Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Ver. 1. MOreover the word of the Lord came to me, ſaying] The Prophet being thus called and confirmed, as chap. 1. ſets forthwith upon the work, Eſt autem hoc caput plenum querelae, & quaſi continuum pathos. In this chapter the Lord heavily complaineth of Jeruſalems unworthy uſage of him, convincing them thereof by ſixteen ſeveral arguments (as Alapide hath obſerved) and all little enough: for they put him to his proofs, as is to be ſeen, ver. 35.
Ver. 2. Go thou and cry] For if I my ſelf ſhould do it immediately from heaven, my ſtilleſt Rhetorike would be too loud for them, Deut. 5.27, 28.
I remember thee] Who haſt forgot thy firſt love and loyalty to me. Or, I remember, that is, I put thee in mind of the kindneſs that hath been betwixt us. Auguſtus might have ſome ſuch meaning in thoſe laſt words of his to his wife when he lay a dying, O Livia, remember our marriage, and adeiu. 'Tis thought ſhe had a finger in ſetting him going: and that ſhe was over-familiar with Eudemus the Phyſician, qui specie artis frequent ſecretis, ſaith Tacitus. Peccatum eſt Deicidium.
The kindneſſe of thy youth] When thou cameſt out of Egypt after me, and waſt eſpouſed unto me at the giving of the Law. We uſe highly to prize nettle-buds, when they firſt put forth: ſo doth God our young ſervices. Others render it thus, I record the mercy ſhewed to thee in thy youth, and the love of thine eſpouſals, ſc. when as I loved thee becauſe I loved thee, and for no other reaſon, Deut. 7.7, 8.
When thou wenteſt after me in the wilderneſſe] God takes it kindly when men will chuſe him, and his wayes in affliction: as did Moſes, Heb. 11.25. Cant. 8.5. Who is this that cometh from the wilderneſs (from troubles and afflictions) leaning on her beloved.
Ver. 3. Iſrael was holineſſe unto the Lord] A people conſecrated and ſet apart for his peculiar, Exod. 19.5. Pſal. 114.2. holy with a federal holineſs at leaſt.
And the firſt-fruits of his increaſe] Yea his firſt-born, and therefore higher than the Kings of the earth, Pſalm 89.27. All Gods people are ſo, Heb. 12.23. James 1.18.
All that devour them ſhall offend] Rather thus, all that devoured them treſpaſſed, evil befell them: witneſs the four latter books of Moſes.
Ver. 4. Hear ye the word of the Lord] This is often inculcated in both Teſtaments, to procure attention, 1 Cor. 11.23. I received of the Lord that which alſo I delivered unto you, 1 Theſ. 4.15. This we ſay unto you by the Word of the Lord. Thus to preach, is to preach cum privilegio.
Ver. 5. What iniquity have your Fathers found in me?] How unreaſonable was their Apoſtacy? and how ſenſeleſs is your pleading of their example? nothing is more irrational then irreligion.
That they are gone far from me] Are ye weary of receiving ſo many benefits by one man? ſaid Themiſtocles to his ungrateful Country-men.
And have walked after vanity] An Idol is nothing at all, but only in the vain opinion of the Idolater.
And are become vain] ſc. In their imaginations, Rom. 1.21. as vain as their very Idols, Pſal. 115.8.
Ver. 6. Neither ſaid they] In their minds, or with their mouths.Cicero. That ſignal deliverance was obliterated, and even loſt upon them. Plerique omnes ſumus ingrati.
Through a land of deſerts and of pits] Per terram campeſtrem & ſepulchralem, where we talked of making our graves; neither was it any otherwiſe likely, but that God gave us pluviam eſcatilem & petram aquatilem, all manner of neceſſaries.Tertul.
Ver. 7. And I brought you into a plentiful Countrey] You lived in my good land, but not by my good Laws: you had aequiſſimajura, ſed iniqu…ſſima ingenia, as was ſaid of the Athenians: as if I had hired you to be wicked, ſo have you abuſed my mercies to my greateſt diſhonour.
