strength Chap 24.21 The mountain of Israel shall be desolate that none shall passe through The Land of Israel was full of mountains which were not barren but some for Pasture some for Vines some for Cedars and other Trees and some for Cattle when they were so many paths were made to the mountains and they were frequently visited but they should be desolate without Cattle Trees Vines or any to passe by or through them none should come over the mountains to worship at Jerusalem Vers 29. Then shall they know that I am the Lord when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed Here the finall cause of Gods destroying them and their Land is pointed out and that is the glory of God in their acknowledging his just proceedings before they said His wayes were not equall but now they should acknowledge the equity of his wayes and that they had deserved such things First Observe When God is resolved upon punishing a people there is no place or refuge to secure them from his stroakes and judgements Here were men got into waste places into open fields into forts and caves yet none of these secured them the Lord had sworn to destroy them and the sword finds out those in the waste and ruinous places the wild beasts finding others in the open fields devoure them and those were got into the forts and hid in caves the pestilence and famine consum'd they thought to flye and hide themselves from the vengeance of God but it could not be had they gone down to the bottome of the Sea yea down to Hell God would have met with them there Amos 9.2 3 4. No Town no Fort no Field no Cave can protect that person whom God pursues if men and beasts cannot come at him God hath the Arrowes of famine and pestilence to shoot into his sides and liver Let us take heed how we offend God and provoke him to set upon our destruction there is no place person or priviledge can protect us from his stroke let us get into Christ hide our selves in him in the clefts of that rock then we shall be safe whatsoever storms are abroad Secondly Observe It s mens sins which lay Lands waste and bring remarkable judgements upon them Canaan was laid desolate the pomp of her strength ceased the mountains had none to pass by or over them yea The Land was laid most desolate and why because of all their abominations Their sins exceeded the sins of the Heathens and they had answerable judgements their manifold abominations brought manifold judgements They had the best Land in the world and should have been the best people but they degenerated and provoked God so by their abominations that he made their plagues wonderfull great and of long continuance Deut 28.59 Seaventy years did they suffer and the Land also which suffering they brought upon themselves and the Land as the Lord tells them Zech 7.14 They laid the pleasant Land desolate they by their abominations did it they caused the Temple to be burnt the testimonies of divine presence to be removed the Cityes fields and mountains to be desolate Thirdly Observe By severe judgements God convinces men of the equity of his way and causes them to give glory to his name Then shall they know that I am the Lord when I have laid the Land most desolate because of all c. Severe judgements awaken conscience sharpen the understanding and cause men to search judge and condemn themselves and withall to justifie the Lord they have influence into Heathens Jer 22.8 9. Many Nations shall passe by this City and they shall say every man to his neighbour wherefore hath the Lord done this unto this great City Then they shall answer because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God and worshipped other gods and served them Thus they justified God and gave him glory when they saw his terrible judgements upon Jerusalem and the Land of Canaan Verses 30 31. Also thou son of man the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses and speak one to another every one to his brother saying Come I pray you and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. And they come unto thee as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness IN these verses and the rest to the end of the Chapter is contained a reproof or complaint of the captives in Babylon for their detraction hypocrisie and covetousness 1. Their detraction in the 30. Vers 2. Their hypocrisie in the end of the 30. and most of the 31. 3. Their covetousness in the end of the 31. Vers 30. The children of thy people It s not the children of my people God would not own them they were so wicked but the children of thy people Of these words before vers 2. Still are speaking against thee by the walls and in the dores of the houses To speak against God or man is to detract from them and disparage them 2 Chron. 32.16 Senacherib by his servants spake against the Lord and against Hezekiah and that they said was detracting from the power of God and truth of what Hezekiah had said Acts 28.22 As concerning this Sect we know that it is every where spoken against that is it s disparaged and condemned for a wicked Sect. Numb 12.1 Myriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman and said hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses hath he not also spoken by us Their speaking against Moses was detracting from him So here their speaking against Ezekiel was to defame and disparage him and this they did openly and privately by the walls where any met and in their dores where friends met Some take the words thus the children of thy people are speaking of thee by the walls and in their dores they give thee good words and consult of coming to thee but I conceive the former sense best And speak one to another every one to his brother saying Come I pray you and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. Though they vilified the Prophet yet now one being come to him that had escaped at the destruction of Jerusalem they excite and stir up one the other to go to the Prophet and hear what he had to say The smiting of Jerusalem was a great affliction unto them and they hoped to hear somewhat from him to refresh and comfort them especially seeing that he had spent three years in speaking against the Nations and said nothing unto them Vers 31. And they come unto thee as the people cometh They flocked to the Prophet in Troops as people use to do to publique places for religion or pleasure they hasten thither crowd
transfiguration Peter and John saw it whch was a favour unto them to see such glory and the greater because none of the other Apostles did see the same The 4. Step is the Lords speaking unto him being compassed about with glory To have heard the voice of an Angel had been mercy but to hear the voice of the great and glorious God out of the Temple this was a height of mercy such as Moses had Exod. 33.11 The 5. and last Step is the presence of Christ he stood by him Here was another mercy and no mean one Christ In whom were hid all treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2.3 So then here was the whole Trinity imploy'd at once about Ezekiel which was transcendent and superlative mercy Those are call'd to be agents in Temple-work have need of the whole Trinity help of the Spirit to raise or led them of a sight of glory to darken all humane and mundane glory before their eyes of hearing God speak that they may be taught of him and of having Christ present with them that they may be inabled to go through their work John in the Revel was led from mercy to mercy from vision to vision as appears throughout that book and especially in the 21. Chap. 1 2.3 c. The time will come when the Spirit will lead the Saints into the inner Court where they shall see the glory of God hear his voice and find Christ standing by them Vers 7 8 9. 7. And he said unto me Son of man the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever and my holy name shall the house Israel no more defile neither they nor their Kings by their whoredome nor by the carkeises of their Kings in their high places 8. In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds and their post by my posts and the wall between me and them they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger 9. Now let them put away their whoredome and the carkeises of their Kings far from me and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever The 2. part of this Chap. being the speech of God to the Prophet begins at the words read and in them we have 1. A promise of Gods abiding with his people and the effect thereof viz. Sanctification 2. A declaration of the cause why God formerly departed from them 3. A duty or charge laid upon them vers 9. The promise of Divine presence and continuance is partly in the 7. verse viz. in these words The place of my Throne and the place of the soles of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever and partly in the 9. verse the last words of it viz. I will dwell in the midst of them for ever By the place of God's throne and of the soles of his feet is meant the Temple and City of Jerusalem where God had formerly dwelt Jer. 17.12 A glorious high Throne from the beginning is the place of thy Sanctuary it was God's Throne and it was the footstool of God 1 Chron. 28.2 It 's granted by all that Jerusalem having the Temple in it represented the Church of God under the Gospel in which the promise here is that God will dwell for ever The Christian Church shall have the presence of God in it and abiding with it for ever Mat. 28.20 I am with you always even unto the end of the world John fixes this presence of God in the New Jerusalem Rev. 21.2 3. When New Jerusalem came down from heaven then he heard a voice saying behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God So Chap. 22.3 The Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it There both God and Christ will be and dwell This sets out the great esteem God had of and the great complacency he had in Jerusalem he esteem'd it as his Throne and took delight in it as in his chiefest dwelling Isa 69.1 God saith Heaven is his Throne and earth his Footstool this is the honour he puts upon heaven and earth and the same he puts upon Jerusalem and now puts upon the Christian Church It 's his Throne his Footstool the place he esteems above all others the place he takes more complacency in then all others Such shall be the presence of the Lord in it that it shall be call'd Jehovah-Shammah that is The Lord is there Ezek. 48.1 And such shall be his content and delight therein that Jeremy tells you it shall be call'd the Throne of the Lord Jer. 3.17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord and all the Nations shall be gathered unto it The effect of God's presence viz. sanctification is comprehended in these words My holy name shall the house of Israel no more defile neither they nor their Kings by their whoredome c. Of prophaning and defiling God's holy name was spoken Chap. 36.20 To let that pass the sense here is they shall avoid all things which do defile and sanctifie God's holy name they should keep the worsh p of God keep from idolatry and all arbitrary inventions of men which Jerome and Maldonate refer to the state of heaven ad Templum Coeleste and not to the Temple built after the Babylonian captivity because that was oft defiled by Antiochus Pompey and Titus and deserted by the Lord. Others refer it as is here said to that Temple because the Jews after their captivity did for ever hate idolatry and serve the true God though not in a right manner If these words do in part refer to the state of the Church after the captivity yet principally they refer to the state of it after Christ and that time too when New Jerusalem shall be extant for Anti-christ hath greatly defiled the holy name of God with his idols and will-worship but then nothing that defileth shall enter Rev. 21. 27. then shall be made good that in Zech. 14.21 In that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord they shall be all true Israelites Nor their Kings by their whoredome By whoredome the Prophet understands Idolatry which is spiritual whoredome of which hath often been spoken Not onely the people but even Kings and Princes were given much to idolatry in Israel and in Judah they caused idols and altars to be set up in most places and countenanced them they imitated the very heathens and became like yea worse then them Ezek. 5.6 7. Chap. 16.47 2 King 21.2 3 4 5 6 7 9. It 's said of Jehoahaz or Jehoiakim and Jehoiakim that they did evil in the sight of the Lord according to all that their Fathers had done
it still shut why stands it not open for vers 2. It 's said This Gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no man shall enter in by it and why because the God of Israel hath entred in by it therefore it shall be shut Answ 1. It is shut In Principis dignitatem for the honour of the Prince Great persons and Princes have their Gates shut all must not come at and see them it was an honour to the Spouse that she was A Garden inclosed a Spring shut up a Fountain sealed Cant. 4.12 2. In Principis usum that he might go in and out at his pleasure that he might let in and keep out whom he pleased the wise Virgins were let in by the Bridgroom but the foolish were kept out for the door was shut Mat. 25.10 11. In the New Jerusalem no unclean thing could enter though the Gates stood open and out of heaven no clean thing shall be kept though the Gate be shut Christ hath the key to open it for Saints He opened it for Stephen Act. 7.56 Behold I see heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right-hand of God He opened it for Peter Act. 10.11 3 It may be said to be shut in regard of Christ's long continuance there before his return It 's said vers 3. He shall enter by the way of the Porch of the Gate and shall go out by the way of the same Christ will come again he is entred into heaven and there he will and must abide till the time of restitution of all things Act. 3.21 Act. 1.11 Heb. 9.28 Christ who entred by this Gate was not onely Man but God he was the Lord God of Israel Jehovah that he might open heaven for sinners and man that he might enter himself This Gate was for the Prince that he might sit in it to eat bread before the Lord. Aaron the High-priest was to eat sacred flesh and bread in the door of the Tabernacle Levit. 8.31 Exod. 29.32 This sitting and eating bread there and that before the Lord leads us to a double consideration of Christ 1. His sitting in heaven at the right-hand of Majesty Heb. 1.3 Having finished the work was given him to do he ascended oh high and had the greatest glory he sat at God's own right-hand in heavenly places far above all principalities and powers and might and dominion and every thing that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come Ephes 1.20 21. 2. His communion with and happiness in the Lord which is held forth in his eating bread before the Lord. The communion and happiness the Saints have with and in Christ is set out by eating and drinking Luk. 22.29 30. I appoint unto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my Table and sit on Thrones c. so Mat. 26.29 That is that ye may have sweet communion with me and be happy in the fruition of me as I am in the fruition of my Father and communion with him Vers 4 5 6 7 8 4. Then brought he we the way of the North gate before the house and I looked and behold the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord and I fell upon my face 5. And the Lord said unto me Son of man mark well and behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears all that I shall say unto thee concerning all the Ordinances of the house of the Lord and all the Laws thereof and mark well the entring in of the house with every going forth of the Sanctuary 6. And thou shalt say to the rebellious even to the house of Israel Thus saith the Lord God O ye house of Israel Let it suffice you of all your abominations 7. In that ye have brought into my Sanctuary strangers uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh to be in my Sanctuary to pollute it even my house when ye offer my bread the fat and the bloud and they have broken my covenant because of all your abomination 8. And ye have not kept the charge of my holy things but ye have set keepers of my charge in my Sanctuary for your selves BEfore the reproof of the Priests the 2d thing considerable in the Chapter Here be 3. things to be minded concerning Ezekiel 1. His sight of glory 2. The effects of that sight 3. The command laid upon him 1. For the sight of Glory being brought to the North-gate he saw the glory of the Lord fill'd the house that was some visible sight of his glorious presence touching this was spoken in the 43. Chap. vers 5. The effect was He fell upon his face as before the sight of glory humbles and prepares to receive the commands of the Lord. When the glory and Mâ—jesty of God is seen and apprehended the heart is stricken with awe and reverence of God and the party so affected is humbled before God and so made fit for impression of Divine commands As here it follows Vers 5. And the Lord said unto me Son of man mark well and behold c. In the 40. Chap. vers 4. we had the substance of this verse and partly the very words Here God requires the inward and outward parts the heart and senses Those words Mark well are in the Hebrew Set thine heart so that the heart the ears and eyes are to be attentive and incentive on what God commands The heart must not wander the ear be heavy nor the eye rove when God speaks and Temple-work is in hand The holy God and holy things are exactly to be observed and heeded by all but especially by those are officers in his house as Ezekiel was they must attend to all the Ordinances and Laws of God's house for they must make them known to others and walk by them themselves they must know how to behave themselves in the house of God and teâ—ch others so to do Especially they must mark well the enâ—â—ing of the house that is they must be careful who they admit to be in it and to partake of the Ordinances of it lest both it and they be defiled they must mark every going forth of the Sanctuary so that none go out at the same door they entrâ—d that they go forwards not backwards that they leave not the house of God but be looked after Vers 6. And thou shalt say to the rebellious even to the house c. Ezekiel being prepared must go and execute the command of God which was to reprove the house of Israel and chiefly the Priests The sins they are reproved of be 1. Rebellion 2. Abominations 3. Bringing in unworthy persons into the Sanctuary to pollute it 4. Their sinful Sacrificing 5. Breaking of Covenant 6. Neglecting of their charge and committing the same to others Of the Rebellious house of Israel and their abominations formerly hath been spoken It 's said here vers 6. Let it suffice you of all
many Chapters before it adds weight to the prophesie making those concern'd to mind it more seriously When the Lord speaketh who can but prophesie Amos 3.8 And who can but mind what is prophesied Vers 2. Son of Man prophesie The immortall God speaks to a mortall man honours him with Divine Revelations and that he might not be exalted therewith he minds him of his meannesse and mortality saying Son of Man prophesie Prophesying was not at the will of man but when the Spirit mov'd them to it 2 Pet. 1.21 Thus saith the Lord God What the Prophets gave forth as Prophets was not from their own hearts and heads some humane thing but it was altogether Divine from Jehovah Adonai whose Being is of himself and hath Dominion over all What they and the Apostles writ was the word of God and so ought to be esteemed and received 1 Thess 2.13 Howl ye He speaks to the Egyptians and others upon whom sad judgments were coming he calls to them to lay to heart and lament for the evils were at hand The Hebrew Jalal hath agreement with Alal which signifies in nihilum redigerâ— to reduce a thing to nothing because when men do mourn and lament greatly it wastes and consumes them so as it well nigh brings them to nothing Woe worth the day The words may be read Ah the day alas for the day as Joel 1.15 Or O the woe of the day an unhappy day wherein thy Cities shall be made heaps man and beast destroyed all laid waste and desolate The French is malediction sur ta journee a curse be upon that day Vers 3. The day is near even the day of the Lord is near Day here is put not for a day in strictnesse of sense but for the time wherein those judgements should befall Egypt and other parts and it s call'd the day of the Lord because of his special manifestation of himself When God doth either in mercy or judgement declare himself Emphatically that is said to be the day of the Lord. Other dayes are his dayes but such in a special manner The duplication of the day here is to make the deeper impression both upon the Jews who rested too much upon Egypt and also upon the Egyptians who were secure and feared not he tells them of the nearnesse of it that they may be awakened that they might the more fully be awakened he tells them what kind of day it will be A cloudy Day The Hebrew is Dies Nubis a Day of a Cloud there will no Sun shine that day a black thick dark cloud will arise that day and make a terrible tempest Gods judgements are likened unto clouds and rain for the sadnesse and terriblenesse of them Psal 11.6 He shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest The French is iour tenebreux It shall be the time of the Heathen Heathen may be taken either for the Babylonians who should come and conquer Egypt and then do what they pleased therein and so it should be their day or for the Egyptians and the Nations adhering to them and so it should be their day to be spoiled and suffer grievous things it was a time of undoing these and a time of making the other God had appointed that time for them both Vers 4. The sword shall come upon Egypt The Chaldean Army shall come and make warâ—e upon the Egyptians and they shall be under all the miseries and mischiefs which attend warre and they are many And great pain shall be in Ethiopia The word for pain in Hebrew is Chalchalah which Montanus renders Vacillatio shaking the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trouble or perturbation the Vulgar pavor fear others dolor magnus great grief which the word imports for it s from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parturire to bring forth notes such grief and pain as women have when they are in travail When the King of Babylon came into Egypt Ethiopia was in travail When the slain shall fall in Egypt It were better rendred when the wounded shall fall men slain are fallen men wounded are ready to fall or falling The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chalal signifies one wounded and so the French hath it qui seront naurez tomberont en Egipt And her foundations shall be broken down By Foundationâ— Cityes Towers Forts Castles any strong holds may be understood Some make the foundations of Egypt to be their riches forces and confederates but the first sense of the Word is more Genuine because he speaks of breaking down which is proper to the one and not the other Vers 5. Ethiopia In Hebrew Chus so call'd from Chus the Son of Cham Gen. 10.6 who first inhabited that part of Africa and from him the people were called Cussites from the Grecians it received the name of Ethiopia which is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to burn and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the countenance because the heat of the Sunne there is such as it scorcheth the faces of the people This Country is judged to be as large as Germany France and Italy but not very populous because of the extream heat they circumcise their Males and Females baptizing the Males fourty dayes and the â—emales eighty dayes after their Circumcision and they rebaptize themselves in Lakes and Ponds every year on the day called Epiphany Heylin in his Microcosm because they conceive that the Lord Christ was baptized by John in Jordan that very day But whether this was the Ethiopia Nebuchadnezzar should spoil some question because it is said chap. 29.10 That Egypt should be made desolate from the Tower of Syene unto the border of Ethiopia that is to the Asian Ethiopia Syene was at the front of the African Ethiopia and whether Nebuchadnezzar entred that Ethiopia is doubtful In locum Quistonpius is peremptory in it and saith he never passed beyond Syâ—ne into it Lybia In Hebrew Phut from Phut the son of Cham Vid. suum in Gen. 10.6 Gen. 10.6 and the inhabitants thereof were at first called Phuthaei or Phuttians and afterward Lybians the Country being named Lybia from Lybs a King of Mauritania or from Lybs the Southwind which gently breatheth there or from Lybia a Queen thereof it 's now call'd Sorra which signifies a Desert because its a Country full of sandy Deserts And Varro will have it called Lybia Heylin in Microcos quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it wants raine Heretofore all Africa was called Phut afterwards only the Western Parts of Africa as Mauritania and Tingitana Shindler Martinius where the Kingdome of Fez or Lybia now is Lydia The Hebrew is Lud from Lud the Son of Shem Gen. 10.22 as some will have it or from Ludim the Son of Mizraim as others affirme This Lydia was a Region of Asia the less formerly called Maeonia in it were those famous Cities Philadelphia Sardis Pergamus Thyatira and Laodicea Alapide would not have it to be this Lydia
Heylin ubi ante because those Lydians were too farre off to be helpfull to the Egyptians he therefore makes it to be Lydda Acts 9.32 where Peter heal'd Aeneas This City was in the Tribe of Ephraim near unto Joppa It was therefore taken by Nebuchadnezzar before when he took Jerusalem and made the whole Land Tributary unto him The distance of Lydia was not such as to hinder the Egyptians from confederating with them they were on the one side of the Mediterranean Sea and the Lydians on the other And all the mingled people Montanus saith All the Vulgar The Hebrew is Col haeref which Junius Piscator and Others render tota miscellanea turba all the mixt Company that is those that came from other Parts to be milltes conducti to serve the Egyptians for pay When Wars are among Nations strangers will flock out of all Parts unto them to be their Auxilaries Some make them the Arabians Chub. This word is no where else in holy Writ Symmachus thought it to be Arabia but Interpreters by it understand the Cubaeans people in the inward Lybia near unto the River Nigris where Ptolomy in his Geography places the City Cuphe The Men of the Land that is in League The Hebrew is Filii terrae foederis the Sons of the Land of League Piscator translates the words thus Qui degunt in terra confederata those who live in a Land confederate that is these were confederate with the Egyptians Some put these words upon the Nations which had engaged themselves to help the Egyptians Others more probably put them upon Judaea which was the Land in League with God for God promised it to Abraham and his Posterity whereupon the Jewes were cal'd the Children of the Covenant Acts 2.25 And the Septuagint here have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sons of my Testament or Covenant The Jewes were in League with the Egyptians and after the destruction of Jerusalem Gedaliah being treacherously slain by Ishmael and others Johanan carryeth the Jewes the Sons of the Land in League into Egypt where they suffered by Nebuchadnezzar what the Egyptians did Jer. 43. and 44. Chapters Some fell by the sword some were carryed Captive First Observe After dayes of mirth come dayes of sorrow Egypt had seen many dayes of prosperity and rejoycing and now howle ye woe worth the day Her Summer was over and Winter coming upon her black cloudy stormy terrible days were at hand As there is a change in things so in times Eccles 3.4 There is a time to weep and a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time to dance These succeed each other and neither keeps possession long mirth and jollity is thrust out of doors after a few dayes by its contrary Babylon had her dayes of delight she was given to pleasure Isa 47.8 but suddenly there was a change Jer. 51.8 Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed Howle for her Secondly Observe The approaching of those dayes wherein God will visit and punish sinners is just cause of mourning Howle for the day of the Lord is near a cloudy day The Judgments of God were at hand ready to take hold of the Egyptians therefore they had sufficient cause to howle Isa 13.6 Howl ye for the day of the Lord is at hand It shall come as a destruction from the Almighty It s spoken of the Babylonians who thought themselves safe strong having subdued most Nations but they must howl for that the day of the Lord drew near it should be a day for destruction and not an ordinary destruction but as a destruction from the Almighty it should be such a destruction as should proclaim to the world that the hand of God was eminently in it Joel 2.1 Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the day of the Lord comes for it is nigh at hand The time of Nebuchadnezzar's coming to execute the judgements of God upon Jerusalem and Judaea drew nigh and thereupon the Prophet calls upon all the inhabitants of the land to tremble to repent and mourn there is great and just cause so to do at such times because thereby judgements may be averted delayed mitigated or sanctified unto us Thirdly Observe God hath his times to visit heathens it shall be the time of the heathens If heathens do God any service he hath a time to reward them as he did Nebuchadnezzar by giving him the spoil of Egypt if heathens do provoke him by their pride idolatry profaneness oppression of his people or any other way he hath his time and day to punish them Jer. 46.8 9 10. Egypt riseth up like a flood and his waters are moved like the rivers and he saith I will go up and cover the earth I will destroy the City that was Carchemish by the river Euphrates and the inhabitants thereof Come up ye horses and rage ye chariots and let the mighty men come forth the Ethiopians and the Lybians that handle the shield and the Lydians that handle and bend the Bow For this is the day of the Lord God of Hosts a day of vengeance that he may avenge him of his adversaries The Egyptians Ethiopians Lybians and Lydians were all heathens and God had his day to visit them when they went to Euphrates to fight the Babylonians he made the Babylonish sword drunk with their blood Not long after God had a day for the Babylonians Jer. 50.27 Slay all her bullocks let them go down to the slaughter wâ— unto them for their day is come the time of their visitation The Princes Nobles great Ones who were the Bullocks of Babylon had their day of slaughter Fourthly Observe Where publike judgements come they are troublesome to neighbor Nations The sword shall come upon Egypt and great pain shall be in Ethiopia The evil of the sword was not confined within the Egyptian borders it reached to the Ethiopians and others they were filled with fear they were in pain as a woman in travail when evil borders upon us some evil or mischief is to be feared from thence Aliquid mali propter vicitâ—m malum if our neighbors house be on fire we may fear some sparks of that fire may fall on ours The wars of England have made the Nations about us to be in pain Fifthly Observe Wars lay all waste the sword makes no difference between things or persons The sword shall come upon Egypt and her foundations shall be broken down and the men of the land that is in league shall fall with them by the sword As the sword spared no City Towers Castles so no persons even those Jews that fled to Egypt for safety should not escape what Jews what mingled people it found in Egypt they all suffered alike the sword pittyed spared none Vers 6 7 8 9. Thus saith the Lord they also that uphold Egypt shall fall and the pride of her power shall come down from the Tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the
's God kindles fires in Nations and Kingdomes to consume Towns and Cities Men and their habitaons they are all his and he may do to them what he pleases having transgressed his lawes By fire and sword did the Lord plead with the Egyptians laying all wast and by so doing made himself known to be a powerful righteous and dreadfull God Observe Fourthly In the soarest judgements of God upon men usually some escape God threatned Egypt Chap. 29.8 that he would cut off man and beast and make it utterly wast from one end to another verse 10 yet here in the ninth verse he saith Messengers shall go forth some should escape to carry tydings of his severe judgements Observe Fifthly Those things which seem accidentall and casual unto us are ordered by the wise Counsel Power and Providence of God In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships When all Egypt was in a confusion some running one way and some another to secure themselves and some hastening unto ships to tell others what the Chaldeans had done in the midst of these hurries and disorders God saw acted sent out messengers they went not however the appearance was to men without Gods ordering hand themselves thought of no such thing nor those they went unto they dreamed not that they were sent forth of God that they came from him it was lookt upon as a meer contingencie but Gods hand was in it Things may be contingent to us they are not so to God Observe Sixthly Such is the efficacy of Gods judgements made known that they do afflict those are at a distance from them and fill the most secure with fears and pains The Ethiopians were absent from the judgements executed upon the Egyptians they were secure carelesse people but when the messengers told them their Cities were burnt their men slain their foundations and helpers destroyed they were afraid and great pains came upon them they were in travail for their Lives Liberties and Estates There is a mighty power in the judgements of God to terrify sinners even at a distance When Tyrus understood such was the efficacy of that judgement upon those afarre off that it s said all the Princes of the Sea clothed themselves with trembling Ezek. 27.35 so that we may say of Gods judgements as David Psal 10.11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger who knows what efficacy it 's of and how far it extends Observe Seventhly Former judgements are not to be forgotten As in the Day of Egypt God had visited Egypt many hundreds of years before and now he minds them of that visitation So Isa 9.4 God mentions the dayes of the Midianites minds them of the great destruction of the Midianites by Gideon Judg. 7 and 8 chap. God mindes the dayes of mens sinning Hos 9.9 they have deeply corrupted themselves as in the dayes of Gibeah and therefore he would visit their sins and when he hath visited for sins he would have us remember those visitations Jer. 7.12 Go to Shiloh and see what I did to it for the wickednesse of my people Israel As we should remember ancient and former mercies to strengthen out faith so ancient and former judgements to quicken our fears Vers 10 11 12. Thus saith the Lord God I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon He and his people with him the terrible of the nations shall be brought to destroy the land and they shall draw their swords against Egypt and fill the Land with the slain And I will make the rivers dry and sell the land into the hands of the wicked and I will make the land waste and all that is therein by the hand of strangers I the Lord have spoken it THese words hold out unto us the efficient and instrumentall causes of the forementioned judgments which are in part repeated The efficient cause is God himself ver 10 11. The instrumental are Nebuchadrezzar and his people ver 10 11. The judgements repeated are the destruction of Egypt and the Egyptians putting the land into the hands of others with an addition of drying up the rivers Vers 10. I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease The Hebrew word for multitude is hamon which signifies both multitude and noise for where there is a multitude there will be a noise Egypt was populous and God would diminish the people they should be slain and carried away captives so should both the multitude and noise cease Increase of people is a blessing the lessening of them a judgement By the hand of Nebuchadrezzar Hand here notes power as in 2 Chron. 2â— 10 and Job 1.12 all that he hath is in thy power the Hebrew is in thy hand Nebuchadrezzar by his mighty powerfull arm should come and lay all Egypt waste and make it like a wildernesse Armies are the hands of Princes by which they doe great and dreadfull things Vers 11 The terrible of the nations shall be brought to destroy the land The word for terrible is arizze from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 araz to deal violently to terrifie which Piscator renders crudelissiâ—â— the most cruell the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pestes the French les plus hideâ—â— the most hideous and Junius the most violent Vatablus cals them Tyranni Gentium the Tyrants of Nations those were most Tyrannical and terrible God brought and set on work to destroy the land The Chaldeans were a bitter nation terrible and dreadful Hab. 1.6 7. these words we had chap. 28.7 so terrible they were that they should fill the land with dead bodies When an Army of friends passe through a Countrey no hurt is done but when an army of Tyrants of strong and terrible enemies come to spoil what mischief will they not do Vers 12. And I will make the rivers dry Heb. drought Though the Chaldean Army was great yet not so great as to drink up all the waters of Nilus which is one of the chiefest rivers in the world Nilus had many rivulets cut out of it whereby the land was watered all those might they stop up with earth and other materials for their better passage and so the rivers were made dry Or by rivers we may understand that benefit came by them the Chaldeans should take away all the wealth of Egypt which came by the rivers and so the rivers were as dry things to the Egyptians So Maldonate and some others interpret the words but rather thus God would send great spoil and desolation into Egypt whereby the rivers might become uselesse unto them or should we take the words literally as some Expositors are of the minde viz. that for the great wickednesse of the Egyptians God dried up Nilus and punished them with sore famine as in the dayes of Joseph it was when there were seven years of famine This sense may be safe or we may take rivers for the people and their power And sell the land into the
hands of the wicked The Lord gives he doth not sell The word for selling is Macar which signifies to give to deliver as well as to sell and the Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give the land those who sell do deliver what they sell into the hands of others and this is attributed to God metaphorically for that he disposed of the land of Egypt to others that is the Chaldeans who are called wicked the Vulgar hath it in manus pessimorum into the hands of the worst I will make the land waste and all that is therein Egypt was a land abounding with men horse charets wealth Cities and all desirable things but God would make it desolate and all the fulnesse of it so the words are in Hebrew for all that is therein it had a fulnesse of all things and by the hand of the Chaldean it was emptied who in the next words are called strangers because they were such to the Egyptians I the Lord have spoken it These words are a ratification of what is threatned Ezekiel hath not spoken a vision of his own or from his own spirit but what is said is the word of the eternal God I the Lord have spoken it I have determined it shall be so and nothing shall lett it Observe First God hath wayes to empty lands of their mâ—â—titude and fullnesse Egypt had her multitude of men of beasts of Cities of riches she had her fulnesse of all things and God had an Army a multitude of Souldiers to plunder and spoil her to empty her of all her multitudes and fulnesses Jerusalem had its multitudes and fulness but Nubuchadnezzar emtyed her and made her like an empty vessel Jer 51.34 Babylon had her multitudes and fulness of Treasure Jer. 51.13 and God had Fanners to fan her ver 2. and empty her land those Fanners were the Medes and Persians who scattered the Babylonians and made a Prey of their Treasures Secondly observe When God will execute severe Judgments he makes use of suitable Instruments He intended utter destruction to Egypt and the terrible of the Nations were brought to destroy it Nebuchadnezzar had men out of many Nations and the terrible ones of those Nations by the secret hand of God were brought to lay Egypt waste They roared like Lyons Isa 5.29 They were cruel and without mercie Jer. 6.23 They hanged Princes by their hands Lament 5.12 And here they fil'd the Land with the slain Thirdly observe Gods designs shall go on whatever lies in the way to hinder He was resolved upon the destruction of Egypt the Rivers of it lay in the way so that an Army could not get over Nilus that great river if gotten over it could not march and do the work appointed for the multitude of little Rivers were in the land shall these hinder the designe of God No he will dry up the Rivers to make way unto his designs the Babylonians shall pass over and pierce through the whole land When the Israelites were at the Red Sea that lay as an impediment unto Gods design which was to carry them to Canaan but did it hinder the same No speak to the Children of Israel that they go forward what go forward and be drowned in the Sea No because they had not Faith to go upon the waters therefore he divides the waters and makes a dry path for them through the midst of the deeps Exod 14. There were Mountains in the way hindering the building of the Temple but one great mountain above all the rest Zech. 4.7 Who art thou O great mountain whether it were the Persian Monarchy or Satan and all the enemies of the Jewes God made it a plain before Zerubbabel and notwithstanding all enemies and opposition he carried on the work of God Things may be too hard for men impossible for them but nothing is too hard for or impossible to the Lord. He enabled Nebuchadnezzar to take Tyrus to destroy Egypt all the Rivers thereof shall not hinder it God will dry them up rather then his designe shall faile Psal 74.15 Thou dryest up mighty rivers God hath divided Seas plained Mountains and dryed up Rivers in our days to make way for his designs and in due time he will dry up the great River Euphrates to make way for the Kings of the East Rev. 16.12 Fourthly observe All Lands are the Lords and he may dispose of them to whom he will even to the wicked he sold he gave the land of Egypt into the hands of the Babylonians who were wicked yea the worst of men Ezek. 7.24 Kingdoms are not such excellent things as we imagine were they so they would not be given to Gods enemies That Kingdom is of great worth which God gives to his children Luke 12.32 Vers 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. Thus saith the Lord God I will also destroy the Idols and I will cause their Images to cease out of Noph and there shall be no more a Prince of the land of Egypt and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt And I will make Pathros desolate and will set fire in Zoan and will execute Judgments in No. And I will poure my fury upon Sin the strâ—â—gth of Egypt and I will cut off the multitude of No. And I will set fire in Egypt Sin shall have great pain and No shall be rent asunder and Noph shall have distresses daily The young men of Aven and of Phibeseth shall fall by the sword and these cities shall go into captivity At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened when I shall break there the yoaks of Egypt and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her as for her a cloud shall cover her and her daughters shall go into Captivity Thus will I execute Judgments in Egypt and they shall know that I am the Lord. HAving formerly threatned destruction to Egypt and her Cities in general the Prophet descends now to particulars in the 13 14 15 16 17 and 18 vers and then in the 19. verse shews what is the end of God in his exercising judgments viz. That they may know him to be the Lord. I will destroy the Idols Egypt was the most idolatrous Land of any and God would now destroy the Idols out of it The word for Idols is gillulim which Piscator renders stercora dung filth so the word signifies and their Idols were dunghil filthy Gods fitter to be trodden under foot by Man and Beast then to be worshipped I will cause their Images to cease Elilim Images from Elil nihilum for an Image or Idol is res nihili a thing of no account 1 Cor. 8.4 It cannot profit therefore Isai 2.20 They shall cast away their Idols as useless things and God would make them to cease Out of Noph This Noph was a great city in Egypt very populous and famous for the Pyramids and Monuments of Kings who leaving Thebes made that the Royal City Isai 19.13 The Princes of Noph thither many
Egypt was as women fearfull and weak like women Isai 19.11 12 13 14 15 16. God being against Pharaoh all his Councels Enterprizes were blasted all his forces broken all his Cities made desolate and all his people consum'd or carried into Captivity better he had had all the Princes of the world against him then God for whomsoever he is against must be ruin'd Fifthly observe The flourishing and perishing of Kings Kingdoms and Armies is from the Lord. I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon and put my Sword in his hand but I will break Pharaohs Arms and they shall fall down One of these great Kings should prosper his Kingdom flourish his forces stand and conquer the other should perish his Kingdom be laid waste and all his forces broken and scattered What King State or Army soever God is with he will strengthen uphold what King State or Army soever he is against he will break ruine and bring to nothing whatever their Strength Wealth or Councels are Sixthly observe Tyrannical wicked Kings oft come to very sad ends he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man Herodotus saith he was strangled by the Egyptians which had revolted from him to Amasis The Holy Scripture tells you what ends Adonibezek Athaliah Jezebel Ahab and Senacherib came unto Pilate who put Christ to death was deposed banished and at last slew himself at Lyons in France Of Thirty two Emperors who persecuted the Christians scarce any of them dyed a natural death some were poysoned some kill'd by the Soldiers some sentenc'd by the Senate and some slew themselves Galerius had such a Loathsome disease as that he could not indure the stink of it but slew himself to avoid it Vid. Fox Act. Mon. vol. 1. pag. 40 41. Seventhly observe God is the Author of Wars he sets one Tyrant against another and gives Commission how far they shall proceed I will put my Sword into the hand of the King of Babylon and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt Nebuchadnezzar was a great Tyrant and God set him upon Pharaoh another great Tyrant and ordered him how far he should go even over all Egypt Tyrants cannot stir till God move them the Sword is his if he will not put it into their hands they cannot take it up and when he hath put it into their hand they cannot go one foot further then he hath appointed them CHAP. XXXI Vers 1 2. And it came to pass in the Eleventh year in the Third month in the First day of the month that the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man speak unto Pharaoh King of Egypt and to his multitude Whom art thou like in thy greatness THis Chapter as the two former is a Prophesie against the King of Egypt and in it you have these parts First the Chronologie of the Prophesie ver 1. Secondly the occasion of it viz. His Pride and confidence in his greatness ver 2. Thirdly a confirmation of his ruine set out by an example a majori ad minus from the Third verse to the Eighteenth wherein is notably described the Glory of Assyria her sin and fall thereupon Fourthly the Application of all to Pharaoh vers 18. Vers 1. In the Eleventh year in the third month in the first day of the month The Prophet had not Prophesies given in every month it was a month and Twenty-four days from the last Prophesie to this which was one month and eight or nine days before the destruction of Jerusalem and in the Eleventh year of their Captivity the Third month and First day of the month The Hebrew for First day of the Month is una mensis one of the month is an Hebraisme common in the Scripture as in Gen. 1.5 The Evening and the Morning were one day so is the Hebrew that is the first day Luke 24.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon one of the week that is the First day of the week Vers 2. Speak unto Pharaoh King of Egypt and to his multitude Pharaoh was a great King and had a great Multitude of Men Horses and Chariots and conceited himself greater then he was but how great soever he were in realitie or conceit God orders a Prophet to speak to him and to demand a question of him The Prophet was in Babylon Pharaoh in Aegypt and how he could speak to him appears not It s impossible that he should undertake so long a journey as t is from Babylon to Egypt It s more consonant to truth that he pen'd this Prophesie and sent it unto him by one means or other Whom art thou like in thy greatness This was the Question Ezekiel must propound to him and it was an upbraiding question taxing him for his pride arrogancie and vain confidences He had like most Kings many Flatterers who flattered him into a conceit that he was greater then other Kings yea so great in power that he might incounter God himself The Lord therefore thought meet to take down his Spirit by this question Whom art thou like in thy greatness what like unto me thou art so far from that as that thou art not comparable to some mortal men What sayest thou to the King of Assyria art thou greater art thou stronger then he no he went far beyond thee in Power Dignitie and Greatness yet for his pride arrogancie and confidences in what he had he was utterly destroyed and thinkest thou who art inferior to stand and avoid the Judgements of God when they come thou deceivest thy self First observe Kings are prone to be lifted up with and confide in their greatness Pharaoh sweld with his honor and multitude puting too much confidence therein Chap. 29.3 he is call'd the great Dragon and he lay secure in the midst of his Rivers saying my River is mine own and I have made it for my self he was proud and confident thinking none greater then himself Nebuchadnezzar was lifted up with his greatness Dan. 4.30 so was Sennacherib Isa 37.11 12 13. And not only wicked Kings but good ones have been overtaken with this evill David numbers the people and was too proud of and confident in his Multitudes 1 Chron. 21. Princes have many things to puff up their Spirits but God knows how to bring them down Secondly observe God will have them told of their Sins and taxed for them Go speak unto Pharaoh and say whom art thou like in thy greatness Thou proud Tyrant thou shalt fall though thou be great strong there is a greater then thy self and one stronger then thou art who hath sent a Prophet to tell thee of thy pride and arrogancie and to foretell thee of thy destruction Kings are no more to God then the meanest peasants if they sin they shall hear of it and smart for it Vers 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Behold the Assyrian was a Cedar in Lebanon with fair branches and with a shadowing shroud and of an high stature and
