An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

Expos. 2 But I think rather the sense to be Metaphorical, thus, These mountains were places very delightful, and places where was much hunting, and the Gentry of the kingdom took much delight in hunting in these mountains, and there they were wont to spread their nets and set their snares for fowls and beasts. Now saith God, You have been a snare on Mispah and a net upon Tabor, that is thus; Mispah and Tabor are two mountains where there is much hunting for fowl and beasts, and the truth is, you watchmen and other people that join with you, have been huntsmen that have laid snares for the souls of my people as they lay snares on Mispah and Tabor; because they were eminent places for hunting, therefore God chargeth them for laying snares for the souls of his people, and hunting them and catching them in their ways of superstition and Idolatry. The Gospel is called a Net in the Scripture, and the Ministers of the Gospel are to spread it, but the cords and twists of that net are precious, they are the blessed truths of the Gospel, the mysteries of the Gospel, and happy are those that are caught in that net: But the net of superstitious Priests and Governors it is made of other manner of stuff, they have their nets too that they spread and catch the souls of the people in. And the net that is here meant they had to catch the souls of the people (for at the first,¹ Jeroboam and the rest of the Princes would not go on in a violent way to force people to a false religion, but would seek by their cunning devices to catch the hearts of people in their love of false worship, and they would spread their nets for people before they were aware, and) the threads and lines it was woven withal were these.

Expos. 2 But I think rather the sense to be Metaphorical, thus, These mountains were places very delightful, and places where was much hunting, and the Gentry of the kingdome took much delight in hunting in these mountains, and there they were wont to spread their nets and set their snares for fowls and beasts. Now saith God, You have been a snare on Mispah and a net upon Tabor, that is thus; Mispah and Tabor are two mountains where there is much hunting for fowl and beasts, and the truth is, you watchmen and other people that joyn with you, have been huntsmen that have laid snares for the souls of my people as they lay snares on Mispah and Tabor; because they were eminent places for hunting, therefore God chargeth them for laying snares for the souls of his people, and hunting them and catching them in their waies of superstition and Idolatry. The Gospel is called a Net in the Scripture, and the Ministers of the Gospel are to spread it, but the cords and twists of that net are precious, they are the blessed truths of the Gospel, the mysteries of the Gospel, and happy are those that are caught in that net: But the net of superstitious Priests and Governors it is made of other manner of stuff, they have their ness too that they spread and catch the souls of the people in. And the net that is here meant they had to catch the souls of the people (for at the first,