Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4
For the three shepherds cut off in a month, they were three sorts of teachers, which they had gotten them, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essees, for at the destruction of Jerusalem all these Sects ceased together, and were never heard of anymore. And this, that I may not add to the number of Expositions brought, anymore, or any other new, I embrace as the best and most genuine, because it agreeth best with the Prophets order of proceeding, who before brought in Christ speaking of his feeding the sheep of slaughter, whom their possessors destroyed.
And v. 7. having again repeated his care of feeding this poor and afflicted flock, he now tells what he did for the whole Nation of the Jews, and how unworthily they dealt by him, for which he at length gave them over. If we should here bring in what the Lord did of old to all Nations or the Jews, or touching the Kings of Israel and Judah, or the fair estate of the Church of Israel at the first, we should plainly go against and not follow the order of the Prophet, which is to relate things done by our Lord Jesus at his coming amongst the Jews, to convince them of their great ingratitude, and that God's judgments came therefore most justly upon them, when they were besieged and destroyed by the Romans, and to comfort and confirm the poor of the flock, that is, such of them as believed, and all the faithful everywhere, when they saw those judgments brought upon them, that it was the Lord's doing, being hereby approved to be the true Messiah against all the Jews, that oppose this truth most pertinaciously to this day, according to verse. 11. So the poor that waited upon me, kn • w that it was the word of the Lord. The staff then called Beauty, which this great shepherd took, was plainly his gracious teaching accompanied with many miracles, which made his staff or arm most glorious, and that called Band, his going according to God's Covenant made with Israel in seeking their good, all other Nations being for the time neglected. For the word rendered bands, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifying bands or cords, but by the alteration of some pricks proditores, betrayers, which is followed by some, and then by the first staff the faithful amongst the Jews are understood by them, and by the other the wicked, who were the destroyers of their country by their sins. How this can be made to agree I see not, forsomuch as that the staff called Beauty in this sense is never broken, but by their deformation through errors and absurdities to which they were left, the staff Beauty was manifestly broken, and the other called Bands by their dispersion.
For the three shepherds cut off in a month, whom he saith, his soul abhorred, it cannot without blasphemy be applied to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, who were in so great favor with God, and of whom Mich. 6. 4. saith, I lead you by Moses, Aaron and Miriam. They were therefore shepherds of another sort, even their possessors, that destroyed, them before spoken of, most probably the Scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees, for amongst the Essees John the Baptist was brought up, an austere sect, and it is not to be thought, but that many of them were converted; to be sure they are not by name mentioned in holy Writ or reproved. Vers. 9. that that dieth let it die, and that which is to be cut off, &c. in these words the state of the Jews, when the Romans besieged them, is exactly set forth, as it was. For then many died by pestilence, many by the sword, and many by a sore famine, making them even to eat the flesh of another, yea mothers their own children, to which extremity they were brought by three captains filling all things with rapine and confusion in the City, Eleazarus, Jonathan and Simon. But they were finally all destroyed by the Romans in taking the City, when they united their forces against them, and this was done in a short time indeed, for which I commit it to the readers consideration, whether they might not be the three shepherds before spoken of, that were cut off in one month, and the same the possessors of the people, that destroyed them; for if we shall so hold, I see nothing, that can be objected against it, since Princes, as well as Priests and Teachers, have the name of Shepherds ost given them in holy Scripture.
And I said, If ye think good give me my price: and they weighed for my price 30 pieces of silver. This makes it plain, that the prophesy speaketh of Christ in the words before going, as hath been said, because this is noted to have been fulfilled, when they gave Judas 30 pieces of silver to betray him unto them, and he afterwards being stricken for it brought the money again to the Priests, who bought therewith a Potters field for a burying place for strangers. Whereas he bringeth in Christ speaking, give me, if you think good, my price, this is to be referred to his requiring of the husbandmen the fruits of his Fathers Vineyard, but he compelled them not to give them, for he left this to the liberty of their own will, saying, if it seemeth good unto you. But they instead of rendering him such a price for all his labors and good deeds done unto them, gave for the price of his betraying 30 pieces of silver to Judas. Vers. 13. And the Lord said unto me, Cast it to the Potter, and I cast it to the Potter in the house of the Lord. Matthew relating Judas his fact, saith, that he brought it to the chief Priests and cast it down in the house of the Lord, and they upon consultation bought the Potters field, which is the same in effect, that is here said. The Lord secretly moved Judas being inwardly terryfied for that which he had done to return his money to the Priests again, and for so much as it went to the buying of a field of a potter, it was in effect cast to the Potter, but to show, that it came not to him immediately, but first to the house of the Lord, it is said, I cast it to the Potter in the house of the Lord; neither needs the reader to be troubled for that the Lord is brought in saying, I east it, when as the Priests did it, and Judas did first bring it into this house: for nothing else is meant hereby, but that the Lord by his providence had an hand in all this. And in saying, Give me my price, if ye will, he meaneth not, saith Gwalther, that man hath any free will, but speaks thus indignabunde, as if a faithful shepherd should say to them, whose sheep he hath kept with all good care, but finds all his care and pains but ill accepted of, I will keep these sheep no longer, give me therefore my hire, if ye will, that I may be gone, if ye will not, I will go away without it, for it is not a price, that I stand upon for mine one benefit. And to the same effect he saith by way of Irony, a goodly price that I was valued at, and therefore in contempt he saith, cast it to the Potter. For anything further touching this text see my Exposition upon Matth. 27.
Take yet unto thee the instruments of a foolish shepherd. Here the Lord proceedeth to show further, what other judgments he would lay upon the Jews for their malicious persecuting and vilipending of Christ, and these are judgments, that should come upon them in respect of their souls, which should be infinitely exposed to danger by foolish shepherds, that is, impostours, who should pretend themselves to be that Shepherd, the Messiah, who came from heaven out of a tender care of his sheep to guide and feed them, that they might be saved. The chief of whom was one notorious man calling himself Barchobab, that is, the son of a star, making the credulous Jews to believe that he was the star prophesied of by Balaam, saying, a star shall rise out of Jacob. This deceiver arose in the days of Aelianus the Emperor, and drew innumerable companies of Jews unto him, and with them took many Cities and Towns: but Julius Severus being sent for by the Emperor against him, many thousands of them were slain and he fled away. Now Zechariah must as well personate this man by taking the instruments of a foolish shepherd, as the true Messiah before by taking two staves. And then he showeth what mischief should insue to the poor seduced sheep, he shall not visit those that be cut off, nor seek the young one, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which standeth still, but he shall eat the flesh of the fat and tear their claws in pieces; where by the sheep cut off, such as go astray are understood, and not to visit them is not to seek to reduce them to the fold; by the young one the ignorant, and not to seek him is not to seek by instruction in the truth to bring him to saving knowledge; by that which is broken the disconsolate, and not to heal such is not to preach remission of sins and salvation by Christ unto them; and by them that stand still, such as continue in the faith, whom not to feed is not diligently to preach unto them for their confirmation against the corruption of nature, the subtlety of Satan, or other temptations which are incident unto them. So that from hence we may gather, what the duties of a good and wise shepherd are, viz. to do all these things. But they are foolish and wicked shepherds, that do them not, but contrariwise are intent to their own gain, that they may live plentifully eating and drinking of the best, out of the fat gotten from the flock, and to rule with tyranny over them, exercising all manner of oppression and cruelty towards them, that make any resistance; to this effect Gwalther. And such shepherds through God's just judgment had the Jews ever since their rejecting of Christ, not only the foresaid Barchobab, otherwise by themselves called Benchozbah, the son of a liar, but also others like him, that rose up afterwards, as one Desiderius, that seduced thousands, and another, that pretended himself to be a man sent of God to lead them through the Sea, as Moses, to their own land, persuading them to plunge themselves into the water after him, and that so the waters should be so divided by which means many of them perished. And by this foolish shepherd also all the rabble of their Rabbins was meant, who pretending themselves to be the only men of knowledge in the laws and Prophets, have from time to time instead of solid matter led them with foolish and vain inventions to hinder them from coming to Christ. Lastly, the Antichrist, as Jerome and Rupertus have it, are here prophesied of, who, although for worldly wisdom he be most cunning to deceive of all others, yet indeed he is the most foolish, that is, wicked of them all. And if by him we understand the Roman Hierarchy, one egg [Note.] is not more like another, then the Pope, Cardinals and Bishops of Rome to this shepherd for his feeding or seeking the poor flock of Christ and the good thereof by doing the Offices before said, but by tyranny and cruelty most ambitiously seeking himself in respect of Dominion and worldly wealth. Lyra by this foolish shepherd understandeth only Antichrist to come, whom, he saith, the Jews should follow, being by him deceived, as our Lord saith, when another comes in his own name, him ye will receive. He shall eat the flesh of the fat ones, by covetously exacting upon them for their wealth, and break their claws, by violent dealing with some, putting them to death. But to this idol shepherd a woe is threatened, and he is thus called, because he fitteth in the Temple of God, and will be worshipped as God, which also notably agreeth to the Pope, whom his flatterers entitle Vicedeus, and Dominus deus papa. The sword shall be upon his arm and upon his eye, upon his arm to cut it off, the sword shall be to bring his power and might at length to nothing, and upon his right eye to darken it, by bringing all his counsel and cunning, whereby he formerly prevailed, to nothing, so that he shall neither have strength to resist, nor providence to foresee and prevent his own ruin. And to this effect the Apostle speaketh, when he saith, he shall be revealed, and the Lord shall consume him with the breath of his mouth and abolish him with the brightness of his coming. And the same is the case of every wicked [Note.] and negligent pastour, he is an abominable idol, and shall be punished both in body set forth by the arm, and in soul, set forth by the eye, so Calvin.
CHAP. XII.
THe burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord, that stretcheth out the heavens, &c. It may seem strange, saith Gwalther, that the Prophet being about to prophesy good to Israel and to Jerusalem, their chief City and judgments to come upon her enemies and destroyers should begin with saying, the burden, since this always implieth heavy and grievous things to come. But it is to be understood, that he saith not upon Jerusalem, but upon Israel, intimating, that the heavy part of that, which is here said, should fall only upon those of the children of Israel, who continued still at Babylon, and would not return to build the house of God when they might. For there were many such, who derided the endeavors of their brethren in this kind, that returned to Jerusalem, and set to this costly and great work, as not believing, that ever it should be perfected, or if it were, that it should not be suffered by the heathen enemies to stand long. In respect of them therefore it is called a burden, because they cannot without grief see or hear of the prospering of that, which is undertaken contrary to their liking. And because the things here following were such, as might seem incredible, he promiseth a description of God by his Almighty power in spreading the heavens as a curtain, laying the foundation of the earth, and creating the spirit o • man, that is in her. For what can be impossible to him, that doth these mighty works? Having thus given a title to his prophesy, which is continued to the end throughout this, and chap. 13. 14. he cometh next to the matter, verse. 2. I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling to all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and Jerusalem, the Vulgar, Judah shall be in the siege against Jerusalem. Heb. and also it shall be against Judah in the siege against Jerusalem, that is, and this cup of trembling shall be to Judah, as well as to other people, when some Jews shall join with them against Jerusalem. So likewise it is rendered by Gwalther and by Calvin, who pointeth it thus, and upon Judah, it shall be in the siege of Jerusalem. Here are two similitudes, whereby it is shown, what should come to the enemies of Jerusalam, for the encouragement of them that inhabiting there put to their helping hands towards the building of the Temple, and to the terror of their enemies, who, it is hereby intimated should never be wanting, although for the present all were daunted by Darius his being their friend. The first similitude is taken from men drunken with wine, who go greedily to it, but anon their heads being intoxicated they go staggering and trembling away scarce able to keep themselves from falling, so the enemies of Jerusalem that came with great courage against her, within a while found her such a cup unto them, they greedily sought to devour her and her precious things, and sometimes prevailed much, but they joyed not long after, Jerusalem becoming unto them a most distempering and destroying cup, the like unto which they had never met withal before. And as the heathen were such enemies, so some of the Jews themselves joined treacherously with them, to whom it happened likewise. For heathens hastily invading Jerusalem; Artaxerxes Ochus was the first after this, who came into the Temple and took away the precious vessels thereof, the occasion whereof was this, Johannes being High Priest, his brother Jesus ambitious of that honor procured Dagasus the Persian president to aid him against his brother to the obtaining of the High Priesthood. But when they came together to the Temple to this end. Johannes so strongly resisted them that he slew his brother Jesus in the Temple, for which fact the King laid a great tribute upon the Jews, from which they had been before freed by Cyrus. But he went not long unrevenged, for he was poisoned by Bagoas one of his own men, and all his children slain except one called Arsame, whom he also slew within four years after. The next enemy was Seleucus King of Syria, after that the Jews had lived in peace in the time of Alexander the Great, and of the Kings succeeding him 100 years. For he took away the treasure of the Temple being assisted by Simon a Jew, who was the President, that discovered it unto him; whereupon he sent Heliodorus to fetch it away, but God made him an example by striking him with his judgment, as is shown, 2 Macc. 3. Then Antiochus Epiphanes another King of Syria persecuted the Jews, being put on so to do by Jason and Menelaus two Jews, and he most horribly profaned the Temple, setting up an idol there, and sacrificing swine's flesh. But God then stirred up Mattathias the High Priest and his sons; Judas Maccabeus and the rest, and strengthened them so against his captains, that they gave them great overthrows, and that wicked King through grief hereat fell into most grievous diseases, whereby being extremely tormented he died. And he being dead Eupator his son was slain by Demetrius his Uncle, then Alexander another son of Antiochus slew Demetrius, and finally his sons making war one against another were all slain, and Lucullus and Pompejus hereupon taking advantage seised upon that Kingdom, and made it a Province of the Romans. Demetrius was also assisted by Alcimus a Jew against the Jews, and then he perished as was before said. Ptolemy Philopator also King of Egypt, who did much mischief to the Jews, sped no better, for he living but a while after in great infamy for his foul letchery suddenly died, after whom his son succeeding, who was but five years old, the Romans taking advantage hereof subdued that kingdom. Finally, Pompeius and Crassus Romans having robbed the Temple, both perished soon after, the one being slain, and the other having most evil success in his wars against the Parthians, where he with his Army perished. Of all which I have written more at large in the continuation of the history from the time of Nehemiah, which giveth great light into many Prophesies, and especially of Daniel.
Now followeth the second similitude, I will make Jerusalem an heavy stone to all nations. Wherein, saith Jerome, he alludeth to the custom of the country of Judea and all Syria, where both in cities and villages stones of great weight were laid to be taken up by young men to try their strength, some lifting them up to their knees, some to their breasts or heads or above, as each ones strength was, and at Athens near the Temple of Minerva, he saith that he saw a most heavy brazen ball, by lifting up of which a man tried his strength before that he entered into the Palaestra. Calvin going upon the common signification of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a post, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 contrition, although the words signify also a cup of drunkenness, making to tremble or stagger, as hath been said, will have it meant hereby that Jerusalem should be so hard to those that assault it, that as a man rushing with his body against a post shall but bruise himself and not hurt it, so he that hastily assaulted that city being by God protected. And for the other metaphor of a stone, he saith, that hereby it is meant, that as an heavy stone shall lie firm, what attempts soever be made to take it up and carry it away, and they who strain themselves about it, do but hurt themselves, not it, by breaking some nerves of their bodies, so it should be to them, that strive to overthrow Jerusalem; and what is said of Jerusalem taken according to the letter, shall be verified touching the Church at all times, the enemies of the Gospel may lift as it, but shall never be able to overthrow it, they may smite with their feet or hands against, it but as a post it shall hurt them, that do so, and continue finally itself unhurt: and to this I assent. They shall be cut in pieces, although all nations be gathered together against it. This is the same in effect, that is spoken touching Christ, upon whom this stone, that is, the head stone of the corner falleth, it shall grind him to powder, and the stone cut out of the mountain without hands becomes great, filling the whole earth and breaking in pieces all kingdoms, the golden, silver, brass, iron, and clay.
I will strike every horse with astonishment and his rider with madness. Here by horse and rider all warlike preparation is to be understood, which should be made void, when it should be against Jerusalem. And this was fulfilled according to the letter, when one of the Ptolemies having brought his Elephants and Army before the gates of Jerusalem, there appeared two men like terrible giants without the gates, whereby the Elephants were made so mad, that they threw off their riders and turned upon the horse and foot behind them, so that many of his army were destroyed by them, the king being so stricken withal, that he could not for a long time stir from his place, as I have shown in my foresaid Continuation.
The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God, the governors of Judah shall say in their heart. Vulg. Let the inhabitants of Jerusalem be comforted to me in the Lord, Hebr. the governors of Judah shall say strength to me, or, I have strength, the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the Lord, &c. that is, God's protection over this city so plainly appearing, as is aforesaid, they shall exultingly look upon it, as their invincible strength, and not only the leaders, but all the people of the city shall make joyful acclamations to the Lord of hosts, as having by his divine power done all this.
