An Invitation to true Repent ance, by Promiſes, 1 4. and Judgments coming on them by the Babylonians, contrary to the Prediions of their falſe Prophets, for their Sins, 5——18. A grievous Lamentation jor the Milerics of Judah, 19 —31.
F thou wilt return, O Iſrael, ſaith the LORD, * re- turn unto me &, and if thou wilt put away thine abominarions / our. of my ſight », then ſhalt thou not
remore 7. |
k This ſeems to be a Continuation of the former Sermon : So that Iſrael having promiſed Repentance, they are here dire&cd how it muſt be qualified ;viz.It muſt not be hypocritical & feign- ed, bur real and hearty, Chap. 24. 7. as Jofiah's was 2 King: 23. 25. and it muſt be unto the Lord, not to this Idol and that Idol, hither and thither, ſhifring their way, but unto Me, ſee Chap: 2: 36. or to my Worſhip,and as thou haſt promiſed Chap. 3: 22. And this ſence agrees beſt with the Coherence: Or it may be an emphatical,ſhort, peremptory Expreſſion, Fi thou wilt return, return; make no lon- ger Demur or Delay abour it ; like that 1/.21:12. The Hedrew read the Words in the Future Tenſe, If thou wilt return thou ſbalt return; and ſo they may be taken partly as a Promiſe, and that with refe- rence either to their returning into thejr own Land ; and ſo they concern Iſ-ael ; thus Deut. 30: 2, 3,4, 5. ſee Chap: 3: 14. Bur if the Word be takzn in the Notion of Reſting,nort Returning, as ſome do, and as it is taken Iſa. '30: 15- then it rather concerns Judah, q. a. thou ſhalt abide quietly where thou art, and fhalr not wander into Captivity ; and this may agree with the laſt expreſſion in that Verſe 20: remove ; or Elſe with reference to the aſſiſtance that God would give them to return unto him ; partly, and rhat rather, as a Dj- r<C&ion ( for in the' Hebrew, though the Word Return be in the Furure Tenſe, yet it is often uſed Imperatively.) E Viz. Idols ; a Meronomy of the Asjun#, which are ſo abominable 1n Gods ſight, Deut. 27. 15+ Ezek. 20. 7, 8. called Dung God:, Dent: 29: 17, See 2 Chron. 15.8, m Though God's eye be every where ; and hence
- implieth, that Idols are no where to be admitred, either in private
or publick ; yet it doth particularly relate to the place of hi, more immediate Preſence, as their Land and Temple, 1 Kings g: 3. and ſpiritually to our Hearts, Hypocrites thinking it enough, 11 they conceal their Wickedneis from Man's eye. ® If this be read Imperatively, then it is Remove n0?, as it may be read ; and fo jr aggrees with 1ſra!l, Depart notaway from me to thy Idols upon the Mountains and Hills : if read in the Future Tenſe, then it aggrees with. Judah, Thou ſhalt not go out of thine own Land into See the firſt Claufe of the Verſe.
2\ .And thou ſhale ſwear o, the LORD liveth in
truth, in judgment, and in righteouſneſs p, and the
nations ſhall bleſs q themſelves in him, and in him ſhall they * glory r.
o This is to be underſtood, partly by way of Command, as Deut. 10. 20. and partly by way of DireCtion jf thou ſwear, or when thou ſweareſt : it 1s put here Synecdockicaty, for the whole Worſhip of God, hereby acknowledging and owning God as the only God. þp Here he preſcribes, 1. the Form of the Oath, viz the Lord liveth, or by the Life of God, which was that Form which they did uſe in Swearing, 1'Sa. 14. 39, 45. and many other places; ſo joſeph tware by the Life of Pharaoh, Gen. 42+ 15, 16, and Eliſha very frequently uſeth this form, 2 Kings 2: 2, 4, 6. and 3: 14. and 5 16 which is alſo to be underſtood excluſively, 9q- 4. not by any Ido], as Baa!, &c. or any Creature, Chap. 5. 7. Matth. 5. 34,35, 36. Jam. 5 i2. but by God alone, 1/a. 65. 16. See Hof. 2. 17. for by this indeed we declare the Godhead of him whom we Worſhip, 1/a. 19. 18. 2. The Qualification of it, in which indeed are comprized all the Requilites to a Religious Oath and Worſhip of God, both in our general and particular Calling, with reſpe& ro God, our Selves, our Neighbours. 1. In Truth, that the Matter and Sub- ſtance of it be really true in it ſelf, Rom; 9: 1. that which agrees with the Intent of the Mind, Pſal. 24: 4. and with the Intent of
' him that adminiſters it, not doubtful, feigned, or deceitful,as they
did, '1/a. 48. 1- and Chap. 5. 2: bur as true as the Lord lives. 2. In Judgment, 3. e. Either in Matter or Places of Judicature, for the Deciſion of Controverſies deliberately, adviſedly, and reverently, well conſidering both of the Form and Matter of the Oath, Lv. 5: 4. that God's Name bz neither taken in vain cuſtomarily,or in Matters trivial, Deu:. 5. 11. nor abuſed by Oaths that are raſh and precipitant, ſach as Saul's Was 3$am. 14: 39: and as H:rod's, Matth. 14: 7. and without Neceſlity.. 3. Ia Rig%tzouſneſs, that none be injured by it, that the Thiags we engage be, 1. Both Lawful and Poſſible. S2e 1 Sam. 25. 21, 22. and 28: 10, 1 Kings 19: 2, And e. That we look to the Performance, Pſal: 15: 4. Matth: 5: 33. the
want of either of which Circumſtances raake it a Bond of iniquity, |
my Word ; grub up all thoſe Briers, and Thorns,and miſchievous
M I 4 H. Chap. Iy-;
Eccl: 5: 445. 9 Tis ſhall bz a means to work upon the TIcathen Nations, and prevail with them to come into the fincg way of Worthip, that now ſcorn both you and me, becauſe 1 am forced ro make them the Rod of my Anger againlt you, in regard of your Provocations, Pſal.47.8,9. Chap. 3. 17. They thall think them< ſelves happy to be incorporated with thee, that it mav be with , | them according to that Promiſe Gen: 12. 3. and 22. 17, 18. They ſhall, as ir were, bleſs themſelves in ſuch like form, rhe Lird 19368 me and mine as Jjracl ; bleſſed be Ijrael, and the God of Iſrael, Or. ra ther, r Whereas before they gloricd in their Idols, now. being
: 4 ;
[MW
taken into the true Church, among God's 7jra-l, they ſhall glory in God alone, Pſal.196: 5. who indeed alone is the glory of his Feo- ple, Pal. 89: 17: and 148: 14-
3 5 For thus faith the LORD to the men / of Judah and Jeruſalem ?, break up « your fallow ground, and * ſow not among thorns x. * Ma'th,