Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Ezekiel · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord alſo came unto me] This variety of viſions ſhews the great unbelief of the people, whoſe Captivity and calamity is here further deſcribed and aſſured by a new Type, which is ſet out in the firſt ſix verſes, and then applyed in the ten following. One ſermon pegs in another,foreign. and the man of God muſt ſtick to his work, and ſtand over it, 2 Tim. 4.2.
Ver. 2. A rebellious houſe] Heb. a houſe of rebellion, domus perduellis, that hath caſt down the gauntlet of defiance againſt me.
Which have eyes to ſee, and ſee not] ſc. To any good purpoſe: they will not ſee, Iſa. 26.11. and who ſo blind as ſuch? they wink wilfully: which is no ſmal aggravation of their ſin, Joh. 9.4. Eph. 4.18.
Which have ears to hear, and hear not] h. e. Caſtigatiores non evadunt, they are not a button the better for what they hear: they draw not up the ears of their minds to the ears of their bodies, that one ſound might peirce both.
Ver. 3. Therefore thou ſon of man] i. e. Nevertheleſſe do thou as thou art bidden: and let what thou doeſt and ſayeſt be for a teſtimony againſt them, ſtick in their ſouls and fleſh, as the invenomed arrows of the Almighty throughout all eternity.
Prepare thee ſtuff for removing] Heb. inſtruments, or veſſels: Convaſa res tuas, collige ſarcinas, pack up and away. See if this way thou canſt work upon them.
It may be they will conſider] ſc. By this expreſſe ſign, though they profit not by thy plain preaching. Miniſters muſt ſtudy their peoples ſouls: turn themſelves into all forms and ſhapes of ſpirit and of ſpeech, to win upon them.
Ver. 4. Thou ſhalt bring forth thy ſtuff] Arma viatoria, for an ocular demonſtration. What ſurer then ſight?
Go forth at even] The King and his men of war were glad to do ſo, 2 Kings 25.4. but it would not do.
Ver. 5. Dig through the wall] Make any ſhift. Neceſſitas magnum telum. He that digd Mortimer's hole (as they call it) at Nottingham Caſtle, earned his liberty dearly. God might have ſaid to the Prophet at once, Get thee gone out of thy country, (how ſad a thing that is, Ovid when baniſhed, ſetteth forth in many elegant Elegies) ſed cuncta per partes digerit, but he muſt do it piecemeal and by degrees, that it may the more affect them.
Ver. 6. In their ſight ſhalt thou bear it upon thy ſhoulders] To ſhew that King Zedekiah himſelf ſhould carry out ſome of his moſt precious things upon his ſhoulders when he fled: See ver. 12. This was a baſe thing for a King to do. King Alphonſus indeed is renouned for drawing a poor periſhing man out of a ditch, and bearing him on his back to a place of relief.
Thou ſhalt cover thy face] In token that Zedekiah ſhould be made blind. A juſt hand of God upon him who had eyes and ſaw not, ver. 2. like as it was upon Muleaſſes King of Tunis, who had thoſe eyes of his digd out which had been inſets of luſt, and which he oft covered with his hat puld over them, that he might liſten the better to wanton ditties and profane Muſick.
For I have ſet thee for a ſign] Portentum, a ſign portending their going into Captivity.
Ver. 7. And I did as I was commanded] Though well laughed at for my labour, by the mad world, ever beſides it ſelf in point of ſalvation; and looking upon Gods Jordans, as Naaman did, with Syrian eyes. The outward ſigns in our Sacraments are in themſelves mean and ordinary matters; yet the Miniſter is to make uſe of them, and the people to climb up to heaven by them as ladders of life. Hence, even in the ancient Churh-liturgy, they had their Surſum corda, Life up your hearts. Rideant Athei & ringantur.
Ver. 8. And in the morning came the Word of the Lord] Mane, id eſt, Maturè. God not only betime, but timouſly admoniſhed his people: but they refuſed to be reformed, would none of his counſel.
Quid ſibi vult quod ita migras? Tu, habet emphaſin. Lavat. Gnat Naſi maſſa.Ver. 9. Hath not the houſe of Iſrael — ſaid unto thee, What doſt thou?] q. d. Nothing leſſe: ſo ſtupid they are or ſo ſtubborn, that they never once asked any ſuch queſtion: Or if they did, it was in a jear, as who ſhould ſay, you are a wiſe man to trouble your ſelf and us in this fooliſh and childiſh manner: a great deal of gravity ſure you ſhew therewhile.
Ver. 10. This burden concerneth the Princes in Jeruſalem] There is an elegancy in the Original. Princes who over-burthen their people, ſhall one day have their back burden of miſeries. Potentes potenter torquebuntur.
