CHAP. II.
The prophet describes, and mourns over, the desolations of Jerusalem and the miseries of the Jews, as brought on them by the just indignation of God, 1-12. He laments over the unequalled sufferings of the people, who, by hearkening to false prophets, are exposed to the cruel insults of their enemies; and
he calls on the sufferers with him in tears and
13-19. Zion refers her doleful case to the compassionate
consideration of God, 20-22.
H daughter of Zion with a cloud in his
OW hath the Lord covered the
anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger!
2 The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: & he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong-holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes
thereof.
the fire of his wrath, and that "my heart in the midst of my bowels is even as melting wax," and "all my bones out of joint," and that mine enemies stand staring on me, and insulting over me? Is it nothing to you, that the Father has wreathed on my neck the yoke of man's transgressions, and laid on me the iniquity of all his people?-I say, does not our suffering Immanuel seem thus to address us? and does it not behove us to consider, who this Sufferer was, what he suffered, and why he suffered at all?
Here we may see the evil of sin, the honor of the law, and the justice of God, more than in all the other scenes, which we have been contemplating: here we may learn the worth of our souls, the importance of eternal things, the vanity of the world, and the misery of fallen man. Here we may see the only Foundation of our hope, and the Source of our comfort and happiness. Here we may learn gratitude and patience, meekness and mercy, from the brightest example, and the most endearing motives.
Let then all our sorrows lead us to contemplate the cross of Christ, and to mark the way which he took, through sufferings and death to his glory. (Note, Heb . 12:2,3.) Thus we shall be comforted under our trials, and cheerfully follow our Forerunner, assured that "where he is, there we shall be also."
NOTES.
CHAP. II. V. 1. The prophet had before spoken, as full of astonishment, at the deplorable condition to which Jerusalem was fallen; ( Note , 1:1,2.) but he here inquires, with mingled surprise and regret, how the Lord, the Author of her afflictions, could be induced thus to distress her. Zion had been exalted to heaven in privileges, and in the honor put upon her by the temple and ordinances of God. (Note, Matt . 11:20-24.) These, with the ark
The burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.
4 He hath mhent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: "he poured out his fury like fire.
5 The Lord was as an enemy: Phe hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces; he hath destroyed his strong-holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.
6 And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden; he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the Lord hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised, in the indignation of his anger, "the king and the priest.
1 Deut. 32:22. Ps. 79:5. 89:46.0 4. Jer. 15.1. 30:14. Is. 1:31. 42:25. Jer. 4:4. 7: 20. Mal. 4:1. Luke 3:17.
m 5. 3:3,12,13. Job 6.4. 16: 12-14. Is. 63:10. Jer. 21:5. 30:14.
† Heb. the desirable of the eye.
Ez. 24:25.
n 4:1. 2 Chr. 34:21,25. Is. 42: 25. 51:17-20. 63:6. Jer. 4:4. 7:20. 21:5,12, 36:7. Ez. 5: 13. 6:12. 22:22. 36:18. Nah. 1:2,6.
p 2. 2 Kings 25:9. 2 Chr. 36: 16,17. Jer. 52:13.
q Ez. 2:10.
r Ps. 80:12. 89:40. Is. 5:5. 63: 18. 64:11.
Or, hedge.
s Is. 1:8.
of the covenant, were "the beauty of Israel," ( Notes , 1:4-7. Is . 64:9-12.) and the footstool of JEHOVAH's throne. ( Notes , 1 Chr . 28:2. Ps. 99:5.) But now she was covered with a dark cloud from his indignation; the city and temple were cast down to the ground; nor did he remember the temple, or even the ark, so as to preserve either of them in the day of his fierce anger. ( Marg . Ref . Note , Jer. 3:16-18.)
V. 2. Marg . and Marg . Ref . f, g. -Notes , 3:42 -47. Jer . 13:12-14.- Polluted , &c.] The kingdom of Judah had a relative sanctity: but the Lord polluted it, by casting it out of his protection, leaving it in the power of the heathen, and destroying it, notwithstanding the covenant of royalty made with David and his seed. ( Marg . Ref . h. -Notes , Ps . 89:38-45, ν. 39. Is . 43:26-28. 47:6.)
