is not onely understood immediately by the letter of the mercy of God in reserving a few Jewes in the Land of Judah from the destruction and desolation which Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel should make of the Jewes But also of the mercy of God in saving a remnant according to the election of grace from everlasting destruction by Christ Jesus Rom. 9.29 And what we read Cap. 8.18 I and the Children which the Lord hath given me is understood of Isaiah and his children by him begotten for Isaiah there speakes in his own person But it is not onely understood of Isaiah but also of Christ of whom Isaiah was a Type Heb. 2.13 And those words which we read Cap. 25.8 He will swallow up death in victory And these the Lord God will wipe away teares from all faces Though they are understood of that joy which should be to the Iewes and all the neighbouring people upon the slaughter of the Assyrians which laid Iudah waste and besiedged Hierusalem Yet they are to be understood also of that joy which the Redeemed of Christ should enjoy when He had put their spirituall Enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15. v. 55. Rev. 7. v. 17. and 21. v. 4. And what we read Cap. 53. v. 7. How beautifull are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth salvation Though it be understood according to the letter of those which brought good tidings of the delivery of the Iewes out of Babylon Yet it is understood also and according to the letter too of the Preachers of the Gospel Rom. 10. v. 15. I shall not need to bring any more examples of this for they which shall read this our Exposition may have the opportunity to observe many Notes of this kind as of the others also which I have propounded But it may be objected against these Observations and asked here If the Word of God carry a double sense with it and the sentences of the Scripture may have a double meaning are they not like the Oracles of the Devill which carried a double sense and had with them a double meaning Answ God forbid For first the Oracles of the Devill though they had a double meaning and carried a double sense with them yet their double meaning and double sense was concerning one and the same thing But the Word of God where it hath a double meaning or a double sense relateth not to one and the same thing but to severall things whereof one is as the Type and Figure of the other Secondly Though the Word of God doth carry a double sense with it in many places yet is each part of the sense determined to its proper subject and not left in suspense and doubtfull But the double sense which the Oracles of the Devill had were not determined to any one truth but left in suspense and doubtfull that the Devill upon the Event of the thing of which he gave his Oracle might apply it as he list to save his credit with his followers Thirdly The double sense of the Oracles which the Devill gave was contradictory the one part thereof to the other and could not both parts of it be possibly true in the event because they implied a Contradiction But though many parts of the Word of God and many sentences thereof doe carry with them a double sense or double meaning yet are both of the senses and meanings true there is no disagreeing between them in that matter Examples of the Word of God which carry a double sense with them I have given divers a little before Now take one instance of the Devils Oracles and by that judge of the rest When Pyrrhus King of Epirus had a mind to goe to battle against the Romans he was desirous to know what successe he was like to have before he went to battle and therefore asked counsell of Apollo who gave him this answer Aio te Aeacide Romanos vincere posse which I render thus I say that Pyrrhus the Romans can overcome which answer hath a double sense for the sense may be this that Pyrrhus can overcome the Romanes or this that the Romanes can overcome Pyrrhus where you see first that this double sense is concerning one and the same subject Secondly That the sense is not determined but left in suspense and doubtfull for he doth not determine whither Pyrrhus can overcome the Romans or the Romans Pyrrhus And thirdly One part of the sense is contradictory to the other and therefore cannot both parts be true in the event For if it be true that Pyrrhus can vanquish the Romans then cannot it be true that the Romans can vanquish Pyrrhus And if it be true that the Romans can vanquish Pyrrhus it cannot be true that Pyrrhus can vanquish the Romans The Fourth thing that I desired might be taken notice of was That though in many Histories and Prophesies of these holy Writers there be sometimes one sometimes more sentences which signifie immediately by their words some passage or passages which appertain not onely to the First Literall Historicall or Meaner â—ense But also some passage or passages which appertain to the Second Mysticall or Sublime Sense yet the words are not alwayes to be taken after the same manner but sometimes in a different manner in one from that in which they were taken in the other sense And this we may see illustrated and verified by divers examples The sixty ninth Psalm was a Psalm which David made when he was in distresse and therein he complaineth grievously of his Enemies being no doubt in great streights and pressure at that time Now as David was a Type of Christ so doth this Psalm which sets