Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXII.
Ver. 1. THe word that came to Jeremiah] What this word was, ſee ver. 26.
In the tenth year of Zedekiah] The City had now been a year at leaſt beſieged:Notanda eſt tam diutina populi pertinacia. and yet theſe ſinners againſt their own ſouls went on to do wickedly, and held the Prophet priſoner, for the faithful diſcharge of his duty. Full forty years had he been prophecying to them: and for many years he had foretold this ſeige, and the following deportation, but could never be believed: and now he is impriſoned, but not left deſtitute by God of priſon-comforts; ſuch as made his Priſon a Paradiſe, and his ſleep ſweet unto him, as chap. 31.
Ver. 2. And Jeremiah the Prophet was ſhut up in the Court of the priſon] Where he had ſome liberty more then at ſome other times, chap. 37.16, 20, 21. So had Paul at Rome, Acts 28. Bradford in the Counter, &c. this was a mercy, and ſo they eſteemed it: Good people were ſuffered to come about them: and they made uſe of that opportunity to do what good they could.
Ver. 3. For Zedekiah had ſhut him up] He who before had ſet him at liberty, and thereby haply hoped to have ſtopt his mouth: but that might not be.
Behold I will give this City] This holy City, as the falſe Prophets ſtiled it: and therefore held this Prophecy little better then Blaſphemy.
Ver. 4. And Zedekiah King of Judah ſhall not eſcape] As he hoped to have done, either by his wiles or by his wealth: and accordingly attempted it, but all in vain.
And he ſhall ſpeak with him mouth to mouth] This was no ſmall puniſhment to Zedekiah, that he muſt look him in the face from whom he had ſo perſidiouſly revolted, even againſt oath: and hear his taunts, before he felt his fingers. How then will graceleſſe perſons do to ſtand before the King of Kings, whom they have ſo greatly offended at that great day? See Rev. 9.17.
Ver. 5. And there ſhall he be untill I viſit him] ſc. With death: but the Prophet uſeth a general term that might be taken either in good part, or bad, for his own ſafety ſake.
Ver. 6. The Word of the Lord came unto me, ſaying] He had Gods Word for his warrant, and this bore him out againſt the jeares of the ungodly, who would eaſily think it a very ſimple part in him who propheſied a deſolation of the whole land, to go about to buy land.
Ver. 7. Behold Hanameel the ſon of Shallum] This Shallum, and Hilkiah the Father of Jeremiah, were brethren. And it was no leſſe an honour to Hanameel to have ſuch a kinſman as Jeremy, then afterwards it was to Mark to be Barnabas his ſiſters ſon.
Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth] The Prieſts, though they had no corn-fields, yet they had meadows for their cattle, gardens and orchards in the ſuburbs of their Cities: which in ſome caſes they might ſell one to another, till the year of Jubilee howſoever. Some ſay that if ſuch a field were ſo ſold to a kinſman, as here, it remained to him for ever. But the poſſeſſion of the Levites might at any time be redeemed, Lev. 25.32.
For the right of redemption is thine] See Levit. 25.25, 32.Ruth 3.12. & 4.3, 4.
Ver. 8. So Hanameel my uncles ſon came to me] God ruleth and boweth mens wills and all ſecond cauſes, according to the good pleaſure of his will: he doth alſo ſo frame and contemper them among themſelves, that there may be an harmony, and correſpondency betwixt them.
Then I knew that this was the Word of the Lord] Or, that it was a buſineſſe of God, ſc. for the better ſettling of the faithful, in the aſſurance of a return out of captivity.
Ver. 9. And I bought the field] This was bravely done:Liv. lib. 26. Plutar. in Annib. Flor. l. 2. c. 6. to make a purchaſe at ſuch a time, when the enemy was ſeizing upon all. That Roman is famous in hiſtory, who adventured to purchaſe that field near Rome wherein Annibal had pitcht his camp. Verum eorum res non erant ita deploratae, but the Romans were nothing near ſo low at that time, as the Jews were at this.
