be it great or small short or long it hath this name in the Hebrew language Jer. 3.8 a Bill of divorce is mentioned the word in the originall is Sephar a book of Divorce It was the use of the Jewes to call any Writing though it had but a few lines in it Sephar a book And so a Catalogue that had not many names in it is called a book Mat. 1.1 The book or the catalogue of the generation of Jesus Christ This Book of Ezekiel is large having eight and fourty Chapters in it and may rather be called a Volume then Sephar a Book a Bill a Catalogue Some Books in the Scripture that are far less then this of Ezekiel have that title Esther which is not long hath this title Megillath Esther the Volume of Esther or the Book of Esther so it is in your Bibles The word cometh from Gabal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to roll or fold up for the use of the Jewes was to fold up their Writings as being the best way to preserve them from dust and other dangers These two words are sometimes found both together as in this Prophet Chap. 2. v. 9. There was sent unto the Prophet a hand and in it there was Megillath Sephar a roll of a Book The Jewes had many Megillaths many such volumes or rolls especially five which they did use at severall times There was the Megillath of the Canticles which they read at the Feast of the Passeover because it contained much of the love of God to the Church and in the Passeover they apprehended much of Gods love towards them 2. Then they had the Megillath of Ruth which was read a◠the Feast of Pentecost because it contained the Genealogie and originall of David their King who was so beloved and dear unto them 3. They had the Megillath of Ecclesiastes and that they read at the Feast of Tabernacles in memory of Gods protection of them forty yeers in the Wilderness because that volume did contain in it many acts of Gods providence which watcheth over his people continually The fourth was the Megillath of Esther which was read in the Moneth of Adar because that discovered the plot of Haman and the goodness of God that did deliver them from that imminent danger The last Megillath was the Book of the Lamentations and this contained as the summe so the bewailing of the Babylonish captivity which was grievous unto them This Book they read in the fifth Moneth which was answerable to the latter end of July These were all little books little volumes Ezekiel is rather a Megillath and Ezekiel must be one volume a book written in the Babylonish captivity some five hundred and fourscore yeers before Christ so that it is above two thousand two hundred yeers since this book was written From hence you may observe First the Wisdome of God in causing this and other books to be written A book is a writing the originall word signifieth to write Here is the wisdome and goodness of God that the Prophecies of Ezekiel and other Prophets should be written God will have his Church furnished with and regulated by written truths not unwritten traditions The Jewes they had their Cabbala which they say were full of secret Mysteries The Papists they have their Traditions they call them unwritten verities and wee call them unwritten vanities We have a sure word of Prophecie to stick unto and they uncertain fancies which corrupt the worship of God and indanger immortall souls Bellarmine hath a whole book de Verbo Dei non scripto of the Word of God unwritten such words of God wee acknowledge not It was the wisdome of God that the Prophets should write and that their writings should be extant When the Lawyer asked Christ what he should do to inherit eternall life Christ doth not send him to unwritten Traditions or to Jewish Cabbala's but he sends him to a known and written Law What is written in the Law how readest thou Luke 10.26 So wee must look to what is written and how we may reade not what they tell us was revealed to such a Saint and hath continued to so many generations and is the truth of God these are delusions The writings of the Prophets and Apostles are sufficient for us and wee acknowledge the infinite goodness of God in that these should be written for us to have resort unto If this Prophets others and Apostles works had not been written there would have been great inconveniences some things would have been forgotten some neglected many things corrupted and all things in time questioned and so the whole truth would have been without authority in the hearts of people Secondly see here the providence of God likewise in preserving this book of Ezekiel which was written in Babylon for there was the Prophet and there he had his visions for a book to be preserved in Babylon is a wonder The Law was lost in Sion in Manasses his dayes and found again in Josiah his time If the Law may be lost in Sion much more may a Prophecie be lost in Babylon and if not lost in Babylon yet it might have been left in Babylon if not left there it might have miscarryed in their return if not then yet when Titus and