Bible Commentaries

Genesis 3:5 — should change ten times in the year, they would ever be ready at hand to change with it, and so follow the cry, and rather utterly forsake God, and be of no religion, than that they would forego lust, or living, for God or religion. Act. et Mon., fol. 1441. Then your eyes shall be opened. — There is an opening of the eyes of the mind to contemplation and joy. There is also an opening of the eyes of the body to confusion and shame. He promised them the former, but intends the latter, and so cheats

Esther 5:1 — the house. Now it came to pass on the third day — That is, on the fifteenth day of the month Nisan, as the Hebrew annals say. Cum adhuc ferverent popularium suorum preces, whiles the prayers of her countrymen (like those of Cornelius, Acts 10:4 ), were come up for a memorial before God, she takes her opportunity and speeds accordingly. She knew that sweet passage, Psalms 145:18 , "The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire

Esther 5:3 — David, but for the son of Jesse, by way of contempt. Christ tells his disciples that their enemies shall cast out their names for naught, Luke 6:22 , and chargeth them courteously to salute their enemies, calling them friendly by their names, Matthew 5:47 . And what is thy request? — q.d. Fear not to utter it, I am very earnest to know it, and fully resolved to grant it. It was more troublesome to Severus the emperor to be asked nothing than to give much. When any of his courtiers had not made

Esther 8:15 — Great did his crown of one hundred and eighty pounds, provided by him at a great supper, and promised to him that should drink most. Mordecai had his temporal crown upon far better terms, and yet looked for a more weighty one in heaven, 2 Corinthians 4:17 , even such a weight of glory, as that if the body were not by the power of God upheld, it were impossible it should bear it. And with a garment of fine linen — Or of silk, which was anciently sold for its weight in gold, as Pliny testifieth.

Job 3:3 — γενεσιν αθλιον : the beginning of a man’s nativity they call the begetting of his misery; because he is non prius natus quam damnatus (Aug.), no sooner born but damned to the mines of misery, Job 14:1 . Crying he comes into the world, and before he speaketh he prophesieth, and saith in effect, Tι βιος ει μη βια; σωμα μεν σημα,

Proverbs 6:9 — were, to greet the leaves below them, with a kiss. Tenenti codicem somnus obrepat, et cadentem faciem pagina sacra suscipiat. - Hier, ad Eust. And for prayer, David would not fall asleep at it, but break his sleep for it. Psalms 119:62 ; Psalms 119:147 He was at it at midnight, at day dawn, and "In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." Psalms 5:3 Two military words Egneroch , ex radice gnarach, ordinavit, aciem disposuit: sappel , ex radice tsaphah , speculando

Ecclesiastes 8:12 — also resemble him herein. Hence their sins are mortal, saith St John, 1 John 5:17 rather immortal, as saith St Paul. Romans 2:5 And his days be prolonged. — By the long sufferance of God, which is so great, that Jonah was displeased at it. Jonah 4:1-2 Averroes turned atheist upon it. But Micah admires it, Micah 7:18 and Moses makes excellent use of it, when he prays, Exodus 34:6-9 "O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go along with us, for it is a stiff-necked people." As who should say,

Song of Solomon 2:12 — smell; and therein lieth sweetness of speech, and words going before works, even as flowers before fruits. For the which cause, as the apostle exhorteth that our speech be gracious always, "ministering edification to the hearer," Colossians 4:6 so the prophet calls it a "pure language," which the Lord will give to as many as love him, as are called according to his purpose. Zephaniah 3:9 The time of the singing of birds is come. — Hic autem garritus avium plurimum facit ad

Song of Solomon 2:3 — shadow with great delight, and his fruit [was] sweet to my taste. As the apple tree among the trees, … — Among wild trees, moss begrown trees, trees that bring not forth food for men, but mast for hogs. Such is every natural man. Romans 11:24 "Ephraim is an empty vine, he beareth fruit to himself," Hosea 10:1 paltry hedge fruit. Oaks bring forth apples, such as they are, and acorns. But what saith our Saviour; John 15:2 , "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh

Song of Solomon 4:15 — facimus, sed ille facit, ut faciamus, saith Augustine. True it is that we do what we do; but it is as true that Christ maketh us to do what we do; for "without him we can do nothing"; John 15:5 "in him is our fruit found": Hosea 14:8 it is he that "works all our works in us." Isaiah 26:12 Hence it is that the Church is nowhere in all this book described by the beauty of her hands or fingers, because he alone doth all for her. The Church of Rome, that will needs hammer

