Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Commentary 3 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Verſe 1. HEare this word that the Lord hath ſpoken &c.] Here beginneth the ſecond ſermon tending to confirme what had been affirmed in the former, and evincing the equity of the judgements there threatened for their hatefull ingratitude, and other horrible offences, condemned and cryed out upon by the very Heathens.
heare this word] Verbum hoc decretorium this notable word;foreign So Mat. 22.21. foreign. there are three articles in the Originall: and there is not the leaſt tittle in the text upon which there hangeth not a mountaine of ſenſe, ſay the Rabbies; this neck-verſe. that the Lord hath ſpoken] And ſhall he not do it? who ever waxed fierce againſt God, and proſpered? Ioh. 9.4.
againſt you O children of Iſrael] By his word, Chriſt many times ſecretly ſmites the earth Eſ. 11.4. that is, the conſciences of carnall men glued to the earth: He ſets a continuall edge upon the word, and conſumes them by his rebukes, till he have wearied them with his ſecret buffets and terrours: and then in the end caſts them into a reprobate ſenſe, as he did the Phariſees, who were toties puncti & repuncti, minime tamen ad reſipiſcentiam compuncti.
againſt the whole family] The Dodecaphylon, all the twelve tribes,Malcol…n. in Act. Apoſt. the whole houſe of Jacob, which are called by the name of Iſrael, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah Iſay. 48.1. God ſtands not upon multitudes Pſal. 9.17. nor matters, whether it be againſt a nation that he ſpeaketh and acteth, or againſt a man only, Iob 34.29.
which I brought up from the land of Egypt] This they oft heare of by way of exprobation, as chap. 2.10. God ſeeming to repent him for their deteſtable unthankfulneſſe, as David did of the kindneſſe he had ſhewed unworthy Nabal, in ſafegarding his ſubſtance 1 Sam. 25. and to complaine as Frederick the third Emperour of Germany did, that of thoſe courtiers whom he had advanced,Valer. Max. Chriſtian. Camd. Eliſ. he found ſcarce any that proved faithfull to him, but the worſe for his courteſy: or as Q. Eliſabeth, that in truſt ſhe had found treaſon.
Verſe 2. You only have I known] That is, owned and honoured, culled and called, choſen and accepted to be my people, when I had all the world afore me to chuſe in Deut. 10.14, 15. and nothing to move me thereto but mine own meer grace, even the good pleaſure of my will.foreign.
therefore I will puniſh you for all your iniquities] Not paſſing by the leaſt without a ſenſible check: the leaſt, I ſay, that is allowed and wallowed in: and that becauſe of the diſloyalty and treachery that is therein. Other mens ſinnes are rebellions againſt God: but the ſaints ſins are treacheries, becauſe againſt the covenant. Let ſuch therefore look to themſelves, and walk accurately, or they ſhall be ſure to rue it.foreign. Epheſ. 5.15. God will be ſure to plow his own ground, whatſoever becomes of the waſt: and to weed his own garden, though the reſt of the world ſhould bee let alone to grow wild. His own he will not fail to puniſh. 1. In caſe of ſcandall, as David. 2. For ſins unrepented of, though not ſcandalous. Oh the bloody wails that God hath left upon the backs of his own dear children for ſuch ſins! Baſtards may ſcape ſcot-free: but ſonnes ſhall pay for it. Ingentia beneſicio, ſlagitia, ſupplicia. The puniſhing Angel is bidden begin at Gods Sanctuary,Magdeb. Praefat. ad Cent. 5. Ezek. 9. He will be ſanctified in all that draw neer unto him, Levit. 10.3. Sanctified I ſay, either actively, or paſſively: either in the ſincerity of mens converſation, or in the ſeverity of their viſitation: at which time, his Articles of enquiry will be very ſtrict and criticall againſt his own profeſſed people, who are therefore worſe then others, (and ſhall therefore ſpeed worſe) becauſe they ought to be better.
