Exposition of the Whole Bible

the 'gofpel-day, he dew of bis youth, or numbers of fouls born again to him, like the drops of the miorning-dew; fee Ads ii. 41, and iv. 4. Pf. cx. gvfor as foon as Zion travajled, foe brought forth ber children’; this: fhows that the preceding verfe mutt be underftood of fome travail and pain, tho’ comparatively little, and fo foon over, that it was as if none;-and_ this is to be underftood of the pains which gofpel-minifters take in preaching the word, which is the means of regeneration, and they the inftruments of it; and fo are called fathers, who thro’ the gofpel beget fouls to Chrift; and of their anxious ‘concern for the converfion of finners; and the formation of Chrift in them, which is ‘called ‘a ‘travailing in birth; fee 1 Pet. i. 23. Fam. itiva8. Cor. iv.15.-Gal. iv. 19. Rom. viii. 22, 23./and it may alfo defign the earneft prayers of the church and its members, ftriving and wrettling with God, being importunate with him, ‘that the word preached might be ufeful for the good of fouls';. and particularly their ‘earneft and: fervent prayers for the converfion of the Yews, which will foon be brought about, when a fpirit of grace and fupplication is not only poured on them, but upon the faints in general, to pray fervently’ and earneftly for it.

¥. 9. Shall I bring to the birth, and not canfe to bring forth, faith the Lord? 8c.]. Or, to the place of breaking forth-of children, as in Hof: xiii. 13. the womb,and'the mouth of it: or, /hall 1 break or open that, fo fome * render it; left too much fhould, or feem to be attributed to the church, the being faid to travail in birth, and bring forth children, this is faid by the Lord: | The church may pray, and her minifters preach, and both be faid to travail in birth, but it’ is the Lord that brings to it; regeneration is not the work of man, but of God; ‘it is he that begets again, quickens, renews, and fanctifies; it: is he that begins the work of grace in regeneration,. in real and thorough convictions of fin; which are right, when men are convinced of! the impurity of their nature, the exceeding finfulnefs of fin, have a godly forrow for it, and forfake it: the work is begun, when fouls feel the burden of fin; the inward {ftrugelines of grace and corruption; a want of fpiritual food, and hunger ‘after it; defires after {piritual things, and a glowing love and affection for them; and’

when light is infufed, faith, fear, and love produced, and every other. grace implanted; ‘and: he that has begun the good work will perform it; as Farchi tightly: gives the fenfe of the claufe, ‘« thall «¢ T begin a:thing, and not be able to finifh it?” no, he is a rock, and his work is perfeé, as in creation’ and®redemption, fo in regeneration and converfion;. as: may be concluded, trom his power to effect it, and his promife to'do it. the grace of Chrift, and the indwelling of the Spirit; the impotency of every thing to hinder it, and the glory of the three divine Perfons concerned in it. As in the natural birth it is he that gives ftrength to conceive, forms the embryo’ in the womb, ripens it for the birth, and takes the child out’of its mother’s womb; -fo he does all that anfwers hereunto in the fpiritual birth. Shall I caufe to bring forth, ‘and fout the womb, faith thy God?: no, I will not.

times of the’ gotpel, and many more fince in various" nations, in the feveral ages ‘and ‘periods of time'y fovhe has not ceafed, nor will he ceafe from this work, until all hissele& are born again; for every one that is chofen of the Father, given to the Son, taken into ‘covenant, and redeemed by his blood, fhall be begotten again to a lively hope of a glorious inheritance God will not fhut the womb of.converfion, until they are all brought to faith in Chrift, and repentance towards God. He will beget: many. more’ fons and daughters; and he will caufe the fulnefs of the Gentiles to be brought forth and) brought in, and convert his ancient people the'‘Ferws:y all his promifes fhall be performed, and all prophecies: relating to thefe things fhall be accomplithed:

_ ¥. 10. Rejoice ye with Ferufalem, and be glad with her, &c.}: The church fhe bringing forth fo many {piritual children to Chrifts juft as when a woman is delivered of a child, ‘her-friends and neighbours congratulate her upon it, and rejoice with her on that account; as Elizabeth’s neighbours and relalations did, at the birth of Yobn the Baptijt, Luke i. 575-58. fo the church’s friends here are’ called together to rejoice with"her, at the numerous birth and converfion of fouls in her, than which nothing is more joyful to the faints;' fee Luke xv..6, 9, 23, 24, \Aéts xv. 3'2 all ye that love ber’; with her well,’ and pray for ‘her‘peace and’ profperity; all that love God, love'his church, the habitation of his houfe, the place where his honour dwells; all that love’Chrift, love -her who is his fpoufe and bride, and purchafed: by his’ blood; all that love the word and ordinances, love the church where they are adminiftred’:’ rejoice: for joy with ber, all ye that mourn for ber, that had mourned for her, when things went ill with her; thefe are they that mourn in Zion, and for Zion, becaufe of the fins of her prefeffors; corruptions in doétrine, difcipline, and worfhip; declenfions in grace; want of love-to one another, and few inftances of converfion: but now'things being the reverfe, and it going well with her, they are called upon to rejoice exceedingly with her; for fuch is the fympathizing {pirit’ of the faints, that they rejoice with ‘them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep, Rom. xiio15. 1 Cor. xii. 26.

y. 11. That ye may fuck, and be fatished with the breaft of ber confolations, &c.] This, according to our verfion, exprefies the end of the church’s friends being called together to rejoice with her, that they might partake of her joys-and comforts, delights and pleafures: but the:words may be better rendered, either according''to Kimchi’s fenfe, therefore foall ye fuck *, &c. becaufe -ye have mourned for her, ‘and becaufe ye have rejoiced with her; or rather ‘as Noldius *, becaufeiye fuck, 8c. partake of her privileges and ordinances, fo give a reafon why they fhould rejoice with ‘her. Brea is ‘put for breafis, as Farchi obferves'; for as the church is reprefented as.a woman; and as a teeming woman, fhe has two breafts’as fuch, grown and fafhioned, and full of milk of confolation; for dreaft of ber confolations, is the fame'as her breafts of confolation; feé Cant. iv. 5. thefe aré either Chrift and his Spirit: Chrift is a full breaft of comfort to his people; in the’ greatnefs of his perfon, and the fulnefs of his grace; in‘ his precious blood, perfect ri¢hteoufnefs, atoning facrifice, and great falvation; if there beany comfort it is in him, and abounds by him. The holy Spirit is another breaft of confolation, ‘another comforter, by giving knowledge of the free grace-gifts of God; by fhewing the t DIM wero co quod, wel quia fugetis, Gataker.

things of Chrift; by opening and applying the precious promifes of the gofpel; by fhedding the love of Godin the heart; by witneffing to the faints their adoption, and by fealing them up unto the day of redemption. Or the covenant, and its bleffings and promifes: the covenant is a full breaft of comfort, yields much both in life and at death; its bleflings are fure mercies, bleifings indeed, piritual ones, and he that has an intereft in them, has enough, has all things; the promifes of it are great, precious, fure, and unconditional, and af- - tord ftrong confolation to the heirs of them. Or the holy fcripture, and its two Teftaments, the Old -und New, which are exactly alike as two breafts; agree in the perfon and offices of Chrift, and in all the doétrines of grace, and are full of the fincere milk of the word, and of fpiritual confolation. Or the two ordinances of baptifm and the Lord’s fupper; which agree with each other; come from the fame author; relate to the fame things, the fufferings and death of Chrift; and to be partook of by the fame perfons: baptifm leads to the blood of Chrift, for cleanfing and pardon; to the burial of Chrift it reprefents, there to behold all fins buried with him; and to the refurrection of Chrift for juftification, and fo is a means of much fpiritual comfort; as it.was to the eunuch, who from thence went on his-way rejoicing: the Lord’s fupper is another breaft of confolation, it is a feaft of fat things; it reprefents the broken body and bloodfhed of Chrift, whofe flefh is meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed, and fo is a means of {piritual nourifhment and comfort. Thefe breafts are to be fucked; the mouth of faith is to be laid unto them; Chrift is tobe applied unto for frefh fupplies of grace and comfort; the covenant and its promifes are to be laid hold upon, and. all the goodnefs in them to be prefled and got out; the fcriptures are to be diligently read and fearched, and the ordinances to be frequently attended on, and fervent prayer to be inceffantly ufed, and not reftrained till the bleffing is given; and fuch who do fo, are fooner or later fatisfed, filled to the full. How fatisfying are Chrift and his grace! the covenant of grace, its blefling and promifes!_ the doétrine of the go- {fpel, and the ordinances of it! thefe are the goodnefs of God’s houfe, with which his people are fatisfied, even as with marrow and fatnefs, P/. xxxvi. 8. and xiii. 5. and lxv. 4. YLhat ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory; or, for or becaufe ye milk out, may or fhall milk out™; that is, prefs with the hand of faith the above breafts of confolation, and get out from them all the comfort that is laid up in them: and fo de delighted with the abundance of ber glory, or, the brightne/s of it *; Chrift is the glory of his church; it is his prefence with her, his grace and righteoufnefs beftowed on her, which give her abundance of glory; and he it is in whom fhe glories: the Spirit of God,. as a Spirit of glory, refts upon her, and his grace makes her all glorious within; it is her glory to be interefted in the covenant of grace, its promifes and bleffings, and to have the word and ordinances; her breafts are her glory, and fhe will have abundance of it in the latter day; fee ¥. 12, and ch. lx. 1, 7, 13. all which greatly delight the lovers and friends of Zion; a fight of Chrift and his fulnefs,; and a view of God as their covenant-God, are exceeding delightful; the doc-

