Ezekiel 16

AGain Heb. And frequently and properly enough rendred as here Again, not pointing out any particular time wherein it came to the Prophet. the Both commanding and directing him what to speak, and it is a very elegant description of Gods dealing with the Jews, and their carriage toward God, his dealing was kindness and tender compassion in the most unparallel'd expressions of it toward the Jews; theirs to God was the most unthankful, undutiful and rebellious. word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Son of man, Declare to them that are with thee, and to them that are at Ierusalem, to these declare by letter, to those by word of mouth, what state theirs was in their infancy, what I did for them, for the whole nation of the Jews, for so I take Ierusalem here to signifie, make them know, it was not in his power to give them understandings, and to enlighten their minds, but his declaring to them is here called making them to know, because it was sufficient to have brought it to their knowledge. cause Jerusalem to know her Her multiplied transgressions which were increased beyond number, and her great, foul sins, called here abominations, her Idolatries, spiritual adulteries, and unexemplified folly in her lewdness changing her God and Husband, Ier. 2.10, 11, 12, 13. abominations.

And say The proud and blinded Jews thought their original more pure then that of the Heathen; this was an old tradition among them, now that the Prophet is to acquaint them with the truth of their polluted original, which they'l storm and fret at, he comes thus prefacing his discourse with a divine Commission. thus says the Who is omniscient, knows all we are and do, who is so just and true, speaks not any thing but the very truth, who is supream Judge and determiner of controversies. He tells the Prophet what they were and commands him to tell them. Lord GOD unto i. e. The whole race of the Jews as verse 2. Or, perhaps in more special manner the Inhabitants and Natives of that proud City, who thought it singular priviledge to be born there, which the Jews counted more holy then the rest of the Land of Canaan. Jerusalem; Thy Thine habitation and thy kindred, so our English of 2 Eliz. time. Thy root whence thou didst spring, the rock whence thou wast cut, the place where thou grewest up, the company and commerce thou didst use, all were of the Land of Canaan, and thou hast a fulness of their vitious nature, manners and practices, both in civil, and religious things, as vile and obnoxious to my curse as Canaan it self. birth, and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan: thy If the Prophet refer to Abraham, it must be understood of his state, and Religion before God called him, when he, as his Father and Kindred, worshipped strange Gods beyond the River, Ios. 24.14. with ver. 2. If the Prophet refer to those that were in Aegypt, the Jews Ancestors that dwelt there; it is certain that many of them forgot Abrahams God, closed with the Aegyptian Idolatry, and were polluted with Idols, Iosh. 24.2. if you refer it as a figurative speech and call them Fathers whom we reverence, consult, obey and imitate, as well we may call such Fathers; these were not the best and holiest of men, Matth. 3.7. and 12.34. and 23.33. Oh ye Jews be it known to you, what ere you think, you have no cause to boast of your nobler or purer descent, your fountain was corrupt and poisonous. father Might have been for likeness of manners. was an Either because this comprehended all the rest of the cursed Nations. Or, because the Amorites as most powerful and mighty, so most wicked among them; it was the Amorites which were filling up their sins, Gen. 15.16. Amorite, and thy Sometimes the ill nature of a Father is corrected in the child by the sweetness of the Mother, but you Jews were not so happy, your Mother as bad every whit as your Father; both prodigiously vile in their inclination, civil converse, and choice of their Religion and in the practice of it. The daughters of Heth were women of ill fame, and worse manners, Gen. 27.46. enough to make a good soul weary of life. Such is your race, O ye Jews. mother an Hittite.

And as for thy nativity, Either in the day I called Abraham to leave his Idolatry. Or, when in Aegypt you began to multiply into a Nation. Or, when you were brought out of Aegyptian bondage. Or, whether you fix any other time, it was a helpless and miserable state they were in. in the day thou wast born, thy As the new born infant cannot do this for its own preservation, and as there is great danger if not carefully and skilfully done, as 'tis the early care of the hand that delivers the Child, so was the care and love of God towards this people when they could not, and others would not help them, and this will be declared in a continued allegory. The preventing mercy of God was showed in this. navel was not cut, neither wast thou Born in blood, unpleasant to behold, thou must have weltred therein, and perisht, none washt thee, that thou mightest be handled, but I; I purged away the blood and uncleanness of thy birth, took thee up, nurst, provided for and disposed of thee. washt in water to supple thee: thou wast not Salt is of a drying, abstersive and cleansing nature, and was used to purge, dry & strengthen the new born child, to make it the more lovely and lively. salted at all, nor This usage for the continued preservation of the infant, for strengthening it, setting its limbs, and keeping them in their right and orderly posture, is most necessary to be observed, and yet there was none that would do this for this infant, so forlorn was the state of the Jews in their birth, without beauty weltring in blood, without strength, new born, without friend, that might act Mother, or Midwifes office. swadled at all.

None A confirmation of what was said verse 4. no hand helpt, because no eye pitied them, neither Terahs family to Abraham, nor the Aegyptians to sojourning or departing Israel, showed any bowels of pity to help. eye pitied thee, to do Though all those particulars toward an infant had not been done, if the more needful were done, it might be well enough, but poor infant, it hears of no body to do any one of them for its health and life. any of these unto thee, to have To show any tenderness of heart towards it. compassion upon thee; but thou wast Put out of doors, exposed to perish and starve with hunger and cold. cast out in the As far from likelihood of relief as from the sight of men, not laid in the street of City or Town, not at some mans door, but in the open wide field, where devouring wild beasts are likest to come first and tear the helpless wretch to pieces. open field to the In contempt of thee as unlovely, and worthless; and in abhorrence of thee as loathsome, putrifying, and offensive to the beholder. loathing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born.

¶ And when I After the manner of man God here speaks, alluding to some Traveller, or walker abroad, like Pharaoh's Daughter, or the good Samaritan, that lighted on this poor forlorn infant. passed by thee, and In such manner as to pity, and consider how to relieve; to omniscience every thing is seen, but here compassion is included in this seeing, this was the only eye that pittied. saw thee Most exact emblem of mans sinful and miserable state, his filthiness and death arising from himself, as the death and filthiness of one wallowing in his own blood. polluted in thine own blood, I I purposed to save thy life, I declared my purpose and wrought the effect, I took care of thee, that thou mightest not die. said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live: yea, I This is repeated, both to set forth the freeness and abundance of Gods love, and to work our heart to a suitable resentment thereof, and to intimate the stability and stedfastness of the purposes, and effects of Grace. said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, It sounds like a command, but 'tis such a command as sends forth a power accompanying it to effect what is commanded, he gave that Life he spake and it was done. Live.

