the 30. vers to the end Vers 1. Again the word of the Lord came unto me saying Vers 2. Son of man speak unto the children of thy people Ezekiel being taken off by the Lord from prophesying to the Jews Ch 24.27 he was imployed two years upwards in prophesying to other Nations as appears by comparing Ch 24.1 with Ch. 32.1 having done with them here he is Cōmission'd again to prophesie to the Jews Son of man speak unto thy people cease now to speak any more to the Nations which are strangers to thee speak to thine own people to the Jews which are of the same root stock and kinred with thy self The Hebrew is to the sons of thy people It s observable God saith not to the children of my people or to the Jews but to thy people God did disown them they were so stubborn and disobedient that he would not acknowledge them for his Oft in this prophesie they are call'd Ezekiels people Chap 3.11 Chap 13.17 and four times in this Chapter in this 2. vers the 12.17 30. in all these verses its the children of thy people When the Jews sinned that grievous sin in making the Calf God disown'd them and said to Moses Go get thee down for thy people have corrupted themselves Exod 32.7 Sin makes breaches between the nearest relations and causes God to disown his own people and his own institutions Isa 1.14 The new Moons and the appointed Feasts my soul hateth When I bring the sword upon a Land By sword is meant war and the evils do attend it as Chap. 6.3 14.17 29.8 30.4 32.11 The Hebrew is thus A Land when I shall bring upon it the sword here is a Nominative Case viz Erez put absolute and Sanctius saith when a Pronoun follows that Nominative must be put in the place and Case of the Pronoun as our translation hath done saying I will bring a sword not upon it but upon the Land Land is not put for Judaea but indefinitely for any Land If the people of the Land take a man of their Coasts and set him for their watchman When a Land is in danger of being invaded the peoples care is to chose out one or other to set him in some eminent place for a watchman Montanus and the Vulgar render the word Mikzehem de novissimis suis They take one of the lowest and meanest rank but Katzah notes the border and extream part of a Land or any other thing It s better as our translation hath it a man of their Coasts or borders where the enemy was like to make his first approach A watchman Tzopheh is from Tzaphah which is accurately to observe to open the eyes and fixedly to behold an object and take special notice thereof so is a watchman to do 2 Sam. 13.34 The young man that kept the watch lift up his eyes and looked and behold there came much people He did not barely look but lift up his eyes and looked he made an accurate observation So 2 Sam. 18.24 The watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall and lift up his eyes and looked and behold a man running alone he put forth himself to the utmost to make a discovery his eyes were intent upon it Vers 3. If when he seeth the sword come upon the Land c. This verse sets out the office of the watchman which is 1. To look diligently about him whether there be any danger approaching any enemy neer at hand coming to invade or make attempts against the Land 2. If so he is to blow the Trumpet presently and to give warning thereof stirring up all to procure publique safety He blow the Trumpet The Hebrew word to blow is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Takah which signifies to fasten but when it s joyn'd with the word Manus it notes to strike the hand or strike hands when with the word Shophar a Trumpet it signifies to blow as 2 Sam 2.28 Joab blew a Trumpet so 1 Sam. 13.3 Saul blew the Trumpet and Joel 2.1 Blow the Trumpet in Zion Trumpets of old were made of the horns of Beasts of Brasse and Silver And warn the people The blowing of the Trumpet was a warning to the people to look to themselves but this warning was not only by the voice of the Trumpet but also by the voice of the watchman for having blown the Trumpet upon the discovery and approach of an enemy the watchman was to shift for his life and liberty by returning to his people and so to call upon them to provide for publique safety The word in Hebrew for warning is Zahar which signifies to shine illuminate and metaphorically to warn because when a man is warned he is instructed and hath light given in unto him Vers 4. Then whosoever heareth the sound of the Trumpet and taketh not warning if the sword come and take him away Many are so taken up with the world that though they hear of danger at hand yet they will not hear but venture so long that they are caught the sword comes and takes them away The Hebrew is he that hearing heareth His bloud shall be upon his own head He hath no cause to blame the watchman he blew the Trumpet and warned him the fault is in himself that he took not the warning that he made not haste to secure his own life he is guilty of his own death and hath voluntarily brought it upon himself the whole fault is his own that is the meaning of this phrase His bloud shall be upon him or upon his own head which is frequent in Scripture Josh 2.19 It shall be that whosoever goeth out of the doors of thy house into the street his bloud shall be upon his head and we will be guiltlesse that is he shall be guilty of his own death not we 1 Kings 2.37 On the day thou goest out and passest over the Brook Kidron thou shalt surely dye thy bloud shall be upon thine own head thou shalt be the cause of thine own death not I said Solomon to Shimei Vers 5. He heard the sound of the Trumpet and took not warning his bloud shall be upon him Here the reason is given why he is guilty of his own death because he was within the sound of the Trumpet he heard it that proclaimed the danger was at hand but he was secure minding his profit or pleasure and took not warning But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul He that gives heed to the blowing of the Trumpet and presently hastens into the City or flyes for his life he shall deliver his soul from the hands of the enemies coming he shall be safe the word for to deliver is from Malat which signifies fuga sibi Consulere to provide for ones self by flight saith Avenarius he doth so deliver his soul that is himself for soul here is put by a Synecdoche for a mans selfe Vers 6. But if the watchman
