ſ It 1s much more hard togive an account of the connexion of cheſe words with the former, than of their lence confiderec abſo- lurely in themſelves. Some would have them the words of the People reckoning up another vain ground of their confidence, be- cauie they had amongſt them the Temple of theLord,which we know was what they mightily gloried in. Others would have them the words of the Prophet, owning his and the good Jews conhdence to be only in God, and themſelves to worſhip God not in Groves or high places, bur only in that place which he had choſen to be worſhipped 1, even 1n his Sanctuary or Temple, many other oO jectures there are, but theſe two ſeem to me the moſt proba-
e.
13 O LORD ! the hope of Iſrael z, * all they thar forſake thee ſhall be aſhamed -, azd they that depart from me ſhall be written in the earth w, becauſe they have forſaken the LORD, the * fountain of livin? waters -x,
£ That is, he in whom alone the true Iſrael of God can hope. u Thoſe who torlake thy Law, anil that rule thou haſt given them whereby to diret their Converlations, ficſt or laſt will be a- ſhamed of ſuch tlieir diſobedience. w And thoſe that depart from what I have, as thy Prophet, revealed tothem as thy Will, ſhall have no porti0n beyond the Earth which they ſeem ſo fond of. Or their Names and Memories ſhall vaniſh, and periſh, and be pre- ſently extinct like words written in Duſt. x Becauſe they have forſaken thee who art the alon? certain reliefand comfort of any People, the toyntain and original of all that good they can hope for.
14 Heal me, O LORD, and [ ſhall be healed ; ſave me, aud I ſhall be ſaved ; for thou art my praiſe y. |
y Moſt Interpreters here underſtand the Prophet ſpeaking in theſe words to God for himſelf ; he reprefents himſelf to God as a Perſon wounded or fick, either with the ſence of Gods diſhon- our by the fins of the People,or with their Reproaches or Threat- nings,and beggeth of God to heal him,he being he, in whoſe hand or power it was to hea] him, and who could certainly do ic. The argument 1$1n thoſe words tor thou art my praiſe, he whom alone I have reaſon to praiſe for mercies already received, to whom alone I oweall my good things.
15 Y Behold, they fay unto me, Where 5 the word of the LORD z * let it come now 2.
{ Scoffing at me as if I had threatned them in thy Name with- out any order or direction trom thee, as the Scoffers mentioned by Peter, ſaid 2 Per. 3. 4. where is the Promiſe of his coming. This hath been the pratice of all wicked Men hardened in their finful courles, and reſolved to go on, to pur the evil day far from them, and to [coff at all denunciations of God's Judgments, Iſa. 5.19. Amos 5. 18. @ Daring the Vengeance of God and challenging God to Damn them, or to excute the Vengeance with which he threatneth them.
156 As for me, I have not haſtened from being a paſtor Þto follow thee 6, neither have I deſired the wotul day thou knowelt c, that which came out of my l:ps was 7:ght before thee 9.
6 That the words contain, the Prophets appeal to God upon ſomereproaches-caſt upon him by this wicked people,as 1t he had thruſt himſelf inco the Prophetical Office, is evident. and reafon- ably wellagreed by Interpreters, but they are divided abou: che
Vol. II.
SEREMIAH
- X'S7
Chap. A VII ſence of the word TY)NX A:31i, which yet always in Scripture, lignifes to mzke haſte, or to urge, or preſs, the ſence ſeemerh to be this. Lord ! As I did rot ſeek the Office of a Prophet, fo when thou were pleaſed to call me to it, I did not decline to be a P:ſtor after thee. c Neither (ſaith he) have I deſired co be a Prophet of thele fad Tidings, thoſe woful Miſeries which thou haſt made me thy Meſſenger to foretel, 4 I have ſpoken nothing but what was right 1n thy ſight, being what thou commandeſt me to deli- ver as trom thee, and fol know was right in thy fight,
17 Benot aterror unto me ec, * thou az: my hope * Clips, 1n the day of evil f. 15,12 e Though theſe wicked rebellious Menafright and terr'fie me,
yet, Lord, be not thou a terrour unto me, own and detend me as
thy Prophet. f For thou alone art he in whom I place my hope and truſt in a day of trouble.
18 * Letthem be confounded that perſecute me, but ler not me be confounded : let them bediſmayed, but let not me be diſmayed : bring upon them the day , = ot evil, and + * deſtroy them with double deijtrudti- 54 35: on g. H g That is with abundant deſtruction. Concerning theſe Pray- þ,. zz che ers of the Prophet againſt his Enenues, fee the Notes on Chap. 7 1. ,,;-1. , 20, dytble
I9 4 Thus faith the LORD unto me , Go and 54" ſtand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the Kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jeruta- lemh.
h Moſt think that here begins a new Prophecy, and therefore this Verſe ſhould have begun a new C! apter. The Prophe:s were often commanded to publiſh ſuch Revetations as they had from Gad, either at the Gates of the City, or the Gates of the Temple, Chap. 7. 2. and 19. 2. It is not agreed what this particular Gate was, at which the kings of Fudah were wont molt ordinarily to come in, and go out, but the Propher was allo commanded to pub- liſh it in all the Gates of Feruſa/em, that all might take nocice of it.
20 And fay unto chem, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, that enter in by theſe gates z.
i The word of the Lord equally concernerh the higheſt, and the loweit, the greateſt Princes as well as the mcaneſt -Sub- jects.
21 Thus ſaith the LORD*, Take heed to your * Neh. 1+. ſelves k, and bear no burden on the {aobath day, nor 79: bring ir in by the gates of Jerufalem.
hk The Hebrew is, 1a%2 heed 19 your Souls, 1ntimating tO us; thar the Sanctifica:ion or the Sadvath 152 great thing,whereta the welfare of our Souls is concerned, |
720.
22 Neither carrv forth a burden ontof your hov- ſes on the ſabbath-day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the ſabbath day, as I commanded your £x- thers /. |