will Ezekiel was in bitternesse in the heat of his spirit unwilling to be a Prophet to this people yet he went I went Jonas he goes to Ninive but his heart is not full on the work there was not a throughnesse in it he saw there was a necessity of it God had power to punish disobedience and could quickly crush him and therefore now in a prudentiall way hee would go and prophesie to Ninive there was in him an unwilling willingnesse his spirit was not totally willing as you may gather from Chapt. 4.1 2 3. He was against the sparing of Ninive it stuck upon his spirit that he should lie under the imputation of a false Prophet hee wishes death upon it which shewes that his spirit was not wholly in the service wee do the worke and will of God oft times with great unwillingnesse as women part with their joyntures or children as Merchants throw their goods overboard in a storm as many now assessed part with their goods to the publique service necessity is too strong for them and prudence puts them on and there 's a willing unwillingnesse so it is with the godly they pray and heare unwillingly they give unwillingly c. This is from the imbecillity of grace the power of corruption misapprehension of God and his wayes violence of temptations intanglements with the world pressures of guilt and unsuccessefulnesse of service let us be sensible of our unwillingnesses in Gods wayes be humbled for them and strive to do all animo prompto Deut. 28.47 48. Because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulnesse and gladnesse of heart for the abundance of all things therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies it 's good for us to have our wills and whole hearts in the works of God 8. The infirmities of Gods people do not interrupt his love and grace Ezekiel went in bitternesse in heat of spirit but the hand of the Lord was strong upon mee This great distemper in the Prophet did not distemper God it did not cause him to retract or divert his love but hee takes hold of him by his hand and upholds him as a parent would do to a childe falling or down the weaknesse or sicknesse of a childe doth not estrange the heart of the parent it rather inlarges and drawes out the bowels more fully and so it is with God Psal 103.13 14. As a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that feare him and why so Hee knowes our frames hee remembers wee are but dust the Lord knowes what weak and frail things we are The word for frame notes a formed vessell of earth and the Chaldee expounds it of our evill concupiscence which carrieth us into errour God knowes that wee are earthen vessels full of lusts and infirmities which lead us from him which disable us to serve him Now here is the love bowels goodnesse of a God because we are so therefore he pitieth us so Psal 78.37 38. Their hearts were not right nor stedfast with God but God was right and stedfast with them hee being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not Infirmities may bring crosses but cannot cut off from mercies this should strengthen our faith comfort our hearts and incourage us with a holy boldnesse to go to the Throne of Grace Hebr. 4.15 16. Christ saith the Apostle is a mercifull high Priest touched with the feelings of our infirmities and what infers hee upon it Let us go boldly to the Throne of grace that wee may obtain mercy and finde grace in time of need 9. The Spirit of Christ is the healer and helper of our infirmities Ezekiel was distempered and sick of the busines and the hand the Spirit of the Lord was strong upon him that helped that healed him Psal 107.20 He sent out his word and healed them the Spirit in that word did the cure and here he sent his Spirit to seise upon Ezekiel to work out the ill humour to settle his thoughts and sweeten his spirit that was so imbittered the Spirit is compared to oil Psal 45.7 1 John 2.27 and that is of a mollifying cleansing healing and quickning nature when Christ was anointed then he healed the broken hearted Luke 4.18 hee dropped that oile into their hearts and that did soften purge heale and quicken them Gifts of healing are attributed to the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.9 and helping our infirmities in prayer is the work of it Rom. 8.26 the Spirit brings the strength wee are infirm and can do nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Spirit together with us and for us takes up the work that wee faint not it answers to the word here was strong took hold on mee bound up my spirit together and strengthened mee not suffering my spirit to run out Lastly the Spirit works invincibly Ezekiel may strugle but the Spirit will overcome that was strong upon him men would not come in to Christ and do his work unlesse a Spirit mightier then their own come upon them Gods Spirit is a Spirit of power Luke 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee the Holy Ghost is the power of the Highest and when Paul preached it was in demonstration of Spirit and power 1 Cor. 2.4 and his Ministery was able to beat down strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 5. to cast down all high things and to captivate thoughts and spirits to the obedience of Christ the Spirit works invisibly it 's a hand under a wing and it works invincibly it 's a strong hand there is none can stand before the strength of it Antichrist shall be consumed by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Thes 2.8 This Spirit is fire to consume enemies it 's a hand powerfull to fetch in the friends under election the Jews are now stiffe enemies of Christ but when the Spirit of grace is poured out upon them when this hand takes hold of them then they will mourne come in submit to Christ no violence doth the Spirit offer to the wills of men Oportet non tantum moveri sed novum fieri Prosp notwithstanding it works invincibly it files off the enmity and aversnesse of our wills to God and inclines them to yeeld omnipotenti suavitate suavi omnipotentia VER 15. Then I came to them of the captivity of Tel-abib c. IN this Verse is the terminus of his journey and his condition at the end of it mourning and sadnesse The word Tel-abib signifies a heap of new fruits or green eares of corn A cervum novarū frugum Ad opera rustcana exercenda of TEL acervus ABIB spica maturescens Jerome and the Vulgar translate it a heap of new fruit or corne and Jerome thinks the Jewes were placed there to plough sow reap thresh and that now they were beating out the new corn but this opinion wee cannot admit for it was in the fourth moneth Chap. 1.1 that Ezekiel
