Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Commentary 6 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Ver. 1. NOw gather thy ſelf in troopes, O daughter of troopes] Here the Virgin, the daughter of Zion deſpiſeth her adverſaries of Aſſyria and Babylon, and laughes them to ſcorn: the daughter of Ieruſalem ſhaketh her head at them Iſa. 37.22. and bearing her ſelf bold upon the foregoing promiſe (chap. 4.13.) that ſhe ſhould beat in peeces many people, ſhe taketh liberty to taunt the Aſſyrian Monarch with all his troopes beleaguering her, and baſely abuſing her Judges: telling him, that the Babe of Bethlehem would ſhortly take an order with him. And although ſhe were but a Virgin, yet, having ſuch a Champion as Chriſt, who is in love with her, that will take her part and fight her quarrell, ſhe doubteth not to ſay, Now gather thy ſelf in troopes &c. Nunc turmatim coito, ô turmaria, Increaſe thine army and come forth, Gather your ſelves and ye ſhall be broken in peeces, gird your ſelves, and ye ſhall be broken in peeces. Take counſel together, Iſai. 8.9, 10. Iſai. 33.22.and it ſhall come to naught: ſpeak the word and it ſhall not ſtand, for God is with us, Jehovah is our Juge, Jehovah is our Champion, Jehovah is our king, he will ſave us. Lo, this is the Churches confident boaſting in Chriſt, this is the triumph of her, truſt in him.Pſal. 32.7. The thought of his birth ſwalloweth up all her fears and diſcontents; and compaſſeth her about with ſongs of deliverance.
He hath laid ſiege againſt us,] And already devoured us in his hopes: but if we do but turne us to Chriſt, and ſay, Behold ſhe whom thou loveſt is diſtreſſed: the Aſſyrian as a ſtrong river is come up over all his channels, and reacheth even to the neck: yea the ſtretching out of his wings filleth the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel, Eſay 8.7, 8. he will ſoon beſtir himſelf, he will beſiege our beſiegers, he will ſmite them upon the cheek-bone,Pſal. 3.7. and break the teeth of thoſe ungodly, that ſmot the Judge of Iſrael with a rod upon the cheek, for a reproach to the whole people. Hugo, foreign. Bacillis ceciderunt. Beza.by this Iudge of Iſrael, underſtandeth Chriſt, who was indeed at his paſſion contumeliouſly buffetted, and ſmitten with rods upon the cheek, Mat. 20.6, 7. But this, though it be true, yet cannot be the ſence of this text.
Verſe 2. But thou Bethlehem Ephratah] Not ſo called from Ephratah, Calebt wife, 1 Chron. 2.19, 50, 51. but from its fruitfulneſſe: whence alſo it had the name Bethlehem, Joh. 6.that is, the houſe of bread, where Jeſus, (that Bread of life, that came down from heaven) was born in the fulneſſe of time, as is here firſt foretold by this Prophet: that great myſtery of godlineſſe being revealed to the world by degrees, in ſeverall Ages. Here was Chriſt born by meer accident; in regard of his parents, who were brought hither by a tyrannicall Edict of Auguſtus, Luk. 2.2. but yet by a ſweet providence of God, that this Scripture might be fulfilled, and our faith in Chriſt ſetled.
Though thou be little among the thouſands of Iudah] Or, Art thou little, &c? q.d. No ſuch matter: and ſo it agreeth with Mat. 2.6. Or thus: And thou Bethlehem Ephrata, it is a ſmall thing to be among the Princes of Judah: Out of thee ſhall come a Ruler, &c. q. d thou haſt a dignity above this, and above them all, in that out of thee ſhall come a Ruler, &c. Take tſagnir in the Neuter gender, (as Scultetus after Oſiander, foreign.and Forſter doth) and then the …eeming difference betwixt the Prophet and Evangeliſt is taken away. Some make St. Matthew to relate the words of the Scribes to Herod, as they had varied the Text before him. But we finde not that they are any where taxed for altering or corrupting the Text; but for miſinterpreting it onelyonly, Mat. 5. Beſides that, they were by their office Text-men, to look to the letter of the Scripture, and to keep it pure, 1 Cor. 1 20. where they are diſtinguiſhed from teachers of traditions, and teachers of Allegories.
