Exhortations CHAPTER LVI, to holiness. name-This wonderful change shall bring much || and love to his people, unto all succeeding generahonour to that God by whom it is wrought. For an tions; that shall not be cut off-Which shall never everlasting sign-For a monument, or evident and be abolished, but shall always live and flourish in the glorious token of God's infinite power, faithfulness, minds and mouths of men. CHAPTER LVI. The former part of this chapter seems to be closely connected with the preceding. After the exceeding great and precious promises of gospel grace there contained, typified by temporal deliverances, the prophet here, in the name of God, (1,) Gives a solemn charge to Jews and Gentiles to make conscience of their duty to God and man, as they hoped to have the benefit of these promises, 1, 2. (2,) Encourages strangers of the Gentiles to unite themselves to the Jewish, or, rather, to the Christian Church, by assuring them that they should receive the blessings of the covenant of grace, 3-8. (3,) Exhibits a high charge against the rulers of the church, as ignorant, unfaithful, covetous, luxurious, and profane: and calls their enemies to come together, and destroy them, 9-12. || B. C. 706. 3 Neither let the son of the A. M. 3298. stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. 4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; * Deut. xxiii. 1, 2, 3; Acts viii. 27; x. 1, 2, 34; xvii. 4; xviii. 7; 1 Pet. i. 1. NOTES ON CHAPTER LVI. that not only begins well, but perseveres in well-do Verse 1. Thus saith the Lord-This verse, and ing: that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it— the rest of this chapter, until verse 9, seems to be- || That doth not profane or defile the sabbath, either long to the foregoing prophecy. From the consid-by forbidden practices, or by the neglect of comeration of God's promises there made to the believ-manded duties. The sabbath seems to be here put, ing Jews and Gentiles, he here urges them to per- as sacrifice is elsewhere, for the whole worship of form their duty to him. Keep ye judgment and do God. And keepeth his hand from doing any evil― justice-This phrase elsewhere generally signifies That conscientiously abstains from all evil and imthe duties which one man owes to another; but here moral works. it seems rather to signify the duties which men owe Verses 3-5. Neither let the son of the stranger— to God, as it is explained in the following verses. The Gentile, who by birth is a stranger to God, and Accordingly, it might with propriety have been ren- to the commonwealth of Israel. That hath joined dered, practise righteousness. For my salvation is himself to the Lord-That hath turned from dumb near to come-That eminent salvation by the Mes-idols to the living God, and to true religion; speak, siah, so largely promised and insisted upon in the saying, The Lord hath separated me, &c.-For foregoing chapters. The Scriptures, it must be ob- such shall be as acceptable to me as the Israelites served, often speak of things that are at a great dis- themselves, and the partition wall between Jews and tance as if they were present or at hand, Hab. ii. 3;|| Gentiles shall be taken down, and repentance and James v. 8, 9; Rev. xxii. 20. And my righteousness remission of sins shall be preached and offered to to be revealed-What in the former clause he called men of all nations. Neither let the eunuch say-salvation, he here calls righteousness, as being an Who is here joined with the stranger, because he evident demonstration of God's righteousness, both was forbidden to enter into the congregation of the in the fulfilment of his promises, and in the punish- Lord, Deut. xxiii. 1. Under these two instances he ment of sin, as also in the salvation of sinners, upon understands all those, who, either by birth, or by any just and honourable terms. ceremonial pollution, were excluded from church Verse 2. Blessed is the man-Any, or every man, privileges, and so he throws open the door to all not only Jews but Gentiles, or strangers, as it is ex- true believers. Behold, I am a dry tree-A fruitless plained in the following verses. That doeth this-tree, accursed by God with the curse of barrenness. That practiseth the judgment and justice, or the righteousness, mentioned verse 1. That layeth hold on it-Or, that holdeth it fast, as n pin may be rendered; that is, resolute and constant in so doing; || For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs, &c.—That observe my commands, not by custom, or through force or fear, but by free choice, with love to them, and delight in them. And take hold of my covenant The Gentiles shall receive B. C. 706. B. C. 706. A. M. 3298. 5 Even unto them will I give in || tain, and make them joyful in my A. M. 3298. d my house, and within my walls, a house of prayer: their burnt-offerings place ⚫ and a name better than of sons and of and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon daughters: I will give them an everlasting mine altar; for my house shall be called a name, that shall not be cut off. house of prayer i for all people. 