far differing from theirs and Ezekiel must declare the Lords not his own thoughts unto them And 1. He charges them with their sinfull practices 2. Denyes them the possession of the Land Ye eat with the bloud It was commanded before the Law was given That they should not eat bloud Gen 9.4 Levit 19.26 That is neither bloud let out from the flesh nor bloud with the flesh one reason is given Levit. 17.14 Ye shall eat the bloud of no manner of flesh for the life of all flesh is the bloud thereof The Hebrew is Nephesh the soul of all flesh is the bloud thereof Nephesh is put sometime for the whole man as Gen 46.26 All the souls of the house of Jacob that is all the persons sometimes for the more noble part of man viz the reasonable soul Mat. 10.28 Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul Sometimes for the affections as Deut 6.5 Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart and with all thy soul Sometimes for the life as Isa 53.12 He hath poured out his soul unto death that was his life John 10.15 and so it s rendred and to be taken in the place cited the life of all flesh is the bloud thereof bloud properly is not the life or soul of flesh but the life or soul is said to be in the bloud or bloud Propter spiritus vitales animales qui animae organa virtutis ejus vehicula sunt sanguine evaporant Another reason why they might not eat bloud Duet in Gen cap. 9.4 is in the 11. vers of that Chap. I have given it to you upon the Altar to make an atonement for your souls for it is the bloud that maketh an atonement for the soul The bloud being to be offered upon the Altar represented the bloud of Christ which was to be shed for the remission of sins Matth. 26.28 and therefore not to be eaten A third reason was that they might not be cruell and bloudy minded but might in a special manner take heed of shedding mans bloud which is the ground of the prohibition Gen 9.4 5. But they minded neither the prohibition it self nor the reasons of it they did eat with the bloud that is they did eat the flesh with the bloud in it or they did eat the bloud drawn out from the flesh Some make question in these dayes whether they may eat bloud and the ground of it is from Acts 15.29 where it s ordered that Christians should abstain from bloud and things strangled But those that scruple eating of bloud do not scruple the eating of things strangled as Fowls and Rabbits and there is as much reason for that as the other as for the thing it self I shall only say what Christ saith Matth. 15.11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man but that which cometh out of the mouth this defileth a man And Paul Titus 1.15 Vnto the pure all things are pure And 1 Tim. 4.4 Every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving And lift up your eyes towards your idols Idolatry was forbidden in the Law with great severity Deut 17.2 3 4 5. Exod 22.20 Chap 20.4 5. yet these Jews minded idols and affected them Of lifting up the eyes to Idols see Chap. 18.6 it notes adoration of them and expectation of help from them And shed bloud Shedding of bloud was a grievous sin and here it may be understood either of their oppressing innocent ones taking away their lives illegally or else of their children which they offered to Molech which was forbidden unto them Levit. 18.21 of which bloudy sacrifices was spoken Ezek 16.20 21. And shall ye possesse the Land This is a stinging interrogation intimating that whoever possessed it they should not What do you look to possesse the Land that do such things that are so impious and prophane Did I nâ—t cast Heathens for their wickedness out of the Land you are in and do you think to continue in it that have exceeded them in wickednesse Ezek 5.6 No no the Land is not for you Abraham did not such things you are not his seed therefore you shall not inherit the Land Vers 26. Ye stand upon your sword Not you are in arms to defend your selves against Babylonians but you trust in your strength are ready for spoil violence and shedding of innocent bloud When any offended them in word or deed they meditated revenge and laboured by the sword to right themselves there was no place for justice but the Land was full of bloody crimes Ezek 7.23 Ye work abomination Of Abominations and what sins are so call'd was spoken Chap 5. vers 9. Chap 18. vers 12 13. In the 3. Observation Ye do that is detestable and loathsome to the very senses And ye defile every one his neighbours wife Adultery was a grievous sin and punishable with death Levit. 20.10 Deut. 22.22 yet this sin was frequent amongst them Jer 5.7 8. Cap. 7.9 9.2 That honourable state of marriage was abused and the bed defiled and it was a common and universal practice amongst them every one defiled his neighbours wife And shall ye possesse the Land Do ye trust in your swords violate all justice shed innocent blood do abominable things defile your neighbours wives and yet presume you shall possesse the Land O impudent creatures brazen-faced sinners what vain perswasions have you taken up its madness for you to dream of possessing the Land rather then such as ye shall inherit it it shall lye desolate without inhabitant The word here for to possesse is Jarash which is a word contrariae significationis that signifies contrary things as to possess and dispossess Josh 23.5 The Lord shall drive them from out of your sight and ye shall possesse their Land Here Jarash signifies to drive out and to possess when the Lord saith Shall ye possesse the Land his meaning is they shall be dispossessed of it and driven out of it First Observe Men in great misery under grievous afflictions are apt to flatter and deceive themselves with one vain confidence or other These Jews were conquered by the Babylonians had their City Temple Strong holds and pleasant places all laid waste they were a company of poor people that inhabited the wastes of the Land yet they flattered themselves with this conceit that they should inherit and possesse the Land and why there was a number a multitude of them Abraham was one and he inherited the Land we are many and it s given to us Their afflicted condition might have wrought other apprehensions in them and made them see and say All the chief Ones of the Land are cut off or carryed away captives the Land is fallen into Nebuchadnezzars hands we are his servants and slaves left to Till the Land and dresse the Vineyards that so a revenue may be raised for him but as for our selves we are like
