Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Commentary 11 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Verſe. 1. IN the ſourth yeer of King Darit…s] Two yeers and a month after the former ſermon. The word of the Lord was precious in thoſe dayes: T… Lod gave the word: Pſal. 68.11.but it cannot be ſaid that great was the company of thoſe …hat pr…ach…a it; during the Captivity they complained that there was no more any Prophet; neither any among them that knew how long their mi…ery ſhould laſt. Soon after their return, God ſtined them up Haggie, and Zachary; and after that Malachy: and then there was Chathimath chazon, as the Jewes ph…afe it, a ſealing up or end of Propheſie. OnelyOnly they had Bath-gol as they calt it, a voice from heav…n ſometime, as Mat. 3.17. Ioh. 12.28. This and the pool of Betheida only were left them as extraordinary fignes of Gods love to that people. But for a puniſhment of their killing the Prophets (as they did this Zachary between the Porch and the Altar) and ſtoning thoſe that were ſent unto them (as they did the other Zachary the ſon of Jehojadah) they had no more Prophet…,Mat. 23.37. till the Archprophet, and his forerunner the Baptiſt came. And now alſo by thi… long vacation of two yeers and a month, it appeareth that Preachers were rare, and that ſermons they had but ſeldome. Neither was it otherwiſe here in England at the firſt reiormation: for to many churches (for want of Preachers) Readers were ſent. Whence one of the Martyrs wiſhed that every able Miniſter might have ten Congregations committed to his charge,… Cant. 180. till further proviſion could be made.
the word of the Lord came unto Zachariah The Lord is ſaid to come to Balaam, Abimelech, Laban &c. But he never concredited his word to theſe proſane perſons; as he did to the holy Prophets, of whom it is ſaid as here, The word of the Lord came unto them.
in the fourth day of the ninth month] which anſwereth to our November; why the preciſe time of the propheſies is ſet down, See the Note on Hag. 1.1.
Verſe 2. When they had ſent] They? who? Not the Pr…nces of Perſia that were now proſelyted, as the vainglorious Jewes (and after them Heymo and Hugo) would have it, for the honour of their nation. Nor the Samarinans (as ſome in Theodoret held) as ſeeming to Judaize in part, to joyne Jewiſh ceremonies with heatheniſh rites. But either the Iewes yet …emayning in Babylon, as Calvin conceiveth (blaming them … their ſloth … commenthing them for … they … vice) Of elſe the whole body or … laſt… …ome particul… man not named … I … in the fifth monethmonth … Enallage; the ſingular … name of the whole …
unto the houſe of God] Not to … from Bethel (as the … likely. But, to the houſe of God, … to the … nigh finiſhed: and that … que…tion here …
Sherezer, and Regemmeleeh, and their men] that is, their … were men of rank and faſhion; as it was fit they ſhould be in … polyment. And here the Sep…uagim, by their correct tranſlating of the … have cauſed a ſtrange coyle among thoſe that ſtrive to defend them … they tranſlated againſt their will: and thereſore what can we expect from them but ſlippery doing? It is moſt ſure, that the tranſlation of theirs which we now have, is full of errours: and that they pervert diverſe clear prop…eſit … Jeſus Chriſt, and have occaſioned many miſtakes, being themſelves mnay times groſsly miſtaken as here: unleſſe they did it wilfully. Some … men think that the Septuagint that we have now, is not theirs. It was burnt … (as ſome hold) in the library of Alexandria, or (as others by … when he burnt Serapion.
to pray before the Lord] Heb. to intreat the face of the Lord, … prayers and ſacrifices in the moſt ſolemne ſort. The Hebrew properly … Lord with prayers, to ſet upon him …ith utmoſt … untill he yeeld, to urge him (as they did the Prophet 2 … 17.) … he be aſhamed to deny, till we put …m to the bſuſh, or leave a blot in his … (as ſhe Luke 18.5. unleſſe we m…revaile. This muſt be done, eſpecially when we are to converſe with Pro…nets about ſoule-buſineſſes, caſes of conſcience &c.
Verſe 3. And to ſpeak unto the P… ] whoſe office is to … knowledge… and preſent it too; to teach Jacob God judgement, and to … before him Deut. 33.10. to ſelfoyle Mae. … 9. to bring … 8.22. to ſpeake as the Oracles of God, 1. Pet. … ſand can skill of Iob 33.23.
and to the Prophets] who were extr…ordinarily raiſed up ſome ames by Gods, … aſſiſt the Prieſts in teaching the people, and to ſhame them for their back wardneſſe to ſuch buſineſſes. See the Note on ver. 1.