Ver. 11. I am your ſign] And, ſo it pleaſeth you to make me your mocking-ſtock. Sedriſus hic eſt Sardonius. Of ſuch laughter one may ſafely ſay it is mad: and of ſuch laughter, What doſt thou? Eccleſ. 2.2.
Like as I have done] My removal is Mira, nova, inimica, & ludicra: but upon you it will fall heavily, and horridly. That which hath befaln me in type only, ſhall befal you in truth and reality.
Ver. 12. And the Prince that is among them] Zedekias that profane wicked Prince, chap. 21.25.
Shall bear upon his ſhoulders in the twilight] His precious things; ſee on ver. 6. This though it be not recorded in the holy hiſtory, yet that it was ſo, we are aſſured by this Scripture. Great men, in exigents ſtoop to low offices. This load upon his ſhoulders might hinder his flight, and further his ſurprizal, as it did Baiazets, when he was beaten out of the field by Tamerlan, that he ſtayed to water his horſe. The Vulgar rendereth it (but not well) in humeris portabitur, he ſhall be carried on mens ſhoulders. The Pope indeed is ordinarily ſo carried: but he was glad to foot it when forced by the German and Spaniſh Souldiers. A. D. 1527. he was glad to ſecure himſelf in his caſtle St. Angelo.
They ſhall dig through the wall] The door, haply, or inlet of ſome under-ground paſſage.
He ſhall cover his face] See on ver. 6. This he did haply through fear, or ſhame, or for a diſguiſe: but his ſin found him out.
Ver. 13. My not alſo will I ſpread upon him] Princes uſually love hunting and fouling. Loe, the Chaldees ſhall hunt him, and over-catch him.
And he ſhall be taken in my ſnare] Snares are ſet ſecretly, catch ſuddenly,Iun. hold certainly. A ſtrong hold the Hebrew word here uſed, doth alſo ſignify.
Yet ſhall he not ſee it] For his eyes were put out at Riblah, 2 King. 25. And yet behold a greater blindneſſe that befel him then this.Ioſeph. Ant. l. 6, 10. cap. 10. foreign. Joſephus teſtifieth that Zedekiah not underſtanding theſe words of Ezekiel, and thinking them to be contrary to Jeremiah's words, he reſolved to believe neither of them.
Ver. 14. And I will ſcatter toward every wind] His life-guard, Eſquires of his body, Auxiliaries. I will put him into an helpleſſe condition: Pſal. 146.3. If the Lord do not help thee, whence ſhall I help thee? ſaid that King to her that cryed to him for help, 2 King. 6.27.
Ver. 15. And they ſhall know that I am the Lord] The Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, Neh. 1.5. This they ſhall know magno ſuo malo, who would not take knowledge what was ſaid unto them by the Prophets.
Ver. 16. But I will leave a few men] Heb. Men of number, a company ſcarce conſiderable, in compariſon of the Many.
That they may declare all their abominations] Give glory to God, take ſhame to themſelves, and thereby do much good to thoſe Heathens, hardened before by their evil behaviour. Verè magnus eſt Deus Ghriſtianorum, ſaid one Calocerius an Heathen.
Ver. 17. Moreover the word, &c.] See on ver. 1.
Ver. 18. Eat thy bread with quaking] With tumult and trepidation, as an affrighted and perplexed perſon, that eateth his bread in peril of his life.
Ver. 19. They ſhall eat their bread with carefulneſſe] Better faſt then feed on ſuch bread. Men may ſooner by their carking care add a furlong to their grief, then a cubit to their comfort, ſaith One.
Becauſe of the violence] The Jews were ever, and are ſtill a covetous and cruel people.
Ver. 20. And ye ſhall know] By woful experience, ver. 15.
Ver. 21. And the Word of the Lord] See ver. 1.
Ver. 22. What is that Proverb] We have alſo many prophane proverbs common amongſt us, as Thought is free, Every man for himſelf, and God for us all: words are but wind. In ſpace comes grace: Fair and ſoftly goes far, &c.
The dayes are prolonged] Ludibrium craſſum: The Greeks had many ſuch ill proverbs, Chryſoſt. complaineth.Becauſe judgement is not ſpeedily exicuted, &c.
Ver. 23. The dayes are at hand] Opponit aliud dictum ferè tot ſyllabarum, a plain and plenary confutation.
Ver. 24. For there ſhall be no more] God could have really confuted them by preſent execution; but he is patient.
Ver. 25. For I am the Lord] And that you ſhall ſhortly feel to your ſmall comfort. What I have uttered with my mouth, I will perform with my hand without fail.
For in your dayes] Within ſix years.
Ver. 26. Again the Word] See on ver. 1.
Ver. 27. For many dayes] Either 'tis nothing, or long hence.
Ver. 28. There ſhall none of my words be prolonged] Abuſed mercy turneth into fury.