Israel EZekiel having begun a Prophesie concerning Gog and Magog in the former Chapter he proceeds in this also therein and tells you 1. Of the severe dealings of God with Gog to the 25. ver 2. Of his gratious favour and goodness to his people from the 25. to the end In these Verses we have 1. The great enemy of Gog and author of his overthrow ver 1. 2. The manner of it ver 2 3 6. 3. The place where it should be ver 4 5. 4. The greatness of it ver 4. 5. The certainty thereof ver 5. 6. The end of God in so doing ver 7. Vers 1. Behold I am against thee O Gog the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal These very words we had in the former Chap. ver 2. 3. He was a great Prince had great Command many Confederates to take his part yet being wicked and an enemy to Gods people God declares himself to be an enemy to him Vers 2. I will turn thee back and leave but the sixt part of thee These words and leave but a sixt part of thee are variously Interpreted Some say I will kill five parts of thine Army and leave but a sixt Some I will seduce thee Others I will judge thee with six Judgements viz. the Plague Bloud Rain Hailstones Fire and Bimstone as it 's in the former Chapter ver 22. The Hebrew Shis shethica Montanus renders sextabo te I will sixt thee For the meaning whereof consider what has be said Ch. 38.4 I will turn thee back and put hooks into thy chaws the sense whereof was this I will not turn thee back but bring thee out and because of Objections Difficulties and Remoraes I will draw thee forth I will put hooks in thy chaws and deal by thee as men do by fish in the Seas or things fallen into wells draw thee out by hooks The reason it s conceived of this expression is for that they used irons with six hooks upon them to catch hold of things fallen into waters and to draw them out thereby Hence it is that the Lord saith I will sixt thee as the word signifies or draw thee out with hooks as the sense is And will cause thee to come up from the North parts and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel Of Gog's coming from the North parts we heard Chap. 38.15 God would cause him to come out of those parts unto the Mountains of Israel which we may take Literally though some doe take them Metaphorically for the places where the Church of God should be Vers 3. And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand and cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand Bows and Arrows were much used in former dayes both amongst the Jews and Heathens also as Isa 66.19 Jer. 46.9 1 Chr. 5.18 and when they handled them they held the Bows in their left hands and Arrows in their right ones Now when these Goggites should attempt to shoot and do execution by shooting God would disappoint them causing a fear and faintness to fall upon them so that not only their Bows and Arrows but all their Military Instruments should be useless for by these mentioned are meant all the rest To smite or break the Bow imports the weakning of Forces or making of warlike Instruments inefficacious as Psal 37.15 Psal 46.9 Hos 1.5 Jer. 49.35 In these places Breaking of the Bow notes Blasting of their power and making frustrare all Military instruments Vers 4. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel thou and all thy bands and the people that is with thee Not in places conspicuous to the whole Church as some would have it but in the Land and on the Mountains of Israel which Antiochus Epiphanes did not as I shewed formerly And this verse gives warrant to depart from our Translation of those words in the 2. verse And leave but the sixt part of thee For Gog and all his Bands and Confederates were to fall upon the Mountains of Israel no sixt part of them were left I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured When great Armies are overthrown sometimes their Carkasses lie unburyed and so are exposed to the fowls of heaven and beasts of the field which pray upon them so should it be with Gog and his for a season after they had layen a season they had burial as appears v. 11 The word for Ravenous bird is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aiil which signifies a bird of prey and differs from Tzippor which is a small bird Vers 5. Thou shalt fall upon the open field The Hebrew saith Thou shalt fall upon the faces of the field that is the superficies and so lie in open view We had the same words in Chap. 16.5 32.4 Vers 6. And I will send a fire on Magog Some by Magog understand the Land of Gog when Others a distinct person and Prince from Gog. Let Magog denote a Place or Person God would send a fire not Metaphorical fire only but Material fire and so it s said Rev. 20.9 And them that dwell carelesly in the Isles Pliny saith there be many Islands in the Scythian Sea and it 's likely such people as dwell therein are careless secure fearing no dangers yet God would visit them with fire But there be Islands nearer then those upon the Egaeâ—n and Mediterranean Seas which dwell confidently as the word is Vers 7. So will I make my holy Name known in the midst of my people Israel When great men go forth to Warr and obtain some eminent victory thereby they become famous so God by smiting Magog and all his Forces would make his holy Name known that his people should confess him to be a holy God and his Name a Name of holiness for so it is in the Original And will not let them pollute my holy Name any more When men say those things