Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Ver. 1. OH that mine head were waters] Mira ſermonis transfiguratione utitur Propheta, A wonderful wiſh of this weeping Prophet, and to be taken up by Gods faithful Miniſters, conſidering the woful condition of their periſhing people, poſting to perdition. Pia eſt illa triſtitia, & ſi dici poteſt, beata miſeria, Epiſt. 545.ſaith Auguſtine; this is a ſweet ſorrow, a bleſſed miſery. Such waters will be turned into wine, at the wedding-day of the Lamb; for which purpoſe alſo they are kept ſafe in Gods bottle. Pſal. 56.8.
And mine eyes a fountain of teares] That there might be a perennity of them. The ſame word in Hebrew ſignifieth both an eye and a fountain: both becauſe the eye is of a watery conſtitution, and for that our eye ſhould trickle down and not ceaſe for our own and other mens ſins and miſeries. Athanaſius by his tears,Lam. 3.49. as by the bleeding of a chaſt vine, is ſaid to have cured the leproſie of that tainted age.Proborum virorum lachrymae ſunt peccatorum diluvium, & mundi piamentum. N…zlanzen. Orat. 3. Mandrae ſignifieth caves or holes.
Ver. 2. Oh that I had in the wilderneſſe a lodging place] Some ſorry ſhed, ſuch as thoſe Worthies had who dwelt in dens and caves of the earth; Heb. 11.38. ſuch as Athanaſius had, who lived (ſay ſome) ſix years in a Well without the light of the Sun, forſaken of friends, and everywhere hunted by enemies: ſuch as the ancient Hermites and Monkes had: who becauſe they lived in caves and ſubterranean holes, they were named Mandrites and Troglodites. A godly man deſireth to converſe as much as may be with God, and as little as may be with men, unleſſe they were better. Lot had little joy of Sodom, 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. Aaron of the Iſraelites. Thou knoweſt, ſaith he to Moſes, that this people is wholly ſet upon wickedneſſe, Exod. 32.22. And indeed ſo is the whole world, 1 Joh. 5.19. with 2.16. Hence good men are oft put upon Davids wiſh, Oh that I had the wings of a dove, &c!Pſal. 55.6. Pſal. 122. Or if that Oh will not ſet them at liberty, they take up that Wo of his to expreſſe their miſery, Wo is me that I ſojourn in Meſhec, &c. Who will give me a travellers lodge in the wilderneſſe that I might leave my people, whoſe wicked courſes are a continual eye-ſore and heart-break unto me?
For they are all adulterers] Both corporal and ſpiritual.
An aſſembly of treacherous] A pack of perfidious wretches; a rabble of rebels conſpiring againſt heaven, Iſa. 1.4.
Ver. 3. And they bend their tongues like their bow for lyes] To the impeaching of others in their name, ſtate and life. I read that in Italy at this day they have a pocket-ſtone-bow, which held under a cloak ſhoots needles with violence to pierce a mans body, yet leaveth a wound ſcarce diſcernable. Lo ſuch is an evil tongue,Il. Mercurio Italico. and ſuch miſchief it may do a man.
But they are not valiant for the truth] Truth is no part of their profeſſion: and courage in a good cauſe they have none. Of the moſt we may ſay as of Harts and Stags, they have great hornes, but to little purpoſe;Plutarch. or as Themiſtocles ſaid of the Eretrians, that they were like the ſword-fiſh which hath a ſword indeed, but not a heart to make uſe of it.
And they know not me ſaith the Lord] The low apprehenſions men have of God, make their hearts work ſo poorly after him, Pſal. 9.10.
Ver. 4. Take ye heed every one of his neighbour] Sith there is ſcarce any to be truſted. The Poets tell us that when Pallas had taught people to build an houſe,N…n hoſpes ab hoſpite tutus. Ovid. Momus found this fault with it, that it was fixed to a place and not ſet upon wheeles: to the end that if men liked not their neighbourhood, they might remove at pleaſure. A good neighbour is a rare bird.
And truſt ye not in any brother] See Mich. 7.5, 6. with the Notes.
For every brother will utterly ſupplant] Singula verba hic habent pondus & pathos ingens: Here each word hath its weight: each ſyllable its ſubſtance.Fratrum quoque gratia rara eſt. Ovid.
Ver. 5. They have taught their tongues to ſpeak lyes] They are Artiſts at it, and can tack one lye to another very handſomely, Pſal. 119.69. See the Note.
