A commentary upon the whole Old Testament, added to that of the same author upon the whole New Testament published many years before, to make a compleat work upon the whole Bible. Vols. 2-4. Wherein the divers translations and expositions, literall and mysticall, of all the most famous commentators both ancient and modern are propounded, examined, and judged of, for the more full satisfaction of the studious reader in all things, and many most genuine notions inserted for edification in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. A work, the like unto which hath never yet been published by any man, yet very necessary, nor only for students in divinity; but also for every Christian that loveth the knowledge of divine things, or humane, whereof this comment is also full. Consisting of IV parts. I Upon the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses. II Upon the historical part, from Joshua to Esther. III Upon Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Solomons Song. IV Upon all the prophets both great and small. By John Mayer, doctor of divinity.

CHAP. XX.

PAshur the Priest, who was also the Governour of the house of the Lord, Ch. * 1.1 19. 14. Jeremiah is said to come from Tophet, and to have stood in the Court of the Lords house, and to have prophesied destruction to the Jews there in the hearing of all the people. This Pashur no sooner heard, but he smote him, &c. Some think that he was high Priest: But others deny him to be the high Priest, * 1.2 because 1 Chron. 6. 12. Helchias was high Priest in the time of Josiah, and after him Azarias his son, 2 Kings 22. 8. and then his son Seraius, who in the eleventh year of Ezekiah, Jerusalem being taken was slain at the command of Nebuchad∣nezzar, Ier. 52. 27. Some therefore take him to have been chief under the high-Priest to rule in the house of the Lord, and finding Ieremiah, whom he took to be a * 1.3 man that of his own head took upon him to prophesie against the state, as some∣time some arreptitious Prophets did, he used him so harshly as is said v. 2. For the high Priest had some under him, whom he made Officers to rule in the Temple, as it is said of Jehojadah, 2 Chron. 23. 18. see also 2 Kings 22. 5. 2 Chron. 26. 24. 2 Mach. 3. 4. There was a Ruler that contended with Onias the high-Priest, others over the treasure, and others over those that stood to praise God.

He smote Jeremiah, and put him in the stocks, Vulg. misit eum in nervum, * 1.4 Calvin in Cyppum, aut carcerem, the prison. But Iosephus, and Kimhi say, it was an instrument made of two pieces of wood, which met together, and had in them three holes, into one of which the head was put, into the other two the two armes. And that a prison is not meant, appeareth, because that afterwards when he was put in prison, c. 29. 26. it is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. In the upper gate of Benjamin in the house of the Lord. N. Tr. In the high gate of Benjamin which was by the house of the Lord, Heb. in the house of the Lord, that is, within the bounds of the Temple, as Lyra and Vatable note. For the gates of Benjamin, Ierom saith, that there were two so called, standing towards Benjamin, which possesses the North part of the Temple, as Iudah the South: one more to the East called the high gate, and the other towards the West, and in the high gate were they judged that came under the censure of the high Priest most properly as Prophets, and such as lived about the Temple, accor∣ding to that Ierem. 29. 26. Zephaniah is said to be made high-Priest, that he might put in prison and in the stocks, every one that is mad and feigh∣neth himselfe a Prophet, by Shemaiah. Some there are that agree not to this tou∣ching the gate here spoken of, but I will spend no more time about circumstances, but come to the matter. The madness of some in authority even in the Church [Note.] is such, that they are inraged against the true servants of God reproving sin, and going according to the Word of God in all things, so as that in taking revenge upon them, they posse the bounds of moderation that should be in Judges: as Pashur, who first smote Ieremiah, and then committed him to be brought forth the next day to be judged; whereas it is the duty of those that be in Authority, first to apprehend Offendors, and then to bring them to a triall; and after Sen∣tence given to punish, and not before. Therefore we may see, that all things were now out of order in Ierusalem to the provoking of God, the more to hasten his judgements.