V. 3. 'By the horn of Israel is meant his 'strength and glory, ( Job 16:15.) ... especially his 'kingly dignity.' Lowth . ( Marg . Ref . i.- Notes , 1 Sam . 2:10. 2 Sam . 22:2,3. Luke 1:67-75, υ. 69.)
Drawn, &c.] The Lord had been wont to stretch forth his right hand, to fight against the enemies of Zion; but he had now drawn it back, and left them to prosper in their attempts: ( Note , Ps . 74:10,11.) nay, his wrath burned against his people, like a consuming fire, in every place whither they fled for refuge. ( Marg . Ref . 1.)
V. 4. Marg. Ref.--Notes, Job 16:6-16, υν . 11-14. Ps . 7:12,13.- Slew , &c.] 'Those who 'were in the flower of their age, the joy and 'delight of their parents.' Lowth . (Notes, Ez. 24:16-18,25-27.)
V. 5. Swallowed .] 'As a lion devoureth his 'prey. The verb... signifies in a general sense 'to destroy. ( Is . 3:12.) Lowth . ( Marg . Ref. Note , 2.)- Her ,... his .] The palaces of Zion; the strong-holds of Israel.
V.6. The temple was, with great violence
7 The Lord hath cast off his altar, he || Gentiles; & the law is no more ; her prophhath abhorred his sanctuary; y he hath ets also find no vision from the LORD.
* given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; they have made a noise in the house of the Lord, as in the day of a solemn feast.
8 'The LORD hath a purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion; he hath b stretched out a line, che hath not withdrawn his hand from destroying: therefore d he made the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together.
9 Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars; her kings and her princes are among the
x 1. Ps. 78:59-61. Is. 64:10,11. Jer. 7:12-14. 26:6,18. 52:13. Ez. 7:20-22. 24:21. Mic. 3: 12. Matt. 24:2. Acts 6:13,14. y 5. 2 Chr. 36:19. Jer. 32:29. 33:3,4. 39:8. Ez. 7:24. Am. 2:5.
* Heb. shut up.
z Ps. 74:3-8. Ez. 7:21,22. a 17. Is. 5:5. Jer. 5:10.
b 2 Sam. 8:2. 2 Kings 21:13. Is. 28:17. 34:11. Am. 7:7,8. c Job 13:21. Ez. 20:22.
↑ Heb. swallowing up . 2,5. d Is. 3:26. Jer. 14:2.
e Neh. 1:3. Jer. 39:2,8. 51:30. 52:14.
f 1:3. 4:15,20. Deut. 28:36. 2 Kings 24:12-16. 25:7. Jer. 52:8,9. Ez. 12:13. 17:20.
as completely destroyed by the Chaldeans, as
10 The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, and keep silence: they have 1 cast up dust upon their heads; m they have girded themselves with sackcloth; the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.
11 Mine° eyes do fail with tears, P my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children, and the sucklings, swoon in the streets of the city.
12 They say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? when they swooned as the
g 2 Chr. 15:3. Ez. 7:26. Hos. 3:4.
h Ps. 74:9. Am. 8:11,12. Mic. 3 : 6,7.
i 4:5,16. 5:12,14. Job 2:13. Is.
3:26. 47:1,5.
k 3:28. Jer. 8:14. Am. 5:13. 8:3.
1 Josh. 7:6. 2 Sam. 13:19. Job 2:12. Rev. 18:19.
27:31. Joel 1:8,13.
n 1:4. Am. 8:13.
ο 1:16. 3:48-51. 1 Sam. 30:4.
Ps. 6:7. 31:9. 69:3. Is. 38:14 p 1:20. Jer. 4:19.
q Job 16:13. Ps. 22:14.
r4:10. Is. 22:4. Jer. 8:19-22 9:1. 14:17.
s 19,20. 4:3,4,9,10. Luke 23:29 † Or, faint.
m Is. 15:3. 36:22. Ez. 7:18. t Ez. 30:24.
livered about the time when Jerusalem was
a tent is removed: and the Lord no more re-destroyed and Judea desolated.-Daniel de
garded it, than a man does a temporary hut, erected in a garden, and pulled down when it is done with. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . r, s.Notes, Is . 1:7-9. 5:2-7. Matt. 21:33-44.) God had destroyed, likewise, "the place of the assembly;" or, "of the congregation." When he took away the temple, he also destroyed the multitude who used to assemble there for worship; and the seasons of assembling, both the sabbath and the stated festivals, were for a time wholly suspended. ( Note , Ps. 74:7,8.) The kings also of David's favored race, and the priests of Aaron's consecrated seed, were alike despised by him in his indignation at their sins. ( Marg . Ref . Notes, 4:13-20. 2 Kings 25:6,7,18-21.)
