Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 44 – Chapter 45
CHAP. XLIV.
Ver. 1. THe Word that came to Jeremiah] No word of comfort (how could it be, ſo long as they lived in open rebellion againſt the Lord?) but all of reproof and threatning: for why? they were obdurate and obſtinate, and did dayly proficere in pejus, grow worſe and worſe.
Which dwell at Migdol] To theſe chief Cities Jeremiah reſorted, to ſpeak unto them. Noph, alias Moph, Hoſ. 9.6. is held to be Memphis, now Alcair.
Ver. 2. Ye have ſeen all the evils that I have brought upon Jeruſalem] And ſhould have been warned by this exemplum terrificum, dreadful inſtance of mine indignation. They that will not take example, are worthily made examples.
Ver. 3. Becauſe of their wickedneſſe] That root of all their wretchedneſſe.
Ver. 4. Howbeit I ſent unto you all my ſervants] Here the badneſſe of men, and goodneſſe of God, come equally to be conſidered.
Saying, Oh do not this abominable thing which I hate] Is were happy if this ſaying of God weres alway, ſhrilly ſounding in our eares, whenever we are about to do any thing that is evil. It would ſurely be a notable Retentive from vice.
Ver. 5. But they harkened not] See chap. 7.24, 26.
Ver. 6. Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth] A Metaphor from metalles. See chap. 42.18.
Ver. 7. Wherefore commit you this evil againſt your ſouls] This land-deſolating, ſoul-deſtroying ſin of idolatry.
Ver. 8. In that ye provoke me to wrath] This is a moſt pithy and peircing Sermon all along: not unlike that preached by Steven, for the which he was ſtoned, Acts 7. and likely enough that this was Jeremy's laſt Sermon alſo.
Ver. 9. Have ye forgotten the wickedneſſe of your fathers] Mira hic verborum apparet emphaſis. What a powerful and preſſing diſcourſe is this! Sed ſurdis fabulam, but they were as a ſtake in the water that ſtirreth not.
Ver. 10. They are not humbled] Not tamed, not affected with attrition, much leſſe with contrition for their ſins. This I tell thee, Jeremy: for to them I am weary with talking to ſo little purpoſe. Plactuntur ſed non flectuntur: corripiuntur ſed non corriguntur.
Ver. 11. Behold I will ſet my face againſt you for evil] I will be implacable as you are irreclaimable.
Ver. 12. That have ſet their faces] I alſo will ſet my face againſt ſuch, ver. 11. and they ſhall all be conſumed and fall: Oh what work hath ſin made in the world!
Ver. 13. For I will puniſh them] Let them never think that they ſhall one day be ſetled again in their own country: they could eaſily come down into Egypt; Sed revocare gradum, &c. Hic labor, &c.
I will watch them for ever going back again: let them ſet their hearts at reſt for that matter, it will never be.
Ver. 14. For none ſhall return, but ſuch as ſhall eſcape] ſc. From theſe fighters againſt God, Johanah and his complices. The Talmudiſts tell us (but who told them?) that Nebuchadnezzar at his conqueſt of Egypt ſent back into Judea, Jeremy and Baruch, &c.
Ver. 15. Then all the men which knew that their wives had burnt incenſe] And by ſuffering them ſo to do, had conſented to what they had done: for qui non, cum poteſt, prohibet, jubet.
And all the women that ſtood by] Mulieres quicquid volunt valde volunt. Women as they have leſſe of reaſon then men,Omne malum ex Gynaecio. ſo more of paſſion, being wilful in their way, and oft carrying their men along with them.
Sicut ferrum trahit magnes:
Sic maſculum ſuum trahit Agnes.
Anſwered Jeremiah ſaying] One of the women ſpeaking for the reſt: and that might well be one of Zedekiah's daughters; the men conniving, and well content therewith, See ver. 19.
Ver. 16. As for the word which thou haſt ſpoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee] This is juſt woman-like: See ver. 15. When man loſt his free-will, ſaith One, woman got it: and whereas there came twelve kabs (meaſures) of ſpeech at firſt down from Heaven, women ran away with ten of them, ſay the Rabbines merrily. Here they are very talkative and peremptory. In ſome there is a ſtrong inclination, a vehement impetus to whoredom, which the Prophet Hoſea calleth a ſpirit of whoredom: Such there was in theſe women to idolatry: they were fully ſet upon's.
Ver. 17. But we will certainly do whatſoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth] Heb. we will doing do every word hath gone forth from our mouth; that we may be dicti noſtri dominae, as big as our words, our vows eſpecially, (as ver. 25.) which we made to worſhip the Queen of heaven, in caſe we came ſafe into Egypt.
To burn incenſe to the Queen of heaven] See chap. 7.18.