watchman nor the people set him to be one 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers after that miracles then gifts of healing helps government diversitie of tongues In the Political state men may make what Offices and Officers they please but in the Ecclesiastick State it s not so Man must not meddle God only is the Authour of all Offices in the Church extraordinary or ordinary and no man ought to come into any of them without Commission and Direction from God true Ministers are to be call'd by the Church according to Gods will and not by the will of a State The making of Ministers is Church-work and not State-work Fourthly Observe Those that are called to office by men or God in State or Church they are watchmen They must have eyes in their heads lift up their eyes and look about them most diligently and conscientiously least any mischief come to the one or the other They are to be men of understanding especially the spiritual watchman his lips must preserve knowledge Mal. 2.7 He is set to watch sleepinesse and drowsinesse do not become him there is great danger therein Math 13.25 While men slept the enemy came and sowed tares Whilest the watchmen slept the Devill and his Instruments took the opportunity and advantage to sow Tares Errour Heresies and Damnable Doctrines Isa 56.10 you may see what watchmen the Lord had in Isaiahs time His watchmen are blind they are all ignorant they are all dumb Dogs they cannot bark sleeping lying down loving to sâ—umber The State and Church watchmen were such therefore idolatry murder oppression and profanesse abounded amongst them they sought themselves and their ease not the State or Churches good Watchmen should not be for themselves but for the publique good enduring any hardship rather then the Publique should be endangered they must not shrink at wind or weather but bare the cold of the night and the heat of the day watching alwayes Isa 21.11 Watchman what of the night watchman what of the night The watchman was at his work in the night as well as in the day Fifthly Observe God hath a special care of his Church and People being exposed to many dangers I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel Where watchmen are dangers are supposed There be Church-Robbers abroad that would rob it of the Scriptures of Ordinances Officers of Christ and of Heaven it selfe There be those who would bring in damnable Heresies as of old 2 Pet. 1.1 Yea the Church is apt of it self to breed Vipers Acts 20.30 Thorns Bryars Weeds Nettles do grow up in Gods Gardens What Errours Heresies Blasphemies are not revived in our dayes Are they not grown up to that height and strength as to threaten and indanger the foundation If ever the Church is as a Lilly among Thorns as a Lamb among Wolves and Lyons that seek to tare in peices and devoure it is now Truth goeth with a scratch't face every where and is so scratched and disfigured that many know her not she hath many enemies few friends and cannot dwell quiet in Sion it self erroneous Opinions are ready to assault her in her own house there is need therefore of watchmen to discover and prevent dangers and God hath manifested his care of his Church and Truth that he hath given watchmen for the preservation of them and left it upon Record that himself is the watchman of his Vineyard Isa 27.3 Least any hurt it I will keep it night and day The fire of Contention the floods of Iniquity and winds of strange Doctrine cannot harm Gods Vineyard he is the Keeper thereof Sixthly Observe What Gifts or Graces soever Prophets and men in Ecclesiastical places have they must depend upon God for more and receive from him before they give out to others No Prophet no Apostle ever had such a sufficiency of light knowledge or grace as to stand in need of no more God had set Ezekiel to be a watchman to the house of Israel he had heard much from God the Spirit entred into him he had eaten the rowle and yet he must attend the Lord therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth even therefore because he was Gods Prophet he was to hear the word at his mouth not to trust to what he had not to give out of his own but constantly to look unto the Lord to hearken what he would say and then what he said to make that known unto others Gods Prophets Gods Ministers must speak his words deliver his message There is a Majesty an Efficacy in his words which are not in the words of men Heb. 4.12 The words of false Prophets were chaffe without virtue but the words of true Prophets were wheat full of vertue for they were the words of God Jer 23.28 Seventhly Observe That as its the duty of watchmen to foresee danger so to forewarn the people of it The State-watchman ought to do both and so the Church-watchman The one when he sees the sword to come is to blow the Trumpet and warn the people that they secure their lives the other when he sees mens lives are wicked tending to the destruction of their souls when he sees Errour Heresies coming to infect and indanger the souls of men he is to blow the Trumpet of the Lord and to warn them that they take heed of the one and desist from the other Isa 58.1 Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voyce like a Trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins Isaiah was a watchman to the house of Jacob and he fore-saw they were in danger of being ruin'd and carryed into captivity and what must he do in this case be silent no Cry aloud make them to hear spare not thy lungs thy strength lift up thy voice like a Trumpet louder and louder make all the house of Jacob to hear it and shew my people their transgressions present unto them the Nature and danger of them let them not rest or sleep but tell them of their sins in publique in private sollicit importune them to cease from their evil wayes and to secure their souls It 's not enough for a spiritual watchman to warn his people once or twice in a year of the dangerous evils their sins will bring upon them but he must do it frequently constantly this warning must be dayly let the persons be of what rank soever if they live in wayes of wickednesse which may hazard their souls the watchman must tell them of their sins and danger admonish them seriously reprove them sharply and threaten them with death eternal if they persevere in their wayes Eightly Observe That Prophets Ministers and Watchmen in Sion are to act in the name and authority of God Thou shalt warn them from me They must let them know that God hath sent them that they speak from him not from themselves not their own words and this
