Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Ezekiel · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Ver. 1. AGain the Word of the Lord came unto me] For the better ſetting on of what had been ſaid in the foregoing Chapter, for cutting the combs of the ſelf-conceited Jews, and convincing the…m of their wickedneſſe, and wretchedneſſe thereby. The Chapter conſiſteth of Law and Goſpel, ver. 60 and is a lively type animae peccatricis & poenitentis of an offending and repenting ſoul.
Ver. 2. Cauſe Jeruſalem to know her abominations] Which as yet ſhe taketh no knowledge of. Rebuke her therefore ſharply; that ſhe may be found in the faith, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.
Ver. 3. Thy birth] Heb. thy cutting out: Confer Iſa. 51.1.
And thy Nativity] Vide inſignem gentalogiam, vide foreign pudendum. Mutato nomine de te Fabula narratur. De nat. deor.Tully ſaith, the old Britons were as barbarous as the Scythians▪
—duris genuit te cautibus horrens Caucaſus. Virg.Thy father was an Amorite] An Amorite thou mayeſt ſeem to be rather then an Abramite: for thou haſt filled the land (as they did, Ezr. 9.11.) from end to end, with thine uncleaneſſe.
And thy mother an Hittite] Thoſe worſt of women, Gen. 27.46.
Ver. 4. Thy navel was not cut] None was ſo courteous as to do any of theſe neceſſary good offices for thee,Plut. lib. de amore prol. a poor, forlorn, helpleſſe wretch. No creature is ſo ſhiftleſſe as a new born babe; which caſt out and left to the wide world, muſt needſly periſh.
Ver. 5. None eye pittied thee] No not thy mother, in whoſe heart God had planted natural affection for that purpoſe. Neither would thy Lucina become thy Levana (two heathen deities) to take thee up from the ground, where thou layeſt, alaſſe weltring in thy gore, and more like to a ſlain then a live child.
Ver. 6. And when I paſſed by thee] Not by chance, as Luke 10.31. but of free choice, and accorging to mine eternal purpoſe.
And ſaw thee in thy blood] In this deplorable condition: blood is in this verſe thrice mentioned, to ſet forth the greatneſſe of mans miſery in his pure (or rather impure) naturals, and the freeneſſe of Gods Grace toward him, all along, Matth. 11.26.
I ſaid unto thee — live] God ſpeaketh ſpiritual life to his poor people, Iſa. 55.3. and oft repeateth to them his precious promiſes, whereby they come to partake of the divine nature, having eſcaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, 2 Pet. 1.4.
Ver. 7. As the bud of the field] He proſecuteth the Allegory of a miſerable maiden, with whom the matter beginneth to mend: Jam enim menſes patiebatur, ubera creverant & pili circa pubem: ſo that now ſhe was marriageable.
And thou art come to excellent ornaments] Heb to ornaments of ornaments, ſuch as virgo nobilis, cum jam eſt nubilis, habet, young Ladies have, when grown up eſpecially. Whereas thou wast naked and bare] Heb. nakedneſſe and rejection. God looked upon us and loved us, when as yet we had not a rag to our backs.Cum tu nuda eſſes, atque nudiſſima.
Ver. 8. Behold thy time was the time of love] When thou waſt both fit for marriage, and deſirous of it. For as the man miſſeth his rib, ſo the woman would be in her old place again, under the mans arm or wing, See Ruth 3.1, 9.
And I ſpred my skirt over thee] See Ruth 3.9. with the Note. I covered thy nakedneſſe, and took thee into my care and company, as a wife. A marriage-rite is imported by this expreſſion.
Yea I ſware unto thee, &c.] So much adoe God hath with us, to make us believe. The Apoſtle mentioneth the work of faith: She hath ſomewhat to do before ſhe can faſten.
Ver. 9. Then waſhed I thee with water] I cleanſed thee from all thy pollutions by the Merit and Spirit of my dear Son. See 1 Cor. 6.11.
And I annointed thee with oyl] New-married wives were uſually waſhed, anointed, and richly arrayed. The dead alſo were waſhed, as Dorcas, and embalmed, as Jacob, and Prov. 31.8. they are called bene chaloph, which ſignifieth change of raiment. Death ſtrips us all, but happy are they whom Chriſt hath ſpred his skirt over: See 2 Cor. 5.2, 3, 4.