Vespasian took and sacked Jerusalem it might there have perished and been utterly extinguished and we never have heard of this Prophecie of Ezekiel But here is the hand of God manifested in it that though this Prophecie were revealed to Ezekiel in Babylon and run through so many hazards yet it should be preserved to this very day Again see where is the true antiquity This book was written five hundred and fourscore yeers before Christ two thousand two hundred yeers ago and is not this book now very ancient other Prophets and the whole Scripture are the true Antiquity Papists and many amongst us stand upon antiquity and what is their antiquity The Fathers or some Heathen Writers are their antiquity But what is the true antiquity but the Word of God That is Prima veritas and pura veritas the first truth and the pure truth that is the fountain all other are but muddy channels When any points are in controversie they flie to Fathers and to Antiquity and what is found there they take for truth but this is to desert God and run to man My people have forsaken me the fountain of living waters Jerem. 2.13 and hewed them out cisrerns broken cisterns that can hold no water I am the fountain saith God my Scriptures are the fountain of living waters yet they run to their own pits and cisterns that hold no water Some moth-eaten and old writings some ancient copies that have lain hid some hundreds of yeers from the world are brought forth obtruded upon people for truths and they must be truths But for your direction know that if they be not in the Kings Records what ever writings they be never regard
a chiefe praise in Israel and fit you for an eternal weight of glory Your Highnesse most humble servant VVILLIAM GREENHILL To all Wel-willers of TRUTH Especially to the Authours and Fautors of the Expository Lectures in this Citie IN most Arts and Sciences are difficulties in Divinity are depths Plato Aristotle Euclid have their nodos and the Scriptures have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them are dark sayings Psal 78.2 Riddles Ezek. 17.2 Parables Matth. 13.35 Wonders Psal 119 18. great things Hos 8.12 things hard to be uttered Heb. 5.12 hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3.16 Mysteries Mat. 13.11 hidden manifold Wisdom 1 Cor. 2.7 Ephes 3.10 the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 Much is in it that God hath intermixt the holy Scriptures with some difficulties Hereby we are led up to conceive there be infinite depths in God which eternity must take us up to study They convince us of our incapacity of high things Joh. 16.12 They prevent our undervaluing of divine Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flesh and blood is very apt upon reading and apprehension of easiness to lay aside choyce Workes God hath therefore hid some truths under the rocks laid them deepe that so there might be digging and searching Prov. 2.4 as for treasures Difficulties quicken and whet endeavours sloth is a great gulfe which hinders men from coming at the truth and it made the Father fear Ego vereor ne per nimiam negligentiam stoliditatem cordis non solum velata sint nobis divina volumina sed etiam signata Origen In Verbo Dei abundat quod perfectus comedat quod parvulus sugat Falg lest thereby the Lords Book should not only be shut but also sealed up Ingenuous spirits when they heare of hard things stir livelily and what they get by sorest labour is most precious The rocky and knotty things in the Prophets and Apostles suffice to exercise the greatest abilities and graces which are seated in humane nature they keepe mens thoughts from swelling into a conceit of omnisciency they make us long to be where wee shall know as we are known 1 Cor. 13.12 and in the mean time to pray with David Open thou our eyes Sine Deo impossibile est discere Deum Iren. that wee may see the wonders of thy Law hard things drave David to the Lord he knew that without God hee could not understand the things of God whose glory it is both to conceale and reveale a thing Prov. 25.2 Mat. 16.17 Many have sued to God for further discovery of his minde and have attempted to help us in Scripture difficulties but all dark things are not yet cleared nor all depths yet sounded To this day a vaile is upon the heart of the Jewes in reading the old Testament 2 Cor. 3.14 15. and surely the vaile is not fully removed from the hearts of us Christians we have seen very dimly into sundry things not only of Paul Peter and John but of Moses and the Prophets especially of this Prophet Ezekiel who hath therefore been past over both by Writers and Readers as dark difficult and lesse usefull Robert Stephen mentions one Respons ad censu Theol. Paris in praef and that a Sorbonist who had liv'd above fifty yeeres and knew not what the new Testament meant and have not sundry persons among us lived their fifty yeeres and not known what Ezekiel meant Hath he not been a Book clasped and sealed unto them If this Hieroglyphicall Prophet have been a wonder to all for his Visions yet he hath been known to few by reason of the abstrusenesse of his Visions which have kept off great Rabbies from imploying their talents to open them If weaknesse and error be found in these poore labours of mine J intreat you to remember J have beene among propheticall deepes and difficulties which may plead for him who knowing his own insufficiencies came invita Minerva to this taske If any light appeare for the better understanding of these aenigmaticall things I must say with Daniel There is a God in Heaven which revealeth mysteries to him be all the glory My prayers shall be to him inlightneth every man which commeth into the world Dan. 2. that he would anoint your eyes with eye salve whereby you may daily see more into the great and glorious truths of God and those things which may strongly make for your eternall peace and comfort So prayeth Your Friend and Servant in the Lord W. G. The Introduction to the Work ALL Scripture being the breath of Gods Spirit 2 Pet. 1.21 2 Tim. 3.16 none can be Judge or Expounder of it but the same Spirit Men are only Indices veritatis they cannot bring a sense but shew you what is the sense of Scripture Those are called to be Expositors must not fetch senses ab extra but take what is in the bowels of the Text and hold forth unto others A work which requires ability wisdome diligence and faithfulness Ability to inquire into the originalls wisdome to compare Scriptures consider circumstances and to discerne the verity spirituality and propriety of Texts and Phrases diligence to dig and search after truth which lieth deep and hid faithfulness to give out Truths being found with their own lustre not humane tincture Whosoever doth thus shall purchase favour in Heaven if not esteem on earth Expository work is ancient and honourable Ancient as Nehemiahs time Chap. 8.8 the Levites gave the sense of the Law they expounded it In those dayes the Jewes had their Perushim Interpreters which was above five hundred yeers before Christ what wayes they interpreted Scripture Helvicus you may reade in Shindl. Pentagl page 1491. and in Weems his Christian Synagogue 2 book chap. 1. pag. 221. It 's also Honourable for the Lord Christ was an Expositor Mark 4.34 hee expounded all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 24.27 hee interpreted and vers 32. hee opened the Scriptures Paul also was an Expositor Act. 28.23 he expounded This work being so ancient and honourable let it finde the more acceptance with you Some would have Expositors only give the literall sense without observation or application of any thing if all people could prophesie were skilfull in Scriptures as Ezra mighty as Apollo I could like it But because many truths lie so deep and so closely couch'd as all cannot easily discern or extract them it is necessary to give the sense and draw forth points observable yet with a brievous perspicuity and perspicuous brevity The literall sense may be strong meat for some when observations may be milk for others That course shall I take and so I come to the Title The Antiquity Scope and Occasion of Writing Nature Benefit and Parts of this Prophecie handled in the Title The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel FEw of the other sacred Books have this Title in the originall prefixed The word Sephar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a book signifieth any writing
of all Ordinances stript of all our comforts wee are sold into the hands of enemies wee are become captives to a heathen Prince our bondage is grievous and must continue seventy years It is the fruit of our sinne God is righteous in all his judgements and if we willingly accept the punishment of our iniquitie he will in wrath remember mercy regard us in our low estate he will sweeten and sanctifie our captivitie to us Such thoughts as these were in the breast of the Prophet And I incline the rather to thinke so because it was upon the Sabbath day as I shall shew you afterwards when I come to open some things that follow when he was meditating on this manner Also you shall finde in Scripture relatives used without antecedents as Psal 87.1 His foundation is in the holy Mountaines Here is a relative without any antecedent yet the antecedent is supposed and easily found out His foundation whose foundation the foundation of the Temple the foundation of the Citie is in the holy Mountaines The Scripture doth sometime lay downe things relatively and conjunctively when the antecedent may be supposed and found out with a little inquiry So here And it was thus and thus with the Prophet he was meditating there was the Word in his bosome and the particle And connects that with this Word of God revealed to him and exprest by him Hence then take this note That the hearts of the servants of God are exercised with thoughts of Gods dealings with the Church and themselves Their thoughts are better exercised then the world thinks