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
and uncircumcised there were some mighty men which did notable exploits were famous in their generations and dyed honourably in the battel or of their wounds these had pompous and great Funerals Cum armis sepeliebantur ut significaretuâ— eos Vsque ad Mortem usque ad Sepulchrum arma non abjeisse Bab Salum and were buried with their armour they dyed honourably and their honour went with them to the Grave but these should not be reckoned or laid amongst them And they have laid their swords under their heads When Souldiers of note dyed the custome was to honour them with laying their swords under their heads or by their heads and not only so but they used to bury them with their Arms. Lavater tels us that Gyraldus in a book he hath written of Sepulchres and severall Rites of burying saith he saw Arms and Boots found in old Monuments or Sepulchres But their iniquities shall be upon their bones By iniquities is meant the punishment of iniquities Their bones shall be scattered upon the earth for their tyranny and cruelty which they have exercised be exposed to the Beasts and Fowls for a prey so their iniquities shall be upon their bones Oâ— thus they had their swords and arms go down with them to the Grave instruments of cruelty and bloud signifying that they carried their bloudy and tyrannical dispositions with them And their iniquities shall be upon their bones They shall suffer now they are dead and gone a full recompence of reward for all their sins or thus they lived wickedly and dyed cowardly and an ill name shall they leave behind them cursed shall be their memory Vers 28. Yea thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised and shalt lye with them that are slain with the sword Some interpret this verse of Meshech and Tubal that they should be broken in pieces but rather it is the application of the former examples instanced in viz Meshech and Tubal unto Pharoah Thou shalt be broken and become a Companion of the uncircumcised suffering such things as they do Thou shalt be equall to them in punishment who hast not been behind them in sin Vers 29. There is Edom her Kings and all her Princes which with their might are laid by them that were slain by the Sword they shall lye with the uncircumcised and with them that go down to the pit Esau the son of Isaac was call'd Edom who gave that name to the Country call'd Idumaea which had many Kings and Princes they were circumcised being the posterity of Abraham but notwithstanding their circumcision being wicked they obtained nothing thereby neither that not their might and power stood them in any stead but they went down to the pit and had the portion of uncircumcised ones Here the Prophet answers an Objection which the Egyâ—â—ans might make which was this We are circumcised and â—hat are like the Jews an holy people differing from the Naâ—â—re and therefore we lock for some priviledge thereby and cannot be perswaded that our condition shall be like unto the uncircumcised Nations Yes saith the Prophet your condition will not differ at all from theirs for the Kings and all the Princes of Idumaea who came of the Jewish race and had circumcision upon better grounds then you had it they are dead gone to the grave and laid among the uncircumcised Vers 30. There be the Princes of the North all of them and all the Zidonians which are gone down with the slain with their terrour they are ashamed of their might and they lye uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit The word for Princes in Hebrew is Nesichim Men anointed with oyl so Kings and Princes were These Princes of the North were not the Babylonians whom God used to execute his pleasure upon Pharoah and the Egyptians but the Tyrians those of Damascus and Syria together with the Zydonians The Princes of those places were North to Egypt and being men of might they were a terrour unto others but their might could not preserve them from death they were therefore ashamed of their might and are laid with the uncircumcised in the pit First Observe That Tyrants in Hell are glad when other Tyrants like themselves come thither The strong among the mighty shall speak unto him 〈◊〉 of the midst of Hell Whâ—n some great man comes to Court there is rising complementing and welcoming of him thiâ—ne so when great Tyrants come to the Court of Hell there be those rejoyce at it and congratulate their coming Secondly Observe No humane power can defend a man against death or keep him out of the pit Princes have the greatest power yet that prevail'd not the strong and mighty who were terrours to others were no terrours to death who came pluckt them out of their Armyes Thrones Castles Greatnesse and sent them down to the dead Ashur is there and all her company There is Elam and all her multitude There is Meshech Tubal and all her multitude There is Edom her Kings and all her Princes There be the Princes of the North all of them and all the Zidonians None of them all could exempt themselves from that condition it is not pollicy power or greatnesse can do it for the most wise most powerfull and most great God hath said Eccles 8.8 There is no man hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit neither hath he power in the day of Death and there is no discharge in that war neither shall wickednesse deliver those that are given to it Kings are strong but death is stronger than they Kings may make war with men and conquer or conclude peace but it s not so with death if they send out all their forces death fears them not but will slay them every one if they send men to treat and make a peace it will not be granted there is no discharge in that war death will have the bones and carkasses of Princes to gnaw upon as well as the meanest those that have been terrours made a great noise in the world death hath tamed and quieted them Thirdly Observe The greatest and most gâ— the wrong way and have the portion of Gods enemies Kings and Princes of Countreys with their companyes and multitudes go to Hell and lye with the uncircumcised Ashur Elam Meshech Tubal Edom with their Kings and people All the Princes of the North with the Zidonians and those that belonged to them went thither and had the reward of the uncircumcised of such as God owned not for his people but dealt withall as enemies Some there be that dye the death of the righteous Numb 23.10 that dye in faith Heb 11.13 and in the Lord Rev 14.13 and these are blessed their death is precious in the eyes of the Lord Psal 116.15 but as for others they dye in their sins and are accursed Fourthly Observe Mighty men who have ruffled it
my judgements and do them He knows that to fear God and keep his Commandements is the whole duty of man Eccles 12.13 Twelfthly Observe That man that hath the spirit of God is for righteousnesse as well as holinesse He is a second Table man as well as a first Table man he is conscious towards man as well as towards God he keeps the judgements set between man and man as well as walks in the statutes which are between God and man as Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Rom. 13.9 Not to defraud thy brother in any matter 1 Thess 4.6 To do to others as we would be done unto our selves Luke 6.31 To condescend to those of low estate to recompence to no man evill for evill but to overcome evill with good Rom. 12.16 17 21. Blessing them that curse you and praying for them that despitefully use you Mat. 5.44 To forbear and forgive one another Col. 3.13 To bear one anothers burdens Gal. 6.2 Every man to possesse his vessel in sanctification and honour 1 Thess 4.4 To speak evill of no man to be no brawlers but gentle shewing all meeknesse unto all men Titus 3.3 To put away all bitterness wrath anger clamour and evil speaking with all malice and to be kind and tender hearted one to another Ephes 5.31 32. Not to lye but speak the truth every man with his Neighbour vers 25. To distribute to the necessities of Saints Rom. 12.13 To lend looking for nothing again Luke 6.35 c. These be judgements God hath set in his infinite wisdom between