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hands earnestly." And where men do lay out all their wisdom, and all their industry and strength in the pursuit of sin, there also destruc- tion lies at the door. When men are slothful, careless, negligent, — sensual in all other things, but industrious only in doing evil, — this is another thing the prophet lays down as a certain sign of approaching destruction.
Having spoken this of the body of the people, he divides them into two parts; the rulers, and the residue of the people: and the rulers he also distributes into three sorts ; the prince, the judge, and the great man. Thus saith he, " The prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man uttereth his mischievous desire," verse 3. I shall not particularly open these words; but this is what the prophet would teach us, — That when there is, as it were, a con- spiracy in all sorts of rulers to commit the same iniquity, and to wrap rip the whole business by agreement among themselves; so that there is none to intercede, none to stand in the gap, none to do otherwise; — ■ that lies in a tendency to those judgments which he will afterwards declare. And this was the state of affairs at that time: for this pro- phecy was given in the days of Ahaz ; and there was a great agree- ment and conspiracy among all in power then to oppress, and to cany on their own covetous and "mischievous desires," as they could. They agreed together, and so wrapped it up.
In verse 4 he speaks as to the residue of the people. " The best of them," saith he, "is as a brier; the most upright is sharper than a thorn-hedge." The prophet, after he had laid so great a charge upon them, seems to reflect upon some that made a great pretence of friendliness to the Church of God, pretending they would be a hedge, a fence unto it; but saith he, " They prove ' briers and a thorn-hedge.'" " This hypocritical part of the nation, who speak so fair, and make such a mighty appearance of friendship, yet, when a man presses upon them, tear and rend him, and give him nothing but trouble and vexation. Whatever pretences they make, there is nothing to be ex- pected from them but what you would look for from briers and thorns." And I observe, that the prophet, upon this occasion of deal- ing, with this hypocritical part of the people, doth insert a threaten- ing as though the judgment should fall more upon them than those whose open wickedness he had before described. "Therefore 'the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh ;'" that is, the day which the watchmen had so often declared would come upon them, for their false and hypocritical dealing with God : "Now shall be their perplexity." When false professors make a specious pretence to re- lieve the church, but really neither design nor effect any thing for them but farther vexation and rending, — the day of the watchmen is then at hand.
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In the 5 th and 6th verses he showeth that this universal corrup- tion that was among the people had extended itself to all sorts of relations, — that there was nothing of confidence left even among rela- tions, " Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide : keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house/' It is a sign of extreme confusion, when disorder breaks in among relations, and all grounds of confidence between them are taken away. But this place is applied by our Saviour particularly unto the time of persecution for the gos- pel, Luke xii. 53 ; Matt. x. 35, 36. There is no wickedness doth so debauch the nature of man, and break off all confidence in the nearest and strongest relations, as an enmity to godliness, and persecution thereon. " When once they are engaged in this, then/' saith our Saviour, " it shall be so and so."
This being the state and condition of the people of the land, the prophet makes, in the name of the church, a threefold application of himself: — First, To God, verse 7; Secondly, To her enemies, verses 8, 10; and Thirdly, To himself, verse 9.
First. Upon the prospect of this state and condition, he makes application to God: "Therefore I will look unto the Lord," saith he; "I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me," verse 7. When all things are in confusion and at a loss, the people of God are not discouraged from looking unto God; yea, they are encouraged thereunto ; and it is made necessary for them so to do. And in such a season, not to be looking peculiarly unto God, is an evidence of a heart insensible of the state and condition of the church of God.
Secondly. The prophet, in the name of the church, applies himself unto her enemies : " Rejoice not against me, 0 mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise ; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the Lord thy God ? Mine eyes shall behold her; now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets," verses 8, 10.