V. 7. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref .) 'As the peo'ple were accustomed to praise God in the 'solemn feasts with a loud voice; so now the 'enemies blaspheme him with shouting and 'cry.' ( Note , Ps . 74:3-6.)
V. 8. Marg . and Marg . Ref . a-c.- A line , &c.] Notes , 2 Kings 21:13. Is . 34:9-15, v . 11. Am . 7 : 7-9.- To lament .] 'This is a figurative 'speech, as that was, when he said, "The ways 'did lament;" (1:4.) meaning that his sorrow 'was so great, that the insensible things had 'their part thereof.' ( Marg . Ref . d.- Note , 4-7, v. 4. Is . 3:18-26, ν . 26.)
V. 9. The gates of Jerusalem, or of the temple, were laid on the earth and covered with ruins, as if they had sunk into the ground. ( Marg . Ref . e.- Notes , Neh . 1:3. 2:12-18. 4:1 -3,10.)
Her kings, &c.] ( Notes , 4:20. 2 Kings 24:8 -16. 25:6,7,18-21,27-30.) The law was no more: for its ordinances could no more be observed; the temple and altar being destroyed, and the ordinances of worship suspended, as if no more to be attended on. ( Marg . Ref . g. -Note , 6.)- Her prophets , &c.] Jeremiah himself survived the desolations of Jerusalem, for a considerable time: yet it does not appear, that he delivered any encouraging prophecies to the Jews, after that event: and the most of Ezekiel's predictions, relating to Israel, (except the obscure vision of the temple, &c. in the last chapters of his prophecy,) were de
livered no prophecy, immediately relating to the temporal state of his people, till the seventy years of the captivity were nearly expired. So that there seems to have been, at this period, a very remarkable suspension of that information and encouragement, which the prophets had, for many ages, been employed to communicate to the people. Except Jeremiab, Ezekiel, and Daniel, no prophet is mentioned, from the beginning to the end of the captivity, when Haggai and Zechariah were raised up. This chasın was an evident token of divine displeasure, and must have been a very sensible aggravation of the sufferings endured by the pious remnant. ( Notes , Ps . 74:9. Ετ . 7:25,26.)
Teth , the initial letter of the first word, is, in the Hebrew, printed in a smaller type.-"The ', it should seem, had by some accident been 'lost, in the copies they' (the Masoretic Editors) 'revised; and though both the sense, and the alphabetical order of the initials required it, they were scrupulous of restoring it with'out some mark of their doubting concerning its authenticity.' Blayney .--Such men would not wilfully alter the sacred text.
V. 10. Marg . Ref . - Notes , 3:26-30, vv . 28, 29. 5:11-16. Job 2:12,13. Jer. 8:14-16, ν. 14. Am . 8:1-3, v . 3,11-14.
V. 11. The prophet had wept over the calamities of his people, till he had no more power to weep, and his eyes failed to supply tears, nay, were almost blinded. ( Marg . Ref . o.) His sorrow occasioned the most painful internal commotion, which greatly affected and disordered his vitals. Violent grief, and other vehement affections, are known to cause excessive bilious disorders, and great evacuations from the gall, which is placed on the liver, and to which the prophet is supposed to refer. ( Marg . Zef . p, q. Job 16:13. - Note , Ps . 22:14, 15.)-He was peculiarly affected by beholding the young children, and even the suckling infants, fainting and dying for hunger and thirst, in the streets of the city, whilst none had it in their power to relieve them. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . s.- Notes , 12,18,19. 4:3-5.)-The scene is here laid just before the taking of the city.
B. C. 588. wounded in the streets of the city, when the teeth: they say, 1 We have swallowed their soul was poured out into their mothers' bosom. [Practical Observations.]
