then they will remember their evill doings their bitterness against Christians and bloudynesse against Christ and loath themselves for the same Zech. 12.10 Rev. 1.7 Thirdly Observe Where repentance comes it makes a change in mens judgments affections and lives They should loath themselves in their own sight for their iniquities and for their abominations What they approved of before delighted in and practised that they should look upon as abominable loath and turn from Repentance begins in mens minds and judgements altering them and when they are altered the affections and conversation will alter when the Prodigall repented there was a change inward and outward Vers 32. Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes O house of Israel IN this Verse is comprehended the ground of all the gracious and great Promises specified in the words before and following And 1. It is expressed Negatively It is not for your sakes 2. Implyed Affirmatively It is for the Lords sake Not for your sakes do I this God saw nothing in them to move him to bring them out of Babylon or to do ought for them in Babylon but he beheld that in them which might have moved him to destroy them he saw how they profaned his holy name among the Babylonians vers 21. he saw how they intended to turn heathens and worship wood and stone Ezek. 20.32 Being Gods people they thought God was bound to do much for their sakes and that he should not deal justly with them if he did not mind them do for them see how they expostulated with God Isa 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest it not wherefore have we afflicted our soul and thou takest no knowledge They did in effect tell God he dealt not well with them they deserved better things at his hands than they had therefore said the Lord here Not for your sakes do I this Be it known unto you Take notice that what conceits soever ye have of your own worth or deserts because ye are my people and of the seed of Abraham my friend yet I do not bring you out of Babylon for your worth or merits sake I do nothing upon that account and proclaim it openly unto you and all the world Be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes Your wayes are so far from meriting at my hands that they merit not at the hands of men they are of that nature as you ought to be ashamed and confounded for them of the words ashamed and confounded was spoken Chap. 16.52 54 61. First Observe Men are apt to think they deserve something at Gods hands The house of Israel thought she had suffered a long and sore captivity and having fasted and mourned every fift and seaventh month throughout the seaventy years Zech 7.5 she conceived God now should deal unkindly yea unjustly if he should not do some great thing for her now it was just for him to remember all her tears sighs prayes fastings and sufferings to set her at liberty and give her repossession of her Land rewarding her with old and new priviledges Matth. 7.22 Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have not we prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out Devils and in thy name done many wonderfull works They thought they had merited Heaven by their doings and looked for some wonderful reward for their wonderful works The labourers which came into the Vineyard at the third and sixt hours thought they deserved more of the Lord of the Vineyard than they that went in at the ninth and eleventh hours Matth. 20. Prone is corrupt nature to conceit it merits somewhat at the hands of God But Secondly Observe Mens wayes are such as they ought to be ashamed of themselves and fear destruction from God for them Be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes O house of Israel they are such as you should blush at and loath to behold and make you fear least my judgements should sieze upon you for them Nehem. 9.30 31. What saith he of them Lord thou gavest them into the hand of the people of the Lands that is thou didst cast them into captivity for their own wayes and what then Neverthelesse for thy great mercies sake thou didst not utterly consume them They had cause to fear consuming had not mercy and great mercy stepped in they had been utterly consumed So Jeremy Lament 3.22 It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed If it be mercy that our persons are not destroyed what do our works or wayes deserve from him Thirdly Observe The Promises God makes unto and the mercies he bestows upon his people are free and for his own sake Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you I have promised To sprinkle you with clean water to put a new heart into you to give you my spirit to save you from all your iniquities to bring you again to Sion to give you many mercies there to do you much good but these I do not for your sakes you deserve them not but for mine own sake for mine own honour and name as vers 22. I do not this O house of Israel for your sakes but for mine holy names sake For mans sake come judgements the earth was cursed for Adams sake Gen 3.17 For Achans sake the Israelites fell and fled Josh 7. For Jonas sake the Sea was tempestous Jon 1.4.12 But when mercies come at Land or Sea it is for the Lords own sake He made all things for himself Prov 16.4 for his own names sake and what good soever he doth to any Nations or Persons is not for your sakes but for his own holy names sake When the Jews were neer destruction he wrought for his names sake Ezek 20.9 So when we were neer to destruction oft times in these Nations the Lord wrought for his own names sake not for our sakes Let us give God the glory of what he hath done for our Nation and for our selves and say Help us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy name and deliver us and purge away our sins for thy names sake Vers 33 34 35. Thus saith the Lord God In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the Cities and the wastes shall be builded And the desolate Land shall be tilled whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by And they shall say this Land that was desolate is become like the Garden of Eden and the waste and desolate and ruined Cities are become fenced and are inhabited IN these Verses the Lord proceeds in Temporal Promises and tells them what he will do for them after he hath cleansed them from their sins 1. Their Cityes and waste places shall be re-edified 2. Their Cityes shall be inhabited 3. Tillage of the Land 4.
to be miserable all our dayes yea and our posterity after us but their thoughts were otherwise they looked to inherit the Land and be great Ones in it because of their number Men in straits and out of straits make lyes their refuge which prove their ruine Isa 28.15 17 18. Jer 7.4 14.15 Chap 27.14 15 16 17. Secondly Observe Expectation of Promises to be perform'd unto us not performing the conditions required is foolish and vain The Land is given us for inheritance the Lord hath promised us that we shall inherit the Land they minded the promise but forgat the condition which was That they should keep his judgements Levit 25.18 Walk in his statutes Levit 26.3 4 5 6. then they should be blessed in the Land and dwell safely in it Yea they were to observe all the statutes and judgements of the Lord Deut 11.31 32. and if they did not the Lord threatned to cast them out of his sight Jer 17.15 and out of the Land Jer 16.13 These things they forgot catching hold of the promise saying The land is given us for inheritance It s madnesse and folly to look that God should perform what he hath promised when we perform not the condition of the promise When God promises a thing conditionally the condition must be performed else the Lord is not obliged 2 Chro 7.14 If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked wayes then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land Had they performed the conditions here required their Land had been healed and not laid waste Thirdly Observe The way multitudes go is no argument for the rightnesse and warrantableness of that way These Jews were absolutely mistaken yet they were many the most judged the same thing and went the same way The greatest part of people every where mistake cry peace peace when war and death are at the dores The old world could not justifie its way because all walkt in it except Noah and two or three more it s not safe to be of the multitudes mind and to tread in their steps For broad is the way that leads unto destruction and many there be go in thereat Argumentum turpissimum est turba The Prophet counsel'd the Jews Ezek 20.18 not to walk in the statutes of their Fathers nor to observe their judgements but to walk in the Lords statutes and judgements and to do them better be alone in Gods way then be with multitudes in a false way Fourthly Observe The true children of Abraham may be known by their works These Jews stuck upon this much that they were Abrahams seed Abraham was one and we are many We come from his loyns and the Land was given to his seed for an inheritance and who should inherit it but we who are his seed and so the right heirs unto it If it be true which you assert you shall inherit the Land if you be the seed heirs of Abraham it shall be so but come let us try that by your works saith God Ye eat with the bloud and lift up your eyes towards your idols and shed bloud ye stand upon your sword work abomination and defile every one his neighbours wife And are these the works of Abraham he did no such things were you the children of Abraham ye would do the works of Abraham keep the Covenant as he did ye would fear honour love and obey me deal justly live chastly and do good in your Generation These things you do not therefore you are not his children his heirs have no right to the Land Verses 27 28 29. Say thou thus unto them Thus saith the Lord God As I live surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall dye of the pestilence For I will lay the Land most desolate and the pomp of her strength shall cease and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate that none shall passe through Then shall they know that I am the Lord when I have laid the Land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed IN the 27. 28. verses the judgements threatned are particularly mentioned 1. The sword for those in the wastes 2. The devouring beast for those in the fields 3. The plague for those in the forts and caves 4. Desolation for the land and mountains 5. Cessation of strength and the pomp of it All these confirmed with an oath Vers 27. As I live The vain confidence of these Jews so provoked God that he swears they shall not inhabit the Land and that by his life As sure as I am the living God ye that are so guilty of such great sins and so unlike unto Abraham shall be rooted out and destroyed Surely they that are in the wastes shall fall dy the sword After the destruction of Jerusalem many got into other Cities and Towns which had been plundered fired and spoyled thinking that there would be safety for them but God would cause some to search those places and sheath their swords in the bowels of the Jewes hid in them The Hebrew for by the sword is Bachereb in the sword but ב here is by Him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured Some in this time of common calamity kept in the open fields or in the face of the fields as the Hebrew is fearing to venture into any Town or City and so promised to themselves security there but the fields were no shelter unto them God had Lyons Bears Wolves and such wilde beasts which found them out teared them in pieces and devoured them They that be in the forts and in the caves shall dye of the pestilence Some were got into strong forts others were hid in caves of the earth where none could find them or come at them these seem'd to be out of all danger but the pestilence and famine could reach them there In that Land were forts rocks holes to hide men in Isa 2.13 1 Sam 13.6 Josh 10.16 1 Sam 24.3 Judges 6.2 Vers 28. For I will lay the land most desolate Canaan was a land abounded with all good things it flowed with milk honey and was the glory of all Lands Ezek 20.6 Yet this Land would God lay most desolate Shemamah Vmeshammah desolation desolation it should be a wilderness extreamly desolate The pomp of her strength shall cease In the 7. Chapter 24. vers we had these words I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease and Chap 30.18 The pomp of her strength shall cease The Land shall be so battered wasted consumed that she shall no more trust in any strength of hers Junius refers it to the Ark or Sanctuary call'd the excellency of their
Will his Attributes his Works his Word are his Name All these set out God make him known and so are his name even the name of his holinesse or his holy name There is no name under Heaven like unto the Lords it s an holy name and so glorious a great name and so dreadful We should sanctifie the name of God which is done by believing Num. 20.12 When Moses and Aaron did not believe God they did not sanctifie his name but when men believe Gods Word then they sanctifie his name It s done also by fearing to displease him Isa 8.13 Isa 29.23 It s done also by acknowledging his name to be holy Math 6.9 when men praise him Secondly Observe The profaning of Gods holy name as it is a trouble unto him so it sticks and abides upon him Other provocations passe away but this settles upon his spirit see here what hold it took vers 20. They profaned my holy Name and vers 21. The house of Israel profaned my holy name among the heathen vers 22. Mine holy name which ye have profaned among the heathen Thrice the Lord mentions their profaning of his name yea in the next verse as if he could not shake this act of theirs out of his mind he mentions it twice more My name which was profaned which ye have profaned Gods name being holy is dear unto him and the profaning of it makes deep impressions in his heart Thirdly Observe Temporall mercies are not merited at Gods hands by men I do not this for your sakes O house of Israel What was it God did not for their sakes viz deliver them from their Babylonish bondage and bring them into their own Countrey these were temporal mercies and though there were Godly men amongst them as Ezekiel Daniel Mordecai Ezra Nehemiah and others yet with all their prayers fastings suffering and holinesse they did not merit these outward mercies liberty safety plenty possessions are not the merit or purchase of the creature but the gift of God 1 Tim 6.17 He giveth us all things richly to enjoy Have men more or lesse of these outward things they are upon free gift not any defert and if we deserve not temporal things much lesse do or can we deserve spiritual and eternal things which are of a transcendent nature if we do not deserve an outward deliverance an earthly Canaan how shall we deserve a spiritual deliverance an Heavenly Canaan all things of that nature are free gifts Luke 12.32 Rom 6.23 Fourthly Observe The good God doth unto his Church be it temporal or spiritual is for his own sake What I do saith God I do it for mine holy names sake there is nothing to move me but my own name that is holy great and glorious and I will for my names sake do much for my Church and People That they were preserved in Babylon was for his holy names sake that they were brought out of Babylon was for his holy names sake that they were replanted in Canaan was for his holy names sake that they had a Temple Sacrifices Priests Prophets Ordinances again was for his names sake when they were neer to destruction often in former dayes God wrought for his names sake Ezek 20. so Isa 48.8 9. It s not for the enemies sake that God doth preserve or deliver his people nor for their sakes their prayers tears faith obedience holinesse that he doth great things for them bestow great mercies upon them but it is for his own names sake For mans sake God cursed the earth Gen 8.21 but it s for his names sake that he blesseth it the choicest mercies Gods people have are for his names sake they have pardon of sin for his names sake Psal 25.11 1 John 2.12 Purging of sin for his names sake Psal 79.9 Leading in the paths of righteousnesse for his names sake Psal 23.3 Quickning of their dead and dull hearts for his names sake Psa 143.11 Though his people much offend him yet he forsakes them not for his great names sake 1 Sam 12.22 The Lord doth all freely and for the honour of his name let us then say with the Prophet Whatever we have not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy name be the glory Not unto us who are thy creatures not unto us who are Tools in thy hand but to thy name which is the ground root and spring of all our mercies be the glory all the glory and that everlastingly Fifthly Observe God will not suffer his holy and great name alwayes to lye under aspersions and reproaches of men I will sanctifie my holy and great name which was profaned among the heathen even in the midst of them He will vindicate his honour and glory Great men when their names are blemished do stand upon it and will vindicate them with much cost and labour so God when wicked ones have profaned his name and darkned the glory thereof will stand upon it and do that which shall clear his name before all his enemies Goliah for many dayes defyed the God of Israel and the Armies of Israel but not long after the Lord vindicated his holy and great name by stirring up and strengthning of David to take off his head 1 Sam 17.45 51. When the King of Assyria and Rabshakeh blasphemed the name of God as they did Isa chap. 36. 37. did not the Lord quickly send an Angel and destroy their great Army of one hundred fourscore and five thousand and so by this stroke of his made his holy and great name glorious and dreadful He will scatter the smoak and venemous vapours that ascend from the tongues and lives of profane persons to hinder the beams of his glorious name from shining as the wind scatters clouds from before the Sun and as by destruction of his enemies so by delivering of his servants Sixthly Observe When God doth great things for his people and they honour his name for them then very heathens will be convinced acknowledge God and give glory to his name The heathen shall know that I am the Lord when I shall be sanctified in you that is in your deliverance before their eyes then you will magnifie my name and they will magnifie my name which hath been profaned then they will see and say that I am another kind of God then their idol gods are that I am omnipotent faithfull holy wise Psal 126.2 When the Lord turn'd the captivity of his people as they said The Lord hath done great things for us so the heathens said The Lord hath done great things for them So much of God appear'd in taking them out of Babylon that Jewish and Babylonish Tongues were constrained to speak out the power truth and goodnesse of God Seventhly Observe Things difficult and in the eye of man impossible are facile to and feasible by the power of God The Jews were among the heathens who by their Laws power and vigilancy kept them in great bondage they were scattered into
to pass in the Twelfth year in the Twelfth month in the First day of the month that the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man take up a lamentation for Pharoah King of Aegypt and say unto him Thou art like a young Lyon of the Nations and thou art as a Whale in the seas and thou camest forth with thy rivers and troubledst the waters with thy feet and fouledst their rivers Thus saith the Lord God I will therefore spread out my net over thee with a company of many people and they shall bring thee up in my net Then will I leave thee upon the Land I will cast thee forth upon the open field and will cause all the fowls of the Heavens to remain upon thee and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains and fill the valleys with thy height I will also water with thy blood the Land wherein thou swimmest even to the mountains and the rivers shall be full of thee And when I shall put thee out I will cover the Heaven and make the stars thereof dark I will cover the Sun with a cloud and the moon shall not give her Light All the bright lights of Heaven will I make dark over thee and set darknesse upon thy Land saith the Lord God I will also vex the hearts of many people when I shall bring thy destruction among the Nations into the Countreys which thou hast not known Yea I will make many people amazed at thee and their Kings shall be horribly afraid for thee when I shall brandish my sword before them and they shall tremble at every moment every man for his own life in the day of thy fall THis Chapter is of the nature of the three former and contains in it two Prophesies both of them against Pharoah and the Egyptians The 1. Is from the beginning to the 17. vers 2. From the 17. to the end of the Chapter In the first of these we have First The time of the prophesie vers 1. Secondly The Tyranny and cruelty of Pharoah vers 2. set out by way of lamentation Thirdly Gods judgements against him declared in an allegoricall way ver 3 4 5 6. Fourthly The events thereupon which are 1. Darkness vers 7 8. 2. Vexation vers 9. 3. Astonishment fear and trembling Vers 1. And it came to passe in the twelfth year in the twelâ—th month in the first day of the month This was not in the time of Zedekiah who reigned but eleven years It was in the twelfth year of Jehoiachims captivity the twelfth month and first day not long after the taking of Jerusalem and burning it with fire The Lord gave out this Prophesie then that the Jews might be taken off from trusting in the Egyptians having cause sufficient to believe that Ezekiels prophesies against them should be made good as well as Jeremies against themselves for it was the same Spirit which breathed in them both and that they might reap some comfort after their sufferings in considering God would deal so roundly with the Egyptians who had deceived them Vers 2. Take up a lamentation for Pharoah King of Egypt Take up a lamentable prophesie declare what sad things are coming upon Pharoah whether the Prophet were to lament for the destruction of Pharoah and the Egyptians is questionable for he and they had oppressed others deceived the Jewes and these judgements of God coming upon them for their wickedness were just and righteous and so matter of rejoycing yet because he was to utter dreadfull and lamentable things rejoycing became him not but he was to be affected sutable to the matter delivered Thou art like a young Lyon of the Nations Wherein Tyrannical Kings and Princes are like unto young Lyons hath been shewed in the 19. Chapter The meaning of these words is that look what a Lyon is among the beasts of the fields and woods viz terrible and cruel the same was Pharoah among the Nations Young Lyons are fierce and devoure their prey with greedinesse so are young Tyrants And thou art as a Whale in the Seas In the 29. ch ver 3. Pharoah is call'd Hattannim the Dragon or Crocodile here Cattannim as the Whale it s Tannim in both places and signifies a Dragon Whale or Sea-monster and such as a Whale is in the Seas viz troublesome dreadfull and devouring such was Pharoah on the deeps a Lyon at Land a Whale at Sea His Dominion was large and where-ever it was he minded the prey And thou camest forth with thy Rivers The Septuagint have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Vulgar following render Ventelabas cornu in fluminibus tuis Thou didst horn it in thy Rivers the Whale spouts waters so out at her Nostrils that falling it makes a kind of horn and Pharoah digging or cutting Rivers out of Nilus they were winding like a Horn. Those are for this sense Devine Tagach in the Text from Nagach which is to strike with the Horn or Lascivire cornu and so Vatablus turns the word Lascivisti in fluminibus tuis thou hast tumbled up and down and sported thy self in thy Rivers and waters Others derive the word Tagach from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to come forth or cause to come forth thou didst invite other Nations to revolt from Nebuchadnezzar or thou didst come forth with thy people and trouble other Nations with invasions and wars And troubledst the waters with thy feet and fowledst their rivers He troubled all at home and all abroad as the Whale or Crocodile troubles the Seas and the Rivers and lets not the Fish be quiet any where they mud the Rivers make the waters boyle so did this Egyptian Pharoah he was like Nilus which had turbidas aquas troublesome waters He troubled the waters when he constrained the people to leave their own Land and to go up to Carchemish by Euphrates Jer. 46.2 and as they went they must needs fowl the Rivers make their comforts as dead and uselesse First Observe That times of publique calamities are specially to be noted Ezekiel sets down the year month and day when the Lord told him what dreadfull things should befall Pharoah and the Egyptians In the twelfth year the twelfth month the first day of the month he must take up a lameâ—tation Gods judgements sometimes are lasting and the duration of them cannot be known unlesse the beginning of them be taken notice of Secondly Observe Lamentations for the sins and destructions of others is from the Lord. Son of man take up a lamentation for Pharoah King of Egypt The Prophet took it not up of himself but at the command of the Lord. Chap. 19.1 God bid him take up a lamentation for the Princes of Israel Chap. 27.2 He is injoyn'd to take up a lamentation for Tyrus Chap 28.12 He must take up one for the King of Tyrus Lamentations for Princes and states are at Gods appointment Proâ—hets are
