Exposition of the Whole Bible

nied:them, and cleaved-unto them; did not care ° to.part with them, as» children, that lay hold on their parents fkirts, won’t leave them, but go with them where they go, as follows:, /aying, we will go with you; either with Chrilt, refolving to follow him whither foever he: goes; to hold to him. the head;, to abide by his truths and. ordinances; to walk on in his ways,, whatever they fuffer for-his name’s: fake: or with his minifters. and people, determining: to co along and join, with:them in‘all religious exercifes; fee Ruth i. 16: for-we have heard that God is with you; with Chrift, vas; he always was; in the council and covenant of grace before time, and’at the beginning of time. to his incarnation; and. during his ftate of humiliation, and in his, fufferings and death; and:now in his ftate of exaltation,;. hence his*name Jtbiel, God with me, Prov. xxx. 1. fee Fobn i..reand viii 296 and xvi. 32. or with his minifters; and. people;. which he has promifed to be unto the end of the world; and this the Gensi/es heard and underftood, by the power that went along with their miniftry, to the converfion of multitudes of finners; and by the miracles which. they wrought, for the confirs fome out of all nations; and God is the God of mation of the doétrines they delivered.

the Gentiles, as well as of the ews, fince the one

HIS chapter treats of the converfion of the

Gentiles, before fpoken. of in general, now particularly named; of ‘the coming of Chrift into the world, and the advantages of it to his church; of the preaching of the gofpel by the apoftles, and of their protection, encouragement, and fuccefs. The Gentiles converted, are firft the Syrians that dwelt in Hadracb, Damafcus, and Hamath, the Lord’s eye being upon them, -y. 1. next the Phenicians, the inhabitants of Tyre and- Zidon, who had a vain opinion of their wifdom, and trufted in their riches, ¥. 2, 3, 4. and then the Pdilifines, the inhabitants of APkelon; Gaza, Ekron, and Apdod, guilty of pride, murder, idolatry, and other abominations, ¥. 5, 6, 7. when the church and people of God fhould be fafely protected, ¥. 8. to whom, for their joy and comfort, is given forth a prophecy concerning the coming of the Meffiah; who is defcribed by his character ‘as a king, juft, having falvation, lowly, and riding on an afs; by the peaceablenefs of his kingdom; by the feveral offices: he executes; the prophetic office, fpeaking peace to the heathen; the kingly office, his dominion being very large; and his prieftly office, in the effufion of his blood, by which the covenant is confirmed, his people delivered out of diftrefs, and encouraged to flee to him as their ftrong-hold, where they find plenty and protection, #. 9, 10,

11, 12. next the apoftles are reprefented as military men, accoutred with the bow and’ the fword of the mighty, ¥. 13. whofe fuccefs is owing to the Lord’s appearance over them, and the efficacy of his grace and Spirit attending the word, y. 14. who are protected and encouraged in it by the Lord, and honoured on account of it, ¥..15, 16. and the chapter is concluded with an exclamation, wondring at the grace and glory of Chrift, and exprefling the fatisfying provifions of his houfe,

D gi Wp ¥. 1. The burden of the word of the Lord, &c.} times of things forrowful and diftreffing, as the deftruction of people, as in J. xiii. 1. and xv. I. and xvii. 1. and xix. 1, and xxi. 1, tr. and fometimes of things joyful, as in Zech. xii. 1.’ and here it containsgood news to the church of Chrift, ¥. 9, &e. and is called a durden, becaufe the word of the Lord is often fo to carnal men; fee Jer. XXlli. 33—39. the words may be rendered, @ declaration or a publication of the word of the Lord*; _ it fignifies a publifhing of it, or bringing it forth; and fo the Arabic verfion renders it, @ revelation of the word of the Lord; a carrying of it about: — which was made in the land of Hadrachy this is‘either the name of a man; of fome king, as.;

