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A85667 An exposition continued upon the sixt, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth chapters of the prophet Ezekiel, with useful observations thereupon. Delivered in severall lectures in London, By William Greenhill. Greenhill, William, 1591-1671. 1649 (1649) Wing G1854; Thomason E577_1; ESTC R206361 436,404 591

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divine wrath and these God cals for and empl●yes yet to fetch in the Chaldeans for destruction of the City and inhabitants of it Angels are defenders and destroyers of Cities Chaldie is qui constituti sunt ut perdant civitatem Every man with his destroying weapon in his hand A man in the Hebrew it is not every man but the meaning is that not any shou●d appeare without his weapon every one that came should bring it in his hand Destroying weapon Heb. Instrument of his destruction that is not with an instrument to destroy himselfe but with an instrument to destroy othe●s a deadly instrument Observ 1. The Lord will not alwayes be silent and beare with sinners he will cry out against them the longer he hath been silent the louder he will cry at last here God held his peace long or spake in secret to the Prophet shewing him the sins of this City how grievous they were what abhominations they had committed and that being done he cryes out of them calls for executioners to be avenged on them Isa 42.14 I have long time holden my peace I have beene still and refrained my selfe now will I cry like a travailing woman I will destroy and devour at once A travailing woman feeles paine but keepes as long as shee can from discovering the same but when her throwes and pangs come strongly upon her she cryes out of her pains and cals for help So God had borne with their sins restrain'd his fury and vengeance but being overcome with the greatnesse of their sins wearied with their iniquities he cryes out and cals for help of Angels and men to avenge him of his adversaries Mica 6.9 The Lords voyce cryeth unto the City He called aloud unto them his patience was expired Sp●ri● exasperated his voyce was now intended as being in a streight and decessic●●ed to proceede to judgement Amos 2.13 Behold I am pressed under you as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves A cart is long a loading and when it s greatly loaded oft it breake and all is laid in the dust So God being pressed breaks silence brings in dreadfull and inevitable judgements therefore the flight shall perish from the swift c. 2. The Lord usually makes known his judgements before he executes them He cryed in mine eares Ezekiel shall know the Lords intendments before he doth any thing against the City people before notable judgements come upon men Gods method is to reveale them God told Noah of the flood Gen. 6.13.17 The captivity of the tenne Tribes was not hid from the Prophets 2 Kings 17.14 15 16. This Babylonish captivity was known to Isaiah Jeremiah Amos 7.7 8 9. Ezekiel and others 2 Chron. 36.15 16 17. Christ told the Apostles of the destruction of the Temple and miseries that should befall the City before they fell out Mat. 24.1 2. Luke 19.41 42 43 44. Upon this ground Amos is bold and saith Surely the Lord God will doe nothing but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the Prophets Chap. 3.7 There is no necessity upon God for revealing his judgments he doth execute many secretly and openly which were never heard of till felt but Gods ordinary way with his people was to let them heare of his judgements before-hand he made them known to the Prophets and Propheticall men Joseph had the 7. yeares famine reveal'd to him Gen. 41. And God would not hide his purpose of ruining Sadome from Abraham Gen. 18.17 Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I doe No I will not Abraham is my friend he shall know my thoughts Jonas is acquainted with Gods intentions touching Nineveh that great City and the judgments now upon us were not unfore-seen the servants of the Lord had notice of them many yeares since and spake of these tempestuous dayes This God doth to stop the mouth of iniquity that wicked men may not object God came upon them without warning This Lyon roares before he devoures the prey The Lord of Hosts sounds the Trumpet before he comes to battaile hee tels his Prophets and Ministers of Justice that they may give warning unto others that they may prepare to meete the Lord that they may tremble at his judgements repent reform return to God or else perish most justly and that the godly seeing his care herein for ye might work out your salvation with feare and trembling draw others out of their dangerous conditions exercise their graces more fully and intercede earnestly with God for averting mitigating removing or sanctifying of his judgements Abraham intreated for Sodome and Jeremiah for the Jewes when they knew GODS minde was to destroy them 3. No judgments evils come upon any States or Churches but at the Lords call and appointment Let the visitation of the City draw neare or cause the visiters to come God hath soveraign authority over all creatures he is Lord of Hosts and when he gives out the word then judgements step forth and the executioners of them appear 2 K. 8. 