them and if you will search never search into inferiour Courts search not books that are on this side the Kings Court that are made of late but go to the King of heavens Records have recourse to his Court look into the Law of God Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them throw them by that truth which is found in any writings and not to be drawn out of Gods Book is not from antiquity these are the true Records here is the true antiquity And so much for this word Book The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezekiel that is the name of our Prophet Among the Jewes there were no Sir-names but every man had onely one name as Samuel David Isaiah Jeremie Ezekiel c. This name Ezekiel doth signifie the strength of God or one strengthened by God He had a great work to doe he needed great strength for that work He was to deale with wicked Princes wretched people such as were exceeding opposite desperately wicked impudent hard-hearted rebellious Therefore Chap. 3. vers 8 9. Behold saith God I have made thy face strong against their faces and thy fore-head strong against their fore-heads c. The Hebrew words here for strong are Chazakim and Chazak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have made thy faces Chazakim strong I have given thee many faces and I have given thee many strengths strong both in the singular and plurall number all the strengths that is fit for a Prophet that had such a great task to undertake and goe about He was to reprove them for their sinnes to threaten Gods judgements to vindicate Gods justice in bringing them into captivity himselfe was to endure much hardship and many conflicts for which ordinary strength would not suffice therefore he is fitly called Ezekiel the strength of God or a man strengthened of God Or thus Ezekiel doth signifie one girt of God Cingere vineire for Chazack is to gird or bind and Ezekiel is one whom God hath girt and bound up for some imployment answerable to that expression of Paul Behold saith he I goe goe bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem so you read it but it may be bound to the Spirit Acts 20 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God goes before me and I being bound to the guidance of the Spirit doe follow the same whithersoever it leads me So here our Prophet was girt up of God from the world bound in or to the Spirit and so followed that which way soever it led him Touching this name of Ezekiel you may observe a note or two First see the wisedome of God in giving names sutable to the events that doe follow and fall out afterward Ezekiel was to deale with a stubborne people a rebellious house that did oppose heaven that did stand it out against God to the uttermost There was need therefore of a strong Prophet to subdue their rebellious spirits If an ordinary man had come he would soone have been discouraged his spirit would have sunk and fallen within him therefore here the Lord ordereth it so that a name shall be given unto him which shall be sutable to the event he shall be a man of God he shall be strong strengthened girt up of God to deale with a proud rebellious obstinate people You may find in Scripture divers names that have been imposed through the wisedome and guidance of God upon parties before their birth and the event hath answered afterward very fully as Gen. 17. Thou shalt call his name Isaac Isaac signifieth laughter and Isaac proved matter of laughter to his father and mother all their dayes he was a dutifull sonne you never read that Isaac fell into such sinnes as some other of the Patriarchs and Prophets fell into He was a child of laughter to them So 1 Chron. 22.9 His name shall be Solomon for I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his dayes and the event was answerable to his name So Josiah 1 Kings 13.2 it signifies the fire of the Lord and Josiah was the fire of God indeed to make a reformation to pull downe Jeroboams Altar and to offer upon it the Priests of the high places that had burnt Incense upon it to burn mens bones thereon to throw out idolatry and to destroy the high places So the name of our blessed Saviour which was imposed before his birth Thou shalt call his name Jesus They shall call his name Emanuel he shall save his people he shall be God with us and it was so Luke 1. Call his name John John noteth Gracious and he was gracious in the eyes of his very enemies he had favour in the eyes of Herod favour in the eyes of the people Gods wisedome is seen in ordering of names before-hand sutable to events that follow afterward 2. This should direct parents to impose incouraging names upon their children What incouragement was it to Ezekiel to think of his name the strength of God a man girt up of God for some great designe and imployment Names at first were imposed for distinctions sake and not only so but to shew the hopes and desires of parents touching their children for the time to