Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Commentary 11 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
Verſe 1. BEhold the day of the Lord commeth] Jeruſalem had her day, and knew it not Luke 19.42. (Jeruſalem was not Jeruſalem: the viſion of peace, ſaw not the things that belong'd to her peace) God therefore will have his day of vengeance, as ſhe had of viſitation. He hath his ſeaſon, his harveſt for judgment Mat. 13.30. and when wickedneſſe is ripe in the field, he will ſuffer it to grow no longer, leſt it ſhed and ſpread: but cuts it up by a juſt and ſeaſonable vengeance. Theſe Jews were by their own confeſſion the children of them which had killed the Prophets:Act. 2 23. and, by killing the Lord Chriſt with wicked hands, they had filled up the meaſure of their fathers Mat. 23.31, 32. what could therefore the Lord do leſſe to a nation ſo incorrigibly flagitious, then bring wrath upon them to the utmoſt 1 Theſſ. 2.16? then ſend forth his armies and deſtroy thoſe murtherers, and burn up their cities? When God did this execution here mentioned, is hard to ſay:Mat. 22.7. Whether by Antiochus Epiphanes (or rather Epimanes, as ſome truly called him,Act. 26.11. Gal. 1.13. for that being exceedingly mad againſt the Jews, he perſecuted the Church of God and waſted it) Or by the Roman ſpoilers at that laſt devaſtation under the command of Titus. Or by Coſroes the Perſian, and Homar the Arabian, who ſucceſſively haraſed and raſed Jeruſalem, rifling the houſes, raviſhing the women, killing whom they pleaſed, and making the reſt pay deare for the very heads they wore: which ſervitude laſted till Godfrey of Bullin ſet them at liberty: ſo the Gloſſe here ſenſeth it. Or laſtly by Gog and Magog, that is, by the great Turk (for Magog is the Scythian nation from whom came the Turks, Lords of Meſhec and Tubal, that is, of Cappadocia and Iberia where they firſt began to raigne) as is before hinted; I take not upon me to determine. The moſt underſtand it of the laſt overthrow of the Romans. The Spirit might have an eye to the Antichriſtian perſecutions of the Orthodox Profeſſours of the Romiſh Edomites.
and the ſpoile ſhall be divided in the middeſt of thee] Freely and feareleſly, none riſing up to make them afraid, the vanquiſhed ſhall be ſo diſabled and diſpirited. Thus the ſilly doves are glad to ſave themſelves by flight, not fight; ſometimes they ſit in their deve-coats, and ſee their neſts deſtroyed, and yong ones killed, not daring once to reſcue or revenge.
Verſe 2. For I will gather all nations] The Romans that ſtiled and held themſelves Lords of all nations, and who had levied a mighty army out of all nations to fight againſt Ieruſalem. See Joſeph. lib. 3. belli Iud. chap. 1. and 3. Or Gog and Magog with all his armies and aſlociates Ezek. 37.4, 5, 6. ſhall compaſſe the beloved city Rev. 20.8, 9. See Verſe 1. with the Note. Would any man take the Churches picture?Lec. com. then let him, ſaith Luther, paint a ſilly poor maid ſitting in a wood or wilderneſſe, and compaſſed about with hungry lions, wolves, boares and beares &c. and in the middeſt of a great many ſurious men aſſaulting her every moment: Let him give her ſay I, that of Martial for her Motto.
In me omnis terraeque, aviumque, mariſque rapina eſt.
and the city ſhall be taken] Non tamen ad exitium, ſed ad exercitium. I have forſaken mine houſe: I have leſt mine heritage (ſaith the Lord Ier. 12.7.) I have given the dearely beloved of my ſoule into the hand of her enemies. At which times there is uſually, as at Athens when taken by Sylla foreign a bloody butchery.
and the houſes riſled] As at the ſack of Conſtantinople by the Turks: where the ſouldiers are ſaid to have divided money among themſelves by whole hat-fuls: and were therewith ſo enriched, that 'tis a proverb amongſt them at this day, if any grow ſuddenly rich, to ſay, he hath been at the ſacking of Conſtantinople.Turk. biſt. 347 The Emperour had in vaine many times with teares requeſted to have borrowed money of his covetous ſubjects, to have been employed in the defence of the city;Hid. 345. but they would ſtill ſweare that they had it not: as men grown poor for want of trade. Which in few dayes after, their enemies found in ſuch abundance, that they wondred at their wealth, and derided their folly, that poſſeſſing ſo much they would beſtow ſo little in the defence of themſelves and their countrey.
and the women raviſhed] Theſe are the common calamities of war: in the in the lawleſſe violence whereof thoſe three commandements, Thou ſhalt not kill, Thou ſhalt not commit adultery, Thou ſhalt not ſteale: as they are ranked together in the law, ſo they are uſually violated together, Hence Iſa. 13.16. Their children alſo ſhall be daſhed to peeces before their eyes, their houſes ſhall be ſpoiled, and their wives raviſhed. The Iriſh rebels bound the husband to the bed-poſt, whiles they abuſed his wife before his face. In the time of K. Edward the third,Donec mulier fatigata ſpiritum exhalare…. Walſing. the French ſouldiers at Winchelſey in Suſſex took their luſtfull turns upon a beautifull woman in the Church, and at the time of divine ſervice, untill they had turned her out of the world, as a learned man phraſeth it.
and half of the city ſhall go forth into captivity] An evill, an onelyonly evill, threatened Deut. 28. and ſulfilled to the utmoſt upon this nation, ſo ſhameleſly, ſo lawleſly wicked, as can hardly be peered or parallelled. I have noted before, that this their laſt captivity and diſperſion is ſuch, as that one of their own Rabbines concludeth from thence, that their Meſſiah muſt needs be come, and they muſt needs ſuffer ſo much for killing him. They uſe to ſay that there is ſtill an ounce of the golden calf in all their publike calamities. There is another thing lieth more heavily upon them to this day, were they but ſenſible of it. Let us be ſending up, and ſighing out for them that of the Pſalmiſt, O that the ſalvation of Iſrael were come out of Zion! when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob ſhall rejoyce, and Iſrael ſhall be glad. Pſa. 14.7.
and the reſidue of the people ſhall not be cut off from the city] A remnant ſhall be reſerved as it were for royall uſe: whether a third part as chap. 13.8. or an half, as here, 'tis not much materiall: in numeris non eſt anxiè laborandum, ſaith Calvin here; for the direct number, it is neither here nor there as we ſay. God ſhall reſerve unto himſelf a ſet and ſelect number. He who comforteth thoſe that are caſt down, ſpeaketh this to his, for encouragement. The Church may be ſhaken, not ſhivered: perſecuted, but not forſaken: caſt down, but not deſtroyed 2 Cor. 4.9.
