Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Ver. 1. RƲn to and fro] Spaciamini, ſcrutamini. Goe as many of you as ye pleaſe: the verbs are plural.
In the ſtreets of Jeruſalem] Where it was ſtrange there ſhould be ſuch a rarity of righteous ones. But the faithful City was now become an harlot, Eſa. 1.21. Like as Rome is at this day.
— Tota eſt jam Roma lupanar.
Shee had a Mancinel, a Savanorola, and ſome few other Jeremies, to tell her her own: but ſhe ſoon took an order with them. The Primitive Chriſtians called Heathens, Pagans; becauſe contrey people living in pagis, that is, in Hamlets and Villages, were heatheniſh for moſt part, after that Cities were converted, and had many good people in them: but Jeruſalem here afforded not any one, hardly.
In Polyh.If ye can find a man] i. e. A godly, a zealous man. For homines permulti, virè perpauci, ſaith Herodotus: there is a great paucity of good people. Diogenes is ſaid to have ſought for a good man in Athens with a lantern and candle at Noon-day. And once, when he had made an O yes in the market-place, crying out foreign, Hear O ye men, and thereupon company came about him to hear what the matter was, he rated them away again with this ſpeech, foreign, I called for men and not for varlets. Job was a man every inch of him; See the Notes on Job 1.1. So was Moſes that man of God, Daniel that man of deſires, John Baptiſt, then whom there aroſe not a greater among all that were born of woman; Paul that little man,Calvinus erat vir admirabilis. Ipſa à quo roſſet virtutem dicere virtus. Guevara. but who did great exploits: Athanaſius and Luther, who ſtood out againſt all the world, and prevailed. But not many ſuch: bleſſed be God that any ſuch. Cicero obſerveth that ſcarce in an Age was born a good Poet. And Seneca ſaith Such as Clodius was, we have enow: but ſuch as Cato are hard to be found. The Hoſt of Nola being bid to ſummon the good men of the Town to appear before the Roman Cenſor, gat him to the Church-yard, and there called at the graves of the dead: for he knew not where to call for a good man alive. God himſelf ſought for a man that might ſtand up in the gap, but met not with any ſuch one, Ezek. 22.30.
And I will pardon it] Sodoms ſins cryed loud to God for vengeance; ſo did now Jeruſalems. But had there been but a voice or two more of righteous & religious perſons there, their prayers had outcryed them. A few birds of Song are ſhriller, then many crocitating birds of prey.
Ver. 2. And though they ſay The Lord liveth] i. e. Albeit they talk religiouſly (as thoſe pretenders alſo did, Iſa. 66.5.) and make a great flaunt, as if ſome great matter (with Simon Magus, Acts 8.9.) yet they are arrant Hypocrites, and therefore odious to me who deſire truth in the inward parts, Pſal. 51.6. Theſe neither ſay the truth, nor do it, 1 Joh. 3.10.
Ver. 3. O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth?] And can theſe painted Hypocrites hope ever to pleaſe thee? how much are they miſtaken?
Thou haſt ſtricken them, but they have not grieved] As being paſt feeling, of a dead and dedolent diſpoſition: like naughty boyes, which are the worſe for a whipping: or Solomons drunkard who is beaten but never the better, Prov. 23.35. There is no ſurer ſign of a carnal Iſraelite, of a profligate profeſſour, then to be ſenſeleſs or incorrigible under publike judgements.
Ver. 4 Therefore I ſaid] i. e. I thought with my ſelf.
Surely theſe] ſc. That ſwear falſely, and refuſe to be reformed; &c,
Are poor] Of the raſcality; under law; baſe and beggarly; who neither know Gods will, nor hold themſelves much bound to do it. Of the poorer ſort in Swethland it is ſtoried, that they do alwayes break the Sabbath, ſaying that 'Tis for Gentlemen only to keep that day.
Ver. 5. I will get me unto the great men] Who have been better bred, and abound with lieſure, and other helps to holy living.
But theſe have altogether broken the yoke] Of God, of the Law, and of Diſcipline. Theſe are lawleſs and awleſs, and think they may lay the raines in the neck, and run riot.