The Lord hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magor. Missabib. Of the last * 1.5 word a reason is rendred, v. 4. fear round about; for he saith, I will make thee a terror to thy self, and to all thy friends, that is, which are about thee, and have been deceived, by thy false prophesying, as is intimated, v. 6. But for the word

Pashur, it is not agreed amongst Expositors, some say, it comes of Pe, signify∣ing a mouth, and Shear black, some of Pashah to encrease, and Sar, a Prince, as Calvin saith; but he enforceth another denomination of his own, from Shap∣pah, * 1.6 to cut, or to open, one opening the light. That of Pagninus seemeth to me to be so right, that all others are nothing to it, he derives it from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Push growing, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, whiteness, a name setting forth one in eminent place, and shining in glory, as the bright light; for such was he in his ruling Office: but he saith, that he should be brought down to misery, when looking round about him, he should see nothing but matter of terrour and fear, when he should fall into his enemies hands, together with his friends in Ierusalem, and be carryed captive to Babylon, and dye there. And in telling Pashur thus after his smiting [Note.] and putting him in the stocks, Ieremy shewed the magnanimity of a Prophetical spirit, which abates not by suffering disgrace and pain, but rather encreaseth, and spareth not to speak to men of power any more than to such as be of the common sort.

Thou shalt be carryed to Babylon and dye, and be buried there. Here first is Ba∣bylon * 1.7 plainly mentioned, as the place from whence judgment was threatned, in saying that it should come out of the North; and not only Pashur is threatned thus, but all his house, and friends to whom he had prophesied lies, that is, made faire promises of peace, as from the Lord, whose priest he was, to make them slight Ieremiah his threatnings: whereby we may see what it is to have such a Priest as to procure the friendship of men will daub with untempered Morter, [Note.] and speak peace to them, to whom there is no peace, he shall bring both himself and them to ruine, whereas his dying, and being buried in Babylon, is spoken of as a judgement, because it was out of the holy Land, and before being suffered to lye unburied, it is to be understood, that it is so to the wicked, but not to the righteous, who are blessed and happy wheresoever they die, or howsoever they be used after death, whether buried or unburied.

O Lord! I was deceived, and thou hast deceived me. This is not saith Calvin * 1.8 spoken seriously, but ironically, as if he had said, O yee Priests, that are so mad a∣gainst me for speaking as I have done; it is true indeed, I have abused you by speaking so bitterly against my own Nation in the name of the Lord; and the Lord that set me a work is deceitfull, if I should herein yield unto you to say thus, would yee not be ashamed? but yee do in effect say so, when yee say that I am a false Prophet, and come with feigned messages from the Lord unto you. Thus also Lyra and Isidore: But Hierom, Raban, &c. Thou hast deceived me, in telling me that I should prophesie unto Kingdoms and Nations, whereby I * 1.9 thought that heathen Nations only had been meant, and not Judah. And some, Thou hast deceived me; because thou didst promise, that I should be a brazen * 1.10 wall, Chap. 1. 18. Chap. 15. 20, 21. against which none shall prevail; but now I finde it otherwise, for Pashur hath violently smitten me, and disgraced me, as is aforesaid; and to this doe I subscribe, because it is not probable, that Jeremiah being so vexed, as he had been, would now utter any thing ironicall, but out of grief speak all things seriously; and the goodness of his conscience might make him thus bold to challenge the Lord, as he had done in part before, Chap. 15. 18. seeing he was so unwillingly, and upon so great promises drawn to this prophesying: and he spake thus also to move the Lord the more to stand for him, and confirm him against the assaults of his enemies, and not to suffer him to be put down by the wicked in his just cause, sith that to stand to him, and to hasten to take the power to hurt him out of their hands, would make so much for the glory of his truth and power, in approving him to be his faith∣full servant, which together with his credit now lay at the stake, and being inseparable the one from the other, for so much as his cause was Gods, and Gods cause his.

Since I spake unto them, I cryed out Violence and Spoile. That is, I reaped none * 1.11 other fruit of my labours, but harsh and violent usage and derision at their hands, * 1.12 to whom I spake: so also Jerom, Raban, Tho. Aquin. But since I cryed out

against them of destruction and spoile to come for their sins, but to none other effect, but to make my self a scorn and derision, through Gods delaying to bring the judgements threatned, for that was the thing troubled Jeremiah, as we may see by his often calling to the Lord, to take revenge upon them: as Jonah was provoked to impatience by his sparing Nineveh, when he had set him to threaten it. Calvin, I cryed out against their gross sins, whereupon I saw them * 1.13 to be so set, that milde speaking to turn them therefrom would do no good. A∣ny of these waies the sense will be good; but I prefer the second, because the Prophet met not with violence so long agoe, but more lately; neither were their oppressions the sins, against which he cryed out so much, as their Idolatries and gross Superstition.

