that they are as wickedness itself. That leaden weight, which he laid upon the mouth of the ephah, to depress the woman there inclosed, resembled that heavy weight of judgment, wherewith he decreed to load and humble those wicked ones of the Jews; from which they should not rise up, till his season appointed.

V. 9. Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lift up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.

Then lifted I up my eyes, and looked; and, behold, the executioners of God's just sentence, resembled by two women; which had the wind in their wings, to resemble the exceeding speed which they should make in the performance of their charge; lifted up the ephah, to carry it away with them.

V. 11. And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

:

And he said unto me, These carry away the wickedness of the Jews, together with the owners thereof, into Babylon, whence it came; and there shall it settle and grow, where it first had its accursed original.

VI. 1. Went out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.

Went out from the unchangeable decree of God.

VI. 5. These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.

These are four angelical and heavenly powers, which, upon the command and mission of the Lord of the Whole Earth, go forth to all the parts of the world, to execute his will amongst

men.

VI. 6. The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.

Those angels, which are represented by the black horses, are they, which go forth into Babylon for the punishment of those Chaldees, which have afflicted God's people; and those, that are represented by the white horses, go forth thither also, for the comfort and preservation of those Jews, which are left there those, which are represented by the grisled, go forth towards Judea, to take order with those neighbour enemies, which resist the work of the Lord in the hands of God's people:

VI. 7. And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth.

Those, which were represented by the bay, as not being designed to any particular place, went forth to pass to and fro

through the whole earth; to take charge of the Church of God, scattered in all the parts of the world.

VI. 8. Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.

Behold, those angels, that were sent to Babylon-ward, have done that acceptable service, on which they were sent; both in comforting God's people, and punishing their enemies which are in those parts.

VI. 11. Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest.

Then take of the silver and gold, which is offered to the Lord, by those Jews which are come from Babylon, and make two crowns thereof; and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, who represents him who is the Eternal High Priest and King of his Church.

VI. 12. Saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD.

Saying, Behold the man, who is the true type of the Messiah, that flourishing branch of the stock of Jesse; even this Joshua: he shall grow up and prosper out of Zion, and shall build up the Temple of the Lord; in type of Jesus, the Mediator of the New Testament, who shall fill heaven and earth with his glory, and shall build up a Spiritual Temple, which shall endure for ever. So also verse 13.

VI. 13. He shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

He shall be both a Priest in his Temple, and a King in his Throne; and a Prophet to his Church, giving counsels of peace and eternal salvation, to both Jews and Gentiles.

VI. 14. And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, &c.

And those crowns shall be kept and hanged up in the Temple of the Lord, as a memorial and monument of the liberal offering made by Helem, and Tobiah, &c.

VI. 15. And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD.

Upon whose laudable example, not only those, which are near, but those, which are far off in place of habitation, shall come up, and offer munificently towards the building of the Temple of the Lord.

VII. 1. In the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu. In the fourth day of the month of November.

VII. 2, 3. When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regem-melech, and their men, to pray before the LORD, And to speak unto the priests which were in the house

of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?

When the body of the then Jewish Church, which were returned from the captivity and planted in Judea, sent certain deputies or messengers, in the name of the whole, to offer up their religious devotions in the Temple; and to inquire of the priests of the Lord, and the prophets, concerning the anniversary observation of that fast, which they had hitherto kept in the fifth month, upon the sad remembrance of the destruction of the Temple; saying, We have hitherto duly kept this solemn fast for many years, but now we desire to be informed by you, since that the Temple is now repaired and finished, whether it be fit and requisite, that we should continue that fast of the fifth month any more, afflicting ourselves with the memory of the demolishing of that, which is now so happily re-edified.

VII. 5. When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?

When ye fasted and mourned, both in the fifth month for the Temple, and in the seventh for Gedaliah, did ye do this, even all these seventy years, out of any charge of mine? or did ye it, out of any true remorse for those sins of yours, which pulled these judgments upon you; and not rather out of a sense of your own sorrow and misery?

VII. 6. And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?

And, contrarily, when, on your other solemn festival days, ye did eat and drink and make merry; was it out of any spiritual joy ye had in me and my service, and not rather for your own pleasure and jollity?

VII. 7. Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south of the plain?

Should ye not rather have hearkened to the words, which the Lord spake loud in your ears, by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was in her glory and prosperity, and all her daughter cities round about her; when the plains of the south parts were fully and richly inhabited? which if ye had done, this misery and desolation had not seized upon us; we had had no need of these mourning fasts.

VII. 12. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, &c.

Yea, they wilfully hardened their hearts against the counsels given them by the Lord; and made them as hard as an adamant stone, which is utterly impierceable.

VII. 14. For they laid the pleasant land desolate.

They, by their great sins, exposed this pleasant land to utter spoil and desolation.

VIII. 2. I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. See chap. i. verse 14. VIII. 6. If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.

If it seem a thing strange and difficult unto you, the remnant of the people, that Jerusalem should be thus blessed with peace and prosperity; it is no whit strange or difficult unto me, saith the Lord of Hosts.

VIII. 7. Behold I will save my people from the east country and from the west country.

Behold, I will both preserve and fetch home my people, from all the coasts of heaven; from the east and west countries; and from the north, viz. of Babylon, much more. VIII. 9. Let your hands be strong.

Be ye of good courage, and go cheerfully about the work. VIII. 10. For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.

For before these days, while ye slackened the building of the Temple, ye lived in penury and want: your labours were heartless, and unsuccessful: ye were infested and endangered with enemies, so as ye could not stir out of your houses, without peril; for, as a just punishment of your neglect, I did cause both outward and inward broils and quarrels, to be raised up amongst you.

VIII. 11. But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts.

But now, it shall be otherwise: since ye address yourselves to this work, heartily and willingly, I will be favourable and gracious to you, saith the Lord.

VIII. 14. As I thought to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, &c.

As I justly decreed to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath by their sins, and by their wilful neglect of my work; and accordingly performed it, saith the Lord. So again, &c.

VIII. 19. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feast; therefore love the truth and peace.

Thus saith the Lord; Be not careful of the keeping of those

your solemn fasts; for I will turn all those fasts of yours, both that, which you keep in the fourth month, in memory of the breaking down of the wall of Jerusalem; and that, which you keep in the fifth, in memory of the burning of the Temple; and that, which ye keep in the seventh, in memory of the murder of Gedaliah; and that, which ye keep in the tenth, in memory of the first siege laid to Jerusalem, all these will I turn to joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts unto the house of Judah; therefore, be ye careful to carry yourselves holily, justly, peaceably, before your god.

VIII. 20, 21. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts.

And more than so: I will give a happy increase to my Church: many people and nations shall be added unto it; and shall cheerfully join together, and encourage each other in my service, both by their hearty counsels and examples. So also

verse 22.

VIII. 23. In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

In those days it shall come to pass, that the Gentiles shall be added to the Church; in such number and zeal, as that many of them shall resort to one well-informed convert of the Christian Jews, and shall desire to be taught by him in the truth of godliness.

IX. 1. The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.

The heavy message, that God sends to those cities and countries, which have offered cruel violence to his people: in particular, this errand of judgment shall light upon the region and city of Damascus; which shall be accordingly executed upon them, since the eyes of the neighbour nations round about, but especially of all the tribes of Israel, are earnestly intent to expect this revenge from the hand of the Lord.

IX. 2, 3. And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise. And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, &c.

Neither shall Hamath be freed therefrom; nor Tyrus and Zidon, though they be crafty and subtle enough, to use all human power and wit, for their own safety and evasion; and