Gods wrath sometimes is so hot that it takes not onely away the present comfort but even the future hope of temporall things they should have no benefit of the year of Jubile when it came they should not return again although they should suffer much long be alive at a time when mens hopes were wont to be fully answered for their lands and houses yet they should be without hope they dealt hypocritically with God they were an hypocriticall nation Isa 10.6 And the hope of hypocrites shall perish be cut off be a spiders webbe Iob 8.13 14. They grow great and greene but God hath judgements to cut them down they are fastned to the wals of the house as the Spiders web but God hath a beesome of destruction to sweepe them away what ever wicked mens hopes are of greatnesse here and happinesse hereafter yet God in his wrath can and oft doth blast them altogether Iob 14.9 Thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth and thou destroyest the hope of man Observ 4 4. The judgements decreed and given forth by the Ministers of God shall certainly take place The vision shall not returne without its accomplishment efficacy and fruit God foreknows all emergents oppositions events nothing can withstand or finally impede the execution of his decrees and threats hee is wise in appointing them faithfull to perform them and mighty in the execution of them Isa 43.13 I will worke and who shall lett it When God hath not promised or threatned none can let his working much lesse when the word is gone forth of his mouth and himselfe is engaged to make it good see Isa 55.11 My word shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please God will see to it constantly that it be so and seeing it s so and God now working in his judgments Let all the earth fear the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him for he spake and it was done Psal 33.8 9 Observ 5 Mens sins doe not strengthen them but weaken them No man shall strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life there is no strength comes in by sin it deprives us of our strength it blinds the mind prejudices the strength of reason it wounds the spirit guiltieth the conscience which accusing causeth despondency and makes asham'd it adds weight to all afflictions fils with feares and so produceth discouragements it keeps out the comfort benefit of the Ordinances makes God out with us all creatures against us brings a curse upon our undertakings subjects us to the curse of the Law and sentence of Condemnation any of these will weaken the heart of a sinner much more all In Ezek. 16.8 Jerusalems sinnes are reckoned up and vers 30. How weake is thine heart seeing thou dost all these things They do not strengthen but sink thee Innocency Righteousnesse strengthens Prov. 28.1 Observ 6 6. Sin is the life of a wicked man as blood is the life of all flesh Levit. 17.14 It maintaines and strengthens the life so iniquity is the life of all sinful flesh wicked men live upon wicked ways It 's pastime to a foole to doe wickedly Prov. 10.23 There is a life of sinne in the soule and things of Iniquity maintaine that life Christ lives in and by the Father John 6.57 A godly man lives in Christ 2 Tim. 3.12 And a wicked lives in sin delights in it feeds upon it 1 Tim. 5.6 She that liveth in pleasure is dead Observ 7 7. When God comes in judgment there is nothing can strengthen or secure a sinful people against the punishment of their Iniquity no power no policy no priviledge no wealth Jerusalem had as much to plead as any place in the World and those people had the choisest priviledges of all others Amos 3.2 You only have I known of all the families of the Earth therefore will I punish you for al your Iniquities They were known above others none had so many miracles speciall providences blessings truths Prophets ordinances none were seated better oftner delivered honour'd with such Titles as they were and no people sin'd as they sin'd their sins exceeded the Heathens Ezek. 5.6 And now neither their priviledges nor their sins could exempt them from or relieve them under their sufferings Their iniquities hastned the Enemies sharpned their swords and arm'd them with severity to their utter destruction there is nothing in creatures in the ways of wickednesse to help in the day of wrath Amos 2.13 14 15 16. CHAP. VII 14. They have blown the Trumpet even to make all ready but none goeth to the battle for my wrath is upon all the Multitude thereof IN this Verse is set downe one of the most grievous calamities that could befall them namely despondency of mind they were called upon to Battle but none had a heart to goe forth to it and the cause is given my wrath is upon them all Some conceive these words to be spoken Ironically and read them thus Blow the trumpet let all be in a readinesse O ye Jewes call forth call together your strong Souldiers let all arm and hasten to meet the Enemy he is come into your Quarters ready to assault you in your Cities Where are you why doe you not appear in the open fields or stand upon your Guard to defend your Countrey and Cities you are cowardly spiritlesse men There is none goeth to the Battle Such Ironies and Sarcasmes the Scripture sometimes hath Isa 8.9 Associate your selves O yee people and yee shall be broken in pieces Isa 21.5 Arise yee Princes and anoint the Shield Belshazar and his Nobles were voluptuous the Medes were comming to his destruction undermyning the wals of Babylon and here the Spirit of God upbraided him and his Princes for their effeminacy and cowardlinesse We may take them literally They have blown the trumpet given publique notice to City and Countrey to make ready for Warre but none stirs none goe forth they are without spirit The first mention of Trumpets we find in Scripture is Exod. 19.16 And there they were used at the giving and promulgation of the Law and to this day in many places Lawes are proclaimed with the sound of Trumpets They were also used to proclaime Fasts and convocate solemn Assemblies Joel 2.15 Blow the trumpet in Zion sanctsie a Fast call a solemne Assembly and solemn Feasts Psal 81.3 In worship 2 Chron. 5.12 13. In the journeying of their camps Numb 10.2 For then the cloud that used to be over them remov'd Numb 9.22 Then Moses prayed Numb 10.35 And then the Trumpet sounded vers 5 6. It was also used to warne the people against the danger of Warre Ezek. 33.3 And in their Wars Josh 6.9 Here they blow the Trumpet to warn them of the danger to quicken them up to prepare against it There was loud sounding and vehement crying arme arme arme and none went out to the Battle
