Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Commentary 1 · Chapter 1

Commentary on the Minor Prophets · Commentary 1 · Chapter 1

p. 1CHAP. I.

Verſe 1. THE Word of the Lord] Not cunningly deviſed fables, 2 Pet. 1.16.2 Pet 1:16or humane teſtimonies, that can make but a humane faith; but the word of the everliving God, the Scripture that cannot be broken, John 10.35.1 Theſ. 2.13.1 Thess 2:13 the very heart and ſoul of God, as Gregory cals it.

That came unto Hoſea] The Lord is ſaid to come to Laban, Abimelech, Balaam, &c. Cor & anima Dei.But he never concredited his word to any ſuch profane wretches, as he did to the holy Prophets which have been ſince the world began; of whom it is ſaid, as here, The word of the Lord came to Hoſea, Luke ….His name ſignifieth a Saviour: a fit name for a Miniſter, whoſe work it is to ſave himſelf and them that hear him. To ſave them if he can, Obad. 21.1 Tim. 4.16.1 Tim 4:16 to deliver their ſouls from going into the pit, Joh 33.24. to pull them, if poſſible, out of the fire, Jude 23. to give them the knowledge of ſalvation by the remiſſion of ſin: to give it I ſay, not by infuſion (for that he cannot do) but by inſtruction; and that he muſt indeavour to do,Luke 1.77.Luke 1:77 as this Prophet did: then whom few Miniſters ever ran ſo long a race without ceſſation, or ceſpitation, ſo conſtantly, ſo couragiouſly, ſo unweariable. For he continued prophecying ſixty five years at leaſt, ſaith Pareus; ſeventy, ſaith Oecolampadius; it is very probable fourſcore years, ſaith Mr Burroughes. The Hebrews ſay ninty years, quibus multa dixit quae non ſcripſit, wherein he uttered much more then he wrote. This we may eaſily believe: for we have but the ſhort Notes or heads of his Sermons, and larger Diſcourſes, which he ſeems alſo to have ſet down for the uſe of the Church in his extream old age, whereof they carry a ſmatch in the ſhortneſſe of his ſpeech, applied, as much as might be, to the meaſure of his breath. Hence Hierom fitly calleth him, comm…ticum, & quaſi p. 2per ſententias loquentem, conciſe and ſententious. Amputatas loquitur ſententias & verba ante expectatum cadentia, Victor Giſelin. de Saluſt. ſtylo. Lud. Vives.as one ſaith of Saluſt; Multo eſt verbis quam ſenſu reſtrictior atque conciſior, as another ſaith of Livy; He ſpeaketh much in few; and ſeems to have more ſentences then ſayings. The ofner you read him, the more you may get by him: & nunquam tamen dimittat te ſine ſiti; Lipſ. de Thucyd.and yet the more you get, the more you covet. Obſcure he is (as delivering things briefly) and ſuch as will not be eaſily acquainted with you, but upon further ſuit: Hence that Epiphonema in the percloſe of his propheſie, Who is wiſe, and he ſhall underſtand theſe things? prudent and he ſhall know them? But this muſt waken and not weaken our more diligent ſearch, not being content with the firſt oar that offereth it ſelf to our view, but digging deeper and deeper, till we become owner of the whole treaſure, which will ſufficiently pay for the pains. Wherefore ſearch the Scripture, follow on to know the Lord; get all the dimenſions of knowledge, which (now in the great abundance of the means we have) doth even bow down to us, as trees do that are laden with fruit, ſo that a child may gather from them.

the ſon of Beeri] That is, of a well that hath pure and clear water in it, and that never faileth; living water, as the Scripture calleth it, and not mixt with mud. Miniſters ſhould be the children of Beeri, of a well digged by the direction of the lawgiver, Numb. 21.17. whence people ſhould draw waters with joy, the pure waters of life, the unadulterated milk of Gods word; not troubled, brackiſh, and ſowriſh doctrines, ſuch as the Popiſh Clergy (called therefore the Sea, Rev. 12.12.) do ſet abroach, which rather brings barrenneſſe to their hearers, and gnaws their entrals, then quench their thirſt, or cauſe fruit. Theſe and all falſe teachers, make Gods flock drink that which they have fouled with their feet, Ezek. 34.19. yea, impoyſoned with their hands: as the malicious Jews once caſt bags of poiſon into many wells here, to do miſchief, and were therefore baniſhed the Countrey. Falſe doctrine is like a filthy pond, wherein fiſh die ſoon, and frogs live long: it is like the dead Sea,Rev. 8.10, 11.Rev 8:10Rev 8:11 or the great falling-ſtar, called Wormwood, which made the third part of the waters become wormwood, ſo that many men died of the waters becauſe they were made bitter by that ſon of perdition, who was himſelf the gall of bitterneſſe, and bond of perdition. Who this Beeri was, it appears not in Scripture. It ſeems he was a man famous in thoſe dayes among the Iſraelites (and is here named honoris gratia, for honour ſake to the Prophet) as Alexander and Rufus the ſons of Simon the Cyrenian, were men famouſly known in the Church of the New Teſtament; and are therefore but named only by S. Mark ch. 15.21. The Jews have a tradition, that whenſoever a Prophets father is named, that father was likewiſe a Prophet as well as the ſon. And Beeri might be binominis, and have ſome other name of more note: like as Pethuel the father of the Prophet Joel, Joel 1.1. Alſted.Joel 1:1is thought by ſome to have been Samuel, and to have been called Pethuel, that is a perſwader of God, becauſe what he asked of God, he obtained.

in the dayes of Ʋzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, &c.] A young Prophet he muſt needs be (eſpecially if he propheſied fourſcore years: See the the note above.) Haply he began as early as did Samuel, Jeremy, Timothy, Origen, or Cornelius Mus: of whom Sixtus Senenſis teſtifieth,Lib. 4. that he was an admirable preacher at twelve years old. Ʋzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah] The Throne of Judah had ſome enterchanges of good Princes: Iſrael none at all. The ſame juſtice therefore that made Iſrael a ſcourge to Judah, made Aſſyria a ſcorpion to Iſrael; as is here ſet forth under the type of Hoſea's two laſt children Lo-ruhamah, and Lo-ammi; whereof in their place. Mean-while, this Prophet went through variety of conditions under ſo many ſeveral Kings reigns (as did likewiſe Athanaſius and Latimer) Jeroboams, (eſpecially) the ſecond of that name, and here only named, when ſix other Kings of Iſrael (in whoſe time Hoſea propheſied) are not once mentioned, but lie wrapt up in the ſheet of ſhame, becauſe wicked idolaters, ſuch as God took no delight in, and hath therefore written them in the earth. And in the dayes of Jeroboam the ſon of Joaſh] Not the ſon of Nebat, that ringleader of the ten Tribes revolt from the houſe of Dauid; but another little better, and yet very proſperous and victorious, 2 King. 14.25, 28. He reigned alſo fourty one years, and did great exploits: yet is Hoſea ſent to conteſt with him, to declaim againſt his ſin and wickedneſſe, and to proclaim heavy judgements againſt him and his people. This the Prophet did p. 3for a long while together with all fidelity and fortitude; when the King was triumphing over his enemies, and the people were not only drunk, but even mad again, by reaſon of their extraordinary proſperity, as Calvin expreſſeth it.Non tantum temulenti erant ſed etiam prorſus inſani. Calvin. Now that ſo young a Prophet ſhould ſo ſharply contend with ſo fierce a people, in the ruffe of their pride and jollity: that he ſhould ſo rouſe and repple up theſe drunkards of Ephraim with their crown of pride, Eſay 28.1. this ſhews him to have been of an heroical ſpirit. Jonah his contemporary flinched when ſent againſt Nineveh. Micah the Moraſthite (another of Hoſea's contemporaries) propheſied in the dayes of Hezekiah King of Judah, and ſpake to all the people of Judah, ſaying, Thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, Zion ſhall be ploughed like a field, and Jeruſalem ſhall become heaps, and the mountain of the houſe, the high places of a foreſt. Yet did not Hezekiah King of Judah, and all Judah put him at all to death, &c. Jer. 26.18, 19. He and Hoſea, though they prevailed little with the people they preached to, yet they were better dealt with then the Prophet Eſay (their contemporary too) of whom Hierom tels us, out of the Rabbines, that he was ſawn aſunder, becauſe he ſaid he had ſeen the Lord: and ſecondly, becauſe he called the great ones of Judah, Hieron. in Iſa. 1.Isa 1Princes of Sodom, and rulers of Gomorrah, Iſaiah 1.10.

