to cure our fear The word dismaid there is no difficulty in the other it comes from a word that signifies to bruise or beat in pieces be not thou so affected with feare as to have thy spirit faint broken sink and discouraged within thee be not dismaid let not thy spirit yeeld at all stand it out shew thy self a man of courage a man of God carrying thy self in thy place befitting the Son of God that put thee in that place The greater difficulty lies in the other words Briers Thorns and Scorpions Briers Sarabim this Hebrew word is no where found in holy Writ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except in this place The Rabbies speak of twenty kinds of thorns in Scripture whereof this is one and notes Briers with sharp pricks which do fret and burn in the pricking much like unto a Nettle and therefore Kircker thinks the word here to signifie Nettles the Jewes would be as Nettles unto the Prophet Vrtica ab urendo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insanientes quasi boves aestro agitati Pertinaciter resistentes Buxt Retractantes Mont. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Nettles are stinging burning things The Septuagint expresses it by a word which notes a kinde of madnesse as cattell that are bit with Flies which suck blood and make them run as if they were mad so they should like wild beasts grow cruell and outragious against the Prophet Shindler interprets it rebellious contumacious others refractory drawing back and stubbornly resisting Thorns Sallonim Spina atuleatae sharp pointed thorns Ezek. 28.24 Spina dolorifica a pricking Brier a grieving thorn The Septuag an offence of bitternesse or a bitter offence the word here in our Text is in the Vulgar Subversores subverters because thorns in a mans way do hinder and subvert him therefore Kircker thinks sillon is aculeus qui sternitur from Salal which is properly viam aggesta terra sternere to lay heaps of earth and stones in the way and so here heaps of thorns which may prick and offend passengers There is one word more to open and that is Scorpion Scorpion Ackrabbim it signifies sometimes spinosam herbam a plant that growes in the form of a Scorpion whereof Instruments were made to scourge malefactors 1 King 12.14 Rehoboam would chastise them with Scorpions that is with whips that had hooks in them resembling the clawes and stings of Scorpions it 's also a living creature venemous hurtfull and stinging with its tail Deut. 8.15 God led them through the great and terrible wilderness where were fiery Serpents and Scorpions Mercer thinks the word to be from Guakeb Scorpion à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heel or hoof because this Serpent doth bite those parts and the name Scorpion is from its scattering and throwing its poyson up and down Now the great businesse we have to do is to open unto you who are meant by these Thorns Briers and Scorpions and by these are meant wicked and ungodly men I shall make that out unto you from two places of Scripture Josh 23.13 They shall be scourges in your sides and thorns in your eyes hee speaks of the nations that were wicked and among them and Luke 10.19 Christ tells the seventy they should tread upon Serpents and Scorpions that is wicked men which are like unto those venimous creatures and thrice in Matthew are wicked men call'd a generation of Vipers Matth. 3.7.12.34.23.33 I will shew you 1. Wherein they resemble Thorns 2. Scorpions and then draw some conclusions 1. Ungodly men are like unto Thorns in these respects First they are worthlesse things of little use they serve to make a hedge to stop a gap and that 's all they are not for great use and service and wicked men are worthlesse things Prov. 10.20 The heart of the wicked is little worth the best part of a wicked man his heart is of little or no value his lands may be worth somewhat his shop his clothes his jewels may be of great value but himself is a worthlesse thing Jer. 22.28 Coniah King of Judah because wicked is call'd a despised broken Idoll a vessell wherein is no pleasure an Idoll saith the Apostle is nothing 1 Cor. 8.4 in the world that is a thing of no moment of no use what then is a broken Idoll that 's altogether inconsiderable but may there not be some beauty some ingraving some guilding upon it that may delight No hee is a vessell wherein is no pleasure hee is so far from delighting at all that he is a vessell loathsome to be cast on the dung-hill and trod under foot hence in Dan. Antiochus Epiphanes is call'd a vile person Dan. 11.21 one so little worth as to be scorn'd and rejected as a vile thing and Job speaking of such men tells us they are viler then the earth men to be trod and spit upon as the vilest earth Job 30.8 Secondly they are vexing and grieving things Ezek. 28.24 there is mention made of the pricking brier and grieving thorn and wicked men are full of prickles and grievances Numb 33.55 If you will not drive out the Inhabitants of the land from before you then those you let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides and shall vex you in the land wherein you dwell Wherein lies this grieving and thorny disposition of the wicked 1. In their words and that appeares First in their misconstruing the words and wayes of the godly Matth. 