The Mystery of the Gospel Vindicated and Socinianism Examined, Commentary on text · Chapter 25

The Mystery of the Gospel Vindicated and Socinianism Examined · Commentary on text · Chapter 25

p. 521CHAP. XXV.

A Digression concerning the 53^d Chapter of Isaiah: And the vindication of it from the perverse Interpretation of HUGO GROTIUS.

THis Chapter is well by some termed Carnificina Rabbinorum; §. 1.a place of Scripture that sets them on the rack; and makes thē turn thēselves all ways possible to escape the torture, which it puts their unbelieving hearts unto. Not long since a worthy and very learned friend told me, that speaking with Manasseh Ben Israel at Amstelredam, and urging this Prophesy unto him, he ingenuously told him, profecto locus iste magnum scandalum dedit; to whom the other replyed; Recte, quia Christus vobis lapis scandali est. Hulsius the Hebrew Professor at Breda, professes that some Jewes told him, that their Rabbins could easily have extricated themselves from all other places of the Prophets, if Isaiah in this place had but held his peace. aaAliqui Judaei mihi confessi sunt, Rabbinos suos ex Propheticis Scripturis facile se extricare potuisse, modo Isaias tacuisset.Huls. Theolog. Judaic. lib. 1. Part. 2. Dict. Sapp. de Tempor. Messiae. Though I value not their boasting of their extricating themselves from the other Prophesies, knowing that they are no lesse entangled with that of Daniel, chap. 9. (Of which there is an eminent story in Franzius, Disput. decima, de Sacrificiorum duratione, Thes. 82, 83, 84. &c.de sacrificiis, concerning his dispute with a Learned Jew on that subject:) yet it appeares, that by this, they are confessedly intricated beyond all hope of evading, untill they divest themselves of their Cursed Hypothesis.

Hence it is that with so much greedines they scraped together§. 2. all the Copyes of Abrabaniel's Comment on this Chapter; so that it was very hard for a Christian, a long time to get a sight of it; as Constantine l' Empereur acquaints us in his Preface p. 522to his refutation of it: because they thought themselves in someAbrabiniel tam avide a Judaeis passim conquiritur, ut vix tandem ejus compos fieri potuerim. Nam eum Christiani superiorem putant: qui solide eorum argumenta &c. Constant. l' Emper. Prolog. ad Lectorem: praefix. Com. Abrab. in cap. 53. Is. measure instructed by him, to avoid the Arguments of the Christians from hence, by his application of the whole to Josiah: and I must needs say he hath put as good, yea a farre better colour of probability upon his Interpretation, then he with whom I have to do, hath done on his.

How ungratefull then, & how unacceptable to all Professours of§. 3. the name of Jesus Christ, must the labours of Grotius needs be; who hath to the uttermost of his power reached out his hand to relieve the poore blind Creatures from their rack and Torture, by applying (though successelesly) this whole Prophesy of Jeremiah, casting himselfe into the same entanglements with them, not yielding them indeed the least relief, is easily to conjecture. And this is not a litle aggravated, in that the Socinians who are no lesse racked & tortured with this Scripture then the▪ Iewes, durst never yet attempt to accommodate the things here spoken of to any other; though they have expressed a desire of so doing; and which if they could compasse, they would free themselves from the sharpest sword, that lyes at the throat of their cause; Seeing if it is certaine, that the things here mentioned may be applyed to any other, the satisfaction of Christ cannot from them be confirmed. This Digression then is to cast into the fire that br…ken Crutch, which this Learned man hath lent unto the Iewes and Socinians to lean upon, and keep themselves from sinking under their unbeliefe.

To discover the rise of that Learned Mans opinion, that Ieremiah §. 4.is intended in this Prophesy, the conceits of the Iewish Doctors may a little be considered, who are divided amongst themselves; The ancient Doctours generally conclude, that it is the Messiah, who is here intended Behold my servant the Messiah shall prosper, sayes the Chaldee Paraphrast upon the place And Constantius l' Empereur tells from **Porrp libri istius, unde haec sectio in Esaiam desumpta est, Author per…ibetur D. Simeon, concionatorum princeps, qui Francofurti olim degebat. Hic… Judaeorum vetustissimis Scriptis, secundum bibliorum seriem, dicta & explicationes plurimas magna diligentia & labore collegit: unde libr… su… nomen foreign ac si peram dicas: quia ut in pera reconduntur plurima: l' Emper.R. Simeon, in his book Salkout, that the Ancient Rabbins, in their ancient Book Tancluma, and higher, were of the p. 523same Judgement. Rabbi Moses Alscheth is urged to the same purpose at large by Hulsius. And in his comment on this place he sayes expressly, Ecce Doctores nostri lauda…ae memoriae uno ere statuunt, & a majoribus acceperunt, de rege Messia sermonem esse, & doctorun▪ L. M. v…stigiis insistemus. And one passage in him is very admirable in the same place saith he; Dicunt Doctores nostri L▪ M. omnium afflictionum quae mundum ingressae sunt, tertia pars Davidi & Patriarchis obtigit: tertia altera seculo excisionis, ultima tertia pars regi Messiae incumbet. Where he urgeth the common consent of their Doctors for the sufferings of the Messiah. Of the same mind was R▪ Solomon, as he is cited by Pe…rus Galatinus lib. 8. cap. 14. As the same is affirmed by the Misedrach Resh. cap. 2. 14. And in Beresheth Rabba on Gen. 24. as is observed by Raimundus Martin, Pug. fedei 3^a p. Dist. 1▪ cap. 10. So that before these men grew impudent and crafty in corrupting and perverting the Testimonies of the Old Testament, conc…rning the Messiah, they generally granted him, and only him to be here intended▪ It was not for want of company then that Grotius tooke in with the Modern Rabbins, who being mad with envy and malice care not what they say, so they may oppose Jesus▪ Christ.

2. Many of the following Jewish Doctors interpret this§. 5. place of the whole people of the Jewes. And this way goe the men, who are of the greatest note amongst them in these latter daies; as R. D. Kimchi, Aben Ezra, Abarbiniel, Lipman, with what weake and mean pretences, with what inconsistency as to the words of the text hath been by others manifested.

3. Abrabinel or Abrabaniel, a man of great note and honour amongst them, though he assent to the former Exposition of applying the whole Prophesy to the People of the Jewes, and interprets the words at large accordingly, which exposition is confuted by Constantine l' Empereur, yet he inclines to a singular opinion of his own, that Josiah is the man pointed at, and described: But he is the first and last, that abides by that interpretation.

4. Grotius interprets the words of Jeremiah in the first place▪ not denying them (as we shall see) to have an Acc…mmodation to Christ. In this he hath the Company of one Rabbi; R. Saadias G…on, mentioned by Aben Ezra upon the 52. Chapt. of this Prophesy v. 13. But this fancy of Saadias is fully confuted p. 524by Abarbinel: which words because they sufficiently evert the whole designe of Grotius also, I shall transcribe as they lye in the translation of Huls…us. Revera ne unum quidem versiculum video, qui de Jeremiah exponi possit: qua ratione de eo dicetur, Extolletur & altus erit valde? Item illud, Propter eum obdent Reges os suum, Nam aetas illa Prophetas habere consueverat. Quomodo etiam dici potest Morbos nostros portasse, & dolores nostros bajulasse, & in tumi…e ejus curationem nobis esse, Deum in ipsum incurrere fecisse peccata omnium nostrûm: quasi ipsi poena incubuisset, & Israel fuisset immunis▪ Jam illud, Propter pec…atum populi mei plaga ipsis, item, Dedit cum improbis sepulcrum ejus, ad ipsum referri nequit; multo minus illud, videbit semen, prolongabit dies, item, Cum robustis partietur spolium. In quibus omnibus nihil est quod de ipso commode affi…mari possit. Ʋnde vehementer mi…or, quomodo R. Hagaon in hanc sententiam perduci potuerit, & Sapientes dari qui hanc expositionem laudant: cum tamen tota ista exponendi ratio plane aliena sit, & e Scriptura non facta.

Now certainely if this Jew thought he had sufficient cause to admire, that any blind Rabbi should thus wrest the sence of the Holy Ghost, and that any wise man should be so foolish as to commend it: We cannot but be excused, in admiring that any man professing himselfe a Christian, should insist in his steps, and that any should commend him for so doing.

That therefore, which here is affirmed, in the entrance of his Discourse by Abarbinel, namely, that not one verse can, or may be expounded of Jeremiah, shall now particularly be made good against Grotius.

1. He confesseth with us that the Head of this Prophesy§. 6. and Discourse is in vers. 13. chap. 52. The words of that verse are.

Behold my Servant shall deale prudently: he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

Of the sence of which words, thus he.