Verſe 3. Can two walk together, except they be agreed?] God permits his people to walk together with him in an humble familiarity: but then they muſt take care that familiarity breed not contempt: and that they conceit not that hee will connive at their iniquities, or that their holy ſervices will bear them out i… any known ſinne. He is juſt and jealous of his glory, wherein he ſhould be no ſmall loſer, if he did wink at any beſides involuntary ſailings, and unavoydable infirmities; for which there is a pardon of courſe, if ſued out. If I ſhall walk with you, ſaith God, as a father, friend, husband, you muſt agree with me, conſent, and conform to me, idem velle, & idem nolle, will and nill the ſame that I do: or elſe I ſhall walk with you no otherwiſe then as a ſevere judge, or cruel enemy, Levit. 26.24. as a lion, with the prey that he hath taken, as the fowler with the bird hee hath caught, or the hunter with the wild beaſt he hath gotten into his ſnare.
Verſe 4. Will a lion roar in the forreſt, when, &c.] It is ſaid of the Lion, that he ſets up a double roar:P…ut. lib. de induſt. anima. firſt, when he deſcrieth his prey, next when he ſeizeth it, Then, ſaith Plutarch, he roareth, or rather belloweth like a bull, that other beaſts may come to him, and take part with him. It is not for nothing that the lion uttereth his voice: much leſſe that Almighty God thundereth, and threatneth by his Prophets, your ſins without repentance will be your ruine, according to thoſe threatnings: though you are ſo ſturdy, or at leaſt ſo ſtupid, as to fear them no more, then Behemoth doth the iron weapons,Jeb 40. which are eſteemed by him as ſtrawes, or bull-ruſhes. Shall the wrath of a King be as the roaring of a lion, Prov. 19.12. and as the meſſengers of death, Prov. 16.14. and ſhall Gods menaces be ſlighted? will vile men imagine him a God of clouts? One that howſoever he ſpeaketh heavie words, will not do as he ſaith? intends them no otherwiſe, then in terrorem, for fray-bugs? Surely they will finde it far otherwiſe: and it muſt be concluded, that being already ſentenced, either their beds are very ſoft, or their hearts very hard, that can ſleep ſecurely in ſo deplorable a condition: Surely Gods predictions ſhall have their accompliſhment, 1 Sam. 3.19. & 15.29. Beleeve them therefore: Stand in awe and ſin not, ſith he that deſpiſeth the word, ſhall be deſtroyed: but hee that feareth the commandement, ſhall be rewarded, Prov. 13.13. See the Note there.
Will a youg lion cry out of his den?] q. d. Is it for nothing that God ſo terribly threatneth? Is there not a cauſe? as David ſaid in another caſe, 1 Sam. 17.29. Surely, as in the Revelation we never read that heaven opened, but ſome great matter followed: ſo here; Hath the Lord ſpoken it, and ſhall he not do it? Never think it. Oh think of God as of one not to be thought of: as One, whoſe wiſdom is his juſtice, whoſe juſtice is his power, whoſe power is his Truth, and all himſelf. He is the God of Amen, Pſal. 31.6. faithfull, and true: he can as ſoon die as lie: neither can he be hindered or reſiſted, as Angels, men, and devils may. In the creature there is an eſſence, and a faculty, whereby they work: as in fire is the ſubſtance and the quality of heat. Now between theſe, God can ſeparate, and ſo hinder their working; as in the Babyloniſh fire. In the Angels there is an eſſence, and an executive power: God comes between theſe oft, and hinders them from doing what they would. Not ſo in God; who is moſt ſimple, and entire, armed with power irreſiſtible to tame his rebels: Every morning doth he bring his judgement to light, he faileth not: but the unjuſt knoweth no ſhame, Zeph. 3.5. the fool paſſeth on and is puniſhed, Prov. 22.3.
