the Israel of God and being of the Faith of Abraham to be the children of Abraham Gal. III. 7. and so to have right to the truth which God had by oath confirmed to Iacob and his mercy to Abraham to whom was before preached that Gospell in thee shall all Nations be blessed v. 8. for the Promise was not to Abraham or to his â—eed through the Law but through the righteousness of Faith Rom. IV. 13. and is sure to all the seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the Faith of Abraham who is the Father of us all ibid. v. 16. On refelling his calumny therefore in calling Christians Edâ—mites or Esauites and excluding us in that notion from any part in that mercy to Abraham we shall not longer stand it having no other ground then the inverterate malice of those who have refused their own mercy towards those who have embraced and laid hold on it That we may return therefore from this digression to the words of the Prophet we may from the words and concessions of him who hath occasioned it by this his question and answer to it take advantage for our summing up of what is given us to understand from them as 1. that the mercy in them mentioned belongeth not only to Israel after the flesh but to those of other Nations also as he allows to the children of Ishmael and Keturah who shall come in to God by the obedience of Faith and so become of his Israel being of Israel's Faith 2 ly That the mercy here promised was to be made good at and by the coming of the Messiah which is meant by the time of Redemtion or restauration by him mentioned Thus therefore as to the scope of the words we conclude that these words as a conclusion of the former Prophecy concerning the restauration of the Jews and the confusion of their Enemies contain an assurance of a temporal or corporal deliverance to them and were accomplished when God remembring his Covenant made with their Fore-fathers accepting of their conversion pardoning their sins and blotting out their iniquities did free them from the Babylonish captivity and bring them back into the promised Land but that the expressions are such as giving to expect all that by vertue of Gods truth to Iacob and mercy to Abraham and oath to their Fore-fathers was to be expected seem to include a Promise of Christ that seed of Abraham in which all the kindreds of the Earth were to be blessed with all the benefits of his Redemtion and so were by him fulfilled in an higher manner not of giving to the Jews any victory over all Nations and earthly possessions and dominion as they fondly expect as we have above shewed and the Author we have last mentioned here plainly intimates in his words cited but of rescuing all that come in to him and lay hold on his Redemtion both Jews and Gentiles of all Nations out of the hands of worse Enemies then the Babylonians even sin and Satan and making them Citizens not of the Earthly but of the Heavenly Ierusalem heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven and conferring on them all spiritual blessings This also being comprehended in these words was fully made good by Christs taking on himself the seed of Abraham and coming into the World for the work of our Redemtion and setting up his Kingdom among men and calling them without exclusion of any Nation or condition into his Church Thus to understand the words of Christ and his Kingdom we learn both out of the Hymn of the blessed Virgin Mary and of Zachary in the first Chapter of S. Luke in both which much like the same expressions are used as here and in the first it is said that by Gods sending of Christ he had holpen his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy as he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and to his seed for ever vers 54 55. and in the other that God had visited and redeemed his People and had raised up an horn of Salvation for us in the house of his Servant David as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the World began That we should be saved from our Enemies and from the hand of all that hate us To perform the mercy promised to our Fathers and to remember his holy Covenant the oath which he sware to our Father Abraham that he would grant unto us vers 68 c. In Christ therefore was that which is here mentioned Gods truth to Iacob the mercy to Abraham which he had sworn unto the Fathers from the daies of old performed in him fully yet so as to be still in performing unto the Worlds end by his calling into his Church both Jews aâ—d Gentiles and offering his Salvation to them and blessing them with all spiritual blessings which Salvation that the Jews will not acknowledg but reject and him that brought it to expect only a temporal restauration by one whom they fancy yet to come is their mere groundless obstinacy envying the extent of Gods boundless mercy promised in the seed of Abraham to all Nations for which we pity them and desire God that he would open their eies that they may see and acknowledg and lay hold on his Salvation which he hath prepared before the face of all People a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of his People Israel Thus much as to the words of this Prophet We may only add an observation which the fore-mentioned Jew takes from an ancient Author of theirs viz. that there is not any denuntiation of hard things to Israel which is not concluded with promise of mercâ— Among other instances as out of Moses