come Obvirtutis auspicium imponunt u◠vocabula Jeron Good names were prognosticall Parents expected and children were incouraged much by them Leah nameth her son Judah which is praise that she might praise God for him and he might do things worthy of praise all his dayes and the Tribe of Judah did worthily in Israel Thus much from the name of Ezekiel The Boook of the Prophet Ezekiel This word Prophet is not in the Hebrew The Book Ezekiel or the book of Ezekiel But it is in the body of the Prophecie Chap. 2. v. 6. They shall know that there hath been a Prophet among them Prophet is from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it signifies one that foretells things to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word Nabi of Naba which signifies to fore-know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fore-tell or discover things Some derive it from a root which signifieth to bud to bring forth for as a tree drawes sap from the earth sends forth that sap into leaves and fruit becomes profitable and serviceable unto man so doth the Prophet he drawes sap from the root which is God from him he hath many hidden deep and divine truths which hee reveals and sends forth for the delight and benefit of others Prophets were of two sorts distinguished by the Temples some were Prophetae priores and others Prophetae posteriores The former Prophets were those of the first Temple the latter Prophets were those of the latter Temple and they were Haggai Zachariah Nehemiah Ezra and Malachi these Prophets continued but forty yeers after the second Temple was built and then did Prophecie
Papists do nor disabilities as sundry Christians do but looke out some promises made of such things as are commanded see free Grace and draw strength from thence through the promise to inable us to stand upon our feet being down to walk being up and to persevere in the walking 7. It is the Spirit of God that inables to discerne the things of God and assures our spirits of the truth and reality of them the Spirit entred into the Prophet set him upon his feet that hee heard him that spake unto him now having the Spirit hee was fitted to heare Christ inabled to judge of what hee spake to satisfie his soul concerning the truth reality and excellency of his Doctrine Job 10.27 My sheepe heare my voyce and a stranger will they not follow Verse 5. they can distinguish between the voyce of Christ and all others and how come they to do it they are Sheep not Goats not Wolves not Foxes and how come they to be Sheep Christ powres out his Spirit upon them that enters into them and brings them into the fold and inables them to heare and know the Shepheards voyce and the Shepheard himself 1 Cor. 2.12 Wee have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are freely given to us of God If the Apostle had not had the Spirit and the Spirit of God hee could not have apprehended the things of Christ and the Gospel they are such deep and spirituall things that none but the Spirit of God can search out or discover being searched out into whom the Spirit enters spiritualizing his heart and head he is a man fit to trade with Christ and to heare him speak for Vers 15. the spirituall man judgeth all things hee hath a principle within to taste and discern the nature of them hee only hath a fitnesse though not a fulnesse to judge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee hath a discerning faculty and according to the measure of that hee judgeth VER 3 4 5. 3. And he said unto me Son of man I send thee to the children of Israel to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against mee they and their fathers have transgressed against mee even unto this very day 4. For they are impudent children and stiff-necked I do send thee unto them and thou shalt say unto them Thus saith the Lord God 5. And they whether they will heare or whether they will forbeare for they are a rebellious house yet shall know that there hath been a Prophet among them EZekiel being raised comforted and fill'd with the Spirit fitted to heare the Lord Christ and to do him service In these verses we have his Call to his Office and the parties specified he is sent unto and the reason of his sending to them His Call in these words I send thee The parties hee is sent unto are the children of Israel who are described to be First a rebellious nation and this their sin is amplified three wayes 1. It 's against mee 2. It 's the same evill their fathers have done they transgressed against me and so have their children 3. It 's continued to this day Secondly impudent children Thirdly stiff-necked Fourthly a rebellious house The reason of his sending is that they might know there hath been a Prophet among them I shall first open the words of this third verse and after give you the Observations I send thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mittens In the Hebrew it is I am sending thee or about to send thee the present tence in the Scripture noteth the purpose and firm resolution of the mind Luke 19.8 saith Zachâ—us the half of my goods I give to the poor that is I purpose and decree to give them it 's the firm resolution of my minde but it notes more here I send thee I intend and am resolved to make thee a Prophet that is not all I ordain constitute thee to be a Prophet for mitto here non propositum mittentis nec motum missi sed auctoritatem significat and that will appeare from Jer. 14.14 The Prophets prophesie lies in my Name they pretend saith God that they have commission and countenance from me but I sent them not I never intended or constituted them to be Prophets they never had authority from mee I commanded them not neither spake unto them they went of their own heads for their own ends and if