Verſe 5. Can a bird fall in a ſnare upon the earth, &c? Think you, that all things are carried here by blind fortune, and not by a particular providence, as if
—mundo nullus ineſſet,
Rector, & incert… fluerent mortalia caſu?
Will you ſay of the evils you have ſuffered, in the language of Aſhdod;1 Sam. 6.9. 1 Cor. 10. It is a chance? Is that Heathen-Idol Fortune any thing in the world, more then a blaſphemie, ſpued out by the devil againſt the divine providence? Can a ſparrow fall to the ground, or any the leaſt bird into a ſnare upon the earth, without your heavenly Father, Matth. 10.29. Birds flying ſeeme to be at liberty; yet are guided by an over-ruling hand. They fall ſometimes into a gin: and do not you thereupon conclude, that ſome fowlers hand is in it? Lo you are inſnared, and inſnarled by your enemies: and can you not diſcern that it is the Lord who hath done it? Lam. 3.37, 38. Act. 17.25, 28. Eccleſ. 9.12. For man knoweth not his time (nor his chance, ver. 11.) as the fiſhes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the ſnare, ſo are the ſons of men ſnared in an evil time, when it falleth ſuddenly (but providentially) upon them.
Or ſhall one take up a ſnare from the earth, &c.] No wiſe fowler will take up his nets, till he have gotten his prey: No more will God withdraw his hand, or call off the enemy and the avenger, till he have his deſigne: till he hath either reformed or ruined you.
Verſe 6. Shall a trumpet be blowen,] ſc. out of a watch-tower in time of war, to ſound an alarme, and to ſay, Hannibal ad portas, the enemy is at hand, the Philiſtines are upon you.
and the people not be afraid,] or run together to make reſiſtance?Jer. 5.22. Pſal 114.7. Will ye not then tremble at my threats, ſaith the Lord? Tremble thou earth at the preſence of the Lord, at the preſence of the God of Jacob. Fear is an affection of the ſoul, ſhrinking in it ſelf from ſome imminent evil. God is the proper object of it, whence hee is called Fear in the abſtract, Pſal. 76.11. and thoſe that come on his errand ſhould bee received with reverence, yea with fear …and trembling, as was Titus, 2 Cor. 7.15. and before him Samuel, by thoſe Elders of Bethlehem, 1 Sam. 16.4. as ſuſpecting it was the purpoſe of ſome judgement that brought him thither. Commeſt thou peaceably? ſaid they. It is a good thing to ſtand in awe of Gods Meſſengers, and to tremble at his judgements, whileſt they yet hang in the threatnings. It appeareth by this Prophet, that carnall ſecurity was grown epid emicall, and had over-ſpread the land, chap. 6.2, 3. Some there were that ſaid, God had not ſent the Prophets to denounce thoſe evils, but that they had done it of their own heads, as we ſay. Others doubted of the certainty of thoſe evils denounced, chap. 6.3. againſt whom He here diſputeth by theſe fore-going ſimilitudes; and in the next words plainly aſſerteth the Divine providence, and the authority of the Prophets, Gods privy-Counſellours.
Shall there be evil in a city,] Underſtand it of the evil of puniſhment. See Lam. 3.37. Eſay 45.7 Mic. 1.12. Eccleſ. 7.14. 1 King. 9.9. and 21.29. See my Treatiſe called, Gods love-tokens, pag. 3, 4. &c.
and the Lord hath not done it?] Although God doth it not but onelyonly as it is bonum Juſtitiae, good in order to his glory. That which we are here advertiſed is, that it is not Luck and Fortune that doth toſſe and tumble things here below: but that God ſits at the ſtern, and ſteers the affairs of the world. The Gentiles indeed, held Fortune as a goddeſſe: repreſenting her by a Woman ſitting upon a Ball, as if the whole world were at her command; having with her a razor, as if ſhe could at her pleaſure cut off and end mans happineſſe; bearing in her right hand the ſtern of a ſhip, as if ſhe could turn about all things at her pleaſure, and in her left hand the horn of abundance, as though all plenty came from her. This was abominable idolatry, to be ſhunned by Chriſtians: yea the very name of Luck or Fortune, is to be ſpet out of their mouthes with utmoſt deteſtation. It repented Auſtin that ever he had uſed that wicked word, Fortuna.Aug. Retract.