Ver. 6. Therefore a Lyon of the forrest ſhall ſlay them] So Nebuchadnezzar is called for his cruelty, a Wolf for his voracity, and a Leopard for his ſlineſs and ſwiftneſs. All the malignities of other Creatures meet in the Churches enemies.
Ver. 7. How ſhall I pardon thee for this?] How with the ſafety of mine honour and juſtice? Swearing then by creatures (as by our Lady, by St. Anne, by this light, &c.) or by Idols, (as by the Maſſe, by the Rood. &c.) or by qualities (as by Faith, Troth, &c.) is not ſo ſmall a ſin as many deem it: ſith God maketh here a great queſtion how he can pardon it. For why? it is a forſaking of him, a giving away his honour to another, a diſgrace done to a mans ſelf (ſith we alwaies ſwear by the greater, Heb. 6.16.) and a means to procure his utter mine, without Gods greater mercy, Amos 6.14. Zeph. 1.3, 4, 5. Men ſport themſelves with oaths, as the Philiſtines did with Sampſon: which will at laſt pull the houſe about their ears, Zach. 5.4.
When I fed them to the full, they then committed adultery] Fulneſſe in good men oft breeds forgetfulneſſe, and in bad men, filthineſ…. Gula veſtibulum luxuriae, gluttony is the gallery that incontinency walketh through. The Iſraelites ate and drank and roſe up to play, ſc. with their Midianitiſh Miſtriſſes, to the provoking of Gods fierce wrath. Fulneſs of bread made way to Sodoms ſin. Lunatikes, when the Moon is declining and in the wain, are ſober enough: but when full, more wild and exorbitant. Ceres and Bacchus are great friends to Venus, &c. Watch therefore, and feed with fear.
And aſſembled themſelves by troops] Heb. they trooped themſelves: Libido effrons & plu… quam pecuina.ſuch was their impudency.
Ver. 8. They were as fed horſes] As ſtallions and ſtone-horſes, that are foreign, mare-mad, as the Septuagint have it.
Ver. 9. Shall I not viſit for theſe things] i. e. Shall I not take cogniſance of them, and puniſh them ſurely and ſeverely?
Ver. 10. Get yt up upon her battlements and destroy] Aſcendete & exſcindite, up and lay about you luſtily. A commiſſion granted out to the enemy, to execute Divine vengeance: God can never want a weapon to beat his rebels with.
But make not a full end] See chap. 4.27.
For they are not the Lords] He diſowneth them, and giveth them primo occupaturo, to him that ſhall firſt ſeize them; as the Pope took upon him to do, this Kingdom of England, in the dayes of Henry 8. whom he had excommunicated and deprived.
Ver. 11. For the houſe of Iſrael and the houſe of Judah] Both Aholah and Aholibah are ſtark naught: I renounce them therefore, and ſhall take no further charge of them. And why?
Ver. 12. They have belyed the Lord] Or, They give the Lord the lye, (as Montfort Earle of Leceſter gave his Soveraign Henry 3. the lye) Every unbeleever doth as much,Daniels hiſt. 172. Oecolamp. upon the matter, 1 Joh. 5.10. See the Note there, Nam etiamſi non ſemper ore obloquitur, factis tamen obluctatur.
And ſaid It is not he] ſc. That ſpeaketh, but the Prophets ſpeak their own dreams and fancies. Or, as ſome render the text, He is not: there is no God to reward us if we do well, or to puniſh us, if we do worſe. See my Common-place of Atheiſme.
Ver. 13. And the Prophets ſhall become wind] All their threats and bugbear-tearms (deviſed on purpoſe to affright ſilly people, who are no wiſer then to believe them) ſhall come to nothing:foreign. Hom. they are but bullatae nugae, bruta fulmina, bubbles of words, brute light-bolts: both they and their menaces ſhall vaniſh together, they ſhall blow over.