which are derogatory to the Name of God as that he sees not he hath forsaken the Earth that he is unfaithful unjust c. or do such things as cause others to blaspheme and speak dishonourable of Himself his Word Worship and Providences then are they said to pollute his holy Name After the destruction of Gog and Magog God would order things so that his Name should not suffer First Observe Those are Enemies unto the Church God is an Enemy unto them Gog's thought and design was to invade the Land of Israel and what saith the Lord Behold I am against thee O Gog Hadst thou been a friend to my Church I would have been a friend to thee but seeing thou art malitious and intendest mischief against the Saints loe I even I the Lord of Hosts that can shake Heaven and Earth and destroy the most puissant and politick Army in a moment am against thee When thou touchest my people thou touchest the Apple of mine Eye and I neither can nor will bear it
into Heaven by vers 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Not any one which goes no further But he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven My father saith Christ hath made known his will he would have men do his will and then he will open unto them and let them into Heaven It s not mens hearing or saying but their doing what they hear which pleads stronglyest for their entrance into Heaven Many men commend the Preacher the Word with their tongues but disgrace both with their lives The best commenders of the Preachers and their doctrine are mens lives when they are doers of the word Matth 25.21 It s well done thou good and faithfull servant enter thou into thy masters joy Not well heard or well said but well done Let us see to it that we be not hearers only but doers of the word Rev 22.14 Blessed are they that do his commandements that they may have right to the Tree of life and may â—nter in through the gates into the City Fifthly Observe The judgements threatned by the Prophets of God shall certainly take place When this cometh to passe lo it will come He means the sword wilde beasts pestilence utter desolation which were threatned It seem'd somewhat unlikely that after a war a few poor people left in wastes holes caves forts woods fields should be cut off but the Lord had said it and he did effect it How improbable or impossible soever things appear to us what God threatens by his Prophets to doe without repentance intervene he will accomplish Sixthly Observe Whatever the thoughts of wicked ones are for the present of the Prophets the time will come when they shall have other kind of thoughts of them When this cometh to passe then shall they know c. When the sword wilde beasts pestilence utter desolation are upon them and the Land when they are in straits in the jawes of death then they will have other apprehensions of Ezekiel then now they have Ezekiel at present is a lovely song like a man that hath a pleasant voice some affect him some scoff at him others censure him but when death is before them then their thoughts will alter then they will say Ezekiel told us of these things that are come upon us and how to avoid them he call'd upon us to consider our wayes to turn from all our iniquities and to provide for our souls we then slighted him only gave him the hearing of what he said but now we see he was a Prophet of God delivered weighty things and we were fools that we hearkened not unto him doing what he said When young men who despise all the Preachers say against whoredom and wanton courses come to be in years find their flesh and bodies to be consumed then will they have other thoughts of them and what they preached then will they say How have we hated instruction and our hearts despised reproof we obeyed not the voyce of our Teachers nor inclined our ears to them that instructed us Prov. 5.11 12 13. There were Prophets amongst us who sought our good who tendred mercy and many precious truths unto us but we were so blinded with our lusts so conceited of our own wayes that we rejected them and whatever they tendred us Seventhly Observe The Prophets will be witnesses at last against disobedient hearers They shall know that a Prophet hath been amongst them They heard Ezekiel but did not what he said his person his doctrine did at last bear witness against them Where-ever the Lord sets a faithful preacher who takes pains among the people declaring the mind of God unto them and they do not practice what they are taught that Preacher will rise up in judgement against them his doctrine his prayers tears drops of sweat his life his sufferings reproaches death will all be witnesses against them If the rust of mens silver and gold will be witnesses against them and eat their flesh like fire James 5.3 because they let their silver and gold lye by them and did not improve the same for publique good and in charitable uses how much more will the truths of God which the Preachers have commended unto them being neglected and not improved to the good of the hearers and others bear witness against them and eat their flesh yea their souls like fire Thousands who have flocked after Ministers to hear them will find those Ministers witnesses against them because they heard them only and never did what they heard What a multitude of witnesses will London and England have against them at the latter day All the Godly faithful Ministers whose doctrine hath been heard but never obeyed