Ecce intelliget servus meus] Haec omnia clarissime revelata cognoscet Ieremiah. Exaltabitur & elevabitur & subl…mis erit valde.] In magno honore erit apud ipsos Chaldaeos, Ierem. 39. ch. v. 40. My servant Jeremiah shall have all these things clearely revealed to him, and he shall be in great honour with the Chaldeans. So he,

First, for the words themselves: foreign with the vulgar§. 7. Latine, he renders intelliget, shall understand. The word signifies p. 525rather prudence for Action with successe, then any speculativ… knowledge by Revelation: 1 Sam. 18. 30. it is used of David behaving himselfe wisely in the businesse of his millitary & civill employment. Its opposite saith Pagnin, is foreign (quod incogitantiam significat in rebus agendis & ignavā levitatem) which signifies incogitancy in the management of affaires and idle lightnesse: Whence the word is usually taken for to prosper in affaires, as it used of our Saviour Ierem. 23. 5. a King shall raigne foreign and prosper. Nor can it be otherwise used here, considering the Connexion of the words wherein it stands: it being the precedent to his being highly exalted who is spoken of; which rather followes his dealing prudently, then his receiving revelations: So that in the very entrance there is a mistake in the sence of the word, and that mistake lyes at the bottome of the whole Interpretation.

2. I deny that God speaks any where in the Scripture of any§. 8. one, besides Jesus Christ in this phrase, without any addition, My Servant, as here; Behold my Servant. So he speakes of Christ, Ch. 42. v. 1, 19. and other places; but not of any other Person whatever. It is an expression foreign, and not to be applyed to any, but to him, who was the Great Servant of the Father, in the Work of Mediation.

3. Even in respect of Revelations, there is no ground, why those made to Jeremiah, should be spoken of so Emphatically, and by way of Eminence above others; seeing he came short of the Prophet, by whom these words are written. Nor can any instance be given of such a prediction used concerning any Prophet whatever, that was to be raised up in the Church of the Jewes; but of Christ himselfe only.

4. The Exposition of the close of these words, he shall be §. 9.* …xalted and extolled, and be very high: (the great Exaltation ofEminenti… … tionem quavis formula expressit, quia illius emin…ntia erit sublimis excellentia. D. Kimchi. the Lord Jesus Christ in his Kingdome, when he was made a Prince, and a Saviour, in a most eminent manner, being set forth in various expressions, no one reaching to the glory of it) is unworthy the Learned Annotator. He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high; that is, the Chaldeans shall give him victualls, and a reward, Jerem. 40. 5. and after a while, He shall be carried a Prisoner into Egypt, and there knockt on the head: such was the exaltation of the poore Prophet. What resemblance hath p. 526all this, to the Exaltation of Jesus Christ, whom the Learned man confesseth to be intended in these words.

The sence then of these words is, Jesus Christ the Messiah, the Servant of the Father, Isa. 42. 1, 19▪ Phil. 2. 7, 8. shall deale p…udently, and prosper in the businesse of doing his Fathers will, and carrying on the affaires of his own Kingdome, Isa. 9. 7. And be exalted farre above all Principalities and Powers, having a name given him above every name, that at the name of Jesus, &c. Phil. 2. 7, 8.

The next verse is.

As many were astonied at thee, his visage was so marred, more then any §. 10.man, and his forme more then the Sonnes of men.

Of the Accomplishment of this, in and upon the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no difficulty. The Astonishment mentioned is that of Men, at his low, and despicable Condition as to outward appearance; which was such, as that he said of himselfe, he was a worme and no man, Ps. 22. His Condition was such, & his Visage such, as all that knew any thing of him▪ were astonied to the purpose. The marring of his visage and forme, as it may point out all the Acts of violence, that were done upon his face, by spitting, buffeting, and the like; so they expresse his whole despis…d, contemned, persecuted estate, and condition. But let us a…tend to our Annotator.

Modo secunda, modo tertia personâ de Jeremia loquitur, quod frequens §. 11.Hebraeis: Sicut mul…i miratierant hominem tam egregium tam faedè tractari, in carcerem detrudi, deinde in lacum lutosum, ibi{que} & paedore & cibi inopiâ tabescere: Sic contra, rebus mutatis, admirationi erit honos ipsi habitus. Hee speaks of Jeremiah, sometimes in the second, sometimes in the third Person, which is frequent with the Hebrews: As many wondered that so excellent a person should so vilely be dealt with, be thrust into Prison, and then into a miry lake, and there to pine with stinke, and want of food: So on the contrary, affaires being changed, the Honour afforded him, shall be matter of admiration.

1. To grant the first observation▪ as to the change of Persons§. 12. in the discourse, the word (foreign shall be astonied) here used, signifies not every slight Admiration, by wondering upon any occasion, or that may be a little more then ordinary: but mostly, an Astonishment arising from the contemplation of some …uthfull spectacle. So Levit. 26. 32. I will bring the Land into desolation, p. 527and the Enemies which dwell therein, shall be astonied at it; and the word is neer twenty times used to the same purpose. This by way of diminution is made, mirati sunt, admirationi erit.

2. This Astonishment of men, is by Grotius referred both to§. 13. the dejection, and Exalta…ion of Ieremiah, whereof there is nothing in the words. It is the Amazement of en, at the despicable condition of him, that is spoken of, only, that is intended; but without intruding something of his Exaltation, this discourse had wanted all colour or pretext.

3. Was it so great a matter in Ierusalem, that a Prophet should be put in Prison, there, where they imprisoned, stoned, tortured, and slew them almost all, one after another, in their severall Generations, that it should be thus prophesyed of, as a thing that men would, and should be amazed at? Was it any wonder at all in that Citty, whose streets not long before, had runne with the blood of innocent men, that a Prophet, should be cast into Prison? Or was this peculiar to Ieremiah to be dealt so withall? Is it any matter of Astonishment to this very day? Was his Honour afterward, such an amazing thing, in that for a little season he was suffered to go at Liberty, and had victualls given him? Was not this, as to the thing it selfe, common to him with many Hundred others? Were his afflictions such, as to be beyond compare with those of any man, or any of the Sons of men? Or his Honours such, as to dazle the eyes of men with Admiration and Astonishment? Let a man dare to make bold with the word of God▪ and he may make as many such Applications as he pleaseth, and find out what Person he will, to answer all the Prophecies of the Messiah. This not succeeding, let us try the next verse.

So shall he sprinkle many Nations; the Kings shall shut their mouthes§. 14. at him: for that which had not been told them, shall they see, and that which they had not heard, shall they consider.

Ita asperget gentes multas] in Hebr▪ sic asperget; ut responde… illi sicut, quod praecessit. Multo…ex Gentibus ab Idolorum cultu …vertet. Similitudo sumpta ab aspersionibus Legalibus; unde & Chaldae… foreign est …bjurgari. At LXX habent foreign. non malè, nam mirari est aspergi fulgore alicujus. In the Hebrew it is, So he shall sprinkle, that it might answer to the, As, that went before. He shall turne many of the Nations from the p. 528worship of Idols. A similitude taken from the Legall washings. whence foreign with the Chaldees is to rebuke. The LXX render it. So shall many Nations wonder at him: not badly▪ For to wonder is as it were, to be sprinkled with any ones brightnesse.

For the Exposition of the words.

1. We agree that it is, So he shall sprinkle: an foreign, relating§. 15. to the foreign v. 14. As many were astonied, &c. The great work of Christ, and his exaltation therein, being rendred in opposition to his Humiliation, and Dejection before mentioned: As he was in so meane a condition, that men were astonied at him, so he shall be exalted, in his great work of converting the Nations, to their Admiration.

2. It is granted, that the Expression, he shall sprinkle, is an Allusion§. 16. to the legall washings, and purifications, which as they were typicall of reall Sanctification, and Holinesse; so from them is the Promise thereof so often expressed in the termes of washing and cleansing, Ezek. 36. 26, 27. the Terme being preserved and used in the New Testament frequently; the Blood of Christ, whereby this work is done, being therefore called the Blood of sprinkling; Eph. 5. 25, 26. Heb. 9. 14. The pouring out of the Spirit by Jesus Christ, for the purifying, and sanctifying of many Nations, not the Iews only, but the Children of God throughout the World, by Faith in his Blood, is that which is here intended. What the use of foreign in the Chaldee to this purpose, is, I know not.

3. The LXX have very badly rendred the words, Many Nations §. 17.shall wonder at him; both as to words & sence. For 1. as the words will not beare it; so 2. they make that the Action of the Nations towards Christ, which is his towards thē; They loose the whole sence of the words, & what they say, falls in with what followes, & is cleerly expressed. 3. It is not helped by the Explanation given to it, by the Annotator. The First expression is Metaphorical, which the LXX render by a word proper, remote from the sence intended; which the Annotator explaines by another metaphor. By which kind of proceedure, men may lead words and senses whither and which way they please.

4. For the Accommodation of the words to Ieremiah; how§. 18. did he sprinkle many Nations; so as to answer the type of Legall p. 529cleansing? Did he poure out the Spirit upon them? Did he sanctify, and make them holy? Did he purge them from their iniquities? But he turned many amongst the Nations, from the worship of Idols: But who told Grotius so? Where is it written or recorded? He prophesyed indeed of the desolation of Idolls and Idolaters: Of the Conversion of many; of any among the Heathen by his Preaching, he being not purposely sent to them, what evidence have we? If a man may faine what he please, and affixe it to whom he please, he may make whom he will to be foretold in any Prophesy.