Ver. 8. The Prieſts ſaid not, Where is the Lord] Ignorant they were and idle:Dixerunt, Ʋbi victimae, ubi nummi? triobotarium Deum faciunt ſub que haſtam mittunt. Oecol. they would not be at the paines of a ſerious inquiſition after God and his will: though he be a rewarder of all that diligently ſeek him, Heb. 11.6.
And they that handled the Law] That expounded and applyed it. A Metaphor from ſuch as are trained in the war, who are ſaid tractare bellum, to handle their armes.
The Paſtours alſo tranſgreſſed against me.] What marvel therefore that the people did ſo too? For, as in a fiſh, the corruption of it beginneth at the head: ſo here.
And the Prophets propheſied by Baal] And taught others to worſhip Idols. We ſee then 'tis nothing new that ſtars fall from heaven, that Church-chieftaines ſhould fall from God, and draw others after them. It went for a Proverb a little afore Luther ſtirred, Qui Theologum ſcholaſticum videt, videt ſeptem peccata mortalia, he that ſeeth a Divine, ſeeth the ſeven deadly ſins.
Ver. 9. I will yet plead with you] i. e. Debate the caſe with you, and ſet you down by ſound reaſon. So he did to our firſt Parents when they had ſinned; but doomed the ſerpent without any more ado.
Ver. 10. For paſſe over the iſles of Chittim] The Weſtern parts of the World, Greece, Italy, Cyprus, &c.
And ſend unto Kedar] The Eaſtern parts, where dwell Kedarens, Arabians, Saracens, &c.
Ver. 11. Hath a Nation changed their Gods?] No: they are too pertinacious in their ſuperſtitions. Xenophon ſaith it was an oracle of Apollo, that thoſe Gods are rightly worſhipped which were delivered them by their anceſtours: and this he greatly applaudeth. Cicero alſo ſaith, that no reaſon ſhall ever prevaile with him to relinquiſh the religion of his fore-fathers.Heyl. Coſm. That Monarch of Morocco told an Engliſh Embaſſadour, that he had lately read St. Paul, and that he diſliked nothing in him but this, that he had changed his religion.
Which yet are no gods] Sed hominum figmenta & ludibria daemonum: when Hercules came into a Temple, and found the Image or ſtatue of Adonis in it, he pull'd it down with this expreſſion, Certe nil ſacri es, Sure thou art no god: the like may be ſaid of all Idols.
But my people have changed their glory] i. e. Their God of whom they might glory, ſaying, as Deut. 32.31. their Rock is not as our Rock, our enemies themſelves being Judges.
Ver. 12. Be aſtoniſhed O heavens] A poetical and pathetical expreſſion! Confer Deut. 32.1. Iſa. 1.2.
Be horribly afraid] Horripilamini portento malitiae, quod jam dicturus ſum, be agaſt at ſuch a prodigious wickedneſſe.
Be very deſolate] As the Sun ſeemed to be, when at the death of Chriſt, he hid his head in a mantle of black, which made (they ſay) the Heathen Aſtrologer break out into theſe words Either the God of nature ſuffereth, Dionyſ.or elſe the world is at an end.
Ver. 13. For my people have committed two evils] Contrary to thoſe two good things that I have commanded them, viz. Depart from evil, and do good, Pſal. 34.14. Luſt doth firſt foreign draw a man from God, and then it doth foreign deceive him with a bait of the creature, Jam. 1.14.
They have forſaken me the fountain of living water] The all-ſufficient, ever-flowing,Dialog. 7. over-flowing well-ſpring of all welfare, Jam. 1.17. Triſmegiſt a Heathen could ſay Reſpicite O mortales, & reſipiſcite, & ad fontem vitae ricurrite. Look back O mortals and repent, and run back again to the fountain of life. Seneca alſo ſaith, that Sin is ſo foul a thing, that he would not commit it, though he could hide it from men, and get pardon of it of God: for that were to turn his back upon God the chife good,Comment. in Rom. 1.19. So little reaſon was there that Alex. Hales ſhould be called firſt Fons vitae, & then Doctor irrefragabilis. &c. How well might Bullinger ſay, that Seneca alone had left to poſterity more ſincere Divinity, then all the books of almoſt all the School men!
