0 You did not reſcue your ſelves out of the hands of your Enemies 3 ] dil in meer Mercy, with a mighty Arm, fave and reſcue yon, and brought you out, p Where you were opprefled Servants, and expo- ſed ro ruin. q As a Shepherd leads his Flock, nay, miraculouſly con- duting by the Villar of a Cloud, and Fire, ani feeding with Manna from Heaven. 7» Reckoning from their coming out of Egypt. $s They paſſed through many Wildernzfles named in Scripture according as they were then called ; bur all theſe lay ſo contiguous each to other, that they all made up one great Wildernels, as the many Names given to parts of the Sea make us know what = page Part is ſpoken of, but all make one Sea, r As an Heir potſefleth that he hath an hereditary Right to. u Including all the reſt of the accurſed, and diſpotleſicd Nations.
11 And I raiſed up x of your Sons for Prophets y, and of your young men z for Nazarites a. Is it not even thus b, O ye children of Iſrael c ? faith the LORD d.
x Gave Prophetick Endowments, ſtirred up their Minds, commiſ- ſioned them to Propheſy, at carried them throughby an undaunted Courage given tothem that they ſhoul:l not fear to ſer upon, or faint in aticading to their Office. y Did not employ Strangers, whoſe Affcttion you might with ſume colour of reaſon ſuſpe& ; but your own Sons, whoſe Affettions to you and to their own Country are unqucftionable, were ſent Prophets to tell you of your Sins, to foretel your Dangers, and to impurtune you to repent of your Sins, and to prevent your Dangers. #3 Though that Age be generally inclined to pleaſe their own Fancies, to walk after the light of their Eyes, Eccleſ. 11.9. yet did God change the Mind of tome of them in their Youth, and inclined them to eminency in Religion, to he Examples to others. a Who were Religious Perions, under Vow bound to a very ſober, abſtemious, afd holy Life ; either for ſome certain limited time,
. or tor thcir whole Life ; ſee Numb. 6. 1, 2, ©, Theſe were not to drink any ftrong or intoxicating Liquors, 6 Gad appeals to them i1 this Matter, whether he bad not done this for them,given Prophets to teach them, aud Nazarites to be Examples to them ; in both which God fiewed his Love and Care of chem, c Apoſtatizcd J/rael, you of the Ten Tribes. d This added to excite them to ſerious pondering wl.a: 15ſaid to them.
12 But ye d gave the Nezarites Wine e to drink, and commanded f the Prophets g, ſaying , Propheſie uot h. |
d For whoſe Benefit both Nazarites and Prophets were raiſed, you who ſhould have heard their Word, and imitated their Example. e Importuned, urged, or it may be (as is the Cuſtom of exceſhve Drinkers )) forced them to drink Wine, to violate their Vow, and con- temn God's Law too, Numb. 6. 3, 4. f By this Paſſage it appears that they vere Men in Auth: rity who did this; It is not probable that mean Perſvns who had no Authority would enjoin Silence on the Prophets, Jf4. 30. 10. chap. 7.13, Mich. 2.6. It is evident Amaziah was chief Vriett in Bethel, and by virtue of his Jurifdittion there filenceth the Prophet. g. The true, faithtul, and plain dealing Prophets, who re- buked their Sins, requircd them to repent, and threatned Judgments if they did not repent. þ Vid. 4. 30. 10. Mich, 2. 6, 11. and chap.
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tht = ; Prelied that is tull of ſheaves m. ;
# art fil of i Hitherto the Lord by the Prophet had declared the Sins of the
ſheaves Kingdom of the Ten Tribes ; now he is about to pronounce Judg-
preſſerk, Ment ag2inſt them : hg calls tor their Attention, and diligent weigh- ing what he is about to ſpeak. & The Lord who have fo multiplied Mercies to this People. / Some rcad this Paſſage actively, and make this the Senſe; I will load you with theſe Judgments as a Cart is loaded, and you ſhall cry and groan under theſe Judgments, as a Cart heavy-loaded makes a noiſe in its Motion uniler fuch IPceflures,
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