nies. The nations which dwelt to the eastward of Canaan, and especially the Philistines, were remarkably addicted to this hurtful science. Hence we read, That when the ark of the Lord was in the country ' of the Philistines, they called for the priests and diviners, faying, What fhall we do to the ark of the Lord? tell us wherewith we fhall fend it to his place. The curious arts ufed by thefe claffes of men, were ftrictly prohibited by the law of God, under the fevereft penalties; and that the Ifraelites might have no excufe for complying with this deteftable fuperftition, God affured them of the continuance of the fpirit of prophecy amc.g them. Notwithstanding, fo very corrupt had that people become, that they had adopted the wicked practices, and forbidden cuftoms of the Heathen nations around them, and particularly the necromancy and magic practifed by the Philistines; and at the time this prophecy was delivered (probably in the reign of Uzziah), they were greatly addicted to foothfaying.- -Befides, they abounded with the children of strangers, with whom they were highly pleafed. They had joined themfelves in marriage to ftrangers, from whom there arofe among them a fpurious breed of children, who could not properly be called the ftock of Ifrael. This was another forbidden practice which was now frequent among them, intimately connected with the former, on account of both which God had forfaken them.Have not we, my brethren, like Judah of old, introduced among us not only thofe evil manners which are peculiar to us as a people? but have not we alfo imported from foreign countries the most fcandalous vices, which may juftly provoke God to for fake us, as he forfook the Jewish nation? Let us then hear, and fear, and do no more prefumptuoufly. Let us earnestly deprecate that wrath to which we have expofed ourselves by our tranfgreflions, and abandon

those corrupt practices whereby we have provoked the Lord to anger.

7 Their land alfo is full of filver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures: their land is alfo full of horfes, neither is there any

Avarice, trust in riches, in human grandeur, and power, are mentioned as farther reafons why God had forfaken the men of Judah.-Thefe things were done in direct oppofition to the command of God, who ordered, That the king, fet over Ifrael, fhall not multiply horfes to himfelf-neither fhall he greatly multiply to himself filver and gold *. King Solomon was the first who notorioufly tranfgreffed in thefe particulars: for we are told, That he made filver and gold at Jerufalem as plenteous as ftones; that he had fourteen hundred chariots, and twelve thoufand horfemen: and Uzziah feems, in thefe inftances, to have followed his bad example. His mighty men of valour had under their command an army of three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, that made war with mighty power+; and among thefe, it is probable, were a great number of horfes and chariots. The fins here charged against the Jews, confifted not merely in their poffeffing large quantities of gold and filver, and great numbers of horfes and chariots, though even thefe were contrary to the law of God; but chiefly in this, that they pursued these things with the greateft keenne's and avidity; that they used them to gratify their pride and vanity, and confided in them as their defence and glory. Though the God of their fathers had graciously promifed, that if they cleaved unto him, and ferved him, he would prove their protector and portion, they wickedly departed from him, as if he had been infufficient for their felicity: they enlarged their + 2 Chron. xxvi. 13.

Deut. xvii. 16, 17.

covetous

covetous defires as hell; and of their ambition, to increase their treasures, there was no bounds. Not only their kings and princes, but thofe alfo who occupied inferior ftations, committed thefe crimes to fuch an enormous degree, that, to use the words before us, there was no end of them. Lay not up then for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and ruft doth corrupt, and where 'thieves break through and fteal. But lay up for ⚫ yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor ruft doth corrupt, and where thieves do not 'break through nor fteal. For where your treasure ' is, there will your heart be alfo *.' And whilft we hear that in the land of Judah horfes and chariots were fo multiplied, and relied upon, that God was thereby provoked to forfake his people, let us beware of their fin and folly, remember the name of the Lord our God, and stand upright.

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8 Their land alfo is full of idols: they worfhip the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made.

This verse describes another aggravated tranfgref fion, on account of which God forfook the men of Judah.The deteftable crime here complained of, is idolatry, which properly consists in giving that honour and worship to the creature, which is due to God alone. Than this no practice can be more unreasonable and abominable. What can be more abfurd than that men, who are the workmanship of God, fhould foolishly imagine, that they can make a god? that creatures endued with fenfe and reason, fhould expect aflistance from that which can neither hear, nor fee, nor fpeak, nor act, and which they can destroy at their pleasure? What more inconfiftent than for people profefling to believe in the true God, to fall down, and

worship the work of their own hands? Though it does not appear from facred history, that idolatry was publicly encouraged or countenanced in Judah in the reign of Uzziah, when we fuppofe the prophetical discourse before us was delivered, we are informed, That the high places were not removed: the people facrificed, ' and burnt incenfe ftill on the high places *.' The idols then, of which the land was full, feem to have been household-gods, or tutelar deities, fuch as Rachel carried with her when fhe left her father's family, and fuch as the man Micah had in his houfe, which were not reckoned inconfiftent with the worship of the one living and true God. Thefe were formed after different fimilitudes, of wood, or stone, or metal; and being overlaid with filver and gold, and placed in their houses, were confidered as the arbiters of their fortune, and the authors of their profperity; and, therefore, thofe honours were paid to them which belong to God only. Against this aggravated fin the Most High hath teftified the greatest displeasure, in the declarations of his word, and the difpenfations of his providence. On this account, Jeroboam, and his houfe, were cut off; Ahab, and his family, were extirpated; and Judah was forfaken of his God. Let us then keep ourselves from idols; remembering, that every creature that is loved and served more than the Creator, occupies the room he ought always to poffefs, and exposes to his just displeasure.

9 And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive

them not.

With fome interpreters, we may confider what is here faid as connected with the preceding verfes, and farther defcriptive of the fin of Judah; or, with others, as introductory to the awful judgments de

nounced in the following verfes. In the first sense, the words reprefent the prevailing idolatry which had infinuated itself among all ranks of the Ifraelitish people, high and low, great and fmall. The mean man, who was in low circumftances, and occupied an inferior station, though he should have reckoned himself by far too great to bow down to a dead idol, fhamefully degraded the dignity of his nature, and grievoufly offended his Maker, by proftrating himself before the works of his own hands. The great man alfo, who was exalted to distinguished rank, and enjoyed the most elevated ftation, discovered the meannefs of his fpirit, and the depravity of his heart, by falling down before the image which his own fingers had framed, or which he had ordered others to make for him. In this view, we behold with astonishment, men, originally made after the fimilitude of God, though ftrictly prohibited, under the fevereft penalties, to bow down to any idol, preferring the creature to the great Creator, who hath connected the most precious bleffings with his fervice. According to the latter interpretation, the words defcribe the terrible judgment which Almighty God was about to inflict on Judah, on account of their divination, avarice, and idolatry. In this fenfe, the fimilar expreflions, ufed Chap. v. 15. must be understood, where this prediction is repeated; And the mean man fhall be brought down, and the mighty man fhall be hum. bled, and the eyes of the lofty fhall be humbled.' In proof that this is the true meaning of the prophet, it may not be improper to obferve, that the Hebrew word tranflated humble, is not used to fignify fuch a bowing of the body as is made in worshipping idols, but denotes fuch a humiliation as arifes from the unavoidable influence of external caufes. Taking the words in this fenfe, they contain a general propofition, in which God threatens the idolatrous people of Judah with his dreadful vengeance, until they were greatly depreffed by various calamities. From

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