will find reſt and ſatisfaQtion. 5s Heb. Cauſe the weary Mews either Sow! or Country ) 10 reſt, As relt is offered to you by the Prephers in Gods name. do you embrace it ; which 1s 7o be d:ne by hearkening to Gods Word, as appears by the fol- lowing Cl-uſes. So ſhall this People, which hath been ſo oft,and ſo long wearied, and haraſſed by grea” and manifold Calamities, find Reſt and Peace. & They are wi!fully ignorant, and obſti- nate'y refuſed the very means of inſtruttion
13 But the word of the LORD was unto them, pre-
cept upon precept, Precept upon Pprecept line upon line, line upon line ; here a little, ad there a little #; that they might go and fall backward, and be broken,
and ſnared, and taken x. |
u The ſenſe of the Words thus rendred, may be this, They ſpake of Gods Word, w:th ſcorn and contempr, repeating the Boghets Words in a icoffing manner, and with a ſtammering and ridiculous tone, ſaying, Pretepr upon Precepr, &c. as if they had faid, It ſeems the Prophet takes us to be meer Children,that need to be taught our firſt Rudiments, and that bur lowly. That thee were /cornjul men, and mock-rs, is affirmed. wer: 14: 22. and as ſcof- fers frequently catch the words out of other Mens Mouths, and uſe them in way of deriſion ; ſo it may be thought they did watt the Prophets words. But the words may be.and by divers learned Men, are rendred a little otherwiſe ; 4nd the word of the Lord ſhall
- be unto them, precept upon precept, &c. As this method hath been uſed by them, and was altoge:her neceſſary for them ; ſo ir ſtill 15, and for the future ſhall be. As they were Children in underſtand- ing, they hall {till continue to be ſuch ; they ſhall be ever Iearn- ing, and never come to the knowledge of the Truth ; as they tor- merly would not, ſo now they ſhall not profit by the word ; and their fin ſhall be their puniſhment. And this ſeems to ſuit with the following Clauſe, which notes the dreadful deſign and effect of that judicial blindneſs, That they may, or might go and jall back- | ward, &c. x According to the former, which is our Tranſlation, this clauſe notes only the event, or conſequent of their Sin : Ac-
- cording to the Larter, it notes the Judgment of God deſigned and infli&ed for it ; that Gods word being 1o horribly abuſed by them, |, mighr be an occaſion at which they might ſtumble and fall, and that backward, which is the worſt, and moſt dangerous way of |, falling ; and 1o be broken to pieces, or by which they might b. ſnared and taken. |
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye |,
ſcornful mica that rule this geople, which 55 in Jeru-
ſalem. y Which make a mock at fin, and at Gods Words and Threat-
ning> ; aid doubt nor by your witty Devices,and by your wicked
next Yerſe. : : 15 Becauſe ye have ſaid z, We have made a cove-
nanc with death, and with hell are we at agreement s; when the overflowing ſcourge 6 ſhall paſs through c, i: ſbal not come unto us ; for we have made lies our re-
fuge, and under falſbood have we hid our ſelves d.
z In your hearts. # We are as ſafe from D-ath, and HU, or the Grove, as if they had entred into Covenant with us, thar the) would not invade us. The word rendred Hel, moſt commonly fignifies the Grave ; which alſo ſeems moſt proper in this place, that ſo the ſame thing. may be ms In other words, as is moſt uſual in prophetical Writings. & the judgment of vod, which is called a Scourge,. for its ſharpneſs and ſeverity, and ov -rfowrng for its univerſality ; two diff:ring Metaphors being joyned together;
c To wit, the Land. d We thall fecure our ſelves by lying and diſſimulation, by compliance with our Enemies, and with rheii Religion roo if it be neceſſary, and many crafty devices. Or by bes and faljbood, he means their Riches and ſtrength ro which :hey truitcd, ro which he. giveth theſe Titles, not that they called or thought them ſuch 3 but that he might ſigniiie whar they really were, and would appear to be ; ſee the Notes on Prov. 1.11.
16 Therefore «e thus ſaith the Lord God, Behold, I lay fin Zion g for a foundation b, * a ſtone z, a tried ſtone &,a precious /corner-{tone »s, a ſure foundation »:
*Pſal 118: he that believeth o, * ſhall not make haſte p,
22. Mar: e The Coherence is ſomething obſcure and dithcult. Ir may 21:42. be madecither 1. thus, Therefore I will bring moſt teri ible Judy-
* Act 4:11. ments up-n you ; which are fully expreſſed, wer. 17, :8, 19,-:0 Rom 9:33 21 But before he comes to the Commination, to which, therefore " "Epir 2:28. properly belongs, he fir? propounderth a comtorta»le Promiſe x Per: 2» concervring the fending of the Mſi-h, partly for the ſupport of 6,7,8. Believers, who are ap” ro trembie at God's Word, aid might * FHeb:ſfone otherwiſe be apt ro diſpond at the prediion of ſuch dreadful tryal. Things ; And partly to aggravate their Miſery by comparing it ; wow 27. with the ſafery and happineſs, which the Godly, and Bclicving ” * Rome Jews, whom they diſpit:d and mocked, ſhould find in Zo ; and | 16; lh by ſignifying, that that bleſſed and ſure Foundation laid in Z:on, ſhould yield them no ſupport nor benefit, nor ſecure them from the Vengeance of God. Or,” 2. thus, Becauſe your Rcefuges are ſo mean, and vain, and deceitful ; therefore I will dire& you to a better and ſurer Refuge, which will never fail rhoſe that truſt to | it, which God hath made in Zien. But if you ſhall deſpiſe and | reje& thar Refuge, which I now offer to you All if you will Be- lieve ; then know, that I will lay judgment to the line, &c. as it follows, v. 175 And this ſeems to me, to be the moſt natural.
w
will, in the fulneſs of time, aQtually perform it. g In my Church, which is commor ly called Zion; and in Feruſalem, where this Stone ſhall be firſt laid, which afterwards ſpread further, and filled the whole Earth, as it is ſaid of it, Dar. 2: 35. b Upon which I will Build my Church, conſiſting both of Jews and Gentiles, the Foun- dation of all the hopes, and comfort, and happineſs of my Peo- | Ple 3 the Foundation of my Covenant made with my Church,and of all my Promiſes. # Not Hezekiah, but the Meſſiah, as appears ;