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HOW doth the citie re∣maine solitary, that was full of people? She is as a widdowe: she that was great among the Nati∣ons, & Princesse among Prouinces, is made tributarie.
2 She weepeth continually in the night, •…•…nd her teares runne downe by her cheekes: •…•…mong all her louers she hath none to com∣•…•…rt her: all her friends hath dealt vnfaith∣•…•…lly with her, and are her enemies.
of affliction, and because of great seruitude: shee dwelleth among the heathen, and find∣eth no rest: all her persecutors tooke her in the straites.
4 The wayes of Syon lament, because no man commeth to the solemne feastes: all her gates are desolate: her Priestes sigh: her virgines are discomfited, and she is in hea∣uinesse.
5 Her aduersaries are the chiefe, and her enemies prosper: for the Lorde hath af∣flicted her for the multitude of her trans∣gressions, and her children are gone into cap∣tiuitie before the enemie.
6 And from the daughter of Syon all her beautie is departed: her princes are be∣come like Hartes that find no pasture, & are gone without strength before the pursuer.
7 Jerusalem remembred the dayes of her affliction, and of her rebellion, and all her pleasaunt things, that she had in times past, when her people fell into the hande of her enemie, and none did helpe her: the aduer∣series saw her, and mocked at her sabbathes.
WE will here first of all consider of certaine wordes of the text,
which are verie significant, and after∣ward speake somewhat of the chiefe and principall matters.
How) This first word is it, why the Hebrewes call them the Lamentati∣ons. And some other learned inter∣pretors are of the opinion, that this word is to be vnderstood and repea∣ted, not only in euery member of the first verse, as, How doth the Citie remaine solitarie? How is she that was great, be∣come now as a Widow? How is the Prin∣cesse become tributarie? but also in the beginning of all the four first verses: How weepeth she day and night? How is Iudah carried away captiue? &c.
A man were neuer able to expresse how effectuall and proper, vpon the sudden and first entrance, these ex∣clamations are, immediatly to rauish mens minds to the beholding and considering of any thing, so that this very well agreeth with that which the Lord foretold in the 19. of Ieremias, vers. 3. saying: Thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Jsrael, Behold, J will bring a plague vpon this place, the which whosoeuer heareth, his eares shall tingle.
Remayneth solitarie) This speeche heere is sometimes in the holy scrip∣ture,
taken in good part, as to be at rest and peace: As in the fourth Chapter of the first booke of the Kings, vers. 25. All the daies of Salomon, euery man remayned without feare vnder his vyne, and vnder his figge tree, &c. But in this text it is taken in ill part, signi∣fying the great sorrow wherein the Iewes were then plunged: resem∣bling a widow remaining or dwelling in the world, in her sorrowfull and comfortles widowhood. And as the Hebrewes also deriue the name of a widow, from a word which signifieth solitarines, and a quiet or peaceable bodie, that taketh no pleasure in tal∣king nor scoffing: which word or title, properly belongeth to widowes, that are in very deede widowes, and haue a feeling of their plague and miserie. So that to compare the coun∣trey of Iudah to a widow, is to verie good purpose, considering that it was in deede a widow, because it had neither citizens, nor yet other men of better qualitie: for so much as they are, as it were, the husbands of all Ci∣ties and Townes, and do both beawti∣fye, and giue them estimation and credit.
Js made tributarie.) This place cau∣seth some of the learneder sort to ga∣ther, that in these Lamentations, Ie∣remiah meant not onely to lament the later captiuitie of Babylon (be∣cause that the people at that time were rather vtterly sacked, sold, and cleare•••• ••anished, then made tributa∣ries) but also the former miseries, sor∣rowes and griefes, to wit, those which came to passe in the daies of King E∣liakim, who by the King of Aegypt was named Ioachim, because the people of Iudah were then made tributaries: which thing may very wel agree with the matter, if this maxime or sure ground be held, that Ieremie in these Lamentations chiefelie looked vnto the captiuitie of Babylon, and vnto the desolation that fell vpon Iudah in those daies: Although it were not a∣misse to thinke, that euen at that time a great part of the people was sacked •…•…r led captiue, yet, that there was a •…•…emnant of them dispersed heere and •…•…here, and especially such of them as •…•…emained in Iudah, vnder the go∣•…•…ernment of Gedalia, that at that •…•…ime were wounded and cabaged.
