Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
Ver. 1. VVOe to the Paſtors] i. e. To the Rulers and chieftaines, whether in the State or Church: woe to the wicked of both ſorts; and why?
They deſtroy and ſcatter the ſheep of my Paſture] So he calleth the people how bad ſoever, becauſe of the covenant with their fathers.
Ver. 2. Against the Paſtors] Impostors, rather.
That feed my people] Or, that feed upon my people, rather: attonſioni gregis potius quam attentioni conſulentes, more minding gain then godlineſs.
Ye have ſcattered my flock] And worried them, as ſo many evening wolves, Zeph. 3.3. grievous, or fat wolves, Act. 20.29. See the Notes there.
Behold I will viſit upon you] Ludit in voce viſitare: I will viſit you in another ſenſe, for your not viſiting my people according to your duty, Ezek. 34.4, 6, 8.
Ver. 3. And I will gather the remnant of my flock] I will bring them back from Babylon, but eſpecially from out of this preſent evil world, into the boſome of my Church, by Chriſt the Archſhepherd: and by ſuch underſhepherds, as he ſhall make uſe of to that purpoſe, Eph. 4.11.
And they ſhall be fruitful and encreaſe] Gignendo gentes, by begetting the Gentiles unto Chriſt, through the preaching of the Goſpel.
Ver. 4. And I will ſet up Shepherds over them] Pastors after mine own heart: ſuch as were Zorobabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Jehoſhua the High Prieſt, Hagge…, Zachary, Malachy, &c. Chriſtian Princes and Paſtors under the Goſpel, but eſpecially Chriſt the chief Shepherd and Biſhop of our ſouls: who is therefore here promiſed, ver. 5, 6. for the comfort of Gods Elect, who might well be troubled at that former dreadful denunciation, chap. 22.29, 30.
And they ſhall fear no more] But enjoy ſpiritual ſecurity, and be of an invincible courage.
Bern.Neither ſhall they be lacking] Chriſt the good ſhepherd will ſee to that, Joh. 10.28, 29. his underſhepherds alſo, (whoſe Motto is Praeſis ut proſis) will have a care.
Ver. 5. I will raiſe to David a righteous branch] Who ſhall raiſe up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen, and cloſe up the breaches thereof, Am. 9.11. who ſhall alſo ſit upon the throne of his Father David, and of his Kingdome there ſhall be no end. Luk. 1.32, 33. Annon hoc probe ſarcitur, &c. Is not this a good amends for that which is to befall Coniah and his poſterity put beſide the Kingdome? Of Chriſt the righteous branch, ſee Iſa. 11.1. and chap. 4.2. Zach. 3.8. See the Notes.Vocat Scriptura nomen Meſſiae Jehova Tſidkenu, quia erit Med…ator Deus, per cujus manu… c…nſecuturi ſumus juſtitiam à Deo ipſo, inquit Rabb…nus quidam in lib. Ikharim.
Ver. 6. This is the name whereby he ſhall be called The Lord Our righteouſneſſe] Jehovah Tſidkenu. This is a moſt mellifluous and ſweet name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, importing his Godhead: as the righteous Branch of David, ver. 5. did his manhood: and beſides aſſuring us, that as he hath for us fulfilled all righteouſneſſe, Mat. 3.15. ſo he is by God made unto us righteouſneſſe, 1 Cor. 1.30. and that we are become the righteouſneſſe of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.21. This one Name of Chriſt, is a ſtrong tower, Prov. 18.10. it is ſuch as will anſwer all our doubts and objections, were they never ſo many, had we but skill to ſpell all the letters in it. Cyprian was wont to comfort his friends thus, Veniet Antichriſtus, ſed ſuperveniet Chriſtus; Antichriſt will come, but then Chriſt will be at the heels of him. We may well comfort our ſelves againſt all evils and enemies with this conſideration, Chriſt is Jehovah our righteouſneſſe. God hath laid help on one that is mighty: and he came to bring in everlaſting righteouſneſs, Dan. 9.24. Why then ſhould we fear in the dayes of evil, when the iniquities of our heeles ſhall compaſſe us about? Pſal. 49.5. Domine Satan, ſaith Luther ſomewhere, nihil me movent minae & terrores tui; Luth. Tom. 4. fol. 55. A.eſt enim unus qui vocatur Jehovah juſtitia noſtra, in quem credo: Is legem abrogavit, peccatum damnavit, mortem abolevit, infernum deſtruxit, estque O Satan, Satan tuus: that is, You, Sir Satan, your menaces and terrours trouble me not. For why? there is one, whoſe name is called The Lord our Righteouſneſs, on whom I beleeve. He it is who hath abrogated the Law, condemned ſin, aboliſhed death, deſtroyed hell, and is a Satan to thee, O Satan. Surely this brave ſaying of Luther may well be reckoned among ſuch of his ſentences, as a man would fetch, rather then be without them, upon his knees from Rome, or Jeruſalem.
