condition of all even to the Pit and Grave The King of Egypt with his Princes Nobles and confederates of famous Nations must come down to the nether parts of the earth Egypt was a potent flourishing Kingdome Pharoah mighty But whom dost thou passe in beauty Thy beauty glory strength wealth greatnesse are nothing thou must go down and lye with the uncircumcised In a moment at the beck of the Lord Kingdomes are made desolate Kings cast into the Grave and all their pomp buried in the dark let none despise others and exalt themselves Vers 21. The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of Hell Here and so on the Prophet by a Figure call'd Prosopopaeia represents unto us what entertainment Pharoah should have among the dead the Tyrants and great men of the world that were in the Grave or Hell before shall speak unto him and Congratulate his coming unto them in a taunting way what Pharoah hast thou who wert so great and glorious left the earth art thou come to us weak and wounded stript of all and art become like us thou art welcome to Hell and the condition we Tyrants are in be not troubled here are many great ones before thee both of the uncircumcised Nations and also of the circumcised With them that help him They should speak to him and those were his helpers Pharoah had many helpers to carry on his designes on earth many Confederates and they should be welcom'd to Hell also They are gone down they lye uncircumcised slain by the sword The Egyptians they are gone down to the Grave they lye or sleep with the uncircumcised or are in no better condition then uncircumcised Ones are in being slain with the Sword These words may be understood of other Nations Vers 22. Ashur is there and all her company Here the Prophet begins the enumeration of particular Nations whose Kings and People were gone to Hell before-hand and would give entertainment to Pharoah The first he mentions is Ashur the Assyrian Monarch was the most ancient of great power and extent and the King thereof was in Hell and all the Assyrian company all his Attendants and Followers His Graves are about him The King of Assyria is gone down to the Grave and so are his Princes Nobles and People which were slain by the sword they are in their Graves near unto him round about him and these will speak to Pharoah at his coming into the Grave or Hell Vers 23. Whose Graves are set in the sides of the pit The Vulgar reads the words thus whose Graves are in novissimis laci in the bottom of the lake importing that they sell from the height of honour into the depth of misery Which caused terrour in the Land of the Living When the Assyrians were destroyed by the Chaldaean or Babylonish sword it was dreadful to those that were living or thus these Assyrians while they were in the Land of the living they caused terrour they were tyrannical cruel fill'd all with fear Some restrain the Land of the Living only to Judaea because there the Jewes only worshipped the living God and those were right amongst them were to enjoy the living God eternally but we may take the Land of the Living here in opposition to the state of the dead and so other Lands are included yea all where be any living Vers 24 25. There is Elam and all her multitude round about her Grave all of them slain fallen by the sword which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth which caused their terrour in the Land of the Living yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the Pit They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude her Graves are round about him all of them uncircumcised slain by the sword though their terrour was caused in the Land of the Living yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the pit he is put in the midst of them that be slain The Elamites were the Persians and Medes and what he said of Ashur that he now saith of Elam The King of the Medes and Persians with his multitude who living were terrible unto many were now in Hell ready to give entertainment to Pharoah who was coming thither Of Elam you may read Jer 49.34 to the end of the Chapter Vers 24. Yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the pit They were tyrannical and so a terrour to others but they were cut off by the Scythians saith Polanius and carried the shame of their tyranny and wickednesse with them or they dyed ignominiously Vers 25. They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude When great Ones remove preparations are made for them whither they remove so here even in the Grave and Hell a bed was provided for Elam In the bed in darknesse and rest such was the Grave Vault or Sepulchre oâ— Elam In this verse there is an Enallagie of Genders and Numbers Verses 26 27 28. There is Meshech Tubal and all her multitude her Graves are round about him all of them uncircumcised slain by the sword though they caused their terrour in the Land of the Living And they shall not lye with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised which are gone down to Hell with their weapons of war and they have laid their swords under their heads but their iniquities shall be upon their bones though they were the terrour of the mighty in the Land of the Living Yea thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised and shalt lye with them that are slain with the sword HEre the Prophet brings in a third kind of Examples which are Meshech and Tuball Vers 26. There is Meshech Tubal and all her multitude By Meshech some Expositers understand the Scythians others the Cappadocians and by Tubal the Iberians and Albanians which were neer together and both of them in the Eastern parts All these may be understood for the Scythians passing through Cappadocia Iberia and Albania had many of those Countries joyning with them when they brake into Asia between Pontus and the Caspian Sea and so plagued the Elamites the Kings of these places were not yet slain and gone down to the pit though the words import it done because of the certainty of it but it was near at hand and to be effected before the death of Pharoah whom they were to speak unto at his coming down to the Grave Her Graves are round about him c. The Graves of the men of each Countrey were round about the King of that Countrey they were people uncircumcised out of Covenant with God slain by the sword notwithstanding they were terrible to others Vers 27. And they shall not lye with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised which are gone down to Hell with their weâ—pons of war Among the Heathens
sword saith the Lord God And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted And they shall know that I am the Lord when I have set a fire in Egypt and when all her helpers shall be destroyed In that day shall messengers go forth from me in Ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid and great pain shall come upon them as in the day of Egypt for lo it cometh IN these words is further set forth the destruction of Egypt with those that were her strength and confederates as also the events following thereupon Vers 6. They also that uphold Egypt shall fall The Hebrew word is Somechee which Montanus renders fulcientes the Septuag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fundamenta the foundation of Egypt These upholders or foundations were not the titular gods but the Princes Nobles Rulers and confederates who by their power pollicy persons and estates did assist the King of Egypt The pride of her power shall come down Egypt had strong Towns Castles men and presumed upon was proud of them but these should be destroyed and taken away so should her pride come down The Vulgar is destruetur superbia Imperii ejus the pride of her Empire shall be destroyed What ever Egypt confided or gloryed in that should be brought low Egypt was lifted up with her power and sate like one on the top of a Mountain and God by his judgements would bring her down From the Tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword Of the Tower of Syene or Sevene was spoken Chap. 29. 10. The meaning is that the sword should pass through all Egypt from one border to another Vers 7. And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate This verse is the same with the 12. verse of the 29. Chap. Egypt and her Cities should be like other Lands and Cities which were extreamly wasted Vers 8. When I have set a fire in Egypt When God brought the Caldean Army into Egypt there was a fire in it dreadful and consumptive The wars were terrible and devoured all things like fire and its probable many strong Cities and Holds were burnt with fire When all her helpers shall be destroyed Egypt being rich powerful and renowned had many confederates which here are called helpers The French is Tous teux qui luy donno yent aide are those that gave her aid they should all be vain helpers for they should not secure or save themselves Vers 9. In that day shall messengers go forth from me in Ships In that day when Egypt was conquered Messengers not Chaldeans but Egyptians or some that escaped the sword fled into Ethiopia to inform them what the Chaldeans had done and in what case they left Egypt They are said to go forth from God because they went by his counsell and providence or because they fled from his angry countenance which appeared in the destruction of Egypt for the original is from my face God sent them to carry tydings of his dreadful judgements to the Ethiopians They went in Ships Batzim in some vessels that were for speed the Septuag is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hastening To make the careless Ethiopians afraid Nebuchadnezzar passed through the oriental Ethiopia to come to Egypt and these Ethiopians seem to be the African Ethiopians and when Egypt was spoiled from one border to another even to Syene he was near it his passage lay fair open and easie into it and it s not said that Nebuchadnezzar should not go beyond Syene but that Egypt should be made desolate from the Tower of Syene to Cush that was the other Ethiopiae The messengers hasted to this Southern Ethiopia the inhabitants whereof were a secure careless people assured them the sword had devoured Egypt and was come to their gates this struck fear into them The Hebrew word to make afraid is Charad which notes externam commotionem ex metu mali outward trembling from fear of some suddain evil such tydings put all Ethiopia into trembling And great pain shall come upon them as in the day of Egypt When sad and grievous judgements are upon a place that is called the Day of that place as the day of Jerusalem Psal 137.7 In the day of Jerusalem the Edomites said rase it rase it even to the foundations thereof When Nebuchadnezzar besieged took spoyled and burnt Jerusalem that was the day of it so here in the day of Egypt that was when the plagues were upon it especially when their first born were slain then were they in great pain When the land was in travail and when they were all drowned in the red Sea then great pain was upon all the Nations round about so here Ethiopia should be in travail filled with feares and shaking fits as Egypt and the Nations then were Observe First When God will visit a Nation it 's not their great Ones in it or confederates with it which can secure it They that uphold Egypt shall fall the Princes Nobles Counsellors Associates and whosoever were in league with her should all feel the hand of God and be crushed with her when men do storm a City it 's not her Out-works her Walls her Gates her Towers that can preserve her and when God will destroy a Nation it 's not outward nor inward helps can uphold No pollicie no power no number can stand it out against God Observe Secondly States are not to confide in power but pride and confidence therein hastens their ruine Egypt had power was proud thereof and confided therein and the Lord said the pride of her power shall come down Is 16.6 We have heard of the pride of Moab he is very proud even of his haughtinesse and his pride but his lies shall not be so He thought himself strong secure but his pride confidence did deceive him For vers 7. Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab every one shall howl The Moabites amongst themselves should howl one for and with another for the foundations of Kir-hareseth shall ye mourn surely are they stricken Kir-hareseth was a chief City for strength in which they placed much confidence and to which they fled in their streights but her foundations were stricken and their hopes disappointed and the pride of their power brought down It s the pride of States and Princes which levels them with others Isa 10.12 I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks Senacherib prided himself in his great Army and presumed he should take Jerusalem and eat up all the prey thereof but his high looks were abased his confidences his ruine 2 Kings 19.35.36 37. Observe Thirdly God sends dreadful and consumptive judgements upon Nations and makes himself known thereby They shall know that I am the Lord when I have set fire in Egypt and when all her helpers are destroyed It