Kings shall shut their mouth at him.] Reges, ut Nebuchodonosor Chaldaeorum, §. 19.& Nechos Aegyptiorum, eorum{que} Satrapae admirabuntur cum silentio, ubi videbunt omnia, quae dixit Ieremias ad amussim & suis temporibus impleta. Kings, as Nebuchodonosor of the Chaldees, & Necho of the Aegyptians, and their Princes, shall admire with silence, when they shall see all things foretold by Ieremiah come to passe exactly, and to be fulfilled in their own time.

That by this Expression, Wonder and Amazement is intended, is agreed: As men, all sorts of men before were astonied at his low condition; so even the greatest of them shall be Astonied at the prosperity of his worke and Exaltation. The Reason of this their shutting their mouthes in silence and Admiration, is, from the work which he shall doe; that is, he shall sprinkle many Nations; as is evident from the following reason assigned: for that which hath not been told them, shall they see; which expresseth the Meanes whereby he should sprinkle many Nations, even by the Preaching of the Gospell to their Conversion.

For the Application hereof to Ieremiah. 1. That the Kings§. 20. mentioned did so become silent with Admiration at him and Astonishment, is foreign: and all these magnificent thoughts of the Chaldeans dealing with Ieremiah, is built only on this; that looking on him, as a man that had disswaded the Iews from their Rebellion against them, and rebuked all their wickednesse, and foretold their ruine, they gave him his Life, and Liberty. 2. The Reason assigned by Grotius, why they should so admire him, is for his predictions: but the Reason of the great Amazement and Astonishment at him, in the Text, is his sprinkling of many Nations: so that nothing, not a word, or expression doth here agree to p. 530him. Yea this Glosse is directly contrary to the letter of the Text.

The close of these words is; That which had not been told them shall they see, and that which they had not heard, shall they consider. Of which he sayes; They shall see that come to passe, foreseen and foretold by him, which they not heard of by their Astrologers or Magitians.

1. But what is it, that is here intended? The desolation of§. 21. Ierusalem: That was it which Ieremiah foretold; upon the account whereof he had that respect with the Chaldees, which through the mercy of God he obtained. Is this that which is thus emphatically exprest; That which they had not heard, that which they had not been told, this they should see, this they should consider. That this is directly spoken of Jesus Christ, that he is the thing which they had not seen, or heard of, the Apostle tells us, Rom. 15. 21. Strange that this should be the desolation of Iersalem. 2. It is probable that the Magicians and Astrologers, whose life and trade it was to flatter their Kings with hope of successe in their Warres, and undertaking, had foretold the taking of Jerusalem, considering that the King of the Chaldees, had used allEzek. 21. 21, 22.Ezek 21:21Ezek 21:22 manner of divinations, before he undertook the warre against it. It is too much trouble to abide on such vain imaginations. Nor doth Grotius take any care to evidence, how that which he delivers as the sence of the words, may so much as be typically spoken of Jesus Christ, or be any way accommodated to him.

The Prophet proceeds Chap. 53. with the same continued§. 22. discourse. Who hath believed our report; and to whom is the Arme of the Lord revealed? which words are thus illustrated by the Annotator.

Vultis scire, inquit, quis ille sit futurus de quo caepi agere, qui & meis prophetiis plenam habebit fidem, & ipse ae maximis rebus, quas potentia Dei peraget, revelationes accipiet exactissimas, omnibus circumstantiis additis: Dabo vobis geminas ejus notas, unde cognosci possit: Hae notae in Ieremiam quidem congruunt prius, sed potius in Christum Will you know, saith he, who he shall be, of whom I have begun to treat? Who shall both fully believe my Prophecies, and shall himselfe receive most exact Revelations of the great things that the Power of God shall bring to passe, all the circumstances being added; I will give you two notes of him, p. 531by which he may be known: These notes in the first place agree to Ieremiah; but rather to Christ.

I suppose i… we had not the Advantage of receiving quite§. 23. another Interpretation of these words, from the Holy Ghost himselfe in the New Testament, yet it would not have been easy for any to have swallowed this Glosse, that is as little allyed to the Text, as any thing that can possibly be imagined. The Holy Ghost tells us, that these words are the complaint of the Prophet, and the Church of Believers unto God, concerning the paucity of them that would believe in Christ, or did so believe, when he was exhibited in the flesh: the power of the Lord with him for our Salvation, being effectually revealed to very few of the Jewes: so Ioh. 12. 37, 38. But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him, that the saying of Isaias the Prophet might be fulfilled, Lord who hath believed our report, and to whom hath the arme of the Lord been revealed? So Rom▪ 10. 16. But they have not obeyed the Gospell; for Isaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

…. Let us now a little compare these severall Interpretations:§. 24. Who hath believ…d our report? Lord how few do believe on Christ, working miracles himself▪ & preached by the Apostles? Jeremiah shall b…lieve my▪ Prophecies, saith Grotius. To whom is the arme of the Lord revealed? To how few is the power of God unto salvation made known by the Holy Ghost? Ieremiah also shall have cleer rev…lations, saies Grotius. And this is counted Learnedly to interpret the Scriptures; and every day are such Annotations on the Scriptue multiplied.

3. It is not then the Prophets prediction of what he should do,§. 25. of whom he treats, what he should Believe, what he should Receive, whereof there is notice given in this verse; but what others shall doe in reference to the Preaching of him; they shall not believe, Who hath believed?

4. The Annotator tells us, these words do agree to Chrst§. 26. chiefly, and magis foreign. This then must be the signification of them, according to his Interpretation, in relation unto Christ: He shall believe the Prophesies of Isaiah, and receive revelations of his own. For my part I am rather of the mind of Iohn and Paul, concerning these words, then of the Learned Annotator's▪

5. There is no mention of describing the person spoken of, p. 532by two notes: but in the first words the Prophet enters upon the description of Christ, what he was, what he did, and suffered for us, which he pursues to the end of the Chapter.

V. 2. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a ro… §▪ 28.out of a dry ground; he hath no forme nor comelinesse, and when we shall see him, there is no beauty, that we should desire him.] An entrance is made in these words, into the account that the Prophet intends to give, why so few believed in Christ the Messiah, when he came, after they had looked for him, and desired him so long, namely his great unsuitablenesse to their Expectation; They looked for a Person shining in Honour and Glory, raysing a visible pompous terrene Kingdome, whereof they should be made partakers. But Christ, when he comes indeed, grows up both in his humane nature, and his Kingdome, as a tender plant, obnoxious to the incursions of Beasts, Winds, and Stormes, and treading on of every one; yet preserved by the providence of God, under whose eye, and before whom he grew up, he shall prosper; and he shall be as a Root preserved in the dry ground of the parcht house of David, and poore Family of Mary and Ioseph, every way outwardly contemptible; so that from thence none could look for the Springing of such a branch of the Lord. And whereas they expected that he should appeare with a great deale of outward forme, Lovelinesse, Beauty, and every thing that should make a Glorious Person desireable, when they come to see him, indeed, in his outward condition, they shall not be able to discover any thing in the World, for which they should desire him, own him, or receive him. And therefore after they shall have gone forth upon the report that shall goe of him, to see him, they shall be offended and returne, and say, Is not this the Carpenters sonne, and are not his Brethren with us? This sword of the Lord, which lyes at the Heart of the Jewes to this day, the Learned Annotator labours to …ase them of, by accommodating these words to Ieremiah; which through the favour of the Reader, I shall no otherwise refute, then by its repetition: For he shall grow up before the Lord as a tender plant; Jeremiah shall serve God in his Propheticall Office, whilest he is young: And as a root out of a dry ground: He shall be borne at Anathoth, a poor village. He hath no forme nor comelinesse: He shall be heavy and Sad. And when we see him &c. He shall not have an amiable countenance. Who p. 533might not these things be spoken of him that was a Prophet, if the name of Anathoth be left out and some other supplyed in the roome thereof?

The third verse pursues the description of the Messiah in respect of his abject outward condition, which▪ being of the same import with the former, and it being not my ayme to comment on the Text, I shall passe by.

V. 4. Surely he hath borne our griefes and carryed our sorrowes: Yet §. 29.we did esteeme him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.] Having formerly given the sence of these words, and vindicated them from the Exceptions of the Socinians, I shall do▪ no more but animadvert upon their accommodation to Ieremiah by Grotius. Thus then he,

Vere languore… nostros ipse tulit.] Ille non talia meritus, mala subiit quae nos eramu… meriti. Haec omnia ait Iudaeos dicturos post captam urbem He that deserved no such thing underwent the evills that we had deserved. All these things he saith the Iewes shall say after the taking of the Citty.

It is of the unworthy dealing of the Iewes with the Prophet in Ierusalem during the seige, that he supposes these words are spoken, and spoken by the Iewes after the taking of the Citty. The summe is, when he was so hardly treated, we deserved it, even to be so dealt withall, not he, who delivered the word of God.