6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; 7 Even them will I bring to my holy moun d 1 Tim. iii. 15.- _e John i. 12; 1 John iii. 1.- f Chap. ii. 2; 1 Pet. i. 1, 2. Rom. xii. 1; Heb. xiii. 15; h Matt. xxi. 13; Mark xi. 17; Luke xix. 46. 1 Pet. ii. 5. -That steadfastly keep the conditions of my cove- future dispensation it prepared men for it."-Bishop nant. Even unto them will I give in my house, Warburton's Div. Leg. Upon the whole, the reader &c.-In my temple, an emblem of the Christian may observe, " that the principal scope of this parachurch; a place, &c., better than of sons and daugh- || graph is to teach that all the privileges of the coveters-A far greater blessing and honour than that of nant of grace should be common to all, without dishaving a posterity, even my favour, and my Spirit, tinction of nation, state, or condition; that God would and eternal felicity. distribute to all believers, according to the measure of their grace, equal gifts, as our Lord hath taught in the parable of the labourers in the vineyard, Matt. XX." Verse 9. All ye beasts of the field, come to devour -"Here," says Bishop Lowth, "manifestly begins a new section. The prophet, in the foregoing chap Verses 6, 7. The sons of the stranger that join themselves to the Lord-That with purpose of heart cleave unto him, as is said Acts xi. 23. To love the Lord, to be his servants-To serve him out of love to Verse 8. The Lord which gathereth the outcasts him and to his worship. Them will I bring to my -Who will gather to himself, and bring into their holy mountain-To my house which stood upon own land, those poor Israelites which are or shall be mount Zion, including mount Moriah; and make cast out of it, and dispersed in divers parts of the them joyful—By accepting their services, and com- | world; saith, Yet will I gather others to him—As forting their hearts with the sense of my love; in there are some few Gentiles whom I have made promy house of prayer-In my temple, in and toward selytes and added to the Jewish Church, so I will which prayers are daily made unto me. Their sa- make another and far more comprehensive gatherrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar-They shall ing of the Gentiles, whom I will bring into the same have as free access to my house and altar as the church with the Jews, making both Jews and GenJews themselves, and their services shall be as ac- tiles one flock under one shepherd. ceptable to me. Evangelical worship is here described under such expressions as agreed to the worship of God which was then in use. My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people—ters, having comforted the faithful with many great Jews and Gentiles shall have equal freedom to my house, and shall there call upon my name. "The || temple was originally designed for strangers as well as Jews, as a place to offer up their prayers to the Divine Majesty; which is sufficiently plain from the prayer of Solomon, at the dedication of it, though the number of proselytes was small till the time of the second temple. But there can be no doubt that this verse alludes particularly to the conversion of the Gentiles. This truth could not be told the Jewish people otherwise than by using terms taken from rites familiar to them, unless the nature of the Christian dispensation had been previously explained; a matter evidently unfit for their information, when they were yet to live so long under the Jewish law. For though the prophets speak of the little value of their regard to the ceremonial law, they easily make themselves understood, that they mean, when it was observed without the moral law; which they describe in the purity and perfection of the gospel. So admirable was this conduct, that while it hid the promises of God's favour to be extended to them, in the restoration of their ruined state, and of the enlargement of his church by the admission of the Gentiles, here, on a sudden, makes a transition to the more disagreeable part of the prospect, and to a sharp reproof of the wicked and unbelievers, and especially of the negligent and faithless governors and teachers, of the idolaters and hypocrites, who would still draw his judgments upon the nation; probably having in view the destruction of their city and polity by the Chaldeans, and perhaps by the Romans." Vitringa, however, thinks the enemies of the Christian Church may be here pointed out, such as the Goths, Vandals, Turks, and others, who committed great devastations upon it after it declined from the first faith, and became extremely corrupt; as is particularly specified in the next verses. It seems very evident that this is a prediction, either of Israel's destruction, or that of the fallen Christian Church, by their cruel enemies, who are often represented in Scripture under the emblem