PMTNAD 1%) propter fplendorem glorie ejus, Pagninus; a fplendore, Munfter, Monta 30. 2. cat ay Oy ad istus, Vicshtens fuper latus, Calvin, Pagninus, Mo

trines of the gofpel are pleafant words, and the; ways or ordinances of Chrift are ways of pleafant-, nefs; and particularly the church in the latter day,. enjoying all thefe to the full, and having the glory of God upon her, will be very delightful to be-_ hold. ¥. 12. For thus faith the Lord, bebold, I will extend peace to her like avriver, &c.) As the river Euphrates, fo the Targum; or as the Wile, which overflowed Egypt, and made it fruitful; or as any flowing river, large and fpreading, continuing to flow, and brings bleffings with it where it comes; and fo denotes the abundance of this peace, the. perpetuity of it, and its bleffed effects. This re- {pects not the firft times of the gofpel; for though: Chrift, the peace-maker, came and made peace by” his blood, and went, and preached peace to Jews and Geniiles, and many enjoyed fpiritual peace in believing, flowing from his blood and righteoufnefs, yet there was very little outward peace to the churches of Chrift; and when at any time had, did not laft long: but in the latter day, not only fpiritual peace, which paffeth all underftanding, and joy unfpeakable, and full of glory, will be ex— tended unto, and poffefied by the faints; but outward peace in great abundance, and of lafting con-, tinuance, with all kind of profperity, temporak and {piritual, P/. Ixxii. 7. Jf ii. 4. fee ch. xlviii. 18: and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing Jtream; like the Nile that overflows; meaning either the vaft number of converts from among the Gentiles, that fhall flow into the church, and ef-> pecially many of their great men, princes, nobles, even kings and queens, who fhall be nurfing fathers and nurfing mothers to her; fee ch. Ix. 3, 55; ro. and xlix. 23. or their riches, which are the, honour and glory they fhall bring with them to the church in great abundance, and fhall chearfully and freely expend them in the fervice and worfhip of God, ch. Ix. 6. Pf. Ixxii. 10. fo Kimchi interprets it of their wealth and fubftance: then fhall ye fuck, the milk of the Gentiles, and the breafts of kings; that is, partake of their good things, ch. Ix. 16. or the church’s breafts of confolation, the fincere milk of the word and ordinances, y. 13. this is fpoken to the friends of Zion, and lovers of Ferufalem, newly converted perfons, ¥. 10: ye fhall be borne upon her fides, or fide¥; children being carried by parents or nurfes on one fide of them in their arms; it denotes the affectionate care and regard the church has to young converts, who are faid to be nurfed at her fide, ch. lx. 4. the fupporting and {upplying them with every thing in her power, by means of the word and ordinances: and be dandled upon ber knees; as darling children are, who are taken into the lap, and played with, and are the delight, the exceeding great delight of their parents; and where they delight to be, as” the word * ufed fignifies. All fhews that young converts are, and fhould be made much Psion tenderly ufed; the day of {mall things fhould not be defpifed, or the bruifed reed broken, or the fmoking flax quenched; but thefe lambs fhould be gathered into the arms, and carried in the bofom, like fucking children. Hie gts oi _y. 13. As one whom his mother comforteth, fo will I comfort you, &c.] Though, ordinances are means, and minifters are inftruments of comfort, — God is the fole efficient caufe of it; and very wonderful

Ch. Ixvi. ¥. 14. TS wonderful it is, that he fhould condefeénd td adnsinifter it, fince he is an immenfe and insinite being, the high and lofty one; poffeffed of all perfections, and yet deigns to revive the fpirit of the humble and contrite; fince he is the maker. of heaven and earth, and all things, and thofe he comforts are duft and afhes;' and efpecially fince they have finned againft him, and rendered themfelves abominable to him; and moreover, feeing he is fo ftriétly juft and righteous, and they alfo continually guilty of backflidings and revoltings from him: and yet there are many things which confirm that he will comfort them, as he here declares; fince he has loved them with an everlafting love, infomuch as to give his Son for them, and to quicken them when dead in fin; and feeing he has taken them into covenant with himfelf, and is their covenant-God and Father; and befides, has promifed to do it, who never fails, and who is able, being God all-fuficient. The Targum is, *« my word fhall comfort you;” his effential word Chriit, the confolation of J/rae/, from whom all true and folid comforts flow; or the written word, read or heard, and efpecially as applied by the Spirit of God, who is another comforter, and whofe confolations the people of God walk in, nor are they fmall. _ Now the manner in which the Lord comforts the faints, efpecially young converts, is the moft kind, ténder, and affectionate; as a tender hearted mother comforts her child; when it has faln and hurt itfelf, and cries, fhe takes it up in her arms, hugs it in her bofom, and fpeaks comfortably to it, to ftill and quiet it. The children of God often fall into fin, and hurt themfelves, their peate and joy, break their bones, and lof the enjoyment of God; when being fenfible of their evils, they roar’ as David did, and weep bitterly as Peter; then the Lord fpeaks comfortably unto them, and bids.them be of good cheer, for their fins are forgiven them. _Or as when a mother has an afflicted child, more fo than the reft, her bowels yern moft after it, and fhe does all fhe can to comfort it. The people of God are an afflicted people, and their afflictions are grievous and painful; and they cry to God in their diftrefs, who pities them, vifits them, looks ‘upon their afflictions, grants them his prefence, fupplies them with his grace, fupports with his everlafting arms, makes their bed for them, and comforts them in all their tribulations. Or as when a child behaves ill, the mother looks fhy at it, and carries herfelf at a diftance; which being obferved, the child takes it to heart, and then that affects her, and fhe returns to it, and comforts it: thus for faults committed, the Lord hides himfelf from his people, which -grieves and troubles them; and then he gathers them to himfelf with great mercies, and with loving kindnefs has mercy on them; and having alfo chaftized them for their fins; and hearing them bemoaning themfelves, his bowels are moved towards them, and he reftores com- ‘forts to them, to their mourning fouls; fee Jf xlix. 14, 15. and liv. 7, 8. and lvii. 17, 18. and Ixiii. 9. Fer. xxxi. 18, 19, 20, it is in the original, as a man whom bis mother comforteth*; for mothers have a tender regard to their fons when grown up to mens eftate; and all the things above-mentioned may befal the people of God, when they are becoitié young mén, yea fathers: aid ye /hall be comforted in ‘Ferufalem, nothing fhall hinder comfort when God fpeaks it, or refolves‘to give it; not fatan, and all his temptations;. the world, and all its afflictions; nor all their fits and tranfgreffions, and the fenfe they have of them} nor all their unbelief, by reafon of which fometimes they refufe to be comforted; but when it is the will of God they fhould, a tide of comfort flows in, that overpowers all: and this is often done in Ferufalem, in the church, where the Lord grants his prefence, and commands his bleffings; where his word is preached unto confolation, and the ordinances, thofe breafts of confolation, are miniftred and held forth; tho’ this is faid not to the exclufion of other places, where the Lotd may meet his people and comfort them, in their own houfes, in their clofets, in their fhops, in rifing up and lying down, in going out and coming in. | ¥.14. And when ye fee this, Gc.] All the above things prophefied of come to pafs; the converfion of the Fews; the peaceable and profperous condition of the church of Chrift; and perceive, feel, and enjoy the comforts of God in an experimental manner: your heart fhall rgoice, for fothing can be matter of greater joy than thefe; thefe. caufe an inward, hearty, and fincere joy, and hot mere outward expreffions of it: and your bones foall flourifh like an berb, in a well watered garden, or on which the dew lies; which revives, litts up its head, and is green and flourifhing: fo the hearts’ of God’s people are comforted and filled with joy, it renews their fpiritual ftrength, the bones that were dried up with forrow, become fat and Hourilhing, and like a garden of herbs, whife {prings fail not; fee Prov. xvii. 22. J/. lviii. 11. The people of the Jews, in their prefent ftate, are like dry bones 3 but thefe dry bones fhall live at the word of God, and thro’ the power of his grace, and ftand upon their feet, and which will caufe great joy to others, and be as life from the dead. This paffage darbinel and other Fewi/h writers interpret of the refurrection of the dead; for they believe the fame body will rife, and the fame bones reflourifh. They have indeed a fabulous notion of the bone Luz; which they fay is never confumed, and from which the reft will be reftored; but letting this pafs, it may be obferved, that they ufe thefe words with others at the funeral of their dead, and When they return from the grave, thereby exprefling their faith in this article. The ceremony ufed by them is this, “‘ as they return from the grave, every ** one of them plucks up grafs from off the ground twice or thrice, and cafts it over his head behind him, faying thofe words of the pfalmift, and they of the city foall flourifh like grafs of the “¢ earth, Pf. Ixxii. 16. and this they do, to fig- “ nify their hopes of the refurrection of the dead; “* who fhall flourifh as the grafs, as the prophet “* fays, your bones fhall filourifh as the herd,” or tender grafs; as that fprings up after it is cut down, fo will the bones of the dead tevive again, after they have been reduced to duft in the grave; and if that experiment is fact, faid to be made by chymifts, that herbs may be caufed to grow up out of their afhes, it will ferve very much to illuftrate the words taken in this fenfe; which is done in the following manner; ‘‘ they take a rofe, gilly- ‘© flower, cy. flower, or any other plant, in the fpring, ‘in its “© full confiftence, and beat the whole of it in a “< ‘mortar to a pafte, and extract.a kind of afhes “© or falt out of it, which they put up in glaffes, ‘ {topped and fealed; and by applying a candle, _*€ ora foft fire to them, the herbs or plants are "© perceived,.by Jittle and little, to rife. up again