yet out of thee ſhall he come forth unto me] that is, to God the Father: that we may know that the coming of Chriſt in the fleſh, was a plot of Gods own contriving. He came not by c…ce, but by counſel: him hath God the Father ſealed, anointed and appointed to the work.Joh. 6.27. This is comfortable to conſider of.
that is to be Ruler in Iſrael] Matthew rendereth it, a Captain that ſhall feed my people Iſrael, Mat. 2.6. See the Note there.
whoſe goings forth have been from of old] This is ſpoken of Chriſts eternal generation, which none can declare, Eſay 53.8. What is Gods name, and what is his Sons name, if thou canſt tell? Prov. 30.4. The Scripture uſually ſpeaketh of this grand Myſtery by way of circumlocution. It is here ſpoken of in the Plurall number for the excellency of it.Adoro pl…ni…udinem ſcripturarum. Aug. In this Text then we have a deſcription of Chriſt, in his natures and offices. See the like, Rom. 1.3, 4. and adore the fulneſſe of the Scriptures.
Verſe 3. Therefore will he give them up] As a little before the day ſpringeth, it is darker then ordinary: ſo before the day-ſpring from on high viſited Gods people, they were under very hard and heavy preſſures and miſeries: whereby their deſires after him were increaſed and ineagered. The enemy oppreſſed them, by Gods permiſſion, yea by his active providence: that they might pant after a Saviour, and ſigh out with old Jacob their father, Gen. 49.18. O Lord, I have waited for thy ſalvation.
untill the time that ſhe which travelleth hath brought forth] She, that is, the Virgin Mary, ſay ſome: Or, ſhe, that is, ſay others, the afflicted Church, according to chap. 4.9, 10. See the Notes there. Shee muſt have a time of travell, of trouble, before ſhe can bring forth, and be delivered. Luther ſaith well, that the Church is haeres crucis, and that every Chriſtian is a Crucian: we muſt ſuffer before we can reigne, and bear the croſſe, or ere we wear the crown.
Then the remnant of his brethren] i. e. the converted Gentiles, whom Chriſt is not aſhamed to call his brethren, Heb. 2.11, 12. ſhall return unto the children of Iſrael] ſhall be proſelyted, and conjoyned to the elect Jews, that there may bee one ſheep-fold under one ſhepherd. And the Lord ſhall be king over all the earth: In that day there ſhall be one Lord, and his name one, Zech. 4.9. See the Note there.
Verſe 4. And he ſhall ſtand and feed (or, rule) in the ſtrength of the Lord] He ſhall ſtand, and none ſhall be able to ſtirre him: there ſhall be lifting at his government, but it ſtands firm and fixed. Earthly Monarchies have their times, and their turnes: their ruine, as well as their riſe. The Roman Empire fell under the weight of its own greatneſſe. The Turkiſh, although it be indeed very ſtrong, yet is it by many probably thought to be on the declining hand. But Chriſt ſhall ſtand, when all earthly greatneſſe ſhall lie in the duſt. And He ſhall feed his flock in the ſtrength of the Lord: neither ſhall any ravenous Lion, or grievous Wolf, pluck them out of his hand; becauſe He and the Father are one, Joh. 10.39. and God hath laid help on one that is mighty, Pſal. 89 19.
and in the majeſty of the name of the Lord his God,] that is, by the power of Gods word, called his name, Acts 9 15. and elſewhere. This word hath a ſingular majeſtie in it, whereby it aweth and affecteth mens conſciences, to the propagating of Chriſts kingdom: viz when it is accompanied with the Spirit of God, called his ſtrength in the former clauſe. And that theſe ever go together, in all the ſubjects of Chriſts kingdom, ſee Eſay 59 21. As for me, this is my Covenant with them, ſaith the Lord, My Spirit that is upon them, and my word which I have put in thy mouth, ſhall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy ſeed, nor out of the mouth of thy ſeeds ſ…ed, ſaith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.
