gather thee Berachamim gedolim When God gathers his out of Babylon a state of confusion that is mercy and when he brings them into Sion to behold the order beauty and glory thereof that is great mercy and God will not leave them there but go on with them and heap great mercies still upon them see Isa 49.18 19 20 21 22 23. Jer. 32.37 38 39 40 41. Secondly Observe Justification is a gracious act of God upon a sinner I will sprinkle clean water upon you It s Gods prerogative to forgive and blot out sins Mark 2.7 Isa 43.25 and this he doth freely it s an act of grace and mercy Rom 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace Now in this act nothing is done in a sinner there is no grace infused no change made in the heart by it there be no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therein it s upon a sinner justifying grace is subjectively in God objectively on man for its a judicial act of God which puts nothing into the creature Rom 3.22 It s upon all them that do believe Thirdly Observe The bloud of Christ applyed by the Spirit of God is efficatious to free sinners from the guilt of their sins and of all their sins of what bind soever they be I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean Their sins were great very great they were guilty of bloud oppressing the widow and fatherless of idolatry of despising and profaning holy things Ezek 22.8.26 They were under the guilt of all crying and notorious sins Ezek 16.47 worse then Sodom or Samaria then the Nations Ezek 5.7 yet the Lord would cleanse them by the bloud of Christ there was virtue in that to cleanse them from their old spots from their deep guilt yea from all their guilt they should be clean from all their filthinesses As water washeth all the filth out of a cloath so doth the bloud of Christ all sin out of the soul 1 Joh 1.7 The bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin the guilt of our thoughts words acts neglects there is no sin defiles the conscience so but the bloud of Christ will purge it away Heb 9.14 Chap 1.3 Christs bloud is of great virtue it purges away all sin and procures peace Coloss 1.20 So that being justified by his bloud we shall be saved from wrath as it is Rom 5.9 Fourthly Observe All sin defiles and makes guilty before God yet some sins defile more then others and make more deeply guilty God would cleanse them from all their filthinesse from every sin that had poluted them and made them guilty and from their idols which had made them more deeply guilty Idolatry hath more guilt adhering to it then many other sins that 's a sin breaks Covenant with God deposes God and sets up an Idoll in his stead Verse 26. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh THis is another great promise even a promise of Regeneration and in it there is considerable 1. The party promising I I I I. 2. The things promised 1. A new heart 2. A new spirit 3. Removall of the stony heart 4. An heart of flesh 3. The parties to whom the Lord will do these things You You You. 4. The manner of Gods doing these things which is by giving putting and taking away A new heart also will I give you By heart in Scripture is signified the judgement and understanding Eph 4.18 The will and affections Prov 23.26 and the conscience 1 John 3.20 all which are here comprehended in the word heart New notes sometimes that which is for substance new totally new as new ropes Judges 16.11 12. A new wife Deut 24.5 New gods Deut 32.17 And sometimes that which is only for quality new as the new Moon Isa 66.23 From one new Moon to another The Moon is not new for substance but renewed with light new in regard of quality so New tongues Mark 16.17 They had not their old Tongues plucked or cut out of their mouths and other new ones put in but these Tongues they had before had new Languages put into them new gifts and graces Here then by A new heart is not intended one new for substance or nature of it but the same heart altered for the qualities of it renewed and indued with other qualities then it had before such qualities are wrought in the heart that a man thereupon is said to be regenerate or born again John 3.3 5 6 7. and to be a new creature Gal 6.15 This new heart lyeth not in those common gifts which many have yet without alteration in their hearts Judas had a covetous an earthly an old heart notwithstanding those great gifts he had He could cast out Devils and heal all manner of sicknesses Matth 10.1 4. And those Matth 7.22 23. Who had the gift of prophesie of casting out Devils and working wonders had no new hearts for Christ sends them going for workers of iniquity but it lyeth in grace infused which is a principle of light and life supernatural and permanent Man since the fall of Adam is in a state of darknesse and death Ephes 5.8 Chap 2.5 and when grace is infused that brings light and life unto the heart John 8. â—2 it s call'd The light of life and when a blind heart sees a dead heart lives there is a great and glorious alteration so that it is become a new heart it hath a new principle which is supernatural and permanent call'd The Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Divine to shew the supernaturalnesse of it and Nature to shew the permanency of it And a new spirit will I put within you These very words we had Ezek 11.19 where they were largely opened New spirit there was interpreted to be those excellent qualities and graces God put into the soul and shewed upon what account they were call'd Spirit and New Here I conceive a new spirit is added Exegetically being the same with a new heart This new heart or new spirit causeth the partie in whom it is to look at God as a Father and so to honour him Mal. 1.6 To love him 1 John 5.1 To fear him 1 Pet. 1.17 To yield obedience to him Rom 6.17 1 Pet 1.14 15. Patiently to bear his chastisements Heb 12.6 7 8 9. To eschew sin and work righteousnesse 1 John 5.18 Chap 3.9 10. To acknowledge how he hath offended him Luke 15.18 To pray fervently unto him Rom 8.15 To be like unto him in mercifullnesse and doing of good Luke 6.36 To delight in his wayes and to have communion with him and his Son Christ 1 John 1.3 To worship him in spirit and truth John 4.23 To be thankfull alwayes unto him for all things Ephes 5.20 To live nobly and spiritually minding the things of Heaven Rom 8.5 1 Pet 1.14 John 3.6 2 Cor
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
with wealth honor greatness and such things as may puffe up trees by waters grow high and men in the midst of great means are in great danger to do so Neither their Trees stand up in their height all that drink water The Margent hath it or stand upon themselves for their height and so the sense is plain that none of the Trees should exalt themselves or stand upon themselves their own strength wealth and greatness they should not rest in themselves please themselves If we take the words as they are in the verse the sense is much the same neither their trees stand up in their height all that drink water that is Let none that have means despise others that are inferiour or let them not stand up in their height it will be but for a season and they must be cut down For they are all delivered unto death to the nether parts of the earth in the midst of the children of men with them that go down to the pit All the Assyrians were delivered up to the Chaldaeans to be slain by them or all the Princes Nobles and great Ones they shall dye go down into the earth among the meanest where no difference will be made therefore rich Ones great Ones should not exalt themselves above others or stand upon their height First Observe Pride and wickednesse causes God to bring dreadfull judgements upon Kings and their Kingdomes Because the King of Assyria's heart was lifted up in his height therefore God delivered him into the hand of a mighty enemy and drave him out for his wickednesse When Princes are in the seat of honour have great means coming in then they look big begin to Deifie themselves to do what they list not minding him who exalted them but confiding in their own strength power and greatnesse which makes way for their speedy ruine Solomon tells us that a man shall not be established by wickednesse Pro 12.13 Kings by their wicked pollices and practices cannot establish themselves their wickednesse overthâ—owes them their pride provokes God against them Da 4.25 It s good for Kings others to be humble in the midst of their injoyments and the greater abundance that they do possesse Qui humili est an mo dignus est honore Divinitas quiescit super eo Buxtorph to carry it still the more humbly for he that is of an humble mind is worthy of honour and hath God dwelling with him Secondly Observe God hath instruments for the doing of his work whatever it be and such instruments as will do it to purpose He had an Assyrian Cedar to cut down which was very great whose top was in the Clouds whose Boughes extended very farre in whose branches the Fowls did make their Nests and under whose shadow dwelt all great Nations and now who shall dare to meddle with this Cedar Yes the Lord had One that durst attempt and doe it he had a mighty One of the Heathens a God of the Nations into whose hand he delivered the great Cedar and he in doing did unto him all the mind of God he cut him down and laid him low Let Trees be deeply rooted grown exceeding great and high yet God hath Hewers to hew down such Trees Dan. 4.14 Thirdly Observe When great Trees are cut dâ—wn many other Trees suffer with them When Kings fall they break and undoe many When the King of Assyria was cut off his Nobles and great Ones yea all sorts suffered by him Vpon the Mountains and in all the Valleys his Branches are fallen his Boughs