cannot agree to David's time wherein there was no such Captivity of the people but only a Civil war and mutual slaughter which is quite another thing nor to the time of Israel's return from Babylon when there was no such return of all Israel but only of Iudah and Benjamin and some few of the other Tribes and the joy which the returning Isroelites then had was but low and mixed with many Fears and Dangers and Reproaches as we see in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah And therefore they must belong to the times of the Messias by whom this Promise was fulfilled to the true Israel of God who were brought back from that most real and dreadful though spiritual Captivity of sin and Satan as is declared Luk. 4. 18. Eph. 4. 8. and shall be litterally accomplished to the natural seed of Iacob or Israel according to the Expectation and belief of all the Jews in their several Ages and of most Christian Writers when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people †i. e. His Captive people Captivity being oft put for Captives as Deut. 21. 10. and 30. 3. Psal. 126. 1. 4. Or his people from Captivity of which see the former Note Jacob * i. e. The seed or Children of Iacob as Aaron is named for his Sons 1 Chron. 12. 27. and 27. 17. and David for his Sons and the like shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad PSAL. XV. The ARGUMENT The occasion and time of Composing this Psalm is uncertain but the Scope of it is plain which is to give the Character of an holy and happy Man and to describe the way to true Blessedness Wherein this is observable that he is wholly silent as to the Ceremonial or Ritual Observations of the Law not that he doth disown them or allow the neglect of them as is manifest from David's constant Practice and from many other passages but that he might undeceive the Hypocritical Israelites who laid too great a stress upon those things as if the diligent performance thereof would excuse their wicked Lives which Error almost all the Prophets do observe and Condemn in them and that he might inform the Church of that and all succeeding Ages that the substance of Religion did consist in the Practice of true Holiness and Righteousness A Psalm of David 1. LORD a O thou who art the soveraign Lord of this holy Hill and Tabernacle to whom it belongs to give Laws to it and to admit or reject Persons as thou seest fit I beg of thee the resolution of this important question And he proposeth this question to God that the Answer coming from him may have the greater Authority and influence upon mens Consciences who shall †Heb. sojourn abide b Heb. sojourn to wit so as to dwell as it is explained in the next clause Unless this clause be meant of sojourning in the Church here and the next of dwelling in Heaven hereafter Who shall enter thither and abide there with thy good leave and liking in thy â—… Psal. 24. 3. 〈◊〉 tabernacle c i. e. In thy Church either 1. Militant Who is a true and will be a persevering Member of this Church Or 2. Triumphant or in Heaven which is called the true Tabernacle not made with mans â—…ands Heb. 8. 2. and 9. 11. Revel 21. 3. who shall dwell in thy holy hill d To wit of Zion so called Psal 2. 6. which is oft put for the Church and for Heaven Who shall so dwell in thy Church here as to dwell with thee for ever hereafter in Heaven 2. * Isa. 33. 15 He that walketh uprightly e Or presently or sincerely without guile or Hypocrisie Loving Worshiping and serving God and loving his Neighbour not in word and shew only but in truth and reality and this constantly and in the whole course of his Life as walking implies and worketh righteousness f Maketh it his work and business to do justly i. e. to give to every one his due first to God and then to men for the words are general and not restrained to either and speaketh the truth ‖ Or with in his heart g His words and professions to God and men agree with and proceed from the thoughts and purposes of his Heart 3. He that back-biteth not with his tongue h He doth not take away or diminish his Neighbours good name either by denying him his due praises or by laying any thing to his Charge falsely or without sufficient cause and Evidence nor doeth evil i i. e. Any hurt or injury to his neighbour k i. e. To any man as is evident 1. from the Nature of this precept which reacheth to all it being plain and certain that both by Laws of Nature and of Moses it was not lawful to do evil to any man except where God the Soveraign commanded it as he did to the Canaanites and Amalekites 2. From the Scripture usage of this word Neighbour which frequently signifies every man though a stranger or an heathen as appears from Gen. 29. 4. Exod. 20. 16 17. Levit. 18. 20. and 19. 15 c. Prov. 25. 8 9. Luk. 10. 29 c. Mat. 5. 43 44. And he useth this word Neighbour because he who is strictly so is most within our reach and most liable to the injuries which one man doth to another nor ‖ Or receiveth Or endureth Exod. 23. 1. taketh up l To wit into his Lips or Mouth which is understood here as also Exod. 20. 7. Iob 4. 2. and fully expressed Psal. 16. 4. and 50. 