Bible Commentaries

Proverbs 13:17 — just revenge of them that sent him, or, at least, of God, in case of his slackness. How much more then wicked ministers, those "messengers of the Churches," 2 Corinthians 8:23 that do the Lord’s work "negligently," Jeremiah 48:10 that "corrupt" καπηλενειν . his message, 2 Corinthians 2:17 that huckster it and handle it craftily and covetously, calling good evil, and evil good, …? "Who is blind but my

Proverbs 14:18 — crowned with knowledge. — They know that dies diem docet: and therefore are not so wedded to their old principles, superstitions, and fopperies, but that they can, as right reason requires, relinquish and abjure them, glorifying the word, Acts 13:48 and "receiving the truth in love," 2 Thessalonians 2:10 whereby it soon comes to pass, that they get "good repute and report of all men, as Demetrius had, yea, and of the truth itself," 3 John 1:12 which is the crown of all commendation,

Proverbs 15:23 — found comfort and peace answerable. A word spoken in due season, how good is it. — One seasonable truth falling on a prepared heart, hath oft a strong and sweet operation. Galeacius was converted by a similitude used by Peter Martyr reading on 1 Corinthians. Junius was reduced from atheism by conference with a countryman of his. Luther, having heard Staupicius say, that that is kind repentance which begins from the love of God, ever after that time the practice of repentance was the sweeter

Proverbs 19:21 — [There are] many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. There are many devices in a man’s heart. — They may purpose, but God alone disposeth of all. See Trapp on " Proverbs 16:1 " See Trapp on " Proverbs 16:9 " Some think to rise by ill principles, but it will not be. Some to be rich, but God crosseth them, and holds them to prisoners’ pittances, to hard meat, as we say. Some, to live long, and to enjoy

Ecclesiastes 10:19 — money answereth all [things]. A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry. — Slothful governors, Regni dilapidatores (so our Henry III was called for his pride and prodigality), Daniel. are all for feasting and frolicking. See Proverbs 31:4 Daniel 5:3-4 . This cannot be maintained without money, for the getting and gathering in whereof the poor people are peeled and polled, and rich men’s gifts are received, to the perverting of justice by those corrupt rulers, qui vili precio

Ecclesiastes 3:15 — That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. That which hath been is now, …, — viz., With God, to whom all things are present. Romans 4:17 2 Peter 3:8 Jeremiah 1:5-7 Hence God is said to know future things, Exodus 3:9 John 18:4 not to foreknow them. For indeed neither foreknowledge nor remembrance are properly in God, since his whole essence is wholly an eye or a mind; it is the example

Ecclesiastes 3:17 — noonday," Psalms 37:6 if not in this world, yet certainly at that great assizes to be held by his Son. "Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, whereof he hath given assurance to all men." Acts 17:31 His petty sessions he keepeth now, letting the law pass upon some few corrupt judges by untimely death, disgraces, banishment, remorse of conscience, … - as he did upon Judge Morgan, that condemned the Lady Jane Grey; Judge Hales, Belknap,

Ecclesiastes 5:5 — thou shouldst have kept touch, and not have dealt thus slipperily with him? Dicta factis deficientibus crubescunt. "Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." Acts 5:4 "As the truth of Christ is in me," saith Paul; 2 Corinthians 11:10 so he binds himself by an oath, as the learned have observed. And "as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay; for the Son of God who was preached among you by me was not yea and nay; but in him all the promises of God are yea

Ecclesiastes 9:7 — so Lyra senseth the words. God’s grace and favour turned brown bread and water into manchet and wine to the martyrs in prison. "Rejoice not thou, O Israel, for joy, as other people, for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God." Hosea 9:1 Thou cutest thy bane, thou drinkest thy poison, because "to the impure all things are impure," and "without faith it is impossible to please God." "In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare (or a cord to strangle

Isaiah 14:13 — heaven. — Vide quomodo non satientur honore superbi. Oecolamp. Ambition, as the crocodile, grows as long as it lives, and is never satisfied. Above the stars of God, — i.e., Above all the kings of the earth, or above the saints, Revelation 12:1 those earthly angels. I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation. — I will sit upon the skirts of God’s Church; yea, I will set my throne upon God’s throne, and take up his room. See the like madness in Pharaoh; Ezekiel

