an honor to the place where they grow Observ 4. True Christians are always fruitful and nothing can hinder their fruitfulness They are trees that bring forth fruit according to their moneths and seasons neither heat nor cold doth blast their leaves no wind or weather doth consume their fruit but they go on and are fat and flourishing and still bring forth fruit in old age Psal 92.14 they are daily adding to their faith vertue to their vertue knowledge to their knowledge temperance to their temperance patience to their patience godliness to their godliness brotherly kindeness and to that charity These things are in true Saints and abound in them 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8. The Corinthians abounded in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 Christians must always profess godliness and always practice it their leaf must always be green and their fruit always ripe there should not be a day or an hour wherein they should not be doing good or ready to do good and bear new fruit Jer. 17.8 Observ 5. The true cause of fruitfulness and such fruitfulness in Christians is the Doctrine and Grace of the Gospel Every tree brought forth fruit according to his moneth because the waters issued out of the Sanctuary Other waters had not such vertue such efficacy in them those sit under the heavenly dews and droppings of the Gospel they feel the influences of the Spirit they are most fruitful Observ 6. The holy profession and gracious language of true Saints are medicinable they heal the sores and bruises of sinners Their examples their savoury speeches do good like a medicine Prov. 12.18 The tongue of the wise is health and Prov. 15.4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life it yields good fruit And Women who are gratious win their husbands to the faith 1 Pet. 3.1 2. by their examples and good conversations and so they are healed and brought to Christ their leaves are for medicine Verse 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. Thus saith the Lord God This shall be the border whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve Tribes of Israel Joseph shall have two portions And ye shall inherit it one as well as another Concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers And this land shall fall unto you for inheritance And this shall be the border of the land toward the North-side from the great Sea the way of Hethlon as men go to Zedad Hamath Berothah Sibraim which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath Hazar Hatticon which is by the coast of Hauran And the border from the Sea shall be Hazar-enan the border of Damascus and the North Northward and the border of Hamath and this is the North-side And the East-side ye shall measure from Hauran and from Damascus and from Gilead and from the land of Israel by Jordan from the border unto the East Sea and this is the East-side And the South-side Southward from Tamar even to the waters of Strife in Kadesh the River to the great Sea and this is the South-side Southward The West-side also shall be the great Sea from the border till a man come over against Hamath this is the West-side So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the Tribes of Israel And it shall come to pass that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you and to the strangers that sojourn among you which shall beget children among you and they shall be unto you as born in the Countrey among the children of Israel they shall have inheritance with you among the Tribes of Israel And it shall come to pass that in what Tribe the stranger sojourneth there shall ye give him his inheritance saith the Lord God THese Verses are the second part of the Chapter and contain 1. The bordering of the Land from ver 13. to ver 21. 2. The dividing of it from verse 21. to the end Something was said of the Land Chap. 45. and here that subject is proceeded in Verse 13. speaks in the general and saith the order whereby they were to inherit the Land must be according to the twelve Tribes of Israel East West North and South It is true that Levi had no border no possession Ezek. 44.28 yet twelve lots are spoken of because the Sons of Joseph Ephraim and Manasseh come in for portions Josh 14.4 The children of Joseph were two Tribes Manasseh and Ephraim therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the Land See Josh 17.17 18. 1 Chron. 5.12 They had two portions the Hebrew is Lines because the portions were measured out by lines Verse 14. And ye shall inherit it one as well as another The Hebrew for one as well as another is a man as his Brother which is usual among the Hebrews For when they speak of two or more in the masculine gender they say vir frater ejus and when they speak of two or more in the faeminin gender they say uxor soror ejus the sense here is that they should all aequo jure possess the Land and each Tribe have an equal portion which differs much from the division made of old for Numb 33.54 Ye shall divide the Land by lot for an inheritance among the families and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance And if we grant with some that it was so here that a greater portion of land was given to the greater Tribe yet it is conceived from these words of Ezekiel that every one in each Tribe had an equal portion which was not so of old Concerning the which I lifed up mine hand to give it c. Of the Lords lifting up his hand mention was made Ezek. 20.56 15.28.42 and 36.7 and 44.12 and it notes Gods swearing that he would give the Land of Canaan unto their Fathers as Exod. 6.8 I will bring you in unto the Land concerning which I did swear to give it to Abraham to Isaak and Jacob the Hebrew is I did lift up my hand Vers 15. This shall be the border of the land toward the North-side from c. He describes first the borders of the whole Land and so makes way to the division of it more particularly He begins with the North border which was from that part of the great Sea viz. the Mediterranean Sea which lay Northward and so proceeded to Mount Hor and from thence to Hamah and so to Zedad-Ziphron and terminated in Hozar-enan Numb 34.7 8 9. which was in the North-East In this description of the Northern border more Towns are mentioned then in Numbers as Hethlon Berothah Sibraim Hazer Hatticon Henram and Damascus but the extension is the same from the great Sea to Hazar-enan ver 15 16 17. The East border is laid down ver 18. and that is that space which lies between Hauran Damascus Gilead and the Land of