Verſe 3. Then ſhall the Lord go forth, and fight againſt thoſe nations] Some read it, Among thoſe nations: He ſhall be the Archiſtrategus, the Commander in chief of thoſe Armies, which he hath brought together againſt Ieruſalem, to revenge upon her the quarrel of his Covenant. But I like the other way better: becauſe it is purpoſely ſpoken for the comfort of Saints in evill times. When therefore there is dignus vindice nodus, & periculum par animo Alexandri, as he was wont to ſay, when it is time for God to ariſe, that his enemies may be ſcattered, and thoſe that hate him, fly before him; he will ariſe and have mercy upon Zion; he will awake as in the dayes of old: he will come forth from his holy place to the relcue of his praying people. There brake he the arrowes of the bow, the ſhield, and the ſword, and the battel, Selab. Pſal. 76.3, 4.There he appeared more glorious and excellent then the mountaines of prey. There he did, and there he will: for this is a common and currant Scripture-medium. Eſay 10.God ſhall fight againſt thoſe nations, the very rod of his wrath: which after he hath worn to the ſtump, he will caſt it into the fire. The wicked are called Gods ſword Pſal. 17.13. But it will fall out with them, as with that ſword which Hector gave Ajax; which ſo long as he uſed againſt his enemies, ſerved for help and defence: but after he began to abuſe it to the hurt of hurtleſſe beaſts, it turned into his own bowels.
as when he fought in the day of battel] with his own bare hand as it were, Eſay 52.10. and in a miraculous manner, as he did for Iſrael at the red ſea, for Ioſhua, Iehoſhaphat, Hezekiah &c. and as he ſhall do at that laſt great battle againſt Antichriſt and his Adherents Rev. 20.8, 9, 10. which is here (haply) pointed at. Let the Lord but ariſe only and his enemies ſhall be ſcattered: but if he once take hold of ſhield and buckler, (for defence) he draw out the ſpear and ſword (thoſe weapons of offence) and appear as a man of warr Exod. 15.3. or as a Lord and Victour of warrs (ſo the Chaldee there hath it) he will charge thorough and thorough, he will burn them together Eſay 27.4. and in the ſame place 2 Sam. 23.7.
Verſe 4. And his fcet ſhall ſtand in that day upon the mount of Olives] that is, he ſhall ſo put forth his power for defence of his people, as if he did viſibly appear amongſt them, and beheld the fight from the top of a mountain: like as Zerxes uſed to pitch his tent on high, and ſtand looking on his army when in fight, to encourage them, and to ſend out orders. From this Mount it was, that God departed after many former removes, from Ieruſalem Ezech. 11.23. And what wonder, when as Har Hamiſcha the mount of Unction was become Har Hamaſchith the mount of Corruption 2 King. 23.13? the bold lews having let up their Idol in this mount Olivet, even in the ſight of the Lord: ſo that he never looked out of the Sanctuary,Iohn 18. Mat. 26.30. but he beheld that vile hill of abominations. From this mount it was that our Lord Chriſt aſcended into heaven, Act. 1.11. There he was apprehended by the Jews: there therefore it is prophecied that he ſhall ſtand againſt them by the Romans, ſay ſome, out of Joſep. de Bello Jud. lib. 6. cap. 3. And that when theſe things ſhould come to paſle the Jews might know that their utter deſtruction was neer at hand. So God ſhewed unto the Ninivites on what ſide their city ſhould be taken: and what at that time ſhould be the power and the attempts of the enemy againſt them, Nah. 2. and 3. and yet neither of theſe repented for all this. Others (more probably) hold that here is promiſed ſuch a powerfull preſence of God for the relief of his people, as ſhall farr exceed the glory that appeared at the promulgation of the law, when the mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs:Pſal. 114.6. Heb. 12.21. ſo terrible alſo was the ſight, that Moſcs ſaid, I exceedingly fear and quake. I alſo ſee and tremble at the reſemblance (ſaid an holy man) betwixt that giving of the law, and the requiring of it at the laſt day. In the one Mount Sinai only was on a flame: all the world ſhall be ſo in the other. To the One, Moſes (that climbed up that hill, and alone ſaw it) ſayes, God came with ten thouſand of his Saints. In the other, thouſand thouſands ſhall miniſter to him, and ten thouſand thouſands ſhall ſtand before him. Hereunto ſome refer that obſcure paſſage in the next verſe, The Lord my God ſhall come, and all the Saints with thee: and that at the day of judgement Chriſt ſhall deſcend with all his Angels into mount Olivet, which hangs over the valley of Jehoſhaphar, that there he may plead with all nations, for his people, and for his heritage Iſracl, whom they have ſcattered, and parted their land Ioel. 3.2. Further they ſay, that mount Olivet ſhall then be ſhaken with a very great earthquake: ſo that it ſhall cleave in the middeſt, and leave a very great valley: it ſhall enlarge the valley of Iehoſaphat, that it may be able to receive thoſe that are there to be judged by Chriſt. Thus Leſſius, Sa, à Coſta, à Lapide, who alſo citeth for his purpoſe Clemens Romanus lib. 7. Conſtit. Ap. cap. 33. ſpeaking thus, Mons ipſe Oliveti gloriae venientis cedet & in quaetuor partes diſſectus longiſſimè diffugiel, ut tribunali judicis theatrum totius orbis aſſiſtat. i. e. Mount Olivet ſhall give place to the glory of Chriſt when he commeth; and being cleſt into foure parts, it ſhall flie far afonder, to the end that the theatre of the whole world may ſtand before the tribunall of the Judge. Thus He. and ſurely the following verſes, 6, 7, 8, &c. ſeem to favour this interpretation, and to have relation to the laſt Day. But in Propheſies not yet fulfilled (as this may be one) it is better and more ſure to expect and ſtay for the explication by the event, then to give it without any certain ground.
Verſe 5. And ye ſhall ſlee to the valley of the mount ains] Or, ye ſhall flee the valley of the mountains, ſc. of mount Olivet, made by God (verſe 4.) by whom the Romanes were ſet awork to garriſon Mount Olivet againſt the Jews: and,Joſeph. lib. 6. cap 13. by digging down a great part of it, to fill up the brook Cedron or the town-ditch, and to bring a wall (wherewith they compaſſed about the whole city) thorow the middeſt of this mount: whereby the city was greatly preſſed, and much annoyed. This Mountain ye ſhall flee (as many of you as are Azal; that is ſeparated: confer Exod. 24.11. Eſay 4….4.) and repair to Pella, a place of reſt provided for you. Not without ſome perturbation of ſpirit (though cauſeleſſe) as in common calamities it falleth out; and the like ſhall befall the very Elect alſo at the laſt day, till they have recollected themſelves, till they remember that now their redemption draweth nigh.