CHAP. XXXIV Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. And the Word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man prophesie against the shepherds of Israel prophesie and say unto them Thus saith the Lord God unto the Shepherds Wo be to the Shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves should not the Shepherds feed the flock Ye eat the fat and ye cloath you with the Wool ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the flock The diseased have ye not strengthned neither have ye healed that which was sick neither have ye bound up that which was broken neither have ye brought again that which was driven away neither have ye sought that which was lost but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them And they were scattered because there is no Shepherd and they became meat to all the beasts of the field when they were scattered My sheep wandred through all the mountains and upon every high hill yea my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth and none did search or seek after them EZekiel having reproved and threatned the judgements of God against the people for their sins he comes in this Chapter to deal with the Governours and Rulers of them through whose default they became so wicked and suffered the Babylonish yoke In this Chapter are these things considerable 1. A reproof of the Shepherds and judgement threatned against them in the first 10 verses 2. Gods care of and comfortable provision for his flock from the 10. vers to the 23. 3. A sweet Prophesie of Christ and his Kingdom under the figure of David from the 23. vers to the end Vers 1. The Word of the Lord came unto me saying These words we have often had by them the Prophet declares himself to be a true Prophet false ones spake of their own heads they had no word from God they deluded the people with lying words but Ezekiel had a word from God and that word he commended to the people Vers 2. Prophesie against the Shepherds of Israel The Shepherds of Israel were the chief Rulers both Political and Ecclesiastical Princes Magistrates Prophets Priests and Levites Isa 44.28 Cyrus is call'd a Shepherd Zech 11.17 those in the
they suffered hard things and lay under great reproach among the Nations whereupon the Lord here in this Chapter doth 1. Denounce judgement against the Heathen setting out the Causes moving him thereunto from the 1. vers to the end of the 7. 2. Promise mercy to the Land of Israel which is specified in severall particulars from the beginning of the 8. vers unto the 16. 3. Shew the causes why the Jews were driven out of their Countrey from 6. vers to the 21. 4. Set out the ground of their restauration from the 21. to the 25. 5. Multiply promises of spiritual and temporal things upon them and their Land from the 25. to the end Vers 1. Thou son of man prophesie unto the mountains of Israel In the former Chapter he prophesied against Mount Seir in this he is to prophesie to the mountains of Israel against that he prophesied judgement unto these he prophesieth mercies These Mountains of Israel by a Synecdoche are put for the whole Land of Judaea and by a Metonomie for the people contained therein or who had lived therein Hear the word of the Lord. The Land mourn'd because the profane Nations had laid it waste and taken possession of it the Lord therefore calls to the Land and People that had inhabited it to let them know that the one should not long lye in so desolate a condition nor the other alwayes be kept out by enemies from their inheritance Vers 2. Thus saith the Lord God These words are in the 3 4 5 6 7. verses also The Jewes being cast into so low a condition might think God had forgotten them and would leave them to perish in the hands of their enemies to take off such thoughts he commands the Prophet to say in 6 verses together Thus saith the Lord God It is not the voice of Ezekiel but of Jehovah who is affected with the insolency of your enemies and the grievous things you suffer Because the enemy had said against you Aha The Hebrew word for enemy is from Ajaf to bear ill will to hate This enemy principally was the Edomite who had a perpetual hatred against the Jewes Ezek. 35.5 and the Ammonite who cryed Aha Ezek 25.3 and entred upon the Jews inheritance Jerem 49.1 with the Moabite who reproached the people of God Zeph 2.8 10. These and others were disaffected to the Jews and hated them insulted in the day of their calamity saying Aha The Hebrew is Heach which to Mercer is vox insultantis and to others vox provocatoria cum contemptu an insulting provoking scornfull word The ancient high places are ours in possession Bamoth Olam Excelsa Saculi The ancient Mountains which have kept their station and height i nal ages Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The everlasting solitudes Vulgar Altitudines sempiterna The everlasting height French is Les hauts lieux du monde The high places of the world The Land of Israel had many high Mountains which being solitary and desolate the enemy said they are ours in possession we shall inherit them for ever The Edomites being from Esau Jacobs elder brother the Ammonites and Moabites from Lot Abrahams brother they challenged the ancient high places of Israel for their possessions call'd Excelsa Saeculi because God and his Worship had been there many years and the Land was promised the Jews for ever Because they have made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side The enemies