shall yeeld her increase When there have been seasonable rains the earth hath brought forth abundantly in some places thirty in some sixty in some a hundred fold The word for increase is Jebul from Jabal to bring because the earth doth bring profit to the owners thereof By Tree and Earth we may understand the higher and meaner sort of people who under the Gospel and showrs of it should become fruitfull And they shall be safe in their Land In the 25. vers it s said They shall dwell safely in the wildernesse and here They shall be safe in their Land they should have safety every where and the words are repeated to shew the certainty thereof When I have broken the bands of their yoke This yoke was the Babylonish captivity which is call'd a yoke Jerem 30.8 and it lay heavily upon them Isa 47.6 The bands of this yoke were the Babylonish powers Nebuchadrezzar his Princes and Officers but God did break the Babylonish Empire in pieces by Cyrus and Darius and so took the yoke off their necks setting them at liberty Yokes are burdensome restrictive and reproachfull this breaking yokes and bands and bringing the Jews out of Babylon typed out the spiritual liberty of the Church in Christs time when Antichristian bands and yokes should be broken and people brought out of spiritual Babylon And delivered them out of the hands of those that served themselves of them The Hebrew is And shall deliver them out of the hands of them who made them to serve the Babylonians made the Jews to serve and work for them being captives among them Exigebant servitutem ab ipsis they exacted service of them their dealings with the Jews were like the Egyptians who were cruel taskmasters over them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Avad saith Lavater saevitiem in aliquem exercere significat tanquam in servam First Observe Temporal and Spiritual blessings are from God he makes people blessed and gives them what blessings he pleases I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing Gen 9.1 God blessed Noah and his sons and said unto them be fruitfull multiply and replenish the earth here God is the Authour of temporal blessings Gen 12.2 Of Abraham God said I will blesse thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing and I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all familyes of the earth be blessed Here God shews himself Authour of temporal and spiritual blessings its peculiar unto God to blesse Balak was out when he said of Balaam I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed and he whom thou cursest is cursed Numb 22.6 No it s not in the power of any creature to blesse or curse men and Devils may utter words of blessing or cursing but they cannot make blessed or cursed its God who turns blessings into curses Mal 2.2 and curses into blessings Nehem 13.2 Secondly Observe Others faire the better for the Churches sake I will make the places round about my hill a blessing On the Hill of Sion was the Temple the place where God recorded his Name there were the solemn assemblies the divine ordinances Gods presence and all that were near in Judaea yea the Nations round about had some blessing and benefit thereby they heard of the God of Israel that he differed from all idol gods they heard of his Laws that they were more righteous then the Laws of the Nations they saw his Sabbaths how strictly they were kept they heard of the Prophets that were in Jerusalem and Israel did not Naaman a Syrian get a blessing from Elisha 2 Kings 5. The wisdome of Solomon had influence into all the places round about Sion yea into all the Countries far off The Queen of Sheba heard thereof and it was a blessing unto her from any Nation they might come to Sion become Proselites and enjoy what mercies the Jews themselves enjoyed Micah 4.1 2. In the last dayes it shall come to passe that the Mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the Mountains and it shall be exalted above the hills and people shall flow unto it and many Nations shall come and say Come let us go up unto the Mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his Statutes for the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem These things are spoken of Christs times when the Church should be very eminent and conspicuous like the highest of hills when the Law of faith and the Gospel should go out of Sion and Jerusalem and be a blessing unto all Nations Thirdly Observe Gods blessings are seasonable both temporal and spiritual are in due time I will cause the showre to come down in his season when it shall be a blessing do much good there shall be showres of blessing Levit 26.4 I will give you rain in due season and the Land shall yield her increase and the Trees of the field shall yield their fruit Those rains are seasonable which cause fruitfulness those are unseasonable rains which hinder or destroy the fruit of the Trees and encrease of the earth The Lord observes times and seasons to do sinners good both for body and soul Isa 30.18 He waits that he may be gracious he waits for fit seasons wherein his mercies may come with advantage and acceptance unto men Isa 55.10 11. As the rain cometh down and the snow from Heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud which is an argument it came in season so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it God gives his word seasonably as he doth the rain Tit 1.3 God hath in due times manifested his word through preaching the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his own times and those are the due times the seasonablest times Gal. 4.4 When the fullnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman Christs birth was at the fullness of time when it was most seasonable so his death Rom 5.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in due time or according to the season Christ dyed for the ungodly Psal 72.6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grasse as the showres that water the earth As Solomon was to the people by his wisdome and justice like seasonable rains to the grasse and earth much more is God and Christ so to the Church what seasonable dews droppings and influences of the Spirit hath it from them which make it to grow green and flourish Let us wait for his showres and influences none can give them but himself and when he gives them it s in season Fourthly Observe
his top was among the thick boughs The waters made him great the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants and sent out her little Rivers unto all the trees of the Field Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field and his boughs were multiplied and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters when he shot forth All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young and under his shadow dwelt all great Nations Thus was he fair in his greatness in the length of his branches for his root was by great waters The Cedars in the Garden of God could not hide him the Firre-trees were not like his boughes and the Chesnut Trees were not like his branches not any Tree in the Garden of God was like unto him in his beauty I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches so that all the Trees of Eden that were in the Garden of God envied him IN these seven Verses is set forth the power of the King of Assyria who is compared here unto a Cedar which is described First from its place it was in Lebanon ver 3. Secondly from its beauty it had fair branches ver 3. and was fair in greatness and length ver 7. Thirdly from the benefit of it it was a shaddowing shroud Fowls Beasts Men were advantaged by it ver 3 6. Fourthly from the height of it it was very high ver 3. higher then all the trees of the field ver 5. Fifthly from the thickness he had thick boughs ver 3. Sixthly from the cause of all these viz. the Rivers and Waters he was planted by ver 4 5 7. Seventhly from his transcendencie above all other Trees in the Field or Garden ver 5 8 9. Vers 3. Behold the Assyrian Some would have Pharaoh and the Egyptians to be understood by the Assyrian and produce Isai 52.4 for it where it s said my people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause that was Pharaoh and the Egyptians saith A lapide but Interpreters generally understand Sennacherib or Nebuchadnezzar and their people By the Assyrian therefore here is meant the King of Assyria whom diverse Expositors make to be Esarhaddon the third Son of Sennacherib of whom see Isa 37.38 He was King of Assur Ezra 4.2 call'd also the great and noble Asnappar ver 10. He was King of Assyria and Babylonia saith Vsher in his Chronologie Lavater makes him only King of Assyria Page 107. for he saith Ben-Merodach the Governor of Babylon observing that his two Brethren who slew their Father viz. Adramelech and Sharezer lying in waite to dispossess Esarhaddon of the Kingdom he made war upon him overcame him and so rejoyned the Assyrian Kingdom to the Babylonian Whether him Sennacherib or Nebuchadnezzar it was a King of Assyria who was great and powerfull A Cedar in Lebanon That is as a Cedar in Lebanon Lebanon was a great and large Mountain in Canaan full of Cedars and this King of Assyria is likened unto the chiefest of them With fair Branches These Branches were not his Sons and Nobles but the several Provinces belonged unto the Kingdom of Assyria over which his Princes and Nobles did reign Himself was the Cedar these the Branches or Arms. And with a shadowing shroud The word for shroud is Chorash which Montanus renders Caedua Sylva Buxtorf saith its Virgultum densum implexum faciendae umbrae commodum shoots sprouts so thick and intangled together as that they make it shadowie The Septuagint hath the words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thick in the covering this Tree did afford cover and shade to others Of an high stature his top was among the thick bowes The King intended Ezek. 17.6 was like a Vine of low stature but this King was like a Cedar of high stature glorious great and renown'd so high that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his top was in the midst of the clouds like the tree Dan. 4.20 whose height reached to Heaven Vers 4. The waters made him great Some Trees prosper best in dry places some by the waters side the moisture they draw thence makes them to spread and flourish Psal 1.3 The Tree being here Metaphorical so are the waters waters signifie sometimes afflictions Psal 32.6 sometimes wholesome and good doctrine Isai 55.1 sometimes people Rev. 17.15 here riches power victories and such things quibus augenter splendescunt imperia The Assyrian wealth Provinces Victories were as water to his Roots and made him great The deep set him up on high with her Rivers running round about his plants His vast Treasure like a deep not to be drawn drie raised him to such an height as waters do a Cedar He did abound with plenty of all things As Plants which have rivers running round about them do grow and spread so did the King of Assyria and his His riches and greatness were like an Ocean and the Provinces as so many Rivers brought in wealth continually which supplyed them and others And sent out her little rivers unto all the trees of the field Some Commodities some parts of the Assyrian Treasure were derived to other Nations Princes and People or his own Subjects had some share with him in his wealth and greatness all at home and many abroad which were the Trees of the field gained by the Assyrian waters Vers 5. Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field There were diverse Trees in the field which were high many Kings and Princes who were great but the Assyrian was the highest the greatest Cedar and Monarchie then in the world His waters exceeded theirs and they derived moisture from him His boughs were multiplied and his branches became long The boughs and branches of this metaphoricall tree were the Provinces and Countries belonged to the Assyrian Monarchie which were many and extended far even to Media Eastward to Mesopotomia Westward to Armenia minor Northward and to Susiana Southward Because of the multitude of waters when he shot forth Where there is much water and moisture at the root of a Tree there the branches and boughs do shoot forth faster and further then where its wanting The Assyrian having multitude of waters viz. Treasure enlarged his Empire and borders thereby Vers 6. All the Fowls of heaven made their Nests in his boughs By Fowls of Heaven some understand the Nobles and great Ones they built them habitations in his Provinces and Dominions which they peaceably enjoyed as Fowls do their Nests in the boughs of high trees And under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young By Beast of the field A lapide intends the vulgar and more barbarous sort of people The sense is that all kinds of people noble and ignoble rich or poor weak or strong were in safety and