Ezekiel here had his thoughts busied about his former and present condition his heart was exercised that way I have other meate to eate saith Christ then yee know of So the Saints they have other meat other thoughts to feed upon then the world takes notice of It is oft unknown how their thoughts are exercised Eli thought Hanna madde when he saw her lips goe but her heart was better employed then he fancied Many thinke Gods people melancholy and not worthy of their company they are but heavy pieces when their hearts are in heaven and they are at solid and serious converse with God You have an expression to this purpose in Cant. 1.2 Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth The Spouse had not spoke of her Beloved before It is a strange speech to begin thus Let him kisse me with c. Who should kisse her here is no mention of Christ no mention of God no mention of any before but on a suddaine Let him kisse me with c. Though Christ had not been mentioned by her lips yet Christ was deep in her thoughts and in her desires shee had meditated on Christ before and so breakes out into this speech Let him kisse me with c. And Ezekiel having his heart meditating and taken up with the thoughts of his former and present condition of the Church in generall of Gods wrath to them and Gods mercy in the middest of his wrath breaks out And or now in the thirtieth yeare it was so and so This then instructs us what is the practice of the choice Worthies of God their hearts are meditating and taken up with divers things that the world is not aware of It is good for us to be in meditation this way Isaac he went out to meditate in the evening and while he was meditating cometh Rebekah the desire of his soul and the Prophet being in that posture hath visions of God to cheare his soul and the souls of his people If you would be meditating you may see heaven opened and God coming down into your bosomes In the thirtieth yeere This time doth trouble Interpreters very much It is not said in the thirtieth yeere of what or of whom but barely in the thirtieth yeere Here is an uncertain Chronologie which makes a difficulty in the Prophet 1. In the thirtieth yeer not the thirtieth yeer from the Jubilee as some do make it for the fifth yeer of Jehoiachins captivity corresponds not with the thirtieth from the Jubilee for as Junius and some others that take pains in searching out the truth herein do observe that falls in but with the ninth yeer from the Jubilee therefore we let that pass 2. In the thirtieth yeer Some make this to be the thirtieth yeer of his age the Prophet was thirty yeers old and then he began to prophecy But this is not the practice of the Pen-men of Scripture to compute the prophecies from their own age and birth and there is good reason for it because prophecies and things that do concern the good of the Church so neerly and so much do receive witness and strength from the time wherein they are extant and those times must not be particular times times of particular men that are not known but the times must be such as arr known to the world that all may be convinced the thing was done at such a time now the birth of one that afterward was to be a Prophet is not like to be a time so noted in the world that the world then should take notice that Ezekiel was born and did begin the computation of his prophecy from thence It is not like therefore that this should be the meaning of the thirtieth yeere If so he would have said in the thirtieth yeere of my life 3. In the thirtieth yeer That is in the thirtieth yeer since the Law was found in Josiah his dayes and since that great Passeover which was kept by him In the 2 King 22. there is mention of finding the book of the Law and in Chapt. 23. of the great Passeover and this was in the eighteenth yeer of Josiah his reign verse 33. Now if we compute the time from the eighteenth yeer of Josiah it doth amount even to the thirtieth yeer in which our Prophet had his vision and began his prophecy For Josiah reigned thirteen yeers after this as you may observe in the Story hee raigned thirty and one yeers in all 2 King 22.1 and then Iehoahaz his son raigned three moneths Chapt. 23.31 then Iehoiakim reigned eleven yeers vers 36. and Iehoiachin his son reigned three months before he was carried captive into Babylon 2 King 24. and five yeers of his captivity was past when Ezekiel began his prophecy So then take the thirteen yeeres of Josiah the eleven yeers of Iehoiakim there is twenty four then adde the five yeers of Iehoiachins captivity that makes twenty nine and then tahe three moneths that Iehoahaz reigned and the three moneths that Iehoiachin reigned before hee was carried captive it makes up twenty nine yeers and six moneths therefore saith he in the thirtieth yeer it was the thirtieth yeer current and so Iâ—positors do for the generality put it And whereas some would have it to be the thirtieth yeer of the â—haldean account it being according to them thirty yeers from the beginning of that Monarchy from Nebuchadonosor
as some call him who was the father of this Nebuchadnezzar the great that carried away Iehoiachin into captivity If it were the thirtieth yeer of that Monarchy it falls in with the thirty yeers since the eighteenth of Iosiah wherein the Law was found and the Passeover kept so that these two may stand together and there need be no jarring between Interpreters for this time In the fourth moneth It was not the Moneth Tebet or Thebeth as some will have it which answers to that we call Ianuary but the moneth Tamuz or Tammuz that which answereth to part of Iune and part of Iuly about the time we are now in for the Iewes were to reckon their moneths from April as Exod. 12.2 This shall be the beginning of moneths it shall be the first moneth of the yeer to you that moneth was Abib Nisan or Nissan and answereth to part of March and part of April now from thence this is the fourth moneth and falleth in with the latter end of Iune and beginning of Iuly In the fifth day of the moneth This I finde some do make to be the Sabbath day and it is very probable that it should be so for Chapt. 3.16 hee saith that at the end of seven dayes the Word of the Lord came unto him again Hence they collect that it is not likely that God would step over the Sabbath day and give Ezekiel visions upon another day and not upon that for if Ezekiel had had his visions upon another day the people should have been destitute of all the benefit they were so imployed in their works of building and planting and other accommodations for a captivity that they had no leasure to resort unto Ezekiel upon a week day therefore they strongly conclude that it was upon a Sabbath day in the latter end of the week From hence observe 1. That that time is not considerable wherein the Law of God is out of date the time was reckoned here from the eighteenth yeere of Josiah wherein the Law was found It was lost in Manassehs and Amons dayes till the eighteenth yeere of Josiah when being found it was brought forth for the comfort and instruction of the people for the worship and honour of God and from that punctum the Spirit of God reckons the time and begins the account When Gods Law is out of the way and his Worship down that is no considerable time at all in the eye of God Parties that are in the dark or dead wee do not reckon of their time One converted in his old age said I have been long in the world I have lived but a little time meaning since hee was converted the time before was incomputable The widow that liveth in pleasure the Apostle saith is dead while shee lives 1 Tim. 5.6 and the world is dead that hath not the Law the place is dead that hath not the Ordinances of God so long they have been but they have not lived they have not measured time and therefore the Spirit of God fixeth the account at the finding of the Law 2. The things here not being specified but left undetermined that God would have us observe the remarkable passages in Church and States when they fall out not one or two but many or all the chief as the eighteenth yeer of Josiah when the Law was found when that great passeover was kept when he and the people of God entred into a solemn covenant with God when the great reformation was made among them such great acts were taken notice of as also the changes in Babylon when the Chaldean Monarchy began when Nebuchadnezzar was put into the Throne and his head lifted up above others God would have us take notice of the chief acts of his mercy and providence at chief times Hosea 14.8 Ephraim shall say What have I to do any more with Idols There will be a great alteration then it will be a remarkable time said God I have heard him and observed him and then followeth Who so is wise and he shall undrstand these things prudent and he shall know them Now is a time of memorable emergents and they should be considered the famous things of 1640. 1641. ought to be had in everlasting remembrance a triennall Parliament resurrection of Religion Law and Gospel were found again Reformation begun Protestation and Covenants taken the Kingdomes united here and forain ones shaken in pieces 3 This makes for the truth and strength of our Prophets visions and prophecy for when exact particular times and places are set down that things were done in such a yeer of such a King such a moneth such a day of the moneth it addes weight to an ordinary History and when the Spirit of God shall so punctually determine the time to a yeer a moneth a day it is a strong seal to the truth of the visions and prophecy 4. See here from the fifth day that God hath a speciall care of his Sabbaths and of the spirituall good of his servants Of his Sabbaths that they shall not lie in the dark when they are in Babylon God will open heaven and appeare to a Prophet and give him visions upon a Sabbath day God will do it too upon a Sabbath day that so the people which were in a sad condition that laboured now in Brick and Clay again that were building planting taken up with secular affaires might have a seasonable opportunity for the good of their souls The Sabbath was made for man for the good of man and they found it so Though they be in Babylon they shall have a Prophet they shall have visions and visions upon a Sabbath day when they have liberty and opportunity to come to the Prophet to be instructed in these visions without prejudice to their Callings Ezekiel 1.1 2 c. As I was among the captives by the river Chebar that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God In the fifth day of the moneth which was the fifth yeere of Jehoiaxhins captivity The Word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the Priest the sonne of Buzi in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar and the hand of the Lord wast here upon him As I was among the captives by the river Chebar HEre is the place mentioned where the Prophet was and the occasion of his being in it Among the captives The originall s in the middest of the captivity the abstract being put for the concrete captives for captivity and this is ordinary in the Scripture as circumcision for cirumcised Phil. 3.3 Election for Elected Rom. 11.7 the election hath obtained that is the elected and here in the middest of the captivity is in the midst of the captives In the middest is not to be taken Geometrically and strictly as if he were exactly in the middest of them proportionably every way considered but in the middest is to be understood among the captives they were captives and so was he As Josh 7.13
had taken in and so are call'd Goiim Nations as if they had had the wickednesse of all the nations or because they were divided in their false and Idolatrous worship some were for the Ammonitish way some the Moabitish some for other wayes most for wrong wayes and this made them like the Nations who had their severall wayes and to deserve the brand of Goiim Rebellious Hammordim the rebellious ones of Marad which signifies to fall off to apostatize to rebell and resist it 's like the practice of men against States and Princes when they have made Lawes for their Subjects to live by and they have accepted of those Lawes and then fall off with-draw from their subjection obedience and shake off their yoke it 's call'd rebellion Gen. 14.4 the King served Kedorlaomer twelve yeers and in the thirteenth rebelled that is shook off those Lawes and yokes they were under In the Law sense rebellion is a traitorous taking up arms against the State be it by the naturall Subjects or by others formerly subdued or by whomsoever when arms are taken up to overthrow the setled Laws of a Kingdome and Religion setled by those Laws this is rebellion against that State and that State may preserve it self the Law of Nature Reason and Religion warranting the same I am not to speak of rebellion in this sense but Theologically when men will not be under the Laws and Government of Christ but go a whoring after their own lusts and inventions or others then they rebell so the other Tribes told Reuben Gad and Manasseh Josh 22.16 What trespasse is this you have committed against the God of Israel to turn away this day from following the Lord in that you have builded you an Altar that yee might rebell this day against the Lord Turning from God and taking up our own or others inventions is rebelling against God The Vulgar hath it to the apostatizing Nations Ad Gentes apostatrices and the Septuagint renders the word Rebell in Nehem. 6.6 to apostatize thou and the Jewes think to apostatize 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and apostasie is a wicked departing from God and his truth acknowledged and confessed to false wayes of worship and such were the Israelites at this time they had left the God of Israel and chosen other gods and served Idols which made the Lord to say Jer. 2.11 Hath a nation changed their gods which yet are no gods but my people have changed their glory such is the apostasie of Antichrist and his followers they have departed from the true God and his worship and set up false gods and false worship so that he and all his children are Goiim Hammordim a rebellious an apostatizing nation Against mee It 's not against their King their high Priest but against mee In pactum meum Jerom. against my Covenant saith Jerome God had made a Covenant with them not only a spousall covenant I will betroth thee to mee for ever Hos 2.19 But a matrimoniall covenant I am the Lord thy God thou shalt have no other gods before me Exod. 20.2 3. God said hee would have them and no other people to be his God kept the Covenant on his part and was no Polygamist to that day hee took not in any other nation but they brake with him and took in other gods and brought them not into the City only but into the Temple and provoked their God to jealousie Even to this day The Hebrew is to the body strength essence of this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even this self-same day these very words you have in Lev. 23.14 untill the self-same day had not this people been brutish they might have seen what an unprofitable thing it was to bestow honour upon Altars Idols to set up corrupt invented worship they might have seen what truth and force was in Propheticall threats how powerfull God was to save and to destroy for now they were carryed out of their own Countrey they were in Babylon a most Idolatrous place subject to the nations they so disdained and had been some yeers in bondage yet even here to that present time they were addicted to their old wayes and served false gods night and day Jer. 16.13 Transgresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word signifies to sin not ignorantly or of infirmity but wilfully ex superbia Isai 1.2 I have brought up children and they have rebelled it 's the same word is in the Text they have proudly voluntarily sinned against mee the Septuagint therefore render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have prevaricated with me rejected mee they have taken mee out of the way who was established to be their God and have willingly brought in other gods and this word pashagn is of larger extent then marad say Rabbies but in Scripture they are promiscuously used Hos 14.9 the transgressors shall fall therein those go from under the command of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and oppose him Obser 1. That it 's Christs prerogative to set up and send officers unto the Church I send thee I that fit upon the Throne that am Jehovah that is to come that have all power in mine hand that can save and destroy that am the great Prophet of my people I send thee So Mat. 28.18 19. Christ is invested with all power and therefore sends Officers to all nations Eph. 4.11 He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers it was Christ gave them and set them up in the Church Hence saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a man so account of us as the Ministers of Christ we are set up and sent by him who is the Head of the Church the Authour of all Offices and Lord of all Offficers Hence followes 1. That those Offices and Officers are holy and warrantable which depend upon the will and authority of Christ Jer. 1.5 not those are of the wils and authority of men as all are in the Romish Synagogue and too many are amongst us Apostles Prophets Euangelists they were of Christ but being extraordinary are ceased Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons Christ hath given to be standing Officers in the Church and their callings wee acknowledge holy and lawfull but all others of humane institution and so unholy and unwholesome for the Church The Papists deny the calling of Pastors and Teachers in the reformed Churches to be lawfull because they are not sent by the Pope and ordained by his Bishops and so in succession from Christ but it 's cleer that Pastors and Teachers were given of Christ before ever Popes or Prelates were thought on Ephes 4.11 And as for them the Pope and his Clergie wee may safely say that neither himself nor any of his Hierarchy ever had any lawfull calling because none of them are sent of Christ hee will never own it that he sent any of them neither were they ordained according to the will of Christ and his Apostles 2.
with Jerusalem First They observed not the laws of God 2. Not the lawes of the Nations but multiplyed more then they and thirdly before them unto whom they should have been patterns of pietie Because thou hast multiplyed more then the Nations Some Expositors referre these words to their mercies not their sinnes and make the sense thus Because thou hast multiplyed in number in riches in honour and strength in victory in profits in ordinances in all blessings for which yee ought to have been thankfull fruitfull and obedient unto that God who blessed you thus above the Nations but in stead of this hast dishonoured God growne loose Idolatrous c. therefore will I deale accordingly with thee Take it thus and you have this note That prosperitie rather worsens then betters a people they had more mercies then the Nations and more sinnes then they as they abounded in Gods blessings so they abounded in ingratitude Deut. 32.15 Jesurun waxed fat and kicked c. Hos 13.6 But others referre this multiplying to their sinnes and the sense is this Because thou hast not satisfied thy selfe with a little wickednesse but multiplyed sinnes iniquities transgressions and that more then the Heathens that had not thy mercies nor thy light therefore will I judge thee and that they multiplyed sinne is evident Ezek. 16.25 Thou hast built thy high places at every head of the way thou hast opened thy feete to every one that passeth by and hast multiplyed thy whoredomes shee sinn'd with the Aegyptians Assyrians Chaldeans vers 26.28 29. The judgements of the Nations The Gentiles have their judgements their laws rules and wayes of living and worshipping Some understand here the lawes of nature what men have written in their hearts naturally according to what you finde Rom. 2.14 15. and the Jewes that had the laws of God superadded to the law of nature did not abstaine from those sinnes the Nations did They observ'd the Law the Jewes brake Others referre it to their laws decrees and practise touching their gods and the worship of them they were tenacious of both and would not alter their worship nor exchange their gods It was a Maxime among heathens Ne quid novarent in religionis forma and it was an Oracle of Apollo Eos deos rite coli qui traditi essent à majoribus and they thought it impious to depart from what they had received When Paul came to Athens they did and would worship their unknowne God Paul could not prevaile with them to exchange a lye for truth not all the miracles Moses did in Egypt prevail'd with Pharaoh the Egyptians to forsake their false gods so that these words are a reproach to the Jewes who were not so constant as the Nations to their god Observ 1. That God walkes not into the way of judgements till men doe walke out of the way of his statutes Because yee have not walked in my statutes nor kept my judgements therefore I will doe so and so by you God's delights are in wayes and works of mercy Judgements are his strange works and strange acts Isa 28.21 he is provoked unto them as a Bee unto stinging it 's the child's wantonnesse causes the father to use the rod. David's sin brought the sword to his owne house the plague to the people when the wickednesse of the earth was great then the windows of heaven were open and the flood came Gen. 6. 2. When God intends judgements he usually convinces sinners judgements and convictions are not far asunder God sets their sinnes before them they walked not in his statutes they sinn'd more then the Nations therefore he would proceed in judgement with them he convinces them of their sinne to make way for a farther conviction namely of the equitie of his judgements when the Lord shall convince a sinfull people to be guiltie and that of great sinnes it stops their mouths and proclaimes the equitie of his judgements which are ever short of the merit of mens iniquities Ezr. 9.13 Our God hath punish'd us lesse then our iniquities 3. That Heathens are oft more true to their principles then the people of God The Nations kept their judgements their gods their worship they would not suffer ought to be spoken against their gods Demetrius and others were in a rage against Paul and his companions for it Act. 19. They were free from many of those sinnes were practised and countenanced among the Jewes who kept neither to the true God nor to his statutes and judgements Ahaz is better pleased with an Altar from Damascus then that the Lord had appointed 2 King 16. Solomon that excell'd in wisdome shewed his folly in this that he built high places for Chemish and Molech and not onely a particular man but the body of the people turn'd aside from the true God Judg. 2.12 They forsooke God that brought them out of Egypt and followed the gods of the people that more round about them they bowed to them they served Baal and Ashtaroth and Chap. 10.6 it was an ordinary thing with them The Children of Israel did evill againe in the sight of the Lord and served Baalim Ashâ—aroth the gods of Syria the gods of Zidon and the gods of Moab and the gods of the Philistims They were not satisfied with one or two false gods but fetched in the gods of the Nations round about them Hos 4.12 Hence this people are said to goe a whoring from under their god his lawes statutes worship government would not suffice them but they would out and have strange gods and strange lawes 2 Chron. 12.1 Rehoboam forsook the Law of the Lord and all Israel with him Gods Law was exchanged for the lawes of men They kept the statutes of Omri and brake the statutes of Jehovah Mic. 6.16 The Jewes were as unconstant to their God and in his worship as any Nation under heaven God upbraids them for it Jer. 2.36 Why goddest thou about so much to change thy way God had given them a good way a way of life and they would not abide in it but hasten into wayes of sinne and death they loved to wander Jer. 14. Hath not England been weary of Gods wayes wandered to Rome and other parts to fetch in somewhat of theirs Have we not been upon conjunctures of Protestants and Papists in Doctrine Discipline and Ceremony Vers 8. In the 8. ver is laid down a dreadfull threatning Behold I even I am against thee and the denunciation of judgement runs on to the end of the Chapter with many aggravations Here the Lord is brought in a just and severe Judge and the chiefe Author of all the judgements were to come upon them I even I am c. It 's doubled and notes 1. Evidentiam That so they might be perswaded of it the Jewes thought that God would never be against Jerusalem but to convince them he tells them I even I am against thee 2. Certitudinem That whether they beleeved it or no