And ye ſhall flec] ſc. with utmoſt haſt and fright j death being that terrible of terribles, as the Philoſopher calleth it, Natures ſlaughterman, Hells Purveyour, &c.
like as ye fled from before the earthquake] which might be as ſad and as ſuddain as that at Pleures in Rhetia, Anno 1618. Aug. 25.Alſt. Chronol. the whole town was overcovered with with a mountaine, which with its moſt ſwift motion oppreſſed 1500. people.
in the dayes of Ʋzzaah king of Juda] Whether this earthquake fell out juſt at that inſtant time when Ʋzzaah offered incenſe, and was therefore ſmitten with leproſie (as the lewiſh Doctors affirm) i have not to ſay. But of the horror of it (beſides Am. 1.1. Joſcphus relateth, that a mountain towards the Weſt cleft in ſunder and removed from its proper place the ſpace of four furlongs, or half a mile: and farther it had proceeded, had not a great mountain towards the Eaſt ſtayed its courſe. Camden reporteth the like hereunto to have fallen out in Hereſord hire, Anno 1571. Cal. Martij 12. about ſix of the clock in the evening, a great hill lifted up it ſelfe with a huge noiſe, and aſcending into an higer place, carryed along with it trees,Camd. Britan. flocks of cattle, ſheep-coates, walked about from Saturday night till Monday noon, overturned a certain Chappell that ſtood in its way, &c. This kind of earthquake Philoſophers call Braſmatia.
and the Lord my God ſhall come] q. d. Let ſcoffers doubt and deride, ſaying, where is the promiſe of his coming? My God will effect with his hand what he hath ſpoken with his mouth, he will, he will, Habac. 2.3. There is an Emphaſis in the word My (q.d. The God whoſe I am, yea foreign wholly his, as Ariſtotle ſaith of a ſervant) and another in the following Apoſtrophe.
and all the ſaints with thee] The Prophet in an holy indignation at his hearers obſtinacy and untractableneſſe, turns him thus to God: like as doth old Jacob, Gen. 49.18. and our bleſſed Saviour tyred out with the peoples perverſeneſſe, Mat. 11.25, 26. See the Note on both places.
Verſe 6. And it ſhall come to paſſe in that day] that is, ſaith Diod uc, after the deſtruction of Antichriſt ſhall the ſon of God come in, who ſhall bring the Church into its glory: where, without any viciſſitude or variation of day and night, of calamity and proſperity, of knowledge and ignorance, it ſhall enjoy eternall light by the ſight of God, Iſai. 16.19, 20. Rev. 21.23. and 22.5. Thus he. Betwixt this fall of Antichriſt and the Conſummation of all, ſome place the full and finall reſtauration of the Iews, and make this a deſcription of that glorious Church they ſhall then erect. There ſhall be no darkneſſe, but perpetuall light. It ſhall not be ſaith our Prophet here, ſometime clear, ſometimes miſtie, (variable and uncertain weather, now fair, now foule) but one day, not of day and night: for in the evening when night is wont to come it ſhall be light: as if he ſhould ſay, it ſhall be alwaies day and no night foreign a nightleſſe day, a morning without cloudes, a clear ſhining after raine, as David in another caſe, 2 Sam. 22.4.Hereſ…ath d… re ruſt. and as…vith the Hyperborians the whole halfe year is ſaid to be but one continuate day; ſo that they ſowe and reape in a day.
Verſe 7. Which ſhall be known to the Lord] And that ſhould ſuffice us, without further curious enquiries,Calvin. de re nobis & toti mundo abſcondita, concerning the ſet times and the ſeaſons which the Father hath put in his own power, Act. 1.7. The Muſcovites uſe to ſay in a darke point, in a difficult queſtion, God and our great Duke know all this; Heyl. Geor:And in other talk, all we enjoy health, and life, & all from our great Duke: therefore let us leave all to him. hould not we much more to God? Time hath already confuted thoſe learned men, who from Dan. 12.11. pitched their calculation for the Jewes reſtauration upon the year 1650. Thoſe that ſhall live a few years longer ſhall ſee what will become of their confidence? who have undertaken to prove out of Daniel and the Revelation, Clavis Apocalypt p. 134.136.that the Prophetical numbers come to an end with the year of our Lord 1655. becauſe then the ſeventh Trumpet ſhall ſound; and then the ſix thouſand years from the Creation of the world do expire as they compute.
Verſe 8. Living waters ſhall go out from Jeruſalem] i.e. Abundance of ſpirituall graces frequently in ſcripture compared to waters, for their cooling, cleanſing, quicke ning property, Iſai. 44.3. Ezek; 36.25. and 47.1. John 7.38.. And of theſe waters without all doubt, our baptiſm ordeined of God is a figure and ſacrament. Living waters they are called: that is running as a Spring, not ſtanding as a poole. The godly eſteeme of life by that ſtirring they find in their ſouls, Iſa. 38.15, 16. In all theſe things is the life of my ſpirit: elſe they lament as over a dead ſoule. "O live,D. H…rris. live (ſaith a Reverend man) live quickly, live much, live long. Many live more in a day then others in a year: for life conſiſteth in action: and ſo much every man liveth, as he acteth graciouſly. Up therefore and be doing ſomething of worth: whereof ye may teſtifie that ye have lived. And for this, get a principle of life, the ſpirit of life which is in Chriſt Jeſus, and then, if ye live in the Spirit, y…hall alſo walk in the ſpirit, Gal. 5.25. and not fulfill the luſts of the ſieſh, verſe 16. The waters of the ſea, though by their natural courſe they follow the center, yet by obedience to the Moon they are ſubject to her motion; and ſo turn, and return, ebbe and flow, and are kept in continual motion, to keep them from corruption: ſo thoſe that are ſpiritual, though naturally they are carried downward, and the beſt that of themſelves they can do is but dead work: Yet ſo farre as they are ſpiritualized, heavenlized, they are acting for God, and all their deeds are wrought in him, John 3.21. It is their great care to weare out, not ruſt out: to burn out, not to be blown out: yea to flame out, not to ſmother out: to ſerve out their generation, as David did not to idle it out: to live their utmoſt, and not (as Job. 27.15. with 23.) to be buried, before half dead.
in ſummer and winter ſhall it be] ſuch is the perennity and perpetuity of true grace: it ever flowes—more perennis aquae. As it is not like the River Araris of which Ceſar ſaith,C…ſ de bel. Gal. l. 1. that it cannot with eyes be diſcerned whether it flow forward or backward (ſo ſlow and ſtill is its motion:) ſo neither is it like the brook Cherith, that dryed up before the Prophet,1 Kin. 17.7. becauſe there had been no raine in the Land: or like the River Novanus in Lombardy which (ſaith Plinie) at every Midſomer ſolſtice ſwelleth and runneth over the banks; but at mid-winter, is clean dry. But as the waters of the Sanctuary,Lib. 2. cap. 130 Ezek. 47.4, &c. And as the poople of Siloe, which ſerved all Jeruſalem, and was for every uſe to the citizens: or Hezakiah's watercourſes, 2 Kin. 20.20. Neh. 3.15, 16. whereunto ſome think that the Prophet here alludeth. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath ſaid, out of his belly ſhall flow Rivers of living waters. But this he ſpake (ſaith the Evangeliſt) of the ſp…rit which they that believe on him ſhould receive, John 7.38, 39.
