Exposition of the Whole Bible

for the reafons following: becaufe of the ford, and of the famine, and cf the peftilence; the {word of the Chaldeans without, deftroyed thofe that fallied. out upon them, or endeavoured to make their efcape; and the famine and peftilence within, made fuch ravages, and fo ‘much weakened them, that they would never be able to ftand it out againit the enemy long, but muft furrender: and what ibou haft fpoken is come to pafs; what was foretold by the prophets, and by himfelf, was now fulfilling: and behold thou feeft it; and therefore he had no need to obferve it to him, or dwell any longer on this fubje&t; only he hints what follows, as having fome difficulty in it on his own account. ¥.25. And thou hat faid to me, O Lord God, 8&ce.] Or, O Lord God, yet thou haft faid to me”; notwithftanding this is the cafe, the country all around is in the hand of the enemy, and the city Is as good as delivered up to them, yet thou haft given me fuch orders, as follows: buy thee a field for money, and take witneffes; for tho’ thefe words were not exprefsly faid to him by the Lord; yet inafmuch as he told him, that his uncle’s fon would come to him, and propofe the felling of his field to him; and accordingly did come, agreeable to the word of the Lord;- feremiah underitood it as the will of the Lord, that he fhould buy it before witnefles; which he did, as before related: for the city 15 given into the hand of the Chaldeans; or rather, tho’ the city is given*, &c. yet thou haft faid fo: now, by this, the prophet fugeetts, that tho” he had obeyed the divine order, as he ought to have done, yet there was fome difficulty upon his mind; or there were fome objections ftarted by the Jews that were with him, how thefe things could be reconciled; that he fhould be ordered to buy a field at fuch a time as this, and thereby fignify that fields and vineyards fhould be bought and poffefied in the land, and yet the city juft going to be furrendered into the hands of the Chaf: deans. ¥. 26. Then came the word of the Lord unto Feremiah, &c.] This is an anfwer to the prophet’s prayer, and particularly to the latter part of it; fhewing the confiftency of the deftruétion of the city with his purchafe of a field, and with God’s promife of fields and vineyards being purchafed and poffefled again; and how each of thefe would be brought about: /aying, as follows. ¥. 27. Bebold, [ am the Lord, the God of all fielh, &c.] Febovah, the felf-exiftent being, that gives being to all creatures; and is particularly the God of all men, the maker and preferver of them, and that provides for them; who are called flee, to denote their weaknefs and corruption, how unworthy of the divine favour, and how unable to refift his will, or hinder the execution of his purpofes: and which is introduced with a debold, to excite attention, to take notice of what was faid; to encourage faith, and remove doubts and difficulties; for if God is Jehovah, the Being of beings; if he is the God and governor of the world, and all men in it, what is it he can’t do? as follows: is there any thing too bard for me? fuggefting, that tho’ the city of Feru/alem fhould be deftroyed, and the inhabitants carried captive, yet he could return them again to their own land; where they fhould purchafe fields and vineyards, and poflefs them as heretofore: or, is there any thing

Me mans II) tu vero nihilominus dicis mihi, Pifcator; tu tamen dixifti ad me, Domine Jehovah, Schmidt. © 3137) “yr cum tamen urbs tradenda fit, Schmidt; quum tamen futurum fit, Pifcator; quam civitas ipfa traditur,

Junius & Tremellius; cum tamen urbs tradita fit, Cocceius..

55% thing hidden from me*? So the Targum and Syriac verfions; can any thing unforefeen arife to hinder the fulfilment of promifes and prophecies? nothing can; fince all things are in one view before the Lord continually; or, is there any thing too wenderful for me*? that which is too wonderful for men, beyond their comprehenfion, and fo their faith; yet it is not fo with God.:

y. 28. Therefore thus faith the Lord, behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, &c.] As he had foretold by the prophet, and was juft now going to be fulfilled. Here the Lord repeats and confirms the firft of the two things which feemed contradictory; the deftruction of the city by the Chaldeans, who were now befieging it, -and into whofe hands it would certainly come: and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; who was now before it with his army: and he fhall take it; and become mafter of it: or, J will give it to him, that he may take it‘; which he could not do, notwithftanding his powerful army, had not the Lord delivered it into his hands. |

¥.29. And the Chaldeans that fight againft this city, foall come, &c.} Or rather, jball enter, as Aquila renders it; for they were come to it already, and were fighting againft it, battering the walls, and throwing in their arrows, and putting to the {word fuch as came out, or were within their reach: and fet fire on this city, as they did, ch. xxxix. 8: and burn it, with the houfes, upon whofe roofs they have offered incenfe unto Baal; or efpecially the houfes®, or even the houfes; the houfes particularly mentioned in the hiftory of the deftruction as burnt; and which, very probably, are here intended; befides the Lord’s houfe, and all the houfes in Ferufalem, were the king’s houfe, and the houfes of the great men or princes; and which Kimchi thinks, were higher than others; on which therefore they burnt incenfe to Baal; wherefore it was a juft retaliation upon them that they fhould be burnt with fire: and poured out drink-offerings unto other gods to provoke me to anger; to other gods, befides the true God; to ftrange gods, and to other gods befides Baal; which was done as if they really defigned to provoke the Lord; as if they had it in view to affront him; and if they had, they could not have taken a more effectual method: tho’ this is to be underftood, not intentionally, but eventually; not what was their defign, tho’ it looked like it, but what was the effect of their idolatry.

¥. 30. For the children of Ifrael, and the children of Fudab, &c.| The former are mentioned, as well as the latter, tho’ they had been carried captive fome years ago, to juftify the dealings of God with them; and befides, there were fome of the ten tribes that remained, and were mingled with the tribes of udab and Benjamin: of all which it is faid, that they have only done evil before me from their youth; from their infancy, being conceived in fin, and fhapen in iniquity; and fo being deftitute of the grace of God, did nothing elfe but fin all their days, as is faid of the men of the old world, Gen. vi. 5. and viii. 21. Some underftand this, from the time of their becoming a people, a body politic; or from the time of their coming out of Egypt, and being in the wildernefs, when their idolatry began, they brought out of Egypt; or from the time of the judges: for the children of Ifrael have only provoked me to anger with the work of their bands, faith the Lord; with their idols, made by their own hands; thefe they worfhipped inftead of their creator and benefactor; which mutt be very provoking indeed!