of it the like doe these the Prophets they seduce soules that is Men and Women with a false hope of peace and good dayes and so the evill day comes upon them unthought of and they are made a prey Will you hunt the soules of my people By this Interrogation the Lord manifests his displeasure they thought it was free for them to deceive the people with their Pillowes and Kercheifes with their flattering words false promises and to make gaine of them but the Lord would not let things passe so will you hunt their soules spoyle and prey upon them you shall be hunted your selves and taken in your lying Prophefies Will you save the soules alive of them that come unto you The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Animat vobis vivificebitis will you make alive soules unto you these words may referre either to the false Prophetesses or to others if to the false Prophetesses the sense is this will you delude my people with vain hopes with promises of life and happy days that you may get from them meat and drink that so you may quicken and keep alive your owne soules what will you destroy your soules with your errours to feed your owne with bread and so Piscator reads the words Doe you hunt the soules of my people Vt animat vobis vivas conservetis if to others the sense is thus you hunt the soules of the people you insnare them with your lyes divinations and fained visions and will yee save them alive that come to you and beleeve what you say No while you perswade them they shall live you take away their life from them the very taking of them with your falshoods is their death you serve them as hunters their game when it s taken they kill it And will yee pollute me among my people c. This Verse containes severall sins also of these wicked Prophetesses 1. Their pollution of Gods Name 2. Their covetousnesse Handfuls of Barley and pieces c. 3. Their cruelty Slaying of Soules 4. Their partiality they slew those should have lived and spared those should have dyed Then the manner how all these were done By their lyes Will yee pollute me c. They pretended they were sent and authorised of God to prophesie that they had the spirit of God and were true Prophetesses that what ever they delivered should come to passe they crossed the true Prophets they strengthened the people in their finfull practises they made Prophesie contemptible and so prophaned the Name of the Lord caused many to fall to Atheisme and Apostasie This God would not beare at their hands therefore saith Will yee For handfuls of Barley and pieces of Bread This is a kind of proverbiall speech setting out the meannesse of that worke which is so cheape Prophesie with them was at a vile and low price if any brought never so meane a reward as a little Barley in his hand or a crust of bread with him to these deluding Prophetesses presently they had a pleasing answer had these Women set their lying Prophesies at the highest rate it had not been warrantable to have prophaned Gods glorious Name for great rewards but for such petty gaine to expose his Name to scorne was extreamly wicked Cato upbraided Marcus Coelius as Gellius hath it Quod frusto panis conduci possit ut taceat vel loquatur To stay the soules that should not dye c. By soules you must understand Persons for soules are not to be slaine Matth. 10.28 They prophesied against the godly that they should dye and so deprived them of their peace comfort and apprehensions they had of Gods favour filled them with fears griefes and sad th ughts if they harkened to Jeremiah and submitted to Nebuchadnezâ—ar Or thus they stirred up the people against them were godly and would not adhere to them beleeving their Prophesies and provoke the Magistrates to restraine them yea to cut them off and so slew them before their time they should have lived longer by the course of nature had not these blood thirsty Prophetesses hastened their death To save the soules alive should not live They promised life peace happinesse to those they should have threatned Warre misery death Zedekiah and many with him had broken the bath made with Nebuchadnezzar to be tributaries to him and so deserved death upon that ground others oppressed filled the Land with bloody-crimes were notoriously Idolatrous and not worthy to live yet these were justified pleaded for and protected against the power of any would have had Justice executed It s not against the judgement of some learned ones to understand death and life here of eternall death and life these Women teachers threatned the righteous with eternall death shut Heaven upon them and opened Hell wide enough upon them and what lay in them slew their soules and for the others they promised Heaven and all joyes of it to them and so saved them alive they should not That its an old practice of Satan to trouble the Church as with false Prophets Obser 1. so with false Prophetesses God raysed up Women Prophets to honour that Sex and to helpe his people and the Devill rayses up Women to spread lyes to deceive and damnifie the people and to gaine by that Sex the more to his Kingdome Satan imitates God if he will have hee or shee Prophets the like will he have In the Church of Thyatyra was a Jezabel which called her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and seduce the servants of Christ to commit fornication and to eate things sacrificed to Idols Revel 2.20 Jezabel disturbed Israel opposed and sought the death of the true Prophets maintained Idolatry so did this other Jezabel c. Nehem. 