ſhould I weep] that is, faſt, which, was ever with … 17. and affliction of the ſoule; which indeed is … Levit. 16.31. and 23.37.the which, it is but as a braineleſſe he… or a life … humble day (ſaith One) without an humble, … but an high provocation, like Zimri … when … Congregation were weeping before the door of the Tabernacl…
in the fifth monethmonth] wherein the Temple was conſumed to … In a ſad remembrance whereof the Jewes … day of … for a ſolemne faſt every yeer, till now
ſeparating my ſelf] Heb. Nazar… my ſelf, that is abridging my ſelf of meates, drinks and delights. Hence a faſting day is called a day of reſtraint I…el 2.15.Tſom. foreign. Hence it hath its name both in Hebrew and Greek. Hence … it is ſpoken of as a foule fault Eſay 58.3. Beheld in the day of your faſt … The Popiſh faſt is a meer mock faſt… for they ſeparate themſel… … kind of meates only: it is not a to tall abſtinence. And here in … ofTurk Hiſt. 777. the very Turks, who upon their faſting-dayes will … ſo much … or waſh their mo…ths with water all the day long, before … in the sky: and then they-make all the cheer and joy they can … as the At ick Daines in their Theſmophoria (a feaſt of Ceres) prepare … faſting, but after that laid the reines in the neck and ran riot.
as I have done theſe ſo many yeers] Seventy at leaſt. But they ſeem to reckon up upon ſo many as was ſcarce to be told and that therefore God was deep in their debt. Is it not time now to give over, ſith the Temple wa almoſt reedified? This was the great caſe … ded by theſe Queſtioniſts. Hereunto an anſwer is made by the Prophet … two following chapters, and this anſwer is partly Reprehenſory Chap. 7. partly Conſolatory Chap. 8. The Sun of righteouſneſſe loves not to ſet in a cloud: Verſe 4. Then came the word of the Lord of Hoſts] This is oft prefaced for amhority's Take: and to procure andience and reverence. The Lord God hath Spoken, who can but be affected? See that ye deſpiſe not him that ſpeaketh from heaven. The Angel Mat. 28.7. uſeth no other argument to aſſure… the women of the truth of what he had told them, but this, Lo I have told you.
Verſe 5. Speak unto all the people of the land] Not to the Embaſſadours onelyonly: as the cauſe is common, ſo let the anſwer be publike: for they were all too well conceited of their external ſervices, bodily exerciſes, and made much adoe about a trifle, a practiſe of their own deviſing, neglecting the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith Mat. 23.23.
and to the prieſts] Who themſelves were to ſeek belike; And having been the authours and obſervers of theſe cuſtoms, were backward to aboliſh them, as thoſe that reſted in them without true repentance, faith and new obedience.
when ye faſted and mourned in the fifth and ſeventh monethmonth] ſc. For the ſlaughter of Gedaliah and the ſad conſequence thereof 2 Kings 25.22. and Jer. 41.1.
even thoſe ſeventy yeers] wherein ye have loſt full ſevenſcore faſts: and were not a button the better for them: becauſe they faſted rather to get off their chaines then their ſins: they reſted in their faſts, in the work done, neither regarding how, nor why they ſhould faſt. Now God weighes mens actions by their aymes. And with him, though a good ayme doth not make a bad action good (as we ſee in the caſe of Uzzah) yet a bad aym makes a good action bad, as in Jehu's reformation. He had a ſquint eye to his own ends in all (as the eagle hath an eye upon her prey when ſhe flies higheſt) and ſo conſulted ruine to his own houſe.