16. i. e. Doth not raise it though that may seem to be included in the first Clause that Back-biteth not Or doth not spread and propagate it which men are too prone and ready to do and which makes that a publick which before was but a private injury and mischief Or nor taketh or receiveth i. e. Entertaineth it cheerfully and greedily as men usually do such things and easily believeth it without sufficient reason See Exod. 23. 1. Levit. 19. 1â—… Or nor beareth or endureth as this phrase signifies Psal. 69. 7. Ezek. 36. 15. He doth not suffer another to defame him without some rebuke or signification of his dislike Prov. 25. 23. a reproach against his neighbour 4. In whose eyes m i. e. In whose Judgment and Estimation a vile person n i. e. One who deserves Contempt an ungodly or wicked Man as appears from the next clause where he that feareth God is opposed to him is contemned o Or despised notwithstanding all his Wealth and Glory and Greatness He doth not admire his Person nor envy his Condition nor court him with flatteries nor value his Company and Conversation nor approve of or comply with his Courses but he thinks meanly of him he judgeth him a most miserable man and a great object of Pity he abhors his wicked practices and labours to
certainty of these Judgments and partly to awaken and affect the stupid Israelites who greatly needed it 20 The earth c The People of the Earth shall * Chap. 19. 14. reel to and fro like a drunkard d Shall be sorely perplexed and distressed not knowing whither to go nor what to do and shall be removed like a cottage e Or like a lodge in a Garden of which this Word is used Isa. 1. 8. which is soon taken down and set up in another place as occasion requires Or as others render it like a tent which is easily and commonly carried from place to place and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it f Those Sins which they formerly esteemed light and pleasant shall now be most burdensom and grievous to them because of the dreadful punishments which shall follow them and it shall fall and not rise again 21 And it shall come to pass in that day g Either when God shall punish the Apostatical Jews or about or after that time or in a time known to God for this Phrase is oft used indefinitely and without any respect to the time designed in the foregoing passages that the LORD shall †Heb. visit upon punish the host of the high ones that are on high h The proud and potent Enemies of God and of his People who possess the High-places of the Earth and the kings of the earth i Either 1. the great Monarchs of the World who now scorn and trample upon God's People or 2. the Princes and Rulers of Israel or Iudah for the Name of king is frequently given in Scripture unto mean and inferiour Rulers as Iudg. 1. 7. 1 Kings 20. 1 12. Psal. 119. 46. and elsewhere upon the earth 22 And they shall be gathered together k By God's special Providence in order to their punishment as the following Words shew And thus the unbelieving Iews were generally gathered together at Ierusalem to their Solemn Feast when Titus came and besieged and after some time took and destroyed them Which was a very remarkable Hand of God as 〈◊〉 and other Historians observed And I know nothing to the contrary but this very thing may be meant in this place it being confessed that divers Passages of this Chapter concern the times of the Messiah †Heb. with the gathering of prisoners as prisoners are gathered in the ‖ Or dungeon pit and shall be shut up in the prison l As Malefactors which are taken in several Places are usually brought to one common Prison where they are reserved in order to their Trial and Punishment and after many days shall they be ‖ Or found wanting visited m Either 1. in Judgment as visiting is oft used So the sence is After they have been punished with long Imprisonment and tormented with Expectation and Fear they shall be 〈◊〉 forth to receive coâ—…ign Punishment Or rather 2. 〈◊〉 Mercy And so the sence may be either 1. After the Jews shall have suffered many and grievous things from the Assyrians Chaldeans Persians and others at last their Messiah and Deliverer shall come into the World c. Or 2. After the Unbelieving and Apostate Jews shall have been shut up in Unbelief and in great Tribulations for many Ages together they shall be convinced of their Sin in crucifying their Messiah and brought home to God and Christ by true Repentance 23 Then the * Chap. 13. 10. Ezek. 32. 7. Joel 2. 31. 3. 15. moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed n The sun and moon are here considered either 1. as they were abused to Idolatry for these two were most eminent Idols and most generally worshipped especially in those Eastern Countries Deut. 4. 19. 17. 3. Iob 31. 26. c. and so may be put for all Idols which were confounded by Christ at his coming as was foretold in Scripture and verified by the Testimony of Ancient yea even of Heathen Historians Or 2. as they were the most eminent and glorious Lights of the World and were oft used both in Scripture and other Authors to signifie the great Kings and Potentates and Glories of the World as hath been formerly noted and we shall have further occasion to remember So the sence is That all Earthly Powers and Glories should be obscured with the far greater Splendour of Christ the King of Kings at whose Feet even the Kings of the Earth shall fall down and worship as we shall see in other parts of this Prophecy when the LORD of hosts o The Messiah who though Man yet is also God and the Lord of Hosts and is so called Zech. 2. 