13 ↑ What thing * shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: 2 who can heal thee? 14 Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.
15 All d that pass * by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying , Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?
16 All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and
u Is. 53:12.
1:12. Dan. 9:12.
y 2 Sam. 5:20. Ps. 60:2. Jer. 14:17. Ez. 26:3,4.
z Jer. 8:22. 30:12-15. 51:8,9. a Is. 9:15,16. Jer. 2:8. 5:31. 6:13,14. 8:10,11. 14:13-15. 23:11-17. 27:14-16. 28:15. 29:8,9. 37:19. Ez. 13:2-16. Mic. 2:11. 3:5-7. 2 Pet. 2:1 -3.
b Is. 58:1. Jer. 23:22.
22.
Ez. 13:
c Jer. 23:14-1731,32. 27:9,10. Ez. 22:25,28. Mic. 3:5. Zeph.
3:4.
gnash
d Deut. 29:22-28. 1 Kings 9:7
-9.2 Chr. 7:21. Jer. 18:16. Heb. by the way.
e 1:8. Job 27:22,23. Ez. 25:6. Nah. 3:19.
f 16. Jer. 19:8. 25:9,18. 29:18. 51:37. Mic. 6:16. Zeph. 2:15. g 2 Kings 19:21. Ps 22:7. 44: 14,15. Is. 37:22. Jer. 18:16. Matt. 27:39. Mark 15:29.
h 6. Ps. 48:2. 50:2. Is. 64:11. 13:46. Job 16:9,10. Ps. 22:13. 35:21. 109:2.
k Ps. 35:16. 37:12. Acts 7:54.
112:10.
V. 12. The case of the poor starving children was as desperate, as that of the men, who lay weltering in their blood, and expiring of their wounds: for even, while they were in the arms of their mothers, and supplicated them for nourishment; they expired for want, dying in a lingering and most deplorable manner. ( Marg . Ref . Note , 4:9. - See on Note , 11.)
V. 13. The prophet wanted to comfort his people by some suitable topic: but he could not have recourse to those, which were commonly employed on such occasions. For who could be found to testify, that he had seen a city visited with as complicated and dire miseries as Jerusalem had been? What misery could he compare and equal with hers, in order to comfort her? (Note, 1:12-17, v. 12. Dan . 9:12.) Indeed the breach made on her, (like those made by the irruptions of the sea,) was vast, and irreparable by any human power. ( Marg . Ref . Jer . 30:12-18.)
V. 14. The false prophets flattered the people with assurances of peace, and thus encouraged them in their sins; and these false visions were the "causes of their banishment," or captivity: whereas, had they charged the crimes
her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, m we have seen it .
17 The LORD hath done that which he hath devised: he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries.
18 Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease.
19 Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the "watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands towards him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.
1 Ps. 56:2.57-3. 124:3. Is. 49:19. Jer. 50:7,17. 51:34. Ez. 25:3, 6,15. 36:3. Hos. 8:8. Zeph. 2:8 -10.
m Ps. 35:21. 41:8. Ob. 12-16. n8. Lev. 26:14, &c. Deut. 28: 15,&c. 29:18-23. $1:16,17. 32:15-27.
o 1,2. Ez. 5:11. 7:8,9. 8:18. 9:10.
p 1:5. Deut. 28:43,44. Ps. 38: 16. 89:42.
q Ps 119:145. Hos. 7:14.
ing burdens.
Is. 26:16,17.
r8. Hab. 2:11.
s 1:2,16. 3:48,49. Ps. 119:136 Jer. 4:31. 9:1,17,18. 13:17 14:17.
t Ps. 42:8. 119:55,147,148. Is 26:9. Mark 1:35. Luke 6:12. u Judg. 7:19. Matt. 14:25 Mark 13:35.
1 Sam. 1:15. 7:6. Job 3:24 Ps. 62:8. 142:2.
y Ps. 23:2. 63:4. 134:2, 141:2 1 Tim. 2:8.
z 11,12. 4:1-9. Is. 51:20. Nah. 3:10.