did ye at all faſt unto me, even to me?] Did you propound me to your ſelves? Or gat I any thing by the hand? Did you ſerve me? and not your ſelves rather upon me? was it not ſinful ſelf-love, and baſe ſelf-ſeeking that put you upon theſe practiſes? lookt you any higher therein, then onelyonly to the ſatisfying of your own carnal humours? God was not in all your thoughts. This Daniel ſaw and acknowledged with grief and ſhame, Chap. 9.13. All this is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and underſtand thy truth: Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil and brought it upon us &c. The Jews no doubt had prayed much and oft during that ſeventy yeers captivity: yet Daniel denies that they had prayed to any purpoſe: becauſe they had failed both quoad fontem & quoad finem, they had acted from evil principles, and had been carried on by ſelf-reſpects. They had not that true-heart ſpoken of by the Apoſtle Heb. 10.22. but that wicked minde mentioned by the Wiſe-man Prov. 21.27. The ſacrifice of the wicked is abominable: how much more when he brings it with a wicked minde: either as thinking to cozen the God of heaven,Hoſ. 10.1. Cant. 5.4. or at leaſt to ſtop his judgements, and ſtill the noiſe of his own conſcience by his external ſervices. Thus Ephraim bore fruit to himſelf, but proved an empty vine: when as the ſpouſe (that fruitful vine on Chriſts houſe-ſide) kept her fruit for her beloved: who therefore fed heartily upon it, and not upon her vine onelyonly, but her milk too, not upon her honey onelyonly, her finer and ſweeter ſervices, but upon her honey comb too, that had much wax in it, meaning her worſer and courſer performances. If the heart be upright all's well betwixt Chriſt and his people. O labour for that truth in the inward parts, that we may be with Appelles approved in Chriſt Rom. 16. that he may ſay of …s, as once he did of Nathaneel, Behold an Iſraelite indeed in whom is no guile, Great vertues …ot, ſweetned with ſincerity are no ornaments unto us. And Great infirmities, not ſowred with hypocriſie, are no great deformities. Thoſe God acknowledgeth not, theſe he imputeth not.
Verſe 6. And when ye did cat and when ye did drink] q. d. In all your actions natural, civil, recreative, religious, you ſhould have ſought, ſerved, and ſet up me, you ſhould have done all to the glory of God, as ſaith the Apoſtle: you ſhould have eat, drunk and ſlept eternall life, as it was faid of a certain Scotch Divine. The way of life is above to the wife Prov. 15.24. he goes a higher way then h… neighbour, who contents himſelf with a natural uſe of the creature, but he can extract a ſpiritual. Grace is called the divine nature, as that which Elixir-like by contaction turns all into the ſame property with it ſelf: meat makes us not acceptable to God 1 Cor. 8.8. The kingdom of God conſiſts not in meats and dr…nks, Rom. 14.17. Howbeit the Iſraelites were commanded, as to faſt, ſo to feaſt …. forethe Lord; that is, in faith and obedience: & to do every thing from the heart, as unto him. This theſe Jews did not; and are therefore worthily blamed. From their feeding themſelves without fear of God, is concluded their no reſpect to him in their faſts and holy ſervices: ſith true goodneſſe is ever like it ſelf, and carries an uniformity in all proceedings.
Verſe 7. Should ye not hear the words which the Lord ha…h cryed] q.d. Hath … not ſpoken loud enough, long enough? Hath he not ſufficiently declared his… concerning theſe external actions, and eſpecially concerning a faſt prophaned through wickedneſſe Iſai. 58.3, 4. Jer. 14.12. and eiſewhere. Sed ſurdo ſ…ul…m; All hath been but as a trumpet ſounded in a dead mans ear: you are altogether uncounſellable, untractable: and all that hath been ſpoken hath even been ſpilt upon you.
ſhould ye …ot the words] So the Original runs, by a conciſe and ſhort kinde of ſpeaking, well befitting a ſharp reproof. Should ye not hear them and heed them? which if you had done, you might have ſpared that labour of comming to us: and out of the former propheſies have reſolved your ſelves.
when Ieruſalem was inhib…ted, and in proſperity] But then their hearts were fat as …eaſe, and the proſperity of thoſe fools deſtroyed them: who,Frov. 1.3… 3… if they had hearkned to wiſdom, had dwelt ſaſely: and lived quite from the fear of evil. Surely as thoſe that lie on down pillows cannot well hear: ſo ſuch as be at caſe in Sion, cannot profit by good counſel. It is by correction that God openeth the eares of men, and fealeth their inſtruction. Job. 33.16.
when men inh thit the South of the pla…n] Heb. the South of the plain, that is, the bounds and borders, that part of the countrey that lieth moſt open to the inrodes of the enemy, and hath moſt of all felt the deſolations of war. See Jer. 1….26, and 32,44.
Verſe And the word] See the Note on Verſe 4.
Verſe 9. Ex…me true judgement] According to Deut. 1.17. See the Note there. The prophet having here to do with Hypocrites, who boaſt much of their piety with neglect of charity and ſeem to be ſtrickt in the ſervice of God, but make overbold with men, preſſeth them to duties of the ſecond table, which yet he would have exerciſed in the firſt table: for not onelyonly the ſecond is included in the firſt, but in the very firſt commandment of the Law the obſervation of the reſt is commanded, as Luther well obſerveth.
and ſhew mercy] Or bountifulneſſe, kindneſſe, favourable dealing.
