Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
Ver. 1. THus ſaith the Lord] By the former Type of a Potter and his Veſſel, God had ſhewed the Jews what he could do to them, viz. break them at his pleaſure, and remake them upon their repentance. Here, by a like prophetical paradigme, is ſet forth what the Lord now will do to them: viz. break them ſo for their obſtinacy, as that they ſhould never be repaired, and reſtored to their ancient luſtre, and flouriſh. And this the Prophet Jeremy (fortiſſimus ille Dei athleta, as One calleth him) that valiant Champion of the Lord, telleth them freely, though he kiſſed the flocks and was well beaten for his boldneſſe, chap. 20.2. Where it is worthy our obſervation, that as the Prophets task was more and more increaſed, ſo was his ſtrength and courage. Deus gratiam multiplicat onere ingraveſcente. So it was with Athanaſius, Luther, Latimer, Calvin, &c.
Goe and get a Potters earthen bottle] Called in Hebrew Bakbuk: Onomatopaejae.either from the emptineſſe and hollowneſſe of it; or elſe from the gugling ſound that it made when it was either filled or emptyed. By a like figure it is ſaid of the vulturine Eagle,Jegnalegnudam. Job 39.30. that they doe glutglut blood.
And take of the ancients] Of both ſorts for witneſſes.
Ver. 2. And go forth unto the valley of the ſon of Hinnom] See chap. 7.3. that where the Jews had ſinned, there they might be ſentenced.
Which is by the entry of the Eaſt-gate] Or (as others render it) Portam fictilem ſeu teſtaceam, the Potters gate (becauſe the Potters dwelt near to it, and thereby carried forth their potſheards) called alſo the dung-gate, ſaith the Chaldee Paraphraſe: an alluſion being hereby made both to the pot he carried, and to the pieces of it when broken, which ſhould be caſt to the dunghil. Inde ad gehennam via erat. This was the way to Tophet: and thither Jeremy led them,A Lapide. ſaid an Expoſitour, that conſidering their graves in that Valley, according to chap. 7.32. and that their bodies, thoſe earthen veſſels, ſhould ſoon after be broken and carried out as dung into Tophet by the Chaldeans, and their ſouls into Hell by the devils, they might repent, and ſo prevent ſuch a miſchief.
And proclaim there the words that I ſhall tell thee] God took his own times to tell his Prophets what they ſhould tell the people. The priviledge of infallibility (ſaith a Divine) was perpetual to the Apoſtles: Prophetis verò ſaepius intervallatum, & fere non extra ipſos prophetandi paroxyſmos durans, not ſo to the Prophets, but whil'ſt they were prophecying only for the moſt part: neither knew they many times what they ſhould Prophecy, till the very inſtant.
Ver. 3. Hear the Word of the Lord ye Kings of Judah] i. e. O King and thy counſellours, who are ſo many little Kings, as King James was wont to ſay of the Parliament men.
Behold I bring evil upon this place] This he ſpake to all and with all authority; catholicam & miſerabilem perniciem proclamans. It is credible that he ſpake it with as good a courage (or better) as Biſhop Ridley Martyr did thoſe comminatory words of his to Queen Mary and her ſervants, when they refuſed to hear him preach: He uttered them with ſuch a vehemency,Act. & Mon. 1…70. ſaith mine Authour, that ſome of the hearers afterwards confeſſed the haires to ſtand upright on their heads.
His cares ſhall tingle] For grief and fear; as if he had been ſtonied with a thunder-clap, or were ready to ſwoon.
Ver. 4. Becauſe they have forſaken me] Chap. 16.11.
And eſtranged this place] Or, ſtrangely abuſed it ſo as I ſcarce know it, or can find in my heart to own it.
Whom neither they, nor their fathers] ſc. Quamdiu probifuerunt & pii, ſo long as they had any goodneſs in them, ſaith Hierom. Thoſe afterwards that worſhipped they knew not what (as thoſe Samaritans did, Joh. 4.) are not worthy to be reckoned on, much leſs to be imitated. Walk ye not in the ſtatutes of your fathers, neither obſerve their judgements, nor defile your ſelves with their Idols, Ezek. 20.18.
And have filled this place with the blood of innocents] Eſpecially of Infants ſacrificed to Moloch in Tophet, ſo filling up the meaſure of your ſins.
Ver. 5. Which I commanded not] Reprobatur voluntarius cultus, & factitiae religiones. See chap. 7.31. and 32.35. 2 King. 23.10.
Ver. 6. This place ſhall no more] See chap. 7.32. Things are repeated, that they may be the better obſerved.
Ver. 7. And I will make void the counſel of Judah] As vain and empty as this earthen bottle now is. See on ver. 1. and take notice of an elegant Agnomination in the Original.
And their carcaſſes will I give] See chap. 7.33. and 16.4.
Ver. 6. And I will make this City deſolate] See chap. 18.10.
Ver. 9. And I will cauſe them to eat the fleſh] This as it was threatned, Lev. 26.29. Deut. 28 23. ſo accordingly accompliſhed, Lam. 2.20. and 4.10. Ptolomaeus Lathurus King of Egypt barbarouſly ſlew thirty thouſand Jews, and forced the reſt to feed upon the fleſh of thoſe that were ſlain.
Ver. 10. Then ſhalt thou break the bottle] That the eyes of the by-ſtanders and beholders may affect their hearts. Non alia ratio Sacramentorum eſt.
Ver. 11. That cannot be made whole again] Heb. cured. No more was the Jewiſh Polity ever reſtored to its ancient dignity and luſtre, after the captivity: neither was Tophet ever repaired at all, but ſerved for a charnel-houſe, a place to lay dead mens bones in.
Ver. 12. And even make their City as Tophet] Every whit as abominable and horrid: a very hell above ground.
Ver. 13. And the houſes of Jeruſalem] Wherein they had their chambers of imagery, and their private chappels for Idolatrous uſes, (as Papiſts alſo have) Ezek. 8.12. Zeph. 1.
Becauſe all the houſes upon whoſe roofes] See on Zeph. 1.4.
Ver. 14. And he ſtood in the court of the Lords houſe] A place of greateſt concourſe of people: and where he might meet with many hearers. Here he ſpred his net, that he might catch ſome ſouls; dilated his diſcourſe at Tophet, whereof we have here but the ſhort notes; minding them of their ſinne and puniſhment. And ſurely this Prophet ſhould be ſo much the more regarded by us, for that he ſo freely and fully delivered the divine meſſages, omitting no part thereof, either for fear or favour. Ambroſe bad Austin read the Prophet Iſaiah diligently, for the confirmation of his faith. We may all very profitably read the Prophet Jeremy who is full of incitation to repentance and new obedience.
Ver. 15. Becauſe they have hardened their necks] Which may ſeem poſſeſſed with an iron ſinew, ſo ſtiffe they are and ſturdy, having manum in aure, aurem in cervice, cervicem in corde, cor in obſtinatione, their hand on their eare, their eare in their neck, their neck in their heart, and their heart in obſtinacy, &c.