for now ſhall he be great unto the ends of the earth.] Now, that is, ere long: in Gods due time, which oft ſeems long, becauſe we are ſhort; apt to antedate the promiſes, in regard of the accompliſhment, to limit the Holy One of Iſrael, and to ſet him a time, to ſet his Sun by our diall, Jer. 8 20. help they would have that Summer at furtheſt. But as God never fails in his own time, ſo he ſeldom comes at ours: We muſt live by faith, Hab. 2.2. and ſtay Gods leiſure, as David did for the kingdome, and thoſe in Eſther, for deliverance. Gods promiſes will at length take their way over all Alpes of oppoſition: but we have need of patience &c. For yet a little while, and he that ſhall come, will come, and will not tarry, Heb. 10 36, 37.
Verſe 5. And this man ſhall be the peace] The man Chriſt Jeſus, 1 Tim. 2.5. that man, that ſhall be as an hiding place from the winde, and a covert from the tempeſt: as rivers of water in a dry place, as the ſhadow of a great rock in a weary land, Eſay 32.2. Winds and tempeſts will ariſe, and that upon the Church; Aſſyrians, and Babylonians, (Nimrods brats) will invade, and infeſt her: but that famous He afore-mentioned ſhall bee her peace, her Prince of peace, Eſay 9.6. who giveth her pacem omnimodam, peace internal, external, eternal, called by the Apoſtle life and peace, Rom. 8.7. This peace, peace, as Eſay calleth it, chap. 26 3. that is, a multiplied, renued, continued peace: this peace Regionis & Religionis, of Countrey, and of Conſcience, as God hath promiſed, and Chriſt hath purchaſed. He merited, and made it through the blood of his Croſſe, Col. 1.20. Eſay 53.5. Epheſ. 2.16. And hence it was, that as he was brought from heaven, with that ſong of peace, Luke 2.14. ſo he returned up again, with that farewell of peace, Joh. 14.27. left to the world the doctrine of peace, Epheſ. 2.17. whoſe Miniſters are meſſengers of peace… R…m. 10 15. whoſe followers are the children of peace, Luke 10.6 whoſe unity is in the bond of peace, Epheſ. 4.3. and whoſe duty is the ſtudy of peace, Rom. 12.18 and to whom God hath promiſed, I will give peace in your land, &c. And ye ſhall chaſe your enemies, &c. If any ask,Lev. 25.6, 7. how peace, and purſuit of enemies can conſiſt? It is eaſily anſwered. You ſhall have civil peace amongſt your ſelve, and beſides an ability to quell, and quiet forraigne enemies. Or, you ſhal have peace: and if it hap that war ariſe, you ſhall have the better in batte… If the Aſſyrian come into your land, he ſhall be a loſer by it: if he tread in your palaces, he ſhall retreat with ſhame, and defeatment, as it befell Sennacherib.
