Exposition of the Whole Bible

things, and fo gain an underftanding of divine and fpiritual knowledge, of the’ knowledge of Chrift, of his perfon, offices, grace, righteoufhefs, and falvation; an experimental knowledge and ‘under {tanding of thefe things, heart and not head-knowledge: and the tongue of the flammerer fhall be ready to {peak plainly; or, foall make hafte to peak neatly %, elegantly and politely; fuch who hefitated in their fpeech, and fpoke in a blundering manner, ar {carcely intelligibly, efpecially when they fj of divine and fpiritual things, yet now, without the leaft hefitation, ‘in the freeft and molt ready man ner, with all plainnefs and propriety fhall tat of thefe things, to the great delight, fatisfadtion, and ufe of thofe that hear them: this was traé of the apoftles of Chrift, thofe babes and fucklings, out of whofe mouth God ordained praife, and who. were moft of them Galileans, very illiterate ‘and unpolifhed, and yet thefe, efpecially when they had the gift of tongues, fpake the great things or God very readily, and in good language; and alfo is true of other minifters of the word, raifed up among the barbarous nations of the worlds © >

' ¥. 5. The vile perfon foall be no more called Viberal, &c.| Or Nabal (a fool) fhall no-more be called Nadib © (a prince); or have this name’ put’ upon him, or be advanced to honour and dignity, or ‘be flattered with fuch a title, fo unbecoming ‘him. The fenfe feems to be, that in gofpel-times,;*fuch. who are fools as to the knowledge’ of fpiritual things, that have no fpiritual and experimental knowledge of the truths of the gofpel, but are quite ignorant of them, fhall not be made princes,’ or {piritual rulers, and governors in the houfe of God: nor the churl faid to be bountiful; or called'a lord, as Farchi interprets the word; which, he fays, is ufed of fuch an one, becaufe all men look to him, and refpeét him‘; but now a covetous and tenacious man, that witholds more than is meet, that keeps all he has to himfelf, without commu-

‘nicating to others, and fcarcely allows himfelf the neceffaries of life, being fo fordidly avaritious, fuch an one fhall not be a paftor, or ruler, in the chtirch of God; fuch were the Scribes and Pharifees among: the Yews in Chrift’s time, and therefore’ rejegted, Matt.xxiii.14, Lukexvi.14,15. follyand covetoufiiels are both bad things in a minifter of the word, and greatly difqualify.a man for that work and Office’: or elfe the fenfe of the whole is, that there fhould be fuch a difcerning of men in gofpel-times, and fuch faithfulnefs ufed towards them, that a wicked. man fhould not be taken for a good man, notina flattering way be called one; but the pretious and the vile fhould be diftinguifhed, and called by their right names. The Targum is, “ the wicked ‘* man fhall be no more called juft, and they that “* tranfgrefs his word, fhall not be-called mighty. ¥.6. For the vile perfon will Jpeak villany,y 8e00) Or, a fool will utter folly*; a man chabiieaiages underftanding of gofpel-truths himfelf, can*e-deliver them to Ltn he will only’ fpeak “foolith things, concerning the purity of htiman’ nature, the power of man’s free will, the fuffici own righteoufnefs to juftify him, an of good works, and the like; and’ therefate: fuch e POG BODE a i ydoubw ching.

pe mng feftinabit loqui nitida, Pagninus; polite, Muntfter; diferte, Calvin; loqui venufta, Cocceius. aor ae S55 r Nabal non vocabitur Nadib, Gataker. * Kimchi makes it to be the fame with mm a prodigal perfon n Melech; but Elias in his Tithbi, p. 93,95. fays, there is a difference between them; >), he fays, is one that featters his in eating and drinking, and the like, which is a bad cuftom; but YYWF is an honourable perfon, Who: gives hi ips purpofes, and more than is meet, which isa good cuftom; and he is more praife-worthy than the liberal man. let ies bs ron ee ba) 1D nam ftultus ftultitiam loquetur, Pagninus, Montanus. * mel ntl

aman is|a-very improper one to. be a guide and governor in the church of God; and his beart will work iniquity, forge and. deviie-it within himfelf, will form {chemes of falfe doétrine, difcipline, and worthip, difagreeable.to the word of God: to practife. bypocrify, to. make men believe he is a very devout and religious man, when he has no good thing in him, and to put others upon a profetiion of religion that have none; which things are commonly done by foolifh and ignorant.preachers: and to. utter error againft the Lord; fuch doétrines as are contrary tothe free, rich, fovereign grace of God; to the deity, perfonality, fonfhip, offices, blood, facrifice, and righteoufnefs of Chrift, and fo to the perfon and operations of the bleffed Spirit: \to.make empty the foul of the hungry, and be will caufe the drink of the thirfty to fail; the hungry and iéirfly are fuch as hunger and thirft after, and rearneftly defire, the fincere milk of the word for their fpiritual nourifhment and growth 5 whofe ouls become empty, and their drink tails, when the doctrines of grace are not difpenfed unto them, but falfe and unedifying doctrines are delivered, fo that their fouls fink and faint, and are ready to die away, for want of the bread of the gofpel; agreeable to this fenfe, the Targum paraphrafes the words thus, ‘* to make the foul of the righteous weary, *¢ who defire doctrine, as a hungry man bread; *¢ and the words of the law, which are as water “to him that is thirfty, they think to caufe to ** ceafe.”” ¥.9. The infiruments alfo of the churl are evil, &c.], Not his veffe/s or meafures he fells by, which are fmall and deficient, as Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it; nor his fervants, his tools in doing his wickednefs, which are fit for his purpofe, wicked men; but rather thefe are much the fame with ¢he inftruments of the foolifh foepberd, Zech. xi. 15. and may fignify the evil ways and methods which covetous paftors or fhepherds take to fleece the flock, and: to increafe their own gain: he devifeth wicked devices, to deftroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy [peaketh right, he confults, contrives, and forms fchemes with all craft and cunning, on purpofe to corrupt, as the word ° fignifies, the poor and meek, humble and afflicted fouls, with falfe doétrines; even when thefe poor and _ needy ones, who want to have found and comfortable doctrine delivered to them, fpeak and afk for that which is right and juft, agreeable to the oracles of God, and the analogy of faith, but can’t have it; wherefore fuch a man is unfit to bea ruler in the houfe of God. ¥.8. But the liberal man devifeth liberal things, &c.]. The man of a princely fpirit confults and contrives, and delivers out things worthy of a prince and governor in the church of God; he that is one of a free fpirit, that is made free by the fpirit of God, and is led into the dottrines of free » will ftudy to deliver out the fame to others, and as he has freely received, he’ll freely give, and without any finifter, felfifh, and mercenary ends and views: avd Ly liberal things fall he fiand; or, be efablifeed', both by the doétrines of free grace he difpenfes to others, to be eftablifhed by and with which, is a good thing; and by the free com- -municatiens of the gifts and grace of the Spirit to to Ty and furnifh him yet more and more Eiboes: by the difcoveries of the free favour so - 4 ' ’