But 1. The words are, he bare our griefes, and carryed our sorrowes: §. 30.That by our griefes & sorrowes our sins, and the punishment due to them are intended, hath been declared. That the force of the words bearing and carrying do evince, that he tooke them upon himselfe, hath also been manifested. That he so tooke them, as that God made them meet upon him in his Justice, hat likewise been proved. That by his bearing of them we come to have peace, and are freed▪ shall be farther cleared; as it is expressly mentioned, v. 5, 11. Let us now▪ see how this may be accommodated to Ieremiah: Did he undergoe the punishment due to the sinnes of the Jewes? Or did they beare their own sinnes? Did God cause their sinnes to meet on Him, then when he bare them, or is it not expressly against his Law, that one should beare the sinnes of another? Were the Jewes freed▪ Had they peace by Ieremiah's sufferings? Or rather did they not p. 534hasten their utter ruine? If this be to interpret the Scripture, I know not what it is to corrupt it.

2. There is not the least▪ evidence, that the Iewes had any§. 31. such thoughts, or were at all greatly troubled after the taking of the City by the Chaldeans, concerning their dealings with Jeremiah; whom they afterwards accused to his face, of being a false Prophet, and lying to them in the name of the Lord. Neither are these words supposed to be spoken by the Jewes, but by the Church of God.

Et nos ex…stimavimus eum percussum (leprosum v. 6.) vulneratum & §. 32. Grot.a Deo humiliatum] Nos credidimus Jeremiam merito conjectum in car…erem & lacū, Deo illum exosum habente, ut hostem Ʋrbis, Templi, & Pseudoprophetam. We believed that Ieremiah w…s deservedly cast into the prison and mire, God hating him as an enemy of the City and Temple, and as a false Prophet. But

1. These words may be thus applyed to any Prophet whatever, that suffered Persecution & martyrdom from the Jewes, as who of thē did not, the one or the other? For they quickly saw their errour and mistake as to one, though at the same time they fall upon another; as our Saviour upbraideth the Pharisees.

Nor

2. Was this any such great matter, that the Jewes should think a true Prophet to be a false Prophet, and therefore deservedly punished, as in the Law was appointed, that it should thus signally be foretold concerning Ieremiah. But that the Sonne of God, the Sonne and heire of the Vineyard, should be so dealt withall, this is that the Prophet might well bring in the Church thus signally complaining of. Of him to this day are the thoughts of the Jewes no other then as here recorded, which they expresse by calling him foreign.

The reason of the low condition of the Messiah, which was so§. 33. misapprehended of the Jewes, i… rendred in the next verse, and their mistake rectifyed.

But he was wounded for our transgress…ons, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we …re h…aled▪

I suppose it▪ will not be questioned, but that these words belong to our Blessed Saviour, and that Redemption which he wrought for us by his death and blood. Not only the full accomplishment p. 535of the thing it selfe, as delivered in the New Te…ament, but the quotation of the words themselves, to that end and purpose 1 Pet. 2. 24. do undenyably evince it. In what sence the words are to be understood of him, we have formerly declared. That in that sence they are applicable to any other will not be pleaded. That they have any other sence is yet to be proved. To this, thus the Annotator.

Ipse autem vulneratus est propter iniquitates nostras] in Hebraeo. At §. 34. Grot.vero ipse vulneratus est (id est, male tractatus est) crimine nostro: in nobis culpa fuit, non in ipso: Sic & quod sequitur, Attritus est per culpam nostrorum: Iniquissima de eo sens…mus & propterea crudeliter eum tractavimus: id nunc rebus ipsis appare…: Similia dixerant Judaei qui se converterunt die Pentecostes: & de…nceps.

But he was wounded for our transgressions] in the Hebrew, But he was wounded (that is, evilly entreated) by our fault. The fault was in us, not in him: And so that which followes: He was bruised by our fault: we thought ill of him, and therefore handled Him cruelly: This now is evident from the things themselves: The like things said the Iewes who converted themselves on the day of Pentecost, and afterwards.

The Reading of the words must first be considered, and then§. 35. their sence and meaning: For against both these doth the Learned Annotate… transgresse, perverting the former, that he might the more easily wr…st the latter. He was wounded for our sinnes [crimine nostro] by our crime; that is, it was our fault not▪ his, that he was so evilly dealt with. And not to insist on the word, wounded or tormented with pain, which is slightly interpreted by evil-entreated, the question is, whether the efficient, or procuring and meritorious cause o… Christs wounding be here expressed.

2. The words used to expresse this cause of wounding are§. 36. two, and both Emphaticall: the first is foreign, he was wounded foreign▪ for our prevarications, our proud transgressing of the Law▪ foreign, est rebellare, & exire a voluntate Domini, vel praecepto, ex superb…a: R. D. in Mich…. It is properly to …ebell against man or God; Against man▪ 2 King. 3. 7. The King of Moab foreign hath rebelled against me: and Ch 8. v. 20. In his daies Edom foreign rebelled: as also against God, Isa. 1. …. I have brought up Children, and they foreign have rebelled against mee. Nor is i… used in any other sence in the Scripture, but for Pr…varication and Rebellion p. 536with an high hand, and through pride: The other word is foreign; He was bruised foreign for our iniquities; The word signifies, a declining from the right way, with perversity and frowardnesse. foreign, est iniquè vel perversè agere; propriè curvum esse, vel incurvari; so that all sorts of sinnes, are here Emphatically and Distinctly expressed, even the greatest Rebellion, and most perverse, crooked turning aside from the waies of God.

3. Their Causality, in reference to the wounding of him here§. 37. mentioned, is expressed in the Preposition foreign min, which properly is de, ex▪ à, è, from, or for. Now to put an issue to the sence of these words, and thence, in a good measure, to the sence of this place, let the Reader consult the Collections of the use of this Preposition in Pagnine, Buxtorf, Calasius, or any other; when he finds it with sin as here, and relating to punishment, if he find it once to signify any thing but the meritorious procuring cause of punishment, the Learned Annotator may yet enjoy his interpretation in quietnesse. But if this be so? If this Expression do constantly and perpetually denote the impulsive procuring cause of punishment; it was not well done of him, to leave the preposition quite out in the first place, and in the next place so to expresse it, as to confine it to signify the efficient cause of what is affirmed.

This being then the reading of the words, He was wounded or tormented for our sins: The sence as relating to Jesus Christ, is manifest. When we thought he was Justly for his own sake, as a Seducer, and Malefactor, smitton of God, he was then under the Punishment due to our Iniquities; was so tormented for what we had deserved. This is thus rendred by our Annotator. Jeremiah was not in the fault, who Prophesyed to us, but we, that he was so evilly dealt with: He was bruised for our Iniquities, that is, we thought hard of him, and dealt evilly with him; which may passe with the former.

The LXX render these words: foreign §. 38.foreign: Rightly! to be wounded foreign, is to be wounded for, and not by sinne, no otherwise then that also signifies the impulsive cause. And the Chaldee Paraphrast, not able to avoid the cleernesse of the Expression, denoting the meritorious cause of Punishment, and yet not understanding how the Messiah should be wounded, p. 537or punished, he thus rendred the words: Et ipse aedificabit domum Sanctuarii nostri, quod violatum est propter peccata nostra, & traditum est propter iniquitates nostras. He shall build the House of our Sanctuary, which was violated for our sinnes (that is, as a punishment of them) and delivered for our iniquities. So he: not being able to offer sufficient violence to the phrase of expression, nor understanding an Accommodation of the words to him spoken of, he leaves the words, with their own proper significancy, but turnes their intendment, by an addition to them, of his own.

Proceed we to the next words, which are exegeticall of§. 39. these: He was wounded for our sinnes; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes are we healed. Of these thus the Annotator

Disciplina pacis nostrae super eum] apud eum, id est, monitis, nobis attulit salutaria, si ea reciperemus. He gave us wholsome warnings, if we would have received them.

But 1. there is in this sence of the words, nothing Peculiar to Ieremiah; All the rest of the Prophets did so, and were rejected no lesse then he.

2. The words are not, He gave us good Counsel, if we would have §. 40.taken it: But, The Chastisement of our Peace was upon him. And what affinity there is between these two Expressions, that the one of them should be used for the Explication of the other, I professe I know not; Peter expounds it by, He bare our sinnes in his own body on the Tree, 1 Pet. 2. 24.

3. The word rendred by us, Chastisement; by the vulgar Latin… §. 41.which Grotius followes, disciplina, is foreign Musar; which as it hath its first signification to learne, so it signifies also to correct, because Learn…ng is seldome carried on without correction; and thence disciplina signifies the same. Now what is the Correction of our Peace? Was it the Instruction of Christ, not that he gave, but that he had, that we have our Peace by? The word foreign he renders, apud eum, contrary to the known sence of the word; foreign is to ascend, to lift up, to make to ascend; a word of most frequent use; thence is the word used, rendred super; intimating that the Chastisement of our Peace was made to ascend on him; as Peter expresseth the sence of this place; foreign: he carried up our sins p. 538on his body on the Tree; they were made to ascend on him. The LXX render the words foreign; the Vulgar Latine super eum: And there is not the least colour for the Annotators, Apud eum. Now the Chastisement of our Peace, that is, the punishment that was due, that we might have peace, or, whereby we have peace with God, was upon him; is (it seems) He gave us good Counsell and admonition, if we would have followed it.

4. Here is no word expressing any act of the person spoken§. 42. of, but his suffering or undergoing punishment. But of this enough.

