the words simply run in the original and most of what is said and perhaps of what may well be said for exposition of them the Reader may judge what he thinks will best make for the meaning of them he will find that which our Translators give backed with the autority and consent of men of good judgement and learning and to give a plain and perspicuous meaning And was afraid before my Name The same with the former and he feared me doubled or repeated He was broken or contrite i. e. humbly and with fear or reverence behaved himself before me and my Name with great awe and reverence approached to the performance of my worship and holy duties not as ye who despise my Name c. I. 6 Others interpret it he was broken or grieved when he saw my Name profaned as in the matter of the golden Calf Exod. XXXII and the Midianitish woman Num. XXV Others he was bruised for my Names sake i. e. hath undergone and suffered all kinds of troubles and hardship for my Name 's sake There are some of eminent note who expound these last words as if they were contrary to the former of Levi's being broken brought down deprived of the promised life and peace because they did not sanctify the name of God according to the Covenant but this is disapproved by others because he here speaks in commendation of the former good Priests and doth not speak this of the impiety of the present wicked Priests nor concerning what had befallen or should befall them 6 The Law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips he walked with me in peace and equity and did turn many away from iniquity The Law of truth was in his mouth In his mouth i. e. the mouth of Aaron or Eleazar or Phineas or any or all of those ancient holy Priests successively the genuine Levi was the Law of truth Gods Law is the truth Psal. CX X. 142 the true doctrine of this Law did he teach the People and instruct them in the true meaning and intent thereof that according to that right rule they might frame all their actions nothing of it did he conceal from them nor teach them any thing contrary to it or false this was in his mouth nothing contrary to it found in his lips A learned Jew thus expounds it He gave answer or pronounced sentence according to the truth in it self and did not respect the person of any in it nor alter or pervert it for any wordly respect That is it which he saith and iniquity was not found in his lips he did not mean one thing in his heart and say another with his mouth say others of them He did not take bribe saith another nor respect persons Some of their ancienter Rabbins more particularly instance the Law of truth was in his mouth i. e. he did not pronounce that unclean which was clean nor that clean which was unclean and iniquity was not found in his lips he did not pronounce unlawfull that which was lawfull nor pronounce that lawfull which was unlawfull He walked with me That we may know what is meant by walking with God may be compared with this place Genes V. 22 24. where it is said Enoch walked with God and the VI. 9 where it is said Noah was a perfect man and walked with God and Genes XVII 1 where God saith to Abraham Walk before me and be thou perfect and Hebr. XI 5 where it is said that Enoch had this testimony that he pleased God By which we may understand that to walk with God is so to walk as in all things to endeavor to please him in a due observance of all his will and according to the rule of his Commandments as alwaies in his presence and therefore fearing to offend him in any thing or to depart from or transgress his righteous Laws with respect in all things to him and his glory How Levi so walked is expressed in the following words in peace and equity In peace Some understand this of peace with God as that by so walking and doing what was right he kept in peace and friendship with God and did not provoke him by disobedience so that whereas Gods Covenant was with him of peace ver 5. he did observe it on his part that so God might on his Others of peace with men others with both and no doubt both must go together and he that will have peace with God must as far as in him lies live peaceably with all men Rom. XII 18 And a ready way to have peace with God is to keep peace with and among men Live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you II Cor. XIII 11 so blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the Children of God Mat. V. 9 but keeping peace with God is necessarily included in the forementioned walking with God and these words describing the manner of that his walking and having reference to what follows likewise in description of him that he by such means turned many away from iniquity seems to respect not only his conversation with God but before and towards men whom he was to bring likewise with with himself near to God To this purpose that Jewish Doctor R. Tanchum saith that here by peace are meant his moral vertues and the right ordering his conversation among men with gentleness because by that means will be occasioned peace among all Then by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mishor rectitude is meant the rectitude of works pertaining to Religion and equity So before him Aben Ezra another of them in peace saith he that is with Israel and in rectitude or equity i. e. by doing my Commandments And that thus by peace those more ancient did understand may appear by that saying in that authentic book wherein the sayings of their Fathers or ancient Sages are recorded where is set down as a saying of Hillel an ancient Doctor who is thought to have lived something before Christs Incarnation Be of the Disciples of Aaron who loved peace and followed peace and who loved men and brought them near to the Law In which saying he manifestly seems to have had respect to this Text of Scripture and is by Abarbinel cited in his explication of it who then for explaining what is said and in rectitude adds he rectified or directed them in their waies which seems to agree with the Greek Version which hath in peace directing he walked with me In explaining this word R. D. Kimchi a little differs from the other forementioned Jews as he likewise doth in his exposition of the former word as we before intimated The whole of his exposition of both is this In peace Because he did cleave to me to do my will according to what is said he shall make peace with me Isa. XXVII