condition of all even to the Pit and Grave The King of Egypt with his Princes Nobles and confederates of famous Nations must come down to the nether parts of the earth Egypt was a potent flourishing Kingdome Pharoah mighty But whom dost thou passe in beauty Thy beauty glory strength wealth greatnesse are nothing thou must go down and lye with the uncircumcised In a moment at the beck of the Lord Kingdomes are made desolate Kings cast into the Grave and all their pomp buried in the dark let none despise others and exalt themselves Vers 21. The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of Hell Here and so on the Prophet by a Figure call'd Prosopopaeia represents unto us what entertainment Pharoah should have among the dead the Tyrants and great men of the world that were in the Grave or Hell before shall speak unto him and Congratulate his coming unto them in a taunting way what Pharoah hast thou who wert so great and glorious left the earth art thou come to us weak and wounded stript of all and art become like us thou art welcome to Hell and the condition we Tyrants are in be not troubled here are many great ones before thee both of the uncircumcised Nations and also of the circumcised With them that help him They should speak to him and those were his helpers Pharoah had many helpers to carry on his designes on earth many Confederates and they should be welcom'd to Hell also They are gone down they lye uncircumcised slain by the sword The Egyptians they are gone down to the Grave they lye or sleep with the uncircumcised or are in no better condition then uncircumcised Ones are in being slain with the Sword These words may be understood of other Nations Vers 22. Ashur is there and all her company Here the Prophet begins the enumeration of particular Nations whose Kings and People were gone to Hell before-hand and would give entertainment to Pharoah The first he mentions is Ashur the Assyrian Monarch was the most ancient of great power and extent and the King thereof was in Hell and all the Assyrian company all his Attendants and Followers His Graves are about him The King of Assyria is gone down to the Grave and so are his Princes Nobles and People which were slain by the sword they are in their Graves near unto him round about him and these will speak to Pharoah at his coming into the Grave or Hell Vers 23. Whose Graves are set in the sides of the pit The Vulgar reads the words thus whose Graves are in novissimis laci in the bottom of the lake importing that they sell from the height of honour into the depth of misery Which caused terrour in the Land of the Living When the Assyrians were destroyed by the Chaldaean or Babylonish sword it was dreadful to those that were living or thus these Assyrians while they were in the Land of the living they caused terrour they were tyrannical cruel fill'd all with fear Some restrain the Land of the Living only to Judaea because there the Jewes only worshipped the living God and those were right amongst them were to enjoy the living God eternally but we may take the Land of the Living here in opposition to the state of the dead and so other Lands are included yea all where be any living Vers 24 25. There is Elam and all her multitude round about her Grave all of them slain fallen by the sword which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth which caused their terrour in the Land of the Living yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the Pit They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude her Graves are round about him all of them uncircumcised slain by the sword though their terrour was caused in the Land of the Living yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the pit he is put in the midst of them that be slain The Elamites were the Persians and Medes and what he said of Ashur that he now saith of Elam The King of the Medes and Persians with his multitude who living were terrible unto many were now in Hell ready to give entertainment to Pharoah who was coming thither Of Elam you may read Jer 49.34 to the end of the Chapter Vers 24. Yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the pit They were tyrannical and so a terrour to others but they were cut off by the Scythians saith Polanius and carried the shame of their tyranny and wickednesse with them or they dyed ignominiously Vers 25. They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude When great Ones remove preparations are made for them whither they remove so here even in the Grave and Hell a bed was provided for Elam In the bed in darknesse and rest such was the Grave Vault or Sepulchre oâ— Elam In this verse there is an Enallagie of Genders and Numbers Verses 26 27 28. There is Meshech Tubal and all her multitude her Graves are round about him all of them uncircumcised slain by the sword though they caused their terrour in the Land of the Living And they shall not lye with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised which are gone down to Hell with their weapons of war and they have laid their swords under their heads but their iniquities shall be upon their bones though they were the terrour of the mighty in the Land of the Living Yea thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised and shalt lye with them that are slain with the sword HEre the Prophet brings in a third kind of Examples which are Meshech and Tuball Vers 26. There is Meshech Tubal and all her multitude By Meshech some Expositers understand the Scythians others the Cappadocians and by Tubal the Iberians and Albanians which were neer together and both of them in the Eastern parts All these may be understood for the Scythians passing through Cappadocia Iberia and Albania had many of those Countries joyning with them when they brake into Asia between Pontus and the Caspian Sea and so plagued the Elamites the Kings of these places were not yet slain and gone down to the pit though the words import it done because of the certainty of it but it was near at hand and to be effected before the death of Pharoah whom they were to speak unto at his coming down to the Grave Her Graves are round about him c. The Graves of the men of each Countrey were round about the King of that Countrey they were people uncircumcised out of Covenant with God slain by the sword notwithstanding they were terrible to others Vers 27. And they shall not lye with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised which are gone down to Hell with their weâ—pons of war Among the Heathens
in the world been dreadfull unto others and go down to the Grave in pomp or not shall afterward bear-their shame and sin The mighty Ones of Ashur of Elam of Meshech Tubal Edom those of the North and Zidon who were a terrour in the Land of the living some of them were buried in pomp they went down to Hell with their weapons of war and they had their swords laid under their heads others had no Funerals or no pomp at them but they all did bear their shame and their iniquities were upon their bones they lived wickedly oppressed grievously played the Devills on the earth they bear their shame and God punished them for their iniquities Tyrants are feared and honoured as gods while they live but being dead their names do stink and their torments are terrible Potens potenter punientur proportioned to the power they have abused and mischief done by them Fifthly Observe Externall priviledges profit not Princes nor People unlesse they be Godly they must perish like those that want those priviledges The Edomites were circumcised which was a great priviledge in Pauls account Phil. 35. a sign of the Covenant between God and his people Gen 17.11 But because they and their Princes were wicked circumcision profited them not they were laid with the uncircumcised they had no more favour from the hand of the Lord then his worst enemies then those that were out of covenant and open enemies unto him Let men take heed how they rest upon their priviledges and professions it is not Baptisme being in a Church injoying of Ordinances having of gifts high notions and admirable expressions will advantage men or women at last unlesse they be really Godly a thousand such priviledges will do them no good Gal. 6.15 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new Creature Verses 31 32. Pharoah shall see them and shall be comforted over all his multitude even Pharoah and all his army slain by the sword saith the Lord God For I have caused my terrour in the Land of the living and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are slain with the sword even Pharoah and all his multitude saith the Lord God IN these two verses is the conclusion of this Prophesie Lamentation or Funerall of Pharoah and the Egyptians which is the comfort he shall have amongst those mighty men and Princes before mentioned and this is in the 31. verse And then the end of Gods judgements upon Kings and People vers 32. Vers 31. Pharoah shall see them and shall be comforted When Pharoah shall come to Hell or the Grave and see what Kings Princes and multitudes of people are there suffering such things as himself must this shall comfort him that he hath such companions and so many To lose his life kingdom and people were sad things bitter afflictions but when he saw others had done so before him and they as great as himselfe this was as a Cordial unto him Pharoah and all his army slain by the sword Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon came shortly after this prophesie against him and the Egyptians and made a great slaughter amongst them cutting off man and beast from the Land as was said Chap. 29.11 Vers 32. For I have caused my terrour in the Land of the Living Junius reads the words when I shall put my terrour Montanus because I have put my breaking in the Land of the Living a Preter Tense for a Future The sense is this when I shall cut off Pharoah and his army by the Babylonish sword this judgement of mine upon them will cause terrour in the Nations that are living they will be afraid of my judgements Pharoah made them afraid by his wars and I shall make them afraid by my judgements First Observe The comfort that wicked ones have after death in Hell is poor comfort its imaginary comfort rather then reall What comfort is it to see many in Prison in torment suffering proportionable punishment for their iniquities Pharoah shall see them and shall be comforted he shall see the Kings of several Countries there the great Tyrants of the world and shall be punished like unto them his comfort was in conceit but his punishment in reallity Polanus calls it Crudele solatium Cruel Comfort For a King to be in Fire and Brimstone with other Kings People to be weeping and gnashing of their tee h with others is cold and cruel comfort Many flatter themselves that if they dogo to hell they shall have companions there which will be some ease but it rather wil aggravate their misery to hear their dreadfull howling and yellings their cursing one another that ever they knew each other Secondly Observe God cuts off Kings and Nations by his just judgements that he might strike fear into the living cause them to cease from sin and learn righteousnesse When Pharoah and all his Army were slain by the sword then the Lord sent his terrour in the Land of the living then the Nations far and nigh trembled at the severe judgements of the Lord. Such judgements are awakening things and call aloud to the Inhabitants of the earth to repent and reform their wayes CHAP. XXXIII Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. Again the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man Speak to the children of thy people and say unto them when I bring the sword upon a Land if the people of the Land take a man of their Coasts and set him for their watchman If when he seeth the sword come upon the Land he blow the Trumpet and warn the people Then whosoever heareth the sound of the Trumpet and taketh not warning if the sword come and take him away his bloud shall be upon his own head He heard the sound of the Trumpet and took not warning his bloud shall be upon him but he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul But if the watchman see the sword come and blow not the Trumpet and the people be not warned if the sword come and take any person from among them he is taken away in his iniquity but his bloud will I require at the watchmans hand OUR Prophet having finished his prophesie against the Nations in eight Chapters from the 24. to this 33. which was the second Generall part of his whole prophesie comes here again to prophesie unto the Jews and begins the third General part of his prophesie which extends to the end of the 39. Chapter In this Chapter are these things laid down 1. A Renovation of the Prophets call to his Office with the Description thereof from the 1. verse to the 10. 2. A Confirmation of the Prophet against the calumnies of the Jews from the 10. to the 21. 3. A Denunciation of judgement against those that were not smitten at the taking of Jerusalem from the 21. to the 30. 4. A Reproof of those that were captives in Babylon for their hypocrisie and covetousness from
the 30. vers to the end Vers 1. Again the word of the Lord came unto me saying Vers 2. Son of man speak unto the children of thy people Ezekiel being taken off by the Lord from prophesying to the Jews Ch 24.27 he was imployed two years upwards in prophesying to other Nations as appears by comparing Ch 24.1 with Ch. 32.1 having done with them here he is Cōmission'd again to prophesie to the Jews Son of man speak unto thy people cease now to speak any more to the Nations which are strangers to thee speak to thine own people to the Jews which are of the same root stock and kinred with thy self The Hebrew is to the sons of thy people It s observable God saith not to the children of my people or to the Jews but to thy people God did disown them they were so stubborn and disobedient that he would not acknowledge them for his Oft in this prophesie they are call'd Ezekiels people Chap 3.11 Chap 13.17 and four times in this Chapter in this 2. vers the 12.17 30. in all these verses its the children of thy people When the Jews sinned that grievous sin in making the Calf God disown'd them and said to Moses Go get thee down for thy people have corrupted themselves Exod 32.7 Sin makes breaches between the nearest relations and causes God to disown his own people and his own institutions Isa 1.14 The new Moons and the appointed Feasts my soul hateth When I bring the sword upon a Land By sword is meant war and the evils do attend it as Chap. 6.3 14.17 29.8 30.4 32.11 The Hebrew is thus A Land when I shall bring upon it the sword here is a Nominative Case viz Erez put absolute and Sanctius saith when a Pronoun follows that Nominative must be put in the place and Case of the Pronoun as our translation hath done saying I will bring a sword not upon it but upon the Land Land is not put for Judaea but indefinitely for any Land If the people of the Land take a man of their Coasts and set him for their watchman When a Land is in danger of being invaded the peoples care is to chose out one or other to set him in some eminent place for a watchman Montanus and the Vulgar render the word Mikzehem de novissimis suis They take one of the lowest and meanest rank but Katzah notes the border and extream part of a Land or any other thing It s better as our translation hath it a man of their Coasts or borders where the enemy was like to make his first approach A watchman Tzopheh is from Tzaphah which is accurately to observe to open the eyes and fixedly to behold an object and take special notice thereof so is a watchman to do 2 Sam. 13.34 The young man that kept the watch lift up his eyes and looked and behold there came much people He did not barely look but lift up his eyes and looked he made an accurate observation So 2 Sam. 18.24 The watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall and lift up his eyes and looked and behold a man running alone he put forth himself to the utmost to make a discovery his eyes were intent upon it Vers 3. If when he seeth the sword come upon the Land c. This verse sets out the office of the watchman which is 1. To look diligently about him whether there be any danger approaching any enemy neer at hand coming to invade or make attempts against the Land 2. If so he is to blow the Trumpet presently and to give warning thereof stirring up all to procure publique safety He blow the Trumpet The Hebrew word to blow is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Takah which signifies to fasten but when it s joyn'd with the word Manus it notes to strike the hand or strike hands when with the word Shophar a Trumpet it signifies to blow as 2 Sam 2.28 Joab blew a Trumpet so 1 Sam. 13.3 Saul blew the Trumpet and Joel 2.1 Blow the Trumpet in Zion Trumpets of old were made of the horns of Beasts of Brasse and Silver And warn the people The blowing of the Trumpet was a warning to the people to look to themselves but this warning was not only by the voice of the Trumpet but also by the voice of the watchman for having blown the Trumpet upon the discovery and approach of an enemy the watchman was to shift for his life and liberty by returning to his people and so to call upon them to provide for publique safety The word in Hebrew for warning is Zahar which signifies to shine illuminate and metaphorically to warn because when a man is warned he is instructed and hath light given in unto him Vers 4. Then whosoever heareth the sound of the Trumpet and taketh not warning if the sword come and take him away Many are so taken up with the world that though they hear of danger at hand yet they will not hear but venture so long that they are caught the sword comes and takes them away The Hebrew is he that hearing heareth His bloud shall be upon his own head He hath no cause to blame the watchman he blew the Trumpet and warned him the fault is in himself that he took not the warning that he made not haste to secure his own life he is guilty of his own death and hath voluntarily brought it upon himself the whole fault is his own that is the meaning of this phrase His bloud shall be upon him or upon his own head which is frequent in Scripture Josh 2.19 It shall be that whosoever goeth out of the doors of thy house into the street his bloud shall be upon his head and we will be guiltlesse that is he shall be guilty of his own death not we 1 Kings 2.37 On the day thou goest out and passest over the Brook Kidron thou shalt surely dye thy bloud shall be upon thine own head thou shalt be the cause of thine own death not I said Solomon to Shimei Vers 5. He heard the sound of the Trumpet and took not warning his bloud shall be upon him Here the reason is given why he is guilty of his own death because he was within the sound of the Trumpet he heard it that proclaimed the danger was at hand but he was secure minding his profit or pleasure and took not warning But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul He that gives heed to the blowing of the Trumpet and presently hastens into the City or flyes for his life he shall deliver his soul from the hands of the enemies coming he shall be safe the word for to deliver is from Malat which signifies fuga sibi Consulere to provide for ones self by flight saith Avenarius he doth so deliver his soul that is himself for soul here is put by a Synecdoche for a mans selfe Vers 6. But if the watchman
watchman nor the people set him to be one 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers after that miracles then gifts of healing helps government diversitie of tongues In the Political state men may make what Offices and Officers they please but in the Ecclesiastick State it s not so Man must not meddle God only is the Authour of all Offices in the Church extraordinary or ordinary and no man ought to come into any of them without Commission and Direction from God true Ministers are to be call'd by the Church according to Gods will and not by the will of a State The making of Ministers is Church-work and not State-work Fourthly Observe Those that are called to office by men or God in State or Church they are watchmen They must have eyes in their heads lift up their eyes and look about them most diligently and conscientiously least any mischief come to the one or the other They are to be men of understanding especially the spiritual watchman his lips must preserve knowledge Mal. 2.7 He is set to watch sleepinesse and drowsinesse do not become him there is great danger therein Math 13.25 While men slept the enemy came and sowed tares Whilest the watchmen slept the Devill and his Instruments took the opportunity and advantage to sow Tares Errour Heresies and Damnable Doctrines Isa 56.10 you may see what watchmen the Lord had in Isaiahs time His watchmen are blind they are all ignorant they are all dumb Dogs they cannot bark sleeping lying down loving to sâ—umber The State and Church watchmen were such therefore idolatry murder oppression and profanesse abounded amongst them they sought themselves and their ease not the State or Churches good Watchmen should not be for themselves but for the publique good enduring any hardship rather then the Publique should be endangered they must not shrink at wind or weather but bare the cold of the night and the heat of the day watching alwayes Isa 21.11 Watchman what of the night watchman what of the night The watchman was at his work in the night as well as in the day Fifthly Observe God hath a special care of his Church and People being exposed to many dangers I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel Where watchmen are dangers are supposed There be Church-Robbers abroad that would rob it of the Scriptures of Ordinances Officers of Christ and of Heaven it selfe There be those who would bring in damnable Heresies as of old 2 Pet. 1.1 Yea the Church is apt of it self to breed Vipers Acts 20.30 Thorns Bryars Weeds Nettles do grow up in Gods Gardens What Errours Heresies Blasphemies are not revived in our dayes Are they not grown up to that height and strength as to threaten and indanger the foundation If ever the Church is as a Lilly among Thorns as a Lamb among Wolves and Lyons that seek to tare in peices and devoure it is now Truth goeth with a scratch't face every where and is so scratched and disfigured that many know her not she hath many enemies few friends and cannot dwell quiet in Sion it self erroneous Opinions are ready to assault her in her own house there is need therefore of watchmen to discover and prevent dangers and God hath manifested his care of his Church and Truth that he hath given watchmen for the preservation of them and left it upon Record that himself is the watchman of his Vineyard Isa 27.3 Least any hurt it I will keep it night and day The fire of Contention the floods of Iniquity and winds of strange Doctrine cannot harm Gods Vineyard he is the Keeper thereof Sixthly Observe What Gifts or Graces soever Prophets and men in Ecclesiastical places have they must depend upon God for more and receive from him before they give out to others No Prophet no Apostle ever had such a sufficiency of light knowledge or grace as to stand in need of no more God had set Ezekiel to be a watchman to the house of Israel he had heard much from God the Spirit entred into him he had eaten the rowle and yet he must attend the Lord therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth even therefore because he was Gods Prophet he was to hear the word at his mouth not to trust to what he had not to give out of his own but constantly to look unto the Lord to hearken what he would say and then what he said to make that known unto others Gods Prophets Gods Ministers must speak his words deliver his message There is a Majesty an Efficacy in his words which are not in the words of men Heb. 4.12 The words of false Prophets were chaffe without virtue but the words of true Prophets were wheat full of vertue for they were the words of God Jer 23.28 Seventhly Observe That as its the duty of watchmen to foresee danger so to forewarn the people of it The State-watchman ought to do both and so the Church-watchman The one when he sees the sword to come is to blow the Trumpet and warn the people that they secure their lives the other when he sees mens lives are wicked tending to the destruction of their souls when he sees Errour Heresies coming to infect and indanger the souls of men he is to blow the Trumpet of the Lord and to warn them that they take heed of the one and desist from the other Isa 58.1 Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voyce like a Trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins Isaiah was a watchman to the house of Jacob and he fore-saw they were in danger of being ruin'd and carryed into captivity and what must he do in this case be silent no Cry aloud make them to hear spare not thy lungs thy strength lift up thy voice like a Trumpet louder and louder make all the house of Jacob to hear it and shew my people their transgressions present unto them the Nature and danger of them let them not rest or sleep but tell them of their sins in publique in private sollicit importune them to cease from their evil wayes and to secure their souls It 's not enough for a spiritual watchman to warn his people once or twice in a year of the dangerous evils their sins will bring upon them but he must do it frequently constantly this warning must be dayly let the persons be of what rank soever if they live in wayes of wickednesse which may hazard their souls the watchman must tell them of their sins and danger admonish them seriously reprove them sharply and threaten them with death eternal if they persevere in their wayes Eightly Observe That Prophets Ministers and Watchmen in Sion are to act in the name and authority of God Thou shalt warn them from me They must let them know that God hath sent them that they speak from him not from themselves not their own words and this
watchman And so in the Church-State if the wicked man be warned of his way and turn not from it he shall dye in his iniquity his bloud lyes at his own dore upon his own head the watchman is free Fourteenthly Observe There is great necessity that the watchmen deal faithfully and tell the people of their danger and sin Their souls their bloud lye at stake upon it if they be not faithfull their lives their souls go for it Those watchmen that are silent are cruel bloudy and soul-murthering men they murther the souls of the people and their own souls also those that speak that cry aloud that tell the people throughly of their sins not fearing their frowns nor respecting their favours that so if it be possible they may save their souls these are the most faithful watchmen Many wonder that the spiritual watchmen are so zealous particular that they open the nature of sin so much threaten such terrible judgements of God against sinners and preach damnation unto them that they are so frequent in such wayes but cease to wonder their souls are in jeopardy if they do it not If a mans whole estate were in hazard if he did not tell such a man that he were a lyar a drunkard and would he forfeit his estate through silence No he would tell him of his sins again and again The watchmans soul lyeth at pawn and he forfeits that if he should not tell sinners of their sins and warn them to turn from them Hence was it that Paul said Necessity is laid upon me and we unto me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 he preached and warned sinners night and day Acts 20.31 Lastly Observe That the watchmen warning the people and the people taking warning they do both secure themselves If the watâ—hman Politicâ—l or Spiâ—itual blow the Trumpet warn the â—â—ople he shall deliver his own soul if the people take waâ—ning they deliver their souls Safety lyes in warning and it hearkning to waâ—ning let not the watchmen of God be sleepy or silent but warn the people constantly that so they may save themselves and others Verses 10 11. Therefore O thou Son of man speak unto the house of Israel Thus ye speak saying if our transgressions and our sins be upon us and we pine away in them how should we then live Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye dye O house of Israel HEre begins the second Generall part of the Chapter which is a confirmation of the Prophet against those Calumnies the Jews made against the truth and justice of God The first is in the 10. vers The second in the 17. and 20. verses The Calumnie they raised against the truth of God was this in the 5. verse its said he that takes warning when the watchman gives it shall deliver his soul this said the Jews had not truth in it for Chap. 24.23 The Prophet had told them they should pine away for their iniquities therefore there was no hope for them though they took warning at the watchmans mouth we are appointed to destruction and it s in vain to mind what the watchman saith This is answered in the 11. verse But to open the words Vers 10. Therefore O thou son of man speak unto the house of Israel God had set Ezekiel to be a watchman unto the house of Israel to observe their sins and tell them thereof and here he commands him to do his duty speak unto the house of Israel thus The house of Israel was not now the 10 Tribes but the 2 Tribes left of the 10. If our transgressions and our sins be upon us Jerusalem being now taken or upon the taking the Jews were more sensible of their sins and so felt the weight of them in that sad judgement was upon them or coming upon them By transgressions and sins not only the guilt but the punishment of them is meant they had felt much in the time of Jerusalems siedge and more now in the taking of it God visited their iniquities upon their heads And we pine away in them When Gods hand is upon persons for their sins they consume and moulder away the pain and anguish they are under melts their fat eats up their strength and brings them to skin and bone Nemakkim it is from Muk or Makak which is to grow lean to become feeble to be dissolved in Mareorem into corruption or rottenness How should we then live The Jews seeing Jerusalem now in the enemies hand and themselves going into captivity speak desparingly saying We are like never to see good day but must pine away under the judgements that are upon us how should we then live its in vain to warn us and tell us of repenting and turning to the Lord we must dye in the condition we are in Vers 11. Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God This oath of God hath been spoken of Chap. 16.48 Ch 5. vers 11. It s the oath which God most uses Life is the most precious of all things and that God swares by as sure as I live or am the living God it is true which I say or let me not be the living God if I speak false you think I am a hard Master that you shall pine away in your sins and find no mercy though you should repent and return you are greatly deceived As I live saith the Lord c. He swares not by a truth that was question Numb 14.11 Nor by his Omnipotency for that was doubted of Ps 78.19 but by his life which was never in questioned The Learned observe that when this word Chai is referred to God so that himselfe swares or men sware by him it s written with Patach under it as here and in other places but when it is referred to men then it s written Chai with Tzere as Gen 42.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the life of Pharaoh or as sure as Pharaoh lives So in 2 Sam. 11.11 You have them both together in 1 Sam. 20.3 Chai Jehovah vechei Naph shecha As the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that c. The Septuagint reads the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will not The Vulgar is Nolo mortem impit I am unwilling the wicked should dye the French ie u'appette point I covet not am not greedy of the death of the wicked Junius Si delector If I delight in the death of the wicked Vatablus Piscator Non delector I delight not in the death of the wicked or I am not delighted therewith Montanus hath it Si volam in morte impii If I shall will in the death of the wicked for so runs the Hebrew Im Echphotz bemoth Harashang The word Chaphetz signifies to
a great burden A stone saith Solomon Prov 27.3 is heavy and the sand weighty but a fools wrath is heavier then them both and guilt is heavier then them all A wounded spirit who can bear Prov. 18.14 What is guilt then with punishment but a consuming a devouring thing When David had sinned and Gods hand was upon him what saith he Psal 38.3 There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin Mine iniquities are gone over my head◠as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me v. 4. I am feeble and soar broken I have roared by reason of the disquietnesse of my heart v. 8. Gods hand and his own guilt did eat up his spirit and bring him to the gates of death this made him to say Psal 39.11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth The word for beauty notes that is desireable in man whatever is desireable that melts away when God doth visit man for sin A little touch of a mans hand crusheth the wings and hazards the life of the moth a little touch of Gods hand where guilt is marrs the beauty strength and desireables of man Secondly Observe Sinners under sad judgements are apt to despond yea to despair If our transgressions and our sins be upon us and we pine away in them how should we then live They had greatly sinned against God stood it out against his Prophets threatning judgements and now the judgments were come upon them their hearts sunk within them and they conclude there is no mercy for them our sins are great Gods judgments heavy upon us he is resolved now upon our destruction and what course soever we shall take all is in vain What these said in Judaea the like said they in Babylon Ezek. 37.11 Our bones are dryed and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts We are like the bones in a Grave that have all the marrow dryed out of them or like a branch of a Tree cut off and all the sap dryed out of it there is no hope we should ever live go to Jerusalem and grow there again into a Church or State Not only the wicked but even a Godly man may be in a desponding yea a desparing condition as David himself Psal 31.22 I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes Thou wilt never look upon or favour me more So Asaph Psal 77.7 Will the Lord cast off for ever will he be favourable no more is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore hath he forgotten to be gracious c. What sad expostulations were these of a good man Thirdly Observe The cavills objections and unbelief of sinners put God unto his oath As I live saith the Lord it s not so as you fancy I have told you that if you turn from your evill ways you shall live that I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner Ezek 18.21 22 23 27 28 31 32. But ye believe not my word ye cavill against it and say ye shall pine away in your sins that what course soever ye take ye shall not live Men are backward to believe the word of God and deal worse with God then with man they will give credit to an honest man upon his word but not to God yea how many do believe the Devils suggestions and delusions who is the father of lyes and will not believe the word of God and what a harsh thing is it that men will not attribute so much to God as to the Devil Eve took the Devils bare word in Paradice she put not him to his oath when he said ye shall not dye your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods knowing good and evill She believed him presently But men will not take Gods bare word they put him to his oath As I live saith the Lord. It s a great thing for God to speak but more for him to swear he that made the world with a word is not believed upon his word he must take his oath upon it so that it stands God in more to be believed in the world then it did to make the world his single word sufficed for the one his oath was required for the other O beatos nos quorum causa Deus jurat O miserr imos si nec juranti Domino credimus Tertul Si non credimus promittenti Deo credamus juranti Deo Jerom And here appears the great goodnesse of God that for the good of man will please to take an oath O happy we for whose sake God swears O most unhappy we if we believe not God swearing Having therefore Gods word and oath let us believe firmly and stagger no more Fourthly Observe Sinners in what condition soever they be have no cause to despond or despaire of mercy so that they turn from their evill wayes Let them be great sinners old sinners sinners under judgements ready to be destroyed and cut off by the hands of enemies as these were yet if they turn from their sins there is hope of mercy for them For First God takes pleasure rather in their conversion and salvation then in their death and destruction I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked-turn from his way and live If a State say to a company of its Subjects who are Traytors and upon trayterous designs I have no pleasure in your wayes which lead unto death but my pleasure is that you turn from them and live is not here a large door of hope opened unto them whatever their Treasons be Secondly Least men being deeply guilty should suspect the reallity of God herein for guilt is full of jealousies the Lord sweares to it and that by his life which is the most unquestionable thing of all for none doubts whether he be the living God As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure c. So that here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods word and oath two sufficient bonds to secure it Thirdly Here is Gods command and earnest desire of their turning Turn ye turn ye from your evill wayes When a mans servant is abroad in some dangerous design and his Master commands him again and again to leave it off and come home to him or if the servant be in a deep water and the Master sees he will be drown'd if he come not back again he calls to him and commands him to return is not this an argument that he seeks his good and would have him safe Fourthly God sets the strongest arguments before them that can be thought of life and death If ye go on there is no hope of mercy you must dye if you will turn here is life ye shall live here is great mercy They are not left unto uncertainties whether they shall
escaped as the destruction of Jerusalem from the 21. vers to the 30. and this is set out or amplified 1. From the time and occasion of it vers 21. 2. From the efficient cause vers 22. 3. From the moving causes vers 24 25 26. 4. From the finall cause which is in the 29. vers Vers 21. In the twelfth year of our captivity in the tenth month in the fifth day of the month How long this was after the taking and smiting of Jerusalem will appear by comparing Jerem. 52.5 6 7. with this verse In the eleventh year of Zedekiah in the fourth month in the ninth day of the month the City was broken up The captivity of the Jewes began with Zedekiahs reign for that time he was made King Jehoiachin was carryed away captive into Babylon 2 Kings 24. Now this was in the twelfth year of the captivity the tenth month in the fifth day of it so that it was a year and six months wanting four dayes before this tydings of Jerusalems being smitten came to Ezekiel One that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me saying Many perished in Jerusalem by the famine and plague in the time of the Siedge many were slain at the taking of it yet some escaped and its probable they hid themselves in holes woods among the mountains or fled to Aegypt one of which after so long a time as a year five months and sixteen dayes came to Ezekiel and told him The City was smitten it s without question he and others had heard somthing of Jerusalems condition before but no certainty The City is smitten The word for smitten is from Nacah which notes so to smite as not to misse it was certainly smitten The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The City is taken The Vulgar Vastata est civitas The City is laid waste Broken up as in Jerem 52.7 This was sad News he brought that Jerusalem that famous City that City of God was destroyed Vers 22. Now the hand of the Lord was upon me This expression we had in the 1. Chap 3. Chap 3.14 The hand of the Lord was strong upon me And here by the hand of the Lord is meant Vis Prophetica or Afflatus Propheticus Prophetical breathings of Gods Spirit were upon the Prophet whereby he was inabled to speak freely and boldly concerning the state of the Jews in Judaea that had escaped God informed the Prophet how things were at Jerusalem before the Messenger came In the evening afore he that was escaped came The evening was the beginning of the day among the Jews and so of much esteem and God then by his Spirit visited the Prophet And had opened my mouth untill he came to me in the morning In the 24. Chap God had told the Prophet that one should escape and bring him tydings of things at Jerusalem and that in that day his mouth should be opened and here it s made good The opening of the mouth implyes 1. Materiam loquendi Matter of speaking 2. Libertatem loquendi Freedom of speaking 3. Occasionem loquendi Opportunity of speaking All these concur'd here he had matter given in to speak unto those that were escaped and flattered themselves they should live and recover their losses he had freedom Jerusalem being smitten boldly to maintain what he had formerly prophesied against Jerusalem and occasion Ministred unto him from the mans coming The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad fer untill were better rendred when so Sa in his notes upon the place hath it donec procum saith he There was a sweet harmony and correspondency between what the Prophet received from the Spirit of God and that which this Messenger faithfully related unto him My mouth was opened and I was no more dumb After this he was so fill'd with the Prophetical Spirit that he was silent no more but prophesied freely and frequently unto them First Observe Gods people are sometimes under long afflictions In the twelfth year of our captivity They had endured many miseries in a forraign Land amongst a barbarous people twelve years Numb 20.15 We dwelt in Aegypt a long time and the Aegyptians vexed us and our Fathers Aegypt was an house of bondage and vexation unto them and when they were brought out God threatned them that if they would not observe all the words of his Law to do them and fear his glorious name he would make their plagues great and of long continuance Deut. 28.59 And this captivity of theirs was so long that they thought God had forgotten them Lament 5.20 Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever and forsake us so long time Seventy years time they lay in Babylon which was no better then an iron furnace Ezekiel Daniel and other Godly Ones were in this condition Secondly Observe That when utter dessolation comes upon places and Gods judgements are severe yet some have their lives for a prey One that had escaped came Ezek 9.5 The slaughter-men are commanded to shew no pity but to slay utterly old and young both maids little children and women only the marked ones they must not touch its probable this man that escaped was one of the marked Ones for he had a special care to come and inform Ezekiel what had befallen them and the City that so he might bear witness both to the truth of Jeremies and Ezekiels prophesies had he been a wicked man he would hardly have come to the Prophet into Babylon but whoever he was he escaped famine plague and sword which cut off thousands of others Thirdly Observe Ancient renowned and priviledged Cityes have their periods and dissolutions Jerusalem was very ancient there is mention of it in Joshuah's dayes Josh 15.8 She was famous throughout the earth call'd the Gates of the People for the resort unto her Ezek 26.2 She had choice priviledges she was the holy City Isa 48.32 The City of the Lord of Hoasts Psal 48.8 The City of Solemnities Isa 33.20 The valley of Vision Isa 22.1 The perfection of beauty Lament 2.15 The City judged by all to be impregnable Lament 4.12 But whatever Jerusalem was here 's the conclusion Jerusalem is smitten broken in pieces and laid utterly waste Kings Princes Nobles Counsellours Judges Prophets Priests People all were smitten In Rev 8.12 it s said The Sun Moon and Stars were smitten a third part of them but here the Sun Moon and Stars and Orbs they were in were wholly smitten O what darkness was then upon the face of the Jewish earth All created and artificiall glory is subject to smiting let not your hearts be taken with Sun Moon or Starres with Cities and the glory of them c. Fourthly Observe The faithfulnesse of God in performing what he foretells and promises Chap. 24.26 27. It was hinted to the Prophet that one should escape the fury of the Babylonians and bring the news of Jerusalems destruction and that That day his mouth should be opened and he should speak and is it not
here fulfilled punctually that day the party escaped came with that sad News of Jerusalems being smitten was the mouth of the Prophet opened and mark how forward God is to make good what he promises He opened not his mouth at the end of the day but the evening before the man came which was the beginning of their day he came in the morning by what time the Prophet might be up but God had been with the Prophet before Exod 12.41 Let us learn to be faithfull and perform to a day what we promise rather be before-hand with men then behind with them Fifthly Observe God is pleased sometimes to confirm the truths delivered by his servants by witnesse and signs Here was a witnesse came from Jerusalem to assure the Prophet and others that what had been prophesied against Jerusalem was true and made good here was sign upon sign he was as dumb before and now his mouth was opened which was a confirmation to him and others likewise Isa 44.20 He confirmeth the word of his servant and performeth the counsels of his Messengers Many would not believe Ezekiel not Jeremy touching the destruction of Jerusalem but God confirmed their words Sixthly Observe Liberty to speak the things of God is from the Spirit of God No man can prophesie or declare the things of the Lord unless the Spirit of God breath upon him and open his mouth The hand of the Lord was upon me and opened my mouth and I was no more dumb He had great freedom and boldnesse of speech when the Spirit of God came upon him that fill'd him with Sanctuary water and made the waters flow strongly before the Spirit waters them Prophets are dry before that speaks they are dumb but when the hand of the Lord is upon them then they cannot but speak and distill Heavenly dews or poure out great rains 2 Cor 6.11 O ye Corinthians Our mouth is open unto you our heart is inlarged The Spirit had fill'd his heart with divine things and his mouth was open freely and boldly to communicate the same unto them Verses 23 24 25 26. Then the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man they that inhabit those wastes of the Land of Israel speak saying Abraham was one and he inherited the Land but we are many the Land is given us for inheritance Wherefore say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Ye eat with the bloud and lift up your eyes toward your idols and shed blood and shall ye possesse the Land Ye stand upon your sword ye work abomination and ye defile every one his neighbours wife and shall ye possesse the Land THese words contain the causes that occasioned and moved God to denounce judgement against the Jews who escaped the Babylonish sword when Jerusalem was smitten The cause occasioning God to threaten them with destruction was their vain confidence that they should possess the Land still vers 24. The causes moving God to destroy them were their sins which are mentioned vers 25 26. Vers 23. Then the word of the Lord came unto me saying When the hand of the Lord was upon him when the Spirit of prophesie was upon him then the word of the Lord came unto him the Spirit brings the word of God unto men Prophets spake as they were inspired by the Spirit of God not of their own heads Ezekiel would rather be silent and dumb then speak from himself Vers 24. They that inhabit those wastes of the Land of Israel Nebuchadnezzar having been a year and half as appears by 2 Kings 25.1 2 3. Jerem 52.4 5 6. before Jerusalem with a great army of the worst of men Ezek 7.24 the Land of Israel oâ— Judah for Israel here is put for Judah could not but be greatly spoiled laid waste when once the Temple City were burnt and ruined then was the Land as a wilderness Zephany calls that day A day of wastnesse and desolation Chap. 1.15 And Jeremy saith The Land was then a desolate Wildernesse Chap 12.10 Some were left by Nebuzaradan to inhabit the waste and desolate places of the Land Jer. 39 10. He left some poor people gave them Vineyards and Fields to labour in and live upon and Gedaliah being made Governour many flocked unto him who had hid themselves in woods holes among the mountains and fled to neighbouring Countries for security Jer 40. 2 Kings 25.22 23. Speak saying Abraham was one and he inherited the Land The Land of Canaan was promised to Abraham and his seed Gen 12.7 Chap 15.18 26.4 Abraham did not inherit it personally he had not so much as one foot of ground in it Acts 7.4 5. He dwelt in it Gen 13.12 but had no inheritance in it therefore they here were mistaken to say He was one and he inherited the Land Abraham was one yea one that believed one that feared loved and obeyed God yet for his onenesse had he not the Land God gave him the Land having an eye to his faith and obedience Gen. 15.6 7. Chap. 22.16 17 18. But we are many the Land is given us for inheritance This was the argument with which they flattered themselves who were now remaining in Judaea that they should still possess the Land and recover themselves again The Land said they was given us for inheritance who are many as well as Abraham who was one if he enjoyed it being but one shall not we much more being many and being his Seed what reason hath God to cast us out of that inheritance he gave our father and us his children He will not do it we shall dwell here grow up quickly being many and recover our former liberty and glory But these men deceived themselves by this foolish reasoning for God did not give Canaan to Abraham because he was one and so principium numeri but propter foedus because of the Covenant which he made with him Gen 15.18 Chap 17.7 8. which Covenant Abraham kept living by faith in God and bringing forth fruits sutable thereunto which themselves did not For had they been the children of Abraham they would have done the works of Abraham as Christ said John 8.39 But you may see what their works were in the two verses following this we are speaking of Besides they had forgotten what God had threatned against those he gave the Land unto if they did forsake and disobey him Deut. 28.63 Chap 30.18 God told them they should not prolong their dayes but perish or be pluckt off the Land Little reason had they also to argue that they should be spared and possesse the Land because they were many for that as Junius well observes A greater number then they who had possessed the Land were cut off or removed out of the Land Vers 25. Wherefore say unto them thus saith the Lord God Their vain confidence provoked the Lord and therefore here he commissions the Prophet to tell them what he judged of them and their sayings His thoughts were