I The Lord who chose Abraham and his seed, by his blessing this people, were increased as by millions; how inconsiderable is a Clan of 75 persons? So many went with Iacob into Aegypt where in 250 years they grew to six hundred thousand and three thousand and 550 beside Women and Children under 20 years, and old men above 60 years old, so the promise Gen. 12.2: and 15.5. and 17.2, 4. was fulfilled. have caused thee to multiply as the For multitude they are compared to the numberless buds of the Herb, for flourishing, they are like the bud in the beauty of its spring, and both include the goodness and richness of the Land they dwelt in. bud of the field, and thou hast Grown up to maturity or full age. increased, and waxen And in stature thou hast come to full, just proportions, or grown strong, mighty, and terrible to thy neighbours who were enemies, but honourable, and a defence to thy friends. great, and thou art come to As Jewels and rich vestments set off a beautiful person, so the successes in enterprizes, rich returns in merchandise, fruitfulness of the Country it self, were the lustre of thy beauty, which all thy neighbours courted, thou wast adorned with the choicest blessings of divine Providence. excellent ornaments: thy The Prophet farther describes the beauty, and glory of the Jewish nation grown up and fashioned under Gods own hand in order to be solemnly affianced to God. breasts are fashioned, and thine hair Which is an ornament when well set, whereas baldness is a deformity. is grown, whereas thou wast i. e. When in Egypt, poor and oppressed, and despised. naked and bare.

Now when See ver. 6. of the phrase. This second passing by may well be understood of Gods visiting them and calling them out of Aegypt. I passed by thee, and See the phrase verse 6. looked upon thee, behold, The time of thy misery was the time of love and pity in me towards thee, and the time of thy grown beautified state was the time of my love of delight, when I rejoiced in thee, and espoused thee to be my Wife. Thy time i. e. The season fittest for the discovery of my purposes towards thee was the time of love, which is exprest in what follows in the verse, thy time was the time of love; and I i. e. betr thed thee as Ruth 3.5. and Deut. 22.30. engaged by marriage to love, cherish, protect, and safeguard. spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy What was, and would be thy reproach, my love and bounty covered, I clothed thee with spoiles of Egypt, and gave thee Flocks, with the wool whereof thou mightest clothe thy self. If you take it figuratively, I covered all thy filthiness and washt it away. nakedness: yea, I Gave thee the greatest, most inviolable, and solemnest assurance of my conjugal love, care, and faithfulness. sware unto thee, and This was done at Mount Sinai, Exod. 19.5. entred into a covenant with thee, The Truth of all which the Lord does avow in this form of asseveration. says the Lord GOD, and thou By the obligations of my kindness thou couldst be no less, by thy own voluntary act, and consent, by promise and profession, Exod. 19.7, 8. becamest mine.

Heb. And, this continueth the allegory and declareth what more was done to prepare this Virgin for advancement by this marriage covenant. Then It was a very antient custom among those Eastern people, as appears Ruth 3.3. and Esth. 2.12. to purifie Virgins who were to be espoused ere long; and 'tis likely the Prophet alludes to that Exod. 19.10. washed I thee with water: yea, I The same thing by a very usual figure repeated to confirm and illustrate what is spoken, the word in Heb. notes an abundant washing, a rinsing of what was washt to make it cleaner, it includes a bathing, as Lev. 15.10. throughly washed away thy Thy original and birth pollution, which rendred thee displeasing to the eye, and unfit for the familiar and loving entertainment of a Husband. blood from thee, and I Not to Royal sovereign dignity, this is exprest by another word in the Heb. but anointed as they that were to be married, as Ruth. 3.3. Esth. 2.12. or as those who were to come into the presence of great and noble personages, as Dan. 10.3. Or as such who would look with chearfuller countenances, and change their sad and mournful deportment, as 2 Sam. 12.20. 'tis not improbable it may allude to the bounty of God toward the Jews in a land flowing with oyl. Spiritually these refer to our cleansing by the Blood of Christ, and by his sanctifying spirit. anointed thee with oil.

I So miserably poor was this creature, that she had not clothes to her back, he gave them who married her. clothed thee also with Rich and beautiful, needlework of divers colours much above the state of an abject infant, and suited to the bounty and riches of him who gave them. broidered work, and shod thee with Those Eastern people had an art of curiously dressing and colouring the skins of those Beasts, of which they made their neatest festival shoes, and these were for the richest and greatest personages to use. badgers skin, and I Both for strength, activity and ornament. girded thee about with Both soft warm, and comely, such soft raiments used in Kings Courts, intimate the advancement of this abject to Royal state, as well as delicately clothed. fine linnen, and I Either covered, as the upper garment covers all the rest, or as curtains of the bed cover one who is laid to rest within them, the vail this Virgin was covered with when she appeared abroad, and her furniture at home were very rich and proportion'd to her Lords grandure and riches. covered thee with silk.

I If the inventory of this Virgins goods given to her were hitherto of such things as were needful for her comfort, now follows a particular of what served for state and magnificence, as the phrase Iob 40.10. it also expresseth the bravery of a Bridegroom, Isa. 61.10. The curiosity and exactness wherewith such do dress themselves. decked thee also with ornaments, and I Heb. I gave, i. e. freely. put bracelets Which usually were of Gold as appears, Gen. 24.22. and presents made of these bespeak greatest respects. upon thine hands, and a Of Gold in token of honour and autority. Gen. 41.42. Dan. 5.16. chain on thy neck.

And I put a It was many times of Silver, but most commonly of Gold, & was of circular figure hanging by a string fastned above the forehead in such manner, that it lay or rested on the nose, much esteemed among the Eastern people, though of no account with us. jewel on thy forehead, and Golden ornament hanging in the fleshy part of the ear. ear rings in thine ears, and a beautiful A very rich and beautiful crown, as Virgins espoused and married had crowns set on their heads, Cant. 3.11. so to complete the solemnity, and make the magnificence of these nuptials full, a crown of beauty is set on the head of this Jewish Nation now married to God. crown upon thine head.

The Prophet summs up all again, partly to aver the truth thereof, partly to bring it to her remembrance, and partly to affect her with thankfulness for what she had received, and with shame for what s e had d ne. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy raiment was of fine linnen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst It was the constant course of thy diet, to be provided thus wi h the choicest food, which thou didst not by scanty allowance taste of, but wast filled with, these were royal dainties, as Gen. 49.20. eat fine lower, and honey, and oyl: and thou Such diet with the additional ornaments would surely render a perfect beauty, and to such perfection did this espoused Virgin grow. wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst All affairs succeeded well, and events added to thy greatness. prosper into a Not only compact in it self, but victorious over others, and so she was a mistress over Kingdoms, as in Davids, Solomons, Iehoshaphats, and H zekiahs time. kingdom.

