g In PraQtice and AffeRion, theſe Rulers were direaly contrary to what they ſhould have been and done; they hated not only to do Good, but they hated the Good which was to be done, and thoſe that did it: 'and whar kind of Men may we judge they were who hated good Men, and what was Good, and by coni2quence hated alſo God himſelf'? 6 Chooſe, embrace, encourage, delight in, and prefer both evil Works and evil-Workers,and take pleaſure to do Evil. your ſelves 2 The worſt Charatter that can be given of any ſort of Men. 7 You by Office are Shepherds, and ſhould feed, guide, heal, protett, and love the Flock ; but you uſe them as cruelly as the Shepherd, who inſtead of ſhearing of the Fleece, would pluck off the Skin, and flay them. k Another proverbial Speech of the ſame Import, and chargeth higheſt
| Injuſtice, and Inhumanity upon theſe Princes and Rulers; Vid. Ezek.
22, 27. Zepb. 3. 3+
3 Who alſo * eat I the fleſh ; of my people n, and flay * PL 14-4:
their skin from oiF them o, and they break their bones p,
and chop them in pieces as for the pot, and as * fleſh with- *E2+11+7+
in the caldron g.
I Maintain themſelves and their Followers, nay, live in Luxury and Exceſs, revelling in Banquets and Feafts, as the word is many times u- ſed, Amos 6. 4. m The Eftates, Goods, and Livelihood of their Suly+ jets, Neighbours, and Brethren. #» Whom I have choſen,maintained, and allotted an Inheritance unto, of whom TI once faid, 1/ho ronucherb them, roucheth th? Apple of mine Eye, Deut. 32. 10. Zech. 2. 9, o With barhbarous Cruelty, and unheard of Injuſtice, ftrip off ( as Butchers ſtrip the Sheep they kill ) the very Skin 3 or as Hunters, which ha- ving taken the Yrey,wearied, and worried tirft by their Dogs, do ftrip off the Skin to (ell, and eat the Fleſh in Feaſts and riotous Banquetings, p An Allufion to Wolyves, Bears, or Lions, which devour the kleſh,tear the Skin, and break the Bones of the innocent, weak, and defenceleſs Lambs or Sheep: Thus our Prophet tells theſe Rulers plainly what they were, dil, and how barhbaroutly cruel and wicked, q Thete bloo- dy Murderers, Princes, and Chieftains, are here compared to Cooks; and the <ubjetts, weak Neighbours, are compared to the bare Sores which the Cook doth by his Art prepare for the Pot; and to the Fleſb cut ſmall for the Caldron, that all might be boiled and extracted out to make Pottage, and delicious Brothsor Jellies : Thus the great Ones uſed the meaner Sort, who lived under their Juriſdiction ; poſti- bly the Prophet may aim at the bloody, cruel, and devouring Times under Shalium, &c: or to that reported of Menahem, 2 Aings 15. vr, 15. when probably much of this was done according to the very Letter. |
4 Then” ſhall * they s cry nnto the LORD t, but he will #P:$.25, not hear them, z : he will even hide bis fac2 from them x E+ 5. 18.
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Chap. III.
MICA He.
> When that TimE, and thoſe Miſeries which Micah foretels, ſhall ing a Prophet of God. 4 Not from himſeif, but from thi Spirit of
come upon them, chap. 1. 6, 7, 8. and 2. 3- when God ſhall retaliate, and pay theſe great Ones in their own Coin, $ The cruel (a | ſors, theſe tyrannical Judges that pitied none,devoured all, and feared | not the Divine Vengeance. t As if they were his, and as if he were bound to deliver ; they then ſhall own he can, and none elſe can deli- ver them, and they will expett a ſaving hand after all their Rebelli- ons againſt, and Contempts of God, « As they heard the Cry of the
Opnreſſed, but would not hear z ſo God will hear the Cry of their
Diſtreſſes, but not hear the Requeſts they make : he will do no more for them, than as if he did not hear them ; he will be as a Stranger to their Caſe, x They turned away their Face from beholding and pi- tying the Poor; now God will turn away his Eye from them, and as if unconcerned, leave them to their own Diſtreſſes, and their Ene- mies Rage and Cruelty. y This added to affure them they ſhould have leaſt Reſpe& from God, when they need it moſt z ſo they ſhall receive what they gave, Fulgment without Mercy, as "Tis Fam. 2. 13» 2 This ſpeaks both the Reaſon why, and the Manner how God will thus leave them to the Oppreſlor 3 the Greatneſs of their Sin deſervec this ; and ſuch was the Quality of their Sins, that nothing fitter than a Retaliation to puniſh the Sin, convince the Sinner, teach the World Righteouſneſs, and to vindicate God. | 5s © Thus faith the LORD a * concerning the Pro- F-.2.26, Phets that make my people err b, that * bite with their * Ch.2.11. teeth c, and cry, Peace d : and * he that putterh nor *Ezek.13-into their mouths e, they even prepare war againſt 13, 19+ him f.