they be Prophets they are lying ones my authority did never establish them but it shall punish them Children of Israel That is the Jewes that were brought into Babylon who were call'd the children of Israel from Jacob who wrestling with God and prevailing had his name changed from Jacob to Israel Gen. 32.28 Thy name shall be no more Jacob but Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as a Prince hast thou power with God and with men and hast prevailed Not Israel because he had seen God as some interpret it nor Israel because hee was a man right with God but Israel is of a word signifies to rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dominari instar principis se gerere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the addition of el to it and so it followes in the verse because thou hast prevailed with God here was a good root but the branches were degenerate the sons of Israel were not like their father Israel a praying and prevailing people sons of Israel according to the flesh externall shews and in opinion so the most of them were but they did not follow the faith and purity of their father Israel Rom. 9.6 They are not all Israel that are of Israel A rebellious Nation The word for Nation is in the plurall number Goiim which word is mostly in Scripture applied to the unbelieving Gentiles those that were without God and strangers to the common-wealth of Israel as Hab. 1.5 The Heathens and Psal 106.42 He gave them into the hand of the Heathens it 's Goiim the Septuagint renders it Into the hands of their enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Jewes accounted the Gentiles and in disgrace call'd them Goiim an abominable Nation and at this day they call the Christians so and make that name which was common before to all Gentiles now since Christ to be speciall to Christians The Turks they call Ishmaelites and Aethiopians Cushites but the Christians Goiim an abominable Nation and here the Spirit of God calls them Goiim a rebellious Nation by way of contempt The Prophet prophesied against the Syrians Egyptians Babylonians and others which in common sense of the word were the Nations but here it 's put upon the Jewes who were as vile in the eyes of God as the Gentiles were in theirs for they had forsaken the truth entertained their Idolatries and corruptions and turned aside Ad nesaria scelera to notorious wickednesses something of most Nations about them they
a whoring from under their God as a wife that is false to her husband will not be kept in be under the guidance counsell and power of her husband but will out follow her Lovers satisfie her lusts and so is it with the souls sinning with God it will out from under the guidance counsell command and authority of God it saith of God in effect as they in the Gospell said of Christ Wee will not have this man to reign over us wee will not be under him and Sinners will not be under God God commanded Saul to smite Amalek to destroy all and neither spare man nor beast but Saul spared Agag the goodly things and fat of the beast and this by intreaty of the people this might seem no great matter especially the cattell being spared to sacrifice to the Lord as they pretended but see what God saith of it 1 Sam. 15.11 It repents mee that I have set up Saul to be King for hee is turned backe from following mee he is apostatized from me God calls this sin apostasie and Sam. v. 23. calls it Rebellion Saul thou hast rebelled against God and will you know what a sin Rebellion is it's as the sin of Witchcraft and you all know it's abominable and worthy of death thy sin is of that malignity as that by it thou hast rejected God and for it God hath rejected thee and thou art a man of death for it Rebell is an ill name and here is a King a Rebell against God and so is every Sinner for he not only withdrawes from under God but takes up arms against God bitter lying swearing reproaching words are call'd arrows and swords in the 57th Psal v. 4. and 73. Psal v. 9. it 's said of wicked men they set their mouths against the heavens that is against God in the heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of a proud man it 's said Jam. 4.6 God resists him he is in bellion against God hath taken up arms against him and God takes up arms to meet him it 's a military word God sets himself in a military posture against him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 5.39 those opposed the Apostle were fighters against God but there 's no hope for Sinners to do good this way God will prevail and wound the hairy scalps of his enemies what ever they be that go on still in their wickednesse Let us therefore cast down our weapons and submit to God rebellion is an odious thing against a State much more against God Let us all say we will not be Rebels but Subjects of the most High wee will be governed by his Lawes wee will be under his Authority and as they said to Joshua 1.18 let us say to God Whosoever hee be that doth rebell against thy Commandements and will not hearken to thy words in all that thou commandest him hee shall be put to death 5. That sins about worship are rebellions against Christ and he takes it hainously they have rebelled against me it was Christ who sate upon the Sapphirine throne that spake to the Prophet that said they rebell against me and wherein was the rebellion in casting off his worship and in corrupting it when people fall to Idolatrous and false worship or corrupt the true and pure worship of Christ by detraction of any part of it or by additionals and mixtures of their own then they sin so about worship as it 's rebellion against Christ sometimes they fell to flat Idolatry forsaking the true worship of God and joyn to Baal-Peor Psal 106.28 sometimes they set