As we have done, we and our fathers, our Kings and our Princes] Antiquity is here pleaded, and Authority, and Plenty and Peace. Theſe are now the Popiſh plea's, and the pillars of that rotten religion. It is the old religion ſay they: and hath potent Princes for her Patrons, and is practiſed in Rome the Mother-Church, and hath plenty and peace where it is profeſſed, and where they have nothing but Moſſe and Matins. Theſe are their arguments: but very poor ones, as were eaſy to evince. But as women (counted the devouter ſex) have alwayes carryed a great ſtroke with their husbands, as did Eve, Jezabel, Eudoxia, &c. (the women of Antioch could do much againſt Paul, and Barnabas, Acts 13.) ſo the people are indeed a weighty but unweildy body,Plus valet malum inolitum quam bonum inſolitum. ſlow to remove from what they have been accuſtomed to. The Iriſh will not be perſwaded to put geeres and harneſſe on their horſes, but will have the plough ſtill tied to their tails, as they have been: neither in matters of religion will they be drawn to leave their old Mumpſimus for the new Sumpſimus: ſo powerful is uſage, and ſo ſweet our preſent though perverſe opinions and perſwaſions.
For then had we plenty of victuals] Juſt ſo doth the Church of Rome borrow her Mark from the Markets plenty or cheapneſſe of all things. But one chief reaſon of that, is the ſcarcity of mony that was in our fathers dayes, and the plenty thereof that is in ours, by means of the rich mines in the Weſt-Indies, not diſcovered till the dayes of Henry the ſeventh. Hollinſhead ſaith, that ſome old men he knew, who told of times in England, when it was accounted a great matter that a Farmer could ſhew five ſhillings or a Noble together in ſilver.
And were well, and ſaw no evil] Ʋbi utilitas ibi pietas, ſaith Epictetus: foreign. Si ventri bene, ſi lateri. Horat.and deos quiſque ſibi utiles cudis, ſaith Another: for profit men will be of any religion. If the belly may be filled, the back fitted, &c. modo ſerveat olla, ſo the pot may boil, much will be yielded to: It is well obſerved that the Papiſts are moſt corrupt in thoſe things where their profit, eaſe, or honour is engaged. In the doctrine of the Trinity and other points that touch not upon theſe they are ſound.
Ver. 18. But ſince we have left off to burn Incenſe to the Queen of heaven — we have wanted all things] This was non-cauſa pro cauſa: Not unlike hereunto was that groſſe miſtake of certain Lutheran Miniſters,Burroughs on Hoſ. tom. 1. pag. 465. who not long ſince conſulting at Hamborough about the cauſes and cure of Germanies calamities, concluded it was becauſe their images in Churches were not adorned enough; which therefore they would procure done.
Ver. 19. And when we burnt incenſe to the Queen of heaven] So the Papiſts alſo call the Virgin Mary, and idolize her, as the word here rendered to worſhip her doth properly ſignify: idoli rejectitii appellationem in eam transferentes.
Did we make her cakes without our men?] i. e. Without our husbands privity and approbation? But is that a ſufficient excuſe? ſhould not God be obeyed rather then men?Plutarch. Moral. 318. A wife is not to perform ſuch blind obedience to her husband as Plutarch preſcribeth, when he layeth it as a law of wedlock on the wife, to acknowledge and worſhip the ſame gods and none elſe, but thoſe whom her husband honoureth, and reputeth for gods.
Ver. 20. Then Jeremiah ſaid unto all the people] The Prophet, without any ſpeciall command from God, moved with a ſpirit of zeal, confuteth that blaſphemy of theirs, and ſheweth plainly that idolatry maketh no people happy, but the contrary: though this be an old plea or rather cavil, anſwered fully long ſince by Cyprian againſt Demetrian, Auguſtine de civt. Dei, and Oroſius.
Ver. 21. Ye, and your fathers, your Kings and you Princes] This was another thing they ſtood much upon, that their fathers had done it: ſo had their Grandees. If men can ſay We have ſinned with our fathers, they think tis enough. The heretike Dioſcurus cried out I hold with the Fathers, I am caſt out with the Fathers, &c. yea Hierom once deſired leave of Auguſtine to err with ſeven Fathers, whom he found of his opinion. But what ſaith the Scripture? Be not ye the ſervants of men, 1 Cor. 7.23. And what ſaid a great Politician, I will not live by example, but by rule: neither will I pin my faith on anothers ſleeve, becauſe I know not whither he may carry it.
Did not the Lord remember them?] When you thought he had forgot them. Sin may ſleep a long time, like a ſleeping debt, not called for of many years, &c.
Ver. 22. So that the Lord could no longer bear] His abuſed mercy turned into fury: See chap. 15.6.
Ver. 23. Becauſe ye have burnt incenſe, &c.] See chap. 42.21. & 43.7.
Ver. 24. Hear the Word of the Lord] Not my word only. See on ver. 20.
Ver. 25. Ye and your wives] Who ought to be the better, but are much worſe the one for the other; the devil having broken your head with your own rib.
We will ſurely perform our vowes] A little better then many Popiſh votaries (and others alſo not a few) do now-a days,Eraſm. Col. in Naufr. not unlike him in Eraſmus, who in a ſtorm promiſed the Virgin a picture of wax as big as St. Chriſtopher, but when he came to ſhore, would not give a tallow-candle.
Ver. 26. Behold I have ſworn by my great name] Jehovah, my incommunicable name, my proper name: or by myſelf: and thats no ſmall oath.
Ver. 27. Behold I will watch over them for evil] I will watch them a ſhrewd turn, as we ſay: I will take my time to hit them, when I may moſt hurt them.
Ver. 28. Yet a ſmall number] Methe miſpar, men of number, a poor few: ſtill God reſerveth a remnant for royal uſe.
Shall know whoſe word ſhall ſtand] Becauſe they are ſo peremtory and reſolute, I ſhall try it out with them: I ſhall be as croſſe as they; yet ſtill in a way of Juſtice.
Ver. 29. That I will puniſh you in this place] Which you looked upon as a place of ſureſt ſecurity and ſafeguard: and would not harken to me opening my bounties-boſom to you at home.
Ver. 30. Behold I will give Pharaoh Hophra] Called alſo Vaphres, and by Herodotus Apries, Antiq. l. 10. c. 11. Hieron. in Thren. cap. 4.being nephew to Necho who ſlew Joſiah. A very proud Prince he ſaith Apries was, ſlain by Amaſis, who ſucceeded him: but others gather from this text, and from Ezek. 29.19. & 31.11, 15, 18. that he was ſlain by Nebuchadnezzar. Joſephus alſo and Jerom ſay as much.
CHAP. XLV.
Ver. 1. THe word that Jeremiah the Prophet ſpake unto Baruch] It is thought that Jeremiah preached his laſt when he prophecyed in the foregoing Chapter the deſtruction of Pharaoh Hophra, and together with him of the Jewes that were found in Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar. He ſeemed to them to ſpeak ſtones (as the proverb hath it) and therefore they ſtoned him to death as Epiphanius, and others report.Lapides loquitur. This word that he ſpake to Baruch belongeth to chap. 36. and ſhould have been annexed unto it in a natural order; as appeareth both by the date and by the matter. Baruch had with much pains and patience, firſt written out Jeremiah's Prophecies, and then read them to the people, and afterwards to the Princes. For this piece of work he expected, belike, ſome good piece of preferment (as the Apoſtles alſo did, for their forſaking all, and following Chriſt. Mat. 18.19.20. &c. Thus fleſh will ſhew it ſelf in the beſt, and in many things we offend all.) But inſtead of any ſuch thing, Baruch, together with his Maſter Jeremy, was ſought for to be ſlaughtered: and beſides he meets with here a contrary Prophecy, wherby, before he is comforted, he is ſharply reproved. 1. For a daſtardly deſpondency of mind, becauſe his riſing expectation, it ſeems, was fruſtrated: 2. For a vain ambitious ſelf-ſeeking, which was not hid from God.
Ver. 2. Thus ſaith the Lord the God of Iſrael unto thee O Baruch] Whom he knoweth by name, and for whom he hath in ſtore an ample recompence of reward: for never yet did any one do or ſuffer ought for Gods ſake, that complained of an hard bargain.
Ver. 3. Thou didſt ſay] i. e. Thou didſt think, like a poor puſillanimous creature as thou art. But Jeremy could pitty him in this infirmity, becauſe it had ſometime been his own caſe, chap. 15. and may befal the beſt. Pray for me, I ſay pray for me, ſaid Father Latimer; for ſometimes I am ſo fearfull and fainthearted, that I could even run into a mouſe-hole.
For the Lord hath added grief to my ſorrow] So we do oft complain, non quia dura ſed quia moll…s patimur, without cauſe, through feeble-mindedneſſe. And when we ſpeak of our croſſes, we are eloquent oft beyond truth: we add, we multiply, we riſe in our diſcourſe, as here.
Ver. 4. Behold that which I have built, &c.] A Metaphor, as is before noted, ab architectura & agricultura. I am turning all upſide-down, and wouldeſt thou only go free and untoucht of the common calamity? Tis no whit likely, thou muſt ſhare with the reſt.
Ver. 5. And ſeekeſt thou great things for thy ſelf?] This is, ſaith One, as if a man ſhould hauehave his houſe on fire, and inſtead of ſeeking to quench his houſe, ſhould go and trim up his chambers: or as if when the ſhip is ſinking, he ſhould ſeek to inrich his cabbin.
Seek them not] For what ſo great felicity canſt thou fancy to thy ſelf in things ſo fading, as the caſe now ſtands eſpecially?
But thy life will I give thee for a prey] Which, in theſe killing and dying times, in ſuch dear years of time, is no ſmall mercy.