Verſe 9. And the Lord ſhall be King over all the carth] At the ſounding of the ſeventh Angel, the Kingdoms of this world ſhall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Chriſt: and he ſhall reigne for ever and ever, Rev. 11.15, 17. 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 that profeſſe the name of Chriſt, three parts at leaſt of thoſe five are poſſeſt by Idolatrous Papiſts; who ſay they believe in one only true God, but indeed ſet up many He-ſaints and She-ſaints, whom they adore with divine worſhip: and therein are no better then Pagans. Hence they are called Gentiles, Rev. 11.2. and are ſaid to worſhip Divels, R…v. 9.20 with 1 Cor. 10.20. Cardinal Bombus ſaith of their Saint Franci…, that he was in numcrum Deorum ab… Eccleſia Rom. relatus. At Ruremund in Gelderland, a play was acted by the Jeſuites,In Hist. Ven. Anno Dom. 1622. under the title of the Apotheoſis of St. Ignatius the founder of that Order. In the year 610. Boniface the fourth ordained the feaſt of All-ſaints, after that he had obtained of the Emperour the Idol-temple at Rome called the Pantheon; Jac. Ren. de vit. Pont. 309.wherein he placed the Virgin Mary in the roome of Cybcle the Mother of the Heathen Gods. Now the time is yet to come (and oh that it were come!) that, all falſe worſhip laid aſide and abandoned, the fulneſſe of the Gentiles ſhall be brought in: and from the Jews (as ſome gather from this Text compared with others) ſhall the Goſpel go out to all Nations of the world, Iſay. 2.3. who with one conſent ſhall ſubmit themſelves to Chriſt. Aſhur and Egypt, all thoſe large and vaſt Countries, the whole tract of the Eaſt and of the South ſhall embrace the faith of Chriſt and be converted, Iſa. 19.23, 24, 25. and 27.12, 13. Mich. 7.11, 12. Pſal. 68 31. and 72.9, 10, 11. Rev. 21.14. O dieculam illam! Neither need we think it incredible: God can hiſſe for them and fetch them in 'ſuddenly: he can cauſe a Nation to conceive and bring forth in one day, Eſay 66.8, 9. A Text that Cardinall Poole in a letter to Pope Julius the third abuſed: by applying it to the bringing in of Popery again ſo univerſally and ſuddainly in Queen Maries dayes.
ſhall there be one Lord] Be the Gods of the Heathen good-fellows ſaith One, the true God is a jealous God, and will not ſhare his glory with another. Be it that to Pagans and Papagans there are Gods many and Lords many: to us there is but one God, and but one Mediatour betwixt God and man, the man Chriſt Jeſus. As for all others, ſay we of them, as that Heathen once did, Comemno minutos iſtos Deos modò Jovem propitium habeam, I care not for thoſe petty-deities, ſo long as Jehovah favoureth me. Heare O Iſrael (ſaith Moſes, Deut. 6.4.) Jehovah thy God, Jehovah is one. The Hebrew word there uſed for One hath Daleth the laſt letter (which alſo ſtands in number for …our) extraordinary great in the Originall: to ſignifie ſay the Jew-Doctors, that this one God ſhall be worſhipped in the foure corners of the earth.
and his Name one] that is, One way of worſhip; all Superſtitions being aboliſhed, ſee Mich. 4.5. Or, his Name, that is, his glory as Pſal. 8.1. his tranſcendent excellency ſhall be ſupereminent: He ſhall have a name above all names, that at the name of Jeſus every knee may bow. Thus the word Name is uſed both in Divine and Humane Authors, Gen. 6.14. Men of Name, that is, of Renown: ſo Numb. 1.16. and 16.2. Acts 1.15. the number of Names, that is, of the chieſtaines that were fit to act in the Election. Contrary whereunto is men without name, Job 30.8. men written in the earth, Jer. 17.30. ſhrouded in the ſheet of ſhame,—ingloria vita recedit. and whoſe happineſſe it is to be forgotten in the City, Eccleſ. 8.10. So the Poets call Eminent and famous men Nomina, as Ovid doth Auguſtus: Vive tibi, & longè No nina magna fuge.
And ſpeaking of ſome famous perſon he ſaith Claros inter habens nomina clara viros.
Verſ. 10. All the land ſhal be turned as a plain.] Or, ſhal be compaſſed about as a plain, ut aquore plano, ſo the Tigurine tranſlation. Godſhal enlarge the bounds of his Church; he ſhall lay all level, that people may come in amain from all parts. Every valley ſhall be filled, and every mountain and hill brought low; and the crooked ſhall be made ſtraight, and the rough-wayes ſmooth, Luk. 3.5. The wilderneſſe, and the folitary place ſhall be glad for them, and the deſert ſhall rejoyce and bloſſom as the roſe: It ſhall bloſſom abundantly, and rejoyce even with joy and ſinging. The glory of Lebanon ſhall be given unto it; the excellencie of Carmel and Sharon, they ſhall ſee the glory of the Lord, and the excellencie of our God, Eſa. 35.1, 2. The Prophet here ſheweth that all the land ſhall be inhabited from one end unto another; From Geba the North-confine, to Rimmon, the South-…order, Joſh. 15.32, 57. And from Benjamins gate unto the place of the firſt (or old) gate, Neh. 3.6. which ſtood Weſtward, unto the corner gate (See 2 Chron. 26.9. & 25.23.) or the gate that looketh Eaſtward. The limits of the Church ſhall be greatly enlarged; the rough and rugged mountains being made as the ſmooth and pleaſant champions. The ſaithful ſhall paſs from Geba to Rimmon, Cant. 4.6from the mountains of Myrrh and hils of Frankincenſe, to the Pomgranates (for ſo Rimmon ſignifieth, and from the plenty of that fruit there,Maſius in Joſh. 19.13. this place ſeemeth to have taken its name) that is, from Humiliation and Supplication for pardon and power againſt corruption, to Love and good Works, looking up, and preſſing hard toward the high prize propoſed unto them; as the many grains within the caſe of the Pomgranate do point, and as it were all look up together unto the crown or circle that is without, upon the head of it. To the kings wine-preſſes] which were on the Weſt-ſide, where the ſo rmer two half-compaſſes did meet to make up a whole compaſs. Certain it is, that Jeruſalem was a very large and ſpacious city, comprehending thirty furlongs at leaſt, ſay thoſe that have written of it. There was in it the upper and the nether town,Vide typ. Jeroſol. ap. Adricho. whence it is called, Iie-ruſhalaiim in the dual. There was afterwards the old town and the new, called Boretha, or Caenopolis. But Ezech. 40.41, 42. &c. God ſheweth the Prophet a new Temple bigger then all the old Jeruſalem put all together: and a new Jeruſalem bigger then all the land of Canaan; by theſe very dimenſions ſhewing, that theſe things cannot be underſtood but ſpiritually. And the new Jeruſalem in the Revelation as it lieth four ſquare, looking every way to the four corners of the earth (like as Conſtantinople doth,Turk. Hiſt. which is thereſore ſaid to be a city fatally founded to command) ſo the meaſure of it is twelve thouſand furlongs:Rev. 21.16. which (according to ſome) make no leſs then 1500 miles.