1. There was a seven yeares famine in the Land and how came this Elisha tels the Shunamite woman that the Lord had call'd for it he commanded it to come forth of his treasury of judgements When David had sin'd in numbring the people God sent him a sad message by Gad his seer which was this Shall seven years famine come unto thee in thy land or wilt thou flee three moneths before thine enemies while they pursue thee or that there be three dayes pestilence in the Land One of these David was to chuse and the Pestilence he chuseth which God sent amongst them 2 Sam. 24.12 13.14 15. Judgements are in Gods hand and let out at his pleasure He cals for the sword and gives it commission to goe up and downe Ez●k 14.17 He saith sword goe through the Land Hos 11.6 Abide on the Cities He causeth his sword to devour flesh and his arrowes to be drunk with blood Deut. 32.42 Judgements come not till God call them they goe not but where he directs them they hurt not any or more then he appoints nor cease till he command There is nothing casuall accidentall in them but they are by the determinate counsell and will of God 4. When the Lord is in his fury he is not only intense upon but hastning of judgements He cryed with a loud voyce which sets out his intention he would have executioners of his judgements draw neer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polan renders the word appropinquate celeriter seu omni conatu studio make speed and hasten Zeph. 1.14 The great day of the Lord is neare it is neare and hasteth greatly The time was neare and all things in heaven and earth making hast to their destruction yea great hast God brings on judgments sooner then they are expected Did not the Chaldeans come with speed and hast upon them his horses were swifter then Eagles Jer. 4.13 Then Leopards Hob. 1.8 And are any creatures
〈◊〉 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 provide● 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 n●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 e●c●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 ●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
or of great parts cannot elude or evade him VERS 6. Ye have multiplyed your slain in this Citie c. BEfore they had been prophane now their injustice appears Some think the men were not actually slain but oppressed and cruelly dealt withall violence and oppression being counted in the Scripture sense murther but it 's not probable that our Prophet would use such expressions as to multiply the slain and fill the streets with slain if none were slain Chap. 7.23 The land is full of bloody crimes And Chap. 9.9 The land is full of blood And Ezek. 22.2 It 's called the bloody Citie So in the 24.6 9. verses the Heb. is the City of bloods These great men who gave the ill counsell it 's likely that they crusht those opposed them and dealt with them as seditious as rebellious as enemies to the City and State Jeremie you know they sought his life petitioned the King that he might be put to death Jer. 38.4 And it 's probable that many which would not conforme to their idolatrous practises were cut off When the Lord is about to proceed in judgement against evill doers he declares the cause of his proceeding in such a way Obser When God intended to destroy the world he made knowne the cause thereof Gen. 6.5 6.11.12 When hee was about to fire Sodome he discovered to Abraham the ground of i● Gen. 18.20 VERS 7. The slain whom yee have laid in the middest of it they are the flesh and this Citie is the cauldron HEre the Lord shewes them who are the flesh in the cauldron Not in that sense they tooke it for they thought themselves should be the flesh live till old age in the City but the Lord tels them here that those they had slain unjustly whose carkasses lay in the streets and consum'd away they were the flesh boil'd in the cauldron Manasses had been bloody and Zedekiah was bloody and the slain were the flesh and so the City was a cauldron to them but not to the others I will bring them forth of the midst of it God tels them they shall neither live nor dye in it he would order things so that they should be carryed out of Jerusalem and for certainty of it the words are repeated in the beginning of the 9. vers Judgements of God cannot be waved by mens wits or power they jeered and made a construction of flesh and cauldron suitable to their own minds Obser and conceited they should dye in the City in peace but the Lord tels them no he would bring them forth out of the middest of it VERS 8. You have feared the Sword and I will bring a Sword upon you c. IEremie had counselled them to yeeld themselves Chap. 38.17 the King and rest through feare would not hearken They feared the sword and therefore sent to Aegypt for help Jer. 2.18 They feared the sword but not the Babylonish captivity