In that day I will make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire amongst the wood, and as a torch of fire in a sheaf. Here by another metaphor the Prophet further showeth, how dangerous a thing it should be to all those that should come against Jerusalem, they should be but as wood or straw in the fire, which is seen consumed thereby. And then he addeth, that Jerusalem shall be inhabited in the proper place, that is, notwithstanding all the Persians, Egyptians, and Romans machinations to the contrary, as it was indeed till the final destruction by the Romans for their barbarous cruelty against Christ.
The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem magnify not themselves against Judah. Here the Lord further magnifieth his favor towards Judah before spoken of, and he saith, the tents of Judah, to intimate their undefenced habitations like unto tents, as before in the wilderness, wherein how easily may enemies coming surprise them? And saith, that he will save them first or chiefly, that dwelt thus scatteringly about in the land, and so exposed to greatest dangers, that his singular providence being conspicuous in their preservation, it might not be thought that in David's time, when they had so mighty a King, and when Jerusalem stood strongest being fenced with walls, bars and gates, they were in a more safe condition, then the poor Jews now returned from Babylon, being without King or walled city to defend them. For it being seen, how through God's protection alone they lived in such safety, if the people had been living, who were in David's time, they could not have magnified their happiness above Judah in her present condition. To which effect almost Calvin, but whereas it said, I will save the tents of Judah first, he conceiveth, that it is best read, as at the first, but the sense is full, as hath been shown, without understanding anything.
Then in further extolling God's goodness towards them, he saith, he that is feeble amongst them shall be as David, overcoming Goliath, and the house of David as God, as the Angel of the Lord before them. The Vulg. supplieth it thus, as the house of God, as it may well be supplied, and then the meaning is, everyone of the common people that is faithful, shall be accepted before God, as David was for his upright heartedness, and successful against his enemies, as he, and the rulers amongst them, as God's house most glorious for divine virtues shining in them, and as Angels far more mighty then many men, as was seen in that one Angel, destroying Sennacherib's host in one night, and the first born in Egypt. An hyperbolical extolling of the Jewish state now, especially of the Jews within, the faithful of all nations, who are the Houses or Temples of God, and as Angels leading an heavenly life, and as messengers of God declaring his will to others.
And in that day I will pour out the spirit of grace and supplication, &c. Here the Lord to show how the Jews should be made capable of so great favors, as have been spoken of, foretelleth that they should be converted many of them after their crucifying of Christ, as it is said many were Act. 2. at Peters sermon, being pricked at their hearts for that abominable wickedness. And as he had before done, so he now again speaks of them by distinguishing them into the house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, because that family was the chief there and most eminent, and he speaks of his house in particular, the rather, because he was about to particularize some other families also, as the family of Nathan, Levi, and Simeon. Jerome and many other ancients expound this of the Jews seeing Christ to their terror at the day of judgment, as being conscious of their crucifying him, for which they shall know then, that they shall go into everlasting torments. And therefore to express the greatness of their sorrow he compareth it to that for Josiah in the valley of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Negiddo, and because the chief amongst them and the Priests and Scribes had an hand in this bloody fact especially, he nameth the family of the house of David, setting forth their elders, of the house of Levi setting forth their Priests, and of Simeon setting forth the Scribes because they were of that tribe, and Nathan is put in, as a noble son of David, of whose line after Solomon's extinct Christ came; and to prove this, Joh. 19. 37. is alleged, they shall look on him whom they have pierced, and Matth. 24. at his second coming in glory, all the families of the earth shall mourn. But against this exposition maketh the first passage in this text, I will pour out the spirit of grace and supplications, whereby it plainly appeareth, that the mourning here spoken of is that, which proceedeth from the spirit of grace and humble supplication, and not the mourning caused merely by fear or desparetion, which is the mourning of those, that see for their notorious wickedness the judge coming to condemn them to everlasting destruction. The word rendered supplications, signifieth also miserations: and therefore it is by some so rendered, but the former is to be preferred, as best agreeing with the matter in hand, the meaning being, that abundance of grace should now be conferred, making the miserable Jews, who were before hardened in infidelity, to relent for their wickedness, and in extreme sorrow therefore to pray again and again for pardon, being inwardly vexed and troubled, when they came to believe, that Jesus whom they had crucified and hitherto despised, was the true Messiah. And to this Calvin agreeth, although at the first he understands by the spirit of grace and miserations poured out, abundance of grace and compassion, wherewith the Lord would deal with the Jews to make good all the promises before going. Whereas to make the exposition before going the more probable, it is said, that the families of David, Levi and Simeon are particularly mentioned to show, that the chief rulers, Priests and Scribes, who had been chief actours in that bloody tragedy of killing Christ, should have the greatest punishment. It is rather to be held, that these are particularly spoken of to magnify the grace of God the more in converting and saving them, that had been of all others most spiteful against him, that the greatest sinners being thoroughly humbled for their sins and converted, might not despair of God's grace. And that [Note.] there were some such converted, the History of the Acts showeth, where Joses a Levite is said to have come with the price of his land, and laid it down at the Apostles feet, and Gamaliel a principal man amongst them gave advice for the Apostles, & Saul a man of no mean rank, but in authority also, from a persecutor was turned a most laborious and faithful preacher. And amongst the many Myriads, who are said to have believed of the Jews, it is not to be doubted, but that some were of these families. Of the fathers, as some refer this mourning to the day of judgment, so some, to the destruction of Jerusalem, as if the extreme sorrow, that should then be to the Jews were meant and nothing else; but forsomuch as the Jews looked not then upon Christ, as for the cruelty exercised against whom those miseries befell them, this cannot stand. And for answer to the place alleged, Mat. 24. it is but an allusion to this, not an observation of this prophesy now fulfilled, as it should have been made by Matthew specially, who is most of all the other Evangelists in making such observations. Wherefore nothing else can be gathered from thence, but that all the wicked of the world of all nations shall then be filled with sorrow for their judgment coming at that day. For the place of John, there nothing else is meant, but that in piercing Christ's side with a spear that was done, which the Prophet here speaketh of proving Jesus to be the Christ by his being thus pierced. And indeed a most strong argument to prove this may be drawn from hence, since he, whom the Jews pierced in his body, and after at the coming down of the holy Ghost mourned for it, is undoubtedly the true Messiah, and therefore in expecting one that should reign as a King in this world, and being offended at Christ's poverty and cross, gathering hence, that he could not be the Messiah, they shown their palpable blindness: to this effect also Cyprian speaketh L. 2. adversus Judaeos. Touching this text I shall say nothing more, but whereas it is said, they [Note.] shall mourn every family apart, and their wives apart, and as for his first born only son, the particularity and extremity of their sorrow is set forth, and how in that our most serious humiliations we should not only do it together, but each one in secret, as is prescribed in fasting, Mat. 6. and Psal. 4. and men for the time separating from their wives, as is intimated, 1 Cor.
CHAP. XIII.
IN that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem forsin and uncleanness; for menstruous uncleanness, saith Gwalther and the vulg. Lat. because the word signifieth uncleanness, for which one is separated from the company of others, according to Numb. 5. The Prophet having shown in the latter end of the former chapter, with what sorrow the Jews should be stricken for the crucifying of Christ, now for their comfort and the comfort of all, that mourn likewise he showeth that in Christ such should find a never failing fountain of clean water, whereby their sins and uncleanness, although never so great, should be washed away. And here by sin we are to understand any actual breach of the ten commandments, by uncleanness, original sin, of the which it is said, 1 Joh. 1. 6. The blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin, and behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. But it is to be noted that this comfort belongeth not to any but to mourners, as was before said, that such as rejoice in iniquity may not apply it to themselves, as all commonly do: [Note.] And the house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem are spoken of, because they were said before to be the mourners in special for the grievous sufferings of their Savior, whereof their sins and ours were the cause.
I will cut off the names of the idols out of the Land. Such as be of the house of David, that is, of Christ the Son of David, being thus washed through the spirit of faith and by baptism, here is further shown, what a reformation should follow in the Land. Idols should be no more once named, as indeed it came to pass in all nations after the faith embraced and not amongst the Jews only. However the Church being corrupted again in time, images and idols wereset up, although not of Jupiter or Juno, of Baal or Ashteroth, yet of Christ hanging upon the cross, and of both he and she Saints, about an. 600. by the 2 d . Nicene council, after that all the learned and holy fathers, Chrysostom, Jerome, Augustine, &c. were dead and gone, and another ignorant and superstitious generation arose, that preferred their own profit and worldly greatness before the purity of religion. Whereupon one saith well, all the while that there were golden Doctors in the Church of Christ no images were permitted either of silver or gold, but when wooden Doctors came up, the Church abounded with images both golden, silver, and wooden. And Epiphanius expressly said, when in visiting the Churches under him he found a painted cloth behind the door having an image upon it in one of them, he sharply reproved the rectour of the Church and tore the image in pieces. And he addeth further as appurtenances of idols, their Prophets and the unclean spirit speaking in idols, as in the image of Apollo, which he saith, should pass out of the land, that the people of God might be no more deluded by them. For of such Prophets it is to be understood, of which sort we read, that Jezebel nourished some time 400. and by the unclean spirit the devil is meant, who when idolatry is put down, is fugated and made to pass away, but where it is, he both keeps his residence and reigneth as Lord and King, as he did here in England in the time of Popery, when all places were so full of Robbin-good-fellows, as they were called, and Fairies, which since the breaking out of the light of the Gospel vanished.
And if any yet shall prophesy, his father and his mother shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live, for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord. Here is set forth another effect, that should follow in them, that were washed in the fountain before said, they had such zeal to God, and to the purity of his worship, that if one, although most dear and near unto them, as their own son is, should seek to draw them, or others, to this abomination, pretending the Lord therefore, as Jesuits, and Popish priests do, affirming, that Images are good for ignorant people to learn by, as by books, the things of God, and that they are a good means to remember God and his Saints in Prayer, and that they are thus honored, the honor given to their Images redounding to them represented hereby, they should not suffer themselves to be thus deluded; but as a just reward of so great an abuse offered to the Lord, by telling lies in his Name, they should both pass sentence against such an one, and do execution upon him, by thrusting him through without all mercy. And forsomuch as this is spoken of, that which should be done under the Gospel, it appears, that the Magistrates hands are not tied now from sentencing even to death, the seducers to Idolatry in these times, and therefore our law is justifiable, whereby Priests and Jesuits the great seducers of these times, if they come into this land so to do, are adjudged to die, and we should want Zeal, and be guilty of the sin of Lukewarmness, which God loatheth, if we should not so do, according to Deut. 13. whereas he speaks of Father and Mother, thrusting him through, it is not to be understood of their doing a private execution upon their own heads, but by proceeding to law, bringing him before the Judges, that they might give this sentence against him, as by Moses his law it was provided, and the like is to be held touching any other dangerous lie in point of Religion, because it is said, for that thou hast spoken lies in the name of the Lord: and as Images are the teachers of lies, so are they that hold anything blasphemous, pretend Revelations for the abetting of any Error, as the Anahaptists do.
And the Prophets shall be ashamed everyone of his vision, neither shall he wear a rough garment to deceive anymore. Here is a third effect of this washing, or sanctification, the Prophets of Idols themselves also being warned by the destruction of some of their own sect shall be ashamed, and turn from this their evil way, being also by their friends sharply reproved, and threatened, as was said before, that the false Prophets Father and Mother should first threaten him, saying, thou shalt die, and then he, persisting still in his wickedness, thrust him through. But such of them, as are appointed to like being thus admonished, he saith, should repent, and say, I am no Prophet, but an husbandman.
And one shall say, what are those wounds in thy hands? and he shall say, those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. It being meant hereby, that he should acknowledge his ignorance for want of being bred up as a son of the Prophets, which was the cause of his running into so great errors, and so as ashamed, give over this office, and return to his old trade again, to which he had been brought up. For the wounds in his hands, hereby are meant the piercing reproofs and threats of his friends before spoken of, as Gwalther saith o • rather some punishment which he was put to in his hands, haply by burning with some hot iron upon his repentance; the punishment death, being remitted, as is often done in Courts of Justice, a Malefactour in somecase is branded, & spared from death, by the benefit of the Clergy: or he might, for his former presumption, be lashed on the hands with a sharp whip by way of correction, till that the print of the strokes appeared therein. And from hence we may [Note.] gather what an Error any tradesman runs into, that takes the office of a Prophet upon him. 2. That such repent not, unless they return to their old trade again. 3. That for any error cutting off should not be suddenly, but first means used by instruction, and teaching to reduce therefrom. With Gwalther, understanding the wounds of that which was done to a false Prophet by his friends, agree also Calvin, Jerome, Cyril, and Lyra. But upon due consideration I think rather, that the wounds made in the hands of Christ, when he was Crucified, are meant, to speak of whom the Prophet here returneth after his declaring the benefit redounding to his Church by his crucifying, or piercing spoken of, Chap. 12. 10. For having shown, that thus a fountain of Sanctification should be assigned to all Believers, and what effects should follow hereupon amongst them in beating down Idols, & cutting off false Prophets, and the repentance that some of them should be moved withal: Now he returneth to speak of Christ again, who was wounded in his hands, feet, and side; those in hands only being mentioned, the other left to be understood. And hereabout one is brought in as King, What are those wounds in thy hands? to which he answereth, Those that I received in the house of my friends: for so it is said, He came amongst his own, and his own received him not: And his friends the Jews are called, because he came of them according to the flesh. And to this agreeth Rupertus, Tho: Aquinas in Psal. 22. R. Samuel, in Epist Galatinus, lib. 8. c. 7.
And to this agreeth the words of ver. 7. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man that is my fellow; smile the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered, which is plainly spoken of Christ, as is observed Matth. 26. 31. For the repentance of Prophets before spoken of, and returning to their trades again; this, saith Gwalther, hath been fufilled, since the breaking out of the light again in many, who have had fat benefices; but turning from Popery, have left them, and fallen to working for their living, as knowing their own insufficiency for a ministerial calling. And for wearing a rough garment, this was spoken of their habiting themselves after the manner of Prophets, that so they might the better be taken for such, and deceive others, and draw them from truth to error. For Elijah wore a rough garment, and John the Baptist likewise; and therefore it is probable, that it was their common habit at all times. But to come to ver. 7. Awake (O sword) if it shall seem not to agree to the shepherd, Christ, because he was not smitten with the Sword, but Crucified, he might well yet be said to be smitten with the Sword, because the Magistrate is said to bear the Sword, when he is set forth, as having power of punishing with death, so that when a man is cut off by death in any kind, the sword may be said to awake and smite, so Psal. 22. Christ is brought in saying, deliver my soul from the sword, when as it is foretold of his suffering by piercing his hands and feet, and Amos 9. They shall all die by the sword, which as Jerome confesseth, cannot be understood properly, but of any kind of death. My fellow, or equal, these be the words of the Father touching Christ, to whom he thought it robbery to equal in Glory, Phil. 2. 7. as being one Essence. And the Lord is brought in speaking thus, because he suffered by his decree, Acts 2. 23. And I will turn my hands upon the little ones; that is, the sheep before said to be scattered, who should by the power of God be again gathered together, as we see that they were, Acts 1. to the number of 120 souls. And the Lord commonly calleth such little ones, as Mat. 18. Whosoever shall offend any of these little ones, it were better for him, that a mill stone▪ were hanged about his neck, &c.
And it shall come to pass, that in all the land two parts shall be cut off, and die, but the third shall be left therein. This is by Jerome understood of Jews and Gentiles hardening their hearts in unbelief, and their cutting off, and dying, of their perishing everlastingly; and of Christians, who are the third part that shall live. But because he spoke before of turning his hand upon the little ones, that is, the faithful, unbelievers cannot here be meant who shall be cut off, and die; neither can all the land here spoken of be taken for the whole world, but for the pale of the Church, wherein all that are, shall not be saved, but only a third part; two parts perishing for their wickedness, adhered to, although they outwardly betake themselves to the profession of the Faith. For it is but a little flock that shall have the Kingdom: Many are called, but few are chosen, and straight is the way that leadeth to everlasting Life, and there are but few that find it. And when the sower goeth out to sow, there is but one ground good of four, upon which the seed falleth, whereunto Calvin, and Gwalther seem to assent.
And I will bring the third part through the fire, and I will refine them as silver, &c. Here is shown what grievous things the faithful should suffer in this world, who are called the third part, others not having the courage to stand in time of persecution, no more then the corn upon stony ground to keep from withering in the heat of the sun. And this was fulfilled in the time of the Primitive Church, when persecutions were stirred up by one wicked Emperor after another 300 years together, yea, And all that will live godly (saith the Apostle) must suffer persecution: but these sufferings are but as the sinning pot for silver and gold, as Mal. 3. 3. Isaiah 1. 25. so Psal. 66. 12. Thou broughtest us through fire and water.