up their posts with Gods posts and brought in their own inventions and mingled their water with Gods Wine and the wisdome of their flesh with the wisdome of Christ and this hee complains of as rebellion against him and the ground of it is because Christ was the Head of the Church then as well as now and the Law-giver unto them as well as unto us there was never but one Head and one Law-giver to the Church and when hee out of his infinite wisdome hath set a way of worship that will delight the Father himself and his Spirit for mortall worms of the earth to leave it to pervert it to mix their own devices with it provokes bitterly and mounts up to the nature of rebellion and that against Christ Psal 119.1 Indebitum cultum indebito modo Blessed are the undefiled in the way what way in the way of worship especially that admit not unwarranted worship nor worship in a wrong manner but walk in the Law of the Lord. 6. That children usually tread in the paths of their fathers they and their fathers have transgressed against me doth the father sin knowingly wilfully the children will do so do they fall off from the true worship of God imbrace lies superstition oppression whoredome it's a miracle if their children do not Adam eat the forbiden fruit and all man-kinde have followed his steps to that tree the name of a father and his example are strong traces to draw the children into their way We reade of some Kings in Judah that left the way of their fathers but not one of Israel they all followed the steps of Jeroboam the son of Nebat that made Israel to sin let the parents be never so vile if grace prevent not the children will walke in their wayes Ahah was bad enough that sold himself to commit wickenesse and yet Ahaziah his son is said to walk in his way in his mothers way who was Jezabel and in Jeroboams 1 King 22.52 and if it be possible they will go beyond their fathers in wickednesse Judg. 2.19 They corrupted themselves more then their fathers Jer. 7.26 They did worse then their fathers Iniquity improves in the going like a river the farther it runs the broader and deeper it growes in Joh. 8.44 Christ tels the Jewes they were of their father the Devill and his lusts they will do they were such wilfull sinners sinning against such cleer and strong light that their sin was devillish Let parents take heed what they do how they sin before their children when they do so they pave a way to hell for them and dig the pit for their destruction Raboldus a Duke of Freesland about the 900. yeere of Christ being perswaded to turn Christian and going to be baptized asked of the Bishop if all his forefathers were damned who indiscreetly affirming it saith the Duke then will I be damned with them rather then be baptized by thee 7. Antiquity is not the rule for worship you and your fathers have transgressed against me the traditions and examples of forefathers will not warrant the children in point of worship here they could plead We did what our forefathers did many hundred yeers together and have faithfully walked in their steps and hope we are unblameable no saith Christ You and your fathers have transgressed you should not have made their examples but my Word the rule of worship
The Samaritanes could plead antiquity for their worship in Mount Gerizim above 200. yeeres where they had a Temple and many things according to Moses And hence was it that the woman of Samaria said to Christ Our fathers worshipped in this mountain Joh. 4.20 but Christ told her v. 22. You worship you know not what you have the wils inventions and examples of men for the warrant of your worship and good intentions in the execution of your worship but because you have not my Word that is not a Light a Law and Rule unto you in point of your worship you worship you know not what and your good intentions neither make it acceptable unto God nor profitable to you In Hos 11.12 it 's said Ephraim compasseth mee about with lies and the house of Israel with deceit they had their fathers and antiquity to plead even from Jeroboams dayes but because they had corrupted the worship of God with their own inventions the Lord calls all lies and deceit In point of worship you must look at divine Lawes not humane examples Leg bus non exemplis judicandum vivendum est the rust of antiquity will not go for pay with God mens traditions make ineffectuall his commands Matth. 15.6 And can they be effectuall Ordinances unto us if so we had not been redeemed from them by the blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 hee tels them they were redeem'd from their vain conversation by tradition from their fathers by the precious blood of Christ and what was that vain conversation A Jesuite tels us A. Ladid in locum it was in Lege Mosis Gentilismo and are they freed from Moses Law given by God and Gentilisme the traditions of men are not wee freed from that vain conversation is in the lawes of Popery and Prelates and traditions of Fathers yea wee are freed and that by the blood of Christ hee must be our Antiquity our Rule our Law and what is not after Christ but after the traditions of men must be thrown out and troden down as beggerly elements and worldly rudiments therefore heare Christ who speaks in this Prophecie in the 20. Ezek. 18.19 saying Walk yee not in the Statutes of your fathers neither observe their judgements nor defile your selves with them I am the Lord your God walk in my Statutes and keep my judgements and do them 8. A sinfull nation is not changed by afflictions they were now in captivity amongst Babylonians that were bitter scoffing enemies that said Sing us one of the songs of Sum they were under the wrath of God put hard to it for all their necessaries and yet they ceased not their rebellious