out against and removes them Some bodyes are so delicate that they feel every wind every little distemper and so fortifie themselves against them and some hearts are so tender that corruption or the Devil cannot stir but they discern feel and find them and so set themselves against them When Josephs Mistriss tempted him to folly his heart startled at it and caused his tongue to say How can I do this and sin against God Gen 39.9 A tender heart sticks at the appearance of evill and will not venture there Abraham would not take any thing of the spoyl recovered but returned all into the hands of the King of Sodom least he should say I have made Abraham rich Gen 14.23 This was an excellent frame of spirit and proceeded from the tenderness of his heart such tenderness Antidotes a man against the poyson of sin Jobs heart was flesh not stone and not his Friends Wife or Devil could draw him to commit sin his heart was sensible of his sons sinning and on their behalf he offered sacrifice continually Job 1.5 and that tenderness preserved him from sinning Davids heart smote him when he cut off but the lap of Sauls garment 1 Sam 24.5 Fourthly It s active for God When Pauls heart was turned into flesh presently saith he Lord what wilt thou have me to do I am now ready to do ought for thee Acts 9.6 And straight way he preached Christ in the Synagogues vers 20. Josiah was of a tender heart and he acted notably for God he destroyed the groves altars high-places images out of Judah and Jerusalem and other places he repaired the Temple he caused the Law to be read the people to enter into Covenant with God he kept a most solemn Passeover such as had not been from Samuels dayes before 2 Chron 34. 35. Chap A hard heart is active against God and a soft heart is active for God Manasseh through the hardness of his heart did more wickedly then any 2 Chron 33. And David through the tendernesse of his heart fulfilled all the wills of God Acts 13.22 He durst not neglect any duty the Lord call'd for nor do it remisly when he went about it What are the mistakes about a tender heart First There is a legal tendernesse which arises from apprehension of Gods Soveraignty and Justice and his wrath due unto men for sin and their sinfull practices whereupon they humble themselves mourn sigh weep pray and so manifest some tenderness of heart such I conceive was the tenderness of Manasseh's heart when he was among thorns bound in fetters and in affliction then he besought the Lord humbled himself greatly and prayed 2 Chron 33.11 12 13. Such tendernesse had Judas who repented of what he had done saying He had sinned in betraying innocent bloud Mat 27.3 4. Terrours of conscience put him upon it This legal tenderness is not that here meant For 1. Apprehensions of Gods power justice wrath fear of death and hell do never melt the heart The Law judgements of God considerations of death and hell may break the stony heart into many pieces yet every piece remain a stone retain its hardnes when you break a Milstone or Rock into pieces with an hammer or pick-axe though broken yet there is no true softness in them 2. Legal tendernesse never loves God it loves it self and seeks it self but Evangelical or Spiritual tenderness carries out the heart to God and Christ Peter having hardned his heart by denyal of the Lord Jesus once twice and thrice and then being softned again by a look of Christ upon him Luke 22.61 62. he loved him dearly and that it might be known Christ asked him the question Simon lovest thou me more than these he saith not Peter dost thou love me but dost thou love me more than these I know these love me much how stands thy heart to me his answer was Yea I love thee and more than these do love thee and thou knowest it A tender heart is strongly in love with Christ Paul after his heart was regenerate and softned he was so in love with Christ that he wisheth Anathema Maranatha to that man which loves not the Lord Jesus 1 Cor 15.22 Secondly There is a naturall fleshliness or tenderness which is much in women and sometimes also in men as when Joseph made himself known unto his brethren he wept it was from a natural tenderness in him Gen. 45.1 2. Some are by nature very tender and pittyfull such tenderness is not what our Prophet aims at For 1. This natural tenderness is born with men they bring it with them into the world the other is a gift I will give you an heart of flesh the one is of nature the other of grace Parents procreate the one God creates the other the one is from constitution the other from regeneration 2. Where there is a natural tenderness it is flexible both wayes to good and evill Rehoboam who was a wicked King having a tender heart 2 Chron 13.7 he was for evill and for good he hearkned to the young mens ill counsel at one time and to Shemaiah's good counsel another time 1 Kings 12.14 24. he was easily drawn this way and that way like some in the Apostles time who were carryed about with every wind of Doctrine Ephes 4.14 They were children they had a natural tendernesse in them and bowed to sound and corrupt doctrine but a man that hath the tenderness of heart here intended is untractable towards evill and only flexible unto good 1 John 3.9 He cannot sin because he is born of God his heart is obstinate against sin he keeps himself from the touching of the wicked one Chap 5.18 But is plyable to the will of the holy one prepared unto every good work 2 Tim 2.21 Thirdly Natural tenderness is faint in the cause of God it hath no courage no magnanimity for God but spiritual tenderness hath Paul was tender hearted after his conversion and see what a spirit he had for God Acts 17.22 23. Ye men of Athens I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious c. He contested with the whole University of Athens The Bock of Martyrs tells of Alice Driver a tender hearted woman who said She would set her foot against the foot of any of them all she meant the Bishops and their creatures she had courage for God and his cause Fourthly Natural tendernesse is dulled by fasting prayer and humiliation but spiritual tenderness is sharpned and quickned by the same Esther after her fasting praying and humbling her soule was more sensible of the state of the Jews and the great danger they were in and ventured her life for them Esther 4. 5. Chap. Fifthly Afflictions crosses are very heavy to that heart that is naturally tender its restlesse unquiet under them but an heart spiritually tender welcomes afflictions receives them with joy Heb. 10.34 and finds sin heavier then afflictions There be some soft natures which