And compaſſions] Heb bowels q.d. Do it out of deep pitty fiom the heart-root.Eſay 57. Draw out, not your ſheafe onelyonly, but your ſoul to the … this way the pooreſt may exerciſe his Charity: though he cannot ſhew mercy, yet he may love it …6.8 he may wiſh well to it, as theſe poor wretches that were willing indeed but never (alaſſe) able to relieve the neceſſitous Mat 25.35. we uſually call ſuch poor men, poor ſouls: but in the bowels of compaſſions a poor ſoul may be a rich Chriſtian: and a rich man may have a poor ſoul.
Verſe 10. And oppreſſe not the widow nor the ſathe…ſe] Widows and Orphans are Gods clients, taken into his ſpecial protection.
the ſtranger] Whoſe right is ſo ſacred, ſaith one, that there was never ration ſo barbarous, that would violate the ſame.
nor the poor] whoſe miſery moves compaſſion without an Oratour. In the low countries they may not beg, but only look pittifully. To grinde the faces of ſuch is barbarous cruelty: to wrong them, or but wrangle with them, is called, man-eating, Pſal. 14.4.
and let none of you imagine evil againſt his brother in your heart.] For though you never act it, yet Fecit quiſque quantum voluit, ſaith Seneca It is ſaid, Joſh. 24.9. Balac aroſe and fought with Iſrael: And yet the ſtory ſaith nothing ſo. Sed fieri dicitur quod tentatur aut intenditur, ſaith Ribera upon Amos 9.5. Hec did not, becauſe he durſt not: yet he is ſaid to have done it, becauſe he had a mind to do it. A man may die of an inward bleeding: ſo of heart-ſinnes, which are majoris reatus, as we ſee in devils, though outward ſinnes are majoris infamiae, as the Schools well obſerve.
Verſe 11. But they refuſed to hearken] Being a nation void of counſell, Deut. 32.28. not willing to know what they ſhould do, leſt they ſhould do what they would not. Nay (ſaid they once, when they had nothing elſe to ſay) but we will have a king.
and pulled away the ſhoulder] As untamed heifers do from the yoke: or untoward Porters from the burthen. The Vulgar rendreth it, Averterunt ſcapulam recedentem, making it a Metaphor from thoſe that ſcornfully turn their backs upon their betters, when they like not their commands: as the Earl of Eſſex did once upon Queen Elizabeth; Camd. Eliz. Anno 1598.whereat ſhe waxing impatient, gave him a cuffe on the ear, bidding him be gone with a miſchief. Sides and ſhoulders ſhould be ſet to Gods work, Zeph. 3.9.
and ſtopped their ears] Heb. they made heavy their ears. See here, how they proceeded by degrees from bad to worſe (for Nemo repentè fit turpiſſimus) noted in the many Ands here uſed. There is a concatenation of Vices as well as of Graces: and he that is one ſtep down the ladder of hell, knoweth not where he ſhall ſtop, till he break his neck at the very bottom. Wherefore Principiis chſta. Meddle not with ſin: it is modeſt and maidenlike at firſt, but who knows what it may come to? We have heard of Virgins ſo modeſt at firſt, as to bluſh at the motions of an honeſt love, who being once corrupt and debauched, have grown boldly laſcivious, ſo as to ſollicite others, ſo as to proſtitute themſelves to all commers, &c. Keep thee therefore farre from an cvil matter, Exod. 23.7. have nothing to do with the unfruitfull works of darkneſſe, Epheſ. 5.11. Circa ſerpentis antrum poſitus non eris diu illaeſus. Iſidor.He that playes upon the hole of the aſp may be ſuddenly ſtung.