Verſe 7. Surely the Lord God will do nothing,] i. e. Hardly any thing. He lo-veth to foreſignifie, to warn before he wound: and this meerly out of his Philanthropie. Howbeit ſometimes, and in ſome caſes, he is more ſudden and ſtill in his revenges: that he may thereby, Firſt maintain his honour and glory, the eyes whereof are by ſome ſinnes extraordinarily provoked, as Acts 12.23. And ſecondly, to teach men not to continue in ſinne, no not for a moment: ſith they may bee preſently cut off from all further time of repentance, acceptation, and grace for ever: This made Auſtin ſay, that he would not be an Atheiſt, no not one half hour, to gain all the world. See Luke 17.32. and 12.20. Pharaoh had warning of the firſt and ſecond plagues, not ſo of the third: and again, of the fourth and fifth, but not of the ſixth: and yet again, of the ſeventh and eight, but not of the ninth. And when neither warning, nor no-warning would do good, then came that ſweeping plague; Tandem prototocos ultima plaga necat.
But he revealeth his ſecret to his ſervants the Prophets.] Gods Prophets then are his meniall ſervants: not his underlings, or inferiour hinds, but of nobleſt employment about him. Every faithfull Miniſter is ſervant to the king of heaven (Act. 27.23. whoſe I am, and whom I ſerve: this the Devil denied not, Act. 16.16, 17.) yea his Steward Embaſſadour, Herald (as here) by whom he proclaims warre, but firſt proffers pardon, and propoſes conditions of peace. A practiſe uſuall, not onelyonly among the people of God, by his appointment, Deut. 20.10. but alſo among the Heathens, as Hiſtories informe us. The Romans had their Lex Facialis: by their Heralds they ſent to ſuch as had wronged them, Caduceum & Haſtam, as Enſignes of peace and warre, that within thirty dayes they might take their choice: within which time, if they did them not right, the Herald preſently denounced warre againſt them, caſting forth a dart in token thereof. Alexanders courſe was; when he ſat down before a city, to ſet up a torch: to ſhew that if they would come in, and ſubmit before that torch were burnt out, they ſhould have hearing. Tamerlan hang'd out firſt a white flag, then a red, and laſtly a black. And the Turks at this day,Turk. hist. 344. firſt make to their enemies ſome offer of peace; how unreaſonable ſoever it matters not. Gods offers in this kinde are all of grace, and for our good. If it were otherwiſe, what need he give warning? and why doth he not as Abſalom did; when, intending to murther Amnon, hee ſpake neither good nor evil to him? Well might the Lord ſay, Fury is not in me, O Iſrael, thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf. As I live, I deſire not the death of a ſinner, &c. If he did, why might he not ruſh ſuddenly upon ſuch and confound them at once, as he did the reprobate Angels, even in the very act and firſt moment of their ſinne? Why comes he firſt in a ſoft ſtill voyce, when he might juſtly thunder-ſtrike us? and why ſendeth hee his Heralds to proclaime warre, but yet with articles of peace and reconciliation open in their hands?Chryſoſt. Why was He but ſix dayes in making the world, and yet ſeven dayes in unmaking and deſtroying one city, Jericho? Was it not to ſhew that the Lord is mercifull and gracious, ſlow to anger, and of great kindneſſe? And this he hath commanded his Prophets to make known,Pſal. 103.8. that the goodneſſe of God may lead men to repentance. As, if they turn his grace into wantonneſſe, and pervert his patience to preſumption,Rom. 2.4. their commiſſion is to declaim againſt ſuch practiſes with all authority, Tit. 2.15. and to proclaim hell-fire, in caſe men amend not. Neceſſity is laid upon them ſo to do, and wo be to them if they preach not law as well as Goſpel; that when they return up their commiſſion, they may report the matter, ſaying, Behold we have done as thou haſt commanded us, Ezek. 9.11. True it is, that perverſe people queſtion the Prophets, and quarrell them for this plaindealing: as Ahab did Eliah for a troubler of Iſrael, and Amaziah our Prophet Amos, for a trumpetter of rebellion. But this is as great folly, as if ſome fond people ſhould accuſe the herald, or the trumpet as the cauſe of their warre: or as, if ſome ignorant peſant, when he ſeeth his fowls bathing in his pond, ſhould cry out of them, as the cauſes of foul weather.