forth the afflictions of David prophesie of the afflictions and miseries which Christ should suffer while he was on the earth by the Sonnes of Men And as the whole Psalm in the first sence concerneth David so in the second and sublime sense it concerneth Christ and some particular sentences are understood acording to the words as well of Christ as they are of David but of David in a Proverbiall and Figurative of Christ in a proper kind of speech For that sentence In my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink Vers 21. Is spoken of David onely figuratively and in the manner of a Proverb and signifies that when he had need of comfort they did in stead of comforting him adde sorrow to his grief But it is spoken of Christ properly and foretels that his enemies should give him vinegar indeed to drink and it was fulfilled while he hung upon the Crosse Iohn 19. vers 28 29. So Psal 19. v. 4. It is written according to our old Translation and according to the Septuagint and according to Saint Paul's reading Rom. 10. v. 18. Their sound is gone out into all Lands And their words into the ends of the world which are spoken in the First
alwayes Phil. 4.4 and which the Psalmist useth I le sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will sing praise unto my God while I have my being Psal 104.33 I le call upon him as long as I live Psal 116.2 which kinde of phrases contain a Hyperbole and signifie onely frequent and often acts In the bitternesse of my soul i. e. Because of the grief of my soul which grief I have conceived from that that I have offended so gracious a God as the Lord is Note that Tò In is put here for Tò Because of for the Hebrews use this Preposition In instead of many other Prepositions Note also that bitterness is put here by a Metaphor and Metonymy of the cause joyned together for griefe because bitter things are grievous to the taster 16. By these things men live i. e. By such things as these are which thou hast done for me and promised to me many men which are never so dangerously sick and nigh unto death recover their health again and live Note here that the Hebrews have no Potentiall Mood but use an Indicative for a Potentiall and so an Indicative is here taken for a Potentiall men live for men may live and by men are understood men in any dangerous condition of life Per Synecdochen Generis And in all these things is the life of my spirit By all these things which thou hast done for me and promised me shall I certainly be revived and live who was neer unto death and therefore afflicted with grief and sorrow He puts my spirit for me a part for the whole man by a Synecdoche and a Present for a Future Tense By all these things he means the visitation whereby God did visite him in mercy by his Prophet the promise which God made to him of adding fifteen years to his dayes vers 5. the promise of delivering Jerusalem from the hand of the King of Assyria v. 6. God giving him a sign to confirme what he promised v. 7 2. His apointing a plaister of figs for his recovery v. 21. c. So wilt thou recover me q. d. As thou hast said so wilt thou recover me from my sickness 17. Behold for peace I had great bitternesse i. e. Behold for health I had a great sicknesse He puts peace for health and peace may signifie health per Synecdochen Generis for after the Hebrew manner of speaking peace signifies all prosperity and all good things under which health is contained Again peace may signifie health because in health the humors of the body rage not neither do they so disquiet a man as they do in sickness and there is a great harmony and concord between the elements and the qualities of the body in health which is not in sicknesse And he puts bitternesse for sicknesse by a Metaphor because as bitternesse is grievous to the pallat so is sicknesse to the whole body To my soul i. e. To me A part is put here for the wholeman by a Synecdoche Delivered it i. e. Delivered my soul that is delivered me From the pit of my corruption i. e. From the grave in which the dead bodies corrupt and putrifie For thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy back i. e. For thou hast forgiven me all my sinnes In these words there is contained an elegan◠Metaphor for because we cannot see those things which are behind our backs he saith thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy back for thou beholdest not my sinnes and those sinnes which God seeth not nor beholdes he is said to pardon See Psal 51.9 Note that in the Scripture phrase God is said to forgive a man his sinnes when he takes away any punishment from him which he either feareth or suffereth by reason of his sinnes And here because he took away that grievous sicknesse which he had inflicted upon Hezekiah for his sins he is said to cast all his sins behind his back or to forgive him all his sins See Notes Cap. 33.24 18. For the grave cannot praise thee i. e. For the dead which lye in the grave cannot praise thee He puts the grave for the dead which lye in the grave per Metonymiam Subjecti or Continentis These words shew the end or finall cause why God did forgive Hezekiah his sinnes and deliver his soul from the pit q. d. And therefore didst thou cast all my sinnes behind thy back and deliver my soul from the pit of corruption that I might praise thee for they which are dead cannot praise thee c. Death cannot celebrate thee i. e. The