d From his own Countric and kindred to follow me to an unknown Land, where | promiſed chat I would multiplic and bleſs him, as is particularlie <xplained, Gen. 12. rn, 2, 3» e Heb» one, either :. Him onlie of all his kindred 3 for though he carried ſome fery of them with him, yet I called none but him. So this notes God's fin- gular favour to their Progenitors aboye all the reſt of the Wor!d. Or 2.Him when he was alone or ſolitarie,to wit,asto any Iflze 3 when he neither had nor was likelie to have anyChild bySarah, And this word alone, ſecs to belong not onlie to this word wherewith it is joined, but alſountothe two following words, eſpeciatlie if we conſider the order of the words in the Hebrew Text, where they lie thus; for, one ( or alone, or when he wasalone, or but one _) I ca'led him. and bleſſed him, and encreaſed bim, f Into a vaſt multitude, wien his condition was dcſperate in the eye of reaſon, And therefore God can as eafilie raiſe and deliver his Church when they are in the moſt forlorn condition, and ſeem to be dead, and buried, and conſumed, ſo that nothing but drie bones remain of them, as it is declared at large, Ezeh. 39.
3 For g the LORD ſhal comfort Zion þ; he will comfort all her waſte places,and he will make her wil- derneſs like Eden and her defart like the garden of the LORD3z : joy and gladneſs ſhal be found therein,
thankſgiving and the voice of melody.
g Sothis ccm:s in as a reaſon why they ſhould look unto, or con=
ſider that famous example of 4braham and Sarah, becauſe they ſhould fad the like wonder wrought on their behalf, Or, Therefore, or for the ſake of 4braham, my triend, and of that Covenant which I made with him, and by which I promiſed to bleſs him and his ſeed for ever. h His Church, which is frequentlic called by that name both in the Oid and New Teſtament, 7 Although ſhe ſhal be waſte and deſolate I-kea Wilderneſs or deſart for a time, yet ſke ſhal be reſtored, and be made as pleaiant and flouriſhing as the Garden of Eden was. 4 Hearken unto me, my peoplek, and give earun- to me, O mynation : for a law / ſhal proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to reſt 2 for a light of the people ».
k Seing the Gentiles will hearken to me, as'T have formerlic told you, take heed that you Jews, whom I choſe to be my peculiar people, do not reje& my counſel, nor forſake your own mercies, as [ fear you will do, / A new Law, evea the Doftrine of the Goſpel, which ought to have the force of a Law with you, and I expe& your Obedience to it, no lefſe than to my Law delivered by Moſes. m Judg- ment is here the ſame thing with Law in the former clauſe, the word of God, which 1s frequentlie called Judgment, as hath been obſerved again and again, or the Evengelical Dottrine, 6f which he ſaith that ne will make it tore, 4 e- ſettle and cſiablith it : whereby he may, voſfiblie intimate the ſtability and perpetuity of thislightin theChurch, : that it ſhal not belike the light of the Moſaical Diipenſation which was onlie to ſhine for. a ſeaſon,even until the time of Reformation, Heb, 9. 1o. when all thoſe dark ſhadows were to vaniſh and give place to the Sun of Righteouſneſs, and to that Kindom and State that ſhould never be moved, as we read, Dan. 2. 44, Heb. 12, 26, 27, 28 and in many other places. n Heb ef or fo thePeoples,nat oplie to you Jews, but unto People ofali forts and Nations, who ſhal receive and walk 1n that light which you willreje&, and uſe all poſſible endea- vours to extinguiſh, | .
5 My righteouſneſs s 7s near : my ſalvation is gone forth p,and mine arms $shal judge the people 9: the Iſles
r shal waitupon mes, and on mine arm shal they truſt.
o My Salvation, as it is expoundedin the next clauſe, the Redempe tion of all my people, both Jews ane Gentiles, which is the cffeR of his Righteouſneſs, either his Juſtiee, or his Faithfulneſs, or his Mercy and Goodneſs,. for all theſe are called by the name of Righteouſneſs in Scripture. atd all thele contribuged to the work of Man's Redemp- tion. þ Shal ſhortlie go forth : my ſecret and eternal purpoſe of ſavirg my People ſhal ſpeedilie be falfilled. 4 Either r. Shall de- ſtroy thoſe People who obſirud or oppoſe this work. Or rather, 2 Shal ſubdue the Gentiles to mine Authority, and rule them by my Word and Spirit, which agrees beſt with the fol- lowing clauſe, rx The remote Countries of the Gentiles, as Iſa, 41. 1. & 42. 4 and elfwhere. s Shal confidently expeR and hope for this promiſed Righteouſneſſe & 5alvation from me, and from me only, and not from Idols, as they have done, por by any other way. |
6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
LI,
and look uport
* the Heavens $hal vanish away
like ſmoak, andthe earth shal waxoldlike a Garment 7, Plal and they that dwell therein shal die || in like manner #, r02. 266 but my falvation shal be for ever, and my righteouſ- 2:t.2435 neſs shal not be abolished. j| Or, 4s &
# The heavens and Earth ſhal paſs away, cither 1; Simplie, and by touſe, a ſubſtantial corruption or annihilation, which is yet to be anderftood comparativelie or conditionallie, that theſe ſhould ſooner vaniſh in- to nothing, than God's promiſe of Salvation ſhould not be accomoli- ſhed : as whenit is ſaid, Heaven and Earth ſhal paſs away, but my words ſhal not paſs away, Mat, 24. 35. It is thus expounded, 7+ js eafi:y for Heaven and Earth to pafs, than for one tittle of the Law t9 fail. Or 2- ln regard of their preſent Satc and Propertics, and Uſe, as Smoak 1s here ſaid to vantſh, although the ſubſtance of it be not deſtroicd;
u Asthey ſhal be diſſolved, as we read, 2 P:f. 3_ xx, and death is nothing clſe but a diſſolution, | : 7 Heat k-
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7 *Pjalm 4 118, 6, 7 *Ch.qo, 6 1 IPeta, 24
Flebg. 8 F104. 2 (40, 22, 0 42. 5 0 44s 24. Or; mad: linſel ady,
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3 |r, that fillth the ſea, Phen the
(hap. Lt. - Hearken unto me,ye that knows righteouſneſs, the | +7]. 37 31: people fin whoſe heartis my law y,* tear yenot the 1C- | 21.19 pacoach of menz, neitherbe ye atraid of their revilings, 28, x That love and praftife it, 25 knowing is commonlie uſed. y Who are tacitlie appoted to the carnal Jews that had the Law written onlie in Tables. Compare 2 Cor. 3, 3. Heb, 8. 1o. x7 The cenſures of the carnal Jews, who will load their believing and godly Brethren with a world of Reproaches ; but let not theſe things dif- Courage You,
8 For *