of the former made so not so much by the external pompe of it as by his presence and the miracles by him and his Apostles wrought and the Holy Ghost and many graces by him confer'd in it And with what respect People may be said to have looked up to it and flowed unto it appears by that early conversion of so many out of every Nation under Heaven as are reckon'd up Act. II. 5 9 41 46 47. Chap. IV. 4. This if we should so far restrain the name of the mount of the house of the Lord sufficiently proves this Prophecy in great measure made good in respect to what was done in it and about it But that we may see the more evident fâ—lfilling of the whole it will be convenient to take those words in a larger acception with many if not most of Christian Interpreters so as to denote the Church or Kingdom of Christ which from thence had its rise and of which that mountain and house of the Lord or Temple was a type so that it may well bear its name which also in the words of Christ Matth. V. 14. may be compared to a City that is set on a hill more illustrious indeed then Ierusalem it self or any the most eminently placed and exalted Cities yea Kingdoms and then in the large spreading of the Doctrine of it by so many converts and so many Nations looking and flocking unto it will the utmost that can be expected from the words be made good What is said shall be established a learned Iew observes to be an expression denoting continuance or perpetuity that it shall continually remain on its settlement and this well agrees to the Church of Christ of which he saith Vpon this Rock will I build my Câ—urch and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Mat. XVI 18. Some of great note from of old by the mountain of the Lords house will have Christ himself to be here understood but whether it be understood of Christ the head or the Church his body that Temple built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Chrsit himself being the chief Corner-Stone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple of the Lord as they are one so the scope and meaning will be one although the former acception of the words is most followed 2 And many nations shall come and say Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach us of his waies and we will walk in his paths for the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem And many Nations shall come and say Come let us go up c. In what multitudes and with what zeal and affection not only Iews but Gentiles also whom God promised to Christ for his inheritance Psal. II. now made one willing People of God Psal. CX 3. the middle wall of partition which before separated them being broken down should flock to the Church of Christ he here expresseth in that they should mutually exhort one another saying Come c. The thing signified being done though those words should not be expresly by them spoken is that which makes good the expression although we cannot doubt but oft among them such exhortations to stir up one another to embrace the Doctrine of Christ have been in words us'd as well as we hear Andrew exhorting his Brother Simon and Pâ—ilip Nathaniel and the Woman of Samaria those of that City to come unto Christ. Nor need we look on it as any sufficient ground of cavil for the Iews that all these Nations came not in person up to Ierusalem and the mountain where the Temple stood that is not the thing required but the coming in to Christ and embracing the Gospel which began first to be preached at Sion and from thence went forth into other Nations is though done at the greatest distance from Ierusalem a going up to the mountain of the Lord exalted above all other mountains the Church which now extends it self wide on the face of the whole earth where they may now as properly and acceptably worship God as formerly in the Court of the Gentiles at the mount of the material house of the Lord. That hour is now come Ioh. IV. 21 23. The house of God is the Church 1 Tim. I. 15. And he will teach us of his waies and we will walk in his paths c. The end which they are to propose in their coming into the Church is here shewed to be not that they may obtain Wealth Worldly honour and Dignities but that they may learn his will that they may know how they ought to walk and accordingly they must resolve to walk in his waies which lead to Salvation and true happiness which he alone teacheth They seek not Temporal but Spiritual good things for his Kingdom as he declareth is not of this World Iohn XVIII 36. The mistake of those things which were to be expected from Christ at his coming did at first keep the Iews from acknowledging him and ever since hinders them from coming in to him To learn of his waies and walk in his paths is not that felicity which can satisfie their expectations from him but here we are taught that that ought to be the chief thing desired in his Church and Kingdom that we may know his waies be happy in practicing doing accordingly otherwise to know them will be vain For the Law shall go forth of Zion c. These words which by most are taken for the words of the Prophet though by Others for the words of those People speaking among themselves the matter will be all one declare the reason why they should go up to the Mountain of the Lord that they might learn his waies viz. because there only should be had and thence proceed the true and clear knowledg of God and his waies Of old the Law went forth from Mount Sinai and then seated it self as it were in Sion and was even the peculiar of the Iews for then he shewed his word unto Iacob his statutes and Iudgments unto Israel but dealt not so with any other Nation and as for his Iudgments they were not known to them Psal. CXLVII 19 20. but in the last daies here spoken of the times of Christ it was to go forth of Zion and from Ierusalem there first to be divulged but not confined to it but to be preached all the World over and communicated to all nations according to our Saviours Commission to his Disciples that they should go and teach all Nations Mat. XXVIII 19. which being accordingly by them who were to be witnesses to him both in Ierusalem and in all Iudea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the Earth executed their sound went into all the Earth and their words to the ends
that against the Kingdom of Rome shall come the Kingdoms of Assyria and of the sons of the East that is it which he says from Assyria and the fortified Cities which he supposes to be Chaleath and Chabor by the River Gozan and the Cities of the Medes of which Ioseph Ben-Gorion saies that the People of them Alexander the Macedonian did shut up within the Mountains that they should not come forth These the Prophet saith shall now come forth against this Enemy and by saying from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matsor or the fortress even to the River he intimates that the ten Tribes also which were there in restraint and captivity shall come against them and the other People which are in the North-East even to the River viz. Euphrates which is between Ierusalem and Babel shall all come up against them And because the Christians shall some remain in Ships on the Sea near the Land of Israel and others be on the Land therefore he first reckons up the People that shall come against them by Land from Assyria and from the fortified Cities and from the fortress and then prophesies that there shall come against them that are on the Sea strong Nations also by Sea which is that which he saith and from Sea i. e. on the Sea shall they come from Sea and then from Mountain to Mountain as much as to say also of the Inhabitants of the Mountains shall come against them and so in fine the Land of Israel in which the War shall be and multitude of People shall be gathered together shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein viz. those Nations which live in it for making War one with anoâ—her and all this shall be for the fruit of their doings by which they did evil to Israel And whereas the Chalde Paraphrast interprets it of the Land of the Nations that that should be desolate by reason of the slaughter and destruction of the Inhabitants that also saies he is true Thus have we from him a long story as punctually told us as if he had with his eies seen it already acted and as confidently affirmed as if his exposition were as authentick as the text it self and had been dictated to him by the same spirit as the words thereof were to Micah but such is it as the words afford no ground for Consider when Micah prophesied and what happened after of the taking of Ierusalem and the captivity of the Jews and their restauration and coming from all parts again to Ierusalem after the Land had for seventy years been desolate for their sins and that if there be any thing beyond this in an higher sense to be looked after it was fully made good in the setting up the Church the Kingdom of Christ and by so many Nations being called into it by the preaching of the Gospell and it will easily appear that this Prophecy hath in the utmost extent of it been long since so fulfilled as that these Jews looking for a farther completion of it by freeing them in such a way as they fancy from their present condition will as we before intimated evidently appear to proceed only out of obstinacy to maintain and make good their groundless supposition that the promised Messiah is not yet come but yet to be expected as a temporal Savior whose Kingdom should be of this World Beside thesâ— waies of expounding some taking the words as directed to Ierusalem or the Nation or Church of the Jews others to their Enemies there is yet another which seems to part them between them given by one of their ancienter Commentators viz. R. Saâ—mo Iarchi who taking the first words as referred to the Enemy which said Where is now thy God as if she also said to Ierusalem The day wherein thy walls should be built which thou expectest the decree of that day is far removed i. e. the time of it shall be prolonged it shall never come then makes the following to be the Prophets answer to this purpose That day which you mock at saying it is lost it is come to nothing is a day reserved and kept with God and shall not be frustrated and shall come even to thee O Enemy to wast or destroy thee from Assur which was the first or cheif of those that did us mischeif and the fortified Cities i. e. and unto the fortified Cities which Ionathan the Paraphrast calls Churmani the great perhaps Armenia and the strong City or fortress is Rome as he saith who will bring me into the strong City Psal. LX. 9. and CVIII 10. and they say in the Midrash of Elleh â—addebarim Rabba i. e. the great allegorical exposition of Deuteronomy that is Rome c. This we give at large out of a manuscript Copy because in the ordinary printed Copies both the name of Rome and other words are wanting And the Land shall be desolate i. e. saies he the Land of the Nations It may seem tedious that we have reckoned up all these waies of expounding these words but perhaps it was necessary lest any finding any of them omitted might suspect that it had in it somthing apposite or of moment for understanding the Text which was not taken notice of Having now the cheif of such Interpretations as are given any may use his own judgment and I suppose none will seem plainet and more agreeable to the words then the first taking the words as spoken of or to Ierusalem or the Nation or Church of the Jews that to her is promised that there should be a day wherein her walls should be built and in that day her exile children should come again to her from several places of their dispersion though it should not be till after the Land for the evil of their doings should be desolate and they be removed from it before the making good of this gracious promise that judgment or punishment afore threatned should take place for chastisement of them for their sins The particle â— V rendred notwithstanding by it self signifies simply and but according as the words among which it is placed be construed or understood will have other meanings as here according to our Translation notwithstanding i. e. though these things be promised yet before they come to pass the Land shall be desolate c. or these things shall be though the Land be made desolate or as in the Margin after that the Land hath been desolate these things shall be As for the places named in the 12 th verse there is no small difference in assigning them Interpreters according to their exposition of the other words seeking to fit them to it They that look on the words as a promise of an happy restauration of the Jews take them as a description of those places in or about Assyria and beyond it where they were detained and from whence they should return whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matsor be taken for the name of a place or for any
the Israel of God and being of the Faith of Abraham to be the children of Abraham Gal. III. 7. and so to have right to the truth which God had by oath confirmed to Iacob and his mercy to Abraham to whom was before preached that Gospell in thee shall all Nations be blessed v. 8. for the Promise was not to Abraham or to his â—eed through the Law but through the righteousness of Faith Rom. IV. 13. and is sure to all the seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the Faith of Abraham who is the Father of us all ibid. v. 16. On refelling his calumny therefore in calling Christians Edâ—mites or Esauites and excluding us in that notion from any part in that mercy to Abraham we shall not longer stand it having no other ground then the inverterate malice of those who have refused their own mercy towards those who have embraced and laid hold on it That we may return therefore from this digression to the words of the Prophet we may from the words and concessions of him who hath occasioned it by this his question and answer to it take advantage for our summing up of what is given us to understand from them as 1. that the mercy in them mentioned belongeth not only to Israel after the flesh but to those of other Nations also as he allows to the children of Ishmael and Keturah who shall come in to God by the obedience of Faith and so become of his Israel being of Israel's Faith 2 ly That the mercy here promised was to be made good at and by the coming of the Messiah which is meant by the time of Redemtion or restauration by him mentioned Thus therefore as to the scope of the words we conclude that these words as a conclusion of the former Prophecy concerning the restauration of the Jews and the confusion of their Enemies contain an assurance of a temporal or corporal deliverance to them and were accomplished when God remembring his Covenant made with their Fore-fathers accepting of their conversion pardoning their sins and blotting out their iniquities did free them from the Babylonish captivity and bring them back into the promised Land but that the expressions are such as giving to expect all that by vertue of Gods truth to Iacob and mercy to Abraham and oath to their Fore-fathers was to be expected seem to include a Promise of Christ that seed of Abraham in which all the kindreds of the Earth were to be blessed with all the benefits of his Redemtion and so were by him fulfilled in an higher manner not of giving to the Jews any victory over all Nations and earthly possessions and dominion as they fondly expect as we have above shewed and the Author we have last mentioned here plainly intimates in his words cited but of rescuing all that come in to him and lay hold on his Redemtion both Jews and Gentiles of all Nations out of the hands of worse Enemies then the Babylonians even sin and Satan and making them Citizens not of the Earthly but of the Heavenly Ierusalem heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven and conferring on them all spiritual blessings This also being comprehended in these words was fully made good by Christs taking on himself the seed of Abraham and coming into the World for the work of our Redemtion and setting up his Kingdom among men and calling them without exclusion of any Nation or condition into his Church Thus to understand the words of Christ and his Kingdom we learn both out of the Hymn of the blessed Virgin Mary and of Zachary in the first Chapter of S. Luke in both which much like the same expressions are used as here and in the first it is said that by Gods sending of Christ he had holpen his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy as he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and to his seed for ever vers 54 55. and in the other that God had visited and redeemed his People and had raised up an horn of Salvation for us in the house of his Servant David as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the World began That we should be saved from our Enemies and from the hand of all that hate us To perform the mercy promised to our Fathers and to remember his holy Covenant the oath which he sware to our Father Abraham that he would grant unto us vers 68 c. In Christ therefore was that which is here mentioned Gods truth to Iacob the mercy to Abraham which he had sworn unto the Fathers from the daies of old performed in him fully yet so as to be still in performing unto the Worlds end by his calling into his Church both Jews aâ—d Gentiles and offering his Salvation to them and blessing them with all spiritual blessings which Salvation that the Jews will not acknowledg but reject and him that brought it to expect only a temporal restauration by one whom they fancy yet to come is their mere groundless obstinacy envying the extent of Gods boundless mercy promised in the seed of Abraham to all Nations for which we pity them and desire God that he would open their eies that they may see and acknowledg and lay hold on his Salvation which he hath prepared before the face of all People a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of his People Israel Thus much as to the words of this Prophet We may only add an observation which the fore-mentioned Jew takes from an ancient Author of theirs viz. that there is not any denuntiation of hard things to Israel which is not concluded with promise of mercâ— Among other instances as out of Moses Hosea Ioel Amos Ieremiah he brings this conclusion of Micah's Prophecy in which after several Judgements he shuts up all with words of comfort And very remarkable in that kind is indeed this conclusion which to shew how greatly God delights in mercy is uttered in words giving assurance of mercy not only to Israel after the flesh upon their repentance but to all that shall in Christ the promised seed by Faith lay hold on his Promise made to Abraham and in him to all the kindreds of the Earth so that the Gentiles also reading it cannot but glorify God and rejoice with his People and sing unto him that Hymn which the Apostle shews to be fitted to them viz. O praise the Lord all ye Nations praise him all ye People for his merciful kindness is great towards us and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever praise ye the Lord. The LORDS Name be praised Some things to be taken notice of and inserted in the places cited MICAH 4. 5. in the Note on that Verse the last line of the first Column after rendred adde by many But we will be rather rendred as it is by ours And we c. at the end of the Note
and when such things were done by Adrian who built there a City which he called Aelia and built up and down in several places Idols Temples But however this Prophecy may seem to him and others to extend it self so far and then to the utmost of the letter to have been fulfilled or the whole of what is here said done yet we may justly look upon it as limited to a shorter time and sufficiently as to making good these descriptions of great desolation fulfilled in the destruction of Ierusalem and the Temple by the Chaldeans by whom the City and Temple were made heaps of rubbish or dust Neh. IV. 2. 2 Kin. XXV and 2 Chron. XXXVI 19. in the time of King Zedekiah till when though it was before spoken it seems to have bin differred on their repentance as is intimated in the forecited Ier. XXVI 19. though to the other also in respect of the things done agreeable to these expressions it may not unfitly be applied See also R. Saadias his Arab translation And the mountains of the house shall be Chappels or houses of other worships or as some say a wood CHAP. IV. VER 1. But in the last daies it shall come to pass that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains and it shall be exalted above the Hills and People shall flow unto it BVt in the last daies it shall come to pass that the mountain of the house of the Lord c. According to Gods usual method in the midst of judgment remembring mercy here are to those grievous judgments before denounced subjoined gracious promises of great mercy In the foregoing words he threatneth an utter desolation to the mountain of the Lord here he promiseth a gracious restauration establishment and exaltation in those the obstinate sinners are given to understand the severity of Gods unavoidable judgments to them in these penitent believers are given to expect his mercies that never fail those who are qualified to receive them How far the mountain of the house in the foregoing words and the mountain of the house of the Lord in these agree or differ in what is signified by that expression will appear in what shall follow In the last daies c. That by the last daies though more generally may be signified any time to come after yet are here meant the daies or time of Messiah or Christ is so far agreed on both by Some Iews of as good authority as any giving I suppose the common receiv'd opinion among them and most Christians that if any think otherwise we have not reason to be swayed by their authority But though both Iews and Christians so far agree as to the signification of the words yet in their applying them is there great difference the Iews denying the promised Messiah to be yet come the Christians believing and acknowledging him to be long since come the Iews looking for his Kingdom as of this World the Christians looking on it as Spiritual and so what the Iews say is not performed understanding the words literally according to the outward sound the Christians acknowledge to have been already made good and according to the true meaning and import of the words in an higher and Spiritual meaning understood as they ought to be performed All the advantage that we may expect from the Iews is a concession that such or such passages have respect to the promised Messiah or to Christ and his times how they are accomplisht we must learn from the History of the New Testament and Christian Interpreters In the second chapter of Isaiah ver 2. c. we have much the like expressions as here as if one of these Prophets had borrowed words from the other Whether one did make use of the others expressions as of words already known to the People or for what end we need not further enquire t is sufficient to know that Gods Prophets did not steal his word one from another as t is said of those false Prophets Ier. XXIII 30. but that being all full of power by the Spirit of the Lord chap. III. 8. they spake as they were moved by that Spirit which representing to them sometimes like visions moved them to utter and declare them in like words and expressions So Isaiah and Micah here so in Obadiah ver 4. c. and Ierem. XLIX 9. 16. and in the one and other are they the words of the same living God suggesting to them what to speak and inspiring them to declare the same things in the same language The mountain of the house of the Lord c. That is according to the letter the mountain on which the Temple call'd the house of the Lord stood viz mount Sion or that part called mount Moriah Of this the Iews understanding it the soberer of them to omit some wilder and absurd expressions at least though we may think they meant not to be understood literally as if hill should be set on hill for exalting it observe that by saying it shall be established on the top of the mountains and exalted above the hills is not to be understood that it should be increased in measure of height but should be made illustrious by glorious priviledges confer'd on it tokens of Gods peculiar grace and favour and presence in it and the Temple on it in consideration and admiration of which many People should with reverence and respect look towards it and in great multitudes flow unto it for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nahar◠in the Original seems to signifie both these first to look or set the eyes upon and secondly to flow like waters of a river continually flowing in this latter sense it is as by our so by most Interpreters rendred but some learned Iews prefer the former The scope of both will be much one viz. to shew what great respect and regard and affection People shall have to it as to a place more eminent and desirable then all others by reason of the Glory that God shall confer on it and the priviledges that he shall bestow on and in it Those priviledges here promised are so great as that the Iews minding temporal concerns do not acknowledge to have been under the second Temple after their return from captivity made good and therefore yet expect the coming of a Messiah under whom they shall enjoy them But Christians looking on them as concerning Spiritual things acknowledge them to be already made good by the coming of Christ and setting up his spiritual Kingdom by the preaching of the Gospel and the gathering of People to it If we look on the place here called the mountain of the house of the Lord according to the sound of the letter even that was highly exalted and made illustrious filled with his Glory at his coming the glory of the latter house standing on that according to what is Prophesied Haggai II. 9. greater then
and splendour as to be compared to David and Solomon or that his Dominion might be equalled to theirs over Israel And he that relates that opinion of theirs confesseth that in these prophecies are greater things as those in the first verse spoken then can be said in him to have been fulfilled or under the second Temple though this and some other passages he thinks to belong to those times but that the other are yet to be expected and saies withall that by Some all these Prophecies are looked on as belonging to the times of Messiah the speedy coming of whom he and they earnestly desire And that indeed seems the opinion of most of them viz. that these are things not yet fulfilled looking on them as carnal and temporal promises of an Earthly glorious reign of Messiah on Earth wherein he shall rule over all Israel all the twelve Tribes as David and Solomon did having his seat at Ierusalem which shall never more be destroyed which state of his power they look on as signified by the first Dominion And that this Prophecy was antiently looked on as respecting the Messiah is plainly declared by the Chaldee Paraphrast of great antiquity and authority among them who makes him by the Name it self of Tower of the Flock to be described thus rendring it And thou O the Messiah or Christ of Israel which art hidden because of the Sins of the congregation of Zion unto thee shall the kingdom come the first or antient Dominion shall be to the Kingdom of the Congregation of Ierusalem So that on all hands as well the most of the Iews as Christians will it be agreed that this Prophecy was to be fulfilled in the Messiah and respects his Kingdom and the times under him but with a vast difference between them the Iews looking on it as we said as a promise of an Earthly Kingdom in this World which is not yet come nor any Messiah in Earthly pompe and splendour to assert it yet revealed for their Sins as the Chaldee intimates retarded but that such a one shall come and make good what they expect agreeable to the litteral sense of the words according to their interpretation but Christians firmly believing the promised Christ to be allready come and to have made good all that by vertue of the Prophecies was to be expected in that way that they are to be understood to wit in a Spiritual way and of better things then the things of this World And to him do we say and to the Sion and Ierusalem here meant viz. the Church that the words may as they ought to be in their best and highest sense and full latitude be applied To him and in him to Ierusalem did the first Dominion i. e. that of David and Solomon come So the Angel of him that the Lord God should give unto him the Tâ—rone of his Father David and that he should reign over the house of Iacob for ever Luc. I. 32 33. over the whole house of Iacob all the twelve Tribes and not only over them but that his Kingdom he set by God on his holy Hill of Sion should take in the Heathen also for his Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for his possession as David Prophesieth of him Psal. II. 7 8. So that under him is no difference between Iudah and Israel no nor between Iew and Gentile all believers in him being as one all the Israel of God Gal. I. 11. 28. Coll. III. 11. Ephes. II. 12 c. To him was given Dominion and Glory and a Kingdome that all People Nations and Languages should serve him and his Dominion be an everlasting Dominion Dan. VII 14. Vnto all whom the sound of his Kingdom went forth Rom. X. 18. And so in the second Notion the first that is the chief Dominion came to the Tower of the Flock to Ierusalem in and by him a Dominion and Kingdom greater and larger then that of David or Solomon or any other David in Spirit therefore called him his Lord Psal. CX 1. Mat. XXII 44. and of himself he witnesseth and his witness is true that he was greater then Solomon Mat. XII 42 and hath therefore deserved a Name given him King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. XVII 14. and XIX 16. Prince of the Kings of the Earth chap. I. 5. None of their dominions were ever like his for extent or duration Davids and Solomons were in all their greatness but Types of his their Kingdom being even quite overthrown and the Tabernacle of David which was faln down was in him raised up to a greater height and more excellent manner then ever it was in under the Iews Thirdly to the Tower of the Flock to Sion and Ierusalem to the Nation of the Iews in and by our Lord Christ came the first Dominion i. e. there it was first set up and divulged by the Preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom to the Iews and lost Sheep of Israel there he himself proclaimed it and shewed his Disciples that repentance and remission of Sins should be Preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Ierusalem Luc. XXIV 47. and so S. Paul tells the Iews that it was necessary the Word of God should have been first spoken to them Act. XIII 46. And it may perhaps not be impertinent to observe that he was even at first acknowledged for the expected King at Ierusalem by much People when riding on an Asse into the City whether through that gate which was called the Sheep gate and properly denoted by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Migdal Eder the Tower of the Flock as Some think or not it will not concern nicely to enquire by which fact of his is said to be fulfilled what was spoken by the Prophet Tell ye the Daughter of Sion Behold thy King cometh to thee meek and sitting upon an Asse c. he was received by the acclamations of great multitudes saying Hosanna to the Son of David c. Mat. XXI 4 5. c. or as St. Iohn hath it Hosannah Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the Name of the Lord Ioh. XII 17. or as in St. Mark XI 10. Blessed be the Kingdom of our Father David that cometh in the Name of the Lord which cometh nearer to these words of the Prophet here and so Luk. XIX 38. So far were they convinced by the great Miracles that he shew'd such as were before never shewed and his power not only over Men as when he drave out of the Temple those that profaned it but over seas and winds and Devils themselves that they could acknowledge him no less and therefore had he not declined it would have by force made him a King in another manner then he would be so acknowledg'd viz. an Earthly King Ioh. VI. 15. And so far it appears this opinion of him prevailed among the People that it was put in as an accusation against him by those that would not
acknowledge him that he said he was a King Luc. XXIII 2. though it was not he himself but the People that said it and in respect to that common vote did Pilate say bringing him forth to the Iews Behold your King and put for the superscription of his accusation on the Cross The King of the Iews Mar. XV. 26. and the other Evangelists giving him indeed though but in scoffe his just title at which the chief Priests offended desired him to change it and not to write the King of the Iews but that he said I am the King of the Iews Ioh. XIX 21. though he never said it nor challenged to himself any such Kingdom as they pretended contrary to Cesars but only such as he himself told Pilate that was not of this World Ioh. XVIII 36. And that was it indeed which was his crime with them because he challenged only such a Kingdom Had he came in the lower power and splendour of an Earthly King they would the chief of them have been as forward as the common People were to have acknowledged him whose Dominion because he did not so they rejected and for the same reason do their posterity still deny and reject it and so will not acknowledge those Prophecies as this and other like concerning his Kingdom to have been in our Lord Christ fulfilled but still vainly look for another in whom they should be fulfilled to them in a Kingdom that is of this World wherein keeping his seat in an Earthly Ierusalem reedified he should rule over Iudah and Israel by force of Arms subjecting the rest of the World to them But we having learned from himself the nature and manner of his Kingdom wherein he ruleth and which he beginning at Ierusalem so miraculously propagated through the whole World not by carnal Arms and force but by the power of his Spirit and Word do see and cannot but acknowledge the utmost of what by vertue of this Prophecy could be expected made good in and by him and that it plainly belongeth to him After all this may be taken notice of yet another construction of the Words by some followed yet tending still to the same purpose Thou O Tower of Eder or the Flock that is Bethlehem that art obscure to thee shall come the Daughter of Zion and there shall come from thee the first Dominion that is the Kingdom to the Daughter of Ierusalem such a King or Kingdom which shall bear rule in Ierusalem i. e. in thee Messiah the King of Ierusalem shall be born which though some say may be partly applied to Zorobabel yet no otherwise they say then as he was a type of Christ who was to spring of the same race In summ these words however they be interpreted are a Prophecy concerning Christ and his Kingdom which cannot be eluded in him and by him are they in the ampliest manner and in none other Person ever yet were fulfilled he it is that should come and in vain do the Iews look for another to come and bring an Earthly Dominion and Kingdom to them 9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud Is there no King in thee Is thy Counsellour perished for pangs have taken thee as a Woman in travail Now why dost thou cry aloud c. Having in the latter end of the former chapter denounced very heavy judgments against the Inhabitants of Ierusalem and in the foregoing verses of this made very gracious promises of great good things now in what follows he so mingleth a repetition of both threats and promises as to shew that the one do's not hinder nor cross the performance of the other but that both shall in their time have their due accomplishment successively one after the other first the judgments then the promises though by the evills which they should suffer they might seem to have cause to despair of ever seeing good again In the first place to shew the certainty of the evills to come on them he to whom all things to come are present and whatsoever he has determined is as already done speaketh to them as if they were allready befallen them and expostulates with them concerning their behaviour under them as savouring too much of infidelity and distrust Now why c. What is the cause of all thy sad complaints of those expressions of grief like those of a Womans pangs in travail in Child-birth which is in the Scripture an usual expression of great Sorrows Is it because the Enemy hath deprived thee of thy King and Counsellours under whose conduct and government thou formerly enjoyed'st tranquillity and comfort This seems the most litteral and simple sense of the words and in this way they may be compared with what is said Hos. XIII 10. as the words are by many rendred and well bear Where is thy King now that he may save thee or thy judges c. The History of their being bereaved of King and Counsellours is read in the XXIV XXV chap. of the 2 Book of Kings And from the words so expounded may be inferred and will be included that which Others give as the sense of them Is there no King in thee that is Is not God for all this that thou sufferest being deprived of thy Earthly King thy King and thy Counsellour so that thou mightest in him find strength and comfort to support thee and from him counsel to direct thee and by him be at last delivered from all these evills But at present she i. e. Ierusalem or the Church of the Iews deprived of all visible comfort hath no King of her own Nation to protect her no senate nor Counsel to direct her and God her Heavenly King hath for the present withdrawn the wonted signs of his visible and gracious presence and protection from her and therefore may she seem to have just cause of bemoaning her condition in most passionate signs of grief and therefore by way of concession bespeaks he her in the next verse 10 Be in pain and labour to bring forth O Daughter of Zion like a Woman in travail for now shalt thou go forth out of the City and thou shalt dwell in the field and thou shalt go even to Babylon there shalt thou be delivered there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine Enemies Be in pain and labour to bring forth c. Or as some change the Imperative into the Future by way of ascertaining her that these things she must for a while endure Thou shalt be in pain thou shalt be as in labour or as a Woman in travail in great anguish For thou shalt certainly go forth out of the City she shall be forced to ly abroad broad in the fields without house or home of her own and then led into captivity as far as to Babylon so that indeed she hath visible occasions of great sorrow But those sorrows though great as of a Woman crying out in labour and travail yet shall be as hers
over them the like objection to what was against the former opinion The answer must be God gave them into the hands of the Medes and Persians to be threshed and destroyed so that the Iews then in captivity under them might justly insult and triumph over them and what God did by others for their sakes be attributed to them And the consecrating their gain to the Lord Some think to be made good by Gods bringing it to pass that the vessels by them taken out of the house of the Lord were sent back again Others looking on this as no satisfactory completion of this prophesie alone think it ought to be extended to the times of the Maccabes that in their History may be found that whereby all that is here spoken may be well said to have been fulfilled But with none of these are the Iews satisfy'd and therefore look on this Prophesie as not yet fulfilled but to belong to the times of the restoring their captivity the bringing down all their Enemies and reestablishing their Kingdom under the Messiah whom they yet expect and by those many Nations understand Some of them which at that time shall come up with Gog and Magog being though they promise to themselves the destruction of Zion by God stirred up and gathered together that they may be themselves destroyed Others the Armies of the Romans by whom Ierusalem was sacked and the second Temple destroyed and also such Armies of the Christians and of Saracens also as afterwards invaded or shall hereafter at that time of restoring the captivity be gathered by God to that place and there be destroyed or as before the Armies of Gog and Magog and according to their several fancies expect the fulfilling of all these things here said whose dreams as Chrians do deservedly reject so in this do they at least divers of them join issue with them that what ever else may be said otherwise to have been done towards the fulfilling of the things here said as to the destruction of the Assyrians or the Chaldeans or those of diverse Nations in the time of the Maccabes yet the full completion of them to belong to the times of Messiah or Christ not yet to be expected as the Iews would have it but already come under whom they have been and are manifestly fulfilled But then things are Spiritually as before was observed not carnally to be understood the Daughter of Zion not to be the Earthly Ierusalem but the Church of Christ which indeed as was above said from Ierusalem took its first rise and thence spread it self over the face of the Earth and brought under many Nations and much People With what rage and malice both at the beginning and in succeeding times they gathered themselves against her is manifest yet were they by the power of Christ the sword of his Spirit and Scepter of his word and by those whom he imploy'd furnishing them with weapons not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds and to the casting down imaginations and every high thing that should exalt it self against the knowledge of God to the bringing into captivity every thought to tâ—e obedience of Christ gathered into his floor brought down and put under his feet willingly subjecting themselves in obedience to him and consecrating and dedicating themselves and their substance to his honour Did we look on things after the flesh or according to worldly concerns it might not be hard to shew that the Christians under Godly Emperours have had so great victories over the insulting Enemies of the Church as might according to the letter of this Prophecy be justlier said to have been a fulfilling thereof then any things by those of the Iewish Church but Christ having declared his Kingdom not to be of this World we are not so much to judge of his conquests by what hath been wrought by the Arm of flesh though by his power and in his Name as by those wrought by the Sword of the Spirit not against flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers against the rulers of the darkness of this World against spiritual wickedness in high places Eph. 6. 