¥. 31. For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger, and of my fury, &e.| Or, upon mine anger, and upon my fury this city was to me”; that is, it was upon his heart, and in his mind and purpofe, being provoked to anger and wrath by their fins, to have deftroyed it long ago, tho’ he had deferred it to this time; the inhabitants of this city had been always a provoking people to him; and he had thought to have poured out his wrath and fury upon them: from the day they built it, even unto this day; when built and inhabited by the idolatrous Canaanites; pofiefied by the Febufites; rebuilt by David, beautified with the temple and other ftately buildings by Solomon, who was drawn into idolatry by his wives. It is a tradition of the Fews, mentioned both by Farchi and Kimchi, that the fame day that the foundation of the temple was laid, Solomon married Pharaob’s daughter; and which was the foundation of his idolatry; and which was more or lefs praétifed in every reign afterwards, to this time; and which fo provoked the Lord, that he took up this refolution early, tho’ he did not put it in execution; exprefied as follows: that I fhould remove it from before my face, as a man does that which is naufeous and abominable to him; meaning the removing the inhabitants of it into other lands, or caufing them to go into captivity; fo the Targum.

¥. 32. Becaufe of all the evil of the children of Tfrael, and of the children of Fudab, Se.) His anger and fury were becaufe of their fins, and fo his, carrying them captive: which they have done to provoke me to anger; which was done, as if they had done it on purpofe to provoke him; and which was done, not by a few, but by them all; not by the lower people only, but by men of every rank and order; as follows: they, their kings, their princes, their priefts, and their prophets, that is, their falfe prophets, as the Targum, yea, all the inhabitants of the land, both in city and country: and the men of Fudab, and the inhabitants of Ferufalem; the metropolis of the nation; the feat of the kings of Fudah; and where the temple was, the priefts miniftred, and the prophets taught, and the people came up to worfhip.

¥. 33. And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face, &c.| When he reproved them for their fins; called them to repentance; inftructed them in their duty; and warned them of the dangers they expofed themfelves to; inftead of turning the face to him, as fcholars to their mafters, and as fubjeéts to their prince, to liften to what was faid to them; they turned their backs or necks, the hinder part of them; expreffive of contempt, and fhewing great rudenefs and irreverence tho’ I taught them, rifing up early, and teaching them; by his prophets, as the Targum; whom he fent to them early in the morning; or in the early time of their life; or when they firft began to practife idolatry; fo careful was the Lord of them; fo diola “Higent

¥1 CDN by fuper nafo meo, & faper ira mea fuit mihi civitas hee, ae - 1 J ligent to inftruct them, and prevent their ruin: yet they have not hearkened, to receive inftruclion; or correciion*, {fo as to repent of their fins, reform and amend; fee ch. vii. 13, 25, 26.

Y. 34. But they fet their abominations, &c.] Their idols, which were abominable to the Lord, and ought to have been fo to them: thefe they placed in the houfe (which is called by my name) to defile ##; in the temple; as by Abaz, Manaffeh, and others; fee ch. vii. 30.

¥. 35. And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the fon of Hinnom, &c.} Or, the high places of that Baal*, which is in the valley of the Jon of Hinnom, to diftinguith him from other Baalim, and who feems to be the fame with Molech after-mentioned; and the fignification of their names agree; the one is lord or mafter; other king: 40 caufe their fons and their daughters to pas thro’ the fire uate Molech; the phrate, thro’ the fire, is not in the text; but is well enough fupplied from other places, where it is. Some think that their-infants were not burnt to death with fire, but only were held over the flame by way of luftration; or were made to pafs between two fires, and fo were purified and dedicated to the idol: which I commanded them not, neither it into my mind, that they fbould do ihis abomination; fee ch. vil. 31: to, caufe Fudab to fin; which Abardinel underftands of the children of J/rael, who firft began this practice, and feduced and drew the children of Fxdab into it; but rather it feems to intend the kings, princes, priefts, prophets, and inhabitants of Feru/alem, who, by their example, led the people of the Lord into the fame practice. way, &c.

¥.36. And now therefore, thus faith the Lord, the God of Iracl, concerning this city, &c.| Here begins the confirmation of the other part of the prophecy, concerning the return of the Yews to their city and country, when they fhould again buy and poffefs fields and vineyards; which was thought impoffible, fuppofing the deftruction of the city; or however, not eafily reconcileable it; but this is as ftrongly affirmed as the former; for tho’ they had finned fo heinoufly, and had provoked the wrath of God to fuch a degree, that the deflruction of their city was inevitable, of ~ which they were now fenfible themfelves; yet sow notwithjftanding ', for fo it is ufhered in; words may be rendered, thus faith the Lord, the God of Irael; who is Jehovah, with whom nothing is impoffible; and continues the covenant-God of his own people, his fpiritual Jael,; for whofe fake he does great and wonderful things; he fays, coucerning this city, the city of Ferufalem, now befieged by the Chaldeans: whereof ye fay, it foall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, by the fword, and by the famine, and by the peftilence, for by thefe things, by the confumption that was made by them, they faw their cafe was defperate; and that there was no avoiding falling into the hands of the Chaldeans: wherefore, for the comfort of the Lord’s own people among them, the! following things are faid,; moft of which refpect the gofpel-difpenfation, either the beginning, or and poffefs fields and vineyards; and as they will likewife at the time of their converfion in the latter day: and I will caufe them to dwell fafely, which the yet they did not for any continuance after their return from Babylon; being, as Ferom obferves, often, molefted by the Perfians, Macedonians, and Egyp- ¢ias; and, at laft, deftroyed by the Romans: their troubles in the times of the Maccabees are very notorious; fo that this refers either to the firft times of the gofpel, and to the ews that then believed in Chrift; or rather to times yet to come, and which are prophefied of from hence to ¥. 43. came) y. 38. And they fhall be my people, and I will be their Ged.] A comprehenfive fummary of the covenant of grace, which fhall be made known to the Fews at the time of their converfion, and the bleffings of it applied to them, and beftowed on them; tho’ now a Lo-ammi is written upon them; fee ch. xxx. 21. and xxxi. 1, 33.

