and bee filled with their owne devices What fruit doe mens sinfull wayes bring forth even sower and bitter fruit guilt feares sorrows afflictions ruine upon such fruit they must feed with such fruit they shall be filled Hos 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe Israels sinnes were her wounds they were the Plague Famine and Sword that ruined them the iniquities of a Kingdome are the deaths of a Kingdome their sinnes will find them out Numb 32.23 They are like Blood-hounds that hunt out the Authors of them and cease upon them hence Isa 59.12 It s sayd Our transgressions are with us to weary us to wound us to destroy us men cannot shake off their sinnes they have committed they will follow them seaze upon them hold them fast Prov. 5.22 His owne iniquities shall take the wicked himselfe and he shall be holden with the Cords of his sinnes he shall dye without instruction wicked mens sinnes may take others and sometimes doe but they certainely take themselves they twist Cords to bind but it is themselves it s to make themselves burnt sacrifices for Hell 6. When God comes in judgement upon a Nation he will deale throughly with it visit for all sins I will recompence upon thee all thine abominations God tooke notice of what was done in the darke in the light upon Mountaines in Valleys under every green Tree no Idols false Worship inventions of theirs but the Lord observ'd them reserv'd them in mind and rendered unto them answerable for them before he had dealt with them for some now he would deale with them for all their abominations and bring them as an unsupportable burden upon them Vers 4. And mine eye shall not spare c. Much is sayd in the sacred Scriptures of the great and tender mercies of the Lord and many patterns of his mercies are to be found therein and the sinners in Zyon conceited God to be all mercy sinn'd securely and fear'd no judgements upon this great abuse of Divine mercy saith the Lord Mine eye shall not spare neither will I have pity you shall find me all justice consuming fire without any sparing or pitying judgement after judgement shall come upon you till you are destroyed you thinke to goe on in your sinfull wayes and find me mercifull but I am provok't and you shall feele me dreadfull nothing shall prevaile to draw me to any remorse or pity the consideration you are my people not reproach of Heathens round about you not your prayers teares sufferings blood not that you are Abrahams and Davids posterity not the dishonour my Name shall have by you I am now hardened against you and will punish thee openly according to thy abominations thou shalt have great punishments in the middest of thee which will evidence the greatnesse of thy sins and cause thee to acknowledge me to be a just God of the words in this Vers have been spoken Chap. 5.11 8. Vers Chap. 6.7 and in the precedent Verse of this Chapter CHAP. VII 5. Thus saith the Lord God An evill an onely evill behold it is come 6. An end is come the end is come it watcheth for thee behold it is come 7. The morning is come unto thee O thou that dwellest in the Land the time is come the day of the trouble is neer and not the sounding againe of the Mountaines 8. Now will I shortly poure out my fury upon thee and accomplish mine anger upon thee and I will judge thee according to thy ways and will recompence thee for all thine abominations 9. And mine eye shall not spare neither will I have pity I will recompense thee according to thy wayes and thine abominations that are in the middest of thee and yee shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth SOMETHING I shall open in these Verses not much In the 5. An onely evill Evill befell them before but none like this none so great so destructive to the Jewish Church and State it hath reference to that in the 5. Chap. 9. Vers I will doe in thee that which I have not done and whereunto I will not doe any more the like No such extreame and deadly destruction shall befall thee I have one evill now left for thee which shall be without all comparison there shall need none after this to make a full Ruine of thee God hath evils to doe his will at once and so it may be called an onely evill 1 Sam. 26.8 saith Abishai to David Let me smite Saul with the speare even to the Earth at once and I will not smite him the second time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At once it s the same word with onely in this Verse he would utterly slay Saul at one stroke and God with one judgement would utterly destroy the Jewes such a phrase you have in Nahum 1.9 He will make an utter end affliction shall not rise up the second time God would bring such a judgement upon Niniveh that at once it should be destroyed a second affliction should not be needfull the evill of that day should be sufficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Caldee reads it otherwise Evill after evill shewing the succession of evils that should follow one after another till they were destroyed as wave follows wave one cloud another c. so affliction should come after affliction sinnes goe linked together and so doe afflictions Levit. 26.18 21 24 28. they goe by sevens God can at one judgement at once destroy sinners Hosea 5. Kingdomes Cities he can at pleasure bring many one after another destroy by degrees be a moth rottennesse a Lyon to Israel and Judah we should take heed how we offend such a God Verse 6. It watcheth for thee Thou thoughtest judgement slept but it is awake and waits for or against thee thou thoughtest it a dead thing but it is alive and making hast towards thee The Hebrew word signifies to be weary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if judgement were weary with staying so long or God weary with deferring it now there should be no more delay it notes also to excite a man asleep one dead as in the 2 Kings 4.31 The Child is not awaked that is not raised from the dead So here God had threatned them by his Prophets Isaiah Jeremiah others many years and they thought the Prophets words winde because nothing was done at least that such a judgement would not befall them in these dayes as they had foretold Ezek. 12.21 27. as if the judgement they spake of was asleep or as a thing dead therefore it s said it lives is awake and watcheth as a theife to spoyle as a Lyon for a prey and hereby is poynted out the suddennesse of its comming and intention of God to destroy them This Verse the former and that follows are full of Divine Rhetorick Asyndeton Anadiplosis Epanalepsis Metaphoraes Paronomasia Apostrophe and others are evident in them the Scripture hath as great Elegancie as
them a little and they appeare to the danger of the whole VERS 7 8 9 10 11 12. And he brought me to the doore of the Court and when I looked behold a hole in the wall Then said he unto me sonne of man dig now in the wall and when I had digged in the wall behold a doore And he said unto mee goe in and behold the wicked abhominations that they doe here So I went in and saw and behold every form of creeping things and abhominable beasts and all the Idolls of the house of Israel pourtraied upon the wall round about And there stood before them 70. men of the Antients of the house of Israel and in the middest of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan with every man his censer in his hand and a thicke cloud of incense went up Then said he unto mee Son of man hast thou seene what the Antients of the house of Israel doe in the darke every man in the chambers of his imagery for they say the Lord seeth us not the Lord hath forsaken the earth THese verses containe the second part of the Prophets new vision where 1. You have a new discovery of more Idolatry in the 7 8 9 and beginning of the 10. vers 2. A description of it in the 10. and 11. verses 3. The ground of all their vile practises vers 12. They say the Lord seeth not I shall open what hath any difficulty and so give you the Observations The doore of the Court. Another doore then that in vers 3. It was the doore of the Levites or Priests Court into which none might come that were not of the Tribe of Levi and herein the sinne of the Priests and people is aggravated that the Priests suffered any to come in there who should not and that the people durst venture into that holy place or bring their abhominations so neare the Lord. Digge in the wall and behold a doore The doore of the Court being shut he spyes a hole and upon command digging in that finds another doore about the gates of the wall chambers Ezek. 40.10 for the door-keepers and Levites who had their weekly courses of administration 1 Chron. 23.28 Luke 10.8 And its likely this doore in the wall was a back-doore by which the Priests Levites and others entered into their chambers and Chappels of Imagery secretly and our Prophet entring in at this door sees their grosse and bruitish Idolatry There they had pictured upon the walls the formes of all things creepe and of beasts God had forbidden the Jewes to makâ— themselves any Images but now they not only had Images set them in private but also in publique and holy places and those of the basest sort Crocodiles Catts Moles Beetles which creatures the Egyptians worshipped they had pourtrayed there Abhominable beasts The Hâ—br is of animall abomination No creatures of God are abhominable in themselves some prohibited by the law were uncleane for such and such uses but yet good in themselves the picturing of them and others made them abhominable and I conceive abhomination refers rather to the forme of the creature which they worshipped then to the creature it self and may be read thus every forme of creeping thing and of beast is abhomination And secondarily the creatures abhominable for their formes sake which were worshipped For the number 70. its answerable to the 70. soules went downe into Egypt Deut. 10.22 and the 70. Elders went up with Moses into the mouÌ„t Exod. 24.1 Seventy men of the Antients of the house of Israel In Numb 11.16 God bid Moses gather 70. of the Elders together which done hee joyn'd them with Moses to help him beare the burthen of the people These seventy made a standing Senate or their Sanedrim There were 6. out of every Tribe which amounted to 72. But were cal'd the 70. as in Luke 10.1 they are called the 70. Disciples but in the Syriacke its 72. These met in a great Court neare the Sanctuary called Synedrion from their sitting there and this was the great Councell to which were admitted those that were wise afraid to sin meek and able their qualifications are set down Exod. 18.21 Deut. 1.13 and to these hard and weighty matters were brought to judg of as defection of Tribes false Prophets Warre and such like Now this Councell these 70. were so degenerate that they were become Idolaters and offered incense to Idols Some think they were all Priests because every man was with his Censor in his hand but then it should have been 70. men of the Tribe of Levi not of the Antients of Israel and besides its known that the Sanedrim consisted not all of Priests but some out of every Tribe In the middest of them stood Jaazaniah the sonne of Shuphan Whom this Jaazaniah was is uncertain Deodate in his notes upon the place is mistaken he saith the name is no â—here else mentioned whereas you shall find it twice more iâ—â—e 2 King 25.23 and Jer. 35.3 There were divers Jaazaniah's this in the Prophet is said to be the sonne of Shaphan who its probable was that Shaphan the Scribe in Josiah's dayes 2 Kings 22.12 Grandfather or Unkle to Gedaliah whom the King of Babylon left Governour in Judeah Jer. 40.5.11 So that Gedaliah and Jaazaniah were near of kin of great place whether a Priest or some chiefe Ruler He stood in the middest of the 70. as being principall for the chiefe in wisdome they set over the rest of the Sanedrim and called him Nasi the Prince they sitting in the forme of a halfe moone before him or about him His name signifies hearkning of or to the Lord whom had he remembred he would not have been found in such service A thicke cloud of Incense went up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marcellinus Origines coacti sunt idolis thus offerre unde thurificati dicebantur qui metu tyrannorum idolis thus obtulissent Polan Prad Thus adolere erat species abnegationis defectionis signum Pâ—lid Virg. de juv rerum l. 2. c. 23. Hehâ— is abundance of a cloud of Incense that is the smoak of the Incense was so thicke that it seem'd a cloud Incense or perfume was made of sweet and costly things and was a token of worship yea chiefe worship saith Calvin Antiently they burnt sweet wood and with the smoak thereof worshipped their gods It 's like the Heathens learn'd is from Moses who was appointed of God to burne Incense to him Exod. 25.6 and 30.7.8 The intralls of beasts boyl'd or roast the heathens did burn unto their Gods at first but afterwards used Incense Tulliâ— saith that to the statues set up for Ca Marius they burnt Frankinsense or Incense and waxe Candles which were in honour thereof In the Primitive times when they forc'd the Christians to Idolatry they would have them throw a little frankinsense into the fire which was a token of worship That Idolaters oft times act closely and cover up their works from the
eyes of the world Obser 1. they had their imagery in chambers and secret places it was walled up and unobvious to most eyes Some covers and pretences such persons alwayes have for their superstitions and idolatries they cover them with their good intentions great devotion religion of their forefathers such as have some pomp and state there be in them such objects as help their memories and affections There is say they some truth some good and the rest may be born with Those worship so prosper and are at ease in their way they meete not with those temptations and troubles others doe 2. Such wayes of wickednesse cannot be carried so close but there will be some espiall of them Let them make wals to cover them up yet providence will order it so that there will be a hole in the wall some crevice to look through at and discern their doings the mistery of iniquity could not worke so closely but it was discerned Peter Sâ—ave found a hole in the wals of Roâ—â— and discovered the Popes practises to hinder Reformation of Errours in the Councell of Trent The secret plottings and conveyances to bring in Popery amongst us by Jesuites and others were espied detected and in due time disappointed 3. To find out exactly the great evils abhominations in States anâ— Churches much pains must be taken the Prophet must dig and digge in the wall their Idolatry was fortified and walled up and clear knowledge of it could not be attain'd without great toyle The Popish Idolatry hath been so wal'd up by Romish champions that it cost our Worthies and Prophets Whitaker Reynolds Perkins Ames and others much digging to discover the ill-favorednesse of their Imagery Their strong arguments are answered and Popery hath a black face and not only in this particular must there be digging to find out the mischief thereof but also in others It hath cost this Parliament digging to finde out the evill in Prelacy and Malignancy in the Land 4 Such is the force of Superstition and Idolatry that men ingaged therein goe further and grow worse they were not content with the image of Jealousie but they had formes of creeping things and abhominable beasts to worship They multiplyed abhominations Ezek. 16.51 and had painted gods upon the wall round about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the Hebrew is about and about double rankes of gods superstition knowes no end wee were of late in this Kingdome got into the paths of superstition and walked daily further and further therein they had gotten all gods but the true God 5. Idolatry is a grievous sin its abhomination the Lord therefore cals the Prophet to see what they did that he might be a witnesse of so great and grievous a sin as that was and the grievousnesse of it lyes in this 1. That they had forsaken the true God 2. Had changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into the formes of creeping things beasts abominable 3. That they had brought them into the holy place even where Gods holy ordinances ought to be 4. That they had driven God out of his holy place 5. That the chiefe men were drawn away and offered Incense to those dunghill gods 6. That they said the Lord sees it not 7. That they looked for help from those helpnesse gods 6. Note here that Idolatry infatuates wise men the Antients of Israel were become Idolaters those that were the Counsellors and Judges that should have maintain'd the true worship of God encouraged others by their counsell and example not to cleave to false worship but to the true and living God that should have punished Idolaters with death according to the law of Moses even they become brutish they worship forms of creeping things they disclaim the infinite glorious great holy and wise God even the God of Israel and adore Bats Moles c. a just hand of God upon men to whom because they receive not the truth with the love of it or the love of the truth God sends strong delusions that they believe lies 7. There is consent in wickednesse and false worship 70. of them are of one mind they take Censors and offer Incense to base dunghill Gods all the people break off their ear-rings to make a Calfe Psal 83.5 They have consulted together with one consent The Heb. is with one heart and are confederate against thee hearty consultation and hearty confederation against God and his worship Rev 13.3 And all the world wondered after the beast and worshipped the Dragon 8. See the cunning of Idolaters the Priests that most usually are first in such wayes they draw in the great ones to countenance their wayes they let them offer Incense with their owne hands which was a violence to the Priest-hood and they do all in darknesse that so objections may be prevented some great mysticalnesse be conceited to be in those ways which may breed reverence and esteem of them in the hearts of vulgars 9. Idolatrous superstitious persons are expensive to maintain their worship Here was much Incense burnt to their Idols A thicke cloud went up In Exod. 32.3 where their Idolatry first began after their comming out of Aegypt how prodigall were they of their jewels and ear-rings to make a false god Aegyptian jewels given them for adornation they make an object of adoration and when they had made them golden silver gods of which God complains Ezek. 16.17 Their prodigality ceased not there but they were at daily charges to honour and maintain them They decked the high places with garments of divers colours they covered the gods with broidered garments they bestowed oyle Sands Europae speculum incense fine flower and honey upon them yea they sacrificed their sonnes and daughters unto them Ezek. 16.18 19 20. The Papists are profuse in their superstitious worship the Churches of some Saints are so stuffed with vowed presents and memories that they are fain to hang their Cloysters Churhyards with them It s the nature of Idolatry and Adultery to be prodigall If Adulterers think nothing too much for their harlots Idolaters think nothing too much for their false worship 10. God appeals to man in case of great ingratitude wrong done unto him they were unthankfull for all the great things God had done they gave that honor was due unto Divine Majesty unto Images Idols whereupon saith God to Ezekiel Son of man hast thou seene what the Antients of Israel doe Judge thou of it should not they being aged lift up to honour invested with power prevent and punish such sins in a Church and State as here are committed should not they counsell and lead others by their example to serve me the onely true living God should it not be so I appeale to thee to make judgement of it but they doe otherwise are not the Antients become Idolaters have they not chambers of Imagery Are there not Censors in their hands Seest thou not the smoak of
Baal but they were nototious weighty sinnes Kingdome and Church-destroying sinnes Men pare and lessen their sins they make little account of them Prov. 14.9 Fooles make a mocke at sinne as an inconsiderable matter And Chap. 10 23. It s a sport to a foole to doe mischiefe it s no heavy thing to his conscience but a light thing like a feather with which hee can sport and play Job 15.16 Man drinkes iniquity like water he delights himselfe with sin like a fish that draws in the water and spouts it â—ut again in a sporting way so doth man to him sin is sweete delightsome Job 20.22 not burthensome Math. 22.5 When they refused Christ and his offers of grace mercy and salvation when they sin'd with a high hand yet they made light of it and went their wayes And in Isa when they committed Idolatry sell to other gods they looked upon it as a sporting businesse Isa 57.4 Against whom doe you sport your selves against whom doe you make a wide mouth and draw out your tongue What mens thoughts are of their sinnes you see they weigh them in false ballances and make them light but when they come to the ballance of the Sanctuary they will be found heavy Is it a light thing such abhominations are in our land 2. To sin where God manifests his presence and vouchsafes the meanes of grace and choise mercies is a great aggravation of sin and grievous provocation of Divine Majesty Is it light that yee commit the abhomination which yee commit Here in the Temple the place of my presence where I have given them mine Ordinances and doe meete them for my worship to set their Idoll of Jealousie neare that place have their chambers of Imagery their Tammuz brought into the Temple and women weeping about that filthy Idoll and men standing with their backs towards God and worshipping the Sun This aggravated their sinne and provoked bitterly here here they do such things Psalm 106.19 They made a Calfe in Horeb. Was this more then if they had made it in Aegypt or some other place Yes Horeb was the same with Mount Sinai if you compare Deut. 4.10 11. with Exod. 19.18 It s evident and there God appeared gave out the Law and made a Covenant with them Deut. 5.2 And it was called the mount of God 1 K. 19.8 Now here they made a Calfe here they sin'd and this was a great aggravation of their sinne insomuch that Deut. 9.8 Moses saith In Horeb they provoked the Lord to wrath even destroying wrath So touching Gilgal the Scripture speakes of Gilgals wickednesse Hosea 9.15 Of sacrificing Bullocks there Hosea 12.11 And multiplying transgression there Amos 4.4 The Lord tooke their sins at Gilgal very heinously and cause he had for it At Gilgal were the 12. memoriall stones of their passing over Jordan pirched Josh 4.20 At Gilgal they were circumcised and God rolled away the reproach of Egypt from them Josh 5.8 9. There they had the Passâ—over vers 10. Gilgal being a place famous for these things their sins at Gilgal did iâ—crease their reproach and aggravate their villany Where God haâ—h manifested himselfe and done remarkable things sinne there is double sin Psal 106.7 They provoked him at the sea even at the red sea Where God pittied them being in a great streight where God shewed his mighty power in dividing the seas in leading the Israelites safely through and in drowning the proud cruel bloody adversaries yet there they provoked him at the sea even the red sea So for Canaan which was the holy land the land of uprightnesse the land where God had shewn and done great things for them sinne there hath an emphasis set upon it Isa 26.10 There they deale unjustly Ezek. 20.8 When I had brought them into the the Land for which I lifted up mâ— hand to give it to them Foure times he accents their sin there they offer their sacrifices there they present the provocation of their offerings there they made their sweete savour there they poured out their drinke-offerings God hath given us in this Land in this City many choise mercies done wonderfull things for us shall it be said Here they commit sinne where the Gospell and meanes of grace are where they have lately entered into Covenant with me where they have seene my hand stretched out to doe many great things If it be so there will be an accent upon our sins 3. Violence is a spreading sin they have filled the Land with violence with wrong injustice oppâ—ssion The Princes had violent hands they oppressed and exacted of the people The Judges were evening wolves that sought prey devoured greedily Zep. 3.3 that oppresse a man and his house Mica 2.2 Ez k. 45.8 9. The rich men they were full of violence Mica 6.12 and wrong'd the poorer sort servants were infected with this sin and fill'd their Masters houses with violence deceit Zeph. 1.9 The Priests they violenced the law Zâ—ph 3.4 Ezek. 22.26 They corrupted it with their glosses forced interpretations constructions such as God never put into it they set by the law and set up their owne inventions wils traditions by which the law was made void Thus violence had fil'd the Land the City the Sanctuary and ran through all sorts of men If freedome from this sin had been any where it 's probable in Jerusalem some should have been found free but Zeph. 3.1 Woe to the oppressing City And Jer. 6.6 Shee is wholly oppression in the middest of her Not only oppressing but oppression she was throughly grown and perfect in that sinne and not only oppression but wholly oppression nothing remaining in her but oppression and this evident vibsile in the midst of her Princes Priests rich servants poore oppresse wrong offer violence one to another Jer. 5.1 Run see seeke if there be a man that executeth judgement All were for violence none for justice 4. Injustice is abhomination unto God and the more it spreads the greater abhomination it is the Lord calls them abhominations for they have fil'd the Land with violence violence in the Princes was abhomination violence in the Priests was abhomination oppression in the rich was abhomination injustice in their Judges was abhomination injury and wrong in their servants and officers was abhomination and all these amounted to abhominations Injustice and violence are crying sins Isa 5.7 The Lord looked for judgement but behold oppression for righteousnesse but behold a cry There were hundreds and thousands crying because their Orchards and Vineyards were taken from them their wages detain'd and themselves and their houses ready to be swallowed up by the mouths of the violent The word for oppression Behold oppression Mishphat and behold Misphak in Hebrew is a scab a wound a leprosie when a body is free from these its beautifull but when over-run with these its loathsome Injustice was a scab adherent to the Jews and made them abhominable Oppression was a wound and made them incurable
Violence a leprosie and caused them to be separated from the sight of God Is our State free from this sin may we not feare God looked for judgement and behold oppression a scab a wound a leprosie Is not truth oppressed are not the righteous and innocent oppressed and may not many of us take up that of Job Chap. 19 7. Behold I cry out of wrong but I am not heard Let oppressors of others be it in their names liberties estates consciences know their sin is abhomination to the Lord and that there is a cry in heaven against them the oppressed cry breake in pieces the oppressor Psal 72.4 and judge the fatherlesse and oppressed that the man of the earth may no more oppresse 5. State-oppression and Church-corruption goe together in the Temple were pollutions and in the Land violence The Princes and Judges they wrong'd men the Priests and Prophets they wrong'd God Zeph. 3.23 There you find them linked together Princes and Judges oppressed the State remov'd the bounds the Prophets and Priests polluted the Sanctuary and violated the law they brake both Tables When one is eminently violated breaches are quickly made upon the other If there be violence in a Land there will be corruptions pollutions abhominations in the Sanctuary If there be superstition Idolatry in the Church-State there will be oppression injustice and spoile in the Civil-State When the Temple is a denne of Thieves the Land will be a den of oppressors and murtherers Jer. 7.9.11 6. Mens intentions to please God oft prove provocations of God they intended not to provoke God but return'd in their apprehensions to worship God in the Temple to please him Not their purpose but the event was the provocation So in vers 6. Their abhominations drave God farre from the Sanctuary They did not purpose and intend to drive God away but that was the event issue of their actions with which they thought they pleased God Jer. 7.9 10. Will yee steale murther commit adultery sweare falsely burne incense to Baal walke after other gods whom you know not Come and stand before me in this house say we are delivered They returned from their vile and sinfull practises to Gods house and thought by their sacrifices and prayers to please the Lord when as in truth they provoked him greatly as you may see in the 12.14 15. v. where he tels them he wil destroy the Temple as he did Shilo cast them out as he did their brethren the whole seed of Ephraim and forbids the Prophet to lift up a cry or prayer for them vers 16. So in Isa 1.13 14. That they did to please God was vain abhomination iniquity trouble hatefull such as he could not away with Nadâ—h and Ahihu thought not to provoke God with their strange site but did to their owne ruine Numb 3.4 John 16.2 They shall put you out of their Synagogues and thinke they doe God good service when they kill you saith Christ But they provoke God against their owne soules Isa 7.12 Ahaz thought it would please God not to ask a signe but it was otherwise Mat. 23.29 30 31. They thought they did well in building the Tombs of the Prophets and garnishing them but thereby they provoked God more against themselves 7. God sets a speciall mark upon those do put the branch to their nose loe they put the branch to their nose such are 1. Those adorne Idols and Images Isa 30.22 They covered their Images and put ornaments upon them but they were no better then a menstruous cloath And Ezek. 16.16 17 18. They decked their high places with colours jewels and broidered garments This provoked the Lord and is branded with fornication vers 15. and abhomination vers 22. have not many among us gilded and adorn'd Crosses Altars Crucifixes c. 2. Those find any content delight in superstitious and idolatrous practises Ezek. 16.18 19. God tels them they had set his Oyle and Incense before the Image for a sweete savour the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a savour of rest they were pleased and rested in what they had done thinking also that the Idoll was delighted therewith Exod. 32.6 They tooke pleasure in their new God and danced about the golden Calfe and such expressions as these you have Their heart went after their Idols Ezek. 20.16 Their eyes goe a whoring after their Idols Ezek. 6.9 Inflam'd with Idols Isa 57.5 Mad upon Idols Jer. 50.38 which doe shew the pleasure they had in these evils and how God brands them for the same 3. Those that acknowledge any blessings to be from Saints and Images they here adored the Sun as author of trees and fruits and Jer. 44.17 18. They burnt incense to the Queen of heaven and acknowledged their welfare and plenty to be from her Papists at this day acknowledge the cure of many diseases to bee from such and such Saints 4. Such as preserve reliques in memoriall of their Images and gods they touched the Image with it and put it to their noset in memoriall of the Sunne Deut. 7.26 The silver and gold that was on the images they might not desire or take unto them lest they should be snar'd therein no reliques though never so pretious were permitted them to take they were abhomination to God and would be snares to them whence the Rabbins observe that the Idol and things serve it offered to it and made for it are unlawfull for any use The Papists abound with reliques and so with abominations 5. Those give divine honour to creatures Psal 106.19 They worshipped the molten Image Jeroboam sacrificed unto the Calves he had made 1 Kings 12.32 And said to the people behold thy gods O Israel which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt v. 28. Here was divine honour given to dumb Idols but he is branded for this frequently Jeroboam that made Israel to sin And 1 Kin. 13.34 It s said this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam even to cut it off and to destroy it from off the face of the earth 6. Idolatrous worship is stinking and brings destruction to the Authors vers 10. All the Idols in the Heb. is omnia stercora Col. gilluler all the dunghill Images and Image-worship are dunghill stinking loathsome things to God and man and they brought destruction upon the whole seed of Ephraim even the tenne Tribes Psal 16.4 Their sorrowes shall be multiplyed that hasten after another God Jeroboam did so 1 Kings 12. and Chap. 13. A Prophet prophecyeth against his Altar and Calvish gods his hand was dryed up And Ch. 14.10 11. most grievous things are threatned against him and his Jer. 7.18 19 when they had sacrificed to the Queen of heaven doe they provoke me to anger saith the Lord doe they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their owne faces VERS 18. Therefore will I also deale in fury mine eye shall not spare neither well I have pitty and though they
wept over Ierusalem Micah when hee considered the sinnes of Samaria and Ierusalem with the heavy judgements were comming Chap. 1.8 saith I will waile and howle I will goe stript and naked as if sorrow had bereft him of his wits I will make a wailing like the Dragons and mourning like the Owles Vid. a Lapid Sanct. what they say of the Dragon and Owles mourning great mourning with outward expressions are set out thereby Iob 30.29 I am a brother to Dragons and a companion to Owles or Ostriches 4. Universall not for some few or great abhominations but for all the abhominations Church State City Family-abhominations they laid all to heart and left none unbewail'd Why doe the godly sigh and cry 1. God is dishonoured by the sins of others as well as by our owne and the godly are grieved when God is dishonour'd by any Psalm 119.136 Rivers of waters run down mine eyes because they keepe not thy law Davids afflictions drew not so many tears from him as the sins of others not his banishment by his sonne as the breach of Gods law by the wicked Nothing went so to his heart as the dishonour of God whose glory shining in his word and Ordinances is dearer to the godly then their lives Elijah desired to dye when he saw God so dishonoured by Ahab and Iezabel The eye is for two things for sight and tears if we see God dishonoured presently our eyes should be filled with teares 2. If we mourn not for the sins of others we draw them upon us we make them ours they mourned here for all their abhominations left they should be found guilty of any And 1 Cor. 5. The Corinthians were d filed with the sin of the incestuous person because they did not mourn and doe their duty to affect his heart or remove him from their body Bradford praid the Lord to forigve him his other mens sins 3. It 's argument we mourn for sin as sin when we mourn for it in others Sinne is the breach of the Law any where and if I grieve sigh cry for it in my selfe and not in others it s some selvish respect not the nature of sinne which causeth that mourning he hates poison as poison hates it every where in whose handsoever it be and he mourns for sinne as sin would neither himselfe nor have others violate the law of God 4. The sins of others are of a destroying nature as well as our own they may destroy Armies States Churches Councels Eccl. 9.18 One sinner destroyeth much good One Achan one murtherer may undoe a land he defiles it brings perill upon it 2 Sam. 21. 1 2 3. God appointed a speciall sacrifice to expiate murther Deut. 21. and no satisfaction was to be taken for a murtherers life Numb 35.31 Saul slays the Gibeonites unjustly and the 3. years famine is upon David and his people The death of the Levites Concubine and Benjamins refusall to deliver up the Delinquents to justice caused a bloody Warre and the death of above 65000. men 5. It argues strength of grace to mourn for others sins censuring and reproaching of others for their sins argues strength of corruption and mourning for them argues strength of grace a sound spiritual constitution such an one was in Christ he prayed for the hardnesse of others hearts Mar. 3.5 6. They mourn for abhominations they doe great service for the places where they live they stand in the gappe they keep off Gods judgements When the people had sinn'd in making a Calfe and Gods judgments were breaking in upon them did not Moses mourn weepe pray before the Lord and keepe off the sad things were hastning towards them Psal 106.23 He said he would have destroyed them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath least he should destroy them Mordecai is bitternesse he mourned for Hamans villany bloodines evil befalling Gods people and prov'd a deliverer of them he was a son of contrition and after a sonne of consolation The mourners teares oft quench the fire of Gods wrath divert judgements if not but destruction comes as here yet the mourners have this testimony in their breast that they drew not down the vengeance on the Church or State 7. They are blessed that mourn Math. 5. These here were marked had testimonies of Gods good will towards them Jeremie was a mourner Chap. 9.1 and Chap. 15.11 saith God there I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evill Here was a blessing promised and the faithfull God could not but perform it When the earth is watered by the heavens its blessed but when the earth waters the heavens when we put tears into the Lords bottle when wee mourn and weepe for the abhominations of the earth there is a greater blessing Psal 12.5 For the sighing of the needy I will arise and set c. Isa 57.18 I will restore comfort unto him and to his mourners 8. Others mourn for the sins of men that are not men The land mourns because of swearing Ier. 23.10 The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in paine Rom. 8.22 For what should we mourn 1. For effusion of so much blood in the Kingdome and spoiling so many Townes when Ziklag was burnt it s said David and those with him wept till they had no more power to weepe 1 Sam. 30 4. What would David do if he were now alive amongst us to see Countries and Kingdomes consum'd with civill wars Isa 22.4 Looke away from me I will weepe bitterly labour not to comfort me because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people For it is a day of trouble and treading downe Josh 7.9 and of perplexity by the Lord God of hoasts in the valley of vision breaking downe the walls and flying to the mountaines Ier. 31.15 A voyce was heard in Ramah lamentation and bitter weeping Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted because they were not Rachel was buryed in Bethlehem Gen. 35.19 and Rama was not far from it she is put for the Bethlemiticall women who wept bitterly for their children were slain and carried that way into captivity and should not England weep because thousands of her children are not many precious ones are gone the sword hath drunk their blood If Martha and Mary wept for one Lazarus the friend of Christ why should not all our Martha's and Maries weepe when so many Lazarusses so many friends of Christ have been cut off Isa 57.1 The righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart 2. That Justice takes not place but rather injustice and oppression Isa 59.11 We roare all like beares and mourn sore like doves we looke for judgement but there is none And vers 14 15. Justice stands afar off equity cannot enter he that departs from evill makes himselfe a prey and the Lord saw it and it displeased him that there was no judgement The oppressed cry 3. For
and the wrath was but alittle as he cals it there because God was a Sanctuary unto them all the time and made them gratious promises at the beginning So then you may answer the question made Jer. 35. Will he reserve his anger for ever Will he keepe it to the end No God is gratious and will not alwayes be wrath VERS 18. And they shall come thither and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence GOd doth not only promise them that they shall returne to their owne Land but also tells them what they shall doe there Take away the detestable things and abominations thereof Detestable things The Septuagint renders it and so the word for abomination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aecolâ—mp spurcitias Tig. Lavat contaminationes Cast scelera Fr. Toutes ses inâ—ametes all things make infamous Vulgar Omnes offensiones Calvin Omnia idola And Idols are detestable things as I shewed when I opened the 5. Chap. 11. One thing I shall add and that is Shikkuâ—ziru here rendered detestable by our Translators is the same word in Dan. 9.27.12.11 where iâ—s translated Abominations And Matth. 24.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which some interpret of the Roman Souldiers prophaning the Temple with blood and brutish actions Others of Antichrist sitting in the Temple and worshipped as God and others of Idols brought in and set up there Abominations Flagitia Castal This word was largely opened in the 5. Chap. 9. Vers Notorious sinnes of all kinds are called in the Scripture sense Abominations things to be abhorred So Rom. 2.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou that abhorrest Idolls Idolls and Idolatries are abominable 1 Pet. 4.3 Obser 1. What the Lord promises that shall be performed he had sayd in the former Vers I will give them the Land of Israel And here he saith They shall come thither What obstructions soever may be in the way what power soever oppose yet the Lord having promised it he would make it good God is gracious in promising faithfull in keeping promise and powerfull in performing his promises You may see it made good Ezra 1.2 3. God stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to make a Proclamation for the Jewes to goe to their own Land and then he stirred up the spirits of the people to goe Vers 5. their spirits were downe they were heartlesse and hopelesse many of them but God raysed their spirits to goe up to Jerusalem the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evigilavit suscitavit they were asleep and God dealt with them as we with sleepy men they had their objections but God took them all away and raised their spirits above all difficulties and caused them to hasten to their Countrey and the worke he had for them God hath promised a new Jerusalem that he will dwell with men and be their God wipe away all teares from their eyes that there shal be no more death sorrow crying paine Revel 21.2 3 4. That the Nations of those are saved shall walke in the light of that City that Kings shall bring the glory and honour of the Nations into it that onely those which are written in the Lambs Book shall enter this will be a glorious time God hath promised it he is faithfull and able to performe it 2. When judgements and mercies are sanctified to a people they will produce answerable effects they had had sore judgements in Babylon for Seventy yeares and when they were brought out of that furnace into this pleasant Land which was a great deliverance when they were come thither what should they doe Take away the detestable things the abominations therein The fruit of that affliction and the deliverance out of it evidenced that their judgements and mercies were sanctified 1. They repented of their Idolatry and sinfull practises which had layd the Land wast which is supposed in the words They would never have taken away the detestable things had not their hearts been broken for them 2. They reforme when they come into the Land they take away the detestable things they are bitter against their master-sin and serve it as it served them their detestable things had taken them away out of the Land Jer. 44.22 and they fall upon the detestable things presently and take them away and what else they apprehended offended God not onely Idols did they take away but reformed also the marriage of strange Wives Ezra 10. in point of Usury Nehem. 5. and prophaning of the Sabbath Nehem. 13. 