Verſe 8. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath ſpoken, who can but propheſie?] Who that knoweth the terrour of the Lord, can dare to do otherwiſe, when he commandeth it? Shall men fear fire, water, bears, lions, &c. and not the great and terrible God? If he roar upon his ſervants, and ſay as to Jeremy he once did. Thou therefore, gird up the loynes of thy minde, and ariſe, and ſpeak unto them all that I command thee; be not diſmayed at their faces, leſt I confound thee before them: We muſt roar againſt mens ſinnes, and bee inſtant,Jer. 1.17. though they roar againſt us for ſo doing, and threaten never ſo much. Micaiah will not budge for a Kings authority, when once he had ſeen the Lord in his Majeſtie; nor Paul for an Angels, Gal. 1. the reſt of the Apoſtles for the Sanhedrims, Acts 4.19. & 5.25, &c. When the Emperour threatned Baſil with impriſonment, baniſhment, death, he anſwered; Let him threaten boyes with ſuch fray-bugs: I am reſolved: neither menaces nor flatteries ſhall ſilence me, or draw me to betray a good cauſe or conſcience. If I deal not plainly and faithfully with your ſouls, ſaid Bernard, Bern. de tempore. 99.Vobis erit damnoſum, mihi periculoſum. Timeo itaque damnum veſtrum, timeo damnationem ineam ſi tacuero. i. e. it will be ill for you, and worſe for mee. The truth is, you would be betrayed, and I ſhould be damned, if I ſhould hold my peace. Let me be accounted proud, pragmaticall, any thing,Luth. ep. ad Staple. rather then found guilty of ſinfull ſilence, when the Lord calleth me to ſpeak, ſaith Luther. Theſe were men whoſe hearts were fraught with the reverentiall fear of God; and therefore found themſelves neceſſitated to bee faithfull: beſides the love of Chriſt conſtraineth them, 2 Cor. 5.14. ſo that they could do no leſſe, they could not but ſpeak, &c. Act. 4.19.
Verſe 9. Publiſh in the palaces at Aſhdod, &c.] that is, in the courts of the Philiſtin-princes, and of the Egyptian kings, who are here atteſted and invited, to judge betwixt God and his vineyard, to paſſe an impartiall ſentence, and to ſay whether Iſraels ſinnes deſerved not all the judgements that God by his Prophets had denounced, yea and greater too. Holy Ezra acknowledgeth as much, chap. 9.13. But becauſe that many were ready to ſay, as thoſe in Jeremy, Jer. 2.35.Becauſe I am innocent, ſurely his anger ſhall turn from me: behold I will plead with thee, (ſaith the Lord) becauſe thou ſayeſt, I have not ſinned. Yea thy ſworn-enemies ſhall give true evidence againſt thee, and judge of the juſtice of my proceedings with thee, that I may be juſtified, and every mouth ſtopped.