y.39. And I will giue them one heart, and one One, and the fame heart; the fame heart to one as to another; gracious ‘fouls, truly converted perfons, be they ews or Gentiles, have the fame experience; they have all, more or lefs, a fight and fenfe of fin, and the evil of it; are brought off of their own righteoufnefs; are led to. Chrift alone for life and falvation; are made par-' takers of precious promifes; and all have their with temptations, afflictions and trials, and can fym-. pathize with one another: and they have the fame things put into their hearts; the laws of God are written there; the doétrines of the gofpel have a place there; Chrift is formed in them; the graces of the Spirit are implanted, faith, hope, love, fear, and thus the humility, and other graces. Their heart given them at converfion is a fincere and upright heart, not a double one; they become J/raelites indeed 5 their faith is unfeigned; their hope is devoid of hypocrify; their love is without diffimulation, their repentance is genuine; and they ferve God uprightly with true hearts. It is alfo fingle and alone for God; he has the whole of it; their underftandings are enlightened with the knowledge of him; their affections and defires are towards him; their wills are fubject to him; their eye is fingle to his glory; their hearts are not divided between him and another object of worfhip; and they are alfo ove towards another, as the firft chriftians were of one heart, and of one foul, As iV. 52. and fuch a heart is a new heart, and the gift of God: one way, is alfo promifed; one way of falvation, which latter end of it. is Chrift; the one and only way of accefs to God;

¥. 37. Bebold, I will gather them out of all countries, &c.] At the end of the feventy years captivity; and which will have a greater accomplifhof acceptance with him, of juftification before him; and of forgivenefs of fin; the only true way into a gofpel-church-ftate, and to eternal agi ment in the latter day, when the Yews fhall be converted, and gathered from their prefent difperfion all over the earth: whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath, or, whither I fhall drive them, or fhall bave driven them ™; for as yet-they were not thus driven and difperfed. A heap of words is made ufe of to exprefs the greatnefs of the Lord’s indignation at them for their fins, the caufe of their expulfion out of the land: and I will bring them again unto this place, the city of Ferufalem;, as they were at the end of the feventy years captivity; and when the promife was fulfilled, that they fhould purchafe happinefs; and which is the more excellent way; the good old way; the new and living one: one way of worfhip may alfo be intended; one Lord is to be obeyed and worfhipped; one doétrine and fcheme of faith to be received; one baptifim to be adminiftred in one and the fame way, to one and the fame fubjeéts, and in one and the fame name; one true fpiritual manner of worfhip, all fhall come into in the latter day; and there will be no more parties among thofe that are called chriftians; the ‘ews, when converted, will have no divifions nor different denominations among them; fee Epd. iv. 4. Lech, xiv..g: that they may fear me for ever; both internally and externally; the one heart will be given them to fear and reverence him inwardly; and the one way of worfhip to fear or ferve him outwardly, and in which they fhall always continue; there will be no apoftacy from the true grace of God, and no defection from his worfhip to fuperftition and idolatry: for the good of them, and of their children after them; unity of heart; fincerity and uprightnefs of foul; a walking in the way of the Lord; having his fear before their eyes, and on their hearts, will iffue in their fpiritual good here, and in their eternal happinefs hereafter; and even their pofterity will reap fome advantage by their good inftructions and example.

¥. 40. And I will make an everlafting covenant with them, &c.] Which is made known and manifeft at converfion; when the grace of it is applied; the bleffings of it beftowed; and the promifes of it made good; and therefore faid to be made; for otherwife the covenant of grace ‘here fpoken of, was made from all eternity with Chrift and his people in him; as appears from his being fet up as the Mediator fo early, and from the bleffings and promifes of it, being of fuch a date. It is founded on the everlafting love of God, and is according to his eternal purpofe; and is no other than an eternal tranfaction between the Father and the Son concerning the falvation of his elect; and which will laft for ever, and never be antiquated, as the covenant under the former difpenfation was; and which fhows that this refpects gofpel-times: that I will not turn away from them to do them good, he may withdraw his gracious prefence for a while; but he never turns from his love and affections to his people; nor from his gracious purpofes concerning them; nor from his promifes to them; nor from his gifts beftowed on them; or {fo as to utterly leave them and forfake them, or ceafe to do them good: he has laid up goodnefs for them, he has beftowed much on them, whom he has called by his grace; he has given himfelf to them as their God and portion; his Son as their Saviour and Redeemer, and all good things with him; his Spirit as their fanétifier, with his gifts and graces; and he has wrought a good work in them; and he will continue to do them good, by frefh difcoveries of his love; by granting his gracious prefence; by carrying on his work of grace; by iupplying their wants, and making all things work together for their good. ‘The Zargum is, ‘* my “© word fhall not turn away,” &c. but I will put any fear in their hearts; which is not naturally in the hearts of men; and where it is, it is put there by the grace of. God, and as a bleffing of the covenant; it appears in thofe who are brought to a true fight of fin, in their humble fenfe of themfelves, and dependence on the Lord; and in a reverent affection for him; and in a true and {piritual worfhip of him; and which is a fecurityfrom a fina] and total apoftacy from him, as fol¢ lows: that they fhall not depart from me's not but that they may, and do fin againft God; and there may be a partial departure from him in thofe that truly fear him; but not a wicked, final and total one: the fear of God influences them to cleave clofe unto him; and the power of God keeps them from departing from him, from his doétrines, worfhip and ordinances, from his people, and a profeffion of his name.

¥. 41. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, &c.] His covenant-people, to whom he gives one heart, and one way, and who have his fear implanted in them, and fhall never depart from him, but perfevere to the end: thefe he loves with a love of complacency and delight; he re- Joices over them, not as confidered in themfelves, but as in Chrift; he rejoices over them, as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride; and which does not merely lie in expreffion, but appears in fact; he does them good, and with the utmoft joy and pleafure; he delights in fhewing mercy to them, beautifies them with falvation, and takes pleafure in their profperity; he has ‘taken up good thoughts and refolutions concerning them in his heart; has promifed good things to them in his covenant; has provided good things for them in his Son, and beftows them on them in regeneration; and conftantly fupplies them with his grace, and will withhold no good thing from them, till he has brought them to glory; all which he does chearfully and with the utmoft delight. The Targum is, ‘* my word fhall rejoice over them;” the effential word, Chrift; he was rejoicing in them, and his delights were with them from eternity; he rejoices over them, as his loft fheep found at converfion; and they’ll be his joy and crown of rejoicing to all eternity; and it was for the joy of having them with him, that he endured fo much for them in the redemption of them: and I will plant them in this land affuredly; or in truth, or in flability and firmnefs"; for it does not feem fo much to relate to the truth of the promife, and the affurance that may be had of the fulfilment of ” that, as to the reality and conftancy of the blefling itfelf. A gofpel-church-ftate was firft planted in udea, and from thence has been fpread into other parts, and has never been rooted out of the world fince; and when the ews upon their converfion are fettled in their own land again, they will never more be removed: with my whole heart, and with my whole foul. Grotius thinks thefe claufes are to be connected with the former part of the verfe, that God will rejoice over them to do them good. with all his heart and foul; but this the accents — will not admit of; but the meaning is, that he will do this particular good for them, as well as all others, in the moft cordial and refpectable:manner, even planting and eftablifhing them in their own land. The Targum is, * by my word, and ‘© by my will.” oc y. 42. For thus faith the Lord, like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, &c.| The Chaldean army now befieging them, the famine and peftilence among them, as well as their— captivity, which was juft at hand and certain: jo will I bring upon them all the good that I have promifed them in the preceding verfes; as being their God, and they his people; giving them one heart, —

