Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Ver. 1. THe word that came to Jeremiah) A new Sermon, but to the ſame purpoſe as the former. See on chap. 1, 2.Oecol. Toto libro idem argumentum ſurſum deorſum verſat.
Ver. 2. Stand in the gate of the Lords houſe] The Eaſt-gate, which was the moſt famous and moſt frequented of the people, and therefore fitteſt for the purpoſe.
And proclaim there this word] Stand there with this Word (as once the Angel with a terrible ſword did at the porch of Paradiſe) to excommunicate as it were this hypocritical people: and do it verbis non tantum diſertis ſed & exertis, plainly and boldly.
Ver. 3. Amend your wayes and your doings] Heb. make good your wayes, ſc. by repentance for and from your ſins: and by beleeving the Goſpel. Defaecantur enim mores, ubi medullitus excipitur Evangelium. Amendment of life, is an upright, earneſt and conſtant indeavour to do all that God commandeth, and to forbear what he forbiddeth.
Ver. 4. Truſt ye not in lying words] Or, matters, ſc. that will deceive you. The ſhips Triumph, Cic. in Vatinuim.or Good-ſpeed, may be ventorum ludibrium, and miſcarry upon the hard rocks, or ſoft ſands: ſo, fair ſhews and bare titles help not. Vatinius that wicked Roman profeſſed himſelf a Pythagorean, and vicious Antipater wore a white cloak, the enſign of innocency. This was virtutis ſtragulam pudefacere, ſaid Diogenes wittily, to put honeſty to an open ſhame.
The Temple of the Lord, the Temple—are theſe] i. e. Theſe buildings, or theſe three parts of the Temple, viz. the moſt holy place, the Sanctuary, and the outer Court. To theſe are made the Promiſes of Gods perpetual reſidence, Pſal. 132.14. therefore we are ſafe from all danger, whileſt here we take ſanctuary. See Mic. 3.11. The Romiſh crew in like manner have nothing in their mouths ſo much as the Church, Eccleſiam ad ravim uſque crepant catholicam.the Church, the Catholick Church: and therein, like Oyſter-wives, they out-cry us. Many alſo amongſt our ſelves cry the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, who do yet nothing care for the Lord of the Temple. They glory in external priviledges, and ſecure themſelves therein, as the Jews fable that Og King of Baſhan eſcaped in the flood by riding aſtride upon the Ark without. But what profiteth it Reſpicere ad phaleras, & nomina vana Catonum? Eſſe Chriſtianum grande eſt, non videri, ſaith Hierom. It's a great priviledge to be a Chriſtian, but not to ſeem only to be ſo. An empty title yeeldeth but an empty comfort at laſt.
Ver. 5. For if ye thoroughly amend your wayes] If ye thoroughly execute judgement] If ye be ſerious in the one, and ſedulous in the other. See ver. 2.
Ver. 6. If ye oppreſſe not the ſtranger, &c.] Turtures amat Deus, non vultures. See on Iſa. 1.23.
Ver. 7. Then will I cauſe you to dwell in this place] Not elſe. Gods Promiſes are with a condition; which is as an oar in a boat, or ſtern of a ſhip, and turns the Promiſe another way.
Ver. 8. Behold ye truſt, &c.] See on ver. 4.
Ver. 9. Will ye ſteal, murther, &c.] Heb. will ye stealing ſteal, murthering murther, &c. i. e. drive a trade with the devil by theſe ſoul practiſes allowed and wallowed in, quaſi examen malorum facinorum nihil obſit, modo domum Dei ingrederemini; as if you could ſet off with me, and make amends by your good deeds for your bad?
Ver. 10. And come and ſtand before me in this houſe] This was worſe then to do as the Circaſſians (a kind of mongrel-Chriſtians of the Greek-Church at this day, who as they baptize not their children till the eighth year, ſo they enter not into the Church (the Gentlemen eſpecially) till the ſixtieth year; but heare divine ſervice ſtanding without the Temple:Br…erw. Enquir. that is to ſay, till through age, they grow unable to continue their rapines and robberies; to which ſin that Nation is exceedingly addicted.
And ſay We are delivered] i. e. Licenſed. Hoc idem dicunt qui cogitationes inter peccato non numerant, ſaith Oecolampadius.