Verſe 2. The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hoſea] Heb. In Hoſea: to note, that the Lord was both in his mind and mouth, in his ſpirit and ſpeech. God ſpake in him, before he ſpake out to the people. His propheſie muſt therefore needs be divine and deep. That's the beſt diſcourſe that's digged out of a mans own breaſt, that comes a corde ad cor, from the heart to the heart: And bleſſed are the pleople (ſaith one) that have ſuch Miniſters, that ſhall ſpeak nothing to them but what hath been firſt ſpoken by God in them: ſaying with David and Paul, We believe, therefore have we ſpoken: we alſo believe, 2 Cor. 4.13.2 Cor 4:13and therefore ſpeak: we have experimented what we deliver: we believe and are ſure, that God is in us of a truth, and that we preach cum gratia & privilegio. The beginning] Hence ſome gather, that Hoſea was the firſt Prophet: Hoſeas videtur tempore & majeſtate aliis prior, ſaith O Ecolampadius. Certain it is he began before Eſay (becauſe he propheſied in the dayes of Jeroboam, who was before Ʋzziah) whether before Amos or no, is not ſo certain.Di praep. Evang. l. 20. … ulut. Euſebius tels us there was no Greek Hiſtory extant before Hoſea's time. Well therefore might that ancient prieſt of Egypt ſay to Solon, You Grecians are all boyes and babies in matters of Antiquity: neither is there one old man amongst you. Samuel is counted the firſt Prophet, Acts 3.24.Plato in Tim…o but Hoſea was the firſt of thoſe that lived in theſe Kings dayes, and likely held out longeſt (ſee the Note on Verſe 1.) as did father Latimer, preaching twice every ſabbath day,Act. & Mon. though of a very great age: and riſing to his ſtudy winter and ſummer at two of the clock in the morning. Others read the words thus, At the beginning when the Lord ſpake by Hoſea, he ſaid to Hoſea himſelf, Go take unto thee, &c. An uncouth precept, and a rough beginning for a young preacher, whoſe youth might be deſpiſed, and whoſe ſharpneſſe might be diſguſted. But truth muſt be ſpoken, however it be taken: and a preacher ſhould take the ſame liberty to cry down ſin, that men take to commit ſin, Eſay 58.1. Hierom was called fulmen Eccleſiaſticum, the Church thunderbolt: And our Mr Perkins applied the word ſo cloſe to the conſciences of his hearers, that he was able to make their hearts fall down,Mr Fullers Holy State. and their hairs almoſt to ſtand upright. But in old age he was more milde, and delighted much to preach mercy; as did alſo our Prophet Hoſea, whoſe propheſie is comminatory in the fore-part, conſolatory in the latter part. And the Lord ſaid to Hoſea] This is now the third time inculcated for more authority ſake, which the people ſo rubb'd and menaced would be apt enough to queſtion. He therefore ſhews them his commiſſion, and that he hath good ground for what he ſaith; that they may have no cauſe to cavil,Melch. Ad. but reply as that good Dutch Divine did (if God would give them a heart ſo to do) Veniat, veniat, verbum Domini, & ſubmittemus ei, ſexcenta ſi nobis eſſent colla: Let the word of the Lord come, yea, let it come, and we will ſubmit there unto, though we had ſix hundred lives to loſe for ſo doing.

Go take unto thee a wife of whoredoms] An arrant whore, a ſtinking ſtrumpet,Calvin. ſcortum obſoletum, a known and trite harlot; ſuch as were Thais, Lais, Phryne, &c. yea, and ſuch a one as, after marriage with a former husband at leaſt, went aſtray after other ſweet-hearts; for ſo the application of the figure to the ſubject, Chap. 2. p. 4requireth it to be underſtood: Whereby it appears (ſaith Diodate) that all this was done in a viſion. Others infer as much from that phraſe in this verſe, The beginning of the word of the Lord in Hoſea, that is, (ſaith Polanus) appearing and ſpeaking to him by an inward viſion, as it were in an extaſie. Beſides, in the third chapter, and three firſt verſes, the Prophet is bidden to marry another harlot. to buy her for his own uſe, and to keep her at his houſe for a time. Now ſcimus hoc non fuiſſe completum, ſaith Calvin; we know that this was never really done. It follows therefore that this figure was only propoſed to the people, that they might perpceive in the looking-glaſſe of this allegory; firſt, their duty toward God, ſecond, their diſloyalty, thirdly, their penalty for the ſame. It is not an hiſtorical narration, but a Prophetical viſion. Children of fornication, a baſtardly brood: ſuch as this evil and adulterous generation is; ſons of the rebellious whoriſh woman, children of tranſgr…ſſion, a ſeed of falſhood, Eſay 57.4. The Hebrews call ſuch children brambles, ſuch as Abimelech was, who grew in the hedge-row of an harlot: they call them alſo Mamzer, as ye would ſay, a ſtrange blot: And Shatuki, or ſilent, becauſe when others are praiſing their parents, ſuch muſt hold their peace, and hold down their heads with ſhame enough, becauſe by-blows.

for the land hath committed great whoredoms] Fornicando fornicata eſt, i. e. frequentiſſimè & faediſſimè, moſt frequently and moſt filthily: See Eezek 23. thoroughout. Aholah, (that is, Iſrael) plaied the harlot when ſhe was mine, verſe 5. In her youth they lay with her, verſe 8. ſo that ſhe might ſay with that impudent ſtrumpet Quartilla in Petronius, …etron. Satyr.that ſhe could never remember her ſelfa virgin: Yea, ſhe grew old in her adulteries, verſe 43. opened her feet to every paſſenger, and multiplied her whoredoms, Ezek. 16.25. Meretrices ſcilicet hoc eſt meretriciſſimae. Such a common proſtibulum is the whore of Rome. whom her followers call piam matrem, quae gremium claudat nemini. Joan of Naples was a ſaint to her. Idolatry is ſpiritual whoredome in many reſpects. It defiles the ſoul, Gods bridal-bed. It breaks the marriage-knot, and diſcovenants. It enrageth God, who in this caſe will take no ranſome. It ſubjecteth men to Gods deepeſt diſpleaſure: It beſots them and unmans them: they that make idols are like unto them, ſo are all they that truſt in them.Pſal. 115.Ps 115

Laſtly, …dolatry is ſeldome without adultery, in a proper ſenſe; as appears in the old Heathens, at their feaſts of Priapus, Lupercalia, &c. the Canaanites had filled the Land from one end to another with their uncleanneſſe, Ezra 9.11. and in the Papiſts at this day, who reckon fornication a venial ſin, have their Stews allowed them; yea, among the very Indians, who abhor their moſt loathſome living: And for Rome it ſelf — tota eſt jam Roma lupanar, it is become a great brothelhouſe, and her ſtench is come up to heaven, as Matthew Paris (one of her ſons) long ſince ſaid. Departing from the Lord] In whom all amiables and admirables are concentred. This did exceedingly aggravate the unkindneſſe.

