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Verse 7. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.
Followeth an explication and enlargement of the grievousnesse of the judgements, formerly denounced for these sins. This is contained in several branches; The first whereof holds out in general, that certainly punish∣ment
would ensue, the Lord having sworn by himself that he would not forget their carriage, but put all their do∣ings upon their account till he return them a meet recom∣pence. Whence learn, 1. When wrath is most deserved, and ready to be let forth, men are ordinarily least sensible, and will least beleeve it; Therefore must the sentence be again confirmed by an oath, which is the third time an oath is given in this prophecy. See chap. 4.2. and 6.8. 2. The Lord swears here by the excellency of Jacob, which is himself, seeing he cannot swear by another, Heb. 6.13. and he is expressly called the excellency or glory of his people, Psal. 106.20. Luk. 2.32. And by this title, he would teach, 1. That nothing beside God, can make a people truly excellent, enjoy what dignity and excellency they will. 2. That it is the great ingrati∣tude and dittay of a people, when being excellent through him, they do not acknowledge him, nor walk answerable; for, it is to aggreage their sin, that he gives himself this title in this sentence. 3. That whatever be mens confi∣dence in their priviledges; Yet when they provoke God, they will be disappointed; yea, their sin will turn what they gloried most in, to plead against them: Therefore also is this brought in, in the sentence. Doct. 1. Oaths, when men are called to give them, should be taken and given with much gravity, reverence and dread; for, so much may be imported in the way of this oath of the Lord, which is in the Original, if I ever forget &c. which imports not onely the certainty of what he swears, as it is translated, and therefore the certification is suppressed in silence; But this covering of it in silence doth import, that men in giving an oath, should tremble at the very mentioning of what will follow, if they sweare falsly. 4. Albeit an impenitent people, when they are spared, do think that all is forgotten; Yet they have Gods word and oath for it, that where pardon is not obtained through Christ, the account is but growing, and that all their sins, lesser and greater, will at last be brought forth, to make their case the sadder when he reckons for all together; for saith he, Surely, I will never forget any of their works. He will remember all of them, and not any of them but they shall be brought out in the processe.