Thus ſhall it be done unto them] The evils that they foretell ſhall befall themſelves, not us: & nos male mulctabimus ipſos, and we will ſee them ſoundly puniſhed for falſe Prophets. Poor Jeremy was ill-handled amongſt them many times, as we ſhall ſee in ſundry Chapters following. Hoc fuit foreign, &c.
Ver. 14. Becauſe ye ſpeak this word] Ungodly men ſhall one day anſwer (with all the world on fire about their ears) for all their hard and haughty ſpeeches, Jude 15. They ſhall find that neither their own words are wind, but ſuch as they ſhall give a ſad account of: nor the Prophets words wind, unleſs it be to blow them into the bottomleſs lake, and to torment their conſciences, haply, in the mean while, more then wind doth mens bodies, when gotten once into the veines, or bowels.
Behold I will make my words in thy mouth fire] That's ſomewhat worſe then wind. Oh fear this fire, vengeance is in readineſs for the diſobedient, 2 Cor: 10.5. every whit as ready in Gods hand as in the Miniſters mouth. See Zach. 1.6. with the Notes.
Gen. 10.8.Ver. 15. It is a mighty Nation, it is an ancient Nation] As ancient as Nimrod the firſt founder of that firſt of the four Monarchies. Hence Babylon is called the land of Nimrod, Mic. 5. whom the Poets call Saturn, and his ſon and ſucceſſour Jupiter Belus.
A Nation whoſe language thou knoweſt not] For the Babylonians ſpake Syriack, Dan. 2.4. as did alſo the Jews afterwards, viz. after the captivity in Babylon, where they learnt it, and loſt their own language.
Ver. 16. Their quiver is an open Sepulchre] As holding arrows that wound deadly, and that ſhall diſpatch many being drenched in their gall.
Ver. 17. And they ſhall eat up thy harveſt] Partim gladio, partim gula. Conſider the calamity of war, and take courſe to prevent it.
Ver. 18. I will not make a full end with thee] In the midſt of judgement, God remembreth mercy. See chap. 4 27. and here ver. 10. Howbeit, from this text ſome gather,foreign. that now in this laſt captivity of theirs God hath made a full end with the Jews, and that wrath is come upon them to the utmost, or to the end, as the Greek hath it, 1 Theſ. 2.16.
Ver. 19. Wherefore doth the Lord our God all theſe things unto us] Why? could not they yet tell? And had they not been oft enough (if any thing were enough) told wherefore? But they were never willing to hear on that ear. Some of our hearers turn the deaf ear, and ſay, What tell you us of theſe terrible things, &c. Many ſit before us as ſenſeleſs as the ſeats they ſit on, the pillars they lean to, the dead bodies they tread upon.
So ſhall ye ſerve strangers] God loves to retaliate.
Ver. 20. Declare this in the houſe of Jacob, &c.] Ceaſe not to ring it in their ears whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for it is a rebellious people;foreign. and of the number of thoſe, who wink willingly, that they may not ſee when ſome unſavory potion is miniſtred to them, as Justin Martyr expreſſeth it.
Ver. 21. Hear now this O fooliſh people] They were ſtrangely ſtupified, and were therefore thus rippled up. Thoſe that are in a Lethargy muſt have a double quantity of Phyſick to what others have.
And without underſtanding] Heb. Without an heart: Cor ſapit & pulmo loquitur, &c. The heart is the ſymbol and ſeat of wiſdom. See Hoſ. 7.11. with the Note.
Which have eyes and ſee not, &c.] See Eſay 6.9. and 42.20. which have not ſenſes habitually exerciſed to diſcern good and evil, Heb. 5. ult.
Ver. 22. Fear ye not me? ſaith the Lord] What? not me, whom the ſea it ſelf, that tumultuous and unruly creature, feareth and obeyeth? See Pſal. 65.7. and 93.4.
Who have placed the ſand for a bound to the ſea] A weak bound for ſo furious an element. Vis maris infirmiſſimo ſabuli pulvere cohibetur. But ſo I will have it: and then who or what can gainſtand it? Now who can but be moved at ſuch miracles? Know you not that I can ſoon make your arable, ſailable? and that I can ſhake the earth as oft as there is a tempeſt in the Ocean, ſith the earth is founded not upon ſolid rocks but fluid waters? See 2. Pet. 3.5.
