l 27 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 64 l 6 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 11 r. deprive p 6â— l 10 r. are p 71 l 23 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 72 l 3 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caas p 77 l 26 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 89 in marg r. Rab. Salom p 100 l 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 112 l 16 r lammaveth p 117 l 10 r in question l 12 d. in l 17 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 118 l 1 r. Chapherz p 130 marg r. consequitur p 134 l 18 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 149 marg r. Rivet p 161 l 24 r. Agaf l 29 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 176 l 7 r. Ils chanson l 9 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 167 l 18 r. sicut l 11 r. chalaf p 179 l 12 r. chelef l 15 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 180 l 16 r. avez l 18 r. neither p 181 l 21 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 182 l 24 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 185 l 7 r came p 225 l 18 r. tugida p ibid marg imbuerentur p 227 l 23 r. servum p 229 l 3◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 232 mâ—rg praedit p 235 l 17 r. series l. 10 11 r. â—e doth sometime signifie p 253 l 29 r. Oecolampadius p 263 marg superari p 218 l 22 r. Cannibals p 280 l 5 r differ as much from each other p 330 l 26 put comma after there p 336 l 13 r Adamantine p 340 l 18 r. sequax in marg for auts r. facile p 343 l 15 r. Polanus p 364 l 16 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 369 l 34 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 376 l 10 d. that l 11 d. and p 381 l 15 r ver 25. p 385 l 22 r. Christianity p 390 l 17 r. words p 427 r. of these and other things must be said Lord thou knowest p 431 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 438 l 6 Ezra p 439 l 4 r. said p 464 l 3 r stands p 465 l 24 r. Canaan p 478 l 17 r. Mat. 19.28 p 483 l 1 r. perhaps l 6 r. pintus p 491 l 21 r susâ— p 492 l 8 r. magen I ultâ—r Gomerites p 499 l 13 r. novissimo l 15 r. Mariana p 204 l 28 r. Manuaises p 210 l 27 r. Apharsâ—thchâ—tes p 215 l 27 r. look ar l 28 d. in lat â—b r some at Jer. 1.14 p 232 l 29 r. been p 234 l 20 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 237 l 8 r. senarium p 340 l 10 r. hecharutz Joel 3.19 l 18 r. seven p 250 l 27 r. Tzitun p 251 l 15 r. for by â— vâ—z p 258 l 3 r. for l 5 r. mounted p 264 l 10 r. baalvonam p 270 l 27 r. to be led p 279 l 18 r. Ezek 34 25 p 282 l 1 r. Haffen l 29 r. Jeholakâ—n p 283 l 2 r. so l 21 r. of the p 284 l 26 27 r. City p 295 l 26 r. expressionâ— p 307 l 21 r. in the p 308 l 6 r. Rev. 16. p 315 l 21 r. one p 316 l 8 r. probable p 318 l 21 r. resecta p 320 l 21 r. Shâ—ttim p 321 l 25 r. destroy Pag 326 l. 17 r. the outer p. 328 l. 19 r. infallible p. 325 l 1 r. bride p. 336 l. 27 r. bickneh hammiddah p. 345 l. 24 25 r. we cy p. 351 l. 14 r. lead p. 351 352 353 c. for carkeises r. carcases p. 353 l. 13 r. Ezek. 48. last p. 354 l. 8 dele or l. 9 r. Jehoiachin l. 16 r. pegarim p. 361 in marg exuendus l 4. Junius p. 363 l. 21 r. chok p. 364 l. 4 r. That p. 367 l 13 r. holy p. 370 l. 18 r. by it some l. 33 r. made p. 371 l. 31 r. this Altar p. 372 r. this Alt. l. 11 r. Harâ—â—l p. 375 l. 4 r. sâ—crifices l. 6 r. that validity p 385 l. 27 r. your p. 388 l. 31 r. the Lord p. 389 l. 26 r. lowest p 388. l 3. r. Lev 10.12 p 393 r one of the musts p 394 l 6 r. military p 396 l 23 r. their p 399 l 2 r. thine p 405 l 31 r. those p 418 l 1 r. 1 Joh. 2.1 p 419 l 12 r. corruption p 535 l 3 r in part p 536 l 12 r. there dele comma after worshipped p 540 l 20 21 r. to a bullock l 20 dâ—le and l 22 r. with the Lâ—mbs l 25 r. werâ— p 541 l 19 r. would p 546 l 4 d. â— l 5 r. Sanctâ—uâ— p 550 l 2 which suits with l 4 r. fruimur l 12 vehicalum p 552 l 5 r. quencheth l 26 dele Mâ—t. p 558 l 14 r. proceed p 559 l 16 r. on p 560 l 9 r. riches both p 564 l 33 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 567 l 22 r. Arias p 581 l 2 r. Hamath l 6 r. Hauran l 19 r Kadeth l 24 r. Sanctius p 582 l 16 r. came p 583 l 30 put comma after the fâ—rst in p 586 l 15 16. r. Ephraim l 23 r. distribution and so elsewheâ—e p 590 l 1 r. he shall p 596 l 27 r. but even p 600 l 10. r. Hafenrefferus l 22 r. greatest p 603 l. 12 r. only l 13 r bear p 607 l 31 r. he will There is likewise in Press the Second part of that practical peice of Divinity called The Christian mans Calling by Mr. George Swinnock containing Dealings with all men in all conditions whether inprosperite or adversity in all companies good or bad in solitariness on the Week day from morning to night in visiting the sick upon a dying-bed AN EXPOSITION Upon more Chapters of EZEKIEL CHAP. XXX 1. The word of the Lord came again unto me saying 2. Son of man prophesie and say Thus saith the Lord God Howl ye wo worth the day 3. For the day is near even the day of the Lord is near a cloudy day it shall be the time of the heathen 4. And the sword shall come upon Egypt and great pain shall be in Ethiopia when the slain shall fall in Egypt and they shall take away her multitude her foundations shall be broken down 5. Ethiopia Libya Lydia all the mingled people Chub and the men of the Land that is in league shall fall with them by the sword THIS Chapter is a continuance of the former prophesie and hath two generall parts in it The 1. is concerning the destruction of Egypt and those that were confederate with her to the 20. vers 2. Is concerning Pharoah King of Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon from the 20. vers to the end In these Verses we have 1. The Authority of the prophesie it 's divine from the Lord ver 1 2. 2. The thing imposed upon Egypt Howling vers 2. 3. The Reasons thereof vers 3 4 5. Vers 1. The Word of the Lord came again unto me This Preface is to
many Chapters before it adds weight to the prophesie making those concern'd to mind it more seriously When the Lord speaketh who can but prophesie Amos 3.8 And who can but mind what is prophesied Vers 2. Son of Man prophesie The immortall God speaks to a mortall man honours him with Divine Revelations and that he might not be exalted therewith he minds him of his meannesse and mortality saying Son of Man prophesie Prophesying was not at the will of man but when the Spirit mov'd them to it 2 Pet. 1.21 Thus saith the Lord God What the Prophets gave forth as Prophets was not from their own hearts and heads some humane thing but it was altogether Divine from Jehovah Adonai whose Being is of himself and hath Dominion over all What they and the Apostles writ was the word of God and so ought to be esteemed and received 1 Thess 2.13 Howl ye He speaks to the Egyptians and others upon whom sad judgments were coming he calls to them to lay to heart and lament for the evils were at hand The Hebrew Jalal hath agreement with Alal which signifies in nihilum redigerâ— to reduce a thing to nothing because when men do mourn and lament greatly it wastes and consumes them so as it well nigh brings them to nothing Woe worth the day The words may be read Ah the day alas for the day as Joel 1.15 Or O the woe of the day an unhappy day wherein thy Cities shall be made heaps man and beast destroyed all laid waste and desolate The French is malediction sur ta journee a curse be upon that day Vers 3. The day is near even the day of the Lord is near Day here is put not for a day in strictnesse of sense but for the time wherein those judgements should befall Egypt and other parts and it s call'd the day of the Lord because of his special manifestation of himself When God doth either in mercy or judgement declare himself Emphatically that is said to be the day of the Lord. Other dayes are his dayes but such in a special manner The duplication of the day here is to make the deeper impression both upon the Jews who rested too much upon Egypt and also upon the Egyptians who were secure and feared not he tells them of the nearnesse of it that they may be awakened that they might the more fully be awakened he tells them what kind of day it will be A cloudy Day The Hebrew is Dies Nubis a Day of a Cloud there will no Sun shine that day a black thick dark cloud will arise that day and make a terrible tempest Gods judgements are likened unto clouds and rain for the sadnesse and terriblenesse of them Psal 11.6 He shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest The French is iour tenebreux It shall be the time of the Heathen Heathen may be taken either for the Babylonians who should come and conquer Egypt and then do what they pleased therein and so it should be their day or for the Egyptians and the Nations adhering to them and so it should be their day to be spoiled and suffer grievous things it was a time of undoing these and a time of making the other God had appointed that time for them both Vers 4. The sword shall come upon Egypt The Chaldean Army shall come and make warâ—e upon the Egyptians and they shall be under all the miseries and mischiefs which attend warre and they are many And great pain shall be in Ethiopia The word for pain in Hebrew is Chalchalah which Montanus renders Vacillatio shaking the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trouble or perturbation the Vulgar pavor fear others dolor magnus great grief which the word imports for it s from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parturire to bring forth notes such grief and pain as women have when they are in travail When the King of Babylon came into Egypt Ethiopia was in travail When the slain shall fall in Egypt It were better rendred when the wounded shall fall men slain are fallen men wounded are ready to fall or falling The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chalal signifies one wounded and so the French hath it qui seront naurez tomberont en Egipt And her foundations shall be broken down By Foundationâ— Cityes Towers Forts Castles any strong holds may be understood Some make the foundations of Egypt to be their riches forces and confederates but the first sense of the Word is more Genuine because he speaks of breaking down which is proper to the one and not the other Vers 5. Ethiopia In Hebrew Chus so call'd from Chus the Son of Cham Gen. 10.6 who first inhabited that part of Africa and from him the people were called Cussites from the Grecians it received the name of Ethiopia which is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to burn and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the countenance because the heat of the Sunne there is such as it scorcheth the faces of the people This Country is judged to be as large as Germany France and Italy but not very populous because of the extream heat they circumcise their Males and Females baptizing the Males fourty dayes and the â—emales eighty dayes after their Circumcision and they rebaptize themselves in Lakes and Ponds every year on the day called Epiphany Heylin in his Microcosm because they conceive that the Lord Christ was baptized by John in Jordan that very day But whether this was the Ethiopia Nebuchadnezzar should spoil some question because it is said chap. 29.10 That Egypt should be made desolate from the Tower of Syene unto the border of Ethiopia that is to the Asian Ethiopia Syene was at the front of the African Ethiopia and whether Nebuchadnezzar entred that Ethiopia is doubtful In locum Quistonpius is peremptory in it and saith he never passed beyond Syâ—ne into it Lybia In Hebrew Phut from Phut the son of Cham Vid. suum in Gen. 10.6 Gen. 10.6 and the inhabitants thereof were at first called Phuthaei or Phuttians and afterward Lybians the Country being named Lybia from Lybs a King of Mauritania or from Lybs the Southwind which gently breatheth there or from Lybia a Queen thereof it 's now call'd Sorra which signifies a Desert because its a Country full of sandy Deserts And Varro will have it called Lybia Heylin in Microcos quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it wants raine Heretofore all Africa was called Phut afterwards only the Western Parts of Africa as Mauritania and Tingitana Shindler Martinius where the Kingdome of Fez or Lybia now is Lydia The Hebrew is Lud from Lud the Son of Shem Gen. 10.22 as some will have it or from Ludim the Son of Mizraim as others affirme This Lydia was a Region of Asia the less formerly called Maeonia in it were those famous Cities Philadelphia Sardis Pergamus Thyatira and Laodicea Alapide would not have it to be this Lydia