And weighed him the money] That was the manner of payment in thoſe times.Olim moneta librabatur. Pater puellae id aurum in dotem viro appendit. Ʋnde & nomen marcharum bodie nobis ſupereſt. Zegedin. Hence the Hebrew Shekel from Shakel to weigh. Gen. 23.16. (our Engliſh word Scale ſeemeth to come from it) the Greek foreign ponderare, Exod. 30.13. Mat. 27.9. or of ſtatera for a balance: the Dutch and Engliſh Mark cometh from a like Original.
Even ſeventeen ſhekels of ſilver] No great ſum, not much above fourty ſhillings; but it might be as much as the thing was worth, conſidering the times eſpecially.
Ver. 10 And I ſubſcribed the evidence] Heb. I wrote in the book and ſealed it. Men love to be upon ſure grounds in things temporal: oh that they were as wiſe for their ſouls!
Ver. 11. So I took the evidence of the purchaſe, both that which was ſealed, &c.] There were then two copies of theſe contracts and covenants: for preventing of after-claimes and quarrels.
Ver. 12. And I gave the evidences of the purchaſe unto Baruch] Who was Jeremiah's houſhold ſervant, and his Scribe or Notary: ſuch as was afterwards Paulus Concordienſis to Cyprian.
In the ſight of Hanameel, &c.] Here was good husbandry, Fullers Church hiſt.which Biſhop Andrews was wont to ſay was good Divinity.
Before all the Jews who ſat in the court of the priſon] Whither they came, likely,Act. & Mon. 1457. to hear the Prophet: as the well affected here did to hear and ſee the Martyrs in Queen Maryes dayes: To Mr. Bradford (by his keepers courteſie) there was ſuch reſort at his lecture and miniſtration of the Sacrament, that commonly his chamber was well-nigh filled therewith.
Ver. 13. And I charged Baruch] See on ver. 12.
Ver. 14. That they may continue many dayes] Even beyond the ſeventy years of Captivity; and then be produced again.
Ver. 15. Houſes and fields and vineyards, &c.] How unlikely ſoever it may ſeem: like as it did to Moſes, that the people ſhould eat fleſh a monethmonth together. He thought that God had made an unadviſed promiſe, and prayes him to conſider that the people were ſix hundred thouſand footmen; and that the flocks and herds would not ſuffice them. Jeremy ſeemeth to object ſome ſuch matter in his following prayer: eſpecially, ver. 25. But God anſwereth them both alike, viz. that his hand was not waxen ſhort, that nothing was too hard for him, that he was never non-pluſt, &c. See ver. 27. with Num. 11.23.
Ver. 16. I prayed unto the Lord, ſaying] His heart began to boile with unbelief and carnal reaſonings: he therefore ſetteth himſelf to pray down thoſe diſtempers. As a man may ſleep out his drunkenneſſe, ſo he may pray away his perturbations. It was Jobs reſtraining of prayer, Eliphaz thought, that made him ſo far to forget himſelf, and to out-laſh, chap. 15.4.
Ver. 17. Ah Lord God] This Interjection in the beginning of his prayer ſheweth, that his heart was greatly grieved and perplexed. Nevertheleſſe he reigneth in his paſſions, and runneth not out into a brawle inſtead of a prayer as Jonas did, chap. 4.1. See the Notes there.
Thou haſt made the heaven and earth by thy great power] Gods Might and mercy are the good ſouls Jachin and Boaz, whereon it ever reſteth. Theſe two doth Jeremy in this prayer of his chiefly plead, and fly to.
And there is nothing too hard for thee] Heb: nothing is hidden from thee, or wonderful with thee. But for my part, I am at a great ſtand; neither know I how to bring both ends together.
Ver. 18. Thou ſheweſt loving kindneſſe] See on ver. 17.
And recompenſest the iniquity] Thou art not made all of mercy neither, as ſilly folk are apt to conceit it.
Into the boſom of their children] Who have it in full meaſure; long though it be firſt ſometimes. Such Parents are parricides.
The Great, the mighty God] Surgit hic oratio. Let us learn to repreſent the Lord to our ſelves in prayer under fit notions and attributes: This will both increaſe faith, and inflame affection.
Ver. 19. Great in counſel and mighty in work] See on Eſay 9.6. and 28.29.
For thine eyes are upon all the wayes of the ſons of men] Oh that we could alwayes look upon theſe eyes of God, as looking on us! it would be a notable retentive from evil, and incentive to good.
