worſe. Lam. 2.8. the rampart and the wall are ſaid to lament, Plutarch.and to languiſh together. When Epheſtion died, Alexander not only clypped his horſes and mules hair, but plucked down alſo the battlements of the walles of the city: becauſe it ſhould appear that the walls and ramparts did mourn for his death: So Eſay 24.7. The new wine mourneth, the vine languiſheth: all the merry-hearted do ſigh. It is fit that if the land mourn, and faile of her increaſe, men ſhould much more mourn and be moved with a ſenſe of their ſins, the cauſe of ſuch calamities. The earth lies under a curſe of barrenneſſe, at its beſt Gen. 3.17. and was never ſo beautiful and cheerfull ſince the Fall of Adam. At this day it lyeth bed-rid, as it were, waiting for the comming of the Son of God, that it may be delivered from the bondage of corruption Rom. 8.20. But in times of dearth, it ſeemeth to mourn more then ordinary, yea to bluſh and bleed.
the new wine is dried up] Or is abaſhed: as loth to look men in the face, becauſe not anſwerable to their expectation, See Eſay. 33.9.
the oyl languiſheth] Or, is ſick. Corn, wine, and oyle, are the maine ſupports of mans life: all's gone.
Verſe 11. Be ye aſhamed O ye husbandmen] This Repetition of his former exhortation is not needleſſe: for man is a ſtout and ſtubborn creature: neither goeth any thing more againſt the hair and the heart with him, then to come downward, and to be ſo ſoundly ſenſible of Gods judgements, as ſeriouſly to repent. Hence St. James his extraordinary importunity in preſſing this moſt needfull but much neglected duty, chap. 4.9, 10. He knew, & ſo did our Prophet, that this work muſt be done, or elſe men are undone. Hence that heap of words.Se…ca. Nunquam ſatis dioitur quod nunquam ſatis diſcitur. That can never be too much taught, that is never enough learned.
Verſe 12. The Vine is dried up, and the Figtree languiſheth] God cutteth you ſhort of all things both for neceſſity and delight: and this is ſo much inculcated, and iterated, that you may not ſlight it as a common occurrence: but be deeply affected with it, as a ſore affliction. Verba toties repetita viva ſunt, vera ſunt, ſana ſunt, plana ſunt. Let no man think that this is a ſuperfluous tautologie, Aug.or an idle repetition of the ſame thing. For, in ſacred ſcripture there is not a tittle in vain: there is not an apex whereon there hangs not a mountain of fenſe, as the Rabbines uſe to ſay. By one and the ſame thing repeated, memory is helped, affection is excited, and matters of moment are better minded, Phil. 3.1. Beſides, Repetitio confirmatio eſt, ſaith Ambroſe,De bone Mart. c. 12. The repeating of a matter implyeth 1 The infallible truth of it. 2 The inexpreſſible excellency of it. 3 The profitable uſe of it. 4 The abſolute neceſſity of it. Aut faciendum, aut patiendum.
Verſe 13. Gird your ſelves and lament ye Prieſts] Be you Preſt, and firſt in the practiſe of humiliation: Be you an example of the believers in word in converſation &c. 1 Tim. 4.12. a patern of piety. Si vis ne flere &c. foreign. Horat. Judg. 9.18.If others ſhall lament, you muſt begin to them: and ſay as Abimelech did to his ſouldiers, What ye have ſeen me do, make haſt and do likewiſe: and as St. Paul doth to his Philippians, Thoſe things which ye have both learned and received, and heard and ſeen in me, do; Philip. 4.9.and the God of peace ſhall be with you.
for the meat-offering and the drink-offering, &c.] your maintenance is ſubſtracted, and (that which ſhould more affect you) the ſacred ſervice of God is intermitted, and ſo the glory is departed, the dayly ſacrifice is neglected, which the Jewes counted and called The abomination of deſolation. Phineas his wife was not without natural affection 1 Sam. 4.21. but her ſpiritual affections prevailed. Therefore in the declaration of her ſorrow, that of her father in law and husband is but once named: but twice it came in, The glory is departed, The glory is departed. All comforts are but Ichabods to a good heart without the ordinances: without the ſincere milk of the word Gods new-born babes cannot be quitted.Tom. 4. Oper. Lat. p. 424. I could not live in Paradiſe without the Word (ſaid Luther) as with the Word, I could eaſily live in hell it ſelf.
