þ The Tahavitanrs of the City of Hirryſzlem are thoſe here 1n- tended, P[{zl. 125. 2. The Mountains were round about Hieruſa- In, nea, Hierilalom nt felf was builded in part upon the rocky Mountain of Zim, but a great pare was in the Valley, and the hipher Mountains, about Mount Zion, made thar Mounrain it ſelf, in compariſon with them, asa Valley. c Though alſo a Rock of the Plain, thar 1s, near to the Plain, Which fituarion of this place, made the J-ws think it to be 1mpregnable, and ro mock at Dangers, or Threats of Enemies, ſaying, Who (5.2/!, that is, Who can. 0r #11 rill dare to come againft us? Or, who will be able ro enter inro our City ? faith the Lord, I an again? you. I will come down againſt you, and 1, by fuch as I ſhall employ, will enter into vour Rahitarions, No nacural poſition or fituation of Places, no artificial Fortfi.ations, are ſufficient againit an Almigh- ty God.
12 But +I will puniſh you e according to the * Fruit Of YOULr af gs, ſajrh the LORD *f: and I will!
kindle a fire in the forreſt thereof 7”, and ir ſhall de-
e in the Hebrew 1t is, I will tifit ron you; God's Viſtrations are either of Mercy, Pſal. 80. 14. and 106. 4. or of Fudgment 3 therefore the Sence 1: here rightly given by our Tranſſators,puniſh. f The fruit of Mens Doings 1s the produc of their Actions ; God pintſherh the truir of our Doings. In ſhewing Mercy, he ads from Pretogarive; 1n Pumſhments, he doth bur fill Men with their own ways, ard give them according to the fruit of rheir Doings 3 fo Verſe 12. g By rhe Forreſt he encher meaneth the Forreſt of Le- b.:r0z, or their Houſes made up of Wood cut out of that For- reſt, or their idolarrous Groves, h And this Fire, he fait],
MIA RH
20, 30, I Hus ſaith the LORD, Go down to the houſe of the king of Judah, and ſpake there this
word 2.
a Some by the King of J44ah here mentioned, underſtand ]e- hoahaz, made Ring upon the death of Jo{ah by the People, (being che ſecond Son of Joſzah) 2 Kings 23. 30. Others underſtand |e- hoiakim whom Pharaoh Necho made King, carrying his elder Bro- ther Jehoahax, after a ſhort reign of three Months, with him 1nto Egypt, 2 Chros. 36. 4. |
2 And fay, 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 theſe gates c 3
b None 1s ſo great but he 1s obliged to hear the word of the Lord, The Prophets mentioning him under the Notion of him that ſat upon the Throne of Darid, both minds him of God's Faith- fulneſs, who had promiſed rhat David ſhould not want one to fir on his Throne ; and his Duty, to walk in che ſteps of him upon whoſe Thegne he ſat ; and alſo of his Errors, he nor walking in David's ſteps, though he ſar upon his Throne. c The Word of the Lord concerned nor the King alone, bur all his Inſtruments in places of Magiſtracy, and alſo all the People of Jeruſalem and Judea.
3 Thns faith the LORD, * Execute ye judgment *Chap.: :. and righteouſneſs, and deliver the ſpoiled out of the 22.
hand of the oppreſſor: and do no wrong, dono vio- lence to the ſtranger, the fatherleſs, nor the widow,
neither ſhed innoceat blood 1nthis place 4.
4 That1s, Adminiſter Juftice to all your SubjeQs, The Srran- ger, the Fatherleſs, and the idow, are particularly named, as Perſons who have feweſt Friends, and fo are expoſed to the Luſts of great Men, who have a power to oppreſs them. Two things are o9ſervable; r, That the Terms upon which God pro- miſerh Mercy to them, are ſuch as were in their power to perform. 2. They are the due performances of relative Duties, to teach us how much lteth upon Mens juſt performance of the Duries of their Relations, and more particularly, how much God Ioverh Juſtice and Judgment, without the impartial Execution of which, no Princes, no Magiſtrates, can promiſe themſelves Security from remporal Judgments; which much commendeth the Love of God co humane Soctery. Injuftice being rhe greateſt Enemy to ir, and [uftice rhe great Foundation and Pillar of ir.
4 Forityedo this thing indeed e, * then ſhall *Chap. 17; there enter 1n by the gates of this honſe kings ſitting 25+ n Y S S "S + Heb. for David upon his Thror:.
+ upon the throne of David, riding in chariots, and on horſes, he, and his ſervants, and his people f.
e If ye w1l; not pretendedly, bur really, give to every one their Due, and look that inferiour Magittrates a&ing under you do fo :
f Then, he dorh nor ſay you ſhall be ſaved; the Promiſe is only
of a ſecular, temporal nature, of all profperiry, and Continuance of rhe Family of David, with great Honour and Splendour ; «x- prefſed by thofe Phraſes of riding in Chariors, and on Horſes, Though rhe Performance of moral Ags of Juſtice and Mercy, which Men may perform without any ſpecial Grace of God, be nor enough ro intitle them to the Hopes of [piritua] and eternal good Things yer they may ini itle them to the Hopes of outward Proſperity and Happineſs in this Life, Dan. 4. 27, Which is (uf- ficient ro demonſirare, That Mens outward Infelicities, and Suf- ferings under the grievou; Judgments of God upon themſelves, is from their ſelves 3 thev might in a great meaſure avoid them by doing ſuch Adis as are in their power to do, :
5 Butit ye will not hear theſe wordsg, I ſwear by my ſelf, faith the LORD, that this houſe ſhall become a deſolation h.
g By bearing, the Propher meanerh hearhning to, and obeying. God accounterh us to hear no more than we practiſe, þ If (fairh the Propher) you will not execute Judgment, &c. I give you the greateſt Aſſurance imaginable, that this noble Houje of David ſhall become a Deſolation. The Apoſitle ſaith, thar God, becauſe he could ſwear by no greater, ſware by himſelf. The end of an Oath 1s, the Confirmation ofa thing where any doubr of the Truth of Ir, or any have Strife ahout 1t. Sinners finding in themſelves a Difficulty ro believe God upon his Word, revealing his Will a- gainft che Intereſts of their Luſis, the Lord is broughr inas (wearing, not by a greater (that 1s impc{lible) bur by himſelf, that the Houſe of David, or the Houſe of Iſrael, or his own Hou's he Temple, (though the firſt ſeems moſt probable to be here mean which ſeemeth ro be rhe Houſe mentioned Verſe 4. through the Gates of which, Kings ſhould ent, 3iding in Chariots and Gn Horſes) ſhould be made deſolate.