Herodotus calls Apries and is the Pharaoh here meant Egypt It is a famous Region of Africa so called either from Aegyptus the son of Belus or from the blacknesse of the river Nilus which formerly was called Sichor that is black The Grecians understanding this they in their language called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies black whence in time the land came to bee called Egypt Martinius In the Old Testament it is alwaies called the land of Misraim from Misraim the son of Ham for of this Misraim came the Egyptians It is a land very fruitful Publicum orbis horreum The Granary of the world Macrobius gives it this honour to bee the mother of Arts it had famous schools especially at Alexandria but abounded with superstition and idolatry The Egyptians were the first saith Polydore Virgil that set up Altars Temples Images Lib 1. de rerum inventione c. 5. and sacrificed to idol gods and taught strangers to do so Prophesy against him and against all Egypt These words shew the latitude and extent of his Prophesy it was not to bee against the King alone or his Nobles but against them and all the people He was to Prophesy against great and small Obs 1 The Lord would have men mind the time when he sets his Prophets on work and that punctually the year Moneth and day are here recorded when he gave out his word to Ezekiel that the same might bee observed by all it concerned The Jews trusted much to Egypt and the Kings thereof The Egyptians were haughty and self-confident now God records the time of his Commissioning Ezekiel to Prophesy against the King of Egypt and the Egyptians that the Jews hearing of their ruine destinated from such a time they might rely no longer upon them and that the Egyptians might consider what to do being in such eminent danger for their treachery to the Jews and confidence in what they had Obs 2 That the servants of God must impartially dispense the word committed unto them Set thy face against Pharaoh King of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all Egypt Hee must neither fear nor flatter any of what condition or rank soever but declare the mind of God and denounce his judgements indifferently towards all When Prophets and the Sons of Prophets have to do with great ones they are apt to bee discouraged and to faulter in their work which they ought not to do considering God who sends them is greater than the greatest Jeremy had something of this nature in him and therefore see how God rouses him and steels his spirit chap. 1.17 18. Gird up thy loines and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee bee not dismaied at their faces least I confound thee before them for behold I have made thee this day a defenced City and an iron pillar and brazen walls against the whole land against the Kings of Judah against the Princes thereof against the Priests thereof and against the people of the land and they shall fight against thee Jeremy had high and low all sorts of men yea all men against him yet he must dispense the truth and all the truth impartially not fearing the faces of any least he should be confounded 3 Behold I am against thee Pharaoh King of Egypt The words may bee read Behold I am above thee thou art above others and thinkest none to bee above thy self but I am above thee and being above thee in power and greatnesse I am against thee for thy wickednesse I that am God the King of Kings that shake heaven and earth at my pleasure that tumble down Kings from their thrones and seats I even I am against thee The great dragon that lyeth in the midst of his Rivers The Hebrew word for Dragon is Tannin which Lamen 4.3 is rendred a Sea-monster in Job 7.12 a whale in Isa 51.9 a Dragon and so here it notes monstrous and great creatures in the Sea or at Land and according to the subject matter it is to bee understood of the Whale Dragon or Crocodile The Septuagint Montanus Vulgar Vatablus and our English have it Dragon Junius Piscator and Lavater a great Whale Some Interpreters make it the Crocodile which is like a Dragon or Serpent and lives in the Egyptian fens and waters chiefly in the river of Nile and may not unfitly bee called the Whale or Dragon thereof Pharaoh is likened unto this Dragon or Crocodile 1 The Crocodile is the chiefest and greatest of all that moved in the Egyptian waters no fish no Serpent comparable to it so Pharaoh was the chiefest and greatest among all the Egyptians 2 The Crocodile is cruel and ravenous seeking his prey both in the waters Dentium unguium immanitate armatum est animal Franzius and on the land being armed with sharpe claws and teeth and some of them can swallow an entire heifer as Sands reports in his travailes So the Egyptian Pharaohs were cruel and ravenous Did not Pharaoh command the mid-wives to kill all the Males of the Hebrews at their birth and when they would not do it did not he charge his people to drown them Exod. 1. and did hee not seek his prey in the red Sea when hee pursued the Israelites going through it 3 The Crocodile is subtle and useth cunning waies to get his prey he will lye as if asleep and dead with his mouth open to deceive the birds and passengers Sometimes also hee fills his mouth with water and spouts it out in the way where beasts and men do pass that so it being slippery they may fall Franzius in Historia animalum and become a prey to him So the Egyptian Pharaohs were subtle and used much cunning to make a prey of the people especially the Jews Exod. 1.10 Come let us deal wisely with them and how cunning was hee in calling forth his Magitians to dis-credit the Miracles of Moses and Aaron chap. 7. 8. That lyeth in the midst of his Rivers The Hebrew for Rivers is jeorim and notes such as are made by the Art and help of man cut out of some great river for to water the land In Egypt they had seldome any rain but cut Rivers out of Nilus by which the land was watered according to that Deut. 11.10 where Canaan is said not to bee like Egypt where they sowed their seed and watered it with the foot that is they digged trenches and little rivers and so watered Egypt by the help of their feet but Canaan was watered from heaven The Dragons or Crocodiles lay lurking in these securely and so did Pharaoh in his Kingdom which was full of artificial Rivers My River is mine own I have made it for my self The words in the Hebrew sound thus Mihi fluvius meus ego feci me To mee is my River and I have made my self The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mine are the Rivers and I have made them that is mine is Nilus
and all the aquaeducts or rivulets cut out of it but if wee take the words as they bee in the Original the sense may bee this To mee is my River it s instead of clouds rain heaven God I have Nilus which makes my land as fruitful comfortable and beneficial unto mee as all those do the lands of others if they owe ought to them I owe as much to Nilus If wee take the words as translated My River is mine own that is it s so mine that none can take it from mee or hinder mee of the benefit of it here he shewed his Pride Arrogancy and vain-confidence for God had in a former Pharaohs time made Nilus uselesse unto them in Egypt Gen. 41.55 when the seven years famine was and hee could do it again Those words I have made it for my self must not be sensed as if hee made Nilus for that had its being and flowings many hundred years before and the spring of it lay unfound out but the meaning is I have by my power wisdome and industry made it advantagious to my self and people I have inriched them and my self thereby and so furnished and secured my Kingdome by means of it that I shall neither stand in need of Apriae hec dicitur fuisse sententia ne deum quidem ullum posse ipsum de regno suo dejicere adeo firme sibi ipsi constabilivisse illud videbatur Herodot in Euterpe nor fear any Herodotus saith of this King whom hee calls Apries that it was his usual saying no God could move him out of his Kingdome he had so established it Obs 1 God is an open and profest enemy unto wicked Kings Hee proclaims war against them bee they never so great Behold I am against thee Pharaoh King of Egypt Few are the Kings which abuse not their authority they lift up themselves oppresse the people oppose the interest of God and therefore hee is a declared adversary unto them Jer. 25.18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. You may see what a multitude of Kings the Lord sends the cup of fury unto and draws out the sword against there was scarcely one good King at that time upon the face of the earth God was against them all It s a dreadful thing for any King to have God denounce war against him hee must needs bee conquered and brought to nothing for God is the Lord of Hosts armed with such power and Majesty as that there is no withstanding him Isa 40.10 Hee bringeth Princes to nothing when they are wicked hee will not spare them though they bee as great as Whales as Cruel as Dragons and as cunning as Crocodiles Obs 2 Wicked Kings are resemblances of Satan Pharaoh is here called the Great Dragon and so is Satan Rev. 12.9 The Great Dragon was cast out that old Serpent called the Devil and Satan Dragons are dreadful subtle and cruel so are Tyrants so is the Devil The former Pharaohs were Dragons and so called Psal 74.13 Isa 51.9 they were enemies to the people of God so are all wicked Kings so is Satan What were all the persecuting Emperours but Dragons they were lively representations of the Devil that Great red Dragon and so are all that tread in their steps Obs 3 Princes abounding with outward things grow secure arrogant and confident Pharaoh lay as a Dragon in the midst of his Rivers hee was secure fed upon the prey and said arrogantly enough and with too much confidence my River is mine own I have water sufficient in Nilus for the watering of Egypt I need beg no rain of God let him give his rain to whom hee will and I am so well fortified by my Rivers that I fear no power to dispossess me thereof I am happy and who can make mee miserable Here you have the true picture and character of this Egyptian Pharaoh and in him of all wicked Kings who in their prosperity forgot God promise much safety to themselves and trust in an arm of flesh 4 But I will put hooks in thy Chaws Here beginnes Gods judgements upon this confident King God would deal with him as men do with some great fish when the hook is in his jaws they draw him out of the waters to the dry land where hee dies So God would by an occasion draw Pharaoh out of Egypt into another land and with him a great Army of the Egyptians where they should all perish The occasion was this as Junius relates it out of Herodotus Adiciam or Ariciam King of the Lybians had put himself under the protection of the King of Egypt because the Cyreneans had invaded some part of Lybia and had spoiled King Aricranes of his Government hereupon Pharaoh was provoked to lead out an Army in Agrum Cyreniacum which was the hook God put in his chaws The word for Hooks is Chachim from Choach a Thorne and metaphorically an hook such as men bait to catch fish withall Job 41.1 Canst thou draw out Leviathan with an hook the whale was too big to be taken with such an Hook though other fishes were not God had a hook to take and draw out the Egyptian Dragon I will cause the fish of thy River to stick unto thy scales Pharaoh being likened unto the Crocodile or Sea-Dragon here his Princes Nobles and people are called fish and likened unto them for their multitude and dispersion into all parts and aptnesse to bee devoured one by another These should adhere unto Pharaoh as the scales do unto a fish Hee had called Nilus his River and it s said here The fish of thy River The word for scales is kaskkesheth from kashah which signifies difficult and the radical letters are doubled propter vehementem geminationem squamarum which do so tenatiously cleave together Avenarius that its very hard to pierce them The scales of Pharaoh were the Armes that hee bare 1 Sam. 17.5 the coat of male which Goliah had on was shiron kaskassim lorica squamarum a brigandine or coat of scales that is made like the scales of a fish Such an one its probable Pharaoh had on and all his people in their armes suitable followed him I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy Rivers Hee thought himself so secure in Egypt as that no danger no mischief could befall him Egypt is so fenced by nature having the Sea on one side the vast desert on the other on the right hand such craggy mountaines and on the left such Fennes as that it s judged inaccessible but however it was in it self yet God saith here I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy Rivers I will draw thee out into thine enemies land and there thou shalt fall 5 And I will leave thee thrown into the Wilderness The Hebrew is I will leave thee in the wildernesse Natash signifies to cast off so to leave as to have no care of what is left God would bring this proud confident King into the Cyrenean
here the Lord threatned to make it desolate and waste The Hebrew is it shall bee for a desert and a reproach the wars should consume all Cities Villages men beast so that it should bee a reproachful wilderness stript of all its glory and ornaments And they shall know that I am the Lord. When I shall have brought in a potent enemy upon them and laid all waste then they shall know there is one greater than Pharaoh and the Egyptians to whom belongs the right of lands and rivers Because he hath said the River is mine and I have made it Here the Cause is specified why the Lord would deal so severely with Egypt because Pharaoh was so proud and arrogated so much to himself hee challengeth Nilus to be his and that hee by his Art and industry had made it so beneficial to all Egypt These words were spoken to in the third vers 10 I am against thee and against thy rivers In the third verse it s said Behold I am against thee Pharaoh King of Egypt and here I am against thee and thy Rivers hee was proud of and confident in his rivers that they would fertilize his land and secure him from enemies but God was against him and them and disappointed his confidences I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste The Hebrew is Lechorvoth choreu The solitudes of solitarinesse or the wastings of waste that is exceedingly waste there shall bee nothing considerable left therein it shall be as a dry wildernesse From the Tower of Syene even unto the border of Aethiopia Solinus makes Syene to bee in the front of Egypt between Nilus and the Red-Sea but others finde it to bee in the utmost parts of Egypt Southward five thousand furlongs above Alexandria Pliny reports under the Tropick of Cancer where at mid-day of the Solstice bodies have no shaddows Sands also in his Travailes Pliny natur histor l. 2. c. 73 places it above Thebes and under the Tropick of Cancer affirming that there was a Well of marvailous depth in it which was filled with light at the summer Solstice Sands trav l. 2 mihi p. 111. It s now called Asna Bonfrerius saith it s a City of Egypt in extremitate Thebaidis confinio Ethiopiae in the utmost part of Thebais and in the borders of Ethiopia In Hebrew the word is Seuneh in the Septuagint Sune therein was a Tower to defend from enemies they bordered upon or for other uses Even to the border of Ethiopia These words will not afford good sense so wee take Ethiopia as it is commonly taken for if the desolation were but from Syene to Ethiopia that was inconsiderable they being near together yea so near that Syene disterminated them It s improper to say England shall bee destroyed from Barwick to Scotland The word in Hebrew for Ethiopia is Cush which in sacred Scripture doth not alwaies note Ethiopia in Africa though frequently it doth for Gen. 2.13 The name of the second river is Gihon which there is said to compass the whole land of Ethiopia or Cush this cannot bee the African Ethiopia for Gihon ran not that way it was the Oriental Ethiopia of which Moses wife was Numb 12.1 Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom hee had married The Hebrew is the Cushite this woman was Zipporah the daughter of Jethro the Son of Revel the Midianite Exod. 2.15 18.21 chap. 3.1 so then the Midianites were the Oriental Cushites or Ethiopians of Asia of this sort its probable were those Ethiopians that came against Asa 2 Chron. 14.9 Zerah the Ethiopian came with one thousand thousand it had been too far a journey for so many to have marched out of the African Ethiopia Tostat upon the place saith the Ethiopians dwelt not onely in Africa but in Asia also Torncellus and others make this Ethiopia out of which Zerah came to bee the land of Midian The word Cush saith Junius upon the second of Genesis comprehends the three Arabiaes both the Ethiopiaes and all the Meridian coast The sense of our Prophet is that all Egypt should bee laid waste even from Syene in the borders of the African Ethiopia to Arabia and Midian which are Cush viz. the Oriental Ethiopia 11 No foot of man shall pass thorough it nor foot of beast shall c. By these and such like speeches great desolation is set forth unto us wee must not take the words so strictly as if no man or beast should bee found or left in Egypt but it should bee so wasted that trading should cease there should not bee such markets fairs and merchandiseing in her as was before men should not mind comming to Egypt nor have occasion to pass thorough it few men or beasts yet some should bee there Neither shall it be inhabited forty years After the taking of Tyrus by a long siedge Nebuchadrezzar had Egypt given him for that service which was in the seven and twentieth year of the Jews captivity vers 17. shortly after hee made war upon it spoiled it of man beast and all its glory and so it continued till the Babylonish captivity ceased which was some forty or three and forty years after There be different opinions among Expositors concerning the beginning of these forty years and their ending Vid Junium 12 In the midst of the Countries that are desolate Nebuchadrezzar made many Countries desolate according to the word of Jeremy ch 25.9 and among those Egypt was one so the words in the midst are to be understood And her Cities among the Cities that are laid waste As Egypt was fertile so populous and abounded in great Cities Lavater informes us that in the time of King Amasis it had twenty thousand Cities How many or how great soever they were laid waste by the Babylonian Army and that fourty years I will scatter the Egyptians among the Nations Where wars come many are consumed by the sword some are famished some devoured by the Plague and other diseases and doubtlesse though many Egyptians perished by such means yet some escaped and those God scattered and drave into other Countries Obs 1 Wars and the dismal effects of them are the just judgements of God upon perfidious Princes Pharaoh had deceived the Jews they leaned upon him for help but hee was a broken reed unto them Therefore behold I will bring a sword upon thee and it shall bee sharpe I will cut off man and beast out of thee Thou occasionedst my people to bee cut off through thy unfaithfulnesse and I will cause thee and thine to bee cut off through my fury Warres are dreadful but they are appointed sent and ordered by God where-ever they come Obs 2 Such is the efficacy and severity of Gods judgements as that nothing can stand before them or secure against them Egypt had strong Cities great Rivers was well peopled abounded in horses and charets Isa 31.1 yet the land of Egypt shall bee desolate and waste