Then ſhall we raiſe againſt him ſeven ſhepherds] that is, a competent number of Chieftains and Champions, with their victorious forces, which ſhall repell the enemies, and ſecure the Church, Chriſto duce & auſpice Chriſto, under Chriſt the Arch ſhepherd. This ſome underſtand of the Apoſtles, thoſe anointed, or authorized Ones, (as the word here ſignifieth) the weapons of whoſe warfare were not carnall, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of ſtrong-holds, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. and bringing in, not the heads, but hearts of thoſe whom they had ſubdued: as Paul did of Sergius Paulus, the Proconſul, Acts 13.9. where alſo he is firſt called Paul, in memory (belike) of thoſe firſt ſpoils hee brought into the Church. By ſhepherds here, are meant (ſaith Gualther) the Miniſters and Preachers of the word, who feed, defend, and watch over the flock. By principal men, Magiſtrates, endued with that free, (or, as the Chaldee hath it) kingly ſpirit, Pſal. 51.12. to decree, and act for the good of the Church. Such ſhepherds, in the time of the Aſſyrian warre, were Eſay, Micha, Joel, &c. ſuch principall men, were Hezekias, and Eliakim, Iſa. 22. &c. Such after the captivity were, Ezra, Haggee, Zachariah, Malachi, Zorobabel, Nehemiah, Judas Macchabeus, &c. Qui nutantem remp. & Eccleſiam ſuis conſilijs, & fortibus geſtis fulſerunt, who under-propped and kept up the tottering Church, and Common-wealth by their prayers, counſels, and valiant atchievements, both before and ſince the dayes of Chriſt upon earth.
Verſe 6. And they ſhall waſt the land of Aſſyria,] Heb. They ſhall eat it down, as ſhepherds do paſtures with their flocks. Paſcere is put for perdere, ſaith Calvin: they ſhall leave nothing there ſafe or ſound, but either bend, or break the Churches enemies, bring them to Chriſt, by the ſword of Gods word, or utterly ruine them by temporall ſlaughters. Aut poenitendum, aut pereundum.
Thus ſhall he deliver us from the Aſſyrian] It is Chriſt that delivereth his, what inſtruments ſoever he pleaſe to make uſe of, Luke 1.71. 1 Cor. 15.24. an… he muſt have the praiſe of it. The Grecians thankfully acknowledged to Jupiter their deliverance from the Perſians, wrought by Themiſtocles; and therehence called him, foreign: as the Romans for like cauſe Soſp…tator, preſenting a Palme to him, and ſacrificing a white Ox:Liv. lib. 6. d. 3. …o acknowledging, it was his power, whereby the conqueſt was atchieved. Our Edw. 3. after his victory at Po…ers, (where hee took the French king Anno 1356.) took ſpeedy order, by S…mon Archbiſhop of Canterbury, that eight dayes together ſhould be ſpent in giving God the thanks and glory How much more ſhould wee praiſe him for ſpiritual deliverances,Polyd. Virg. lib. 19. from ſinne, Satan, the world, &c. and conſecrate our ſelves wholly to his ſervice, ſith Servati ſimus ut ſerviamus, Luke 1.74. deliverance commands obedience, Ezra 9.14.
Verſe 7. And the remnant of Jacob] The remnant according to the election of grace, Rom. 11.5. theſe are but a few in compariſon, as a remnant to the whole peece, or an hand-full to an houſe-full: but they ſhall increaſe and multiply, by Gods bleſſing upon them, as is here ſet forth by two ſimilitudes. Firſt, for their propagation and multiplication, the Prophet compareth them to the dew, which is ingendred and diſtilled from heaven immediatly. Therefore alſo Pſal. 110.3. new converts are compared to dew, and Gods begetting them, to the womb of the morning, See M. Tho. Goodw. faſtſerm. Apr. 27. 1642.when over-night the earth was dry. Secondly, for their growth and increaſe, he compareth it to the ſprouting up of herbs and graſſe in the wilderneſſes, where man cometh not, and ſo their ſpringing tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the ſonnes of men, for them to come with their watering-pots to nouriſh them (as herbs in gardens do) but theſe have ſhowers from heaven, that give the increaſe. I the Lord do keep my vineyard, I will water it every moment, Eſay 27.3. There is an honour due to Gods Miniſters, 1 Theſſ. 5 13. but the word onelyonly muſt be … fied, Act. 13.48. and Chriſt earneſtly intreated, that as of old the Manna …me down with the dew, which covered the Manna (whence that expreſſion, hidden Manna, Rev. 2.17.) ſo He himſelf who is the bread of life, would deſcend into us, by the word of his grace, and fill us with the fruits of righteouſneſſe: that he would rigare & recreare, refreſh and cheriſh our hearts, as the dew from heaven doth the dry and fady fields.