Verſe 3. So he went] He ſaid not,john 6.60. This is a hard ſaying, who can hear it? Dura mihi praecipit, & poene terret. He doth not reaſon but run, diſpute but diſpatch. God muſt be obeyed, though we ſee no ſenſe for it. And took Gomer] which ſignifieth both conſummation and conſumption, to ſhew that ſhe was conſummata meretrix, a compleat whore, had all the tricks of a whore; and brings her paramours to finall conſumption, utter extermination.

the daughter of Diblaim] Not quaſi de Belaim, a place ſo called, as Hugo dreameth: though there was a wilderneſſe of this name, whereto ſome think the Prophet here alludeth, to ſhew the Churches wretched beginning in its own nature: as Cant. 3:6. Ezek. 16.7. But Diblaim is by ſome taken for Gomers father: by more, for her mother, which is alſo held to be an harlot, according to that Ezek. 16.44. As is the mother, ſo is the daughter. Diblaim ſignifieth bunches of dried figs, that were the delicacies of thoſe times. Gluttony is the gallery that lechery walketh thorough. Sine Cerere & Libero friget Venus. Concupiſcence (as Plato ſaith) hath the loweſt places, and is alligata ventri, as one would tie an horſe or an aſſe to the manger.Jer. 5.8.Jer 5:8 Jeremy not unfitly compareth ſenſualiſts to fed horſes, neighing after their neighbours wives: Saturity breeds ſecurity, which is the ſure forerunner of deſtruction. Eſt ergo hic gnome, ſaith à Lapide. i. e. Here we have then an elegant ſentence, Gomer is the daughter of Diblaim, that is, rottenneſſe of p. 5ſenſuality: for as the worm that grows in the fruit, devoureth it; ſo doth grief, the pleaſure of ſin. This Obſervation we have from the Cabbaliſts.

Verſe 4. Call his name Jezreel] For the honourable name of Iſrael is too good for this people; call them therefore Jezreel, a people devoted to diſperſion,foreign ſpargere. and ſuch as I will ſcatter into the four windes of heaven, as the ſeeds…man ſcattereth his ſeed. Thus Jeconiah is called Coniah, (for a judgement upon him) Bethel, Beth-aven, Har, Hammiſcha, the mount Olivet, or of Unction, Har hammaſchith, the mount of corruption, 2 King. 23.13. And this is not unuſuall amongſt men; ſo when they would diſgrace a man, to clip or play upon his name: as when they ſpitefully called Athanaſius Sathanaſius, Cyprian Coprian, (as if all his excellent works were but dung) Calvine, Cain, &c. This people, ſaith God hére, are more like Ahab then Jacob. Call them therefore Jezreel (Ahabs Court) that is, a den of theeves and murtherers, where innocent Naboth cannot be maſter of the vineyard that he was born to. Micah (who propheſied alſo much about theſe times) hath a ſaying much to the ſame purpoſe, Chap. 2. ver. 7. O thou that art named, the houſe of Jacob, is the ſpirit of the Lord ſtraitned? are theſe his doings? q. d. Ye that boaſt of Jacob to be your father, do you tread in his ſteps? are ye of his ſpirit, of his practiſe? was there ſuch vile prophaneneſſe found in him, as is openly found in you? David deſcribeth the generation of ſuch as ſeek God, Pſal. 24.6.Ps 24:6as ſeek his face, and then ſubjoyneth, This is Jacob, theſe are Iſraelites indeed, theſe are Jews inwardly: and all others are degenerate plants, and are the worſe for their outward priviledges: ſith tribulation and anguiſh ſhall be upon every ſoul of man that doth evil, but of the Jew firſt, and then alſo of the Gentile, Rom. 2.9.

for yet a little while] And yet this little was a long while, through Gods gracious forbearance. As bad as this people were, they ſhould not periſh without warning; yea, though the Lord foreknew they would make no good uſe of it. foreign, ſaith the Heathen Hiſtorian: God loves to foreſignifie,Herodot. and premoniſh. But there is nothing more dangerous and diſinall, then theſe ſtill revenges; as when God ſuddenly brake out in wrath upon Nadab and Abihu, upon Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, Pharaoh at the Red-Sea, when he would not beware. It is a juſt both deſert and preſage of ruine, not to be warned. See this in Nineveh, ſpared at firſt, but after a little while revolting, ſoundly paid for the new and old faults, Nahum. 3.19. Non conſurget iterùm afflictio, ſaith the ſame Prophet,Nahum. 3.19.Nah 3:19 chap. 1.9. Affliction ſhall not riſe up the ſecond time: God will not make two doings of it: but when he begins, he will alſo make an end, 1 Sam. 3.12. that is, as ſure as he begins, ſo ſure will he make an end: and though it may be ſome time ere he begin, yet a little while (for he is ſlow to wrath, and of great kindneſſe) yet aſſuredly he will avenge the blood of Jezreel,] i. e. the executions done by Iehu upon the houſe of Ahab, as ſo many murders: ſee 1 King. 16.7.2 King. 9.24, 31. & 10.11.17.2 Kgs 9:242 Kgs 9:312 Kgs 10:112 Kgs 10:17 This God did not preſently, but that's nothing. Nullum tempus occurrit Regi, nedum D…. He is ſlow, but ſure, Et tarditatem ſupplicij gravitate compenſat, Val. Max.as the Heathen could ſay, the longer he holds, the harder he ſtrikes: and viſits Iehu's houſe for by-paſt ſins, that they made little reckoning of. Sin may ſleep a long time, like a ſleeping debt, not called for of many yeers: As Sauls ſin in ſlaying the Gibeonites, not puniſhed till fourty yeers after: as Ioabs killing of Abner, ſlept all Davids dayes: as Amalec periſhed, for their ill uſage of Iſrael, many hundred yeers after. It is ill angring the Ancient of dayes. He that ſaith, Vengeance is mine, I will repay it, takes his own time for the doing of it: and who ſhall preſcribe to him? It is dangerous offending him whoſe diſpleaſure is everlaſting. Vapours, that aſcend inviſibly, come down again in ſtormes and ſhowers. A ſinner of an hundred yeers ſhall be accurſed, and made to poſſeſſe the ſins of his youth. It is not the laſt ſand that exhauſts the hour-glaſſe, nor the laſt ſtroak that fells the Oak. Iehu's houſe is viſited, and his progeny extinguiſhed in the fourth generation, for Iehu's offences. Gods work muſt be done truly, that there be no halting, and totally, that there be no halving. But Iehu, as he had not that true heart ſpoken of by the Apoſtle, Hebr. 10.22. but was double minded, Iames 1.8. & 4.8. (like that mad Neapolitan that ſaid, he had two hearts, one for God, and another for him that would:) So he fulfilled not after God, or he followed not God fully, as Caleb did, Numb. Implevit post mi. foreign.14.24. he did not all Gods wills as David, Acts 13. he ſerved him not with a perfect p. 6heart, as Aſa, 2 Chron. 15.17. He reformed the State, but not the Church; or if he did ſomething toward it, yet he was not thorow in it. He had a diſpenſatory conſcience: for though he rooted out Baals-worſhip, yet the golden Calves muſt continue; piety muſt give place to policy. It was a juſt complaint of Chemnitius, Principes regionem potiùs quam religionem quaerunt: pauperes panem potiùs quam Chriſtum. All men ſeek their own, but not the things of Jeſus Chriſt, Phil. 2.21. And yet piety hath ever proved to be the beſt policie: and the very Philoſopher in his Politicks gives this golden Rule.Arist. pol. l. 7. c. 8. foreign. Firſt take care of Divine things. Iehu ſeemed at firſt to be as zealous a Reformer, as Iehoſaphat: but though his fleece was fair, his liver was rotten. In parabola ovis capras ſuas quaerebat; he was like the Eagle which ſoareth aloft, not for any love of heaven: her eye is, all the while, upon the prey; which by this means ſhe ſpies ſooner, and ſeizeth upon better. He ſeems to have been of Machiavels minde, viz. that vertue it ſelf ſhould not be ſought after, but onelyonly the appearance: becauſe the credit is a help, the u…e a cumber.Am. Marcel. Confuſo quodam temperamento mi…ta.Camd. Finally, of Iehu it may he ſaid, as Marcellinus ſaith of Iulian, that by his hypocriſie and double-dealing, Obnubilabat gloriae multiplices curſus, he ſtained his many praiſe-worthy practiſes. Or as Camden ſaith of King Henry the eight; Fuerunt quidem in eo rege, &c. There were in that King great vertues, and no leſſe vices mingled, or rather jumbled together. Or laſtly, as Folieta Galeazo reporteth of Sfortia Duke of Millain, that he was a very monſter, made up, and compact of vertue and vice. See more verſe 5. And I will cauſe to ceaſe the Kingdom.] This fell out after 76 yeers; which God counts and calls here, but a little while: A thouſand yeers with him are but as one day. What is our life but a ſpot of time betwixt two eternities?Jam. 4.14.Jas 4:14 It is even a vapour, ſaith S. Iames, that appeareth for a little time, Heb. 4.1.Heb 4:1and then vaniſheth away. Let us therefore fear, leſt a promiſe being left us, (and a door now opened) of entring into Gods reſt, any of us ſhould ſeem to come ſhort, or to come lag, andlate, as did Eſau, the fooliſh virgins, thoſe that come a day after the fair, an hour after the feaſt; Agree with your adverſary quickly, prepare to meet thy God,Chryſol. O Iſrael, Currat poenitentia, ne praecurrat ſententiae: Repent a day before death, (and that may be this day, before the next) make Gods judgements preſent in conceit, ere they come in the event, previſion is the likelieſt way of prevention, the ſureſt means of mitigation: whereas coming on the ſudden, they finde weak mindes ſecure, make them miſerable, leave them deſperate.