multiplied under his protection as birds and beasts do in and under a great Tree In this verse and the former be three words which signifie Boughs and Branches The first is Sargnaphah which signifies a heap or thicket of boughs The second is Saiph or Sagniph which notes a top bough The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parah or porah from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to adorn because boughs are ornamenta arboris the glory and beautifying of the Tree Vnder his shadow dwelt all great Nations Either they were under his Authority or his Protection many great Nations were commanded by the Assyrian and others put themselves under his protection Vers 7. Thus was he fair in his greatness The Hebrew is vaiijph Pulchrum fuit in magnitudine suae he was a goodly thing in his greatness The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was beautie in his heighth and greatness not only beautifull but beauty greatness and height make things goodly and fair And in the length of his branches Here is another word for Brâ—nches dalijoth which is from dalah to draw because they draw juice from the Roots or because they move upwards and so the word dalah also signifies The Branches of this tree were the Provinces as before which extended far and added to the greatness and glory of the tree For his Root was by great waters These words correspond with those in the Fourth Verse the waters made him great When a tree is fixed in the earth where there is no want of moisture it grows it spreads it becomes great and lovely So this King being planted among great waters in the midst of much wealth and power grew spread and became fair in his greatness Vers 8. The Cedars in the Garden of God could not hide him The highest Cedars that were in any Garden or in Paradise it self did not exceed this Cedar and so obscure the glory of it but this Kingdom for the wealth strength and greatness of it went beyond all others and was for admiration The Firr-trees were not like his boughs Firr-trees are tall and stately yet none of the Firr-trees were comparable to the boughs of this tree The Kingdoms of other Princes were not like to the Provinces of Assyria And the Chesnut-trees were not like his branches The Chesnut-tree is lower then the Firr-tree but more branchie and spreading yet none of the Chesnut-trees did equalize any branch of the Assyrian tree Not any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty The Hebrew is every Tree in the Garden of God was not like to him in his beauty that is no tree therein no tree in Paradise no tree in the whole earth did equalize this Metaphorical Assyrian tree in the bulk arms branches or beautie of it Vers 9. I have made him beautiful in the multitude of his boughs A Tree is much beautified that hath abundance of boughs shooting out from it the more boughs the more beauty This tree wanted not for boughs it had many Provinces and every one added to its beauty So that all the Trees of Eden that were in the Garden of God envied him When other Trees that is Princes who were seated in pleasant rich and fruitful places saw how much the King of Assyria exceeded them in power wealth glory and greatness they envied him First observe It s the Lord who makes Kingdoms and Kings great and differences them from others The Assyrian was a Cedar in Lebanon exceeding all others in beauty branches height and thickness and how came he to be so ver 9. I have made him fair Whatever virtue glory excellencie inward or outward any Trees any Princes have it s all from the Lord. All Solomons greatness and wisdom was from him 1 Kin. 4.29 30 31. Secondly observe That as Trees have need of moisture and waters to make them grow and flourish so States and Princes have need of money to uphold their greatness they must have Revenues come flowing in like Rivers else they will soon wither The waters made him great the deep set him up on high the Rivers run round about his plants he had multitude of waters his Root was by great waters the Assyrian had great means which maintained his glory and greatness so Solomon had great means otherwise he could not have liv'd at that height he did 1 Kin. 4.22 23 26 27 28. Chap. 10.14 21 22 23. Thirdly observe Princes Monarchs States ought to protect those are their Subjects and to communicate good unto them This Cedar in Lebanon was a shadowing shroud all the Fowls of Heaven made their nests in his boughs under his branches did all the Beasts of the Field bring forth their young and under his shadow dwelt all great Nations All sorts had protection from the King of Assyria and not only so but those waters watered him were sent out unto all the Trees of the field he hoarded not up his wealth but it passed up and down for the good of all Isai 49.23 It s said of the Church Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers thy Nourishers that is they shall communicate good things unto thee as a Nurse doth milk unto the Child not only doth she protect the child from harm but see it want nothing that is good for it Fourthly observe Excellencie greatness transcendencie beget Envy This Assyrian Cedar excelled all the Cedars in the Garden of God none of the Firr-trees Chesnut-trees or any other did equalize him he out stripped all the Trees in bulk in height in branches in beauty and what then all the Trees of Eden that were in the Garden of God envied him Envie is against Superiors and Contempt is of Inferiors When Daniel was made chief of the Presidents and Princes then they envied him and sought occasion to ruine him Dan. 6. It s a grief springing up from another mans prosperity Power Honor Strength Riches Greatness are the causes and occasions of it There is always a malignance goes along with it taking pleasure in hurting though it gaine nothing thereby Envy is most prejudicial to the partie it dwels in for its the rottenness of the bones Prov. 14.30 It eats out the marrow and moisture of them and makes them putrifie Hence say the Hebrews oculus malus ingredi facit hominem in sepulchrum Buxtorf florilegium Heb. an envious eye brings a man to the grave Vers 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Therefore thus saith the Lord God because thou hast lifted up thy self in height and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs and his heart is lifted up in his height I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the Heathen he shall surely deal with him I have driven him out for his wickedness And strangers the terrible of the Nations have cut him off and have left him upon the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen and his boughs are broken by all the Rivers
of the land and all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow and have left him Vpon his ruine shall all the Fowls of the Heaven remain and all the Beasts of the field shall be upon his branches To the end that none of all the Trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height neither shoot up their top among the thick boughs neither their trees stand up in their height all that drink water for they are all delivered unto death to the neither parts of the Earth in the midst of the children of men with them that go down to the pit Thus saith the Lord God In the day when he went down to the Grave I caused a mourning I covered the deep for him and I restrained the floods thereof and the great waters were sâ—â—â—â—â— and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him and all the trees of the field fainted for him I made the Nations to shake at the sound of his fall when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit and all the trees of Eden the choise and best of Lebanon all that drink water shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the Sword and they that were his Arm that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the Heathen HAving set forth the greatness and Glory of the King of Assyria in the former Verses under the Allegorie of a Tree here he comes to shew the cutting down and destruction of this Tree with the causes events and end thereof Vers 10. Because thou hast lifted up thy self in height These words are an Apostrophe to the King of Egypt as Junius and Piscator observe Here is a sudden interruption and turning of the Speech unto Pharaoh who was proud and haughtie like the Assyrian God by this gives him a hint to look to himself and so turns again to the Assyrian And he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs He that is the King of Assyria he was growne very high and so high that his heart was lifted up in his height propter altitudinem suam saith Piscator by reason of his height his height heigthned his Spirit he thought himself to have aliquod numinis in him and fit to be worshipped Vers 11. I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen The Hebrew is future I will deliver him and so Munster reads it For the better understanding of these words we must know that the Kingdom of Assyria and Chaldaea were distinct The Metropolis of Chaldaea was Babylon the Metropolis of the Assyrian was Ninive the ten Tribes were carried away by the Assyrians the other two Tribes by the Chaldaeans Dissentions arising between these two God delivered the King of Assyria into the hands of the King of Chaldaea who was Nebuchadnezzar as Expositors say and is here call'd the mighty one of the Heathen he subdued all Assyria and made that and Chaldaea one Empire and afterwards the people were called sometimes Assyrians sometimes Babylonians sometimes Chaldaeans Polanus and others interpret these words of Esarhaddon who after Sennacherib was King of Assyria Isa 37.38 Whom God delivered into the hand of Berodach-baladan or Merodach-baladan being then King of Babylon Isa 39.1 2 Kin. 20.12 Who is here called the mighty One of the Hethen the Hebrew is be ia d el goijm into the hand of the God of the Nations so Montanus renders the words now whether Berodach-baladan were such a God or mighty One of the Heathen is doubted because he was but Praefectus Babyloniae He shall surely deal with him In Hebrew its he shall by doing do with him that is celeriter absque sudore saith Chrolampadius he shall without difficulty or delay deal with him he shall deal with him according to his own mind do what he lift unto him he shall take away his life and kingdom from him This and the former word is future put for preter Tenses which is usual among the Hebrews I have driven him out for his wickedness The word for to drive out is gerash which notes not only a simple ejection a bare driving out but a disgrace â—â— one such a casting or driving out as is with disgrace as when a wife is divorced she is judged unworthy of Bed Board or Cohabitation Gen. 3.24 God drove out the man that was with disgrace and so here I have driven him out with disgrace for his wickedness Vers 12. And strangers the terrible of the Nations have cut him off and have left him Here he shews the ruine and downfal of the Cedar which was so high and extended its boughs so far strangers the terrible of the Nations that is the Chaldaeans who were cruel and merciless Jer. 6.23 they cut him off the King of Assyria and left him not affording the honor due to a dead King Vpon all the Mountains and in all the Valleys his branches are fallen and his boughs are broken by all the Rivers of the land When great trees are cut or blown down then the branches or arms are broken and pul'd off When the King of Assyria was slain his Princes Nobles Provinces and people all suffered with him some were slain upon the Mountains some upon the Valleys and by the Rivers all the land over there were dead and slain persons And all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow and have left him Those which formerly were his Confederates and depended much upon him for Counsel and help seeing him ruined by the Chaldaeans they fell off and would not assist him or divers of his own seeing how things went with him deserted him Vers 13. Vpon his ruine shall all the Fowls of the heaven remain and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches When a Tree is pull'd up or cut down the fruit leaves and branches gone there remains the body or Trunk deformed and spoiled of its beauty and glory that 's the ruine so here the King of Assyria being taken and slain his Crown Glory and Greatness laid in the dust his dead body was the ruine and now the Fowls of Heaven the Nobles and great Ones of Chaldaea and all the Beasts of the field the meaner sort made a Prey of him and his him they scorn'd and vilified and what was his they seiz'd upon Lavater saith his body lay unburied that Crows Ravens Vultures and such like Flesh-Fowls fed upon it Vers 14. To the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height neither shoot up their top c. This too sets out the end of Gods heavy Judgments upon the King of Assyria that other trees seeing Gods dealings with that high Cedar for its pride and loftiness they might take heed of exalting themselves Men grown great are apt to grow proud Trees by the waters that is men abounding