escaped as the destruction of Jerusalem from the 21. vers to the 30. and this is set out or amplified 1. From the time and occasion of it vers 21. 2. From the efficient cause vers 22. 3. From the moving causes vers 24 25 26. 4. From the finall cause which is in the 29. vers Vers 21. In the twelfth year of our captivity in the tenth month in the fifth day of the month How long this was after the taking and smiting of Jerusalem will appear by comparing Jerem. 52.5 6 7. with this verse In the eleventh year of Zedekiah in the fourth month in the ninth day of the month the City was broken up The captivity of the Jewes began with Zedekiahs reign for that time he was made King Jehoiachin was carryed away captive into Babylon 2 Kings 24. Now this was in the twelfth year of the captivity the tenth month in the fifth day of it so that it was a year and six months wanting four dayes before this tydings of Jerusalems being smitten came to Ezekiel One that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me saying Many perished in Jerusalem by the famine and plague in the time of the Siedge many were slain at the taking of it yet some escaped and its probable they hid themselves in holes woods among the mountains or fled to Aegypt one of which after so long a time as a year five months and sixteen dayes came to Ezekiel and told him The City was smitten it s without question he and others had heard somthing of Jerusalems condition before but no certainty The City is smitten The word for smitten is from Nacah which notes so to smite as not to misse it was certainly smitten The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The City is taken The Vulgar Vastata est civitas The City is laid waste Broken up as in Jerem 52.7 This was sad News he brought that Jerusalem that famous City that City of God was destroyed Vers 22. Now the hand of the Lord was upon me This expression we had in the 1. Chap 3. Chap 3.14 The hand of the Lord was strong upon me And here by the hand of the Lord is meant Vis Prophetica or Afflatus Propheticus Prophetical breathings of Gods Spirit were upon the Prophet whereby he was inabled to speak freely and boldly concerning the state of the Jews in Judaea that had escaped God informed the Prophet how things were at Jerusalem before the Messenger came In the evening afore he that was escaped came The evening was the beginning of the day among the Jews and so of much esteem and God then by his Spirit visited the Prophet And had opened my mouth untill he came to me in the morning In the 24. Chap God had told the Prophet that one should escape and bring him tydings of things at Jerusalem and that in that day his mouth should be opened and here it s made good The opening of the mouth implyes 1. Materiam loquendi Matter of speaking 2. Libertatem loquendi Freedom of speaking 3. Occasionem loquendi Opportunity of speaking All these concur'd here he had matter given in to speak unto those that were escaped and flattered themselves they should live and recover their losses he had freedom Jerusalem being smitten boldly to maintain what he had formerly prophesied against Jerusalem and occasion Ministred unto him from the mans coming The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad fer untill were better rendred when so Sa in his notes upon the place hath it donec procum saith he There was a sweet harmony and correspondency between what the Prophet received from the Spirit of God and that which this Messenger faithfully related unto him My mouth was opened and I was no more dumb After this he was so fill'd with the Prophetical Spirit that he was silent no more but prophesied freely and frequently unto them First Observe Gods people are sometimes under long afflictions In the twelfth year of our captivity They had endured many miseries in a forraign Land amongst a barbarous people twelve years Numb 20.15 We dwelt in Aegypt a long time and the Aegyptians vexed us and our Fathers Aegypt was an house of bondage and vexation unto them and when they were brought out God threatned them that if they would not observe all the words of his Law to do them and fear his glorious name he would make their plagues great and of long continuance Deut. 28.59 And this captivity of theirs was so long that they thought God had forgotten them Lament 5.20 Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever and forsake us so long time Seventy years time they lay in Babylon which was no better then an iron furnace Ezekiel Daniel and other Godly Ones were in this condition Secondly Observe That when utter dessolation comes upon places and Gods judgements are severe yet some have their lives for a prey One that had escaped came Ezek 9.5 The slaughter-men are commanded to shew no pity but to slay utterly old and young both maids little children and women only the marked ones they must not touch its probable this man that escaped was one of the marked Ones for he had a special care to come and inform Ezekiel what had befallen them and the City that so he might bear witness both to the truth of Jeremies and Ezekiels prophesies had he been a wicked man he would hardly have come to the Prophet into Babylon but whoever he was he escaped famine plague and sword which cut off thousands of others Thirdly Observe Ancient renowned and priviledged Cityes have their periods and dissolutions Jerusalem was very ancient there is mention of it in Joshuah's dayes Josh 15.8 She was famous throughout the earth call'd the Gates of the People for the resort unto her Ezek 26.2 She had choice priviledges she was the holy City Isa 48.32 The City of the Lord of Hoasts Psal 48.8 The City of Solemnities Isa 33.20 The valley of Vision Isa 22.1 The perfection of beauty Lament 2.15 The City judged by all to be impregnable Lament 4.12 But whatever Jerusalem was here 's the conclusion Jerusalem is smitten broken in pieces and laid utterly waste Kings Princes Nobles Counsellours Judges Prophets Priests People all were smitten In Rev 8.12 it s said The Sun Moon and Stars were smitten a third part of them but here the Sun Moon and Stars and Orbs they were in were wholly smitten O what darkness was then upon the face of the Jewish earth All created and artificiall glory is subject to smiting let not your hearts be taken with Sun Moon or Starres with Cities and the glory of them c. Fourthly Observe The faithfulnesse of God in performing what he foretells and promises Chap. 24.26 27. It was hinted to the Prophet that one should escape the fury of the Babylonians and bring the news of Jerusalems destruction and that That day his mouth should be opened and he should speak and is it not
Gods people are in the safest condition of any they have promises of protection and security from all their enemies from those without and those within They shall no more be a prey to the Heathen that is those without he Nations abroad in the world Neither shall the beasts of the Land devoure them that is none within none of them among whom they dwell not the Magistrates not the Prophets nor the base and vile ones of the earth none shall harm them none shall make them afraid but they shall dwell safely Not to be harmed by the beasts of the Land is mercy but not so much as to be made afraid by them is greater mercy None under Heaven are in so good a condition for protection and safety as Gods own people Job 11.18 19. Thou shalt take thy rest in safety Also thou shalt lye down and none shall make thee afraid Job himself and all he had should be in safety free from fear and danger Jer 31.10 Hear the word of the Lord O ye Nations and declare it in the Isles afar off and say he that hath scattered Israel will gather him and keep him as a Shepherd doth his flock Here the Lord makes Proclamation to the Nations and layes it upon them to make it known to others that he would have a special care of Israel that is his people and keep them as a Shepherd doth his flock he would not suffer the Wolves Lyons Bears Dogs to hurt them or make them afraid Isa 27.3 Least any hurt the Lords Vineyard he will keep it night and day he will not slumber nor sleep but alwayes watch over it his care for his is the same in the night when wild beasts are abroad as in the day when they lye hid in their dens Psal 31.20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavillion from the strife of tongues Gods people are hidden Ones and so secured from the harm of enemies hands and tongues Vers 29. And I will raise up for them a plant of renown and they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the Land neither bear the shame of the heathen any more This verse speaks out the goodness of God unto his Flock abundantly in positive and negative mercies he would raise up for it a plant and that of renown and he would free it from hunger and shame And I will raise up for them The words may be read thus For I will raise up for them and so be a reason of what went before viz They shall no more be a prey to the Nations nor be devoured by the beasts of the Land but dwell safely without fear for I will raise up a plant of renown for them It s true the Hebrew Particle Vedoth sometime signifies for as Psal 60.11 Give us help from trouble for vain is the help of man Veshaveh is the word Ve is there for â—o Isa 64.5 Behold thou art wroth for we have sinned Ve is rendred for But the Prophet here is reckoning up variety of promises mercies and benefits which the Lord makes to and would bestow upon his people and therefore Ve or Va is here Copulative continuing the ceries of mercies and promises And I will raise up You are like plants pluckt up by the roots scattered here and there like dry branches but I will raise up a plant for you even a Plant of renown The Hebrew is Mattah lesem A plant for name the Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A plant of peace the Chaldee is Plantationem ut permaneant A plantation that they may remain the Vulgar is germen nominatum A noble sprigg or plant Vatablus hath it Plantulam celebri nomine A plant of a famous name that should bring glory and renown unto them Iren. saith Plantam ad celebritatem A plant for fame Piscator turns the words thus Plantam nobilem A noble plant Campadius and Lavater are to this purpose Plantationem or plantam in nomen A plant for name or renown as both the French and our Translation is This Plant of renown is by some Expositers interpreted to be the Christian Church gathered out of all Nations and planted in Christ which Isa 61.3 is call'd The planting of the Lord Isa 60.21 The branch of his planting Others do expound it of Christ so doth Jerome Theodoret and divers later Expositers we may take in both Christ and the Church which springs up out of him but chiefly Christ is presented to us by this plant of renown which is the same with that in Jerem 23.5 where it s said I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall reign and prosper he shews whom he means by that righteous branch viz Christ who was to be King and to execute judgement and justice in the earth So here the plant of renown is the righteous branch God would raise the one and the other Hence Isa 53.2 he is said To grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground God planted him in Sion and he came from Joseph and Mary who were like dry ground and he is oft call'd the Branch and Branch of righteousnesse and Branch of the Lord Zech 3.8 Jerem 33.15 Isa 4.2 In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautifull and glorious or beauty and glory as the Hebrew is It s evident Christ is the plant or branch and not simply so but a plant of renown that which makes men renowned is something extraordinary what is common extends not far neither procreates renownednesse but when things are beyond or above the common course of things then they spread and beget fame now Christ had extraordinaries not a few First His conception and birth were extraordinary Isa 7.14 Matth 1.18 20. Luke 1.31 32 35. Secondly His gifts and graces were extraordinary Isa 11.2 3. Luke 2.46 47. John 1.14 Chap 3.34 Coloss 1.19 Chap 2.3 Thirdly He did extraordinary things and many of that kind He took away the sin of the world John 1.29 He brake down the partition wall between Jew and Gentile and reconciled both to God Ephes 2.14 15 16. He laid the foundation and built the Christian Church Zech 6.12 He brought in everlasting righteousnesse Dan 9.24 Life and Immortality 2 Tim. 1.10 He did many miracles John 3.2 Chap 7.31 Chap. 9.16.32 Chap 11.47 Chap 12.37 He fullfilled all righteousnesse Matth 3.15 He authorized and enabled men to cast out Devâ—lls to cure all diseases Matth 10.1 He revealed the father Matth 11.27 He forgave sins Luke 5.20 21. He foretold things to come Matth 24. He sent the Comforter John 16.7 He did such works as never any man did John 15.24 Fourthly He suffered more then other men his sufferings were extraordinary Isa 53.3 4 5 6 7 c. Luke 22.44 so Matth 27. Luke 23. He trod the wine-presse of the fiercenesse and wrath of
