+Chap. r 2. lin Expoftiort upon the BooI..ofJOB. Verf. r 9. 287 fet upby God, and they put into office for the preventing of it : fuch a°e Kings and Priefts. The Prophet Malachy reproves the Levites(Ma1.2.8.)re are departed out of the way; ye have eaufed many to fumble at the law'. y have corrupted the covenant of Levi,- that is, ye have been fall , bale and unfaithful in your office : your felves have gone out of the way of truth and holì- nefs, and ye have hindred thofe who wouldhave walked in it. It was your duty to preferve the covenant made withyourTribe, but ye have corrupted it. This is your fin and I will tell you your judgement : Therefore have I afòmadeyou contemptible and bafe before all the people. We have feen fucl3corrupting them - felves and others , and we have feen them made contemptible e- nough before all. Vnfhvoryfait is fit onlyfor the dun,ohill the feat ofcontempt. As the word is,rendered (Prince) in bur Tranflation , Ob ferve, That the honourofman is no limiter afain,H the wrath of God. As the holinefsof the Priefts office , cannot do it , fo neither can the power of the Princes office. Princes are called the (hields of the ea:.th (Hof4 18 ) Herfhields , (or, her rulers; as we render) with fba'Ne do love, Giveye. They are (indeed) the 'Melds ofthe earth,but they cannot fhield themfelves againft the affaults of Heaven. Princes fhould be fhields to protect men from the oppreffion of man , but they cannot prote& themfelves againft the juftice ofGod, The Prophet (Ifa.43.14.) tells the* people when they were in fear , Thu, faith the Lordyour Re- deemer, the holy one ofIfrael, foryourfake I havefont to Babylon, andhave brought down all their Nobles ; the Hebrew is, 1 have - brouvht down all their bars : Faithful Nobles are the bars of a Kingdom and Common-wealth , to keep out evils : It is their duty to bolt out impiety againft God , and dnrighteoufnefs to- wards man : And as they should be a barre of equity againfl:., thefe evils of fin , fo a barre offecurity to keep out the evils of trouble. Now ( faith the Lord) I have fent toBabylon, and have brought down all thofe Nobles , who were as bars in the way, tohinder.yóur deliverance from,and return out ofcaptivi- ty. Thofe Nolles (it fecim) werecrois burr, they lay crois the way of the people ofGod , tohinder their paffage out of Baby- lon, therefore God deftroyed. them. When Nobles or great Princes bar rap the liberty of Gods covetaaítt people , their nobility.. and.
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