are broken and all the people of the Earth are gone down from his shadow All his Provinces Princes People met with hard things When Zedekiah was taken and carryed away captive did not the Princes Nobles and People suffer grievous things see 2 Kings 25. Jer 52. In our dayes we have seen many suffer by the fall of the King Fourthly Observe Neither Princes Nobles nor other People can tell who shall enjoy their wealth The King of Assyria had great revenues the Assyrians were well watred a rich people but who got all their wealth The Chaldaeans strangers the terrible of the Nations upon his ruine shall all the Fowles of the Heaven remain and all the Beasts of the field shall be upon his Branches Little did the Assyrians dream that the Chaldaeans should have their Jewels Gold Silver Plate Linnen Habitations and Lands Many hord and heap up for their enemies Many men are rich well fraught like Ships at Sea but whose hands their wealth may fall into they know not David calls it a vanity and its a deep excessive vanity that men disquiet themselves in heaping up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them Psal 39.6 Whether their children or strangers friends or foes Solomon was vexed to think he must leave all he had got or done he knew not to whom whether a wise man or a fool Eccles 2.18 19. Fifthly Observe God doth therefore destroy Kings and Kingdomes that rich Ones great Ones and all sorts may take heed of their sins pride wickednesse and self-confidence God cuts off the great Cedar the King of Assyria to the end that none of all the Trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height nor stand upon themselves for their height let them not slight other Trees which are not by the waters that are not so Bulky Branchy and Leavy as themselves nor conceit that their wealth and greatness will always last Vers 15. In the day when he went down to the grave I caused a mourning The word for Grave is Sheol which among other things signifies the state of the dead as Gen 37.35 saith Jacob I will go down into the Grave unto my Son By Grave he meant not Hell nor the Grave in a proper sense for he was perswaded some wild Beasts had devoured him but the state of the dead and so here when this high Cedar was cut down when the King of Assyria was slain and went down to the Grave that is the state of the Dead I caused a mourning Then there was a sad change trading ceas'd barrennesse came upon all the Land the Towns and Cityes were not frequented I covered the deep for him and I restrained the Floods thereof and the great waters were stayed If we take the words litterally the sense is the Sea and Rivers seem'd to mourn at the destruction and fall of this Cedar and so if you take the deep floods and waters for his riches abundance and great revenues they seem'd now to put on Sackcloath their Lord and Master being dead now there was no more flowing of those waters The deep the Rivers and waters had contributed to the greatnesse of the Cedar and they were affected with his fall I caused Lebanon to mourn for him In the 3d verse the Assyrian was call'd a Cedar in Lebanon and when this Cedar fell he made the rest of the Trees in Lebanon to put on black the word is Akdin
which signifies to make dark obscure black all the Trees in the Assyrian Empire or in that part of Lebanon which belonged thereunto I caused to be affected with the fall of this Cedar And all the Trees of the field fainted for him All other Kings saith Maldonate not only Kings but all sorts were involved in this common calamity they were so sensible of their sufferings thereby that they fainted the word for fainting is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to cover for grief and Metaphorically to faint When grief is great then it causeth deliquium animae Vers 16. I made the Nations to shake at the Sound of his fall When high and great Trees fall they make a great noise and so did this King when he fell his own Subjects and other Nations were much troubled at his fall When I cast him down to Hell with them that descend into the pit In ver 15. it s said he went down to the Grave or Hell and here that God cast him down to Hell it s the same word God brought him from his height to the state of the dead he made him like those that were in the pit And all the Trees of Eden the choice and best of Lebanon all that drink water shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth Those Kings and others which were gone before into the pit he speaks of as living and watered Trees when they should see this great Cedar cut down and brought into the same condition with themselves they should be comforted in that state they were in that is the common condition of great and small The Hebrew for choice and best of Lebanon is the Election and goodness of Lebanon Vers 17. They also went down into Hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword Those Trees before mentioned their condition was like theirs who were slain with the sword and so was this Assyrians he was cut off from all his glory and greatnesse and laid amongst the slain And they that were his arm that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the Heathen His Princes Nobles Councellours Souldiers and Confederates these suffered with him and had some comfort that they had him with them in the Grave or in Hell The Septuagint for those words were his arme read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his seed his posterity and friends were cut off with him First Observe The greatest Princes and Powers in the world have their day to leave their greatnesse and go down to the dust In the day when he went down to the Grave The King of Assyria had his day to come down from all his height and glory and to lye among the slain some dye natural some violent deaths be they great or small dye they must It s appointed unto men once to dye Heb 9.27 And as some have their day to grow high and great in the world so their day to descend into the Grave and be no more in the eye of God then a stinking carkasse Secondly Observe When great Monarchs and Princes are cut off the Lord fills all with mourning fainting and shaking When the Assyrian went down to the Grave the Lord caused a mourning made changes and alterations at Sea and Land He made Lebanon to put on black the Trees of the field to faint and Nations to quake at the sound of his fall so was it when the King of Tyrus was destroyed Ezek 26.15 16. ch 27.35 When the gods of the earth are slain and dye like men the earth and all other creatures have a kind of sense thereof and are affected at changes Thirdly Observe When great Oppressors and Tyrants fall it affords some kind of comfort to the dead All the Trees of Eden the choice and best of Lebanon all that drink water shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth c. You have this livelyly set forth Isa 14.9 10. Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming it stirreth up the dead for thee even all the chief Ones of the Earth it hath raised up from the Thrones all the Kings of the Nations All they shall speak and say unto thee art thou also become weak as we art thou become like unto us Whether this was Senacherib Nebuchadnezzar or Belshazzar it matters not whoever he was he was a great Tyrannicall Prince and when he fell the dead rejoyced at it and comforted themselves that he was become like unto them Vers 18. To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatnesse among the Trees of Eden yet shalt thou be brought down with the Trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the Earth thou shalt lye in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword this is Pharoah and all his multitude saith the Lord God This verse is the Application of the former example unto Pharoah The Protasis was from the 3. verse hither and in this 18. is the Apodosis The same Question is put here to Pharoah whâ—ch was in the 2. vers To whom art thou like in glory and in greatnesse among the Trees of Eden Look about Pharoah thou seest that thou art not like to the Assyrian in Lebanon Well who among the Trees of Eden art thou like for glory and greatnesse it may be thou equallest some of them be it so yet thou must be brought down with them to the nether parts of the earth to the Grave or to Hell thou that art like them in sinning must be like them in suffering Thou shalt lye in the midst of the uncircumcised In Cha. 28.10 It was said of the Prince of Tyrus Thou shalt dye the death of the uncircumcised that was without any hope of eternall life and here it 's said of Pharoah Thou shalt lye in the midst of those that are uncircumcised that is He should lye in a hopelesse and perishing condition of soul and body for ever as those did who were not in Covenant with God This is Pharoah and all his multitude saith the Lord God This is his condition and the condition of his Princes Nobles and People whatsoever thoughts he or they may have of themselves this must be their end Observe God teaches men by the examples of others what they must look for Here by the Assyrian Cedar the Aegyptian Pharoah is taught what to expect He being like the Assyrian in his sins had no cause but to conclude that Assyrian judgements would befall him What was he for his pride and wickednesse driven out destroyed brought down to the Grave Hell and an everlasting suffering so must I my wayes being the same with his like sins call for like judgements As the Assyrian was set out for the instruction of Pharoah so God sets up Pharoah for the instruction of all Princes and People to the end of the world This is Pharoah and all his multitude CHAP. XXXII Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. And it came