Ver. 10. I clothed thee alſo with broidred work] Phrygionicâ veſte variegatâ.With variety of precious graces, whereby thou didſt outſhine Solomon in all his bravery: for one grain of faith is better worth then all the gold of Ophir: and one remnant of Hope, beyond all the gay cloathing in the world.
And girded thee about with fine linnen] The Church hath a rich wardrobe for woollens and linnens; Gods plenty of both.
Ver. 11. I decked thee alſo with ornaments] See ver. 7. ſuch as render thee amiable and admirable. Chriſt himſelf, who was not moved at all with the offer of all the worlds good, Matth. 4.10. confeſſeth himſelf raviſhed with them, Cant. 4.9.
Ver. 12. And I put a jewel on thy forehead] Heb. on thy noſe, See on Gen. 24.47.
Ver. 13. Thus wast thou decked with gold and ſilver] Yea with far better abiliments: for what is gold and ſilver but the guts and garbage of the earth? It was obſerved of Queen Elizabeth (as of her father before her)King Rich. 2. had one coat of gold and ſtone valued at 30000. ma…kes. that ſhe loved to go very richly arrayed. Hir ſiſter Queen Mary had, at her Coronation, her head ſo laden with Jewels, that ſhe could hardly hold it up. This was much, but nothing to the Churches beauty and bravery, which yet was all but borrowed; as is ſaid in the next Verſe.
Thou didſt eat fine flower, and hony] i. e. The very beſt of the beſt: thou didſt eat of the fat and drink of the ſweet of my holy Ordinances.
Ver. 14. And thy renown went forth] Pliny ſaith of Jeruſalem that it was the moſt famous of all the Cities of the Eaſt; of the World he might have ſaid, all things conſidered.
Through the comlineſſe which I had put upon thoe] As Abraham's ſervant put the jewels upon Rebecca. See on ver. 13. That's a famous Canon of the ſecond Ara… ſican Council, Tales nos amat Deus, quales futuri ſumus ipſius done, Can. 12.non quales ſumus noſtro merito: God loveth us ſuch as we ſhall be by his free-gift, and not ſuch as we are by our own merit.
Ver. 15. But thou didſt truſt in thine own beauty] Thou greweſt proud of it, and thoughteſt there was none ſuch: when as thou mighteſt well have ſaid of it as he in the holy hiſtory did of his hatchet, Alas Maſter, it was but borrowed.
And plaidſt the harlot] Being fair and fooliſh.
Lis eſt cum forma magna pudicitiae.
Becauſe of thy renown] Being puft up with the greatneſſe of thy name and fame, which ſhould have made thee more morigerous, Prov. 27.21. See the Note there.
And pouredſt out thy fornications] Indifferently and impudently, like a filthy ſtrumpet.
His is was] Quicunque vult, come as come would: ſo deteſtably inſatiate waſt thou: The Papiſts boaſt of their Church, that ſhe is a pious Mother, that ſhutteth her boſom to no man. Meretricis ſcilicet hoc eſt meretriciſſimae.
Ver. 16. And of thy garments thou didſt take] Thou ſparedſt for no coſt to trick up thy mawmets and monuments of idolatry. No more do Papiſts; witneſs their Churches, yea their cloyſters and Church-yards (for want of room within) ſtuffed with their vowed preſents and rich veſtments: Beſides that they do gerniſh and furniſh out their heretical doctrines with teſtimonies of holy Scripture which they wreſt, and with authority of ancient Fathers whom they wrong: Quaerit diabolus à te ornari, ſaid Auſtin to a ſcholar of his, who was learnd and leud: that is, The devil would fain be dreſſed up by thee.
The like things ſhall not come] Such a deſperate idolomany as thine, can hardly be matched or met with anywhere. So an Engliſhman Italienate is even a devil incarnate. Julian the Apoſtate was by ſome called Idolian.
Maſculine Images.Ver. 17. Images of men] To be thy ſtallions, with whom thou mighteſt adulterize and idolize. Vah ſcelus! Surely he is a rare man that hath not ſome or other idol whereon he beſtows pains and coſt. Little children keep your ſelves from idols, 1 Joh. 5.21.
Ver. 18. And tookeſt thy broidered, &c.] See ver. 16.
Ver. 19. My meat alſo — thou haſt even ſet it before them] Either as conſecrated to them, or otherwiſe to be conſecrated by them; which made Daniel ſo ſcrupulous of medling with the Kings meat, chap. 1.8.
Thus it was] Juſt ſo, and no otherwiſe; however thou would palliate the buſineſſe, and art ready to put me to my proofs, as Jer. 2.35.
Diod.Ver. 20. Whom thou haſt born unto me] Who at their birth were mine by vertue of my covenant; and who ſhould therefore have been conſecrated unto me. Polanus here giveth this good note; A Church, though it be idolatrous, may bring forth children to God, by beſtowing upon them the Sacrament of initiation or regeneration: and God will acknowledge them for his children, till ſuch time as he hath given a bill of divorce to that Church. This is done whenas ſhe openly betaketh her ſelf to the bed of another husband by diſowning Chriſt for her God,Pol. in loc. Lord, Bridegroom and Mediatour: as the Aſiatick Church hath done by revolting firſt to Neſtorianiſme, and now to Mahometiſme. Let this be well noted againſt the Anabaptiſts of theſe times.
Ver. 21. That thou haſt ſlain my children] Note that he yet calleth them his children though ſo born, and ſo murthered, See on ver. 20.
Ver. 22. Thou haſt not remembred the dayes of thy youth] Hence all thy haughtineſſe and hauntineſſe. We ſhould oft ſay as that noble Iphicrates the Athenian once did foreign from how ſmall to how great matters hath the Lord raiſed me?
Ver. 23. Wo wo unto thee, ſaith the Lord God] Adouble Wo will fall very heavy, here and hereafter: Wo and alaſſe for evermore.
Ver. 24. That thou haſt alſo built unto thee] How ſtintleſſe is ſin? and how like is this to Jeremys preaching, chap. 2, 3, &c?
An eminent place] Or brothelhouſe, that thy madneſſe may appear to all men.
Ver. 25. And h…ſt made thy beauty to be abhorr'd] By being made ſo cheap and common. Sin is a reproach to any people, Prov. 14.34. idolatry eſpecially, 1 Pet. 4.3.
And haſt opened thy feet] See on ver. 15.
Ver. 26. Great of fleſh] T…roſi, ſc. propter potentiam & petulantiam. The Prophet perſiſteth in the Metaphor from the manner of ſhameleſly laſcivious women, ſuch as was Meſſalina the wife of Claudius the Emperour;Me totum recepit. and ſhe in Apulejus that entertained the Aſſe: See chap. 23.20. Fleſh is here and elſewhere taken for the privities, quod eſt membrum prorſus carneum.
Ver. 27. I have ſtretched out my hand over thee] To cut thee ſhort, as Hoſ. 2.9.
And have diminiſhed thine ordinary food] Diminni demenſum tuum. What ſhould a father do but ſnatch away the meat from his child that marreth it? or a husband, but hold his wanton wife to ſtraiter allowance?
The daughters of the Philiſtines which are aſhamed of thy leud way] It muſt needs be moſt leud, that Philiſtines were aſhamed of. Zimmah ſignifieth wickedneſſe with a witneſſe. Hierom interpreteth it an execrable & villainous filthineſſe. So is Popiſh idolatry in the eyes of modern Jews: and the helliſh blaſphemyes darted out againſt God and Chriſt ſo ordinarily and openly by Pſeudo-Chriſtians, abominable to the Turks, who do puniſh them for it, with great ſeverity.
Ver. 28. Thou haſt plaid the whore alſo with the Aſſyrians] By making ſinful leagues, and gadding ſo much about to change thy way, Jer. 2.36.
And yet couldſt not be ſatisfied] It is as eaſie to quench the fire of Aetna, as the thoughts ſet on fire by luſt.
Ver. 29. In the land of Canaan] Thou haſt lived in my good Land, but not by my good Laws.
And yet thou waſt not ſatisfied] See on ver. 28.
Ver. 30. How weak is thine heart] Weak as water, melted in ſpiritual luſt, putrifying alive, and periſhing dayly,Sueton. as Tiberius ſaid he perceived himſelf to do at Capreae. This is here uttered by way of admiration, and the word rendred Heart being otherwhere of the Maſculine gender, is here made feminine; to ſhew how idolaters are effeminated to a baſe and ſenſual eſteem of God and his ſervice.
The work of an imperious whoriſh woman] Of a ſtrong whore; weak to do good,Pervicaciſſima & procaciſſimae. Ʋne paillarde robuſte. French. but ſtrong to do evil: ſo are all idolaters with their hippomanes & cacoethes. The word rendred imperious ſignifieth a Sultaneſſe or Queen; who, if withal a quean, what will ſhe not dare to do? See it in that whore of Babylon who ſitteth as a Queen, &c. The unbridled boiſterouſneſſe of idolaters, ſee Jer. 44.16, 17.
