inade a reproach unto me, and a deriſion daily z. {|
{ If the particle he rranſlared ſince, as we tranſlate it, the mean - ing is, fince I firſt began to be a Propher, I have faithfully dil- charged my Propherical Office, and that with ſome warmth and zeal. t Some underſtand it of the violence which he himſelf ex- perienced ; others underſtand it of thoſe Ads of injuſtice- and yi. vlence which were found amongſt the People, he cried our againſt them, Others underſtand it as a denunciation of Judgmenr, He prophefied that violence and ſpoil was coming upon them. « Be- cauſe of that ſcorn and derifion with which they treated him. But others think that it were berter tranſlated ſurely than becauſe, as it 15 in many Texts, T/a. $0.9. and 63. 15, &c. It 1s not much material which way we tranſlate it, for it appeareth from 2 Chror. 35. 16. That this Peoples mocking of God's Meſſengers, deſpiſmg his words, and miſuſmg hs Prophets was one great cauſe Of the wrat of God coming upon them ; and it 15 certain that Jeremy was made ſuch a ſcorn and derifron to them,
9 Then Ifaid, I will not make mention of him, nor ſpakeany more in his namew. But his word was
,.In my heartas a * burning fre ſhut up in my bones,
ay [ was weary with torbearing, and * I could not ? iy hog w This daily ſcorn and reproach which the Prophet ſaw him- ſelf cxpoſed unto, for preaching againſt the ſin and wickedneſs of the people, was a fore Tempration upon him to lay down his Im- pioyment as a Prophet. He did nor (peak this openly, bur heTpake 1t in his heart, he had (as he corfeſſerh ) many ſuch thoughts in his Breaſt. » Bur he faith he 1s nor able ro do what he thought to do, he found jn his hearta conſtraint to go on, that when a Reve- lation came at anytime from God unto him, 1t was like a fire in l;;s Bones which he muſt quench, by uttering what God had re- vealed to him. to © For l heard the defaming of many, fear on
every lide y: Report, ſay they, and we will report
P - .
= : | *all my familiars watched for my halting -, {-yiag, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we ſhall prevail againſt him #, and we ſhall take our revenge on him c.
3 The Prophet here rendreth a reaſon why he thought of piv- ng over his workas a Propher, his ears are continually filled with rhe O'loquies and Reproaches of ſuch as reproached him,and be- ſides he was afraid on all hands there were ſo many Traps laid for tiim, ſo many Devices deviſed againſt him. They did not only rake ail advantages againſt him, bur they ſought advantages and 7 invited orhers to raiſe up falſe Stories of him, They ſaid ro Men hke themſelves, Raiſe bur you the Report, we will blow it abroad. a Nor only Strangers, but thoſe that T might have expected the greareſt kindnels from, thoſe thar pretended moſt courteſje, watched for opportuniries to do me miſchief, and lay in wait for my halting. 6 Defiring nothing more than that I might be enriced to ſpeak or do ſomerhing which they might make matter of a co- lourable Accuſation. c That fo they might ſarisfie their malice upon me. This hath always been the genius of wicked Men) Job and D214 horh made great complaints much like this, Job. 15.19. Pſal. $1.13. and 55.12, 13. 14. Thus 1t fared with Chriſt him- ſelf. The ſame Spirit which yer poſſefſerh wicked Men, was found in wicked Men inall former times: And this ought to be a great rclicf ro the people of God under the like meaſures, ro conſider that the Servants are not above their Lord, and wicked Men thus 0! old perſecuted the Prophets,
ithey ſhould either be aſhamed of what they had done, or brought 'to ſhame for what they had done, f For proſper they ſhould nor, or they acted like Fools,and did not deal prudently for themſelves, (ſo this word 1s tranſlated, Tja. 52.13.) g They ſhould come to a reproach and jgnominy, and their reproach ſhould not be ike his for a time, butir ſhould be a laſting perperual reproach thar ſhould not be forgotten. This was not only written for thar Ge- neration, bur for all Generations that are yer to come, and harh been made good in the experience of all Ages paſt. The Perſecu- ters of God's Miniſters have found that God hath been with his ' Mimiſters according to his Promiſe, Matth. 28. 20. and that they have ſtumbled in their way, and not at laſt prevailed, that they have not acted prudently for their own good,and the good of their Families ; that a perpetual ignominy clave to the memory of thoſe who have been imployed in this work. There flands to this day a blot upon the memory of them who perſecuted Iſaiah, Jeremiah, 2c, The Apoſtles, and ſuch faithful Miniſters as have been ſince their time,
' 12 But, O LORD of hoſts, that trieſt the righ- teous, ard ſeeſt the reins and the heart h, let me ſee
[thy vengeance on them 7: for unto thee have l open-
ed my cauſe k.
i b The Prophet had Ch, 17. ro. ſpoken unto God under this notionz here he applieth ro him as ſuch, who therefore muſt needs ſee as well the Propher's ſincerity, as his Enemies Malice. z For this Prayer againſt his Enemies, it 15 of the ſame nature with what we meet with Chap. 11. 20, indeed this whole Verſe is the ſame with that David, Pſal. 58. 10. propheſieth that the righte- os (hould regoyce when they ſee the vengeance which God brings on his Enemies ; but yer the Prophet ſeems 1n his Petition ro have ſhew- ed himſelf a Man {as the Apoſtle ſpeaks of Elijah) ſubjet ro hke Pafſhons with other Men, for although God ſometimes in his Providence, cauſerh Vengeance to come upon his, and his Peo- ples Enemies 1n their fight, yet whether they may abſolutely pray for 1t 15 a queſtion. See the notes on Chap. 11+ 20.
13 Sing unto the LORD, praiſe ye the LORD,
for he hath delivered the ſoul of the poor from the *
hand of evil doers/.