Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Commentary 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Verſe 1. COme and let us return unto the Lord, &c. So ſweetly was Gods expectation anſwered: as likewiſe it was in David Pſal. 27.8. No ſooner could God ſay, Seek ye my face, but his holy heart anſwered (as it were by an eccho) Thy face Lord will I ſeek. Look what God aimeth at in his adminiſtration to his elect he will have it: He will have out the price of his Sons blood, who gave himſelf for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, &c. Tit. 2.14.and that he might give repentance to Iſrael, and forgiveneſſe of ſins, Act. 5.31. See the proof and practice hereof in theſe Jewiſh converts. Come and let us return to the Lord, &c. See how in thoſe dayes and at that time the children of Iſrael ſhall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping they ſhall go and ſeek the Lord their God. They ſhall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, ſaying, Jer. 54, 5.Come and let us joyn our ſelves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant, that ſhall not be forgotten. Judah and Iſrael could not agree at other times: but when they are in a weeping condition, then they could, when they paſſed through the valley of Bara, Pſal. 84.and made it a Bochim with their penitent tears, even they could go from ſtrength to ſtrength, or from company to company (one company coming this way, and another that) and not reſt untill every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.Pſal. 84.6.…. This was fulfilled, partly when the Lord turned again, the captivity of Zion out of Babylon, and thoſe that had ſown in tears reaped in joy: thoſe that went forth weeping and bearing precious ſeed came again with rejoycing and brought their ſheaves with them, Pſal. 126.5.6. confer Jer. 29.13. partly, under their captivity and oppreſſion by the Romanes, which was when Chriſt came and by his Apoſtles converted thouſands to the faith, ſo that multitudes of them were …aily added to the Church, Acts 2. and 3. And laſtly at that long looked for calling of the Jewes; when they ſhall flie to Chriſt crucified as the doves unto their windows; Iſai. 60.20.when they ſhall bring their brethren as an offering to the Lord upon horſes, in chaerets, and in litters: that is, though ſick, weakly and unfit for travell, yet rather in litters, then not at all; every one exciting other, and ſaying, Come and let us return unto the Lord. &c. Return unto him, from whom we children of Iſrael have deeply revolted. Iſai. 31.6.Let us not pine away in our tranſgreſſions, aa thoſe Ezek. 33.10. for yet there is hope in Iſrael concerning this thing, Ezra 10.2. we have done all this wickedneſſe; yet let us not turn aſide from following the Lord: for this were to adde rebellion to ſin, 1 Sam. 12.20. this were worſe then all the reſt.
Come let us return unto the Lord] By our ſins we have run from him: by repentance let us return unto him. See for this the Note on Zach. 1.2. If the wicked have their Come, Prov. 1.11. Eſay 56. ult. ſhould not the Saints have theirs? as Eſay 2.3. Zech. 13.21. See the Note. Should not Andrew call Philip, and Philip Nathaneel, as one linke in a chain doth another, &c. True grace is communicative, charity is no churle; the Saints like not to go to heaven alone.
For he hath torn] Rapuit not cepit, as the vulgar, by a foul miſtake of capio for rapio in the Hebrew Lexicons. Here theſe converts confeſſe that their affliction neither came forth of the duſt, Job 5.6. nor without their deſert: they acknowledge God to be the Lion that tore them, Chap. 5.14. and not without cauſe: for that they had wickedly departed from him. This is is one property of true repentance, ſtill to juſtifie God, and to ſay as Mauritius the Emperour did (after David) when he ſaw his wife and children ſlain by the traytour Phocas, &c. Righteous art thou, O Lord in all thy wayes, and juſt in all thy proceedings. Another property of it is,Pſa. 119.137. to bring a man to God with ſome aſſurance of healing.
He will heal us,] For he is Iehovah the Phyſician, Exod. 15.26. Now Omnipotenti medico nullus inſanabilis occurrit morbus, ſaith Iſidore, To an Almighty Phyſician, no diſeaſe can be uncurable. Ephraim went to the Aſſyrian upon ſight of his diſeaſe; but he could not heal him, Chap. 5.13. But God both can and will. Here he is compared both to a Phyſician, he will heal; and to a Surgeon, he will binde up. That which the Poets fable concerning Telephus his Spear, is here onelyonly verified: Ʋna eademque manus vulnus opemque ferat. Initium poenitentiae eſt ſenſus clementiae Dei.The ſame holy hand that tare us, muſt cure us: and the ſound perſwaſion of his readineſſe to do it for us, will ſooneſt of any thing bring us into his preſence. Iudas confeſſeth his wound, and deſpaireth of the cure. But Peter is conſtrained by the love of Chriſt to weep bitterly, and beleeve. A ſtroak from guilt broak Iudas his heart into deſpair: but a look from Chriſt brake Peters heart into tears. There is no mention of Iſraels lamenting after the Lord, while he was gone: but when he was returned, and ſetled in Kiriath-jearim, then they poured forth water, &c. 1 Sam. 7. then they gather about him, and will do any thing that he commandeth them. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full aſſurance of faith, Heb. 11.22.
Deijcit ut relevet: premit ut ſolatia praeſtet,
Enecat, ut poſſit vivificare, Deus.