of the Jews were bitter and bloudy they stript them of what they had and devoured them they did eat them up Shaaph signifies to draw in the aire to suck it up and metaphorically to swallow to devoure they did not like Caniball eat the flesh of the Jews but they dealt cruelly with them not in one place only but on all sides those that were their neighbours cut them off and destroyed them round about That ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen So little did they care for the Church of God his people and their inheritance they rule over these few Jews that were left This made Jeremy to complain Lamen 5.2 Our inheritance is turned to strangers our houses to aliens Ye are taken up in the lips of talkers In the Hebrew its thus And ye have ascended upon the lip of the tongue or ye are made to ascend ye are the common talk of men as we use to say Table talk They were made a reproach a proverb a taunt and a curse amongst the people according to what is written Jer 24.9 Junius and Piscator both have it Traducti estis in labia Nationum You are traduced and slandered through the tongues of the Nations they talk at large of you The lip of the tongue is an Hebraisme noting a talkative person as Job 11.2 A man of lips is the Hebrew that is A man of talk and Psal 140.11 Let not an evill speaker in Hebrew a man of tongue such an one utters much evill and falls under the denomination of an evill speaker And are an infamy of the people The word Dibbah infamy is from Davaf which signifies to speak and to relate the evills of others The enemies of the Jews related what evils they knew or heard of concerning them and made them infamous The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reproach or scorn to the Nations Vers 4. Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills to the rivers and to the valleys to the desolate wastes and to the Cityes that are forsaken He mentioned the mountains of Israel before and the ancient high places here he adds Hills Rivers Valleys Wastes Cityes to shew that he would vindicate the whole Land from the possession of the Nations who did so greatly villifie his Church and people Which became a prey and derision unto the residue of the heathen The Heathen did not only spoile and make a prey of Judaea but also deride the Jews they scoffed at those that were left and those were carryed away The word for derision is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laag which notes deriding with scorn and contempt and therefore by the Septuagint is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conculcatio they derided them as worthy to be trodden under feet Vers 5. Surely in the fire of my jealousie have I spoken against the residue of the heathen c. The Hebrew for surely is Im lo which implyes an oath Si non or nisi unlesse I have spoken in the fire of my jealousie let me not be God let me never be believed To speak in the fire of jealousie is an Hebraisme saith Pintus Pro effundere verba cum stomacho it notes hot displeasure Psal 79.5 Shall thy jealousie burn like fire Here the Lords jealousie was on fire he was not only angry with the Heathen but in a fierie jealousie for jealousie is more then anger Deut 29.20 Men in their jealousie are extreamly mov'd and carryed out with heat and fury to be revenged
and commanded it to be so Lam. 3.37 Who is he that saith and it cometh to pass When the Lord commandeth it not Vers 18 19 20 21 22. 18. And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel saith the Lord God that my fury shall come up in my face 19. For in my jealousie and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel 20. So that the fishes of the sea and the fouls of the heaven and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep upon the earth and all the men that are upon the face of the earth shall shake at my presence and the mountains shall be thrown down and the steep places shall fall and every wall shall fall to the ground 21. And I will call for a sword against him thorowout all my mountains saith the Lord God every mans sword shall be against his brother 22. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with bloud and I will rain upon him and upon his bands and upon the many people that are with him an overflowing rain and great hailstones fire and brimstone THe time and manner of Gods proceedings with Gog is set forth in these five Verses Vers 18. At the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel Time is not to be taken strictly for a day or an hour as if God should that very day Gog set out or invaded the Land fall upon him by his judgements and destroy him but largely for the time of that enterprise whilest he should be upon that design when he had fill'd up the measure of his iniquities My fury shall come up in my face Some read the words thus My anger shall come up in my face that is I will be furious and manifest hot displeasure for furor is fervor irae the heat and highth of anger We read the words My fury shall come up in my face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Af signifies Anger the face the nose also because Anger appears chiefly in them God speaking here after the manner of men saith My fury shall come up in my face Luther by Fury or Anger understands Gog himself who was Vas Irae Divinae by whom God powred out wrath upon the Jews Maldonate also makes the Fury here mentioned to be against the Church but rather its against Gog for at the same time that Gog should come against Israel at that time should Gods fury come up in his face he would be exceedingly displeased with Gog for attempting the destruction of his people And ver 21. God will call for a Sword against him Vers 19. For in my jealousie and in the fury of my wrath have I spoken The Lord being jealous over his people for their good and seeing what malicious designes Gog and his Confederates had against them was provoked much thereby and said in his Jealousie and Fury that is Promised or rather Threatned the Destruction of Gog and not only so but confirmed it with an Oath in the next words Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the Land of Israel These words Im lo carry the form of an Oâ—th with them as thus If not that is if there be not a great shaking let me not be God let me not be faithful so sure as I am God and faithful so sure and certain it is that there shall be a great shaking in the Land of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 raash signifies a Commotion an Earth-quake and in that day when Antiochus invaded Canaan there was a great commotion a great shaking And so there will be when Antichrist who is Gog mystical shall invade the Church which Maldonate saith will be in the end of the world Vers 20. So that the Fishes of the Sea and the Fowls of the Heaven the Beasts of the Field and all creeping things that creep upon the Earth and all the Men that are upon the face of the Earth shall shake at my presence Here is shewn the greatness of his shaking it should be such as should affect and astonish all creatures even the sensible and senseless As Gog should come like a storm so Gods judgements should come upon him and his like a storm When storms are the winds blow terribly so that the Air and Fowls in it are troubled the Sea works and rages so that the fishes in it are disquieted yea some storms do so afflict the Earth that Beasts creeping things and Men themselves are made to quake When God comes in a way of judgement it 's grievous All these expressions are ad significandam calamitatis vehementiam God would appear in some dreadful judgement against Gog and thereby shake all The Mountains shall be thrown down and the steep places shall fall Sometimes in Scripture by Mountains are meant Men in eminent places as Dan. 2.35 Isa 40.4 Sometimes the Church and Kingdoms as Isa 2.23 But here some take it literally and affirm there should be such an Earth-quake as should shake down Mountains Lavater by Mountains understands Towers built upon Mountains which then should be demolished The word for steep places is Hammadregoth which Cant. 2.14 is translated stairs the Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valleys the Vulgar is sepes the fences the translation Vatablus follows saith aggeres Bulwarks Piscator and the French say turres Towers OEcolampad and Lavater render it gradus the steps stairs or ascents whereby they went up Junius varies from them all and turns the word prcaeipitia which is Steep places by which he intends Rocks hanging as it were in the Air. The sense is that all Places of refuge and safety seemed they never so strong should fail And every wall shall fall to the ground So terrible shall be the shaking that the walls of Cities shall be overthrown all the Towers Forts and Defences whatsoever shall be levell'd with the ground and made useless Some understand this of Gogs prevailing against the Church laying all waste so that the people of God shall be in that distress till God come and execute judgement upon Gog and all his company Vers 21. And I will call for a Sword against him throughout all my Mountains saith the Lord God Sword here is put for Sword-men God would call forth men and stir up their spirits to oppose Gog and his company who filling all with fear thought to swallow up all but throughout Judea that mountainous Counrey he should meet with those would give check to his proceedings Judas Macchabaeus Jonathan Eleazer and others withstood Antiochus and his Forces as you may see in the Book of the Macchabees and therein was this Prophesie made good say Interpreters Every mans Sword shall be against his Brother Those of Gogs Army should through the just judgement of God upon them change their thoughts counsels intentions and instead of killing their
the Inhabitants of them and if he did but call they came to his Standard presently The Princes of the Earth find it an hard business to get a great Army together and wait long for it after great consultation how to effect the same but the Lord only calls and iâ—'s done He is the Lord of Hosts he hath command of spirits and can with ease in a little time gather a vast Army The Centurion when he said to his servant Come he came and when God shall say to men Come they will come they must come out of all parts from all mountains Fifthly Observe As God can easily gather Armies for the good of his Church so he can as easily ruine Armies which are against his Church he can mingle a perverse spirit amongst them so divide them that they shall execute one another Every mans sword shall be against his brother One Goggite should destroy another they thought to have destroyed Gods people and they fell one upon the other 2 Chron. 