aire bâ—t it 's said the glory of the Lord went to the threshâ—ld not over it or beyond it and it s conceiv'd to be the threshâ—ld of the Priests Court The Lord went thither 1. To shew he was now going from the Temple where was such impure worship and leaving his glorious high Throne aâ— iâ—'s call'd Jer. 17.12 The Jewes thought the Lord was coâ—fiâ—'d to the Temple and the Prophets to the holy land 2. Because he was to pronounce sentence against this wicked idolatrous oppressing people which he would not doe in Sancto Sanctorum or in the Temple which was the place of his gracious presence and a type of Christ and mercy by him In the gates of the City they sate in judgement Amos 5.15 And God here at the threshold gives sentence against them 3. To treat with the men stood at the brazâ—n Altar and to give them commissions and instructions touching those were to be spared and destroyed The Lords way of manifesting his gracious presence in his Church was by some notable signe or other Observ 1. The glory was gone up it was there before When God was pleased with his people he evidenced his presence by some speciall signe Exod 13.21 22. When the Church came out of Egypt the Lord came before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light They had guidance and protection from the Lord Christ whose presence was evidenced by these visible signs out of which the Lord also spake sometime Psal 99.7 After they had the Tabernable Arke and Mercy-seat where God met them communed with them Exod. 25.22 They had the Vrim and Thummim to enquire of God and receive answers by Numb 27.21 1 Sam. 28.6 In Solomons days God manifested his gracious presence in the Temple by a cloud 1 Kings 8.10 God answered Elijah by fire and manifested with whom his presence was 1 Kings 18.38 And so under the Gospell Christ the Lord manifested his presence with his Church by visible signes Acts 2.3 Cloven tongues like fire sate upon each of the Apostles And Chap. 4.31 The place was shaken where they were and they were filled with the holy Ghost And Christ hath left his Word and Sacraments as signes of his presence in the Christian Church 2. The signs of Gods presence are the glory of God So the Text calls them The glory of the God of Israel was gone up All those visible signes before mentioned were the glory of the Lord so the spirit is pleased to call the sign of Gods gracious presence 1 Kings 8.10 11. The cloud that fil'd the Temple it s cald the glory of the Lord index symbolum gloriae Domini A lapid Psalm 29.9 In his Temple doth every one speake of his glory The Ordinances there have much of GODS glory in them and they are his glory 3. Gods with-drawing the signes of his gracious presence from his Church people is a forerunner of heavy judgements Here the glory of the God of Israel went up from the Cherub and shortly after the men with their slaughter-weapons are set on work to destroy It 's Gods method to take away the speciall tokens of his presence and love from a people and then to bring in sad judgments People sin and hereupon the glory removes and jugments draw near Exod. 32. The people made a Calfe upon which God denies to go with them as he had done Chap. 33.3 now they should not have visible signs of hâ—s presence And of them it's said vers 35. of Chap. 32. The Lord plagued the people because they made a Calfe c. When God would not answer Saul by dreams by Vrim or Prophets then his destruction was near at hand Among other signes of GODS presence there be these 1. Efficacy of the word that it works mightily in the hearts of people The Lord was with the Apostles and how mightily did the word work but when the word is inefficacious powerlesse its evident the glory of the Lord is departing and judgements dreadfull enough at hand The Prophet prophecyed to the people but the word wrought not Isa 6.9 10. Hearing they understand not seeing they perceive not their hearts were fat their eares heavy and their eyes shut Now the word was inefficacious to them and how long shall this be saith Isa Vntill the Cities be wasted without Inhabitant the houses without man the land be utterly desolate Sixe times is this Scripture quoted in the N. T. 2. Unity and love of Sâ—ints Psal 133.1 Isa 19.14 A perverse spirit Where brethren dwelt together in unity there the Lord commanded the blessing vers 3. and shewed his gracious presence where love is God dwels 1 John 4.16 But where bitternesse and division encrease Satan hath much interest hearts heads tongues hands are divided every where Isa 9.21 Manasseh is against Ephraim Ephraim against Manasseh and both against Judah Mat. 24. love is grown cold Instead of fervent love are fervent contentions in stead of love without dissimulation are crafty underminings in stead of covering infirmities are rakings in one anothers hearts When the breaches were stopped in the walls of Jerusalem the enemies were very wrath Neh. 4.7 God hath promised to close breaches Amos 19.11 Let us improve the promise and importune him to fulfill it for rich mercy depends upon is Isa 30.26 Unity is an humane savior of Kingdoms and Churches division is Abaddon Apollyon an hellish destroyer Mat. 12 25. A Kingdome divided cannot stand God is departed from it Division hath turned Religion into disputation driven God from the heart to the head and now men are polemical rather then practicall in Divinity 3. Activity of men in place for God where God is present there is courage Josh 1.9 2 Chron. 13.12 But when he withdraws men are without spirit divine influences cease a numnesse seizeth upon them and they act faintly be it in Church or State Hos 7.11 God was departing from Ephraim if not departed and Ephraim was a silly dove without heâ—rt void of counsell and courage and so fit for prey and spoile Ephraim was quickly spoiled after the Lord left them 4. Safety protection Jer. 1.19 Psal 46.5 Isa 27.3 Judges 16.20 21. When God was departed from Sampson the Philistims took him and put out his eyes Least any hurt it I will keepe it night and day Where there is keeping watching there is presence but is not our safety almost iâ— not altogether gone can we challenge safety of any thing estates liberties lives religion have not our Armies smarted had blows and breaches is not our land spoiled and under grievous pressures Are we not for a prey and none delivereth Isa 42.22 4. The Lord doth not willingly depart from his people when they have provoked him Hee goes from the Cherub to the threshold of the house and there stands as loth to goe any further he had
that it s used so when the servants of God were most intense and affected in prayer as in Deut. 3.24.9.26 and Gen. 15.28 in which places its Jehovih and both Abraham and Moses were exceeding earnest with God Wilt thou destroy all the residue in Israel c. This deprecation is very argumentative and hath many considerations to divert God from destroing of them The first lyeth in the word Thou wilt thou who hast chosen Sion and said it should be thy rest for ever Psal 132.13 14. Wilt thou who hast made a Covenant with the p ople and twearest by thy holinesse to David that his seede sh uld endure for ever as the Sunne and Moone Psal 89.35 36 37. Wilt thou who promisedst Abraham that in his seede all the nations of the earth should be blessed wilt thou now disannull thy promises breake Covenant and shew thy selfe forgetfull of all yea unfaithfull The 2d is in the word Destroy what will nothing suffice but destruction thou saidst If they brake thy Statutes and kept not thy commandements that thou wouldst visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes but thy loving kindnesse thou wouldst not utterly take from them nor suffer thy faithfullness to faile Psal 89.31 32 33. But if thou destroy and that without pitty mercy where is thy loving kindenesse where is thy faithfulnesse 3d. Is in the word Israel which was a moving word and put God in mind how deare they had been unto him Israel was his Sonne his First-borne Exod. 4 22. His chosen ones Isa 44.1 His glory Isa 46.13 Israel he had brought out of Aegypt and done great things for Exod. 18.1.8 9. It s Israel is so deare to thee whom thou hast done so much for and wilt thou destroy Israel Israel here is put for Judah by a synechdoche 4. In the residue of Israel there be ten tribes gone already into captivity yea a great part of th' other two tribes are now in Babylon and wilt not thou have compassion on the little remnant that is remaining 5. All the residue What shall all of them be destroyed and utterly man woman childe they are all slain in the Temple most in the City Didst not thou bid me bind up a few hairs in my skirts Chap. 5.3 thereby typifying out that some should be saved Didst not thou tell me Chap. 6.8 Yet will I leave a remnant and what now Lord must all the residue be cut off I be a lying Prophet and thou false in thy word O doe it not doe it not 6. In powring out of thy fury it notes emptying of himselfe as clouds vials buckets when all is in them is powred out and the argument runs thus Lord must all thy fury be powred out at once where are thy bowels thy mercies thou sayest thou reservest wrath for thine enemies Nahum 1.2 wilt thou powr it all out upon thy people and reserve none for heathens for thine adversaries for whom properly thy fury is Isa 59.18 O reserve thy wrath for them and powr it not out upon us 7. Vpon Jerusalem This is the place thou chosest and where thou didst set thy name 2 Kings 23.27 This City was the perfection of beauty and joy of the whole earth Lam. 2.15 The City of God the great King and Lord of Hosts Psal 48.1.28 The holy Citie Isa 52.1 It had the holy Temple the holy Ark the holy Sacrifices and Ordinances the holy Priests and Prophets the holy Law Here only was God known and his name great Lord wilt thou powr out thy wrath upon Jerusalem thou wilt then have no place left thee in the world to be worshipped in what will become of thy name thy glory all thy holy things Thou wilt have no Church no people no praise in the earth Nay the adversary will mocke and blaspheme and what will the mark'd ones think and say when Jerusalem is laid wast the pledge of their hope may they not say we looked for light but behold darknesse we expected a Messiiah but our hopes are cut off we have our lives for a prey and that is all The godly doe sympathize with the miseries of others Obser 1. the Prophet here is affected greatly with the judgements of God upon this people When the Prophets told them of Gods judgements comming upon them they thought hardly of the Prophets they could not heare them 2 Chron. 36.16 they conceiv'd the Prophets hated them and meant them no good but when the things they fore-told came to passe they pittied them and mourned for them Ezekiel through deepe sense of their slaughter falls downe and shed tears as they shed blood their bodies were wounded and his heart was wounded wounded for their sins wounded for Gods wrath and heavy judgements were now upon them Jer. 9.1 Oh that my head were waters mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people Jeremiah so sympathiz'd with them that he had a mind neither to eate drink or sleep but only to weep night and day tears should be his meat drink and sleep Such a sympathizing man was Moses Deut. 9 12 13. When the people had sin'd in making them a Calvish god and Gods wrath was comming out to their destruction what did Moses vers 18. Hee fell downe before the Lord forty dayes and forty nights and did neither eate bread nor drinke water because the people had sin'd and provoked God to anger Here was a man affected with their miseries I was afraid saith he of the anger and hot displeasure wherewith the Lord was wrath against you to destroy you Forty dayes did Moses mourn for them and humble himselfe and this kind of mourning 40. dayes in case of judgement some think riseth from Gods raining upon the world 40. dayes and 40. nights Answerable to which Moses Eliah and Christ fasted mourned and prayed and so to Nineveh 40. days was given them to prevent their destruction This duty of sympathizing with others in their misery was Davids practise though they were wicked and rewarded him evill yet if they were in misery Psalm 35.11 he would share in it When they were sicke his cloathing was sack-cloath he humbled his soule with fasting Wicked men laugh and are glad at the miseries of the godly but the godly sigh and mourn at and for the miseries of the wicked they remember the Apostolicall command Rom. 12.15 Weepe with them that weepe that will be some ease to them to see others sensible of their condition This makes them like to Christ himselfe Heb. 4.15 Hee is touched with our infirmities Judgements are upon the Kingdome many of Gods deare servants as well as others suffer hard things 1. Take notice of their grievances burthens dangers 2. Mind them 3. Be tender affectioned towards them And 4. helpe them what you can and this is true sympathy 2. The servants of God that draw neere him in time of his judgements are conscious
