7 Ir is but a little while ſince God hath delivered and reftored us, Tho e-\4 and yet we arc already returned to our former Sin and Folly. Or f, ales thus, we have enjoyed this Favour but a little while, and now we and ft are ſinning itaway, and ſhortning our own Happineſs. s That by py =” : his Favour many of us fhould eſcape our of Captivityzwhom he calls *2**** but s remnants becauſe the far greateſt part of the Hraeliciſh Nati- on were yet in Caprivity. # z: e. Either 1. A juſt and merciful Prince of our own Nation and Religion ; ſuch being. compared to Nails and Pins, as 1s. 22+ 23+ Or rather, 2. Some kind of Settle ment; whereas before we were toſſed and removed from place to place asour Maſters pleaſed, Ir isa Meraphor from Tents, which are faſtened by Cords and Nails, or Pins. « z. e, Inthis holy Land, as the Land of Judahis called Zech. 2 12+ Or, in Jeruſalem. which is called T-e koly City, Neb. 11+ 1, 18. Dan. 9. 24. which is peculiarly mention:d, becauſe of the Temple, which was the Nail which fa- ſtened their Tents, and gave them ſome ground of hopes to cen- rinue in their Land, * i, & That he might revive and comfort our hearts. Foras darkneſs is oft put for a State of Sorrow and Affficti= on, ſo Light is put for Joy and Comfort. y For we are nor quite delivered, bur ſtill wear our Fetters upon us, being even here in ſubjecrionto our former Lords, | | |
For we were bond-men z, yet our God hath not
forſaken ns if! our bondage, bur hath extended mercy
large Commiſſion from the King, and with this deſign, ro reform 2'l Diſorders. whereof this was not the keaſt. 57 e. From the Heathen Nations round about them, which God had expreſly com- manded them to do, Deut. 7. 2, 3. c To wit, either, 1. Marrying promiſcuouſly whomſo: ver they liked, as the Heathens uſed ro do z Or, 2. Imicating them in their Tdo!atrous or other wicked Prattices, into which they were drawn by their Hearheniſh Afffinities. Al- though they are not ciarged with any other Crime beſades their Marriage in the following account cf ar. ; =
2 For they have taken of their daughters for them- ſelves, and for their ſons: ſo that the holy ſeed have mingled themſelves with che people of :ho/e lands d: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers e hath been chief in
this treſpaſs. = _ @ This they had done, either 1. In the Lanl of their captivitys
0
- Into which tacſe People were carrizd as well as orhers, as appears |.
unto us in the fight of the kings of Perſia, to give us a ,_- -. ..
iving b ſet up the houſe of our God, and + to re- 7 Heb. co reviving b, to ſet upthe hoult d, bor pair the deſolations thereof e, and to give us ta wall 4+ yes. 4 in Judah andin Jeruſalem; , . , _ Zo
Z i. e. In greater Bondage. than that in which we now are. s i. e. Hath given us to find Favour in their Eyes: 6 To recover us from the Grave of dreadful Calamities in which we lay like dead Men and dry Bones, Ezek, 37+ 1,c. c To wit, of the Temple; either ro build rhe Houſe where there was only an heap of cheRuines ofthe old Temple. Or rather 2. To frequent and cekbrate the Worthip of God in thar place, which hath long Jain like a deſolate and neglected place.For tie Building of the Houſe was mentioned in the next fore- going words d Heb. an hedge, or a fence ; either 1. The Wa'l built abgur Jeruſalem, Bur it 1s probable that was 1.0t yet builc, a»weſhail
2'2: 4 ſee
hap. XR.
25 mMuci 2 fence ro tte re
ro time.
Hieb.2 grolly abuſed them ? Tteb. 5y hentof þ ſeruant.
Heb.
m n0uh g\eanneis. mouth.
Exod.
and the contrary courſe will make you ſtronger-
thee Jeſs than utter ruine ?
before thee s, becauſe of this 7.
ſ:e by the following Hiſtory. Beiides, this fence 3s inti ſt- of Juaah, as ro Terulalem : -WE Favour and ProteQion of the Kings of Perſia whoſe Edits on their; deareſt Relations. b-half were under God their Security againſt all thoſe Enemies wherewith thy were encompalled Or 3. The powerful and gr«= cious Providence of God, which had brought them rogerher, and planred rhem in their own Land,and watched over them irom tune,
io And now, O our God, what ſhall we ſay afcer
this e? for we have forſaken thy commandments, e Whar Apology can we make for our ſelves afcer thou haſt conferred ſuch great and high favours upon us, and we have fo
1: Which thou haſt commanded + by thy ſervants the prophets, ſaying, The land unto which ye go to poſſes, it is an unciean land with the fiithine people f of the lands, £ with their abominations, which have filledic + from one end to another, with their un-
f This notes the cauſe or matter of this uncleanneſs. The Land
was nor unclean in it ſelf, bur only polluted by the filthineſs of its Inhabitants. g Or, of theſe Lands, which are round about it. Thas Land is as corrupt as any of the reſt ot rhe Heathen Narion:, —_” i2 Now therefore * give not your daughters unto cur. 7, their ſons, neicher cake their daughters unto your ſons, nor ſeek their peace, or their weaith for ever : þ thar ye may be ſtrong i and eat the good of the land, and; leave zt for an inheritance to your children for ever.
h But root them out, as I have commanded you ro do; which ' Ch ; 3 alſo they have abundantly deſerved, borh of mine, and cf your fruit of their own ſin. 2. That Children may, and ſometimes da hands. See Det. 7. 2+ i. Although you may fancy thatthis way ot making Leagues and Marriages with them, is the only way to eſta- bliſh and ſettle you, yer I affure you, it will weaken and ruin you,
13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil | deeds, and for our great treſpais &, feing that thou our Heb. God þ haſt puniſhed us leſs than our iniquities deſerve 1,
14 Should we again break thy commandments », and joynin affinity with the people of theſe abiminarions ! wouldeſt not thou be angry with us till thou hadit con- ſumed us, ſo that there (hould be no remnant nor eſcaping o?
» Was this a fic and juſt requital of all thy kindefles ; or was l rac , this thy end and deſign _— oe ations ? or wilt thou takz this , regulare the buſineſs k Tanis 1$ meant, either I. Of the matrrer of
: 3 ab] & any thing from : well from our hands? o Can we realonably expe y Thing Irom |, put away. Or, 2. Of the manner of ir, which muſt be according to
- . ' the 15 O LORD God of Iſrael, thou ar: righteous p, for , 4 Ariſe, for :his matter belengeth unto thee /; we alſo