“ forms, as they did in the field *.” dnd the band of the Lord hall be known towards bis fervamis; in _ making them;thus joyful, profperous and fruitful; “in protecting and preferving them, and in fupply- “ing all their wants; his hand of power, which is not fhorteried that he cannot fave; and his hand of grace, which is opened to diftribute to the ne- “‘ceffities of his people: and his indignation towards “bis enemies; the worfhippers of the beaft, the fol- ‘lowers of antichrift, who will drink deep of the “wine of the wrath of God, -poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation, he will ~ put into their hands; whofe indignation is fuch as is intolerable, there is no {tanding before it, or fu- ‘ftaining it, or abiding under it, ‘fee Rev. xiv. 9, 10. ° Kimchi fays this will be fulfilled in the war of Gog and Magog. | 15, For behold the Lord will come with fire, * &c.] Either with material fire, with which myfti cal Babylon or Rome fhall be burnt, Rev. xvii. 8. or with indignation and wrath, which fhall be poured out like fire, and be as intolerable and confuming as that: and with his chariots like a whirlwind; making a great noife, and ftriking gteat terror; alluding to. chariots in which mei ufed formerly to fight: fo render his anger wiik * fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire; an heap of words, to fhew the fiercenefs of his wrath, and how fevere his rebuke of enemies will be; which | will be-not a rebuke in love, as of his own peo ple, but in a way of vindictive wrath.

¥. 16. For by fire, and by his Jword, will the Lord plead with all flefh, &c.] With the Mabome- tans, the Turks, the Ottoman empire, againit whom } he’ll call for a fword, and will rain upon them fire and brimftone, fignified by Gag and Magog, Eze. XXXVili. 21, 22. and xxxix. 6. and with the other antichriftian powers at the battel of vmageddon; and when the fourth vial will be poured upon the fun, and men will be fcorched with fire; fee Rev. xvi. 8, 9, 16. and xix. 20, 21: and the flain of the Lord fhall be many; that is, thofe that will be flain by the Lord, both in the attempt of the Turks to recover the land of Canaan out of the hands of the Fews, poflefled of it’, whofe numbers of flajn will be fo many, that the burying of them will laft feven months. Ezek. xxxix. 12. and in the battel between the chriftian princes, Chrift at the head of them, and the antichriftian armies, led on by the beaft and the kings of the earth; when the fowls of the air will be invited to the great fupper of the Lord, to eat the flefh of kings, captains, and mighty men, fo great will the flaughter be, Rev. xix. 17—21. fee alfo ch, xi. 13.

¥. 17. They that fanttify themfelves, &c.]. This “is a defcription of the enemies of the Lord, and of his people, who fhall be flain at this time; not who are fanétified by the Spirit and grace of God, but who fanctify themfelves, pretend to make themfelves holy, and give out that they are holier than others; profefling great outward: fanctity, asithe papifts do, but: deftitute of real inward holinefs: or, that prepare themfelves, as the Targum; toega and worfhip fuch an idol, on fuch a day, as Farchi and Aben Ezra interpret it, and as the abeve followers. of the man of fin do, Revs ix, 20, ax: that purify themfelves in the gardens, im-pools| or ponds of water in gardens. This Kimebi underftands of the Perfians, by whom he means the Adahometans, who bathe and purify themfelves daily, but yet are unclean in their lives and aétions;-and it is true alfo of the papifts, who pretend to purify themfelves with their holy water.in their churches. Behind one tree 12 the midft; fo Aben Ezra fapplies it. Some take Achad,*rendered one, to be the name of an idol. Macrodius *fays, the Afjriaus Morfhipped the fun under the name of dad, which fignifies one; him they adore as a moft powerful deity; the fame perhaps with the Adedus of Saxzchoniatho *, whom he calls the king ef the gods; Land the Adadus of Pliny‘, the god of the Syrians, from whom the gem Adedunepbres has its name. The Zargum paraphraies it, “* company after com- |“ pany;” to which agrees the Syrige verlion, shat purify themfelves—one after another; as the papitts go to mafs company after company, when they make ufe of their holy water for purification, ‘The -phrafe, after one in the midft *, as it may be ten- ‘dered, may fignify, after fome middle perfon er mediator; and the note of Cocceius is not amifs, aiter the falfe vicar and ‘head, that is, the pope, the pretended vicar of Chrift, and head of the church; the above things the papifts do after his orders and injunctions. So R. Becbai * interprets all this of the Mahometans and Papifis; his words are, as Buxtorf' has cited them; “* that fanélify “* themfelves; thefe are the fons of Edom (that. is, the chriftians) whofe cuftom it is to move their fingers here and there (that is, to fanétify themfelves with the fign of the crofs): that purify themfelves,, thefe are the fons of Yhmeel (that is, the Turks) whofe cuftom is to wafh their hands and their, feet; which cuftom of wafhing, they had from. A/au and the Fews: after one in the midft; this fignifies the crofs of the Edomites, (that is, the chriftians) by which they fanctify themfelves;” the papifts he means, Ben Melech underftands it of one pool in the midft of the garden; and obferves, that others interpret it of one of the groves in the midit of it. Hasing froines |flefo, and the abomination, and the moufe; the eating of fwines flefh, and the moufe, were forbiddem by ‘the law of Mofes, Lev. xi. 7,29. and fome think by the abomination is meant the wea/el, finee that is mentioned in the above law with the meme; tho’ it may be rather, things offered.to idols, or blood, are defigned. Mice have been eaten, at leaft fome fort of them, as the dormoufe, by fome people, particularly the Romans, and counted) delicious food, as Sanétivs upon the place, from various authors, has fhewed; and Bochart * alfo obferves, that there is a kind of field-mice, called by the Arabians, Farbuo, which are eaten by, the! and had in great efteem, and is the very wore | Arabic interpreter renders this by im the text. Now, tho’ the ceremonial law is abolifhed, and all diftinétion of meats ceafed, and will continue fo yet, the defcription of x big g oot thefe in the times referred to;

__ ¢thefe unclean people, pretending to fo much fanc-

-tity and purity, is taken from fuch perfons. who -were Teckoned impure. inythe: times the prophet

‘ewrote 5, and may, particularly point at fuch who abftain from meats at certain times, to be eaten lawfully; and yet are as unclean as thofe under the Jaw were, whoveat things forbidden, they being “fuch, who are abominable, and make an abomination, andialies Rev. xxi. 8,27: thefe /hall. be confumed together; faith the Lord; in the abcve- mentioned battels, or-im the lake which burns with fire and brimftone. Lr opi y. £8) For J know their works, and their thoughts, &ze.] That is, of the perfons before.defcribed; their evil works; and thoughts, which are known to -Chrift the difcerner of the thoughts and: intents