of ravenous beasts. Thus Jeremiah, chap. xii. 7-9, I have forsaken my Verse 11. Yea, they are greedy dogs-Insatiahouse, I have deserted my heritage; I have given bly covetous: shepherds that cannot understand the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her-Hebrew, that know not to understand; that do enemies. Come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour. Verse 10. His-Israel's, watchmen are blindThe priests, prophets, and other teachers; he mentions only the teachers, because ignorance was most shameful in them; but hereby he supposes the gross ignorance of the people. They are all ignorant— Of God's word and will, and of their own and the people's duty, and of the true Messiah, and the nature of his kingdom. They cannot bark―They are also slothful and negligent in instructing the people, and do not faithfully reprove them for their sins, nor warn them of their dangers, nor endeavour to keep them from errors and corruptions in doctrine, worship, and conversation, as they ought to do: sleeping, lying down, &c.—Minding their own ease and safety more than the people's benefit. not care, or love, or desire either to understand the word of God themselves, or to make the people understand it. They all look to their own way-They regard neither God's glory nor the people's good, but only the satisfaction of their own base desires. Every one for his gain from his quarter-In their several places and stations, as they have opportunity. Verse 12. Come ye, say they—Unto their brethren, fellow-priests, or other jolly companions. We will fill ourselves-We will drink, not only to delight, but even to drunkenness, as the word signifies. And tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant-Which shows their dreadful security and contempt of God, and of his judgments, and their abandoning of all care of their own or the people's souls. CHAPTER LVII. In this chapter we have, (1,) A charge exhibited against the Jews, and probably also against apostate Christians, for their general unconcern at the death of the righteous, who were removed to heaven from the impending calamities, 1, 2; and for their divination, whoredom, profane derision of God and his people, hypocrisy, falsehood, treachery, and propensity to idolatries, and their alliances with heathen neighbours, 3-12. (2,) An intimation of God's gracious purposes to pity their forlorn case, return their captivity, and re-establish their prosperity; but never to give peace to the wicked, 13-21. A. M. 3299. THE righteous perisheth, and no || considering that the righteous is A. M. 3298. man layeth it to heart: and 1 merciful a men are taken away, B. C. 706. taken away b none come. 1 Heb. men of kindness, or, godliness.— Psa. xii. 1; Mic. vii. 2. NOTES ON CHAPTER LVII. Verses 1, 2. These two verses contain a kind of prelude to the distressful scene which is opened immediately after: for the prophet, designing to describe the melancholy state of the adulterous church, to be chastised by the severe judgments of God, beholds, as it were in an ecstasy, the few pious and good men yet remaining in the church gradually falling off, and taken away, either by an immature or violent death: while there were but few who laid this matter to heart, and observed it as a presage of the judgment threatening the church. This stupidity he sadly deplores; immediately subjoining, how 2 from the evil to B. C. 706. b1 Kings xiv. 13; 2 Kings xxii. 20.-2 Or, from that which is evil. ever, an alleviation, to show that this complaint pertained not to the deceased, as having attained a happier lot, and as blessed in this respect, that they were taken away from the evils and calamities of their times."-Vitringa. The following short paraphrase on the words will render their sense more apparent. The righteous perisheth―Just and holy men, who are the pillars of the place and state in which they live. And no man layeth it to heart— Few or none of the people are duly affected with this severe stroke and sign of God's displeasure. Thus he shows that the corruption was general in the people no less than in the priests. And merciful Threatenings against A. M. 3298. B. C. 706. 3 B. C. 706. 2 He shall 3 enter into peace: they || green tree, slaying the children in the A. M. 3298. shall rest in their beds, each one valleys under the clefts of the rocks? walking in his uprightness. 4 6 Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink-offering, thou hast offered a meat-offering. Should I receive comfort in these? 