Aſſemble your ſelves upon the mountains of Samaria,] that there-hence ye may be eye-witneſſes, and have a full proſpect of their leudneſſe; which will be to you a pleaſant ſpectacle; that out of their tragedies you may frame comedies. Samaria was a city ſet upon an hill: and as it ſelf, ſo its wickedneſſe could not be hid. Carnall people are very inquiſitive into the miſcarriages of profeſſours: and ready to ſearch more narrowly thereinto then Laban did into Jacobs ſtuff. What a jear made Ammianus Marcellinus of the pride and luxury of ſome of the primitive Biſhops? Averroes, of the Papiſts Breaden-god? the Turks, of the Papiſts Aſinus palmaris? the Jews, of their clipping the crucifix, and weeping over it in the Pulpit? as alſo the ſwearing that is ſo common amongſt Proteſtants; together with that mad conceit of ſome, that he that cannot ſwear with a grace,Profectò aut hoc non eſt Evangelium: aut nos non ſumus Evangelici. wanteth his tropes and figures befitting a Gentleman? This and ſuch like unchriſtian practiſes, made learned Lineker when he read Chriſts Sermon in the Mount, cry out; Certainly, either this is not Goſpel, or we are but bad Goſpellers: It is a lamentable thing, that it ſhould be commonly reported that there be ſuch abominations found in the Church as are hardly heard of among the Heathen, 1 Cor. 5.1.
—pudet haec opprobria nobis,
Et dici potuiſſe, & non potuiſſe refelli.
Why ſhould it be told in Gath, or publiſhed in the palaces of Aſhdod? 2 Sam. 1.20.why ſhould Egyptians condemn Iſraelites, as the Scythians once did the Greeks, and the heathen Indians now do the beaſtly Spaniards that tyrannize over them? Why ſhould there be any ſucceſſours to thoſe Hereticks mentioned by Bellarmine, and called, Chriſtianocategori, Accuſers of Chriſtians; becauſe by their unchriſtian converſation they delivered up Chriſt and his people to bee buffetted,De Eccleſ. triumph. l. 2. c. 11. and ſpitted on by their enemies? See the Note on Hoſ. 7.16. This ſhall be their deriſion in the land of Egypt.
and behold the great tumults] Or the humming-noiſes, the garboiles, the violent irruptions upon the poor oppreſſed, cauſing them to cry out as thoſe that are cruſhed or broken in peeces.
and the oppreſſed in the middeſt thereof] whether by force or fraud oppreſſed: whether it were foreign or foreign The Lord is the avenger of all ſuch, 1 Theſ. 4.6. This the Heathen ſhall take ſpeciall notice of, and ſay with Calocerius the Conful Verè magnus eſt Deus Chriſtianorum, The Chriſtians God is a righteous God indeed.
Verſe 10. For they know not to do right] They have done wrong ſo long together, againſt knowledge and conſcience, that now they are given up to a reprobate ſenſe, to an injudicious minde, foreign. Rom. 1.having ſinned away that light they had, and loſt that little knowledge they had learned out of the law of Moſes concerning good works: this they have wickedly blotted out of their own minds; as alſo thoſe common notions of good and evill, that glimmering of divine light left in the naturall man; this in a defiled conſcience is wholy extinct. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? No, not they, as appeares by what followes, they eat up my people as they eat bread Pſal. 14.4. Theſe Cannibals, like pickrels in a pond, or ſherkes in the ſea, devoure the poorer as they the leſſer fiſhes. And though they cannot but know this to be evill, condemned by the light of nature, and much more of ſcripture, yet they do it, and will do it: their eyes being put out with the duſt of covetouſneſſe, and their hearts ſo exerciſed therewith 2 Pet. 2.14. that they can ſay as that wretched fellow did, We are maſters of our conſciences, we can do what we will, for all them: and as Balaam reſolved at length, to curſe, whatever came of it.
who ſtore up violence and robbery in their palaces] Till the ſcreech-owles of woe cry aloud from the wals, and the beames out of the timber make anſwer Hab. 2.11.12. till their curſed boards of evill-gotten goods witneſſe againſt them, and eat their fleſh as it were fire Jam. 5.3. till very Philiſtines and Egyptians cry ſhame on them, and ſay as the Indians did of the cruel Spaniards, that they carried themſelves neither like Chriſtians nor men, but like devils; that it had been better the Indies had been given to the devils of hell, then to them; and that if the Spaniards went to heaven when they were dead, they would never come there. Let no man think to thrive violentiâ & vaſtitate, by rapine and robery: to treaſure up ſin is to treaſure up wrath Rom. 2.5. which, as a fire, will devoure their palaces, and it ſhall not be quenched, Ier. 17.27.
