784 Ehap.34. An Expofition upon the Beoh,of J o B Verf. 30. 'Tribes to thee. This Jeroboam was fo bad a man, that hewas not convent to fin alone, but madeIfrael tofin ; yet even him did God let up, and Pent a Prophet to him to cell him fo. How unholy foever men are in their place, and how unjufl foever in the exer- cife of their power, yet the holy and jufl God (for reafons known to himfelf ) placeth them inpower. Secondly, Obferve. Godpermitswlcleed Princes to reigne, at a puni fhnent of the reigningfins andmickedneffes of thepeople. Thepower of wicked Princes is the punifhment of a wicked euidaamá es people. Some Princesand Magiflrates are given as a blefling,for fubje$otate the proteElion, peace, and profit of a Nation, and for the exalta- tionof righteoufnefs in it. Others are given as a curfe, for the fervationem vexation, trouble,and impoverifhing of a Nation. The Lord takes jutliti,r qui- this fully upon hitnfelf, (Hof.' 3.11 .) Igave them a King in mine damauteur ad anger, &c. Angry providences are the fruit of fin.God gave Saul panam Dei,ju- in anger, he b Y P ,plo judicio in b > bave Jeroboam and the reft of the Ifraelitifh Kings in omni6ur ,qua- anger ; and as he gave them in anger, fo he took them away in literfuperven:- wrath.The fins both of Princes and people, producemutual ill ente. Irene. 1. effedls towards one another. 5.C. 25. Firfl, The fins of the people are the caufe fomtimes why good Princes are immaturely or fuddenly takenaway from them. Jof :ah that good Kingwas removedvery earlyfor the finof Judah; Pha- raoh Necho had never flain him, had not the people been unwor- thy of him.Hence that of Solomon, (Prov.28.2.) for the tranfgref- fion ofa land,many are the Princes thereof:He means not (as I con- ceive) many together,but many fucceflively, that is,good Princes go quickly off the fiage one after another for the tranfgreffìon of thepeople of the land; But (as it followeth in the fame verfe) by a man ofunderflanditg & knowledg the late thereoffoal be prolonged. OurTranflaters render there latter words in theplural number (as the margin hath it)6ymen e funderffanding wtfdom fhallthey like_ wife beprolonged-; that is,when there are many godly,wife,and un- der(landing menin aNation, Godbleffeth them with long-lived and aged good Kings or Governours. Secondly, Whole Nations or apeople are fomtimespunished for the fns oftheir Princes, (fer. i 5. 4.) the Lord tells the Jew- ií1 fate he would bring all that evil upon them for the fin of Manafeh.
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