in the world men of soul or foulie men but not one of them did know God or seek after God Paul therefore hath laid it down for an universal Maxime That the animal natural or soulie man receives not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him Whilest he is without the spirit of God they are no better than foolishnesse unto him and so are rejected by him Sixthly Observe The principle of spiritual life and motion is the spirit of God I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk Immediately upon the putting in of the spirit into the heart of any there is life and motion men live and move spiritually Some make grace the principle of life and motion but all grace flows from the spirit Gal. 5.22 23. Ephes 5.9 and why should grace have that honour is due to the spirit It was the entrance of the spirit which quickned the dead bodies of the Witnesses and caused them to move Rev. 11.11 and it is the entrance of the spirit which quickens dead souls and causes them to move We must beware of an error here which hath siezed upon divers of late viz That because the spirit is in us and the principle of life and motion that therefore the spirit doth all Matth 10.20 It is not ye that speak but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you so it is not you that do but the spirit in you and if the spirit speaketh and do all we must sit still and leave our selves to the spirits motions and actings This is a dangerous error know therefore That though the spirit be in men and the principle of life and motion yet it doth not act or work without us in the putting in of the spirit we are Passive John 3.6 we concur no more to our birth then a child doth to its generation but when the spirit is in us and hath quickned us then there is the co-operation of man with the spirit Rom 8.16 The spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit vers 26. It helpeth our infirmities Acti agimus the spirit acts us and we co-act with it If the spirit did all then the spirit should repent believe and not man but what cause hath the spirit to repent or believe it never sinned it stands not in need of help or mercy that place Matth 10.20 is not absolutely to be taken that they did not speak for so it should be false Luke 12.12 The holy spirit shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say They spake and the spirit taught them to speak the place is to be taken comparatively not you but the spirit that is it is rather the spirit than you the spirit is the principle which sets you on For men to sit still and leave all to the spirit is a grieving of the spirit and contradicts what the spirit hath given out Matth. 7.7 Ask and it shall be given you seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you The spirit would have us use means and doth most vigorously assist us when we are most diligent in the use of them Prov. 2.3 4 5. 2 Chron. 15.2 Quest If the spirit be put into us dwell in us and be the principle of life and motion what need the soul look unto Christ for any fresh or further supply Answ 1. It is granted there is a sufficiency and fullnesse in the spirit yet because it is the will of God that we should look unto Christ we are bound to do it Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Authour and Finisher of our faith 2 Tim. 2.1 Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and Paul himself 2 Cor. 12.8 9. looked up to Christ for more help notwithstanding he had a fullnesse of the spirit within him Acts 13.9 Answ 2. The spirit is not the head of the body though it be in the body that honour is Christs Col. 1.18 He is the Head of the Body the Church and from it the whole body receiveth influence Eph. 4.15 16. Col. 2.19 it s requisite therefore that every member in the body should look up to the head Seventhly Observe God first makes men good and then they do good first he puts his spirit into them and then they walk in his wayes It is said of God himself He is good and doth good Psal 119.68 He is first good and then good comes from him so God makes men good by the infusion of his spirit and then they bring forth spiritual fruit Ephes 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Since mans fall amongst all the sons of men God finds none good Rom. 2.10 There is none righteous no not one if any be so he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath made him so by his spirit he hath made him a new creature so fitted him for good works the Tree must first be good before the fruit be good amongst men good actions are first done and then men are reputed good but with God it is otherwise he makes men first good and then they do good actions they do not make themselves good by their free will by frequent acts of good but God puts in his spirit towards which they contribute nothing and thereby they are made good and act answerably then their actions have life in them worth in them and are suitable to God who is a spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and truth Let men look heedfully to themselves and not stand upon their actions men may do many actions outwardly glorious and magnified by men themselves being corrupt and naught if men have not the spirit of God in them their actions are no better than corrupt fruit of a corrupt Tree they do not please God and if any have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his He is neither good nor doth good Eighthly Observe In what heart soever the spirit dwells there will be outward and visible manifestations of it Grace within will appear without I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes to keep my judgements and to do them The spirit is like the Sun in the Firmament which cannot be hid long though it may be clouded for a season the Cough and Grace are of such natures as will not be concealed and the spirit is of that nature as it will diâ—â—â—â—er it self in the man it is within causing him to change his courses and to walk in other wayes then ever he walked in When the spirit is put into a swearer a lyar an unclean person an extortioner a bloudy persecutor it makes the swearer fear an oath the lyar speak truth from his heart the unclean man to possesse his vessel in sanctification and honour the extortioner to make satisfaction and give half of his goods to the poor and the bloudy persecutor to love and preach the Gospel he persecuted so demonstrating it self to
