15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. In these verses the total overthrow of the kingdom of Ifrael is foretold, as the punishment merited by the neglect and contempt of God above mentioned. The prediction is delivered in a proverbial form, expreffing the diffolution of the whole body of the state, and the deftruction of all ranks and conditions of men among them, the two extremes of which are here figuratively defcribed. At the head of Ifrael stood the ancient and honourable among that people, the prince and the rulers, the priests and the prudent, with those who occupied the most eminent stations, who were esteemed the most refpectable perfons in the nation, and poffeffed the greatest influence in managing its affairs. Not only were these elevated to high rank to be cut off, but thofe alfo who were mean and contemptible, fuch as the prophet that teacheth lies, who is the tail. Of all the people in the kingdom, he is the worft and loweft who bafely yields adulation to those who are in power; and that he may gain their favour, and acquire some of the emoluments they have at their difpofal, prophefies falfehood, and fpeaks deceit and lies.. The fuddennefs of this general devaftation is expreffed in these words: Branch and rush in one day. Though the prophet does not fay who were intended by these metaphorical defcriptions, it is not difficult to know who were the perfons he had in view. In confiftency with his explanation of the other figurative terms, they may denote the strong and the weak, the old and the young, the great and the small; those who were bended or moved with difficulty, and thofe who were pliable and easily managed. All these different forts of people in Ifrael were to be fuddenly cut off, chiefly by means of the fword, in one day, in a very short space of time.The accomplishment of There of this prophecy we read, 2 Kings xvii. 18. 'fore the Lord was very angry with Ifrael, and removed them out of his fight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.'--From these verses I fhall make one obvious remark, worthy of your attention, and it is this: The punishment here foretold proceeded from Jehovah, who is affirmed to be the Agent by whom it was inflicted. The prophet faith, The Lord will cut off from Ifrael, &c. Though the Affyrians, or other nations, might be the inftruments whom he employed upon this occafion, the Lord declares it fhould be his own work, by whofe counsel, power, and providence, it was to be performed. It was the Almighty who scattered Ifrael, who sent them into a far country, and who cut them off. Affliction fprings not out of the duft: like promotion, it comes not from the east, nor from the west, nor from the north, nor from the fouth, but from God; who, though his hand is often unobferved, is introduced here, and in many other paffages of fcripture, as the Author from whom it proceeds. The inftruments by whom we are afflicted come immediately under our view, and at them we are greatly displeased: whereas if we looked above them, to the fupreme hand of God, we would more fuitably acknowledge, as we ought, that the Lord maketh peace, and createth evil; that the Lord doth all these things; who is faithful in performing his threatenings, as well as his promifes. 16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and they that are led of them, are deftroyed. The juftice of the predicted deftruction of Ephraim is here vindicated by the univerfal depravity of that people.The leaders fpoken of may comprehend two claffes of men, both which poffeffed confiderable influence over the people; namely, those who prefided in the church, and those who governed in the state. The spiritual leaders were, the prophets, the priests, and the Levites, whofe bufinefs was to instruct the people in the knowledge of the law and worship of the true God, to point out the way wherein they ought to walk, and the work they ought to do, and to go before them in the good ways of the Lord. The civil leaders were, the princes, the magiftrates, and chief men, who affumed the direction of temporal affairs, whofe employment ought to have been to fet before them, by their authority and good conduct, patterns of righteoufnefs and equity, of mercy and kindness, and every good work. In this manner each of thefe forts of leaders would have proved fubftantial bleffings to the community, and highly useful in promoting their best interests. Such, however, was the corruption which pervaded all ranks in Ifrael, that those who occupied the most important stations, are charged with perverting the defigns of their office, and caufing the people to err. By neglecting the faithful difcharge of the duties of their office, by imprudence, unfkilfulness, indolence, and voluptuousness, instead of being guides, they became destroyers of the people. By their falfe doctrines, and corrupt examples, they confounded the effential difference between moral good and evil, between spiritual and hypocritical worship, and taught the people to put darkness for light, and light for darkness. They led them aftray from the paths of righteousness into the ways of error and fin: they made void the commandments of God by traditions, and abfurd expofitions, both with respect to their meaning and extent. They employed their authority not to correct prevailing errors and vices, and to reform the people; but, by their malignant influence, led them into the moft criminal practices, establishing iniquity as it were by a law. What could be expected but the confequences which actually followed? And they that are led of them are deftroyed. Those who acted according to the wrong direction of their leaders, and followed their bad example, are the perfons here spoken of. When treating of Chap. iii. 12. Iremarked, that the Hebrew word there used, and here tranflated leaders, and thofe that are led of them, fignifies, as in the margent of fome of your Bibles, they that call them bleffed, and they that are called bleffed of them. Indeed good leaders, who prefide over the people either in church or state, who act with uprightness and fidelity, are eminent bleffings to the community, and effectually promote their welfare and felicity. On the contrary, leaders who cause them to err, whilft they footh men in their tranfgreffions, act toward them as if they were in a bleffed condition; and they who are called blessed of them, affured that they are in the right way, and comforted with the pleafing profpect of complete happiness, inftead of reaching the blifs they expect, are deftroyed, fwallowed up in utter ruin, from which they fhall not escape. Thus, as the wife man faith, The perverfeness of tranfgreffors deftroy eth them;' whilft those who are the inftruments of perverting them, deftroy their own fouls. It must be fo, according to the maxim of Jefus Chrift, If the • blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch †.'— Attend then, my friends, to the counfel of Solomon: Ceafe to hear the inftruction that caufeth to err from the words of knowledge ‡.' Hearken to the caution given by the apostle Peter, in these words: "Ye therefore, beloved, feeing ye know these things before, beware left ye alfo being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own ftedfastnefs. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Christ ||.' * Prov. xi. 3. + Matth. xv. 14. + Prov. xix. 27. 17 There 17 Therefore the LORD fhall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherlefs and widows: for every one is an hypocrite, and an evil doer, and every mouth fpeaketh folly: For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is ftretched out ftill. The punishment merited by the crimes above mentioned is here threatened to be inflicted, and more reafons are fubjoined to juftify the divine procedure.Young men are of all others the most defirable, the most vigorous and robuft, the glory of their fathers, and the hope of the nation to whom they belong, When poffeffed of thofe excellent difpofitions which are fuited to their character and circumftances, they acquire real importance, they become the objects of the divine regard, and God is pleased to reprefent himself as rejoicing in their profperity. By this prediction the fcene was to be reverfed; God would have no joy in those who had grievously provoked him by their fins, and who, with people of every fort in Ifrael, were to be the objects of his righteous vengeance. Neither fhall have mercy on their fatherlefs and widows. Of all perfons the fatherlefs and widows are the most deftitute and helplefs, peculiarly expofed to injuries of various kinds, and often unable to procure the redrefs of their grievances; and, therefore, the Moft High over all the earth hath declared himself their Guardian and Protector. Such, however, was the incorrigible obftinacy and pride of this people, that he would not have mercy even on those whom he commonly treated with the greatest tenderness and refpect. He declares that he would not extend to them that favour and compaffion, that protection and fafety, that exemption from general calamities, which, on fome occafions, perfons of thefe defcriptions had enjoyed. To them he would not be merciful, as he fhewed himfelf to righteous Lot, whom he delivered from impending deftruction. Few OF |