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
in the world been dreadfull unto others and go down to the Grave in pomp or not shall afterward bear-their shame and sin The mighty Ones of Ashur of Elam of Meshech Tubal Edom those of the North and Zidon who were a terrour in the Land of the living some of them were buried in pomp they went down to Hell with their weapons of war and they had their swords laid under their heads others had no Funerals or no pomp at them but they all did bear their shame and their iniquities were upon their bones they lived wickedly oppressed grievously played the Devills on the earth they bear their shame and God punished them for their iniquities Tyrants are feared and honoured as gods while they live but being dead their names do stink and their torments are terrible Potens potenter punientur proportioned to the power they have abused and mischief done by them Fifthly Observe Externall priviledges profit not Princes nor People unlesse they be Godly they must perish like those that want those priviledges The Edomites were circumcised which was a great priviledge in Pauls account Phil. 35. a sign of the Covenant between God and his people Gen 17.11 But because they and their Princes were wicked circumcision profited them not they were laid with the uncircumcised they had no more favour from the hand of the Lord then his worst enemies then those that were out of covenant and open enemies unto him Let men take heed how they rest upon their priviledges and professions it is not Baptisme being in a Church injoying of Ordinances having of gifts high notions and admirable expressions will advantage men or women at last unlesse they be really Godly a thousand such priviledges will do them no good Gal. 6.15 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new Creature Verses 31 32. Pharoah shall see them and shall be comforted over all his multitude even Pharoah and all his army slain by the sword saith the Lord God For I have caused my terrour in the Land of the living and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are slain with the sword even Pharoah and all his multitude saith the Lord God IN these two verses is the conclusion of this Prophesie Lamentation or Funerall of Pharoah and the Egyptians which is the comfort he shall have amongst those mighty men and Princes before mentioned and this is in the 31. verse And then the end of Gods judgements upon Kings and People vers 32. Vers 31. Pharoah shall see them and shall be comforted When Pharoah shall come to Hell or the Grave and see what Kings Princes and multitudes of people are there suffering such things as himself must this shall comfort him that he hath such companions and so many To lose his life kingdom and people were sad things bitter afflictions but when he saw others had done so before him and they as great as himselfe this was as a Cordial unto him Pharoah and all his army slain by the sword Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon came shortly after this prophesie against him and the Egyptians and made a great slaughter amongst them cutting off man and beast from the Land as was said Chap. 29.11 Vers 32. For I have caused my terrour in the Land of the Living Junius reads the words when I shall put my terrour Montanus because I have put my breaking in the Land of the Living a Preter Tense for a Future The sense is this when I shall cut off Pharoah and his army by the Babylonish sword this judgement of mine upon them will cause terrour in the Nations that are living they will be afraid of my judgements Pharoah made them afraid by his wars and I shall make them afraid by my judgements First Observe The comfort that wicked ones have after death in Hell is poor comfort its imaginary comfort rather then reall What comfort is it to see many in Prison in torment suffering proportionable punishment for their iniquities Pharoah shall see them and shall be comforted he shall see the Kings of several Countries there the great Tyrants of the world and shall be punished like unto them his comfort was in conceit but his punishment in reallity Polanus calls it Crudele solatium Cruel Comfort For a King to be in Fire and Brimstone with other Kings People to be weeping and gnashing of their tee h with others is cold and cruel comfort Many flatter themselves that if they dogo to hell they shall have companions there which will be some ease but it rather wil aggravate their misery to hear their dreadfull howling and yellings their cursing one another that ever they knew each other Secondly Observe God cuts off Kings and Nations by his just judgements that he might strike fear into the living cause them to cease from sin and learn righteousnesse When Pharoah and all his Army were slain by the sword then the Lord sent his terrour in the Land of the living then the Nations far and nigh trembled at the severe judgements of the Lord. Such judgements are awakening things and call aloud to the Inhabitants of the earth to repent and reform their wayes CHAP. XXXIII Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. Again the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man Speak to the children of thy people and say unto them when I bring the sword upon a Land if the people of the Land take a man of their Coasts and set him for their watchman If when he seeth the sword come upon the Land he blow the Trumpet and warn the people Then whosoever heareth the sound of the Trumpet and taketh not warning if the sword come and take him away his bloud shall be upon his own head He heard the sound of the Trumpet and took not warning his bloud shall be upon him but he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul But if the watchman see the sword come and blow not the Trumpet and the people be not warned if the sword come and take any person from among them he is taken away in his iniquity but his bloud will I require at the watchmans hand OUR Prophet having finished his prophesie against the Nations in eight Chapters from the 24. to this 33. which was the second Generall part of his whole prophesie comes here again to prophesie unto the Jews and begins the third General part of his prophesie which extends to the end of the 39. Chapter In this Chapter are these things laid down 1. A Renovation of the Prophets call to his Office with the Description thereof from the 1. verse to the 10. 2. A Confirmation of the Prophet against the calumnies of the Jews from the 10. to the 21. 3. A Denunciation of judgement against those that were not smitten at the taking of Jerusalem from the 21. to the 30. 4. A Reproof of those that were captives in Babylon for their hypocrisie and covetousness from
a great burden A stone saith Solomon Prov 27.3 is heavy and the sand weighty but a fools wrath is heavier then them both and guilt is heavier then them all A wounded spirit who can bear Prov. 18.14 What is guilt then with punishment but a consuming a devouring thing When David had sinned and Gods hand was upon him what saith he Psal 38.3 There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin Mine iniquities are gone over my head◠as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me v. 4. I am feeble and soar broken I have roared by reason of the disquietnesse of my heart v. 8. Gods hand and his own guilt did eat up his spirit and bring him to the gates of death this made him to say Psal 39.11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth The word for beauty notes that is desireable in man whatever is desireable that melts away when God doth visit man for sin A little touch of a mans hand crusheth the wings and hazards the life of the moth a little touch of Gods hand where guilt is marrs the beauty strength and desireables of man Secondly Observe Sinners under sad judgements are apt to despond yea to despair If our transgressions and our sins be upon us and we pine away in them how should we then live They had greatly sinned against God stood it out against his Prophets threatning judgements and now the judgments were come upon them their hearts sunk within them and they conclude there is no mercy for them our sins are great Gods judgments heavy upon us he is resolved now upon our destruction and what course soever we shall take all is in vain What these said in Judaea the like said they in Babylon Ezek. 37.11 Our bones are dryed and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts We are like the bones in a Grave that have all the marrow dryed out of them or like a branch of a Tree cut off and all the sap dryed out of it there is no hope we should ever live go to Jerusalem and grow there again into a Church or State Not only the wicked but even a Godly man may be in a desponding yea a desparing condition as David himself Psal 31.22 I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes Thou wilt never look upon or favour me more So Asaph Psal 77.7 Will the Lord cast off for ever will he be favourable no more is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore hath he forgotten to be gracious c. What sad expostulations were these of a good man Thirdly Observe The cavills objections and unbelief of sinners put God unto his oath As I live saith the Lord it s not so as you fancy I have told you that if you turn from your evill ways you shall live that I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner Ezek 18.21 22 23 27 28 31 32. But ye believe not my word ye cavill against it and say ye shall pine away in your sins that what course soever ye take ye shall not live Men are backward to believe the word of God and deal worse with God then with man they will give credit to an honest man upon his word but not to God yea how many do believe the Devils