man and man and whosoever hath the spirit of God dwelling in him keeps these and many other mentioned in sacred writ David had respect to all the Commandements of the Lord Psal 119.6 Those which concerned men as well as those concern'd God for they are all of equall authority being from the same God and branches of his infinite wisdome the one tending to mans good and Gods glory as well as the other which David knew and therefore kept So Paul his care was not only to mind the duties of holiness towards God but those of righteousness towards men Acts 24.16 Herein saith he do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man Had he not kept the judgements set of God between man and man his conscience had not been innocent but because he did keep them therefore he could say Acts 25.10 To the Jews have I done no wrong and to the Corinthian Gentiles we have wronged no man we have corrupted no man we have defrauded no man 2 Cor. 7.2 He had the spirit within him which carryed him forth strongly to do just righteous and equall things and to move others thereunto Phil. 4.8 Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue and if there be any praise think on these things He writ these words unto the Philippians as his last words that so they might take the deeper impression in them knowing that if second Table duties were not done first Table duties would be in vain See how the Lord with indignation takes up the Jews for failing in their duties towards men though they did their duty towards him Jer. 7.6 9 10. Will ye oppress the stranger the fatherlesse and the widow will ye steal murder and commit adultery and swear falsly and come and stand before me in this house what do you come hither for to pray to hear the Law to offer Sacrifice and think I am pleased with these duties no no I will destroy the Temple where ye worship and I will cast ye out of my sight as I have done all your brethren even the whole seed of Ephraim vers 14 15. It is in vain to be religious if we be not righteous such Religion is a dreadful provocation of God as you may read Isa 1.10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Many are religious in these dayes but where is a righteous man He that doth righteousness just and equal things is righteous 1 John 3.5 Let us learn as to walk in Gods Statutes that is to be religious so to keep his judgements and do them that is to be righteous for of the three great things which God requires of man this is the first Micah 6.8 What doth the Lord require of thee O man but to do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Vers 28. And ye shall dwell in the Land that I gave to your Fathers and ye shall be my people and I will be your God THis verse comprehends in it both temporal and spiritual mercy as repossession of their Land and Gods renovation of Covenant with them And ye shall dwell in the Land which I gave to your fathers God had long before this time given Canaan unto Abraham and his posterity who through their sins were driven out of the same and made captives in Babylon but he would bring them back again and set them in it which resembled Gods gathering of his out of all Nations and bringing them into the Church of Christ the City of God the spiritual Canaan And ye shall be my people and I will be your God Like words to these we had Ezek. 11.20 Ch 14.11 Ch 34.31 and therefore shall not stand upon them The sense of them is this You being in Babylon think your selves cast off of God and that ye shall never again have the honour to be his people and to have him for your God but your thoughts are not as mine for ye shall come again to Canaan and there I will own you for my people and ye shall own me for your God ye shall be my people to worship me and I will be your God to blesse you ye shall be my people to depend upon me and I will be your God to protect you ye shall be my people to obey my Commands and do my Will and I will be your God to exalt and honour you ye shall be my people to love fear honour me and to stand for me and my glory and I will be your God to counsel comfort delight in and to deliver you and to plead your cause against all your enemies First Observe There is nothing difficult or impossible to God though it be so in the eye of man The Jews thought it an hard if not a thing impossible for them to get from under the Babylonish yoke into their own Countrey but God thought not so saith he Ye shall dwell in the Land that I gave to your fathers I will break off every yoke which hinders and remove every mountain which lets And this he did with ease for he did but stir the heart of Cyrus King of Persia to make a Proclamation to this purpose That whoever among the Jews had an heart to go up to Jerusalem might do
THE EXPOSITION CONTINUED UPON The Nineteen last Chapters of the PROPHET EZEKIEL WITH Many useful OBSERVATIONS thereupon DELIVERED In several LECTURES in London By WILLIAM GREENHIL Prov. 23.26 Buy the truth and sell it not Veritas est animae Pabulum Lact. Sponsa intellectus Mirand Cujus aures veritati sunt clausae ab amico verum audire nequeat hujus salus desperanda est Cicer. de Amiciti LONDON Printed for â—homas Parkhurst at the three Crowns in Cheapside overagainst the great Conduit 1662. TO THE Christian Reader AND Especially to those who helped on and countenanced THE EXPOSITORIE-WOORK THis is the fift and last part upon Ezekiel which was finished in the latter end of the year 1654. and hath been latent full seven years like Josiah in the Temple but now through the instigation of learned and godly Ministers some others and considerations of mine own cometh to publick view Ezekiel prophesied unto the Jews who were then the only people God had in the world and honoured with singular Titles Sons of the living God (a) Hos 1.10 his first born (b) Exod. 4.22 his inheritance (c) Isa 19.29 his peculiar Treasure (d) Ps 134 â— his pleasant Portion (e) Jer. 12.10 a noble Vine (f) Jer. 2.21 the holy flock (g) Ezek. 36 38. a chosen generation h Isa 41.11.9 1 Pet. 2 8 the Lords glory i Ps 78.61 the dearly beloved of his Soul k Ier. 12.7 indued with great Priviledges l Rom. 9 45. yet were they not exempted from afflictive and severe sufferings they were a Reproach to the Heathen a mocking to all Countries and much vexed m Ezek. 22.15 The Pestilence Sword and Famine consumed them so that the pitiful women did eat their own children n Lam 4.10 and pluckt off their own breasts o Ezek. 23 3â— the Priests and Elders gave up the ghost while they sought for meat to releive their souls p Lam. 1.19 those brought up in Scarlet imbraced dunghils q Lam. 4.5 the women were ravished in Sion the maids in the Cities of Judah and Princes were hanged up by their hands r Lam. 5.11.12 they could not walk safely in the Streets Å¿ Lam. 4.18 their necks were under persecution t Lam. 5.5 Lyons Tiglath-pileser and Shalmaneser took away the ten Tribes and Nebuchadnezzer broke the bones of Judah and Benjamin u Ier. 50.17 He burnt the Temple and Citie he ruined Church and State and carried the Jews into Captivity where they suffered unspeakable miserie The Prophet tels us that their punishment was greater then the Sodomites w Lam. 4 6. That which chiefly provoked God to deal thus severely with them as Ezekiel and others testifie was their leaving his pure worship Ordinances and Institutions falling to false wayes of worship and compliance with the Nations They had the Image of Jealousie x Ezek. 8.3 the Altar of Damascus y 2 King 16. the Statutes of Omri z Mic. 6.16 High places a 2 Chron. 