which signifies to make dark obscure black all the Trees in the Assyrian Empire or in that part of Lebanon which belonged thereunto I caused to be affected with the fall of this Cedar And all the Trees of the field fainted for him All other Kings saith Maldonate not only Kings but all sorts were involved in this common calamity they were so sensible of their sufferings thereby that they fainted the word for fainting is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to cover for grief and Metaphorically to faint When grief is great then it causeth deliquium animae Vers 16. I made the Nations to shake at the Sound of his fall When high and great Trees fall they make a great noise and so did this King when he fell his own Subjects and other Nations were much troubled at his fall When I cast him down to Hell with them that descend into the pit In ver 15. it s said he went down to the Grave or Hell and here that God cast him down to Hell it s the same word God brought him from his height to the state of the dead he made him like those that were in the pit And all the Trees of Eden the choice and best of Lebanon all that drink water shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth Those Kings and others which were gone before into the pit he speaks of as living and watered Trees when they should see this great Cedar cut down and brought into the same condition with themselves they should be comforted in that state they were in that is the common condition of great and small The Hebrew for choice and best of Lebanon is the Election and goodness of Lebanon Vers 17. They also went down into Hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword Those Trees before mentioned their condition was like theirs who were slain with the sword and so was this Assyrians he was cut off from all his glory and greatnesse and laid amongst the slain And they that were his arm that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the Heathen His Princes Nobles Councellours Souldiers and Confederates these suffered with him and had some comfort that they had him with them in the Grave or in Hell The Septuagint for those words were his arme read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his seed his posterity and friends were cut off with him First Observe The greatest Princes and Powers in the world have their day to leave their greatnesse and go down to the dust In the day when he went down to the Grave The King of Assyria had his day to come down from all his height and glory and to lye among the slain some dye natural some violent deaths be they great or small dye they must It s appointed unto men once to dye Heb 9.27 And as some have their day to grow high and great in the world so their day to descend into the Grave and be no more in the eye of God then a stinking carkasse Secondly Observe When great Monarchs and Princes are cut off the Lord fills all with mourning fainting and shaking When the Assyrian went down to the Grave the Lord caused a mourning made changes and alterations at Sea and Land He made Lebanon to put on black the Trees of the field to faint and Nations to quake at the sound of his fall so was it when the King of Tyrus was destroyed Ezek 26.15 16. ch 27.35 When the gods of the earth are slain and dye like men the earth and all other creatures have a kind of sense thereof and are affected at changes Thirdly Observe When great Oppressors and Tyrants fall it affords some kind of comfort to the dead All the Trees of Eden the choice and best of Lebanon all that drink water shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth c. You have this livelyly set forth Isa 14.9 10. Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming it stirreth up the dead for thee even all the chief Ones of the Earth it hath raised up from the Thrones all the Kings of the Nations All they shall speak and say unto thee art thou also become weak as we art thou become like unto us Whether this was Senacherib Nebuchadnezzar or Belshazzar it matters not whoever he was he was a great Tyrannicall Prince and when he fell the dead rejoyced at it and comforted themselves that he was become like unto them Vers 18. To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatnesse among the Trees of Eden yet shalt thou be brought down with the Trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the Earth thou shalt lye in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword this is Pharoah and all his multitude saith the Lord God This verse is the Application of the former example unto Pharoah The Protasis was from the 3. verse hither and in this 18. is the Apodosis The same Question is put here to Pharoah whâ—ch was in the 2. vers To whom art thou like in glory and in greatnesse among the Trees of Eden Look about Pharoah thou seest that thou art not like to the Assyrian in Lebanon Well who among the Trees of Eden art thou like for glory and greatnesse it may be thou equallest some of them be it so yet thou must be brought down with them to the nether parts of the earth to the Grave or to Hell thou that art like them in sinning must be like them in suffering Thou shalt lye in the midst of the uncircumcised In Cha. 28.10 It was said of the Prince of Tyrus Thou shalt dye the death of the uncircumcised that was without any hope of eternall life and here it 's said of Pharoah Thou shalt lye in the midst of those that are uncircumcised that is He should lye in a hopelesse and perishing condition of soul and body for ever as those did who were not in Covenant with God This is Pharoah and all his multitude saith the Lord God This is his condition and the condition of his Princes Nobles and People whatsoever thoughts he or they may have of themselves this must be their end Observe God teaches men by the examples of others what they must look for Here by the Assyrian Cedar the Aegyptian Pharoah is taught what to expect He being like the Assyrian in his sins had no cause but to conclude that Assyrian judgements would befall him What was he for his pride and wickednesse driven out destroyed brought down to the Grave Hell and an everlasting suffering so must I my wayes being the same with his like sins call for like judgements As the Assyrian was set out for the instruction of Pharoah so God sets up Pharoah for the instruction of all Princes and People to the end of the world This is Pharoah and all his multitude CHAP. XXXII Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. And it came
afraid and quaked every moment for fear of their Kingdoms and lives When Lyons and Whales are caught and kill'd it makes the other Beasts and Fish to fear When the high Cedars fall all the other Trees tremble Verses 11 12 13 14 15 16. For thus saith the Lord God The sword of the King of Babylon shall come upon thee By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall the terrible of the Nations all of them and they shall spoyl the pomp of Egypt and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from besides the great waters neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them Then will I make their waters deep and cause their Rivers to run like Oyl saith the Lord God When I shall make the Land of Egypt desolate and the Countrey shall be destitute of that whereof it was full when I shall smite all them that dwell therein then shall they know that I am the Lord. This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her the Daughters of the Nations shall lament her they shall lament for her even for Egypt and for all her multitude saith the Lord God THese verses belong to the first prophesie in this Chapter and they set out First The Instruments God used in executing the judgements threatned against Pharoah and the Egyptians vers 11 12. Secondly The Facts of these Instruments the King of Babylon and his Army ver 12 13. Thirdly The Events following ver 14 15. Fourthly The Conclusion of the Prophesie vers 16. Vers 11. The Sword of the King of Babylon shall come upon thee I will stir up and bring the King of Babylon with a great army who shall come furnished with all Military preparations against thee and cut thee off Vers 12. By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall The word for mighty is Gibborim Gibbor signifies properly miles robustus as fortis saith Drusius The Septuagint have it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the sword of the Giants Egypt had multitudes but they should fall by the power of these mighty and Giant-like men The Terrible of the Nations all of them This expression The terrible of the Nations we had thrice before Chap 28.7 30.11 31 12. Those men were most barbarous and bloudy tyrannical and pestilent should be imployed in his work The Septuagint calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pestes such as were the plagues of the Countrey such as went up and down robbing stealing and murthering the Vulgar is inexpugnabiles And they shall spoyl the pomp of Egypt There is pomp in Titles pomp in Buildings pomp in feasting and furniture of houses pomp in apparrel pomp in funeralls pomp in worships pomp in multitudes of men Horses and Charets whatever the Egyptian pomp were it should be spoyled Vatablus interprets their pomp to be their dignity or beautifull things Munster makes it Magnificentiam their state and greatnesse Junius makes it the excellency of Egypt that is Kingly Majesty with all the glory and greatness attending the same Vers 13. I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from besides the great waters Egypt abounded with Cattel especially Horses which were serviceable for war and other uses those fed neer to the Rivers cut out of Nilus to water the Land what Beasts soever they were God by the Chaldaeans would destroy them and they should not be any longer nigh the many waters so is the Hebrew Neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them The destruction should be so great that man and beast should be cut off as was said Chap. 29.8 These oft troubled the waters with their feet and hoofs the one with digging the other by trampling in them Vers 14. Then will I make the waters deep and cause their Rivers to run like Oyl Man and Beast being taken away nothing shall trouble the waters but they shall be quiet cleer and smooth as Oyle The Hebrew word for to make deep is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shakah to drown'd to sink faciam ut profundum petunt I will cause their waters to go to the bottom which Piscator interprets of the mud wherewith they had been troubled that should sink and the waters became pure The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will make quiet their waters When they are clean and quiet they run without noise then they are like Oyle The waters of Egypt and of other Nations whom the Egyptians troubled Vers 15. When I shall make the Land of Egypt clesolate and the Countreys destitute He shews when the waters shall be pure and quiet even when the Land is made desolate Hebrew is a desolation And all carryed away with which the Countries abounded Hebrew is shall be destitute of its fullness When I shall smite all them that dwell therein All were not smitten by the sword and destroyed but some were carryed away Captives and that was a smiting Vers 16. This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her This prophesie which I have delivered is the lamentation wherewith Egypt shall be lamented not only I Ezekiel must lament for her but all Nations shall do it The Daughters of the Nations shall lament her they shall lament for her The Cities and people of the Nations hearing of the dreadful judgements of God upon Egypt that that populous strong and flourishing Kingdome is brought to utter ruine and desolation they shall be affected therewith and lament her condition First Observe God makes use of the King and People of one Nation to execute his judgements upon the King and People of another Nation The sword of the King of Babylon shall come upon thee and by the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall Kings and their People are at the dispose of God to call out and imploy where and in what service he pleases he serves himself fulfills his wills and counsels by Kings and great Ones overthrowing one Kingdom by another laying all their pomp and glory in the dust Secondly Observe The sins of Kings and People cause God to execute his sore judgements not only upon themselves but also upon the bruit creatures and things inanimate God would not only destroy Pharoah and his multitude but the Beasts the Cityes and all the fullnesse of the Land in the destruction of these God punished the owners Thirdly Observe By the destruction of Tyrants and their Kingdomes God quiets Nations they by their Power Counsels or Agents trouble their own Kingdomes and others Then will I make their waters deep and cause their Rivers te run like Oyle when I shall make the Land of Egypt desolate When Pharoah and his were cut off they should trouble the waters no more at home nor abroad all should be quiet peaceable oleo tranquillius Fourthly Observe God in his wise providence
