17 Then #ſhall the lambs. « feed after their manner x, and the waſte places y of the fat ones z ſhall ſtran- gers acat, |, | t When God ſhall have finiſhed that Work of [Judgment Ungodly, he will extend Mercy to = Aonar tl This IS _ _y ual in this Prophet, in the midſt of his Threatnings, to inſert ſome- thing for the ſupport of Believers. » The poor and harmleſs People who ſhall be leftin the Land wl:en the Rich are carried into Captivity, asit 'ell out 2 Kings 25: 12. x Or, by their Fold, as this Word is manifeſtly uſed Mic: 2: 12: the only place of Scripturegex- -ept this, in which this Word is found. » The Lands left by their Owners, who were either ſlain, or. carried into Captivity, z Of the Rich and Great men, ſo called Pſa: 22: 293 and 58: 31: Iſa: 104 '6, a Thepoor Ilradlites, who were left to be vine-areſſirs and hushand. men, 2 Kings 2537 12. who are called frargers, becauſe they were ſo 1n reference to that Land, not being the proper Owners of it, nor related to them zas the 1ſraelites of other Tribes are called frrangers in oppoſition to the Levites, as Numb: 1: 5; and elſewhere; yea, and the Levites are ſo called, in oppoſttivi: 10 the Seed of Agron Numb: 16: 40. : 447 13 Wo unto them that draw Iniquity b with cords of © vanity ec, and fin as it were with a cart-rope d. bThat are not only drawn to ſin by the Al'urements of the World or by the Perſwaſions of wicked men, b-1ng turpriſed and overraken by Sing as ſ-mctimes good men are, Gal: 6. 1, but are ative and incuſtrious in drawing Sin to themſelves, or themſelves to Sin ; that greedily and ſteadily purſue Sin, and the Occaſions of it, and arenor atreſt till they kave overt:ken 1r ; that ſin wilfully, and re- ſoJvedly, and induſtriouſly. c Or,w-th cords of Iz:ng, as the laſt Word frequently ſignifies, 7. e. with vain and deceitful] Arguments and Prerences, whereby Sinners generally draw themſelves to Sin,among whic ., one follows in the nex: Verſe, to wit, the Impunity which they promiſe ro themſelves Or theſe Cords may note the Means which they uſe to accompliſh thatIniquity which they have deviſed, ad With all their mighrt,as Beaſts commonly do that diaw Carts with , Ropes. 19 * That ſay, Let him e make ſpeed, and haſten his *Jerqy.tg work, that we may fee itf: and let the Counſel of Amos58: the holy One of Iſrael g draw nigh and come, that we F533
may know 1t. e To Wir, God, in whoſe Name thov and other Prophetsare al-
God the s By his righteon bel. $
with Bugbears ; but he either cannor, or will not do us any harms we do not fear him, let him do his worſt ; let him begin-as ſoon as ſoonzs he pleaſeth. Not thatany of the Iſraelites were ſo impudent as to uſe theſe Expreſſions ; but this was the plain Language of their
Afftions ; they lived as if they were of this © Opinion; | their Preſumption and Security ſhewed their deſperate Contempt
*Cl
of God,and of all his Judgments. g Who by his Holineſs is engaged ( to puniſh us. They ſcornfully repeated the Title uſually given by. | the Prophets unto God. 20 Wo unto them Þ that call evil good, and good e- + Hebzhs: vil þ ; that put darkneſs for light, and light for dark- /a -; neſs ; thac put bitter for ſweet, and ſweet for bitter. þ That take away the difference between Good and Evil ; that ju- he 1d, & ſtific and approve wicked Men and Things, and condemn Piety, or 5"? Vertue, or righteous Perſons, Compare Prov: 17: 18s. Thus many
call Serious Godlineſs, Humourous Singularity ; and Juſtice, Moro-
ſity ; and Meekneſs, Stupidity, &c. as on the contrary, they call
Pride, Magnanimity 3 and Covetouſneſs,Good-husbandry. And men
are very apt to follow the Courſe of the World in their falſe Judg.
ments ofthings: which therefore the Propher ſo ſeverely forbids.
21 We
ry unſeatonable time, as it follows, } What God hath lately done
YE LENS.
Chip? V.
f a tt] s
iS 414 8
tprov.3:9: 21 Wo,unto them that are * wiſe in their own eyes, R912: 16! and prudent Þ in their own fight z.
Hed» ; That being puffed up with an Opinion of their own Wiſdom before their de{piſe the Counſels and Inſtruftions of God by , his Prophets, and j#i0. prefer their own vain Fancies before the Judgment of the All- wile
God, as appears by the Errour b-forementioned. wv. 20. that tar) affirmed that to be Evil, which God had declared to be Good.
22 Wo unto them that are mighty to drink wine &,
and men of ſtrength to mingle /ſtrong drink.
k That can drink much withour Inroxication, in which they glo- ried, as too many do at thisday. 17. e. To drink : the Antecedent being put for the Conſequent; which is uſual : for they mingled
: it in order to drinking. *Pro:17:15
& 24: 24, 23 Which * juſtife the wicked for reward », and ' take away the righteouſneſs of the righteous from him ».
-m Not by miſtake or incegitancy, but wilfully for Bribes. = To wit juridically ; tz<v pronounce Sentence againſt him, as if. he and his Cauſe were unjuſt.
24 Therefore as Þ the fire devoureth the ſtubble, and the flame conſumeth the chaff, fo their root ſhall be as rottenneſs o, and their bloſſom hall goup as duſt p: be- cauſe they have caſt away q the law of the LORD of hoſts, and deſpiſed the word of the holy one of Iſrael.
o They- ſhall be like a Tree which not only withers in its Bran- ches,but dies and rots at the Roots&rherefore is paſt all hopes of re- covery. The ſenſe is,they ſhall be deſtroyed both Root and Branch, p Shall vaniſhfor ſo the Ward aſcend or go up is oftuſed,as Exod: 16:14 Job 5: 26: Jer: 48. 15: Ezek: 11: 23, 24: ) as che Duſt, which is blown away With every Wind ; or, {hill be refolved into Duſt, and yield no Fruit. q Which implies Di.o-edience joyned with Contempt:
25 Therefore isthe anger of the LORD kindled a- gainſt his people, and he hath ſtretched forth his hand againſt them, and hath ſmictenthem : and the hills did
Jor, &« tremble r, and their carcaſes were ||torn in the midſt