Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII.
Ver. 1. VVO to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim] Drunkenneſs is a ſin, at the heel whereof hangeth many a Woe. Some think it is a dry drunkenneſs that is here threatned (that there is a dry drunkenneſs as well as a wet; ſee chap. 51.21. 2 Tim. 2.26. foreign that they may awake out of their drunken ſleep) a drunkenneſs with proſperity, which made them proud and diſſolute, even the King of Iſrael and his Counſellors alſo; not conſidering that in maxima libertate minima eſt licentia; It is not for Kings to drink wine, Prov. 31.4.
Whoſe glorious beauty is a fading flower] Or, and to the fading flower of his goodly gallantry. Some conceive that the Prophet here alludeth to the Etymologie of the word Ephraim, whereof ſee Gen. 41.42. but Ephraim was now declining and decaying.
foreign Crapula, foreign.That are overcome with wine] Heb. ſmitten, beaten, overmaſtered, as Siſera was by Jaels hammer, which hath its name from the word here uſed, Judges 4.23. Tremellius rendreth it, Obtuſis vino, to thoſe that are blunted with wine, or beaten about ears with it.
Ver. 2. Behold the Lord hath a mighty and a ſtrong One] viz. Salmaneſer King of Aſſyria. For whereas Ephraim might ſay, Who is there that can or dare pull off the flower of our goodly gallantry? God anſwereth that he hath at hand One that can do it;The Romans pictured Pride with a triple crown: on the firſt crown was written, Tranſcendo, on the next, Non obedio, on the third, Perturbo. and do it with a turn of a hand, with little ado.
Ver. 3. The Crown of pride—ſhall be trodden under foot] This noteth utmoſt ignominy. Finge ideam animo, ſaith one here: imagine you ſaw Salmantſer pulling the Crown from the King of Iſraels head, throwing it to the ground, and then trampling on it. What brave Rhetorick is here?
Ver. 4. As the haſty fruit] quaſi primae & praematurae ficus, rath-ripe fruits much coveted and caught at.
Ver. 5. For a Crown of glory and for a diadem of beauty] ſo he was to Judah alled here the reſidue of his people) during Hezekiahs daies; a crown unfading or a garland made of Amaranth (as 1 Pet. 1.4.) which is, ſaith Clemens, a certain flower that being hung up in the houſe, yet is ſtill freſh and green. And as God is thus to his people, ſo (enterchangeably) are they to him a crown of glory, Iſa. 62.3. and a royal diadem, ib. his throne of glory, Jer. 4.21. The beauty of his Ornament, Ezek. 7.20.
Ver. 6. And for a ſpirit of judgement] A ſagacity more then ordinary…: in regard whereof Solomon calleth the Kings doom a divination, Prov. 16.10. as is well obſerved.
And for ſtrength to them, &c.] In this verſe we have the deſcription of an happy State, governed juſtly at home,Diod. and able abroad to reſiſt any endeavour of the enemy.
Ver. 7. But they alſo have erred through wine] Judah had caught this diſeaſe of Ephraim, as the Engliſh are ſaid to have done of the drunken Dutchmen. Sin is more contagious and catching then the plague. The Hebrew word importeth an alienation of mind, Prov. 20.1. Hoſ. 11. Jer. 23.9. Vino ſapientia obſcuratur, ſaid Alphonſus King of Arragon.
They are ſwallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through ſtrong drink] Errarunt propter Shecar: they are buckt in beer, they are drowned in drink; like as George Duke of Clarence was drowned in a out of Malmſey by his own election: Nam ſicut athletico potore dignum erat, ut potando moreretur, elegit, ſaith mine Author; for being condemned to die by his brother King Edward the fourth, he choſe that kind of death, as became a ſtout drunkard.
They err in viſion] the Prophets do.
They ſtumble in judgement] the Prieſts do; for they were to interpret the law, and to decide differences. Drunkenneſs in Rulers is a capital ſin, and maketh the land reel.
Ver. 8. For all places are full of vomit and filthineſs, Vah, vah, vah: Cum tu Narbone menſas hospitum convomeres, ſaid Tully to Antony; who was not aſhamed likewiſe to write, or rather to ſpue out a book concerning his own great ſtrength to bear ſtrong drink, and to lay up others who ſtrove with him for the maſtery. Tully taxeth Julius Caeſar for this ſoul cuſtom: ſo doth Philo Caligula, Veniunt ut edant, edunt ut vomant. Senec.and Suetonius Vitellius.