well on an instrument When one both playes well and sings sweetly that musick of all others is most taking affects the ear and stirs the spirits so Ezekiels voice was pleasing to them and he handled his matter well they were or seem'd to be stirr'd and affected with what he delivered The Hebrew for can play well on an instrument is Vmetib naggen which Montanus renders Bene scientis pulsare of one that knows well how to play Nagan signifies to play upon a musicall instrument and also to sing to it For they hear thy words but they do them not Some heard not at all those that heard rested in what they heard or abused it jeering and scoffing at the Prophet as a pleasant Songster they were not doers of what was taught them They received not the truth with love they mingled it not with faith they yielded not obedience to it which things do make a Doer of the word 2 Thess 2.10 Heb 4.2 Rom 5.17 Vers 33. When this cometh to passe lo it will come When the judgements threatned shall be made good viz That those in the wastes shall fall by the sword and those in the open fields shall be devoured by the beasts they in the forts and caves shall dye of the famine and pestilence when the Land and mountains shall be laid most desolate which things will certainly come to pass whatever thoughts they have or false Prophets say to the contrary for I have determined these things against them commission'd thee to declare them and I being omnipotent will in due time accomplish them Then shall they know that a Prophet hath been among them The execution of what is threatned shall convince them and make them say we were deceived about Ezekiel he spake not out of ill will to us or of his own head but he was sent to denounce the judgements of God against us for our sins which he faithfully did and we now feel the weight of them and find he was a Prophet not a Songster that his matter had dread in it and was not to be sported withall First Observe That men may be much affected with hearing the Prophets and Preachers of God and yet be vile hypocrites very wicked These men that flocked to hear Ezekiel and unto whom he was as a very lovely song as a song of one that hath a pleasant voyce and can play well on an instrument they were backbiters covetous there was none in Babylon pleased them like Ezekiel they said Come come let us go and hear Ezekiel they were as much taken with him as any are with musick with pleasant voices tunes and songs which oftentimes ravish the hearers yet they were unsound at heart the word did them no good they amended not their lives they parted not with their lusts In Christs time the people flocked to hear him were affected with him Mark 12.37 The common people heard him gladly Chap 14.43 Judas and a great multitude with him came to take Christ and laid hands on him vers 46. Chap 15. vers 8.13 14. The multitude cryed Crucifie crucifie him Many of them that heard him gladly before were much affected with his Heavenly Doctrine now cryed out crucifie him and so shewed what vile hypocrites they were In our dayes some Preachers are as a pleasant song to some persons they are affected with their voice notions gestures expressions matter arguments stories they sigh they weep sometimes and are ravished at other times they never heard such a man such a Sermon such things and yet are not changed in their hearts reformed in their tongues or lives but are notorious hypocrites Secondly Observe When people hear the Preacher and do not practice what is taught the word is no more to them then a song or a fit of musick nor the Preacher more then a Musician or Fidler unto them Thou art unto them as a lovely song of one that can play well on an instrument for they hear thy words but they do them not These words are a proof and reason of the former Should we tell people You esteem the word preached no more then an idle amorous witty scurrilous song nor the Preacher any more then he that sings such a song they would think themselves much wronged but it is so in Gods account when they hear the Preacher and do not practice what they hear A fit of musick affects for the present but quickly passes away and both the musick and the man are forgotten so is it here people are affected somewhat at a Sermon but Sermon and Preacher are quickly forgotten Thirdly Observe Hearing of the word is good but not to be rested in They are not blam'd for hearing that is a duty belongs to all James 5.19 But they rested in their hearing they made not the word a Lamp unto their feet and a light unto their paths as David did Psal 119.105 They did not meditate on it digest it turn it in succum sanguinem into good nourishment that so they might express the virtue of it in their lives they heard the word and that was all of such that is verified Matth 13.13 Hearing they hear not The word hath no influence into them impression upon them expression from them they are no better then those that never heard they are like men that observe wind and tide but never make a voyage 2 Tim 3.7 There were women ever learning but never attained to the knowledge of the truth and many are ever hearing and never come to practice Luke 13.26 Thou hast taught in our streets They had heard Christ rested in their hearing and that was their undoing Fourthly Observe God expects men should be not only hearers but doers also of his word They hear thy words but they do them not Hearing alone pleases not God he gave not his word to be heard only but to be heard and practiced they are good hearers qui verba vertunt in opera who turn words into actions James 1.22 Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves He tells them they deal fallaciously they baffle and delude themselves not others if they hear the word and do it not though there be power in the word to save your souls yet if ye be not doers of it ye deceive your selves and will lose your souls Matth 7.26 27. Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it He that hears Christs Heavenly Doctrine and doth not practice it is not built upon the rock but upon the sand and when the tryall comes will be deceived of his expectation his house will down his soul will be lost It is not hearing it is not crying Lord Lord that will open a door for a man to enter into Heaven by
vers 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Not any one which goes no further But he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven My father saith Christ hath made known his will he would have men do his will and then he will open unto them and let them into Heaven It s not mens hearing or saying but their doing what they hear which pleads stronglyest for their entrance into Heaven Many men commend the Preacher the Word with their tongues but disgrace both with their lives The best commenders of the Preachers and their doctrine are mens lives when they are doers of the word Matth 25.21 It s well done thou good and faithfull servant enter thou into thy masters joy Not well heard or well said but well done Let us see to it that we be not hearers only but doers of the word Rev 22.14 Blessed are they that do his commandements that they may have right to the Tree of life and may â—nter in through the gates into the City Fifthly Observe The judgements threatned by the Prophets of God shall certainly take place When this cometh to passe lo it will come He means the sword wilde beasts pestilence utter desolation which were threatned It seem'd somewhat unlikely that after a war a few poor people left in wastes holes caves forts woods fields should be cut off but the Lord had said it and he did effect it How improbable or impossible soever things appear to us what God threatens by his Prophets to doe without repentance intervene he will accomplish Sixthly Observe Whatever the thoughts of wicked ones are for the present of the Prophets the time will come when they shall have other kind of thoughts of them When this cometh to passe then shall they know c. When the sword wilde beasts pestilence utter desolation are upon them and the Land when they are in straits in the jawes of death then they will have other apprehensions of Ezekiel then now they have Ezekiel at present is a lovely song like a man that hath a pleasant voice some affect him some scoff at him others censure him but when death is before them then their thoughts will alter then they will say Ezekiel told us of these things that are come upon us and how to avoid them he call'd upon us to consider our wayes to turn from all our iniquities and to provide for our souls we then slighted him only gave him the hearing of what he said but now we see he was a Prophet of God delivered weighty things and we were fools that we hearkened not unto him doing what he said When young men who despise all the Preachers say against whoredom and wanton courses come to be in years find their flesh and bodies to be consumed then will they have other thoughts of them and what they preached then will they say How have we hated instruction and our hearts despised reproof we obeyed not the voyce of our Teachers nor inclined our ears to them that instructed us Prov. 5.11 12 13. There were Prophets amongst us who sought our good who tendred mercy and many precious truths unto us but we were so blinded with our lusts so conceited of our own wayes that we rejected them and whatever they tendred us Seventhly Observe The Prophets will be witnesses at last against disobedient hearers They shall know that a Prophet hath been amongst them They heard Ezekiel but did not what he said his person his doctrine did at last bear witness against them Where-ever the Lord sets a faithful preacher who takes pains among the people declaring the mind of God unto them and they do not practice what they are taught that Preacher will rise up in judgement against them his doctrine his prayers tears drops of sweat his life his sufferings reproaches death will all be witnesses against them If the rust of mens silver and gold will be witnesses against them and eat their flesh like fire James 5.3 because they let their silver and gold lye by them and did not improve the same for publique good and in charitable uses how much more will the truths of God which the Preachers have commended unto them being neglected and not improved to the good of the hearers and others bear witness against them and eat their flesh yea their souls like fire Thousands who have flocked after Ministers to hear them will find those Ministers witnesses against them because they heard them only and never did what they heard What a multitude of witnesses will London and England have against them at the latter day All the Godly faithful Ministers whose doctrine hath been heard but never obeyed CHAP. XXXIV Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. And the Word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man prophesie against the shepherds of Israel prophesie and say unto them Thus saith the Lord God unto the Shepherds Wo be to the Shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves should not the Shepherds feed the flock Ye eat the fat and ye cloath you with the Wool ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the flock The diseased have ye not strengthned neither have ye healed that which was sick neither have ye bound up that which was broken neither have ye brought again that which was driven away neither have ye sought that which was lost but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them And they were scattered because there is no Shepherd and they became meat to all the beasts of the field when they were scattered My sheep wandred through all the mountains and upon every high hill yea my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth and none did search or seek after them EZekiel having reproved and threatned the judgements of God against the people for their sins he comes in this Chapter to deal with the Governours and Rulers of them through whose default they became so wicked and suffered the Babylonish yoke In this Chapter are these things considerable 1. A reproof of the Shepherds and judgement threatned against them in the first 10 verses 2. Gods care of and comfortable provision for his flock from the 10. vers to the 23. 3. A sweet Prophesie of Christ and his Kingdom under the figure of David from the 23. vers to the end Vers 1. The Word of the Lord came unto me saying These words we have often had by them the Prophet declares himself to be a true Prophet false ones spake of their own heads they had no word from God they deluded the people with lying words but Ezekiel had a word from God and that word he commended to the people Vers 2. Prophesie against the Shepherds of Israel The Shepherds of Israel were the chief Rulers both Political and Ecclesiastical Princes Magistrates Prophets Priests and Levites Isa 44.28 Cyrus is call'd a Shepherd Zech 11.17 those in the
a prey and my flock became meat to every beast of the field because there was no shepherd neither did my shepherds search for my flock but the shepherds fed themselves and fed not my flock Therefore O ye shepherds hear the word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord God Behold I am against the shepherds and I will require my flock at their hand and cause them to cease from feeding the flock neither shall the Shepherds feed themselves any more for I will deliver my flock from their mouth that they may not be meat for them THese verses set out the judgments threatned against the shepherds of Israel for their prementioned sins In the words take 1. Gods particular Application of himself to the shepherds vers 7 9. 2. The certainty of their punishment vers 8. As I live c. 3. A Repetition of their former sins vers 8. 4. A Specification of their judgements or punishments vers 10. Vers 7. Therefore ye shepherds hear the word of the Lord. These words are again in the 9. ver and shew the great indignation was in the breast of God against these shepherds O ye Princes Priests and Prophets seeing ye have done such things and neglected what you should have done hear the word of the Lord he is vehemently displeased with you and can hold no longer Vers 8. As I live saith the Lord God surely The Hebrew is I living if not the sense whereof is this Let me not be the living God but be laid aside as some idol or false god if I do not punish these Shepherds which have dealt so with my flock Because my flock became a prey The word for prey is Baz which signifies spoyling and such spoyling as is cum conculcatione despectu direpti Kirker with treading down and despising the thing spoiled they vilified the flock of God and spoyled them of what they had And my flock became meat to every beast of the field Wicked men are here call'd beasts and beasts of the field for that they range up and down to get a prey and when they have gotten it tear and rend it in pieces as a Lyon or Bear doth a Lamb or sheep There was no Shepherd Not simply no shepherd but no shepherd that did his duty as the next words shew Neither did my shepherds search for the flock he saith My shepherds because they were in Gods stead to look after his flock but they fed themselves not the flock they made Laws imposed burthens and found out wayes to enrich themselves and impoverish the people Vers 10. Behold I am against the shepherds In this verse the punishments of these shepherds are enumerated and this is the first viz Gods enmity against them they being great Princes Priests and Prophets kept all in such awe that none durst appear in word or action against them if any did they were soon crushed Wherefore saith the Lord Behold I am against the shepherds I that am the Governour of Nations the Lord of Heaven and Earth and so the Dread Soveraigne of Princes Priests and Prophets even I that am Jehovah that gave being to all creatures and can take away all again am against them The Hebrew is Behold I to the shepherds that is I come to set my self against them the Vulgar is Behold I am above them others have the words thus Ecce ego contra istos Pastores Behold I am against these shepherds I will require my flock at their hand Not only will I have account of them what is become of my flock but I will have recompence for every one that is wounded weak lost or slain I will require at your hand limb for limb blood for blood and life for life This is the second punishment mentioned And cause them to cease from feeding the flock Here is a third punishment and it s no less then displacing of them some were cut off by the hand of justice Jer 52.10 11 24 25 26 27. Lamen 5.12 Others were carryed away captive and held in chains and bonds as Zedekiah Jechoniah and many besides Neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more Here is a fourth punishment they should be depriv'd of those opportunities they had to enrich themselves they made a prey of the flock eating the fat cloathing themselves with the wool and killing those that were fed they made advantage of the flock only seeking themselves not the good of it but they should not do so any longer For I will deliver my flock from their mouth They have been feeding upon and devouring my flock a long time but now I will do by them as a shepherd doth by a Lamb in a Lyons or Bears mouth Amos 3.12 1 Sam 17.34 35. David delivered the Lamb so God would pull his flock out of these Lyons and Bears mouths which is a gracious promise of the deliverance of his people That they may not be meat for them Being once delivered they shall no more be spoiled and devoured by such Tyrants as they were but shall enjoy liberty and safety First Observe When there are no faithfull shepherds the flock is a prey to all sorts of beasts My flock became meat to every beast of the field because there was no shepherd The Princes Nobles Priests Prophets and all their under Officers made a prey of the flock The flock was amongst wild beasts of all sorts and they did eat the Milk sheer the Fleece and devour the flesh of the Flock No State-Officers no Church-Officers were faithfull unto the Flock but all in place and power made a prey of it it s the nature of Dogs Foxes Wolves Bears Lyons and such Beasts to suck the bloud crush the bones and devoure the flesh of the Lambs and Sheep Kings in Daniel 7.17 are call'd beasts Rev 13.1 there is mention made of a Beast which rose up out of the Sea having seven heads and ten horns and of a beast rose up out of the earth which had two horns like a Lamb but spake like a Dragon these two Beasts denote the Ecclesiastical and Political powers and how they dealt with the people you may read in that Chapter When Gods Flock is without faithful shepherds they are a spoil to Sea-Beasts and Land-Beasts to all Beasts whatsoever Secondly Observe That the sins of Magistrates and Ministers in seeking themselves neglecting and wronging the flock do greatly provoke God bring certain and severe judgements upon themselves Behold I am against the shepherds I that am higher stronger greater then them all even I and all my attributes are against them I will call them to account and have satisfaction for all the wrong and violence they have done I will deprive them of their sweet Morsels and throw them with shame out of their places These are severe judgements which God swears by no less thâ—n his own life that he will bring upon them God commits great trust unto them and when they are unfaithful God visits severely for it
verse that we may see by whom the enmity was taken away and from whom the reconciling virtue came even from the Lord Christ whose bloud made the attonement Ephes 2.13 14 15 16. How should this teach us to honour and prize the Lord Christ by whom so difficult so great and glorious a work was wrought Fourthly Observe Those that are received to God by the mediation of Christ shall be preserved from all hurtfull things receive all good things needfull and enjoy much security When men are in the Covenant of peace then God will cause the evill beasts to cease out of the Land then no creatures no enemies no Devils shall do them harm Job 5.23 Pro 16.7 Rom 16.20 Then there will be a communication of all good things needful they shall dwell in the wildernesse there they shall have blessings so as they shall not be put to remove their dwellings for want Psal 34.9 10. Psal 23.1 Psal 84.11 Then shall they dwell safely in the wildernesse and sleep in the woods nothing without or within shall create any fear or cause any solicitousness in them they shall have perfect peace and be as in the suburbs of Heaven Jer 23.4 Verses 26 27. And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing and I will cause the showre to come down in his season there shall be showres of blessing And the tree of the field shall yeeld her fruit and the earth shall yield her increase and they shall be safe in their Land and shall know that I am the Lord when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them IN these verses as in the former the Lord promises sweet mercies unto his people First A blessing in generall vers 26. Secondly Particular blessings and they are these 1. Seasonable showres from Heaven vers 26. 2. Fruitfullnesse of the earth and that both of the Trees and Land vers 27. 3. Safety ibid. 4. Acknowledgement of God ibid. 5. Freedom ibid. Thirdly The time when all these shall be ibid. Vers 26. I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing The Jews being in Babylon were for a proverb a reproach a taunt and a curse Jer 24.9 Chap 25.18 Chap 29.18 but God would roul away their reproach and make them a blessing The Chaldee is erunt benedicti they shall be blessed its usuall in Scripture to put the Abstract for the Concrete as Gen 12.2 Thou shalt be a blessing the Vulgar there is benedictus thou shalt be blessed take the word blessing here for the Concrete and the sense is they shall be blessed with abundance and variety of blessings they shall be happy and prosperous in all things but take the word as it is in the Abstract a blessing the sense is they shall be a blessing unto others they shall be a blessing unto the Nations as they were a curse in the Nations so they should be a blessing unto them Zech 8.13 It shall come to passe that as ye were a curse among the Nations O house of Judah and house of Israel so will I save you and ye shall be a blessing that is a blessing unto the Nations round about them The word Hill must be interpreted before we can well understand this place By Hill is meant Mount Sion where the Temple was and Jerusalem there God recorded his Name set up his Worship and therefore saith My Hill Now these were Types of Christ and the Church in his time as the Jews therefore came out of Babylon and other places to Mount Sion to Jerusalem and the Temple when rebuilt so to Christ and the Evangelicall Church Gentiles flocked out of several Nations and so the Church and Members of it were a blessing unto them as Mount Sion and the Inhabitants of it together with them dwelt round about it in Judaea or Canaan were a blessing unto the Nations The blessing here I conceive principally referrs to spiritual blessings he spake before of a Covenant of peace wrought by Christ and now of blessings they should have by him the Church under Christ should be blessed with all spiritual blessings according to that Ephes 1.3 And I will cause the showre to come down in his season The word for Showre is Geshem which notes a great and vehement rain as Kirker saith even such as shakes the earth Most make it signifie a strong rain but Ramban a gentle rain be it great or gentle God would give them rain in season In Deut 11.14 you read of the former rain and the latter rain the former rain was in October or September which was upon the sowing of their Corn and this rain came moderately Joel 2.23 That so the Corn might swell with moisture root and grow Lente descendebat ut semina terris imprimerentur imabuerenter humore ad gorminationem Martin the latter rain was in the first month as Joel 2.23 that which we call March though some others put it in May and it was ut grana turpida redderet to make the ear full their harvest was sooner then ours their Countrey being hotter Under these showres Heavenly things are figured unto us as in Deut 32.2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain my speech shall distill as the dew as the small rain upon the tender hearb and as the showres upon the grasse Here Heavenly Doctrine is likened unto rain dew showres and in our Prophet is set out by showres Heavenly Doctrine and influences of the Spirit which do make Gods people fruitfull in all good works as the rain doth the earth and trees in all kind of Hearbs Corn and Fruit. In Christs time there were many such showres he rained Heavenly ones oft upon the people In 2 Pet 2.17 Jude 12. false teachers are said to be Wells without water and Clouds without rain but Christs Apostles were Wells full of water and clouds full of rain and by those did Christ water divers persons and places There shall be showres of blessing The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rain of blessing or blessed rain Piscator renders the words Erunt pluviae largissime there shall be plentifull rains They may be call'd showres of blessing because they are from the blessed God have a blessing in them and benefit them they fall upon some rains are so great that they do much harm and little good these should not be such they should be seasonable and moderate they should have Heavenly Doctrines and blessings seasonable and as they were capable of them Vers 27. And the Tree of the field shall yeeld her fruit After the Heavens have sent forth their showres the Trees and earth do send forth their fruit Not only the Tree of the garden but the Tree of the field being watered brings forth The Hebrew for Tree is Etz which signifies any wood and Synecdochically a Tree because it is wood And the earth