vers The land of Egypt The Hebrew is the land of Mizraim so Egypt is constantly called in the Old Testament and thrice the land of Ham Psal 105.23 27. 106.22 and once the Tabernacle of Ham Psal 78.51 Misraim was the Sonne of Ham who possessed that part of Africa and from him it was called Mizraim or the land of Mitzraim and sometimes the land of Ham who was his father Paraeas in Gen. chap. 10. Josephus saith the Egyptians in his time was called Mesraei by the Eastern people In the Septuagint it s rendred Egypt so called from one Egyptus who reigned there some 390. years after the Israelites came out of Egypt This Land was very plentiful and in Josephs daies supplyed Jacobs Family with Corn Joseph l 1. contra Appionem when the Famine was great for the fruitfulness thereof it was called Horreum populi Romani but to the Jews it was an house of bondage Into a land that I had espyed for them This land was Canaan which God looked out for them amongst all lands in the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Explorare circumcundo circumquaque the Hebrew word signifies to search out by wandring over and viewing on every side so did the Lord here hee took special notice of this land his eies did run to and fro throughout the earth to see what land was the chiefest and Canaan was the land he pitched upon The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To a land which I had prepared for them God had long before prepared and provided this land Israel was his Son his first born and like a loving and provident Parent he provided a land and habitation for him Flowing with milk and honey This Encomium of this land is eighteen several times in the book of God four times in Exodus as chap. 3.8.17 ch 13.5 chap. 33.3 Once in Leviticus chap. 20.24 twice in Numbers chap. 13.27 chap. 14.8 six times in Deuteronomy ch 6.3 ch 11.9 cha 26.9.15 ch 27.3 chap. 31.20 twice in Jer. ch 11.5 and ch 32.22 once in Josh ch 5.6 and twice in this Chapter in this vers and the 15. Doubtless the land of Canaan abounded with milk and honey as may appear by Gen. 18.8 Prov. 27.27 1 Sam. 14.26 2 Sam. 17.29 but the phrase here of flowing with milk and honey is proverbial and notes plenty of all good and pretious things as you may see Joel 3.18 Amos 9.13 and in Job plenty is set out by rivers floods and brooks of honey and butter chap. 20.17 and it is clear that the fruits of the earth were called Milk and honey Numb 13.26 27. when the Spies that searched the Land came back and brought of the fruit thereof they said Surely it floweth with milk and honey and this is the fruit of it the figs pomegranates and grapes were part of the Milk and Honey So that Synechdochically here by Milk and Hony are understood all good things needful and delightful This plenty is set out by Milk and Honey rather than by other things 1 Because they are most common serving old and young all sorts of people Milk is food for Babes and for those whose age hath so infeebled their stomacks as that they cannot bear strong meat 2 They are alwaies in a readiness Other meats usually require much time to fit them for our tastes 3 They are sweet and pleasant though other things be so as Oyle and Wine yet not comparable to Milk and Honey That Canaan did abound with all good things see Deut. 8.7 8 9. verses where it is called a good Land in which they should not want any thing this was partly from the nature of the air and soil the one being very wholesome and the other very fat and partly from the peculiar blessing of God upon the Jews hee gave them the former and the latter rains he made the Land in the sixth year to bring forth fruit for three years Levit. 25.18 19 20 21. ch 26.3 4 5. Deut. 11.13 14 15. which blessing for their sinnes God hath taken away as hee threatned Levit. 26 20. Deut. 28.38 39 40. therefore they are deceived that think or say Judea was no fertile place Rabsakeh who was an enemy to the Jews and their God yet acknowledged their Land to bee a fertile Land 2 King 18.31 32. what ever mens conceits are of it now it was a land flowed with milk and honey which proverbial speech was of use also among others to set out plenty and fruitfulnesse by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fluit lacte campus fluit vino fluit apum nectare Eurip in Bac. his Mella virescenti conflagrant pinguia canna Lac etiam plenis manet potibila rivis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is decus ornam ntuÌ„ gloria from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intumuit Tertul. in poemat de paradiso Which is the glory of all Lands The Hebrew is Which is the Ornament of all lands the honour ornament or glory of all The Septuagint have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Honey-comb Fâ—vus est ultra omnes terras Symmach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aqu. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Edit Prima 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Edit Secunda Theod. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fortitudo Others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Desi lerium est incolis omnium aliarum regionum Desiderabilis pre omnibus terris Calvin Kick. in verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was so fruitful and pleasant a land that it was like an Honey-comb wonderful sweet to the inhabitants Vatablus calls it desiderabilis the land to bee desired above all lands Kicker interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that which affects the minde and sense and invites to the loving of it affording pleasure and delight The Spirit of God calls it the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 land of desire thrice Psal 106.24 Jer. 3.19 Zach 7.14 So the Hebrew is and so the margent hath it a b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good Land Deut. 8.7 an c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding good land Numb 14.7 it was not only a good land but a land that exceeded in goodnesse That good land Deut. 4.22 the words are very emphaticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that land that good that In Dan. 11. it is twice tearmed the glorious land vers 16.41 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the land of ornament or the land of glory yea that glory which no other land attained unto The land is thought to bee situated in the midst of the world being very temperate neither too hot nor too cold It is computed to bee two hundred miles in length and not above fifty in breadth It had thirty one Kings in it when Joshua smote it when hee brought the Jews to possesse it Josh 12. and in Davids daies there were found in Israel and Judah for so it was then divided 1300000 fighting men Boemus in the manners and customes of all
Isa 11.10 The root of Jesse shall stand for an Ensigne of the people to him shall the Gentiles seek and his rest shall bee glorious and v. 12. hee shall set up an Ensign c. the Lord Christ was a great gatherer Luke 11.23.14 16 17 21 23. Obs 3 The End of Gods gathering his people out of their scattered condition is that they may sanctify him and that hee may be sanctified by them Gods power faithfulnesse and goodnesse appear in his gathering and bringing them out of enemies hands and so way is made for his praise and honour and that before their enemies 26 And they shall dwell safely therein and shall build houses and plant vineyards yea they shall dwell with confidence when I have executed judgement upon all those c. The word for safely and with confidence is the same Labetach it noteth safety freedome from danger fear and inward confidence boldnesse The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is somewhat short of the meaning The French is Searement surely which is better and reacheth the sense more fully Whether this was made good unto them at their return from Babylon is questionable for they were troubled with Sanballat Tobias and Geshem The work-men had a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other Nehem. 4. Afterwards Alexander the Great came and filled all with fears and they were necessitated to admit him into their City After this also many of them were carried away into Egypt by Ptolomy the Sonne of Lagus In the Maccabees times they had as sharpe and miserable wars as ever and at last were brought under by the Romans Though sometimes they had quiet rest as in the daies of Ptolomaeus Philadelphus yet they had much trouble great fears wars and ruines Some therefore understand this Prophesy of a spirtiual restauration by Christ who when he came in the flesh made way for the comming in of all Nations to injoy perfect peace in himself according to Gen. 50.10 Vnto him shall the gathering of the people be Nations shall flock to him Hereupon said the Lord Christ Joh. 10.16 Other sheep I have which are not c. This restauration began in Christs daies and shall bee perfected at his next comming Obs 1 The Lord will meet with and cut off the enemies of his Church and People yea all of them shall fare alike when I shall have executed my judgement upon those that despise them round about Those that despise contemn and trouble the servants of God judgements are their portion they are thornes and bryars and fire shall consume them See Numb 24.8 Isa 41.11 12. Obs 2 When God separates his people from the wicked and plagues them for their wronging his people then shall they have Glorious times they shall dwell safely build houses plant vineyards dwell securely have confidence c. Obs 3 The Lords scope in comforting his people with sweet Promises in delivering them from their enemies and bestowing choice mercies is that they should acknowledge professe him to be their God and praise him for his goodnesse to them They shall know that I am the c. CHAP. XXIX Vers 1 In the tenth year in the tenth moneth in the twelfth day of the moneth The Word of the Lord came unto mee saying 2 Son of Man set thy face against Pharaoh King of Egypt and Prophesy against him and against all Egypt 3 Speak and say Thus saith the Lord God behold I am against thee Pharaoh King of Egypt the great dragon that lyeth in the middest of his rivers which hath said my river is mine own and I have made it for my self 4 But I will put hooks in thy chaws and I will cause the fish of thy Rivers to stick unto thy seales and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick unto thy scales 5 And I will leave thee thrown into the wildernesse thee and all the fish of thy rivers thou shalt fall upon the open fields thou shalt not be brought together nor gathered I have given thee for meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowles of the heaven 6 And all the Inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord because they have been a staffe of reed to the house of Israel 7 When they took hold of thee by thy hand thou didst break and rent all their shoulder and when they leaned upon thee thou brakest and madest all their loines to bee at a stand EZekiel having Prophesied against the Ammonites Moabites Edomites Philistines Tiryans and Sydonians in the four Antecedent Chapters in this and in the three following he Prophesies against the Egyptians In this Chapter take notice 1 Of an Inscription or preface v. 1 2. 2 Of a Commination against the King of Egypt the Land and people thereof from the 2. to the 13. 3 A Promise of restoring Egypt again v. 13 14 15 16. 4 A Prophesy of giving the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadnezzar from the 16. to the 21. 5 A Promise of mercy to the Jews v. 21. 1 In the tenth year in the tenth moneth in the twelfth day of the Moneth This Prophesy was given to Ezekiel in the tenth year of Jehoiachins captivity six moneths and odde daies before the final destruction of Jerusalem Jerem. 39.2 In the 26. chapt Our Prophet tells you of a Prophesy hee had in the eleventh year of Jehoiachins captivity for hee reckons upon that account Ezek. 1.1 2. and here hee mentions one hee had the year before so that the order of time is not observed but inverted The reasons hereof are made by some to be these 1 Because Tyrus and Zidon was nearer Jerusalem than Egypt was and therefore the Prophet respected the place rather than the time 2 Because Tyrus and Zidon were to bee destroyed before Egypt 3 Because the Prophet had another Prophesy concerning Egypt in the seven and twentieth year of the captivity v. 17. and therefore thought meet to joyn them together 2 Set thy face against Pharaoh King of Egypt Of setting the face towards or against places or persons occasion was given to speak chap. 28.21 chap. 25.2 chap. 20.46 and chap. 6.2 by this posture hee declared whither his Prophesy tended Hee was far from Egypt being in Babylon but looking towards it fixedly was an argument he had something to say concerning it Pharaoh This was a name common to the Kings of Egypt as Caesar was to the Roman Emperours and signifies a King Shindl. in verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Old Egyptian Language as Josephus saith Some make it to signify denegans eum denying him because Pharaoh denyed God Martinius Leigh Others interpret it free because hee was absolute of himself but rather it was nomen dignitatis a name of honour given unto them In the Word you have mention of Pharaoh-Necho 2 King 23.29 that is Pharaoh the lame and of Pharaoh-Hophrah Jerem. 44.30 whom
power could over-power him hee was unfaithful to the house of Israel and deceived them trusting to him for aide and because of these things the Lord poured out vials of wrath upon him Zedekiahs perfidiousnesse brought sword and fire upon Jerusalem blindnesse captivity and chaines upon himself Obs 3 It s neither pleasing to God nor safe for Gods People to relye upon Heathens and wicked ones for help in their straits and fears The house of Israel relyed upon the Egyptians and this pleased not the Lord neither was safe for them Isa 31.1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help and stay on horses and trust in Charets because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong but they look not to the holy one of Israel neither seek the Lord the Jews looked to the strength of Egypt and not to the strength of God and therefore a woe is denounced against them God was provoked thereby and hee would bring evil upon them and saith that the helped and helpers should both fall and fail together vers 3. yea hee tells the Jews chap. 30.3 that the strength of Pharaoh should be their shame and their trust in the shaddow of Egypt their confusion When Asa relyed on the King of Syria and not on God Hanani the Prophet told him hee had done foolishly and that thence forward he should have warre 2 Chron. 16.7 9. Gods people should trust in God alone who is all-sufficient for them and not in an arm of flesh Idolaters prophane and wicked ones are seldome cordial to Gods people how can they help the Church of God in earnest which they hate most heartily The Egyptians loved not the Jews and therefore they smarted for seeking their help and trusting to them for help Obs 4 That those mediums men expect comfort and help from do oft wound them and prove their ruine The house of Israel leans upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians for relief and aide against the Babylonians and what did they break and rend all their shoulder and dissolve their loines they failed them and this proved the renting of the Jewish shoulder the breaking of them in peices and total dissolving of their Kingdom they were to them as a staffe to a weak infirm man he leans hard upon it that suddainly breaks runs into his arme and shoulder and so falling down wounded hee rises no more that hee trusted to wounded and ruined him This falls out oft that mens confidâ—nces are their confusions The things they trust to and lean upon are thornes unto them Ahaz places his hope in Tiglath-pilnezer when the Edomites invaded Judah hee is sent for comes and what then hee distressed him and strengthened him not 2 Chron. 28.20 hee was baculus arundineus unto him Benhadad had great confidence in Hazael but hee proved his ruine 2 King 8.8 15. he made a prey of him and his Kingdome at once In Obadiahs prophesy v. 7. it s said the men of thy bread have laid a wound uâ—der thee that is those Edom was familiar with confided in looked for much comfort from even they wounded her they laid snares and traps for her they became instruments of her ruine Obs 5 Dis-appointments by and harmes from others do make men wary and look to themselves When the Egyptian reed brake and wounded the Jews then their loines were made to stand then they recalled their spirits from the Egyptians and set themselves to secure themselves against the Babylonish forces While men trust to others they are usually negligent in their counsels and actions but when they see others fail them and feel they have wounded them then they muster up their spirits then they consult watch and act more vigorously Vers 8 Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold I will bring a sword upon thee and cut off man and beast out of thee 9 And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste and they shall know that I am the Lord because he hath said the river is mine and I have made it 10 Behold Therefore I am against thee and against thy rivers and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate from the towre of Syene even unto the borders of Ethiopia 11 No foot of man shall pass thorough it nor foot of beast shall pass thorough it neither shall it be inhabited forty years 12 And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the middest of the Countries that are desolate and her Cities among the Cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years and I will scatter the Egyptians among the Nations and will disperse them through the Countries In these verses you have clearly laid before you these particulars 1 The judgement God would bring upon Egypt viz. the sword v. 8. 2 The Effect or Event of this sword utter vastation v. 8 9. and dispersion v. 12. 3 The Extent of this vastation v. 10. 4 The Duration of the same v. 11 12. which is forty years 5 One special cause thereof repeated v. 9. which is the pride of the King of Egypt 8 I will bring a sword upon thee Sword in Scripture imports sometimes power as Exod. 18.4 God delivered mee from the sword of Pharaoh saith Moses that is from the power of Pharaoh sometimes great sorrows as Luke 2.35 a sword shall pierce through thine own soul that is the Mockings reproaches and evil usages Mary and Christ should meet with in the world should be as a sword in the heart of Mary and fill her with sorrows sometimes it s put for the word of God as Eph. 6.17 the sword of the spirit which is the word of God which in the Grammatical construction may refer to spirit but then the sense is not so clear for what then shall bee the sword its better therefore to read those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which thing is the word of God sometimes for division as Matth. 10.34 I came not to send peace but a sword that is division so Christ expresses it in Luke 12.51 and sometimes war and the Evils attend it so it s to bee taken here God would bring the Babylonian Army Nebuchadnezzar with all instruments of warre upon Pharaoh and his land And cut off man and beast out of thee God would deal severely with Egypt not only man should bee cut off but even the beasts also They had not sinned and God did not punish the beast in destroying of them Dum jumenta tolluntur non tam ipsa puniuntur quam homo corum privatione plectitur Paraeus but he punished their owners in depriveing them of their beasts who had made them serve their lusts Egypt abounded with men and Cattle and the Egyptians being wicked and given to luxury God brought that sad judgement upon them viz. the sword which spared neither man nor beast 9 The land of Egypt shall bee desolate and waste Egypt was a fruitful and pleasant land flowing with Milk and Honey Numb 16.33 but
Gods judgements would cut off man and beast destroy her Cities and in effect dry up her Rivers they should bee made uselesse Egypt strugled to defend and secure her self but it availed not Jerem. 46.11 Go up into Gilead and take balm O virgin the daughter of Egypt in vain shalt thou use so many medicines for thou shalt not bee cured Egypt was yet a virgin unconquered and shee is bid to go to Gilead where the most pretious and soveraign balm was and to take thereof that is to use the best means shee could finde out to prevent her ravishing and destruction and when shee had tryed one means and another many medicines all were vain her wound was incurable shee had dealt deceitfully with the Jews and lift up her self against the Lord robbing him of his glory whilst shee said The river is mine I have made it for my self Gods judgements were of that power and so severe as Jerusalem with all her art and means could not prevent them or protect her self from them Jer. 2.22 Though thou wash thee with nitre and take thee much soape though thou hast many excuses shifts pretences for what thou doest though thou send to Egypt for help though thou fast and prâ—iest these things shall do thee no good thine iniquity is marked before mee and my judgements must come and lay thee waste yea utterly waste Obs 3 Gods judgements are often universal and sweeping God would lay Egypt universally waste and desolate and that from one border to another from the Tower of Syene to Arabia within which bounds all Egypt was comprehended Jer. 12.12 The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wildernesse for the sword of the Lord shall devour from one end of the Land even to the other end of the Land no flesh shall have peace The Chaldeans were Gods instruments hee put the sword in their hand which did eat and devout from one extream part of the Land to another no place so strong so secret but the sword found it out and spared neither things nor persons the judgement was so universal that no flesh had peace that is none of the Jewish nation the terror of the sword was every where Zeph. 3.6 I have cut off the Nations their towers are desolate I made their streets waste that none passeth by Their Cities are destroyed so that there is no man that there is no inhabitant God swept away from the Heathens their Towers their streets their Cities their men expecting his people would have learned to fear him received instruction and prevented an universal judgement at least v. 7. but they rose early and corrupted all their doings as Gods Mercies had not so his Judgements did not do them good Therefore hee complains thus Jerem. 44.7 8. wherefore commit ye great evils against your souls to cut off from you man and woman child and suckling out of Judah to leave you none to remain in that you provoke mee to wrath with the works of your hands they put God upon an universal judgement by their universal wickedness Obs 4 That the times of Kingdomes flourishings and Kingdomes desolations are in the hand of God hee sets the bounds and periods for their Prosperity and their Adversity Hee said The land of Egypt shall bee desolate hee put an end to its glory and greatnesse hee set the time how long it should prosper and when that time was come and it brought to desolation hee determined the time how long it should lye in that desolate condition It shall not bee inhabited forty years the Cities of it shall bee desolate forty years Isa 23.15 Tyre as it had its time for reigning so it s seventy years for suffering the same proportion of years the Lord allotted unto the kingdome of Judah and to diverse Nations Jerem. 25.11 God put an end to their dominion and determined the time of their subjection which was seventy years service unto the King of Babylon The life and death of States is in the hand of the Lord to lengthen and shorten at his pleasure Some states flourish four hundred some five hundred some six hundred years and then they are made desolate for their forty their seventy years or more as seems good unto the Lord Dan. 2.21 Hee changeth times and seasons hee removeth Kings from their glory and greatnesse and throws them into obscurity what time he hath determined for them Obs 5 In time of wars people are driven from their friends habitations and countries When the sword came upon Egypt the Egyptians were scattered among the Nations and dispersed through the Countries God made use of them abroad to declare their own misery and his justice It s a sad thing to bee amongst strangers whose language is not understood to bee exposed to the scornes frownes and harsh usage of enemies the smoak of ones own country is better than the fire of another Many in our late warres have met with this great evil and can experimentally tell you what it is to bee driven out of their own Country and habitations into forrein ones Vers 13 Yet thus saith the Lord God at the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the People whither they were scattered 14 And I will bring again the Captivity of Egypt and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros into the land of their habitation and they shall be there a base kingdom 15 It shall be the basest of the Kingdoms neither shall it exalt it self any more above the Nations for I will diminish them that they shall no more rule over the nations 16 And it shall bee no more the confidence of the house of Israel which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance when they shall look after them but they shall know that I am the Lord God These verses are a Promise of Mercy to the Egyptians where comes into consideration 1 The Time when this mercy shall be at the end of the forty years 2 The Mercy it self which is double 1 Revocation v. 13. 2 Restitution of their Kingdome v. 14 15. where the nature of the Kingdome is set forth it shall be base c. 3 The End and aime of God in so doing which is two-fold 1 That Egypt may bee no more the confidence of the Jews 2 Acknowledgement of God v. 16 13 At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians The Egyptians being notorious idolaters confiding in their own strength were scattered among the Nations where they wandred and lived without hope of seeing their own Country and becomming a people or Kingdome again but the Lord out of his abundant goodnesse beyond theirs and others expectation promiseth that after forty years expired he would gather them where ever they were scattered Forty years he would exercise them wiâ—h captivity and those hard things accompanied the same No vocabâ—â—â—r olim ca câ—â—â—â—s Egypti quaâ— postea ab Aâ—â—xandro magnâ— restaurata â—jus nomen accepit Maldonat but
at the end thereof hee would shew them mercy This is that Jeremy speaks of chap. 46.25 26. The Lord of Hosts the God of Issael saith behold I will punish the multitude of No that was a great City in Egypt afterward called Alexandria and Pharaoh and Egypt with their gods and their Kings even Pharaoh and all them that trust in him that was Johanan and all the Jews who fled into Egypt for safety contrary to the mind and counsel of Jeremy chap. 42.19 20 21 22. and I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar King of Babylon and into the hand of his servants here you have the judgement of God upon Egypt Egyptians and the Jews trusting in them but now what followes And afterwards it shall bee inhabited as in the daies of old after forty years suffering Egypt should receive her scattered ones and become a Kingdome again 14 And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt Here the abstract is put for the Concrete Captivity for Captives so you have it Jerem. 48.47 I will bring again the captivity of Moab and Ezek. 39.25 I will bring again the captivity of Jacob that is the Captives of Jacob the Captives of Moab and the Captives of Egypt or Egyptian Captives And will cause them to return into the land of Pathros Maldonate makes Pathros a City towards the South borders of Egypt furthest off from Chaldaea Bonfrerius judges it to bee that City in Egypt called Babylon but here it s called The Land of Pathros and Jerem. 44.1 The Country of Pathros where the Jews which fled into Egypt dwelt and though it were distinct from Egypt Isa 11.11 for it s said there God shall recover his People from Assyria from Egypt and from Pathros yet it was in the land of Egypt Jerem. 44.15 The Jews dwelt in the land of Egypt in Pathros Junius conceives this Country to bee near unto Arabia Petraea and by Jerome it was reputed formerly to be Nemus Arabiae a wood of Arabia Pathros its most probable was so called from Pathrusim the Son of Misraim Gen. 10.14 as all Egypt was called Misraim from the father so might some part be called Pathros from the Son viz. that part lay between the Red-Sea and the Mediterranean Sea and as God had carried them out that way so he would bring them again the same way Into the land of their habitation The Hebrew for Habitation is Mecuratham Negotiationum tuarum the land of thy tradings where they did buy and sell for the word is from Machar to sell and deliver wares to others Piscator hath the words thus into the land of their commerce The Egyptians dealt in fine linnen broidered works flax silk and other rich commodities now God would bring them into the land of their trading again Obs 1 The goodnesse and mercy of God extends to heathens he hath a care of them in their Captivity and after they have suffered his appointed time hee will shew kindnesse to them The Egyptians after forty years scattering shall bee gathered Isa 19.23 24 25. In that day shall there bee an high way out of Egypt to Assyria and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians In that day shall Israel bee the third with Egypt and with Assyria even a blessing in the midst of the Land whom the Lord of Host shall bless saying blessed be Egypt my People and Assyria the work of my hand and Israel mine inheritance The Assyrians Egyptians and Israelites had their daies and times of suffering and God had his daies and times of shewing mercy to those Heathen Nations as well as to Israel It s blessed bee Egypt my People and blessed be Assyria the work of my hand and blessed be Israel mine inheritance Obs 2 The afflictions of nations and Persons may be long yet not without end they may suffer seven and seven years yea twenty thirty fourty years together which is a long time and then see an end of their suffrings At the end of forty years will I gather c. the Egyptians were Captives forty years to the King of Babylon the Israelites were in bondage to the Philistims forty years Judg. 13.1 and then there came an end of their slavery they and many other Nations were captives to the King of Babylon seventy years which was a long time to sufferers but when they were run out their captivities ended Jerem. 25.11 God sometimes lengthens out the afflictions of people very much for ends best known unto himself as Gen. 15.13 God said unto Abraham know of a surety that thy seed shall bee a stranger in a land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them four hundred years here was a long season to bee afflicted but then it had an end Jehoiachin was thirty seven years a prisoner in Babylon but in the twelfth moneth of that year hee was set at liberty Jerem. 52.31 the man in the Gospel had been afflicted thirty eight years with an infirmity Joh. 5.5 and then hee was delivered from it Though warres famines plagues Captivities diseases and other afflictions may bee long yet they are not they shall not bee for ever they must have an end Ob. 3 That God sometimes deals more favourable with heathens than with his own people At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians but it was the end of seventy years before hee gathered the Jews out of Babylon his own people were thirty years or near upon longer under the Babylonish yoak than the Egyptians There was just cause for this Gods people had sinned worse than the Heathens and so provoked him above them Ezek. 5.6 Jerusalem hath changed my judgements into wickednesse more than the Nations and my statutes more than the Countries round about her there were no people near or far off who did like unto the Jews they forsook God the fountain of living waters and trusted in Pharaoh that great Dragon and in his rivers of waters Obs 4 Nothing is too hard for God or can hinder the fulfilling of his will The Egyptians were scattered among the nations here a family and there a family and that forty years together so mingled with the people of other Countries that they had well nigh forgotten Egypt and had so drunk in the manners and customes of the places where they lived that they were naturalized thereunto they were so rooted among the Nations that it seemed impossible to pluck them up and plant them in their own Countries yet notwithstanding these things saith God I will gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered It s like the Babylonians and other Nations that had them held them under and made advantage of their labours made laws against their flight or departure and struggled hard to detain them as they of old in Moses daies did to retain the
of Holinesse cover all their wickednesse The Devil is never more Devil than when hee transforms himself into an Angel of light he seeming light being darknesse is devillishly Hypocritical hiding all his hellish darknesse under pretended light and so do all Hypocrites who are his eldest Sonnes under the light of being religious they do all their deeds of darknesse The Jews were an Hypocritical Nation Isa 10.6 Jer. 7.9 10. and therefore God for bids Jeremy to pray for them chap. 14.11 and what if theâ— would pray themselves you have an answer in Job 13.16 God tells you that an Hypocrite shall not come before him that is to have acceptance of his person or hear any comfortable answer from him Christ hath told Hypocrites what they must look for Mat. 23. Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites woes they may look for and must hear of Woe to them for imposing upon God as if hee saw not their close wickednesse Woe to them for abusing Religion to further their Devillish designs Woe to them for deceiving others by their painted shews and professions and woe to them for deceiving themselves Obs 10. The Prophets and Servants of God when they are inquired of by men must not proceed according to their desires or their own apprehensions of them that do so desire but they must wait for the mind of God and do answerably thereunto Wilt â—hou judge them Sonne of man cause them to know the abominations of their Fathers They would have thee inquire of mee for them but I will not bee inquired of they shall not have their desires thou apprehendest they are good and wouldest speak for them but thou must not do after thine own apprehensions thou must attend my pleasure and do what that is and its this make them to know the abominations of their Fathers They did such things as provoked mee to cast these their children into this Babylonish captivity and will they continue in their waies or proceed to worse go thy ways lay before them the abominable things their Fathers have done see what effect that will have with them Minde not their desires stand not upon thine own apprehensions of them I have made known my will unto thee goe thou and make it known unto them without dispute or delay Not the Peoples desires nor the Prophets phancies must bee his direction when hee is to make Answer to those that inquire but the will of God made known by his word and Spirit Vers 5 And say unto them thus saith the Lord God in the day when I chose Israel and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob and made my self known unto them in the land of Egypt when I lifted up mine hand unto them saying I am the Lord your God Here beginnes the third part of the Chapter which is the Relation of Gods dealing with them and theirs towards him 1 In Egypt from this vers to the 10. 2 In the desert from the 10. to the 27. 3 In Canaan from the 27. to the 33. In the first of these you have sundry choice mercies of God set down with his command and their notorious wickedness The mercies are reckoned up in the 5 6 7 and 9. v. and they are those 1 Gods election of them 2 His revelation of himself unto them 3 His profession of being their God 4 His promise to bring them out of the land of Egypt into the land of Canaan 5 His confirmation of all these by lifting up his hand 6 His sparing of them for his names sake 7 His bringing them forth out of Egypt The command is to cease from Egyptian idolatry vers 7. Their sin was rebellion v. 8. I come now to open the words and so to give you the observations In the day when I chose Israel The Hebrew is in the day of my choosing in Israel Septuagint from what day I chose the house of Israel Day here is not taken in opposition to night as it is Joh. 11.9 10. nor for time indefinitely as Gen. 3.5 but for the time wherein some particular thing was evidenced to bee done By Election Here is not meant the decree or purpose of God to take the Jews to bee his people that was before all time from eternity but the manifestation of that election in the day that I made it appear that I had elected you Election or chusing in the Scripture sometimes referres to things as Deut. 23.16 Gen. 13.11 1 King 18.25 Prov 22.1 sometimes to persons and then it s either to Christ as Isa 42.1 or to Angels as 1 Tim. 5.21 or to men and then it s spoken either of persons who are invisible members of the mystical body of Christ as 2 Thess 2.13 or of a community and visible body and so it is here God chose this Nation of the Jews to bee his Nation and Church Deut. 7.6 to have his Oracles Ordinances and means of grace amongst them In the day when I chose Israel What time this was is to bee searched out It was not that time when God manifested himself to Abraham and bid him get him out of his Countrey to a land he would shew him and hee would make of him a great Nation Gen. 12.1 2. nor that time when hee appeared to Jacob and said I am God the God of thy Father fear not to go down into Egypt for I will there make of thee a great Nation I will go down with thee into Egypt and I will also surely bring thee up again Gen. 46.2 3 4 They were not yet a Nation nor in Egypt of both which the choice here is meant The time then was when God took notice of their hard sufferings in Egypt by the rigorous Taskmasters and appeared to Moses and bid him say to Pharaoh Israel is mâ— son my first-born let my Son go that he may serve mee Exod. 4.12 13. and sent Aaron with him upon that message to Pharaoh chap. 5.1 where they go in to Pharaoh also say Thus saith the Lord God of Israel let my people go that they may hold a feast unto mee in the wildernesse Thou thinkest these people are thine and therefore holdest them in servitude and bondage but the Lord God of heaven is the God of Israel hee challengeth this people to bee his and commands thee to let them go and serve him And lifted up my hand Lifting up the hand is a phrase much mentioned in the book of God it is seven times in this chapter twice in this verse once in the 6. and then it is in the 15 23 28 and 42. verses To lift up the hand notes diverse things and was used in diverse weighty things 1 In blessing Psal 134.2 lift up the hands in the Sanctuary and blesse the Lord Lev. 9.22 Aaron lifted up his hands towards the people and blessed them Luk 24.50 Christ lift up his hands and blessed them 2 In Prayer Psa 63.4 I will lift up my hands in thy name 1
Hosea tells you that after two daies hee will revive his people and in the third day raise them up though they bee like men dead and buried yet God hath his time to revive raise and to cause to live in his sight They were as dry bones in Babylon and served a hard service there but there was a day wherein God gave them rest from their sorrow fears and servitude Isa 14.3 4. The Gentiles were a long time in the wildernesse in a lost and perishing condition Eph. 2.12 there was a time they were without Christ without hope without God in the world but God had a day to manifest his choice of them vers 13. but now in Christ Jesus they who were sometimes a farre off are made nigh there was a now a time a day for them So Zeph 3.16.19 20. Obs 2 The taking of a people to be the Lords is of meer grace and mercy It is Gods own free act In the day when I chose Israel Israel did not chuse him Israel had nothing to affect him but out of his good pleasure hee chose Israel The Lord makes open protestation Deut. 7.7 8. that hee did not set his love upon them nor chuse them because they were more in number than other people but because he loved them and what made God love them were they better than other Nations they came of the Amorites and Hittites they were in their bloud when hee said unto them Live Ezek. 16.3 6. did hee foresee they would beleeve repent and persevere in keeping his commands and honour him above the rest of the world no hee foresaw that they would bee more wicked than the Nations and Countries round about them Eze. 5.6 7. and exceed Sodom Samaria in wickednesse as it is Ezek. 16.47 51 52. what was it then caused God to love chuse this people nothing without God himself all was within doors that stirred him up to do it I will say to them which were not my people thou art my people Hos 2.23 Gods will is the cause and nothing else Rom. 9.18 Hee will have mercy on whom hee will Isa 41.9 I have chosen thee and not cast thee away Obs 3 When Gods people are in troubles he discovers and reveales himself unto them one way or other by one means or other I made my self known unto them in the land of Egypt that was a land and house of bondage to them they met with reproaches threats stripes rigour and hard labour there and when the case was so with them then God unmaskes and shews himself unto them When Josephs brethren were in great trouble then hee made known himself unto them Gen. 45. and so did God unto his people by Moses and Aaron hee made known what Promise and Oath hee had made to Abraham Isaac and Jacob hee made known his tender-heartednesse to them that their cries came up to his ears and that he was affected with their sorrows and would no longer indure the Egyptians to oppress them he made known his mighty power unto them that hee was stronger than Pharaoh and all his strength Deut. 4.34 35. hath God assayed to go and take him a Nation from the middest of another Nation by temptations by signs and by wonders by warre by a mighty hand by a stretched out arm and by great terror according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes unto thee it was shewed that thou mightest know that the Lord hee is God The Lord made himself known by these in an eminent manner unto them It is Gods way and wont to appear to his in the time of their calamitie and darkness Isa 54.11 12 13 14. O thou afflicted tossed with tempests and not comforted Behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with Saphires I will make thy windows of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant stones And all thy Children shall bee taught of the Lord and great shall bee the peace of thy Children in righteousnesse shalt thou be established c. What a precious glorious discovery of God was here unto the Church being in a storm So when Rachel wept for her Children and refused to bee comforted because they were not how did the Lord break out of the Clouds and shine when hee said to her refrain thy voice from weeping and thine eyes from tears for thy work shall bee rewarded saith the Lord and they shall come again from the land of the enemie In the time of affliction Gods words and works are more observed take deeper impression indear more unto him therefore hee loves to manifest himself in them Obs 4 God knowing mens weaknesse condiscends for to strengthen and establish them in the assurance of his favour towards them Not onely by word and works did God evidence it that the seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob were his chosen ones his people which might have sufficed but hee took his oath on 't I lifted up my hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob yea that it might bee the more firm hee doubled it When I lifted up my hand unto them Saying I am the Lord your God For God to tell any people hee hath chosen them argues great favour then to appear unto them and make large manifestations of himself and his good will unto them by words providentiall and wonderful working for them argues more and more favour and then to swear unto them or declare hee hath sworn unto them and not onely to do some few things for them but to bee their God this is height of favour wonderful stooping on Gods part and this hee did to confirm their hearts in assurance of his love God cannot falsify his word much lesse his Oath God did swear that Abraham and his seed might have strong consolation not stagger question his love any more and the Apostle applies it to himself Heb. 6.17 18. to all beleevers who are heirs of the promise and under the oath of God that we might have strong consolation Vers 6 In that day that I lifted up my hand unto them to bring them forth of the Land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them flowing with milk and honey which is the glory of all lands God having chosen the Jews to bee his people made himself known unto them and professed himself to be their God here hee tells them of the good promise hee made unto them which was to bring them out of Egypt into Canaan The praise and encomium whereof is set out more fully in this ver than in any part of holy writ besides its threefold 1 From the discoverer it was a land of Gods looking out for them 2 From the Commodities it had that in plenty it flowed with milk and honey 3 From the eminency of it above other Lands it is the glory of all Lands Of Lifting up the Hand hath been spoken in the former
Nations Heylin Cosmogrâ— Vide Lyra in Ezek. 20 6 besides women children and such as were not able to fight 2 Sam. 24. this land was the glory of all lands in regard of the fruitfulnesse and plenty of it of which see Deut. 8.7 8 9. cha 32.13 14. Isa 36.17 a land beyond Egypt though some have affirmed the contrary for Deut. 11.10 11 12. the land thou goest in to possesse is not as the land of Egypt from whence ye came out when thou sowedst thy seed and wateredst it with thy foot as a garden of herbes But the land whither thou goest to possesse it is a land of Hells and Vallies and drinketh water of the rain of Heaven A land which the Lord thy God careth for the eyes of the Lord thy God are alwaies upon it from the beginning of the year unto the end thereof This is a divine Testimony and an high praise of it and doth justly intitle it to bee the glory of all lands What our Prophet saith here of Canaan may bee suspected and seems to bee contradicted by Isaiah ch 13.19 where hee calls Babylon the glory of Kingdomes and if that be the glory of them how can Canaan bee the glory of all lands Hee speaks of the City Babylon which was the head of Chaldea and gave denomination to a great part of Mesopotamia and Assyria the walls whereof were two hundred foot high filty Cubits broad and sixty miles in Compass which the Babylonians counted the glory of Kingdomes and boasted of if it did exceed Jerusalem in its greatnesse richnesse strength and populousness yet it fell short of it in other things Jerusalem represented the true Church Gal. 4.26 Heb. 12.22 Babylon the malignant and false Church Rev. 17.5 glorious things were spoken of Jerusalem and it was the faithful City Isa 1.21 the Holy City Isa 52.1 the City of Truth Zach. 8.3 a City of Righteousnesse Isa 1 26. the City of the Lord of Hosts such things were never spoken of Babylon Again if Babylon bee the Glory of Kingdomes it s not said to bee of all kingdomes it might bee the glory of Heathenish Kingdomes it was not the glory of Canaan for there was the Idol Bel other Images and abominable Idolatry Jer. 51.44 47. which eclipsed the other glory it had Again if it bee granted that Babylon was the glory of all Kingdomes and so of Judea or Canaan yet take Canaan in its latitude with all its excellencies and so considered it is the Glory of all Lands and beyond Babylon taken for the City or the Countrey for besides its milk and honey its fruitfulnesse and plenty there was something of an higher nature which made it so For 1 It was the land of promise Heb. 11 9. 2 A type of Heaven Heb. 3.11 3 The land God chose to dwell in Ps 132.13 14. Exo. 15.17 4 In it was the Temple Worship Ordinances and Oracles of God 1 Kin. 6. 8. chapt Whence it was called the Holy Land Zach. 2.12 holy Habitation Exod. 15.13 the land of the Lord Isa 14.2 Ps 85.2 the land of uprightnesse Isa 26.10 the land of Immanuel Isa 8.8 and upon this account it was the glory of all lands For no land besides in all the world was so called as this or had such prerogatives Obs 1 Old mercies should bee minded not onely by those they were first bestowed upon but also by their posterity who had benefit by them also In the former vers and this God mindes them of Old mercies his choice of them his making known himself unto them his professing himself to bee their God his bringing them out of Egypt which were some eight or nine hundred years before and his espying out a land for them which was four hundred years before that for it was in Abrahams daies that God took notice of that land Gen. 12. get thee to a land that I will shew thee vers 7. unto thy seed will I give this land These Old mercies God would have them to mind though they were in Babylon and deprived of that good land God had given them Let men bee in what condition they will Old mercies should not bee forgotten especially signal great emphatical mercies When God shall publikely own a people deliver them from great slavery put them into a state of freedome safety and honour provide all good things for them such mercies ought not to bee forgotten but to bee remembred from generation to generation This was done in Davids dayes Ps 44.1 2. Wee have heard with our ears O God our fathers have told us what worâ— thou didst in their daies in the times of Old how thou didst drive out the Heathen with thy hand Judges 6.13 Fathers told their children of the miracles God had wrought for them and how hee brought them out of Egypt and because men are apt to forget former mercies when they grow old they grow out of minde the Lord laid a charge upon the Jews that they should not forget them Deut. 6.10 11 12. And commanded them to remember the daies of Old and to consider the years of many generations and to inquire of the ancient what he had done for them Deut. 32.7 There bee no works like unto Gods works and they ought to bee had in remembrance David kept them in mind for hee professes to the Lord himself I remember the daies of Old I meditate on all thy works I muse on the work of thy hand he looked back to the daies of Noah of Abraham of Joseph of the Israelites and of Gods dealing with them because the heart is not quickly affected with old mercies and works of God he meditated and mused on them and that till his heart was warmed and stirred up to praise as it is Psal 105.5 remember his marvellous works that hee hath done his wonders and the judgements of his mouth O yee seed of Abraham his servant Obs 2 That Lands Countries and Habitations of People are appointed ordered and disposed of by the Lord hee brings them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that hee had espyed for them All souls and all lands are the Lords and whom hee will hee plants where hee pleases Hee distributes lands and habitations to whom hee thinks meet The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Psal 24.1 hee is the sole owner thereof the true Lord of the soil and all it brings forth and hee hath given it to the children of men Psal 115.16 hee hath assigned them their several portions Deut. 32.8 the most high divided to the Nations their inheritance when he separated the Sonnes of Adam the most high God being Lord paramount would not have the Sonnes of Adam to live all in one Country or Land but appointed them several lands and Countries to dwel in and set them their bounds and limits as you may see in Gen. 10. especially vers 25. where Eber names his Son Peleg which signifies division because the earth was divided in
his daies After the flood at the building of Babel God confounded the languages and dispersed the posterity of Noah into diverse Lands and set them their bounds Gen. 11.9 and so when hee brought the Israelites into the land of Canaan hee gave them their bounds according to what you find Psal 78.55 Hee cast out the Heathen before them and divided them an inheritance by line and made the Tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents hee drove out and destroyed the Hittites the Girgashites the Amorites the Canaanites the Perizzites the Hâ—vites and the Jebusites seven great and mighty Nations Deut. 7.1 and gave the land unto his people the Jews If God now will drive out the bloudy perfidious and Idolatrous out of Ireland and give it unto others that the seed of his servants may inherit it Martin in the lives of the Kings of England Heylin in his Cosmograph Fox in Act and Monum Grafton Speed and that those which love his name may dwell therein who shall fault and blame him for it and that England hath had right thereunto not onely from Henrie the eighths days who was proclaimed King thereof in Parliament here and in an Irish Parliament likewise if Heylin say true but also from Henry the Seconds Time yea from Edgars who was long before appears by English History Obs 3 The Lord provides and bestows the choicest mercies upon his own people If there bee a land in the World that flowes with milk and Honey that exceeds other lands for plenty and pleâ—santnesse his people shall have it hee espies out Canaan for them that land was too good for Heathens his people must have it When God carried Jacob and his family into Egypt hee provided the good and fat of that land for them Gen. 45.18 yea they were placed in the best of the land chap. 47.11 God fed and filled his with the finest of the wheat Psal 147.14 Moses mentions seven things together in Deut. 32.13 14 15. as honey out of the rock Oyle out of the flinty rock Butter of Kine milk of sheep fat of lambs and Rams of the breed of Bashan and Goats fat of Kidnies of wheat the pure bloud of the grape these the Lord provided for his people and they had all an excellency in them When Gods gives honey oyle butter milk fat flower wine hee giveth the best and purest you may read what choice mercies God bestowed upon this people Ezek. 16.10 11 12 13. they had goodly pleasant things Joel 3.5 the Hebrew is goodly desirable things and David acknowledgeth hee had a goodly heritage Psal 16.6 God had not measured out to him a mean portion but a good yea a goodly heritage that which was so in the eies of all even a wealthy place Psal 66 12. God provided the best places in the Court for Esther and her maidens when in Babylon Esth 2.9.16 so likewise Daniel and the three Children were set in eminent places Dan. 2. 3. ch God made his people to ride tread upon the high places of the earth and of their enemies Deut. 32.13.33.29 Obs 4. Spiritual mercies make a land glorious yea more glorious than all that lands want the same whatever mercies they else injoy Canaan was the glory of all lands not so much for its flowing with milk and honey its great plenty it had as for the spiritual mercies it injoyed There was the Lords presence his Prophets his worship his Oracles and his Ordinances and these made it glorious yea more glorious then all the Nations farre or near Psal 76.1 2. In Judah is God known his name is great in Israel in Salem also is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place is in Sion God was not known in Babylon in Egypt in other Nations his Tabernacle and dwelling place was not amongst them therefore they were not glorious but see what is in the 4. vers Thou art more glorious than the mountains of Prey Thou Judah thou Israel thou Salem thou Sion that hast spiritual mercies and blessings art more glorious than they whatever their glory bee have the Nations abroad goodly towers thou hast the Temple have they stately Cities thou hast Jerusalem the City of God have they wise men thou hast the Prophets have they gods of gold silver and stones thou hast the true living God Jehovah to bee thy God have they humane Laws that are good thou hast Divine Laws that excel have they temporal excellencies thou hast spiritual have they the glory of the world thou hast the glory of Heaven Psal 50.2 Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath shined what made Sion so glorious and beautiful it was the presence of God if hee had not been there Sion had been like other mountaines and Canaan like other Nations but his presence was like the Sunne darting out her beams and making all lightsome glorious and beautiful Spiritual mercies are beams and raies of that God who is ten thousand times more bright than the Sunne by these hee shined in Sion and made it the perfection or universality of beauty by these hee shined out of Sion and darkned all the glory of the Nations what or how great soever it was where God and his Ordinances are there is glory and where these are not there is no glory but Egyptian Darknesse a land without the Sun In Canaan was spiritual light and glory There were glorious appearances of God glorious praisings of God glorious conversions of sinners unto God glorious sabbaths and assemblies and glorious beauties of holinesse glorious types of Christ and people who were the glory of God Isa 4.5 and had glorious communion with God There were glorious Truths Ordinances and dispensations of God So then wise Counsellors good Magistrates stout Souldiers rich Merchants industrious Labourers strong Towns stately Houses high Mountaines fertile Vallies pleasant Rivers goodly Corn-fields heards of Cattle flocks of sheep with plenty of all outward things do not make a land so glorious as spiritual mercies do if God Christ Gospel and the Ordinances of it bee in a land they make it glorious and glorious beyond all other things and above all other Nations Let us learn to know our true glory even spiritual mercies and prize them highly though loathed by some like Manna of old and pray that such glory may ever dwell in our Land Vers 7 Then said I unto them cast yee away every man the abominations of his eyes and defile not your selves with the Idols of Egypt I am the Lord your God This Verse is a command wherein you have the Commander the things commanded and the reason thereof 1 The Commander Then said I unto them 2 The things Commanded which are 1 Casting away of abominations where 1 You have a specification of these abominations they are the abominations of their eyes 2 The extent of this act every man 2 Non-defilement of themselves with Egypts Idols 3 The reason I am the Lord your God Then said I to
what they saw them do they did what they saw them worship they worshipped the Heathens served Idols or Griefes as Montanus hath it because Idols cause grief and the Hebrewes served Idols which brought grief and vexation There is a secret but strong power in all wickednesse to assimilate and few who dwell neer her borders escape subscription to her Laws and practises When Dinah went out to see the Daughters of the Land shee was caught and defiled Gen. 34.1 2. and when men go not onely to see but to converse with and live amongst the Daughters of a Land viz. the corrupt inventions and practises thereof they are in great danger to bee caught and corrupted Grace is not communicable from Parents to posterity corruption is and that inclines strongly to conform to their waies and worship among whom men live Obs 2 When the Lord shews mercy to a people doth great things for them then hee requires and expects they should be holy When the Lord chose Israel made himself known unto the house of Jacob promised them to bring them out of Egypt into a land flowing with milk and honey then hee said Cast yee away every man the abominations of his eyes and defile not your selves with the Idols of Egypt that is bee yee holy this I call for this I look for Exod. 19.4 5. yee have seen what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bare you on Eagles wings and brought you unto my self Now therefore if yee will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant then yee shall bee a peculiar treasure unto mee above all people for all the earth is mine Here the Lord reckons up the great benefits hee vouchsafed them 1 His dealings with their adversaries yee have seen what I did to the Egyptians not heard but seen seen how I plagued them in Egypt and drowned them in the Red Sea for your sakes 2 His dealings with them He bare them on Eagles wings that is carried them out of Egypt and through the Red Sea with much speed strength and tendernesse as an Eagle carries her young when in danger speedily strongly tenderly not in her talons as other fowls do but on her back and wings He took them unto himself having taken them out of the hands of the Egyptian Tyrants and Task-masters he put them not under the power of strangers but took them to himself hee became their Lord and Soveraigne they took not him but hee took them Having done such things for them hee expected they should bee holy for hee saith Now therefore if you will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant that is if you will bee holy and honour mee I will put dignity upon you such as no people have you shall bee a peculiar treasure unto mee above all people as dear and as much cared for as any pretious things are by Princes Gods mercies are ingagements unto holinesse Levit. 20.23 24 and especially the 26. Yee shall bee holy unto mee for I the Lord am holy and have severed you from other people that you should bee mine distinguishing mercies should breed distinguishing qualities I have severed you from other people that you should forget their manners and conform to me a holy God even every one of you Obs 3 The eyes are instrumental to and inlets of much wickednesse Their eyes behold the Idols and let in that stirred their hearts and them to do abominably even to Idolatrie whether more evil enter by the ear or eye may bee questioned but most certain it is that abundance of wickednesse is let in to us by the eye The breach of most if not of all the Commandments hath been occasioned by the eye Of the first Hos 3.1 they look to other Gods Of the second 2 King 16.10 11 12. Ahaz saw an Altar at Damascus and makes the like and sets it in the place of Gods Altar Of the third Marke 6.22 23. Herod being pleased at the sight of Herodias dancing swears to give her what ever shee would ask unto the half of his Kingdome Of the fourth Ezek. 22.26 they have hid their eies from my Sabbaths they would not see what holinesse that day required they connived at the pollution and prophaning thereof Here you see the breach of the first Table and wee may find the second violated by means of them For the fifth see Gen. 9.22 Ham saw the nakedness of his father and discovered it For the sixth see Esther 3.5 6. When Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not hee was full of wrath and thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone but sought to destroy all the Jews For the seventh Consult Gen. 34.2 2 Sam. 11.2.4 when Shechem saw Dinah and David Bathshebah they were so taken with their beauties that they committed folly and brought evil upon themselves and others For the eighth that in Psalm 50.18 proves it when thou sawest a theif then thou consentedst with him For the ninth Consider that in Jerem. 37.13 when Jeremy was going out at the gate of Benjamin Jrijah a captain spies him and accused him falsely saying thou fallest away to the Chaldeans For the tenth take that place in Judg. 7.21 I saw saith Achan among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment two hundred shekels of silver a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight then I coveted them and took them by these instances you see the eyes have been instruments and mediums to further the breach of all the Commands The sight is a great mercy a principal sense yet it had been good for some men if they had been born blinde their eies occasioned so much sin and wickednesse by the eye the heart sends forth and receives in wickednesse the Eye is the pander between both and what thing created is worse than a wicked eie Oculis proditur peccatum cordis et oculi peccâ—torum ille cebras animo denuncient Conciliatorem peccati ocurum Talmudici nominant Oecolam Eccl. 11.13 Solomon advises you to keep your hearts with all diligence and you had need keep your eies with all diligence both heart and eies are roveing and mischieving things if not well kept God calls for both Prov. 23.26 My Son give mee thy heart and let thine eies observe my waies if this were done multitudes of sinnes would bee prevented the eie would let in Good to the heart and the heart send out good by the eie Obs 4 The consideration of God being our God should take us off from all former ingagements sinfull conformities and false confidences and cause us to cleave to the Lord to conform unto and confide in him The Jews here were ingaged to Egyptian Gods conformed to them and confided too much in them But cast them away defile not your selves with them I am the Lord your God you must ingage conform your selves to mee and confide in mee I am your God able to counsell help deliver you so are not so cannot the Idols of Egypt I am an holy God they are
