b It is uncertain whether this wasa Command from God to Jeremiah to record all the Revelations which God had made to him, or only the Revelation contained in this, and the following Chapter, which conſiſts chiefly of Promiſes of the Peoples reſtau- ration, and ſo God might command them to be written, that they might not be torgotten, but be at hand for the People to read during their Captivity, to keep up their faith and hope in God. A Book inthe Hebrew Dialect, fignifieth any Parchment or Roll ; God would have them recorded to teſtifie his Truth, and CEOS of the Prophet when they ſhould fee the things accom<- pliſhed.
3 For lo, the days come, faith the LORD, that-
I will bring again the captivity of my people Iſrael and Judah c, faith the LORD, and [ will cauſe them to returnto the land that I gave to their fathers, and they ſhall poſſeſs it 4.
c The reaſon why God would have the Prophecy written,was tor a memorial of God's Truth in his Promifes. Iſrael never re turned as to tne Body of the People, but thoſe of the Ten Tribes which were Gods People did return, We read Luke 2. 36. of one Anna who was of the Tribe cf Aſher, and many more doubt- leſs did return according to the Promiſes, Chap. 3. 12, 14. and 23.6. and 31. 1,6, Ezek. 37. 21, 22. dIt is uncertain whether this promiſe of returning to their own Land, were fulfilled in thoſe few of the Ten Tribes who joined themſelves with thoſe of Judah, after they were returned from Babylon, or remaineth yet
28. For therefore he ſent unto us ;»1Babylon, ſay- ins, This captivity zs long, build ye houſes, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of
them 7.
r The matter of fat was true, as appeared, Per. 5,6. but it | was falte-that this was the effeCt of Phrenzy, or that he ſpake this | of his own Heal, without commiſſion trom God ; for he wrote: nothing of this nature, but by order from God, as appeareth from | Ver, 4. where he began his Letter with ; Thzs ſaith the Lord of hojts the God Iirael,
29 And Zephaniah the prieſt read this letter in the the cars of Jeremiah the propher /.
{ It is incertain whether Zephaniah did this cut of kindneſs to 7, emiah, ( for we read he was ſent to Jeremiah upon Meſlages v Chat. 214 1- and 37. 3. from the King, ) or becauſe he would nor ; apprehend him, before he heard him,and let him know that he 6id nothing againft him but upon 1ntormation, &c+ ;
22 Then came the word ofthe LORD unto Jere- mah, {aying, a :
;1 Send to all them of the captivity, ſaying, Thus ' ſuith tke LORD, concerning Shemaiah the Nehela-|
£4
mite, bzcauſe that Shemaiah hath propheſied unto | 'tremble. 5
in part to be fulfilled. The former is moſt probable, and that there ſhall be no ſuch time when the Jews ſhall return again tg Jeruſalem, and poſſeſs their own Land, for it is hard to give an account where the Poſterity of the Ten Tribes be, by whoſe re- eurn the Promiſe ſhould be jnſtified. Beſides that the Phrale inthe beginning of this Verſe, Fey lo, the days come, ſeem. to import a more ſpeedy tulfilling of the Promite, than after ſome thouſands of Years, tho' It is certair the Jews feed themſelyes with ſome ſuch expectations.
4 Y And theſe are the words that the LORD ſpake concerning Iſrael, and concerning Judah.
5 For thus faith the LORD, We have heard a voice of trembling, || of fear, and not of peacee.
- 3
A w s,
Chap. XXX.
[| Or, 2h?
e God here ſpeaketh, but whecher perſonating other Nations, ; fear, an: or the Jewiſh Nation,is not agreed, nor yet whether this Text re- not peace
fers to the times of the Miah, when the Nations ſhould tremble,
or the time when Darizs invaded Babylon, or the times of Gog and Magog (of which read Ezek. 38.) Or the time when the Chales ans invaded Judah ; this laſt teemeth moſt probable, and tlzac God by this intended only to rowle the Jews ont of thzir fecurity,and put them off from expecting peace according to the Alatterics of the falſe Prophets, afluring them that the Times that were com- ing next Were nCct times of Peace, bur ſich as ſhould make them
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4; 5
SEREMIAH
y But yer Gol will noc leth's own People go altogether unpuniſh- ed, that by it they may be reclaimed, and the World may takes no- tice thac God is of purer Eyes than that he can, in any Pc ſoas, be» hold Intquity.
12. For thus faith the LORD, Thy * Bruiſe is in- .curable, azd thy \Vound zs grievous z.
7 Interpreters generally underſtand by Bruiſe or Wound here, 'the ſtate that tize Fes ſhoul.l be 1a, 1a the Caprivity of Babylon, which wou!d be milerable, and fo miſerable that it would be ia- curable from any hand, except the Hani of Gad. Ba: 1 do noc 'underftand why it may no: as welle interpreced of their fiaful fate, with reference to God's purple, and 1ntrpteted by, z Chron, . [36. 16, where 1t is laid, the Wrath of God aroje ag4int them, "ill are of the colour of blaſted Corn,3s the Word figniterh, Deut.';he,o was no Remedy. They had fianed co that degree tha: God
28. 22, es | [had reſolved into Captivity they ſhoaid &9, aad there ſhould 2, * Alas, for that Day zs great, ſo that none 2s abide cill the determination ot 70 Years,
like ith, It & even the Time of Jacob's Trouble z ,| 13. There is none to plead thy Cauſe + that thou
but he ſhall be faved our of it k. : mayelſt be bound up: * thou hait no healing Medi-
þ It is no woader, that there is ſuch a trembling uponall hearts," cjnes @, ſuch a conſternation and great complaining 3 for it will be a time vf no ordinary Calamity, bur of great Evil and milery,in the lame lence as it is called a great day, Foel 2.11, great and zerrible ; and Zeph. 1. 14, &%. iThere never was {uch a day before. k It will be a day of trouble to thoſe that are the Poſterity of Facob, both, good and bad, they ſhall not be delivered from it, but they ſhall be delivered out of zt.
$. For it ſhall come to pak in that Day !, ſaith the LORD of Holts, char 1 will break Jus Yoke from off thy Neck w, and will burſt thy Bonds z, and Stran-
gers ſhall no more ſerve themſelves of him o. thoſe who are curious may read luthciencly abouc ir in the Enziſh