John Trapp on Nehemiah 4:1

CHAP. IV. Verſe 1. But it came to paſſe.]

THE Devil and his Impes have ever been utter Enemies to Reformation. So do ſavage beaſts briſtle up themſelves, and make the moſt fierce aſſaults, when they are in danger of loſing the prey, which they had once ſeized on. Jabeſh Gilead would ſend in none to help the Lord againſt the mighty, Judg. 21.9. No more would Meroz, chap. 5.23. Joſiah met with much oppoſition: ſo did St. Paul wherever he came, to ſet up Evangelical and ſpiritual worſhip; which is called a Reformation, Heb. 9.10. All the World was againſt Athanaſius in his generation, and Luther in his: rejecting what they attempted, with ſcorn and ſlander. Here it is quarrel enough to Nehemiah and his Jewes, that they would be no longer miſerable. They were not more buſie in building, then the Enemies active in deriding, conſpiring, practiſing to hinder and overthrow them. A double deriſion is here recorded: and both as full of miſchief, as prophane wit, or rancoured malice could make them.

He was wroth] Heb. He was enkindled, and all on a light fire: he was as hot as Nebuchadnezzars Oven, huge hot [he took great indignation] and was ſo unreaſonably enraged, as if he would have fallen forthwith into a phrenſy or apoplexy; as that Roman Emperour did, by raging at his ſervant. He was grieved before, chap. 2. but now he was madded.

And mocked the Jews] By word and geſture, fleering and jeering, flouting and ſcoffing at them, as the Phariſees alſo did at our Saviour, Luk. 16.14. Davids Enemies at him, upon their ale-bench: Sr. Tho. Moore and other learned Papiſts, at the new-Goſpellers. See chap. 2.19. This might have diſmayed theſe poor Jewes, and put them out of countenance; for our nature is moſt impatient of reproaches; there being none ſo mean, but thinks himſelf worthy of ſome regard: and a reproachful ſcorn (ſuch as theſe here) ſhewes an utter diſreſpect, which iſſueth from the very ſuperfluity of malice. If God had not ſtrengthened them, ſaith One, it would have made them leave their work, and run away.