And thy Thy name was great and honoured. renown went forth among the Not only next Neighbours, but the uttermost ends of the Earth, as 'tis said of the Queen of Sh ba, heard thereof. heathen for thy The excellent order of thy Government, prosperi y of thy Countrey, riches of thy Merchants, and abundance of thy peace. beauty: for it was The best of any upon Earth, no Nations had such Laws as they had, or God so near them, it was perfect in its kind. perfect through my comeliness which I had The form of the Civil Government and its Laws, the Wisdom, Justice and Courage of the Governours, the due compliance of the governed, and the Holiness, purity and truth of their Religion; all which concurred to make up this beauty, and it was that God put upon them, or set before them, Deut. 4.7, 8. The visible, outward, emblematick part of all was beautiful; the invisible, inward, and spiritual part was much more beautiful and ought to be duly considered. Thus far what God did for her. put upon thee, says the Lord GOD.

¶ Hear O Heavens, and be astonished at the complaint God does make against this unthankful, forgetful, and perfidious Woman! But thou didst Grew proud, laid aside humility, which became one raised from a most abject state, cast of the modesty, chastity, and fidelity which became a Wife. trust in thine It was not her own, but put upon her; she owed it to the love, bounty, and care of God, but, forgetting this, she accounts it her own and then disposeth of it as she li t. own beauty, and No doubt with the increase of wealth, and honour, the lewdness of Harlots and Adulteresses increased too, but here spiritual harlotry, i. e. Idolatry is meant; and to this course did the wanton, unstable, and ungodly Jews be take themselves betime from the days of the Judges and especially, in the latter days of their Kingdom, this people went a whoring after Idols. playedst the harlot because Some would read it, against thy renown, to the blasting of thy honour, but rather her renown abroad drew to her Idolatrous strangers, who brought their Idols with them, and acquainted the Jews with the pomps of their idolatrous worship. of thy renown, and Didst readily and profusely lavish thy wealth, and prostitute thy self to them, thy Land, thy Cities, Ierusalem it self was full of the Idols, which the nations far and near did worship, every stranger, who passed through thee, might find room for his Idol, and Idolatry, and very like 'twas thou didst infect every one with somewhat of thine, as well as wast infected with their Idolatry. pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; Thy person, affection, riches, religion, all was at the command and service of every Adulterer, so impudently vile, and false was she to God. his it was.

And of Hers they were for use, by gift of God, but she lookt on them as hers, without respect to either the giver, or use intended. thy Those costly, royal robes, the very wedding clothes, and furniture. garments thou didst As an Adulteress that parts with the rich gifts of her Husband to oblige an Adulterer. take, and By this it appears how shameless she was grown, that blusht not to be known, one that had turned her Husbands bounty, that had abused the unparallel'd kindness of her God, to the open and publick service of her Adulterer, her Idol, thus she turned her glory into shame. deckedst thy Where both the Idol his Altar, and worship were fixed. high places with divers With those beautiful clothes and furniture I put upon thee to ado n thee, these hast thou made the Carpets and Hangings for the honour and service of Idols. colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: The So matchless is this Adulteress, that none shall be so impudent, and do like her, as there was none before her, that has done so to be her example, so shall there be none to follow her in these things wherein she has exceeded. like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.

Thou hast also taken thy She forgot the propriety was in God, she reckon'd them her own. fair The word in Heb. is of larger extent, and includes Vessels, Instruments, Furniture of all sorts, with which she was abundantly stor'd, ev'n from their departure out of Egypt, when they spoil'd the Egyptians; Exod. 11. ver. 2. where the sel same phrase is used, and more since Solomon made Gold and Silver so common in Ierusalem, with which they made Vessels for use, and Furniture of all sorts for Ornamen. jewels of The greater was the sin of this Harlot, her ingratitude, and her injustice that she rob'd God, committed Sacrilege, that she might have Idols with which to defile her self by her Idolatry. my gold, and of my silver, which I had Had she receiv'd them of any other hand, the wrong had been the less; but she received them, every one of them, of the hand of God: He gave her what the Egyptians lent, what David won from Enemies, and what Solomon brought in by Traffique; so Hos. 2. aggravates Israels Idolatry. given thee, and Brutish stupidity! to make an Idol, and account it a God! madest to thy self Statues, Molten and Graven Images, not one single Image, but many; so Idolatry, as Adultery is boundless. Images of Idolaters had Males and Females Idols; and this Idolatress here, as mostly they did, doted on Male Idols. It is not unlike to that chap. 8. ver. 14. which see: And possibly the Egyptian Idolatry with Os is, or Adonis may be noted or some more lewd Image or Pourtrait of Priapus, which might be confirm'd from ver. 26. and chap. 23. ver. 19, 20. men, and didst commit Provoked by such representations to speculative uncleanness, and prepared for bodily uncleanness also, and proceeding to Spiritual Adultery with these shameful Images. whoredom with them.

And tookest thy Mention'd ver. 10. given by him who espoused this Woman. broidered garments, and Did'st clothe the Adulterers, with whom thou didst commit lewdness, or did'st cloth the Images, which thou had'st made, as was the custom of Idolaters to suit clothing to their Idols. coveredst them: and thou hast set mine Either in Lamps to burn before them, or used in their sacrificing to their Idols; or literally, didst in thy Feast with thine Adulterous Lovers entertain them with the Oil I gave thee. oil, and mine Burnt before the Idol Incense, being one part of what they offered to Idols, or burnt in the private house to make it the more grateful to the Adulterer; as Prov. 7. ver. 16, 17. incense before them.

My meat The Bread, all that was necessary, and proper for thy sustentation in general which I gave thee, thou hast fed thy Paramours withal. also which I gave thee, Here are particularly recounted the things God gave, and this Adulteress misimployed, both literally, and mystically: For I doubt not the Iews were lavish of the Fruits of the Divine bounty, bestowing them both on Adulterers, and on Idols. fine flour, and oyle, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a To reconcile the Idol, or to prolong the favour of the Idol, or to give a pleasing entertainment to their Adulterers, or to provide for the Idolatrous Priests, and their Families, which could spend all this, though the Idol knew not of it. sweet savour; and All which is self evident, plain, and needs no proof, 'tis undeniable. thus it was, says the Lord GOD.

