Chap, 36. e././n Expofition upon the Rookaf,jo >3. Verf. 18, a righteous manwould one dye ; that is, for a man,,who onlygives every man his due, or doth every man right : but for a good man, that is, for a man that. bath been very kind and bournitul w others, forne would evendare to dye ; yet he that Both fo, mull be fuppofed tobe a righteous and a goodman himfelf. For it cannot be thought that a wicked man would give himfelf a Ranfome for the righteous, that he woulddye for him whom he doth not love, yea, whom he ufually hates to the death. How then is it afíirm- edby Solomon, that the wicked (hall be a Ranfome for the righ-, teous ? The meaning is, God will de(troy the wicked, to fave the righteous, or he will fave the righteous, even through the blood and deftruion'of the wicked : In that fence the wicked are many times a Ranfome for the righteous , rather than the righ- teous (hall perish, the Lord will deffroy the wicked. Thus the Lord fpake by his Prophet of old (Ifa.43. 3.) 1 gaveEgypt for thy Ranfome, Ethiopia and Sheba for thee. How wás Egypt a Ranf -me for If-act ? had they any mind to deliver the people of God ? no ; but rather than God would not have Ifrael faved, he defiroyed 'Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the Red Sea. Thus the Lord makes the wicked aRanforne for the righteouo. Though Egypt were a very goodlyCountry, yet God detlroyed it by tesa Plagues, that he might deliver Ifrael. Though Pharaoh was a great Prince, he drowned him in the Sea, rather than ids people fhould go back into Captivity. Solomon gives us this fence of the. Prophetswords fully in his on ( Troy. r I. 8.) 7he righteous is delivered out of troub:e, and the wicked cometh in his ftead. Secondly, There is another, a more excellent Ranfome for the people of God, and that is the Blood ofJeff's Chrifi : we are bought with a price, dearly bpught,and that's the Pr ice'w.ith which we are bought (t Cor. 6. ao.) that's a Ranfome which Pecs (in- ners free, and makes them free indeed (Toh. 8. 36.) free f ono fin, and free unto righteoufnefs ( Math. Co. 28. ) Ile gave himfelfa'Ranfome for many ; for a great many,for all who believe and take hold ofhis Name. When Elihn faith,A great Ranfome cannot deliver ',is nor ro be underflood of the Ran'o.ne which Ch.:ift harh paid ; that'sa Ranfome fo great, fo p-ecious that it hath,and doth, and will forever deliver the greatefl, thè who: f} of inn_re, who run ro it from the wrath of God. \ ha- then is the Ranfome That is invalid and ufelefs, which will not beaccepted, which cannot deliver ? 303
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