so orders his judgements that they shall affect others and be had in remembrance This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her the Daughters of the Nation shall lament for her Destruction of great Kings and Kingdomes have many thiags considerable in them there is much of Gods power justice and severity in the same which God will have to be observed and remembred in the world Ezek. 19.14 When God destroyed the Princes of Israel and laid the Land of Judah waste what then This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation Verses 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. It came to passe also in the twelfth year in the fifteenth day of the month that the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man wail for the multitude of Egypt and cast them down even her and the Daughters of the famous Nations unto the nether parts of the earth with them that go down into the pit Whom dost thou passe in beauty go down and he thou laid with the uncircumcised They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword she is delivered to the sword draw her and all her multitudes The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him they are gone down they lie uncircumcised slain by the sword Ashur is there and all her company his graves are about him all of them slain fallen by the sword Whose Graves are set in the sides of the pit and her company is round about her Grave all of them slain fallen by the sword which caused terrour in the land of the living AT this 17. verse begins the second prophesie and general part of the Chapter in which these things are considerable 1. The Time of this Prophesie vers 17. 2. The Funeral of Egypt with the solemnity thereof which is commanded declared and confirmed vers 18 19 20 21. and so on to the 31. 3. The Conclusion of the prophesie vers 31 32. Vers 17. In the twelfth year the fifteenth day of the mouth It was in the twelfth year of their captivity and the fifteenth day of the twelfth month as it is vers 1. fourteen dayes after the former prophesie and upon the third Sabbath as Junius observes then came this Prophesie unto Ezekiel Vers 18. Wayl for the multitude of Egypt The word Nahah to lament signifies internal grief The Prophet is bid not to feign a grief or a Funeral complaint but to be reall to mourn or to prophesie what mourning should be at the Funeral of Egypt Cast them down even her and the Daughters of the famous Nations The Prophet was to do this Prophetically as Jeremy was to root out pull down to destroy and cast down Jerem. 1.10 He prophesied such things and thereupon was said to do them and so Ezekiel was to prophesie the casting down of Egypt her King and People and the Daughters of famous Nations those that did confederate with her Cityes or People and because of this he is said to cast them down its Gods work to cast down to throw into the grave and pit but his Prophets declaring what shall be are said to do the same Vnto the nether parts of the Earth The Hebrew is El Erez tachtijoth in terram inferorum into the Land of hell or into the lowest part of the earth Vers 19. Whom dost thou passe in beauty Egypt thou thinkest thy self more beautiful than other Nations that thou hast some excellency beyond them suppose thou hadst that must not exempt thee from the common condition of Nations but thou hast not any beauty excellency beyond them nay thou art short of them therefore lay aside such thoughts they who were more beautiful and pleasant than thy self they are gone down into the pit therefore Go down and be thou laid with the uncircumcised Thou must not look for any priviledge above other Nations thou mayest conceit thy counterfeit circumcision will advantage thee Erant Egyptii circumcifi ut Herodotus in Euterpe docet Junius but thou art deceived away down to the Grave and lye with the uncircumcised thy portion must be with the profanest The word for be thou laid signifies to sleepe also and may be thus rendred sleep with the uncircumcised Vers 20. They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword They that were confederate with thee and thou with them shall fall by the Chaldaean sword which hath commission to cut you all off and to send you to the state of those that formerly were slain by the sword you think your self invulnerable but you shall find the points of the Chaldaeans swords be sharp and will enter She is delivered to the sword Egypt or the multitude of Egypt is delivered to the sword appointed to be slain The Hebrew may be rendred thus The sword is delivered or given viz into the hand of the Babylonian to destroy the Egyptian withall Draw her and all her multitude Draw her Egypt and her People into the grave The Babylonians slay her and hers the sword is in their hand and then drag them into the pit But these and the former words may be taken otherwise as to note out the stately Funeral of Egypt She is delivered to the Sword or the Sword is laid under her head or by her side to shew that she was warlike Draw her and all her multitude Let her body being put into a Chariot be drawn in pomp and state Vide-Junium like unto the bodies of great Ones First Observe God made known his mind to his Prophets by degrees something they had in one year given out somewhat in another year sometimes in one month sometimes in another God spake unto them Here in the twelfth year the fifteenth day of the month the word of the Lord came unto Ezekiel God had appeared to him the first day and again the fifteenth day Secondly Observe There be seasons to mourn in as well as to rejoyce in Son of man wail for the multitude of Egypt The providence of God doth not act constantly in one way but it makes changes and alterations which afford occasion to mourn and to laugh When God carryed the Jewes into Babylon there they hung up their Harps and wept Psal 137. and when he brought them back again it was with singing Isa 48.20 Thirdly Observe That at the appointment of God we may lament for the sins and juâ—gements of God upon the Churches enemies secret or open The Egyptians were never reall friends to the Jews but were their secret if not their open enemies and now when Gods hand was heavy upon them for their sins the Prophet is commanded to wail for them When the Churches enemies suffer we are to rejoyce but if God calls to mourning for their sufferings we must do it Fourthly Observe The greatest in the greatest Kingdomes have no cause to glory and lift up themselves above others seeing they must come to the common
Allmighty God Rev 19.15 Pauls sufferings made him famous Phil 1.13 much more Christs Fifthly He had extraordinary Titles as Immanuel Isa 7.14 The stone of Israel Gen 49.24 The Lord our Righteousnesse Jer 23.6 The power and wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 The heir of all things Heb 1.2 King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revel 59.16 The Light of the world John 8.12 The glory of Israel Luke 2.32 The Prince of Life Acts 3.15 Judge of quick and dead Acts 10.42 The Image of the invisible God Col 1.15 The Head over all things Ephes 1.22 The Lamb of God John 1.29 The Mediator between God and man 1 Tim. 1.5 The Sun of righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 His name is wonderful Counsellour the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace Isa 9.6 Sixthly He had extraordinary honour When he was brought into the world God commanded all the Angels to worship him Heb. 1.6 He stir'd up the spirits of the wise men of the East directing them by a star to come and worship him Mat. 2.11 When he was baptized Heaven was opened the Spirit descended like a Dove and a voice from Heaven said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth 3.16 17. When he was transfigured Moses and Elias appeared unto him and the same voice of the Father was heard again with some addition This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him and he committed all judgement to the Son that so all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father John 5.23 Take this plant of renown for the Christian Church and it is renowned for that it is planted in Christ Col 2.7 Eph. 4.15 bears the name of Christ James 2 7. is his Spouse Rev 21.9 John 3.29 under his Government Eph 5.24 freed from the bondage of the Ceremonial Law Gal 4.1 2 3 4 5. hath cleerer manifestations of Gods love in Christ Eph 2.7 extends further then ever the Jewish Church did to the Gentiles to all Nations Isa 54.1 2 3. chap 60.3 chap 62.2 Rev 21.24 25. and had such miraculous effusion of the Spirit upon many of the members of it Acts 2.3 4. 1 Cor 12.8 9 10. and is the habitation of God Ephes 2.22 visible and irremoveable as Mount Sion Mich 4.1 2. Matth 16.18 The ground and pillar of truth 1 Tim 3.15 And they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the Land In Jacobs dayes there was a great famine and his family had been consumed if Egypt had not afforded releif In Davids dayes many suffered by the three years famine then 2 Sam 21.1 There was a sore famine in Ahabs dayes 1 Kings 18.2 and questionless many perished with hunger in the siege of Jerusalem Lam 4.9 and many who were scattered abroad not having to satisfie their hunger became a prey to hunger it self The promise here is They shall no more be consumed with hunger they shall have plenty of all good things there shall be no corporal nor spiritual hunger there Teachers had been removed into corners Isa 30.20 There Prophets had been cut off and were glad to be hid in Caves 1 Kings 18.4 but God would set up shepherds over them which should feed them and they should not be lacking Jerem 23.4 Their eyes should see them Isa 30.20 The word for consumed is Asuppe from Asâ—ph which signifies to gather together to take away and to consume In time of famine men get together consult how to relieve themselves and when all means fail the famine consumes them and takes them away The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall not be few in number they shall have abundance and multiply Neither bear the shame of the heathen any more The Hebrew word for shame is Celemmah which signifies reproach the Babylonians and others where the Jewes were scattered did reproach them and said Sing us one of the songs of Sion Psal 137.3 You are the holy people have holy ordinances and holy songs sing us one of those songs you thought your selves safe in your holy City that your God would protect you from all the Nations but where is your God what 's become of your City Temple and Confidences are you not in our hands are you not in bondage and captivity ye are servants unto us and shall never be at liberty more thus did they bear the shame of the Heathen they were a reproach a proverb a taunt and a curse in all places Jer 24.18 but God would set them at liberty roule away their reproach and make them honourable They should be a praise Zeph 3.19 At that time I will undo all that afflict thee and I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fame in every Land where they have been put to shame And vers 20. I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth when I turn back your captivity First Observe The Lord Christ himself his renown and that the Church hath by him is from the Lord. I will raise up a plant of renown Christ is call'd The Word John 1.1 and God made that Word flesh vers 14. He is call'd a Rod a Branch Isa 11.1 and God caused that Rod to come out of the stem of Jesse and that Branch to grow out of his roots God planted Christ at first in the Virgins womb and from thence he grew up through Gods wise disposing of things to be a plant of renown And Luke 1.32 The Angel said to Mary he shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord shall give him the Throne of his Father David This God performed and so made him a man a plant of renown he gave Christ to the Church he planted him in Sion Isa 28.16 and so all the glory the Church had by him which was and is exceeding much came originally from the Lord Christ is therefore call'd The gift of God John 4.10 Secondly Observe Christ is fruitfull and yeelds good fruit He is a plant of renown were this plant barren or did it bear evill fruit it could not be a plant of renown it would be a plant of contempt This plant is that Tree of Life Rev 22.2 which bare twelve manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month No barrenness at all was on this Tree it had plenty and variety of fruit Summer and Winter and the goodness of this fruit the Church will tell you of Cant 2.3 I sat under his shadow with great delight his fruit was sweet to my taste If the shadow of this Tree was very delightsome certainly the fruit of this Tree was exceeding sweet The man sick of the Palsie found the sweet of this fruit when Christ said unto him Son be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee Mat 9.2 Thousands can tell you how sweet the fruit of this Tree hath been to their tasts to their souls Acts 10.38