3. They shew themselves syncere in it they spare none but take away all detestable things all abominations Josh 24.14 It 's syncerity to put away false Gods and especially all of them 4. They endeavoured to worship God purely without any corruptions or mixtures of their owne They put away all detestable things all abominations they labour'd to have onely what was Divine and so what was pleasing to God They would not come to God with any impieties but in pure worship as Jacob Gen. 35.2 When he was to go up to Bethel he took all their strange Gods their earerings and what might be occasion of sinning that way and buryed them under the Oake out of sight and cleansed himselfe and Family and would serve God not with any mungrell but with pure worship so was it here when it s thus it s an argument judgments and deliverances are sanctified that mercies are well bestowed and well injoyed when corrections and mercies stirre us up to repent reforme to deale syncerely with God and to worship him purely its evident they came from Gods love and are sanctified unto us VERS 19. And I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh IN the former Verses you heard opened sundry sweet promises of God made to his people he would be a Sanctuary to them in Babylon bring them thence to Sion purifie them from the pollutions in their owne Land all which were gracious but here he exceeds all given in before those promises concerned their outward conditions chiefly but these their inward and spirituall estate onely Some make this Verse to conteine the Covenant of grace which God made with his people Israel whom he had chosen above any people in the World but they forsook him fell to Idolatry and were now justly Captived for their sinne suffered much among their enemies and here God enters into a gracious Covenant with them and promises great things unto them In the words consider 1. The party promising I I I 2. The things promised 1. One heart 2. A new spirit 3. Taking away the stony heart 4. Heart of flesh 3. The persons to whom them 4. The manner of conveying these and it is expressed by Giving putting taking One heart The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another heart They mistaking the Hâ—brew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Idolaters to know the true God from the false When Gods hand is upon the Mountaines Hils Valleys Cities High places Altars and their slain fallen then shall they know that I am the Lord Jehovah not an Idoll god but the true the living God that have being of my selfe that give being to my promises and threats that take being from others you would not beleive my Prophets but you shall know there was truth in their threats and power in me to make them good CHAP. VI. 8. Yet will I leave a remnant that yee may have some that shall escape the Sword among the Nations when yee shall bee scattered through the countries 9. And they that escape of you shall remember me among the Nations whither they shall be carryed captives because I am broken with their whorish heart which hath departed from mee and with their eyes which goe a whoring after their Idols and they shall loath themselves for the evills which they have committed in all their abominations 10. And they shall know that I am the Lord and that I have not said in vaine that I would doe this evill unto them HERE is the second part of the Prophesie viz. A promise of mercy The eighth Verse is of the nature of the third Verse in the fifth Chapter where the Prophet was bid to bind up a few haires in his Skirts And here GOD would leave a remnant the Sword and dispersion should not devoure all Gods wrath is never so hot against his people Obser but he will shew mercy to some God would bring a sweeping Judgment lay Mountaines Hils Rivers Valleys Cities High places Altars Idols Images waste and desolate yet he would leave a remnant preserve some when in the midst of their enemies amongst Babylonians and other Nations In the fifth Chapter verse 12 God would scatter them and draw out a Sword after them It was great wrath to be driven out of their Countrey to be in banishment which Lawyers call a civill death because men in it are divided from their friends liberties and comforts which sweeten their lives but to have the Sword at their heels added to the weight of wrath threatens all their lives yet notwithstanding this condition God reserved some from the Sword in their banishment They might upon this severe prophesie thinke what will become of the Church shall all perish and Gods faithfulnesse faile No God would have a care of that a remnant he would save Stormes may be so terrible and lasting that the C urch may be brought low not be visible yet it shall never be extinct when the Prophets were cut off by Jezabel there were a hundred hid in Caves by Obadiah 1 Kings 18. When Elijah thought himselfe alone and his life at the stake too the Lord told him there were seven thousand in Israel lay dormant which had not bowed their knees to Baal 1 Kings 19.18 When Herod slice all the children in Bethleem and all the coasts thereof from two yeares old and under yet Christ escaped he was preserved And as in that storme God preserved the head so in every storme he will preserve the body At the Massacre in France all Protestants were not cut off and the Warres of Ireland have not devoured all The Church shall never cease being the gates of Hell shall never prevaile against it 9. And they that escape of you shall remember me c. In this verse is the fruit of divine mercy towards them First They shall remember me Secondly Loath themselves for the evils they have committed Thirdly the ground of both these Because I am broken with their whorish heart and whorish eyes Fourthly the place where they should doe it Among the Nations Remember me They shall know then that I am God infinitely differing from the gods that they have chosen that my woâ—ship is spirituall and admits not mixtures of men they shall remember my holinesse that I hate all false wayes of worship my Justice that I have not done any wrong to them in ruining their Countrey and Temple and scattering them in all quarters they shall remember my bounty and love to them and how they forgate me and abused all they shall remember my mercy in preserving them from the Pestilence the Famine the Sword and their taunting Adversaries and say we all deserved to have been destroyed and rooted out for ever but the Lord is gracious haâ—h had compassion on us and spared our lives we will therefore repent of our ways returne to him trust in him and give glory to his name all which are implyed in the word Remember So it is used Psal 137.1 There is remembrance and weâ—ping joyned together Psal 22.27 there is remembrance and â—urning Psal 20 7. Remembrance is there for trusting Psal 63.5 6. Praising and remembring goe together and when men fall to Idolatry they are said to forget God Judges 3.7 implying that remembring of God is to worship him his owne way and so to glorifie his name Broken with their whorish heart The Vulgar reads it Actively I have broken their heart The word is Passive Nishbarti I am broken Here is great difference and the Vulgar is corâ—upt and the Greek mistakes which reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have sworne to their hearts the ground of which error is they took it to be Nishbagnti for Nishbarti Some would have it I have bought their whorish hearts that were for Idols and any thing but me because the word is twice or thrice in the Scripture used in that sense Gen. 41.57 All Countries came into Aegypt to Joseph for to buy Corn. Hishbar ad frangendum Montanus reads it Hammashbir faciebat frangere Montanus And 42.6 Joseph sold to all the people of the Land and so in the fifth verse But the common sense of the word is to break and it s truly rendred I am broken with their whorish heart God had taken this people to be his as a Man takes a Woman to be his Wife but they had whorish hearts and went out from God to Idolls they had a spirit of whoredomes in them that caused them to erre and goe a whoring from under their God Hos 4.12.9.1 They were not content with Gods love his Ordinances his worship but they would try what the gods of the Heathen were what their way and worship was prostitute themselves to them and this troubled the sight of God afflicted hiâ— soule brake his heart as a mans is by the whorish acts of his Wife We say a Man or Woman break much that have much trouble jealousie care sorrow God was troubled with jealous of carefull and sorrowfull for his people above all others and this even brake the heart of God Their courses grieved him exceedingly great griefe vexeth the heart and lyeth like a mighty weight upon it Hence that in Amos 2.13 Behold I am pressed under you as a cart is pressed with sheaves The griefe God took at their courses was as a
which was a City in the Land of Hamath where Pharaoh put Jehoahaz in bonds 2 Kings 23.33 In the borders of the Moabites neer the Wildernesse spoken of in Deut. 8.15 a great and fearfull Wildernesse full of fiery Serpents and Scorpions where was drought and no water God would make their Land not onely desolate and desolate like this Wildernesse but more desolate I will stretch out my hand upon them There is difference between Gods stretching out his hand to a people and upon a people The first notes invitation to repentance Isa 65.2 I have stretched out my hands all they day unto a Rebellious people The second notes smiting punishing destroying Isa 5.25 The anger of the Lord is kindled against his people and he hath stretched forth his hand against them and hath smitten them Jer. 51.25 Behold I am against thee O destroying mountaine and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee c. Vpon and Against notes the same thing When Gods hand is upon a Land or people it s against them and so the phrase oft runs Jer. 15.6 Thou art gene backward therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee and will destroy thee See Exod. 3.20 The sins of the people lay wast the Land they fell to Idolatry and so God stretched out his hand upon the Land and layd it waste This people were so degenerate corrupted besotted with their owne wayes that they understood little of Gods they fell to the sins of the Nations and those sins in a speciall manner stupifie All sin doth it but Idolatry and false Worship most hence Jer 10.14 speaking of such sinners he saith Every man is brutish in his knowledge Idolaters know not God how he is provoked by their wayes What foolish doings it is to goe out from God therefore in this Chapter its four times They shall know that I am the Lord 7.10.13.14 CHAP. VII 1 Moreover the Word of the Lord came unto me saying 2. Also thou Sonne of man thus saith the Lord God unto the Land of Israel An end the end is come upon the four corners of the Land 3. Now is the end come upon thee and I will send mine anger upon thee and will judge thee according to thy wayes and will recompence upon thee all thy abominations 4. And mine eye shall not spare thee neither will I have pity but I will recompense thy wayes upon thee and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee and yee shall know that I am the LORD THIS Chapter as the former is Propheticall of the destruction of the Jewes and of their Land First In it is a denuntiation of their totall Ruâ—â— in the 2 3 5 6 7 10 11 12 13 verses Secondly In â—he rest of the Chapters is a Declaration of their calamities and the causes thereof Of the first Verse hath been formerly spoken and likewise of The Sonne of man and most things 〈◊〉 se Verses In the second Verse the Prophet is in geâ—â—â—â—ll acquainted with the mind of GOD towards Israel and in the two next more specially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 2. Also thou Sonne of man The Hebrew is And thou O Sonne of man Here is a Nominative case absolute without reference to any thing the like you have Psal 41.12 As for mee thou upholdest me in mine integrity The Hebrew is and I in the Nominative Thou upholdest me Ego in integritate supportasti me Zech. 7.5 Did you fast at all unto mee even to mee this last mee is Ego Jeiunasti mihi ego saith the Originall Eccles 2.15 As it happeneth to the Foole so it happeneth even to me Secundum eventum stulti etiam ego eveniet mihi Such Hebraismes you have 1 Sam. 25.24 Gen. 27.24 and in Isa 11.10 Psal 11.4 you have Nominative Cases put absolute as Thou here in the Text and it serves to quicken up the Prophets spirit and to put him into a readinesse of Prophesying And then Ezekiel attend prophesie Vnto the Land of Israel or concerning the Land of Israel It s not spoken of all the Tribes Ten were gone long before into Captivity but by a Synechdoche of the Tribe of Judah which yet remained undestroyed An end the end is come The word End is doubled and mentioned againe in the third Verse Now is the end repeated in the sixth Verse An end is come the end is come these repetitions are not in vaine they set out First the zeale intention and speed of the speaker Secondly the evidence certain y and weight of the thing spoken of Thirdly they serve to make the deeper impression End notes destruction yea a generall destruction Gen. 6.13 The End of all flesh is come God would bring a Flood upon the whole Earth take away all flesh and this is cal'd the End of all So here God had dealt mercifully with them formerly but now he would be severe and make an end of them Vpon the four Corners of the Land Hebrew is Wings which metaphorically expresses the parts of the Land Wings are extensive things and the parts of Judea that extended from Jerusalem East West North South are called the Wings or Corners thereof and the end should come not onely upon the extreame parts of the Land but the whole Land Vpon all their Cities Habitations and Quarters from one end to the other What our Prophet calls here the four Corners or Wings of the Land Christ cals Mat. 24.31 the 4 winds they shall gather his Elect from the four winds or quarters of the World Obser 1 That Kingdomes and Churches have their periods they may continue for some hundreds of yeares but at length they expire the Kingdome and Church of Judah flourished many years from Saul their first King to Zadekiah their last were 480 yeares but then you see an end is come the end is come an end of the State an end of their Church an end of all comforts of all glory and greatnesse The Assyrian Persian Grecian and Roman Monarchies had their ends their glory was layd in the dust after it had dazeled the Worlds eyes a few yeares Wisedome strength greatnesse riches were found in them but neither any or all of these preserved them from seeing corruption The seven famous Churches in Asia are gone and since that time many other Churches and Kingdomes have been ruined Is not an end comming if not come upon many Kingdomes at this day let Germany Denmarke Ireland speake No State no Church no condition under the Sunne is everlasting all have their changes and their ends Psal 119.96 I have seene an end of all perfection but thy Commandement is exceeding broad There is nothing in the World so firme perfect lasting bus it's subject to corruption Kingdomes are subject to Warres Plagues Famines Treacheries which ruine them Churches are subject to Errors Heresies Schismes corruptions prophanesse which ruine them And all other things have principles of destruction in themselves which bring them to an end within the
the Temple into consideration and the calamity befell them in regard thereof with the cause of it The Temple here is described First by it's appellation It 's his Ornament Secondly by it's qualification It s Beautifull Thirdly From it's end set for Majesty or from the manner set in Majesty Fourthly The Author Hee set it The calamities befell it and them are First Rejection or separation of it I have set it farre from them Secondly Tradition of it into hands of others And they are set out to be First Strangers Secondly The wicked of the Earth v. 21. Thirdly Depredation It shall be for a prey and for a spoyle Ibid. Fourthly Prophanation They shall pollute it Ibid. Fifthly Aversion and that of the face of God v. 22. My face will I turne also from them Sixthly Contamination of the Sanctum Sanctorum They shall pollute my secret place The cause of all these evils is set downe in the 20 Verse They made the Images of their abominations and of their detestable things therein As for the beauty of his Ornament he set it in Majestie Some Expositors interpret these words not of the Temple but of their Silver Gold Jewels and such like precious things with which they were deckt as a Bride for which they should have been dutifull and thankfull but they abused all to Idolatry pride and service of their lusts and so provoked God to take all from them Others expound them onely of the Temple Jonathas Rabbi David de Templo interpretantur Maldonat to whose judgment I incline and that upon these considerations First It s sayd Hee set it which takes off the conection of this Verse with the former had it been meant of their Gold Silver c. it should have run Plurally They cast their Silver in the streets they shall not be satisfied and so they set the beauty of their Ornament for pride whereas its Hee set not the people but God And if it be urged He set their Gold Silver the beauty and Ornament of his people in Majesty or for Excellency it suits not with what follows They made Images of their abominations and detestable things therein it should have been thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in eâ— Montan Piscat Jun. Polan if that had been the sense but it s therein agreeable with the Originall and so choise Expositors render it Secondly Those words in the 21 Verse referre more properly to the Temple then to their Silver and Gold holy things are subject to pollution more then common Some to helpe this Interpret the word for pollute to kill and make the sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall kill their Captives and so referre it to the men not their Wealth or if to Wealth then they render it vilifie they shall vilifie their Silver and Gold they have made their beauty and ornament but I see no cause why the sense of the word should be changed in this verse When it s taken for polluting in the next verse they shall pollute my secret place 4. In this 22. verse he speaks of the secret place the holy of holies which was in the Temple and hence to mee is an argument that he spake of the Temple The beauty of his Ornament These words are a metaphoricall description of the Temple whereby it s likened to a beautiful garment which becomes the party wears it or to any precious thing that adorns the body Exod. 33.4 No man did put on him his ornament That is his chiefe apparell and other precious things which might adorn the body Ornaments were choise things 2 Sam. 1.24 Judges 8.26 The Hebrew word signifies choise robes silken vailes costly chaines crownes c. What ever excellency may be fastned to the body or garments of a man such an ornament was the Temple to God and to the Jews First to God It was his dwelling place Psalm 74.7 And no mean one Isa 60.7 Hee cals it the house of his glory So great was the glory of it that in comparison thereof the second Temple was nothing Hag. 2.3 There multitudes of his people met prayed whence it 's named an house of prayer Isa 56.7 There they sang praises Psal 150.1 and God there inhabited the praises of Israel Psal 22.3 There they sacrificed 2 Chr. 11.16 And it was an house of sacrifice thither did Kings bring presents unto the Lord Ps 68.29 Kings did honor the place garnished the Temple with great gifts Selucus King of Asia of his own revenues bare all the costs belonging to the servicâ— of the sacrifice 2 Mach. 3.2 3. By his worship there he was distinguished and made knowne from all false Gods there the Saints desired to dwell to behold the Lords beauty Psal 27.4 And see his power Psal 63.2 There every one speaks of his glory Psal 29.9 The earth is full of the glory of God but the Temple is fuller there is the chiefe brightest glory glory that affects every eye heart and tongue all these are ornaments and honour to God 2. To the Jewes If we should look at the structure only it was one of the stateliest and most magnificent buildings that ever the world had there were 150000. workmen employed about it 1 Kings 5.15 16. And 7. yeares in building Chap. 6.37 38. The Apostles wondred at the goodly stones and glory of the second Temple Luke 21.5 which were inconsiderable to those of the first Hag. 2.3 In this respect it was a great ornament to Jerusalem and the Jewish Nation But it was the house of the great God Ezra 5.8 The house called by his name Jer. 7.11 Thâ—re he made his people joyfull and accepted their offerings Isa 56.7 There they had fatnesse Psal 36.8 Loving-kindnesse Psal 48.9 Help in their distresses Psal 20.2 In Ezek. 24 21.25 you have these expressions 1. It 's cal'd their strength 2. The excellency of their strength 3. The desire of their eyes 4. That which their soules pittyed least it should be destroyed 5. Their glory 6. The joy of their glory all which shew the Temple was an ornament to them The beauty of his Ornament The Temple was beautifull Isa 64.11 Our holy and beautifull house is burnt up with fire There was a material beauty in it as you may read 1 Kings 6. and 2 Chron. 3.6.8 He garnished the house with precious stones for beauty and the gold was gold of Parvaim all was overlaid with fine gold which made it glorious there was a spiritual beauty in it Psal 96.6 Strength and beauty are in his Sanctuary There was the beauty of holinesse Psal 29.2 There was beautiful order beautiful worship beautiful ordinances and a most beauteous God Psal 27.4 Whose glorious presence and lovely truths drew the eyes and hearts of the godly thither Isa 2.3 Come let us goe up to the mountain of the Lord and he will teach us of his wayes Hence Sion the Mount where the Temple was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is
