which Vatablus calls opulentos ex plebe the wealthiest of the People or those have the choice offices and places in the City Burn all the bones under it By Bones here divers Expositors understand the bones of the innocent Prophets and others who were slain unjustly Those the Prophet bids them to burn under the Pot and that to manifest the cause of Gods great wrath against and just destruction of the City But this interpretation of bones suits not with the scope of the place Which is not to disquiet the bones of the innocent and lay punishment upon them but to revenge their death The bones here are to suffer as well as the flesh wee may understand these words thus Let flesh and bones boyle together and when they are so boiled that all the flesh and fat is taken from the bones then burn them that is when all the wealth places honour are taken from the rich then let them be destroyed by Famine Plague or Sword and that is the burning of the bones Let nothing of them or theirs bee spared but let all bee consumed Or thus boile the fat ones in the Pot and burn the poor under it they are like bones without flesh make them instrumental to consume the rich and doubtlesse in the famine they were like a fire devouring the flesh in the Pot. And make it boile well The Hebrew is Rattach retacheah which Montanus renders Fas ebullire ebullitiones ejus make its boilings to boile boile it throughly There bee old tough peices in the Pot which will not easily or suddainly bee boiled they will require a hot and continued fire therefore Buxtorf interprets the words fac ut vehementer ferveant see that the boilings be very hot The Chaldaean Army were not the bones and fire under this metaphorical Pot but the bellows rather to blow up and increase the fire And let him seeth the bones of it therein The Hebrew is Let the bones thereof be sodden in the midst of it and the stream of interpreters carry the words plurally and so it suits best with the words going before make it boile well and let the bones thereof bee sodden in the midst of it that is let them bee throughly sodden Bones are strong things they require more than ordinary seething especially if old and there bee many old bones in the Pot many hardned sinners many stout spirits amongst the Souldiers Princes Nobles and others but let them bee soundly boiled in this Pot of affliction and that will make them tender The Vulgar is Discoct a sunt ossa illius in medio ejus that is the bones are boiled till the flesh and they are sundred they are throughly boiled and Vatablus makes this the sense of it Fortissimi quique conficiantur in ea obsidione let the strongest and stoutest men bee slain and consumed in that siedge Obs 1 The sinfulnesse of men hath occasioned God to give out much Scripture Speak a parable to the rebellious God took occasion from their rebelliousnesse to give forth this Parable and many others Much of Jeremy and our Prophet was occasioned to see the world by the wickednesse of the Jews Sinne accidentally occasions good Sinne made way for Christ and as for him so for much if not the greatest part of the holy Scriptures Obs 2 Teaching by Parables is warrantable God sends and commands the Prophet to utter a Parable Isaiah Jeremy Zachary were not without Parables Christ was abundant in them The Parables they used were taken from ordinary things known and familier such as were obvious to the senses as here from a Pot water peices of flesh bones c. Hereby the mind memory are much inlivened and stronger impression made upon the heart ch 22.18 all they are brass and Tin and Iron and Lead in the midst of the Furnace and here they were as flesh and bones in the midst of the Pot. Obs 3 The judgements of God upon places makes them Pots in which hee boiles sinners Now Jerusalem was a Pot over the fire The Babylonish Forces were round about it dreadful Calamities upon it multitudes in it who were like peices of flesh in a boiling Pot what boiling thoughts fears cares distractions discontents were amongst them we may judge what boiling was therein by the Armies lying near this City and being in readinesse to come upon it Obs 4 That God at his pleasure commands judgements upon places Set on a Pot pour water into it make Jerusalem miserable with Plague Famine and Sword if hee speak the word the thing must bee done whatever hee calls for takes place Jerusalem that was a Paradise must now become a boiling Pot. Obs 5 That when Gods judgements are abroad hee meets with all sorts of men the Fat and Lean the strong and weak the rich and poor when the Pot is on the fire God will have the choice peeces and choice ones into it the shoulders the thighs the choice bones Prince Nobles men in place of wealth as well as the poor and lean ones Obs 6 When God is boiling of sinners in the fire of his judgements he will boil them to purpose Make it boile well and let the bones thereof be sodden in the midst thereof This Pot was boiling not a few hours daies or months but a year and half 2 King 25.1 2 3. So when God made Samaria a boiling Pot 2 King 17.5 he boiled the sinners in it three years together God so boiled them there and these here that he made the proudest and stoutest of them to stoop yea all of them to become meat to their enemies Vers 6 Wherefore thus saith the Lord God woe to the bloudy City to the Pot whose scum is therein and whose scum is not gone out of it bring it out peice by peice let no lot fall upon it 7 For her bloud is in the midst of her she set it upon the top of a rock shee poured it not upon the ground to cover it with dust 8 That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance I have set her bloud upon the top of a rock that it should not bee covered Here the Lord comes to interpret the Parable denouncing a fearful woe to Jerusalem and giving the grounds thereof which are 1 Her Bloudinesse with the aggravation thereof vers 6 7. 2 Her unprofitablenesse under judgements when shee was boiling her scum abode with her went not out of her 6 Woe to the bloudy City Jerusalem was guilty of much bloud Ezek. 22.3 4 6 9 12 13 27. 2 Chron. 21.16 Jerusalem was now as bad as Nineveh which Nahum 3.1 is called the bloudy City and hath the same woe denounced against it By blood not only murther but also other notorious wickednesses which deserved death are to bee understood Ezek. 7.23 the Land is full of bloudy crimes Of such sinnes for which men ought to bee cut off Vide loc To the Pot whose scum is therein whose scum is not gone out of it
us fetch the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us that when it commeth amongst us it may save us out of the hand of our enemies But God had a day quickly after that to deprive them of it vers 11. The Ark of God was taken the Philistims took it and slew thirty thousand footmen Ephraim gloried in his children but God had his time to pluck them away Hos 9.11 12. Their glory shall flee away like a bird from the birth and from the won be and from the conception though they bring up their children yet will I bereave them and there shall not bee a man left their priding themselves in their children and increase made the Lord to diminish them hee took his times for that purpose when Jonas idolized the gourd the Lord had his day to smite it Jon. 4.7 Jacob was over fond of Joseph and God had his day to send him far from him Gen. 37. Obs 3 That when God is most angry executing his severest judgements then even then some are spared some finde mercy When the Lord should take away the Temple City their Sonnes and daughters and make good all the dreadful threatnings given out by Jeremy and Ezekiel against the Jews by Plague Famine Sword Wilde Beasts which was as black and sad a time as ever they saw even then some escaped Hee that escapeth in that day It was hard for any to escape when such an Army of Babylonians so cruel and bitter had lain so long round about Jerusalem watching as Lyons for the prey yet some did escape Jeremy saith Lament 2.22 in the day of the Lords anger none escaped or remained hee doth not mean absolutely none for himself escaped and divers others his meaning is that they were few in comparison of those who suffered Since the beginning of the World hath it been heard that God was so severe in any judgement executed upon the Sonnes of men as to shew no tokens of Mercy when hee drowned the World hee shewed great mercy to Noah and his Family when hee consumed Sodome and Gomorrah to ashes hee gave Lot and his Daughters their lives for a prey and when hee made Jerusalem here a spectacle of his vengeance hee made an out-let and escape for some he is a God that in wrath remembers mercy and doubtlesse in that great overflowing and drowning made in the low Countries at this time as he hath shewed much severity so he hath not forgotten mercy Obs 4 God at his pleasure puts singular honour upon his faithful servants the Prophets Hee tells Ezekiel that when hee shall have accomplished what hee had prophesyed against Jerusalem that hee should bee informed thereof that hee would give some or others their lives for a prey that they might bring him tydings thereof and so lift up his head against all his adversaries who looked upon and counted him a false Prophet Herein was great honour put upon the Prophet hee that escapeth shall come unto thee to cause thee to hear it c. So God honoured Abraham in telling him what hee was about to do unto Sodome Gen. 18.17 Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do no hee is a Prophet a friend of mine my faithful servant and hee would not conceal the matter from him So Amos 3.7 The Lord revealeth his secrets to his Servants the Prophets hee sends a messenger unto them even his holy Spirit to acquaint them with what hee is doing and with what hee hath done so hee sent an Angel to Joseph to tell him that Herod was dead who sought the life of the young child Mat. 2.20 Obs 5 God hath his times of shutting and opening the mouths of his Prophets Thou shalt speak and bee no more dumbe after this time the Prophet was as a dumb man towards the Jews because they beleeved not his Prophesies entertained him not as a Prophet but sleighted mocked and scorned him for those unusual Passages of his which the Lord put him upon therefore the Lord took him off from being a Prophet unto them he had no more word for them the false Prophets went on still but the true Prophet is silenced mens sinnes do cause the Lord to stop the mouths of his Prophets their unbeleef unprofitablenesse perverse constructions they make of what is said and done by them their hearkening to lies errors and vain visions of false Prophets do discourage them and cause them to bee silent Thus Peoples untoward carriages made Jeremy resolve to bee silent and Preach no more in the Name of the Lord Jerem. 20.9 The Prophets then had and the Prophets now have great discouragements and cause enough to bee silent and God may cause them to bee as dumb unto them removing them into corners or taking them away the peoples sinnes rob them of spiritual mercies Ezek. 3.26 I will make thy Tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth that thou shalt be dumbe and shalt not be to them a reprover for they are a rebellious house Their sinne deprived them of Prophesy and made the Prophet dumb Let us look to it that our sinnes deprive not us thereof and make our Prophets dumbe God may in justice make them dumb to us and open their mouths to others If you would still hear the Prophets speaking unto you let the Lord see you practising what they present unto you in his name yea let the Lord hear you praying for them and then see what is written and promised Isa 30.19 20 21. then your Teachers shall not bee removed into corners but your eyes shall see them and your ears shall hear them Obs 6 That Prophets when they are discouraged silenced and become signes unto the People they are to be patient waiting upon the Lord to make good what they have spoken in his name and for the opening of their mouths again Ezekiel was a sign unto them being silenced and discouraged hee was patient expecting that God should accomplish what hee had prophesyed and open his mouth again which hee did In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him that is escaped CHAP. XXV Vers 1 The word of the Lord came again unto me saying 2 Son of Man set thy face against the Ammonites and Prophesy against them 3 And say unto the Ammonites hear the word of the Lord God Thus saith the Lord God Because thou saidst Aha against my Sanctuary when it was prophaned and against the land of Israel when it was desolate and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity 4 Behold therefore I will deliver thee to the men of the east for a possession and they shall set their Palaces in thee and make their dwellings in thee they shall eat thy fruit and they shall drink thy milke 5 And I will make Rabbah a stable for Camels and the Ammonites a couching place for flocks and yee shall know that I am the Lord. 6 For thus saith the Lord God because thou hast clapped thine
whom it seems meet unto him v. 5. Obs 5 Cities and places which are hâ—nourable among men for their sinnes God poures contempt upon and puts them into base conditions Rabbath that was a royal City hee makes a stable for Camels Isa 13.19 20 21. Babylon the glory of kingdomes the beauty of the Chaldees excellency shall bee as when God overthrew Sodome and Gomorrah wilde beasts of the Desert shall lye there and their houses shall bee full of doleful creatures Owles shall dwell there and Satyres shall dance there for Satyres the Chaldee saith Dragons Jerome Devils So spiritual Babylon Rev. 18.4 It s fallen it s fallen and become the habitation of Devils and hold of every foule spirit and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird Rome that was so famous is or shall bee a base contemptible place a dungeon for Devils a prison for foul spirits a cage for the worst of Birds Have not the Palaces of Prelates and their Cathedrals been made stables for horses in our daies and Prisons for malefactors Vers 8 Thus saith the Lord God because that Moab and Seir do say bâ—hold the house of Judah is like unto all the Heathen 9 Therefore Behold I will open the side of Moab from the Cities from his Cities which are on his frontiers the glory of the Countrey Beth-jeshemoth Baalmeon and Kiriathaim 10 Unto the men of the East with the Ammonites and will give them in possession that the Ammonites may not be remembred among the Nations 11 And I will execute judgements upon Moab and they shall know that I am the Lord. In these verses you have our Prophet denouncing judgements against the Moabites Where comes to be considered 1 Their sin v. 8. 2 The Judgements themselves v. 9 10. 3 The End of those judgements v. 11. 8 Because that Moab The Moabites were brethren to the Ammonites descending from Lot and his eldest Daughter Gen. 19.37 as the Ammonites did from him and his youngest they abode not in the waies and worship of the true God long but fell to idolatry Judg. 10.8 were bitter enemies unto the Jews Balack that hired Balaam to curse them was King of these Moabites Numb 22.4 they were men of might Exod. 15.15 and had the Jews under eighteen years in the days of Eglon another of their Kings Judg. 3.14 whom Ehud slew and after him ten thousand of the Moabites all men of valour v. 21 22 29. they infested the Jews much and oft were there warres between them and the Jews 1 Sam. 14.47 2 Sam. 8.2 2 King 3.7 2 Chron. 20.10 11. In their land Moses dyed and was buried Deut. 34.5 6. from them descended virtuous Ruth ch 1.4 of whom also Christ came Mat. 1.5 And Seir. Seir was a part of Edom Gen. 32.3 the land of Seir the Country of Edom or feild of Edom it was a mountainous part of Edom Gen. 14.6 it s called Mount Seir and that from Seir the Horite Prince of the country as Bonfrerius observes from Gen. 36.20 The Horites or Horims were driven out by Esau Deu. 2.22 So that he and his posterity possessed it having that name before Esau was Seir an hairy rough man and that place was mountainous and rough where hee sate down The house of Judah is like unto all the Heathen The Jews said they have stood upon 't that their God was the only true God better and mightier than all the Gods of the Nations that they were a people so dear to him that he would defend them and their City having his Temple his Worship his Prophets Isa 4.5 chap. 31.5 but wee see their Prophets are Lyars they are deluded with vain considences and their God hath forsaken them hee hath not dealt better by them than our Gods have done by us he hath exposed yea delivered them into the hands of their bloody and barbarous enemies So that Judah is like unto all the Heathen who have not met with worse usage from the Babylonians than the Jews themselves have Thus Moab blasphemed and magnified himself against the Lord deriding Israel and skipping for joy Jer. 48.26 27. 9 I will open the side of Moab from the Cities c. The word for side is Chetheph which signifies a shoulder and metaphorically the side or strength of any thing Here by side is meant the strong Cities of Moab the Frontier towns which were as the shoulders and sides to the Countrey These God would open hee would break their ribs and shoulders and make way into the heart and bowels of their Countrey Jer. 48.25 The horn of Moab is cut off and his Arm is broken Moabs hornes and armes were his Frontier Towns Castles and Forts hee had to keep out the enemy but the Lord would break these by the Chaldaean and let him into their Land The Glory of the Countrey The Hebrew for Glory is Tzebi from Tzabah tumescere inflare To swell to be lifted up because those things which are our glory and ornament usually do puff us up and make us to swell The Cities here mentioned were the glory of the Moabites Beth-jeshimoth This City was neer Jordan in the plain of Moab between which and Abel-shittim the Israelites pitched their last tents before they entred into Canaan Numb 33.49 it was part of Reubens inheritance at first Josh 13.20 and signifies domum solitudinis The house of solitarinesse Baal-meon This was another City belonging unto them it s mentioned Numb 32.38 1 Chron. 5.8 The Septuagint renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the Fountain Eusebius saith it was a great village Juxta montem calidarum aquarum nigh a mountain of hot waters Bonfrerius interprets it Habitaculum Baalis Kiriathaim It was in the Tribe of Reuben Josh 13.19 formerly possessed with Gyants Gen. 14.5 rebuilt or beautified by the Children of Reuben Numb 32.37 and after the ten Tribes were carried away who had driven out the Amorites the Moabites repossessed it Vide Bonfrerium being formerly expelled thence by the Amorites The word signifies Occursus meetings or two Cities because two Cities met together in it 10 Unto the men of the East with the Ammonites c. God would make way through Moabs chief Cities for the Babylonians who were men of the East that they should come in and take their Countrey in possession The Hebrew for with the Ammonites is against the Sons of Ammon God would so deal with the Moabites as hee had done with the Ammonites The Men of the East should come and take possession of both their Countries That the Ammonites may not bee remembred among the Nations God would so spoil and waste the Nations of the Moabites and Ammonites that not onely themselves should perish but the memory of them 11 And I will execute judgement upon Moab They think I am a God like the gods of the Nations but they shall finde my hand so heavy upon them bee so broken and ruined that they shall know I am far different from all the