dead cannot celebrate thee He puts death for the dead per Metonymiam Adjuncti They that go down to the pit i. e. The dead which are carried to the grave and there buried Cannot hope for thy truth q. d. Cannot so much as hope for thy truth much lesse can they declare it and praise thee for it The truth of God is to be taken here for the goodnesse and mercy of God shewn to men But the goodnesse and mercy of God in relation to some former promise and to be performed according to that promise Hence we read goodness and truth and mercy often joyned together as Gen. 24.27 and 32.10 and Psal 115.1 why could not they which went down to the pit hope for the Lords truth Answer Because all their thoughts perished Psal 146.4 The living the living he shall praise thee q. d. But the living the living both can and shall praise thee Supple For this thy mercy which thou hast shewed me Note that this Particle He is redundant here as it is often elsewherr and that by an Hebraisme The father to the children shall make known thy truth q. d. Fathers shall make known unto their children the goodnesse and mercy which thou hast shewed to me and shall praise thee for it Thy truth i. e. Thy mercy and goodnesse which thou hast shewn to me in restoring me to my health I said that the truth of God is taken for the mercy and goodness of God but the mercy and goodnesse of God as it is shewed in relation to some former promise v. 18. To what promise therefore doth this relate Answer It relateth to that v. 5. I will adde unto thy dayes fifteen years or it may relate to that promise which God made to David 1 Kings 2.4 For by this mercy of God whereby Hezekiah was redeemed from the grave came Hezekiah to have a Son who succeeded Him in the Thron according to the promise of God made to David 20. The Lord was ready to save me q. d. When I was sick unto death the Lord was ready to save me We will sing i. e. I and my people or I and the fathers and their children v. 19. will sing My songs i. e. The songs which I have made or shall make in the praise of the Lord for his goodnesse and mercy shewed to me In the house of the Lord. i. e. In the Temple 21. For Isaiah
highly honour him and reward him But if you would know what particular honour and reward the Lord gave his Sonne and Servant Christ Iesus read among other places Ephes 1. v. 20 21 22 23. and Phil. 12. v. 1.81 91 101.11 But for the understanding of this That these words I will devide him a portion with the great signifie no more than this I will highly honour him and reward him know this that those places of Scripture which carry two senses in them are Historicall as I may call it and a Mysticall though they carry the Historicall sense word for word yet they carry the Mysticall sense for the most part but in Grosse though here and there there be sometimes such sentences interserted as apperteine according to the words themselves not onely to the Historicall but also to the Mysticall sense of which I spake more at large in the Preface And he shall divide the spoile with the strong This is the same for sense with former words Because he hath poured out his soul unto death i. e. Because he hath not spared his life but parted with it to the uttermost By His soule is here meant His life by a Metonymie for Life is nothing else but the Union of the soule with the body which Union is mainteined by the apt dispositions of the body to reteine it When he saith he hath poured out his soule he useth a Metaphor taken from the powring out of water out of Buckets He saith He hath poured out his soule unto death in pursuance of that Metaphor Of powring out of water out of a Bucket where the water is so poured out to the last drop as that there is not a drop thereof remaining And he was numbred with the transgressours i. e. And because he was accounted as a Transgressour though he were innocent and was put to death amongst Transgressours This was fulfilled when he was crucified between two Thieves Mark 15. v. 27 28. And he bare the sinne of many i. e. And he bare what the malice of the Jewes and the Gentiles under Pontius Pilate could lay upon him See Acts Cap. 4.27 By Sinne understand here the Torments and Afflictions which were the effect of the sinne That is of the malice and envy of the Jewes c. By a Metonymie And made intercession for the transgressours i. e. And because he made intercession for these who through envy and malice did put him to death ISAIAH CHAP. LIV. SIng O barren thou that didst not bear i. e. Sing for joy O Sion or O Jerusalem thou which hast been like a barren woman and bore no children He prophecyeth here of the joyful deliverance of the Jews out of the Babylonish captivity as he did cap. 49.51 52. and elsewhere And he speaks to the material City of Sion or Ierusalem as to a woman by a Prosopopoeia whom he calleth barren and one that did not bear because all the time of the Babylonish captivity she was empty of Jews which were to her as children for they were all carryed away into Babylon and there was none left in her to encrease the Nation See cap. 49.21 Cry aloud Supple For joy Thou that didst not travel with childe This is a repetition of those words Thou that didst not bear For more are the children of the desolate i. e. For more shall thy children be O thou which wast desolate and as a widow and as one forsaken of her Husband during the Babylonish captivity c. He