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plowing the ground to prepare it for seed: doth he ever labour in breaking the clods?

XXVIII. 25. When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fetches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat, &c.

Hath he not other work to do, after this? When he hath laid the earth smooth and level, doth he not cast the several seeds and grains into the bosom of the earth, in their meet seasons?

XXVIII. 27. For the fetches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned upon the cummin; but the fetches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.

When he hath done that, and hath brought these several kinds of grain into the barn, he doth not thresh them out all after one fashion; for the fetches are not beaten out with the ordinary instrument of threshing, nor is the cummin crushed out with the cartwheel; but lesser force will shake out these seeds, even a staff, or a rod.

XXVIII. 28. Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.

But that corn, that is for bread, is bruised out with more force, by the strength of the flail or wheel; because he will not ever be working upon it, to fetch it out of the husks wherein it lies, by those violent means which are used to this purpose.

XXVIII. 29. This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

Since the Lord of Hosts hath given this wit and understanding to plain men, for the managing of their affairs, in due times and fit ways; how much more shall He, who is infinite in wisdom, contrive his own works, both of mercy and judgment, with men?

XXIX. 1. Wo to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.

Woe to the temple of Jerusalem, and thee, O altar; yea, to that whole city of David! let the destruction be a little deferred, from one year to another; and, in the mean time, do ye fearlessly kill and offer your sacrifices, as if ye expected no danger. XXIX. 2. Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow and it shall be unto me as Ariel.

Yet, in my appointed time, I will distress the altar and temple; and there shall be heaviness and sorrow; and the whole city shall be to me, as an altar imbrued with blood.

XXIX. 4. And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust."

And thou shalt speak hollowly and faintly, out of the low estate of humiliation, into which thou shalt be cast: thou, that hadst wont to speak big and loftily, now, so shall thy voice be changed, that it shall sound weakly and hollowly, as one that hath a familiar and speaks inwardly; or, as if it came like some soft whispering sound, out of the crannies of the earth.

XXIX. 5. Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as the chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.

Moreover, those hired forces of strangers, to which thou trustest, shall be dispersed, as small dust with the wind; and those powerful and fierce warriors, whereof thou boastest, shall be as chaff, blown away in an instant, suddenly.

XXIX. 6. Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquakes, &c.

For God himself, who is the Lord of Hosts, shall take upon him the execution of these judgments upon thee, and shall testify his displeasure by thunders and earthquakes, &c.

XXIX. 7. And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision.

And the multitude of these nations, that fight against the altar, temple, city of Jerusalem, and that distress her, shall come upon her, in respect of her deep security, as some fearful dream upon a sleeping man.

XXIX. 8. It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.

And, whereas the Jews vainly pleased themselves with a false hope of deliverance from their enemies and raising of their siege, they shall be no less disappointed, than an hungry man, that dreams of meat and seems to himself to eat, but, when he awakes, he finds that his stomach is still empty, &c. So, shall it be with the conceit of defeating the multitude of nations, that fight against mount Zion.

XXIX. 9. Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.

Fix yourselves upon the thoughts of these judgments, and wonder; yea, cry out, cry aloud in the sense of this wrath: but, alas, why do I thus speak unto them? They are grown senseless and stupid: they are drunken, not so much with wine, as with their false security and giddy imaginations.

XXIX. 10. For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.

For the Lord, in his justice, for a punishment of your idolatries and excess, hath given you up to a secure insensibleness; shutting up the eyes of your mind, that you should not see your fearful condition; and that, not of the meaner sort only, but of your very prophets and rulers, who should be the common seers for the rest.

XXIX. 13. And their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.

Their religion and devotion is such, not as God hath prescribed unto them, but such as they have received from the unwarranted precepts of superstitious men.

XXIX. 14. For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

Their wise men and their learned teachers shall be besotted; so as they shall not be able, either to see the truth, or to deliver it unto others.

XXIX. 15. Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD.

Woe to those hypocritical contemners of God, which think themselves so cunning, that they can elude either the knowledge or proceedings of God.

