d So as this Letter was not wrote from himſelf adviſing them charitably, buthe had commiſſion from God, by whom he mindeth them, as the principalvefficient cauſe they were ordered to be car- ried away by, though their own fins were the meritorious cauſe, and Neburhadnezzar with his Captains and Soldiers were the inſtru»
mental cauſe. | 5 * Build ye houſes, and dwell i» them, and plant
gardens, and eat the fruis of them,
6 Take ye wives, and beget ſons and daughters, and take wives for your ſons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear ſons and daughters, that
ye may be increaſed there, and not diminiſhed e. |
e That is, be not uneaſie in your minds, not refolving what to do, through the Prophelies of the falſe Prophets, that rell you the Captivity thall be but two Years, or atleaſt very ſhort; bur do all things which you would do, if Babylon were to be your fixed ha- bitation, ( as it is like to be for ſeventy Years ſay the Prophets, what they pleaſe) Marry, and give, and take in Marriage, do what- ſoever it becemeth prudent Men to do, who would accommodate themſelves in a place where they are like ro abide, and preſerve their Families, that they might not be utterly extinguiſhed. The words muſt not be underſtood as a Precept, obliging all in the Captivity to do every of theſe things, which it may be they were nor all a- ble to do, but as a conſel and advice not to forbear any thing of this nature, which they would do, it they did fully believe they were to abide in a piace ſeventy Years: |
7 And ſeek the peace of the city, whither I have cauſed you to be carried away captives f and pray un- to the LORD for it g, for in the peace thereof thall ye
-« have peace 6.
f Thar is, ſeek to God for it, or rather live peaceably init, and by all lawful means ſeek the welfare of it, do not raiſe any Tumuls or Seditions, nor take part with thoſe that do. g And while your Capiviry laſts, do you pray for it, ( from whence thoſe who think that Chritt hath add<d new moral Precepts, and reckon this Pre- cept of praying for Enemies as one may underſtand, rhat praying for Enemies was but a Branch of that Love to our Neighbour, whica Gud required under the Old Teſtament) for it was lawful for them to przy againl{t Babylon ar other times, Pſal: 137. 8, Jer. 5I, 35. but when God hath put a Yoke upon our Necks, we muſt patiently waic until he takes it off, The Lawyers ſay, that Prote- #ion requireth alledgance t0 Governours; this Text lets us know alſo that i: requizeth our Prayers for them, though they be Conquerors and Tyrants. s For God having by his Providence, caſt us under
_ Their power, our peace dependcth upon theirs.
8 4 For thus ſaich the LORD of hoſts, the God of Tiracl, Let nor your prophets, and your diviners that be *Chap:1g, 18 the midſt of you, * deceive you, neicher hearken
' 74 & 23. tO your dreams Which ye cauſe to be dreamed 5. *t. & 27, # The Lord knows that ye have a company of falſe Prophets, that I5, tell you other things, and promiſe you aſudden return out of your Captivity, pretending to know it by Revelation from God, or by divination, &%«, or to have it diſcovered to them in Dreams. Iris the will of God that you ſhould not hearken to them, for they do bur deceive you, and ye are acceflary to your own Ruine; they ſee you are plealcd to hear ſuch Stories, that cauſeth them to dream, as Chap. 5. 31. The prephets propheſie faiſly, and the priefts bear rule by their w2uns, and my people love to have it ſo, thus Iſa. 30. 10. They ſaid to the ſeers, ſee mot, and to the prophets, propheſie not to 5 right things, ſpeak unto us jmooth things, propheſie deceits> Falſe Teachers and Guides of Peoples Souls, are the greateſt plague can befal a Nation, People from them expeCing to hear the mind of God, and for the moſt part,people are acceſlary to their own Ruine in them: Ir can indeed hardly bz imagined, what other temptation, perſons whoſe Ofhce It 1s to reveal the mind of God, ſhould have to do otherw wiſe, but the hbumoring and pleaſing of a corrupt people, who through their fondneſs of their Luſts are not patient of ſound Dottrine, ſo as though the Church of God hath in all Ages been troubled wah dreamers, yet it is a wicked people that cauſeth them to ream. | 5 For they propheſie © falſly unto you in my name; have-not ſent them, faith the LORD. | ' 10 For thusſaith the Lord, that after ſeventy years
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and to help to compoſe their Spirits, diſturd'd by theſe falſe Pro- ; S for which there wasno |
Chap. XXIJx.
k From this Text appears that the ſeventy Years Captivity were
tobe accounted fi om the firſt carrying into Captivity in the time
of Jchogakin, fo that 11 Years of it were ecliplcd, before Zedekah was Carried away. Whatever, ſaith the Propher, theſe Dreamers tell you, you muſt abide 50 Years in Babylon accounted from your ficſt going thither, ir is therefore your wiſdom to acquietce 1n the will of God, and to compole your ſelves, and ro inccurage you, rhe Lord by me afſureth you, that after thoſe 70 Years ſhall be ex- pired as he hath now vitited you with evil, ſo he will viſit you for tor good, andfulfil the promiſe he hath made to you, and you ſhall return again to Jeruſalem 3 we have the fulfilling of this recorded
' In 2 Chron: 36,21, 22. Ezral, 1, The promiſe was before, Chap.
25: 12, and 26: 22. Daniel underſtood it from the words of this Prophecy, Dan: g. 2. which put him upon Prayer, at the expiration of that time. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, faith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and nor of 41, , evil, to give you an Þ expected end /. and expe ] This Deliverance will nor depend upon your own Merits, but 4ation, upon my own Mercy, and kind thoughts and purpoſes I have for the Seed of Abraham my Servant, and I am reſolved in my own thoughts what to do, I intend not the blotting out ofthe Name of
4 Thus ſaith the LORD of hoſts the God of | Irael from the Earth, but togive ſuch an end to their trouble as
themſelves expett and deſire, though nor ſo ſoon as they may ex- pett it, being deceived by their Prophets. There ſhall be an end of your Captivity in my time, and that is after you ſhall have fuls filled 70 Years in that Caprivity.
12 Then (ball ye * call upon me, and ye ſhall