Chapter is, we faw his Sufferings, and without confidering his InLIII. nocence, concluded he was punifh'd by God for fome heinous Sins of his own; Heaven we thought was juftly incens'd against him, and his Afflictions we efteem'd the just reward of his Crimes: We thought (fays Grotins) the Prophet was juftly caft into Prifon, that God punish'd him as a vile Malefactor, a lying Prophet, and an Enemy to his Country, against which he was always denouncing fome Judgment, or other.

Aquila.

Capell.

Ver. But he was wounded for our tranfgreffions, he was bruifed for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his ftripes we are healed.] But we were greatly mistaken in our rafh Judgment of his Sufferings, for he was wounded for our Tranfgreffions; fo the LXX and the Vulgat render Mecholel, from the Root Chalal confodere, from whence Chalal, a dead Carcafe, and Chalil, a Pipe, because of the Perforation thereof; and in this Senfe of the Word there is no Pretence of applying it to the Prophet; there is another Signification of the Word, as it is render'd by an ancient Interpreter of the Circumcifion, he was polluted, βεβηλωμένΘ, as Chrift really was, ὅτε γέγονεν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν κατάρα, hanging on the curfed Tree, and thus the Chaldee Paraphraft alfo renders the Word, tho' he refers it to the Temple, Ipfe autem adificabit Templum propter defectiones noftras pollutum; from whence we may remark by the by, that this Place in the Paraphraft has been interpolated by the Jews by the Addition of these Two Words, edificabit Templum, or if that be the genuine reading, it's plain the Author of the Paraphrafe did not live before the Time of our Saviour, but after the Destruction of the fecond Temple, for there is not the leaft Probability that he should fpeak of the firft Temple, which was rebuilt long before the fuppos'd Age of Jonathan. Others derive the Word from Choul, to be in pain, or tormented, and Grotius renders it by male tractatus, in which Senfe it may be referr'd to the Prophet Jeremiah, whofe Sufferings in Captivity were entirely owing to the National Sins of the Jews; but fuppofing this and most of the other Expreffions were really applicable to the Cafe of that Prophet, if there were but one which could not be apply'd to him, I think that one. alone would be fufficient to explode fuch an Interpretation,

and

and make one look out for fome Perfon in whom all would Chapter fairly agree; and this I take to be the Cafe here, fome of LIII. the Characters may poffibly be understood in a figurative Senfe of Jeremiah, but all cannot; and every one of them agree in the proper Signification of them with our Saviour fo exactly, that it would almost make one fufpect that the Prophet had read his History, if we were not very well affur'd of the Impoffibility of any fuch thing. Now that fome of these Characters cannot be fulfill'd in Jeremiah is plain from what follows, The Chaftifement of our Peace was upon him, and by his Stripes we are heal'd; which understood of our Saviour is plain and eafy, he was chaftis'd to procure our Peace with God, and we were recover'd of our Spiritual Sickness by his Sufferings; the Words are plainly Metaphorical, and reprefent Mankind as languishing undertheir Sins, fick and uneafy under the galling Load of them, of all which they were eas'd by the Death of Chrift; but how were the Jews heal'd by the Stripes of Jeremiah? How was the Chastisement of their Peace upon him? Here that great Critic makes fuch poor Work of it, that I am almoft. afham'd to tranfcribe his Expofition, The Chaftifement of our Peace was upon him, that is, he gave us fuch Inftructions, in obferving of which we should have been happy, & livore ejus i. e. patientia nos fanati fuiffemus, and fhould have been freed from all our Calamities had we given Credit to his Words, confirm'd by fo great Conftancy of Mind under all the Injuries and Affronts we put upon him; I cannot fee any thing in the Original which any way favours. this Interpretation, nor is it poffible to make Senfe of the Words, unlefs referr'd to our Saviour Christ.

Ver. 6. All we like sheep have gone aftray: we have turned. every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.] Here the Prophet repeats what he had faid before concerning Chrift's Satisfaction under the Similitude of wandring Sheep, we were all wander'd out of the way, following our own Inclinations, and what feem'd good in our own Eyes, and by our Sins had expos'd our felves to the Jaws of that roaring Lion, who goes about feeking whom he may devour; but God fent the good Shepherd, who laid down his Life for the wandring Sheep, and all our Tranfgreffions were punish'd in his innocent Perfon; from the

Chapter Time of Manaffes, fays Grotius, we have declin'd from the Paths of the Lord, yet did he fuffer us to afflict the good Prophet, and made him smart for our Sins.

LIII.

a

as

Ver. 7. He was oppreffed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the flaughter, and Sheep before her fhearers is dumb, fo he openeth not his mouth.] The Words may be better rendred, it was exacted and he anfwered for us: Even the Jews themfelves allowing that Nagash in the Original, fignifies to demand rigorously what is due: For thus Kimhi very abfurdly renders the place, which I only take notice of to fhew the fignification of the Word, and what ftuff he makes of it, by endeavouring to expound it of the Jews. Judeos a Gentibus injuste vexari & opprimi tum in corpore tum in opibus. In opibus quidem duriffimè ab eis exigendo mutuo datam cum fenore Pecuniam. But of Christ the Senfe is plain and eafie; the Penalty due to God's Justice for the Sins of Mankind was rigorously demanded by God, and Chrift anfwered for us, undertook to undergo thofe Sufferings which were due to us. He undertook to pay that Debt which we could never have discharg'd, and reconcil'd us by his Sufferings to his angry Father, who muft otherwife have fatisfy'd his Justice in our Deftruction: And in the midst of those heavy Sufferings He open'd not his mouth, he was brought like a lamb to the laughter, and as a fheep before his fhearers is dumb, fo he open'd not his mouth which fhews the great Patience with which he bore the Punishment of our Sins, without any murmuring at the heavy Hand of God, or any unmanly repining at the difficulty of the Undertaking, without letting fall the leaft Expreffion which might difcover any Ill Will to his Enemies, who were the Inftruments of his Pain. Grotius understands this of the Calamities the Prophet underwent, which he did with a Manly Conftancy; in which there is nothing extraordinary, fince thousands of his Captive Brethren did

the fame.