Verſe 2.Jer. 18.12. After two dayes will he revive us,] Whereas ſome of thoſe that were called upon to Come and return unto the Lord, might ſay with thoſe in Ieremy, Nay, for there is no hope, Pſal. 88.5.God hath mortally wounded us, ſo that we are already in the jawes of death, free among the dead, as the Pſalmiſt hath it, free of that company: The better ſort of them, fulleſt of faith, anſwer: Dead though we be, yet God will revive us: and long though it ſeem, yet after two dayes, or ſuch a matter, in a very ſhort ſpace, ſo ſoon as ever it ſhall be convenient, and for our greateſt good, He that ſhall come to our comfort,Heb. 10.37. will come, and will not tarry. And for the certainty of it, as ſure as the third day followeth the ſecond, ſo ſure ſhall deliverance come in due ſeaſon: fear ye not.
In the third day he will raiſe us up,] He will, he will, never doubt of it. O the Rhetorick of God! O the certainty of the promiſes! See the like expreſſions, Eſay 26.20. & 10.25. Hagg. 2.7. Habak. 2.3. Heb. 10.37. and have patience. Gods help ſeems long, becauſer we are ſhort: Nec quia dura, ſed quia molles patimur. We ſhould draw forth hope as a line:Senecal Joh. 13.7. and think we hear Chriſt ſaying as he did to Peter, What I do thou knoweſt not now, but thou ſhalt know hereafter.
Verſe 3.Sciemus ſectabimur que. Vatabl. Then ſhall we know,] Heb. And we ſhall know, we ſhall follow on to know, i. e. We ſhall experimentally know the Lord, if we turn unto him: wee ſhall taſt and ſee that the Lord is good. We ſhall not onelyonly be raiſed out of the duſt of deaeth, that is, of deep afflictions, (wherein we lay as among the pots) and live in his ſight, Pſal. 22.15. Pſal. 68.13.that is, comfortably; but we ſhall know him, which is life eternall; yea we ſhall proſecute knowledge, follow on to know, as unſatisfiable, and not content with any meaſures already required: yea we ſhall proceed therein and make progreſſe, as the morning light doth to the perfect day. Thoſe that turn from their iniquities ſhall underſtand Gods truth, Dan. 9.13. ſhall be of his Councel, Pſal. 25.14. ſhall have the minde of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 2.16. the wiſdom of God in a myſtery, verſe 7. ſuch as the great Rabbies of the world can no more underſtand, then the Philiſtins could Sampſons riddle, verſe. 8. yea theſe pure in heart ſhall ſee God, Matth. 5.8. ſee him and live, ſee him, and eat and drink, being much acheared and refreſhed, as thoſe Nobles of Iſrael, Exod. 24.10, 11. Provided that being on… enlightned, and having taſted of the heavenly gift, they be not ſlothfull, but ſhew the ſame diligence, Heb. 6.4, 11, 12. in the uſe of means to get more knowledge, till they all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſſe of Chriſt, Epheſ. 4.13. or, (as the words may be read) of that age wherein Chriſt filleth all in all, Epheſ. 3.19. ſo as to be able to comprehend with all Saints the ſeverall dimenſions, and to know the love of Chriſt, which paſſeth knowledge, Lo, this is indeed to follow on to know the Lord: when we are ſtill adding to our vertue knowledge, till (with thoſe famous Romans) we be full of goodneſſe, Rom. 15.14.filled brim-full with all knowledge, able alſo to admoniſh one another, ſaying, Come, and let us returne to the Lord, &c. Come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord, Eſay 2.5. walk in that light we have, and we ſhall have more: for to him that hath, ſc. for uſe and practiſe, ſhall be given, Mar. 4.25. He that firſt begs, and then digs for knowledge, ſearching for her as for hid treaſure, Prov. 2.3, 4. He ſhall be ſure of ſome daily comings in from Chriſt: he ſhall underſtand the fear of the Lord, and finde the knowledge of God, verſe 5. Chriſt will ſay unto him, as once he did to Nathaneel, Thou ſhalt ſee greater things then theſe, Iohn 1.50. even great and mighty things, which thou knoweſt not, Ier. 33.3.
His going forth is prepared as the morning,] That is, as ſure as the morning followeth the night, and ſhineth more and more unto the perfect day; ſo ſure ſhall God appear for our comfort, and ſhall diſpell the night of our calamity.Pſal. 30. Mourning laſteth but till morning; and as before the morning-light is the thickeſt darkneſſe, ſo before deliverance our afflictions are uſually increaſed upon us. God appeareth on the ſudden and beyond expectation,foreign (as out of a cloud, or as out of an engine) and ſhews himſelf then uſually, when things are at worſt. Hence that of Iob, Poſt tenebras ſpero lucem: and that of the Church in Micah, Though I fall, Mich. 7.8.I ſhall ariſe: when I ſit in darkneſſe, the Lord ſhall be a light unto me. Vatablus applieth this Text to the comming of Chriſt, that day-ſtar from on high, Orietur Christus ut aurora qua ad…entu ſuo depellit tenebras.that Sun of righteouſneſſe, to whom all the Prophets point Gods people, when they would comfort them indeed; for he is the Conſolation of Iſrael, the Deſire of all Nations, for whom their ſouls waited more then they that watch for the morning, wait for the morning, Pſal. 130.6. But becauſe Gods going forth is oppoſed to his departure, when he retired to his place, Chap. 5.10. therefore his ſetled going forth here, is by moſt interpreted of his manifeſtations of his mercy to his poor priſoners of hope, thoſe diſconſolate captives, whom he not onelyonly brought back from Babylon, but alſo ſhined into ſome of their hearts,2 Cor. 4.6. by the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Ieſus Chriſt.