abominations I am for you Israelites they are for Egyptians God becomming our God is a great condescension a favour beyond comprehension and should knock us off from all false waies and cause us to conform to him Exod. 23.24 25. Lev. 11.43 44 45. chap. 18.2 3 4. ch 19.2 3 4. Numb 15.38 39 40 41. in all these places God uses this argument why they should conform to him and bee holy because hee is the Lord their God and an holy God hee made them his Temple to dwell in and among and his Temple must not bee defiled admit of any thing unsuitable to his minde therefore hee tells them Deut. 7.6 that hee hath chosen them to bee a special people unto himself special in their holinesse special in their love special in their obedience and special in their confidence in and reliance upon him Vers 8 But they rebelled against mee and would not hearken unto mee they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eies neither did they forsake the Idols of Egypt then I said I will pour out my fury upon them to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt In this verse you have two things to be considered 1 Their wickednesse which is set out 1 In general they rebelled they hearkned not 2 In particular they did not cast away the abominations of their eies they did not forsake the Idols of Egypt 2 Gods purpose hereupon which was severely to punish them then I said I will pour out my fury c. which is illustrated from the circumstance of the place where he would do it in the midst of the land of Egypt There is little in this verse which hath not been opened and spoken of formerly the word rebelled wee had chap. 17.15.2 3. And would not hearken unto me The Hebrew is And have not desired to hearken to me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had no desire that way but the contrary Non velle here is Nolle their not willing was nilling and Zachary calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refusing ch 7.11 they had not an heart inclinable to hearken unto God Non cuplerunt audire ad me Montan. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thâ—n I said I will pour out my fury upon them The Hebrew is And I said to pour out that is I purposed seeing they dealt thus by mee to make them examples of my fury and to destroy them Of pouring out fury and accomplishing anger was spoken ch 6.12.7.8.9.8.14.19 In the midst of the land of Egypt Wee find not in Moses any thing recorded of this nature but here the Prophet delivered what God commanded him vers 5. say unto them thus saith the Lord hee had it not by tradition that God bid them cast away the abomination of their eyes and not defile themselves with the Idols of Egypt that they rebelled and would not do so that God purposed their destruction in Egypt these things he had not by tradition but by Divine inspiration They were so corrupted with the Idolatry of Egypt and averse from hearkening to the Admonitions Counsells and Exhortations of God that hee thought in his heart to destroy them in the midst of Egypt many of their children were drowned and the oppressions they indured were very great and long which Lavater saith was for their Egyptian Idolatry Psalm 105.25 Hee turned their heart to hate his People to deal subtlely with his people Obs 1 Those the Lord hath bestowed great mercies upon and professed much kindnesse unto they even they are ingrateful when hee calls for reformation at their hands This people the Lord chose made himself known to promised to bring out of Egypt into a land hee had looked out for them even a land flowing with milk and honey the glory ornament desire of all lands and now calling upon them to purge themselves from their abominations and Idolatries and to conform to him who professed himself to be their God what do they rebel against him but they rebelled here was ingratitude and ingratitude at a height God bid them cast away abominations and they cast away his Counsels hee bids them eye him his beauty and glory and they eye the form beauty and glory of their Idols hee bids them be holy and they defile themselves with idols he bids them cleave to him the God of Israel and they cleave to the Idols of Egypt hee bids them forsake all their evill waies and they forsake him This people were very ingrateful what ever mercies they had from God hee seldome had any testimony of true thankfulnesse from them Neh. 9. see what a multitude of mercies great seasonable wonderful God bestowed upon them calling by his Prophets for turning to him and did they turn reform and testify a thankful frame of Heart to bee in them no they were disobedient rebelled against him cast his Law behind their backs and slew his Prophets vers 26. God did choice things for this People all along but they forgate him and provoked him the 106. Psal is a Psalm of Gods mercies and their ingratitudes hee tells them they had a multitude of mercies but they provoked him at the Sea even the red Sea vers 7. but they lusted exceedingly in the wildernesse v. 14. but they murmured in their Tents v. 25. but they mingled among the Heathen v. 35. Here be four Buts testifying their ingratitude God hath done great things for us bestowed Israelitish mercies upon us hee hath made himself known amongst us brought us out of Egyptian bondage owned us for his people above any people and professed himself to bee our God and hereupon called upon us to cast away our abominations to reform and become a holy people conformable to his minde but may not the Lord come in with a reproaching But and say But yee rebel Your abominations are not cast away you do defile your selves with the Idols of England and notwithstanding all the mercies wee have had God may come in with many Buts and say but you provoke mee by your oppressions divisions and bitternesse but you lust exceedingly after a King and to bee like other Nations but you murmure against me my servants and dispensations but you mingle with the Customes corruptions and fashions of the times but you forsake my truths and runne into dangerous and damnable opinions Obs 2 Such is the corruption of mens natures that frequently the more mercies and means they have the worse they grow This People had variety of mercies and every mercy should have led them to repentance according to that in Rom. 2.4 especially such mercies as they had but above all Gods speaking to them should have done it how hee spake to them in Egypt wee finde not no Prophets are mentioned to have been there before Moses Whither hee spake himself unto them or by Angels or by Joseph or some others he did speak but they rebelled and hearkned not their corrupt hearts and natures degenerated more
Jews had rebelled against God and the Egyptians would have rejoyced in their ruine yet in their sight God made himself known unto them in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt God would have the Egyptians see that hee could bee kinde to his people though they were disobedient unto him that hee would not break with them though they broke with him When the Jews were in Babylon under great displeasure of God for their sinnes yet God did shew them such favour and do such things for them that their enemies were convinced and said The Lord hath done great things for them Psal 126.2 he made known his salvation and openly shewed his salvation in the sight of the Heathen Psalm 98.2 this the Lord doth as to magnifye his own name to rejoyce the hearts of his people and to gain upon them so to vex and consume the wicked Psalm 112.10 the wicked shall see it and bee grieved hee shall gnash with his teeth and melt away hath not this been Gods method with us notwithstanding our sins and ill deserts hath he not openly made known himself to us shewed us kindnesse in the sight of our enemies have they not seen it grieved guashed their teeth and melted away they have seen Gods kindnesses to us and we have seen Gods vengeance on them Vers 10 Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the Wilderness 11 And I gave them my Statutes and shewed them my Judgements which if a man do he shall live in them Having seen and heard of Gods dealings with them and theirs with him in Egypt Now wee are led to consider their mutual dealings each with other in the Wildernesse which reacheth to the 27. vers Where he shews in general 1 What Benefits he had bestowed upon them 2 What their sinful deportment was towards him 3 How worthy they were to perish if the Lord had not shewed them mercy for his name sake In these two verses you have 1 Their Eduction out of Egypt 2 Their introduction into the wildernesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 The Donation or promulgation of the law I caused them to go forth Eduxi eos in Hiphil feci exire Vulgar ejeci The Vulgar is I cast them forth or drove them forth which shews their backwardnesse to leave that land where they were born had habitations and other accommodations It s like many of them neither thought of the promise made to their fathers nor of the promised land but thought Egypt a good land yea a Land flowing with milk and honey as they called it Numb 16.13 onely they were troubled at the hard labour the Egyptians held them to but the word here imports not any violence but a powerful bringing of them forth we will inquire 1 How the Lord brought them forth 2 When. 1 How It was not in an ordinary way but in a way full of extraordinaries To do it the Lord came down from heaven Exod. 3.8 that was in the vision of the burning bush hee prepared Moses Aaron and the people by signs and miracles to leave Egypt and because all the power and wisdomes that Pharaoh and Egypt had was imployed to retaine the Jews there they being utterly averse from their departure the Lord sent strange and dreadful plagues one after another till their spirits were brought off to let them go Ex. 12.30 31 32 33. Pharaoh was resolved not to let them go hee had so much profit by their service unlesse it were by a strong hand Exod. 3.19 and God was resolved to bring them out and therefore he did arise put forth his power and by strength of hand brought them out Exo. 13.3 by an high hand ch 14.8 by mighty power and a stretched out arm Deut. 9.29 You have it fully set down in Deut. 4.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God took them from the midst of another Nation by temptations by signes by wonders and by war and by a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm and by great terrors There was great strife between God and Pharaoh who should have this people as there was between Michael and the Devil about the body of Moses Pharaoh pulled hard to hold them in Egypt but God out-pulled Pharaoh and pulled them out of Egypt and so caused them to go forth 2 When. You have the time punctually set down in Exo. 12.40 41. where its said at the end of the 430. years River in Exod. even the self same day they went out not that they were 430. years in Egypt for they were there but two hundred ten or two hundred and fifteen as Chronologies inform upon good account The 430. years are to begin from the time of the promise made to Abraham which Stephen tells us Act. 7.2 was before hee dwelt in Charran even while hee was in Vr and but seventy years old from which time to the going out of Egypt were four hundred and thirty years two hundred and fiftteen or two hundred and twenty whereof were run out before Jacob went down into Egypt from the promise made to Abraham to Isaack's birth were thirty years some make it but twenty five they then reckon from his time of departing out of Haran for hee was an hundred years old when Isaack was born Gen. 21.5 and from thence to the birth of Jacob were sixty years Gen. 25.26 and from thence to Jacobs going into Egypt one hundred and thirty years Gen. 47.9 which summed up make 220. at least 215. and so the rest of the 430. they were in Egypt and at the just time they were accomplished the Lord brought them out to shew his faithfulnesse as it appears Deut. 7.8 And brought them into the wildernesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per antiphrasin sic dictum quasi locus a sermone remotus There is mention made of one Wildernesse before they passed through the Red Sea Exod. 14.11 and of other wildernesses after they had passed the same as the wildernesse of Sin Exod. 16.1 the wildernesse of Paran Numb 13.3 which doubtlesse was but one though diversly called from the several parts it bordered upon A wildernesse is a desolate solitary place where is no way where are no comforts but where are many dangers Deut. 8.15 it was a great and terrible wildernesse wherein were fiery Serpents and Scorpions drought and no water it had many wild beasts in it and therefore was called the howling wildernesse Deut. 32.10 Jeremy tells you chap. 2.6 this wildernesse was a land of deserts and of Pits but not pits would hold any water for hee addes it was a land of drought and of the shadow of death a land that no man passed through and where no man dwelt while they were in this wildernesse they were in danger of death or in such streights as that they desired death The Wilderness here meant was the wildernese of Sin which was not far from Sinai where the
naked for hee shews that all they did was either lost labour as the blessing of an Idol or abomination as swines bloud or dangerous as cutting off a dogges neck or deadly as killing of a man thus God polluted them in their own gifts and doings and made them desolate Thus Christ dealt with the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23.13 14 15 16 23 25 27 29. they look for blessings not for woes but they were polluted what ever their confidences were and Christ declares them to bee so and makes them desolate Obs 3 The Lord stripes men of their righteousness and beats them out of their confidences that they might come to him bottome upon him and find him a sure foundation God would make them desolate to the end that they might know that hee was the Lord that they might not trust in their sacrifices but in him the God of them and their sacrifices in him that could shew them their errors and pardon them being shewn when men are deprived of their supposed comforts convinced of the falsenesse of their confidences surrounded with the guilt and evil of their waies they beginne to look where succour is to bee had to runne from the sand to the rock from themselves and al that is their own unto the living God and look at his promises to beleeve them and his Statutes to obey them and so imbracing him for the all-sufficient good abide with and build upon him alone Vers 27 Therefore Sonne of man speak unto the house of Israel and say unto them thus saith the Lord God yet in this your fathers have blasphemed mee in that they have committed a trespass against me 28 For when I had brought them into the Land for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them then they saw every high hill and all the thick trees and they offered there their Sacrifices and there they presented the provocation of their offering there also they made their sweet savour and powred out there their drink offerings 29 Then I said unto them what is the high place whereunto ye go and the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day Having spoken of the proceedings between God and this People in Egypt and the wildernesse wee are come now to the passages between them in the land of Canaan For the Lords part hee brought them into the Land ver 28. which is the onely mercy mentioned but it was such a mercy as included a multitude of mercies in it for it was a land flâ—wed with milk and honey the glory of all lands as twice you have it in this Chapter and something of the goodnesse of this Land you may see Deut. 8.7 8 9. and ch 6.10 11. it was the Land that God had lifted up his hand and sware to give them and hee brought them into it without the help of any other people even by his own arme for he destroyed the seven Nations in it Act. 13.19 and he gave them the Lands of the Heathen and they inherited the labour of the People Psalm 105.44 and why did the Lord bring them into this Land the next verse shews that they might observe his statutes and keep his Laws Which thing they did not for 1 They blasphemed him vers 27. 2 They fell to Idolatry vers 28. 3 They Persisted in it vers 29. Yet in this your Fathers have blasphemed me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew for yet in this is moreover this adhuc hoc Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even to this they sinned and dealt ingratefully not onely till they came to Canaan but in Canaan they were not content with what they had done in Egypt and the wildernesse against me but they continued in their wickednesse and added sin to sin doing worse and worse daily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or Moreover in this and so it notes some hainous and great offence viz. what he mentions in the end of the verse Have blasphemed me invectus est in aliquem atrocibus verbis prebris affecit contumeliâ—si in me fuerunt Cal. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word signifies to revile with words to reproach and blaspheme The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they provoked me they were contumelious disgracing me The French others and our Translation have it blaspheme which is to hurt the name or fame of any and is a kinde of evil speaking derogating from the glory of God quantum in ipsa est Gods glory or name in it self is inviolable but blasphemy doth what it can to violate it Aquinas makes it to consist Blasphemia est attribuere deo quod ei non convenit vel detrahere ab eo quod ei convenit 1 In attributing to God what is not congruous to him as to say hee is the author of sin Hee sees not hee hath forsaken the earth Ezek. 8.12 hee is like unto man Psalm 50.21 2 In detracting from him what belongs unto him as to deny his providence his omniscience his omnipotence as can hee provide a Table in the Wildernesse Psal 78. â—9 if hee should make windows in heaven could this thing be 2 King 7.2 to which may bee added 3 The doing of such things as cause Gods name to be blasphemed as Rom. 2.24 the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as there is practical Atheisme Tit. 1.16 so practical blasphemy In that they have committed a Trespass against me The Hebrew is In their prevaricating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prevarication against mee The doubling of the word intends the signification and notes the greatnesse of their sin and progress in their wickednesse The Vulgar is seeing that despising they have despised me Cum sprevissent me contemnentes Quandile sesont desbonche contre moy Fr. Transcensio volens contra conscientiam ex contemptu temeritaâ—e contumacia Kirk Invehâ—nces in cultus meâ— veritatem The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notes such prevarication and sinning as hath the will in it hence Piscator renders the words here Prevaricati sunt contra me perfidissime they have perfidiously sinned against me They sinned not ignorantly or of common infirmity but with an high hand Calvin saith it was Delâ—berata insolentia dum ita improbe in deum surrexerunt ac si conspuerent in ejus faciem Jun. saith their sin was speaking against the truth of Gods worship for when People fall to false worship they will disparage if not wholly despise the worship they had before So then here wee may understand both their speaking against the true worship of God and practising contrary thereunto Obs Wilful sinning is a Reproaching a blaspheming of God and provokes him greatly In this your Fathers have blasphemed mee in that they have committed a trespass against mee they have spoken against my worship and runne out to other waies which I forbad them other sinnes they have committed which I could have winked