Hosea Ioel Amos Ieremiah he brings this conclusion of Micah's Prophecy in which after several Judgements he shuts up all with words of comfort And very remarkable in that kind is indeed this conclusion which to shew how greatly God delights in mercy is uttered in words giving assurance of mercy not only to Israel after the flesh upon their repentance but to all that shall in Christ the promised seed by Faith lay hold on his Promise made to Abraham and in him to all the kindreds of the Earth so that the Gentiles also reading it cannot but glorify God and rejoice with his People and sing unto him that Hymn which the Apostle shews to be fitted to them viz. O praise the Lord all ye Nations praise him all ye People for his merciful kindness is great towards us and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever praise ye the Lord. The LORDS Name be praised Some things to be taken notice of and inserted in the places cited MICAH 4. 5. in the Note on that Verse the last line of the first Column after rendred adde by many But we will be rather rendred as it is by ours And we c. at the end of the Note
by the murdering violently or unjustly putting to death the owners thereof which they did so frequently that blood touched blood Hos. IV. 2. or by money which they took of Murtherers to save them contrary to the law which required life for life blood for blood Others think that the word blood is not necessarily here to be properly taken but more largely as elsewhere for bloody hainous sins of several sorts and Others more particularly for violence fraud and oppression by which the goods which are taken from the poor owners that should thereby sustain the life of themselves and their families were as their blood and the taking them from them as shedding their blood Others refer the word build not to those unjust rulers spoken of but to God the builder of Zion and to be spoken by way of admiration or interrogation to this sense Shall God or shall I as in the person of God build up or establish Zion with blood and Ierusalem with iniquity that is when such sins are committed in it or Did he build Zion with blood or Ierusalem with iniquity And this sense would well agree with what preceeds and follows but the other meaning is more received 11 The heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us no evill can come upon us The heads thereof judge for reward c. He proceeds to declare the Sins of all sorts of those by whom the People ought to have bin governed and directed in the right way The Heads who were by the law forbidden to take any gift lest they should be perverted according to what is said Exodus XXIII 8. Thou shalt take no gift for the gift blindeth the wise and perverteth the words of the righteous and again to the very same purpose is repeated Deut. XVI 19. do judge for reward and accordingly for gain wrest judgment being guided in their sentence by the bribe they receive and not by the merits of the cause The Priests whose lips should keep knowledge and at whose mouths they should seek the Law as being the messengers of the Lord of Hosts and by him given for teachers and right interpreters of his Law Mal. II. 7. They teach for hire their mouths are opened only to those that will give to them and then will teach them not so much the truth as pleasing things such as they shall desire not what they ought to hear And whereas no Prophet should undertake that function but such as were sent by God and such should impartially deliver his message without respect of persons fear or flattery or any by-ends there were among them many that pretended to be Prophets who divined for money and that they might get thereby vented false visions and feigned messages from God who never sent them See Ezek. XIII 6. c. following the waies of Balaam who lov'd the waies of unrighteousness 2 Pet. II. 15. To any that would believe them and put into their mouths V. 5. and reward them for it they would undertake to foretel such things as should best like and please them and sooth them up in their waies to others the clean contrary in summ all these in that corrupt state so without regard to justice and truth made their gain not Gods glory their end and yet for all this would flatter themselves with vain hope of security and confidence in God and his presence among them He had own'd them for his People chosen Sion for his habitation promised to dwell in the Temple at Ierusalem they had there the Ark of his Covenant and the signs of his Majestatick presence so that they thought him even tied to a perpetual residence among them and so long as he was among them they thought themselves sure that no evil could come upon them he would not cast of his People nor let his City and his Temple be destroyed Such vain confidence in the Lord by them who forsook the Lord and his waies and yet hoped not to be forsaken by him see described likewise Ieremiah VII 4. and 8. c. where he sheweth on what terms only he would continue his presence with them and defend them which conditions seeing these here observe not how vain and groundless their confidence is the issue shall shew and that is in the next words declared 12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field and Ierusalem shall become heaps and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forrest Therefore shall Zion for your sake c. They seem'd to think for Zions sake