Judah is carried away captiue, because
of Affliction.) The Chaldee Para∣phrast vnderstandeth this Affliction actiuely, as if the Prophet had said, that the cause of the Iewes exile and captiuitie, was by reason of their af∣flicting, rough handling, and hard dealing with the poore seruants, wi∣dowes, and fatherlesse: howbeit, this is the more likely interpretation, ac∣cording to the common manner, and ordinarie signification of the seruile Hebrew letter Mem: That the people is carried away captiue, being with extreame affliction enforced: which they suffred al the countrey through∣out, more now, then a man would that they had suffred: for, there were many of them that were not con∣strained to forsake their countrey, but they were so ill entreated, as that they chose rather to forsake both house and home, as we say, then see that they saw, and suffer that they suffered.
[Verse. 3] Ja such necessities or distresses,) This is a kind of borrowed speech, taken from those that are cowped vp be∣tweene stone-walles, or in dongeons, not being able to go either backward or forward, and therefore must needs be very good prize, beeing shopt vp.
The like manner of saying also we find in the 14. verse of the Prophet Obediah, where it is thus said: Thou shouldest not haue stood vp in the crosse∣wayes of them that should escape, neyther shouldest thou haue shut vp the remnant thereof in the day of affliction.
The waies of Syon lament,) The Pro∣phet, [Verse. 4] to moue euery man to compas∣sion, maketh the very senselesse hye wayes as it were to mourne.
Syon is taken for the people, and also for the Church, which is figured by Mount Syon: Syon also manye times is taken for the whole Citie of Ierusalem, yea for the whole coun∣trey, a part for the whole.
Her enemies are the chiefe,) This is a [Verse. 5] notable manner of speech vsed in the Scripture, that is, the head is ap∣poynted to be the most honorable part of the bodie in vs: and contra∣rywise, in a beast, the tayle is placed as the most abiect and vile part: as in the 28. of Deuteronomie in this sort we reade: Jf thou obserue the Comman∣dements of the Lord, he will make thee the head and not the tayle, to wit, he will exalt thee and bring thee to honor.
[Verse. 7] They mocked at her Sabboths.) This word Sabboth, which signifieth rest, may be taken for resting from theyr estates, mightinesse, and reuenues, from the which they then rested: or else for the seruing of God: as the Sabboth was one of the testimonies of the allyance and fauour of God, and a notable obseruation taken ma∣nie times for the professing of the whole seruice of God. The heathen Poets, as Iuuenall and Martiall, moc∣ked the Sabboth and Religion of the Iewes, and in a mockerie called them Sabbotharies.
THE first part of this Chapter, as hath been before said, is a most pitifull and sorrowfull complaint of the humbling of Ierusalem, and of the countrey of Iudah, and of all the generall losse they had, which thing, the Prophet meaneth heere to set downe in writing, thereby to let vs vnderstand, that the Lord our God will in verse deede haue vs feele his
chastisements, and be touched by them at the verie hart, as well because he would haue his truth to be knowne in his threatnings, as in his promi∣ses, as also because he would haue vs humble our selues vnder his mightie hand: for if there be any thing that displeaseth the Almightie, it is that blockishnes and hardnes of hart, wherewith the men of the world are possessed, who will neither feele the hand which scourgeth them, nor yet returne vnto him that smiteth them, which thing the Lord findeth fault withall in the ninth of Isaiah, and the fifth of Ieremiah, saying: Thou hast scourged them, but they ne∣uer sorrowed nor lamented for the same, &c.
In verie deede, we are to make a [ II] difference betweene the lamenting and sorrowing of the faithfull, and of the vnfaithfull: for when the faithfull crie out and lament in this sort, Out alas, they do it not anger∣lie nor impatientlie, but as it were in an admiration, and in a reue∣rent beholding of the iust iudge∣ments of God.
Now then, Ieremie, who had of∣tentimes [ III]
foretold of such calamities, set them not downe in writing, as though he had not knowne the cause of all these woes, which he him∣selfe toucheth in the eight verse, nrither yet as one that meant to finde fault with God, or dispute with hym, seeing that in the tenth verse he giueth him this commen∣dation, to be iust, but to the end he would liuely touch the hard harts of the Iewes, and make them feele their miserie, and let them vnder∣stand how greeuous a thing it is to offend the maiestie of God through sinne.
[ IIII] We farther learne in this part of the Chapiter, that wee neuer ac∣knowledge nor sorrowe our prosperi∣tie, vntill it be gone and past re∣couerie: for when we are in prospe∣ritie, we make no reckning of it, as is most tragically set downe in the three and thirtith of Ezechiel: and although all the ignominie and shame in the world should come vnto them, yet should they euen then know that there had beene a Prophet amongst them: and therefore, the words of Salomon in the twelfth of Ecclesia∣stes
verse 1. are throughlie to be con∣sidered of, where it is sayd: Re∣member thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth, before the euill dayes come vpon thee, &c.