and one way; putting his fear into them; Caufing them to perlevere to the end; rejoicing over them to do them good; and planting them in the land. God is as faithful to his promites, as to his threatnings; and thofe who have feen the fulfilment of the one, need not doubt of the accomplifhment of the other; for if he has done all the evil things he threatened to do, which are his acts of juftice, his ftrange aéts, much more will he do the good things he has promifed, which are his aéts of grace and mercy, in which he delights.

¥. 43. And fields fhall be bought in this land, &c.

After the return from the Badbyloni/fh captivity, which this refpects,; and of which the prophet’s purchafing a field of his uncle’s fon was a pledge and token; in doing which, as a right thing, he is confirmed; as well as the cavils and objections of the ews removed, who thought the deftruction of the city, and fuch a practice, irreconcileable; and moreover, this is mentioned as a pledge, earneft and confirmation of the fulfilment of the above piritual promifes in gofpel-times; for the people being returned at the end of the feventy years captivity, and purchafing fields and vineyards, as was predicted, it might be ftrongly concluded, that fince thofe temporal bleffings promifed were made good, fpiritual ones would certainly be fulfilled; tho’ fome underftand-thefe words in a {piritual*fenfe, of the field of the church; for it is in the fingular number, a field fhall be bought °, yea, that field, emphatically, which was bought by the blood of Chrift, and firft planted in the land of udea, as in ¥. 41: whereof ye fay, it is defolate without man or beaft; fo wafted and deftroyed by the enemy, that neither man nor beaft are left, but both carried off by him; and therefore no hope of what is above promifed: it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, they are become the poffeffors of it, and therefore it is all over with us as to buying and pofleffing fields and vineyards; but notwithf{tanding this diffidence and defpair in the prefent’ view of things, it follows,

HIS chapter is a continuation of prophecies of fpiritual bleffings on the church of Chrift in gofpel-times, of which the return of the Jews from captivity, and the benefits following on that, were types. The place where Yeremiah had this prophecy communicated to’ him, the prifon, y. 1. the author of it, Jehovah, who defcribes himfelf, y.2. encourages the prophet to pray unto him, promifing an anfwer, and a difcovery of great and hidden things, ¥. 3. not fo much concerning the deftruction of the city, and the rebuilding it, ¥. 4, 5. as fpiritual bleffings to the church, fignified by it; fuch as a healthful ftate and condition thro’ Chrift, the fun of righteoufnefs, arifing with healing in his wings, and a revelation of abundance of peace and truth by him, y. 6. a releafe of captives, and a rebuilding of the church, y¥. 7. free and full forgivenefs of all fins, ¥. 8. the church a praife in the whole earth; much joy in it, and glory to God by it, ¥. 9, £0, 11. fpiritual paftors or fhepherds feeding their flocks, and taking very diligent care of them, ¥. 12, 13. a promife of the Meffiah as a righteous branch; as the Saviour and fafe-

. guard of his people; and as the Lord their righ-

¥. 44. Men fall buy fields for money, &c.| They fhall have plenty of money, and they fhail lay it out in land, and carry on hufbandry, cultivate the ground which had lain long untilled; but now fhould be manured for public as well as private good. This fome underftand of particular churches planted in Fudea, and out of it, throughout the’ whole world; and of mens gathering and joining themfelves to them by a profeffion of that faith which is more precious than gold or filver: and Subcribe evidences, and feal them, and take witneffes, as Feremiah had done before, when he bought the field of his uncle’s fon, ¥. 10. This is {piritually underftood by fome, of the word of God laid hold on by faith; of the fealing of the Spirit, and of the ordinances of the gofpel: in the lend of Benjamin, where Anathoth was, and Feremiah’s field lay; and where the fame fhould be done by others as was done by him: and in the places about ferufalem; in the fuburbs of it, and in the villages round about it: and in the cities of Fudah; throughout the whole country, divided into the three following parts: and in the cities of the mountains; in the hilly country of Fudea, where was Hebron, and other cities, Lukei. 39,65: and in the cities of the valley. The Septuagint retains the Hebrew word Sephela, or the plain, in which were Emmaus, Lydda, Sharon, places mentioned in the New Te- {tament: and in the cities of the fouth; or Nagab, the fouth part of Fudea, which led to Gaza, A&s viii. 26. This divifion of Fudea into the mountains, valley, and fouth, exactly agrees with the account of it in Fob. xv. 21, 33, 48. Some underftand this of the gofpel going out of Feru/alem after the day of Pentecoft, not only to the places near that city, but to Samaria, and the cities of the fouth towards Egypt, and fo into all the world: for I will caufe their captivity to return, faith the Lord their temporal captivity from Babylon, and their {piritual captivity from fin, fatan, and the law, teoufnefs, ¥. 14, 15, 16. an affurance of the continuance of the kingly and prieftly offices in him, whereby the covenant of God with David and the Levites would be for ever fecured, ¥. 17, 18, ra, 20, 21, 22. and the chapter is concluded with a promife of the perfeverance of the faints and people of God; which is reprefented as certain as the covenant with day and night, and as the ordinances of heaven and earth, in oppofition to a fuggeition to the contrary, ¥. 23, 24, 25, 26.:

¥.1. Moreover, the word of the Lord came unto Feremiah the fecond time, &c.] Not that this was precifely the fetond time that the word of the Lord came to the prophet, for it had come to him many more times than thofe; but this was the fecond time on the fame occafion and fubject;_ for the fubject of this chapter is the fame with that of the former, concerning the Meffiah, and the happinefs of the church in his times: (while be was yet /but up in the court of the prifon); tho the prophet could not go out from hence, and publith his prophecies, yet the Lord vifits him again and again; and his prefence made the prifon a palace to him; and and tho’ his afflictions abounded for the fake of him, his comforts abounded thro’ him; and tho’ he was bound, the word of the Lord was not; it had a free courfe, and ran, and was glorified; it found its way into the prifon, and alfo out of it: Jaying, as follows.

y.2. Thus faith the Lord, the maker thereof, &c.} The Syriac verfion is, that made thee, the prophet.

