Jeremiah 7

THE word that came to Jeremiah from the See chap. 1.2. This is the Title of a new Sermon much of the nature of the former which reacheth to chap. 10. LORD, saying,

Stand in the Viz. The East Gate, which was chiefly frequented, this being the publique place of going out, and coming in, and where the people were then wont to assemble, Ieremiah 26.2, 10, and he is said to stand, because he was to execute the office of a Preacher, chap. 26.2. not of a Iudge where the posture would rather have been sitting. gate of the The Temple, ver. 4.10. LORDs house, and The place notes the vanity of their confidence, who, notwithstanding all their Provocations, yet placed their safety much in the priviledges of the Temple, glorying much in that; and the manner proclaiming signifies both the Authority, by which he spake, and the divulging of what he spake plainly, and boldly, which, as it was in a publique place. viz. the Court of the people, not the Court of the Priests, from which it is distinguished, 2 Chron. 4.9. and therefore said at these Gates, viz. the several Gates, that were in the Wall of the Court, of which there were six, three on the South-side, and three on the North; so, possibly, it might be at some publick time of the Peoples resorting thither from all quarters, Psal. 122.4, 5. when all the males were to meet; Exod. 23.17. see Ioh. 7.37. and therefore said all ye of Iudah. proclaim e there The Message that I send thee with. this word, and say, Hear the word of the See chap. 2.4. LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD.

Thus says the LORD of hosts the God of Israel; Amend your wayes, and your i. e. Mend your manners. Amending signifies both to turn from our evil works, and make our good better. doings; and I will cause you to dwell in this You shall not go into Captivity, implying, that otherwise they should; he will continue their Habitations to them from age to age, as ver. 7. The doing of a thing in Scripture often supposes the continuance of it: Lev. 26.11. I will set my Tabernacle, i. e. I will continue it. place.

Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The Because this was Gods house, wherein he had promised to dwell, and that for ever, Psal. 132.13, 14. they flattered themselves, that he could dwell no where else, and would not depart, and certainly would not suffer the Chaldeans to destroy this, and therefore, that no evil could befall them, as they promised themselves, Mic. 3.11. therefore the Prophet cautions them not to deceive themselves, in trusting to the Temple, and its buildings, as the two Courts, and house, and holy of holies implyed in the word these, which he does as it were point to with his finger. (For there the Prophets speak distinctly of the form of the Temple, they reckon the Court, where the peopl id Sacrifice, and the holy place, or house whereinto the Prophets only did enter, and the Oracle, or holy of holies, wherein was the Ark of the Covenant, and into which only the High-Priest entred, and that but once a year) which these Hypocrites looked upon themselves secured by, as it were, by a treble Wall Fort or Bulwark, that they could not miscarry; but he would have them to know that neither these, or the services belonging to them will be able to secure them, ver. 8. chap. 4.14. and it is likely, their false Prophets did thus persuade them, whose Prophecies he calls here these lying words; but God will have them know, that he does not choose a nation for the places sake, but the place for the Nations sake, the like caution the Apostle gives them, 1 Cor. 10.2. &c. The Emphasis that may be in this threefold Repetition, seems rather to relate to the confident, and often reiterated braggs, and boasts of the Temple, that were in their mouths, then the worth, and excellency of it, in regard of Gods owning it. temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD are The Prophet, standing in the Gate at which the People entred, does as it were point at the several buildings appertaining to the Temple, viz. the Courts, House, Oracle, &c. these.

For if ye throughly amend your wayes, and your He tells them, it is not their vain Confidence in their priviledges, and boasting of the Temple, but only their serious and through Repentance in turning to God both in point of piety, and equity, that can secure them. doings; if you throughly execute Judgment between a man and his i. e. Impartially among one another between man and man without favour or hatred. neighbour;