soundly salted with Gospel-truths shall never perish Vres 26. They shall consecrate themselves The Hebrew is They shall fill their hands Some by hands understand the sides of the Altar because Jad signifies both a hand and a side others take hands for the hands of the Priests which should be fill'd with Sacrifices that is with sacrificing-work and so prefigured the full imployments the Gospel-Ministers should have But the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifies to consecrate as learn'd Hebricians observe Exod. 28.41 Thou shalt anoint them and consecrate them the Hebrew is thou shalt fill their hand so Exod. 29.9 Nu◠3.3 1 King 13.33 Judg. 17.5 In these places the Hebrew is fill'd the hand which notes consecration according to the Hebrew dialect and so it imports the Ministers consecrating and dedicating themselves unto the work of Christ under the Gospel The 27. verse speaks of the daily sacrifices and work of the Altar One Sacrifice or other was to be offered daily Two Lambs one in the morning another in the evening were to be offered daily Exod. 29.38 39. these were for the Burnt-offering vers 42. Besides which here is mention of a Peace-offering of which they were neither to eat the fat nor the bloud Levit. 3.17 signifying that those who are at peace with God through Christ ought neither to be carnal nor cruel but to mortifie their carnal lusts and to be meek as Christ was The daily sacrificing of the Priests here shew'd the daily and constant work of the Ministers under the Gospel Preaching Administring of Sacraments Praying and Praysing of God is to be their daily work which being done according to rule and in the name of Christ makes them and the people accepted Vers 28. It shall be upon the eighth day Here is foretold saith Master Shepheard the continuance of the Sabbath in gospel-Gospel-days The eighth day from the Creation being the first of our Redemption Noah is call'd the eighth 2 Pet. 2.5 who was the first in regard of his years and dignity of person and first entred into the Ark Gen. 7.7 And so the Lord's day may be the eighth in one sense and the first in another The EXPOSITION continued upon the Remaining Chapters of EZEKIEL CHAP. XLIV Vers 1 2 3. 1. Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward Sanctuary which looketh toward the East and it was shut 2. Then said the Lord unto me This gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no man shall enter in by it because the Lord the God of Israel hath entred in by it therefore it shall be shut 3. It is for the Prince the Prince he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord he shall enter in by the way of the Porch of that Gate and shall go out by the way of the same THIS Chapter treats of the Priests and divers Ordinances concerning them 1. Sundry things are presented to Ezekiel touching the Priests 1. The priviledge of the High-priest in the three first verses 2. A reproof of the Priests for their profaness and neglect from the beginning of the 4. vers to the 9. 3. The exclusion of some and deposing of others from the Priest's office from the 9. to the 15. 4. What Priests God will accept of vers 15 16. 2. The Ordinances which concern the Priests are laid down from the 17. vers to the end Vers 1. Then he brought me c. The Prophet having seen the Altar for Burnt Sin and Peace-offerings with the Ordinances thereof is brought back to the East-gate or Gate of the outward Sanctuary that which separated the Priest's Court from the peoples or the outmost Gate of all We must follow Christ which way so ever he leads us be it backward or forward he hath something to reveal unto us which will be for our use Vers 1 2. It was shut What Gate so ever this was it was shut and therefore shut because the Lord had entred in by it and no man might but the Prince only Some take Prince literally for the governour of the people but the best Expositors take it for the High-priest who was preferr'd above and so Prince of all the rest For in this Chapter he speaks of the orders of the Priests This Prince or High-priest was a type of Christ The High-priest was to be without blemish anointed with holy oyle to be covered with clean linnen and cloathed gloriously on him was a plate ingraven with holiness to the Lord he had the Vrim and Thummim he bare the names of the 12. Tribes of Israel upon his Breast and Shoulders as appears Levit. 22.13 Exod. 29.7 Exod. 28.2 42.36 30.9 So Christ our High-priest was without blemish Heb. 7.26 Anointed with the Spirit Isa 61.1 He was holy glorious yea Holiness altogether Luk. 1.35 Mark 1.24 He had all perfection Col 1.19 Chap. 2.3 He bears all Israel in his Breast and on his Shoulders Isa 40.11 Heb. 7.25 What is meant by the Gate shut is necessary to inquire It was not the Womb of the Virgin which was shut up after the birth of Christ as Popish Interpreters expound it Some of the Antients make it to be Heavenly mysteries which none know but 〈…〉 the Father and the Son Some make it the Scripture or Book sealed with seven seals Rev. 5.1 which none could open but Christ This Gate shut rather notes the Gate or Entrance into heaven which Adam by his fall had shut so that no man whatsoever being sinful could open it or enter onely Jesus Christ our High-priest hath opened it and entred Heb. 4.14 We have a great High-priest who is passed into the heavens He hath broken all the bars locks and bolts which kept it shut and hath opened the same so that now sinners may have access to God The High-priest once in a year entred into the Most Holy place the door opened to none but him this typified Christ's opening of heaven and entrance in thither as is clearly exprest Heb. 9 7 8 11 12 24. The Tabernacle and Temple were representations of heaven and so was this Vision of Ezekiel and as the Gate here was shut so was the Gate of heaven till the Lord Christ the Arch-bishop of our souls opened the same and entred No man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of Man which is in heaven Job 3.13 No man ever by his own virtue or power ascended up to heaven but Christ Henoch and Elijah neither ascended nor entred by their own strength grace or goodness Christ's merits were the Key which opened heaven for them and others Christ is the door and the way and no man comes to the father but by him Job 14.6 It 's by Christ alone that we come to the knowledge and fruition of the Father he reveals him and his mysteries and brings us unto the injoyment of him Quest If Christ have entred in by this Gate why is
be Jehovah Shammah he will uphold and preserve that building Matth. 16.18 Vpon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail In ecclesia est Deus qui est suum esse omnium rerum esse praeservare He is the keeper of Israel Ps 121.4 I will keep this city from being besieged stormed or plundered 4. His making himself and his mind known in an especial manner as he did to Moses Exod. 6.3 I appeared to Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty but by my name Jehovah was I not known unto them but unto Moses he was known by that name and imparted his mind unto him above others So shall it be in this city Isa 11.9 The earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah Isa 52.6 My people shall know my name Isa 60.16 Thou shalt know that is the Church that the Lord I Jehovah am thy Saviour They in Judah Israel Salem and Sion had other knowledge of God and his Name then the Nations had and they of this city shall have peculiar knowledge of God what others had in the ear they shall have in the eye what others had in the head they shall have in the heart Christ will make great and glorious discoveries of himself and of his mind unto the citizens of this city Rev. 11.19 The temple of God was opened in Heaven and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of the Testament Christ is the Temple of God and his Temple was opened in Heaven that is the Church frequently called Heaven in this Book of the Revelation The Ark in the Old Testament-Temple which had the Table of the Law and the pot of Manna in it typed out Christ the Gospel and mysteries thereof which held out that Christ the spiritual Ark shall not be hid Jehovah Shammah God is present in Christ and Christ will so open himself to this city that himself Father and mysteries of the Gospel will be more plain and manifest then ever 5. His ruling and governing of this City and it s a happy city which hath Jehovah Christ the King of Righteousness to govern it Zech. 14.9 Jehovah shall be King over all the earth and in that day there shall be one Lord not many Lords but one Lord even the Lord Jesus Christ Ezek. 37.22 One King shall be King to them all to all the converted Jews and Gentiles which make this city of God Zech. 6.13 it is said of Christ there that he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall hear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his Throne Christ shall bear the glory not onely for building the Temple and the city but also for ruling because he will rule righteously and faithfully to the satisfaction of all Isa 11.5 Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins and faithfulness the girdle of his reins This girdle he never puts off but is girt therewith always shewing his readiness to be faithful and righteous in his government 6. The pouring out of his Spirit Jehovah is there to pour that out more fully what men had formerly was onely the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.23 A few had it poured out upon them but then will be a more plentiful effusion all the Citizens of this City shall be filled with the Spirit Zech. 12.8 He that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God and the Angel of the Lord before them then shall the weakest by the Spirit of Christ abound in gifts and graces and be as David who excelled all in his days and his house shall be as God that is full of the Spirit or as the Angels that is having such grace qualities and estimation 7. The making the City and Citizens honorable and glorious then shall it be the renowned royal and golden City guilded with the beams of Christs glorious presence from the head commeth glory to the body A Wife shineth radiis mariti Christ gloria patris sui and this City with the glory and beauty of Christ His presence made the glory of the latter Temple and City greater then the glory of the former and this presence in this Temple and City will make the glory of it grrater then that of the larter Temple and City for then he was there in a state of humiliation but he shall not be so in this he will be in his reigning state and his citizens will be honorable Zech. 9.16 They shall be as the stones of a Crown lifted up not as common stones but as the stones of a Crown and not as stones of a Crown falling to the earth but as stones of a Crown lifted up to be put on the head of a King O quanta dignitas horum civium How great is the honour of these Citizens They are brought in Rev. 5.10 speaking of it themselves Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the earth And this is not all the honour for besides this they shall have every one three honourable names for Christ Rev. 3.12 will write upon them the name of his God and the name of the City of God and his own new name 8. The keeping them in unity and love The Citizens shall then be of one minde Zech. 14.9 In that day there shall be one Lord and his name one the invocation and Worship of his Name shall be one then shall that be fulfilled Zeph. 3.9 Then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent The Hebrew is with One shoulder A metaphor taken ftom Oxen in the Yoke which draw together as with one shoulder so these Citizens shall joyntly and unanimously knit together and worship the Lord Christ There shall be no Schisms names of distinction as now there are far if when Christ left the World the Saints were all of one heart Act. 2.32 Much more so shall it be in this City when Christ shall be in the midst thereof and guide them by his Spirit into all truth 9. These words Jehovah Shammah import the great delight the Lord will take in this City and the Citizens threof in the Church and members thereof Isa 60.4 She shall be called Hephzi-bah that is my delight is in her Then it will appear the Church is his pleasant portion Jer. 12.10 And the dearly beloved of his soul Verse 7. His glory Isa 46.13 The throne of his glory Jer. 14.21 Yea the crown of his glory Isa 62.3 He will delight in them to do them good to communicate himself unto them Revel 7.15 16 17. He that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat For the Lamb which it in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall
475 476. There is a time for Christ to reign over the Jews 478. In his kingdom no succession of Princes 479. He is chief builder of the Church 288 he is the way the do or 289. he is the altar table sacrifice 322. stands by his servants in Temple-work 349. an Altar Harel and Haariel 371 372. he measures all 556 Christians liked to trees in eight respects 565 566. true ones are fruitful 576. always fruitful ibid. 577. what makes them so ib. Christianity not against Magistracy 412 413 Church God hath a special care of it being exposed to many dangers 108. others fare the better for the Churches sake 228. freed from former evils 240 241. when most afflicted most cared for 285. Church subject to calamities 202. what shall comfort her 203. God will revenge her wrongs 213. Cared for in lowest estate 287. what its called ibid. and 288. it s well seated and ordered ib. it s an house not a tabernacle 291. the greatness of it 302 314. visible and likned to visible things 326 327. under various dispensations 327 328. It s an exact building 336. the extent and latitude of it 337. stability lustre safety and holiness of it ibid. and 338. God made known there 348. Church-work must be according to the pattern God gives 164. hath distinct laws of its own 365. what it shall be ibid. made up of holy ones 368. it s holy most pure part of the world 404. It s large ibid. in is provision and protection 405 407 594. it Christs portion ibid. it s large under the Gospel 582. Who members of it ibid. and 583 priviledges of it equal to all 583. all blessings of it of free grace ibid. Gentiles of it 584 Church-state preserves propriety and mens rights 405 City Citizens what and what to do 595. description of it 599 500 601. c. difference between Ezekiels City and Johns 602 603. what meant by it ibid. it s well founded great receives many 604 c. Cities have their periods 143 Communion with God exprest by eating 382 Complaint no cause to complain of Gods dealings 226 Condition none so desparate but God can bring out of 402. see State Confederates with great ones must suffer 228 Contradictions seeming in Scripture 236 362 411 Controversies how and by whom to be determined 396 Conversion of sinners a gradual work 559. Covenant Of making or cutting a Covenant 218 481 condescention in God to enter into Covenant with man 220. what it should work 221. those in covenant nothing shall hurt 223. God doth much for them 380 Covetousness what it doth 162. its professors sin 166. evil of it 167. men coveting what is others lose their own 273 Court of aid 301. what the Courts represented ib. and 302 Cuhit the legal and Sanctuary one differ and wherein â—91 D DAy of the Lord how taken 3. sad days succeed merry ones 6. approach of such days matter of mourning 7. the day of a place 11. of recompence to godly 245. Lords day the eighth and first 377 Daughters how taken 25 David Christ so called upon what account 471 472 Dead to be buried after great victories 252. ignominious to be unburied 260 Death no defence against it 92 Deliverance is from the Lord 469 Desert men think they deserve 387 Design Gods designs go on whatever obstacle be in the way 17 496 Difference to be made in things and persons 395 Divine things our hearts and minds should be upon them 289 380. attained by degrees by labour by progress 295 those have the charge of them must be exact 387 546 revealed by degrees 564 Doing of the word is expected by the Lord 171 366 Dâ—ors of the temple what they note 322 Doubling of words in Hebrew note a superlative 366 Dwellings God knows them and what sins are acted in them 468 E EAst notes spiritual things West temporal 293. east-gate 343. Christ from thence ibid. Eastern worship not allowed 554 Eating bread before the Lord what it imports 382 383 Edomites 254 255 Enemie 235. God is an enemy to his peoples enemies 252. harsh dealings insences him 253. they add affliction to the afflicted 285 286. Enemies are from all quarters 496. make great preparation 497. they watch and seek occasion to ruine the Church 209. have helpers to do it 214. their coming against the Church not casual 218 Envy whence it ariseth 47 the nature of it 263 Ephah what 411 Ethiopia whence so named 4. Ethiopians baptised rebaptise themselves yearly ibid. two Ethiopia's 11 Exactions 410 Examples are to teach 60 Expectation of the wicked disappointed 259 F FAce Hiding of Gods what 264 Family God may dispose of families where he pleases 497 Favour Gods not alike dispensed to all 376 Fâ—ast of Tabernacles 420 Fish their properties 568 569 Flock such as have need of shepherds 186. where faithful ones are what is a prey to all 191. it meets with scattering storms sometimes 199. God a good shepherd over it 200. in the flock are fat and lean goats and Rams 206. God will distinguish between the good and the bad 208. his flock is peculiar owned fed 245 consists of weak ones 246. its comfort lieth in manifestation 246. the holy flock 400 Forms of the house what they note 362 Foundation what 4 Funeral of what dead the priest might be at 397 Fury what 282 220 G GAtes of the Temple what they hint 294 of East gate 343. gate shut what 380 381. wherefore shut 381 382. when shut and when to be open 530 531. Heaven gate when open ibid. gate standing open till even what it imports 533 Gerash what driving out it notes 51 Glory there is glory in the Church 337. We must be acquainted with that glory before we see the glory of God 342. glory of God what 343. receptacle of it 345 346. when glory departs its but for a season 346 sight of glory an humbling thing 347. filled with glory 348 God he breaks the urms of the great ones 33. he wounds them incurably ibid. dreadful to have him an enemy 34. he hath instruments fit for his work 54. prophets to tell the worst of Princes their wickedness 66 God makes use of one King to punish another 78 79. he is faithful in performing his word 144. confirms truths by witness and signs ibid. Gods condescention vide Covenant He takes notice of all that is thought and spoken aganist his 268 269. rejoycing at the calamities of his people provokes much 286 when reconciled to his he multiplies blessings 224. he deals best with his at last ibid. turns evils into blessings 295. what God doth for his own sake 309 when he doth great things for them 315. its his mercy to retake a revolted peoyle 376. happy whom God owns 377. accepts according to mens abilities 535. God a free agent nothing moves him 449. when he begins to shew mercy he multiples it 467. he makes clean 469. takes pleasure in cleansed ones 470. at his pleasure can bring Armies
hands of the wicked The Lord gives he doth not sell The word for selling is Macar which signifies to give to deliver as well as to sell and the Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give the land those who sell do deliver what they sell into the hands of others and this is attributed to God metaphorically for that he disposed of the land of Egypt to others that is the Chaldeans who are called wicked the Vulgar hath it in manus pessimorum into the hands of the worst I will make the land waste and all that is therein Egypt was a land abounding with men horse charets wealth Cities and all desirable things but God would make it desolate and all the fulnesse of it so the words are in Hebrew for all that is therein it had a fulnesse of all things and by the hand of the Chaldean it was emptied who in the next words are called strangers because they were such to the Egyptians I the Lord have spoken it These words are a ratification of what is threatned Ezekiel hath not spoken a vision of his own or from his own spirit but what is said is the word of the eternal God I the Lord have spoken it I have determined it shall be so and nothing shall lett it Observe First God hath wayes to empty lands of their mâ—â—titude and fullnesse Egypt had her multitude of men of beasts of Cities of riches she had her fulnesse of all things and God had an Army a multitude of Souldiers to plunder and spoil her to empty her of all her multitudes and fulnesses Jerusalem had its multitudes and fulness but Nubuchadnezzar emtyed her and made her like an empty vessel Jer 51.34 Babylon had her multitudes and fulness of Treasure Jer. 51.13 and God had Fanners to fan her ver 2. and empty her land those Fanners were the Medes and Persians who scattered the Babylonians and made a Prey of their Treasures Secondly observe When God will execute severe Judgments he makes use of suitable Instruments He intended utter destruction to Egypt and the terrible of the Nations were brought to destroy it Nebuchadnezzar had men out of many Nations and the terrible ones of those Nations by the secret hand of God were brought to lay Egypt waste They roared like Lyons Isa 5.29 They were cruel and without mercie Jer. 6.23 They hanged Princes by their hands Lament 5.12 And here they fil'd the Land with the slain Thirdly observe Gods designs shall go on whatever lies in the way to hinder He was resolved upon the destruction of Egypt the Rivers of it lay in the way so that an Army could not get over Nilus that great river if gotten over it could not march and do the work appointed for the multitude of little Rivers were in the land shall these hinder the designe of God No he will dry up the Rivers to make way unto his designs the Babylonians shall pass over and pierce through the whole land When the Israelites were at the Red Sea that lay as an impediment unto Gods design which was to carry them to Canaan but did it hinder the same No speak to the Children of Israel that they go forward what go forward and be drowned in the Sea No because they had not Faith to go upon the waters therefore he divides the waters and makes a dry path for them through the midst of the deeps Exod 14. There were Mountains in the way hindering the building of the Temple but one great mountain above all the rest Zech. 4.7 Who art thou O great mountain whether it were the Persian Monarchy or Satan and all the enemies of the Jewes God made it a plain before Zerubbabel and notwithstanding all enemies and opposition he carried on the work of God Things may be too hard for men impossible for them but nothing is too hard for or impossible to the Lord. He enabled Nebuchadnezzar to take Tyrus to destroy Egypt all the Rivers thereof shall not hinder it God will dry them up rather then his designe shall faile Psal 74.15 Thou dryest up mighty rivers God hath divided Seas plained Mountains