The Septuagint and Arabic verfions are, the maker of the earth, fee ch. xxxii. 17. Kimchi interprets it of Ferufalem; rather it is to be underitood of the new Ferufalem, or church of God in gofpeltimes. ‘archi feems to underftand it of this prophecy or promife, and fo others; the promife of re{toring and rebuilding Ferufalem, which, if taken of the church of God, may be admitted. The Lord that formed it, to eftablifh it, who drew the fcheme and model of this fpiritual building, his church, in his eternal mind, and refolved upon its ftability and glory; who forms it, and every one in it, for himfelf, and for his praife, in order to eftablifh it in the world; as it will be more efpecially in the latter day: we often read of the Lord’s eftablifhing his church and people in the world, P/- xlviii. 8. and Ixxxvii. 5. Jf ii. 2. The Lord is his name, Jehovah, the felf-exifting Being, the Being of beings; who is able to perform whatever he undertakes, and fo is equal to this work, of fettling and eftablifhing his intereft.

y¥. 3. Call unto me, and I will anfwer thee, &c.] This is fpoken not to Yerufalem, and the inhabitants of it; but to the prophet, encouraging him to feek the Lord by prayer, promifing an anfwer | to him. So the Targum, ‘* pray before me, and <¢ T will receive thy prayer:” and /hew thee great and mighty things; or fortified ones?; which are like fortified cities, that can’t eafily be come at, unlefs the gates are opened to enter into; and defigns fuch as are difficult of underftanding, which exceed human belief, and which reafon cannot comprehend and take in; and fuch are the great things of the gofpel. referved’; as the Targum; and fo Farchi, who interprets it of things future, of things referved in the heart of God, and which he purpofed to do; and very rightly: which thou knoweft not; until revealed, and from hence it appears, that by thefe great and hidden things, are not meant the deitruction of Ferufalem, and the feventy years captivity, and return from that, things which Yeremiab had been made acquainted with time after time, and had prophefied of them; but fpiritual bleffings hereafter mentioned, fome of which the deliverance ‘ from Babylon were typical of. Ben Meélech interprets thefe of comforts great and ftrong.

y. 4. For thus faith the Lord, the God of I/rael, &c.] The deftruction of Ferufalem by the Chaldeans, which was now fulfilling, is here mentioned as a pledge of the accomplifhment of fpiritual bleffings after fpoken of; and to affure the prophet, that as he would with his own eyes fee the fulfilment of the prophecies he had delivered out in the name of the Lord concerning that, 10 likewife as certainly would the other be brought to pafs: concerning the houfes of this city, and concerning the houfes of the kings of Judah, which were thrown down by the mounts, and by the fword; by ‘the mounts, which the Chaldeans raifed without the city; or by the engines they placed there, by which they

Some copies read it, things | caft out ftones into the city, to the demolifhing of the houfes in it; not in common only, but particularly the houfes of the king and nobles, which they efpecially directed their fhot at; and by she fometimes this word is ufed, when they entered into the city. Tho’ fome render the words, which are thrown down for mounts, and fir the fword *; that mounts might be made of them within, on which the Zews might fight and defend themfelves again{t the Chaldeans. So the Targum, “* which ** they pulled down, and threw up mounts to *¢ ftrengthen the wall, againft thofe that kill with “* the fword;” and fo Farckz interprets it.

¥. 5. They come to fight with the Chaldeans, &c.] Either the Fews out of the country, or their auxiliaries, their neighbours, to oblige them to break up the fiege; but all to no purpofe: or rather the Fews within, who, from the mounts erected, fight with the Chaldeans, or by fallying out upon them: but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, the mounts, made of their houfes, or their houfes themfelves; it is only to make them graves, and fill them with thefe carcafes: whom I have flain in mine anger, and in my fury; that is, fuffered to be flain, being wroth and angry with them, for their fins, as follows: and for all whofe wickednefs I have hid my face from the city; had no pity for it, fhowed no mercy to it, gave it no help and affiftance, or protection, having withdrawn his prefence from it. So the Targum, “ I have caufed my ‘© Shekinah to depart from this city, becaufe of ‘“¢ their wickednefs.” ue y. 6. Behold, I will bring it bealth and cure, and I will cure them, &c.] That is, the church of God, the members of it, typified by Ferufalem = and it is to be underftood of the healing of their {piritual maladies, the difeafes of fin, through the blood of the Meffiah, who fhould arife with healing in his wings; that is, with remiffion of fin, which is often meant by healing in fcripture: Chrift is the phyfician; his blood the balm in Gilead, which being applied to thofe that are difeafed with fin, to fin-fick fouls, it makes an effectual cure of them; fo that they fhall not fay they are fick, becaufe their iniquities are forgiven them; fee Pf. ciii, 3. Jf, xxxill. 24. Mal, iv, 2. Fer. viii. 23: and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth; the fame with grace and truth, which are come by Chrift; under the Old Teftament, thefe were figured out by types and fhadows; but not revealed clearly, as under the New Teftament, to which this prophecy belongs. Peace may intend, peace made with God by the blood of Chrift; peace of confcience, which he gives, and arifes from a fenfe of pardon and atonement by his blood, and juitification by his righteoufnefs; and ail kind of

{piritual welfare, profperity, and happinefs; of which there will be an abundance, efpecially in the latter days of the Meffiah, P/. Ixxii. 8. Truth may defign the faithfulnefs of God, in fulfilling all his promifes and prophecies concerning the fiah, and falvation by him, and may ftand oppof to the types and fhadows of the old law; and include the gofpel, the word of truth, and all the doétrines of it; which are clearly and fully revealed by the Spirit of truth, wifdom, and revelation, in - the knowledge of Chrift. Here begins the account of the great, mighty, and hidden things the Lord ron Sy mbson by ad aggeres & +, dinates, Ta %

' from the captivity of fin, fatan, and the law, by

‘the preaching of the gofpel; and which has occa- promifed to fhow the prophet, ¥. 3. The Targvum of this laft claufe is, ‘* and I will reveal the “* gate of repentance unto them, and I will thew “* them how they fhall walk in the way of peace ** and truth;” and the Syriac verfion is, ** I will ** reveal unto them the paths of peace and faith;” but the word here ufed fignifies abundance, as Kimchi and Ben Melech obferve.