Verſe 5. I will break the bowe of Iſrael] though it may ſeem to have a back of ſteel, and though it be drawn by Ieh… himſelf, with his full ſtrength, as once againſt Iehoram, to the piercing of his heart, 2 King. 9.24. He means, God will blaſt all the power of their Ammunition, defeat their likelieſt projects, and practiſes, and make the ſtrongeſt ſinew in the arm of fleſh to crack. He breaketh the bowe, and cutteth the ſpear in ſunder, &c. Pſal. 46.9. He rendreth the weapons vain, or ſucceſſefull, Iſai. 54.17. Ierem. 50.9. as he did when the Rats and Mice were ſent into Sennacheribs Army in great abundance, to gnaw and devour their quivers,Herod. l. 2. bowe-ſtrings, belts, bridles, ſhields, (as Herodotus relates) to ſhew that the ſhields of the earth belong to the Lord, that the Militia of the World is his, that he orders the Ammunition, Ier. 50.25. And the like was done by this Lord of Hoſts, or Armies, when the winde and weather fought for Theodoſius, in that famous battle againſt the tyrant Maximus, Aug. de civ. Dei. l. 5.celebrated by Claudian: As alſo when the Spaniſh Armado was defeated and diſcomfited by the Engliſh in 88. That was very remarkable and for our purpoſe appoſite, which fell out in the battle between Edward the third of England, and Philip of France. Philip enraged with a defeat, reſolves preſently to revenge it; and hardly had patience to ſtay in Abbeville one day, while the Bridge to paſſe over his Army was repayring. And with this precipitation and fury, into the field he marcheth, elevated with an aſſured hope of triumphant Victory.Daniels Works. 237. But it fell out otherwiſe; for there fell at the inſtant of the Battle a piercing ſhower of rain, which diſſolved their ſtrings, and made their bowes unuſefull. In the valley of Iezreel] A city neer to Maximinianopolis, ſaith Hierom. Of the valley wherein this City was ſcituate, ſee Ioſh. 17.16. Iudg. 6.33. It was in the tribe of Manaſſeh, and bordered upon Iſſachar, Joſh. 19.18. It was ten miles long, and two miles over; being called alſo, the plain of Galilee, and was fit for a fight, for a pitcht battle. Here i… was, ſaith Adrichomius, that p. 7Gideon fought the Midianites Iudg. 6.7. Saul the Philiſtines. 1 Sam. 31. Ahab the Syrians 1 King 20. And here Zachary (the laſt of Jehu's line) was ſlain, and with him the kingdom of Iſrael received ſuch a wound, that it could never riſe again. Mona…chies have their times and their turns, their riſe and their ruine. Junius renders it Propter Vallem Jericho, I will break the bow of Iſrael, becauſe of the wall of Jezreel: that is, ſaith he, becauſe of the ſlaughter of Ahabs houſe there made by Jehu 2 King. 10 Jehu's Tent in that execution was rewarded as an Act of Juſtice quoad ſubſtantiam operis, and yet puniſhed as an Act of policy quoad modum for the perverſe end. Finibus non officijs a vitijs diſcernuntur virtutes ſaith Auguſtine. By the ends and not by the works done, are vertues diſtinguiſhed from vices. Two things make a good Chriſtian, and declare him ſo, good Actions and good Aimes. And although a good aime doth not make a bad Action good (as in Ʋzza) yet a bad aime makes a good action bad, as here in Jebu. There may be then, we ſee, malum opus in bona materia, a work materially good, which yet may never prove ſo formally and eventually: ſc. when there is a fail either quoad fontem, or quoad finem. A thing which I ſee in the night may ſhine: and that ſhining proceed from nothing but rottenneſs. Blazing comets (though but comets) as long as they keep aloft, ſhine bright. But when they begin to decline from their pitch, they fall to the earth, and infect the Air. So when Illuminates forſake the Lord, and minde onelyonly earthly things, being all for ſelf, they loſe their light, and go out in a ſnuffe. Jehu's golden calves made an end of him and his, though he made an end of Ahabs houſe and Baals worſhip. His rooting out of Ahabs race was but to ſettle the crown better upon his own head. Like unto him was our Richard the third, who well knowing (ſaith the Hiſtorian) it was no pollicy to play the villaine by halfdeal is reſolved to leave never a rub to lie in the way,Daniels hiſt. 218. that might hinder the true running of his bowle. Like unto him alſo (ſaith Maſter Calvin upon this text) was our king Henry the eighth, who caſt off ſome degree of Popery, ſo farre as would ſerve his own turn: but there were the ſix Articles in force (that whip with ſix cords, as that Martyr called it) for which many ſuffered at that time.Acts & Mor. And whereas (like Sylla) he commanded others, under great penalties, to be no Papiſts, himſelf was either Papiſt or Athieſt, jearing at ſome for their old Mumpſimus, and at others for their new Sumpſimus, as he profanely called the Reformation: hanging Papiſts on the one ſide of the hedge, for denying his Supremacy, and burning Proteſtants on the other ſide thereof, for denying Tranſubſtantiation, &c. And hence it may be thought, is that dreadfull and diſmall ruine that is now (in theſe our dayes, and in the fourth generation or ſucceſſion) befaln the royall family. The houſe of Jehu fareth the worſe for Jehu. Offa king of Eaſt-Saxons lived in the time of Charles the great, and was a potent Prince. But the many injuries he did, and the murther he committed in his houſe upon Ethelbert king of Eaſt-Angles, coming to him under a publike faith, and a ſuitor to his daughter, were juſtly revenged upon his poſterity, which, after him, declining, in the end loſt all. But to return to Jehu: we ſhall find 2 Kin. 10.30.Daniels hiſt. p. 111. that God ſaid, that becauſe Jehu had ſhed the blood of Ahab in Jezreel, that he would reward him for it: and that his children to the fourth generation ſhould ſit upon the throne of Iſrael, and govern that Kingdom. And yet, for miſcarriage in the manner, juſtly plagueth his poſterity. As Xerxes crowned his Steereſman in the morning and yet hanged him in the afternoon of the ſame day. And as Mareſcal de Thermas the French Generall, firſt Knighted a French ſouldier in Scotland who firſt mounted a beſieged Fort (by that means taken) and then hanged him within an hour after, for doing it without order. See more of this in the Note upon the former verſe.