is likelyest to make way for the message they bring of what kind soever Here the Prophet was to warn them to tell them of their sins and the danger of them and who would not receive an admonition from God when it comes in his name backed with his authority when God in it seeks our good the freedom of us from death and damnation the bringing of us unto glory and salvation and especially when the soul of the watchman lyeth at stake for the sinner if he do not admonish the sinner Can any sinner be so obstinate as not to consider relent and return when God shall send one in his name unto him and the Prophet shall say Sir I come from God unto you and my life is at stake for you if I tell you not of your sins I am a lost man give me leave therefore to deal plainly with you you are covetous unclean proud froward ignorant unbelieving having a form of Godl nesse without the power and unlesse you take another course and serve the living God otherwise the you do you will perish soul and body eternally but if yâ—u will hearken I will shew you the good and right way the way everlasting which will make you blessed for ever When a watchman comes and deals thus with a sinner hath he cause to be angry No he hath cause to fall down and say Of a truth God is in you and with you I thank you for your counsell and seasonable admonitions and through the grace of God I will improve them and turn to that God who is so gracious and would have sinners come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved Ninthly Observe The Lord knowes who are wicked When I say to the wicked man The world calls them wicked who are righteous and those righteous who are wicked but it is not so with the Lord he knows who is an hypocrite who is covetous who is a lyar a formalist an enemy to grace and holinesse Known unto the Lord are all his works Acts 15.18 And he knoweth who are his 2 Tim 2.19 and who are not his there is not one Goat in the world but the Lord knows him not a Wolfe or Lyon but he takes notice of them he knew the house of Israel better then Ezekiel who dwelt amongst them whom he said was wicked was so indeed It matters not much what the world saith of men it call'd Paul a Babler Acts 17.18 An Heretick Acts 24.14 A Pestilent Fellow vers 5. But what said God of him Acts 9.15 He is a chosen Vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel Jobs friends and the Devil said Job was an hypocrite but God said He was a perfect man fearing God and eschewing evill Job 1.1 That men are what God who cannot lye who cannot be deceived pronounces them to be if he in his word do call a â—an for an hypocrite an unbeliever covetous proud c. he is so Tenthly Observe The Power of life and death is in the hand of the Lord. When I say unto the wicked O wicked man thou shalt surely dye God hath authority over the lives of men and can pronounce a sentence of death upon them at his pleasure He Commission'd Saul to smite Amalek to slay man and woman infant and suckling Oxe and Sheep Camel and Asse 1 Sam. 15.3 Whâ—n Ahab let Benhadad go a man that God had appointed to destruction therefore saith he Thy life shall go for his and thy people for his people 1 Kings 20.42 The power of life and death God challengeth to himself Deut. 32.39 I kill and I make alive I wound I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of mine hand By this argument he proves himself to be God and it s none but God that kills or gives life Psal 68.20 Vnto God the Lord belong the issues from death The Hebrew is Lammaneth Totzaoth Exitus ad mortem the goings out to death its God that turns the key and le ts out the breath it s he puts a period to the life of the Creature would any live let them fear the Lord and depart from evill for The fear of the Lord prolongeth dayes Prov 10.27 Moses uses this argument to perswade them to love obey and cleave to the Lord He is thy life and length of thy dayes Deut. 30.20 Men have their lives from God and he draws the thread of them out to what length he please and therefore men should love fear obey and cleave to that God if they do not he will cut the thread of their lives asunder Prov. 10.27 The years of the wicked shall be shortned by one sicknesse judgement or other their dayes and years shall be shortned of what they might have been Eleventhly Observe Those watchmen that are unfaithfull in their places and do not tell the people of their sins and danger their account will be dreadful If thou doe not speak to warn the wicked from his way his bloud will I require at thy hand If a politicall watchman be unfaithful so that a man perish by the sword without warning his bloud lyeth upon the watchmans head and if the Ecclesiastical watchman be unfaithful and do not warn the wicked upon what pretence soever the bloud of that wicked man dying in his sins will be required of the watchman it lyes upon his head and he must answer for it the case of this latter watchman will be more dangerous then of the former because the one is to answer for the life of a man the other for the soul of a man which is of great price Let lazy sleepy perfidious watchmen look to it they suffer men to perish through their default and their bloud lives souls stand ingaged for the sâ—me Twelfthly Observe The failing of the watchman will not excuse or priviledge the wicked man If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way that wicked man shall dye in his iniquity Though he be not told that he is in a wrong way though he pretend ignorance that will not serve turn he shall dye in his iniquity warn'd or unwarn'd the watchman hath not done his duty what then must this exempt the wicked man from punishment No he hath not done his duty he should have minded studyed the Law of God walked according to that and have made it a Lamp unto his feet and a light unto his paths Psal 119.105 But his neglect of his duty and ignorance rather will aggravate then extenuate his fault the Law was near unto him and he might have known what was forbidden and so have avoided the same Thirteenthly Observe Those that regard not the warning of the watchmen they bring certain destruction upon themselves Whosoever hears the sound of the Trumpet and takes not warning his bloud shall be upon his own head If the enemy cut off that man he himself is guilty of his own death not the political