If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless and the Here they are cautioned against three sins, that this people were generally addicted to; oppression, blood and Idolatry and he instanceth in the worst of oppressions, viz. of such as God has more especially taken into his immediate protection, because these are most void of help, and most obnoxious to injuries. The stranger, Exod. 22, 21. the fatherless and widow, and ver. 22, 23.24. see them all three together, Deut. 10.18. and 27.19. See on Isa. 10.1, 2. and where God speaks of right administring of Justice, he usually makes mention of these three to prove the integrity and impartiality of Justice; and though this may more properly respect the Princes and great Ones, yet I conceive here the Prophet does not so restrain it. widow, and shed not innocent Either by Murder, or unrighteous Sentence, being one of those sins in special mentioned, for which God expresseth his high displeasure, and will send the Chaldeans upon them, 2 King. 24.4. blood in this Either in this City in special, or the whole land in general; see ver. 3. and there he would show what a foolish thing it is that they should boast of their security in this place, and yet shed blood, which pollutes every place, Num. 35.31. &c. place, neither walk after other Abstain from your Idolatrous courses, and depart not from my pure and uncorrupted Worship, unto your superstitious and Hypocritical Service, and he adds to your hurt or your own hurt; to show that they will be the only sufferers by it, not God, ver. 19. God is neither benefited or damaged by any thing that we can do, Iob 35.6, 7, 8. Gods to your hurt.

i. e. Upon this condition, that you will return unto me, then, either I will establish, and fix you in the land; or, as anciently read, Sachanti in Kal, I will dwell, viz. amongst you in this place, otherwise not. Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for Viz. Iudea both in Ierusalem, and the whole Country, as the next words manifest. ever and ever. i. e. From age to age as your Fathers did before you from the days of Ioshua until now.

Take notice of it, and think of it seriously. Behold, ye trust in lying either flat ering your selves with your own conceits, whereby, in your discourses, you strengthen one another, or depending upon the delusions of your false Prophets, chap. 5.31. and 23.26, 27. or rather, boulster your selves up upon your priviledges, or bare Ceremonies which you so much boast of as ver. 4. all which he tel s them, will profit them nothing. words that cannot profit.

Will ye Here the Prophet mentions divers of those sins, in which they were notorious, viz. Thieves, Murderers, Adulterers, perjured Idolaters, &c. steal, murder and commit adultery, and swear falsly and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye q. d. Can you think, that this can be grateful unto me, or any whit advantagious to your selves, to frequent my house, and yet retain these odious sins, as if I were a companion for Thieves, Murderers, &c. Such as they had set up new, and never had any experience of, and therefore could have no reason to serve them, therefore called new Gods, Deut. 32.17. Iudg. 5.8. but of my power, and goodness you have had ample proof, in your deliverance from Egypt, and the wonderful Miracles, and Signs, that God had shown you in the Wilderness, and his Victorious Arm for you in Canaan, of which things these Iews could not be Ignorant, and therefore the more inexcusable, four of these sins respect the second Table, these two last the first; the name of Baal is here put for all Idols. know not.

And come and stand before me in this In the Temple, either as if they had done no such thing, like the Whore, that wipes her mouth, and says she has done no wickedness, Prov. 30.20. noting their deep Hypocrisie, or else that barely this would expiate for all their Abominations as if they could make God amends for their sins by their Duties, and their posture of standing notes their service, 1 King. 10.8. Prov. 22.29. house which is called by my That is acknowledged to be my house, and b ars my name, dedicated to me. name, and say, we are delivered to do all these That is, after they had appeared before God with their Sacrifices, either they thought hemselves safe from all danger, and freed from Gods judgments, Mal. 3.15. Or rat er priviledged to return to all those wickednesses again, hereby noting their impudence, See Isa. 1.12, &c. LXX read it, we have abstained from all these Abominations, as if these were the lying words in which they trusted. abominations?

Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of Heb. Breaker through. The word is taken in a large notion for all sorts af Plunderers whether in house, Ezek. 7.22. or field high-way men, Dan. 11.14. Do you look upon this house s a Sanctuary and refuge for Robbers and Murderers, do you esteem it so, and is it so in your eyes so the phrase is used, Num. 13.33. &c. hereby making me an Abetter of all your Lewdness, Mat. 21.13. a Metaphor, taken from wild Beasts, and mischievous persons, that do both secure themselves, and hide their prey in Holes, and Caves of the Earth, Psal. 10.8, 9. robbers in your eyes? behold, even I have q. d. As crafty as you are, you cannot hide these things from me, nor all those workings of your thoughts about them, Psal. 10.11, 13, 14. Ezek. 18.12. He checks their foolish vain confidences, whereby they deceive themselves, Isa. 29.15. God will not be blinded by all their vain Oblations. seen it, says the LORD.