tender'd their service they acknowledge and adore his Majestie and expect his will his commands No creatures are too great too good or glorious to wait upon Christ in any ministrations of his Heb. 1.6 Angels and all of them wait upon and worship him and are sent forth at his pleasure to Minister to whom he pleases v. 4. 2. The Angels are desirous to know the things of God and Christ in the Church they stood but where in the house of God in the Temple They are knowing creatures but they know not all things there be mysteries in the ways of Christ that they desire to look into 1 Pet. 1.12 and Paul tels us there is wisedome made known by the Church to Principalities and powers in heavenly places Eph. 3.10 3. The Lord manifests his pleasure by signes and actions as well as by speech They stood on the right side of the house that side was North-ward towards Babylon and this signified that thence should come their destruction they had seated the Image of jealousie there which provoked God to jealousie and he stirred up the Babylonians to come out of the North and lay them wast 4. Chirst he is Lord of the Temple He went in and then the Cherubims stood then the Court was fill'd with a cloud which notes a glorious Majesty and royall presence 2 Chron. 5.13 14. The house was fill'd with a cloud so that the Priests could not stand to Minister by reason of the cloud for the glory of the Lord had fill'd the house It 's Christ who hath all to doe in the Temple when he in the dayes of his flesh came into it he thrust out all corrupters and corruptions he walks in the midst of the 7. golden Candlesticks 5. When Christ is in the Temple doing the will of his Father any part of his office then doth his glory appear now he went into the Temple about judiciary service and it was fill'd with a cloud which sets out the Majestie and glory of Christ When he preached in the Temple or Synagogues his glory appeared Never man spake like this man all his Ministrations were beautifull and glorious John 1.14 We beheld his glory his glory appeared in all his works 6. Divine glory is usually hidden up in cloudy darkenesse when Christ came into the Temple here was a glorious Majesty but a cloud presently fill'd the Court covered up the glory When God came into the Temple in Solomons dayes a cloud fil'd and covered all So Numb 16.42 A cloud covered the Tabernacle and the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud VERS 4. Then the glory of the Lord went up from the Cherub and stood over the threshold of the house and the house was fill'd with the cloud the Court was full of the brightnesse of the Lords glory THis verse mentions the first removall of glory where we have 1. Whence the removall was from the Cherub 2. Whether it was to the threshold it stood over c. 3. The events thereupon and they are 1. The filling of the house with a cloud 2. The Court with glory 3. The sound of the Cherubims wings which is in the next verse God had his Temple at Jerusalem in the most holy place of it was the Arke and the Cherubims covering it betweene these God was said to dwell or sit because he gave out answers thence in difficult cases and there he would be worshipped The Jewes grew proud of Gods presence and because they did not glorifie him as God but set up Idols and provoked him many wayes therefore the Lord resolved to leave them and ruine them and that is the scope of the vision here The glory of the Lord. This was Christ say Expositors who was in his glorious apparition and now in the Temple but going out of it He had once before done thus gone off from the Cherub to the threshold Chap. 9.3 but was return'd again and here the second time doth it he was now in a judiciary way and would leave the Temple if they did not presently prevent it by repentance Christ standing thus upon the threshold and being upon termes of departure behinde him was the cloud that fill'd the house there was darknesse but before the Lord Christ was light and brightnesse the Court which he stood looking into was full of brightnesse of the Lords glory The glory was now gone out of the Sanctuary into the Court. Observations suitable to this verse see upon Ezek. 9.3 yet take here these following When God is about to visit his Church with some sharp judgments he gives out some evident signs and tokens thereof Obser 1. Hee was now bringing in a sad judgement upon the Jewes and their glory goes up from the Cherub to the threshold which shewed God was about some great change God testified by the Arke which Noah made that he was about some great judgement and alteration of things in the State 2. Again note that Christ with the signs of his presence is the glory of the Temple where Christ is there is glory Hagg. 2.9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater then of the former How was that when as v. 3. the glory of the latter Temple in comparison of the former was as nothing Christ should personally come into it teach in it this was more then all typicall or visionall glory and externall beauty the other had Where Christ is there is glory and where his ordinances are there is glory 3. When Christ leaves the Temple nothing but darknesse remaines when he was upon the threshold there was a cloud behind him when he goes out of the Church glory light truth goe but night darknesse come in Isa 6.4 that hee calls here a cloud there hee calls smoake and when God leaves the Church then smoak and little else is to be found in it smoak of ignorance smoak of errours smoak of divisions smoaky and false worship quickly after smoaking judgements The Churches of Asia when Christ left walking among them darknesse over-spread them and smoaky judgements consum'd them 4. The way Christ goeth is glory or glorious he goeth out of the Temple and now before his face as he stands upon the threshold in the Court is brightnesse of glory his glory goeth with him before him he leaves darknesse behind him but hath brightnesse before him His departure from his people is glorious his ways and works of judgement are glorious VERS 5. And the sound of the Cherubims wings was heard even to the utter Court as the voyce of the Almighty God when hee speaketh HHre is the 3d event upon the Lords comming to the threshold and hastning to give judgement against this City the Angels doe rejoyce at it and applaud the act of Christ which the sound of their wings imports of this verse was spoken Chap. 1.24 This sound of their wings is described 2. wayes 1. From the extent It was heard even to the utter Court which was a great distance
Idolaters to know the true God from the false When Gods hand is upon the Mountaines Hils Valleys Cities High places Altars and their slain fallen then shall they know that I am the Lord Jehovah not an Idoll god but the true the living God that have being of my selfe that give being to my promises and threats that take being from others you would not beleive my Prophets but you shall know there was truth in their threats and power in me to make them good CHAP. VI. 8. Yet will I leave a remnant that yee may have some that shall escape the Sword among the Nations when yee shall bee scattered through the countries 9. And they that escape of you shall remember me among the Nations whither they shall be carryed captives because I am broken with their whorish heart which hath departed from mee and with their eyes which goe a whoring after their Idols and they shall loath themselves for the evills which they have committed in all their abominations 10. And they shall know that I am the Lord and that I have not said in vaine that I would doe this evill unto them HERE is the second part of the Prophesie viz. A promise of mercy The eighth Verse is of the nature of the third Verse in the fifth Chapter where the Prophet was bid to bind up a few haires in his Skirts And here GOD would leave a remnant the Sword and dispersion should not devoure all Gods wrath is never so hot against his people Obser but he will shew mercy to some God would bring a sweeping Judgment lay Mountaines Hils Rivers Valleys Cities High places Altars Idols Images waste and desolate yet he would leave a remnant preserve some when in the midst of their enemies amongst Babylonians and other Nations In the fifth Chapter verse 12 God would scatter them and draw out a Sword after them It was great wrath to be driven out of their Countrey to be in banishment which Lawyers call a civill death because men in it are divided from their friends liberties and comforts which sweeten their lives but to have the Sword at their heels added to the weight of wrath threatens all their lives yet notwithstanding this condition God reserved some from the Sword in their banishment They might upon this severe prophesie thinke what will become of the Church shall all perish and Gods faithfulnesse faile No God would have a care of that a remnant he would save Stormes may be so terrible and lasting that the C urch may be brought low not be visible yet it shall never be extinct when the Prophets were cut off by Jezabel there were a hundred hid in Caves by Obadiah 1 Kings 18. When Elijah thought himselfe alone and his life at the stake too the Lord told him there were seven thousand in Israel lay dormant which had not bowed their knees to Baal 1 Kings 19.18 When Herod slice all the children in Bethleem and all the coasts thereof from two yeares old and under yet Christ escaped he was preserved And as in that storme God preserved the head so in every storme he will preserve the body At the Massacre in France all Protestants were not cut off and the Warres of Ireland have not devoured all The Church shall never cease being the gates of Hell shall never prevaile against it 9. And they that escape of you shall remember me c. In this verse is the fruit of divine mercy towards them First They shall remember me Secondly Loath themselves for the evils they have committed Thirdly the ground of both these Because I am broken with their whorish heart and whorish eyes Fourthly the place where they should doe it Among the Nations Remember me They shall know then that I am God infinitely differing from the gods that they have chosen that my woâ—ship is spirituall and admits not mixtures of men they shall remember my holinesse that I hate all false wayes of worship my Justice that I have not done any wrong to them in ruining their Countrey and Temple and scattering them in all quarters they shall remember my bounty and love to them and how they forgate me and abused all they shall remember my mercy in preserving them from the Pestilence the Famine the Sword and their taunting Adversaries and say we all deserved to have been destroyed and rooted out for ever but the Lord is gracious haâ—h had compassion on us and spared our lives we will therefore repent of our ways returne to him trust in him and give glory to his name all which are implyed in the word Remember So it is used Psal 137.1 There is remembrance and weâ—ping joyned together Psal 22.27 there is remembrance and â—urning Psal 20 7. Remembrance is there for trusting Psal 63.5 6. Praising and remembring goe together and when men fall to Idolatry they are said to forget God Judges 3.7 implying that remembring of God is to worship him his owne way and so to glorifie his name Broken with their whorish heart The Vulgar reads it Actively I have broken their heart The word is Passive Nishbarti I am broken Here is great difference and the Vulgar is corâ—upt and the Greek mistakes which reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have sworne to their hearts the ground of which error is they took it to be Nishbagnti for Nishbarti Some would have it I have bought their whorish hearts that were for Idols and any thing but me because the word is twice or thrice in the Scripture used in that sense Gen. 41.57 All Countries came into Aegypt to Joseph for to buy Corn. Hishbar ad frangendum Montanus reads it Hammashbir faciebat frangere Montanus And 42.6 Joseph sold to all the people of the Land and so in the fifth verse But the common sense of the word is to break and it s truly rendred I am broken with their whorish heart God had taken this people to be his as a Man takes a Woman to be his Wife but they had whorish hearts and went out from God to Idolls they had a spirit of whoredomes in them that caused them to erre and goe a whoring from under their God Hos 4.12.9.1 They were not content with Gods love his Ordinances his worship but they would try what the gods of the Heathen were what their way and worship was prostitute themselves to them and this troubled the sight of God afflicted hiâ— soule brake his heart as a mans is by the whorish acts of his Wife We say a Man or Woman break much that have much trouble jealousie care sorrow God was troubled with jealous of carefull and sorrowfull for his people above all others and this even brake the heart of God Their courses grieved him exceedingly great griefe vexeth the heart and lyeth like a mighty weight upon it Hence that in Amos 2.13 Behold I am pressed under you as a cart is pressed with sheaves The griefe God took at their courses was as a