Ver. 9. Whom ſhall he teach knowledge?] Quem docebit ſcientiam? Doceo governeth two Accuſative caſes. Miniſters muſt have 1. Quem, whom to teach: and 2. Quid, what to teach, ſc. Knowledge. Iſaiah had no want of knowledge, as being apt and able to teach, but he wanted a fit Audience, as having to do with a ſort of drunken ſots that were unteachable, uncapable. So Ezek. 47.11. when the waters of the Sanctuary flowed, the miry places could not be healed. Think the ſame alſo of thoſe that are drunk with pride (as ver. 1.) and ſelf-conceitedneſs, who make Divinity only a matter of diſcourſe, or that come to ſit as Judges or Criticks on their Miniſters gifts, &c. It will be long enough ere ſuch will be taught any thing. One may as good undertake to teach a young weanling void of underſtanding; and in ſome reſpects better; for theſe to their natural corruption and impotency have added habitual hardneſs and obſtinacy, to their ſinews of iron, brows of braſs, Iſaiah 48.4. and what hope can there be of working upon ſuch?
Ver. 10. For precept muſt be upon precept] Children are of weak underſtanding, and of ſhort memories; and Hebraei dicunt hiſce verbis infantilitatem ſignificari, they muſt alſo have ſhort words and ſentences preſcribed unto them (ſuch as are kau and flau) and inculcated upon them, that ſomething at leaſt may ſtick: ſo muſt moſt of our Hearers, or little good will be done, Deut. 6.7. thou ſhalt teach them diligently unto thy Children, Heb. thou ſhalt whet or repeat them by often going over the ſame thing, as the knife goeth over the whetſtone till it be ſharp. But very many of our common hearers are not only unteachable, but untameable, deriding ſound doctrine, and making a mocking ſtock of their godlieſt Miniſters. And ſo ſome very good Expoſitors, haec foreign & foreign à Prophetadici tradunt, make theſe words here recited to be the ſcoffs and taunts of thoſe profane mockers, ver. 14. & 22. which they put upon the Prophet; q. d. We have nothing but rule upon rule, precept upon precept, &c. Zaulazau, kau lakau, the very ſound of the words carrieth a jear; like as ſcornful people by the tone of their voice and riming words, ſcorn at ſuch as they deſpiſe: Thus this good Prophet became the drunkards ſong. Any man may be witty in a biting way: and thoſe that have the dulleſt brains, have commonly the ſharpeſt teeth to that purpoſe. Rightly ſaid the Comedian,
Homine imperito nunquam quicquam injuſtius;
Terent.Qui, niſi quod ipſe fecit, nihil rectum putat.
Ver. 11. For with ſtammering lips, &c.] with a liſping lip, Heb. with ſcoffs of lip, or with language of mocks. Surely God ſcorneth the ſcorners, Prov. 3.34. for he loveth to retaliate and proportion choice to choice, Iſa. 66.3, 4 device to device, Micah 2.1.3. frowardneſs to forwardneſs, Pſal. 18.26. ſcoffing to ſcoffing, Prov. 1.25.26.
And with another tongue] lingua exotica, ſuch as they ſhall be no whit the better for; ſee 1 Cor. 14.21. We read of John Elmar Biſhop of London in Queen Elizabeth's raign, that on a time when he ſaw his Auditory grow dull in their attention to his Sermon, he preſently read unto them many verſes out of the Hebrew Text: whereat they all ſtarted, admiring what uſe he meant to make thereof: then ſhewed he them their folly, that whereas they neglected Engliſh, whereby they might be edifyed, they liſtened to Hebrew whereof they underſtood not a word: and how juſtly God might bring in Popery again (with Latine ſervice, blind obedience, and dumb offices) for their contempt of the Goſpel.
Ver. 12. To whom he ſaid, This is the reſt] i. e. the ready way to find reſt to your ſouls, as Mat. 11.28, 29. ſc. by obeying my precepts, and embracing my promiſes.
Wherewith ye may cauſe the weary to reſt] i. e. Me who am preſſed by your ſins, Amos 2.13. and wearied out with your iniquities, Iſa 43.24. or your poor brethren tired with miſeries, or your own ſouls laden with ſin guiltineſs.
Ver. 13. But the word of God was unto them precept upon precept, &c.] i. e. a deriſion, as ver. 10. therefore henceforth hearing they ſhall hear and not underſtand: Sic Sanniones Deus punit.
