An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth, & tenth chapters of…

First,¹ As a thing that had little or no reference to them, as a thing that did not much concern them: They took not to heart ⟨p. 106⟩the breaches of Gods Law, neither did they much regard the keeping of it, it was no great matter to them, they made account that it was [ad libitum] what they did that way, much did not depend upon it, either good or evil: As a stranger accounts it not to concern him what the Master commands: or as we account it no great matter what strangers do, what clothes they wear, or what course they take, we let them pass by and not mind them.

First,¹ As a thing that had little or no reference to them, as a thing that did not much concern them: They took not to heart ⟨p. 106⟩the breaches of Gods Law, neither did they much regard the keeping of it, it was no great matter to them, they made account that it was [ad libitum] what they did that way, much did not depend upon it, either good or evil: As a stranger accounts it not to concern him what the Master commands: or as we account it no great matter what strangers do, what cloaths they wear, or what course they take, we let them pass by and not mind them.

1. 11. As not concerning us.

Secondly,¹ They accounted them as a strange thing; that is: They were strange things in their apprehension, they could see no reason: as we say of a thing that we do not understand that we see no reason of it, it is strange (we say:) so they in the text, that God should say thus and thus when we cannot see that any account can be given for it, they are strange things. Strange things that they did not apprehend the reason of, and especially among other things of Gods Law (as was said before) the way of Gods Worship was a very strange thing to them, that God should stand so much upon it that he must be worshipped no where in the way of public worship but at Jerusalem, at the Temple, no sacrifices must be offered but there, yea, that whatsoever come of it though people dwelt a great way off, though as they thought it would bring a great deal of disturbance unto the Kingdom of Israel for to go to Jerusalem to worship, yet that God should stand so upon it that they must go, and that the Prophets should urge it with that fervency as they did, that they must go to Jerusalem come of it what will, they must venture their peace; they accounted this a strange thing. And indeed it is very strange unto people to think, that we must look to the exact way of Gods Worship whatsoever comes of it, whatsoever trouble or disturbance comes of it, we must not go a hair against the way that God hath set for his right Worship: this is a strange thing to carnal hearts.