ing his cross to the place of crucifixion, he thus addreffed the women who bewailed and lamented him, commiferating the fufferings, the forrow, and the fhame which he fuftained, Daughters of Jerufalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for 'your children; for behold the days are coming *,' &c.-In times of peace and profperity, children are often a great comfort and bleffing, (this was especially a prevailing fentiment among the Jewish nation) but in feafons of great diftrefs, when war, famine, and peftilence, fpread defolation throughout the land, those who have fucking infants are more grievously afflicted than other perfons; they cannot fo eafily escape the ravages made by thefe defolating judgments; their miseries and forrows are multiplied, by thofe of their tender offspring. On thefe accounts there fhould be lamentation and wo. Perhaps the expreffion may have some respect to the very great straits to which the citizens of Jerufalem were reduced, When the tongue of the fucking child cleaved to the roof of his mouth for thirft; when the hands of pitiful women had fodden their own children, they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people +.' Then indeed lamentation would be made over the breafts of the afflicted mothers, and

For the pleasant fields, &c. The land of Judea every where abounded with rich beautiful fields, covered with luxuriant crops of the finest wheat and other grains. The paftures were clothed with flocks, and the valleys were clad with corns. The foil was excellent and fertile; the air was temperate and falubrious; the former and the latter rain was given from heaven in their season; the land was made fat with fhowers; God bleffed the springing thereof, and crowned the year with his goodnefs t. How pleafant must have been the fight of the herbs, the flow. ery, the verdant meads, and fruitful fields, which every where met the eye of the beholder, and delighted

Luke xxiii. 28, 29. Lam.iv. 4, 19. See Pfal. Ixv. 9. et feq.

ed the inhabitants!-Throughout the country there was also great plenty of the best vines, producing the finest grapes, that yielded the choiceft wines. They were planted in large quantities; they grew to great perfection; they put forth numerous branches and leaves, and were richly loaded with clufters of the moft juicy and delicious grapes. Of these pleasant fields and precious fruits, the people of Judah were to be deprived, by the righteous judgments of God, as the just punishment of their many aggravated iniquities. No wonder that this humiliating change of circumftances, by which the state of the inhabitants was to be entirely reverfed, should give occasion to grief and lamentation, as is intimated in this prediction. The Lord turns a fruitful land into barrennefs, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. Of this important truth, a very remarkable proof lies now before us, which is illuftrated in the following verses.—If then we really wish to avert this deplorable calamity inflicted upon the land of Judea, let us beware of perfifting in our tranfgreffions, and thereby provoking the Lord to deprive us of the comforts we enjoy.

13 Upon the land of my people fhall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city.

These words contain an affecting description of the defolation of the land of Judea. The people having been either killed or led away captives by the enemy; thorns and briers, the natural production of the earth when left uncultivated, were foon to fpring up and overrun the grounds, which for a long time, had been exceedingly beautiful and fertile. A clear proof of the miferable, depopulated condition of this once rich, and pleasant country, is immediately fubjoined. -Yea, upon all the houfes of joy, &c. Jerufalem was undoubtedly the joyous city here intended. In the 48th pfalm, it is celebrated as the joy of the whole

earth;

earth; to which the pofterity of Ifrael reforted with gladness three times in the year, to attend those folemn feftivals, wherein they rejoiced before the Lord their God. Befides, the inhabitants enjoyed the greateft affluence and profperity, with all the good things of a prefent life; from all which the juftice of this defignation, the joyous city, is abundantly evident. -The houfes of joy which are fpoken of, were probably places of public refort, where the citizens and people from all parts of the country met to congratulate each other, on the continuance of the felicity wherewith they were bleffed, and the happiness they felt on again feeing one another in the metropolis. Thofe fumptuous edifices might also be intended, which were built by men of vaft opulence in the city and its environs, wherein they displayed their wealth, fplendor, and magnificence, and which were on many occafions, houfes of great feftivity and joy. Even upon thefe elegant manfions of mirth and gaiety, where luxury and diftipation had long refided, thorns and briers were to fpring up, and to grow thick and strong, in confequence of their being deferted by their poffeffors, neglected and defolated.-Such was the very deplorable ftate to which the intemperate, the polluted, the oppreffive city Jerufalem was to be reduced; because the obeyed not the voice of the Lord; fhe received not correction; fhe trufted not in the Lord; fhe drew not near to her God. Her prophets were light and treacherous perfons; her priests polluted the fanctuary, and did violence to the law*.