CHAP. XIV.
I Will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken. Having concluded the former chapter with the sufferings of Christ, and of Christians; now he proceedeth to threaten Jerusalem, wherein these wickednesses were committed, and with a great destruction, which must needs be understood of that by the Romans, as Rupertus and Eusebius have it. Some refer it to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, as Burgensis, and Gwalther; some to the time of Antichrist, as Lyra, but most improbably, as Eusebius noteth, if we consider the circumstances of the place. For when Antiochus in the days of Onias and Jason was by Jason called in to help him against the other to the high Priest-hood, all nations were not gathered against Jerusalem, but they of Syria only; neither did that Tyrant carry any away captive, but raged against them in the City; and that which is spoken in the following part of the chapter agreeth not: lastly, the order of placing this Prophesy, showeth, that it was after Christ's death. And touching that exposition which referreth it to Antichrist, who is yet to come, all the story of him being but an imagination (for the Antichrist now is, and hath long been at Rome, the City standing upon seven Hills) this may be passed over as an imagination also. But how can that exposition be made good, whereby it is referred to Jerusalem's destruction by the Romans, since it is said, Half of the people shall go forth, but the residue shall not be cut off from the City: seeing that when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, they all either perished, or were carried into captivity for slaves? To this some answer, that the inferior part being taken, the superior stood still, where the Temple was, some of that part consisting of strangers, who had come from far parts to keep the Passover at Jerusalem, wanting provision, perished through Famine there, before that the City was taken; then the other part came into the enemies hands, and they were carried away captive. But how can they be said not to be cut off, that perished in the City? We must therefore find some other way of resolving this doubt, which may be done, if we consider that it is not said, The other part shall not be cut off from the City, but the residue shall not be cut off, wherein he doubtless hath reference to that which he had said, chap. 13. 8. Two parts shall be cut off, and the third shall be left therein: For of these left ones, the Elect of God he here speaketh, calling them the residue, which shall not be cut off, and die, and the two parts there called Heb. the mouth of two, are the part here spoken of, that shall go into Captivity, although called two there, because many more, then those that are saved, yet one part here, as the whole company might be divided into two, Sheep and Goats, Elect and Reprobate, are said to be carried away, the other not cut off from the City, because by an admonition from Heaven warned to go out to Pella before the siege began, being by this means preserved from the common destruction: and so, although they removed out of the City, they were not destroyed from it, as others were, but lived both here to glorify God, that had preserved them, and after in the new City of Jerusalem, described, Revel. 21.
Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those Nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. Here unto the comfort before spoken, another comfort is added, a remnant, as hath been already said, shall be kept from cutting off; and not only so, but the enemies, that fought against them, shall be subdued by the Almighty power of God, as in former times, when they had many Battells against the Canaanites, by God's apparent assistance, who fought for them, they destroyed them all, and their Kings being in number 31. For I cannot hold with Jerome, that the overthrow of the Egyptians in the Red sea is only meant here; but with Calvin all other overthrows given to the Canaanites, as I have already said. And this is not only spoken for the comfort and confirmation of the Jews, that were faithful then but also of all true Jews to the end of the world. Grievous sufferings we must go through, [Note.] the City of the Church coming many times into the power of malicious enemies. For as a remnant of them still continued, so in times of hottest persecutions of Christian people, and not only so, but enemies that rise up have been at sundry times, and shall be subdued again unto them, and Antichrist their head. And if by the Nations we understand the Romans, this prophesy was verified in them spiritually by their being subdued many of them to Christ through the preaching of the Gospel, as appears in the Epistle to the Romans, showing a famous Church to have been there, and the whole Empire afterwards in the days of Constantine, their. Idolatry being all overthrown. And finally it shall be verified again when the Antichrist, that sits in the Temple there with his adherents shall go into destruction.
And his feet shall stand that day on the Mount of Olives, on the East before Jerusalem, and the Mount shall cleave towards the East and West, and half shall remove towards the North, and half towards the South: Here Christ's much frequenting of the Mount Olivet is pointed at, as we read in the Gospels that he did, here privately instructing his Disciples sometimes, and sometimes reposing himself here after his grea labors in Jerusalem, and finally giving his last Commission to his Apostles to go and teach all Nations, and from hence ascending up into heaven, for which this Mountain was famous above all other Mountains about Jerusalem. And it cannot but be conceived, that it being near to Jerusalem, the Roman Army in part fortified themselves here in their besieging the City. But now the Sun of righteousness arising in the East, as this was situated in the East, standeth here to oppose all enemies that are against his Jerusalem. And by his power the Mountain cleaveth in sunder both towards the East and the West, and part thereof removeth to the North, and part to the South, all the quarters of the world being thus denoted. And in saying thus he describeth an Earthquake making the ground to cleave being most formidable to all men destructive to many, others that flee away from such gaping of the earth, being safe.
For which he addeth v. 5. that they should flee away as from the Earth-quake in the days of Uzziah, of which mention was made Amos 1. And in saying that the Mount of Olives clave in sunder, hereby was intimated that the Gospel with the grace thereof, being the glad tidings of salvation by Christ, was spread after Christ's ascension thence into all parts of the world, but not without great terror both to the unbelieving & to the true believing, for all Cities and States where it was preached were troubled, and great commotions were in all places as by an Earth quake, the ground opening wide, whereby a show is made of horrible destruction at hand, the vast gulf of hell being represented, into which all unbelievers and impenitent persons are now threatened to be cast, according to that of John the Baptist, Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand, and again, whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and cast his chaff into unquenchable fire: For the representing of the Gospel by Mount Olivet, where Olive trees grew in abundance, of which oil figuring Grace was made, it was most apt in this regard or the purpose. And ye shall flee to the valley of the Mountains, which shall reach to Azel: As the Gospel shall be in fine most comfortable to all the faithful, so it is hereby shown, that it shall be at the first very terrible even to the elect making them to flee for fear as men flee from an Earthquake, according to the words of John the Baptist, who hath forwarned you to flee from the wrath to come. To be terrified in hearing the word [Note.] preached is the first degree of grace, as is also noted, Esa. 66. 2. To whom is the Lord nigh? even to him that is of a broken heart, and trembleth at his word. And whither shall ye flee? even to the valley of the Mountains reaching Azel, Vulg. ad proximum, and the word signifieth juxta, nigh, some take it for a proper name, Euseb. renders it, the help of God, the meaning is, Ye, that shall not be cut off, as was said before of the remnant elect, shall flee out of the danger which shall come upon others that repent not at the preaching of the Gospel, ye shall fl • e to the valley of true humiliation, and through this ye shall come to the next mountain, the Tabernacle of the most high, where ye shall be safe, for of the Lord, as an hill above the reach of all dangers David speaks, when he saith, thou hast set me upon a rock that is higher then I, and mine eyes are lifted up to the hills, from whence cometh my help. And the Lord my God shall come, and all the Saints with him: that is, although ye his Saints be made for a time to fear, yet it shall finally come to pass, that the Lord Jesus shall come in great majesty and glory, and then ye shall come joyful with him also. At what time this shall [Note.] be, is shown Jud. v. 14. Behold, the Lord cometh with thousands of his Saints to execute judgment, &c. and thus the end of those that fear, to repent and humble themselves for sin, shall be most happy.
Some understand this fleeing of the Jews, fleeing and adhering to the old service of the Temple which stood upon a Mount next unto this here spoken of, whereunto one must pass through a valley: but of this, little reason can be yielded, seeing this is spoken for the comfort and confirmation of the faithful against all fear of danger, with which, although they be surprised for a time, yet it is for their good, to bring them to the Lord and to everlasting happiness in the end, and there needed nothing to terrify the unbelieving Jews to make them to hie them to that carnal service, because they never departed from it, and at this time the Temple was demolished, the City being taken and it burnt, as v. 2. The Jews many of them taking this prophesy literally, use it as a proof that the Messiah is not yet come, because when he cometh it will appear by this sign, Mount Olivet, upon which he shall stand, shall cleave, and as it is Esa. 2. the Mountain of the Lord's house shall be elevated and made higher then any other Mountain, which yet is not done. But of that I have said enough there in what sense it is spoken, and of this here.
In that day it shall neither be light nor dark, but it shall be one day known unto the Lord; Vulg. it shall not be light, but cold frost, Hebr. light of beauties and coagulation, that is, fair day light, or thick darkness. This day is by some taken for the day when the Lord shall come with his Saints, as was before said, that is, the day of judgment which shall neither be light enough to see to flee away from that judgment, and it shall be so cold that men's limbs shall wax stiff by reason of the cold and frost, so that they cannot run. But this is absurd, because the Lord shall then come in flaming fire burning all things. Lyra following the same reading of cold and frost, saith, that this cold shall be within through fear, and that it shall not be a clear light day, and whereas it is said to be known to the Lord, that was according to the saying of our Savior, Of that day or hour knoweth no man, but one, my Father which is in heaven: not day nor night, because of the light and darkness mingled; and for that it was a most short time of which he speaketh, being not so long as either day or night. Some by this day will have the day of Christ's suffering death meant, and that it is said neither to be light, nor dark, because the Sun was that day darkened, and in the Evening, as here followeth, it was light, because the darkness was but from the 6 to the 9 hour of the day. Others understand no particular day, but generally the time following this prophesy that immediately, there should be a mixture of miseries with joys, and this is the comfort of the faithful, that it is known to God, how it is with them, and all light shall never be extinguished unto them, and in the end it shall be light and constant comfort set forth by the evening light; in the days of the Gospel often called the day, Christians being sometimes in prosperity, and sometimes in adversity; and finally in the evening of this life and of the world coming to everlasting light in heaven.
And this I take to be best, as whereunto the next words agree best, v. 8. In that day living waters shall go out from Jerusalem, half of them from the former, and half from the hinder Sea, both summer and winter, so that by that day is plainly meant not one day precisely, but many, by the day the time in general being set forth, and it is a time, as was said before, ch. 13. 1. of the flowing of waters, that is, graces coming by the Gospel all over the world, signified by the former and hinder Sea, that is, as Gwalther renders it, the Eastern and Western, of which two extreme parts it is commonly spoken when Christians coming in of all Nations is spoken of, and the flowing of these waters of comfort both summer and winter, showeth God's constant going on in watering the Church with his grace to the worlds end.
And the Lord shall be King over all the earth, and there shall be one Lord and his name one: that is, all Nations by embracing the Gospel shall be made subjects of the Kingdom of Christ, he being now the only Lord, and other God's and Lord's, as Baalim, and Ashteroth, Jupiter and Apollo, &c. shall not be once named anymore, as ch. 13. 2. And according to this it is said, Rom. 10. 18. their sound went out into all the earth, and the word to the ends of the world: so likewise Euseb. and August. for although the names of the Lord be many, yet because he is one essence only, and all these names serve to set forth one and the same, it is said, his name shall be one. But this is by Calvin expounded of one and the same way of worshiping the Lord in all Christian Churches, divers ways according to men's divers phantasies, not being permitted, but all being brought to go herein according to one rule, which although it is not yet attained to in these our times, but divers particular Churches go divers ways, yea in the same Nation, now especially in the Church of England, through the diversity of men's opinions, yet it cannot but be acknowledged a blemish, and to go all in one way of public worship is earnestly to be desired by us all; and in the Primitive Church, that it was so, is apparent Act. 2. 46. and so this prophesy was fulfilled; and thus it shall be again the Jews being converted. They can no way therefore be justified who maintain others, as having a name in the Church, one over one Country, another [Note.] over another; one over this disease, another over that; one for women in childbed, another in other dangerous cases, as the Papists. Neither they that would have every particular Church, yea every man left to his own conscience for way of the religious Tenets or performances, as the Independents of these times.
All the Land shall be turned into a Plain from Geba to Rimmon. This was never fulfilled according to the letter to the Jews after their return from captivity, and therefore must needs be understood spiritually of the Church under the Gospel. For of this time it is said, The voice of a crier in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, every valley shall be fulfilled, and Mountains made low, &c. which was done by John the Baptist sent to prepare the way of the Lord. Then Jerusalem shall be lifted up and inhabited in her own place: of which last words see ch. 12. 6. and for her lifting up Esa. 2. above all Mountains. The Jews from hence also gather that the Messiah is not yet come, because the Mountains stand all still about Jerusalem as they did, but the making all plain is by taking away all impediments hindering men from seeing the beauty of Christ and his Church, and consequently from coming unto them, and sins are as strong holds upon high and Mountainous places, that is, idolatry and superstition and other wickednesses, but by the Gospel preached through the power of God beaten down, and of such high and cragged places two are here mentioned, Geba and Rimmon, of the latter of which it is said Judge. 20. that the men of Benjamin fled to the rock Rimmon, but where these stood and the gates here further spoken of, we shall not need anxiously to inquire, seeing it is but allegorical, the amplitude of the Evangelical Church being set forth hereby to be much more then the Church of the Jews in former times, as Isaiah 54. and precisely know no man now can, where the places here spoken of were.
And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord shall smite all them that fight against Jerusalem, their flesh shall consume away whilst they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue in their mouth. Having said v. 11. that Jerusalem should be safely inhabited, here it is intimated, that this is not so to be understood, but that she should have enemies still from time to time, but herein lieth her comfort, that the strength which hath been raised against her shall consume, although it shall not appear how or by what means this may be done, even as a body full of flesh pineth away whilst a man is yet living, and his eyes consume, and his tongue or speech faileth him, that was before strong and loud spoken, yet now is made feeble, and as i • he had lost his tongue. So that hereby is foreshowed, that although the Church of Christ should be persecuted by the Potentates of the Earth, yet through God's just judgments upon them, their strength should come to nothing, although in the Church persecuted by them there were no strength to oppose them, but only, as of old, it was said, preces & lachrymae, which was notably verified in the Roman Emperors, in the time of the ten persecutions, there being so many of them cut off in a short time, and none living near the time of Constantine who came to be Emperor after them.
Judah shall fight against Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the Heathen round about shall be gathered together: Heb. it is, in Jerusalem, the meaning is, that not only by foreign enemies the Church of Christ shall suffer grievous things, but also one by another, as v. 13. ch. 12. 2. ch. 11. 6. and hereby it is meant that the Church should suffer by Heretics rising up amongst themselves, as well as by professed enemies of the Christian religion. For the wealth of the Heathen here spoken of, it is meant of their treasures which they should bring with them for the maintenance of their wars, implying huge armies which could not be brought forth and maintained without abundance of gold and silver, which hath been many times verified, as when the Arians persecuted the Orthodox, and the Nestorians likewise, and the Antichrist of Rome the reformed Churches, the Goths Christians in Italy, and the Turk in all places. And for Judah's fighting against Jerusalem, it was never more verified then in [Note.] these times in our own Church of England, wherein one party fighteth against another without end.
So shall the plague be of the horse and the mule &c. as this plague: that is, the plague or stroke before spoken of, v. 13. upon the enemies of the Church consuming them, for as they, so all their warlike preparations set forth by horse and mule, &c. shall come to nothing.
Shall go up from year to year to worship the King the Lord of Hosts, and to keep the feast of Tabernacles. It was said before, v. 9. that the Lord should be King over all the earth, now in alluding to this, he saith, that the converts of all Nations shall do thus. But how can this be under the Gospel, when neither at Jerusalem nor in this Mountain men shall worship the Father? It must be spiritually understood, going to Jerusalem setteth forth coming to the Church of Christ, and being joined hereunto, which who so doth, he only can acceptably worship him. For keeping the feast of Tabernacles, that was once a year, coming up from all parts of the Land to Jerusalem, and thence going out to abide in Booths made of green boughs 7 days in remembrance of their dwelling in the Wilderness in tents 40 years, in all which time they were miraculously preserved. And hereby is meant, that the faithful should acknowledge themselves pilgrims here, and therefore not have their minds set upon this world, but lifted up to things above to their Country heaven, where they hope one day to inhabit. For there were three principal feasts in the year, in regard of which they must come up to Jerusalem 3 times in the year, but the Prophet pitcheth only upon one most fit for his purpose, to express that which I have said. But it is to be noted, that this is done by the truly faithful [Note.] from year to year, that is, they are constant in heavenliness of mind to the end of their days, not now going up thus, and then with Demas going down again to the embracing of this present world, as the manner of many is.
And it shall be, that whosoever will not come to Jerusalem of all the families of the earth, upon them shall be no rain. Here it is intimated that in the time of all Nations turning to the Lord, there will be some particulars that will harden their hearts and not turn true worshippers of this glorious King, but either keep out of the Church persisting in infidelity, or if they come in, being but outward professors, having Lamps but no oil in them. Against those that be such, it is here threatened, that it shall not rain upon them, whereby is not meant so much, that they shall suffer by scarcity and famine, which must needs follow upon long continued droughts, for even the worst are not always thus punished, seeing God makes his Sun to shine, and Rain to fall upon the good and the bad. But hereby is meant the dew of God's heavenly grace making to bring forth fruit to everlasting life, and the watering of sound teaching, whereby this fruitfulness cometh. So that hereby two things are meant.