5 And in rectitude or equity because he walked in the waies of men as the printed Copy hath it or in the matters of men or concerning men as a Manuscript in a right way and in both he was with me for in these things I delight viz. to exercise loving kindness and judgement and righteousness in the Earth Then proceeding to explain the next words And he did turn many away from iniquity he saith because he taught the Law continually to all and many hearkned unto him and he converted them from iniquity In explication of the same R Tanchum saith Because by such truths as he taught them and his gentle behavior towards them and what they saw of his righteous works which he exercised they were necessarily directed and returned from their rebellions without difficulty being both by his doctrine and example wrought on Aben Ezra's note is Because when the Priest is upright many will be upright Some of the Jews as was before said restrain the things here spoken to Aaron some to Phineas and apply them particularly to things done by them in their times but the words seem more generally spoken so as to concern any of those holy Priests of their race who succeeded them in their office and rightly did as they behave themselves in it as where it is said that Aaron and his sons offered upon the Altar of burnt offering c. I Chro. VI. 49 it must necessarily be understood not of Aaron in person alone and his sons then living but of any of his race that succeeded in his and their room 7 For the Priests lips should keep knowledg and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts For the Priests lips should keep knowledg c. Some render do keep others shall keep others did keep The word in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yishmeru being the future properly signifies shall keep but the Hebrews having not that variety of Moods and Tenses that some other Languages have do by one Tense and of one Moode express that which those other Languages do by different and that causes this variety of rendrings though most of them mean the same thing They that render do keep cannot mean as if the Priests then spoken to did so for they are reproved for the contrary neither would it be to the purpose in hand to understand shall keep so as if hereafter only the Priests lips should so do They therefore that either of those waies render it or follow them explain themselves to mean what our Translation more clearly expresseth as also some of the Jews expound it viz. that they should so do or ought so to do by vertue of the office that the Priest did sustain it was their duty so to do and men might expect it from them And so the connexion betwixt these and the foregoing words will be that those former holy Priests did behave themselves so as they are commended for doing because they considered what was their office and duty and that they might accordingly perform it That it was their duty so to do and a command laid upon them for it viz. to know the Law and instruct others in the meaning of it and to teach them his will is clear out of the Law Lev. X. 11 That by a perpetual statute they should teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord had spoken to them by the hand of Moses And so Moses saith of them They shall teach Jacob thy Judgements and Israel thy Law Deut. XXXIII 10 And that the People should seek the Law at his mouth go to him as the Interpreter thereof to know what was the right meaning and intent thereof that they might accordingly do it in an acceptable manner and were to stand to his sentence and judgement in any difficult point thereof is likewise plain out of the Law Deut. XVII 8 9. c. and XXI 5 and out of the Prophets Ezek XLIV 23 24. and Hag. II. 11 they are bid to ask the Priests concerning the Law for saith he he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Messenger or Ambassador of the Lord of hosts one appointed by God to declare his message his will and commands unto the People and direct them in the waies thereof It is the same word that signifies an Angel and an Angel hath that name from his office or emploiment of being sent on Gods message from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Arabick Dialect in use and signifying to send So from his office doth the learned Grotius Note a Bishop in the Revelations ch 2. c. to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the words by which here the office of the Priest under the Law is described well agree to the office of such who are emploied in the Ministry of the Gospell and the teaching of that Saint Paul saith of himself and others in like emploiment that they are Embassadors for Christ II Cor. V. 20 so that he that heareth them heareth him Luk. X. 16 that a Bishop is the Steward of God Tit. I. 7 and ought to hold fast the faithfull Word as he hath been taught or in teaching marg that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers v. 9. that he ought to be able to teach II Tim. II. 2 and apt to teach ibid. v. 24. with many more things which might be said in parallel to these words in which the Priests office and duty and so the Peoples duty in respect to him are described But it will not be to the understanding of the present words to insist thereon only this by the by because of the tiâ—le here given him That which from what hath been said makes to our purpose is to shew the connexion of the present words with the preceding according to those who render or expound them that the Priests lips should preserve knowledg c. as shewing that what was before said that he did or concerning his behaviour was that which his duty required and by conscience thereof he was moved to do and did in observance thereof accordingly do They that render The Priests lips did preserve knowledg and they did seek the Law at his mouth because he was the Messenger of God make it a continuation of the description of the behaviour of those ancient holy Priests and how they walked worthy of their office and performed all that it required of them Either of these supposeth and includeth the other the holiness of the office importing a holy conversation and a holiness of their conversation adorning and setting forth the holiness of their office which required it and of the rule by which they framed it And so by a commendation of those of old for their walking worthy of their office shews how culpable these at present spoken to were in regard to their behaviour contrary