at but when they sinne wilfully despising mee my Laws my worship they reproach blaspheme provoke mee so that they shall hear of it Son of man go and speak to the house of Israel go and tell them how they have dealt with mee and how I take it Such sins did deserve death Num. 15.30 31. The soul that doth ought presumptuously whether he be born in the Land or a stranger the same reproacheth the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s the same word is here for Blasphemed and may as well bee rendred so as reproacheth for hee that reproacheth the Lord blasphemes him and hee that blasphemes him reproacheth him they are joyned together 2 King 19.22 and what then That Soul shall bee cut off from among his people because hee hath despised the word of the Lord and hath broken his Commandement that soul shall utterly bee cut off There was no mercy for those sinned in that manner Heb. 10.26 28. many I fear commit such trespasses in these daies by speaking against Providence Ordinances Scriptures Angels Christ God himself and so sin away mercy and their own souls at once David prayed that God would keep him back from presumptuous sinnes Psal 19.13 and wee had need do it for there is that in our natures which carries us on strongly towards them as much as they did him remember what Solomon saith Prov. 28. Happy is the man that feareth alwaies but hee that hardeneth his heart that presumeth that is wilful pertinacious shall fall into mischief into mischievous sinnes into mischievous judgements chap. 13.13 Who so despiseth the word shall bee destroyed but hee that feareth the Commandement shall bee rewarded hee that sleights the word and waies of God destruction is his portion but he that fears to violate the command of God shall bee rewarded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee shall have peace safety a man by despising or fearing the word command of God doth neither hurt the one nor advantage the other but hee may hee doth hurt or advantage himself and that greatly 28 Then they saw every high Hill c. In this verse you have the Idolatry they fell into when they came into the Land of Canaan with the degrees thereof First Their Leaving of God and looking unto the Hills Iis locis arboribus quae prae caeteris erant insignes aliquid divinitatis in esse purabant Gentes Ideo ibi idolis sacrificabant Mariana yea every high hill and all the thick trees they gave liberty to their eies to spy out places suitable to their Idolatrous thoughts on hills and places beset with thick trees the Heathens worshipped and their Hearts and eyes were towards such places 2 Their making Altars and sacrificing there they offered there their Sacrifices c. they should not have sacrificed any where but in the place God appointed which was first the Tabernacle afterwards the Temple but they spied out hills groves thickets set up Altars and sacrificed on them those offerings which were peculiar unto God 3 Their Continuance and expencefulnesse therein they offered Sacrifices They poured out there their drink offerings 4 Their Content and delight they took therein there also they made their sweet savour The provocation of their Offering The Hebrew is The indignation and anger of their Corban 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Korban omne donum significat quod ad sacros usus offertur de pecoribus frugibus aliisque rebus Mincha Non tam late patet sed de frugibus terrae tantum in elligitur that is their approaching gift or offering Jun. hath it irritamentum oblationis suae the irritation of their oblation Piscat Oblationes irritantes provoking oblations because by them they did provoke God to anger to judgements There is a figure in these words called Hyppalage which is such a transposing of words as that is said of one which should bee said of the other as here provocation of offerings for Offerings provoking There also they made their sweet savour The Original for sweet savour is Reach nichochehem The Odour of their rests Odores grotos suos their acceptable odours when they had offered these they thought the Lord smelt a sweet savour was well pleased with them and so rested in them which phansied rest was pleasing to them though it lasted not neither had reality in it for their incense or sweet savour was a provocation to God Obs 1 That what the Lord promiseth hee makes good how difficult or impossible soever it seems to man The Lord had promised them Canaan and how should they come to it they were bond-men in Egypt there is a red Sea a vast wildernesse between Egypt and Canaan and beside Canaan had strong men in it sonnes of Anack Cities walled and great several Kings to oppose and keep them out but notwithstanding all these difficulties God having promised to bring them in hee did it when I had brought them into the Land for the which I lifted up my hand to give it to them His hand that was lift up to confirm them it should be done was let out for the doing thereof that hand could take away all doubts could also take away all difficulties There is nothing too hard for the Lord hee will work and who shall who can let it Isa 43.13 As hee is gracious to Promise so faithfull and able to perform and doth in due time make good whatever hee hath promised though it seem impossible hee said a Virgin should bring forth Isa 7.14 and was it not made good Mat. 1.18 that Abraham who was aged should have a Childe and his seed bee as the starres of Heaven and were not both made good Gen. 21.2 Exod. 12.37 Numb 11.21 not one word fail'd of all that God promised Moses 1 King 8.56 this should make us beleeve the promises of God what ever flesh and bloud objects Obs 2 Mens habitations are given and assigned unto them of the Lord I brought them into the Land I gave it them If men bee removed from place to place seated here or there the hand of the Lord is in it if they have commodious pleasant gainful habitations if they dwell safely under vines and fig-trees as it is 1 King 4.25 it s the Lords doing his providence disposed it so and wee should be thankful in and for our habitations and minde the heavenly Canaan and those mansions mentioned Joh. 14.2 prepared for those do beleeve and glorify God out of which when once we are possessed of them wee shall never bee removed Obs 3 Circumstances of time and place do aggravate mens sinnes and make them hainous When I had brought them into the Land then they saw every high hill there they offered sacrifices there they presented the provocation of their offerings there they made their sweet savour there they poured out their drink offerings here bee four theres every one aggravating and accenting their sinnes This was ingratitude with a witnesse that the Lord should
out of Gods way is worse than all Obs 2 That Gods punishments are his pleadings when hee visits men for their sinnes he pleads with them Every rod of his hath a voice and pleads for God Quoties apparent aliqua signa irae Dei ipse discertat nobiscum Gods strikeings are real pleadings Isa 66.16 by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh His punishments are arguments hee uses to convince or confound sinners and whatsoever punishments hee inflicts upon any they are just and righteous for hee never pleads an ill cause they are judicia Dei hee is infinitely wise and as he judgeth aright so he executeth judgement righteously Obs 3 Those be like in sinning must bee like in suffering like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wildernesse of the Land of Egypt so will I plead with you These Jews were their Children and did as their fathers had done Their fathers shook off the God of Israel and chose them an Egyptian god Exod. 32.4 they mingled with the Heathen and learnt their works Psal 106.35 they polluted his Sabbaths caused their children to pass through the fire ver 13. and 26. of this chap. and these their posterity chose Babylonish gods became as the Heathen made their sonnes pass through the fire and trode in their fathers steps v. 30 31 32. Vers 37. And I will cause you to pass under the rod and I will bring you under the bond of the Covenant 38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels and them that transgresse against mee I will bring them forth out of the Country where they sojourn and they shall not enter into the land of Israel and yee shall know that I am the Lord. God being in a judiciary way pleading with this people here he proceeds further in the manner thereof 1 Hee would examine and reduce them to their former state ver 37. 2 Hee would make a Discrimination between them ver 38. I will cause them to pass under the rod. The Hebrew word for Rod is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in this place may signify either a Scepter as frequently it doth in Scripture and is so rendred chap. 19.11 14. or a Shepheards staffe or crook which hee useth among his sheep so it is used Psalm 23.4 If it bee taken the first way the sense is this that though they scattered themselves among the Babylonians and put themselves under Heathenish power yet the Lord would make them pass under the Rod that is come under his Kingly power hee would rule over them they should still bee his subjects But of this hee spake in the 33. vers therefore I conceive Rod here is to be taken in the latter signification that God would deal with them more pastorâ—tio like a Shepheard or Heardsman who were wont to number their Cattle with a wand or Rod which is called passing under the Rod Levit. 27.32 To this purpose is that of Jer. 33.13 In the Cities of the Mountaines in the Cities of the vale and in the Cities of the South and in the land of Benjamin and in the places about Jerusalem and in the Cities of Judah shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them When the flocks went into the field or fold and when they went out their practice was to tell them by a Rod in their hand and so they passed under the Rod. Hereunto Christ alludes John 10.3 when hee saith hee calleth his own sheep by name and leadeth them out The meaning then of the Lord here is that hee would take an exact account of them tell them as a shepheard doth his flock and see which were rotten and which were sound Gods rod are afflictions and judgements as you may see Psal 89.32 I will visit their transgressions c. Lamen 3.1 I will bring you under the bond of the Covenant You think to break the bond of the covenant made between me and your Fathers by becoming Babylonians and ceasing to bee my people but it shall not bee I will keep the Covenant and cause you to come under the bond of it and performe that obedience I look for The word for bond is Masoreth from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obstringere ad obedientiam or paenam to bind unto obedience or punishment when men are in Covenant they are bound to obey or to suffer if they disobey Vatablus and others carry it thus that God would deal with them as hee had done with their fathers that hee would make a Covenant with these as hee had done with them and so make it another covenant by which God would bind them up and refer it to the Covenant made in Ezraes daies but rather I conceive the Lord intends the former Covevant especially that mentioned Ezekiel 16.8 when God in a solemn manner took this People to be his in Moses's daies wherein he made good his Promise and Covenant with Abraham and bound them unto him by the Law The Covenant bound them from other gods and waies of worship And I will purge out from among you the Rebels The Septuagint and Vulgar read the words I will chase out the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both to chuse and purge God would number them distinguish them one from another and then purge out those were rebellious they should no longer bee in his flock but bee discovered and declared to the world what they were By Rebels hee means those that cast off God and his works and turned heathens I will bring them forth out of the Country where they sojourn and they shall not enter into the Land c. The Hebrew is Out of the Country of their sojournings or peregrinations I will bring them Some make these words to point out those were then in Judea whom God would bring forth and not suffer to return any more and not onely them but many of those were in Babylon before God suffered not to return into the land of Israel for if we understand these words of the return after the seventy years as they must long before that time were these Jews with Zedekiah brought out of the Land of their sojourning and they with many others were never suffered to enter into that land more for here is a comparing of their return from the Babylonish Captivity to that of their comming out of Egypt Then they were brought into a Wildernesse where their carkasses fell for their rebellions and so never entered the promised Land so here likewise God brought them into a wildernesse pleaded with and consumed many of them who by that means never returned to the land of Israel Obs 1 The Lord doth not onely know but takes special notice of his and doth distinguish them from others I will cause you to pass under the Rod I will examine which are sheep and which are goats and will sever the one from the other Christ knew his sheep his little flock from all the goats of the
any more I will cease from using means to purge thee my Prophets shall labour no more in vain about thee they have spent their lungs and strength to reclaim thee but they shall not do it again they shall neither reprove threaten counsel or invite thee any more to turn but thou shalt bee left as desperate and incurable Hebrew is Thou shalt not purge thy self from thy Filthinesse any more if thou wouldest now go about it it will bee in vain it s too late I am resolved upon thy destruction Till I have made my fury to rest upon thee Anger indignation wrath fury is ira nunquam quiescens donec sumatur vindicta There is now no purging but destruction I shall spend all my judgements upon thee consume thee and thine and so my fury shall rest upon thee these words we had before ch 5.13.21.17 Donec doth not imply a purging afterwards Psalm 110.1 Rom. 8.22 Mat. 5.26 until thou hast payed the uttermost c. Obs 1 Obstinacy in sinne provokes God to the destruction of sinners Her scum shall be in the fire Jerusalem shall bee burnt and why in thy filthiness is lewdnesse thou aâ—t obstinate hardened in thy wickednesse all sinne offends some sinnes provoke to judgements obstinacy provokes to destruction Jerem. 44.15 16 17. in those verses you have the obstinacy of the Jews in Egypt they and others of them had been so obstinate in the land of Judea that God could bear them no longer but laid the Land desolate and made it a curse v. 22. and see how the Lord threatens them v. 27. I will watch over them for evil and not for good and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall bee consumed by the sword and by the famine untill there bee an end of them and not onely would hee destroy them but Egypt likewise where they were vers 30. even that should fare the worse for their being in it Obstinacy in sinne is worse than the sinne it self many sinnes are committed renitente voluntate against mans will and purpose but obstinacy in sinne is pleno consensu voluntatis it hath the willfully in it and therefore must needs exasperate the Lord Nehem. 3.30 many years didst thou forbear them and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy Prophets yet would they not give ear therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands this stubbornnesse of theirs made the Lord cast them off and put them into the hands of Heathens Zachary tells you that for this sin came a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts upon them ch 7.12 not only wrath which is destructive in it self but great wrath and that not only from the Lord but from the Lord of hosts as if the Lord mustered up all his forces to come against obstinate and rebellious sinners and poure out great wrath and vengeance upon them Certainly obstinate sinners are those the Lord will accomplish his wrath upon 1 Thess 2.16 the wrath of God came upon the Jews to the uttermost even to perfection Obs 2 In Scripture Language that is said to bee done which God or men indeavour to do though it bee not done I have purged thee God using means and indeavouring by his Prophets Mercies Threats and judgements to purge Jerusalem from her sinne is called purging though Jerusalem were not purged Psalm 69.5 They that destroy mee Qui exscindunt me are mighty Davids enemies who sought to destroy him are said to do it Rom. 2.4 The goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance that is its agency and tendency is that way Deut. 26.5 A Syrian ready to perish Jacob increased and prospered when hee was with Laban but because Laban did that which tended to his perishing hee changed his wages hee pursued him returning home therefore hee is said to bee in a perishing condition 1 Cor. 10.33 I please all men in all things In the fourth chapter hee tells you hee was reviled persecuted defamed made as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things how then did hee please all men in all things he is said to do it in that hee indeavoured to do it seeking their good their salvation Matt. 5.32 whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of Fornication causeth her to commit adultery that is this action of putting her away exposes her to that sinne whether shee fall into it or no because therefore the mans act in putting away his wife is likely to produce such an effect hee is said to do it to cause her to commit adultery Gal. 5.4 Christ is become of no effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law they sought to bee justified by the Law and thereupon are said to bee so not that the Law justified any or any could bee justified by it This should teach us how to understand the like scriptures Things may be said to bee done when onely there hath been means used conducing thereunto Obs 3 A people may have the means and not improve the same for their good Jerusalem had Prophets Ordinances Sabbaths Sacrifices Mercies Judgements by which God would have purged her and shee was not purged shee did not purge her self shee improved not the same for her good shee did not hearken to the Prophets humble her self for her sins fear the Lord and his threatnings observe his Sabbaths worship him onely and execute justice God called upon her oft to purge her self Jerem. 4.14 O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou mayest bee saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge with in thee I have given thee water to wash thine heart from all thy vain base destructive thoughts why doest thou not use it chap. 13.27 O Jerusalem wilt thou not bee made clean when shall it once bee my Prophets would cleanse thee if thou wouldest receive them and my word by them mine Ordinances would sanctify thee if thou didst use them according to mine institution of them my mercies and judgements would cause thee to cleanse thy self if thou didst well weigh them But thou hast means and dost not improve them It s not the having of means but the right use of means will do good Jerusalem thought her self clean not needing to bee purged Jer. 2.23 how canst thou say I am not polluted Jerusalem that was more guilty than Sodome or Samaria justified her self and so neglected purging yea rejected the word of the Lord which should have purged her Jer. 8.9 shee gave ear to false Prophets and Priests Jerem. 23.14 who strengthened her in her wickedness and defamed the true Prophets chap. 18.18 shee prophaned the means Ezek. 22.26 shee idolized the means and rested in the act done Jerem. 7.4 9 10. chap. 8.8 shee went on still in her own waies whatever God or man said unto her Jer. 7.28 This is a Nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God nor receiveth correction God had spoken to Jerusalem and