reverently Gods Name is great glorious excellent holy and dreadful and ought to bee reverenced Psal 111.9 3 When Occasion is given to the wicked to speak evil of God and his waies as 2 Sam. 12.14 David by his sinnes gave great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme So Ezek. 36.21 the Jews by their sinful carriage caused the name of God to bee prophaned among the heathen Had the Lord then destroyed this people in Egypt according as he purposed the Egyptians and other Nations would have slighted him spoken evil of his doings blasphemed his name and wounded his honour Therefore though this people deserved to dye in the way of justice yet God spared them in the way of mercy for the honour of his name Quae. Seeing God purposed to destroy them and did it not is not his will alterable and inefficacious Ans The Counsels Purposes Decrees of God are unalterable and do take place Psal 33.11 Isa 14.27 ch 43.13 ch 46.10 Mal. 3.6 Heb. 6.17 for that said and done here it s more humano God saw cause sufficient to move him to their destruction but seeing what evil was like to come on 't he would not destroy them had the Lord decreed it before the world it must have taken place no change or alteration could have been Before the Heathen The Hebrew is in the eies of the Heathen God would not have them to see or behold any thing which might occasion them to dishonour him hee would not slay his people in their sight but made himself known by his word and mighty works unto the Jews in the sight of the Heathen so that hereby he was known unto both Obs 1 The Lord spares and saves sinners deserving death even for his name sake but I wrought for my name sake thou for thy Rebellion Idolatry and other sinnes didst deserve to dye and I could almost have cut thee off but for my mercy and name sake I spared and saved thee Jsa 48.8 9. I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously and wast called a transgressour from the womb that is worthy so to bee called seeing as soon as ever thou camest out of the womb of Egypt in which thou wast shut up as a child in the womb thou fellest to Idolatry here was enough to have caused God to stifle this childe but what follows For my name sake will I deferre mine anger and for my praise will I refrain for thee that I cut thee not off Nothing in this metaphorical childe this Jewish people moved him to shew mercy but his own Name his own Praise prevailed with him to preserve them from destruction Gods honour and glory are strong arguments to move him to shew mercy to his people This the servants of God have known and made use of in their streights when Jerusalem was in a manner laid desolate and the jealousy of God burnt like fire what argument did the Church use then to move God to shew mercy but his name and glory of it Psalm 79.9 Help us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy name and deliver us and purge away our sins for thy Names sake The Church was low weak beset with enemies and sinnes at once and now it would have help deliverance pardon and upon the account of Gods name for thy name sake help us for thy name sake deliver us for thy name sake purge away our sinnes What hurt would it be to Gods name if hee did it not it would not bee glorious but dishonoured for in the next verse its said Wherefore should the Heathen say where is their God they trusted in their God and hee is a non-helping God a Non-delivering God a Non-pardoning God This was the argument Joshuah used when Israel fell before their enemies Lord what wilt thou do unto thy great name Gods name was pretious to Joshuah but more pretious to God himself Josh 7.9 and he did great things for his name sake When the people forgat the multitude of great mercies they had in Egypt and provoked him at the Sea even at the red Sea and deserved to bee drowned in it and that their bloud should have skarletted the waters thereof what saith the Text Psal 106.8 Neverthelesse he saved them for his name sake When nothing induced him to do it Vide Muscul in locum the honour of his Name did that hee might appear faithful merciful powerful God did not save them for their prayers for their faith for their fathers sakes for their righteousnesse or for their enemies sakes being very malicious and wicked but for his own Name sake God doth more upon that account alone than upon the account of all the rest You may hear the Lord speak graciously to this purpose Isa 4.3.25 I even I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake here is I twice one I referring to them it s I that blot out their transgressions and none besides the other referres to God I blot them out for mine own sake not your sakes God doth all freely Obs 2 God's sparing of his people and preventing the reproaches blasphemies and mischiefes would come by his destroying of them is an honouring and sanctifying of his name I wrought satih God that my name might not bee polluted before the Heathen that is that it might bee honoured and sanctified in their sight God doth often spare his people being ripe for destruction that the enemy might not blaspheme and prophane his name and when hee doth so hee honours his name Deut. 32.26 27. God saith there hee would scatter and destroy his people but why did hee it not hee feared the wrath of the enemy least their adversaries should behave themselves strangely and least they should say our hand is high and the Lord hath not done all this God foresaw what they would say and do if he should have used them as instruments to punish his children they would have been very outragious bloudy and cruel and when they had vented all their malice against them and done whatever they would they would have denyed Gods hand to have been therein and arrogated all to themselves which had been a great dishonour to God hee therefore prevents their blaspheming by sparing of his people and so provides for the honour of his Name Moses once and twice put God upon it to take heed hee caused not the Egyptians to speak evil of him and his waies when hee was upon the designe of destroying his people for their sinnes Exod. 32.10 11 12. Numb 14.12 13 14 15 16. God deals with his people sometimes not after the ordinary rule and course of his proceedings but in a prerogative way hee spares them though their sinnes be great because their enemies would bee proud arrogant bloudy and blasphemous and hath hee not spared England upon this account Obs 3 That notwithstanding the sins of Gods people hee shews them kindness openly and in the face of their enemies though the
Jews had rebelled against God and the Egyptians would have rejoyced in their ruine yet in their sight God made himself known unto them in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt God would have the Egyptians see that hee could bee kinde to his people though they were disobedient unto him that hee would not break with them though they broke with him When the Jews were in Babylon under great displeasure of God for their sinnes yet God did shew them such favour and do such things for them that their enemies were convinced and said The Lord hath done great things for them Psal 126.2 he made known his salvation and openly shewed his salvation in the sight of the Heathen Psalm 98.2 this the Lord doth as to magnifye his own name to rejoyce the hearts of his people and to gain upon them so to vex and consume the wicked Psalm 112.10 the wicked shall see it and bee grieved hee shall gnash with his teeth and melt away hath not this been Gods method with us notwithstanding our sins and ill deserts hath he not openly made known himself to us shewed us kindnesse in the sight of our enemies have they not seen it grieved guashed their teeth and melted away they have seen Gods kindnesses to us and we have seen Gods vengeance on them Vers 10 Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the Wilderness 11 And I gave them my Statutes and shewed them my Judgements which if a man do he shall live in them Having seen and heard of Gods dealings with them and theirs with him in Egypt Now wee are led to consider their mutual dealings each with other in the Wildernesse which reacheth to the 27. vers Where he shews in general 1 What Benefits he had bestowed upon them 2 What their sinful deportment was towards him 3 How worthy they were to perish if the Lord had not shewed them mercy for his name sake In these two verses you have 1 Their Eduction out of Egypt 2 Their introduction into the wildernesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 The Donation or promulgation of the law I caused them to go forth Eduxi eos in Hiphil feci exire Vulgar ejeci The Vulgar is I cast them forth or drove them forth which shews their backwardnesse to leave that land where they were born had habitations and other accommodations It s like many of them neither thought of the promise made to their fathers nor of the promised land but thought Egypt a good land yea a Land flowing with milk and honey as they called it Numb 16.13 onely they were troubled at the hard labour the Egyptians held them to but the word here imports not any violence but a powerful bringing of them forth we will inquire 1 How the Lord brought them forth 2 When. 1 How It was not in an ordinary way but in a way full of extraordinaries To do it the Lord came down from heaven Exod. 3.8 that was in the vision of the burning bush hee prepared Moses Aaron and the people by signs and miracles to leave Egypt and because all the power and wisdomes that Pharaoh and Egypt had was imployed to retaine the Jews there they being utterly averse from their departure the Lord sent strange and dreadful plagues one after another till their spirits were brought off to let them go Ex. 12.30 31 32 33. Pharaoh was resolved not to let them go hee had so much profit by their service unlesse it were by a strong hand Exod. 3.19 and God was resolved to bring them out and therefore he did arise put forth his power and by strength of hand brought them out Exo. 13.3 by an high hand ch 14.8 by mighty power and a stretched out arm Deut. 9.29 You have it fully set down in Deut. 4.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God took them from the midst of another Nation by temptations by signes by wonders and by war and by a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm and by great terrors There was great strife between God and Pharaoh who should have this people as there was between Michael and the Devil about the body of Moses Pharaoh pulled hard to hold them in Egypt but God out-pulled Pharaoh and pulled them out of Egypt and so caused them to go forth 2 When. You have the time punctually set down in Exo. 12.40 41. where its said at the end of the 430. years River in Exod. even the self same day they went out not that they were 430. years in Egypt for they were there but two hundred ten or two hundred and fifteen as Chronologies inform upon good account The 430. years are to begin from the time of the promise made to Abraham which Stephen tells us Act. 7.2 was before hee dwelt in Charran even while hee was in Vr and but seventy years old from which time to the going out of Egypt were four hundred and thirty years two hundred and fiftteen or two hundred and twenty whereof were run out before Jacob went down into Egypt from the promise made to Abraham to Isaack's birth were thirty years some make it but twenty five they then reckon from his time of departing out of Haran for hee was an hundred years old when Isaack was born Gen. 21.5 and from thence to the birth of Jacob were sixty years Gen. 25.26 and from thence to Jacobs going into Egypt one hundred and thirty years Gen. 47.9 which summed up make 220. at least 215. and so the rest of the 430. they were in Egypt and at the just time they were accomplished the Lord brought them out to shew his faithfulnesse as it appears Deut. 7.8 And brought them into the wildernesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per antiphrasin sic dictum quasi locus a sermone remotus There is mention made of one Wildernesse before they passed through the Red Sea Exod. 14.11 and of other wildernesses after they had passed the same as the wildernesse of Sin Exod. 16.1 the wildernesse of Paran Numb 13.3 which doubtlesse was but one though diversly called from the several parts it bordered upon A wildernesse is a desolate solitary place where is no way where are no comforts but where are many dangers Deut. 8.15 it was a great and terrible wildernesse wherein were fiery Serpents and Scorpions drought and no water it had many wild beasts in it and therefore was called the howling wildernesse Deut. 32.10 Jeremy tells you chap. 2.6 this wildernesse was a land of deserts and of Pits but not pits would hold any water for hee addes it was a land of drought and of the shadow of death a land that no man passed through and where no man dwelt while they were in this wildernesse they were in danger of death or in such streights as that they desired death The Wilderness here meant was the wildernese of Sin which was not far from Sinai where the