(Notes, Is. 13:1. Jer . 23:33-40.) V. 15, 16. The idolaters took, as it were, the words out of the mouth of the Jews, of rather of their inspired writers, and derided them for glorying in their holy city, its beauty, and its peculiar protection and privileges. ( Marg . Ref . h. -Notes , 1:4-7. Ps . 48:1-3.50: 1,2.)-The combination of scorn, enmity, rage, and exultation which the conquerors and spectators manifested, when gratified by the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, are set before the reader with peculiar pathos and energy. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . d, e. g. i, k. Notes , Deut . 29:21—28.1 Kings 9:7-9. Ps . 79:1 -5. Jer. 18:13-17, v. 16. Ez . 25:3-7.) The whole scene is presented to his view, as in some exquisitely finished historical painting: and the insulting multitudes, who surrounded the Redeemer's cross, can hardly be forgotten on the occasion. ( Notes , Ps. 22:7,8,11—13. Matt . 27:39-44.)
V. 17. ( Marg . Ref . ) 'He hath fulfilled those 'threatenings, which he denounced against our 'disobedience to the law of Moses. Lowth. This reference to the ancient predictions against Israel for their sins, is of great impor
of the people upon their consciences, and call-tance; both as it shews that these prophecies
ed them to repentance, the captivity might have been prevented. ( Notes , Is . 9:13-17.56: 9-12. Jer . 5:30,31. 14:13-16. 23:13-32. 28:2 -4,15-17 . Ez . 13:1-16.)
were then extant, and well known among the Jews; and that they were understood by the pious remnant exactly as we now explain them. ( Notes , Lev . 26:14-39. Deut . 4:15-28. 28:1564.29:18-28. 30:15–20. 31:14—19. 32:15–42. Josh. 23:14-16. Is . 63:15-19. 64: Luke 22:21 -23. Acts 2:22--24. 4:23-28.)
Foolish things .[ תפל. The word is rendered "untempered mortar." mortar." ( Ez . 13:10,11.)-The word rendered "burdens," though it gh it generally erally signifies prophecies of heavy judgments, here means predictions in general: for the false prophets "spake peace when there was no peace." Yet it may imply that these soothing visions were, in their effects, heavy overwhelm-daughter of Zion," which was about to be lev
V. 18, 19. In the depth of their calamities, the people cried unto the Lord, out of the anguish and distress of their hearts; and called on others to lament over "the wall of the
20 Behold, O Lord, and a consider to || young men are fallen by the sword; thou whom thou hast done this. Shall the hast slain them in the day of thine anger; women eat their fruit, and children * of a thou hast killed, and not pitied
span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?
21 The dyoung and the old lie on the ground in the streets; my virgins and my
a Ex. 32:11. Deut. 9:26. Is. 63:16-19. 64:8-12. Jer. 14: 20,21.
b 4:10. Lev. 26:29. Deut. 28: 53-57. 2 Kings 6:28,29. Jer. 19.9. Ez. 5:10.
*Or, swaddled with their hands.
c 1:19. 4:13,16. Ps. 78:64. Is. 9:14-17. Jer. 5:31. 14:1518. 23:11-15. Ez. 9:5,6, d Deut. 28:50. Josh. 6:21. 1 Sam. 15:3. 2 Chr. 36:17. Esth. 3:13. Jer. 51:22. Ez. 9:6. e 1:15,18. Ps. 78:63. Jer, 9:21. 11:22, 18:21. Am. 4.10.
elled with the ground, to complete the desolations. The prophet prophet allowed, nay required them thus to give vent to their sorrows, and to weep without intermission, as seasonable and proper : ( Marg . Ref.s. -Notes, Ps. 119:136.
