than her own) in the ſubduing and breaking her Enemies is here fore-
m 50 called, ſay ſome, from Caleb's Wife; but that's not probable, for
told and promiſed, as tis allo 7/2. 41. 15. Chriſt will thus punish his | it had the Name long before Caleb's Wife was thought of, as appears,
Fnemies3 ſo Babylon Typical, as threatned Fer. 51. 33. was beat to
Gen. 35.19. It is more likely to be called Ephratah from the richneſs
pieces, and ſo shall Antitypical Babylon in due time be broken as Straw | and fruitfulneſs of the Land where it was fituate 3 the Zeb, Word that is thresh*d into ſmalleft pieces like Chaff. 7'Some taking this for | whence this is derived importing fruitfulneſs, whence alſo *twas called the horny part of the Hoof of the Ox which did tread out the Corn, | Beth-lebem, the Houſe of Bread. n Some read this asan Interrogati-
make it to be in Senſe the ſame with the Hoofs made Braſs z but they
on, Art thou little ? which ought to be reſolved by a Negative, thou
that take it as our Verſion doth for the Horn properly taken, with | art not little, and ſo reconcile Marth. 2. 6. to this of the Prophet. which the horned Beafts do push and thruft down, break or wound, | Somedo read it in the Neuter Gender, Jt is 4 little thing for thee to be
doexpre the Power and Strength of the Church firm as Iron to beat down her Enemies. & By this figurative Speech is the Strength of Zion expreſſed, by which $he treads under foot, and breaks the Pow- er of Enemies into pieces that it shall never be repaired, as Straw that
3s thresh'd in the Floor and broken like Chaff, In the times after
the rebuilding of Feruſalem the Jews grew to ſuch Strength that in their Wars they did, eſpecially in the-Maccabees times, break their E- nemies in pieces. But here is a myſtical and ſpiritual Senſe of theſe Words, as they refer to the Meſſia's Kingdom, in which he will break hard Hearts by the Power of his Word, and convert Sinners to him- ſelf, And by the Power of his Almighty Arm will defend and ſup- port his own Subjeas, whilft he doth by invincible Strength throw down and trample into Duft his and their Enemies; and this Power he hath ſometimes evidently exerciſed already in the various Deliver- ances he hath wrought for his People, which ſtand recorded in the Church-Hiſtoriesz of this Strength you may truly ſay what is-reported of the Inſcription in the Crols appearing to Conſtantine, In thus thou ſhalt conquer, 1 Such as were Enemies in Diſpofition and Carriage to- nards the Jews, though Neighbours in their Situation ; theſe were both many and mighty Enemies, ſuch Chriſt's Church hath to conteſt with, and ſuch Chriſt will conquer for his Church, for he 'tis who go- 2 forth conquering and to conquer, Rev. 6. 2. And all his Enemies fyall be made bis Footſtool, Pal. 110.1. n Some refer this to the Church, addſoit may well enough be applied. The Redeemed of the Lord ould by their own A& and Deed become the Lord's. Others refer it tothe Lord, he will conſecrare, it*s beſt put both together the Lord vill, and therefore the Church will, God requires it, they conſent to it, 0 The Spoils of their conquered Enemies, what they get out of their Hand, So the Tabernacle was enrich*d with the Spoils of Egypt, and the Temple built with that which David did dedicate of the Spoils of Enemies 3 and Perfan Bounty built the ſecond Temple. þp Tothe true God for his Honour and in his Service. q Their Power, Glory and Wealth, all they have and are. r With Humility and low _—_ of all they do, as done to him that doth not need it, being ord of all,
EH AF. V.
The Birth of Chriſt promiſed to be at Bethiem-Ephratah, and rhe converſion of the Gentiles, 1 3» his feeding and governing bis Church, 4—7. Their growth and vidtory over all their enemies; God's ven- &zance againſt the diſobedient, $ I%o
I OW a gather thy ſelf in Troops b, O Daugh- ter of Troops c; he d hath laid ſiege againſt us e: they f ſhall ſite the judg g of lirael & with a rod up- 01 the cheek 7. | a This Verſe is, ſay ſome, a harp ſarcaſm againſt 1/raePs Enemies, Others will have them to be a Repetition of the Evils, and a Deſcrip- tion how far thoſe Evils should prevail, that were efre long to come Upon Fudah and Feruſalem, by either Senacherib and his 4jjyrians, or by Neouchadnezzar and his Babylonians, to whom God's Leople ſeem thus to ſpeak ; we have heard what we muſt ſuffer for a time, and low we shall be delivered and triuraph at laſt; and fince that is the Order, firſt Aflitions, afterwards Salvation, delay not, O thou E- nemy, but now, 6 Summon in thy Forces, appoint thy Rendezyous, bring thy ſpoiling waſting Troops, thy mercile(s and bloody Troops, and torm thy Army; O Aſhrian ; of whom much like this jſaiab pro-
eiolence of both which they were to ſuffer, and from both which
r00Þs that ſpoiled, cut off and deftroyed, and had been more than
unety fire Years together in the ſucceſſive Reigns of rheſe four Mo- archs. Babylon allo in her time was as troubleſome to Fudah, and