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. XXXIV.

HEre the prophet inveigheth against the false prophets of Israel by the name of shepheards, but evil ones, as Jer. 23. Only that which Jeremiah spake briefly, is more largely set forth.

And he layeth open their wickedness, in the 6. former verses, 1. they eat the fat, and clothed themselves with the wool, that is, took largely for their maintenance, although they did not the work for which, but contrariwise * 1.1 killed them, and starved them, which is done when they minister not the sincere milke of the word unto them, but in stead thereof the poison of false and er∣roneous doctrine. 2. They healed not the diseased and sick, nor bound up the broken, that is, endeavoured not the conversion of sinners, who were as * 1.2 persons sicke and diseased, for which the Lord saith, The whole need not the phy∣sitian, but the sick, neither did they comfort consciences distressed for their sins * 1.3 3. They sought not that which was lost, that is, to bring into the fold such as were out, either being carryed away by the deceit of hereticks seducing them, and making them to separate from the Church, or prophaneness mak∣ing them to neglect to come thither. 5. They ruled with force and cruelty, that is, not seeking by exhortations, and loving perswasions to reduce them, but hardening their hearts by their spiteful proceedings.

By these means he sheweth, that they were scattered, because they had no shepheard, that is, although they had many, yet none to do to them, as was before said, by means of which negligence and the shepheards seeking * 1.4 themselves and not the good of the flock, they became so full of sin, that their enemies were for this brought upon them, who carryed them away captive into other lands to their unspeakable misery. V. 7. 8. Having laid down the wickedness of the shepheards and their unrighteous dealing, now he proceed∣eth * 1.5 to threaten them, first briefly repeating againe the harme done to the sheep by their means, my flock became a prey and meat to every beast of the field, that is, to the Caldeans their enemies, who devoured them, as the woolfe doth sheep, and generally in case the shepheards be such, they, that is the people under their hand, are made a prey for the devil, who now seiseth upon their souls, and is fed hereby, as it were with joy; for as the good spirit is grieved, when [Note.] men go on in sin, and are not reformed, so the evil rejoyceth. And he saith, there was no shepheard; but if so, who were they against whom he in∣veigheth? Sol. They were shepheards and no shepheards, shepheards, because they had the office committed unto them, but no shepheards, because they did nothing less, then according to this their office, being altoge∣ther intent to the feeding of themselves, but suffering the flock for want of feeding to starve, they gathering worldly goods, whereupon their covetous mindes fed, but in the mean season through want of good instructions and exhortations famished in their soules, the provision, which the Lord made for the maintenance of his ministry out of the goods of the people, being quite perverted. Because it is done thus in the Church of Rome amongst the Bi∣shops * 1.6 and fat beneficed Parsons, who take the benefit, reserving pensions to themselves, but put off the care of doing the dutie to others; hear how one of their own complaineth. It was the old sanction of the Church, that a benefice is given for a duty to be done, how then do they catch at the profits and gain of a benefice, who do not the duty, but transfer that to another; was this the minde of the founders of Churches to nourish idle men, and such as do nothing therein? would they not, if they should return to us, protest, that their legacies and testaments were overturned? yea being now in heaven do they not protest that they gave their goods for a legacy to the Church, that pastours might be therewith maintained, who might feed and govern aright in their own persons the faithful people of Christ, and not to such as turn them over to others, caring for nothing themselves, but how they may grow

fat and rich, would they not then implore the faith both of God and men, that they might be restored to such as to whom they bequeathed them? Nei∣ther is there cause thus to complaine in the Church of Rome, but very late∣ly [Note.] there was also in our reformed Church of England in respect both of Lord Bishops, rich Deans, Arch-deacons, and Prebends and other double b••ne••••∣ced men. And now that Episcopacy and the appendices thereof are rooted out together with pluralities, have we not as much cause to complaine, that goods and lands thus by pious men anciently given for the more plentiful feeding and governing of the flock of Christ by the most learned and able of the Ministry are indeed taken away for the reason before going? but alas there is a foul failing in the latter clause, they are not taken to be given to whom they should, but to be sold for a small price to such worldlings, as being greedy of gaine out of any thing hanked after so rich a booty, although that which is thus gotten is like to prove hut as the Seian borse, and the gold of Tolouse to the possessors thereof, whose estates after this, insensibly wasted and came to nothing. v. 11. 12, &c. The Lord promiseth to the comfort of the * 1.7 faithful, that he will take the pastoral office upon him and do all these things, which were needful for their good and neglected to be done by their former shepheards. Whereas by their means they were scattered, he promiseth to ga∣ther them from all parts to their own land again and whereas they healed not the sick, he promiseth to strengthen them, to bind up the broken, to seek up the driven away and to feed them all. Of so doing thus, as it is the duty of every faithful pastour to do, heare August. speaking excellently of his owne practise. I desire to provide not only ornaments but medicaments for your souls, I study to * 1.8 sew together things unsewed, to mend that which is rent, to cure the wounded, to wash the filthy, to restore the lost, and to adorne the whole with pretious Margarites. And Grego∣ry, shewing how all these offices are done, saith the scattered are reduced or ga∣thered together, when one faln into sin is by the vigour of the pastoral solli∣citude brought back to the state of righteousness, the broken is bound up when discipline keeps down sin, that it may not diffluere ad interitum, spread and increase to destruction, yet it must be so moderated and tempered with love, that there may be in the pastour both the piety of a mother and disci∣pline of a father, not rigid strictness, or remisse piety. Clement saith that the broken is bound up when the broken hearted for sin are comforted, the weak are strengthened, when he that is shaken by temptation hath that laid before him, whereby he may be settled against it by faith, and by the sick and weak he un∣derstands the weak in faith, who are healed by his setting forth and preaching the faith unto them. Lyra by the weak will have those meant, who by the evil example of wicked pastours fell into sin, but now better taught they * 1.9 shall do so more.

For the last words of v. 16. I will destroy the fat and strong, and feed them with judgement, The Vulg. hath it, I will keep, and will feed them in judgement, but clean * 1.10 contrary to the Heb. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which hath none other signification, but to destroy and against that which is implyed in the words following v. 17, 18. where he saith, that he would distinguish between cattel and cattel; and as he * 1.11 comforteth the weak and sick, so he reproveth the fat and strong by the name of rams and he goats, and v. 20. expresly opposeth the fat to the lean. So that by the fat and strong he meaneth the rich and mighty, whether spiritual or * 1.12 temporal shepheards and rulers, that oppressed the poor, gathering wealth to themselves out of their ruines. And such of late we have had amongst us, who have pushed with the horne and shooved with the shoulder by reason of their great strength the poore sheepe of the Lord, exacting greater taxations [Note.] upon them then needed, and by their treasurers, collectors and other trustees bringing others to extreame poverty, that they might from poverty by extortions, oppressions and imbezeling of our goods be made rich. But besides that which hath been spoken of the destruction of such by Gods just judgements seising upon them in this world, although for a time they may be deferred, yet all comfort through Christ is promised to the poor sheep

of his flock, whom they have thus wronged, no word of comfort in regard of the soul, is spoken to them, but they are in all this tract passed over as repro∣bates and rejectaries for ever, v. 23. 24, &c. to the end of the Ch. where it is said, * 1.13 I will set one shepherd over them David, that is, the promised successour of David in his kingdom, in whom it should be made everlasting, for he is called David after the name of him, that first began that line, and was a King of Israel of grea∣test might and eminency of all others, as the Roman Emperors after Julius Cesar had the name of Cesars, the Kings of Egypt of Ptolemees after that Pto∣lemee, who first raised the kingdome of Egypt from baseness to magnificence. And it is said that he shall be their shepheard and feed them, so Joh. 10. the Lord speaketh at large of himself, as feeding and saving his sheep and fraying away the evil beasts from them, as here it is further promised, v. 25. This prophesie indeed first relates to the time of the Jewes return out of Babylon, when Zorobabel, and Nehemiah and other godly princes succeeding them ruled over the Jews, and although they had much trouble by reason of their ene∣mies many yeers, yet evil beasts after that ceased in the land, there being none that tyrannically oppressed as before, and those enemies who opposed their building of the temple and City being by the kings favour towards them at length confounded. But most fully it was accomplished in the time of Christ, by whom his sheep were so fed with heavenly doctrine and protected by his power at the first although apprehended and imprisoned, as that they * 1.14 came safe out againe, and were filled with joy for their very sufferings, and above all in their saving from sin and the power of Satan, the most * 1.15 terrible wilde beast, that roaring lion, that sought to devoure them. And finally in the dayes of Constantine the great they might without fear of persecuting enemies rest in quietness, as sheep in the fields, where there be no wolves or foxes, beares or lions to devour them, or their lambs.

And I will raise up for them a plant of renoune. Here the same Christ before * 1.16 called David is set forth by another name, as Esa. 11. 1. and in dvers other places, where it hath been shewed why he was so called, viz. for similitude of his springing up out of the house of Jesse then decayed as the stub of a tree standing long without any shootes, but in the end beyond expectation bran∣ching forth and the branch coming thereof growing above the height and greatness of any other tree, for such a branch is a renouned branch indeed, and so was our Lord Jesus coming forth out of that house, which was now so poor, but no family thenceforth flourished so much as that did in him, who became a vine covering the whole earth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  V. 3.
• * 1.2

  1 Pet. 2. 2.
• * 1.3

  V. 4.
• * 1.4

  V. 5.
• * 1.5

  V. 7. 8. 9.
• * 1.6

  Corn. â Lapide•• Beneficium da∣tur propter offi∣cium.
• * 1.7

  V. 11. 12.
• * 1.8

  Aug. lib. Hom. 50. hom. 26. Studeo ••••issuta consue••e, con∣scissasarcire, vul∣nerata curare, abluere sordida, reparare perdi∣ta, &c. Oreg. pastor. p. 2. c. 6.
• * 1.9

  Lyra.
• * 1.10

  V. 16.
• * 1.11

  V. 17. 18.
• * 1.12

  V. 20.
• * 1.13

  V. 23.
• * 1.14

  Act. 4.
• * 1.15

  1 Pet. 5. 8.
• * 1.16

  V. 29.