Jer . 9:1,2.) but he also excited them to join their nocturnal lamentations with fervent prayers, pouring out their hearts before God, and lifting up their hands towards him: beginning when the night-watches used to be set; employing those hours in ceaseless prayers and tears, which others spent in sleep; and pleading for the life of the young children, which in every street of the city lay dying; that they might not all perish with hunger, and the rising generation of Israel be thus entirely cut off. ( Notes , 11,12. 4:1-5.)-'As the wall and 'rampart are said to lament, (8) because their 'ruins are objects of lamentation; so here de'vout persons ... direct their prayers to God, as 'if the ruins themselves did entreat him to take
'compassion on the miseries of that place, 'which he had chosen for his peculiar residence. ... Offer up thy earnest prayers with tears to the throne of grace; and send up thy very soul, and thy devoutest affections with 'them.' Lowth . ( Marg . Ref .-- Notes , 1 Sam . 1: 12--16, ν. 15. Ps. 62:8-10, v. 8. 142:1-3.) Apple, &c. (18) Or, daughter , &c. Some think, the tear is meant, and not the pupil of the eye. V. 20--22. Jerusalem is here introduced as speaking. She entreated the Lord to consider, that he thus afflicted the only people, who worshipped him and were called by his name.
Could he then be unconcerned, while the women of Zion ate their own infants, as soon as they were born. This intimation, thus given, fills the mind with the utmost horror, and implies the greatest possible extreme of earthly misery, inducing desperation and barbarity; and our thoughts recoil from it, as too shocking to be dwelt upon. ( Marg . Ref .-- Notes , 4: 10. Lev . 26.29. Deut . 28:49-57.
Luke 23:2631.)-Hophni and Phinehas, the priests, were slain by the sword in the field of battle ; but when Jerusalem was taken, the priests and prophets were slain in the sanctuary , and their blood mingled with that of their sacrifices: (Marg. Ref.c .-- Notes , Ez. 9:57. Luke 13:1-3.) and to complete their other calamities, the enemies of their nation, at the call of Providence, flocked from all around to profane the temple, and terrify the worshippers; even as the people had been used to flock together to keep heir solemn feasts. ( Note , 7.)
Spon, &c. (20) 'The margin reads, "swaddled with their hands," in which sense the 'word is used in the twenty-second verse. Lowth.--'Dandled on their hands. Blayney . All the affectionate care and assiduous attention of a mother seem to be meant: yet extreme hunger and desperation induced the most unnatural cruelty to the same endeared object! -Terrors , &c. (22) Marg . Ref . g.-- Note , VOL. IV.
22 Thou hast called as in a solemn day & my terrors round about, so that in the day of the Lord's anger none escaped nor remained: those that I have swaddled and brought up hath mine enemy consumed.
The mercy of God is immense and "everlasting towards them that fear him:" but no external relations, privileges, or profession, by which men may be exalted, as it were, to heaven, can avail those who have "not the fear of God before their eyes:" for they who think to please the heart-searching God, by hypocritical services, are "a people who have no understanding; and he that made them will not have mercy on them." ( Is . 27:11.) For this cause, the Lord "covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger," "cast down from heaven to earth the beauty of Israel," "swallowed up his habitations," "threw down his strong holds,' "cut off his horn of defence," "burned against him as a consuming fire, and fought against him as an enemy." And if he did not regard his temple, the ark of his covenant, or the families of Aaron and David; if he cast off his altar, abhorred his sanctuary, and let the heathen profane his most holy place, when the Jews had defiled them by their sins: what hope can there be, that he will regard any forms, where the power of godliness is wanting? ( Notes , Jer. 7:8-15 Р. О. 1-15.) These institutions were of divine authority, and of great significancy: whereas, most of those things, in which men confide, are human inventions and traditions, unwarranted by the word of God, nay, contrary to it: yet are they persuaded that "the LORD will do them good, because they have a Levite for their priest,' an Ephod, Teraphim, and a house of gods or carved idols! ( Notes , Judg . 17: 2—13 . Р. О . ) — But even those doctrines, ordinances, and regulations, which are most exactly scriptural, when scrupulously retained by men destitute of the Spirit of God, are but a lifeless carcass of religion: and when made a cloke for iniquity, God abhors them.
So that, in the day of his wrath for national wickedness, he will despise temples and palaces, kings and priests, establishments and forms of every kind.-So long as persons, under heavy afflictions, are permitted without rebuke to vent their indignation on the injurious instruments of their anguish; conscience is soothed and pride flattered, and some transient and pernicious relief is obtained.
It therefore becomes a necessary but painful operation, by repeated admonitions to turn the thoughts of the afflicted to the hand of God lifted up against them, and to their sins as the source of their miseries; and to shew that greater miseries impend, except repentance and forgiveness intervene. This should [441