Aliud in labris, aliud in fibri….Ver. 6. Thine habitation is in the miost of deceit] i. e. Of deceitful perſons: who have honey in their tongues, but gall in their hearts.
They refuſe to know me] Ʋt liberius peccent, libenter ignorant, they are wilfully ignorant, 2 Pet. 3.3, 5. ſo wedded and wedg'd they are to their fraudulent practices.
Ver. 7. Behold I will melt them and try them] I will caſt them into the fiery crucible of ſharp affl…ction. A Metaphor from Metallaries. See chap. 6.29.
For how ſhould I do for the daughter of my people?] i. e. How ſhould I do otherwiſe? what can I do leſſe to them though they are my people, ſith they are ſo ſhameleſly, ſo lawleſly wicked? an unruly Patient maketh a cruel Phyſician: a deſperate diſeaſe muſt have a deſperate remedy.
Ver. 8. Their tongue is as an arrow ſhot out] It is both a bow, ver. 3. and a ſhaft, and that a ſlaughtering ſhaft, Jun. Piſc.as ſome coppies have it here; culter jugulans, a murthering-knife, ſome render it. So Pſal. 42.10. As with a murdering weapon in my bones, mine enemies reproach me. Reckon thou, ſaith one, Sennacherib and Rabſhakeh among the firſt, and chiefeſt Kill-Chriſts, becauſe ever an honeſt mind is more afflicted with words then with blows.
It ſpeaketh deceit] See Pſal. 52.2. with the Notes.
One ſpeaketh peaceably — but in his heart he layeth his wait] Such a one was the tyrant Tiberius and our Richard 3. who would uſe moſt complements and ſhew greateſt ſigns of love and curteſie to him in the morning,Dan hiſt. 249. whoſe throat he had taken order to be cut that evening.
Ver. 9. Shall I not viſit them] See on chap. 5.9.
Ver. 10. For the mountains will I take up a weeping] Accingit ſe Propheta ad luctum. Jeremy was better at weeping then Heraclitus, and from a better principle. Lachrymas anguſtiae exprimit Crux: lachrymas poenitentiae peccatum: lachrymas ſympathiae, affectus humanitatis, vel Chriſtianitatis: lachrymas nequitiae, vel hypocriſis vel vindictae cupiditas. Jeremies tears were of the beſt ſort.
Becauſe they are burnt up] The Rabbines tell us, that after the people were carried captive to Babylon, the land of Jury was burnt up with ſulphur and ſalt. But this may well paſſe for a Jewiſh fable.
Both the fowl of the heaven] See chap. 4.25.
Ver. 11. And I will make Jeruſalem heaps] So ſmall a diſtance is there, ſaith Seneca, betwixt a great City and none. The world is as full of mutation as of motion.
And a den of Dragons] Becauſe ſhe made mine houſe a den of theeves, chap. 7.11.
Ver. 12. Who is the wiſe man that he may underſtand this?] This who, and who, denoteth a great paucity of ſuch wiſe ones as conſider common calamities in the true cauſes of them, propter quid pereat haec terra, for what the land periſheth, and that great ſins produce grievous judgements: The moſt are apt to ſay with thoſe Philiſtines It is a chance, to attribute their ſufferings to Fate or Fortune, to accuſe God of injuſtice, rather then to accept of the puniſhment of their iniquity.
And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken] q. d. Is there never a one of your Prophets that will ſet you right herein? but the duſt of covetouſneſſe hath put out their eyes: and they can better ſing Placentia then Lachrymae, &c.
Ver. 13. And the Lord ſaith] Or, therefore the Lord ſaith, q. d. Becauſe neither your ſelves know, nor have any elſe to tell you the true cauſe of your calamities, hear it from Gods own mouth.
Ver. 14. But have walked after the imagination of their own heart] Then the which they could not have choſen a worſe guide, ſith it is evil, only evil, and continually ſo, Gen. 6.5. See the note there.
Which their fathers taught them] See chap. 7.18.
Ver. 15. Behold I will feed them with wormwood] i. e. With bitter afflictions. Et haec poena inobedientiae fidei reſpondet. The backſlider in heart ſhall be filled with his own wayes, Prov. 14.14. he ſhall have his belly full of them, as we uſe to ſay. See chap. 8.14.
Ver. 16. And I will ſcatter them alſo among the heathen] As had been forethreatned, Deut. 28. Lev. 26. But men will not beleeve till they feel. They read the threats of Gods law as they do the old ſtories of forreign wars, and as if they lived out of the reach of Gods rod.