Et livore ejus sanati sumus] Livore ejus, id est, ipsius patientiae, Grot.nos sanati fuissemus, id est, liberati ab impendentibus malis, si verbis ipsius, tanta malorum tolerantia confirmatis, habuissemus fidem. Hebraei potentialem modum aliter quàm per indicativum exprimere nequeunt; ideo multa adhibenda attentio ad consequendos sensus. With his stripes we are healed.] with his wound, or sore, or stripe, that is, by his Patience we might have been healed; that is, freed from impendent evills, had we believed his words, confirmed with so great bearing of evills. The Hebrews cannot expresse the Potentiall mood, but by the Indicative: therefore much attention is to be used to find out the sence.

I cannot but professe, that setting aside some of the monstrous §. 43.figments of the Iewish Rabbins, I never in my whole life, met with an Interpretation of Scripture, offering more palpable violence to the Words, then this of the Annotator. Doubtlesse to repeate it, with all Sober men, is sufficient to confute it. I shall briefely adde;

1. The Prophet saies, we are healed: the Annotator, we might have been healed, but are not.

2. The healing in the Prophet, is by deliverance from sinne, mentioned in the words foregoing: and so interpreted by Peter, 1 Ep. 2. 24. whereby we have Peace with God, which we have. The healing in the Annotator, is the deliverance from destruction by the Chaldeans which they were not delivered from, but might have been.

3. foreign Chabura, in the Prophet, is foreign in Peter; but patience in the Annotator.

4. By his stripes we are healed, is in the Annotator, By hearkning to him we might have been healed; or delivered from the evills p. 539threatned, by his stripes; that is, by hearkning to his Counsell, when he endured evills patiently; we are healed, that is, we might have been delivered, but are not.

5. As to the Reason given of this Interpretation, that the Hebrews have no Potentiall Mood, I shall desire to know who compel'd the Learned Annotator to suppose himselfe wiser then the Holy Ghost, 1 Pet. 2. 24. to wrest these words into a Potentiall signification, which he expresseth directly, actually, Indicatively. For a Iew to have done this out of hatred and enmity to the Crosse of Christ, had been tolerable: but for a man professing himselfe a Christian, it is somewhat a strange attempt.

6. To close with this verse; we do not esteeme our selves at§. 44. all beholding to the Annotator, for allowing an Accommodation of these words to our blessed Saviour; affirming, that the Jewes, who converted themselves (for so it must be expressed, least any should mistake, and think their Conversion to have been the work of the Spirit, and Grace of God) on the day of Pentecost, used such words, as those that the Jewes are fained to use, in reference to Ieremiah. It is quite of another businesse that the Prophet is speaking; not of the sinne of the Jewes in crucifying Christ, but of all our sinnes, for which he was crucifyed;

—Munera quidem misit, sed misit in hame.

V. 6. All we like sheep are gone astray, we are turned every one to his §. 45.own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Grotius. Erraveramus a Manassis temporibus, alii ad alia idola: Et permisit Deus ut ille nostro gravi crimine indigna pateretur. We have all erred from the dayes of Manasseh, some following some Idols, others others: And God permitted that he by our grievous crime should suffer most unworthy things.

Though the words of this verse are most important, yet having at large before insisted on the latter words of it, I shall be briefe in my Animadversions on the signall depravation of them by the Learned Annotator. Therefore.

1. Why is this Confession of sinnes restrained to the§. 46. times of Manasseh? and not afterwards? The expression is universall, foreign all of us: and a man to his owne way. And if these words may be allowed to respect Jesus Christ at all, they will not beare any such restriction. But this is the foreign of this interpretation; that these are the p. 540words of the Jewes after the destruction of Jerusalem; which are the words of the converted Jewes and Gentiles, after the suffering of Jesus Christ.

2. Why is the sinne confessed, restrained to Idolatry? Mens§. 47. own wayes which they walk in, when they turne from the wayes of God, and know not the wayes of peace, comprehend all their evills of every kind, that their hearts and lives are infected withall.

3. The last words are unworthy a person of much lesse learning,§. 48. and Judgement then the Annotatour. For

1. The word foreign Hiphghiah (of which before) is interpreted without pretence▪ warrant, or colour, Permisit God permit…ed. But of that word sufficiently before.

2. By his suffering unworthy things through our fault, he understands not the meritorious cause of his suffering, but the meanes whereby he suffered; even the unbeliefe & Cruelty of the Iewes, which is most remote from the sence of the place.

3. He mentions here distinctly, the fault of them that speake, and his suffering that is spoken of. Permisit Deus ut ille nostro gravi crimine indigna pateretur: when in the Text the fault of them that speake, is the suffering of him that is spoken of. Our iniquities were laid on him; that is, the punishment due to them.

4. His suffering in the Text is Gods act: in the Annotations, the Iewes only.

5. There is neither sence nor coherence in this Interpretation of the words. We have all sinned, and followed Idols: and God hath suffered him to be evilly intreated by us: When the whole context evidently gives an account of our deserving, and the wayes whereby we are delivered: And therein a reason of the low and abject condition of the Messiah in this world. But of this at large elsewhere.

Vers. 7. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he §. 49.opened not his Mouth: he is brought as a Lambe to the slaughter, and as a sheepe before her sharers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.

Oblatus est, quia ipse voluit, & non aperuit os suum] in Hebr. oppressus. & afflictus fuit, & non aperuit os suum. Sensum bene expresserunt LXX foreign. p. 541Etiam tunc cum in Carcerem ageretur, & in locum lutosum nihil fecit, dixitve iracunde.

Sicut ovis] initissimum animal.

Et quasi agnus] cum quo ipse Ieremias se comparat, Cap. 11. v. 18.

He was offered because he would, and he opened not his mouth] in the Hebrew, he was oppressed and afflicted. The LXX have well expressed the sence. Because of affliction he opened not his mouth: Even then when he was thrown into the prison and mire, he neither did, nor spake any thing angrily.

As a Sheep] a most mild Creature.

And as a Lamb] wherewith Jeremiah compares himselfe, Chap. 11. v. 18.

The processe of the words is to give an account of the same§. 50. matter formerly insisted on, concerning ones suffering for the sinne of others. That the words are spoken of the Lord Jesus, the Holy Ghost hath long since put it out of question, Act. 8. 32. And though there be some difficulty and variety in the Interpretation of the first words, yet his patient suffering as the lamb of God, typed out by all the Sac…fices of the Jewes, under the punishment due to our sinnes, shines through the whole.

1. For the words themselves they are foreign which are variously rend…ed: foreign LXX.§. 51. And he for, or because of affliction. Oblatus est quia ipse voluit. Vulg. Lat. He was offered because he would. Oppressus est & ipse afflictus est. Arias Mont. Exigitur & ipse affligitur, Jun it was exacted, and he was afflicted. Others, It was exacted, and he answ…red, which seemes most to agree with the Letter; foreign is sometimes written with the point on the right corner of foreign and then it signifies to approach, to draw nigh; and in the matter of Sacrifice it signifies to offer, because men drew nigh to the Lord in offering. So Amos 5. 25. foreign Have you made to draw nigh your offerings and Sacrifices? Or have you offered? Thus the Vulg. Lat. read the word, and rendred it Oblatus est, he was offer…d. With the point in the left corner, it is to exact, to require, to afflict, to oppresse. To exact and require at the hands of any, is the most common sence of the word. So 2 King. 23. 25. Jehojachim exacted silver and gold of the people of the Land. Thence p. 542is foreign an Exactour, one that requires what is imposed on men Zec. 9. 8. & 10. 4. Being used here in a passive sence, it is, it was exacted, and required of him. that is, the punishment due to our sinnes was required of Jesus Christ having undertaken to be a sponsor: And so Junius hath supplyed the words: Exigitur paena, Punishment was exacted. And this is more proper, then what we read, He was oppressed; though that also be significant of the same thing. How the punishment of our sinne was exacted or required of Jeremiah, the Annotatour declares not.

The other word is foreign Naanch; the Vulg. Lat. seemes to§. 52. looke to the active use of the word, to answer; and therefore renders it voluit; he would, he willingly submitted to it, or he undertook to do that which was exacted. And much may be said for this interpretation from the use of the word in Scriptur…. And then the sence will be, it was exacted of him; or our punishment was required of him, & he undertook it with willingnesse, & patience: so it denotes the will of Christ in undergoing the penalty due to our sinnes, which he expresseth Psal. 40. 8. Heb. 10. 6, 7. Take it in the sence wherein it is most commonly used, and it denotes the event of the exacting the penalty of our sinnes of him: He was afflicted. In what sence this may possibly be applyed to Ieremiah, I leave to the Annotatour's friends to find out.

The next words, He opened not his mouth, he applyes unto the Patience §. 53.of Ieremiah, who did neither speak, nor do any thing angrily when he was cast into prison. Of that honour which we owe to all the Saints departed, and in an especiall manner to the great builders of the Church of God, the Prophets and Apostles, this is no small part, that we deliver them from under the burthen of having that ascribed to them, who are members, which is peculiar to their head. I say then, the perfect submission and patience expressed in these words, was not found in holy Ieremiah, who in his Affliction and triall opened his mouth, and cursed the day wherein he was borne: & when he says that himself was as a Lamb, and as an Oxe appointed to the slaughter, in the same place, and at the same time he prayes for vengeance on his Adversaries, Ierem. 11. 19. in those words, not denoting his patience, but his being exposed to their cruelty.

p. 543V. 8. He was taken from prison and from judgement, and who §. 54.shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he smitten.