changeth the person here and speaks of Sion or Jerusalem in the third person to whom he spoke in the foregoing words in the second and he useth a present for a future tense Sion or Jerusalem was called desolate and as one forsaken of her Husband because God who was her Husband vers 5. and cap. 62.5 had forsaken her cap. 50.1 And therefore as a woman which is desolate and forsaken of her Husband beareth not children so was Ierusalem barren and without children while God had forsaken her who might be called her Husband as in other regards so in this that while he had a favor to her he did encrease her children within her as a woman multiplyeth her children by her Husband Then the children of the marryed wife i. e. Then thy children were when thou hadst an Husband any time heretofore and wast a marryed Wife The meaning is that Jerusalem though she had been afflicted and brought into captivity by the Babylonians and had her Children or Citizens carryed away from her yet now she should be more populous then ever she was at any time before that her captivity Note that when he saith More are the children of the desolate then the children of the marryed woman he speaks as though he spoke of two several persons but he speaks but of two several states or conditions of the same person So we say of a man that is changed from what he was that he is another man though not his substance but his condition onely is changed This which I have given is the first sence of this place But Sion here as she became fruitful after her widowhood was a Type of the Church of Christ So that in the second and sublime sence this place is to be understood of the Church of Christ as will appear Gal. 4.27 For as Sion while God had put her away from being his Wife and had given her over to be spoyled by the hands of the Babylonians was barren and brought forth no children but when he took her to him to Wife again she encreased in children as the Stars of Heaven for multitude So the Church of Christ while she was a stranger to the bed of Christ and was without the seed of his Word that is while all Nations were suffered to walk in their own ways Acts 14.16 and were given over to the god of this World to be blinded by him Acts 17.30 brought forth no children unto God But when Christ took her to his bed Ioh. 3.29 and redeemed her out of the hand of Satan and gave her the seed of his Word she so encreased in children as that all the ends of the Earth were full of her issue So that she far exceeded the Synagogue of the Iews when it was most populous Note here that Sion as she was considered before the Babylonish captivity was a Type of the Synagogue of the Iews but as she was considered after the Babylonish captivity was a Type of the Church of Christ As therefore Sion was more populous after the Babylonish captivity then ever she was before so was the Church of Christ more populous then ever the Synagogue of the Iews was Wonder not that I make Sion a Type of the Synagogue and the same Sion a Type of the Church upon divers considerations For Saint Paul makes her a Type of the Synagogue Gal. 4.25 and a Type of the Church Rom. 9.33 It may be objected here That the Church of Christ was not the Church
when he redeemed them by Cyrus out of the Babylonish Captivity Of which salvation our Prophet speaketh often from the fourth Chapter of this Prophesie to the end thereof And in the 45. Chapter and the eighth Verse he speakes of it Metaphorically as he doth here that is as of a Branch or a Plant which the Lord maketh to spring out of the Earth The branch of the Lord shall be beautifull and glorious c. q. d. The Salvation which God will work for those which escape of Jews shall bring honour and glory to them that escape and make them honourable and glorious â—n the eyes of all men How honourable and glorious the Jews were by reason of this Salvation see among other places Chap. 40. v. 5. Chap. 41. v. 10. c. Chap. 43. v. 14. Chap. 45. v. 17. Chap. 49. v. 9 23. c. Chap. 52. v. 9. Chap 54. v. 1. c. And the fruit of the Earth i. e. And the fruit which shall spring up out of the Earth This is but a repetition of the former Sentence And the fruit of the Earth signifieth the same here as the Branch of the Lord doth there Note that the fruit of the Earth is of larger extent than the fruit of Trees or Plants or Branches For not onely the friut of Trees and of Plants and of Branches but Trees and Plants and Branches themselves may be called the fruits of the Earth And comely i. e. And an Ornament For them that are escaped of Israel i. e. For those Jews which shall escape death and survive after the destruction and captivity which the Babylonians shall bring upon that People Of Israel i. e. Of the Jews to wit the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin see Chap. 1.3 3. He that is left in Sion and he that remaineth in Hierusalem By him that is left in Sion and him that remaineth in Hierusalem is meant he that remaineth alive of the Jews after the Babylonish captivity Note therefore that in Sion and in Hierusalem is as if he should say in Jacob and in Israel For as Jacob or Israel is often put for the Jewes and that per Metonymiam Efficientis Because Jacob or Israel was the Father of the Jews So is Sion or Hierusalem put for the same Jews by the same figure Because Sion or Hierusalem was the Mother of the Jewes But observe that Jacob or Israel was