Ver. 31. And haſt not been as an harlot in that thou ſcorneſt hire] Whore ſhould be written Hore, as coming from the word Hire; as the Latine Meretrix à Merendo. Harlot is ſaid to come of Arlet Mother to our William the Conquerour. In ſpite to whom and diſgrace to his Mother, the Engliſh called all whores Harlots; adding an aſpiration to her name, according to their manner of pronouncing.
Ver. 32. Which taketh ſtrangers inſtead of her husband] This is a foule miſtake: wedlock ſhould be chaſte; the window of the Arkſhut, that the waters of the ſtood enter not into it.
Ver. 33. They give gifts to all whores] See ver. 31. Harlots are cruces and crumenimulgae, ſaith the Comaedian; croſſes and ſuck-purſes: See Luk. 15.14.
Nuda Venus picta eſt, nudi pinguntur amores:
Nam quos nuda capit, nudos dimittat oportet.
Ver. 34. And the contrary is in thee, &c.] The Jews, afore the Babyloniſh captivity, were madly and above meaſure ſet upon the ſin of idolatry,Oecolamp. ſay their own Rabbines: ſo that if one cloathed never ſo richly had ſeen an idol on the further ſide of a broad pool, he would hauehave gone through thick and thin (etiam in cloacalem faetulentiam) to have worſhipped it.
Ver. 35. Wherefore O harlot] A name good enough for ſuch an odious huſwife, the ſhame of her ſex. He is not worthy of an honeſt name, whoſe deeds are not honeſt.
Hear the Word of the Lord] Hear thy doom, thy ſentence:foreign. ſtoned thou ſhalt be as an adultereſſe, ſlain with the ſword as a murthereſſe, burnt with fire as an incendiary, becauſe thou haſt burnt thy children in honour of Moloch.
Ver. 36. Becauſe thy filthineſſe] Heb. thy po…ſon: Aerugo tua.thy filthineſſe iſſuing from thee by reaſon of thine over-frequent and exceſſive adulteries. He meaneth the infamous fluxes of whores, ſaith Diodat.
And by the blood] Heb. bloods, becauſe ſcattered about in ſeveral drops.
Ver. 37. With whom thou hast taken pleaſure] Or,Jocundata es. with whom thou haſt been commingled.
And will diſcover thy nakedneſſe unto them] This is by modeſt women taken for a very great puniſhment. Polyxena, when ſhe was ſacrificed, took great care to fall handſomely. The Mileſian maides would not be kept from killing themſelves till there was a law made, that ſuch as ſo did, ſhould be drawn naked through the Market. Till the dayes of Theodoſius Senior, if a woman were taken in adultery, they ſhut her up in a ſtewes, and compelled her beaſtly, and without all ſhame to play the harlot, ringing a bell whil'ſt the deed was doing, that all the neighbours might be made privy to it. This evil cuſtom that good Emperour took away, making other laws for the puniſhment of Adultery.
Ver. 38. And I will judge thee as women that break wedlock] See Lev. 20.10. Deut. 22.22. The Egyptians cut off the harlots noſe, and the adulterers privy members; The Romans beheaded them; the old Germans whipt them through the ſtreets. Canutus the Daniſh King in this land, baniſhed them. Tenedius, a King in another land, did cut them in ſunder with an axe. By our laws they are to be hanged, as by the Jews laws to be ſtoned, ver. 40.
And ſhed blood] See ver. 35.
I will give thee blood] God loveth to retaliate.
Ver. 39. They ſhall throw down thine eminent place] So did the Turks throw down many both images and Churches in Chriſtendom, when people would not be perſwaded to caſt images out of their Churches.
They ſhall ſtrip thee alſo of thy clothes] So the Spaniards did the Dutch, when once they grew fond of the Spaniſh faſhions, as Lavater here noteth.
Ver. 40. They ſhall alſo bring up a company againſt thee] The Chaldeans that haſty and bitter Nation.Hab. 1.6.
And they ſhall ſtone thee] See on ver. 35.
Ver. 41. In the ſight of many women] Thoſe matrons whom thou haſt miſuſed; and many others who may well be warned, by thy juſt puniſhment, to keep their faith to God and man.