Neuerthelesse, it should not be well [ V] concluded of the heathen vpon these sorrowfull and hard bondages of the people of God, one while in Egypt, another time in Babylon, and eft∣soones amongst the Romaines, to inferre and saie, that this was a bastard nation, predestinate to bon∣dage, and to reprooue the miserable Iewes so much, as we reade they were in the thirtie Chapter of Eze∣chiell, to be a countrey that deuou∣red her enhabitants, and caused her people to miscarrie, leauing them dayly as a pray: for these calamities neuer happened them but by God his punishment: when as the Iewes would not acknowledge the great benefites of the Almightie, and the incomparable graces which were bestowed vppon them, which graces, amongst other places of the Scrip∣tures Moses highly commendeth and acknowledgeth in the three and thir∣tith Chapter of Deuteronomy, verse
29. saying: Blessed art thou ô Israel: who is like vnto thee, ô people saued by the Lord, the shield of thine help, and which is the sword of thy glorie, &c. And in the 147. Psalme. vers. 19.20. the Prophet Dauid sayeth: He sheweth his words vnto Iaacob, his statutes and iudgements vnto Isra∣ell, he hath not dealt so with euerie nation, neither haue they knowne his iudgements.
[ VI] On the other side, the Iewes came short of their reckoning, when as they thought to maintaine themselues in their greatnes, and florishing estate, without to be supported by the grace of God, and the keeping of his coue∣naunts and ordinances, according as the alliance which was made with them required: and ouer and be∣sides, because they extreamely exalted themselues in pride and arrogancie, for the which, the Prophet Sophonie in his second Chapter, verse 15. re∣proued the Citie of Niniuie, saying: Behold (saith the Lord) this is the reioycing Citie that dwelt carelesse, that sayd in her hart, I am, and there is none besides me: how is she made waste, and the lodging of the beastes?
euery one that passeth by her, shall hisse, and wagge his hand at her.
Now, the summe and cause of their miseries and woes, yea, and of their [ VII] finall destruction, and of the vtter o∣uerthrowe of all the Countrey of Iu∣dah, was, because they would not knowe the time of their visitation. So that our Sauiour Christ Iesus his meaning was, to establish ano∣ther manner of kingdome heere vpon earth, to wit, his spirituall king∣dome, which long ago was in some sorte figured by the kingdome of Dauid and of his successors: vnto the which kingdome of Christ, not onely some of the Iewes are to ga∣ther themselues togither, but many of the Gentiles also, euen from the East vnto the West.
And yet for all this, we must not [ VIII] thinke that our God hath dealt de∣ceitefully with the auncient fathers, or not kept promise with Dauid, vnto whome he promised to chose his resting place in Syon, and that it should neuer be shaken: for in the first place, these promises were conditio∣nall, and was vpon this charge, that they should be obedient. Secondarily,
those promises were not to be accom∣plished so much in shadowes and fi∣gures, and in the mount Syon and kingdome of Dauid, as in the thing it selfe, and in the truth of the figures, to wit, in the Church, and in Christ, in whome, as Saint Paul sayeth, All promises are yea and Amen: that is to saye, accomplished and fini∣shed.
As for the complaint which the [ IX] Prophet Ieremie maketh, that Ie∣rusalem was made tributarie, it hel∣peth no whit the opinion of the Ana∣baptists, who imagin that the Church of Iesus Christ, the new Ierusalem, is freed from all tributes and exacti∣ons. For there is heere another con∣sideration to be had in respect of the Iewes, who from the beginning, be∣fore they were reuolted from the King of kings, were priuiledged to pay vn∣to the Lord but one halfe shekle, but after they had cast off the yoke of the Lord, and desired to haue kings and princes as other people had, the Lord gaue power, not only vnto their owne kings to taxe them, but also vnto o∣ther strange princes, thereby to beate downe their pride and presumption.
Heere is then to be noted, that the Gospell ouerthroweth not the ciuill gouernement and order that is vsed at this day, seeing that Christ him∣selfe paid tribute money, as in the seuententh verse of Saint Mathew we reade. And Saint Paule also in the thirtenth to the Romaines exhor∣teth vs therevnto, although it were to be wished, that they would not so plucke the wooll from the sheepes backe, as if they were fleaed, neither yet so gather hearbes, as if they would plucke vp both roote and rinde. Se∣condarily, tribute money was besto∣wed to an especiall end, which is, for the defence of Countreys, and main∣tenance of Iustice, towards the char∣ges of which things Princes haue tribute money graunted them.
