Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Ezekiel · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
Ver. 1. THe Word of the Lord] See chap. 18.1.
Ver. 2. There were two women] This is the ſame in effect with chap. 16. but there more plainly, here parabolically expreſſed. Sermo eſt eruditus & elegans, Lavat.ſimul tamen ſpurcus & obſcoenus, to ſet forth the hatefulneſſe of idolatry, creature-confidence, and adultery.
The daughters of one mother] ſc. Synagogae, vel Sarae. Some think the Prophet alludeth to Jacobs two ſiſter-wives.
Ver. 3. And they committed whoredoms in Egypt] See chap. 20.8. Joſh. 24.14.
Pet. Satyr.They committed whoredoms in their youth] Like the Strumpet Quartilla in Petronius, who ſaid, Junonem ego meam iratam habeam, ſi unquam me meminerim virginem fuiſſe.
There were their breſts preſſed] Violatam virginitatem mammarum laxitas conſequitur.
Ver. 4. And the names of them were Aholah] i. e. Her Tent, not mine (ſo he calleth Samaria or the ten tribes) what have I to do with it or her? Confer 1 King. 12.16, 28, 31. She is gone to her Tent, and hath ſet her up Tabernacles, where to worſhip her golden idols.
The Elder] So called becauſe more numerous and potent then the other two tribes. She was alſo firſt in the defection.
And Aholibah] That is my tent is in her. So Jeruſalem is called, becauſe the Temple and Teſtimonies of Gods ſpecial preſence were there, as King Abijah well pleadeth it, 2 Chron. 13.10, 11.
Samariah is Aholah] In figure ſhe is: though ſome have held that theſe were the name of two notorious ſtrumpets in Egypt.
Ver. 5. And Aholah plaid the harlot when ſhe was mine] Fornicata eſt ſub me, under colour and covert of a marriage made with me. See what a fair gloſſe Jeroboam ſet upon his foul idolatry, 1 King. 12.28.
On the Aſſyrians her neighbours] So they were now become, by the conqueſt of Syria.
Ver. 6. Which were cloathed with blew] With rich and gorgeous attire. Veſtis luxuriae nidus.
Ver. 7. Thus ſhe committed her whoredoms with them] Heb. ſhe beſtowed her wheredomes upon them, ſhe was no niggard: a little intreaty ſerved turn: euilibet ſui copiam faciebat, ſuch was her idol-madneſſe.
Ver. 8. Neither left ſhe her idols brought from Egypt] Witneſſe her two golden calves brought therehence by Jeroboam, in imitation of Apis a calf dedicated by the Egyptians to Serapis their chief idol.
— Quis neſcit qualia demens
Aegyptus portenta colat?Juvenal.
For in her youth] See on ver. 3.
And poured their whoredome upon her] This kind of language and the like is here and elſewhere uſed, not to teach men to ſpeak or do foul things, but the contrary. Of Petronius his Satyricon it is ſaid, Tolle obſcaena, & tollis omnia: and that he was impuriſſimus ſcriptor puriſſimae Latinitatis. Of our Prophet it may as truely be ſaid, Tolle ſancta & tollis omnia. See on ver. 2.
Ver. 9. Wherefore I have delivered her] 2 King. 17.23.
Per quod quis peccat, per idem punitur & ipſe.
Ver. 10. Theſe diſcovered her nakedneſſe] i. e. They have ſhamefully puniſhed her for a ſtinking ſtrumpet, as ver. 26.
And ſhe became famous] For her ſins and puniſhments, much talked of; Heb. a name.
Ver. 11. And when her ſiſter Aholibah ſaw this] And yet would not be warned; which was a juſt both preſage and deſert of her utter deſtruction.
She was mere corrupt] She was therefore the worſe, becauſe ſhe ſhould have been better.
Ver. 12. She doated] Amantes amentes. See ver. 5.
Ver. 13. Then I ſaw that ſhe was defiled] Whence it is that mans nature is ſo prone to idolatry, and why that ſin is compared to adultery, ſee Polanus upon this chapter, p. 538, 539, 540.
Ver. 14. For when ſhe ſaw men pourtrayed upon the wall] So unbrideled was her luſt, that ſhe fell a doating upon thoſe quos tantum per umbram & imaginem aspexerat, whoſe pictures only ſhe had beheld. In ſome Popiſh Churches there are to be ſeen wanton pictures: ſuch as do rather kindle luſt, then quicken devotion. An eyewitneſſe hath told us in print, that in ſome places they will aſſemble diverſe of the faireſt curtiſans (when they would draw a picture of the Virgin Mary, Spec. Eur.to draw the moſt modeſt beauty of a Virgin out of the flagrancy of harlots.