26.61 said the witnesses against Christ this fellow said I am able to destroy the Temple of God and build it in three dayes they mistook Christ who spake of the temple of his body Joh. 2.21 Jer. 26.4.6 Thou shalt say unto them thus saith the Lord If you will not hearken to mee to walk in my law then will I make this house like Shiloh and this City a curse Now in the 9th Verse see how they mistook his words and perverted his meaning Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord saying This house shall be like Shiloh and this City desolate hee had told them it should be so if they did not hearken repent and amend but they left out that and pretend hee had absolutely said this house shall be like Shiloh so many people mistake the Ministers and say they preach damnation when it 's conditionally if they repent not and believe they must then certainly look for damnation 2. In their calumniations they forge lies and falshoods Job 13.4 Job's friends charged him with lies hypocrisie pride c. but he tels them they are forgers of lies you come to comfort mee but you wound mee with your lies and slanders Concinnarunt mendacia Vatablus and David found this Psal 119.69 The proud have forged a lie they trim up lies with shadowes of truth and neat language they have mints to frame their lies curiously in and presses to print their lies withall Nehâ—m 6.6 Sanballat calumniates Nehemiah that zealous and
not mercy a little of the hair shall be preserved when the rest goes to the fire sword and wind when all flesh had corrupted their wayes a generall flood was brought in Noah and his family were saved when Sodom was burnt with fire and brimstone Lot was bound up in the skirt of God when Athaliah slew all the seed royall Ioash was hid and escaped that treachery that butchery 2 King 11.1 2. No storm sinks all ships no plague famine war eat up all particulars God will have a number exempt Isa 1.9 God left them a small remnant a few clusters after the Vintage when the cities were to be laid waste the houses unpeopled a great forsaking to be in the midst of the land Isa 6.11 12. in the 13th verse it 's said but yet in it shall be a tenth God would spare a number though small he is mercifull hath tender bowels remembers his covenant his name and therefore in his hottest wrath shewes some mercy this made Ieremiah say Lam. 3.22 It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed he and some few more were hid from the common calamities they met with mercy in the midst of fire and sword this made Habakkuk pray Hab. 3.2 In wrath remember mercy 8. That the paucity preserved in common calamities are not all precious truly godly here was hair bound up in the skirt kept from fire sword destruction yet some of that hair of that number must be thrown into another fire reprobates for the present escape as well as elect vessels some choyce ones may be cut off and some vile ones may be kept In the flood all were not naught that were destroyed nor all good that were saved there was a wicked Cham in the Ark and Lots daughters that escaped the fire of Sodom were none of the best that fire had not purged out their lust and those were set at liberty from the brick and clay of Egypt afterward were destroyed for their unbelief Iud. 5. they were patient in their bondage preserved in the red Sea tempted God murmured in the wildernesse and there were destroyed of Serpents 1 Cor. 10.9 they were murmurers fornicators Idolaters unbelievers that God delivered from the tyrannie of Pharaoh and after perished by the stroke of God In a storm Cedars and Oaks are smitten when bushes and briers are spared and yet after they are cut up and cast into the fire Sinners may escape present wrath but there is wrath to come Luke 3.7 9. God may take occasion from the sin of some to bring in judgement upon all he must take of the remnant preserved and throw into the fire and out of that fire went forth fire into all the House of Israel Shechem ravisheth Dinah from thence the Lord took occasion to bring the sword by Iacobs sons upon the Shechemites who slew their males spoyled the city and took their