17! of God unto him; by the enjoyment of his gracious prefence in private and in public; by the bleffings of a free and well ordered covenant, and, at lait, by being brought to eternal glory and happinefs, in which he will be fettled to all eternity; or, 07 liberal things fall be fland, grace here, and glory hereafter. The Targum is, “* the righteous ** confult truth, and they upon truth fhall itand.”

¥.9. Rife up, ye women that are at eafe, &c.] On beds of down, unconcerned about the preient or future ftate of the nation; who had their fhare ry, fuperftition, rejection of the Meffiah, and contempt of his gofpel, and fo fhould have their part in its punifhment. Some think that the men of the nation are fo called, becaufe of their effeminacy; The Fews interpret them of the other cities of Fudea, befides Ferufalem, the Targum explains it by provinces: hear my voice ye carelefs daughters, givé ear to my fpeech; the words of the prophet concerning the future defolation of their country; here tis thought the lefler towns and villages are intended by daughters, who dwelt in confidence and fecurity, having no thought or notion of deftruction coming upon them; fo Bex Melech interprets the women of cities, and the daughters of villages, ¥.10. Many days and years fhall ye be troubled, &c.] Or, days above a year*; a year, and fomewhat more, yet not two years; which fome underftand of the time from this prophecy, until their troubles began, by the invafion of Sennacherib; and others of the continuance of it, it lafting more than a year; or, days with a year, {0 Kimchi, days upon a year, year upon year, one year after another; and fo denotes a long duration of their troubles; and fo the troubles of the Fews, before their utter deftruction by the Romans, lafted a great while, and fince to this day; for the prophecy refpects thofe times. Kimchi fays it may be interpreted of the deftruction of the whole land of J rael, and of the deftruction of the temple in the days of Zedekiah; or of the deftruction of the fecond ‘temple, that is, by the Romans: for the vintage fall fail, being fpoiled by the enemy, or taken, for their own ufe; and fo there would be no wine to chear their hearts, and make them merry: the gathering Jball not come; of the other fruits of the earth; when the time of ingathering fhould come, at which there was a feaft that bore that name, there fhould be none to be "gathered in; the confequence of which muft be a famine, and fuch there was before, and at the deftruction of Feru/aiem by the Romans. ¥. 11. Tremble ye women that are at eafe, &c.] Which may be confidered either as an exhortation to repentance for their fins, of which, if. a due fenfeé was impreffed on their hearts, would caufe a trembling of body and mind, under a fearful expectation of divine wrath; or as a prediction, that tho’ they were now quite tranquil and eafy, and nothing difturbed them, yet fuch calamities would come upon them, as would make them tremble: be troubled, yé carelefs ones or, confident ones’; that live fecurely, trufting in their prefent wealth and riches, and confident that things will always continue as they are; be it known to you, that trouble will come, and better it would be for you, if you were now troubled for your fins, and truly repented of them, that the judgments threatened, and

8nd coming, might be. prevented: firip ye, and make ye bare; of your fine cloaths, and beautiful ornaments, in which they prided themfelves, which uled to be done in time of mourning, Ezek. xxxiil. 4, 5, 6. or it fignifies that this fhould be their cafe, they would be {tript not only of their richeft cloaths and decorating jewels, but of their ordinary apparel, and left bare and naked by the enemy: aud gird fackcloth upon your loins; as a token of mourning; fee Gen. xxxvii. 34. the word fackcloth is fapplied, as it is by Kimchi, and in the, Syriac and Arabic verfions; tho’ fome underftand it as a direction to gird their loins for fervile work, fignifying what would be their condition and circumftances when taken and carried captive by the enemy; they would no longer live at eafe, and in pleafure, as miftreffes, but would ferve as handmaids.

y. 12. They foall lament for the teats, &c.| Either of the beafts of the field, that fhould be dried up, and give no milk, thro’ the great drought. that fhould be upon the land; or thro’ the wafte of the herbage by the enemy; or elfe of the women, their breafts. and paps, which fhould afford no milk for their infants, thro’ the famine that fhould prefs them fore, which would occafon great lamentation, both in mothers and children; tho? fome think they are to be underftood of the fields, and are explained by them in the next claufe; the fruitful earth being compared to a woman, its fields are like breafts or paps, which yield food and nourifhment, but now fhould not afford any, and therefore there would be caufe of lamentation. archi interprets, it, they fhall beat upon their breafis™; a gefture ufed in lamentation, to exprefs exceeding great grief and forrow, Luke xviii. 13. and xxiii. 48. fome, becaufe the word rendered Jament is of the mafculine gender, and fo not applicable to women, render the words in connexion with the preceding verfe, thus, “* gird fackcloth on your ** Joins, and.on your mourning breafts";” tho’ they may be interpreted indefinitely, there hall be lamentation for the teats, among all forts of people, men, women, and children; for the pleafant fields, for the fruitful vine, as the fields are when covered with corn and grafs, and the vines with clufters of grapes, but now fhould not be, either thro’ drought, or by being foraged and trampled on by the enemy.