»of the» heart, whofe eyes are as ‘a flame of fire to pierce and penetrate into them, Rev. ii. 18, 23. or, as for me", their works and their thoughts, as ‘] know them, and abhor them, I’ll take vengeance on them for them, for what they have devifed and done againft me and mine: and it fhall come, -that is, it fhall come to pafs, or the time {hall come: that I will gather all nations and tongues; not againtt Ferufalem, in the war of Gog and Magog, as the Fewi/b commentators, Aben Ezra, Farchi, and Kimebi interpret it, illuftrating it by Zach. xiv, 2. but to Chrift and his church, by the preaching of the gofpel, which in the latter day will be publifhed to every nation, kindred, tongue and people, and that immediately upon the deftruction of both the weftern and eaftern antichrifts; and particularly by the means of the latter, way will be made for it into the kingdoms of the eaft, which thereby will become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Chrift, Rev. xiv. 6. and xvi. 12. and xi. 15: and they foall come and fee my glory; the glory of Chrift’s perfon, offices and’ grace; the glory of his gofpel, worfhip and ordinances; the glory that will be upon Zioz the church, and on all which there will be a defence, and a glorious fight it will be; fee J/ iv. 5. and ks. Fyi258:

y. 19. And I will fet a fign among them, &c.] Either a miraculous fign, fomething wonderful, as the word is often ufed, Exod. iv. 8,9. J. vii. 11, 14. not the effufion of the Spirit on the day of Pentecoft, in the prefence of men of all nations; or the miracles wrought in the Gentile world b the apoftles, in confirmation of the gofpel; but rather the wonderful converfion of the ews, ¥. 8. or thofe wonders, the time of the end of which is enquired, Dan, xii. 6. or elfe fome diftinguifhing fign or mark is meant; fuch an’one as was fet on Cain, and on thofe that fighed and mourned for the fins of Ferufalem, Ezek. ix. 4. and may intend the feal or mark of Chrift’s Father’s name, in the foreheads of his people, to diitinguifh and preferve them from being hurt with others, Rev. vii. 3, 4. and xiv. 1. or beft of all, a fign or enfign to gather perfons together; which, tho’ not the ufual word for an enfign, is fometimes fo ufed, as’

in Pf. lxxiv. 4. and fo may intend Chrift, who is a fien that has been fpoken againft, Luke ii. 34. and is fét up in the miniftration of the gofpel, to ’ gather fouls unto him, J/ x. 10, 12. and which, as it was attended with great fuccefs in the firft times of the gofpel, will alfo in the latter day,

L will fend thofe that efcape of them; meaning, not the. apoftles and firft- preachers of the word that efcaped the perverfeneis, and! frowardnef{s~of the Fewi/h nation, their'rage and perfecution, and the wrath that came upon them to the uttermoft; but thofe that:fhall efcape at the defeat of the Turks, and at the ruin of myftical Babylon, and at the fall of the: tenth: part of the city, Rev. xi. 13. and Xviii. 44.and who alfoy ina fpiritual fenfe} will efcape the pollutions of the world, thro” the grace of God, and knowledge of Chrift; the vengeance of divine juftice; the curfes of the law, and wrath to come; hell and eternal’ damnation, by fleeing to Chrift; thefe, fome of them, will be made preachers of the gofpel; as who fo fit as thofe to warn. finners of their: danger, to fhew men the way of falvation, and publifh the good tidings of the gofpel, and will be fént of God with a commiffion from him wnte the nations; in’ order’ to gather them to Chrift and his church, and behold his glory: particularly to Tarfhifh, a word fometimes ufed for the fea; and the Vulgate Latin verfion renders it, the mations in the fea; ot, as the Targum, the province of the fea, the maritime provinces, thofe that lie neareft: the. fea; the’ Perfian and Arabian feas, or Tartefus in Spain,‘ and may be put for the whole country: Pul, and Dud} that draw the bow; which fome take tobe the fame with Put and Lud, or Iybiaand Lydia, which «go together, Fer. xlvi. 9. Hzek. xxx. 5. both countries in Africa, famous for archery; and the Vulgate Latin verfion renders it, Africa and Eydia; tho’ Bochart, and after him Vitringa, take Pul to be the fame with Péilas, an ifland upon: the Nile, above Syene, between Ethiopia and Egypt, of which Diodorus Siculus ™ and Strabo.» make mention: or Elephantine, the fame with Péi/, near the other. Kimchi interprets thofe that draw the bow of the Turks: to Tubal and favan, which the fame verfion renders Italy and. Greece: und the ifles afar off; even as far as the Weft-Indies: what places and countries are exactly and precifely meant cannot be determined; only in general, that into various parts of the world, eaft, weft, north and fouth, even the moft diftant, the gofpel and gofpelminifters fhall be fent: even to thofe: that have not beard my fame, or, my’ report °; the gofpel, which is a good and true. report of Chrift; this the nations, covered with’ grofs darknefs,: the pagan ones, have not fo much as heard of; but now fhall, thro’ thefe men being fent unto them: neither have feen my glory; in the glafs of the gofpel, that having never been fet before them’; and fo have never feen the glory'of Chrift, as the only begotten of the Father; his comelinefs and beauty, the fulnefs of grace in him, nor any of the -excellencies of him, either of his perfon or offices: and they foall declare my glory among the Gentiles; this, thofe that are efcaped, or the preachers fent to the nations..fhall do; they fhall declare publickly, plainly and clearly, that Chrift is the bright~ nefs of the divine glory; fhall declare the glory of his deity; of his rich grace’ and love to finners,.in fuffering and:dying for them; of his falvation, how® great, compleat, fuitable and glorious it is; with all the glorious truths of the. gofpel, peace, pardon, righteoufnefs and eternal life by Chrift.

3.20, And they foall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord, out of all nations, 8c.) This is not faid of the Yews, either with refpect to the firft times of the gofpel; not of the devout men of all nations that heard the apoftles on the day of Pentecoft; nor of thofe the gofpel niet with in the Gentile world, by the nffniftry of the apoftles, to whom Peter and Fames write their epiftles; or in the latter day, fuch who remain in the:feveral nations after the general converfion of that people; but this is to be underftood of the Gentiles, and of the bringing: in the fulnefs of them, by means of thole who fhall efcape the calamities of thofe times, the deftruction of the eaftern and weftern antichrift; fome of which will become preachers of the word, and be the inftruments of doing this work: ‘here the Gentiles are called the brethren of the converted Jews, as all the Lords people are brethren one of another, be they of what nation they will; they are ali in a fpiritual fenfe the feed and children of Abraham, who is the father of all that believe; and fo ali believers are brethren, Jews and Gentiles, yea, they are all the children of God, who is the | one God and Father of all, in the covenant of grace, which is common to them all; and by adoption, and thre’ regeneration, the evidence of it. ther to them all; and the church univerfal, the Jerufalem above, is the mother of them all; they are mothers children, and fo brethren; they are partakers of the fame bleffings and privileges, and heirs of the fame promifes, grace and glory: now ali thofe that are predeftinated to the adoption of fons, that are the children of God fcattered abroad, and whom God has promifed to call by his grace, fhall be brought in, not one fhall be left behind; fuch is the will of God, which cannot be refifted fuch their election of grace, which ftands firm on the fovereign will of God, and always obtains; fuch the furetyfhip of Chrift, and the purchafe of his blood, which make the bringing of them abfolutely neceflary; and the Lord knows where they are, and will fend his. gofpel and minifters to them, to fetch them in, let them be in ever fuch diftant and obfcure places: and thefe thall be brought, Sor an offering to the Lord; which thall be offered to him, either by the perfons that bring them, the minifters of the gofpel, who are the priefts of the Lord, ¥. 21. and who offer, not flain beafts, as under the law, but living perfons, men and women, converted under their miniftry; whom they bring to the Lord, and to his houfe, as trophies of his victorious grace, to ferve and glorify him. The apottle Paul feems to allude to this paffage, and to give the fenfe of it, Rom. xv. 16. or elfe by themielves that are brought; who fhall prefent their fouls and bodies a fiving, holy and acceptable facrifice unto God, as their reafonable fervice; not to atone for their fins, but in gratitude to the Lord, as being his, and not their own, Row. xii. 1. the means by which they fhall be brought. follows: upon borfes, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon fwift beafts; which Kimchi and Aben Ezra in+ terpret of camels, the better fort of them; but the Targum renders it, with praifes; and fo Farchi underftands it, of the fongs of thofe that fkip and are not to be underftood literally, but figuratively, expreflive of the gofpel-miniftry, which is the vehicle of falvation, and in which fouls are brought to Chrift, and to his church; and various forts