Verſe 14. Sanctify ye a faſt] Having humbled your ſelves, preach repentance to others. That's the beſt ſermon that's digged out of a mans own breſt. Sanctify your ſelves firſt, and then prepare your brothren, ſaith loſiah to the Prieſts of his time 2 Cron. 35.6. A religious faſt (for that the Prophet intends here by Sanctify) rightly obſerved and referred to religious ends, is both a teſtimony of true repentance, and a furtherance thereunto: for it cames the rebell fleſh 1 Cor. 9. ult. which elſe will wantonize, and overtop the Spirit Deut. 32.15. And it giveth wings to our prayers, which before groveld on the ground, as it were. Faſting inflameth prayer; and prayer ſanctifieth faſting.
ſanctify therefore a faſt, call a ſolemn aſſembly] Heb. a day of reſtraint ſeparating your ſelves as Zech. 8.19. from all fleſhly delights; amercing and puniſhing your ſelues in that ſort by an holy revenge, as Pſal. 35.13. and afflicting your ſoules with voluntary ſorrowes for your ſins and miſeries.
gather the Elders] both thoſe qui canis & annis ſunt tales, who are full of dayes and ſo of ſins; and alſo thoſe, that are in place of authority: whoſe offences have ſored higher on the wings of Example, and Scandal.
and all the inhabitants of the land] For as all are ſin-guilty, ſo your unanimity and charity will further the ſervice. All ſhould get together in this caſe, and bring their buckets to quench a common fire: the more publike and general the humiliation is, the more pleaſing and prevalent, Judg. 20.26. 2 Chron. 30.3, 13. Ion. 3.5, 7, 8.
into the houſe of the Lord your God] which houſe was a type of Chriſt, (in whom God heareth His) and had made many promiſes to prayers there put up in faith, 1 King. 8.37, 38, 39. 2 Chron. 6.28, 29.
of the Lord your God] Yours ſtill by vertue of the covenant: be ſure to keep faith in heart, when we are at the greateſt und…r.
And cry unto the Lord] with the heart at leaſt as Moſes did at the red ſea,Moſes egit vocis ſilentio ut magis audivetur. when yet none heard him but the ear of heaven only; and as Hannah did when ſhe uttered no audible voyce, and yet poured forth her ſoul to the Lord with ſuch a ſtrange and unwonted writing of her lips, that Eli thought ſhe had been drunk.
Verſe 15 Alas for the day &c.]1 Sam. 1.15. Gr. Alas, Alas, Alas; the Vulgar Latine A, A, A, which à Lupide makes much adoe about, to little purpoſe.
for the day of the Lord] that is, The day of the greateſt evils and miſeries then ever hitherto they had ſuffered, if repentance prevent not. That they had ſuffered much already appeareth chap. 2.25. but thoſe were but the b…ginnings of their ſorrowes, if they yet went on in their ſins.
for as a deſtruction from the Almighty ſhall it come] An Elegant Agnomination there is in the Original: together with an alluſion to that tremend title of God Shaddai. The Jewes (probably) boaſted much and bare themſelves over-bold upon their intereſt in God almighty. The Prophet therefore tel's them that Gods greateſt power ſhould be little to their profit whiles impenitent: for that it ſhould be put forth and exerciſed for their utter deſtruction. Aben-Ezra interpreteth Shaddai a Conqueror, Others a Deſtroyer, which a Conqueror muſt needs be. And hereto this text and that Eſa. 13.6. do allude, when they ſay Shod ſhall come from Shaddai, Deſtruction from the Almighty. Here alſo we may learn when we are under affliction, to aſcend to the firſt cauſe thereof Am. 3.6. as David did in that three years famine 2 Sam. 21.1. See …am. 3.38.
Verſe 16 Is not the meat cut off before your eyes?] Heb. before your eyes: and ſo it appeareth to be the Prophets ſpeech, and not a form preſcribed by him to the people, by adding the word (ſaying) to the end of the fourteenth verſe Cry to the Lord, ſaying, Alas for the day &c. And it is as if the Prophet ſhould ſay; Doe ye not yet ſee what caſe you are in? Are ye ſo ſtupid and ſo ſtout or ſturdy, as not to ſtoop though ſtarved almoſt? ſhould not Vexation give underſtanding; Are not the fierceſt creatures tamed with hard hunger? Will not men in ſuch caſe buy or beg food of their deadly enemies? O brawny breaſts! O horny heart-ſtrings!
yea joy and gladneſſe from the houſe of our God?] All Gods ſervices were to be performed with joy: but now, for want of corn and wine (which cheareth God and man Iudg. 9.13.) the dayly ſacrifice ceaſed, and all good hearts were thereby ſadded. See verſ. 9 with the Note.
Verſe 17 The ſeed is rotten under their clods] It lieth buried or drowned with exceſſive rain and moiſture, corrupting the ſeed ſoon after it was ſown: and that which was not ſo marred, was afterwards, when it came to be corn, dried up with exceſſive heat.