12. against the rebellious minds of obstinate Men to the subjecting all to himself It is observed by some concerning this Prophesie that it is to be in fulfilling to the second coming of Christ for he must reign till he hath put all things under his feet 1 Cor. XV. 25. In that day certainly will it appear how the things here spoken as every other word of God have without the failing of one title been fully made good though perhaps till then Men will not well agree concerning the manner how or time when CHAP. V. VER 1. Now gather thy self in Troups O Daughter of Troups he hath laid siege against us they shall smite the Iudge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek NOw gather thy self in Troups O daughter of Troups c. It will not be easy in few words to give account of the different expositions of these words which are found in Interpreters or to pass judgment between them They differ in giving the signification of some of them then in applying them The grounds of which that we may see it is to be observed that the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gadad from whence is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tithgodedi rendred by Ours Gather thy self in Troups and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gedud rendred Troups hath two significations usually attributed to it one of gathering together in troups the other of Cutting and hence have Interpreters according to their different judgments taken occasion of different interpretations As for the first word Some taking it from the first of those significations render it Now shalt thou gather thy self together or Gather thy self together in Troups or Troup together Others Thou shalt be compassed and beset with Troups or invaded by Troups or Now shalt thou go forth in Troups or Thou shalt make an impression or give an onset and the like To this seems the Greek also to have respect rendring it Now shall be shut or blocked up the Daughter with a shutting or blocking up that is so shut or blocked up with Troups surrounding her that she shall not be able to go forth Although if we should take their meaning from the Arab printed version which mostly follows the Greek and here renders Now shall be hedged up the Daughter of Ephraim with an hedge one might think that by mistake of a letter they deriv'd it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gadar which signifies to hedge or wall about instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gadad to gather in Troups putting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which differ in the Hebrew very little Others preferring the latter signification render Some Thou shalt be destroyed or spoiled Others Thou
Christ was already come because Bethleem was now brought to ruine and not inhabited by the Iews that there might be any probability of any other Christ then him whom we acknowledge to be born there In our Lord Christ did both these concurr that he was both a branch out of the root of Iesse the Bethleemite of the house and lineage of David and also God so directing it by his providence born in Bethleem So that in him all that can be by this expression in this Prophecy understood or expected was fully completed as also what is farther expressed that he that was to come forth out of Bethleem to have his rise thence and that for the place of his Nativity was to be ruler in Israel Who he is that is spoken of as so is inquired An ancient Commentator mentioning some who would have it Hezekiah saith of them that they do more Iudaize then the Iews themselves for so little do the things here spoken of agree to Hezekiah who was not born in Bethleem if he were not born before this promise of one to be born as probably he was that the Iews themselves would not go to attribute them to him And the same censure will in great part take hold on those who attribute them to Zorobabel who neither was born there and in whom such other things as are here spoken cannot by any means be said to have been made good For though by what is delivered by some ancicient Fathers of the Christian Church we may think that heretofore some Iews did avow the person here spoken of to be Zorobabel yet those who better considered the matter and have given us their mind in writing say no such thing but unanimously none we suppose contradicting affirm that person to be the Messiah or King Messiah in which so far they agree with us Christians but with great difference otherwise they affirming the words to note such a Messiah as is not yet come and labouring from these and the following words to prove it we that he that is here promised the true Messiah is already come and that these words prove that he is so and that it appears from them that our Lord Jesus Christ is he that should and did come forth of Bethleem and be ruler in Israel As this is here foretold of our Saviour Christ so when he was now to be born into the World the Angel bringing to his Mother the good tidings thereof faith Luk. I. 32 33. The Lord shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David and he shall reign over the house of Iacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end and this was made good in him But here the Iews object Iesus ruled not in or over Israel but they ruled over him and put him to Death and as yet neither do believe in him or serve him The answer to which is easy they did indeed and had power over him so far but not to hinder or impair his Dominion over them here promised but more to discover the true Nature of it which they were and continue mistaken in and to further the manifestation and propagation of it not only over Israel in the narrow sense wherein they appropriate it to themselves alone who are Israel according to the flesh only but over the whole Israel of God all those that truly know him and believe in him and are his chosen People Herein was the mistake of their ancestors and is still theirs that they expected him to be a carnal ruler whereas his dominion was to be spiritual as he declares that â—his Kingdom was not of this World which duly observed is an answer to all their cavils Had his Kingdom been of this World his servants would have fought that he should not have been delivered to the Iews Ioh. XVIII 36. and whose service â—could he not in that kind have commanded whose command even the winds and waves yea the Devils themselves obeyed who by his word cured the Blind Deaf Dumb and lame and every way impotent raised Men from Death to Life and could have obtained from his Father more then twelve legions of Angels for his guard Mat. XXVI 53. Or could he not the bare breath of his mouth have made all his Enemies fall to the round as he did some of them that came to take him Ioh. XVIII 6. But then how should the Scriptures have been fulfilled Mat. XXVI 56. thus far it behooved him to suffer for fulfilling them and through suffering enter into his Glory It behooved him to be lifted up upon the Cross that he might draw all Men to him Ioh. XII 32. His so far submitting himself did not diminish but encrease the Glory of his Dominion That blasphemous scoff of the ancient Iews Mat. XXVII 42. If he be the King of Israel let him now come down from the Cross and we will believe in him could not then hinder many as well of the Iews as of other Nations from coming in to him and believing that he was truly the King of Israel and the obstinacy of many of their posterity in still persisting to say we will not have this Man whom our Ancestors Crucified to reign over us must not beat us off from acknowledging this Prophecy so far fulfilled in him as that he was the person here spoken of that should come forth to God out of Bethleem and be ruler in Israel but considering how all the other Prophecies seeming to them to cross this were together reconciled and jointly fulfilled in and by him to infer with the Apostle Peter Acts II. 36. therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Iesus whom ye crucified both Lord and Christ. Those that do otherwise and will not acknowledge him so do not prove him not to be so but themselves not to be the Israel of God though insisting on the outward priviledges of the flesh they call themselves Israel That is the true Israel in which he ruleth not by a carnal Scepter or Weapons but by his word of which his Scepter the greatest part of the World hath so many years seen and acknowledged the power and that therefore which most concerns us is not being moved by the groundless cavils of Iews or any other against his Dominion by yielding him willing obedience to approve our selves in the number of those in and over whom he ruleth so shall we approve our selves to be the true Israel of God whilst others falsly and in vain so call themselves Where he is not ruler there is no true Israel Whose goings forth have been from of old from everlasting or as in the margin the daies of eternity He goes on in describing of him who he saith should come out of Bethleem be ruler in Israel by another more eminent coming or going forth then that from that place even before that place was â—from all
down Gods blessings on them for their sakes as Laban confessed that God blessed him for Jacobs sake Gen. XXX 27. and by coaling and mitigating Gods wrath which otherwise would speedily burn them up if these were away as the moistning dew and showers preserve the grass and herbs from the scorching of the Sun see Gen. XVIII 26 c. and XIX 22. and Mat. XXIV 22. Mark XIII 20. This may be looked on as comprehended in though not the main intention of the words A Iewish Doctor expounding these words in this manner also viz. as describing how the remnant spoken of shall be in behaviour towards these many People in the midst of which they are makes the meaning of them to be That they shall be loving to and deal kindly with those that deal courteously with them and do good to them as dew doth to the grass and that of their own good nature without respect to profit or reward to them he means and to them alone being of contrary behaviour to others as will appear by what he saith on the next words And if this be all that he thinks meant surely he falleth far short of showing the duty and property of true Israelites who by this remnant are meant who are taught to do good to all Men Galat. VI. 10. to love not only those that love them but also even their Enemies and to good to them that hate them Mat. V. 44. that they may be Children of their Heavenly Father who sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust so must they be as the dew from the Lord and as rain by him given in the midst of many People striving to extend their good to all those many that as many as are capable of receiving good by them may receive it Mean while he may suggest to us another property which the comparing them to dew and showers requires in them viz. softness and gentleness in their behaviour in the midst of those or amongst those that will receive them and hear them which will the better bring us to the consideration of what is meant in the second similitude which is that they shall be as a Lion c. They which shall be gentle and soft in their behaviour as communicative of all good to those that will receive the truth shall against all that oppose it though many and strong be of a Lionlike courage and by God be enabled with power to beat and tread down all before them and prevail over them so as none may resist them as a Lion doth over the beasts of the forrest and a young Lion over the flocks of the Sheep This their power may well be described by the words of the Apostle 2 Cor. X. 4 5 6. in that by the weapons of their Warfare which are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds they cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ so hath Christ promised to them a mouth and wisdom which all their adversaries shall not be able to resist Luk. XXI 15. This was made good in the Apostles and such as have since succeeded them in their employment and administration of Christs Kingdom and others the true members thereof and he will never leave his Church destitute of a remnant of such valiant defenders of the truth and conquerers through the power of his Spirit of what