p As we render the Words, their plain Senſe will be, that all their Diligence that with both hands they can ule, is to ſet forward Evil and Miſchief : Poſſibly the firft Clauſe might bear this Reading, Bork re towards Evil ; and then the following Clauſe thus, 7o 47 Good nce asketh. q The Chict Ruler who commiiſoneth the Judge, ould awe him from perverſe Juuging, who Should charge the Judges a# J-hoſhaphar did, 2 Ciron. 19. 5, 5. but conrtrarily hore the Prince ſet a Price upon his own Att in Evil. » The inferiour Magi- ſtrate commiſſioned to be Julze, $s ShameleS$ Injuftice ! to (ell the Innocent, and condemn their Caule and Perſons ; and to acquit the Guilty, and pronounce them juft : for a Bribe, to make God's Autho- rity which is in them, to att ſo direttly againft it (elf, is abominavty wicked ; for God's Authority to them is giveh,that they. might relieve the poor Opprefſed, and acquit Innocency ; but here Innocency muſt buy its Satery, or elle is fold to Danger. t Either the Advocates in their Courts of Judicature, or the great Men of Intereft at Court, who can do what they will there. u Is bold to ſpeak plainly what Bribe he will have, he makes his own Demand ; whereas they did (whilft a little modeſt) treat by others; and a Servant or Under- Officer muſt make the Bargain. x His unjuſt, oppreffive Deſign and Purpoſe ; knowing that his Greatneſs and Intereſt will bear him out in whatever Violence he attempts again{t poor, weak, and unbetriend- ed Innocence, he dare for Gain ſet any thing forward. »y All three , Prince , Judge and Great Man. #4 Or , twiſt zt together ; conſent each to other, and jointly promote Violence and bloody Cruelty.
4 The beſt a of them b 7s * as a briarc : the moſt up- right d is ſharper than a thorn-hedg e - the day of. thy watchmen f, and thy vilitation g cometh þ ; now z ſhall be their perplexity k.
2 Among all naught, who is leſt naught paſſeth for beſc, and ſo muſt it be here, not one zood ; but the jeit evil Man is by the Pro- phet called the belt. b Of People, ! rophets, Judges, Great Men and Princes. c Miſchievous and hurttul to all that meddle with them ; and perhaps the Prophet alludes to Briars infolded in each other. that Shall ſo be devoured at laſt, 4d In the lame Senſe upright, as they are faid to be beſt. e The ſame in different words; 7. e. hurtful and milchievous to all. f Literally taken for ſuch as on the Watch- towers obſerve whether Enemies approach ; the day in which they Shall give the affrighting Intelligence, and ſound the Alarm : Or elle figuratively Watchmen ; i. e. Governors, Prophets and Teachers, ei- ther good and faithful, or evil and unfaithful. The Day which the true Prophets foretold would come 3 which faithful Teachers con- tirm'd, good Governors believed, fear'd, and, as Hezekizh, endea- vour'd to prevent, will certainly-overtake you, that day of evil which your Sins have provok'd God to appoint: Or elſe that day of Good, which your falte Prophets have promis'd, your corrupt Princes, Jud- ges, Great Men, do expect and hope for ; £ Shall be a day of gric- vous Puniſkment, by which the Falfhood of flattering Prophets tha!l be diſcovered, and the 'i'ruth of Micah and Jfaiah, &c. true Prophets, be confirmed. h ;,e, Surely, ſpeedily, and unavoidably on impeni- tent Ones, how many or how great ſoever. 7 When the Day is come as to Samarizin its Captivity, by the 4j}yr7an Tyrant,and to Fery; 2c, in the Babyloniſh Captivity, by Nebuchadnez3.r 5 and in many other Nows infervening between the time of Micab's Minatory Predictions, and the full Accompliſhment of them. k The aftoniſhing over- whelming Sorrows, Fear, and Confutions which ſhall wrack theſe great, notorious, and impudent Opprefſors, Hunters end Sellers ot Juſtice : They ſhall be perplexed, becauſe the fore Evils roretoid by
the true Prophets of God ſhall overwhe!m them z and becau:e the Peace and Proſperity, promis'd by the falſe Prophets, is unexpectedly turned into "Troubles, Deſolation, and utter Ruine to their State, Ct- ties and Familics,
neſtly p, * the Prince q asketh, and the * Judger ask- *Hoſ. 4.13
. Io 23s
*Ch. 3.11;
It + Heb. 1&2
. zoi# i . i* "a oc age 7 his joul.
+Ezelk.2.6
5 « * Traſt ye not in a friend 1, put ye not coaldence * Jer,g.4.
in a guide m: keep the doors of thy mouth x from her that lie in thy boſom 0. -
I Moſt prodigiouſly treacherous were the People of that Age 5 and ſince none upright, all lay in wait for Blood, and were turn'd Hun- ters of Brethren, it is but neceſſary caution that they truſt no Friend.
ach
ſhip. m Either Governor, who ought to guide ; of Equal, who h2- ing of intimate Familiaricy, afoa'iy fo guine x ora Hubiind, as the ord
Chap. VIL
word imports. - Watch thy Words, let not 'thy Tongue diſcover | any Secret, or utter any Words which may be danger to thy felt, 'or give an Advantage to thine Enemy. 0 A Periphratis of a Wife in honeſt Times : but whether in debauched Times, as theſe are of which the Vrophet d1d ſpeak, it may not import ſumewhat like that Prov.5.20, I will not lay; a Wite one may rationally ſuppoſe will never diſcloſe a Hu>band's Secrets to ruin him, yet luch were the T rea- cheries of that corrupt Age that it-would be Imprudence to truſt a Wite.
4 y 6 For þ the * ſon q diſhonoureth y the father 5s, the
4M = davghrer t riſeth up againſt her mother «, the daughter in law againſt her mother in law x ; a mans enemies y are the
men of his own houle z,