transgressions against God even to this very day they had been five yeeres also in this hard condition and yet continued Afflictions are invalid to subdue corruptions or change dispositions put a stone into the fire it neither softens it nor changes it neither cold nor hot water will make a Blackmore white empty Vineger from vessell to vessell it will never become Wine and empty a wicked heart from condition to condition it will never become gracioâ—â— afflictions may cause restraint of corruption hinder execution of it stir up naturall principles and common gifts to act but never alter a man But usually wicked men are worse for afflictions here they sinned against God rebelliously in the land of their captivity Wicked men grow worse and worse every day Isa 1.5 Why should you be smitten any more you will revolt more and more the whole head is sick and the heart is faint c. When sinners are in an ill way through their own corrupt natures strengthen'd in it by example of their fathers and their own practice the more blowes they have the harder they grow and sin more desperately VER 4. For yee are impudent children and stiff-hearted THe words impudent children are in the Hebrew duri faciebus hard of face their faces were so hard that reproof and reproach would not make them blush and therefore it 's rendred impudent without shame without blushing the face is the seat of shame and when men sin and are told of it or conceive others know it their faces are oft fill'd with shame and it 's hard for one guiltie to keep shame out of his face it 's hard not to be a traitor to himself but these were past shame they had the forehead of an Harlot they sinned and were not asham'd Jer. 6.15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination Nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush Stiff-hearted Robusti corde strong in heart or of heart strong with a sinfull strength with stubbornnesse against God there is a naturall stiffnesse in men which they inherite from their forefathers and bring into the world and there is a contracted stiffnesse gotten by continuance in sin both these were in this people and the principle of stubbornnesse was not broken but strengthened so that no threatnings did make them feare no blows did make them yeeld but being stubborn they rebell'd all no promises kindnesses did melt them this sin had been in them even from Moses time Mat. 19.8 Moses because of the hardnesse of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives The tender love of a wife could not prevail with them Observ 1. That progresse in sin makes impudent the originall is and are impudent they sin to this day and are impudent or hard of face the beginnings of sin are modest but progresse in sin is shamelesse in a Harlot is first wanton thoughts then wanton looks after waiting for opportunities and here yet may be blushing but when it comes to that in Prov. 7.13 she caught him shee kissed him then it 's come to shamelesnesse Erubescentia est fuga rei indecentis Impudence is the contrary sin is the most indecent thing maxime crubescibile we blush at the nakednesse of our bodies not at sinne which made the nakednesse of the body shamefull Quantum displicet Deo immunditia peccati in tantum placet Deo crubescentia poenitenâ—is Bernard and therefore it followes with an impudent face shee said I have peace-offerings I have paid my vowes God hath had his due and now my flesh must have its due I have deckt my bed come let us take our fill of love The Hebrew for impudent is she strengthened her face it was strengthned against modestie and shame for progresse in sin had made her shamelesse of sin and so the Prophet speaks of the Jewes Jer. 3.3 Thou hast a whores fore-head thou refusest to be ashamed Judah was so impudent that shee scorned to blush Jer. 8.12 Were they ashamed when they committed abomination I looked for it but they were not ashamed at all neither could they blush O what a condition doth sin bring to Monica the mother of Austin at first sipped a little wine after dranke off a little more in time whole cups and at last it came to drunkennesse
faithfull servant of God and tells him it 's reported among the Heathen and Gashmu saith it That thou and the Jews think to rebell that thou wilt be King and hast appointed Preachers at Jerusalem to say there is a King in Judah here was a malicious forgery a trim lie and no lesse reproach then Rebell Traytor must be laid upon this great Worthy and Reformer in Israel Nehemiah returns an answer verse 8. There are no such things done as thou saiest but thou fainest them out of thine own heart the Devill is the father of lies Joh. 8.44 and all his children are like him forgers of lies Jer. 20.10 Report said Jeremiah's back friends and wee will report it invent some slanders some lie against the Prophet and we will report it spread it carry it to the Kings Court and eare and cause him to smart for his boldnesse Ieremiah heard the defaming of many it was their daily work they said Let us smite him with the tongue Jer. 18.18 no man can have a beautifull and well favoured name for these briers they will scratch it and make it very bloody it was their daily work the Christians in the Primitive time were accused of all the evils fell out if there were great floods Christiani ad Leones Pluvia defecit Christiani nominis gratia famines wars earthquakes plagues in the Roman Common-wealth they cry'd Away with the Christians to the Lions and Austin observeth that they made it a Proverb The rain fail'd because the Christian name was suffered 3. Daring provoking words Nehem. 