He will break them down

He will break them down.

I find some interpreters render the words thus, It shall break them down, and so apply it to their divided hearts. Ipsum cor, for so the pronoun that is translated, he, is relative, and the antecedent according to the former exposition is in that last verse of the former chapter where he had spoken of God; but according to this interpretation the antecedent is: Their heart is divided: Their hearts, their very dissentions, their divisions shall break down their altars, and spoil their images. And we may have a hint of a good meditation from there, if I say the relative should have that antecedent, and their hearts being divided should be a means to break down their altars, then the note is this:

That mens divisions and contentions break the neck of that which they contend for; especially when men in their contentions, are violent, furious, outragious, and heady, they do usually by their rage and headiness, and passion in their contentions, break out and spoil the very thing that they would fain maintain, and their party is very little beholding to such as seek to maintain them in a furious and in an outragious way, by a spirit of contention. You know those furious violent prelates, did not they break the neck of their prelacie meerly by their furie and outragiousness? And in any party, those that are the most furious and outragious, do the least service to their party, and many times are the very break-neck of their party, and of their cause: It shall break them down. It follows.