Ver. 8. He was taken from prifon and from judgment: and who fhall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the tranfgreffion of my people was he stricken.] In the Hiftory of our Saviour we meet with no mention of his being Imprifon'd, but he was feiz'd

upon

LIII.

Capell.

upon, and was under restraint all Night, they kept him Chapter in hold till they brought him to Judgment, which was the next Day; on which they Try'd, Condemn'd, and Executed the Lord of Life: So that by Notzer muft be understood the Confinement he was under during that Night in which he was taken, which is the natural fignification of the Word; and by Mishpat the Tryal of him before Pilate, from whence he was hurry'd to Execution. And who fhall declare his generation? Most of the Fathers understand this of the Temporal as well as Eternal Generation of the Son of God; but neither Dor in the Hebrem, nor yeved in the Greek are ever found to fignify Generatio feu Actus gignendi vel nafcendi, which if the Prophet' had defign'd to exprefs, he wou'd have us'd Moleleth, which properly denotes it: But Dor conftantly fignifies an Age or Long Space of time, fo that the Prophet means, who can declare how long he shall live, after he has fuffer'd a violent Death, and rais'd up himself again to Life, as he shall certainly do? Others refer it to the number of his Spi- Lyranus. ritual Off-fpring who should imbrace his Gofpel, which fhould be fo numerous, that no calculation could reach it; but Gataker prefers to all these the Interpretation of Grotius; How wicked muft that Generation be, who put to Death the most innocent Perfon in the World? Feremiah was caft into Prison, and therefore Grotius under"ftands this of him, he was deliver'd from Prison, to which he had been Sentenc'd by the King of Babylon: Who can declare how Wicked and Malicious the Men of that Generation were?

Ver. 9. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.] This can never in a literal Senfe be understood of our Saviour, and if ever a tran- Vatablus. fpofition may be allow'd of, I think it is in this Place, He Forerius. made him die with the wicked, but his grave was with the rich; Pagninus. and thus feveral Interpreters who have render'd, dedit cum Impiis fepulchrum ejus & cum divite in mortibus ejus, explain'd themselves, as if dedit fepulchrum fignify'd no more than be dy'd. Chrift fhall die on Mount Calvary, where only Malefactors us'd to fuffer, and fhall be buried in the Grave of the rich Counsellor of Arimathea. But as A LaCcc

LIII.

Chapter A Lapide obferves, the Original Words will not bear that meaning, Verum potius dicendum fuiffet dedit cum Impiis Mortem ejus & cum Divite fepulchrum ejus. The Original Words, I own, will not bear that meaning as they ftand in our Copies, and therefore I think there is a neceflity of allowing, that by mistake of the Tranfcriber, Kibro and Bemothau have chang'd Places; becaufe otherwife 'tis impoffible to apply it to the circumstances of our Saviour's Paffion, who literally died with the wicked, being Crucify'd between two Thieves, and was buried with the Rich in the Sepulchre of Jofeph of Arimathea, a wealthy Counsellor. To allow a tranfpofition is unavoidable, unless we are refolved to make the Prophet speak abfurdly, as most do, who expound the Words as we read Capell. them now. Quantum in Judais fuit fepulchrum Chrifti dederunt cum Impiis & Latronibus; Impios milites dabit Pilatus Procopius. ad Sepulturam Chrifti, fcilicet pro cuftodia fepulchri ejus. Auguftin. Et Caiaphas dabit Divites, i. e. Judeos qui fuis Pecuniis corrumpant milites Pro Morte fua, i, e. ne fcilicet fateantur eum 4 morte refurrexiffe: And the like, which may be met with in moft Interpreters. But I think it a great deal more for the Honour of the Scripture, to acknowledge a flip in the Transcriber, than to force the Prophet to talk at that rate. Grotius gives this Sense to the Words with Ferem. 26. respect to Jeremiah, They defign'd to-put him to Death, but those wicked Contrivers of his Death fhall be cut off themselves, their Riches fhall not redeem them from Death; which is ftraining the Words with a Witnefs.

Ver. 10. Yet it pleafed the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to grief: when thou halt make his foul an offering for fin, he fhall fee his feed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord fhall profper in his hand.] The Words, Thou fhalt make his foul an offering for fin, feem to intimate that our Saviour was oblig'd to undergo what he fuffer'd for us, by the positive Command of his Father, whereas it was his own voluntary Undertaking; therefore Capell takes Tafhim in the third Perfon feminine, Si Anima ejus pofuerit fefe Vitimam pro Peccato, Tho' be offer himself a Sacrifice for Sin, yet fhall be fee his Seed, a numerous Progeny of faithful Believers on his Name, and shall prolong his Days to

all