6.14 There is mention of one Noadiah a Prophetesse shee with other false Prophets prophesied against the building of the Temple incouraged Sanballat Tobias and others to hinder it laboured to possesse Nehemiah and the builders with feare Such there have been in former dayes and such will be Women that take upon them to teach and deceive unwary people such were Prisca and Maximilla the companions of Montanus the Heretick such are the Jesuitesses 2. It s the Character of false Teachers of what kinde soever Women or Men to flatter sooth insinuate and speak pleasing things the false Prophets cryed peace c. these false Prophetesses sow pillowes to all armeholes c. yea their scope is to please all sorts they observe the humours of men and so apply themselves to please answerably Isa 30.10 this was the disposition of the people Prophesie not unto us right things speake unto us smooth things prophesie deceit 2 Tim. 4.3 People would have Teachers after their owne lusts 3. False Prophesies flattering and erroneous Doctrines are the Snares and Nets with which false Teachers doe hunt soules Prov. 6.26 An Adultresse hunts for the precious life and these for the precious soules Ephes 4.14 They lye in wait to deceive Revel 20.8 It s the Devils
is compasse them about so the word cover is used Job 21.26 The worms shall cover them And Psal 109.29 Let them cover themselves with their owne confusion Psal 44.19 Lam. 3.43 In these places covering notes compassing And Jon 2.5 compassing is the same with covering the floods and waters compassed me about they did compasse and cover him And here horror did cover them as a Garment and beset compasse every part of them neither hands armes body legs were free Shame shall be upon all faces Shame is the blushing of the face upon the sight hearing Pudor a rebus putidis Scal. apprehension or doing of something unseemely dishonest or fiâ—thy as Rom. 6.21 Luke 14.9 2 Cor. 4.2 Phil. 3.19 Shame notes two things 1. Disappointment Psal 119.116 Let mee not be ashamed of my hope 2. Confusion Psalm 35.4 Job 6.20 They were confounded because they had hoped they came thither and were ashamed And here disappointment and confusion were upon their faces their expectations were disappointed and hopes confounded Shame was upon their faces that they could not looke up to God whom they had provoked against them this shaming of sinners is exprest in the Word divers wayes Job 8.22 They shall be cloathed with shame That is the garment they shall wear Psal 44.7 Be put to shame brought to shame Psal 71.24 Have their faces filled with shame Psal 83.16 Lye downe in shame Jer. 3.25 Be covered with shame Obad. 10. Beare it Ezek. 16.52 Be consumed with it Jer. 20 18. All these were made good upon these Jews they were cloathed put too and filled with shame they bare their shame upon their faces lay downe in it were covered and consumed with it Baldnesse upon all their heads Their miseries and griefs should be so great that they should pluck off the hair of their heads and beards though it were against rule Deut. 14.1 God provided for the comelinesse of their heads and faces yet in their sorrows they would disfigure themselves as the Heathens did and adde to their owne misery Vid. Q. Curt. lib. 1. Hom. l. 1. Iliad Agam Vellentem capiliâ—s in dolore induâ—ie They deformed themselves Jer. 47.5 and 48.37 Mica 1.16 Amos 8.10 Isa 15.2 Hair was an ornament and baldness a reproach 2 Kings 2.23 Come up thou bald head It was said in the 11. vers there should be no wailing for them and here is mention of sack-cloath and baldnesse signes of common and great sorrow There was no publique wailing and solemn mourning at their burials but privately they bewail'd their friends mourn'd for the evils upon them or some few did appear that were not considerable Iâ—'s questionable whether baldnesse were upon all their heads did all teare off their haire and make themselves unsightly Doubtlesse many of them did and all had cause to doe it The Prophet speaks not what every one should doe but what their condition required their calamity was such as cal'd for all signs of sorrow sack-cloath horror shame baldnesse Obser 1 The equity of Gods dealing with sinners he punisheth them in the thing wherein they have sinned they had ruffled it in their silks scarlets and fine linnen now God brought them to sack-cloath made of hair and course materials that was as harsh to their flesh as the other was delightfull The scarlet men were brought to dunghils Lam. 4.5 They that were confident themselves of their strength now trembled they were proud of their beauty had haughty eyes painted faces c. now were filled with shame and they that gloried in their haire now were made bald here was the just hand of God Isa 3.24 In stead of sweet smels there shall be a stinke and instead of a girdle a rent and instead of wel-set haire baldnesse and instead of a stomacher a girding of sack-cloath and burning instead of beauty Wherein they sin'd there God smote them Psalm 68.21 God shall wound the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses They gloried in their hair then as too many doe now and God would wound them in that their hairy scalps should suffer the Hebrew is the Crownes of haire