Ver. 7. Therefore behold the dayes come] See chap. 16.14.
Ver. 8. But the Lord liveth] See chap. 16.15.
Ver. 9. My heart within me is broken] Ʋtitur exordiolo pathetico & Tragico prorſus: Being to inveigh againſt the Prieſts and falſe Prophets, thoſe great corrupters of the people, he uſeth this pathetical preface, Cordicitus & medullitus doleo, I am grieved to the very heart, &c.
All my bones ſhake] Heb. hover or flutter, as birds do:Totus contremiſco. they ſhake and ſhudder with extream fear and horrour.
I am like a drunken man] Totus perturbatus ſum, I am not my ſelf: not able to ſtand high-lone.
Becauſe of the Lord] Through zeal of his glory.
And becauſe of the words of his holineſſe] His holy words ſo ſhamefully ſlighted: his dreadful threats eſpecially.
Ver. 10. For the land is full of adulterers] It is even become a great brothelhouſe, as ſometimes Cyprus was: and as Rome is now ſaid to be; —tota est jam Roma lupanar.
For becauſe of ſwearing (or, curſing) the land mourneth] Swearers and curſers then are publike enemies, traytours to the State. The Jews obſerve that Beerſhaba ſignifies the well of oath, and Beerſaba the well of plenty. Sure we are, that for oaths the land mourneth: of which there is ſuch ſtore, as if men, by an eaſie miſtake of the point, uſed to draw and drop them, as it were, out of the well of plenty.
And the pleaſant places] Or, paſtures or habitations: which being dryed up, ſeem to mourn: and yet the inhabitants are without all ſenſe of ſorrow.
And their courſe is evil] Naught all over, as we ſay.
And their force is not right] Not rightly employed: they are not valiant for the truth, but violent for wrong doing.
Ver. 11. For both Prophet and Priest are profane] What wonder therefore that the people were ſo? I have read of a woman who living in profeſſed doubt of the Godhead, after better illumination and repentance, did often proteſt,Mrs. Wards happineſs of Paradiſe. that the vitious life of a great ſcholler in that town did conjure up thoſe damnable doubts in her ſoul. And of another, that he deſired a profane Preacher to point him out a nearer way to heaven then that he had taught in his Sermons: for he went not that way himſelf. Our Saviour foretelleth, Mat. 24. that iniquity ſhall abound, love wax cold, &c. And why? Many falſe Prophets ſhall ariſe.
Yea in my houſe have I found their wickedneſſe] Sin is not a little aggravated, as by the time (ſc. if committed on the Lords day) ſo by the place, ſc. if done in Gods houſe, and in his ſpecial preſence. Unclean glances or worldly thoughts in hearing, &c. argue a profane heart. Like as it were a ſigne the Orthodox party were but weak, if whileſt they were at Sermons, Papiſts durſt come in and put them out.
Ver. 12. As ſlippery wayes in the darkneſſe] They ſhall fall without faile: for they ſhall neither ſee their way, nor ſtand their ground. See Pſal. 35.6.
Ver. 13. And I have ſeen folly] Heb. inſulſity, Folly is as unpleaſant to the intelligent, as unſavoury meat is to him that taſteth it.
They prophecied in Baal, and cauſed my people Iſrael to erre] They fold poiſon to the people,foreign Septuag. Lib. 10. in Epic. as Laertius ſaith Ariſtotle did (Epicurus is his witneſſe) having firſt waſted his eſtate.
Ver. 14. I have ſeen alſo in the Prophets of Jeruſalem an horrible thing] Heb. fedity or fetidity: filthineſſe, or ſtench: ſuch as the devil himſelf, they ſay, leaveth behind him, going out of a room. It muſt needs be an horrible thing when Doctours turn Devils: teaching ſuch impieties, acſi ipſe teterrimus Satan eas ore ſuo docuiſſ…, as if the devil himſelf with his own mouth had taught the ſame. I would ſhun an heretike, ſaith One, as I would do a devil: for he is ſent on his errand. Seducers certainly act the part of that horrid Feind: and together with him ſhall be caſt alive into the burning lake, Rev. 19.20.
They commit adultery] As did Eli's ſons: and thoſe two ſtinking goates, Jer. 29.23.
Hom. 3. in Act.And walk in lyes] Make a trade of it. It was not for nothing that Chryſoſtome ſaid of thoſe of his time, Non arbitror inter Sacerdotes, multos eſſe qui ſalvi fient.
They ſtrengthen alſo the hands of evil doers] Roborunt ma…us malignatium: whilſt knowing the Judgement of God (that they which commit ſuch things are worthy of death) they not only do the ſame, but (both by their falſe doctrine, and looſe living) they countenance thoſe that do them, Rom. 1.32.
They are all become to me as Sodom] i. e. Pauciſſimis exceptis, omnes conſcel…rati & inemendabiles: they are all ſtark naught.
Potabo eos calice malediction peſſimae quaſi capitibus draconum. Chald. Paraph.Ver. 15. I will feed them with wormwood] i. e. I will ſlay them with moſt bitter and grievous kinds of deaths: See chap. 8.14. & 9.15.
For from the Prophets of Jeruſalem is profaneneſſe gone forth into all the land] Their place adding two wings to their ſin, viz. Example, and Scandal, whereby it ſoureth higher and flyeth much further: See ver. 11.
Ver. 16. Hearken not unto the words of the Prophets] Stop your ears to the… enchantments, and ſeriouſly decline them as ye would do a ſerpent in your way, or poyſon in your meats.
They make you vain] Or, beguile you: Fair words make fools fain: See Rom. 18.18.
Ver. 17. They ſay ſtill to them that deſpiſe me] They promiſe ſecurity to the impenitent: and flatter people in their ſinful and ſenſual practices. Socinians ſet up mans reaſon: Arminians his free-will: Libertines his unruly luſts: and Papiſts gratifie his ſenſes with their forms and pomp. In their humble ſupplication to King James for a toleration, they pleaded for their religion, as that which was moſt agreeable to mans nature. Sr. Walther Rawleigh knew what he ſaid, that were he to chuſe a religion for ſenſual delights and licentious liberty, he would be a Papiſt: No ſin paſt, but the Pope can pardon it: none to come, but he could diſpenſe with it. No matter how long they have lived in any ſin (thought the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt) yet Extreme Ʋnction at laſt will ſalve all.
Ver. 18. For who hath ſtood in the Counſel of the Lord?] Quis praeter nos? ſo Piſcator. Who hath if we have not? ſay thoſe falſe-prophets; as if they were ſo many Angels newly dropt from heaven.
Ver. 19. Behold a whirlwind of the Lord] q. d. Though theſe flatterers make all fair weather before you: yet aſſure your ſelves, the tempeſt of Gods wrath, ſuch as ſhall never be blown over, is even breaking forth upon them and you together. Look to it therefore.
Ver. 20. In the latter dayes ye ſhall conſider it perfectly] All too late ye ſhall ſubſcribe to the truth of theſe threats: which now you take as uttered in terrorem only, and will not believe till you feel.Sere ſaviunt Phryges. Sero inquit Nero. Epimetheus, that after-wit, had too many fellows.
Ver. 21. I have not ſent theſe Prophets] Who have cozened you into the mouth of deſtruction, as that old Bethelite did the young Prophet into the mouth of the Lion.
Yet they ran] They have from me neither miſſion nor commiſſion: but do all on their own heads. Obſervabilis eſt hic locus contra multos qui bodie plebem docendi …unus ſibi arrogant, cum tamen non ſint miſſi, ſaith Oecolampadius. This is a notable place againſt Laypreachers. And, as if he had lived in theſe looſe times of ours, he thus goeth on: In the fourteenth and ſixteenth of 1 Cor. order is commanded to be kept: But there are now ſuch, as abide not in their own Churches, but run into others, where they teach without a calling. Theſe promte not but hinder the cauſe of Chriſt. He is the God of peace: but they go forth and ſay Mentiris; Deus amat talem conſtantiam & fortem confeſſionem: ſic enim vocant ſuam praefractam pertinaciam. Thou lyeſt: God loveth ſuch conſtancy and bold confeſſion of the truth as we hold forth: for ſo they call, ſaith he, their ſtifneſſe and obſtinacy. Beſides that, they come not into the Congregations of unbelievers to convert them to the faith, ſed noſtras perplexas reddunt (ſo that good man proceedeth in his complaint on this text) but they trouble our Churches: like as of old they came to Antioch, and made diſturbance there, Acts 15, &c. Luther alſo, who lived in the ſame time with Oecolampadius, cries out to like purpoſe, Decem annis laboratur antequam Eccleſiolarectè & piè inſtituta paretur, &c. We are ten or more years,Tom. oper. 4. fol. 18. A. ſaith he ere we can ſettle a ſmall Church, as it ſhould be. And yet when that's done, there, creepeth in ſome ſilly Sectary, whoſe only skil is to rail againſt godly Miniſters: Is uno momento evertit omnia, And he preſently marreth all. See chap. 14 14.
Ver. 22. But if they had ſtood in my counſel, &c.] As they vainly vaunt they do, ver. 18. and that they know more of my mind then any others.
And had cauſed my people to hear my words] And not their own fancies, or cunning deviſed fables, 2 Pet. 1.16.
Then they ſhould have turned them from the evil of their way] Not but that a godly Preacher may want ſucceſſe, Iſa. 49.4. (See the Notes there) and on the contrary, a bad Miniſter may be a means of good to others, as the dull whetſtone edgeth iron, and the lifeleſſe heaven enliveneth other creatures. The head of a Toad may yield the precious ſtone Bufonites, and wholeſome Sugar be found in a poyſoned cane. Noah's builders were a means to ſave him and his family,Virgil. Aeneid. 3. yet themſelves were drowned: ſo was Palinurus, Aeneas his Pilot in the Poet, &c. But God uſually honoureth his faithful laborers with ſome ſucceſſe: and they can ſay as Chryſoſtom doth, Si decimus quiſque, ſi unus perſuaſus fuerit, ad conſolationem abunde ſufficit. If but one in ten be converted by our Miniſtry, yea if but one in all, tis comfort enough. See James 5. ult.
Ver. 23. Am I a God at hand, and not a far of?] See I not what is done on earth, which ſeemeth further from me? or think ye that you live out of the reach of my rod, becauſe remote from heaven the habitation of my holineſſe and of my glory?Lucan.
Jupiter eſt quodcunque vides, quocunque move…is.
Ver. 24. Can any man hide himſelf in ſecret places] Hide he may God from him ſelf, but not himſelf from God: though Atheiſts are apt to think (as they ſay the Struthiocamelus doth when he hath thruſt his head in an hole) that becauſe they ſee none, therefore none ſeeth them.Plin.
Do I not fill heaven and earth] See Pſal. 139.3, 5, 7, 11. Iſa. 66.1. with the Notes?
Ver. 25. I have dreamed, I have dreamed] i. e. I have a prophetick revelation in a dream. Such lying Prophets were the ancient and modern Enthuſiaſts and High attainers: Meſſalanian heretikes they were called of old, Anno 371.
Ver. 26. How long ſhall this be in the hearts, &c.] q. d. Will they never give over lying to the Holy Ghoſt (Acts 5 3.) and flying againſt the light (of their own conſciences) as B…s do. Nam quod argutè commenti ſunt, Oecolamp.haec aiunt ex ſpiritu ſe dicere; ſtudio enim ſuis mendaciis plebi imponunt, falſumque datâ operâ docent: for they father their falſities upon the ſpirit of truth: cozening the credulous multitude. And this they do wittingly, and unceſſantly.
Ver. 27. Which think to cauſe my people to forget my Name] To drive them to Atheiſm, which ſometimes creepeth in at the back doore of a Reformation, by the ſlight of Seducers and their cunning craftineſſe, whereby they lye in wait to deceive. Our Church is at this day peſtered, with Atheiſts (who firſt have bin Seekers, Ranters, Antinomians, Antiſcripturiſts, &c.) and is even dark with them, as Egypt once was with the Graſhoppers. They ſeemed to ſpeak with judgement that ſaid formerly, As Antichriſtianiſm decreaſeth, ſo Atheiſm prevaileth: And they ſeem ſtill not to judge amiſſe that ſay, that the Jeſuites are acting vigorouſly by our Sectaries, to bring in Popery again (quaſi poſtilimino) upon us. It hath been long the opinion and fear of ſome grave Divines, that Antichriſt before his abolition, ſhall once again overflow the whole face of the Weſt, and ſuppreſſe the whole Proteſtant Churches: quod Deus avertat. Take we heed that theſe Sect-makers make us not forget Gods Name by their fopperies, as our fathers forgot his Name for Baal.
Ver. 28. The Prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream] Or, let him tell it as a dream, and not as a divine revelation; making more of it then the matter comes to, and Laudans vaenales quas vul obtrudere merces.
What are dreams, ordinarily, but very vanities (Eccleſ. 5.7. with Zech. 10.2.) pleaſant follies and deluſions, the empty bubbles of the mind, children and tales of fancy, idle and fruitleſſe notions, mere bables? why then ſhould men make ſo much of them? why ſhould they tell their Midianitiſh dreams to others with ſo much confidence, as if they were Oracles?
And he that hath my Word] So he be ſure he hath it: and can on good ground ſay I believed, therefore have I ſpoken.
What is the chaff to the wheat? ſaith the Lord;] i. e. What is falſe doctrine to true? ſurely nothing in compariſon: you may better ſet Palea, that is, Chaff, upon it, then the Pope doth upon any thing in the Decrees of his predeceſſours that pleaſeth him not. Sall not the whole body of Popery founded, moſt part of it, upon Revelations and fained Miracles (think the ſame of Rant…rs, Quakers, and ſome Anabaptiſts) prove Palea, that is, chaff, hay and ſtubble that ſhall be ſurely burnt? 1 Cor. 3.11. Some render the text Quid paleae cum tritico? what hath chaff to do with the wheat? as Hoſ. 14.9. Joh. 2.4. Away with any ſuch mixtures. In the writings of ſome Sectaries, Sunt bona miſta malis, ſunt mala miſta bonis.
The ſpeech in the text ſeemeth to have been Proverbial; and is not unlike that of the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 6.14, 15, 16. and thoſe in humane Authors, Quid ſceptre & plectro? Suid.Qui specillo & gladio? quid lecytho & ſtrophio? quid hyaenae & cani? quid bovi & delphino? quid cani & balneo? &c. So what communion hath faith and unbelief? zeal and paſſion. &c. And yet unbelief may be with faith (Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief, Mar. 9.24.) zeal with paſſion: yea in young Chriſtians heat and paſſion goeth ſometimes for zeale: and yet it is but chaff; which when blown away, the heap is little elſe but wheat, that is, ſaith, zeal, humility; though we have leſſe pride, paſſion, preſumption. But this by the way only.
Ver. 29. Is not my Word like a fire?] As it is like ſolid wheat, wholeſom food, 1 Tim. 6.3. ſo it is no leſſe li…e fire, that moſt active Element, called foreign becauſe it is pure (ſaith One) and fire, becauſe it is fair: It inlighteneth, enliveneth, warmeth, purgeth, aſſimilateth, aſpireth, conſumeth combuſtible matter, congregat h… mogenea, ſegregat heterogenia: ſo doth the Word when accompanied by the Spirit who is of a fiery nature and of a fiery operation, Iſa. 4.4. Mal. 3.2, Matth. 3.11. The words that I ſpeak unto you they are Spirit and thee are life, Job. 6.65. Did not our hearts burn within us whiles he talked with us by the way, and opened unto us the holy Scriptures? Luke 24.32. when the word comes home to the heart in the power of it, the preacher was ſent of God: See Gal. 2.8.
And like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?] i. e. The rockieſt hearts and ſturdieſt ſtomacks are tamed & terrified by the Word, when God once takes them to do. I… is as his plough to break up their fallow ground: and as his ſword to run them through, Jer. 4 Heb. 4. and to lay them for dead, Rom. 7. And like as the hardeſt ice is broken with hot waters, as well as with hammers: ſo is the hardeſt heart with the Goſpel, as well as with the Law.
Ver 30. Behold I am againſt thoſe Prophets] Heb. Behold I againſt, by an angry Apoſiopeſis.
That ſteal my Word every one from his neighbour] That filth it, either by hiding it from others, as the Popiſh Doctors do from the common people: or by wreſting it to the defence of their falſe doctrines, as Marcion the heretike, whom therefore Tertullian fitly calleth Murem Ponticum the rat of Pontus, for his gnawing and tawing of the Scriptures to bring them to his purpoſe. Or by a fraudulent imitating of Gods true Prophets, taking up their parables, and making uſe of their expreſſions, ſuch as are Thus ſaith the Lord; Grace be to you and peace, &c. Waſps alſo have their combs as well as Bees: and Apes will be doing as they ſee men to do. Or, laſtly by cauſing the people ro forget and loſe the good that they had once learned of the true Prophets. This we ſee daily done by the cunning fetches and flatteries of the Seducers of our times; cauſing many to loſe the things that they had wrought 2 Joh. 8.
Ver. 31. That uſe their tongues] Or abuſe them rather, to ſmoothing and ſoothing up people in their ſins: lenificant linguas, id eſt, blando ſermone alliciunt plebem, they flatter and collogue: or tollunt linguam, they ſift up their tongues, viz. by extolling themſelves, and ſpeaking magnifically of their own doing. As one hath obſerved of ſome Sectaries amongſt us, that they often call upon their hearers to mark;Dulcorantium, mollificantium. Falſe Prophets ſooth & ſweeten men. for it may be they ſhall hear that which they never heard before: When the thing is either falſe, or if true, no more then is ordinarily taught by others, and which they have ſtolen out of the writings of others.
And ſay, He ſaith] See on ver. 30.
Ver. 32. That cauſe my people to erre by their lyes and by their lightneſſe] By their lying diſcorſes and light or loſe courſes. So Zeph. 3.4. Judg. 9.4. If theſe falſe Prophets had been of a ſober grave behaviour, the people might have been with better excuſe deluded by them: as Ariſtotle noteth of Eudoxus (and the ſame is true of Epic…rus himſelf as Tully telleth us) that he prevailed much in diſputing for pleaſure, becauſe he was no voluptuous man himſelf. But theſe in the text were no leſſe leud then loud lyars.
Ver. 33. What is the burthen of the Lord?] Ironicum interrogandi genus; thus they profanely asked by way of ſcoff or deſpite, ſuch as he will drive down their throats again, plaguing them for their profane malignity.
Then ſhalt thou ſay What burthen?] q d. I'le burden you to ſome purpoſe, ſith ye profanely count and call my Word a burthen; you ſhall ſuddenly have your back-burthen of plagues and miſeries, for the contempt of it.
I will even forſake you] And then Woe be unto you, Hoſ. 9.12. you ſhall be eaſed of theſe burthens and of me together: and that you'l find miſery enough. See chap. 12.7. Learn therefore to ſpeak holily and honourably of Gods Word: left thou hear this Word of his Thou ſhalt never enter into my reſt.
Ver. 34. That ſhall ſay The burthen of the Lord] Nempe per l…dibrium, in contempt and deriſion. See 2 Chron. 36.16.
Ver. 35. Thus ſhall ye ſay] God ſets them a form, who otherwiſe knew not how to liſp out a ſyllable of ſober language. Loquamur verba Scripturae, ſaith Peter Ramus, utamur ſermone Spiritus Sancti, Let us inure our ſelves to Scripture-Expreſſions.
Ver. 36. For every mans word ſhall be his burthen] That jear of his aforementioned, ſhall lye heavy upon him, and coſt him dear; for under the weight he ſhall ſink, and be cruſht in pieces.
Ver. 37. Thus ſhalt thou ſay to the Prophet] See on ver. 35.
Ver. 38. But ſith ye ſay, The burthen of the Lord] Sith ye accuſe me as unmerciful, my Word as a ponderous burthen, and my Meſſengers as telling you nothing but terrible things and bloody buſineſſes, which therefore you are reſolved to ſlight and neglect:
Ver. 39. Therefore behold I even I will utterly forget you] I nunc ergo, lude paſquillis & putidis dicteriis, ſaith One. Go thy waies now, thou that thinkeſt it a goodly thing to gibe and jear at Gods Miniſters and their meſſages. Conſider of this dreadful denunciation, and thereby conceive aright of the hainouſneſſe of thy ſin: for God doth not uſe to kill flies upon mens foreheads with beetles, to threaten heavy puniſhments for light offences.
Ver. 40. And I will bring an everlaſting reproach upon you] Contempt of the Word is ſuch an enraging ſin, that God cannot eaſily ſatisfy himſelf in ſaying what he will do to ſuch as are guilty of it.