the Lord brought both upon them Obser 1 Where guilt is there is fear they were deeply guilty of impiety and injustice they had sin'd against God by their idolatry against their brethren by their bloodinesse against the King of Babylon by breaking oath and covenant with him Ezek. 17.15 and now what ever they said it 's not neare yet they were full of feare God saw what timorous spirits they had If the horrour of their wicked acts did not seize upon them yet feare of wrath and judgement possessed them Psal 14.5 speaking of workers of iniquity he saith There they were in a great feare Heb. is they feared a fear but where was it in their consciences When the light of nature did convince them of their wickednesse there where the conviction was they feared greatly Prov. 28. The wicked flye when no man pursueth They feare and so fear that they flye to secure themselves from imaginary dangers Lev. 26.36 The sound of a shaken leafe shall chase them And Job 15.21 Eliphaz speaking of the wicked saith A dreadfull sound is in his eares The Heb. is a sound of feares such was in Richard the 3d whose hand was ever upon his dagger The wicked are a restlesse sea Isa 57.20 2. That which sinners fear the Lord brings upon them Saul feared the devolution of the Kingdom to another and it fell to David The Jewes feared lest the Romans should come and take away their place and Nation John 11.48 and they did doe it Prov. 10.24 The feare of the wicked it shall come upon him it 's comming towards him every day and will be upon him ere he dye After the flood the people feared scattering and therefore said Let us build a tower whose top may reach unto heaven Gen. 11.4 vers 8. The Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth Men that feare evils usually take surer courses to prevent them which justly brings the thing feared upon them Richard the third feared the Kingdome would not be firme to him his Nephews he murthers for security and this kindled fire in the Kingdome which quickly consum'd him The Prelats feared their standing to establish themselves they remove from jus regium to jus divinum they frame a new Oath with an c. in it to sweare all men to put to their shoulders for support of their tottering Kingdome but it is fallen it is fallen VERS 9. I will bring you out of the middest thereof OF these words before in the 7. vers And deliver you into the hands of strangers Not of the neighbour Nations for had they come against them because of commerce consultation language and some references to them the Nobles and great ones might have found favour therefore God would put them into the hands of strangers that understood not their language that had no inducements to shew favour to them that regarded neither great nor small They had destroyed their friends now strangers should destroy them I will execute judgements among you Of these words I spake Chap. 5. vers 8. The Lord can use any instruments to accomplish his judgements strangers heathens prophane ones Obser it matters not what the instruments be if the holy God use them his usage of them is holy and he orders all their thoughts counsels operations to accomplish his owne ends VERS 10 11. I will judge you in the border of Israel THe same words are in the 11. verse Where this was must be e●quired it 's generally thought to be at Riblath and the Scripture is for it 2 K. 25.6 some have thought it to be in Babylon but without warrant 2 Kings 23.33 Riblah was in the land of Hamath which lay on the North part of Canaan on the East side and Bonfrerius observes in his Onomasticon of Cities and places that Jerome thinks it to be Antiochia Adrichomius some Citie of Syria or Judaea in the Tribe of Nepthali and this the Scripture gives countenance unto Numb 34.11 12. Others think it to be a Province in Syria
make a full end of the remnant of Israel Joshuah when the men fell before A● 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 Mōt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 K●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 Jech●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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
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 e● 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 servic● 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 Th●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 m●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 person● 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 destroy●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 ●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
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 P●●gue and Famine encreased then they fell upon their knees cryed to God for help as M●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 ●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 me● 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 i● 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 pe●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 urbi● 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