20.33 Traditions and Statutes of their Fathers b Ezek. 20.18 Ier. 9.14 customes of the Nations they set their posts with Gods posts worshiped with their faces toward the East c Ezek. 8.16 they would be as the Heathens and walk after their own Imaginations e Ier. 18 12. whereas they should have walked in Gods Laws Statutes f Ezek. 20.19 when therefore the house of Israel degenerated into dross d Ezek. 20.32 God gathered them into the Furnace poured out his fury upon them g Ezek. 22.19.20.21.22 Apostatizing from the pure worship of God to the superstitious Rites and Ceremonies of men provokes bitterly It is a Reproach to God his Worship Truth and Ordinances it is a violaon of former promises it is high Ingratitude and Rebellion against God it is a great scandal to all the godly especially the weak it encourages justifies and hardens the wicked it ruines souls gratifies Satan it exposeth men to visible and unavoidable judgements When the Jews purposed to leave the Lords Tents and fall to Babylonish Temples Ezek. 20.22.23 Then did he swear that he would rule over them with Furie This should caution us to keep distance from inward approbation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellatione omnia ea intelliguntur quae homines coleâ—do aut representando numini solent comminisci Bez. vid. Leigh in Verbo and outward compliance with either Jewish Ceremonies or Romish Rites The first are abrogated by the Lord and it may be Jericho work to raise them up again The other are the Mark of the Beast and it s not safe to bear that Mark Rev. 14.9 16.2 God is a jealous God and would not have his to Symbolize with Idolatrous or superstitious practices He forbad his people to take or desire in their hearts the silver and gold was upon Idols 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they might not touch with their hearts or hands any thing belonged to them they might not do as other Nations Deut. 7.25 nor enquire after their gods Levit. 18.2 and mode of worship Deut. 12.30 In Treatise of Idoâ—â—tr chap. 11. §. 1. They might not be like the Nations in Apparrel and Hair saith Maymonie much more not in the service and Worship of God we should not be as other Nations but keep Gods Ordinances and walk therein Levit. 18. Symbolizing with Idolatrous worship persons or things Isâ— 52.11 God allows not In Babylon they might not touch any unclean thing and shall we in Sion where all is to be pure according to the mind of the Holy one of Sion This made that great Apostle Paul say 2 Cor. 6 17. touch not the unclean thing whatsoever is from man in the worship of God hath aliquid faecis terrae like the man whence it comes and is an unclean thing if non-touching do cause Suffering casting out or off God wil receive be a Father recompense sufferings God would not have his touch or countenance any corruption in worship When the Damascene Altar was in the Temple â—ings 16.14 Ezek. 9.2 and Gods Altar removed out of its place our Saviour and those with him did not appear at that Altar lest they should seem to countenance it but at the Brason Altar though deserted and despised As Christ will own nothing but what is appointed of the Lord so those are with him will not own the susuperstitious appointments of men but cleave to the Institutions of God though out of place and despised The Papists say of the Protestants that in matters of Religion in praying reading their books hearing their Sermons Rehmist on epist of Iohn v. 10 presence at their service partaking of their Sacraments and all other communicating with them in spiritual things is a great damnable sin If they hold it so sinfull to communicate with us in the
to bewaile the sins and ruines of Princes and their Kingdoms when God calls them thereunto Thirdly Observe The evill quallities and manners of men do make them like unto Beasts of the field and fish of the Sea Thou art like a young Lyon of the Nations Pharoah's roaring and ravening his terribleness and cruelty made him like a Lyon And thou art as a Whale in the Seas Pharoah's tumbling up and down disquieting the people and making a prey of them as fishes transformed him into a Whale or Sea-monster Subtle persons are tearmed Foxes Luke 13.32 Lascivious persons are like pampered Horses Jer 5.8 Oppressing Princes and Judges to Lyons and evening Wolves Zâ—ph 3.3 The wicked qualities of men do make them brutish Solomon tels you in favour of this truth That the wickednesse of those in the place of judgement made them beasts Eccl 3.16.18 Fourthly Observe God hath Prophets to tell the worst of Princes of their wickednesse Pharoah was a great King terrible as a Lyon dreadfull as a Whale yet God had an Ezekiel to send to him and to tell him of his Tyranny and cruelty Go say unto Pharoah thou art as a young Lyon of the Heathen and as a Whale in the Seas God sent him to deal sharply with him notwithstanding his greatness Prophets must not spare Princes when sent of God to reprove them Fifthly Observe Wicked Kings are great troublers of their own and others waters They trouble their own people their own Kingdoms and others also Thou camest forth with thy Rivers and troubledst the waters with thy feet and fowledst their rivers Pharoah was neither quiet in Egypt nor would let others be quiet he sent out his Embassadours to other Nations which were as his feet they troubled the waters the people in drawing them into League with Pharoah in causing them to raise forces to assist him and so fowled their Rivers unsetled their peace troubled their spirits and Countries Whales are not more troublesome to the Seas Crocodiles to the Rivers of Egypt Lyons and wild Beasts to the Land than Tyrants are to their own Kingdoms and those that are near unto them Ahab was a troubler of Israel 1 Kings 18.18 and of Judah also in that he drew Jehosaephat and his people to joyn with him 2 Chr. 1.8 to go up to Ramoth Gilead where it had like to have cost him his life Solomon tells us He that is cruel will trouble his own flesh Pro 11.17 Tyrants are cruel and they do trouble their own flesh their own Subjects and people yea and the Flesh of strangers they make their own Rivers and others to be muddy Vers 3. I will therefore spread out my net over thee These words you had Chap 17.20 and Chap. 12 13. A Net is to catch Birds or Fish Here God represents the person of a Fisher-man and would spread out his Net to take this Whale The word for Net is Resheth from Jarash to possesse retain because a Net keeps what it catcheth and retâ— some derive from retinendo from its holding and retaining This Net with which God would catch the Whale must be a great Net and so it was for it was the Chaldaean Army which was great strong and sufficient to spread over all the Rivers of Egypt With a company of many people When Lyons or Whales are to be taken multitudes of people get together and so here multitudes of Chaldaeans came to take this Lyon and Whale They shall bring thee up in my Net Thou lyest in thy Rivers and deep waters thinking thy self safe without the reach of any but my Net shall be so thrown as to incompasse and catch thee and these Chaldaans shall draw thee up out of thy Nilus yea out of thine Egypt Vers 4. Then will I leave thee upon the Land c. When this great Whale shall be drawn out of his waters and Country God will deal by him as Fisher-men do by the Whale drawn to the shoar they leave him upon the dry ground in open view exposed to the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Earth they cut him in pieces whereof some are carried away others are thrown here and there so God dealt with Pharoah he brought him to open shame and ruine He made him and his wealth a prey to all sorts of people Like unto this verse is that you had Chap 29.5 Vers 5. I will lay thy flesh upon the Mountains Thou or thy Souldiers being overcome some of you will fly to the Mountains for releef but even there shall they be destitute of help they shall be slain on the Mountains And fill the Valleys with thy height I will make such a slaughter of thy men as that they shall fill up the Valleys the bodies shall lye so thick one upon another as to make a height Munster interprets it of the swelling of the bodies Dead bodies do swell much and increase height The Vulgar read the words thus Implebo colles tuos sanie tuo I will fill thy hills with the corruption flowes from the dead bodies Vers 6. I will also water with thy bloud the Land wherein thou swimmest When Nilus overflowed then Egypt was full of water so that this Whale might swim up and down in the same God would cause such a destruction to be among the Egyptians that there should be a River of bloud which