Verſ. 8. And the remnant of Jacob—as a Lion among the beaſts of the forreſt] The ſaints ſhall proſper and do great exploits, as being indued with an invincible force of the ſpirit, making them as ſo many Cuer-de-lions: or as Chryſoſtom ſaith of Peter, that he was like a man made all of fire walking among ſtubble. What Lion-like men were all the Apoſtles, thoſe white horſes upon which the Lord Chriſt rode about the world conquering and to conquer? Rev. 6.2. That lion of the tribe of Judah Rev. 5.5. had put upon them of his own ſpirit:Ioh. 1.16. and of his fulneſſe beſtowed upon them grace for grace: hence their tranſcendent zeale and courage for the truth. Steven was amongſt his country-men the Jewes, as a Lion among the beaſts of the forreſt. So were in their ſeverall generations Athanaſius, Baſil, Ambroſe, Luther, Latimer, Farel &c. that noble army of Martyrs: One of them told the Perſecutours that they might pluck the heart out of his body: but never pluck the truth out of his heart. Another,Act. & Mon. 1430. 1438. that the heavens ſhould ſooner fall, then he would turn. A third, that if every haire of his head were a man, he would ſuffer death in the opinion and faith that he was now in. A fourth ſaid, Can I die but once for Chriſt? And generally, the valour of the patient, and the ſavageneſſe of the perſecutours ſtrove together; till both exceeding nature and beleefe, bred wonder and aſtoniſhment in beholders and readers; and in ſome, effectual converſion, as in Juſtin Martyr, in Calberius, in thoſe 400. ſaid to be converted at the Martyrdome of Cecilia, and laſtly in Silveſter the executioner at the martyrdome of Simon Laloe at Dyion in France: where ſeeing the great faith and conſtancy of that heavenly Martyr, he was ſo compuncted with repentance,Act. & Mon. fol. 829. and fell into ſuch deſpair of himſelf, that, after much adoe, being comforted and converted, he removed with all his family to the church of Geneva. But what a ſilly conceit is that of the …ewes at this day, that when Meſſias comes, they ſhall be theſe Lions among the Gentiles in the middeſt of all other people to tread them down, and to teare in peeces without reſcue? and what a true character hath a late writer given of them, that they are a light, aeriall,S. H. Blount. and fanaticall-brain'd people; and eaſily apt to work themſelves into the fooles paradiſe of a ſublime dotage?
Verſe 9. Thine hand ſhall be lift up upon thine adverſaries] q. d. Adverſaries thou ſhalt be ſure of, O my Church: but thou ſhalt have the better of them. Thou ſhalt keep footing ſtill under the ſtan…ard of the croſſe and prevaile.Sub militia crucis. Calv. The mountaine of the houſe of the Lord ſhall overtop all other mountaines of worldly power chap. 4.1 It ſhall be as that mountain not far from Arbela (where the Empire of the world was won and loſt in one day) called Nicatorium by Alexander the great, as a conſtant trophee of that famous victory he there gat over Darius. As ſhe is higheſt in the favour of God, ſo ſhe ſhall be higheſt in her ſelf:foreign. Strabo. and her enemies ſhall be found liars unto her. Her hand ſhall be lifted up, and fall very heavily upon her adverſaries: if not ſooner, yet at utmoſt at the Reſurrection: the upright ſhall have dominion over them in that morning Pſal. 49.14. the Church ſhall ſhine as the Sun in his ſtrength, when her enemies ſhall be in that place that is fitteſt for them, even the loweſt place, the footſtoole of Chriſt. Meanewhile ſhe conquereth th…n when ſhe is conquered, (as Chriſt overcame as well by patience as by power) and is ſure not to be ſhivered though ſhaken, not to be drowned though dowſed over head and eares in the waters of affliction.
Niteris incaſſum Chriſti ſubmergere navem:
Fluctuat, at nunquam mergitur illa ratis.
