mis a paiſtre les brebis expoſees a tuerie, 1 am ſent then to feed the Sheep that are expoſed to ſlaughter. 7 Either by the Violence of their Enemics, of by the monſtrous Negligence of their Shepherds. + This is explicarory of the former, and by the Ingemination of it ſhows vs that God doth in his Charge to the Prophet typically,and 1n his Charge 10 Chriſt the Antitype,diſtinguiſh clearly between People and Peopleamong the Jews, between thoſe that were poor and for- l-ra, and thoſe that were tyrannical, proud, cruel, and made a Prey of them ; theſe are left out of the paſtoral Charge, the other are taken carc of, { Thus he enters on the aRual exerciſc of his Oitice, and takes two Staves to himſelf; ar the meaning whereof we can but gueſs. Two, ſay ſome, to ſignifie the twofold way of Chriſt's governing his People by Lenity and Severity. Or, ſay others, ro note his fiogular care and dilizence in his Officez when other Shepherds content them- ſelves with ove, Chriſt takes two. Or what if hereby Chrift would be provited with one to guide the Flock, with another to repel ſuch 2s would flavghter them, to prote& againſt Violence, and to direft ſuch as are meek ? Chriſt hath his golden Sceyter for his loyal and | obcdicnt Subje&s, and his iron Rod for refraFory Rebels, and viole::t Enemies, m Or Pleaſantneſs, Sweernels aud Lovelineſs; this Jay in the Holineſs of his Precepts,the Excciiency of his Comforts, the Gl ry of his Reward. This is the firit, and anfwers to the Character ot the ways of Wiſdom, Prov. 3. 17. They are Pleaſantneſs, the Vr- dinances of God, and the Enjoyment of them are the Beauty of the Lord, and our beholding ir, as David, Pal. 27. 44 n Either lucius to the Lines wherewith the Portion of the Holy Land was meted out to every one 2ccording to their Loty or referring to the Obligations Chriſt ſays on Men, to hold together in Peace and Unity. The Bcau- ty of Grace and Glcry, the Bands of Love and Peace. o With thetc is hand the Shepherd undertakes to feed and rule this Flock.
S Thure p ſhepherds qg alfo I cur off 7 in one month 5, and my foul + Ioathed them 2, and their foul ailo av- horred me 7.
p Put for many, a defivite for an indefinite Number. q Negligent or greatly faulty. r Put out of Office, or by diſcovering their Fai.lts made them lie hid, and conceal themſelves. 5s In a little rime. t Hated tlicir Treachery and Idlenels. u Ditgraced and turned out, they hated him; in which theſe Shepherds had too manyot the Jews that fided with them, and that bore a hatred to rne true Shepherd, and to his ifſapartiai executing Severity on the wicked Shepherds.
9 Then x 1aid 1, 1 will not teed you y - * thar that' dierh, let it die 5 - and that that is to be cut off, let it be cugoff a; and let the reſt car, every one the fleſh of F another b.
x After that time of his patient and vigilant feeding the Flock,and after his cuttiog off the three unfaithful Shepherds, and after the 11] Retentment he met with for itz when he deſeryed Love and Thanks for it, he is repaid with Diſdain and Hatred by the People, as well as by the Shepherdsz when he ſaw. all this, then, G'c. Thus they re-| jected Chriſt, the true Shepherd. y Next he rejeð them, he will no more take care of them, or provide for them. x Thar which 15 ready to die.and will not be cured, but hath rez<Qed the Shepherc's Love and Skill, Iet ir die 3 *tis like that, if ye believe not, ye ſhall die in yur ins. a Either the ſame repeated to confirm and afte&t them m.re, orelſc it intends to leave them naked and unguarded to their Enemy; to cut them off by the Sword or Famine,gc. 6 Either live to be befieped tl Hunger and Famine make the living eat the dead, &r cruclly kill that they may cat, as threatned, Det. 28. 52 58, | or clſe by Seditions and bloody inteſtine Quarrels deſtroy each other; all which happened to them in the Sicge of Feruſalem by the Romans.
10 f And I took my itatt, cover Beauty c, and cut ir atunder, that I might break d my covenant e which { had made with all the people /.
c Which I gave that Name to, which was the Beauty and Glory of them, the Covenant of God, with a'l the Bleffiags of it, his Preſence with them, his Loye to them, and his Prote&ion of them, and his Blefing on them. d Signifie and declare that they had reje&ted God and his Favour, and refuſed his Covenant, and that now God would hold it for null'd, and nor obligatory to him. ie This ſomewhat 111u- fira*cs the Staff Beauty, which while unbroken, the Covenant be- tucen God 2nd the Jews was whole and unbroken; and 'tis to be notcd, Chriſt cal's it his Covenant, for he was the Mediator of it, to bring us to God in duty and holy walking, and to reconcile God to us in Mercy and Grace, which 1s the moſt beautiful and fweeteſt O:z<& we can ſee. f Kere again all the People, that is, the generali- ty, in diſtinticn to the Poor and Meck, the Iittle Remnant with wiom the Covenant ſtood firm, thoagh the Body of the Nation were rejected and caſt off, for God nor Cliriſt have neither of them ever call away his People, Rom. 11.1, 2. whom he foreknew.
11 Aiid it was broken g in that day Þ : and || ſo the poor of the flock that waited upon me 7, knew # that It 7:4 the word of the LORD 7. |
g Tie Covenant was abrogated by the Jews obſtinate refuſal of it, 42d the M-diator of 1t. +4 It is not to be wondred *twas done in one Daz at lait, for the unthankſul unbelieving Jew had been tkrough Inauy Generations breaking it, now a day doth it, when it came to that, Not this Man but Barabbas, and we have no King but Czſar, and crucijue, crecifie him. 7 Who knew the Meſſiah, believed in him, and obered him, chſerved his Donne, Miracles and Life. þ Saw, and 040d God 11 all this. That he had juſtly caſt off che Nation of the
Jews 107 tneir Sins, their bloody Murder of the Lord of Lite, and (etvtiag hs Goveramenats they faw God would by the Roman Power puniſh rhe Jews, and lay waſte their Land, City and Temple, for this and their other Sins. 1 All whici was both according to his wiſe
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opact tad tor 409 Years before written of theſe things, \ S_ Lo 3 | = W 7 . = "kg 4 PIR, 2d T2 ANC 11G WO them 27, © In ye think g00d N., Bic #e My price o; and. 14 not, forhear: fo they p
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ZBCHARIAH
Chap. Xy