God being his image and glory and woman represents man and so is his image and glory 5 She is a Crown to her Husband a great ornament unto him Prov. 12.4 6 She is the builder of the house Ruth 4.11 Rachel and Leah did build the house of Israel 7 She is a companion in all conditions the wife of thy youth and the wife of thine age Prov. 5.18 8 Shee is a bosome friend in whom the heart of her Husband may safely trust Prov. 31.11 9 She is an heir of the grace of life together with her Husband 1 Pet. 3.7 These things besides beauty amiablenesse and sweetnesse of nature do indear wives to Husbands and so cause them to eye and minde them the more for Oculos conjicimus in rem ceu personam nobâ—s charam things or persons which are dear to us our thoughts our eyes are upon where Love is there will bee the eye Christ loved his Church dearly and therefore said Cant. 2.14 Let me see thy countenance the Church was black chap. 1.5 yet the delight of Christs eyes because shee had inward glory beauty excellency so many wives though they bee not outwardly so amiable and beautiful as others yet they may have inward vertues excellencies and those graces which may make them the desires of Husbands eyes if gratious themselves and if such inward attractives bee wanting propriety may do it Every one affects what is his own a peece of Land a House a Ship a Childe that is ones own is more delightful to the owner then what is anothers Doubtlesse Ezekiels wife was amiable vertuous gratious indeared much unto him upon several grounds so that shee was a delight unto and the desire of his eyes else the Lord would not have forbidden him to mourn and weep for her His love was such to her that it would have carried him out strongly thereunto if the Lord had not prohibited it With a stroak The Hebrew is Bemaggepheh which Montanus renders in percussione in striking or by a stroak it s from Nagaph which signifies to beat to smite yea ad internecionem percutere to smite unto death it hath some affinity with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to touch or hurt more lightly but this notes hurting more vehemently and is applied in scripture to Gods striking with extraordinary judgements as Exod. 8.2 I will smite all thy borders with Frogs 1 Sam. 4.2 Israel was smitten before the Philistims 2 Chron. 13.15 God smote Jeroboam and all Israel Exod. 12.29 At midnight the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt Hence the Nowns Negeph and Maggephah signifie a stroak and the heavy stroaks of God Exod. 9.14 I will at this time send all my Plagues upon thy heart and upon thy servants and upon thy people the word for Plagues is the same with that here the ten Plagues of Egypt were ten stroakes of God sometimes the word is put for that sad stroak of God viz. the Plague Numb 16.46 Hechel Hannageph the Plague is begunne Some think the stroak here was the Plague but whether that an Apoplexy Impostume or Palsy is not set down this onely wee have for certain that it was suddain whatever it was she did not lye long with a pining disease but was suddainly snatched away from Ezekiel Yet neither shalt thou mourn The Jews were wont to honour their dead with great mourning when Aaron dyed they mourned for him thirty daies Numb 20.29 and so many daies they mourned for Moses Deut. 34.8 Joseph mourned forty daies for the death of his Father Jacob in Egypt and seven daies after that in the Land of Canaan Gen. 50.3 10. and seven daies mourning for the dead was the ordinary practice as Ecclesiasticus observes cha 22.12 but Ezekiel is here forbid to mourn at all in a publike and solemn manner The Hebrew word for mourning is Suphad which notes mourning by striking the head or breast and refers most Ad Pompam funebrem Nor weep neither shall thy tears run down The word for weeping in Hebrew is Bacah which signifies weeping cum elevatione vocis as Judges 2.4 Job 2.12 They lift up their voices and wept and herein it differs from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to weep also but silently without noise Weeping oft is a great ease to the heart but Ezekiel must not testify any grief by voice tears or any outward gesture 17 Forbear to cry The Hebrew is Heaneck dom tace clamando hold thy peace from crying The Vulgar is Ingemisce tacens sigh holding thy peace so sigh as none may hear thee Others allow not so much as sighing but read the words thus a gemitu tace let there be no sign of any sigh Make no mourning for the dead The Jews were wont to bewail their dead 2 Chron. 35.24 25. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah Jeremy lamented for him and all the singing men and singing women Abraham mourned for Sarah Gen. 23.2 they were wont to cry Ah my Brother Ah my Sister Jerem. 22.18 to cut and make themselves bald in their Lamentations for their dead Jer. 16.6 which was forbid the Priests Levit. 21.5 though they might mourn for their near kindred ibid. v. 23. but Ezekiel must make no mourning he must not put on Sackcloath shave his head or the corners of his beard nor cut his flesh at all he is forbid all funeral pompe and expressions Binde the tire of thine head upon thee It was in practice among the Jews sometimes to cover their heads in their mournings as being unworthy to see the light or any creatures and sometimes to uncover them as not being worthy of any Ornament 2 Sam. 15.32 David and those with him had their heads covered and went weeping Levit. 10.6 When Nadab and Abihu were destroyed by fire and Aaron with his remaining Sonnes had great cause to mourn Moses commands them not to uncover their heads or rend their cloaths clearly demonstrating that that was their custome in their mournings They made bare their heads and laid ashes or earth upon them as you may see 1 Sam. 4.12 Lament 2.10 This Ezekiel might not do hee must not throw off his head tire The word is Peer or Pear which signifies Gloria ornamentum decus what ever the Prophet did wear upon his head hee must keep it on and not lay it aside And put on thy shooes upon thy feet In their mournings and funerals they went bare-foot 2 Sam. 15.30 David was bare-foot when hee went up the ascent of Mount Olivet Antonius Margarita who of a Jew became Christian and writ of the Rites of the Jews saith that the kindred at the death of a friend do tear their garments eat nothing that day in that house but abroad that they eat no flesh drink no wine unlesse it be upon the Sabbath and that they follow the Hearse nudis pedibus To this agrees what Leo Modena hath lately commended to the world The nearest kindred of
it was as great an honour to the Countrey where it was as a Crown to a Kings head In Canaan were great and goodly Cities Deut. 6.10 In Midian were Cities and goodly Castles Numb 31.10 and these were the Ornaments and glory of those places Obs 6 Strong-holds Cities Nations are the Lords and hee gives them to whom hee will As hee gave the Ammonites so the Moabites Countrey unto the men of the East and that for a possession Ezek. 29.19 Behold I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon What had the Lord to do with Egypt was it not Pharaohs had hee any right to dispose of it to another King yes hee had more right to it than Pharaoh himself Jerem. 10.7 he is the King of Nations and may take from one and give to another at his pleasure Hee took the Kingdome out of Rhehoboams hands and gave it unto Jeroboam even ten Tribes 1 King 11.35 hee took the Land of Canaan from others and gave it unto Abraham and his seed Gen. 13.12 14 15. afterward hee took it from them and gave it with the great City thereof into the hands of the Babylonians Jer. 32.3 and with it every strong hold Hab. 1.10 and after seventy years gave it again unto the Jews Vers 12. Thus saith the Lord God because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance and hath greatly offended and revenged himself upon them 13 Therefore thus saith the Lord God I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom and will cut off man and beast from it and will make it desolate from Teman and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword 14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel and they shall do in Sodome according to mine anger and according to my fury and they shall know my vengeance saith the Lord God These verses contain a Prophesy against the Edomites who are the third sort of enemies to the Jews mentioned in this Chapter Here likewise as before you have 1 Their sin v. 12. 2 Their Judgements v. 13. 3 The Efficient and instrumental causes v. 14. 4 The End of those judgements ibid. 12 Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah By Edom are meant the Edomites or Idumaeans who descended from Esau who Gen. 36.8 9. is called Edom and the Father of the Edomites which name hee had either from his red skin and hair Gen. 25.25 or rather from his selling his birth-right for red-pottage vers 30. make mee to eat min-haadom haadom hazzeh of that râ—d that red he was cruell and prophane not unlike unto him were his posterity the Edomites who ever bare ill will to the house of Jacob When the Jews came out of Egypt Moses sent to the King of Edom to let them have passage through their Countrey but hee refused and came out in hostile manner against them though they were his brethren Numb 20.14 18 20. It was Doeg an Edomite that fell upon the Priests and slew them 1 Sam. 22.19 That the Edomites unkindnesse might not lye upon the spirits of the Jews and beget ill bloud in them the Lord made a Law that they should not abhor an Edomite because they were their brethren Deut. 23.7 he took care that there might bee brotherly love between them but there was very little Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance What cause the Edomites had to deal revengefully with the Jews we must inquire They being borderers upon the Jews Josh 15.1 and full of enmity against them did many times vex and prejudice them whereupon when Saul was King he fought against them as being their common enemies with others 1 Sam. 14.47 and David slew all their Males lying upon them six months with his Army 1 Kin. 11.15 16. and made them tributary putting garrisons in all parts of their Countrey 2 Sam. 8.14 After this in Jehorams daies they revolted and made themselves a King and hereupon were smitten by Jehoram and his forces 2 King 8.20 21. Amaziah also in his daies slew ten thousand of them 2 King 14.7 and other ten thousand did the children of Judah carry away Captive and threw them off the top of a rock and broke them in peices 2 Chron. 25.11 12. these things together with that ancient grudge they had against them for Jacobs getting the blessing and birth-right from Esau their Father made them splenetive and to seek revenge and therefore when they had any opportunity they used violence and shed innocent bloud Joel 3.19 and when the Babylonians came against the Jews carried them away Captive the Edomites rejoyced at it incouraged them against the Jews and said of Jerusalem Rase it rase it even to the foundation thereof Psalm 137.7 they were as the Babylonians Obad. ver 11. Thoâ— waste as one of them look what spirit was in a Babylonian the same was in an Edomite did they speak proudly so did the Edomites ver 12. did they enter the gates of Jerusalem and lay hands on the prey so did the Edomites ver 13. did they cut off many so did the Edomites they cut off those that did escape and delivered up those remained in the day of distresse ver 14. Thus they dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance The Hebrew for taking vengeance is in revenging a revenge Edom was greedy of revenge and set upon it so much the doubling of the word imports And hath greatly offended and revenged himself upon them Turpiter se dare ita ut propter culpam ceu poenam nondum expiatam affletur ceu exibiletur ab hominibus Avenar Vide Kirker in verbo Asham In the Hebrew its vaijeshmu ashom deliquerunt delinquendo they offended in offending that is they greatly offended Asham signifies to do wickedly shamefully and also to make desolate Ezek. 6.6 because abominable sinnes do bring desolation Junius renders the words thus and do make themselves guilty indesinenter for ever they so offended as that there was no pardon no mercy for them Piscator Reatum magnum contraxerunt They contracted great guilt Their revenging themselves upon the Jews made them exceeding guilty 1 The Jews were their brethren Obadiah 10. Amos 1.11 2 They were their neighbours Idumaea and Judaea bordered upon one another Mark 3.8 3 They were Confederates with the Jews Jer. 27.3 An Edomitish Embassadour was at Jerusalem who together with the Embassadours of the other Kings there mentioned were strengthening themselves with Zedekiah against Nebuchadnezzar Obad. 7. They therefore to revenge themselves for former wrongs done them upon the Jews and that in the day of their calamity this made their sin exceeding sinful 13 I will also stretch out my hand upon Edom. In the 7. vers the Lord had said that hee would stretch out his hand upon Ammon that is hee would severely punish it so now also hee would stretch it out upon Edom and make it
not for ever As they have a time to come into the World so a time to go out of it as they have a time to get up on high so a time to descend low Tyrus had her day to fall her day of departure vers 18. shee descended into the pit with people of old time vers 20. Jerusalem formerly called Jebus 1 Chron. 11.4 and Salem Gen. 14.18 as it had its time for building so its day for burning Jerem. 52.12 13. The like end had Jericho a walled and strong City Josh 6.24 Babylon had its time to begin Genesis 11.8 and its time to cease Isa 14.4 So Damascus stood long but at last it became a ruinous heap Isa 17.1 You may read of Ninevehs raising Gene. 10.11 and of her Desolation Nahum 3.7 Zephany 2.13 Hence wee may see the instability of humane things learn not to trust in strong holds neither think it any great priviledge to bee Citizens of such perishing Cities but labour to bee Citizens of tâ—e heavenly Jerusalem which is the City prepared of God and hath Foundations shall never bee rased Hebrews 11.10 16. Obs 4 Gods People are dear unto him they are glorious and the Glory of a land That which is the Glory of any is dear unto them Gods People are his Glory Isa 4.5 Zach. 2.8 In both those places Gods people are called his Glory They bear his Image 2 Cor. 3.18 they shew forth his vertues 1 Peter 2.9 they Worship him in the Spirit Philip. 3.3 they are formed for himself Isa 43.21 they bee his vineyard his pleasant plant Isa 5.1 7. his Jewels Mala. 3.17 his peculiar treasure Exod. 19.5 his pleasant portion Jerem. 12.30 his Spouse Ezek. 16.8 they are near unto God Psa 148.14 annointed ones Psalm 105.15 Trees of righteousnesse Isa 61.3 a Congregation of Saints Psalm 89.5 They have the Law of God in their hearts and keep the same Isa 51.7 so that they are dear unto him and his Glory and not onely so but the glory of a Land Joseph and the Jews were the glory of Egypt Dan. 7. they were the glory of Babylon and the godly ones were the glory of Sion Isaiah 6.13 The holy seed shall bee the substance thereof Saints a holy seed is the substance and glory of any Nation Let men take heed how they wrong them for in so doing they wrong the glory of God and the glory of the land Obs 5 There is a difference of lands in the world all are not alike there is the land of the Living Canaan differed from all other lands there dwelt the living God there were the living waters the Ordinances and means of grace and salvation which other lands had not that land once flowed with spiritual milk and honey and was the glory of all lands Eze. 20.6 Egypt Chaldaea and the other lands round about were as dry and dead lands unto that they had gods in them but they were Idol gods they had worship but it was false Worship they had waters but they were bitter waters such as Gods people could not drink they killed those that drank of them where Gods name is recorded his Ordinances set up in purity and power hee worshipped in Spirit and Truth there is life and the land of the living David judged himself even among the dead when he was shut out from the people presence worship and ordinances of God Psal 84.2 his soul fainted and he was almost gone Most lands are lands of darknesse driness and death they have neither the light nor waters of life in them Let us blesse God that we are in the land of the living Obs 6 Gods people may be deprived of their priviledges and comforts for a season but he will in due time restore them to the injoyment of the same I shall set glory in the land of the living Gods glory his people were in Babylon but hee would not loose nor leave his glory there he brought them back again and set them in the land of the living hee gave them another Temple all those ordinances and priviledges they had before Isa 46.13 I will place salvation in Sion for Israel my glory CHAP. XXVII Vers 1 The word of the Lord came again unto mee saying 2 Now thou son of man take up a lamentation for Tyrus 3 And say unto Tyrus O thou that art situate at the entry of the Sea which art a Merchant of the people for many Isles Thus saith the Lord God O Tyrus thou hast said I am of perfect beauty 4 Thy borders are in the midst of the Seas thy builders have perfected thy beauty 5 They have made all thy ship-boards of fir-trees of Senir they have taken Cedars from Lebanon to make Masts for thee 6 Of the Oakes of Bashan have they made thine Oars the company of the Ashurites have made thy benches of Ivory brought out of the Isles of Chittim IN this Chapter the Prophet is commanded to take up a Lamentation for Tyrus wherein is set out 1 The Dignity glory and excellency of Tyrus from the 2. v. to the 26. 2 The irrecoverable fall and destruction thereof from the 26. to the end 1 The word of the Lord came again unto me The Hebrew is And there hath been the word of Jehovah to mee the word of him who is being hath had being in mee God is essence or being unchangeable and such is his word which shews the certainty of the word hee had twice before received the word to Prophesy against the Nations and now again hee is put on by the same God commissioning him thereunto 2 Take up a Lamentation for Tyrus The word Nasa to take up signifies to take up that which is heavy burdensome and Lamentations are such things the Lord would have the Prophet sensible of the great misery comming upon Tyrus and to bewaile the same Jeremy bewailed the condition of Jerusalem when destruction was comming upon it Jerem. 4.19 chap. 9.1 God would not have Prophets give out judgements and threatnings with bitter spirits not when they are against Heathens Tyrians he would have his Servants to compassionate others 3 Say unto Tyrus O thou that art situate at the entry of the Sea Here he begins to set out the dignity of Tyrus which first he doth from her situation shee was seated at the entry of the Sea shee was not onely upon a rock and so eminent for sight but by the Sea yea the entry of the Sea and so was commodious for trading The Hebrew for entry is Mevooth Insignis erat tutissimis portubus Tyrus Vilalpandus insula erat multorum portuum Vatablus entries or Ports from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venire to come in Tyrus was famous for Ports so that shipps might come in and ride there safely and go out again at pleasure It was in an Island and Islands have many Ports or Harbours Which art a Merchant of the People for many Isles Tyrus did Merchandize with the Isles far and near shee did
Shosh byssum silk it was such as Philostratus saith Solis Nobilibus licuisse bysso indui that is was lawful onely for Noble men to wear Notwithstanding this Linnen was so fine they did imbroider it which as it made it more strong so far more costly The Hebrew Berichma is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acu pingere to picturise by the needle and rochem is Quivarias formas figuras multis coloribus effigiare novit sicut acupictores vel qui varia fila diversorum colorum intexentes rerum omnium imagines imitantur Vâ—l 2 lp Such an Artist as can draw the form and figures of things in divers colours Linnen of Egypt imbroidered with the forms and figures of several things had the Tyrians to make sailing for their ships Which thou spreadest forth to be thy sail The word for Sail is Nes which some derive from Nasah to exalt elevate for sailes are on high Others from Nasas which is vexillum erigere to set up a banner to which the Souldiers gather and to the sail when it s hoysed up as to the banner of the Ship the winds gather In Latine its called velum quia distantum in navi instar alae ventum excipit and so helps on the motion of the ship Blue and Purple These might be rich colourings which they used to beautify and adorn their ships withall or to colour their sails with In Jer. 10.9 it s said blue and purple is their cloathing their Idols were cloathed with cloath of those colours and so here its probable they migh cover their heads with blue and purple cloathes to keep off the heat or deck and cover their ships with cloathes so coloured From the Isles of Elisha In Gen. 10.4 Elisha the Son of Javan was one of them that divided the Isles of the Gentiles and those Isles hee had were honoured with his Name Theodoret makes them to bee the Islands of Greece Jerome the Islands in the Ionian Sea Junius makes Elisha to bee Author of the Aeolians who were of note for purple Tyrus had much purple of its own yet being a Mart Town from all places where it was both that Vid. Jun. notâ—s in Gen. 10.4 and other rich Commodities were brought unto Tyre Obs 1 The wisdome of God in bestowing several mercies upon several places No one place hath all his blessings and hardly any place but hath some distinct blessing In the 5 6 and 7. verses you may see that Senir hath fir-trees Lebanon had Cedars Bashan had Oakes the Isles of Chittim had Ivory Egypt fine Linnen the Isles of Elisha blue and purple All these places had distinct Mercies and Tyrus was beholding to them all The Scripture speaks of Gods assigning distinct mercies to divers places as Balm and Myrrh to Gilead Gen. 37.25 Gold to Ophir 1 King 9.28 Brass to Tibhah and Chun 1 Chron. 18.18 Vines to Sibmah Jer. 48.32 and wines to Lebanon Hos 14.7 which sets out the manifold wisdome of God making way thereby for the Merchandizing of Nations Civilizing of men by commerce communicating of intelligence providences the Truth and Gospel of Christ The Indies have sweet spices Silks Cotten Indico Cutchineale Constantinople Smyrna the Mediterranean Islands and other parts have their Commodities Norway and those parts have something peculiar Our Nation hath Lead Tin Fullers Earth wools and cloathes for which Forrainers have been beholding to us Obs 2 Proud spirits spare no cost to satisfy their humours and lusts The men of Tyrus were rich and proud they built ships and beautified them with costly materials their ship-boards were of Fir-trees of Senir their Masts were of Cedars from Lebanon their Oares were of Oakes of Bashan their Benches holds or decks were of Ivory out of the Isles of Chittim their sails were of fine Linnen from Egypt and that imbroidered they coloured and covered their ships with blue and purple from the Isles of Elishah Mens Lusts are costly things to gratifye them they will lavish out gold and silver When Sea-Towns are fatted with the wealth of Sea and Land they become proud and pride in whomsoever it is is expensive Plutarch tells of a ship which Cleopatra had saying In vita Antonii Erat aurea puppis vela purpurea pandebantur remi argentei ipsa regina sub tentorio aurato requiescens Where God gives in great supplies great means they are seldome laid out for the honour of that God but frequently both among Heathens and Gods people are laid out to maintain state pride some wretched some base lust or other So Jerusalem being inriched with Gods blessings and trading from all parts Ezek. 26.2 being the gates of the people shee made of her Jewels gold and silver Idols covering them with broidered garments Ezek. 16.17 18. Vers 8 The Inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were thy Marriners thy wise men O Tyrus that were in thee were thy Pilots 9 The Ancients of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy calkers all the ships of the Sea with their Marriners were in thee to occupy thy merchandise Having spoken of the Materials Fabrick and rich Ornaments of Tyrus shipping in these two verses hee treats of the officers and persons imployed therein and multitude of Trafiquers with Tyrus 8 The Inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad Zidon was a famous City of Phaenicia saith Jerome and Eusebius it was more North than Tyrus in the North-West of Canaan at the utmost borders thereof It was built either by Sidon the first-born of Canaan Gen. 10.15 19. or by the Sidonians who descending from him built it in honour to his name It was a great City Josh 19.28 assigned unto the Tribe of Asher but the inhabitants thereof were not driven out by that Tribe Judg. 1.31 It was more ancient than Tyrus Strabo makes it two hundred furlongs from Tyre Bonfrerius some five or six mile Arvad or Arad the Vulgar reads it Aradii the Aradians were thy Marriners it was not Arad a City in the South Numb 21.1 For the men thereof were no Marriners it being an in-land City The Hebrew is Arvad which OEcolampadius takes to bee Damascus Jerome makes it an Island and so doth Vilalpandus and thaâ— not far from Sidon but Junius makes it rathâ—r a Town in the sea seven furlongs long and two hundred paces from the Continent And Pliny tells us that the Tyrians Sidonians and Aradians dwelt near together and were very skilful in Navigation especially the Sidonians Vide Plinii naturalem historiam l. 5. c. 20. and Arvadites Of these were their Marriners Thy wise-men O Tyrus that were in thee were thy Pilots The Tyrians took Marriners from other places but set men of their own over them such as were wise and fit for that imployment inferiour places they called strangers to the honorable and places of trust they reserved for their own The Tyrians were wise and skilful in Sea-affaires 1 King 9.27 Hyrams ship-men were such as had knowledge of the