75 Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou seth thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to 5 Inflaming yourselves 5 with idols under every offer sacrifice. men-Hebrew, w, men of benignity, or beneficence, the same whom he before called righteous: those whose practice it was, not only to exercise piety and justice, but also mercy and kindness; none considering-None reflecting within himself, and laying it to heart; that the righteous is taken away from the evil―That dreadful calamities are coming on the church and nation, and that the righteous are taken away before they come. He shall enter into peace -The righteous man shall be received into rest and safety, where he shall be out of the reach of the approaching miseries. They-The merciful men; shall rest in their beds-In their graves, not unfitly called their beds, or sleeping-places, death being commonly called sleep in Scripture; each one walking in his uprightness-That walked, that is, lived, in a sincere and faithful discharge of his duties to God and men. Vitringa thinks" the completion of this prophecy is to be sought in the latter end of the ninth, and in the following centuries; when the papal power greatly prevailed, and the corruption of the church was as great as the persecutions and troubles of the pious were many." Verses 3,4. But draw near hither, &c.- "The prophet proceeds to exhibit the church, totally corrupt as it was, the good men being extinct or dispersed; so that they who remained of the pure seed of the church lay hid in solitary places, while the body of the church appeared like a dead carcass; not the true, but the idolatrous church." Thus Vitringa, who understands this paragraph as describing the state of the church in the dark ages of popery. It seems, however, by many of the expressions which the prophet uses, that he is rather giving a description of the corrupt state of the Jewish Church, before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. Draw near hither-To God's tribunal, to receive your sentence; ye sons of the sorceress-Not by propagation, but by imitation, those being frequently called men's sons that follow their example: the seed of the adulterer, &c.-Not the genuine children of Abraham, as you pretend and boast yourselves to be; your dispositions being far more suitable to a spurious brood than to Abraham's seed. Against whom do you sport yourselves?—Consider who it is that you mock and scoff at when you deride God's prophets, (see chap. xxviii. 14, 22,) and know that it f Lev. xviii. 21; xx. 2; 2 Kings xvi. 3; xxiii. 10; Jer. vii. 31; Ezek. xvi. 20; xx. 26.- Ezek. xvi. 16, 25.- Ezek. xxiii. 41. is not so much men that you insult, as God, whose cause they plead, and in whose name they speak. Are ye not a seed of falsehood—A generation of liars, whose practices contradict your professions, who deal deceitfully both with God and man? Verses 5, 6. Inflaming yourselves with idols— Hebrew, na, being inflamed, or growing hot, after idols, as Dr. Waterland renders it. Lusting after them, and mad upon them, as the phrase is, Jer. 1. 38. Fervent, both in making and in worshipping them, as was observed chap. xliv. 12. Under every green tree-Wherever you see an idol erected, which was commonly done in groves, or under great and shady trees, which defended the worshippers from the heat of the sun, and were supposed to strike them with a kind of sacred awe and reverence. Slaying the children-In the way of sacrifice to your idols, after the manner of the barbarous heathen; in the valleys-Or, beside the brooks which run in the valleys; which was most commodious for such bloody work. He seems to allude to the valley of Hinnom, in which these cruelties were practised, Jer. vii. 31. Under the clefts of the rocks-Which they choose for shade, or those dark vaults in rocks, which were convenient for idolatrous uses. Among the smooth stones, &c., is thy portion-Thou hast chosen for thy portion those idols, which were either made of those smooth stones, or were worshipped by the sides of brooks or rivers, where such smooth stones commonly lie. They are thy lot-Thou hast forsaken me, and chosen idols. Thou hast offered a meat-offering-For the devil is God's ape, and idolaters use the same rites and offerings in the worship of idols, which God prescribed in his own worship. Should I receive comfort in these-Should I be pleased with such a people, and with such actions? "The Jews were extremely addicted to the practice of many superstitious and idolatrous rites, which the prophet here inveighs against. Of the worship of huge stones consecrated, there are many testimonies of the ancients. They were called Bairvλoi and Bairuhia, probably from the stone which Jacob erected at Beth-el, pouring oil upon the top of it. The practice was very common in different ages and places."-Bishop Lowth, who mentions divers instances of this foolish superstition. Verses 7, 8. Upon a lofty and high mountain-In 8 6 and their punishment. B. C. 706. 10 Thou art wearied in the great- A. M. 3298. ness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thy hand; therefore thou wast not grieved. 9 11 And m of whom hast thou been afraid or 9 And thou wentest to the king with oint-feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not rememment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell. Or, hewed it for thyself larger than theirs.