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juftice and equity was followed by all ranks of people, who, in general, difcovered a becoming regard to whatfoever things are juft and honeft. Of this judgment it is faid, the faithful city was full: it was easily and plentifully diftributed among all ranks by thofe in power, and univerfally respected in the conduct of men in every condition of life, from the higheft to the loweft.--Righteoufnefs lodged in it. By righ teousness, as diftinguished from judgment, mentioned in the preceding words, may be meant integrity and uprightness of difpofition and conduct. In this fenfe Job feems to understand it, where he fays, Till I die, I will not remove mine integrity from me. My ' righteousness I hold faft, and will not let it go: my heart fhall not reproach me fo long as I live, According to this interpretation the expreffion will denote, that the men of Jerufalem were fincere and honeft in their tranfactions with one another, in which they discovered a love for that which is right, and a becoming deteftation against every species of injuftice. This righteoufnefs is faid to have lodged there. The word fignifies to refide, or take up a night's lodging. This defirable guest, whose presence exalteth a nation, dwelt in the faithful city as in its proper habitation, where it was highly refpected, and kindly enter tained.This fidelity, judgment, and righteoufness, raised Jerufalem to a state of the most eminent profperity and glory, which was happily enjoyed by its inhabitants during their continuance in thefe laudable practices. This confideration ought to render us emulous, in our humble sphere, to imitate, in things truly praise-worthy, that city, which was once the admiration of the world, and a figure of the Jerufalem which cometh down from above, and is the mother of us all. But, alas!

The faithful city is become an harlot, &c. How affecting the contraft! How great the degeneracy, here *Job xxvii. 5, 6.

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ftated in the form of a question, to render it the more ftriking, and to excite the greater regret on account of the change defcribed! Inítead of fidelity to God, and the exercises of juftice and righteoufnefs toward man, the inhabitants of Judea, particularly of Jerufalem, had wickedly alienated themselves from the Most High, and attached themfelves to other gods, and their fervice. They had forfaken the Living God, renounced fubjection to his authority, broken his covenant, and joined themfelves to the idols of the nations, whom they fhamefully preferred to the God of Ifrael. Thus did they endeavour to reproach him and his ordinances, and teftified their infidelity in the fervice of that God who had conferred upon them the most important privileges.But now murderers. This is added, as farther descriptive of that dismal change of manners which had taken place at Jerufa lem. Of all characters the one here mentioned is the most wicked and odious. The corrupt principles of malice and envy, hatred and covetoufnefs, from which murder proceeds, actuated the inhabitants of that city, and prompted them to commit the moft enormous crimes. At fuch a pitch of wickedness had they arrived, that they offered violence to their brethren, poured contempt on the divine authority, deprived those whom they ought to have loved as themselves of their most valuable treasure; they defiled the land, and ranked themselves among the enemies of fociety, whilst they forfeited their own lives, and ruined their own fouls. There were no doubt among them fome hidden ones, who kept themselves from the idolatrous and murderous practices which prevailed, and mourn ed, in fecret places, for the abominations done in the midft of them: but thefe were comparatively few, and could not ftem the torrent of impiety and wickednefs, which threatened with deftruction the whole nation.We are hereby inftructed in this interesting truth, that the most glorious and renowned church of God on earth may become fo corrupt in principles

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and practice as to be the reverfe of what they once were. May this alarming confideration produce its proper effect upon us, by engaging us to beware of the first appearances of apoftacy from God, to remember whence we have fallen, to repent, and do our first works, left our candlestick be removed out of its place.