¥. 13. Upon the land of my people fhall come up thorns and briers, &c.) The curfe of the earth, the fpontaneous productions of it, being uncultivated, and this thro’ want of men, they being deftroyed or carried captive by the enemy; this is to be underftood of the land of fudea, and not Samaria, as Aben, Ezra; where the profefling and covenant-people of God dwelt; which is mentioned to fhew the apoftacy of this people, for which ruin came upon their land, and the aggravation of it, as well as the goodnefs of God to them, which continued to the laft, ftill confidering them as his people. This refpeéts not the defolation of the country by the Affyrian army, nor by the Chaldeans, but rather by the Romans, even their laft deftruction: yea, upon all the houfes of joy in the joyous city; not Samaria, the head of the ten tribes, as fome; but Ferufalem, the joy of the whole earth, as Farchi; and the boufes of joy in it, mean not public houfes, as taverns, and the like, where perfons meet to revel and caroufe, but the houfes of nobles, princes, and rich men, who lived voluptuoufly, in great fenfuality and carnal mirth, drinking wine in bowls, and chanting to the found of - the viol, and ufing all inftruments of mufic; but now their houfés, in which they enjoyed fo much pleafure, fhould be demolifhed, and briers and_ thorns fhould grow upon the fpot where they {tood. Some render the word 3 durning, as in ch, iii. 24. burning fhall be on all the boufes®, Bec. and think it refers to the burning of the city of Ferufalem, and the palaces or houfes of nobles and rich men in it, which was done both by the Chaldeans, and by the Romans.. a y. 14. Becaufe the palaces fhall be forfaken, &c.} The palaces of the princes and nobles fhall be forfaken by them, they being obliged to flee from the enemy, or being taken, and either flain, or carried captive. The word in the Hebrew is in the fingular number, the palace, meaning the royal palace; - and fo Aben Ezra and Farchi interpret it of the king’s palace; tho’ the Targum paraphrafes it the houfe of the fanctuary, or the temple, fo Kimchi; which was left defolate, as Chrift foretold it fhould be, Matt. xxiii. 38: the multitude of the city fall be left; to take care of themfelves, and to the fury of their enemies, their princes and nobles bein killed or fied; or, the-city fhall be left of the multitude’; the multitude of inhabitants that were im it, fhall forfake it, and flee, or be deftroyed in it, fo that few or none fhall remain: the forts and towers fhall be for dens for ever; Ophel and Bachan, which fome take to be the names of two towers of Ferufalem, of Ophel we read in 2 Chron. xxvii, 3- Neb. iii. 26, 27. but rather thefe intend in general the high towers and ftrong fortifications of Ferufalem, which being cut out of rocks, when demolithed, ferved for dens for thieves and robbers, and wild creatures; and this being for ever, that is, for a very long time, fhews that it cannot be applied to the deftruction of Ferufalem by the Chaldeans, and the feventy years-captivity; but it is to be underftood of the laft deftruction, which continues unto this day: @ joy of wild affes; which delight in wild and defert places; fee Fob xxxix, 5,6: @ pafture of flocks; whete flocks of fheep. feed, inftead of being inhabited by men, Farchi’s note is pretty remarkable, “‘ for the defire, or at ‘ the will, of the [/maelites, and for the feeding “© of the Grecians, and their army;” and certain it is, that ‘feru/alem now is in the hands of the Tfomaelites, or Turks. The Targuin is, ** the lace “ which was an houfe of joy and gladnefs for “¢ kings, is now become a fpoil for armies.” y.15. Until the Jpirit be poured upon us from on high, &c.] That is, Ferufalem fhall lie in ruins until this time comes; which therefore can’t be underftood of the effufion of the Spirit on the day — of Pentecoft, which, as it was before the deftruction of the city by the Romans, fo the defolation it was brought to by the Chaldeans, did not laft fo longs but muft be interpreted of a pouring: forth of ‘th Spirit in his gifts and graces yet to come, which will bring on the fulnefs of the Gentiles, and the converfion of the Fews, and till that time comes, Ferufalem will continue in a ruinous conditic fenfe is the fame with that of Luke xxi. 240 Fe falem fhall be trodden down of the Gentiles, unt. times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. The 4 the place is, ‘‘ until refrefhing comes fron “ the face of him, whofe Shekinah, or majefty out which there can be no true folid peace; nor - the work of righteoufnefs in men, which is their

$ is in the higheft heavens;” -with which may be compared Adis iii. 19: and the wilderne/s be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a foreft; this will be the confequence, fruit, and effect of the effufion of the Spirit in, the Jatter day; that fuch. parts of the.world as were like a wildernets, barren and unfruitiul, producing nothing but the briers and thorns of impiety, infidelity, fuperftition and idolatry, fhould now become like a fruitful field; the gofpel being now preached. every where, multitudes of fouls converted, churches raifed and formed, and thefe filled with fuch as were laden with the fruits of righteoufnels; and fuch places where the goipel had been. preached and profeffled, and where churches had been planted, and there were fome good degree of fruitfulnefs in word and works, now fhould be abundantly more fruitful, and the profeffors of religion more numerous, and look more like a foreft, for number of trees, than a field. Kimchi fays this whole paragraph fhall be accomplifhed in the days of the Meffiah.