their hands as being their owne 1 Cor. 7.30 Let them that buy be as if they possessed not Possessors look upon things as their own and to continue with them here by the Chaldeans possessing their houses is closely pointed out the 70. yeares captivity all which time the land and habitations left should be in the Chaldeans power I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease What ever lifts up and causes the spirits of men to swell it is Pomp so the word is used Jer. 12.5 In the swelling of Jordan when the waters increased and made the River swell over its bancks which Jordan alwayes did in harvest time Josh 3.15 Strong or Potent mâ—n whence great ones are called Potentates their riches attendance honours places allyances and the like doe make them proud stately selfe-confident but their pomp power magnificence excellency shall all cease and come to nothing It 's not their Armes or Armour their big lookes insolent speeches rich attire honourable Titles or any thing wherein they glory that shall advantage them be it their Souldiery their strong and stout men their pomp shall cease I will crush their Crests and bring them low Pintus understands it of Zedekiah and the Nobles of Jerusalem Their holy places shall be defiled The holy places were the Court the Temple and the holyest of all some refer these words to personâ— and not to places and read them thus They shall see prophaned defiled which sanctifie them noting the Priests who sanctified the people by their offerings and prayers for them they sh uld not be regarded as Priests of the highest God but because they had dealt deceitfully with the people corrupted the Covenant of Levi therfore they should be slain as other persons or led into captivity with them Others read the words thus They shall inherit their holy places the Chaldeans shall come and take possession of them because it 's said here Their holy places and not Mine Theod. Lavat It 's conceiv'd by some that these were Chappels or oratories which they had made in severall places in or neer to their houses and consecrated to God Obser 1 That God can use the worst of men to accomplish his holy designes and execute his righteous judgements The Chaldeans he brings to afflict chain and captive the Jewes Wicked men have wicked ends answerable principles and mediums to attain those ends Isa 10.7 But they are as staves and rode in the hand of God with which hee corrects hypocriticall Nations vers 5.6 They are Gods sword Gods hand Psalm 17.13 14. and he knows how to use both to effect his own pleasure and to execute judgements upon sinners and that without sin Hath not God brought in and set on worke the worst of men among us What Miscreants Blasphemers Plagues Vermine what Aegyptians Chaldeans and bloody mercilesse wretches have wee doing mischief in this Land men that justifie Chaldeans that are skilfull to shed blood to cheat a Nation of its God and Religion to betray and undoe Kingdomes many wonder such vile wretches should live and have a being upon the earth many are troubled that God uses such filth and scum to doe him any service but we must know that there is use of Thistles Scorpions and Serpents and God would not use such men if there were not good to be done by them Isa 10.12 It shall come to passe that when the Lord hath performed his whole worke upon Mount Zion on Hierusalem I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high lookes 2. That houses lands and good things of this world wee should not much seeke after seeing they may fall into the hands of the worst men I will bring the worst of the Heathen and they shall possesse your houses All they had gotten fell into the hands of Chaldeans 3. That no external excellency or pomp is to be confided in God will make the pomp of the strong to cease policy power riches honours strength of Armies are not pillars of brasse to confide in they are glasse mettall soon broken and blowne away by the breath of the Lord when he is in a way of wrath Nebuchadnezzar was a proud Tyrant that with his plundering made the world a wildernesse Isa 14.17 That exceeded most Princes of the world in greatnesse in Kingdomes tributary Princes honour strength of Souldiers c. See in vers 11. what is said of him Thy pompe is brought down to the grave 12. How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer sonne of the morning how art thou cut down to the ground which didst weaken the Nations So for Aegypt that abounded in horses Isa 31.1 and trusted in their strength Ezek. 30.18 The pomp of her strength shall cease in her And Chap. 32.12 By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall They shall spoil the pomp of Aegypt and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyâ—d God would destroy them with a great destruction and then mercy should come in then neither the foote of man nor beast should trouble them any more then would the Lord make their waters deepe and make their rivers run like oyle ver 13.14 Neither Babylonish nor Aegyptian pomp endure long God makes the arrogancy of the proud to cease and layes low the haughtinesse of the terrible Isa 13.11 This God hath done lately before our eyes Victory at York 2. of July 1644. he hath made the pomp of the strong to cease there were the Potentates of the Earth Honours Riches Strength Arms Horses what ever might make them pompous was with them great hopes and hearts they had they looked for the day and thought not only the North but the South should be theirs not Yorke but London yea England to be theirs but they are disappointed their honour is laid in the dust their pomp ceaseth Wee may say according to that in Zech. 11.2.3 Howle Fir-tree for the Cedars are fallen the mighty are spoiled howle O ye Oaks of Bashan for the forrest of the vintage is come downe their strength and comforts are abated There is a voyce of the howling of the Shepheards that is Princes which should feed and seek the good of the people for their glory is spoiled a voice of the roaring of young lions for the pride of Jordan is spoyled The ceasing of their pomp should be the beginning of our praise Psal 98.1 O sing unto the Lord a new song for hee hath done marvellous things his right hand and his holy arme hath gotten him the victory We may sing with Moses Exo. 15.6 7. Thy right hand O Lord is become glorious in power thy right hand O Lord hath dashed in pieces the enemy and in the greatnesse of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee Thou sentest forth thy wrath which consumed them as stubble And with David Ps 136.1 2 3 4. O give thankes unto the
more then ever we read of formerly It can hardly be shewn in Scripture â—hat ever any met together in private to worship the Lord were surpriz'd molested taken or imprison'd For their publique preaching they were frequently questioned and suffered It s not so evident that they did for their private meetings These they had in Babylon without imputation or molestation and shall not Sion be as indulgent to her children as Babylon was to her enemies If not Babylon wil rise up in judgement against such sons of Sion 4. God honours holy meetings though they be private the hand of the Lord fell there and then upon the Prophet Where two or 3. meet together in a sacred manner God will be in the midst of them Matth. 18.20 He will be President of that meeting and powerfull in it not only shew his presence and power in an ordinary way but many times extraordinarily as at this time John 20.19 When the Disciples were assembled in private Jesus stood in the middest of them and said peace be unto you And so in the 26. v. when they were met in private Christ came amongst them he honoured their meetings in a speciall manner with his presence blessing and miracles The world hath prejudice against such meetings speaks ill and attempts the ruine of them but Christ thinks honourably of them puts honour upon and manifests his acceptance of them Acts 2.1 2 3. When the Apostles were got together in a hou e the cloven tongues of fire sate upon each of them and they were filled with the holy Spirit Acts 10.44 While Peteter was preaching in Cornelius house the holy Ghost fell upon them And you will scarcely find such visible signes of Gods presence in publique as were then in private I speak not this to disparage publique meetings God is in the solemn Assemblies there his glory and power is seene But to take off that Odium is in the hearts of many against all private meetings 5. Those wait upon God in the wayes of his worship are not loosers by it The Elders came to the Prophet sate there expected something from him and they had more then ordinary They beheld the hand of God upon the Prophet and were made witnesses of that vision hee had and partakers of the same The people that flocked after Christ into the field had the Word beside that the loaves fishes Joh. 6. When the Disciples were met together to worship the Lord the first day of the weeke Christ came to them breath'd upon and gave them the holy Ghost John 20.19.22 Paul seekes God in prayer Acts 9.11 and continued in it behold he prayes he was at it night and day and Ananias was sent to him to help him to his sight and to the holy Ghost so that he might see men and how to save men Old Simeon and old Anna the Prophetesse they came into the Temple to serve the Lord and at that time Christ is brought in whom they see and magnifie God for Luke 2. In Acts 16.13 You read how Paul left the City and went to a river side where women did usually meet to pray thither many were come and to them Paul preaches Lidias heart is opened and Christ let in who was before a stranger unto her and besides this she was baptized and gain'd the company of the choisest Apostles vers 14 15. Cornelius Acts 10. fasts and prayes and he hath an Angel sent to him to assure him that all was accepted in heaven and to help him to the speech of an Apostle whom hearing he received the holy Ghost vers 44. Men lose not but gain greatly by waiting upon God in his Ordinances If they have not what they expect sometimes they have more then they look for at other times Blessed is the man that heareth me saith Christ Prov. 8.34 watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors They are blessed already and unexpected blessings are waiting for them 6. That former operations and impressions of the Spirit suffice not the holiest of men when new services are to be done Ezekiel was a holy Prophet hee had the hand of God the vertue of the Spirit falling upon him before Chap. 1.3 entering into him Chap. 2.2 strongly upon him Chap 3.14 And yet all this was not sufficient there was new work for him new visions to be seene and given out and the hand of the Lord fell anew upon him New employments must have new influences new tryals must have new strength If we trust to antecedent receipts we shall miscarry Peter fail'd when hee came to encounter with a new tryal he lean'd upon what he had and looked not up for more Paul he stood when buffeted by a messenger of Satan and why being conscious of his own weaknesse and insufficiency of what he had received he sought to God who told him my grace is sufficient for thee not the graces I have given thee but the grace I have to give thee If a messenger of Sathan molest thee be too strong for thee I have a messenger even my Spirit of grace that shall come and comfort thee that is stronger then all and shall uphold thee Paul had experience of this and therefore counsels Timothy 2 Tim. 2.1 To be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus Though he had unfeigned faith knew the Scripture from a child had a gift given him by the laying on of Pauls hands yet hee must not be strong in these but in the grace of Christ see his strength lye there former impressions of Christ Spirit ware out and receiv'd vertue is soone spent Wee must looke for new Influences Impressions and Operations of the hand of Christ else all will be too little Cant. 4.16 Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow And Sampson called unto the Lord and said O Lord God remember me I pray thee and strengthen me I pray thee only this once Judges 16.28 VERSE II. Then I beheld and loe a likenesse as the appearance of fire from the appearance of his loines even downward fire and from his loines even upward as the appearance of brightnesse as the colour of Amber OUr Prophet being in an extasie the Lord Jesus Christ appeares unto him as a man and is described First Generally and that is by a likenesse of fire he seem'd to him to be a man of fire or as the appearance of fire 2. More particularly and 1. From his loines downward and the appearance thereof was as fire 2. From his loins upward the appearance whereof was 1. As brightnesse 2. As the colour of Amber Christ being presented here as a man of fire it 's worthy consideration to examine the grounds of it The Jewes had sinned exceedingly provoked God by their Idolatry to great jealousie and being now resolv'd upon their destruction he gives out a fiery vision of Christ unto the Prophet which appearance was sutable to
heightned against those abhominations by the sight of them this is matter for wonder not for imitation It s not safe entring into the Lyons den because one Daniel was kept safe there where one hath been preserved scores have been corrupted and many of them insensibly Philosophers say an egge wrapt up in salt looses the good meat was in it the shell remaining whole And so when young ones travail into those brackish Countreyes and live amongst those are salted with Popery they lose the good savor they had of true religion and only the shell remains whole 3. See here the tractablenesse the obedientiall frame of the Prophets spirit Christ commands him to lift up his eyes and so he lift up his eyes he doubted not disputed not he lingred not but the word being given out immediately he obeyes his spirit was set towards and suitable to the will of Christ Hee might have stuck and said it 's an abhominable Idoll an accursed thing that provokes thee to Jealousie mine eyes shall never see that so pollutes thy worship and is so contrary to thy glory but he presently submits and fulfils the will of Christ which is very acceptable unto him Exod. 4.14 Moses delayes made God angry and it 's the great shift of Satan to keep men off from obeying the will and voyce of God by delayeâ— He doth not tell men the commands in Scripture are not the commands of God but hee causeth delayes and so impedes retards the execution of Divine commands So that God is hearkned unto months and yeares after the command is gone forth such obedience is not so precious and acceptable David knew it and therefore saith Psalm 119.60 I made hast and delayed not to keep thy Commandements A lazie lingring spirit is a provoking spirit David made hast and ranne when God commanded which greatly pleased God Abraham is bidden to leave his Countrey and goe to an uncertain place he knew not whether he did it presently and it 's twice recorded in Scripture Gen. 12.1.4 and Acts 7.3.4 VERS VI. He said furthermore unto mee sonne of man seest thou what they doe even the great abhominations that the house of Israel committeth here that I should goe farre from my Sanctuary but turn thee yet again and thou shalt see greater abhominatins THis Verse needs little opening it 's probable that some of the Jewes were worshipping before that Idolâ— Baal whereupon the Lord being moved asketh our Prophet whether hee did not see what they did even such things as would cause him to depart from them and to leave them to the spoile of enemies They intended not to drive God out of the Sanctuary but that was the sequell and fruit of their abhomiotions That I should goe farre off from the Sanctuary The Hebrew runs thus To goe farre from the Sanctuary Not I should goe and so some refer it to the people that worshipped Baal and so those pervert corrupt the worship of God go from the Sanctuary they goe from God and have nothing to doe with him but I conceive it refers to God who would leave the Sanctuary because of the pollutions and corruptions in it That where Gods pure worship is there is his presence Observ 1. God had given them pure Ordinances in the Temple and there he was abode dwelt 2 King 19.15 He dwelt between the Cherubins They were upon the Arke of the Covenant in the Sanctuary where God manifested himselfe and gave out oracles to those sought him hereupon David Psal 27.4 desired to dwell in the house of the Lord to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple there he saw the beautifull face of God and heard his sweet voyce God is in his own ordinances when the Temple is measured out and the holy City built according to Gods mind and then the name shall be Jehovah Shammah Ezek. 48.35 the Lord is there and the Churches whilst golden candlesticks Christ is in the midst of them 2. Corruptions Abhominations in worship cause the Lord to leave his people to depart from his Sanctuary they brought in heathnish Altars set up Baal and remov'd Gods Altar out of its place and hereupon God forsakes his dwelling-place his presence protection counsell countenance blessings are all with-drawn from them and woe is to that people when God goeth out of the Sanctuary if outward calamities doe not ruine them spirituall judgements undoe them But see the mischiefe of false worship mens additions and mixtures with the pure Ordinances of the Lord they are as smoak to Gods eyes vinegar and gall to his tast abhominations to his Spirit If they must into his house he will out of it when the Ark comes in Dagon goes down and when Dagon comes in the Arke goes out In Christs time the Temple was a den of thieves and Jehovah was not amongst them its needfull therefore to stand contend for pure ordinances and divine worship 3. Men may have ordinances and forms of worship without God in them they had the Sanctuary Altars Sacrifices when God was gone from them yea farre from them as they had corrupt ordinances so powerlesse ordinances there was nothing of God Christ or his Spirit in them when God is out of the Sanctuary it matters not who is there or what is done there all is to little purpose 1 King 19.11 12. There was a winde an earth-quake a fire but God was in neither of them and let there be Priests and Levites sacrifice and incense preaching and praying God is not in them 4. There are degrees of sinnes abhominations great and greater sins of ignorance are of a low nature sinnes of knowledge higher the more of the head and heart is in a sinne the worse the greater it is knowledg and will do edifie sin much Davids murther Peters denyall of Christ were sins more heynous then others which they committed 5. God discovers sins by degrees not all at once he had shewn him great abhominations and Christ bids him turne and he should see greater abhominations Sins are not all committed at once nor all discovered at once they grow by degrees and are discovered by degrees Abhominations in Kingdomes and Churches lye wrapt up in the mantle of secresie and darkenesse but God hath his times to discover and make them knowne to the sonnes of men Hosea 2.10 Now will I discover her lewdnesse Ephraim had sinned added abhomination to abhomination lewdnesse to lewdnesse and they had beene covered up for a season but now the discovering time was come severall Murthers and Adulteries were brought to light Ephraim and Samaria's sinnes were made knowne when Israel was to be healed Hosea 7.1 When God would come and cover the wounds of his owne people then the wickednesse of their enemies are laid open It 's evident in our dayes God hath beene upon healing England and the sinnes of many have been discovered Estates and Churches are like bodies full of grosse and noxious humours stirr
the Incense going up what thinkest thou are not these worthy of death themselves for these sins who should put others to death for the like Speake thy mind I appeal to thee in this case the injury is so notorious thou canst not but condemn them justifie me It 's frequent in Scripture for God in such cases to appeal to man and other creatures Isa 5.3 1 Chron. 2. Jer. 2.12 Deut. 32.1 Appeals are ease reliefe to the hearts of those are wrong'd and griev'd and God in this case deals after the manner of men 11. False worship is a worke of darkenesse Idolaters have corners chambers dark places these 70. were in the dark and did the works of darknesse Idolatry is called a worke of the flesh Gal. 5.19 20. and all works of the flesh are darknesse The Heathens had their opertanea tenebrosa sacra Junius Polanus occult and dark worship Truth loves the light but errour iniquity darknesse John 3.20 Evill doers hate the light they sculke and hide up themselves and their wayes These 70. had power in their hand yet durst not justifie their works openly but carryed all closely but how close soever sinners are God sees them Those words In the chambers of his Imagery Some render it in the secret of their own imaginations Lavater Calvin which shews that what ever are the thoughts workings and imaginations of mens hearts the Lord sees them and can discover them They had Idols in their chambers and Idols in their hearts Idolaters have strong thoughts in their hearts of the ways they are in of some mistery and excellency in them which the vulgar knows not but let men be ignorant of them the Lord sees them Isa 29.15 Men think to hide their counsels thoughts practises from the Lord but he sees the deceitfulnesse of their hearts the wickednesse in them and because they carry things close he searches he tryes them what they are Jer. 17.9 10. 12. That atheisme unbeliefe pride are the causes of mens going out from God and falling to idolatrous and other sinfull vile practises For they say the Lord seeth us not he hath forsaken the earth Atheisme denyes his presence Infidelity his assistance and Pride carries them out for help else where and tacitely layes the blame upon God he hath left the caring for us wee are in the midst of dangers and must seeke for protection from some Deity or other and if it be a sin he may thank himself if he had not forsaken us we would not have forsaken him chosen any other but we are necessitated to it Here 's the pride of Idolaters and in Jer. 18.15 all these are included in one word because my people have forgotten me they have burnt Incense unto vanity They forgot God and hereupon became atheisticall unbelieving and proud VERS 13 14. He said also unto mee turne thee yet again and thou shalt see greater abbominations that they doe Then he brought me to the doore of the gate of the Lords house which was towards the North and behold there sate women weeping for Tammuz HEre you have a third part of the Prophets new Vision containing yet greater abhominations then before which is set out 1. From the place the doore of the gate of the Lords house It was the Priests Court and at the entrance into the Lords house and the nearer they sin'd to the Lords house the greater was the wickednesse 2. The nature of the abhomination women sate there weeping for Tammuz It was not according to law for any to be in that Court at that gate but Priests onely Now here were women and women sitting and weeping and that for Tammuz which were greater abhominations then what were before What or who this Tammuz was must be opened unto you the word is not mentioned else-where Some Rabbies say this Tammuz was an hollow idol with eyes of lead under which they used to put fire R. David R. Solomon the heat melting the leaden eyes the idoll seem'd to weep and so moving compassion in the women they became co-weepers wiâ—h it but the Text saith not the Idoll wept but that the women wept Shindl. saith the Idols had their Prophets and this Tammuz was vir ex prophetis idoli one of the idolatrous Prophets whom the King slew in honour of him was set up an Idoll so called from his name or because on the first day of the moneth Thamuz they did celebrate his festivitie the 17. day of this moneth they fasted for the breach of the Tables of the law and on the first feasted and brake the Law it selfe most abhominably The vulgar Translation reads it Adonis and many Interpreters so carry it Adonis was sonne of Cinara King of Cyprus a great lover of pleasures chiefly of Garden-delights whence arose the proverb Adonidis horti the gardens of Adonis which were curious and choise but soone fading away This Adonis was a great lover of Venus and being unhappily slain by a Boare great lamentation was made for him and the rather because he had a sweet voyce and delighted men and women with his singing Adonis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Canendo from whence his name seems to be given him and by the lovers of musicke amongst them he was accounted for a God and yearly solemnities instituted for him in which were the weepings of women Lucian in his Dialogues saith De dea Syria that yearly in memory of Adonis death by a Boare they did beate themselves and weep after which they sacrificed to Adonis as dead and a day after they thinking him alive shav'd their heads and those women would not doe it were to prostitute their bodies to all strangers for a day and the gaine gotten was given in sacrifice to Venus In vita Alcibiad Vid. pradum Plutarch saith women did bring to the solemnities of Adonis Images like dead bodies and wayling sang funerall verses Maternus Firmicus tels us that an Image was put in a bed bewail'd by many and they having satisfied themselves with weeping a light was brought in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. Scalig. de emendat temp Lactant. divin instit l. 1. c. 21. Poeticum Dictionarium In verbo Apis Plut. lib de Isid Osyrid and the faces of all that wept were anointed and these words softly pronounced Trust in the God he will deliver us from our miseries and so they unbed the Idoll with much joy Others make Tammuz to be Osyris husband brother or sonne of Isis for Authors vary about it and King of Aegypt the same with Apis or Serapis who comming into Aegypt and teaching them civility and how to dresse Vines was chosen their King and having govern'd them well at his death was honour'd as a God under the form of a black Oxe Suidas saith he was an Aegyptian god worshipped for the Moons sake The Aegyptians called this god Tammuz or Ammuz which signifâ—eth in their language Hidden because the
