b The Inhabitants of the Ciry of Hieruſalem are thoſe here in* tended, Pſal. x25. 2. ſount 7 yea, Hieruſslem is ſelf was buided in part upon the rocky Mountain of Zion, but a great paft was 'in the Valley, and the bigher Moun- rains, about mount Zion, made that Mountain 3t ſelf, in compari- ſon with them, asa Valley. c Though alſs aRock of the Plain, that is, nearto the Plain. Which ſiteation of this place, made the Few; think it to bs impregnable, and to mock at Dangers, or Threats of Enemies, ſaying, Who ſhall, that is, Who can, or Who will dare to come againſt vs? Or, Who will be able to enter into our City ? ſaith the Lord I am againſt you. I will come down againſt you, and I, by ſuch as I ſhall employ, will enter into your Habita- tions. No natural poſition or ſituation of Places, no artificial For- tifications are ſafficient againſt an Almighty God. _ A
14 But I will + puniſh you e according to the fruit of your doings, faith the LORD f: and I will kindle
and it ſhall devour all
things round about it 4, Ts
« In the Hebrew it is, 1 will viſit upon you 3 God's Viſitations are either of Mercy, Plal. 80. 14. and 106. 4. Or of Judgment; thereſore the Sence is here rightly given by our Tranſlators, puniſh, f The fruit of Mens Doings is the product of their Actionsz God punith- eth the fruit of our Doings. In ſhewing Mercy, he acts from Pre- roga'ive; inPuniſhments, he doth but fill Men with their own ways, «nd give them according to the fruit of.their Doings 3 ſo Yerſe 12. g By the Fireft he either meaneth the Foreſt of Z:banon. or their Houſes made up of Wood cut out of that Foreſt, or their Idol- trous Groves. þ And this Fire he faith ſhould not determine in the Deſtruction only of this City, but 1n the total deſtruction c£ all
the Country adjacent to Hieruſal ems CHAP. XXIL
. | *
God ſmndeth the Prophet to Court with Promiſes, T, 4. and Threats _ the King s houſe avd Jeruſalem, 5, 9. The Judgment of Shallum, 10,,——72. of Jehoiakim, 13,——19- 4nd of Cos
a7” Exh the LORD, Go down to the houſe of the
king of Judah, and ſpeak there this word 4.
a Some by tac King of Judah here mentioned, underſtand Jehe. ahaz,made King upon the death of Joſiah by the People ( being the ſecond Son of Joſiah ) 2 Kings 23. 30. Orhers underſtand Fehoiakim whom Pharaoh-Necho made Kings carry11g his elder Brother Feboge haz, after a ſhort Reign of threC Months, with him into Zgypr, 2
Et Fry Hear the word of the LORD, O king of
Judah, that fitteſt upon the throne of David 6, thou,
and thy ſervants, and thy people that enter in by cle Gates c; _ Sa is ſo Great but he is obliged to hear the Word of the Lord. The Prophets mentioning him under the Notion of him that ſar upon the Throne of Davids boch minds him of God's Faithfulnelfs, who had promiſed that Dawd ſhould not want one to ſit on his Throne ; and his Duty, ro wa'k 1n che ſteps of him upon whoſe Throne he fate ; and alſo of his Errors, he not walking in David's Heps, though he ſareupon his Throne. c The Word of the Lord concerned net the King alone, bur a'I his Inſtruments in places of Ma ziltracy, and allo all the Peoplz of Feruſalem and Jute. ””
_
FERBMIA H
The Mountains were round about Hieruſalem, |
and righteouſneſs, and deliver the ſpoiled out of the hand of the oppreſſor: and do no wrong; do no vie- lence to the ſtranger, the fatherleſs, nor the widow;
neither ſhed innocent blood in this. placed. - . ___ d That is, Adminiſter Juſtice toall your Subje&s. The Strangey, the Fatherleſs, and the Widow, are particularly named, as Perſons who have feweſt Friends, and ſb are moſt expoſed: ro the Luſts of great Men, who have a Power to oppreſs them. Two things. are obſervable; 1. That the Terms upon which God promiſeth Mer- Cy to them, are ſuch as were in their power to. perform. 2c They are the due performance of relative ; ee pe teach us how much lieth vpon Mens juſt performance of the Duties of their Re Jations, and miore particularly, how much God loverh Juſtice and Judgment, withour the impartial Execution of which, no Princes; noMagiſtrates, can promiſe themſelves S:curity from temporal Judg- ments: which much commenderh the Love of God to humane Sor ctety, Injuſtice being the greateſt Enemy to it, and Juſtice the great Foundation and Pillar of it. EE | 4 For if ye do this thing indeed e, * then ſhall there enter ia by the gates of this houſe kings ſitcing F upon the throne of David, riding in chariots, and or horſes,
he, and his ſervants, and his people f, Due, and look that inferiour Magiſtrates a&ing under you do ſo..
a ſecular, temporal nature, of all Proſperity, and Conhtinuance of the Family of David, with great Honour and Splendour ; expreſſed
Performance of moral As of Juſtice and Mercy, which Men may. perform without any ſpecial Grace of God, be not enough to en-, citle them tro the Hopes of Spiritual and Eternal goed Things 3 yet they may intirle them to the Hopes of outward Proſperity and Hap: pineſs in this 'Life, Dan. 4. 27. Which is ſufficient to demonſtrate, That Mens outward Infelicities, and Sufferings under the grievous Judgments of God upon themſelves, is from their ſelves ; they might in a great meaſure avoid them, by doing ſuch Adts as are in their power fo do.
5 But if ye will not hear theſe words g, I ſwear by my ſelf, ſaith the LORD, that this houſe ſhall become a deſolation þ.
£ By hearing, the Prophet meaneth hearkning to, and obeying, God accaunteth us to hear no more than we prattiſe. þ If ( faith the Prophet ) you will not ex:cute Judgment, &c. I give you the great-
eſt Aſſurance imaginable, that this noble Houſe of David ſhall become
a Deſolation. The Apaſtle ſaith, that God, becauſe he could ſwear by no greater, ſware by himſelf. The End of an Oath, is the Con= firmation of a thing where any doubt of the Truth of it, or any have Strife about it. Sinners tinding in themſe!ves a Dificulty co believe God upon his Word, revealing his Will againſt the Intereſts of theic Luſts, the Lord is brought in as ſwearing, nor by 2 greater ( that is impoſſible ) bur by himſelf, that the Hecſe of David, or this Houſe of Iſrael, or his own Houſe, the Temple, ( though the firft ſeems moſt probable. to be here meant, which ſeemerh ro be the Houſe mentioned 7:rſe 4. through the Gates of which,Kings ſhould enter, riding in Chariots and on Horſes ) ſhould be made deſolate.