suggestions and delusions who is the father of lyes and will not believe the word of God and what a harsh thing is it that men will not attribute so much to God as to the Devil Eve took the Devils bare word in Paradice she put not him to his oath when he said ye shall not dye your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods knowing good and evill She believed him presently But men will not take Gods bare word they put him to his oath As I live saith the Lord. It s a great thing for God to speak but more for him to swear he that made the world with a word is not believed upon his word he must take his oath upon it so that it stands God in more to be believed in the world then it did to make the world his single word sufficed for the one his oath was required for the other O beatos nos quorum causa Deus jurat O miserr imos si nec juranti Domino credimus Tertul Si non credimus promittenti Deo credamus juranti Deo Jerom And here appears the great goodnesse of God that for the good of man will please to take an oath O happy we for whose sake God swears O most unhappy we if we believe not God swearing Having therefore Gods word and oath let us believe firmly and stagger no more Fourthly Observe Sinners in what condition soever they be have no cause to despond or despaire of mercy so that they turn from their evill wayes Let them be great sinners old sinners sinners under judgements ready to be destroyed and cut off by the hands of enemies as these were yet if they turn from their sins there is hope of mercy for them For First God takes pleasure rather in their conversion and salvation then in their death and destruction I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked-turn from his way and live If a State say to a company of its Subjects who are Traytors and upon trayterous designs I have no pleasure in your wayes which lead unto death but my pleasure is that you turn from them and live is not here a large door of hope opened unto them whatever their Treasons be Secondly Least men being deeply guilty should suspect the reallity of God herein for guilt is full of jealousies the Lord sweares to it and that by his life which is the most unquestionable thing of all for none doubts whether he be the living God As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure c. So that here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods word and oath two sufficient bonds to secure it Thirdly Here is Gods command and earnest desire of their turning Turn ye turn ye from your evill wayes When a mans servant is abroad in some dangerous design and his Master commands him again and again to leave it off and come home to him or if the servant be in a deep water and the Master sees he will be drown'd if he come not back again he calls to him and commands him to return is not this an argument that he seeks his good and would have him safe Fourthly God sets the strongest arguments before them that can be thought of life and death If ye go on there is no hope of mercy you must dye if you will turn here is life ye shall live here is great mercy They are not left unto uncertainties whether they shall
the Inhabitants of them and if he did but call they came to his Standard presently The Princes of the Earth find it an hard business to get a great Army together and wait long for it after great consultation how to effect the same but the Lord only calls and iâ—'s done He is the Lord of Hosts he hath command of spirits and can with ease in a little time gather a vast Army The Centurion when he said to his servant Come he came and when God shall say to men Come they will come they must come out of all parts from all mountains Fifthly Observe As God can easily gather Armies for the good of his Church so he can as easily ruine Armies which are against his Church he can mingle a perverse spirit amongst them so divide them that they shall execute one another Every mans sword shall be against his brother One Goggite should destroy another they thought to have destroyed Gods people and they fell one upon the other 2 Chron. 20.22 23. The children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir came against Judah and thought to destroy them and take their possessions but God soon ruined their enemies he set them one against another for the children of Ammon and Moab stand up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir utterly to slay and destroy them and when they had made an end of the Inhabitants of Seir every one helped to destroy another the Ammonites destroyed the Moabites and the Moabites the Ammonites This great multitude for so they are called ver 2. did the Lord cause to fall by their own swords How easily did God scatter the Army of the Syrians which besieged Samaria He made them to hear a noyse of Charets and Horses whereupon they fled for their lives and left bag and baggage 2 King 7.6 7. Did not God at the prayers of a Christian Legion in the Army of Marcus Aurelius Emperour scatter and destroy that vast Army of the Marcomanni and Quadi which consisted of 977 thousand He sent rain at the same time to relieve the Emperours Army which was in danger of perishing by thirst and also thunder lightning and fiery hail which ruined the enemies God can with great facility overthrow the greatest Armies Sixthly Observe God hath variety of means and wayes whereby to destroy Armies and punish Enemies He hath the pestilence bloud an overflowing rain great hailstones fire and brimstone to do the same by He had an Angel to destroy Sennacheribs Army Isa 37.36 Stars to fight against Sisera Judg. 5.20 The shining of the Sun upon the water undid the Moabites 2 King 3.22 23 24. The sound in the tops of the Mulbery-trees did the Philistines no good 2 Sam 5.24 God hath Natural Casual and Divine means to plague his enemies with though they be in great Armies Seventhly Observe Those who joyn with Great ones in wicked enterprises must look to suffer grievous things with them I will rain upon him and upon his bands and upon the many people that are with him They thought themselves safe under Gog that they should get honour and wealth in that enterprize but the undertaking was unwarrantable Gog could not justifie his act nor protect them They were Co-actors in wickedness and so should be Co-sufferers It 's dangerous to adhere to Greatness in wicked designs Though hand joyn in hand the wicked shall not be unpunished Prov. 11 21. Let multitudes take Gog and Great men by the hand let them follow their counsels tread in their steps do their wills this cannot secure them they shall be punished God is no respecter of persons in every Nation he that doth wickedly and they that joyn with him shall be punished Vers 23. 23. Thus will I magnifie my self and sanctifie my self and I will be known in the eyes of many nations and they shall know that I am the Lord. THis Verse shews the end of Gods destroying Gog and in such a manner viz. That God may be honoured and known Thus will I magnifie my self The Septuagint and some others read the words passively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be magnified but Hith gaddilti is I will magnifie my self or I will make my self great and that is done when God doth such things as declare his Power his Faithfulness and his Justice when the Lord should execute his dreadful threatned-Judgements upon Gog then his great Power would appear that he had the Command of all Creatures that vast Armies are nothing to him so his Faithfulnesse to his people who owned him for their God and his Justice in destroying those would have destroyed his And sanctifie my self God is not unholy or polluted at any time but he is said to Sanctifie himself when he declares himself to be not Impotent not Unfaithfull not Unjust but a Powerfull Faithfull Righteous and Holy God Observe The end of Gods judgements upon the wicked is that he may be known and acknowledged among the Nations and so have a great and holy Name God is known by executing of judgements Psal 9.16 Known not to be like unto men as they conceived Psal 50.21 or a God that sees not as they said Ezek. 8.12 or a God countenancing and preferring evill-doers as they affirm'd Mal. 3.15 But to be a dreadfull God as when he visited Ananias and Sapphira for their sins Great fear came upon all that heard thereof Act. 5.11 To be an holy God as 1 Sam. 6.20 when he smote the Bethshemites 50000 of them with sudden death it was said Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God by his judgements he hath made his Name dreadful among the Heathen What a great and holy Name did the Lord make to himself by the destruction of Pharaoh and his host in the Red-sea CHAP. XXXIX Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 1. Therefore thou son of man prophesie against Gog and say Thus saith the Lord God Behold I am against thee O'Gog the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal 2. And I will turn thee back and leave but the sixth part of thee and will cause thee to come up from the north parts and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel 3. And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand 4. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel thou and all thy bands and the people that is with thee I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured 5. Thou shalt fall upon the open field for I have spoken it saith the Lord God 6. And I will send a fire on Magog and them that dwell carelesly in the isles and they shall know that I am the Lord. 7. So will I make my holy Name known in the midst of my people Israel and I will not let them pollute my holy Name any more and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord the holy One in