20.22 23. The children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir came against Judah and thought to destroy them and take their possessions but God soon ruined their enemies he set them one against another for the children of Ammon and Moab stand up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir utterly to slay and destroy them and when they had made an end of the Inhabitants of Seir every one helped to destroy another the Ammonites destroyed the Moabites and the Moabites the Ammonites This great multitude for so they are called ver 2. did the Lord cause to fall by their own swords How easily did God scatter the Army of the Syrians which besieged Samaria He made them to hear a noyse of Charets and Horses whereupon they fled for their lives and left bag and baggage 2 King 7.6 7. Did not God at the prayers of a Christian Legion in the Army of Marcus Aurelius Emperour scatter and destroy that vast Army of the Marcomanni and Quadi which consisted of 977 thousand He sent rain at the same time to relieve the Emperours Army which was in danger of perishing by thirst and also thunder lightning and fiery hail which ruined the enemies God can with great facility overthrow the greatest Armies Sixthly Observe God hath variety of means and wayes whereby to destroy Armies and punish Enemies He hath the pestilence bloud an overflowing rain great hailstones fire and brimstone to do the same by He had an Angel to destroy Sennacheribs Army Isa 37.36 Stars to fight against Sisera Judg. 5.20 The shining of the Sun upon the water undid the Moabites 2 King 3.22 23 24. The sound in the tops of the Mulbery-trees did the Philistines no good 2 Sam 5.24 God hath Natural Casual and Divine means to plague his enemies with though they be in great Armies Seventhly Observe Those who joyn with Great ones in wicked enterprises must look to suffer grievous things with them I will rain upon him and upon his bands and upon the many people that are with him They thought themselves safe under Gog that they should get honour and wealth in that enterprize but the undertaking was unwarrantable Gog could not justifie his act nor protect them They were Co-actors in wickedness and so should be Co-sufferers It 's dangerous to adhere to Greatness in wicked designs Though hand joyn in hand the wicked shall not be unpunished Prov. 11 21. Let multitudes take Gog and Great men by the hand let them follow their counsels tread in their steps do their wills this cannot secure them they shall be punished God is no respecter of persons in every Nation he that doth wickedly and they that joyn with him shall be punished Vers 23. 23. Thus will I magnifie my self and sanctifie my self and I will be known in the eyes of many nations and they shall know that I am the Lord. THis Verse shews the end of Gods destroying Gog and in such a manner viz. That God may be honoured and known Thus will I magnifie my self The Septuagint and some others read the words passively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be magnified but Hith gaddilti is I will magnifie my self or I will make my self great and that is done when God doth such things as declare his Power his Faithfulness and his Justice when the Lord should execute his dreadful threatned-Judgements upon Gog then his great Power would appear that he had the Command of all Creatures that vast Armies are nothing to him so his Faithfulnesse to his people who owned him for their God and his Justice in destroying those would have destroyed his And sanctifie my self God is not unholy or polluted at any time but he is said to Sanctifie himself when he declares himself to be not Impotent not Unfaithfull not Unjust but a Powerfull Faithfull Righteous and Holy God Observe The end of Gods judgements upon the wicked is that he may be known and acknowledged among the Nations and so have a great and holy Name God is known by executing of judgements Psal 9.16 Known not to be like unto men as they conceived Psal 50.21 or a God that sees not as they said Ezek. 8.12 or a God countenancing and preferring evill-doers as they affirm'd Mal. 3.15 But to be a dreadfull God as when he visited Ananias and Sapphira for their sins Great fear came upon all that heard thereof Act. 5.11 To be an holy God as 1 Sam. 6.20 when he smote the Bethshemites 50000 of them with sudden death it was said Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God by his judgements he hath made his Name dreadful among the Heathen What a great and holy Name did the Lord make to himself by the destruction of Pharaoh and his host in the Red-sea CHAP. XXXIX Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 1. Therefore thou son of man prophesie against Gog and say Thus saith the Lord God Behold I am against thee O'Gog the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal 2. And I will turn thee back and leave but the sixth part of thee and will cause thee to come up from the north parts and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel 3. And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand 4. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel thou and all thy bands and the people that is with thee I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured 5. Thou shalt fall upon the open field for I have spoken it saith the Lord God 6. And I will send a fire on Magog and them that dwell carelesly in the isles and they shall know that I am the Lord. 7. So will I make my holy Name known in the midst of my people Israel and I will not let them pollute my holy Name any more and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord the holy One in