The Prophet seeing their contempt after so long and much labour, through the infirmity of the flesh, grew so weary, that he thought to prophesie unto them * 1.14 no more: but the spirit, as a fire in him, would not suffer him to sit still. This sheweth the strife between the flesh and the spirit that is in Gods servants, but in [Note.] time the Spirit prevaileth in all such.

For I heard the reproaches of many, and terrour round about: Magor-Missabib. * 1.15 The same words there were used before in threatning Pashur verse 3. whereun∣to he alludeth the reproaches and blasphemies increasing upon his silence, being a terrour to him to hear, coming from the wicked Jews; which his zeal not suffering him to bear, he brake out from his silence resolved upon, and went on in prophecying against them. Whereupon Gregory: The same force that moved * 1.16 him for zeal to the glory of God to hold his peace, lest by the encrease of re∣proach, caused through his speaking, it should suffer more; now caused him con∣trariwise to speake again, when he saw that by holding his peace, reproaches were more encreased. It oftentimes happeneth, that wise men seeing that they are not heard, silence themselves: but then perceiving through their silence sins to encrease more, they are by a kinde of fear of the Spirit, compelled again to break out into open reproof. So Jeremiah, when he outwardly held his peace, * 1.17 through the tediousness of speaking, he suffered a fire within, out of the zeal of Charity. Thus also Jerom, but Theod. Lyra, and Tho. Aquinas take not these words for a reason of his breaking out again into speaking; but as having refe∣rence to verse 8. and as a proceeding further to declare his sufferings, as if he had said; I cry out of violence, and see that none other effect comes of it, than the turning the Word of God into derision; so that I was for a time in suspense whether it were not best to forbear speaking any more: but when I thought thus, the Spirit within me would not suffer it, the reproach was so great, and so many combined herein together; whereat I was terrified which way soever I loo∣ked; because it is a trouble to a godly heart to hear blasphemies against God, and the more, the greater; this agreeth so well, that we may rest in it: See the like of the fire burning within David, Psalme 39. 3. Report, and we will report it: That is, my enemies said thus one to another, Tell the King and his Councell what he saith against the State, and we will joyn with you in accusing him: All my familiars ••atched for my halting; peradventure he will be enticed: That is, they with whom I lived in peace, as the words signifie, in former times, now give themselves to intrap me in my speeches; and for this end come about me, and provoke me to speak, that they may have some advantage against me to ac∣cuse me to the higher powers, and so be revenged of me: The like complaint was made by the Prophet David in the Psalmes, and afterwards the like is said of Christ, Matth. 22. 15.

Sing unto the Lord, praise him, for he hath deliverd the soule of the poor, &c. The Prophet in the midst of his sufferings and dangers having looked up to God * 1.18 by the eye of faith, as being on his side to save him, and to bring his wicked ene∣mies to confusion, verse 11, 12. Now being fully perswaded of his help at hand, and that his prayer was heard for revenge to be taken upon them, he breaketh out into singing and praising of God, as if it had been already, as David also oft∣times did in the Psalmes.