that robbed them It 's incident to all People and Nations to spoil and rob the People of God and so these Goggites and their Confederates they compassed the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City saith John Rev 20.9 In all ages the Church hath been made a prey of by one or other but the time shall be when it shall spoyl her spoylers and rob her robbers First Observe God will give Victories to his Church and People which seem incredible Here is pointed out such a Victory as is full of wonders and matters incredible Their number is as the Sand of the Sea and all of them Horsemen and cloth'd with all sorts of Arms Chap 38.4 yet conquer'd Their weapons serve for seven years firing and their bodies are seven moneths in burying as it follows in vers 12. Will not this be a wonderful Victory Do not these things seem incredible God of old gâ—ve great and strange V ctories to his People as the drowning of Pharaoh in the Red Sea the slaying of Senacherib's vast Army in a night by an Angel Great Victories since Christ his time have been The Christians have had signal Victories against the Turk And Sanctius tells you of a wonderful Victory which the Spaniards had against the Saracens when at one Battail they slew two hundred thousand of them and lost but twenty five men but when ever this overthrow of Gog shall be it will exceed all former Victories Secondly Observe The Lord makes that advantageous to his People which their Enemies intended to damnifie and ruine them by The Bows Arrows Hand-staves and Spears shall serve the Saints for fuel with which the Goggites thought to destroy them The Sword of Goliah with which he thought to have slain David and many Israelites was afterwards given into the hand of David and serviceable unto him 1 Sam. 21 9. The wise and wonderful Providence of God so over-rules and orders things that it makes Instruments of death the comforts of life The Chariots of Sisera that came for destruction were to the Jews for use and recreation Thirdly Observe After the over-throw of Gog and Mâ—gog Antichrist and his Adherents the Church of God shall have great peace All their weapons of warr shall be burnt they shall make head no more against the Saints After the devouring of Gog and Magog by fire from Heaven Rev. 20.9 The gates of the New Jerusalem were never shut Rev. 21.25 They feared no Enemies they had great peace Fourthly Observe The People of God shall have a day of recompence for the wrongs and injuries they have sustained They shall spoil those that spoiled them and rob those that robbed them The Goggites of the world do fleece the Servants of God eat their flesh suck their bloud and gnaw their bones but the day is coming when the wicked shall be a spoil and prey unto them which sets out the righteousness of God in his wayes and judgements What can be more equal then that he who spoils should be spoyled See Isa 33.1 Woe to thee that spoilest and thou wast not spoiled and dealest treacherously and they dealt not treacherously with thee when thou shalt cease to spoil thou shalt be spoyled and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously they shall deal treacherously with thee Vers 11 12 13 14 15 16. 11. And it shall come to pass at that day that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel the Valley of the passengers on the East of the Sea and it shall stop the Noses of the Passengers and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude and they shall call it The Valley of Hamon-Gog 12. And seven months shall the House of Israel be burying of them that they may cleanse the Land 13. Yea all the people of the Land shall bury them and it shall be to them a Renown the day that I shall be glorified saith the Lord God 14. And they shall sever out men of continual imployment passing through the Land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the Earth to cleanse it after the end of seven moneths shall they search 15. And the passengers that pass through the Land when any seeth a mans bone then shall he set up a sign by it till the Buryers have buryed it in the Valley of Hamon-Gog 16. And also the name of the City shall be Hamonah thus shall they cleanse the Land HAving spoken of the great over-throw which Gog and his should have and the great spoil the Israelites should get thereby Now the buryal of the dead carkasses and their bones comes under consideration where we have the place of the buryal the time how long they shall be burying the persons by whom the name of the place Vers 11. And it shall come to pass at that day that I will give unto Gog a place there of Graves in Israel When Gog and his Forces shall be slain lye exposed to the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Field for a season then will the Lord give unto them a burying place they shall not alwayes lye putrifying above ground but they shall be laid in graves so that they shall neither be a prey to Fowls and Beasts nor offensive to Man alwayes This was favour that God should give his Enemies Sepulchres in Israel The Vulgar and Septuagint have it A place of Name or Renown putting Shem for Sham. It was honour enough for them to have graves there in Israel This honour had not Antiochus The Valley of the Passengers on the East of the Sea What Valley this was is not agreed upon by Interpreters Some affirm it to be a Valley near unto the Lake of Gennezareth or Sea of Tiberias others inform us it 's about Jordan some say it 's on this side Jordan some say on that side It 's most probable to be a Valley near the Salt or Dead-Sea where the five Cities Admah Zeboim Segor Sodom and Gomorrah were consumed by Fire and Brimstone now call'd Lacus Asphaltites There as Junius notes men passed from Syria Mesopotamia Babylon and other Countries into Arabia foelix and Egypt whereupon it was call'd the Valley of Passengers and lay Eastward from Jerusalem as the next words shew on the East of the Sea that is on the Eastern Sea The Sea of Tyberias lay Northward but Mare Mâ—â—tuum lay Eastward And it shall stop the Noses of the Passengers Such a stink shall be in that Valley as shall cause the Passengers to stop their Noses or Mouths or both The Spirit of God may have some respect unto the Lake Asphaltites which sent forth poysonous and suffocating vapors so should the dead bodies of Gog and his send out such a loathsome infecting savour as Travailers should stop their Noses as not being able to indure the same There shall they bury Gog and all his multitude Though Gog had a buryal in the Land of Israel yet it was not in the
Beasts which was another judgement added to the former and the greater to the Heathen because they thought their souls did wander up and down upon the Earth nisi corpora fuissent humata as Tertullian saith The Athenians had the buryal of the dead in such honour that if a Captain neglected to bury the dead which fell in warr they punished him with death for it It is a great ignominy to lye unburyed Hence the Beast when the Witnesses were kill'd would not suffer their bodies to be buryed but let them lye in the Streets that so they might be the more ignominious Sixthly Observe God provides for the brute and dumb Creatures and that abundantly Every feathered Fowl and every Beast of the Fiâ—ld shall be filled at my Table God doth not only feed the Creatures but sometimes feasts them This World is Gods Family whercin are millions of living Creatures and not one of them is neglected of God Psal 145.15 16. The Eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season they have their Break-fast Dinner and Supper and lest we should conceit one hath too much another too little it follows Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing he satisfies the Fishes of the Sea the Beasts of the Earth and Fowls of Heaven How should this teach men to depend upon God not giving way to distrust or discontent Matth. 6.26 Behold the Fowls of the Air saith Christ for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into Barns yet their heavenly Father feedeth them Are ye not much better then they He saith not the Fowls of the House they are cared for but The Fowls of the Air that have none to look after them unless it be Fowlers to take away their lives neither do they know where to get the next meal when they have gotten one nor what hole or bush to lodge in at night yet their heavenly Father provides for and feeds them Does he take care of such Creatures and will he not take care of you Yes certainly he will and why ye are better then they ye are rational they irrational ye are his sons they his servants Vers 21 22. 