new joyes in God in Christ in the Promises in the Saints and inables us to rejoyce and glory in tribulations Rom 5.3 Fourthly It intitles us to diverse new and excellent things As First To the New Covenant When a man hath a new heart and a new spirit he hath an interest in the New Covenant Jer 31.31 33. The law of sin and principles of Satan and the woâ—ld were writ in the old heart and old spirit and so the party was under the Covenant with death and hell Isa 28.15 but in the new heart is written the Law of God the Law of faith Rom 3.27 Heb 8.10 and so they are under the New Covenant which is call'd Grace Rom 6.14 Secondly To New Names Where there is newness of heart and spirit there they are sealed in their fore-heads with new Names their Title is New Creatures 2 Cor. 5.17 The Seed of Abraham Isa 41.8 Servants of Righteousnesse Rom. 6.18 Children of Light John 12.36 Conquerours Rom 8.37 Gods workmanship Ephes 2.10 Kings and Priests Rev 1.6 Temples of God 1 Cor 3.16 The glory of God Isa 4.5 New born Babes 1 Pet 2.2 His Saints Psal 149.9 Vessels of Gold and Silver 2 Tim. 2.20 Wise Virgins Matth 25. Heirs of Salvation Heb 1.14 Thirdly To a New Lord and Master When their hearts were old Satan was their Soveraign They walked according to the Prince of the aire Ephes 2.2 2 Tim 2.26 His lusts they did execute John 8.44 But having new hearts they have a new Lord a new Master and that is the Lord Christ Phil 1.1 Paul a servant of Christ He had a new heart and now he had a new Master which was Christ he would serve Satan no longer but Christ who dyed for sinners that they might live unto him 2 Cor. 5.15 When the hearts and spirits of men are new they are dead to their old Masters and have new Rom 7.4 Christ is the Husband and Head of every one renewed by his grace he is Lord and Master of all such 1 Cor. 7.22 Matth 23.8 Fourthly To a New Guard Such have a Guard of Angels about them before as they were without God so without the protection of his Angels exposed to all dangers but having new hearts and new spirits being new creatures they have a multitude of the Heavenly Host not only to praise God for their new-birth as they did at Christs birth Luke 2.13 but to attend and protect them Heb 1.14 Are not the Angels ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation and none shall be such but those that have new hearts and new spirits for flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor 15.50 Fifthly To New Alliance this change is wrought in them Blasphemers Idolaters Adulterers Drunkards Murtherers Lyars Vnbelievers Hypocrites and all profane ones they the very Devils themselves John 8.44 But when they have new hearts and new spirits then they have new kindred as a man that marries a woman all her kindred becomes his so here all that have new hearts and spirits are his kindred who hath a new heart he is allied unto them all Math 23.8 All ye are brethren All the Saints throughout the earth how great how learned how rich how gifted or gracious soever they be are all brethren yea the Angels are brethren unto those that have new hearts Rev. 19.10.22.9 and that which is beyond all Christ himself is their Brother and Father Math. 12.49 50. Heb 2.12 13. Sixthly To the New Mansions in the City made without hands John 14.2 saith Christ In my Fathers house are many Mansions and I go to prepare a place for you You have right and title to them ye have new hearts ye believe in God vers 1. and I go to prepare and fit places for you in those Mansions Fifthly The excellency of a new heart is this That it sets an high price upon the things of God and a low price upon the things of the world how goodly soever they appear whereas before the things of the world were magnified and the things of God slighted When Paul had another heart and another spirit then before then he had no confidence in the flesh then he did not value his great priviledges he counted them and all things but losse for Christ they did damnifie him rather then advantage him and therefore lookt upon them as dung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things of no worth chaffe dirt excrements in respect of Christ his righteousnesse and knowledge of him Phil. 3.7 8 9. all which had an excellency and were so prized by Paul that he was willing to lay down his life for them Acts 21.13 When Simon Magus offered the Apostles money for to have power to give the Holy Spirit by laying on of hands Peter in his own name and in the name of the rest said Thy money perish with thee we value not bags of gold and silver but the things of God Acts 8.19 20. When the Conjurers had the Devils cast out of them and new hearts given them they brought forth their books which they had highly valued and burnt them before all men and so many they burnt as came to fifty thousand pieces of silver Acts 19.19 and instead of these they prized the books of Moses the Prophets and Apostles A new heart sees excellency in spiritual things and saith It cannot over value them but for other things it puts them under its feet Sixthly It s excellent in that it doth really make God its end and aims at his glory in its operations before self was all now God is all Acts 20.23 24. Paul was told by the Spirit of God that bonds and afflictions did abide him every where that his life was in danger now had not Paul been a man of a new heart and spirit he would have shifted for himself and let the preaching of the Gospel have fallen but being such an one what saith he None of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my selfe so I may finish my course with joy and the Ministry I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the Grace of God That was Pauls end to make known the grace of God in the Gospel towards poor sinners that so they partaking of that grace might give glory to God and God be glorified by him God and his glory were so in his eye that he gave out a rule for all Christians to eye and mind God and his glory in all things 1 Cor. 10.31 Seventhly It s the principle of eternal life and happinesse When God puts life light and grace into the heart and so makes it new he hath begun our admission into Heaven and happinesse this new heart and spirit are the water springs up into everlasting life John 4.14 They are the Eagles wings will carry you not only up to Heaven but into Heaven Concerning this new heart and new spirit there be divers mistakes
the father to go before and leads it by the hand though the way be stony durty up hill it goes willingly so the soul that hath the spirit to lead it let the way be what it will followeth willingly Psal 119.32 I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart the spirit doth enlarge the heart 2 Cor. 3.17 where that is there is liberty let the Lord command things hard David will run to do them they are suitable to the spirit and the work of the spirit in the heart Sixthly The spirit is an excellent gift in that it makes them excellent who have it Dan 5.10 11. saith the Queen to Belshazzer There is a man in thy Kingdome in whom is the spirit of the holy gods he is an excellent man none like him in all thy Provinces he hath the spirit of the gods in him which others have not Where the spirit of God is put into a man that man is an excellent man he hath an excellent person in him more excellent than his soul than all souls than all Angels he hath excellent graces and is honourable above others 1 Sam. 9.6 There is in this City a man of God and he is an honourable man said Sauls servant so every one that hath the spirit be he in the City or out of it is a man of God and an honourable man Fourthly Observe There is an union between the Saints and the spirit of God I will put my spirit within you it is not said I will put my spirit upon you but within you So that by vertue of those graces it works in you there shall be an union between you and my spirit This union is not such as is between the three John speaks of 1 John 5.7 for they are one essentially nor such as is between the Deity and Christs humane nature Col. 2.9 for that is personal but it is a mystical union an union of persons not a personall union It is First Reall there is a true oneness between the spirit and those its put into 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit he saith not is one body or one soul or hath one spirit with the Lord but is one spirit there is as reall an union as is between soul and body he is so one with the spirit as he is denominated spirit John 3.6 That which is born of the spirit is spirit Secondly It is a wonderful union The spirit of God who is one with the Father and the Son to be one also with man and not with one man but all he is put into even thousands of men is wonderfull John tells us It was a great wonder to see a woman cloathed with the Sun Rev 12.1 but it is a greater wonder to see a man or woman united to the spirit of God which is in our souls and bodyes the faculties and members of them as the sap is in the root vine and branches and here is the wonder the same sap to be in every one of these and in all other Vines Thirdly It is a most glorious union When the Lord came into the Temple it was filled with glory 1 Kings 8.11 and when the spirit is put into a man and the union made between them the man is filled with glory when the Sun shines into an house it fills it with glory when the fire is in the Iron how glorious is it the union between the Fire and the Iron makes the Iron a thick dark solid body as glorious as the Fire it selfe Fourthly It is a strong and intimate union which cannot be dissolved I will put my spirit within you that is into their inward parts the spirit is deeply seated and strongly united unto those it is in 2 Cor. 6.16 I will dwell in them The Greek is I will indwell in them there is such an indwelling of Gods spirit in the hearts of his that he will neither leave nor be thrust out of his habitation John 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever I am leaving you saith Christ but when I am gone I will intercede with the Father for you and he shall send the spirit the great Comforter and he shall never leave you he shall abide with you for ever none shall be able to dispossesse or drive him out of you Object But both these seem contrary to Scripture 1 Sam. 16.14 The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and David did drive away the spirit when he committed his great sins of murther and adultery Answ 1. Wicked men have the spirit from God as a Lord by vertue of the Covenant of works so sinning the spirit departs from them thus was it with Saul he rebelled against God vexed his spirit so that left him but David who was a godly man had the spirit from God as a Father in Christ by vertue of the Covenant of grace and so though the spirit were grieved by his sins it did not depart from him for Psal 51.11 he prayes unto the Lord saying Take not thy holy spirit from me Had it been gone the tenour of his prayer had been for restitution not against ablation of it Secondly The spirit departed from Saul was the spirit of prophesie and those Kingly endowments which he had received 1 Sam. 10.6 they ceased The spirit is oft put for the gifts of the spirit and they do oft-times fail in men Thirdly All men have the spirit of bondage to fear but all have not the spirit of adoption to cry Abba Father whosoever have the same it abides with them Fifthly Observe That before the spirit of God be put into men they are without life or motion towards God or spiritual things they live not to God they walk not in his statutes they live to themselves to the flesh to the creatures and wander from God and his wayes Naturally men are destitute of the spirit sensual as Jude tells you vers 19. Sensual not having the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that have not the spirit at the best are but sensual or soulie men and those had the best souls most reason understanding knew not God Acts. 17.23 1 Cor. 1.21 David tells us Psal 14.2 3. That God looked down from Heaven upon the children of men that is Jews and Gentiles to see if there were any that did understand and seek God that is whether any did so know God as to set them a work to seek him as being the highest good beyond all creature excellencie But what was the issue of Gods so looking upon men They are all gone aside that is from him and his wayes They are altogether become filthy their practices are such as makes them stink There is none that doth good no not one of so many millions of men as are upon the earth there is not one doth good There were men of excellent parts then