to Ariel the City where David dwelt Ariel is Jerusalem so called because there was the Mountaine Temple and Altar of God so it is in Ezek. 43.15 The Altar shall be four Cubits the Hebrew is Harel the Mountaine of God where the Temple and Altar was but the word is Ariel not Harel and signifies the Lyon of God not because Jerusalem was in the forme of a Lyon but for that it was a strong City thought to be impregnable and God threatens ruine against it and Vers 5. It shall be at an instant suddainely when men have no thoughts thereof it should be as suddaine as Thunder Earth-quakes and Tempests are Vers 6. Hab. 1.7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall kill thee Yes they should the Northerne Army was upon them before they looked for them they cryed Peace Peace and when it is so then sudden destruction is at hand 1 Thes 5.3 The old World was secure untill the day that Noah entered into the Arke Luke 17.27 and then the Flood came presently and destroyed them all they beleeved neither Noahs Preaching nor his preparations for himselfe and Children So in Sodom they were not awakened out of their security till the fire and brimstone was felt Gen. 19.28 29. Agag thought the bitternesse of death past when he was going to execution 1 Sam. 15.32 While Belshazzer is drinking healths God sends a hand to write a sentence of death against him and his Kingdome Dan. 5.4 5 30. In a morning shall the King of Israel be utterly cut off ere he can get out of his Bed God would let out his blood Hos 10.15 What ever men thinke the Judge and Judgement is at the doore its neer Germany Denmarke Ireland England did not thinke that such sad bloody destroying Judgements were so neer as now they find them Let us not be secure but feare passe the time of our sojourning here in feare remembring Solomons happinesse Prov. 28.14 Happy is the man that feareth alway and Jobs practice The thing which I greatly feared is come upon mee Job 3.25 Let Gods Judgements come sooner or later it 's duty wisedome in us to feare to prepare for them its folly to sleep when thieves are about the house and may prove death to doe it when a fire is kindled in the habitaâ—ion 2. No people sinning grievously against God are exempted from desolating judgements this people was Gods people more peculiarly then any people in the World besides Deut. 7.6 A people neere unto God Psal 148.14 Wise and understanding Deut. 4.6 They were the Redeemed ones Isa 62.12 The holy people Dan. 8.24 that knew Gods name Isa 52.6 That had Gods Law in their hearts Isa 51.7 That were blessed above all Deut. 7.14 They had the holy Land the Temple Worship Ordinances Oracles of God the Prophets and presence of God onely All the World besides lay in darknesse were without God but these were his strength his glory Psal 78.61 As deare to him as the apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 Yet when these people sin'd and rebel'd against God destructive judgements came upon them An end is come upon Thee Vpon thee Jerusalem upon thee my people They were honoured with many titles were Gods Church yet when they sin'd against God cast off his Yoâ—k none of them not all their priviledges would protect them from desolation Gods Judgements are Gods messengers sent forth at his pleasure I will send mine anger upon thee God hath the command of judgements as any man hath of his servants the Centurion had not so much power over his Souldiers as the Lord hath over punishments calamities and ruines of Kingdomes be they publique or private judgements they are at the beck of the Lord What was the anger and judgement here the sending of Nebuchadnezzar with his hasty and bitter Caldeans to destroy the Jewish Nation God had that King and all Forces at command to send out of Babylon about his service to make Warre upon his people that were Idolatrous God hath his four sore judgements to send upon a Land when he pleases Ezek. 14.21 He can send Hornets among people to sting them to death Deut. 7.20 If he doe but hisse for the Fly of Aegipt and the Bee of Assyria they shall come and doe their office Isa 7.18 19. If God call for any evill upon Kingdomes Cities Churches Families Persons they come presently and accomplish the message they are sent for when God spake by Moses and sayd Let there be Froggs Flies Lice Murraine Hayle Locusts Blood Darknesse Death they came immediatly God hath called for a Sword upon most part of the Christian world and is it not at worke Doth it not eate flesh and drink blood May we not say O thou Sword of the Lord how long will it bee ere thou be quiet put up thy selfe into thy Scabbard rest and bee still How can it be quiet seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Ashkelon and against the Sea shore there hath he appointed it Jer. 47.6 7. God hath command of Warres gives charge to the Sword against Ireland England other places there hath he appointed it and how can it be quiet no till Gods will and worke be accomplished there is no quiet 4. Gods proceedings with a guilty Nation are just and equall his judgements are without reproofe I will judge thee according to thy wayes not as I will but as thou hast done not after my wayes or the wayes of other people but after thine owne ways how just is it that a man should reap what he sows If men have the Law passe upon them according to the nature and merit of their facts what wrong is done to any who hath cause to complaine of the Judge God knows the nature and merits of a Nations sinnes and proceeds in his judgements accordingly He is a righteous Judge and no man hath just cause to complaine he stops the mouth of iniquity Lament 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complaine a man for the punishment of his sinnes he should not doe it It s just equall that if a man sinne against God he should suffer from God if God beare his sins he must beare Gods punishments let Kingdoms suffer dreadfull things from Heaven Warres Famine Pestilence what ever is destructive God is to be justifyed by all he deales with you according to your wayes let the most carping Momus the severest Critick let Satan himselfe Gods greatest enemy examine his judgements upon Kingdomes Churches together with their sinnes and he shall justifie God and pronounce him cleare equall righteous in his wayes God deales not otherwise with men then their wayes require Zech. 1.6 According to our wayes and according to our doings so hath the Lord dealth with us Therefore justifie God and be patient 5. It s mens owne wayes which bring ruine upon them I will judge thee according to thy wayes Thy wayes bring my judgements Proverbs 1.31 They shall eate of the fruit of their owne wayes
called the perfection or universality of beauty Psalm 50.2 There was all beauty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee set it in Majestie In magnificent pomp or for Majesty Glory and Excellency God set the Temple among the Jewes that it might be their glory excellency and make them glorious and excellent among all Nations Isa 60.15 is the same word and it 's rendered an excellency it might wel be for so ל is rendered thrice in one vers Exod. 28.2 Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron for glory for beauty Or hee set it into Majesty into excellency the majesty and excellency of the Temple was not onely the statelinesse of the structure the strength and scituation of it on a hill but in that it was sanctified and bare Gods name 1 Kings 9.7 Chap. 8.29 It was a type of Christ and the Church a part of their worship in it their gifts and sacrifices were sanctified and accepted Matth. 23.19 2 Chron. 7.1 Fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifice There was the Arke of the Covenant a signe of Gods presence 1 Kings 8.6 In it were glorious visions of God Isa 6.1 Filled with glory 2 Chron. 7.1 The people prayed towards the same 1 Kings 8.38 The eye and heart of God was there perpetually 1 Kings 9.3 It was exceeding magnificall of fame and of glory throughout all Countreyes 1 Chron. 22.5 In these and such things consisted the Majesty glory and excellency of the Temple and therefore it 's cal'd their excellency Ezek. 24.21 The excellency of Jacob Amos 6.8 Vide Drus in locum Some refer it to the holy land to their own habitations to the City If these any or all of them were the excellency of Jacob much more the Temple Psalm 47.4 The Temple and worship of it distinguished them from and made them excell all others But they made the Images of their Abhominations and of their detestable things therein Here is the cause of all their miseries God had dealt bountifully with them set his Ornaments amongst them put glory upon them and distinguish'd them from all Nations but they forgate God prov'd ungratefull and polluted their glory even the Temple with superstition and Idolatry These words Abhominations and Detestable things have been opened before Therefore have I set it farre from them Here is one part of their Calamity God had set the Temple amongst them a Divine Ornament for his owne honour their good and glory but they corruptd themselves dishonoured God and defiled his worship his holy place with their own inventions abhominations and detestable things and therefore I have set it far from them or as the Hebrew is I have made it to them an uncleane thing or given it to them for separation it shall now be for their reproach rejection and destruction it shall be taken from them and destoyed out of my sight as a polluted thing Obser 1 The chiefe ornaments and glory of a people are the ordinances of God and his presence The Temple where God manifested himselfe and the Divine Ordinances were to be performed was their beauty their glory Zech. 2.5 I will be the glory in the middest of her meaning Jerusalem Other things may be some ornament to a people as riches peace liberty Cities well built peopled and fortified Arts and Sciences wise Counsellours strong Souldiers just Judges good Laws prudent Governors these adorne a people but their chiefe Ornament is true Religion and divine presence The Gentiles had those fore-mentioned ornaments yet because they had not the true God and true worship of his amongst them they were unlovely accounted of as dogs Mat. 15.26 An unhappy a hopelesse people Ephes 2.12 Without Christ without God David tels you what people is happy even that people whose God is the Lord. Not those have a false God and false worship among them but they have Jehovah his Temple and Ordinances with them Moses knew that the presence of God and his Ordinances were the honour and chiefe ornament of a Nation and therefore makes a challenge Deut. 4.7 What nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is God was nigh them in the pillar of fire in the Cloud in the Tabernacle in the Arke and other ordinances and no Nation under heaven