» A dreadful Imprecation. We meet with more of the ſame nature, Chap. 11. 29. and 15. 15, 17, 18. We find alfo ſeveral
ſuch Imprecations inthe Plalms, Pſal- 35. 4. and 40. 14. and 69.
22, 23,2425, 27, 28, and 109.6, 7,8, 9, 1o, 2c. Herice a Que» ſtiop 1s raiſed, Whether it be lawful for God's Servants to pray for Evil againſt their Enemies. That which makes the Doubt 15, Chriſt's Command to us, to pray -for ther: that perſecute 25, Matth. 5.43, 44. his own Example, and Stephen's, Affs 7. 50. See the Notes upon the aforementioned Tex's. It is doubtleſs our Duty, to pray for the Converfion, Forgiveneſs and Eterna! Salvation of our worſt Enemies: So Chriit prayed, and Srephen, but neither of them prayed for their ourward proſperity in their Perſecution and Rage; ard without doubt we way pray again? God's Enemies, that God would tye their hands, weaken their power, confound their Devices. k For ſuch other particula;s a5 are mentioned In this Verſe, andthe beginning of the following Verſe, and ſuch as David mentions, Pal. 69. we muſt know they were both Prophets, and did but pray to God ro do char thing which God had revealed to them he would do.
22 Leta cry be heard from their houſes, when
chou ſhalt bring a troop ſuddenly . upon them, for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid ſnares for my feet. /. { That 1s, let the Enemy break intotheir houſes, which are in an ordinary Courle ot Providence, Mens Caſtles and Sanctuaries, and cauſe ſuch Shrieks as uſe to be heard in ſuch caſes, for their malicious leeking my life by all ſecret pra&tices.
23, Yet LORD. thou knowelt all their counſel a-
them be overthrown before thee ; deal th:zs with
them 1n the time of rhine anger o. | m Lord,thou knoweſt 1 do not charge them falſly, though their Counlels have been ſecret azainſt my Lite. n Obj. Will ſome fay, doth J-remy here pray for the eternal Damnation of his Adver fa- ries ? [s this lawful > Sol, Ido not think this is to be granted lawtul, being lo highly againſt Charity : Nor that Feremy in this 15 to be exculed as a Prophet, tor even Prophets had no ſuch Reves« lations; bur I take theſe Phraſes to be expounded by the next Words, Let them be overthrown befcre theez and that all which the Prophet prayeth for is, God's ſhewing ſome temporal Dit- pleaſure and Vengeance againſt them. For forgiving, and xo: ſor-
to them, or ſhew them my Face, but I will turn my Back upon them, I will not regard them Crying, nor hear their Prayers.
18 © Then ſaid they, * Come, let us deviſe de-
any of his words c.
7 This faithful dealing of the Prophet with them, did only en- rage them (as is uſual) againſt the Prophet ; they plot againſt tne Prophet, how to be revenged on him, becauſe he would croſs eheir Humours, and would not propheſie as they would have had him. 4 We have the Church on our fide ; the Regular Priefs and the Prophets, they know God's mind as well as he ; for there is a Promiſe that the Law ſhall not periſh from the Prieſt, nor the Word from the Prophet : The Prieſts and Prophets tell us other things than this Feremy doth. b Let us ſmite him with the Tongue, expole him, by railing on him, telling Lies about concerning him. repreſenting him to be what we know the People hate, abuſtng him to his face, informing againſt him ; or, in the Tongue ;
giving ſin, doth not always in Holy Writ fignifie the diſcharging or not diſcharging the perſons from the Obligation to eternal Death, under which Sin layeth them , but ſometimes, the diſ- charging or not diſcharging of them irom the puniſhments in this Life, to which Sin doch expoſe the Sinner; and all Feremy's mean- ing is, That however it ſhould pleaſe God to dea] with theſe wicked Men as to their eternal ſtate, yet he would fo far not for give, not blot out their Sins,” as that he would fer ſome mark of his Vengeance on them in this Lite, for their Treachery and In- gratitude ro him. Whether we in 1: confider Jeremy as an ordi- nary Suppliant in this Caule, praying in Faich, or as a Prophet, toreknow:ng what God would do, ic ought ro lay a Law upon all ro take heed of being milchtevous, ani treacherous to orhers. It is ſeldom but God, before they die, repavs ſuch Men into their own Bolom, eſpecially it it be againſt any who are Gold's Minj- ſters or People ; and that for their 1p23ki35 to, or doing before them the W1]l of God. Icisa Sin fcldom etcapes without a tem poral Vengeaiice ; and if fuch Men be f(aved at 13it, it will be as chrough Fire. God will mind thern char he Fath fail, Touch n63 mine Annointed, and Jo my Prophets ne bara, 1. 079%» 16,22, Pals 105. 15»
let us filence h:m, command him to ſpeak no more; or, for hs Tonzue, for propheſying at this rate ; c And for his Words let us no value them at'a 1wh, nor at all regard them»
Vol. II,
& HAM.
|
Chap. X VIII
mine /, and pour out their blood by the force of + rey, the ſword, and let their wives be bereaved of their pur th:m
gainſt me to Þ flay me 2: forgive not their iniquity,+ Heb; for neither blot out their ſin from thy fight », bur let death.
+ 1b.
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eſtranged this place g, and have burnt incenle in 1t
CHAP. XIX.
Unc the Type of breabing a Potters Veſſel is foreſhewn the Deſolation of the fews for their Sins committed in he Valley of Hinnom 2nd eljewhere, 1, I 5+
] Hus ſaich the LORD, Go and get a potters earthen bottle a, aad rake of che ancients Ot the people, aad of the ancients of the prieſts b. a Criticks diſpare the Figure and Faſhion of his Bottle, ( #12. the Engliſh Annotations, and Mr. Poa!'s Latia $ynop{rs ) bur that is not much material, for God's Deſign was only to ſhew the jr4- gility oi this people, how eaſily he could break them, and how cer- rainly he would break them in pieces. b -or the more publick norice of this typical A&ton, Jeremy is commanded to take for Witneſſes, ſome of the graveſt of che people, and of the Priz/ts : Whether they were Members of the Sazbedrim,( which was made up of thoſe ro ſorts ) or nor, the Scripture ſa!th nor.
SEREMIAH.