Chrift ftands in the relation of an elder bro- } being mentioned, may fignify the multitudes that fhall be gathered in, and the different accommo=- dations made, according to different circumftances 5 fome that are {trongand eager, and impatient of church-communion, are brought on more fpeedily, on horfes, and fwift beafts; and others more weakly, andcan move but flowly, in chariots and “litters; and all denote the fafe and honourable way and manner in which they are conducted, as well as the welcome they may expect to have in the churches of Chrift fince all manner of afforded to them. The horie is an emblem of the gofpel-miniftry, and fo is the chariot, Rev. vi. 2. Cant. iii. 9, 10. the ~place they'll be brought unto, is, to my koly mountain Ferufalem, faith the Lords not. Ferufalem literally taken, tho’ it is highly probable it will be at this time a place of great refort

| of all:chriftians; but the church, often called by } this name in this prophecy, ‘and im this chapter;

a mountain, for height, vifibility, and efpecially for firmnefs and immoveablenefs; a doly one, where holy things, words and ordinances are miniftred, holy perfons meet, and none elfe fhould ‘be members of it; hither converted perfons are brought to partake of thofe holy things, and have communion with holy perfons, by means of the minifters of the gofpel, who invite, exhort, encourage and perfuade, and ufe the moft forcible arguments they can, but after all are but inftruments, God. is the efficient; it is‘he that brings fouls to Zion, Fer. ii. 14. the manner follows: as the children of Lrael bring an offering in a clean veffél into the houfe of the Lord, jutt as the Minchab, or meatoffering, was brought in a pure and ‘clean vefiel into the fan¢ctuary of the Lord, and there prefented

, before him; as all the vediels there were holy ones, ' Ezra viii. 28, denoting who thofe fhould be that fhould be brought and offered; perfons whote hearts

_were purified by faith in the blood of Chrift; ‘called with an holy calling; fanctified by the Holy Ghoft; and appearing in the beauties of holinefs of heart and life. The Septuagint verfion renders it, with plalms; and the Arabic verfion, with a zubilee 5 fuggefting they fhall be brought with joy and gladnefs; fee Pf xlv.15. The ancient ews? interpret all this of the gifts. brought to the king Meffiah y. 21. And I will alfo take of them for priefts, &c.] That is, of the Gentiles, the brethren brought as an offering to the Lord; and therefore muft re-

| fpe&t gofpel-times, when the Aarénical priefthood | would be changed and ceafe, which admitted not of Gentiles, nor any of any other tribe in Jae, but the tribe of Levi; nor is this to be underftood of the fpiritual priefthood common to all believers, 1 Pet. ii. 5,9. Rev. i. 6. and v. 10. fince of thofe converted Gentiles brought, not all, but only fome — of them, would be taken for priefts; and therefore can only be interpreted of the minifters of the word, who, in Old T'eftament-language are called priefts, tho’ never in the New Teftament; but el- firft preachers of the gofpel as yd e difciples, Paul an twelve apoftles, the feventy

| Barnabas, and others; but when the pel was preached, and churches planted in the Ge world, then priefts, or paftors, or elders, were taken out —_ from among them, and ordained over the churches every where; and which have continued, more or lefs, ever fince; and will be more abundant in the latter day; whofe work and office is not to

® Midrah Tillim apud Yalkot in Pf. Ixxxvii. 4.

up flain beafts, as the priefts of old, but to point to the facrifice of Chrift, tothe Lamb of God, that takes away the fins,of men; and to:teach the know+ ledge of a crucified Chrift, and the feveral doctrines and duties of the chriftian religion; as ‘the riefts formerly-taught the knowledge of the law, Vaal. ii..7 sand for Levites, faith the Lord; \this

{till more cleafly:fhews that the prophecy belongs to the gofpel-difpenfation,. and is to be underftood figuratively and {piritually; for none but. thofe of the tribe, of, Levi.could be taken for! Levitesan. a - Jiteral fenfe; bute here Gentiles.are faid to: betaken for fuch, and defign men in gofpel-churches. The Levites, as their name: fionifies, »were fuch asrwere joined to others; they miniftred»to:the priefts;’ and affifted.them;, and had the charge of the'temple, and the yeflels of it, to;whorn deacons now anfwer’; who are helps and affiftants to: the miniftersiof the word:, their bufinefs is:to ferve tables; and:to,take care of the fecular affairs of the church; fo that this is a prophecy of the churches in the latter day being truly organized, and filled with proper offi- ‘Gers, as well as with numerous members.)

yr. 22.. For as the new heavens, and the new earth which I will make, &c.] Not bave made; for this is not to be underftood of the heavens and the earth made new in the beginning, and which continue fo without any change or alteration; tho’ fometimes the perpetuity of the church, which is here predicted, is fet forth by the duration of thofe, Pf, ixxxix. 29, 36, 37. Fer. Xxxi. 35, 36, 37. and XXXiil. 25, 26. but either of the new ftate of things under the gofpel-difpenfation, which {till continues, promifed ch. Ixv. 15. or rather, fince that would be an illuftration of it by the fame thing in different words, it may be interpreted literally of the new heavens and the new earth, which will be made when the prefent ones-fhall wax old and perifh, and be no more, as‘in the new Yeru/alemflate, 2 Pet. iii. 1o—¥3. Rev. xxi. 1: fhall remain before me, faith the Lord; thete fhall continue, not only throughout the millennium, or thoufand yearsreign, but for ever: /o hall your feed and your name remain, not the natural feed of believers; all have not fuch feed, and they that have, they are not all converted perfons; but the fpiritual /eed of the } church, born in her, and broughtyup by her; which fhall continue in fucceflive «generations to the end of time, notwithftanding: the perfecutions of men, and the craft of falfe teachers, and ‘the reproaches and banters of a vain world, P/- xxii. 30. Jf lix.21. and their “ame alfo; the name of Chrift they name and confefs, and that is called upon them, and from whence they are called chriftians; this. fhall endure as long as the fun, P/ Ixxii. 18. or the new name of fons and daughters of the Almighty; or their fame and glory, the memory of them; they fhall be had in everlafting remembrance, P/. cxii. 6.

y. 23. And it fhall come to pafs, that from one new moon to another, &c.| Or, from month in its month 1. ‘The Targum is, “* in the time of the

_ beginning of the month in its month,” that is, “im-every day of the month; or rather, every month: and from one fabbath to another, the form of expreffion is the fame as before; and-in like manner paraphrafed in the Targum, and fignifies either every day in the week; or rather, every fabbath, or firft day in the week for we are not to imagine that new moons and Fri) fabbaths; that is, feventh day-fabbaths, {hall now be obrvéd; which have. been» long’ abolifhed, Col. 4i. 16. ‘burt, as New Teftament-officers of churche® are," in the preceding vertes, calledby Old Teftament-narnes; fo here:the\times and featns 6f“eofpel-worfhip ‘are exprefled)in Old Teftarfienetanguage 5 and? the fenfeis, that\the people: of (Chrift, and members of churches in the latter day; thal «conftantly attend church+meetings; thallaflemble-topether'every month\to celebrate. the uord’s“fuppeit;and-every Lord’ssday, ‘to hear theword, pray and fing praifes togethers -hereby: ‘enjoying much ° fpiritial' peace and reft;and‘increafing ‘in’ evangelical light," fignified: bythe new moons and fabbaths } “and efpecially this! will have'afuller atcomplifiment if the new Ferufalem-ftate; when there will be a “perfect fabbatifm, ‘which now? remains forthe! people Of ‘God; and-when -their ight Will peeled ib ee and glorious; and fo the ews * interpret this of the world to come, which is “all fabbath or reft; that is,,from all toil and Jabéur; fromefin.and forrow, from fatan’s temptations, and the world’s perfecutions; but not from the‘worfhip and fervice of God; tho’ that will be in a differént and more perfect manner than now it is a8 follows: all fleh foall come to worfbip before me, faith the Lord, that is, men of all nations, and perfons of each” fex; not Fews only, and their males, as formerly, but men and women; not every individual, but all that will be converted, which will be many, fhall come to the places of public worfhip, where the faints meet together for that purpofe, and join together in it; and this they fhall do continually and without intermiffion, as the firft chriftians did, Adis ii. 42, Heb. x. 25. The Talmud * interprets this of fuch whofe heart is become as flefh; fee Ezek, &xxvi. 26.) thefe fhall not only worfhip in the prefence of God, and in the view of him the omnifcient God,’ and by his affiftance, and to his glory;, but him himfelf, Father, Son, and Spirit, with reyerence and devotion, in fpirit, and in truth, and that, conftantly, in the new Ferufalem, and ultimate glory, in the utmoft perfection and