iron rod and sword hee had in his hand The father speaks concerning his son to the Prophet and the 11. v. strengthens this interpretation Hee hath given it to be fourbished Who is that hee but the Son and who gave it into the hand of the slayer but he and that was Nebuchadnezzar Obs 1 Christ hath Rods and judgements in his hand the rod of my Son Christ is not all mercie though full of mercy the father hath committed all judgement unto him Rev. 6.16 the Lambe hath wrath in him as well as meeknesse Christ is a Lyon to tear in peices as well as a Samaritan c. Psal 2.12 Obs 2 When sinners profit not but are worse under lesser judgements this provokes Christ to bring forth more heavy judgements The Rod of my Son contemning every tree Though they stood it out against other rods they should not bee able to do so against this when the Axe comes to the root of Trees they must down a knife they may despise but an Ax despises them Obs 3 Some judgements are so grievous as they sweep away all This rod despised every tree the strongest Oakes the tallest Cedars the King Princes Nobles Counsellers Souldiers Artificers c. Obs 4 From the 11. v. Enemies cannot hurt unlesse they have power and furniture given them The Sword was fitted for and given into the hand of the slayer Nebuchadnezzar could not have stird destroyed a man in the Land of Israel unless Christ had impoured him Pilate had no power but what was given him No man or Nation hath power against another unlesse they bee armed from God or Christ Had the Jews kept in with them none should ever have harm'd them Vers 12 Cry and howl Son of man The word for Cry is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to cry out propter angustiam compressionem animi Jer. 30.15 why cryest thou for the affliction afflictions straitned and pressed the spirit of Jacob so that be cryed out you have the word in Ezek. 9.8 ch 11.13 where it notes crying from sorrow and pressure of minde Howle Beasts do howle when pinched with hunger or suffer some great misery The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Abenacius hath affinity with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words which signify night Quando aliquis est in summa augustia ut fere ad nihilum redigatur non habet preter noctem tenebras molestiatum tuâ—e incipit ululare plorare and reduction in a manner to nothing and when men are incompassed with great calamities and ready to perish then they howl Isa 65 14. they shall cry for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of spirit the Hebrew is for breaking of spirit when their spirits should bee broken and they ready to sink and be ruined then they should howle For it shall be upon my people The Hebr. is Hajetha it hath been upon my People its usual with the Hebrew to put a praeter-tense for the future to signify the certainty of the thing and so it s here The French is il est fait pour mon peuple The Sword is made for my people to eat their flesh and drink their bloud Upon all the Princes of Israel In the 11. Chapter 1. you have Princes of the People The word there is Sar whence our English word Sir which is as much as Prince or Lord here its Princes of Israel the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nesiee from Nasa to prefer lift up set on high Montanus hath it in cunctis praelatis Israel upon all the preferred ones of Israel The Vulgar In cunctis ducibus Israel upon all the Dukes of Israel Others upon all the Princes Terrors by reason of the Sword The word for Terrors is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is variously rendered The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and referres it to all the Princes of Israel dwelling or sojourning there Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that dwell nigh me The Vulgar is qui fugerant the sword shall bee upon all the Princes and Potentateâ— that should fly Montan. hath it timores ob gladium fears by reason of the sword The French Crainte de glaive fear of the sword shall bee upon my people Castal Terrores a gladio imminent populo meo Terrors from the sword hang over the heads of my people Vatablus Pavores ingruent ab hoc gladio in Populum meum Aecolampad Formidines ad gladium erunt populo meo So Piscat Formidines propter gladium Lavater Terrores gladii erunt Populo meo Junius and Polanus read the word thus Detrusi in gladium sunt saith one erunt saith the other cum populo meo and in the margent of your Bibles it is So they are thrust down to the sword with my People that is the Princes shall fare no better than the People but together with them shall bee cut off The reading wee have I like best and most Expositors agree in it and so the word is rendred Lam. 2.22 Jer. 6.25 The sword of the enemy and fear is on every side Smite therefore upon thy thigh In the 6 Chapter 11. v. the Lord commanded the Prophet to smite with his hand stampe with his foot and here to smite upon his thigh which were gestures to expresse grief and sorrow Traxit ex intimo ventre suspirium dentibus frendit icit femur Plautus in Truculento in great and sad calamities Tundebant faemora palmis they smote upon their thighs with their hands Obs 1 The Calamities of wars are matter of great mourning and sad gestures cry howle smite upon thy thigh Jer. 4.6 7 8. God would bring evil from the North upon them Nebuchadnezzar the Lyon was comming for this gird you with sackcloath lament and howle Obs 2 The sword makes no distinction of Persons it shall be upon my People and upon all the Princes of Israel They should finde no more favor than others not any not the greatest of them should be exempted from the evils of the sword Jer. 52.10 the King of Babylon slew the Sons of Zedekiah before his eyes he slew also all the Princes of Judah in Riblah Then he put out the eies of Zedekiah Obs 3 Times of war are times of fears terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my People The sword drawn is a terrible thing Josh 2.9 ch 10.12 Jer. 15.8 chapter 46.3 4 5. chapter 49.24 29. The sword is Magor-missobib fear round about it makes families towns Cities Nations to fear and tremble when the sword is without there is terror within and such terrour oft times as is destructive Deut. 32.25 mens hearts meditate such terrors as bereave them of their wits senses lives 13 Because it is a tryal The word for Tryal is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bochan from Bachan to Prove examine Try By the Septuagint here it s rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is justified
sonnes and their daughters and burn up their houses with fire 48 Thus will I cause lewdnesse to cease out of the land that all women may bee taught not to do after your lewdness 49 And they shall recompense your lewdnesse upon you and yee shall bear the sinnes of your Idols and yee shall know that I am the Lord God In these verses the judgements of God upon those Harlots are further set out and amplified with the events thereof 1 They shall bee punished like adulteresses and murtheresses v. 45. 2 They shall be carried into captivity and spoiled v. 46. 3 They their Sons and daughters shall bee stoned and slain v. 47. and their houses burnt ibid. The Events or effects are 1 Cessation of lewdnesse v. 48. 2 Instruction of other women to take heed of doing the like ibid. 3 Conviction of the equity of Gods dealings v. 49. 45 And the righteous men The Assyrians and Babylonians who destroyed Samaria and Jerusalem are called righteous or just men not that they were so really but comparatively they are stiled so in respect of the Jews they were such Ezek. 5.6 7. chap. 16.27 47. who exceeded the Nations in wickednesse or because they were Gods instruments to execute his just judgements upon them especially for their perfidiousnesse with those Nations They shall judge them after the manner of adulteresses and after the manner of women that shed bloud Adulteresses were punished with death under the Law Lev. 20.10 Deut. 22.22 and the death was stoning John 8.5 7. else Christ would not have commissioned them to have thrown stones at the woman if they had been faultlesse themselves and as these were to dye for their uncleannesse so were those that shed blood Of these words see chap. 16.38 46 I will bring up a company upon them I brought up an Army against Samaria and destroyed it and so I will do with Jerusalem I will bring the Babylonians upon her who shall spoil her by stoning slaughtering burning and removing her into Captivity No enemies can stirre out of their countrey to mischief others till the Lord call and bring them and when hee doth so sad effects follow they lay all waste making Cities heaps and pleasant Lands wildernesses Of this 46. and 47. vers see chap 16.40 41. 48 Then will I cause lewdnesse to cease out of the land When the Lord should have accomplished his judgements upon these Harlots when Aholah and Aholibah should be destroyed then idolatry should cease and be no more in the Land then sacrificing their children to idols and shedding of blood should be no more heard of Gods judgements will silence wickednesse and take away evil from the land That all women may bee taught not to do after your lewdness By Women here understand Cities Provinces Nations which seeing the just judgements of God upon these whorish women Aholah and Aholibah might learn to beware of such sinnes and not to go out from God having once given up themselves to him least they draw such severe and shamefull punishments upon themselves Obs Gods Judgements are teaching things hee brought dreadful judgements upon Aholah and Aholibah that all women might bee taught thereby Gideon by thorns and bryers taught the men of Succoth Judges 8.16 and God by his peircing judgements teaches the Nations hee punisheth one City that others may take warning There is no judgement of God upon any City Nation or people but it speaks and teaches Micah 6.9 hear ye the rod it hath a voice a teaching voice 1 It Teaches all who are guilty of the same sinnes and not visited with the same judgements to admire the long suffering and goodnesse of God towards them 2 It Teaches those presently to consider their waies turn to the Lord by repentance who are guilty of such sins least the Lord being now in a way of judgement should break out also upon them and make them examples of his justice 3 It Teaches others to fear and fly from such practises as bring such destructive judgements When Samaria and Jerusalem shall be destroyed by dreadful judgements for their confidence in armes of flesh by confederating with other nations for their idolatry cruelty prophaneness and perfidiousnesse will not other Cities fear to do the like will not every City learn to see what is the reward of wickedness in the sufferings of others This Gods judgements teach sinners to do that so they may consult for their credit and safety 49 And they shall recompense your lewdnesse upon you The Hebrew is And they shall put your filthinesse and lewdthinesse upon you that is the Nations and Cities round about shall concur with the Babylonians to punish you for your wickednesse to bring upon you the merit of your sinnes or thus they shall approve of what the Lord doth in destroying of you saying all is the fruit and just recompense of your own doings And ye shall bear the sins of your idols Their Idols did not sin but they sinned with their Idols and the fruit of those sins they must eat the punishment due to them they must bear there is a near connexion between sinne and punishment they have the same names so v. 35. Obs Gods proceeding with sinners in judgement righteously brings them to acknowledge the equity of his dealing with them when the just punishment of your lewdnesse and idolatry shall bee upon you ye shall know that I am the Lord God who observed all your waies who waited long for your repentance who have dealt justly with you in all the evils I have brought upon you you cannot but justify me and condemn your selves CHAP. XXIV Vers 1 Again in the ninth year in the tenth month in the tenth day of the month the word of the Lord came unto me saying 2 Son of man write thee the name of the day even of this same day the King of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day 3 And utter a parable unto the rebellious house and say unto them thus saith the Lord God set on a pot set it on and also pour water into it 4 Gather the peices thereof into it even every good peice the thigh and the shoulder fill it with the choice bones 5 Take the choice of the flock and burn also the bones under it and make it boyle well and let him seeth the bones of it therein THis Chapter is conceived to bee the last prophesy against the Kingdome of Judah before the final destruction thereof which with the great Calamity thereof is set out under the type of a boyling pot and the death of the Prophets wife In the Chapter is contained a double prophesy 1 That of the boyling pot and the interpretation thereof to the 15. v. 2 That of Ezekiels wife dying suddainly his not mourning for her and the explication thereof from the 15. ver to the end In the verses before us we have 1 The Time of this prophesy v. 1 2 The Occasion ver 2. which was the
your strength The French L'orgueil de vostre Empire and so the Vulgar Superbiam imperii vestri the pride of your Empire The Temple was a strong place in which the Jews put so much confidence as that they thought it standing they should for ever be safe they prided themselves in it and cryed The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord Jerem. 7.4 They thought none able to harm them and destroy that Temple If wee read the words The Excellency of your strength as Junius or your strong excellency as Piscator the sense is That though they had other strong holds and Towers yet none like unto the Temple that excelled all not onely in strength but in renown It was for the structâ—re the wonder of the world fifteen hundred thousand having been imployed seven years in the building thereof 1 King 5.15 it bare the Name of the Lord 1 King 8.29 in it God dwelt Psa 80 1. of it he had a specâ—al caâ—e 1 Kin. 9.3 and it was the excellency of Jacob Amos 6.8 The desire of your eyes Some understand by these words Their Wives but most Interpreters expound them of the Temple which seems to mee to bee the truest interpretation for Ezekiels wife typed out the Temple and as shee was the desire of his eyes so was the Temple of the Jews eyes and the words of this vers do give countenance and life to this sense I will prophane my Sanctuary the excellency of your strength the desire of your eyes What was the excellency of their strength it was the desire of their eyes viz. the Sanctuary By desire of the eies is meant id quod amatur et in deliciis habetur that which is affected and delighted in and such was the Temple or Sanctuary Psal 96.6 strength and beauty are in his sanctuary there was material and spiritual beauty Psal 27.4 there David desired to dwell all the daies of his life to behold the beauty of the Lord the Temple was the desire of his eyes when hee was shut out of it see how he thirsted after it Psal 63.1 2. so of Jonah when he was in the fishes belly hee looked towards the holy Temple Jonah 2.4 it was beautiful in it self and had the beauty of holinesse in it the beautiful Ordinances and worship of God so that hence Sion was called the perfection of beauty Psalm 50.2 and the Joy of the whole earth Psal 48.2 In Lament 1.7 it s said Jerusalem remembred in the daies of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things the Hebrew is all her desirable things that she had in the daies of old and the Temple was one of them yea the most desirable of all her desirables And that which your soul pittieth Mashmall Naphshechem that which your souls indulge and favour viz. the Temple which they dearly affected and would not by any means that it should bee destroyed or prophaned by Heathens The Vulgar hath it super quo pavet anima vestra That for which your souls are afraid men are jealous of that is dear unto them least it should bee violated Isaiah fore-seeing by a Prophetical eye what would befall the Temple shows how his soul pittied it Isa 64.11 Our holy and our beautiful house where our fathers praised thee is burnt up with fire and all our pleasant things are laid waste The prophaning of the Temple which was Holy full of glory and beauty the place of prayer and praise went nearer the heart of this great Prophet than any thing else So Jeremy Lamen 2.7 declares what pitty hee had for the house of the Lord the Lord hath cast off his Altar hee hath abhorred his Sanctuary hee hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her Palaces they have made a noise in the house of the Lord as in the day of a solemn feast The Temple lay heavy upon Daniels heart chap. 9.17 These words by some are referred to their children whom their souls pittied and would have spared but of them are the words following And your Sonnes and your Daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword When the Babylonians should come prophane and destroy the Temple many of their Children should suffer and perish some by famine some by Plague some by other Calamities and casualties and those that were remaining he tells them they should fall by the sword The Lord would take from them not onely the Temple but all things that were dear unto them their City their Kingdome their wives their children 22 And ye shall do as I have done ye shall not cover your lips nor eat the bread of men You wonder at mee that I mourn not for my wife being taken from mee by a suddain stroak but ere long you will cease to wonder at me and finde the case to bee yours when the enemies shall come take away the Temple your wives and children what things soever are dearest to you then you will be so confounded and amazed that you will have neither hearts nor opportunity to change your garments and accompany your dead to the grave but rather throw them out into the streets and shift for your lives Then you will remember mee make no Lamentation for your dead then you will not pull off your tires from your heads nor the shooes from your feet nor cover your lips nor eat the bread of mourners then you will use no funeral rites or gestures 23 But ye shall pine away for your iniquities The word for pineing away is from Makak to dissolve and melt away to consume corrupt to bee filthy loathsome because those things which do corrupt fiunt tandem foetida at last become stinking and unsavoury So these Jews their spirits flesh fat and strength should consume pine away till they became even loathsome and that for their iniquities that is the punishment of their iniquities for so the word is frequently used as Isa 53.6 and 2 King 7.9 some mischief will come upon us the Hebrew is iniquity that is mischief or punishment And mourn one towards another In this ver he had said ye shall not mourn nor weep and here as with the same breath he affirms they should mourn one towards another Though the words run so there is no contradiction in them Though they could not mourn openly and in a funeral way yet they should mourn inwardly and so as to pine away themselves You here in Babylon when the report comes of taking the City of burning the Temple and of the spoiling of all the desireable things in them by Nebuchadnezzars forces you will be in such a streight as that you will not dare to mourn for fear of the Babylonians who will indanger your liberties and lives if you lament the successes and doings of their King So that what with Gods judgements upon them at Jerusalem and the fear of the enemies both there and in Babylon neither Jews in Jerusalem nor in Babylon
Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sublevationem the lifting up of your glory The Temple was their glory and that cheared and lifted up their hearts both Junius and Piscator have it gaudium ornatus eorum the joy of their ornament the Temple was their ornament Ezek. 7.20 nothing did so become and adorn them as their Temple did and that worship which God appointed to bee in it but they corrupted that worship stained their glory and joyed sinfully therein The desire of their eyes They took pleasure in beholding the Temple which was a stately building beautified with pretious stones and gold of Parvaim 2 Chron. 3.6 8. The second Temple took them much Matth. 24.1 Luke 21.5 yet that was inferiour to the first Temple The material Temples were very dear unto the Jews And that whereupon they set their minds In the Hebrew it is Veeth massa naphsham which Montanus renders Elevationem animae eorum the lifting up of their souls or minds id ad quod attollunt anâ—mam suam that unto which they lift up their soul So Junius The Vulgar Super quo requiescunt animae eorum That on which their souls do rest Stephen in phrasibus Hebraicis renders the place thus In quod elevatur animas eorum aut onus animae ipsorum That their hearts are lifted up unto or that which is the burden of their souls and pressed them most as the Temple and their children they were perplexed about the losse of these This phrase of setting the minde upon a thing imports 2 Sam. 18.3 1 Over-prizing of the thing when the mind is set upon a thing that is valued every man values what his lust is set upon 2 Adhering to it when the minde is set upon a thing it cleaves to it and fixes upon it 1 Sam. 9.20 set not thy minde on them 3 Taking content and delight in a thing seeking no further Col. 3.2 set your affections upon things above 26 Hee that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee to cause c. The Lord in his wise providence ordered it so that some three years after this Prophesy there came one who escaped at the delivery up of Jerusalem unto Nebuchadnezzar and brought tidings that the City was smitten Ezek. 33.21 which was half a year after the smiting of it if you compare this place in Ezekiel with Jer. 52.6 2 King 25.3 To cause thee to hear it with thine ears The Hebrew is To the hearing of the ears not to tell what hee hath heard as some Rabbins would have it but to tell in the ears of Ezekiel what hee had seen and been an eye witnesse thereof it s not improbable but that they had heard some rumor of it before it being half a year since the taking of that City and desolation of all things This man therefore came to inform Ezekiel of the certainty of all things had passed 27 In that day shall thy mouth bee opened to him that is escaped and thou shalt be no more dumbe That Ezekiel was dumbe and prophesied not at all till the man brought tidings of Jerusalems destruction is not the sense of this place for in the 26. chapter hee saith The Word of the Lord came unto him in the eleventh year in the first day of the month the meaning then is this that as to the Jews hee ceased Prophesying and was as a dumb man unto them God gave him not the gift nor called him to speak any more unto them they beleeved not what hee had prophesied unto them but gave ear to false Prophets who seduced them telling them that they should shortly return and Jerusalem should not bee destroied but when the news came to our Prophet that God had fulfilled what hee had Prophesyed against the City and Temple then God put his word into his mouth again and he spake freely and boldly And thou shalt bee a sign unto them As thou hast oft been a sign unto them sometimes representing an Army laying siedge against a City chap. 4. sometimes a Barber shaveing the hair chap. 5. sometimes a man removing his stuffe chap. 12. sometimes representing a mourner chap. 21.6 sometimes a condition wherein there must not bee mourning as vers 16 17 18. of this chapter so here hee must bee a sign unto them by his silence all the time from this chapter to the day that tydings came of the taking and smiting of Jerusalem he was for a sign unto them They shall know that I am the Lord. Those are here in Babylon those escape the Famine Pestilence sword shall know that I am the Lord and sent thee to Prophesy that I am the Lord and have made good what thou didst Prophesy that I am the Lord and have punished them justly for their iniquities Obs 1 That our Natures are prone to over-prize adhere to and rest in external priviledges and mercies The Temple they doted upon they made it their strength their glory the joy of their glory the desire of their eyes they set their minds upon that and their Sonnes and Daughters these had their thoughts affections and hearts they ran out strongly unto them their souls were lift up unto them they looked at their Temple as their strength against all enemies as their joy at home and their glory abroad so for their children they made idols of them setting them up in their hearts and their hearts upon them Hos 9.11 their children were their glory they gloried in them their hearts were set upon them because children are parts of their Parents coming out of their loines because they bear their image are their hopes perpetuate their lives names and memories therefore they let out their hearts too far towards them and set their minds upon them and not onely on these but on other things also as riches Psalm 62.10 If riches increase set not your hearts upon them as they increase usually mens affections and desires increase towards them so that they come to trust in them Psalm 52.7 Hee trusted in the abundance of his riches they were his security against all dangers all enemies There is scarce any thing wee have of any moment but wee are apt to set our mindes and hearts thereon hence wee are commanded to keep our hearts with all diligence Prov. 4.23 The Hebrew is above all keeping keep that The lesse wee set our mindes upon the creatures the longer wee are like to injoy them the more we set our minds upon them the sooner they may be pulled away God will not indure any thing to deprive him of his interest in the heart Obs 2 God hath his times to take away mercies priviledges idolized and confided in In the day when I take from them their strength the joy of their glory the desire of their eyes and that whereupon they set their minds c. God took away the Temple their children hee had his day for them both 1 Sam. 4.3 the Jews trusted in the Ark and idolized that Let
hands and stamped with the feet and rejoyced in heart with all thy despight against the Land of Israel 7 Behold therefore I will stretch out my hand upon thee and will deliver thee for a spoil to the Heathen and I will cut the off from the People and I will cause thee to perish out of the Countries I will destroy thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. IN this Prophesy of Ezekiel are four things chiefly considerable The first is The destruction of the Jewish state by the Babylonians which our Prophet having declared in the 21 Chapters preceding hee comes now to the second general head which is threatning of Judgement to other Nations for their Pride and insulting over the Jews in their misery and this hee doth in the eight next chapters from the beginning of this to the 33. In this Chapter our Prophet denounceth the judgements of God against four of those Nations which were enemies to the Jews as 1 The Ammonites 2 The Moabites 3 The Edomites 4 The Philistims In these words read is a Prophesy against the Ammonites wherein 1 Their sins are propounded vers 3. 6. 2 Their judgements vers 4 5 7. 3 The End why God would bring such judgements upon them v. 5 7. 1 The Word of the Lord came again unto me saying Being taken off from prophesying against the Jews for the present hee receives Commission now to Prophesy against the Gentiles who accused the God of the Jews either of weaknesse that hee could not defend his City and Temple or of malice towards his People whom if hee could deliver yet hee left to the spoil of enemies The Lord therefore would have them know that hee is neither weak nor malicious but the great God of Heaven and Earth who in justice punished his own people for their sins and would not spare them being guilty and therefore commands Ezekiel now to declare his judgements against them 2 Set thy face against the Ammonites In ch 6.2 God bids him set his face towards the mountains of Israel cha 3.17 against the daughters of his People Haec locutio significat fitmum fixum habere propositum aliquid faciendi Stephan in Phrasib Hebra In ch 20.40 God bid him set his face towards the South cha 4.3 hee bids him set it against the City and now to set it against the Ammonites This phrase to set the face against one imports a full and fixed resolution of doing a thing Ezekiel must now resolve to look sowerly upon the Nations and Prophesy as harsh things against them as hee had formerly done against the Jews Jer. 44.11 I will set my face against you for evil and to cut off all Judah God was resolved not to behold them with a countenance promising mercy but with a Countenance threatning judgement and utter destruction So Ezekiel must set his face against the Ammonites and prophesy no pleasing things but sad bitter and destructive The Ammonites had an incestuous beginning they came from Lot and his younger daughter who named her Sonne Ben-Ammi who was the Father of the children of Ammon Gen. 19.38 they were bitter and bloudy enemies to the Jews 2 Chron. 20.1 Amos 1.13 2 Sam. 10.3 4 6. their countrey was strong well peopled and full of Cities Numb 21.24 Judg. 11.33 3 Say unto the Ammonites hear the word of the Lord God How the Ammonites should hear Ezekiel being in Babylon and they farre off from him is inquirable When hee had denounced the judgements of God against them and lest this Prophesy upon record by some Babylonians or Jews it might bee convaied unto them The words hear the word of the Lord import not that they should hear it at that instant when hee prophesyed but that they should in time know what the minde of the Lord was towards them And doubtlesse hee was commanded thus to say and Prophesy for the Jews sake that they hearing Ezekiel declare and denounce such judgements against the Ammonites who had insulted over them might in some measure be comforted thereby Because thou saidst Aha against my Sanctuary when it was prophaned When the Sanctuary was by the Babylonians taken and destroyed the Ammonites as one man or one woman said Aha they rejoyced at it and scoffed at the Jews The Hebrew word for Aha is Haeach which is interjectio gaudentis insultantis a note of one rejoycing and insulting Ps 35.25 it s rendred Ah so would wee have it and Psalm 40.15 Aha Aha they rejoyced and insulted in the misery of David So these Ammonites that should have grieved at the prophaneing of the Sanctuary and the holy things thereof and at the sufferings of Gods people they sported themselves thereat and said so would we have it wee are glad to see this day where now is your God what are you the better for all your sacrificing and worship who hath the true Religion you or us Zeph. 2.8 They reviled and reproached the people of God and magnified themselves against their borders they spake evil of them in the day of their calamity and added affliction to their affliction Lament 2.16 All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee they hisse and gnash the teeth they say wee have swallowed her up this is the day wee looked for The Septuagint for Aha is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee have been glad The Latine Expositors turn it Euge Euge they commended the Heathen for what they did against the Temple and people of the Lord. The French Ha Ha they laughed at the prophanation of the Temple and great miseries of the Jews Against the Land of Israel when it was desolate The ten Tribes long before were lead into Captivity by Salmaneser 2 King 17.5 6. and when their land was over-run by the Heathens and they carried away these Ammonites did shew Hostiles animos then they cryed Aha and not onely then but also Against the house of Judah when they went into Captivity The House of Judah went into captivity by degrees some with Jehoiakim some with Jehoiachin and the residue with Zedekiah and still when any of them were carried away captive the Ammonites were glad of it but especially at the last when all was laid waste City Temple Land when Zedekiah and the people were all led into captivity then they belch'd out their Sarcasmes and bitter taunts 4 I will deliver thee to the men of the East for a Possession The Hebr. is To the Sonnes of the East Whom they were mens thoughts are various Vatablus makes them the Medes and Persians Some think them to bee the Kedarites who are called the men of the East Jerem 49.28 Others judge them to bee the Arabians which descended from Abraham by Keturah and were sent Eastward Gen. 25.6 but there is no sound reason why wee should not conceive them to bee the Babylonians who were not fully North from them but North-East And therefore as they were called sometimes a winde out of
Camels vers 5. I will stretch out my hand I will cut thee off I will cause thee to perish I will destroy thee vers 7. I will open the side of Moab vers 9. I will execute judgement vers 11. I will stretch out my hand I will make it desolate vers 13. and thrice more in the Chapter afterwards Men are backward to eye God when judgements come they will not see his hand the hands of men they see and feel and thereupon fret rage meditate revenge disquiet themselves plot mischief and attempt changes but did they see Gods hand laying vengeance upon them they would see also how justly hee had done it even for their sins and so humble themselves bee quiet submit and accept the punishment of their iniquities God hath laid his vengeance upon Nations near us and farther off they do not they will not see the Lord or his hand but they shall see and bee ashamed for their envy at his people whatever vengeance is upon any Nation it s the Lords vengeance not mans Obs 4 It s Gods method to plague and punish the wrongers by the wronged The Edomites dealt wretchedly cruelly against the house of Judah they were the wrongers the oppressours and what saith God I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel They were the wronged The Edomites thought the Jews should never bee able to get up again or trouble them but God had his time to make them instruments to plague and punish those had intreated them so ill Obad. 21. The Lord caused Saviours to come up upon Mount Sion to judge the Mount of Esau after the Babylonish Captivity the house of Jacob grew strong became terrible as fire and burnt the Edomites as stubble and straw Those they had despised and insulted over at last they suffered by Obs 5 When God imploies men to bee instruments of executing his judgements they are carried forth so far as hee pleaseth They shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury God had conceived great anger against them had much fury to let out therefore they should destroy man and beast make it desolate from one end or side of the country to the other Obs 6 The vengeance of God is an awakening and distinguishing thing they shall know my vengeance that I am a God of infinite power most holy and just differing from all the Gods of the Nations Vers 15 Thus saith the Lord God because the Philistines have dealt by revenge and have taken vengeance with a despightful heart to destroy it for the old hatred 16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines and I will cut off the Cherethims and destroy the remnant of the Sea coast 17 And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall lay my vengeance upon them These verses are a Prophesy against the Philistines where you may take notice of 1 Their sin they were revengeful v. 15. 2 Their punishment cutting off destruction v. 16. 