shall yeeld her increase When there have been seasonable rains the earth hath brought forth abundantly in some places thirty in some sixty in some a hundred fold The word for increase is Jebul from Jabal to bring because the earth doth bring profit to the owners thereof By Tree and Earth we may understand the higher and meaner sort of people who under the Gospel and showrs of it should become fruitfull And they shall be safe in their Land In the 25. vers it s said They shall dwell safely in the wildernesse and here They shall be safe in their Land they should have safety every where and the words are repeated to shew the certainty thereof When I have broken the bands of their yoke This yoke was the Babylonish captivity which is call'd a yoke Jerem 30.8 and it lay heavily upon them Isa 47.6 The bands of this yoke were the Babylonish powers Nebuchadrezzar his Princes and Officers but God did break the Babylonish Empire in pieces by Cyrus and Darius and so took the yoke off their necks setting them at liberty Yokes are burdensome restrictive and reproachfull this breaking yokes and bands and bringing the Jews out of Babylon typed out the spiritual liberty of the Church in Christs time when Antichristian bands and yokes should be broken and people brought out of spiritual Babylon And delivered them out of the hands of those that served themselves of them The Hebrew is And shall deliver them out of the hands of them who made them to serve the Babylonians made the Jews to serve and work for them being captives among them Exigebant servitutem ab ipsis they exacted service of them their dealings with the Jews were like the Egyptians who were cruel taskmasters over them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Avad saith Lavater saevitiem in aliquem exercere significat tanquam in servam First Observe Temporal and Spiritual blessings are from God he makes people blessed and gives them what blessings he pleases I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing Gen 9.1 God blessed Noah and his sons and said unto them be fruitfull multiply and replenish the earth here God is the Authour of temporal blessings Gen 12.2 Of Abraham God said I will blesse thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing and I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all familyes of the earth be blessed Here God shews himself Authour of temporal and spiritual blessings its peculiar unto God to blesse Balak was out when he said of Balaam I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed and he whom thou cursest is cursed Numb 22.6 No it s not in the power of any creature to blesse or curse men and Devils may utter words of blessing or cursing but they cannot make blessed or cursed its God who turns blessings into curses Mal 2.2 and curses into blessings Nehem 13.2 Secondly Observe Others faire the better for the Churches sake I will make the places round about my hill a blessing On the Hill of Sion was the Temple the place where God recorded his Name there were the solemn assemblies the divine ordinances Gods presence and all that were near in Judaea yea the Nations round about had some blessing and benefit thereby they heard of the God of Israel that he differed from all idol gods they heard of his Laws that they were more righteous then the Laws of the Nations they saw his Sabbaths how strictly they were kept they heard of the Prophets that were in Jerusalem and Israel did not Naaman a Syrian get a blessing from Elisha 2 Kings 5. The wisdome of Solomon had influence into all the places round about Sion yea into all the Countries far off The Queen of Sheba heard thereof and it was a blessing unto her from any Nation they might come to Sion become Proselites and enjoy what mercies the Jews themselves enjoyed Micah 4.1 2. In the last dayes it shall come to passe that the Mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the Mountains and it shall be exalted above the hills and people shall flow unto it and many Nations shall come and say Come let us go up unto the Mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his Statutes for the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem These things are spoken of Christs times when the Church should be very eminent and conspicuous like the highest of hills when the Law of faith and the Gospel should go out of Sion and Jerusalem and be a blessing unto all Nations Thirdly Observe Gods blessings are seasonable both temporal and spiritual are in due time I will cause the showre to come down in his season when it shall be a blessing do much good there shall be showres of blessing Levit 26.4 I will give you rain in due season and the Land shall yield her increase and the Trees of the field shall yield their fruit Those rains are seasonable which cause fruitfulness those are unseasonable rains which hinder or destroy the fruit of the Trees and encrease of the earth The Lord observes times and seasons to do sinners good both for body and soul Isa 30.18 He waits that he may be gracious he waits for fit seasons wherein his mercies may come with advantage and acceptance unto men Isa 55.10 11. As the rain cometh down and the snow from Heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud which is an argument it came in season so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it God gives his word seasonably as he doth the rain Tit 1.3 God hath in due times manifested his word through preaching the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his own times and those are the due times the seasonablest times Gal. 4.4 When the fullnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman Christs birth was at the fullness of time when it was most seasonable so his death Rom 5.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in due time or according to the season Christ dyed for the ungodly Psal 72.6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grasse as the showres that water the earth As Solomon was to the people by his wisdome and justice like seasonable rains to the grasse and earth much more is God and Christ so to the Church what seasonable dews droppings and influences of the Spirit hath it from them which make it to grow green and flourish Let us wait for his showres and influences none can give them but himself and when he gives them it s in season Fourthly Observe
your God saith the Lord God This ver is the key to open what was said before the Lord had spoken oft of his flock lest any should take the same litterally here he unfolds his mind and tells us plainly his flock are men not bruit creatures The Hebrew word for flock is twice and ye my flock the flock of my pasture Some read the words in the Future thus Ye my flock of my pasture shall be men hitherto ye have been brutish ye have favoured the things of the earth and followed after carnall things but henceforward ye shall be men cleaving to God and heavenly things We may take them as they are and find that sense in them which Sanctius hath I have told you of great things that my servant David shall be your Shepherd and a Prince among you that ye shall dwell safely in wildernesses sleep in woods and that none shall make you afraid yea I have told you that I will free you from bondage shame famine and that I will make you renowned blessing you with variety and plenty of temporal and spiritual good things but you see not how these things can be accomplished you are men full of infirmities shallow of understanding apt to doubt and make objections but I am God and your God I have promised and will perform saith Adonai Jehovah my word is truth and my power shall give being to whatsoever I have said There is yet another sence of these words ye the flock of my pasture are men that is men call'd out of the world men renewed by the transforming of your minds men walking in the Spirit not after the flesh men given up to me and my wayes men dealing justly and honestly men fearing God and pursuing holinesse men of choice spirits and practices this sence I should approve of but that the word for men is Adam which rather imports men with their frailties then men with their excellencies My flock of my pasture God calls them the flock of his pasture because he provided for them food for their bodyes and souls as a Shepherd doth provide pasture for his sheep he gave them Manna from Heaven in former dayes and now he gives them his Ordinances his Word the flesh and bloud of his Son Gods flock is different from other Flocks and hath different pastures they are of the world and feed upon the Acorns and Husks of the same but Gods Flock is picked out of the world separate from it and feeds on Heavenly dainties I am your God This is a great and gracious word what can the Lord say more then this to any I am your God what can any desire more then to have God theirs Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee saith Asaph Let others desire what they will in Heaven or earth I desire nothing but God himself Asaph knew that in having him for his God he should have all things When the Lord saith so he doth ingage himself all his attributes and whatsoever he hath unto the people or person he so saith First Observe God hath a peculiar people on earth which he owns and feeds Ye my flock the flock of my pasture God hath elect call'd justified and adopted Ones which make up his flock see 1 Pet 2.9 10. Titus 2.14 Zech. 13.9 I will say it is my people God hath a people refined and tryed in the furnace of affliction which he is not ashamed of but owns openly and this people he provides for Isa 65.13 Behold my servant shall eat but ye shall be hungry behold my servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty behold my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed Gods people shall have meat and drink and that with gladness Acts 2.46 They have hidden Manna Rev 2.17 They are fed by the Lamb and drink of living Fountains of waters Rev 7.17 They are a peculiar people and have peculiar meat and drink Secondly Observe That of whomsoever Gods Flock doth consist yet they are weak and frail creatures The Flock of my pasture are men Noah Lot Abraham Jacob Job David Jeremy Peter Paul John who were Worthies in Israel yet had their weaknesses and shew'd themselves to be men Can God prepare a Table in the Wildernesse said the house of Israel and Mary whom all generations call'd blessed we may call an Adamite the Daughter of Adam for she shew'd her weakness when she said How can this be seeing I know not a man Luke 1.34 Thirdly Observe The happinesse and comfort of Gods flock lyeth in having God to be their God and his manifestation of it Ye are men feeble helpless things but I am your God saith the Lord whatsoever is defective in your selves is redundant in me as there is nothing but impotency and misery in you so there is nothing but power grace and happiness in me I have loved you freely and taken you to be my flock I have given my self unto you and all I have with my self and this I make known unto you CHAP. XXXV Vers 1 2 3 4 5. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man set thy face against Mount Seir and prophesie against it And say unto it Thus saith the Lord God Behold O Mount Seir I am against thee and I will stretch out mine hand against thee and I will make thee most desolate I will lay thy Cityes waste and thou shalt be desolate and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred and hast shed the bloud of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity in the time that their iniquity had an end THE Lord having in the former Chapter laid down many precious promises for the restauration freedom and comfort of his afflicted Flock here he comes to deal with the enemies of his Church and in the Chapter are 1. Threatnings of punishments vers 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 14 15. 2. The sins moving God thereunto vers 5 10 11 12 13. 3. The end of those threatnings and punishments vers 4 11 15. Verses 1 2. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man set thy face against Mount Seir. The Prophet received the word from and was impowered by God to prophesie against Mount Seir. Of setting the face towards or against was spoken before Chap 20.46 Chap. 21.2 Chap 25.2 where there is a prophesie against Moab and Seir. He must turn himself another way and speak boldly against Mount Seir. that is against Idumea wherein Mount Seir was between the Lake Asphaltites and Egypt where Esau and his posterity dwelt Gen 32.3 who were called Edomites or Idumeans Vers 3. Behold O Mount Seir I am against thee Here is a sad message for Mount Seir or rather the inhabitants of Idumea who by a Metonymie are understood thereby they had God against them and this
other affections to accomplish its ends Jealousie kindles anger and casts forth hatred fear sets grief and despair on work The affections are seated so near one another in the heart that if one move sinfully the rest are ready to stir and accompany the same Let us look well to our affections for they are dangerous things Solomon knew it and therefore Prov 4.23 counsels us to keep our hearts with all diligence Secondly Observe God will deal with men not only according to their evill actions but according to their evill affections also I will even do according to thine anger and according to thine envy Men are convinced they must be responsive for evill actions but not so for evill affections The Lord puts it out of doubt here and swears to it As I live saith the Lord God I will even do according to thine anger c. Mat 5.22 He that is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment Rev 21.8 The fearfull shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Edoms rejoycing is mentioned Obad 12. among the sins caused God to cut her off John 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse God will deal with men for their sinful fear sinful joy and sinful love for sinfull affections as well as sinfull actions Hence are we counselled to put away all bitternesse wrath and anger Ephes 4.31 To mortifie inordinate affection Coloss 3.5 Thirdly Observe After the insulting enemies of Sion are punished God will shew kindnesse unto Sion she shall have expressions of his love I will make my selfe known amongst them that is those of Sion after I have judged thee that is the Edomites they insulted over the Jews and added affliction to affliction which the Lord visited them for and then comforted his afflicted people The Babylonians were bitter enemies to the Jews they insulted over them and said Sing us one of the songs of Sion Psal 137.3 for which you may see how God would deal with them Isa 13. The Medes should destroy them and that without pitty and what then Chap 14.12 3. The Lord will have mercy on Jacob and will yet chuse Israel and set them in their own Land they shall rule over their oppressors and have rest from their sorrows After Sennacheribs Army was destroyed by the Angel of the Lord which insulted over the Jews and spake blasphemous things against God and Hezekiah did not God express love to Hezekiah and in him to all the Jews in granting him fifteen years more unto his dayes Isa 37. 38. When God had judged the Egyptians he brought forth the Jews seated them in Canaan and shewed them not a little kindnesse there Acts 7.7 Verses 12 13. And thou shalt know that I am the Lord and that I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel saying They are laid desolate they are given us to consume Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me and have multiplied your words against me I have heard them THeir blasphemies against God and Israel are here set down and the notice God took of them Vers 12. Thou shalt know that I am the Lord and that I have heard all thy blasphemies The Hebrew is thus Thou shalt know that I the Lord have heard all thy blasphemies The Edomites spake freely against the Jews thinking God had cast them off and cared not for them but when he should judge and punish them then they should be convinced that he had heard their blasphemies The word for blasphemy is Neatzah from Naatz to despise contemptuously to provoke Kirker saith it s to provoke contumeliis convitiis verbis maledicis with reproachful and cursed speeches Junius hath it omnes irritationes tuas all thy provocations the Septuagint French and others have it blasphemies Which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel By mountains of Israel the Land and people of Israel are intended that Land was full of mountains and among others there was the mountain of the Lord Psal 24.3 and they spake against that mountain with the rest Saying they are laid desolate Are these words so evill as that they should be judged blasphemy its not to be doubted but they said more though it be not here expressed Obad vers 12. Edom spake proudly in the day of Jerusalems distresse She insulted and gloryed in the sufferings and desolations of the people and Land Where is your Temple and City said they that stood on Mount Sion where are the Cattel that fed upon the Mountains and were for sacrifices They are laid desolate now where will you have sacrifices and whither will ye go to sacrifice Thus they spake blasphemously They are given us to consume The Jews are now destroyed and gone into captivity they shall never return to take possession of these mountains again they are now given to us to be a prey but who gave them they declare not God did not give them unto the Edomites and no other could for the Land was the Lords they took the Mountains of Israel their covetous hearts would have them vers 10. and what would they do with them Consume them saith our Translation but the Hebrew is Leaclah ad commedendum to eat that is to bring them under our power and to make use of for our good Vers 13. Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me Ye have magnified against me saith the Hebrew you have spoken great words your mouth hath been wide open against me and hath lift you up above me or against me Obad 12. is thus Thou hast magnified thy mouth which is rendred Thou hast spoken proudly Qui impudenter obloquuntur alteri subsannant illum jactando seipsos dicuntur magnificare os suum Jer 48.26 Moab magnified against the Lord that is magnified his mouth against him by speaking arrogant words Ezek 25.8 Moab said Behold the house of Judah is like unto all the Heathen When men speak proudly insolently against God or his people they do magnifie with their mouths or magnifie their mouths And have multiplyed their words against me They spake much more then is expressed They multiply words The Hebrew word for multiply here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athar which signifies Verba fundere magna copia verba fortia as in prayer these Edomites did multiply words words against the Lord and their words were stout against him I have heard them Though you thought me shut up in the Heavens that I could not hear at so great a distance or that I minded not the affairs of the world especially what words one Nation speaks against another yet saith God I have heard them First Observe The Lord takes notice of all the bitter reproachfull and provoking speeches which wicked ones do utter against the Church and People of God I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the Mountains
of Israel Whether Edom secretly muttered out or openly vented her blasphemies The Lord heard them Ammon said Aha against Gods Sanctuary when it was profaned and against the Land of Israel when it was desolate and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity Ezek 25.3 And Moab said the house of Judah is like unto all the Heathen When they said so was the Lord deaf Zeph 2.8 I have heard the reproach of Moab and the revilings of the children of Ammon whereby they have reproached my people and magnified themselves against their border The Lord heard and remembred what they said and made it known to all Ages so did he hear what Tyrus the Sea-City said insultingly against Jerusalem Ezek 26.2 He took notice of the Letter that Rehum the Chancellor and Shimshai the Scribe and the rest of their companions wrought against Jerusalem Ezra 4.8 There is nothing said or thought against the people of God but he is privy to it Lament 3.61 saith Jeremy Thou hast heard their reproach O Lord and all their imaginations against me God heard not only what their wicked tongues spake but also what their vile hearts imagined yea all that they imagined he hears imaginations Secondly Observe God will convince and make blasphemers know that he heard their blasphemies And thou shalt know that I the Lord have heard all thy blasphemies Men blaspheme Heaven and Earth they speak proudly against God Christ Scriptures Ordinances and flatter themselves that they shall never more hear of their blasphemies they think God minds them not but God hath times to make such black mouth'd wretches to know that he heard them even all of them when God visited Edom with the sword then they should know it when death comes or judgement after death then shall they know what they have said If men must give account of every idle word they speak Matth 12.36 much more of reviling and blasphemous words Thirdly Observe The revilings and blasphemies uttered against the people of God God accounts as spoken against himself The Edomites spake against the Jews and the mountains of Israel but thus saith the Lord With your mouth ye have boasted against me and have multiplyed your words against me It s my self you reproach and speak against when you deal so by my people What Moab said against the house of Judah Ezek 25.8 God saith was against himself Jerem. 48.26 42. Moab hath magnified himself against the Lord. When the wicked spake against Gods servants truth and Sanctuary David saith they reproached God Psal 74.22 Arise O God plead thine own cause remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily it was God they reproached As wicked men act against God when they act against his people 2 Chro 14.11 Numb 16.3 with Numb 27.3 so they speak against God when they speak against his people all the bitter reviling and provoking speeches they utter against them God hears reckons as vented against himselfe and will recompence into the bosomes of his enemies Verses 14 15. Thus saith the Lord God When the whole earth rejoyceth I will make thee desolate As thou didst rejoyce at the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate so will I do unto thee thou shalt be desolate O mount Seir and all Idumea even all of it and they shall know that I am the Lord. IN this Conclusion of the Chapter the Lord further declares his mind concerning Idumea and tells her she shall suffer when all others shall rejoyce and why because she rejoyced at the sufferings of the house of Israel Vers 14. When the whole earth rejoyceth If we refer the word earth to the Land of Judaea the sense may be this When I shall make that whole Land rejoyce or if we understand by earth the other parts of the world the meaning is When I shall bring my people out of captivity and cause the whole earth to rejoyce thereat then will I make thee desolate but Scriptures do hint it to us that Edom was made desolate before the return of the Jewes from Babylon Jerem 25. 27. Chap. tells us that Edom was given to Nebuchadnezzar and was to drink the Cup of Gods wrath like other Nations and sundry Expositers agree in this That shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem Edom was laid desolate Some other interpretation therefore of the words is to be looked out we may refer earth to Idumea and then the sense will be this As the whole Land of Idumea hath rejoyced at the desolation of the Israelites so will I make it wholly desolate The Hebrew favours this interpretation for it is thus As the whole Earth or Land hath rejoyced in desolation I will do unto thee Piscator goeth this way and saith Sicut laetatur tota ista terra seil Edomaea As all this Land namely Idumea hath rejoyced in desolation so will I do unto thee O Idumea Vers 15. As thou didst rejoyce at the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate The Edomites when they saw the Temple burnt Jerusalem made even with the ground and all the Land turned into a wilderness they rejoyced at it Obadiah 12. They of Edom rejoyced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction when they saw men and beasts cut off the Godly Cityes ruin'd and the pleasant Land laid waste they laughed at it and said Aha so would we have it The inheritance of the house of Israel This inheritance was the Land of Canaan which God gave to Abraham Gen 15.7 and to his seed Exod 32.13 To Jacob and Israel did God give Canaan the lot of their inheritance Psal 105.11 And this Land was the Lords inheritance Exod. 15.17 He dwelt in it and own'd it for his Land and when the wicked invaded it the Psalmist said O God the Heathen are come into thine inheritance Psal 79.1 and vers 10. of this Chapter it s said The Lord was there It was both the Lords and his peoples inheritance and when it was made desolate the Edomites were glad thereof So will I do unto thee Thou hast rejoyced at the calamities of others and others shall rejoyce at thy calamities thou didst insult speak proudly when the inheritance of the house of Israel was laid waste and thou shalt meet with such dealings when thine inheritance shall be laid waste thy Cityes shall be destroyed man and beast shall be cut off and the Nations shall be glad of it Thou shalt be desolate O Mount Seir and all Idumea even all of it When sad judgements are upon Lands some parts are spared as Strong Holds great Cityes Port Towns and the like but so severely should the enemy deal with Mount Seir and Idumea that nothing should be left all even all should be utterly ruin'd and made desolate First Observe The generality of people are apt to go the wrong way to rejoyce at the evill of Gods people All Idumea rejoyced The whole earth the people of it
