tage to ſome to think, that the firſt words, are either the words of ving kind-
ſome of the people owning that the Lord indeed had of 01d ap- neſs 10 3hee-
peared toand for them, but doubting whether the kindneſsof God
ſtill held toward them ; or elſe complaining that theſe were old
Stories. To which the Prophet replies by aſſuring them that God's
Love was not a temporary Love, manifeſted to a ſingle Generati-
on, but it was an everlaſting Love, therefore he had drawn them
wity loving kindne[s, he had all along dealt graciouſly with them,
that way attempting to-oblige them to that Duty which they owed
to him. This drawing witi loving-kindnels he calleth a drawing
with the Cords of ſen, Hol. 11. 4, who ordinarily are little
and the favour tney ſhould be in with God. Thoſe who underſtand it of Chriſt, interpret it of his favour with God, by whom alſo the Saints have their acceſs. p Interpreters are yet moredivided about this Phraſe; ſome apply it to Chriſt, either asan admiration of his | Excellency, or as denoting that none but he could draw near to
wrought upon by Force, but won by Loye.
4 Again * I will build thee, and thou ſhalt be « 1,6. built f, O Virgin of Iſrael g, thou ſhalt agaio be a- 33, -. dorwd with thy || tabrets, and ſhalt go forth inthe} Or, 7% dances of them that make merry h, brels.
'God in that manner as he did, nor had any ſuch a Delight in the
f As
X
101-
Chap. 0,000
f A5 u91 their beinZ carried into Captivity, both their Civil |
fic to travel 191g Jour ey than any others ; but tith 30 1, Lwill
&3te 214 Church, wich eirher of them wereas a Building framed | make ſuch Proviſion, tha: tone under choſe Circunſtances ſhall
roo2ther, were broke and pulled down, and they were lcattered here a1l there, like che Stones of a Building palled down, to GoJ's bringing them again trozether,and cementing them by a Po-
; Come, that thefe Phraſes mult 5» interprered 01'y tato whis gene- ral Senſe, appears, becaule ti Perton in a little Senfe could ; not come. And though lone worthy {4;erpreters, underftand it
lirical and Ecclefiaſtical G »verment,1s fitly compared co a Build-| in a ſpiritual ſenſe of ignorant and impotent Pertons, and Iecl as
5 #& Thecalling them the Virgin Iſrael, doth not fignifte that _ 5, _— Peoplz had not been deflowred by Idolatry,but either ſiznifies that this Promile only concerned ſuch as had kept their Virginicy;Oc elle ( which it may be 15 more probable)Iſrael is here calle a /irzin with relation to the following words, they bing Virgins which were Wont to go out with Taorets, 1 Sam. 18. 6. and to Dunce in the time of thetr mirth and jollicy, Exod. 5.20. Fud. 11, 34. Þ The Virgins are fatd to be adorned with cheir Tabrets or Timbrels, either ( as ſome think ) becauſe they were wont to tyeScarfs , or Ribbons about them,or becauſe they Jooked comelily with theſe Inftcuments of Muſick inthetr hands or ſhould uſe them in a more handſome and comely manner than they had done before,when they ule 1 them at unſeaſonable times. That which is here prophefied is,a merry,joyful,plealans cime to this People when their Mirth ſhould become themzor the Reſtau- ration of their Religious Feſtivals at which they uſed Inſtruments of Muſick to exprels their inward ſpiritual joy and gladnels. Tae Prophets, 1 Sam: L9. 5. came from the High-place with a Tabret
[OT
* 1ſ4.65.2- $5 * Thou ſhalt yet plant vines upon the mountains
+ Heb. profane them.
* Is. % 2. Mich. 4. 2
of Samaria 7, the planters ſhall plant, and ſhall Þ cat them as common things &.
i Simaria was the Metropolis of the Ten Tribes, called ſo from Shemer who owned the Hill ; Omri King of Iſrael bought it, and built Samaria upon it. Mountains in many places are judged the molt convenſent places for Vineyards, being free from Shades and moſt expoſed tothe Sun. k God promiſeth them a Liberty ro plant,and that they ſhouid enjoy their Plantations eating them as cemmon things, which they could not do till the fifth Year, as appears from Lev. 19. 23. The three fir{t Years it was to be ac- counted by them, as uncircumciſed, that is unclean 3 In the fourth Year it was to be holy to the Lord; In the fifth Year they might eat the fruit of it,as any Common thing that was not unclean,nor yet devoted and conſecrated to the Lord.
6 For there ſhall be a day,that the Watchmen upon 'the mount Ephraim ſhall cry /, Ariſe ye, * and let us
g0 up to Zion unto the LORD our God . '
! That Mount Ephraim was a part of the Lot of the Ten Tribes is out of queſtion ; Whether by Watchmen, be to be underſtooci State Centinels, ſet to give warning of dangers approaching, or Keepers of Vineyards, teemeth not much material. m2 It 15 laid they ſhould call upon Men to go up to Zion, that is, 80 the Tem- ple of the Lord at Feruſalem to worſhip the Lord. The only que- ſtioa is,whattime this Prophecy was fulfilled>For though Fudzh returned from the Captivity of Babylon, yet the Ten Tribes ( that weread of) never returned.Some think that it was fulfilled in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, when though the Body of the Ter Tribes returned not,yet many particular Perſons of thole Tribes did return and joyn themſelves with thoſe who returned out ofthe Captivity ot Babylon, and rebuilr both the City and che Temple, Beſides it appeareth from Foſephus, 1. 13. cap. 5, $. that the D-- metirit gave Samaria, Galilee and Perea to the Fews- But the beſt Interpreters judge that this Prophecy was fulfilled under the Golpel ; for both G!ilee and Samaria received the Golpel as ap- peareth from Affs 8. r, 5. 9, 14. and 9. 3r.
7 For thus ſaith the LORD, Sing with gladneſs for Jacob, and ſhout amongſt the chief of the nations publiſh ye, praiſe ye, and ſay » , O LORD, fave thy people, the remnant of Iſrael o.