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upon EZEKIEL. 147
to his own Laws, gave them up to a reprobate Chapter
Mind, and fufFered them to walk after the idola- XX.
trous and impious Cuftoms of the Heathens round L/^NJ
about them. And whereas by obeying the Laws
and Ordinances which he had given them, they
might have lived happily, Ver. n. they became
Slaves to the vile and cruel Practices of the Heathen
Idolatries, fo as to offer up their very Children
in Sacrifice to Idols, to the utter Deft ru c~t ion
of themfelves and their Pofterity, Ver. 16. This
will appear to be the Senfe of the Text, if we compare
it with Ver. 39. and with Dent. iv. 28. xxviii.
36. Jerem. xvi 1$. in which Texts God threatens
them as a Punifliment for their Neglect of his
Worfhip, to difperfe them into the Heathen Countries,
and thereby deprive them of an Opportuni-
ty of ferving him in Publick, and expofe them to
the Peril of being feduced to Tdols. Juft as David
complains to Saul of the Hardfhip of his Exile, that
it did lay him open to the Temptation of ferving
the Heathen Gods, 1 Sam, xxvi. 19.
Ver. 26. &4nd I polluted them in their own Ver. 16.
Gifts.'] I fufTered them to pollute themfelves (fo
the Form Hiphil is elfewhere nfed in the Senfe of
PermirTion :
See the Note on Ifa. Ixiii. 17.) in thofe
very Gifts which by the Law they were to dedi-
cate to my Service. See Ver. 31. and Chap. xvi.
20, 21.
Ibid. In that they caufed to fafs thro"* the Fire all
that opens the Womh."] In offering their Firftborn
Sons in Sacrifice to Moloch: the Expreffion of
faffing thro"* the Fire, is explained in the Note upon
jte/ftw. xxxii. 35.
U 2 Ibid.