the true naturall Father of the Jews But Sion or Hierusalem was called their Mother onely by a Metaphor yet that she was so at least called their Mother we may learn from Chap. 49. Vers 20. and Chap. 50. Vers 1. and Gal. 4. Vers 25. But yet we may take Sion and Hierusalem here plainly without a Metaphor that the sense of these words may be this Viz. And he Supple of the Jews which is left alive Supple and shall dwell in Sion and he Supple of the Jews which remaineth Supple alive and shall dwell in Hierusalem after the Babylonish captivity shall c. For note that though many of the Jews survâ—ved after the Babylonish captivity yet the Blessings spoken of in this Chapter did appertain onely to them which returned and dwelt in Hierusalem Shall be called Holy i. e. Shall be holy For the Hebrews doe often use vocall verbes for reall and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be called for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be To be holy doth primarily and originally signifie to be separated from others by way of excellencie Hence they which excell the vulgar sort of Men in Piety and Religion are commonly called Holy and in this sense may these Men be called Holy in this place Yet because this place speakes both in the precedent and Subsequent Verses of the blessings of God to this People in keeping and preserving them I had rather take Holy here for such as God separates and sets apart from other People by his blessings to them and hedge of protection about them by which he maketh a difference between them and other People In which sence the word Holy is taken Exod. 19. Vers 5 6. where we thus read Now therefore if yee will obey my voice indeed then shall ye be a peculiar treasure unto me above all the people For all the earth is mine And ye shall be unto me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation In opposition to Holinesse thus taken God is said to prophâ—ne the Princes of the Sanctuary Chap. 43. Vers 28. Every one that is written among the living in Hierusalem i. e. Every one which shall be alive after the Babylonish Captivity and shall live in Hierusalem shall be called Holy He alludeth here in this phrase to the Mustering of an Army after a Battle where the names of those which escaped in Battle are written and entered into a Muster-Roule or Muster-Book that so they m ght know what they have lost and what forces they have left 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth c. i. e. When the Lord shall have washed away the sins c. He likeneth the sin of the Soul here to the filth of the body And the taking sin away to the washing away of that filth by water But the way by which God took away the filth of sin here spoken of was by destroying the incorrigible sinner and bringing others to amendment of life both which he did by the Babylonians into whose hands he gave them The filth of the Daughter of Sion Read Chap. 3.16 To wh ch place the Prophet doth here allude The bloud Bloud is put here Metonymice for Murder by which the bloud of man is shed And that againe is put Hypâ—rbolice for Oppression See Chap. 1. Vers 15. The Prophet doth here allude to the Oppression which he spake of Chap. 3. Vers 12. c. From the midst of her i. e. From her or out of her An Hebrew Periphrase By the Spirit of judgement The Spirit of Judgement is put here Periphrastically for Judgement the word Spirit redounding by an Hebraisme By Judgement the Prophet meaneth the Calamities and Punishment which God brought upon this People by the Babylonians which kind of Calamities and Punishments are called Judgemenes because of the Justnesse of them and that by a Metaphor from those Punishments which are inflicted upon a Malefactor upon a Just Sentence or Judgement given against him And by the spirit of burning i. e. And by burning for the word Spirit redounds here as it did before He meaneth the same thing by burning here as he did by Judgement just before But he alludeth here to the manner of Goldsmiths and other the like Crafts-mens who purifie their Gold and other mettals from their drosse by Fire and Burning 5. And the Lord will create upon evey dwelling place c. The meaning of this Place is that God will protect them and keep them in all their dwellings and will be no lesse pâ—esent with them for this purpose than â—e was with their fathers when he
mighty One of Jacob to shew his power and that in opposition to the Babylonians whom Sion in her Objection called The Mighty ISAIAH CHAP. L. THus saith the Lord Where is the bill of your mothers divorcement whom I have put away This as I conceive must be continued with the former Chapter and be part of that Sermon For whereas the Lord speaketh there of what great things he would do for Sion and her children and that he would deliver them from the terrible and take them away from the mighty Babylonians who possessed them as captives and as their prey The Jews the children of Sion were ready to say If the Lord will do such great things for us and will now at length deliver us from the terrible and take us away from the mighty Why did he forsake us at the first when we deserved it not For why did he sell us which were his children when he had no reason to do it And why did he put away our mother to whom he was marryed as though she had been defiled and unclean whereas there was nothing to be blamed in her This Objection therefore of theirs the Lord prevents saying Where is the bill of your mothers divorcement whom I have put away Or which of my Creditors is it to whom I have sold you c. Where is the bill of your mothers divorcement whom I have put away This is spoken in the person of the Lord to the Jews which were in captivity in Babylon But who is meant here by the Mother of these Jews Ans Sion or Jerusalem whom Paul also intimateth to be the Mother of the Jews Galat. 