3 The manner of Gods punishing them v. 17. with furious rebukes 4 The End of his punishments v. 17. they shall know that I am the Lord. 15 The Philistines They came out of the loines of Casluhim Mizraim and Ham Gen. 10.6 13 14. Their Country was Palestina which was West of Judaea and bordering upon the Sea it had five great Cities in it Ashdod Gaza Askelon Gath and Ekron 1 Sam. 6.17 each of which had its Lord Josh 13.3 The Sept. calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alienigenae men of another stock race nothing allyed to the Jews They owned not the God of Israel but had other gods Judg. 6.10 Dagon was a chief God of theirs Jud. 16.23 they had an house of gods 1 Chro. 10.10 poor and petty gods that were confined to and comprehended in an house These Philistims were men of war they had the Jews under their power eighteen years together Judg. 10.7 8. yea forty years together Judg. 13.1 in Samuels daies they slew thirty thousand footmen at once and took the Ark of God 1 Sam. 4.10 11. they slew Saul and his three Sonnes in another Battle whereupon they came to possesse many Cities of the Israelites 1 Sam. 31. They were the greatest enemies the Jews had and more frequent warres were between them and the Jews than any other Have dealt by revenge The Hebrew is Pro facere in ultione for that thou hast had to do in revenge which is an act of an ulcerous mind repaying evil for evil The word Nakam revenge hath affinity with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or kam insurgere for ultor in laesorem insurgit The revenger riseth up against him hath wronged him be the injury real or in imagination and satisfyeth himself for the same The Philistims as they had oft conquered and kept under the Jews so they had oft been conquered and held under by the Jews Sampson in his daies plagued and slew many of them Judg. 14 15 16. chapters So in Samuels and Jonathans times they suffered much 1 Sam. 7.13 and chap. 14. but David 2 Sam. 5. 8. 21. Chapters was the great Champion that subdued them Hezekiah also smote them 2 King 18.8 and Vzziah brake down the walls of their strong Cities and built Cities among the Philistines 2 Chron. 26.6 These acts of the Jews lodged in their hearts rankled begate malitious thoughts in them and made them from Generation to Generation to meditate revenge and having an opportunity upon the Babylonians comming to besiedge Jerusalem they fell in with them furnished them with men ammunition and what they could to destroy the Jews And have taken vengeance with a despightfull Heart The words in the Original run thus And have revenged a revenge with contempt in the minde They contemned and despised them in their hearts mindes and were glad they had an opportunity to be revenged on them The Heb. word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by Avenarius divexatio flagellatio Piscator reads the words Exereuerunt ultionem ex animo depopulatione they did from their heart take vengeance on Jerusalem by depopulating it They were very spightful against them and used them summo ignominioso contemptu with the greatest scorn and spightfulnesse they could Matth. 5.44 Pray for them that despightfully use you the word for despightful use is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mars bellum because where there are despightful actions there is hostilis veluti bellicus insultus an hostile and warlike insulting over others and seeking their harm yea oft their ruine To destroy it for the old hatred Montanus turnes the Hebrew thus Ad corruptionem inimicitia seculi to destroy through the enmity of the age its like they had great enmity against the Jews at that time but in the margent hee hath it Inimicitiis perpetuis
These words may bee taken two waies rither thou shalt dy by the hand of those that are uncircumcised thou shalt not have the honour to dye by the hand of the Jâ—ws who by Circumcision are distinguished from all other thou shalt dye by Chaldaeans a prophane and barbarous people or thou shalt dye the death of the uncircumcised that is thou shalt so dye as to perish soul and body for ever thou hast exalted thy self to bee a God and thou shalt bee cast into hell The Nations who were uncircumcised were without God without Christ Eph. 2.12 and so perished For I have spoken it saith the Lord. Thou maiest contemn this Prophesy and think there is nothing in it but know it s not the voice of man like thy self but the voice of God who will fulfil it and make thee know that thou art man and not God that thou hast sinned greatly in comparing thy self with God Obs 1 Haughtinesse and Pride of Spirit provokes God to deal severely with men Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God Therefore will I bring strangers upon thee the terrible of the Nations God stirred up led out the most terrible of the Babylonians to punish the Prince of Tyrus for his Pride and insolency Theudas boasted himself to bee some body drew followers after him but hee and they were all slain by the just judgement of God Act. 5.36 Zeba and Zalmunna said let us take to our selves the houses of God in possession Psalm 83.12 they had aspiring spirits but the Lord cut them off by the hand of Gideon Judg. 8.21 proud spirits the Lord will meet with and break in pieces hee hath said it Isa 2.11 The lofty looks of man shall bee humbled and the haughtinesse of men shall be bowed down Ne ascend as cacumen montis cum fueris ornatus ne forte cadâ—s Hoffinâ— geru Let those that have much look to it that they bee not lifted up least they fall bee broken and rise no more Obs 2 That which is the glory and delight of men is subject to spoil and prophanation They shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdome and they shal defile thy brightnesse they laid all the glory of Tyrus and of the Prince thereof in the dust there was beauty brightnesse in the Court in the City in the Navy in the Armory in the treasure but when the Chaldaean came he spoiled he stained all it was not the wisdome of the Tyrian nor the beauty or brightnesse of the things that could keep off the enemies from plundering and prophaneing they minded not beauty or brightnesse wisdome real or pretended but they lay all waste cut off the Prince and make a beautiful glorious City as an heap of rubbish or as nothing Obs 3 Approachings of death will make men know themselves When this Prince of Tyrus should bee in the hand of his enemies and at deaths door then hee should see that hee was no God but a poor miserable mortal man vexatio dat intellectum when death comes and strikes upon our walls then wee understand our selves Psalm 9.20 Put them in fear O Lord that the Nations may know themselves to bee but men When Nations prosper have all things as heart desires they judge themselves more than men they are quasi dii minores petty gods but let the Lord send in some sore judgements that carry death in their foreheads then the Nations will know themselves to bee but men that is sorry fading perishing things though death shut all mens eyes yet the approach of death opens them oft to see more of themselves than ever before Obs 4 That wicked Princes and others how ever they may flourish in the world for a season yet their ends will bee miserable Thou shalt dye the death of the uncircumcised a temporal death here eternal death hereafter therefore envy not great ones who flourish here in the world for a season and after go down to the pit where they shall suffer sufficiently for their demerit Vers 11 Moreover The word of the Lord came unto me saying 12 Son of Man take up a Lamentation upon the King of Tyrus and say unto him Thus saith the Lord God Thou sealest up the sum full of wisdome and perfect in beauty 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God every precious stone was thy covering the Sardius Topaz and the Diamond the Beril the Onix and the Jasper the Saphire the Emeraud and the Carbuncle and gold The workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created 14 Thou art the annointed Cherub that covereth and I have set thee so thou wast upon the holy mountain of God thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire 15 Thou wast perfect in thy waies from the day that thou wast created till iniquity was found in thee Here beginnes the second general part of the Chapter viz. a Lamentation for the Prince of Tyrus and the corrupting of his glory Besides the Lamentation and authority of it in the 11 12. ver you have 1 The State of this Prince set out from his power wisdome wealth delights and greatness v. 12 13 14 15. 2 The Cause that his state and glory were destroyed v. 15. 12 Take up a lamentation upon the King of Tyrus In chap. 27.2 the Lord bade him take up a lamentation for Tyrus and here he bids him take up one for the King of Tyrus bewail his condition for hee should suffer as well as the City and though hee were an Heathen King yet the Lord would have him to be lamented the Prophet must weep over him The French is Eslene la plainte contre le roy Thou sealest up the sum The Hebrew is Attah chothem tachnith which Montanus renders Tu sigillas dispositionem Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Vulgar Tu signaculum similitudinis Junius Tu obsignas summam Piscat Tu obsignator summae Lavat Tu sigillas summam Vatabl. and the Trigurine Tu es omnibus numeris absolutum exemplar The Fren. is Tu accomplis le tout or tu es venu an comble de perfection Ours is Thou sealest up the sum Thou having power over all the Commodities to bee carried out or brought in sayest how much and how little shall bee exported and imported Thou sealest up the sum thou puttest the last hand to the businesse and doest compleat it thus some expositors interpret the words Others considering Tachnith is from Tachan to weigh to measure and notes a thing measured secundum omnes ejus dimensiones according to all its dimensions they make the sense this Thou art an absolute and compleat King whatever is wanting in others is found in thee Thou sealest up the sum others want wisdome riches power friends thou hast all that conduceth to the greatnesse and happinesse of a Prince When bags have all the monie in them they
King of Tyrus hee was a Sea mark to direct Kings and others who sit at the stern that they sail not that way hee did least they suffer shipwrack Thus God makes men serviceable after their death who were sinful and mischievous in their life time Obs 7 Sinful practises defile mens chiefest excellencies and glories and expose them to defilement Thou hast defiled thy Sanctuaries by the iniquity of thy traffique Covetousnesse lying deceit violence pride luxury and such like sins attended their trading and these sinnes defiled the City the Court the Crown their Temples their worship and what ever was pretious unto them Sin is of a spreading nature defiling us and all wee have yea exposing all to ruine and destruction see Ezek. 5.11 the 7.24 the Jews defiled Gods Sanctuary with sin therefore God would expose them to be defiled by Heathens Obs 8 Mens own sins do breed their woes bring them into contemptible conditions and to utter destruction This Princes sinnes kindled the fire of Gods indignation in the midst of his City Palace and Sanctuaries and such a fire as devoured him and brought him to ashes Wood breeds the worms which eat it up Garments the moaths which consume them Men by their follies contract those distempers and diseases which rend them from the land of the living and enfranchise them among the dead It s the sin of a Nation that tears out the bowels of it and laies all the pleasant things therein waste It s Princes sinnes which shakes the Crown from their heads their injustice Tyranny covetousnesse prophanenesse throws them out of their Thrones leads them with scorn and causeth the Lord to pour his indignation upon them There is no Nation City or family roasted in the fire of divine dreadful judgements but themselves do bring the same upon themselves Israel destroyed her self Hos 13.9 that was by her Calves and idolatrous worship Ireland hath destroyed it self by her treachery and bloody doings and search into it you shall finde that Scotland hath destroyed it self by its own iniquities So Worcester by its own acts hath brought woes upon it self c. Many are brought to ashes at this time to bondage base and contemptible conditions because they fed upon ashes made lies their refuge doing dishonourable things Isa 26.11 the fire of their enemies shall devour them their sins were the material fire that they brought c. Obs 9 Gods judgements upon wicked Princes and places oft are such as that they become matter of astonishment and terror to others All that know thee among the People shall bee astonished at thee thou shalt be a terror Whosoever should hear what God had done to Tyrus and the Prince thereof should bee amazed thereat and tremble chap. 26.15 hee is terrible to the Kings of the earth Psalm 76.12 and makes them terrours to others Vers 20 Again The word of the Lord came unto me saying 21 Son of Man set thy face against Zidon and prophesy against it 22 And say thus saith the Lord God behold I am against thee O Zidon and I will bee glorified in the midst of thee and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall have executed judgements in her and shall bee sanctified in her 23 For I will send into her pestilence and blood into her streets and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side and they shall know that I am the Lord. In these words you have a Prophesy against Zidon which is the third general part of the Chapter the authority of it is in the 20. v. and the Prophets Commission in the 21. v. the Prophesy it self in the 22. and 23. where destruction is threatned to Zidon by Pestilence and Sword and the Ends of Gods judgements declared 21 Set thy face against Zidon The word for to set notes a setting on purpose not carelesly Arte cura studio Vilalp but composedly intensively Amos 9.4 I will set mine eies upon them for evil and not for good Though formerly I have seriously and purposely set my self to do them good yet now I will with as much seriousnesse and resolvednesse set mine eies upon them or against them for evil I will look sowrely upon them So the Prophet must fix his face upon Zidon and look severely sutable to the judgement he had to threaten against it Zidon Of Zidon was spoken chap. 27.8 it was seated at the foot of Mount Libanus and terminated the bounds of Canaan in the North-west Justin saith it was built by the Phenicians and called Sidon from the multitude of fishes were there-abouts for they call a fish Zidon It was a rich and potent City having its King for Ethbaal the father of that wicked woman Jezabel was King of the Zidonians 1 King 16.31 They were idolaters for Ashtoreth was the goddess of the Zidonians De Diis Syris Syntag 2.6.2 1 Kin. 11.5 and Selden judges those four hundred Prophets of the groves which did eat at Jezabels Table to be the Prophets of this goddesse These Zidonians were for their manners and wickednesse like to the Tyrians no better than Thornes and Bryars unto the Jews and hence Ezekiel is commanded to Prophesy against them as Jeremy was Chapter 25.15.22 22 Behold I am against thee Some read the words thus Behold I come to thee not to shew thee kindnesse not to protect or comfort thee but I come to punish to destroy thee The words may also bee read Behold I am above thee or over thee thou art strong wise wealthy secure but I am above thee and thou canst not escape my hands But to take the words as here they are I am against thee thou hast mee thy enemy hitherto I have been thy friend caused thee to grow great and prosper but now I am against thee it s not men or Angels but I the Lord of all in heaven and earth that have the command of all creatures in my hand that shake the foundations of the earth and lay waste Kingdomes Cities at my pleasure even I am against thee And I will be glorified in the midst of thee Montanus reads the word glorified actively I will glorifye my self in the midst of thee thou hast dishonoured me by thy sins given mine honour unto Idols but now I will punish thee severely for what thou hast done and so vindicate my name make thee know that I am a God differing from thy false Gods and goddesses The Septuagint reads the word passively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so wee and many others I will be glorified and the sense is this I am against Zidon I will fight her get the victory over her by executing my judgements upon her and so I shall bee glorified by all that see my hand upon her God is glorified when hee punisheth evill doers and cuts them off Exod. 14.4 I will bee honoured upon Pharaoh and all his host v. 17. upon his Charets and his Horsemen and
