Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Ver. 1. O Ye children of Benjamin] Theſe were the Prophets Country-men; for Anathoth was in that tribe: ſo was alſo part of Jeruſalem it ſelf. He forewarneth them of the enemies approach, and bids them be gone. The Benjamites were noted for valiant, but vitious, Judg. 19. Hoſ. 9.9. and 10 9.
And blow the trumpet in Tekoah] A place that had its name from trumpetting; ſo there is an elegan… in the Original: See the like Mic. 1.10, 14. It was twelve miles from Jeruſalem, and ſix from Beth-haccerem. Here dwelt that wiſe woman ſuborned by Joah, 2 Sam. 14.2.
Life of Ed. 6. by S J. Heyw.Set up a ſign of fire] A Beacon, or ſuch as the fire-croſſe is in Scotland; where (for a ſignal to the people when the enemy is at hand) two fire-brands ſet acroſs, and pitched upon a ſpear, are carried about the Countrey.
Ver. 2. I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman] Certatim amatae Bucolicae puellae, ſome fair Shepherdeſs, to whom the Kings with their armies make love (but for no love) that they may deſtroy and ſpoil her.
Ver. 3. The Shepherds] See on ver. 2.
Ver. 4. Prepare ye warre againſt her] Say thoſe Chaldean ſweet-hearts: this is their wooing language: like that of the Engliſh at Muſcleborough.
Let us go up at noon] Let us loſe no time: why burn we day-light by needleſs delays?
Ver. 5. Let us deſtroy her Palaces] Where we ſhall find all precious ſubſtance, we ſhall fill our hands with ſpoile, as Prov. 1.13.
Ver. 6. For thus hath the Lord of hoſts ſaid] q. d. It is he who ſetteth theſ… Chaldaean warriours awork: and giveth them theſe words of command. So Totilas, Genſericus and others were the ſcourge in Gods hand; as now alſo the Turkes are.
She is wholly oppreſſion] She was full of judgement, righteouſneſſe lodged in her: but now nothing leſs.
Nomen Alexandri ne te fortaſſe moretur,
De Alex. 6 Papa. Paſquil.Hoſpes abi: jacet hic & ſcelus & vitium.
Ver. 7. As a Fountain caſteth out her waters] Inceſſantly, and abundantly. In Jeremia eſt continua quaſi declamatio contra peccatum, &c.
Before me continually] This ſheweth their impudency.
Ver. 8. Be thou inſtructed] Affliction is a School-Maſter, or rather an Ʋſher to the Law,Maturant aſpera mentem. which the Apoſtle calleth a School-Maſter to Chriſt. Affl…ction bringeth men to the Law, and the Law to Chriſt. Affliction is a Preacher, ſaith one: blow the Trumpet in Tekoah: what ſaith the Trumpet? Ee inſtructed O Jeruſalem.
Leaſt my ſoul depart from thee] Heb. be looſed or disjoynted: leaſt I loath thee more then ever I loved thee, and ſo thy ruine come ruſhing in, as by a ſluce.
Ver. 9. They ſhall throughly glean the remnant] They ſhall make clean work of them, as Judg. 20.45.
Ver. 10. To whom ſhall I ſpeak and give warning] Heb. proteſt, q. d. I know not where to meet with one teachable hearer in all Jeruſalem.
Behold their ear is uncircumciſed] Obſtructed and ſtopped with the ſuperfluity of naughtineſſe, worſe then any ear-wax, or thick film overgrowing the organ of hearing. Tanquam monſtra marina ſurda aure Dei verba praetereunt.
The Word of the Lord is unto them a reproach] They take reproofes for reproaches, as Luk. 11.45.
Ver. 11. Therefore I am full of the fury of the Lord] i. e. of curſes and menaces againſt this obſtinate people, as chap. 4.19.
I am weary with holding in] As hitherto I have done, and could ſtill in compaſſion, but that of neceſſity I muſt obey Gods will, and be the meſſenger of his wrath. It is a folly to think, that Gods Miniſters delight to fling daggers at mens breaſts, or handfuls of hell-fire in their faces. Non niſi coactus, ſaid he.
I will pour it forth] I will denounce it, and then God will ſoon effect it. See on chap. 1.10.
Ver. 12. With their fields and wives together] Theſe are mentioned as moſt dear to them; who could haply ſay as he did,
Haec alii capiant; liceat mihi paupere cultu
Secure chara conjuge poſſe frui. Heb.
Ver. 13. Every one is given to covetouſneſſe] Avet avaritia, is coveting covetiſe, Lib 11. cap. 34.cryeth ſtill give, give with the horſeleech: of which creature Pliny obſerveth, and experience ſheweth, that it hath no thorough paſſage, but taketh much in, and letting nothing out, breaks and kills it ſelf with ſucking. So doth the covetous man.
Every one dealeth falſely] Heb. each one is doing falſhood; as if that were their common trade.
Ver. 14. They have healed alſo the hurt of — ſlightly] Heb. Ʋpon a ſlight or ſlighted thing; ſecundum curationem mali leviculi, Secundum leviculum. Jun.as men uſe to cure the ſlight hurts of their children by blowing on them only, or ſtroking them over. Thus theſe deceitful workers dealt by Gods people: dallying with their deep and dangerous wounds, which they ſearch not neither cauterize, according to neceſſary ſeverity.
Saying, peace, peace] Making all fair weather before them, when as the ſtorm of Gods wrath was even breaking out upon them; ſuch a ſtorm as ſhould never blow over.
Ver. 15. Were they at all aſhamed] Their ſhameleſneſs was no ſmall aggravation of their ſin: Ita licet mult as abominationes commiſerunt Papiſtae ſine verecundia, verecundari tamen non poſſunt, ſaith Dr. John Raynols. De idololat. Rom. p. 85.Papiſts are frontleſs and ſhameleſs. Dr. Story for inſtance: I ſee nothing (ſaid he before the Parliament in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth) to be aſhamed of, ſo leſs I ſee to be ſorry for: but rather becauſe I have done no more, &c. wherein he ſaid there was no default in him but in the higher powers, who much againſt his mind, had laboured only about the young and little ſprigs, and twigs, whiles they ſhould have ſtruck at the root and rooted it out: meaning thereby the Lady Elizabeth, whom alſo he afterwards dayly curſed in his grace afore meat. And concerning his perſecuting and burning the Proteſtants,Act. & Mon. f. 1925. he denyed not but that he was once at the burning of an herewig (for ſo he termed it) at Ʋxbridge (Mr. Denley Martyr) where he toſſed a faggot at his face, as he was ſinging Pſalmes, and ſet a wine-buſh of thornes under his feet, a little to prick him, &c.
Ver. 16. Stand ye in the wayes and ſee] Duely deliberate and take time to conſider, whether you are in the right or not.
Ask for the old pathes] Chalked out in the word, and walked in by the Patriarches. Think not, as ſome do now-adayes, by running through all religions to find out the right: for this is viam per avia quaerere, as Junius phraſeth it; to ſeek a way where none is to be found. How many religions are there now amongſt us? So many men, ſo many minds. Non est ſciens hodie qui novitates non invenit, as one complained of old, He's Nobody that cannot invent a new way; but as old wine is better, ſo is the old way: hold to it therefore. Quod primum verum, Alnar. Pelagius.That which was firſt is true: but beware of new truths, that cannot be proved to be old, as 1 Joh. 2.7.
Qui veteres linquit, calles ſequiturque novatos,
Saepius in fraudes incidet ille ſuaes.
But they ſaid We will not walk therein] So ver. 17. but they ſaid We will not hearken: See the like reſolute anſwers, chap. 22.21. and 44.16. ſavouring of a ſelf-willed obſtinacy. It is eaſier to deal with twenty mens reaſons, then with one mans will. A wilfull man ſtands as a ſtake in the midſt of a ſtream, lets all paſſe by him but he ſtands where he was. Luther ſaith of ſome of his Wittembergians, that ſo great was their obſtinacy, ſo headſtrong and headlong they were, that the four elements could not bear it. Jeremy ſeems here to ſay as much of his Hieroſolymitanes. See ver. 18, 19.
Ver. 17. Alſo I ſet Watchmen over you] i. e. Prieſts and Prophets, to watch for your welfare.
Hearken to the ſound of the trumpet] See on ver. 8.
We will not hearken] See on ver. 16.
Ver. 18. Therefore hear O ye Nations] For this people will not hear me, though I ſpeak never ſo good reaſon. Scaliger telleth us that the nature of ſome kind of Amber is ſuch,Exercit. 140. Num. 12. that it will draw to it ſelf all kind of ſtalks of any herb, except Baſilisk an herb called Capitalis, becauſe it makes men heady, filling their braines with black exhalations: Thus thoſe who by the fumes of their own corrupt wills are grown headſtrong, will not be drawn by that which draweth others, who are not ſo prejudicated.
Malitiam eorum. Piſcat.What is among them] What their ſins are: Or, Quid in eos, ſc. constituerim, what I have reſolved to bring upon them: Or, Quae in eis, know O congregation (of the Saints) which art among them.
Ver. 19. Hear O earth] In caſe none elſe will hear.
Even the fruit of their thoughts] Why then ſhould any man think that thought is free? free they are from mens courts and conſiſtories: but not from Gods eye, law, or hand.
Ver. 20. To what purpoſe cometh there to me incenſe] Cui bono, ſo long as it ſmelleth of the foul hand that offereth it? ſo long as you think to bribe me with it? See Iſa. 1.14.
From Sheba] Whence the Greeks ſeem to have their word foreign to worſhip: and the Arabians call God (the adequate object of divine worſhip) Sabim, and a Myſtery Saba.
And the ſweet cane] Heb. cane the good. The Septuagint render it cinamon; and the Vulgar Calamus: of which ſee Pliny, lib. 12. cap. 22.
From a far Country] From India ſaith Hierom, Haec omnia bene in noſtros Papiſtas quadrabunt.
Strages ſc. & …lades in quas incident & corruent.Ver. 21. Behold I will lay ſtumbling blocks] Heb. Stumblements, i. e. occaſions, preparations and means to work their ruth and ruine: what theſe are, ſee ver. 22.
Ver. 22. Thus ſaith the Lord] It is not in vain that this is ſo oft prefaced to the enſuing Prophecies. Dictum Jehovae is very emphatical, and authoritative.
Behold a people cometh from the North] This the Prophet had oft foretold, for fourty years together; ſed ſurdis fabulam, but he could not be beleeved.
Ver. 23. They ſhall lay hold on bow and ſpear] To deſtroy & eminus & cominus. both afar off, and at hand.
foreign.Their voyce roareth like the ſea] Which is ſo dreadful, that the horrible ſhriekings of the devils are ſet out by it, Jam. 2.19. They who would not hear the Prophets ſweet words, ſhall hear the enemies roaring in the midſt of their congregations, Pſal. 74.4.
Ver. 24. Our hands wax feeble] He modeſtly reckoneth himſelf among the reſt, though the armes of his hands were made ſtrong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, Gen. 49.24. and his heart was fixed truſting in the Lord, Pſal. 112.7.
Ver. 25. Go not out into the field] Sith there is no peace to him that goeth out, nor to him that cometh in, 2 Chron. 15.5. but Luctus ubique, pavor, & plurima mortis imago.
Ver. 26. Gird thee with ſack cloth, Liv. lib. 3.and wallow thy ſelf in aſhes] The very heathens did ſo when in danger of a mercileſs enemy: veniam irarum caeleſtium poſcentes, ſaith Livy, ſeeking the pardon of their ſins, and the favour of their Gods.
Ver. 27. I have ſet thee for a Tower and a fortreſſe] Or, a fortified watch-tower have I made thee among my people, i. e. To diſcry and diſcover their diſpoſitions and affections.
Ver. 28. They are all grievous revolters] Heb. Revolters of revolters. Chald. Princes of revolters, arch-rebels. Jeremy (Gods champion, ſuch as was wont to be ſet forth compleatly armed at the Coronation of a King in this Nation) findeth and reporth them ſuch here, and proveth it.
Walking with ſlanders] Trotting up and down as pedlers, dropping a tale here, and another there, contrary to Levit. 19.16.
They are braſſe and iron] Baſe and droſſy, falſe and feculent metals; ſilver and gold they would ſeem to be, a ſincere and holy people: but they are malae monetae, a degenerate and hypocritical generation: adulterini ſunt nihil habentes probi, as Theodoret hath it here; naught, and good for naught: not unlike thoſe ſtones brought home in great quantity by Captain Forbiſher in the raign of Queen Elizabeth. Camd. Eliſ. 189.He thought them to be minerals and of good worth: but when there could be drawn from them neither gold nor ſilver, nor any other mettal, they were caſt forth to mend the high-wayes.
Thy are all corrupters] Of themſelves, and of others.
Ver. 29. The bellows are burnt] The Prophets lungs are ſpent,Let us to the wearing of our tongues to the ſtumps preach never ſo much, men will on in ſin. Bradford. Mr. Caſe his Treatiſe of afflictions. all their paines ſpilt upon a perverſe people: See Ezek. 24.6, 12, 13. Jeremy had blowed hard as a Smith or Metallary doth with his bellows; he had ſuffered, as it were, by the heat of a moſt ardent fire, in trying and melting his oar: he had uſed his beſt Art alſo by caſting in lead (as now-adayes they do quick-ſilver) to melt it the more eaſily, and with leſs loſs and waſte: but all to no purpoſe at all.
The lead is conſumed] All the melting judgements which (as lead is caſt into the furnace to make it the hotter) God added to the Miniſtry of the Prophets to make the Word more operative, they will do no good.
The founder melteth in vain] Whether God the Maſter-founder, or the Prophets Gods co-founders or fellow-workmen, as the Apoſtle calleth them, 1 Cor. 6.1.
The wicked are not pluckt away] Or, their wickedneſſes; they will not part with their droſs, or be divorced from their dilecta delicta beloved ſins. The vile perſon will ſpeak villany, and his heart will work iniquity to practiſe hypocriſy, and to utter errour againſt the Lord, Iſa. 32.6.
Ver. 30. Reprobate ſilver ſhall men call them] Droſs and refuſe,foreign unapproved. rather then pure mettal: ſilver they would ſeem to be; but their hypocriſie ſhall be made known to all men, who ſhall count them and call them reprobate, becauſe impurgabiles and inexpiabiles, uncounſellable, and incorrigible: a ſore ſign of reprobation,Hieron. Lyra. as Aquinas noteth from Heb. 6.7, 8.
For the Lord hath rejected them] As refuſe and counterfeit,Deus eſt ſapiens nummularius. ſuch as will not paſſe in payment. Hence they are to be caſt into Babylons Iron-furnace (quaſi antro Aetnao & Cyclopico adhuc decoquendi) a type of that eternal fire of hell, prepared of old for the devil and reprobates.