8 11. shall reign in mount Zion and in Jerusalem p Shall come in the Flesh and set up his Kingdom first in Ierusalem and afterward in all other Nations and ‖ Or there shall be glory before his ancients before his ancients q Before his Ministers who are in some sort the Courtiers of this King of Glory as being continually attending upon him and enjoying his Presence and executing the Powers and Offices of his Kingdom and especially before his Apostles who were the Witnesses of his Divine Words and Works and particularly of his Resurrection and Ascension by which he entred upon his Kingdom and of the Exercise of his Royal Power in subduing both Jews and Gentiles to himself The Word ancient or elder is not a Name of Age but of Office as it is in very many Texts of Scripture And the ancients are here put Synechdochically for the whole Church in whose Name and for whose Service they act gloriously r Heb. in glory for that Preposition is very frequently understood CHAP. XXV O LORD thou art my God I will exalt thee I will praise thy Name a The Prophet reflecting upon those great and glorious Prophecies which he had delivered concerning the Destruction of his Enemies and the Protection and Deliverance of his People and the sending of the Messiah and the Establishment of his own Kingdom in spight of all opposition interrupteth the Course of his Prophecies and breaketh forth into a Solemn Celebration of all these wonderful Works for thou hast done wonderful things thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth b Thy counsels from which all thy Works proceed and which thou hast from time to time revealed to thy Prophets and People which were of old being conceived from all Eternity and long since made known by thy Threatnings and Promises are true and firm and therefore shall certainly be accomplished 2 For thou hast made * Chap. 21. 9. 23. 13. of a city c Which is put collectively for cities He speaks of the Cities of strangers as the following Clause explains it or of Enemies of God and of his People And under the Name cities he comprehends their Countries and Kingdoms of which Cities are an eminent and
Name of the LORD if the thing e Which he gives as a sign of the truth of his prophecy He means the prediction of some strange and wonderful event as appears by comparing this with Deut. 13. 1 2. follow not nor come to pass that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken f The falshood of his prediction shews him to be a false prophet though the truth and accomplishment of his prediction had not proved him to be a true Prophet as is evident from Deut. 13. 2 3. but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously g Impudently ascribing his own vain and lying fancies to the God of truth thou shalt not be afraid of him h i. e. Of his predictions or threatnings so as to be scared from doing thy duty in bringing him to deserved punishment CHAP. XIX 1 WHen the LORD thy God * chap. 12. 29. hath cut off the nations whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee and thou †Heb inheritest or possessest succeedest them and dwellest in their cities and in their houses 2 * Exod. 21. 13. Num. 35. 10. 11. Josh. 20. 2. Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land a To wit beyond Iordan as there were three already appointed on this side Iordan Numb 35. 14. He saith in the midst of the land either for in the land as in the midst of the city Ier. 52. 25. is the same with that in the city 2 King 25. 19. or to design the places that they should be scituated in the midst of the several parts of their land to which they might conveniently and speedily flee from all the parts of the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it 3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way b Distinguish it by evident marks and make it plain and convenient to prevent mistakes and delays and divide the coasts of thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit into three parts c Not into more because it was fit that these places should as far as it was possible be at some considerable distance from the friends of the slain person least the sight of the manslayer might have provoked their passion and occasioned his ruine that every slayer may flee thither 4 And this is the case of the slayer which shall flee thither that he may live whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly whom he hated not †Heb. froâ—…â—…terday the 〈◊〉 day in time past 5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree and the †Heb. 〈◊〉 head slippeth from the †Heb. 〈◊〉 helve and †Heb. 〈◊〉 lighteth upon his neighbour that he die he shall flee unto one of those cities and live 6 Lest the avenger of blood pursue the slayer d This verse is to be joyned with ver 3. as is evident the 4th and 5th verses coming in as a parenthesis which is usual in Scripture and other authors while his heart is hot and overtake him because the way is long and †Heb. 〈◊〉 him in 〈◊〉 slay him e Which is supposed but not allowed as appears from the following words But the avenger of blood is not to be punished with death for killing the manslayer in case he found him without the borders of the city of refuge after he had been received there Numb 35. 