21. And I will set my Glory among the Heathen and all the Heathen shall see my Judgement that I have executed and my Hand that I have laid upon them 22. So the House of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward THe Lord having declared what destructive judgements he would bring upon Gog and Magog he comes here to make known the end of his so dealing with them viz. the manifestation of his glory amongst Heathens and his own People Vers 21. I will set my Glory among the Heathen I will give my Glory saith the Hebrew that is I will cause it to be evident amongst them By Glory understand the glory of his Justice and Power All the Heathen shall see my Judgement that I have executed These words give light to the former The Heathen seeing the dreadful judgements of God upon Gog and his should acknowledge the Justice and Power of God And my Hand that I have laid upon them They shall not only have a bare sight but experimental knowledg they shall find themselves concern'd therein and feel the hand of God heavy upon them for the strength wealth liberty and glory of the Heathen will be much impaired if not totally ruin'd by the overthrow of Gog. Vers 22. So that the House of Israel shall know that I am c. They did know the Lord to be their God before but this signal stroke of God upon their Enemies being a signal mercy unto them should so ingage them unto God that from that time forward they should afresh and eminently acknowledge God to be their God and none to be like unto him that he will not desert them in their streights but be their Deliverer First Observe The great end of Gods judgements upon sinful men is his Glory I will set my glory among the Heathens and all the Heathen shall see my judgement c. God doth therefore execute judgement that he may be glorified When sinful people will not give glory to God for his Mercies he will fetch glory out of them by his Judgements They are the work of his hand and what ever that be it 's honourable and glorious Psal 111.3 Not only his works of Creation but those of Judicial Providence Upon what Nation soever Army or Navy the Lord shall lay his hand he will work out his glory thereby that is the end of all his works and judgements Secondly Obsérve Dreadful judgements upon the wicked are ingaging mercies unto the godly So shall the hâ—use of Israel know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward The hand of God upon Gog and his should so affect their hearts that they should experimentally know and say The Lord is our God he hath laid low our enemies he hath freed us from their Insultations Threats Oppressions he is our Deliverer our Saviour our Redeemer Isai 25.9 It shall be said in that day Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation When God executed severe judgements upon the enemies of his people then were their hearts thus affected and engaged unto the Lord then they rejoyced in God their Saviour and said He will save He hath saved us and he will save us When the godly see that great judgements upon their enemies are great mercies unto them their faith is advanced thereby and they are perswaded God will never leave them their hearts are warmed and they cannot but own and praise him Vers 23 24. 23. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity because they trespassed against me therefore hid I my face from them and gave them into the hand of their enemies so fell they all by the sword 24. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them and hid my face from them THe Heathen had base and blasphemous thoughts of God they imagined he was not able to keep his people out of the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and his gods to vindicate himself therefore the Lord tells them the true cause why they were carried into Captivity namely for their iniquity It was not Impotencie in God but Iniquity in them which caused it 23. The house of Israel went into captivity for their Iniquity The Hebrew is the house of Israel were led into Captivity in their Iniquities God took them in their Iniquities and carried them away into Captivity in them or for them Boavonam the Septuagint saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their sins their crooked and perverse doings Because they trespassed against me The word Magnal or Maal signifies Stubbornly and Contemptuously
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
the Gentiles are in and of the Church of God The Gentiles had repentance granted to them unto life Acts 11.18 6. The tenders of mercy and invitations to Sion were first to the Jews and after to the Gentiles The Land of Canaan was first for Israelites and then for Sojourners Christ first tendred himself and all Gospel means unto the Jews John 1.11 Mat. 23.37 he sent his Disciples first to them Matth. 10.5 6 7. afterwards to the Gentiles Mat. 28.19 Hence said Paul and Barnabas Acts 13.46 It was necessary that the Word of God should first be spoken unto you but seeing ye put it from you lo we turn to the Gentiles The Jews were the seed of Abraham the friend of God Isa 41.8 They were his first-born Exod. 4.22 They were the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant and to them God first sent his Son to bless them Acts 3.25 26. 7. That one and the same inheritance belongs to the beleiving Jew and Gentile the same land was both the Jews and the strangers to inherit which prefigured their being in one and the same Church their having the same priviledges the same interest in Christ there is one and the same inheritance to both Col. 1.12 Give thanks to the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light All the Saints have but one inheritance and that is reserved in heaven 1 Pet. 1.4 This inheritance was typified by the â— and of Canaan So then the partition wall is broken down between Jews and Gentiles all former differences are taken away and they are no more two but one they are both one one new man one body Ephes 2.14 15 16. Jew and Gentile are so united as if there had been no distinction between them Col. 3.11 There is neither Greek nor Jew circumcision nor uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond nor free but Christ is all and in all The Lord Christ by his death and sufferings hath reconciled those who were at the greatest enmity CHAP. XLVIII Verse 1. Now these are the names of the Tribes from the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon as one goeth to Hamath Hazar-enan that border on Damascus northward to the coast of Hamath for these are his sides east and west a portion for Dan. 2. And by the border of Dan from the east side to the west a portion for Asher 3. And by the border of Asher from the east-side even unto the west a portion for Naphtali 4. And by the border of Naphtali from the east-side unto the west-side a portion for Manasseh 5. And by the border of Manasseh from the east-side unto the west-side a portion for Ephrahim 6. And by the border of Ephrahim from the east-side unto the west-side a portion for Reuben 7. And by the border of Reuben from the east-side unto the west-side a portion for Judah BEing come through the assistance of God to open the last Chapter of Ezekiels prophesie we have in it three parts 1. An assignation or destribution of particular portions to each Tribe in the first seven verses and in 23 24 25 26 27 28.29 verses 2. A description of the offering or holy portion of Land as it it is called chapter 45.1 with the bounds and parts allotted 1. To the Sanctuary ver 8 9. 2. To the Priests ver 10 11 12. 3. To the Levites ver 13 14. 4. To the City and suburbs v. 15 16 17 18 19. 5. To the Prince ver 21 22. Thirdly A description of the City 1. From the dimension of it on each side v. 30. 2. From the gates of it v. 31 32 33 34. 3. From the compass of it v. 35. 4. From the name of it ibid. Concerning the destributions of the Land to particular Tribes they differ much from those were made in Joshuahs days then the Tribe of Benjamins lot was between Judah and Joseph as it is Josh 18.11 but in this Chapter Benjamins lot is between Judah and Simeon vers 22 23 24. Then the Tribe of Simeon had its lot within Judah Josh 19.19 Here it is out of Judah and next to Benjamin v. 24. And so of other Tribes their lot is otherwise in this visional destribution of Ezekiel then it was formerly and many things he had concerning the Temple Sacrifices the lot of the Prince Priests and Levites which Solomon never had and never were had under the second Temple and therefore pointed out the change of Mosaical and Levitical ways and led to a new state of the Church Vers 1. These are the names of the Tribes from the North end c. Of the Twelve Tribes seven were in the North and five in the South as they are set down in this Chapter and the portion of the Sanctuary Priests Levites Cities and Prince lay between the Tribes thus divided Dan is the first Tribe mentioned in Ezekiels division it was not so in Joshua's then Dan was the last Tribe which had his portion as is evident Josh 19.40 49. and because it was too little for them the men of Dan took Leshem or Laish named it Dan and so enlarged their borders This Tribe first fell from God and imbraced Idols for after they had gotten Laish they set up a graven image Judg. 18.29 30 31. and therefore this Tribe is left out of the catalogue when the other Tribes are mentioned 1 Chron. 7. and Rev. 7. In the prophetical blessings of Jacob Dan and Issachar were in the midst Gen. 49.14 16. Here Dan is in the front which gives us to consider 1. The truth of what our Lord Christ hath given out Matth. 19.30 The last shall be first Dan was the last and here he is the first he hath the honor and preheminence above the rest David was the youngest and last of Jesses sons and he was made the first being anointed to be King by Samuel 1 Sam. 16.11 12 13 14. Those workers in the vineyard the Lord ordered that his Steward should pay the last first and the first last Matth. 20.8 16. Mark 10.31 Luk. 13.30 There are last which shall be first the Gentiles were last in the Jews account but God made them first and there are first which shall be last the Jews were first in their own eyes but they were made last and of no esteem in the eyes of God Luk. 18.14 The publican who was last in the account of the Pharisee was first in the account of God 2. Those that have deserted God and his ways gone far and long from him may find mercy repent and be received to favour These Danites met with mercy from God repented them of their Idolatry and returned to him again else they had never been honored so far as to be set in the first place When great sinners come unto God who were looked upon as the last and worst of men God doth not onely pardon them but oft-times honors them and makes them the first as Paul Acts