Ver. 42. So I will make my fury toward thee to reſt] Sept. I will diſmiſſe mine anger upon thee. Like as when H…m…n was hanged, Ahaſhu…roſh his wrath was pacified, Eſth. 7.10. and as when Jonah was caſt over-board, the ſea was calmed.
Ver. 43. Becauſe thou haſt not remembred, &c.] Thou haſt not cared to converſe with thy ſelf, nor to recogitate my goodneſs, and thine own badneſs.
But haſt fretted me] Or, haſt kept a ſtir with me, or rather, ſtirred up thy ſelf againſt me: and all through want of reflection and ſelf-examination. See Jer. 8.6.
Herodot.I alſo will recompenſe thy way upon thy head] As the darts of thoſe Thracians (thrown up againſt Jupiter for raining upon them unſeaſonably) came down again upon their own heads: ſo here.
Ver. 44. Behold every one that uſeth Proverbs] That is skilful at, and exerciſed in gibing and jearing;Omnis paraemiator paraemiabit. foreign. as was Socrates (called therefore foreign the Scoffer) Democritus, Lucian, Sir Thomas Moor, Eraſmus, &c.
Shall uſe this proverb] This taunting Proverb.
As is the mother, ſo is her daughter] The birth followeth the belly. Ill birds lay ill eggs: Qualis hera, talis ancilla, &c.
Ver. 45. Thou art thy mothers daughter] As like her as if ſpet out of her mouth: ſo like her, that thou art the worſe again.
Your mother was an Hittite] And doth therefore ſeek her daughter in the oven, becauſe ſhe had firſt been there her ſelf. See ver. 3.
Ver. 46. She and her daughters] i. e. Her Cities and villages.
That dwell at thy left hand] Thou art well ſet up therewhile; well neighboured.
That dwelleth at thy right hand] That did do ſo; but now dwelleth with devils; being thrown out for an example, ſuffering the vengeance of eternal fire, Jude 7.
Ver. 47. Yet haſt thou not walked after their wayes] But haſt outſinned them. Nolunt ſolita peccare, ſaith Seneca of ſome; they will not ſin in an ordinary way: Et pudet non eſſe impudentes ſaith, Auſtin, of others, i. e. they are aſhamed, not to be paſt ſhame.
But as if that were a very little thing] Paululum pauxillumque; A peccadillo.
Ver. 48. As I live, ſaith the Lord God, Sodom thy ſiſter hath not done] Heb. If Sodom thy ſiſter hath done, &c. q. d. then let me never be truſted more. Here then is a double oath taken by God, to aſſure this people that they had outſinned Sodom: a truth that they would not eaſily aſſent to. To this day we cannot get men to believe that their natures are ſo naught, their lives ſo leud, their ſtate ſo dangerous as the Preachers make them. Their hearts are good, their penny good ſilver, &c. The Prophet Eſay loſt his life, ſay the Rabbines, for calling the Rulers of Jeruſalem, Rulers of Sodom, and the people of Judah, people of Gomorrah, Eſa. 1.10.
Ver. 49. Behold this was the iniquity of thy ſiſter Sodom, Pride] i. e. Haughty-mindedneſſe, and high conceitedneſs of their own ſurpaſſing excellency and ſtable felicity. This was the firſt firebrand that ſet Sodom on fire.
Fulneſſe of bread] Gourmandiſe and ſurquedry. This fulneſſe bred forgetfulneſſe; and this ſaturity, ſecurity.
Luxuriant animi rebus plerunque ſecundis:
Nec facile eſt aequâ commoda mente pati.
And abundance of idleneſſe] Tranquillitas tranquillitatis, reſt of reſt; and this abuſed to idleneſs, deep idleneſs, which is the devils pillow, and the mother of many miſchiefs; for he ſhall not but do naughtily that does nothing.
Neither did ſhe ſtrengthen the hand of the poor] Inhoſpital they were and unmerciful. The two Angels might have lain in the ſtreets for them: neither would they let them reſt, when Lot had lodged them.
Ver. 50. And they were haughty] This ſin of theirs is once more inſtanced as the root of the reſt, the hate of heaven, and gate to hell.
And committed abomination before me] That unnatural filthineſs, which taketh its name from them. This in the Levant is not held a vice: and in Mexico, it is one of the Spaniſh vertues.