sons and daughters captives Gen. 34. Davids sin in numbering the people and God sent in a plague amongst them for his sin which slew 70000. of them 2 Sam. 24. The people were not innocent if so God would not have destroyed them they were defiled with the contagion of his sin or under the guilt of others God may let in a judgement into a family city kingdom upon the sin of some one or few and when it 's in it may extend to all or most in them when one house is on fire all the rest are in danger that are neer and oft times do suffer Hanuns discourtesie to Davids messengers his sin against the law of nations provoked God and cost the Ammonites and Syrians dear for God stirred up Davids spirit who warred upon them and slew many thousands of them 2 Sam. 10. VER 5 6. Thus saith the Lord God This is Ierusalem I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her 6. And shee hath changed my judgements into wickednesse more then the nations and my Statutes more then the countries that are round about her for they have refused my judgements and my Statutes they have not walked in them c. IN the ensuing part of the Chapter is the explanation of the types and in this explanation you have First the subject or head to be shaven opened unto you and that 's Jerusalem vers 5. Secondly Gods dealing with Ierusalem in the same verse Thirdly the motives that made him proceed in such a judiciall way verse 6 7. Fourthly Threatning of judgements answerable to the types from the 8. verse to the end This is Ierusalem It was not Ierusalem literally but represented Ierusalem it was a sign of the city that was to be shaven This head to be shaven is here by the Lords own mouth pronounced to be Ierusalem which was not only the head city of Iudah but of the whole world Things and persons that are eminent among others are call'd the heads or chief of them 1 Sam. 15.21 they took the chief or head of the things should have been destroyed and Chap. 9.22 Hee made them sit in the chiefest place and for persons Deut. 1.15 I took the chief of the Tribes that is the heads of them Psal 110.6 the heads over divers countries and so here Ierusalem was the head and principall of all other cities built upon mount Sion and had the Temple the Prophets the true worship and presence of God so Ierusalem as the head gave light influence and motion to the whole body the Law shall go forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Isa 2.3 from thence all parts of the body had instruction and direction I have set thee in the midst of the nations and countries round about These words have occasioned some to think that Ierusalem was the heart and center of the earth lying in the midst of it on the South was Africa on the North Scythia Armenia and Pontus on the East Asia and on the West Europe and with these great parts of the world it was compassed about Hence the Spirit of God also affirms it to be in the midst of the earth Psal 74.12 and Ezek. 38.12 And infinite wisdome appeared in it that so the sound of Law and Gospel might disperse the better into all parts of the world But this opinion must not be taken in a Mathematicall sense as if it were so in the midst of the earth as that all other parts should be equidistant from it in their extremes as the line from the center for so it will hardly admit of truth some quarters of the world being of larger extent then others In the midst of the nations and countries we need not to extend to the whole world but only to those that were neighbouring thereunto or if we will have an eye to all nations and countries of the earth we must expound in the midst among or in and the sense then is safe I have set thee in or among the nations as head and chief thus
c. And if these doe not humble them he will have seven more judgements for them ver 18. and after them seven more 21. and if they prevail'd not seven more 24. and seven more after those three sevens v. 28. God would multiply their judgements by sevens and they found it truth what God said Judg. 2.15 whithersoever they went out the hand of the Lord was against them for evill as the Lord had said and they were greatly distressed they met with varietie of evills on every side and that which is worse then all these spirituall judgements seise upon their hearts so that either they see not evills coming to feare and prevent them or profit not by them being come and felt their great distresses and gracious deliverances did them no good their hearts were still Idolatrous and they went a whoring after other gods ver 17. So Hos 7.9 Strangers devoured Ephraims strength and he knew it not Gray haires were here and there and not discern'd 5. No refuge left when God is against a people riches will not profit Prov. 11.4 Zeph. 1.18 neither silver nor gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath but the whole land shall be devoured then may they say with David Psal 142.4 Refuge failed me Will yee flie to Cities and Sanctuaries Levit. 