Chik tay. FECH ARS 4-H OBR Ezra obferves; and fome Fewifb writers » fay, -the king Meffiah, who is 3m /harp to the nations of the.world, and 49 ¢ender to the J/raelites:, or rather the name of.a place, and may defign Syria, to which Damafcus belonged; fee J/. vii. 8: or fome place “near it: fays R. Yofe *, “* Iam of Damajcus,. and << T call heaven and earth to-witnefs that there is ¢* a place there, the name of which is Hadracb.” Hillerus ¥ takes it to be.the fame with Cele/jria, or hollow Syria, a vale which lay between Lidanus and Antilibanus, and goes by many names; the fame that is called Hoba, Gen, xiv.15., the plain of Aven, and the houfe of Eden, Amos i.'5. and here Hadrach; and thinks it had its name from Hadar, a fon of I/fbmael,, Gen. xxv. 15. and_obferyes what.is faid, Genz. xxv. 18, that the Jemaelites dwelt from Havilab, which is to the fouth of Paleftine, unto Shur, a town fituated over-againtft Egypt, as you.go to Affyria; that is, to the Agra of Ptolemy in Sufiana. The Targum renders it, ‘* in <¢ the land of the fouth.” There was. a city in Celefyria, called Adra by Ptolemy:*; which, as Ferom fays *,.was diftant. from Bojira twenty-five miles;.fince called. the city of Bernard de Stampis, where. were chriftian churches in the fourth and fifth centuries, whofe bifhops were prefent at, councils held in thofé times,;,and according to this prophecy, here the wordof the Lord was to be publifhed; and it may have refpect to the converfion. of the inhabitants of it in future times: tho’ fome take it to be not the. proper name of a place, but an appellative,and render it, the land about, or the land about thee’; that is, about Fudea; the nations round about it, particularly Syria, Phenicia, and Paleftine.. And Damafcus fhall be the ref thereof; either of the Lord himfelf; his glorious Shekinab thall reft there, as Kimchi interprets it 5 and "fo the Targum. paraphrafes it, ‘* and << Damajcus thall be converted, that it may be of «¢ the houfe of his Shekinah;” fee Jf. xi. 10. or of the word of the Lord, which fhould be declared and publifhed there, as it was by the apoftle Paul, who was converted near it, and preached in it, Adis ix. 3, 19, 20. or of Hadrach, or the adjacent country: unlefs it is to be underftood of the burden of the Lord refting on it, or of.the taking of this city in the times of Alexander the Great; which, with the deftruction of the cities. after-mentioned, fome make a type,or fymbol of the abolition of paganifm in the Roman empire; but the former fenfe feems beft. When the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Irael, fhall be tewards the Lord or when the eyes of men foall be to. the Lord, and to all the tribes of Ifrael, fo Kimchi and Ben Melech, that is, as they interpret it, when the eyes of all men fhall be to the Lord, and not to their idols; and alfo to all the tribes of J/rael, to go along with them in their ways; as it is faid above, we will.go with you; or they fhall look to the Lord, even as, the tribes of J/rael themfelves do; and which is true of finners when converted, whether ‘ews. or. Gentiles; and particularly was. true of that great ‘man the apoftle Paul, who was converted near Damafeus, when the eyes of his underftanding being the Lord’s inheritance and pofleffion, and her riches: fhould be devoted to his fervice: and he will finite her power in the fea; for Tyre was fi- enlightened,. and he feeing the infufficiency of all other objects, looked to the Lord alone for pardon, righteoufnefs, life, and falvation; even as all true Uraelites do, who are<after the Spirit, and not aiter the flefh.. Tho’ fome underftand thefe words of the eyes.of the Lord being upon every man, as © well as.upon the tribes of Jfrael + upon wicked men to punith them, as upon his people to protect and defend them: and to this fénfe the Targum in- - clines;, paraphrafing the words thus, ‘* for’ before “* the Lord are manifeft the works of the children “* of men, and he is well pleafed with all the tribes 66 of Ifrael.”

¥.2. And Hamath alfo fhall border thereby, *8zc.} By the land of Hadrach, or by Damafeus; and that it was near Damajcus, is clear from Jf x. 9. Jer. xlix, 23. itis called Hamath the Great in Amos vi. 2. and,according to. Ferom *, is the fame with Aztioch, which he fays was fo called by fome; and the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel on Nuthb. xiii. 21. renders Hamath by Antioch: and if fo, here was the Lord’s reft likewife; here the gofpel was preached, and many converted, anda church, confitting of Fews and Gentiles, was formed; and here the difciples.were firft called chriftians, As xi. 26: Tyrus and Zidon; thefe were famous cities of Phewicia; upon the borders of thefe our Lord himfelf was, Mati. xv. 21. of the converfion of the inhabitants of thefe places the pfalmift prophefies, Pf. xly. 12. here likewife the Lord had his refting place; we read of the difciples here, 47s xxi. 3, 4. and xxvii..3: tho’ it be very wife; particularly Tyre, which was famous for wifdom, Ezek. xxviii. 3,4. which the Lord confounded by:the preaching of the. gofpel, and by the foolifhnefs of that faved them that believe. Kimchi refers this to the times of the Meffiah; his note is, fhe fhall not truft insher wifdom in the time of the Meffiah: fo Ben Melech.