¥. 7. And Iwill caufe the captivity of Fudah, and the captivity of Ifrael to return, &c.] Mention being made of the return of the captivity of I/rael, or the ten tribes, as well as of that of Fudab, thows, that this prophecy does not relate to the return of the Fews from their feventy years captivity in Ba- éylon; but is to be underitood fpiritually, of a releafe of the myftical and fpiritual J/rael of God a flavifh, but filial fear, which is confiftent with Joy and gladnefs; and which fear will be influenced not by the terrors of the law, but by the goodnefs of God; being of the fame nature with the fear of the converted ‘ews at the latter day, who will fear the Lord, and his goodnets, Hof. iii, 5. fo the Gentiles, feeing and hearing of the goodnefs of God beftowed upon the believing Yews, will be folicitous for the fame, and be encouraged to feck after 1t; and finding it, fhall be engaged to fear the Lord, and worthip him.

¥. 10. Thus faith the Lord, again there fhall be heard in this place, &c.] This is to be connected with the beginning of the 11th verfe; and. what follows to be put in a parenthefis: which ye Jay Joall be defolate without man and without beaft; as in ch. xxxii. 43. the deftruction of it being now certain and inevitable; and by which fuch defolation would be made throughout the country, that very few men or cattle would be left: even in the cities of Judah, and in the fireets of Ferufalem that are defolate; as they were already, the country being in the hands of the enemy, and the city almoft depopulated by the fwoid, fariine, and pettilence, and juft about to be delivered up: and fo without man, and without inhabitant, and without beat; neither inhabited by man or beaft; which is an hyperbolical exaggeration of the miferable condition of the city and country; expreffing the unbelief and defpair of the Fews, at leaft of fome of them, ever fecing better times: whereas, be it fo, that this was or would be the cafe; yet here fhould be heard’ again, in the times of the Meffiah, when he fhould appear in Judea, and his gofpel be preached there, from whence it fhould go into all the world, what follows:

¥. 11. The voice of joy, and the voice of gladnefs, &c.] Such is the voice of the gofpel to all fenfible finners; whofe eyes are opened to fee their loft eftate; whofe ears are opened, to hear the joyful found; whofe hearts are opened to attend to the things fpoken in it; who are humble and contrite, wounded and broken in fpirit, and have a {piritual underftanding of things given them: to thefe the gofpel preached is glad tidings of great joy; fince it contains in it the dogtrines of peace and pardon thro’ the blood of Chrift; of juftification thro” his righteoufnefs; of reft in him, and falvation by him. It is a voice of joy and gladnefs to all believers in Chrift; fince hereby they hear of Chrift whom they love; they hear of the love of God in him, and of the love of him to them; it is food to their fouls; and when found, under the hearing of it, it is the joy and rejoicing - of their hearts; and whereas they are continually finning in thought, word, or deed, the doétrine of, pardon muft be joyful to them. Moreover, this may be meant of the voice of thofe that come to the church of God, with fongs of joy.and_gladnefs, for electing, redeeming, calling, pardoning, and juftifying grace; the voice of young converts, and of all them that rejoice in Chrift Jefus, and have no confidence in the fiefh; fee Jf xxxv. 10, and why may not the ordinance of finging pfalms, hymns, and fpiritual fongs, be included? fince thofe are enjoined to be fung, and are fung in gofpel-churches, Eph. v. 19, Col. iii, 16. Lhe voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride; which, literally underftood, js expreihive of great joy and the Meffiah: and will build them as at the firft; in the latter day, as at the beginning or firft times of the gofpel,; when the temple of the Lord was built by Chrift, as the chief mafter-builder, and by his apofties under him, upon himfelf, the foundation of the apoftles and prophets; he being the corner-itone of it, whereby it became an habitation for God thro’ the Spirit. Since that time, by means of hereticks and falfe teachers, and efpecially by the man of fin, the tabernacle of David, or church of Ghrift, is greatly fallen into ruin, and needs rebuilding and repairing; and this will be done; and then it will be a beautiful ftructure, as at the firft, or as it was in the times of the apoftles; fee its xv. 16.

¥..8. And I will cleanfe them from all their iniquity, whereby they have finned againft me, &c.] Even by the blood of Chrift, which cleanfes from all fin, of heart, lip, and life, in allufion to the purifications under the law, 1 Fobii. 7. fee Ezek. xxxvi. 25: and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have finned, and whereby they have tranferejed againft me, for Chrift’s fake, and thro’ his atoning facrifice, and upon the foot of full fatisfaction made by him, An heap of words is here uféd, to exprefs the fulnefs of pardoning grace thro’ the blood of Chrift, which reaches to all manner of fin; and this is the great and peculiar bleffing of the new covenant; fee ch. xxxi,

4., ¥. 9. Aud it foall be to me a name of joy, a praife, and an boncur, &c.] That is, the church and people of God, being redeemed and rebuilt by Chrift, and being cleanfed from their fins in his, blood, and all their iniquities forgiven for‘his fake, would be a caufe of joy to themfelves and others, and bring joy, praife, and honour unto God: fo the church, in the latter day, will be an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations, and a praife in the earth, Jf Ix. 15. and Ixii. 7. and here they are faid to be fo, before all the nations, which Jhall hear all the good that I do unto them, in redeeming them by the Meffiah; calling them by his Spirit and grace; juftifying them by the righteoufnefs of Chrift; pardoning their fins thro” his blood; making them meet for, and giving them a title to, eternal glory and happinefs; all which would be made known, as it has been to the Gentiles, thro’

fioned joy and gladnefs among them, and praife and thankfeiving unto God, and which has re- ‘dounded to his honour and glory: and they fall fear and tremble, for all the goodnefs, and for all the profperity that I procure unto it, that is, they fhall fear the Lord, and tremble at his word; not with happinefs; as the. contrary fignifies great.calami and diftrefs, fee ch. vii. 34. Rev. xviii. 23. i may be underftood of fuch who are in fuch a natural relation to one another; and yet their voice may intend their joining together in fpiritual praife to God. Moreover, by the bridegroom may be meant Chrift, who has efpoufed his people to him- _ felf, and is their hufband, and behaves as fuch towards them, in all tendernefs, care, love, and affection; and his voice-was heard in fudea’s land as the bridegroom; Yobn heard it, and rejoiced at it, and fo did many others; fee Matt. ix. 15. Fobn iii. 29. and the gofpel indeed, is no other than his voice; and a foul-quickening, foul-com-

