Chapter Ver. 2. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the Mountain of the Lord's House Shall be established in the top of the Mountains, and shall be exalted above the Hills; and all Nations fhall flow unto it.] The plain meaning of this Verfe is this; it fhall come to pafs in future Times, that the Temple of Jerufalem, which at present is trod under foot, and forced to fubmit, as it were, to the Idolatrous Temples, fhall recover its antient Grandeur, and be exalted above the Idolatrous Temples of the Heathen; and many People beholding the Power of Providence visibly exerted in the Redemption of the Captives, fhall attend the Returning Exiles, and worship the True God with them. So furprizing a Revolution could not but work powerfully on the Pagans, and make them entertain awful Sentiments of that God, who could do fuch astonishing things; as we find it recorded in (4) 2 Chron. Scripture (a), upon the miraculous Overthrow of Sennacherib's Army, many brought Gifts to the Lord in FeruSalem, fo that he was magnify'd in the fight of all Nations from thenceforth; that is, of all the Neighbouring Nations to whom the Fame of that great Slaughter reach'd. 32. 23. Ver. 3. And many People shall go and fay, Come ye, and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, to the House of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his Paths; for out of Zion fhall go forth the Law, and the word of the Lord from Ferufalem.] Hither the Heathen fhould refort to be inftructed in the Knowledge of the true God, and the way of performing acceptable Service to him; and when they return'd to their own Countries, they thould communicate to their ignorant Neighbours the wonderful things of God's Law: This is the meaning of this Verfe, The Law fhall go out of Sion, that is, the Knowledge of it fhall be propagated in diftant Regions by those who came to Jerufalem, on purpose to learn it; the Gofpel indeed went, or was rather driven out of Sion, they would not fuffer it to be preach'd in Jerufalem; and therefore, if the Gentiles had flow'd in thither to learn it, they might in all probability have return'd as much Heathens as they came, Ver. 4. And he shall judge among the Nations, and fhall Chapter rebuke many People; and they shall beat their Swords into . II. Plough-fhares, and their Spears into Pruning-hooks; Nation Shall not lift up Sword against Nation, neither fhall they learn War any more.] Thefe words are very general, which makes me at a lofs how Mr. Whifton can apply them to the Destruction of the Turks at Hermageddon: There is not a word of Destruction in the whole Verfe, but just the contrary; Nations which us'd to destroy one another fhall lay afide their Animofities, and turn their bloody Arms into the ufeful Inftruments of Husbandry. Now Nations, I prefume, may fignify any other Nations befides the Turks; and fince the Prophet tells us he is fpeaking concerning Judah and Jerufalem, it is moft natural one would think to understand it of the Nations round about them, who being us'd to disturb their Repofe in former Times, would be apt to unite their Forces to prevent their Re-establishment, or infult them in their unfettled Condition: But the Prophet tells them God would Judge or Rule among the People, and rebuke those who should be inclin'd to Acts of Hoftility against them, difpofe them to lay aside their Martial Warmth, and entertain the gentler Arts of Peace; which the Prophet expreffes in fuch words as are the Reverse of thofe us'd by prophane Authors defcribing a state of War, (a) Curva rigidum falces mutantur in Enfem. The short In- (a) Virg. terval of Peace which happen'd at the time of our Sa- Georg. lib. 1.: viour's Birth throughout the World, firft, I believe, gave occcasion to St. Jerome to understand this Chapter of the Gofpel-Times, and moft Interpreters tread in his steps. But if we confider the whole Chapter without prejudice, compare things together, and give every Verfe fuch a fenfe as may be agreeable with the whole, we can't but acknowledge the Prophet must be understood of the Times before the Meffiah, more especially of the peaceful state they should be in upon their Refettlement in Judea Nor is it any Objection, that it is faid, Neither fhall they learn War any more; because nothing more (b) Dr.Alix's is meant by that Expreffion, than that the Jews fhall be Obfervapeaceably re-establish'd in their Land, and enjoy unin- tions on Whiterrupted Profperity for a long time (b). . fton's ColleЯtions. Chapter II. (a) Hieron. Haymo. (b) 2 Kings 23.7. Ver. 5. O House of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.] The Prophet advifes his Country-men when they fhall be fettled in their antient Poffeffion, ftrictly to obferve the Laws of God, and behave themfelves answerably to the Knowledge they enjoy'd above the Heathen, who in comparison of them were left in Darkness, had no Notions of God, and no Directions how to please him. Ver. 6. Therefore thou haft forfaken thy People the House of Facob, because they be replenished from the East, and are Sooth-fayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the Children of strangers.] The genuin Signification of the Particle Ki, by which this and the beginning of the Chapter are connected together, and therefore belong to the fame Time, is For; and thus the LXX have render'd it by rap, and the Chaldee Paraphraft by Are. The Prophet then must be fuppos'd in this Verfe to give a reafon of that Advice which he gave them in the former, which I fhall make plain by the following Paraphrafe. I advise you, ye Returning Captives, to walk in the Light of