e If theſe Perſons ſpokes of, be the Prieſts, then they are required not to detain the Tithes in thefr own hands; bur, as was their Duty, to bring them into the publick Store-houſe, If the People are the Perſons,e, People, it requires them to make a punfcal and full Pay- ment of all Tithes ef Corn, Wine, Oil, ec. about this did Nehemtah contend with the Rulers, and wade chem honeſter, and all Fudab obeyed and did the like, Neh.13+ 10,T1,12,13- f Which was one or more large Rooms built-on purpoſe for this uſe,to lay up the Tithes, arid to keep them for holy Uſes. : It was ſome large and flately Chamber, tor we find that Eljaſhib had befriended Tobiah, [erring him have it for an Apartment ro dwel! in, N?h. 13. 5,6,7, &c. g For the Prieſts and Levites to live upen, that they fly not, as many had doae, from the Service of God in the Temple, to take care of their Country &ffairs, and by their Induſtry provide Maintenance for themſelves and theirs, Neh. 13.10, þ Make the Experiment; the Prophet doth in the Name ot God offer to put it to a ſhort Trial. 3 By doing your Duty crv whether I will vor make good my Pro- miſe, and give you a Bleffing, inſtead of a Curſe. k This Form of Speech is uſed Gen. 7. I1. when thoſe mighty Rains that help'd to. drown the World were poured forth, and now here plentiful and fruitful Rains are promiſed in the fame Phraſe, in a kind of proyer- bial Speech, to expreſs great abundance ot the thing intended, 1 Firſt of Rain to water the Earth, and ro make it fruitful ; next a Bleſſing of Corn, Wine and O11, and all other Produtts of the Earth, for the uſe of Man and Beaſt. m Your Barns and Store-Houſes, ſhallnot be large enough to receive it all : Your Fats ſhall overflow, Foel 2. 23, 24. Or as 'tis Arms 9. 13. you ihall haye Harveſt Work,
and Vintage Work, and Sowing Work, as much, or more, than your,
Labourers can well finiſh in their Seaſons.
11 And I will rebuke 2 rhe devourer 7, for your fakes o, and he thall nor F deſtroy p the fruits of your ground 9 ; neither ſhall your vine caſt her fruit 7 betore the time s£ in the field z, ſaith the LORD of hots.
m Lay aRcftraint upon, or prohibit, and the Frohibirion ſhall be cffeRualz if Gcd ſo check, no Creature 1s or dares be deaf to it; Tuch a Check not only quiets the unruly Sea, but can dry it np. # All kind of Devourers,the Locuſt,the Canker-worm,Gaterpiller,yc.peſts of thoſe Countries very often; though they are in mighty Armies and incredihle Multirudes, yet a Reiuke from God willcheck them all at once as if they were but one. 0 Not ſor Merit in you,but for Good toyou. p Conſume and eat up, as theſe Vermin alwaysdid where- ever they came. q Corn ſown by your Hand, and Graſs ſpringing up of its own Nature; both whick theſe Locuſts devour whereſoeycr they £ome, and leave Penury or Famine behind them. r No blaſting or burning VVinds ſhall make them drop,no Froſts or Hails ſhalldeftroy your Vines: This was once the Plague of Egypt, Fſal. 105: 33, 34) 25. 36+ s Your Vines fhall carry their Fruit cill they are fully ripe. & VVhere they had large Vinevards and Olive-yards planted,and God will make them proſper if this People will return to him. |
12 And all nations z ſhall call you blefſed x - for ye ſhall be a delighrſom land y, faith the LORD of holts 5.
All that are about you, that know you, and ſee God's Dealings | with you. x Praiſe the State and Condition you are in, and pro- nounce you to bea very happy People, whoſe God 1s the Lord, and whofe Mercies come thus trom God, y Of Delights, . or defireable for its Fleaſantnefs; a Land ſo good Man would defire it, and when purged, *rwil! be a Land the Lord will delight in, and give it the name Hoprhfibah. x Added as an Afſurance-that it ſhall be according to this Fromiſe; for ſo much as he who is Lord of Hoſts hath engaged his VVord todo it, and his VVord will do it, can make all Creatures co-operate for that Purpoſe.
13 © * Your words 2 have been ſtout b againſt me, ſaith the LOkD: yer ye ſay c, What have we ſpoken ſo much againſt thee ? -
a Your Diſcourſes . concerning my Providences over you and o- thers, your Reafonings, Cenſures, and Verdids, pafled on your own Ways, anon the Ways of your God. b Proudly juftifying your ſelves as deſerving better Uſage irom God, or inſolently arrazgniny Gcd for his Kigdneſs toathers, who in your Judgment are worſe than your fclves, by ſuch words as thoſe cbap. 2. 17. c You think you have ſpoken netiung ſo proudly and ftoutly, and challenge me to tell you wherein, or with whac words you have ſhewed ſuch Inſo-
lence.
14 Ye d have {aid e, It zs vain to ſerve God f : and
CHILI Chap. 11
and that we have walked + mournfilly Þ before the? Heh,