Wee. And Tyrus did build herfeif a ftrong hold; - &c.] Tyre was built upon a rock, and wasa ftrong fortrefs itfelf, from whence it had its name; and befides its‘natural defence, it had a wall 150 feet high, and its breadth was anfwerable to its height *; but yet, as it could not defend itfelf againft A exander. the Great, who took it; fo neither againft the gofpel of Chrift, which found its way into it, and was mighty to pull down ftrong-holds in a fpiritual fenfe: and heaped up filver as the duft, and fine gold as the mire -of the ftreets; the riches’ of thefe cities, efpecially Zyre, are often made mention.of; they were famous for their wealth, being, places of great trade and merchandifé; fee Tf. xxiii..2, 8. Ezek, xxvii. 3. and xxviii. 4, 5. all which were to be holinefs to the Lord; and for the fufficient feeding and. durable clothing of them that dwell before him, J. xxiii. 18. his minifters..;;: ¥i4. Behold the Lord will caft her out, &c.] Or inherit her *, or them, as the Septuagint render the words’; when being converted, fhe would become tuated in the fea, at the entry of it, and was ftrong in it, Ezek. xxvi. 17. and xxvii. 3. Kimchi interprets this of her humiliation and fubjection in the days of the Meffiah; and in a fpiritual fenfe it has been verified in fuch who have been fpoiled of their carnal ftrength, in which they trufted, and have Jaid down their weapons, and have fubmitted to the fceptre of Chrift: and fhe fhall be devoured with fire; with the fpirit of judgment, and of burning, which purges and removes the filth of fin; and with the fire of the word, which burns up and confumes its lufts; and with the flames of divine love, which make fouls as a whole burnt-offering to the Lord. This was literally accomplifhed in the burning of Zyre by Alexander *, which injected fear and dread in cities near it, as follow:

¥. 5. Afbkelon fhall fee it, and fear, &c.) That is, as Kimchi explains it, when Ajfbkelon fhall fee that Tyre humbles herfelf and fubmits, fhe fhall humble herfelf and fubmit alfo: and the fenfe may be, that the inhabitants of Abkelon, feeing that Tyre, with all her wifdom and ftrong reafoning, could not ftand before the power of the gofpel, but fubmitted and embraced the chriftian religion, were induced, through the efficacy of divine grace, to do the fame; and certain it is, that this place became chriftian; we read * of a bifhop of Abkelon in the fynod of Nice, and of other bifhops of this place in after councils: it belonged to Pale/tine, and was one of the five lordfhips of the Phiii tines,

Foo. xiii. 3. Gaza alfo fhall fee it, and be very forrowful, this was a city af Paleftine, near to Apkelon; they are mentioned together, Fudg. i. 18: the Gentile inhabitants of this place, when they faw the progrefs the gofpel made in Tyre, Zidon, and Afkelon, were grieved at it, but many among them fubmitted to it: very likely Phiiip the evangelift firft preached the gofpel here; fee és viii. 26. there was a chriftian bifhop of this place in the Nicene council, and others in after ones‘. And Ekron for her expettation fhail be afoamed; this was alfo one of the five lordfhips of the Pdiliftines, Fofo. xiii. 3. 1 Sam. vi. 16, 17. which being near to Tyre, had its dependence on that, expecting it could never be taken; but when they faw that it was taken by Alexander, it was afhamed of its vain expectation, hope and confidence: and fo the inhabitants of this place, when the gofpel came to it, were afhamed of the boufe of their confidence, as the Targum paraphrafes the words; the confidence they had in their idols, and in the works of their own hands; and were alfo a/bamed becaufe of their iniquities, as the Arabic verfion renders them; being convinced of them, and humbled for them, and betaking themfelves to Chrift for falvation from them. It is probable, that P4ilip preached the gofpel here, feeing it was’not far from Azotus or Afbdod next mentioned, where Philip is heard of after. the baptifm of the eunuch: and if Ekron is the fame with Ce/farea, that was called Strato’s tower, as fay the Zews*; and which alfo Ferom } obferves, fome fay are the fame; it is certain that Philip was there, Aés viii. 40. there were feveral chriftian bifhops of this place in after times ™. dnd the king foall perifh from Gaza; fome underftand this of Batis, who was governor of Gaza, when it was taken by Alexander; who was faftened to a chariot, and dragged about the city, as Curtius ° relates; but this nian was not a king, but governor of the city under one: I rather think the idol Marnes, which fignifies the lord of man, and was worfhipped in this place, is here meant; which when it became chriftian was deftroyed, and a chri- {tian church built in the room of it, as is reported by Yerom °. by heathens, but by chriftians,

And Afpkelon foall not be inhabited 3

¥. 6. And a baftard foall dwell in Afhdod, &c.]:

Some ° take Mamzer, the word for dajtard, to be the name of a people that fhould dwell in A/bdod; this is the fame place with Azotus, Affs viii. 40. and was alfo one of the five lordfhips of the Péiliftines, Fudg. xiii. 3. 1 Sam. vi. 17. fome, by the baftard here, underftand Alexander the Great, who gave out that he was not the fon of Philip, but of Fupiter Ammon: others think Fonathan the Maccabee is intended, who took this place, and burnt it with fire, and the temple of Dagon in it, 1 Mac. x. 83, 84. and tho’ he was not a baftard, yet was a ftranger to the Philiftines,; in which fenfe the Fewifh commentators, Farchi and Kimchi, interpret the word, and underftand it of the J/raelites who fhould dwell in this place; even thofe, as Aben Ezra fays, who were abject, mean, and defpifed among the J/raelites; which would be a great mortification to the proud Philifines, as is fuggefted in the next claufe: and to this fenfe the Targum paraphrafes the words, ‘* and the houfe of J/rael ‘¢ fhall dwell in Afbdod, who fhall be in it as