and he ſhall come unto us as the rain,] As the ſhowres of bleſſing, Ezek. 34.26. rain of liberalities, Pſal. 68.9. rain of righteouſneſſe, Hoſ. 10.12. Citò exaudi me Domine: complue me, ſaith Auſtin upon thoſe words of David, My ſoul thirſteth after thee, as a thirſty land. Hear me quickly, O Lord, rain righteouſneſſe upon my dry ſoul, fill me with the fruits of thy Spirit; whoſe work it is to illuminate and ſanctifie, as it is the Fathers to heal, verſe 1. and the Sons to revive, and raiſe us together with himſelf, the firſt-fruits of them that ſleep, verſe 2.
as the latter and former rain unto the earth.] ſc. in perfection of gifts and graces, by degrees wrought in our hearts: Or, in ſeaſonable and ſutable comforts, as rain in ſeed-time, ſoftening the ground: and a little before harveſt, to plump and fill up the corn in the ear.
Verſe 4. O Ephraim, what ſhall I do unto thee, &c?] See how ſoon the Prophet changeth his note. Hitherto he had ſet forth their repentance, in ſenſe of mercy: now all on the ſudden, he upbraideth and threatneth them for their incorrigibleneſſe, and inconſtancy. Miniſters muſt turn themſelves, as it were, into all ſhapes and faſhions, both of ſpeech and ſpirit, to win people to God. Aarons bels muſt be wiſely rung, ſaith One. Sometimes the Treble of Mercy ſounds well.M. Neh. Rog. At other times the Tenour of Judgement, or Counter-tenour of reproof ſounds better: and it oft falls out that the Mean of Exhortation ſoundeth beſt of all. It is his wiſdom to obſerve circumſtances, and know how to curſe as well as bleſſe, chide as well as comfort, and ſpeak warre to a rebell, as well as peace to a friend. And herein indeed lieth the wiſdom and faithfulneſſe of a Teacher. Then, and onelyonly then ſhall he prove himſelf ſincere, and unpartiall, when he holds this courſe. What ſhall I do unto unto thee? It is, as if God ſhould ſay, I have done mine utmoſt, as Eſay 5.5. Mich. 5.3. and now am at a ſtand, and can ſcarce tell what to do more. See the like expoſtulatory complaints, Ier. 2.30, 31. & Chap. 5.3. Amos 4.6. Eſay 26.10. Matth. 11.16, 17, 18. & 23.37. I would, but thou wouldeſt not. As the loving hen is alwayes caring for her chickens, and calling them about her, that ſhe may gather and guard them from the miſchief of all vermin: but they will needs be ſtragling, and ſo periſh. So if Gods people will not hearken to his voice, if Iſrael will none of him: what can he do leſſe then give them up to their own hearts luſts, Pſal. 81.12. yea give them up to the devil, to be further hardened to their juſt deſtruction, ſaying, That which will die, let is die? All that God can do is, as here, to mourn for their obſtinacy, and fool-hardineſſe in rejecting his grace, as he wept over Jeruſalem, Luke 19.42. We ſhould alſo do the like,Eſay 24.16. Jer. 4.19. Rom 9.2. Acts 2.40. crying out with Eſay, My leanneſſe, my leanneſſe! and with Jeremy, My bowels, my bowels! and with Paul, I have great heavineſſe and continuall ſorrow in my heart, for my perverſe Countrey-men. Peter calleth them, an untoward generation: ſuch crooked pieces that there was no working upon them. A cunning Carver can cut the ſimilitude of any creature, yet not on a crooked or rotten ſtick. Where lieth the fault? ſurely in the crookedneſſe of the ſtick, and not in the Carvers cunning: ſo is it here. When men wreſtle with God, as Deut. 32.5. ſhift him off,foreign. as the Apoſtles word ſignifieth, Heb. 12.25. take up the bucklers againſt the ſword of his Spirit, leſt it ſhould prick them at heart, as Acts 2.37. and let out the life-blood of their luſts, that they might live; what can the Lord do in this caſe, more then pity their unhappineſſe, and puniſh them for their ſtubbornneſſe, as the Judge pitieth a malefactour, as he is a man, but yet condemneth him as a thief or murtherer? Tell me not here, that God could have done more for Ephraim and Iudah then the did;Matt. 8.2. and they might have ſaid in anſwer to Gods queſtion here, as that Leper in the Goſpel did. Why? Lord if thou wilt thou canſt make me clean. Hence it is, God by his abſolute power can make iron ſwim, rocks ſtream forth water, ſtones to yeeld children to Abraham: he can do whatſoever he pleaſeth; ſave without means, &c. But it is his actuall power that man muſt look to. And ſo he (having tied the end and the means together) cannot (ſay Divines) becauſe hee will not, bring men to the end, without their uſing thoſe means which tend unto the end: for that is the ordinary courſe which he hath decreed to uſe, and which he will not alter, but upon ſpeciall occaſion, as our Saviour noteth in the cure of Naaman, and in the feeding of the widow of Sarepta, Luke 4.26.27.