26.31 I will make your Cities waste and bring your Sanctuaries to desolation Will yee flie to your owne hearts Ezek. 22.14 Can thine heart endure or hands be strong in the day that I shall deale with thee Will yee returne weep and pray unto God Deut. 1.45 The evidences or discoveries of Gods being against a people are these 1. When God is against a people they are unspirited their hearts are despondent within them Hos 4.1 God had a controversie with the land and Chap. 7.11 Ephraim is a silly Dove without heart they call to Egypt they go to Assyria they had no courage but were fearfull and faint-hearted like Doves when enemies and dangers were at hand when Jehu's letter came to Samaria the men of the city were exceedingly afraid and said Two kings were not able to stand before him how then shall we stand 2 King 10.4 their hearts failed them when man was in apprehension against them what will mens hearts do when God is against them his being with men puts courage and life into them Josh 1.9 Be strong and of good courage he not dismaid for the Lord thy God is with thee and his being against them daunts and damps all Isa 19.13 when God came against Egypt the heart of it melted and the spirits of it fail'd in the midst thereof 2. They are not successfull in their great and publique undertakings Deut. 28.29 Thou shalt not prosper in thy wayes thou shalt be only oppressed and spoyled evermore God blasts their enterprizes Jehoram comes out with a great army against Abijah hee had 800000. chosen and mighty men of valour Abijah had only 400000. half so many 2 Chro. 13.3 and what argument did he use v. 12. Behold God is with us for a Captain he is not with you and you shall not prosper and they did not but fell in the battell 500000. of them a strange victory that they should slay 100000. more then themselves were in number God was with the one and against the other therefore was the successe so glorious and great to Judah and so bloody and shamefull to Israel When God is against a people hee works wonders to ruine them there is a secret curse upon their counsel Isa 19.3 I will destroy the counsell of Egypt upon their goings out and what ever they put their hands to Deut. 28.19 20. Moses knew that it's Gods presence and countenance that makes things successefull God would send an Angell with him to drive out the Canaanites and to plant them in Canaan but that sufficed not him hee must have God go with him Exod. 33.2.15 3. He sets over them such as proves their ruine Lev. 26.17 I will set my face against you and they that hate you shall raign over you the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall persecute you intimating that when God is against a people he gives them persecuting rulers Rehoboam whipt them with Scorpions 1 King 12.14 Ahaz made Judah naked and distressed the land 2 Chron. 28.19.20 Manasseh fill'd Jerusalem with innocent blood 2 King 21.16 and made the people do worse then Heathens 2 Chron. 33.9 all the Kings of Israel were naught and many of them sore plagues unto the people and especially Ahab whom his wife Jezabel stirred up to do wickedly more then any before him 1 King 21.25 When Gods face was hid from and against a people he set such rulers over them as proved roaring Lions and ranging Bears Prov. 28.15 and I feare God is in controversie with the Christian world at this time because most Princes in it are haters of their people bringing them under and tyrannizing over them But if God will return in mercy he will give his people favour and they shall rule over their oppressours Isai 14.1 2. 4. Judgements awaken not prevail not to reform to return to God Isa 26.11 When thine hand is lift up they will not see they saw in a generall way that God was angry but not so as to humble themselves under his mighty hand they were rather hardened then humbled under the judgements of God Jerem. 2.10 In vain have I smitten your children they receive no correction Isa 1.5 Why should you be stricken any more you will revolt more and more God multiplyed judgements and they multiplied revolts God tried them with plagues famine wars bondage and spent much birch about them but they were stiff-necked hard-hearted judgement-proof and daily worse and worse and walked contrary to God they were stubborn and set light by his judgements when God is against a people his judgements are not sanctified they work not out the filth and mud that is in kingdomes and cities a wrong construction is made of them 5. There is a spirit of envie and bitternesse against those are deare to God and stand most for his wayes and worship they envied Gods people Isa 26.11 they mockt his Messengers misused his Prophets 2 Chron. 