Vers. 8. Therefore now heare thou that art giuen to pleasures, and dwel∣lest carelesse: shee saith in her heart; I am, and none else: I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the losse of children.
HEere the Prophet threatens the Babylo∣nians their ruin againe: wherein hev seth very fit words to confirme the peoples hearts in good hope, lest being amazed at the pros∣peritie of the Chaldeans, they might happily faint, and be brought out of heart. And yet he speakes not to Babylon, as if he meant to forewarne her; but it is rather said for the con∣solation of the faithfull. Hee addes that she was drunken in pleasures: for howsoeuer pros∣peritie in it selfe is not to be condemned, in regard it is the good gift of God; yet wee are not ignorant how the children of this world are wont to abuse it, by falling into riot and excesse. Moreouer, hee now toucheth in a word, what it was which she said in her selfe in the former verse; to wit, a secret perswasion, whereby shee concluded that things should come thus and thus to passe. For so the proud are wont to doe, howsoeuer for modesties sake they dissemble and couer it, because they would not that euery one should be pri∣uie thereto.
I am, and there is none but I.] What an insup∣portable insolencie call you this? she prefers her selfe aboue all the vvorld. First, she thinkes [ 1] she stands by her owne power: secondly, she makes [ 2] her selfe beleeue, that the rest of the vvorld are not vvorthy to be compared vvith her: third∣ly, [ 3] she promiseth her selfe a rest vnchangeable. For the first, none can say truly I am, but God on∣ly, to whom it belongs properly to say, I am that I am: Exod. 3.14. For by this title he di∣stinguisheth himselfe from all creatures. Thus then Babylon tooke from God the honour due vnto him, when shee imagined that shee stood by her owne power: and in aduancing her selfe thus, shee bid battell vnto Iehouah. Moreouer, she wronged the whole world, in abasing them thus vnder her feete. But these haughtie mindes first indeuour to begin with God, that so they may make him their ene∣mie: and then they set themselues against men, that so they may leaue none exempt ei∣ther in heauen nor earth, against whom they make not warre by their ouerweening. The third member, which containes the height of her pride, consists, in that she resolues vpon a state that cannot be moued; neuer thinking what little hold worldlings haue of things present: for often times, the higher men are aduanced, the lower is their fall.