1. That out of the Church there is no salutiferous grace, as it may be gagathered [Note.] where it is said, God added to the Church daily such as should be saved.
2. Such as are externally in the Church, but go not up in their minds from worldly things to heavenly, but notwithstanding their Christian profession, are barren or bring forth briars and thorns instead of good fruits, are void of all saving grace also. For although it raineth upon them often by doctrine, yet they are like to ground in the same case, which for bringing forth briars is accursed, and the end of it is to be burned.
And if the family of Egypt comes not up, it shall not rain, &c. Here a question may be made, why of all other Nations Egypt alone is singled out and spoken of by way of threatening in particular, the rest only in general. But it is to be understood that Egypt was watered by the river Nile, and so needed no rain to make it fruitful. By Egypt then he is meant that seemeth to himself good enough without grace coming from above, even by the goodness of his nature, upon such a proud one it shall not rain, and then at last he shall be smitten with the plague before spoken of, viz. the consuming of his flesh, that is, the vanity of his carnal confidence discovered and proving naught worth, his carnal wisdom set forth by his eyes failing also and his ability to speak excellently set forth by his tongue standing him in no stead to save him from destruction, as Gwalther very well noteth, and lastly it is added that this plague shall be upon all that come not up thus to keep this feast.
In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses Holiness to the Lord, and the pots of the Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the Altar: Vulg. that which is upon the bridle is holy to the Lord: Hebr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth bells, trappers, or bridles about horses put upon them for ornament, being wrought with gold and silver; wherefore the meaning is, that horses, that were before set forth sumptuously to the battle, in the ornaments whereof either bells of gold about their necks, or rich trappers, and bridles, stood the treasure of the Gentiles in part, which was spoken of v. 14. should now be used for war 10 more, but all such precious things should be turned to the maintenance of God's houses and of his service, and the beautifying of the places where he should be worshiped. Cyril thinks, that it is spoken of Constantine's bridle which was adorned with one of the nails wherewith Christ was pierced upon the Cross, found by Helena his mother, and brought from thence as a most precious thing, but this is rather to be accounted a superstition, to which they were then too prone, then a thing so worthily done, as to be prophesied of, as tending to the honor of God, before whom neither the Cross nor any other instrument of Christ's suffering is acceptable, but so far forth as it is improved to the crucifying of us to the world and the world unto us, as S. Paul speaketh Gal. 6. 17. For the pots being as the bowls of the Altar, that is, the pots or caldrons wherein holy flesh was boiled for Sacrifice, should send up as sweet a smell as the bowls full of incense. Thus some, but forsomuch as the bowls were not used for incense, but censers, and bowls for blood to be sprinkled upon the Altar, the force of the comparison stands rather in this, that the pots which were more remote, should be as holy as the bowls that were brought nearer the Altar that sanctifieth all, whereby is meant, that all things shall be holy to them that are by faith justified & sanctified, not only being immediate instruments in God's service, as the Scriptures and Sacraments, but also things of common use for the body, as in those pots meat was boiled for the feasting of those that came to the festivals at Jerusalem to eat & drink there with thanksgiving before the Lord, and therefore not only the pots and caldrons in the Court of the Lord's house were hereby meant, but also in private houses, and according to this the Apostle saith, to the clean all things are clean: to this effect also Gwalther, who upon the former words, the bells of the horses, and holiness to the Lord, saith well, that herein it is alluded to that which was graven upon the plate of gold on the forehead of the high Priest, Holiness to the Lord, the meaning being, when it is said, that this should be upon the bells of the horses, 1. That all the superfluous wealth that was spent formerly upon things pertaining to worldly pomp either in time of war or peace, should now be spent in maintaining the worship of the Lord and his poor people, this pomp and pride being left. 2. That no wars should now be made anymore through covetousness or ambition, but for the necessary defense of the Church against enemies invading her, wherein God would be extraordinarily assistant, as he was to Constantine the great against Licinius, and to Theodosius against Argohastus. 3. That true Christians, although of divers Nations, should make no wars one against another, but horses and their complements for the war being left, live in peace and unity one with another.
Yea every pot in Jerusalem shall be holiness to the Lord, and all they that sacrifice shall come and take and seeth therein. Having spoken of the pots of the house of the Lord, and of their holiness, now he enlargeth himself further, saying that all pots in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holy likewise, there being under the Gospel no difference in respect of holiness betwixt common believers, and those that are set apart for the work of the Ministry, for all are Kings and Priests unto God, and the whole Nation of them is an holy generation, and therefore they shall come and take and seeth in them, that is, everyone in his family shall [Note.] be counted a fit instrument or vessel to prepare and minister to his family the holy things of God in prayer, reading, catechizing, and exhorting, whereby their souls may be sed, besides the comfort which they shall publicly have by Ministers that are nearer the Altar, and give them the flesh and blood of Christ in administering his supper, and more abundantly break unto them the bread of life, by dividing the word of truth aright, both for their better information and their masters also, who is but to teach what he hath from them, and not out of his own skill or judgment, as it is said Mal. 2. 7. The Priests lips shall preserve knowledge, and they shall inquire the Law at his mouth: And therefore here is no ground for promiscuous preaching of any Christian, against which also maketh the Apostles ordaining of some singularly to this office, Act. 14. 23. 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. And there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord, the Canaanites are well known to have been an unclean generation, but could not be all expelled out of the Land where the house of God was. But in the Church under the Gospel, he saith that they should, so that not one should remain, that is, the notoriously wicked being by the censures of the Church expelled from the congregation, being not suffered to come amongst them anymore then Heathens, who were not denied to come into their Oratories to their prayers and preaching, as means of conversion to all, but not to their Sacraments, which are as seals of their covenant with God, if we respect the one, viz. Baptism, or Commemorative of God's unparalleled love towards them in Christ's, if we respect the other, viz. the Lord's Supper, which he instituted peculiarly for the worthy, that is, those that keep their garments, as is expressed, Rev. 3. and as is in the institution amongst his Apostles only intimated, amongst whom if Judas the traitor were, which I do not believe, yet it is no ground for admitting the wicked who are apparently abominable in the course of their lives, because the evil that was in his heart, either was not yet hatched, for it is said, that after the sop Satan entered into him, or else lay so close hidden there, that it could not be discerned by any but God alone. Therefore his being permitted there, argueth only that hypocrites who cannot be discerned from sincere professors of the Gospel, may be amongst them in receiving this holy Supper, but not any whose notorious sins go before, as Paul speaketh, as were the sins of the incestuous man amongst the Corinthians. No man yet can rightly reason from hence [Note.] that there is or can be by man's industry, a particular Church consisting only of the clean, and therefore separate they what they can, and gather new Congregations what they can, they shall be but troublers of the peace of the Church that do so, and their labor shall prove vain; there will be goats mixed with the sheep in the same flock, till the separation at the last day; only let us terrify them by using the Keys given by Christ against them, which being done, it is so ratified in heaven, that the gates there shall be locked against them keeping them from entering, till loosening again by the same power, and without who are but dogs, murderers, witches, &c. and what comfort? verily none, but utter darkness and torments causing weeping and gnashing of teeth for evermore. The Vulg. Lat. renders it, Mercator, a Merchant, as the word signifieth, and being specially taken thus, the sense will be good, one shall come who shall whip the buyers and sellers out of God's house, and not suffer one to remain there more, as it is said that Christ did. And hereby is meant that Simony in buying and selling of holy Orders, or of Benefices, shall not be suffered, but as at the first this was opposed by S. Peter in Simon Magus, so it should be in all Simoniacks at all times in the true Church of God, buying and selling of spiritual things should be cried down and provided against as it is in all reformed Churches at this day, which proveth us to be the true house of God, and disproveth the Papists, amongst whom all such thing are venal, Orders, Benefices, Bishoprics, Masses, Pals, Cardinals hats, Prayers for the dead, Holy water, &c. as Gwalther showeth at large.
THE PROPHESIE OF MALACHI:
CHAP. I.
THE burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. As this Prophet is placed last of all the small Prophets, so he is generally thought to have written last, and that by most after the building of the Temple finished certain years, even in the time of Artaxerxes, who sent Ezra the Scribe to Jerusalem, because the unlawful marriages, that were then made with heathen women are by him reproved, and they began now that they had a Temple again to be weary of the charge of the sacrifices and of Tithes paying, and of the Temples building he speaks nothing, as Haggai and Zechariah did, which he would not certainly have done, if it had been still in building. He prophesied therefore as is most probable above 30 years after the Temple finished, because Darius reigned 30, and the Temple was finished, An. 6. of his reign. And when Ezra came into the Holy Land it was the 7 year of Artaxerxes, and he continued there till the coming of Nehemiah, An. 20. Who this Prophet was, but only that his name was Malachi, my Angel, it is not said, whence some conjecture, that he was an angel, but this is a very weak ground for it, since men, Ministers of the Churches of God are called Angels, Rev. 1. & 2. Some will have it to be Ezra, and what is to be thought hereof, and what arguments are brought, pro and con, hath been already shown, Ezra 7. He beginneth his Prophesy with recounting God's love to Israel, by which name he now calleth the Jews that returned out of Babylon, amongst whom some of other Tribes were mingled.
I have loved Jacob and hated Esau: of which love he showeth that they were unworthy, because they fleighted it, saying, wherein hath he loved us? And thus he makes a way to the ripping up of their gross ingratitude and to the justness of his challenging them for all their reluctings against him and his service. Of God's loving Jacob and hating Esau, whilst they were yet unborn, see my Exposition upon Rom. 9. 23. Here a demonstration of God's love to Jacob and hatred to Esau is made only from this, that Esau his habitation was as a desert, but Jacob's, although in be here expressed so but left to be understood, fruitful and pleasant. But it may be said, What is this to ground the extraordinary love of God upon more to Jacob then to Esau, seeing the country of Babylon was more pleasant and fruitful, then Canaan, and yet given to heathen people that were idolaters? To this Calvin answereth very well, that the land of Canaan is not to be looked upon, when Jacob was promised it and his posterity planted in it as a most fruitful country only, but as an inheritance conferred upon him as the first born, and chosen hereunto by God out of his mere mercy and grace, although his brother Esau were born before him, and so a type of the everlasting inheritance to come. And on the other side upon Mount Seir, a rough, a barren country where Esau was placed as upon a curse following his sleight esteeming and selling away his birthright, and a sign of God's reprobating him forever. And of this Malachi putteth them in mind to make them ashamed, when God's love was so extraordinary toward them above others, that might as well have challenged interest herein for the sake of their parentage, whereas they commonly boasted of this, that they came of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, most famous for God's gracing them above all others in the world, for which they thought God so fast bound unto them, that whatsoever they did they should not be rejected, which made them bold to live in all manner of wickedness, and the neglect of holy duties towards God enjoined them; of this therefore Malachi telleth them, and sharply reproveth them for it, seeking the more to move them from the consideration of God's free love and not any merit of theirs more then in the Edomites, from which this his beneficence flowed, and threateneth them with rejection for it, and the taking in of the Gentiles into favor through Christ in their stead, verse. 11. And this serves for an admonition to us, who [Note.] enjoy together with the true religion the like worldly blessings above the inhabitants of many other people's, that we by our ingratitude do not likewise provoke God to reject us, and drive us from these enjoyments.
Whereas Edom saith, We are empoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places, thus saith the Lord, they shall build, but I will throw down. Here the judgment upon Esau and his posterity is further set forth by showing, that it should not be as that which came upon Israel, as hath also been before taught by other Prophets. For although Jacob should be likewise judged by enemies coming and possessing his country, yet he findeth so much favor, that he is again to his ancient dwelling restored, which is meant, when he saith ye shall see and the Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel. Vers. 6. A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master, &c. Here the Prophet cometh plainly to tell them of their ingratitude, when as God had so greatly obliged them unto him, dealing with them as a most gracious Lord and Master, yea as a loving father, but they contrary to the common Law of Nature had not honored him accordingly, but despised him, yea their very Priests despised him, wherein he speaks much like unto the Prophet, that was sent to Eli the High Priest to expostulate with him in God's name about the wickedness of his sons, who were God's Priests. For he telleth him of severe judgments to come upon his family, concluding with this saying, I will honor them that honor me, but such as despise 〈…〉 e shall be lightly esteemed. He meaneth here doubtless the exorbitances of the Priests, who went before others or joined with them in taking strange wives, as Eli his sons had, joining themselves to strange women, committing adultery with them, when they came to the the Tabernacle, as we may see Ezra 10. 18. yet ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? ye offer polluted bread, &c. and that the table of the Lord is contemptible. For the better understanding hereof it is to be noted, that the bread here said to be offered was show-bread, concerning which the Lord made a Law, that it should be of fine flower, and by bread is not only meant that and the bread of the meat offerings; but the sacrifices of beasts also, all which together are said to be polluted bread, because they brought them not of the best, but course bread and sacrifices of Beasts blemished, for the Lord required the best of everything, as appeareth Levite. 1. and chap. 2. For that this is the polluted bread here meant, is shown, verse. 8. When ye offer the blind, is it not evil? or the lame or sick? And thus they are said to have made the Table of the Lord contemptible, touching which it is to be understood, that as he had an altar, so then he had a Table also for show-bread for offering of base things, upon both which they are here so sharply reproved, having named the Altar before to intimate the baseness of the beasts offered upon it, so now he nameth the table, intimating, that there is no less fault about the making of their Shew-bread. For it was God's will, that these things should all be of the purest and perfectest, because the pure and immaculate Lamb of God was hereby figured out, and the same the bread that came down from heaven▪ more excellent then the Manna, that fell in the wilderness. The Priests most probably having part of all sacrifices, to the end that the more might be brought refuse none, but if any man should say I have a lame beast or sheep, or blind, and so not fit to be kept, and if it mighti be accepted, I would be willing to offer it, as men do in respect of their own diet, kill up and eat such beasts being otherwise likely to lose them: so the Priests hearing this said, bring it notwithstanding, we will make it serve the turn as well in the Lord's house, as in one of your own. Now to do thus was an intolerable contempt, and likewise it is now under the New Testament, when such as despise knowledge, and so are blind, and ignorant, [Note.] the lame and sick of notorious sins are permitttd to come to the Lord's Table, for which it stands the Ministers of the Gospel in hand to prohibit them, and to require them first to get knowledge, and by repentance to seek the cure of their souls diseases through faith: wherein yet they are not to take themselves to be so tied, as that if upon such prohibition the unworthy will not be made to refrain, that should forbear their administration. For the Apostle in such case giveth not any such order, but only, he saith, Put such an one from amongst you, not adding, if ye cannot, forbear celebrating this holy feast altogether, as many in our Church through mistake do to the grief of many good souls, children, that by this means cannot have their bread. It is true indeed, they make the Lord's Table contemptible, that countenance them in their pressing to it, or invite them without reformation, but for their sakes to deny access unto it to the godly and righteous of life, is to make it, if not contemptible yet superfluous, and unnecessary to salvation.
And now I pray you beseech God, that he will be gracious unto us, this hath been by your means, will he regard your persons? Some think, that the Prophet here exhorts the Priests to repentance, but others, that he speaks ironically deriding their prayers, as being of no force with the Lord, because coming from men so vicious, although they by reason of their Office were mediators to God for the people, representing the mediators to come, and for this thought highly of themselves, and would be so accounted by others, that all might come to them to crave their prayers. For these words, this hath been by your means, Heb. it is, this hath been from your hand, and he shall accept faces from you, trust may be given to your prayers, from whose hands such sacrifices have been offered, and the persons by you commended unto him shall be therefore doubtless accepted, in all which he doth but deride them and their doings, as being most unlikely to prevail for any good at God's hands. And this is most genuine, as will appear from the words before going, Offer it to thy Governor, will he accept thy person? and the words following, verse. 10. I have no pleasure in you, neither will I accept an offering at your hands, saith the Lord, here being also more words premised as showing the cause, why they were not accepted, Who is there amongst you, that would shut the door for naught? neither would ye kindle a fire upon my Altar for naught, that is, I know well enough, what ye seek when ye open the doors of my house to go in to pray, and when ye kindle fire for sacrifice upon mine Altar, verily your own worldly gain, not the discharge of conscience of your duties towards men. And who so in so base mindedness ministers at God's Altar can never be accepted, seeing God accepts of nothing done in his service by any man, unless he doth [Note.] it out of duty to him, being so disposed to the doing of it, that although he should have no worldly reward for his labor, yet he would go on in doing of it, that God may have glory, and men's souls, at the least some be edified, and benefited thereby, and their temporal good also, which he out of his love desireth, procured. Yet he may lawfully desire the wages due unto him, and by God ordained for such as preach, to live upon, declining only the filthy lucre, being given to which is by the Apostle condemned in every Bishop.