and Ierusalem's and the house of the Lords sake they should be secure however they behaved themselves but God declareth that on the contrary for their sakes and the evill of their doings whereby they had made those places which should have been kept holy to him a den of Robbers of Murderers Adulterers Idolaters and the like even those places themselves should be given up to utter ruine and destruction his anger toward the People should extend it self even to the place it self which was defiled by them it no longer retaining its holiness then they continued holy For your sake shall Zion be plowed as a field c. These words are cited Ier. XXVI 18. where it is shewed that they were spoken in the daies of King Hezekiah Plowed as a field the buildings thereof being all thrown down it shall be laid plain as a field which shall be plowed or which the Enemy shall plow up that he may leave no sign of a place ever inhabited or a sign that it should never more be inhabited And Ierusalem as an heap of stones the stately buildings thereof being demolished not one stone left in order on another but all thrown down Mat. XXIV 2. and laid in rude heaps And the mountain of the House The mount Moriah on which the glorious Temple stood As the high places of the forrest as hillocks on which trees and weeds should grow as in a wild place not regarded or inhabited by Men but only by wild beasts Hos. II. 12. All these are expressions of utter ruine and desolation The latter words rendred high places of the forrest or of a wood a learned Iew saith may be rendred as high places of the boar of the forrest in reference to what was done to that place by Adrian the Emperour who to make the place more odious to the Iews set up in several places of the City the Images of Hogges and other things detestable to them and he would have this Prophecy to respect what was by the Roman Emperours done when they destroyed Ierusalem when one under Titus who destroy'd it plowed up the ground where it stood in token that none might without the Emperours leave build any more any house there
of the World Rom. X. 17 18. and that Law that Word viz. the Gospel which by this means went forth of Zion and Ierusalem must all of all Nations that will learn of the waies of God and be instructed rightly to walk in his paths embrace and attend to as the only Doctrine that teacheth what ought to be known of him and his will and how to please him and so to obtain those good things promised to the obedient subjects of his Kingdom 3 ¶ And he shall judge among many People and rebuke strong Nations afar off and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning hooks Nation shall not lift up a sword against Nation neither shall they learn Warr any more And he shall judge among many People and rebuke c. Who is this that shall judge and rebuke The Lord say some mentioned last in the foregoing words his Word say Others there likewise mentioned which without doubt shall be done by the mediation of one constituted by him which shall divulge such truths as should be received from him Others Sion or the Mountain or house of the Lord that is the Church Some Iews of great learning and Authority among them expresly say Messiah though not expressed is here meant according to the manner of Scripture leaving the person which is necessarily understood unnamed that he is the teacher in the former words the judge and rebuker in these spoken of and so diverse Christians and this way taken comprehends all the rest God in the Church judging by Christ and he by his word for the Father having set Christ as King upon his holy hill of Sion Psal. II. 6. hath committed to him all Judgment and the Scepter by which he judgeth or rebuketh among People is his Word by which he instructeth them in his waies and governeth them and by this he shall judge distinguish and teach them to discern between right and wrong that they may walk in the waies and observe the rules of Justice and Charity whensoever or wheresoever they be or live and rebuke them that do otherwise then they ought that they may amend their waies The King Messiah saith a learned Iew shall as Lord over all nations judge among them so as that if any have quarrels or differences with others they shall make addresses or refer the matter to him and he shall bid him that hath done wrong to do right to his Neighbour He shall compose all quarrels and differences between them He shall judge and rebuke not by the sword or spear and violence but by his word and Spirit The effect of which his so judging and rebuking shall be that being wrought on and disciplinated by his word they shall lay aside all Animosities and dissensions and desire to live in peace one with another which is expressed by saying they shall beat their Swords into plow-shares c. i. e. they shall be so averse from Warr one with another that they shall turn their Instruments of Warr as having no more need of them or resolving no more to use them into such as are proper and necessary for times of peace an expression contrary to what is us'd Ioel III. 10. for expressing times of Warr and tumult Beat your Plow-shares into Swords c. This being promised as the effect of Christs reigning and the Preaching of the Gospel which we call the Word of God the Iew who acknowledges not Christ to be yet come requires us to shew how this hath been made good under the Gospel that so we may