for your goodneſſe is as the morning cloud, &c.] This people hearing God ſay, What ſhall I do unto you? might poſſibly reply; why? what ſhould you do, but rain down righteouſneſſe upon us, and load us with loving-kindneſſes? for we are good all over, we have returned and done right in thy ſight, as it is ſaid of thoſe hypocrites, Ier. 34.15, 16. and as Peter ſaith of ſome Apoſtates in his time, that they were clean eſcaped from them who live in errour: and (for matter of practiſe) they had alſo eſcaped the pollutions of the world; knew the way of …ighteouſneſſe, and ſeemed very forward in it; were as the fore-horſes in a Teem, …ing-leaders of good exerciſes, &c. who yet afterwards fell off to the world, tur… … from the holy commandements, and returned with the dog, to their vomit, and with the waſhed ſow to her wallowing again in the mire. And this is that which the Lord here upbraideth this people with, (and ſo ſtops their mouthes) viz. that their goodneſſe, or mercifulneſſe, their piety toward God, and charity toward men, …as nothing elſe but a morning-cloud, Jude ver. 12.a waterleſſe cloud, as Jude hath it, a meer flaunt, or flaſh, an out-ſide onelyonly, an empty ſound, a vain pretence; It was alſo as the morningdew, which is ſoon dried up by the Sun-beams: In a word, they were both falſe and fickle, unſteady and unſtable, conſtant onelyonly in their inconſtancy. Hence this patheticall complaint of them; God knew not where to have them, and therefore not what to do with them. Theſe were never right with God, becauſe not ſtedfaſt in his covenant, Pſal. 78.36, 37. they are unſtable as water, therefore they ſhall not excell, Gen. 49.4. they never were a willing people in the day of Chriſts power, Pſal. 110 3. his power was never put forth upon them, to ſubdue their wils to Gods will. They never yet attained to that ſpirit of power, of love, and of a ſound minde, 2 Tim. 1.7. Inconſtancy comes from weakneſſe. The ſtrength of Iſrael repenteth not, 1 Sam. 15.29.
Verſe 5. Therefore have I hewed them by my Prophets,] Therefore? wherefore? becauſe there is ſo little ſtability, and ſolidity in them: becauſe they are ſo off and on, ſo light and falſe hearted; therefore I have ſpared for no pains, (though all to ſmall purpoſe) but have ſharply rebuked them, that they might be ſound in the faith: yea I have ſought againſt them with the ſword of my mouth,Rev. 2.16. and ſlain them by powerfull convictions of conſcience: ſo that they are ſelf-condemned, and the judgements are written, as it were with a beam of the Sun, they are ſo clear to themſelves and others. This is the coherence, and the reaſon of the illative particle Therefore. It is the ſad complaint of a late Reverend writer, when we have ſpent all our wind on our people, their hearts will be ſtill apt to be carried away with every wind of doctrine. They are wonne, ſaith another, with an apple, and loſt with a nut: no man knows where to find them in one mind for a moneths ſpace: ſuch a generation of Moon-calves never appeared in the world before. Our giddy-hearers (ſaith a third) after all our pains taken with them, have no mould, but what the next teacher caſteth them into; being blown like glaſſes, into this or that ſhape at the pleaſure of his breath. But to return to the Text.
I have hewed them by the Prophets] who are here compared to Maſons or ſtonehewers, 2 King. 12.12. 1 Chron. 22.2. Job 19.24. Eſay 51.1. to Carpenters 1 King. 5.15. Prov. 9.1. Eſay 5.2. to day-labourers who dig pits and ciſternes Deut. 6.11. and 8.9. 2 Chron. 26.10. Neh. 9.25. Jer. 2.13. A miniſters life is no idlemans occupation; they meet with many rough ſtones, knotry pieces, hard quarres, tough work. Some are ſtones crumbling, all to crattle, as ſoon as we begin to hammer them; and as timber falling to ſplinters when we fall to hewing of them: and other ſuch ſons of Belial there are that a man cannot ſpeak to them: 1 Sam. 25.17. they are thorns that cannot be taken with hands, but the man that ſhall touch them muſt be fenced with iron, and with the ſtaffe of a ſpeare. Theſe ſhall be thruſt away as thorns, and utterly burnt with fire, 2 Sam. 23.6, 7. And for the better ſort, thoſe lively ſtones, 1 Pet. 2.5, and ſmoother pieces that are to be ſet into Gods building, being made by his grace more malleable and tractable, there muſt be a great deal of pains taken with them, that they may be as the poliſhed corners of the Temple: they muſt be humbled and hammered, Ier. 23.29. pared and planed here in the mount; for there may neither hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron be heard in the heavenly houſe, for which they are fitting, 1 Kin. 6.7. And herein we are labourers together with God; ye are Gods husbandry, ye are Gods building, 1 Cor. 3.9. In which labourous kind of life, I endure all things for the Elects ſake, that they may be ſaved, ſaith Paul, 2 Tim. 2.10. And I dare be bold to ſay, ſaith Luther, that faithful Miniſters do labour and ſweat more in a day, then husbandmen do in a monethmonth. And for mine own part, ſaith he, Si mihi eſſet integrum vocationem deſerere, If it were lawful for me to leave my calling, I could with leſſe pains and more pleaſure, dig and do day-work, then labour as I now do, in the work of the miniſtry. Pareus thinks that the next words,