And hewed them out ciſterns, broken ciſterns] Such and no better are all Idols, humane helps, creature-comforts, friends, means, merits, &c. what are they all but ciſterns, that hold but muddy rain-water at beſt: but then, being broken ciſterns, riven veſſels, what hold they elſe but limum & lapides, mud and gravel? Such ciſternes therefore to hew out, what is it better then induſtrious folly, laborious loſſe of time? to ſay no worſe of it. Now
Turpe est difficiles habere nugas:
Et ſtultus labor est ineptiarum.
Servus emptitius.Ver. 14. Is Iſrael a ſervant] ſc. Bought with mony?
Is he a home-born ſlave] Verna, a ſlave by birth q. d. If he be either of the two, he may thank himſelf. He was my ſon, nay my Spouſe, if he could have kept him ſo: but he hath ſold himſelf to commit wickedneſſe, and I have therefore ſold him into the hands of the Caldeans. Loe this is the product of his forſaking me the fountain of living waters, &c.
Ver. 15. The young Lions roared upon him and yelled] i. e. The King of Babylon and his forces, more fierce and fell then young Lions. Would any take the Churches picture?Loc. com. tit. de perſecut. ver. Eccleſ. ſaith Luther; then let him paint a ſilly poor maid ſitting in a wood or wilderneſſe, compaſſed about with hungry Lions, Wolves, Boars, and Bears: for this is her condition in the world.
And they made his land waſte] i. e. They ſhall ſhortly ſo make it.
Ver. 16. Alſo the children of Noph and Tahapanes] Two chief Cities of Egypt, the Inhabitants whereof were ſaid to be moſt effeminate and ſervile fellows: even theſe ſhall overtop thee,Hero dot. l. 2. knock thee down as an Ox by a blow on the brain-pan, and make havock of thoſe things, that thou holdeſt the chiefeſt and moſt deſirable.
Gen. 42.22.Ver. 17. Haſt thou not procured this to thy ſelf?] The ſame may the Lord ſay to every ſufferer: and further add, Did not I warn you ſaying, Sin not againſt the childe? Oh do not this abominable thing! your iniquities will undoubtedly be your ruine, &c.
When he led thee by the way] The way that is called holy, the high-way to heaven: fitly here oppoſed to thoſe by-waies of carnal wiſdom, mentioned in the following verſes.
Ver. 18. And now what haſt thou to do in the way of Egypt?] Why truſteſt thou to carnal combinations, which thou haſt formerly found to be ſo ſucceſsleſſe? wilt thou never be warned of theſe broken ciſterns? or haſt thou a mind to be ground to powder betwixt thoſe two mil-ſtones, of Egypt and Aſſyria, after whom thou hankereſt? Pſal. 146.3. David having entered a Caveat againſt creature confidence, perſwades people to truſt in God alone: See alſo Pſal. 62.8. 9, 10.
To drink the waters of Sihor] i. e. Of Nilus called Sihor, of its blackneſſe,Limoſus eſt Nilus & oblimat Aegypt. or muddineſſe; and in Greek foreign Black: to drink the waters of it here, is to draw the Egyptian forces to thine aſſiſtance, and (as ſome think) to partake with them in their ſuperſtitions.
To drink of the water of the river] i. e. Of Euphrates, that river by an eminency.
Ver. 19. Thine own wickedneſſe ſhall correct thee] E…udiat te malitia tua, Let thine own wickedneſſe with the ſad conſequents thereof, teach thee better things: as chap. 6.8. Let it for ſhame, let it, foreign, let ſmart make wit, Iſa. 28.19. Prov. 29.15.
Know therefore and ſee] Learn at leaſt by ſad experience; for thou haſt paid for thy learning. Piſcator ictus ſapiet.
That it is an evil thing and bitter] So all ſin will prove in the iſſue, and when the bottom of the bag is turned upward. There will be bitterneſſe in the end, as Abner ſaid to Joab, 2 Sam. 3.15. Laban will ſhew himſelf at parting howſoever. Tamar will be more hated then ever ſhee was loved: Amor, amaror; pius aloes quam mellis habet.
Laeta venire Venus, triſtis abire ſolet.