Sodom and Gomorrah were never built again but the Cityes of Edom were as appears by Mal 1.4 Jer 27.7 All Nations shall serve Nebuchadnezzar 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 Edom was afterwards possessed again and the Edomites so strong and malicious that they besieged the Israelites 1 Maccabes 5.3 By perpetual therefore we must not understand Eternall that which had no end but that which was for a long time so the word Olam doth usually signifie and it s rendred by some seculum I will make thee desolationes seculi the desolations of an age thirty an hundred or a thousand years for a long season thou shalt be desolate without Cityes and inhabitants And thy Cityes shall not return Not till after a long time and then they shall not return unto that glory strength and greatness which formerly they were in After Cityes and Countreys are once wasted they attain not to their former condition oft in many Generations First Observe Bloudy men frequently have bloudy ends Idumea was cruel and bloudy against the Israelites there God prepared her for bloud and said Bloud shall pursue thee sith thou hast not hated bloud bloud calls for bloud The Babylonians were bloudy and cruell to the Jews and hear what the Lord saith Jer 51.36 I will plead thy cause and take vengeance for thee vers 40. I will bring them down like Lambs to the slaughter like Rams with He-goats God would deal with them as Butchers do with such creatures they take away their lives and shed their bloud Hosea 1.4 I will avenge the bloud of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu He caused the seventy sons of Ahab to be beheaded by the Rulers of Jezreel 2 Kings 10.1.7 and this bloud did God avenge upon his house 2 Sam 21. 1. Sauls house was bloudy he slew the Gibeonites and seven sons of his were put to death for it vers 6. 9. so God pursued bloud with bloud In like manner was Joab dealt withall he shed innocent bloud and his bloud was shed at the horns of the Altar 1 Kings 2.29.31 Secondly Observe When God doth visit wicked ones for shedding of bloud he doth it fully and throughly God would make Mount Seir without inhabitant those that went out and those that came in should be cut off Such a slaughter would he make amongst them as that the Mountains Hills Valleys and Rivers should be fill'd with the slain bodies Isaiah speaking of Gods visiting the Edomites Chap 34.6 7. saith The sword of the Lord is fill'd with bloud it is made fat with fatnesse and with the bloud of Lambs and Goats with the fat of the Kidneys of Rams for the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah and a great slaughter in the Land of Idumea And the Vnicorns shall come down with them and the Bullocks with the Bulls and their Land shall be soaked with bloud and their dust made fat with fatnesse Great and small rich and poor noble and ignoble should be cut off Thirdly Observe That according to the time of mens sinning God doth lengthen out his judgements Edom had perpetual hatred and God saith I will make thee perpetual desolations Edoms anger did tear perpetually Amos 1.11 and Gods judgements upon Edom had a perpetuity Obadiah 10. she was cut off for ever Those that continue long in a course of sinning God causes sometimes to lye long under severe judgements the Jews were seaventy years in captivity they had lived long in idolatry Vers 10. Because thou hast said These two Nations and these two Countreys shall be mine and we will possesse it whereas the Lord was there The Idumeans had a fruitful Land of their own that satisfied them not covetousnesse and desire of rule possessed them they thought and said the whole Land of Judaea should become theirs The Babylonians would root the Jews wholly out leave the Land and so it would fall to their lot and possession These two Nations and these two Countreys When God brought the Jews out of Egypt into Canaan they were one Nation and it one Land and so continued till the rent made by Jeroboam 1 Kings 12. Then ten Tribes falling off from Rehoboam constituted a new Kingdome and so the people and Land were divided into two Nations and two Countreys the one sort were called Ephraim the house of Israel Samaritans and their Countrey Samaria the other sort were called Jews the house of David and their Countrey Judaea Shall be mine and we will possesse it Judaea and Samaria saith Edom shall be mine and we Edomites will possesse it and make it one Land again as it was at first none have so much right to it as we who are from the same stock Isaac and from the elder brother Esau whereas they were from Jacob and seeing the Babylonians are come to cut them off we will joyn with them to secure our selves and recover our right When the Temple and City were destroyed the Jews carried into captivity and the Land made desolate the neighbouring Nations gaped for and got what they could of their Countrey Jer 49.1 Concerning the Ammonites thus saith the Lord Hath Israel no sons hath he no heir why then doth their King inherit Gad and his people dwell in his Cityes Ammonites Edomites and others said Come let us cut them off from being a Nation and let us take to our selves the houses of God in possession Psal 83.4 12. Whereas the Lord was there The words may be read thus Though the Lord be there and so they set out the arrogancy and blasphemy of the Edomites who said They would possesse the Land though the Lord was there he would not hinder them from coming in sitting down and continuing in it or the word there may relate to the Edomites the Lord was there amongst them when they said These two Nations and these two Countreys shall be mine and we will possesse it He heard these words and was displeased at them coming from pride and bitterness of spirit Or Thirdly the words may be taken as we read them and afford this sense The Edomites have presumed much promised great matters to themselves to have the whole Land of Canaan in possession whereas the Lord was there and had that Land under his patronage reserving it for Temple-worship again as it had had it formerly That Land was Domicilium Dei The Habitation of God who would not suffer the bloudy Edomites whatever thoughts they had or attempts they should make to inhabit that Land and defile his holy Mountain with their idolatrous sacrifices though he did greatly afflict the Land yet he did not wholly desert it First Observe Wicked men the enemies of Sion do think and design to raise themselves by the ruins and spoyls thereof Edom said These two Nations and these two Countryes shall be mine Whatever is left of the Jews I will have if there
