guiltinesse of conscience for sinne; fearing where no feare is, Psal. 53. 6. So in Pro. 28. 1. The wicked flee, when no man pursueth. Hereof there is a lively description in Iob 15. 20. 21. &c. and the contrary in Psalme 27. 1. 2. &c.
Vers. 18. not hearken] or, not obey; in Chaldee, not receive my word: as vers. 14. Here God, to shew his [unspec 18] long-sufferance, and the more to affect his people, chastiseth by degrees, according to the measure of their sinnes, and prophesieth of their stubborne∣nesse, who would not amend with light punish∣ments; whereof he after complaineth thus, In vaine have I smitten your children, they received no correcti∣on: Ieremie 2. 30. seven times] a certaine number, for an uncertaine, meaning many times; seven is a complete number, as is noted on Gen. 33. 3. Levit. 4. 6.
Vers. 19. the excellencie] or, the pompe, pride, haugh∣••inesse of your strength; called elsewhere, the excellen∣cie [unspec 19] (or pomp) of the strong-ones; Ezek. 7. 24. This is in particular, applied to their Sanctuarie and reli∣gion, in Ezek. 24 21. Behold I will profane my San∣ctuarie, the excellencie of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and the pitie of your soule. Though it im∣plieth generally all other things, wherein strength and excellencie doe consist: see Ezek. 30. 6 18. and 33. 28. will make] Hebr. will give your hea∣vens, that is, as the Chaldee translateth, the hea∣vens that are over you: and so Moses expoundeth it in Deut. 28. 23. as yron] the Chaldee explai∣neth it, hard as yron, that they shall not give-downe raine; and the earth that is under you, strong as brasse, that it shall yeeld no fruit. So in Deut. 28. 23. save that there Moses likeneth the heavens to brasse, and the earth to yron. This is contrary to the blessing pro∣mised in verse 4. And the complement hereof is shewed in Ier. 14. 1. 2. &c. where a dearth is menti∣oned for which Iudah mourned, her gates langui∣shed, the cry of Ierusalem ascended; their Nobles sent their little ones for water, but they found none, they returned with the vessels empty; the ground was chapt, for there was no raine in the earth: the Hind cal∣ved in the field, and forsooke it; the wilde asses snuffed up the wind, & their eyes fayled, because there was no grasse.
Vers. 20. her increase] the increase, or fruit ex••pe∣cted; [unspec 20] or which otherwise it should naturally yeeld; so in Genes. 4. 12. And this is an effect of the for∣mer restraining of raine, as Hag. 1. 10. Deuter. 11. 17. The word increase, is in Greeke translated spo∣〈…〉〈…〉, seed sowne: and so Paul useth it in like sense, saying, hee that ministreth seed to the sower, &c. multiply your seed-sowne; (that is, your increase,) 2 Corinth. 9. 10. the trees] the complement hereof is shewed, in Ioel 1. 12. The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate-tree, the palme tree also and the apple-tree, all the trees of the f••ld are withered. their fruit] the fruit which naturally they should bring ••orth. So another Pro∣phet saith; There shall be no grapes on the vine, nor 〈…〉〈…〉gges on the fig tree; and the leafe shall fade, and the things that I have given them, shall passe away from them, Ier. 8. ••3.
Verse 21. contrarie] Hebr. in contrarietie, (which [unspec 21] word 〈◊〉〈◊〉, is added in verse. 27.) or, at all-adventure, by chance. The Hebrew Keri; signifieth both con∣trarietie, and chance or accident: the Greeke trans∣lateth it contrary (or thwart) as opposing themselves to God and his commandements: the Chaldee ex∣poundeth it, if yee walke before mee with hardnesse, (that is, stubbornely.) If we understand it for chance or adventure, the meaning is to walke carelesly; come upon it what will; and to esteeme the punish∣ments not as from the hand of God for their sins, but to come by chance, as the Philistines said, in 1 Sam. 6. 9. then we shall know that it is not (the LORDS) hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us. This latter the Hebrewes follow; for speaking of tribulations upon them, they say, If men cry not to the Lord, but say, this thing happeneth to us according to the custome of the world, and this tribulation is a chance that hath befallen us; then is this the way of cru∣elty, and occasioneth them to cleave still unto their evill workes, & this tribulation, shall adde other tribulations; as it is written (in Lev. 26. 27. 28.) and (if) yee walke with me by chance, then I will walke with you in wrath (or heat) of chance: as if he should say, when tribulation commeth on you, to the end you might repent, if you say it is a chance. I will adde unto you the hot-wrath of that chance. Maim. in Misn. tom. 1. in Taanioth, (or treat. of Humiliation) ch. 1. sect. 3. not willing to hear∣ken] or, will not obey; which the Chaldee expoun∣deth, will not receive my word. An higher degree of obstinacie is here foreseene and prophesied of this people; the complement whereof, the Prophet be∣waileth, saying, Oh Lord, thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder then a Rocke, they have refu∣sed to returne, Ier. 5. 3.
Vers 22. wilde beasts] as God sent fierie serpents, [unspec 22] Num. 21. 6. Lions, 2 King. 17. 25. Beares, 2 King. 2. 24. and threatneth other the like, Esa. 13. 21. 22. And spiritually, these are wicked rulers, and tyrants that kill and spoile, as Prov. 28. 15. Dan. 7. 3. 4. 5. 6. Psal. 80. 13. and false Prophets that devoure soules, Matth. 7. 15. Revel. 13. 1. 2. &c. So the Prophet (speaking of their punishments by Tyrants) saith, A Lion out of the forrest shall slay them; a Wolfe of the evenings, shall spoile them; a Leopard, shall watch over their cities; every one that goeth out thence, shall be torne in pieces, because their transgressions are many, &c. Ierem. 5. 6. And of their Prophets he saith, O Isra∣el, thy Prophets, are like the Foxes in the deserts; Ezek. 13. 4. See also Ier. 8. 17. and 15. 3. desolate] or lye-waste, because there shall bee none walking in them, Esa. 33. 8. Ezek. 14. 15. For this Ieremie la∣mented, The wayes of Sion doe mourne, because none come to the solemne-feasts, Lam. 1. 4.
Vers. 23. by me] or to me, that is, so as to obey me: [unspec 23] the Chaldee saith, to my word. contrarie] or, stubbornely; or, at all adventures, as verse 21.
Verse 24. contrarie] Hebrew in contrarietie: [unspec 24] Chaldee in hardnesse; the Greeke addeth, with contrary wrath, as in verse 28. GOD dea∣leth with men according to their wickednesse, and with the froward, hee sheweth himselfe w••y, Psal. 18. 27.
Verse 25. a sword] the Chaldee explaineth [unspec 25]