Jews say he is not come 197 143 279 604 Ministers preachers it s their lot to be ill spoken of 163. God notes what said against them 194. men may be much affected with them and yet be hypocrites 169. but as songs to many hearers 170. otheâ— thoughts will be of them in time 172 true ones come in spirit and power 424. of Gods counsel and co-workers 424 425 maintenance due to them 592. should have accommodation and good pravision 232. not go out to worldly imployments 334. what frame of spirit when we approach to God 335. they have Christ standing by them when at Temple work â—49 must first see themselves before they shew to others 359 should make known Christ crucified 372. they must attend and set their hearts upon things 384. what ones shall be honored 391. what they ought to be 3â—2 393. other frame of spirit when come to God ibid. they ought to be maintained 398. should be careful what they eat 399. must look for hardships of 555. they are fishers â—7â— catch fish of all sorts â—73 Month one of the months the first of it 37 Mourn we may mourn when judgements are upon enemies of the Church 83 84 Mountain how taken 222 Mount Moriah 284. mount Sion what and why 287 288 Christ the mountain of God 372 Multitude no warrant for our way 153. they go the wrong way 272 273. joyns against Christ 496 Mouth opening of it what it imports 142. freedom of speaking is from God 145. what to magnifie with the mouth 268 N NAme prophaning Gods name two ways 299 grievous to occasion the blaspheming God name 302 what his name signifies 305 what to sanctifie it 305. its holy 307. prophaning it sticks and God will vindicate his name 308. For his name sake he doth much 309 Names occasionally given to places 251. God doth great things for his namesake 273 when sanctified 274 Nation God can reconcile divided nations 494 Nephesh how taken 148 Nets 67. God hath nets to catch Whales and great fish 69 New-moons what they point out 534 Nilus how made dry 15 No what kind of City 21 Noph a City famous 19 O OAth Gods oath 117 Obedience should be more now then of old 540 Oblations to the Prince what meant by them 415 Occasions some glad of occasion against God and his ways 302 Offering burnt-offering what it notes 305. other offering and sacrifice what they import ibid. Meat-offering sin-offering trespass-offering 333 334 419 Offices and Officers in the Church are onely to be set up by the Lord 107 216 Ordinances of the Temple what 363. why made known 366. they must be well heeded 284 285. vide Divine things how we should come unto them 419 Own mens own sins ruine them 301 P PAin what it notes 4 Palm-trees described 303. what for ibid. more of them 213 214 319 Pardon after it come other mercies 391 Pathros A Country or City 28 Pattern men must keep to Gods pattern 364 Pavement what it points out 300 301 Peace great peace when 245. in times of it men forget God and sin 274. those at peace with God must neither be carnal nor cruel 377 People Thy people 89. when people have power to set up an Officer 106. like sheep in five things 177. Gods people are under their enemies 230. they are safest of all 233. God hath a people he owns is with 242 243 dealings with them are distinguishing and convincing 243. God eyes how hearts of men are to his people 252 by their own sins they bring desolation 274. God deals differently with his own people and others 293. provident for his ibid. have the best at last 244. happiness of a people wherein 377. Gods people are sometimes heartless and hopeless 444. are cared for in the most broken and meanest condition 455. shall have a day of recompence 245. if they sin shall smart for it 265. they must worship God publiquely 5 8 Perseverance crowns 132. who will persevere 368 Pillars of the Temple not all alike 328 Place Mercy and judgement in the same place 238. the most holy place what it notes 316 3â—7 Pledge what 130 Plenty easily made by God 381. it s from him 382. Plots secret in time Break out 213. God is angry with those who plot against tâ—e Church 225 Pomp in what 76 Porches for what 297. we are in a porch State 308 Posts what and setting them by the Lords 356. Gods posts what why so named ibid. Preists their office number signification 307. to approach unto the Lord 331. well provided for 332 come in holy garments 334. High-priests what to be have and do 380. typed Christ ibid. their sins 385 386. corrupt deposed 389. their vertues 192. their heads and hair 393. when not drink wine 394. their marriage ibid. rules for them in other things 395 396 397 Prince not to meddle with things of God 532. to maintain his worship ibid. he must worship God ibid. not impede his worship 533. must walk as God wills 536 to be bountiful to whom 543. not to covet or oppress ibid. Nothing can secure wicked princes 26. they ought to protect their Subjects 47. have their day to leave their greatness 58. their deaths affect much ib. wicked ones great troublers 66. Great Princes being enemies to the Church how God their enemy 495. the High-priest or Christ 308 406 407 410 his entrance by the gate 381. he and his estate should be for the preservation of the whole 406. in portion 407. what they should be 409. covetous and cruel 412. should do justice 413. tied to laws of God ibid. more expected from them then ordinary 540 541. Prejudice hard to be removed 139 Priviledges profit not without godliness 94 Promises made good if the condition be performed 152. Gods promises and mercies free 388. shall take effect 397. to be sued out by prayer 401 Prophets must not spare Princes 66. things are revealed to them by degrees 83. what they threaten comes to pass 172. men shall have other thoughts of them ibid. they will be witnesses at last against hearers 173. Prophets moved by the Spirit 424. true ones come in Spirit and power ibid. do difficult things 425. put upon strange employments 434 directed to answer questions 456. not all recorded they delivered 217. God owns honors protects them 218 they must reveal what is revealed to them 290 Prophesies of God shall take effect 397 Prosperity dangerous 274 Q QValities evil make men like brute creatures 65 Qualifications not found but where wrought by the Spirit 359 Question God can silence man with a short Question 426 R RAdah what rule it notes 181 Recompence to the godly for their wrongs 245 Reed the measuring reed 285. what 291. men must not bring their reeds to measure by 292 Religion and righteousness should go together 372. nothing to be done in it on mens heads 376 Renown that Christ and the Church hath is from the Lord 239 Repentance when specially it
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
watchman And so in the Church-State if the wicked man be warned of his way and turn not from it he shall dye in his iniquity his bloud lyes at his own dore upon his own head the watchman is free Fourteenthly Observe There is great necessity that the watchmen deal faithfully and tell the people of their danger and sin Their souls their bloud lye at stake upon it if they be not faithfull their lives their souls go for it Those watchmen that are silent are cruel bloudy and soul-murthering men they murther the souls of the people and their own souls also those that speak that cry aloud that tell the people throughly of their sins not fearing their frowns nor respecting their favours that so if it be possible they may save their souls these are the most faithful watchmen Many wonder that the spiritual watchmen are so zealous particular that they open the nature of sin so much threaten such terrible judgements of God against sinners and preach damnation unto them that they are so frequent in such wayes but cease to wonder their souls are in jeopardy if they do it not If a mans whole estate were in hazard if he did not tell such a man that he were a lyar a drunkard and would he forfeit his estate through silence No he would tell him of his sins again and again The watchmans soul lyeth at pawn and he forfeits that if he should not tell sinners of their sins and warn them to turn from them Hence was it that Paul said Necessity is laid upon me and we unto me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 he preached and warned sinners night and day Acts 20.31 Lastly Observe That the watchmen warning the people and the people taking warning they do both secure themselves If the watâ—hman Politicâ—l or Spiâ—itual blow the Trumpet warn the â—â—ople he shall deliver his own soul if the people take waâ—ning they deliver their souls Safety lyes in warning and it hearkning to waâ—ning let not the watchmen of God be sleepy or silent but warn the people constantly that so they may save themselves and others Verses 10 11. Therefore O thou Son of man speak unto the house of Israel Thus ye speak saying if our transgressions and our sins be upon us and we pine away in them how should we then live Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye dye O house of Israel HEre begins the second Generall part of the Chapter which is a confirmation of the Prophet against those Calumnies the Jews made against the truth and justice of God The first is in the 10. vers The second in the 17. and 20. verses The Calumnie they raised against the truth of God was this in the 5. verse its said he that takes warning when the watchman gives it shall deliver his soul this said the Jews had not truth in it for Chap. 24.23 The Prophet had told them they should pine away for their iniquities therefore there was no hope for them though they took warning at the watchmans mouth we are appointed to destruction and it s in vain to mind what the watchman saith This is answered in the 11. verse But to open the words Vers 10. Therefore O thou son of man speak unto the house of Israel God had set Ezekiel to be a watchman unto the house of Israel to observe their sins and tell them thereof and here he commands him to do his duty speak unto the house of Israel thus The house of Israel was not now the 10 Tribes but the 2 Tribes left of the 10. If our transgressions and our sins be upon us Jerusalem being now taken or upon the taking the Jews were more sensible of their sins and so felt the weight of them in that sad judgement was upon them or coming upon them By transgressions and sins not only the guilt but the punishment of them is meant they had felt much in the time of Jerusalems siedge and more now in the taking of it God visited their iniquities upon their heads And we pine away in them When Gods hand is upon persons for their sins they consume and moulder away the pain and anguish they are under melts their fat eats up their strength and brings them to skin and bone Nemakkim it is from Muk or Makak which is to grow lean to become feeble to be dissolved in Mareorem into corruption or rottenness How should we then live The Jews seeing Jerusalem now in the enemies hand and themselves going into captivity speak desparingly saying We are like never to see good day but must pine away under the judgements that are upon us how should we then live its in vain to warn us and tell us of repenting and turning to the Lord we must dye in the condition we are in Vers 11. Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God This oath of God hath been spoken of Chap. 16.48 Ch 5. vers 11. It s the oath which God most uses Life is the most precious of all things and that God swares by as sure as I live or am the living God it is true which I say or let me not be the living God if I speak false you think I am a hard Master that you shall pine away in your sins and find no mercy though you should repent and return you are greatly deceived As I live saith the Lord c. He swares not by a truth that was question Numb 14.11 Nor by his Omnipotency for that was doubted of Ps 78.19 but by his life which was never in questioned The Learned observe that when this word Chai is referred to God so that himselfe swares or men sware by him it s written with Patach under it as here and in other places but when it is referred to men then it s written Chai with Tzere as Gen 42.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the life of Pharaoh or as sure as Pharaoh lives So in 2 Sam. 11.11 You have them both together in 1 Sam. 20.3 Chai Jehovah vechei Naph shecha As the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that c. The Septuagint reads the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will not The Vulgar is Nolo mortem impit I am unwilling the wicked should dye the French ie u'appette point I covet not am not greedy of the death of the wicked Junius Si delector If I delight in the death of the wicked Vatablus Piscator Non delector I delight not in the death of the wicked or I am not delighted therewith Montanus hath it Si volam in morte impii If I shall will in the death of the wicked for so runs the Hebrew Im Echphotz bemoth Harashang The word Chaphetz signifies to
base ones but the chiefest and so drink their bloud Of Rams of Lambs and of Goats of Bullucks all of them Fatlings of Bashan By these Metaphorical expressions are set out the dead carkasses of men who were of several dispositions and qualities some were like Rams and Lambs others like Goats and Bullocks some were sweeter and more tender flesh then others Rams and Goats or great Goats as the Hebrew word signifies were Leaders Lambs and Bullocks were those under the Leaders All of them were well flesh'd and fat like the Kine of Bashan Bashan was an high Hill Psal 68.15 beyond Jordan which yielded strong Oaks and fat Cattle Ezek. 27.6 Amos 4.1 Vers 19. And ye shall eat Fat till ye be full and drink c. The Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Field are resembled unto Men at a Fâ—â—st where having meat and drink which likes them 〈◊〉 eat and drink plentifully The fat flesh and bloud of men is sweet and so pleasing to Fowls and Beasts which should cram and fill themselves therewith Vers 20. Thus ye shall be filled at my Table The word for Table is Shulcan from Shalach to send because it 's sent out or extended at length so that it may contain many dishes and guests may sit down thereat to feed upon those dishes The Mountains of Israel were the Table here the Carkasses of Men were the Dishes the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Field the guests Such plenty and variety of dishes they should have as had not been seen at any Table before every Guest should be fill'd With Horses and Chariots with Mighty Men and all Men of Warr. In the Hebrew it is With Horse with Chariot with Mighty Man and all Man of War all singulars put for plurals here is declared who are meant by Rams Lambs Goats and Bullocks in the 18. verse Horse-men Chariot-men Men of Might yea all Men of Warr. Saith the Lord. Lest it should be thought an incredible thing the Lord ratifies it saying Thus saith the Lord God Jehovah who is able to make such preparations for the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Earth hath said it and will do it First Observe That all Creatures are at the command of God and ordered to do this or that according to his wise Providence Speak to every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field Were not these creatures at the beck of the Lord and subject to his over-ruling Providence it had been in vain for Ezekiel to have spoken so unto them In the 1 King 17.4 God commanded the Ravens to feed Elijah and they did come and bring him meat Morning and Evening duly v. 6. Psal 50.11 It 's said God knows all the Fowls of the Mountains and he calls them to what service he pleases He call'd tor Quails to satisfie the lustings of the Israelites Numb 11.31 God asked Job the question Whether the Eagle moun-fed up at his command Job 39.27 implying that though man hath no command over the Fowls of Heaven yet himself hath And so over Fishes and Beasts Jon. 1.17 Chap. 2.10 The Whale came and went at Gods command and did the service he appointed Levit 26.22 I will send wild Beasts amongst you which shall rob you of your children And this he did 2 King 2.24 The Lord caused two shee-Bears to come out of the Wood and destroy 42. of their children God is the Lord of Hosts and can command an Army of Creatures at his pleasure to benefit his Servants or to plague their Enemies Secondly Observe God doth execute some great and signal Judgement when he summons the Creatures to eat the Flesh and drink the Bloud of the Slain Oft-times the Bodies of Jews and Gentiles have been given for meat unto the Fowls and Beasts as Jer. 7 33. and Chap. 34.20 Ezek. 29.5 But they have not been summon'd and call'd by open Proclamation as here it is The Prophet must speak to every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field and say Assemble your selves and come Gather your selves on every side Such a Proclamation you have but twice more in all the Scripture once in Jer. 12.9 Come ye assemble all the Beasts of the Field come to devour he speaks of that great destruction of the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar The other place is Rev. 19.17 I saw an Angel standing in the Sun and he cryed with a loud voyce saying to all the Fowls that flie in the midst of Heaven Come and gather your selves together to the great Supper of the great God that ye may eat the flesh of Kings and the flesh of Captains and the fl sh of Mighty Men and the flesh of Horses and of them that sit on them and the flesh of all men both free and bond both small and great This place runs parallel with Ezekiel and sets out the greatness and signalness of Gods Judgements upon the Enemies of the Church And it 's conceiv'd by some to be the very same Judgement Ezekiel speaks of viz. that of Gog and Magog Thirdly Observe It 's matter of delight and pleasure unto God to destroy the Enemies of his Church and People Come to my Sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you The Jews took great pleasure in sacrificing of Creatures unto God 1 Chron. 29.21 22. And God was well pleased with Sacrifices Gen. 8.20 21. Here he calls the destroying of Gog and Magog his Sacrifice his Feast or Table he took as much delight in their slaughter as in any Sacrifice or in any Feast Wicked men are Bryers and Thorns and God hath as much pleasure in the cutting down the one as the Husbandman hath in cutting down the other God delights in acts of Judgement as well as in acts of Mercy Isa 48.14 He will do his pleasure on Babylon and his arm shall be on the Chaldaeans The destruction of Babylonians and Chaldaeans God calls His pleasure the Hebrew is Chephzo Voluntatem ejus his will It 's Gods will to destroy all the Enemies of Sion and the doing of it pleases him Fourthly Observe God is impartial in his Judicial Dispensations he punisheth the great Delinquents as well as the lesser Mighty men Princes those that ride in Chariots Rams great Goats are slaughtered and given to the Fowls and Beasts aswell as the inferior sort the men of War Lambs and Bullocks They were all in the same confederacy in the same warr against the Land of Israel and God winked not at the greatest nor spared the meanest but made them all a Sacrifice God is a righteous God and executes his judgements without respect of persons Let not great men flatter themselves they will not be exempted when God comes forth to judgement though they be Princes Fifthly Observe Great men and vulgar ones also may be a prey to the Creatures and lye without burial for a season Princes Mighty men and others after their death lay upon the Mountains of Israel and had their flesh eaten and bloud drunk by Fowls and