Chap. 34.. lin Expofition upon the Book,ofJ o B. Verf. 30. -774 called amighty hunter before God ; Hewas a hunter of men more then ofwild beafts. Now, look what nets and fnares are CO wild beafts, the fame are finfull laves to the confciences of honeft and upright-hearted men. And it is wel conceived that the Prophet therereferrs to thofe ensnaringLaves made by yero6oam and the fucceeding Princes in the Kingdome of Ifrael, whereby they en- deavoured todraw off the people of God from his true worfhip, and vexed thofe who kept dole to it. Secondly, form expound thofe words, Te have been a fnareon Mizpah, and a netfpreadpip- enTabor, to fignifie their letting (pies upon thole mountaines to watch and fo togive information, who went to the folemne feafts, that fo they might beproceeded againft according to thofe en- fnaring Laws. Which way foevèr we take it,'tis cleare,that Scrip- ture reproves and threatens Judgement againft the Priefts and Apoftatizing people eflfrael,complying with ifnot provoking the the ruling powers to trouble thofe whocould not digeft the Ido- latrous worfhip let upby 3eroboam at Dan&Bethel, upon a poli- tique confideration, left the people going,to erufalem, fhoild fall off from him, and weaken the kingdome of Ifrael in his hand. Another Prophet complained ( 6.a6.) The StatutesofOm- rcare kept.Omri was a king of Ifrael, a fucceffor ofTereboamboth in his power and hypocrifie, he alto pretended a zeale for the worfhip of God after his owne deviling, and therefore made en- fnaringStatutes to entangle thofe that were fincere, and perk vered in the true worfhipwhich theStatutes of God appoynted. The Prophet fpeakes of a ftrange kind of bridle, or of a bridle u- fed for an unufuall purpofe ( Ifa. 30.28. )There fhall be a bridle in the "awesof thepeople cauf:ng them to erre. A bridle is put up- -on the head of ahorfe or mule, as David fpeaks (Pfal: 32. 9. ) not to caule either to erre or goe out of the way , but to keep them in the way. 'Tis evident by the context of thisChapter, as alto by the expreife text of the 37th Chapter (v. 29.) that this bridle was the Lords power againft Senacharib and his hoff, whereby as with a bridle in their jawes he diverted them from their purpofe of befiedging jerufalem.'Tis a truth all() (towhich we may warrantably enough apply thole words of theProphet in a way of allufion) that goad laves are like abridle in the jawes ofa people, the multitude or themolt would elfe be like head- Wong borfes, if authority did not keep them in. 'Tisagreat mer- Ggggg2 cy
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=