¥.24. And they foall go forth, &c.] That is, oe and fpiritual worfhippers fhall’ go forth from the holy mountain Feru/alei, the church of God, whither they are brought as an offering to ‘the Lord, and where they worfhip him; for this is not to be underftood of going out of Ferufalem literally, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi; or of their going out of’ their “graves after the’ refurrection,..as others; but eithér-out of the chriftian afflemblies, or out of the houfes of the faints, and the beloved:city, when‘ fire-fhall come down from heaven, and deftroy the wicked, Rev. xx. 9: and look upon the carcajes of the men that have tranfgreffed againft me.. The Targum is, ** againit my “< word;” againft Chrift, whofe perfon they blaiphemed, denying him to be God; whole office, as a Mediator and Saviour, they rejected; whofe doétrines they contradicted; and whofe ordinances they defpifed: thefe are not the carcafes’ of the camp of Gog and Magog, the Fews fo call, as Kimchi interprets it; tho’ it may have reference to the carcafes of Gog’s army, the Turks, that will be flain in their attempt to recover Judea, Ezek. xxxviii. and xxxix. or elfe the carcafes of thofe that will be flain at the battel at Armageddon, Rev. xvi. 16. and xix. 18—21. or the army of Gog and Magog, at the end of the thoufand years, Rev. xx. 8, g.. The Talmudifts' obferve from hence, that the wicked, even at the gate of hell, return not by repentance; for it is not faid, that have tranfgreffed, but that tranfgre s, for they tranfgrefs, and.go.on for ever; and fo indeed the word may be rendered, that tranfgre/s, or are tran{grefing *; for they interpret it of the damned in hell, as many do; and of whom the following claufes may be underftood: for their worm fhall not die; with which their carcafes fhall be covered, they lying rotting above ground; or ‘figuratively their confciences, and the horrors and terrors that fhall feize them, which they will never get rid of. The Largum is, ‘* their fouls fhall not die;” as they will not, tho’ their, bodies may; but will remain to fuffer the wrath of God to all eternity: neither foall their fire be quenched; in hell, as Farchi interprets it; thofe wicked men, the followers and worthippers of antichrift, will be caft into the lake which burns with fire and -brimitone; they will for ever fuffer the vengeance of eternal fre; and the fmoke of their torment fhall afcend for ever and ever, Rev. xiv. 10. and xix. 20: and they foall ‘bean abborring unto all fle>; the trues fhippers of God, y. 23. to. whom ‘eit hkcales will be loathfome, when they look upon them; and their fouls abominable, becaufe of their wicked actions; and who cannot but applaud the jufti of God in their condemnation; and admire diftin guifhing grace and mercy, that has preferved the from the like ruin and deftruétion. “Fhe Yarg is, ‘* and the ungodly fhall.be judged in hell, till - “© the righteous fhall fay concerning them, we have “ feen enough;” fee Mark ix. 44, 46,48. where our. Lord mentions and repeats fome of the claufes of this text, and applies them to the torments of hell.

93 Swoon prevaricantium in me,

. verfion is, the prophecy of Feremiah; in the a. Syriac and Arabic verfions, the prophecy of the prophet Feremiah, According to a tradition of the Jews *, this book ftands the firft of the: prophets,. the»order of which is, Feremiah, Ezekiel, Lfciah, and the:twelve... Kimchi makes mention of it in a preface to his Comment on this book 5 and Dr. Lightfoot from hence concludes, that this is the reafon why a paflage in Zechariah is cited under the name of Feremy, Matt. xxvii. 9. becaufe he ftanding firft in the volume of the prophets, gave name to the whole; juft as the book of P/alms, being the firft of the Hagiographa, they are called the Pfalms from it, Luke xxiv. 44.) The name of the writer. of this book, Jeremiah, fignifies, the Lord feall exalt, or be exalted; or, exalting the Lord; being compofed of >) be jhall exalt, and 1 Febovahb, according to Hillerus®. Tho’ others“ take it to be a compofition of 9° and =95), te Lord fall caft down; as he did his enemies, and alfo himfelf, he being greatly afflicted; and which fuits with the argument of his book, foretelling the cafting away of the people of the Fews.. His ftile of writing, according to the opinion of Ferom *, ~ 4s more ruftic than that of J/aiah, and fome. other prophets, and which he attributes to his being born and brought up in a country-village; and Abarbinel to his age, being a child when he began to prophefy. “The duration of his prophefy- prophefy in the 13th year of Fofah’s reign, in thé year of the Fulian period 4085, and before the era of Chrift 629, according both to Bifhop Uber * and Mr. Whifton‘, and the Univerfal Hifory*®; and according to Mr. Bedford’ 627: If any credit can be given to Epipbanius', or to the writer that bears his name, he. was ftoned to death by the people at Taphnas in Egypt, and was buried where Pharaoh dwelt. Abulpharagius, an Arabic writer *,fays, that he went to Egypt, where fome of theoZews took him and put him into a well, and afterwards took him out and ftoned him, fo that he died, and’ he was buried in Egypt; and was from thence removed by Alexander, in his time, to Alexandria, and buried there. And both Tertullian' and Ferom ™ affirm, that he was ftoned by the people. This prophecy contains feveral difcourfes delivered to the people of the Fews; charging them with many fins they were guilty of; exhorting them to repentance; threatening them with the deftruction of their city and temple, and with captivity in Badylons and comforting the faints not only with a promife of deliverance from thence, but of fpiritual redemption by the Meffiah. And it alfo has in it feveral predictions of judgments upon other nations; and gives a particular account of the deftruction of Ferufalem, and of the carrying of the Yews captive into Babylon; which he lived to fee, as the fulfilment of.his prophecies.

Te title of the book in the Vulgate Latin | ing was forty years and upwards. He began td

HIS chapter contains the title or infcription of the book; the call of the prophet to his office, and the encouragement he had to enter upon it. In the infcription the prophet is defcribed by his name, by his defcent, by the place of his birth, and the time of his prophefying, ¥. 1,2, 3. the appointment and ordination of him to his office, which was very early, and the fignification of it to him, are in ¥., 4, 5. his excufe, on account of his childhood and weaknefs, ¥. 6. the encouragement given him, notwithftanding this, from the miffion, and command he had from the Lord, and the promife of his prefence with him, y. 7, 8. and not only is he encouraged by words, but alfo by figns; by the Lord’s touching his mouth with his hand, as a fymbol of putting his words into his mouth, and fetting him over nations and kingdoms, to publith if a prophetic way their deftruction, ¥. 9, 10. and by a vifion of an almond-tree, fignifying the quick and hafty performance of the word of the Lord by him, y. 11, 12. and by another vifion of a feething-pot northwards, intimating the coming of the

Chaldeans fron the north again Ferufalem, and their taking it, and carrying the Fews captive, becaufe of their wickednefs,;. which was) a. principal part of the meflage he was fent with, ¥. 13, 14, 15,16. and the chapter is concluded with an exhortation to him to take heart; and be of good courage, and not be difinayed; fince he was made aedefenced city, an iron pillar, and brazen wall, againft the whole land of Fudea, its kings, princes, priefts, and people; who, tho’ they fhould fight againft him, fhould not prevail, becaufe God was with him, ¥. 17,18, 19.

¥. 1. Thewords of Feremiah -the fon of Hilkiab, &c.] This is the general title of the whole book, and includes all his difcourfes, fermons, and pro-+ phecies; and defigns not his own words, but the words of the Lord, which were put into his mouth, and he delivered under divine infpiration. The Septuagint verfion renders it; the word of Ged; and the Arabic verfion, the word of the Lord; the Targum; “ the words of the prophecy of Yeremiab,” who © Schmidt jn loc. 4 Prafat. f Chronéftgical Tables, Cent, 9.

who is deferibed by his defcent and parentage, the Jon of Hilkiab. The Arabic verfion calls him Selkiah. This was not Hilkiab the high-prieft, who in the days of ¥ofah found the book of the law, 2 Kings xxii. 8. as Kimchi’s father and Abarbinel think, and fo Clemens of Alexandria”; fince he is not {aid to be an high-prieft, or of the high-priefts, but of the pricfts shat were m Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin; tho’ the Targum paraphrafes the words. to the other fenfe, “‘ of the heads of the ward of “< priefts, of the Amarcalin or governors which © were in Feru/alems; a mansthat-took, his inheri-

* tance im Avathoth, in: the dand of the tsibe of |

‘* Benjamin;”? nor 1s. Jeremiah, mentioned among the pofterity of Aitkiah the high-prieft in 1: Chron vi. 13, 14. belides Hilkiah,.asptielt of. Auathoth, mutt be of the family-of I¢kamar; the lafbofiwhich family, that was high-pri¢&,. was.dbiathar; who had fields-in Adathoth, as Kings ii. 26.: and foscould be no. other than a common) pricits for diiikiah the high-prieftwas of the family of Phimebas;foritrom the times of that Abiatban tothe Bahylonifacapti.