Therefore I took them away as I ſaw good] ſc. By raining down hell from heaven upon them: hereby alſo God gave men an example of that rule, that hainous ſins bring hideous plagues, as Herodotus alſo ſaith of the Fall of Troy.
Ver. 51. Neither hath Samaria committed half thy ſins] And yet thou lookeſt aloof upon her as a far greater ſinner then thy ſelf, becauſe already carried captive, when as thou haſt done and ſpoken evil things as thou couldeſt, Jer. 3.5. outdone her a fair deale.
And haſt juſtified thy ſiſters] Who may well ſeem Saints in compariſon of thee; and yet are as naught as need to be.
Ver. 52. Thou alſo which haſt judged thy ſiſters] Paſſed many harſh and raſh cenſures upon them, not looking at all to the hinder-part of the wallet.
Bear thine own ſhame] Thou ſhalt do it ſure enough: for where ſin is in the ſaddle, there ſhame is on the crupper. Accept therefore the puniſhment of thine iniquity, Levit. 26.43. give glory to God, take ſhame to thy ſelf.
Ver. 53. When I ſhall bring again] Or, if I bring again, which I ſhall never do. The Jew doctours indeed would from this verſe gather that Sodom and all ſhall one day be reſtored again: but that is like to be a long day. The Jews as they had taken up the opinion of Pythagoras about Tranſanimation, ſo they had that other of Plato about the great Revolution or Reſtitution of all things after certain years.
Then will I bring again the captivity] The Jews were never perfectly reſtored, in reſpect of the glory of the Temple, and the ſtate of the Kingdom, &c.
Ver. 54. In that thou art a comfort unto them] Chap. 14.22. Solamen miſeris ſocios habuiſſe doloris, to have companions in miſery is ſome kind of comfort.
Ver. 55. When thy ſiſter Sodom and her daughters] See on ver. 53. The Jews ſtill dream that all this ſhall be done at the coming of their long lookt-for Meſſias, Hieron. in loc.and in his raign on earth for a thouſand years. That then alſo Jeruſalem ſhall be reedified and made up of gold, ſilver and precious ſtones, &c. So apt are they to work themſelves into the fooles paradiſe of a ſublime dotage.
Ver. 56. For thy ſiſter Sodom was not mentioned] Thou thoughteſt her not worthy to be named in the ſame day with thee: and little dreamedſt that thou ſhouldeſt be matched with her in miſery. Or thus, Thou wouldeſt neither hear nor ſpeak of her, though I had thrown her forth for an example of divine vengeance, Jude 7.
In the day of thy pride] Heb. Prides: for pride buddeth, chap. 7.10. and (like a great ſwelling in the body which breaks and runs with loathſom and ſoul matter) it breaks forth into odious practiſes.
Ver. 57. Before thy wickedneſſe was diſcovered] ſc. By my puniſhments, by my ſending the Syrians and Philiſtines upon thee, in the dayes of Ahaz, to deſpoil and deſpiſe thee. Confer Eſa. 9.12.
Ver. 58. Thou haſt born thy leudneſſe] i. e, The puniſhment of it, and yet art little the better: See Eſa. 9.13.
Ver. 59. I will even deal with thee] I will avenge upon thee the quarrel of my Covenant, Lev. 26.25.
Ver. 60. Nevertheleſſe I will remember my Covenant] Here beginneth the Evangelical part of the chapter, which is for the comfort of the Elect, who would be frighted to hear thoſe direful threats: like as in an houſe we cannot beat the dogs, but the children will fall a crying.
Ver. 61. And be aſhamed] With a ſaving and ſavoury ſhame, (ſuch as was that of Ezra, and of the penitent Publican) proceeding from true compunction, and producing repentance never to be repented of.
Jer. 31.31, 32, 33, 34. 2 Cor. 3.3. Heb. 8.8.When thou ſhalt receive thy ſiſters] Not Sodom only and Samaria, but all the Gentiles whom thou haſt imitated; but now ſhalt become a worthy example of better things.
But not by thy Covenant] Made with thee in mount Sinai, but by a covenant of grace made in mount Sion.
Ver. 62. And I will eſtabliſh my Covenant] My new ſpiritual and eternal Covenant, grounded upon the Meſſias, and made with the whole Iſrael according to faith.
Ver. 63. That thou mayſt remember] Thy many out-ſtrayes.
And never open thy mouth] To extenuate thy ſins, or to murmur at thy ſufferings: but be ſilent and ſubmiſſive.