For from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof my name shall be glorified amongst the Gentiles, and they shall offer incense. Here follows the rejection both of these wicked Priests & people, another being taken in their stead to offer the incense of prayer and the sacrifice of praise all over the world; of which alteration, see Rom. 11. Jerome I grant, understandeth this sacrifice of the Eucharist, which is a pure sacrifice and cannot be defiled or made unacceptable by the unworthiness of the offerer, and with him agreeth Augustine and many more of the Fathers. But this is laid hold upon by the Papists to prove the real presence by transubstantion, and consequently, that the Priest in the mass offereth up Christ again and again, of whom Saint Peter saith, that he was but once offered: and yet they do worse hereupon to infer adoration to be due unto it, which none of the Fathers ever thought of, and but for burning incense withal after the manner of the old carnal service, which is done away. But for thanksgiving being a sacrifice, and the best sacrifice, see Psal. 50. and incense, prayer, where it is said, Let the lifting up of my hands be as incense, that we may sedulously apply ourselves hereunto, morning and evening, yea continually.
But ye have profaned it in that ye say, the Table of the Lord is polluted, and the fruit of it contemptible. Here the Prophet reflects again upon that, which he had before said, meaning by their profaning of his name their offering of polluted bread to his dishonor. Now he saith not only so, but that they were so audacious as to say, the Table of the Lord was polluted, that is, no more then one of their Tables, any bread would serve to be set thereupon; and then he varyeth the word and saith, the fruit of it is contemptible, the same thing being meant, but set forth in other words, so Calvin: but by the fruit thereof I conceive rather, that the good coming by offering here was so little, that it was not worth the speaking of, as the wicked are brought in by Job, saying, What profit shall we have if we call upon him? although as Calvin saith, it is not probable that they would be so gross, as to say thus openly with their mouths, but their practice shown that they said thus in their hearts.
Ye have said also, what a weariness is it, and ye have snuffed at it. Here partly in more words, and partly in the same he further setteth forth the same sin which is also to be understood, not as spoken out, but muttered or spoken in their hearts, and unto the lame and the sick, for which he challenged them before, the torn is also added here, Vulg. Ye have brought in of things gotten by rapine, the lame and the sick, de rapinis, and so the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth: so that they are here charged not only with bringing blemished and vile things for sacrifice, but also wrongfully gotten, or by violence taken from others, which was most abominable, and such an offering doth he make, that out of goods ill gotten giveth to any good use, without first making restitution with Zacchaeus: he offers the lame, that doth good, but it is with an evil heart, seeking more his own praise then God's glory, or grudging at that which he doth; and the sick, that doth good, but liveth still in sin.
But cursed is he that in his flock hath a male, but voweth and sacrificeth a corrupt thing. This is added to meet with them, that said, we are pooremen, and bring as good as we have, but this, he showeth was to pull down God's curse upon them, having a better sheep in his flock meat by a male, yet bring the worst. So the great God will never put it up at his hands, that serves him so unworthily, as to use fraud about his dues, giving the worse for the better, as is the manner of too many now a days.
CHAP. II.
ANd now O Priests this command is to you, if ye will not hear, nor lay it to heart, I will curse your blessings, ye I have cursed them already. Having laid open the great sin of slighting the service of God, ch. 1. now he applieth it to the Priests, his Ministers in special, threatening them above others therefore, because that by their means it came to pass, that such gross abuses were committed, seeing it was their duty to have taught the people better, & that their blemished mutilated sacrifices were not acceptable, but abominable to God, giving them to understand, that God was so far from being therefore reconciled unto them to patdon their sins and to send down his blessing upon them, that he was hereby more provoked to wrath and displeasure against them. They might haply saith Calvin, lay the fa 〈…〉 upon the people and excuse themselves, saying they offered such sacrifices as they would bring, and no better could they offer, as is the common manner, one to excuse himself by laying all [Note.] the fault upon another; but God saw, that it was through their fault that it was thus done, they had the commandment about sacrifices, what manner of ones they should be, but they laid it not to heart to press the people to bring them accordingly without blemish and of the best, and this is the thing for which they are so sharply reproved here. A man may then [Note.] hear God's commandments, but unless he layeth them to heart with all good care to do accordingly, wherefore he repeateth the same again at the end of the verse also, as a thing by all men seriously to be considered. I will curse your blessings. This is spoken in alluding to Aaron's blessing of the children of Israel by God's own appointment, after whom other Priests did the the like, but hereby he showeth that they might bless, but he for this intolerable abuse about sacrificing would curse, and so their blessings should prove cursings both to themselves and all the people. And how this cursing should work he showeth, v. 3. saying, I will corrupt your seed and spread dung upon your faces even the dung of your solemn feasts, and one shall take you away with it, that is, ye shall be cursed in the seed committed to the ground, it yielding no increase, and by ignominy and reproach coming upon you, none having you in any esteem anymore then men besmeared & stinking with dung upon their faces, against whom coming near everyone crieth out fie upon you, ye stink so, that we cannot endure your company, whereas they above others of the children of Israel were honorable for their holy Orders sake, to which God had chosen them, passing all others by; whence note, that unworthy Ministers of most honorable make [Note.] themselves the basest of all others by their ill demeanure in their place and calling, so that they are justly had in abomination and vilified amongst the people, God being the author of this their debasement, whom they have so greatly dishonored. And by reason of such the Ministry of England, which was wont to be had in so high esteem amongst the people, is now generally vilified more then any other sort of men. But let everyone take heed, how for the sake of some, upon whose faces God hath spread stinking dung, they promiscuously vilify others also, whose faces, yea their very feet shine as Angels, as it is said, How beautiful are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of peace, &c. For thus this land hath made itself greatly guilty by proceeding against many learned, holy, and well deserving men of God merely for their zeal to God and their King, which it is to be feared, crieth aloud for vengeance in the ears of the Lord of hosts, even the dung of your solemn feasts, and one shall take you away. This is added because that many beasts being at such times brought together for sacrifice, abundance of dung came from them; but for their wickedness he saith, that they having their faces spread with this dung, should be taken and carried away and cast upon a dunghill in an out base place, as this dung was, being there trodden underfoot of all men, even the vilest. And it is to be noted, which was said before verse. 2. that the Lord saith not only, I will curse your blessings, but I have cursed them already, [Note.] for hereby their stupidity is intimated, in that by the sense of God's judgments they were not moved to repentance, as any man, but a stock or a block is, even children and beasts being by the rod and whip wrought upon to do better, as Calvin noteth: but why he should reject the common received exposition before going, about Cursing blessings, as too dilute, I cannot see, and refer it only to God's curse upon the blessing of the earth plentiful sructification, seeing the priests blessing was by the Lord appointed as a means hereof, and of all other blessings also.
And ye shall know, that I sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi. V. 5. My covenant was with him of life and peace and I gave them to him, for the fear wherewith he feared me. Here the Lord by his Prophet seeks to stir up the priests to repentance by recounting, how the Lord first chose the tribe of Levi, making a covenant with it, that none of any other tribe but only of this should serve at his altar, and how faithful at the first they were, both Aaron, Eleazar, Phinehas and others. But they now bearing themselves upon this dignity conferred upon their tribe, thought that howsoever they misdemeaned themselves they must needs be accepted. But the Lord hereby teacheth, what manner of men all his ministers ought to be, or else they are fallen from the dignity of their order, and become most base and vile, as these wicked priests are said to be verse. 9. So that there is no pleading for Bishops nowadays, that the Apostles were men of great eminency and to them the keys of the kingdom of heaven were committed, therefore we that are their successors are partakers and ought to be partakers of the same dignity, and all men ought to be obedient unto us. For this argument [Note.] is of no force, but only to such as are in conditions like unto them. 1. For the fear of God. 2. The law of truth in his mouth and no iniquity in his lips. 3. His walking with God in peace and equity. 4. Turning many from iniquity. For thus every minister of God ought to be qualified, and then he saith something in challenging respect and submission from the people, but otherwise not.
1. Aaron and the priests feared God and eschewed evil, as the fear of God is further set forth Job 1. 1. But the priests now had no such fear of God in them, being wicked and licentious in their lives.
2. They duly and truly taught people the Law and will of God, holding them unto it in their sacrifices and offerings bringing to his tabernacle, but these allowed any sacrifices, though never so imperfect. See the like unto this said of Levi by Moses, Deut. 33. 9. in speaking of his zeal for God, and commending it when he slew those that committed idolatry with the golden Calf, not sparing any how near or dear soever unto him.
3. They led a most holy and righteous life meant by his walking with God in peace and equity, as Enoeh is said to have walked with God.
4. His care was by all means to convert souls. But these minded nothing less then the conversion of souls, yea they walked in the way of the wicked instead of walking with God, whereby others were the more encouraged in their evil ways. And the like hath been done by the community of our ministry, especially of late days, and specially by popish priests, which made them so infamous.
For the priests lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth. This is added in reference to that which was said before, The Law of God was in his mouth, for hence he inferreth that now it should be with the priests likewise, whereas instead of the truth, iniquity came from their lips, or at the least they did so, as that their doings were more then their speaking, or else they were mute like dumb dogs, when men brought imperfect sacrifices not reproving them therefore. To intimate this knowledge in them Jerome observes well, that in the priests breastplate was put a Rationale, and in that Vrim lights, to show, that he should be full of learning and light sufficient to enlighten all that came unto him, and Thummim perfections, for his integrity in setting forth the will of God, not depraving it in anything: to which purpose excellent is the saying of Vincentius Lyrinensis, upon the depositum, or that which was committed to Timothy. It is that, saith he, which was committed to thee, not found out by thee, which thou hast received, not excogitated, not a matter of wit, but of learning, not of private usurpation, but of public tradition, a thing brought out by thee, not from thee, in which thou oughtest not to be author, but keeper; not an institutor, but a follower. Thou hast received gold, render gold, I will not have thee render, other things for these, I will not for gold have lead impudently rendered or brass fraudulently. Here is then both a charge to God's ministers to study to be knowing men, and accordingly to be diligent in teaching and sincere, and also to people to frequent their teaching, as if God should send an angel from heaven [Note.] to bring a message from him unto them, as the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He is a messenger of the Lord, signifieth, and therefore by Jerome it is rendered Angel. And hereby all men are taught to beware, how they devise any Expositions of holy Scripture of their own heads, but follow those only, which they receive from God's faithful Ministers, who in their teaching aim at nothing else but their conversion, and hereby may be known; and by this, that they study to divide the word of truth aright, as Timothy is exhorted to do.
Have we not all one fathen? hath not one God created us? why then deal we treacherously against his brother by profaning the Covenant of our Fathers? Here the Prophet proceedeth to censure not only the priests, as hitherto but even all the wicked Jews; and here by father we are to understand Abraham, not God, as some do, taking the next words to be spoken exegetice, Hath not one God made us. For as Calvin well noteth, here are two things joined together, the consideration of this, that they all come of one father Abraham, and that they all above other people's were God's creation, and therefore in them being so strongly bound one to another it were an intolerable sin to deal treacherously one with another. For it is not to be thought, when he saith, Hath not one God created us, that he meaneth his creating of all men, as these words are commonly taken in other places, but a spiritual creation, according to which the elect are in special called His creation. Rom. 8. 22. As I have shown is meant by the words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , upon that place, and Eph. 2. 10. We are his workmanship created unto good works, and Psal. 23. He is our maker, and Esa. 60. 21. the Church is called the work and frame of God. The meaning then is, God in Abraham hath made us all a royal generation, so that root by means of so holy a father alone they came to be an holy and peculiar people; but of this God was the author, Abraham the instrument or conduit pipe, whereby this great grace flowed out unto them by reason of the covenant, which God made with him and his posterity. But break this covenant, as the wicked Jews then did, and frustrate this grace in respect of them, for which cause it stood them in hand to hearken to this reproof, shall we deal treacherously and break the covenant of our fathers? that is, whereby God tied himself to them, and through them to their posterity? Oh fear and tremble to think upon your running by your treachery into so great a danger. And for us, whom God hath made his people peculiarly by Christ, and faith in his Name, this reproof also speaks to us, shall we, that have one Father Christ, and one creator in the sense before said, deal treacherously one with another, and not hold match together within ourselves, and so break the covenant of our common fathers, Abraham and Israel, whose children we are said to be, and after whose name we are called, Israel Rom. 9. Joh. 1. 43. For of mixed marriages with strangers serving strange gods he here showeth, that he speaketh in saying, shall we deal treacherously, and then verse. 11. Judah hath dealt treacherously, and hath profaned the holiness of the Lord, which he loved, and married the daughter of a strange god. Here for holine • se, the vulg. hath sanctification, Hebr. it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifying as Calvin hath it, sanctuary. But the meaning is the same, for it is spoken of the Church of Israel, which was separated from the people of other countries, as holy to God, as the Church in the New Testament, is often called God's house, and Israel his sanctuary, Psal. 114. although literally by the sanctuary is understood the place of public worship, but here as the Chaldee hath it, the souls of the faithful are meant, which God loveth, the Church of the Jews then considered, as a body separated from others to be holy, and delighted in by the Lord, was profaned by such marriages, because he that joins himself to a woman an idolatresse becometh one flesh with her, and so is made a member of her instead of being a member of God's holy Church. Now that this was to deal treacherously and to break the covenant, appeareth, because God strictly tied them from making any such marriages, Deut. and the same is enjoined Christians, 2 Cor. 6. 16. He then profaneth God's sanctuary also, who being a Christian marrieth with an infidel, or if not an unbeliever, a misbeleever, because a worshipper of idols or images, for they are all one, the same being an idol in Greek, that is an image, in Latin imago, and therefore he that marrieth a papist deals treacherously, and profaneth God's sanctuary, which he will not endure: an idolatresse is called the daughter of a strange God, not because she was made by him, but because he was honored by her as a father.
The Lord will cut off the man that doth this, the master and the scholar out of the tabernacles of Jacob. Hebr. The watchman and the answerer. But here by the master the teacher that watcheth here unto is meant, and the scholar that answereth him by learning and being conformable to his Doctrine, whether good or evil, but here they are meant, who being taught by the evil example of their teachers, that is, the priests, followed them in making such unlawful marriages, and therefore further to declare whom he meant by such a watchman, he addeth and him that offereth gifts. A plain description of a priest, whose office it was to offer the gifts brought by the people, for of the priests being faulty in the same kind, it was spoken before.
This have ye done, and covered mine altar with tears. That is, caused it to be covered with the tears of your wives of your own nation, whom ye have unkindly put away, that ye might take unto you wives of the heathen, being moved more by fleshly lust, then by the Law and fear of God. And in saying covered, he meaneth, that their offerings were by this means so covered, that although laid upon the altar, they could not be seen to be accepted of, as is shown in the next words, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering anymore, nor receiveth it with good will at your hands. Hereby it seemeth, that their wives being so put away, as hath been said, came before the Lord at his altar to complain, whereby he being just, was stirred up to reject them, and their service, that did them so great wrong; thus Gwalther and others generally, but Lyra and Calvin otherwise understand this of the priests weeping at the altar, because that although they offered sacrifices, they saw, that they were not accepted, but lay under the curse of unseasonable weather and barrenness of the earth still. And this he saith, ye have done again, Hebr. the second time, for he had first laid to their charge that they offered mutilated sacrifices, now for second sin to the provoking of God to continue in his wrath against them, they hypocritically thought to pacify him by their tears, without turning from the sin of mixed marriages with the heathen, wherein they lived, which tears yet were not shed for that sin, for then they would have put such wives away, and resumed their former wives again, but for that the judgments of God continued after their offering of many gifts, whereby they found that they were not accepted before God, as they expected, So that this passage is not much unlike to that, Esa. 58. Why have we fasted, and thou regardest it not? and this exposition is rather approved by the words following, Hebr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from no more face to the sacrifice, that is, from hence ariseth your sorrow, viz. that God's countenance is not towards your sacrifices to the removing of his judgments. Here note, that sorrowing and praying under the lash of God's scourge, is so far from pacifying [Note.] him, if there be no reformation of life, that his wrath is more stirred up, and good reason, because thus the sin is doubled, according to the words here, This thou hast done the second time.