Drunkenneſſe is ſweet, but wormwood is bitter. Theſe Inhabitants of Jeruſalem were made drunk, but with wormwood, Lam. 3.15. they found that ſin was a Dulcacidum, a bitter-ſweet: ſweet in the mouth, but bitter in the maw,foreign Philo. as that book in the Revelation: like Adam's apple, or Eſau's pottage, or Jonathan's hony, or Judas his thirty pieces, whereof he would fain have been rid but could not: they burnt like a ſpark of hell-fire in his hand, but eſpecially in his conſcience. The Devil with the Panther, hideth his deformed head, till the ſweet ſent have drawn other beaſts into his danger, and then he devoureth them. Did we but conſider what ſin will coſt us at laſt, we durſt not but be innocent.
Ver. 20. For of old time I have broken thy yoke] Or, For when of old I broke thy yoke &c. ſc. in Egypt, Pſal. 81.5, 6, 10. whilſt the deliverance was freſh, thou hadſt very good reſolutions.
And thou ſaidſt I will not tranſgreſs] Or, I will not ſerve, ſc. other Gods. Good words, hadſt thou been as good as thy word. But what followeth?
When upon every high hill and every green tree, &c.] No ſooner did her old heart and her old temptations meet, but they preſently fell into mutual embraces. When men have made good vows, let them be as careful to make good their vows unto the Lord, Pſal. 76.11.
Thou wandereſt playing the harlot] Thou runneſt a madding and a gadding after Idols, foreign.
Ver. 21. Yet I had planted thee a noble vine] Heb. a Sorek, or with ſlips of Sorek. Judg. 16.4. See Eſa. 5.3. (a parallel text) Exod. 15.17. Pſal. 44.3. and 80.9.
Wholly a right ſeed] That ſhould have yielded a right crop: but it proveth otherwiſe; nec votis reſpondet avari Agricolae.
How then art thou turned into the degenerate plant] How is that ſlips of Sorek prove ſlips of Sodom? Deut. 32.32. See on Iſa. 5.4, 7.
Ver. 22. For though thou waſh thee with nitre] Much uſed of old by Fullers and neat Landreſſes, ſay Iſidore and Athanaſius; now not known in theſe parts:Lib. 16. Etym. Lib. de Virg. Nitrum ſordes erodit & expurgat. Plin. Apothecaries uſe Salt-peter inſtead of it. Sin leaveth behind it a deep ſtain, ſo ingrained that it will hardly ever be gotten out: not at all by blanching, extenuating, excuſing, &c. or by any legal purifications, hypocritical lotions. All which notwithſtanding,
Thine iniquitie is marked before me] Nitet iniquitas tua, ſplendet inſtar auri, Piſcat.it gliſters like gold before me, whoſe eyes thou canſt not blind or bleer with any of thy colourable pretexts and pretences.
Ver. 23. How canſt thou ſay I am not polluted?] q. d. With what face? but that ſin hath oaded an impudence in thy face.
I have not gone after Baalius] The whole crew of Heathen-dieties (Lords or Maſters the word ſignifieth) which Cicero ſaith were but men,De not. deor. their Temples were their ſepulchers, and their religion ſuperſtition. He further wiſheth, that he could as eaſily diſcern the true religion, as diſcover the falſe.
See thy way in the vally] Of Ben-Hinnom, Where thou haſt ſacrificed thy children to Moloch thy chief Baal: Sol & homo generant hominem.that is, ſay ſome, to the Sun, as to the univerſal cauſe ſtrongly concurring to the generation of their children ſo ſacrificed.
Thou art a ſwift Dromedary] That runneth a madding after her mate: ſo doſt thou after Idols: Confer 1 Cor. 12.2.
Ver. 24. A wild Aſſe uſed to the wilderneſſe] Untamable, and untractable, Job 39.8. eſpecially when proud, and in the heat of luſt, as theſe were after their Idols.
That ſnuffeth up the wind] When ſhe windeth the male: ſo this people when acted by a ſpirit of fornications.