to themselves of their own weaknesse sinfulnesse and unworthinesse Ezekiel fals down upon his face as unworthy to look upon the great and glorious God his own sins and infirmities made him hide his face the great wrath of God against his people made him tremble When Abraham parlied with the Lord being about to destroy Sodom he remembred that he was dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 God is terrible in judgment humility is the best posture an angry God can finde any in when wee lye prostrate at his feete he will not destroy us 3. Those are faithfull messengers of God will deprecate judgments when they are comming upon the people Ah Lord God wilt thou c. So did Moses that was faithfull in Gods house Exod. 32.11 12 13.32 where hee uses strong arguments to presse the Lord to forgive their sins to divert his wrath and to spare their lives or else to blot him out of his booke Joshuah and the Elders of Israel lie upon their faces put dust upon their heads and pray earnestly to God not to deliver them into the hands of the Amorites and to remember his great name Josh 7.6 7.9 Samuel thought it a sin for him not to pray for the people when they were in danger of destruction 1 Sam. 12.19.23 God forbid that I should sinne in ceasing to pray for you Hee had done it and would still doe it and if possible turne away the displeasure of the most High Jehoshaphat when a great Army was comming upon them and ready to over-runne all hee makes an effectuall prayer produceth strong arguments which you may read 2 Chron. 20.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. from Gods power in heaven and earth from the experience they had of him in driving our enemies and giving them the Land from the Sanctuary built for honour of his Name and his promise to heare prayer there from the spring of the enemies when they came out of Aegypt and their intentions now to cast them out of Gods possession and then concludes with a conquering argument of faith O our God wilt thou not judge them for we have not might against this great company that commeth against us neither know we what to doe but our eyes are upon thee He first overcame God by his mighty prayer and then overcame the enemies Jeremie seeing a great famine upon the people he sees upon God Ch. 14.7 8.9 O Lord though our iniquities testifie against us doe thou it for thy names sake O the hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble why shouldst thou be as a stranger in the land as a wayfaring man that turns aside to tarry for a night Why shouldst thou be as a man astonied as a mighty man that cannot save Yet thou O Lord art in the middest of us and we are called by thy name leave us not Doe not according to our sinnes but thy Name thou art the hope of Israel and it hath been thine office worke to save Israel why shouldst thou be a stranger as if thou hadst nothing to doe no right in us 4. Gods judgements puzzle even Prophets they see not into the equity and depths of them Now that all were slaine in the Temple the Citie and all in it ruining the Prophet is astonied and knows not what to make of it that wrath should be so fully powred upon Jerusalem that God would leave himselfe no people no place to be worshipped in frustrate the hopes of his people touching the promised seede and make void all promises thereabout and give up the holy land to prophane uncircumcised wretches this puzzl'd him There is something ever in Gods judgements which wee cannot reach and then because they proceede crosse to our wills expectations desires wee are ready to think hardly of them and boile in our spirits against heaven but we must remember Gods wayes are not ours he is ever righteous in his judgements though we see not the reason thereof Psal 36.6 Thy judgements are a great deepe Some referre it to providence thus mens sins are a deep sea of wickednesse yet Gods providence is a greater deepe which orders them sinners and all things Others take it literally Gods judgements in punishing sinnes is such a depth that no humane understanding can sound Our Prophet could not doe it neither the Apostles and therefore cryes out how unsearcheable are his judgements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When States Churches or persons suffer hard things let us not thinke them wrong'd they suffer not more then they deserve no nor so much Ezra 9.13 Thou hast punished us lesse then our iniquities VESS 9 10. Then said he unto me the iniquity of the house of Israel Judah is exceeding great and the land is full of blood and the City full of perversnesse for they say the Lord hath forsaken the earth and the Lord seeth not And as for me also mine eye shall not spare neither will I have pitty but I will recompence their way upon their head THe Prophet having pressed the Lord with many strong arguments to spare Jermsalem In these verses he hath an answer from God and the reasons thereof The answer is negative verse 10. Mine eye shall not spare neither c. The reasons of this