and dryed up Rivers in our days to make way for his designs and in due time he will dry up the great River Euphrates to make way for the Kings of the East Rev. 16.12 Fourthly observe All Lands are the Lords and he may dispose of them to whom he will even to the wicked he sold he gave the land of Egypt into the hands of the Babylonians who were wicked yea the worst of men Ezek. 7.24 Kingdoms are not such excellent things as we imagine were they so they would not be given to Gods enemies That Kingdom is of great worth which God gives to his children Luke 12.32 Vers 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. Thus saith the Lord God I will also destroy the Idols and I will cause their Images to cease out of Noph and there shall be no more a Prince of the land of Egypt and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt And I will make Pathros desolate and will set fire in Zoan and will execute Judgments in No. And I will poure my fury upon Sin the strâ—â—gth of Egypt and I will cut off the multitude of No. And I will set fire in Egypt Sin shall have great pain and No shall be rent asunder and Noph shall have distresses daily The young men of Aven and of Phibeseth shall fall by the sword and these cities shall go into captivity At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened when I shall break there the yoaks of Egypt and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her as for her a cloud shall cover her and her daughters shall go into Captivity Thus will I execute Judgments in Egypt and they shall know that I am the Lord. HAving formerly threatned destruction to Egypt and her Cities in general the Prophet descends now to particulars in the 13 14 15 16 17 and 18 vers and then in the 19. verse shews what is the end of God in his exercising judgments viz. That they may know him to be the Lord. I will destroy the Idols Egypt was the most idolatrous Land of any and God would now destroy the Idols out of it The word for Idols is gillulim which Piscator renders stercora dung filth so the word signifies and their Idols were dunghil filthy Gods fitter to be trodden under foot by Man and Beast then to be worshipped I will cause their Images to cease Elilim Images from Elil nihilum for an Image or Idol is res nihili a thing of no account 1 Cor. 8.4 It cannot profit therefore Isai 2.20 They shall cast away their Idols as useless things and God would make them to cease Out of Noph This Noph was a great city in Egypt very populous and famous for the Pyramids and Monuments of Kings who leaving Thebes made that the Royal City Isai 19.13 The Princes of Noph thither many
in the world been dreadfull unto others and go down to the Grave in pomp or not shall afterward bear-their shame and sin The mighty Ones of Ashur of Elam of Meshech Tubal Edom those of the North and Zidon who were a terrour in the Land of the living some of them were buried in pomp they went down to Hell with their weapons of war and they had their swords laid under their heads others had no Funerals or no pomp at them but they all did bear their shame and their iniquities were upon their bones they lived wickedly oppressed grievously played the Devills on the earth they bear their shame and God punished them for their iniquities Tyrants are feared and honoured as gods while they live but being dead their names do stink and their torments are terrible Potens potenter punientur proportioned to the power they have abused and mischief done by them Fifthly Observe Externall priviledges profit not Princes nor People unlesse they be Godly they must perish like those that want those priviledges The Edomites were circumcised which was a great priviledge in Pauls account Phil. 35. a sign of the Covenant between God and his people Gen 17.11 But because they and their Princes were wicked circumcision profited them not they were laid with the uncircumcised they had no more favour from the hand of the Lord then his worst enemies then those that were out of covenant and open enemies unto him Let men take heed how they rest upon their priviledges and professions it is not Baptisme being in a Church injoying of Ordinances having of gifts high notions and admirable expressions will advantage men or women at last unlesse they be really Godly a thousand such priviledges will do them no good Gal. 6.15 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new Creature Verses 31 32. Pharoah shall see them and shall be comforted over all his multitude even Pharoah and all his army slain by the sword saith the Lord God For I have caused my terrour in the Land of the living and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are slain with the sword even Pharoah and all his multitude saith the Lord God IN these two verses is the conclusion of this Prophesie Lamentation or Funerall of Pharoah and the Egyptians which is the comfort he shall have amongst those mighty men and Princes before mentioned and this is in the 31. verse And then the end of Gods judgements upon Kings and People vers 32. Vers 31. Pharoah shall see them and shall be comforted When Pharoah shall come to Hell or the Grave and see what Kings Princes and multitudes of people are there suffering such things as himself must this shall comfort him that he hath such companions and so many To lose his life kingdom and people were sad things bitter afflictions but when he saw others had done so before him and they as great as himselfe this was as a Cordial unto him Pharoah and all his army slain by the sword Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon came shortly after this prophesie against him and the Egyptians and made a great slaughter amongst them cutting off man and beast from the Land as was said Chap. 29.11 Vers 32. For I have caused my terrour in the Land of the Living Junius reads the words when I shall put my terrour Montanus because I have put my breaking in the Land of the Living a Preter Tense for a Future The sense is this when I shall cut off Pharoah and his army by the Babylonish sword this judgement of mine upon them will cause terrour in the Nations that are living they will be afraid of my judgements Pharoah made them afraid by his wars and I shall make them afraid by my judgements First Observe The comfort that wicked ones have after death in Hell is poor comfort its imaginary comfort rather then reall What comfort is it to see many in Prison in torment suffering proportionable punishment for their iniquities Pharoah shall see them and shall be comforted he shall see the Kings of several Countries there the great Tyrants of the world and shall be punished like unto them his comfort was in conceit but his punishment in reallity Polanus calls it Crudele solatium Cruel Comfort For a King to be in Fire and Brimstone with other Kings People to be weeping and gnashing of their tee h with others is cold and cruel comfort Many flatter themselves that if they dogo to hell they shall have companions there which will be some ease but it rather wil aggravate their misery to hear their dreadfull howling and yellings their cursing one another that ever they knew each other Secondly Observe God cuts off Kings and Nations by his just judgements that he might strike fear into the living cause them to cease from sin and learn righteousnesse When Pharoah and all his Army were slain by the sword then the Lord sent his terrour in the Land of the living then the Nations far and nigh trembled at the severe judgements of the Lord. Such judgements are awakening things and call aloud to the Inhabitants of the earth to repent and reform their wayes CHAP. XXXIII Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. Again the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man Speak to the children of thy people and say unto them when I bring the sword upon a Land if the people of the Land take a man of their Coasts and set him for their watchman If when he seeth the sword come upon the Land he blow the Trumpet and warn the people Then whosoever heareth the sound of the Trumpet and taketh not warning if the sword come and take him away his bloud shall be upon his own head He heard the sound of the Trumpet and took not warning his bloud shall be upon him but he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul But if the watchman see the sword come and blow not the Trumpet and the people be not warned if the sword come and take any person from among them he is taken away in his iniquity but his bloud will I require at the watchmans hand OUR Prophet having finished his prophesie against the Nations in eight Chapters from the 24. to this 33. which was the second Generall part of his whole prophesie comes here again to prophesie unto the Jews and begins the third General part of his prophesie which extends to the end of the 39. Chapter In this Chapter are these things laid down 1. A Renovation of the Prophets call to his Office with the Description thereof from the 1. verse to the 10. 2. A Confirmation of the Prophet against the calumnies of the Jews from the 10. to the 21. 3. A Denunciation of judgement against those that were not smitten at the taking of Jerusalem from the 21. to the 30. 4. A Reproof of those that were captives in Babylon for their hypocrisie and covetousness from
see the sword come and blow not the Trumpet and the people be not warned All watchmen are not faithfuil some are sleepy and careless they see not the sword coming some are perfidious they see it coming but blow not the Trumpet they warn not the people and what then If the sword come and take away any person from among them That is if any man being not warned by the watchman shall be surprized and cut off as frequently in such cases it is his bloud will lye upon the watchman The Hebrew for any person is a soul if the sword come and take a soul from them He is taken away in his iniquity He is found in his sin and is cut off for his sin most Interpreters render the words propter iniquitatem suam for his iniquity He was wicked and for his wickednesse justly cut off But his bloud will I require at the watchmans hand Here is the punishment laid down of an unfaithfull watchman through his sleepinesse negligence or treachery a soul is taken away a man is slain by the adversary who if the watchman had given warning might have lived and therefore because he did not he is guilty of the mans bloud and must answer for it at his hands will God require it Vers 7 8 9. So thou O son of man I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth and warn them from me When I say unto the wicked O wicked man thou shalt surely dye if thou do not speak to warn the wicked from his way that wicked man shall dye in his iniquity but his bloud will I require at thine hand Neverthelesse if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it if he do not turn from his way he shall dye in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thy soul IN these words the Lord applies the former similie of a political watchman unto the Prophet So thou O son of man c. and these 3 verses are the same with the 17 18 19. verses of the 3. Chapter of this prophesie Vers 7. I have set thee a watchman I have given thee to be a watchman unto the house of Israel that thou shouldest look about search the Scriptures find out what is evill sinful and what 's the punishment due thereunto what wrath God hath revealed from Heaven against all unrighteousnesse and tell the people thereof Therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth Thou must not speak of thine own head or out of thine own hearr but thou must take all up from me either what I have given out by Moses and other Prophets already or what I shall give out immediately to thy self Thus Habakkuk did Ch. 2.1 I will stand upon my watch and set me upon the Tower and will watch to see what he will say unto me He would have the word from Gods mouth And warn them from me Thou must not warn them in thine own name but in my name whose Prophet thou art whose words thou hast received and who hath impowered thee to tell men of their sins and dangers Vers 8. When I say unto the wicked O wicked man thou shalt surely dye Where God sayes