That ſhip may be toſſed (ſaith One) not ſhipwrackt whereof Chriſt is the Pilot, the ſcripture the Compaſſe, the promiſe the tacklings, hope the Anchour, faith the cable, the holy Ghoſt the wind…, and holy affections the ſailes filled with heavenly graces. Such a ſoul ſailes ſafely: and will neither fall upon the ſoft ſands of preſumption, nor hard rocks of deſpaire.
Verſe 10. And it ſhall come to paſſe in that day Viz. of Chriſts power and kingdome Pſa. 110.3. The word day here ſignifies non ſpatium diurnum, ſed diuturnum, ac à Deo deſtinatum, ſaith Danaeus, not the ſpace of 24. houres, but a long time, yet certain and ſet by God.
that I will cut off thy horſes out of thee] for the which thou haſt been trading with Egypt: and in which thou truſteſt more then in me. Some truſt in horſes, and ſome in charrets &c. I will therefore cut off both, I will take away thine earthly idol; and that in much mercy to thee: that in quietneſſe and confidence may be thy ſtrength Eſay 30.15. and ver. 7. your ſtrength is to ſit ſtil, or your Egypt is to ſit ſtil, q. d. by ſitting ſtill you ſhall have an Egypt (the ſame word Rahab ſignifieth ſtrength and Egypt) by being without their horſes, you ſhall do better then when you had them, and thought your ſelves ſimply the better or ſafer for them. See Zach. 9.10.
and I will deſtroy thy charets] That other prop and ſuppoſed help I will pull from thee: that thou maiſt not truſt to ſuch uncertainties that cannot ſave: but in the living God who giveth us all things richly to enioy 1 Tim. 6.17. Truſt is Gods jewel: and of all things, he cannot endure to be robbed of it, or wronged in it by creature confidence: for it giveth him the ſoveraignty Judg. 9.15. and ſets the crown on his head: and the contrary.
Verſe 11. And I will cut off the cities of thy land] thy fenced cities, and places of ſtrength, for like reaſon as before, that thou maiſt look upon my name alone as a ſtrong tower, and thereto run and be ſafe Prov. 18.10. that thou maiſt hover and cover under my wings Pſa. 91.1, 2. and there hold thee as ſecure as in a tower of braſſe, or town of warre. Bleſſed be the Lord (ſaith David, who could not be ſafe in Keilah that had gates and barres) for he hath ſhewed me his marvellous loving kindneſſe as in a ſtrong city, Pſal. 31.21. The tower of Shechem ſaved not thoſe that ran to it Judg. 9. The ſtrong-hold of Zion could not ſecure the Jehuſites, that in the height of their pride ſcorned David and his hoſt, that laid ſiege to it 2 Sam. 5.6, 7. Belſhazzar and his Babylonians bare themſelves ſo bold upon the ſtrength of their city, and proviſion laid in for 20. yeares, if need were, (as Xenophon teſtifieth) that they reproached the Perſians that beſieged them, and derided their attempts as to no purpoſe: yet were ſhortly after made a prey to the enemy. Arimazes having ga…iſon'd a very ſtrong and ſteep rock in the Sogdian countrey with 30000.Plut: in Alex. Curt. lib. 7. men, ſent to Alexander the great (who demanded it) to know whether he could fly or not? But the next day he was taken together with his ſtrong hold, and n…ed to a croſſe. God delights to confute men in their confidences: that thoſe that are his, may run to the Rock of ages Iſa. 26.4. to that Arx roboris of his holy Name, which alone is impregnable, inexpugnable. The Spaniards called their Navy in 88. the Invincible Armado: but it proved otherwiſe: and that upon Saint James his day, whom they count their Patrone, their Tutelary-Saint. It is not unlawfull to have cityes and ſtrong-holds &c. but to confide in them, by riſing up to a corky frothy hope when we have them: or to ſit down in a faithleſſe ſullen diſcontent and deſpondency when we want them; this is to make fleſh our arme, and ſo to incurr that heavy curſe Ier. 17.5. God will cut off all occaſions of ſo doing from thoſe whom he loveth, as here he promiſeth: and as accordingly he performed to this people, after their return from Babylon, and eſpecially a little before the comming of Chriſt in the fleſh, when they were reduced by Pompey into a province of the Roman Empire.