26 27. because then he was guilty of a new crime to wit a contempt of Gods ordinance and a gross neglect of the duty of self-preservation and therefore deserved death from God who might permit it to be inflicted by the avenger of blood whereas he was not worthy of death inasmuch as he hated him not †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in time past 7 Wherefore I command thee saying Thou shalt separate three cities for thee 8 And if the LORD thy God * chap. 1â—… 〈◊〉 enlarge thy coast f As far as Euphrates See Gen. 15. 18. Exod. 23. 31. Deut. 1. 7. as he hath sworn unto thy fathers and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers 9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them which I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God and to walk ever in his wayes * Josh. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then shalt thou add three cities moe for thee beside these three 10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance and so blood be upon thee 11 But if any man hate his neighbour and lie in wait for him and rise up against him and smite him †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in life mortally that he die and fleeth into one of these cities 12 Then the elders of his city g Either of the slain person who were most likely to prosecute the murderer or of the murderer because God would oblige even his own fellow citizens to prosecute him to death that it might appear how hateful murder and the murderer is to God and ought to be to all men shall send and fetch him thence h Demand him of the Elders of the city of refuge who upon the hearing of the cause and the evidence of the murder were obliged to deliver the offender to justice and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood that he may die 13 Thine eye shall not pity him but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with thee 14 * chap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbours †Heb. 〈◊〉 land-mark i By which the several portions of lands distributed to several families were distinguished one from another See Iob 24. 2. Prov. 22. 28. Hos. 5. 10. which they of old time have set in thine inheritance which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it 15 * Nâ—…m 35. 〈◊〉 chap. 17. â—… Mat. 18. 1â—… Joh. 8. 17. 2 Cor. 13. â—… Heb. 10. 〈◊〉 One witness shall not rise up k Or not stand or not be established accepted owned as sufficient it is the same word which in the end of the verse is rendred be established against a man for any iniquity or for any sin in any sin that he sinneth at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be established 16 If a false witness l A single witness though he speak truth is not to be accepted for the condemnation of another man but if he be convicted of false witness this is sufficient for his own condemnation rise up against any man to testifie against him ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is wrong 17 Then both the men between whom the controversie is shall stand before the LORD before the priests and the judges
saith b To excuse his idleness and keeping himself at home See on Ch. 22. 13. there is a lion in the way a lion is in the streets 14 As the door turneth upon his hinges c Moving hither and thither upon it but not removing one jot from its place so doth the slothful upon his bed 15 * Ch. 19. 24. The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom ‖ Or he is weary it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth d He will not take the least pains for the most necessary things 16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit e Because by his idleness he avoids those troubles and dangers to which other men by their activity expose themselves forgetting in the mean time what reproach and loss and how much greater mischiefs both here and hereafter are brought upon him by his slothfulness than seven men that can render a reason f To wit a satisfactory reason of all their actions i. e. who are truly wise men 17 He that passeth by g Who is going upon the way and about his business But this word is by some referred to the last clause is like one that taketh a dog by the ears as he is passing by him without any thought of doing him harm which agrees very well both with the order of the words in the Hebrew Text and with the matter of the other clause to which this similitude is referred and ‖ Or is 〈◊〉 meddleth with strife belonging not to him h In which he is not concerned nor any way obliged to meddle is like one that taketh a dog by the ears i Exposeth himself to great and needless hazards as a man that causelesly provoketh a Mastiff dog against himself 18 As †Heb. one that maketh himself mad a mad man k As one feigneth himself mad that under that pretence he may do mischief with impunity who casteth †Heb. 〈◊〉 or spâ—…ks fire-brands l To hurt his Neighbours person or to consume his House or Goods arrows and death m Any instruments of death 19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour and saith Am not I in sport n That wrongs him under a false pretence of kindness and familiarity 20 †Heb. without wood Where no wood is there the fire goeth out so * Ch. 22. 