length of the Temple-courts c. make 100. Cubits as Haffenrefferus exactly demonstrates Of the signification of this Temple Some make the Court belonging to it to represent the World and the Temple to represent Heaven It may be considered whether the Porch do not point out the common Professor the Temple true Saints who are Temples of the Spirit and the Sanctum Sanctorum the Saints in glory the condition of those made perfect The true representation of this Temple I take it is the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ both his Body Natural and his Body Mystical viz. the Church 1. It 's a representation of his Natural Body Solomons Temple and Zorobabells or the 2d Temple was so Joh. 2.19 saith Christ Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up And why Ezekiels Temple should not type out Christ I see no cause There be many things wherein it fitly doth so 1. This Temple was holy vers 3. This is the most holy place hence it 's evident the other part of the Temple was holy The Hecal was holy though not so holy as the Devir and the body of Christ was holy Luk. 1.35 That holy thing c. Act. 13.35 Thou shall not suffer thine Hâ—ly one c. 1 Pet. 2.22 Chap. 1.19 Heb. 7.26 He was holy harmless undâ—filed separate from sinners 2. It was very lightsome and beautiful within it was adorned with Cherubims and Palm-trees vers 18.19 so the Lord Christ was full of light Col. 2.3 In him were hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge He was adorned with all the graces of the Spirit He was full of grace and truth Joh. 1.14 Cant. 5.10 Psal 45.2 Thou art fairer then the children of men 3. By the Temple they came to know the mind of God one part of it was call'd Devir the Word or Oracle there God spake so by Christ we come to know the mind of God Joh. 1.1 He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word He brought the mind of God to us and declared it to the world Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son Christ was an Embassador sent from God to acquaint us with the mind of the King of Nations and he did it faithfully Joh. 15.15 All things which I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you 4. The Temple was God's delight it 's call'd an House for God dwelt in it and manifested his glory there Ezek. 43.4 5. The glory of the Lord came into the house yea the glory of the Lord filled the house And Psal 29.9 In the Temple doth every one speak of his glory There God's glory is seen Is not Christ such a Temple Did not God come into the Temple of his Body 1 Tim. 3.16 Col. 2.9 There the glory of God was seen fully Joh. 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Fathâ—r full of grace and truth The glory of God never appeared so evidently as in this Temple and God delighted therein Mat 3.17 This is my belâ—ved Son in whom I am well pleased See Rev. 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out And I will write upon him the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my Gâ—d which is New Jerusalem God is establishing and will establish New Jerusalem with Pillars daily more and more and therein is strength to be found not in the World or in Babylon 1 Tim. 3.15 5. There were Cherubims and Palm-trees in the Visional Temple vers 18 19 20 25 26. and in the Church of Christ there are Cherubims and Palm-trees These Cherubims may note the presence of the Angel in the Church 1 Cor. 11.10 There were Angels in the Church of Corinth And so in the Temple John speaks of Rev. 14.15 17. Each Cherubim had two faces one of a Man another of a Young Lion to signifie the wisdome strength and zeal of the Angels which are imploy'd for the good of the Church Or by Cherubims understand those Christians who were wise stout and zealous for the truth and cause of God such as loved not their lives to the death Rev. 12.11 But were beheaded for the Witness of Jesus and for the Word of God Rev. 20.4 These Cherubims looked to the palm-Palm-trees they were patient under all crosses afflictions in hope of certain victory Rom 8.35 36 37. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword c. Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerors c. Their eyes were upon the Palm-trees And Rev. 9.7 they had Palms in their hands they were certain of victory whereof Palms and Palm-trees are emblems There be several things wherein the Saints do resemble Palm-trees 1. They are always green and growing so are the Saints Psal 92.12 14. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree They shall still bring forth fruit in old age 2 Palm-trees cannot endure dung Magnopere abhorrent à fimo they hate it So the Saints they hate Superstition Idolatry and all sin as dung they will dye rather then worship the Beast or his Image rather then receive his Mark in their foreheads or their hands Rev. 20.4 they watch and keep their garments undefiled 3. The Palm-tree bears up against all weight laid upon it and the Saints do the like in all their troubles and afflictions Paul met with sharp tryal's yet he fainted not but found more strength 2 Cor. 4.16 And Chap. 7.4 He saith I am filled with comfort I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation And Rom. 5.3 We glory in tribulation 4. These Cherubims and Palm-trees were the ornament of the Temple and Christians who are wise couragious and patient under all tryals are the ornaments of the Church of Christ 5. This Temple with the Porch and Buildings belonging to it was great and large vers 12 13 14 and 15. 100. Cubits in breadth 100. Cubits in length So the Church of Christ is great and large In the Apostles times there were thousands of the Jews believed Act. 21.20 It was Prophesied in Isays days that all Nations should flow unto the Mountain of the Lord that is the Church Isa 2.2 And in Daniels days Chap. 7.14 That all people languages and nations should serve Christ And John in the vision saw it made good Rev. 7.9 I beheld a great multitude which no man could number of all nations kindred people and tongues which stood before the Throne and the Lamb. 2. It 's the representation of Christs Body Mystical and that in several things 1. All things in this Temple were measured as in the 40. also the 41 42 43 and 47. Chapters appears So in the Church the Mystical Body of Christ Ephes 2.21 Paul tells the Ephesians that the Saints are a