‘¢ ftrangers:” but it is beft to underftand this of —

Tfraelites indeed, of true chriftians, who are accounted fpurious, not the children of God, but aliens and ftrangers, the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things; who fhould dwell here when the gofpel was preached in it, as doubtlefs it was by Philip, Aéis viii. 40. and fo the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic verfions render the words, and ftrangers foall dwell in Afodod,; men of another religion, and defpifed and not owned even by their relations, as if they were baftards. And I will cut off the pride of the Philiftines; by Alexander, and by the: ews in the times of the Maccabees, bringing them into fubjection, which their haughty fpirits could not well bear; or thro’ the abolition of their old heathenifh religion, in which they prided themfelves. It may be obferved, that all along the converfion of. thefe feveral people to chriftianity, is expreffed in terms which feem to fignify the deftruction of them; and that partly becaufe, in the literal fenfe, reference is had to the conqueft of them by Alexander, by which means the Greek language obtained in Syria -and Phenicia, into which, a little after, the bible was tranflated, which _ paved the way for the bringing of thefe people to the knowledge of Chrift, through the preaching of the gofpel; and partly becaufe paganifm was abolifhed in thefe places, when chriftianity prevailed. BH Ri | 2

¥. 7. And Iwill take away his blood out of bis mouth, 8c.) The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic verfions read, their blood; not the blood of the baftard, but of the Philiftines. ‘The Targum is, I will deftroy them that eat blood; the meaning may be, that they fhall no more thirft after blood, nor drink it; nor breathe out threatenings and flaughter againft the faints, or perfecute the people of God: or that they fhould no more offer the blood

? R, Judah ben Bileam apud Aben of their facrifices upon the altars to their deities, or eat things facrificed to them: and bis abominations from between bis teeth; their idols and, idolatries they were tenacious of, as a man is of his food, or of any thing that is grateful to him; it may defign things facrificed to idols eat by them: ut be that remaineth, even he fhall be for our God; the Targum paraphrafes it, ** and the profelytes that re- ** main among them, they alfo fhall be added to ** the people of our God:” Farchi interprets it of the fynagogues and fchools in the captivity of Edom or Rome; but Aben Ezra’s note is much better, that there fhall be none remaining of the Philiftines, but only fuch who ferve the blefied God openly: but the true fenfe is, that here fhould be a remnant, according to the election of grace, who fhould evidently appear to be the Lord’s people, by their converfion and effectual vocation: and he shall be as a governor in Fudab, the Targum is, <* they thall “© be as the princes of the houfe of Fudab;” that is, as the heads of the families in that tribe; fee Mic. v. 2. compared with Matt. ii. 6. all true chriftians are as princes, yea, they are kings and priefts unto God; and fome of them are HOND, as a guide, teacher, and inftructor of others; who go before them, and inftruét them in the doétrines of the gofpel, as paftors and minifters of the word: and Ekron_as a Febufite; that is, the inhabitant of Ekron, that fhatl be converted to Chrift, fhall be as an inhabitant of Ferufalem, which was called Febus, 1 Chron. xi. 4. fhall have a dwelling in the church, the city of God, and enjoy all the privileges and immunities of it. Kimchi fays this refers to the times of the Meffiah, when he fuppofes the Hkronites will be tributary to the J/raelites, as the Febufites were in the days of David. ‘The Targum is, ** and Ekron fhall be filled with the houfe ** of Ifrael, as Ferufalem.” The Syriac verfion is, and Ekron fhall be as Hebron.