The person speaking is here changed, as is manifest from the closed of the verse, for the transgression of my people; who were the speakers before. These then are the words of God by the Prophet: and they are not without their difficulties, concerning which the Reader may consult Commentatours at large. Grotius thus

De carcere & judicio ablatus est] id est, liberatus tandem: Judicium vocat hoc, quia specie judicii ipsi haec mala imposita fuerunt. Jerem. 32.Grot. 3. liberatur autem per Babylonios. Generationem ejus quis enarrabit?] Quis numerare poterit dies vitae ejus? id est, erit valde longaevus. Quia abscissus est de terra viventium] nempe cum actus fuit primum in carcerem, deinde in lacum illum caenosum, & rursum in carcerem.

He was taken from prison and judgement.] that is, he was at length delivered. He calls it judgement, because these evills were imposed on him with a pretence of Judgement. But he was freed by the Babylonians: Who shall declare his generation?] Who shall be able to number the dayes of his life? that is, He shall live very long. For he was cut off out of the land of the living] namely, when he was throwne into the prison, and then into the miery pit, and then into prison againe. He adds, Propter scelus populi mei percussi eum] in Heb. est plaga ipsi (supple supervenit) populi summo errore, ac crimine, ut ante dictum est. For the wickednesse of my people I have stricken him] in the Hebrew it is, Stroke i… on him (that is, befell him) through the great errour and fault of the people, as it before said. So farre he.

The sence of these words being a little tryed out, their application will be manifest. The first words are not without§. 55. their difficulty, foreign from prison say we. The word is from foreign prohibere, coercere; to forbid and restraine: and is no where used for a prison directly. The LXX have rendred it, foreign, in his humility or humiliation, his Judgement or sentence was taken away, referring one of the words to one thing, and another to another. The Vulgar Latine, Angustia: Arias Mountanus, clausura: Junius, per coarctationem: rendring the preposition by, not from. The p. 544word is rendred by us, oppression: Psal. 107. 39. it is at the utmost in reference to a Prison, claustrum, a place where any may be …hut up: but may as well be rendred Angustia, with the Vulgar Latine; better coarctation, with Junius, being taken for any kind of st…ait and restraint. And indeed properly our Saviour was not cast into a Prison, though he was all night under restaint. If the intendment of the words be about what he was d…livered from under which he was; and not what he was delivered from, that he should not undergoe it, foreign and from judgement, there is no difficulty in the word. Only whose judgement it is, that he was taken from, is worth inquiry; whither that of God or man▪ foreign he was taken, ublatus est. The Vulgar Latine, he was taken up. foreign is capere, accipere, fe…re, tollere, a word of very large use, both in a good, and in a bad sence; to be taken up, it will scarcely be found to signify; to be taken away, very often.

Now the sence of these words is, that either Christ was§. 56. taken away, that is, killed and slaine by his pressures, and the pretended judgement that was passed on him, or else that he was delivered from the straights and judgement, that might have come upon him. Although he was so afflicted, yet he was taken away from distresse & judgement. Iunius would have the former sence: & the exegesis of the word, taken away, by the following words he was cut off from the Land of the Living, seeme to require it: In that sence the words are, B…durance, restraint, affliction & judgement, either the Righteous Judgment of God, (as Iunius) or the pretended▪ juridicall processe of men, he was taken away or slain. If I go off from this sence of the words, of all other apprehensions, I should cleave to that of eternall restraint or condemnation, from which Christ was delivered in his greatest distresse, Isa. 50. 7, 8. Heb. 5. 7. Though his Afflictions were g…eat, and his pressures sore, yet he was delivered from eternall restraint and Condemnation; it being not possible that he should be detained of death.

Applying all this to Ieremiah, sayes Grotius, he was delivered §. 57.from prison and judgement by the Babylonians That foreign is delivered, & that he was delivered by the Babylonians frō judgment, after that judgment had passed on him, & sentence been executed for many moneths, is strange. But let us proceed to what followes.

Who shall declare his generation? Who shall speak it, or be able p. 545to speak it? foreign his generation. foreign is aetas, generatio, saeculum: gr. foreign; who shall expound his generation, or declare it: that is, though he be so taken away by opp…ession, and judgement, yet his continuance, his generation, his abiding shall be such, as Quis eloquetur? Who shall speake it? It shall be for ever and ever; for he was to be satisfied with long, or eternall life, and therein to see the Salvation of God.

This is (saies Grotius) Wo can declare the Generation of §. 58.Ieremiah? he shall live so great a space of time. He began his Prophesy when he was very young, Ch. 1. v. 5. even in the 13^th yeare of Iosiah: and he continued Prophesying in Ierusalem untill the 11^th yeare of Zedekiah, about 40 years: and how long he lived after this is uncertain. Probably he might live in all 60 years; whereas it is evident that Hosea prophesyed 80 years or very neer. Now that this should be so marveilous a thing, that a man should live 60 or 70 years, that God should foretell it, as a strange thing, above twice so many years before, and expresse it by way of admiration, that none should be able to declare it, is such an Interpretation of Scripture, as becomes not the Learned Annotator. Let the Learned Reader consult Abarbinel's Accommodation of these words to Iosiah, and he will see what shifts the poor man is put to, to give them any tolerable sence.

For he was cut off out of the land of the living. foreign §. 59.foreign. His life was taken from the Earth: to the sence, not the letter:] foreign cut off, as a branch is cut off a tree; foreign is abscindere, succidere, excidere, to cut off. The Land of the living, is the state and condition of them that live in this world; so that to be cut off from the Land of the living, is a proper expression for to be slaine, as in reference to Christ it is expressed by another word, Dan. 9. 26. The meaning of this is, saies Grotius, Jeremiah was cast into the Prison, and into the miery lake. He was cut off out of the Land of the Living; that is, he was put into Prison twice, and taken out againe. If this be not to offer violence to the word of God, I know not what is. The Learned man confesses, that this whole Prophesy belongs to Christ also; but he leaves no sence to the words, whereby they possibly may be applied to him. How was Christ cast into Prison, and a miery pit, and taken out from thence by the way of deliverance?

p. 546For the transgression of my People was he stricken. Of the sence of§. 60. this expression, that Christ was smitten, or that the stroke of punishment was upon him for our sinnes, or the sinnes of Gods people, I have spoken before. Grotius would have it, by the sins, that is, the People sinned in doing of it; that is, in putting Jeremiah into Prison. The whole Context evidently manifests, and the Preposition in the Relation wherein it stands to sinne and punishment, necessarily requires, that the impulsive, and meritorious, not the efficient cause, be denoted thereby.

V. 9. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in §. 61.his death, because he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Et dabit impios pro sepulturâ & divitem pro morte suâ.]Grot. Illi ipsi interficere eum etiam voluerant, ut legimus Jerem. 26. At Deus istius vice viros potentes quidem, sed improbos, Sacerdotes nempe, mortem Jeremiae machinatos, morti dedit per Chaldaeos, 2 Reg. 25. 18, 19, 20, 21. Nihill illis divitiae suae profuerunt, quibus redimi se posse speraverant. Eò quod iniquitatem non fecerit, ne{que} dolus fuerit in ore ejus.] quanquam nihil aliud dixerat, quàm quod Deus ei mandaverat.

And he shall give the wicked for his grave or buriall, and the Rich for his death.] They would have slaine him, as we read Ierem. 26. But God gave them, that were very powerfull indeed, but wicked, even the Priests that designed his death, up to Death by the Chaldeans, 2 King. 25. 18. their riches, whereby they hoped to redeeme themselves, profited them nothing.—although he had not said any thing, but what God commanded him.

It is confessed, that the first words are full of difficulty, and§. 62. various are the Interpretations of them: which the Reader may consult in Expositours. It is not my work at present to Comment on the Text, but to consider its Accommodation by Grotius. The most single sence of the words to mee seems to bee, that Christ being cut off from the Land of the Living, had his Sepulcher among wicked men, being taken down from the Crosse as a Malefactor, and yet was buried in the Grave of a Rich man, by Joseph of Arimathea in his own grave; the consent of which Interpretation with the Text, is discovered by Forsterus and Mercerus, names of sufficient Authority in all Hebrew literature. p. 547The sence that Grotius fixes on, is, that God delivered Ieremiah from death, and gave others to be slaine in his steed, who had contrived his death. But

1. Of deliverance from death here is no mention; yea he, §. 63.who is spoken of, was foreign in mortibus ejus, in his deaths, or under death and its power. So that it is not, Others shall dye for him, but, He being dead, under the power of death, his grave, or buriall, or sepulcher, shall be so disposed of.

2. There is not any word spoken of putting others to death; but of giving, or placing his Grave with the wicked. Nor were those mentioned in the 2 King. 25. 18, 19. that were slaine by the King of Babel, as it doth any way appeare, of the peculiar enemies of Ieremiah; the chiefe of th…m S…raiah being pr…bably he, to whom Jeremiah gave his Prophesy against Babylon, who is said to be a quiet Prince, Ierem. 51. 59, 61.