Ver. 17. Conſider ye] Intelligentes estote: Is not your hard-heartedneſſe ſuch, as that ye need ſuch an help? to do that wherein you ſhould be forward and free-hearted. The Hollanders and French faſt, ſaith one, but (without exprobration be it ſpoken) they had need to ſend for mourning-women,Spec. bel. ſac. 209. Ʋt flerent oculos erudiere ſuas. Ovid. that by their cunning they may be taught to mourn.
And call for the mourning women] In planctum & omne pathos faciles, ſuch as could make exquiſite lamentation, and cunningly act the part of mourners at funerals, ſo as to wring teares from the beholders. Theſe the Latines called Praeficas quia luctui praeficiebantur, becauſe they had the chief hand in funeral mournings: for the better carrying on whereof they both ſang doleful ditties, See 2 Chron. 35.25. and played on certain heavily-ſounding inſtruments, Mat. 9.23. whence the Poet, Cantabit maeſtis tibia funeribus.Ovid.
Ver. 18. And let them make haſte and take up a wailing for us] Of this vanity or affectation God approveth not as neither he did of the Olympick games, of uſury, of that cuſtome at Corinth, 1 Ep. 15.29. which yet he maketh his uſe of.
Ver. 19. For a voyce of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we ſpoiled? Ponit formulam threnodiae.] Quis tragoediam aptius & magis graphice depingeret? what tragedy was ever better ſet forth, and in more lively expreſſions?
Ver. 20. Yet hear the Word of the Lord, O ye women] For ſouls have no ſexes, and ye are likely to have your ſhare as deep as any in the common calamity: you alſo are moſtly more apt to weep then men, and may ſooner work your men to godly ſorrow then thoſe lamentatrices.
Ver. 21. For death is come up into our windows] i. e. The killing Chaldees break in upon us at any place of entrance, doors or windows, Joel 2.9. Joh. 10.1. The Ancients give us warning here to ſee to our ſenſes (thoſe windows of wickedneſſe) that ſin get not into the ſoul thereby, and death by ſin.
Ver. 22. Speak, Thus ſaith the Lord] Heb. Speak, it is the Lords ſaying: and therefore thou mayſt be bold to ſpeak it. So 1 Theſ. 4.15. For I ſay unto you in (or, by) the Word of the Lord.
And as the handful after the harveſt man] Death ſhall cut them up by handfuls, and lay them heaps upon heaps.
Ver. 23. Let not the wiſe-man glory in his wiſdom] q. d. You bear your ſelves bold upon your wiſdom, wealth, ſtrength, and other ſuch ſeeming ſupports and deceitful foundations, as if theſe could ſave you from the evils threatned. But all theſe will prove like a ſhadow that declineth, delightful but deceitful; as will well appear at the hour of death. Charles the fifth (whom, of all men, the world …udged moſt happy) curſed his honours, (a little afore his death) his victories, trophees, and riches, ſaying Abite hinc, abite longe, get you far enough, for any good ye can now do me. Abi perdita beſtia quae me totum perdidiſti, be gone thou wretched creature, that haſt utterly undone me, ſaid Corn, Agrippa the Magician to his familiar ſpirit, when he lay a dying. So may many ſay of their worldly wiſdom, wealth, &c.
Let not the wiſe man glory] Let not thoſe of great parts be head-ſtrong or top-heavy: let them not think to wind out by their wiles and ſhifts.
Let not the mighty man glory] Fortitudo noſtra est infirmitatis in veritate cognitio, Aug.& in humilitate confeſſio.
Nor the rich man glory in his riches] Sith they availe not in the day of wrath, Zeph. 1.18. See the Note there.
Ver. 24. But let him that glorieth, glory in this] And yet not in this neither, unleſſe he can do it with ſelf-denial, and lowlymindedneſſe. Let him glory only in the Lord, ſaith Paul. The pride of Virginity is as foul a ſin as Impurity, ſaith Auſtin: ſo here.
Ver. 25. That I will puniſh all them, &c] Promiſcuouſly and impartially.
That are circumciſed] Some read it, The circumciſed in uncircumciſion. Unregenerate Iſrael, notwithſtanding their circumciſion, are to God as Ethiopians, Am. 9.7.
Ver. 26. That are in the utmoſt corners] Heb. Praeciſos in lateribus, polled by the corner:Tempora circumradunt. which was the Arabian faſhion, ſaith Herodotus. See chap. 49.32.
For all theſe Nations are uncircumciſed] ſc. In heart, though circumciſed in the fleſh, as now alſo the Turks are.