36.16 there was a malignant spirit in them in times of the Gospel when they went off from the old way of Jewish worship and were formed into Gospel fellowship there was bitternesse of spirit against them Acts 8.1 there was a great persecution of the Church which was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered abroad except the Apostles and quickly after Herod laid hands upon and killed James Chrysost and Theophyl tell you the reason In Matth. 17. A Lapid in Act. because he was a son of Thunder oppos'd the Jewes the old nationall way of worship therefore he was postulatus ad nocem the Jewes petitioned Herod to do it and the more Christianity spread and Churches multiplied in Judea
they that feare God speake often one to another they fast they pray they redeeme the time they worke out their salvation with feare and trembling they give God no rest they will be at it at midnight In a word you shall finde the carriage of the godly to be exceeding contrary to the carriage of the wicked 5. Here you shall find Gods new Covenant wherein you shall see the riches of free grace God doing all both making the Covenant and performing it both commanding and giving what he doth command unto your soules 6. You shall finde that this Prophet is an Evangelicall Prophet for he points at Christ he will shew you where he is he will lead you to the Temple where you shall see Christ with his line in his hand and measuring out a Temple for the times of the Gospel measuring of his worship his worshippers and all that doth concerne the new Jerusalem Much of Christ will be found at least in the conclusion of this Prophet 7. You shall have a lively representation of the uncertainty of all things and of all conditions in this world In Lament 4.12 it is said there that the Kings of the earth and all the Inhabitants of the world would not have beleeved that the adversary and the enemy should have entred into the gates of Jerusalem None thought none of the Kings of the earth none of the Kings of Israel beleeved that ever Jerusalem which was so fortified by mountaines round about should be taken by the enemy But you shall see in this Prophet that even Jerusalem the Citie of God the Temple that was the glory of the world and Sion the perfection of beauty they are all laid wast Neither Prince Priest Prophet Nobles nor any are spared but all are destroyed all are carried into captivitie all are brought under the sonnes the precious sonnes of Sion are carried away into Babylon So that there is no place no condition no prerogative that can priviledge any from the hand of God where once sinne is come to a perfection Prov. 14.34 Righteousness exalteth a Nation but sinne is a reproach to any people Let them be Jewes or Gentiles let them be Kings Priests or Prophets when sin is growne to a height then the wrath of God comes to a perfection and God will lay a Sion wast God will raze a Temple God will carry a Iehojakin a Zedekiah Prince and Prophet Priest and People into captivitie Is Sion gone is the Temple razed is Ierusalem laid in the dust What confidence then can any Kingdome can any Citie have Let not England let not London be secure Feare and Tremble Repent of sinne Take heed of provoking God Looke beyond the Kingdomes of the earth Looke up to heaven and make sure of that Kingdome which cannot be shaken which cannot be taken from you Thus you have some of the benefits that are to come by this Prophet We are now to fall upon the generall division of the Prophecy In this Prophet you have 1. The Preface wherein is contained Gods appearing to Ezekiel his calling of him and strengthning of him in his office And these are laid downe in the three first Chapters 2. You have the Prophecy it selfe wherein you have these foure things 1. The destruction of the Iewes by the Babylonish captivitie with the causes thereof viz. their sinnes This is laid downe in the next 21. Chapters 2. Threatning of judgement and destruction to severall Nations that had insulted over the people of God being carried away captive and the hand of God being upon them these were the Ammonites the Moabites the Edomites the Philistines the Assyrians and Babylonians And this he doth from the 25. to the 33. Chapter 3. Sharpe reproving of the Iewes for their iniquitie for their hard-heartednesse for their not improving the hand of God upon them exhorting them to repentance he tels them of freedome some mercy and deliverance and after that againe of affliction and trouble that shall befall them And this he doth from the 33. to the 39. Chapter 4. A typicall Prophecy concerning Christ and spirituall freedome through him laid downe in the vision of the new Temple and of the new Ierusalem from the 39. Chapter to the end wherein there will be many glorious things made knowne in due time Thus you have the generall division of the Prophecy To come to the Chapter Ver. 1 2 3. Now it came to passe c. In this Chapter you have 1. Ezekiels first vision from the fourth verse to the end of the Chapter 2. In the three first verses you have 1. The time what yeare what moneth what day this vision was ver 1 2. 