Ver. 11. Is this houſe which is called by my name] Is it become impiae gentis arcanum, A…x omnium turpitudinum.as Florus afterwards ſpitefully called it? or a profeſſed Sanctuary of roguery, as the Papiſts maliciouſly ſay of Geneva: Or a receptacle of all abominations, as Pompey's Theatre in Rome was once ſaid to be.
Become a den of robbers] To ſuch it ſhould have been ſaid by the Porters— Greſſus removete profani. In the myſtical ſacrifices of Ceres no profane perſon was to be admitted: for the Prieſt going before uttered theſe words—foreign, that is, be packing every wicked perſon. So the Roman Prieſts had their procul ô procul eſte profani.
Ver. 12. But go ye now] Non paſſibus ſed ſenſibus. Summon the ſobriety of your ſenſes before your own judgments, and conſider what I did of old to Shiloh, a place no leſs priviledged then yours; and wherefore I did it: and be warned by their woes. Alterius perditio, tua ſit cautio. Seeſt thou another ſhipwrackt? look well to thy tackling. Reaſon ſhould perſwade, and therefore lodgeth in the brain: but when reaſon cannot perſwade, example ſhould, and moſtly will.
Ver. 13. And now becauſe ye have done] Worthily are they made examples to others, that will not take example by others; that will not alienâ frui inſaniâ, make benefit of other mens miſeries.
Riſing early] As good husbands uſe to do; and as Plutarch reporteth of the Perſian Kings, that they had an officer to call them up betimes, and to mind them of their buſineſs.
Ver. 14. Therefore will I do unto this houſe] Which ye fondly think that I am bound to hold, and uphold. The Diſciples alſo ſeem to have had a conceit that the Temple and the world muſt needs end together: hence that mixed diſcourſe of our Saviour, now of one, and now of another, Mat. 24. See ver. 3. of that Chapter, with the Note.
V. 15. And I will caſt you out of my ſight] Heb. from against, or over against my face.
As I have caſt out your brethren] For your inſtance and admonition, I hanged them up in gibbets, as it were at your very doors, but nothing would warn you.
Ver. 16. Therefore pray not thou for this people] For I am unchangeably reſolved upon their ruine: and I would not have thy prayers (thoſe hony-drops) ſpilt upon them. Their day of grace is paſt: their ſins are full, the decree is now gone forth, and it is irreverſible; therefore pray not for this deplored people: there is a ſin unto death: and who knows but their ſin was ſuch? ſure it is the Prophet was ſilenced here, and that was a ſad ſymptom.
Neither lift up cry] Verbum aptum precibus est: lift up is a very fit expreſſion, and the word rendred cry comes from a root that ſignifieth clamare voce contentâ & efficaci, to ſet up the note to ſome tune, as we ſay.Ranan, unde ranae, ut aliqui volunt.
Neither make interceſſion to me] Interdicit ti ne intercedat. Here and elſewhere God flatly forbids the Prophet to pray; See chap. 14.7, 11. and yet he is at it again, ver. 19, 20, 21, 22. So Exod. 32.11, 12, 13. Let me alone, ſaith God. The Chaldee there hath it, leave off thy prayer, but Moſes would not. Theſe were men of prayer, and could truly ſay of themſelves as David once did, Pſal. 109.4. but I gave my ſelf to prayer. Where the Hebrew hath it, But I, prayer: as if he had been made up of it, and had minded little elſe. The Lord alſo, they knew, was a prayer-hearing God, Pſal. 65.2. O thou that art hearing prayers, (ſo the Hebrew hath it) alwayes hearing ſome, and ready to hear the reſt. Our God is not like Jupiter of Creet that had no cares: nor as thoſe other heathen-deities of whom Cicero ſadly complaineth to his brother Quintus in theſe words, I would pray to the gods for thoſe things, but that they have given over to hear my prayers. Jeremy could upon better ground pray, then ever he in Plato did,
foreign, &. In Engliſh thus,
Great God, the good thou haſt to give,Plat. in Alcibiad.
Whether we ask't or no,
Let's ſtill receive: no miſchief thrive
To work our overthrow.
Ver. 17. Seeſt thou not what they do] And haſt thou yet an heart to pray for them? and ſhould I yet have an heart to pitty them? there is only this hope left ſometimes, that ſomething God will yeild to the prayers of his people,Ratio additur quaſi digito ad Jeremiam extenſo. even when he is moſt bitterly bent againſt them.
Flectitur iratus, voce rogante Deus.