Antichrist Some make David to be the Prophet prophesying of Gog Ps 9.5 Thou hast destroyed the wicked one that is thou shalt destroy Gog that or the wicked one call'd by some Antichrist whom Gog was a type of To this accords that in Isa 11.4 With the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked Gog in the Type and Antichrist in the Antitype 2 Thess 2.8 Beside this place in Isa some fix upon Isa 17.12 13 14. and make that a Prophesie of Gog. Some took Ps 68.14 When the Almighty Scattered Kings i. e. Gog and Magog Rivet in Lat. in locum Jerem. 1 14. Out of the North an evil shall break forth upon all the Inhabitants of the Land It 's granted Gog was to come out of the North quarters v. 15. of this 38 of Ezek. and so was Nebuchadnezzar Jer. 10.22 He speaks rather of Nebuchadnezzar than of Gog Moreover his Prophesie was but a little before Ezekiels dayes and much of it in his dayes whereas here it 's said Of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the Prophets of Israel Others therefore referr it to the Prophesie of Enoch mentioned Jude 14. who spake of the Lords coming with 10000 of his Saints but nothing of Gog is there specified That in Joel 3 is more satisfying as to the business in hand Viz. v. 2.9.11.14 I will gather all Nations and will bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the Nations and spoyled my Land c. This we may conceive was prophesied of Gog. 1. Because the Jewes were to come out of Captivity into their own Land before this was done It 's probable that therefore Gog and the Nations conspir'd together to invade and destroy them because they were setled safely in their Land v. 1. 2. Because Gog was to fall upon the Mountains of Israel to perish in the Land of Judaea Ezek 39.4 Thou shalt fall upon the Mountains of Israel thou and all thy bands and the people that is with thee To which agrees that of Joel 3.12 13. Let the Heathen be wakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat for there will I sit to judge the Heathen round about put ye in the sickle for the harvest is ripe c. 3. Because of the like effects Ezekiel saith when Gog and his Army shall be destroyed there shall be a great shaking in the Land of Israel v. 19. So Joel 3.15 16. at the destruction of the Nations and their Princes the Sun and the Moon shall be darkned and the Stars shall withdraw their shining The Lord also shall roar out of Sion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the heaven and the earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the Children of Israel If it be said Joel is but one Prophet and the Text speaks of Prophets and so of them as if it were a common thing amongst them to prophesie of or against Gog. To this may be answered that most of the Prophets might speak of Gog though they writ not of him for all which the Prophets prophesied did neither themselves nor others alwayes pen and here it 's said by whom I have spoken not by whom I have written Moses spake what was not written Hebr. 11.24 25 26 27. So Enoch Jude v. 14 15. as Christ himself did Joh. 21.25 By my servants in Hebrew is In or by the hand of my servants and for in those dayes many years it 's in the dayes of those years they did prophesie of Gog that God would bring him upon the Jewes First Observe The Lord doth infallibly kâ—ow things to come He revealed to the Pâ—ophets of old this Gog here spoken of hundreds of years before he was neither was God deceived for in the time appointed he came He whose understanding is infinite Psal 147.5 must needs know all things past present and to come should any thing be unknown to God his understanding should not be infinite Mans knowledge is borrowed from Creatures to which he gives neither beeing nor operation but God's knowledge is from himself He knows all that is possible in his Power and all that is future in his Will Creatures can neither bee nor operate without Him He hath such clear vision of all things that his knowledge must needs be certain Should he be deceived in any particular there should be darkness in him but He is light and in him there is no darkness at all 1 Joh. 1.5 Secondly Observe The Prophets delivered many things which were not recorded The Prophets of Israel spake of Gog and yet we cannot find any direct satisfying place in holy Writ concerning him In Mat. 27.9 you have words cited for Jeremie's which you cannot find in all his Prophesies the words are these Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the Prophet saying And they took the 30 pieces of silver the price of him that was valued whom they of the children of Israel did value Matthew saith not that which was written but that which was spoken Jeremy had delivered these words and many other doubtless which are no where to be found And if any ask How came Matthew by them He had them by Tradition say some others by Revelation which is safest to say Solomon he spake of Trees from the Cedar-tree that is in Lebanon even unto the Hysop that springeth out of the wall He spake also of Beasts and of Fowls and of Creeping things and of Fishes 1 King 4.33 but what he said of these is not to be found or known Had not Paul helped us to that blessed truth of Christ It is more blessed to give than to receive Act. 20.35 we had never met with it Thirdly Observe Those God sends to make known his mind to men he owns honours and protects My servants the Prophets of Israel Those had spoken against Gog and made known his mind teaching him God owns for his servants honours them with this Title Prophets of Israel and being his he hath a special care of them Psal 105.15 Do my Prophets no harm If the servants and Embassadors of Earthly Princes be honourable and have protection from them much more are the servants and Embassadors of the King of Glory honorable and under Divine Protection If David would not put up the wrong done to his servants he sent to Hanun 2 Sam. 10. Neither will God let the wrongs done to his servants the Prophets of Israel go unpunished 2 Chron. 36.16 Fourthly Observe It s not an accidental or casual thing that enemies do come against the Church The Lord brought Gog against this People and the Prophets had prophesied many years that God would do so They made it known to the world what God had decreed to do Gog could not have stir'd or mov'd one foot towards the Land of Israel unless God had appointed
36. and Chap. 41.16 26. These Windows were narrow Windows that is narrow without and broad within that they might receive and let in the light more fully Such Windows were in Salomons Temple 1 King 6.4 skewed Windows By these Windows is signified the Spiritual light should be in the Church of Christ He is called Mal. 4.2 The Sun Isa 9.2 A great Light Joh. 8.12 The light of the world And by those Windows the Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers he bath and still doth let in light into the Church The Promise was that The earth should be full of the knowledge of the Lord Isa 11.9 That he would pour out his Spirit upon all flesh Joel 2.28 29. So that their Sons and Daughters should Prophesie their Old men dream Dreams and their Young men see Visions yea Servants and Hand-maids should have the Spirit and be full of light This is in part fulfill'd and shall be more and more for when the New Jerusalem comes down from God out of Heaven as it 's Rev. 21.2 then will the light be greater And the Nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it vers 24. Then will the Lamb be the light thereof Also that spiritual joy should be in the Church Act. 13.52 The Disciples were fill'd with joy Act. 9.31 The Churches walked in the comfort of the Holy Ghost To the little Chambers The least Churches and least Saints shall not be without Windows they shall have light and joy teaching and comfort In the 17. vers and 18. of this Chap. and 3. vers of the 42. mention is made of the Pavement of the outward Court The Hebrew word for Pavement is ritzpah which signifieth a burning-coal Isa 6.6 The Seraphim had a live-coal ritzpath in his hand the Pavement was of stones that seemed like burning-coals If the Pavement of this Temple were so glorious what was the Temple it self Salomons Chariot was pav'd with love this Temple with love and zeal These Stones which made the Pavement may shew what the meanest and lowest in the Christian Church should be viz. shining living and lively stones humbly submitting to the cross and content to be under as a Pavement Of the outward and inward Court Thirty five times the tearms of Court outward and inward Court are repeated in the 40 41 42 43 44 45 and 46. Chapters The outward Court was for the People the inward Court was for Priests and was holy Ezek. 42.14 it 's call'd the holy place There was another Court it 's observ'd by some viz. the Court of the Gentiles which it may be Ezekiel points at when he distinguisheth the Sanctuary from the prophane place Chap. 42.20 But it 's evident from the Scripture that Salomons Temple had an outward and inward Court and so had This. The outward Court there was great 2 Chron. 4.4 and the compass of this Temple and City which Ezekiel saw was eighteen thousand measures Chap. 48.35 The Courts of Salomons Temple were very large which comprehended most of the people of Israel who came thrice a year into them to worship 2 Chron. 23.5 All the people shall be in the Courts of the house of the Lord. This Court call'd also the great Court 2 Chron. 4.9 was between the Court of the Gentiles the outward Court and the Court of the Priests the inward Court and that great Court or Court of Israel was the Court of Aid so the word Haazerah signifies Thither they came there they pray'd for Aid and had it from the Lord 2 Chron. 20.4 There seems to be another Court belonging to the Temple of Salomon for 2 Chron. 20 5. mention is made of a new Court Some think this the Priests Court so call'd because of the Altar renewed therein by Asa 2 Chron. 15.8 But others make it to be the Court of the women the great Court of the people being divided into two one for the men and th' other for the women It was not so from the beginning In the outward Court the people stood and it represented the Nations which are out of the Church In the inward Court where was the Candlestick the Shew-bread and Altar of perfumes were the Levites and Priests and this Court represented the Church where the Word of God doth inlighten and nourish us and Christ is our Altar of perfumes The Sanctum Sanctorum represented Heaven into i◠the High Priest onely entred typifying our High Priest the Lord Christ his entrance in there alone by his own power to bring us thither So that the 1. signified the state of nature The 2. the state of grace The 3. the state of glory Hereby the greatness of the Church in the time of the Gospel and especially in time of the New Jerusalem is pointed out These Courts were of great Compass and had Gates looking to the several parts of the world In Peters time many thousands were added to the Church there were Graecians as well as Jews Act. 6.1 The extent and largeness of the Church is set out fully by Isa in his 60. Chap. So Rev. 7. from the 4. to the 10. and Chap. 21.24 25 26. The Nations of them that be saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it And the Gates of it shall not be shut at all c. This Church must needs be great For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering for my name shall be great among the heathen saith the Lord of hostes Mal. 1.11 In Salomons time many Gentiles came to the Jewish Church 153600. were found there at once 2 Chron. 2.17 Which shaddowed out the great access should come to the Christian Church Of the Palm-trees There were many Palm-trees seen by Ezekiel in this Temple vers 16 22 26 31 34 37. Palm-trees are Trees of great height and sink not with the weight of burthens but feruntur sursum they are carried upwards and being cut down grow up again from the root The branches are fair and always green Philo saith It is Arborum praestantissima quae aspectu pulcherrima fructum quoque fert optimum vitalem vim habet non in radicibus defossam ut caeterae sed in summum quasi cor sitam in ramorum medio à quibus circumquaque stipatur ceu Princeps à suis satellitibus vid. Philo. l. 1. de vita Mosis Plut. saith Plut. in Theseo Palmam esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Folia habere firma perpetuò durantia That the leaves of it are firm and always lasting It was sigum Victoriae When Theseus instituted games in Delos he gave the Conquerors Palmes The Proverb among the Latines Palmam reportare or obtinere was used pro Vincere to Overcome It notes out a flourishing condition These Palm-trees were for ornament