had God so neer them and gloriously amongst them as the Jewes had No nation though never so wise wealthy or honourable had such statutes and righteous judgements as they had Moses tels God that his presence would be an argument they had found favour in his sight and were a people separated from all people on the earth Exod. 33.16 Divine ordinances and God in them is the glory of any people Jer. 2.11 Psal 106.20 Therefore when the Arke was taken a symboll of Gods being amongst them and before which they worshipped Phineas wife said the glory is departed from Israel 1 Sam. 4.22 But when God manifests his presence with a people then are they glorious Isa 59.21 He speaks of his Covenant with them and Spirit upon them And Chap. 60.1 He saith Arise shine for the light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Darkness shall cover the earth and gross darknesse the people but the Lord shall arise upon thee and his glory shall be seen upon thee Others had darknesse but the people where God and his wayes were had light and glory when new Jerusalem comes down from heaven she is said to have the glory of God Revel 21.10 11. Pray that New Jerusalem may come among us that so glory may dwell in our Land Psalm 85.9 2. It belongs to God to appoint worship and the beauty of it he set the ornament and beauty of it not Moses in the Tabernacle nor Solomon in the Temple might prescribe any substantiall or ceremoniall worship Exod. 35.10 Every wise-hearted among you shall come and make all that the Lord hath commanded not what I have commanded but what the Lord hath commanded though they were wise yet they might not do ought after their owne hearts or heads no not Solomon the wisest of men 2 Chron 3.3 He was instructed for the building of the house of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew is founded hee had a foundation laid in him by the Spirit of God before he laid the foundation of the Temple or did any of the work thereof What God appoints is an Ornament hath beauty is for glory but let men set up ought in the worship of God it hath no beauty but blacknesse no holinesse but iniquity and God must be worshipped in the beauty of holinesse 1 Chron. 16.29 Not in the blacknesse of Iniquity men thinke that Ceremonies do decore the worship of God that Pictures Altars golden Vessels doe make it glorious but all is deformity which God hath not set up and set up for glory 3. The people to whom God vouchsafeth his presence his ordinances they are his
for God denounces fix woes against them in the Chapter afterwards Wary he would take heed how he bestowed his choise mercies upon such people others that would be more fruitful and thankful should have them Mat. 21.43 The Kingdome of heaven shall be taken from you and given to another Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Not their own fruits but such as Christ and the Gospel appointed Alap in Es This sin was so prodigious that Lycurgus would make no law against it but God hath made a law Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the Nations that forget God Ingratitude is the greatest and worst forgetfulnesse Judas forgat the kindnesse and bounty of Christ he betrayed him and therefore was turned into hell Verse 21. And I will give it into the hands of strangers for a prey c. They had sin'd shamefully and God would punish them severely Strangers that is Chaldeans should come and have Temple City them and all they had in their hands and God whom they flatter'd themselves in thought stil to be their friend their help even he would give all into their hands These Chaldeans he cals the wicked of the earth David calls such men of the world Psal 17.14 Men of the earth Psal 10.18 That is base and vile men as it 's in Job Children of base men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viler then the earth fit for any cruell and bloody designes The Septuagint hath it pestilentiis terrae the plagues of the Earth The King of Babylon and his cursed crow went up and downe in the world plundering Nations shaking Kingdoms and laying all wast Isa 14.16 17. They were the pests and vipers of the earth and into their hands must the Jewes Gods owne people fall they must spoil the Temple have all the ornaments vessels and treasures in it all the pictures of silver and gold They shall pollute it The Temple was an holy place the habitation of the holy God had in much reverence by all sorts of people but now they should see it not regarded as a thing consecrate to God now Heathens uncircumcised ones should enter it which was against law Ezek. 44.7 Now their blood should be spilt in it now it should be made a prison a stewes a stable the Jews had polluted it with Images and these Barbarians should pollute it many other wayes Obser 1 The abuse of spiritual mercies causeth God to take them a-away Jer. 11.15 Their lewdnesse caused the holy flesh to passe from them they had the Temple the beauty and worship of it for their glory to make them glorious within as wel as glorious without but they abus'd their mercies polluted Gods Ordinances and therefore he removed the Temple farre from them He tooke it away the Lord had set his Name at Shilo pitched his Tabernacle there Josh 18.1 and they abus'd his name and worship as you may see Psal 78.58 Then he was wrath and greatly abhorred Israel Then he forsooke the Tabernacle of Shilo and delivered his strength into captivity and his glory into the enemies hands vers 59.60 61. which some interpret of the Arke taken by the Philistines 1 Sam. 4.11 And in Jer. 7. when they liv'd loosely and blessed themselves with their carnall confidence in the Temple and worship of it vers 4.9 10 11. God sends them to Shilo and bids them search and see what he did there for the wickednesse of his people and threatens to do so by them even destroy their Temple worship them and their seed they sin'd in special things and God punished them in that wherein they sin'd they pollute the Temple and God causes the Chaldeans to pollute it they confide in the Temple and God laies it wast they make an Idol of it and set it neer their hearts and God removes it far off they look upon it as cleane as their glory and God removes it as vomit as a polluted loathsome thing It s a dreadfull thing when God gives up a Church a State either or both to the wils of wicked men I will give it into the hands c. Vers 21. I have set it far from them If evill come to the gates of Jerusalem and doors of the Temple it 's from the Lord Mica 1.12 And it 's very grievous when God judges Kingdomes and Churches First They fall into the hands of men strangers they know not the wicked of the earth such as neither feare God nor regard Men Buls Lyons Dogs Psal 22.12 13.16 2. They are for a prey and spoile their names estates habitations chastity children limbs consciences lives are prey'd upon they eate up Gods people as they eate bread Psal 14.4 They make them meate to the fowles of heaven and beasts of the field They crush their bones and shed their blood like water Ps 79.2 3. 3. Prophaning and polluting of holy things They shall pollute it Gods holy name is blasphemed Psalm 79.10 Where is their God why doth he not now help them they have prayed fasted hoped in him made lheir boast of him why comes he not to help them all holy things are defiled and therefore Asaph in that 79. Psal vers 1. made upon the destruction of Jerusalem cries out O God the heathen are come into thine Inheritance thy holy Temple have they defiled This came first and struck deepest into the heart of this holy man that heathnish idolatrous bloody prophane persons should come and pollute the holy ordinances of God The Church laments this as a dreadful evill Lam. 1.10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things for she hath seene that the Heathen entered into her Sanctuary whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy Congregation 4. Removal of all true worship Divine ordinances I will set it far from them Now they should be without God the meanes to know him and way to worship him Now God would have no Oblationt Incense new Moons Sabbaths solemn Feasts or any worship at Jerusalem There only was he knowne worshipped and now Temple Ordinances and all must down be taken away God be unknown unworshipped in the world no publique place for him left Isaiah foreseeing this saith Chap. 42. This is a people robbed spoiled and hereupon having a speciall quere to make he cals for attention Who among you wil give eare to this and hearken for the time to come Ver. 23. and make use of it will any of you doe it Then thus Jacob is spoiled but who gave Jacob for a spoile and Israel to the robbers Was not Jacob the beloved of God his excellency his glory c. Did not the Lord doe it he against whom we have sinned for they would not walke in his wayes nor be obedient to his lawes therefore he hath powred upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battaile and it hath set him on fire round about yet he knew not it burned him round
of calamity and destruction is towards them nay destruction is upon them No sooner doth God turn away from a Nation but destruction steps into that Nation Deu. 31.17 I will hide my face from them they shall be devoured many evils and troubles shall befal them so that they will say in that day Are not these evils come upon us because our God is not amongst us Where you may see that Gods hiding his face is departing from them and his departing lets in all miseries when God is gone nothing is left but sinne and judgment and they make fearful work in all places If God would pity people under destruction it were something but he wil not pity them then not hear their groans receive their prayers or mind their tears wounds blood death Jer. 18.17 I will shew them the backe not the face And when In the day of their calamity when they are in their greatest distresses necessities without councell help comfort even at the height of misery I will not vouchsafe them one look but goe away from them in fury leave them without hope my back shall be toward them and not my face Jer. 14.12 3. When the holy God goes away from his holy places then prophane polluting wretches come into them I will turne away my face and robbers shall pollute my secret place Thither should they come whether none but the holy God and High Priest were to come and whereas before it was filled with a Cloud with Incense with Glory and the presence of God now it should be filled with Burglers Idolaters oaths and all prophaness which could not but affect the Jewes that were so zealous of preserving the Temple unpolluted by strangers Acts 21.27 28. A great stir was made against Paul by the Jews because he had brought Greeks into the Temple and polluted it Joseph l. 7. de Bell. c. 4. and in his 5. booke of Anti. c. 14. he saith capitale erat Gentili ingredi Templum And when the Jewes were under the Roman Emperours they obtained of them that none no not a Roman should enter into the Temple under pain of death yet themselves polluted it with false worship drave God out of it and of the holiest of holies and made way for the worst of men to come in and defile the same CHAP. VII 23. Make a chaine for the Land is full of bloody crimes and the City is full of violence IN this Verse is another calamity and the cause of it laid downe The calamity is a chaine the cause blood violence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Make a Chaine Trouble saith the Sept. a Conclusion the vulgar the Hebrew is a Chaine and so it 's rendered in 1 Kings 6.21 Chaines and so the Rabbies take it here we may extend it to a roap a wyth a chaine any thing that a man may be bound with A chain is an embleme of bondage Nabum 3.10 Her great ones shall be bound in chains Psalm 107.10 Acts 12.6 Jerem. 