the Lord, to behave your felves as becomes thofe who have the Direction of God's word to guide you in all your Actions; for thou, O God, didft forfake thy People, and fufferd'ft their Enemies to triumph over them, because they would not walk in thy -Light; because they were over-run with the fuperftitious Ceremonies of the Eaft, the Clime whence Divination and Idolatry were propagated in the World; because, like the Philistines, they ftudiously follow'd the deluding Arts of Sooth-faying and Predictions, and pleas'd themselves with the Children of Strangers. By which Expreffion (a) fome think he glances at the abominable Pæderafty to which they were addicted (b), tho' others think may be meant only the Cuftoms of Strangers, which they were fond of imitating tho' never fo bad. Ver. 7. Their Land alfo is full of Silver and Gold, neither is there any end of their Treasures; their Land is also full of Horfes, neither is there any end of their Chariots.] This was (c) Deut. 17. exprefly forbid by their Law (c), as alfo an abundance of Horfes and Chariots, that they might not be tempted to confide in their own Strength, but depend on God. Ver. 8, 9. Their Land is full of Idols; they worship the works of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. And the mean Man boweth down, and the great Man humbleth himself; therefore forgive them not.] This feems to be a form of Imprecation, but is really a Prophecy, as if he had faid, Since they were guilty of fo many heinous Sins, I knew thou would'st not forgive them. Ver. 10. Enter into the Rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his Majefty.] The Prophet having declar'd that God would certainly vifit them for their Sins, as if he faw the Chaldeans entring Jerufalem Sword in hand, and the Jews skulking about. into obfcure Corners to fhelter themselves, breaks out into this infulting Advice, Enter into the Rocks; as if he had faid, I have often told you of the difmal Confequences of your Sins; behold the Time of Vengeance is at hand, which I know ye will endeavour to escape by retiring into fecret Hiding-places, fubterraneous Ca-: verns, and inacceffible Rocks; but no Place fhall be able to fhelter you from the Terrors of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Majesty. Judea was a mountainous Country, full of Dens and Caves, to which the Jews fled: for Refuge in Times of Danger, from whence it was no eafy matter to force them (a). Chapter - II. (a) Fofephus, Ver. 11. The lofty looks of Man fhall be humbled, and the lib. 14. Ant. haughtiness of Men fhall be bowed down, and the Lord alone C. 26. Shall be exalted in that day. In the remaining part of the Chapter the Prophet foretels how every thing on which the Jews depended moft for Allistance should fall, and be able to make no refiftance against God; who having born the Madness of his People as long as was confiftent with his Honour, and fuffer'd the Works of Mens hands to receive that Homage which was only due to himself, fhall convince them at last that the Idols in which they trufted were nothing, and the greatest among them as weak, in the hands of God, asthe weakeft. Ver. 13. And upon all the Cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the Oaks of Bashan.] Labanon was a Hill famous for Cedars of an extraordinary height, whence it became ufual to call any high Trees, D where II. Chapter where-ever they grew, Cedars of Lebanon; and in this Prophet, by that figurative Expreffion, is generally to be understood great Men, Men in eminent Stations, which fand as it were on higher ground than the People, and overlook the Crowds below. The fame is meant by the Oaks of Bafhan, the high Mountains and Hills that are lifted up. Ver. 14, 15, 16. And upon all the high Mountains, and upon all the Hills that are lifted up, And upon every high Tower, and upon every fenced Wall; And upon all the Ships of Tharshish, and upon all pleasant Pictures.] Ships of Tharfhish were Ships of an uncommon fize, fuch as were fit to fail on the Sea, not like the little Veffels us'd on the Nile, or the Fisher-boats on the Lake of Gennefareth; but fuch as could ride out a Storm in the Mediterranean. Thus SanEtius, who thinks Tharfhifh fignifies the Sea in general, and not a City, neither Tarfus in Cilicia, nor Tarteffus in Spain. If any one has a mind to fee this Matter difcufs'd at large, he may confult Bochart or Ribera, or Gataker and Sanctius on this place. Col Sicjoth bakemtha, all the pleafant Pictures wherewith they us'd to adorn their Ships, fay fome; but we may understand it of Pictures in general, whether made for fuperftitious ufes, or intended only for Domestick Ornaments: Every thing that was ftrong or beautiful, fhould be deftroy'd in that terrible Day of God's Wrath. Ver. 17, 18. And the loftiness of Man fhall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of Men fhall be made low; and the Lord alone fhall be exalted in that day. And the Idols he fall utterly abolish.] 'Tis the Obfervation of St. Jerome, confirm'd by the Jerufalem Talmud, that after the Babylo nish Captivity the Jews were never guilty of Idolatry, fo far that intenfe Fire of Affliction purg'd away that Sin, toward which the Genius of the Nation was moft ftrongly inclin'd; and therefore, according to the first Rule laid down by Dr. Alix, this Chapter must be understood of that Captivity, or fome preceding Calamity, and not of their Destruction by the Romans, at a time when they were not guilty of Idolatry. Ver. 19. And they shall go into the holes of the Rocks, and into the Caves of the Earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory |