Here's the issue of the former two: The showing them their transgressions, the opening their ear, are that they may return from iniquity; and here is a command that they must; And commandeth that they return, &c. The Hebrew text may be rendered, He speaketh, or saith, that they return from iniquity; and this speaking may be expounded two ways, First, by persuading; He speaks perswadingly. The Lords afflictions are persuasions, his strokes are entreaties; he beseecheth us by ou• sorrows, and sicknesses, and weaknesses, and pains, that we would return from ⟨p. 233⟩our iniquity. Secondly, we take speaking or saying in the highest strain, He speaks by commanding, he speaks authoritatively; Thus we render, He commandeth. The command of God is twofold; First, formal or express, when God gives the rule in so many words. Secondly, virtual. The command of God (I conceive) is here to be understood in this latter sense. When the Lord afflicteth the righteous, he virtually commands, or sends out his Edict, that they return from their iniquity. The word return, implies them formerly following some iniquity, & gone far from the Lord: This returning is repenting all the Scripture over. I need say no more of that. As by sin we turn from God, so by repentance, we return from iniquity; and as the Lord at all times commands the righteous by his word, so they even force him sometimes to command them by his rod, which is called discipline in the former part of the verse, because sinners feel pain, and find matter to learn, all at once. He commandeth that they return from iniquity.
Here's the issue of the former two: The shewing them their transgressions, the opening their ear, are that they may return from iniquity; and here is a command that they must; And commandeth that they return, &c. The Hebrew text may be rendred, He speaketh, or saith, that they return from iniquity; and this speaking may be expounded two wayes, First, by perswading; He speaks perswadingly. The Lords afflictions are perswasions, his stroaks are entreaties; he beseecheth us by ou• sorrows, and sicknesses, and weaknesses, and pains, that we would return from ⟨p. 233⟩our iniquity. Secondly, we take speaking or saying in the highest straine, He speaks by commanding, he speaks autho•itatively; Thus we render, He commandeth. The command of God is twofold; First, formal or express, when God gives the rule in so many words. Secondly, vertual. The command of God (I conceive) is here to be understood in this latter sense. When the Lord afflicteth the righteous, he vertually commands, or sends out his Edict, that they return from their iniquity. The word return, implyes them formerly following some iniquity, & gone far from the Lord: This returning is repenting all the Scripture over. I need say no more of that. As by sin we turn from God, so by repentance, we return from iniquity; and as the Lord at all times commands the righteous by his word, so they even force him sometimes to command them by his rod, which is called discipline in the former part of the verse, because sinners feel paine, and find matter to learn, all at once. He commandeth that they return from iniquity.