Did he not make one? yet had he the residue of the spirit: and wherefore one? because he sought a godly seed. Hebr. Did not one make the residue of the spirit in him? and wherefore one? because he sought a seed of God. Here the Prophet to convince them of the error of their way in putting away their former wives and taking others, brings them to the original of matrimony, and because the saying is imperfect, Did not one make, no more being added to show what he made, it is to be supplied thus, Did not one God make man and woman, as Christ for further explication saith, Have ye not read, that he who made them at the first, made them male an female? That is, did he not make one man and one woman, joining them two together in marriage, not for the man to live with and keep his wife during his pleasure, and then to put her away and take another, but as long as they both live, and the residue of spirit in him, or rather, for him; that is, did he not make man, breathing into him the breath of life, or spirit of life, and the residue into the woman whom he made for him, being in the frame and lineaments of her body like unto him, and in an understanding and immortal soul, and so an help meet for him? And what was God's main end in doing thus, but that his seed might by their living all their life long together be increased? to which end he made man and woman, not man and women: and man and woman both holy and righteous, for he made man in his own image, male and female created he them: so that it cannot be the seed of God, which cometh of polygamy, or of mixed marriages with the unholy and unclean, such as heathens were, but that such as come of Monogamy, and Hagiogamy are reputed God's seed, as is taught 1 Pet. 2. 9. and 1 Cor. 7. where it is said, otherwise your children were unclean, but now they are holy; and what is a royal generation but the generation of God, the King of kings, according to that Act. 17. we are his generation? To this effect Jerome and Chrysostom, &c. But the Hebrews whom Gwalther followeth, by this one understand Abraham, taking this to be the meaning. Why doest thou object to us (O Malachi) our leaving one wife to take another? did not that only rare man so greatly in God's favor, Abraham, do the like, in whom the spirit was more then in thee or Prophets of this time? which is meant by the residue of the spirit in him; and why did he it, but in zeal to seek the seed, which God had promised should come of him, which was the Messiah, he seeing, that he could no have it by Sarah, sought it by Hagar, a stranger an Egyptian: Or rather in these words the Prophet answers their objection, as if he had said, Do ye to justify yourselves in your wickedness, object that man alone or one man, as he is called Esa. 51. 2. his example will not verily bear you out: for he did not so out of lust, but zeal, seeing that he and his wife Sarah were now old and not likely to have a child between them, but ye through fleshly lust carrying to these strange marriages: he did it not without the consent of his wife, ye altogether against the will of your wives: he not giving over to love and dwell still with his wife, preferring another woman before her, but continuing a loving husband unto her, and when Hagar despised her, delivering her into the power of her mistress to castigate that her petulancy. Calvin reproving all expositors, that went before him, renders it as in the New Translation, Did he not make one, giving the same sense yet with the first, but he prefers this reading, because otherwise the saying is imperfect, Did not one make. For my part either rendering and exposition standeth to so good sense, that I know not whether to prefer, but because the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 one goeth before 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 made or did, I rather follow that reading, being for the exposition indifferent, Therefore take heed to your spirits, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth; that is, take heed that ye be not carried away by the spirit of lust in you after strange women, your wives, whom ye first took, when they were young, and lived sweetly together with them, being cast off. For of the spirit in man, and its lusting, we read, James 4. 5.
I hate putting away, for one covereth violence with his garment, Hebr. for hatred putting away, or putting away is hateful: the Vulg. Cum odio habueris, dimitte. For these words, One covereth violence with his garment, Hebr. it is, And violence covereth over his garment, Vulg. Iniquity shall cover; but the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth either rapine, or iniquity wittingly committed. The Lord here showeth, how odious to him a man's putting away of his wife before spoken of is, and that he who doth so, is all over covered with sin, as with filthiness, and shall be covered, or overwhelmed with God's Judgments therefore to his destruction, for which he giveth warning against this sin again, as before, ver. 15. Some following the Vulg. say, that the Prophet biddeth him that hateth his wife, put her away rather then keep her as a servant, giving her a bill of Divorce, it being more tolerable so to do, then keeping her still, and showing such palpable neglect of her, by marrying another, a stranger for her Beauty, to vex her the more. Yet if any man doth this, iniquity will cover his body, which is the garment of the Soul, as Jerome hath it, he shall be thus perpetually blemished, and liable to God's wrath for so doing: and as some, by putting her away with a bill of Divorce, she shall depart with the more credit, as Isaiah 50. 1. it is on the contrary side used as an argument to aggravate Israel's sin, that she had a bill of Divorce, the fault will not light upon her, but upon him, she being made known hereby, not to have gone away from her husband in an whorish manner, but only for some particular dislike, through his morosity, or fleshly lust to another woman taken for her, which shall cover his garment, rendering him to all honest men loathsome, as one clad in filthy rags, and most of all to God: To this effect almost Calvin and Gwalther, who render the words, as the Vulg. Latin, but Junius is for the former reading, which I also prefer.
Ye have wearied the Lord with your words, when ye say, Everyone that doth evil, is good in the sight of the Lord, and where is the God of Judgment? Here the Prophet cometh to another sin, viz. their exclamations against God, and blasphemous clamourousnesse, when he did not for them what they desired forthwith, they as impatient of any delay complained against him; or if he delayed to lay his judgments upon their Heathen enemies; for in this case they exclaimed upon him, saying, that he favored evil doers; and both in this, and the former, they cried out, no God; the interrogative, where is the God of Judgment? being a most vehement affirmative, and therefore it is as if they had hence argued, and concluded, that there was no such just God. And their Argument, as Calvin hath it, seems to stand thus, He that is a just God will hear, and do for those that call upon him, and be revenged upon the wicked enemies of his People doing them mischief, but God doth neither, therefore he is not just. See the blasphemy that impatient men fall into, that [Note.] will not wait upon God, but will set him the time when he shall help them, or else look for no help from him at all, that we may learn contrariwise to wait God's leisure, till he will come and help us, as David speaketh, Psal. 123. They that do otherwise, make the Lord weary, and ready therefore to depart from them, and leave them in misery.
CHAP. III.
BEhold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his Temple, even the Messenger of the Covenant. In Hebrew, this is the third verse of this chapter; the two last verses of chap. 2. being taken from that, and set before this, in Vulg. the last verse only. But forasmuch as this is a new Prophesy touching Christ, and so differs from the Argument handled there, it being altogether reprehensive, this consolatory, it is best to begin this chapter here. The first words, are the words of Christ touching John the Baptist, as appeareth, Matth. 11. 10. where our Lord being asked touching him, saith, This is he, of whom it is said, behold, I send my messenger before thee: The third person being put there for the first here, as is usual amongst the holy men of God, when they speak of themselves out of modesty, as Matthew, and John the Evangelist do. Now he prepared the way before Christ, by Preaching, and Baptizing, in way of preparing men to his Preaching, and Baptizing. And the word my Messenger, is Hebr. Malachi, my Angel; the same with his name, that wrote this Prophesy, happily given him because he wrote of Malachi, my Angel, John the Baptist, and of Malachi haberith, The messenger of the Covenant: And John the Baptist might well be set forth by this name of Christ's Angel, because he pronounced of him, that he was more then a Prophet, and what can such an one be but an Evangelical man? The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his Temple; that is, Christ, who soon after Johns preparing his way, came to the Temple, and Preached, and did Miracles there; for betwixt Johns beginning to Preach, and his, there were but six months. And he saith, The messenger whom ye seek: because the Messiah was generally desired by the Jews, although not received by his own when he came, because they would not believe that he was the Lord promised. And he is also called, The Angel, or Messenger of the Covenant, whom they delighted in. For although he were equal with God the Father, yet he humbled himself to become his Messenger, sent out into this world, That all who believe in him, should not perish, but have life everlasting; and therefore the delight of the Soul. And he addeth again, He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts, to show his double coming; 1. To convert Souls. 2. To save all the converted, but to destroy the hard-hearted, and unbelieving, forever in Hell fire.
For which he saith further, Ver. 2. But who shall abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand, when he appeareth? the Vulg. Who can think of the day of his coming? expounded by Lyra (whose is also the foregoing exposition) by that of our Lord, Of that day and hour knoweth no man: But the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifiety sustinere, bear, or endure, wherefore the Sept. hath it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and they that follow the Vulg. by conceiving understand, in the very thinking of that day who can bear it, because it shall be so full of Glory. Augustine is for the exposition touching two comings, brought by Lyra, and Euseb. and Theodoret also; but Rupertus, and Cyril, hold only one to be spoken of here; that is, his first coming; neither doth Jerome expound it of any other, who also saith, that these words, The Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come, are spoken in way of answer to those in the end of the former chap. Where is the God of judgment? as if he had said, seek ye after this God? he shall come suddenly, and when he cometh, he shall be like fire, so that ye shall not be able to endure his coming. And as Jerome, so Calvin, and more fully saith, that this is an answer given in an ironicall manner, The Lord whom ye seek, as if he had said, whom ye make a show to seek, but neither seek indeed, nor will receive when he cometh; but he shall come to his Temple, being first present there at 40 days old, then at 12 years old he shall sit there amongst the Doctors, posing them, and asking them questions, being admired of all men for his understanding, and answers lastly, to teach, and work Miracles at 30. And of this his coming, let no man doubt, for it shall be, saith the Lord of hosts, to the joy and comfort of some few; for which he saith, the Messenger of the Covenant, that is, The Mediator of the N. T. in whom ye delight: But to the far greater part, his coming shall be intolerable, for the Jews generally shall not endure him, but through the tartness of his reproofs, be stirred up to malign, and crucify him, which should turn to their destruction. So he shall be like a Refiners fire, and a Fullers soap, fire to burn up some, and soap to cleanse, and make white and shining by Grace others. And indeed that which is here spoken, cannot be applied to any but his first coming. For at the last day there shall be no refining, but they that have been refined, and made to shine by righteousness, shall then shine in Glory; and after that time, offerings by the sons of Levi shall be made no more, as it is here said, that they shall; He shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness: then shall the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to the Lord. For this is done under the Gospel, when holy Ministers of Christ set forth by the sons of Levi, and the rest of God's faithful people set forth by Judah, offer prayers and praises from a pure heart continually unto him. Gwalther also saith hereupon, ye think long for the Messiah, of whom ye have heard, supposing, that then ye shall enjoy all worldly happiness: then, and therefore ye are so obstreperous against God, for that he is not yet come. But alas (poor souls) he shall come indeed, but his coming shall be nothing pleasant unto you, for he shall first come into his Temple, and whip the buyers and sellers out thence; and he shall come as a refiners fire to burn up the dross by his Word and Spirit, which shall be as piercing as a two-edged Sword, and as fire to consume the dross, by giving judgment then against them, and showing them their damnable estate, so that the wicked rabble, who were so importunate about his coming, had little cause to desire that time, being all dross, and no silver or gold, and therefore such as must be consumed to their great pain and horror. And as Christ's first coming, so [Note.] his second, much more shall be to some few indeed a time of joy and delight, but to innumerable others a dismal and sad time for their utter rejection from the presence of God, and of holy Angels into utter darkness forever.
For I will come near to you to judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, the adulterers, &c. Here he goeth on again, as having reference to their words, chap. 17. Where is the God of judgment? As if he had said, do ye desire to know where the God of judgment is, I am he, and I will come near, &c. that is, by executing judgment upon you, will make you know, that howsoever sometime through my exceeding great patience I suffer the wicked going on in their evil ways, yet the time shall come, when I will assuredly come thus nearer unto you, then you desire; and when that time cometh, I will no more be slow either to testify against you, or to punish you for your adulteries, sorceries, false swearings, and oppressions, in which enumeration, as Calvin observeth, the sins against all the commandments, that is, the Capitall sins are briefly run over, Sorcery against the first Table, and likewise false Swearing, Adultery, and Oppression against the second, to show, that in the days of God's judging no sins shall be forgotten. And this is threatened here, because they were displeased with God for his delaying to take his judgments off from them, when they made offerings [Note.] unto him, intimating, that we had need in our approaches to God, to consider our sins to turn from them, being with all fear and reverence always before him, and not provoked by his delaying to help us to speak any words that may be provocative unto him: for then, instead of speeding of our desires, we shall have him draw near us to our confusion.
For I am the Lord, I change not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed; Hebr. and Vulg. And ye sons of Jacob are not consumed; so likewise Calvin. He persisteth still in the same argument; being put to it to prove, that he was not mutable, having been indeed formerly the Patron and Protectour of his people, but now not moved by their prayers and tears to do for them or against their enemies, as they were said to complain, chap. 2. But here he proveth that he was not mutable both by his name, Jehovah, Essence, being always the same, and by his immutability in his mercies towards the sons of Jacob, in that they having deserved destruction by their sins a thousand times, yet through the unchangeableness of his most merciful and patient nature they remained a people to this day, and so should do to the end of the world, which is the meaning of these words, as if he had said, I change not, and that appears by this, that ye being so sinful and wicked are not consumed, and to this Exposition giveth light, that saying of Jeremiah, Lament. 3. It is God's mercy, that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not, thus also Calvin, although the first bringeth another Exposition, viz. rendering 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by but, saying, but ye sons of Jacob, &c. that is, it may be said, ye have escaped my judgments hitherto, therefore ye hope to go on so still, it is true ye are not yet our of my reach to be proceeded against when I please; but this is so far from the meaning, that it is not worth the naming. But the former is most genuine, and being so understood the next words follow aptly, From the days of your Fathers ye have gone away from mine Ordinances; as if he had said, if I were changeable from my graciousness I would not have been with you thus long, who have traded so long in sin, whereby to provoke me to destroy you, &c.
Here he layeth open another sin intolerable amongst them, viz. their robbing of God in his Tithes, which no barbarous or heathen Nation will do to their gods. For the tithe of the increase hath always been holy to God even before the written Law of Moses, and therefore it is said, Levite. 27. all the tithes are the Lord's: and it appears that this was known by tradition from the father to the son, not only amongst those of the holy line, as Abraham and Jacob, of whom the one gave, the other vowed tithe of all that he had, but even amongst the wicked of the world, the Gentiles, who also many of them gave tithes to their Priests, as Carleton showeth in his treatise of Tithes: which may serve to discover their weakness, who say, that paying Tithes is Jewish and a part of the ceremonial Law, which is done away. It is true, there were some things ceremonial before the time of Moses, which are now abrogated, as the distinction betwixt beasts and fowls clean and unclean, the offering of sacrifices and abstaining from blood. But tithes were not of this sort, because they are not figurative, as those were, blood, of Christ's blood, sacrifices of his offering himself a sacrifice for our sins, the beasts clean and unclean of those that are within the Covenant, and of those that were excluded herefrom. But of what tithes were a figure let him tell that can, for although 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as it is a numeral letter signifying ten, is the first letter of the name of Jesus, yet it cannot hence be gathered that tithes figured out Jesus, because they are never by this letter set forth, but by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . And paying tithe was an honor done to Melchizedek as the Priest of the most High God, to whom that which was done had no ground in the Ceremonial Law, either in the offering that was brought him bread and wine, or the giver of tithe to him, that is, Abraham, in whom Levi and consequently Aaron paid tithe, as the Apostle reasoneth, Heb. 7. The honor which was once due to God and his Priest is always due, if not by God abrogated: but such was this of tithing, and therefore still due to him, that is after his order, viz. Jesus, and that what is done to his ministers he affirmeth is done to himself, proveth, that although no Law be by him made for this under the New Testament, yet Christian people should voluntarily give them in full, as they would not be counted such as rob their God. Jerome compareth that which is here spoken with Nehem. 13. 10, 11. where it is said, that the Levites had not their portions, by means whereof the house of God was forsaken and their Covenant made chap. 10. 35, 36, 37. of duly paying first fruits and tithes broken, and that which is implied by the Lord's saying, bring all the tithes into my house, and I will open the windows of heaven and pour you down a blessing, &c. with Nehem. 5. 2, 3, 4. where mention is made of a dearth, whereby they were greatly improverished, and saith, that what is there spoken by way of historical relation, the Prophet Malachi (whom he taketh to be Ezra) goeth upon in this place. Tithes and first fruits were not paid, as God had commanded for the maintenance of his Service, whereby his Ministers were discouraged from attending so duly upon their service about the Temple, and God was wronged by the holding back of that which he reserved of their increase to himself. Hereupon God in wrath smote the land with dearth, by withholding rain and sending Caterpillars and Cankerworms to eat up and consume their fruits. And for this he challengeth them for robbing God, and promiseth upon the amending of this fault to bless them with great plenty. And this indeed serves well for the opening of this Text, not being without looking to that relation so fully understood. And although the case of the Levites be here peculiarly handled, to whom Tithes by God's Ordinance were then due, a part whereof was to go to the poor, yet it cannot hence be gathered, that tithes should not be paid to God's Ministers now under the Gospel, because our Lord Jesus was so far from releasing these, that he required much more in his followers, viz. to sell all and to give it to the poor, and therefore, because few would truly do this, namely those extraordinarily stirred up, who sold their possessions and brought the price and laid it down at the Apostles feet, Tithes at the least are to be given, or else the hire shall be denied, of which our Lord saith, that the laborer is worthy, and the double honor, of which the Apostle saith, the Elders, that rule well, are worthy of double honor, especially they that labor in the Word and Doctrine. Gwalther also saith, that according to God's example godly Princes have assigned tithes for the maintenance of his Ministers, and the relief of the poor, and the keeping of Churches in repair, as Jerome writeth to Nepotianus, and therefore it is sacrilege for Noble men to take them away in any place, as they have done, and to assign them to Monks and Friars, and for Ministers of Cathedrals, to extend their revenues thus by robbing of others in their particular places, which abuse the Princes of the earth had need to reform, and in the mean season let all men pay what they have used and is allotted to the Ministers maintenance, as they would not together with them be guilty of the soul sin of sacrilege. For the words here in the Hebrew it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 coming of a word signifying to take by rapine to destroy, and according to Jerome suffigere, to fix, whereupon he conceiveth, that the nailing of Christ to the Cross is here intimated, but how this should be I see not, but the word having other significated, that is to be preferred, which agreeth best to the matter in hand, and that is committing rapine about Tithes, or robbing, or spoiling God, as a man that hath his goods taken from him, for so thithes are the goods of God whereby he maintaineth his servants the Ministers, that attend upon him in his house. For which cause he pronounceth them accursed, as sacrilege commonly hath a curse accompanying it, a curse wasting and consuming his estate, that committeth it, and the curse of unseasonable weather in the land where it is generally committed, and consequently of great famins Thus even some [Note.] heathens, that have robbed their gods, have been punished, and it is not to be passed over without observation, how many men of fair estates in this land have had all wasted by this means, and the Protestant Princes of Germany, specially the Count Palatine of the Rein, taking all tithes into their hands have lost all. For offerings here spoken of the Vulgar hath first fruits, but the word signifieth offerings, only whereas the first fruits were an heave offering lifted up, as the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth, they may come under this name also. Touching tithes said before by Jerome going in part to the poor, that was a by mistake of the tithe of the third year, Deut. 14. 28. upon which see my Exposition there.
Ye have said, it is vain to serve God, and what profit is their that we have kept his Ordinance. Here the Prophet goeth on to accuse them of another gross sin of profane speaking against God, as if he had no regard to men's well or ill doing, they that do well and are observant towards him, being no whit remunerated with good therefore, nor they that do evil the less blessed. Wherein he prosecuteth more at large the argument, upon which he was, chap. 2. 1. And this shown the height of impiety to be in them, as in the wicked brought in speaking likewise, what profit shall we have if we call upon him? And indeed if we look only at otward things of this life, it is to the unclean, as to the clean, to him that sacrifieth not, as to him that sacrificeth, yea the wicked often flourish most here, as is complained, Psal. 73. Job 21. 7, 8. and it is a thing, wherewith even the righteous through their weakness are sometimes much affected: But they recollect themselves, as David did, and then they speak one to another, as is here said, and what do they speak, but although it be thus for a time in this work for their trial, and the making of the wicked more inexcusable, and the aggravatings of their final condemnation, yet in the end they that fear God shall have so great a weight of glory, that the momentary afflictions shall be no way comparable thereunto, and the wicked that laugh now shall wail and weep world without end.
And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day that I make up my jewels, and I will spare them, &c. Heb. in the day that I make my peculiar, for it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 peculium, so likewise the Vulgar Latin; and Calvin, the meaning is, they shall be my peculiar people, in whom it shall appear that I delight in the day that I shall make, that is, a day of distinction and separation betwixt the vile and the Pretious, the Sheep and the Goats, that fear God, and that fear him not, as verse. 18. So that the day here spoken of is the day of judgment, wherein every man's work shall be made manifest, [Note.] and it shall appear even to men what everyone is, which lieth hid from them here being known only to God, but then it shall both be known, and such as fear God shall as his peculiar people be taken up to remain ever with the Lord, the wicked being put down and sent into the everlasting flames of hell fire. And it is called the day, because as in the day all things are made manifest, but in the dark night, such as the time now is, unseen.
CHAP. IV.
FOr the day cometh that shall burn like an oven, and all the proud and the wicked shall be as stubble. Here it is further made plain, that the day before spoken of is the day of judgment, when the wicked shall burn forever, as things in a a most hot fiery Oven. And in the Hebrew this whole chapter goeth on, as a part of the third without any distinction from it. The day of the Lord shall burn them up, and leave them neither root nor branch, this is added, to show the desperate condition of the wicked in that day, they being like a a tree cut down and burnt the very stub so, as that not so much as one branch remaineth, whereby there may be hope of growing up again, for so they shall perish and never be delivered.
But to you that fear me the Son of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings, and ye shall go forth and grow up as the calves of the stall: the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here used signifieth, ye shall be multiplied, the Vulgar, and Calvin yet render it, salietis, ye shall leap, which best agreeth with the similitude taken from Calves of the stall, which being let out run about and leap most joyfully as full of good blood, so the people of God arising out of their graves at the last day, shall be as fair & fat cattle exulting and rejoicing exceedingly. Some understand this as spoken first of spiritual comfort and joy, that the faithful shall have in Christ, and the joy which the Jews had after victories obtained over the captains of Antiochus Epiphanes in the time of the Maccabees, extending it also, as verse. 1. to the threatenings against the wicked also. And Calvin noteth a like place, Esa. 60. 1, 2. where it is said the glory of God shall arise upon the righteous. But I prefer that which went before, as being the most ancient and commonly received Exposition, and best agreeing to the words, being a more large explication of that which was said more briefly chap. 3. 18. of the difference apparently put betwixt the righteous and the wicked, and to that which he said of the day, which the Lord should make, since that under the Gospel enlightening the world this is not done, but still all things fall out alike unto all. But then the Sun of righteousness shall arise to them that fear God, not to the wicked. The same that is called the Son of God, our Jesus, and our Redeemer, is here set forth as the Sun for the bright splendor and glory, wherein he shall come at the last day, his face shining as the Sun, Revel. 1. 2. for his turning the darkness of affliction and sorrow to his people into the light of comfort everlasting. 3. For the making of them glorious, as by the reflection of the Sun beams things are made to shine, that are made of gold. 4. For his being thence forth the only light making one perpetual day, for then there shall not be day and night anymore, Sun, Moon or Stars, but God and the Lamb shall be our only light forever. 5. By this Suns light things shall be seen in their proper colors, which before were obscured. And healing is said to be in his wings, that is, his beams, which are spread as wings far and wide over all his people, healing all their infirmities, if any of them have been bruised or broken in body by persecution, or crooked or lame when they were laid into the grave, or any way blemished, making them at their coming forth sound and specious, for the body sown in weakness shall rise in glory.
And ye shall tread the wicked under the soles of your feet, as ashes: whereby the base condition of the wicked, wherein they shall then be, is set forth, and the high honor, to which the righteous shall be advanced, as the Israelites sometimes troad the Canaanitish Kings under their feet, being brought forth out of the Cave by Joshua, where he had before shut them up.
Remember the Law of Moses, which I commanded to him for all Israel, &c. that is, to the end ye may attain to this high honor and glory, think continually upon my commandments, wherein the fear of me is taught: to live and do accordingly, for this is to fear God, to eschew evil thereby forbidden, and of giving them warning here to do so; the reason of Calvin is good, because they should have no more Prophets till the coming of Christ, but they had the Law as a rule to walk by.
Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet before that great and terrible day of the Lord cometh. The Septuagint for Elijah the Prophet hath Elijah the Tishbite, whereby the Fathers generally have been deceived, taking the coming again of Elijah to convert the Jews to be here meant, only Jerome understands it to be so spoken of John the Baptist, as Christ expounds it, Matth. 17. and Rupertus after him, of which also some reasons are rendered, as first because it is here added lest I come and smite the earth at once, for in the time of John the Baptist there was no danger of this, but at the great and terrible day of judgment next spoken of. 2. John the Baptist denied himself to be a Prophet, but this Elijah is affirmed to be one. 3. In Ecclesiasticus his coming is spoken of with this epithet, the Tishbite. But to all these I answer, 1 That although it were long before Christ's coming to judgment in the days of John the Baptist, yet in regard of God it was not long, but novissima hora, the last hour. 2. John denied not himself to be a Prophet, but the Prophet, which was one of the names, whereby Christ was set forth. 3. The book of Ecclesiasticus being Apocryphal is no ground of faith for us to go upon. This then is no more then what was said before, chap. 3. 1. I send my messenger before my face, where likewise the day of the Lord's first coming is set forth, as terrible to the Jews for the most part being therefore likened to a refiners fire. And it is spoken in reference to the words before going about taking heed to Moses his Law, whereby the faithful might be discouraged, as despairing of any Prophets coming amongst them more, for in this regard he telleth them, that he will send Elias the chief of all the Prophets to prepare them for the Messiah, lest instead of blessing smiting should by him finally come to them all, and to the whole earth for sin, For the last words; He shall turn the hearts of the Father to their children, &c. see Luk. 1. 17.
HOSEA
CHAP. I.
THE word of the Lord, which came to Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, &c. as Isaiah 1. 1. four Kings of Judah, are also named, but here another, Jeroboam son of Joash King of Israel, is added more then there, because Hosea began to prophesy under him in the land of Israel: And from hence it is conjectured, that he began to prophefie before Isaiah, because this Jeroboam, in whose time he is said to have prophesied, had reigned 27 years before that Uzziah began to reign, and the next words, v. 2. seem also to make for it, the beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. It is therefore generally held, that Hosea was the first of all the Prophets that wrote prophesies, but in his time Isaiah, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah, prophesied also, as Jerome noteth: How long the time of his prophesying was, we may gather by computing the times of the Kings here named, as hath been done already upon Isaiah 1. only we know not how long under Jeroboam, before that Azariah began his reign. Calvin guesseth, that his whole time of prophesying was 60 or 70 years. And because Jeroboam, under whom he began, was a mighty King, and greatly enlarged the bounds of his Kingdom, although a wicked man, he noteth, of what a spirit and courage Hosea was, that was not hereby discouraged from speaking what God would have him of the destruction of that Kingdom for Idolatry, when it was in a most flourishing condition. For he might have thought, that his prophesying of things so improbable, would have been derided and contemned by all men; yet he was not hereby daunted, but went on resolutely in his office, giving all the Ministers of God example, not to forbear to threaten the people, to whom they are sent, living in sin, with destruction, although [Note.] there be yet none appearance of any such danger. But why is Jeroboam only named here, and not other Kings succeeding him, till the carrying away of the kingdom of Israel captive: for he prophesied in the time of the Kings that reigned after him till then, as appeareth, because Hoshea, the last King of Israel, in whose 9. year they were carried away, was of the same time with Hezekiah here mentioned, only it is said, that he began his reign the 3. year of Hosea, and betwixt Jeroboam and Hosea, were Zechariah the son of Jeroboam 6 months, Shullum, who reigned one month, Menahem 10 years, Pekahiah two years, Pekah. 20 years.
Ans. The Kings that reigned after Jeroboam attained the Crown by bloodshed Shallum King slew Zechariah his son, and Menahem, and Pekah Pekahiah, so that they were no lawful Kings, but usurped, when the line of Jehu, which ended in Zechariah, that was so soon cut off, was out; and therefore not worthy the naming. And Jeroboam is named to show, that the Lord foreseeth and threateneth judgments to come long before, and being so threatened they shall come as certainly, as if they were presently executed. For betwixt Hoshea his [Note.] threatening at the word of the Lord and the execution of the judgment were almost, if not altogether 60 years, in all which time wicked scoffers might say, where is the judgment that Hosea threatened? and so sleight it as nothing.
Hosea is said to be the son of Beeri, but who this Beeri was, I find not in any Expositor: Only some think him to have been a Prophet, because Prophets, say the Hebrews, do not write their fathers names, unless they were Prophets also, but how true this is, see before upon Isaiah 1. Jerome saith, that Hosea was of Issachar of the town of Bethleemoth, and dying in peace was buried there.
The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea; From hence, as hath been touched before, some gather, that the Lord began to speak by Hosea before that by any of the other Prophets here following, or by Isaiah, Jeremy, or Ezekiel, before going: but this is confuted by Lyra, saying, that Obadiah prophesied before him, viz. in the time of Ahab, who, he saith, is generally held by Christian Doctors to be that Obadiah spoken of 1 King. 18. that hid the Prophets by 50 in a cave from Jezebels fury, and fed them with bread and water. But others there are, who subscribe not to this, as indeed there can no reason be brought for it, but against it, who hold this to be the meaning of these words: here is the first, that God spake to his Prophets to be committed to writing and put into a book, when his word came to Hosea, whom he employed first in this kind of all others. If any had rather take it, as meant in reference to the relation following, I will not contend; he may understand, as if it had been said, when the Lord spake unto him, he began first with the command, that he gave him about taking a wife of fornications, and children of fornications, the more lively to set forth the case of Idolatrous Israel, whom the Lord had taken to wife; but she had by spiritual fornication with false God's abused him, and was full of bastards, instead of legitimate children, that they might be ashamed and repent.
The main question here is, whether this were really done by the Prophet, or whether the Lord spake thus unto him, and he did thus in vision only? Calvin saith that it was done in vision, and Lyra likewise; yielding this reason: if it had been commanded to be really done, the Lord should have commanded the doing of a thing dishonest; for a Prophet to take an harlot out of the Stews, being common to all men, as the word, wife of whoredoms, implieth. For as 1 Tim. 3. it is prescribed, what manner of woman a Bishops wife should be, viz. for womanly virtues a pattern to other women; so doubtless in the time of the law, a Prophets wife must be one of unblamable conversation. Moreover it is said, a wife of fornications, and children of fornications: which cannot agree, if it were really done, which is here commanded; for doubtless if the Prophet had taken him such a wife, and of her begotten children, they should not have been thus called, for they should have been legitimate: wherefore that which is here said to be done, is parabolical, as if the Lord had said, propound thyself taking such a wife and children by way of parable, to the house of Israel, hereby to show them their sin, and the punishment that should follow for it. And further to make this good, and against the other; let us consider, that if it had really been done so, it would not have so aptly set forth the case of Israel. For that state was not as an harlot, when God took her to wife, but played the harlot afterwards, and had children who did likewise.
Some yet on the contrary side say, that nothing is dishonest which God commands to be done, and therefore not for Hosea to marry a common whore, and for this reason they stand for the real doing, as is said; and Jerome for the doing so, by a wise of whoredoms, an Idolatresse being understood. Irenaeus l. 4. c. 37. affirms it to have been truly done, and Basil, and Augustine, Cyril, Theodoret, &c. but the reasons before going are unanswerable, and therefore I rest in the first. Neither could the case of Israel be so aptly set forth any other way, for since the separation of the ten tribes from Judah, Jeroboam that first reigned over them, was notorious for the golden calves which he set up, the one in Bethel and the other in Dan, thus making all Israel to sin. And therefore this wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms did most aptly set them forth in this their spiritual whoredom, the Church in general there being as this wife, and the people as these children, of whom the Proverb might be used, Like mother like children. Now that this was done to this end, the words following show, for the Land in fornicating hath fornicated from going after the Lord: as it is Hebr. that is, hath been notorious for such fornication, and not keeping her to the Lord her husband. Touching children of whoredoms, some think that they were children which she had before; some, were thus called, because of like quality.
If it shall seem better to any man to understand this marrying of Hosea with an Harlot, as really done, as hath been before shown, that many do; then he must take her to be called a wife of fornications, not for her whoredoms past, but for her whoredoms after marriage; as Israel being before Jeroboams time married to the Lord, played the whore then, and so went on through many Kings reigns, till this Jeroboams time: and as this woman taken by Hosea playing the whore after marriage brought not forth any legitimate children, but children of whoredoms like unto her self; so the Church of Israel turning Idolatrous, the children that came of her were Idolatrous, generation after generation. And thus Hosea signifying a Savior, the son of Beeri, signifying fountains, most fitly setteth forth the Lord, the fountain of living water, as he is called Jer. 2. 13. and the Savior of Israel, which so ungratefully forsook him and dealt falsely with him. For Hosea his really taking of a wife, reasons are brought by Cyril; 1. in parables the persons are not named, here they be. 2. God teacheth both by hearing and seeing. 3. It is commonly said so in parables, as that they may be understood to be so.
And he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, who conceived and bare a son, and the Lord said unto him, Call his name Jezreel: Gomer, saith the Ordin. Gloss. signifieth consummata, and Diblaim, a mass of figs trodden hard together to make them last the longer, or pleasure: Jezreel the seed of God. Lyra saith that Gomer is the woman's name, whom he took; Diblaim, the name of her father, or place where she was born; Jezreel, the chief City of the Kingdom, where the King resided, in Ahab's time. He must take her that was called Gomer, to figure out the declining and vanishing estate of Israel; the consummation whereof should soon come, and to show, from whence this originally came, and what was the cause of it.
Gomer is said to be daughter of Diblaim, that is, of sinful pleasure, which she took in the fornication of Idolatry, pleasure being aptly set forth by sweet and full ripe figs made into a mass, as the word properly signifieth. And from hence we may well note, that destruction is the daughter of sinful pleasure [Note.] in what state or persons soever, they that will have such pleasure shall all perish. For the next name of her son Jezreel; it cometh of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifying seed; and because seed is scattered upon the land, it is put also for dispersion. But by Jezreel, as Calvin well noteth, is meant the Kingdom of Israel, and the name Israel was honorable, of which therefore they were not a little brag; but the Lord in calling them by this name, somewhat altered, takes down their vain pride, intimating hereby both their abominable wickedness, of which the City Jezreel was full when Ahab dwelt there, and besides Idolatries, to which he and his wife Jezebel were so addicted, they added the sin of shedding Naboth's innocent blood, and their dispersion that should shortly be by the Assyrians into remote countries to live there in exile and misery.