That they may go and fall backward] ut vadant & cadant retrorſum, tanquam turpiter ab hoſte ſuperati & reſuperati, laid flat on their backs, brought to remedileſs ruin. This came of their obſtinacy; though not intentionally, yet eventually.
Ver. 14. Wherefore hear the word of the Lord] Stand forth and hear your doom, ye that jear when you ſhould fear, as if ye were out of the reach of Gods rod.
Ye ſcornful men] Heb. ye men of mockage, ye who mock at the word of God by your words, deeds and geſtures; quales ſycophantas quotidie videmus, of which ſort we find not a few now a dayes; ſuch duſt-heaps as theſe we have in every corner, men that have turned religion not only into a form but alſo into a ſcorn, accounting the wiſdom of God fooliſhneſs.foreign Theſe Saint Peter calleth ſcoffers, or ſuch as make ſport with the word, 2 Pet. 3.3. And the Prophet here uno verbo multa peccata exprimit, dum Illuſores nominat, in calling them mockers, calleth them all that naught is.
That rule the people] ſuch as Shebna now was, and afterwards Tobiah, Neh. 2.19. Herod, Domitian, Julian, Sr. Thomas Moor, &c.
Ver. 15. Becauſe ye have ſaid] i. e. ye have thought and reckoned ſo, but without your hoaſt, as they ſay, Jer. 6.19. Hear O earth, behold I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts.
We have made a covenant with death] Nos ab omni malo ſumus ſecuriſſimi: Thraſonicae hyperbolae, we are ſhot-free and ſhall ſcape ſcotfree: Beckets friends adviſed him (for his ſecurity) to have a Maſs in honour of St. Stephen, to keep him from the hands of his enemies:Spencer. He had ſo, but it ſaved him not: As not to have been dipt in Lethe-lake, could ſave the Son of Thetis from to dye, &c.
And with hell are we at agreement] Heb. we have made proviſion, or taken order, egimus cantum. The Prophets tell us a tale of death and hell, but we ſhall yet dance upon their graves; and for hell we fear it not. The Lyon is not ſo fierce as he is painted, nor the Devil ſo black as he is repreſented. Diabolo optimè convenit cum lurconib us. Good-fellows ſhall have good quarter with the Devil, ſay our modern Atheiſts. But what a mad fellow was that Advocate in the Court of Rome mentioned by Bellarmine, who lying at his laſt gaſp almoſt, and being called upon to repent and cry to God for mercy, prayed thus; O Lord, I have much deſired to ſpeak one word unto thee before I dye, not for my ſelf, but for my wife and children: ego enim propero ad inferos, neque eſt ut aliquid pro me agas; for I am haſting to hell, neither is there any thing now to be done by thee for me?De arte mor. lib. 2. cap. 10. And this he ſpoke (ſaith Bellarmine who was by and heard it) with as much confidence, as if he were but travelling to the next town.
When the overflowing ſcourge ſhall paſs thorough] to ſweep away ſuch as are drowned in drunkenneſs and dread no danger.
It ſhall not come to us] whatever the Prophets prate: let them ſay as they pleaſe, we will believe as we liſt.
For we have made lyes our refuge] a poor refuge: for tenue mendacium pellucot, lyes are ſo thin they may be ſeen thorough; but it may be that they called their falſe refuges lyes, not becauſe they held them ſo, but becauſe the Prophets called them ſo: whereas to themſelves they ſeemed prudent counſels.
Ver. 16. Therefore thus ſaith the Lord God] This is purpoſely prefaced for the ſupport of the faithful, when they ſhould hear the enſuing dreadful denunciations, and ſee them executed. We cannot beat the dogs but the children will be ready to cry.
For a foundation a ſtone] firm and faſt, oppoſed here to the fickle ſtayes and vain faſtneſſes of wicked worldlings: this foundation-ſtone is Chriſt, Rom. 9.33. & 10.11. not Hezekiah as the Jews would have it; or Peter, as the Papiſts: ſee Peter to the contrary, 1 Pet. 2.6. and Paul, 1 Corinth. 3.11.
He that believeth ſhall not make haſte] viz. to help himſelf as he can, ſith God defers his help; as did faithleſs Saul, Ahaz, theſe Jews, ver. 15. thoſe Bethulians that ſet him a time, and ſent for him by a poſt as it were, David ſtaid Gods leaſure for the Kingdom; thoſe in Eſther for deliverance, and thoſe other in the Hebrews for the accompliſhment of the promiſes, Heb. 10.36. Hold out faith and patience. We know not what we loſe by making haſte, and not holding up our hand as Moſes did to the going down of the Sun.
Ver. 17. Judgement alſo will I lay to the line] Or, I will ſet out judgement by line, and juſtice by plummet; that is, I will proportion your puniſhments to your offences, as it were by line and by level, that the wicked may have their due, and the godly ſuſtain no dammage. See 2 Kings 21.12, 13. Amos 7.8. Calvin ſaith, that by this expreſſion borrowed from builders, the Lord here ſheweth that when the corner-ſtone before ſpoken off ſhall be laid, the Church of the faithful built thereupon, ſhall riſe up to a fair and uniform built temple in the Lord, according to Epheſ. 2.20.
And the hail ſhall ſweep away the refuge of lyes] Or ſhovel away, or quaſi furcillis extrudet, ſhall fork away, or burn up your vain confidences; as he deſtroyed the Egyptians by hail mingled with fire.
And the waters] ſee ver. 15. & Mat. 7.27.
Ver. 18. And your covenant with death ſhall be diſannulled] See ver. 15.They made a covenant with death and hell; but death and hell make no covenant with them. God ſhall ſhoot at ſuch with an arrow ſuddenly, Pſal. 64.7. and when they ſhall ſay peace and ſafety, then ſhall ſuddain deſtruction come upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they ſhall not eſcape, 1 Theſ 5.3. Thus it befell the rich fool. Luk 12. Alexander the great, whom his paraſites flattered into a fond conceit of an immortality: and Pope Sylveſter the ſecond, who dealt with the Devil for the Popedom, and was perſwaded by him, that he ſhould never dye till he ſang Maſs in Jeruſalem: but when he ſaw how he was cheated, and that he muſt dye, he cryed out, Ah miſer aetern…s vado damnatus ad ignes.
Ver. 19. From the time that it goeth forth it ſhall take you] this was oppoſed to their fond conceit of impunity, or at leaſt immunity for a long ſeaſon, ver. 15. the moſt ſecure are ſooneſt ſurprized.
And it ſhall be a vexation, &c.] Vexatio dabit intellectum, Luther after the Vulgar rendreth it, ſententiam Prophetae non male exprimens; See chap. 26.9. The Croſs is the beſt Tutor.
Ver. 20. For the bed is ſhort] Here the Prophet ſeemeth to ſome to threaten them for their lectulorum luxus, Amos 6.4. their beds of ivory, whereon, when well whittled, they once ſtretcht themſelves at full length, and ſlept out their drunkenneſs: but when brought to Babylon, the caſe ſhould be otherwiſe with them. Diodate faith that theſe are figurative and proverbial terms, importing that all means and devices they can uſe will no way defend them. Gods wrath is ſuch as none can avert or avoid.
Ver. 21. As in Mount Perazim] See 2 Sam. 5.20. God uſually ſitteth amidſt his people in his mercy-ſeat, or throne of grace: neither ariſeth he to puniſh them till much provoked; and then he may poſſibly deal as ſeverely with them, as he did with the Philiſtines at mount Perazim, or with the Amorites in the valley of Gibeon, Joſh. 10.10. But then he doth his work his ſtrange work, and brings to paſs his act his ſtrange act, i. e. that which is neither his wont nor his delight, Lam. 3.33. Mic. 7.18. Ezek. 33.11. To fall foul upon his people by his plagues and judgements, goeth as much againſt the heart with him, as againſt the hair with them. And beſides by doing this his ſtrange work he maketh way for the doing of his own proper work, 1 Cor. 11.32.
Ver. 22. Now therefore be ye not m…ckers] for thoſe are the worſt of men, ver. 14. Peſts the Septuagint commonly render them: Abjects and caſtawayes David calleth them; and yet they proudly diſdain others (and far their betters) as thimbles full of duſt, and the goodly braveries of their ſcorn. But ſhall they eſcape by this iniquity? ſhall they carry it away ſo? In no wiſe: for,
Ne vincula veſtra invaleſcant.Their bands ſhall be made ſtrong] their ſorrows ſhall be multiplyed, and they ſhall have more load of miſeries and miſchiefs laid upon them: though now they mock at Gods menaces as uttered in terrorem only for fray-bugs, and at his Miniſters as falſe Prophets. Among many other memorable examples of Gods judgements upon ſuch out of Gods bleſſed book, the Acts and Monuments of the Church and other Hiſtories, Nicholas Hemingius relateth a ſtory of a lewd fellow in Denmark, Anno Chriſti 1550. which uſually made a mock at Religion and the profeſſors of it; and on a time coming into a Church where a godly Miniſter was preaching, by his countenance and geſtures ſhewed a great contempt againſt the Word: but as he paſſed out of the Church, a tyle fell upon his head and ſlew him in the place. How much more mercifully dealt Almighty God with that Miller in Leceſterſhire, who ſitting in an Alehouſe on a Sabbath day with one of his companions, ſaid to him, I hear that bawling Hooker is come to Town, let us go and hear him, we ſhall have excellent ſport; and accordingly they went on purpoſe to jeer him: But it pleaſed God, the Sermon ſo wrought upon him, that being pricked at the heart,Mr. Clark from Mr. White. Jun. he went to Mr. Hooker, intreating him to tell him what he might do to be ſaved; and afterwards went with him to New-England. By ſins mens bands are made ſtrong, as by repentance they are looſened: videte ergo ut reſipiſcatis mature.
Ver. 23. Give ear, and hear my voice, hearken, &c] Being to aſſure the faithful of Gods fatherly care of their ſafety and indemnity amidſt all thoſe diſtractions and diſturbances of the times, he calleth for their utmoſt attention, as knowing how flow of heart and dull of hearing the beſt are, how backward to believe, Luk. 24.25. and apt to forget the conſolation, Heb. 12.5. See the Note on Mat. 13.3.
Ver. 24. Doth the plowman plow all day to ſow?] Or, every day. Doth he not find him ſomewhat elſe to do beſides?Preponit parabolam ruſticam, ſed magna ſapientia refertam. Sua ſunt rebus omnibus agendis tempora, novandi, arandi, occandi, aequandi, ſerendi, metendi, colligandi & excernendi grani, & ſuae rationes ſingulis. And ſhall not the only wiſe God afflict his people with moderation and diſcretion? yea verily; for he is a God of judgement, and waiteth to be gratious: chap. 30.18. We are no longer plowed then needs: and whereas we may think our hearts ſoft enough; it may be ſo for ſome grace, but God hath ſeeds of all ſorts to caſt in, the wheat and the rie, &c. and that ground which is ſoft enough for one, is not for another. God (ſaith Chryſoſtom) doth like a Lutaniſt, who will not let the ſtrings be too ſlack, leſt they marr the muſick: nor ſuffer them to be too hard-ſtretcht or ſcrued up, leſt they break.
Ver. 25. When he hath made plain] laid it level and equal.
Doth he not caſt in the fitches] See on ver. 24.
The appointed barley] Hordeum ſignatum. Whatſoever is ſealed with a ſeal, is excellent in its own kind: ſo are all Gods ſealed ones, Eph. 4.30.
Ver. 26. For his God doth inſtruct him to diſcretion] Being a better Tutor to him then any Varro de Agricultura, Cato derè Ruſtica, Heſiod in his works and dayes, Virgils Georgicks, or, Geonomica Conſtantino inſcripta. Some read the verſe thus, And he beateth it out according to that courſe that his God teacheth him, that is, according to the judgement of right reaſon. God is to be praiſed for the art of Agriculture. How thankful were the poor Heathens to their Saturn, Triptolemus, Ceres, &c.
Ver. 27. For the fitches are not threſhed out, &c.] So are Gods viſitations diverſly diſpenſed: he proportioneth the burthen to the back, and the ſtroke to the ſtrength of him that beareth it, ſparing his afflicted as a man ſpareth his Son that ſerveth him. Thus Epaphroditus was ſick nigh unto death, but not unto death, and why, ſee Phil. 2.27. Some of the ſweet ſmelling-Smyrnians were in priſon ten dayes and no more, Rev. 2.10.
Ver. 28. Bread-corn is bruiſed] yet not mauled or marred. That of Ignatius is well known, Commolor dentibus ferarum ut purius Domino panis fiam.
Becauſe he will not ever be threſhing it] As he is not ever ſowing mercies, ſo he will not alwayes be inflicting miſeries.
Nor bruiſe it with his horſemen] Or, with his horſes-hoofs.
Ver. 29. This alſo cometh forth from the Lord] foreignAs doth likewiſe foreign, Jam. 1.17.
Which is wonderful] qui mirificus eſt conſilio, & magnificus opere.