Verſe 6. And ſhe conceived againe] To ſhew, in a continued allegory, the weak and wofull eſtate of the ten tribes, when the Aſſyrian took from them all the land of Gilead and Galilee, together with all the land of Nepthali, and carried them captive, ſubduing in a manner five tribes of Iſrael: to wit thoſe without Iordan (who as they had firſt their inheritance given them, ſo they were now firſt carried captives) and the tribes of Zabulon and Nepthali who were ſeated in the land of Galilee, And this was the firſt captivity of Iſrael: ſee 2 Kings 15.29, Eſay. 9.1. And bare a daughter. This age is compared to a daughter, becauſe from that time forward, after the bow of Iſrael was ſo broken, as Verſe 5. they ſhould be no more able to defend themſelves, than if they were a common-wealth of women: p. 8Their ſpirits ſhould be ſo cowed out and emaſculated, their backs ſo bowed down with unſupportable burdens and bondages,Vt de Ctanmer… Melc. Ad. that there was ſcarcely place left of a worſe condition, nor hope of a better. Like them were thoſe we read of Eſay 51.23. that yeelded to ſuch as would but ſay to them, Bow down that we may go over you. Hom: Jl. ſic. Virg: Phrygiae, neque enim Phryges.Or as thoſe in Nahum, 3.13. Their men ſhall be as women foreign, timerous and cowardly, like Iſſachar's Aſſe Gen: 49.15. [whoſe lot fell in Galilee, Ioſh: 19.18.] or thoſe fugitives of Ephraim Iudg. 12.4. that therefore bare a brand of diſhonour, becauſe they would not rather die bravely, then live baſely: Of ſuch it may be ſaid as of Harts and Stags, they have great horns and ſtrength, but do nothing with them, quia deeſt animus, becauſe their ſpirits are imbaſed: as the Iſraelites in Egypt were of old by Pharoah, and as the Grecians are at this day by the Turk. call her name Loruhamah,] When God once calls a people or a perſon by this name, we may well write upon their dores (if any place be yet left for prayer, any good to be done by it) Lord have mercy upon them: their condition is deplorable, if not deſperate. Vade frater in Cellam et dic, Miſerere mei, Deus, Brother go into thy Cell and ſay, Lord have mercy upon me, ſaid Crantzius to Luther, when he began to declaime againſt the Pope, for he looked upon him as an undone man,Scultet: Annal. and yet he was not. But thoſe are doubly undone, to whom God ſhall ſay as here to Iſrael, I will no more have mercy] Heb: I will add no more to ſhew mercy: but my ſo oft abuſed mercy ſhall turn into fury. That it is not ſo yet with this ſinfull nation, that we are not yet a Loruhamah, an Acheldama, that we are not already as Sodom, Eſa. 1.9. Zeph. 2.9.Isa 1:9Zeph 2:9and like unto Gomorrah, even a place of nettles and ſaltpits, a perpetuall deſolation, as another prophet hath it, we may well cry out, O the depth, the fathomleſſe depth of Gods dear love to England. Certain it is that we have hitherto ſubſiſted by a miracle of his mercy, and by a prop of his extraordinary patience. Certain it is that God hath not dealt with England according to his ordinary rule, but according to his prerogative royall. England (if one may ſo ſpeak with reverence) is a paradox to the Bible. God grant that being lifted up to heaven with Capernaum in the abundance of bleſſings ſhe be not brought down to hell by the abuſe of them; that God ſet not that ſad impreſſion of Loruhamah (worſe then any black Theta) upon her, and make her know the worth of his undervalued favours by the want of them: why ſhould it be ſaid of us as once, Anglica gens eſt optima flens, et peſſima ridens? why ſhould we provoke the Lord ſo long till he ſhall reſolve upon an evill, an onelyonly evill, i. e. without mixture of mercy;Ezek. 7.5.Ezek 7:5 till the decree bring forth, Zeph. 2.2. and God pronounceth that fatall ſentence againſt us that he did once againſt the old world, Fiat juſtitia, ruat mundus, Let juſtice be done though the world be thereby undone. Of all Gods Attributes he can leaſt abide an abuſe in his mercy, Gods, mercy is precious (ſaith one) and he will not let it run out to waſt; he will not be prodigall of it: There is a time wherein God will ſay, now I have done, I have even done with this people, mercy hath had her turn &c. I will not alwayes ſerve them for a ſinning-ſtock, but will take another courſe with them: I will take my own and be gone: and woe be unto them when I depart from them. When the ſun is eclipſed, all creatures fade and flag here below. Thou hiddeſt thy face, Lord, and I was troubled, Pſal. 30.7. David could not live but in the light of Gods countenance: he begs for mercy every where, as for life, never did poor priſoner at the bar beg harder for a pſalm of mercy then he doth, Pſal. 51.1. and other where. Neither would common mercies content him, he muſt have ſuch as are proper and peculiar to Gods own people, even the ſure mercies of David. Oh make ſure of mercy, what ever you go without. And the rather becauſe there are a race of Loruhamahs, a ſort of ſuch amongſt men as are excluded from mercy. God is not mercifull to any wicked tranſgreſſours Pſal. 59.5. that go on in their treſpaſſes Pſal. 68.21. that allow them and wallow in them. That laſt letter in Gods name had need to be well remembred Exod. 32.7. He will by no meanes clear the guilty. And that terrible text ſhould never be forgotten by thoſe that are obſtinate in an evill courſe, and bleſs themſelves when God curſeth them, Deut. 29.19.20. See the note there. Gods mercy goes oft-times in Scripture bounded by his truth: and as the ſame fire hath burning heat and cheerfull light, ſo hath p. 9God plagues for the obſtinate, and mercy for the penitent. Surely as he is pater miſevationum the father of mercies: ſo he is Deus ultionum the God of vengeances: as he hath vbera, ſo he hath verbera, treaſures of puniſhments for thoſe eſpecially that kick at his bowels, that deſpiſe his long-ſufferance, that argue from love to liberty, which is the Divels logick. Cavete a Melampygo.