walking in its owne wickednesse The hair holds forth the pride and vanity of the Master therof God would wound it and the head bare it the word for wound Muscu Moller interpret shall make bloody or dip in blood they have oft powder'd their haire to dry and sweeten it and God would dye it in their own blood They shall cast their silver in the streets Verse 19. That which had beene much desired was gotten with great paines they should throw into the open streetes for any to take up they were flying for their lives and their bags of silver were burthensome or they were faint with famine so that silver would not relieve or purchase reliefe for them and therefore must throw it into the streets as dung and filth there was an insufficiency in the creature to advantage them in this great distresse and thereupon despairing they threw away that they had formerly so prized so laboured for and safely kept a long time When Seamen are in stormes and hazard of their lives they will throw over board things precious and this was the case here By silver and gold understand not onely coyne but place and all things made thereof Their gold shall be removed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Procul amovit The Hebrew is for a removall the Chaldeans shall take it away and carry it into Babylon a far off so much the Originall root signifies to carry it far from the place where it was They had hoarded it up in Sion and now it should be caryed to Babylon In sterquilinium The vulgar reads it their gold shall be for a dunghil their great heaps of gold made dunghils and the word doth something countenance it which signifies separation ob immunditiam such as is in a menstruous cloath which is throwne out to the dunghill Their gold was the gold of their covetousnesse and oppression polluted with Idolatry and so matter fit to be separated from them to the dunghill that had lain so long by them and was thought should never be stir'd that shall be for removall either themselves shall throw it out upon or hide it in the earth or dunghill or the barbarous enemies shall carry it into far Countreys Their Silver and their Gold shall not bee able to deliver them They had conceits of and confidence in their riches that they would benefit them one way or other if Chaldeans came they would hire them to be gone if they tooke the City they would buy out their lives and liberties they dream'd that money could do any thing with any sort of men but it was otherwise If by gold and silver we understand their gold and silver Gods they hoped for helpe from them but they being without life had neither counsell power or any blessing for them They shall not
for God denounces fix woes against them in the Chapter afterwards Wary he would take heed how he bestowed his choise mercies upon such people others that would be more fruitful and thankful should have them Mat. 21.43 The Kingdome of heaven shall be taken from you and given to another Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Not their own fruits but such as Christ and the Gospel appointed Alap in Es This sin was so prodigious that Lycurgus would make no law against it but God hath made a law Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the Nations that forget God Ingratitude is the greatest and worst forgetfulnesse Judas forgat the kindnesse and bounty of Christ he betrayed him and therefore was turned into hell Verse 21. And I will give it into the hands of strangers for a prey c. They had sin'd shamefully and God would punish them severely Strangers that is Chaldeans should come and have Temple City them and all they had in their hands and God whom they flatter'd themselves in thought stil to be their friend their help even he would give all into their hands These Chaldeans he cals the wicked of the earth David calls such men of the world Psal 17.14 Men of the earth Psal 10.18 That is base and vile men as it 's in Job Children of base men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viler then the earth fit for any cruell and bloody designes The Septuagint hath it pestilentiis terrae the plagues of the Earth The King of Babylon and his cursed crow went up and downe in the world plundering Nations shaking Kingdoms and laying all wast Isa 14.16 17. They were the pests and vipers of the earth and into their hands must the Jewes Gods owne people fall they must spoil the Temple have all the ornaments vessels and treasures in it all the pictures of silver and gold They shall pollute it The Temple was an holy place the habitation of the holy God had in much reverence by all sorts of people but now they should see it not regarded as a thing consecrate to God now Heathens uncircumcised ones should enter it which was against law Ezek. 44.7 Now their blood should be spilt in it now it should be made a prison a stewes a stable the Jews had polluted it with Images and these Barbarians should pollute it many other wayes Obser 1 The abuse of spiritual mercies causeth God to take them a-away Jer. 11.15 Their lewdnesse caused the holy flesh to passe from them they had the Temple the beauty and worship of it for their glory to make them glorious within as wel as glorious without but they abus'd their mercies polluted Gods Ordinances and therefore he removed the Temple farre from them He tooke it away the Lord had set his Name at Shilo pitched his Tabernacle there Josh 18.1 and they abus'd his name and worship as you may see Psal 78.58 Then he was wrath and greatly abhorred Israel Then he forsooke the Tabernacle of Shilo and delivered his strength into captivity and his glory into the enemies hands vers 59.60 61. which some interpret of the Arke taken by the Philistines 1 Sam. 4.11 And in Jer. 7. when they liv'd loosely and blessed themselves with