XXIX. 16. Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not?

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Surely, these plots and devices, that you have, for the turning of things upside down, and working them to your own purposes, less hand to overrule, than the clay is in the hand of the potter: Is it for you, to take upon you the contriving of the events of things? Is not this work proper only to me? Shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not?

XXIX. 17. Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?

However secure hearts your it shall be very may suggest to you, shortly, that I will make these strange alterations in the world: woody forests shall be turned into fruitful and plain fields; and those fields, which were lately fruitful, shall become a wild desert forest.

XXIX. 18. And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.

But, notwithstanding these judgments, I will be gracious to mine own remnant; and will open their ears, that they may hear, and enlighten their eyes, that they may see the things belonging to their peace.

XXIX. 21. That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.

Those cruel men, that are ready to take the utmost advantage against a man, for but a word speaking; and lay twigs and snares to catch the prophet, which openly reproves sin; and disgrace the upright and conscionable, causelessly.

XXIX. 24. They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

They, that before carelessly mocked at the prediction of these denounced evils, shall now come to understand the truth of them.

XXX. 1. Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit: that they may add sin to sin :

Woe to these rebellious Jews, saith the Lord, that will be consulting with flesh and blood, in their affairs; and hiding their plots, as if they could keep them from mine eyes; and seeking other protections, than my Spirit hath suggested unto them; they do herein but add one sin to another :

XXX. 2. That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh! That, without ever asking counsel of me, go to crave aid and succour of the Egyptians, and make account to strengthen themselves with the forces of Pharaoh.

XXX. 4. For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes.

For, no mean men, but the very princes of Judah were sent as ambassadors, to the furthest parts of Egypt, to treat with them upon this business.

XXX. 5. They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.

But the end of that ambassage is but shame and disappointment; for it will appear, that those Egyptians shall not be able to help them, yea, that their assistance shall turn to a reproach and disadvantage unto them.

XXX. 6. The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fierce flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.

The sad tidings, that are sent to the men of Judah, under the name of those beasts, which shall be sent by them with presents into Egypt; even into Egypt, which hath been of old a land of trouble and anguish to Israel; from whence ravenous and venomous beasts have wont too frequently to annoy and endanger all passengers; yet thither will the men of Judah needs carry their rich gifts, upon the backs of asses and the bunches of camels, to fee a people, that cannot, that shall not avail them.

XXX. 7. For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no pur

pose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.

The Egyptians' help shall be utterly in vain; and therefore have I earnestly warned and admonished the people of Judah, that their best strength had been in sitting still, and trusting to their God, without the employment of these untrusty assistants. XXX. 10. Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits.

Prophesy to us those news, that may please us; and tell us plausible tidings, how false and deceitful soever.

XXX. 11. Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. Let not the Holy One of Israel trouble us any more, with these harsh and unwelcome prophecies.

XXX. 13. Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.

Your state shall be, for this iniquity of yours, like to the case of a riven wall, whereof one part is ready to fall from the other; which buncheth out in the rupture thereof, as continually threatening a certain ruin, that shall come suddenly upon it, and, in the fall, a breaking in pieces.

XXX. 14. And he shall break it as the breaking of the potter's vessel that is broken in pieces.

Thus are ye, and thus shall ye be yea, he shall yet break you into smaller sherds; even like to the sherds of a broken pitcher.

XXX. 15. For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength and ye would not.

Thus saith the Lord; Did not I tell you, that your safest and surest way was to call back your messengers from Egypt, and to rest quietly and confidently upon the assured protection of your God? yet ye would not do so; but would needs follow your own projects.

XXX. 16. But ye said, No: for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee.

No, said ye; we will send speedy messengers to our neighbour princes, and will trust to their aid; therefore shall ye make as much haste to flee before your enemies.

XXX. 18. For the LORD is a God of judgment.

For the Lord is a God, full of merciful moderation in the proceedings of his judgments.

XXX. 20. Thine eyes shall see thy teachers :

Thou shalt enjoy the presence of thy priests and prophets : XXX. 21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.

And God shall bless thee with pure and wholesome doctrine; directing thee in the way of truth and holiness; saying to thee,

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