28.13 14. The yoke of Iron that the Prophet was to make noted the imbondaging of the Nations unto Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon Whether by the Chaine be prefigured the siege of Jerusalem as some interpret it or leading into captivity as others will have it Bondage is included in both Some thinke the Lord here alludes to Malefactors that in chaines answered at the Bar of Justice as Paul did Acts 26.29 They had freely and fully runne out in vitious courses but now they were to answer it to God who was set in judgement and sentencing them to suffer heavy things This also notes bondage which is the sense of the Prophet In a Chain 4 things are considerable First It 's burthensome heavy 1 Kings 12.10 Thy father made our yoake heavy And yokes chaines fetters about neckes armes legges are grievous when Peter was bound with two chaines Acts 12.6 it was troublesome unto him and so was the condition of these Jewes the siege their captivity was very burthensome therefore Lam. 3.7 the Church saith hee hath made my chaine heavy Shee cals her bondage a chaine and a heavy one 2. It 's restrictive a mans liberty of going and doing is taken away by a chaine Acts 21.23 When Paul was bound with chaines whither could he goe what could he doe and bondage by a siege captivity Imprisonment sicknesse or otherwise is a restraint of a man which are threatned here Jehoahaz was put in bands at Riblath that hee might not reigne in Jerusalem 2 Kings 23.33 3. Reproachfull 2 Tim. 1.16 Onesiphorus was not ashamed of my chaine There is shame and reproach attending chainâ— and therefore Paul at the Bar when he wished Agrippa and others were such as he was excepted his bonds as reproachfull things Acts 26.29 This is threatned here and was made good Jerem. 39.7 Zedekiah had his eyes put out and was bound with two brazen chaines and so the thing he feared came upon him mocking and reproach Jer. 38.19 And not only he but all of them should be for a curse an astonishment an hissing and a reproach among all Nations Jer. 29.18 4. Tendency to further punishment Paul was bound Acts 21.33 with two chains And Acts 24.27 two yeares hee lay in bonds and to what end that he might come to judgement and have further punishment and he was to that purpose brought before Agrippa and Festus Acts 26.29 and that in bonds they tend to other and sorer judgements Hence the Devils are said to be in chaines of darknesse reserved unto judgement 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude 6. They have not their full damnation they are semi-damnati halfe condemn'd and kept in chaines for the rest and here God would chain up these Jewe with bondage and rese ve them in bondage to further punâ—â—hment even eternall destruction Job 21.30 The wicked are reserved to the day of dâ—struction they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath The Land is full of bloody crimes The Hebrew is the judgement of bloods they gave out unjust sentences that had power and condemn'd the innocent guilty men were spared and the good suffered 2 King 21.16 Manasses filled Jerusalem with innocent blood Athaliah slew all the Royal seed 2 Kings 11.1 Naboth is falsly condemn'd ston'd to death 1 King 21.13 Zechariah is slain by an unjust sentence 2 Chron. 24.21 Joash the King was slain by his servants vers 25. Hence it s said Isa 59.3 That their hands were defiled with blood that they were full of blood Isa 1.15 And here that the land is full of bloody crimes Ezek. 22.6 Every Prince in Israel to his power did shed blood By bloody crimes some understand heinous sins capitall offences such as deserv'd death and the shedding of mens blood as Idolatry Deut. 13.6.9 Blasphemy Levit. 24.16 Witchery sorcery Lev. 20.27 Buggery Levit. 20.15 16. Sodomie vers 13. Adultery vers 10. Rapes Deut. 22.25 False witnessing to take away a mans life Deut. 19.16.18 19.21 Stealing any man
more then ever we read of formerly It can hardly be shewn in Scripture â—hat ever any met together in private to worship the Lord were surpriz'd molested taken or imprison'd For their publique preaching they were frequently questioned and suffered It s not so evident that they did for their private meetings These they had in Babylon without imputation or molestation and shall not Sion be as indulgent to her children as Babylon was to her enemies If not Babylon wil rise up in judgement against such sons of Sion 4. God honours holy meetings though they be private the hand of the Lord fell there and then upon the Prophet Where two or 3. meet together in a sacred manner God will be in the midst of them Matth. 18.20 He will be President of that meeting and powerfull in it not only shew his presence and power in an ordinary way but many times extraordinarily as at this time John 20.19 When the Disciples were assembled in private Jesus stood in the middest of them and said peace be unto you And so in the 26. v. when they were met in private Christ came amongst them he honoured their meetings in a speciall manner with his presence blessing and miracles The world hath prejudice against such meetings speaks ill and attempts the ruine of them but Christ thinks honourably of them puts honour upon and manifests his acceptance of them Acts 2.1 2 3. When the Apostles were got together in a hou e the cloven tongues of fire sate upon each of them and they were filled with the holy Spirit Acts 10.44 While Peteter was preaching in Cornelius house the holy Ghost fell upon them And you will scarcely find such visible signes of Gods presence in publique as were then in private I speak not this to disparage publique meetings God is in the solemn Assemblies there his glory and power is seene But to take off that Odium is in the hearts of many against all private meetings 5. Those wait upon God in the wayes of his worship are not loosers by it The Elders came to the Prophet sate there expected something from him and they had more then ordinary They beheld the hand of God upon the Prophet and were made witnesses of that vision hee had and partakers of the same The people that flocked after Christ into the field had the Word beside that the loaves fishes Joh. 6. When the Disciples were met together to worship the Lord the first day of the weeke Christ came to them breath'd upon and gave them the holy Ghost John 20.19.22 Paul seekes God in prayer Acts 9.11 and continued in it behold he prayes he was at it night and day and Ananias was sent to him to help him to his sight and to the holy Ghost so that he might see men and how to save men Old Simeon and old Anna the Prophetesse they came into the Temple to serve the Lord and at that time Christ is brought in whom they see and magnifie God for Luke 2. In Acts 16.13 You read how Paul left the City and went to a river side where women did usually meet to pray thither many were come and to them Paul preaches Lidias heart is opened and Christ let in who was before a stranger unto her and besides this she was baptized and gain'd the company of the choisest Apostles vers 14 15. Cornelius Acts 10. fasts and prayes and he hath an Angel sent to him to assure him that all was accepted in heaven and to help him to the speech of an Apostle whom hearing he received the holy Ghost vers 44. Men lose not but gain greatly by waiting upon God in his Ordinances If they have not what they expect sometimes they have more then they look for at other times Blessed is the man that heareth me saith Christ Prov. 8.34 watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors They are blessed already and unexpected blessings are waiting for them 6. That former operations and impressions of the Spirit suffice not the holiest of men when new services are to be done Ezekiel was a holy Prophet hee had the hand of God the vertue of the Spirit falling upon him before Chap. 1.3 entering into him Chap. 2.2 strongly upon him Chap 3.14 And yet all this was not sufficient there was new work for him new visions to be seene and given out and the hand of the Lord fell anew upon him New employments must have new influences new tryals must have new strength If we trust to antecedent receipts we shall miscarry Peter fail'd when hee came to encounter with a new tryal he lean'd upon what he had and looked not up for more Paul he stood when buffeted by a messenger of Satan and why being conscious of his own weaknesse and insufficiency of what he had received he sought to God who told him my grace is sufficient for thee not the graces I have given thee but the grace I have to give thee If a messenger of Sathan molest thee be too strong for thee I have a messenger even my Spirit of grace that shall come and comfort thee that is stronger then all and shall uphold thee Paul had experience of this and therefore counsels Timothy 2 Tim. 2.1 To be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus Though he had unfeigned faith knew the Scripture from a child had a gift given him by the laying on of Pauls hands yet hee must not be strong in these but in the grace of Christ see his strength lye there former impressions of Christ Spirit ware out and receiv'd vertue is soone spent Wee must looke for new Influences Impressions and Operations of the hand of Christ else all will be too little Cant. 4.16 Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow And Sampson called unto the Lord and said O Lord God remember me I pray thee and strengthen me I pray thee only this once Judges 16.28 VERSE II. Then I beheld and loe a likenesse as the appearance of fire from the appearance of his loines even downward fire and from his loines even upward as the appearance of brightnesse as the colour of Amber OUr Prophet being in an extasie the Lord Jesus Christ appeares unto him as a man and is described First Generally and that is by a likenesse of fire he seem'd to him to be a man of fire or as the appearance of fire 2. More particularly and 1. From his loines downward and the appearance thereof was as fire 2. From his loins upward the appearance whereof was 1. As brightnesse 2. As the colour of Amber Christ being presented here as a man of fire it 's worthy consideration to examine the grounds of it The Jewes had sinned exceedingly provoked God by their Idolatry to great jealousie and being now resolv'd upon their destruction he gives out a fiery vision of Christ unto the Prophet which appearance was sutable to
Attributes are glory his Omnipotence Omniscience Eternity Immutability Wisdome Justice Mercy Holiâ—esse are his glory Exod. 15.11 He is glorious in holinesse It 's said of Aaron he had Garments for glory Exod. 28.2 Gods Attributes are his garments for glory and how glorious is God who hath so many glorious garments on him there is nothing in God or about him but it 's glorious his eyes are eyes of Glory Esa 3.8 his right hand is glorious Exod. 15.6 his Arme is glorious Esa 63.12 His Maiesty is glorious Psal 145.5 His works are glorious Psalm 111.3 His workes of creation providence redemtion are so His Name is glorious 1 Chron. 29.13 His glory is so bright so great that it fills the earth Isa 6.3 His Spirit is glory 1 Pet. 4.14 His sonne is the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 God is not only glorious or glory but excellent glory 2 Pet. 1.