so is hard to find in all the book of God You have not O wicked man thou shalt surely dye but in generals there 's that is equivalent as the soul that sins shall dye The wicked shall be turned into Hell Vpon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and Brimstone and an horrible tempest And the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all unrighteousnesse of men These and such other places are Tantamount If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way When the watchman sees a wicked man in a wicked way as in a way of drunkenness whoredom idolatry oppression or any profanesse he is to warn him and tell him of the danger of his wayes if he through fear or favour incogitancy or carelesnesse neglect to do it the danger is great That wicked man shall dye in his iniquity The wicked man might object and say Why should I dye I was never warned by the watchman he saw me daily living in such courses and had he told me the danger of them I should have considered my wayes and turned from them This Objection is answered Thou art a wicked man thou hast lived in iniquity and now thou shalt dye in and for thine iniquity the light of Nature the dictates of thy Conscience the example of others might have taught thee to have done otherwise though the Prophet have neglected his duty thou shalt suffer for thy sins and he for his His bloud will I require at thy hand I set thee to be a watchman over him to observe his wayes to tell him of his sins to invite and provoke him to repentance by promises of mercy and threatning of my judgements that so he might have been saved but because thou wast unfaithfull and didst not thy duty he is lost and his bloud will I require at thy hands and recompence it upon thine head Vers 9. Neverthelesse if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it If thou be faithful in thy place and tell the wicked of his sins calling upon him to turn from them unto me the living God if this hath been thy care and practice thou hast done well He shall dye in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thy soul What ever befalls him death temporal or death eternal thou hast freed thy self and shalt nor be responsive for him at all his bloud shall be upon his own head and not upon thine First Observe Wars come not upon any people casually but by the providence of God When I bring the sword upon a Land It s God calls out the sword and causeth it to come he is the Lord of Hosts and Commissions Armies to make invasions where he please Secondly Observe In case of common danger the people have liberty and power to set up a politicall Officer for their good and safety When the sword is coming upon the Land if the people of the Land take a man of their Coasts and set him up for their watchman God expects they should do it and approves of it done they do not their duty unless they do it they must not stay till those in authority do it the Land may be invaded many lose their lives upon that account but it s their priviledge and in their power presently to appoint a man who may discover danger and give them notice of it Every man is a part of the whole and when that is indangered every one is to put forth himself to the utmost for security thereof Suprema lex est salus populi Thirdly Observe That in the Ecclesiastick State its Gods Prerogative to set up Offices and Officers Son of man I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel He might not set himself a
is likelyest to make way for the message they bring of what kind soever Here the Prophet was to warn them to tell them of their sins and the danger of them and who would not receive an admonition from God when it comes in his name backed with his authority when God in it seeks our good the freedom of us from death and damnation the bringing of us unto glory and salvation and especially when the soul of the watchman lyeth at stake for the sinner if he do not admonish the sinner Can any sinner be so obstinate as not to consider relent and return when God shall send one in his name unto him and the Prophet shall say Sir I come from God unto you and my life is at stake for you if I tell you not of your sins I am a lost man give me leave therefore to deal plainly with you you are covetous unclean proud froward ignorant unbelieving having a form of Godl nesse without the power and unlesse you take another course and serve the living God otherwise the you do you will perish soul and body eternally but if yâ—u will hearken I will shew you the good and right way the way everlasting which will make you blessed for ever When a watchman comes and deals thus with a sinner hath he cause to be angry No he hath cause to fall down and say Of a truth God is in you and with you I thank you for your counsell and seasonable admonitions and through the grace of God I will improve them and turn to that God who is so gracious and would have sinners come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved Ninthly Observe The Lord knowes who are wicked When I say to the wicked man The world calls them wicked who are righteous and those righteous who are wicked but it is not so with the Lord he knows who is an hypocrite who is covetous who is a lyar a formalist an enemy to grace and holinesse Known unto the Lord are all his works Acts 15.18 And he knoweth who are his 2 Tim 2.19 and who are not his there is not one Goat in the world but the Lord knows him not a Wolfe or Lyon but he takes notice of them he knew the house of Israel better then Ezekiel who dwelt amongst them whom he said was wicked was so indeed It matters not much what the world saith of men it call'd Paul a Babler Acts 17.18 An Heretick Acts 24.14 A Pestilent Fellow vers 5. But what said God of him Acts 9.15 He is a chosen Vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel Jobs friends and the Devil said Job was an hypocrite but God said He was a perfect man fearing God and eschewing evill Job 1.1 That men are what God who cannot lye who cannot be deceived pronounces them to be if he in his word do call a â—an for an hypocrite an unbeliever covetous proud c. he is so Tenthly Observe The Power of life and death is in the hand of the Lord. When I say unto the wicked O wicked man thou shalt surely dye God hath authority over the lives of men and can pronounce a sentence of death upon them at his pleasure He Commission'd Saul to smite Amalek to slay man and woman infant and suckling Oxe and Sheep Camel and Asse 1 Sam. 15.3 Whâ—n Ahab let Benhadad go a man that God had appointed to destruction therefore saith he Thy life shall go for his and thy people for his people 1 Kings 20.42 The power of life and death God challengeth to himself Deut. 32.39 I kill and I make alive I wound I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of mine hand By this argument he proves himself to be God and it s none but God that kills or gives life Psal 68.20 Vnto God the Lord belong the issues from death The Hebrew is Lammaneth Totzaoth Exitus ad mortem the goings out to death its God that turns the key and le ts out the breath it s he puts a period to the life of the Creature would any live let them fear the Lord and depart from evill for The fear of the Lord prolongeth dayes Prov 10.27 Moses uses this argument to perswade them to love obey and cleave to the Lord He is thy life and length of thy dayes Deut. 30.20 Men have their lives from God and he draws the thread of them out to what length he please and therefore men should love fear obey and cleave to that God if they do not he will cut the thread of their lives asunder Prov. 10.27 The years of the wicked shall be shortned by one sicknesse judgement or other their dayes and years shall be shortned of what they might have been Eleventhly Observe Those watchmen that are unfaithfull in their places and do not tell the people of their sins and danger their account will be dreadful If thou doe not speak to warn the wicked from his way his bloud will I require at thy hand If a politicall watchman be unfaithful so that a man perish by the sword without warning his bloud lyeth upon the watchmans head and if the Ecclesiastical watchman be unfaithful and do not warn the wicked upon what pretence soever the bloud of that wicked man dying in his sins will be required of the watchman it lyes upon his head and he must answer for it the case of this latter watchman will be more dangerous then of the former because the one is to answer for the life of a man the other for the soul of a man which is of great price Let lazy sleepy perfidious watchmen look to it they suffer men to perish through their default and their bloud lives souls stand ingaged for the sâ—me Twelfthly Observe The failing of the watchman will not excuse or priviledge the wicked man If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way that wicked man shall dye in his iniquity Though he be not told that he is in a wrong way though he pretend ignorance that will not serve turn he shall dye in his iniquity warn'd or unwarn'd the watchman hath not done his duty what then must this exempt the wicked man from punishment No he hath not done his duty he should have minded studyed the Law of God walked according to that and have made it a Lamp unto his feet and a light unto his paths Psal 119.105 But his neglect of his duty and ignorance rather will aggravate then extenuate his fault the Law was near unto him and he might have known what was forbidden and so have avoided the same Thirteenthly Observe Those that regard not the warning of the watchmen they bring certain destruction upon themselves Whosoever hears the sound of the Trumpet and takes not warning his bloud shall be upon his own head If the enemy cut off that man he himself is guilty of his own death not the political
Allmighty God Rev 19.15 Pauls sufferings made him famous Phil 1.13 much more Christs Fifthly He had extraordinary Titles as Immanuel Isa 7.14 The stone of Israel Gen 49.24 The Lord our Righteousnesse Jer 23.6 The power and wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 The heir of all things Heb 1.2 King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revel 59.16 The Light of the world John 8.12 The glory of Israel Luke 2.32 The Prince of Life Acts 3.15 Judge of quick and dead Acts 10.42 The Image of the invisible God Col 1.15 The Head over all things Ephes 1.22 The Lamb of God John 1.29 The Mediator between God and man 1 Tim. 1.5 The Sun of righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 His name is wonderful Counsellour the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace Isa 9.6 Sixthly He had extraordinary honour When he was brought into the world God commanded all the Angels to worship him Heb. 1.6 He stir'd up the spirits of the wise men of the East directing them by a star to come and worship him Mat. 2.11 When he was baptized Heaven was opened the Spirit descended like a Dove and a voice from Heaven said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth 3.16 17. When he was transfigured Moses and Elias appeared unto him and the same voice of the Father was heard again with some addition This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him and he committed all judgement to the Son that so all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father John 5.23 Take this plant of renown for the Christian Church and it is renowned for that it is planted in Christ Col 2.7 Eph. 4.15 bears the name of Christ James 2 7. is his Spouse Rev 21.9 John 3.29 under his Government Eph 5.24 freed from the bondage of the Ceremonial Law Gal 4.1 2 3 4 5. hath cleerer manifestations of Gods love in Christ Eph 2.7 extends further then ever the Jewish Church did to the Gentiles to all Nations Isa 54.1 2 3. chap 60.3 chap 62.2 Rev 21.24 25. and had such miraculous effusion of the Spirit upon many of the members of it Acts 2.3 4. 