x Not reipecting lo much their Age, as Degree and Qua'1ty, Pour and Rich. The P:o0p' et notes the generality of tIew Cor- ruption as the Reaton of God's Severity againſt them, as Fer. 6. obierving al'o, that it was even a-nong the greateſt, who ought to have given better Examples. No Scudnels from Head to Foot. » In which poſſibly, ail their Wickedreſſes, as Crueity, Oppreſl-| on, Injuſtice, ec. ma; be comprized ; it being the Root of 2] Evil, 1 7:1. 6.10. and may allo ſpeak the Juſtice of God, in the Challetns raking them and all their Subſtance away, that had by Viclence and Fiaud wreſted it from others, Mic. 2. 2. 2 Heb. Doing Faiſhiod; as if that were their whole Work, the proper and pecaliar Sin of the Prieſts and Prophets, to deceive the Peg- ple, and to flatrer them by falſe Vitions, as in the next Verſe ; nor that they were not alſo guilty of the other Sins, T/a, 56+ 11, and the Princes and People of this, Mic. 3. 9. Chap. 5. 31. for they were all involved in the tame wickednels ; bur the Prophet mentions thole ſins that were moſt peculiar to each party. See the lame Chap. 8. 10.
14 They have healed alſo the hurt of the darghter of my people 2 lightly, ſaying, #& Peace, Peace, ven 72cre 75 NO PEACE,
2 This refers peculia: ly to the Prophets ; either ſighting or, making itz) of theſe Thi eatnings, tending to the Reproach, 1.
FEREMIAH
to continue Mercies, and prevent Judgments, Dext. 32.7, &c See 1 Thel. 5. 21. kh; When you have found what was beft, and moſt proſperous, keep it, ſtick to-it. 4 You will find God to ſtand by you, and bea Sanfuary to you, Deut. 33. 12, 29. See Matth. 11. 29. You will find things mend with you; it will be well with you, as it hath been with others; you will be ſatisfied and quiet ; you wil not doubt any longer which way to follow. See 2 Kings 18. 21. m It notes their great Wilfulneſs and Obs ſtinacy ; that chough the Prophets had direed them in the right way, and though they knew others had experimented it to be lo, yet they would not be perſwaded to walk in it, but deliberately refuſed theſe Favours offered, Iſa. 8. 11, 12, 13. Chap. 18.11,12.
17 Alſo ſet » watchmen over you, /zy:»g, Hear- ken to the ſound of the o trumpet. But they ſaid,
We will not p hearken.
n Viz. Prophets and Meſſengers, that ſought their Good, and endeavoured to prevent their Miſer1es, by toretelling what was coming upon them, Exek. 3.17. and 33-7. A Metaphor from Watchmen, that are uſually fer upon high laces to eſpy out Dan- gers afar off. 0 Either the Voice of his Prophets, which is com- rared toa Trumpet, I/a. 58. 1. intimating his loud crying upon the account of imminent Danger : For Men do not uſe to ſound the Trumper til] Danger be approaching ; or the Trumpet of the Enemy, Chap. 4. 19, 21, p More of their Obſtinacy, ſuitable to their Carriage, Verſe 16. OL
18 A Thercfore hear, ye q Nations, and know, oh » congregation, what zs / among them.
q He cails upon the Nations round about to be, as ſo many Spectators of his Severity againſt Fudab, though they were his own People. 1. Partly to vindicate the Juſtice of his Proceed- ings, that they may not think him too ſevere. 2. Partly to ſhame them, it thereby he may bring them to Repentance ; and there- fore he makes them Witneſſes as well of their Sin as of their Pu- niſhment, Yerſe 19. Befides, 3. It is a fecret upbraiding them, as if the Nations were more ready to underſtand than they. 7 Either of T/racl, and then the next Words muſt be, which are among them ; or rather, of all Nations ; as ſuppoſing them gathe- red all together, P{l. 7.7. God is willing, that all the World be Witnels of their Equity of his Proceedings. f Or, that which # among them; (the Relative put for the Antecedent) either the height of their Wickedneſs, or the ſeverity of their Judgments ; underſtard it either way, or both ways, and then it is the great- m_ of their Puniſhment, as the effect of the greatneſs of their
ins.
19 * Hear, O t earth : Behold, I will bring « evil * 1fa. 1. 2.
1 he Prophers of God, bringing their Meſſage into Con- ; : : Ei.her of ihe Prophercs of God, bringing their Meſlage into Con \upon this people, oh SO af chotr > thoughts,
tzmpr ; or, 2. The People, deceiving of them, and rendring cheir hopes vain, Chap 8, 11. Or, herethe Propher ſhzws wherein their Eaite-dcal:ng conſiils, viz. in dawbing over their Mitery aad Dan- ger that was coming on them, by perſwading them that it ſhould not come : or if it did, it would be ealily cured ; as fome Chy- 1urgions do with their Patients, that make light of a Wound, and ſo reg!e the true Metnod of Cure ; but either by Lenitives give ſome Ele tor the preſent, by a ſuperficial skinning over a Sore while che Corruption is in it 3 or StupefiCtives, making them ſeatele(*, not feeling their Pain, Chap. 23.14. Exek. 13. 10, 16, 22. aad ſo the Prophet makes this the Caule of their laſt Deſtru- ion. b The Ch14.ean ſhall no: come, all Things ſhall be proſ- perous with you ; all kind of Proſperity being included in the Word Peace, They prom fe you Peace, but you ſhall come ſhort of it, as in the next Wards.
15 Wherec they +4 aſhamed when they had com-
ſamed, neither could they bluſh : therefore they ſhall / fall among them that fall : at the time char I o vitit them, thcy ſhall be caſt down, faich the LORD.
c Viz. The Faiſe Prophets. d Some rea it Afffively, as ſome times it is taken, Did thy put ths Pecple ro ſhame ? but thar is n«t lv proper here : Irrather notes, how bold and confident, or rather impudent they were in their Flatteries, and deceiving the People: A great Agegravaticn of their Sin, The Form of the In- rerrozation caargeth them home with the Guilt; as do alio che next Words, neither coul2 they bluſh, q. d. They had not the leaſt ſhew of Shame, utually diſcovered by Bluſhing. e Or, the thing 70 be abmin.ated ( a Metonymy of the EF:# ) both by encouraging rae People, and joining with them in their Idolatries. See Chap. 2. 23. therefore they ſhall periſh with thoſe whom they have de- c.i-ed, as in the following Expreſſions: To fall, ſignifies to be Lin, Plal. 63.19. Luke 21, 24. g Fiz. Puniſh chem; inflict Pu- niſh:nent on ther. See Ver, 6.
16 Thus ſaich the LORD, Stand ye in the h ways
em Run —
good way, and walk & therein, and ye ſhall find [reſt for your Souls. Bur they ſaid, we 7 will not walk thor ems