of God to be profaned by the heathens and so deserving nothing but confusion he pityed them and for his names sake delivered them which name of God is set out by two adjuncts or epithites 1. Holy 2. Great Vers 21. But I had pity for my holy Name The Hebrew is And I spared upon the Name of my holinesse that is I spared them upon the account of my holy Name I would not suffer that to be profaned so by the heathen and therefore did deliver them The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I spared them for my holy Names sake I had a tender respect unto my Name which being holy I would not suffer to lye under heathenish oblequies Which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen whither they went God is stiled in Scripture The Holy One of Jacob Isa 29.23 The Holy One of Israel Psal 78.41 The Holy One Isa 40.23 And the Jews above all Nations and People in the world should have had a special care of the name of their God that the holinesse thereof might have been maintained but they forgat God in Babylon did wickedly and so gave occasion to the heathens to blaspheme his holy Name Vers 22. I do not this for your sakes O house of Israel They deserved not such a mercy at the hands of God as reduction out of Babylon into Canaan they were defiled with bloud and idolatry which moved God to cast them out of their Land and scatter them among the heathen but they did nothing to incline God to shew them the least favour had they had according to their deserts they should never have been set at liberty but have perished utterly in their captivity They might think because they were circumcised came of David Abraham Isaac and Jacob and were the only people God had in the world that therefore God would do much for their sakes but to take them off from such conceits the Lord makes open profession that what he was about to do was not for their sakes But for mine holy Names sake Gods name is sometimes put for himself as Psal 33.21 We have trusted in his holy Name that is in God himself Sometimes it s put for his power Prov 18.10 The name of the Lord is a strong Tower that is his Omnipotence is such a Tower Sometimes it s put for the Attributes and divine perfections of God Psal 8.1 O Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth that is How excellent are thine Attributes Sometimes it s put for the fame and glory of God as 2 Sam 7.23 To make himself a name that was to make himself famous and glorious The two last may be understood here by name the heathens said God was not wise not faithfull not omnipotent that would let his people go into captivity and become servants unto us yea it s evident by his peoples doings what a God he is they are an unholy people and he is an unholy God and so his fame and glory were eclipsed therefore saith God For mine holy Names sake which ye have profaned among the Heathen I will vindicate my name and make heathens know and you know that I am a wise a faithfull an Allmighty and holy God Vers 23. And I will sanctifie my great name I will vindicate my name from all aspersions laid upon it and make it known to Heathens and to you O house of Israel by punishing them for their idolatry and other wickednesses and by bringing you out of captivity that I am a God of power wisdome faithfullnesse and holinesse God sanctifies his name when he clears it from disgrace and reproach cast thereupon and makes it appear as it is in it self glorious and holy Gods name hath many Epithites given unto it in the Word it s said to be glorious Ps 72.19 Excellent Psal 148.13 Dreadful Mal. 1.14 Holy vers 21. of this Chapter and here Great God hath done great and wonderfull things in the world whereupon he hath a great name not only in Israel Psal 76.1 but all the world over Psal 8.9 Many men have had great names yet nothing comparable to the name of the Lord. Which was profaned among the Heathen which ye have profaned in the midst of them The Jews being under the Babylonish yoke for their sins did not humble themselves before God repent and turn from their wicked wayes that so Gods name might have been sanctified among the Heathen but they persisted in their wicked wayes and were worse than the Heathens among whom they were scattered and so occasioned the Heathens to speak evill of their God their Religion and Worship and not only so but themselves profaned Gods name they rejected the God of Israel and his wayes saying We will be as the Heathen as the familyes of the Countryes to serve wood and stone Ezek 20.32 They made the God of Israel like the heathen gods and his wayes like theirs which was a great profanation of him and his name And the heathens shall know that I am the Lord saith the Lord God when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes When the Lord should manifest his mercy towards them and put forth his power to bring them out of Babylon then was he sanctified in the midst of them then he did vindicate his name from all aspersions and made the Jews and Babylonians know that he was an holy faithful wise merciful and an Allmighty God he would make his name honourable before them all which had been profaned Vers 24. For I will take you from among the Heathen The Heathen make full account you are theirs that you shall never get out of their borders or return into your own Land they think that their idol gods are stronger then I who am the God of Israel but they shall find it otherwise for I will by a strong hand take you from among the heathen And gather you out of all Countreys They were dispersed into divers Countreys into the 127 Provinces that were under Ahasuerus his government Esther 3.8 it seemed improbable that they should ever be gathered out of so many Countreys but the Lord tells them for their comfort that he would gather them out of all Countreys no distance of place or difficulty in any place should impede his Congregating of them And will bring you into your own Land After the seaventy years of their captivity were expired the Lord set them at liberty and brought them back to the Land of Canaan their own Land because they inherited it from their fathers unto whom the Lord had given it This was a glorious and great work viz the bringing the Jews out of Babylon and all the Countreys where they were scattered into Canaan and did prefigure the salvation of the Church by Christ and gathering of those that were his out of all Nations unto it according to what is in John 10.16 John 11.52 First Observe The name of the Lord is holy His Essence his
it 2 Chron. 36.22 23. and it was done The getting Peter out of Prison seemed a thing impossible he was in two Chains between two Souldiers keepers at the door a first and second Ward after these to passe by and then an Iron gate to open all these things were as nothing to God he sent an Angel who brought Peter out of Prison notwithstanding all these difficulties and as to men impossibilities Acts 12. God saith Jer. 32.27 I am the Lord the God of all flesh is there any thing too hard for me Many things are too hard for you but is there any thing in Heaven or earth too hard for me what cannot I bring the Jews again to Canaan vers 37. I will gather them out of all Countries whither I have driven them in mine anger and in my fury and in great wrath and I will bring them again to this place viz to Jerusalem Secondly Observe Lands are at the dispose of God Ye shall dwell in the Land that I gave to your fathers Canaan God first gave to the Canaanites for their iniquities God took it away and gave it to the Jews they provoking God by their idolatries and oppressions he took it from them and gave it to the Chaldeans who having possessed it for some years he took it from them and restored it again to the Jews not onely the Land of Canaan was disposed of by the Lord but all Lands and Nations are his and given to whom he pleases Jer. 10.7 He is King of Nations he rules in the Kingdomes of men and gives them to whom he will Dan. 4.32 All Kings are Gods Coppy-holders and he can turn them out of their Tenures at pleasure Jer. 27.5 6. I have made the earth and given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me and now have I given all these Lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon He turned out the King of Moab the King of Edom the King of the Ammonites the King of Tyre the King of Zidon and gave all their Lands into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar Thirdly Observe No condition of Gods people is so grievous but shall have a comfortable issue That the Jews were in captivity deprived of all those sweet enjoyments they had in the Land of Canaan was grievous that they were amongst Idolaters Blasphemers in a polluted Land and made to serve the enemies of God this was exceeding grievous unto them yet this condition was not to last alwayes it should have a comfortable end they should return and dwell in the Land of their fathers and enjoy their ancient honourable and comfortable priviledges In the Apostles dayes the Church was under great persecution and many suffered Acts 8. 9. Chap but the persecution and suffering of the Saints had an end yea a comfortable end for Chap 9.31 it s said Then had the Churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria and were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy spirit were multiplyed Here was a blessed conclusion of a sad persecution this blustering Winter had a sweet Spring following of it Fourthly Observe It is an act of grace in God to take any people to be his and a renewed act of grace to fall in again with those that have revolted from him and he hath cast off What was in this people of the Jews at first to move him to mind them to take them for his people they had that enough in them and as all other Nations have to make him abhor them but nothing to incline his heart towards them Ezek. 16.5 6. When thy person was loathed and thou wast polluted in thy bloud I said unto thee live vers 8. I entered into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine Here was an act of grace it was Gods pleasure made them his people 1 Sam. 12.22 and nothing else and when they had forsaken God Jer. 2.13 and he had cast them out of his sight Jer. 7.15 which was done when they were cast into Babylon to fall in again with these to own them for his people and to become their God again this was a renewed act of grace height of mercy strength of love God might have said Ye are weary of me and I am weary of you I know your thoughts and what comes into your mind that you would be as the Heathen as the Familyes of the Countrey to serve Wood and stone Ezek. 20.32 but God would not suffer it he would bring them out of Babylon be their God and take them to be his people which sets out the freeness and fulness of divine grace he would not let his people become heathenish and worship heathen gods Fifthly Observe All Nations have not an equall interest in God his favour and grace is not alike dispensed unto all God said not to the Babylonians Ye shall be my people and I will be your God This was spoken to the Jews and to no other Nation therefore saith God of that Nation You only have I known of all the familyes of the earth Amos 3.2 you have I taken into neerer relation than any other you have I known by way of Covenant you have I known so as to record my name among you and to dwell among you but so I have not dealt with other Nations They were without God in the world Ephes 2.12 They were far off ver 13. from God from the means of grace and salvation The Gentiles had not such interest in God as the Jews had they had common favour as they were his creatures under the Covenant of works these had speciall favour as they were his people under the Covenant of grace Isa 43.3 I am the Lord thy God the holy One of Israel thy Saviour I gave Egypt for thy ransome Ethiopia and Seba for thee God exposed them to destruction for the safety of the Jewes Sixthly Observe That people is honoured and happy whom the Lord owns to be his and vouchsafeth to be their God Ye shall be my people and I will be your God What greater honour could the Jews have in the woâ—ld then to be taken by the infinite holy great and glorious God to be his people It is a great honour when pooâ— beggaâ—ly people are taken into great mens and Princes services much more is it so when a sinfull Nation is taken in by God to be his people And not only is it an honour but an happiness Psal 144.15 Happy is that people whose God is the Lord is not that people happy which have peace and plenty of all good things Yes it is an humane a conceited happiness but it is not a reall a true happiness that lyeth in having God our God our Loâ—d propriety in a Deity makes a Nation or Peâ—son happy Psal 33.12 Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord and the People whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance David who was a Prophet and a man after Gods own heart
Such a choice blessing upon the Land that it should be thought like Eden Vers 33. In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities He spake of cleansing them from all their filthinesse in the 25. vers and of saving them from all their uncleannesses in the 29. Iniquities here imports the same that filthinesses and uncleannesses do there The sense is this In the day that I shall forgive your sins free you frtm the guilt and punishment of them by bringing y u out of Captivity into your own Countrey then will I do such things for you I will also cause you to dwell in the Cityes and the wastes shall be builded The Cityes and Places which by war and length of time were wasted and decayed should be built again repaired and inhabited Vers 34. And the desolate Land shall be tilled Canaan had layen desolate many years and kept many Sabbaths there being none to Till it but now God promises It should be ploughed sown and yield encrease as it is vers 29. Whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by it There being no husbond-man to plough the Land to dress the Vines nor others to repair the waste places all lay desolate and the desolateness thereof was seen by strangers Doubtless many Travellers turned aside to see the desolations of Jerusalem the Temple and Cannan which had been so famous in the world and when they came they saw all overgrown with Thorns Bryars and Nettles Vers 35. This Land that was desolate is become like the Garden of Eden God would so blesse the Land of Canaan and their labours in it that it should be like the Garden of Eden for order plenty pleasure They who wondered before at the desolateness of it should wonder at the great alteration made there they should see order where was confusion plenty where was barrenness and pleasure where was nothing but abhorrencie And the waste desolate and ruined Cityes are become fenced and inhabited Many Cityes had been in the Land of Canaan which Nebuchadnezzars Army and Forces had laid waste made desolate and utterly ruined but after their return from Babylon they were not only built but fortified and fenced with walls First Observe When God pardons the sins of his people then he vouchsafeth them other mercies In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the Cityes and the wastes shall be builded and the desolate Land shall be tilled God would bless them with liberty commodious habitations and plenty of all things 2 Chron 7.14 I will forgive their sins and heal their Land Pardon of sin is a fundamentall mercy and hath many other mercies following of it Jer 33.8 9. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against me and it shall be to me a name of joy a praise and an honour before all the Nations of the earth which shall hear all the good that I do unto them and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodnesse and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it When God forgives his people their iniquities he will take delight in doing them good count it his honour get himself a name throughout the earth by blessing and prospering them and Jerusalem or the Church which is meant by it so that the enemies shall be afraid of that God and that people Secondly Observe The best of Lands may be laid desolate Canaan was a Land flowed with Milk and Honey the glory of all Lands Ezek 20.6 And here it is called The desolate Land it was deprived of Men and Beasts of Cityes Towns and Houses it was become a Wildernesse for the sins of the people it was brought into that condition Zech 7.11 12. They were stubborn hard-hearted rebellious and therefore God scattered them with a whirle-wind among all the Nations whom they knew not and thus the Land was desolate after them that no man passed thorow nor returned for they laid the pleasant Land desolate vers 14. It was their sins which made that Land of desire a Land of desolation Thirdly Observe Desolate Lands shall not alwayes lye in that condition The desolate Land shall be tilled If Canaan lye desolate seaventy years at the end thereof she shall be tilled as she had her time of lying fallow so should she have her time of ploughing and sowing Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast and it shall come to passe that like as I have watched over them to pluck up and to break down and to throw down and to destroy and to afflict so will I watch over them to build and to plant saith the Lord Jer. 31.27 28. As God hath his dayes and times to lay waste and to pluck up so to build and plant he compares men and beasts here to seed not only because they do multiply themselves but also because men by the help of beast should till the Land and sow it whereupon it should bring forth abundantly And as God deals with desolate Lands so he doth with desolate hearts he hath his times to till and sow them as vers 15 16 17. Rachel wept and refused to be comforted but what said God to her Refrain thy voice from weeping and thine eyes from tears for thy work shall be rewarded c. God sowed in her heart seeds of hope and comfort Fourthly Observe What a great and wonderfull change God can make in a little time God can make a desolate Land like a Garden and the best of all Gardens viz The Garden of Eden which was of Gods own planting Gen 2.8 The strangers that saw Canaan in its desolateness even they should see the change and wonder at it saying This Land that was desolate is become like the Garden of Eden now there is beauty plenty and pleasure in it God can bring order out of confusion abundance out of barrenness and delight out of desolation When the famine was so sore in Samaria that women did eat their own children what a change did God make in a day To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine Flower be sold for a shekel and two measures of Barley for a shekel in the gates of Samaria and it proved so notwithstanding that the Noble man said viz If the Lord would make windows in Heaven might this thing be yea it was and his eyes saw it 2 Kings 7. The Syrians fled left their provisions which were brought into Samaria and made such plenty there When the Israelites wanted flesh to eat in the Wilderness did not God send Quails two Cubits high upon the face of the earth Numb 11.31 He can make a Desert to blossom and that
The Instrumental Prophesying v. 4 7 9 10. 2. The Principal v. 5. 2. The Formal which is expressed 1. By coalition of bone to bone v. 7. 2. By cloathing of the bones with flesh sinews and skin v. 8. 3. By the entrance of breath v. 10. Verse 4. Prophesie upon these bones and say unto them O ye dry bones hear the word of Lord. This seems an absurd thing that the Prophet should prophesie unto Creatures insensible unintelligible void of life It was as if God should bid a man preach unto an heap of stones or dry chips which are incapable of hearing But though these Bones were incapable of hearing Ezekiels voyce yet they were not incapable of hearing Gods voyce for all creatures even the most senseless hear the Lord when he speaks the stormy winds fulfil his word Psal 148.8 The Heavens and the Earth Isai 1.2 Whales and Ravens Jon. 2.10 1 King 17.4 The Lord intended to bestow life upon these bones and that they might have life they must hear his word which had inlivening vertue in it There is an obediential vertue in every creature to yield to the will and command of the Creator and when it doth so then it 's said to hear the voyce of the Lord then properly men hear God when they do what he requires Vers 5. Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live These words prevent an Objection which the Prophet might have made saying It s in vain for me to prophesie to these dry bones what ever I shall say over them or unto them will come to nothing and prove ridiculous if any take notice thereof No saith the Lord it shall not be so for Behold I will cause breath to enter into them and they shall live The Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold I bring upon you the Spirit of life Others render the words thus Behold I do make the Spirit to enter into you or I am about to bring the Spirit into you and ye shall live that is I am ready to breathe life into you or I will breathe the breath of life into you It 's life is here promised which he mentions first to encourage the Prophet though it were performed last for the bones must first be united then be cloathed with sinews flesh and skin before the breath of life enters Verse 6. And I will lay sinews upon you The Hebrew for Sinews is Gidim which is from Gadad Turmatim oonncurrere quia nervi in corpore ad sensus motus officia concurrant c. The nerves in the body do concur unto the duties of sense and motion Some Nerves are soft some are hard the soft are specially for sense and they come from the Brain the hard are chiefly for motion and they come from the Marrow in the back-bone Here God would cause these visional Bones to have visional Sinews which might fit them for sense and motion And bring up flesh upon you The word for Flesh is Basar which Synechdochically signifies sometimes Men and sometimes other living creatures but here it notes that part of mans body which is simplex mollis rubicunda simple soft and ruddiest such flesh would God bring up upon these Bones The Hebrew for bring up is I will make to ascend God would cause flesh to grow up and ascend out of those dry bones And cover you with skin When the bones had sinews and flesh God would not leave them so it 's unsightly to behold naked raw flesh He would give them a garment viz. cover them with Skin Incrustabo vos cute saith Montanus I will crust you over with skin Superextendam in vobis Cutem saith the Vulgar I will stretch over you a Skin The word for Skin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be naked Though the flesh were covered with skin yet was not the skin covered with any artificial covering And put breath in you and ye shall live These words are the same with those in the 5. verse Now when the bones had their sinews flesh and skin and were fitted for the breath of life they should have it The Septuagint is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give my Spirit upon you that shall beget life in you and cause you to live And ye shall know that I am the Lord. These dry bones being so Metamorphosed and raised to a living condition should acknowledge the mighty hand of the Lord and be convinced that he was able to do whatsoever he pleased Verse 7. So I Prophesied as I was commanded The Prophet stood not disputing the case with God but he understanding the mind of God presently set himself to fulfil it And as I prophesied there was a noise What Ezekiel Prophesied to these bones is not so much to be questioned he had direction from God what to say unto them even those words ye have in the 4 5 6 verses And as he was Prophesying before he had uttered all given him in commission there was a noise not of thunder or of Angels or of an Earthquake but of the bones themselves which being many dry and stirring could not but make a great noise This noise was an evident demonstration of Divine presence and power put forth in this Miraculous work And behold a shaking These bones that were dead and dry now began to stir and shake they moved from their places Maldonate thinks that the earth was moved that so the bones which were in the graves and under the earth might come forth but these were bones lay in an open valley not under the earth Their shaking or concussion was cum impetu with force It was Divine Power made them to shake and move Some refer this shaking to the invasion of the Babylonians by the Medes and Persians at what time the Jews obtain'd their liberty And the bones came together bone to his bone As timber in an house so are bones in the body the strength and support of all The Hebrew word for a Bone is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etzem from Atzam to corroborate and make solid Bones are robur soliditas corporis the strength and solidity of the body These bones came together not promiscuously the bones of one man or woman to the bones of another man or woman but bone to his bone that is every bone of the same man to his right place and every bone of the same woman to its right place the rib-bones thigh-bones and ancle-bones came every one to his proper place and so united together Verse 8. And when I beheld loe the sinews and the flesh came up upon them and the skin covered them above Here was a strange sight to see dry bones come creeping together every one to coalesce and joyn in his due place making up a perfect Skeleton and out of that sinews flesh and skin to ascend this was such a sight that neither Ezekiel nor any man had ever seen
