c The particular Phraſes in this Verſe mult not be ſtrained, nor do they need a particular explication all tgnitying but one thing, viz. the happy and proſperous ſtate the Fews ſhould be in, after their return from the Captivity, both as to their Religious and Civil State; the height of Zion may either fignifie Hieruſalem, 07 the Temple more etpecially where thoſe that returned, as well thoſe of the Ten Tribes, as thoſe ſtriftly of J:d4h, ſhould come ad fing Praiſes to God 3 4 And ſhou!d there come to beg of God good things upon the account of his Goodnels, owning him as the God of their Mercies, whether of a Spiritual or Temporal Na- ture. e Such as Corn, Wine, Oyl, and 2nencreaſe of their Carte), both Flocks and Herds. fAnd they ſhould be 2 beautiful, flou- riſhing,growing People,like a watered Garden that looks chearly, and in which things grow and thrive ( tor Sou! doth nor ſeem here to betaken for Mens ſpiritual and immortal part, but for the whole
law it, and Women with Child, in regard of their heavinels, and | yan, ) & And they ſhall be ſorrowful no more in that manner as
Women Travailtog, in regard of their Pain, are Perlons more une|
Vol. II.
they have been, and tor that on «1 Generation were z or many
I 2 | Yeags,
and their ſoul ſhall be as a * watered Garden f,, and * I
FEARE M 1.4 H Ciap. XXXE
| with j+-
Vier):
11 * For the LORD hath redzemed Jacob 2, and* If. 45 ranſomed him from the haad of 14 4c was Rronger 2% - 3+
<3.
-
Chap. XXRXl,
x Aatth. 2
17)
1 8,
tothe ten Tribes, upon their being captivated by the Aſſprians, or to the ſlaughter of the Fews, upon the ſiege and taking ot the City
FERE
years, vide Tſa. 35. 10, Some think that under theſe Expreſſions, is alſo promiſed the {pit itual Joy which the true 1/racl of God ſhou!d have under the Goſpel, and the eternal Joy they ſhall have in Heaver, when, and not before, all Tears ſhall be wiped from their Eyes; for ina firidt lence it was not fulfilled to the Fews, who at the taking of their City by the Romany, f1xty years aiter Chriſt met with more Sorrow,than they had ever before met with,
+ | | i 3 Then ſhall the virgin rejoyce in the dance, both
young men and old men together : for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them to rejoyce trom their ſorrow h. |
þ This Verſe containeth only a farther variety of Expreſtiors all fgnifying che lame thing, v2. their happy ſtate, tor lome time after the Cartivity. We may underſtand the Dancings here of all | ſorts of People, either oi their religious rejoycing 1n taeir Ho:y Feſtivals, (for under the old Teſtament 1n the!r re.1g10us reJoycing they uted theſe External Expreflions of Joy, as appears trom Pjal. 150. 4. and from Duvid's dancirg before the A 'K ) or of their civil] Joy, where Darcing was more uſual : The aft words of the Verie expound all the lormer. |
14 And 1 will ſatiate the Soul of the Prieſts with fatneſsz, and my people ſhall be ſatisfied with my Goodneſs, faith the LORD k&. |
i By Prieſts fomeunderftand the Miniſters of the Goſpel, whom , Gad here promiſerh liberally to provide for ; or rather by giving! a ſucceſs to their Miniſtry, and letting chem ze the fruit of their labours, make to rejoice: In which meraphoricat ſence I ſhould rather interpret it, applying it firſt tothe Prieits of che Fews aiter the Captivity, of whom it is ſaid, Exra 6. 16. that they kept the feaſt of the dedicarions of the ſecond Temple with joy 3 and verſe 22. the Lord had made the pecple joyful» k Nor were the people for a ſhoit time ouly ſatisfied with the Lord's goodncls, Ina lecon- dary trpical lence it may allo fignifie the [p11 itua] ſuccels, and re- jorcing of good Miniſters under the'Goſpel, and tie {piricual joy of Bel evers. This rejoycing is metaphorically expreſſed by fat-eſs, witha!lufion to the tat of the Sacritices under the Law. It 1s an, uſual thing for God by his Prophets to exprels New Teſtament Duties and Priviledges, by Phraſes borrowed fromthe Worſhip of God under the Old Teſtament. Vide Iſa. 66. 22,23.
15 $5 Thus faith the LORD, A Voice was heard in Ramah/, lamentation zd bitter weeping :! * Rachel weeping for her Children m2, refuſed to be; comforted for her children, becauſe they were not 7 |
{ Interpreters are much divided jn the ſence of theſe words, whether they ſhould refer to the ſlaughter of the Fews belonging
by tbe Kirg of Babylon, or to Herod's killing the Inftarits in Beth- l-bem ? Cercain it is, the Evangeliſt, Afar. 2, 8. applieth them un- to the latter ; but whether the Evangeliſts application of it be as 2 li:eral fulfilling of rhe Prophecy, or by way of allufion, or no, is the queſtion. Thote that taink that it is primarily to be under- {to0d of the laughter of the Infanrs, urge, 1. That Afatthew. Chap. 2. 18. ſo applies it. 2+ That womens mourning for chi!- dren ſeems rather to be for the lots of Infants, (as was there) than expreſtive of the mourning Of all fortsof People in a general defo- Jacion. 3. That the place ofthe mourning i-ems to hint it ; for Ramahb was near to Bethlkbem, and contained under the Coaſts about Butblchem, mentioned by the Evangeliſt. 4. The words becauſe they were not, tacy think make for them ; tor by being carried into Captivity they 1d not ceaſe to be, though they
M I 4H
Children, being tranſplanted and removed into Bztylon. So as I take this Text lirecally and primarily to refer to the lamentation for the Miſeries the People ſuffered upon the Ring of Babylon's ta- king the City : To which Mourning Matthew alludeth, there be- ing a lamentation like this, when Herod cauled the Infants of ewo years 01d to be ſlain in Bethlzhem, and in the Coaſt about Beth- l:hem, of which Ramab was one.
16 Thus faith the LORD, Refrain thy Voice
rom Weeping, and thine Eyes from Tears : for thy Work ſhall be rewarded, ſaith the LORD o, and they ſhall co.ne again from the Land of the Enemy.