―i Ezek. xvi. 26, 28; xxiii. 2-20.- Or, thou providest room. 8 Or, thou respectedst the king. high places, which were much used for religious worship, both by the Israelites and heathen: hast|| thou set thy bed-Thine altar, as appears from the sacrifice mentioned in the next clause, where thou didst commit spiritual whoredom with idols. Behind the doors also and the posts-Behind the posts || of the doors of thy house; hast thou set up thy remembrance-That is, the images of their tutelary || gods, or some monuments or tokens, placed there as memorials of them, in direct opposition to the law of God, which commanded them to write upon the door-posts of their houses, and upon their gates, the words of his law, Deut. vi. 9, and xi. 20. If they chose for them such a situation as more private, it was in defiance of a particular curse denounced in the law against the man who should make a graven or a molten image, and put it in a secret place, Deut. xxvii. 15. For thou hast discovered thyself, &c."The prophet describes their idolatry under the metaphor of a woman's being false to her husband's bed, verse 3. So he tells them that they had committed spiritual adultery, when they went up to the high places to sacrifice, verse 7. That they had multiplied their idolatries, as an unchaste woman does her lovers; that they had broken their covenant || with God, whom they had acknowledged to be their lord and husband, and made a new contract with idols to serve them."-Lowth. Thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it-No sooner didst thou see the heathen idols, but thou wast enamoured with them, and didst fall down and worship them, like a lewd woman, who is inflamed with lust toward almost every man she sees. Verse 9. Thou wentest to the king, &c.—That is, the king of Assyria or Egypt, to whom the Israelites were very prone to seek, and trust, and send presents. Hosea reproaches the Israelites for the same practice: They make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt, Hosea xii. 1. Thus the prophet passes from their idolatry to another sin, even to their carnal confidence in heathen princes, for which they are often severely reproved. These two sins indeed were commonly joined together; for they easily received idolatry from those kings whose help they desired. With ointment-With pre- || cious ointment, particularly with balm, which was of great price, was a commodity peculiar to those VOL. III. ( 18 ) bered me, nor laid it to thy heart? "have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not? * Chap. xxx. 6; Ezek. xvi. 33; xxiii. 16; Hos. vii. 11; xii. 1. Jer. ii. 25. Or, living.9 - Chapter li. 12, 13. n Psa. 1. 21. parts, and sometimes sent as a present, Gen. xliii. 11. And didst increase thy perfumes-Didst send great quantities thereof to them, to procure their aid. Didst send thy messengers far off-Into Assyria, which was far from Judea, or into Egypt. And didst debase thyself, &c.-Thou wast willing to submit to the basest terms to procure their aid. "It is well known, that in all parts of the East, whoever visits a great person must carry him a present. 'It is accounted uncivil,' says Maundrell, p. 26, 'to visit in this country without an offering in hand. All great men expect it, as a tribute due to their character and authority; and look upon themselves as affronted, and indeed defrauded, when the compliment is omitted.'” -Bishop Lowth. According to the interpretation of this part of the prophecy, adopted by Vitringa, the king, in this verse, must mean the head of mystical Babylon, the pope, to whom indeed the particulars here very aptly pertain, as they who are acquainted with the history of that antichristian ruler will easily discern. See Revelation xviii. 13. Verse 10. Thou art wearied with the greatness of thy way-Thou hast not eased, or relieved, but only tired thyself with all thy tedious journeys and laborious endeavours. Yet sayest thou not, There is no hope-And yet thou didst not perceive that thy labour was lost, and that thy case was not mended, but made more desperate by these practices. Thou hast found the life of thy hand-Thou hast sometimes found success in these ways; or, thou falsely supposest that thy hand is strengthened thereby. Therefore thou wast not grieved-Therefore thou didst not repent of thy sin and folly herein, but didst persist and applaud thyself in such courses. Verses 11-14. Of whom hast thou been afraid, &c.-And what, or who are they, the fear of whom drives thee to these wicked and desperate practices? Are they not weak and mortal creatures, such as wholly depend upon me, and can do nothing without me? The fear of my displeasure ought, in all reason, to outweigh all thy other fears and apprehensions, and deter thee from breaking that covenant whereby thou art engaged to me. That thou hast lied-That thou hast dealt thus perfidiously with me, and sought for such foreign assistances contrary to my command. And hast not remembered me 273 3 |