out against and removes them Some bodyes are so delicate that they feel every wind every little distemper and so fortifie themselves against them and some hearts are so tender that corruption or the Devil cannot stir but they discern feel and find them and so set themselves against them When Josephs Mistriss tempted him to folly his heart startled at it and caused his tongue to say How can I do this and sin against God Gen 39.9 A tender heart sticks at the appearance of evill and will not venture there Abraham would not take any thing of the spoyl recovered but returned all into the hands of the King of Sodom least he should say I have made Abraham rich Gen 14.23 This was an excellent frame of spirit and proceeded from the tenderness of his heart such tenderness Antidotes a man against the poyson of sin Jobs heart was flesh not stone and not his Friends Wife or Devil could draw him to commit sin his heart was sensible of his sons sinning and on their behalf he offered sacrifice continually Job 1.5 and that tenderness preserved him from sinning Davids heart smote him when he cut off but the lap of Sauls garment 1 Sam 24.5 Fourthly It s active for God When Pauls heart was turned into flesh presently saith he Lord what wilt thou have me to do I am now ready to do ought for thee Acts 9.6 And straight way he preached Christ in the Synagogues vers 20. Josiah was of a tender heart and he acted notably for God he destroyed the groves altars high-places images out of Judah and Jerusalem and other places he repaired the Temple he caused the Law to be read the people to enter into Covenant with God he kept a most solemn Passeover such as had not been from Samuels dayes before 2 Chron 34. 35. Chap A hard heart is active against God and a soft heart is active for God Manasseh through the hardness of his heart did more wickedly then any 2 Chron 33. And David through the tendernesse of his heart fulfilled all the wills of God Acts 13.22 He durst not neglect any duty the Lord call'd for nor do it remisly when he went about it What are the mistakes about a tender heart First There is a legal tendernesse which arises from apprehension of Gods Soveraignty and Justice and his wrath due unto men for sin and their sinfull practices whereupon they humble themselves mourn sigh weep pray and so manifest some tenderness of heart such I conceive was the tenderness of Manasseh's heart when he was among thorns bound in fetters and in affliction then he besought the Lord humbled himself greatly and prayed 2 Chron 33.11 12 13. Such tendernesse had Judas who repented of what he had done saying He had sinned in betraying innocent bloud Mat 27.3 4. Terrours of conscience put him upon it This legal tenderness is not that here meant For 1. Apprehensions of Gods power justice wrath fear of death and hell do never melt the heart The Law judgements of God considerations of death and hell may break the stony heart into many pieces yet every piece remain a stone retain its hardnes when you break a Milstone or Rock into pieces with an hammer or pick-axe though broken yet there is no true softness in them 2. Legal tendernesse never loves God it loves it self and seeks it self but Evangelical or Spiritual tenderness carries out the heart to God and Christ Peter having hardned his heart by denyal of the Lord Jesus once twice and thrice and then being softned again by a look of Christ upon him Luke 22.61 62. he loved him dearly and that it might be known Christ asked him the question Simon lovest thou me more than these he saith not Peter dost thou love me but dost thou love me more than these I know these love me much how stands thy heart to me his answer was Yea I love thee and more than these do love thee and thou knowest it A tender heart is strongly in love with Christ Paul after his heart was regenerate and softned he was so in love with Christ that he wisheth Anathema Maranatha to that man which loves not the Lord Jesus 1 Cor 15.22 Secondly There is a naturall fleshliness or tenderness which is much in women and sometimes also in men as when Joseph made himself known unto his brethren he wept it was from a natural tenderness in him Gen. 45.1 2. Some are by nature very tender and pittyfull such tenderness is not what our Prophet aims at For 1. This natural tenderness is born with men they bring it with them into the world the other is a gift I will give you an heart of flesh the one is of nature the other of grace Parents procreate the one God creates the other the one is from constitution the other from regeneration 2. Where there is a natural tenderness it is flexible both wayes to good and evill Rehoboam who was a wicked King having a tender heart 2 Chron 13.7 he was for evill and for good he hearkned to the young mens ill counsel at one time and to Shemaiah's good counsel another time 1 Kings 12.14 24. he was easily drawn this way and that way like some in the Apostles time who were carryed about with every wind of Doctrine Ephes 4.14 They were children they had a natural tendernesse in them and bowed to sound and corrupt doctrine but a man that hath the tenderness of heart here intended is untractable towards evill and only flexible unto good 1 John 3.9 He cannot sin because he is born of God his heart is obstinate against sin he keeps himself from the touching of the wicked one Chap 5.18 But is plyable to the will of the holy one prepared unto every good work 2 Tim 2.21 Thirdly Natural tenderness is faint in the cause of God it hath no courage no magnanimity for God but spiritual tenderness hath Paul was tender hearted after his conversion and see what a spirit he had for God Acts 17.22 23. Ye men of Athens I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious c. He contested with the whole University of Athens The Bock of Martyrs tells of Alice Driver a tender hearted woman who said She would set her foot against the foot of any of them all she meant the Bishops and their creatures she had courage for God and his cause Fourthly Natural tendernesse is dulled by fasting prayer and humiliation but spiritual tenderness is sharpned and quickned by the same Esther after her fasting praying and humbling her soule was more sensible of the state of the Jews and the great danger they were in and ventured her life for them Esther 4. 5. Chap. Fifthly Afflictions crosses are very heavy to that heart that is naturally tender its restlesse unquiet under them but an heart spiritually tender welcomes afflictions receives them with joy Heb. 10.34 and finds sin heavier then afflictions There be some soft natures which