Moreover, thou hast taken They were hers by Birth, and shou'd have be n hers in Affection, Care, and Preservation; but as Idolatry is from the Father of Lies, the old Murtherer, 'tis even cruel, and spares neither Sons or Daughters. thy That are usually the Fathers darlings, are always the strength and glory of the Family, without respect to him that begat them, were by this Adulteress design'd to please the Idol. sons and thy daughters Usually the Mothers great delight, whose tender Sex required better usage, unregarded are by a cruel Mother in Idolatrous Abominations destroy'd., whom thou hast Which were mine born within Covenant, before the lew'd Mother was divorced, born to be of my Family, and to serve and love me. born unto me, and These very Children of mine, to my dishonour and grief; to provoke me to utmost anger hast thou destroy'd. these hast thou Not only consecrating them to be Priests to dumb Idols. Dunghil Gods, as chap. 20.26. and 2 Chron. 33.6. or Idolatrously purifying them, called lustration, or which is most inhumane cruel, burning them in Sacrifice to Molech, which cruelty the Iews themselves did barbarously imitate. 2 Chron. 28. ver. 3. sacrificed unto them to be To be consumed to Ashes, being made a Burnt-Offering to the Devil: as Psal. 106. ver. 37. devoured: is Were thy Whoredoms a small matter with thee, that thou hast proceeded to this height of unnatural cruelty? Or, is both Face and Heart so hardned by an impudent course of Adulteries, that thou can'st do this, as if it were no great matter? Will Spiritual Adulteresses as well as Bodily thus hunt the precious Life? Cou'd such commit the worst, who were forbid to commit any Murther? this of thy Whoredomes a small matter.

That thou hast Thy blind Superstition call'd this Religion, and accounted it Sacrifice, but truth is, 'twas unnatural Murther; it is as if thou hadst cut their Throat, somewhat worse, because it put them to greater torture. The word is us'd Isai. 57.5. and Hos. 5.2. slain my Sons here are first born, which peculiarly were devoted to God, he reserved a special right in these, and yet this cruel Mother, this perfidious Wife, this sacrilegious Adulteress sacrificeth these to her Idols. children, and Either gave them to the Idols Priests, or rather with her own hands gave them, i e. led them through the fire, if lustrated, or put them into the Idols arms of Brass or Iron, which grasp't them fast whilest they were consum'd with fire, that made the Idol red hot. delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for For the Idols Worship, or possibly for the Parents, who did wickedly imagine this a way to preserve and prosper the rest of their Children. them.

And Thou wast so intent upon, and delighted in thy lew'd courses, thou never thought'st what once thou wast, or what again thou mightest be. in all thine Both Corporal and Spiritual. abominations, and thy This is the same thing charged thus on her, because she wou'd not consider, or lay it to heart. whoredoms thou hast not Thou hast utterly forgotten, it is a form of speech, that contains more than the words seem to have in them, she had forgotten her self and her God. remembred the days of thy The misery and loathsomeness of thy Birth, which is exprest very Elegantly. 1. Naked, as contemptible as poverty could make her. 2. Nay, she was Nakedness it self, as the word will bear, exposed to all the suffering that can befal such poor helpless wretches. 3. Bleeding to death in a most loathsome defiled condition, that none wou'd come near her, but ungrateful, she forgot all. youth, when thou wast naked, and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood.

And it It shall come to pass; so the Heb. may be read, and then this verse will be a dreadful threat of misery to come upon the Iews for all their wickednesses, when they have filled up the measure of their sins, God will fill them with his Judgments, and bring one wo after another upon them, as they proceeded from one wickedness to another: But as we read the words, They are an Introduction to a farther declaring of this peoples multiplyed wickedness, with a dreadful menace introduc'd somewhat abruptly to express God's great displeasure against them; the threat is doubled, because 'tis certainly coming, and will be great when come. came to pass after all thy wickedness, (wo, wo unto thee, says the Lord GOD.)

That thou hast also With great charge and pains, as those do who build, hereby declaring thy purposes of continuing thy lewdness, built unto For thy self, grown so prodigiously publick, and followed with such numbers, and such great ones, that no common place was thought great enough, or stately enough. thee an Not only eminent for its Scituation, but for its Structure, that it might invite men in, and have room to treat them, unless you will refer the words that follow to the manner of the Building, and the former words to the height of the Scituation. eminent place; and hast made thee an high place in Idol Temples, and Brothel houses were in every street; so common were these sins with the Iews, in every large street capable of, and frequented with much Company. This in Ierusalem and her Cities. every street.

Thou hast built thy high place at every Not content with what was done in the City, she built her Idol Temples, and shows in the Country, in places where many Wayes or Roads met, wheresoever it was likely Passengers wou'd come. head of the way, and hast As the Beauty of a shameless Whore is abhor'd by them to whom she offers her self: In her high Places every Passenger might meet his own God, and worship his own Idol, and then satisfie his Lust with lewd Women, common as the street, and this made men abhor that Beauty they wou'd have admir'd, drest in modesty, and dwelling retir'd: made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast A modest expressing of the most immodest practice of lewd and nsatiable Adulteresses, and Whores, which are ready for every comer, and tempt such as tempt not them. ver. 32, 33. opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms.

Thou hast also committed Both figuratively and literally understood, worshipt Egypt's Gods, made Covenants with them, kept up a Commerce of Trade with them, and prostituted themselves to their lusts too. fornication with the Egyptians thy By cohabitation, while the servitude lasted, and by nearness of place, when in Canaan. The Iewish Nation retained too much inclination to those Idolatrous, and lustful Neighbours. neighbours, Politically they were great in power, and like to defend and help the Iews: Naturally of big make, and men of great stature, and such as insatiable Adulteresses wou'd covet; and these considerations induced Adulterous, and Idolatrous Israel to unite with them in Leagues and Religion. great of flesh, and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to To a fierceness of anger for its degree, and to an abhorring and contemning of the Person, against whom this Anger is stirr'd. anger.

Open thine eyes thou secure and foolish Adulteress, see what has been done against thee, and consider it is for thy lewdness. Behold therefore, I have I have chastis'd and punisht already in some measure. stretched out my hand It may be read against thee. In like phrase. Isai. 5.25. and 9, 12, 17, 21. and 10.4. expresseth the punishing of this people. over thee, and have Abated of that plentiful allowance a kind Husband made, and an unfaithful Wife abus'd: It refers to scarcity and penury, with which God did punish Idolatrous Israel, and this more than once. diminished thine ordinary food, and Stir'd up first such to fight against them, and then gave Victory to their Arms, yet they might use the conquered as they pleas'd; sent them into Captivity into an Enemies Land, where they, that hated them, ruled over them, and no doubt such would satisfie their own lusts on these Captives. delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Idolaters, but in this honester than the Iew: They were constant to their own God, and did not as the Iew, lewdly go a Whoring with every Idol they saw. Philistines, which are Will therefore reprove, and teach thee some modesty and chastity. ashamed of thy lewd way. Either 'tis an Hebraisme, the Daughters of the Philistines for the whole Nation, or else some particular Cities, and Principalities of the Philistins, which quarrel'd with, and prevailed against the Jews, when God had been so provoked by the sins of the Jews.