wvity,: there: was ‘no: high-prieft: but of ‘that family. Lhe Jews fay, that Feremab.defcended:by: his mother’snfide from Rabab the harlot *... uatkath was acityin thevtribe of Benjamin, as-is here faid;.and belonged to ‘the priefts, 70/4. xxi. 18. it lay north of Ferufalem,, about-three miles from it, according to Ferom*® and others; but, according to-Fofepbus 9, ir was: but’ twenty furlongs: from. it, that is, two miles and-a half, ro 33

¥. 2. Tawhom the word of the Lord came;-in the days of Fofiah, &c.} This'was the beginning of the prophecy of Feremiah, fo that he» prophefied this kin was the Jon of Amon king of Fudab, which Jénon was the fon of Manaffeh; the Septuagint and Arabic verfions- wrongly call him: Amos; cand “Feresniah began, to: prophely 2m the thirteenth year of bis feiga sin the twenty-firlt of Fofiah’s age, for he began to reign when he was eight years. old; and. he reigned eighteen years after, for he reigned in all thirty-one years; and it was five years after this, that the book of the law was found’ by Aii/- kiah the high-prieft; 2 Kings xxii. 3.

¥. 3. And it came alfo in the days of Feboiakim the on of Fofiah king of Fudab, &c.} In the beginning of his reign, and in the fourth year of his ‘reign’ 5 fee ch. xxv. 1. XXvi. 1. xxvii. 1. and xxxv. 1. and xxxvi. 1. no mention is made of Fehoahaz, who reigned between Fofiah and Fehoiakim, becaufe hisreign was fhort, but three months, 2 Kings xxiii. 31. and perhaps no word of the Lord came to feremiab in his-time, though it did before and after: unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the fon of Fofah king of Judah; fo that feremiah mutt prophefy in the land of Fudea upwards of forty years; eighteen under Yofiah, 2. Kings xxii, 1. three months under Feboabaz, 2 Kings xxiii. 33, eleven years under. Feboiakim, 2 Kings xxiii. 36. three months’ under Fechoniah, 2 Kings xxiv. 8. and eleven years, under Zedekiah, when: the city was ‘befieged and _taken, 2. Kings xxv. ‘2, 3. Fofah had three fons kings of Fudab, Feboabaz, Feboiakim, and Zedekiah, under all whom Yeremiah prophefied: even unto the carrying away of Ferufalem captive in the fifth month, the month 4, which anfwers to part of July and |:

Jaying,| Not in the days.of Febeigkim, thee, Sc.) Not merely by his omnife

“unto him, when he was now called unto

Exod. iv. 10. ‘phefy: for Tam a:child; meaning either in know- ‘ledge and underftanding, or in years; not a mere day of this month, that the city of Ferufalem was burnt, and the people carried woth 2 Kingsxxv. 8, 9. Yer. li, 12, 13. the ninth of the faid month

‘is now kept by the Yews as a faft om thatvac- } count. ty

¥. 4. Then the word of the Lord came unto ome, thirteenth year of the reign of Fofab,” Septuagint and Vulzate Like verfion iin. ‘ ii

>. ae ¥. 5. Before I formed thee in the belly, 1 Rhew ‘cnebe ty he knows albmen before their conception and _ " but, with: fuch.a khowledge,..as had fpecial love and. affection joined with vit 5. in which» fenfe the Lord» knows. them that afe his, ashe does not others, and predeftinates them unto: eternal life; andcwhich is not only before their formation in the womb, but before the foundation of the world, even from all eternity. ‘The forming» of the human foetus is. God’s..aét, «and a curious piece of sworkmaanfhip» it is; fee Pf cxxxix. 19, 26.» And

before thou cameft forth out of the womb, T fanétified

thee, noo by infufing holinefs intor him, but’ by feparating him in his:eternal purpofes and deerees to the office of a prophet, before he was bern, and even before the world began; juft as the apo- {tle Paul was feparated:to the gofpebof Ged, Rom. i.c1,, forsit follows, and J ordained theea prophet unto the nations; not. to the Lfraelites only; who

Yarchi thinks: are*fo called, becaufesthey: now followed:the ufages and cuftoms ‘of the:nations; but to the Gentiles, againft whom he was fent to. prophecy, ch. xlvi. 1. as Egyptians, Philiftines, Moabites, Ammonites, and: Chaldeans:. This ordination of him. to be'a prophet’ was not done in time, but in eternity, in the mind and thought of God; he was fore-ordained to this office betore the foundation of the world, of which a declaration was made it; to which he makes anfwer, - Viacom gy con.

¥. 6. Then faid I, Ab Lord God, Sec.) The word PqMN 44, or Abab, is ufed in diftrefs and

“grief, as Kimchi obferves; and. is. expreffive of } mourning and complaint, as Farehi notes; and fhows, that the prophet.was troubled and uneafy

‘at his call, and would gladly have been excufed on the following account: behold, I cannot fpeak;

‘or, I know not how to fpeak*; properly and pertinently, politely and eloquently, efpecially before great perfonages, kings and princes, and the ci-

‘tizens of Feru/alem, being brought up ina ruftic manner in the country. A like excuse Ado/es made, The Targum is, I know not to pro- child, but a junior, as the Septuagint verfion renders the word; or a young man, as the Arabic -verfion; fo Samuel and Zechariah were young men when they firft miniftred in their office, 1 Sam: iii 1, Zech. ii. 4. Abarbinel fuppofes that Feremiah was now twelve or fifteen years of age; but it fhould feem rather that he was more, p phefied to the men of nathoth, before hi tent to Ferufalem, ch. xi. 21. =k, for'thou fozlt. goto all that Lfoall fond thee, either to every place, as the Targum paraphrales; or Zo ail perfons fo whom he fhould be fent, as the Septuagint and Arabic verfions render the words; or te all things for which he fhould fend him, as the Syriac and Vulgate Latin verfions. The fenfe is, that he fhould go every where, and to every perfen, and on every errand and meiffage he fhould be fent unto and with: and whatfoever I command thee thou fhalt {peak; out and openly, and keep back nothing thro’ the fear of men; as follows,

¥.8. Be not afraid of their faces, &c.] Their ftern looks, their frowning brows, and angry countenances, which would threaten him with deftruction and death: for J am.with thee, to deliver thee, faith the Lord, out of their hands, when in the moft imminent danger. The Targum paraphrafes the words thus, ‘* my word fhall be thine help to *¢ deliver thee;” which is true of Chrift, the effential word of God.

¥.9. Then the Lord put forth his hand, 8c:] Who, according to Kimchi, was the angel that appeared to the prophet, and {poke in the name of the Lord to him, and is called by his name; but rather it was the Son of God, the true Jehovah, who appeared in an human form he affumed for the preient, and put forth his hand: and touched my mouth; jutt as one of the Seraphim touched the mouth and. lips of the prophet J/aiab with a live coal from, the altar, Jf vi. 6,7. by this fymbol the prophet was inducted into. his office; and it was fuggefted to him, that his mouth was now fan&tified to the Lord’s ufe and fervice; and that what he fhould fpeak thould not be his own words, but the words of the Lord; and fo the Zargum paraphrafes it, ‘¢ and the Lord fent the words of his ** prophecy, and ordered: ¢hem in my mouth;” to which agrees what follows = -and the Lord faid unto me, behold, I kave put my words in thy mouth; which was fignified by the preceding fymbol; wherefore he might with great freedom and _boldnefs deliver them out to others.