But go ye now unto my place which was in A place that did belong to the Tribe of Ephraim, Psal. 78.60. comp. 61. The situation whereof see Iudg. 21.19. and called Gods house, as the Temple is 1 Sam. 1.3, 7. he sends them hither for an Example, which had the same priviledges and holiness with the Temple, not to go thither locally, but to cast their thoughts back, and consider of it, that they might know, that Gods presence is not tyed to places, Act. 7.48. Shiloh, where I set my name at the Where I did at first give you the Token, and pledges of my presence among you, when you first entred into the pleasant Land, noting the antiquity of Shiloh before the Temple. first, and see what I did i. e. He utterly forsook it, he did not only deliver up his people into the Philistines hands, but the Ark also, the token of his Presence, which never returned to Shil h more, and afterwards delivered the 10 tribes wherein Shiloh was scituate, into Captivity to the Assyrian, see ver. 14, 15. wherein he upbraids them for their folly in thinking that the Ark or Altar in the Temple should any more priviledge them than it did Shiloh. to it, for the He gives them the reason of it in these words the wickedness of his people, and chiefly the Priests, Hophni and Phineas, Eli's Sons, 1 Sam. 2.12. &c. and why should they think to escape, who did equal, if not exceed them. wickedness of my people Israel.

And now, because ye have done all these Either the same, or as bad, or worse than they did at Shiloh, or particularly those mentioned, ver. 9. works, says the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up A Metaphor taken from persons that are diligent in their business, they use to rise up early, q. d. I did not only speak by my Prophets but they in my name used all diligence to reclaim you, chap. 11.7, 8. and 25.3, 4. calling earnestly unto you, by which he means his Exhortations and menaces, which ought to have had some efficacy upon them, but you slighted, and dis-regarded, and would not come at my call, Prov. 1.24. see on 2 Chron. 36.15, 16. and on Isa. 50.2. early, and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not.

Because they have added this their obstinate re using of all Admonitions to the rest of their provocations. Therefore will I viz. Cause the consecrated things of the Temple to be taken away by the hand of the Babylonians. do unto this house which is called by my name; wherein ye trust, and unto the See ver. 7. place which I viz. Upon condition of your obedience, Psal. 105.44, 45. and therefore may justly, upon the breach of the condition, take from you again, nay by virtue of my Sovereignty, Iob 1.21. gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to See ver. 12. Shiloh.

And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your Brethren, even the whole seed of Viz. The 10 Tribes, Isa. 7.1, 2. compared called by this name often, because that was the most numerous and potent of all of them, and because their Kings proceeded from the stock of Ephraim. Ieroboam their first King of that Tribe a d it is said emphatically the whole seed, because the Jews had but half the Tribe of Manasseh joined with them, and so might look upon themselves somewhat inferiour. Ephraim. You shall have my presence with, and watchful eye over you no more, but I will send you into Captivity to Babylon, as I did your Brethren into Assyria; see on 2 King. 17.6, 18. and he terms them here Brethren, to let them know, that they, and Israel proceeded from the same stock, and therefore had no reason to expect, but it should fare alike with them, seeing their sins were alike, 2 King. 21.13, 14, &c.

Therefore God forbids his Prophets to pray for them in any kind, by any Cry or Intercession, or running upon me, which shows that God is resolved to root them out, seeing he will admit of no Intercession: according as he charged Moses, Exod. 32.10. and the like chap. 11.14. For God had been wont to suffer himself to be prevailed with by the Mediation of his Servants, as of Moses, Exod. 32.11, 14. Num. 14.19, 20. But now he would admit of no Intercession, see Ezek. 14.14, 20. and chap. 15.1. and the next words. This charge seems to be laid upon the Prophet, partly to take off the envy of the People from him, when they knew he was commanded to do no otherwise, partly to imbolden him in this unpleasing work, laying aside all Compassion. But certainly the Prophet did pray that God would mind his Covenant in saving a remnant, though not that God would revoke his Decree; and to save the body of them. pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.

Seest q. d. How canst thou pass along the streets, but thou must needs be an Eye-witness of their Abominations to thy no small trouble and sorrow, as Sodom was to Lot, 2 Pet. 2.8. therefore how canst thou plead with me on their behalf? how canst thou either pray for them or I pity them? thou not what they do in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of In City and Country. See chap. 2.28. & 11.13. Jerusalem?