2. The place 1. generall the land of the Chaldeans 2. particular by the river of Chebar ver 3. 3. Together with this you have the occasion his being there among the Captives 3. The subject of this Vision Ezekiel Described 1. From his office a Priest 2. From his parentage the sonne of Buzi 4. The Author of this Vision God I saw visions of God such visions as came from God Now it came to passe c. Now The word in the Originall is And And it came to passe It seemes a strange beginning of a booke especially when it referres to nothing said or writ before There are many of the books of sacred Writ begin on this manner as Exodus Leviticus Numbers Iosuah Ruth Samuel Kings and divers others In historicall books it may note the series connect things antecedent with things consequent but in propheticall books it cannot note or make a connexion with things foregoing Jonas begins his Prophecy so and what was the antecedent to make up the connexion Here is the Quere and difficultie why the Prophet should begin his book on this manner And it came to passe Some satisfie the doubt thus They make it an idiome or proprietie of the Hebrew tongue to begin books with this particle And or Now and so they make nothing of it But surely this is not all there is something wrapped up in this Now or And Van. which may be of instruction and use to us Now or And it came to passe The Prophet doubtless was meditating upon the condition he was in meditating of the condition that he had been in Time was that we were at Jerusalem that we went with joy to the Temple to the solemne Assemblies that we heard the voyce of God that we saw his glory his beauty his power and his strength there Time was that we had communion with the Saints that we sung songs of Sion together with chearfulnes and with joy we had precious Ordinances honourable Sabbaths Sacrifices that did cheare our hearts and seale up pardon of our sinnes to us and intimate the good will of God in Christ to our soules wee sate under our Vines and under our fig-trees and were in safetie But now now we eate the bread of mourners wee drinke our own teares Now wee are deprived
God when God is in his jealousie hee speaks dreadfull things and doth answerably to speak in zeal is to decree an irrevocable and bloody sentence Hence Josh 24.19 hee is a jealous God and then followes and will not forgive your transgressions and Deut. 29.20 The Lord will not spare his jealousie shall smoak against that man and all the curses in this Book shall lie upon that man What man the man that breaks covenant with God gâ—ing out to false worship and thereby putting him into jealousie which as it 's the rage of a man and makes him cruell in the day of vengeance so it 's the rage of God and makes him without pity or mercy when hee executes vengeance he will then accomplish his wrath and not spare powre out all his wrath and vengeance VER 14 15. Moreover I will make thee waste and a reproach among the Nations that are round about thee in the sight of all that passe by 15. So it shall be a reproach and taunt an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee when I shall execute judgement in thee in anger and fury and furious rebukes I the Lord have spoken it IN the 14th Verse are two judgements more laid down desolation and reproach this last is aggravated from the extent of it to the nations round about and all that passed by In the 15th you have the repetition of the last judgement and the ends of both annexed which are First for information Secondly for astonishment I will make thee waste That is Jerusalem with the Villages and all the land adjacent Judah was a fruitfull land Isa 5.1 the glory of all lands flowing with milk and honey Ezek. 20.6 Moses calls it a good land a land of brooks waters fountains deeps that spring out of vallies and hills a land of Wheat and Barley Vines Fig-trees Pomgranats a land of Oil Olives and honey a land where nothing was lacking the stones of it were iron and in the hils was brasse Deut. 8.7 8 9. it was the Lords land