prove this Prophecy to have been made good and so Christ to be come For answer to which objection several things are said as first that these words are figurativly to be understood not precisely according to the sound of the letter not so much of outward peace in the World as of inward peace of Conscience that peace which being justified by Faith we have in God Rom. V. I. that which Christ promiseth to his that they shall have in him though they have trouble in the World Ioh. XVI 33. and this peace have Christians alwaies found and shall find in Christ he left it with his and will continue it to them Secondly that the Gospel is a Doctrine of peace commending it to Men and disposing their minds to it so that whosoever as much as lieth in them live not peaceably with all Men Rom. XII 18. live not according to the rules thereof and Animosities Wars and dissensions argue a deficiency of Faith in Men and that they have not ascended up to the Mountain of the house of the Lord nor learned as they ought his waies to walk in them But seeing the word of Christ instructeth to bear wrongs and not to revenge c. and disposeth to peace and requireth it it may be well said that by the preaching thereof Men should be so dispos'd as that they should beat their Swords into ◠low-shares c. that they should not leavy Warr any more Thirdly Some think this made good in that about the time of Christs coming there was peace in the known World under Augustus in token of which the gates of the Temple of Ianus at Rome were shut as after again under Nero c. but that peace seems to others not much to respect this peace as not being an effect of Preaching the Gospel Fourthly it may seem rather to have been fulfilled in what is said that when great multitudes were converted to Christ by the preaching of the Gospel they were all of one heart and one Soul Act. IV. 32. and as the Doctrine farther diffus'd it self so did also peace and charity among all those many and of different Nations that received it so far as that it was a Note and character of Christians acknowledged by the unbelieving Heathens who were forced to say of them with envy and admiration See how they mutually love one another If it continued not so it argues as we said in Men a falling as from their first love so too much from the Faith and is a sign of those perillous times that the Apostle foretold should come in the last daies 2 Tim. III. 1. c. They that faithfully adhere to Christ and sincerely love him will still be known to be his by their loving one another and living peaceably as far as is possible with all Men and of such only to some seems this Prophecy to be spoken and to have respect not generally to all Men but to the Godly and true Believers who have alwaies endeavoured and alwaies will endeavour to make it good and shew it fulfill'd in themselves If any think not these answers sufficient but expect a more literal fulfilling of the words by a general peace in the World they must expect what time will hereafter produce and if they be the Iews that this answer may suffice them and that there is
and their substance unto the Lord of the whole Earth But they know not the thoughts of the Lord c. So they thought and so they wished as was aforesaid that Zion should by their hands be laid perpetually desolate but the Lord had other ends to chastise his People by them but then to return their malice on their own heads and to bring that final destruction which they intended to others on themselves Such difference betwixt Gods counsel and thoughts and the thoughts of the Enemies of his People which he makes use of sometimes for humbling and chastising his People see likewise described Isa. X. 5. and following verses He when he hath done his work by his Enemies shall again in mercy receive his People into favour and destroy those to whom for a time he gave power over them which destruction he expresseth by saying he will gather them as sheaves into his floor and bidding the Daughter of Zion in his might to arise and thresh them trample on and triumph over them for that he will enable her so to do for that end he will make her horn Iron and her hoofs Brass that she may beat in pieces many People that is he will give her irresistible strength and power so to do In these expressions the like to which are else where used is manifestly alluded to the custome in those Countries both of old and still to bring the corn after it is gathered in made up in sheaves into a floor in an open place and then laying the sheaves in order to lead about oxen over them drawing after them a pair of dented Iron wheels or as in some places planks stuck with sharp flints driven into them that so the Corn may be trodden or forced out by the hoofes of the Oxen and the straw by the wheels or flints broken in small parts like chaff and then the Corn purged from the straw is laid up for the use of Men and the straw for the ordinary food for their Cattel This custom is elsewhere alluded to in Scripture Deu. XXV 4. This being observed it easily will appear to be the meaning as was said that their Enemies should be gathered for destruction and they should have power given them to bring them under utterly subdue them Some learned Men because the expression is borrowed from the treading out of Corn which the Oxen do not by the use of their horns but their feet and hoofes think it more convenient here not to