The Here God shows how busily they are employed from the youngest to the oldest, and how industrious for their Idolatry, ch. 44.17. see Mat. 24.38. every one in the Family does somewhat towards it. children gather Or s icks, for the word is plural, and so used, Num. 15.32, 33. an employment, if we understand small sticks, proper for Children, if greater wood, suitable to youth who excels in strength, and may be understood by children and young ones. wood, and the fathers kindle the They heat the Oven, Hearth or Stone on which they were baked. fire, and the women knead their dough to make Prepare all the Materials, of which to make Cakes; probably they were of some particular shape, or had some peculiar Impression of some of their gods stamped upon them, like the Popish Wafers, some say stamped with stars, as being offered up to the Host of Heaven, or with some peculiar Star, Amos 5.26. Acts 7.43. cakes to the queen of Or, frame, or, workmanship of heaven, this is diversly intrerpreted, some take it for the Sun, which is signified by a word of the Feminine gender, Isa. 24.23. and of a feminine use, Nah. 3.17. some for the Moon; as the Sun was looked upon as King, so the Moon as the Queen of Heaven, because of the largeness of her body, in which she appears, and of the light she gives, but especially by reason of the government she exerciseth over inferiour Bodies; others, more probably, for the whole host of heaven, Jer. 8.2. and 19.13. and so the LXX; according to which probably for their sakes they received divers stamps and impressions; they that would see more, may consult the English Annot. and the Synop. Heaven, and to pour out Viz. Wine and other strong drinks, Exod. 29.40, 41. Numb. 28.7. The Devil is God's Ape, and taught Idolaters to use the same Rites and Ceremonies that were used in Gods Worship; therefore here these Idolaters in pouring their Drink-offerings, which might seem to be blood, or at least blood mixed with them; see on Psal. 16.4. imitated God's Drink-offerings, as they did his meat-offerings in their Cakes, as in Lev. 2. by these they did furnish the Table mentioned, Isa. 65.11. see there. drink-offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to oting rather the proper effects and consequences of their Idolatries, than that they did propound to themselves such an end in doing it, but it seemed to be a kind of bidding open defiance to God, by which it appears they were all mad upon their Idolatries, they were set upon it, as Davids heart was set upon the Worship of God, Psal. 16.8. anger.

Do they provoke me to anger? says the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own Do they think to grieve me, and trouble my mind? they are deceived, I am without passion, and can be without their offerings, will not they themselves feel the smart of it, verse 6? Will they not procure anger to themselves as an arrow falls on the head of him that shoots, 1 Cor. 10.22. of the phrase see chap. 3.25. faces?

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD; behold, my Put for his Revenge by a Metonymy of the cause for the effect. anger and my This expresseth his anger boiled up to the height, chap. 4.4. fury shall be A Metaphor taken from violent rains, see chap. 6.11. and may in particular allude to those showers of fire that were poured out upon Sodom, Gen. 19.24. poured out upon this place, upon man and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the These particulars are enumerated to expres an utter desolation and ruine, see chap. 4.25. and it is threatned against these creatures, which are innocent, because they were made for the use of man, partly that it might show, how greatly God is offended, and that it should work upon them not only a greater fear of his judgments, but a greater shame for their sin, that they should occasion such sufferings upon the innocent Creature, Rom. 8.20, 22. ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be He follows the threatning with the irresistableness of it, his resolution is not to be revoked, chap. 4.4. and this is suitable to the charge he gave the prophet, ver. 16. quenched.

Thus says the LORD of hosts the God of Israel; The Ironical words of one that seems to be in a great rage, take those that are peculiar, and to be all burnt to me, Lev. 1.9. and put them to your own of what kind so ever, ea them, and do what you will with them, I will have none of them, take it all and fill your own bellies, for you sacrifice not to me, but to your selves. See Hos. 9.4. where their meat-offerings are called in scorn, meat for their life to nourish their bodies. Put your burnt-offerings unto your That part of your Sacrifices, which you are allowed to eat, they are but as prophane food, do not you think to be sanctified by them, because I accept them not. sacrifices, and eat flesh.

For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or Some would argue from hence, that sacrifices were at first an invention of men, as Papists, and Socinians, and because they should not be used to Idols, God gave way for the introducing them into his Worship; but it is evident in Scripture that they have been of Divine institution ever since Adam, Gen. 4.3, 4. as to the meaning of the words. God does not condemn them, or deny them, save only comparatively in respect of obedience, not so much these, as obeying his Commands, 1 Sam. 15.22. Hos. 6.6. i. e. Mercy rather than Sacrifice. Negatives are often put for comparatives, Gen. 45.8. Exod. 16.8. Joh. 5.45. Hence the Heb. is the matter of burnt offerings, for sacrifices were not instituted for themselves, but for other uses, and to be signs of Faith in his promises, and obedience to his Commands, as in the next verse, where the condition, promise and end are all set down. sacrifices.