By a perpetual decree] Heb. by an ordinance of antiquity or of perpetuity; clapping it up cloſe priſoner.
Ver. 23. But this people have a revolting and rebellious heart] Cor recedens & amaricans, gone they are, and return they will not.foreign. Sept. Apoſtates are dangerous creatures, and miſchievous above others; witneſſe Julian, once a forward profeſſour; Lucian once a Preacher at Antioch: Staphylus and Latomus once great Lutherans, afterwards eager Popelings: Harding was the Target of Popery in England, (ſaith Peter Moulin) againſt which he had once been a thundering Preacher in this land, wiſhing he could cry out againſt it, as loud as the bells of Oſeney. Act. & Mon. fol. 1291.The Lady Jane Gray, whoſe chaplain he had ſometimes been, gave him excellent counſel in a letter: but he was revolted and gone paſt call.
Ver. 24. Neither ſay they in their hearts] God underſtands heart language, and expects a tribute there.
Let us now fear the Lord] Fear him for his goodneſs, as well as for his greatneſs, ver. 22. See Hoſ. 3.5. and Notes.
That giveth rain] Which God decreeth, Job 28.26. prepareth, Pſal. 147.8. withholdeth, Am. 4.7. beſtoweth, Deut. 28.12. Mat. 5.41. for a witneſs, Acts 17.14. of his general goodneſs, Mat. 5.45. and ſpecial providence, as a good houſholder, Act. 14.17.
He reſerveth unto us the appointed weeks of harveſt] Which if he ſhould deny us but one year only, how eaſily might he ſtarve us all? See his love, and fear his Name.
Ver. 25. Your iniquities have turned] See on Iſa. 59.1, 2.
Ver. 26. For among my people are found wicked men] This was as bad as to find a nettle in a garden, unchaſtity in a Virgin, or the devil in Paradiſe. All the Lords people are or ought to be holy.
They lye in wait] Or watch, or prey: See on Mic. 7.2.
They ſet a trap, they catch men] To ſpoil them, or ſlay them. Such a one was Otto the Popes Muſcipulator (as the ſtory ſtileth him) i. e. Mice-catcher, ſent hither by Gregory 9. to take and take away our money: Tecelius ſent by Leo 10. into Germany was another.
Ver. 27. As a cage is full of birds, ſo are their houſes full of deceit] i. e. Of illgotten goods, which will prove no ſuch catch in the cloſe, as they count upon.
Ver. 28. They are waxen fat, they ſhine] Pingues, nitidi ſunt: cutem curant ut Epicuri de grege porci, fat they are and fair liking ſlick and ſmooth.
Yea they overpaſſe the deeds of the wicked] They out-ſin others. Or as ſome ſenſe it, they eſcape better then others, Pſal. 73.5.
Ver. 29. Shall I not viſit] See ver. 9.
Ver. 30. A wonderful and horrible thing] Res ſtupenda & horrenda, an abhorred filth, ſuch as may well draw from us an hen, hen Domine Deus.
Is committed in the Land] Heb. in this land, where men are therefore the worſe, becauſe they ſhould be better.
Ver. 31. The Prophets phophecy falſely, and the Prieſts bear rule] The chief Prieſts bearing rule in the cauſes and conſciences of the people, had ſuborned their abbettours ambitious Prophets, who applauded their greatneſs for preferment, teaching the people to dote on the titles of Moſes chair, High-Prieſts, the Temple of the Lord,Mat. 15. Apoſiopeſis de extremo tam deploratae policiae exterminio. &c. as if there were not many a goodly box in the Apothecaries ſhop without one dram of any drug therein. Such falſe Prophets were thoſe Phariſees, factours for the Prieſts with their Corban: and ſuch alſo for the Pope are the Jeſuites and Seculars, which differ only as hot and cold poiſon, both deſtructive to the State.
What will ye do?] Alaſs, what will become of you at laſt?