understand by horn the horns on the head although by these strength is else where rendred but the horny substance on the feet of the Cattel to wit their hoofes which by saying he will make Iron and Brass is meant as also if the word horn be properly understood that he will give them unwearied strength and irresistible power in subjecting and prevailing over their Enemies The Chaldee therefore without mentioning horn or hoofe renders I will make the People in thee strong as Iron and their remnant firm as Brass The subduing of their Enemies seems farther expressed by the following words also and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord c. Of consecrating or devoting spoils and goods taken from Enemies read in Numb XXXI 28. and ver 50. c. and Ios. VI. 17. and 19. and to omit the custome of other Nations in consecrating spoils taken from their Enemies to their Gods Nebuchadnezzar may seem to have consecrated the vessels taken out of the Lords house to his Idols for he carried of the vessels out of the House of the Lord to Babylon and put them in his Temple at Babylon 2 Chron. XXXVI 7. in the house of his Gods Ezra I. 7. That which we take notice of is that the consecrating and devoting the goods and spoils of the Enemies imports and is a signal and memorial of their defeat and destruction So that the words are a repetition or continuation of Gods promise of victory to his People over those many Nations which should be gathered against them and of his denuntiation of destruction to those Nations But then who are by those Nations meant and how or when this Prophecy was or was to be made good on them are the things to be inquired and they may be joined together First as for those Nations Some insisting on the particle now in what is said Now also many Nations are gathered against thee as if it denoted something nigher at hand then the Chaldeans coming against Ierusalem and to be done before that will have to be understood those that came up in the Army of Senacherib King of Assyria in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah whose gathering together and taunting insulting speeches and threats against Ierusalem are described in the X. and XXXVI and XXXVII Chapters of Isaiah as also 2 Kings XVIII 19. And that the prophecy of destruction to those Nations with its expressions was made good on them they prove from the History in the forecited places which saith that when they were gathered together to set upon Ierusalem the Angel of the Lord went forth slew in the night an Hundred fourscore and five Thousand in the Camp of the Assyrians and all the leaders and Captains so that Senacherib after all his proud brags and insultations returned home with shame unto his own land To what may be objected that here the Daughter of Zion is bid to arise and thresh c. and that she should beat in pieces many People but that she had no hand in this but all was done by the Angel of the Lord it may be answered that what was done by the Lord for her sake though by other instruments is not unfitly attributed to her and she is called to trample on and triumph over them whom in her behalf and for her sake he had brought under her feet it may be well said that the Lord had by his utter destraction of them devoted them and their gain and substance to himself So that we need not inquire after the truth of what Some affirme perhaps without any good grounds that Hezekiah consecrated to the Lord many spoils taken from those Assyrians though it may be taken notice of what is said 2 Chron. XXXII 23. that upon the victory many brought gifts unto the Lord to Ierusalem But Others think that there ought not that stresse here to be put on the Particle Now as to the designing of the time but that the import thereof here is for assurance that what is spoken shall as certainly come to pass in the time by God determined as if it were already done and therefore that to be said to be done now which was a good while after without fail to be done Some Others therefore understand by the many Nations such as were in the Army of the Chaldeans by whom Ierusalem was taken and destroyed and the Iews carried away to Babel But what victory had the Iews ever
words are obscure they say that he reigned seems to intimate as if he fancied that Christians because they could not avoid that objection That no strange thing happened at his birth did therefore date his Kingdom from his death or else that he upbraids us that we say that he that was overcome by Death reigneth Be his meaning what it will his objection is of no force against us who profess that Christ was both born King and all the time of his living on Earth evidently shewed himself so by such means as we have formerly seen insomch that Nathaniel convinced by what he saw plainly confesseth him so Rabbi thou art the Son of God thou art the King of Israel Ioh. i. 49. and the People not doubting of it would needs have taken him by force to make him a temporal King as he shewed himself a spiritual one Ioh. VI. 15. besides their openly proclaiming him so Mar. XI 10. Luk. XIX 38. and that his Death whereto he humbled himself did not notwithstanding the blasphemous scoffes of the chief among the Iews Mat. XXVII 42. Marc. XV. 32. evidence that he was not a true King or put an end to his Kingdom but more advanced it and did but serve to draw his Subjects even a great part of the World all Men