their carnall confidence in the Temple and worship of it vers 4.9 10 11. God sends them to Shilo and bids them search and see what he did there for the wickednesse of his people and threatens to do so by them even destroy their Temple worship them and their seed they sin'd in special things and God punished them in that wherein they sin'd they pollute the Temple and God causes the Chaldeans to pollute it they confide in the Temple and God laies it wast they make an Idol of it and set it neer their hearts and God removes it far off they look upon it as cleane as their glory and God removes it as vomit as a polluted loathsome thing It s a dreadfull thing when God gives up a Church a State either or both to the wils of wicked men I will give it into the hands c. Vers 21. I have set it far from them If evill come to the gates of Jerusalem and doors of the Temple it 's from the Lord Mica 1.12 And it 's very grievous when God judges Kingdomes and Churches First They fall into the hands of men strangers they know not the wicked of the earth such as neither feare God nor regard Men Buls Lyons Dogs Psal 22.12 13.16 2. They are for a prey and spoile their names estates habitations chastity children limbs consciences lives are prey'd upon they eate up Gods people as they eate bread Psal 14.4 They make them meate to the fowles of heaven and beasts of the field They crush their bones and shed their blood like water Ps 79.2 3. 3. Prophaning and polluting of holy things They shall pollute it Gods holy name is blasphemed Psalm 79.10 Where is their God why doth he not now help them they have prayed fasted hoped in him made lheir boast of him why comes he not to help them all holy things are defiled and therefore Asaph in that 79. Psal vers 1. made upon the destruction of Jerusalem cries out O God the heathen are come into thine Inheritance thy holy Temple have they defiled This came first and struck deepest into the heart of this holy man that heathnish idolatrous bloody prophane persons should come and pollute the holy ordinances of God The Church laments this as a dreadful evill Lam. 1.10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things for she hath seene that the Heathen entered into her Sanctuary whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy Congregation 4. Removal of all true worship Divine ordinances I will set it far from them Now they should be without God the meanes to know him and way to worship him Now God would have no Oblationt Incense new Moons Sabbaths solemn Feasts or any worship at Jerusalem There only was he knowne worshipped and now Temple Ordinances and all must down be taken away God be unknown unworshipped in the world no publique place for him left Isaiah foreseeing this saith Chap. 42. This is a people robbed spoiled and hereupon having a speciall quere to make he cals for attention Who among you wil give eare to this and hearken for the time to come Ver. 23. and make use of it will any of you doe it Then thus Jacob is spoiled but who gave Jacob for a spoile and Israel to the robbers Was not Jacob the beloved of God his excellency his glory c. Did not the Lord doe it he against whom we have sinned for they would not walke in his wayes nor be obedient to his lawes therefore he hath powred upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battaile and it hath set him on fire round about yet he knew not it burned him round
of calamity and destruction is towards them nay destruction is upon them No sooner doth God turn away from a Nation but destruction steps into that Nation Deu. 31.17 I will hide my face from them they shall be devoured many evils and troubles shall befal them so that they will say in that day Are not these evils come upon us because our God is not amongst us Where you may see that Gods hiding his face is departing from them and his departing lets in all miseries when God is gone nothing is left but sinne and judgment and they make fearful work in all places If God would pity people under destruction it were something but he wil not pity them then not hear their groans receive their prayers or mind their tears wounds blood death Jer. 18.17 I will shew them the backe not the face And when In the day of their calamity when they are in their greatest distresses necessities without councell help comfort even at the height of misery I will not vouchsafe them one look but goe away from them in fury leave them without hope my back shall be toward them and not my face Jer. 14.12 3. When the holy God goes away from his holy places then prophane polluting wretches come into them I will turne away my face and robbers shall pollute my secret place Thither should they come whether none but the holy God and High Priest were to come and whereas before it was filled with a Cloud with Incense with Glory and the presence of God now it should be filled with Burglers Idolaters oaths and all prophaness which could not but affect the Jewes that were so zealous of preserving the Temple unpolluted by strangers Acts 21.27 28. A great stir was made against Paul by the Jews because he had brought Greeks into the Temple and polluted it Joseph l. 7. de Bell. c. 4. and in his 5. booke of Anti. c. 14. he saith capitale erat Gentili ingredi Templum And when the Jewes were under the Roman Emperours they obtained of them that none no not a Roman should enter into the Temple under pain of death yet themselves polluted it with false worship drave God out of it and of the holiest of holies and made way for the worst of men to come in and defile the same CHAP. VII 23. Make a chaine for the Land is full of bloody crimes and the City is full of violence IN this Verse is another calamity and the cause of it laid downe The calamity is a chaine the cause blood violence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Make a Chaine Trouble saith the Sept. a Conclusion the vulgar the Hebrew is a Chaine and so it 's rendered in 1 Kings 6.21 Chaines and so the Rabbies take it here we may extend it to a roap a wyth a chaine any thing that a man may be bound with A chain is an embleme of bondage Nabum 3.10 Her great ones shall be bound in chains Psalm 107.10 Acts 12.6 Jerem. 