is contrary to it though all the powers of Hell join their forces against them they shall disperse them Some learned Men refer what is here spoken to the times after the Babylonish captivity and especially those of the Maccabes wherein the Iews under valiant commanders overcame diverse strong Enemies and with Lion-like courage set on them and brought them under which though it may be granted and their victories looked on as a fulfilling what is here spoken in part yet sure it will appear to have been more evidently and fully made good since Christs coming into the World and setting up his Spiritual Kingdom among men by these conquests by his little flock obtained over the Devil and the World Sin and errour never so deeply rooted and strongly backed and all that may be comprehended under those names by the Apostle given them Eph. XI 12. of principalities powers rulers of the darkness of this World and Spiritual wickedness in high places The conquering and dispersing these as by the Church of Christ in the power of his might and invincible force of his Spirit hath been wonderfully done and converting rebellious sinners are things of a higher nature and signs of a greater strength and courage then any that is shewed in the conquering and destroying the greatest and most potent Nations that ever were on the Earth as to any temporal dominion or concerns in as much as the bringing the minds of Men into subjection is harder then the forceing their bodies And sure though Gods remnant have promises of temporal things as well as of Spiritual yet where such are mentioned as concern them as members of Christs Kingdom as the things here spoken of from the second verse all along have been shewed to be it is manifest that they cheifly relate to their Spiritual estate the things thereto pertaining being the peculiar priviledges of his Church and flock as so being a Kingdom not of this World and the happiness of that and them being according to those to be valued whereby their dignity may be made appear not so much by their being great in this World as their being great in the Kingdom of Heaven and their prevalency not over temporal and carnal but over Spiritual Enemies which are worse and require a greater force then those to subdue them in the conquering of these is the strength of the Lion of the tribe of Iudah cheifly seen The Iew last cited saith that as Israel shall deal kindly with those that have shewed kindness to them so on the contrary shall they deal with their Enemies that have done ill to them behaving themselves towards some of them to wit the Assyrians as a Lion among the beasts of the forrests killing whom they please and towards others viz. the Edomites so they call Romans or Christians to whom they have greatest hatred as a young Lion among the flocks of Sheep utterly destroying them and suffering none to escape You may see in them still the leaven of their old Doctrine in their false interpreting of the Law by Christ reproved Mat. V. 43 44. Thou shalt love thy Neighbour and hate thine Enemy but the Iews generally in expounding these words run on in their old errour which they will not retract viz. that the things here spoken concern a time not yet come viz. when those Nations by this Man mentioned or as others of them when Gog and Magog shall come to fight against Ierusalem because they will not
Impediments according to another signification of that word and beat down the Enemies so that they following him shall breaking through all difficulties of gates shut against them pass in and out as they please their King going before them and the Lord being on the head of them as leader of the Vauntgard i. e. to protect and help them by his providence and mighty wonders and to hinder the Enemies from hurting them Thus a learned Iew understanding the words literally who in the mean while notes though these words be of the preter perfect Tense have broken up have passed are gone out yet that they are to be understood as in the future shall break up shall pass shall go out as such change of Tenses is not unfrequent And so do others of 〈◊〉 who follow the same way take it as 〈◊〉 â—â—â—phecy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leatid belonging to the time to come i. e. to the times of the Messiah which they deny yet to be come and vainly expect promising to themselves great carnal felicity therein The Christian Interpreters who look upon these words as a Prophecy of good things do look as taught in the Gospel after a more Spiritual meaning interpreting them as made good by Christ's calling and gathering together into his Church his fold the Israel of God his dispersed flock who were before as Sheep going astray in which they should grow into great numbers like the flocks of Bozrah The comparing with these words the x. chap. of Ioh. to the 18. verse will serve much for the illustration of them in this sense understood And in what numbers they came at first into the Church the History of the first times as Act. II. 41. and chap. IV. 4. and elsewhere and of succeeding times all the world over testifies They usually understand by the breaker and by their King the same person viz. Christ to whom that title of breaker may well agree for his breaking down all obstacles the middle wall of partition betwixt Iews and 〈◊〉 Eph. II. 14. breaking open the gates 〈◊〉 Hell it self so that neither he himself could be detained by them nor his be hinder'd by them from following him into the Kingdom of Heaven the gates of which having conquered Death and triumphed over all Enemies he set open to them so that they might without hindrance go in and out and find pasture Ioh. X. 9. he going before them and his sheep following him ib. ver 4. and the Lord protecting them It may be observed too that if the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haporets be taken in that other sense mentioned as it may signifie one that increaseth or groweth to power it may likewise aptly be attributed to Christ the King of the Church who is called the Branch Zech. III. 8. and VI. 12. and of whom it is said that of the encrease of his government there shall be no end Isa. XI 7. and the rod of the stemm of Iesse and a branch that should grow out of his roots Isa. XI 1. and a root of Iesse whose rest should be glorious by whom God would set his hand again to recover the remnant of his People and that he should set up an ensign for the nations to assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Iudah ib. ver 10 11 12. To him that was promised to be as such and was exhibited as such and hath made good in himself what was promised well may the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haporets in this or indeed in both senses agree But if any think that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haporets the breaker and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malcam their King should be meant two distinct persons let him hear what the Ancient Iews as cited by the modern say for exposition of this place Haporets the Breaker that is Elias and Malcam their King that is the Branch the Son of David and then observe what our Saviour himself hath taught us that Iohn Baptist was that Elias which was to come Mat. XI 14. and Mat. XVII 12 13. and what the Angel saith of him Luke I. 16 17. that many of the Children of Israel he should turn unto the Lord their God and that he should go before him in the Spirit and power of Elias without fear and with courage as he rebuking Sin and removing it out of the way to turn the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a People prepared for the Lord and how the Prophecy of Isaias is applied to him preaching repentance viz. that he was as he saith also of himself Ioh. I. 23. the voice of one crying in the wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his pathes straight every valley shall be filled and every Mountain and Hill shall be brought low and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough waies shall be made smooth Luke III. 4 5. and what our Saviour saith This is he of whom it is said Behold I send my messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee and that from the daies of Iohn the Baptist the Kingdom of Heaven suffered violence and the violent took it by force Mat. XI 10 12. men breaking as it were and passing through the gate by his preaching repentance laid open that they might go in and out and it will be easy to apply to him this title of the breaker so shall we have in the words a most illustrious Prophecy of Christ and his forerunner Iohn the Baptist which it will be no reason to let go seeing the Iews themselves so readily yield it to us Especially when the words most nicely examined will be more punctually appliable to this exposition then any other that is brought observing only to look for these promises to be Spiritually performed which the Iews expect only as Carnal and because they have not yet had any such temporal deliverance think the Prophecy not yet fulfilled Neither is it by divers Christans looked upon as yet compleatly fulfilled but in another regard viz. because it respects Christs calling and gathering of his not only here into the fold of the Church militant the Kingdom of Grace but hereafter into the Church triumphant the Kingdom of Glory in the Heavenly Jerusalem This needs not be looked on as a new exposition but a completion of the former which it necessarily presupposeth The third way of expounding the words is of a learned Iew who taketh the former of the 2 verses to be the words of that lying Prophet spoken of in the foregoing verse as if he should say to them Drink and be merry and fear not for the Lord hath put into my mouth to say unto you that he will surely gather together all that are dispersed of you and you shall be in your Cities in great multitudes as flocks of Sheep in their proper folds
no force from the Argument to prove that the Messiah is not yet come will appear from what diverse of their own Doctors say that the time or Kingdom of Messiah lasteth on Earth many thousand of Years doubtless to the end of the World So that if ought spoken as concerning his time be not yet fulfill'd it may be longer expected without denying him to be yet come Again as to them their Doctors also say that weapons of Warr shall not cease even in the daies of Messiah but only in the World to come and so do some Christians interpret these words as that they are to have their full completion in the World to come after the second coming of Christ. But the Prophecy may seem rather to respect what shall be done in this World then that to come and we may well rest satisfi'd that it is already perform'd even in respect of that outward concord which followed among many different Nations the Preaching of the Gospel 4 But they shall sit every Man under his Vine and under his fig-tree and none shall make them afraid for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it But they shall sit c. A figurative expression of great Security and Tranquillity else where likewise used the effect and sign of peace and so is to be understood as the former promise of peace whether of outward or inward Tranquillity which that they may without doubting expect is added for confirmation that the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it who can and will make good whatsoever he saith without fail however improbable at present it may seem 5 For all People will walk every one in the name of his god and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever For c. This particle shews these words to have dependance on somthing before said to give a reason of what was said and they seem spoken by the Prophet in the name of those who should go up to the Mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and learn of his waies and walk in his paths and had promise of peace and security to them rendring a reason why they might certainly expect a performance of those good things promised to them viz. from their acknowledging him only for their God adhering to him and constantly walking in obedience to him and affiance in him For as all People will walk every one in the name of him whom they take for their God and use so to do so they by a constant walking in the Name of the Lord will evidence that they acknowledge him for their God and so have reason to expect the good things which he hath promised and will without fail perform to those that as they resolv'd to do constantly cleave to him faithfully serve him rely and depend on him and his protection and favour This exposition may be illustrated by what is said Ier. II. 11. Hath a Nation chang'd their Gods which are yet no Gods But my People have chang'd their Glory for that which doth not profit It was formerly the perversness of Israel according to the flesh that they would forsake the Name of God and his worship and follow vain Idols but here the true Israel of God the faithful members of his Church out of what Nation soever call'd unanimously profess constantly and for ever to adhere to him alone as constantly as other People did to their Gods and in so doing may justly promise to themselves the benefits of his providence and protection out of which they will not by their own fault and deâ—ection from him put themselves And according to this Exposition the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veanachnu rendred But we will be rather rendred And we â—s it properly signifies A learned Man gives the meaning thus No marvail that God should have so singular a care over us for other Nations for performance of their matters call every one on their Gods but we do and ever will walk in the Name of our God the true God Another No marvail that we shall be safe or secure seeing we have God