should water the Land hereby is set out the great abundance of bloud that should be shed in Egypt the Land was made drunk with it Even to the Mountains and the Rivers shall be full of thee Not only the lower places should be sâ—ll'd with the bloud of the slain but it should reach to the Mountains and run into the Rivers Sanctius thinks this not to be verified in Egypt where were no Mountains but in some other place where the Egyptians were drawn out to fight First Observe That because Kings keep not within their bounds but are troublesome to their own people and others therefore the Lord destroyes them and their Kingdoms Thou camest forth with thy Rivers and troubledst the waters with thy feet and fowledst their Rivers I will therefore spread out my Net over thee The ruine of Princes and States are no casuall things they are effected by the Counsell Providence and Power of God punishing them most justly for their sins Secondly Observe God hath his Nets to catch Whales and great Fish in I will spread out my Net over thee It s not every Net will catch Whales and great Fish they will break ordinary Nets but God hath Nets to take them he wants not means to bring the mightiest unto punishment Pharoah was a Lyon a Dragon a Crocodile a Whale and God had a Net in the North the Babylonish Army which he sent for and caught this Egyptian Whale with God had a Net to catch chat old Whale and Sea-monster who devoured so many of the Israelites children he made a Net of the Waters and not only caught Pharoah but drowned that
afraid and quaked every moment for fear of their Kingdoms and lives When Lyons and Whales are caught and kill'd it makes the other Beasts and Fish to fear When the high Cedars fall all the other Trees tremble Verses 11 12 13 14 15 16. For thus saith the Lord God The sword of the King of Babylon shall come upon thee By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall the terrible of the Nations all of them and they shall spoyl the pomp of Egypt and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from besides the great waters neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them Then will I make their waters deep and cause their Rivers to run like Oyl saith the Lord God When I shall make the Land of Egypt desolate and the Countrey shall be destitute of that whereof it was full when I shall smite all them that dwell therein then shall they know that I am the Lord. This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her the Daughters of the Nations shall lament her they shall lament for her even for Egypt and for all her multitude saith the Lord God THese verses belong to the first prophesie in this Chapter and they set out First The Instruments God used in executing the judgements threatned against Pharoah and the Egyptians vers 11 12. Secondly The Facts of these Instruments the King of Babylon and his Army ver 12 13. Thirdly The Events following ver 14 15. Fourthly The Conclusion of the Prophesie vers 16. Vers 11. The Sword of the King of Babylon shall come upon thee I will stir up and bring the King of Babylon with a great army who shall come furnished with all Military preparations against thee and cut thee off Vers 12. By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall The word for mighty is Gibborim Gibbor signifies properly miles robustus as fortis saith Drusius The Septuagint have it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the sword of the Giants Egypt had multitudes but they should fall by the power of these mighty and Giant-like men The Terrible of the Nations all of them This expression The terrible of the Nations we had thrice before Chap 28.7 30.11 31 12. Those men were most barbarous and bloudy tyrannical and pestilent should be imployed in his work The Septuagint calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pestes such as were the plagues of the Countrey such as went up and down robbing stealing and murthering the Vulgar is inexpugnabiles And they shall spoyl the pomp of Egypt There is pomp in Titles pomp in Buildings pomp in feasting and furniture of houses pomp in apparrel pomp in funeralls pomp in worships pomp in multitudes of men Horses and Charets whatever the Egyptian pomp were it should be spoyled Vatablus interprets their pomp to be their dignity or beautifull things Munster makes it Magnificentiam their state and greatnesse Junius makes it the excellency of Egypt that is Kingly Majesty with all the glory and greatness attending the same Vers 13. I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from besides the great waters Egypt abounded with Cattel especially Horses which were serviceable for war and other uses those fed neer to the Rivers cut out of Nilus to water the Land what Beasts soever they were God by the Chaldaeans would destroy them and they should not be any longer nigh the many waters so is the Hebrew Neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them The destruction should be so great that man and beast should be cut off as was said Chap. 29.8 These oft troubled the waters with their feet and hoofs the one with digging the other by trampling in them Vers 14. Then will I make the waters deep and cause their Rivers to run like Oyl Man and Beast being taken away nothing shall trouble the waters but they shall be quiet cleer and smooth as Oyle The Hebrew word for to make deep is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shakah to drown'd to sink faciam ut profundum petunt I will cause their waters to go to the bottom which Piscator interprets of the mud wherewith they had been troubled that should sink and the waters became pure The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will make quiet their waters When they are clean and quiet they run without noise then they are like Oyle The waters of Egypt and of other Nations whom the Egyptians troubled Vers 15. When I shall make the Land of Egypt clesolate and the Countreys destitute He shews when the waters shall be pure and quiet even when the Land is made desolate Hebrew is a desolation And all carryed away with which the Countries abounded Hebrew is shall be destitute of its fullness When I shall smite all them that dwell therein All were not smitten by the sword and destroyed but some were carryed away Captives and that was a smiting Vers 16. This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her This prophesie which I have delivered is the lamentation wherewith Egypt shall be lamented not only I Ezekiel must lament for her but all Nations shall do it The Daughters of the Nations shall lament her they shall lament for her The Cities and people of the Nations hearing of the dreadful judgements of God upon Egypt that that populous strong and flourishing Kingdome is brought to utter ruine and desolation they shall be affected therewith and lament her condition First Observe God makes use of the King and People of one Nation to execute his judgements upon the King and People of another Nation The sword of the King of Babylon shall come upon thee and by the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall Kings and their People are at the dispose of God to call out and imploy where and in what service he pleases he serves himself fulfills his wills and counsels by Kings and great Ones overthrowing one Kingdom by another laying all their pomp and glory in the dust Secondly Observe The sins of Kings and People cause God to execute his sore judgements not only upon themselves but also upon the bruit creatures and things inanimate God would not only destroy Pharoah and his multitude but the Beasts the Cityes and all the fullnesse of the Land in the destruction of these God punished the owners Thirdly Observe By the destruction of Tyrants and their Kingdomes God quiets Nations they by their Power Counsels or Agents trouble their own Kingdomes and others Then will I make their waters deep and cause their Rivers te run like Oyle when I shall make the Land of Egypt desolate When Pharoah and his were cut off they should trouble the waters no more at home nor abroad all should be quiet peaceable oleo tranquillius Fourthly Observe God in his wise providence