10. where there is no ‖ Or 〈◊〉 tale-bearer o To carry such reports from one to another as may provoke them to mutual rage and strife the †Heb. is 〈◊〉 strife ceaseth 21 * Ch. 1â—… 18. 29 22. As coals are to burning coals and wood to fire so is a contentious man p Heb. a man of contentions that loveth and giveth himself up to contentions to kindle strife 22 The words of a tale-bearer are as wounds and they go down into the †Heb. 〈◊〉 innermost parts of the belly q This was delivered before Ch. 18. 8. and is here repeated as being a point of great concernment to the Peace and Welfare of all societies and fit to be oft and earnestly pressed upon the consciences of men because of their great and general proneness to this sin 23 Burning r Either 1. With Love Words delivered with shew of true and fervent affection Or rather 2. With Malice or hatred A slanderous or evil Tongue For this word is constantly used in a bad sense and notes the heat of Rage and Persecution lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross s Such a Tongue and Heart are of no real worth although somtimes they make a shew of it as Dross doth of Silver 24 He that hateth ‖ Or is 〈◊〉 dissembleth t Or carrieth himself like another man pretends Love and Kindness which sense seems to agree best both with the next clause of this verse and with the two following verses with his lips and layeth up deceit within him 25 When he †Heb. 〈◊〉 his voice gracious speaketh fair believe him not for there are seven abominations in his heart 26 ‖ Or hatred 〈◊〉 covered in secret Whos 's hatred is covered by deceit u With false professions of Love his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation x Instead of that secrecy and impunity which by this art he designed and promised to himself he shall be brought to publick shame and punishment 27 * Ps. 7. 15 16 9. 15. 57. 6. Eccles. 10. â—… Whoso diggeth a pjt y That another may fall into it It is a metaphor from Hunters who used to dig deep pits and then to cover them sleightly with earth that wild Beasts passing that way might fall into them and somtimes in the heat of pursuit fell into them themselves shall fall therein and he that rolleth a stone z To wit up the hill with design to do mischief to some person or thing with it it will return upon him 28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it ‖ Because by his calumnies he hath made them his enemies and a flattering mouth †Which though it be more smooth and plausible than a slandering mouth yet is in truth no less pernicious betraying others either to sin or to danger and mischief worketh ruine CHAP. XXVII 1 * 〈◊〉 4. 13. BOast not thy self of †〈◊〉 to morâ—… 〈◊〉 to morrow a Of any good thing which thou purposest to do or hopest to receive to morrow or hereafter the time being here put Metonymically for things done or had in the time as Deut. 4. 32. Eccles. 2. 23. The same caution is given Iam. 4. 13 c. for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth b What may happen in the space of one day which may hinder thy designs or expectations The day is said to bring forth what God by his Almighty Power and Providence doth either cause or suffer to be brought forth or done in it 2 Let another man praise thee and not thine own mouth c Except it be really necessary either for thy own just vindication or for the honour of God or for the edification of others in which cases this hath been allowed and practised by wise and virtuous men as particularly by St. Paul 2 Cor. 11. 12. a stranger and not thine own lips 3 A stone is †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heavy and the sand weighty but a fools wrath is heavier d More grievous and intollerable as being without cause without measure and without end than them both 4 †〈◊〉 wrath 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wrath is cruel and anger is outragious but who is able to stand before ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 envy e Envy is worse than both of them partly because it is more unjust and unreasonable as not caused by any provocation as wrath and anger are but only
following words many nations the kings shall shut their mouths at him k Shall be silent before him out of a profound Humility and Reverence and Admiration of his Wisdom and an eager desire to hear and receive Counsels and Oracles from his Mouth Compare Iob 29. 9 10 11 21. They shall no more contend with him nor blaspheme the true God and Religion as they formerly used to do for that * Rom. 15. 21. which had not been told them shall they see l For they shall hear from his Mouth many excellent Doctrines which also will be new and strange to them such as Men are very desirous to hear And particularly they shall hear from him that comfortable Doctrine concerning the Conversion and Salvation of the Gentiles which was not only new to them but was strange and incredible to the most of the Jews themselves and that which they had not heard shall they consider m Or they shall understand Which is added to shew that the seeing in the former clause was meant of discerning these things with the Eyes of their Minds CHAP. LIII 1 * Joh. 12. 38. Rom. 10. 