In her monethmonth they ſhall finde her] i. e. In her laſt monethmonth, when ſhe is ſo big with young, that ſhe cannot weild her ſelf. So ſinners be they never ſo ſtubborn, ſo ſtiff and high in the inſtep, that there's no dealing with them, yet when they are in ſtraits and diſtreſſes, it will be otherwiſe. God, ſaid Mr. Marbury, is fain to deal with wicked men, as men do with frisking jades in a paſture, that cannot be taken up till gotten to a gate: ſo till he ſeize upon them by ſome judgement or ſummons to dye, &c.
Ver. 25. Withold thy foot from being unſhod, &c.] Ceaſe thy vain vagaries to the wearing out of thy ſhooes, and expoſing thy ſelf to extream thirſt: Or rather take a timely courſe to prevent captivity and the miſeries that attend it, Iſa. 20.2, 4. and 47.2.
But thou ſaidſt There is no hope] viz. Of reclayming us, we are reſolved on our courſe, and will take our ſwing in ſin whatſoever come of it, Iſa. 28.14, 15. & 57.10. Some grow deſperately ſinful (ſaith a Reverend modern Writer) like thoſe Italian Senatours,Mr. Sheph. Sincere Convert. 222. that deſparing of their lives (when upon ſubmiſſion they had been promiſed their lives, yet) being conſcious of their villany, made a curious banquet, and at the end thereof every man drank up his glaſſe of poyſon and killed himſelf: ſo men feeling ſuch horrible hard hearts, and privy to ſuch notorious ſins, they caſt away ſouls and all for luſt, and ſo periſh wofully, becauſe they lived deſperately, and ſo ſecurely.
Ver. 26. As the thief is aſhamed when he is found] As uſually he is at length, notwithſtanding all his ſlights and wiles. That was a cunning thief indeed of whom Dio writeth in the life of Severus: Bulas he calleth him, an Italian, who having gotten together ſix hundered ſuch as himſelf, robbed many in Italy under the Emperours noſe for two years together: and although he was diligently ſought for by the Emperour and his Armies, yet he could not be caught: Viſus enim non videbatur, non inveniebatur inventus, deprehenſus non capiebatur, ſaith the Hiſtorian: he was too hard for them all.
So is the houſe of Iſrael aſhamed] They are, or ought to be ſo: but
—Nihil eſt audacius illis
Deprenſis: vires animoſque à crimine ſumunt.
Ver. 27. Saying to a ſtock, Thou art my Father] i. e. My God. Iſa. 44.17. We are not the children of fornication, ſaid thoſe boaſting Jews, Joh. 8.41. that is, we are not Idolaters who ſay, as here, to a ſtock, Thou art my Father. The Samaritans, they called baſtards.
But in the time of their trouble they will ſay. Ariſe and ſave us] Thus in their monethmonth they will be found, ver. 24. When they had run themſelves barefoot in following their lovers, (ver. 25.) who anſwered their expectation with nothing but fear, and ſent them away with ſhame inſtead of glory, then God was thought upon and ſought unto. Let us make God our choiſe, and not our neceſſity: and labour to maintain ſuch conſtant couſe with him, that he may know our ſouls in adverſity, and not turn us off, as he doth theſe with
Ver. 28. But where are thy Gods that thou haſt made thee?] Thou haſt ſure no need of my help: Quiſi tu hujus indigeas patris. See the like, Judg. 10.14. with the Note there.
For according to the number of thy Cities are thy gods] Enough of them thou haſt, and near enough. The Papiſts alſo have their Tutelar-Saints, to whom they ſeek more then to God himſelf. And when the Ave-Mary-bell rings, (which is at Sun-riſing, Noon, and Sun ſetting) all men in what place ſoever, houſe, field,Spec. Europ. ſtreet or market, doe preſently kneel down and ſend up their united devotions to heaven, by an Ave-Maria.
Ver. 29. Wherefore will ye plead with me?] Putting me to my proofs? Is not the caſe clear enough? will ye not yield to reaſon? See on ver. 19.
Ye all have tranſgreſſed againſt me] And yet ye have the face to ask, as chap. 16.10. What is our iniquity, or what is our ſin that we have committed againſt the Lord? and to ſay as Hoſ. 12.8. In all my labours they ſhall find none iniquity in me: that were ſin. See there.
