An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…

Thirdly, Others interpret these words, as noting the wicked mans worldly decay; he shall not have a House to put his head in: His strong Cities and goodly Palaces, shall go to ruin; or he shall be forced to dwell in a ruinous House, a House ready to fall about his ears, who before lived in ceiled Houses; He hath pulled down other mens houses, and now he dwells in houses ready to fall down; he impoverished others, and now himself is turned out among the poor.

Thirdly, Others interpret these words, as noting the wicked mans worldly decay; he shall not have a House to put his head in: His strong Cities and goodly Palaces, shall goe to ruine; or he shall be forced to dwell in a ruinous House, a House ready to fall about his eares, who before lived in ceiled Houses; He hath pulled downe other mens houses, and now he dwels in houses ready to fall downe; he impoverisht others, and now himselfe is turned out among the poor.

Hence Observe.

That God often makes the punishment of man suitable to his sin: The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth, the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands (Psal. 9.16.) The judgements of God are always just, and sometimes their justice is visible. As the wicked feel them, so all may see them, and say, Righteous art thou O Lord. The Prophet describes this retaliation of Divine judgement (Isa. 5.8, 9.) Woe to them that add House to House, and lay Field to Field, till there be no place (that is, no place for others to dwell in) that they may be placed in the midst of the earth: What is the danger of this? In mine ear saith the Lord of Hosts, of a truth, many Houses shall be desolate, many and fair without Inhabitant: Here is desolation, the reward of desolation; and as they took bread from others, and pulled the cup from their mouths, so their bread shall be taken away, and their cup left empty. Thus it follows in the Prophet (Vers. 10.) Yea ten Akers of Vineyard shall yield one Bath: A Bath was a measure among the Jews, of Liquids, containing, as is conceived, about eight Gallons; So that when he saith, Ten Akers of Vineyard shall yield one Bath; the meaning is, there shall be a great scarcity of Wine: An Acre of Vineyard should not yield a Gallon of Wine, that's a miserable Vintage. And the seed of an Homer, shall yield an Ephah; An Homer