Thou hast multiplied thy merchantes aboue the starres of heauen: the locust spoyleth and flyeth away.
* 1.1 HYpophora, or the answering of an obiection, whereby the Prophet ouerthroweth and scorneth other groundes also of the vaine confidence or trust of these Niniuites. And these are, The multitude of the merchāts which then the Niniuites had got∣ten into the Citie to defend them selues withall. Now whether this be to be vnderstood either of monie, the which they had got∣ten together euerie where at the hands of merchants, or whe∣ther it be to be vnderstood of other people: (for money is the sinewes or strength of warres,) or of the hired souldiers or na∣tions the which the Niniuites had gotten to helpe them, it is all one. All the aydes sought out and gotten by them, be it money, or armies to helpe them, or people that were in league with thē, shal perish, and stand them in no stead: nay that which more is, like vnto locusts or grashoppers, they shal spoyle the Niniuites them selues, that is to say, the aydes & confederates by them procured, shall rifle them, and afterwards shall flie and runne away from them.* 1.2 So the Idumeans at the siege of Ierusalem being hyred by the Iewes, when as Vespasian fought against them, did spoyle them, and rob them of their money, and by and by gat them away and helped them nothing at all, as Iosepus writeth in his bookes of the warres of the Iewes. See Apocal. 18. ver. 7.15. where the multitude of Merchants that before were great friends vnto it, doth behold and laugh at the kingdom of Antichrist and of Rome falling, and going to decay. For nothing can profit nor doe vs good, if God be wrath and angry with vs, and our aydes and helps, as appeareth Agg. 1, For as Paul sayth Rom. 8, ver. 31. If God be with vs and on our side, who can be against vs? And conse∣quently if he be against vs, who can be with vs, or do vs any good?