unto him Ioh. XII 32. And at that too as ignominious as they sought to make it happened such strange and unusual things as made the centurion and those that were with him watching Jesus to confess him not an ordinary King but to say Truly this was the Son of God Mat. XXVII 54. Marc. XV. 36. So far was he from having his power lessened by his Death that by it he overcame Death it self and destroyed him that had the power of it that is the Devil Heb. II. 14. and in his Cross triumphed over them and all infernal powers openly and discernably to all that would not shut their eyes Coll. II. 15. Then his resurrection after his Death that not being able to hold him Act. II. 24. which he made evident by so many waies as we find in the Gospels and by appearing so many times and to so many witnesses as is recorded 1 Cor. XV. 4 5. c. and then his ascending visibly into Heaven in the sight of his Apostles Acts I. 9. Mar. XVI 19. make it most evident that the same Iesus whom they crucified God made both Lord and Christ Acts XXI 36. and that he is the Messiah the ruler in Israel here prophecied of and that we are to look for no other But saith he his dominion is not unto the ends of the Earth Here call we in the whole World to witness against him He living in Germany far enough from the land of Israel could not but know how far and wide over the face of the Earth the Dominion of Christ hath spread it self and in how many Nations he is acknowledged as Lord and King and his name adored and magnified so that he would not have made this cavil except he had willingly stopt his ears and shut his eyes or would not understand what he heard or perceive what he saw such obstinatness doth his way of arguing discover There is nothing therefore in what he hath said that may take us off from applying these words of the Prophecy hitherto to our Lord Christ and affirming them to be all in him fulfilled in their true and utmost meaning His cavils out of the following words are of like nature as in due place will appear But before we pass from these words one thing more may be observed viz. that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veyashabu by Ours rendred and they shall abide is by some Others rendred shall return or shall be converted into the reason of which it will not be needful nicely to inquire whether it were because instead of what is now read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veyashabu which signifies and shall abide they did read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veyashubu which signifies they shall return or whether reading it as it is now read they thought it to signifie the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yashubu taking the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shub and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yashab to agree in the signification of turning also as they somtimes do in the other of abiding as appears by what we read Ps. XXIII 6. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veshabti by consent of all is rendred abide or dwell though the theme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shub most usually denotes to return They that follow this interpretation make the meaning to be That many shall be turned and flock in to Christ because now he shall be great or that now he may be great unto the ends of the Earth But there is no reason to forsake our Translation and the exposition before given 5 And this Man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land and when he shall tread in our palaces then shall we raise against him seven shepherds and eight principal Men. 6 And they shall waste the Land of Assyria with the Sword and the Land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian when he commeth into our Land c. And this Man shall be c. A learned Iew saith of these words that though the signification of the words be plain yet the meaning and sense of the whole is very abstruse In this they and Christians agree that what is spoken in them agrees to the Messiah and his times or Kingdom But in the application thereof must needs be a vast difference they saying that the promised Messiah is not yet come and so the most of them that the things here spoken of are not yet fulfilled but are to be accomplished when the Messiah shall come we that the Messiah who is our Lord Christ is already come and so the things by him and under him fulfilled and in fulfilling as they ought to be understood and that no other Messiah is to be expected nor other accomplishing of these Prophecies The truth will appear by going over the words in order This Man shall be the peace There is nothing in the Original Text expressed that signifieth Man but the words barely sound This shall be peace without mention of person or thing which hath caused difference among expositors according to their different understanding of what is to be supplied as pointed to by the particle this Some understand it of the person before spoken of as our Translatours who therefore add Man This Man shall be peace The same do many other expositors understand both Christians and Iews also So one of them It is to be understood of the Messiah because he shall be the cause of peace as it is said and he shall speak peace to the Nations Zech. IX 10. that great blessing was he to be the Author of to his and therefore our Lord Christ being the only