Song of Solomon 5:9 — questions" about those things whereof we can neither have proof nor profit, we are bound to "avoid," 2 Timothy 2:23 knowing that they do "gender strifes," and breed crudities, fill men with wind, and make them question sick. 1 Timothy 6:4 But profitable questions are frequently to be propounded with a desire to learn, and resolution to practise, as the Virgin Mary demanded of the angel, Luke 1:34 the disciples of our Saviour, John 16:17 ; John 16:19-24 and he resolved them, which he

Hosea 4:10 — For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD. For they shall eat and not have enough — Only they shall be filled with their own ways, Proverbs 14:14 , but that is but to feed upon the wind with Ephraim, Hosea 12:1 , which breedeth nothing but troublesome belching, or a dog-like appetite (as they call it), that cannot be satisfied ( Bουλιμια , appetitus

Hosea 4:11 — increase. Who are void of the Spirit but such as are sensual? Judges 1:18-19 . And who are they that say unto God, Depart from us, but those that dance to the timbrel and harp, …, Job 21:11 . "They saw God, and did eat and drink," Exodus 24:11 ; that is, say some, though they had seen God, yet they turned again to sensual pleasures: as if it had reference to that eating, and drinking, and rising up to play, upon the dedication of their calf, which was presently after. Aristotle writeth

Hosea 5:10 — remove the bound: [therefore] I will pour out my wrath upon them like water. The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound — A wickedness condemned by the law and light both of nature and Scripture, Deuteronomy 27:17 ; Deuteronomy 19:14 Proverbs 22:28 . The princes are mentioned, because corruption in a people (as putrefication in a fish) begins at the head. Now the landmark of limit is removed many ways: as, first, religione, in religion; when the true is changed into that which is

Jonah 1:5 — and cried every man to his god — Forced by the present necessity, first these stout fellows were surprised with fear; neither could they look pale death in the face with blood in their cheeks. Death is the "king of terrors," Job 18:14 , Nature’s slaughter man, God’s curse, and helps purveyor. Next they "cried every man to his god." This was a lesson of Mother Nature’s teaching, sc. that there is a God, and that this God is to be called upon, and especially

Micah 4:2 — could not live comfortably in paradise; as with it, he could live and enjoy himself, though it were in hell. And he will teach us of his ways — Cathedram in coelis habet qui corda docet, saith Austin. All true converts are taught of God, John 6:45 , and then quam cito discitur quod docetur? saith the same Father: how soon are men discipled! how soon learn they the ways of God, whereby to serve him here, and be saved by him hereafter! For it is false that some contend for; sc. that every man

Micah 6:6 — severe discipline of scorpions. But although God must be glorified with our bodies also, 1 Corinthians 6:20 , and external service is required (whatever the Swenkfeldians say to the contrary), yet bodily exercise of itself profiteth little, 1 Timothy 4:8 , and let those that brag of or bind upon their outward worship of Christ consider, that the devil himself in the demoniac of Gadara fell down and worshipped him. What comfort can there be in that which is common to us with devils? who, as they believe

Micah 6:9 — …), or so dull that nothing can affect them, as these here; the word of God was worse than spilt upon them. Sure it is, that wisdom’s children are not many. "Who is wise, and he shall understand these things," saith Hosea, Hosea 14:9 , the very question imports a paucity; see the note there. Though a gun be discharged at a whole flight of birds, there are but a few killed; though the net be spread over the whole pond, but a few fishes are taken. Rari sunt qui philosophantur, saith

Nahum 1:9 — Church’s adversaries, in troubling of her trouble Almighty God, who will not fail to be even with them: for he that toucheth God’s people toucheth the apple of his eye, Zechariah 2:8 . "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Acts 9:4 . It was a simple question of Satan to our Saviour, "What have I to do with thee?" while he vexed a servant of his. Hath he his name from knowledge, and yet could he so mistake him whom he confessed to be the Son of the living God? It is an

Nahum 3:1 — people, 100,000 in one year, in various parts of the realm, besides 6000 gentlemen, slain there in private quarrels, within the time of ten years, as it appears by the king’s pardons. Now if the blood of one Abel had so many tongues as drops Genesis 4:10 , "the voice of thy brother’s blood’s crieth unto me," what shall we think will be the woe of such bloody cities and states? Luther rendereth this text, Woe to the murderous state! Austin interpreteth it of all heinous offences