Judah and his Companions and on another stick For Joseph Ephraim or the house of Israel and his companions not one of them were out of Gods thoughts Their forefathers had been 400 years in Egypt were tyrannized over by cruel Task-masters lookt upon as contemptible but the Lord had an eye to them cared and wrought for them They have now layen 1600 years in darkness in a desolate and despised condition yet doubtless they are not forgotten Gods thoughts are upon them to do them good again Fourthly Observe Typical and obscure things will excite men to inquire after the sense of them This is intimated in the 18. ver When the children of thy people shall speak unto thee saying Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these God knew they would inquire Common things are neglected but things strange and mysterious are dived into sought after When Ezekiel was to dig through the wall cover his face and remove his stuff then the people were stirr'd and said What doest thou Chap. 12.9 Those typical actions bred inquisitiveness in their spirits When the Lord Christ spake Parables they sought to him to know the sense and meaning of them Fifthly Observe God is pleased to direct his Prophets and Servants what to say unto the People when they come to question with them about things If this people come to Ezekiel to know what he meant by the two Sticks his writing upon them and holding them in his hand the Lord tells him what he shall say unto them say Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will take the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim c. When God sent Moses unto the people he was timorous lest he should not know what to say to the people how to answer their questions but see how God directs and instructs him Exod. 3.13 14. Moses said unto God when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you and they shall say unto me What is his name what shall I say unto them I know not how to answer that question See what now follows And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM And he said Thus shalt thou say I AM hath sent me unto you Thus God taught him what answer to give the people So Ezek. 14. when the Elders came to inquire somewhat of Ezekiel God told him what answer to give them It was given in of God by his Spirit to the Apostles what answer to give Governors and Rulers when they â—ere brought before them Mat. 10.19 Vers 20 21 21. 20. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes 21. And say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the Heathen whither they be gone and will gather them on every side and bring them into their own Land 22. And I will make them one Nation in the land upon the Mountains of Israel and one King shall be King to them all and they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be divided into two Kingdoms any more at all THe Explication of the Typical Sticks is laid down in these and the subsequent verses Vers 20. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes The Prophet was not to do this privately but to write upon the sticks and to hold them in his hand so that all might see them and hereby be provoked to inquire what the mystery of them was and so become partakers of the consolation intended thereby Vers 21. Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the Heathen whither they be gone 〈◊〉 this verse is promised the reduction of the twelve Tribes comprehended under these words the children of Israel out of all Countries where they were scattered into their own Land Not only Judah and Benjamin should be gathered up and brought into Canaan again but the rest of the Tribes also This is a great and gratious Promise And will gather them on every side The ten Tribes being carryed away by Shalmanezer were placed in Haloth and Habor by the river Gozan and in the cities of the Medes 2 King 17.6 they were seated in the utmost parts of his Dominions North and East and the other Jews whom Nebuchadnezzer led away captive were scattered up and down his manifold Provinces as appears Esth 3.8 Now God would look on every side and gather them up out of all Quarters Vers 22. And I will make them one Nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel Being brought into their Land here God adds three great Promises more The first is uniting of them into one Nation who had some hundreds of years been divided and at bitter enmity one against another And one King shall be King to them all After the division made by Jeroboam you read of several Kings they had Kings of Judah and Kings of Israel There were two Kingdoms and divers Kings of them both but the Kingdoms being united into one the Lord promiseth them not a succession of Kings over them but one King to Rule over them both They should be one Kingdom and have one King This is the second great Promise And they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be divided into two Kingdoms any more at all This is the third Promise and it 's a great one also viz. they shall continue a Kingdom one Kingdom and never be torn or rent in pieces any more There shall be no Rehoboam's or Jeroboam's to cause divisions in it It will add some light to the words under consideration if we make inquiry Whether the Type of the two Sticks be fulfilled by the incorporating of the two Nations into one and making of them one Kingdom It 's affirmed by some that this Hieroglyphical Prophesie was fulfill'd at the Return of the two Tribes out of Babylon For then Cyrus King of Persia made a Proclamation throughout all his Kingdom to this purpose Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia All the Kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem which is in Judea Who is there among you of all his people the Lord his God be with him and â—â—t him go up 2 Chron. 36.22 23. The Proclamation excepts no persons no Tribes but gives full liberty unto all The ten Tribes having been now 204. years or there abouts in Captivity it 's likely were weary of their condition and so willing to return into their own Countrey and so they took the opportunity before them For it 's evident that some of the ten Tribes did â—eturn to Jerusalem Of the Levites there were 74. Ezra 2.40 Nehem. 7.43 and of the Priests who were of that Tribe as appear 1 Chron. 24.1 2 7. Exod. 6.16 18 20. Nehem 7.39 there were 973. Paul was of the Tâ—â—â—e of Benjamin
14.20 21. There shall be no Canaanites then in the house of the Lord of hosts Then shall be the new Heavens and new Earth wherein shall dwell righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 that is Righteous persons such as shall do righteous things for there shall be no exacting no violence no destruction but salvation and praise Isa 60.17 18. There shall the righteous flourish Psal 72.7 Fourthly Observe We ought to think and speak honourably of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and Saints of God God thought and spoke honourably of David of Jacob He calls them His servants that is an honourable Title which he gives them Fifthly Observe The Jews and their Posterity shall inherit their Land again become a Kingdom and continue so under Christ for ever They and their children and their childrens children shall dwell in the Land and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever All other Kingdoms have been shaken broken but this shall abide Daniel speaks of it in his 2. Chap. ver 44. The God of heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever Revel 11.15 The Kingdoms of this World must become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Vers 26 27. 26. Moreover I will make a Covenant of peace with them it shall be an everlasting Covenant with them and I will place them and multiply them and will set my Sanctuary in the middest of them for evermore 27. My Tabernacle also shall be with them yea I will be their God and they shall be my people HEre are more Promises given forth to the houses of Judah and Joseph being gathered out of the Nations and united into one house As 1. Of a Covenant of Peace 2. Of placing or disposing them 3. Of multiplying of them 4. Of God's dwelling amongst them Vers 26. Moreover I will make a Covenant of peace with them The Hebrew is I will strike or cut a Covenant with them Caratti lahem berith shalom Carath signifies to cut and to cut off by death 1 Sam. 31.9 the Philistines cut off Sauls head And 1 Sam. 28.9 Saul cut off those had Familiar-spirits and the Wisards out of the Land also to cut off from place and power as 1 Sam. 2.33 But when it 's joyned with Berith it alwayes signifies to strike or make a Covenant because it was a custom when they made Covenants to kill some beast or other cut it in the midst and pass between the parts thereof manifesting by so doing that if they brake Covenant they deserved to be cut in pieces Gen. 15.9 10 18. Jerem. 34.18 This practise was among the Heathens who cut a Swine in pieces Stabant caesâ firmabant faedera porcâ Virg. Aeneiad lib. 8. pass'd between them and so made Covenants The Covenant here which God would make with the two houses was a Covenant of Peace The word for Peace is Shalom by which the Hebrews understand not only outward quietness but all kind of outward happiness Hac voce appellant quicquid in bonorum censu habetur hoc est quicquid expeti aut optari potest Grot. Whatsoever they count in the number of good things and desirable that they comprehend under the name of Peace and when they wish all happiness to a man they wish him Peace Maldonate tells us that the Covenant of Peace here is the Gospel wherein we see Christ hath pacified all things by the bloud of his Cross Coloss 1.20 And Lavater saith it 's call'd a Covenant of Peace Quia Christi merito pax inter Deum nos constituta est not only outward but inward Peace The Jews had some Peace at their return out of Babylon but in the time of the Macchabees they had long bitter and bloudy Wars When Christ came there was Peace for a time but not long after his death they and their Nation were destroyed by the Romans The Covenant of Peace here is promised to the two houses who were not then but still are to be united and when they shall be united God will make good his promise He will strike a Covenant of Peace with them which shall not be for a few years but as it follows It shall be an everlasting Covenant with them God will not make a Truce with them for dayes months and years but a Covenant for ever The Jews opposed Christ when he came first and had little outward or inward Peace but when he shall reign over both Houses they shall have everlasting Peace And I will place them In the Original it is Vnethattim Et dabo eos I will give them Piscator confesses he doth not ken the sense of these words Ghappe he saith this is it I will place them in the holy Land Vatablus is of the same mind interpreting them thus I will place them in my Land The Chaldee is Benedicam eis I will bless them And Mariana to that purpose saith Dabo eis sc Benedictionem I will give them a blessing The Vulgar is Fundabo eos which Pinus expounds thus I will place them in a firm Land where they shall have a solid foundation Oecolampadius more fully Dabo eos tali conciliatori qui est mea benedictio in gentes I will give them to Christ whom I have promised to be a blessing to the Nations which sense I conceive the best for he spake in the verse before of dwelling in the Land where their Fathers dwelt In that Land God would give them to Christ And multiply them This multiplication is not only in a Natural sense to be taken but in a Spiritual also Non tam secundum carnem quà m secundum spiritum promittit augendum Israelem saith Lavater Their increase will be great and they shall be Believers Sutable to which is that in Isa 54.13 All thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children And will set my Sanctuary in the middest of them for evermore The word for my Sanctuary is Mickdashi which Montanus renders Sanctificationem meam My Sanctification The Chaldee and others call it Sanctuarium meum My Sanctuary The Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My holy things Mariana saith Ecclesiam My Church After the return of Judah and Benjamin from Captivity they had the Temple rebuilt which in process of time was utterly destroyed but here the Lord speaks of setting his Sanctuary in the middest of the two houses being united God will have his Church and Worship eminently amongst them Oecolampadius saith Non aberit Templum divinitatis Christus Jesus They shall not be without a divine Temple viz. Christ Jesus He shall be the Temple amongst them Rev. 21.22 And as he shall be their Prince for ever so shall he be their Temple and Sanctuary for ever Vers 27. My Tabernacle
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
Enemies they should sheath their Swords in one anothers bowels God would order it so that one should destâ—oy another as the Philistines did 1 Sam. 14 16. Behold the multitude melted away and they went on beating down one another and Vers 20. Every mans sword was against his fellow They being full of discontent and perplexity thought it more honourable to dye then to fall into the hands of Enemies Vers 22. And I will plead against him with Pestilence and with Bloud He shews here what judgements God would bring upon Gog and his Armies judgements from beneath and judgements from above The first sort here are Pestilence and Bloud by the sword and slaughter The Hebrew is I will be judg'd with him by Pestilence and Bloud they shall declare that I am a strong and just God And I will rain upon him and upon his Bands c. an over-flowing Rain and great Hailstones Fire and Brimstone The second sort of judgements are Rain Hailstones Fire and Brimstone These words over-flowing showers and great Hailstones we had Chap. 13.11 13. In the 10. of Joshuah we read how God did cast down great Stones from Heaven upon the Amorites and slew more with Hailâ—tones then the Israelites slew with the Sword vers 10. To this place it 's conceiv'd our Prophet alludes foretelling that the Lord would deal with the Goggites as he did with the Amorites slâ—y them with extraordinary great Hâ—â—lstones from Heaven and not only so but with Fire and Brimstone which is poena damnatorum the punishment of the damn'd in Hell and was the punishment of Sodom and Gomorrha Some by these expressions understand manifold and grievous calamities which befell Gog and his and will not have them to be understood litterally that so the verification of them may fall upon Antiochus and his Forces who suffered very sad things for he was smitten by God with an incurable and invisible plague and torment in his bowels he fell from his Chariot and was bruised with his fall worms came out of his body in abundance his rottenness and stink was such as none could bear the same and while he was alive his flesh fell off for pain 2 Macc. 9. Let it be granted that these words are not to be taken literally but metaphorically for heavy judgements befalling Gog and his it will not follow thereupon that Antiochus was the man though he suffered such grievous things for it 's said of Gog that he should fall upon the Mountains of Israel he and all his Bands that he and his slain should have graves in Israel Ezek. 39.4 11. But as for Antiochus he dyed in his bed and that either in Babylon as 1 Macc. 6. or at Ecbatane in India as it 's 2 Macc. 9. Neither was there any such vast destruction of Antiochus Forces which came into Judaea under Lysias as these words hold out and is more clearly expressed in Ch. 39.12 Seven moneths shall the house of Israel be burying of them There must be a wonderful great slaughter which required so much time for their burial I conceive therefore that these words may be taken in the literal sense and are yet to be fulfill'd and that induceth so to judge is what you have Rev. 20.8 9. where it is said Satan shall gather Gog and Magog together to battail the number of whom is as the sand of the Sea and they went up on the breadth of the Earth and compassed the Camp of the Saints about and the beloved City and fire came down from Heaven and devoured them John saw this in Vision and spake of it as to come and puts it after the Saints rising and reigning a thousand years with Christ That time being expired some grand Enemies shall arise against the Jews and people of God whom he will destroy not only in an ordinary way but miraculously also by fire from Heaven First Observe When wicked men are plotting and attempting the ruine of the Church Gods wrath is kindled against them When Gog comes up against the land of Israel Gods fury comes up in his face Gog manifests himself to be an Enemy to Sion and God manifests himself to be an Enemy to Gog. Wicked men plot act proceed far oft-times and afflict the servants of God greatly but when they think to carry all God appears and that in fury In Nah. 1.2 it is said He reserveth wrath for his Enemies and when they declare their enmity against him and his he discovers his wrath against them Zerah had been long plotting against the Jews at last he comes against them with a thousand thousand and three hundred Chariots and thought to devour Asa his Army and Land in a day and whilest he had such apprehensions the Lord smote him before Asa and Judah 2 Chron. 14.8.12 Secondly Observe When mischief is intended against Gods people his love and indignation are manifested then his love to his people his indignation towards their Enemies In my jealousie and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken When Gogs Armies were to harm the Jews then was he jealous In jealousie there is ardent love and vehement indignation the one is towards his people the other towards them that wrong his people Zechar. 8. I was jealous for Zion with great jealousie and I was jealous for her with great fury He had strong love to Zion and great fury against the Enemies of Zion as a man hath ardent love to his wife and indignation against any should offer her violence God is jealous over his Church and therefore will never suffer it to be made a prey of by the wicked Gods love and indignation at such a time are so ardent that he swears he will be avenged on them that would wrong his Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the Land of Israel Gog and all his Forces shall fall Thirdly Observe The judgements of God are dreadful they affect all Creatures the Fishes of the Sea the Fowls of Heaven the Beasts of the Field all that creeps upon the Earth all men upon the face of the Earth shall shake Mountains Rocks Walls shall fall This judgement upon Gog shall be such as to astonish and trouble all sensible and insensible creatures so much of God shall be seen in it When the Lord destroyed Tyrus it was a dreadful judgement the Isles did shake at the sound of her fall the Princes of the Sea did tremble and were astonished Ezek. 26. But at the destruction of Gog Heaven Earth Sea all men other creatures shall shake There will be more of God seen in that judgement then in most before his presence power and severity will appear eminently in that Judgement it will speak aloud and fill the world with astonishment Fourthly Observe God can easily raise Forces against his and the Churches Enemies he can do it without any trouble I will call for a Sword against him throughout all my Mountains The Mountains of Israel were the Lords and all