¥. 16. Then judgment fall dwell in the wildernefs, &c.] In the defert-part of the world, inhabited by pagans, papifts, and mahometans; where the feriptures, the rule of judgment, and where the gofpel, fometimes called the judgment of the Lord, Jj. li. 4. had no place, now they fhall have one, and an abiding one; and men of judgment in {piritual and evangelical things, and fuch as do juftice and judgment fhall dwell there: and righteoufnels remain in the fruitful field; both the doctrine and practice of righteoufnefs fhall continue in the church of God, which will be the glory of it; the righteous men will be the fettled conftant inhabitants of it; thefe will be all righteous at this time, J/ lx. 21. not only, by proteffion, but in truth and reality, at leaft; the far. greater part; fo the Zargum interprets it of thofe that do judgment, and do righteoufnefs. te

¥.17. And the work of righteoufne/s fhall be peace, &c.] Not works of righteoufnefs done by men, no, not by the beft of men; for tho’ peace may be had and enjoyed in doing them, yet it does not arife and flow from thence, becauie there is no juftification by them, and falvation thro’ them, with- fanctification, and is indeed the work of God, ‘and follows. upon the pouring forth of his Spirit, and therefore bids fairer to be the fenfe than the former 5 yet peace is one part and branch of the work itfelf; fee Rom. xiv. 17. but the work of righteoufnefs wrought out for man is rather meant, even the righteoufnefs of Chrift, a work propofed unto! him, which he undertook, and has wrought out, and which was a work, and lay in working, and’ ‘was a very toilfome and laborious one; the confequence of which is peace, inward peace. of foul! now, and eternal peace hereafter; the righteoufnefs' ‘of Chrift applied removes the guilt of fin from the. confcience, it being perfect juftifies from all things, and yields a tranquillity and ferenity of mind, which is had in a way of believing in this righteoufnefs ‘now, and it will iffue in everlafting peace and reft in the world to come; the end of the perfect and ‘upright man, who is perfectly juftified by Chrift’s or, the Service of righteoufnefs*; the fame as before, rn with the work of righteoufnefs 3 a fervice which Chrift performed, as a fervant, in obedience to the law, in the room and ftead of his: people; ‘a fervice perteétly and completely done, and what is well pieafing unto God; and which, when a fenfible finner fees its intereft in, produces guietne s of foul, under the mighty hand of God, amidift all the calamities in the world, and judgments upon men, under the load of calumny and reproach caft upon them, and notwithitanding all the charges and accufations of fatan: moreover this alfo gives afjurance for ever, of intereft in divine things, in the love of God, ‘and relation to him as a Father, in Chrift. as a Saviour and Redeemer, and in the glorious inheritance which this gives a title to; or an holy confidence and boldnefs at the throne of grace now, having this righteoufnefs to make mention of as a juftitying one, and alfo hereafter, before the throne of judgment, this being what will anfwer for them in a time to come.

¥.18. dnd my people fhall dwell in a peaceable habitation, &c.] ‘ews and Gentiles, and all the faints fhall dwell in peace 4nd love one with another, and fhall be free from all the outrages and perfecutions of the enemy; which, when thefe happy times of the pouring forth of the Spirit, and of the fpiritual reign of Chrift come, will be no more: in fure dwelling places; where they may dwell fafely and confidently, fecure from all enemies, in no fear of them, and free from all hurt and danger by them; and in quiet refting places; where they may fleep and reft quietly, and none to difturb them, and make them afraid: and tho’ all this may be underftood of their private houfes and habitations, yet may well enough be applied to the feveral chriftian communities and churches to which they belong; where they fhall enjoy much fpiritual profperity and fafety, great peace an quietnefs, comfort and reft, under the miniftry of the word, and adminiftration of ordinances.

¥.19. When it hall hail, coming down on the foreft, &c.] The people of God will be peaceable and quiet, fafe and fecure, when the judgments of God, fignified by an Aail-ftorm, fhall come upon antichrift, and the antichriftian ftates, intended by the. fore, both for their numbers, and for their barrennefs and unfruitfulnefs; {ee Rev. xvi.21. and as, fo it fometimes is by the difpofition of divine providence, that a ftorm of hail falls not upon fields and gardens, and the fruits of the earth, but upon forefts and defert lands. and as the plague of hail fell upon the Egyptians, and not upon the Tfraelites in Gofhen, to which fome think the allufion is here; fo will it be when God comes to take vengeance on the enemies of his people: and the city fogll be low in a low place, meaning not the city of Feru/alem, furrounded with mountains, built under hills, and fo under the wind, and not expofed.to the fury of a ftorm; but rather Babylon, built in a plain, in a low plain, and yet fhould be brought lower ftill; myftical Babylon is here meant, the city of Rome, that fhould in humiliation be bumbled, as the words may be rendered, that is, brought very low, exceeding low; fee chap. xxvi. 5. and which, at the time of the great hail, will be divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fhall fall, and Babylon be had in remembrance by the Lord to deftroy it, Rev. xvi. rg, 21. ¥. 20. Bleffed are ye that fow befide all waters, &c.] In places well watered and moiftened, and fo

fo Geto recedve’ the feed Town, Which grows Up, it, and to eat off the top Of the’ corn when it iS ahd brings forth’ much ‘fruit, and “amply rewards the pairs of the’ fower, who “on that account is happy. Thefe words “are diretted to the minifters of the ‘gofpel in'the latter day; the’ word is com- dred to feed, and the preachers of it to fowers of