I have killed them with the words of my mouth] is ſpoken by God of the Prophets. q. d. I have ſet them ſo heavy a task and put them ſo hard to it, that it hath been the death of them; ſuch crabbed and rugged ſpirits they have met with, ſuch ſtubborn and tough timber that had long lain ſoaking in the waters of wickedneſſe: theſe tooles of mine are even worn out with working. But though this be a pious interpretation, and not altogether improbable, becauſe of the change of perſon here, viz. them for you: yet becauſe ſuch a change is ordinary in Scripture and Emphatical alſo; namely when God ſeemeth deeply diſpleaſed with any one, and therefore leaveth taking to him, and turns himſelf ſuddenly to another (ſee chap. 4.14. and 5.3.4.) I conceive it may very well be ſo in this place.Sic enim contemptim loqui mur. Occidi iſtos I have ſlain theſe refractaries and rebels with the words of my mouth. I have beaten ſo hard upon their conſciences, that they have had no joy of their lives. I have marked them out for deſtruction, by threatening it, as Jer. 18.7.8. and ch. 1.10. Eliſha hath his ſword as well as Jehu and Hazael, 1 King. 19.17. and when Eliſha unſheatheth and brandiſheth his ſword, it is a fair warning that the ſword of Jehu and Hazael are at hand. See Ezek. 11.13. And it came to paſſe that when I propheſied, Pelatiah the ſon of Benaiah died. So did Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5. So do many deſpiſers now adayes, though it appear not by them. A man may have his bane about him, though he fall not down dead in the place. If any man hurt Chriſts two witneſſes, fire (though not felt) proceedeth out of their mouthes and devoureth their enemies. Rev. 11.5.
And thy judgements are as the light that goeth forth] i. e. I have clearly denounced them and will as openly execute them in the ſight of this Sun. The righteous ſhall ſee it and ſhall ſay, Lo this is the man, &c. Pſa. 2.6.7. and 119.137. Thou, by thine hypocriſie, and externall ſervices, as verſe 6. hath caſt a miſt before mens eyes, that they cannot think thee to be ſo near a judgement: but I will diſpell that miſt, and make my works a comment upon my word: and having ſent unto thee a powerfull miniſtery, but to no purpoſe, I will make thee, who wouldſt not hear the word, to hear the rod, and who hath appointed it. Mic. 7.9.
Verſe 6. For I deſired mercy and not ſacrifice] that is, rather then ſacrifice: I prefer the marrow and pith of the ſecond table, before the ceremony and ſurface of the firſt.
I deſired mercy] Heb.foreign I deſired it with ſingular delight and complacency, Aurea certe ſententia, ſaith Rivet. This is a golden ſentence, twice quothed by Chriſt himſelf, Mat. 9.13. and Mat. 12.7. which noteth the eminency of it. And with it agreeth that anſwer of the Scribe ſo much approved of by our Saviour Mar. 12.33. To love thy neighbour as thy ſelf is more then all burnt-offerings and ſacrifices. And that of the Authour to the Hebrewes. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed Chap. 13.16. a great deal better pleaſed then with all the outward ſervices and ſacrifices of the Law, which yet were commanded by God, but not to be reſted in. Theſe be famous ſentences indeed;M. Sam. Clark, Life of Luth. ſuch as a man would fetch upon his knees from Rome or Jeruſalem, as a Reverend man ſaith of certain brave ſayings of Luther, which he had recited. Mercy is here put for all the duties of charity; as the knowledge of God is for thoſe other of Piety, whereof it is the riſe and foundation. Mercy is ſet firſt non ut potior ſed ut notior, not as better but as better known, and more noriced. They are ſet together, becauſe they muſt not be ſundred in our practiſe. Obedience muſt be univerſal, extending to the Compaſſe of the whole Law. A man muſt not be funambulus virtutum, as Tertullian ſpeakes, going in a narrow track of obedience, picking and chuſing what he will do and what not; following God in ſuch duties as will ſuit with him and no further. He muſt follow after God as Caleb Num. 14.14. have reſpect to all Gods commandments,Act. 13. and do all his wills, as David walkt in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameleſs, as Zachrry and Elizabeth Luke 16. Theſe partiall and perverſe Jewes walked in all the ordinances, but they cared not for the commandments: they were altogether for the ceremoniall Law, but neglected the moral. Or if they did any thing that way, it was but the outward act of a commandment, which men may naturally perform. Thus Ahab humbled himſelf: and ſome think that Ʋria (which Eſay calleth the faithful witneſſe) the ſame with him that brought in the Altar of Damaſcus, Eſay. 8.2. 2 Kin. 16.10.yet reputed a faithful man of his word. An hypocrite may ſhew mercy, but not love mercy, Mic. 6.8. and know God, but not affectively, practically, according to that of Saint Iohn, Hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments, 1 Joh. 2.23. This is that obedience which is better then ſacrifice, 1 Sam. 15.22. Ier. 7.21. and no wonder, Quia per victimas, aliena caro, per obedientiam voluntas propria mactatur, foreign. Iſoc.ſaith one; in ſacrifices the fleſh of another, but in obedience our own wils are offered up: and this the very Heathen, by the dim ruſh-light of nature, ſaw to be better. Hold thou it the faireſt ſacrifice and beſt ſervice, to keep thy ſelf pure and upright, ſaith Iſocrates. O Nicocles. And,
Non bove Mactato coeleſtia numina gaudent.