answer are in the ninth verse which are strong and weighty 1. A generall reason The iniquity of the house of Israel c. 2. Particular ones which are three 1. The land is full of blood 2. The City is full of perversenesse 3. Atheisme a ground of all the former reasons For they say the Lord hath forsaken the earth The iniquity of the house of Israel By house of Israel some understand those that had be taken themselves from the ten Tribes to those of Judah whereof was spoken Chap. 4.4 But I conceive we may interpret it of the 10 Tribes whose sins contribut●d much to the finall destruction of all Though they were gone into captivity yet their sins sta●d behind them and had defil'd the whole land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is exceeding great The Hebrews when they would make a thing superlative expresse it by gemination of the word and so it s here their iniquity is great in valde valde the vulgar hath it nimis valde it 's come to the height and scarcely admits of more degrees A like phrase you have in Gen. 26.13 He grew untill he became very great So Matth. 2.10 and 2 Cor. 4.17 there is duplication of the word to set out the greatnesse of the thing The Land is full of blood Hebrew is bloods bloody sins Isa 1.15 Their hands were full of blood And Manasses fill'd Jerusalem with blood 2 Kings 21.16 And not onely Kings did it but the Prophets and Priests shed the blood of the just in the middest of Jerusalem their preaching prophecying counsels and discourses tended that way and therefore they are said to shed their blood So Athaliah slew all the Royall seed 2 Kings 11.1
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 D●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
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 diffi●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 c●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 Lapi● 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 themselv● 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 S●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
Law but by the Preaching of Faith Gal. 3.2 and that spirit made their hearts tender When Job was in his great afflictions they softened not his heart but he sayth God made soft his heart Job 23.16 that was by his spirit Easily admitting or receiving this is the formall intrinsicall nature of this tendernesse that its like Wax taking in impressions the stony heart yeilds not but resists this resists not but yeilds like Gideons Fleece it drunke in the dew as fast as it fell Judges 6. Like the soft earth which drinkes in the raine not like the Rocks and Mountaines which shoot it off Heb. 6.7 Hence sayth Moses Deut 33.3 speaking of Saints who have tender hearts and sit at Gods feet Every one shall receive of thy words And Paul speaking of a naturall man 1 Cor. 2.14 he sayth The naturall man receives not the things of the spirit his heart is stony not tender and so without a capacity of receiving what ever spirituall things are propounded its ready to say as Samuel Speake for thy servant heareth 1 Sam. 3.10 Let God or any from God offer any spirituall things unto a tender heart its ready to receive them Acts 9.6 sayth Saul Lord what wilt thou have me to doe propound what thou pleasest unto me Discoveries of this tendernesse 1. It s affected with and mournes for that hardnesse remaines in it that it is not more tender and wrought upon by the mercies Ordinances judgements of God David was sensible of his hardnesse and deadnesse and therefore cryes oft to God for quickning Psal 119.154 Quicken me according to thy word 156. Quicken me according to thy judgements 159. Quicken me according to thy loving kindnesse 2. It feeles the least sins and rysings of corruptio● as some bodies are so tender that they discerne any distempers stirre in them presently others are hardy and discerne little till it come to some dangerous disease It s not so here a heart spiritually tender is sensible of the least sinne Davids heart smote him for cutting off c. the least moat in the eye crumme in the windpipe are troublesome to them and so the rysing of corruption the very being of sin in the heart is troublesome to a tender heart Paul saw and felt the Law in his members warring against c. 3. It hearkens and yeilds to reproofes Salt will not enter into a stone but into flesh seasons it and makes it savory Reproofes are Salt they enter into fleshy and tender hearts Prov. 17.10 A reproofe entereth more into a wise man then an hundred stripes into a foole Vatablus hath it Descendit in cordatum increpatio his heart is tender and a reproofe presently makes impression the doore opens and it goes in whereas the heart of a foole will not be beat open with many stripes Nec credit nec cedit but the tender hearted wise and godly beleeve and yeild David Psal 141.5 Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindnesse and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent oyle Reproofes soften tender hearts harden stony ones Proverbs 29.1 4. It hath a lively sense of Gods dishonour and the Saints wrong 1. Of Gods dishonour Psal 119.136 Rivers of water run downe mine eyes because they keepe not thy Law When David saw Gods worship corrupted heard his name blasphemed beheld his Law openly violated his tender heart bled with●n him melted into teares and wept abundantly that the infinite holy glorious great God should be so dishonoured by sinfull dust and ashes And Psal 69.9 The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me David reproved men that reproached God by their lips and lives and they reproached him for it Lots righteous soule was vexed at the filthy c. 2 Pet. 2.7 2. The Saints wrong and Churches suffering 2 Cor. 11.29 Who is offended and I burne not When any member of the Church suffered Paul was afflicted grieved as a man burnt with fire and the more tender the flesh is the greater is the paine and so in the heart the tenderer that is the greater sense and paine hath it of others sufferings especially the Churches read the 79. and 80. Psalmes and you shall see how greatly Asaph was afflicted for the miseries of the Church the Saints suffered m●ch without and he suffered much within they were broken in their states and comforts and he was broken in his heart and spirit so Jer. 9.1 O that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weep day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people Acts 12.5 When Peter c. As Christ was tender of the Sain s when persecuted by Saul Acts 9. So every member of Christ participating of his tendernesse feeles in his degree the injuries done to the rest 5. It trembles at the word of God Isa 66.2 Contrition of spirit and trembling at the word doe goe together there is such Majestie authoritie holynesse severitie and glory in the word that a tender heart trembleth at it 2 Chron. 34.27 Josiahs heart was tender he trembled and humbled himselfe before the Lord when the Law was read before him And those in Ezra trembled at the words of the God of Israel Chap. 9.4 6. It s obedient unto the call and will of God its Cor ●equax morem gerens domino let the Lord call it saith here I am what wilt thou have me to doe whether shall I goe I am ready for it Abraham had a tender heart and when God cal'd for his Isaac and bad him goe and offer him upon mount Moriah Gen 22. he had a tractable heart he yeilded presently to the Lord without any dispute or delay a tender heart is an obedientiall heart J siah was tender he●rted and he did the will of God most throughly of any of the Kings of Judah none of them did reforme so as he did 2 Chron 35.18 David was a man of a tender spirit and he fullfil●'d all the wills of God Acts 13.22 7. It s tender towards o he●s a tender heart hath a tender tongue and a tender hand the man hath such an heart speaks evill of none doth harme to none such an one is mercifull to his Beast much more to men he pities those are in a perishing way and would pull them out of the fire ahe Law of kindnesse is in his lips and actions of love are in his hands Jobs heart was soft Job 23.16 and you may finde what his words and actions were Chap. 29 11 12 13 15 16. When the eare heard me then it blessed me he spake such comfortable words to them gave them such good counsell that they blessed him for it and his actions were delivering the poor and fatherlesse helping the blind and lame and making the Widowes heart to rejoyce Tendernesse of heart breeds tendernesse towards others Its sayd of Esau he was red all over like a hairy Garment Gen. 25.25 hee was red and rough
have cald the people to repentance declared the judgements of God to have been at hand interceded mightily with the Lord for them and if possible have prevented judgement but these things they did not Ezek. 34.4 The diseased have yee not strengthened neither have you healed that which was sick neither have you bound up that which was broken nor brought againe that which was driven away nor sought up that which was lost When the people made a Calfe and worshipped it there was a great gap made in the Law in the true worship of God and now wrath was comming out and God would have destroyed them had not Moses stood in the breach to turne away his wrath Psal 106.23 Gaps therefore are the breaches which sins make Nor made up the hedges Hebrew is Non sepivistis sepem yee have not hedged a hedge Vulgar Non apposuistis murum yee have not set up a wall against all incursions This is a metaphor taken from Gardens Orchards Vineyards and Inclosures which having hedges made about them are secure from Swine and beasts breaking into them these Prophets in stead of making hedges for their defence they made gaps for their enemy The hedge about a Church and State is Divine protection sound Doctrine pure worship holinesse of life and execution of Justice and when there is a violation of either of these the hedge is broken downe and the way to make up the hedge againe is by fasting prayer and hearty repentance these Prophets minded neither sound Doctrine pure worship holinesse of life nor cald upon authority for execution of Justice there was a generall violation of all things in the Church and State and they layd it not to heart they neither fasted prayed nor repented but increased the violations trod downe the hedge more and made the gaps wider Ezek. 22.30 I sought for a man among them that should mak● up the hedge and stand in the gappe before me for the Land that I should not destroy it but I found none To stand in the Battaile in the day of the Lord. Their care should have been for the peoples good that when the day of the Lords fury and judgements came he should war against his people they might have been able to stand By Battaile understand not onely the Seidge they endured by the Babylonians but all ●fflictions and miseries which befell them and had the Prophets been faithfull to them the day of the Lords wrath would have been their day of repentance and so they might have stood and not fallen Obser 1. That peoples sins make way for judgements to come in upon them they break downe the wall and the hedge they make gaps and breaches they unfortifie a City unhedge the Vineyard and unarme a State Exod. 32.25 When the people had sinned Moses saw that they were naked a City now without walls an Army without Armes they lay open to the winds and stormes of Divine wrath 2 Chron. 28.19 Ahaz made Judah naked and how he transgressed sore against the L●rd by his sinfull courses he brake downe the hedges and walls of protection and so made them a naked people Gods people have their hedges and fences about them Job 1.10 Hast thou not made an hedge about him and his house Isa 5.2 His Vineyard was fenced and walled Vers 5. and if they were carefull to fly sin their hedges would be without gaps their walls without holes but when they sin they make gaps and holes and the greater their sinnes the greater breaches still are made in them When David fin'd in numbring the people 2 Sam. 24. what a wide gap made he for the pestilence to come in and destroy seventy thousand When Vzzah made a breach in Gods Law by his sinne he made a gap for Judgement to come in upon himselfe Sin is a breach Isa 30.13 and ever makes way for judgments to enter Psal 89.31 32. If they breake my Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgression with a rod and their iniquity with stripes When they breake Gods Laws he will break them with his rods Mich. 7.13 The Land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein for the fruit of their doings by their sinfull actions they breake the bounds and by my just judgements I will make them desolate Hos 12.1 Ephraim dayly increaseth lyes and desolation How desolation By his lyes his lying pretences and practices he makes breaches for desolation to come in Isa 42.24 Who gave Jacob for a spoyle and Israel to the Robbers Did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned For they would not walke in his wayes neither were they obedient to his Lawes 2. It s the duty of the Prophets and servants of the Lord when gapps and breaches are made to goe up into them and make them up they are to stand between the people and Gods judgements when the people had find greatly and made way for soar judgements to come in upon them Exod. 32. Moses ascends into the gapp and makes up the breach he sets upon God by prayer and uses strong arguments to d●vert his wrath he besought the Lord his God and said Lord Why doth thy wrath waxe hot against thy people which thou hast brought forth out of the Land of Aegypt with great power and with a mighty hand wherefore should the Aegyptians speake and say for mischeife did he bring them out to slay them in the Mountaines and to consume them from the face of the Earth Turne from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evill against thy people Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy servants to whom thou swearest by thine owne selfe and said'st unto them I will multiply your seed as the starrs of Heaven and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed and they shall inherit it for ever And the Lord repented of the evill which he thought to doe unto his people Here was a true Prophet that stood in the breach and turned away wrath It was the practice of the good Preists and Prophets to doe so Numb 16. When the people murmured made a breach for the plague to come in upon them Aaron tooke his Censer fire from the Altar put in Incense hasted into the Congregation and made an attonement for the people and stood betweene the dead and the living and stayed the plague see Deut. 9.24.25.26 When Ezekiel saw the Slaughter-men sent out to slay young and old without pitty he steps into the gapp and saith Ah Lord God wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel Ezek. 9.8 in thy powring out thy fury upon Jerusalem Jeremiah was so frequent in the gap deprecating judgements interceding for mercy that the Lord forbids him to pray for that people Chap. 14 11. Chap. 7.16 Pray not thou for this people neyther lift up cry nor prayer for them neyther make intercession to me He usd to pray to cry to intercede 1 Sam.