length of the Temple-courts c. make 100. Cubits as Haffenrefferus exactly demonstrates Of the signification of this Temple Some make the Court belonging to it to represent the World and the Temple to represent Heaven It may be considered whether the Porch do not point out the common Professor the Temple true Saints who are Temples of the Spirit and the Sanctum Sanctorum the Saints in glory the condition of those made perfect The true representation of this Temple I take it is the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ both his Body Natural and his Body Mystical viz. the Church 1. It 's a representation of his Natural Body Solomons Temple and Zorobabells or the 2d Temple was so Joh. 2.19 saith Christ Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up And why Ezekiels Temple should not type out Christ I see no cause There be many things wherein it fitly doth so 1. This Temple was holy vers 3. This is the most holy place hence it 's evident the other part of the Temple was holy The Hecal was holy though not so holy as the Devir and the body of Christ was holy Luk. 1.35 That holy thing c. Act. 13.35 Thou shall not suffer thine Hâ—ly one c. 1 Pet. 2.22 Chap. 1.19 Heb. 7.26 He was holy harmless undâ—filed separate from sinners 2. It was very lightsome and beautiful within it was adorned with Cherubims and Palm-trees vers 18.19 so the Lord Christ was full of light Col. 2.3 In him were hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge He was adorned with all the graces of the Spirit He was full of grace and truth Joh. 1.14 Cant. 5.10 Psal 45.2 Thou art fairer then the children of men 3. By the Temple they came to know the mind of God one part of it was call'd Devir the Word or Oracle there God spake so by Christ we come to know the mind of God Joh. 1.1 He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word He brought the mind of God to us and declared it to the world Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son Christ was an Embassador sent from God to acquaint us with the mind of the King of Nations and he did it faithfully Joh. 15.15 All things which I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you 4. The Temple was God's delight it 's call'd an House for God dwelt in it and manifested his glory there Ezek. 43.4 5. The glory of the Lord came into the house yea the glory of the Lord filled the house And Psal 29.9 In the Temple doth every one speak of his glory There God's glory is seen Is not Christ such a Temple Did not God come into the Temple of his Body 1 Tim. 3.16 Col. 2.9 There the glory of God was seen fully Joh. 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Fathâ—r full of grace and truth The glory of God never appeared so evidently as in this Temple and God delighted therein Mat 3.17 This is my belâ—ved Son in whom I am well pleased See Rev. 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out And I will write upon him the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my Gâ—d which is New Jerusalem God is establishing and will establish New Jerusalem with Pillars daily more and more and therein is strength to be found not in the World or in Babylon 1 Tim. 3.15 5. There were Cherubims and Palm-trees in the Visional Temple vers 18 19 20 25 26. and in the Church of Christ there are Cherubims and Palm-trees These Cherubims may note the presence of the Angel in the Church 1 Cor. 11.10 There were Angels in the Church of Corinth And so in the Temple John speaks of Rev. 14.15 17. Each Cherubim had two faces one of a Man another of a Young Lion to signifie the wisdome strength and zeal of the Angels which are imploy'd for the good of the Church Or by Cherubims understand those Christians who were wise stout and zealous for the truth and cause of God such as loved not their lives to the death Rev. 12.11 But were beheaded for the Witness of Jesus and for the Word of God Rev. 20.4 These Cherubims looked to the Palm-trees they were patient under all crosses afflictions in hope of certain victory Rom 8.35 36 37. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword c. Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerors c. Their eyes were upon the Palm-trees And Rev. 9.7 they had Palms in their hands they were certain of victory whereof Palms and Palm-trees are emblems There be several things wherein the Saints do resemble Palm-trees 1. They are always green and growing so are the Saints Psal 92.12 14. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree They shall still bring forth fruit in old age 2 Palm-trees cannot endure dung Magnopere abhorrent à fimo they hate it So the Saints they hate Superstition Idolatry and all sin as dung they will dye rather then worship the Beast or his Image rather then receive his Mark in their foreheads or their hands Rev. 20.4 they watch and keep their garments undefiled 3. The Palm-tree bears up against all weight laid upon it and the Saints do the like in all their troubles and afflictions Paul met with sharp tryal's yet he fainted not but found more strength 2 Cor. 4.16 And Chap. 7.4 He saith I am filled with comfort I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation And Rom. 5.3 We glory in tribulation 4. These Cherubims and Palm-trees were the ornament of the Temple and Christians who are wise couragious and patient under all tryals are the ornaments of the Church of Christ 5. This Temple with the Porch and Buildings belonging to it was great and large vers 12 13 14 and 15. 100. Cubits in breadth 100. Cubits in length So the Church of Christ is great and large In the Apostles times there were thousands of the Jews believed Act. 21.20 It was Prophesied in Isays days that all Nations should flow unto the Mountain of the Lord that is the Church Isa 2.2 And in Daniels days Chap. 7.14 That all people languages and nations should serve Christ And John in the vision saw it made good Rev. 7.9 I beheld a great multitude which no man could number of all nations kindred people and tongues which stood before the Throne and the Lamb. 2. It 's the representation of Christs Body Mystical and that in several things 1. All things in this Temple were measured as in the 40. also the 41 42 43 and 47. Chapters appears So in the Church the Mystical Body of Christ Ephes 2.21 Paul tells the Ephesians that the Saints are a
there was little light or lustre There But when Christ came the Oracles of the Heathen ceas'd and the Jewish shadows vanished and the earth shined with the glory of the Gospel Mat. 4.16 The people which sate in darkness saw great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow of death light hath sprung up When the Jews were under clouds and darkness then Christ came and brought the glorious Gospel to them When Christ was born Luk. 2.9 there was glory shone round about the shephards signifying that the glory of the Lord would fill the earth yea all the world Or this may refer to the destruction of Mystical Babylon and coming down of the New Jerusalem from Heaven for of the one it 's said Rev. 18.1 2. An Angel came down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightened with his glory And he cryed mightily with a strong voice Babylon is fallen c. And Chap. 21. of New Jerusalem it 's said v. 23. The glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof When these things be the earth will be fill'd and shine with glory 2. Ezekiel fell upon his face The lustre of Divine glory sense of his own frailty and weakness caused him to fall upon his face here I might inlarge but of this falling on his face was spoken Chap. 1.28 and the Observations rising thence are there to be seen The 4. thing concerning this glory is the resemblance of it vers 3. And it was according to the appearance of the Vision which I saw even according to the Vision that I saw when I came to destroy the City c. The Prophet being sent of God to prophesie the destruction of Jerusalem saith here when I came to destroy the City The Chaldee is when I prophesied then had he such a vision as this was Chap. 1. That which he declared to be done he saith he dâ—d The Prophet was in Babylon when the City was destroyed he did not put forth a finger towards destruction of it he onely prophesied against it So Jeremie was set over Nations and Kingdomes to root out to pull down and to destroy this he did by prophesying against them not otherwise The same Vision which at first appeared to the Prophet in a way of judgment appears now to him in a way of merit before it prefigured the destruction here the restauration of the Temple City and Land The Vision for outward appearance was like what he saw in the 1 8 9 10. Chapters but in the end and use totally differing from yea contrary unto the same There he saw God angry the glory departing from the Temple and going out at the East-gate Here he sees God smiling and the glory returning the same way it went out Here he beholds sweet reconciliation between God and the Church made up by Christ The 5. thing is the Receptacle of this glory and that was the Temple or House which had been measured vers 4. And the glory of the Lord came into the House This House or Temple as hath been shew'd before signified both the Body and Church of Christ for his Body-natural that was the Receptacle of glory Col. 2.9 Joh. 1.14 1 Tim. 3.16 For the Church his Mystical body that is a Receptacle of Glory also Isa 60.1 The glory of the Lord is risen upon thee And vers 19. The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory There is an estate of the Church to come wherein it shall be very glorious In Solomon's Temple there was glory but glory in a cloud 1 King 8.10 11. But in Ezekiel's Temple there was glory without a cloud a greater glory even such a glory as made the earth to shine This is the glory which the Saints look for and shall see in due time Rev. 21.3 Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God What is said of the Church is to be understood also of every believer who is a Receptacle of glory a Temple of the spirit of Christ and God 1 Cor. 6.19 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Cor. 13.5 Who ever Christ hath measured out to be a Temple shall receive glory 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the light to shine â—ut of darkness hath shined in our hearts saith Paul to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is a Glass in it we see the face of Christ and in his face the glory of the Lord and are changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 It 's observable here that when the glory of God departs from a Church or people it 's not for perpetuity but for a season The glory went out of the Temple and City at the beginning of Ezek. prophesie but he saw the same returning before the end of his prophesie The Arke when taken by the Philistines caused Phinehas wife to name her Son Ichabod saying The glory of departed from Israel 1 Sam. 4.21 But after seven Moneths the glory return'd again to Israel Chap. 6. The Arke was sent home God caus'd it to return again Long have the Jews now been without an Arke and without glory but in due time the glory of the God of Israel will return unto them for Rom. 11.26 There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And when the scaling of the 144000. out of all the Tribes shall be Rev. 7. then shall they stand on Mount Sion with the Lamb and so the glory will be in the midst of them Rev. 14.1 The consequents of this Vision or Glory returning come next to be considered and the first is the Prophets raising vers 5. So the spirit took me up He was fallen upon his face as not able to behold the brightness of that glory appeared and being in that posture the spirit took him up In Chap 2.1 2. the Spirit spake to Ezekiel being down upon his face entred into him and set him upon his feet But here he took him up he dealt with him as a man doth with his friend fallen Hence springs this consideration that those are humbled and humble with sense of their own vileness and weakness through apprehension of glory and greatness shall soon be raised and comforted Sight of glory is an humbling thing Ezek. Chap. 1.28 And here again he was humbled upon that account he saw so much lustre in that glory so much greatness in the Lord that convinc'd of his own vileness and nothingness he falls down upon his face as being wholly unworthy to behold such a sight to partake of such mercy but presently the spirit being full of love bowels and compassion steps to him and takes him up He suffers him not to lye affrighted with glory or affected with misery but is a speedy comforter