Dominus apertionis They went to Baal-Peor and separated themselves to that shame It was a shamefull Idoll and made them shamelesse for it s judg'd they did also before this Idoll discover their nakednesse Among Papists where Idolatry is in countenance Modesty is in disgrace Priests and Fryars strive to exceed each other in impudence and what else-where would not be tolerated Sands in his Europae speculum pag. 19. in Italy is in high honor and what in other places a loose person would be asham'd to confesse that Priests and Fryars there refraine not openly to practise VERS 15 16. Then said he unto me hast thou seene this O sonne of man iâ— Turne thee yet againe and thou shalt see greater abhominations then these And he brought me into the inner court of the Lords house and behold at the doore of the Temple of the Lord betweene the porch and the Altar weâ—e about 25. men with their backes towards the Temple of the Lord and their faces towards the East and they worshipped the Sunne towards the East IN the 15. verse is a transition to the last part of the vision lying in the 16. verse and this abhomination yet greater then the former of the image of Jealousie the mixt formes of beâ—sts and creeping things then Tammuz is described 1. From the place in generall The inner court More particularly The doore of the Temple And yet more specially Between the porch and the Altar 2. The persons with their number 25. men 3. Their posture with their backes towards the Temple and faces towards the East 4. Their act They worshipped the Sunne This Idolatry was in the Temple it selfe and acted by the chiefest persons It s conceived these 25. were the King and his Councell there were two Tribes left and 12. out of each who with the King made up that number it s thought these 25. are mentioned again in the 11. Chap. vers 1. where two Princes are named and therefore probable to be the King and his Nobles the chiefe and heads of the people these stood between the porch and the Altar which was neare to the Sanctum Sanctorum and where the Priests used to weepe and pray especially in times of common calamities Joel 2.17 With their backes towards the Temple of the Lord c. The Temple was so built that the Sanctum Sanctorum was in the westerâ—e part of it the entrance into it in the Eastern part and when any service was done by the people or Priests in prayer or sacrifice they did it with their faces west-wards towards the Ark and holiest of holies and their backs were East-ward which the Lord in wisdome and purposely ordered to be so that hee might prevent Eastern and Sun-worship which was the practise of the Gentiles whereupon saith Job Chap. 31.26 If I beheld the sunne when it shined if I looked upon it to adore it as others did It was the practise then Of it speakes Mercur In fine Asclepij Trismegristus when the Sun rose they minded the East but when it set they would not looke West-ward lest seeing their God dying Lib. de Arch. 4. in cultu ejus tepescerent And Vitruvius saith their Temples were so built that they might pray looking to the Sun rising The learned observe that the Sidonians Grecians Romans Assyrians Aegyptians and Persians did all worship the Sun each giving a severall name to this god of theirâ— The Persians especially honoured and stood for this god whom they cal'd Mithra that is Lord or mighty For in the yeare 612. when Heraclius the Emperour sent to Cosroe King of the Persians for peace his answer was he would not lay downe Armes till he had brought him to worship the Sun but Heraclius prevail'd in the Wars and burnt his Idoll Temples of the Sunne From whomsoever the Jews learnd this custom God had forbad them expresly to worship the Sun Moon and Stars Deut. 17.3 And appointed them to worship with their faces West-ward yet they turn their backs upon God as if he were unworthy of any respect from them and looking towards the East adore a creature which God had made to serve them It 's wisdome not to give way to any sin Observ 1. but to stop sin in the birth crush it in the conception you see what abhominations after abhominations greater greater come in here Lesser sins make way for greater superstition for Idolatry yea the worst of idolatry and other sins 2. That the nearer destruction the worser they grow in Church and State all was out of order great confusion amongst them the land was fill'd with corruptions the Image of Jealousie chambers of Imagery howses for Stews were about the Temple Tammuz a most abhominable Idoll set up adored in it women suffered to come there and doe shamefull things the Antients offer Incense to those were no gods the King and Nobles come into the Priests Court turn their backs upon God no Priest had any zeale for God to reprove these things but were deeply in themselves the land fill'd with violence their abhominations greater and greater and judgement at the doore 3. That in corrupt times great persons are generally very prophane the 25. turn their backs upon God slight him and his worship disgrace reproach the same What greater indignity could they doe to God then to come into his Temple to the holy place and there turn their backs upon him and worship the Sunne in his presence it is as if a woman should cast off her husband and commit lewdnesse with another man before him When Jeremiah's roll was read the King cut and cast it into the fire which others consented unto Jer. 36.23 24. After he and his agents cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God shut up the doors of the Temple and would suffer the Lord to have no sacr fice no incense no Priest and when God distressed him for his wickednesse he sinned more and more 2 Chron. 28.22.24 Belshazzar and his Princes drank wine in the sacred bowls of the Temple and praiâ—e their idoll gods Dan. 5.2 3 4. And not only in corrupt times are great ones prophane but even in reforming times Nehem. 13.17 The Nob es of Judah prophaned the Sabboth and increased wrath Such prophane acts God takes very ill and will requite in their kind They have turned their backe unto me and not their face Jer. 32.33 And therefore I will turne my backe and not my face unto them in the day of their calamity Jer. 18.17 4. That Kings and Princes are not to be patterns to us in point of Religion and worship if we will follow them wee may suddenly be led into Idolatry Here be 25. the chiefe in the City and Land and they turne their backes upon the true God and his worship and choose heathnish religion and heathnish practices the people were not bound to follow them Great ones soonest goe out of Gods way 2 Chron. 24.19 20. After
LORD have spoken it it shall come to passe and I will doe it I will not goe backe neither will I spare neither will I repent according to thy wayes and according to thy doings shall they judge thee saith the Lord God Men are apt to thinke GOD is all mercy but they will finde it otherwise His eye that spared them in Egypt that looked upon them and pittyed them there his eye will not spare himselfe will not pitty them in Sion Their provocations were great he that spared Nineuites will not spare Israelites When God deales in fury there is no dealing with him then hee is a consuming fire and nothing will prevaile with him What if they cry will not that prevaile Is not God a God hearing prayer doth he not heare the cry of Ravens Jer. 11.11 Though they cry unto me I will not hearken unto them Isa 1.15 Mic. 3.8 Deut. 1.45 What if Noah Job and Daniel should pray would not God be intreated pitty and spare them see Ezek. 14.14.18.20 God forbade Jeremiah Chapter 7.16 to pray for them Pray not for this people neither lift up crye or prayer for them neither make intercession to me for I will not heare His eare is deafe his heart is hardned when he is in fury and deales in it fury lyes in severity where there is no sparing in implacability where is no hearing 4. That wicked men in their streights will cry to God and cry aloud When Nebuchadnezzar came besieg'd the Citie when Pâ—â—gue and Famine encreased then they fell upon their knees cryed to God for help as Mâ—lefactors when the Judge is ready to give sentence cry out and importune him to spare their lives Such prayers are the voyce of the flesh not of the spirit forced not free faithlesse and unseasonable prayers comming too late and therefore unacceptable Let men therefore not deferre seeking of God till necessity puts them upon it CHAP. IX VERSE I. He cryed also in mine eares with a loud voyce saying cause them that have charge over the City to draw neere even every man that hath his destroying weapon in his hand IN the eighth Chapter Ezekiel saw in a vision the sinnes of the City Jerusalem here the vision proceeding he sees the judgements of God to be executed upon them for those sins and by whom The Chapter conteins 1. A narration of judgement to be executed upon Jerusalem in the first seven verses 2. The Prophets intercession for Israel vers 8. 3. An answer thereunto vers 9 10. 4. A report of what was done vers 11. In the Narration you have 1. A commission given to the Prophet to cause Military men to appeare vers 1. 2. Their number and manner of appearing vers 2. 3. A mandat given 1. To mark the mourners vers 4. 2. To slay the rest vers 5 6 7. 4. Mention of the glory of God departing vers 3. The first verse hath in it 1. The author of this Commission He. 2. The manner of giving it out by way of cry and that with a loud voyce 3. The witnesse before whom it was done and that was Ezek. In mine eares 4. The Commission it selfe Cause them that have c. Where we have 1. The persons specified and they are such as have charge over the City 2. What they are to doe to draw neare 3. The manner with a destroying weapon in each hand He cryed Not an Angell but the Lord whose glory he had seen at the Temple who had shewn him the severall abhominations â—f the people and who had authority to call for excutioners of his fury upon these notorious delinquents He cryed Crying in man is intense or loud speaking when it 's expres'd by a loud voyce but God cryeth not as man His crying is the efficacy of his Spirit or force of his providence strongly moving the creature to the execution of his will Zech. 7.7 The Lord cryed by the Prophets his Spirit mov'd them to cry unto the people And 2. Sam. 16.10 God said unto Shimei curse David that is Divine providence mov'd him to doe so God cryes to the Ministers of Justice when he moves their wills to come and do execution upon a sinfull people Here God spake to the Prophet not providentially but by the inward language of his Spirit and visionally The reasons of his calling or crying aloud were 1. To declare the weightinesse of the thing hee was now about namely to bring a final destruction upon Church and State according to that Chap. 7.6 An end is come and this was a businesse of high concernment that that people which had beene so belov'd so honour'd so deliver'd so observ'd in the world should now be utterly ruin'd So when the 7. thunders were to be the Angell Rev. 10.3 cryed with a loud voyce 2. Gods serious intentions to destroy them he was impatient now of bearing any longer with them he was burthened wearied with their iniquities therefore cried out of them and called for destroyers Isa 1.14 Ah I will ease meâ— of mine Adversaries 3. To quicken and hasten the instruments hee should use in that service When great persons are intense in their voyces and commands it edges their spirits who are employed and makes them quick active loud cries leave deep impressions 4. In reference to the wickeds sins and mourners prayers the sins of the one and prayers of the other cryed aloud in Gods eares and now God cries too and addes cry to cry they cryed for vengeance and vengeance they shall have Come Ezekiel send for such and such men which may destroy the wicked and deliver the mourners In mine eares That iâ— I hearing the Lord spake aloud and the Prophet heard him So the like phrase in Gen. 2.8.44.18 is to be understood God honour'd Ezekiel here with the knowledge of what he was about and singled him out to be a witnesse of his proceedings Cause them that have charge over the City to draw near The Hebrew is the visitations of the City have drawn neare or let the visitations of the City draw neare Here is the abstract put for the concrete Visitation for visiters which is frequent in Scripture as Col. 1.16 Thrones are put for Kings Dominions for Lords Rulers Principalities and powers for them are in chiefe places Isa 60.17 I will make thy Officers peâ—ce The Heb. is thy visitation in the abstract and rendered in the concrete officers or visiters and so here Some read it the men of visitation others the visiters of the City our translation Praefecti urbiâ— those have charge over the City especially the Military affairs Who these were is to be examin'd not the Antients of Israel mentioned in the former Chapter who were to be destroyed and not to destroy but they were certain Angels or Arch-Angels to whom the Lord had committed the custody of Jerusalem For Angels have the care of Kingdoms Provinces and Cities Angels or Chaldeans they were such as were appointed to execute
〈◊〉 The Hebrew is an instrument of contrition or dissipation Prov. 25.18 It s translated a Maul an instrument to bear out a mans brains The Sept. renders the word here an Axe it may be interpreted a sword or any weapon that sufficeth to kill a man with Observ 1. That there is power efficacy in the calls and commands of God When he said Cause them have charge over the City to draw neare you see it here fulfil'd Behold six men came Ezekiel cald told them the mind of God but there was not power in him to bring these slaughter-Angels before the Lord Divine provideâ— eacted the secret vertue of the Lord did it There is power in commands of God and when that goeth along with his word it produceth any effects his word and power brought the flood upon the world at first and will bring the fire on it at last 2. When God is against a City he sets Angels against it also Here were 6. Angels that appeared at his call for the destruction of the City those who before hee had appointed to preserve it now he calls forth to destroy it Sin makes God our enemy and when he is out with us who can be friends to us If the King frown the Nobles and Courtiers will doe it also While God is our friend Angels are and all other creatures 1 Cor. 3.21 Paul saith to the Corinthians All things are yours your servants your friends for your good and why yee are Christs his friends his servants if they had been enemies to Christ all things had been enemies to them what the wise man saith of any man Prov. 16.7 When a mans wayes please the Lord he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him It s true of any City when they please God hee makes their enemies to be at peace with them Babylon was ever an enemie to Sion but never harm'd Sion till Sion had offended or lost her God and when Cities have provok'd God against them he makes their friends their enemies and their enemies enmity unto them Have not we kindled divine wrath by our sins caused him to deale in fury to set Angels and men against us are they not abroad with slaughter-weapons Jerusalem improv'd not the sword of Justice the Magistrates were neglective of punishing Delinquents of righting the wrongs of the oppressed and therefore God put a sword into the hands of Angels and Chaldeans to destroy both Magistrate and Subject Let us take heede how wee make God our enemy by all meanes make him your friend Job 5.23 Stones and beasts will be at league at peace with you compare it with Deut. 32.13 Isa 11.6 7 8. 3. At what gate men drive God away at the same gate they let judgement in At what doore men let in sinne at the same doore they let in wrath the destroying Angels came from the North to the North-gate there was the Idoll of Jealousie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iniquity judgment Ch. 8.3 by the brazen Altar this way came in Idolatry this way God was driven from them and this way came the Angels came the Chaldeans to be avenged on them they sinn'd Northward and from thence came their judgement At that gate was the great concourse of people there they worshipped the Image of Jealousie and that way came in the greatest evill they ever had the Prophets oft mention the Northern evill Jer. 1.14 Out of the North an evill shall breake forth upon all the land Ch. 4.6 I will bring evill from the North a great destruction And Chap. 6.1.22 23.10.22 A great commotion out of the North to make the Cities of Judah desolate and a denne of dragons Judgement came to that gate they sin'd at sin lay behinde the doore call'd for and let in the enemie Gen. 4.7 God told Cain if he did not well sinne lay at the doore That is punishment judgement lay at the doore and would quickly come in at that door sin had opened Rom. 5.12 By sin death entered Sin opened a doore it brake open Gods command and so let in death and all judgments beneath death Ahaziah sends to Baalzebub the god of Ekron about his recovery being sick this so offended God that an answer was returned him that therefore he should not come down from his bed but should surely dye 2 Kings 9.4 Gideons Ephod was a snare to him his house Judg. 8.27 4. When God comes against a people he will surround them with judgements at all the chiefe gates there should be Angels Chaldean forces so that if they would flye to the gates of any of the streets to the gate of Ephraim to the corner-gate the old gate or fish-gate the dung-gate or common-gate or other gates whatsoever they should find Angels with destroying weapons in their hands And see themselves so beset with judgem nâ—s that there should be no escaping they might runne from street to street from gate to gate and hope to get away but Jer. 11.11 I will bring evill upon them which they shall not be able to escape Their hearts heads hands heels shall not availe them to an eâ—câ—pe if they fight or flye if they intreat God or man seeke secretly to steale away it 's in vaine they shall not be able to â—scape 5. When God is upon acts of Justice and calls for Angels or any creatures at his command they come and willingly contribute what power they have to damnifie and destroy his enemies every one came here with a slaughter-weapon in his hand the creatures are ready to execute vengeance upon their fellow-creatures whan the glorious Creator being offended cals for it Isa 37.36 An Angell at Gods appointment went forth and slew 185000. He had his slaughter-weapon ready and acted like an Angell slaying so many in one night It 's said of Angels Psalm 103.20 that they excell in strength that they doe the commandments of the Lord hearkning unto the voyce of his word If he doe once speak they heart yea they put forth their great strength and doe that strongly they are sent about One man among them was cloathed with linnen Who this one man should be is questionable Some make him to be an Angell and the grounds they goe upon are these 1. He is cloathed with linnen in which kind of garment Angels were wont to appeare Acts 1.10 Luke 24.4 John 20.12 2. In the end of this Chapter this man saith I have done as thou commandedst me which respect an Angel rather then Christ who being equall from the Father receives not commands from him Angels being his servants and ministring spirits are fittest to receive commands For the first of these arguments it 's true that Angels have appeared oft in white linnen and shining garments but not they alone Rev. 4.4 The 24. Elders were cloathed with white linnen And Chap. 9.7 A great multitude stood before the throne and the lamb cloath'd in white robes And Christ in his transfiguration had his
of minde griefe is a heavy burthen and causes men to sigh as those that are burthened Exod. 2.23 The children of Israel sighed by reason of bondage The heavy bondage they were under made them groane and sigh and so these here had the burthen of Jerusalems abhominations upon them and that made them sigh Prov. 29.2 When the wicked beareth rule the people mourn It 's the same word they mee◠with heavy pressures make them sigh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gravius sonat quam ח ana ק graviorem notat gemitum quam ana ח That cry This notes such sorrow as exceedes sighing and must vent it selfe in a more full way viz. with crying vehemently as wounded men use to doe when they breath out their soules Ezek. 26.15 The wounded cry when the slaughter is made And Jer. 51.52 Through all the land her wounded shall groane or cry It 's the same word so that the meaning is they did sigh greatly and cry out bitterly for the abhominations were in Jerusalem Obser 1. The Lord looks upon the world with a discriminating eye some he looks upon to be marked and some to be left unmarked all are not equall in Gods thoughts or eye some from eternity he predestinated some he passed over and now in time some he eyes for salvation Prov. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good some he sets by for perdition his eye distinguisheth between the pretious and the vile Psal 34.15 16. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and the face of the Lord is against them that doe evill He beholds both but with a different aspect one sort he beholds to doe good the other to cut off Psalm 11.4 His eye-lids try the children of men he lookes fixedly upon them and as they are so he deals with them Iob 36.7 It 's said he with-draws not his eyes from the righteous They are the delight of his eyes but the wicked are thorns provocations to his eyes Isa 3.8 2. When the Lord proceeds to judgment of Cities Churches People Kingdomes he doth it judiciously considerately he doth not powre out wrath from heaven at all adventures let it light where and upon whom it will but he makes enquiry who are fit to be punished and who to be spared Psal 9.7 The Lord hath prepared his throne for judgement And then vers 8. Hee shall judge the world in righteousnesse And vers 12. He makes inquision for blood The oppressed he will relieve the oppressors he will cut off When judgements are abroad especially Warres all things seem to move confusedly and wicked men to doe what they list they will destroy all before them but they cannot the judgments are the Lords and he carries them on judiciously there be eyes in the wheels and a Divine spirit in them and they doe not move they cannot move otherwise than the wise God will have them 3. In the worst times God hath some who are faithfull and serve him Violence had fill'd the land the Idoll of Jealousie was set at the Altargate chambers of Imagery in the wals of the Temple the Antients of Israel worshipped the forms of creeping things and abominable beasts the women wept for that shamefull Idoll Tammuz corruptions abounded in Church and State yet some faithfull ones the Lord had that were undefiled The Church of God did never totally faile nor ever shall When all flesh had corrupted its wayes the wickedness of man was grown great When the earth was fill'd with violence Gen. 6.5.11 12. yet then even then was Noah untainted He was just and perfect in his generation and walked with God vers 9. In Ahabs dayes when Jezebel cut off the Prophets of the Lord and he vexed the righteous with his will-worship abominable idoletries and forced them to flye to Jerusalem and things were so extreamly ill the righteous so wasted that Elijah a Prophet thought there was none left in Israel but himselfe even then the Lord tels him there were 7000. which had not bowed their knees to Baal nor kissed him 1 K. 1.18 They have shew'd that false god no reverence contracted no pollution by doing as the rest did when Ahaz who is stigmatiz'd for his wickednesse 2 Chron. 28.22 when he reign'd cut in pieces the vessels of the Temple and shut up the door◠of the Temple and made Altars in every corner of Jerusalem vers 24. yet his own sonne Hezekiah was godly at that time and hated the wayes of his Father When Christ came there was a Joseph and Mary a Zachariah and Elizabeth a Simeon and Anna with some few others and the times were exceeding bad then In the depths of Popery were pauperes lugdunenses of whom Reinerus a Popish Inquisitor writes that they had a great shew of godlinesse because they liv'd justly before men believed all things well concerning God and all the Articles of Faith only they blasphemed and hated the Church of Rome God had his Hus Jerome of Prague and Luther in times bad enough 4. The number of men to be sav'd in Jerusalem is few Commission is given to the man with the Inkhorne by his side to goe and search through Jerusalem and where he found any mourning sighing to mark them and surely this number was very few he is not to mark stree s families but particular persons which notes the paucity of those that were truly godly and to be saved In Aegypt the bloud was upon the lintell and side posts of the doore and so whole families there escaped but here in Jerusalem the mark is not upon the door but the fore-head many doores whole families were passed over here and there one found and marked take a place or two to this purpose Jer. 5.1 Runne to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seeke in the broad places thereof if yee can finde a man if there be any that executeth judgement that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it Here God bids them search and see if they could finde a man and bring forth so that the City might be spared but they could not find one This satisfied not God they might be carelesse in that work overlook some man that did it God therefore will search himselfe Ezek. 22.30 I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before mee for the land that I should not destroy it but I found none Neither man nor God could finde any these expressions shew that the number of the godly was very few that those were so durst not appeare in publique because the times were so prophane and perillous but hid themselves and mourned in secret Few is the number of true believers and true mourners there were two Prophets Jeremiah and Vriah the Rechabites Baruch the Scribe Ebedmelech the Black-a-moor with some few beside The thought of the scant number of the good ones sadded the heart
caused themselves and their little ones to be roasted in fire and brimstone so Princes their sinnes bring down vengeance upon themselves their posterity and Subjects All sorts should therefore take heed of sinning against divine Majesty who is so dreadfull in his judgements If they will not pitty themselves yet they should pitty those are theirs and deare to them 6. The lives and comforts of all Gods marked ones are deare unto him he gives order that they should not onely not take away their lives but also that they should not indanger their comforts Come not near any upon whom is the marke do not fright them with your stern looks bitter words rough handling keep your distance they are very deare to me and I am very tender of them The mark'd ones are a people neare to God Psalm 148.14 and he will not suffer them to be wrong'd Psal 105.14 15. He suffered no man to doe them wrong he reproved Kings for their sakes saying touch not mine anointed Gods anointed ones are his mark'd ones and they must not be touch'd which is as much as come not neare them God doth not onely keepe the wicked from harming them keepe off judgements and blows from them which is call'd sparing them Mal. 3.17 But hee makes them up as his jewels they lye scattered as common stones here and there but God hath his dayes to make them up to set them in ranks and orders that they may shine more gloriously and live more comfortably Or thus when a house is on fire the owners will be sure then to looke after their jewels and to take and make them up above all the rest So God when judgements are upon Cities Townes Kingdomes will have speciall care of his jewels and peculiar treasure Luke 17.34 35. Two men shall be in one bed the one shall be taken c. 7. See the order of Divine judgement here those were ring-leaders to others and drew them to sin by their place authority counsell example they must first be slain Begin at my Sanctuary there were the 70. Antients of the house of Israel mentioned Chap. 8.11 There were the Priests who had the charge of the holy things and should not have suffered such corruptions pollutions to have come neare the Temple but both the Princes and Priests were foremost in iniquity they should have preserv'd the worship of God pure kept the people from idolatrous practises into which they drew them and made Isaiah say twice that their leaders caused them to erre Isa 3.12.9.16 there was inforcing vertue in them constraining the people to erre run upon their destruction and therefore now seeing they were first and deepest in sinning they should be first and deepest in punishment the slaughter-men representing the Chaldeans must begin there while they were fresh strong they must bath their swords in the bowels and blood of Princes and Priests Many times it s so that those are great first in wickednesse are first smitten Numb 25.4 Take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the Sunne They had been principall actors in whoredome and idolatry led others to those sins and their heads must off first Numb 16. So Corah Dathan and Abiram they were prime Rebels made seditious work amongst the people and went not they down first alive into the earth and did not fire from heaven consume the 250. Princes that offered Incense It 's too well known that men eminent in place are eminent in sin be they in the State or in the Church and it 's just they should be eminent in punishment Our Prelats who were Sanctuary-men and pretended divine institution for their standing declared by their fruits that they were not from above but from beneath an earthly generation that hath been eminent in Treasons Conspiracies Rebellions seditious Innovations and corruptions of Religion as ever was but God hath found them out powred contempt upon them plucked them up by the rootes Strafford and Canterbury were heads of wickednesse in the Church and State and God hath lopped off their heads Great ones make great breaches for others to perish in and God begins with them to stop those breaches and prevent open ruine The Devill carryed Christ to the Temple and the pinacle of it and tempted him from thence to cast himselfe downe knowing that the sins of those belong to the Temple are most conspicuous and beneficious to him and his Kingdome 8. It 's not the holinesse of any place can mitigate or avert the wrath of God when those belong to it have defil'd the place with their abhominations The Temple was the holiest place in the world 2 Chron. 36.14 All the chief of the Priests and people transgressed very much and what was their transgression they polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed not which men had hallowed but which he had hallowed in Jerusalem Judgement begins at Gods house Isa 10.12 No where else had he hallowed any any place yet that holy place they polluted and the Lord therefore bids the slaughter-men begin there and defile it they had defil'd it with sinne and now God would have it defil'd with the comming of Heathens into it with blood with dead corps c. which made Jeremie to sigh and say The Lord hath cast off his Altar he hath abhorred his Sanctuary he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her pallaces they have made a noise in the house of the Lord as in the day of a sollemn feast Lam. 2.7 It was musicke to the enemie to slay them in the Temple it selfe to dash out their braines against the Arke and Altar 2 Chron 36.17 They slow their young men with the sword in the house of their Sanctuary and had no compassion on young man or maiden olde man or him that stooped for age As they regarded not sexe or condition of men so not the place though holy Holy places were wont to be refuges unto those fled to them even heathens would spare those betook themselves to the Temples of their gods when they tooke the City Hostes qui ceperant civitatem parcerent eis quos ad deorum suorum Templa censugisse compererant August de civ dei l. 1. c. 2. but in this destruction of Jerusalem those fled to the Temple sound no favour from God or man Slay them utterly said God defile the Temple with their carkasses bloud dung and they did it and fill'd the Temple with such sacrifices it never had 9. Divine justice oft smites sinners in the place where they have sin'd they had defi ' d the Temple with their abhominations with idolatry false worship hypocrisie vain confidence in it and there God commands them to be put to death God had manifested great love bestowed great mercies imparted much light to them heard their prayers accepted their sacrifices in the Temple and now seeing there they sin'd against him there hee would
they cry aloud will not God hearken then Ezek. 8.18 Though they cry in mine eares with a loud voyce yet will I not heare them But what if they fast and pray will not the Lord heare them then Jer. 14.12 When they fast I will not heare their cry But what if they spread their hands to heaven and make many prayers Isa 1.15 When you spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when yee make many prayers I will not heare But what if they weep before God Deut. 1.45 Yee returned and wept before the Lord but the Lord would not hearken to your voyce nor give eare unto you 2. For others Ezek. 14.14 Though these 3. men Noah Job and Daniel were in it they should deliver but their own soules These were holy and choise men Gen. 6.9 Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations and walked with God Daniel was the wisest of men Ezek. 28.3 It was a proverb as wise as Daniel and he was innocent Dan. 6.22 A man greatly beloved Dan. 9.23 Job he was a perfect and upright man one that feared God and escheated evill There lay no â—xception against these mâ—n they were acquainted with God and his wayes they were great sufferers and men of prayer Noah had prevail'd for his family Daniel for the wise men of Babylon when they should have dyed for not discovering Nebuchadnezzars dreame Dan. 2. and Job for his 3. friends Trye two more Moses and Samuel they were heads of the people holy men full of bowels mighty in prayer interceded with God for the people and prevailed Exod. 32.10 Let mee alone saith God that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them and I will make of thee a great Nation But Moses would not let God alone vers 11 12 13. hee presseth him with strong arguments and told God if he would not forgive their sins he should blot him out of his booke vers 32. So Samuel 1 Sam. 7.9 when the Philistime came up against Israrael prayes and fetcheth thunder from heaven and ruines a whole Army of the enemies Ch. 12.17 18. He prayed and thunder and raine came in harvest so that they word in danger of death and sued to him to pray for them Now Jer. 15.1 Notwithstanding these two were such powerfull praying men yee saith God there Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yâ—â— my mind could not be towards this people all their prayers could doe no good What if Jeremiah who liv'd in those times and was acquainted with their condition should pray for them he was a praying and weeping man Jer. 9.1 Yet see Jer. 7.16.11.14.14.11 and you shall heare GOD in those 3. places forbidding him to pray for them God will not hear 1. Because people are incurable they reject God Jer. 2.13 They have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters And vers 31. We are lords we wil come no more to thee They reject his word Jer. 8.9 Yee reject the word of the Lord and what wisdome is in you and you may heare them doing it Jer. 44.16 As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord wee will not hearken unto thee but wee will certainly doe whatsoever thing goeth forth of our owne mouth And 2 Chron. 36.16 Their sins were such as that there was no remedy but destruction 2. Gods heart is gone from such a people Jer. 15.1 Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my mind could not be towards this people They are turn'd from mee and I am turn'd from them and it 's not the prayers of men and Angels can reconcile us I am against them Ezek. 5.8 Behold I even I am against thee I that have heard so many prayers been so oft for thee I that have done so great things destroyed such mighty enemies of thine I am against thee 3. If God should heare prayer for them and spare them it would encourage them to goe on in their sinfull wayes they would presume grow more confident and corrupt if possible Ier. 7.9 10. Will yee steale murther and commit adultery swear falsely and burn Incense to Baal and walke after other gods yee know not And come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name and say we are delivered to doe all these abominations When they were smitten they grew worse much more would they if spared 4. The condition of the Church requires it that is in imminent danger of being ruin'd when the weeds overtop the corne bryars and thorns are grown great thick high above the Vine the Lord must cut them downe else there will be no harvest no vintage When all flesh had corrupted its ways the flood must come in lest the corruption should infect Noah 5. To vindicate his name providence honour when God is silent in a wicked time and spares sinners they think him like themselves Psal 50.21 Altogether such as they are But Ezek. 6.14 I will stretch out my hand upon them and make the land desolate yea more desolate then the wildernesse towards Diblath in all their habitations and they shall know that I am the Lord. Now my Name is not feared my providence is denyed and my honour is laid in the dust but they shall know what a God I am So in Ezek. 28.22 Behold I am against thee O Zidon and I will be glorfied in the midst of thee they shall know that I am the Lord when I have executed judgement in her 3. Gods judgments though great yet do not exceed mens sins that Temple City Land and those in them should be destroyed was grievous but their iniquity was exceeding great If there be Nationall judgements there be Nationall sins The land is full of blood and the City is full of perversnesse If judgement was in every place sinne was in every place if there were fulnesse of wrath fulnesse of sin proceeded Jobs sufferings were great just punishments for his sins as Zophar thought and therefore prays Chap. 11.5 6. O that God would speake and open his lips against thee that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdome that they are double to that which is c. His meaning is this Job thou justifiest thy selfe thou sayest thy Doctrine is pure and thy self clean in his eyes and that thy sufferings are greater then thy sinnse but thou art deceived If God would be pleased to speak and open the secrets of wisdome which are shut up from thee thou shouldst see God just in his judgements and mercifull towards thee for there is double to that which is double wrath double punishment due to thee thou hast but a little inflicted upon thee and there is a double portion yet behind due to thy sinne therefore doe not complaine of God or justifie thy selfe any more for know that God exacteth of thee lesse then thine iniquities deserves Though thou hast great affliction yet he may justyl afflict
8.3 Hee hath in this tenth Chapter a vision much like that mentioned in the first Chapter yet with some difference as will appear in the opening Three things chiefly are observable in this Chapter 1. The scattering of burning coales over the City Jerusalem which some call the vision of coales v. 2 3.6 7. 2. The Lords change of his place 4.18 19. 3. A description of the Cherubims in the 5.8 9 10 c. The scattering of the coales is specified in the 2d vers and prefigured the burning of Jerusalem and this is set out to us 1. From the Author commanding who is the Lord in the 〈◊〉 vers 1. 2. From the instrument acting the man cloathed with linnen vers 2. 3. From the command it selfe where we have 1. The place whither he was to goe in between c. 2. What to doe 1. Fill his hand with coales of fire 2. Scatter them over the City 4. The execution of the command vers 2.6 7. He went and this is illustrated 1. From the witnesse thereof Ezekiel in my sight 2. From the place where the Cherubims stood on the right side of the house v. 3. 3. From the event the cloud fill'd the inward Court Ibid. 4. From the manner of conveying of the fire vers 7. A Cherubim put forth his hand tooke fire and put into the hand of him cloathed with linnen In the first vers the Majesty and greatnesse of him commands is set out 1. By the Firmament above 2. By the Cherubims underneath 3. By a throne which was of Saphir In the first Chap. 22. hath been spoken of the firmament Rachiah from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to extend expand expansum because stretched out over the whole earth The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of it's strength and firmenesse not melted or changed by its motion This firmament the footstool of the Lord was over the head of the Cherubims Cherubims This word is not in the first vision Chap. 1. there they are cal'd the living creatures here Cherubims which is evidence that they are the same and may strengthen the interpretation given to be of the Angels There is a difference between the words Chap. 1.22 where it 's said the firmament upon the heads of the living creature And the words here which are the firmament that was above the head of the Cherubims there its living creature and heads here its Cherubims and head which may mind us of their onenesse and consent in judgement and operations If there be heads it s but as one living creature acts from those heads if there be Cherubims they have all but as one head Why are they cal'd Cherubims here and not living creatures as before I suppose the reason is this The former vision was at Chebar in the open field by a rivers side this was in the Temple where the Cherubims were 1 Kings 8.6 7. and so that notion suited with them there 2. In Babylon a prophane land the Prophet sees living creatures he had a generall and confus'd apprehension of them but when he is in the Temple he hath a more cleare and distinct knowledge of them Hence you have this note The Lord did more clearely make known himselfe and mysteries in the holy land then in other places Psal 76.1 In Judah is God knowne more fully and familiarly then elsewhere A vision in Babylon is not so cleare as a vision in Sion Psalm 29.9 In his Temple doth every one speake of his glory A saphir stone Jerome derives it from shaphar pulcher because these stones are faire and pleasant to the eyes Coelesti Colore conspicui sunt Ruens The Saphir notes 1. Liberty Exod. 24.10 God appeared to them with a paved work of Saphir under his feet when the Israelites were going from bondage to liberty 2. Purity therefore it s brought in a foundation stone of the new Jerusalem Rev. 21.19 3. Of chastity Cant. 5.14 Christs belly is overlaid with Saphirs and his Spouse must be chast 4. Glory greatnesse among the Aegyptians the chiefe Priests being Judges wore a Saphir about their necks these and some other particulars were spoken of in the first Chapter vers 26. Throne A Throne is a seate of Majestie and belonging to Kings and great Governours John 3.6 2 King 11.19 Neh. 3.7 and therefore 1. are call'd Kingly Dan. 5.20 and put for Kingdom Prov. 20.28 for government Heb. 1.8 2. Glorious Isa 22.23 and hence are put for Angels Col. 1.18 for heaven Acts 7.49 for great dignity Job 36.7 Here it notes a seate of judgement according to that in Psalm 122.5 There are set thrones of judgement Here was a Throne of judgement set and that of Saphir holding out the Majestie power and greatnesse of him sate in it who was in a readinesse to give out sentence against Jerusalem The Firmament Cherubims Saphire Throne are mentioned but not he sate in it that one was in it is evident from the next vers He spake unto the man cloathed c. that was hee in the Throne In the first vision one like the appearance of the Sonne of man was in the Throne and because no such appearance is here it s conceived to be Jehovah Obser 1. The Lord is King and hath Kingly power he hath a throne and Isa 66.1 Heaven is my Throne And hee sitteth King for ever Psal 29.10 He hath a double Throne 1. A throne of justice Psal 9.7 Hee hath prepared his throne for judgement and this throne is terrible Dan. 7.9 10. It 's like a fiery flame and sends out a fiery stream to scorch and consume delinquents The law is cal'd a fiery law Deut. 33.2 and the breath of him sits in this throne its fire and kindles upon those appeare before it unquencheablie 2. A throne of mercy and grace Heb. 4.16 no sinners dye before this throne they may come boldly to it and finde yea obtaine mercy and grace to help in time of need Jerusalem was at the throne of justice and coals of fire were giving out to burn her to ashes 2. His throne is the chiefest of thrones it s in the Firmament Psal 11.4 The Lords throne is in heaven it s above all thrones he hath Angels men and Dâ—vils under his command the Cherubims heads were under the firmament whereon his throne was those immortall and glorious spirits He is King of nations Jer. 10.7 Of all the earth Psal 47.7 A great King above all gods Psalm 95.3 They have their expansums over their heads of some rich stuffe which shewes their subjection to some other but it s otherwise with God he is above the expansum Hee is the blessed and only potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6.15 3. The Lord who hath so glorious a throne is much more glorious himselfe his throne is saphirine very beautiful like the colour of the heavens If an earthly throne be a throne of glory as Hannah stiles it 1 Sam. 2.8 what is this
and would preserve it and the City from all evills and all enemies what could other Nations doe to them being without God and what should they fear seeing they had God shut up in their Temple were perswaded that he would never leave them This foolish conceit undid them for they observ'd not the Lord to worship him purely and only according to his will and rules given them but defil'd the Temple with all abhominations and constrain'd the Lord to leave them therefore saith the Prophet Then the glory of the Lord departed off the threshold When he saw their vain confidence notwithstanding all their pollutions that they took no warning by his Prophets observ'd not his judiciary threatnings and proceedings repented not of their evill wayes continued still the same having told them of his departure from them and begun it I have spoken before oft concerning the glory of the Lord Chap. 8.4.9.3 in the 4 vers of this 10. Ch. and therefore now shall not need to enlarge Sâ—nct thinks that the glory had not left the Cherubims but only was hid from the eyes of the Prophet by the cloud and that he makes the departure of the glory from the Cherub but this is clouding of the Text which saith the glory of the Lord was lifted up from the Cherub and stood over the threshold The Cherubims were not at the threshold but at the right side of the house vers 3. and here in this 18. vers The glory departed from off the threshold of the house and stood over the Cherubims In Isa 6.2 it s said the Seraphims there stood above the Throne and here the glory and Throne were over the Cherubims Some make these distinct visions the one being of Seraphims the other of Cherubims they having six wings these 4. and then they being above and the Cherubims under here is no opposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Others think it the same vision and then here is a difficulty the Seraphims are above the Cherubims under the throne of glory Musc The words in Isa above it by the Sept. are turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in circuitu ejus they compassed the Throne about Rabbi Kimchi hath it near him before his face They were not above their Lord and Master but seemed to stand above to the Prophets eye who represents them as they appeared to him Some render the Heb. word juxta by or nigh as Exod. 16.3 When we sate by the flesh-pots not above or upon them so Psal â—4 2 Hee hath founded the earth upon the seas It 's a hard speech nigh the seas is better And Psal 137.1 By the waters of Babylon we sate downe The Hebrew word is the same juxta not supra they sate not upon but by them so here the Seraphims were not above but by about the Throne The glory departed from the threshold of the house the threshold of the Priests Court to the doore of the East-gate where the Cherubims stood The East-gate was the gate of the Court where the people met the outward gate at which they came in and prayed with their faces west-ward Observ 1. How unwilling the Lord is to depart and leave that people he hath dwelt amongst and been ingaged unto he had taken in this people to be his and now though they had provoked him bitterly by their Idolatry in his worship and by oppression in the State and had great cause to have left them utterly at once yet see how he goes away in a graduall manner step by step this was the 3d or 4th step he had taken hee was before remov'd to the side of the Temple and then from within the Temple to the threshold and now he steps to the East-gate expecting that upon every step they should have been affected and us'd meanes to have kept the Lord from departing from them He looked that they should have repented of their evill ways purged their Temple from false gods and worship have executed justice and shewed mercy to the afflicted and walked in his wayes and then he would not have left them 2. No visible Church but may fall and cease to be Here was the only visible Church in the world and the glory departed from it and quickly it became no Church The 7. Churches of Asia were famous visible Churches and is not their glory long since departed from them No visible Church but may cease it's being all the Churches in Judea are dead and buried in obscurity meetings of Gods people may cease Ordinances Ministers and Administrations may all be taken away and so the visibility of the Church I doe not say visible Saints shall all faile but visible Churches may the glory may depart from them the signs of his presence and grace may leave them God is not tyed to any place to any people but if they corrupt his worship he may with-draw Hee did depart from Jerusalem from the Temple and they were unchurched 3. When the Lord goes from a people then the protection and benefits they have by the Angels goe away when the glory departed then the Cherubims mounted up from the earth they would not stay to comfort guide protect that people which had driven away their Lord and Master seeing he left them they would leave them also One evill followed another When the Sun is in Apogaeo gone from us we have short dayes and long nights little light but much darknesse and when God departs you have much night and little day left your comforts fade suddenly and miseries come upon you swiftly When God and his Angels goe from a Church the Dragon and his angels get in when mens inventions prevail they are subject to all woes and miseries Hos 9.12 Wee to them when I depart from them Let us take heed wee cause not the glory to depart from us then the Angels that are present at our sollemn and publique meetings will leave us they will not pitch their Tents about us any longer Jer. 6.7.8 As a fountaine casteth out her waters so shee casteth out her wickednesse violence and spoile is heard in her before me continually is griefe and wounds Be thou instructed O Jerusalem lest my soule depart from thee lest I make thee desolate a land not inhabited Be we instructed to cease from wickednesse violence spoile else God will depart from us Angels leave us and both be against us 4. God would have men take notice of his departure the Cherubims stood at the doore of the East-gate and there the glory stood over them that gate was so seated in Mount-Sion that they might see the entrance by it from most parts of the City and here the glory now stood it was come forth from the Temple and now expos'd to publique view that they might enquire what was the matter use all meanes to recover the glory was going VERS 20 21 22. This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Isral by the river of Chebar and I knew
make a full end of the remnant of Israel Joshuah when the men fell before Aâ— and Israel fled look'd not onely at the losse of those men fell but as the hazard of all Josh 7.7 Hast thou brought this people over Jordan to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us So when Gods wrath brake in a little upon the people in Moses dayes hee feared lest the sea of Gods wrath should come in at once upon them therefore he stood in the bryars Psal 106.23 to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them When a cloud riseth droppeth a little they fear a great storm a deluge and therefore looke at the publique they know what God hath said when I begin I will make an end VESS 14 15 Again the word of the Lord came unto me saying Sonne of man thy brethren even thy brethren the men of thy kindred and all the house of Israel wholly are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said Get ye farre from the Lord unto us is this land given in possession THese words are an answer to the Prophets deprecation of judgement he had pleaded with God to spare the residue of Israel the Lord tels him that the inhabitants of Jerusalem looked upon them as none of the Lords people upon the Land City Temple Ordinances as theirs only they thought the captives had nothing to doe with God but were an abject people like the Babylonians and Heathens cut off from God the holy Land and holy things now saith God see whom thou hast interceded for are these fit to be spared wilt thou have those that hate thee and the rest of the captives to lye at peace in Jerusalem The Lord sets them out before the Prophet what kind of persons they were and leaves it upon his thoughts to consider of them and gives not in the compleat answer till after in vers 21. Or thus the Prophet feared lest God would now destroy all and so his Church perish altogether but God here intimates to him that the residue of Israel lay not in the 25. mentioned before nor in them that were in Jerusalem but rather in those who were gone into captivity thy brethren even thy brethren the men of thy kindred c. He calls his thoughts to them would rather have him look at them the seed of the Church the persons to whom the promises belonged of whom should come the Messiah then the others Thy brethren The word brethren hath divers acceptions in Scripture 1. It notes the common nature of man as in Gen. 29.4 saith Jacob Whence are ye my brethren 2. Those are born of the same parents one or both Gen. 37.11.23 Mat. 20.24 3. Such as are of kindred by consanguinity or affinity so Christs kinsmen were call'd his brethren 1 Cor. 9.5 4. Those agree together and are partners in any businesse at Simeon and Levi were brethen in iniquity in murthering the Shechemites Gen. 49.5 5. Those are godly true believers that doe the will of God Mat. 12.49 Heb. 2.11 1 Tim. 4.6 1 Thes 5.27 6. Them that are of the same calling Numb 18.2 Ezr. 6.20 2 Cor. 8.23 Lastly Those are of the same Countrey and Nation Rom. 9.2 Paul could wish himselfe accurs'd for his brethren who were Israelites of the Jewish nation In what sense to take brethren is doubtfull because the verse speaks afterwards of the men of his kindred and all the house of Israel so that hereby two acceptions of the word seem to be excluded and the 1.2 d and 4th are not intended We may take brethren here for those of the same calling French is lez hommes de ton parentage Cast Tuae consanguinitatis homines Pisc Consanguinei tui Vulg Propinqui tui Jun. tre necessarij tui The heb is viri redemptionis tui MoÌ„t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as were Priests and Prophets few the Levites but because these were few wee may take in also the kindred of the Prophet for the words are not thy brethren and the men of thy kindred as making a difference betweene these but thus are the words thy brethren even thy brethren the men of thy kindred Men of thy kindred Heb. is the men of thy redemption The law of redemption was that if a man were waxen poore and had sold his house land or any person some kinsman was to redeem it as you may see Levit. 25.25 and usually the nearest Kâ—nsman was to doe it and the words if any of his kin come to redeem it in the Hebr. are ubà goalo bakkarob elas venerit redemptor ejus ille qui propinquus ad eum he that is neare to him it lay upon him was nearest of blood to redeem house land or persons and also to revenge the blood of persons if slain Numb 35.12 and therefore is rendred here by some viri vindiciarum tuarum the men of thy avengements Both these do set out near kinsmen and therefore it 's likely here are meant some speciall kindred of the Prophets All the house of Israel All that were in Babylon carryed away with Jechâ—niah it 's spoken synechdochically Israel for Judah Are they These words are not in the Originall but here are many nominative cases absolute without any verb to referre to or depend upon Thy brethren even thy brethren the men of thy kindred and all the house of Israel wholly This is usuall in the holy writ Psal 11.4 The Lord in his holy Temple the Lords throne in heaven So Ephes 3.1 For this cause I Paul a prisoner of Christ for you Gentiles It 's so in many places which may be to make us heed the more what we read Vnto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said get ye farre from the Lord c. In this part of the verse is laid down the unjust proceedings of the men at Jerusalem against those in Babylon and it appeares in these things 1 They judge them not the Lords people and so deny them communion with God and his wo ship therefore say Get ye far from the Lord. 2. They arrogate Gods Temple and the worship of it to themselves which is implyed 3. They challenge the land and all in it to be theirs To us is this land given in possession 4. They spake those words with disdain and scorn against the captives they said get yee far from the Lord yee are none of our brethren none of the Church yee are of Babylon we are of Sion yee were a foolish and timorous company void of counsell and spirit in leaving your own Countrey this City and Temple Get yee farre from the Lord. They deemed God was no where but in the Temple And Chap. 8.6 their abhominations had caused God to goe farre from his Sanctuary it 's probable that from this phrase the Heathens took up those passages of thir◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 procul este prophani Schotti adagia sacra p. 19. Lavat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
light breakes out in sweet promises and they are these 1. A promise of mercy to them in Babylon vers 16. 2. Of returning thence from Babylon to Syon v. 17. 3. Of purifying them from their pollutions in the Land of Canaan vers 18. 4. Of regeneration or conversion vers 19 20. 5. A threat to those whose hearts should cleave to their detestable things which is comfortable to the godly For the 16. Verse the sum is this They at Jerusalem look upon you in Babylon as a forlorne and forsaken people without God and his worship they exclude you from all fellowship and communion with them yea from the Land of Canaan and condemne your act of leaving them as illegitimate but goe Ezekiel and tell them that it was my doings to remove and scatter you and that howsoever they looke upon this act of mine as a certain token of my vengeance upon you and tending to your utter destruction yet let them know that they are mistaken and that I am a father of mercies and will be a Sanctuary unto you in Babylon and have deserted them at Jerusalem that the glory is departed thence and come to you Goe declare this for their terrour and the comfort of you Captives The words in the Verse are most of them plaine and easie onely those must be opened I will be a little Sanctuary for there is some diffiâ—ulty about them being variously interpreted Sanctuary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word whence Mikdas comes is sometimes used in Scripture for cleansing and sanctifying as 2 Sam. 11.4 Shee was purified from her uncleannesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence some render the word here in sanctificationem thus I will be to you for a little Sanctification I will purge and cleanse them this Captivity shall be Ignis expurgatorius unto them seventy yeares they shall be in the fire and after that they shall câ—me forth as a Refiners Vessell well purified from its drosse be restored to their Land have a new Temple and pure worship So the vulgar hath it in sanctificationem modicam Jerome also takes it in this sense In Babylon I will sanctifie them divorce them from their Idols turne them from their Idolatry that they may worship me purely and it is observed they never fell to Idolatry more after their returne from the Babylonish Captivity In this sense it affords us this note the Lord doth sanctifie and purge his People by sharpe and long afflictions they had greatly defiled themselves with the sins of the Nations and especially with Idolatrie and now he threw them into the Furnace of affliction to melt and separate the drosse and tinne from them some conceive that in Is 1.25 Referrs to this Babylonish captivity A Lapiâ— I will turne my hand upon thee and purely purge away thy drosse and take away all thy tinne Senacheribs comming did onely scare them Nebuchadnezzars carrying them away and keeping them so many yeares in Babylon was the meanes through Gods blessing to Sanctifie them Gods hottest and fiery tryals are to purge Dan 11.35 God purges the Iniquity of Jacob by afflict on Is 27.9 And it 's all the fruit he gives in it to take away his sin not to take away his limbs or life but his sin when the Seraphin touched Isaiah's lips with a burning coale it was terrible to him but then he sayd Thy iniquity is taken away thy sin is purged Others take the word as here it s rendered Sanctuarie and so is frequently used in the Scripture as Jer. 17.12 Lament 2.7 Ezek. 9.6 The Septuagint read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Sanctuarium so Kerker not in sanctificationem and Suidas interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Templum And so Vatab renders it Mickdas and Montan. sanctuarium so Junius Pisc and Polan Castalio hath it thus Ero eis fanum I wil be to them a Temple a Sanctuary and this sense fits the condition of the Captives For 1. The Inhabitants of Jerusalem reproached them for going into Babylon and looked on them as having nothing to doe with the Temple God or his worship get you farr from the Lord against this evill God comforts them and sayth I will be a Sanctuarie unto you what ever your Brethren thinke or say 2. The Captives wept to thinke of their condition Ps 137.1 By the Rivers of Babylon there wee sat downe yea wee wept when wee remembred Sion When they cald to minde what a glorious Temple they had what solemn assemblies there what pretious Ordinances and comforts they found therein and now saw themselvâ— destitute of all they wept For their consolation saith God I wil be a Sanctuarie unto you and what ever benefit you found by the Saints at Jerusalem you shall finde in mee 1. The Sanctuary was a place of refuge and defence quasi sancta tueri a place to defend holy things for such things were layd up in Sanctuaries the Greeks cal it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a particle privative and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to spoyl rob take away for a Sanctuary was deemed a priviledg'd place from whence no thing or person might be taken away without sacriledge upon this ground Joab fled to the Tabernacle of the Lord 1 K. 2.28 and tooke hold of the hornes of the Altar Moses had his Citties of refuge and in reference to these many Princes appointed Sanctuaries to be priviledg'd places that those fled to them might be secure and this Land heretofore abounded with such places Churches Churchyards and other places were priveledg'd so that if fellons or Traytors did flye to them they were sheltred for 40. Dayes in which time they were to confesse their fault and to submit to banishment taking an oath of abjuration and during those forty dayes no man might take them thence without danger of excomunication or irregularity in this time any might feed them After the forty dayes if their Wives fed them or gave them any sustenance it was fellony Exposition of tearms of Law Stamf. This law was made by K. Edward the confessor grounded upon the Law of mercy and reverence he bare to holy places God would be a Sâ—nctuary to him in this sense Isa 8.14 Sanctifie the Lord of hosts himselfe let him be your fear and your dread A d he shal be for a Sanctuary that is for a defence unto you Jer 42.11 Be not afraid of the K. of Babylon of whom yee are afraid be not afraid of him sayth the Lord for I am with you to save you and to deliver you from his hand here God was a Sanctuary unto them The three Children when the fiery furnace was heat so hot and cast into it found God a Sanctuary unto them Isa 6.1 His traine filled the Temple 2. In it they had Gods speciall presence hence Sion where the Temple stood was cal'd the habition and rest of God Ps 132.13.14 Hence Gods goings and wayes are sayd to bee in the Sanctuary Ps 77.13.68.24
Sam. 12.22 When Heaven and Earth shake the Lord will be the hope of his people Joel 3.16 The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the place of repaire or harbour 3. It is free grace and favour that God doth take any people to be his and becometh a God unto people chuse not God he saith They shall be my people and I will be their God We are vile in our natures wicked in our works no lovelinesse or profitablenesse is in us or by uâ— Ezek. 16.5.6 When thy person was loathed and thou wast polluted in thy blood I sayd unto thee live There is nothing in a Nation that sets his heart a work to doe a people good it was not their greatnesse moved him Deut. 7.7 They were the fewest of all people nor their goodnesse for what was their father Abraham Josh 24.2.3 Terah Abraham and Nachor were idolaters they served other Gods saith the text and I took your Father Abraham so when God tooke his seed in Aegypt they were idolatrous Ezek. 20.5.6.7 There is no righteousnesse in people to moove God neither can any sin in them hinder God from putting forth acts of his free grace Dâ—u 32.10 Speaking of Israel he found him in a desart Land and in the wast howling Wildernesse to which some allusion may be Cant. 8.5 God found out and tooke this people in a wicked lost distressed condition and brought them out by his power and made them his people by his grace 1 Sam. 12.22 It pleased the Lord to make them his people 4. God doth not equally dispense his grace and favour some are his people and he is their God others are not many Nations were left when the Jewes were taken yea all other Nations Amos 3.2 You onely have I knowne of all the Families of the Earth The Lords favour fell upon the Jewes and not others Some infer from Gen. 22.18 In thy seed shall all Nations of the Earth be blessed that God loves all equally at that time he did not the words are a promise of what should be not of what was neither is it so now for if he lâ—ves all alike why doth he deny the means of grace to many Nation why doth he not blesse and make the same effectuâ—l equally to al where they are Besids such an opinion over â—â—ow Election Gods dominion over the Creatures and his freedome in dispensation of grace and mercy John 10.26 Acts 13.48 5. Those are the Lords have a strong ground to plead with God in prayer for any mercy Where is relation and intrest there is encouragement to aske if God be ours and we his surely we may plead with him for great things in our prayers The people of God did so of old Jer. 14.9 Psal 80.4 Isa 64.9 Deut. 9.26 2 Chron. 20.12 Chap. 14.11 VERS 21. But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their dteestable things and their abominations I will recompence their way upon their owne heads saith the Lord GOD. THis Verse is a threatning to those should persist in their evill wayes yet a comfort to the godly that the Lord would judge them and ease them of them Detestable things and abominations These words have been opened in the 18. vers and Chap. 5.11.7.20 Quorum cor ambulat ad cor Heart of their detestable things Hebrew is their heart going to the heart of their detestable things Aprez le desire de leur infametes Idolls have an interpretative desire to be worshipped Heart is sometimes put for the midst of a thing Exod. 15.8 The heart of the Sea Which is cald Ezek. 27.4 The midst of the Sea So their heart was in the midst of their Idols or amongst their Idols what was delightfull in them that was as the heart of the Idoll and their hearts were carryed thereunto Or thus you may take the words they conceiv'd some deity to be in their Idols and they labourd to please and doe those things delighted the heart of that deity Those rites ceremonies wayes whereby they worshipped their Idolls may be cald the heart of their detestable things It was a law among the Heathens that every God should be worshipped as he thought good and the way prescribed by him of worshipping was as the heart and life of the Idoll and the Idolatry I will recompence their way upon thtir owne heads Of these words see what hath been said Chap. 9.10 Chap. 7.3.4.8 That when the Lord makes gracious promises to a people Obser 1. they doe not refer to and fetch in all This Observation rises from the two former Verses this laid together God promises to give them onenesse newnesse tendernesse of heart he promiseth that he will be their God and they shall be his people These promises were absolute yet made good unto some of the Captives not unto all But as for them whose heart walketh after c. They should not come within the compasse of them Many promises of the Lord are delivered indefinitely without restriction and absolutely without condition and yet are made good onely to some even those are given of the father unto Christ many of these after the Captivity never had these promises made good unto them yet God was faithfull in that some had the fruit and comfort of them 2. Tares Hypocrites and naughty ones will be in the Church alwayes some had new spirits tender hearts and walkt in Gods Statutes others had old spirits hard hearts and walked after detestable things some threw away all abominable things and others there hearts went after them They comming out of Babilon and laying the foundation of a new Church it was probable that none but choice ones should have been of it or in it but their were Usurers Sabbath-breakers and such had mingled themselves with strange Wives Nehem. 5. 13. C ham was in the Aâ—ke Judas among the Apostles the Church abounded with Hypocrites in Christs dayes Matth. 13.30 there will be Tares among the Wheat to the end of the World 3. Afflictions great and long doe not sanctifie they were to be in Captivity and that seventy yeares yet after their returne the hearts of many would be carryed to their detestable things It s granted that after they came out of Babylon they never fell to Idolatry that is the body of them did not but doubtlesse some particulars did their hearts went to the heart of their detestable things when they saw some of the old Idols or relicks of them they were affected with them Affl ctions of themselves purge not out corruption nor take the heart off from evill things 4. Mens hearts are in false wayes and worship they take pleasure in superstitious and idolatrous practices Things invented by men and brought into the worship of God are pleasing to humane senses to carnall reason mens corruptions and so take their hearts when the Calfe was made Exod. 32.19 they were greatly affected with it and danced about it 1 Pet. 4.3 Lasciviousnesse