éd, who have a commiffion to preach ‘the gofpel to every creature, and in the latter day, in the fpiritual reign of Chrift, to which the whole para- raph tefers, they will fow the feed of the word 3 many water}, or among great multitudes of people, fignified hereby, and with great fuccefs, great numbets both of ‘fews and Gentiles will be convetted: that fend forth thither the feet of the ox and Phe ‘dfs; which were ufed in plowing’ and tilling the ‘earth, and in making it fit to fow.the feed in

HS chapter contains an account of God’s ~ judgments upon the enemies of his people, and of the peaceable, comfortable, and happy {tate of the church in the latter day. The judgment denounced, ¥..1.' a prayer of the church for fafety and protection, which it promifes itfelf from what God had heretofore done, ¥. 2, 3. an anfwer to it, declaring the fpoil of the enemy, and the happy tines the people of God fhould enjoy thro’ his appearance for them, y. 4, 5, 6. tho” previous therewnto there would be very diftreffing ones, ¥. 7, 8, 9. when the Lord refolves to arife and exert his power in the deftruétion of the people who fhould be burnt up like ftubble, thorns, and lime, y. 10, 11,12. perfons far and near are called ‘upon to take notice of this, ¥. 13. which would iffle in a different manner, in the furprife and terror of hy- tongties, and ‘nations, the Apellyon, the fpoiler and deftroyer of the earth, efpecially of the faints, whom 'tices, the kings of the earth, who ceived ‘by him, and brou, ht in ub

. he has made war with and overcome; fee Rev. ix. | focicties and families by his violent’ perfecutions, canvichrift, imploring and of the fouls of others by his falle doctrine;. in.their miferable a

grown thick and rank, which fome think" is “here meant; and the one might alfo’ be ufed ‘to gather it in when ripe, and the other to tread’ and ‘threfh it, as the Targum and Farchi interpret ie$ ther being’ a Jaw given the Yews, that thefe two f not work together, Devt. xxii. 10. and fron it’ may be ‘concluded, ‘that’ thefe words "Tefer®to% time when this law fhould be! abolifhed’s and +h ews themfelves apply it to the times ‘of! the Me fiah *; and it undoubtedly points to gofpel-times, and even to thofe times when the fews ‘thall converted, and great ntimbers among the"Genvilés alfo, who fhall join together in {preading” the"go* fpel, and in promoting the intereit of Nii eeoe 3 oO Saty 84 biG? badd te c NITLESD ect XXXII. ee ba Eee se} a1 m1 Twi test tho’ he may continue long in profperity and glory, and not be fpoiled, or deftroyed, yet not; cd The Vulgate Latin verfion renders the laf’ daug interrogatively, and perhaps not amils, /balt’ tho not be [pviled? verily thou fhale; thé fame me he has meted to others, fhall be meafured’ to” again; the fpoiler of others fhall be ftripr of: himfelf; he that deftroyed the eafth, fhall” be ftroyed from off the earth; he that Jeads into captivity, fhall go into it; and he that kills with-the fword, fhall be flain by it; Rev. xi. 18, and xiii. 10: and dealeft treacheroufly, and they dealt not treache~ roufly with thee, or, fuall they not deal treacheroufty with thee? {0 the above ‘verfion renders it with ah interrogation; and both this and the j ceding claufe are thus paraphrafed by the Targum,

“ to thee that comeft to fpoil, and* fhall the} “ fpoil thee? and who comeft to opprefs, ’ “<“fhall they not oppre{s ‘thee?” ‘truly t ey hz will ee in his own coin; fee z d di tre fed ci recut i ees ‘ey “od firing his, gracious help, affiftance, and deliverance; ing not any merits. of their own, but cafting ’ themfelves upon the mercy and kindaels, of, God: we-have, waited for thee; time aiter time, yearjafter year, in the ufe of means;;hoping for the. manifeftations.of thy felf, and kind, appearance for us; expecting fuccour.and falvation, and {till continue t0 wait, believing the time will,come, when favour will be. fhowm: de thou their arm every morning; when they) pray unto thee, the morning being the itime)of prayer; and alfo be their arm all the day long, to Jean and depend upon, to fupport, proteét, and defend them; there is a change of perfon from the firft to the third, ufual in. prophetic. and tic writings: forme take them to be the words of the Old Teftament-church, praying for the New Teftament-church; and others, a prayer of the church for her children and members. The Vulgate Latin verfion renders it, ouriarm; and the Syriac verfion, our -belper; and the Targum, * our ftength:” fome read the; words in connexion with the following claufe, thus, de thou, who watt their arm every morning, reierting to their forefathers, -whofe ftrength and fupport the Lord was, our falvation alfo in the time of trouble’, the deliverer-of us from the antichriftian yoke.of bondage, from all his. perfecutions and oppreffions, from the laft ftruggle of the beaft, from that hour of trouble and temptation that {hall come upon all the earth... ¥. 3. At the noife of the tumult the people fled, &c.] The Vulgate Latin verfion renders it, at the voice of the angel; and Ferom reports it-as the opinion of the Jews, that it was Gabriel, and many Interpret the words either of the noife the angel made in the air, or,was made in the dfyrian camp, ~when the angel defcended, and, fmote {uch a vatt umber of them, at which'the remnant:being affrighted,’ fled, 2 Kings xix. 35, 36. but either this is to be underftood as expreffing what had been done in time»paft, and therefore the chureh took encouragement that it might, and would be, fo again; or:as a continuance of /her prayer, thus, ait the noife of the tumult, or multitude ', cet the people ffee*;-or as a prediction, hey foal] flee»; -that)is, at the noife of the multitude of faints, the faithful, calléd, and chofen:armies of heaven, -that follow Chrift.on white horfes, and.clothed iin:white; when he thall go forth:to battel with the kings. of the earth, beaft, and-falfe prophet, let ithe people under them flee; or they fhall flee, sand notibevable to ftand before fo puiffantia general, and; fo powerful an-army; fee Revi xvituir4. candoxix.s14 > af the lifting up of thyfelf, the nations were feattered 3 fo it has ‘been \in times\patt, when thesIvord thas lift up himfelf, and appeated,on the beh4lfof his peo pie, and -has: exerted shimfelf, and difplayed: his spower; and fo it\will:ibesagain:: or, fo letaitcbe; tet the nations be fcattered; the antichriftian nations, as they will -be, when the Lord |thalb lift:.up his aot and pour_out. the:vials of shis) wrath upon WOM jean ahd» Sones GW {2a I35 4 f 4. And your, [poil foall be gathered like. the gathering of the caterpillar, &c.\. This, is the an-~ fwer of the Lord to the prayer of his.church,.fig- ‘nifying that their enemies fhould:flee, -berfcattered, _andperifh, and that they:

ee odds fhould -be -viétorious, 3 bea e fpoils of them 5: which they fhoul ee ms erie Dieu?! | yh 43 <, fo fome in Gataker.

fily as the caterpillar or locuit, as. fome! of Chrift.. The whole may be rendered according render it, gathers and, confumes herbs,. and every green, thing; or as eafily as they are gathered, and laid on heaps, being weak.and. unable to defend themielyes: moi underftand it of the Fews going into,the camp of the Arians, after the deftruction of them by the, angel, and gathering, their {poil. The Targum is, ‘* and the houfe of J/rael thall “* gather the fubftance.of the people, their yene- “< mies, as they, gather. a locuft;” the antichriftian locufts or caterpillars. are here, meant, whofe fub- {tance fhall fall into the hands of the followers of Chrift, when they fhall have got the victory of them; this is the flefh of the whore, her worldly fubftance, which the kings of the earth, the chrifuian kings, fhall eat or enjoy, Rev. xvii. 16: as ibe running to and fro of locufts, foall be run upon them; or upon it, the fpoil; as thefe locufts, of which fee Rev. ix. 3,.4. run to and fro’, and pillaged them in times paft, as the creatures, to whom they are compared, run to and fro’ and deftroy the fruits of the earth, fo now every one of.the followers of Chrift fhall run and feize.vpon the fpoil of the: antichriftian ftates.

¥. 5. The Lord is ewalted, 8c.]_Thefe are the words of the church,,or of true believers, fetting forth the,praife and: glory. of God, on, account of the above victory and fpoil of their enemies; by which.the Lord is.exalted, magnified, and honoured; as he will. bein the hearts,znd mouths of his people when thefe, times, fhall come; fee Rev. Xi.pts.cand xv. 1,.2. and xix. 1,2. this, will be true \of Chrift, and)indeed,this. will be the time when,he,; and he alone, -thall be exalted, Jit. 27.: for he dwelleth on highs in the highefi heaven, and is above::his greateit enemies, and can, and will, pour down his wrath and vengeance on. them:.4e hath filled Zion with judgment. and rightgoufne s; the church of God, where:Chrift her king will reign in righteoufnefs, and when all the adminiftrations of chis kingly power -and’ government will, appear to be'juft.and true;»where his word fhall be faithfully preached, and his ordinances duly.-adiminiftered:;\ and when all-his fabjeéts and. people -fhall be righteous, and live foberly and righteoufly.. The Largum. is, ** with thofe that, do|true judgment ‘* and righteoufnefs, \’)

¥26.. dnd wifdom.end knowledge fhall be the ftability of: thy times, &c.| Some take thefe words to be idireéted: to Hezekieh,; but rather they are-an apoftrophe tothe Meffiah,..and refpeét. the later times of Chrift, when,many thall,run.to and fro’, and the knowledge of him fhall be increafed, and ‘the earth fhall be covered with it, as the waters cover the fea; and which, as it will, make thefe times comfortable and pleafant, fofirm,, durable, and. lafting-: or elfe they are the words of believers in thofe-times, addrefled to Zion the-church, before fpoken of,.obferving the great increafe of piritual wifdom and)knowledge after the deflruétion.of antichrift; by. means-of, which there would, be fettled times of speace, joy, and comfort to, the church: _ and jirength of falvation sor falvations*, or trong and» iJafting.falvations;. eternal falvation by Jefus Chrift, and completé:falvation from anuchrift, and from.every other; enemy; which, together wath {piritual.wifdom, and \experimental knowledge of Chrift, and his gofpel, willbe the {lability of thofe happy.times, which will make the fpiricual rcign voce turbz,-Montanus, Cocceius.