y. 8. And Iwill encamp about my houfe, because of the army, &c.] Of profane and wicked men, perfecutors and hereticks, who rofe up in great numbers in the firft ages of chriftianity againft the church, the houfe of God, where he dwells, which confifted of perfons called from among the Gentiles as before; in order to protect and defend them from that great company which oppofed them, the Lord encamped about them, partly by his angels, Pf. xxxiv. 7. and partly by his minifters, fet for the defence of the gofpel; but chiefly by his own power and prefence, who is as a fire round about them. The Zargum is, ‘* and I will caufe my “«< glorious Shekinah to dwell in the houfe of my ‘¢ fanctuary, and the ftrength of the arm of my ¢ power fhall be as a wall of fire round about it.” Becaufe of him that paffed by, and becaufe of him that veturneth; either that his people might pafs and repafs with fafety, who attended the worfhip and fervice of his houfe; or becaufe of fatan and wicked men, who go to and fro, feeking to do all the mifchief they can to the faints of the Moft High. This may in a literal fenfe refpect the care of God over the Fewi/h nation, his church and people, in the times of Alexander, who paffed to and fro without diftreffing them; or in the times of the Lagide and Seleucide, the kings of Egypt | and Syria, during whofe commotions, and their paf- required; and démanded of Chrift their furety; it has been given; wherefore no exactor fhall pafs thro’ them, or over them, to require it of them; not the law, for they are freed by Chrift from the exaction, curfe; and condemnation of it; not ju- (tice, for that is fully fatisfied, and infinitely well pleafed with the righteoufnefs of Chrift; nor fatan; the accufer of the brethren; requiring punifhment to be infliéted, which tho’ he may do it, will be of no avail againft them; nor the Fewi/h tutors and governors, who exacted of the people obedience, not only to the law of Mo/és, but to the traditions of the elders; fince Chrift has redeemed his from this vain converfation, chriftians are entirely free from that yoke of bondage. This fhows; that this prophecy is not to be literally underftood, fince it is certain, that after the delivery of it, there were oppreffors or exactors among the Jews in a literal fenfe: Antiochus and others opprefled them before the birth of Chrift; they paid tribute to the Romans in his time; he was born at the time of a Roman tax; and after his death, Titus Vefpafian deftroyed their nation, and city and temple: or if it is, any more muft be underftood of a long time as it were, before they were utterly oppreffed. For now I have feen with mine eyes; thete are either the words of God the Father, looking with pleafure upon his church and people, about whom he encamps; and upon the fatistaction his Son has given to the divine juftice for their fins, whereby they are free from all exactions and oppreffions: or of the prophet Zechariah, as Aben Ezra thinks, who faw with his eyes, in the vifions of the night, all that is contained in this prophecy: and now inafmuch as all this predicted’‘was to be fulfilled in, or near, or about the times of Chriit, therefore next follows a glorious prophecy of his coming.

¥. 9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; foout, O daughter of Ferufalem, &c.] By whom are meant, not the inhabitants of Yeru/alem in common; nor the children in it, that faid Hofannabs to the Son of David; but the church of God, and true believers in Chrift, who are called upon to rejoice and feout; not merely in an external way, by fhewing marks of outward joy, but in a fpiritual manner, for which there was good reafon, as follows: dehold thy king cometh unto thee; Aben Ezra fays, that interpreters are divided about the fenfe of this prophecy; fome fay it.is Mefiah the Son of David; and others, Mefiah the Son of Fofeph. R. Mojes, the prieft, he obferves, thinks that Nebemiah the Tirfoathite is meant; and he himfelf is of opinion, that Fudas Maccabeus is intended; but archi affirms, that it is impoffible to interpret it of any other than the king Meffiah; and this is the fenfe of many of their writers, both ancient and modern. It is applied to him in the Talmud; they fay ', he that fees an afs in his dream, let him look for falvation, as it is faid, behold thy king cometh unto thee, riding on an afs. R. Alexander relates, that R. Fofbua ben Levi oppofed thefe two phrafes to each other, iz its time, and I will haften it, If. x. 22, and gave this as the fenfe to reconcile them: if they (the J/raelites) are worthy, 7. e. of the coming © of the Meffiah, I will haften it; if they are not worthy, it fhall be ix its time: and that he alfe fing to and fro againft each other, and againft them, were ftill continued a kingdom.