Verſe 11. Therefore thus ſaith the Lord] And he ſaith it in great haſt and heat; as appeareth by that conciſe kind of expreſſion that he here uſeth after the manner of thoſe that are through-angry,Apoſiopeſis, ut Ques ego &c. and therefore ſay not much, but meane to do the more.
an adverſary round about the land] A diſtreſſer at every corner: that as all the borderers have beheld thy wickedneſſe, ſo ſhall they thy wretchedneſſe, by reaſon of the enemy and the avenger, who ſhall meet thee at every turne: and leave thee neither hope of better, nor place of worſe.
and he ſhall bring down thy ſtrength from thee] Thee in the feminine gender:At for Atta ex …agna perturbatione. Chiskuni. haply becauſe they ſhould be ſo infeebled, and impoveriſhed: Or elſe, to expreſſe the heat of Gods anger againſt them, as Num. 11.15. where meek Moſes being in a great paſſion of anger and grief together, ſaith to God, If Thou (in the feminine) deale thus with me, kill me I pray thee, out of hand &c. he was ſo out of meaſure moved, that he could not fill up his ſpeech, nor utter the laſt ſyllable.
thy ſtrength] Thy ſtrong-holds, or thy riches, thoſe treaſures of wickedneſſe wherein thou truſteſt Prov. 10.2. and verſe 15. The rich mans wealth is his ſtrong city. It is called his ſtrength becauſe he confideth in it, 1 Tim. 6.17. and becauſe he is enabled by it, to bring about his deſignes.
and thy palaces ſhall be ſpoyled] They ſhall be blown up, becauſe their foundation was laid upon fire-works, their morter mixt with blood, their materials raked together by rapine and robbery, their furniture, and thoſe ill-gotten goods therein hid and hoarded, ſhall be given hoſti non haeredi, not to thine heire but to thine enemy for a booty. An inheritance may be haſtily gotten at the beginning: but the end thereof ſhall not be bleſſed Prov. 20.21. As the partridge ſitteth on egges and hat…eth them not: ſo he that getteth riches and not by right, ſhall leave them in the middeſt of his daies and at his end be a foole Jer. 17.11. A poor foole God will make of him, ere he hath done with him, as he did of Balaam, Achan, Ahab, Gehezi, the rich man Luk. 12. and 16.
Verſe 12. As the Shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the Lion] by a countrey-compariſon (as before oft) the Prophet ſets forth the fewneſſe of ſuch as ſhall eſcape the enemies hands.1 Sam. 17.35. Is it but a little that a ſhepherd dare pull out of the jawes of a Lion. Few Davids or Lyſimachuſſes, that dare look ſuch fierce creatures in the face. Something a ſhepheard in this caſe may adventure to do, that he may not be made to ſtand to the loſs Exod. 22.13. Gen 31.39. But it is not much:quibus non est lectus integer, Tarnou. Kimchi. neither are they many, that ſhall make eſcape, and thoſe few ſhall be of the poorer ſort too, that have ſcarce a corner of a bed to lye on: or ſuch as are ſick-abed and not cared for by the enemy, not counted worth the killing. Or ſuch as are in good health, but glad to hide themſelves for feare of the enemy under any bed or bench-hole, as is uſuall in the ſack of a city.
and in Damaſcus in a couch] Or in the corner of a couch. Now Samaria and Damaſcus are joyned together; becauſe they were both deſolated about the ſame time, by the ſame enemy, and for the ſame cauſe, viz. their invading Judaea in an hoſtile manner 2 King. 16.7.9. Eſay. 7.4. See the like Eſay. 8.4. and 17.3.