Ver. 15. Girded with girdles] Rich cloathes are oft but fine covers of the fouleſt ſhame. If every ſilken ſuit did cover a ſanctified ſoul, it would be brave.
Conciliatorem peccati oculum Talmudici nominant.Ver. 16. And as ſoon as ſhe ſaw them with her eyes] Here began the miſchief: Ʋt vidi ut perii! — O culi ſunt in amore duces. Many have dyed of the wound in the eye.
And ſent meſſengers unto them] Being themſelves therefore, not long after, ſent into captivity unto them, that they might have enough of them.
Ver. 17. Into the bed of love] Or, of breſts, which are the ſymboles of love, and ſeats of delight as Naturaliſts note. See Prov. 6.19. and 7.18.
And her mind was alienated from them] Heb. looſed or disjoynted, to do at another while upon the Egyptians. Etiam vota poſt uſum faſtidia ſunt.
Ver. 18. Then my mind was alienated from her] So Jer. 6.8. See there.
Ver. 19. In calling to minde the ſins of her youth] This was to recommit them; becauſe ſhe remembred them with delight. It argueth an unmortified frame, when recalling former evil acts proveth a ſnare.
Ver. 20. Whoſe fleſh is as the fleſh of aſſes] qui ſunt bene mentulati (hon…s ſit auribus) & qui ſemine abundant. Commodus the Emperour, who had never a good property in him, was for this called the Aſſe, as Hierom noteth.
Circum fluunt & exundant omni ſcelere & impietate copioſiſſi…e.And whoſe iſſue is as the iſſue of horſes] Fluxus equorum eſt fluxus corum, that is, they are extreamly libidinous and ſuperſtitious: ſo that there is no ho with them.
Ver. 21. Thus thou calledst to remembrance] See ver. 19.
Ver. 22. Therefore O Aholibah] Flagitium & flagellum ſunt ut acus & filum. Sin and puniſhment are unſeparable companions, they are tyed together with chaines of Adamant.
Ver. 23. Pekod and Shoah and Koa] The inhabitants of theſe ſeveral countryes, ſubject to the Babylonians. See Jer. 50.21. K…a is by Strabo called Gaugamela.
Ver. 24. I will ſet judgement before them] i. e. I will put thee into their hands to be puniſhed.
And they ſhall judge thee according to their judgement] Without mixture of mercy: whereas I uſe in the midſt of judgement to remember mercy.
Rhodigin. l. 24. cap. 45. Pet. Damiaen. l. 1. ep. 21.Ver. 25. And they ſhall take away thy noſe and thine eares] He ſeemeth to allude to the cuſtome of the Egyptians, which was to cut off the noſe and the eares of the adultereſſe. John a certain Antipope was ſerved in like ſort by the Romans. Paul the ſecond deſerved to be ſo ſerved; of whom it is recorded that he was ſo proud that he painted his face to pleaſe his Concubine: and that he was once in a mind to have taken to himſelf the name of Formoſus, Jac. Rev. de vit. Pont.but that he thought it was ominous; becauſe his predeceſſour of that name came to ſo ill an end.
Ver. 26. They ſhall alſo ſtrip thee out of thy cloaths] Wherein thou haſt ſo much prided thy ſelf.
And take away thy fair jewels] Inſtrumenta mundi tui, the inſtruments of thy decking, Iſa. 3.
Ver. 27. Then will I make thy leudneſſe to ceaſe from thee] Thy prepenſed wickedneſſe. This benefit thou ſhalt reap and receive of thine enemies cruelty.
Nor remember Egypt] Without regret.
Ver. 28. I will deliver thee] God hath an holy hand in all the evils that befall his people, by whomſoever.
Ver. 29. And they ſhall deal with thee hatefully] As ill as the wit of malice can deviſe to do.
All thy labour] i. e. All that thou haſt laboured for. Oh lay up grace, qua nec …ripi nec ſurripi poteſt.
And the nakedneſſe of thy whoredoms] Nuditas tua ſcortationibus dedita.
Piſcar.Ver. 30. Thou art polluted with their idols] Whereby thou thoughteſt to have purged away thy ſins, (as Papiſts alſo do) but it proveth otherwiſe.