The corn is withered.] So that the garners were deſolated, the barnes broken down for want of ſtuffing, and for that there was no uſe of them, ſith they ſowed, but reaped not, Mic. 6.15. The husbandman was called to mourning, Amos 5.16, for a three-fold calamity that lay upon his tillage. Firſt, Immoderate rain, in or about ſeeding. Secondly, Locuſts and other vermine at ſpring. Thirdly, extreme drought after all, verſe 19, 20. Thus God followeth ſinners with one plague in the neck of another, (as he did Pharaoh, that ſturdy rebell) till he have made his foes his footſtools To multiply ſin, is to multiply ſorrow, Pſal. 16.4. to heap up wickedneſſe, is to heap up wrath, Rom 2.5. I will heap miſchiefs upon them,Si quoties peccent homines ſua fulmina mittat Jupiter, exiguo tempora inermis er…. Ovid. ſaith God, I will ſpend mine arrows upon them, Deut. 32.23. which yet cannot be all ſpent up, as the Poet feared of his Jupiter, that if he ſhould puniſh men for every offence, his ſtore of thunder-bolts would be ſoon ſpent and exhauſted.
Verſe 18. How do the beaſts groun]? The wilde beaſts groan in their kinde. The herds of cattell] home and tame beaſts, as oxen, &c. are perplexed,] as not knowing what to do: 'tis the ſame word with that, Eſth. 3.15. God had hid his face, (withdrawn his hand) and they were troubled, he taketh away their breath, (for lack of paſture) they die and return to their duſt, as David telleth us in his Phyſicks, Pſal. 104.29. Epiphaxius his Phyſiologer reporteth of the bird called Charadius, that being brought where a ſick man lieth, if he look upon the ſick with a fixed and unremoved eye, there is hopes of recovery: but if he look another way, the diſeaſe is deadly. Sure it is, that if God look in mercy upon man and beaſt, they are cared and catered for, Pſal. 36.7. and 104.27. and 145.15, 16, &c. and the contrary. yea the flocks of ſheep, &c. which yet can bite upon the bare, live with a little, and get paſture, where the bigger creatures cannot come.
Verſe. 19. O Lord to thee will I cry.] I will, though others will not. I have called upon others to cry mightily unto thee, and to meet thee by repentance: but they ranquam monſtra marina, as ſo many Sea-monſters, paſſe by my words with a deaff ear, they refuſe to return: thy hand is lifted up in threatning, and will fall down in puniſhing, but they will not ſee, Eſay. 26.11. they will not ſearch, they will not have their eyes (like the windowes in Solomons Temple) broad inward: the eyes of their mindes are as ill ſet (for this matter) as the eyes of their bodies, they ſee not what's within. But whatever they do,1 King. 6.4. my ſoul ſhall weep in ſecret for their pride, and mine eyes ſhall weep ſore, &c. (Jer. 13.17.) for their inſenſibleneſſe of their miſery.
For the fire hath devoured the paſtures,] that is, the immoderate ſcorching heat of the ſeaſon. See Pſal. 83.14. Jer. 17.6. Or the blaſting winde, as Lyra expounds it; or the locuſts, as Druſius, or God, (who is a conſuming fire) by any, or all theſe inſtruments of his wrath, as Tarnouius.
And the flame hath burnt all the arees of the field.] This was dreadfull; but yet nothing to that conflagratio mundi, ſpoken of by St. Peter, 2 Epiſt. 3.12. when the heavens being on fire, ſhall be diſſolved, and the elements melt with fervent heat on the heads of the wicked: who ſhall give a terrible account, with the world all on alight fire about their ears.
Verſe 20. The beaſts of the field cry alſo unto thee,] Glocitant, a term taken from Deer: they cry as they can, they cry by implication, imploring thine help, each for himſelf. See Pſal. 149.9. Job 39.3. Pſal. 104.27. And ſhould men be ſilent?
For the rivers of the waters are dried up,] This maketh the Hart bray after the water-brooks, yea ſhed tears as hunters ſay the Hart will, when hot and hard-beſtead for water. Hereto David ſeems to allude, Pſal. 42.5. My tears have been my meat, &c.
And the fire hath devoured the paſtures of the wilderneſſe.] This had been ſaid before verſe 19. The reaſon of ſuch repetitions, ſee above in the Notes on verſes 11, 12. Neither let this laſt exaggeration of the common calamity, by that which befell the bruit beaſts, ſeem ſuperfluous. For whereas the ſecurity and obſtinacy of moſt men is ſuch, that they take little notice of preſent preſſures, but promiſe themſelves peace and ſafety, whatſoever God by his ſervants ſhall ſay to the contrary: it is but needfull ſurely, that their danger ſhould be inculcated, and their calamity ſet out, and ſet on with utmoſt importunity, and vehemency.