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Vers. 10. The Princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will poure out my wrath upon them like water.
In the second part of the Chap the Lord comes more expresse∣ly to speak to both the Kingdomes of Judah and Israel, and that both severally and conjunctly. And first, as for Judah, whom he had threatened before, he accuseth their Rulers especi∣ally, for violating all Lawes, divine, and humane, which set bounds to men in the matters of Religion and righteousnesse,
which being a great sin, (as it is to remove ancient land-marks, and enter upon the possession of others, of which See Deut. 19.14. & 27.17:) doth justly provoke the Lord to threaten them with wrath in great abundance and violence, as a deluge of water o∣verflowing and overturning all. This sin was eminently to be found in Ahaz his practice, as is to be seen in the History. Doct. 1. God in his absolute Sovereignty hath set bounds and limits to men in the matter of their estates, Religion, and duties of righte∣ousnesse, which it is not lawfull to transgresse; For, so much doth this challenge, with the allusion to the removing of land-markes, teach. 2. Men are naturally so perverse, that strict∣est bounds set by God will be so farre from keeping them in, that they are thereby irritate to break them the more, and the words prohibitions do but put an edge on their humours to runne the more violently wrong: For, they are like them that remove the bound; though Lawes be set down more sacred then land-markes, yet they will encroach upon them. 3. Albeit great men think they may make bold with Gods Law above others, and so are ill examples to all others; yet their greatnesse gives them no allow∣ance, nor will shelter them in so doing; For, it is held out as a challenge, that the Princes of Judah were like them that re∣move the bound. 4. When great ones do sin, and cannot be reach∣ed by others, God will prove himself the avenger of such trans∣gressors: For, therefore I will poure out my wrath. 5. What∣ever the stroak on sinners be, yet when wrath is seen in it, and that the wrath of an infinite God, it will be dreadful; There∣fore the stroak is held out under this name, my wrath. See Ps. 90.11. 6. It is righteous with God to let out wrath without bound or moderation, and in great violence on these who will not be held in by any bond or Law prescribed by him: For, therefore, because they remove all bounds, I will poure out my wrath on them like water, or largely, like a deluge which vio∣lently overflowes all banks. The word also rendred wrath, being borrowed from among men, doth signifie such indignation as passeth bounds.