lust Wine revelling banquetting and Idolatries are joyned together False worship and false wayes of worship are set out by such expressions as shew their hearts were taken therewith Numb 15.39 Isa 57.5 Chap. 66.3 Acts 17.16 2 Kings 21.21 Psal 97.7 Ezek. 16.17 18 19 20. 5. That is an object of hatred to the godly is an object of delight unto the wicked in the 18. Verse when the godly should come to the Land againe they would take away all the detestable things but the wicked their hearts would goe after them The hearts of the one sort were for them of the other were against them 6. God takes notice which way the heart lookes how it stands affected As for them whose heart walketh after c. Ezek. 20.16 Chap. 33.31 in the 14 Chap. 3 4 7. thrice God observes They had set up Idolls in their hearts The heart is the principall thing in man that God calls for Prov. 23.26 and therefore he lookes after it Revel 2.23 All the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reines and the heart 7. Things men are much taken with are detestable in the sight of God they affected detestable things Luke 16.15 That is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination with God When men bring into his worship things of their owne he accounts it iniquity Exod. 20.5 and the Authors thereof haters of him 8. Superstitious and Idolatrous persons shall not goe unpunished I will recompence their wayes upon their heads when they had made a calfe quickly after 3000 were slaine for it and though Moses mediated for them yet God tells Moses that in the day he visits he will visit their sin upon them Exod. 32.35 And verse the last The Lord plauged the people because they made the calfe which Aaron made God is jealous and cannot indure his glory should be given to another 9. When ever God punisheth or whom ever he punisheth he is just in his punishment I will recompence their way upon their owne head They shall have the fruit of their owne labours and its certaine thus saith the Lord you thinke your selves safe if vou can avoyd my stroke that your false gods shall secure you but it shall not be I will recompence your wayes upon your heads God may punish men sometimes lesse then they deserve but never more he is just and returnes their owne doing upon them Psal 7.16 VERS 22. Then did the Cherubims lift up their wings and the wheeles besides them and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above HEre begins the fifth part of the Chapter which is a further description of the Lords leaving the City The Cherubims wheeles and glory were at the East gate of the Temple Chap. 10.19 where you have the very words of this Verse Cherubims note out Angels and superiour causes Wheeles inferiour things with the motions of them and by the glory of the God of Israel is meant either the glorious Lord himselfe or somâ— visible signe of his glorious presence Obser All things are under the God of Israel he hath the eminence he is above wheeles and Angells are under him at his dispose if he give out the word the Cherubims move lift up their wings and order the wheeles VERS 23. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City and stood on the mountain which is on the East side of the City HEâ—e you have Gods departure from the City To leave the Temple was greivous had he staid at the gates of it or in the City it selfe any where within the wals it had been mercy but he leaves the East gate which he calls the midst of the City and goeth forth unto the mountain which shewed God would now expose the City to the fury and spoyle of the Babylonians The glory of the Lord. Of this see before Chap. 10.4.18.19 Chap. 9.3 Chap. 8.4 Chap. 3.23 And stood upon the mountain There were many mountains about Jerusalem Psal 125.2 It was compassed about with them the mountaine which the glory went to and stood upon was mount Olivet or mount Olives Zach. 14.4 This mountain was before Jerusalem on the East and the glory of the Lord stood before at the East gate whence it removed and went up this mountaine for it was high and had ascents 2 Sam. 15.30 The standing of the glory upon this mountain may be eyther to see the ruine and destruction of the City and so to weepe over it as Christ did upon or neare the same mount Luke 19. or Secondly to upbraid them for their wickednesse there because they did abominable things in that mount whence it was cald the mount of corruption 2 K. 23.13 or Thirdly to make it typicall to represent the â—scending of Christ to Heaven which was from that place Acts 1.12 These things being granted yet I conceive there was somewhat else in it The glory of God had made severall stands before which they had not much minded now it goeth from the Temple and City to an high conspicuous mountain that they might take notice of Gods departure repent of their sins and use all possible meanes for recalling recovering and keeping the glory with them and Zach. 14.4 The promise is of returning and standing upon the same mount God is unwilling to forsake that people he hath vouchsafed his presence Obser 1. and communicated his favour unto no people in the World had God so nigh them as this people Deut. 4.7 Here God goeth out of the City but not quite away nor quite out of sight he steps to the mountain over against the City Before he had removed to the side of the Temple then from within the Temple to the threshould after that to the East gate and from thence â—o mount Oliv â— and God pauzed at every stand whether he should goe any further The Lord is loath to leave hâ—s people they put him upon it Ezek. 8.6 Seest thou the great abominations that they commit here that I should goe farre off from my Sanctuary they forced God out of all wheâ—as seeing him upon the leaving them thâ—y should have purg d the Sanctuary from all Idolls and false worship and have importun'd the Lord to stay among them when a frieâ—d is lâ—aving his freinds what intreaties what teares many times are used to stay him Acts 21.12.13 Jer. 14.7.8.9 2. God is not tyed so to any place or people buâ— when they grow wicked and defile his worship he may leave them and thâ— place where he hath recorded his name Mount Sion God hâ—d chosen above all places to dwell there Psal 132.14 This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it For ever is a long timâ— in Scripture sense and God had dwelt a long time with them but now the time was come of his departure now the holy Temple holy City holy people were all prophanenes unto him they had corrupted his worship polluted themselves and therefore
the enemies 2. His Sonnes are slaine before his face 3. His eyes are put out 4. He is led into captivity 5. He is imprisoned till his death And why all these burdens Because he had a burden of guilt in his conscience which was worse then all the rest and that burden brings the burdens of judgement for so it s cal'd 2 K. 9.25 When Jehu shot an arrow into the heart of Joram a wicked King he saith The Lord laid this burden upon him Such a burden laid the Lord upon Jezabel for her whoredomes and witchcrafts shee is throwne out at a window her blood sprinkled upon the wall trod underfoot by horses and eaten up all by doggs except her skull feet and palmes of her hands 4. Sinfull Princes cannot escape the judgements of God he hath nets and snares to surprize them to hold them Zedekiah thought by flight to get away but the Lord spread out his net upon him and took him in his snare the Chaldaeans Army was Gods net and snare to catch sinners Habbak 1.13 God makes men yea takes them as the Fishes of the sea and vers 15. They catch them in their net meaning the Chaldaeans which troubled the Prophet that such wicked men should catch and spoyle the Jewes but the Lord knows how to make use of the worst men to execute his judgements So the Goths and Vandalls of old Turkes now to scourge the Christian World c. What base spirits hath God set on worke to correct us c. If God will catch men he hath nets if he will hunt them he hath snares 5. The Lord makes sinners helps helplesse Zedekiah had some Nobles Councellers friends about him a life or person-guard bands of Souldiers but I will scatter all that are about him to helpe him and all his bands God would put him into a helplesse condition they should none of them be able to releive him Men are apt in times of trouble to look unto some helps and hopes but they are vaine things soon blasted scattered Take heed of making flesh your arme of creature confidences Wicked men expect helpe from things beneath from those about them but they are frequently disappointed and so perplexed take Davids counsell Psal 146.3 Put not your trust in Princes nor in the son of man in whom their is no helpe vers 5. Happy is he hath the God of Jacob for his helpe VERS 15.16 And they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall scatter them among the Nations and disperse them in the Countries But I will leave a few men of them from the Sword from the Famine and from the Pestilence that they may declare all their abominations among the Heathen whither they come and they shall know that I am the Lord. IN these two Verses you have two great ends of Gods judgements the first is that the wicked may be convinced from what they have felt and seen that it was the Word of the Lord which they despised that he spake by Jeremiah and Ezekiel that they were his threatnings and now made good by him and this is in the 15. Verse The second is confession of their sin and Gods righteousnesse in their judgements and this is in the 16. Verse Obser 1 That sinners are of as little account with God as dust and chaffe this is held out to us in the words Scatter and Disperse men are no more before God then a little dust before the wind or chaffe in a Fanne the Originall word for disperse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ventilavero Jer. 15.7 God sayd he would Fanne them with a Fanne and Isa 40.15 God counts the Nations as the small dust of the Ballance and Isa 41.2 Gave them as dust to the Sword 2. Judgements produce those effects which mercies doe not they had great means and mercies at Jerusalem in the Land City Temple but under those they did not know not confesse their sins and give glory to his Name but when they were deprived of their mercies under sad and sharpe judgements they should doe so Isa 26.9 When thy judgemâ—nts are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learne righteousnesse Vers 16. In trouble have they visited thee 3. The Lord in the midst of his judgements shewes some mercy I will leave a few men Hebrew is men of number that may quickly be numbred Though many were destroyed by the Sword Famine Pestilence yet some would the Lord leave VERS 17.18.19.20 Moreover the Word of the Lord came unto me saying Sonne of man eate thy bread with quaking and drinke thy water with trembling and with carefulnesse And say unto the people of the Land Thus saith the Lord God of the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and of the Land of Israel They shall eate their bread with carefulnesse and drinke their water with astonishment that her Land may be desolate from all that is therein because of the violence of them that dwell therein And the Cities that are inhabited shall be layd wast and the Land shall be desolate and yee shall know that I am the Lord. THese words containe the second generall part of the Chapter Viz. The sad condition of the people both before and after the Captivity of the King Having spoken of the Captivity of the King now he comes to the beseidging of the City In the 18. Verse a new Type is commanded in the 19. Verse it s applyed and there you have the end of its application which is desolation and vastation and the procreant cause of both Viz. the violence which was amongst them and in the 20. the end of Gods putting them into such an afflictive condition that they may know him to be the Lord. Eate thy bread with quaking Chald. In tre more Sept. In dolore Feare and perplexity of spirit makes men tremble and takes away the sweetnesse of any comfort present The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In commotione Cum tremore corporis such quaking as the earth quakes with or like unto Corne and Leaves so should the Prophet tremble quake in eating looking this way and that way as one affrighted Drinke thy water with trembling c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with torment affliction the Vulgar is in festinatione in haste as they did eate the Passeover This eating and drinking with quaking and trembling was to set out either the great feare should be upon them when the Babylonish Army should beseige them so that they should not injoy the comfort of those creatures without great trouble or the great Famine which should be in the Earth which should cause great feare and trembling least they should want and dye for hunger and thirst least others should snatch out of their hands or pull out of their mouths that little they had and so they were full of care in their eating and drinking Say unto the People of the Land That is those Jewes who were in the
given touching the King and people Temple City and Land and this would put an end to all the vaine visions of the false Prophets Nor flattering divination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divinatio blandientis Miksam is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 futura praedicere to foretell things to come to Divine good or evill it s taken both wayes and when in the evill sense it comprehends what ever is done by Witchery Sorcery Astrologie or the â—ike 1 Sam. 28.8 Saul comes to the Witch and saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divina quaeso mihi in Pythone I pray thee Divine unto me by the Familiar Spirit So 2 Kings 17.17 they used Divinations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They Divined Divinations that were wicked ones Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for a Soothsayer Joshua 13.22 Balaam the Sonne of Beor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illum magum and Numb 23.23 Balaam saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surely there is no Inchantment against Jacob nor any Divination against Israel No Soothsaying Charming Prognostication had power against Israel the false Prophets being addicted to Magick Astrology and such wicked Arts told them that what ever was Prophesied by the other Prophets of the King of Babylons comming and taking Jerusalem yet all should be well which they gathered from the Starres and Planets Divinations were sometimes from the entrailes of Beasts or Birds as Ezek. 21.21 The King of Babylon stood at the parting of the way at the head of the two wayes to use Divination he consulted with Images he looked in the liver Lavater thinkes their Divinations were Astrologicall Acts 13.6 They found a certaine Sorcerer a false Prophet a Jew whose name was Bar. Jesus and that they had taken up the practice of Heathens who looked at and consulted much with the Stars Isa 47.13 Let now the Astrologer the Stargazers the monthly Prognosticators stand up and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee these things were spoken of Babylon who made use of such Artists but in vaine and it was the use of the Jewes to doe so likewise 2 Kings 17.16 17. They worshipped all the Hoast of Heaven and used Divinations and Inchantments To these the people hearkened therefore Jer. 29.8 Let not their Prophets and Diviners which are in the midst of you deceive you Hence I might take a hint to speake against that part of Astrologie as unlawfull yea damnable which is judiciall and Prognosticative From the Conjunction of Planets the benigne and oblique Aspects of them men gather and foretell things to come yea some thinke that all materiall contingent accidents which concerne man are written in the face of Heaven and that God sets the Stars in Heaven to signifie such things If Deodate goe too farre in his Annotations that way our Learned Divines in their Annotations on the place Gen. 1.14 correct that errour and give no allowance to judiciall Astrologie they say the place giveth no warrant to the presumption of Prognosticators or judiciary Astrologers to foretell the fortunes of men These men as Nazianzen saith are like a man that seeing the Pallace or Throne of a Prince take upon them thereby â—o tel what the thoughts and Counsells of the Prince are or fates of civill estates by the Stars or to make any Prediction of any other supernaturall events from the face of the Heavens or the impression of the Planets or from the temperature figure colour or posture of the Celestial bodies for such Arts of Divination are condemned by the Word of God Deut. 18.10 There shall not be found among you any one that useth Divinations or an Observer of times such men are good such are bad for Vers 12. Those that doe those things are abomination unto the Lord. Listen not therefore to their lying observations it matters not what the Conjunctions and Aspects of Planets and Stars are reason and Religion will qualifie them Sapiens yea Sanctus dominabitur astris if holy men have shut and opened Heaven with their prayers if they have cast out Devils they may stop the influence of Starrs Starrs are made for man not man for Starrs if the Lord be with us let Saturne Jupiter Mars c. Be against us one of note saith of the Astrologers and time observers either they tell you of things adverse or prosperous if prosperous and deceive you you are miserable by expecting if adverse things and false you are miserable by fearing if they tell you true things and not good you are presently miserable before they come if they foretell good things to come your expectation will weary your hope and your hope will defloure yea devoure the future fruit of your joy Phavorin lib. 14. Nullo igitur pacto utendum est hujusmodi hominibus res futuras praesagientibus Flattering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blandientis nor divination of a flatterer the Hebrew word originally signifies smooth plaine even and properly refers to things concerne the touching as any thin plate butter oyle and metaphorically is transferd to the speech and instruments of it not ng out the sweetnes smoothnesse and flattery thereof Psal 5.9 They flatter with their tongue Hebrew is the same and may be rendered they smooth with their tongue and make smooth their tongue that is they give flattering and deceitfull words so the Apostle hath it Rom. 3.13 With their tongues they have used deceit so Psal 55.21 The words of his mouth were smoother then butter but war was in his heart that is his words were flattering and deceitfull the singular number is put here for the plurall flatterer for flatterers they promised the people a happy condition of things and fed them with smooth words the Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those things which seem gratious which are acceptable make way for favour which please the Vulgar reads it Neque divinatio ambigua no more doubtfull divination such as the Oracles were which might be taken diverse yea contrary wayes False Prophets have pretences and cunning wayes to prevayle with the people Obser 1. the Verse poynts out the practice of such and what is that they had visions and divinations and when they came to the people and told them of these they were taken therewith Jer 14.14 They prophecyed lyes in the Lords name they said he sent them he commanded them and so by these pretences made way for their lyes 1 K. 22.24 Zedekiah smites Micaiah on the cheek and saith which way went the spirit of the Lord from me unto thee He pretended he had the spirit spake by it and so gain'd upon those heard him Mat. 7.15 Beware of false Prophets which come unto you in sheeps cloathing they seeme harmelesse their countenance words and carriage doe plead for them and usher in their false opinions no false teachers but have some pretences to ingratiate themselves with the people Ephes 4.14 Paul speaks of the condition of the people how they were carryed about with