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. II.

I Remember thee the kindenesse of thy youth, &c. Jerom, I have called thee to * 1.1 minde, pitying thy youth. But it may with more sense be rendred according to the Hebrew, I recorded the mercy shewed to thee in thy youth, and the love of thy espousals; that is, I call to minde and compare my great mercy shewed to thee, whenas bringing thee out of Egypt, and through a barren wilderness, causing thee to follow me, as a wife her loving husband, and taking care of * 1.2 thee, as my first fruits, which are most holy to the Lord, so that I brought evil upon all that went about to eat and devour thee. When I compare, I say, this my gracious dealing with thee, and thine apostasie and forsaking me to∣gether, as followeth vers. 5, 6, 7, 8. I cannot but as I have great cause chal∣lenge thee therefore, and call thee to an account to give me a reason why thou hast dealt thus by me, and if thou canst give none, to make thee ashamed that thou maist yet repent, being otherwise ready to deal with thee according to thy deserts, vers. 9. &c. Ezek. 16. this comparison is set forth more at large, both touching Gods mercy most undeserved on the Jews part, and the abomi∣nations committed against him on their part. Calvin expounds the first words * 1.3 of vers. 2. as I have done, viz. not as implying any love or goodness in them, whereby the Lord was moved to deal so graciously with them, but it was the meer mercy of God, from whence it came that he espoused Israel to himself, and the history of their murmurings and rebellions from the beginning of their deliverance out of Egypt, sheweth the same. Wherefore these words, The love of thy espousals] are to be understood passively, not actively as if their love towards God, but his love to them were hereby commended. And this, he saith, is here spoken of, to shew, why he now sent a Prophet again unto them, before he would destroy them, to move them to repentance: Be∣cause to such as upon whom he placeth his affection, his love is constant, ma∣king him never to leave dealing with them about Reformation, till that they being desperate and incorrigible, he must needs deal with them by judgements to their destruction, but still when he is forced to this, he will finally upon their repentance, to which he drives them by judgements, shew mercy again unto them in greater measure then ever. Isa. 30. 18. Chap. 49. 65, 66. Thus al∣so Jerom, Rabanus, Thomas Aquinas, Vatablus. Others, as mercy is first spo∣ken of, and then love, and following the Lord in the wilderness; so under∣stand the mercy of God, wherein he began to Israel in Egypt, being misera∣ble and without all form or beauty, in bringing him out, and then the love of their fathers, whereby they answered the Lords mercy at the first bowing and worshipping him, and willingly following him, and professing to yeeld * 1.4 all holy obedience to his Laws, so Caldee, Lyra, Hugo, Dionysius, and to this do I subscribe, as most probable. And then Israel was Holinesse to the Lord and his first fruits, as being adorned with holy Laws and Ordinances above other Nations, as a bride hath glorious Ornaments put upon her to en∣crease her beauty, and to make her more amiable to her husband, and she be∣ing then in the prime of her youth also, intimated by the word [first fruits] And the Lord to shew his love towards her would suffer none to wrong her, but rebuked even kings for her sake, as the king of Amalek, Moab and Midian, * 1.5 of the Amorites and Bashan.

What iniquity have your fathers found in me that ye are gone after vanity? Ha∣ving * 1.6 before mentioned Gods mercy towards them, and their fathers answera∣ble love and submission at the first, now he challengeth them for that leaving

him they followed after false gods, contrary to that which they were bound to do for his great mercies formerly recorded to have been shewed to their fathers. And then in speaking of his mercies more particularly, he saith, Which brought them out of Egypt through the wildernesse, a land of deserts and pits, * 1.7 of drought and the shadow of death, where no man liveth; yet they being above six hundred thousand were here kept alive fourty years by Gods feeding of them miraculously.