how was this done by drowning them in the midst of the Sea v. 27 28 and God is glorified when others take notice of his power justice judgements and praise and fear him as it is Exod. 15.1.14 When men do conquer others all the friends of the Conqueror do rejoyce and triumph with him they go or send to him as 2 Sam. 8.10 and give him thanks for what hee hath done which is an honouring of him and it is no lesse that his enemies fear him And they shall know that I am the Lord when I have executed Judgements in her The End of Gods judgements is to bring men to a right knowledge of him When Zidon should receive the punishments due to her sinnes then shee would know that is acknowledge God to bee above all Idol gods that hee onely was worthy to bee feared adored praised and obeyed And shall be sanctified in her In chap. 20.41 wee had these words I will bee sanctified in you where they were opened They may bee taken here actively or passively I will sanctify my self in her that is I will do that in Zidon execute such judgements in her as shall declare to all Nations that I am an holy God hateing all sin that my name is holy and reverend in this sense they are taken actively passively thus whereas my name hath suffered by the Zidonians and many have thought mee no better than the Idol gods that I take little care of the world wink at men in their wickednesse and am like unto them when my judgements are upon Zidon it will bee otherwise then they will have high and honourable thoughts of mee then they will declare mee to bee a just and righteous God and so the holy God shall bee sanctified in Righteousnesse as it is Isa 5.16 that is made known to bee holy for his righteous judgements 23 For I will send into her Pestilence These are the judgements with which God would visit Zidon The word for Pestilence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deber which Interpreters make to signifye speech death and order as well as the Plague and that to have all these in it for the Plague is a speaking judgement it speaks out Gods severity it speaks unto us to repent presently It s a dreadful judgement few scape that have it and it hath order in it for that it goeth from house to house City to City and oft sweeps away all And bloud into her streets The Babylonians should besiedge Zidon and after the Pestilence had devoured many they should take the City stay the Citizens and fill the streets with blood dead and wounded bodies And the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her When Towns and Cities are besiedged many from within make attempts to raise the siedge or break through whereupon they come to bee wounded if not slain so here many were wounded upon such attempts and after the City was taken they were judged to death The Hebrew is veniphlal chalal cadet vulneratus the wounded man shall fall in the midst of her and so the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the Sword upon her on every side There should neither bee any articles or tearms of peace offered them nor any way of escape bee left them The Souldiers should compass her about on every side so that whoever attempted to flye and get away should fall into their hands Obs 1 That great flourishing and strong Cities may have God their enemy and so their enemy as to declare and proclaim war against them Son of man set thy face against Zidon tell that great City what the Lord saith Behold I am against thee O Zidon I am comming in a martial way against thee and will consume thee to ashes Obs 2 Gods aim and end in his judgements is to make himself known what a dreadful just and holy God he is and that hee may bee declared by men to bee so God would destroy Zidon by pestilence and warre that hee might be glorified and sanctified in her shee would not give glory to God before the Lord would therefore fetch his glory out of her by his judgements and cause others should see the same to confesse him to bee a God of power justice and holinesse Psalm 9.16 The Lord is known by the judgement hee executeth There bee characters of his power justice and holinesse in them that men must needs take notice of them if they bee not Atheistical If others will not fear praise worship adore the Lord whose hand hath lately been lifted up so eminently yet let us do it God must be glorified and sanctified one way or other Let us therefore say Great and marvailous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy waies O thou King of Saints who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorify thy name Obs 3 What judgements soever come into or upon Cities and persons it s the Lord that sends them thither that brings them upon them I will send into her Pestilence and blood into her streets It s the Lord gives commissions as to the Prophets to prophesy judgements against a City so to the judgements themselves to come to and upon them If in Worcester dead bodies and bloud filled the streets if all houses were plundered if armies bee routed thousands slain it s the Lords doing let none stumble by looking at the instruments they are the sword in Gods hand he causes it to wound and to kill Vers 24 And there shall bee no more a pricking bryar unto the house of Israel nor any grieving thorne of all that are round about them that despised them and they shall know that I am the Lord God 25 Thus saith the Lord God when I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered and shall bee sanctified in them in the sight of the Heathen then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob. 26 And they shall dwell safely therein and shall build houses and plant vineyards yea they shall dwell with confidence when I have executed judgements upon all those that despise them round about them and they shall know that I am the Lord their God These verses are a Prophesy of grace and mercy to the Church of God being the last general part of the Chapter where first you have the things prophesied of which are 1 Freedome from molestations by enemies v. 24. 2 Collection of the Jews out of the places they were dispersed into v. 25. 3 Habitation in the land given to Jacob v. 25. 4 Safety and Prosperity v. 26. 2 The Time when these things shall bee v. 26. after judgements executed upon their enemies 3 The End of this comfortable Prophesy and sweet Promises in it and that is the knowledge and profession of God ver 24. 26. There shall be no more a pricking bryar The word for Bryar in the holy language is Sillon a thorn a sting a bryar and metaphorically
taken away Husbandmen and Gardiners are glad when the bryars and brambles are pulled up from the corn flowers and plants among which they grew The losse of good men is a great losse as of Josiah a good King but the losse of wicked Kings is no losse its gain to a State and matter of rejoycing they are great brambles and there is much a do to pull them up but being up and perishing multitudes shout for joy who were scratched and oppressed by them Obs 4 Those bee the Lords Deputies and Rulers under him should see to it that bryars and brambles over-run not all the field and vineyard of God They do grow high great spread and are like to indanger much if they bee not dealt withall There bee thornes and bryars in all places There bee State brambles Citie Thornes and Church Bryars such were in the Church of Galatia which Paul wisheth were cut off Gal. 5.12 because they scratched and troubled them and Davids resolution was to thrust away as thornes all the Sonnes of Belial who troubled the State and City of Jerusalem 2 Sam. 23.6 and Psalm 101.6 hee saith I will early destroy all the wicked of the land that I may cut off all wicked doers from the City of the Lord. Here was a man after Gods own heart that would not suffer pricking thornes and grieving bryars Some more particular observations from the words of the vers Obs 1 The Church and people of God live amongst thorns They dwell in the midst of wicked men All that were round about them were pricking bryars and grieving thornes The Church is a Lilly among thornes Cant. 2.2 Jerusalem was amidst heathenish Nations Christ and his Apostles were among Scribes and Pharisees whose spirits were thorny Hence take these inferences 1 Then Gods people ought to take heed how they walk Men who live and walk among bryars and thornes had need have their eyes in their heads they may otherwise bee quickly intangled in the bryars and miserably scratched Matth. 10.16 bee wise as Serpents c. they live among thorns 2 Then it is not strange if Gods people be scratched somtimes by wicked men They will tear and rend their Names states Comforts peace priviledges c. David Jeremy Paul were sufficiently scratched by such bryars and thornes who so toucheth them had need be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear 3 Then see a reason why the people of God cannot carry on the work and things of God with more speed they dwell amongst thornes and when thornes are in the way things move slowly When good seed was sown the thornes hindred the growth of it When Joshuah went about taking Ai there was Achan a great thorn in the way When Nehemiah was in the work of the Temple Tobias and Sanballat were thornes in the way The motions of Parliament and Army were not so speedy because they met with great thornes and brambles in their waies Obs 2 The Church and people of God shall not alwaies bee among bryars and thornes They shall have a time of freedome There shall bee no more a pricking bryar and a grieving thorne Ezek. 34.28 They shall no more bee a prey to the Heathen c. this was made good to the Jews in the letter after their return The Nations which had been thornes to them the Lord destroyed This Promise referres also to the Gospel times the Lord is making way for it now When enemies have power strength Counsel are active and successeful then they are thorny and grievous but the Lord is dis-appointing his Churches enemies and consuming them as bryars and Thornes Isa 27.4 This is matter of Comfort to the Church that although shee have been long among bryars thornes and hath been much offended by them yea wounded yet there is a time she shall be freed from them it is approaching and makes haste Luk. 18.7 8. the Israelites were freed from the Egyptians and Lot from the Sodomites who were thornes yea terrible ones unto them This should draw out our spirits in Prayer unto the Lord to hasten the time and that he would make good what hee hath promised Isa 55.13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree and instead of the bryar shall come up the Mirtle-tree Let us Pray earnestly that God would give us fir-trees and mirtle-trees in the room of our bryars and thornes Good Magistrates and good Ministers instead of those have been no better than thornes and bryars unto us Obs 3 Wicked men have ill thoughts of Gods people They sleight them These Bryars and Thornes the wicked round about the house of Israel despised them and scorned them Psal 79.4 Wee are become a reproach to our neighbours a scorn and derision to them that are round about us Wicked men are proud the waies of God are contrary unto them and their waies Hence they despise his waies and those walk in them Vers 25 Thus saith the Lord God when I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered c. This people of God the Jews were scattered into the Eastern Countries over several Provinces of the King of Babylon and here the Lord promiseth to gather them out therof and to return them to their own land And shall bee sanctified in them in the sight of the Heathen Of Sanctifying was spoken in the 22. v. The Hebrew is When I shall sanctifye my self that is make known my self by my judgements upon them for their sinnes by seventy years captivity and cause the Heathen to confesse that I am a just and righteous God which will bee when they shall see mee gather them up again and bring them out with a strong hand then they will say he hath not utterly cast them off though hee hath severely punished them The words may bee taken passively as here they are read when I shall be sanctified in them or by them when they shall see me remembring my Promises made unto them and begin to make way for their deliverance then shall they praise my name and rejoyce in me their God and tel the heathens God hath not forgotten them Obs 1 Gods people have no fixed certain habitation in this world but are subject to scatterings They were removed out of their land carried into Babylon so the Church Acts 8.1 was scattered throughout all the regions of Judaea and Samaria Heb. 11.37 They wandered about in sheeps-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented Obs 2 When ever Gods people are scattered abroad in the world hee hath a care of them and will sanctify his name in bringing them into a safe and happy condition they shall bee brought into Canaan that is into the Church which Canaan represents As the Jews were gathered out of Babylon and the Provinces thereof into their own land so shall all the Elect bee brought into the Church of God where is peace safety and confidence where they shall finde God an habitation a vineyard
wildernesse and there leave him to bee a prey unto the enemy when hee and his Army were spread over the wildernesse then they should be deserted of God and left to spoil Thee and all the fish of thy Rivers As a fish drawn out of the water left upon the land dies and becomes a prey so should the King of Egypt and the Egyptians Thou shalt fall upon the open fields thou shalt not bee brought together nor gathered Thine Army shall bee so beaten routed and overthrown as no one part of it shall bee joyned to another there shall be no rallying no recruiting no gathering up for burial but all shall bee meat for the beasts of the field and for the fowls of Heaven Some fishes when they are drawn out of the waters are taken up much use is made of them others are thrown away Mat. 13.48 but here they were so bad that all should bee thrown to the beasts and birds of prey Obs 1 When God is wroth with Princes and people he makes and takes occasions to execute his judgements upon them Pharaoh and his people had sinned greatly against God and hee stirred up the Cyreneans to invade their neighbour countrey the Lybians Whereupon hee and his are drawn out to warre and fall thereby He and his thought to live securely in Egypt but God had hooks to draw them out and judgements to inflict upon them being so drawn out The Elder Pharaoh in Moses daies having greatly provoked God by deteining the Jews in Egypt God made an occasion by dividing the waters of the red Sea for him to follow them and then hee and his being in the red Sea took occasion to bee avenged on him by causing the waters to swallow up him and all his host Exod. 14. God drew Zerah with his huge host of one thousand thousand and three hundred Chariots out of Ethiopia unto Maresha which was a City in the Tribe of Judah Joshuah 15.44 and there hee smote the Ethiopians and overthrew them 2 Chron. 14. God made Ramoth in Gilead an hook to draw out wicked Ahab to war against the Syrians and when hee was there hee was slain and his army wholly routed 1 King 22. God wants not hooks to draw Leviathans Dragons and Crocodiles out of their holes fens or rivers nor swords to peirce them when they are drawn out Hee had hooks for Hamilton and the late King of Scots to draw them into England and judgements to inflict upon them being come forth for their iniquities Let great and small take heed how they offend the Lord hee hath hooks enough and can make new if hee want them to drag sinners out of their lurking holes and vials of wrath to poure out upon them being haled out Obs 2 In those actions men do freely the wise providence of God acts powerfully and accomplisheth his designes Pharaoh and his subjects go out freely to war against their enemies yet God had a hook in their chaws and drew them toth at work Rhehoboam freely refused the counsel of the wise men and freely followed the counsel of the young men yet Gods hand was in these actions his hook was in his chaws 1 King 12.15 The cause was from the Lord. Rhehoboam carried on freely his own design and God powerfully carried on his though Rhehoboam discerned it not neither aimed at it God sent the Assyrians against the Hypocritical Jews hee charged him to take the spoil and tread them down like mire in the streets Hee came freely though Gods hook were in his nostrils hee came to do his own will not Gods that hee aimed not at for hee meant not so his heart did not think so Isa 10.6 7. yet Gods providence over-ruled so that he did the work of God This is a great mystery all wicked men act freely drive on their own interests yet God powerfully moves in these actions brings to pass his own purposes and counsells and that without sin Obs 3 The Counsels and strength of Princes and Armies comes to nothing where God doth not assist but desert I will leave thee thrown into the wildernesse thee and all the fish of thy River thou shalt fall Pharaoh was a great Dragon wise and subtle hee had wise Counsellors strong Souldiers a great Army but neither their Counsel nor strength stood them in stead when God had drawn them into the field he left them and they fell Humane wisdome and strength can do nothing without God Saul had a great Army all Israel were gathered together to fight against the Philistims but did they prevail no they fled and fell down before their enemies and what was the reason Saul tells you 1 Sam. 28.15 The Lord is departed from mee hee is neither with mee nor mine Army all Israel can do nothing against uncircumcised Philistims when God had forsaken them Jeroboam had an Army of eight hundred thousand men mighty men of valor Abijah meets him with an Army of four hundred thousand even half so many and slew of Jeroboams Army five hundred thousand They were strong men on that side and two to one yet more fell by an hundred thousand than Abijahs Army consisted of And what was the cause hereof 2 Chron. 13.3 12. The cause was God was with them Behold God himself is with us for our Captain he guides us and girds us with strength said Abijah Jeroboam by his golden Calves had driven God from him so then where God is not there can bee no successe 1 Sam. 2.9 by strength shall no man prevail Let men have strong horses strong Armes strong bodies strong Counsels strong Armies strong treasures if they have not El-shaddai the strong Almighty God with them all their strengths will prove weaknesse wee have seen this made good in our daies most eminently Obs 4 God in his just judgements brings Princes and Armies who confide in an arme of flesh to open shame and utter ruine Thou shalt fall in the open fields thou shalt not bee gathered nor brought together thou shalt lye unburied and be meat for beasts and fowles This Egyptian great Dragon and all the fish of his Rivers were such as God cast out for naught and gave to bee meat to Kites Crowes Vultures Dogs Swine and wild beasts their shame was open their end was miserable Pharaoh that intreated the Israelites so cruelly did not God bring him to open shame and his great Army did hee not drown this Dragon and all adhered to him in the deeps did hee not give their Carkasses to bee meat to the Sea-Dragons and Sea-Leviathans Absolom and his Army met with shame scorn and misery enough 2 Sam. 18. Jehoiakim was buried with the burial of an Asse Jerem. 22.19 that is hee had no burial but was cast out to shame scorn and feeding of birds and beasts 6 And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord. In this verse the Event of the former judgement upon Pharaoh and his Army is laid down together with