But this Or word, which is the rule by which all obedience is to be tried, viz. what commands, every thing else being but mere superstition. thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the wayes that I have commanded you, that it may be He shows what would be the good effect of their obedience, Exod. 15.26. Deut. 5.29.33. which implies, that their sufferings are from their perverseness, as it is expressed in the next verse. well unto you.

But they hearkened not, nor It notes something of an hinger degree of non-attention, than bare not hearkening, viz. their not listening that they might obey, what they hear chap. 7.26. & 11.8. noting not only their slightness, but their stiffness. enclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the Or stubbornness, see chap. 3.17. imagination of their evil heart; and went backward, and not Like resty beasts, see chap. 2.27. a sign of their contempt, implying either 1 They were worse by their admonitions and corrections, and so nothing did thrive with them; or 2 From the very first they have gone farther and farther from me, as ver. 25, 26. 3 Or else depending upon their outward services, they set not my commands before their eyes, but cast my true worship behind their backs, Mat. 23.23. forward.

Since the day that your God seems to upbraid them with their stock, thy came of a perverse kind, their very Fathers were so before them and they have continued in their perverseness, Neh. 9.16, 17. they did not now begin to be rebellious, but it had been their practice all along; never ceasing from the time their Fathers came out of Egypt to the days of Ieremiah. fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day, I have even God tells them what care he had taken to inform them in their Duty and Happiness, not once or twice, but sending Messengers to them seasonably, and constantly from first to last, 2 Chron. 36.15. Neh. 9.29, 30. Amos 2.10, 11. See on ver. 13. and chap. 25.3, 4. &c. The Church of God has never wanted Teachers raised up and sent by God. sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early, and sending them.

Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor enclined their ear, but hardened their neck; they did Their Fathers had done enough, but they were so far from reforming, that they did worse than their Fathers, Iud. 2.19. chap. 9.3. and whereas he had said before your Fathers worse than Now changing the person he says their Fathers, as it were in great displeasure turning away from them to the Prophet, as one speaking, but in vain, to such a stupid people. their fathers.

Therefore thou shalt speak Viz. Revive upon them all that thou hast been speaking to them from me these 40 years and upwards. all these Whereby God shows, that there is nothing wanting on his part, for notwithstanding all their perverseness, yet he still warns them by his Prophet, which will leave them the more inexcusable, Ezek. 2.5, 7. words unto them; but they will not This must needs be a great trial to the Prophet, that he is assured that he shall speak to them in vain. But this God acquaints him with before-hand, partly for Ieremiah's sake, that he should not be discouraged, but the more imboldened, though he saw no success, Ezek. 2.7. and partly for the peoples sake, that being foretold of their obstinacy, they might bethink themselves and repent, if yet there might be hope, Lam. 3.29. hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them, but they will not This shows their further refractoriness, that were not only deaf to Gods Message by his Prophet, but, though he cried loud, followed one Exhortation with another, yet they would make no return unto it. answer thee.

But thou shalt say unto them, this is a Spoke in a way of contempt, q. d. a nation more than Heathenish, though they profess themselves a peculiar people to me, yet to be numbered among the Gentiles. nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth i. e. Answer not the ends of Correction, viz. to be instructed, chap. 5.3. and submit their Necks to the Yoke, which laid the foundation of all their Rebellion. correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their There is no trusting or believing them in any thing they say, or do; no Veracity or Fidelity, but perfidious both to God and Men, being all filled with Hypocrisie, Lies and Deceits. mouth.

Cut off thine It was an usual token of sorrow among the Iews to cut off the hair, Job 1.20. Isa. 15.2. Mic. 1.16. but here he speaketh, either 1. to Jeremiah, for O Jerusalem, is not in the Text and so speaks to them, as a Woman, whose hair is for an ornament, 1 Cor. 11.15. therefore this must needs signifie an higher degree of Sorrow, cutting the hair among the Ancients did signifie 1 Mourning. 2 Bondage. For the cutting of the hair in Servants was a token of Subjection, so that this speaks Jerusalems mournful condition in her Captivity. hair, O Ierusalem, and cast it It is not to be reserved as sometimes men, and women both do for some use, but to be cast away, and as a thing good for nought. And thus it may agree with the Churches Lamentation, La. 5.16. for it is not here exhorted to, as a token of Repentance, but as a threatning of Judgments. away, and take up a lamentation on high See chap. 3.3. lis up thy voice on high in Lamentation, when thou hast thine eye or thoughts upon the high places where thou wentest a whoring from me, for which thou now goest into Captivity. places: for the LORD has rejected and forsaken the generatin of his Or of his over-running anger, as some render it, i. e. with whom he is extremely vexed, this present Generation, that by their provocations have brought themselves under his wrath, ver. 18.20. a generation destin'd to the wrath of God, called elsewhere the people of his curse, Isa. 34.5. and such as the Apostle calls vessels of wrath, Rom. 9.22. so far as it concerns the phrase. wrath.