Verſe 12. And I will cut off witch-crafts &c.] As before God had p…omiſed to take away ſuch things as in themſelves are not evill, but only by our abuſe: ſo here he will alſo remove from his people things ſimply evill, and unlawfull, ſuch as are witch-crafts, idolatry &c. that he may make way for mercy which he is ready to give,foreign Inde foreign faſcino. were they but fit to receive it. The word here rendred witchcrafts hath the ſignification of changing or turning: and is uſed for unlawful diveliſh arts and Artiſans. It is alſo applyed to falſe teachers and their juglings Gal. 3.1. Rev. 18.23. See a like promiſe Zech. 13.2. with the Note there. See Mal. 3.5. with the Note.
and thou ſhalt have no more ſooth-ſayers] Or ſtarr-gazers,Fuller. Miſc. lib. 1. cap. 16. diviners; fortunetellers. One derivation of the word clepeth them Nebulones or Knaves: as thoſe that undertake to foretell future things ex nebulis by the clouds, planets, ſtarrs, by calculating nativities, and the like unlawfull practiſes of Judiciary Aſtrologie, Necromancie, Pyromancie, Oneiromancie, Aruſpicie, Sor…ilegie, and other diabolicall Arts of that nature. The Epheſians were much addicted to ſuch wicked practiſes: hence the proverb foreign for the black art. The Samaritans alſo, Act. 8. And hence that malicious ſlander of the Jewes, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, that is, one that dealeth with the devil: for otherwiſe they knew, that Chriſt was no Samaritan, but a Galilean, as they called him in ſcorn,Joh. 8.48. in truth a Bethlehemite, as verſe 2. The Jews themſelves are taxed, Eſay 2.6. that they were Soothſayers, like the Philiſtines; and told, that God had therefore forſaken them, or ſent them away into captivity. See more againſt this ſort of ſinne and ſinners, Eſay 44.24, 25, 26. and 47.12, 13, 14. Jer. 10.2, 2. Dan. 2.1, 2, 3, &c. But eſpecially Deut. 18.10, 11. where we have theſe five Arguments (as One well obſerveth) againſt Aſtrologicall, and other unlawfull predictions. Firſt, that all ſuch are abomination to the Lord, verſe 2. Secondly, that for ſuch Arts, the Canaanites were driven out, verſe 12. Thirdly, that unleſſe men caſt away the uſe of the ſaid Arts, they cannot be perfect, that is, upright and ſincere with God, verſe 13. Fourthly, that godly men muſt differ from Canaanites and Heathens, in the abandoning ſuch arts, verſe 14. Laſtly, that inſtead of ſuch wayes of prediction, the Lord raiſeth up Chriſt, the great Prophet, to foretell unto them what is meet for them to foreknow, verſe 15. with Act. 3.23. To ſeek to know more, is condemned for curioſity and raſhneſſe, by Chriſt himſelf, in his own diſciples, Act. 1.7. it derogateth from the glory of Chriſt, in whom are hid all the treaſures of wiſdome and knowledge: it is to go a whoring from Chriſt, Lev. 20.6. and is therefore in this Text fitly yoked with idolatry: It is here alſo reckoned among thoſe things that muſt be cut off, if Chriſts kingdom ſhall be ſet up amongſt us. So that if there were no other text of Scripture againſt that wickedneſſe but this alone, it were ſufficient.