Thou hast Courted their friendship and alliance, and to obtain it hast entertain'd their Religion, Manners and Impieties, been an Idolatress with them, and committed Adulteries with them. play'd the whore also with the Though they were far from thee, when thou didst wickedly with thy Neighbours, it might admit some little colour of excuse, but it is inexcusable to run to remotest Nations. Assyrians, without satisfying thy self, (and so the Hebr. may be read) but our Interpreters refer it to the boundless Lusts of this lewd Adulteress, and not to the issue and event of her practices; and in the endless lustings of a wicked heart, Idolaters and Adulterers do agree. because thou wast unsatiable; 'Tis repeated to shame her, and make her blush, and repent. yea, thou hast play'd the harlot with them, and yet Or wast not satisfied, Assyrian Gods proved, as other Idols, a snare, and a lie to the Iews. 2 King. 16.9, 10, Ier. 2..18, 36. Hos. 7.11, 12. and chap. 14. ver. 3. could'st not be satisfied.

Thou hast moreover Both increas'd the number of thy Idolatries, and made them greater in that thou hast adopted the Idols of Canaan, and all that between them, and the Chaldaeans are own'd or worshipt. multiplyed thy fornication Heb. may be read towards as well as in: The Idolatry of the Iews worshipping Canaan's Idols was most intolerable, because God had so fully declar'd the vileness of it, his abhorrence thereof, and so strictly charged the Iews to keep themselves from it. How monstrously wicked is it, that in prosperity possessed of the Houses and Wealth, which thy God gave thee out of the hands of the Canaanites, and their Idols, thou forgettest God, and worshippest their Idols; And in Adversity and Captivity do'st the like, and dotest on the Idols of thine Enemies. in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea, and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith.

How Unstable, like water that melts away. Neither hast strength of Judgment to discern the truth, and purity of Religion, nor hast strength of resolution to hold fast to it. weak is thy heart, says the Lord GOD, seeing thou do'st Changest thy God and Religion, or do est on all the gaudy pompous Religions and Idols thou earest of. all these things, the work of an A Woman, who think'st her self her own, that knows no superiour, nor will b either guided and governed to do good, nor reproved and reclaimed from evil, a Woman, whose lust is her Law, and her Husband her contempt and burthen. Such will be boundless in her disorders, and shameless too. imperious, whorish woman?

In that See ver. 24. Whereas the Paramours of other lewd Women build for them, as it is reported of Solomon, 1 Kings 11.7, 8, 9. Here on the contrary this unfaithful Nation forsake their God, commit fornication with strange Gods, and bear the charges both of building their Temples, and furnishing them with Sacrifices, and maintaining the Priests. thou buildest thine ver. 24. eminent place in the head of every ver. 25. way, and makest thine high place in every ver. 24. stree, and hast not Common Harlots make gain of their looseness, and live by that gain, these make a prey of the men that come into them; thou doest worse, thou lavishest out thy credit, wealth, and all for to maintain, and please thine Adulterers. been as an harlot in that thou scornest hire. The Hebrew word is of two significations, and each opposite to other, for it bears as our Translation renders it, contempt, slighting, or disregarding; and so it suteth with what follows, ver. 32, 33, 34. It signifieth also to praise, value, and regard, as Buxtorfe observes, and it will as well, if not better, be so rendred here, and be the character of a common Harlot, which wandreth after her Lovers with a design of receiving the rewards of her lewdness; and thus the Chalde Paraphr. reads it; so we shall need no Parenthesis; nor begin the Antithe is till the 32 verse.

Here begins the Antithesis, A Wife, Adulteress, such as the Prophet resembleth this Nation by, which has a most rich, bountiful and kind Husband, she differs from common Harlots in this point, she hunts not rewards, but forbidden pleasures. But as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers, instead of her husband.

Unclean Fornicators and Adulterers. They give The word is of a restrictive sense, speaks not any kind of gifts in general, but peculiarly such gifts as are presented by a Woer, or Espouser of a Woman, with which she is enricht and adorn'd, and may perhaps imply the arts, pretences, and arguments, which are us'd by loose men to seduce and corrupt Virgins; they pretend Marriage design'd, make presents, and deceive. gifts to i. e. To the most of them, 'tis usually so. all whores: but thou givest thy Thy Nuptial gifts, which thy generous and bountiful Husband gave thee at the Espousals, or on the Wedding day. Those gifts which are most highly valued, most carefully preserved, and most unwillingly parted with by all vertuous Women, thou most unparallel'd Adlteress hast given to thy Husbands greatest Enemies, to thy beastly Adulterers. gifts to Thou makest little difference, but as it happens, any one of thy lewd Companions may easily have these gifts of thy hand. all thy lovers, and By large gifts, as bribes usually are, and the word used here signifieth, they light thee, and have no desire after thee; like despis'd Adulteresses, they wou'd hate thee, but thy bribes change their behaviour, though not their minds and thoughts of thee. hirest them that they may come unto thee on Women have somewhat of modesty remaining amidst their lewdne s for the most part, and if Adulteresses, yet have their Lovers in some corner or other, but thou as unsatiable, hast them every where round about thee. every side for thy whoredom.

And the That which subverts the order of Nature, is contrary to the innate modesty of thy Sex. contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, whereas none Thou followest them, treatest, importunest, promisest, payest, and caressest them. Thus, as a shameless Adulteress, Israel had carried it toward her God who espous'd enricht, beautified and delighted in her; but she hired the Nations round about her to enter covenant with her; entertain'd and maintain'd all their Idolatrous Worship, gave the Nuptial gifts to hateful Idols. followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary.

Her indictment and notoriety of all the charge against her we have heard; her crimes she was gu lty of, with the aggravations of them, now follows sentence of condemnation against her. Wherefore, O harlot, hear the Of just condemnation which thou must submit to, though thou refusedst the word of counsel and precept. word of the LORD.

This august title is a preface to give weight to the sentence, and to affect her heart with fear. Thus says the Lord GOD; because thy It might be rendred Money, with which she hired, and bribed her Lovers which she spent upon Baal, as Hos. 2.8. Her Sorcery, with which she bewitch't and enchanted them: Her Poyson infused into them she converst with: The Impudence of her carriage, as a Whore with a fore-head of brass. Ier. 3.3. filthiness was It includes her eagerness, constancy, and abounding in her wickedness, and most modestly upbraids her with her most immodest lasciviousness, and discovery of it. poured out, and Sometime it is figuratively taken, so it may be here, though I rather think she is charged with such prostitution, as the discovering the parts Nature has conceal'd, and modesty shou'd keep secret. thy nakedness discovered through In thy playing the Harlot thou hast shamelessly incited thy Lovers by discovery of thy secret parts. thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with As before was observed, she doted on all the Idols of her Neighbours and Acquaintance, which become her Abominations by her loving them, when she shou'd have abhorr'd them. a vid. ver. 20, 21. Adultery, Idolatry, Murther of her Children, is the sum of this charge drawn up against her. all the Idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children which thou didst give unto them.