Diſtribuunt inter ſe munera.Ver. 18. The children gather wood] All ſorts, ſizes, and ſexes, are as buſie as bees: Sed turpis labor eſt ineptiarum. Oh that we were ſo intent, with united forces, to the worſhip of the true God of heaven! Vae torpori noſtro. Oh take heed of induſtrious folly, diſpir…t not your ſelves in the purſuit of trifles, &c.
Scilicet & tenui popano corruptus Oſiris. Juven. Sal. 6.To make cakes] Popana, cakes ſtampt with ſtars.
To the Queen of heaven] i. e. To the heavenly bodies, and (as ſome will have it) to the Moon in ſpecial. The Hebrews have a ſaying, that, God is to be praiſed in the leaſt gnat, to be magnified in the Elephant, but to be admired in the Sun, Moon and Stars. And if the Jews in the text had ſtayed here, who could have blamed them? but to deifie theſe creatures, was groſs Idolatry, and an inexpiable ſin. Epiphanius telleth us of certain heretikes called Collyridians, that they baked cakes and offered them to the Virgin Mary whom they called the Queen of heaven: and do not the Papiſts at this day the very ſame,Haereſ. 79. ſaying that hyperdulia is due unto her; not to ſpeak of Bonaventure his blaſphemous Lady-Pſalter, Bernard Bauhuſius the Jeſuite hath ſet forth a book in praiſe of the Virgin Mary, by changing this one verſe, Tot tibi ſunt dotes, Virgo, quot ſidera caelo. A thouſand twenty and two wayes, according to the number of the known ſtars: The Jeſuites commonly write at the end of their books, Laus Deo & beatae Virgini; Praiſe be given to God, and to the bleſſed Virgin: but this is the badge of the beaſt. Let us ſay Soli Deo Gloria: and yet not in the ſenſe of that Perſian Embaſſadour, who, whenſoever his buſineſs lay with Chriſtians, was wont to have Soli Deo gloria very much in his mouth: but by Soli he meant the Sun, whom he honoured for his God. Why the women here, and chap. 44. ſhould be ſo buſie in kneading cakes to the Moon, theſe reaſons are given: 1. Becauſe the Moon was a Queen. 2. Becauſe the women at their labour were moſt beholden to the Moon, who by her great moiſture mollifies the ſecundines, and makes the paſſage eaſie for their delivery. This cuſtom of offering cakes to the Moon (ſaith one) our Anceſtors may ſeem not to have been ignorant of:Greg. Poſth. 202. to this day our women make cakes at ſuch times; yea the child is no ſooner born, but called cake-bread. Add, that the Saxons did adore the Moon,Ibid. 132. to whom they ſet a day apart, which to this day we call Moonday. The ſame Author telleth us, that he who not long ſince conquered the Indies, perſwaded the Natives that he had complained of them to their Moon, and that ſuch a day the goddeſs ſhould frown upon them; which was nothing elſe but an Eclipſe which he had found out in the Almanack.
Ver. 19. Do they provoke me to anger] i. e. Hurt they me by their provocations? or hope they to get the better of me, and to cauſe me to lay down the bucklers firſt? Surely as Ʋlyſſes his companions ſaid to him when he would needs provoke Polydamas, may we better ſay to ſuch, as provoke the Almighty, foreign; Or as the wiſe-man, contend not with him that is mightier then thou: meddle with thy match man.
Ver. 20. Mine anger and mine fury] A very dreadful doom, denounced againſt theſe daring monſters. Thoſe that provoke God to anger, ſhall ſoon have enough of it. It is a fearful thing to fall into the puniſhing hands of the living God, Heb. 10. Oh keep out of them.
Ver. 21. Put your burnt-offerings to your ſacrifices and eat fleſh] Congerite, ingerite, digerite, egerite: take away all your ſacrifices, wherewith ye fondly think to expiate your ſins, and feaſt your carcaſſes with them: for I wot well that you offer them to me, ventris potius gratiâ quam internae pietatis, rather of gourmandiſe then good devotion. You have therefore my good leave to make your beſt of them: for I account them no other then ordinary and profane food, ſuch fleſh as is bought and ſold in the ſhambles: So Hoſ. 9.4. their meat-offering (Lev. 2.5.) is in ſcorn called their bread for their ſoul or life, that is, for their natural ſuſtenance. And no better are the elements in the Lords Supper to the unworthy Receiver, whatever he may promiſe himſelf by them.Videlicet ſolum aut ſimpliciter.