Verſ. 11. And men ſhall dwel in it.] Heb. They ſhall dwel in it, ſc. Multitudes of men. The new Jeruſalem, the Church gathered by the preaching of the Goſpel ſhall not be thinly inhabited, as the wilderneſſe of Judea was: it ſhall not lye waſte for want of people, as divers parts of Turkey do. It ſhall not need to call in the countrey,Neh. 11 as in Nehemiahs dayes, to repleniſh it: but it ſhal be ful thruſt as an hive is with bees, where they hang out on heaps through want of room within or as Jeruſalem was wont to be at the three ſolemn feaſts; or laſtly, as the Temple was at thoſe feaſts where the people were ſo crowded, that they were glad to ſtand and pray, for kneel or bow they could not. See Eſay 51.3. Jer. 31 38, 39, 40. Obad. 19.20. And there ſhall be no more utter deſtruction.] Heb. Cherem, which the vulgar Interpreter rendreth, Anathema; There ſhall be no more curſe, no execrable or accurſed thing; no caſting out by excommunication; no cauſe to do ſo. (See the ſame, Rev. 22.3. No Canaanite in the Lords houſe, as verſe 21. Then ſhall Jeruſalem be holy, and there ſhall no ſtranger paſs thorow her any more, Joel 3.17. ſuch ſhall be her ſanctity. Others expound it of her ſafety and ſecurity (as in the following words, Jeruſalem ſhall be ſafely inhabited. See the like, Jer. 23.6. & 33.16. In thoſe dayes ſhall ludah be ſaved, and Ieruſalem ſhal dwel ſafely: and this is the name wherewith ſhe ſhall be called, Iehovah tſidkenu, The Lord our righteouſneſs. A ſtately name indeed, and that which carries ſafety in the front of it. In Ezekiel the Church is called, I…hovah Shamma, The Lord is there: and the Pſalmiſt gives the notation, and this note upon it, God is in the midſt of her, ſhe ſhall not be moved: God ſhal help her, and that right early. foreign. Mat. 1.21 Pſal. 130.8But the Lord our righteouſneſſe is a more Auguſt name. It is Chriſts own name: and imports that Chriſt will ſave his people from their ſinnes (which would lay them naked to the wrath of God, and rage of enemies) he will redeem Iſrael from all his iniquities, and then he need not fear what man can do unto him. It was ſaid of Achilles, that he was Styge armatus: But every childe of the Church is, Coelo, Chriſto, Deo armatus: he hath the peace of God within him, and the power of God without him; and therefore cannot but be ſafe as in a tower of braſs, or town of war. Pſ. 90.1.
Verſe 12. And this ſhal be the plague where with the Lord wil ſmite, &c] The precedent promiſes that were ſo great and glorious, the Prophet doth now farther enlarge, and illuſtrate in the following verſes: and firſt the conqueſt of the enemies, verſe 12, 13, 14, 15. Next, the profeſſion of Chriſt among all nations of the world, verſe 16, 17, 18, 19. And laſtly, the ſanctity of the Church, verſe 20, 21. The conqueſt of the enemies is ſet forth, Firſt by Gods ſtrange judgements upon them, verſe 12. Secondly, By the means, both they ſhal diſpatch one another; and Judah ſhall fight bravely againſt them, verſe 13, & 14. Thirdly, their wealth and ſubſtance ſhal become a prey, verſe 14. Fourthly, their horſes of ſervice, and all the beaſts they bring with them ſhalbe as ſtrangely plagued as the men themſelves, verſe 15. That have fought againſt Ieruſalem.] God will go forth and fight againſt them, verſe 2 ſo that they ſhall wiſh they had never medled. Haec erit plaga qua plagabit. God hath a mighty hand, Iam. 4.9. and it is a fearful thing to fall into it, Heb. 10.31. for, who knoweth the power of his wrath? Pſal. 90.11. One ſtroke of this hard and heavy hand, broke the angels backs, and caſt them into chains of darkneſs, to be reſerved unto judgement, 2 Pet. 2.…4. Iob felt but his little finger, as it were, and yet cryes out for help, Have pitty upon me, have pitty upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me, Iob 19.21. It had but lightly tonched him, and yet he was hardly able to endure it. Oh the bloody wails that Gods hand hath left upon the backs of his beſt children! Wo then to his enemies when he comes forth to fight againſt them. Their fleſh ſhall conſume away, whiles they ſtand upon their feet.] They ſhall pine away in their iniquities, Levit. 26.30. their beauty ſhall conſume away like a moth. Pſal. 39.11. they ſhall melt as wax before the ſun, or as the fat of lambs before the fire. God if he be not unto them as a lion to tear the kell of their hearts in ſunder, yet he will be as a moth, and as a worm, inſenſibly to conſume them, Hoſ. 5.12, 14. If he break not their teeth in their mouths by ſmiting them upon the cheek-bone, yet he will make them to melt away as waters which run continually; as a ſnail which melteth, and as the untimely birth of a woman that never ſeeth the ſun, Pſa. 58.6, 7, 8. God hath ſecret wayes to waſt his enemies, and to bring them on their knees when they are beſt under-ſet. He can trip up their heels when they are ſtanding upon their feet, and lay them low enough in the ſlimy valley where are many already like them, and more ſhal come after them, Iob 21.31, 32. God hath a Maraſmus, an evil meſſenger for a malicious perſecutor; as he had for Antiochus Epiphanes; for both the Herods; for Maximinus the Tyrant;1 Machab. 6. Joſeph. Antiq. l. 12. c. 11. for Philip the ſecond of Spain, Charles the ninth of France, Queen Mary of England, Steven Gardiner, Arch-Biſhop Arundel, Neſtorius, Arrius, and other odious Hereticks, and enemies of the Church: amongſt whom à Lapide the Ieſuit reckons here Calvin, and ſaith, That like another Hered, he died a lowſie lothſom death: and for his authority thinks it enough to ſay, uti refert Bolſecus in ejus vita. But it muſt be underſtood, that the lives of Calvin and Beza were ſpitefully written by this Bolſecus their ſworn enemy, that twice baniſhed and thrice runnagate Friar (liar I might have ſaid) and Phyſician: for thoſe names his often changes and hard chances have given him. This man being requeſted by the popiſh ſide (and its likely hired by them) to write thus,Spec. Eur is in all their writings alledged as Canonical. And their eyes ſhal conſume away in their holes.] Phyſicians tell us of two thouſand diſeaſes that annoy mans body, two hundred whereof affect the eyes: All theſe are part of Gods hoſts, which are as much at Gods command as the Centurions ſervants and ſouldiers were at his, when he ſaid but, Go, or come, and they did accordingly. He can make mens eyes drop and ceaſe, not without any intermiſſion, as Lam. 3.49. till they melt out, Mat. 8.9.as the Hebrew here hath it; even the very ſame word as before. he can ſmite men with ſudden blindneſs (as he did the ſinful Sodomites, that had eyes full of adultery) ſuch as tormented their eyes, as if they had been pricked with thorns, as the Hebrew word ſignifieth, Gen. 19.11. Failing of eyes, and ſorrow of minde, is threatned as a judgement, Deut. 28.65. yea thou ſhalt be mad for the fight of thine eyes, which thou ſhalt ſee is another piece of the curſe, verſe 34. See 1 Sam. 2.33. And their tongue ſhal conſume away in their mouth.] As did the tongue of Neſtorius the Hereſiarch eaten out of his mouth with worms: Tho. Arundel, and Steven Gardiner, two bloody perſecutors, died of a like diſeaſe. Diodate underſtands all this to be a deſcription of hel-torments. Their fleſh ſhall conſume, yet never be conſumed; for they ſtill ſtand upon their feet, or ſubſiſt, that they may ſtill ſuffer; having no end, that their pain may be endleſs. Their eyes ſhal conſume, &c, that is, ſaith he, though they be alive and can ſee, yet ſhall they be deprived of light in infernal darkneſſe: having neither eyes nor underſtanding, but onelyonly to ſee and judge of their extream miſery. Their tongue ſhal conſume away, &c. as did the rich gluttons, Luke 16.24. M. Calvin obſerveth here, that all is delivered in the ſingular number; his fleſh ſhal conſume; his eyes ſhal melt; his tongue, &c. (for ſo runs the Original) to note that every of Ieruſalems enemies ſhal taſte of Gods wrath; though ſome of them may haply hold themſelves out of the reach of his rod. And, Secondly, that God can as eaſily deſtroy them all, as if he had to do but with one fingle man.