God calls her to consider what heavy Judgment he pronounceth, and will execute. Behold therefore, I will Whole heards and droves, for the word implieth such a gathering together. gather all thy Chaldaeans, Assyrians, Aegyptians lovers with whom thou hast taken Unlawful pleasures of Body, Commerce, and Idolatrous Feasts in their Idolatrous Sacrifice. Old pretended Friends now turned into vehement Enemies: And old Enemies, who have earnestly longed for such an opportunity to vent their malice; their hatred will heap on thee mischiefs, under which real friendship might somewhat relieve, but counterfeited friendship never will, thou shalt not have a friend to pity or help thee. pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast So shall my threats be ful illed, Lev. 26. ver. 17. when I give thee up into their hands, who remember thy hatred against them, and renew the old hatred they had against thee. hated; It shall be very certain, and my hand says God shall be seen doing it, I will do this. I will even gather them All the Nations that are on every side, that there may be numbers enough to do this, and that there may be no escape for thee, when, which way soever thou flyest, still thou flyest into the mouth of thy Enemies, and who hate thee. round about against thee, and will Lay open to view all thy shameless doings thou didst discover thy nakedness to allure, and then to satisfy thy prodigious lust; now it shall be discovered to nauseate them, and to provoke them to contemn thee; and to use thee as so vile a person deserveth. So God retaliateth, and punisheth Sinners, that their sin may be seen in the punishment. discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may With upbraiding scorning, and hating of it, and them. see The odiousness of thy sinful courses, and the weakness of thy state. all thy nakedness.

And Who am thy Lord and Husband, whose Authority and kindness thou hast so contemned and abus'd. I will Both condemn thee to suffer what thou deservest, and execute what thou art condemned to. judge thee as women Who were sometimes strangled, sometimes stoned, sometimes burnt, were put to death to be sure. Lev. 20.10. and Deut. 22. ver. 22. It may intimate the future destruction of her Adulterous Lovers, for both the Adulterer and Adulteress were to dy. that break wedlock and She was guilty of the unnatural murther of her Children, and God will according to his own Law, Gen. 9.5, 6. and Numb. 35.31, 32. cause her blood to be shed. shed blood are judged; and I will The like phrase you have Revel. 16.6. and elsewhere; the like judgment is exprest by watering the Land with blood, as Chap 32.6. and by preparing one for blood. Chap. 35.6. thou gavest the blood of thy Children to Idols in Sacrifice, I will give thee thine own blood to drink, thou didst it in contempt of my Law, I will do it in vindication of my Law. give thee blood Passions that do usually appear in the revenges, that abused Husbands take on their Wives, which have intolerably dishonour'd and wrong'd them, and God expresseth his great indignation, and the severity of his just displeasure by allusion hereunto. in fury, and jealousie.

And This particularly describes the manner in which God will do what he threatens. I will give thee As a Judge delivers the condemned into the hand of the Executioner. into their Power and exasperated rage. hand, and they shall throw Undermine and utterly ruin. down thine Thy Idol Temples, and thy stews, ver. 24, and 31. which see. eminent place, and The same in other Terms. shall break down thy high places: they shall It is opprobry to a man to be stript, more to a Woman; this Jewish Adulteress shall be stript, that her nakedness appear. God's undeserved love covered her nakedness, ver. 8. his just displeasure will now discover her nakedness. strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair See v. 17. Jewels, and leave thee naked and bare.

And The King of Babylon, and his Counsellors, and Captains. they shall bring up a An assembled Army, you had your Assemblies for your Idol worship, and I will have also an Assembly, but it shall be of Chaldaeans, Hab. 1.6. and others, to destroy you for your Idolatry. company against thee, and they shall The punishment by stoning was not inflicted on the condemned, but in the sight of the Congregation; so here is a Congregation of many Nations, before whom this just Judgment of God shall be executed on this Adulteress. It intimates the manner of battering of the Walls of Ierusalem, with stones cast out of their Engines. stone thee with stones, and When the Enemy shall assault, and take the battered City, he will in his fury slay and destroy with the Sword. thrust thee thorow with 'Tis so called theirs, because it might mind the Israelites, that the destruction wou'd be with the Sword of a cruel one, of either an old professed Enemy, or a new revoked Friend. their swords.

And That company mentioned, ver. 40. they shall As Harlots and Idolaters were to be punisht, intimating also the burning Ierusalem, the Temple and Houses in it, as 2 Kings 25.9. 2 Chr. 36.19. burn thine houses with fire, and As God's instruments to do his Will, and also as men that satisfie their own rage. execute All kind of cruelty. judgments upon O! Ierusalem, and thine Inhabitants. thee in the sight of many The people that were gathered to besiege, take and spoil Ierusalem, and the Daughters thereof. women: and 'Tis not said how this shall be done, whether by changing their minds, or by utterly ruining them, but this shall be done; this is the effect of the divine Judgments. I will cause thee to cease from From Idolatry, and Adulteries which attend it. playing the harlot, and Who hast been so lavish, and inclin'd to this course. thou also shalt give no So poor, thou can'st not, or so changed, that thou wilt no more hire Paramours to come into thee. hire any more.

It may admit a doubt, whether this be spoken in way of promise and kindness, or of menace and wrath. This latter seems intended, as if God said the Jealousie whereto you have provok't me, will never cease, till these Judgments have utterly destroyed you, and cut you off, as the anger of an abus'd Husband ceaseth in the divorce, and publick punishment of the Adulteress. So will I make my fury towards thee to rest, and my jealousie shall depart from I will no more concern my self for thee, nor be troubled at thy carriage, whatever it be, since thou art no more mine. thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more With the anger, which is in the breast of a Husband troubled for, and angry at the miscarriages of a Wife, he loved. angry.

This verse recapitulates the causes of God's great displeasure against Jerusalem. Because thou hast not Vid. ver. 22. remembred the days of thy youth, but hast A mixt passion, in which is grief as well as anger, such as moves in the heart of a jealous Husband, or such as is the passion of one that is grieved, and angred at the rebukes of her folly, breaks out into disorderly carriage against the reprover, and tumultuating within her own breast, holds on her course. fretted me in all these Already mention'd and charged against thee. things; Lay it now before thine eyes, and consider it. behold therefore, I also Or have recompensed, for the Prophet speaks of the times when all he threatned from God shou'd be executed upon this people. will recompense thy way upon thine head, says the Lord GOD, and This passage is somewhat intricate, 'tis otherwise read by some, I have not done according to what all thine abominations deserve, or I have not executed such thoughts as all thy lewdness calls for. Some read, as we, in the second person, thou hast not, &c. i. e. made account, or thought with thy self what wou'd become of thee, or what thou should'st do after all thine abominations, therefore these sore Judgments have overtaken and ruin'd thee; as our version renders the words, they seem to be the same with that, ver. 41. After all God's judgments poured forth, such shou'd be their condition and state, they shou'd be so poor and despis'd, they neither shou'd have opportunity, nor ability to please their Idolatrous and Adulterous companions. thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations.