Israel EZekiel having begun a Prophesie concerning Gog and Magog in the former Chapter he proceeds in this also therein and tells you 1. Of the severe dealings of God with Gog to the 25. ver 2. Of his gratious favour and goodness to his people from the 25. to the end In these Verses we have 1. The great enemy of Gog and author of his overthrow ver 1. 2. The manner of it ver 2 3 6. 3. The place where it should be ver 4 5. 4. The greatness of it ver 4. 5. The certainty thereof ver 5. 6. The end of God in so doing ver 7. Vers 1. Behold I am against thee O Gog the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal These very words we had in the former Chap. ver 2. 3. He was a great Prince had great Command many Confederates to take his part yet being wicked and an enemy to Gods people God declares himself to be an enemy to him Vers 2. I will turn thee back and leave but the sixt part of thee These words and leave but a sixt part of thee are variously Interpreted Some say I will kill five parts of thine Army and leave but a sixt Some I will seduce thee Others I will judge thee with six Judgements viz. the Plague Bloud Rain Hailstones Fire and Bimstone as it 's in the former Chapter ver 22. The Hebrew Shis shethica Montanus renders sextabo te I will sixt thee For the meaning whereof consider what has be said Ch. 38.4 I will turn thee back and put hooks into thy chaws the sense whereof was this I will not turn thee back but bring thee out and because of Objections Difficulties and Remoraes I will draw thee forth I will put hooks in thy chaws and deal by thee as men do by fish in the Seas or things fallen into wells draw thee out by hooks The reason it s conceived of this expression is for that they used irons with six hooks upon them to catch hold of things fallen into waters and to draw them out thereby Hence it is that the Lord saith I will sixt thee as the word signifies or draw thee out with hooks as the sense is And will cause thee to come up from the North parts and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel Of Gog's coming from the North parts we heard Chap. 38.15 God would cause him to come out of those parts unto the Mountains of Israel which we may take Literally though some doe take them Metaphorically for the places where the Church of God should be Vers 3. And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand and cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand Bows and Arrows were much used in former dayes both amongst the Jews and Heathens also as Isa 66.19 Jer. 46.9 1 Chr. 5.18 and when they handled them they held the Bows in their left hands and Arrows in their right ones Now when these Goggites should attempt to shoot and do execution by shooting God would disappoint them causing a fear and faintness to fall upon them so that not only their Bows and Arrows but all their Military Instruments should be useless for by these mentioned are meant all the rest To smite or break the Bow imports the weakning of Forces or making of warlike Instruments inefficacious as Psal 37.15 Psal 46.9 Hos 1.5 Jer. 49.35 In these places Breaking of the Bow notes Blasting of their power and making frustrare all Military instruments Vers 4. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel thou and all thy bands and the people that is with thee Not in places conspicuous to the whole Church as some would have it but in the Land and on the Mountains of Israel which Antiochus Epiphanes did not as I shewed formerly And this verse gives warrant to depart from our Translation of those words in the 2. verse And leave but the sixt part of thee For Gog and all his Bands and Confederates were to fall upon the Mountains of Israel no sixt part of them were left I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured When great Armies are overthrown sometimes their Carkasses lie unburyed and so are exposed to the fowls of heaven and beasts of the field which pray upon them so should it be with Gog and his for a season after they had layen a season they had burial as appears v. 11 The word for Ravenous bird is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aiil which signifies a bird of prey and differs from Tzippor which is a small bird Vers 5. Thou shalt fall upon the open field The Hebrew saith Thou shalt fall upon the faces of the field that is the superficies and so lie in open view We had the same words in Chap. 16.5 32.4 Vers 6. And I will send a fire on Magog Some by Magog understand the Land of Gog when Others a distinct person and Prince from Gog. Let Magog denote a Place or Person God would send a fire not Metaphorical fire only but Material fire and so it s said Rev. 20.9 And them that dwell carelesly in the Isles Pliny saith there be many Islands in the Scythian Sea and it 's likely such people as dwell therein are careless secure fearing no dangers yet God would visit them with fire But there be Islands nearer then those upon the Egaeâ—n and Mediterranean Seas which dwell confidently as the word is Vers 7. So will I make my holy Name known in the midst of my people Israel When great men go forth to Warr and obtain some eminent victory thereby they become famous so God by smiting Magog and all his Forces would make his holy Name known that his people should confess him to be a holy God and his Name a Name of holiness for so it is in the Original And will not let them pollute my holy Name any more When men say those things which are derogatory to the Name of God as that he sees not he hath forsaken the Earth that he is unfaithful unjust c. or do such things as cause others to blaspheme and speak dishonourable of Himself his Word Worship and Providences then are they said to pollute his holy Name After the destruction of Gog and Magog God would order things so that his Name should not suffer First Observe Those are Enemies unto the Church God is an Enemy unto them Gog's thought and design was to invade the Land of Israel and what saith the Lord Behold I am against thee O Gog Hadst thou been a friend to my Church I would have been a friend to thee but seeing thou art malitious and intendest mischief against the Saints loe I even I the Lord of Hosts that can shake Heaven and Earth and destroy the most puissant and politick Army in a moment am against thee When thou touchest my people thou touchest the Apple of mine Eye and I neither can nor will bear it
When God shews mercy to his Church and destroyes the Enemies of it then he provides for his own honour sanctifies his Name and makes himself to be known distinct from all other gods When the Jews Church shall be at peace Gog and Magog be destroyed then God will be glorious all speak honourable of him and acknowledge him to be the holy One of Israel When God led the Israelites through the Red-Sea and took off the wheels of the Egyptian Chariots the Egyptians said Let us flee from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians Here they acknowledged Gods power and that he was a God distinguished from all their Idol-gods a God fulfilling his promises and threats a God able to save and destroy even the Holy one of Israel Vers 8. Behold it is come and it is done saith the Lord God this is the day whereof I have spoken HEre the certainty of Gog's overthrow and the rest with the time thereof is pointed out It is come it is done i e. This Prophesie is so certain as if it were come and done already It 's usual among the Hebrews to put preter-tenses for future and to speak of things as past which are certainly to come This is the day whereof I have spoken God had spoken of Gog and Magog by his Prophets formerly as was shew'd from the 17. verse of the 38. Chapter that they should come against Israel and utterly be destroyed in that attempt which the Lord speaking of here as done saith This is the day not designing the prefixed day when it should be It shall be but when that is hid First Observe There is a certain time determin'd for the destruction of the Churches Enemies which God looks upon as present and done Behold it is come it is done that is the day of Gog and Magog's ruine God fore-sees things to come as if they were present not by a presence of Existency from Eternity but in his Decree on that his fore-knowledge and the certainty of things is founded we should therefore firmly believe the same and not give way to dubious opinions thereabout Secondly Observe The particular time is hidden from mâ—n and known only unto God Mâ—n cannot say This is the day but the Lord can He knew the very moment when Gog and his should be destroyed and the Church set at liberty The thing and time indefinitely were revealed to the Prophet but not the particular punctual time The Lord kept that in his own breast his Infinite Wisdom saw it not meet to particularize the time the Prophets had spoken of a day that would be for Gog's invading the Land of Israel and of his falling upon the Mountains thereof but the exact time they knew not John unto whom the Lord Christ revealed much tells you that after 1000. years reign of the Saints with Christ it shall be Rev. 20.7 8 9. Vers 9 10. 9. And they that dwell in the Cities of Israel shall go forth and shall set on fire and burn the Weapons both the Shields and the Bucklers the Bows and the Arrows and the Hand-staves and the Spears and they shall burn them with fire seven years 10. So that they shall take no Wood out of the Field neither cut down any out of the Forrests for they shall burn the Weapons with Fire and they shall spoil those that spoiled them and rob those that robbed them saith the Lord God THe great victory over Gog and Magog begins in these verses which is set out by the burning of the Weapons and spoyling them of their Goods Who gate the victory is not mentioned it 's only said the Jews shall go out of their Cities and gâ—ther up the weapons and burn them c. It 's conceiv'd the Lord will deal with Gog and his Forces in some extraordinary way Vers 3. it 's said I will smite the Bow out of thy hand And Rev. 20.9 Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them but notwithstanding Gods extraordinary dealing with them the Jews were used of the Lord in this victory for Chap. 38.21 I will call for a Sword against him throughout all my Mountains saith the Lord God so that all Israel shall be in the field against him and be the Conquerors Vers 9. They that dwell in the Cities of Israel shall go forth and shall set on fire and burn the Weapons After this great and famous Victory the Citizens which dwell in the Cities of Israel will go forth Visendi Spoliandi gratia to see the slain and to get spoil and among other things they should take of their Weapons and make themselves Fire thereof The word for Weapons is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neshek which notes any kind of Weapon to oppose the Enemy It 's not from nasak to burn but from noshak to â—rm Both the Shields and the Bucklers the Bows and the Arrows and the Hand-staves and the Spears These latter were combustible but how they should burn the Shields and Bucklers is not apparent they being of solid metals It 's like something combustible was annexed unto them And they shall burn them with Fire seven years It must needs be a numerous or rather numberless Army whose weapons should suffice the Jews seven years for fireing John saith their Number shall be as the sand of the Sea Rev. 20.8 which exceeds all Arithmetick Some make it an Hyperbolical expression to shew the greatness of their overthrow and multitude of their warlike Instruments Others mind us of a certain time put here for an uncertain viz. seven years put for a long time The Jewish Writers do take the words literally concluding they shall have such a Victory over their Enemies as that for seven years they shall need no other materials to burn then their weapons and think their Messiah not come because they have not yet obtain'd such a Victory Sanctius thinks not that they were seven years in burning the weapons but that they had such store which might have served them for seven years fuel great store and therefore it 's said they should burn them with fire seven years How this was verified in Antiochus is hard to shew It 's nearer to truth to judge that this Scripture remains still to be fulfill'd Vers 10. So that they shall take no Wood out of the Field neither cut down any out of the Forrests These words taken absolutely do strengthen the literal acceptation of the former We may take them comparatively thus That in respect of what they did use to take out of the Field and cut out of the Forrest they should now cut and take little And why For they shall burn the Weapons with Fire They should so supply them for fuel that little other wood should serve This burning of Enemies Weapons conduceth much to peace Where warlike weapons are broken and burnt not reserved there Wars cease and Peace follows They shall spoil those that spoiled them and rob those
affords favour when they are dead Gog and all his expected to have had the Land of Israel in possession with all the desirable things thereof but God disappointed his expectation slays him and his and after death gives him and the rest a place of buryal in that Land which was favour Though they had not what they hoped for yet they had more then they deserv'd for such grand Enemies to have a burying place in that Land which was Emanuel's Land out of which they would have driven his people was no small favour especially if we add to it that the place was nam'd after his name The Valley of Hamon-Gog and this recorded in the Book of God and to remain forever Secondly Observe After great Victories wherein many are slain people should for publick good be careful to bury the dead though it require time be troublesome and chargeable Here they were seven moneths in burying the dead carkasses they appointed men to go throughout the Land to search for corps and bones which was a chargeable business and where-ever they found any to bring them unto the Valley of Hamon-Gog which was very troublesome These things they were to do for publick good that the Land might not be infected with those bodies and so infect the living Thirdly Observe By great Victories over Enemies God honours his own Name and makes his people to have a name It shall be to them a Renown the day that I shall be glorified That day my Power my Faithfulness my Justice my Mercy will be seen acknowledged and so I shall be praised made glorious And in that day my People will be spoken of for their Valour Faith and Humanity in burying the dead and so will be renowned When God destroyed Senacherib's Army God did not only make himself a name but he also made Hezekiah a name 2 Chron. 32.23 He was magnified in the sight of all Nations from thenceforth and that which was his magnification was the magnification of all his People The honor of the Head is the honor of the whole Body How renowned will New Jerusalem be when Gog and Magog Antichrist and all that adhere to them shall be taken away When the Lord shall destroy them by fire from Heaven and multitudes be cut off by the Sword then shall those multitudes be for a name to the City Fourthly Observe After conquering there ought to be cleansing When Gog and his shall be subdued then they must cleanse the Land not a dead corps not a bone must be left in it such things did defile We have had many Victories but What cleansing hath there been in this Land Dead bodies limbs and bones of men have been buryed but What dead works are cleansed out of this Land Do not all sorts of sins abound yea super-abound Had we cleansed the Land for each Victory God hath given us but of one common sin by this time we had been spotless we should not have had any visible iniquities amongst us but now we are like Golgotha a place of sculls and dead-men like Sodom and Gomorrah or the Valley of Hamon-Gog we stink so through our Blasphemies Errors and wicked Practises that passengers stop their noses and shake their heads Vers 17 18 19 20. 17. And thou son of Man Thus saith the Lord God Speak unto every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field Assemble themselves and come gather themselves on every side to my Sacrifice that I do Sacrifice for you even a great Sacrifice upon the the Mountains of Israel that ye may eat Flesh and drink Bloud 18. Ye shall eat the flesh of the Mighty and drink the bloud of the Princes of the Earth of Rams of Lambs and of Goats of Bullocks all of them fatlings of Bashan 19. And ye shall eat Fat till ye be full and drink Bloud till ye be drunken of my Sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you 20. Thus shall ye be filled at my Table with Horses and Chariots with Mighty men and with all men of Warr saith the Lord God THese Verses speak of a great Feast and the Invitation of Guests unto the same strange Guests the Fowls of the Heaven and the Beasts of the Field And they have as strange Dishes provided for them even the flesh of Mighty men and Princes Vers 17. Speak unto every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field The Hebrew for every feathered Fowl is Lezippor col canaph To the Fowl of every wing that is to what Fowl soever hath wing Let that Fowl be invited to come and eat of the Feast prepared and likewise Every Beast of the Field which is a Beast of prey Assemble themselves and come gather themselves on every side The Fowls and Beasts being void of reason could not understand what the Prophet said but God who had command over them as well as other creatures would cause them to come as if they had had reason and understanding This shews the certainty and greatness of the Victory the Fowls and Beasts are call'd to come and their coming shall not be in vain they must come on every side and therefore great provision shall be made for them To my Sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you even a great Sacrifice upon the Mountains of Israel The Hebrew word for Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zebach which signifies Sacrificium ex mactata pecude When a Beast was kill'd to be offered up to God that was a Sacrifice properly Sometimes it notes the killing of Men and Beasts as here which metaphorically is call'd a Sacrifice Gog with his Men and Horses were slain and these God calls his Sacrifice a great Sacrifice which he prepar'd for the Fowls and Beasts a great Feast or Supper and the place where this should be is upon the Mountains of Israel That ye may eat Flesh and drink Bloud In the former verse he spake of Gog's Funeral and those that were slain with him even the dead bodies and the bones How is it now that he speaks of eating their Flesh and drinking their Bloud after the seven Moneths were expired and the Searchers had gone through the Land It 's not probable that some were left unburyed and so the Fowls and Beasts iâ—â—â—ted to eat their flesh and drink their bloud but having touched a little upon this in the 4. v. he re-assumes the Argument again in this and the three next Verses and speaks more fully to it Vers 18. Ye shall eat the Flesh of the Mighty The Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gyants by these Mighty men or Gyants the Chief ones in the Army are pointed out men of Power and Command And drink the Bloud of the Princes of the Earth In this vast Army of Gog there were the Princes of divers Countries his Confederates Chap. 38.5.6 Their bloud should the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Earth drink being shed and spilt upon the ground They should feed upon not the vile and
base ones but the chiefest and so drink their bloud Of Rams of Lambs and of Goats of Bullucks all of them Fatlings of Bashan By these Metaphorical expressions are set out the dead carkasses of men who were of several dispositions and qualities some were like Rams and Lambs others like Goats and Bullocks some were sweeter and more tender flesh then others Rams and Goats or great Goats as the Hebrew word signifies were Leaders Lambs and Bullocks were those under the Leaders All of them were well flesh'd and fat like the Kine of Bashan Bashan was an high Hill Psal 68.15 beyond Jordan which yielded strong Oaks and fat Cattle Ezek. 27.6 Amos 4.1 Vers 19. And ye shall eat Fat till ye be full and drink c. The Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Field are resembled unto Men at a Fâ—â—st where having meat and drink which likes them 〈◊〉 eat and drink plentifully The fat flesh and bloud of men is sweet and so pleasing to Fowls and Beasts which should cram and fill themselves therewith Vers 20. Thus ye shall be filled at my Table The word for Table is Shulcan from Shalach to send because it 's sent out or extended at length so that it may contain many dishes and guests may sit down thereat to feed upon those dishes The Mountains of Israel were the Table here the Carkasses of Men were the Dishes the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Field the guests Such plenty and variety of dishes they should have as had not been seen at any Table before every Guest should be fill'd With Horses and Chariots with Mighty Men and all Men of Warr. In the Hebrew it is With Horse with Chariot with Mighty Man and all Man of War all singulars put for plurals here is declared who are meant by Rams Lambs Goats and Bullocks in the 18. verse Horse-men Chariot-men Men of Might yea all Men of Warr. Saith the Lord. Lest it should be thought an incredible thing the Lord ratifies it saying Thus saith the Lord God Jehovah who is able to make such preparations for the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Earth hath said it and will do it First Observe That all Creatures are at the command of God and ordered to do this or that according to his wise Providence Speak to every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field Were not these creatures at the beck of the Lord and subject to his over-ruling Providence it had been in vain for Ezekiel to have spoken so unto them In the 1 King 17.4 God commanded the Ravens to feed Elijah and they did come and bring him meat Morning and Evening duly v. 6. Psal 50.11 It 's said God knows all the Fowls of the Mountains and he calls them to what service he pleases He call'd tor Quails to satisfie the lustings of the Israelites Numb 11.31 God asked Job the question Whether the Eagle moun-fed up at his command Job 39.27 implying that though man hath no command over the Fowls of Heaven yet himself hath And so over Fishes and Beasts Jon. 1.17 Chap. 2.10 The Whale came and went at Gods command and did the service he appointed Levit 26.22 I will send wild Beasts amongst you which shall rob you of your children And this he did 2 King 2.24 The Lord caused two shee-Bears to come out of the Wood and destroy 42. of their children God is the Lord of Hosts and can command an Army of Creatures at his pleasure to benefit his Servants or to plague their Enemies Secondly Observe God doth execute some great and signal Judgement when he summons the Creatures to eat the Flesh and drink the Bloud of the Slain Oft-times the Bodies of Jews and Gentiles have been given for meat unto the Fowls and Beasts as Jer. 7 33. and Chap. 34.20 Ezek. 29.5 But they have not been summon'd and call'd by open Proclamation as here it is The Prophet must speak to every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field and say Assemble your selves and come Gather your selves on every side Such a Proclamation you have but twice more in all the Scripture once in Jer. 12.9 Come ye assemble all the Beasts of the Field come to devour he speaks of that great destruction of the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar The other place is Rev. 19.17 I saw an Angel standing in the Sun and he cryed with a loud voyce saying to all the Fowls that flie in the midst of Heaven Come and gather your selves together to the great Supper of the great God that ye may eat the flesh of Kings and the flesh of Captains and the fl sh of Mighty Men and the flesh of Horses and of them that sit on them and the flesh of all men both free and bond both small and great This place runs parallel with Ezekiel and sets out the greatness and signalness of Gods Judgements upon the Enemies of the Church And it 's conceiv'd by some to be the very same Judgement Ezekiel speaks of viz. that of Gog and Magog Thirdly Observe It 's matter of delight and pleasure unto God to destroy the Enemies of his Church and People Come to my Sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you The Jews took great pleasure in sacrificing of Creatures unto God 1 Chron. 29.21 22. And God was well pleased with Sacrifices Gen. 8.20 21. Here he calls the destroying of Gog and Magog his Sacrifice his Feast or Table he took as much delight in their slaughter as in any Sacrifice or in any Feast Wicked men are Bryers and Thorns and God hath as much pleasure in the cutting down the one as the Husbandman hath in cutting down the other God delights in acts of Judgement as well as in acts of Mercy Isa 48.14 He will do his pleasure on Babylon and his arm shall be on the Chaldaeans The destruction of Babylonians and Chaldaeans God calls His pleasure the Hebrew is Chephzo Voluntatem ejus his will It 's Gods will to destroy all the Enemies of Sion and the doing of it pleases him Fourthly Observe God is impartial in his Judicial Dispensations he punisheth the great Delinquents as well as the lesser Mighty men Princes those that ride in Chariots Rams great Goats are slaughtered and given to the Fowls and Beasts aswell as the inferior sort the men of War Lambs and Bullocks They were all in the same confederacy in the same warr against the Land of Israel and God winked not at the greatest nor spared the meanest but made them all a Sacrifice God is a righteous God and executes his judgements without respect of persons Let not great men flatter themselves they will not be exempted when God comes forth to judgement though they be Princes Fifthly Observe Great men and vulgar ones also may be a prey to the Creatures and lye without burial for a season Princes Mighty men and others after their death lay upon the Mountains of Israel and had their flesh eaten and bloud drunk by Fowls and