into Heaven by vers 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Not any one which goes no further But he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven My father saith Christ hath made known his will he would have men do his will and then he will open unto them and let them into Heaven It s not mens hearing or saying but their doing what they hear which pleads stronglyest for their entrance into Heaven Many men commend the Preacher the Word with their tongues but disgrace both with their lives The best commenders of the Preachers and their doctrine are mens lives when they are doers of the word Matth 25.21 It s well done thou good and faithfull servant enter thou into thy masters joy Not well heard or well said but well done Let us see to it that we be not hearers only but doers of the word Rev 22.14 Blessed are they that do his commandements that they may have right to the Tree of life and may â—nter in through the gates into the City Fifthly Observe The judgements threatned by the Prophets of God shall certainly take place When this cometh to passe lo it will come He means the sword wilde beasts pestilence utter desolation which were threatned It seem'd somewhat unlikely that after a war a few poor people left in wastes holes caves forts woods fields should be cut off but the Lord had said it and he did effect it How improbable or impossible soever things appear to us what God threatens by his Prophets to doe without repentance intervene he will accomplish Sixthly Observe Whatever the thoughts of wicked ones are for the present of the Prophets the time will come when they shall have other kind of thoughts of them When this cometh to passe then shall they know c. When the sword wilde beasts pestilence utter desolation are upon them and the Land when they are in straits in the jawes of death then they will have other apprehensions of Ezekiel then now they have Ezekiel at present is a lovely song like a man that hath a pleasant voice some affect him some scoff at him others censure him but when death is before them then their thoughts will alter then they will say Ezekiel told us of these things that are come upon us and how to avoid them he call'd upon us to consider our wayes to turn from all our iniquities and to provide for our souls we then slighted him only gave him the hearing of what he said but now we see he was a Prophet of God delivered weighty things and we were fools that we hearkened not unto him doing what he said When young men who despise all the Preachers say against whoredom and wanton courses come to be in years find their flesh and bodies to be consumed then will they have other thoughts of them and what they preached then will they say How have we hated instruction and our hearts despised reproof we obeyed not the voyce of our Teachers nor inclined our ears to them that instructed us Prov. 5.11 12 13. There were Prophets amongst us who sought our good who tendred mercy and many precious truths unto us but we were so blinded with our lusts so conceited of our own wayes that we rejected them and whatever they tendred us Seventhly Observe The Prophets will be witnesses at last against disobedient hearers They shall know that a Prophet hath been amongst them They heard Ezekiel but did not what he said his person his doctrine did at last bear witness against them Where-ever the Lord sets a faithful preacher who takes pains among the people declaring the mind of God unto them and they do not practice what they are taught that Preacher will rise up in judgement against them his doctrine his prayers tears drops of sweat his life his sufferings reproaches death will all be witnesses against them If the rust of mens silver and gold will be witnesses against them and eat their flesh like fire James 5.3 because they let their silver and gold lye by them and did not improve the same for publique good and in charitable uses how much more will the truths of God which the Preachers have commended unto them being neglected and not improved to the good of the hearers and others bear witness against them and eat their flesh yea their souls like fire Thousands who have flocked after Ministers to hear them will find those Ministers witnesses against them because they heard them only and never did what they heard What a multitude of witnesses will London and England have against them at the latter day All the Godly faithful Ministers whose doctrine hath been heard but never obeyed CHAP. XXXIV Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. And the Word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man prophesie against the shepherds of Israel prophesie and say unto them Thus saith the Lord God unto the Shepherds Wo be to the Shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves should not the Shepherds feed the flock Ye eat the fat and ye cloath you with the Wool ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the flock The diseased have ye not strengthned neither have ye healed that which was sick neither have ye bound up that which was broken neither have ye brought again that which was driven away neither have ye sought that which was lost but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them And they were scattered because there is no Shepherd and they became meat to all the beasts of the field when they were scattered My sheep wandred through all the mountains and upon every high hill yea my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth and none did search or seek after them EZekiel having reproved and threatned the judgements of God against the people for their sins he comes in this Chapter to deal with the Governours and Rulers of them through whose default they became so wicked and suffered the Babylonish yoke In this Chapter are these things considerable 1. A reproof of the Shepherds and judgement threatned against them in the first 10 verses 2. Gods care of and comfortable provision for his flock from the 10. vers to the 23. 3. A sweet Prophesie of Christ and his Kingdom under the figure of David from the 23. vers to the end Vers 1. The Word of the Lord came unto me saying These words we have often had by them the Prophet declares himself to be a true Prophet false ones spake of their own heads they had no word from God they deluded the people with lying words but Ezekiel had a word from God and that word he commended to the people Vers 2. Prophesie against the Shepherds of Israel The Shepherds of Israel were the chief Rulers both Political and Ecclesiastical Princes Magistrates Prophets Priests and Levites Isa 44.28 Cyrus is call'd a Shepherd Zech 11.17 those in the
Is it a small thing for you to weary men but will ye weary God also They refused to hear the Prophets and to hear God they wearied both with their delayes shifts and thought it a small matter but God judged it not so as the 16. 17. vers shew God blessed Jerusalem with choyce and various mercies and she sacrificed her children unto idols here she was unthankfull to God unmercifull unto her own flesh and thought it a matter of nothing Ezek 16.20 Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter Saith God Thou thinkest so but I think they are crying sins and will visit thee accordingly ver 38. Fifthly Observe God will distinguish between the oppressors and the oppressed between the bad and the good he will punish the one and deliver the other Behold I even I will judge between the fat Cattel and the lean and because the fat and strong ones thrust with their sides and shoulders and push'd with their horns therefore God would feed them with judgement they should have according to their deserts and destroy them but for the weak diseased oppressed he would save them Rich men and those that are great in the world being wicked do unjust things thrust hard at the people of God keep them under cut them short deprive them of their rights and liberties yea oft push them so with their horns that they drive them out of all their enjoyments Jerem 40.12 Chap 43.5 Isa 16.4 Let mine out-casts dwell with thee Moab The Goats and Rams had driven some of the â—lock not only out of the fold but out of the field this God beholds and will recompence upon the oppressors heads Psal 12.5 For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Japiach lo from him that would insnare him Lot sighed and groaned in Sodom and when the Sodomites did puff at him and seek to insnare him the Lord arose and set him in safety 2 Pet. 2.7 8 9. See Psal 37.37 38 39 40. Did not the Lord of late make a distinction among us between Cattel and Cattel hath he not judged the fat and strong ones punished the Rams and He-goats and provided for his Flock some there be still that thrust with the side and shoulder that push with their horns with whom ere long God will reckon and without repentance he will destroy them Vers 23 24. And I will set up one Shepherd over them and he shall feed them even my seâ—vant David he shall feed them and he shall be their Shepherd And I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince among them I the Lord have spoken it HEre begins a sweet Prophesie of Christ and his Kingdome with many benefits which the Flock of God shall have therein 1. An happy Condition under him and his government vers 23. 2. God to be theirs vers 24. 3. A Covenant of peace vers 25. 4. Protection vers 25 28. 5. Security vers 25 27 28. 6. Watering and fruitfulnesse vers 26 27. 7. Freedom from enemies vers 27. and evills ver 29. 8. The presence of God vers 30. And I will set up one shepherd over them Some make this shepherd to be Zerubbabel who came of the Race of David and brought the Jews out of Babylon into their old pastures again viz into the Land of Canaan where they had their Temple Worship and Ordinances as in former dayes but if we consult Chap 37.24 25. where he speaks of the same person you shall find things there incompetent to Zerubbabel and must refer unto Christ and the things mentioned here were not fulfilled in Zerubbabels dayes By Shepherd is meant the Lord Christ who is frequently so called in Scripture as 1 Pet 2.25 John 10.16 Zech 13.7 Isa 40.11 and not simply a Shepherd But First The true Shepherd John 10.2 He that entereth in by the door is the Shepherd of the Sheep that is the true shepherd and dischargeth that trust committed unto him most faithfully Secondly The good shepherd John 10.11 14. Never any like him for goodness he laid down his life for his sheep he knew them exactly and was so conversant with them that they knew his voice he took not away from but gave fleeces unto his sheep and supplyed all their wants Thirdly The great shepherd yea that great shepherd of the sheep Heb 13.20 He made the sheep he owns the sheep he hath more and greater Flocks then any other shepherd in the world he stands and feeds them in the strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the name of the Lord his God Micah 5.4 Fourthly The chief shepherd 1 Pet 5.4 He sets all others over his flock and they are under him 1 Cor 12.28 Eph 4.11 They are sheep he is head of the Church Eph 1.22 and their shepherd Psal 23.1 The Lord is my shepherd saith David who was a Prophet and a King both an Ecclesiastical and a Political Shepherd Fifthly One shepherd as here One either in opposition to the multitude they had before which wrong'd the Flock Jer 12.10 Many Pastors have destroyed my Vineyard they have troden my portion under foot of which sort Christ speaks John 10.8 All that ever came before me are Thieves and Robbers Or One that is the first or only Shepherd unto whom none is comparable the only wise shepherd that gave out living and effectual truth Eccles 12.11 The words of the wise are as goads and as nailes fastned by the Masters of Assemblies which are given from one shepherd that is from Christ the only shepherd all the Masters of Assemblies had their words from Christ which ever did any souls good This shepherd did not intrude himself into the office but was call'd and sent of God I will set up The Chaldee Paraphrase is I will raise up one Governour over them and he shall govern them This expression of setting up is in the New Testament set out by giving John 3.16 by sending Gal 4.4 by sealing John 6.27 And he shall feed them This word feed notes the whole office of a shepherd which is briefly set out vers 4. viz Strengthning the diseased or weake healing the sick binding up the broken bringing back that which was driven away seeking up that which was lost and ruling gently Others make these things the compleat office of a shepherd viz providing good and wholesome pastures for them bringing back those that go astray keeping â—hem from Wolves and wilde Beasts and healing those which are ill affected All these were found in Christ Isa 61.1 2 3. Luke 4.18 19. Isa 40.11 Jer 3.15 Isa 27.3 Psal 23.1 2. Micah 5.4 John 10.4 The difference between this shepherd and all others First He is an universall shepherd all flocks are his God saith Psal 50.10 The Cattel upon a thousand Hills are mine and Christ saith The flocks in a thousand Countries are mine the
Churches in Judaea Galilee and Samaria Acts 9.31 The Churches of Syria and Cilicia Acts 15.41 The Churches in Asia Rev 1.11 The Churches of Macedonia 2 Cor 8.1 The Churches of Galatia 1 Cor 16.1 The Churches of the Gentiles Rom 16.4 are all called the Churches of Christ Rom 16.16 They had their particular Pastors Teachers Elders but Christ was the universal Pastor Paul was the Apostle of the Gentiles Peter of the Jews but Christ was the Apostle and Shepherd of both therefore saith John 10.16 That he hath other sheep which he must bring to his fold meaning the Gentiles Secondly Christ is a shepherd that feeds them with such meat and drink as other Shepherds cannot they may feed them with knowledge and understanding Jer 3.15 but besides this Christ feeds them with his flesh and bloud John 6.51 53 54 55. Math 26.26 28. he feeds them with his Spirit John 16.7 Acts 8.15 17. Thirdly He inables all other Shepherds to discharge the trust committed to them Those that are over his flocks he gave them their gifts their graces their power they have nothing but what they received of him therefore Isaiah Chap 50.4 saith The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know to speak a word in season to him that is weary Isaiah who was one of the Jewish shepherds had all his wisdome skill and power from the Lord Christ And when he sent out his twelve Apostles Matth 10.8 he told them they had freely received and must freely give no Shepherds give ought to Christ he communicates all to them John 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing but Christ could do all without them Fourthly Christ is an abiding an everlasting unchangeable Shepherd Other Shepherds are flitting hither and thither and at last dye and leave the Flock Christ doth not so he dyed for the Flock but was brought again from the dead Heb 13.20 and lives for ever making intercession for his Flock Heb 7.25 he stands on Mount Zion Rev 14.1 beholding and feeding them daily he walks in the midst of the golden Candlesticks Rev 2.1 Fifthly Christ knows which are Sheep and which are Goats John 10.3 14 26 27. others do not Even my servant David Christ is here called David and so in many other places as Jer 30.9 Hos 3.5 Isa 37.35 2 Kings 19.34 Ezek 37.24 25. In all those places is Christ call'd David because he came of the seed of David according to the flesh as it is Rom 1.3 and because David was a type of Christ he might have said My servant Abraham Isaac Jacob as Isa 49.3 Thou art my servant O Israel Christ is called Israel because he was from the Israelitish Naâ—ion but David is named because he was the first Godly King of all Israel and Judah Vid Galat l. 3. c. 25. and so typed out Christ more eminently then his predecessors My servant So Christ is called Isa 42.1 Chap 52.13 Ezek 37.24 25. and in other places A servant is one who is under another and who keeps and doth things commended to him by his Master Christ as man was under his Father and kept his commandements John 15.10 He served him in taking mans nature upon him and doing his will in redeeming and saving man Heb 10.9 Matth 20.28 John 13.16 Phil 2.7 He shall feed them he shall be their shepherd He insists upon and repeats the same thing again to shew the great care diligence and intention of Christ in and upon his work of feeding the flock he shall make it his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his business to do it others have made it their work to fleece them to scatter or devoure them but he shall so mind them as to make up what was wanting in others and to do some singular thing for them he shall go in and out before them and lay down his life for them Vers 24. And I the Lord will be their God The Hebrew is And I Jehovah will be to them for a God or a God to them The French is Mais moy qui suis Seigneur ie seray leur Dieu But I who am the Lord will be their God though I give them Christ to be their shepherd yet I will be their God I will not denude or divest my self of my right and power over them but I will still be their God this sense is true but I like it better to take the words as we have them And I the Lord will be their God I will set my son or servant David over them to feed them and I the Lord will be their God they shall find me a mercifull and gracious God they shall find me in Christ my son their Shepherd reconciling them unto my selfe not imputing their trespasses unto them I will be their God to pardon them to take special care of them to deliver them to comfort and counsell them in all their straits and miseries and to communicate choice mercies unto them Of these words before Chap 11.20 And my servant David a Prince among them The words are to be read thus My servant David shall be a Prince amongst them if we take the former words with them its clear they ought to be read I will be their God and my servant David shall be a Prince among them so Piscator reads the words and so the French translation Mon servit cur David ser aâ—le Prince au milieux d'eux My servant David shall be a Prince in the midst of them Whether this prophesie be fullfill'd is questionable there is somewhat in the Gospel may make us conceive it is for Matth 2.2 it s said where is he that is born King of the Jews and Matth 21.5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion behold thy King cometh unto thee Acts 5.31 God hath exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour and Rev 1.5 He is stiled Prince of the Kings of the earth these Scriptures evince that Christ is a King a Prince but not that he reigned as a Prince among them for he professes that he came not to Reigne but to serve Mat. 20.28 Phil. 2.7 and therefore washed his Disciples feet John 13.12 and when they would make him a King he would not John 6.15 Christ hath appeared fully in his Priestly and Propheticall Office and hath had the honour of them but he hath not appeared in his Kingly Office nor had the honour of it therefore it s conceived this prophesie is not yet fulfilled but that the time is to come wherein he shall reign as a Prince and King in the midst of his people Luke 22.29 30. I appoint unto you a Kingdome as my father hath appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdome The time is coming that Christ shall reign and keep a Table like a Prince where his friends shall freely eat and drink Christ speaks not this of his spiritual Kingdome which is now in the Churches and hearts of his people
nor of his Kingdome of glory for there is no eating or drinking but of his personall humane Kingdome as some term it for Rev 3.21 Christ hath another Throne to sit in then his Fathers in which at the present he doth sit Christ hath not possession of that Throne yet when he hath his promise is That those that overcome shall sit with him therein I shall have occasion in the 37. Chapter of our Prophet to speak to this so controverted a point I the Lord have spoken it These words are as a seal to and ratification of what went before If you make question of what is said if you conceit these promises are too great and good for you or hard to be accomplished know I the Lord who am Jehovah and give being to all my promises I have spoken it First Observe The appointing of Offices in the Church belongs to God not to man I will set up a shepherd over them God appointed the office and the Officer 1 Cor 12.28 God hath set some in the Church 1. Apostles 2. Prophets 3. Teachers In the Romish Church are many Officers which God never appointed there be Popes Cardinals Patriarchs Archbishops c. which places were never appointed by God and therefore have no blessing go along with them but serve for secular ends even pomp and tyrannizing over the consciences of men Secondly Observe It s a great mercy and happinesse to that people who have Christ for their Shepherd The Lord doth promise it here as a choyce blessing unto them to give them Christ for their Shepherd The mercies or blessings are divers First They shall be sure to be fed He shall feed them his heart will be upon them and take special care that they have wholsome and good food vers 14. I will feed them in a good Pasture yea in a fat pasture shall they feed they shall not want but have the green pastures and still waters Psal 23.1 2. yea he will feed them with his own Flesh and give them his own bloud to drink Secondly He will govern them with gentlenesse and with skill their former Shepherds did thrust with the side and shoulder and push with the horn Christ would not do so he is likened to David who was meek and gentle 1 Chron 28.2 Then David the King stood upon his feet and said hear me my brethren and my people Here he expressed his disposition and affection to his people so Christ he was a gentle mild and meek Shepherd Isa 40.11 David was wise and skilfull Psal 78.72 and Christ orders them by judgement he judges between Sheep and Sheep and deals with them according to their ages conditions and capacities Thirdly He will lead them in the right way John 10.4 He goes before them and they follow him Christ never is out of the way and where he is the leader how can the Sheep go astray Psal 23.3 He leadeth me in paths of righteousnesse Whoever follows Christ shall be found in a path of righteousnesse if we follow others we may be lead into by-wayes therefore saith Paul 1 Cor 11.1 Be ye followers of me c. Fourthly He will keep them so that none shall be lost or miscarry he is vigilant and potent he sees the wolves and lyons when they are coming and suffers them not to destroy his Sheep or Lambs John 10.27 28. My sheep hear my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand All the persecuting Emperours could not pluck one Sheep out of Christs hand out of the hands of other shepherds its easie to pull them but impossible to pull them out of Christs hand he knows its his Fathers will that of all he hath given him he should lose nothing John 6.39 and Christ will lose nothing Vers 25. And I will make with them a Covevenant of peace and will cause the evill beasts to cease out of the Land and they shall dwell safely in the wildernesse and sleep in the woods The Lord proceeds here in mentioning more benefits which his Flock should have in the Kingdome and under the Government of Christ their Shepherd and they are three Peace Protection Security I will make with them a Covenant of peace The Hebrew is I will cut with them a Covenant of peace the reason of which phrase is this When the Jews made Covenants they used to take a Calf and cut it in the midst laying the two halves at a distance and so passed between them this was their manner of covenanting and hence came the expression of cutting a Covenant How the Heathens made their Covenants see Piscat in loc Maldon in Jer. 34.18 see Jerem 34.18 to this God alludes when he saith I will cut or strike a Covenant with them he did it by making Christ a sacrifice by sheding his bloud dividing his soul and body who Isa 42.6 is said to be the Covenant of the people that is the Mediator of the Covenant between God and his people The word for Covenant is Berith of which and whence it comes hath largely been spoken Ezek 16.8 It s not a Covenant of works but a Covenant of peace which some interpret of external peace plenty and prosperity which they should have but the peace here meant reacheth further then to outwards it s a peace concerns the soul a peace procured by the bloud of Christ Col 1.20 And having made peace by the bloud of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things to himself Hence as Christ is call'd the Covenant so he is call'd our peace Eph 2.14 He is our peace who hath made both one He is the ground and foundation of peace between Jew and Gentile between God and man and the Gospel upon this account is call'd the Gospel of peace Ephes 6.15 for Christ preached peace unto them Ephes 2.17 This peace is not like the peace of the world John 14.27 but its peace that quiets the conscience passeth understanding keeps the heart and rules in the soul Rom 5.1 Phil 4.7 Col 3.15 Where this peace is neither death nor Devil are feared because sin is remitted 1 Cor 15.55 56 57. Rom 8.33 34. And will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the Land In the 70. years captivity when Judaea was without inhabitant wild beasts might multiply therein these God doth promise to cause to cease they should be no more But these evil beasts were rather false Teachers and Tyrants wicked Political and Ecclesiastical Shepherds God would order it so that these who were worse then Bears Lyons Wolves and Foxes should be no more and in stead of such he would give them good Magistrates and Ministers Jer 23.4 I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them and they shall fear no more nor be dismayed There is another construction to be made of the words namely this That God would cause the wild
shall yeeld her increase When there have been seasonable rains the earth hath brought forth abundantly in some places thirty in some sixty in some a hundred fold The word for increase is Jebul from Jabal to bring because the earth doth bring profit to the owners thereof By Tree and Earth we may understand the higher and meaner sort of people who under the Gospel and showrs of it should become fruitfull And they shall be safe in their Land In the 25. vers it s said They shall dwell safely in the wildernesse and here They shall be safe in their Land they should have safety every where and the words are repeated to shew the certainty thereof When I have broken the bands of their yoke This yoke was the Babylonish captivity which is call'd a yoke Jerem 30.8 and it lay heavily upon them Isa 47.6 The bands of this yoke were the Babylonish powers Nebuchadrezzar his Princes and Officers but God did break the Babylonish Empire in pieces by Cyrus and Darius and so took the yoke off their necks setting them at liberty Yokes are burdensome restrictive and reproachfull this breaking yokes and bands and bringing the Jews out of Babylon typed out the spiritual liberty of the Church in Christs time when Antichristian bands and yokes should be broken and people brought out of spiritual Babylon And delivered them out of the hands of those that served themselves of them The Hebrew is And shall deliver them out of the hands of them who made them to serve the Babylonians made the Jews to serve and work for them being captives among them Exigebant servitutem ab ipsis they exacted service of them their dealings with the Jews were like the Egyptians who were cruel taskmasters over them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Avad saith Lavater saevitiem in aliquem exercere significat tanquam in servam First Observe Temporal and Spiritual blessings are from God he makes people blessed and gives them what blessings he pleases I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing Gen 9.1 God blessed Noah and his sons and said unto them be fruitfull multiply and replenish the earth here God is the Authour of temporal blessings Gen 12.2 Of Abraham God said I will blesse thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing and I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all familyes of the earth be blessed Here God shews himself Authour of temporal and spiritual blessings its peculiar unto God to blesse Balak was out when he said of Balaam I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed and he whom thou cursest is cursed Numb 22.6 No it s not in the power of any creature to blesse or curse men and Devils may utter words of blessing or cursing but they cannot make blessed or cursed its God who turns blessings into curses Mal 2.2 and curses into blessings Nehem 13.2 Secondly Observe Others faire the better for the Churches sake I will make the places round about my hill a blessing On the Hill of Sion was the Temple the place where God recorded his Name there were the solemn assemblies the divine ordinances Gods presence and all that were near in Judaea yea the Nations round about had some blessing and benefit thereby they heard of the God of Israel that he differed from all idol gods they heard of his Laws that they were more righteous then the Laws of the Nations they saw his Sabbaths how strictly they were kept they heard of the Prophets that were in Jerusalem and Israel did not Naaman a Syrian get a blessing from Elisha 2 Kings 5. The wisdome of Solomon had influence into all the places round about Sion yea into all the Countries far off The Queen of Sheba heard thereof and it was a blessing unto her from any Nation they might come to Sion become Proselites and enjoy what mercies the Jews themselves enjoyed Micah 4.1 2. In the last dayes it shall come to passe that the Mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the Mountains and it shall be exalted above the hills and people shall flow unto it and many Nations shall come and say Come let us go up unto the Mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his Statutes for the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem These things are spoken of Christs times when the Church should be very eminent and conspicuous like the highest of hills when the Law of faith and the Gospel should go out of Sion and Jerusalem and be a blessing unto all Nations Thirdly Observe Gods blessings are seasonable both temporal and spiritual are in due time I will cause the showre to come down in his season when it shall be a blessing do much good there shall be showres of blessing Levit 26.4 I will give you rain in due season and the Land shall yield her increase and the Trees of the field shall yield their fruit Those rains are seasonable which cause fruitfulness those are unseasonable rains which hinder or destroy the fruit of the Trees and encrease of the earth The Lord observes times and seasons to do sinners good both for body and soul Isa 30.18 He waits that he may be gracious he waits for fit seasons wherein his mercies may come with advantage and acceptance unto men Isa 55.10 11. As the rain cometh down and the snow from Heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud which is an argument it came in season so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it God gives his word seasonably as he doth the rain Tit 1.3 God hath in due times manifested his word through preaching the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his own times and those are the due times the seasonablest times Gal. 4.4 When the fullnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman Christs birth was at the fullness of time when it was most seasonable so his death Rom 5.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in due time or according to the season Christ dyed for the ungodly Psal 72.6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grasse as the showres that water the earth As Solomon was to the people by his wisdome and justice like seasonable rains to the grasse and earth much more is God and Christ so to the Church what seasonable dews droppings and influences of the Spirit hath it from them which make it to grow green and flourish Let us wait for his showres and influences none can give them but himself and when he gives them it s in season Fourthly Observe
your God saith the Lord God This ver is the key to open what was said before the Lord had spoken oft of his flock lest any should take the same litterally here he unfolds his mind and tells us plainly his flock are men not bruit creatures The Hebrew word for flock is twice and ye my flock the flock of my pasture Some read the words in the Future thus Ye my flock of my pasture shall be men hitherto ye have been brutish ye have favoured the things of the earth and followed after carnall things but henceforward ye shall be men cleaving to God and heavenly things We may take them as they are and find that sense in them which Sanctius hath I have told you of great things that my servant David shall be your Shepherd and a Prince among you that ye shall dwell safely in wildernesses sleep in woods and that none shall make you afraid yea I have told you that I will free you from bondage shame famine and that I will make you renowned blessing you with variety and plenty of temporal and spiritual good things but you see not how these things can be accomplished you are men full of infirmities shallow of understanding apt to doubt and make objections but I am God and your God I have promised and will perform saith Adonai Jehovah my word is truth and my power shall give being to whatsoever I have said There is yet another sence of these words ye the flock of my pasture are men that is men call'd out of the world men renewed by the transforming of your minds men walking in the Spirit not after the flesh men given up to me and my wayes men dealing justly and honestly men fearing God and pursuing holinesse men of choice spirits and practices this sence I should approve of but that the word for men is Adam which rather imports men with their frailties then men with their excellencies My flock of my pasture God calls them the flock of his pasture because he provided for them food for their bodyes and souls as a Shepherd doth provide pasture for his sheep he gave them Manna from Heaven in former dayes and now he gives them his Ordinances his Word the flesh and bloud of his Son Gods flock is different from other Flocks and hath different pastures they are of the world and feed upon the Acorns and Husks of the same but Gods Flock is picked out of the world separate from it and feeds on Heavenly dainties I am your God This is a great and gracious word what can the Lord say more then this to any I am your God what can any desire more then to have God theirs Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee saith Asaph Let others desire what they will in Heaven or earth I desire nothing but God himself Asaph knew that in having him for his God he should have all things When the Lord saith so he doth ingage himself all his attributes and whatsoever he hath unto the people or person he so saith First Observe God hath a peculiar people on earth which he owns and feeds Ye my flock the flock of my pasture God hath elect call'd justified and adopted Ones which make up his flock see 1 Pet 2.9 10. Titus 2.14 Zech. 13.9 I will say it is my people God hath a people refined and tryed in the furnace of affliction which he is not ashamed of but owns openly and this people he provides for Isa 65.13 Behold my servant shall eat but ye shall be hungry behold my servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty behold my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed Gods people shall have meat and drink and that with gladness Acts 2.46 They have hidden Manna Rev 2.17 They are fed by the Lamb and drink of living Fountains of waters Rev 7.17 They are a peculiar people and have peculiar meat and drink Secondly Observe That of whomsoever Gods Flock doth consist yet they are weak and frail creatures The Flock of my pasture are men Noah Lot Abraham Jacob Job David Jeremy Peter Paul John who were Worthies in Israel yet had their weaknesses and shew'd themselves to be men Can God prepare a Table in the Wildernesse said the house of Israel and Mary whom all generations call'd blessed we may call an Adamite the Daughter of Adam for she shew'd her weakness when she said How can this be seeing I know not a man Luke 1.34 Thirdly Observe The happinesse and comfort of Gods flock lyeth in having God to be their God and his manifestation of it Ye are men feeble helpless things but I am your God saith the Lord whatsoever is defective in your selves is redundant in me as there is nothing but impotency and misery in you so there is nothing but power grace and happiness in me I have loved you freely and taken you to be my flock I have given my self unto you and all I have with my self and this I make known unto you CHAP. XXXV Vers 1 2 3 4 5. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man set thy face against Mount Seir and prophesie against it And say unto it Thus saith the Lord God Behold O Mount Seir I am against thee and I will stretch out mine hand against thee and I will make thee most desolate I will lay thy Cityes waste and thou shalt be desolate and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred and hast shed the bloud of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity in the time that their iniquity had an end THE Lord having in the former Chapter laid down many precious promises for the restauration freedom and comfort of his afflicted Flock here he comes to deal with the enemies of his Church and in the Chapter are 1. Threatnings of punishments vers 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 14 15. 2. The sins moving God thereunto vers 5 10 11 12 13. 3. The end of those threatnings and punishments vers 4 11 15. Verses 1 2. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man set thy face against Mount Seir. The Prophet received the word from and was impowered by God to prophesie against Mount Seir. Of setting the face towards or against was spoken before Chap 20.46 Chap. 21.2 Chap 25.2 where there is a prophesie against Moab and Seir. He must turn himself another way and speak boldly against Mount Seir. that is against Idumea wherein Mount Seir was between the Lake Asphaltites and Egypt where Esau and his posterity dwelt Gen 32.3 who were called Edomites or Idumeans Vers 3. Behold O Mount Seir I am against thee Here is a sad message for Mount Seir or rather the inhabitants of Idumea who by a Metonymie are understood thereby they had God against them and this
toward his servants and his indignation towards his enemies God will put a difference between his people and his enemies for the one he will put forth his power for their good and for the other he will let out his indignation for their destruction Thirdly Observe God takes notice how the hearts of men stand towards his people whether they love them or hate them Esau and his posterity hated Jacob and his posterity and this the Lord noted not only doth he observe what they do to his but also what spirits they have towards his Esther 9.1 The Jews had rule over them that hated them The Lord regarded the spirits of the Babylonians how malicious they were towards the Jewes Fourthly Observe The nature of hatred is lasting and destructive Thou hast had a perpetuall hatred and hast shed the bloud of the children of Israel This hatred had lasted above 1200 years it was an hatred of Ages it ran through Generation after Generation and lasted from Esau's dayes to the Babylonish captivity and notwithstanding it was so old yet it had so much spirit and life in it as to shed the bloud of Israelites Hatred is implacable and seeks the utter extirpation of what it hates Cain hated Abel and slew him the Jews hated Christ and they were restless till they had cut him off from the Land of the living David tells you Psal 25.19 what is the true nature of hatred saith he They hate me with cruell hatred not that any hatred is gentle For the mercies of the wicked are cruell Pro 12.10 but all hatred is cruell and bloudy it would tear the party hated in pieces and shred him as hearbs for the pot Fifthly Observe God is much incensed against them who deal harshly with his people being in a suffering condition These Edomites were bitter and bloudy to the Israelites when they were in great affliction deprived of all their outward comforts and fled for their lives they being Cognati faederati vicini should upon those accounts have had pity on them or if not on those respects yet for that they were men and what befalls one condition of men may befall another but they shewed them no mercy they shed their bloud in the day of their calamity and therefore God was wroth laid waste their Cityes and shed their bloud Obad 10. For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off for ever Thus God made good what he gave out by the mouth of Solomon Pro 17.5 He that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished Verses 6 7 8 9. Therefore as I live saith the Lord God I will prepare thee unto bloud and bloud shall pursue thee sith thou hast not hated bloud even bloud shall pursue thee Thus will I make Mount Seir most desolate and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth And I will fill his mountains with his slain men in thy hills and in thy valleyes and in all thy rivers shall they fall that are slain with the sword I will make thee perpetuall desolations and thy Cityes shall not return and ye shall know that I am the Lord. IN these verses Gods proceeding against the Edomites is more particularly laid down 1. Here is the destruction of themselves vers 6. 8. 2. The desolation and misery of their Countrey vers 7. 9. 3. The confirmation of both these by an oath vers 6. Vers 6. Therefore as I live saith the Lord God Of this divine oath hath oft been spoken it s used sometimes to confirm promises as Isa 49.18 19. but most frequently to confirm threatnings which are hardly believed Seeing thou hast been unbrotherlike unnatural to the Jews in shedding of their bloud Therefore as I live as sure as I am the living God I will prepare thee to bloud thou thinkest thy self secure and that no mischief shall come upon thee but let not me be the living God if you escape so I will prepare thee unto bloud The Hebrew is Because I will make thee unto bloud that is I will fit thee prepare thee unto bloud I will order things so that thy bloud shall be shed Efficiam ut gladio cadas Thou shalt be cut off by the sword And bloud shall pursue thee Gods oath we may refer to these words and read the verse thus As I live saith the Lord God because I will prepare thee unto bloud even bloud shall pursue thee By bloud here we may understand either the bloud of the Jews which they had shed and cryed for vengeance like the bloud of Abel or by bloud may be meant bloudy men those are thine enemies they shall pursue thee and shed thy bloud without pity Sith thou hast not hated bloud The Hebrew is im lo dam sanetha si non sanguinem odio habueris so Montanus Some make these words im lo to carry the form of an oath thus If thou dost not suffer for thy hatred of thy brethren let me not be the true God Several wayes men render these words but Piscators the French and our translation are most approveable Because or Sith thou hast not hated bloud or If thou hatest not bloud The Edomites did not hate shedding of bloud but were glad of that opportunity they had to cut off the Jews that so they might ingratiate themselves with the Babylonians Vers 7. Thus will I make Mount Seir most desolate Mount Seir is put for the Land of Idumea which was a pleasant and fruitfull Land but this would God make desolation even desolation that is most desolate it should be void of inhabitants And cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth God would do by Idumea as men do by a Wood cut down the great Trees and the lesser even every Tree and every Bush so not only the great Ones in Idumea but the meaner sort such as travelled from place to place to get a living those that carried out commodities and those that brought them in they should all be cut off there should be none left to tread in her paths Vers 8. And I will fill his Mountains with his slain men Idumea had many mountains which formerly were fill'd with sheep and oxen but now they should be fill'd with the carkasses of slain men which shews the greatnesse of the slaughter that should be made of the Idumeans Such a generall destruction of them there should be as that in all places the dead should lye in the hills in the valleys and in the rivers they fled to those places to secure themselves from the Chaldaean Army and there they slew them and made them meat for the Fowles of Heaven and Fish in the waters Vers 9. I will make thee perpetual desolations There is another Scripture speaking thus much that Edom should not only be desolate but desolate for ever as Jerem 49.17 18. it should be made like Sodom and Gomorrah none should abide or dwell there
other affections to accomplish its ends Jealousie kindles anger and casts forth hatred fear sets grief and despair on work The affections are seated so near one another in the heart that if one move sinfully the rest are ready to stir and accompany the same Let us look well to our affections for they are dangerous things Solomon knew it and therefore Prov 4.23 counsels us to keep our hearts with all diligence Secondly Observe God will deal with men not only according to their evill actions but according to their evill affections also I will even do according to thine anger and according to thine envy Men are convinced they must be responsive for evill actions but not so for evill affections The Lord puts it out of doubt here and swears to it As I live saith the Lord God I will even do according to thine anger c. Mat 5.22 He that is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment Rev 21.8 The fearfull shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Edoms rejoycing is mentioned Obad 12. among the sins caused God to cut her off John 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse God will deal with men for their sinful fear sinful joy and sinful love for sinfull affections as well as sinfull actions Hence are we counselled to put away all bitternesse wrath and anger Ephes 4.31 To mortifie inordinate affection Coloss 3.5 Thirdly Observe After the insulting enemies of Sion are punished God will shew kindnesse unto Sion she shall have expressions of his love I will make my selfe known amongst them that is those of Sion after I have judged thee that is the Edomites they insulted over the Jews and added affliction to affliction which the Lord visited them for and then comforted his afflicted people The Babylonians were bitter enemies to the Jews they insulted over them and said Sing us one of the songs of Sion Psal 137.3 for which you may see how God would deal with them Isa 13. The Medes should destroy them and that without pitty and what then Chap 14.12 3. The Lord will have mercy on Jacob and will yet chuse Israel and set them in their own Land they shall rule over their oppressors and have rest from their sorrows After Sennacheribs Army was destroyed by the Angel of the Lord which insulted over the Jews and spake blasphemous things against God and Hezekiah did not God express love to Hezekiah and in him to all the Jews in granting him fifteen years more unto his dayes Isa 37. 38. When God had judged the Egyptians he brought forth the Jews seated them in Canaan and shewed them not a little kindnesse there Acts 7.7 Verses 12 13. And thou shalt know that I am the Lord and that I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel saying They are laid desolate they are given us to consume Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me and have multiplied your words against me I have heard them THeir blasphemies against God and Israel are here set down and the notice God took of them Vers 12. Thou shalt know that I am the Lord and that I have heard all thy blasphemies The Hebrew is thus Thou shalt know that I the Lord have heard all thy blasphemies The Edomites spake freely against the Jews thinking God had cast them off and cared not for them but when he should judge and punish them then they should be convinced that he had heard their blasphemies The word for blasphemy is Neatzah from Naatz to despise contemptuously to provoke Kirker saith it s to provoke contumeliis convitiis verbis maledicis with reproachful and cursed speeches Junius hath it omnes irritationes tuas all thy provocations the Septuagint French and others have it blasphemies Which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel By mountains of Israel the Land and people of Israel are intended that Land was full of mountains and among others there was the mountain of the Lord Psal 24.3 and they spake against that mountain with the rest Saying they are laid desolate Are these words so evill as that they should be judged blasphemy its not to be doubted but they said more though it be not here expressed Obad vers 12. Edom spake proudly in the day of Jerusalems distresse She insulted and gloryed in the sufferings and desolations of the people and Land Where is your Temple and City said they that stood on Mount Sion where are the Cattel that fed upon the Mountains and were for sacrifices They are laid desolate now where will you have sacrifices and whither will ye go to sacrifice Thus they spake blasphemously They are given us to consume The Jews are now destroyed and gone into captivity they shall never return to take possession of these mountains again they are now given to us to be a prey but who gave them they declare not God did not give them unto the Edomites and no other could for the Land was the Lords they took the Mountains of Israel their covetous hearts would have them vers 10. and what would they do with them Consume them saith our Translation but the Hebrew is Leaclah ad commedendum to eat that is to bring them under our power and to make use of for our good Vers 13. Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me Ye have magnified against me saith the Hebrew you have spoken great words your mouth hath been wide open against me and hath lift you up above me or against me Obad 12. is thus Thou hast magnified thy mouth which is rendred Thou hast spoken proudly Qui impudenter obloquuntur alteri subsannant illum jactando seipsos dicuntur magnificare os suum Jer 48.26 Moab magnified against the Lord that is magnified his mouth against him by speaking arrogant words Ezek 25.8 Moab said Behold the house of Judah is like unto all the Heathen When men speak proudly insolently against God or his people they do magnifie with their mouths or magnifie their mouths And have multiplyed their words against me They spake much more then is expressed They multiply words The Hebrew word for multiply here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athar which signifies Verba fundere magna copia verba fortia as in prayer these Edomites did multiply words words against the Lord and their words were stout against him I have heard them Though you thought me shut up in the Heavens that I could not hear at so great a distance or that I minded not the affairs of the world especially what words one Nation speaks against another yet saith God I have heard them First Observe The Lord takes notice of all the bitter reproachfull and provoking speeches which wicked ones do utter against the Church and People of God I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the Mountains
of Israel Whether Edom secretly muttered out or openly vented her blasphemies The Lord heard them Ammon said Aha against Gods Sanctuary when it was profaned and against the Land of Israel when it was desolate and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity Ezek 25.3 And Moab said the house of Judah is like unto all the Heathen When they said so was the Lord deaf Zeph 2.8 I have heard the reproach of Moab and the revilings of the children of Ammon whereby they have reproached my people and magnified themselves against their border The Lord heard and remembred what they said and made it known to all Ages so did he hear what Tyrus the Sea-City said insultingly against Jerusalem Ezek 26.2 He took notice of the Letter that Rehum the Chancellor and Shimshai the Scribe and the rest of their companions wrought against Jerusalem Ezra 4.8 There is nothing said or thought against the people of God but he is privy to it Lament 3.61 saith Jeremy Thou hast heard their reproach O Lord and all their imaginations against me God heard not only what their wicked tongues spake but also what their vile hearts imagined yea all that they imagined he hears imaginations Secondly Observe God will convince and make blasphemers know that he heard their blasphemies And thou shalt know that I the Lord have heard all thy blasphemies Men blaspheme Heaven and Earth they speak proudly against God Christ Scriptures Ordinances and flatter themselves that they shall never more hear of their blasphemies they think God minds them not but God hath times to make such black mouth'd wretches to know that he heard them even all of them when God visited Edom with the sword then they should know it when death comes or judgement after death then shall they know what they have said If men must give account of every idle word they speak Matth 12.36 much more of reviling and blasphemous words Thirdly Observe The revilings and blasphemies uttered against the people of God God accounts as spoken against himself The Edomites spake against the Jews and the mountains of Israel but thus saith the Lord With your mouth ye have boasted against me and have multiplyed your words against me It s my self you reproach and speak against when you deal so by my people What Moab said against the house of Judah Ezek 25.8 God saith was against himself Jerem. 48.26 42. Moab hath magnified himself against the Lord. When the wicked spake against Gods servants truth and Sanctuary David saith they reproached God Psal 74.22 Arise O God plead thine own cause remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily it was God they reproached As wicked men act against God when they act against his people 2 Chro 14.11 Numb 16.3 with Numb 27.3 so they speak against God when they speak against his people all the bitter reviling and provoking speeches they utter against them God hears reckons as vented against himselfe and will recompence into the bosomes of his enemies Verses 14 15. Thus saith the Lord God When the whole earth rejoyceth I will make thee desolate As thou didst rejoyce at the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate so will I do unto thee thou shalt be desolate O mount Seir and all Idumea even all of it and they shall know that I am the Lord. IN this Conclusion of the Chapter the Lord further declares his mind concerning Idumea and tells her she shall suffer when all others shall rejoyce and why because she rejoyced at the sufferings of the house of Israel Vers 14. When the whole earth rejoyceth If we refer the word earth to the Land of Judaea the sense may be this When I shall make that whole Land rejoyce or if we understand by earth the other parts of the world the meaning is When I shall bring my people out of captivity and cause the whole earth to rejoyce thereat then will I make thee desolate but Scriptures do hint it to us that Edom was made desolate before the return of the Jewes from Babylon Jerem 25. 27. Chap. tells us that Edom was given to Nebuchadnezzar and was to drink the Cup of Gods wrath like other Nations and sundry Expositers agree in this That shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem Edom was laid desolate Some other interpretation therefore of the words is to be looked out we may refer earth to Idumea and then the sense will be this As the whole Land of Idumea hath rejoyced at the desolation of the Israelites so will I make it wholly desolate The Hebrew favours this interpretation for it is thus As the whole Earth or Land hath rejoyced in desolation I will do unto thee Piscator goeth this way and saith Sicut laetatur tota ista terra seil Edomaea As all this Land namely Idumea hath rejoyced in desolation so will I do unto thee O Idumea Vers 15. As thou didst rejoyce at the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate The Edomites when they saw the Temple burnt Jerusalem made even with the ground and all the Land turned into a wilderness they rejoyced at it Obadiah 12. They of Edom rejoyced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction when they saw men and beasts cut off the Godly Cityes ruin'd and the pleasant Land laid waste they laughed at it and said Aha so would we have it The inheritance of the house of Israel This inheritance was the Land of Canaan which God gave to Abraham Gen 15.7 and to his seed Exod 32.13 To Jacob and Israel did God give Canaan the lot of their inheritance Psal 105.11 And this Land was the Lords inheritance Exod. 15.17 He dwelt in it and own'd it for his Land and when the wicked invaded it the Psalmist said O God the Heathen are come into thine inheritance Psal 79.1 and vers 10. of this Chapter it s said The Lord was there It was both the Lords and his peoples inheritance and when it was made desolate the Edomites were glad thereof So will I do unto thee Thou hast rejoyced at the calamities of others and others shall rejoyce at thy calamities thou didst insult speak proudly when the inheritance of the house of Israel was laid waste and thou shalt meet with such dealings when thine inheritance shall be laid waste thy Cityes shall be destroyed man and beast shall be cut off and the Nations shall be glad of it Thou shalt be desolate O Mount Seir and all Idumea even all of it When sad judgements are upon Lands some parts are spared as Strong Holds great Cityes Port Towns and the like but so severely should the enemy deal with Mount Seir and Idumea that nothing should be left all even all should be utterly ruin'd and made desolate First Observe The generality of people are apt to go the wrong way to rejoyce at the evill of Gods people All Idumea rejoyced The whole earth the people of it
from one end to another were glad of the sad things befell the Jewes not some great Ones not one corner of the Land but all the Edomites throughout the Land Thus did the Ammonites also they generally concur'd in the same sin Ezek 25.3 They cryed Aha against the Sanctuary the Land of Israel and house of Judah when they were profaned and laid waste This was the practice of the Tyrians they all with one consent rejoyced at the sufferings of Jerusalem Ezek 26.2 When the two Witnesses were slain the inhabitants of the earth rejoyced over them made merry sent gifts one to another Rev 11.10 The greatest part of men are disaffected towards the people of God and when evill befalls them they are glad thereof Secondly Observe Men thirsting after what is others do lose what is their own The Edomites said These two Nations and these two Countreys shall be mine and we will possesse it vers 10. and not long after they lost their own Countrey it was made desolate Achan was not content with what he had his heart was upon the Babylonish garment the two hundred shekels of silver and the wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight and by so doing he lost both estate and life Josh 7. Pharoah-Necho was ambitious he sought to inlarge himselfe Jerem 46.2 but his Army was beaten and afterwards he lost his Countrey Ezek 30. Many Princes coveting and attempting to inlarge their borders by getting from others have lost themselves and what they had The Dog catching at the shadow lost what he had in his mouth many waste and lose their estates at Law while they seek to get that which is other mens Thirdly Observe The Lord in due time repayes the same or like things to wicked ones Edom rejoyced when the inheritance of the house of Israel was laid waste and God would lay Edom waste make her desolate and others should rejoyce at her So will I do unto thee thou shalt be desolate and meet with those that shall laugh at thy calamity In Obadiah's prophesie where the carriage of Edom towards the house of Jacob is fully set out the Lord saith plainly As thou hast done it shall be done unto thee Nebuchadnezzar he spoyled many Nations and had his pleasure on them and in due time he was spoyled by the Nations Jerem 27.7 And all Nations shall serve him and his son and his sons son untill the very time of his Land come and then many Nations and great Kings shall serve themselves of him Then they should do to him as he had done to them Jer. 50.15 Adonibezeck had his Thumbs and Toes cut off as he had served others Judg. 1.7 Many in our dayes have met with that measure they measured unto others Prov 26.27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein and he that rolleth a stone it will return upon him He that intends or doth mischief to others that mischief will fall upon himself Psal 9.15 The Heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made in the net which they hid is their own foot taken Here is Lex talionis Vide Quistorpius in Jer 50.15 the just judgement of God upon evill-doers all the enemies of Sion God will meet with in due time and return the same or like things into their bosoms Fourthly Observe It is Nations and Peoples own sins that brings desolation upon them Edoms rejoycing at Jerusalems calamities her anger envy and hatred her boasting and blasphemies caused God to lay her waste and utterly waste O Mount Seir thou shalt be desolate and all Idumea even all of it Had not these sins preceded that dreadful judgement had not followed it was wickednesse brought in the flood upon the whole world and its wickedness brings desolating judgements upon any part of it Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned for they would not walk in his wayes neither were they obedient unto his Law therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battel It was Jacobs and Israels sin that exposed them to spoylers and spoiling Isa 42.24 25. God was not forward to this work but would have had them prevented it Isa 48.18 19. O that thou hadst hearkned to my Commandements then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousnesse as the waves of the Sea thy seed also had been as the sand and the off-spring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me Fifthly Observe Gods great design in punishing the enemies of his people and of shewing kindness unto them is to make known himself experimentally unto them When the wicked feel the weight of his power strength of his wrath severity of his justice they will acknowledge God and God to be another kind of God then they imagined when he shall render to them the same or like things to what they have done they will be convinced of the equity of his wayes so when Gods people taste of his loving kindnesses partake of choice deliverances and find the sweetness of his dispensations towards them then they say Among the gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy works Psal 86.8 CHAP. XXXVI Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Also thou son of man prophesie unto the mountains of Israel and say Ye mountains of Israel hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God Because the enemy had said against you Alas even the ancient high places are ours in possession Therefore prophesie and say Thus saith the Lord God Because they have made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers and are an infamy of the people Therefore ye mountains of Israel hear the word of the Lord God Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills to the rivers and to the valleys to the desolate wastes and to the Cityes that are forsaken which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about Therefore thus saith the Lord God Surely in the fire of my jealousie have I spoken against the residue of the heathen and against all Idumea which have appointed my Land into their possession with the joy of all their hearts with despitefull minds to cast it out for a prey Prophesie therefore concerning the Land of Israel and say unto the mountains and to the hills to the rivers and to the valleys Thus saith the Lord God Behold I have spoken in my jealousie and in my fury because ye have born the shame of the heathen Therefore thus saith the Lord God I have lifted up mine hand surely the heathen that are about you they shall bear their shame THe Jews being deprived of their Comforts carryed into captivity
on those they apprehend have done them wrong and so God after the manner of men is said to speak in the fire of his jealousie against the Heathens who had wronged him his people and the Land Which have appointed my Land into their possession Judaea saith God was my Land I dwelt there and set up my worship there I gave it my people for a possession and though at present they be driven out for their sins yet I keep it for them and none ought to meddle with or challenge that Land how is it then that the Edomites and Heathens have consulted and determined to take my Land into their possession they are resolved to rob me and my people of our right to swallow up our inheritance With the joy of all their heart Joy is a dilatation of the heart from apprehension of good these Heathens apprehended it good that the Jews were cut off and carryed away that hereupon the Land should be theirs this fill'd them with joy and made them attempt with all their hearts the possession of the Land With despitefull minds to cast it out for a prey The words in the Hebrew are thus In contempt of mind for expulsion of it for a prey so Montanus Sheat signifies Depopulation as well as contempt and so Junius hath it Cum depopulatione animosa ut sedes expulsorum ejus fit direptioni with greedy depopulation they were very earnest and violent in depopulating the Land that the seat of its expelled ones might be for a prey Piscator saith that its fields or suburbs might be for spoyle The people being slain or carried away captive the Edomites and others did with malicious minds expose the Land to the spoyl of any Vers 6. Behold I have spoken in my jealousie and in my fury Here is an addition of fury to jealousie fury is fervor irâ—e or fera ira heat of anger or severe anger fury is ira cum vehementia when it s given to God it notes the severe holy and just indignation of God Because ye have born the shame of the heathen The Heathens have reproached you poured scorn and contempt upon you made you the filth of the world Zeph 2.8 10. they so reproached them that it affected God himself and Jeremy Lam 5.1 was so pierced with the reproachings of the Heathen that he complains and cryes out Remember O Lord what is come upon us consider and behold our reproach They jeer'd and scoff'd at them for their Temple Worship City Mountains Songs yea for their God Of bearing the shame of the Heathen see Chap 34.29 Vers 7. Therefore thus saith the Lord God I have lifted up mine hand Lifting up the hand was a gesture used by men in taking of oaths as Gen 14.22 Abraham lifted up his hand unto the Lord that was in swearing and this metaphorically is applyed unto God who when he swears is said to lift up his hand so that swearing and lifting up the hand are equivalent Numb 14.30 Doubtlesse ye shall not come into the Land concerning which I swear to make you dwell therein The Hebrew for I swear is I lifted up my hand So then Gods lifting up his hand here is his swearing that he would make the Nations bear their shame for reproaching his people Surely the heathen that are about you they shall bear their shame As sure as I am God the Heathen which have made you a reproach a proverb a taunt and a curse they shall be a reproach a proverb a taunt and a curse they have made you infamous and they shall be infamous they have covered loaded you with shame and they shall be covered and loaded with shame First Observe God hath a speciall care of his Church when it s in an afflicted condition The Jews were dispossessed of their Land carryed into captivity made infamous and their Land uâ—â—â—ped by others hereupon the Lord sends Ezekiel unto them to prophesie comfort unto them in the destruction of their enemies Son of man prophesie unto the Mountains of Israel and say Hear the word of the Lord. He hath a terrible word for your enemies a comfortable word for you threatnings for them promises for you Though men hated his people yet God himself pityed them though men swallowed up their habitation yet God would restore it to them again Jer 30.6 7 8 9 10. Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loyns as a woman in travel and all faces are turned into paleness Alas for that day is great so that none is like it it is even the time of Jacobs trouble but he shall be saved out of it For it shall come to passe in that day saith the Lord of Hoasts that I will break his yoke from off thy neck and will burst thy bonds and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him but they shall serve the Lord their God and David their King whom I will raise up unto them Therefore fear thou not O my servant Jacob saith the Lord neither be dismayed O Israel for lo I will save thee from afar and thy seed from the Land of their captivity and Jacob shall return and shall be in rest and quiet and none shall make him afraid The Church was in great affliction like a woman in travail and here the Lord shewed his goodness towards it and speciall care over it he would break Babylonish yokes and bonds set it at liberty restore it to the former yea a better condition viz such priviledges and security it never had Secondly Observe When Gods people are under affliction their enemies are glad thereof and take advantage to disgrace them and make a prey of what was theirs The Israelites suffered hard things by the Babylonians upon this the enemies cryed Aha they were glad at the heart they talked their pleasures of them and made them the infamy of the people they swallowed them up on every side and said The Mountains of Israel are ours and we will possesse the ancient high places When Sion goes down Babylon rejoyces the Heathens disgrace and â—â—â—â—ure it adding affliction to the afflicted see Zeph 2.8 Obad 10.11 12 13 14. All the enemies which heard of Sions trouble were glad Lam 1.21 They reproached Sion and her children Lament 2.15 16. and said They shall no more sojourn there Lam 4.15 Judaea shall never be repossessed by them it shall be ours Thirdly Observe That rejoycing at the sufferings of Gods people disgracing and wronging of them doth greatly offend the Lord. Because the enemy cryed Aha defamed the Jews arrogated the Land for their possession therefore the Lord spake against them in the fire of his jealousie and in his fury he was exceedingly wroth and would deal severely with them it went to his heart and inflamed his spirit that his people who were so dear unto him should be derided despitefully used what was theirs made a prey of and that by Heathens Jerem 50.11 12. Because ye were glad because ye
captivity therefore the Heathens reproached Canaan and said Thou Land devourest men and hast bereaved thy Nations They called Emanuels Land a cursed and bloudy Land that did eat up her own children this was a great reproach to Heaven and Earth Gods judgements should have caused fear and taught them to have learned righteousnesse For if God spared not the green Tree what will become of the dry Trees Seventhly Observe Such is the goodnesse of God that he takes occasion from the wickedness of his Peoples enemies to do his People good Because the Heathens said Thou Land devourest up men and hast bereaved thy Nations Because they reproached the Jews and their Land thus therefore saith God Thou shalt devoure men no more neither bereave thy Nations any more I will blesse thee with peace plenty and safety there shall be no wars no famines no plagues nor other judgements to devoure the people of the Land Eighthly Observe God in his time takes way the evills that are upon his People and turns them into blessings Neither will I cause men to hear in thee the shame of the Heathen any more neither shalt thou bear the reproach of the people any more neither shalt thou cause thy Nations to fall any more These evils will I take away from thee and not only so but I will bring in the contrary blessings instead of shame and reproach thou shalt have honour praise and renown instead of destroying thy people and Nations thou shalt multiply thy people and have Nations to serve thee Isa 60.12 13 14. Verses 16 17 18 19 20. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man when the house of Israel dwelt in their own Land they defiled it by their own way and by their doings their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the Land and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it And I scattered them among the heathen and they were dispersed through the Countreys according to their way and according to their doings I judged them And when they entred unto the heathen whither they went they profaned my holy Name when they said to them These are the people of the Lord and are gone forth out of his Land MEn being apt to make perverse constructions of the judgments of God and to censure his wayes to be unequall here he gives account of his proceedings towards his people and shews the true grounds and causes why he drave them out of their Countrey which are set down 1. In generall vers 17. amplified by a similitude 2. In particular vers 18. Bloud and Idolatry which are repeated in generall terms vers 19. 3. After these he shews what their carriage was in their enemies Land vers 20. Vers 16. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying The Prophet having declared Gods jealousie and fury against the enemies of his people comforted them being in captivity with many choice promises here he is commissioned by the Lord to speak out the causes which moved God to cast them into that condition Vers 17. When the house of Israel dwelt in their own Land By house of Israel understand not the two or ten Tribes but the whole twelve Tribes who possessed Canaan which is called their own Land because promised and given unto them by God for their inheritance Psal 105.10 11. They defiled it by their own way and by their doings The Hebrew is In their own wayes and in their own doings they followed their own devices inventions desires customs manners they did what was right in their own eyes and so defiled the Land The French is Par leurs maeurs par leurs actes Their way was before me as the uncleannesse of a removed woman Their way was very loathsome before the Lord he greatly abhorred their manners and practices as man doth the filthiness and uncleanness of a woman Laborant is menstruo sanguine A woman in that condition defiles all she toucheth see Levit 15.19 20 21. and so to the end of the Chapter Vers 18. Wherefore I poured my fury upon them They had committed hainous sins and continued long in them without repentance is evident from the Lords fury he is not in fury for small sins nor presently furious for great sins but when men go on from day to day in them his anger grows hotter and hotter and at last riseth up into fury and this being increased the Lord would not let it out in petty judgements as it were drop by drop but poure it out in greater judgments like as the Sea poures out water when a breach is in the Banks it poures out water with violence and drowns up all the adjacent Countrey For the bloud that they had shed upon the Land They shed the bloud of the Prophets 2 Chron 24.21 Matth 23.37 Of innocent ones 2 Kings 21.16 They had unjust and unnatural wars 2 Chron 28.9 and so shed bloud in abundance Ezek 7.23 They poured out bloud upon the Land and God poured out fury upon them it s the same word in the Hebrew for shedding and pouring out And for their idols wherewith they had polluted it They had many idols the Land was full of them Isa 2.8 which they worshipping defiled the Land The word for idols is Gillulim which Junius renders Dii stercorei Dunghill gods and Piscator stercora dunghils excrements for that no dunghill or excrement of any creature doth so defile a Land as idols and idolatry hence idolls are called abominations Jer 32.34 Shames Hos 9.10 Devils Deut. 32.17 Vers 19. And I scattered them among the heathen They had learned the manners of the Heathen got their idols and served them and for it God scattered them among the heathens they had heathenish spirits chosen heathenish gods and so deserved to be driven into heathenish Countries And they were dispersed through the Countreys The Hebrew word for disperse is Sarah which signifies to disperse by fanning God had fanned them out of their own Land and dispersed them as chaffe before the wind into divers Lands they went from Countrey to Countrey yea through whole Countries into Chaldaea According to their way and according to their doings I judged them Men might wonder God should deale so with his people as to poure out his fury upon them drive them out of their own Land and disperse them amongst heathens who were his and their enemies this might carry a face of cruelty but the Lord clears himself and shews the equity of his proceedings I judged them that is I dealt with or punisht them according to their wayes and doings had they not deserved such hard things at my hands I should not have executed them they drave me out of my Sanctuary and far from it Ezek 8.6 They cast me off Jer 2.13 and is it not equall that I should drive them out of my Land and cast
them into forraign Lands Let all the world judge Vers 20. And when they entred unto the heathen whither they went they profaned my holy Name When the Jews came amongst the Heathen they profaned his holy name which is done two wayes either formaliter when mens own words or actions are profane prostituting the name of God to dishonour or occasionaliter when occasion is given to others by their words and actions to profane the holy Name of God as David by his sinfull action with Bathsheba gave occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme 2 Sam 12.14 And this was the case here for the Babylonians said These are the people of the Lord and are gone forth out of his Land The Jews being under sad judgements of God should have learned righteousnesse but they being neither affected with the honour of God care of their salvation nor with fear of offending the heathens persevered in their wicked wayes and idolatrous practices Ezek 20.32 whereupon the Heathens said These are the people of the Lord. They boast of their God to be a holy omnipotent and faithfull God but you may know what their God is by their unholy practices had he been omnipotent as they say he would have kept them out of our hands but he could not which shews our gods are stronger than he or if he could he would not he was not faithfull unto his people as our gods are unto us They are gone forth out of his Land whereas we abide in ours had their God been such as ours are he would have protected them and prevented their casting out of his Land First Observe The wicked wayes of men especially those of bloud and idolatry are loathsome unto God Their way was before me as the uncleannesse of a removed woman that is extream loathsome All sin is defiling and so loathsome abominable unto God who is holy yea holinesse it self but murther and idolatry are most hatefull and most loathsome unto him Psal 5.6 The bloudy man is abhor'd of God and he lets him not live out halfe his dayes Psal 55.23 Jer 44.4 The Lord calls idolatry An abominable thing which he hates he hates and loaths it infinitely Secondly Observe Men by their own sinfull doings do bring evills mischief and destruction upon themselves When the house of Israel dwelt in their own Land they defiled it by their own way and by their doings wherefore I poured my fury upon them Had they not sinned nor walked in evil wayes they had not met with fury but because their wayes were wicked bloudy and idolatrous therefore they had fury and fury poured out abundantly their own evil doings brought destruction upon them Prov 11.5 The wicked shall fall by his own wickednesse Jer 2.19 Thine own wickednesse shall correct thee Jerusalems own sin was her ruine And David tells us how God will deal with wicked men Psal 94.23 He shall bring upon them their own iniquity and shall cut them off in their wickednesse It s ill work wicked ones are about they make Fetters for their own feet and build houses for to fall upon their own heads so mischievous is the nature of sin that it damnifies and destroyes the parents of it Thirdly Observe What judgements soever God brings upon sinners he is just and righteous in so doing God poured fury upon them he drave them out of their own Countrey he scattered them up and down among heathens whose language they understood not who were bitter and harsh towards them and all this was not more no not so much as their sins deserved According to their way and their doings I judged them saith the Lord I did them no wrong they had not any cause to complain of me the fault was their own Whatever Gods proceedings are with any Nation Family or Person he is righteous for Psaâ— 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works there is no spot cleaves to his hand or any action thereof Fourthly Observe Its a grievous provoking thing when Gods people who professe his truth and worship give occasion to the enemies thereof to blaspheme and speak reproachfully The Jews being among the Babylonians spake and did such things as gave occasion to them to blaspheme When they entered unto the heathen they profaned my holy name This was a great grief and provocation of God that his people being afflicted for their sins yet should carry it so sinfully as to give them advantage of dishonouring God his Truths Worship and Servants Isa 52.5 God complains that his name was blasphemed continually every day The Babylonians watched the Jews and catched all advantages to profane the name of the Lord this was their daily language These are the people of the Lord and are gone forth out of his Land he could not or would not keep them out of our hands he is a weak unfaithfull unholy God and his people are like unto him When David gave occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme it brought forth sad effects or rather had sad consequents the death of the child and sword at his dore for ever 2 Sam 12. Those therefore who professe the true Religion should be exceeding carefull whereever they be come that they walk answerable to the Religion they profess that they avoid all sin and do good that so the name of God may be glorified and not profaned or blasphemed Fifthly Observe Heathens and heathenish spirits are glad of occasions and advantages against the true God his wayes and people The Babylonians said These are the people of the Lord and are gone forth out of his Land They were glad they had matter to insult and blaspheme what 's your God better then ours ye do the things we do and what is his Land better then this Land have not we Corn Wine and Oyl Milk and Honey as well and as much as you had in that Land why is Canaan so cryed up and Jerusalem so magnified our Assyria and our City Babylon are as good as excellent as they yea far beyond them Verses 21 22 23 24. But I had pity for mine holy Name which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen whither they went Therefore say unto the house of Israel Thus saith the Lord God I do not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for mine holy Names sake which ye have profaned among the heathen whither ye went And I will sanctifie my great Name which was profaned among the heathen which ye have profaned in the midst of them and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord saith the Lord God when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes For I will take you from among the heathen and gather you out of all Countreys and will bring you into your own Land THese verses contain the ground of the Jews restauration which is the fourth general part of the Chapter they being in captivity and sinning there greatly they caused the name
Will his Attributes his Works his Word are his Name All these set out God make him known and so are his name even the name of his holinesse or his holy name There is no name under Heaven like unto the Lords it s an holy name and so glorious a great name and so dreadful We should sanctifie the name of God which is done by believing Num. 20.12 When Moses and Aaron did not believe God they did not sanctifie his name but when men believe Gods Word then they sanctifie his name It s done also by fearing to displease him Isa 8.13 Isa 29.23 It s done also by acknowledging his name to be holy Math 6.9 when men praise him Secondly Observe The profaning of Gods holy name as it is a trouble unto him so it sticks and abides upon him Other provocations passe away but this settles upon his spirit see here what hold it took vers 20. They profaned my holy Name and vers 21. The house of Israel profaned my holy name among the heathen vers 22. Mine holy name which ye have profaned among the heathen Thrice the Lord mentions their profaning of his name yea in the next verse as if he could not shake this act of theirs out of his mind he mentions it twice more My name which was profaned which ye have profaned Gods name being holy is dear unto him and the profaning of it makes deep impressions in his heart Thirdly Observe Temporall mercies are not merited at Gods hands by men I do not this for your sakes O house of Israel What was it God did not for their sakes viz deliver them from their Babylonish bondage and bring them into their own Countrey these were temporal mercies and though there were Godly men amongst them as Ezekiel Daniel Mordecai Ezra Nehemiah and others yet with all their prayers fastings suffering and holinesse they did not merit these outward mercies liberty safety plenty possessions are not the merit or purchase of the creature but the gift of God 1 Tim 6.17 He giveth us all things richly to enjoy Have men more or lesse of these outward things they are upon free gift not any defert and if we deserve not temporal things much lesse do or can we deserve spiritual and eternal things which are of a transcendent nature if we do not deserve an outward deliverance an earthly Canaan how shall we deserve a spiritual deliverance an Heavenly Canaan all things of that nature are free gifts Luke 12.32 Rom 6.23 Fourthly Observe The good God doth unto his Church be it temporal or spiritual is for his own sake What I do saith God I do it for mine holy names sake there is nothing to move me but my own name that is holy great and glorious and I will for my names sake do much for my Church and People That they were preserved in Babylon was for his holy names sake that they were brought out of Babylon was for his holy names sake that they were replanted in Canaan was for his holy names sake that they had a Temple Sacrifices Priests Prophets Ordinances again was for his names sake when they were neer to destruction often in former dayes God wrought for his names sake Ezek 20. so Isa 48.8 9. It s not for the enemies sake that God doth preserve or deliver his people nor for their sakes their prayers tears faith obedience holinesse that he doth great things for them bestow great mercies upon them but it is for his own names sake For mans sake God cursed the earth Gen 8.21 but it s for his names sake that he blesseth it the choicest mercies Gods people have are for his names sake they have pardon of sin for his names sake Psal 25.11 1 John 2.12 Purging of sin for his names sake Psal 79.9 Leading in the paths of righteousnesse for his names sake Psal 23.3 Quickning of their dead and dull hearts for his names sake Psa 143.11 Though his people much offend him yet he forsakes them not for his great names sake 1 Sam 12.22 The Lord doth all freely and for the honour of his name let us then say with the Prophet Whatever we have not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy name be the glory Not unto us who are thy creatures not unto us who are Tools in thy hand but to thy name which is the ground root and spring of all our mercies be the glory all the glory and that everlastingly Fifthly Observe God will not suffer his holy and great name alwayes to lye under aspersions and reproaches of men I will sanctifie my holy and great name which was profaned among the heathen even in the midst of them He will vindicate his honour and glory Great men when their names are blemished do stand upon it and will vindicate them with much cost and labour so God when wicked ones have profaned his name and darkned the glory thereof will stand upon it and do that which shall clear his name before all his enemies Goliah for many dayes defyed the God of Israel and the Armies of Israel but not long after the Lord vindicated his holy and great name by stirring up and strengthning of David to take off his head 1 Sam 17.45 51. When the King of Assyria and Rabshakeh blasphemed the name of God as they did Isa chap. 36. 37. did not the Lord quickly send an Angel and destroy their great Army of one hundred fourscore and five thousand and so by this stroke of his made his holy and great name glorious and dreadful He will scatter the smoak and venemous vapours that ascend from the tongues and lives of profane persons to hinder the beams of his glorious name from shining as the wind scatters clouds from before the Sun and as by destruction of his enemies so by delivering of his servants Sixthly Observe When God doth great things for his people and they honour his name for them then very heathens will be convinced acknowledge God and give glory to his name The heathen shall know that I am the Lord when I shall be sanctified in you that is in your deliverance before their eyes then you will magnifie my name and they will magnifie my name which hath been profaned then they will see and say that I am another kind of God then their idol gods are that I am omnipotent faithfull holy wise Psal 126.2 When the Lord turn'd the captivity of his people as they said The Lord hath done great things for us so the heathens said The Lord hath done great things for them So much of God appear'd in taking them out of Babylon that Jewish and Babylonish Tongues were constrained to speak out the power truth and goodnesse of God Seventhly Observe Things difficult and in the eye of man impossible are facile to and feasible by the power of God The Jews were among the heathens who by their Laws power and vigilancy kept them in great bondage they were scattered into
dyes with an hard heart perisheth for ever And I will give you an heart of flesh The heart of flesh is opposed to the stony heart and it implyes several things which are considerable As First Softnesse tendernesse a stony heart is hard but an heart of flesh is tender and soft The Scripture speaks of a soft tongue Prov 25.15 and of a soft heart Job 23.16 that is an heart free from stonynesse and obduration Some flesh is brawny and hard some very tender as the flesh of those mentioned Deut 28.56 The heart of flesh is an heart like the tenderest flesh even the flesh of a child new-born Secondly Sensibleness Some flesh is so hardned as that it feels nothing some is so tender its sensible of the least touch The drunkards flesh felt not the stripes when he was beaten Pro 3.35 but Josiahs heart was sensible of the anger of God when he heard the Law only read 2 Chr 34. Christs heart was tender sensible of our infirmities he was touched with the feeling of them Heb 4.15 the least infirmity he was affected with for he had an heart of flesh an heart without any stonyness at all in it and where an heart of flesh is its sensible of the least sin the least dishonour to God vain thoughts risings of corruption extravagancy of affections all sins are burdensome to it the man of such an heart hath his senses exercised to discern between good and evill Heb 5.14 Thirdly Meltingness A stony heart never melts but an heart of flesh is of a melting nature Josiahs heart was not only affected with the Law read but melted also into tears 2 Kings 22.19 His heart was tender and he humbled himself before the Lord. So David Psal 22.14 My heart is like wax it is melted in the midst of my bowels how did it melt after Nathan had told him of his sin Psal 51. so after his numbring of the people 2 Sam 24.17 Peters heart was of this nature for after Christ looked upon him he went out and wept bitterly Luke 22.62 Such were their hearts Ezek 9.4 who sighed and cryed for all the abominations which were done in the midst of Jerusalem An heart of flesh melts and mourns that God is dishonoured by others but most of all that he hath been dishonoured by him in whom it is that man that hath an heart of flesh sheds most tears for the wrongs himself hath done unto God Luke 15.18 19. Fourthly Teachablenesse A stony heart is indocible inflexible it repels and keeps out truths but an heart of flesh admits and receives truths it is yielding and teachable When Lydiacs hard heart was turned into flesh Acts 16.14 she attended unto the things which were spoken by the Apostle she received them and believed them she was a good Scholar and constrained her Teachers to come and abide at her house that she might learn more of them vers 15. Paul no sooner had his heart of stone made flesh but he manifested a teachablenesse in himself Acts 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have me to do I am a blind Pharisee and have been all my dayes out of the way I desire now to learn and to be taught of thee whom I ignorantly blasphemed David shut not his eyes against the light as many hard-hearted persons do he prayed That the Lord would open his eyes that he might behold wonderous things out of the Law He was oft begging of God to teach him O teach me the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it unto the end Psal 119.18.33 He was willing to see to hear and to do Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power When the stony heart is removed and an heart of flesh put in the room of it that is a day of power and then the people so hearted are willing to hear the Lord speak to understand his counsels and to resolve their wills into Gods so that his will is theirs Cor carneum quod ante ad alterius arbitratum fingitur Fifthly Obedientialnesse A stony heart is refractory contradictory disobedient but a fleshy heart is yielding and obediential it is Cor sequari an heart which follows God as Elisha followed Elijah virtue went out of the mantle and constrained him to do so and the virtue gone out from God into an heart of flesh prevails with it and causeth it to follow God to yield obedience unto him Caleb had another spirit then the rest of the Jews had and he followed the Lord fully Numb 14.24 His spirit was not obstinate but obediential and where-ever this heart of flesh is it is so far from being contentious against the truth or with-holding the truth in unrighteousness as that it obeys the truth heartily Rom 6.17 The Excellency of a tender heart First It s the Mansion of Gods holy Spirit When the heart is tender and fleshy God puts in his holy Spirit into it as in the next verse appears The Spirit it self is a tender thing and takes no content in an hard heart Isa 57.15 It s in the heart of humble and contrite ones that the Spirit dwells The Corinthians were babes in Christ very tender and they were Temples of the Spirit 1 Cor. 3.1.16 How excellent is a tender heart that the Spirit of Grace Heb 10.29 the Spirit of Glory 1 Pet 4.14 should take it up for its habitation It was there before as an Agent not as an Inhabitant Secondly It cannot endure the dishonour of God it s much affected yea afflicted thereat When Rabshakeh blasphemed and reviled the God of Israel how was Hezekiah afflicted at it He rent his cloaths covered himself with sackcloath and went into the house of the Lord sends for Isaiah begs his prayers spreads the blasphemers Letter he had received before the Lord and cryed unto him for help to vindicate his own name 2 Kings 19.1 2 3 4 14 15 16 17 18 19. Hezekiah had a tender heart and herein was the excellency of it he was deeply affected with the dishonour of God Davids heart was touched throughly when men violated the Law of God and dishonoured his name Psal 119.136 Rivers of water run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law None of his own afflictions his persecution by Saul his expulsion by Absolom did draw so many tears from him as the dishonour of Gods name that made his tender heart like a Fountain which sends forth Rivers the heathens who had hard hearts said of their heathenish King It s not meet for us to see the Kings dishonour Ezra 4.14 And can Christians see the dishonour of the God of Heaven Those that have hearts of flesh cannot endure to see it if they cannot help the same they will mourn and mourn abundantly for it Thirdly It s a strong defence against all sin it quickly feels the nature of sin and so flyes from it Touch tender flesh with a Needle or Pin it endures not the same it cryes
can weep shed tears in abundance for losse of Relations Estates Favours of great Ones yet never wept for sin these have a natural tenderness not a spirituall Besides what may be gathered from what is said I shall give some Characters of a tender heart First It s sensible of the Churches and Saints afflictions it mourns for and with them a tender heart bleeds when it goes ill with Sion and the people of God When the men of Ai smote but thirty six Israelites how was Joshua affected with it He rent his clothes and fell to the earth upon his face before the Ark of the Lord untill the even tide Josh 7.6 You may read Ps 79. 80. how greatly David or Asaph were affected with the desolation of Jerusalem and miseries befell the Church These were men of tender hearts and sensible of evils at a distance Such was Paul 2 Cor 14.29 and Jeremy whose eyes ran down with tears because the Lords flock was carryed away captive Jer 13.17 Secondly Where an heart hath a gracious and spiritual tenderness it s affected with the perishing condition of others it grieves to see men impenitent unbelieving going on in the broad way to be in a state of irregeneracy and pityes them Rom 9.2 3. Paul had great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart and why for his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh they rejected Christ and his Gospel through unbelief and hardnesse of heart they were in the broad way to destruction Christ seeing Jerusalem insensible of her own good he wept over her Luke 19.41 And in former times Jeremy had manifested the tenderness of his heart toward the Jews when he said unto them thus Hear ye and gâ—ve ear be not proud for the Lord hath spoken Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darknesse and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains and while ye look for light he turn it into the shadow of death and make it grosse darknesse but if ye will not hear it my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride Jer 13.15 16 17. Thirdly A tender heart dare not go out from God in any case but commits it self and way to him it consults with God and leans upon him for counsel and direction Josiah when the Law was found and he understood from it what wrath was due to the breach of it presently sends men to enquire of the Lord for himself and others what to do he took counsel of God and not of man 2 Chron 34.21 So Jehoshaphat he sought not to Baalim but to the Lord God of his fathers and David made Gods Testimonyes his Counsellers Psal 119.24 Hard hearts dare presume and venture to go out from God and into wayes he hath not warranted so did Gehazi Judas and Demas they followed the imaginations of their own hearts and declared that their hearts were Brasse Those that have hearts of flesh say with them in Isa 2.3 Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths not in our own Fourthly It s affected presently at the frowns and chidings of God at the appearance and shaking of the Rod. A child of a tender nature will melt when the Parent begins to manifest displeasure as to chide or take the Rod into his hand but it s not so with a stubborn nature that will hear bitter words and endure many stroaks before it will melt Jer 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a rock they have refused to return These had no tender hearts in them When Absolom had driven David out of Jerusalem he went up mount Olivet weeping He was presently affected with the hand of God 2 Sam 15.30 Moses was presently affected with the wrath that went out from God against the people Numb 16.46 Fifthly A tender heart feels much stoninesse in it self and complains of it O what a stony rocky Adamantine heart have I saith a tender hearted man its tendernesse discovers and feels hardnesse Eph 4.19 They were hardned in sin were past feeling Where hearts are all stone there is no sensibleness of the stonyness those have the tenderest hearts that feel most Brass and Iron in them David cryed oft to God for quickning Psal 119.154 156 159. Quicken me according to thy Word Quicken me according to thy judgements Quicken me according to thy loving kindnesse And why did he cry so for quickning because he felt much deadness and hardness in his heart A dead heart is an hard heart A man when dead is cold stiff and hard so a mans heart if dead within him is cold stiff and stony How may the heart be kept tender First By taking heed of every sin for its only sin that hardens the heart as the foot by treading hardens the earth so when sin walks up and down in the heart it hardens and obdurates the same Dan 5.20 Nebuchadnezzars mind was hardned in pride and the Apostle tells you Heb 3.13 That mens hearts come to be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin Men think little sins can do them little harm but they harden their hearts and is that no harm is that little harm its the greatest harm can be done you Secondly By searching and examining of your hearts frequently that is a special means to keep them tender it s like digging of the Garden and ploughing of the Earth which keeps it from hardning the more digging and ploughing the more tender and crumbly is the earth that is the chiefest way to preserve it so and they who are ever searching their hearts examining them daily have them in a tender frame David communed oft with his own heart and his spirit made diligent search Psal 77.6 That kept his heart in a tender frame Thirdly By studying the word much and minding it there is great virtue in the word it 's like fire and will not only thaw the icyness of their hearts but keep them unfrozen the hardest mettals while they are in the Fire are soft and whilest mens hearts are in the Divine fire of the Scriptures they will be soft The Word is like Water and Oyl which moisten and supple the heart so that the tendernesse of it is preserved Fourthly By meditating seriously on Gods love the heigths depths lengths and breadths of his love When a soul is taken up with thoughts of the freeness greatness strength sweetness everlastingness and fruits of Gods love it will be in a melting frame that fire works kindly upon the heart love apprehended makes the heart tender Fifthly Look much to Christ crucified Zech 12.10 When we consider what Christ hath suffered for our sakes it will make and keep our hearts tender First Observe A tender heart is a choice mercy As a stony
abundantly Isa 30.2 Vers 36. Then the Heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places and plant that that was desolate I the Lord have spoken it and will do it GOd having through his grace pardoned his people brought them to Sion and bestowed many blessings upon them here the end of all is set down and that is the glorifying of God not only by the Jews but also by the very Heathens Then the heathen that are left round about you After Nebuchadnezzar had laid Jerusalem and Judea waste he fell upon the Ammonites Moabites Edomites Philistims Tyrians and Egyptians and spoyled them therefore our Prophet saith The Heathen that are left some escaped and remained untill the Jews restauration Shall know that I the Lord build the ruined Places They should be so convinced by the return of the Jews and the mercies they enjoyed that they should acknowledg it to be the hand of God that he was faithfull in making good his promise to his people able to save and bountiful in bestowing such mercies upon them The word to build is Banah which sâ—gnifies to build an house distinguished into it's several rooms and parts the Cityes Towns and Houses every where had been ruined and God raised them up again And plant that that was desolate The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to plant signifies the putting of Trees Vines Shrubs or any plants into the earth and to cover them so with earth that they remain fixt therein The Orchards Gardens Vineyards Olive-yards Places of pleasure and profit were laid desolate the Trees Plants Herbs and Flowers were all cut down or pulled up by the roots those place God did re-plant and made as usefull and delightfull as ever I the Lord have spoken it and will do it I have purposed it in my self I have spoken it by Ezekiel and I will do it the Hebrew is I have done it a Preter Tense for a Future which is frequent as Isa 46.11 I have purposed The Hebrew is Jatzarti I have formed I have created the Preter Tense for the Future as the former and following words do shew I have spoken it I will also bring it to passe I will form or create it I will also do it First Observe That though judgement begin at Gods house yet it ends not there The Babylonians first fell upon the Jews and destroyed them and after proceeded to the Heathens they cut off many Nations of them The Sword first did eat the flesh of Jews and then the flesh of Ammonites Moabites Edomites c. When the green Trees are lopped then the Axe cuts down the dry Trees wicked men and Nations are glad when it goes ill with the Church People of God but usually when God hath corrected his own he breaks the Horns the Back and Bones of their and his enemies The Cup of Gods fury began at Jerusalem but it stayed not there it passed thence to Egypt to the mingled people to Vz Philistia Ashkelon Azzah Ekron and Ashdod c. To all the Kings of the North and to all the Kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth Jer 25.15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. It were an unrighteous thing if God should judge his friends and spare his enemyes and this he acknowledgeth vers 29. Lo I begin to bring evill on the City which is called by my name and should ye the Heathens be utterly unpunished ye shall not be unpunished for I will call for a sword upon all the Inhabitants of the earth saith the Lord of Hosts Secondly Observe Some works of God are so convincing that they cause even Heathens to see and acknowledge the hand of God in them and so to glorifie him The bringing the Jews out of Babylon the re-planting them in Canaan the re-building of their waste places peopling of them re-built and making their Countrey like the Garden of Eden convinced the Heathens so that they said and acknowledged It was the Lord had done these things which was a glorifying of his name Psal 126.1 2. The Babylonians and others said The Lord hath done great things for them when he turned their captivity There is so much of Gods wisdome power mercy bounty in some of his works that they constrain all that behold them to acknowledge him in them see Nehem 9.16 Psal 98.1 2. Isa 52.9 10. Thirdly Observe That Architecture and Husbandry are the work of the Lord. I build the ruined places and plant that that was desolate There is no House no City built but the Lord hath the chief hand therein Psal 127.1 Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it All is nothing without the counsel assistance and blessing of God he teacheth the Carpenters and Masons their Art he inables them to work and blesses them working So for Husbandmen it is God that doth instruct them to discretion and teach them Isa 28.26 they have all their ploughing sowing and planting skill from him This cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts who is wonderfull in counsell and excellent in working vers 29. If a Land be well built with Houses Cityes Castles it is the Lord that builded them if it be well tilled and planted with Orchards Gardens Vineyards and Nurseries of young Trees it is the Lord that hath tilled and planted them mens Art and Industry are nothing without him Fourthly Observe Gods purposes and promises shall take effect and certainly be fullfilled God is faithfull in what he saith and will perform the same I the Lord have spoken it and will do it He will not go back from his word change his purposes and counsels or falsifie his promises Isa 31.2 He will not call back his words Isa 14.27 The Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disanull it Isa 46.10 My counsell shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Jer 32.42 I will bring upon them all the good that I have promised them There is none wiser than God to advise him so as to alter his purposes or counsels there are none stronger than God to hinder him from making good what he hath purposed and promised Isa 43.13 I will work and who shall let it All the Babylonians could not hinder Gods setting his people at liberty all the wild beasts bryars and thorns in Canaan could not hinder him from bringing them in and making the Land like Eden plentifull and pleasant all the policy and power of Tobiah Sanballat and others could not hinder the building of the Temple and Walls of the City God had promised Jerusalem should be re-built and fenced that the Jews should have their Temple to worship in again and they had them Vers 37. Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them I will increase them with men like a flock THe word iddaresh is from Darash which signifies to make
did not God destroy his Army and relieve them publickly and privately though there were now no Cityes left God could and did raise them up many Cityes though there were no people to inhabit those Cityes raised God could raise them up men and did make them exceeding populous even as populous as Jerusalem was at her solemn Feasts more populous than ever Fourthly Observe The end of Gods deliverances works and mercies is that God may be acknowledged and glorified When I have brought them out of Babylon planted them in Sion built their Cityes filled them with inhabitants and blessings of all sorts Then shall they know that I am the Lord that I am not like the heathenish gods and lords but that I am faithfull omnipotent gracious and merciful worthy to be honoured and adored by the house of Israel CHAP. XXXVII Verse 1. The hand of the Lord was upon me and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middest of the Valley which was full of bones 2. And caused me to pass by them round about and behold there were very many in the open valley and lo they were very dry IN the former Chapter he spake of the Jews Return out of Babylon and likewise of the Kingdom of Christ In this Chapter also he proceeds to comfort the Jews assuring them of their Return who well-nigh despaired thereof and of the union of the two houses Judah and Israel The parts of this Chapter are 1. A Vision of dry bones presented to the Prophet from the 1. ver to the 11. 2. The Interpretation and Application of this Vision from the beginning of the 11. to the end of the 14. 3. A Type of two Sticks and the uniting of them from the 15. to the 20. 4. The explication of the Type from the 20. ver to the end Vers 1. The hand of the Lord was upon me By hand of the Lord the Chaldee understands the spirit of Prophesie which did enlighten and affect the mind of the Prophet so also do divers others But some take it for the power of God upon him or a Divine instinct which like an hand pul'd or mov'd him to some other thing as Chap. 8.3 It was the Spirit of God came upon him as Chap. 3.14 And why it s called the hand of God see Chap. 1.3 And carryed me out in the Spirit of the Lord. The Hebrew may be read thus and is by Mâ—ntanus And the Lord carryed me out in the Spirit that is I was rapt out of my self and my spirit was carryed by the Lord to have a sight or view of Bones If we take the words as they are the sense is this The Spirit of God being upon me carryed me out in the spirit of Prophesie which is the Spirit of the Lord his body was not carryed from place to place He had a Prophetical Vision And set me down in the middest of the valley The Prophet seem'd to himself to see a Hand and to be led out by that hand into a certain Valley all which was Visional not real He names no particular Valley A-lapide saith it was in Campo Sennaar Mesopotamia and Chaldaea were Plains but whether it were in either of them is not specified In vallies Prophets were wont to have Visions Our Prophets first Vision was by the River Chebar and Rivers are alwayes in Vallies and in this Valley it s conceived by some as Lavater observes was this Vision but it s safer to judge that this Valley was also Visionall Which was full of Bones This Valley or Plain was no burying place for then the bones would not have layen upon the face of the earth and been exposed to view Some make these bones to be the bones of all Mankind being dead and to respect the general Resurrection but they are out nothing of that is here intended Some make them to be the bones of the Babylonians but the Prophets scope here is not to comfort them it s the Jews condition he points at and therefore by bones are meant the Jews as is clear v. 11. These Bones were Visional also not real for then they should not have him unburyed suffering reproach Some Jews have an Opinion that these bones were the bones of those Jews that dyed in Babylon and one Rabbi Jose a Galilaean saith That Ezekiel raised those dead Jews many of which return'd into the land of Israel and had children there that when this fell into controversie among the Jews one Rabbi Juda the Son of Bathira stood up and said Ego sum oriundus ex posteritate illorum quos Ezekiel in vitam revocavit I am of that race which Ezekiel raised and shewed the Phylacteries his Parent put upon him and had received from those were rais'd Verse 2. And caused me to passed by them round about The Lord would have the Prophet to take exact notice of them and therefore made him to pass Savif savif undique undique on every side on every side that so he might observe the number and quality of them and where they lay which he did for it follows And behold there were very many in the open valley The number of these bones was great pass'd number and they lay in open view in an open Valley where he had a full sight of them And loe they were very dry These bones were not cloath'd with flesh juycy and full of marrow which had been more easily rais'd to life if so but they were dry all the moysture was out of them they had lain long nigh 70 years in that condition and were almost become earth First Observe It was the Spirit of God mov'd the Prophets to give out those truths are now extant in the Scriptures that directed and enabled them to do what they did The hand of the Lord was upon me and carryed me out in the Spirit to see and give out what you have here The Prophets might not speak or act at their own pleasures but as the Spirit of God moved them 2 Pet. 1.21 so they spake so they acted It was the Spirit in the Prophets that testified against the Jews Neh. 9.30 The words of the Lord of hosts were in the hand and mouth of the Spirit before they were in the heads and mouths of the Prophets Neh. 7.12 The Apostles had the Spirit falling upon and filling them before they gave out Divine truths Act. 2.4 which verified what Châ—ist had said of the Spirit John 16.14 He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you All the truths Paul hath given forth for the Instruction Edification and Consolation of the Church of Christ he received from the Spirit of Christ Hence he saith 1 Cor. 11.23 I received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you And Chap. 14.37 The things I write unto you are the commandements of the Lord he had them all from his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.12 13. Secondly Observe The true Messengers and Servants of God come not
The Instrumental Prophesying v. 4 7 9 10. 2. The Principal v. 5. 2. The Formal which is expressed 1. By coalition of bone to bone v. 7. 2. By cloathing of the bones with flesh sinews and skin v. 8. 3. By the entrance of breath v. 10. Verse 4. Prophesie upon these bones and say unto them O ye dry bones hear the word of Lord. This seems an absurd thing that the Prophet should prophesie unto Creatures insensible unintelligible void of life It was as if God should bid a man preach unto an heap of stones or dry chips which are incapable of hearing But though these Bones were incapable of hearing Ezekiels voyce yet they were not incapable of hearing Gods voyce for all creatures even the most senseless hear the Lord when he speaks the stormy winds fulfil his word Psal 148.8 The Heavens and the Earth Isai 1.2 Whales and Ravens Jon. 2.10 1 King 17.4 The Lord intended to bestow life upon these bones and that they might have life they must hear his word which had inlivening vertue in it There is an obediential vertue in every creature to yield to the will and command of the Creator and when it doth so then it 's said to hear the voyce of the Lord then properly men hear God when they do what he requires Vers 5. Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live These words prevent an Objection which the Prophet might have made saying It s in vain for me to prophesie to these dry bones what ever I shall say over them or unto them will come to nothing and prove ridiculous if any take notice thereof No saith the Lord it shall not be so for Behold I will cause breath to enter into them and they shall live The Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold I bring upon you the Spirit of life Others render the words thus Behold I do make the Spirit to enter into you or I am about to bring the Spirit into you and ye shall live that is I am ready to breathe life into you or I will breathe the breath of life into you It 's life is here promised which he mentions first to encourage the Prophet though it were performed last for the bones must first be united then be cloathed with sinews flesh and skin before the breath of life enters Verse 6. And I will lay sinews upon you The Hebrew for Sinews is Gidim which is from Gadad Turmatim oonncurrere quia nervi in corpore ad sensus motus officia concurrant c. The nerves in the body do concur unto the duties of sense and motion Some Nerves are soft some are hard the soft are specially for sense and they come from the Brain the hard are chiefly for motion and they come from the Marrow in the back-bone Here God would cause these visional Bones to have visional Sinews which might fit them for sense and motion And bring up flesh upon you The word for Flesh is Basar which Synechdochically signifies sometimes Men and sometimes other living creatures but here it notes that part of mans body which is simplex mollis rubicunda simple soft and ruddiest such flesh would God bring up upon these Bones The Hebrew for bring up is I will make to ascend God would cause flesh to grow up and ascend out of those dry bones And cover you with skin When the bones had sinews and flesh God would not leave them so it 's unsightly to behold naked raw flesh He would give them a garment viz. cover them with Skin Incrustabo vos cute saith Montanus I will crust you over with skin Superextendam in vobis Cutem saith the Vulgar I will stretch over you a Skin The word for Skin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be naked Though the flesh were covered with skin yet was not the skin covered with any artificial covering And put breath in you and ye shall live These words are the same with those in the 5. verse Now when the bones had their sinews flesh and skin and were fitted for the breath of life they should have it The Septuagint is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give my Spirit upon you that shall beget life in you and cause you to live And ye shall know that I am the Lord. These dry bones being so Metamorphosed and raised to a living condition should acknowledge the mighty hand of the Lord and be convinced that he was able to do whatsoever he pleased Verse 7. So I Prophesied as I was commanded The Prophet stood not disputing the case with God but he understanding the mind of God presently set himself to fulfil it And as I prophesied there was a noise What Ezekiel Prophesied to these bones is not so much to be questioned he had direction from God what to say unto them even those words ye have in the 4 5 6 verses And as he was Prophesying before he had uttered all given him in commission there was a noise not of thunder or of Angels or of an Earthquake but of the bones themselves which being many dry and stirring could not but make a great noise This noise was an evident demonstration of Divine presence and power put forth in this Miraculous work And behold a shaking These bones that were dead and dry now began to stir and shake they moved from their places Maldonate thinks that the earth was moved that so the bones which were in the graves and under the earth might come forth but these were bones lay in an open valley not under the earth Their shaking or concussion was cum impetu with force It was Divine Power made them to shake and move Some refer this shaking to the invasion of the Babylonians by the Medes and Persians at what time the Jews obtain'd their liberty And the bones came together bone to his bone As timber in an house so are bones in the body the strength and support of all The Hebrew word for a Bone is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etzem from Atzam to corroborate and make solid Bones are robur soliditas corporis the strength and solidity of the body These bones came together not promiscuously the bones of one man or woman to the bones of another man or woman but bone to his bone that is every bone of the same man to his right place and every bone of the same woman to its right place the rib-bones thigh-bones and ancle-bones came every one to his proper place and so united together Verse 8. And when I beheld loe the sinews and the flesh came up upon them and the skin covered them above Here was a strange sight to see dry bones come creeping together every one to coalesce and joyn in his due place making up a perfect Skeleton and out of that sinews flesh and skin to ascend this was such a sight that neither Ezekiel nor any man had ever seen
breath so that they lived stood up and were full of vigour When God accompanies his Word it is a Creating-word an Inlivening-word yea and a Killing-word Ezek 11.14 It came to passe when I Prophesied that Pelatiah died It 's said of Elisha that he should slay those escaped the sword of Hazael and Jehu 1 King 19.7 But how should that be for he was no sword-man it was to be done by his Prophesying which was sharper then their Swords Fifthly Observe In the Resurrection men shall have their own bodies and souls again This Vision of the dry bones is by the Fathers and others held to be a lively representation of the Resurrection And see here the bones came together bone unto his bone the same bones which were united before were united again in this Resurrection and the sinews the flesh the skin belonged to them formerly the same came and covered them again so the same souls the same breath came and entred into them and they lived The Father had not the soul or body of the Son or the Daughter the soul or body of the Mother but every one had their own bodies and souls Job was of this faith saying Though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold Job 19.26 27. Sixthly Observe The souls of men do no sleep with their bodies in the dust nor vanish into nothing The Prophet calls for the soul of every body here to come from the four winds that is from those parts where they were Had they been in the bones or dust of the earth or vanished into nothing the Lord would not have directed the Prophet to have call'd for them from all parts of the world Verse 11. Then he said unto me Son of man these bones are the whole house of Israel behold they say Our bones are dryed and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts 12. Therefore prophesie and say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Behold O my people I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves and bring you into the land of Israel 13. And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves O my people and brought you up out of your graves 14. And shall put my Spirit in you and ye shall live and I shall place you in your own land then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it and performed it saith the Lord. The Vision being related to the Prophet here Application of it is made by God himself to the house of Israel And here we may consider 1. The Complaint of the house of Israel ver 11. 2. Gods gracious Promises unto the house of Israel ver 12 14 3. The event or sequel thereof ver 13 14. Verse 11. These bones are the whole house of Israel The Bones themselves were not the house of Israel but they signified and represented the Condition of the house of Israel which being captive in Babylon were like unto the dry Bones in the open Valley To insist a little upon the Resemblance between them 1. The Bones were many very many the Valley was full of bones when they were quickned they made a great Army So were the Jews in the Valley of Babylon they were very many Those came out with Zerubbabel and Nehemiah were 49897. or Fifty thousand wanting One hundred and three Exra 2.64 65. Besides those that came with Ezra afterward Chap. 8. And many there were which never returned In those 70. years they were in Babylon they multipled into a great number 2. The Bones were without skin flesh and sinews the Worms Fowls or Wild beasts had eaten up them So the Jews were stript of Wealth and Substance the Babylonians had eaten up that Lament 1.10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her plâ—asant â—hings whatsoever Jerusalem had desirable the Babylonians laid their hands upon And ver 11. All her people sigh they seek bread they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul The Chaldaeans dealt hardly with them in the time of their Captivity Jerem. 50.17 33. They broke their bones they held them fast and wearyed them with burdens and Taxes they flea'd off their skins eat their flesh and suckt their bloud 3. The Bones were disjoynted and separated from their places one here another there So the Jews were rent from their Habitations and Countrey and were scattered all over Babylon Ezek. 34 6. My flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth that is chiefly the Babylonish earth They were forced out of Sion and dispersed into all parts of Babylon This made Jeremiah to say Chap. 50.17 Israel is a scattered sheep The Princes the Nobles the Priests the Prophets and the People were all scattered one from another the Bones of that Common wealth were pulled all asunder and thrown into several places 4. The Bones were dry yea very dry they had no moysture or Marrow in them Such was the house of Israel being in the furnace of Babylon Their long Captivity with the evils attending it had dryed up their moysture and marrow They wanted the Milk and Honey they had in Canaan for their bodies and the Manna they had for their souls they were without a Temple the Ordinances of it so that not only their bodies but their souls also were as dry bones for they said They were without hope 5. The Bones being uncovered lay exposed to the reproach and injury of any foot that passed by them And the Jews the time of their being in Babylon were exposed to scorns and injuries from all sorts Ezek 36.14 15 30. Lam. 5.1 Psal 137.3 The whole house of Israel was a derision and scorn to the Babylonians Behold they say Our bones are dryed This speech Our bones are dryed is Proverbial and notes a most miserable and forlorn condition such as those dry bones lay in so far off were they from life that the Prophet could not see a possibility thereof The Jews in Babylon were in such a condition they saw no possibility of their returning Captivitas est mors civilis Captivity and Servitude under enemies is a civil death such men are like those are dead and their bones dryed And our hope is lost Hope is the Element by which the afflicted live the Anchor of the soul in a storm the bladder keeps up a man from sinking when in deep waters and upholds a man in life when death knocks at the door but these Jews had lost their hope and were at the brink of despair they said We hoped a long time to return to our own land but we were deceived here we are held fast Jer. 50.33 Let who will hope to see Canaan again our hope that way is dead and in Babylon we must die We are cut off for our parts This is a Proverbial and Metaphorical expression taken either
from the branch of a tree cut off from the body or from the whole tree cut off from the earth which no sooner is done but they wither become fruitless and without hope of recovering their pristine condition So these Jews who were once Gods Vine and Olive-tree said now We are cut off from Canaan the land of the living where we had alimentum vitale such nourishment as made us grow and be fruitful but here in our captivity we have no City no Temple no Sacrifice and so we are as branches cut off and trees cut down never like to be replanted more See Chap. 17 9. Like hereunto is that of Job Chap. 19.10 He hath destroyed me on every side and I am gone and mine hope he hath removed like a tree that is as the e is no hope of a tree cut off from the earth so have I saith Job no hope of recovering my former condition Verse 12. Bâ—hold O my people I w ll open your graves In this verse God promiseth unto them removal of Impediments and reduction of them inâ—o their own Land The first is in these words I will open you graves Canaan was so dear unto the Jews Si transferre sedes cogerentur major vitae metus quam mortis Tacitus that they counted it death to live out of it they esteemed it only the land of the living and had rather have dyed then left their Countrey being therefore Captives in a stange land they were as dead men and that land as a grave unto them When a man is in his grave he is cut off from the Land of the living laid in darkness bound with grave-clothes and pressed down with earth So these Jews were cut off from their own Land had long been in Babylonish darkness were bound up by Babylonish Laws and Power and so oppressed and kept down by the Tyranny of the Babylonians that they were without hope of liberty Hereupon the Lord saith I will open your graves I will remove all that hinders ex parte Babyloniorum their Policy Power Law Oppression shall detain you no longer in Captivity yea I will remove all hinders ex parte vestra Your despair and unbelief are like grave-stones which keep you in a captive and dead condition but they shall be taken away and a door opened for your coming forth It 's not irrational to conceive some or many of them might be in prisons and Babylonish Families whom God would set at liberty And cause you to come up out of your graves c. When the graves are opened the dead cannot rise or come forth no more then the dry bones could move or stir of themselves The Jews deliverance out of Captivity is likened to the raising the deâ—d out of their graves God causeth the dead to rise Isa 26.19 and he would cause them to come out of Babylon and not only bâ—ing them out hence but also bring them into their own Land though they were cut off from their own Olive-tree God would ingraft them in again Verse 13. And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves c. When God should do this wonderful and great work viz. bring them out of their Captivity raise them from their dead condition in Babylon and restore them to life in their own Countrey then they should know and acknowledge God in a special manner Verse 14. And shall put my Spirit in you By Ruah or Spirit here is not meant breath or life as ver 9.10 for they were first to be brought up out of their graves and to have natural life before the Spirit should be put into them But by Spirit here we understand the holy Spirit of God even that Spirit spoken of Chap. 36.27 where are the same words Lavater saith Indam vobis alium Spiritum I will put into you another Spirit Oecolampad saith It 's Spiritus adoptionis moderator actor Filiorum Dei The spirit of Adoption which moderates and acts the Sons of God And ye shall live They lived before a natural life a sad and melancholy life but now they should live a spiritual life and comfortable and heavenly life they should forget their sorrows and rejoyce in their God You have been in a dying condition these 70 years of your Captivity but hence forward ye shall live I shall place you in your own Land The Hebrew is I will make you to rest upon your own Land The word Janach signifies deponere demittere God would dismiss them from Babylon carry them upon Eagles wings and set them down in their own Land where they should be at rest They had been disquieted and vexed in Babylon many years and suffered grievous things but God put an end thereunto and gave them rest in Canaan which types out Gods dealing with his people under the Gospel viz. The bringing them from under the Antichristian state into Sion Then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it and performed it Ye think it impossible that you should have the Babylonish yoke knockt off be set at liberty and planted in your own countrey but if I can give life to dry bones and cause them to stand up and become a great Army which is a more difficult thing and thou Ezekiel hast seen it then let the Jews be assured I can deliver them and return them into their own Land and will do it and when it 's done they shall know that I am a God of Truth and Power Something we shall observe in General from these words and something more specially First Observe That sense which God gives of Visions Types and Parables is sound and certain yea infallible Ezekiel had a Vision of dry bones and who could tell the meaning of this Vision Many have mistaken about it but God himself he told the Prophet and so all others what was the sense of that Vision Behold the bones are the whole house of Israel God who is the authour of Visions Types and Parables knoweth best what is the meaning of them He knew what the golden Candlestick and the two Olive trees on the right and left sides thereof meant and interpreted them unto Zechariah Chap. 4. Daniel's Vision of four Beasts Chap. 7. did the Lord open and make known unto him John's Vision of the woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured Beast full of names of blasphemie having seven heads and ten horns the Lord interpreted and made known unto him Revel 17. Christ uttered many Parables which were dark and when he gave the sense of them it was certain and infallible Secondly Observe Tropes and Types are not in sacred Scripture to be taken literally These bones are the house of Israel they were not the house of Israel in a literal sense but they signified the house of Israel It 's frequent in the Word to give the name of the thing signified to the thing signifying as 1 Cor. 10.4 That Rock was Christ here the Rock is call'd Christ
Judah and his Companions and on another stick For Joseph Ephraim or the house of Israel and his companions not one of them were out of Gods thoughts Their forefathers had been 400 years in Egypt were tyrannized over by cruel Task-masters lookt upon as contemptible but the Lord had an eye to them cared and wrought for them They have now layen 1600 years in darkness in a desolate and despised condition yet doubtless they are not forgotten Gods thoughts are upon them to do them good again Fourthly Observe Typical and obscure things will excite men to inquire after the sense of them This is intimated in the 18. ver When the children of thy people shall speak unto thee saying Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these God knew they would inquire Common things are neglected but things strange and mysterious are dived into sought after When Ezekiel was to dig through the wall cover his face and remove his stuff then the people were stirr'd and said What doest thou Chap. 12.9 Those typical actions bred inquisitiveness in their spirits When the Lord Christ spake Parables they sought to him to know the sense and meaning of them Fifthly Observe God is pleased to direct his Prophets and Servants what to say unto the People when they come to question with them about things If this people come to Ezekiel to know what he meant by the two Sticks his writing upon them and holding them in his hand the Lord tells him what he shall say unto them say Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will take the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim c. When God sent Moses unto the people he was timorous lest he should not know what to say to the people how to answer their questions but see how God directs and instructs him Exod. 3.13 14. Moses said unto God when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you and they shall say unto me What is his name what shall I say unto them I know not how to answer that question See what now follows And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM And he said Thus shalt thou say I AM hath sent me unto you Thus God taught him what answer to give the people So Ezek. 14. when the Elders came to inquire somewhat of Ezekiel God told him what answer to give them It was given in of God by his Spirit to the Apostles what answer to give Governors and Rulers when they â—ere brought before them Mat. 10.19 Vers 20 21 21. 20. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes 21. And say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the Heathen whither they be gone and will gather them on every side and bring them into their own Land 22. And I will make them one Nation in the land upon the Mountains of Israel and one King shall be King to them all and they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be divided into two Kingdoms any more at all THe Explication of the Typical Sticks is laid down in these and the subsequent verses Vers 20. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes The Prophet was not to do this privately but to write upon the sticks and to hold them in his hand so that all might see them and hereby be provoked to inquire what the mystery of them was and so become partakers of the consolation intended thereby Vers 21. Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the Heathen whither they be gone 〈◊〉 this verse is promised the reduction of the twelve Tribes comprehended under these words the children of Israel out of all Countries where they were scattered into their own Land Not only Judah and Benjamin should be gathered up and brought into Canaan again but the rest of the Tribes also This is a great and gratious Promise And will gather them on every side The ten Tribes being carryed away by Shalmanezer were placed in Haloth and Habor by the river Gozan and in the cities of the Medes 2 King 17.6 they were seated in the utmost parts of his Dominions North and East and the other Jews whom Nebuchadnezzer led away captive were scattered up and down his manifold Provinces as appears Esth 3.8 Now God would look on every side and gather them up out of all Quarters Vers 22. And I will make them one Nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel Being brought into their Land here God adds three great Promises more The first is uniting of them into one Nation who had some hundreds of years been divided and at bitter enmity one against another And one King shall be King to them all After the division made by Jeroboam you read of several Kings they had Kings of Judah and Kings of Israel There were two Kingdoms and divers Kings of them both but the Kingdoms being united into one the Lord promiseth them not a succession of Kings over them but one King to Rule over them both They should be one Kingdom and have one King This is the second great Promise And they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be divided into two Kingdoms any more at all This is the third Promise and it 's a great one also viz. they shall continue a Kingdom one Kingdom and never be torn or rent in pieces any more There shall be no Rehoboam's or Jeroboam's to cause divisions in it It will add some light to the words under consideration if we make inquiry Whether the Type of the two Sticks be fulfilled by the incorporating of the two Nations into one and making of them one Kingdom It 's affirmed by some that this Hieroglyphical Prophesie was fulfill'd at the Return of the two Tribes out of Babylon For then Cyrus King of Persia made a Proclamation throughout all his Kingdom to this purpose Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia All the Kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem which is in Judea Who is there among you of all his people the Lord his God be with him and â—â—t him go up 2 Chron. 36.22 23. The Proclamation excepts no persons no Tribes but gives full liberty unto all The ten Tribes having been now 204. years or there abouts in Captivity it 's likely were weary of their condition and so willing to return into their own Countrey and so they took the opportunity before them For it 's evident that some of the ten Tribes did â—eturn to Jerusalem Of the Levites there were 74. Ezra 2.40 Nehem. 7.43 and of the Priests who were of that Tribe as appear 1 Chron. 24.1 2 7. Exod. 6.16 18 20. Nehem 7.39 there were 973. Paul was of the Tâ—â—â—e of Benjamin
was said unto them Ye are not my people there it shall be said unto them Ye are the sons of the living God This is spoken of the Land of Canaan There he did disown them and there he would own them again Testimony to this truth gives Jeremy Chap. 50.4 5. In those dayes and in that time saith the Lord the children of Israel shall come they and all the children of Judah together going and wâ—eping they shall go and seek the Lord their God They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant That in Isa 2.2 3. speaks to the same purpose and most clearly that Isa 11.11 And it shall come to passe in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assiria and from Egypt and from Pathros and from Chush and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and from the Ilands of the Sea And in the 12. And he shall set up an Ensign for the nations and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth Here is mention of a second gathering of them from Assyria which hath not yet been fulfilled but shall when the Lamb stand upon Mount Sion with his 144000 sealed out of all the Tribes Rev. 14.1 Chap. 7.4 Consider Isa 65.17 18 19 21 22. Thirdly Observe The Lord knows how to and can reconcile divided Nations I will make them one Nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel The Jews were divided into two Nations or Kingdoms There was the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah and they were at great enmity such enmity that they would have no commerce one with another Joh. 4.9 The ten Tribes went under the name of Samaritans the other were call'd Jews They were of divers Religions ver 22. They had their Calves at Dan and Bethel the true worship was at Jerusalem The enmity grew so great between them that they were at open Wars and sought the destruction of one another Those of Israel and Samaria slew in Judah 120000 valiant men in one day and carryed away captive of their brethren 200000 women sons and daughters and those they slew was in a rage reached up to heaven 2 Chron. 28.6 8 9. Now notwithstanding all the rage fury enmity bitterness was in them one against another God knows how to reconcile them and make them one Nation one People so that Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim Isa 11.13 but they shall agree and cordially love one another The Jews and Gentiles were at a greater distance than the Jews amongst themselves yet God knew how to reconcile them and did it Eph. 2.12 13 14 15 16. Vers 23. Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols nor with their detestable things nor with any of their transgressions but I will save them out of all their dwelling places wherein they have sinned and will cleanse them so shall theybe my people and I will be their God IN this verse there lyeth before us 1. The renouncing of their Idolatrous wayes and other evils 2. Deliverance of them from the places they were captive in 3. Spiritual cleansing or Sanctification of them 4. Renewal of the Covenant between them and God Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their Idols The Jews were much addicted to Idolatry no sooner were they out of Egypt but they parted with their earings to make a Calf Exod. 32.34 When they were in the Wilderness they joyned themselves to Baal-Peor Numb 25.3 In time of the Judges when in the Land of Canaac they served other Gods Judg. 10.13 And after the rent of Jeroboam the ten Tribes did worship the Calves at Dan and Bethel 1 King 12.29 30. Judah also trod in the same steps committing Adultery with stones and with stocks Jer. 3.8 9. But when they should be united into one Nation and Kingdom again Israel should cease from her Calves and Judah from her Idols they should no more go a whoring after them whereby they defiled themselves and the Land Nor with their detestable things nor with any of their transgressions Sanctius thinks these three words Idols Detestable things Transgressions to signifie one and the same thing to set forth the sinfulness of Idols and false Religions they are detestable and cause the greatest Breaches between God and Men. The word for Transgression is Pesha which notes Apostacy Rebellion a proud and malicious violating of a Command We may by Transgressions here understand not only their Idolatries but their other capital and crying sins When God pleases to call and convert the Jews and from them into one Nation then they shall loath themselves and their former doings But I will save them out of all their dwelling places wherein they have sinned They were scattered up and down into divers Countries and into several parts in those Countries where they setled themselves and sâ—nn'd by conforming to the Heathen amongst whom they dwelt Ezek. 20.32 Jer. 44.8 But in what Countries soever they were the Lord would have an eye to them and deliver them And will cleanse them The word in Hebrew for cleansing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Taher which is contrary to Tamee signifying to defile pollute and because a thing defiled hath lost its beauty some make Taher to import Munditiem nitentem shining or beautiful cleansing for when the filth of things is taken away there is a splendor and beauty God saith here He will cleanse them that is from their Idolatry and other sins by the bloud of Christ and by his holy Spirit So shall they be my people and I will be their God Now they lie in a desolate condition and are looked at as cast off of God yea themselves conclude they are cut off from me ver 11. But when they are gathered out of the Countries where they are dispersed and cleansed from their iniquities then will I manifest to all the World That they are my people and that I am their God they themselves shall see and know it They shall acknowledge me to be their God and I will acknowledge them to be my people The Covenant between us shall be renewed and manifested First Observe from the two verses before this and the next That when God begins to shew mercy to his people afflicted He multiplies mercies upon them He would take them from among the Heathen bring them into their own Land make them one Nation set one King over them continue them in the same condition take their hearts off from Iâ—â—s cleanse them from their defilements take them into Covenant with himself give them David to be their King and keep them in doing of his will Here is a series of many and great mercies The like you had Chap. 36.24 25
14.20 21. There shall be no Canaanites then in the house of the Lord of hosts Then shall be the new Heavens and new Earth wherein shall dwell righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 that is Righteous persons such as shall do righteous things for there shall be no exacting no violence no destruction but salvation and praise Isa 60.17 18. There shall the righteous flourish Psal 72.7 Fourthly Observe We ought to think and speak honourably of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and Saints of God God thought and spoke honourably of David of Jacob He calls them His servants that is an honourable Title which he gives them Fifthly Observe The Jews and their Posterity shall inherit their Land again become a Kingdom and continue so under Christ for ever They and their children and their childrens children shall dwell in the Land and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever All other Kingdoms have been shaken broken but this shall abide Daniel speaks of it in his 2. Chap. ver 44. The God of heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever Revel 11.15 The Kingdoms of this World must become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Vers 26 27. 26. Moreover I will make a Covenant of peace with them it shall be an everlasting Covenant with them and I will place them and multiply them and will set my Sanctuary in the middest of them for evermore 27. My Tabernacle also shall be with them yea I will be their God and they shall be my people HEre are more Promises given forth to the houses of Judah and Joseph being gathered out of the Nations and united into one house As 1. Of a Covenant of Peace 2. Of placing or disposing them 3. Of multiplying of them 4. Of God's dwelling amongst them Vers 26. Moreover I will make a Covenant of peace with them The Hebrew is I will strike or cut a Covenant with them Caratti lahem berith shalom Carath signifies to cut and to cut off by death 1 Sam. 31.9 the Philistines cut off Sauls head And 1 Sam. 28.9 Saul cut off those had Familiar-spirits and the Wisards out of the Land also to cut off from place and power as 1 Sam. 2.33 But when it 's joyned with Berith it alwayes signifies to strike or make a Covenant because it was a custom when they made Covenants to kill some beast or other cut it in the midst and pass between the parts thereof manifesting by so doing that if they brake Covenant they deserved to be cut in pieces Gen. 15.9 10 18. Jerem. 34.18 This practise was among the Heathens who cut a Swine in pieces Stabant caesâ firmabant faedera porcâ Virg. Aeneiad lib. 8. pass'd between them and so made Covenants The Covenant here which God would make with the two houses was a Covenant of Peace The word for Peace is Shalom by which the Hebrews understand not only outward quietness but all kind of outward happiness Hac voce appellant quicquid in bonorum censu habetur hoc est quicquid expeti aut optari potest Grot. Whatsoever they count in the number of good things and desirable that they comprehend under the name of Peace and when they wish all happiness to a man they wish him Peace Maldonate tells us that the Covenant of Peace here is the Gospel wherein we see Christ hath pacified all things by the bloud of his Cross Coloss 1.20 And Lavater saith it 's call'd a Covenant of Peace Quia Christi merito pax inter Deum nos constituta est not only outward but inward Peace The Jews had some Peace at their return out of Babylon but in the time of the Macchabees they had long bitter and bloudy Wars When Christ came there was Peace for a time but not long after his death they and their Nation were destroyed by the Romans The Covenant of Peace here is promised to the two houses who were not then but still are to be united and when they shall be united God will make good his promise He will strike a Covenant of Peace with them which shall not be for a few years but as it follows It shall be an everlasting Covenant with them God will not make a Truce with them for dayes months and years but a Covenant for ever The Jews opposed Christ when he came first and had little outward or inward Peace but when he shall reign over both Houses they shall have everlasting Peace And I will place them In the Original it is Vnethattim Et dabo eos I will give them Piscator confesses he doth not ken the sense of these words Ghappe he saith this is it I will place them in the holy Land Vatablus is of the same mind interpreting them thus I will place them in my Land The Chaldee is Benedicam eis I will bless them And Mariana to that purpose saith Dabo eis sc Benedictionem I will give them a blessing The Vulgar is Fundabo eos which Pinus expounds thus I will place them in a firm Land where they shall have a solid foundation Oecolampadius more fully Dabo eos tali conciliatori qui est mea benedictio in gentes I will give them to Christ whom I have promised to be a blessing to the Nations which sense I conceive the best for he spake in the verse before of dwelling in the Land where their Fathers dwelt In that Land God would give them to Christ And multiply them This multiplication is not only in a Natural sense to be taken but in a Spiritual also Non tam secundum carnem quà m secundum spiritum promittit augendum Israelem saith Lavater Their increase will be great and they shall be Believers Sutable to which is that in Isa 54.13 All thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children And will set my Sanctuary in the middest of them for evermore The word for my Sanctuary is Mickdashi which Montanus renders Sanctificationem meam My Sanctification The Chaldee and others call it Sanctuarium meum My Sanctuary The Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My holy things Mariana saith Ecclesiam My Church After the return of Judah and Benjamin from Captivity they had the Temple rebuilt which in process of time was utterly destroyed but here the Lord speaks of setting his Sanctuary in the middest of the two houses being united God will have his Church and Worship eminently amongst them Oecolampadius saith Non aberit Templum divinitatis Christus Jesus They shall not be without a divine Temple viz. Christ Jesus He shall be the Temple amongst them Rev. 21.22 And as he shall be their Prince for ever so shall he be their Temple and Sanctuary for ever Vers 27. My Tabernacle
sanctified in thee O Gog before their eyes IN these words we have the place whence Gog should come the manner of his coming the persons he should come against the author and event of his coming Vers 14. In that day when my people Israel dwelleth safely shalt thou not know it When my people are come to their Land dwell safely in Towns without walls gates or barrs shalt thou not know it Yes thou wilt take notice thereof and be incouraged thereby to come against them The Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou wilt be stirred up this sense of the words some make Others thus Thou hast a wicked thought in thy heart and doest purpose to invade my people being unarm'd and dwelling safely and shalt thou not know that is Thou shalt know what it is to invade my people thou shalt feel my judgments my fury will appear and fall upon thee to thy destruction v. 16 18. Piscator renders the word thus Annon experieris Shalt thou not have experience Vers 15. Thou shalt come from thy place out of the North parts thou and many people with thee c. Some conceive that Gog with his great Army came out of Scythia others out of Babylon which lay Northwards from Jerusalem That he came from those parts is not clear but most certair that he came from the Northern parts or sides of the North and having drawn many to his assistance they all came riding upon Horses They were all Horse-men for speed the charges of such an Army being all Horse-men must be exceeding great This Army came into the Land of Israel and cover'd it like a Cloud as we heard v. 9. Vers 16. It shall be in the latter dayes In the 8 vers it was said in the latter years and here it 's said in the latter dayes or as Montanus reads them in novissimo dierum or as Piscator in novissimis diebus in the last dayes In the latter dayes did Antiochus vex the Jewes and in the last dayes shall Antichrist vex them and the Church When I shall be sanctified in thee O Gog. God is said to be sanctified when he manifests himself to be an holy and just God by inflicting punishment upon evil doers whereby others are made to fear and say O what an holy what a just what a dreadfull God is he who executes such judgments Ezek. 28.22 we had the same words First Observe When Gods people are in Canaan then have they safety In Babylon they had none in Egypt they had none in the Wilderness they had little but when in Canaan then they had their greatest safety In that day when my people Israel dwelleth safely They had a day a time of safety which was when they were setled in Canaan In Canaan was the Church and where that is in safety there God is City Walls Gâ—tes and Barrs himself He is the keeper of Israel Ps 112.4.5 Secondly Observe Thâ—se that design and attempt mischief against the people of God they shall experimentally know that God is their Protector and the Revenger of their wrongs Gog thought evil against Israel and came up against it And what saith God shalt thou not know it This I 'le make thee to know that I am Israels Keeper and that thou hast done wickedly to invade them God made Senacherib know what it was to design and attempt evil against Jerusalem when he smote 185000 of his Souldiers in one night Isa 37.36 When the Ammonites Moabites and Seirites thought and attempted mischief against the Jewes viz. to cast them out and possess their Land did not God avenge his people of them and manifest himself to be their Protector 2 Chron. 20.23 24 Thirdly Observe The secret Plots and deep Designs of men do at length break out into Action Gog had long thought of invading Israel and at length he comes from his place out of the North parts and puts his design into execution Hidden things of dishonesty sleep not alwayes they may be dissembled long but at last they issue into action The Spanish-plot lay in the dark long but at last it visited our English Coasts where they were made to see that their Armado was not invincible The Massacres of France and Ireland were secret though Plotts at first but in process of time they came to bloud Fourthly Observe The great enemies of the Church have many Helpers and Adhaerents and those fitted to further their wicked Designs Gog had many people with him and all of them riding upon Horses a great company and a mighty Army so numerous they were that like a Cloud they covered the Land So Antichrist now hath many Assistants to promote his wicked and bloudy designs against the Saints Rev. 19.19 I saw the Beast and the Kings of the Earth and their Armies gathered together to make warr against him that sate on the Horse and against his Army that is against Christ and his Church Fifthly Observe Though all people and Lands in the World be the Lords yet some people and Lands are his in a more peculiar manner Thou shalt come up against my people and against my land Where God is own'd his Ordinances and Worship set up maintain'd in purity and power His interest and glory advanced there is a people God calls his people and a land God calls His land there God dwells peculiarizing both People and Land to himself Sixthly Observe God takes occasion from the attempts of the wicked to execute his just judgements upon them and so to get glory to his Name even from Heathens Gog took occasion from the Jewes weakness they were in unwalled Villages to invade and destroy them and God takes occasion from his unjust invading the Jewes to inflict dreadfull judgments upon him and his that the Heathen might know him when he should be sanctified in Gog They seeing such just judgments upon Gog should fear the God of Israel and learn righteousness God is known by executing of judgment Ps 9.16 Thereby he is known to be the most High over all the Earth Vers 17. 17 Thus saith the Lord God Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the Prophets of Israel whâ—ch prophesied in those dayes many years that I would bring thee against them THe things concerning Gog were neither Novelties nor Incertainties but such as God foreknew would be and the Prophets had Prophesied of and that long before and not once or twice but often even many years It is of grand importance to inquire what Prophets hâ—ve spoken of Gog and his proceedings Some would have Moses to speak of him Numb 24.7 where it 's said his King shall be higher then Agag that is Jacobs King shall be higher then Gog The Sâ—ptuagint reads it Gog and so doth Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His King shall be exalted above Gog Though Gog be great yet shall he be greater But in the Original it is Agag not Gog. Jerom hath it Gog and interprets it of
Antichrist Some make David to be the Prophet prophesying of Gog Ps 9.5 Thou hast destroyed the wicked one that is thou shalt destroy Gog that or the wicked one call'd by some Antichrist whom Gog was a type of To this accords that in Isa 11.4 With the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked Gog in the Type and Antichrist in the Antitype 2 Thess 2.8 Beside this place in Isa some fix upon Isa 17.12 13 14. and make that a Prophesie of Gog. Some took Ps 68.14 When the Almighty Scattered Kings i. e. Gog and Magog Rivet in Lat. in locum Jerem. 1 14. Out of the North an evil shall break forth upon all the Inhabitants of the Land It 's granted Gog was to come out of the North quarters v. 15. of this 38 of Ezek. and so was Nebuchadnezzar Jer. 10.22 He speaks rather of Nebuchadnezzar than of Gog Moreover his Prophesie was but a little before Ezekiels dayes and much of it in his dayes whereas here it 's said Of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the Prophets of Israel Others therefore referr it to the Prophesie of Enoch mentioned Jude 14. who spake of the Lords coming with 10000 of his Saints but nothing of Gog is there specified That in Joel 3 is more satisfying as to the business in hand Viz. v. 2.9.11.14 I will gather all Nations and will bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the Nations and spoyled my Land c. This we may conceive was prophesied of Gog. 1. Because the Jewes were to come out of Captivity into their own Land before this was done It 's probable that therefore Gog and the Nations conspir'd together to invade and destroy them because they were setled safely in their Land v. 1. 2. Because Gog was to fall upon the Mountains of Israel to perish in the Land of Judaea Ezek 39.4 Thou shalt fall upon the Mountains of Israel thou and all thy bands and the people that is with thee To which agrees that of Joel 3.12 13. Let the Heathen be wakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat for there will I sit to judge the Heathen round about put ye in the sickle for the harvest is ripe c. 3. Because of the like effects Ezekiel saith when Gog and his Army shall be destroyed there shall be a great shaking in the Land of Israel v. 19. So Joel 3.15 16. at the destruction of the Nations and their Princes the Sun and the Moon shall be darkned and the Stars shall withdraw their shining The Lord also shall roar out of Sion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the heaven and the earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the Children of Israel If it be said Joel is but one Prophet and the Text speaks of Prophets and so of them as if it were a common thing amongst them to prophesie of or against Gog. To this may be answered that most of the Prophets might speak of Gog though they writ not of him for all which the Prophets prophesied did neither themselves nor others alwayes pen and here it 's said by whom I have spoken not by whom I have written Moses spake what was not written Hebr. 11.24 25 26 27. So Enoch Jude v. 14 15. as Christ himself did Joh. 21.25 By my servants in Hebrew is In or by the hand of my servants and for in those dayes many years it 's in the dayes of those years they did prophesie of Gog that God would bring him upon the Jewes First Observe The Lord doth infallibly kâ—ow things to come He revealed to the Pâ—ophets of old this Gog here spoken of hundreds of years before he was neither was God deceived for in the time appointed he came He whose understanding is infinite Psal 147.5 must needs know all things past present and to come should any thing be unknown to God his understanding should not be infinite Mans knowledge is borrowed from Creatures to which he gives neither beeing nor operation but God's knowledge is from himself He knows all that is possible in his Power and all that is future in his Will Creatures can neither bee nor operate without Him He hath such clear vision of all things that his knowledge must needs be certain Should he be deceived in any particular there should be darkness in him but He is light and in him there is no darkness at all 1 Joh. 1.5 Secondly Observe The Prophets delivered many things which were not recorded The Prophets of Israel spake of Gog and yet we cannot find any direct satisfying place in holy Writ concerning him In Mat. 27.9 you have words cited for Jeremie's which you cannot find in all his Prophesies the words are these Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the Prophet saying And they took the 30 pieces of silver the price of him that was valued whom they of the children of Israel did value Matthew saith not that which was written but that which was spoken Jeremy had delivered these words and many other doubtless which are no where to be found And if any ask How came Matthew by them He had them by Tradition say some others by Revelation which is safest to say Solomon he spake of Trees from the Cedar-tree that is in Lebanon even unto the Hysop that springeth out of the wall He spake also of Beasts and of Fowls and of Creeping things and of Fishes 1 King 4.33 but what he said of these is not to be found or known Had not Paul helped us to that blessed truth of Christ It is more blessed to give than to receive Act. 20.35 we had never met with it Thirdly Observe Those God sends to make known his mind to men he owns honours and protects My servants the Prophets of Israel Those had spoken against Gog and made known his mind teaching him God owns for his servants honours them with this Title Prophets of Israel and being his he hath a special care of them Psal 105.15 Do my Prophets no harm If the servants and Embassadors of Earthly Princes be honourable and have protection from them much more are the servants and Embassadors of the King of Glory honorable and under Divine Protection If David would not put up the wrong done to his servants he sent to Hanun 2 Sam. 10. Neither will God let the wrongs done to his servants the Prophets of Israel go unpunished 2 Chron. 36.16 Fourthly Observe It s not an accidental or casual thing that enemies do come against the Church The Lord brought Gog against this People and the Prophets had prophesied many years that God would do so They made it known to the world what God had decreed to do Gog could not have stir'd or mov'd one foot towards the Land of Israel unless God had appointed
and commanded it to be so Lam. 3.37 Who is he that saith and it cometh to pass When the Lord commandeth it not Vers 18 19 20 21 22. 18. And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel saith the Lord God that my fury shall come up in my face 19. For in my jealousie and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel 20. So that the fishes of the sea and the fouls of the heaven and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep upon the earth and all the men that are upon the face of the earth shall shake at my presence and the mountains shall be thrown down and the steep places shall fall and every wall shall fall to the ground 21. And I will call for a sword against him thorowout all my mountains saith the Lord God every mans sword shall be against his brother 22. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with bloud and I will rain upon him and upon his bands and upon the many people that are with him an overflowing rain and great hailstones fire and brimstone THe time and manner of Gods proceedings with Gog is set forth in these five Verses Vers 18. At the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel Time is not to be taken strictly for a day or an hour as if God should that very day Gog set out or invaded the Land fall upon him by his judgements and destroy him but largely for the time of that enterprise whilest he should be upon that design when he had fill'd up the measure of his iniquities My fury shall come up in my face Some read the words thus My anger shall come up in my face that is I will be furious and manifest hot displeasure for furor is fervor irae the heat and highth of anger We read the words My fury shall come up in my face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Af signifies Anger the face the nose also because Anger appears chiefly in them God speaking here after the manner of men saith My fury shall come up in my face Luther by Fury or Anger understands Gog himself who was Vas Irae Divinae by whom God powred out wrath upon the Jews Maldonate also makes the Fury here mentioned to be against the Church but rather its against Gog for at the same time that Gog should come against Israel at that time should Gods fury come up in his face he would be exceedingly displeased with Gog for attempting the destruction of his people And ver 21. God will call for a Sword against him Vers 19. For in my jealousie and in the fury of my wrath have I spoken The Lord being jealous over his people for their good and seeing what malicious designes Gog and his Confederates had against them was provoked much thereby and said in his Jealousie and Fury that is Promised or rather Threatned the Destruction of Gog and not only so but confirmed it with an Oath in the next words Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the Land of Israel These words Im lo carry the form of an Oâ—th with them as thus If not that is if there be not a great shaking let me not be God let me not be faithful so sure as I am God and faithful so sure and certain it is that there shall be a great shaking in the Land of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 raash signifies a Commotion an Earth-quake and in that day when Antiochus invaded Canaan there was a great commotion a great shaking And so there will be when Antichrist who is Gog mystical shall invade the Church which Maldonate saith will be in the end of the world Vers 20. So that the Fishes of the Sea and the Fowls of the Heaven the Beasts of the Field and all creeping things that creep upon the Earth and all the Men that are upon the face of the Earth shall shake at my presence Here is shewn the greatness of his shaking it should be such as should affect and astonish all creatures even the sensible and senseless As Gog should come like a storm so Gods judgements should come upon him and his like a storm When storms are the winds blow terribly so that the Air and Fowls in it are troubled the Sea works and rages so that the fishes in it are disquieted yea some storms do so afflict the Earth that Beasts creeping things and Men themselves are made to quake When God comes in a way of judgement it 's grievous All these expressions are ad significandam calamitatis vehementiam God would appear in some dreadful judgement against Gog and thereby shake all The Mountains shall be thrown down and the steep places shall fall Sometimes in Scripture by Mountains are meant Men in eminent places as Dan. 2.35 Isa 40.4 Sometimes the Church and Kingdoms as Isa 2.23 But here some take it literally and affirm there should be such an Earth-quake as should shake down Mountains Lavater by Mountains understands Towers built upon Mountains which then should be demolished The word for steep places is Hammadregoth which Cant. 2.14 is translated stairs the Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valleys the Vulgar is sepes the fences the translation Vatablus follows saith aggeres Bulwarks Piscator and the French say turres Towers OEcolampad and Lavater render it gradus the steps stairs or ascents whereby they went up Junius varies from them all and turns the word prcaeipitia which is Steep places by which he intends Rocks hanging as it were in the Air. The sense is that all Places of refuge and safety seemed they never so strong should fail And every wall shall fall to the ground So terrible shall be the shaking that the walls of Cities shall be overthrown all the Towers Forts and Defences whatsoever shall be levell'd with the ground and made useless Some understand this of Gogs prevailing against the Church laying all waste so that the people of God shall be in that distress till God come and execute judgement upon Gog and all his company Vers 21. And I will call for a Sword against him throughout all my Mountains saith the Lord God Sword here is put for Sword-men God would call forth men and stir up their spirits to oppose Gog and his company who filling all with fear thought to swallow up all but throughout Judea that mountainous Counrey he should meet with those would give check to his proceedings Judas Macchabaeus Jonathan Eleazer and others withstood Antiochus and his Forces as you may see in the Book of the Macchabees and therein was this Prophesie made good say Interpreters Every mans Sword shall be against his Brother Those of Gogs Army should through the just judgement of God upon them change their thoughts counsels intentions and instead of killing their
Enemies they should sheath their Swords in one anothers bowels God would order it so that one should destâ—oy another as the Philistines did 1 Sam. 14 16. Behold the multitude melted away and they went on beating down one another and Vers 20. Every mans sword was against his fellow They being full of discontent and perplexity thought it more honourable to dye then to fall into the hands of Enemies Vers 22. And I will plead against him with Pestilence and with Bloud He shews here what judgements God would bring upon Gog and his Armies judgements from beneath and judgements from above The first sort here are Pestilence and Bloud by the sword and slaughter The Hebrew is I will be judg'd with him by Pestilence and Bloud they shall declare that I am a strong and just God And I will rain upon him and upon his Bands c. an over-flowing Rain and great Hailstones Fire and Brimstone The second sort of judgements are Rain Hailstones Fire and Brimstone These words over-flowing showers and great Hailstones we had Chap. 13.11 13. In the 10. of Joshuah we read how God did cast down great Stones from Heaven upon the Amorites and slew more with Hailâ—tones then the Israelites slew with the Sword vers 10. To this place it 's conceiv'd our Prophet alludes foretelling that the Lord would deal with the Goggites as he did with the Amorites slâ—y them with extraordinary great Hâ—â—lstones from Heaven and not only so but with Fire and Brimstone which is poena damnatorum the punishment of the damn'd in Hell and was the punishment of Sodom and Gomorrha Some by these expressions understand manifold and grievous calamities which befell Gog and his and will not have them to be understood litterally that so the verification of them may fall upon Antiochus and his Forces who suffered very sad things for he was smitten by God with an incurable and invisible plague and torment in his bowels he fell from his Chariot and was bruised with his fall worms came out of his body in abundance his rottenness and stink was such as none could bear the same and while he was alive his flesh fell off for pain 2 Macc. 9. Let it be granted that these words are not to be taken literally but metaphorically for heavy judgements befalling Gog and his it will not follow thereupon that Antiochus was the man though he suffered such grievous things for it 's said of Gog that he should fall upon the Mountains of Israel he and all his Bands that he and his slain should have graves in Israel Ezek. 39.4 11. But as for Antiochus he dyed in his bed and that either in Babylon as 1 Macc. 6. or at Ecbatane in India as it 's 2 Macc. 9. Neither was there any such vast destruction of Antiochus Forces which came into Judaea under Lysias as these words hold out and is more clearly expressed in Ch. 39.12 Seven moneths shall the house of Israel be burying of them There must be a wonderful great slaughter which required so much time for their burial I conceive therefore that these words may be taken in the literal sense and are yet to be fulfill'd and that induceth so to judge is what you have Rev. 20.8 9. where it is said Satan shall gather Gog and Magog together to battail the number of whom is as the sand of the Sea and they went up on the breadth of the Earth and compassed the Camp of the Saints about and the beloved City and fire came down from Heaven and devoured them John saw this in Vision and spake of it as to come and puts it after the Saints rising and reigning a thousand years with Christ That time being expired some grand Enemies shall arise against the Jews and people of God whom he will destroy not only in an ordinary way but miraculously also by fire from Heaven First Observe When wicked men are plotting and attempting the ruine of the Church Gods wrath is kindled against them When Gog comes up against the land of Israel Gods fury comes up in his face Gog manifests himself to be an Enemy to Sion and God manifests himself to be an Enemy to Gog. Wicked men plot act proceed far oft-times and afflict the servants of God greatly but when they think to carry all God appears and that in fury In Nah. 1.2 it is said He reserveth wrath for his Enemies and when they declare their enmity against him and his he discovers his wrath against them Zerah had been long plotting against the Jews at last he comes against them with a thousand thousand and three hundred Chariots and thought to devour Asa his Army and Land in a day and whilest he had such apprehensions the Lord smote him before Asa and Judah 2 Chron. 14.8.12 Secondly Observe When mischief is intended against Gods people his love and indignation are manifested then his love to his people his indignation towards their Enemies In my jealousie and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken When Gogs Armies were to harm the Jews then was he jealous In jealousie there is ardent love and vehement indignation the one is towards his people the other towards them that wrong his people Zechar. 8. I was jealous for Zion with great jealousie and I was jealous for her with great fury He had strong love to Zion and great fury against the Enemies of Zion as a man hath ardent love to his wife and indignation against any should offer her violence God is jealous over his Church and therefore will never suffer it to be made a prey of by the wicked Gods love and indignation at such a time are so ardent that he swears he will be avenged on them that would wrong his Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the Land of Israel Gog and all his Forces shall fall Thirdly Observe The judgements of God are dreadful they affect all Creatures the Fishes of the Sea the Fowls of Heaven the Beasts of the Field all that creeps upon the Earth all men upon the face of the Earth shall shake Mountains Rocks Walls shall fall This judgement upon Gog shall be such as to astonish and trouble all sensible and insensible creatures so much of God shall be seen in it When the Lord destroyed Tyrus it was a dreadful judgement the Isles did shake at the sound of her fall the Princes of the Sea did tremble and were astonished Ezek. 26. But at the destruction of Gog Heaven Earth Sea all men other creatures shall shake There will be more of God seen in that judgement then in most before his presence power and severity will appear eminently in that Judgement it will speak aloud and fill the world with astonishment Fourthly Observe God can easily raise Forces against his and the Churches Enemies he can do it without any trouble I will call for a Sword against him throughout all my Mountains The Mountains of Israel were the Lords and all
Exod. 23.22 I will be an Enemy unto thine Enemies and an Adversary unto thine Adversaries Whoever set themselves against Israel have the God of Israel against them Secondly Observe Wicked men may be in great honour and have great power Gog here one whom the Lord declared himself against was a Prince a chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal Ahashuerus an Heathen Idolater had honour and power enough when he had 127. Princes under his command Esther 1.1 Thirdly Observe There be seeming contradictions in holy Scriptures In one God saith Behold I am against thee O Gog In another I will cause thee to come up from the North parts or sides and will bring thee upon the Mountains of Israel God was with Gog and against Gog with him by his Providence to bring him forth to manifest his spleen and gall against the Land of Israel and against him by his Power and Justice to destroy him for his cruelty and bloudiness Gen. 14.14 It 's said Abraham pursued the Enemies unto Dan. And Josh 19.47 There was no Dan in Abraham's dayes for it was so call'd from Dan the son of Jacob who was long after him Moses who writ the Book of Genesis speaks of it as it was call'd in his days not as it was call'd in Abraham's dayes Joh. 1 21. When John was asked the question whether he were Elias he said I am not but Mat. 11.14 Christ saith of John This is Elias which was for to come John denies himself to be Elias personally which was the sense of the Questionists and Christ affirms that he was Elias mystically that Elias Malachy spake of chap. 4.5 There be many Scriptures seeming to destroy one another but if rightly understood they do sweetly comply and shake hands together Fourthly Observe Gods hand is in the undertakings of Enemies against the Church I will cause thee to come and bring thee upon the Mountains of Israel and if thou lingerest I have uncum seu avium a sixt hooked-hook to draw thee Warrs are not fortuitous but by a special hand of God he brings forth Enemies as to correct his Church by them so to destroy them in the presence and view of his Church being corrected Were not Gods hand there they would ruine the Church and because his hand is in such things therefore are they ruin'd After Pharaoh had afflicted the Jews the time appointed God drew him on into the Red-Sea and there in the face and view of them sunk him like lead into the bottom of the deeps Fifthly Observe It 's in the Lord to disable and disappoint Warriours when they are ready for battle When Gog and his Souldiers should have the Bow in the left hand and the Arrow in the right hand then I will smite the Bow out of the one and the Arrow out of the other hand saith the Lord. All military strength he can easily blunt and make all weapons of warr inefficacious he can take off the wheels of Charriots Exod. 14.25 He breaks the Bow he blunts the Sword and makes all weapons form'd against Israel unprosperous at his pleasure Isa 54.17 God stopt Rhehoboam when he was going with a great Army to fight Jeroboam and bring the ten revolted Tribes to himself 1 King 12. God hath oft put such fear into the hearts of Souldiers that when it hath come to a pitch'd Battail they have presently thrown down their weapons and call'd for quarter Sixthly Observe That in the same place where G d shews rich mercy to the godly even there he executes severe judgements upon the Enemies Thou shalt fall upon the Mountains of Israel Upon those Mountains in that Land the Lord had shew'd marvellous kindness to his people Psal 76 1 2 3 4. and there should Gog fall In the Red-Sea God preserv'd the Israelites and destroyed the Egyptians where the one met with signal mercy there the other had severe judgement so Joel 3.2 I will gather all Nations and will bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my people God would punish them even there where he had done much for his 2 Chron. 20 26. The Valley where Jehoshaphat blessed God for a Victory it 's conceived to be here meant and call'd the Valley of Jâ—hoshaphat The powers of darkness have oft and still do invade the Mountains of Israel the places and persons among whom God doth record his Name and there God overthrows them Seventhly Observe That Armies and others are exposed to publick shame and miserable ends is of God Thou shalt fall upon the open field and I will give thee to the ravenous Birds of every sort and to the Beast of the field to be devoured Want of buryal is amongst Gods judgements Jer. 8.2 14.16 To lye in open view dead and to be mangled torn by Fowls Beasts Swine and Dogs is a dishonourable and lamentable thing but how dishonourable or lamentable so ever it be it 's the Lords doings He makes wicked Armies and Persons sometimes as dung upon the face of the Earth They lye unburyed rotting and stinking Eighthly Observe What the Lord speaks that shall certainly take place Thou shalt fall upon the open field for I have spoken it saith the Lord God With God is not yea and nay what he saith is truth must infallibly be effected As nothing can be done unless the Lord speak so nothing can fail of being done when the Lord hath spoken Josh 21.45 There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel all came to pass God promised them to root out the Nations to plant them in Canaan and to do much for them and all God had spoken was made good so when God threatens evil whatsoever he speaks in that kind must be fulfilled because he is faithful and able to make good his word whoever opposes Ninthly Observe When God begins to visit the Enemies of his Church he makes progress therein Not only shall Gog fall and all his Bands and people but God will send a fire on Magog also and upon the Isles that dwell carelesly they thought themselves invincible being fortified by the Sea but when God arises to punish the Inhabitants of the Earth who are Enemies to his he goes from Countrey to Countrey at Land and from Isle to Isle at Sea When God draws the Sword and gives it Commission it proceeds from place to place and is restless till all at Sea and Land be cut off who are numbered out for destruction Jer. 47.6 7. O thou Sword of the Lord how long will it be ere thou be quiet put up thy self into thy scabbard rest and be still How can it be quiet seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Askelon and against the Sea-shore there hath he appointed it God appoints the Sword to visit at Land and at Sea when he begins with the Enemies of his People he will make an end with them Tenthly Observe
When God shews mercy to his Church and destroyes the Enemies of it then he provides for his own honour sanctifies his Name and makes himself to be known distinct from all other gods When the Jews Church shall be at peace Gog and Magog be destroyed then God will be glorious all speak honourable of him and acknowledge him to be the holy One of Israel When God led the Israelites through the Red-Sea and took off the wheels of the Egyptian Chariots the Egyptians said Let us flee from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians Here they acknowledged Gods power and that he was a God distinguished from all their Idol-gods a God fulfilling his promises and threats a God able to save and destroy even the Holy one of Israel Vers 8. Behold it is come and it is done saith the Lord God this is the day whereof I have spoken HEre the certainty of Gog's overthrow and the rest with the time thereof is pointed out It is come it is done i e. This Prophesie is so certain as if it were come and done already It 's usual among the Hebrews to put preter-tenses for future and to speak of things as past which are certainly to come This is the day whereof I have spoken God had spoken of Gog and Magog by his Prophets formerly as was shew'd from the 17. verse of the 38. Chapter that they should come against Israel and utterly be destroyed in that attempt which the Lord speaking of here as done saith This is the day not designing the prefixed day when it should be It shall be but when that is hid First Observe There is a certain time determin'd for the destruction of the Churches Enemies which God looks upon as present and done Behold it is come it is done that is the day of Gog and Magog's ruine God fore-sees things to come as if they were present not by a presence of Existency from Eternity but in his Decree on that his fore-knowledge and the certainty of things is founded we should therefore firmly believe the same and not give way to dubious opinions thereabout Secondly Observe The particular time is hidden from mâ—n and known only unto God Mâ—n cannot say This is the day but the Lord can He knew the very moment when Gog and his should be destroyed and the Church set at liberty The thing and time indefinitely were revealed to the Prophet but not the particular punctual time The Lord kept that in his own breast his Infinite Wisdom saw it not meet to particularize the time the Prophets had spoken of a day that would be for Gog's invading the Land of Israel and of his falling upon the Mountains thereof but the exact time they knew not John unto whom the Lord Christ revealed much tells you that after 1000. years reign of the Saints with Christ it shall be Rev. 20.7 8 9. Vers 9 10. 9. And they that dwell in the Cities of Israel shall go forth and shall set on fire and burn the Weapons both the Shields and the Bucklers the Bows and the Arrows and the Hand-staves and the Spears and they shall burn them with fire seven years 10. So that they shall take no Wood out of the Field neither cut down any out of the Forrests for they shall burn the Weapons with Fire and they shall spoil those that spoiled them and rob those that robbed them saith the Lord God THe great victory over Gog and Magog begins in these verses which is set out by the burning of the Weapons and spoyling them of their Goods Who gate the victory is not mentioned it 's only said the Jews shall go out of their Cities and gâ—ther up the weapons and burn them c. It 's conceiv'd the Lord will deal with Gog and his Forces in some extraordinary way Vers 3. it 's said I will smite the Bow out of thy hand And Rev. 20.9 Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them but notwithstanding Gods extraordinary dealing with them the Jews were used of the Lord in this victory for Chap. 38.21 I will call for a Sword against him throughout all my Mountains saith the Lord God so that all Israel shall be in the field against him and be the Conquerors Vers 9. They that dwell in the Cities of Israel shall go forth and shall set on fire and burn the Weapons After this great and famous Victory the Citizens which dwell in the Cities of Israel will go forth Visendi Spoliandi gratia to see the slain and to get spoil and among other things they should take of their Weapons and make themselves Fire thereof The word for Weapons is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neshek which notes any kind of Weapon to oppose the Enemy It 's not from nasak to burn but from noshak to â—rm Both the Shields and the Bucklers the Bows and the Arrows and the Hand-staves and the Spears These latter were combustible but how they should burn the Shields and Bucklers is not apparent they being of solid metals It 's like something combustible was annexed unto them And they shall burn them with Fire seven years It must needs be a numerous or rather numberless Army whose weapons should suffice the Jews seven years for fireing John saith their Number shall be as the sand of the Sea Rev. 20.8 which exceeds all Arithmetick Some make it an Hyperbolical expression to shew the greatness of their overthrow and multitude of their warlike Instruments Others mind us of a certain time put here for an uncertain viz. seven years put for a long time The Jewish Writers do take the words literally concluding they shall have such a Victory over their Enemies as that for seven years they shall need no other materials to burn then their weapons and think their Messiah not come because they have not yet obtain'd such a Victory Sanctius thinks not that they were seven years in burning the weapons but that they had such store which might have served them for seven years fuel great store and therefore it 's said they should burn them with fire seven years How this was verified in Antiochus is hard to shew It 's nearer to truth to judge that this Scripture remains still to be fulfill'd Vers 10. So that they shall take no Wood out of the Field neither cut down any out of the Forrests These words taken absolutely do strengthen the literal acceptation of the former We may take them comparatively thus That in respect of what they did use to take out of the Field and cut out of the Forrest they should now cut and take little And why For they shall burn the Weapons with Fire They should so supply them for fuel that little other wood should serve This burning of Enemies Weapons conduceth much to peace Where warlike weapons are broken and burnt not reserved there Wars cease and Peace follows They shall spoil those that spoiled them and rob those
affords favour when they are dead Gog and all his expected to have had the Land of Israel in possession with all the desirable things thereof but God disappointed his expectation slays him and his and after death gives him and the rest a place of buryal in that Land which was favour Though they had not what they hoped for yet they had more then they deserv'd for such grand Enemies to have a burying place in that Land which was Emanuel's Land out of which they would have driven his people was no small favour especially if we add to it that the place was nam'd after his name The Valley of Hamon-Gog and this recorded in the Book of God and to remain forever Secondly Observe After great Victories wherein many are slain people should for publick good be careful to bury the dead though it require time be troublesome and chargeable Here they were seven moneths in burying the dead carkasses they appointed men to go throughout the Land to search for corps and bones which was a chargeable business and where-ever they found any to bring them unto the Valley of Hamon-Gog which was very troublesome These things they were to do for publick good that the Land might not be infected with those bodies and so infect the living Thirdly Observe By great Victories over Enemies God honours his own Name and makes his people to have a name It shall be to them a Renown the day that I shall be glorified That day my Power my Faithfulness my Justice my Mercy will be seen acknowledged and so I shall be praised made glorious And in that day my People will be spoken of for their Valour Faith and Humanity in burying the dead and so will be renowned When God destroyed Senacherib's Army God did not only make himself a name but he also made Hezekiah a name 2 Chron. 32.23 He was magnified in the sight of all Nations from thenceforth and that which was his magnification was the magnification of all his People The honor of the Head is the honor of the whole Body How renowned will New Jerusalem be when Gog and Magog Antichrist and all that adhere to them shall be taken away When the Lord shall destroy them by fire from Heaven and multitudes be cut off by the Sword then shall those multitudes be for a name to the City Fourthly Observe After conquering there ought to be cleansing When Gog and his shall be subdued then they must cleanse the Land not a dead corps not a bone must be left in it such things did defile We have had many Victories but What cleansing hath there been in this Land Dead bodies limbs and bones of men have been buryed but What dead works are cleansed out of this Land Do not all sorts of sins abound yea super-abound Had we cleansed the Land for each Victory God hath given us but of one common sin by this time we had been spotless we should not have had any visible iniquities amongst us but now we are like Golgotha a place of sculls and dead-men like Sodom and Gomorrah or the Valley of Hamon-Gog we stink so through our Blasphemies Errors and wicked Practises that passengers stop their noses and shake their heads Vers 17 18 19 20. 17. And thou son of Man Thus saith the Lord God Speak unto every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field Assemble themselves and come gather themselves on every side to my Sacrifice that I do Sacrifice for you even a great Sacrifice upon the the Mountains of Israel that ye may eat Flesh and drink Bloud 18. Ye shall eat the flesh of the Mighty and drink the bloud of the Princes of the Earth of Rams of Lambs and of Goats of Bullocks all of them fatlings of Bashan 19. And ye shall eat Fat till ye be full and drink Bloud till ye be drunken of my Sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you 20. Thus shall ye be filled at my Table with Horses and Chariots with Mighty men and with all men of Warr saith the Lord God THese Verses speak of a great Feast and the Invitation of Guests unto the same strange Guests the Fowls of the Heaven and the Beasts of the Field And they have as strange Dishes provided for them even the flesh of Mighty men and Princes Vers 17. Speak unto every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field The Hebrew for every feathered Fowl is Lezippor col canaph To the Fowl of every wing that is to what Fowl soever hath wing Let that Fowl be invited to come and eat of the Feast prepared and likewise Every Beast of the Field which is a Beast of prey Assemble themselves and come gather themselves on every side The Fowls and Beasts being void of reason could not understand what the Prophet said but God who had command over them as well as other creatures would cause them to come as if they had had reason and understanding This shews the certainty and greatness of the Victory the Fowls and Beasts are call'd to come and their coming shall not be in vain they must come on every side and therefore great provision shall be made for them To my Sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you even a great Sacrifice upon the Mountains of Israel The Hebrew word for Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zebach which signifies Sacrificium ex mactata pecude When a Beast was kill'd to be offered up to God that was a Sacrifice properly Sometimes it notes the killing of Men and Beasts as here which metaphorically is call'd a Sacrifice Gog with his Men and Horses were slain and these God calls his Sacrifice a great Sacrifice which he prepar'd for the Fowls and Beasts a great Feast or Supper and the place where this should be is upon the Mountains of Israel That ye may eat Flesh and drink Bloud In the former verse he spake of Gog's Funeral and those that were slain with him even the dead bodies and the bones How is it now that he speaks of eating their Flesh and drinking their Bloud after the seven Moneths were expired and the Searchers had gone through the Land It 's not probable that some were left unburyed and so the Fowls and Beasts iâ—â—â—ted to eat their flesh and drink their bloud but having touched a little upon this in the 4. v. he re-assumes the Argument again in this and the three next Verses and speaks more fully to it Vers 18. Ye shall eat the Flesh of the Mighty The Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gyants by these Mighty men or Gyants the Chief ones in the Army are pointed out men of Power and Command And drink the Bloud of the Princes of the Earth In this vast Army of Gog there were the Princes of divers Countries his Confederates Chap. 38.5.6 Their bloud should the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Earth drink being shed and spilt upon the ground They should feed upon not the vile and
base ones but the chiefest and so drink their bloud Of Rams of Lambs and of Goats of Bullucks all of them Fatlings of Bashan By these Metaphorical expressions are set out the dead carkasses of men who were of several dispositions and qualities some were like Rams and Lambs others like Goats and Bullocks some were sweeter and more tender flesh then others Rams and Goats or great Goats as the Hebrew word signifies were Leaders Lambs and Bullocks were those under the Leaders All of them were well flesh'd and fat like the Kine of Bashan Bashan was an high Hill Psal 68.15 beyond Jordan which yielded strong Oaks and fat Cattle Ezek. 27.6 Amos 4.1 Vers 19. And ye shall eat Fat till ye be full and drink c. The Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Field are resembled unto Men at a Fâ—â—st where having meat and drink which likes them 〈◊〉 eat and drink plentifully The fat flesh and bloud of men is sweet and so pleasing to Fowls and Beasts which should cram and fill themselves therewith Vers 20. Thus ye shall be filled at my Table The word for Table is Shulcan from Shalach to send because it 's sent out or extended at length so that it may contain many dishes and guests may sit down thereat to feed upon those dishes The Mountains of Israel were the Table here the Carkasses of Men were the Dishes the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Field the guests Such plenty and variety of dishes they should have as had not been seen at any Table before every Guest should be fill'd With Horses and Chariots with Mighty Men and all Men of Warr. In the Hebrew it is With Horse with Chariot with Mighty Man and all Man of War all singulars put for plurals here is declared who are meant by Rams Lambs Goats and Bullocks in the 18. verse Horse-men Chariot-men Men of Might yea all Men of Warr. Saith the Lord. Lest it should be thought an incredible thing the Lord ratifies it saying Thus saith the Lord God Jehovah who is able to make such preparations for the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Earth hath said it and will do it First Observe That all Creatures are at the command of God and ordered to do this or that according to his wise Providence Speak to every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field Were not these creatures at the beck of the Lord and subject to his over-ruling Providence it had been in vain for Ezekiel to have spoken so unto them In the 1 King 17.4 God commanded the Ravens to feed Elijah and they did come and bring him meat Morning and Evening duly v. 6. Psal 50.11 It 's said God knows all the Fowls of the Mountains and he calls them to what service he pleases He call'd tor Quails to satisfie the lustings of the Israelites Numb 11.31 God asked Job the question Whether the Eagle moun-fed up at his command Job 39.27 implying that though man hath no command over the Fowls of Heaven yet himself hath And so over Fishes and Beasts Jon. 1.17 Chap. 2.10 The Whale came and went at Gods command and did the service he appointed Levit 26.22 I will send wild Beasts amongst you which shall rob you of your children And this he did 2 King 2.24 The Lord caused two shee-Bears to come out of the Wood and destroy 42. of their children God is the Lord of Hosts and can command an Army of Creatures at his pleasure to benefit his Servants or to plague their Enemies Secondly Observe God doth execute some great and signal Judgement when he summons the Creatures to eat the Flesh and drink the Bloud of the Slain Oft-times the Bodies of Jews and Gentiles have been given for meat unto the Fowls and Beasts as Jer. 7 33. and Chap. 34.20 Ezek. 29.5 But they have not been summon'd and call'd by open Proclamation as here it is The Prophet must speak to every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field and say Assemble your selves and come Gather your selves on every side Such a Proclamation you have but twice more in all the Scripture once in Jer. 12.9 Come ye assemble all the Beasts of the Field come to devour he speaks of that great destruction of the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar The other place is Rev. 19.17 I saw an Angel standing in the Sun and he cryed with a loud voyce saying to all the Fowls that flie in the midst of Heaven Come and gather your selves together to the great Supper of the great God that ye may eat the flesh of Kings and the flesh of Captains and the fl sh of Mighty Men and the flesh of Horses and of them that sit on them and the flesh of all men both free and bond both small and great This place runs parallel with Ezekiel and sets out the greatness and signalness of Gods Judgements upon the Enemies of the Church And it 's conceiv'd by some to be the very same Judgement Ezekiel speaks of viz. that of Gog and Magog Thirdly Observe It 's matter of delight and pleasure unto God to destroy the Enemies of his Church and People Come to my Sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you The Jews took great pleasure in sacrificing of Creatures unto God 1 Chron. 29.21 22. And God was well pleased with Sacrifices Gen. 8.20 21. Here he calls the destroying of Gog and Magog his Sacrifice his Feast or Table he took as much delight in their slaughter as in any Sacrifice or in any Feast Wicked men are Bryers and Thorns and God hath as much pleasure in the cutting down the one as the Husbandman hath in cutting down the other God delights in acts of Judgement as well as in acts of Mercy Isa 48.14 He will do his pleasure on Babylon and his arm shall be on the Chaldaeans The destruction of Babylonians and Chaldaeans God calls His pleasure the Hebrew is Chephzo Voluntatem ejus his will It 's Gods will to destroy all the Enemies of Sion and the doing of it pleases him Fourthly Observe God is impartial in his Judicial Dispensations he punisheth the great Delinquents as well as the lesser Mighty men Princes those that ride in Chariots Rams great Goats are slaughtered and given to the Fowls and Beasts aswell as the inferior sort the men of War Lambs and Bullocks They were all in the same confederacy in the same warr against the Land of Israel and God winked not at the greatest nor spared the meanest but made them all a Sacrifice God is a righteous God and executes his judgements without respect of persons Let not great men flatter themselves they will not be exempted when God comes forth to judgement though they be Princes Fifthly Observe Great men and vulgar ones also may be a prey to the Creatures and lye without burial for a season Princes Mighty men and others after their death lay upon the Mountains of Israel and had their flesh eaten and bloud drunk by Fowls and
professes that neither by his own study aid of Ministers or by his own reading he attain'd any help in Aedificio hco intelligendo but only what he had from Heaven and of himself he saith Chap. 45. Hoc loco praecipuè pauperem meum intelligentiam profiteor Hujus loci mysteria tacitus vereor c. It is good to tremble at the Word of God both what we understand and what we understand not for all is of equal authority and to him that trembles thereat the Lord looketh and will let in light The Vision is dark but God dwells in darkness the Temple and City are dark but Jehovah-Shammah The Lord is there whom we most humbly desire to let out some beams of light whereby we may come to understand something of the incredible sweetness of these dark and deep things It 's not to be expected that I should proceed here as in the former Chapters by speaking to every verse Some I shall pass over Oecol in c 42. and say with Jerome Scio quod nescio Some would have this Temple represented to Ezekiel to be that built by Zorobabel and the Jews after the Captivity but there is much to be said to prove it not to be so 1. That Temple was built in Jerusalem in the place where Solomon's Temple stood but this Temple Ezekiel saw was to be without the City as Interpreters observe from the 45. and 48. Chapters 2. That Temple was for the two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin This of Ezekiel is for the whole body of the Jews all the Tribes are mentioned Chap. 47 48. And strangers had Inheritance here amongst the Israelites Ch. 47.22 Which was not so in Moses Solomon's or Zorobable's time 3. In Zorobabel's Temple there was no such River nor Trees yielding new fruit every moneth as is spoken of Ezekiel's Ch. 47.12 4. God promised Ch. 43.7 to dwell among the Israelites of this Temple for ever which cannot be verified of Zorobabel's Temple and City for the Lord forsook both and delivered them up to the Romans who destroy'd them 5. The Temple our Prophet speaks of was not to be defiled nor the holy Name of God by the House of Israel which should then be Chap. 43.7 8. But Zorobabel's Temple was defiled as you may read in the Macchabees and the Jâ—ws who returned from Babylon defiled the Name of God by their Iniquities as appears Neh. 13. 6. The twenty five thousand Reeds being the length of the holy Portion offered to the Lord and the breadth ten thousand Reeds Ezek. 45.1 cannot be understood of any City or Temple which the Jews should build after their captivity for the twenty five thousand Reeds make forty five miles in length say some fifty and upwards say others and the ten thousand sixteen or eighteen miles in breadth never was any such City built There be many other things differing from what was in Moses Joshuah and Solomon's dayes The measures differ much from those of the Tabernacle and Temple The Land was not divided in Joshuah's time as here it is to the Tribes The Priests and Levites had no portion of Land as here they have There was no such Portion or Oblation for the Prince Their Sacrifices and Oblations are not after the same manner The Altar Chap. 41.22 differs from the Altar of Incense Exod. 30 2. The cleansing of the Sanctuary and putting the bloud of the young Bullock upon the posts and corners of the settle of the Altar Chap. 45.18 19. is a new Ordinance not to be found in Moses Law In Ezekiels division of the Land were no Cities of refuge appointed there would be no need of them Ezek. 44.25 This Vision therefore points out the Introduction of a better hope viz. the Church of Christ under the Gospel Alapide tells us that many Rabbins and Jews referr this Temple and City to the Messiâ—h expecting that he should build them and because this third Temple and new City are not yet built they think the Messiah is not yet come Quod Messias nondum venerit quia tertium Templum nondum est aedificatum In Apocal. 12. Sect. 33. This argument was objected by the Jews to Galatinus who answers it in his 5. Book Ch. 10. and concludes thus Jerusalem Templum de quibus loquitur Ezekiel mysticè intelligenda esse Of that mind is Viega who saith This Vision of Ezekiel's Temple and City nullo pacto ad materialem illam Hierosolymorum Vrbem Templumque illud à Salomone aedificatum sed ad Ecclesiam à Christo in terris fundatam pertinere atque adeo non mysticè sed secundum litteram omnia quae de ejusmodi aedificiis à Propheta describuntur de Ecclesia esse intelligenda quamvis in multis ad Civitatem illam materialem Templumque Salomonis fiat allusio It 's conceived therefore that in this Vision is represented the restitution of the Jewish Church their Temple City and Worship after the captivity not simply but as they were Types of the Church under the Gospel for as we must not exclude these so we must know this is not the principal thing intended That which the Vision doth chiefly hold out unto us is the building of the Christian Temple with the worship thereof under Jewish expressions which began to be accomplished in the Apostles days Act. 15.16 And that the spiritual Temple consisting of believing Jews and Gentiles is chiefly intended we may see from that correspondency between Ezekiel and John in his Gospel and Revelation There be many parallel places in them as Ezek. 37.22 Compared with Joh. 10.16 37.27 Rev. 21.3 Ezek. 38.2 Rev. 20.8 39.1 40.2 Rev. 21.10 40.35 Rev. 11.1.21.15 43.2 Rev. 1.15.14.2 47.1 2.12 Rev. 22.1 2. 48.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Rev. 7.4 5 6 7 8. 48.31 32 33 34. Rev. 21.12 13 16. There is one thing more also intended viz. the restoring of the Christian Church after its Apostasie and suffering in Spiritual Babylon under Antichrist Many are the breaches rents and ruines of the Christian Church to this day and we may see the Tabernacle of Christ is fallen But it is expected that he Whose appearance was like the appearance of brass with a measuring line in his hand Ezek. 40.3 should come and raise it up and build the ruines thereof bringing in the fulness of Jew and Gentile that so the state of the Church may answer those Prophesies made of it Isa 60.17 18. Ezek. 45.8 There shall be no violence no oppression by Princes or others Hitherto there hath been little else but oppression in all lands and the new Heaven and new Earth wherein dwells Righteousness have not yet been created but are to be expected as things intended in this Vision Vers 1 2 3 4. 1. In the five and twentieth year of our Captivity in the beginning of the year in the tenth day of the moneth in the fourteenth year after the City was smitten in the self same day the hand of the Lord was
upon me and brought me thither 2. In the Visions of God brought he me into the Land of Israel and set me upon a very high Mountain by which was as the frame of a City on the South 3. And he brought me thither and behold there was a Man whose appearance was like the appearance of Brass with a line of Flax in his hand and a measuring Reed and he stood in the Gate 4. And the Man said unto me Son of Man behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither declare all that thou seest to the House of Israel WE are come now to the last part of Ezekiel's Prophesie which is a Typical prophesie concerning Christ and his Church set forth under the Vision of the new Temple City and Kingdom comprehended in these nine last Chapters In which we have 1. The building of the new Temple with the several appurtenances thereof in the 40 41 and 42. Chapter 2. The Ministery Worship and Ordinances of this new Temple in the 43. 44. Chapters 3. The Restitution or Reformation of the whole Land the Common-wealth Kingdom and City with several Ordinances for the Prince and People in the 45 46 47 and 48. Chapters In describing of these the Prophet useth saith Huffâ—nrefferus words and phrases suitable to the state of the Jews he describes as it were the Temple Worship and Land of the Jews Whereas he aims at no such thing but intends the spiritual Kingdom of Christ and the Gospel The scope of this Vision was to comfort the afflicted Jews who being in captivity lamented the desolation of the Temple City and Common-wealth of Israel To the Prophet therefore the Lord shews in a Vision the restauration of them again and not only so but greater things are held out and promised under them as the greatness and glory of the Church under Christ in time of the Gospel of which John speaks Revel 21.22 It 's not an earthly City Temple Jerusalem we are to look at here but a spiritual City Temple Jerusalem viz. the Church of Chrâ—st whose Name is Jehovah-Shammah In this Chapter you have 1. A Preface or Introduction to the Vision 2. A Narrative of the Wall several Courts Gates the Porch of this new Temple and the measures of them In the Preface are five things The Time the Manner the Place the Author and End of the Vision Vers 1. In the five and twentieth year of our Captivity in the beginning of the year in the tenth day of the Moneth Here the time is pointed out when this Vision was presented to Ezekiel which was in the 25. year of his captivity so long it was since he with Jehoiakim was carryed into Babylon and kept there His first Vision was in the fift year of his captivity Ezek. 1.2 And this his last Vision was twenty years after in the beginning of the year the tenth day of the moneth which some make to be in the Autumn others in the Spring The fourteenth year after the City was smitten After Jehoiakim had been eleaven years in captivity the City was smitten and utterly laid waste which was in the eleventh year of Zedekiah 2 King 25.2 Jer. 39.2 52.5 From this period or Epoclea is the Vision reckoned fourteen years after the desolation of the City Ezekiel had it Some would prove this year to be the year of Jubilee because it was the 50. from the 18. of Josiahs reign when the Book of the Law was found But that year appears not to be a Jubilaean year Mestlinus makes the year of Jubilee to be in the 10. of Zedekiah's reign and if so this year of the Prophets Vâ—sion was but 16. years after the year of Jubilee and 34. years before the next Jubilee In the self same day The Hebrew is Beetzem haiom in the bone or essence of the day in the body of the day or in the strength of the day when the heat and light were greatest the same words are in Gen. 7.13 where the words are rendered the self same day being an Hebrew form of speech The hand of the Lord was upon me c. The Chaldee saith A Prophetical Spirit from the face of Lord resided upon me others The strength or divine virtue of the Lord was upon me These words we had in Chap. 1. v. 3. where they were opened Here the manner of the Vision is set forth it was by the Spirit of God upon the Prophet enlightning and informing his mind And brought me thither I was brought in mind not in body by the Spirit thither that is to the City that had been smitten but now seem'd to be re-built and so it follows Vers 2. In the Visions of God brought he me into the Land of Israel In those great glorious and wonderful Visions of God wrought in the Prophet by the Spirit of God he apprehended that he was in the Land of Israel beholding not only with the eyes of his mind the things presented unto him but also with the eyes of his body And set me upon a very high Mountain The place where the Prophet had this Vision was in the Land of Israel and upon Mount Sion or Mount Moriah where the Temple was built Moriah is from raah to see this Mount was the Mount of Vision and on it had Ezekiel this glorious Vision Kimohi saith This Mountain is the Mountain of the Temple and this City is Jerusalem on the South Lightfoot on the Temple ch 4. v. 13. The Rabbins conceive the Land of Israel to be the highest of all Lands and Mount Sion or Moriah the highest of all the Mountains in that Land It was a Type of the Church of Christ Heb. 12.22 and therefore it 's represented here to be a very high Mountain and so it was unto John also Rev. 21.10 which words allude to these of Ezekiel The Hebrew for set me is caused me to rest when the Prophet was brought to this Mountain he had rest there is no true rest but in the Church in the Mount of Vision By which was as the frame of a City on the South The Mount it self was South from Babylon and the Cities was on the Southside of the Mount which was smitten there now the Prophet sees in Vision as it were the model or frame of a City he had seen before the ruine of the City and now he sees the raising of it Vers 3. And he brought me thither That is the Spirit of God carryed him in Vision to that Mountain where he saw an Idaea of a City And behold there was a Man whose appearance was like the appearance of Brass Here the Author of the Vision is specified and described from his appearance the Instruments he had and the place where he stood This Man is made by some an Angel by others Christ It was the Son of God appeared in
the first Vision unto Ezekiel and so he doth in this last he was a Master-builder and appointed of God to build the House Zech. 6.12 13. Thus speaks the Lord of Hosts saying Behold the Man whose Name is the Branch that is Christ he shall grow up out of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord even he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory And that this Man was Christ his appearance declares for it was like the appearance of Brass and so Christ Revel 1.15 is said to appear His feet were like unto fine Brass and here his countenance or whole body appeared like unto Brass that is free from spot beautiful bright and shining Christ was without blemish or spot 1 Pet. 1.19 He was holy harmless undefiled Heb. 7.26 He was fairer then the children of men Psal 45.2 With a line of Flax in his hand and a measuring Reed These be the Instruments which this man had a Line and a measuring Reed Such Instruments are proper to Architects and Master-Builders and being in the hand of Christ do demonstrate him to be the chief Builder of the Church The line of Flax was to measure the great spaces of the ground viz. the Floors Court and Compass of the Buildings and Walls The Reed was to measure the Buildings the thickness length and breadth of them Of such a Line and Reed is spoken of in Zech. 2.1 2. Rev 11.1 Chap. 21.15 A Reed is smooth round and light and therefore fit for measuring they were plentiful in those parts And he stood in the Gate The Hebrew is he standing in the Gate His posture was * Stabat quasi ad Ministerium accinctus Standing his place was in the Gate He stood there to direct the Prophet to shew him the measures of the Temple and other things to manifest he hath command of the Temple and may keep out and let in whom he pleased Versâ— 4. And the Man said unto me Son of Man Behold with thine eyes c. In this verse the end of the Vision is held forth which is that Ezekiel throughly understanding the things comprehended in it might communicate them to others Here the Lord Christ is call'd Man for that in time he was to be incarnate and the Son of Man speaks to Ezekiel and commands him two things 1. To give the most diligent and best attention as possible might be and therefore calls for not only the eyes and ears but the heart also Behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee his heart must go with his senses and seriously ponder what was presented Some things were to be seen some things were to be heard and all to be considered and why he was brought thither for that end 2. To make known what he should see hear and observe Declare them to the House of Israel he must not keep things to himself but publish them to others to the Church and People of Israel First Observe The Lord keeps an exact account of the time of his Church and Peoples sufferings He is the best and most punctual Chronologer of all in Heaven and Earth Men and Angels may mistake misreckon but the Lord doth not cannot In the 25. year of our captivity in the beginning of the year in the 10. day of the month in the 14. year after the City was smitten in the self same day Here the Years the Months and Days of the Jews captivity was observed of the Lord. When we are in misery and suffering conditions we think God forgets us Psal 79.5 Psal 89.46 but he takes notice of every Hour Day Month and Year Secondly Observe When the Church is low in the worst most desperate and deplorable condition even then the Lord hath a care of his Church Now the Temple City and Land of Canaan were utterly laid wast the people many of them destroyed the rest in Babylon without hope of ever seeing their own Country ch 37.11 In this condition the Lord appears to Ezekiel and gives him a most singular and excellent Vision concerning the Restauration of the Church the Extent Dignity and Glory of it whereby he shewed both the Prophet and the People whose hearts were fill'd with sorrow When the Church is in the Wilderness under persecution in Egypt or Babylon the Lord is solicitous for it Zech. 1.14 I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousie Thirdly Observe The Church is Mount Sion or Mount Sion is the Church wherein God makes known his mind for the comfort of his Ezekiel was carried in spirit into the Land of Israel and set there upon a very high Mountain viz. Mount Sion which typed out the Church of God and there he had this glorious vision there sweet consolation was given forth for the afflicted The Church is sometimes call'd a Garden and Fountain sealed as Cantic 4.12 Sometimes a Vineyard Mat. 20.1 Sometimes an House 1 Tim. 3.15 Sometimes a City Psal 46.4 Isai 60.14 Sometimes a Mountain Psal 2.6 And it 's so call'd for the hieghth the glory and the strength of it Mountains are high conspicuous and strong and so is the Church On Mountains is good aire so likewise is in the Church Hills are nearer heaven then other places they are below the Church is above the World Fourthly Observe The Church is well seated and well ordered Vpon which was as the frame of a City it 's seated upon a Mountain the Mountain of Gods Decree Power and Truth it 's well ordered for it 's as the frame of a City where every thing is in his right place and all fitly joyned together Psal 122.3 Jerusalem is builded as a City that is compacted together and the Church is a body fitly joyned together and compacted Ephes 4.16 Hence strength and beauty are to the Church it being so seated and so united The one made Christ say The gates of hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16. and the other made Salomon to say It was beautiful as Tirzah and comely as Jerusalem Cant. 6.4 Fifthly Observe The Man Christ who is sinless and glorious is the chief Builder and exact Measurer of the Church and things belonging to it Behold a Man whose appearance was like the appearance of Brass with a Line of Flax in his hand and a Measuring-reed Christ without spot full of glory and wisdome is the Master-builder Mat. 16.18 chap. 21.33 Hab. 3.3 Prophets Apostles Ministers are his Servants Under-officers instructed directed and rewarded by him He is Architectus the Line and Reed are in his hand he measures all the Trees and Stones used in this Building the outward and inward Courts with all their appurtenances He was the Son of Joseph a Carpenter and some mystery might lye in that Sixthly Observe The way into Sion and unto the Father is by Christ he stands in the gate of the Temple ready to receive any
length of the Temple-courts c. make 100. Cubits as Haffenrefferus exactly demonstrates Of the signification of this Temple Some make the Court belonging to it to represent the World and the Temple to represent Heaven It may be considered whether the Porch do not point out the common Professor the Temple true Saints who are Temples of the Spirit and the Sanctum Sanctorum the Saints in glory the condition of those made perfect The true representation of this Temple I take it is the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ both his Body Natural and his Body Mystical viz. the Church 1. It 's a representation of his Natural Body Solomons Temple and Zorobabells or the 2d Temple was so Joh. 2.19 saith Christ Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up And why Ezekiels Temple should not type out Christ I see no cause There be many things wherein it fitly doth so 1. This Temple was holy vers 3. This is the most holy place hence it 's evident the other part of the Temple was holy The Hecal was holy though not so holy as the Devir and the body of Christ was holy Luk. 1.35 That holy thing c. Act. 13.35 Thou shall not suffer thine Hâ—ly one c. 1 Pet. 2.22 Chap. 1.19 Heb. 7.26 He was holy harmless undâ—filed separate from sinners 2. It was very lightsome and beautiful within it was adorned with Cherubims and Palm-trees vers 18.19 so the Lord Christ was full of light Col. 2.3 In him were hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge He was adorned with all the graces of the Spirit He was full of grace and truth Joh. 1.14 Cant. 5.10 Psal 45.2 Thou art fairer then the children of men 3. By the Temple they came to know the mind of God one part of it was call'd Devir the Word or Oracle there God spake so by Christ we come to know the mind of God Joh. 1.1 He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word He brought the mind of God to us and declared it to the world Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son Christ was an Embassador sent from God to acquaint us with the mind of the King of Nations and he did it faithfully Joh. 15.15 All things which I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you 4. The Temple was God's delight it 's call'd an House for God dwelt in it and manifested his glory there Ezek. 43.4 5. The glory of the Lord came into the house yea the glory of the Lord filled the house And Psal 29.9 In the Temple doth every one speak of his glory There God's glory is seen Is not Christ such a Temple Did not God come into the Temple of his Body 1 Tim. 3.16 Col. 2.9 There the glory of God was seen fully Joh. 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Fathâ—r full of grace and truth The glory of God never appeared so evidently as in this Temple and God delighted therein Mat 3.17 This is my belâ—ved Son in whom I am well pleased See Rev. 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out And I will write upon him the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my Gâ—d which is New Jerusalem God is establishing and will establish New Jerusalem with Pillars daily more and more and therein is strength to be found not in the World or in Babylon 1 Tim. 3.15 5. There were Cherubims and Palm-trees in the Visional Temple vers 18 19 20 25 26. and in the Church of Christ there are Cherubims and Palm-trees These Cherubims may note the presence of the Angel in the Church 1 Cor. 11.10 There were Angels in the Church of Corinth And so in the Temple John speaks of Rev. 14.15 17. Each Cherubim had two faces one of a Man another of a Young Lion to signifie the wisdome strength and zeal of the Angels which are imploy'd for the good of the Church Or by Cherubims understand those Christians who were wise stout and zealous for the truth and cause of God such as loved not their lives to the death Rev. 12.11 But were beheaded for the Witness of Jesus and for the Word of God Rev. 20.4 These Cherubims looked to the Palm-trees they were patient under all crosses afflictions in hope of certain victory Rom 8.35 36 37. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword c. Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerors c. Their eyes were upon the Palm-trees And Rev. 9.7 they had Palms in their hands they were certain of victory whereof Palms and Palm-trees are emblems There be several things wherein the Saints do resemble Palm-trees 1. They are always green and growing so are the Saints Psal 92.12 14. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree They shall still bring forth fruit in old age 2 Palm-trees cannot endure dung Magnopere abhorrent à fimo they hate it So the Saints they hate Superstition Idolatry and all sin as dung they will dye rather then worship the Beast or his Image rather then receive his Mark in their foreheads or their hands Rev. 20.4 they watch and keep their garments undefiled 3. The Palm-tree bears up against all weight laid upon it and the Saints do the like in all their troubles and afflictions Paul met with sharp tryal's yet he fainted not but found more strength 2 Cor. 4.16 And Chap. 7.4 He saith I am filled with comfort I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation And Rom. 5.3 We glory in tribulation 4. These Cherubims and Palm-trees were the ornament of the Temple and Christians who are wise couragious and patient under all tryals are the ornaments of the Church of Christ 5. This Temple with the Porch and Buildings belonging to it was great and large vers 12 13 14 and 15. 100. Cubits in breadth 100. Cubits in length So the Church of Christ is great and large In the Apostles times there were thousands of the Jews believed Act. 21.20 It was Prophesied in Isays days that all Nations should flow unto the Mountain of the Lord that is the Church Isa 2.2 And in Daniels days Chap. 7.14 That all people languages and nations should serve Christ And John in the vision saw it made good Rev. 7.9 I beheld a great multitude which no man could number of all nations kindred people and tongues which stood before the Throne and the Lamb. 2. It 's the representation of Christs Body Mystical and that in several things 1. All things in this Temple were measured as in the 40. also the 41 42 43 and 47. Chapters appears So in the Church the Mystical Body of Christ Ephes 2.21 Paul tells the Ephesians that the Saints are a
Christ The Corrinthians were called out of the world to be Saints 1 Cor. 1.2 And the Macedonian Churches gave up themselves to the Lord 2 Cor. 8.5 So that all the Churches of God are a chosen generation an holy nation 1 Pet. 2.9 Cant. 4.7 Unholy ones who are without in the profane world should not enter into the Church God hath set a wall of discipline to keep them out that the Church may not be defiled by them It 's said of the New Jerusalem That there shall in no wise any thing enter into it that defileth the Angels will keep them out for at the twelve Gates thereof will be twelve Angels Rev. 21.12 who will let none in but Saints so that all her people shall be righteous Isa 60.21 The EXPOSITION continued upon the Remaining Chapters of EZEKIEL CHAP. XLIII Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. 1. Afterwards he brought me to the Gate even the Gate that looketh toward the East 2. And behold the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the East and his voice was like a noise of many waters and the earth shined with his glory 3. And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the City and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar and I fell upon my face 4. And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the Gate whose prospect is towards the East 5. So the spirit took me up and brought me into the inner Court and behold the glory of the Lord filled the house 6. And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house and the man stood by me THIS Chapter and the next in general speaks of the Ministery and Sacred Worship of the new Temple more particularly in this 43. Chapter we have 1. A New Vision in the first 6. verses 2. The speech of the Lord unto the Prophet from the 7. vers to the end of the Chapter Concerning the New Vision things considerable are 1. The time when it was 2. The place where it was 3. The object of this Vision where we are to note 1. The place whence it came 2. The sign of it 3. The effects of it 4. The resemblance of it 5. The receptacle of it 4. The Consequents of it which are 1. The Spirit 's raising up the Prophet 2. His leading him into the inner Court 3. The filling of the Temple with glory 4. The Lord 's speaking to the Prophet 5. The presence of Christ with the Prophet For the 1. When it was that Ezekiel had this Vision Not at his first coming to the Temple but after he had been led from place to place seen the several Gates Courts Chambers Parts Appurtenances Ornaments of the Temple and all exactly measured within and without after those things he had this Vision Which insinuates thus much that after men have waited upon Christ followed him and learned the nature and condition of the Church invisible and visible then the Lord affords Visions of himself and his glory when men come first to Sion enter into Church-fellowship they must not think to see the glory of God till they are acquainted with the inward glory and outward beauty of the Church till they understand the measuring of Christ therein Those that are in the Church in due time see glory It 's good to be there and to wait being there 2. The place was at the East-gate He was brought from the West-side of the Temple to the East-gate where he had this Vision coming out of the East Christ is Sol justitiae the Sun of righteousness and the Sun's motion is from the East Westward So here this glorious Vision came out of the East and entred by the East-gate which led directly to the Sanctum Sanctorum It 's the Lord Christ brings us out of darkness to light and shews us the way into the Temple and Most Holy place 3. The object Glory Behold the glory of the God of Israel That was some figure image or manifestation representing the glory of God In Chap. 1.26 27. Ezek. saw the likeness of a Throne of a man of fire And Chap. 8.4 Chap. 10.18 There were visions where he beheld the glory of the God of Israel and the glory departing that is some representation of his glories which was leaving the Temple and them signifying that God was wroth with them and departing from them But here the glory was coming to them importing that God's wrath was laid down their sins pardoned and he gratiously reconciled unto them It was sin caus'd the glory to depart mans wickedness draws the glory away but nothing in or of man caus'd the glory to return It 's said the glory came it came freely un-deservedly un-expectedly there was cause of great mourning when it departed and there was as great cause of rejoycing when it returned Whence came it from the way of the East Christ's star was seen in the East Mat. 2.2 His coming was from thence Zechar. 3.8 Chap. 6.12 Christ is call'd Tzemach which the Septuag render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vulg. Oriens that is the East Because Christ should come from heaven and inlighten the dark world as the Sun doth when it riseth in the East Luke in his 1. Chap. vers 78. calls Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render the Day-spring and may be rendred the East for the day springs in the East first be it East or day-spring it 's from on High Christ came from heaven to bring light into the blind world Hence saith Christ Joh. 8.12 I am the light of the world the great light the Sun of it which râ—sing in the East shines into the utmost parts of the West The next thing it the sign of the glory And that was a voice such a voice as was like the noise of many waters in the 1 Chap. vers 24. When the Cherubims went the noise of their wings was like the noise of great waters As the voice of the almighty waters use to roar and make a great noise Jer. 31.35 and 51.55 Such waters are strong and there is no resistance of them men cannot row or sail against them This voice minds us of the voice of Christ in the Gospel The sound whereof went into all the earth Rom. 10.18 Rev. 1.18 Christ's voice is said to be as the sound of many waters it was strong and irresistible He taught them with Majesty and Authority Mat. 7.29 They were not able to answer him Mat. 22.46 Joh. 8.9 not to withstand the wisdome and truths he put into his disciples Luk. 21.15 Act. 6.10 Rev. 11.5 Christ's voice in the Gospel is an efficacious voice The Effects of it were two First The earth shined with his glory Before the coming of Christ the world was full of Heathenish and Hellish darkness and Canaan was full of Types Ceremonies and Shadows
unto him The humble find mercy and are raised when the proud meet with judgment and are thrown down The 2. consequent is The Spirit leading of him and that was into the inner Court He had led him into several places and now leads him into the inner Court whereby he came to understand the mysteries of and behold the glory in the Temple which none are able to do without the leading of the Spirit None destitute of the Spirit can enter into the Church to understand the things thereof and behold the glory thercin 1 Cor. 2.14 15. 2 Cor. 3.18 It 's the Spirit makes men discern spiritual things it 's the Spirit that leads us from knowledge to knowledge from mystery to mystery and from glory to glory he leads into the Temple and into the inner Court he reveals the deep and glorious things of God unto the Saints The 3. is the filling of the house and that with glory vers 3. Behold the glory of the Lord filled the house There was aboundance of glory in it the Temple and Sanctum Sanctorum were full of it This leads us to consider not onely the Temple re-built after the Babylonish Captivity which the Lord said by Haggai Chap. 2.7 that he would fill it with glory And that the glory of it sh uld be greater then of the former house vers 9. which was fulfilled in Christ's bodily presence there but it leads us also unto Christ who was filâ—'d with the glory of the Spirit and fullness of the Deity Col. 2.9 and unto the Church of Christ which is fill'd with the glory of the Gospel for it is glorious and hath shining light in it 2 Cor. 4.4 but chiefly unto the New Jerusalem wherein a greater glory is expected to be seen then hath ever yet been there will be aboundance of grace and glorious effusions of the spirit See how glorâ—ous the New Jerusalem is Rev. 21. The 4. thing is the Lord speaking unto Ezekiel vers 6. And I heard him speaking unto me The Hebrew is I heard a Saying to me from the house a saying from the glory or from the Lord being in that Glory which fill'd the house The Temple saith Vatablus the Sanctum Sanctorum saith Maldonate but we understand it of both As the glory was in the Temple so the voice came from the Temple The Lord spake not of the Temple as Lyra would have it but from or out of the TempIe The thing pointed out hereby is this That God reveals and makes known his mind in his house in the Church he speakes from the Temple unto his Isa 66.6 A Voice from the Temple a voice of the Lord. There God discover'd his displeasure towards his enemies and his good will towards his servants In Judah is God known Psal 76. There his mind is known The law goes forth out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Isa 2.3 Where his Church is there is his presence there he utters his voice there he opens his mind Why did David desire to dwell in the house of the Lord all days of his life but to behold the beauty of the Lord which appeared there eminently and to inquire in his Temple because the Lord there spake and answered the desires of his servants Psal 27.4 When he was troubled at the prosperity of the wicked what did he then but enter into the Sanctuary of God and there he was resolved he understood their end Psal 73.17 The Spirit and Christ spake in the Churches and to the Churches Rev. 2. and 3 Chap. And in the 16. Chap. vers 1. A great voice was heard out of the Temple And the Man stood by me The Hebrew is And a Man was standing by me Some make this Man to be an Angel but it was he mentioned Chap. 40.3 The Man whose appearance was like the appearance of brass with a line of flax in his hand and a measuring-reed This was Christ the Master-builder Zech. 6.12 Behold the Man whose name is the Branch he shall grow up out of this place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord. This Man stood by Ezek. to assist incourage and interpret things unto him Whence cometh this Observation That the Lord Christ who is the chief Architech in Temple-work stands by his Prophets and Servants who are imployed therein When the Temple was first built many were imploy'd therein but they were not left to their own wisdom and skill Solomon was principâ—l therein he was present counselled directed and assisted therefore it 's said he built the house of the Lord 1 King 6.2 So in Ezekiel's Temple a Type of the Gospel-Temple Christ was present he counselled directed assisted he stood by the Prophet he stood by the Apostles Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world He stood by Paul Acts 18.10 I am with thee so Chap. 23.11 And Paul doth acknowledge it 2 Tim. 4.16 17. All men forsook me they shew'd their unfaithfulness Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me he was about Temple-work for it follows that by me the Preaching might be fully known and that all the Gentiles might fully hear Christ was with him to instruct incourage and bless him and his labors Christ walkes in the midst of the Churches and holds the stars thereof in his right hand Rev. 2.1 And Chap. 5.6 it 's said In the midst of the Elders stoâ—d a Lamb. There be two things worthy notice from the 5 and 6. verses considered together The 1. Is the distinction of Subsistences in the Divine Nature and Essence Here are 3. distinct Ones named 1. The Spirit which took up Ezekiel 2. The glory of the Lord whom he heard speaking out of the house which was the Father 3. The Man standing by him which was Christ Here is the Spirit Father and Son who as they have distinct personalities so distinct operations The Spirits work is raising up the Fathers speaking and the Sons assisting or standing by The 2. thing is the gradual proceedings of God in carrying on his from mercy to mercy Here be 5. steps of mercy The 1. Is the Spirit taking up the Prophet being fallen upon his face Had any one come and raised the Prophet being down it had been kindness Especially if Daniel Zorobabel or some Elder of Israel had done it but one greater and better then them all did it viz. the Spirit of God This was great mercy The 2. Is the Spirit leading of him into the inner Court He did not raise him and then leave him but led him And whither not into the outward Court but into the inner Court This was a further mercy a choise mercy to be brought so near the Temple The 3. Step was a sight of glory he saw the glory of the Lord filling the house this was a grand mercy which none of the Jews besides himself saw As when Christ was transfigured and the Mountain shin'd with the glory of his
neither be corner foundation or wall-stones Jem 51.26 and the stones of Sion which are pretious and living they begin to creep out of the dust of contempt and to appear like the stars of the morning now there is a spirit of prayer more then formerly and more then ordinary for the accomplishment of this vision and great expectation raised in many to see such a spiritual Temple Fifthly Observe The end of making known the laws and ways of God's house is that they may be observed and practised Ezekiel must shew them and write in their sight the forms laws and ordâ—nances of the house that they may keep and do them God propounds not divine things onely to be known but chiefly to be done It 's not enough to know virtue but men must endeavour to have it and to do virtuously Did a man know all the forms comings in and goings out of God's house all the laws and ordinances thereof and not observe them it would not advantage him at all but make his condemnation the greater The end of humane laws and ordinances is observation else they are no better then cyphers So the end of God's laws is keeping and doing of them it 's not knowing nor hearing nor praising but practise which commends them Disobedience is a dishonour to God to his house to his laws Let us hearken to James in this case Chap. 1.22 his counsel is good Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves Vers 12. This is the law of the house upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy c. Sanctius reads the words thus This is the law of the house upon the top of the mountain and there makes the distinction from the following words Others make it before and refer the words upon the top of the mountain to the latter words not the former There is no considerable difference whether the note of distinction be in the one or the other place For the house was upon the top of a mountain Chap. 40.2 6. The law of this house viz. the fabrick mountain and whole compass thereof was holiness It 's here said to be most holy The Hebrew is Sanctitas sanctorum The holiness of holiness The Hebrews do double the word when they intend a superlative as a Servant of Servants Gen. 9.25 that is most servile a King of Kings Ezra 7.12 that is the most eminent and greatest of Kings and here the holiness of holiness that is the most holy Such was this house and the mountain whereon it stood and the compass of it round about which was by a wall of 500. reeds long and so many broad or thereby was the separation made between the Sanctuary and the prophane place Chap. 42.20 This house was to be the habitation of God his Throne a representation of New Jerusalem and Heaven it self therefore it is styl'd not onely hold but most holy First Observe The Church of God hath a good Foundation It 's an house upon a mountain and that is strong Job 39.28 Rocks and mountains are strong places they stand immovable The rock or mountain on which the Church is founded and built is the Lord Christ himself 1 Cor. 3.11 call'd a mountain Dan. 2.35 A precious corner stone a sure foundation Isa 28.16 A rock 1 Cor. 10. 4. The strength of Israel 1 Sam. 15.29 The root of David Rev. 22.16 and upholder of all things Heb. 1.3 He upholds the world and the Church Secondly Observe The Church of God is eminent and conspicuous It 's on the top of a mountain and that mountain was very high Chap. 40.2 where he saw this Temple which holds forth the visibility and eminency of the Church under the Gospel Isa 2.2 It shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills and all nations shall flow unto it When one mountain is laid upon another the uppermost must be very eminent the Church here is call'd a mountain and this mountain is seated upon the top of another mountain even that mountain that fills all the earth Dan. 2.35 It must therefore of necessity be high and be seen of the nations for it 's Prophesied that all nations shall flow unto it This suits with that Rev. 21.24 Thirdly Observe The whole Church of God is to be made up of holy materials The house upon the top of the mountain the whole circuit thereof round about shall be mâ—st holy There must not be one part of the house profane another part holy but the whole house and every part thereof must be holy Isa 35.8 There shall be the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it the purity of that way will be such as wicked ones will not dare to tread in it Joel 3.16 17. The Lord shall roar out of Sion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the heavens and the earth shall shake terrible doings there shall be but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion my holy mountain then shalâ— Jerusalem be holy that is all Jerusalem shall then be holy and there shall no strangers pass thorow her any more to pollute and defile her Then shall every pot in Jerusalem and Judah be holiness unto the Lord as Zech. speaks Chap. 14.21 Then shall be shut out all dogs sorcerers whoremongers muâ—derers Idolaters and lovers with makers of lies as John saith Rev. 22.15 and whatever defileth Rev. 21.27 Peter calls them of this Temple lively stones 1 Pet. 2.5 John calls them seal'd ones Rev. 7.4 Such as had the Fathers name written in their foreheads Rev. 14.1 Precious stones Rev. 21.19 Ephes 2.19 20 21.22 Fourthly Observe The law of this house which is holiness is specially to be observed The verse begins and ends alike This is the law of the house bebold This is the law of this house Hujus domus so Vatablus Istius domus so Junius As the house is emphatical so is the law of it set out with an Ecce Behold This is the law of it holiness of holiness All in this house hath a law of holiness writ in it or upon it If any thing or person could come in here without holiness such things and persons would be cast out as unclean as the man was who came into the Marriage-Supper without a Wedding Garment Mat. 22.12 13. They violate the law of holiness and must suffer for it but such shall not be suffered to enter Rev. 21.27 There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth no false doctrine no humane inventions or will-worship shall be there no profane person no formalist or hypocrite shall get in there but they who are written in the Lambs book of life vers 12.
soundly salted with Gospel-truths shall never perish Vres 26. They shall consecrate themselves The Hebrew is They shall fill their hands Some by hands understand the sides of the Altar because Jad signifies both a hand and a side others take hands for the hands of the Priests which should be fill'd with Sacrifices that is with sacrificing-work and so prefigured the full imployments the Gospel-Ministers should have But the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifies to consecrate as learn'd Hebricians observe Exod. 28.41 Thou shalt anoint them and consecrate them the Hebrew is thou shalt fill their hand so Exod. 29.9 Nu◠3.3 1 King 13.33 Judg. 17.5 In these places the Hebrew is fill'd the hand which notes consecration according to the Hebrew dialect and so it imports the Ministers consecrating and dedicating themselves unto the work of Christ under the Gospel The 27. verse speaks of the daily sacrifices and work of the Altar One Sacrifice or other was to be offered daily Two Lambs one in the morning another in the evening were to be offered daily Exod. 29.38 39. these were for the Burnt-offering vers 42. Besides which here is mention of a Peace-offering of which they were neither to eat the fat nor the bloud Levit. 3.17 signifying that those who are at peace with God through Christ ought neither to be carnal nor cruel but to mortifie their carnal lusts and to be meek as Christ was The daily sacrificing of the Priests here shew'd the daily and constant work of the Ministers under the Gospel Preaching Administring of Sacraments Praying and Praysing of God is to be their daily work which being done according to rule and in the name of Christ makes them and the people accepted Vers 28. It shall be upon the eighth day Here is foretold saith Master Shepheard the continuance of the Sabbath in Gospel-days The eighth day from the Creation being the first of our Redemption Noah is call'd the eighth 2 Pet. 2.5 who was the first in regard of his years and dignity of person and first entred into the Ark Gen. 7.7 And so the Lord's day may be the eighth in one sense and the first in another The EXPOSITION continued upon the Remaining Chapters of EZEKIEL CHAP. XLIV Vers 1 2 3. 1. Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward Sanctuary which looketh toward the East and it was shut 2. Then said the Lord unto me This gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no man shall enter in by it because the Lord the God of Israel hath entred in by it therefore it shall be shut 3. It is for the Prince the Prince he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord he shall enter in by the way of the Porch of that Gate and shall go out by the way of the same THIS Chapter treats of the Priests and divers Ordinances concerning them 1. Sundry things are presented to Ezekiel touching the Priests 1. The priviledge of the High-priest in the three first verses 2. A reproof of the Priests for their profaness and neglect from the beginning of the 4. vers to the 9. 3. The exclusion of some and deposing of others from the Priest's office from the 9. to the 15. 4. What Priests God will accept of vers 15 16. 2. The Ordinances which concern the Priests are laid down from the 17. vers to the end Vers 1. Then he brought me c. The Prophet having seen the Altar for Burnt Sin and Peace-offerings with the Ordinances thereof is brought back to the East-gate or Gate of the outward Sanctuary that which separated the Priest's Court from the peoples or the outmost Gate of all We must follow Christ which way so ever he leads us be it backward or forward he hath something to reveal unto us which will be for our use Vers 1 2. It was shut What Gate so ever this was it was shut and therefore shut because the Lord had entred in by it and no man might but the Prince only Some take Prince literally for the governour of the people but the best Expositors take it for the High-priest who was preferr'd above and so Prince of all the rest For in this Chapter he speaks of the orders of the Priests This Prince or High-priest was a type of Christ The High-priest was to be without blemish anointed with holy oyle to be covered with clean linnen and cloathed gloriously on him was a plate ingraven with holiness to the Lord he had the Vrim and Thummim he bare the names of the 12. Tribes of Israel upon his Breast and Shoulders as appears Levit. 22.13 Exod. 29.7 Exod. 28.2 42.36 30.9 So Christ our High-priest was without blemish Heb. 7.26 Anointed with the Spirit Isa 61.1 He was holy glorious yea Holiness altogether Luk. 1.35 Mark 1.24 He had all perfection Col 1.19 Chap. 2.3 He bears all Israel in his Breast and on his Shoulders Isa 40.11 Heb. 7.25 What is meant by the Gate shut is necessary to inquire It was not the Womb of the Virgin which was shut up after the birth of Christ as Popish Interpreters expound it Some of the Antients make it to be Heavenly mysteries which none know but 〈…〉 the Father and the Son Some make it the Scripture or Book sealed with seven seals Rev. 5.1 which none could open but Christ This Gate shut rather notes the Gate or Entrance into heaven which Adam by his fall had shut so that no man whatsoever being sinful could open it or enter onely Jesus Christ our High-priest hath opened it and entred Heb. 4.14 We have a great High-priest who is passed into the heavens He hath broken all the bars locks and bolts which kept it shut and hath opened the same so that now sinners may have access to God The High-priest once in a year entred into the Most Holy place the door opened to none but him this typified Christ's opening of heaven and entrance in thither as is clearly exprest Heb. 9 7 8 11 12 24. The Tabernacle and Temple were representations of heaven and so was this Vision of Ezekiel and as the Gate here was shut so was the Gate of heaven till the Lord Christ the Arch-bishop of our souls opened the same and entred No man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of Man which is in heaven Job 3.13 No man ever by his own virtue or power ascended up to heaven but Christ Henoch and Elijah neither ascended nor entred by their own strength grace or goodness Christ's merits were the Key which opened heaven for them and others Christ is the door and the way and no man comes to the father but by him Job 14.6 It 's by Christ alone that we come to the knowledge and fruition of the Father he reveals him and his mysteries and brings us unto the injoyment of him Quest If Christ have entred in by this Gate why is
and Moabites from entring into the house of God which was grounded upon special reasons Deut. 23.3 4. But here s a general law prohibiting all strangers whatsoever to enter into the Sanctuary and bear office there none ungodly uncircumcised in heart or flesh would he have to enter or minister unto him And not onely so but the Levites themselves which were corrupted must be put from their offices Many of the Priests after the ten Tribes revolted set up Calves and Idolatrized complyed much with them and the sinful practises of the Times and were defil'd with the pollutions of them and so went far from God and his pure ways hearkening to the commands of wicked Kings 2 Kings 16.11 therefore they must be thrust from the dignity of Priest-hood into the covert service of the Sanctuary they must bear their iniquity the punishment of their sins viz. loss of their places they must no longer minister unto God be Sacerdotes Dei but Ministri populi they must be Porters of the Gates Slayers of the Sacrifices and Keepers of the Utensils belonged unto the Sanctuary These were inferior and mean offices Their departing from God's ways their drawing the people to sin and offending the Church made God swear against them for so that expression I lift up my hand against them is to be understood lay shame upon them and cause them to serve in the basest sevices wherein mercy appeared also in that he did not absolutely reject them Those sin through infirmity and repent do find mercy Vers 15 16. 15. But the Priests the Levites the sons of Zadock that kept the charge of my Sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me they shall come near to me to minister unto me and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the bloud saith the Lord God 16. They shall enter into my Sanctuary and they shall come near to my Table to minister unto me and they shall keep my charge THE other Priests being said aside from all Priestly performances for their Apostasie from God and for their pollutions here it 's declar'd what Priests God would accept of viz. The sons of Zadock who was the first High-priest in Solomon's Temple whose posterity was faithful and constant in evil and Apostatizing times When the ten Tribes went a whoring from God and many Priests the sons of Ishamar were led aside by the commands of Ahaz and Manasseh These kept the charge of the Sanctuary and would not for fear flattery or favour depart from the laws and rites of God's house these were the men must come near to God and minister unto him in the Sanctuary Come near to my Table By Table is meant the Altar Ezek. 41.22 The Altar of wood is said to be the Table before the Lord and not onely the Altar for Incense was God's Table but that also which was for Burnt-offerings Mal. 1.7 12. that was a Table for God's bread and meat First Observe The Lord takes notice of those serve in his house who are false and who are faithful in corrupt and apostatizing times The sons of Zadock they kept the charge of my Sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me Those forsoke me followed Jeroboam and the Calves but the others would not leave my house my service they kept their stations and were constant This was their honour that they were stedfast in the way and work of the Lord and it was a blot and reproach to them that fell off for Lord brands them to be Revolters Hos 5.1 2. Secondly Observe God takes pleasure in and honours those are faithful and constant in his service The sons of Zadock were such and God saith of them They shall enter into my Sanctuary they shall come near unto me they shall stand before me they shall minister to me at my Table they shall keep my charge By these expressions they are much honour'd and God's pleasure in them much manifested Those Priests Prophets Ministers who are back-sliders revolters Apostates are a dishonour to God and burden to his Spirit Of such though they repented it 's said v 13. They shall not come near unto me to do the office of a Priest unto me nor to come near to any of my holy thing in the Most Holy place but they shall bear their shame and their abominations which they have conmitted God will neither honour them nor have any pleasure in them he honours and takes pleasure in those have been true to him and faithful Vers 17 18 19 20 21 22. 17. And it shall come to pass that when they enter in at the Gates of the inner Court they shall be cloathed with linnen garments and no wool shall come upon them whilst they minister in the Gates of the inner Court and within 18. They shall have linnen bonnets upon their heads and shall have linnen breeches upon their loyns they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat 19. And when they go forth into the outer Court even into the outer Court to the people they shall put off their garments wherein they ministred and lay them in the Holy Chambers and they shall put on other garments and they shall not sanctifie the people with their garments 20. Neither shall they shave their heads nor suffer their locks to grow long they shall onely poll their heads 21. Neither shall any Priest drink wine when they enter into the inner Court 22. Neither shall they take for their wives a widow or her that is put away but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel or a widow that had a Priest before HEre and in the following verses are certain rules and instructions given forth for the Priests and the first is Concerning their Vestures and attire When the sons of Zadock come to minister unto the Lord they must be cloathed all in linnen no woollen garments must be upon them as it was in Moses days Exod. 28 42 43. Exod. 39.27 28 29. Levit. 16.4 They had linnen bonnets linnen breeches linnen girdles and linnen coats woollen was not permitted them because Quod lâ—neum est minus purum est quà m quod lineum And as those linnen garments which Aaron and his sons had noted out the purity and innocency of Christ so these the sons of Zadock had noted out the purity and innocency of the Ministers under Christ and the Gospel The twenty four Elders were cloathed in white rayment Rev. 4.4 And those served the Lord in his Temple were arayed with white robes Rev. 7.13 15. The Ministers of Christ ought to be holy chast unblameable and patterns of virtue unto others 1 Tim. 4.12 2 Tim. 2.22 Tit. 1.7 8. When they savour the things of the flesh they are brutish and have on woollen garments which should not be They are to avoid all things may make them infamous and to hear ill Sweat is an unsavory thing they must not wear any
of Ahab Jezabel and the instruments they set on work but in this new Political estate it must be otherwise Isa 60.18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land wasting nor destruction within thy borders Execute judgment and justice Princes and Magistrates are God's deputies they ought to be like unto him and to act for him they should be men of knowledge able to judge in controversies to discern where the right lies Deut. 1.16 17. And men of courage to rule for God executing judgment and justice impartially As David did 2 Sam 8.15 He raigned over all Israel and executed judgment and justice unto all his people and this was one of his last words He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God 2 Sam. 23.3 And when men rule so there will be no place for injustice and oppression Such we have warrant to expect for the Lord hath said I will make thine officers peace and thine exactors righteousness Isa 60.17 Take away the exactions from my people The Vulgar reads the words Separate confinia vestra à populo meo Separate your confines from my people When Princes and great men have fields and inheritances lying near to their inferiors grounds as Ahabs did to Naboths they covet the same and find out ways to get the same and in time eat up their possessions therefore to prevent this the Lord calls upon them to separate their borders from their neighbours Junius and Polanus read the words Tollite depastiones vestras They force men out of their houses and inheritances as it is Mic. 2.2 They covet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away So they oppress a man and his house even a man and his heritage These were exactions as we read it And of the great ones exactions you may see 2 King 15.20 Ch. 23.35 sometimes under pretence of law and necessity they did exact of the people But these must cease and when the new heavens and new earth come there shall righteousness be in them no exaction or oppression 2 Pet. 3.13 Vers 10. Ye shall have just ballances In this and the other two verses Ordinances are given out about Weights Measures and Money 1. Concerning Weights the ballances must be just In former days they did pervert or falsifie the ballances by deceit Amos 8.5 Which was abomination to the Lord Prov. 20.10 There was a law in Deut. against the same Chap. 25.13 14 15. it was against diverse weights and diverse measures tying them to one and that perfect and just so here just ballances are required God wouâ—â— have the people just and equal in their dealings not defrauding one another A just Ephah and a just Bath c. The Measures of the Hebrews were of dry liquid things both which are here mention'd To begin with the Homer which was the greatest measure they had and signifies an Heap it held so much Some make the quantity to be what a Camel or an Asse could bear and carry The Homer is the same with that measure call'd Cor or Corus as the 14. verse shews each of them containing ten Baths or ten Ephahs A-lapide makes the Bath and Ephah to contain three Bushels a piece and so the Homer to be thirty Bushels But if we make Mâ—dius to be but half a Bushel then the Ephah and Bath contain one Bushel and an half a piece and the Homer fifteen But Ainsworsh upon Levit. 27.16 makes the Homer to be ten Ephahs that is ten Bushels so that the Ephah and the Bath held the measure of a Bushel The Ephah was a measure for dry things Wheat Barley Meal Flower 1 Sam. 17.17 Judg. 6.19 Num 5.15 And it was the common-measure reliquarum omnium mensurarum quasi fundamentum There is a seeming contradiction between what you have in Exod. 16.36 where it 's written An Omer is the tenth part of an Ephah and what you have here in Ezek. who saith An Ephah is the tenth part of an Homer For answer Know the words Omer and Homer in the Hebrew differ The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omer with Ain which signifies an Handful Levit. 23.10 Ye shall bring a sheafe of the first fruits The Hebrew is an handful an Omer It 's conceiv'd the wheat beaten out of that sheafe did fill the Omer which contain'd above a pottle about five points and so was the tenth part of an Ephah which contain'd of our English-measure seven gallons and an half which makes our Bushel The second word Homer is written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cheth and is that great-measure containing ten Ephahs of which is spoken The measure call'd a 〈◊〉 was of liquid things and contain'd as much as the Ephah seven gallons and an half the tenth part of an Homer Wine and Oyl were usually measured by it as 2 Chron. 2.10 Ezra 7.22 In Isa 5.10 we find these words Ten acres of vineyard shall yield one Bath God would so blast their vines that ten acres planted with vines should not yield ten gallons they should fill but one Bath and the seed of an Homer that is ten Bushels should yield an Ephah that is one Bushel Here the Bath is the measure of Wine and the Ephah the measure of Corn. And the Shekel shall be twenty Gerahs Having spoken of the measures he proceeds to the Money that it might be of a just value The Shekel must be twenty Gerahs a Gerah was to weigh sixteen Barley-corns so that twenty Gerahs amounted unto three hundred and twenty barley corns and so much the Shekel was to weigh of it was spoken Chap. 4. v. 10. 8.60 Shekels made the Maneh or pound Some pieces of their money were twenty Shekels some twenty five some fifteen and these together made their Maneh First Observe Princes and Magistrates commonly are covetous and cruel The Princes of Israel used violence and spoil they exacted upon the people Zeph. 3.3 Jerusalem's Princes were roaring lyons her Judges evening wolves they were greedy of the prey Nero was a lyon to the people of God 2 Tim. 4.17 Nebuchadnezzar was both a lyon a bear and a dragon Jerem. 51.34 saith Jerusalem He hath devoured me he hath crushed me he hath made me an empty vessel he hath swallowed me up like a dragon he filled his belly with my delicates he hath cast me out His belly was so bigg his desires so inlarged that he eat up Citties Kingdomes and Nations As it was said of Pompey Nostra miseria tu es Magnus so of most Princes in the world may the peoâ—le say By our miseries ye are become great Secondly Observe Christianity doth not overthrow but establish Magistracy The Lord here speaking what reformation should be under the Messiah doth not take Magistrates away but corrects their exorbitances saying Remove violence and spoyle take away exactions He abridges them not of just power but decrys their Tyranny Paul approov's of Magistrates Rom. 13. 1 Tim. 2.1
from the right side of the house at the South-side of the Altar 2. Then brought he me out of the way of the gate Northward and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh Eastward and behold there run out waters on the right side 3. And when the man that had the line in his right hand went forth Eastward he measured a thousand cubits and he brought me through the waters the waters were to the ancles or waters of the ancles 4. Again he measured a thousand and brought me thorow the waters the waters were to the knees Again he measured a thousand and brought me thorow the waters were to the loyns 5. Afterward he measured a thousand and it was a River and I could not pass over for the waters were risen waters to swim in a River that could not be passed over IN this Chapter are two principal parts 1. A Vision of waters and the description of them from Verse 1. to Verse 13. 2. The bordering and dividing the Land from Verse 13. to the end Concerning the waters they are described 1. From their Original or Place whence they spring and flow ver 1 2. 2. From their increase ver 3 4 5. The man with the measuring line in his hand having led our Prophet up and down to view the Temple the parts and appurtenances of it brings him again to the door of the House that is to the door of the Temple or Sanctuary And behold waters issued out from under c. Vilalpandus makes these waters to be those subterraneal waters which were carried in pipes under ground and issued forth into the Priests Court to wash the Sacrifices and purge away the blood excrements and filth occasioned by the slaying so many Sacrifices for certainly had there not been aquaeducts about Solomons Temple to have cleansed the places where the Sacrifices were slain and prepared it would have been an unsavoury and unhealthful place These waters issued forth some from the threshold some from the South-side of the Altar and so ran away From these waters the Lord takes occasion to speak of spiritual waters The Water came down from under from the right side of c. The Temple was upon an high Mountain Ezek. 40.2 therefore the waters are said to come down and they came from the right side of the House that was the South-side for the front of the House standing towards the East when a man stood and lookt East-ward his right hand or side was towards the South The Altar for Burnt-offering was before the porch of the Temple and at the South-side thereof did these waters run Our Prophet having seen the spring and rice of the waters is led out of the inner Court by the way of the North-gate and brought to the uttermost East-gate where he first entred and it was to behold how the waters ran out there on the right side also The words in Hebrew are Maiim mepaccim aquae phialantes peccah signifies to flow but lente tanquam e phiala manando he saw the waters run there gently and pleasingly they run not fiercely as a torrent but gently as oyl poured out of a vial These waters though they run gently yet increased mightily for upon Christs measuring out a thousand cubits they became waters of the ancles upon his measuring out the two thousand cubits they rose to be waters of the knees upon his measuring out the third thousand of cubits they ascended to be waters of the loyns and upon measuring the fourth thousand they became waters for swimming they could not be waded through they were so deep even a great River impassible What these waters do signifie is worthy enquiry Some make these wate s to signifie the prosperity of the Church that great happiness which the Jews had after their return from Babylon This was an outward mercy and but for a little season for they suffered great and grievous things by Antiochus and others in the Maccabees times But here some spiritual mercy is intended by the waters others therefore understand by them the waters of Baptism which Christ instituted and so came from the Altar viz. the side of Christ but these waters are too shallow to be Ezekiels waters A third sort make them to be the Spirit and gifts of the Spirit It s true the Spirit is said to be poured out Joel 2.28 but it s not to be understood of the person of the Spirit which is infinite indivisible and immoveable but of the gifts and graces of the Spirit with such with him who saith Per aquas istas gratiae benedictiones divinae quibus in Ecclesia dei frumitur designantur A fourth sort interpret these Waters of the Gospel the glad tidings touching mans salvation by Christ which is compared to water frequently in Scripture Isa 11.9 The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea The knowledge of the Lord Jesus shall abound as the waters of the Sea see Joel 3.18 Zech. 14.8 We may take the Gospel with the gifts and graces of the Spirit to be these waters for the Gospel is veliculum Spiritus the ministration of the Spirit as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.8 And the Spirit with the graces and gifts are oft compared to water as well as the Gospel See Ezek. 36.2 Isa 44.3 and 41.18 Acts 2.17 John 4.14 and 7.37 38 39. Now it remains to shew wherein they are like unto water 1. Water cleanseth it purges away the filth of the body and other things So doth the Gospel with the gifts and graces of the Spirit cleanse the souls of men and purge their hearts from sin and filthiness John 15.3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you Christ spoke unto them the Gospel and that was the word together with the Spirit which made them clean from their unbelief disobedience and other sins 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit The Spirit accompanying the Gospel purified their souls and made them obedient to the truth Ezek. 10.36.25 2. Water moistens and softens the earth which before was dry and hard so that there was no entrance for the plow but being well watered with the rain of Heaven its soft and fit for the plow So the Gospel the Doctrine of Christ moistens and mollifies hard and heavy hearts Those that put Christ to death were hard-hearted sinners but when they heard Peter preach the Gospel and some of that water fell upon their hearts they were softned and became sensible of what they had done They were pricked in their hearts and said Men and Brethren what shall we do Acts 2.37 So Paul was a stout and stubborn fellow but the water of the Gospel did so supple him that it made him yield and say Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9.6 3. Water cools heat the heat of the earth and air
in Summer and heat of the body in hot weather Many bathe themselves in the water to cool them Dives begg'd a little water to cool his tongue Luke 16.24 The waters of the Gospel have a cooling vertue in them they cool the heat of persecution Mat. 5.11 12. they cool the heat of our passions James 3.20 Mat. 5.22 they cool the heat of temptations Rom. 16.20 1 Cor. 10.13 James 12.12 they cool the heat of our lusts 1 Pet. 2.11 Rom. 8.13 1 Tim. 6.9 10. they cool the scorchings of a guilty Conscience and fire of Hell Matth. 12.31 and 11.28 1 John 1.7 4. Water makes the earth fruitful When they wanted rain there was barrenness and famine Jer. 14. but when they had the former and latter rain all things flourished and abounded Ezek. 34.26 27. I will cause the shower to come down in his season there shall be showers of blessings and the tree of the field shall yield her fruit c. Litterally these words are true and spiritually also and set out the fruitfulness of those who were to live under the sweet showers of Gospel Doctrine They should be like a watered garden Jer. 31.12 The doctrine of the Lord is as the rain and dew which falling upon the tender herbs and grass causes them to grow Deut. 32.1 When Zacheus was watered with this water he became very fruitful and gave half of his goods to the poor Luke 19.8 others sold all and laid the money down at the Apostles feet Acts 4.35 They were abundant in love and in good works 5. Water quencheth thirst satisfies and revives the thirsty soul It was their drink in the infancy of the World and is still in some hot Countreys Sampson when like to perish for thirst having some water out of the jaw-bone of an Ass he revived and was satisfied Judg. 15.18 19. The waters of the Gospel have this property also when the soul is a thirst there is no water quenceth that thirst but the water of life which the Gospel sheweth and conveyeth unto us The Gospel hath this water of life in it Christ and the Spirit which it makes men partakers of The great and precious promises are satisfying things the righteousness and Spirit of Christ are satisfying and reviving things Peter found it so when he said to Christ Lord to whom should we go thou hast the words of eternal life Let others go to what Brooks Pits or Cisterns they will to quench their thirst we will never go from thee who hast the words of eternal life who art the Fountain of living Waters and canst satisfie us for ever John 6.68 This Water quencheth unlawful desires and satisfieth Spiritual desires 6. Some waters have a curing and healing vertue The Pool of Bethesdah healed all manner of diseases Joh. 5.4 There be waters in our Land which have healing vertue in them Such be the waters here mentioned for they healed other waters v. 8. Gospel waters will heal sick souls and bodies The Centurion said to Christ Lord speak thou but the wâ—rd onely and my servant shall be healed and it was so Mat. Mat. 8.8 13. Christ cast out Devils with his word and healed all that were sick ver 16. The Gospel is not onely a pattern of wholesome words but of healing words also there is no spiritual disease in the soul but the Gospel hath healing vertue to cure it therefore it is called the Gospel of Salvation Ephes 1.13 and the power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 7. Some waters are very cordial and do greatly comfort the spirits of man None more then the waters of the Gospel by which the Spirit the true solid eternal Comforter flows into the heart The Gospel and good things of it are set out by Water Milk and Wine Isa 55.1 all which are comforting things The Gospel is glad-tidings and affords strong and everlasting consolation to the soul 2 Thess 2.16 2 Cor. 3.5 Jeremiah saith the Word of God was the joy and rejoycing of his soul chap. 15.16 David professes he had perished in his affliction had he not drunk of these Cordial Waters Psalm 119.92 To come to those Observations which we may pick out of these Verses Observ 1. That as it is Christ who makes known the things of the Temple so he doth the same not all at once but he makes known some at one time some at another Formerly Christ had revealed much to the Prophet and here he brings him again to the door of the House and shews him waters he had not seen before We are not capable of much at once like children we must have line upon line precept upon precept here a little and there a little Ezekiel is instructed a little in one place and a little in another place as he was capable So Christ the wise and chief Builder of the Temple deals with him and revealed one thing after another unto him and so he dealt with his Disciples John 16.12 Observ 2. The waters of the Gospel the gifts and graces of the Spirit do flâ—w from Sion from Jerusalem where Ezekiel had his vision Chap. 40.2 The bitter waters of the Law flowed from Mount Sinai but the sweet waters of the Gospel flowed from Mount Sion Isaiah long before prophesied whence these waters should come Isa 2.3 Out of Sion shall go forth the Law that is the Law of Faith not of Works and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem So in Zach. 14.8 And it shall be in that day that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem half of them towards the former sea that is East-ward and half of them towards the hinder sea that is West-ward In Summer and in Winter shall it be there shall be no time wherein these Jerusalem-waters shall cease flowing It is not Rome or any other City in the World which hath the honor to send out these waters but Jerusalem onely where was the true Church of God Observ 3. These spiritual waters although they flowed from Sion and Jerusalem yet Christ himself was the Fountain and Original of them they came from the door and threshold of the house Christ tells us He is the the door John 10.7 All spiritual water is in him all Heavenly Doctrine all gifts and graces When the Spirit moved holy men to speak as it is 2 Pet. 1.21 it received of Christ and shewed unto them John 16.14 and all the waters which flowed from the Apostles they received from Christ The Spirit was given them to fill their vessels and fitted them to carry these living waters from Jerusalem to all parts Acts 2.8 and Christ sent them forth to preach the Gospel all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in him Col. 2.3 and he that believes in him receives living waters from him all gifts graces and divine truths are from him The waters of the Sanctuary flow from the Lord of the Sanctuary Observ 4. God would not have his Worshippers to conform to and comply with the
whereof shall make glad the City of God Let the City of God be in never so great straights or distresses the River of the Sanctuary Gospel-waters will make it glad Verse 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. And he said unto me Son of man hast thou seen this then he brought me and caused me to return to the brink of the River Now when I had returned behold at the bank of the River were very many trees on the one side and on the other Then said he unto me These waters issue out towards the East Countrey and go down into the Desart and go into the Sea which being brought forth into the Sea the waters shall be healed And it shall come to pass that every thing that liveth which moveth whithersoever the Rivers shall come shall live and there shall be a very great multitude of fish because these waters shall come thither for they shall be healed and every thing shall live whither the River cometh And it shall come to pass That the fishes shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim they shall be a place to spread forth nets their fish shall be according to their kindes as the fish of the great Sea exceeding many But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed they shall be given to salt And by the River upon the bank thereof on this side and on that side shall grow all Trees for meat whose leaf shall not fade neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed it shall bring forth new fruit according to his moneths because their waters they issued out of the Sanctuary and the fruit thereof shall be for meat and the leaf thereof for medicine VVE have heard whence these Visional waters did spring and of their great encrease into a River and here we have a description of this River 1. From the trees were about it with their leaves and fruit ver 7 12. 2. From the place into which it flows ver 8. 3. From the effects in ver 8 9 10. 4. From the fishers and nets ver 10. 5. From the adjunct places ver 11. In Verse 6. the Lord puts a question unto Ezekiel and it is this Son of man hast thou seen this Hast thou seen these waters whence they spring Hast thou seen which way they flow Hast thou seen their great encrease and unpassibleness If thou hast not see now fully and observe them more exactly that is the intent of the question There is a Corporal fight and there is an intellectual sight see with the eye of thy body and with the eye of thy minde Note hence That the waters of the Sanctuary have that in them which is observable to be considered and seriously weighed Hast thou seen this How suddenly these waters break forth how they have followed the measuring line which way soever it went how in a little time they have risen up to a River and such a River as is impermeable Hast thou seen the mysteries contained in these waters As the waters abound so the mysteries thereof abound The Gospel is full of mysteries and depths the beginnings encrease and success of it are wonderful things and ought to be minded the spreading converting and edifying power of the Gospel Christians should take special notice of rejoyce at and bless God for It is a choice mercy to have the waters of the Gospel in a land or in a town and what a mercy is it when these waters prove waters of life to convert and edifie those that are there If Middletons and Thames waters are observable much more mystical waters After this question comes action the Lord brought him and caused him to return to the brink of the River or tip of it Hitherto he had seen the waters now the Lord would have him to see what was upon the banks or sides of the River for as there were things considerable in the waters so on the banks Observ 1. Christ reveals and makes known the mysteries of the Sanctuary by degrees and one after another Ezekiel sees the waters and being taught something concerning them he is brought to the brink of the River and hath new mysteries presented to him he is held from seeing the waters of the Sanctuary to behold the trees thereof Observ 2. The Scholars of Christ ought to be content with what it pleases the Lord Christ to make known unto them and to rest satisfied therewith Ezekiel troubles not himself or Christ about the depth of the River the multitude of waters and several measurings but being set down on the brink of the River he is content to see and hear what the Lord should shew him and speak unto him There is an itch in man to know things kept secret and hidden Many through curiosity prying into such things have prejudiced themselves and others Gen. 3.6 Eve did so Let us acquiesce in what Christ reveals and not thirst after hidden secrets lest we meet with Satanical delusions and be given up to believe lyes In Verse 7. the River is described from the multitude of trees on each side of it There was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etz cab meodh lignum multum valde or arbor multa valde very much wood or very many trees as Piscat or very great trees as Junius and Tremellius hath it As the watres were mystical so are these trees and they have a mysticall and spiritual signification They signifie the Saints under the Gospel those that are true Christians and such are not unfitly compared to trees for they resemble them in many respects 1. Trees have life in them so true Christians have life in them When the Romans were become Christians then they were alive unto God through Jesus Christ Rom. 6.11 before they were dry and dead trees as the Ephesians were Ephes 2.1 When men are once true Christians they have life from Christ John 10.10 20.31 1 John 5.12 Gal. 3.20 2. Trees are rooted in solido in the firm earth in Rocks and Mountains and true Christians are rooted in Christ who is a firm and solid Rock The Colossians were ooted in Christ not in Plato Aristotle or Humane Philosophy but in Christ and his Doctrine they were established in the faith of Christ so that none could pull them from him John 10.28 3. Trees draw sap moisture and vertue from the earth and the waters they are near unto Jer. 17.8 Psal 104.16 The trees of the Lord are full of sap they draw strongly And so it is with true Christians Metaphorical trees they draw sap from Christ Vertue from his Promises and Moisture from his Ordinances Faith and Love are like the little fibres which are upon roots those strings veins or sinews draw mightily and communicate to the whole so doth Faith and Love abundantly bring in spiritual sap into the soul John 1.16 Of his fulness have we all received John 15.5 4. Trees do grow upwards Gen. 2.9 every tree grew and the Saints are of a growing
upon his people 595. bears long with the worst of men 420. determines things most free and contingent 208. discovers plots of enemies ibid. knows infallibly things to come 217. when God manifests his love and wrath 225. can easily raise forces against his enemies 229. and easily ruine Armies 227. hath various ways to do it 228. convinces the wicked when in afflictions 266. whom God will honor 391 Godly No condition so grievous to them but shall end comfortably 375 Godliness To whom a delight 361 Gog whom 488 489. whence he came 212. prophesied of before 216. not Antiochus 224. Dreadful judgement upon him 226. great 232. where buried 247 Goodmen must be good before they can do good 366 Gospel Christs voice in it strong irresistable efficacious 394. earth shines with the glory of it ibid. it preserves order is not levelling 405. like waters and wherein 550 551 552. into what parts it went first 555. it goeth where Christ wil 556 557. gradually 558. hath depths in it 560. its pure and sufficient of it self 561. brings men unto God 569. runs like waters 570. without it what men are ib. it cures and quickens 571. fruitful 572 Grace will appear where it is 367. work of it free 403 â—ikened to water and wherein 550 551 552. gradualness in graces 559. all in the Church of free grace 〈◊〉 it recals sinners 588 589 Great ones have no cause to glory 84. Greatest go the wrong way 93. shall bear their shame though after death ibid. those that joyn with them in evil must suffer 228. may lie unburied 260 Guilt an heavy and consuming thing 121 H HAnd stretching out what it imports 348 249. lifting up what 284 Gods hand in mens acting against the Church 237. filling the hand what it imports 376 Hailstones fire brimstone 223 224 Har-el and Hanriel what 371 372 Hatred the nature of it 253. twofold 263. it sets other affections on work 264 Hearers how they carry it oft towards them they hear 164. 165. what the preachers are to them 170 not rest in hearing ibid. Heart most looked at in worship 165 carnal in spirituals 166. Heart and new what they note 317 318. old by nature 322. it s like a stone wherein 330 331 332. the evil of it 333. how cured 336 Heart It s God prerogative to alter hearts 337. its great mercy to have stony hearts removed 338. excellency of a tender heart 340 mistakes about a tender heart 342 343. legal natural tenderness 24â— 244. characters of a tender heart 345 346. how to keep it tender 347 348. its a great mercy it s the gift of God 341 Heathens what convinces them 310 Hell poor comfort there â—5 96 High those highest meet with most storms 328 329 Hin How much it contained 420 Holy things to be laid in holy places 332 333. those who have charge of them must be exact 387. not to be bought and sold 392 Holiness the law of Gods house 368 Hope what 439 Horns of the Altar what they signifie 371 House of Israel 242 408 Husbandry Gods work 396 397 Hypocrites will be discovered 164 I IDols ruine States 25. defile 298. Idolatry loathsom to God 300. it defiles more then other sins 316. they are karcasses 355. a wall between God and man 357 Jealousie to speak in the fire of it what 282. what is in jealousie 225. it breaks through all 269 Jerusalem highly esteemed by the Lord 352 353. in new Jerusalem shall be no invention of men c. 357. no night there 358 New Jerusalem exceeds Ezekiels City 604 Jews there conversion we may expect and pray for 462. shall repossess their land 463 480. given to Idolatry 465. shall be fully gathered 270 271 there is a day of mercy for all the Jews 272. for lasting mercies 275 offers of mercy to them first 584. shall come to Sion 589 Ignorance remedy for the sin of ignorance 417 418 Impenitency excludes from Temple mercies 364 Impossibles to man not so to God 374 Infamous they that make so shall be made so 286 287 Inheritance one to Jew and Gentile 585 Institutions of God like posts and thresholds 356. men must not make any like them ibid. Interrogations argue not ignorance in God 426 Judgements publick troublesom to neighbour nations 13. they make God known 12. in the forest some escape ibid 143. former not to be forgotten 13. suitable instruments execute them 17. nothing can s cure from them 26 157. they convince of the equity of Gods ways 158. threatned take place 172. they are oft lengthned out answerable to the time of mens sinning 258. what ever they be God is righteous 301. end of them 230 262. they begin but end not at Gods house 395 396. God executes some signal judgement 258. impartial 259. judgements upon the wicked are ingaging mercies to the godly 263 Justification what 315 K KAdash notes sanctifying and polluting 546 Kings and Kingdoms there flourishing and perishing in from the Lord 34. tyrannical Kings oft have bad ends 35 Kings are apt to be lifted up with their greatness 38. 39. must be told of their sins 39. its the Lord makes them great 246. have need of money to uphold them ibid. what brings dreadful judgements upon them 53â— why destroyed 55 69. They are lights and when put our sad events follow 73. 74 Kingdom No succession in Christs Kingdom 479 Subjects of it holy ibid. Knowledge not all a â—once 553 564. L LAmentations for siâ—s and ruines of others are from the Lord 65 Land Land in league 6. God hath ways to empty lands 16. They are his to dispose of 18 261 262 376. he can deprive them of their princes 26. made exemplary with judgments 27. what wastes lands 157. what ever condition it s in God is there 262. your own sins brings desolation 274 301 3â—2 their fruitfulness depends upon the Lord 293. desolate shall not always lye so 39â— God hath a peculiarity in some lands 214 Last made first 587 588. Law what 363. of Gods house why to be made known 366. chiefly to be observed 368 Liberty of speaking is from God 145 Life in the hand of God and death also 112. what is the principle of spiritual life and motion 365. its short 539 Liâ—e 285. what 291. mens lines must not be in Temple measurings 292 Lion of God who 372 Loath what in it 384. when men loath themselves for their sins 385 Looks forbidden to priests 393 Lybia whence so called 5 Lydia whence so named ib. M. MAgistrates good what they are 413 Magnifie when God magnifies himself 229 Mathematicians who fit for spiritual ones 261 Man though spared long shall suffer 101 Marriage whom the Priests were and were not to marry 394 Materials of the Church must be holy 368 Means what ever used God doth all 434 435 Mercies temporal not merited 308. choice mercies make men renounce former defilements 468. mercies gradually carried on 450. work more then judgements 384 Messiah upon what account
l 27 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 64 l 6 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 11 r. deprive p 6â— l 10 r. are p 71 l 23 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 72 l 3 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caas p 77 l 26 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 89 in marg r. Rab. Salom p 100 l 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 112 l 16 r lammaveth p 117 l 10 r in question l 12 d. in l 17 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 118 l 1 r. Chapherz p 130 marg r. consequitur p 134 l 18 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 149 marg r. Rivet p 161 l 24 r. Agaf l 29 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 176 l 7 r. Ils chanson l 9 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 167 l 18 r. sicut l 11 r. chalaf p 179 l 12 r. chelef l 15 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 180 l 16 r. avez l 18 r. neither p 181 l 21 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 182 l 24 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 185 l 7 r came p 225 l 18 r. tugida p ibid marg imbuerentur p 227 l 23 r. servum p 229 l 3◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 232 mâ—rg praedit p 235 l 17 r. series l. 10 11 r. â—e doth sometime signifie p 253 l 29 r. Oecolampadius p 263 marg superari p 218 l 22 r. Cannibals p 280 l 5 r differ as much from each other p 330 l 26 put comma after there p 336 l 13 r Adamantine p 340 l 18 r. sequax in marg for auts r. facile p 343 l 15 r. Polanus p 364 l 16 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 369 l 34 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 376 l 10 d. that l 11 d. and p 381 l 15 r ver 25. p 385 l 22 r. Christianity p 390 l 17 r. words p 427 r. of these and other things must be said Lord thou knowest p 431 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 438 l 6 Ezra p 439 l 4 r. said p 464 l 3 r stands p 465 l 24 r. Canaan p 478 l 17 r. Mat. 19.28 p 483 l 1 r. perhaps l 6 r. pintus p 491 l 21 r susâ— p 492 l 8 r. magen I ultâ—r Gomerites p 499 l 13 r. novissimo l 15 r. Mariana p 204 l 28 r. Manuaises p 210 l 27 r. Apharsâ—thchâ—tes p 215 l 27 r. look ar l 28 d. in lat â—b r some at Jer. 1.14 p 232 l 29 r. been p 234 l 20 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 237 l 8 r. senarium p 340 l 10 r. hecharutz Joel 3.19 l 18 r. seven p 250 l 27 r. Tzitun p 251 l 15 r. for by â— vâ—z p 258 l 3 r. for l 5 r. mounted p 264 l 10 r. baalvonam p 270 l 27 r. to be led p 279 l 18 r. Ezek 34 25 p 282 l 1 r. Haffen l 29 r. Jeholakâ—n p 283 l 2 r. so l 21 r. of the p 284 l 26 27 r. City p 295 l 26 r. expressionâ— p 307 l 21 r. in the p 308 l 6 r. Rev. 16. p 315 l 21 r. one p 316 l 8 r. probable p 318 l 21 r. resecta p 320 l 21 r. Shâ—ttim p 321 l 25 r. destroy Pag 326 l. 17 r. the outer p. 328 l. 19 r. infallible p. 325 l 1 r. bride p. 336 l. 27 r. bickneh hammiddah p. 345 l. 24 25 r. we cy p. 351 l. 14 r. lead p. 351 352 353 c. for carkeises r. carcases p. 353 l. 13 r. Ezek. 48. last p. 354 l. 8 dele or l. 9 r. Jehoiachin l. 16 r. pegarim p. 361 in marg exuendus l 4. Junius p. 363 l. 21 r. chok p. 364 l. 4 r. That p. 367 l 13 r. holy p. 370 l. 18 r. by it some l. 33 r. made p. 371 l. 31 r. this Altar p. 372 r. this Alt. l. 11 r. Harâ—â—l p. 375 l. 4 r. sâ—crifices l. 6 r. that validity p 385 l. 27 r. your p. 388 l. 31 r. the Lord p. 389 l. 26 r. lowest p 388. l 3. r. Lev 10.12 p 393 r one of the musts p 394 l 6 r. military p 396 l 23 r. their p 399 l 2 r. thine p 405 l 31 r. those p 418 l 1 r. 1 Joh. 2.1 p 419 l 12 r. corruption p 535 l 3 r in part p 536 l 12 r. there dele comma after worshipped p 540 l 20 21 r. to a bullock l 20 dâ—le and l 22 r. with the Lâ—mbs l 25 r. werâ— p 541 l 19 r. would p 546 l 4 d. â— l 5 r. Sanctâ—uâ— p 550 l 2 which suits with l 4 r. fruimur l 12 vehicalum p 552 l 5 r. quencheth l 26 dele Mâ—t. p 558 l 14 r. proceed p 559 l 16 r. on p 560 l 9 r. riches both p 564 l 33 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 567 l 22 r. Arias p 581 l 2 r. Hamath l 6 r. Hauran l 19 r Kadeth l 24 r. Sanctius p 582 l 16 r. came p 583 l 30 put comma after the fâ—rst in p 586 l 15 16. r. Ephraim l 23 r. distribution and so elsewheâ—e p 590 l 1 r. he shall p 596 l 27 r. but even p 600 l 10. r. Hafenrefferus l 22 r. greatest p 603 l. 12 r. only l 13 r bear p 607 l 31 r. he will There is likewise in Press the Second part of that practical peice of Divinity called The Christian mans Calling by Mr. George Swinnock containing Dealings with all men in all conditions whether inprosperite or adversity in all companies good or bad in solitariness on the Week day from morning to night in visiting the sick upon a dying-bed AN EXPOSITION Upon more Chapters of EZEKIEL CHAP. XXX 1. The word of the Lord came again unto me saying 2. Son of man prophesie and say Thus saith the Lord God Howl ye wo worth the day 3. For the day is near even the day of the Lord is near a cloudy day it shall be the time of the heathen 4. And the sword shall come upon Egypt and great pain shall be in Ethiopia when the slain shall fall in Egypt and they shall take away her multitude her foundations shall be broken down 5. Ethiopia Libya Lydia all the mingled people Chub and the men of the Land that is in league shall fall with them by the sword THIS Chapter is a continuance of the former prophesie and hath two generall parts in it The 1. is concerning the destruction of Egypt and those that were confederate with her to the 20. vers 2. Is concerning Pharoah King of Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon from the 20. vers to the end In these Verses we have 1. The Authority of the prophesie it 's divine from the Lord ver 1 2. 2. The thing imposed upon Egypt Howling vers 2. 3. The Reasons thereof vers 3 4 5. Vers 1. The Word of the Lord came again unto me This Preface is to