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
captivity therefore the Heathens reproached Canaan and said Thou Land devourest men and hast bereaved thy Nations They called Emanuels Land a cursed and bloudy Land that did eat up her own children this was a great reproach to Heaven and Earth Gods judgements should have caused fear and taught them to have learned righteousnesse For if God spared not the green Tree what will become of the dry Trees Seventhly Observe Such is the goodnesse of God that he takes occasion from the wickedness of his Peoples enemies to do his People good Because the Heathens said Thou Land devourest up men and hast bereaved thy Nations Because they reproached the Jews and their Land thus therefore saith God Thou shalt devoure men no more neither bereave thy Nations any more I will blesse thee with peace plenty and safety there shall be no wars no famines no plagues nor other judgements to devoure the people of the Land Eighthly Observe God in his time takes way the evills that are upon his People and turns them into blessings Neither will I cause men to hear in thee the shame of the Heathen any more neither shalt thou bear the reproach of the people any more neither shalt thou cause thy Nations to fall any more These evils will I take away from thee and not only so but I will bring in the contrary blessings instead of shame and reproach thou shalt have honour praise and renown instead of destroying thy people and Nations thou shalt multiply thy people and have Nations to serve thee Isa 60.12 13 14. Verses 16 17 18 19 20. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man when the house of Israel dwelt in their own Land they defiled it by their own way and by their doings their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the Land and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it And I scattered them among the heathen and they were dispersed through the Countreys according to their way and according to their doings I judged them And when they entred unto the heathen whither they went they profaned my holy Name when they said to them These are the people of the Lord and are gone forth out of his Land MEn being apt to make perverse constructions of the judgments of God and to censure his wayes to be unequall here he gives account of his proceedings towards his people and shews the true grounds and causes why he drave them out of their Countrey which are set down 1. In generall vers 17. amplified by a similitude 2. In particular vers 18. Bloud and Idolatry which are repeated in generall terms vers 19. 3. After these he shews what their carriage was in their enemies Land vers 20. Vers 16. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying The Prophet having declared Gods jealousie and fury against the enemies of his people comforted them being in captivity with many choice promises here he is commissioned by the Lord to speak out the causes which moved God to cast them into that condition Vers 17. When the house of Israel dwelt in their own Land By house of Israel understand not the two or ten Tribes but the whole twelve Tribes who possessed Canaan which is called their own Land because promised and given unto them by God for their inheritance Psal 105.10 11. They defiled it by their own way and by their doings The Hebrew is In their own wayes and in their own doings they followed their own devices inventions desires customs manners they did what was right in their own eyes and so defiled the Land The French is Par leurs maeurs par leurs actes Their way was before me as the uncleannesse of a removed woman Their way was very loathsome before the Lord he greatly abhorred their manners and practices as man doth the filthiness and uncleanness of a woman Laborant is menstruo sanguine A woman in that condition defiles all she toucheth see Levit 15.19 20 21. and so to the end of the Chapter Vers 18. Wherefore I poured my fury upon them They had committed hainous sins and continued long in them without repentance is evident from the Lords fury he is not in fury for small sins nor presently furious for great sins but when men go on from day to day in them his anger grows hotter and hotter and at last riseth up into fury and this being increased the Lord would not let it out in petty judgements as it were drop by drop but poure it out in greater judgments like as the Sea poures out water when a breach is in the Banks it poures out water with violence and drowns up all the adjacent Countrey For the bloud that they had shed upon the Land They shed the bloud of the Prophets 2 Chron 24.21 Matth 23.37 Of innocent ones 2 Kings 21.16 They had unjust and unnatural wars 2 Chron 28.9 and so shed bloud in abundance Ezek 7.23 They poured out bloud upon the Land and God poured out fury upon them it s the same word in the Hebrew for shedding and pouring out And for their idols wherewith they had polluted it They had many idols the Land was full of them Isa 2.8 which they worshipping defiled the Land The word for idols is Gillulim which Junius renders Dii stercorei Dunghill gods and Piscator stercora dunghils excrements for that no dunghill or excrement of any creature doth so defile a Land as idols and idolatry hence idolls are called abominations Jer 32.34 Shames Hos 9.10 Devils Deut. 32.17 Vers 19. And I scattered them among the heathen They had learned the manners of the Heathen got their idols and served them and for it God scattered them among the heathens they had heathenish spirits chosen heathenish gods and so deserved to be driven into heathenish Countries And they were dispersed through the Countreys The Hebrew word for disperse is Sarah which signifies to disperse by fanning God had fanned them out of their own Land and dispersed them as chaffe before the wind into divers Lands they went from Countrey to Countrey yea through whole Countries into Chaldaea According to their way and according to their doings I judged them Men might wonder God should deale so with his people as to poure out his fury upon them drive them out of their own Land and disperse them amongst heathens who were his and their enemies this might carry a face of cruelty but the Lord clears himself and shews the equity of his proceedings I judged them that is I dealt with or punisht them according to their wayes and doings had they not deserved such hard things at my hands I should not have executed them they drave me out of my Sanctuary and far from it Ezek 8.6 They cast me off Jer 2.13 and is it not equall that I should drive them out of my Land and cast
of God to be profaned by the heathens and so deserving nothing but confusion he pityed them and for his names sake delivered them which name of God is set out by two adjuncts or epithites 1. Holy 2. Great Vers 21. But I had pity for my holy Name The Hebrew is And I spared upon the Name of my holinesse that is I spared them upon the account of my holy Name I would not suffer that to be profaned so by the heathen and therefore did deliver them The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I spared them for my holy Names sake I had a tender respect unto my Name which being holy I would not suffer to lye under heathenish oblequies Which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen whither they went God is stiled in Scripture The Holy One of Jacob Isa 29.23 The Holy One of Israel Psal 78.41 The Holy One Isa 40.23 And the Jews above all Nations and People in the world should have had a special care of the name of their God that the holinesse thereof might have been maintained but they forgat God in Babylon did wickedly and so gave occasion to the heathens to blaspheme his holy Name Vers 22. I do not this for your sakes O house of Israel They deserved not such a mercy at the hands of God as reduction out of Babylon into Canaan they were defiled with bloud and idolatry which moved God to cast them out of their Land and scatter them among the heathen but they did nothing to incline God to shew them the