1 Cor 12.8 9 10. and is the habitation of God Ephes 2.22 visible and irremoveable as Mount Sion Mich 4.1 2. Matth 16.18 The ground and pillar of truth 1 Tim 3.15 And they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the Land In Jacobs dayes there was a great famine and his family had been consumed if Egypt had not afforded releif In Davids dayes many suffered by the three years famine then 2 Sam 21.1 There was a sore famine in Ahabs dayes 1 Kings 18.2 and questionless many perished with hunger in the siege of Jerusalem Lam 4.9 and many who were scattered abroad not having to satisfie their hunger became a prey to hunger it self The promise here is They shall no more be consumed with hunger they shall have plenty of all good things there shall be no corporal nor spiritual hunger there Teachers had been removed into corners Isa 30.20 There Prophets had been cut off and were glad to be hid in Caves 1 Kings 18.4 but God would set up shepherds over them which should feed them and they should not be lacking Jerem 23.4 Their eyes should see them Isa 30.20 The word for consumed is Asuppe from Asâ—ph which signifies to gather together to take away and to consume In time of famine men get together consult how to relieve themselves and when all means fail the famine consumes them and takes them away The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall not be few in number they shall have abundance and multiply Neither bear the shame of the heathen any more The Hebrew word for shame is Celemmah which signifies reproach the Babylonians and others where the Jewes were scattered did reproach them and said Sing us one of the songs of Sion Psal 137.3 You are the holy people have holy ordinances and holy songs sing us one of those songs you thought your selves safe in your holy City that your God would protect you from all the Nations but where is your God what 's become of your City Temple and Confidences are you not in our hands are you not in bondage and captivity ye are servants unto us and shall never be at liberty more thus did they bear the shame of the Heathen they were a reproach a proverb a taunt and a curse in all places Jer 24.18 but God would set them at liberty roule away their reproach and make them honourable They should be a praise Zeph 3.19 At that time I will undo all that afflict thee and I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fame in every Land where they have been put to shame And vers 20. I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth when I turn back your captivity First Observe The Lord Christ himself his renown and that the Church hath by him is from the Lord. I will raise up a plant of renown Christ is call'd The Word John 1.1 and God made that Word flesh vers 14. He is call'd a Rod a Branch Isa 11.1 and God caused that Rod to come out of the stem of Jesse and that Branch to grow out of his roots God planted Christ at first in the Virgins womb and from thence he grew up through Gods wise disposing of things to be a plant of renown And Luke 1.32 The Angel said to Mary he shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord shall give him the Throne of his Father David This God performed and so made him a man a plant of renown he gave Christ to the Church he planted him in Sion Isa 28.16 and so all the glory the Church had by him which was and is exceeding much came originally from the Lord Christ is therefore call'd The gift of God John 4.10 Secondly Observe Christ is fruitfull and yeelds good fruit He is a plant of renown were this plant barren or did it bear evill fruit it could not be a plant of renown it would be a plant of contempt This plant is that Tree of Life Rev 22.2 which bare twelve manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month No barrenness at all was on this Tree it had plenty and variety of fruit Summer and Winter and the goodness of this fruit the Church will tell you of Cant 2.3 I sat under his shadow with great delight his fruit was sweet to my taste If the shadow of this Tree was very delightsome certainly the fruit of this Tree was exceeding sweet The man sick of the Palsie found the sweet of this fruit when Christ said unto him Son be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee Mat 9.2 Thousands can tell you how sweet the fruit of this Tree hath been to their tasts to their souls Acts 10.38
Sodom and Gomorrah were never built again but the Cityes of Edom were as appears by Mal 1.4 Jer 27.7 All Nations shall serve Nebuchadnezzar and his son and his sons son untill the very time of his Land come and then many Nations and great Kings shall serve themselves of him Edom was afterwards possessed again and the Edomites so strong and malicious that they besieged the Israelites 1 Maccabes 5.3 By perpetual therefore we must not understand Eternall that which had no end but that which was for a long time so the word Olam doth usually signifie and it s rendred by some seculum I will make thee desolationes seculi the desolations of an age thirty an hundred or a thousand years for a long season thou shalt be desolate without Cityes and inhabitants And thy Cityes shall not return Not till after a long time and then they shall not return unto that glory strength and greatness which formerly they were in After Cityes and Countreys are once wasted they attain not to their former condition oft in many Generations First Observe Bloudy men frequently have bloudy ends Idumea was cruel and bloudy against the Israelites there God prepared her for bloud and said Bloud shall pursue thee sith thou hast not hated bloud bloud calls for bloud The Babylonians were bloudy and cruell to the Jews and hear what the Lord saith Jer 51.36 I will plead thy cause and take vengeance for thee vers 40. I will bring them down like Lambs to the slaughter like Rams with He-goats God would deal with them as Butchers do with such creatures they take away their lives and shed their bloud Hosea 1.4 I will avenge the bloud of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu He caused the seventy sons of Ahab to be beheaded by the Rulers of Jezreel 2 Kings 10.1.7 and this bloud did God avenge upon his house 2 Sam 21. 1. Sauls house was bloudy he slew the Gibeonites and seven sons of his were put to death for it vers 6. 9. so God pursued bloud with bloud In like manner was Joab dealt withall he shed innocent bloud and his bloud was shed at the horns of the Altar 1 Kings 2.29.31 Secondly Observe When God doth visit wicked ones for shedding of bloud he doth it fully and throughly God would make Mount Seir without inhabitant those that went out and those that came in should be cut off Such a slaughter would he make amongst them as that the Mountains Hills Valleys and Rivers should be fill'd with the slain bodies Isaiah speaking of Gods visiting the Edomites Chap 34.6 7. saith The sword of the Lord is fill'd with bloud it is made fat with fatnesse and with the bloud of Lambs and Goats with the fat of the Kidneys of Rams for the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah and a great slaughter in the Land of Idumea And the Vnicorns shall come down with them and the Bullocks with the Bulls and their Land shall be soaked with bloud and their dust made fat with fatnesse Great and small rich and poor noble and ignoble should be cut off Thirdly Observe That according to the time of mens sinning God doth lengthen out his judgements Edom had perpetual hatred and God saith I will make thee perpetual desolations Edoms anger did tear perpetually Amos 1.11 and Gods judgements upon Edom had a perpetuity Obadiah 10. she was cut off for ever Those that continue long in a course of sinning God causes sometimes to lye long under severe judgements the Jews were seaventy years in captivity they had lived long in idolatry Vers 10. Because thou hast said These two Nations and these two Countreys shall be mine and we will possesse it whereas the Lord was there The Idumeans had a fruitful Land of their own that satisfied them not covetousnesse and desire of rule possessed them they thought and said the whole Land of Judaea should become theirs The Babylonians would root the Jews wholly out leave the Land and so it would fall to their lot and possession These two Nations and these two Countreys When God brought the Jews out of Egypt into Canaan they were one Nation and it one Land and so continued till the rent made by Jeroboam 1 Kings 12. Then ten Tribes falling off from Rehoboam constituted a new Kingdome and so the people and Land were divided into two Nations and two Countreys the one sort were called Ephraim the house of Israel Samaritans and their Countrey Samaria the other sort were called Jews the house of David and their Countrey Judaea Shall be mine and we will possesse it Judaea and Samaria saith Edom shall be mine and we Edomites will possesse it and make it one Land again as it was at first none have so much right to it as we who are from the same stock Isaac and from the elder brother Esau whereas they were from Jacob and seeing the Babylonians are come to cut them off we will joyn with them to secure our selves and recover our right When the Temple and City were destroyed the Jews carried into captivity and the Land made desolate the neighbouring Nations gaped for and got what they could of their Countrey Jer 49.1 Concerning the Ammonites thus saith the Lord Hath Israel no sons hath he no heir why then doth their King inherit Gad and his people dwell in his Cityes Ammonites Edomites and others said Come let us cut them off from being a Nation and let us take to our selves the houses of God in possession Psal 83.4 12. Whereas the Lord was there The words may be read thus Though the Lord be there and so they set out the arrogancy and blasphemy of the Edomites who said They would possesse the Land though the Lord was there he would not hinder them from coming in sitting down and continuing in it or the word there may relate to the Edomites the Lord was there amongst them when they said These two Nations and these two Countreys shall be mine and we will possesse it He heard these words and was displeased at them coming from pride and bitterness of spirit Or Thirdly the words may be taken as we read them and afford this sense The Edomites have presumed much promised great matters to themselves to have the whole Land of Canaan in possession whereas the Lord was there and had that Land under his patronage reserving it for Temple-worship again as it had had it formerly That Land was Domicilium Dei The Habitation of God who would not suffer the bloudy Edomites whatever thoughts they had or attempts they should make to inhabit that Land and defile his holy Mountain with their idolatrous sacrifices though he did greatly afflict the Land yet he did not wholly desert it First Observe Wicked men the enemies of Sion do think and design to raise themselves by the ruins and spoyls thereof Edom said These two Nations and these two Countryes shall be mine Whatever is left of the Jews I will have if there
