| _ p God ſpeaks unto his Prophets or Miniſters q The Propher Sing defires to know God's mind, and his meflage. r» The Prophet ha- "2 Pet. L.2 4. ving foretold glorious and wonderful things, which God had de- * *" clared and determined to do,and ſuſpeQting that men would hardly believe them ; he confirmeth their Faith, and the certainty of the thing in this, and the two next verſes, by repreſenting to their | minis the vaſt difference between the nature, and word, and work of men and of God. All that men are or have, yea their higheſt accompliſhments, but are like the graſs or flower of the tield, weak and vaniſhing, ſoon nipt avd brought to nothing ; but God's word is like himſelf, tmmutable and Irreſiſtible : and therefore as the mouth of the Ld, and not of man, hath ſpoken theſe things, as was ſaid, verſe 5. ſo doubt not but they ſhal be ful- fiiled.
7 The graſs withereth, the flower fadeth ; becauſe
| * pſal. 147. * the Spirit of the LORD « bloweth upon it : ſurely
" 18: Hoſe 13. the people t is grals. I5. s Or, Tie breath, 8&5. as this word ts rendred, Pſal. 147. 18. the
: "Y f0
1! Or, # Y,
TM I 24 H.
|
Chap. XL, wind, as it frequently ſignifies, which hath this ef upon graſs and flowers, P/2/. 103. 16. Jam, 1, n. # The ſame which te called Fl ſb, and faid rhey were Graſs, ver. 6, Which that he miphr prove in this verſe, he firſt declares the frail nature of Grafs and F owers. and then he applies rhis to the People : Or, this People, the Jews no leſs than the Gentiles; for here is an Article 1n the Hebrew Text which is frequertly emphatical and reſtrictive. ;
8 Thegraſs withereth, the flower fad:th, but the * * - * UG. word of our God ſhall ſtand for ever «. 34.1 = # Whatſoever God hath ſaid ſhal infa'libly come to paſs. J. 25,
9 [|] O Zion that bringeſt good ridings x, get thee up [|0c,07; into the high mountain y: || Oſeruſalem, char bringeſt Fat telleſ ood tidings, lift up thv voi ith ſtrength + life jr wp, © ding g 1di0gs, litt up thy voice with ſtrength ; lift 3c up, 7% 2:4. be not afraid z: ſay unto the cities of Judah a, Behold |Or os; your God b. that tele, x O Zion, to whom the glad tidings of the coming of Chriſt into £994 tidings
the World, and of rhe Salvation of Mankind by him wad 917g 70 "83g bliſhed by Chriſt and his Apoftles, ar.d by whom they were publiſh» ©»
ed to all Nations. But the words are otherways rendred in the Mar«
gent, and by others, O thou ( wholozyer thou art, Prophet or A-
poſtle ) zhat bring-ſ? good tidings to Zion. So Sion is not the Deliver.
er butthe Receiver of theſe Good Tidings, as ſhe is in the Parallel
place, 1/a. 52. 7. Bur our Tranſlation ſeems to agree better with
the Hebrew Text, -in which the Particle, unto, is not here expreſſed
as It 1s in the latter part of the Veiſe; by comparing wh:ch Part with the former, it ſeems moſt probable, that Zion or Feryſalem is
the Speaker or Publiſher, and the Cirzes f Judah the Hearexs. y Thatx
thy voice may be better heard, as appears from the next Branch of the . Verſe, See Judges 9. 7+ 1 Sam. 26.13, 14. % Leſt thou ſhouldeſt be
found a falſe Proph:r; for it ſha} certainly be fulfilled. a To all -my People in the ſeveral places of their abode, whether Cities or Counrries. Only henames Cirzes to inctimacegthat they alſo, though they ſhould be deitroyed, yet ſhould afterwards be rebuilr, and in- habirted again. b Take notice of this wonderful Work, and olori- ous appearaiice of your God, who will be viſibly preſent with you, ſo that men may point at him and ſay, Behold bire ke 55. 10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come || with [Or,aga;- ?
ſtrong hand c, and his arms thall rule for him d; be- the frog. hold, * his reward js with him e, ||and his work be- * 2-6:
fore him fo
c Wirth invincible ſtrength conquering all his Enemies. The rf ure word Hand or Arm, may very w<cll bz underſtood out of rhe "ON, pay
lowing Clauſe. & He thal need no Succours, for his own Power tha] be ſufficient to govern his People, and to deſtroy his Adverſa« ries- e He comes furniſhed with ICCOMPences as well of Mercy and Bleſſings for his Friends and Followers, as of Juſtice and Vengeance for his Enemies. f He carrieth on his work or deſign effeftually ſo as nonecan hinder him: for that is ſaid in Scripture to be before a mas which is in bis Power, as Gen. 20. 15. and 24. $1, &c. Or Work is here put for thereward of the Work, as it is, Iſa. 49. 4» and 65, 7. and elſewhere, And ſothe ſame thing is repeated in other words,
aSis verv uſual. PET 11 He jhall ® feed his flock like a ſhepherd, he ſhall * cz. 49,
gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his 10. Exek. bolome, and thall gently lead thoſe || that are with 34 23* 'oun Joh. 10. ifs young, g. [| Or, that
g He thal perform all the the Offices of a tender and faithful ive ſuck, Shepherd towards his People, c:rrying himſelf with great Wiſdom® and Cendeſcenſion, and Compatlſion to every one of them according ro their ſeveral Capacities and Infirmities.
12 Who hath meaſured the waters in tke hollow of hand 4 ? and meted: out heaven with the ſpan, and comprehended the duſt of the earth in + a meaſure, and weighed the Mountains in ſcales, and the hills in a bal- lance !
h i,e. Who can meaſure them ? for indicative Verbs in the Hes : brew Language are often raken potentialy; who can do this and the following things butGod?And this diſcourſe of God's infinite Power ; and Witdom, is here conveniently added ro give them the Creater aſſurance that Ged was able, as he had declared himfelt -il-
Jing, . to do theſe great and wonderful things which he had pro« miſed ; and rhart neither men nor falſe gods were able to hinder him in it. God is: here compared to a mighty Giant, ſuppoſed to be ſo big that he can take up, and hold all the waters of the Sea and Rivers of the whole World in one hand, and ſpan the Hea- vens, and then take up and weigh the whole Earth with the other
hand-
13 5 * Who hath + directed the ſpirit of the LORD, » 4, .j or, being Þ his counſellour hath taught him i ? 22. &' 36 ; Who did God either need or take to adviſe him in any of his 2 2; 23. Works, either of Creation or the Government cf the World - Were Rom. 11. 34 they nor all the eff<&s of his own ſole infinit Wiſdom 2 Therefore 1 Cor+2.164