for our Protectour against whom neither our Enemies nor any other Gods can prevail The sense I suppose according to them must thus be made up As long as we adhere to the true God no fear but we shall have his promises of security made good to us seeing the Nations that are against us trust in false Gods which can neither help them nor annoy or hurt us under the protection of our God to whom we constantly cleave Some of the Iew Doctors thus expound the words Till that time all People shall walk in the name of their Gods for they shall not return to the right way till that time when the King Messiah shall turn them into the right way but we of the house of Israel will walk in the Name of our God for ever though the Temple be destroyed and we led captives out of our Land yet will we not change our God for another but walk in his Name alwaies Another thus For all People which now walk every one in the Name of his God and we also the Sons of Israel all of us both we and they in that time will walk in the Name of our God c. The connexion of Inference I suppose in all these must still be the same viz. that therefore they will faithfully expect that those blessings of peace and security which God hath promis'd shall be made good to them which profession the Prophet makes in the name of those that are spoken of that shall come in to God as joyning himself to them Some give the meaning thus Although other People shall worship other Gods yet the faithful believers will constantly acknowledge and worship the one true God and serve him alone And by them the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render for is taken as sometimes it is for a word of alteration only as much as to say certainly or although 6 In that day saith the Lord will I assemble her that halteth and I will gather her that is driven out and her that I have afflicted In that day saith the Lord c. In that day at that time ver 1. call'd the last daies when God in judgment remembring Mercy shall graciously visit and redeem his People he saith that he will assemble or gather or as Some will heal for in that signification also is the word used and may here well enough be applied her that halteth or is lame broken or maimed i. e. such of Israel as are weak and helpless inwardly and outwardly afflicted so that they are not able to bear up and support themselves and so justly likened to a poor lame maimed Sheep that is not able to go upright or keep her way This seems a more simple Interpretation then that
of Some who would have this Epithet given to them as the posterity of halting Iacob Gen. XXXII 31. and perhaps then that of Others too who would have it to denote their wavering or unsteadfastness in their Religion and the service of God in which regard they are elsewhere said to halt 1 Kin. XVIII 21. though the word be there different in the Original although such halting was cause of their other halting or fainting under afflictions thereby pulled on them The word here us'd is elsewhere also us'd for fainting or failing for want of strength to go upright as Psal. XXXVIII 17. and Ier. XX. 10. And in Zephaniah III. 19. the same Epithet is us'd that is here and in the same sense and hath the same word subjoyned to it viz. her that is driven out c. I will gather her that is driven out from her own Country and from the more visible presence of God and his protection which they had in manifest manner formerly enjoyed cast out by God and from him whom being her husband she had like an Adulteress forsaken and dispersed among the Nations And her that I have afflicted sent evills and afflictions upon and evill intreated for the Sins of my People as the Chaldee adds These Epithets here being in the Feminine Gender it may be inquired what the Person or Substantive understood to which they are to be applied is whether the house of Iacob or the Kingdom of Israel without distinguishing between that of Iudah and that of the ten Tribes as some Iews do applying the first to the one and the second to the other or Synagogue or Congregation or Daughter of Sion or Ierusalem mentioned ver 8. Or else whether the Feminine Gender here be put as usually for the Neuter and so may be rendred or understood whatsoever halteth c. i. e. all that halt and are driven out all Israel all or any of them who are in such condition But which will still be to the same sense and purpose if we shall as a learned Iew directs for the better perceiving the meaning of these words compare them with what is said Ezek. XXXIV 16. I will seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick c. where the Epithers are as here in the Feminine Gender her that was lost c. and manifestly agree to Sheep or Cattel to which the weak of Gods Flock that is of the People of Israel are compar'd and withall consider how it is the usual custom of the Scriptures to call Gods People his Sheep and to compare such as are distressed or go astray among them to silly weak or lost Sheep as Ier. L. 6. My People hath been lost Sheep and ver 17. Israel is a scattered Sheep considering I say these things it may seem very agreeable to understand here likewise Sheep or Cattel the weak or distressed of Israel Gods peculiar flock and then will this Prophecy appear manifestly to be fulfilled in what Christ saith Matth. XV. 24. that he was sent to the lost Sheep of the house of Israel and his commanding his Apostles to go to the lost Sheep of the house of Israel and to preach to them saying the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and to heal the Sick to cleanse the Lepers to raise the Dead and to cast out Devils Matth. X. 6. c. This his bringing them into his fold the Church by his own Preaching and that of his Apostles and Disciples was a more signal and illustrious assembling of her that halted and gathering her that was driven out and afflicted then any restauration of theirs or bringing them home to their own Country from among the Nations where they were dispersed That did but make way for this greater healing of their breaches and better benefit to them in description of which proceeding he saies ver 7. 7 And I will make her that halted a remnant and her that was cast far off a strong nation and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth even for ever And I will make her that halted a remnant c. God reserving them for better things though they be distressed and dispersed will not suffer them utterly to fail and be lost or perish but so preserve them that there shall be a remnant that shall return and increase yea tho now they be cast far off and seemingly in a lost condition they shall become a strong Nation Which promise may appear manifestly made good in the flourishing and growing condition of the Church from beginnings low in the sight of Men growing to such a height and greatness as it hath attained both for extent multitude and power by the calling into it first the lost Sheep of Israel that remnant according to the Election of grace that should be saved Rom. IX 27. and XI 3. in so great multitudes as appears by the History of the Acts of the Apostles and then those of the Gentiles also which were before aliens from the common wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise and so every way far off out of all parts of the World in such abundance as it is ever since to this day as that in all regards they may be justly call'd not only a remnant which should continue without fear of failing but a strong Nation against which the gates of Hell it self have never since been or ever shall be able to prevail that we may not confine this appellation of a strong Nation only to the Apostles who were for the effecting of this endued with power from on high and with a mouth and wisdome which no adversaries were able to gainsay or g resist as Some seem to do nor yet to the strength and undaunted courage of the Martyrs but extend it as due to the whole Church in regard to their multitude above any Nation and their Spiritual strength This part of this Prophecy though it might seem as Some will partly fulfill'd in the return of the Iews from the Babylonish Captivity and that form of a Kingdom which under Zorobabel they were restored to and under the second Temple which was then built yet do the following words plainly shew that it cannot be said to have been wholly then fulfill'd and that what was then done in the restoring of Iews and Israelites from their dispersion was but to prepare and make way for greater things after to be done under Christ for the making good of what is here promised for it follows and the Lord shall reign over them in Sion from henceforth even for ever Now that this hath not been according to the letter and in any temporal respect fulfill'd to the Iews is manifest all form of government being long since cut off from them and Zion that place properly so called in the hands of
their Enemies sometimes one Nation sometimes another having born rule there But take Zion as it is usual for the Church and in that God hath from the first beginning reigned and ever doth and for ever shall reign over his in Christ in it It is said of Christ Luc. I. 33. that he should reign over the house of Iacob his Church for ever and that of his Kingdom there shall be no end Wherefore Some not absurdly make these words an argument for proof of the Divinity of Christ because he is here call'd by Iehovah the proper Name of God It will be all one to say the Lord i. e. God the Father in Christ shall reign or Christ the Lord shall reign or reigneth over his in Sion he and his Father being one What hath been intimated in these words will farther be confirm'd in the next verse 8 ¶ And thou O tower of the flock the strong hold of the Daughter of Zion unto thee shall it come even the first dominion the Kingdom shall come to the Daughter of Ierusalem And thou O Tower of the Flock the strong hold of the Daughter of Zion c. O Tower of the Flock The word rendred Flock and so otherwise signifying being in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eder there is some difference between Expositours concerning the Interpretation of it Some looking on it as the proper name of a place A place so call'd is mentioned Gen. XXXV 21. beyond which it is said Israel i. e. Iacob spread his tent after he had journyed from Bethlehem about a miles distance from it where they conceive the Shepherds to have been abiding when the Angel brought to them the good tidings of Christs birth and so of that his Kingdom that first dominion here spoken of Others taking Bethleâ—em it self to be meant by it will have what is here prophecied to be the same that is repeated chapter V. verse 2. and there to be explained But others think it the Name of a Tower at the gate in the walls of Ierusalem call'd the Sheep gate Nehemiah III. 32. through which some conceive Christ to have rid into Ierusalem when he was received with Hosanna's But by others more probably is here thought to be designed the Tower of David or rather all Ierusalem it self which was as it were the Tower and fold of Gods Flock Israel because say Some of the Iews all Israel there convened or were gathered together three times in the year as a flock in their fold and the same to be likewise called in the words subjoined the strong hold of the Daughter of Sion The word rendred strong-hold is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ophel which beside this signification is also the proper name of a Place at Ierusalem or in the wall thereof as Nehem. III. 26. c. and 2 Chron. XXVII 3. and XXXIII 14. It hath also the signification of obscurity darkness attributed by Some to it as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aphal another word of like sound signifies and is accordingly here interpreted though to no perspicuous sense which we shall not here therefore insist on but take it as by Ours well rendred to denote whole Ierusalem though perhaps properly signifying a part thereof And that which then we are to take notice of is that as the name Ierusalem it self and Zion are taken in the Prophetical Scriptures not only precisely for those places properly so called but for the Church of Christ of which they were types and figures and which had its first visible rise and beginning in or from them and thence spread it self so that these and other like denominations and appellations given to them sometimes may and ought to be applied to that and understood of it and that the Prophecies seeming to be spoken to them do contain more then can be restrained or limited to them and necessarily are to be expounded of it and in such latitude must these appellations of Tower of the Flock and strong hold of the Daughter of Sion be here taken And indeed they more deservedly agree to that which is the fold of Christs Sheep and that mountain established in the top of the mountains and exalted above all hills ver 1. that Temple so firmly built on a Rock that nothing can shake it nor the gates of Hell prevail against it then they ever did to that Ierusalem of mens building though in its time the glory of the whole Earth and after by Man again destroyed This it will be necessary to do that we may see how the following promise hath been made good To this it evidently hath but not to that and to this therefore 't will appear more properly to belong then to that The promise made is Vnto thee shall it come c. Vnto thee shall it come even the first dominion of c. Some of the Iews by a nice observation of the accent in the word rendred shall it come so distinguish the words as if this word had reference to the remnant of halting Israel of her that was cast far off mentioned in the foregoing verse and so the words to found Vnto thee shall it that is that remnant that halted or of her that halted c. come and to thee shall come the first dominion which is the Kingdom of the Daughter of Ierusalem But Others of them will not have here any consideration to be had of that distinction but rather the two Verbs of the same signification to be referred to the same Subject to wit the first dominion only for confirmation sake and to sound Vnto thee shall arrive and come the first dominion c. i. e. Vnto thee shall certainly come the first Dominion which shall be the Kingdom to the Daughter of Ierusalem or such as was the Kingdom of the Daughter of Ierusalem And this Emphasis is well expressed in our Translation by some little transposition of the words and understanding the last as a repetition of the former that this Kingdom or Dominion should come to the Daughter of Ierusalem But this makes no great difference or difficulty It is to be enquired what is meant by the first Dominion how that came to Ierusalem or in whom what is promised was to be made good By the first Dominion may be understood such a Dominion and Kingdom as was at first to them under David and Solomon so the Iews mostly understand it or the chief Dominion or thirdly that the Dominion should in that first place come to the Daughter of Zion or Ierusalem Now how in any of these senses or all of them it came or it was to come to them and in whom it was seated or in whom it was to be or is made good to them is the main enquiry In Zorobabel first say some Iews and under the second Temple it was made good to them But sure Zorobabel never ruled in that greatness