I brought you also into a fruitfull land, but ye defiled it. Priests, Pastors, Tea∣chers * 1.8 of the law, and Prophets prophesying by Baal, for the last of which the four hundred Prophets maintained by Jezabel, and prophesying to King * 1.9 Ahab, were most notorious, where ye may see what Baal was in my Com∣mentaries upon that place. Hereby it appears, that the corruption was uni∣versal, overspreading both People and Priests, who were Pastors and Teach∣ers of the Law also. The words setting forth Teachers here, are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 holding the Law, for such were the Priests by their Office, Mal. 2. 7. which made their sinne the greater, as S^t Paul reasons against wicked teachers, Rom. 2. 21. By Pastors, Rulers in the Commonwealth are as well set forth as Priests, who were spiritual Pastors, of these it is complained that they transgressed; of Teachers, that they had not known God, or enquired after him, they were idle and ignorant, and the Prophets prophesying by Baal were such, as * 1.10 though they did not professedly serve Baal, but pretended to speak from the Lord, yet they spake not by his Spirit, but by a lying spirit, the devil, to make * 1.11 men secure in their sins, for what are Idols but devils?

Therefore I will yet plead with you, and with your childrens children. By say∣ing * 1.12 Yet, he intimateth some judgements brought upon them already, for which they haply thought that they should now go scot-free, God being sa∣tisfied by the punishments, which he had already laid upon them. But he contrariwise threatens, that he will not thus make an end, nor having brought more upon them, but if their children and childrens children went on in their sinnes, he would goe on in punishing generation after gene∣ration.

Passeover to the isles of Chittim. That is, of Grecia; By Grecia, all the * 1.13 Countreys of Europ being meant. And to Kedar, that is, the Eastern parts of Asia, where they knew not the true, but worshipped false gods, yet for their constant cleaving to the gods at the first received by their Ancestours without change, they shewed, that if they had had the knowledge of the true God, they would much more have cleaved alwayes to him only, where∣as the Jews receiving from their Ancestours the worship of one God, were fic∣kle and inconstant, changing his glory into that which profited not, that is, instead of him the most glorious God of heaven and earth, worshipping Idols in whom is no help, as in such as have ears and hear not, eyes and see not, &c. For as Xenophon saith, It was an Oracle of Apollo, that those gods * 1.14 are rightly worshipped, which were delivered of Ancestours; And this he greatly applaudeth: And it was a maxim amongst the Heathen, No novelty pleaseth God, But in condemning the Jews inconstancy in their Religion by the Heathens constancy in theirs, he doth not commend them or any, that being in a way of superstition will not go from it; but only he sheweth, that the judgment of the Jews shall be far more heavy, because they were more stu∣pid, and did more grosly then they; as Corazin is threatned by Sodom and Gomor∣rah, Mat. 11. Touching the word Chittim, it doth also signifie Italy as Num. 24. 24. Dan. 11. 38. or Cyprus the Island, as Jos. l. 1. antiq. c. 11. or Grecia, 1 Mac. 1. c. 8. 5. So that it may well be taken for all the western parts, as Kedar (which hath the name from Kedar the second son of Ishmael, Gen. 25. 15. who with his Keda∣rens and other Ishmaelites and Arabians inhabited the eastern parts) is put for all the eastern Countreys. The meaning then is, Go to the farthest parts west, set forth by the Islands of Kittim, and again into all parts lying eastward, and learn to be ashamed of your most unreasonable lenity and inconstancy in

matter of divine worship, which is a thing of so great moment, and be the more confounded by thinking how little their gods have done for them, and what great things I have done for you.

Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and be ye horribly afraid. As Isa. 1. the Pro∣phet * 1.15 bids, Hear (O Heavens) as having no hope that the Jews would hear or be moved; so Jeremiah in this place turns to the heavens, as if so horrible a thing were done in the sin wherewith they were before charged, that the very dumb and sensless creatures could not but tremble and be amazed at it, for the provocation of the almighty Creator hereby. For when a father is angry and storms against any of his children, all the rest fear. Be ye desolate, Jerom, Be astonished, and gates thereof be desolate. For the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 may be taken either for his gates] as Jerom renders it, viz. having a prick above 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to the right hand, but on the left it signifieth fear, and thus it is here pricked, and therefore best expounded so; and if we expound it with Jerom, by gates, the particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 agreeth not with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 heavens being of the plural before-go∣ing. The word rendred, Be desolate, signifieth also, be dry, or barren as a de∣sert, another expression of the greatest commotion through terrour that may be, causing the aëry heaven to go from it wonted nature of humidity to moi∣sten the earth and make it fruitfull by being turned into the likenesse of a dry wildernesse. And indeed the horrible sins of men reach up in their poi∣sonous quality to heaven to make it to degenerate into drinesse, like * 1.16 that of brasse or iron. As a man through amazement is for a time like a stone ceasing to do the actions of a man, so the heavens to do theirs.

They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, &c. That is, by leaving * 1.17 the true God, who likeneth himself to a Well of living or spring-water, be∣cause such were most necessary for the sustentation of life in those dry coun∣treys, as appeareth in Isaacs digging of Wels, and his joy at the finding of springs, the benefit whereof the Philistims envying him stopt them up, where∣upon great strife sometimes arose. For which cause also Christ cals us to him, as such a fountain, saying, He that thirsteth, let him come and drink of the wa∣ter of life freely. But false gods were as broken cisterns that could hold no * 1.18 water, the water that is in them is pudly and not clear, as coming by the fall of the rain, and it also consumeth soon away, if the cistern hath rifts; so are [Note.] Idols to those that serve them, in a drought of judgements coming they can stand them in no stead; but the true God is alwayes to such as serve him as a spring of water in the greatest drought, and so it is well with them when others perish through thirst, Psal. 37.

Is Israel a servant? an home born slave? Why is he made a prey? As if he had * 1.19 said, Doth any man ask the cause now, why Israel is in misery, being made a slave and a prey to other Nations? It is not because he was so born, he was by Gods adoption and grace a son, an heir, lifted up above all other Nations, when God chose him for his peculiar people. Therefore the cause is plain why he is now in this misery, viz. that before-shewed, his forsaking God the fountain of living water, &c. The Lions shall roar upon him, &c. that is ene∣mies * 1.20 like Lions; for taking him as a prey, it is a Metaphor made more plain in the next words, wherein they are said to burn up his Cities, and to leave them without an inhabitant: for so it happened after unto them afterwards in Zedekiah in his time by the Caldees.

The sons of Taphanes and Noph shall break thine head. Noph was the Metro∣politan * 1.21 City of Egypt, and Taphanes another like it, wherein Pharaohs Court was, so that hereby destruction is threatned by the Egyptians, with whom they made confederacies, and in whom it is often objected against them that they trusted for horses. Their head that was broken by them, was Josiah, who rashly going against the King of Egypt, was slain by him, and then he put the * 1.22 Jews to tribute at his pleasure.

He concludes as he began vers. 13. by forsaking me they have brought this * 1.23 upon themselves, and then admonisheth them against the Egyptians evil man∣ners,

saying, What hast thou to do in the way of Egypt to drink the waters of Si∣hor? * 1.24 When they were in danger by the Assyrians, they went to Egypt for help, and when by the Egyptians to the Assyrians, and they being both grosse Idolaters, to please them, as they had need to use the help of either of them to curry the more favour, they set up their Idols. This the Prophet here repro∣veth, as one would do a man in his misery that seeketh to such as cannot help, but to increase his misery, leaving him that alone hath power to help indeed. For by going to the waters of Sihor, or troubled waters of Nilus in Egypt, as the word signifieth, he meaneth their seeking help from Egypt, and by the river of Assyria next named, that is, Euphrates, seeking help from them, in both which they did rather against, then for their own good, as experience had and should teach them.