6.2 Sanballat and Geshem dared Nehemiah to meet them Come let us meet together in one of the villages four times they sent unto him in that manner thinking by this way to have drawn out Nehemiah and done him mischief daring provocation comes from the wicked and herein they are thorns and briers 4. Scorning scoffing speeches Nehem. 4.2 when the walls of Hierusalem were building Sanballat scoffs and sayes What do these feeble Jewes will they fortifie themselves will they sacrifice will they make an end in a day will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burnt and so Tobiah If a Fox go up hee shall even break down their stone wall these scoffs and jeers went to the heart of Nehemiah and made him pierce the heavens for help Heare O our God for we are despised the Hebrew is despight we are not only despised Luther was called Germana illa bestia but wee and our work are despight in the abstract mockings are biting things therefore they are call'd cruell mockings Heb. 11.36 Ishmaels mocking of Isaac Gen. 21.9 it 's call'd a Persecution Gal. 4.29 The servants of God have been mock'd and reproach'd in all ages 5. Threatnings Acts 4.17 Let us straitly threaten them to speak no more in Christs Name and verse 21. When hee had farther threatened them their tongues were tipt with threats they were thorny tongues minae sunt spinae threats are thorns and pricked them on to the throne of grace and made them pray as men pierc'd to the quick for vers 29. Now Lord behold their threatning let not them wound and weaken us but grant unto thy servants that with all boldnesse they may speak thy Word Saul Acts 9.1 hee breathed out threatnings against the Saints hee was Benoni a Son of affliction to the Church so are all wicked men and their tongues are thorns Hence they are said in Scripture to be whet Psal 64.3 to be a sharp sword Psal 57.4 a sharp razor Psal 52.2 and the words of it are call'd arrowes bitter words devouring words Ps 52.4 deadly words Prov. 18.21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue it comforts it destroyes Lingua ejus est gladius triceps Bernard Felo de se Mortis fere unicum ostium lingua est Chrys take the tongue of an evill man that slanders and back-bites it 's a great murtherer Wee reade of some double-tongued 1 Tim. 3.8 but such a one is treble-tongued and kills as Bernard saith three at once himself that speak the person hee speaks to and him hee speaks of and the worst is hee murthers his own soul therefor Chrysostome observes well and saith The tongue is almost the very gate of death it 's the death and ruine of most men in the world 6. Their tongues are briers and thorns in regard of their sleighting and undervaluing of Gods servants as Paul is call'd a babler Christ a fellow the Carpenters Son and many of Gods servants are sleighted in these dayes such words they meet with as are thorns and pricks in their sides and eyes Because I will not multiply take their blasphemies O what thorns are those thorns to God and thorns to man When the French had got some victory in Scotland against the reforming part there the Queen regent brake out into these speeches Where is now Knox his God now my God is better then Knox his God here was a blasphemous passage and have wee not such blasphemies in our dayes Where is now your God of Prayer and Fasting What 's become of all your hearing preaching and seeking of yoâ—â— God I might adde another particular which is the thornâ— counsels that wicked men do give 1 King 21.9 what counsell â—ezebel gave against Naboth Proclaim a fast set him up on high among the people and set two sons of Belial before him to beare witnesse against him that he blasphemed God and the King here were words of death here was counsell from hell It 's not unknown what ill counsell hath been given his Majesty of late and likewise to many others Secondly In their looks that 's in the Text also there is much in the faces of men to daunt and trouble mens spirits are much discern'd by their faces Gen. 31.5 I see your fathers countenance is not towards me as before by his face I find a difference in his spirit saith Jacob to his wives he found no favour in it the face is the seat of favour or frowns there is some Majesty in the face and looks of man and when he is angry frowns there is majesticall terror in it Prov. 25.23 there is mention of an angry countenance and it 's likened to a North-wind which is cold and scattering it drives away the clouds that have the rain in them and oft times wicked men have such Northern countenances that they discourage if not drive away the Prophets who come with the dewes of heaven When men frown knit their brows look angerly they have put on vizards and they be scaring things Job 24.15 He disguiseth his face hee is like a man that hath on some terrible vizard which affrights those behold it One of the Nevils Earl of Warwick had so terrible a look when mov'd a little that it was said of him every wrinkle in his forehead was a Sepulchre to bury a Prince in he was of kin to that nation Deut. 28.50 that had
