-286 Chap. [2. AnExpofition upon the Boohof JOB.Verf.19, (Exod.t 9.6.) Tefhall be to me a Kingdomeof Priefts, or a royal Ex omn?bus Priefthood : AKingdom of Priefts , for two reafons chiefly : regnia vos eri- First Becaufe God did efteem that people above all the people tia miter regnum of the earth, he put anhonour and avalue upon them, therefore iro5iGfmúm faith he, re fball be to me aKingdome ofPriefts. And fecondly, familiar;forum amieigmnnnn Becaufe Godcommunicated moreofhis counfels to that people,,, goihur arced then to any other people, and they were more familiar with him d fxreriorà then the.reft ofthe world, even as.the Priefts were more famili confdia reve- ar with God, and came nearer to him then the people. So that look what proportion the Priefts among the Jews bore to the people, the fame did the Jews bear to all other people ofthe world. We may take the word here in either fenfe, He leádeth Princes, or, He leadeth Priefts away fpoyled, As the word is reduced Prieft, Oblerve ., Pirft , That the holinefs of the pro¡e1jion cannot keep the perfon from fin. _ Prieftsprovoke God, and therefore they are fpoyled. Grace it fell is not much lets is any outward vocation , a bar against temptation : And they who fall in temptation are near falling into afiftion , whofoever they are. Which makes a fecond Obfervation, 'They thott are near nuco Godfhdllfufferwhen they fin, and the nearer they are, theyfhald fiaffer the more, becaufe the nearer they are, the greater is theirfin. The Prieftsare among the fpoyled, Jer.s4, iS. Both the Pro- phet and the Prieftgo about into a land that they know not, that is, they go into banifhment, and are carried captives into a ftrange land. That text bath a very different reading; for whereas the wordwhich we tranflatego about, , lignifies alfo to trade or make . merchandize, the whole is rendered to this fence : The Prophets and Priefts together oral? merchandize ofyou , andyou either di- fcern it not, ar"donot regard it. This readinggives us a clear rea- fon of that which is contained in the former. This thews their fin, and that their punilhment. Thofe Prophets and Priefts whofel fouls in their own land are juftly fold as 'laves intoa land that he not theirs. (Lam.2.6.) The Lord bathdefpifed in the indignation of his anger, both the King and the Priefi ; he puts King and Prie c together,in fuffering,becaufe they were joyned in finning. They who officiate in doing evil, fhall be afjbciated infeeling it. And they fhall feel most evil , when they do it , whole office is fet
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=