the first Vision unto Ezekiel and so he doth in this last he was a Master-builder and appointed of God to build the House Zech. 6.12 13. Thus speaks the Lord of Hosts saying Behold the Man whose Name is the Branch that is Christ he shall grow up out of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord even he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory And that this Man was Christ his appearance declares for it was like the appearance of Brass and so Christ Revel 1.15 is said to appear His feet were like unto fine Brass and here his countenance or whole body appeared like unto Brass that is free from spot beautiful bright and shining Christ was without blemish or spot 1 Pet. 1.19 He was holy harmless undefiled Heb. 7.26 He was fairer then the children of men Psal 45.2 With a line of Flax in his hand and a measuring Reed These be the Instruments which this man had a Line and a measuring Reed Such Instruments are proper to Architects and Master-Builders and being in the hand of Christ do demonstrate him to be the chief Builder of the Church The line of Flax was to measure the great spaces of the ground viz. the Floors Court and Compass of the Buildings and Walls The Reed was to measure the Buildings the thickness length and breadth of them Of such a Line and Reed is spoken of in Zech. 2.1 2. Rev 11.1 Chap. 21.15 A Reed is smooth round and light and therefore fit for measuring they were plentiful in those parts And he stood in the Gate The Hebrew is he standing in the Gate His posture was * Stabat quasi ad Ministerium accinctus Standing his place was in the Gate He stood there to direct the Prophet to shew him the measures of the Temple and other things to manifest he hath command of the Temple and may keep out and let in whom he pleased Versâ— 4. And the Man said unto me Son of Man Behold with thine eyes c. In this verse the end of the Vision is held forth which is that Ezekiel throughly understanding the things comprehended in it might communicate them to others Here the Lord Christ is call'd Man for that in time he was to be incarnate and the Son of Man speaks to Ezekiel and commands him two things 1. To give the most diligent and best attention as possible might be and therefore calls for not only the eyes and ears but the heart also Behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee his heart must go with his senses and seriously ponder what was presented Some things were to be seen some things were to be heard and all to be considered and why he was brought thither for that end 2. To make known what he should see hear and observe Declare them to the House of Israel he must not keep things to himself but publish them to others to the Church and People of Israel First Observe The Lord keeps an exact account of the time of his Church and Peoples sufferings He is the best and most punctual Chronologer of all in Heaven and Earth Men and Angels may mistake misreckon but the Lord doth not cannot In the 25. year of our captivity in the beginning of the year in the 10. day of the month in the 14. year after the City was smitten in the self same day Here the Years the Months and Days of the Jews captivity was observed of the Lord. When we are in misery and suffering conditions we think God forgets us Psal 79.5 Psal 89.46 but he takes notice of every Hour Day Month and Year Secondly Observe When the Church is low in the worst most desperate and deplorable condition even then the Lord hath a care of his Church Now the Temple City and Land of Canaan were utterly laid wast the people many of them destroyed the rest in Babylon without hope of ever seeing their own Country ch 37.11 In this condition the Lord appears to Ezekiel and gives him a most singular and excellent Vision concerning the Restauration of the Church the Extent Dignity and Glory of it whereby he shewed both the Prophet and the People whose hearts were fill'd with sorrow When the Church is in the Wilderness under persecution in Egypt or Babylon the Lord is solicitous for it Zech. 1.14 I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousie Thirdly Observe The Church is Mount Sion or Mount Sion is the Church wherein God makes known his mind for the comfort of his Ezekiel was carried in spirit into the Land of Israel and set there upon a very high Mountain viz. Mount Sion which typed out the Church of God and there he had this glorious vision there sweet consolation was given forth for the afflicted The Church is sometimes call'd a Garden and Fountain sealed as Cantic 4.12 Sometimes a Vineyard Mat. 20.1 Sometimes an House 1 Tim. 3.15 Sometimes a City Psal 46.4 Isai 60.14 Sometimes a Mountain Psal 2.6 And it 's so call'd for the hieghth the glory and the strength of it Mountains are high conspicuous and strong and so is the Church On Mountains is good aire so likewise is in the Church Hills are nearer heaven then other places they are below the Church is above the World Fourthly Observe The Church is well seated and well ordered Vpon which was as the frame of a City it 's seated upon a Mountain the Mountain of Gods Decree Power and Truth it 's well ordered for it 's as the frame of a City where every thing is in his right place and all fitly joyned together Psal 122.3 Jerusalem is builded as a City that is compacted together and the Church is a body fitly joyned together and compacted Ephes 4.16 Hence strength and beauty are to the Church it being so seated and so united The one made Christ say The gates of hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16. and the other made Salomon to say It was beautiful as Tirzah and comely as Jerusalem Cant. 6.4 Fifthly Observe The Man Christ who is sinless and glorious is the chief Builder and exact Measurer of the Church and things belonging to it Behold a Man whose appearance was like the appearance of Brass with a Line of Flax in his hand and a Measuring-reed Christ without spot full of glory and wisdome is the Master-builder Mat. 16.18 chap. 21.33 Hab. 3.3 Prophets Apostles Ministers are his Servants Under-officers instructed directed and rewarded by him He is Architectus the Line and Reed are in his hand he measures all the Trees and Stones used in this Building the outward and inward Courts with all their appurtenances He was the Son of Joseph a Carpenter and some mystery might lye in that Sixthly Observe The way into Sion and unto the Father is by Christ he stands in the gate of the Temple ready to receive any
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
neither be corner foundation or wall-stones Jem 51.26 and the stones of Sion which are pretious and living they begin to creep out of the dust of contempt and to appear like the stars of the morning now there is a spirit of prayer more then formerly and more then ordinary for the accomplishment of this vision and great expectation raised in many to see such a spiritual Temple Fifthly Observe The end of making known the laws and ways of God's house is that they may be observed and practised Ezekiel must shew them and write in their sight the forms laws and ordâ—nances of the house that they may keep and do them God propounds not divine things onely to be known but chiefly to be done It 's not enough to know virtue but men must endeavour to have it and to do virtuously Did a man know all the forms comings in and goings out of God's house all the laws and ordinances thereof and not observe them it would not advantage him at all but make his condemnation the greater The end of humane laws and ordinances is observation else they are no better then cyphers So the end of God's laws is keeping and doing of them it 's not knowing nor hearing nor praising but practise which commends them Disobedience is a dishonour to God to his house to his laws Let us hearken to James in this case Chap. 1.22 his counsel is good Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves Vers 12. This is the law of the house upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy c. Sanctius reads the words thus This is the law of the house upon the top of the mountain and there makes the distinction from the following words Others make it before and refer the words upon the top of the mountain to the latter words not the former There is no considerable difference whether the note of distinction be in the one or the other place For the house was upon the top of a mountain Chap. 40.2 6. The law of this house viz. the fabrick mountain and whole compass thereof was holiness It 's here said to be most holy The Hebrew is Sanctitas sanctorum The holiness of holiness The Hebrews do double the word when they intend a superlative as a Servant of Servants Gen. 9.25 that is most servile a King of Kings Ezra 7.12 that is the most eminent and greatest of Kings and here the holiness of holiness that is the most holy Such was this house and the mountain whereon it stood and the compass of it round about which was by a wall of 500. reeds long and so many broad or thereby was the separation made between the Sanctuary and the prophane place Chap. 42.20 This house was to be the habitation of God his Throne a representation of New Jerusalem and Heaven it self therefore it is styl'd not onely hold but most holy First Observe The Church of God hath a good Foundation It 's an house upon a mountain and that is strong Job 39.28 Rocks and mountains are strong places they stand immovable The rock or mountain on which the Church is founded and built is the Lord Christ himself 1 Cor. 3.11 call'd a mountain Dan. 2.35 A precious corner stone a sure foundation Isa 28.16 A rock 1 Cor. 10. 4. The strength of Israel 1 Sam. 15.29 The root of David Rev. 22.16 and upholder of all things Heb. 1.3 He upholds the world and the Church Secondly Observe The Church of God is eminent and conspicuous It 's on the top of a mountain and that mountain was very high Chap. 40.2 where he saw this Temple which holds forth the visibility and eminency of the Church under the Gospel Isa 2.2 It shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills and all nations shall flow unto it When one mountain is laid upon another the uppermost must be very eminent the Church here is call'd a mountain and this mountain is seated upon the top of another mountain even that mountain that fills all the earth Dan. 2.35 It must therefore of necessity be high and be seen of the nations for it 's Prophesied that all nations shall flow unto it This suits with that Rev. 21.24 Thirdly Observe The whole Church of God is to be made up of holy materials The house upon the top of the mountain the whole circuit thereof round about shall be mâ—st holy There must not be one part of the house profane another part holy but the whole house and every part thereof must be holy Isa 35.8 There shall be the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it the purity of that way will be such as wicked ones will not dare to tread in it Joel 3.16 17. The Lord shall roar out of Sion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the heavens and the earth shall shake terrible doings there shall be but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion my holy mountain then shalâ— Jerusalem be holy that is all Jerusalem shall then be holy and there shall no strangers pass thorow her any more to pollute and defile her Then shall every pot in Jerusalem and Judah be holiness unto the Lord as Zech. speaks Chap. 14.21 Then shall be shut out all dogs sorcerers whoremongers muâ—derers Idolaters and lovers with makers of lies as John saith Rev. 22.15 and whatever defileth Rev. 21.27 Peter calls them of this Temple lively stones 1 Pet. 2.5 John calls them seal'd ones Rev. 7.4 Such as had the Fathers name written in their foreheads Rev. 14.1 Precious stones Rev. 21.19 Ephes 2.19 20 21.22 Fourthly Observe The law of this house which is holiness is specially to be observed The verse begins and ends alike This is the law of the house bebold This is the law of this house Hujus domus so Vatablus Istius domus so Junius As the house is emphatical so is the law of it set out with an Ecce Behold This is the law of it holiness of holiness All in this house hath a law of holiness writ in it or upon it If any thing or person could come in here without holiness such things and persons would be cast out as unclean as the man was who came into the Marriage-Supper without a Wedding Garment Mat. 22.12 13. They violate the law of holiness and must suffer for it but such shall not be suffered to enter Rev. 21.27 There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth no false doctrine no humane inventions or will-worship shall be there no profane person no formalist or hypocrite shall get in there but they who are written in the Lambs book of life vers 12.
soundly salted with Gospel-truths shall never perish Vres 26. They shall consecrate themselves The Hebrew is They shall fill their hands Some by hands understand the sides of the Altar because Jad signifies both a hand and a side others take hands for the hands of the Priests which should be fill'd with Sacrifices that is with sacrificing-work and so prefigured the full imployments the Gospel-Ministers should have But the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifies to consecrate as learn'd Hebricians observe Exod. 28.41 Thou shalt anoint them and consecrate them the Hebrew is thou shalt fill their hand so Exod. 29.9 Nu◠3.3 1 King 13.33 Judg. 17.5 In these places the Hebrew is fill'd the hand which notes consecration according to the Hebrew dialect and so it imports the Ministers consecrating and dedicating themselves unto the work of Christ under the Gospel The 27. verse speaks of the daily sacrifices and work of the Altar One Sacrifice or other was to be offered daily Two Lambs one in the morning another in the evening were to be offered daily Exod. 29.38 39. these were for the Burnt-offering vers 42. Besides which here is mention of a Peace-offering of which they were neither to eat the fat nor the bloud Levit. 3.17 signifying that those who are at peace with God through Christ ought neither to be carnal nor cruel but to mortifie their carnal lusts and to be meek as Christ was The daily sacrificing of the Priests here shew'd the daily and constant work of the Ministers under the Gospel Preaching Administring of Sacraments Praying and Praysing of God is to be their daily work which being done according to rule and in the name of Christ makes them and the people accepted Vers 28. It shall be upon the eighth day Here is foretold saith Master Shepheard the continuance of the Sabbath in Gospel-days The eighth day from the Creation being the first of our Redemption Noah is call'd the eighth 2 Pet. 2.5 who was the first in regard of his years and dignity of person and first entred into the Ark Gen. 7.7 And so the Lord's day may be the eighth in one sense and the first in another The EXPOSITION continued upon the Remaining Chapters of EZEKIEL CHAP. XLIV Vers 1 2 3. 1. Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward Sanctuary which looketh toward the East and it was shut 2. Then said the Lord unto me This gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no man shall enter in by it because the Lord the God of Israel hath entred in by it therefore it shall be shut 3. It is for the Prince the Prince he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord he shall enter in by the way of the Porch of that Gate and shall go out by the way of the same THIS Chapter treats of the Priests and divers Ordinances concerning them 1. Sundry things are presented to Ezekiel touching the Priests 1. The priviledge of the High-priest in the three first verses 2. A reproof of the Priests for their profaness and neglect from the beginning of the 4. vers to the 9. 3. The exclusion of some and deposing of others from the Priest's office from the 9. to the 15. 4. What Priests God will accept of vers 15 16. 2. The Ordinances which concern the Priests are laid down from the 17. vers to the end Vers 1. Then he brought me c. The Prophet having seen the Altar for Burnt Sin and Peace-offerings with the Ordinances thereof is brought back to the East-gate or Gate of the outward Sanctuary that which separated the Priest's Court from the peoples or the outmost Gate of all We must follow Christ which way so ever he leads us be it backward or forward he hath something to reveal unto us which will be for our use Vers 1 2. It was shut What Gate so ever this was it was shut and therefore shut because the Lord had entred in by it and no man might but the Prince only Some take Prince literally for the governour of the people but the best Expositors take it for the High-priest who was preferr'd above and so Prince of all the rest For in this Chapter he speaks of the orders of the Priests This Prince or High-priest was a type of Christ The High-priest was to be without blemish anointed with holy oyle to be covered with clean linnen and cloathed gloriously on him was a plate ingraven with holiness to the Lord he had the Vrim and Thummim he bare the names of the 12. Tribes of Israel upon his Breast and Shoulders as appears Levit. 22.13 Exod. 29.7 Exod. 28.2 42.36 30.9 So Christ our High-priest was without blemish Heb. 7.26 Anointed with the Spirit Isa 61.1 He was holy glorious yea Holiness altogether Luk. 1.35 Mark 1.24 He had all perfection Col 1.19 Chap. 2.3 He bears all Israel in his Breast and on his Shoulders Isa 40.11 Heb. 7.25 What is meant by the Gate shut is necessary to inquire It was not the Womb of the Virgin which was shut up after the birth of Christ as Popish Interpreters expound it Some of the Antients make it to be Heavenly mysteries which none know but 〈…〉 the Father and the Son Some make it the Scripture or Book sealed with seven seals Rev. 5.1 which none could open but Christ This Gate shut rather notes the Gate or Entrance into heaven which Adam by his fall had shut so that no man whatsoever being sinful could open it or enter onely Jesus Christ our High-priest hath opened it and entred Heb. 4.14 We have a great High-priest who is passed into the heavens He hath broken all the bars locks and bolts which kept it shut and hath opened the same so that now sinners may have access to God The High-priest once in a year entred into the Most Holy place the door opened to none but him this typified Christ's opening of heaven and entrance in thither as is clearly exprest Heb. 9 7 8 11 12 24. The Tabernacle and Temple were representations of heaven and so was this Vision of Ezekiel and as the Gate here was shut so was the Gate of heaven till the Lord Christ the Arch-bishop of our souls opened the same and entred No man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of Man which is in heaven Job 3.13 No man ever by his own virtue or power ascended up to heaven but Christ Henoch and Elijah neither ascended nor entred by their own strength grace or goodness Christ's merits were the Key which opened heaven for them and others Christ is the door and the way and no man comes to the father but by him Job 14.6 It 's by Christ alone that we come to the knowledge and fruition of the Father he reveals him and his mysteries and brings us unto the injoyment of him Quest If Christ have entred in by this Gate why is
it still shut why stands it not open for vers 2. It 's said This Gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no man shall enter in by it and why because the God of Israel hath entred in by it therefore it shall be shut Answ 1. It is shut In Principis dignitatem for the honour of the Prince Great persons and Princes have their Gates shut all must not come at and see them it was an honour to the Spouse that she was A Garden inclosed a Spring shut up a Fountain sealed Cant. 4.12 2. In Principis usum that he might go in and out at his pleasure that he might let in and keep out whom he pleased the wise Virgins were let in by the Bridgroom but the foolish were kept out for the door was shut Mat. 25.10 11. In the New Jerusalem no unclean thing could enter though the Gates stood open and out of heaven no clean thing shall be kept though the Gate be shut Christ hath the key to open it for Saints He opened it for Stephen Act. 7.56 Behold I see heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right-hand of God He opened it for Peter Act. 10.11 3 It may be said to be shut in regard of Christ's long continuance there before his return It 's said vers 3. He shall enter by the way of the Porch of the Gate and shall go out by the way of the same Christ will come again he is entred into heaven and there he will and must abide till the time of restitution of all things Act. 3.21 Act. 1.11 Heb. 9.28 Christ who entred by this Gate was not onely Man but God he was the Lord God of Israel Jehovah that he might open heaven for sinners and man that he might enter himself This Gate was for the Prince that he might sit in it to eat bread before the Lord. Aaron the High-priest was to eat sacred flesh and bread in the door of the Tabernacle Levit. 8.31 Exod. 29.32 This sitting and eating bread there and that before the Lord leads us to a double consideration of Christ 1. His sitting in heaven at the right-hand of Majesty Heb. 1.3 Having finished the work was given him to do he ascended oh high and had the greatest glory he sat at God's own right-hand in heavenly places far above all principalities and powers and might and dominion and every thing that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come Ephes 1.20 21. 2. His communion with and happiness in the Lord which is held forth in his eating bread before the Lord. The communion and happiness the Saints have with and in Christ is set out by eating and drinking Luk. 22.29 30. I appoint unto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my Table and sit on Thrones c. so Mat. 26.29 That is that ye may have sweet communion with me and be happy in the fruition of me as I am in the fruition of my Father and communion with him Vers 4 5 6 7 8 4. Then brought he we the way of the North gate before the house and I looked and behold the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord and I fell upon my face 5. And the Lord said unto me Son of man mark well and behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears all that I shall say unto thee concerning all the Ordinances of the house of the Lord and all the Laws thereof and mark well the entring in of the house with every going forth of the Sanctuary 6. And thou shalt say to the rebellious even to the house of Israel Thus saith the Lord God O ye house of Israel Let it suffice you of all your abominations 7. In that ye have brought into my Sanctuary strangers uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh to be in my Sanctuary to pollute it even my house when ye offer my bread the fat and the bloud and they have broken my covenant because of all your abomination 8. And ye have not kept the charge of my holy things but ye have set keepers of my charge in my Sanctuary for your selves BEfore the reproof of the Priests the 2d thing considerable in the Chapter Here be 3. things to be minded concerning Ezekiel 1. His sight of glory 2. The effects of that sight 3. The command laid upon him 1. For the sight of Glory being brought to the North-gate he saw the glory of the Lord fill'd the house that was some visible sight of his glorious presence touching this was spoken in the 43. Chap. vers 5. The effect was He fell upon his face as before the sight of glory humbles and prepares to receive the commands of the Lord. When the glory and Mâ—jesty of God is seen and apprehended the heart is stricken with awe and reverence of God and the party so affected is humbled before God and so made fit for impression of Divine commands As here it follows Vers 5. And the Lord said unto me Son of man mark well and behold c. In the 40. Chap. vers 4. we had the substance of this verse and partly the very words Here God requires the inward and outward parts the heart and senses Those words Mark well are in the Hebrew Set thine heart so that the heart the ears and eyes are to be attentive and incentive on what God commands The heart must not wander the ear be heavy nor the eye rove when God speaks and Temple-work is in hand The holy God and holy things are exactly to be observed and heeded by all but especially by those are officers in his house as Ezekiel was they must attend to all the Ordinances and Laws of God's house for they must make them known to others and walk by them themselves they must know how to behave themselves in the house of God and teâ—ch others so to do Especially they must mark well the enâ—â—ing of the house that is they must be careful who they admit to be in it and to partake of the Ordinances of it lest both it and they be defiled they must mark every going forth of the Sanctuary so that none go out at the same door they entrâ—d that they go forwards not backwards that they leave not the house of God but be looked after Vers 6. And thou shalt say to the rebellious even to the house c. Ezekiel being prepared must go and execute the command of God which was to reprove the house of Israel and chiefly the Priests The sins they are reproved of be 1. Rebellion 2. Abominations 3. Bringing in unworthy persons into the Sanctuary to pollute it 4. Their sinful Sacrificing 5. Breaking of Covenant 6. Neglecting of their charge and committing the same to others Of the Rebellious house of Israel and their abominations formerly hath been spoken It 's said here vers 6. Let it suffice you of all