But I will utterly take them away] Tollendo tollam, So Calvin renders it: and further tels us that ſome render it Comburam, I will burn them: and indeed war is fitly compared to fire that cruel element, and to extream famine Iſaia. 9.19.20. The vulgar latine tranſlateth it Obliviſcendo obliviſcar, I will utterly forget them: and that's puniſhment enough: as when one carried himſelf inſolently toward the State of Rome, a grave Senator gave this counſel, Let us forget him and he will ſoon remember himſelf. Woe be to thoſe to whom Chriſt ſhall ſay, Verily I know you not, I have utterly forgot you. Mercer rendreth it, Levabo, id eſt, projiciam, I will lift them up, that I may throw them down againe with the greater poiſe. The Seventy hath I will ſet my ſelf againſt them in battell array. Now the Lord is a man of war Exod. 15.4. yea he is the Lord and Victor of wars, as the Chaldee there paraphraſeth. But what meant the Chaldee here to render this text by Parcendo parcam eis, Sparing I will ſpare them: is not this point-blank againſt Loruhamah? How much better Tremellius, ut ullo-pacto condonem-iſt is, that I ſhould any way forgive them. Have I not pardoned them enough already? may I not well by this time be weary of repenting? I will even break off my patience, and forbear to puniſh no longer, I have long time holden my peace, I have been ſtill and refrained my ſelf: now will I cry like a travelling woman (who bites in her paine as long as ſhe is able I will deſtroy and devour at once: I will, I will. Iſa. 42.1…Isa 42:1The ten tribes never returned out of captivity, unleſs it were ſome few of them that came up with the other two tribes out of Babylon, Ezr. 2. by the appointment of Cyrus: and ſome others that fled home when Nineveh (where they were held captive) was deſtroyed: But for the generality of them, whether they abide in China or Tartary, or Weſt-Indies, I cannot tell you. Parcus rendreth it, Nam tolerando toleravi eos, for I have a long while born with their evill manners. And ſurely Subito tollitur, Aug.qui diu toleratur, as an Ancient ſaith, Gods patience will not alwayes hold &c.

Verſ. 7. But I will have mercy upon the houſe of Judah.] The Ark and the mercy ſeate were never ſeparated. Judah had not utterly caſt off God, as Iſrael had: but worſhipped God in the Temple, (how corruptly ſoever) therefore they ſhall have mercy becauſe they kept the right way of worſhip. See the Churches plea for mercy to this purpoſe Jer. 14.9. Againe, Judah was now in a very great ſtraight having been lately beaten and plundered by Iſrael 2. King. 4.12. therefore they ſhall have mercy. God heard Hagars affliction and relieved her. I have ſeen, I have ſeen, the ſufferings of my people in Egypt, ſaith God,Exod. 2Exod 2 and am come to eaſe them. Becauſe they have called thee an outcaſt, ſaying, This is Zion whom no man looketh after, therefore I will reſtore health unto thee, and I will heale thee of thy wounds, ſaith the Lord Jer. 30.17. He will repent for his people when he ſeeth their power is gone, Deut. 32.36. when there is dignus vindice nodus, an extremity fit for divine power to interpoſe. He knowes that mercy is never ſo ſeaſonable and ſweet, as when miſery weighs down, and nothing but mercy turns the ſcale: therefore Judah ſhall have mercy, when Iſrael ſhall have none. True it is, that Judah was not at this time much better then Iſrael, Aholibah then Aholah: they were ſcarce free from Sodomy and many ſuch like foul abominations. But what of that? if God come with a non obſtante as Pſal 106.8. Nevertheleſſe he ſaved them for his names ſake &c. who ſhall gainſtand him: If he will ſhew mercy for his names ſake, what people is there ſo wicked whom he may not ſave? See Eſay 57.47. Ezek. 20.8.14.22.44. Add hereunto that Iſrael and Syria were confederate againſt Judah, & thought to have made but a breakfaſt of them, Iſay. 7.5. &c. but God here promiſeth Judah mercy: and lets them know to their comfort, that there is more mercy for them in heaven, then there can be miſery in earth, or malice in hell againſt them. True it is, that even after this gratious promiſe made to Judah, it went very hard with them, See 2. Chron. 28.6. there 120000. of them were ſl…in in one battle and 200000. of them carried captive: yea, and all this by theſe Iſraelites here rejected from that mercy that Judah is promiſed; beſides p. 10abundance more miſery that befell them by Edomites. Ver. 17. Philiſtines. 18. Aſſyrians. 20. &c. Eccleſia hares Crucis ſaith Luther, The Church as ſhe is heire of the promiſes, ſo is ſhe of the Croſs: and the promiſes are alwayes to be underſtood with condition of the croſs. The palſy-man in the Goſpel healed by our Saviour heard, Son be of good cheere, thy ſins are forgiven thee, and yet he was not preſently free'd of his diſeaſe, till after a diſpute held with the Phariſes (which muſt needs take up ſome time) and the caſe cleared, Jeſus ſaid, Ariſe take up thy bed and walk, and ſo ſhew thy ſelf a ſound man. But to go on: Judah ſhall be ſaved, and not Iſrael, that envied Judah, and maliciouſly ſought their ruine. David looketh upon it as a ſweet mercy, that God had ſpred him a table in the preſence, and maugre the malice of his enemies. Pſal 23.4. Mat. 8.11.Ps 23:4Matt 8:11And the children of the kingdome (ſo the Jewes are called) ſhall gnaſh their teeth, and be even ready to eat their nailes at the reception of the Gentiles. This was it that put the men of Nazareth into an anger, and our Saviour into a danger, Luk. 4.25.26. By the Lord their God] that i, by the Lord Chriſt by Meſſiah their Prince, by the word of the Lord their God, ſaith the Chaldee here, that word eſſentiall John. 1.1. that true Zaphnath Paaneach (that is Saviour of the world, as Hierome interprets it) whereof Joſeph was but a type. This horn of ſalvation, or mighty Saviour (able to ſave them to the u…oſt that come unto God by him,foreign. Heb. 7.25) God raiſed up for there unworthy Jews, and even thruſt him upon them, whether they would or no, Iſay. 7.13.14. that all might appear to be of free grace. Well might God ſay, … have mercy upon the houſe of Judah, matchleſſe mercy indeed: mercy that rejoyced againſt judgement. Mans perverſneſs breaketh not off the courſe of Gods goodneſs; Judah ſhall be ſaved by the Lord their God who is Alius from his Father, but not Al…, a diſtinct perſon, not a diſtinct thing. This Angel of Gods preſence ſaved them, in h… love, and in his pitty he redeemed them &c. Iſay. 63.9. even the Angel that had redeemed their father Jacoh from all evill Gen. 48.16. and that ſoon after this propheſie, deſtroyed ſo many thouſands in Senacheribs army, Not by bow ner by battle &c. but by his own bare hand immediatly and miracul uſly 2. King. 19. where we may ſee that when Senacherib (after the example of his father Salmaneſer, who had captivated the ten tribes) came up againſt Judah, having already devoured Jeruſalem in his hopes, and thinking to cut them off at a blow, as if they had all had but one neck, they were ſaved by Jehovah their God: the Virgin daughter of Zion knew well the worth and valour of Chriſt her champion, and that made her ſo confident Eſay. 37.22. She knew whom ſhe had truſted, not with her outward condition onelyonly, but with her inward and everlaſting, with her precious ſoul, ſaying with David I am thine, ſave me: for I hauehave ſought thy precepts. Pſal. 119.94. I will not truſt in my bow, neither ſhall mine arme ſave me: but thy right hand and thine arme, Pſal. 44.3.5.Ps 44:3Ps 44:5and the light of thy countenance: for thou haſt a favour unto me. See the Note on Zach. 4.6. and on 14.3.5. That's an excellent paſſage Pſal. 21.13. Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own ſtrength: ſo will we ſing and praiſe thy power.