For of old I have broken thy yoke, &c. Hieron. Thou hast broken thy yoke, ex∣pounding * 1.25 it of the yoke of wedlock, whereby the Lord had yoked Israel to himself. But in the Hebrew it is, I have broken thy yoke, and so the sense will be best, if it be understood of the yoke of their bondage in Egypt. The Lord hereby sheweth, what little reason they had to forsake him for new gods, or in seeking help from Egypt or Assyria, because he had done mightily for them in bringing them out of Egypt, yea and not only so, as Calvin hath it, * 1.26 but when any other Nation put an heavy yoke upon their neck, as we read in Judges that many Nations did, upon their crying to him he from time to time delivered them. And thou saidst, I will not transgresse. So it is in the Margin of the Hebrew Bible, but in the Text, I will not serve. Thus also in divers other places another word with some difference is put in the Margin, as I take it, for further explication; for take it as in the Text only, I will not serve, and the sense will be left ambiguous, whom wilt thou not serve? but by the word in the Margin it is made plain, I will not transgresse by serving Idols, for so Israel had often done, and was brought into bondage, and cried to the Lord, at what time doubtlesse they renounced the service of Idols for a time, yet, as here followeth, they soon went after them again upon every high hill, and under every green tree, which were places chosen by the Heathen for Ido∣latry, as hath been often shewed.

Yet I planted thee a noble Vine. Here after plainly reproving their Idola∣tries, * 1.27 he doth it further metaphorically, saying, I planted thee a noble Vine, set forth Heb. by Sorech, of which see Isa. 5. and as there, so here he is accused for degenerating to the bringing forth of four grapes.

Though thou wash••st thee with niter, and takest much sope. Niter and Sope, * 1.28 or the Herb Borith, as it is in the Hebrew, and rendred by Jerom, grew in those countreys in moist places, and was used by Fullers to make things spotted and foul white, there being the same virtue in it and in niter. They by reason of their sins are here compared to cloaths all filthy and spotted, and so much as that these scouring and cleansing things in a great quantity being used in washing them, they cannot be made white: so they that have long been ac∣customed to live in foul sins cannot by temporal castigations be cleansed through repentance, but must endure the burning of the fire at that day, when the fire shall try every mans work; so Jerom; but in this last how unsoundly, * 1.29 see in my Commentaries upon 1 Cor. The meaning of this place is, That the pretexts whereby the Jews coloured over their sins, either denying them, or pretending themselves to be holy, because peculiarly chosen of God, and they had his Laws and Ordinances, and were frequent about them, or what∣soever else they could devise to say in their own justification was, but to seek with outward things to wash away inward spots and blemishes, such as those of sin were, to do irritum opus, to labour in vain. For still their sins remain∣ed as black brands before God, although they might be whited over before men. A thing to be considered by all those that outface their just reprovers, and impudently justifie themselves in their evil doings, they do but wash a Blackmoor, to the all-seeing eye of God they are as black still as ever; yea [Note.]

by denying and justifying themselves their sins come to be marked of God never to be forgiven, where, in confessing and forsaking them prevails for * 1.30 mercy.

See thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done; a swift Dromedary traver∣sing * 1.31 her wayes. Calvin, Corripiens vias suas; but the word signifieth properly running over her wayes; Jerom, Levis cursor explicans vias suas, expounding * 1.32 it of a Doe most swift of foot in running after the prey, which she desireth; and the like he saith of the wilde Asse running after his pleasure, whom none will pursue to stay, as knowing it to be but lost labour, in her moneth they shall finde her, that is, in her filthinesse. So the Jews by denying their sins, and their going after Baal, thus thinking to wash away the blemishes thereof, are yet known very well enough to God to be swift as a Dromedary to go upon the way, that is, most earnestly carried on after such abominations, and no Prophets of the Lord by admonishing them can stay them from running wildly on in sin, any more then such as pursue a wilde Asse in the wildernesse can stay him. But as that Asse is in her moneth found in her filthinesse, so af∣ter much labour and pains taken in seeking to reclaim the wicked, they are found still in the end in the filthinesse of their sins. Calvin understands this, as * 1.33 spoken to the Jews for denying themselves to be Idolaters, as long as they worshipped the true God, and acknowledged Baalim to be but lesser gods of an inferiour rank, even as the Papists say touching their Idols, they worship God only, and use Images but as remembrances, and therefore in so doing they cannot be charged with sin. Of their way in the valley he speaks, be∣cause there as well as upon hils, they had their Idols Temples set about with green Trees and placed night pleasant rivers. And for the Dromedary he saith, That not her swiftnesse is so much respected, as the violence of her lust, when she is carried thereby. For the she-asse likewise when she is in the wilderness * 1.34 snuffing up the winde in her nostrils, feeling her self to be at liberty, no man pursuing after her can take her, for she runs on both uncertainly and unwea∣riably, therefore men cease pursuing her, waiting for her moneth, when she is biggest with foal, and so heavy to the bringing forth that she cannot runne, and then they take her. So the wicked Jews were so without all regard of pro∣phetical admonitions, or threatnings carried on in their sins, that their case was even desperate, nothing could now be expected, but that the time com∣ing, when God should see them big with sins, their sins being grown to the full, he should then seise upon them with his judgements, there being no means now to escape, but through the heavy load of sin they must be necessi∣tated to lie under them, and perish for ever.

Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst. That is, ei∣ther * 1.35 travel no more into Egypt or Assyria in vain for help, but stay at home and quietly repose thy self upon me, or go not on in sin and rebellion against God, till he being provoked deliver thee into the hands of thine enemies to be carried away Captive bare-footed and thirsty. For the first of these waies Calvin understands it, yeelding a good reason, that by their vain travel into * 1.36 farre Countreys, they did tear out their shoes, and suffered much thirst, be∣cause of their going into Egypt, to drink of Sihor, and into Assyria he had spoken before vers. 18. but by sitting still at home in obedience to God, that labour and travel, and their sufferings thereby might be spared. For the se∣cond Lyra, and I see not but that the Prophet might herein have respect to * 1.37 either. Jerom is only for a mystical sense, saying, That when they eat the Passeover they were commanded to have shoes on their feet, and likewise they that were sent out to preach, are bidden to have sandals on their feet, and all Christians to have their feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, and we are bidden to come to Christ, and drink of the waters of life, and so we * 1.38 shall thirst no more.

In requiring us then to keep our feet from being unshod, and our selves * 1.39 from thirst, he meaneth, that we should keep out of the waies of hereticks,

for this were to be unshod with such shoes, as without which we cannot eat our Passeover Christ, or be sanctified by the Gospel against our spiritual ene∣mies * 1.40 corrupting and endangering our souls against whom these arms, and for want of true comfort by Christ the fountain of living water, to be in danger of perishing by thirst for ever. Hitherto Jerom. Junius, Refrain from spiri∣tual fornication, the committing of which is set forth by making bare feet and thighs, Ezek. 16. 25. and in Idolaters there is a thirst after it. But it may best of all be understood as relating to vers. 24, where Israel is compared to an Asse running wilde, whom man handleth not nor shoeth; so Israel ran wilde, eagerly carried after Idols, as an Asse to her pleasure through hunger and thirst, and by bidding, Refrain from being unshod, he meaneth, Leave thy wilde running on in Idolatry, and give over this wicked thirst. For the next words, Thou saidst, There is no hope; Not, They are words of neglect on wicked Israels part; as if he had said, Speak thou and other Prophets what ye will to keep me from the waies that I am going in, ye shall not prevail, for I am desperately set upon them, come what will come of it, I will go after my lovers, and do ye think to stop me from so doing? No, ye shall not. And [Note.] thus doth the wicked mans obstinately going on in sin speak in effect at this day. And therefore (O ye wicked) if ye be ashamed in word to speak so de∣sperately, do it not by your deeds, for thereby ye speak also, as by a lively voice; and when ye speak so, it makes no matter what ye say with your * 1.41 tongues, for ye do but confesse God with your mouths, but in your deeds ye deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate. Calvin comparing these words, There is no hope] Desperatum est, with the like Isa. 57. 10. where they are found fault withall for not saying so, but here for saying so, saith rightly, here is no repugnancy to that, for there they are reproved for not speaking so when they should, in respect of the evil waies that they were in, and yet had hope of escaping Gods judgements: here for saying so in way of shaking off all reproof by the Prophets, as being desperate∣ly bent to go on in their own evil waies, notwithstanding their earnest and di∣ligent seeking to reclaim them.