Ver. 30. In vain have I ſmitten your children] My hammers have but beaten cold Iron: ye are incorrigible, irreformable. See Iſa. 1.5. with the Note.
Your own ſword hath devoured your Prophets] As it did in the dayes of Ahaz, Joaſh, Manaſſeh, of whom Joſephus ſaith,Lib. 10 cap. 4. that he ſlew ſome Prophet of God every day.
Like a deſtroying Lion] Cum ſaevitia ſumma, exutâ omni humanitate: ye have puulled them limmeale, and cauſed them to dye piecemeale.
Ver. 31. O generation, ſee ye the word of the Lord] q. d. O generation rather leonine then humane! as ver. 30. See ye the word; I ſay not to you Hear, no more then I would to a ſavage beaſt; for ye have no ears to hear reaſon: but ſee with your eyes; for ſo even beaſts can do. See now, and ſay ſooth.
Have I been a wilderneſſe unto Iſrael?] Such as is deſcribed before, ver. 6. Or have I not rather been a Paradiſe unto you, and a ſtore-houſe of all accommodations and comforts? It well appeareth that they have wanted nothing but thankful hearts, by this, that fulneſſe hath bred forgetfulneſſe: for ſo ſtout they are grown by reaſon of their great wealth, that they will not come at me, nor acknowledge my ſoveraignty over them: but will needs be petty Gods within themſelves: We are Lords, ſay they, and will not now take it as we have done. The ancient Greek rendreth it, We will not be ruled.
Ver. 32. Can a maid forget her ornaments?] Not lightly or eaſily, as minding them many times more then is meet, and then their ornaments are but the neſt of pride: and whilſt they think to gain more credit by their garments then by their graces, they are much miſtaken.
Yet my people have forgotten me dayes without number] i. e. Time out of mind: when as God ſhould be remembred at every breath we draw, ſith from him we have foreign, life and breath, as the Apoſtle ſaith elegaintly, Acts 17.25. But into ſuch a dead Lethargy hath ſin caſt moſt people, that God is forgotten by them, add his Service neglected.
Ver. 33. Why trimmest thou thy way to ſeek love?] Cur bonificas? So Calvin rendereth it, why doſt thou make good thy way? that is, ſet a good gloſſe upon it, even the beſt ſide outwards. The ſame word is uſed of Jeſabels dreſſing her head, 2 King. 9.30. What need this whoriſh tricking and trimming, if all were right with thee?
Jactas vaenales, quas vis oberudere, merces.
Therefore alſo haſt thou taught the wicked ones thy way] Heb. the wicked women (for the word is feminine) thoſe ſhe-ſinners may learn immodeſty of thee, who are meretriciſſimae. And for this it is that thou art pointed at with the finger as it were, verſ. 34, 35.
Ver. 34. Alſo in thy skirts] In the skirts of thy garments. Heb. in thy wings: an alluſion ſay ſome, to birds of prey, which ſtain their wings with the blood of leſſer fouls.
Is the blood of the ſouls] The life-blood of innocent poor ones, of Prophets eſpecially, ver. 30.
I have not found it by ſecret ſearch] Non in ſuffeſſione, as Calvin rendreth it, as an alluſion to Exod. 22.2.
But upon all theſe] that is, in propatulo, in publike view. Or, ſuper haec omnia, becauſe they told thee of all thy faults.
Ver. 35. Yet thou ſayeſt, Becauſe I am innocent] Antiquum obtines, thou ſtandeſt ſtill upon thy juſtification: this doubleth thy fault. Homo agnoſcit, Deus ignoſcit. The beſt way,Cur cu…ftas? is, to plead guilty: confeſſe and go free.
Ver. 36. why gaddeſt thou about ſo much to change thy way] Or, changing thy way, as hoping ſome way to mend thy ſelf. Keep home, and truſt God: go further and fare worſe. Creatures were never true to thoſe that truſted them.
Ver. 37. Yea thou ſhalt go from him] Or, from hence, into captivity.
With thine hands] Lamenting as did Tamar, 2 Sam. 13.19.
For the Lord hath rejected thy confidence] Where the beginning is carnal confidence, the end is ſhame of any buſineſs, even of this life.