John Trapp on Nehemiah 11:1

CHAP. XI. Verſe 1. And the Rulers of the people dwelt at Jeruſalem.

THis City, being before repaired, beginneth now to be repeopled. See chap. 7.4. The Rulers there took up their ſeat, (as was fit, and as in all chief Cities is uſuall) ſo that thither the Tribes went up, the Tribes of the Lord, &c. And there were ſet the Thrones of Judgment, Pſal. 122.5.

The reſt of the people alſo caſt lots] The diſpoſe whereof is wholly of the Lord: and therefore none could reaſonably repine.

To bring one of ten] This ſhadowed out the paucity of thoſe that ſhall inhabit the heavenly Jeruſalem; according to Iſai. 6.13. Jer. 3.14. Chriſt at laſt day will do as Joſhua did (ſaith a Divine) to finde out who had ſtollen the Babyloniſh garment: there were many brought together, and all to find out one, Joſh. 7. So all ſhall then appeare: out of them a finall number ſeducted, that have heard of Chriſt: out of them thoſe that have profeſſed him: and out of them, thoſe that have profeſſed in ſincerity: and theſe.

— Numero vix ſunt totidem, quot Thebarum portae, vel divitis oſtia Nili.J[illegible: 1 letter]venal. Sat. 13

How many, think you,Hom. 4. ad pop. Antioch, ſhall be ſaved in this City, (ſaid Chryſoſtome to the people of Antioch, where he had long preached, and was much admired,) It will be a hard ſpeech to you, but I will ſpeak it; though there be ſo many thouſands of you, yet there cannot be found an hundred, that ſhall be ſaved: and I doubt of them too; for what villany is there in youth? What ſloth, in old age? and ſo he goes on.

The holy City] Jeruſalem is ſo called, becauſe God had choſen it to ſet his name there. The Heathen God-haters had alwayes an edge againſt it, and this made people ſo unwilling to inhabit it. Our Edward the Firſt had too high a conceit of it, when he charged his Son upon his death-bed to carry his heart thither, and left 32000. pounds for that purpoſe.