5 And the People ſhall be oppreſled p, every one by by another, and every one by his neighbour : The child ſhall behave himſelf proudly againſt the ancient, and the baſe againſt the honourable q. ” ; .þ By the command or connivance of ſuch Childiſkh Rulers. 9 Foo- I:fh and unworthy Men ſhall by wicked Arts gain the Favour and abufe the Power of the Prince, and thereby behave themſelves in- ſajently towards their Betters.
6 When a man ſhall take hold of his brother, of the houſe of his father r, ſaying, Thou haſt qputhing / be thou'our ruler #,and let this ruine be under thine hand s.
r Whereas Envy ordinarily reigns in near Relations, when one Brothex is advanced far above all the reſt. { We are utterly un-
and have neither Food nor Raiment; but thou haſt ſome- ing yer left to ſupport the Dignity which we offer to thee, and
" £0 enable thee to execute thine Othce. 5 He ſheweth, that Miſ-
government ſhould cauſe the Diſſolution of the Government, and
that the former Governours ſhould be removed either by Foreign Force, or by Domeſtick Inſurre&ion. « To wit, to heal ir, as it is explained in the next Vorle. Undertake the Charge of this cor
tering StatEe
Lo
: .
i.
nÞ the
be an | healer 5: for in my houſe is neither bread nor te
cloathing z : make me not a ruler of the People.
x Heb. he ſhall lift up ; underſtand either 1. his Voice 3 he ſhall cry aloud, to ſhew his earneſtneſs in refuſing the Offer ; or 32. his Hand, which was the uſual geſture in Swearing, Gen: 14: 22: Deuts 32: 40, Oc. to ſhew his reſolvedneſs. y A repairer of the Ruines of the State. x I have not ſufficient Proviſions either of Food or Raiment for my own Fawily ; much leſs, as you fallly ſuppoſe, for the Diſcharge of ſo high a Truſt. |
8 For Jeruſalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen : be- cauſe their Tongue and their doings are againſt the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory a.
Fe Of his glorious Majeſty, whom they ought to reverence and adore,
der up,
againſt them 6, and they declare their fin c as * Sodom, +'/$
they hid i#not d: wounto their ſoul, for they have re- warded e evil unto themſelves.
6 Their Pride, and Wantonneſs,and Impiezty manifeſtly ſhews it 5: ſelf in their very Looks and Carriages, and Will be a ſwift Wit- neſs againſt them both before God and Men. c They a& it pub. lickly, caſting off all Fear ef God, and Reverence to Men, and they glory init. d As men do who have any remainders of Mo. deſty or Ingenuity. ez. e. Procured a fit Recompence for their Wickedneſs, even utter Ruine. Or, they have gene : for this Word is oft ſo uſed, without any ſignification of a Recompence, as Plab: 7: 4: They cannot blame me, but themſelves: Their DeſtruQtion is wholly from themſelves, Compare Hoſ: 13: 9.
Io Say yef to the righteous, That it fball be well with him : for they ſhall eat of the fruit of their doings g.
f God hath ſaid it, and doth now by me fay it ; and you, O ye Prieſts and Levires, ſay it in your Sermons to the People. g Let not them fear, for God will be their Safeguard and Portion in the common Calamity.
1: Wounto the Wicked þ, 3t ſhall be ill with him: for the reward of his hand ſhall be + given him.
h Theſe heavy Judgments are defigned againſt them, and ſhall cer. tohim. tainly find them out, though here they be mixed with the Righ- teOus.
12 4 As for my people, * children are their oppreſ- * Ver ſours, and women # rule over them: O my people, *
Rulers ; or, 2. weak and effeminate Rulers,ſuch being called Women thee bleſ- both in Sacred and Profane Writings k Thy Rulers Civiland Ec- ſed-
thee, and ſpeak Peaceto thee. / Keep thee from the Knowledge or PraGtice of that Way which leads to thy Salvation,and miſlead thee into evil Courſes, by their wicked Counſels or Examples.
13 The LORD ſiandetk up to plead, and ſtand- eth to judge the People ». 9 He will ſhortly and certainly ſtand up as aJudge, to enquire into the Cauſe, and to give Sentence. n z7.e. To defend and des» liver them, or te judge for them, as this Phraſe is oft uſed»
14 The LORDwill eater into judgment with the ancients s of his People, and the Princes thereof s for Nor, bur
ye bave || eaten up p the vineyard 9 ;. the ſpoil of the up, poor r 15 in your houſes,
+ The Princes or Rulers,as it is explained in the next Clauſe, who are oft called Elders, becauſe ſuch were commonly and-.fitly choſen out of thoſe who were ripe in years. p Deſtroyed in ſtead of pre- ſerving and dreſſing it, as you ſhould have done. q The Church and Commonwealth of rae, which is ofc called God's Vineyard,as Pſalm 80: 8,14, 15: Ja: 5: 1: Fer: 2:21, &c. and here the Yineyard, by way ofeminency : Or,the Yineyard which was cammited to your care ro keep, 7 The Goods which you have violently taken away from the Poor.
15 What mean ye s that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind che faces ofthe poor ? ſaith the Lord GOD of hoſts.
s What Warant have ye for it? How durſt you preſume to do
it ? e Or, batter, as the word is uſed Ezed: 32; 20: Smite them crue- ly, See Chap: 58: 4.
16 © Moreover, the LORD faith, Becauſe the daughters of Zions are haughty, and walk with ftretch- ed-forth neks x, and f wanton eyes y, walking and
|| mincingas they go z, and\making a tinkling with ; jy & - their feet a; celving , w The Women ; as hitherto he reproved the Men. » AfffeQing with thei Starlineſs, P/a/m75: 5; and to ſeem tall. y Or, as others, rwink- eyes. ling with their Eyes ina laſcivious manner. z Afffter the manner of || Or, fif- 1
looſe and wanton Perſons. s By ſome Qraaments which they wore ping & ypon their ſhoes. be.
17Therefore the Lord will ſmite with a ſcab thecrown of the head b of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD - will | diſcover their ſecretparts c. Tos 6 Will by ſending Scabs, or by other ways,take off the Hair of a their Head, which is a Womans Glory, 1 Cor: 11: 15. and which doubtleſs miniſtred to their Pride and Wantonneſs, Others rea- der it, He wil! make bald, 8c. c By giving her unto the Power of thoſe Enemies that ſhall cither trip her of all her Raimenrs, not. leaving her ſufficient to cover her Nakedneſs ; or otherwiſe abuſe her, by ſuch immodeſt and contemptuous Aions, Compare //#. 47: 3; Exekq 16: 37: and 23: 10, 26.
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|| they which lead thee & cauſe thee to erre, and F de- "ps {troy the way of thy paths /. 1 Os, they
; Either 1. properly ſo called,by their Favour and Power with the whichcall