3. It is well that it is granted, that pro is as much as vice: for one, in ones steed: which the Learned Annotators friends will scarce allow.

4. The application of those words, He did no violence, nor was there any deceit found in his mouth, (which are used to expresse the absolutely perfect innocency of the Sonne of God) to any man, who as a man is, or was a lyar, is little lesse then Blasphemy, and to restraine them to the Prophets message from God, is devoid of all pretence of plea.

V. 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him: he shall put him to griefe: when thou shalt make his soule an offering for sinne, he shall see §. 64.his seed, he shall prolong his daies, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Tamen Deo visum est eum conterere & infirmare.] id est, attenuare fame, illuvie, squalore: verba activa apud Hebraeos saepè Gret.permittendi habent significationem; causa sequitur, cur id Deus permiserit. Si posuerit pro delicto animam suam, videbit semen longaevum.] verteris recte: ut cum semetipsum subjecerit paenis, videat semen, diu{que} vivat. Hebraeis paena etiam injuste irrogata foreign dicitur, quia infligitur si non sonti, certe quasi sonti; si… foreign sumi apparet, Gen. 31. 39. Zech. 14. 19. Vixit diu Jeremias in Aegypto.

Yet it seemed good to God to Bruise and Weaken him.] that is, to weaken him, and bring him downe by hunger, p. 548filth, &c. Active verbs among the Hebrews, have often the signification of permitting: the Reason followes, why God suffered this. If he make his soule &c.] You shall rightly read it, that when he hath submitted himselfe to punishments, that then he may see his seed and live long. Amongst the Hebrews punishment un…ustly inflicted, is called asham, because it is inflicted on him that is guilty, or supposed so. So it is evident, that Chata is taken Gen. 31. 39. Zech. 14. 19. Jeremiah lived long in Egypt.

The words and sence are both briefely to be considered. foreign §. 65.voluit, the Lord would bruise him: delectatus est; Jun: It pleased the Lord, say we. The Greek renders this word foreign, properly; although in the following words it utterly departs from the originall. The word is not only velle, but voluntatem seu complacentiam habere, to take delight to doe the thing, and in the doing of it, which we will to be done, Numb. 14. 8. Iudges 13. 23. Our Translation referres it to the Purpose, and good pleasure of God; so is the word used Jonah 1. 14. and in sundry other places. The Noune of the same signification is used ag…ine in this verse, foreign and translated▪ the pleasure; The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper; that is, the thing which pleases him, and which he hath purposed to doe. The purpose and pleasure of the Lord in giving Christ up to death, Act. 2. 23. & 4 26, 27▪ is doubtlesse that which the Prophet here intends; which also as to the execution of it, is farther expressed, Zechar. 13. 7.

2. It pleased the Lord, foreign eum contundere; conterere, frangere: §. 66.to bruise, or breake him: in answer to what was said before, v. 5. he was wounded, he was bruised, &c.

That which is said to accommodate all this to Jeremiah, is, that by all this is intended, that God permitted it to be done to him. But,

1. The word Chaphetz is no where used in that sence, nor will§. 67. any where beare tha… Interpretation. And though some active verbs in the Hebrew may be interpreted in a sence of permitting, or suffering the thing to be done, which is said to be done: Yet that all may so be interpreted when we please, without a cogent Reason of such an Interpretation; that this verb signifying not only to will, but with delight and purpose, should be so interpreted, and that in this place, not admitting of such a Glosse in p. 549any other place, is that which was needfull to be said by the Learned Annotator; but with what pretence of Reason or Truth, I know not.

2. As to Christ, to whom he confesseth these words properly§. 68. to belong, the proper sence of the word is to be retained, as hath been shewed; and it is very marveilous, the improper sence of the word should be used in reference to him, to whom it nextly belongs; and the proper, in reference to him, who is more remotely, and secondarily signifyed.

For the second passage; when, or if, thou or he shall make his §. 69.soule an offering for sinne: or as it may be read, when his soule shall make an offering for sinne; it may relate either to God, giving him up for a Sacrfice, his Soule for his whole humane nature; or to Christ, whose soule was, or who offered himselfe as a Sacrifice to God, Eph. 5. 2. Which way soever it be taken, it is peculiar to Christ; for neither did God ever make any one else an Offering for sinne, nor did ever any person but Christ, make himself an offering, or had power so to doe, or would have been accepted in so doing. To suit these words to Ieremiah, it is said, that foreign in the Hebrew, signifies any punishment, though unjustly inflicted.

I will not say that the Learned Annotator affirmes this, with a§. 70. mind to deceive; But yet I cannot but think, that as he hath not given, so he could not give one instance out of the Scripture, of that use of the word which he pretends. This I am sure, that his Assertion hath put me to the labour, of considering all the places of Scripture, where the word is used, in the full collections of Calasius; and I dare Confidently assure the Reader, that there is no colour for this Assertion, nor instance to make it good. The Greekes have rendred it foreign, an offering for sinne; as is expressed, Rom. 8. 3 Heb. 10. 5, 8. so the word is used Levit. 5. 16. & 7. 1. But,

If foreign be not used in that sence, yet foreign is, in Gen. 31. 39. Z…char. 14 19. But,§. 71.

1. This doth not satisfie, If this word may not be so interpreted, which is here used; yet another, which is not here used, may be so interpreted; and therefore that which is here used, must have the same sence. Nor,

2. Can he prove that foreign hath any other signification, but§. 72. p. 550either of sinne, or punishment, or satisfaction; In the first place instanced in, Gen. 31. 39. Iacob says, that, for that, which was taken away out of the flock of Laban, he expiated it, he made satisfaction for it, as the Law afterwards required in such cases should be done, Exod. 22. 12. And in that place of Zech. 14. 19. it is precisely punishment for sinne. But this word is not in our Text.

Take then the word in any sence that it will admit of, to apply this expression to Jeremiah, is no lesse then Blasphemy. To say that either God, or himselfe made him a sacrifice for sinne, is to Blaspheme the one Sacrifice of the Son of God.

For the next words, He shall see his seed, Grotius knowes not§. 73. how to make any application of them to Ieremiah, and therefore he speaks nothing of them. How they belong to Christ, is evident, Psal 22. 30. Heb. 2, 8, 9. that, he shall prolong his daies, is not applicable to Ieremiah, of whom the Annotator knew not how long he lived in Egypt, hath been formerly declared. Christ prolonged his daies, in that notwithstanding that he was d…ad, he is alive, and lives for ever.

The last clause concerning the prospering of the good pleasure, the§. 74. will, and pleasure of the Lord, in the hand of Jesus Christ, for the gathering of his Church, through his blood, and making peace between God and Man, hath little relation to any thing, that is spoken of Jeremiah, whose ministry for the conversion of soules, doth not seem to have had any thing eminent in it above other Prophets; yea falling in a time, when the Wickednesse of the People, to whom he was sent, was come up to the height, his message seemed to be almost totally rejected.

V. 11. He shall see of the travaile of his soule, and shall be satisfied: §. 75.By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities.

The event, and glorious issue of the suffering of Christ, in respect of himselfe and others, with the Reason thereof, is briefly comprised and expressed in this verse.

Videbit & saturabitur.] videbit diu ad satietatem: simile lequendi Grot.genus in Hebraeo. Gen. 25. 8. & 35. 19. 1 Paralip. 23. 1. & 29. 28. 2 Paral. 24. 14.

In scientiâ suâ.] per eam quam habet Dei cognitionem.

Justificabit ipse justus servus meus multos.] Exemplo & institutione p. 551corriget multos, etiam ex gentibus. Haec est maximè propria verbi foreign significatio, & G…aeci foreign, ut apparet Dan. 12. 3. Apocal. 22. 11. & alibi saepè.

Et iniquitates eorum ipse portabit.] id est, auferet, per foreign, quia qui sordes aliquas auferunt, solent eos coll… supposito portare: Abstulit Jeremias multorum peccata, ita ut diximus, corrigendo.

He shall see and be satisfied] he shall see long, unto satiety; the like phrase of speech you have in the Hebrew, Gen. 25. 8. &c. By his knowledge] By that knowledge which he hath of God. He shall justify many.] by his example and institution he shall convert many, even from among the Heathen: this is the most proper sence of the word foreign and of foreign in the Greek; as appeareth Dan. 12. 3. Revel. 22. 11. &c. For he shall bare their iniquities] that is, take them away, by a Metonymy: because those that take away filth, use to take it on their necks, and beare it. Ieremiah took away the sinnes of many, as was said, by correcting or amending them.

The intelligent Reader will easily perceive the whole Socinian §. 76.poyson, about the Death of Christ, to be infolded in this Interpretation. His knowledge is the knowledge that he had of God, and his Will, which he decalres: to justify, is to amend mens lives, and to beare sinne, is to take it away. According to the Analogy of this Faith, you may apply the Text to whom you please, as well as to Ieremiah. But the words are of another import, as we shall briefely see.