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It excels the glory of the Sun the glory of all Kings of all Angels and glorious ones of the whole Creation yea the comprehensions of all Intelligent creatures it 's so excelling that none but God himselfe can measure it Let us give glory to the God of Israel who is so glorious acknowledge what hee hath done magnifie his name multiply his praises where praises dwels God dwels Psal 22.3 He inhabits the praises of Israel He is the God of Israel dwels there to counsel comfort deliver sanctifie and save them they praise him and he is there to give in daily new matter of praise 2. Sight of the glory of God is a great priviledge it 's not for every one to see Ezekiel he saw it not all in Babylon not all the Elders who were in the house with him Ungracious unbelieving spirits see not Divine glory Iohn 1.14 We beheld his glory not others We that received of his fulnesse of his graces we had the favour and the power to behold his glory Many saw Christs miracles but not his glory hâ—ld out by them Iohn 2.11 When the water was turned into wine Christ manifested his glory which the Disciples saw not others they believed And Christ told Martha if shee believed she should see the glory of God Iohn 11.40 Faith is the eye of the soule and God shewes his glory in Christ to that eye 3. That whithersoever God cals a man hee can shew him his glory at the River Chebar he had seen it in the Plain also and now at Ierusalem which abounded with Idolatry VERS 5 6. Then said he unto me sonne of man lift up thine eyes now the way towards the North so I lift up mine eyes the way towards the North and behold North-ward at the gate of the Altar this Image of jealousie in the Entry He said furthermore unto me sonne of man seest thou what they doe even the great abhominations that the house of Israel committeth here that I should goe farre off from my Sanctuary but turne thee yet again and thou shalt see greater abhominations IN these and the following verses are gradually set out the great abhominations of the Jewes at Jerusalem Their wickednesse was not positive onely but superlative of the highest nature Besides the Appellation sonne of man the fifth verse hath in it 1. Christs commandment Lift up thine eyes 2. The Prophets obedience So I lift up mine eyes 3. The thing seene The image of jealousie 4. Tha place where At the gate of the Altar in the Entry Lift up thine eyes This phrase imports a through view an exact notice of things Gen. 13.10 Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain of Iordan that it was well watered every where He diligently considered the place and commodities of it Isa 49.18 Lift up thine eyes round about and behold That is Consider well how all that gather against thee shall be for thy good The lifting up of the eyes notes a distinct and fuller observation of things and so here Ezekiel be not remisse and carelesse in the viewing of things but lift up thine eyes open them fully observe exactly what is before thee This you must take to be meant of the eyes of his mind not his body for he was in an extasie in the Spirit at Ierusalem not in the flesh At the gate of the Altar No gate was so called originally but after Ahaz had corrupted the worship of God by his Altar from Damascus fixed an Altar by that gate and brought the Lords Altar thither 2 Kin. 16.14 It 's conceiv'd here upon this gate was called the Altar-gate there was an Altar for Baal and a mis-plac'd Altar for God If we will rightly discerne the corruption in worship Obser 1. distinguish between what is humane and what is divine wee must set the eyes of our minds a work they must be lift up be open and intent to the thing There is great difference between the externall view and judgement of the flesh and between the internall view and judgement of the spirit This Baaliticall Altar doubtlesse was glorious outwardly as false worship is Jeroboams Calves were golden ones 1 Kings 12.28 and affected the eys stole away the hearts of many but it was loathsome to the eye of a judicious considering minde Gods worship was hindered defiled by it his jealousie provoked and their ruine procured by it The Popish Religion is pompous and to carnall eyes hath beauty in it but to those that lift up the eyes of their mind and well consider it 's superstitious idolatrous and abhominable some have called the Ceremonies used lately in our worship Innocent but those examine them well found them Nocent the seed of contention snares to conscience and flyes in our precious oyntment John 7.24 Judge not hence-forth according to outward appearance but judge righteous judgement See exactly into things let the eyes be lift up and so shal you passe a more judicious sentence How pompous was our worship become lately but since eyes have been lift up the vanity corruption and superstition thereof hath appeared 2. They may safely observe examine the nature and sinfulnesse of false worship who have a call unto it The Lord Christ he bids Ezekiel behold the Image of Jealousie See what the People did there the Prophet did not willingly lift up his eyes but at command and being lawfully cal'd to it there was no danger of being seduc'd of bowing to Baal of countenancing false worship God keeps those are in the way he sets them Had the Prophet out of curiosity and desire to see this Altar this Image gone to Jerusalem he might have been ensnared as too many of our Nation by going to Rome having no better ground than an itching desire to see and know what 's done there Romish worship hath inveigled them Jesuitical charmes bewitched them lost they have both truth and innocency their consciences have been defiled and their judgments prejudiced against those wayes they were formerly acquainted with If the spirits of some have beene
the sinfull selvish policy hath been in the great businesses of the Kingdome which are to carry on Reformation they carted the Ark when their own shoulders should have carried it their prudence in the things of God made way for Vzzah's sinne and suffering and hindred the progresse of the work there hath been too much of man seen in our undertakings O the policy falshood treachery that hath been among us what was it made Jeremie weep and mourn so Ch. 91.2 it was because they were adulterers an assembly of treacherous men 4. For the great and bitter divisions are among us Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours our enemies laugh among themselves Psalm 80.6 not only among those are wicked or indifferent but even among those are godly they shoot their arrows one at another even bitter words and bitter actions Is it not sadd when Christs Disciples and Apostles fall out Matth. 20.24 The ten were moved with indignation against the two brethren It troubled Christ to see such variance between them and had he not wisely and speedily taken up the matter the issue might have been very ill when brethren wrong one another it will affect a Moses Acts 7.26 Is it not to be lamented when our fountains run salt water When brethren speake evill one of another and so speak evill of the law and Gospel also Gal. 5.15 It troubled Pauls spirit to see such biting and devouring of one another Certainly if we should see two or three dogs biting of a man it would much worke upon us and move us to rate and beate them off And can we see men biting men and not be affected with it to see men destroyed with a spirit of bitternesse when they should be restor'd with a spirit of meekenesse is mourning to some however it be musicke to others 5. That Gods judgements have been so long upon us and done us so little good God hath given us much physick and it doth not work we may be a dying people as these Jewes were Ezra 10.9 Amos 6.6 we drink wine in bowles and anoint c. Intus vino extus oleo It s said there that all the people sate in the street of the house of God trembling because some were carryed away captive and for the great raine the great showrs which beate down their fruit and corne We have had many taken prisoners carryed away captive used barbarously we have had great rains of blood have we yet trembled have we learn'd righteousnesse and beheld the Majesty of the Lord Isa 26.9 10. may it not be said as its Jer. 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but tey have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a rocke 6. That so many thousand have perished in their sinnes and multitudes are in a perishing way Rom. 9.2 I have great heavinesse and continuall sorrow in my heart I could wish my selfe separated from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh he feared they would perish eternally and therefore mourned continually Granctensis tels of a woman that wat so affected with souls miscarryings that she besought God to stoppe up the passage into hell with her soule and body that none might have entrance Doe not people perish for want of vision and few lay it to heart 7. That Gods name suffers so much amongst us Gods name should be deare to us the Scripture tells us its glorious and fearefull Deut. 28.5.8 Great and terrible Psal 99.3 Holy and reverend Psal 111.9 Honourable Psalm 66.2 And that this name of God should suffer by sinfull wretched men is matter of sighing and crying some despise his name Mal. 1.6 some prophane his name Levit. 21.6 some blaspheme his name Isa 52.5 and most darken the glory of his name and as it was to Ioshuah a great griefe bitter affliction when his name suffered so it should be to us VERS 5 6 7. And to the others he said in mine hearing Goe yee after him through the City and smite let not your eyes spare neither have yee pittie Slay utterly old and young both maids and little children and women but come not neare any upon whom is the marke and begin at my Sanctuary then they began at the ancient men which were before the house And he said unto them Defile the house and fill the courts with the slain goe yee forth and they went forth and slew in the City THE Lord Christ having marked some for mercy in these verses is declared what was to be done with the rest 1. Here is a command to execute them 2. The execution it selfe In the command you have these particulars 1. The party commanding he said 2. The parties commanded the others 3. The witnesse of what was commanded and that is Ezekiel In mine eares 4. The things commanded which are these 1. To goe they must goe after him mark 's the mourners 2. To smite v. 5. to slay v. 6. to defile to fill the courts of the Sanctuary with the slain v. 7. 3. A double prohibition 1. Of mercy to the wicked Let not the eye spare neither have pitty v. 6. 2. Of medling with the marked Come not neare any upon whom the marke is v. 6. 4. Whom they must smite slay old young maids children women 5. The place where they must begin and that is the Sanctuary v. 6. 6. Then the execution it selfe They went forth c. I shall open the words wherein any thing seems difficult and then give you the observation The others They were the 6. Angels who had the slaughter-weapons in their hands they must now goe and make use of them they were not cal'd for in vaine Let not your eyes spare This phrase is sometimes refer'd to things without life as Gen. 45.20 Regard not the stuffe The Heb. is let not your eye spare your stuffe It 's Josephs speech to his brethren when he was inviting them to come to Aegypt and his meaning is this when you shall look upon the furniture of my fathers house and see what goodly rich and usefull stuffe it is you will be loth to leave it behind you your eyes will be affected with it you will say you cannot be without it though you know not how to bring it but let not your eyes spare it looke on it as a needlesse thing regard it not Aegypt is before you and there is enough to supply and suffice you Sometimes it s referred to things with life as men and beasts and notes thus much that there should be no signe of mercy in their eyes not a looke not a favourable aspect towards those they were to execute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their eyes must be terrible and not spare from vengeance they must shew no pitty and the word in Scripture is so rendered Deut. 13.8 Thine eye shall not pitty him neither shalt thou spare That is pittie here is spare in