For the children of Either Judah's posterity, Josh. 14.6. or Judah's inhabitants, which are often called their children, so chap. 2.16. Judah have done evil in my i. e. Though they will not see it, yet I see it, and they shall know, that it is in my sight, i. e. that it displeaseth me. sight, says the LORD; they have set their abomination in the Here he instanceth in one species of their abominations for all the rest, whereby it appears they were grown to a great height of impiety; it was not enough to have their Idols, and superstitions abroad in the Hills and Groves, nor in private in their own Houses, Isa. 57.6, 7, 8. chap. 19.13. but they must bring them into Gods House, as Manasses did, 2 King. 21.4. God having but one House in the World, as it were to confront him, 2 Chron. 36.14. chap. 32.34. Ezek. 43.8. house which is called by my name, to polute it.

And they have built the high places of See on Isa. 30.33. it comes from Toph that signifies a drum because they did beat drums to hinder the noise of their childrens screeches when they burnt them in Sacrifice upon the Altars, called here high places to Moloch, which is also called Mel hom. Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Tophet was situate in a pleasant Valley near Jerusalem, a place in the possession of the children of one Hinn m, Josh. 15.8. watered by the River of Siloe. Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the This most inhumane practice of burning their children, even their own Bowels to Moloch, not their sons only, but their daughters who were most tender, they did expresly against the command and caution of God, see on Deut. 18.10. having learned it of the Heathen, Deut. 12.30, 31. the Devil commanding them so to do by his Oracles; they took pattern from the Samaritans, where those of every Nation make gods of their own, 2 King. 17.29, 30, 31. fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my Which was always so far from my approving; that I never let it come into my thought or debate, whether I should or not: Or, which I abhorred from my heart, he speaks herein after the manner of men. See chap. 3.16. & 32, 35. heart.

Therefore behold, the days come, says the LORD, that it shall They were called so after this, and are known by those names to this day, but the meaning is, they shall acquire a name from another occasion, that shall suit them as well, viz. for the great slaughter that shall be made there, or rather thereabouts in, and about Jerusalem, and therefore called the valley of slaughter, from the effect of slaughter; as Judas his field was called Akeldama, Acts 1.19. being a place for burying of the slain, as the next words show. no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet till there be Either there shall be so great a slaughter made upon that spot by the Chaldeans, that they shall bury as many, as the place will contain, and the rest of the Carcases they shall throw on heaps, to rot above-ground; for to lye unburied, is frequently used as a curse on such, the burying of the dead being accounted as a thing sacred, and a significant symbol of the Res rrection, or those that are slain in, and about Ierusalem at the Siege, and taking of it, shall be carried thither to be buried, either because there shall be no burying places left about Jerusalem, or that valley shall be filled, till there be no place for more, that hereby it may be so polluted, that no thoughts of holiness may remain in it: for a dead Carcase under the Law was unclean; and that which before was a valley of pleasure, and great delight, and they had dedicated to God, shall now be a vall y of slaughter. no place.

And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the The Birds and Beasts of prey shall feed on them being exposed to open view for want of interment, chap. 19.7. heaven, and for the beasts of the earth: and none shall fray them A piece of humanity that even nature it self teach th either by reason of the Enemies presence, for fear of whom they durst not, or rather, because there will be none left to do it, and this is reckoned among the curses, Deut. 28.26. away.

Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the All kind and degrees of mirth shall cease, Rev. 18.23. all places shall be filled with Lamentations, and wo; their singing shall be turned into sighing, they shall lay aside all things that are for the comfort of humane Society, which is to be understood in this expression. bride: for the land shall be desolate. There shall be such an utter devastation, that there shall be neither season nor place for these things, Isa. 64.10, 11. chap. 25.10. where marrying shall cease, without which mankind cannot subsist, there must needs be desolation.