is abominations Idols are meer abominations Milchom was the abomination of the Amorites Chemosh of Moab and Molech of Ammon 1 King 11.5 7. Idols make nations abominations to God and man they are a shame Hos 9.10 an accursed thing Deut. 7.26 such abominations as these mentioned and others they were guilty of Vers 10. Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of c. Here the dreadfulnesse of Gods judgements are in part expressed fathers should eat their sons and sons their fathers not as Pradus would have it they eat the food of one another that should have preserved life and so became the death of each other It was a reall eating Laâ— 4.10 The pitifull women have sodden their own children they were their meat and may it be thought their hungry husbands shared not with them in those Viands what was threatened was made good and certainly the fathers did eat their own children at that time and the children the parents If tender mothers did this much more fathers Qui solent esse seneriores in filios so extreme was the famine that it made them do acts against piety honesty humanity light of nature necessity breaks all bands in the Samaritan famine they did eat their children 2 King 6.29 you may read a lamentable discourse of a mother killing and eating her child for hunger in Joseph l. 7. bel Judaic c. 8. when Titus besieged Jerusalem it was Mary the daughter of Eleazar a noble woman she boiled one part and kept the other some smelling flesh asked What was done she tells the fact and attoniti recesserunt they went away amazed In Honorius time there was such a famine at Rome that there was a publike cry Pone pretium humana carnis set the price of mans flesh Observ 1. When God is become an enemy to a people hee doth unheard of things such severity is in his judgements as is not ordinary their abominations had made the Lord against them and therefore would do as he had not done send a sharper sword and famine then ever Lev. 26.30 31 32. My soul shall abhorre you and I will make your cities waste bring your Sanctuaries and land into desolation and your enemies that dwell therein shall be astonished at it they shall wonder at the severity of God towards his people and not only inmates but forrainers shall wonder Jer. 19.3 Behold I will bring evill upon this place the which whosoever heareth his ear shal tingle and Jerem. 22.8 9. nations shall say Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this great city Then they shall answer Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God c. Gods judgements would be so hard and heavie that the nations should marvell and be unsatisfied at them till they should heare how they had dealt with God Hath not God of late been against Germany and executed extraordinary judgements there such as cause astonishment have not mens eyes been twisted out with cords their skins flead off alive their faces plain'd with chesils their noses and ears cut off to make hatbands Lament of Germany their mouths gagg'd pisse filthy liquids powred down Have not men been hung up by the hands in the smoak put into hot ovens rosted with straw fires have not Divines been cut in pieces and their limbs thrown to dogs have not many fed and liv'd upon the flesh of dead men and women eaten their own children kill'd one another for relief against hunger strange judgments God brought upon Germany and as strange upon Ireland hath it not been the land of Gods ire and the people the generation of his wrath and felt more for so short a time then Germany or other nations have not women with childe been ravish'd then ript open the bed of conception viewed the child taken out and thrown into the fire have not the Protestant Ministers been stript bound to trees or posts their wives and daughters ravished before their faces then hang'd up before them so ravished cut down half dead quartered and dismembred have not many been turn'd out naked forc'd into waters famished to death under hedges some have been mortally wounded their bellies ript bowels let out and left upon dunghils that they might not be soon out of their misery VER 11. Wherefore as I live saith the Lord God surely because thou hast defiled my Sanctuary with all thy detestable things and with all thine abominations therefore will I also diminish thee neither shall mine eye spare neither will I have any pity IN this verse are two farther aggravations of Jerusalems judgements and the cause of them The first aggravation is the inevitablenesse of them surely I will diminish thee and that confirmed by an oath as I live saith the Lord I 'll do it The second is the disposition of God punishing them and that is dreadfull hee will neither spare nor pity them and then the cause is their defilement of his Sanctuary with their detestable things and abominations As I live It 's the form of an oath and is much used in the old Testament as in Zeph. 2.9 Jer. 46.18.22.24 Isai 49.18 Deut. 32.40 Numb 14.21.28 but it 's more in our Prophet then in all the Scripture besides fourteen times I find it men are hardly perswaded to believe God in his way of judgements and therefore being in that way in this Prophecie he swears oft You have this oath Chap. 14.16 18.16.48.17.19.18.3.20.3.31.33.33.11.27.34.8.35.6.11 It 's a weighty oath and imports that which followes it is not comminatory but absolute without evasion without revocation as sure as I live and am God it shall be done Psal 110.4 The Lord hath sworn and will not repent a thing is ratified and cannot be altered when it 's confirmed by an oath which is an immutable thing Hebr. 6. Let mee not live let me not be God if I do not diminish you but be as an Idoll god without sense understanding or life the sign of an oath anciently was the lifting up the hand to heaven and this is given to God when he swears also Deut. 32.40 I lift up my hand to heaven and say I live for ever This way of swearing hath lately been renewed at our taking the Covenant and is to be wished that it may be used when there is just occasion of swearing rather then laying the hand upon a book and kissing it afterwards such a way of taking an oath the Scripture holds not out and the lawfulnesse thereof is questioned by many Thou hast defiled my Sanctuary The word Mikdash notes sometimes a holy place for refuge and referres to God himself Isa 8.14 Hee shall be for a Sanctuary here it notes the Temble the place of Gods worship from Kadash to separate and consecrate to divine use the Sanctuary or Temple was consecrate Schindl ad doctrinam ad precationem ad cultum divinum it was only for holy uses some divide the Temple into the porch Weems palace