Verſe 12. Yea, they made their hearts as an Adamant] that hardeſt of ſtones, harder then the flint, Ezek. 3.9. then the nether-milſtone, Job 41.24. Pliny ſaith of it; Durities ejus eſt inenarrabilis, & ſimul ignium victrix natura &] nunquam incaleſcens. The hardneſſe of this ſtone is unſpeakable: the fire cannot burn it, nor ſo much as heat it thorow: the hammer cannot break it; and therefore the Greeks call it an Adamant from its untameableneſſe. Hircino tamen rumpitur ſanguine, ſaith the ſame Authour. Howbeit this hardeſt ſtone ſoaked for a while in goats-blood,foreign. Apocal. 1 may be diſſolved and broken in pieces. So may the hardeſt heart by the blood of Chriſt (the true ſcape-goat) applied by faith. They ſhall look upon him whom they have pierced, and ſhall mourn: He ſhall look again upon them, and they ſhall melt much more. A ſtroke from guilt broke Judas his heart into deſpair: but a look from Chriſt broke Peters heart into tears. Now till the heart be thus graciouſly mollified, inſtructions glide off it, as rain falling upon a rock: Afflictions, Gods hammers do but beat upon an adamant, qui reſpuit ſcalptra & malleos, quin & ipſos diſrumpit, which will ſooner break them, then be broken by them. Ye ſtiffenecked and uncircumciſed in hearts and cars, ye do always reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt: as your fathers did, ſo do ye, Act. 7.51. How their fathers did, appears by this Text, and Neh. 9.29. They had not onelyonly ſinews of iron, a naturall hereditary hardneſſe, (whereby all men are born averſe from, yea adverſe to the motions of the Spirit: That which is born of the fleſh is fleſh) but alſo browes of braſſe, Efay 48.4. an habituall, voluntary, adventitious, wilfull hardneſſe; refuſing to be reformed, hating to be healed: ſuch a deſperate hardneſſe as neither Miniſtery, nor miſery, nor miracle, nor mercy could poſſibly mollifie.
by the former Prophets] Heb.Manus enim eſt foreign, Ariſt. by the hand of the former Prophets, that is, by their mouth and miniſtery: but to as little purpoſe, through their ſingular obſtinacy, as when Bede preached to an heap of ſtones.
Therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Hoſts] Which argues that they were great ſinners before the Lord, as Gen. 13.13. for he doth not uſe to kill flies upon mens browes with beetles.
Verſe 13. Therefore it is come …o paſſe] By a moſt juſt and equall retaliation. Diſtributive juſtice requireth that men ſhould be puniſhed according to the nature,Prov. 14.14 and kind of their offences. The back-ſlider in heart ſhall be filled with his own wayes: As he makes a match with miſchief, ſo he ſhall have his belly-full of it: he hath ſold himſelf to do wickedneſſe, and he ſhall be ſure to hav… his payment. With the froward God will ſhew himſelf froward, Pſal. 18.26. he will be as croſſe as they are, for the hearts of them. If they turn the deaf ear to to him, hee'll do as much for them another time. They ſhall call and cry for help till their hearts and ſides ake, but all in vain: hee'll not come at them. If they pull away the ſhoulder, he will pull away their ſupporters, and they ſhall be overthrown in ſtony places, Pſal. 141.6. If they harden their hearts, he will harden his hand, and haſten their deſtruction. This ſhall they have of Gods hand,Eſay 50. they ſhall lie down in ſorrow.
Verſe 14. But I ſcattered them with a whirl-wind] This is the ſecond part of their puniſhment. The firſt was no audience, or help from heaven at their greateſt need, verſe 13. This was the curſe of Saul, 1 Sam. 28.15. of Moah, Eſay 16.12. of Davids enemies, Pſal. 18.41. The next now is, they were diſjected and diſſipated, as the duſt of the mountains before a whirl-wind: caſt out of their native ſoil, and carried they knew not whither, with a great and fearfull diſperſion, and diſcerption of the ſame body and nation.
thus the land was deſolate after them] This is the third degree of their grievous puniſhment, their land laid utterly waſte and deſolate: according to that, God turneth a fruitfull land into barrenneſſe for the wickedneſſe of them that dwell therein, Pſal. 107.34. Here a learned Expoſitour obſerveth a wonderfull providence,M. Pemble in loc. that this pleaſant countrey, left thus deſtitute of inhabitants, and compaſſed about with warlike Nations, was not invaded, and replanted by forreiners for ſeventy yeers ſpace: but enjoyed her Sabbaths, reſting from tillage and all other employments.
for they laid the pleaſant land deſolate] They, by their ſinnes, rather then the Babylonians by their Armies, did all this ſpoil, as Daiel alſo confeſſeth, chap. 9.16. and Nehemiah, chap 1.8. Sin is the great make-bate, hell-hag, trouble-town that hurled confuſion over the world at firſt: and brings deſolation ſtill to pleaſant countreys. Paleſtins was very pleaſant, not more by the nature of the ſoil,Ezek. 20.… then by Gods ſpeciall bleſſing: a land that he had eſpied out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which was the glory of all lands: This land they had laid deſolate, or for an aſtoniſhment, as ſome render it: or for an In qua quid? as Montanus reads it, What's here? Nothing of its old pleaſantneſſe.