This is what was said before, ch. xxviii. 12, 28. 1. The people will
have cause to rejoice or mourn according as their rulers are righteous
or wicked; for, if the righteous be in authority, sin will be punished
and restrained, religion and virtue will be supported and kept in
reputation; but, if the wicked get power in their hands, wickedness
will abound, religion and religious people will be persecuted, and so
the ends of government will be perverted. 2. The people will actually
rejoice or mourn according as their rulers are righteous or wicked.
Such a conviction are even the common people under of the excellency of
virtue and religion that they will rejoice when they see them preferred
and countenanced; and, on the contrary, let men have ever so much
honour or power, if they be wicked and vicious, and use it ill, they
make themselves contemptible and base before all the people (as those
priests, Mal. ii. 9) and subjects will think themselves miserable under
such a government.