Cursed be the day wherein I was born. It is strange, that Ieremiah having prai∣sed God, verse 13. out of the confidence that he had in his help, should now so suddenly break out into these speeches of impatience: Therefore Calvin under∣stands * 1.19 them not as belonging to this place, but to verse 8, 9, 10. they being only set down here by way of commemoration of what he had said in the bitter∣ness of his soul, before the comfort expressed upon his prayer, verse 12, 13. But I see no cause thus to determine; for the like may be seen before, Chap. 15. verse 18. after joy expressed in the Word, verse 16. he cryeth out, as smitten with a disease incurable, and expostulates with the Lord for lying unto him, as in this Chap. v. 8. for deceiving him. It is therefore rather to be conceived, that Iere∣miah was so troubled by the hard measure which he met withall, speaking no∣thing but the words of the Lord: hearing therefore, and suffering such intolle∣rable reproach, that in zeal for God he counted himself a most unhappy man; for that discharging his Office so faithfully, he could move none to repentance, but by his prophecying was a means to aggravate their sins to Gods greater dis∣honour, and their own utter overthrow: He was, I say, so troubled at this, that he thus cryeth out, wishing, that he had rather never been born, than to live to encrease the sins of his people, that it should go worse with them by his means, and consequently to be a cause of Gods greater dishonour, Iob 3. 5. The like is said by that holy man for his bodily sufferings, and yet he is justified in his sayings, Chap. 42. 7. Therefore Ieremiah much more, who had greater cause thus to utter himself, viz. a cause joyned with Gods cause, whereby he was brought into these troubles; so that whatsoever he said came not so much out of any im∣patience, but zeal, which is so highly accepted of before God, and makes a man in such cases sometimes to complain, sometimes to rejoyce, and suddenly again to cry out as the most miserable of all other men, as David did, and Paul, Rom. 7. 22. Whereas his cursing the day of his birth, and the man that brought ti∣dings of it is aggravated against him by some, as being no lesse than blasphemy: It is better noted by others, that he uttered not a word against God, by whose Providence he knew that he suffered thus, and what he uttered is not to be loo∣ked at as the words sound, but according to the meaning, which was only, that there had never been any such day, a messenger, and therefore that he had never been born, rather than to live to heare, and see, and know the horrible things be∣fore spoken of. And he spake so, the rather to move the Jews, if they had any moving in them, to desist from this their malice and causeless hatred against him, seeing this office of prophesying things so unpleasing, was not a thing by him affected, but necessarily imposed upon him, as Chap. 1. 17. and it was so grievous unto him, that he was even weary of his life, through Gods pressing him on to it on the one side, and their maligning of him therefore on the other. Other Ex∣positors seek to excuse him otherwise, as Origen, saying that the day of his birth * 1.20 was past, and therefore nothing now; so that cursing it, he cursed nothing. Theod. * 1.21 as Ierom, that it is not credible that Ieremiah sinned herein, who was sanctified from the womb. Isidore, That this cursing is but conditionall; if any, let that day be cursed. Chrys. He cursed not any day made by God, as it was his day, but as * 1.22 his owne; the day of the birth of one sinfull and miserable, or he was as a man cut by a Chirurgeon extremely pained, and hereby moved to strike at and to bite those about him that hold him. Gregory, Let the day of mutibility perish, that the light of eternity may break forth. But Cajetan is for the first, that it is only * 1.23 to be taken, as if he had wished, that he had never been born; not that such a * 1.24 day had not been, nor such a man, but that he had had no cause by his birth to bring such tidings. And all this is spoken also out of some anger against God, as his friend, that he suffered it to be thus, as one friend may speak to another, to provoke him the more to stand for him, whom he seemed too much to neglect, * 1.25 upon such quarrels amongst men that are friends, it being common to renew their mutuall love.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vers. 1.
• * 1.2

  Hieron. Raban.
• * 1.3

  Calvin.
• * 1.4

  Vers. 2. Joseph. Kimi.
• * 1.5

  Vers. 3.
• * 1.6

  Cal••in.
• * 1.7

  Vers. 6.
• * 1.8

  Vers. 7.
• * 1.9

  Hieron.
• * 1.10

  Theod. Vatabl.
• * 1.11

  Vers. 8.
• * 1.12

  Vatabl. Isidor.
• * 1.13

  Calvin.
• * 1.14

  Vers. 9.
• * 1.15

  Vers. 10.
• * 1.16

  Gregor. Mor. l. 23. c. 10.
• * 1.17

  Quia foris ta∣cuit ex taedio locutionis, intus ignem pertulit de zelo charita∣tis. Theod. Lyra.
• * 1.18

  Vers. 13.
• * 1.19

  Calvin.
• * 1.20

  Origen.
• * 1.21

  Theod.
• * 1.22

  Isidor. Chrysost. Hom. 4. de patien. Job.
• * 1.23

  Greg. in Job 3.
• * 1.24

  Cajetan.
• * 1.25

  Amantium irae amoris ridente∣gratio est.