shews him to be God Eternal and one with the Father Before we pass from the words one thing more may be observed to wit concerning the wonderful aptness and suitableness of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Motsaoth or goings forth here used to the thing spoken of in as much as the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Motsa coming or going forth is used for expressing a word which is the production and going forth of the mouth as Deut. VIII 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Motsa Pi and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Motsa Shephataim the going forth of the lips it is therefore very appositly and significantly here used to express the going forth or eternal generation of him who is called the word of God of whom it is said Ioh. I. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning with God All things were made by him c. Which words shew the same that here is said that Christ there called the word had his goings forth before all time without beginning to be being Eternal with the Father and gave certain evidence and demonstration of that his Eternal being or goings forth before time by creating and giving goings forth to time it self and all things that are dated or measured by time which Some also will have here signified though doubtless his own Eternal being as distinct from his birth at Bethleem is the thing here chiefly described and not only the manifestation of it in his works in time even at the beginning of it 3 Therefore will he give them up untill the time that she which travelleth hath brought forth then the remnant of his Brethren shall return unto the Children of Israel Therefore will he give them up untill the time that she which travelleth hath brought forth c. How these words are inferred from the foregoing as the word therefore shews them to be will be the better perceived when we shall have inquired into the meaning of them Many and different expositions are given of them that we may see which to prefer some of them are to be taken notice of The Iews report a saying of some of their ancient Doctors grounded on what is here said That the Son of David i. e. the Messiah should not come till the Kingdom of wickedness or as Others read the fourth Kingdom had over spread the whole World for nine months as it is said therefore will he give them up untill the time that she that travelleth hath brought forth c. This the latter Iews cite but do not much insist on the explication of it Perhaps they received saith one by tradition from the daies of the Prophets that exactly so long the trouble spoken of should endure according to tâ—e time of a Womans going with Child But seeing they labour not farther to inquire or cannot tell us what their ancestors meant it will not concern us to trouble our selves about it but rather to look what Expositions they themselves give Such are First That God will leave Israel or deliver them to their Enemies till their condition shall be like the condition of one that is with Child near her time of bringing forth and then shall the promised ruler and his near relations appear and return to be or become a ruler over the Children of Israel as he saith and the remnant of his Brethren shall return unto the Children of Israel Or as Others express it In the day of Salvation when God will bring Salvation to Israel he shall deliver them into great tribulation so that pangs shall take hold of them as pangs of a Woman in travail as he saith in Daniel XII 1. and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same timethen the remnant of his Brethren i. e. of the Messiah i. e. the Tribes of Iudah and Benjamin which were left when the ten Tribes were led captive shall return unto i. e. with the Children of Israel the ten Tribes viz. they and these all of them shall return to their Land and the King Messiah shall rule over them Or as another saith the ten Tribes shall go up first into the Land of Israel to war against the Christians and other People of the East and North and then their Brethren of Iudah and Benjamin shall return or come unto them according to his fanciful explication of the foregoing verse The construction of the words according to this exposition must be with a supply unto a time like the time of her i. e. a Woman that bringeth forth or was with Child hath brought forth But this supply of like the time is harsh and hath no grounds for it as neither to say that this denotes a time of sorrow and pangs Those are yet while she is in travail and hath not yet passed her labour and brought forth When she hath once brought forth and is delivered of the Child her anguish is turned into joy because a Man is born into the World And here is nothing in these words that signifieth pain or anguish but it is only said word for word untill the time that she that beareth hath brought forth Secondly another exposition by some of them given is by expounding He not of the Lord but of the ruler promised to come forth out of Bethleem and the word shall give them up by shall permit or suffer or leave or let alone as it is used Gen. XX. 6. therefore suffered I thee not to touch her word for word gave I thee not c. Thus the Messiah shall suffer them i. e. shall defer his coming to them or helping of them till such a time as in the former explication Or as Thirdly Others give the meaning Till the time that she that beareth hath brought â—orth i. e. till the time of birth be come the time of appearance for him and them according to what is said in Isaiah I X. 6. Vnto us a Child is born c. or as he saith Isaiah LXVI 8. Zion travailed she brought forth her Children Or yet Fourthly somthing different as another hath it He should give them up i.e. that they shall continue in captivity till the time that she that travaileth c. i.e. Zion of which he saith chap. IV. 10. be in pain and labour to bring forth O Daughter of Zion like a Woman in travail and that in Isa. I.XVI. which we have seen without farther explication of the meaning of this bringing forth and then that the meaning of the words and the remnant of his Brethren shall return unto the Children of Israel is that they all shall be comprehended under the name of Israel and shall not be any more as two Nations nor any more divided into two Kingdoms These expositions have we from the Iews which we have thus more largely related because it
words are obscure they say that he reigned seems to intimate as if he fancied that Christians because they could not avoid that objection That no strange thing happened at his birth did therefore date his Kingdom from his death or else that he upbraids us that we say that he that was overcome by Death reigneth Be his meaning what it will his objection is of no force against us who profess that Christ was both born King and all the time of his living on Earth evidently shewed himself so by such means as we have formerly seen insomch that Nathaniel convinced by what he saw plainly confesseth him so Rabbi thou art the Son of God thou art the King of Israel Ioh. i. 49. and the People not doubting of it would needs have taken him by force to make him a temporal King as he shewed himself a spiritual one Ioh. VI. 15. besides their openly proclaiming him so Mar. XI 10. Luk. XIX 38. and that his Death whereto he humbled himself did not notwithstanding the blasphemous scoffes of the chief among the Iews Mat. XXVII 42. Marc. XV. 32. evidence that he was not a true King or put an end to his Kingdom but more advanced it and did but serve to draw his Subjects even a great part of the World all Men unto him Ioh. XII 32. And at that too as ignominious as they sought to make it happened such strange and unusual things as made the centurion and those that were with him watching Jesus to confess him not an ordinary King but to say Truly this was the Son of God Mat. XXVII 54. Marc. XV. 36. So far was he from having his power lessened by his Death that by it he overcame Death it self and destroyed him that had the power of it that is the Devil Heb. II. 14. and in his Cross triumphed over them and all infernal powers openly and discernably to all that would not shut their eyes Coll. II. 15. Then his resurrection after his Death that not being able to hold him Act. II. 24. which he made evident by so many waies as we find in the Gospels and by appearing so many times and to so many witnesses as is recorded 1 Cor. XV. 4 5. c. and then his ascending visibly into Heaven in the sight of his Apostles Acts I. 9. Mar. XVI 19. make it most evident that the same Iesus whom they crucified God made both Lord and Christ Acts XXI 36. and that he is the Messiah the ruler in Israel here prophecied of and that we are to look for no other But saith he his dominion is not unto the ends of the Earth Here call we in the whole World to witness against him He living in Germany far enough from the land of Israel could not but know how far and wide over the face of the Earth the Dominion of Christ hath spread it self and in how many Nations he is acknowledged as Lord and King and his name adored and magnified so that he would not have made this cavil except he had willingly stopt his ears and shut his eyes or would not understand what he heard or perceive what he saw such obstinatness doth his way of arguing discover There is nothing therefore in what he hath said that may take us off from applying these words of the Prophecy hitherto to our Lord Christ and affirming them to be all in him fulfilled in their true and utmost meaning His cavils out of the following words are of like nature as in due place will appear But before we pass from these words one thing more may be observed viz. that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veyashabu by Ours rendred and they shall abide is by some Others rendred shall return or shall be converted into the reason of which it will not be needful nicely to inquire whether it were because instead of what is now read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veyashabu which signifies and shall abide they did read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veyashubu which signifies they shall return or whether reading it as it is now read they thought it to signifie the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yashubu taking the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shub and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yashab to agree in the signification of turning also as they somtimes do in the other of abiding as appears by what we read Ps. XXIII 6. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veshabti by consent of all is rendred abide or dwell though the theme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shub most usually denotes to return They that follow this interpretation make the meaning to be That many shall be turned and flock in to Christ because now he shall be great or that now he may be great unto the ends of the Earth But there is no reason to forsake our Translation and the exposition before given 5 And this Man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land and when he shall tread in our palaces then shall we raise against him seven shepherds and eight principal Men. 6 And they shall waste the Land of Assyria with the Sword and the Land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian when he commeth into our Land c. And this Man shall be c. A learned Iew saith of these words that though the signification of the words be plain yet the meaning and sense of the whole is very abstruse In this they and Christians agree that what is spoken in them agrees to the Messiah and his times or Kingdom But in the application thereof must needs be a vast difference they saying that the promised Messiah is not yet come and so the most of them that the things here spoken of are not yet fulfilled but are to be accomplished when the Messiah shall come we that the Messiah who is our Lord Christ is already come and so the things by him and under him fulfilled and in fulfilling as they ought to be understood and that no other Messiah is to be expected nor other accomplishing of these Prophecies The truth will appear by going over the words in order This Man shall be the peace There is nothing in the Original Text expressed that signifieth Man but the words barely sound This shall be peace without mention of person or thing which hath caused difference among expositors according to their different understanding of what is to be supplied as pointed to by the particle this Some understand it of the person before spoken of as our Translatours who therefore add Man This Man shall be peace The same do many other expositors understand both Christians and Iews also So one of them It is to be understood of the Messiah because he shall be the cause of peace as it is said and he shall speak peace to the Nations Zech. IX 10. that great blessing was he to be the Author of to his and therefore our Lord Christ being the only