196 rs 4 ¥ 4 OCR RR to the accents ¥, and be (that ‘is, the Lord, before fpoken’ of) fhall be the flability of thy times; the firength of falvations thall be wifdom and the fear of the Lord is bis treafure; kiah’s, as fome, who efteemed the fear of the Lord above all his treafure; and was more zealous in fettling and eftablifhing the true worfhip of God, than in amaffing treaiures‘to himfelf: or rather the Lord’s treafure, from which he receives a tribute of honour, of more value than the greateft treafure: or beit of all the church’s treafure, and every trué believer’s; this being the beginning of wifdom, or: true grace, the beft of riches, and which fecures the faints final perfeverance to glory, the better and more enduring fubltance. like a wilderne y. 7. Bebold, their valiant ones fhall cry without, &c.] Or, i ihe fireet: this, and the two following veries, defcribe the fad and defolate condition of the people of God, before the above happy ‘times take place; their valiant ones, fuch who -have been valiant for the truth on earth; or ¢eir ‘angels, as Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech interpret the word; thefe are the angels and paftors of the churches, the two witnefiés that propheiy in fackcloth openly and publickly, and who will be flain, and their bodies lie unburied in the of the great city, Rev. xi.-3, 8: the ambaffadors of peace shall weep bitterly, mott interpreters underftand this of the embaffadors which Hezekiah fent to the king of Afyria, to obtain peace, but could not fucceed, on account of which they are-faid to weep bitterly; but the character of ambajjadors of peace well agrees with the minifters of the gofpel, who are ambafjadors in Chrift’s ftead, and whofe work it is to exhort men to Je reconciled to God, and to preach the gofpel of peace to finful men; thefe now will weep ditterly, when they are removed into corners, and are. filenced, and not fuffered to deliver their meffages of peace, to the’ comfort of the Lord’s people, and the ‘glory of his name; which will be the cafe at the:time of the flaying them,” have compaffion on the » and fps re them, — he fearing neither God norman, i knowledge ell Hae 9. 7 he earth mourneth and lenguifo either Heze- All’Chriftendom, ee now u er minion, and tyranny o ‘anticbritt faithful witnefies flain, and a {top put: miniftrations; and therefore the chu in a very languifhing condition, and for mourning: Lebanon is afbamed, and being ftript ofits ftately cedars;' as now of Chrift, comparable to that goodly Lebanon, will be deprived of its able’ which were like tall and fpreading cedars, gifts, grace, ftrength,’ and ufefulnefs: ‘om is s; fuch parts, as Great-Britain, which have been moft fruitful (as Sharon was avery ful place) for the gofpel, and gofpel-ordinanc the purity of them, and for profefiors of religiot being fruitful in grace, and in good works, thal now be like a defert; there being no miniftry, ordinances, nor any that dare to make a1 profeifion of the true religion: and B. Carmel hake off their fruits; before the} or come to any thing; places noted for ful, and paftures for flocks; and denote, as be treet | fuch fpots in Chriftendom, where nag ste s moft flourifhed, but now fhould be ‘like bars heaths, and defert places. Bibi, yt!

y. 10. Now will I rife, faith the Lord, “&c.] the laft extremity, when things are come toa fis; his intereft at the loweft, and the kingdom « antichrift at its higheft pitch; the whore of Rome triumphing over the flain witnefles, and boaftin fhe was'a queen, and knew no forrow: this ¥ be God’s fit time to exert himfelf, and honour and glory: he before was as one lain doy and afleep, ‘as if quite negligent and carelefs abo his honour and intereft; but now he determines’ arife, and thew himfelf ftrong on the behalf of fee Pf xii. 5: now will I be exalted 5 that is, in his power, by the deftruction of the enemies of his of the witnefles. church; and in the hearts and mouths of his. Ne y. 8. The high ways lie wafte, &c.]. No man walking in them, for fear of the enemy; the ways of Zion, which are faid to mourn, becaufe none come to the folemn feafis, Lam. i. 4. none daring to attend the miniftty of the word and ordinances; fee If. xxxv. 8: the way-faring man ceafeth, or, the traveller refis *, or flops; he does not proceed on his journey-;,.a‘{top is.put to a religious courfe and converfation; ‘there is an entire ceflation of religious worfhip; a fabbath is kept, but not a religious one; he that.would walk in Zion’s ways is forbid, and is obliged to fit ftill: be bath broken the. covenant, fome, as Kimchi’s father, interpret this of the ‘fews complaining that God had broken ‘his covenant with them, as in Pf Ixxxix. 39. but moft, of Sennacheri’’s breaking his covenant with Hezekiah, 2 Kings xviii. 14—17. ‘rather this is to be underitood of antichrift, whofe doctrine is,. that faith is not to be kept with hereticks, and which will abundantly appear at: this diftreffing time:. Ze hath defpifed the cities; as Sennacherib did the fenced cities of Fudab; he defpifed their fortifications, and eafily took them, and treated the inhabitants with difdain and contempt; and fo will the Reformed proteftant cities and countries be invaded, feized upon, and infulted, by the Romih antichrift: he regardeth no man; {o as to keep covenant with ple; on account of their deliverance and falva now will I lift up myfelf; thew himfelf above enemies, higher and greater than they, and tec them to a low eftate and condition. ‘The tion of the word zow, has its emphafis; ¢ defigned to obferve the time of God’s appearing the caufe of his people, and the fitnefs and pro: priety of it; and to quicken their attention to it as well. as to exprefs the certainty of it, and the firmnefs of his refolution to do it without delay and the vehemence and ardour with which fet about it. oe eae y+. 11. Ye fhall conceive chaff, ye foall fubble, &c.] Signifying that all the co figns, and fchemes, of the antichriiti in. continue themfelves in their prefent ftate, themfelves from ruin, as well as utterly to « intereft of Chrift, would be weak, vain, lefs', their conceptions and a¢tions, 1 and attempts, would be alike; would like chaff and ftubble, and only ferve their own deftruction: your breath vour you; or, your /pirit*, your pt tinefs, in felf-praifes, commendatic ing; your rage, wrath, and fury your blafphemy againft God an the reafon why the fire of God’:

fume you. | The Targum is, <‘,. you have, thought

“¢ ednefs; ye have done for yourfelves evil works,,“ becaufe of your evil works, my word fhall de- « ftroy you, as a whirlwind the ftubble;” Chrift, ‘the effential word of God. r

¥. 12. And the people fhall be as the burnings of lime, &c.] Like chalk-ftones that are burnt to make lime of; which may denote not only their hardnefs and impenitency, which brought upon them and iffued in the wrath of God; but the miferable condition into which they are brought, and the torture they fhould be put to: perhaps this may refer to the cafting of the beaft and falfe, prohet alive into the lake burning with fire and brimftone, Rev. xix. 20: as thorns cut up hall they be burnt in the fire, thorns are a fit fimile to exprefs the unfruitfulnefs, ufeleffnefs, and hurtfulnefs of wicked men, particularly the fons of Belial, the followers of antichrift; and thefe cut up, and fo not green and moift, but dry, and fit fuel for the fire, which burn the more eafily and quickly, makes the metaphor more agreeable. The burning of Rome feems here to be pointed at, Rev. Xvii. 16. and xviii. 8.

