or will to them, yet hath an hand in. the perm:ſſion of the meſt crue) ard unjuſt ations, which he couideaſily hinder. ] ſhou}d rather incline to interpret them as an Argument brought by the Prophet in the Name of the people of G: d, arguing themſelves in- to a quiet ſubmiſſion to the affliftive Providences under which the Jaboured from the conſideration of the Superior hand of God in them, as Chriſt told Pilate, Thou couldſt nor Eave had any power againſt me, if it had nor been given thee from above : Shall there be evil in a City, and the Lord hath not done it, Amos 3+ 6. Þ 38 Our of the mouth of the moſt High proceedeth © * Iſ.g5,q, 296 * evil and good 8? F**** 7 Inthe Heb. the form of theſe words is interrogatory, as much -as if he ſhould ſay, Dorth not evil come out ef God's Mouth from "his Dire&ion and Command, and from his Providence, as well as .g2od ? He ſpeaks of evilsof puniſhment, judicial aftliftive Diſpen-
ations ; ſv it agrezth with Jeb 2. 10. Ames 3. 6. Ir is no reproach unto God to make him the Author of his own puniſhment, tho' we call them evil. .
39 * Wherefore doth a living man |] complain « ? a
man for the puniſhmene of, his ſins w ? = # This Verſe admits of various Senſes, cauſed from the various faterptetation of the' Hebrew word, which we Tranſlate Complain, which alſo ſignifies ro mourn or grieve, ſo ſome render it ; why 'doth- aliving Man grieve or vex himſelf? Bur the word is noted moſt generally ro ſignifie complaining or murmuring- w The word alſo which we Tranſlate Sin, fomerimes ſignifieth that oblique AR which we call Sin ; and thoſe who Interpret the former word grieve or vex, thus underſtand the word Tranſlated Sin, ſupplying ſome ſuch words as theſe. Let him mourn for his Sin ? Why doth he mourn for h's Affffiitions and Plagues. let him rather ſpend his Tears vpon his Sins. Bur the word alſo ſtgnifies .the guile of ſs or obligation to Death, which it layeth Men under, (i: lieth at the door, Gen+ 4. _ 7, ſo alſo Gen. 20. 9. andalſo any puniſhment brought upon Men for
The Lamentations of FE REMI AH.
winbly give us the CharaQer of Perſors under affliftions pre- |
pleaſure and delight ; or { which ſeemerh the beſt ſenſe to me ) not
|
lin Gn,4.13 where we Tranſlate it puniſkment. This ſenſi Tranſlators follow, The Piophet then in the Perſon of the Noe, checks himſelfin his Complaints for their puniſhments from the con. fideration, that nothing had befallen them, but what was the juſt reward # x ſins.
40 Let us ſearch and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD x. y
x Seing God doth not grieve us willingly, nor delight t us though we be his Pritoners, and ſeing the Hand of God Se theſe things upon us, and thar juſtly to recompence our I::iquities into our Befoms, inſtead of mourning and frerring againſt Gcd wh:ch is nor reaſonable, nor will be of any profitto us, Let us ex. amine our Thoughts, Words and Affions and conſider whar they have been, and reform, and turn again to the Loid, by Apoftatiz= ing from whom we have brought theſe evils vpon vs. | 4+ Ler uslifr up our heart with eur hands unto God in the heavens y -
7 Let us apply our ſelves unto God by Prayer, often expreſſed un- der this Notion in Scripture from that geſture orcinaily uſed in Prayer: andlet usnor doit in Hypocriſie, tur joyning our H®, ts with our H,nds, praying ſeriouſly and f-rvently.
42 We have tranſgreiſed and have rebelled, thou haſt not pardoned z. | : ® The Prcphetdoth not diQate words, but ſenſe to them - teach. Ing them the matter of their prayer firſt by way of Confeſſion. Sin 1s called 2 Tranfgrefſion, becauſe it is going afive from tte way of God's Precepts ; it is called Rebellion, becauſe it is an aCt contrary to that Allegiance and Duty which we owe unto God, and the Cove- nant we bave made Wirth him, By pardoning here, is meanr, the pm of the guiity perſ-ns from the tempora! puniſhment cue for ſin ( as it is often taken in Scripture ) toir ſ1gnifies,' thou haſt plagyed us according to the juſt deſert of our fins. .
43 Thou haſt covered with anger a, and perſecuted us ; F thou haſt flain, thou haſt nor pitied 6.
4 Either thou haſt covercd thy ſelf with anger, or covered thy own Face with anger, fo as not to iook vpen us to move thy pitv,or ( which is more probably the ſenſe ) thou baſt covered, that js over whelmed us with thy Wrath. 6 Thou haſt purſued us to a faral Ruine, wichour ſhewing us any pity.
44 Thou haſt covered thy ſelf with a cloud, that our prayer ſhould not paſs through c«
c God had covered them with Wrath, overwhelming them with Afflitions ſo as they had no way to eſcape; and whereas in rhis d{treſs they had nothing elſe 10do, butonly to apply themſctlves to God, he had hid his Face from - h-m, 1o as they could get no come= fortable ſight of him, he was as one covered with a Cloud that could not be diſcerned through that op:cous Body. What is meant by this Clond, whether his fixed Reſolution ro puniſh them, or his freſh Remembrance of their ſins, or his juſt Will to be Revenged on them, ſeems roo curiouſly erquired. The Phraſe is a Mctaphor and ſignifies no more than that God would not hear their prayer in their diſtrets.
45 Thou haſt made us as the * off-ſcouring and re- | fuſe in the midit of the people d. . * 1 Corz | a That is, thou baſt made us to all Nations extreamly contemp. + hog
tible, ſo as they valueus no more than the Sweepings of their Huu- ſes, or the moſt vile refuſe, and cuntempt.ble things imaginable. 46 * All our enemies have opened their mouths a- * Chap
gainſt us e.
F Chap.
2+ 21,
2+ 16. e Thatis, to mock, ſcoff, and Reproach vs. 47 * Fear and a ſnare is come upon us, deſolation , and deſtruction f. . nay ,
f All manner of miſery was come upon them. They were ſciz2d g firſt with fears and teriours, going to eſcape theſe they fell into Ie 49-43 Snare, or (asit is in thc Heb.) inro a pir, ont of which they could | Not get, they were waſted. made deſolate and deſtroyed.
48 * Mine eye rurneth down with rivers of water, , R for the deftruction of the daughter of my people. x, %} -
49 Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaſeth not, with 17. © out any intermiflion g.
£ The Prophet was deeply affeRed vpon the proſpeR of this evit