An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth, & tenth chapters of…

Some think this was an Imprecation by a spirit of Prophecy,¹ as if the holy Prophet had his heart filled with the wrath of God, Give them Lord; what wilt thou? give them a miscarrying womb, and dry breasts,

Some think this was an Imprecation by a spirit of Prophesie,¹ as if the holy Prophet had his heart fill'd with the wrath of God, Give them Lord; what wilt thou? give them a miscarrying womb, and dry breasts,

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But rather according to most Interpreters, I think this expression is rather an expression of Commiseration,¹ (that is) foreseeing the lamentable condition that the ten Tribes should be in ere long, the Prophet pities their condition, and would fain come in and pray for them, and he begins, Give them, O Lord (saith the prophet;) and then he makes a stop, as if he should say, but O Lord what shall I say for them, Give them, but Lord I know not what to ask for them, I am at a stand when I consider what they are, what the many mercies they have had already, what warnings they have had, how hardened they are in their sin, and how thy word is gone forth, but Lord give them: shall I say, Lord give them deliverance, give them peace, give them prosperity still, Lord I dare not, that I cannot ask, all means have been used for to bring them unto thee, and yet they stand out against the Lord; thou knowest they are deer to me, they are of my flesh, and I should be glad that they might be saved, but thy glory is dearer to me then they are, and therefore for that I cannot pray: and therefore the Prophet prays, Give them, seeing all this misery must befall them, what, shall the enemies be let out upon them? shall they and their children be made a prey to the Murderer? Lord, rather let no more be born of them, rather