Verſe 13. Thy graven images alſo will I cut off] Sorcery and Idolatry are fitly coupled here and elſewhere: for they commonly go together, as in the Pope and his Clergy. See Rev. 9.21. and 21.8. as alſo in the Canaanites, Philiſtines, and other Heathens. True it is, that the Temples at Rome were without images for 170 years after it was built: that the Lacedemonians would not endure pictures or images, leſt by them they ſhould be diſtracted: that the Turks and Jews both, at this day, do abhorre Chriſtian Religion, for the abominable idolatry they ſee among Papiſts. For ſince the captivity of Babylon, the graven images and ſtatues have been ſo cut off from the Jews, that they would never be drawn to worſhip the work of their hands. They have a ſaying amongſt them to this day,Moſes Gerand. That no puniſhment befalleth them, wherein there is not an ounce of that golden calf, they once made in the wilderneſſe. Having paid therefore for their learning, they abhorre idols, Rom. 2.22. and count it ſacriledge, as Plutarch did, to worſhip by images. The Papiſts ſhould do ſo likewiſe: and not ſay as their Vaſquez (unable to anſwer our arguments doth) that the ſecond Commandement belonged to the Jews onelyonly: or bring ſuch proofs for their idolatry, that the images themſelves (if they were ſenſible) would bluſh to hear repeated.
Verſe 14. And I will pluck up thy groves, &c.] wherein thou placeſt a part of thy happineſſe, (as the Hebrew word importeth) and haſt an over-high opinion of them, becauſe anciently frequented by the Fathers, before the Law. But it ſhould have been conſidered, that it was but a will-worſhip at beſt; yea, that God had flatly forbidden the planting of groves, Deut. 16.21. as things in uſe among Pagans, for honour, either of ſome God, or ſome great mans ghoſt, which was thought to dwell there. Nulli certa domus, lucis habitamus opacis.Virg. Aeneid. The worſhippers of Priapus, (that ſhame) when they had ended their ſacrifice, ſtept into a grove hard by the altar, and there like bruit heaſts, promiſcuouſly ſatisfied their luſts: thereby as they conceived, beſt pleaſing their god.
So will I deſtroy thy cities.] Or, thine enemies: and this will be the end, or fruit of that forementioned reformation. Mr. Fox obſerveth, that in K. Edw. the ſixts time, the Engliſh put to flight their enemies in Muſcleborough field,Acts & Mon. in the ſelfſame day and hour wherein the Reformation, enjoyned by Parliament, was put in execution at London, by burning of idolatrous images.
Verſe 15. And I will execute vengeance in anger] upon thoſe that refuſe to bee reformed, that know not God, and obey not the Goſpel of our Lords Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Theſ. 1.8. Such as were the Jews enemies, the primitive perſecutours, the ſtubborne Papiſts, ſome of whom have profeſſed, that they would rather take part with the Turks then with the Lutherans: as ſome rigid Lutherans again have proteſted openly, that they would return to the Papacy, rather then to admit ever of that Sacramentary and Predeſtinary peſtilence (as they call it) of the Calviniſts. But what a ſad ſtory is that related by Mr. Burroughs, who had it from a worthy Miniſter of thoſe parts;Burr. on Hoſ. 1. p. 465. that at Hamborough was not long ſince held a conſultation by ſome learned Lutherans concerning the cauſe and cure of Germanies calamities: and where it was concluded, that Germany ſuffered ſo much in theſe late warres, becauſe their images in Churches were not adorned enough, which therefore they would preſently procure done. Had they conſulted this Text, they might ſoon have ſeen their miſtake, and bethought them of better. But Lord, when thine hand is lifted up, Eſay 26.11.they will not ſee: howbeit they ſhall ſee, and be aſhamed for their envy toward thy people: yea, their ears ſhall be opened, and their inſtruction ſealed, Job 33.16. that they may be accounted worthy to eſcape that vengeance, that ſhall be executed in anger and fury upon the Heathen, that have not heard the joyfull ſound, but, as ſo many ſea-monſters, have with a deaf ear paſſed by the doctrine of ſalvation, the Goſpel of peace.