hearken they should inevitably pull on themselves destruction 4 ¶ Remember ye the law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the statutes and judgements Remember ye the Law of Moses my servant c. Aben Ezra's Gloss on these words is not amiss Remember the Law of Moses c. i. e. saith he keep or observe it for it will teach you the way of the fear of the Lord and so when the mentioned day shall come ye shall be delivered But the other Jews go wider as by considering their words we shall perceive Abarbinel thus gives the coherence of these words with the former Forasmuch as the worship or service of God which should bring them to that last true reward at the Resurrection was the worship according to the Law and Commandments and that great rebellion which should bring to that punishment which he mentions is the omission or rejection of the Law therefore he subjoyns to this which he hath said Remember the Law of Moses my servant to declare to them that by means of that they should attain to the reward and true prosperity That in which he errs in this Exposition is in that he refers what is here spoken to the day of the Resurrection which belongs to that day of Jerusalems Visitation the evil of which that they might prevent or in it find deliverance he commends to them the remembrance and observance in the mean while of the Law of Moses as a faithful rule seeing they should after this have no more Prophets to direct them till his sending to them Elias at the approach of that day Much in like kind errs R. Tanchum viz. in mis-timing the things spoken of saying That this was given as a Precept to those of the Captivity he commanding it to Israel by the hand of this Prophet because after him Prophecy should cease from among them by reason of the obscurity of the Captivity and the meaning saith he is that he that would attain to the happiness spoken of and deliverance from punishment ought necessarily to obey the commands of the Law continued or delivered down among them In which Exposition he passeth over the time to which properly belonged what is spoken viz. that between this Prophecy and the coming of the Eliah here meant wherein Prophecy as he observes should and did cease among them and so the coming of that day of Judgement and discrimination to fasten it on times w ch did not begin till after the completion of this Prophecy according to its proper and primary meaning viz. since the destruction of Jerusalem David Kimchi is not content to run on in the like error but strives to justify it by accusing Christians of error in misinterpreting the words his Exposition runs thus He saith untill the day of Judgement come remember ye in every generation the Law of Moses my Servant to do all or according to all that is written in it Which I commanded unto him in Horeb i. e. as I commanded him in Horeb not according to the words of the Christians which say that it was given for a time according to the literal sense but an Interpreter Jesus came and interpreted it spiritually this Text is an answer to them His meaning seems this That here is a command that till the last day of Judgement they should precisely keep the Law of Moses according to all that was written in it and according to the letter of what was written just as it was given to him and from him to them and that therefore the words refute the Christians who say that the Law was to endure but for a time according to the literal meaning of it but that the literall meaning was to yeild to a spiritual meaning according to which Christ interpreted it But we say that this man frames an argument on false grounds and that the text makes not against us as he would have it and hath in it an answer to and refutation of them not of us who embrace them both according to the letter from which he departs and the true meaning of them which he perverts First in that he saith that here is a command that they should remember the Law of Moses in every generation untill the day of the last Judgement If he mean as manifestly he doth the day of the last Judgement it is manifest that what is spoken hath not primarily respect to that but to that day of Gods National Judgement to be executed on the Jews continuing in obstinate rebellion against him that was the day of the Lord in this Chapter of this Prophecy and the foregoing properly spoken of as we have shewed though so described as to represent to us and necessarily to put us in mind of the last general Judgement too Besides the words are indefinitly spoken without referring to any set time if we will enquire till what time they may seem to bind that will most conveniently be answered to from the next following words viz. till he send Eliah the Prophet before the coming of the day of the Lord warning that till his coming they should look to the Law of Moses as their Director So that hence is no evident ground from which to conclude the perpetuity of the Law against such as should deny it That it should last in force till that day is as much as can from these words be concluded and that which our Saviour saith The Law and the Prophets were untill John since that time the Kingdome of God is preached Luke XVI 16 Farther in that he saith according to all that is written in it and as I commanded him in Horeb meaning that every thing in the Law was just as it is written in it and every thing punctually in that manner and according to the letter as it was commanded is his gloss whereas in the Text it is only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I commanded and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as which though in it self it may seem to make no great difference yet according to his meaning it manifestly doth according to what he adds not according to what the Christians say that it i. e. the Law was given for a time only to be observed according to the letter as it sounds but that Jesus came and interpreted it spiritually and so hereafter it were to be observed or understood according to that spiritual and not its literal meaning For answer to all this we might bid him only to clear himself by answering to what is said Jer. XXXI 31 32. Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant which I made with their Fathers c. whence we may conclude with the Apostle Heb. VIII 8 that in that he saith a new Covenant it is manifest that the first was to be made old that the new might take place
But to deal more distinctly with him in that he finds fault with the words of the Christians let him take from Christ himself what they say think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill For verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled Mat. V. 17 18. What is here spoken any way derogatoty to the Law of Moses is not here the perpetuity of the Law as plainly asserted as the Rabbin himself could assert it but then his gloss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all just as it is written is not to be admitted as if every thing were still so to be observed as at first it was and just as it was given to Moses as if all things in it were of like moment and equally essential for in it were diverse things which were to be fulfilled and being fulfilled could require no farther observance such were those ceremonious parts of it which were types and shadows and could not but by the coming of the substance which was Christ have an end put to them and necessarily be done away not by being mean while violated but completed The other more substantial parts viz. the moral precepts are so far from being abrogated by him as that being purged from all those corrupt glosses and Traditions of the Jews by which they were almost made void and of none effect they have not only their true meaning and extent given them but are backt and confirmed anew by his authority and commended to the perpetual observance of all his followers And for what he looks on as a fault to be objected that we affirm that Christ interpreted the Law spiritually as if it were no more literally to be understood I know not what he would make to be the force of his objection but to conclude against themselves that they are carnal and so would not have any thing of the Law so understood as to cross their carnal minds or to require any more then the carnal performances of the outward man which to think appears to have been from of old their error and such as they are willing still to continue in For the Law is spiritual Rom. VII 14 and alwaies so was that which made it not to be so understood and not to have answerable effects was the carnality of men not the fault of the Law If Christ vindicated it from the wrong by them done to it by their gross and false understandings and require the obedience of the inward as well as outward man shall that be accounted an injury to it or a destroying of it if he mean that we say that the former types and shadows directed to more then was by them outwardly performed and that what was by them really meant was by and in him completed and fulfilled in a more excellent manner when he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of Himself and so to make all other Sacrifices useless and by the sprinkling of his Blood to put an end to such other carnal ordinances as were imposed on them till the time of reformation only if I say by what he calls interpreting the law spiritually he means any of these things he speaks of that which was a restoring the Law to its true meaning and a perfecting not a violating of it so that in these words is no answer as he tells us it is against any thing that Christians say but they shew of him and those of his Religion that they themselves do not duly remember the Law of Moses which God commanded by him nor consider or understand aright what that commanded them If they would duly look into it and apply the Prophecies thereof to what they concerned and the types thereof to what was signified by them they could not but perceive that by them they were directed to Christ and belief in him against whom they now urge them This were sufficient for answer to him even the bare setting down the words of Christ and his Apostles which shew that they taught nothing derogatory to the Law of Moses or by which they might be thought to violate any command given either here or elsewhere for due observance of it if there were here any occasion given to him of cavilling in that kind against them but we look on this which by occasion of his objection we have hitherto said as a mere digression there being however he hath sought occasion no occasion as we have already intimated by the words rightly understood given to him as will appear by the scope of them duly considered which we may in brief thus summe up The Lord having by this Prophet reprooved the Jews for many sins both by the Priests and People committed wherein they shewed great contempt or neglect of the Law by Moses given unto them for which he delayed yet to punish them or did but lightly punish them giving them time to repent and for that they for the generality or most of them took thence occasion rather to applaud themselves in their wicked courses then to repent of them and to speak stout words against him as if he delighted in sinners and their waies and were not a God of Judgement nor had respect to them that served him and therefore it were in vain to serve him and having told them that he would in due time make it manifest that he took all the while due notice of what they wickedly did and said and would for that end send both his Messenger to prepare the way before him and the Lord the Messenger of the Covenant who should bring all their doings to an exact trial and so he would come near to them in Judgement and bring on them such a day of discrimination betwixt the righteous and the wicked wherein the wicked among them should be utterly destroyed and the godly who hitherto seemed to be neglected find Salvation and deliverance and to move them therefore to repentance having described the terror of that day doth here as it were warn them that if this would not move them they should not as they had hitherto had have any more Prophets to call on them but be left only to that Law which they had hitherto so much neglected for their Director which was indeed a sufficient Director to them and had they duly hearkned to it as they ought they had not hitherto had such need of other Prophets to call upon them and mind them of their duty But now seeing he hath resolved to send them no more in that kind till he send his Messenger whom he calls Eliah to prepare the way before him at the approach of that great day of discrimination which he hath threatned he urgeth on them a due remembrance of that Law and serious heed and observance of all commanded in it as the only way whereby to prepare them for