This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this text, in whole or in part. Please contact project staff at eebotcp-info@umich.edu for further information or permissions.
Why doest thou shew me iniquitie, and cause me to behold sorrow? for spoyling and violence are before me: and there are that rayse vp strife and contention.
* 1.1THe rendring of a reason of the former complayning and rea∣soning of the Prophet with GOD, as the silence or for∣bearance
of God were now out of season and too long in so o∣uer much vnbrideled bold libertie and brasenfaced shamelesnes of men, yea euen of the Iewes, that is, of the seed of Abraham, to commit all euill and lewdnes. This verse hath two parts. The one which repeteth againe the same former complaint:* 1.2 The other, which expresseth the cause thereof,* 1.3 and sheweth what is vnderstood before by the word (violence.) Touching the com∣plaint, the same is here againe repeated, because that at the same time it was knowen vnto the most blinde, and as it were vnto euerie Cobler & Tincker,* 1.4 how wickedlie the Iewes liued, among whom he and the other Prophets had their conuersation or a∣biding. [unspec 1] And therefore in regard of the notoriousnes of their sinnes Ierem. 9. ver. 9. it is written, shall J not visit them for these things sayth the Lord? or shall not my soule be auenged on such a Nation as this? Yet were they, as I haue foresayde, the people of God, an holie Nation, the seede of Abraham. Wherefore the matter was intolerable or not to be borne withall of anie godlie man, much lesse of God, the which the Prophets and all the god∣lie did see with their own eyes. This open raunging and raging of vices and sinne was foorthwith to be punished by God with sword and fire (whose name was for this cause blasphemed or euill spoken of euen among the infidels, as it is also in the Pro∣phet Isaias) and at no hand to be deferred or prolonged, and put off from daie to daie. Wherefore this debating and reasoning of the matter with God is repeated as a iust complaint for so ma∣nifest or plaine comtempt and despising of God.
* 1.5Now the cause hereof, as I haue saide is the lyfe of the Iewes, outragious and horrible for all kind of lewdnes: for here are recko∣ned vp sundry sorts of wickednesse, namely, iniquitie, strife, conten∣tion, vexation, violence, spoyling: of the which the three former I doe referre vnto those iniuries, the which priuate men priuatly did one vnto another: & the three latter vnto those iniuries, the which they publikely committed one against another: as for example, ei∣ther the officers and magistrates vnto the subiects, or a people and cities vnto cities. And all these things argued or proued, that all charitie and loue was extinct or quenched among them: and con∣sequently that all feare of God was done away. Strifes and conten∣tions doe shewe their vniust law quarrels, the which notwithstan∣ding neuer ceased among them. For there were alwayes some which raised and stirred them vp. Which thing also appeareth in
France euen at this day, where there are in number more suites and processes, then heads of men. Iniquitie, is deceit subtiltie and craft, wherewith one beguiled another in their traffike and bargainings. Ʋexation, is such grieuance, as the toll-gatherers and custome-masters, and such like deceitfull, way ward and cruell persons did openly vse vnto the common people, demanding tribute of them. Spoyling, is such losses & harmes and vndoings, as these pillers and pollers of the people did euery where exercise and bring in. Ʋio∣lence, is the force and open wrong the which one did vnto another openly without punishment. And these things doe shew that there was at that time a wonderfull disorderousnes of that state both publike and also priuate. Compare with this place the like com∣plaints against this selfe same people by Isai cap. 1. Ieremie cap. 2. and 5. Ezech. 16.
A reason of the former com∣plaint.
Two parts of this verse.
1. A repeting of the former complaint.
2 The cause of the same.
2. Iniquitie Strife. Contention. Vexation. Violence. Spoyling.