true Messiah of him is agreeably to the words here said He is our peace Eph. II. 14. At his birth was by the Heavenly Host proclaimed peace on Earth Luk. II. 14. he entring on his ministry while he was on Earth came and preached peace to them which were afar off and to them that were nigh Eph. II. 17. and when he was again to leave the World he bequeathed peace to his gave it to them and left it with them Ioh. XIV 27. So that well might it be said of him by way of Prophecy This Man shall be peace or the peace And this supply of the person may seem as agreeable to the meaning of the words as any But then of us i. e. of Christians who thus understand the words as affirming that our Lord Jesus Christ shall be peace or the peace may be demanded by the Iews or others what peace we mean or how that peace which we say he is the Author and establisher of may agree with that description which is given of it in this and the following verse to wit such as should be made good by repelling the Assyrian by raising against him seven Shepherds and eight principal Men by wasting the land of Assyria with the Sword and the land of Nimrod c. and by delivering from the Assyrian c. To which we have to answer that these expressions are figurative and so the litteral signification of every word is not nicely to be insisted on so we may but have the whole meaning appositly given That diverse expressions of such benefits as were promised to be made good under the Messiah are figuratively to be taken is that which cannot be denied and by the learnedst of the Iews themselves confessed as for instance that which is likewise a description of the peace by him to be effected that the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard lie down with the Kid the Calfe with the young Lion and a little Child should lead them c. and the Lion should eat straw with the Oxe c. and all this should be because the Earth should be full of the knowledge of the Lord which none will say those beasts are capable of or expect there should be such a strange change in their nature And it must therefore be confessed that the expressions are figurative and denote only that great change in the natures and dispositions of Men which shall be wrought by the Doctrine of Christ and that mutual accord in love and meekness which thereby they shall be disposed to And why may not these words be understood so too i. e. figuratively They must needs so be if we read This Man shall be peace that is the peace here described shall be wrought by the Messiah for reasons which will by and by appear And so figuratively taken what do they but under the type of a compleat temporal peace to the Iews represent to us that more excellent spiritual peace that comprehensive blessing of peace with God peace among themselves and as far as in them lies peace with all Men and peace within themselves not to be disturbed by the assaults of any enemies thereof which is by Christ given to his Church and the members thereof the Subjects of his Kingdom and wrought by the preaching of the Gospel maugre all that shall oppose it The Assyrians and Chaldeans were then the known Enemies of the Iews such as invaded their land and trod in or entred into their palaces and wasted all things if now God should raise unto them any under whose conduct they should not only repel those Enemies but pursue them and wast their land and wholly subject them so as that they should no more have cause to fear them would not this be a very great blessing a bringing in and establishment of a most desirable peace and a thing marvellous in their eyes the greatest they could then wish for By representing this therefore to them to be done he figures out that greater blessing that desirable peace which that Messiah whom in the foregoing words he had promised and described should be the author of make good by conquest of more malicious and potent Enemies then the Assyrian or Chaldean even Satan himself with all his infernal host whom with his own weapons and in his own territories he hath vanquished through Death m having destroyed him that had the power of death and given to his the victory over Death and the sting of it sin and the principalities and powers and rulers of the darkness of this World and spiritual wickedness in high places Eph. VI. 12. and all the World that lies in wickedness and the Enemies of the truth which with unappeasable malice constantly seek to invade the Church and infest the members thereof and to disturb their peace Against all these and all that can be named will he secure it to them and continually raise up such a sufficient number of such as shall maintain his truth and beat down whatsoever shall oppose it and furnish them with the irresistible power of his spirit for that end so that none shall be able to take from his that true peace which he giveth With him is power also to secure to his an outward peace and to raise up such as shall bring under all that shall infest that also And this also he often doth by wonderful means as he seeth most for his glory and the good of his Church But that we do not look on as the thing here principally meant or promised but that spiritual peace of a more divine nature which we have spoken of according to what he promiseth Ioh. XVI 33. that in â—im they should have peace though in the world they should have tribulation bidding them therefore to to be of good chear because he hath overcome the world which words of his seem a summary of what is here spoken and prophesied of If any of such who so read the words This Man shall be peace that is the Messiah like not of this way of expounding them but say whether Iews or others that under the Messiah they ought according to the proper sound of the letter to be fulfilled St. Hierom teacheth us thus to argue with them These things spoken here as to be effected by Messiah are either fulfilled or yet to be expected and not fulfilled If they say they be fulfilled let them give us the History thereof by authority of ancient Books confirmed and tell us when the Assyrians and Chaldeans were ever subjected to the Iews conquered and governed by them we may add if they say they are let them then confess that the Messiah who they confess was to be the authour of that peace by the conquest of those Enemies and delivering them from them is already come But 't is not likely that they will say this If then they say that they are not yet fulfilled nor Messiah yet come as they do
them so that they shall say among the Heathen The Lord hath done great things for them Psal. CXXVI 2. yea that in some respects that which God would do in their bringing back from Babylon and their other dispersions and their wonderful restauration should be rather more marvellous then what he did in the daies of their coming out of Egypt appears by what is said Ierem. XVI 14 15. Behold the daies come saith the Lord that it shall no more be said The Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt But the Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel from the Land of the North and from all the Lands whither he had driven them and I will bring them again into their Land that I gave unto their Fathers With much the like words Chap. XXIII vers 7 8. which seem to make as if in and for effecting the latter deliverance even greater marvels were wrought and greater power shewed then in the first For what reasons it may be so said will not be to our present purpose to enquire our present words representing them as alike marvellous and they were both manifestly types of that greater deliverance by Christ wrought and those more marvellous things by him done for the delivering of his People from the power of Hell and the Devil And so may we look on the words both here and in those places of Ieremy as directing us to that wonderful deliverance for a fuller and higher completion of these Prophesies then was either by the deliverance in bringing them out of the Egyptian bondage or Babylonish captivitâ— though more immediatly the words point at those and in this the expressions of the Jews themselves will concur viz. that the final completion of these Prophesies is to be by what should be done by Christ or the Messiah So Kimchi on Ieremy XVI 14 15. saith that what is there said shall be made good in the daies of the Messiah as likewise Abarbinel as being the opinion of their ancienter Doctors But mean while though thus far in words they agree with us yet in the application of them to the matter spoken of there is a vast and irreconcilable difference For we say that as for any temporal deliverance by these words foretold it was made good in a marvellous manner by bringing back the dispersed Jews from the Babylonish captivity But as for that more marvellous delivery by this typified and given them to look for under the Messiah it is wholely spiritual his Kingdom being not of this World and hath been accordingly fulfilled by rescuing his People and those as well Gentâ—les as Jews from a worse captivity under a more potent Enemy then either the Egyptian of old or Babylonian afterward even the Devil and the power of Hell But the Jews that they may look for by vertue of these Prophesies a temporal restitution from the captivity they are now under since their rejecting of Christ passing by that deliverance from the Babylonish captivity as a small thing though God set so signal a character on it apply the words to that which they yet expect without any grounds of a promise to be wrought for them by their Messiah's subduing all Nations to them especially the Christians whom they hope to see totally cut off as hath been above said and his making them Lords over them in this World We have already seen those marvellous things done and still doing which make us expect no other of a different kind which would indeed be less then what hath been already done Thy coming out of Egypt Thine O Prophet or People in thy Fathers I will shew unto him i. e. the People of Israel The change of persons spoken to in Scripture is frequent and doth not alter the meaning all is meant of the People 16 ¶ The Nations shall see and be confounded at all their might they shall lay their hand upon their mouth their ears shall be deaf The Nations shall see and be confounded at all their might c. These again seem to be the words of the Prophet describing the effects of those marvellous things that God would work so unlikely was it that the Jews being in that low and servile condition which they were brought to in the Babylonish captivity should be restored to be again a Kingdom and flourishing Nation that the Nations seeing what marvellous things God had shewed in restoring them could not but wonder and be confounded to see all their own might which they trusted in brought to nothing and those whom they so much despised to be advanced to that height and power that they are not able to hinder or hurt them some by their might understanding the might of the Enemies themselves others the might of the People that are saved And the manifests signs of their confusion and consternation should appear in that they should lay their hand upon their mouth be silent and mute as not knowing what to say nor daring to speak against God or his People nor able to contradict what they saw With this expression may be compared Chap. III. 3 7. and Exod. XI 7. Ios. X. 21. Iudg. XVIII 19. Iob V. 16. and XXI 5. and XL. 4. Psal. CVII 42. And that their ears should be deaf so ungrateful should be the things that they heard as that they should be astonished by hearing them and being not able to bear them even stop their ears against them as wishing themselves even rather deaf then to hear such marvellous things as God had done for those whom they hated This their confusion is also expressed in the next words 17 They shall lick the dust like a Serpent they shall move out of their holes like worms of the Earth they shall be afraid of the Lord our God and shall fear because of thee They shall lick the dust as a Serpent c. Those insolent Enemies who erst while so proudly insulted and triumphed over Gods People and magnified their own strength shall now be brought to the lowest and most abject condition as if they were worms and no men which is elegantly set forth by these expressions They shall lick the dust as a Serpent so cast down shall they be so humbled as not to be able to raise up themselves and so through fear behave themselves as if they were condemned to the same posture and food with that accursed creature The like expression have we Psal. LXXII 9. Isaiah XLIX 3. And they shall move out of their holes like worms or creeping things of the Earth The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yirgezu rendred move is such as is taken usually to signify a trembling motion or motion with perturbation whether spoken of a bodily moving from a place or of the mind being moved with some passion as of fear or anger or the like the effects of which are commonly seen in the trembling motion or gesture of the body