here the Lord threatned to make it desolate and waste The Hebrew is it shall bee for a desert and a reproach the wars should consume all Cities Villages men beast so that it should bee a reproachful wilderness stript of all its glory and ornaments And they shall know that I am the Lord. When I shall have brought in a potent enemy upon them and laid all waste then they shall know there is one greater than Pharaoh and the Egyptians to whom belongs the right of lands and rivers Because he hath said the River is mine and I have made it Here the Cause is specified why the Lord would deal so severely with Egypt because Pharaoh was so proud and arrogated so much to himself hee challengeth Nilus to be his and that hee by his Art and industry had made it so beneficial to all Egypt These words were spoken to in the third vers 10 I am against thee and against thy rivers In the third verse it s said Behold I am against thee Pharaoh King of Egypt and here I am against thee and thy Rivers hee was proud of and confident in his rivers that they would fertilize his land and secure him from enemies but God was against him and them and disappointed his confidences I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste The Hebrew is Lechorvoth choreu The solitudes of solitarinesse or the wastings of waste that is exceedingly waste there shall bee nothing considerable left therein it shall be as a dry wildernesse From the Tower of Syene even unto the border of Aethiopia Solinus makes Syene to bee in the front of Egypt between Nilus and the Red-Sea but others finde it to bee in the utmost parts of Egypt Southward five thousand furlongs above Alexandria Pliny reports under the Tropick of Cancer where at mid-day of the Solstice bodies have no shaddows Sands also in his Travailes Pliny natur histor l. 2. c. 73 places it above Thebes and under the Tropick of Cancer affirming that there was a Well of marvailous depth in it which was filled with light at the summer Solstice Sands trav l. 2 mihi p. 111. It s now called Asna Bonfrerius saith it s a City of Egypt in extremitate Thebaidis confinio Ethiopiae in the utmost part of Thebais and in the borders of Ethiopia In Hebrew the word is Seuneh in the Septuagint Sune therein was a Tower to defend from enemies they bordered upon or for other uses Even to the border of Ethiopia These words will not afford good sense so wee take Ethiopia as it is commonly taken for if the desolation were but from Syene to Ethiopia that was inconsiderable they being near together yea so near that Syene disterminated them It s improper to say England shall bee destroyed from Barwick to Scotland The word in Hebrew for Ethiopia is Cush which in sacred Scripture doth not alwaies note Ethiopia in Africa though frequently it doth for Gen. 2.13 The name of the second river is Gihon which there is said to compass the whole land of Ethiopia or Cush this cannot bee the African Ethiopia for Gihon ran not that way it was the Oriental Ethiopia of which Moses wife was Numb 12.1 Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom hee had married The Hebrew is the Cushite this woman was Zipporah the daughter of Jethro the Son of Revel the Midianite Exod. 2.15 18.21 chap. 3.1 so then the Midianites were the Oriental Cushites or Ethiopians of Asia of this sort its probable were those Ethiopians that came against Asa 2 Chron. 14.9 Zerah the Ethiopian came with one thousand thousand it had been too far a journey for so many to have marched out of the African Ethiopia Tostat upon the place saith the Ethiopians dwelt not onely in Africa but in Asia also Torncellus and others make this Ethiopia out of which Zerah came to bee the land of Midian The word Cush saith Junius upon the second of Genesis comprehends the three Arabiaes both the Ethiopiaes and all the Meridian coast The sense of our Prophet is that all Egypt should bee laid waste even from Syene in the borders of the African Ethiopia to Arabia and Midian which are Cush viz. the Oriental Ethiopia 11 No foot of man shall pass thorough it nor foot of beast shall c. By these and such like speeches great desolation is set forth unto us wee must not take the words so strictly as if no man or beast should bee found or left in Egypt but it should bee so wasted that trading should cease there should not bee such markets fairs and merchandiseing in her as was before men should not mind comming to Egypt nor have occasion to pass thorough it few men or beasts yet some should bee there Neither shall it be inhabited forty years After the taking of Tyrus by a long siedge Nebuchadrezzar had Egypt given him for that service which was in the seven and twentieth year of the Jews captivity vers 17. shortly after hee made war upon it spoiled it of man beast and all its glory and so it continued till the Babylonish captivity ceased which was some forty or three and forty years after There be different opinions among Expositors concerning the beginning of these forty years and their ending Vid Junium 12 In the midst of the Countries that are desolate Nebuchadrezzar made many Countries desolate according to the word of Jeremy ch 25.9 and among those Egypt was one so the words in the midst are to be understood And her Cities among the Cities that are laid waste As Egypt was fertile so populous and abounded in great Cities Lavater informes us that in the time of King Amasis it had twenty thousand Cities How many or how great soever they were laid waste by the Babylonian Army and that fourty years I will scatter the Egyptians among the Nations Where wars come many are consumed by the sword some are famished some devoured by the Plague and other diseases and doubtlesse though many Egyptians perished by such means yet some escaped and those God scattered and drave into other Countries Obs 1 Wars and the dismal effects of them are the just judgements of God upon perfidious Princes Pharaoh had deceived the Jews they leaned upon him for help but hee was a broken reed unto them Therefore behold I will bring a sword upon thee and it shall bee sharpe I will cut off man and beast out of thee Thou occasionedst my people to bee cut off through thy unfaithfulnesse and I will cause thee and thine to bee cut off through my fury Warres are dreadful but they are appointed sent and ordered by God where-ever they come Obs 2 Such is the efficacy and severity of Gods judgements as that nothing can stand before them or secure against them Egypt had strong Cities great Rivers was well peopled abounded in horses and charets Isa 31.1 yet the land of Egypt shall bee desolate and waste
Gods judgements would cut off man and beast destroy her Cities and in effect dry up her Rivers they should bee made uselesse Egypt strugled to defend and secure her self but it availed not Jerem. 46.11 Go up into Gilead and take balm O virgin the daughter of Egypt in vain shalt thou use so many medicines for thou shalt not bee cured Egypt was yet a virgin unconquered and shee is bid to go to Gilead where the most pretious and soveraign balm was and to take thereof that is to use the best means shee could finde out to prevent her ravishing and destruction and when shee had tryed one means and another many medicines all were vain her wound was incurable shee had dealt deceitfully with the Jews and lift up her self against the Lord robbing him of his glory whilst shee said The river is mine I have made it for my self Gods judgements were of that power and so severe as Jerusalem with all her art and means could not prevent them or protect her self from them Jer. 2.22 Though thou wash thee with nitre and take thee much soape though thou hast many excuses shifts pretences for what thou doest though thou send to Egypt for help though thou fast and prâ—iest these things shall do thee no good thine iniquity is marked before mee and my judgements must come and lay thee waste yea utterly waste Obs 3 Gods judgements are often universal and sweeping God would lay Egypt universally waste and desolate and that from one border to another from the Tower of Syene to Arabia within which bounds all Egypt was comprehended Jer. 12.12 The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wildernesse for the sword of the Lord shall devour from one end of the Land even to the other end of the Land no flesh shall have peace The Chaldeans were Gods instruments hee put the sword in their hand which did eat and devout from one extream part of the Land to another no place so strong so secret but the sword found it out and spared neither things nor persons the judgement was so universal that no flesh had peace that is none of the Jewish nation the terror of the sword was every where Zeph. 3.6 I have cut off the Nations their towers are desolate I made their streets waste that none passeth by Their Cities are destroyed so that there is no man that there is no inhabitant God swept away from the Heathens their Towers their streets their Cities their men expecting his people would have learned to fear him received instruction and prevented an universal judgement at least v. 7. but they rose early and corrupted all their doings as Gods Mercies had not so his Judgements did not do them good Therefore hee complains thus Jerem. 44.7 8. wherefore commit ye great evils against your souls to cut off from you man and woman child and suckling out of Judah to leave you none to remain in that you provoke mee to wrath with the works of your hands they put God upon an universal judgement by their universal wickedness Obs 4 That the times of Kingdomes flourishings and Kingdomes desolations are in the hand of God hee sets the bounds and periods for their Prosperity and their Adversity Hee said The land of Egypt shall bee desolate hee put an end to its glory and greatnesse hee set the time how long it should prosper and when that time was come and it brought to desolation hee determined the time how long it should lye in that desolate condition It shall not bee inhabited forty years the Cities of it shall bee desolate forty years Isa 23.15 Tyre as it had its time for reigning so it s seventy years for suffering the same proportion of years the Lord allotted unto the kingdome of Judah and to diverse Nations Jerem. 25.11 God put an end to their dominion and determined the time of their subjection which was seventy years service unto the King of Babylon The life and death of States is in the hand of the Lord to lengthen and shorten at his pleasure Some states flourish four hundred some five hundred some six hundred years and then they are made desolate for their forty their seventy years or more as seems good unto the Lord Dan. 2.21 Hee changeth times and seasons hee removeth Kings from their glory and greatnesse and throws them into obscurity what time he hath determined for them Obs 5 In time of wars people are driven from their friends habitations and countries When the sword came upon Egypt the Egyptians were scattered among the Nations and dispersed through the Countries God made use of them abroad to declare their own misery and his justice It s a sad thing to bee amongst strangers whose language is not understood to bee exposed to the scornes frownes and harsh usage of enemies the smoak of ones own country is better than the fire of another Many in our late warres have met with this great evil and can experimentally tell you what it is to bee driven out of their own Country and habitations into forrein ones Vers 13 Yet thus saith the Lord God at the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the People whither they were scattered 14 And I will bring again the Captivity of Egypt and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros into the land of their habitation and they shall be there a base kingdom 15 It shall be the basest of the Kingdoms neither shall it exalt it self any more above the Nations for I will diminish them that they shall no more rule over the nations 16 And it shall bee no more the confidence of the house of Israel which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance when they shall look after them but they shall know that I am the Lord God These verses are a Promise of Mercy to the Egyptians where comes into consideration 1 The Time when this mercy shall be at the end of the forty years 2 The Mercy it self which is double 1 Revocation v. 13. 2 Restitution of their Kingdome v. 14 15. where the nature of the Kingdome is set forth it shall be base c. 3 The End and aime of God in so doing which is two-fold 1 That Egypt may bee no more the confidence of the Jews 2 Acknowledgement of God v. 16 13 At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians The Egyptians being notorious idolaters confiding in their own strength were scattered among the Nations where they wandred and lived without hope of seeing their own Country and becomming a people or Kingdome again but the Lord out of his abundant goodnesse beyond theirs and others expectation promiseth that after forty years expired he would gather them where ever they were scattered Forty years he would exercise them wiâ—h captivity and those hard things accompanied the same No vocabâ—â—â—r olim ca câ—â—â—â—s Egypti quaâ— postea ab Aâ—â—xandro magnâ— restaurata â—jus nomen accepit Maldonat but
hee destroyes his peoples enemies and then shews them mercy Pag 590 Grace all wee have is from free Grace 138. why God deals gratiously with sinners Pag 138 H HAbitations are assigned to men by the Lord Pag 27. 86 Hearing Those will not hear God are rejected of God Pag 119 Hand lifting up of it what it notes 15. smiting of hand 161 165. God hath a hand to apprehend sinners 180. clapping of the hands Pag 390 391 Heart if running after other things it sleights the things of God 66. no halving 119. what knowledge affects it 133 134. what lifts it up 451. what meant by heart 486. it will faile when judgements come 226 229. God takes notice in what frame 488. what lifting up of it is 486. what doth it Pag 520 Holy what should ingage us to be so 34 36. holinesse of places priviledge not unholy people 148. holy things what and when prophaned 256. to be kept holy 260. when prophaned 317. it's wronging of God ibid. resting in them causes removal of them Pag 374 Hypocrisie a close and unsuspected sin Pag 8 Hatred 415. degrees of it Pag 417 Hypocrites cannot deceive God 10. they get nothing of God at his ordinances 10 11. they may deceive Prophets 11. are not to be pleaded for 12. God will not have to do with them 96 97. hee discovers their designes how close soever carried Pag 99 Hook Gods Hook Pag 551 553 Horne how taken Pag 588 Heathens wise men amongst them 462. not safe to relye upon them 559. God shews them mercy 571. sometimes more favour than his own people Pag 572 Harmes rejoycing at the harmes of others 426. they make wary Pag 560 Humble such are respected and exalted by God Pag 190 Helmet made of several things Pag 459 Horses difference of them Pag 468 Hope of mercy when denied 247. hopelesse condition who is the cause of it 354. things hoped for disappointed hurt Pag 560 Hedge what it was hedged the Jews 278 279. gapps in it what 279 280. making up the hedge what 280 281 282. when broken judgements are comming in 284. God expects some to make up the hedge 285. so doing prevents judgement saves a people ibid. I Iavan who came of him Pag 466 Idolaters it 's dangerous for the children of good men to live amongst them 33. cruel Pag 215 Idolatry may last long but shall be punished Pag 296 Jehovah what it notes Pag 17 486 Impossible things seem so accomplished by the Lord Pag 431 452 572 Jews Idolaters in Egypt 32. what once they were Pag 235 Interrogations what they denote Pag 92 Ireland Englands right to it Pag 28 Ingrateful those have had much kindnesse from God prove so Pag 38 39 Iniquity transgression and sin what 178 179. what the Prince of Tyrus his iniquity was Pag 513 514 Ithobald King of the Tyrians Pag 579 Judging in Scripture taken for pleading Pag 6 Insulting evil Pag 387 395 396 425 Judgements what brings spiritual ones 77. who punished with them 118. Gods judgements are impartial 142. fierce ones upon Gods people 144. not to be stayed by man ibid. severe at last 150. end of them ibid. when heavier judgements come 155. some judgements are sweeping ibid. they are tryals 159. trying judgements and destroying ones 160. easily suddenly brought 209. what hastens them 216. they discover mens hearts 229. they make the Lord known 233. when they come in 288. Just ibid. they are Cups 32. they teach and what 326. they make places boiling pots 332. they fall upon all sorts 333. work not out wickednesse 337. irrevocable 354 355. some mercy under severest judgements 381. God brings them 412. they are to make others tremble 440. dreadful 441 Cause Lamentation and Laughing 483. for examples 526. end of them 533. no standing against them 566. sometimes universall Pag 567 Ironies in Scripture 117. used by God himself and others Pag 493 494 Iron what put for Pag 465 Justice executed is pleasing to God 167 586 341. it upholds neglect of it ruines Princes and Kingdomes Pag 524 525 Jerusalem her praise and reproach 214 212. bloudy cruel 215. renowned for what 217. infamous ibid. Prophets in her against her 251 252. likened to a Pot 329. when emptied 335. sinned openly 336. the gates of the People Pag 421 Impudence in sinning Pag 303 Ivory 449 450. hornes of Ivory what Pag 4â—9 K KEdar and Kedarites Pag 474 475 Kindnesse prevailing Pag 136 Keriathaim a City and where Pag 401 Kodesh what it notes Pag 125 Knowledge what breeds experiment all knowledge of God Pag 116 133 134 138 Kingdomes their time of flourishing and desolation in the Lords hand 567 568. base 573. God can raise desolate ones Pag 574 Kings deposed by the Lord 187 hee puts an end to them and their Kingdomes at his pleasure 189. Kingdomes kept desolate 194. like Cherubims 510 511. have honour and power that they may protect the people 514. God an enemy to wicked Kings 550. they resemble Satan ibid L LAnd habitations Lands disposed and ordered by the Lord 27. what makes a land glorious 28 29 30. noted by the Lord what they are 245. not cleansed by means provoke God 246. denyed mercy 247. what saves a land 285. land of â—he living 439. there is a difference of Lands Pag 443 Lamentation when taken up Pag 435 Labour none labour for God in vain Pag 585 Law whether keeping of it would have availed to eternal life 50 51 53. Law-giver who 52. how violated Pag 254 255 256 Lebanon where and what it signifies Pag 448 Lewdness what Pag 221 343 Lead Pag 465 Likeness in sinning hath a likeness in suffering Pag 110 Linnen fine Linnen Pag 452 Lust mens lusts are costly things Pag 454 Lifting up those lift up themselves shall be abased Pag 575 M MAtter 's those of importance to whom to be committed Pag 462 Merchants 458 464 465 467. merchandising of the hand 469. whether men may be Merchants Pag 478 479 Meshech who came from him Pag 464 467 Magistrates usually such as the Priests and Prophets are 266. covetous and cruel ibid. 267. how to deale with the people 514 515. should not connive at but punish sin 524. not suffer bryars and thorns to over-run the field Pag 538 Malice malitious practises what they provoke to Pag 411 Market Pag 468 Marriage lawful for men in spiritual functions Pag 362 Maresha where Pag 553 Mast what Pag 448 Marriners Pag 457 Man hee is onely a sojourner here 115. mens evil acts over-ruled by God 175. of trading for men 467. men know not what themselves are 492. they are conceited ibid. Means not neglected by heathens 174. if cleanse us not it 's dangerous 246. may be had and not improved 346. such a case dangerous 348. prove hurtful Pag 560 Mercy old mercies are to bee remembred 26. choisest mercies are for Gods own people 28. mercies oblige to holiness 34. they worsten men 39. upon what account shewed to ill-deservers 48. mercies do not exempt us from
are the words of wisdome weighty and stable Zeph. 1.6 Did not my words and my statutes take hold of your fathers what God said was accomplished and they could not but acknowledge it Like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us so hath he dealt with us 15 And I will scatter thee among the Heathen and disperse thee in the Countries Of their scattering and dispersing hath formerly been spoken It was a great comfort to them to have their solemn meetings at Jerusalem and in the Temple and as great an affliction to bee deprived of them and scattered as dust and chaffe among the Heathens whose language they understood not and whose religion was abomination to the God of Israel And will consume thy filthiness out of thee The Hebrew is I will make thy filthiness to fail out of thee so Montanus I will make an end of thy filthiness thou art now so defiled with Idols bloud and other abominations that thou art as an heap and bundle of filthiness even the filthy City but I will throw thee into the furnace of affliction and cause thy filthinesse to depart from thee By filthinesse wee may understand filthy ones Purgabo expiabâ—que suppliciiâ— scelera tua Mal. the abstract being put for the concrete Jerusalem had many filthy persons in it and God would by his judgements consume them Obs The Lord by his judgements doth purge out of Cities and Nations the wicked and makes them and their wickednesse to cease I will consume thy filthiness out of thee that is thy filthy ones with their filthiness God brought the sword famine Pestilence upon Jerusalem and by these did cut off and consume the filthy ones there See Ezek. 5.12 Jer. 14.15 ch 16 4. Ezek. 13.14 God by his judgements destroyed Jerusalem and so caused her filthiness to bee at an end Ezek. 16.40 41. They shâ—ll stone thee with stones thrust thee through with swords burn thine houses with fire and execute judgements upon thee in the sight of many women and I wil cause thee to cease from playing the Harlot The same judgements you have Ezek. 23.47 and by them he would cause lewdnesse to cease out of the Land vers 48. By his judgements the Lord consumes the filthy out of the City and land and filthiness out of the Saints 16 And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thy self Hebr. is thus Venichalte bach haereditabis in te thou shalt inherit in thy self Thou shalt be thine own inheritance Heretofore thou wast mine inheritance but it shall bee so no longer I will cast thee off being so filthy as thou art and thou shalt have no inheritance in mee but in thy self Some making the word to bee from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est possidere haerediâ—aâ—re to prophane do render it in the first person thus vulnerabo te I will wound thee So Symmachus Contaminabo te I will defile thee and prophane thee So Theodition The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will possesse in thee that is I will have a people for my possession among you when you are scattered abroad among the Heathens It s true God had a people among them when they were in Babylon but the Hebrew is not in the first person Piscator hath it thus Prâ—fana efficieris in te Thou shalt bee made prophane in thy self thou shalt bee cast off by mee into banishment and bee no other in mine account than a common and prophane people I will account of thee so and deal accordingly with thee so the words are to bee understood Isa 43.28 ch 47.6 where the Lord is said to prophane the Princes and pollute his inheritance This sense may well stand with the first for if God made them a prophane and common people they had no inheritance in him but their inheritance was in themselves In the sight of the Heathen Heathens shall see that thou art a people cast off of thy God for thy wickednesse and exposed to reproach cursing and as great miseries as ever any people were Obs 1 That the wickednesse of Gods people doth dis-interest them in God it makes God dis-own them and leave them to themselves They might think and say they were still the people the inheritance of God that they had interest in him but thou shalt take thine inheritance in thy self I disclaim thee I cast thee off as prophane and look upon thee no otherwise than I do upon Heathens In the margent of the French Bible you have these words je ne seray plus ton heritage I will bee no longer thine heritage It was the wickednesse of the ten Tribes which made the Lord to say Lo-ammi yee are not my people and I will not bee your God Hos 1.9 In which Prophet you may read largely of their sinnes the 8. chap. ver 3. tells you that Israel had cast off the thing that was good viz. the worship of God and vers 5. thy calfe O Samaria hath cast thee off that is thy false worship hath made mee to cast thee off to declare thee to bee none of my City and thy people to bee none of mine In the twelfth of Jeremy you have that beares witness fully to this observation vers 7 8 9. I have forsaken mine house I have left mine heritage I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies mine heritage is to mee as a Lyon in the Forrest it cryeth out against mee therefore have I hated it Mine heritage unto mee is as a speckled bird the birds round about are against her come ye assemble all the beasts of the field come to devoure The meaning of these words is this that the Jews were once very dear to God even as dear as any wife can be to an Husband but because like Lyons they carried it stoutly against God and cryed out against him his Prophets therfore he forsook them hated them and gave them into the hands of the Babylonians and because Jerusalem was as a speckled bird in the eye of God through her variety of Gods Altars Superstitions and Idolatres therefore God caused the Birds of all the Nations to hoot at and hate her even as Birds do a speckled Bird inviting them and all the Beasts of the field to come and devoure her and why all this They dealt treacherously ver 1. they were Hypocritical vers 2. they were wicked ver 4. The Jews had been a people pretious in the sight of God and honourable Isa 43.4 Jerusalem his habitation and the people of it his inheritance and his glory whom hee protected Isa 4.5 yet by their sinnes they provoked God so as that he gave his strength into Captivity and his glory into the enemies hands Psal 78.61 Obs 2 That Gods judgements bring People to the knowledge of God It rises from the former vers and this laid together God would scatter them consume them cast them off leave them
to themselves and they should know that hee was the Lord Psalm 9.16 The Lord is known by executing Judgements His power his justice and soveraignty are known thereby and so men are made to fear and stand in awe of him When God is silent and speaks not by his judgements men think hee is like themselves Psal 50.21 and are imboldened to sin Eccl. 8.11 but when God thunders by his judgements they have other apprehensions of him 1 Sam. 6.19 20. Vers 17 And the word of the Lord came unto me saying 18 Sonne of maâ— the house of Israel is to mee become dross all they are brasse and Tin and Iron and Lead in the midst of the turnaceâ— they are even the drosse of silver 19 Therefore thus saith the Lord God because yee are all become drosse behold therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem 20 As they gather silver and Brasse and Iron and Lead and Tin into the midst of the furnace to blow the fire upon it to melt it so will I gather you in mine anger and my fury and I will leave you there and melt you 21 Yea I will gather you and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof 22 As Silver is melted in the midst of the furnace so shall yee be melted in the midst thereof and yee shall know that I the Lord have poured out my fury upon you In these words is the Lords second message to Ezekiel wherin is set forth First The Degenerate estate of the Jews under the similitude of dross vers 18. 2 Gods judicial peoceeding with them being dross vers 19 20 21 22. 1 Hee would gather them together 2 Blow upon them 3 Melt them 3 The End of his so dealing with them vers 22. Vers 17 And the word of the Lord came unto me saying These words we have had oft and in the 1. v. of this chapter God being upon bringing judgements upon his People gives them notice thereof by his Prophets Hee speakes before hee strikes 18 The house of Israel is to me become dross The house of Israel viz. the Jewes had been of high account with God they were once his chosen People above all others Deut. 7.6 they were once a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation Exod. 19.6 they were once so honourable and pretious that God gave and destroyed other Nations for their sakes Isa 43.4 they were once his portion his inheritance Deut. 32.9 Isa 19.25 they were once his vineyard and pleasant plant Isa 5.7 they were once a people near unto him Psal 148.14 the dearly beloved of his soul Jer. 12.7 his peculiar people Exod. 19.5 but now they were become dross they had degenerated from their former faithfulnesse justice honesty sincerity and purity Quicquid de a geâ—to â—â—iove metâ—llo dum igne eâ— quitur expuâ—gatur The word for drosse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sig which is whatsoever the fire separates from any mettal Kirk saith its Sordes quae de mettallis igni retrocedit quam scoriam appellamus Mettals have some thing of an heterogeneall nature to themselves which being separated by fire or any other way is that wee call drosse The house of Israel here is not said to bee drossy but to bee dross its fit therefore to see wherein the resemblance lies between them 1 The Drosse Obscures the lustre and glory of the mettal yea Covers it up so that it appears not rust and filth compass and hide the gold so that neither the nature or lustre of it can bee seen So the house of Israel was such at this time that no gold no silver appeared Jer. 5.1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if hee can find a man if there bee any that executeth judgement that seeketh the truth Jâ—r 9. â— They bee all adulterers an assembly of treacherous men Ier. 8.10 Zeph. 3.7 they rose early and corrupted all their doings Jer. 6.28 they are all greivous revolters walking with slanders they are brass and iron they are all corrupters There was no pure mettal appeared amongst them especially gold or silver If there were some righteous just holy faithful ones amongst them they lay hid under the dross 2 Dross is a deceiving thing its like mettal but is not mettal the dross of silver is like it and so the dross of Gold is like it but the dross is neither silver nor gold so The house of Israel was deceitful hypocritical like Saints but not Saints see Isa 10.6 ch 58.2 cha 9.17 every one is an Hypocrite and an evil doer every mouth speaketh folly they professed themselves to be the people of God yet were not such as they seemed to be Jer. 7.2 4 9 10. they were like potsheards covered with silver dross Pro. 26.23 3 Dross is not bettered by the fire put it into the fire time after time it abides so still God had oft put the Jews into the furnace of affliction and heat the furnace sometimes very hot but they were the same still They had been in the Egyptian fire 2 King 23.33 in the Syrian and Chaldean fire chap 24.2 and other fires but none of them did them any good Jer. 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not greived thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction and not onely did the Prophet complain thus but the Lord himself chap. 2.30 In vain have I smitten their children they received no correction they were nothing the better for all Gods blows and fires dross they were and dross they continued 4 Dross is a worthlesse thing it s of no value base vile contemptible such was The house of Israel and chief in it Jer. 24.8 Zedekiah the King his Princes and the rest of Jerusalem were as evill figgs which could not bee eaten the Kingdome was base Ezek. 17.14 the City an Harlot ch 16.35 she changed the judgements of God into wickednesse more than the Nations chap. 5.6 and was more vile than Sodom and Samaria chap. 16.47 5 It s uselesse and to be rejected The Jews now were so corrupted so wicked so unprofitable that the Lord was casting them off and out Jer. 6.30 Reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them As the wood of the vine when fruitless is not fit for any thing but the fire Ezek. 15. so the dross of silver is not fit for any thing but rejection The house of Israel being become dross the Lord saith Jer. 7.15 I will cast you out of my sight as I have cast out all your brethren even the whole Seed of Ephraim the ten Tribes they proved dross and the Lord cast them away and now hee would cast Judah and Benjamin out of his sight and when he did it they were the off-scouring and refuse in the midst of Heathens Lam. 3.45 6 Dross is an