Verſe 13. A great tumult from the Lord ſhal be among them.] He ſhall fright them as he did the Philiſtines by a ſound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, 2 Sam. 5.24. and the Syrians by a hurry noiſe in the air, cauſing a Pannick terror, 2 King. 7.6. Therefore ſome render it, Erit ſtrepitus vel fragor Domini magnus in eis, ut 1 Sam. 7.10. with 1 Sam. 2.10. Or, he ſhall exaſperate and imbitter them one againſt another; as he did Abimelech, and the men of Shechem, by ſending an evil ſpirit between them, Judg. 9.23. that is by letting looſe Satan upon them, that old man-ſlayer, that kindle-coal and make-bate of the world: and this in a way of juſt revenge for their treacherous conſpiracy againſt the houſe of Gideon. Thus God firſt divided, and then deſtroyed the Midianites by ſetting every ones ſword againſt his fellow, Judg. 7.23. So he dealt by the Philiſtims, 1 Sam. 14.15, 20. So the Kings of Syria and Egypt that ſucceeded Alexander, and were enemies to the Jews, deſtroyed one another: So did the Primitive Perſecutors, the Turk and the Perſian, the Spaniard and the French. In the year 1526. Charles the fifth Emperour of Germany, ſet at liberty his priſoner Francis King of France, Scultet Annal. Dec. 2. pag. 2upon this condition (among others) that they ſhould joyne their forces and do their utmoſt to ſuppreſſe and root out the Lutheran Hereſie; that is, the truth of the Goſpell, out of both their Dominions. But ſoon after they fell at variance amongſt themſelves, (the Pope blowing the bellowes) whereby the Church had her Halcyons, ſic canes lingunt ulcera Lazari.
ſhall take the hand of his neighbour] as thoſe yonkers of Helcath-hazzurim did, that ſheathed their ſwords in their fellows bowels, 2 Sam. 2.16.
Verſe 14. And Iudah alſo ſhall fight at Ieruſalem] Shall fight like a lion, and do great exploits for his countrey; as Judas Maccabeus did: as Hunniades, that Maul of the Turks, and Scanderbeg, who killed 800. Turks with his own hand, and fought ſo earneſtly ſometimes, that the very blood burſt out at his lips. So did Ziſea, and the reſt of Chriſts worthy warriours: who by faith, (and yet by force of arms too) waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens, ſubdued kingdomes, fought the Lords battles, Heb. 11.32, 34. They ſaw by faith, what is on the other ſide of the ſhore of this mortality: and that put mettle into them. The valour of the Gauls was admired by the Romans: it proceeded from that inſtruction they had from their Druides, The life of the K of Sweden by M. Clark.of the immortality of the ſoul. The Swedes upon the ſame ground ſhewed incredible courage in the late German warres: running into apparent danger, like flies into the candle (ſaith One) as if they had not ſeen it. Faith fears no colours. What brave ſpirits hath God raiſed up amongſt us alate, fighting as it were in blood to the knees for Religion and liberty, reſolved either to vanquiſh or die, as the Black Prince; foreign, with that Lacedemonian, either to live with the Goſpel, or to die for it? And how valiant the reſtored Jews ſhall once be upon their enemies the Turks, who now hold their countrey till their iniquities be full, who can tell? Sure it is that Iſrael after their victory over Gog, ſhall ſpoil thoſe that ſpoiled them, and rob thoſe that robbed them, ſaith the Lord God, Ezek. 39.10. And then perhaps it is, that the wealth of all the heathen round about ſhall be gathered together (as a prize or booty) gold, and ſilver, and apparell in great abundance] Look how Abraham ſtripped the four kings of their plunder, Gen. 14.16. Gideon, the Midianites, Iudg, 8. David, the Amalekites, 1 Sam. 30.18. Iehoſaphat, the Ammonites, (they were three dayes in gathering the ſpoil it was ſo much, 2 Chron. 20.25.) ſo it may fall out one day with their poſterity. The Jew Doctours, as they have a ſaying, that whatſoever befell unto the Fathers is a figne unto the children: ſo of Abrahams victory over the four kings, they write, that it befell unto him, to teach that four kingdomes (thoſe kingdomes ſpoken of in Daniel) ſhould ſtand up to rule over the world: and that in the end his children ſhould rule over them, and they ſhould all fall by their hand,R. Menachem on Gen. 14. and they ſhould bring again all their captives, and all their ſubſtance.
Verſe 15. And ſo ſhall be the plague of the horſe, of the mule, of the camel] All the beaſts of ſervice, made uſe of by the enemy, ſhall conſume in like ſort, as their maſters. Firſt, for a puniſhment to their owners, who muſt needs ſuffer loſſe thereby. Hence Saul was ſo ſedulous in ſeeking the loſt aſſes. Secondly, to ſhew how God is diſpleaſed with, and will ſeverely puniſh all that are inſtrumentall to the Churches calamities, or ſerviceable to their ſinne. The ſerpent is curſed, cut ſhorter by the feet, and made to wriggle upon his belly, yea confined to the duſt for his diet. So God curſeth and abhorreth all inſtruments of idolatry, Eſay 30.22. Num. 31.22, 23. Deut. 7.25. The graven images of their gods ſhall ye burn with fire: the very viſible heavens, becauſe defiled with mans ſinne, are to be purged by the fire of the laſt day.
