Wesley Corpus

Chapter XXII A catalogue of the sins of Jerusalem, ver. 1 - 12. Punishment threatened, ver. 13 - 16. They are condemned as dross to the fire, ver. 17 - 22. All orders of men having contributed to the national guilt, must share in the punishment of it, ver. 23 - 31. Judge - The question is doubled, to awaken the prophet more fully, and to quicken him to his work. Her time - The time of ripeness in her sins, and of execution of judgments on her. To defile - For this does more defile them, and provoke God to wrath against them. Thy days - The days of thy sorrows, and punishment. Art come - Thou art grown up to the eldest years in sin, beyond which thou art not to go. Much vexed - Afflicted, impoverished, and ruined. Every one - Not one to be found of a more merciful temper. To their power - According to their ability. In thee - In Jerusalem. Thou - O Jerusalem. Mine holy things - All mine institutions, temple, sacrifices, feasts. Carry tales - Informers, or persons that for money, give in false witness against the innocent. They eat - Offer sacrifice on the mountains and feast there, in honour of their idols. Discovered - Defiled their fathers bed. Smitten mine hand - In testimony of my abhorrence. Endure - Withstand the evils that are coming, or bear them when come. In thyself - Whereas I was thine inheritance so long as thou wert a holy, obedient people; now be an inheritance to thyself, if thou canst. Dross - Utterly degenerate, and base metal. The furnace - The afflictions I have laid upon them have not bettered them. The dross - While they loved mercy, did justly, walked humbly with their God, they were as silver; now they are but dross. Gather you - From all parts. I will, by a secret over - ruling providence, bring you into Jerusalem, as into a furnace, where you may be consumed. Her - The land of Israel. Not cleansed - Though God's judgments have been as violent floods; and as hottest fires. Nor rained upon - Yet neither thy filth hath been carried away, nor thy dross melted out of thee. Therefore thou shalt be deprived of the rain, that should cool thy thirsty land.