1. Those words foreign which the vulgar Latine rende…s, pro eo quod laboravit: ad verbum, propter laborem animae suae, which expresse the object of the seeing mentioned, and that wherewith he was satisfied, are not taken notice of. The travaile of the soule of Christ, is the fruit of his labour, travaile, and suffering: this, saies the Prophet, he shall see, that is, receive, perceive, enjoy; as the verbe foreign in many places signifies: verbes of sence with the Hebrews, having very large significations: foreign saturabitur, he shall be full, and well contented,, and pleased with the fruit that he shall have of all his labour, and Travaile: This (saith Grotius) is, He shall see to satiety, whereby he intends he should live very long, as is evident from the places whither he sends us, for an Exposition of these words, Gen. 25. 8. &c. in all p. 552which mention is made of men that were old, and full of daies.

1. But to live to satiety, is to live till a man be weary of living,§. 77. which may not be ascribed to the Prophet.

2. This of his long life, was spoken of immediatly before, according to the Interpretation of our Annotator, and is not (probably)inst…ntly again repeated.

3. The long life of Jeremiah by way of eminency above others, is but pretended; as hath been evinced. But

4. How came this wo…d to see, to be taken neutrally, and to signify to live? What instance of this sence, or use of the word can be given? I dare boldly say, not one: He shall see unto satiety, that is, he shall live long.

5. The words videbit, saturabitur, do not stand in any such relation to one another, or construction, as to endure to be cast into this forme: It is not, videbit diu ad satietatem; much lesse, vivet ad s…tietatem, but videbit, saturabitur.

6. The word shall see, evidently relates to the words going before, the travaile of his soule: if it had been, he shall see many years, or many daies, and be satisfied; it had been something. But it is, He shall see of the travaile of his soule, and be satisfied.

2. By his knowledge foreign in, or by his knowledge, in scientiâ §. 78.suâ, Vulg. Lat. Cognitione sui, Jun. The LXX wholly perv…t▪ all the words of this verse, except the last, as they do also of the former. That by the knowledge here mentioned, is meant the knowledge of Christ taken objectively, and not the knowledge of God taken actively, as our Annotator supposes, is evident from the fruit that is ascribed hereunto, which is the justification of them that have that knowledge. By his knowledge, that is, the knowledge of him, they shall be justified, Phil: 3 8. So, teach me thy feare, that is, the feare of thee: my worship, that is, the worship of mee. No knowledge of God in the Land. But the use of this is in the next words.

My righteous Servant shall justify many: that this terme used§. 79. thus absolutely, My righteous servant, is not applied to any in the Scripture besides Jesus Christ, hath been declared, especially, where that is ascribed to him, which here is spoken of, can it be no otherwise understood. foreign shall justify, that is, shall absolve from their sinnes, and pronounce them Righteous, Grotius would have the word here to signify, to make holy and Righteous p. 553by instruction and institution, as Dan. 12. 3. and foreign, Revel. 22. 11. That both these words are to be taken in a forensicall signification, that commonly, mostly they are so taken in the Scriptures, that scarce on… and another instance can be given to the contrary, that in the matter of our Acceptation with God through Christ, they can no otherwise be interpreted, hath been abundantly manifested by those, who have written of the doctrine of justification at large; that is not now my present businesse. This I have from the Text, to lay in the way of the Interpretation of the Learned Annotator: the Reason, and Foundation of this justification here mentioned, is in the following words, which indeed steere the sence of the whole Text. For he shall bear their iniquities. Now what justification of men is a proper effect of anothers bearing their iniquities? Doubtlesse the acquitting of them from the guilt of their sinnes, on the account of their sinnes being so borne, and no other. But,

Sayes our Annotatour, To beare their sinnes, is to take them away, §. 80.by a figurative expression: If this may not be unde…stood, I suppose every one will confesse, that the Annotator hath laboured in vaine, as to his whole endeavour of applying this Prophesy unto Ieremiah▪ If by bearing our iniquities, be intended the undergoing of the punishment of those iniquities, & not the delivering men frō their iniquities, the whole matter here treated of, can relate to none but Iesus Christ, & to him it doth relate in the sence contended for. Now to evince this sence we have al the Arguments that any place is capable to receive the confirmation of its proper sence by.

For 1. The word as is confessed, signifies properly to beare or§. 18. carry, and not to take away; Nor is it ever otherwise used in the Scripture, as hath beenn declared, and the the proper use of a word is not to be departed from, & a figurative admitted without great necessity.

2. The whole phrase of speech of bearing iniquity is constantly in the Scripture used for bearing or undergoing the punishment due to sin, as hath been proved by instances in abundance; nor can any instance to the contrary be produced.

3. The manner whereby Christ bare the iniquities of men, as described in this Chapter, namely by being wounded, bruised put to griefe, will admit of no interpretation, but that by us insisted on. From all which it is evident, how violently the Scripture p. 554is here perverted by rendring, My righteous servant shall justify many, for the shall bear their iniquities, by, Ieremiah shall instruct many in godlinesse and so turne them from their sinnes.

V. the last. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, §. 82.and he shall divide the spoile with the strong, because he hath poured out his soule unto death, and he was numbred with transgressors, and he beare the sinnes of many, and made intercession for the Transgressours.

A further fruit of the travaile of the Lord Christ in his conquest over all oppositions, in the victory he obtained, the spoiles that he made, expressed after the manner of the things of men, with the causes and antecedents of his Exaltation, is summarily comprised in these last words. Hereof thus Grotius.

Dispartiam ei plurimos.] Dabo ei partem in multis: id est, multos servabunt Chaldaei in ejus gratiam, vide Jerem. 39. 17. Et fortium dividet spolia.] id est, Nabuzardan Magister militum, capta urbe, de praeda ipsi dona mittet. Jer. 40. 5. Oblatus etiam ipsi a Chaldaeis locus quantum vellet. Pro eo quod tradidit in mortem animam suam] in Hebraeo, Quia effudit in mortem animam suam, id est, periculis mortis semet objecit, colendo veritatem quae odium parit. Vide historiam ad hanc rem oppositam, Jerem. 26. 13. Sic foreign dici pro periculo mortis semet objicere diximus ad Joh. 10. 11. Et com sceleratis reputatus est] Ita est tractatus quo modo scelerati solent in carcere, catenis & barathro. Et peccata multorum tulit] pessime tractatus fuit permultorum improbitatem uti sup. v. 5. Et pro Transgressoribus rogavit] foreign est depr ecari: Sensus est, eo ipso tempore cum tam dura patere tur a populis, non cessavit ad Deum preces pro eis fundere, vide Jerem. 14. 7. &c.

I will divide him a portion with the great, or many] that is, the Chaldeans shall preserve many for his sake. Ierem. 39. 17. He shall divide the spoile with the strong,] that is, Nabuzardan the chiefe Captain, the City being taken, shall send him gifts of the prey, Ier. 40. 5. As much land also as he would was offered him by the Chaldeans. Because he poured out his soule unto death] that is, he exposed himselfe to the dangers of death, by following truth, which begets hatred. See Iere. 26. 13. foreign is spoken for exposing a mans life to danger of death. He bare the sinne of many] or was evilly treated by the wickednes of the many. And made intercession for the Toansgressours;] he prayed for the People, &c.

p. 555To runne briefely over this exposition§. 83.

1. I will divide him a portion with the great, that is, the Chaldees shall save many for his sake. How is this proved? Ierem. 39 17, 18. Where God sayes, he will s…ve Ebedmelech, because he put his trust in him: Such is the issue commonly, when men will wrest the Scripture to their own imaginations. Such are their proofes of what they affirme.

2. He shall divide the spoyle with the strong: that is, the Citty being taken, the Captaines of the guard gave him victualls, and a reward, and set him at liberty, as we read Jerem. 40. 5.

3. Because he poured out his soule to death; that is, he ventured his life by preaching the truth; although he did not dye. For

4. He bare the sin of many: that is, by the wickednesse of many he was wronged; though this expression in the verse foregoing be interpreted, he shall take away their sinnes: and that when a word of a more restrained signification is used to expresse bearing, then that here used. At this rate a man may make applycation of what he will, to whom he will.§. 84.

Upon the sence of the words, and their accomplishment in and upon the Lord Jesus Christ, I shall not insist. That they do not respect Jeremiah at all, is easily evinced from the consideration of the intollerable wresting of the words, and their sence by the Learned Annotator, to make the least allusion appeare betwixt what befell him, and what is expressed.

To close these Animadversions, I shall desire the Reader to observe

1. That there is not any Application of these words made to the Prophet Ieremiah, that suits him in any measure; but what may also be made to any Prophet, or Preacher of the word of God, that met wi…h affliction and persecution, in the discharge of his duty, and was delivered by the presence of God with him: So that there is no reason to perswade us, that Ieremiah was peculiarly intended in this Prophesy.

2. That the Learned Annotatour, though he professe that Jesus Christ was intended in the letter of this Scripture, yet hath interpreted the whole, not only without the least mention of Iesus Christ, or application of it unto him, but also hath so opened the severall words and expressions of it, as to leave no place nor roome for the maine Doctrine of his Satisfaction here principally intended. And how much the Church of God is beholding p. 456to him for his paine and travaile herein, the Reader may judge.