Isaiah 19:11 — the wise, the son of ancient kings? Surely the princes of Zoan are fools. — Otherwise they would never have so ill-advised their king so to drain the river, for his pleasure, to the public detriment. Zoan was an ancient city in Egypt. Numbers 13:22 The Septuagint and Vulgate versions call it Tunis. Here it was that Moses did all his wonders. Psalms 78:12 Exodus 7:8-9 Here Pharaoh’s princes "took counsel, but not of God; and covered with a covering, but not of his Spirit, that they

Isaiah 2:10 — rock, and hide thee, — q.d., Do if thou canst; go where thou thinkest thou mayest be most secret and secure; but God’s hand will surely find thee and ferret thee out, as it did the five kings of Canaan, hid in the cave of Makkedah, Joshua 10:16-17 and as it did the wretched Jews, who were by the Romans pulled out of their privies and other lurking holes to the slaughter, at the last destruction of Jerusalem. Hoc autem perpetuo invenies apud peccatores, saith Oecolampadius here. This is

Isaiah 24:5 — the municipal laws of the commonwealth, by ordinances the laws of nations, as not to violate an ambassador, …, by everlasting covenant the law of nature, which is that "light that lighteneth every man that cometh into the world." John 1:9

Isaiah 28:7 — have erred through wine. — Judah had caught this disease of Ephraim, as the English are said to have done of the drunken Dutchmen. Sin is more contagious and catching than the plague. The Hebrew word importeth an alienation of mind. Proverbs 20:1 Hosea 11:2-3 ; Hosea 11:12 Jeremiah 23:9 Vino sapientia obscuratur, Wisdom is voided by wine, said Alphonsus, King of Arragon. They are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink. — Errarunt propter Shecar: they are bucked

Isaiah 35:6 — the lame [man] leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart. — As that impotent man did, Acts 3:8 and those Loripedes Hebrews 12:13 And the tongue of the dumb sing. — As good old Zacharias did, Luke 1:64 not so much for his speech restored, or his son received, as for his Saviour now at hand; and as did those that sang, "He hath done all things well; he maketh both

Isaiah 47:13 — thee. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. — As all such are sure to be, with a woe to boot, as "take counsel, but not of God; and that cover with a covering, but not by his Spirit, that they may add sin to sin" Isaiah 30:1 Thus do those vain astrologers, that pretend to read men’s fates and fortunes in the heavens, velut in Minervae peplo, and thence to foretell good and evil. But experience frequently confuteth them, as it did Abraham the Jew, who foretold by the

Isaiah 55:13 — there will always be Cains to persecute Abels, … And it shall be to the Lord for a name, — i.e., For an honour: it shall be much for his glory, which is the end that he propoundeth to himself in all that he doeth. And well he may, since - (1.) He is not in danger of doing anything through vain glory; (2.) He hath none higher than himself to whom to have respect. For an everlasting sign. — In monumentum non momentaneum; Heb., For a sign of perpetuity or eternity. That shall not be

Jeremiah 17:8 — river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. For he shall be as a tree planted. — It is plain that he here alludeth to Psalms 1:3 ; see the notes there. The laurel, saith Pliny, is never thunderstruck. Sure it is that he who trusteth in God taketh no hurt; his heart is fixed and unmovable Psalms 112:7-8 to endure things almost incredible. Psalms 27:3 Isaiah 14:32 cf. Isaiah

Jeremiah 23:29 — [Is] not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer [that] breaketh the rock in pieces? Is not my word like a fire? — As it is like solid wheat, wholesome food; 1 Timothy 6:3 so it is no less like fire, that most active element, called πυρ , because it is pure, saith one; and fire, because it was fair. It enlighteneth, enliveneth, warmeth, purgeth, assimilateth, aspireth, consumeth combustible

Jeremiah 41:6 — weeping all along as he went: and it came to pass, as he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. And Ishmael came forth of Mizpah to meet them. — This was another manner of meeting than that at Mizpah in Samuel’s days. 1 Samuel 7:3-6 O tempora! O mores! Weeping all along as he went. — Oh deep dissimulation and crocodile’s tears! Vide pessimum ingenium: luget ut lugentes perdat. - Oecolamp. That creature, having killed some living beast, lieth upon the dead