The reason of the name is next added, I will visit the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu. Jeroboam that now reigned, was of the race of Jehu, the third from him, and having reigned after this 14. years he left his kingdom to Zechariah his son, who in 6 months was slain, and then this prophesy began to take effect.
But what meaneth he by saying, I will visit the blood of Jezreel upon Jehu his house: For it was Ahab and not Jehu, that shed the innocent blood of Naboth here? Calvin answers rightly, it is not meant, that revenge should be taken upon Jehu for acting that bloody part, or for Jezebels blood, which he shed there, or the blood of Ahab's children, for he did herein no more then God would have him; but because he made himself like Ahab by his Idolatry, he meaneth, that he should in his house be likewise judged, as Ahab was in his, and because Ahab's judgment was revenge for blood shed in Jezreel, by cutting off his house, this cutting off of Zechariah, in whom Jehu his house ended, is set forth by these words, revenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu. And [Note.] hereby we may learn that such as punish sin in others, yet live in the same sin, or the like, themselves come into the same predicament with them whom they punished, and revenge shall be taken upon them accordingly. For in such true zeal worketh not, but malice and covetousness, so that although the thing done by them be prescribed, and therefore justifiable, yet the executions done by them shall in time be brought upon their own heads. And Calvin instanceth for this in Henry 8. of England, doing well in putting down the Popes supremacy, but persecuting still the faithful, and living most sensually like a beast.
Some others, because they saw not how it could be made good in sense, I will visit the blood of Jezreel, if blood be properly understood, say, that by blood wickedness is meant, and some will have an allusion to be in the name Jezreel, not to Israel, but to seed scattered, which is true, but not all here intended. For our exposition maketh also the Cald. Paraph. I will visit the blood of the Idol-worshippers in Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, because he and his house after he had shed the blood of Ahab's children, fell to the Idolatry of the golden calves, although he rooted out the Idolatry with Baal, I will cut off his house, as I did that in Jezreel, so Ruffinus also, and I will cause to cease the Kingdom of Israel, not only shall the house of Jehu be cut off, but that kingdom shall quite cease; and this was verified 2 King. 17. in the 9 year of King Hosea 41 years after.
I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel: This is added to take away the confidence which they had in their skill to shoot, and so to smite their enemies, for of their skill in this weapon especially it is spoken, 1 Chron. 12. 2 King. 1. Psal. 78. to show therefore, that their bows and skill in archery should stand them in no stead, he saith, their bow shall be broken, meaning, that their strength should be so abated by civil wars before the coming of the Assyrians their most potent enemies, that they should easily be overcome by them, and their kingdom destroyed. But what is meant by saying in Jezrael, when as this was done in Samaria, 2 King. 17? Some answer, that the valley of Jezreel was very large and extended even to Samaria: for Judge. 6. the Midianites, Amalekites, and other easterly people gathered together in wonderful great multitudes, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel, and Josh. 17. Jezreel is said to have stood in this valley, which was the Metropolitan City of the Kingdom, and therefore it must be very large, and Jerome saith it extended 10 miles, and here the Israelites fighting with the Assyrians, had their strength broken, and with him agreeth Theodoret and other Ancients, generally. And for the nearness of Samaria to Jezreel, so that the valley being large might well extend unto it, maketh that which is said 2 King. 10. Jehu sent to the Elders of Samaria, saying, Send me the heads of the 70 sons of Ahab by tomorrow this time.
Gwalther thinks it not necessary to understand here the breaking of their strength by the Assyrians at the last, but in their conflicts amongst themselves, some standing for one King and some for another, 2 King. 15. and ch. 16. and that most probably about Jezreel, this being foretold, as a preparative to the destruction of the Kingdom, which was now mighty in Jeroboams reign, and not as a thing to be done at the coming of the Assyrians, to which I subscribe. [Note.]
Note, that it is not the strength of a Kingdom that can save it, for God can easily break that without a foreign enemy, by sending a spirit of division within the same kingdom, making them to fight one against another, and when it is done so, it is to be feared, that the ruin of the whole kingdom by foreign enemies is not far off.
And she conceived again and bare a daughter: Here is something more threatened then before, for he doth not only say that the Kingdom shall be destroyed, but that he would not show them mercy anymore, by restoring them to a Kingdom again, but utterly take them away, putting out the name of the Kingdom of the ten tribes forever. Therefore the daughter now born must be called Lo-ruchamah, signifying not mercy. For, saith he, I will utterly take them away, Hebr. by taking I will take them away; but because it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I will take to them, some saith Calvin, render it I will bring to them the enemy that shall destroy them: but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 saith he, is sometimes put for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and therefore the best reading is, I will take them away; that of others, I will utterly forget them, because 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth to forget, is not to be embraced, because that word is not the same with this. In these words is nothing else then but an amplification of the threatening before going, I will not have mercy, as if he had said, this shall appear by my utterly putting down that Kingdom never to be by any power set up again. As indeed it never was, but Judah being afterwards carried away, was at the end of 70 years restored again.
Touching whom therefore it followeth, I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and save them by the Lord their God, not by sword or battle, &c. For the better understanding whereof we must look into the History of Amaziah the King of Judah, whom Jehoash the King of Israel overcame and took away his treasures, and brought Judah very low; therefore in Jeroboams time, who succeeded Jehoash and was rather more mighty, it cannot be doubted but that Judah continued in the same low estate still. The meaning then must needs be, that in this low estate of theirs the Lord would have mercy upon them, and save them from their enemies, when Israel that was now so potent, and for this insulted over them, should be destroyed and cease from being a Kingdom anymore forever: for which it is also added, not by sword or battle, horsemen or horses; wherein they were then most weak. A thing worthy our noting, that the Kingdom which hath little strength shall be saved and stand, when the [Note.] Kingdom far more potent shall be overthrown: so great a difference doth sin and righteousness make betwixt Kingdoms.
And this was notably seen in the days of Hezekiah King of Judah a godly King, when the Assyrians coming against him under Sannerib were destroyed in one night to 185000. But even in the same Kings time, they coming against the Kingdom of Israel prevailed, and destroyed it. And it was further fulfilled in their deliverance out of the Babylonish captivity, when they were brought into their own country again, not by any force of arms, but merely by a divine power working in the heart of Cyrus to give them leave to return. Jerome and Hilary, because it is said, by the Lord their God, understand also the salvation to come by Christ Jesus, who is our Lord and our God, and this is the greatest salvation of all others: and commonly, as Lyra noteth, prefigured in that saving of them out of captivity by Cyrus. Calvin makes a question here how it came to pass, that the Prophet spake so well of Judah in comparison of Israel, and so much to her comfort, when so terribly against Israel; forsomuch as Judah was also notoriously wicked, as is often complained by Isaiah, especially ch. 28. But it is the King, at whom God especially looketh, either in judging or showing favor to a Kingdom, and not to the wickedness of the people, as we may see in the histories of godly and wicked Kings, the one sort being always a means of blessing to his Kingdom, the other of judgments. And specially in Hezekiah and Hosea, in whose days Israel was destroyed but Judah saved, the one being most wicked, the other most zealous about the worship and service of God. But to look back again a little to v. 6. where it is said, I will utterly take them away, a question hereupon is made, how this was verified, when as not only the tribe of Judah and Benjamin were restored to their country, but also they of other tribes, as appeareth 2 Chron. 30. where it is said, after the Assyrian captivity, that Hezekiah sent to them of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Zebulon to come to Jerusalem to keep the Passover. And it is said Ezek. 37. 15. and shown by a sign of two sticks that Judah and Israel should live together under one King.
Answ. The first allegation is of no force because it is plainly said, that they of Israel, and the Tribes named there were not any that returned again, but such as escaped when others were carried away. For the next, it may be understood of those of Israel, who were mingled with the kingdom of Judah; and were carried away with the Jews into Babylon, for even in Rehoboams time, many of the ten Tribes being moved by the idolatry of Jeroboam changed their habitations and came and dwelt in the kingdom of Judah, where was the place of God's Worship, and by this means, it is said, His kingdom was the more strengthened. And these most probably continuing in their posterity there till the Babylonish captivity, but then returning again, are meant, being all the Israel remaining, the rest being carried so far off that they never since appeared anymore; only we read of them, that they were shut up with the Caspian mountains, and are there in infinite multitudes at this day. Moreover there is another understanding of Israel, viz. of the faithful of all Countries and Nations, who come to be one with the Jews, that believe in Christ, Gal. 3. 28. of whom the words, verse. 10. the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sands of the Sea shore, are to be understood, as Expositors generally agree, and not of Israelites only according to the flesh, of which I shall speak more, when I come unto them.
And when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived again and bare a son. Heb. weaning of Lo-rubamah is held also to be significative, setting forth the taking away of Israel from being nourished anymore by God, by his Word and Sacraments, and carrying her into a strange land, to be fed there with other things, viz. the vanities of the heathen, serving their God's. And as one noteth, this daughter shown the weakness, to which this kingdom should grow, being before as a son, now it should be weak, as a daughter. For the son next brought forth called Loammi, not my people; Hereby was further shown, that Israel being thus put off should no more be accounted of as God's people, but left to the will of their enemies as strangers to be domineered over with great cruelty, and to be placed where they would.
But the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sands, &c. This is Hebr. the beginning of chap. 2. and indeed forsomuch as it is the beginning of new matter, viz. of comfort, whereas hitherto nothing but terror hath been spoken, it were best to begin a new chapter here, the vulgar translation doth, Junius not, but hath it as a continuation of this chapter, and for But, hath although, yet Heb. it is And, as if he had said, thus it shall be, Israel shall be so utterly rejected, as before goeth, and having continued long in this estate shall miraculously be increased in number as the sands of the Sea shore. Which is added saith Calvin, to prevent an objection that might be made, if the children of Israel shall be utterly taken away and no more be a people, what shall become of God's promise to increase Abraham's posterity to be as the dust of the earth? It is here answered, the children of Israel shall thus indeed be rejected for a long time, but the time shall come, when they shall be again far more increased by the accession of the faithful of all countries and Nations under the Gospel. For these together with the believers of the Jews and Israelites bear the same name, now the posterity of Israel being not the only Israel, but all the faithful of any other Nation, as the Apostle showeth, Rom 9. 24. 25. alleging the very words of this place, and Isaiah 44. 5. is plain for it, saying of the Nations, one shall call himself. Jacob, and another by the name of Israel, and so it is here added, in the place, where it was said, ye are not my people, it shall be said, ye are sons of the living God, more grace being promised to this Israel, then ever before. For then they were called only his peculiar people, and once, Israel is my son, my first born, and the people of God, but here, sons, and sons of the living God, intimating more favor everlastingly, causing more boldness and confidence, and life of grace and glory forever.
Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together and appoint over them one head and come up out of the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel. Here it seemeth plainly prophesied, that not only Judah, but Israel also, even they of the ten tribes, who were formerly divided from the kingdom of Judah should return out of the land whereinto they were carried, and then be united under one King, Christ Jesus, never to be divided anymore. And about their uniting under him he speaketh so, as that it cannot be understood only of some of the ten tribes, who lived mixed together with Judah, but of them, that never before after their division were again mixed till the time here spoken of: for it is said, that they shall gather themselves together, intimating, that they lived at a distance all the time before, and appoint over them one head, intimating that they did not so till now. And therefore the Apostle Paul speaketh so confidently that there shall come a time of their conversion, Rom. 11. 25. applying hereunto, Isaiah. 59. 20. speaking of the Redeemer coming to Zion and to Jacob, as here both are comforted by the like promise. Yet both Jerome, Augustine, Lyra and Calvin expound all this of spiritual Israel, the faithful of the Gentiles, making no mention of the conversion of the ten Tribes at all, but by Judah understanding the Israelites either of the two Tribes any other of the Tribes that embraced the Faith, and by Israel the faithful of the Gentiles. And for the last words some say, great is the day of Jezreel, that is, of the seed of God, as the word signifieth, some take it to be spoken with reference to the words before going, I will visit the blood of Jezreel, &c. verse. 4. 5. as if he had said, it may seem incredible which I have threatened against Israel, but it shall certainly come to pass, and the day when, shall be greatly noted, as wherein great things were done. Gwalther referring it likewise to that which was said before takes in all both the threatenings and the promises, for in respect of both it shall be counted a great day, when these mighty things shall all come to pass. I see no reason, why by Jezreel the kingdom of the ten Tribes may not to be understood, and their day of conversion said to be a great day, seeing the first son of Hosh • ah by his wife had his name Jezreel, that herein he might figure out this kingdom, which thought itself so strong, but for sin was adjudged to dissipation, yet being by God's mercy gathered together again with Judah under the Gospel, Israel should be as honorable and famous, as before miserable and infamous, and the day when this should be done should be counted a great day of Jezreel, formerly so called in derision, but now seriously they coming to be the seed of God, as it is expressly said they shall be called the sons of the living God: and therefore I rest in this, it is here prophesied, that not only some of the kingdom of Judah, who returned from the Babylonish captivity shall embrace the Faith of Christ, thus becoming the sons of God, as it is said, John. 1. 12. So many as received him to them he gave power to be the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name; which began also to be fulfilled in the Apostles, and 70 sent out to preach, and in thousands of other faithful people of the Jews, of whom we read Act. 2. Act. 5. Ast. 21. And moreover it is prophesied of the kingdom of Israel so long continuing no people, that the time shall come, when even they shall be enlightened also and come up, or ascend to this high honor out of the land, wherein they have so long lain dead, as it were, for which Saint Paul calleth their conversion a resurrection from the dead, and Ezek 37. it is set forth by the reviving of dead and withered bones. But touching their coming to their own country again, and living all under one King, being a man in this world of the race of David, as some conceive, is meant by their appointing one King over them, and their coming up out of the land, understanding hereby a local motion, it cannot be grounded upon this, or any other Prophesy, in which that which is spoken in this kind is to be understood spiritually, for so much as the distinction of places now ceaseth, and the serving of God by Sacrifices and incense, all worship being in spirit and in truth. But what is it that he saith, they shall appoint one head over them? shall they or God appoint him? Answ. it is thus said, to show their willingness to receive him whom God appointed, as Psal. 110. 2.
CHAP. II.
SAy to your brethren Ammi, and to your sisters Ruhamah; that is, saith Lyra, ye Apostles and other Preachers of the Gospel comfort all the faithful, that by your preaching are brought to Christ by Faith and repentance, telling them, if they be of the Jewish Nations, that although they were rejected, as no people a long time, yet now they are the people of God, for the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth my people, and your sisterhood of the Gentiles, being converted, ye have now obtained mercy, as the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth. Calvin will have it an exhortation in general made by one Christian to another, that they might cheerfully praise God together for his great grace in Christ Jesus.
Plead with your mother, for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband. Having in the former words comforted the faithful, of whom the most eminent were Jews; now he returneth again to the wicked, who were the far greater part of them, bidding the faithful to reprove and sharply to deal with them, as they were well worthy. And he setteth them forth by the name of their mother, because they from whom they descended according to the flesh remained still in sin and infidelity for the most part, as is intimated in that saying of Christ, when the Jews objected unto him, that he cast out devils by Belzebub, if I by Belzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? For hereby he showeth that the Apostles and 70 whom he sent out giving them power to cast out devils, were the children of unbelievers, that persecuted Christ as well as others. Calvin understands it of the people then going on still in their idolatries, notwithstanding all his threatenings. For as he began with threatening, but turned to consolations in respect of the faithful amongst them, so now again he reneweth his first theme of threatening against them that were nothing moved by all that was said, but went on obstinately still in their idolatries and other abominations. But for so much as it is here prophesied what should be done in time of the Gospel; I think it best to refer this to the same time also, as Lyra doth. Let the Jews, that are Preachers of the Gospel, plead with the Synagogue, of which they were, and say in the Lord's name, thou art not my wife, neither am I thy husband. For thus Christ did, Matth. 23. 23. and Paul, Rom. 11. and Rom. 9. and Act. 28. yet because it is whoredom about which they are bidden to plead, that is idolatry, which is commonly called spiritual whoredom, and to this the Synagogue was not addicted in the time of the Gospel nor before, since their return out of Babylon, that of Calvin may well stand, the faithful then living, who were moved at God's threatenings by the Prophet, are bidden thus to plead with their mother, the idolatrous Church that then was. But the former exposition holdeth good also, since the Synagogue in the time of the Gospel hardening herself by unbelief might well have the whoredom of idolatry laid to her charge, for that which was done of old, the children's children that live in sin, being in the same guilt in the sight of God, that their forefathers were in, as may be gathered from that saying of our Lord. All the righteous blood from