Verſe 16. Every one that is left of all the nations] i.e. that hath eſcaped the plague, verſe 12. and is beaten into a better mind: as thoſe Hunnes, that, vanquiſhed by the Chriſtians, concluded that Chriſt was the true God, and became his ſubjects. God had promiſed before to ſubvert the Churches enemies, but here to convert them, which is farre better. And it ſhall appear to be ſo (as converſion cannot be hid; you cannot turn a bell, but it will make a ſound: and report its own motion. See Gal. 1.23.)
for they ſhall even go up] ſc. to the Temple, which ſtood upon mount Moriah:
to worſhip the king the Lord of Hoſts].Eſay 16.1… to ſend a lamb (or an homage peny) to the Lord of the whole earth.
and to keep the feaſt of Tabernacles] In a due manner, which had not been rightly done (a marvellous thing) all along during the reigne of David, Solomon, and all thoſe ſucceeding Reformers, till about theſe times; as appears Neb. 8.16, 17, 19. The ſence of this text is, that the converted Gentiles ſhall joyn with the Jews, in the ſincere ſervice of God according to his will, and not according to their own brains and fancies: that they ſhall worſhip him with the ſame rites, in the ſame places and aſſemblies which they do: that Jehovah may be one, and his name one amongſt them, as verſe 9. that there may be no more Jew, and Gentile, Barbarian or Scythian, bond or free, but Chriſt may be all, and in all.Col. 3.11 That thoſe two ſticks being joyned into one, Ezek. 37.16. all Iſrael may be ſaved, Rom. 11.26. and raiſed as from the dead, verſe 15. the Gentiles alſo may have their part in the ſame reſurrection. All this is here ſet forth in ſuch termes, and under ſuch types as were then moſt in requeſt: as of going up to the Temple, keeping the feaſt of Tabernacles, &c. All which expreſſions are parabolicall, ſymbolicall, and enigmaticall: framed to the capacity of the Jews, much addicted to theſe legall rites and ſhadows, then in uſe, but now done away, Col. 2.17. Heb. 10.1. whatever the Jews conclude from this text for their continuance under Meſſias his kingdome. Chriſtians have their feaſts or holy-dayes too, 1 Cor. 5.8. yea their feaſt of Tabernacles in a myſtieall ſence, 1 Pet. 2.11. Heb. 11.1, 9.
Verſe 17. Even upon them ſhall be no rain] i. e. Nullam miſericordiam aſſequentur, ſaith Theodoret: They ſhall get no good at Gods hand. Judaea was ſumen totius orbis, as One ſaith, a very fat and fertile countrey: but yet ſo, as that her fruitfulneſſe depended much upon ſeaſonable ſhowres, the former and latter rain: and the Prophet ſeemeth here to allude to that of Moſes, Deut. 11.10, &c, If God did not hear the heaven, and the heaven the earth, the earth could not hear the corn, wine, and oil, nor thoſe hear Jezreel, Hoſ. 2.19. Judaea was not like that countrey in Pliny, ubi ſiccitas dat lutum, imbres pulverem, where drought made dirt, rain made duſt: but if the heaven were iron over them, the earth would ſoon be braſſe under them, and not yeeld her increaſe, (See Pſal. 65.9. Eſay 30.23.) and then where would they be quickly? ſith Animantis cujuſque vita in fuga eſt, life would be loſt, if not maintained by daily food. Rain is in Scripture put 1. Properly, for water coming out of the clouds, Deut. 11.11, Prov. 16.15. nouriſhing the herbs and trees. 2. Metaphorically for Chriſt, his Goſpel, and his graces, wherewith the ſouls of men are made fruitfull in good works, Eſay 45.8. Deut. 32.2. Hoſ. 6.3. The want of rain is on the contrary made here, and Rev. 11.5. a ſigne of a curſe. It waiteth not for the ſonnes of men, Mic. 5.7. but it accompliſheth what God appointeth, Eſay 55.10, 11. Why it falleth here, and now, we know not, and wonder.
Verſ. 18. And if the family of Egypt] So called from one Aiguptos, a King there. In the Hebrew it is called, (moſtly) Mizraim, from one of that name, Gen. 10.6. ſometimes, for its power and pride, it is called, Rahab, Pſal. 87.4. and 89.11. Eſay 51.9. The family of Egypt is here put for the whole Nation (ſee the like Amos 3.1.) becauſe, after the confuſion of tongues eſpecially, Nations took their originall and denomination from the head of ſome family; as did the Egyptians from Mizraim, Chams ſecond ſonne.
go not up, and come not] But they did receive the Chriſtian religion with the firſt: had Chriſtian ſchools, Doctours, and Profeſſours, after that Saint Mark had there planted a Church at Alexandria, now called Scanaeroon. This was fore-prophecred, Eſay 19.21. The Lord ſhall be known to Egypt, &c And the Lord ſhall ſmite Egypt, he ſhall ſmite and heal it; &c. he ſhall cauſe them to paſſe under the rod, and to b…g them into the bond of the covenant, as it is Ezek 20.37
th… have no rain] Others read it thus, It ſhall not rain upon them. For they alſo needed rain in ſome meaſure, as well as other nations. See Pſal. 105.32. though not ſo much, by reaſon of the overſlowings of the river …: which if it ariſe to a juſt height,… ſc. of fifteen or ſixteen cubits, as Pliny …ells us, it … the land very fruitfull: ſo that they do but throw in the ſeed, and have …our … harveſts in leſſe then four moneths.S. H. Blant… … Indeed where the Nile arrives not, … nothing, they ſay, in Egypt, but a whitiſh fand, bearing no graſſe, but two …tile weeds, colled Su…it and Gazul: which, burnt to aſhes, and conveyed to Venice, make the fineſt thryſtall-glaſſes. The Chal…ee …enders it, Non creſ…et ejus N…ns. God loves to confute men in their confidences, to dry up their Niluſſes, (See Ezck. …,… 9. Iſa…. 19.5, 6.) as he did for two yeers together in the time of Cloopatra, a little before Chriſts birth: and once before for nine years ſpace.
there ſhall be the plague] q.d. If they eſcape the forethreatened evil, a worſe thing abides them: their preſervation from famine is but a reſervation to thoſe everlaſting burnings Verſe 12. And though here they abound even to ſatiety, and ſurfet (the Egyptians were wont to boaſt that they could feed all men, and feaſt all the gods, without any ſenſible diminution of their proviſion) yet at the laſt day they ſhall be cut ſhort enough, eat fire, drink brimſtone, God himſelf uttering thoſe or the like words Eſay 65.1…, Behold, my ſervants ſhall cat, but you ſhall …e hurgry, …ehold, myſervants ſhall drink, but you ſh…ill be thirſty: behold, my ſervants ſhall rejoice, but none ſhall be aſhamed. Behold, my ſervants ſhall ſing for joy of heart, but ye ſhall cry for ſorrow of heart, and ſhall howl for …exation of ſpirit.