As a thief is ashamed when he is taken, or found out, so is Israel ashamed. Here * 1.42 saith Lyra, the Preter-tense is put for the Future, Shall be ashamed, because it should be thus with them at the coming of the Caldees, they seeing then no help in the Idols, which they have served and trusted in; for that it is meant so appears by the next words, vers. 27. wherein they are accused for worship∣ping * 1.43 stocks and stones, but judgements coming, they will cry to the Lord For then comes the time of their being ashamed of this vanity, when they shall see no help to be in their false Gods, so that with blushing faces they come to seek help of God, upon whom before he saith, They turned their backs and * 1.44 not their faces. Calvin yet goes upon the Present-tense, and rejects the other, because even then they were as thieves found out, their Idolatry was so palpa∣ble, although they denied it. But how their case was yet like a blushing thieves case found out, whenas they were so impudent either to deny their nefas, or to profess a resolution to go on in it still, let the Reader judge, and take the sense, as upon this consideration he seeth cause.

According to the number of thy Cities, so are thy gods. As if he had said, Dost * 1.45 thou in the time of thy distresse call upon me, thou hast many patrons of thine own chusing, every one a god, and thoughtest not me alone sufficient to save thee? Seek not to me then, but to them in whom thou hast trusted, for they are a great many, and therefore if they unite their forces to help thee, thou maist well have confidence in them: ironically spoken, as Elijah once spake to the Prophers of Baal, 1 Kin. 19.

Why do ye strive with me, doing evil against me? Do ye think that I will hear and save you in the time of danger, although ye call upon me, whilst ye * 1.46 continue to be at variance with me? as indeed all doers of evil are, especially that justifie themselves when they are reproved, but are still unreformed.

I have chastised thy sons in vain. The Lord did not only exhort by his Pro∣phets to leave sin, but also used another means of chastisements, for Israel had * 1.47 now suffered grievous things, 2 King. 17. but they were no whit amended, but rather grew worse, for they killed Gods Prophets in Manasseh his time. But because it is said [your Prophets] Jerom saith, False prophets are here meant, but most improbably, for they were so farre from killing them, that they were encouraged in their sins by them; they are then called their Prophets, because raised up from amongst themselves, men of their own Nation.