put thefe {criptures together, and compared them And no oppreffar to that feripture, Pebold one, like the Son of man, foall pafs thro? them any more; or exaéior '; fatisfaction for the fins of God’s people being exacted, came with the clouds of beaven,. Dan. vii. 13. and alfo what is written, poor, and riding on an afs; it they are worthy, he'll come’ with the clouds of heaven; if they are not worthy, he'll come poor and riding on an afs*. In an ancient book ‘ of theirs, at leaft fo reckoned, it is faid the king Meffiah fhall prevail over them all (the nations of the world, and thé J/raelites) as it is faid, poor and riding on an afs, and ona colt, the foal of an afs: and in feveral’ other places of that work, and other treatifes in it", the text is applied to the Meffiah; as it likewife is in their ancient Midrafbes or expofitions. In one * it is obferved, ** the Rabbins fay “* an ox; this is the anointed for war, as it is faid, ‘¢ bis glory is like the firing of bis bullock, Deut. “¢ -yyxiii. 17. an afs; this is the king Meffiah, as < it isfaid, poor and riding on an afs:” and again *, on thefe words, binding his foal to the vine, and bis afs’s colt unto the choice vine, Gen. xlix. 11. this remark is made; this fhall be,when that fhall come to pafs which is written of him, poor and riding on an ofs. And in another’ of their expofitions, the two Redeemers, AZofes and the Meffiah, are compared together; and among the feveral things in which they agree, this is one; as it is faid of the former Redeemer, and Mofes took his wife and his fons, and fet them on an afs, Exod. iv. 20. fo it is {aid of the latter Redeemer (the Meffiah) poor and viding on an afs. And thus it is interpreted by many of their more modern writers 7. This is to be underftood of Chrift’s coming, not merely to Ferufalem, when he rode on an afs, after-mentioned; but of his coming in the flefh, when he came to Zion, and for her good; and which was wonderful, and therefore a debold is prefixed to it; and is matter of great joy, which fhe is called to fhew, becaufe of the birth of him who is her Saviour; and becaufe of the good things that come by him; and becaufe of his appearing as a king, and her king; for as he was prophefied of as fuch, as fuch he came, tho’ his kingdom was not of this world; and as Zion’s king, being placed there by his Father, and to which he has a right by virtue of redemption, and is owned as fuch by his peoplein effectual vocation, and to whom all the following characters belong. He is ju?; not only effentially righteous as God, but juft and upright in the whole courfe of his life as man; and faithful in the adminiltration of his office as Mediator; and the. author and bringer in of righteoufnefs to his people: having falvation,; the falvation of his church and people; which he not only had at heart, but had it to execute,» being appointed to that fervice by his Father, and having agreed unto it as the furety of his people, and was the bufinefs he was coming into the world to do, here prophefied of; yea, he is called falvation itfelf, as in a. parallel text, J/: Ixii. 11. the purpofe of it was purpofed in him; God refolved to fave his people by him, and by him only; he never intended to fave any but in and thro’ him; and the thing was not only confulted with him, but the fcheme of it was drawn in him; God was in Chrift reconciling the world unto himfelf. The covenant of grace, in which falvation is a principal article, was made with him; and he, as the furety of that covenant, undertook it; and in the fulnefS of time being fent, came toeffe& it; for which he was abundantly qualified, being God and man in one perfon, “and fo had. fornething to offer as a facrifice for fatisfa€tion t6 « law and juitice, in ordet to obtain it; and could put a fufficient virtue therein “to anfwer the end, being the mighty God; and having as Mediator a commiffion from his. divine Father, he is become J by his obedience, fufferings and death, the author of eternal falvation to his people; and in him fal. vation ‘is, and in no other; and in vain it is to expect it from any other, or in any other way, than by him, és iv. 12. Fer. iii. 23.. Some rendér the word faved*; as he was by his divine Father, when he was raifed from the dead, and not fuffered to fee corruption; fee Heb. y. i. others, faving bimfelf®, when he raifed himfelf from the dead, and thereby declared himfelf to be the Son of God; and when he brought falvation to his body, the church, whichis himfelf, J/: lxiii. 5. Lowly; meék, and humble, as he appeared to be in the affumption of human natufe; in his car= riage to finners, converfation with them, and re= ception of them; in his miniftrations to his difeiples; and in not feeking his own, but his Father’s glory. Or poor*; as Jefus the Meffiah was; born of poor parents, had not where to lay his head, and was miniftred unto by others; fee 2 Cor. viii. ~ 9. And riding upon an afs, and upon a colt, the foal of an afs, which was fulfilled in Jefus of Nazareth, Matt. xxi. 4, 5. not that he rode upon. them both, but on the foal only; for fo it fhould be rendered, upon an a/s, that is, upon a colt, the foal of an afs*. The Fews have a fable, that the afs' Abraham faddled, when he went to facrifice his fon J/aac, was the foal of the afs that was created. on the evening of the fabbath, that is, at the creation; and that the fame Mo/es fet his wife and fons upon, when he came out of Midian and the fame afs, they fay, Meffiah the fon of. David was” taride upon at his coming*; but one of fucha. prodigious age furely could not be called a colt, or a foal; however, this fable fhews the conviction of their minds, that this is a prophecy of the Meffiah, and that they expected the Meffiah to ride upon an afs, according to it, as our Meffiah Jefus” did. And ‘the Greeks have another fable, which perhaps took its rife from this prophecy, that when Antiochus entered the temple at Ferufalem, he found in it an image of a man in wood, with a long. beard, riding on an afs *. And a like falfhood is _ told by Tacitus *, that the Yews confecrated the effigies of an afs in the inmoft part of the temple;__ becaufe a flock of wild affés, as he pretends, directed them to fountains of water, when in the _ wildernefs, and ready to die with thirft; and yet ~ he himfelf afterwards fays, the ews have no images, _ i: neither in their cities, nor in their temple: and _