Hos 9.3 Immâ—â—uels Isa 8.8 a land that God cared for and watched over all the yeere long Deut. 11.12 Egypt was an inconsiderable land to this vers 10. that was prophane this was the holy land Zach. 2.12 the pleasant land Zach. 2.14 it was well built well till'd and greatly peopled yet this land must be laid waste they should be in ariditatem like a river dried up that if you looke for water in it there is none so if look for a Temple Worship or Ordinance c. in Jerusalem there is none their cities and habitations are burnt their gardens unfenced their trees cut down their Vines undressed their fields untilled and all made a wildernesse a land of briers and thorns Isa 7.24 And this was fulfill'd as you may see in Nehem. 2.17 Lam. 1.4 The wayes of Sion do mourn because none come to the solemn feasts 2.2 3.5.18 and the adversaries hand was upon all her pleasant things Lam. 1.10 Hence the Church complains Isa 64.10 11. Thy holy Cities are a wildernesse Sion is a wildernesse Jerusalem a desolation our holy and beautifull house where our fathers praised thee is burnt up with fire and all our pleasant things are laid waste see here the truth of divine threats and the mischief of sin it so exasperates God that he turns a fruitfull land even his own land into barrennesse saltnesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Psal 107.34 A reproach among the nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God would make them not only for a waste but also for a reproach Charaph is simply to reproach to disgrace and that 's not all they should have but they should be for a taunt also and that 's more Vide de Dieu in Mat. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Giddeph to blaspheme revile and so it 's used Mat. 27.39 for Matthew writ his Gospel in Hebrew where it 's said they reviled Christ and wagged their heads so should this people be reproached and revil'd have bitter taunts and sarcasms thrown at them Jer. 24. They shall be removed to all kingdomes of the earth for their hurt to be a reproach a Proverb a taunt and a curse hence grew those reproaches and imprecations Let it be with thee as it was with Zedekiah his family and followers Plaga Zedekia tangat tâ— fit frater servus Zedekia Vatab. and Jer. 29.22 the curse in the captivity was The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab whom the King of Babylon roasted in the fire this judgement was very sore reproaches and taunts are bitter things piercing deep scarce any thing afflicts an ingenuous spirit more then they do Zedekiah feared nothing more then reproach and mocking Jer. 38.19 I am afraid lest the Jews fall to the Chaldeans deliver me into their hand and they mock me it was a sad thing to be stript of all their cities the land to be laid waste but much more to be expos'd to scorn yea publikely of all and that by the appointment of the Judge even God whom they took to be their friend and that to the nations they had hated and held tributary many yeers this was exceeding pungent especially they being the top and glory of all nations it was fulfill'd Lam. 2.15 16. All that passe by clap their hands at thee they hisse and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem saying Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty The joy of the whole earth All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee they hisse and gnash their teeth they say We have swallowed her up certainly this is the day that we looked for we have found we have seen it The Lord hath done that which he had devised he hath fulfilled his Word An instruction The Vulgar is Exemplum this act of God upon Jerusalem exposed so to reproach should be an example to the Heathen The Hebrew is musar from jasar to bind to discipline to instruct the judgements of God upon his people are vincula bonds to bind up Heathens from their sins they are disciplinae reproofs unto them being guilty of great sins they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instructions to teach them to repent of their sins because the Jewes by their holy lives did not excite the nations to inquire after and serve the true God therefore their judgements shall be their instructions teach them to fear and forsake their Idolatry they could reason thus If God spared not the holy city the holy people the holy land when they fell to Idolatry uncleannesse and other vile sins how will he spare us if we be found in the same wayes his judgments are exceeding dreadfull we will take warning their sufferings shall be our safety if judgements were to be instructions to Heathens and wrought upon them shall they not much more be so to Christians the ruines of Germany the blood of Ireland the