least favour had they had according to their deserts they should never have been set at liberty but have perished utterly in their captivity They might think because they were circumcised came of David Abraham Isaac and Jacob and were the only people God had in the world that therefore God would do much for their sakes but to take them off from such conceits the Lord makes open profession that what he was about to do was not for their sakes But for mine holy Names sake Gods name is sometimes put for himself as Psal 33.21 We have trusted in his holy Name that is in God himself Sometimes it s put for his power Prov 18.10 The name of the Lord is a strong Tower that is his Omnipotence is such a Tower Sometimes it s put for the Attributes and divine perfections of God Psal 8.1 O Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth that is How excellent are thine Attributes Sometimes it s put for the fame and glory of God as 2 Sam 7.23 To make himself a name that was to make himself famous and glorious The two last may be understood here by name the heathens said God was not wise not faithfull not omnipotent that would let his people go into captivity and become servants unto us yea it s evident by his peoples doings what a God he is they are an unholy people and he is an unholy God and so his fame and glory were eclipsed therefore saith God For mine holy Names sake which ye have profaned among the Heathen I will vindicate my name and make heathens know and you know that I am a wise a faithfull an Allmighty and holy God Vers 23. And I will sanctifie my great name I will vindicate my name from all aspersions laid upon it and make it known to Heathens and to you O house of Israel by punishing them for their idolatry and other wickednesses and by bringing you out of captivity that I am a God of power wisdome faithfullnesse and holinesse God sanctifies his name when he clears it from disgrace and reproach cast thereupon and makes it appear as it is in it self glorious and holy Gods name hath many Epithites given unto it in the Word it s said to be glorious Ps 72.19 Excellent Psal 148.13 Dreadful Mal. 1.14 Holy vers 21. of this Chapter and here Great God hath done great and wonderfull things in the world whereupon he hath a great name not only in Israel Psal 76.1 but all the world over Psal 8.9 Many men have had great names yet nothing comparable to the name of the Lord. Which was profaned among the Heathen which ye have profaned in the midst of them The Jews being under the Babylonish yoke for their sins did not humble themselves before God repent and turn from their wicked wayes that so Gods name might have been sanctified among the Heathen but they persisted in their wicked wayes and were worse than the Heathens among whom they were scattered and so occasioned the Heathens to speak evill of their God their Religion and Worship and not only so but themselves profaned Gods name they rejected the God of Israel and his wayes saying We will be as the Heathen as the familyes of the Countryes to serve wood and stone Ezek 20.32 They made the God of Israel like the heathen gods and his wayes like theirs which was a great profanation of him and his name And the heathens shall know that I am the Lord saith the Lord God when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes When the Lord should manifest his mercy towards them and put forth his power to bring them out of Babylon then was he sanctified in the midst of them then he did vindicate his name from all aspersions and made the Jews and Babylonians know that he was an holy faithful wise merciful and an Allmighty God he would make his name honourable before them all which had been profaned Vers 24. For I will take you from among the Heathen The Heathen make full account you are theirs that you shall never get out of their borders or return into your own Land they think that their idol gods are stronger then I who am the God of Israel but they shall find it otherwise for I will by a strong hand take you from among the heathen And gather you out of all Countreys They were dispersed into divers Countreys into the 127 Provinces that were under Ahasuerus his government Esther 3.8 it seemed improbable that they should ever be gathered out of so many Countreys but the Lord tells them for their comfort that he would gather them out of all Countreys no distance of place or difficulty in any place should impede his Congregating of them And will bring you into your own Land After the seaventy years of their captivity were expired the Lord set them at liberty and brought them back to the Land of Canaan their own Land because they inherited it from their fathers unto whom the Lord had given it This was a glorious and great work viz the bringing the Jews out of Babylon and all the Countreys where they were scattered into Canaan and did prefigure the salvation of the Church by Christ and gathering of those that were his out of all Nations unto it according to what is in John 10.16 John 11.52 First Observe The name of the Lord is holy His Essence his
in you than he that is in the world The Devil had been in them before but was now driven out of them into the world by the spirit which was in them and their lusts were mortified by the same spirit Rom 8.13 Fourthly The Spirit put into man takes the rule and government of that man into his own hand he must no longer be under the dominion of sin or Satan but under the conduct of the spirit he and all in him must bow to that great Person When a great man cometh into the Countrey to dwell he looks for all about him to bow unto him and to be at his command hence men that have stout and stubborn spirits which cannot bow use to say Magnum vicinum nolumus We care not for a great Neighbour The spirit is greater than all men and when he is put into men it 's to rule he is there not to be checked controled opposed but to bear sway to have the Keyes of every Room delivered up unto him he must be and will be Soveraign in the soul before him every Mountain and Hill must be brought low yea every creature must swear fealty unto him Rom 8.14 They are lead by the spirit of God The spirit is the Commander and Leader of those it dwells in they follow him and not others whereas those that are without the spirit are led away with diverse lusts 2 Tim 3.6 or drawn away with their own lust James 1.14 and so follow Satan 1 Tim 5.15 It 's not so with those that have the spirit that is call'd A Guide John 16.13 and such a Guide as guides into all truth and orders them so as that they shall not miscarry for its a spirit of wisdome Ephes 1.17 of counsell Isa 11.2 of power 2 Tim 1.7 so that he must rule and where he rules he doth it wisely Fifthly He frames them to his own mind and transforms them into his own likenesse as a Graft put into a Stock turns the sap of the Stock and assimilates it and the Stock to it self so doth the spirit in the parties where it is 2 Cor 3.18 We are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord or by the Lord the Spirit so the Greek will bear it we are selfish sinfull natural morall and the spirit makes us spiritual The husband frames the mind of his wise suitable unto his own when a man comes into an old house he pulls down and sets up he takes away and adds what he pleases and fits the house to his own mind so doth the spirit being in our earthly Tabernacles it abrogates the Laws of the flesh it throws out the Principles of Satan and the world it sets up new Laws and works new Principles Rom 3.27 Chap 8.2 Sixthly The spirit being put into man and man becoming his Temple he doth beautifie and adorn that Temple and make it glorious Solomon over-laid the Temple with pure gold 1 Kings 6.21 the inside was very glorious and the spirit trims up its Temple with pure graces with love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance c. Gal 5.22 23. Ephes 5.9 The spirit garnished the Heavens with those greater and lesser Lights Job 26.13 which fill this lower world with their glory It s the spirit which reneweth the face of the earth Psal 104.30 and makes it beautifull