22 Thy filver is become drofs, thy wine mixed with water.

In these words the remarkable change in the Jewifh nation, and particularly in the city of Jerufalem, from its former purity and integrity, to its present degenerate state, is expreffed by fimple, but inftructive metaphors. They plainly intimate, in their literal fenfe, that, by wicked, fraudulent practices which had become prevalent, their money was greatly adul terated, and their wine corrupted: their most valuable articles of commerce were much spoiled. But it appears from the verfe immediately following, where the fubject here introduced is continued, and the cor, ruption of their princes is particularly mentioned, that the words are to be confidered chiefly in their figurative fenfe. In this view, by the filver and the wine we may understand, the princes, the judges, the priests, and the inftructors of the people, with the righteous judgments they executed, and the pure doctrines which they taught. These are the riches, the ornaments, and the most valuable parts of the community, who beautify and adorn it by the purity and integrity of their lives, and enrich it by the jus tice of their decifions, and' the excellency of their doctrines. Like the best wine, they enliven the fpirits, and rejoice the hearts of those who feel their be nign influence.Now, fuch was the corrupt ftate of the men of Judah and Jerufalem, that their filver was become drofs, and their wine mixed with water. Drofs is that heterogeneous matter which is mixed

with metals, and is feparated from them by means of the fire, in which they are purified, to increase their value and usefulness. It has a very deceitful appearance, and feems exceedingly like the metal with which it is incorporated. In this refpect it afforded a ftriking image of the Jewish nation, who, though they profeffed to be the people of God, every one was a hypocrite, and an evil-doer, and every mouth spake folly Drofs, in fome measure, obfcures the luftre of the metal with which it is mixed, and fo hinders its beauty from being feen. In like manner, the wicked and hypocritical of the houfe of Judah, blending themselves with the righteous and faithful of the nation, fullied their beauty, and prevented their worth from being properly feen or acknowledged. As drofs is useless, and fit for nothing but to be caft away, and does not improve by being thrown into the fire, fo the children of Judah were become unprofitable to God and themselves; and though he had repeatedly thrown them into the furnace of affliction, they were not thereby made better. Hence faith the Lord, by the prophet Jeremiah, In vain have I fmitten their

children, they received no correction f.They were mixed with water. This figurative expreffion feems to be of the fame import with the former, and therefore it is unneceffary to illuftrate it at large. It plainly intimates, that thofe among them who were moft excellent and valuable, communicating vigour and stability to the nation, were now greatly corrupted, and mixed with thofe of very different qualities,. who were remarkable for their feeblenefs and inftability. Besides, the worfhip of the true God was corrupted by idolatry, the holy law of Jehovah was perverted by false expofitions and human traditions, the exercife of justice was exchanged for bribery and oppreffion, whilst fobriety and purity of manners were debased by lewd and unclean practices. In few words, + Jer. ii. 30..

Ifaiah ix. 17.

Jerufalem

Jerufalem had loft her former excellence, and degenerated from the happy ftate to which she had been advanced; her inhabitants acted the part of a debauched, perfidious woman; and, far from being afhamed of their finful practices, they had arrived at the highest pitch of wickednefs, juftifying the crimes they committed. Accordingly, we obferve the prophets of the Moft High frequently admonishing them, that they were covetous, treacherous, liars, flanderers, and deceivers; and, on these accounts, denoun cing the most awful judgments against them. Notwithstanding, they would not hearken, or believe them they flattered themselves that they were pure and excellent, as filver and wine; whereas, upon trial, they were found to be drofs, and mixed with water.This warns us of the danger of defection from God, by which we lofe every thing truly excellent and valuable, and become worthlefs and unprofitable to ourselves and others. It cautions us alfo against trufting to external privileges, and from thence forming an eftimate of our character, which, in fact, may be very different from what we prefumptuoufly imagine. It reminds us, that the omniscient God perfectly observes every mixture in our charac ter, and every adulteration in his worship and fervice; which ought to engage us to study integrity and fimplicity of character and conduct.

23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherlefs, neither doth the caufe of the widow come unto them.

In pursuing the fubject treated in the two preceding verfes, the corruption, covetoufnefs, and injuftice of great men are here defcribed in ftreng terms.The princes intended, were doubtlefs the nobles and judges of the land, the chief priests of the people,

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