Behold every one that That delights to make parables, and useth to taunt at the vices of notorious sinners. useth proverbs, shall use this proverb This might be read with the former phrase, and render us this sense, every one that would speak against thee, O Ierusalem, and tartly upbraid thee, shall use this proverb. against thee, saying, As is the Old Ierusalem, when the seat of the Iebusites, or the Land of Canaan, when full of the Idolatrous, bloody, barbarous Nations. mother, so is her Ierusalem, or Synagogue of the Iews, which is more like in the wickednesses of those accursed Nations, then near them in places of abode. See more, ver. 3. daughter.

The Nation of the Iews. Thou art thy as much for her vicious inclinations, as for thy Original derived from her, the most wicked Daughter of as wicked a Mother. mothers daughter, that That was weary of the best husband, that, while she doted on abominable Adulterers, did most contemptuously disregard her Husband, and forsake him, loatheth her husband and her Other lewd Women have had some love for their Children, because born of them, bread by them, and resembling them; so much of the Mother was in the Children, that some Adulteresses have loved themselves in the Children, but here's a loose Woman, an unnatural Beast, that loaths her own flesh, persecuting such as are constant to the Law of God their Father, and murthering others in Sacrifice to Devils. children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which loathed It runs in the blood; as the mother, so the Sisters loved, and doted on strange flesh, were as inordinate in their Affections to others, as they were in their disaffection to their own Husbands and Children. their husbands and their children: your See ver. 3. He speaks of them collectively, and as the greatest part were. mother was an Hittite, and your Father an Amorite.

And thine i. e. The greater for Power, Riches, and Numbers of people, not the Elder for years. elder sister is Metropolis, or Mother City of the revolted and Idolatrous en Tribes. Samaria, she and her Lesser Cities of the Kingdom of Israel, or the people who dwelt in them. daughters, that dwell at thy Northward as you look toward the East. left hand. And thy Or lesser, so the Heb. which consists of fewer people, is of less power. younger sister, that dwelleth at thy Southward from Ierusalem. right hand, is Sodom and her daughters. Sodom, as chief City. Either the Cities near in place, and joyn'd in Affinity, Idolatry, and other sins like Sodom, or the Inhabitants of those Cities.

And Heb. Yet hast thou not Lived and behaved thy self as they did, for they, all things considered, were less sinners than thou. walked after their waies, The same in other words, their doings were abominable, but thine have been worse. nor done after their abominations: but as if that were a little thing, Thou O Ierusalem! thou was corrupted Art deeper dy'd in sin. more than they in These deep sins were more universal, if not, as to the Actors, for number, yet as to extent of the wickednesses those actors committed. all thy wayes.

As I An Oath which God often confirms his word by, and certainly that may be believed, which the God of truth confirms by his own oath See this Oath explain'd, chap. 5. ver. 11. live says the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister has Has not equal'd thy sins, how little soever thou believest this; the disparity lieth in this, she the less, thou the greater sinner. not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.

Behold, this was the Iniquity either for iniquities, or the fountain and occasion of all amongst the Sodomit s. iniquity of thy sister Sodom; An haughty mind swell'd with the Excellency, Beauty, and Grandeur of their State, and vaunting of it above their Neighbours. Pride, fulness i. e. Luxury, and riotous excess in Eating and Drinking: Their plenty was not their sin, but they made it occasion of sin to themselves: They were very intemperate in their Diet. of bread, and Every thing so plentiful, that they little regarded to employ themselves, but were idle and sloathful, or deeply secure in their peace, plenty, and honour, neither fear'd God's wrath or mans Sword; the first was the fault of particular sinners, the latter was the sin and fault of the Community. abundance of Idleness was in her, and in her daughters, neither did she She refused to help Strangers, as appeareth in the History of the Angels entertainment; Gen. 19. nor was she mindful of helping the poor with counsel and defence, they were unmerciful, and hard hearted toward the poor amongst them; this was a great sin to those that abounded in Wealth, as the Sodomites did. strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

And they were insufferably arrogant in their deportment towards good men, they vexed the Soul of Righteous Lot, and towards the Angels whom they assaulted in Lot's house, and towards God himself, as both in this verse, and in Gen. 13.13. haughty, and Worked, as if it were their Trade. committed The whole of these mens Life was as one continued act of the highest wickedness. abomination Either against God, or openly and publickly as Is. 3.9. before me: therefore I took them Destroy'd their State, Cities, People, and Countrey, turned them into a Lake of dead and deadly water, or rather, Bitumen and Sulphur. away as I In a way none could have suspected, and for ought I know, none ever saw before or since: If you enquire how Ierusalems sins were greater than Sodoms, I wou'd answer, if not in the things done, yet in the aggravating circumstances of them, against redeeming mercy, against the Law of God, which forbade what they did, and told them what they shou'd do, against admonitions by the mouth of Prophets, and against examples of God's vengeance on Sodom, and the Cities of the plain. saw good.

Neither has The ten Tribes, or Kingdom of Israel founded in Rebellion and Idolatry. Samaria committed A proverbial Speech, usual in comparison to set forth the lesser part, as 1 Kings 10.7. half of thy sins; This explains the former. but thou hast multiplyed thine abominations More, or Greater, the Hebrew word signifieth both. more than they, and hast Not made them Righteous, but declared them less unrighteous, than thou in thy abominations; of the two they are less faulty. justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done.

Ierusalem, and all the Iews with her. Thou also, which hast Hast pretended 'twas wonder, a peop e shou'd sin as Samaria, or hast once condemned their Apostacy, whilest thou stoodest, or hast judged their punishment just, that they deserved all they suffered. judged thy sisters, Shalt surely be loaded with punishment. bear thine own That shall be thy shame as well as smart. shame for thy sins, that thou hast committed See ver. 47, 48, and 51. more abominable than they they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters.

'Tis disputed whether this: be a promise or menace; it is most like to be a Threat, and if you consider the difference between a Temporal and Spiritual restitution, and the difference between an intire and partial restitution, it will be evident, Sodom and Samaria never were restor'd to that state they had been in, nor were the two Tribes ever made so rich, mighty, and renowned, though God brought some of them out of Babylon, and yet were these words promissory, both Sodom, Samaria, and the two Tribes would have been restor'd: The words seem to confirm irrecoverably a low, afflicted, despis'd state, as the future condition of the Iews for ever in their Temporals. When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, Then, not before, this does not conclude a future full restitution, but is an argument that concludes against the consequence, but a Negation of the antecedent, as if 'twere said, if ever Sodom and Samaria may hope, then thou mayest hope for a restoring to thy former Glory, but Sodom and Samaria never shall, therefore neither thou, O Ierusalem, and deluded Iews. And this may have respect to the false Prophets, who deceived this people with promises of deliverance from being made Captives, or of sudden restitution of all to them. then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them.