Sed, quae praeſtanda eſt & ſine teſte, fides.
Ovid. Epiſt.Verſ. 7. But they like, men] Heb. like Adam, that Arch-Reb…l, that old foreign, after the ſimilitude of whoſe tranſgreſſion theſe men had ſinned, Rom. 5.14. and ſo deſerved, in like ſort to be puniſhed, by being caſt out of their countrey, as he was out of paradiſe. Thus ſome ſenſe it: as if the prophet would here reduce theſe covenant-breakers, to that firſt tranſgreſſour Adam in whom they all were; as the whole countrey is in a Parliament-man, and as Levi was in Abrahams loynes, and paid tithes in him,Mercer. Tremell. Vatabl. Clavius. Tigurin. Perinde ac foedus alicujus hominis infimi & infirmi. Polan. Heb. 7.9. Others take Adam for an Appellative, and give a reaſon for it out of the text, becauſe it is Keadam, and not Kahadam, with foreign emphatical. And of theſe ſome again read it thus, Illi tanquam hominis tranſg…ſſi ſunt foedus, they tranſgreſſed the covenant, as if it had been a mans covenant: they made no more of breaking it, then as if they had had to do with duſt and aſhes like themſelves, with their fellow-creatures, and not with the great God: and might therefore deal by their covenants, as monkeyes do by their collars, which they fit on for their maſters pleaſure, and ſlip off again for their own. Others read it, as we do; They like men have tranſgreſſed, &c. ſorry men fickle and falſhearted men, ſuch as David pointed at, when he ſaid, All men are liars, and Paul, 2 Cor. 3.3. Are ye not carnal, Pſal. 116.11.and walk as men, that is, as profane men, alients from the common-wealth of Iſrael? Singular things are expected from Gods peculiar, Mat. 5.47. as to be eminent in good works, Tit 3.14. to get above others, as Saul was above the people by head and ſhoulders; to get to the very top of godlineſſe, as the Apoſtles phraſe importeth,foreign. Iſhon. Eſai. 5.15. to keep Gods covenant as the apple of the eye, as Solomon ſaith, Prov. 7.2. that little man in the eye, that cannot be touched but he will be diſtempered. This the world counts preciſeneſſe, and makes nothing of tranſgreſſing, of leaping over the hedge of any commandment, ſo they may ſhun a piece of foule way. Lo, this is the manner of moſt men, yea, of all men by nature; they make no bones of tranſgreſſing the laws, of changing the ordinance, of breaking the everlaſting covenant, Eſay. 24.5. And this when they do, they work de ſuo & ſecundum hominem; for Homo eſt inverſus Decalogus, the natural man ſtands acroſſe to the law of God, to the whole Decalogue: the two tables whereof are called the tables of the covenant, Deut. 9.9, 11. Neither is this any excuſing or extenuation of their ſin, that they do but their kind, they do it as men. It is an aggravation rather, q. d. They not onelyonly tranſgreſſe my covenant, but they do it naturally, and out of the vileneſſe of their proper inclinations: like as the devil, when he ſpeaketh a lie, he ſpeaketh, de ſuo of his own, Joh. 8.44. he can do no otherwiſe. It is as impoſſible for thoſe that are carnal and walk as men to keep covenant with God, as for a toad to ſpit cordials. If at any time they make an overture of doing it, if they make an eſſay, it is but as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that goeth away, as verſ. 5. with which this verſe cohereth; the 6. verſe comming in. as it were by a parentheſis.
There have they dealt treacherouſly againſt me,] There? where? in the very point of the covenant, which by their ſacrifices and burnt-offerings they ſo ſolemnly profeſſed and engaged to obſerve: lo, therein have they prevaricated, and then at the ſame time have they falſified, as the ſame word is uſed, Pſal. 14.5. I have been neare in their mouth, but far from their reines, Jer. 9.2. In words they profeſſe to know me, but in works they deny me, being abominable and diſobedient, and to every good work reprobate, Tit. 1.16. Or there, that is, (as the Chaldee Paraphraſt ſenſeth it,) In that good land which I have given them, even in Gilead, as in the next words. They live in my good land, but not by my good laws: yea, they have filled it (as the curſed Canaanites did before them, Ezra. 9.11.) from one end to another with their uncleanneſſe, which therefore longs for a vomit to caſt them out: There have they dealt treacherouſly, as the adultereſſe doth, who forſaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. The ſins of ſuch as break covenant with God are ſins of a double die; they are wickedneſſe with a witneſſe, becauſe they do wickedly againſt the covenant, Dan. 11.32.Prov. 2.17. theſe treacherous dealers deal treacherouſly, yea, theſe treacherous dealers deal very treacherouſly, Iſay. 24.16. And this they have done againſt Me, who have ſtooped ſo low, as to ſtrike a covenant with them; and ſuch a covenant, 2 Sam. 23.5. and have never failed or falſified. See Deut. 29.24, 25.
