Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI.
Ver. 1. IN the beginning of the raign of Jehoiakim] What a ſudden change was here, ſoon after the death of good Joſiah! and was there not the like in England, after the death of that Engliſh Joſiah, Edward 6? Within a very few dayes of Queen Maries reign were divers learned and godly men in ſundry parts committed to priſon for Religion, and Mr. Rogers the Protomartyr put to death, as was that holy Prophet of God Ʋriah the ſon of Shemajah of Kiriathjearim not many weeks before Jeremiah was apprehended and queſtioned for his life, as is here related, his adverſaries being pricked on by pride and malice.
Ver. 2. Diminiſh not a word] Or detract not ought, viz. for fear or favour, left I confound thee before them, chap. 1.17. See there, haec inſtar ſpeculi omnium temporum Paſtoribus inſpicienda ſunt: here's a Mirrour for Miniſters.
Ver. 3. That I may repent me of the evil—becauſe of the evil] Flagitium & flagellum ſicut acus & filum, evil of ſin produceth evil of pain. See chap. 4.4, 6.
Ver. 4. If ye will not hearken unto me] A conditional menace: the contrary promiſe whereunto ſee ver. 13. And this was the ſum of all Jeremyes ſermons.
Ver. 5. Both riſing early and ſending them] See chap. 7.13. and 11.7. and 25.3.
Ver. 6. Then will I make this houſe like Shiloh] This ſame threat, Jeremiah had uttered in good Joſiah's dayes, chap. 7. and no harm enſued. Now, tempora mutantur, truth breedeth hatred: and the Prophet is in danger for diſcharging his conſcience, to be murthered: as were Rogers, Bradford, Taylour, and other famous Preachers in thoſe dog-dayes of Queen Mary.
Verbum Domini parit crucem. Oecol.Ver. 7. So the Prieſts and the Prophets] Like unto theſe Prophets were the Scribes and the Lawyers in Chriſts time.
Ver. 8. That the Priests and the Prophets, &c.] So they dealt by Steven, Act. 7. by Arnulph, an excellent Preacher of the truth according to godlineſs at Rome, Anno Domini 1125. in the time of Pope Honoriur the ſecond. Hic clericorum infidiis necatur. Func. Chronol. ex Platina.This good man was put to death by the inſtigation of the Clergy, againſt whoſe avarice, pride and luxury he bitterly inveighed, and was therefore much favoured by the Roman Nobility: as was likewiſe Wickclife by the Engliſh, and Hus by the Bohemian: but the envious Prieſts wrought their ruine.
Ver. 9. Why hast thou Prophecyed in the Name of the Lord] Who doubtleſs hath not ſent thee on this errand, but thou ſpeakeſt it of thine own head, and ſhalt dearly anſwer it.
And all the people were gathered] That many headed multitude, that—neutrum modo, was modo vulgus. See ver. 16.
Ver. 10. When the Princes of Judah heard thoſe things] Pii viri ſunt quibus doluit populi impietas: good men they were, ſaith Oecolampadius: They might be ſo, ſome of them at leaſt: and it was well done of them here, to paſſe an impartial ſentence for the innocent Prophet, againſt the Prieſts and people. But Pilate did ſo for a while, for our Saviour: and theſe Princes ſoon after turned Jeremyes cruel enemies, chap. 37.15. for his plain-dealing, chap. 34.
And ſat down in the entry of the new gate] The Eaſt gate, ſaith the Chaldee Paraphraſt; called the new gate, becauſe repaired by Jotham, 2 King. 15.35. ſaith Lyra.
Ver. 11. Then ſpake the Prieſts and the Prophets] Againſt a Prieſt and a Prophet; but he had earneſtly inveighed againſt them, chap. 23. and hence the hatred; as Eraſmus told the Duke of Saxony, that Luther had been too buſie with the Popes tripple-crown and with the Prieſts fat paunches, and was therefore ſo generally ſet againſt.
Saying This man is worthy to dye] Sic Papicola noſtri ſaeculi: theſe are the very words of Popiſh perſecutors.
For he hath prophecyed againſt this City] This holy, and therefore (it muſt be beleeved) inviolable City. Novum crimen, C. Caeſar, &c. Theſe ſinners againſt their own ſouls, traitours alſo to the State, will neither ſee their evil condition nor hear of it from others, as having gall in their cares, as they ſay of ſome kinds of creatures.
Ver. 12. The Lord ſent me to propheſie againſt this houſe] In this Apology of the Prophet thus anſwering for himſelf with an heroical ſpirit, five noble vertues, fit for a Martyr, are by an Expoſitor well obſerved. 1. His Prudence in alledging his divine miſſion. 2. His Charity in exhorting his enemyes to repent. 3. His Humility in ſaying, Behold I am in your hand, &c. 4. His Magnanimity and freedom of ſpeech, in telling them that God would revenge his death. Laſtly, His ſpiritual ſecurity and fearleſneſſe of death in ſo good a cauſe, and with ſo good a conſcience.
Ver. 13. Amend your wayes] Fall out with your faults, and not with your friends. See chap. 7.3.
And the Lord will repent him of the evil] This he often inculcateth. Ideo minatur Deus ut non puniat: See chap. 18.8.
Ver. 14. As for me, behold I am in your hand] See here how God gave his holy Prophet a mouth and wiſedome, ſuch as his adverſaries were not able to reſiſt. The like he did to other of his Martyrs and Confeſſours, as were eaſie to inſtance. If the Queen will give me life, I will thank her: if ſhe will baniſh me, I will thank her:Act. & Mon. 1462. if ſhe will burn me, I will thank her, &c. ſaid Bradford to Creſwel offering to intercede for him.
To do with me as ſeemeth good and meet unto you] But this I can ſafely ſay, Non omnis moriar: all that ye can do, is, to kill the body: kill me you may, but hurt me you cannot. Life in Gods diſpleaſure is worſe then death:Eutipid. in Aul de. I am not of their mind who ſay —foreign:
Better live baſely, then dye bravely. Fax…t Deus ut quilibet noſtrum epilogum habeat galeatum: God grant that whether our death be a burnt offering of Martyrdome, or a peace offering of a natural death, it may be a free-will-offering, a ſweet ſacrifice to the Lord.
Ver. 15. Ye ſhall ſurely bring innocent blood, &c.] So Mr. Rogers our Protomartyr in Queen Maryes dayes; If God, ſaid he, look not mercifully upon England, the ſeeds of utter deſtruction are ſown in it already by theſe hypocritical tyrants,Act. & Mon. and Antichriſtian prelates, double traitours to their native countrey.
Ver. 16. Then ſaid the Princes and all the people] The Mobile vulgus. See on ver. 9. The good Prophet is acquitted, as Athanaſius afterwards was often: for if to be accuſed were enough to make a man guilty, none ſhould be innocent.
Ver. 17. Then roſe up certain of the Elders] V…ri illi admodum venerabiles erant, ſaith Oecolampadius, theſe were very worthy men, whether Princes or pleaders, well read in the Annals of the times, as great men ought to be.
Ver. 18. Micah the Moraſhite] See on Mic. 1.1.
Zion ſhall be plowed like a field] See Mic. 3.12.
Ver. 19. Did Hezekiah King of Judah] Laudable examples are to be remembred: and as occaſion requireth, imitated. That was a very good one of Conſtantine the Great, when the Arrians brought accuſations againſt the Orthodox Biſhops, as here the falſe Prophets did againſt Jeremy, he burnt them and ſaid, Theſe accuſations will have proper hearing at the laſt day of judgement.Sozomen.
Ver. 20. And there was alſo a man] This ſeemeth to be the plea of the adverſe party producing an example oppoſite to the former; and ſhewing what the way was now, whatever it had been heretofore: New Lords, new Laws.
According to all the words of Jeremiah] Whoſe Contemporary he was, and his memory was yet freſh bleeding.
Ver. 21. And when Jehoiakim] This Tiger laid hold with his teeth on all the excellent ſpirits of the times: See chap. 36.26.
He was afraid and fled] Not out of timorouſneſſe, but prudence. Tertullian was too rigid in condemning all kind of flight in times of perſecution. God hath not made his people as ſtanding but markes to be ſhot at, &c. See Mat. 10.23.
Ver. 22. And Jehoiakim ſent men into Egypt] Where he might have any thing: for he was Pharaohs feudatary and vaſſal.
Ver. 23. And they fet forth Ʋriab out of Egypt] As they did here Sir John Cheek out of the Low-countries, and frightened him into a Recantation. Not ſo this Ʋriah.
And they fet forth Ʋriah out of Egypt] En colluſio Principum mundi in parricidio.
Who ſlew him with the ſword] Without all law, right, or reaſon. So John Baptiſt was murthered, as if God had been nothing aware of him, ſaid that Martyr. But Jehojakim got as little by this, as he did afterwards by burning Jeremy's Book or as Veſpaſian afterwards did by baniſhing all the Philoſophers of his time, becauſe they ſpake boldly againſt his vices and tyranny.
Ver. 24. Nevertheleſſe the hand of Ahikam] Who had been one of Joſiah's Councellours, 2 King. 22.12. By this mans authority and help Jeremiah was delivered: and God rewarded him in his ſon Gedaliah made Governour of the Land, 2 Kings 25.22.