Verſ. 9. Now when ſhe had weaned Lo-ruhamah] That is, after that the patience of God had waited and long looked for their converſion; but all in va…ne, he reſolved upon their utter rejection. And firſt he ſent for his love tokens back againe:Eſa. 66.11.Isa 66:11 he weanes them and takes them off from thoſe breaſts of conſolation, the holy Ordinances, deprived them of thoſe dugs (better then wine, Cant. 1 4.) that they had deſpiſed, carried them far away from that good land that abounded with milk and hony: the men of the Eaſt ſhould be ſent in upon them to eat their fruit and drink their milk, Ezek. 25.4. This nation (ſaith a Divine) is ſick of a ſpirituall pluriſie: we begin to ſurfet on the bread of life, the unadulterated milk of Gods word, and to ſpill it. Now when God ſeeth his mercies lying under table, 'tis juſt with him to call to the enemy to take away. Say not here with thoſe in the Goſpell threatned with this judgment,Luk. 20.16.Luke 20:16 God forbid. Think it not a thing impoſſible, that England ſhould be thus viſited. The Sea is not ſo calme in ſummer, but it may be troubled with a ſtorme: the mountain ſo f…me, but may be moved with an earthquake. We have ſeen as fair Suns as ours fall from the midſt of heaven, for our inſtance, Lege hiſtoriam, ne fias hiſtoria. Surely except we repent and reforme a little better then we have done yet; a removall of our p. 11Candleſtick, a totall eclipſe of our Sun, may be as certainly foreſeen and foretold, as if viſions and letters were ſent us from heaven, as once to the ſeven Churches of Aſia, who ſinned away their light, &c. And bare a ſonne,] Not a daughter as before, but a ſonne, becauſe under Hoſea, the laſt King of Iſrael, that Kingdom began a little to lift up the head, and to ſtand it out againſt the Aſſyrian. But this was but extremus niſus regni, the laſt ſprunting of that dying State. For ſoon after, Samaria the chief City was cloſe beſiege…: and although it held out three whole yeers, with a Maſculine reſolution, yet at length it was ſacked, and all the people of the land carried captive, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, &c. as it is ſaid of their confederates the Egyptians, Eſay 20.4. and as it ſhall be done at length to that purple whore of Rome, who ſhall be ſtript naked, broil'd and eaten, Revel. 17.16. A cold ſweat ſtands already upon her limbs: and, for a preſage of her future ruine, it is obſerved, that Rome, ſince it became Papall, was never beſieged by any, but it was taken; As for their late Maſculine attempts and atchievements (if any) it is but as here in the Kingdom of Iſrael, a lightning before death, as the blaze of a candle a little afore it goes out, the bulging of a wall that's ready to come down, or as it was ſaid of Carthage, a little afore it was taken, Morientium beſtiarum violentiores eſſe morſus, dying beaſts bite cruelly.

Verſe 9. Call his name Loammi] Nomen extremum & deploratum, ſaith Pareus, the laſt and moſt lamentable name of all, containing a moſt heavy, but ſpiritual, and therefore leſſe ſenſible puniſhment, viz. an utter abjection and abdication from the covenant, from grace, from God, from life eternall. For ye are not my people] But, being totally caſhiered, and diſcovenanted; Are ye not as the children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Iſrael, ſaith the Lord? Have not I brought up Iſrael out of the land of Egypt, and the Philiſtims from Caphtor, Amos 9.7.Amos 9:7and the Syrians from Kir? q. d. True it is, I have brought you up out of Egypt (and therein you greatly glory) but have I not done as much as all this, for thoſe profane Nations here mentioned? with and amongſt whom, henceforward I ſhall reckon you, for you are no people of mine, but diſcarded, and diſpeopled? Till the Covenant made with Abraham, all Nations were ſuffered to walk in their own wayes, as fiſhes paſſe at liberty thorow the paths of the Seas, Pſal. 8.8. One perſon was no more reſpected then another. But as ſoon as it was ſaid, I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed after thee, the Church became as fiſh caſt into a Pond for peculiar uſe: and was divided from other Nations,Act. 14.16.Acts 14:16 no otherwiſe then light was from darkneſſe in the firſt creation, or then Goſhen was from Egypt, in that wonderfull ſeparation. But here God ſeems to reſcind his own act, to caſt off the people of his purchaſe, and utterly to diſown them; as once before he alſo did, when he fathered them upon Moſes, ſaying, Thy people, which thou haſt brought out of Egypt, &c. Exod. 32.7. But this (we muſt know) is no other then mutatio rei non Dei, effectus non affectus, facti non conſilij, not a change of Gods will, but onelyonly of his works. For hath God indeed caſt away his people? God forbid. Rom. 11.1, 2.Rom 11:1Rom 11:2God hath not caſt away his people, whom he foreknew. Thus ſaith the Lord God, If heaven above can be meaſured, and the foundations of the earth ſearched out beneath, I will alſo caſt off all the ſeed of Iſrael, for all that they have done, ſaith the Lord. Jer. 31.37.Jer 31:37And albeit (by an angry Apoſiopeſis) he ſay here, I will not be your God. (The word God, is not in the Original, ab irato omittitur, ſaith Mercer) yet to ſhew that he is Bagnal Chemah, One that can rule his wrath, as Neb. 1.2. he ſubjoyneth here, verſe 10.

Verſe 10. Yet the number of the children of Iſrael]. i. e. of the Iſrael of God, thoſe Jews inwardly the Circumciſion indeed, which worſhip God in the ſpirit, and rejoyce in Chriſt Jeſus, putting no confidence in the fleſh, Phil. 3.3.Bern. but ſaying each for himſelf as that good Father did, Horreo quicquid de meo eſt, ut ſim meus; All my care is to be found in Chriſt (ſc. when ſought for by the juſtice of God) not having mine own righteouſneſſe which is of the law, Beza.but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſſe which is of God by faith. Phil. 3.9.Phil 3:9Lo, to ſuch Iſraelites indeed, and of ſuch it is here promiſed (the Lord in Judgement remembring Mercy) that they ſhall be the ſand of the ſea which cannot be meaſured nor numbered; This was firſt promiſed to Abraham; and afterwards confirmed with an oath, Gen. 22.16. It began to be fulfilled; when, by the preaching of the Apoſtles, ſo p. 12many of both Jews and Gentiles came in and were converted to the faith of the true Meſſiah, as S. Paul expoundeth this text, Rom. 9.24, 25. and he had the mind of Chriſt. It ſhall have its full accompliſhment, when the fulneſſe of the Gentiles ſhall come in, and all Iſrael ſhall be ſaved, Rom. 11.26. Then the Church ſhall be as the ſtone that ſmote the Image, it ſhall become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth. Though the beginning of it be ſmall, yet the later end of it ſhall greatly increaſe, Job 8.7. for all the earth ſhall be filled with the glory of Chriſt: he ſhall have dominion from ſea to ſea, and from the river to the ends of the earth, Pſal. 72.8, 11, 17 Great is the paucity of Gods people for preſent: but let us, by the help of this promiſe, get above that ſtumbling block. Coſmographers tell us, that if we divide all the known world into thirty parts, the Heathens part is as nineteen of this thirty: the Mahometans as ſix, the Chriſtians as five only: And of thoſe five, more then the one half is held by idolatrous Papiſts. But let not this diſcourage us; it will be otherwiſe one day, for the Scripture cannot be broken. And although God may ſeem utterly to have abandoned his ancient people the Jews (the ten Tribes eſpecially) yet they, as well as the reſt, ſhall be vouchſafed this honour to be called to the participation of Chriſt, Ezek. 37.16, 19. Jer. 3, 12, 13, &c. Eſay 11.12, 13. Obad. 20. Zach. 10.6. Rom. 11.26. If God after ſo dreadful a threatning come in with his non-obſtante (as he doth likewiſe Pſal. 106.8. and elſewhere) and ſay, yet the number of the children of Iſrael ſhall be, &c. who ſhall gain ſay him? Their interpretation is too narrow, that underſtand this text of the increaſe of this people in all their diſperſions, until the time of their converſion. And that of Rabbi Ezra is pretty though not proper; that as the ſand keeps the waves of the ſea from breaking in and drowning the world: ſo doth Iſrael preſerve man-kind from periſhing by the waves of Gods wrath. It ſhould have been conſidered by him and the reſt of thoſe refractary Rabbines, that at that general converſion of the Jews (here plainly foretold) there ſhall be ſome ſtubborn ſpirits that will not even then ſtoop to Chriſt; but will be filled with envy, as thoſe cankered Phariſees their fore-fathers were (Acts 13.44, 45.) to ſee almoſt the whole City come together to hear Chriſt; Yea, they will be ready to ſay, as John 12.19. perceive ye how ye prevaile nothing? behold, the whole world follows him. Now againſt theſe ſpiritual ſpirits, the wrath of God ſhall be revealed from heaven, Rev. 21.8. Dan. 12.2. Eſay. 65.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.