16. WHo hath believed our ‖ Or doctrine †Heb. hearing report a The Prophet having in the 3 last verses of the former Chapter made a general report concerning the great and wonderful Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ of which he intended more largely to discourse in this Chapter before he descended to particulars he thought fit to use this Preface Who not only of the Gentiles but even of the Jews will believe the truth of what I have said and must say Few or none The generality of them will never receive nor believe in such a Messias as this Thus this place is expounded by Christ himself Iob. 12. 38. and by Paul Rom. 10. 16. And this premonition was highly necessary both to caution the Jews that they should not stumble at this Stone and to instruct the Gentiles that they should not be surprised nor scandalized nor seduced with their Example and to whom is the Arm of the LORD b Either 1. The Word of God called the report in the former clause the Doctrine of the Gospel which is expresly called the power of God 1 Cor. 1. 18. because of that admirable Virtue and Success which accompanied the preaching of it Or 2. The Messiah who also is called the arm or power of God 1 Cor. 1. 24 and that most fitly because the Almighty power of God was both seated in him and declared and exercised by him in his powerful Words and mighty Deeds as Simon for some great works wrought by him was called by the Samaritanes the great power of God Act. 8. 10. revealed c Not outwardly for so Christ was revealed and preached to vast numbers both of Jews and Gentiles as is evident from this Context and from divers other places of Scripture but inwardly and with power to their Minds and Hearts of which kind of Revelation See Eph. 1. 17 18 19. and compare it with 2 Cor. 4. 4. Thus even Moses though sufficiently revealed to the Eyes and Ears of the Jews yet is said to be unrevealed or hid from their Minds and Hearts 2 Cor. 3. 14 15. The sense of the place is few or none of the Jews will believe the Gospel or receive their Messiah when he comes among them 2 * Ch. 49. 7. 52. 14. Mark 9. 12. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground d And the reason or occasion why the Jews will so generally reject their Messiah is because he shall not come into the World with secular pomp and power like an earthly Monarch as they carnally and groundlesly imagined but he shall grow up or spring up Heb. ascend to wit out of the ground as it follows be brought forth and brought up before him before the unbelieving Jews of whom he spake v. 1. and that in the singular number as here who were witnesses of his mean original and therefore despised him according to Christs observation Iob. 4. 44. or as others according to his face or outward appearance as he was man whereby he sufficiently implies that he had another a far higher and a Divine Nature in him as a tender plant or as this very word is translated Ezek. 17. 4. a young twig which is a small and inconsiderable thing and as a root as Christ is called Rom. 15. 12. and elsewhere or as a branch the root being put Metonimically for the branch growing out of the root as it is apparently used where Christ is called the root of Iesse and of David Isa. 11. 10. Rev. 5. 5. and in other places as 2 Chr. 22. 10 out of a dry ground out of a mean and barren soil whose productions are generally poor and contemptible either 1. Out of the Womb of a Virgin but that was no ground of contempt Or 2. Of the Jewish Nation which was then poor and despised and enslaved Or 3. Out of a poor and decayed and contemptible Family such as the Royal Family of David was at that time he hath no form nor comeliness e His bodily presence and condition in the World shall be mean and contemptible and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him f When we shall look upon him expecting to find incomparable Beauty and Majesty in his Countenance and Carriage and Condition we shall be altogether disappointed and shall meet with nothing amiable or desirable in him This the Prophet speaketh in the person of the carnal and unbelieving Jews we i. e. our People the Jewish Nation 3 He is despised and rejected of men g Accounted as the scum of Mankind as one unworthy of the company and conversation of all men a man of sorrows h Whose whole Life was filled with and in a manner made up of an uninterrupted succession of Sorrows and Sufferings and acquainted with grief i Who had constant Experience of and familiar converse with grievous afflictions for knowledge is oft taken practically or for Experience as Gen. 3. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 21. and elsewhere and ‖ Or he hid as it were his face from us †Heb. as a hiding of faces from him or from us we hid as it were our faces from him k We scorned and loathed to look upon him Or as others he hid as it were his face from us as one ashamed to shew his Face or to be seen by any Men as persons conscious to themselves of any great deformity do commonly shun the sight of men as Lepers did Lev. 13. 45. he was despised and we esteemed him not l Here are divers words expressing the same thing to signifie both the utmost degree of contempt and how strange and wonderful a thing it was that so excellent a person should be so despised