y.10. See, I have this day fet thee over the nations, and over the kingdoms, &c.] Not as a prince, but as a prophet over them, to prophefy things concerning them, whether good or evil, which fhould certainly come to pafs as he predicted: Zo ‘root out, and to pull down, and to deftroy, and-to throw down; that is, to foretell that fuch a kingdom and nation fhould be rooted out, as a tree or plant that is plucked up by the roots; and that fuch an one fhould be pulled, and thrown down, and deftroyed, as a building is. The whole may be underftood of the deftruction of the Fews by Nebuchadnezzar, of their temple, city and nation; tho’ the Targum and Farchi interpret all this of the Gentiles only, and the following ¢o duild, and to plant, of the houfe of J/rael,; which may be applied to the building of the temple, and the planting of the Yews in their own land, after their return from:captivity, which jeremiah prophelied of. Thefe. laft words are not in the Arabic verfion, y. 11. Moreover, the word of the Lord came unto me, &c.] At the dame time as before: faying, Feremiah, what feet thou? The Séptuagint veriion leaves out the word Jeremiah: and I faid, I fee a rod of an almond-tree; a dry fick, without leaves or fruit upon it, and yet he knew it to be an almond-tree-ftick; tho’ fome think it had leaves and fruit on it, by which it-was known. “The Targum is, ‘* and I faid, a king haftening to do “* evil I Tee;” meaning Nebuchadnezzar Ring of. ie haftening to bring deftruction upon the Jews. f ' - v.12. Then faid the Lard unto me, thou haft well. - Jeen, &c.] The thing feen is a very proper emblem of what I am about to do, and the quick difpatch that will be made therein: for J will haften my word to perform it, the words 138 “pyr fhoked ani, I will haften, or I am baftening, are in allufion to pw fboked, the name of the almond-tree in Hebrew; which is fo called, becaufe it is quick and early, and as it were haftens to bring forth its flowers, leaves and fruit; in like manner the Lord fays he would haften to perform what he had faid, or fhould fay by him concerning the deitruction of Ferujalemy. and the,captivity of the people, and every thing elfe he fhould give him in commiffion to fay. archi and Abendana make mention of an ancient Midra/h, or expofition to this fenfe; that from the time of the almond-tree’s putting forth, until its frit is ripe, are one and twenty days, according to the number of days which were between the feventeenth of Tammuz, in which the city was broken up, and the ninth of 4, in which the temple was burnt; but tho’ the almond-tree is

‘the firft of trees, and is very early in putting forth, yet there is a greater diftance than this between its putting forth and its fruit being ripe; for Pliny * fays; that the almond-tree firft of all flowers in January, and its fruit is ripe in March.

¥.13. And the word of the Lord came unto me the fecond time; 8cc.] In the famé vifion: /aying, what feeft thou? befides the almond tree-rod; which perhaps was now removed out of fight, and another object appears: and I faid, I fee a seething pot; a pot with fire under it, boiling and bubbling up: and the face. thereof was towards the north, either the mouth of the pot where it boiled up, which might be turned to the north in the vifion; or that fide of the pot, as Kimchi thinks, on which the liquor was poured out; it may be that fide of it, on which the fire was put to caufe it to boil.and fo denotes from what quarter the fire casie, and was put under it, and the wind that blew it up. The Zargum paraphrafes the words thus, “‘ and ‘* I faid, I fee a king boiling as a pot, and the ‘¢ banner of his army,which was brought and came “ from the north.” The explanation follows, ¥.14. Then the Lord faid unto me, &c.] Explaining the above vifion: out of the north an evil frail break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land that is, out of Babylon, which lay north, as Farchi fays, and fo the Talmud‘; or north-eaft, as Kimchi and Ben Melech, to the land of J/rael,; from hence came Nebuchadnezzar and his army, which are meant by te evil that fhould break forth, or de opened * and loofed, which before were bound and hindred by the providence of God; fee Rev. ix. 14. and come upon all the inhabitants of the land of J/rael, and who are fignified by the boiling pot to the north; or however, by the fire under it, which came from thence; for rather by the pot is meant Ferufalem, and by the boiling of it, its deftruction by the Chaldeans; fee Ezek. xi. 3, 7. and XXIV. 3.

¥.15. For lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, faith the Lord, &c.) Which

belonged unto, and were tinder the jurifdiction of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and the cal) of them, as Kimchi well obferves, is no other than putting it into their hearts to come: and they fhall come; being influenced: and directed by the pro-" vidence of God; who had a principal concern in this matter: and they fhall fet every one his throne at the entering of the gates of ferufalem, meaning, not only that they fhould pitch their military tents, and encamp about Yeru/alem, and place themfelves at the entering of the gates, in order to get in; but that they fhould fit down there in great fatety and fecurity, and be very fuccefsful, victorious and triumphant: and againft all the walls thereof round about, and againft all the cities of Judab; not only befiege Ferujalem, and take that, but alfo all the reft of the cities of the land.

¥. 16. And F will utter my judgments againft them, &c.|.Not againft the kingdoms of the north, but againft the people of the Yews. The fenfe is, that God would enter into judgment with this people, and pafs fentence upon them, and execute it: touching all their wickednefs, or on account of all their fins and tranfgreffions, hereafter mentioned: who have forfaken me. The Targum is, who have forfaken my worfoip, for to forfake the public worfhip of God, attendance on his word and ordinances; or to forfake the affembling of themfelves together for fuch a purpofe, is to forfake ‘the Lord himfelf, the fountain of living waters; and this is to forfake their own mercies: and have burnt incenfe te other gods; to the idols. of the Gentiles, as the Targum explains it; to Baal, to the queen of heaven, and to others: and worfhipped the works of their own hands; idols of gold, filver, brafs and wood, which their own hands formed and carved, and which argued great ftupidity and ignorance.

¥.17. Thou therefore gird up thy loins, &c.] The loins both of his mind and body. ‘The allufion is to the cuftom of the eaftern countries in wearing long garments, who, when they went about bufinefs, girt them about them for quicker difpatch; and here it defigns hafte and expedition

HIS chapter contains the prophet’s meflage _from the Lord to the people of the Jews;

in which they are reminded of their former favours, in order ‘to aggravate their fins and tranfgreffions they were chargeable with; to. fhew their ingratitude and unkindnefs, and to bring them to a conviction and acknowledgment of their iniquities, without which punifhment would be inflicted on them. The preface to this meflage is in ¥. 1, 2. and the difcourfe begins with an account of their former ftate and condition, when they came out of Agypt; what kindnefs was fhown them by the Lord, and what was returned to him by them; what they were to him, and how much regarded by him, ¥. 2, 3. and fo’ far were they from being injured by him, that might caufe them to depart from him, which they are defired to give attention to, that they were followed with various inftances of goodnefs, which are particularly enumerated; and yet no notice was taken of them, néither by people, priefts, paftors and prophets, who were guilty of the proffett ignorance and wickednefs, ¥. 4, 5; ©, 7, 8, wherefore the Lord determines to in doing the Lord’s work, as well as courage aiid’ refolution of mind: and arife; and go fro thoth to ferufalem: and {peak unto them ‘all command thee, fee the note on ¥.7 > be not mayed at their faces, fee the note on ¥/ 8% confound thee before them, fhew refentnient at’

y.18. For bebold, I have made defenced city, 8ec.] Or, as one; fo read Wh gum, Septuagint, Syriac and Arabic verfions; is inexpugnable, and cannot be taken: py pillar; which can’t be removed out of its pl C1 and brazen walls, which cannot be broken down. All thefe metaphors thew the fafety and {ecutity of the prophet, being furrounded by the power of God; his conftancy, immoveablenefs and invinciblenefs in the work of the Lord, having fuch 2 {pirit of power, fortitude, and of a found mind; that nothing was able to move and fhake him, ‘or to deter him from the execution of his office; and that he fhould ftand inflexible againft the ewbole land; of Fudea, and all the inhabitants” of it? againft the kings of Fudab, in facceflive Feigns; as Yehoahaz, Feboiakim, Febviachim or fechonias, and Zedekiah: againft the princes thereof; who de= fired he might be put to death, ch. xxxvili, 4? againft the priefts thereof; who all of them dealt falfly, and were given to covetoufnefs, ch. viii. 10? and againft the people of the land; who wete grievoufly addicted to idolatry, and all manner of wickednefs. a RL “7

The Targum adds, ‘* that they may hide the “‘ of thy prophecy;” hinder him from prophefying, ftop his mouth, and even take away his life: ut they fall not prevail againft thee; as to do either: for I am with thee, faith the Lord, to deliver thee; as he did; he hid him when they fought for him, and delivered him out of the dungeon and bonds into which he was caft by them; fee the note on y. €. sa plead with them and theirs; and charges them

‘with fuch idolatry as was not to be found among the Gentiles, ¥.9, 10, 11. the heavens are called upon to be aftonifhed at it; and the reafon given z for it, the ingratitude and folly of this people, y.12, 13. in order to reclaim them, the Lord’ by the prophet proceeds to obferve to them the correCtions and chaftifements they had already endured, being brought into bondage, their Jand wafted, cities burnt, and their clory taken from them; all which were owing to their gs and backflidings, and by which they might ‘wlige an evil and bitter thing fin is in its pt a 15, 16, 17, 18, ¥9. and again reminds them « former favours; how that he loofed the: their yoke and bonds, when they prom tranfgrefs no more, and yet did more and how he had raifed them Sas a ri i lanted them a noble vine, and yet they we eden and were guilty of Ack eed not to be removed by any thing done by them,

¥.20, 21,22. and notwithftanding all this, they — had the impudence to deny that they were tee, MDBMGS..Y t