from one end to another were glad of the sad things befell the Jewes not some great Ones not one corner of the Land but all the Edomites throughout the Land Thus did the Ammonites also they generally concur'd in the same sin Ezek 25.3 They cryed Aha against the Sanctuary the Land of Israel and house of Judah when they were profaned and laid waste This was the practice of the Tyrians they all with one consent rejoyced at the sufferings of Jerusalem Ezek 26.2 When the two Witnesses were slain the inhabitants of the earth rejoyced over them made merry sent gifts one to another Rev 11.10 The greatest part of men are disaffected towards the people of God and when evill befalls them they are glad thereof Secondly Observe Men thirsting after what is others do lose what is their own The Edomites said These two Nations and these two Countreys shall be mine and we will possesse it vers 10. and not long after they lost their own Countrey it was made desolate Achan was not content with what he had his heart was upon the Babylonish garment the two hundred shekels of silver and the wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight and by so doing he lost both estate and life Josh 7. Pharoah-Necho was ambitious he sought to inlarge himselfe Jerem 46.2 but his Army was beaten and afterwards he lost his Countrey Ezek 30. Many Princes coveting and attempting to inlarge their borders by getting from others have lost themselves and what they had The Dog catching at the shadow lost what he had in his mouth many waste and lose their estates at Law while they seek to get that which is other mens Thirdly Observe The Lord in due time repayes the same or like things to wicked ones Edom rejoyced when the inheritance of the house of Israel was laid waste and God would lay Edom waste make her desolate and others should rejoyce at her So will I do unto thee thou shalt be desolate and meet with those that shall laugh at thy calamity In Obadiah's prophesie where the carriage of Edom towards the house of Jacob is fully set out the Lord saith plainly As thou hast done it shall be done unto thee Nebuchadnezzar he spoyled many Nations and had his pleasure on them and in due time he was spoyled by the Nations Jerem 27.7 And all Nations shall serve him and his son and his sons son untill the very time of his Land come and then many Nations and great Kings shall serve themselves of him Then they should do to him as he had done to them Jer. 50.15 Adonibezeck had his Thumbs and Toes cut off as he had served others Judg. 1.7 Many in our dayes have met with that measure they measured unto others Prov 26.27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein and he that rolleth a stone it will return upon him He that intends or doth mischief to others that mischief will fall upon himself Psal 9.15 The Heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made in the net which they hid is their own foot taken Here is Lex talionis Vide Quistorpius in Jer 50.15 the just judgement of God upon evill-doers all the enemies of Sion God will meet with in due time and return the same or like things into their bosoms Fourthly Observe It is Nations and Peoples own sins that brings desolation upon them Edoms rejoycing at Jerusalems calamities her anger envy and hatred her boasting and blasphemies caused God to lay her waste and utterly waste O Mount Seir thou shalt be desolate and all Idumea even all of it Had not these sins preceded that dreadful judgement had not followed it was wickednesse brought in the flood upon the whole world and its wickedness brings desolating judgements upon any part of it Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned for they would not walk in his wayes neither were they obedient unto his Law therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battel It was Jacobs and Israels sin that exposed them to spoylers and spoiling Isa 42.24 25. God was not forward to this work but would have had them prevented it Isa 48.18 19. O that thou hadst hearkned to my Commandements then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousnesse as the waves of the Sea thy seed also had been as the sand and the off-spring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me Fifthly Observe Gods great design in punishing the enemies of his people and of shewing kindness unto them is to make known himself experimentally unto them When the wicked feel the weight of his power strength of his wrath severity of his justice they will acknowledge God and God to be another kind of God then they imagined when he shall render to them the same or like things to what they have done they will be convinced of the equity of his wayes so when Gods people taste of his loving kindnesses partake of choice deliverances and find the sweetness of his dispensations towards them then they say Among the gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy works Psal 86.8 CHAP. XXXVI Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Also thou son of man prophesie unto the mountains of Israel and say Ye mountains of Israel hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God Because the enemy had said against you Alas even the ancient high places are ours in possession Therefore prophesie and say Thus saith the Lord God Because they have made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers and are an infamy of the people Therefore ye mountains of Israel hear the word of the Lord God Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills to the rivers and to the valleys to the desolate wastes and to the Cityes that are forsaken which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about Therefore thus saith the Lord God Surely in the fire of my jealousie have I spoken against the residue of the heathen and against all Idumea which have appointed my Land into their possession with the joy of all their hearts with despitefull minds to cast it out for a prey Prophesie therefore concerning the Land of Israel and say unto the mountains and to the hills to the rivers and to the valleys Thus saith the Lord God Behold I have spoken in my jealousie and in my fury because ye have born the shame of the heathen Therefore thus saith the Lord God I have lifted up mine hand surely the heathen that are about you they shall bear their shame THe Jews being deprived of their Comforts carryed into captivity
