Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 37
CHAP. XXXVII.
Ver. 1. ANd King Zedekiah the ſon of Joſiah] This alſo and the next Chapter are, as the former, hiſtorical, and ſo eaſy to be underſtood, that to ſet long notes upon them were,A Lap. ſaith One, rather to obſcure them, then to explain them.
Ver. 2. But neither he nor his ſervants—did harken] And this was theis undoing, ſc. that they humbed not themſelves before this holy Prophet, ſpeaking unto them from the mouth of the Lord, 2 Chron. 36.12.
Ver, 3. Pray now unto the Lord our God for us] This King would ſeem to have ſome more goodneſſe in him then his brother and predeceſſour Jehojakim: but he played the hypocrite exceedingly, as in other things, ſo in this, that he obeyed the Prophets prayers, but would not obey his preaching. The like did Pharaoh, Saul, Simon Magus, &c. Hez…kiah, ſent to the Prophet I ſay for prayers, but withal he humbled himſelf, and lived holily, which Zedekiah did not.
Ver. 4. Jeremiah came in and went out] He was yet at liberty: as the Saints have ſome Halcyons, yet are never unexerciſed, as we ſee in the Apoſtles, but eſpecially in Paul.Acts 5.13.
For they had not put him in priſon] Not yet they had. It was in our late wars a like difficult thing to find a wicked man in the enemies priſons, or a godly man out of them.
Ver. 5. Then Pharaoh's Army was come out of Egypt] This then ſeemeth to be the occaſion that moved Zedekiak to ſend to the Prophet for his prayers, viz, that God would be pleaſed to proſper the Egyptians coming to raiſe the ſeige: and to keep off the Chaldeans from returning to Jeruſalem. But God had before ſignified his will to the contrary: and the Jews, truſting to humane helps, took not a right courſe for their own preſevation: See chap. 34.
Ver. 6. Then came the Word of the Lord] In anſwer to the meſſengers that came to requeſt prayers.
Ver. 7. To enquire of me] Or, to ſeek to me, to ſet me a work for you at the Throne of grace.
Behold Pharaoh's army, &c.] The Talmudiſts tale here of what frighted back the Egyptians, is not worth the telling It may be read in Corn, à Lapide upon ver. 6.
Ver. 8. And the Chaldeans ſhall return] See cha. 32.12, 29.
Ver. 9. Deceive not your ſelves] As too too many do, qui praeſumendo ſperant, & ſperando pereunt.
For they ſhall not depart] ſc. For altogether; not for any ſpace of time, or to any purpoſe. Like hereunto is that Mat. 9.24. the damoſel is not dead.
Ver. 10. For though ye had ſmitten] Pro Anxeſi ad icit Hyperbolen, he uſeth an Hyperbolical ſuppoſition for illuſtration.
And there remained but wounded men amongſt them] God cannot be without a ſtaff to beat a rebel. Virum malum vel mus mordet, ſaith the Proverb, A mouſe will bite a bad man. Milez Cobelitz, a Chriſtian ſouldier, ſore wounded, and all bloody, ſeeing Amurath the great Turk viewing the dead bodies after a victory, roſe up out of a heap of ſlain men,Turk. Hiſt. 200. and making toward the Conquerour, as if he would have craved his life of him, ſuddenly ſtabbed him in the bottom of his belly, with a ſhort dagger which he had under his coat, and ſo ſlew him.
Yet ſhould they riſe every man in his Tent] It is God who ſtrengtheneth or weakeneth the arm of either party, Ezek. 30.24. Thoſe that fight againſt ſpiritual wickedneſſes in their own ſtrength, are ſure to be foiled: and although the unclean ſpirit may ſeem to be caſt out, yet he will return to his old houſe, and bring ſeven worſe with him, Matth. 12.
Ver. 11. For fear of Pharaoh's army] Or rather, becauſe of Pharaoh's army, whom now they drew off to encounter.
Ver. 12. Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jeruſalem] Where he ſaw there was ſo little good to be done by his Miniſtry. This, ſome think, was an infirmity in him. Mr. Greenham, upon ſuch a ground as this, was perſwaded to leave his charge at dry-Draiton in Cambridgeſhire, and to go to live at London, where he dyed of the plague: and as ſome reported, repented on his death-bed of having ſo done.
To go into the Land of Benjamin] To Anathoth his own home: and if he went thither for his one ſafety or conveniency ſake, why might he not?
To ſeparate himſelf thence in the middeſt of the people] Ʋt lubricificaret exinde in medio populi, that he might ſlide or ſlip away thence in the throng, undiſcerned.Pagnin. Vatab.
Ver. 13. Irijah, the ſon of Shelemiah, the ſon of Hananiah] Of that Hananiah, ſay the Rabbines, whoſe death Jeremy foretold, chap. 28.16, 17. This Irijah ferox adoleſcens, as Joſephus calleth him, a fierce young man, bearing Jeremiah a gradge, layeth hold on him in the gate, and layeth treachery to his charge:Tac…tus. unicum crimen eorum qui crimine vacabant.