8.3 Hee hath in this tenth Chapter a vision much like that mentioned in the first Chapter yet with some difference as will appear in the opening Three things chiefly are observable in this Chapter 1. The scattering of burning coales over the City Jerusalem which some call the vision of coales v. 2 3.6 7. 2. The Lords change of his place 4.18 19. 3. A description of the Cherubims in the 5.8 9 10 c. The scattering of the coales is specified in the 2d vers and prefigured the burning of Jerusalem and this is set out to us 1. From the Author commanding who is the Lord in the 〈◊〉 vers 1. 2. From the instrument acting the man cloathed with linnen vers 2. 3. From the command it selfe where we have 1. The place whither he was to goe in between c. 2. What to doe 1. Fill his hand with coales of fire 2. Scatter them over the City 4. The execution of the command vers 2.6 7. He went and this is illustrated 1. From the witnesse thereof Ezekiel in my sight 2. From the place where the Cherubims stood on the right side of the house v. 3. 3. From the event the cloud fill'd the inward Court Ibid. 4. From the manner of conveying of the fire vers 7. A Cherubim put forth his hand tooke fire and put into the hand of him cloathed with linnen In the first vers the Majesty and greatnesse of him commands is set out 1. By the Firmament above 2. By the Cherubims underneath 3. By a throne which was of Saphir In the first Chap. 22. hath been spoken of the firmament Rachiah from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to extend expand expansum because stretched out over the whole earth The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of it's strength and firmenesse not melted or changed by its motion This firmament the footstool of the Lord was over the head of the Cherubims Cherubims This word is not in the first vision Chap. 1. there they are cal'd the living creatures here Cherubims which is evidence that they are the same and may strengthen the interpretation given to be of the Angels There is a difference between the words Chap. 1.22 where it 's said the firmament upon the heads of the living creature And the words here which are the firmament that was above the head of the Cherubims there its living creature and heads here its Cherubims and head which may mind us of their onenesse and consent in judgement and operations If there be heads it s but as one living creature acts from those heads if there be Cherubims they have all but as one head Why are they cal'd Cherubims here and not living creatures as before I suppose the reason is this The former vision was at Chebar in the open field by a rivers side this was in the Temple where the Cherubims were 1 Kings 8.6 7. and so that notion suited with them there 2. In Babylon a prophane land the Prophet sees living creatures he had a generall and confus'd apprehension of them but when he is in the Temple he hath a more cleare and distinct knowledge of them Hence you have this note The Lord did more clearely make known himselfe and mysteries in the holy land then in other places Psal 76.1 In Judah is God knowne more fully and familiarly then elsewhere A vision in Babylon is not so cleare as a vision in Sion Psalm 29.9 In his Temple doth every one speake of his glory A saphir stone Jerome derives it from shaphar pulcher because these stones are faire and pleasant to the eyes Coelesti Colore conspicui sunt Ruens The Saphir notes 1. Liberty Exod. 24.10 God appeared to them with a paved work of Saphir under his feet when the Israelites were going from bondage to liberty 2. Purity therefore it s brought in a foundation stone of the new Jerusalem Rev. 21.19 3. Of chastity Cant. 5.14 Christs belly is overlaid with Saphirs and his Spouse must be chast 4. Glory greatnesse among the Aegyptians the chiefe Priests being Judges wore a Saphir about their necks these and some other particulars were spoken of in the first Chapter vers 26. Throne A Throne is a seate of Majestie and belonging to Kings and great Governours John 3.6 2 King 11.19 Neh. 3.7 and therefore 1. are call'd Kingly Dan. 5.20 and put for Kingdom Prov. 20.28 for government Heb. 1.8 2. Glorious Isa 22.23 and hence are put for Angels Col. 1.18 for heaven Acts 7.49 for great dignity Job 36.7 Here it notes a seate of judgement according to that in Psalm 122.5 There are set thrones of judgement Here was a Throne of judgement set and that of Saphir holding out the Majestie power and greatnesse of him sate in it who was in a readinesse to give out sentence against Jerusalem The Firmament Cherubims Saphire Throne are mentioned but not he sate in it that one was in it is evident from the next vers He spake unto the man cloathed c. that was hee in the Throne In the first vision one like the appearance of the Sonne of man was in the Throne and because no such appearance is here it s conceived to be Jehovah Obser 1. The Lord is King and hath Kingly power he hath a throne and Isa 66.1 Heaven is my Throne And hee sitteth King for ever Psal 29.10 He hath a double Throne 1. A throne of justice Psal 9.7 Hee hath prepared his throne for judgement and this throne is terrible Dan. 7.9 10. It 's like a fiery flame and sends out a fiery stream to scorch and consume delinquents The law is cal'd a fiery law Deut. 33.2 and the breath of him sits in this throne its fire and kindles upon those appeare before it unquencheablie 2. A throne of mercy and grace Heb. 4.16 no sinners dye before this throne they may come boldly to it and finde yea obtaine mercy and grace to help in time of need Jerusalem was at the throne of justice and coals of fire were giving out to burn her to ashes 2. His throne is the chiefest of thrones it s in the Firmament Psal 11.4 The Lords throne is in heaven it s above all thrones he hath Angels men and Dâ—vils under his command the Cherubims heads were under the firmament whereon his throne was those immortall and glorious spirits He is King of nations Jer. 10.7 Of all the earth Psal 47.7 A great King above all gods Psalm 95.3 They have their expansums over their heads of some rich stuffe which shewes their subjection to some other but it s otherwise with God he is above the expansum Hee is the blessed and only potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6.15 3. The Lord who hath so glorious a throne is much more glorious himselfe his throne is saphirine very beautiful like the colour of the heavens If an earthly throne be a throne of glory as Hannah stiles it 1 Sam. 2.8 what is this
blaspheming The story of Nightinghale is known which Mr. Fox relates how abusing that Scripture he that saith he hath no sin is a lyar and the truth is not in him he fel out of the Pulpit brake his necke Another making mouths at a godly Minister preaching had his mouth drawn greatly awry and so dyed One present in this congregation was an eye-witnesse of a woman scoffing at another for purity and walking holily had her tongue strucken immediately with the palsie and dyed thereof within two days Take heed of jeering and scoffing the penitent Thiefe was admitted into Paradise when the scoffing one was sent to hell 2. Princely and high conditions are quickly laid in the dust Pelatiah a Prince of the people in great honour all things about him as heart could wish likely to have continu'd long here is brought in a dead corps there is no certainty in any condition Acts 12. Dan. 5. Exod. 14. how suddenly was Herod eaten of worms Nebuchadnezzar driven from his Palace and Pharoah drowned in the bottom of the sea 1 Thes 5.3 When they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction c. And Christ said yee know not what houre the Lord will come watch So we know not what hour death will come therefore let us watch The Papists call upon St. Christopher to keep them from sudden death let us call upon Christ to prepare us for and preserve us in death 3. God sometimes meetes with wicked men when his Ordinances are dispensing When I prophecyed then Pelatiah dyed it was at the time of prophesie when the word is preached other Ordinances administred then doth God smite sinners sometimes present at the Ordinance and sometimes absent as Pelatiah was Ezek. 37.7 As I prophecyed there was a noise and behold a shaking and the bones came together This was done as he prophecyed there was great vertue and efficacy in his words so here when he prophecyed a noyse was heard and behold a shaking Pelatiah shakes and shakes to pieces the power of Ezekiels prophesie in Babylon slayes Pelatiah at Jerusalem There is a converting power in the Word which converts when men are present but there is a wounding and confounding power in it also when men are absent and present When the Apostles preached sometimes the holy Ghost fell upon men Acts 10.44 and sometimes heavy judgements Elimas the sorcerer is smitten blind Ananias and Saphira are strucken dead if not in the time of the Ordinance yet immediately thereupon Jeroboam thrusts out his hand to take hold of the Prophet which prophecyed against the Altar at Bethel and his hand was dryed up 1 K. 13. When Paul was preaching Eurichus sleeps falls downe and is taken up dead Acts 20.9 at that time he fell down when the ordinance was dispensing and certainly when the servants of God doe preach and prophecy against sinners present or absent sometimes God smites them Hos 6.5 I have hewed them by the Prophets the word was an axe in their mouths and every time they prophecyed judgement they hewed the state and particular persons 1 Kings 19.17 They escape the sword of Hazâ—el and Jehu shall Elisha slay how by his prophecying and preaching This God doth to put honour upon his word that so men may feare respect his Ordinances and take heed how they heare 4. Not only judgements themselves are to be observed but the circumstances of them also When I prophecyed then Pelatia dyed he notes the time in a speciall manner Circumstances of time place person do adde much weight to the judgments of God and truth of a story here you have all the time when Ezekiel prophecyed the place the doore of the Eastern gate of the Temple at Jerusalem v. 1. the name Pelatiah These adde strength to the judgements and prophesie Circumstances commend mercies and aggravate judgements to be smitten when the Prophet was prophecying against him sets out the judgement with life and terrour Circumstances help to serue the thing into the heart and to fasten it upon the memory the time of things is much mentioned in the word be it of sins Jer. 11.15 When thou dost evill then thou rejoycest or of mercies when Manasseh was brought back to Jerusalem then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God 2 Chron. 33.13 or of judgements Judg. 5.8 They chose new gods then was warre in the gates Numb 11.33 While the flesh was between their teeth ere it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and he smote them with a great plague So Dan. 4.30 While the word was in the Kings mouth the voyce was heard thy Kingdome is departed from thee And Dan. 2.5 Whiles Belshazzar tasted wine in the bowles of the Temple in the same houre came forth fingers that writ letters of death upon the wall And of Vzziah it 's said then he was wroth and whiles hee was so the leprosie even rose up in his forehead 2 Chron. 26.19 The Prophets observed the times of Gods giving out the threatnings and the times of execution 5. Holy and good men feare when the judgements of God fall heavily and suddenly upon wicked men Psal 52.6 When Gods hand should fall upon Doeg saith David the righteous shall see and feare what shall they see to make them feare the glory and power of God in executing justice in cutting off delinquents Psalm 9.16 The Lord is knowne by the judgements hee executeth known to be most powerfull glorious dreadfull he is present in them and the godly have eyes to see much of him When Angels appeared Gideon a man of valour and others feared much more when God appears in thunder lightning in sudden and grievous judgements there is cause of feare When Vzzah was smitten with a sudden stroak David was affraid of the Lord 2 Sam. 6.9 this might occasion that in the 119. Ps 120. My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am affraid of thy judgements Gods judgements are now abroad and not only wicked men but good also are cut down suddenly Let us fear and not only that but doe as the Prophet and other holy men did at such a time Isa 26.8 9. Let us wait for God let the desire of our soules be to his name let us desire him in the night seeke him early with our spirits for now is the time that the inhabitants of the world should learn righteousnesse 6. Suddain or great judgements doe put the Saints and servants of God upon humble earnest and argumentative prayer humble Then fell I down upon my face earnest and cryed with a loud voyce argumentative Ah Lord God wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel Judgements look'd upon by the Saints are of an humbling nature prompt them with arguments to wrestle with God and that earnestly Josh 7.5 6 7 8 9. 7. When God begins judgements with some are wicked among them the godly look upon it as an inlet to publique misery wilt thou