4.25 And of this Sion or Jerusalem even the material City doth the Prophet speak as of a woman yea of a mother by a Prosopopoeia in chap. 3. vers 26. and in chap. 49. and so also doth he here in this place Where is the bill of yours mothers divorcement whom I have put away When any one did put away his wife he was by the old Law to give her a bill of divorcement to shew that she was divorced from her Husband Deut. 24.1 And in this bill were the reasons oftentimes set down why the man did put away his wife The Lord therefore who had been marryed to Sion and put her away again in allusion to this Law and in allusion to such a Bill in which the causes of divorce were set down calls to the Jews for the Bill of their Mothers divorcement that he might clear himself thereby and shew that he put her away not without cause as they surmized but for her uncleanness as the Bill would testifie Or which of my Creditors is it to whom I have sold you It was a Law or Custom at least among the ancient Hebrews that Parents if they grew poor and could not tell how to pay their debts might sell their children to their Creditors thereby to satisfie them as appeareth Exod. 21.7 To this Law or Custom doth the Lord here allude And to clear himself of that which the Jews which were captive in Babylon were ready to say to wit That he had sold them he bids them name the Creditor to which he had sold them that it might appear that he sold them not For your iniquities have you sold your selves Supple Into the hands of the Babylonians When the Lord had bid these Jews to name the Creditor to which he had sold them they named the Babylonian But when they had named the Babylonian the Lord shewed them that it was not he that sold them but that it was they who had sold themselves and that for their iniquities so that the Lord doth not onely clear himself of what they objected to him but layeth the fault of all wholly upon them themselves Quest But it may be asked how the Jews could be said to sell themselves to the Babylonians to be their captives for their iniquities Answ The Lord among other punishments threatened his people that if they sinned and did commit iniquity they should be carryed away captive into their enemies Land and should there pine away in their iniquity Levit. 26. v. 33 38 39. Yea he threatened the Jews by his Prophets that they should be carryed away by the Babylonians in particular if they sinned Now therefore if they would buy sin and the pleasure of it they knew the price they must sell their peace and liberty for it they must become captive to the Babylonians if they would have it Well sin they would because it was pleasant therefore having had sin they must pay for it they must go into the hands of the Babylonians for this was the price of their sins For as according to Pauls saying the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 so is death and captivity and all other miseries the price of sin also And for your transgressions is your mother put away Supple From me who was her Husband so that I put her not away without a lawful cause But a Jew might here say What justice or equity is in this that a Mother should be put away from her Husband for the trangressions of her Children Answ To put away a Mother for the transgressions of her Children if she be not thereby defiled and made unclean is against justice and equity but if she be defiled and made unclean by her Childrens transgressions it is not against justice or equity to put her away for a Husband might put away his Wife if he found any uncleanness in her Deut. 24.1 Now the case of Sion or Jerusalem was so that if the Children within her did transgress she her self was also defiled and polluted and became unclean by their transgressions For if the Land was defiled by the sins of them which dwelt therein as it was Isai 24.5 Jerem. 2.7 and 3.9 and 16.18 and Numb 35.33 34. Levit. 18.28 and if the Sanctuary of God was also defiled by the sins of the people which dwelt about it as it was Levit. 16.16 then surely was Sion and Jerusalem also defiled and made unclean by the transgressions of her Children that is by the transgressions of them which dwelt in her and therefore might Sion be justly put away for the transgressions of her children And for your transgressions is your mother put away Note that thâ—se words relate to those Where is the bill of your mothers divorcement whom I have put away And are grounded upon that That the bill was produced and read and that it was contained in the bill that Sion was put away for the uncleanness which she had contracted by the transgressions of her children for upon that doth the Lord conclude against them here saying Behold I have not put away your mother without a cause as ye say but for your transgressions is your mother put away 2. Wherefore when I came was there no man Supple To receive me When I called was there none to answer i. e. And wherefore when I called to you