the communion of the Saints among them∣selves, which should bee holy; who, as they must abstaine from false gods, so from communi∣on in the rites and ordinances of religion, with the children of such. Christ is the Sonne of God in nature, the Sonne of his love, Coless. 1. 13. Wee in Christ are the sonnes of God by adoption, Rom. 8. 15. by faith in Christ, Gal. 3. 26. So many as are led by the Spirit of God, Rom. 8. 14. and are made partakers of his love, as it is written, Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that wee should bee called the children of God, 1 Ioh. 3. 1. not cut your selves] as was the manner of the heathens, especially in their sorrow, 1 King. 18. 28. Ier. 41. 5. and in particular, when their friends died, Ier. 16. 6. which thing is chiefly intended here. The Chaldee translateth, yee shall not make a tumult. Because they are the children of God, ther∣fore they must walke in his feare, 1 Pet. 1. 17. and purifie themselves, even as he is pure, 1 Ioh. 3. 3. and beare all accidents and afflictions that come upon them, patiently; and forsake all heathenish customes, and not hurt their owne bodies, which are the Temples of the holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6. 19. See the notes on Levit. 19. 28. The Hebrewes say, that Gedidah, the cutting here spoken of, and Seri∣tah, the incision, in Levit. 19. 28. are one thing: and hee that cutteth himselfe for the dead, whether it be an incision with his hand, or an incision with an instrument, he is to be beaten. Maimony treat. of ido∣latry, chap. 12. sect. 13. put baldnesse] that is, make your selves bald, by shaving or plucking off the haire; which also they used in mourning for the dead, Ezek. 7. 18. and 27. 31. Ier. 16. 6. and 48. 37. See also Levit. 21. 5. and 19. 27. be∣tweene your eies] that is, on the fore-part of your head: as the Phylacteries which were to be between their eies, were worne on their heads, as is noted on Exod. 13. 9. 16. And in Levit. 21. 5. it is writ∣ten, They shall not make baldnesse upon their head. for the dead] this is an explanation of that which elsewhere he saith, for a soule, Levit. 19. 28. and 21. 1. The Hebrewes here say, If your father dye, yee shall not cut your selves, nor make you bald nor sorrow more than is meet; for you are not father∣lesse, because you have a father who is great, living, and permanent, even the holy blessed God. But an Infidell, when his father dieth, hath no father that can help him in time of need; for his father which is left him is of wood, & his mother of stone; as it is written, saying to a stocke. Thou art my father, & to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth, (Ier. 2. 27.) therfore they weepe & cut themselves, & make them bald. And fur∣ther, because thou art an holy people, therefore thou maiest not deforme thy selfe (or make thee ill-favou∣red.) Chazkuni on Deut. 14. Yea, even the wise among the heathens themselves, blamed this folly in men, that mangled their bodies for the dead, calling them Varia & detestabilia generalugendi, pe∣dores, muliebres lacerationes genarum, pectoris, foe∣morum, capitis percussiones. Cicer. Tusc. quaest. l. 3.
Vers. 2. of peculiar treasure] in Greeke, a pecu∣liar people; in Chaldee, abeloved people: see the an∣notations [unspec 2] on Exod. 19. 5.
Vers. 3. any abomination] This Sol. Iarchi, and [unspec 3] the Thargum called Ionathans, well explaine, any thing that I have made abominable to you, (or, put farre from you.) For every creature of God is good, 1 Tim. 4. 4. and there is nothing common (or un∣cleane) of it selfe, Rom. 14. 14. but by the ordi∣nance of God, certaine creatures, meats and drinks were made uncleane unto the Iewes, yet not for ever, but imposed upon them untill the time of reformation, Heb. 9. 10. And this law taught them holinesse, in abstaining from the impure commu∣nion with the wicked, Act. 10. 13. 17. 20, 28. See the annotations on Levit. 11. The Hebrewes saw this mysterie; for Baal Hatturim on this place noteth, Next unto these words, For thou art an holy people, &c. he saith, Thou shalt not eat any abomina∣tion; meaning, that they should not be commixed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 infidels, for infidels are like unto beasts.
Vers. 4. Kid of goats] or, the lambe of goats: the [unspec 4] Hebrew Seh, is either a young sheepe, or a young goat, as Exod. 12. 4, 5. and by naming the Lambe, he meaneth all the breed of these beasts, young or old; as the sonne of man, is used for any man gene∣rally, old or young, Psal. 144. 3. Iob 25. 6.
Vers. 5. Hart] in Hebrew, Ajal, a wilde beast [unspec 5] well knowne, whose female is called an H••••de, Gen. 49. 21. light of foot, 2 Sam. 22. 34. bringing forth her young with great sorrow, Iob 39. 1, 2, 3. Such were meat at Solomons table, 1 King. 4. 23. Roe-buck] in Hebr. Tsebi, of the pleasa〈…〉〈…〉le or beauty of this beast; in Chaldee, Ta••ja; in Greeke, Dorkas: (whereupon the woman named in Syriak, Tabitha, Act. 9. 36. is by interpretation, Dorkas; in English, a Roe:) this beast is very swift, 2 Sam. 2. 18. 1 Chron. 12. 8. Song 8. 14. eaten also a•• So∣lomons table, 1 King. 4. 23. Fallow-d••ere] or, Wilde-oxe. Bugle, or Buffel: in Hebr. Iachmer, (a word not found but here, and in 1 King. 4. 23.) the Greeke translateth it, Boubalos, that is, the Buffe, Buffel, or Wilde-oxe, which somewhat resem∣bleth our common Oxe, but is of another kinde, bigger, black, and more fierce. The Chaldee and Arabik retaine the Hebrew name, Iachmura, which some Hebrews say, is a beast like unto a great goat. Some late Expositors make it a beast like an Asse; as an Asse in Hebr. is called Chamor. Wild-goat] in Hebr. Acco, a word not found but in this one place: of it some thinke the Latine Alce (by putting in the letter l) is derived, which we call the Elch; a beast somewhat like a Fallow-deere. The Greeke transla∣teth it Tragelaphos, that is, a Goat-hart, which is in part like a Goat and an Hart: such are found in A∣rabia. The best Hebrew expositors say, it is the wild-goat, or rock-goat, so named of climing the rocks. It is a beast of another kind than the common goat; for be it wild or tame, the beast is the same. Py∣garg] so the Greeke and old Latine version translate the Hebrew Dishon, here onely used: which the Chaldee calleth Rema, of highnesse. The Py∣garg is a wilde beast like a fallow deere, or Roe∣buoke. Wild-oxe] or, Wild-bull: so both On∣kelos and Ionathan, the Chaldee paraphrasts, doe translate the Hebrew Teo, used onely here, and in Esai. 51. 20. where it is called T〈…〉〈…〉