Ver. 31. Therefore will I give her cup into thine hand] An alluſion to the manner of feaſts whereat the Sympoſiarch or Governour gave every gueſt his cup fitly tempered. God is the great Modimperator.
Ver. 32. Thou ſhalt drink of thy ſiſters cup deep and large] Yea though it have eternity to the bottom.
Ver. 33. Thou ſhalt be filled with drunkenneſſe and ſorrow] That dry drunkenneſſe; ut ſi catapotium bibas.
Ver. 34. And thou ſhalt break the ſheards thereof] i. e. Of the cup, which thou ſhalt caſt away with utmoſt indignation: but thou haſt thy bane.
And pluck of thine own breaſt] For a revenge of thy fornication therewith committed.
Ver. 35. Becauſe thou haſt forgotten me] This was the ſource of all their ſins; and cauſe of all their calamities.
And caſt me behind thy back] As an harlot loatheth her husband. It is laid to Davids charge that in that foul fall of his, he had deſpiſed Gods Commandement, 2 Sam. 12.9.
Ver. 36. Wilt thou judge] See chap. 20 4. & 22.2.
Ver. 37. And blood is in their hands] Adultery is the devils neſt-egge, and cauſeth many ſins to be laid one to and upon another: as here murther, idolatry, &c.
To devour them] Not only to purge, and to dedicate them.
Ver. 38. They have defiled my ſanctuary in the ſame day] When they had done evil as they could, they exerciſed mine external worſhip, that they might ſeem religious: So Iſa. 66.3.
Ver. 39. For when they had ſlain] When their hands were full of blood, and even reaking hot therewith. This was deteſtable impudency.
Then they came the ſame day into my Sanctuary] Citra conſcientiam, Eraſ. ep. lib. 16. ad obtrect.as if they had done God good ſervice. So Eraſmus telleth of a fierce Frier Auguſtin of Antwerp who openly in the Pulpit there Preaching to the people, wiſhed that Luther were preſent, that he might bite out his throat with his teeth:Fiducia in federibus. ſo doing he would nothing doubt to reſort to the altar with the ſame bloody teeth, and receive the body of Chriſt.
Ver. 40. Ye have ſent for men] Ye have truſted to forrein forces, and carnal combinations.
For whom thou didſt waſh thy ſelf] Omnino te comparas ut Thais impudentiſſima, ad pelliciendos & ineſcandos amatores; thou haſt acted the whore to the life, to inveigle thy paramours.
Ver. 41. And ſateſt] For entertainment-ſake.
Whereupon thou haſt ſet mine incenſe] So fighting againſt me, as it were with mine own weapons, and abuſing my beſt gifts to my greateſt diſhonour; contrary to Prov. 3.9.
Ver. 42. And a voyce of a multitude being at eaſe] Or being jolly and jocund, as at brothelhouſes.
And with the men of the common ſort] Heb. to the men: the baſeſt and moſt abject people alſo were taken into confederacy; even Arabians, Ethiopians, Tartars; ſo cheap didſt thou make thy ſelf; ſo fond waſt thou of their fopperies.
Ver. 43. To her that was old in adulteries] Inveteratae & detritae, withered and oreworn.
And ſhe with them] Is ſhe (as Helena was foreign) the ſame ſtill no changeling yet?
Ver. 44. Yet they went in unto her] They committed idolatry without mean or meaſure; being wofully hardened and habituated therein.
Ver. 45. And the righteous men] So the Chaldees are called: becauſe leſſe wicked then the Jews (as the Scythians were better then the Athenians, and now the Indians then the Spaniards) and becauſe they executed the righteous ſentence of God, upon thoſe flagitious Jews.
Ver. 46. I will bring up a company] A numerous army which ſhall make much havock and ſlaughter.
Ver. 47. And the company ſhall ſtone them] As by the law they did adultereſſes.
Ver. 48. Thus will I cauſe leudneſſe to ceaſe] Thus, if it may be done no otherwiſe. Thus ſtill if men will not mend by faire means, they are taken away by death, that they may ſin no more.
That all women may be taught] That all Cities and States may hear, and fear, and do no more ſo.
Exemplo alterius qui ſapit, ille ſapit.
Ver. 49. And ye ſhall bear the ſins] i. e. The puniſhment of your idolatry: neither ſhall ye have colour of cauſe to complain of my ſeverity.
And ye ſhall know that I am the Lord God] This comes in ever and anon, velut verſus intercalaris, and hath much weight in it to ſet on what is ſaid before.