and its the spirit reneweth and garnisheth the soul making it glorious and beautifull with all graces Psal 45.13 The Kings daughter is all glorious within and the spirits Temple is no lesse glorious If Solomons Temple were call'd The holy and beautifull house Isa 64.11 much more may the Temple of the spirit be so called Seventhly It being in man enables him to do many things it strengthens him with might to do that which otherwise he could not do Eph 3.16 As First To discern between the things of men and the things of God between the things of Christ and those of Antichrist between true and counterfeit graces 1 Cor. 2.15 He that is spiritual judgeth all things He hath the spirit enabling him to make a difference and to see the reallity beauty and excellency of some things above others The High Priests Scribes Pharisees saw no beauty in Christ that they should desire him but the Apostles who had the spirit in them did John 1.14 We beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father and Paul saw so much in Christ and the knowledge of him That he counted all things but lasse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Phil. 3.8 Secondly It enables them to pray spiritually Rom. 8.26 The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought The spirit tells us what to pray for and helps us to bring forth those Petitions it hath formed in us Zech 12.10 it s call'd The spirit of supplication because it teaches us what to supplicate God for and assists us in supplicating Both Paul and Jude exhorts those they write unto To pray in the spirit Ephes 6.18 Jude 20. That is in the strength and help of the spirit not in their own strength Thirdly It enables to stand in time of trouble persecution and sufferings The spirit prompts answers unto those that are questioned for truths sake and helps them against all their opposers see Mark 13.11 Matth 10.19 20. Luke 12.11 12. When they were lead before Magistrates and Powers they must take no thought before hand what to speak nor premeditate the spirit should help them encourage and uphold them not an Angel but the spirit Acts 6.10 Stephen was so mightily assisted by the spirit that his opposers viz the Libertines Cyrenians Alexandrians and others were not able to withstand him Fourthly It enables to bring forth good fruit If there be no sap in a Vine it will bear no fruit if there be only our own sap it will yeeld sowre fruit but if the sap of the spirit be there then it will afford good fruit speciall fruit Acts 10.38 Christ being anointed with the holy spirit and with power he went about doing good so the Apostles Acts 1.8 Ye shall receive power after the holy spirit is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth The spirit impowered them to walk up and down in the world to preach the Gospel convert souls plant Churches and to do them good so did Paul Rom. 15.19 Where the spirit is it enables and provokes unto good John 7.38 39. Fifthly The spirit enables men to keep the Word of God and yeeld obedience unto it 2 Tim. 1.14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the holy spirit which dwelleth in us Timothy saith Paul thou hast that which is of great concernment committed to thy keeping viz the Gospel the form of sound words and thou
from the branch of a tree cut off from the body or from the whole tree cut off from the earth which no sooner is done but they wither become fruitless and without hope of recovering their pristine condition So these Jews who were once Gods Vine and Olive-tree said now We are cut off from Canaan the land of the living where we had alimentum vitale such nourishment as made us grow and be fruitful but here in our captivity we have no City no Temple no Sacrifice and so we are as branches cut off and trees cut down never like to be replanted more See Chap. 17 9. Like hereunto is that of Job Chap. 19.10 He hath destroyed me on every side and I am gone and mine hope he hath removed like a tree that is as the e is no hope of a tree cut off from the earth so have I saith Job no hope of recovering my former condition Verse 12. Bâ—hold O my people I w ll open your graves In this verse God promiseth unto them removal of Impediments and reduction of them inâ—o their own Land The first is in these words I will open you graves Canaan was so dear unto the Jews Si transferre sedes cogerentur major vitae metus quam mortis Tacitus that they counted it death to live out of it they esteemed it only the land of the living and had rather have dyed then left their Countrey being therefore Captives in a stange land they were as dead men and that land as a grave unto them When a man is in his grave he is cut off from the Land of the living laid in darkness bound with grave-clothes and pressed down with earth So these Jews were cut off from their own Land had long been in Babylonish darkness were bound up by Babylonish Laws and Power and so oppressed and kept down by the Tyranny of the Babylonians that they were without hope of liberty Hereupon the Lord saith I will open your graves I will remove all that hinders ex parte Babyloniorum their Policy Power Law Oppression shall detain you no longer in Captivity yea I will remove all hinders ex parte vestra Your despair and unbelief are like grave-stones which keep you in a captive and dead condition but they shall be taken away and a door opened for your coming forth It 's not irrational to conceive some or many of them might be in prisons and Babylonish Families whom God would set at liberty And cause you to come up out of your graves c. When the graves are opened the dead cannot rise or come forth no more then the dry bones could move or stir of themselves The Jews deliverance out of Captivity is likened to the raising the deâ—d out of their graves God causeth the dead to rise Isa 26.19 and he would cause them to come out of Babylon and not only bâ—ing them out hence but also bring them into their own Land though they were cut off from their own Olive-tree God would ingraft them in again Verse 13. And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves c. When God should do this wonderful and great work viz. bring them out of their Captivity raise them from their dead condition in Babylon and restore them to life in their own Countrey then they should know and acknowledge God in a special manner Verse 14. And shall put my Spirit in you By Ruah or Spirit here is not meant breath or life as ver 9.10 for they were first to be brought up out of their graves and to have natural life before the Spirit should be put into them But by Spirit here we understand the holy Spirit of God even that Spirit spoken of Chap. 36.27 where are the same words Lavater saith Indam vobis alium Spiritum I will put into you another Spirit Oecolampad saith It 's Spiritus adoptionis moderator actor Filiorum Dei The spirit of Adoption which moderates and acts the Sons of God And ye shall live They lived before a natural life a sad and melancholy life but now they should live a spiritual life and comfortable and heavenly life they should forget their sorrows and rejoyce in their God You have been in a dying condition these 70 years of your Captivity but hence forward ye shall live I shall place you in your own Land The Hebrew is I will make you to rest upon your own Land The word Janach signifies deponere demittere God would dismiss them from Babylon carry them upon Eagles wings and set them down in their own Land where they should be at rest They had been disquieted and vexed in Babylon many years and suffered grievous things but God put an end thereunto and gave them rest in Canaan which types out Gods dealing with his people under the Gospel viz. The bringing them from under the Antichristian state into Sion Then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it and performed it Ye think it impossible that you should have the Babylonish yoke knockt off be set at liberty and planted in your own countrey but if I can give life to dry bones and cause them to stand up and become a great Army which is a more difficult thing and thou Ezekiel