in the fifteenth day of the month shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days according to the Sin-offering according to the Burnt-offering and according to the Meat-offering and according to the Oyle Passing over the feast of Pentecost without any mention thereof he comes to the feast of Tabernacles which was to begin The fifteenth day of the seventh month Levit. 23.34 And as it was in the feast of the Passover so it must be here but it was not so in the time of Moses Levit. 23.39 40. This feast of Tabernacles or Booths cannot be understood literally for there is a Prophesie in Zach. 14.16 That those left of the Nations which came against Jerusalem should come to worship the King the Lord of Hosts and to keep the feast of Tabernacles which in the litteral sense was peculiar to the Jews It figures out therefore the gathering of the elect into particular Churches in this world into which they should come and in which they should have fellowship with the Saints and partake of the grace of God By these feasts and sacrifices also we are minded of the spiritual joy the Saints have in their communion together under the Gospel and spiritual-sacrifices they offer up to God by Christ The primitive Christians continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart praising God Act. 2.46 47. CHAP. XLVI Verse 1. Thus saith the Lord God The gate of the inner Court that looketh toward the East shall he shut the six working days but on the Sabbath it shall be opened and in the days of the new-moon it shall be opened 2. And the Prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without and shall stand by the post of the gate and the Priest shall prepare his burnt-offering and his peace offering and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate Then he shall go forth but the gate shall not be shut untill the evening 3. Likewise the people of the Land shall worship at the door of this gate before the Lord in the Sabbaths and in the New-Moons 4. And the burnt-offering that the Prince shall offer unto the Lord in the Sabbath day shall be six Lambs without blemish and a Ram without blemish 5. And the meat-offering shall be an Ephah for a Ram and the meat-offering for the Lambs as he shall be able to give and an hin of oyl to an Ephah 6. And in the days of the New-Moon it shall be a young Bullock without blemish and six Lambs and a Ram and they shall be without blemish 7. And he shall prepare a meat-offering an Ephah for a Bullock and an Ephah for a Ram and for the Lambs according as his hand shall attain unto and an hin of oyl to an Ephah 8. And when the Prince shall enter he shall go in by the way of the porch of that gate and he shall go forth by the way thereof THis fourty sixth Chapter contains 1. Ordinances about several gates the Prince and Peoples going in and out by them with their Oblations and Worship from the beginning to Verse 16. 2. Certain Laws are laid down concerning the Princes gifts unto his Sons and Servants in the 16 17 and 18 Verses 3. A description of the Courts and places where the Priests and Levites were to boil and prepare the Sacrifices from the beginning of Verse 19. to the end of the Chapter The first Verse speaks of the East-gate in the inner Court that was the gate next to the Temple By this gate the glory of the Lord came into the Temple Chap. 43.1 2 4. and it was to be kept shut all the six working days and onely to be opened on Sabbaths and New-Moons In Chap. 44. we have the reason why it was to be kept shut ver 2. Thus saith the Lord This gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no man shall enter in by it because the Lord the God of Israel hath entred by it therefore it shall be shut That is for the Prince c. and here it is The Prince shall enter by the way c. The things here required are not to be found in the Mosaical Law they represented things under the Gospel that Jewish Worship should go down when Christ appeared in the flesh The shutting of the gate the six working days tells us that on those days we are to follow our callings and earn our daily bread Christianity doth not open a door to idleness We command and exhort saith Paul that with quietness men work and eat their own bread 2 Thess 3.12 Under Moses God allowed them six days to work Exod. 20.9 and the same allowance they have under the Gospel Luke 13.14 Some pervert Gods Order and make all days alike either all working days or all Sabbaths resting days but God hath distinguished them As there be working days wherein we must not rest so there be Sabbaths wherein we must not Work The opening of the gate on Sabbath days and New-Moons signifies unto us that the gate of Heaven is open unto us when we have solemn and publique Meetings on the Lords day and other special occasions to worship God When all the Disciples were gat together to serve and seek God then came a sound from Heaven and the Spirit fell upon them like fiery tongues Acts 2. So when Peter preached unto the great multitude the gate of Heaven was opened and power came down from above to convert three thousand ver 41. So when there was a solemn Meeting in the Centurions house the Word being preached by Peter the gate of Heaven was opened and the Holy Ghost fell on all that heard the Word Acts 10.44 Such times are times of grace and mercy God opens Heaven and gives out blessings These six days may denote the term of mans life here which is a time of labour and sorrow Job 5.7 and 14.1 He tumbles or is tumbled up and down from condition to condition and hath no rest but at the end of his life Heaven gate is opened and he hath a Sabbath an eternal rest where is no labour sin nor sorrowing Heb. 4.9 10. Then the gate of the inner Court is opened unto him and then he shall see as he is seen and know as he is known 1 John 3.2 1 Cor. 13.12 Here we see and know little and that little darkly as in a glass but then shall we see clearly and know perfectly the mysteries of this and other Visions and things The second Verse tells us of the Prince his entring by the way of the porch and standing by the post of the gate where he was to worship but come into the Court he might not If we understand this of the Secular Prince four things are here considerable 1. That the Prince must not enter into the inner Court he must not meddle with the Priestly Office or things of
before the Lord from one New-moon to another and from one Sabbath to another intimating thereby that God in times of the Gospel would accept of true and spiritual Worship performed in the name of Christ in all places and at all times as he did the Jewish VVorship at Jerusalem and on the Solemn Feast days Or these New-moon days and Sacrifices may point out the renewing of the Church and the joy thereupon The Church after Christs time was oft in the wane in a suffering and declining condition but when it hath rest edification comfort and multiplication Acts 9.31 then its New-moon with it and in a short time it becomes fair as the Moon Cant. 6.10 and shall be fill'd with light and joy as saith Isaiah Chap. 60.20 The eighth Verse is an Ordinance about the Princes going in by the porch of the gate and going out by the same way There were divers gates to enter into the inner Court by the North-gate the South-gate as well as the East-gate and this gate was both for the Prince and the Priests to go in and out at Hence two things are observable 1. That Princes are to walk according to Divine Appointment especially in matters of VVorship they must look unto God who hath prescribed the way they should walk in it had been sinful for them to have gone to the North-gate or South-gate and worshipped their Princes must not do ought of their own wills in the things of God It might seem a bondage to be tied up to the East-gate onely and never to have ingress and egress at the other but however Princes themselves must be subject to the Ordinances of Heaven 2. That Princes and Priests Magistrates and Ministers should mutually minde and care for the things of God countenance and encourage one another therein and each put to their helping hand to preserve the purity and power of Religion VVhen the Pavers go one way and the true Ministers of God another way Religion doth not shine when Josiah and the Priests went together hand in hand one way then there was great Reformation in Israel the VVorship of God was pure and Religion did flourish Supposing this Prince to be the Lord Christ whose ingress and egress was at the same gate then it notes his coming from Heaven and returning thither again according to that of John 6.62 and 3.31 and 16.28 Acts 1.11 Verse 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. But when the people of the land shall come before the Lord in the solemn Feasts he that entreth in by the way of the North-gate to worship shall go out by the way of the South-gate and he that entreth by the way of the South-gate shall go forth by the way of the North-gate he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in but shall go forth over against it And the Prince in the midst of them when they go in shall go in and when they go forth shall go forth And in the Feasts and Solemnities the meat-offering shall be an Ephah to a Bullock and an Ephah to a Ram and to the Lambs as he is able to give and an hin of oyl to an Ephah Now when the Prince shall prepare a voluntary burnt-offering or peace-offering voluntarily unto the Lord one shall then open the gate unto him that looketh towards the East and he shall prepare his burnt-offering â—nd his peace-offerings as he did on the Sabbath day Then he shall go forth and after his going forth one shall shut the gate Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt-offering unto the Lord of a Lamb of the first year without blemish thou shalt prepare it every morning or as the Hebrew morning by morning And thou shalt prepare a meat-offering for it every morning the sixth part of an Ephah and the third part of an hin of oyl to temper with the fine flower a meat-offering continually by a perpetual Ordinance unto the Lord. Thus shall they prepare the Lamb and the meat-offering and the oyl every morning for a continual burnt-offering THe ninth Verse contains an Ordinance concerning the peoples coming to and departing from the publique Worship they must not come to the East-gate but the side-gates the North and South they might and this order they were to observe viz. to go out at that gate was over against the gate they came in at he that entred by the North-gate must go out by the South-gate and he that entred by the South-gate must go out by the North-gate Hence observe 1. The Lord expects not onely Prince and Priests to worship him in a publique way but the people also When the people of the land shall come before the Lord in the solemn Feasts God looks not for great ones learned ones rich ones but all sorts and all of all sorts to come before him to acknowledge him to be their God Creâ—tor and Law-giver he is honored by the worship of the meaner if sincere as well as by the worship of â—â—e Prince or Priest he is no respecter of persons 2. That the way of Gods servants is a strait and right-forth way There is no crookedness in it Isa 26.7 the way of the just is uprightness there is no turning aside to the temptation of Satan to the beggarly elements of the world to the inticing delights of the flesh or any vanity whatsoever That soul that is in Gods way must not look back to Sodom as Lots wife did and suffer for it but it must go forward Matthew being called from the receit of Custom into the way of Christ Mat. 9.9 might not return but follow Christ For whosoever puts his hand to the plough and looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God Luke 9.62 Such an one must not look back to his old courses customs company principles or errours but leaving them must go strait on in the way of God from darkness to light from imperfection to perfection Those that come to be the Lords servants must continue in his service and perfect holiness in his fear 2 Cor. 7.1 Heb. 12.1 2 3. Phil. 3.13 14. 3. The shortness of mans life is here represented unto us he enters into the world goes on a little way and then goes out of it again So that mans life is quasi transitus quidam a porta una ad alteram they came in at a North-gate went on a little while and a little way and then went out at a South-gate c. it s no long passage from the doors of the womb to the gates of death Psal 103.15 16 Job 14.1 2. The tenth Verse is an Ordinance for the Prince shewing when he is to come to the publique Worship and when he is to depart from it When the people go in at the gate appointed for them then must he go in at the gate appointed for him and so when they go out he must go out Those words In the midst of them are not to be taken as if the Prince
went in the midst of the people to the Sanctuary but they denote that he went at that time and when come thither he was there with them or among them or at the East-gate which is between the Nortâ— and South 1. Here we may see Princes are bound to be present at the publique Worship of God and not onely to be present but to be present at the beginning and to stay till the end thereof They may not come and go at their own pleasure but at Gods appointment The presence of great persons at the Worship of God is of much concernment and hath great influence into the people it encourages them to come to hear to stay when greater then themselves do so people are led much by example of Superiors therefore Kings and Judges are commanded to serve the Lord with fear and to kiss the Son Psal 2. 2. Here we are informed taking the Prince for Christ that he is in the Assemblies of his people when the Saints meet together to worship the Lord he is in the midst of them He made a precious promise when he was here on earth and makes it good daily though he be in Heaven it s that Mat. 18.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my name I am there in the midst of them to observe to reward and punish The Church is call'd Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 and Christ is said to sing praise unto God in the midst of the Church Heb. 2.12 He being King of Saints loves to be with and among them he was in the midst of the 144000 Rev. 14.1 The eleventh Verse treateth of the Meat-offering which was to be at Feasts and Solemnities directing the particulars and quantities In Moses time the tenth part of an Ephah of flower and the fourth part of an hin of oyl was required Numb 28.5 Exod. 29.40 but here it s otherwise an whole Ephah of meal or flower is appointed to a Bullock an whole Ephah to a Ram and an whole hin of oyl to each onely the Lambs flewer or oyl to be offered was left to liberty or ability This may teach us that seeing our light and mercies are greater under the Gospel then theirs was under the Law therefore our obedience and service to the Lord should exceed theirs if they gave him but the tenth part of an Ephah we ought to give him an whole Ephah if they gave him the fourth part of an hin we must give him an whole hin The more God communicates to us the greater returns should be to him The twelfth Verse mindes us of the Princes Freewil-offerings Besides what was enjoyned he might voluntarily prepare a Burnt-offering or a Peace-offering at his pleasure and at his coming one was to open the East-gate unto him and at his going forth one was to shut the gate God looks for more from Princes and great ones then what is ordinary then what is commanded he looks for voluntary Sacrifices Freewil-offerings at their hands It s said of Josiah that he gave three thousand Bullocks three thousand Lambs and Kids for Passover-offerings and all of the Kings substance and that the Princes gave willingly 2 Chron. 35.7 8. so free and bountiful they were that the Lord took notice of it and hath recorded it in his Word that there was no Passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the Prophet neither did all the Kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah Vers 18. We may interpret this Verse of Christ and so it presents to us not onely that Christ hath freely and voluntarily offered up himself a Sacrifice to God for us Hebr. 9.14 and 10.9 10. but that he is the substance and quintessence of all Sacrifices and that the Father hath opened the gate of Heaven unto him and that by vertue of his merits and intercession the door of Reconciliation stands open unto us continually but should he leave Heaven that door should be shut No Patriarch no Prophet no Apostle no Martyr no Saint no Angel ever had this honor to have the door of Mercy and Grace opened and shut at their pleasure This is an honor peculiar to Christ The thirteenth fourteenth and fifteenth Verses declare what the daily Sacrifices should be every morning viz. A Lamb of the first year without blemish for a Burnt-offering and a Meat-offering with it the sixth part of an Ephah and the third part of an hin of oyl The daily Sacrifice here differs from that in Numb 28.3 4 5 6. Moses requires two Lambs the tenth part of an Ephah of flower and the fourth part of an hin of oyl Ezekiel speaks but of one Lamb the sixth part of an Ephah of flower and the third part of an hin of oyl And here is no mention of the evening which alterations imports that Mosaical Rites and Sacrifices should expire and that notwithstanding God would have a daily Sacrifice in the days of Christ that he would be worshipped not onely on the Christian Sabbath but other days also as was fore-prophesied Psal 72.15 Prayer shall be made unto him continually and daily shall he be praised Verse 16 17 18. Thus saith the Lord God If the Prince give a gift unto any of his Sons the inheritance thereof shall be his Sons it shall be their possession by inheritance But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants then it shall be his to the year of liberty after it shall return to the Prince but his inheritance shall be his Sons for them Moreover the Prince shall not take of the peoples inheritance by oppression to thrust them out of their possessions but he shall give his Sons inheritance out of his own possession that my people be not scattered every man from his possession THese Verses contain Laws to direct the Princes bounty and to keep him from oppression 1. Here is a Law about giving to his Sons ver 16. What he gives them must be their inheritance and possession for ever 2. Here is a Law about giving to his servants ver 17. If the Prince give a gift to any of his servants or subjects of his inheritance it must not be theirs for ever but onely to the year of Liberty that was the year of Jubilee for among the Jews every fifty year was a year of Jubilee Levit. 215.10 Ye shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof it shall be a Jubilee unto you and ye shall return every man unto his possession and ye shall return every man unto his family Whatsoever of mens possessions were sold or morgaged returned to the owners in the year of Jubilee see ver 13. and Levit. 28.25 and whatever the Prince here should give away to any but his own sons should return to him again at the year of Jubilee The Law to prevent oppression in the Prince is in ver 18. When Princes give gifts of inheritance to their sons
unto the Jews and the one thousand two hundred and sixty days put for years are drawing to an end and God is about some great things to be done in the world and will ere long break forth That by this City is represented the Church some Rabbins themselves do acknowledge for though they deny our Christ to be the Messiah because he never built them such a Temple and City as Ezekiel describes yet they acknowledge this City and Temple to be understood not corporally or literally but mystically and spiritually And the Talmudists affirm That by Jerusalem we are to understand the gathering of the Gentiles to Christ or the whole body of Christians There be several things observable concerning this City or Church of Christ 1. That it is well and strongly founded usually Cities are built upon hills and mountains which are the strongest parts of the earth and so was this City chap. 40.2 Ezekiel saw the frame of this City upon a very high mountain and on such a mountain is the Christian Cfiurch built on the mountain of Gods Decree and Power on the mountain of Righteousness and Truth it s built upon Christ the rock of ages such a rock as the gates of hell cannot shake or shatter John tells us of this City the new Jerusalem that it had twelve foundations three on every square which were sure firm and would never fail The Lord Christ the holy Scriptures and the Doctrine of the holy Prophets and Apostles must fall to the ground before the Church shall be ruined 2 Tim. 2.19 2. It is comely and beautiful Cities which are built four square especially are so and such was this City it had four thousand and five hundred measures on each quarter there was nothing unfightly on any of the four quarters they were all parallel and had gates alike in them which presented it very delightful to the eye the Church of Christ is comely and beautiful its built not of unhewen stones or timber but such as are well hewen and orderly laid together Hence the Church of Corinth is called Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 and the Church in general the City of the living God Heb. 12.22 The Church is such a building such a City as is full uf comeliness and beauty it s a congregation of Saints Psal 149.1 It s the garden of Christ Cant. 4.12 his Kingdom Matth. 13.41 his Spouse whom himself saith is fair yea the fairest among women Cant. 1.8 pleasant verse 16. and beautiful 7.1 the Church is Christs body Eph. 1.23 the Spirits Temple 1 Cor. 3.16 and therefore hath curious work in it very glorious and beautiful What David said of Sion Psal 50.2 that it was the perfection of beauty is most true of the Church under Christ and in Christ it s the perfection of beauty Heb. 10.14 By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified 3. The greatness and amplitude of this City it had four thousand and five hundred measures Eastward West North and Southward it was eighteen thousand measures in compass which sets out the greatness and vast extent of the Church of Christ Zach. 10.10 God saith he will bring the Jews from Egypt and Assyria and so multiply them that place shall not be found for them Isa 49.20 The children shall say in thine ears that is in the ears of the Church the place is too strait for me give place that I may dwell The Christian Church is spoken of which should multiply so that their habitation must be enlarged as it is Isa 54.1 2 3. Now the tents and curtains of Sions habitation are stretched to the ends of the earth Psal 2.8 Mal. 1.11 From the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof 4. The City hath access unto it from all parts great Cities have many gates East gates West gates North gates and South gates so had this City twelve gates in every quarter three which signifies unto us the great access should be unto the Church of Christ from all parts not onely Jews should come out of the twelve Tribes to enter and dwell in this City and be under the Government of it but multitudes of Gentiles out of all nations and quarters of the world should do so Rev. 7. John saw not onely twelve thousand Jews enter in at each gate but a great multitude also which no man could number of all Nations kindreds peoples Tongues The Jews were numerable forty four thousand but the Gentiles were above so many millions the number of them which entered by the gates was innumerable 5. The happiness of this City which is from the Lords inhabiting there and giving it its denomination the name of it shall be Jehovah Shammah The Lord is there Alexandria was not so happy in Alexander nor Constantinople so happy in Constantine nor Jerusalem in Solomon as this City shall be in Jehovah We read in sacred Scripture of a golden City Isa 14.4 of a Royal City 1 Sam. 27.5 of a renowned City Ezek. 26.17 But their glory and happiness was a shadow to the glory and happiness of this City they were cities without God Jehovah was not there but here will the Lord himself be These words Jehovah Shammah import 1. The presence of God in the Church and that is a happiness to have his presence when God left the Temple and City of Jerusalem that was their great misery Hos 9.12 His presence in Heaven makes it Heaven and his presence in the Church makes it happy Thus saith the Lord I am returned unto Sion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and Jerusalem shall be called a City of truth and the mountain of the Lord of Hosts the holy mountain Gods presence makes it a City of Truth and an holy mountain and that City is happy which hath truth and holiness in it Zech. 8.3 2. His continuance in it he will not be ut hospes in diversorio sed ut haeres in patrimonio he will dwell there he will not leave this city nor depart from it as he did from Jerusalem of old and as he did from the Jews after their captivity Jer. 32.40 I will not turn away from them to do them good Ezek. 37.26 I will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore Rev. 7.15 He that sitteth upon the throne shall dwell with them It is the happiness of a Saint to have the Comforter and his great happiness to have the same abide with him and that for ever Joh. 14.16 So it s the happiness of the Christian to have Christs presence and exceeding happiness to have it for ever 3. His upholding and preserving of it the Church is Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 He said in Isaiahs days I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with Saphires I will make thy windâ—ws of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy border of pleasant stones Isa 54.11 12. and when the Lord shall do this he will