Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Ver. 1. THe Word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord] To him it came, but to be imparted to other Prophets, ſay ſome, Prieſts of Anathoth, ſay others, ver. 2. which might be the reaſon why they were ſo enraged againſt him and fought his life, ver. 18, 19. as the Popiſh Prieſts did Mancinels, Savanarolas and other faithful Preachers, for exciting them to do their duties.
Ver. 2. Hear ye the words—and ſpeak ye] Ye Prieſts whoſe ordinary office it is to teach Jacob Gods judgements, and Iſrael his Law, Deut. 33.10.
Ver. 3. And ſay thou unto them] Thou Jeremy: whether the reſt will joyn with thee, or not.
Curſed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant] It is probable that Jeremy when he ſaid thus, held the book in his hand, viz. the book of Deuteronomy, which the Rabbines call Sepher Tochechoth, becauſe of the many increpations and curſes therein contained.
Ver. 4. From the iron furnace] Where iron is melted and a fierce fire required.
Obey my voyce] See chap 7.23.
Ver. 5. A land flowing with milk and honey] With plenty of dainties. The City of Aleppo is ſo called by the Turkes, of Alep milk: for if the via lactea were on earth, it would be found there, ſaith one.
So be it, O Lord] Amen, Fiat, Fiat. Oh that there were an heart in this people to obey thy voyce; And oh that thou would'ſt ſtill continue them in this good land, &c. Our hearts ſhould be ſtretched out after out Amen: and we ſhould be ſwallowed upon God, ſay the Rabbines.
Ver. 6. Hear ye the words of this Covevant, and do them] Elſe ye hear to no purpoſe; as the Salamander liveth in the fire and is not made hot by the fire; as the Ethiopian goeth black into the Bath, and as black he cometh forth.
Ver. 7. Riſing early] i. e. endeavouring earneſtly: See chap. 5.8.
Ver. 8. Yet they obeyed not] See chap. 7.24.
Therefore I will bring] Heb. and I brought upon them.
Ver. 9. A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah] A combination in ſinful courſes, this is not Ʋnity but Conſpiracy. See Ezek. 22.25. Hoſ. 6.9. ſuch is the unity of the Antichriſtian crew, Rev. 17.13. The Turkes have as little diſſenſion in their religion as any: yet are a rabble of rebels conſpiring againſt heaven.
Ver. 10. They are turned away to the iniquities of their fore-fathers] Shewing themſelves herein to be a race of rebels, as good at reſiſting the holy Ghoſt as ever their Fathers were, and are therefore juſtly chargeable with their iniquities: which needeth not.
Ver. 11. Which they ſhall not be able to eſcape] To avert, avoid or abide.
I will not hearken unto them] See Prov. 1.28. Zech. 7.13. with the Notes.
Ver. 12. Then ſhall the Cities of Judah — go and cry unto the Gods] Or, Let them go, and cry unto them, q. d. Let them for me: This is one of thoſe bitter anſwers that God giveth to wicked ſuitors, Ezek. 14. See Judg. 10.14. Or if he give them better at any time, it is in wrath, and for a miſchief to them.
Ver. 13. For according to the number of thy Cities] See chap. 2.28.
And according to the number of thy ſtreets] See Ezek. 16.31.
Ver. 14. Therefore pray not thou for this people] See on chap. 7.16.
When they cry unto me for their trouble] It is not the cry of the ſpirit for grace, but of the fleſh only for eaſe; it is but the fruit of ſinful ſelf-love: In thee indeed it proceedeth from a better principle: but I am at a point.
Ver. 15. What hath my beloved to do in mine houſe?] i. e. Mine once-beloved people, which had the liberty of mine houſe, and was welcome thither;Vatab. but is now diſcarded, and diſcovenanted; as if an husband ſhould ſay to his adulterous wife, What maketh this ſtrumpet in my bed, ſith ſhe hath ſo many paramouts?
And the holy fleſh] The ſacrifices ſanctified by the Altar.
Is paſſed from thee] Shall be wholly taken away from you, together with the Temple.
When thou doeſt evil, then thou rejoycest] Thou revelleſt in thine impurities and ſenſualities, as dreading no danger, but ſlighting all admonition.
Ver. 16. The Lord called thy name a green Olive-tree] Green all the year long; fair, and fruitful; this was thy proſperous and flouriſhing condition: but now thy beſt dayes are over; For,
With the noiſe of a great tumult] Barritu militari, ſuch as ſouldiers make when they ſtorm a City.
Ver. 17. For the evil of the houſe of Iſrael] That evil by a ſpecialty, that land-deſolating ſin of Idolatry.
Ver. 18. And the Lord hath given me knowledge of it] i. e. Of the treacherous plot of my country-men of Anathoth againſt me; who ſhould never have dreamt of any ſuch danger; Dius pro ſuis excubat.
Ver. 19. But I was like a lamb or an Ox] Harmleſſe and blameleſſe, buſied in my function, and not in the leaſt ſuſpecting any ſuch evil deſigne againſt me.M…t. 10. I ſend you forth as lambs amongſt wolves, ſaith Chriſt; who himſelf being the Lamb of God was ſlain from the beginning of the world; his ſervants alſo are ſlain all the day long, and counted as ſheep to the ſlaughter; Rom. 8.
Let us deſtroy the tree with the fruit thereof] Let us poiſon his food, ſo the Chaldee ſenſeth it, Ponamus lignum taxi in ſorbitiunculam. Others, let us deſtroy the Prophet and his prophecyes together. Others, let us make an end of him either by ſword or by famine, as the puniſhment threatned ver. 22. pointeth us to.
That his name may be no more remembred] Sic veritas odium peperit. So the Papiſts have given order that whereſoever Calvins name is found, it ſhall be blotted out: and by a moſt malicious Anagram they have turned Calvin into Lucian. One of them lately took a long journey to Rome, only to have his name changed from Calvin to ſome other: and that out of deviliſh hatred of that moſt learned and holy man, Ipſa à quo virtus virtutem diſcere poſſet.
Ver. 20. But O Lord of hoſts] Thou who art potentiſſimus & liberrimus, a moſt powerful and free Agent.
That tryeſt the reines and the heart] And ſo knoweſt with what mind I make this complaint and requeſt.
Let me ſee thy vengeance upon them] A prophetical imprecation guided by Gods Spirit, and not lightly to be imitated. So the Church prayed againſt Julian the Apoſtate, whom they knew to be a deſperate enemy, and to have committed that ſin unto death. So perhaps had theſe men of Anathoth.
Ver. 21. Of the men of Anathoth that ſeek thy life] Where ſhall a man find worſe friends then at home? A Prophet is nowhere ſo little ſet by as in his own countrey,Epiſt. famil. lib. 7. ep. 6. Mat. 13.57. Probatiſſimus & optimus quiſque peregrè vivit, ſaith Ennius in Tully.
Saying, Prophecy not in the Name of the Lord] A deſperate ſpeech, proceeding from an height of hatred, and coaſting upon the unpardonable ſin.
Ver. 22. Behold I will puniſh them] Sic tandem bona cauſa triumphat. The viſible vengeance of God followeth cloſe at the heels the perſecutors of his faithful meſſengers.
Ver. 23. And there ſhall be no remnant] Behold the ſeverity of God: their bloody deſign was to deſtroy Jeremies ſtock and fruit, ſtalk and grain together, ver. 19. God meteth unto them the ſelf-ſame meaſure, leaveth them not a remnant. This is not ordinary juſtice; chap. 4.27. Iſa. 1. and 10. A remnant ſhall be left, ſaith he: here not ſo. Let Rome that ſhambles of the Saints and Prophets eſpecially, look to it; God is now coming to make inquiſition for blood, &c.