Verſ. 8. Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity,] Another Poeniropolis; ſuch a city there was in Greece, and ſo called by king Philip, for the naughtineſſe of the Inhabitants. This Gilead was one of thoſe ten cities of refuge beyond Jordaen, given to the Prieſts for a poſſeſſion, Joſh. 21.36, &c. and probably the chief city, which therefore bare the name of the whole countrey, as Athens was called the Greece of Greece. The inhabitants thereof (though Levites) were the worſt of men,foreign. workers of iniquity, ſuch as did wickedly with both hands, earneſtly wearying themſelves in the Devils drudgery; and then ſitting down to reſt them in the chair of peſtilence. There is not a worſe creature upon earth, or ſo fit for hell, as a profane Prieſt, a debauched Miniſter, Mat. 5.13. Corruptio optimi peſsima, as the ſweeteſt wine makes the ſowreſt vinegar, as the fineſt fleſh is reſolved into the vileſt earth; and as the whiteſt ivory burnt, becomes the blackeſt coal: Who would have looked for ſo much wickedneſſe at Gilead, at Shiloh, at Anathoth, at Jeruſalem where the Prieſts and Scribes bare ſway, and did dominari in ſuggeſtis? And yet that once faithful city was become an harlot: it was full of judgement, righteouſneſſe lodged in it,Iſay. 1.21. but now murderers, In our Savours time it was Prophetarum macellum, the ſlaughterhouſe houſe of the Saints; as now Rome is, and once London was in bloody Bonners dayes:Act. & Mon. whom a certain good woman once told in a letter, that he was deſervedly called the common cut-throat, and general flaughter-ſlave to all the Biſhops of England. At his death he boaſted (as Stokeſley had done before him) how many heretikes he had burned: ſeven hundred ſaints in four or five yeers ſpace thoſe bloody and deceitful men ſent to heaven, in fiery charets. There are none ſo cruel to the lives of men as wicked Clergy.
Gilead was polluted with blood,]Ezek. 33.7. & 3.18. not onelyonly with the blood of ſouls, (by their default drowned in perdition and deſtruction) but of bodies too, deſtroyed by their hands or means. The Prieſts of theſe times may ſeem, by what is ſaid of them in the next verſe, to have been men of their hands, the ſworn ſword-men of the devil, ſuch as was Timotheus Herulus Biſhop of Alexandria, Anno 467. Pope Innocent who threw Peters keyes into the river Tiber, and took up Pauls ſword, as he called it, and that Philip Biſhop of Beau-vieu in France, taken in a skirmiſh by our Richard the firſt, who ſent his armour to the Pope with theſe words engraved on it, Vide num filii tui tunica ſit, vel non, See whether this be the coat of thy ſon, or of a ſon of Mars. Theſe, and their like in their ſeveral generations, were non Paſtores ſed Impoſtores, non Doctores ſed Seductores, non Epiſcopi ſed Apoſcopi, as an Ancient hath it: And indeed, the Church hath ever been ſo peſtered with leud and lazy Miniſters (thoſe dehoneſtamenta Cleri) that Chryſoſtome thought there were ſcarce any of that order in his time, that could be ſaved: Hierome ſaith, that the paucity of ſuch as were good, had made them very precious. And Campian cries out, not altogether without cauſe (Malice may be a good informer though an ill Judge) Miniſtris eorum nihil vilius; Now this is here inſtanced as an odious tranſgreſſion of the covenant, when ſuch as made ſuch a ſhew of ſacrifice to God, ſhould exerciſe ſo little mercy to men: when ſuch as ſhould be Teachers, were turned Tyrants and bloodſuckers.
Verſe 9. And as troops of robbers wait for a man,] This verſe hath much of the former in it, ſaith an Interpreter. The ſum of it is, ſaith Wigandus, to ſhew, that all the forementioned wickedneſſes were committed, inſtinctu doctorum, by the inſtinct of their Prieſts, who were now turned Tories or Moſſe-troopers. Hierome asked his Jew-doctour the meaning of this text, and received this anſwer: that at the time of the Paſſeover and the Pentecoſt, the people uſed to come to Jeruſalem; and as they were going in their journey, theſe Prieſts would ſtand in the way and ſlay them. Others think, that theſe corrupt prieſts took into their city of refuge divers thieves and murtherers; who not having whereupon otherwiſe to ſubſiſt, turned hiwaymen, (as they call them) and returning again into the city, divided the ſpoyle with the Prieſts, who had their ſhare: and are therefore called companions of robbers, and are ſaid to murder in the way by conſent, or with one ſhoulder, or as Simeon and Levi did at Shechem q. d. Sichemicc craſtily and cruelly (for ſo many wayes theſe words are rendred) & all this they did of malice forethought,Ex deſtinatae malitia & inito conſilio. of prepenſed miſchief, called here committing leudneſſe. Even as they thought in their hearts, ſo they acted, ſaith King David. They executed the counſel of the wicked, ſaith the Chaldee Paraphraſt.Non tam ovum ovo ſimile. Faciunt quicquid cognitant. They machinated miſchief, and then practiſed what they had plotted with a deliberate will, and as it were with an high hand. Look now upon the Popiſh Monkes, ſaith Tarnonius, and compare them with theſe Prieſts whom Hoſea reproveth. And Luther ſaith, that they had a proverb in Germany, that there was nothing ſo bad, which the Monkes could think of, but they would dare to do it.