they suffered hard things and lay under great reproach among the Nations whereupon the Lord here in this Chapter doth 1. Denounce judgement against the Heathen setting out the Causes moving him thereunto from the 1. vers to the end of the 7. 2. Promise mercy to the Land of Israel which is specified in severall particulars from the beginning of the 8. vers unto the 16. 3. Shew the causes why the Jews were driven out of their Countrey from 6. vers to the 21. 4. Set out the ground of their restauration from the 21. to the 25. 5. Multiply promises of spiritual and temporal things upon them and their Land from the 25. to the end Vers 1. Thou son of man prophesie unto the mountains of Israel In the former Chapter he prophesied against Mount Seir in this he is to prophesie to the mountains of Israel against that he prophesied judgement unto these he prophesieth mercies These Mountains of Israel by a Synecdoche are put for the whole Land of Judaea and by a Metonomie for the people contained therein or who had lived therein Hear the word of the Lord. The Land mourn'd because the profane Nations had laid it waste and taken possession of it the Lord therefore calls to the Land and People that had inhabited it to let them know that the one should not long lye in so desolate a condition nor the other alwayes be kept out by enemies from their inheritance Vers 2. Thus saith the Lord God These words are in the 3 4 5 6 7. verses also The Jewes being cast into so low a condition might think God had forgotten them and would leave them to perish in the hands of their enemies to take off such thoughts he commands the Prophet to say in 6 verses together Thus saith the Lord God It is not the voice of Ezekiel but of Jehovah who is affected with the insolency of your enemies and the grievous things you suffer Because the enemy had said against you Aha The Hebrew word for enemy is from Ajaf to bear ill will to hate This enemy principally was the Edomite who had a perpetual hatred against the Jewes Ezek. 35.5 and the Ammonite who cryed Aha Ezek 25.3 and entred upon the Jews inheritance Jerem 49.1 with the Moabite who reproached the people of God Zeph 2.8 10. These and others were disaffected to the Jews and hated them insulted in the day of their calamity saying Aha The Hebrew is Heach which to Mercer is vox insultantis and to others vox provocatoria cum contemptu an insulting provoking scornfull word The ancient high places are ours in possession Bamoth Olam Excelsa Saculi The ancient Mountains which have kept their station and height i nal ages Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The everlasting solitudes Vulgar Altitudines sempiterna The everlasting height French is Les hauts lieux du monde The high places of the world The Land of Israel had many high Mountains which being solitary and desolate the enemy said they are ours in possession we shall inherit them for ever The Edomites being from Esau Jacobs elder brother the Ammonites and Moabites from Lot Abrahams brother they challenged the ancient high places of Israel for their possessions call'd Excelsa Saeculi because God and his Worship had been there many years and the Land was promised the Jews for ever Because they have made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side The enemies of the Jews were bitter and bloudy they stript them of what they had and devoured them they did eat them up Shaaph signifies to draw in the aire to suck it up and metaphorically to swallow to devoure they did not like Caniball eat the flesh of the Jews but they dealt cruelly with them not in one place only but on all sides those that were their neighbours cut them off and destroyed them round about That ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen So little did they care for the Church of God his people and their inheritance they rule over these few Jews that were left This made Jeremy to complain Lamen 5.2 Our inheritance is turned to strangers our houses to aliens Ye are taken up in the lips of talkers In the Hebrew its thus And ye have ascended upon the lip of the tongue or ye are made to ascend ye are the common talk of men as we use to say Table talk They were made a reproach a proverb a taunt and a curse amongst the people according to what is written Jer 24.9 Junius and Piscator both have it Traducti estis in labia Nationum You are traduced and slandered through the tongues of the Nations they talk at large of you The lip of the tongue is an Hebraisme noting a talkative person as Job 11.2 A man of lips is the Hebrew that is A man of talk and Psal 140.11 Let not an evill speaker in Hebrew a man of tongue such an one utters much evill and falls under the denomination of an evill speaker And are an infamy of the people The word Dibbah infamy is from Davaf which signifies to speak and to relate the evills of others The enemies of the Jews related what evils they knew or heard of concerning them and made them infamous The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reproach or scorn to the Nations Vers 4. Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills to the rivers and to the valleys to the desolate wastes and to the Cityes that are forsaken He mentioned the mountains of Israel before and the ancient high places here he adds Hills Rivers Valleys Wastes Cityes to shew that he would vindicate the whole Land from the possession of the Nations who did so greatly villifie his Church and people Which became a prey and derision unto the residue of the heathen The Heathen did not only spoile and make a prey of Judaea but also deride the Jews they scoffed at those that were left and those were carryed away The word for derision is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laag which notes deriding with scorn and contempt and therefore by the Septuagint is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conculcatio they derided them as worthy to be trodden under feet Vers 5. Surely in the fire of my jealousie have I spoken against the residue of the heathen c. The Hebrew for surely is Im lo which implyes an oath Si non or nisi unlesse I have spoken in the fire of my jealousie let me not be God let me never be believed To speak in the fire of jealousie is an Hebraisme saith Pintus Pro effundere verba cum stomacho it notes hot displeasure Psal 79.5 Shall thy jealousie burn like fire Here the Lords jealousie was on fire he was not only angry with the Heathen but in a fierie jealousie for jealousie is more then anger Deut 29.20 Men in their jealousie are extreamly mov'd and carryed out with heat and fury to be revenged