Saying, Thou falleſt away to the Chaldaeans] Jeremy had ſpoken much of the Chaldaeans power, and foretold their victory. Hence he is here falſely accuſed of falling away to them, and being falſe to his Countrey. Indeed if the Chaldees could have fetcht off Jeremy, as the French King Lewis did Philip de Comines from the Duke of Burgundy (whoſe affaires thereupon declined immediately) they might have made very good advantage of him. But he was far enough from any ſuch compliance with them: and could better have ſaid then ever Tully did, Ne immortalitatem contra Remp. acciperem, I would not be falſe to my Countrey, for more then all this worlds good.
Ver. 14. Then ſaid Jeremy, Luther.It is falſe] Satanae pectus mendaciis foecundſſimum est. It is no news for innocency to be belyed, and to go with a ſcratcht face.
But he harkened not unto him] Right or wrong, he muſt afore the Princes: who do alſo handle the good Prophet very courſely.
Ver. 15. Wherefore the Princes were wroth with Jeremiah] Upon the Captains falſe ſuggeſtion, which they ſhould better have ſifted into firſt, before they had believed it: for Pellucet mendacium, nec per omnia quadrat, a lye is oft ſo thin, that it may be ſeen through, and ſoon found out.
And ſmot him] Perhaps with their own hands; as bloody Bonner buffeted ſome of the Martyrs pulling off part of their beards.
And put him in priſon] Cauſâ nondum cognitâ, before they had heard his defence. Theſe Princes were worſe then Jehojakims, chap. 36.19. or, if the ſame men, they were now grown worſe: and here was, as Bernard hath it, ſedes prima, & vita ima; De Conſider. lib. 2. Act. & Mon.ingens authoritas, & nutans ſtabilitas.
In the houſe of Jonathan the Scribe] As bad as Lollards Tower to our Martyrs, or the Biſhop of Londons Cole-houſe, which Mr. Philpot thought to be the worſt priſon about London.
Ver. 16. When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon] Heb. into a place or houſe of the pit or hole; where the Prophet could neither walk, nor handſomly lye down,In domum eiſternae. when worſe men a great deal had what liberty they lifted.
And into the cabins] Or cells where they ſcarce put any but traitours, and like foul offenders. Such they had at Athens called Barathrum, at Rome Tullianum, or Profundum maris, &c. into which whoſoever was put, could hardly be put to more miſery.
And Jeremiah had remained there many dayes] Till the return of the Chaldees likely. Canes lingunt ulcera Lazari.
Ver. 17. Then Zedekiah the King] Being now in diſtreſſe becauſe of the Chaldees come again, and willing to hear from the Prophet ſome word of comfort; which yet might not be, unleſſe he had been better. If comfort be applyed to a graceleſſe perſon, the truth of God is falſified.
Is there any word from the Lord?] Any new Oracle, and different from that of deſtruction, which thou haſt ſo often rung in our ears, ad ravim & nauſeam uſque?
And Jeremy ſaid There is] ſc. A word from the Lord; but the ſame as before: for thou muſt mend, ere the matter will mend with thee.
Ver. 18. What have I offended againſt thee] As I know mine owne innocency, ſo I would thou ſhouldeſt know that I am no Stoick, or ſtock indolent, or inſenſible of my grievous ſufferings, through the cruelty of thy Princes, who have committed me to this ugly priſon.
Ver. 19. Where are now your Prophets?] Let them appear now if you pleaſe, and upon trial made, let truth take place. To this moſt equal motion when the King ſaid nothing, the Prophet proceedeth to move again for himſelf, that he might be removed at leaſt to a more convenient place, unleſſe they meant an end of him.
Ver. 20. Therefore hear now I pray thee, O my Lord the King] As ſtout as he was and impartial in delivering Gods meſſage, in ſupplicating for himſelf he is very ſubmiſſe, and humble to his Sovereign, not daring to ſpeak evil of dignities, though he had wrongfully ſuffered much from them.
Ver. 21. Then Zedekiah the King commanded] For this curteſy of his to the Prophet, God granted him a natural death, and an honourable burial in Babylon.
That they ſhould commit Jeremiah into the Court of the Priſon] Where he might have more liberty and better accommodations: and where his friends cum adire & audire poſſent, might come and hear him. See chap. 22.2.
And that they ſhould give him daily a piece of bread] And a piece of a cake, we ſay, is better then no bread. I read of a gracious woman who ſaid that ſhe had made many a meals meat upon the promiſes, when ſhe wanted bread. But Jeremy (beſides the promiſes, chap. 1. and elſewhere) was here by a ſweet providence, ſuſtained in the priſon, during that extream famine in the City (whereof we read in the Lamentations) when it was no ſmal mercy to have a morſel of bread to keep him alive. Sic amara interdum dulceſcunt. Who would not truſt ſo good a God?