« Zohar in Num. ~ ens hg gy

@ Jarchi in If. xxvi. 6. Baal Hatturim on Exod. fol. 88.2. Abarbinel, Mafhmiah Jefhuah. fol. 15.4. R. Abraham a Tzeror Hammor, fol. 46. 2. Caphtor Uperah, fol. 81. 2. 4 SST Vey & falvatus ipfe, Pagninus, Montanus,- =~ Cocceius; fervatus, Calvin, De Dieu. Schultens * obferves, that Ps? in the Arabic language fignifies large, ample, fpacio i and denotes amplitude of riches, power, knowledge, happinefs, and glory; and in this place the word defcribes a king endued ‘ey with moft ample falvationy and brought into this amplitude out of poverty and ftraits, darknefs and mifery. 8.. «| from hence it may be arofe the calumny caft upon the primitive chriftians, who were fometimes confounded with the Yews, that they worfhipped an afs’s head; and which is refuted by Tertullian *. ¥.10. And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, &c.] That is, the military one; fignifying that wars fhall ceafe, Pf xlvi.g: and the horfe from Ferufalem, the warlike one; fee Mic. v.10. Ephraim defigns the ten tribes, and Ferufalem ftands for the two tribes of Fdab and Benjamin; and the fenfe is, that thefe fhall be one in the days of the Meffiah, as Kimchi obferves; and that all inftruments of war fhall be removed from them, and there fhall be an entire peace between them; fee If. xi. 13. Ezek. xxxvii. 16, 19: and the battelbow fball be cut off; another inftrument of war. The Yargum paraphrafes it, ** I will break the «¢ ftrength of thofe that make war, the armies of *¢ the people;” all this does not defign fo much the outward peace that fhould be in the world at the birth of Chrift, as the fpiritual peace of his kingdom; and that, as it is not of this’ world, fo neither is it fpread, fupported, and defended by carnal weapons; and alfo the peaceablenefs and fafety of his fubjects, and the deftruction of their ‘enemies: and he fhall [peak peace unto the heathen; not only the church of Chrift, gathered out of the ews, fhould enjoy great fpiritual peace, profperity and fafety; but the Gentiles alfo fhould fhare in it, to whom Chrift went, and preached peace; not in his own perfon, being the minifter of the circumcifion; but by his apoftles, who had the miniftration of reconciliation committed to them; and being fent forth by Chrift,. went every where preaching peace by him, who is Lord of all, unto all nations; fee Eph. ii. 17: and his dominion thall be from fea even to fea, and from the river even to the enas vs the earth, according to Aben Ezra, from the Red-fea to the fea of the Philiftines, and ‘from the river Euphrates to the ends of the earth: or, as Kimchi cites him, from the fouth-fea, called the fea of Edom, to the north-fea, which is the fea of the ocean; from the river that goes out from Eden, which is at the beginning of the eaft, unto the ends of the earth, which is the end of the weft: or, as the Zargum paraphrafes it, ‘* from << the fea to the weft, and from Euphrates to the << ends of the earth.” The phrafes are expreffive of the extenfivenefs of Chrift’s dominion, thro’ the preaching of the gofpel, both in Fudea, and in the Gentile world, before the deftruction of Ferv- falem; and efpecially in the latter day; fee P/. Ixxii. 8. This and the preceding claule are allowed to belong to the Meffiah, by a modern Fewsa writer '.

y¥. 11. As for thee alfo, &c.) Thefe words art not fpoken to Chrift, for MN shee is of the feminine gender; but the congregation of L/rael, as Kimchi obferves; or the church of God: nor are they the words of Chrift to her; he is the perfon before fpoken of; but of God the Father, who having given out prophecies concerning the coming of Chrift, and the peaceablenefs and extenfivenefs of his kingdom, declayes to the church the benefits that fhe and thofe that belonged to her fhould receive, by the incarnation, fufferings, and death of Chrift: by the blood of thy covenant; not of the covenant of works, nor of circumcifion, nor of and held under it; and that that was made at Siwai, as the Yecwi/b writers interpret it; all which were a yoke of bondage; but of the covenant of grace, namely the blood

{of Jefus, which is a confiderable articlé in that covenant; that by which it is ratified and confirmed, and thro’ which all the bleffings of it come, as redemption, peace, pardon, juftification, and admiffion into heaven: and this covenant is called the church’s covenant, becaufe it is made with her in Chrift, her covenant-head, in whom fhe was confidered; and it was made on her account, and fhe has an intereft in it, and in all things contained therein. God and Father; Chrift her furety, Mediator, Redeemer, and Saviour, and the covenant itfelf unto her; and all things in it, the blefiings of grace, and promifes of good things are hers: and tho’ the covenant at Sinai is not the covenant here intended, that being a. covenant which gendered to bondage, and under which men were held as convicted and condemned malefactors; and fo cannot be that, the blood of which is the caufe of a releafe from prifon, and of bringing into a ftate of liberty; yet the allufion is unto it, which was a typical covenant; and the blood of the facrifices then fprinkled on the people, is called the blood of the covenant, Exod. xxiv. 8. It was not unufual with the heathens at making covenants, to ufe blood, even human blood: it was a cuftom with them, to draw it from each other, and drink it, at leaft lick, and tafte of it, as particularly with the Medes an@Lydians *; and was reckoned by them the moft facred bond of covenants; and fuch covenants with the Carmeni and Scythians were accounted the chief covenants of friendfhip, and their mutual blood they ufed the greateft bond of concord!; and the fureft pledge of keeping faith, and that it would abide ™: but the blood of Chrift thed, is a far greater proof, as well as cement of love, concord, and friendfhip; and a much firmer bond of the covenant of grace; and a furer pledge of the continuance of it, and of its being faithfully performed; and which, having the nature of a-will or teftament, becomes of force thro’ the death of him the teftator; fee Dan. ix. 27. Heb. ix. 14,15; 16. and xiii. 20: I have fent forth thy prifoners; that is, the church’s prifoners; not prifoners to her, or in her; for the church of Chrift is no prifon, nor are thofe that have a name, and a place in her, prifoners; they walk at large, and walk at liberty; are fellow-citizens with the faints; are Chrift’s free-men, and are poffefled of many privileges and immunities: but thefe defign fuch perfons as are in a fecret relation to her, and yet being in a ftate of nature, are prifoners; and fo are juch as are not members of any vifible church; nor as yet converted perfons and believers in Chrift, who have an open relation to the invifible church; but they are fuch who fecretly belong to the general affembly, and church of the firft-born, written in heaven, whofe names are in the Lamb’s book of life; or are chofen in Chrift, and alfo redeemed by his blood: but being as yet in a {tate of unregeneracy, are prifoners to fin; are under the power, dominion, and guilt of it; and being tranfgreffors of the law, are arraigned by it as guilty perfons; are convicted and condemned, and fhut up in it, e alfo the captives of fatan, being led as fuch by him, at his will, dnd thus they are prifoners, tho’ there is a fecret connexion between the church and them: and fooner or later, by virtue of the blood of that covenant, which fhe and they have an intereft in, they are brought out of the pit wherein is no water; which is expreffive of the ftate and condition men are in by fin, and whilft in unregeneracy; they are in mire and clay, in a moft filthy and famifhing condition, in a very wretched and uncomfortable one; as in a dark and lonefome dungeon, and where no refrefhment can be had; where there are no true peace, joy, and comfort. The allufion is to the cuftom of the eaftern countries, and ftill continues, who, in the night-time put their flaves into a well or pit, and there fhut them up till the mornning, when they are let out for bufinefs: now, from this ftate of captivity and bondage to fin, fatan, and the law, and from all the miferies of fuch a ftate are the Lord’s people, and who belong to Zion, the general affembly and church of the firft-born, delivered by virtue of the blood of Chrift, fhed for the redemption of them; in confequence of which tis faid to. thefe prifoners of fin, fatan, and the law, go forth; thefe are made fenfible of their wretched condition, and are called | and drawn out of it, and delivered from it, and brought into a ftate of liberty. Ben Melech inter-. prets this pit of the captivity of the Yecws.

¥. 12. Turn ye to the firong hold, ye prifoners of hope, &c.] That hope for redemption, as the Targum paraphrafes it; not for redemption from the,

Babylonifh captivity, at the end of feventy years, which was now over; but for redemption and falvation by Chrift,; for not the people of the Fews, who ftaid in Babylon, can be meant; for as they were at liberty to go from thence by the edict of Cyrus, they can’t be faid to be prifoners, much lefs prifoners hoping for deliverance, when they had, or might have it; but rather the Yews, who were come out of Babylon, as out of a pit, wherein was no water; out of an uncomfortable ftate and condition, and yet in their own land were encompaffed with many {traits and difficulties, thro’ the oppofition they met with from many, who difcouraged and hindered them in their work; but were hoping they fhould furmount all their difficulties, and get out of their troubles: tho’ it feems better to underftand it of fuch, who about the time of the Meffiah’s coming, were looking for the confo-. lation and redemption of J/rae/, and hoping, and waiting for it; as good old Simeon, and others, who were prifoners under the former difpenfation; but expecting deliverance and falvation by the Meffiah. It may be applied to all fenfible finners, in every age and period of time; all men are concluded in fin, fhut up under the law, and led captive by fatan; but fome are not fenfible of their imprifoned ftate, nor defirous of being out of it, nor have any hope concerning it; others groan under their bondage, long for deliverance, and are hoping for it: they hope that Chrift will receive them, and fave them; that he will pardon their fins; that the Spirit of God has begun a good work ia them, and will perform it; and that they fhall enjoy eternal glory and happinefs; for all which there is good ground to hope: as that Chrift will receive finners fenfible of their loft, perifhing condition, into his arms of mercy; fince he is the redeemed che fans of men; and feeing he diet for and obligation to punifhment by them; 4