' forting, and foul-alluring, and charming voice it is. And by the dride may be meant the church, who is the bride, the Lamb’s wife, being married to him; whofe voice of prayer and praife to Chrift, and of encouragement to fenfible finners, is heard in Zion, and is very defirable, Cant. ii. 14. Rev. xxii. 17. The voice of them that fhall fay, praife the Lord of bofts; the hufband of his church, and Redeemer of his people, and who is the fovereign Lord of all; the voice of fuch is heard, who ftir up others to this work and fervice, and inforce it by the reafons,, following: for the Lord is good; originally and éffentially in himfelf, and the fountain of goodnefs to others; the good head and hufband of his church; the good Samaritan, the good fhepherd of his fheep, and Saviour of his people: for bis mercy endureth for ever; it is from everlafting to everlafting; in his love and pity he has redeemed his church; and this is feen in ‘his

I A A Ch. ¥sili. yr 25-14 ereat peace, no foreign enemy to’ make afiaid Or difturb the fhepherds and ‘their flocks; afid of diligence and induftry, plenty cai a ae this is to be underftood not’in a literal, be myitical fenfe. For by /bepherds are meant t e apofties of Chrift, the firit minifters of the gofpel, “and pa ftors of churches, that fhould be firft raifed’ in the land of Judea, and then fent into, “and {fpread in all the world; fhepherds pee of his raifing, qualifying, and calling; to ‘ he gives a comimiffion to feed his fheep and lambs} a@gns them their diftin& flocks, and gives ‘them ~ food to feed them with, and to whom they ate‘ag-"* countable for thofe under their care, and the gifts — beftowed upon them; and whofe bufinef®S lies in fea? e ing the flock, with the folid doétrines of the gofpel, by faithfully adminiftring the ordinances, and in — all directing to Chrift, where they may find pafture; as alfo in ruling and governing according to the laws of Chrift,; in watching over’ the theep that they go not aftray, and in protecting and defending them from beafts of prey. By the Babitation of thefe fhepherds, is meant the houfe of God, where the word is preached, and ordihances are adminiftred; here are the fhepherds” tents, which, like the tents of Kedar, which were fhep- — herds tents alfo, are mean and coarfe without, but rich and beautiful within; and are like tents, move- ~ able from place to place; and it is the glory and happinefs of a country where they are. And by tender cate of her, and will endure to eternal life: flocks or flock, for it is in the fingular number, are thefe words feem to be taken out of P/ cvyi. 1. and cvii. 1, 2. and cxxxvi. 1, and were ufed by the Fews at the laying of the foundation of the fecond temple, Ezra iii. 11. And of them that shall bring the facrifice of praife into the houfe of the Lord, the church of the living God, the materials of which are lively ftones, or true believers in Chrift; into which none fhould enter without an offering; and this fhould be a fpiritual one, the facrifice of praife and thankfgiving; which God has enjoined as well pleafing to him, becaufe it glorifies him, This fhows, that this prophecy belongs to gofpeltimes; fince no other facrifice is mentioned as brought into the houfe of God, but the facrifice of praife. And remarkable is the note of Kimchi on this paflage; ‘* he does not fay a fin-offering, “* or a trefpafs-offering, becaufe at this time there will be no-ungodly perfons and finners among them, ‘for they fhall all know the Lord. And fo our Raddins of bleffed memory fay, all offerings fhall ceafe in time to come (the times of the Meffiah). but the facrifice of praife.” For I will caufe to return the captivity of the land as at ihe jirft, faith the Lord; a releafe from {piritual captivity, or redemption by Chrift; being the foundation of all folid joy, praife, and thankfgiving.

¥. 12. Thus faith the Lord of hofts, &c.] Which phrafe, or what is anfwerable to it, is often repeated, to give authority to what is faid, and to command a belief of it: again, in this place which 1s defolate; which was faid to be fo, ¥. 10. and ch. xxxii. 43. and indeed was fo; and was near utter deftructioh, as to be without man and without beaft; both falling into the hands of the enemy; and that not in the city of Ferufalem only, but in ‘all the cities thereof, of the land of Fudea; and ‘from thence in other countries, even in Gentile ones: foal be an habitation of fhepherds, caufing their Backs to lie down; which is expreflive of tithing of them, Lev. xxvii.

meant the church of Chrift, which is but one, the general affembly and church of the firft-born written in heaven, and the feveral particular congre- ~ gated churches; confifting of fuch perfons as may be compared to fheep, being weak and timorous, meek and humble, harmlefs and inoffenfive; of — perfons gathered out of the world, diftinguifhed by the grace of God, and folded together in a gofpel-church-ftate; tho’ but few, and defpifed of men, and perfecuted, a little flock, anda flock of flaughter: thefe, by theit fhepherds, are made fe lie down in a good fold at night, where they are _ fafe and fecure; thefe fhepherds watch over them; angels encamp about them; falvation is walls and — bulwarks to them; and God himfelf a wall of fire around them; and in the day they are made to lie down in the green paftures of the word’and‘ordinances, where they have an abundance, a fufh- © ciency of provifions; and at noon under the fhadow of Chrift, where they have reft, and where they are fcreened and ‘fheltered from the héat oF a fiery law, of fatan’s fiery darts, and of the world’s perfecution. ae foun te hb y..13. In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the fouth, cc) Into which three parts the land of Judea was dis” vided; fee the note on ch. xxxii. 44: and in the — land of Benjamin, and in the places about Ferifalem, and in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the twe tribes, of which Feru/alem was the metropolis which returned from the captivity, < here, and were in being when the Meffiah here prophefied of, the great fhepherd foall the flocks paJs again under the telleth thein, faith the Lord; all ftom of fhepherds telling their floc led them out of the fold int when they put them in at eve

> Kimchi:and Aberbinel interpret it, of the T raelites going in and out under the: hands of their king, that goes at the head of them; and thé’Targum, of the king Mefliah, and who is.no doubt meant. The elect of God, who are intended by the flocks, were in eternal election confidered as fheep, and by that act of grace were diftinguifhed from others; and fo when an exaét account was taken of them, their names were written in heaven, and in the Lamb’s book of life; and had this feal and mark put upon them, the Lord knows them that are bis; alfo. in,the gift of them to Chrift; in the covenant of grace, when they were brought into the bond of that covenant, they were likewife confidered as fheep, diitinct from others; ‘and were told into the hands. of Chrift, where they are kept, and who has a moft perfect knowledge of them; and in effectual vocation they. will again pafs under ‘his hands; they are then as fheep that had gone aftray, returned to the fhepherd and bifhop of their fouls; and when they are fepatated from others, and fpecial. knowledge is taken of them, ‘and Chrift’s mark, the fandtification of the Spirit, is put upon them; and at the laft day, when -Chrift fhall deliver them up. to the Father, he'll fay, lo, I and the children, or fheep, whom ‘thou haft given me; and they will all be numbered, and not one. will be.wanting. ° RM ¥. 14. Bebold, the days come, faith the Lord, &c.] Or, are coming *; future times are refpeéted; yet! fuch as would quickly come; five or fix hundred years more, and then would be fulfilled what is after promifed. This is ufhered in with a debold, as being a matter of importance, and- deferving attention, and:even as calling fer admiration. This _ is the principal of the great and mighty things the Lord promifed to. fhew to the: prophet, ¥. 3. even the coming of the Meffiah, and what concerns his perfon and office: that I will perform that good thing which Ihave promifed unto the houfe of Ifrael, and to the houfe of Fudah;, or, that good word, that gracious word concerning Chrift and falvation by him; that mercy promifed to the fathers; that good thing that came out of Nazareth; the good thepherd that laid down his life for the’ fheep, pre-, ferable tothe thepherds before -fpoken: of: -or rather, that deff word”; the pofitive ufed for the fuperlative, as frequent inthe Hebrew language. Many good words or promifes are made before, | concerning the={piritual welfare and profperity of the church; butsthis is. the. beft.of all; this is the better thing. provided forsfaihts under the gofpeldifpenfation, and promifed to'them, who are meant’ by the houfes of Fudah and d/rael.; tor thefe phrafes, as the ews themfelves allow, fhow that the words | belong to the. times of the Meffiah; and-which | God, ‘that is true and cannot lie, and whois faithful, that has promifed, and is.able to perform, | will.do. 20d 0 y. 15. In-thofe days; and. at that time, 8cc.]} In thofe very felf-fame days before fpoken of; in thofe days to come, and which were haftening on; in the fulnefs of time, agreed ‘on between Jehovah and his Son; the appointed, fixed, determined time: will I caufe the branch of righteoufne/s to grow-up unto David; not Zorobabel, but the Meffiah; who is not only a branch of David's family, and therefore faid to grow up unto him, being of his feed, his fon, and offspring; but a branch of righteoufhefs, or a'righteous branch;. perfectly righteous in himfelf, and the author of righteoufnefs unto others; which can’t be faid of Zorodadbel, or of any other branch fpringing from David, but the Meffiah; and of him the Targum interprets it, paraphrafing it thus, ‘* the Meffiah of righteoufnefs;” and Kimebi’s note is, ‘* this is the king Meffiah 5”

and fo it is by other ‘Yewi/b writers * interpreted of. him: and be fhall execute judginent and righteoufnefs in the land, judgment upon the blind Pharifees given up to judicial blindnefs and hardinels of heart, _ and upon the world, and the prince of it, who was caft out by him; and tho’ he came not-at firft — to judge the world and all the individuals of it, as he will do at-his fecond coming’; yet all judgment, ‘rule and government of his church is com- ° mitted to him by his Father; and he. ison the throne to order and eftablith it with judgment, and to over-rule all things for the good of it, and his own and his Father’s glory: and he has wrought out an everlafting righteou/ne/s, agreeable to law and juftice, for the juftification of his people; for which reafon he and they have the name‘in the verfe following. pm Ae ¥.16. In thofe days fhall Fudab be faved, &c.}. The ele& of God among the Fews; and all fuch who are Fews inwardly, who truly believe-in-Chrift, and confefs his name, and praife him, and give him the glory of falvation. ‘fudab fignifies one that confefies or praifés the Lord; fuch fhall be faved from fin, fatan, the law, wrath, hell ‘and damnation, by the branch of righteoufhefs, the Meffiah; who was raifed up and fent to be a°Saviour; came into the world for this purpofe; has obtained falvation for his people; is the- captain and author of it; nor is it in any other; hence his name is called Jefus;*and this falvation is to be had from him-at all ‘times; as in thofe days in which it was firft-wrought out, fo throughout the whole gofpel-difpenfation: for now is the day of falvation; and indeéd (this is to be ‘underftood, not as exclufive of the Old Teftament-difpenfation, when believers were faved-by the fame Lord Jefus as we are; only this is expreffive of the impetration of this falvation-by the incarnate Saviour; and of the more clear difcovery and revelation. of it; and of the application of it to a greater number of perfons; and which is~fure’ to all the {piritual feed of *Chrift, whether ‘Fews or Gentiles, who ball be faved, with‘an everlafting falvation: it is not faid, they may be faved, but they jha/} be faved’, not may ‘be- faved if they will; or however, this is not left on -fuch a precarious foot; but’ they are made willing to be faved by Chrift in the day of his power,’ yea they are already faved’: and Ferufalem foall dwell Safely; the inhabitants-of it; fuch swho'aré come-to mount'Zion, the city of the'living God, the heavenly Ferufalem, thefe being faved by Chrift, arein the utmoft fafety; they have’ nothing -to® fear from the juftice of God, that is fatisfied;’ nor from.the Jaw, that is fulfilled; nor from their enemies, they ate’ conquered and deftroyed; God is pacified towards ‘them; is the God of peace with them; and ‘they have peace *with him, and-enjoy great -ferenity and tranquillity of mind; and ‘muft needs ‘dwell fafely, finee Fehovah is around.them as the mountains around -Yerufalem; Chrift is their ftrong-hold, into which they run and are fafe; the Holy Spirit within them is pay Fi ‘ Ahly ' © greater