28.13 14. The yoke of Iron that the Prophet was to make noted the imbondaging of the Nations unto Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon Whether by the Chaine be prefigured the siege of Jerusalem as some interpret it or leading into captivity as others will have it Bondage is included in both Some thinke the Lord here alludes to Malefactors that in chaines answered at the Bar of Justice as Paul did Acts 26.29 They had freely and fully runne out in vitious courses but now they were to answer it to God who was set in judgement and sentencing them to suffer heavy things This also notes bondage which is the sense of the Prophet In a Chain 4 things are considerable First It 's burthensome heavy 1 Kings 12.10 Thy father made our yoake heavy And yokes chaines fetters about neckes armes legges are grievous when Peter was bound with two chaines Acts 12.6 it was troublesome unto him and so was the condition of these Jewes the siege their captivity was very burthensome therefore Lam. 3.7 the Church saith hee hath made my chaine heavy Shee cals her bondage a chaine and a heavy one 2. It 's restrictive a mans liberty of going and doing is taken away by a chaine Acts 21.23 When Paul was bound with chaines whither could he goe what could he doe and bondage by a siege captivity Imprisonment sicknesse or otherwise is a restraint of a man which are threatned here Jehoahaz was put in bands at Riblath that hee might not reigne in Jerusalem 2 Kings 23.33 3. Reproachfull 2 Tim. 1.16 Onesiphorus was not ashamed of my chaine There is shame and reproach attending chainâ— and therefore Paul at the Bar when he wished Agrippa and others were such as he was excepted his bonds as reproachfull things Acts 26.29 This is threatned here and was made good Jerem. 39.7 Zedekiah had his eyes put out and was bound with two brazen chaines and so the thing he feared came upon him mocking and reproach Jer. 38.19 And not only he but all of them should be for a curse an astonishment an hissing and a reproach among all Nations Jer. 29.18 4. Tendency to further punishment Paul was bound Acts 21.33 with two chains And Acts 24.27 two yeares hee lay in bonds and to what end that he might come to judgement and have further punishment and he was to that purpose brought before Agrippa and Festus Acts 26.29 and that in bonds they tend to other and sorer judgements Hence the Devils are said to be in chaines of darknesse reserved unto judgement 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude 6. They have not their full damnation they are semi-damnati halfe condemn'd and kept in chaines for the rest and here God would chain up these Jewe with bondage and rese ve them in bondage to further punâ—â—hment even eternall destruction Job 21.30 The wicked are reserved to the day of dâ—struction they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath The Land is full of bloody crimes The Hebrew is the judgement of bloods they gave out unjust sentences that had power and condemn'd the innocent guilty men were spared and the good suffered 2 King 21.16 Manasses filled Jerusalem with innocent blood Athaliah slew all the Royal seed 2 Kings 11.1 Naboth is falsly condemn'd ston'd to death 1 King 21.13 Zechariah is slain by an unjust sentence 2 Chron. 24.21 Joash the King was slain by his servants vers 25. Hence it s said Isa 59.3 That their hands were defiled with blood that they were full of blood Isa 1.15 And here that the land is full of bloody crimes Ezek. 22.6 Every Prince in Israel to his power did shed blood By bloody crimes some understand heinous sins capitall offences such as deserv'd death and the shedding of mens blood as Idolatry Deut. 13.6.9 Blasphemy Levit. 24.16 Witchery sorcery Lev. 20.27 Buggery Levit. 20.15 16. Sodomie vers 13. Adultery vers 10. Rapes Deut. 22.25 False witnessing to take away a mans life Deut. 19.16.18 19.21 Stealing any man
or of great parts cannot elude or evade him VERS 6. Ye have multiplyed your slain in this Citie c. BEfore they had been prophane now their injustice appears Some think the men were not actually slain but oppressed and cruelly dealt withall violence and oppression being counted in the Scripture sense murther but it 's not probable that our Prophet would use such expressions as to multiply the slain and fill the streets with slain if none were slain Chap. 7.23 The land is full of bloody crimes And Chap. 9.9 The land is full of blood And Ezek. 22.2 It 's called the bloody Citie So in the 24.6 9. verses the Heb. is the City of bloods These great men who gave the ill counsell it 's likely that they crusht those opposed them and dealt with them as seditious as rebellious as enemies to the City and State Jeremie you know they sought his life petitioned the King that he might be put to death Jer. 38.4 And it 's probable that many which would not conforme to their idolatrous practises were cut off When the Lord is about to proceed in judgement against evill doers he declares the cause of his proceeding in such a way Obser When God intended to destroy the world he made knowne the cause thereof Gen. 6.5 6.11.12 When hee was about to fire Sodome he discovered to Abraham the ground of iâ— Gen. 18.20 VERS 7. The slain whom yee have laid in the middest of it they are the flesh and this Citie is the cauldron HEre the Lord shewes them who are the flesh in the cauldron Not in that sense they tooke it for they thought themselves should be the flesh live till old age in the City but the Lord tels them here that those they had slain unjustly whose carkasses lay in the streets and consum'd away they were the flesh boil'd in the cauldron Manasses had been bloody and Zedekiah was bloody and the slain were the flesh and so the City was a cauldron to them but not to the others I will bring them forth of the midst of it God tels them they shall neither live nor dye in it he would order things so that they should be carryed out of Jerusalem and for certainty of it the words are repeated in the beginning of the 9. vers Judgements of God cannot be waved by mens wits or power they jeered and made a construction of flesh and cauldron suitable to their own minds Obser and conceited they should dye in the City in peace but the Lord tels them no he would bring them forth out of the middest of it VERS 8. You have feared the Sword and I will bring a Sword upon you c. IEremie had counselled them to yeeld themselves Chap. 38.17 the King and rest through feare would not hearken They feared the sword and therefore sent to Aegypt for help Jer. 2.18 They feared the sword but not the Babylonish captivity the Lord brought both upon them Obser 1 Where guilt is there is fear they were deeply guilty of impiety and injustice they had sin'd against God by their idolatry against their brethren by their bloodinesse against the King of Babylon by breaking oath and covenant with him Ezek. 17.15 and now what ever they said it 's not neare yet they were full of feare God saw what timorous spirits they had If the horrour of their wicked acts did not seize upon them yet feare of wrath and judgement possessed them Psal 14.5 speaking of workers of iniquity he saith There they were in a great feare Heb. is they feared a fear but where was it in their consciences When the light of nature did convince them of their wickednesse there where the conviction was they feared greatly Prov. 28. The wicked flye when no man pursueth They feare and so fear that they flye to secure themselves from imaginary dangers Lev. 26.36 The sound of a shaken leafe shall chase them And Job 15.21 Eliphaz speaking of the wicked saith A dreadfull sound is in his eares The Heb. is a sound of feares such was in Richard the 3d whose hand was ever upon his dagger The wicked are a restlesse sea Isa 57.20 2. That which sinners fear the Lord brings upon them Saul feared the devolution of the Kingdom to another and it fell to David The Jewes feared lest the Romans should come and take away their place and Nation John 11.48 and they did doe it Prov. 10.24 The feare of the wicked it shall come upon him it 's comming towards him every day and will be upon him ere he dye After the flood the people feared scattering and therefore said Let us build a tower whose top may reach unto heaven Gen. 11.4 vers 8. The Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth Men that feare evils usually take surer courses to prevent them which justly brings the thing feared upon them Richard the third feared the Kingdome would not be firme to him his Nephews he murthers for security and this kindled fire in the Kingdome which quickly consum'd him The Prelats feared their standing to establish themselves they remove from jus regium to jus divinum they frame a new Oath with an c. in it to sweare all men to put to their shoulders for support of their tottering Kingdome but it is fallen it is fallen VERS 9. I will bring you out of the middest thereof OF these words before in the 7. vers And deliver you into the hands of strangers Not of the neighbour Nations for had they come against them because of commerce consultation language and some references to them the Nobles and great ones might have found favour therefore God would put them into the hands of strangers that understood not their language that had no inducements to shew favour to them that regarded neither great nor small They had destroyed their friends now strangers should destroy them I will execute judgements among you Of these words I spake Chap. 5. vers 8. The Lord can use any instruments to accomplish his judgements strangers heathens prophane ones Obser it matters not what the instruments be if the holy God use them his usage of them is holy and he orders all their thoughts counsels operations to accomplish his owne ends VERS 10 11. I will judge you in the border of Israel THe same words are in the 11. verse Where this was must be eâ—quired it 's generally thought to be at Riblath and the Scripture is for it 2 K. 25.6 some have thought it to be in Babylon but without warrant 2 Kings 23.33 Riblah was in the land of Hamath which lay on the North part of Canaan on the East side and Bonfrerius observes in his Onomasticon of Cities and places that Jerome thinks it to be Antiochia Adrichomius some Citie of Syria or Judaea in the Tribe of Nepthali and this the Scripture gives countenance unto Numb 34.11 12. Others think it to be a Province in Syria
Ordinances are used promiscuously And here by them I conceive is ment the whose Law of God revealed This walking in his statutes is set out in holy writ by such expressions as these Viz. Walking after the Lord. Deut. 13.4 Walking before God 1 Kings 9.4 Walking in the light of the Lord. Isa 2.5 Walking in the truth John Epist 3. Vers 4. Walking in the name of the Lord Micah 4.5 Walking according to rule Gal. 6.16 And Walking with God Gen. 6.9 Keepe mine Ordinances Keeping imports 1. Remembring Luke 2.51 Mary kept all these sayings in her heart 2. Holding fast 2 Tim. 1.14 The good thing committed to thee keep that is hold fast here we must take in both remembering and holding fast but in order to doeing men may know remember and hold fast the mind of God but not doe the same Deut. 5.1 Heare O Israel the statutes and Judgements which I speake in your eares this day and keepe and doe them the Hebrew is keepe to doe them Doe them Doing implies 1. The performing and practice of them Psal 15.5 Facere â—st exacte custodire decenter quicquam operari He that doth these things shall never be moved 2. Fullfilling of things required 1 Kings 5.8 Saith Hiram to Solomon I will doe all thy desire that is fullfill thy desire both may be understood here not simply to doe but to doe exactly Obser 1. The end of Gods giving us temporall and spirituall mercies is that we should be obedient unto him He gathered them out of Babylon planted them in Canaan gives them onenesse of heart newnesse of spirit c. And why that they might walke in his statutes and keepe his Ordinances God hireth us with mercies to doe his will Psal 105.43.44.45 He brought forth his People with joy and his chosen with gladnesse and gave them the Lands of the Heathen and they inheritied the labour of the People that they might observe his statutes and keepe his Law 2 Sam. 12.7.8.9 David was obliged by Gods bountie to obedience why did God so much for his Vineyard Isa 5.2 but that it might bring forth Grapes the end of all mercies and meanes offorded us were to make it fruitfull in obedience All in Gods works in his word are so many inducements to obedience God hath given us the Earth and fullnesse of it and the end is to provoke us thereby to walke in his statutes He hath given us his good word choyce Oâ—dinances Heavenly Councells pretious promises profitable commands holy examples and his end in all these is to quicken us up to obedience It s the end of Election 1 Pet. 1.2 It s the end of Redemption Luke 1.74.75 It s the end of our new Creation Ephes 2.10 Paul beseeches the Romans By the mercies of God to present their Bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God Our mercies should prevaile with us we are Planted in a good Land we have the dewes of Heaven and fatnesse of the Earth God hath done great things amongst us and for us we have had wonderfull Deliverances and shall not we be incouraged thereby to walke in the statutes of our God Deut. 11.7.8 Your eyes have seene all the great Acts of the Lord which he did therefore shall you keepe all the Commandements which I command you this day Let the great things we have seen and heard put us upon obeying the Lord and so obeying him that our obedience may be 1. Generall God requires you should walke in all his wayes Deut. 10.12 2. Heartie yea with the whole heart Deut. 26.16 3. Constant Deut. 4.9 Gal. 6.9 4. Willing chearfull Phil. 2.14 Deut. 28.47 5. With strength and courage Josh 23.6 If we doe not walk in the statutes of the Lord and keepe his commands we know not God 1. John 2.3.4 We doe not love God 1 Joh. 5.3 Nor Christ Joh. 14.15 Our prayers will be unfruitfull and succeslesse 1 John 3.22 2. Note that walking in Gods statutes keeping his Ordinances and doing his will doe evidence the worke of grace in the heart and what the man is God would give them onenesse of heart newnesse and tendernesse of spirit that they might walk keepe doe c. If then they did so this declared what was within Luke 1.6 Zacharie and Elizabeth were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blamelesse their wâ—lking witnessed their righteousnesse see 1 John 3.10 2 Chap. 29. Luke 6.44 What ever the fruit is such is the Tree Figgs doe not grow upon thornes nor Grapes upon brambles where you finde Grapes it is a Vine and not onely doth God and Christ know them but Mat. 7.16 you shall know them by their Fruits not by their leaves but their fruits not some few actions but by a dayly observatâ—â—n of them sometimes delay and times alwayes attention is required to discerne them 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of godlinesse c. this may be discerned for vers 9. Their folly shall be manifest to all men James 2.18 Works â—re the glasse picture Child of faith Adam begat a Sonne after his Image and faith begets Children after its owne Image Abrahams offering of his Sonne decâ—aâ—ed his faith Heb. 11.17 Works justifie faith and faith justifies the man Some doubt whether works will prove grace whether sanctification will evidence justification But John tells us there is a witnesse of Water as well as of blood and of the spirit 1 Joh. 5.8 if the Law written in Bookes may be knowne and the sense of it evidenced by Commentaries surely the Law written in the heart may be knowne and evidenced by works 3. Grace in the heart will appeare in the life if there be a new spirit a tender heart there will be walking in the Statutes A new spirit cannot be imprisoned within but it will breake out into action when the seed is sowne in good ground it will not lye long under ground but spring forth Marke 4.20 Grace is light and that will manifest it selfe vers 21.22 God hath determined that hidden things shall bee manifested grace cannot alwayes be hid 1 Pet. 2.9 Such vertue will out 1 Thes 1.5.6.7 The Coritnhians were the Epistle of Paul written in his heart read and knowne of all men The Romans faith was spoken of throughout the World Rom. 1.8 That was in all the Churches of the World So their obedience Chap. 16.19 There be diverse things cannot be hidden as the light fire life the wind a spring and of this nature is grace which is all those its light and fire John was a burning and shining light Its life Luke 15.24 It s the wind of the spirit Cant. 4.16 Joh. 3.8 It s a Spring Joh. 7.38 A good Tree cannot bring forth evill fruit and it cannot but bring forth good fruit Acts 4.20 We cannot but speake the things we have heard and seene Paul when converted presently said Lord what wilt thou have me to doe He would not be idle