they defiled Jerusalem what lay in them But of the New Jerusalem it 's written Kings shall bring their glory and honour into it Rev. 21.24 Nor by the Carkeises of their Kings in their high places The word for Carkeises is Pegerim from Pigger which signifies to be without strength sloathful so Carkeises are deprived of all strength and move not they lye where they are fallen cadaver à cadendo The Rabbies tell us that the Kings of Judah had an house near to the Temple yea joyning to it and that they were wont to bury their dead in a Garden belonging to it There they say Manasses and Amon were buried which they gather from 2 King 21.18 26. and that by their Carkeises being so nigh the Temple it was defiled But the places cited doe not say it was in the Garden of the House of the Lord they say it was in the Garden of Vzzah neither do they affirm that this Garden joyn'd to the Temple The Vulgar reads the words in ruinis Regum in the ruins of the Kings and so some Expositors refer it to what we find done by Jâ—siah 2 King 23.12 13. The Altars which were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz which the Kings of Judah had made and the Altars which Manasseh had made in the two Courts of the house of the Lord did the King beat down and broke them down from thence and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron And the High Places which were before Jerusalem which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption which Solomon the King of Israel had builded for Ashtoreh the abomination of the Zâ—donians and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites and for Milchom the abomination of the children of Ammon dâ—d the King d file And he brake in pieces the images and cut down the groves and filled their places with the bones of men vers 14. These Altars and Hâ—gh Places which Ahaz Manasseh and Solomon made were utterly destroy'd by Josiah and thereupon call'd The ruins of Kings Another exposition of these words is to understand them of the Children which were sacrificed to Idols and passing through the fire Both Kâ—ngs and others did so by their children 2 King 16.3 Chap. 17.17 Chap. 21.6 Jerem. 19.5 Chap. 32.35 Ezek. 16.20 21. This pâ—â—ctise of theirs greatly provoked God and therefoâ—e he saith Jerem. 16.18 I will recompense their iniquity and the r sin double because they have defiled my land they have 〈◊〉 â—ine inheritance with Carkeises of their detestable and â—bâ—minable things They are call'd Carkeises of their Kings either from the example of Kings who offered their children or from their authority commanding it or from the names of their Idols which were call'd Molâ—ch Milcom and Malchum 1 King 11.7 2 King 23.13 Zeph. 1.5 which signifies a King Moses calls Idols Carkeises Levit. 26.30 and such they are because liveless Psal 115.5 6 7. and loathsome Gillubin Ezek. 22.3 dunghill-gods and Ehikkutzim 2 Chron. 15.8 abominations in the abstract The Carkeises therefore of their Kings it 's not amiss to expound of those Idols they caused to be set up and countenanced The Annotations on this place say The Jews did deifie their dead Kings and kept their bodies for adoration but as Sanctius saith Nullum quod ego viderim extat in Scriptura tam impiae atque insanae adorationis vestigium That place they cite Psal 106.28 is impertinent They ate the sacrifices of the dead that is things offered to Baal Peor a dead God Vers 8. In their setting of their Threshold by my Thresholds and their Post by my Posts The latter part of the former verse Neither they nor their Kings c. together with this verse declare the cause of God's former departing from them God did not account the Temple defiled because the Kings had houses near unto it in which they did wickedly whereas they should have been more holy for their proximity to the Temple This sense some fasten upon the words But that hath more weight in it is Manasses built Altars in the house of the Lord and set a graven image of the grove there 2 King 21.4 7. In or near the house of God there was the image of jealousie Tammuz and other abominations Ezek. 8.5 10 14 18. so 2 King 16.11 12 14. Ezek. 23.39 These were the Threshold by God's Thresholds and the Post by God's Posts these things caused God to go far off from his Sanctuary vers 6. The precepts and traditions of men with their inventions and additions to the worship of God are styl'd Posts and thresholds The Authors of them do lean and stand much upon them and set them in the way to hinder others from injoyment of Temple-priviledges unless they will own and comply with them but such Posts and Thresholds are rotten and faulty The Lord's institutions and appointments are sound and good they bear up his name and worship they are strong and standing things and by them we have entrance into his presence To make any thing like the institutions and appointments of God is prohibited Exod. 30.32 33 37 38. None might make anointing oyle like the holy anointing Oyle which God had appointed if they did they were to be cut off And men may not make Thresholds and Posts like the Lord's Thresholds and Posts much less set them up with the Lord's impose them upon the conscience as the Lord's giving them equal honour and authority with them This is defiling the worship and holy name of God which he will avenge for he will admit no rival or proprietorie in the things of his worship he saith My Thresholds My Posts he will have no adding to or diminishing from what is his Deut. 12.32 The scope of God in these words is this that the worshippers in the new Temple shall do nothing of their own private spirits of their own heads there shall be no superstition idolatry or humane invention added to the worship of God there shall be no heresie no false doctrines no traditions or devices of men Such Thresholds and Posts shall not be set up by the Lord's they are defiling things and such things must not enter into the New Jerusalem Rev. 21.27 neither shall they by their sins cause God to depart from them but shall do all things according to the line of his word and apply themselves wholly to do his good pleasure And the wall between me and them There is but the wall between my Sanctuary and their houses I am but a little distanced from them and yet they have done these things they have forgotten me and defiled my holy name or their Altars Idols Traditions Inventions are a wall between me and them so that they neither come at me nor I at them Isa 59.2 Your iniquities have separated between you and your God they are a partition-wall so thick and high that there is no seeing or hearing one another Wherefore I have consumed them in
be Jehovah Shammah he will uphold and preserve that building Matth. 16.18 Vpon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail In ecclesia est Deus qui est suum esse omnium rerum esse praeservare He is the keeper of Israel Ps 121.4 I will keep this city from being besieged stormed or plundered 4. His making himself and his mind known in an especial manner as he did to Moses Exod. 6.3 I appeared to Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty but by my name Jehovah was I not known unto them but unto Moses he was known by that name and imparted his mind unto him above others So shall it be in this city Isa 11.9 The earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah Isa 52.6 My people shall know my name Isa 60.16 Thou shalt know that is the Church that the Lord I Jehovah am thy Saviour They in Judah Israel Salem and Sion had other knowledge of God and his Name then the Nations had and they of this city shall have peculiar knowledge of God what others had in the ear they shall have in the eye what others had in the head they shall have in the heart Christ will make great and glorious discoveries of himself and of his mind unto the citizens of this city Rev. 11.19 The temple of God was opened in Heaven and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of the Testament Christ is the Temple of God and his Temple was opened in Heaven that is the Church frequently called Heaven in this Book of the Revelation The Ark in the Old Testament-Temple which had the Table of the Law and the pot of Manna in it typed out Christ the Gospel and mysteries thereof which held out that Christ the spiritual Ark shall not be hid Jehovah Shammah God is present in Christ and Christ will so open himself to this city that himself Father and mysteries of the Gospel will be more plain and manifest then ever 5. His ruling and governing of this City and it s a happy city which hath Jehovah Christ the King of Righteousness to govern it Zech. 14.9 Jehovah shall be King over all the earth and in that day there shall be one Lord not many Lords but one Lord even the Lord Jesus Christ Ezek. 37.22 One King shall be King to them all to all the converted Jews and Gentiles which make this city of God Zech. 6.13 it is said of Christ there that he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall hear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his Throne Christ shall bear the glory not onely for building the Temple and the city but also for ruling because he will rule righteously and faithfully to the satisfaction of all Isa 11.5 Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins and faithfulness the girdle of his reins This girdle he never puts off but is girt therewith always shewing his readiness to be faithful and righteous in his government 6. The pouring out of his Spirit Jehovah is there to pour that out more fully what men had formerly was onely the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.23 A few had it poured out upon them but then will be a more plentiful effusion all the Citizens of this City shall be filled with the Spirit Zech. 12.8 He that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God and the Angel of the Lord before them then shall the weakest by the Spirit of Christ abound in gifts and graces and be as David who excelled all in his days and his house shall be as God that is full of the Spirit or as the Angels that is having such grace qualities and estimation 7. The making the City and Citizens honorable and glorious then shall it be the renowned royal and golden City guilded with the beams of Christs glorious presence from the head commeth glory to the body A Wife shineth radiis mariti Christ gloria patris sui and this City with the glory and beauty of Christ His presence made the glory of the latter Temple and City greater then the glory of the former and this presence in this Temple and City will make the glory of it grrater then that of the larter Temple and City for then he was there in a state of humiliation but he shall not be so in this he will be in his reigning state and his citizens will be honorable Zech. 9.16 They shall be as the stones of a Crown lifted up not as common stones but as the stones of a Crown and not as stones of a Crown falling to the earth but as stones of a Crown lifted up to be put on the head of a King O quanta dignitas horum civium How great is the honour of these Citizens They are brought in Rev. 5.10 speaking of it themselves Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the earth And this is not all the honour for besides this they shall have every one three honourable names for Christ Rev. 3.12 will write upon them the name of his God and the name of the City of God and his own new name 8. The keeping them in unity and love The Citizens shall then be of one minde Zech. 14.9 In that day there shall be one Lord and his name one the invocation and Worship of his Name shall be one then shall that be fulfilled Zeph. 3.9 Then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent The Hebrew is with One shoulder A metaphor taken ftom Oxen in the Yoke which draw together as with one shoulder so these Citizens shall joyntly and unanimously knit together and worship the Lord Christ There shall be no Schisms names of distinction as now there are far if when Christ left the World the Saints were all of one heart Act. 2.32 Much more so shall it be in this City when Christ shall be in the midst thereof and guide them by his Spirit into all truth 9. These words Jehovah Shammah import the great delight the Lord will take in this City and the Citizens threof in the Church and members thereof Isa 60.4 She shall be called Hephzi-bah that is my delight is in her Then it will appear the Church is his pleasant portion Jer. 12.10 And the dearly beloved of his soul Verse 7. His glory Isa 46.13 The throne of his glory Jer. 14.21 Yea the crown of his glory Isa 62.3 He will delight in them to do them good to communicate himself unto them Revel 7.15 16 17. He that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat For the Lamb which it in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall