& They are vain and uſeleſs, being neither accepted by me, nor Jer -6. 20: beneficial to you. 1 Who am a Spirit, and therefore cannor be ſa- Am. 5-21; tisfed with ſuch carna{ Oblations, but expe& ro be worſhipped in 22. ſpirit and truth, and to have your Hearts and Lives,as weil as your Mic.6 7». Bodies and S2crifices, preſcated unto me. » I am glutted with # qa THeb.,greaf and rherefore loath them. » He mentions the fat and 4lood becauſe he-goats. theſe were in a peculiar maziner reſerved Ff r God, Levit. wo 15, 16 & 37: 31:to intimate: that even the beſt of their Sacrifices were re- jeQed by him. WS
12 When ye come to appear before me o,who hath t Heb " | required this at your hands p,to tread my courts q ? be ſeen. |
0 Upon the three Solemn Feaſts, Exoa: 23: 173 & 34-233 or up= on other occaſions. p To wit,in this manner, and upon theſe terms. The thing that Icommanldei!, W32$S not only, nor chiefly char you ſhould offer external Sacrifices to me, but rhat you ſtould do it wirh true repentance for all your fins, with Faith in my Promiſes with hearty Love to me, and ſincere Reſolutions of devoting your ſclves to my Service, withour which you offer me 2 dead carcaſs in- ſtead of a living Sacrifice, q The Courts of my Temple,which were rwo, that of the Prieſts, and that where the P:ople aſſembled, 2 Chron: 4: 9g. So this Reproof ſeems to be dire&ed againſt both | Prieſts and People. as unworthy to enjoy this Priviledge. co ll
I 3 Bring no more r vain oblations 5s, incenſe is an [Orgrief. | abominacion unto me ?, the newmoons « and fabbaths, - the calling of alſemblies x, I cannor away with y, it is alſo || in the ſolemn meeting 4. :
r I neither deſire nor will accept of any upon theſe terms. s Heb. Meat-offerings ; of which ſee Node mf. 153. 4. + is far is it from being a ſweet ſavour to me,as you fooliſhly imagine. u Which were holy to God, and obſerved with great ſolemnity- Ses Numb: 28: 11, 14: Pſal: 81: 3. « All other Solemn times wherein the. People wereoblidged to meet together,as the threegreat yearly Feaſts and other extraordinary Seaſons, y Heb. 7 canner bear : Ir is bur« denſome and grievous to me, x So far is it from pleaſing me,thar.
x You have been all of you puniſhed, from the higheſt to the low- eſt, from the worſt to the beſt. » I have ſuffered you to lie under. your maladies for a time, without applying any remedies, to try
©Deut:282 whether the length and continuance of your affiition might not * Ns $22 «< & : MI gÞ ch: 5:53 7 * Your countrey #5 deſolate, your cities are burnt?
work that Cure which the ſtrength of it could nor do,but all in vain.) where 3 although the word be ſometimes more generally uſed of
it is an offence to me, and inſtead of reconciling me to you, which is your delign,it provoketh me more againſt you.s The moſt ſolemn Day of each of the three Feaſts,. which was the laſt day, which is calied by this very name, Levit: 23: 36; Numb: 29+ 35: and elſe.
y other So}emn Feſtival-day.
5O:3 14 Your
1 PP
'14 Your new-moons and your appointed feaſts my foul hatech: they are a trouble unto me, I am weary r0:1:28: 1G bear them- | rf 15 And* when ye ſpread forth yourhands 5, I will >, mul. hide mine eyes from yec: yea, when ye | make mt ply. ny prayers, I will not hear 3 your hands are full of * +
Jer. bloodd. <4 bþ When you pray with hands ſpread abroad, as the manner was; F ofwhich ſee Exod: 9: 29: 33: Job 1:13, fc. c Which is a geſture of contempt and loathing. I will take no notice of your Pertons | or Requeſts. d You are guilty of Murder, and Opprefſion,and c- P[.34-14+ ther crying Sins, which'I abhor, and have forbidden, under 'pain "37:27: of my higheſt diſpleaſure. _ =wdhe 16 Waſhye, make you eleane, put away the pt evil - your doings from before mine eyes f; * ceale to OCV1 e Cleanſe your Hearts. and Hands from all filthineſs of Fleſh anc Spirit, and do no not content your ſelves with your Ceremon1a] Walhings. f Reform your ſelves ſo throughly, that you may nor only approve your ſelves co men, but to me, who ſearch your Hearts, and try all your Actions. . 17 Learn todo well g, ſeek judgment þ,|| relieve the
oppreſſed, judge & the fatherieſs, plead for the wi-
dow /. g Begin and inure your ſelves to live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godlily, 4 Shew your Religion to God, by ſtudying and- praQiſing Juſtice to Men. and neither give nor procure any unrighteous Judg- ment. z Be not only juft, bur merciful. &k Defend and deliver them, as this Word is uſed, Pſal: 7: 8,11: & 9:4. and oft elſe where. 1 Maintain the righteous Cauſe of poor and helpleſs Petſons, againſt their unjuſt and potent Adverſaries; whereby you will ſhew your love to Juſtice and Mercy, and that you fear God more than Men. 18 Come now and let us reaſon together »-,ſaith the
M57; LORDt though your fins be as ſcarlet », * _ | gh your ſins be as ſcarlet », * they ſhall EE" be my Hm as ſnowse ; though they be red like crimſon
they (hall be as wool p. »mTamwilling to lay aſide my Prerogative, andto ſubmit the Ma- ter to a fair and equal Trial, whether I do nct deal juſtly in rejeQ- ing all your Services, which are accompanied with ſuch groſs Hy- ' pocrifie and Wickedneſs, and whether I do not deal very graciouſly in off:ring Mercy and Pardon to you upon theſe Conditions » Red and vloody, as theirs were, wv. 15. great and hainous. o They ſhall be wathed and purged by the Blood of the Mefias. whereby you ſhall be made white pure and in Gods fight. Ir is a Metonymi- cz] Expreſſion, as fins are {aid to be purged, Heb. 1: 3: when Men are purged from their ſis, Heb, 9: 14. pþ Which for the moſt part is white, and is compared to Snow for Whireneſs, Revel: 1: 14. 19 If ve be willing and obedient q, ye ſhall ear the
good of the land r.
q If you are heartily willing and fully reſolved to obey all my Commands. r Together with ghe Pardon of your Sins, you ſhall re. ceive many Temporal and Worldly Bleſlings.
20 Bur if ye refuſe and rebell s, ye ſhall be devoured with the ſword : for the mouth of the LORD hath i1po- ken 2t 7,
« If you obſtinately perſiſt in your diſobedience to me, as hither to you have done.z He hath ſaid it, who can as eaſily do it as {peak the Words, and who cannot lie, and there fore will do ir.
2x * How « is the faithlul City x become an harlot
7 ! it was full of judgment z,righceouſnelis lodged in it «;