and it ſhall come to paſſe, that in the place where it was ſaid unto them] As if God did now even repent, and would make them a full amends: make them glad according to the time, Pſal. 90.15.Ps 90:15and in that very place when and where they had ſeen evil. Jeruſalem ſhall be inhabited again in Jeruſalem, Zech. 12.6. The Jews (it is thought) ſhall dwell in their own Countrey, Jer. 3.18. & 23.8. Ezek. 37.11, 12. Amos 9.14, 15. and God have a very glorious Church in the Land of Canaan. But that's not all; The Gentiles, who ſhall be made a ſpiritual Iſrael, though in time paſt they were not a people, yet now are they the people of God; and which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy, 1 Pet. 2.10. yea, ſuch a ſignal mercy as S. John cannot look on without an Ecce admirantis; Behold, Qualem & quantum As 2 Pet. 3.11.2 Pet 3:11ſaith he, what manner of Love the Father hath beſtowed upon us, that we ſhould be called the ſons of God: 1 John 3.1. Yes, the ſons of the living God] who as he lives, ſo he gives us all things richly to enjoy; and is therefore to be truſted, 1 Tim. 6.17. And that we ſhould not only be Gods people, but his ſons (reconciled, but adopted) and not only be ſo, but be called ſo, have the name and the note, the credit and the comfort. Well might the Apoſtle ſay, that the grace of God herein had abounded, even to an overflow, foreign1 Tim. 1.14. Well may Oecolampadius ſay as he doth upon this very Text, Vide ut major gratia quam peccatum, Behold, how as ſin abounded, grace ſuperabounded.Serm. 6. de Nativit. Well might Leo ſay, Omnia dona excedit hoc donum, &c. This is a gift of God, that exceedeth all gifts, that man ſhould call God Father, and God call a man his ſonne; this is a greater dignity then to be called an Angel, Archangel, Cherubim, Seraphim, &c. See more of this in my Righteous mans Recompenſe. part. 2. doct. 5. Calvin upon this verſe noteth, that there is an emphaſis in theſe words, It was ſaid, and It ſhall be ſaid, The latter ſheweth, that till the Lord ſpeak peace to his people, and ſay to their ſouls that he is their ſalvation, they cannot have the comfortable aſſurance of their Adoption, and acceptation into his favour p. 13Eph. 1.13. After that ye heard the word of truth, the Goſpel of your ſalvation; ye believed and were ſealed with that holy ſpirit of promiſe. Again, if God by his Prophets have ſaid to any, ye are not my people, &c. he will effect it. God heweth men by his Prophets, and ſlayeth them by the words of his mouth, Hoſea 6.5. Eliſha hath his ſword, as well as Jehu and Hazael, 1 Kings 19.17. Ezekiel beſiegeth Jeruſalem, and overthroweth it. Jeremy is ſet over nations and kingdoms to root out and pull down, &c. Chap. 1.10. S. Paul hath vengeance ready for the diſobedient. 2 Cor. 10.6.2 Cor 10:6And what Gods Miniſters do on earth, he ratifies in heaven, Mat. 16.19. and 18.18.

Verſe 11. Then ſhall the children of Judah, and the children of Iſrael be gathered together] i. e. they ſhall unite into one body, and one religion, and ſhall all make one entire Kingdome,John 12.John 12 Ezek. 37.22, 24. Chriſt once lifted up, ſhall draw all things to himſelf: and wherever this carcaſe is,Mat. 24.Matt 24 there will the ſpiritual Eagles be alſo. Caiaphas, like another Balaam, propheſied that Jeſus ſhould die for that Nation: And not for that Nation only, but that alſo he ſhould gather together in one the children of God that were ſcattered abroad. John 11.51.52 Zeph. 3.9.John 11:51John 11:52Zeph 3:9This is the gathering together here mentioned: Chriſt ſhall be one amongſt his people, and his name one, Ze…h. 14.9. (See the Note there) they ſhall ſerve the Lord with one ſhoulder: It ſeems to be a Metaphor taken from Oxen that are yoked together, and that ſet their ſhoulders joyntly to the work. Surely, the more the Goſpel prevaileth, the more peace there will be. They ſhall be gathered together in that day: So when Chriſt ſhall be preached, and obedience yielded to his government, Eſay 9.7. then ſhall there be a bleſſed harmony of hearts: then ſhall they flie in flocks to the ordinances, as the doves to their windows: then ſhall they come to the Lords houſe upon horſes, and in charrets, and in litters, Eſay 66.20.

and appoint themſelves one head] The Lord Chriſt, called David their King, chap. 3.5. A multitude gathered under this one Head, and united to him is a Church. This head is indeed appointed, and ſet up over the Church by God, Pſal. 2.6. Eph. 1.22. But the Saints are ſaid to appoint Chriſt their head, and indeed, to ſet the Crown upon his head, as Cant. 3.11. when they chuſe him and embrace him for their Soveraign, when with higheſt eſtimations, moſt vigorous affections, and utmoſt endeavours of unfained obedience, they ſet him up in their hearts, and ſerve him in their lives; giving him the preheminence, and holding all in Capite in Chriſt: yea, holding of the head, as the Apoſtles expreſſion is, Col. 2.19. not of Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas. That Popiſh Buzzard was utterly out, who ſaid that he had found in the Dictionaries, that Cephas ſignifieth an Head, and that therefore Peter was head of the Church. For neither doth Cephas ſignifie an Head, but a Stone or Rock: nor, if it did, would that prove, what he alledgeth it for. Judah and Iſrael ſhall appoint to themſelves one head, not more then one. The Church is not bellua multorum capitum: neither is there any need of a miniſterial head of the Church: Indeed there is a contradiction in the very mention of it (as one well obſerveth) a Miniſterial Head; it is abſurd to ſpeak it.

and they ſhall come up out of the land] i. e. They ſhall be gathered into the heavenly Jeruſalem, ſaith Occolampadius; They ſhall come up from their miſerable life, ſaith Luther: from their earthly affections, ſaith Hierom. Rather, from Chaldea, or where ever they lie captivated and diſperſed, to Jeruſalem; there to joyn in the ſame way of worſhip (as once the twelve Tribes did before the ſchiſm under Jeroboam) with the Chriſtian Church, and ſo go on the way to the kingdom of heaven.

for great is the day of Jezreel] i. e. of Chriſt (ſaith Hierom) who is Gods ſeed, and ſhall ſee his ſeed, and ſo prolong his dayes by a ſucceſſion of Saints, Eſay 53.10. for whom God alſo will do great things in that day of his power, Pſal. 100.3. when there ſhall be a marvellous increaſe of his Church, which he ſhall ſow with the ſeed of men and of beaſts,Jer. 31.37. Ezech. 36.38.Jer 31:37Ezek 36:38 revealing his arm (another etymologie of the word Jezreel) for the ingathering of his Elect. Sic, Octogeſimus octavus mirabilis annus.