Verſe 19. This ſhall be the puniſhment of Egypt, and the puniſhment] Or ſin: Indeed the ſin of ſins to ſlight Gods Ordinances and offers of grace; and to neglect ſo great ſalvation as is tendred in and by Chriſt. This very ſin is it: own puniſhment. This is condemnation, or hell aſorehand, John 3.19. This brought Capernaum down from heaven to hell, Mat. 11.23. Pagans that never heard of Chriſt ſhall havean eaſier judgement then ſuch, Mat. 10.23. for they ſhall have a double condemnation. One from the law which they have broken, wherein Chriſt found them: another from the Goſpel for rejecting Chriſt, and the bath of his blood, to the which even the Prin…es of Sodo… are invited, Eſai 1.10. See Iohn …2.48. Mat. 21.44. It is with ſuch as with a malefactour that being dead in law, doth yet refuſe a pardon. Danaeus obſerveth here that mention is made of the feaſt of Tabernacles eſpecially. 1. Becauſe this leaſt was now moſt ſolemnly kept among the Jews, Neh. 8. And ſecondly, becauſe it was a moſt evident teſtimony of the firſt gathering together of the people of Iſrael. that is of a free ordained Church. Therefore it was better liked of the people, and a more evident ſign of their uniting or knitting together within themſelves, as is unto us the holy ſupper of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Verſe 20. In that day ſhall there be upon the bels of the horſes] hang'd upon their heades, or about their necks: as Iudg. 8.26. the Midianitiſh camels …ad rich collars and chains about their necks, for ornament ſake. It was a witty conceit of a modern Divine,D …. that many deal with their Miniſters, as carriers do with their horſes; lay heavy burthens upon them, and then hang bels about their necks: they ſhall have har… work and great commendations: but eaſy commons, good words, but ſlight wages. This was better then that bald conceit of Theodoret … others,Lib. 1. hiſt. cap. 18. Ruff. in lib. 1. c. 8. Soc…at. 1.1. that this Propheſie was then fulfilled when as Conſtantine the Great (or h… mother … for him) cauſed the bits of his horſe-bridle to be made of the nailes of the croſſe of Chriſt. I confeſſe the word is by ſome rendred bridles, by others trappings, Frontals, collars. 'Tis foreign read only here: and hence this variety of interpretations. Calvin renders it ſtables of horſes: which although they are but contemptible places and uſually ſtink: yet the Prophet ſaith, they ſhall be …ly to the Lord. Hereby the Prophet teacheth, ſaith He, that God ſhall ſo be king of the world; as that all things ſhall be applied to his worſhip: neither ſhall any thing be of ſo common and ordinary uſe that ſhall not change its nature, and be ſanctified to Gods ſervice. The compariſon here is made betwixt things profane, and the inſcription on the high-Prieſts mitre, which was Holineſſe to the Lord. This is a manifeſt teſtimony of a godly mind, when godlineſſe runs thorough a mans whole life, as the wooſe doth thorough the web: whenordinary actions are done from a right principle, and to a right purpoſe: according to that old and good Rule, Quicquid agas, propter Deum agas, Whether ye eate or drink, or what ſoever ye do, 1 Cor. 10.31. 1 Tim. 4.14. Holineſſe must be written upon our bridles when we warr, upon our cupps when we drink Dr. Harris.de all to the glory of God. Receive every creature with thank ſgiving: in ſerving men, ſerve the Lord Chriſt: exerciſe your general calling in your particular: do earthly buſineſſe with heavenly minds: Content not your ſelf with a naturall uſe of the creature, as bruit beaſts do, but taſt the ſweetneſſe of God in all: and in all thy wayes acknowledge Him, depending upon him for direction and ſucceſſe, conſulting with him, and approving thine heart and life unto him. This is to go the upper way Pro. 15.24. which indeed is both cleaner, ſhorter, and ſafer. This is to be of that royall Prieſt-hood, that hath for its poſy, Holineſſe to the Lord. This is to be harmeleſſe, and blameleſſe, the ſons of God; known by their holineſſe as Davids children were by their garments of diverſe colours. For as he that hath called them is holy, ſo are they alſo holy, and that in all manner of converſation and communion too, even when they deale with carnal men, and in common matters.
and the pots in the Lords houſe ſhall be like the bowles before the Altar] All this muſt be underſtood of the ſpirituall ſervice, which ſhould be in the Chriſtian church: deſcribed by the ancient ceremonial ſervice, as Iſa. 60.7. and 66.23. Mal. 1.11. And it is to ſhew, that the efficacy, force, and operation of the holy Ghoſt, ſhall be far more plentifull through Chriſt in the Church of the Goſpell, then it was in times paſt, under the law. See Heb. 8.6. Eph. 3.5. Iſa. 44.3, 4.
Verſe 21. Yea, every pot in Ieruſalem &c.] That is, ſaith Danaeus, God ſhall as God-like be worſhiped of every faithfull perſon in his own houſe, as he was of old in his Temple by the Jews. Calvin adds, ut quicquid aggrediantur homines ſit ſacrificium, ſo that whatſoever good men enterprize, ſhall be a ſacrifice. God ſhall ſmell a ſavour of reſt from them, they of life and peace from him.
there ſhall be no more the Canaanite] The merchant, ſaith the vulgar after Aquila, and the Chaldee; that is, the Simoniack, the Church-chopper, ſuch monymerchants as Chriſt whipt out of the Temple Mat. 21.12. Ioh. 2.15. But better render it Canaanite, The Phenicians thoſe great merchants were Canaanites.who were indeed great Merchants Hoſ. 12.7. Ezek. 17.4. but here it ſtands for a wicked man, an hypocrite, that botch of Chriſtian ſociety. Pura erit Eccleſia ab omnibus inquinamentis, ſaith Calvin: the Church ſhall be purged of all ſuch Peſts. See Rev. 22.27. no ſuch owles ſhall be ſeen flying in the Churches welkin. God will, by the due exerciſe of diſcipline, and otherwiſe, be daily purging out all ſcandals, as ſuch men are called Mat. 13.41. and cauſing the unclean ſpirit to paſſe out of the land Zach. 13.2. I conclude with Theodoret, Dominus Omnipotens hanc vocem veram eſſe hoc tempore praeſtet &c. God Almighty make good this promiſe unto us at this time: that there may be no curſed Canaanite found amongſt us; but that we may all live according to the doctrine of the Goſpell, and expect that bleſſed hope and comming of the great God our Saviour Jeſus; to whom with the Father and holy Spirit be glory for ever. Amen.