One of the notable doctrines of [ X] this first part, and as it were through the whole booke of Ieremies Lamen∣tations, is an excellent example what it is to serue God, and what to for∣sake the true seruing of him. For in truth, to serue God sincerely, is to rule and raigne, and the verie store-house of all happines: Contrarywise, to contemne the seruice of God, to be∣stowe
his graces ill, to turne our backs vpon him, to abuse the name and title of Religion, is the cause of all our hinderances and losses, and causeth all our brauerie, glorie, and excellencie to be taken from vs: and to be short, to make vs be spoyled of all blessings, but namely, of this blessing, for the which the people mourne and sorrow, to wit, the mul∣titude both of old and yong people: as Salomon also witnesseth, saying: In the multitude of the people is the honor of a King, and for the want of people commeth the destruction of the prince. For I pray you tell me, what are Cities and townes, what are kingdomes and prouinces with∣out men? Aristotle in the third booke of his Politiques, sayeth, that it is neither the walles nor stones that make Cities, but the Citizens and inhabitants. Now when GOD is angrie, he dispeopleth kingdomes, causeth neighbours become meere strangers, driueth friends farre off, plucketh from vs all fauour and assu∣rance. And it is no maruell though God many times maketh vs feele the vnfaithfull dealing of men, or else
their vanitie, weakenesse, and miserie, considering that we oftentimes make verie idoles of our friends, allies, and citizens. And as Saint Augustine vpon the 146. Psalme very wel saith, that we so much presume vpon men, and trust so much vnto them, as that if any bring vs tidings that such a Prince, or such a Citie will ioyne with vs in friendship, we are in a maruellous glorie, and make great bonefyers: but when all the whole scripture shall tell vs that the God of hostes is on our side against all po∣wer whatsoeuer, we are cold in that, and care not, nor yet once reioice as we ought.
Moreouer, there are many degrees and kinds of calamities, which the Prophet Ieremy bewaileth: but the highest and lowdest complaint that he maketh, is the ouerthrowing of the seruice of God, the making no ac∣compt of the Sabboth and festiuall [ XI] daies. And he hath great reason there∣in, for, the holie assemblies and festi∣uall daies are, alas, other manner of festiuall daies, then were the Olym∣piall and pithiall assemblies and fe∣stiuall dayes, wherein the heathen
feasted and sported in the honor of Iu∣piter & of Apollo. But in the Church of God, his seruice is brought in que∣stion, who hath manifested himselfe vnto vs by his wonderful workes, and by his woorde: the exercise also of our fayth, and the spirituall ioy and conso∣lation in this good God is brought in question, which is a great deale more particularly, certainely and clearely manifested vnto his people, then the Gods of the gentyles, who were but diuelish deceiuers amongest the bar∣barous nations. O what a bitter, hea∣uy, and grieuous thing then is this, to all honest soules that feare God, and haue tasted of the sweetnes and plea∣santnes of his house, to see such assem∣blies cease, such exercises ouerthrown, and besides all this, the name of God dishonoured, and blasphemed, and re∣ligion laughed at: which is an huge heape of griefe vnto a true Christian heart.
[ XII] Such assemblies I saye, as are not brought in by superstition, or by mans inuention, but by Gods ordinaunce, for the maintenaunce of his seruice, and confirmation of our faith, are highly to be commended: for although the Lord
be very wel able extraordinarily with∣out meanes, without preaching, with∣out assemblies to gather vnto himselfe a people yet his will is that his church should here on earth be knowne by cer∣taine markes and tokens: his meaning also is to trie our faith and obedience, and to be serued by conuenient meanes to helpe our infirmities, by which meanes hee woorketh, adding there∣vnto his power: For sithence the sonne of righteousnesse, Iesus Christ hath appeared wee are not charged with so many ceremonies, nor so many feasts as the Iewes were: and being but a fewe cere∣monies, they are as S. Augustine saith, more pure, easie & more significant.
Aleph.
Beth.
Gimel.
Paleth.
••e.
Van.
Zain.
The diffe∣rence be∣tvveene the lamen∣ting and sorrovv∣ing of the children of God, and the vvicked.
Psal. ••32. verse 14.
2. Cor. 2.
Exod. 30. verse. 13.
To serue God sin∣cerely, is the store-house of all hap∣pinesse: and con∣trarivvise, the losse of all his blessings.
Prou. 14. verse 28.
God pla∣geth prin∣ces diuers vvaies by their friends, allies, and citizens, vvhen as they make idoles of them.
A signe and token of great infidelitie, vvhich at this daie reigneth euen in those go∣uernments vvhich vvould seeme to be most religious.
Deut. 4.