whereas the Rock did only signifie Christ So Gen. 41.26 The seven good kine are seven years and the seven blasted ears are seven years none of these were years but all of them signifie so many years So Dan. 4.22 The tree which Nebuchadnezzar saw whose top reached to heaven and branches to the ends of the earth is said to be Nebuchadnezzar himself It is thou O King that is it signified him it was not him himself The Papists trouble the world with their absurd sense of those words Mat. 26.26 28. This is my body and this is my bloud they will have them to be taken literally and make us lose our senses that we may believe the Bread and Wine are the very flesh and bloud of Christ but we neither see nor tast any such thing only we believe that they represent the same unto us and are to convey the fruit and benefit of Christs death unto us Thirdly Observe Gods people are sometimes brought into great streights and exigents they know not what to do they are heartless and hopeless Our bones are dryed our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts They saw nothing but destruction before them they saw no possibility of escaping they thought their condition desperate Such was Josephs condition when his Brethren cast him into a pit Gen. 37.24 Such was the Israelites condition at the Red-sea when the Egyptians were behind them the Sea before them and no door of hope left unto them Exod. 14. their hope was gone and nothing but death presented it self unto them ver 11. when the Anchor of hope is broken men are in a Sea of troubles tossed up and down ready to sink every moment Job himself was somtime in this case Chap. 7.6 My dayes are swifter then a Weavers shuttle and are spent without hope he had neither hope of restauration to his former condition nor of continuance of his life he looked only to make the grave his house and darkness his bed Chap. 17.13 14 15. His hope was gone and he thought he must go to corruption and the worms Fourthly Observe When men are in great Afflictions they manifest great weakness These Jews being in such an afflicted condition they forgot what Promises God had made to them of Returning after 70 years Jer. 25.12 13. Chap. 29.10 They minded not Gods Power or Faithfulness but said We are cut off for our part God hath cut us off from our Land and cast us into this Furnace of Babylon where we shall be consumed When Saul hunted David like a Partridge upon the Mountains and his life was in Jeopardy Did he not say in his heart I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27 1. Here he manifested his weakness greatly God had told him he should be King and sent Samuel to annoint him Chap. 16. but he forgot this and gave way to the reasonings of flesh Jeremiah being in a suffering condition scorn'd and defam'd by the People he resolves to cast aside his Commission and speak no more in the name of the Lord he curses the day of his Nativity and the man brought tidings of his Birth wishes He had slain him from the womb or that the womb had been his grave c. thus did he declare his infirmities Chap. 20.8 9 15 16 17. not considering what God had promised him Chap. 1.5 8 9 17 18 19. The like did Job Fifthly Observe There be states of men in this life which do resemble the dead and they are two especially both which are here held forth 1. The state of great and long Afflictions These Jews in their Captivity are likened unto dry bones men in their graves This made Jeremiah say Lament 3.6 He hath set me in dark places as they that be dead of old The state of Death is a state of Darkness and so is the state of Affliction Isa 59.10 We grope for the wall like the blind and we grope as if we had no eyes we stumble at noon day as in the night we are in desolate places as dead men They were in deep Affliction and destitute of all Counsel they saw no way or means how to get out of the same David being under great Calamities goes further and shews you that such a state is not only a state of Darkness but of Consumption of being Forgotten and Broken Psal 31.9 12. I am in trouble mine eye is consumed with grief yea my soul and my belly I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind I am like a broken vessel So Psal 44.19 Thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons and covered us with the shadow of death He calls great Afflictions the place of Dragons because they sting bite and indanger a mans life the shadow of death death is very near and overshadows the man is in them his grace is designing and he is ready to be put thereinto This consideration made Heman say his soul being full of troubles My life draweth nigh unto the grave I am counted with them that go down into the pit I am as a man that hath no strength free among the dead like the slain that lie in the grave whom thou remembrest no more and they are cut off from thy hand thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkness in the deeps He shews you clearly that great Afflictions especially Soulâ—â—fflictions are a state of Death 2. The state of Sin which these Jews were in for it 's said I will put my Spirit into you and ye shall live At that time they were dead being in an unregenerate estate Men being in their sins are no better then in a state of death They are in Darkness ignorant of Christ the Gospel and Mysteries thereof Ephes 5.8 They are in bondage to their Lusts and to Satan 2 Pet. 2.19 Rom. 6.16 2 Tim. 2.26 Joh. 8.44 They are senseless eyes they have and see not ears and hear not hearts and understand not Matth. 13.14 15. They have hearts of stone and are past feeling Ephes 4.18 19. They are corrupt and unsavory Ephes 4.22 Rom. 3.13 This is the condition of sinners which the Gospel accounts and calls A state of Death Mat. 8.22 Joh 5.25 Ephes 2.5 Col. 2.13 Sixthly Observe God is afflicted with the afflictions and sufferings of his people O my people you are in your graves here in Babylon you are afflicted reproached oppressed but I am sensible thereof and do sympathize with you in that condition not a word is spoken against you not an unjust act done unto you but I hear I feel the same The words are twice mentioned O my people O my people in the 12. and 13. verses to shew the Lord was much affected with their calamities and languishing condition When the Jews were in Egypt that house of Bondage and in the Wilderness they were like men in their graves oft covered with the shadow of death and Did not God pity them Psal 106.44 He regarded th ir