hast seen it then let the Jews be assured I can deliver them and return them into their own Land and will do it and when it 's done they shall know that I am a God of Truth and Power Something we shall observe in General from these words and something more specially First Observe That sense which God gives of Visions Types and Parables is sound and certain yea infallible Ezekiel had a Vision of dry bones and who could tell the meaning of this Vision Many have mistaken about it but God himself he told the Prophet and so all others what was the sense of that Vision Behold the bones are the whole house of Israel God who is the authour of Visions Types and Parables knoweth best what is the meaning of them He knew what the golden Candlestick and the two Olive trees on the right and left sides thereof meant and interpreted them unto Zechariah Chap. 4. Daniel's Vision of four Beasts Chap. 7. did the Lord open and make known unto him John's Vision of the woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured Beast full of names of blasphemie having seven heads and ten horns the Lord interpreted and made known unto him Revel 17. Christ uttered many Parables which were dark and when he gave the sense of them it was certain and infallible Secondly Observe Tropes and Types are not in sacred Scripture to be taken literally These bones are the house of Israel they were not the house of Israel in a literal sense but they signified the house of Israel It 's frequent in the Word to give the name of the thing signified to the thing signifying as 1 Cor. 10.4 That Rock was Christ here the Rock is call'd Christ
Josephus Gerionides speak any thing thereof who writ the History of Gog. Sanctius leans to that opinion which conceives Gog to be Antiochus in whom Antichrist was prefigured and the great troubles of the Church by him so do many Expositoâ—s Yet Maldonate and Vatablus think this Prophesie not fulfilled of which mind are divers who write upon the 20. of the Revelation where John in the 8. and 9. ver alludes to this Prophesie By Gog here understand the name of a Man not of a Province for he is said to be a Prince ver 3. to come out of the North ver 14. and he with his multitude shall be buried in the Valley of Hamon-Gog Chap. 39.11 These things cannot be spoken of a Province but of a Person The Prophet must set his face against him that is he must Prophesie constanter fortiter against him The Land of Magog Gog is the name of a King qui Magog imperat which rules over Magog that is the Scythians saith Vatablus Magog was one of the sons of Japhet Gen. 10.2 of whom came the Scythians or Sarmatians saith Aynsworth on the place Josephus saith Antiq. l. 1. c. 7. Magog dwelt amongst those were called Magogins and by the Greeks Scythae who dwelt in Caelo-Syria Marcus Paulus Venetus saith In Tartary Vid. Martin Lex in verbo Magog are the Regions Gog and Magog which they call Gug and Mungug The chief Prince of Meshech In Hebrew it's Prince of the head that is Principal head or chief Prince This Gog was not only Prince of Magog but of Meshech that is Cappadocia and of Tubal that is Iberia not Spain or Italy but a Countrie near the Scythians Prophesie against him Thou hast been prophesying of deliverance and great mercies to my people now Prophesie against Gog and all his assistants open or secret Had Magog Meshech and Tubal been Princes with Gog the Lord would have said Prophesie against them Vers 3. Say Thus saith the Lord Behold I am against thee O Gog. This is a dreadful message which the Prophet must deliver against this great Prince He must declare unto him that there is a greater Prince then himself even one that is King of Nations that hath all power in his hand and bringeth Princes to nothing Isa 40.23 and that he is against him Thou thinkest to have thy will upon Gods people to do terrible things unto them but their God who is a God of Power and Wisdom is against thee The Hebrew is Behold I to thee that is I come to thee to destroy thee for thine iniquities and enmity against my people Vers 4. And I will turn thee back Lavater and Oecolampadius read these words Conteram te I will crush thee The Vulgar Circumagam te I will lead thee about Some Rabbies Decipiam te I will deceive thee Others Reducam convertam te I will bring or turn thee back Thou thinkest to have thy pleasure on mine but I will have my pleasure on thee and turn thee which way seems good to me Educam te I will bring thee out And put hooks into thy chawes What the Lord saith here of Gog he said Chap. 29.4 of Pharaoh I will put hooks in thy chaws The Septuagint is I will put a bridle in thy chaws Thou art like a pamper'd Jade and thinkest to tread down all but I will hold thee in Montanus reads the former words thus Educam te I will bring thee out and if thou holdest off I will put my hook in thy chawes and draw thee out as a fish is drawn out of the waters which sense is best And I will bring thee forth and all thine Army Exire faciam te I will cause thee to go forth Thou shalt not stay in thine own Territories how little or large so ever they be but shalt muster up thy Forces and lead out all thine Armies Horses and Horsemen The word for Horses is Sasim which notes any Horse of Common use Sus signifies both a Crane and a Horse The Rabbies say he is so called because an Horse is a chearful creature and by his mettle and neighing chears up his Rider Pharasim is Horsemen from Parash which in Hiphil signifies to prick so that Parash is an Horseman because he pricks forward his Horse with his spurs All of them cloathed with all sorts of Armor They were armed compleatly from head to foot The Hebrew is cloath'd with all or with perfection nothing was wanting requisite to military undertaking Even a great company with bucklers and shields all of them handling swords Gogs Army was a great Army and well accommodated A Buckler is Tegumentum corpâ—ris militare A piece of Armor to cover and defend the body and so is a Shield in Hebrew Magem from Ganan to cover Tzimnah is a Buckler or Shield sharpe or picked which the Latins call Scutum The other Clypeus Shields were for footmen Vide Martin and Bucklers for horsemen saith Servius These Souldiers of Gog were skilful in Military affairs they all were expert at their Swords Vers 5. Persia Ethiopia and Lybia with them Here is shown what Countries and People should joyn with Gog viz. those of the East Persians those of the South the Ethiopians and those of the West the Moors whom Oecolampadius understood by those of Lybia Of Persia Ethiopia and Lybia was spoken Chap. 27.10 30.5 All of them with shield and helmet Whoever joyned with Gog were well armed The Hebrew is All of them shield and helmet Covah is Pileus rotundus some were made of Leather some of Brass 1 Sam. 17.5 Vers 6. Gomer and all his bands Josephus Anti. l. 1. c. 7. Under this word Gomer are comprehended Galatia Phrygia and Bythinia principal parts of Asia minor which were inhabited by Gomer the son of Japheth from whom they were call'd Gomarians or Gomeriter The house of Togarmah of the North quarters and all his bands By the house of Togarmah Junius understands Paphlagonia and Cappad cia others Armenia the less Doubtless by Gomer and Togarmah all those parts which lay North from Syria where Antiochus reigned and so North from Judaea are meant thereby From these and the forementioned places had Gog Auxiliary Forces for fear hire or out of enmity to Gods people they helped him And many people with thee There were people with him from all quarters from the East West South and North which being come together must make a numerous Army Vers 7. Be thou prepared c. Per imperativos enuntiant Prophetae quae certo eventura praedicunt Jerom thinks there is an Ironie in these words that God exhorts Gog to gather up his forces to strengthen himself and hasten his designe with what expedition he could but all his preparations and undertakings should be in vain he should not escape the vengeance of God which hung over his head But here under a command is declared what he would certainly do he would not be wanting to get