he would leave them The Jewes thought because they had the Temple and God amongst them that therefore they were well and happy though their worship were mixt and their lives wicked but they were deceiv'd No particular visible Church hath assurance of Gods abiding longer with it then it keepes his worship pure walks holily and humbly with him when any corrupt his glory his worship then the glorious Lord and the glory of the Lord doth leave them 3. When God leaves a people then protection of Angells and comfort of Ceeatures leave them also the Cherubims and wheeles together with the glory left them and went to the mountain When the King goeth the Court removes and the Servants follow when God is gone we are left naked lye open to all temptations and miseries we have no God to counsell comfort protect or save and what a case is such a people in Jer. 6.8 Be thou instructed O Jerusalem least my soule depart from thee and what then Least I make thee desolate a Land not inhabited VERS 24. Afterwards the spirit tooke me up and brought me in vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea to them of the Captivity so the vision that I had seen went up from me HEre is the conclusion of this glorious Vision our Prophet had seene The spirit had carryed him not in body but in spirit unto Jerusalem Chap. 8.3 And shewed him how things were there what God was purposed to doe and now having seen and heard glorious and terrible things the Vision went up to Heaven he saw it no more The spirit an shew us things at a great distance Obser 1. as if we were present the spirit caused Ezekiel to see things at Jerusalem when his body was in Chaldaea Our senses cannot discerne farr but the spirit knoweth all things in all places and can satiâ—fie us with the knowledge of them give us spirituall and propheticall eyes Paul saith 2 Cor. 12.2.3 That he was caught up to the third Heaven but whether in the body or out of the body he knoweth not and being there he heard unspeakable words The spirit took him up caused him to heare such things so did the spirit here take up our Prophet and caused him to see such things 2. This Vision was reall divine no imaginary fained thing not from his braine but from the spirit it selfe In raptu abstrahitur anima a sensibus phantasmatibus therefore it 's said to put all out of doubt The spirit took him up and brought him in Vision and the Vision I had seen went up which shewes it was no humane thing but divine 3. The servants of God have glorious sights here sometimes but they soone expire and come to an end So the Vision which I had seen went up from me He had seen the glory of God the Cherubims and wheels and the man cloathed with linnen Viz. Christ but here was no continuance of this glorious sight Jacob seeth a ladder reaching up to Heaven Angells ascending and descending and the Lord at the top of the ladder but this was onely for a night and then it ceased Gen. 28.12.13.16 Moses saw the Lord in the burning bush Exod. 3.23 But the fight lasted not Isaiah saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne Isa 6.1 Peter James and John saw the transfiguration of Christ Math. 17. And all the Apostles Saw his glory as the glory of the onely begotten but the Vision went up from them VERS 25. Then I spake to them of the Captivity all the things that the Lord had shewed me HEre you have what the Prophet did after the Vision he had been in an extasie some time and now being brought to his ordinary and pristine condition he relates to the Captives what he had seen and heard Many of those in the Captivity and probably some of those Elders which sate in the Prophets house Chap. 8.1 thought them happy which were at Jerusalem condemned their owne act in coming to Babylon judged their counsells foolish and weake which they had about their coming thiâ—her and blamed Jeremiah for exhorâ—ing them therâ—unto hereupon Ezekiel being returned as he thought from Jerusalem to Chaldaea speaks unto them what he had received concerning the destruction of the Temple City Land and the mâ—series of the inhabitants and thereby convinceth them that they were in a far better condition then those they haâ— left behind All the things Things in Hebrew is words now words are not shewne but heard how then doth he say Which he had shewed me they were not meer words but words Vesâ—ita externo symbolâ— He had many types Viz. Of a sâ—â—dge of a razâ—r and haire of a chain of six men wiâ—h slâ—ughter weapons in their hands of a cauldron whâ—ch were visible words Obser 1. When men have been in the hand and power of the spirit acted thereby then are they siâ— to speak unto the people Then I spake unto them When Moses had been in the mount then was hâ— fit to speak to those at the foot of the mount when the spiâ—it had irradiated the minds of men with divine light and truths then are they meetest â—o communicate to others The Apostles being filled with the spirit spake freely boldly Acts 4.13.20 2. Gods Prophets and Messengers must speak unto those they are intended for Ezekiel had his vision and all the types in it for the Jewes those of the Captivity not the Babylonians God had a care of the Captivity that they might be instructed concerning his mind and be undeceived in their apprehensions about the things of Jerusalem Then I spake unto the Captivity 3 They must declare what they have hâ—ard and seen not what is their owne what is mans is uncertaine unsatisfying unsanctifying but that which iâ—â—hâ— Lords is infallible will satisfie and sanctify Christ told the Apostles the spirit should take of his and shew unto them John 16.14 Math. 28.20 They must teach the people to observe what he commanded them 1 Cor. 11.23 Paul received what he delivered thus did Ezekiel he spake what the Lord shewed unto him 4. They must be faithfull speake all the things which are shewed unto them thus did our Prophet he delivered unto them all the Lord had shewne unto him what ever he had seen or heard that he faithfully giveth out There muâ—t be no adding to the things of God no detracting from them no changing any of them but what is the Lords that must be dispensed Christ who was sent of the father saith All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Joh. 15.15 and Paul kepâ— back nothing but delivered all the counsell of God unto them Acts 20.20.27 CHAP. XII VERS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. The word of the Lord also came unto me saying Son of man thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house which have eyes to see and see not They have eares to hear and hear not for they are a rebellious
lust Wine revelling banquetting and Idolatries are joyned together False worship and false wayes of worship are set out by such expressions as shew their hearts were taken therewith Numb 15.39 Isa 57.5 Chap. 66.3 Acts 17.16 2 Kings 21.21 Psal 97.7 Ezek. 16.17 18 19 20. 5. That is an object of hatred to the godly is an object of delight unto the wicked in the 18. Verse when the godly should come to the Land againe they would take away all the detestable things but the wicked their hearts would goe after them The hearts of the one sort were for them of the other were against them 6. God takes notice which way the heart lookes how it stands affected As for them whose heart walketh after c. Ezek. 20.16 Chap. 33.31 in the 14 Chap. 3 4 7. thrice God observes They had set up Idolls in their hearts The heart is the principall thing in man that God calls for Prov. 23.26 and therefore he lookes after it Revel 2.23 All the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reines and the heart 7. Things men are much taken with are detestable in the sight of God they affected detestable things Luke 16.15 That is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination with God When men bring into his worship things of their owne he accounts it iniquity Exod. 20.5 and the Authors thereof haters of him 8. Superstitious and Idolatrous persons shall not goe unpunished I will recompence their wayes upon their heads when they had made a calfe quickly after 3000 were slaine for it and though Moses mediated for them yet God tells Moses that in the day he visits he will visit their sin upon them Exod. 32.35 And verse the last The Lord plauged the people because they made the calfe which Aaron made God is jealous and cannot indure his glory should be given to another 9. When ever God punisheth or whom ever he punisheth he is just in his punishment I will recompence their way upon their owne head They shall have the fruit of their owne labours and its certaine thus saith the Lord you thinke your selves safe if vou can avoyd my stroke that your false gods shall secure you but it shall not be I will recompence your wayes upon your heads God may punish men sometimes lesse then they deserve but never more he is just and returnes their owne doing upon them Psal 7.16 VERS 22. Then did the Cherubims lift up their wings and the wheeles besides them and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above HEre begins the fifth part of the Chapter which is a further description of the Lords leaving the City The Cherubims wheeles and glory were at the East gate of the Temple Chap. 10.19 where you have the very words of this Verse Cherubims note out Angels and superiour causes Wheeles inferiour things with the motions of them and by the glory of the God of Israel is meant either the glorious Lord himselfe or somâ— visible signe of his glorious presence Obser All things are under the God of Israel he hath the eminence he is above wheeles and Angells are under him at his dispose if he give out the word the Cherubims move lift up their wings and order the wheeles VERS 23. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City and stood on the mountain which is on the East side of the City HEâ—e you have Gods departure from the City To leave the Temple was greivous had he staid at the gates of it or in the City it selfe any where within the wals it had been mercy but he leaves the East gate which he calls the midst of the City and goeth forth unto the mountain which shewed God would now expose the City to the fury and spoyle of the Babylonians The glory of the Lord. Of this see before Chap. 10.4.18.19 Chap. 9.3 Chap. 8.4 Chap. 3.23 And stood upon the mountain There were many mountains about Jerusalem Psal 125.2 It was compassed about with them the mountaine which the glory went to and stood upon was mount Olivet or mount Olives Zach. 14.4 This mountain was before Jerusalem on the East and the glory of the Lord stood before at the East gate whence it removed and went up this mountaine for it was high and had ascents 2 Sam. 15.30 The standing of the glory upon this mountain may be eyther to see the ruine and destruction of the City and so to weepe over it as Christ did upon or neare the same mount Luke 19. or Secondly to upbraid them for their wickednesse there because they did abominable things in that mount whence it was cald the mount of corruption 2 K. 23.13 or Thirdly to make it typicall to represent the â—scending of Christ to Heaven which was from that place Acts 1.12 These things being granted yet I conceive there was somewhat else in it The glory of God had made severall stands before which they had not much minded now it goeth from the Temple and City to an high conspicuous mountain that they might take notice of Gods departure repent of their sins and use all possible meanes for recalling recovering and keeping the glory with them and Zach. 14.4 The promise is of returning and standing upon the same mount God is unwilling to forsake that people he hath vouchsafed his presence Obser 1. and communicated his favour unto no people in the World had God so nigh them as this people Deut. 4.7 Here God goeth out of the City but not quite away nor quite out of sight he steps to the mountain over against the City Before he had removed to the side of the Temple then from within the Temple to the threshould after that to the East gate and from thence â—o mount Oliv â— and God pauzed at every stand whether he should goe any further The Lord is loath to leave hâ—s people they put him upon it Ezek. 8.6 Seest thou the great abominations that they commit here that I should goe farre off from my Sanctuary they forced God out of all wheâ—as seeing him upon the leaving them thâ—y should have purg d the Sanctuary from all Idolls and false worship and have importun'd the Lord to stay among them when a frieâ—d is lâ—aving his freinds what intreaties what teares many times are used to stay him Acts 21.12.13 Jer. 14.7.8.9 2. God is not tyed so to any place or people buâ— when they grow wicked and defile his worship he may leave them and thâ— place where he hath recorded his name Mount Sion God hâ—d chosen above all places to dwell there Psal 132.14 This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it For ever is a long timâ— in Scripture sense and God had dwelt a long time with them but now the time was come of his departure now the holy Temple holy City holy people were all prophanenes unto him they had corrupted his worship polluted themselves and therefore