O generation, see ye the word of the Lord, Have I been a wildernesse? &c. Jerom * 1.48 joining the first word here, Generation] to v. 30. thus, As a lion is your generation wasted, giveth this for the sense. Your sword hath killed your Prophets as a lion, not mine, for your sins brought it, and therfore I call it your sword, & I call them your Prophets, because they that have been already slain, were Prophets of Baal, and others that have hitherto perished were like qualified unto you, for which I say your generation is wasted, that is, a sinful and idolatrous generation. Here is nothing to be objected against this interpretation, but that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Generation is in the Hebrew made the beginning of vers. 31. and is distinguisht from this word [wasted] especially if it be read thus, Your sword hath devoured your Prophets as a Lion, this generation is a waster, as some read it, and the Hebrew will bear 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and then the next word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 may be rendred, Ye, see the word of the Lord, being the beginning of vers. 31. Theodor. follows Jerom. Lyra, Calvin, &c. are for the former reading and interpretation, joining wa∣sting to the word Lion; as if it had been said, Your sword in Manasseh his time was like a Lion to the Prophets; for as Josephus saith, he slew one every day, Antiq. 10. 4. And this I rather assent unto, because I reverence the He∣brew Text so much, that I cannot yield to the amendment of any thing there∣in, so much is in the division of verses. And this first word being distinguisht from vers. 30. will carry a good sense being thus rendred, Ye that generation, that is, not humane, much lesse Israelitish, but Leonine, for your devouring of the Prophets sent unto you, See the word of the Lord, I say not to you Hear, no more then I would to a savage beast, for ye have no ears to hear reason, but see with your eies, for so even beasts can do. Have I been a wildernesse unto you? That is, Have I kept you, as it were, in a wildernesse barren and destitute of food fit for men, that ye are thus degenerated into Lions, the in∣habitants of wildernesses. For they could not but see and acknowledge the great fruitfulnesse of the Land wherein the Lord had placed them, as being called therefore a Land slowing with milk and honey. Have I been a Land of darknesse? Have I not set up the light of my word amongst them, as well as placed them in a fruitfull Land, whereby they might see the vileness of their own doings to be humbled therefore, and to lay away all pride and stoutnesse against God and his Prophets, Wherefore say my people, We are Lords, we will come no more to thee? Hebr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 cometh of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Dominari, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 nos for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is to have dominion. They are then here challenged for abusing the fruitfulness of their Land, and the increase of their riches thereby to make them proud. And it hath reference to that which went before, Am I a wil∣dernesse to Israel, See this word of the Lord? See that I am not, but contrari∣wise most beneficial, for whence else cometh it to passe that ye are so proud and stout, but by reason of your wealth, to harden your hearts against me, saying, We will come no more to thee? that is, we will not obey thee, say and do what thou wilt, We are Lords, neither do we acknowledge any Lord over us? much like to that Psal. 12. Who is Lord over us? Thus the sense is plain, yet some trouble it by seeking another derivation of the word from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to descend, reading it, We are gone down, that is, we are in misery, and can finde no help, therefore we despair of help from thee, and will not seek thee any more. And some, We are gone so from thee after our own wils, as that it is vain for thee to speak to us, for although thou dost, we will not come or be obedient to thee. I rest in the first.

Will a young woman forget her ornaments? &c. yet my people have forgotten me. * 1.49 Here their sin in forsaking the Lord, who was as an husband unto them, and therefore above all to be loved, is further to be aggravated by a comparison taken from a bride, she will neglect nothing in the day of her marriage, which may adorn her and make her the more amiable to the bridegroom: but Is∣rael whom God had taken to wife, wanting all beauty to move him there∣unto, although all her happiness stood in being acceptable to the Lord, for∣gat to deck and adorn her self for him daies without number, by keeping her self pure and holy, being contrariwise polluted by base lusts carrying her after false gods.

Why trimmest thou thy wayes to seek love? Calvin, Cur bonificas, and so the * 1.50 Hebrew word signifieth, Why makest thou good, or fair, or pleasant thy waies? meaning, after the manner of an harlot tirest thy self for adulterous love to Idols. Therefore thou hast also taught evil women (for it is a feminine) thy wayes; Thus he still aggravates their wickedness, making the Church of the Jews, as a patern of whorish immodesty in using all manner of allurements to entice young men unto her, so that other Nations, Egyptians and Assyri∣ans might learn of her to be yet more wicked, for which he nameth them, Vers. 36.

In thy skirts is found the bloud of poor innocents, Heb. in thy wings. But skirts * 1.51 are meant, viz. of their garments that were sprinkled therewith when they slew them, so that there needed no secret search, as in the next words, to finde it out 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 non in suffossione, as Calvin renders it, and the word sig∣nifies * 1.52 digging thorow, and he thinks it an alluding to Exod. 22. 2. If a thief be taken digging thorow a wall, that is, secretly in the dark, and the meaning to be, Thou didst shed innocent bloud not in secret, as such a thief met with in the instant hath his bloud shed in the dark, but the bloud shed by thee was upon all these, that is, upon all the Prophets boldly and openly reproving thy sins, so that all men might and did see thy savage bloud-thirstiness. For he seemeth here to speak again by way of aggravation of their murthering of the Prophets sent to turn them from their sins briefly touched upon ver. 30. R. Sa∣lomon, * 1.53 Not in digging thorow like a thief, Exod. 22. Hast thou found the Pro∣phets whose innocent bloud thou hast shed, but in all the things before re∣membred, reproving and seeking to reclaim thee by aggravating thy wicked∣nesses against thee? and this he meaneth by saying, In all these. And this is most genuine, to expresse which the Vulgar Latine hath it, In all these, which I have before remembred.

Thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou hast been of Assyria. He had taxed * 1.54 them before for going to Egypt and Assyria, ver. 18. and not keeping at home, reposing their whole trust in the Lord. Now he repeats the same again in other words. Why runnest thou up and down to change thy wayes? Sometime be∣ing in danger by Israel and Syria seeking to Ashur, as Ahaz did, and some∣time being in danger by Assyria, to seek to Egypt, as it is generally conceived that Jehoiakim and Zedekiah did, which made them rebel against the King of Babylon. But they reaped nothing but confusion hereby: for Manasseh was carried captive into Babylon, and when Nebuchadnezzar came against them, the Egyptians stood them in no stead to save them, although they sometime came out with an Army to help them, and the Caldees departed. * 1.55

Thou shalt go forth from him, and thy hands upon thy head. Heb. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by Calvin rendred, for this, that is, because of this thy wicked deserting of me, and seeking help from Idolaters, thou shalt go into Captivity full of sorrow, a sign whereof is going with hands laid upon the head, as Thamar being de∣floured * 1.56 by Ammon is said to have done.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vers. 2.
• * 1.2

  Vers. 4.
• * 1.3

  Calvin.
• * 1.4

  Exod 4. Deut. 5. 27.
• * 1.5

  Psal. 105.
• * 1.6

  Vers. 5.
• * 1.7

  Vers. 6.
• * 1.8

  Vers. 7.
• * 1.9

  1 King. 18.
• * 1.10

  Calv.
• * 1.11

  1 Cor. 10. 20.
• * 1.12

  Vers. 9.
• * 1.13

  Vers. 10.
• * 1.14

  Xenophon.
• * 1.15

  Vers. 12.
• * 1.16

  Deut. 28.
• * 1.17

  Vers. 13.
• * 1.18

  Joh. 7. 37.
• * 1.19

  Vers. 14.
• * 1.20

  Vers. 15.
• * 1.21

  Vers. 16.
• * 1.22

  2 King. 23. 29.
• * 1.23

  Vers. 17.
• * 1.24

  Vers. 18.
• * 1.25

  Vers. 20.
• * 1.26

  Calvin.
• * 1.27

  Vers. 21.
• * 1.28

  Vers. 22. Hieronym.
• * 1.29

  1 Cor. 11. Calv.
• * 1.30

  Prov. 28. 13.
• * 1.31

  Vers. 23.
• * 1.32

  Hieronym.
• * 1.33

  Calvin.
• * 1.34

  Vers. 24.
• * 1.35

  Vers. 25.
• * 1.36

  Calvin.
• * 1.37

  Lyra. Hieronym.
• * 1.38

  Ephes. 6. Joh. 7. 37.
• * 1.39

  The mystical sense.
• * 1.40

  1 Cor. 5.
• * 1.41

  Tit. 1. 16.
• * 1.42

  Vers. 26. Lyra.
• * 1.43

  Vers. 27.
• * 1.44

  Calvin.
• * 1.45

  Vers. 28.
• * 1.46

  Vers. 29.
• * 1.47

  Vers 30.
• * 1.48

  Vers. 31. Hieronym.
• * 1.49

  Vers. 32.
• * 1.50

  Vers. 33.
• * 1.51

  Vers. 34.
• * 1.52

  Calvin.
• * 1.53

  R. Solomon.
• * 1.54

  Vers. 36.
• * 1.55

  Ier. 37. 5. Vers. 37.
• * 1.56

  2 Sam. 13.