¥. 13. Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done, &c.] Not meaning the deftruction of the Afyrian, as it is commonly interpreted; but the ruin of antichrift, the beaft and falfe prophet, and the burning of the city and whore of Rome; for whoever will be the inftruments, the work is the

Lord’s, and therefore it will be done; fhe jhail be utterly burnt with fire, for flrong is the Lord who judgeth ber, Rev. xviii. 8. and this _fhall be heard of far and near, who fhall applaud the mighty work, and give God the glory of it, Rev. xix. 1, 2: and ye that are near, acknowledge my might, even his omnipotence, which will be feen, obferved, and owned by multitudes, who will fay, allelujab, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth, Rev. xix. 6. there will be fome that will be nigh, that fhall ftand afar off, lamenting her cafe, and will not own the hand of God in it, Rev. xviii. 9, 10, 15. but others will.:

y. 14. The finners in Zion are afraid, and fearfulnefs hath furprized the hypocrites, &c.] Meaning not perfons of fuch a character that dwelt in Ferw-

. falem, who had the guife and form of religion, and not the power of it, and were for fleeing to Egypt, and trufting in Pharaoh, and not in the Lord; who were feized with dread and terror, when the Afyrian army befieged them, or when it was fo awfully deftroyed by the angel in the night; when obferving the vifible and immediate hand of God in it, they might fear the like judgment would fall upon them for their irreligion and hypocrify; but rather formal profeffors, and hypocritical perfons, in the Reformed churches, or proteftants having only a form of godlinefs, without the power of it, are meant; who obferving God’s judgments upon antichrift, fhall be feized with a pannic, left the like fhould come down upon them for their hypocrify and deceit; unlefs it fhould be rather thought that antichrift and his followers themfelves are defigned, who himfelf is faid to fit in the temple of God, and who claim to themfelves the name of the church of God, and pretend to be chriftians, poured on the antichriftian ftates, fhall dread the vengeance of eternal fite, which they exprefs in the following words: wha among us fall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us fhall dwell with everlafting burnings 2, that is, the wrath of God in hell, which is the fire thar feeds upon and devours Chriftlefs finners.; which thall never be quenched, and is called everlafting fire, in which the followers of antichrift will be tormented for ever; and the {moke of which will afcend for ever and ever, and will be intolerable; none will be able to abide'and endure. it; fee Rev. xiv. 9,10, £1. So the Zargum interprets it of the place where the ungodly are to be judged and delivered into hell, an everlafting burning.

¥. 15. He that walketh righteoufly, &c.] Thefé are the words of the prophet, in an{fwer to thofe of the hypocrites. So the Targum, ‘* the prophet * faid, the righteous fhall dwell in it;” not in the devouring fire and everlafting burnings, but in Zion, in Ferufalem, on high, in the munition of rocks, fafe from thofe burnings; for thefe words are to be conneéted not with the preceding, but with the following verfe, thus, be that walketh righteoufly, 8c. he fhall dwell on high, &c. and fuch an one is he, that walks by faith on Chrift as his righteoufnefs;- that 'walks after the Spirit, and not after the flefh; that. walks uprightly, according to the rule of the gofpel, and as becomes it; that walks in the ways of judgment and righteoufnefs, in which Chrift leads his people, and lives foberly, righteoufly, and godly: and /peaketh uprighily; or uprightnefes*,; upright things, what is in his heart, what is agreeable to the word of God, the ftandard of truth; who makes mention continually of the righteoufnefs of Chrift, and that only as his juftifying one; and whofe tongue talks of judgment, juft and righteous things, and not what is corrupt, prophane, impure, and impious: 4e that de/pifeth the gain of oppreffions; that which 1s got by oppreffion and rapine; the mammon of iniquity, as the Targum calls it; but reckons the gain of wifdom, and of godlinefs, exceeding preferable to it: that feoaketh bis hand from holding of bribes, that won’t receive any, but when they-are put into his hands fhakes them out, and will not retain them; expreffling his abhorrence of fuch practices, and’ declaring that he is not to be influenced. by fuch -methods from {peaking truth, and doing juftite: that foppeth his ears. from hearing of blood, or bloods * from hearing thofe that fhed, innocent blood; as the Targum; who will not hearken to any folicitations to fhed blood; will not converfe with men about it, or enter into fchemes in order ‘to it, much lefs join them in fhedding it: and fhutteth his eyes from feeing evil; done by others; he abhors it in himfelf, and diflikes it in others; turns his eyes from beholding it, fo far from taking pleafure in it, and in thofe that do it: all this is oppofed to the hypocrify, impiety, prophanenefs, rapine, bribery, murders, and wickedne(s, of the church of Rome; fee Rev. ix. 21. y. 16. He fhall dwell on high, &c.|] And fo in fafety: this is oppofed to the fears of hypocrites, the groveling life of a worldling, and the low life of many profeffors, and is expreffive of the fecurity of good men. © It may refpect the ftate of the tho” they are not; when they fhall fee the city of Rome in flames, and the vials of God’s wrath faints on earth, who dwell by faith on God, as their covenant-God, on his everlafting love and