That thou Thou shalt, so the Hebrew, as well as mayest. mayest bear thine Punishment for Offences is ever reproachful, and some punishments are more so, than others. Such shall the Iews punishments be. own shame, and mayest be Some Offenders are hardened to an insensibleness of shame, but God will make these Iews to feel the smart, and blush under the shame of their punishments. confounded For all the wickednesses, from which the punishments of Sodom and Samaria shou'd have deterred them, for imitating and outdoing them. in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a Encouraging sinners like those of Sodom and Samaria, and being fellow-sufferers with them in as great, or greater judgments. comfort unto them.

When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to her former estate, and Samaria and her daughters return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate. This verse is explained in the 53 verse, and needs not a repeated explication, it threatens a perpetual continuance of their low, abject, and miserable state in their outward concerns.

This is the reason why their state shou'd be hopeless as that of Sodom. For thy sister The sins of Sodom, and her plagues were not minded by thee, though thou did'st worse in thy prosperity, did'st not fear like misery, nor woud'st forbear like sins. Sodom was not mention'd by thy Thou shoud'st have told thy Children what Sodom did against the Lord, and what the Lord did against them, that thou and thy daughters might have repented, and returned, but no such things were told them. mouth in the day of thy pride.

The time of her pride, security, and sin was when they were not afflicted, and despised by the Syrians. Before thy Thy abominable doings were made known to thy self, to thy friends and Enemies too, by the execution of the severe menaces, and sad predictions of my Prophets, who foretold what punishments, and what shame this sinful people shou'd suffer, by the hands of the Syrians, who shou'd waste the Iews, and deride them, burn their Cities, and carry Citizens captives, as in the time of Ahaz over Iudah, and R zin over Syria. wickedness was discovered, as at the time of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria, and The nations that were round about in vicinity, and combined in League against the house of David. all that are round about Either Ierusalem, or Syria, rather this latter, the chief whereof were the Philistines called here the daughters of the Philistines, as Isa. 9.12. her, the daughters of the Philistines, which Contemn thee, as an impotent, as well as wicked people, a people which had deserved to be enslaved, and over whom they might at pleasure make a King. despise thee round about.

Thou hast What thou hast done I have imputed to thee, thou wilt not repent; therefore I account thee guilty and I have in part punished thee, and though what I have done seem grievous, yet worse is behind, as verse 59. born thy lewdness, and thine abominations, says the LORD.

For This is ushered in with a most solemn and sacred asseveration. thus says the Lord GOD, I will Either thus thou hast despised the Laws and priviledges of my Covenant with thee, and I will despise all thy pretentions to my favour by virtue of my Covenant, 'tis mutual, and who breaks it forfeits all benefit by it, or deal with thee according as thou hast done to other punisht sinners, over which thou hast insulted and condemned. even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the By wilful and contemptuous despite hast perjured thy self, which is a sin the nations about thee could not be guilty of, for they were not, thou only wast in Covenant with me. Or, else thou hast contemptuously slighted my bounty, and grace, and my faithfulness, and truth, and bound thy self by Covenant with Idols, and Idolaters, though I ad so expressely forbidden them. oath in breaking the made in Horeb. covenant.

The Lord having denounced a perpetual punishment to the stubborn, impenitent body of the Jewish nation, he does now promise to the remnant, that they shall be remembred and obtain covenanted mercy, which makes up the last part of the chapter. Nevertheless, I Properly neither remembering, or forgetting is in God, who is omniscient, but after the manner of man this is spoken of God, who is said to remember, when he makes it appear that he has regard to us, as Psal. 20.3. and blesseth us. will remember In which I promised I would not utterly cast off the seed of Israel, nor fail to send the Messiah, the Redeemer who should turn away iniquity from Iacob. my covenant with In the loynes of Abraham, and solemnly renewed after their coming out of Egypt, which is the time, called the days of thy youth, Isaiah 44.2. and 46.3. and Ezek. 16.43. thee in the days of thy youth, and I will Confirm and ratifie, it shall be sure, and unfailing. establish unto thee an Everlasting, i. e. of a very long continuance, as to that part of the Covenant which respecteth their condition in the Land of Promise or Canaan, but in what is spirituall, and containeth heavenly things it shall be absolutely everlasting, Ier. 31.31, 32, 33, 34. everlasting covenant.

When that new Covenant, made, and confirmed shall operate and take effect. Then thou shalt Consider and lay to heart, repent of, mourn for, loath and abhorre, and turn from all thy wicked wayes, all thy evil practices and doings. remember thy ways, and be Though whilst thou wast an Adulteress and false to thy Husband, thou didst not blush, now thou shalt with a deep shame remember and detest thy lewdness. ashamed, when thou shalt Admit into Church Communion, own them as members of the Church of God. receive thy The Gentiles now strangers, but then sisters. sisters, thine Or those that are greater and mightier then thou, or that by their Power, Wealth and Honour are as much above thee as the elder Children are above the younger. elder and thy Thy lesser or meaner sister. yonger: and I will They shall be to thee as a gift bestowed in love. give them unto thee As daughters in duty hearken to, and obey, so shall the Gentiles brought into the Church hearken to the Word of God, which sounded out from the Jews, from Ierusalem. for daughters; but not by Not by that old Covenant which was violated, not by external Ceremonies which were a great part of the first covenant, but by that covenant which writes the Law in the heart, and puts the fear of God into the inward parts. thy covenant.

And This promise you have, ver. 60. I will establish In distinction from that is called thy Covenant, ver. 61. my covenant with O Israel first, and then with the Gentile as thy Children, with all the genuine Children of Abraham, Father of the faithful. thee; and thou shall This short sentence contains the summ of all our duty and priviledges, 'tis summarily a promise of grace, and glory; it is a sanctifying knowledge to fit us for obedience; and 'tis a justifying knowledge to deliver us from punishment, it is Evangelical knowledge of God, a knowledge which is unto eternal Life. know that I am the LORD.

That thou mayest Vid. ver. 61. remember and be Ver. 61. confounded, and never Neither to justifie thy self, or to condemn others, or to quarrel with thy God, but as a true penitent, be silent under the judgments, sins have deserved, and God has inflicted, to draw away from sin, and to bring a people to submit to God, and to give him Glory. open thy mouth any more, because of Such a confusion for thy sin will cover thee, that thou wilt readily justifie God, and blush in remembrance of all thine own wickednesses. thy shame, when I am When I have pardoned, when I have covered all thy sins and am reconciled to thee, thou wil ingenuously acknowledge, remember, and hate what thy God has graciously pardoned, will no more remember against thee, or punish any more upon thee. pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done, says the Lord GOD.