Gate which was one read broad Here were two Thresholds the lower and upper which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the foot goeth over and that the head goeth under and they were very broad each a reed or 6. cubits broad and were to adorn and strengthen the Gate Christ is the Gate and Door of the Church his humane and divine natures are the ornament and strength thereof Vers 7. Very little chambers In this vers and the 10 12 13 16 17 21 29 33 36 38 44 45 46 verses of this Chapter you read of Chambers In middoth it 's said the Chambers were one above another and so it 's evident they were Ch. 41.6 OEcolampad saith they were Domunculae vel Mansiunculae in usum Templi factae they were little Lodgings made for the use of those served in the Temple Their number was great In some of them those that either kept the Temple or ministred dwelt in others were laid up those things pertained to the service of the Temple In the Chambers they laid the Meat-offerings the Frankincense and the Vessels and the Tythes of the Corne the New Wine and the Oyle which was commanded to be given to the Levites and the Singers and the Porters and the Offerings of the Priests Neh. 13.5 the Tythes were laid up in Treasuries and Store-houses of the Courts or in the Chambers thereof Mal. 3.10 Ezek. 42.13 14. The use of the Chambers North-ward and Southward is said to be for the Priests They be holy Chambers where the Priests who approach unto the Lord shall eat the most holy things there shall they lay the most holy things and the Meat-offerings and the Sin-offerings and the Trespass-offerings for the place is holy When the Priests enter therein then shall they not go out of the holy place into the outer court but there shall they lay their garments wherein they minister for they are holy and shall put on other garments and shall approach to those things which are for the people These Chambers may represent unto us 1. The Mansions which are in heaven Joh. 14.2 In my Fathers house are many Mansions saith Christ he shew'd Ezekiel these Chambers in this Visional-temple and he told his disciples of those caelestial Mansions which he would prepare for them 2. That intertainment rest and comfort the Saints injoy and shall have in the Church under Christ If a man come to his friend's house and he have never a Chamber for his repose it 's poor intertainment cold comfort and little ease if he must lye on the ground but if he have variety of Chambers and Beds for him his intertainment rest and comfort will be good he shall not need to fear wind or weather when men come to the New Jerusalem and are Citizens thereof they shall have good accommodation sweet rest and sound comfort There shall be no voice of weeping or crying Isa 65.19 There shall be no tears no death no sorrow no crying no pain Rev. 21.4 In the world is tribulation but in Christ is peace in Sion is peace under the New Jerusalem the Divels shall be bound up and there will be great peace and spiritual comfort in aboundance 3. These Chambers less and greater may note out the several Congregations or Churches of the Gospel-times be they little or great all which are in the Church of Christ as these Chambers were in this Visional-temple Vers 8. He measured also the Porch of the Gate within one reed The Thresholds and the Porch were all of one measure viz 6 cubits and a hands breadth The word for Porch here is Vlam and in the 10. v. is rendred Posts it signifies both Porches were for the dignity of the house and commodation of strangers Vers 9. Then measured he the Porch of the Gate eight cubits and the Posts therein two cubits In the verse before it 's said The Porch was one reed that is 6. cubits and here we find the measure of it 8. cubits In the former vers he spake of the bredth here of the length of it The Posts were the Pillars artificially placed on the one side and on the other The Porch of the Gate was inward It was within the Wall looking towards the house it self Vers 10. And the little Chambers of the Gate East-ward were three on this side and three on that side they three were of one measure and the Posts had one measure on this side and on that side The Eastern-gate as it had it's Porch and Pillars on each side of it so it had it 's 3. Chambers on each side of it and they were uniform as the Posts or Pillars were Vers 11. And he measured the breadth of the Entry of the Gate 10. Cubits and the length of the Gate 13. cubits The Hebrew word for Entry is Pethach and rendred a Door vers 13. and so it 's mostly taken in Scripture If by Entry be meant the Door how is it said that its 10. cubits in breadth when the Door is never wider then the threshold which in the 6. and 7. vers is said to be but one reed broad or 6. cubits Either it was some other Door or the Posts to which the Door was fasten'd and shut to were added to the measure If we hold to the word Entry it may be the breadth of the space between the outward Gate and the inward The length of the Gate 13. cubits Length here is the height of the Gate it was 13. cubits high Vers 12. The space also before the little Chambers was one cubit and the space one cubit on that side c. There was gebul a border or space of a cubit on each side of the Chambers and yet before them and the Chambers on each side were alike 6. cubits a piece Vers 13. He measured then the Gate from the Roof of the one little Chamber to the Roof of another the breadth was 25. cubits door against door These Chambers were not continued nor contigual there was the space of 5. cubits between them and of 25. cubits in that breadth was between them as they stood opposite one to another Vers 14. He made also Posts of 60. cubits even unto the Post of the Court round about the Gate Posts of this length some think incredible and therefore divide these cubits between the Posts on each side the Porch which reach up unto the Posts of the outward Court making them 30. cubits a piece Some make these Posts of 60. cubits to be the Cloister which being supported by Posts was 60. cubits long Vers 15. From the face of the Gate of the entrance unto c. From one Gate to the other were 50. cubits and the Porch of the Inner-gate 10. cubits We are to make progress in the Temple and not to stand still Vers 16. Of the Windows There were several Windows in this Structure which was presented to our Prophet as appears vers 16 22 25 29 33