Verſe 13. Heare ye and teſtiſie &c.] ye my Prophets and all true beleevers. The Septuagint add ô ye Prieſts, whoſe lips were to preſerve knowledge, and to preſent it to the People. All that were thereunto commiſſionated by the Lord God the God of Hoſts, are here ſtraightly charged to heare and to charge, teſtify, or conteſt (See 2 Tim. 4.1.) and what they have received of the Lord to deliver the ſame to the whole houſe of Jacob: not ſtealing away the word from them Jer. 23.30. or ſhunning to declare unto them his whole counſell Act. 20.27. but faithfully handling the law Ier. 2.8.
Verſe 14. That in the day that I ſhall viſit &c.] Tell them ſo from me, ſaith God: ſay to theſe wicked, Wo be unto them, it ſhall be ill with them Eſay. 3.11. The jelous Lord of Hoſts will ſurely viſit the iniquity of Idolatrous fathers upon their children, to the third and fourth generation Exod. 20.5. See Ier. 3. Ezek. 16. Hoſ. 2. As they have their day of defection, ſo hath He of Viſitation; his ſeaſon, his harveſt for judgment, Mat. 13.30. What then will they do when God riſeth up: and when he viſiteth, what will they anſwer him? Iob. 31.14.
I will alſo viſit the altars of Bethel] At firſt there was but one altar 1 King. 12.32, 33. and 13.2. but afterwards they multiplied, as in Peters at Rome, there are ſaid to be now above an hundred altars Hoſ. 8.11. and 10.1. there is no end of will-worſhip: but, like the Ieruſalem-Artichoke, plant it where you will, it overruns the ground and choakes the Heart. Now as God loved the gates of Zion where he was ſolemnly worſhipped, more then all the dwellings of Jacob Pſal. 87.2. and as the walls of good people (whoſe houſes are little churches) are continuall before him, Eſay. 49.16. So he heartily hateth places and monuments of Idolatry: and layeth them waſt as he hath done our Abbeys and Monaſteries Ziſca overthrew three hundred of them in Bohemia: and among the reſt the famous Monaſtery called the Kings-Court, a mile from Prague: Ziſca's life by Mr. Clark.in the walles whereof the whole Bible was moſt exquiſitely written in letters of gold; but little read or regarded by thoſe filthy Abbey-lubbers, of whom Luther teſtifieth that they were tam deſperatae malitiae &c. ſo deſperately debauched that they durſt adventure upon any villany whatſoever.
and the hornes of the altar &c.] which were held the holier parts thereof. This was fulfilled by good Ioſiah many yeares after 2 King. 23.15. 2 Chron. 34.4.6. Nullum tempus occurrit Regi. Time can be no prejudice to Gods proceedings: neither is his forberance any quittance.
Verſe 15. And I will ſmite the winter-houſe with the ſummer-houſe] Heb. upon the ſummer-houſe, I will lay them both upon one heape: they ſhall one daſh againſt the other. To have change of houſes or of roomes in one houſe fit for the ſeverall ſeaſons is not unlawful, ſo we ſet them not up by wrong-dealing, nor ſet our hearts upon them:Haec ſunt quae nos invitos faciunt mori. for ſo we are apt to do (as Charles 5. Emp. told the Duke of Venice who had ſhewed him his ſtately palace) and this brings a curſe.
and the houſes of Jvory] i. e. decked and enameled, checkered and entrayled with Jvory,Eboratas. Lively. as ſome ſenſe it. Ahab had made him an Jvory houſe. Heb. an houſe of tooth, i. e. of Elephants-tooth: ſo did other kings (likely) after him. The Porphyrogenity in Conſtantinople were borne in a room made of Porphyry, a precious ſtone &c. All muſt down together.