are as heaps in the furrows of the fields 4. f In this conciſe Interrogatory the Prophet warns the refratory 4. & 5. 5, ungodly Jfraelites by an Example of God's Wrath on them. About An, M. 3264. at Ahaz's Requeſt and Charges, Tizlath Pileſer, 2 Kings 15. 29. came up againſt J/rael, and took Gilead among other Towns, leading the Inhabitants Captives : now ſome 16 or 17 Years after doth our Prephet mind the ſinful and ſecure Fpbramites what they muſt ex- pe, and doth it in this pungent Queſtion, Is there Iniquity 1n Gze- 2d ? i.e. is there only ? oris there more ? much like that of Chriſt's, Luke 13. 2. Suppoſe ye them greater Sinners ? Be it, captive Gilead was all Imquity, and Grlgal is no better. g That come up to Gzlzal to ſa- crifice are Igolaters, they fin againſt God in offering to them, and a- gainft their own Welfare in truſting to them, both ways they appear to be Vanity ; whileſt they multiply theſe Altars and Sacrifices, they multiply their Sins, God's Diſpleaſure is increaſed, and the Danger more near and dreadful. + Idolatrous /frael, thou aboundeft in Al- tars, but if they are for Number like Heaps of Stones gathered out of plowed Land, and laid in Furrows, they are as common t00, 7. e. as far trom ſacred, as far from commenting any Offering to God, or atoning his Diſpleaſure. And canſt thou, Ephraim, hope toeſcape, whoſe Sins excced the Sins of captive Gzead ? wilt thou never be wiſe, never
warn'd, never repent r «
12 And Jacob i fled into the country of Syria k, and
* Gen,29. Trael 1 * ſerved mm fora wifen, and fora wie he kept 20, 29, ſheep 0. | | 2 The Patriarch. kþ For fear of Eſav, 1 Though honoured with that great Name. m Stoop'd to the Condition which is next door to-flave. #» A Wife was his Wages. o Of Laban. All which in the Hiſtory is related, Gen. 29. at large. ; theo] 13 And * by a prophet p the LORD brovght 1ſ-
* Ch. 6.8. * Ch. 4. 15.& 9. 15.
Amos 4,
* Exod, ys rect q out of Ezypt r, and by a prophet was he pre-| & 13. 2. ſerved s. | |
p By Moſes. q Your Forefathers, + Where they had been Bond-
men 215 Years, or near upon it, old Slaves, cr Vaſfals for me De- | icents. 5 In the Wilderneſs, Exod. ch. 2, 3, ©c. Now the Dritt of |
the Prophet herein ro m2 appears to be this, to prevent their vain Pride and boaſting of their Anceſtors, their vainer ſheltring them- ſelves under Anceftors Merits againſt God's juft Diſpleaſure on them for their Sins, and the ſottiſh Plea of what their Fathers did at Bethel and Gilgal. There are many things which ariſe on contideration of -what' their Fathers were, ſuffered, enjoyed and. did, to aggravate their Sins and enſure them of Puniſhment, but nothing to ſecure them againſt Judgment to come, or to leflen Judgments when they come. + Heb. 14 Ephraim provoked him to anger - molt bitterly t : with bize- therefore u ſhall he leave his + blood upon him : and his
zernzſſes. reproach y fhall his Lord z return unto him. |
+ Heb. t Afterall the Means uſed from time to time to reclaim idolatrous
bloods, finning Jfrael, yet ſtill they provoked God to Indignation by their Tdo- latries, Perjuries, Oppreſſions, Murders, and all manner of Sins which uſe to be rite among Idolaters, thele things were Bitterneſs unto God. z Seeing he will incorrigibly perſiſt as he hath begun, and end 'in Sin and Milery. x He ſhall bear the Guilt and Puniſhment of all his: Blood, his Murders of the Innocent, of thoſe that teſtified againſt him, i and, as one who hath murdered himſelf, fhall bear his own Guilt too, | 4 Which Ephraim hath caft upon the Prophets and pious Workhippers | of God ; all the Reproach Ephraim hath caſt on God, preferring Idols. before him. + Either God who is Lord of all, or the 4fſyrzan King! and his Princes, lording it over captive Ephraim:z God ſhall by theſe! return the Shame on Ephraim which he caſt on God, his Worſhip, Temple and Prophets. | wig |
[1
C H A of XIII. | 4 Ephraim”s glory and excellency, by reaſon of idolatry, wanifheth, 1---4. God's anger ſtirred up by their unthankfulneſs, 5---8. yet his gracious | promiſes of mercy and ſalvation to th:m, g--- 14. The deſtruttion of all Samaria threamed for their rebellion, 15, 16. |
1 (A) Hen þ Ephraim 2 ſpake b, trembling c, he exal- /'Y ted himſelf in [ſrael & ; butwhen e he. offend- ed in Baal f, hedied g.
+ So ſoon as, or according as, Zeb. phraſe bears it, and implieth, there was a time when, according to the Word of Ephraim, ' there 'was deep Impreſhon on the Hearers. 4 Feroboam >on of Nebar an Epbrat- mit? ſay ſome, but this is wide of Truth, nor ſutes the Text which -re- ters to their worſhipping of Baal, and this 'came into Uſe in J/rael in £hab's tirae, 1 Kings 16. 21. his Wife Fezabel, Daaghter to Erhbaal King of the Ziaonzans, prevailed with him to take her Country Idol and add to Feroboam's Calves. Epbraim here is either the Tribe of Epkraim, which wasof all the ten Tribes moſt powerful, and when an- gry and diſcontented made the other Trives afraid; or rather the whole iv ingdom of J/rael called frequently in Hoſca, Ephratme 6 When he conſulted, commanded, threatned, or ſent out his Proclamation ; "tis a {peaking like a King, or Kingdoms ſpeaking, which .s back'd, with Power ſufficient to a& as they ſpeak. «c The Tribes, and the neighbouring Kingdoms apprehended Danger, were put into a fear or
HOSE A
fo I would have eftabliſhed them, my Pro- | once was the Authority, Power and Glory of Ephraim. d Was mas. * 4 By many Vifions and Repreſentations;
and foundeſt nothing for thy Suſtenance but. what, my-miraculo
tore * have they forgotren me k, -
f When they were come into Cangin, that Land of Springs, Bro: we them a | and Rivers, . that Land of Wheat, Barly,; Vines, Olives and F'&% 2 _ of Afyr Deut. $. 7, $, 9. When they had abundance of things for Delight, ® aw; take aw: well as for necefſary Suſtenance 3 when T-had, like a good, careru! #" "76, and ſend wiſe Shepherd, brought them into this rich Paſture, g-they like 100 "ind you
gorged themſelves with ſweet Wines and Deliciaus: Fare. this is a Reduplication of the
ſhurun waxed fat, Deut. 32. 13, 14, 15+ i Grew proud,
the cr nſeguence tov, all Men felt a Cummution within them. Such