Part I. AN ANT HR 0 P Q ·p AT H Y. 15 fpeCting Chri!l his only begotten Son, who was conftituted King of.Siott, and (as ir were) inaugurated to the facred Offices of Judge and Redeemer. See Atls IV. 25, 26, 27 . · All thofe were to be broken ;-vith an Iron Rod by ChriO: the Judge, who would not fubmit to the Sceptre of h1s favmg Grace, Pfal. xlv. 6, 7, and ex. v1. Ifa. 11. 3· but ftubbornly refil1:ed him, and therefore by the Sword of his Anger (which is that Iron Sceptre or Rod) as of a fcvere Judge they were to be deftroyed. To this Place of the Pfalmil1: there feems fa be an Allufion, Ezek. xxi. io, I3. In our TranOation, thus, A Sword is jharpmed to make a fore Slaughter, it it furbijhed that it may glitter: Should we then. m~ke Mirth? 1( cof!tEmn~h the R~d of my Son, as every 'fr<e (or as in the margmal Readmg,) the Rod of my Son defp1feth every Tree, and Verfe 13. Whai if the S·word contemn even the Rod? &c. Where an obfcure Periphrajis in the original Hebrew, has begot diverfe Interpretations. What feems to me to be moft proper and fuitable I will lay down, and fubmit it to the Judgment of the Godly and Learned. I. It is certain that the Propkets do frequently cut off their Speech, introducing even in the very Context, then this, and then another fpeaking, upon which Jerome" fays, that the Change of Perfons, efpecially in the 'Vritings·of the Prophets, makes the Text difficult to be underftood; which, if delivered with a clearer Diftincbon of Places, Caufes, and Times, would render thofe Things plain which feem to be obfcure, Nahum ii. Hence the Prophets are fa obfcure, becaufe when one Thing is treated of, there is fuddenly a Change to another Thing or Perfon, as Pfal. ii. ~. The New Teftament is' introduced, as fpeaking and complaining of Chrin's Enemies; (fee Atls iv. 2-i-, 25, &c.) and Verfe 3· theWicked themfelves fpeak; Verfe 4· the Church's or thePfalmi!l:'sWords are fet down; Verfe 6. God the Father fpeaks; Verfe 7. God the Son; then again the Father; Verle 10. and then the Royal Pfalmift fpeaks the Conclufion. , Ifa. li. I. ]ehovah is reprefented as fpeaking; Verfe 3· the Prophet ;Verfe 4· Jehovah agatn Verfe 9· the Prophet; Verfe 12. then ]ehovah, and fa on. Something of the' like Nature may be obferved, !fa. liii. I, 4, I4. and in the whole Book of the Can~ tides, wherein there is a Viciflitude and Change of Perfons continued. 2. There are frequent Allulion~ in the prophetical Writings to Things written by Divine Revelation before them, as lhall be !hewed, Chap. xx. following. 3· In the very Text of Ezek. xxi. 27. he prophelies of Chrift the Son of God, aS' con11:ituted a Judge by the Father, arid in the Stead of God attributes Judgment and the Power of judging to him; as our Savior himfelf fays, John v. 22• That all Judg– ment was committed to him by the Father. Thefe Things prefuppofed' the Explica– tiOn of thefe Words will not be difficult. The Prophet declares the vindicative Anger of God againit the rebellious Jews, by the Similitude of a furbifhed and lharpened Sword delivered into the violent Enemies Hand in order to !lay, but fuddenly chang– ing his Speech, by the Change of Perfons, and alluding to Pfal. ii. 9· Thus fpeaks, VerfQ IO. A Sword is jharpened to make a fore Slaughter, it is furbijhed that it may glitter, (fa far the Words of ]ehovah, to which a lbort but Divine Par.e;zlj'is (or Exhortation) of the Prophet's is fubjoined, advifing the People what they lhould do to avoid that De– ilruCtion) fhould we, or fhall we then make Mirth? that is, lhall we vaunt proudly? let us rather tremble, and fubmitting to, and fe:ving the Lord as enjoined, Pfal. ii. I I. Serve the Lord with Fear, and rejoice with 'frembliltg; let us rejoice and work Righte– oufne~s, as true Converfion and Piety towards God is exprelfed, Ifa. lxiv. 5· If you do · thrs, lt w11l be well, but rf not fays ]ehovah again, the Rod of my Son, defpijing every 'free, (fo the Hebrew) lhall come upon you, or Jehovah is at hand, as Verfe 13· And whereas it is faid that this Rod defpifes every Tree, we are to undertl:and that it cot!" lifts of more lal1:ing Materials than any Sort of Wood, being of Iron, which is very hard am! drfficult to be broken, as Pfa!. ii. 9· See Ifa. xxx. 32. This, but more con– Cifely, rs lard down, Verfe 13. When there was a Trial, what then< (as if he had faid, wh1lft by my Cafligations they were in a fatherly Manner corrected, have they hitherto rtpented? Or what Effect has it produced? Even nothing at all) lhall not therefore a Rod defpifing (viz. that Iron Rod defpifing, [or hard in Comparifon of] all other • In Cap. 8. Jcrcm. t Yirgajilii mti./)trntm omnt·li&num. Wood)
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