Jews but whatever opposition was made or difficulty appeared in the way God said I will bring again the Captivity of Egypt Had they bound them all in fetters laid them in dungeons set guards of souldiers to have kept them all these should not have hindered the reduction of them for as Jehoshaphat acknowledged in his prayer God rules over all the Kingdomes of the Heathens and in his hand there is power and might so that none is able to withstand him 2 Chron. 20.6 no King no Counsel no Countrey no Army no created power is able to withstand him The Jewes who had laien longer in Babylon and were like dry bones in the grave without hope Ezek. 37.11 but God made good his word hee brought them out with a strong hand breaking in peices gates of brass and cutting insunder bars of Iron Obs 5 It s the same hand the same God that drives men out of their Countries and comforts into deep and long afflictions abroad and brings them back out of the same to injoy their countries and comforts God scattered the Egyptians among the Nations hee threw them forty years into Captivity and hee brought them out again from the Nations and from their Captivity into the land of Pathros into the land of their Commerce God lead them out and hee brought them in hee afflicted them and hee comforted them God conducted them outward and inward as the losse of their Countrey was a great affliction unto them so the repossessing of it was a greater consolation unto them God threw the Jews into Babylon those deep and brackish waters they were so long pickled in and he brought them out again to the sweet waters of the Sanctuary Long afflictions have comfortable ends the Jews seventy years sufferings ended in everlasting kindnesses Isa 54.8 They shall be there a base Kingdome The word for Base is Shephalah which the Septuagint render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Montanus humile a vile base low Kingdome Martinius saith humile is quod non est elevatum a terra it should be like a low Shrub that is little above the earth such as that Kingdome Ezek. 17.6 of low stature Some Kingdomes are great high like Cedars of Lebanon and oakes of Bashan Others are small like vines and Shrubs that creep upon the earth Such a Kingdom should the Egyptians be They were not free but in subjection to the Babylonians Persians Alexander the Great to Ptolomy the Romans who made Egypt a Province after that it was under the Saracens and Turks 15 It shall be the basest of Kingdomes Not onely shall it bee base as many Kingdomes are especially after warres but it shall bee the basest of Kingdomes It should have lesse power dignity and liberty than other Kingdomes Neither shall it exalt it self any more above the Nations It had got power and Dominion over other Nations the Pharaohs of Egypt had power over the land of Judaea and the Kings of Judah 2 King 23.33 34 35. and other Nations but after this it became an underling and nothing remarkable is mentioned about it in the word of God here God put a band of iron and brass upon this Kingdome to keep it from rising again it shall not exalt it self any more above the Nations For I will diminish them that they shall not rule over the Nations I will make the Egyptians few and the Kingdome little The Hebrew for Diminish is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maat to make little or few in number When either or both of these are done there is a diminishing Their number might increase yet they bee diminished in power liberty and dignity so that other Nations should look upon them as contemptible Obs 1 When Kingdomes are ruined brought to utter desolation and have lain so a long time God is able to raise them up again Egypt was made desolate from one end to another man and beast cut off the Egyptians scattered into remote parts yet what saith the Lord They shall be there a Kingdom Egypt shall bee possessed again inhabited become a Kingdome after forty years desolation God can raise up great structures out of heapes and ruines When a Kingdome is brought to ashes the Lord can out of those ashes bring forth another The Lord causes Kingdomes to cease Hos 1.4 hee plucks them up Dan. 11.4 Jer. 1.10 and hee plants and builds them up again Jer. 18.9 Judea and Jerusalem lay waste seventy years and then God returned the Jews from Babylon built their City planted their land made them a people again Obs 2 The wise providence of God in restoring and ordering of Kingdomes mingles judgement with mercie They should bee a Kingdome but a base Kingdome they should want that dignity power and Liberty they had formerly So the Kingdome of Judah after Josiahs daies was low and base Ezek. 17.6 14. Pharaoh and Nebuchadrezzar kept it under It s from the Lord what condition Kingdomes shall bee in they shall be honourable or base as he pleases Obs 3 Those that lift up themselves above others shall proportionably be brought down beneath others Egypt exalted it self above the Nations they were proud haughty insolent but Egypt exceeded them therein and what came thereof it shall be the basest of the Kingdomes consider what Kingdomes is basest amongst them all and Egypt shall be baser than that it as was the highest in pride so it should be the lowest through baseness and most contemptible The Lord poures out contempt upon Kingdomes and Kings Nebuchadnezzar was a Son of pride and did not God drive him out from among men and make that proud King graze among the beasts and abase him proportionable to his Pride and cause him to say those that walk in pride he is able to abase Dan. 4. and in his time he will abase all such he hath abased Kingdomes Kings and Potentates in our daies who sweld with Pride The learned Jews tells us what God saith of every man whose spirit is lift up Ego ipso non simul possimus habitare in mundo Buxtorf Apoth Hebr. 16 And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel Whilst Egypt flourished abounding with men horses and charets the Jews had an eye unto them and leaned much upon them Isa 30.2.31.1.36.6 9. Ezek. 17.15 but the Lord laid it waste brake the pride of its power made it base and kept it in that condition that the Jews might not confide in it for when they hung so upon the Egyptians for help that drew them on to their Idolatrous practises and to break the leagues they had made with others Which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance The Hebrew is Mazcir gnavon or avon which Montanus renders Commone factor iniquitatis the remembrancer of iniquity The Vulgar hath it docentes iniquitatem teaching iniquity and so refer it to the Egyptians who being familiar with the Jews taught them to do evil but the words refer to confidence which brought their iniquity to remembrance
viz. that they should forsake God trust in an arm of flâ—sh hearken unto Idolaters c. When they shall look after them Had the Egyptians been restored to their former glory and power the Jews would have been looking after them trusted in and expected help from them but being low base in subjection to others they would neither look at them nor lean upon them but leave them as men do a broken staffe Obs 1 Gods own people are apt to confide in an arm of flesh The house of Israel made Egypt its confidence Asa relyed on the King of Syria 2 Chron. 16.7 The Jews were very prone to this sin sometimes they trusted in their fenced Cities as Jerem. 5.17 sometimes in their land of peace as Jer. 12.5 Sometimes in their multitudes of men as Hos 10.13 Sometimes in their own glory and greatnesse as Ezek. 16.15 Sometimes in their priviledges as Jer. 7.4 Sometimes in their own wisdome Jerem. 8.8 and sometimes in others as the Assyrians 2 Chron. 28.16 and the Egyptians as Ezek. 17.15 this shewed their trust in God was little and made him say Jerem. 13.25 Thou hast forgotten mee and trusted in falsehood Bachshater is a lye in things that promise help and safety but cannot make them good they will deceive you bee a lye and falshood unto you This practise of theirs made the Lord to say Jer. 2.36 Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy waie thou also shalt bee ashamed of Egypt as thou wast ashamed of Assyria They had formerly trusted to the Assyrians who instead of helping distressed them 2 Chron. 28.20 and so should the Egyptians for it follows thou shalt go forth from him and thine hands upon thine head that is lamenting thy disappointment for the Lord hath reâ—â—cted thy confidences and thou shalt not prosper in them that iâ— thou shalt fail of them and bee undone by them Let us take heed of bottoming upon any thing beneath the Lord for Jer. 17.5 a curse is pronounced upon the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and whose heart departeth from the Lord his heart is gone from the Lord who trusteth in any creature Obs 2 Creature confidence brings former sins to remembrance When the house of Israel looked to Egypt for help that is trusted in them then their former iniquity was brought to minde that occasioned God to remember other sinnes When a wife leaves her husband or a Souldier his Commander this remindes them of former miscarriages and so when Gods people leave him for an Arm of flesh this revives the memory of old iniquities Ezek. 21.24 it s said they made their iniquity to bee remembred and how came that by discovery of their transgressions some new sins appeared and they caused the former to be rem mbred New sinnes are editions of the old Bankerupts by some latter acts bring former debts into question and men by some new latter sinne occasion God to bring their former sins into view Obs 3 That the Lord for the good of his people brings down proud Nations and keeps them in servile conditions Egypt lifted up it self above the Nations but God brake it in peices made it base yea the basest of Kingdomes decreeing it should not bee exalted but abide so and why that the house of Israel might not confide any more in it that their iniquity might not by so doing bee brought to remembrance that they might know the Lord to bee above all Nations Princes and Powers whatsoever and trust in him Here was wonderful goodnesse in God towards his Church and people that hee would keep under Egypt to prevent their sinning and punishing and to draw them to trust in himself Had Egypt been set in its former power glory and greatnesse the eye and heart of the house of Israel would have been looking that way iniquity been brought to mind and their confidence taken off from God now rather than such things should be Egypt shall be made base and contemptible and kept in that condition There was a time when wee confided too much in Scotland God hath broken that nation in peices and will keep it in a low condition that we may learn not to depend upon Nations but the God of Nations Vers 17 And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year in the first Moneth in the first day of the moneth the word of the Lord came unto me saying 18 Son of Man Nebuchadrezzar King of Babylon caused his Army to serve a great service against Tyrus every head was made bald and every shoulder was peeled yet had hee no wages nor his Army for Tyrus for the service that he had served against it 19 Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar King of Babylon and hee shall take her multitude and take her spoil and take her prey and it shall be the wages for his Army 20 I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewâ—th hee served against it because they wrought for me saith the Lord God These verses comprehend the fourth general part of the Chapter which is a Prophesie of giving Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar King of Babylon wherein is set down 1 The Time of this Prophesy when it was v. 17. 2 The cause why God gave Egypt to Nebuchadrezzar v. 18 20. 3 The Donation it self v. 19 20. Egypt and the wealth of it are given him to pay his Army In the seven and twentieth year in the first moneth in the first day of the moneth This Prophesy was sixteen years and upwards after the former but being of the same nature is here conjoyned with it though hee had many others between them It was in the twenty seventh year of Jehoiachins captivity sixteen years after the destruction of Jerusalem and shortly after the taking of Tyrus The punctuall time is here set down that so the Chronology of things done might bee known and observed 18 Nebuchadrezzar King of Babylon caused his Army to serve a great service against Tyrus Tyrus was a strong City upon a Rock in the Sea well walled and towred seven hundred paces from the Continent abounding with ships to supply all things needful and to secure her by Sea so that in the eye of man it was invincible Nebuchadrezzar besiedged this City with a vast army thirteen years Joseph Antiq. l. 10. c. 10. at the end of the Chapt. Spatium illud quod erat a littore ad Tyrum usque constravit aggere reddiditque solidum Nebuchadrezzar ut ad ipsos usque muros milites pedesti itinere procurrerent Sanct. which Josephus confirmes from other Historians Diocles in the second book of his Persian History and Philostratus in his Phenician and Indian History make mention of this King saying that hee overcame the City of Tyre at the end of thirteen years at such time as Ithobald reigned over the Tyrians In this time hee filled up that space of the Sea which
enemy to God and his people how much more should Christians do and indure any thing for Christ their King and heavenly Commander if hee say go wee should go if come wee should come if pluck out your right eye cut off your right hand or right foot we should do so if hee calls us to indure affliction and suffer hard things wee should not stick at them no though it be the jeoparding of our lives knowing hee hath a spiritual and eternal reward for us Seeing men have done and suffered so much for heathens how can wee do or suffer too much for Christ Scipio Africanus had three hundred Souldiers who would clime a Tower if hee bid them or throw themselves from the top of a Tower at his command what dishonor will it bee to Christ if his souldiers will not do as much at his command as others have done at their Lords Commands Obs 5 Armies with their Generals and Commanders may serve long labour soâ—ely suffer hard things and after all these bee dis-appointed of their expectations Nebuchadrezzar caused his Army to serve a great service thirteen years so that their heads shoulders sides were bald and peeled and what then yet had hee no wages nor his Army they expected great matters in Tyrus which was so rich and full of all sorts of Commodities but found nothing considerable nothing answering their expectation or sufficient to recompence their charge and suffering This undertaking could not be without millions of money hopes they had that Tyrus being now the Mart of Nations would repay them with advantage but Tyrus wealth was dispersed and there was no money in Cash Sometimes armies find rich spoil and fat prey in the Towns and Cities they take and sometimes they find empty houses Obs 6 Nations Lands Kingdomes are the Lords and he disposes of them to whom hee pleases Behold I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar Hee would take it from Pharaoh King thereof and give it to another Neither did the Lord do any wrong unto Pharaoh because he was tenant at will and held upon these tearmes quam diu se bene gereret to bee King while hee carried himself well but hee grew proud insolent and like a Dragon lay in the midst of his rivers saying my River is mine and I have made it for my self God therefore took away his Kingdome from him and gave it to the King of Babylon hee looseth the loines of King and dis-misseth them from their Kingdomes Hee rejected Saul 1 Sam. 15.23 and gave his Kingdome to David chap. 16.1.13 hee rent ten Tribes from Rhehoboam and gave them to Jeroboam 1 Kin. 11.31 hee cast out many Kings and gave their lands to Nebuchadrezzar Jerem. 27.3 7. and v. 5. you may see upon what ground hee doth so I have made the earth the man and the beast that are upon the ground by my great power and by my stretched out arm and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto mee and now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar hee made the earth hee may give it to and take it from whom hee please it s his not ours no man is owner of the earth or any part of it it s the Lords therefore if hee break in peices mighty men without number and sets others in their stead hee wrongs hee oppresses none Job 34.24 Let not us be troubled that God hath done such things in our daies Obs 7 God in his holy and wise Providence makes use of Heathens or any instruments to do his work Nebuchadrezzar and his Army wrought for him they were his servants hee set them on work though they knew it not When Armies of Heathens do plunder Townes take Cities lay waste Kingdomes they are working for God they are executing his judgements though they minde it not God carries on his work let instruments bee what they will He can make use of the worst of men as well as of the best Hee can promote his interest by an Army of heathens as well as by an Army of Christians and let Armies bee what they will good or bad when they are at work they work for God they wrought for mee saith God It s good therefore not to stick upon the instruments which work but to look at the hand in which they are how that directs and regulates them look at him whose tooles whose servants they are This will quiet mens spirits and keep their tongues within compass Obs 8 The Lord suffers not any no not heathens and Infidels to labour for him in vain Hee gave the land of Egypt with all the wealth of it to Nebuchadrezzar and his Army who were the worst of the Heathen Ezek. 7.24 because they served and wrought for him God is just not like those Masters who set men on work and then will give them no wages whosoever works for God shall have his penny when the mid-wives would not destroy the male children of the Jews but save them alive because they feared God â—e dealt well with them and gave them houses Exod. 1.17 20 21. hee gave them habitations and blessed their families They were Infidels yet God rewarded their work Jehu was wicked yet because hee did the work of the Lord in rooting out Ahabs Family in destroying Baal with all the Priests and Temple of Baal therefore the Lord rewarded him and that largely 2 King 10.30 Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel which was made good in Jehoahaz Joash Jeroboam and Zachariah who came out of his loines and reigned after him 2 King 13 14 15. chapters How should this stir us up to do good and serve the Lord if Heathens shall not labour for him in vain much lesse shall Christians who know how to act from a right principle in a right manner and for a right end if they meet with hardship in his service hee will remember and reward it fully not with a temporal Kingdome but with an eternal the land of Egypt shall be given to Babylonians because the kingdom of Heaven shall bee given to Christians Luke 12.32 Fear not little flock it is your fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdome let us therefore bee stedfast and immoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as wee know our labour shall not bee in vain A cup of cold water two mites cast into the treasury a sigh a tear laid out for God and his interest shall not bee forgotten what Paul told the Hebrews I may tell you that God is not unrighteous to forget your work men may forget or reward poorly but God will not forget because hee cannot bee unrighteous nor reward poorly because he deals bountifully with his servants Psal 116.7 Obs 9 Execution of judgement upon proud