To give unto every one according to his wayes] Gods providence (which is nothing elſe but the carrying on of his decree) is that helm which turneth about the whole ſhip of the univerſe.
Ver. 20. Who haſt ſet ſignes and wonders] Pſal, 74.43. and 106.22. and 135.9.
O…oſ. lib. 1. cap. 10.Even unto this day] Oroſius writeth, that the tracks of Pharaohs charet-wheeles are yet to be ſeen at the red-ſea. Fides ſit penes Authorem.
And haſt made thee a name] As Eſay. 63.12. ver. 21, 22, 23. See Pſal. 136.10, 11, 12, &c. and 105.44. Neh. 9.24, 26.
Ver. 24. Behold the mountaines] Raiſed by the enemies as high as the walls; that they might fight with the beſieged upon even ground.
Ver. 25. And thou haſt ſaid unto me] Which now I cannot but ſeriouſly wonder at, ſeeing how things are carried; yet I have obeyed thee without ſciſcitation.
For the City is given] Or, though the City be given.
Ver. 26. Then came the Word of the Lord] See on ver. 1.
Ver. 27. Behold I am the Lord, the God of all fleſh] Yea of the spirits of all fleſh, Num. 16.22. but what can weak fleſh do againſt the Almighty?
Is there any thing too hard for me?] See on ver. 15.17. Still God is careful to confirm and comfort his Miniſters: And here he doth Jeremy, much what in his own words.
Ver. 28. Behold I will give this City] as ver. 3.
Ver. 29. With the houſes upon whole roofes] Such was their impudence, and ſo far was this now from being as once the holy City. It was become a very Poneropolis, exceſſively ſuperſtitious: as was afterwards Athens, Acts 17.22.
Ver. 30. Have only done evil before me] Have made it their whole practice to provoke me, like as ver. 23. they are ſaid to have done nothing of all that God commanded them to do: ſo croſſe-grained they were, and to every good work reprobate.
Ver. 31. From the day that they built it] Ever ſince Solomon beautified it, and made it the Metropolis. Nevertheleſſe Hegeſippus was out, in ſaying that Jeruſalem was ſo called quaſi foreign. Solomon made it famous by his magnificence; but odious, by his idolatry there.
Ver. 32. Becauſe of all the evil] Their omiſſions, ver. 23. and commiſſions, ver. 30. doing evil as they could.
Ver. 33. And they have turned unto me] See chap. 2.27.
Though I taught them] See chap. 7.13. and 25.3. and 26.3.
Ver. 34. In the houſe which is called by my Name] Templi Periphraſis haec eſt emphatica, atque argumentoſa.
Ver. 35. And they built] See chap. 7.31. and 19 5.
Ver. 36. And now therefore] Or, yet now notwithſtanding, when God thus cometh in with his Non-obſtante, what may not he do?
Ver. 37. Behold I will gather them] See chap. 16.15. and 23.3. This was fulfilled eſpecially in that golden age, and perpetual Jubily of the Goſpel, that began five hundred years after.
Ver. 38. And they ſhall be my people] See chap. 24.7. and 31.33.
Ver. 39. And I will give them one heart] Oneneſſe or ſingleneſſe of heart in my ſervice: and unanimity among themſelves untill they all come unto that oneneſſe of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, &c. Eph. 4.13.
That they may fear me for ever] This the Jews ſay (but falſly) a man may do by the power of nature. See ver. 40. and Ezek. 36.26, 27.
Ver. 40. And I will make] See chap. 31.31. Ezek. 39.29.
Ver. 41. Yea I will rejoyce over them] Volupe mihi erit, it ſhall be as great a pleaſure to me to bleſs them, as it can be to them to obey me. See chap. 24.7. Pſ. 119.2, 10.
Ver. 42. So will I bring upon them] chap. 29.10. and 31.28.
Ver. 43. And fields ſhall be bought] For an aſſurance whereof I have cauſed thee to buy this field now.
Ver. 44. Men ſhall buy fields for money] All ſhall be ſtatu quo prius in that great reſtauration of all things. And with this Chapter endeth the Commentary of Hierom upon Jeremy.