14 Because the palaces fhall be forfaken; the multitude of the city fhall be left; the forts and towers fhall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild affes, a pasture of flocks.

In this verse the lamentable reprefentation of the future miferable ftate of Jerufalem is continued.With refpect to the palaces, the ftately edifice which

Zeph. iii. 1. et feq.

was

was the royal refidence of the kings of Judah, and the far more magnificent temple of Jehovah, which was built, as king David affirmed, not for man, but for the Lord God *, were to be reduced to ruins. Concerning the palace last mentioned, God faith by the prophet Jeremiah, I have forfaken mine house†' and Jefus Chrift thus fpake to the Jews, Your houfe 'is left unto you defolate .' Having been deferted by Jehovah, it was forfaken alfo by the thousands of priests who had daily officiated within its precincts, and by the myriads of people who ftatedly repaired thither from every district of the kingdom, to worfhip the Lord God of their fathers. The palace occupied by the kings of Judah was likewife deferted by the princes who had dwelt in it, and allowed to fall into ruins.-The multitude of the city fhall be left; i. e. the city filled, or frequented by a multitude of people. Expreffions of this fort fometimes occur in fcripture: thus the apoftle of the Gentiles speaks of the law of righteousness, by which is meant the righteoufnefs of the law. Jerufalem was to be forfaken by the prodigious multitudes that formerly thronged the city, occupied the houses, and buftled along the ftreets; who were now either flain or taken prifoners. The few that remained, after the cruel ravages of a victorious army, fhould be left folitary and defolate. The forts and towers fhall be for dens for ever, &c. Forts and watch towers were erected at proper diftances around the city Jerufalem, both for ornament and defence. Hence the royal poet himself, delighted with the pleafing fpectacle, invites the citizens of Zion to contemplate their beauty and utility, and to tranfinit to pofterity the happiness and fecurity which were enjoyed within thefe bulwarks. His words run thus, in the facred ode to which I refer: Mark ye well her bulwarks, confider her palaces, that ye may tell to the generation following. "For this God is our God, for ever and ever; he will 'be our guide even unto death *.'

6

1 Chron. xxix. 1. + Chap. xii. 7. Pfal. xlviii. 13, 14.

The

Mat. xxiii. 38.

6

I

The temple, the palace, the city, having been deferted by their refpective poffeffors, and those who frequented them, the forts and towers were to share the fame fate. They were to become places of refidence to wild affes, in common with all forts of untamed animals which fhun connection with man, and decline to yield him any special fervice. A pasture of flocks; where they might feed and range at large, undisturbed by any human being.--For ever: Not to eternity, but for a limited time, which is thus specified in the next verfe that follows, Until the Spirit be pour⚫ed upon us from on high.' The term fixed, wherein the defolation above defcribed should continue, is restricted to a certain period to be terminated by this event. In this confined sense the word for ever is fometimes used in fcripture, as in 1 Chron. xxiii. 25. where David faid, the Lord God of Ifrael hath given reft unto his people, that they may dwell in Jeru'falem for ever.' The pofterity of Ifrael, far from dwelling in Jerufalem throughout all ages, have for many centuries been difperfed over the face of the earth. The Prophet meant that they were to have their refidence in the holy city for many generations. And this is plainly the import of the word in the prediction we have been confidering.-The awful judgments which God inflicted upon his ancient people, and their highly favoured city and land, ought effectually to reftrain us from those fins which proved the means of their ruin. If he spared them not whom he appropriated to himself, how can we expect that he will allow our iniquities to pafs unpunished. Let us take warning from their fufferings, and be inftructed folicitoufly to avoid thofe tranfgreffions which have rendered them an astonishment, a reproach, and a perpetual defolation.-Thofe who read with attention the prophecy we have now explained, cannot doubt that it relates to the deftruction of Jerusalėm, the devastation of the land of Judea, and the overthrow of the Jewish nation. It feems directly to point at the defolation brought on that city and king

dom