He speakes to the Mountaines , Hills , Rivers , and Vallies , to heare the Word of the Lord . This kind of speaking sets out the weightinesse of the Prophesie , the vehemency of affection , and seem'd to convince the Jews of their insensiblenesse and incurablenesse ; they were so hardened in sinne , that there was as much hope of doing good to these creatures , as to them by the Word .

Here is a Prosopopeia , attribution of sense to dumbe creatures , Res insensibiles videbantur suo modo sentire , sensus autem compotes non sentichant . which is frequent in Scriptures , Deut. 32.1 . Give eare Oh yee Heavens and I will speake , heare Oh Earth the words of my mouth . So Jer. 2.12 . Isa. 1.2 . Hence the earth t is said to tremble , the hills to move at the wrath of God , Psal . 18.7 . Psal. 76.8.114.7 . Winds and Seas to obey , Matth. 8.27 . All creatures are more ready to obey the will of their Creatour , then man it . Apostrophees are therefore oft made from the sensible and rationall Creatures , to those that are void of both ; to set out the stupidity of Man , and his unworthinesse of the Word . The Lord passes by the Masters , and lookes to the Servants , neglects Men , and speakes to the Mountaines , that so he might provoke them to consider .

To the Rivers . The vulgar is Rupibus , to the Rocks . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aphikim in the Hebrew doth signifie Channells , Isa. 8.7 . Psal. 18.15 . The King of Assyria shall come up over all his Channels , and goe over all his banks . 2 Sam. 16.22 . The Channels of the Sea appeared . It signifies also the waters that runne in the Channels , Job 6.15 . As the streame of brookes they passe away . And Psal. 126.4 . As the streames in the South . Hence it is rendred , Rivers , Joel 3.18 . Ezek. 35.8 . from Aphak , which signifies to containe and corroborate , and both these the Channels doe ; they containe the Waters , keep them within their bancks , and strengthen them being kept together , so that they runne with force , and beare burdens .

The Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which notes Thickets and woody places which use to be about waters .

Valleys . By the water sides , and in the Valleys , they provoked God , Jer. 49.4 . Why gloryest thou in the Valleys ? They trusted in their flowing and fat Valleys , Isa. 57.5 . They enflamed themselves with Idolls under every green Tree , slaying the Children in the Valleys , under the clifts of the Rocks . And Jer. 32.35 . They built the high places of Baal , which are in the Valley of the sonne of Hinnon , to cause their Sonnes and Daughters to passe through the fire unto Molech ; and this Valley was afterward called , The Valley of slaughter , Jer. 19.6 . and the reason is given , Jer. 7.32 , 33. they had slaine their Children there , and God punished them with a great slaughter there , and defiled the place with their blood , which they had formerly defiled with their sinne .

A Sword upon you . That is , the Assyrians , armed with instruments of Warre , they should come and lay all waste , breake downe Altars , cut downe Groves , digge downe Hils , dry up their Channels , and let out their waters .

The high places . They are first mentioned in Leviticus , Chap. 26.30 . They were Mountaines or Hills where the people worshipped , 2 Chron. 1.3 . taken from the practice of Heathens , who chose out pleasant places , woody Hills and recesses , where they built Chappels , Temples , and Altars to their gods . Numb . 22.41 . Balack brought Balaam into the high places of Baal , where there was a Temple or Chappell , for the worship of Baal , and therefore in the next Chapter , he bids him make seven Altars , that they might worship their god Baal there . Heathens had many such places , Deut. 12.23 . Yee shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the Nations served their gods upon the high Mountaines , the Hils , and every greene Tree , you shall overthrow their Altars , breake their Pillars , burne their Groves with fire , hew downe the graven Images of their gods , and destroy the names of them out of that place . God would not have his people to worship him in any heathenish wayes , or with heathenish Rites ; but they built themselves , High places , Images , and Groves , on every high hill , and under every greene Tree , 1 Kings 14.23 . Jeroboam made an house of high places , 1 Kings 12.31 . They were to sacrifice in the Tabernacle : when they had speciall and propheticall warrant , they might sacrifice any where , and after the Arke was taken , which had stood at Shiloh , 343 yeares , and was moveable from place to place , then it was lawfull for the people to offer in the high places . Before the Temple was built , notwithstanding the destruction of the High places threatned by Moses , Levit. 26.30 . By Amos , Chap. 7.9 . by Hosea , 10.8 . and other Prophets , many of Gods people sacrificed in the high places , under Trees , and elsewhere ; as Gideon , Judges 16.19 . Samuel , 1 Sam. 9.19 . David , 2 Sam. 24.25 . Solomon , 1 Kings 3.4 . Manoah , Judges 13.19 . Elijah , 1 Kings 18.31 , 32 , &c. God accepted their sacrifices , and wincked at this errour , but their sacrificing after , in the high places , did bitterly provoke God , and the complaint was , that the high places were not taken away , 1 Kings 22.43 . 1 Kings 15.14 . They continued till Hezekiah's dayes , who removed them , 2 Kings 18.4 . But Josiah utterly destroyed them out of the Land , 2. Chron. 34.3 . Yet those Kings that came after , restored them againe . It is said of Jehoahaz , He did evill in the sight of the Lord , according to all that his Fathers had done , 2 Kings 23.32 . Vers. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

Your Images shall bee broken . Hebrew Chammanechem , the Sunne Images . Chammah is a name given to the Sunne , Job 30.28 . from Chamam calere , because of the great heat thereof , and Chammanim is Sunne Images . Hence Jupiter Hammon , who had a famous Temple in Affrica , wherein was the Image of the Sunne , as A Lapid . in Levit. 26.30 . hath it : Macrobius , lib. 1 Saturn . c. 23 and Macrobius shewes , that Jupiter and the Sun were the same . The Idolatrous Jewes were accustomed to worship the Sun , 2 Kings 23.5 . Ovid. l. 2. Metam . They burnt incense to the Sunne : And because the Heathens were wont to worship the Sunne under the figure of a Charriot and foure Horses : it is said , The Kings of Judah gave Horses and Charriots to the Sunne , v. 2. The Rabbies thinke these were living Horses , which drew a Charriot dayly toward the East , and some fitting in it did salute the Sunne in the Kings name ; others more probably conceive these Horses and Chariots were pourtrayed Effigies , set up at the entring in at the house of the Lord , in honour of the sunne , and so set above their Altars , 2 Chron. 34.4 . Buxtorf , and Junius call them , Subdiales statuae , Statues that stood a broad , and were exposed to the Sun . Aben Ezra thinkes they were houses , or Chappels , made for the worship of the Sunne . I conceive they were Images set up for that purpose ; you have mention made of them , in Isa. 27.9.17.8 . Some thinke they were little Courts wherein were Altars and fire preserved upon them , in honour to the Sunne . Calvin thinkes them so cald , ab aestu , because Idolaters runne after them , as Adulterers doe after Whores : Others from Chemab furor , Deod . on Levit. 26.30 . because they are carryed with fury to that service . Vid. Buxtorf . in Chamam , Isa . 57.5 . Inflaming your selves with Idolls .

I will cast downe the slaine men . This seemeth a strange speech , slaine men are not standing , It is also to prophane , pollute . need not casting downe : The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Vulgar renders interfectos vestros . They are slaine men , that fall downe to Idolls , that serve other Gods , men appointed to be slaine , or confossos vestros , your wounded men : For Shalal is perforare , and its probable that many being wounded by the Chaldeans , would flye out of Jerusalem to the Hils , Altars , Groves , and Idols , for safety , and there the Lord would destroy them before the Idols ; their enemies should find them out , and make an end of them , Hosea 10.8 . They shall say to the mountaines cover us , and to the Hills fall on us . They were in great feare , distresse , and hid themselves , yet that prevented not their death , Jer. 12.12 . The spoylers are come up upon all high places through the Wildernesse : for the Sword of the Lord shall devour from the one end of the Land , even to the other end of the Land , and no flesh shall have peace . They should finde no favour at their Altars , in fight of their Idolls .

Idolaters conceit , that the gods , in honour of whom they set up their Altars and Images , will relieve them in distresses , and turne aside evill from them ; but it should not be , they should find no mercy : Sennacherib was slaine before Nishrosh his god , Isa. 37.38 .

It is also in the 5. and 6. verses . Before their Idols . — Gillulim , dunghill gods , excrementitious Deities , from Galal , dung : So it s rendred in the 1 Kings 14.10 . Quod circumvolutions emittitur , even mans dung , which is most loathsome and unsavoury .

This name is put upon Idols , to shew how they doe stinck in the nostrills of God , and make the Worshippers of them filthy stinking creatures ; they are like Swine , that feed upon , and wallow in dung . Idolls defile the soule and body both ; for usually spirituall uncleannesse , and bodily , doe goe together : Idolatry , and Adultery , are companions , Jer. 5.7 , 8. They worship other gods , and neigh after their neighbours Wives . Idols doe defile and cause defilement , Ezek. 22.3 . Thou makest Idols against thy selfe , to defile thy selfe . V. 5. Altare polluitur contactu cadaveris , Calv.

I will lay the dead carkasses of the Children of Israel , &c. They should want buriall , be exposed to open shame , their Altars be defiled with blood and bones , Josiah polluted the Altar with the bones and carkasses of dead men , 2 Kings 23.16 , 20. And Jeremy tells of the bones of Kings , Princes , Priests , Prophets , Bones , blood , carkasses , pollution because they are signs of death , and fruits of sin . and Inhabitants of Jerusalem ; that should be taken out of their Graves , be spread before the Sunne , Moone , and host of Heaven , whom they worshipped , and not to be buryed ; but should be for dung upon the face of the Earth . They had served dunghill Idolls , and God would make them dung ; yea , in the place where they had so sinned , should they suffer this heavy judgement , even before the Idols . The Jewes used to bury the bones of their Kings , with Gold , Silver , costly Garments , Crowne , Scepters , and Armes : Prophets , and other chiefe men , had some pretious things buryed with them . Josephus tells , Lib. 13. Antiquit. Lib. 10. that Hyrcanus tooke out of Davids Sepulchre , 6000 Talents . Curtius tells of Alexander the Great , that hearing there was much wealth in Cyrus Sepulchre , he commanded it to be opened , but found none . The Caldeans being covetous , would search their Sepulchres for wealth , scatter the bones of the dead in disgrace , and leave them as dung upon the face of the Earth ; this Judgement Moses had foretold them of , Levit. 26.30 . I will cast downe your Images , and cast your carkasses upon the carkasses of your Idols . Their worship seemed holy to themselves , but God would pollute it with their owne Carkasses . That which is of great account among men , is an abhomination unto God .

V. 6. In all their dwelling places their Cities shall be layd waste , &c. Here is the extent of the judgement , to all their Cities , where ever they dwelt ; all their Cities were defiled with Idols , and Idolatrous worship , Jer. 11.13 . According to the number of thy Cities were thy gods , Oh Judah , and according to the number of the Streets of Jerusalem , have yee set up Altars to that shamefull thing , even Altars to burne incense to Baal .