Ver. 22. For I ſpake not unto your Fathers] I gave them not thoſe holy rites as the ſubſtance of my ſervice, or that ye ſhould thus hold them up againſt my threats for your rebellions, as a buckler of defence. Sacrifices without obedience nec placent nec placant Deum.
Ver. 23. But this thing I commanded them] i. e. I principally commanded them: giving them therefore firſt the Decalogue, and then afterwards the ceremonial Law, which was, or ſhould have been their Goſpel.
Ver. 24. But they hearkened not nor inclined] So croſſe-grained they were, and thwart from the very firſt.
In the imagination of their evil heart] In ſententia animi ſui peſſimi, Trem.Heb. aspectu cordis, ut Deut. 19.9.
They went backward, and not forward] As Crabfiſh do, as viſe Apoſtates, in pejus proficiunt grow every day worſe then other, being not only averſe but adverſe to any good, they dayly grow worſe and worſe, deceiving and being deceived, ſeipſit indies facti deteriores. Iſlebius firſt became an Antinomian (and the Father of that Sect) and then a Papiſt, and laſtly Atheiſt and Epicure, as Oſiander teſtifieth. Whileſt he was an Antinomian only,Cent. 16. pag. 802. he many times promiſed amendment (being convinced of his errour) but performed it not. After that, he condemned his errour and recanted it in a publike auditory, and printed his Recantation: yet when Luther was dead, he not only licked up his former vomit, but fell to worſe, as aforeſaid.
Ver. 25. Since the day] The Church hath never wanted Preachers of the Truth. See my True Treaſure, pag. 7, 8. Wo to the world becauſe of this.
Dayly riſing up early] See on ver. 13.
Ver. 26. Yet they harkened not unto me] This God ſpeaketh to the Prophet, as weary of talking to them any longer, ſith it was to no better purpoſe.
Ver. 27. But they will not hearken unto thee] Howbeit ſpeak (whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear) for a teſtimony againſt them.
Ver. 28. This is a Nation] A heatheniſh Nation, ſuch as they uſe to reproach with this Name Goi, and Mamzer Gojim, that is, baſtardly Heathens.
Nor receiveth correction] Or, instruction.
Ver. 29. Cut off thine haire, O Jeruſalem] In token of greateſt ſorrow and ſervitude, Job 1.20. Eſa. 15.2. Ezek. 27.31. Tu dum ſervus es comam nutris, ſaid he in Ariſtophanes. The world here rendred hair is Nezir, which ſignifieth a crown, and there hence the Nazarites had their name, Num. 6. intimating hereby, haply, that their Votaries ſhould be as little accepted as were their ſacrifices, ver. 21.
And forſaken the generation of his wrath] Who are elſewhere called the people of his curſe, and veſſels of wrath, fitted for deſtruction.
Ver. 30. They have ſet their abominations in the houſe] So do thoſe now that broach hereſies in …ſte Church.
Ver. 31. To burn their ſons and their daughters] Haply in a ſinful imitation of Abraham or Jephta: Or elſe, after the example of the Canaanites, Deut. 12.31. and other heathens, who thus ſacrificed to the Devil, commanding them ſo to do by his Oracles:Macrob. Saturn. lib. 7. though Hercules taught the Italians to offer unto him rather men made of wax.
Ver. 32. It ſhall no more be called Tophet] Unleſs it be quaſi Mophet, i. e. Portentum.
Nor the vally of the ſon of Hinnom] As it had been called from Joſhua's dayes, chap. 15.8.
But the valley of ſlaughter] Or Ge-haharegah: for the great ſlaughter that the Chaldees ſhall make there. Ecce congrua poena peccato, ſaith Oecolampadius.
For they ſhall bury in Tophet] It ſhall become a Polyandrion or common burial-place, till there be no place or room left.
Et erit morticinum populi.Ver. 33. And the carcaſſes of this people] Their murrain-carcaſſes, as the Vulgar rendreth it.
Shall be meat for the foules of the heaven] Whereby we may alſo underſtand the devils of hell, ſaith Oecolampadius.
Ver. 34. Then will I cauſe to ceaſe] Laetitia in luctum convertetur, plauſus in planctum, &c. Their ſinging ſhall be turned into ſighing, their hollowing into howling, &c.
The voyce of the bridegroom] No catches, or canzonets ſhall be ſung at weddings; no Epithalamia.