Non audet Stygius Pluto tentare quod audet
Effrenis Monachus,—
Verſ. 10. I have ſeen an horrible thing in the houſe of Iſrael,] Now a very den of theeves, as verſ. 9. a Panthion of all ſorts of idols, a chamber of imagery, an Egyptian Temple, gay and goodly without, but within an oxe or calfe, with women weeping for Tammuz, Ezek. 8.12.14. that is, for Oſyris King of Egypt, whoſe image (under the ſhape of an oxe) his wife Iſis had advanced to be idolatrouſly there adored.Cap. 6. This kind of abomination Ieroboam had learned in Egypt (whither he fled from Solomon his maſter) and brought into the houſe of Iſrael. And whereas thoſe Idolaters ſaid, The Lord ſeeth us not, the Lord hath forſaken the earth, Ezek. 8.12. I have ſeen it, ſaith God, and been ſore troubled at it, and even affrighted; ſo as a man is quando horripilatur, when his hairs ſtand an end; as when the devil appeareth to him like an hairy Satyr. See Lev. 17.7. with the Note. Certain it is, that God hateth ſin (but eſpecially Idolatry, that abominable thing, as he calleth it, Jer. 44 4.) worſe then he hateth the devil himſelf: for he hateth the devil for ſins ſake, and not ſin for the devils ſake. Idolatry muſt needs be ſo much the more odious to him, becauſe therein the devil ſets up himſelf in the place of God; and requires men (as once he did Chriſt himſelf) to fall down and worſhip him. See Deut. 32.17. 1 Cor. 10.20. Rev. 9.20. So he dealeth by the poor Indians at this day, compelling them to worſhip him with bodily worſhip, and tormenting them, if they do not, worſe (if worſe may be) then the cruel Spaniards;Sir Francis Drake World encomp. 53. who ſuppoſe they ſhew the wretches favour, when they do not, for their pleaſure, whip them with cords, and day by day drop their naked bodies with burning bacon The Hebrew word here uſed, hath ſome letters more then ordinary in it, to encreaſe the ſignification, and to ſhew what a very horrible thing Idolatry is. It is ſpurca pollutio, Tremel. in loc.as Jer. 23.14. and worſe. See Jer. 2.11, 12. and 18.13. and know that God doth not uſe to aggravate things beyond truth, as men do, witneſſe Nebuchadnezzar, foreignDan. 3.14. Is it true, O Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego? Or, is it of ſet purpoſe? ſo Buxtorf rendreth it. Is it for the nonce, to provoke me?Num de induſtria? Or Nunquid deſolatio? ſo Arias Moutanus: As if he ſhould ſay, What? you, to oppoſe the command of a king? If this be ſuffered, what deſolation muſt needs follow? But this is not Gods way: he layes no more words upon a thing, then the matter amounteth to if he call Idolatry, filth, fornication, abomination, an horrible thing, ſuch as a man would ſtart, or ſtand agaſt at, we may be ſure it is ſo. The Septuagint here, render it foreign, things to be trembled at, or ſhreeked at. In Barbary 'tis death for the Xeriffs wife, when ſhe ſeeth a man, though but thorow a caſement, not ſuddenly to ſhriek out. God is a jealous God, and allows not his to look toward an Idol. If they do, he will ſoon ſee it, and viſit for it. I have ſeen, &c.
There is the whoredome of Ephraim,] Thus God looketh upon it as filthineſſe, and naſtineſſe, which the people beheld as fineneſſe and neatneſſe. And the ſame do all (that have the minde of God, and ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern betwixt good and evil) judge of all the Popiſh pomp and palterment, wherewith they bewitch the deluded vulgar, as the ſerpent Scytale doth the fleeing paſſenger, whom when ſhe cannot overtake, yet with her beautifull colours ſhe doth ſo aſtoniſh and amaze him,Plin. that he hath no power to paſſe away, till ſtung to death.
Verſe 11. Alſo O Judah, he hath ſet an harveſt for thee,] This is a very difficult Text: and much vexed by Interpreters. Et hic niſi Lyra lyraſſet, nos omnes deliraſſemus. Lyra ſets this ſence upon the Text, and I accord him: Though thou Judah, art alſo to be carried captive: yet God hath ſet, or provided for thee, an harveſt in thine own land, when I ſhall have returned the captivity of my people, viz. under the conduct of Zorobabel, by the Decree of Cyrus. Here then is a promiſe of a joyfull harveſt to Judah, who is not to be puniſhed with like ſeverity as Iſrael, Chap. 1.7. and for the change of perſon, when I returned, for he ſhall have returned. See Eſay 29.19. Ier. 31.23. Zeph. 3. ult. Pſal. 14. ult. Simul Judae captivitas & reditus praedicitur ſignificanter admodum, ſaith Hierom here; Both the captivity and return of Judah is here very ſignificantly foretold. It is a very good Note that One giveth here, ſc. that God in his chaſtiſements ever ſheweth himſelf mindfull of his Covenant: after a long barrenneſſe,Rive…. he ſetteth for his people a plentifull harveſt, and turneth again their captivity, after that for a time he hath tried them. His mercy alſo and faithfulneſſe herein appeareth, that he mingleth promiſes with threatnings: and whiles he utterly deſtroyeth the kingdome of the ten Tribes, he preſerveth the Common-wealth of Judah, wherein the Meſſias was to come, and whereof there was not (by the ancient propheſies) to be a diſſolution, till Shiloh came. Hence it is, that promiſes of the reſtauration of Judah are ever intermingled, leſt any ſhould doubt of the manifeſtation of the Meſſiah, in the fulneſſe of time.