they suffered hard things and lay under great reproach among the Nations whereupon the Lord here in this Chapter doth 1. Denounce judgement against the Heathen setting out the Causes moving him thereunto from the 1. vers to the end of the 7. 2. Promise mercy to the Land of Israel which is specified in severall particulars from the beginning of the 8. vers unto the 16. 3. Shew the causes why the Jews were driven out of their Countrey from 6. vers to the 21. 4. Set out the ground of their restauration from the 21. to the 25. 5. Multiply promises of spiritual and temporal things upon them and their Land from the 25. to the end Vers 1. Thou son of man prophesie unto the mountains of Israel In the former Chapter he prophesied against Mount Seir in this he is to prophesie to the mountains of Israel against that he prophesied judgement unto these he prophesieth mercies These Mountains of Israel by a Synecdoche are put for the whole Land of Judaea and by a Metonomie for the people contained therein or who had lived therein Hear the word of the Lord. The Land mourn'd because the profane Nations had laid it waste and taken possession of it the Lord therefore calls to the Land and People that had inhabited it to let them know that the one should not long lye in so desolate a condition nor the other alwayes be kept out by enemies from their inheritance Vers 2. Thus saith the Lord God These words are in the 3 4 5 6 7. verses also The Jewes being cast into so low a condition might think God had forgotten them and would leave them to perish in the hands of their enemies to take off such thoughts he commands the Prophet to say in 6 verses together Thus saith the Lord God It is not the voice of Ezekiel but of Jehovah who is affected with the insolency of your enemies and the grievous things you suffer Because the enemy had said against you Aha The Hebrew word for enemy is from Ajaf to bear ill will to hate This enemy principally was the Edomite who had a perpetual hatred against the Jewes Ezek. 35.5 and the Ammonite who cryed Aha Ezek 25.3 and entred upon the Jews inheritance Jerem 49.1 with the Moabite who reproached the people of God Zeph 2.8 10. These and others were disaffected to the Jews and hated them insulted in the day of their calamity saying Aha The Hebrew is Heach which to Mercer is vox insultantis and to others vox provocatoria cum contemptu an insulting provoking scornfull word The ancient high places are ours in possession Bamoth Olam Excelsa Saculi The ancient Mountains which have kept their station and height i nal ages Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The everlasting solitudes Vulgar Altitudines sempiterna The everlasting height French is Les hauts lieux du monde The high places of the world The Land of Israel had many high Mountains which being solitary and desolate the enemy said they are ours in possession we shall inherit them for ever The Edomites being from Esau Jacobs elder brother the Ammonites and Moabites from Lot Abrahams brother they challenged the ancient high places of Israel for their possessions call'd Excelsa Saeculi because God and his Worship had been there many years and the Land was promised the Jews for ever Because they have made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side The enemies of the Jews were bitter and bloudy they stript them of what they had and devoured them they did eat them up Shaaph signifies to draw in the aire to suck it up and metaphorically to swallow to devoure they did not like Caniball eat the flesh of the Jews but they dealt cruelly with them not in one place only but on all sides those that were their neighbours cut them off and destroyed them round about That ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen So little did they care for the Church of God his people and their inheritance they rule over these few Jews that were left This made Jeremy to complain Lamen 5.2 Our inheritance is turned to strangers our houses to aliens Ye are taken up in the lips of talkers In the Hebrew its thus And ye have ascended upon the lip of the tongue or ye are made to ascend ye are the common talk of men as we use to say Table talk They were made a reproach a proverb a taunt and a curse amongst the people according to what is written Jer 24.9 Junius and Piscator both have it Traducti estis in labia Nationum You are traduced and slandered through the tongues of the Nations they talk at large of you The lip of the tongue is an Hebraisme noting a talkative person as Job 11.2 A man of lips is the Hebrew that is A man of talk and Psal 140.11 Let not an evill speaker in Hebrew a man of tongue such an one utters much evill and falls under the denomination of an evill speaker And are an infamy of the people The word Dibbah infamy is from Davaf which signifies to speak and to relate the evills of others The enemies of the Jews related what evils they knew or heard of concerning them and made them infamous The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reproach or scorn to the Nations Vers 4. Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills to the rivers and to the valleys to the desolate wastes and to the Cityes that are forsaken He mentioned the mountains of Israel before and the ancient high places here he adds Hills Rivers Valleys Wastes Cityes to shew that he would vindicate the whole Land from the possession of the Nations who did so greatly villifie his Church and people Which became a prey and derision unto the residue of the heathen The Heathen did not only spoile and make a prey of Judaea but also deride the Jews they scoffed at those that were left and those were carryed away The word for derision is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laag which notes deriding with scorn and contempt and therefore by the Septuagint is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conculcatio they derided them as worthy to be trodden under feet Vers 5. Surely in the fire of my jealousie have I spoken against the residue of the heathen c. The Hebrew for surely is Im lo which implyes an oath Si non or nisi unlesse I have spoken in the fire of my jealousie let me not be God let me never be believed To speak in the fire of jealousie is an Hebraisme saith Pintus Pro effundere verba cum stomacho it notes hot displeasure Psal 79.5 Shall thy jealousie burn like fire Here the Lords jealousie was on fire he was not only angry with the Heathen but in a fierie jealousie for jealousie is more then anger Deut 29.20 Men in their jealousie are extreamly mov'd and carryed out with heat and fury to be revenged
one hundred twenty and seven Provinces Esther 8.5 with Chap. 1â— 1. and so it seemed impossible that these should be drawn out and carried to Canaan which was so far off especially for them who were seated neer India but what saith the Lord to this I will take you from among the heathen He would but put forth his hand and lay hold of them saying Come go with me and it should be done he would gather them out of all Countreys as an Hen gathers her Chickens that are dispersed up and down among the Bushes Trees or Weeds in an Orchard And as he carried them upon Eagles wings from Egypt to Canaan so would he bring them upon the same wings from Babylon to Canaan This work God is upon in these dayes of Christ he is bringing out of all Nations some unto Christ and gathering them into spirituall Canaan Vers 25. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthinesse and from all your idols will I cleanse you WE are now come to the last generall part of this Chapter which consists in the multiplication of promises both Spiritual and Temporal with the ground of them The Spiritual are 1. Remission of sins vers 25 29 33. 2. Regeneration vers 26. 3. Sanctification vers 27. 4. Renovation of the Covenant between God and them vers 28. 5. Repentance vers 31. The Temporal are 1. Repossession of their Land vers 28. 2. Plentifull maintenance vers 29 30. 3. Re-edifying of their Cityes and waste places vers 33 35. 4. Increase of men vers 37 38. The ground of all these sweet and great promises is Gods free grace not mans desert vers 32. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you When they were call'd and come out of Babylon then would the Lord sprinkle clean water upon them The Jews by water mean the abundance of outward things Some others interpret it of the water in baptisme but neither doth abundance of outwards nor the water of baptisme cleanse from the pollution of idols For after their return from Babylon Jason sent money for the sacrifice of Hercules he Menelaus and others fell to the customs of the Gentiles desired to be like them in all things they set not by the honour of their Fathers but liked the glory of the Gentiles best of all 2 Maccab. 4. And are not many baptized ones amongst the Papists and others idolaters Some other sense of the word therefore must we seek out By water the bloud of Christ is intended say the best Expositors Some make Grace the thing but that 's too general unlesse we limit it to the bloud of Christ which of Grace is given to wash sinners with These words I will sprinkle clean water upon you have some allusion unto the waters mingled with the ashes of the red Cow which being sprinkled by a branch of Hyssope upon the unclean party he was cleansed and this water was call'd The water of separation or purification for sin Numb 19.9 The Septuagint call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The water of sprinkling and so the 18. and 19. verses expresse it This red Cow figured out Christ in his afflictions and sufferings and the water mingled with the ashes of it the bloud of Christ which from hence is call'd The bloud of sprinkling Heb 12.24 The water they used in sprinkling was clean water running or spring water free from all filth so the bloud of Christ is pure he was without sin any blemish or spot his bloud was precious and pure 1 Pet 1.19 and here it s called clean water This sprinkling of clean water upon them is the application of the bloud of Christ by the Spirit of God as the Priest was to take of the bloud of the red Heifer with his finger and to sprinkle it so God by the hand and finger of his Spirit doth take and sprinkle the bloud of Christ that is apply the fruit and benefit of it unto the hearts of men 1 Cor 6.11 And ye shall be clean There be three things among other which water serveth for viz to cool to nourish to cleanse 1. It quencheth thirst caused by heat and so coole the like doth the bloud of Christ being drunk by faith John 7.37 2. It nourisheth and causeth growth and Christs bloud doth the same John 6.55 3. It cleanseth which is the use of it here mentioned water washeth away the filth of garments vessels and persons so the bloud of Christ is a cleansing thing Heb 9.13 14. If the bloud of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heâ—fer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the bloud of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God The argument is a minori ad majus if the bloud of typical sacrifices could do that to the flesh for which they were appointed much more the bloud of Christ the true sacrifice will do that to the soul and conscience for which it was appointed viz purge away the guilt of sin otherwise the honour and efficacy of the Type should be greater than the honour and efficacy of the Substance which the Apostle denyes when he tells us Types were shadows of good things to come Heb 10 1. This cleansing is the remission of their sins through the bloud of Christ or the justifying of their persons so as they are before God without spot or fault Col. 1.14 Rom 5.9 Rev 14.5 When sins are forgiven the persons are clean in the fight of God From all your filthinesse and from all your idols will I cleanse you They had State defilements and Temple defilements Family and Personal filthinesses Zeph 3.3 4. Micah 3.9 10 11. Ezekiel 22. Jer 6.13 Chap 7.9 Whatever their filthinesses were God would cleanse them and because idolatry is a sin which exceedingly defiles and provokes the Lord to jealousie Exod 20.5 To fury vers 18. of this Chap and they might apprehend there was no mercy for them therefore the Lord mentions the filthinesse of idols and tells them He will cleanse them from that filthinesse It s not material water washes from the filth of idolatry but spiritual water First Observe When it pleases God to gather his people out of Babylon and to bring them to Sion then he will multiply mercies upon them and do for them great things I will gather you from among the heathen out of all Countreyâ— and bring you into your own Land and then will I sprinkle you with clean water then will I give you a new heart then will I put my Spirit into you then will I call for the Corn and multiply the fruit of the tree and increase of the field After great afflictions God bestowes great kindnesses after sharp sufferings he gives solid comforts Isa 54.7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I
the Word of the greatest King no earthly King hath fertility or sterility at his Command as God hath Haggai 1.11 He called for a drought upon the Land it came 2 Kings 8.1 He called for a famine and it came and sojourned seaven years with them If God call for a judgement or a mercy it comes presently Let us fear to offend him least he call for a famine the pestilence or a sword let us improve mercies for his honour that he may call for the Corn and Fruit and continue the same unto us Fourthly Observe Whatsoever plenty is in a Land it is from the power blessing and bounty of the Lord. I will call for the Corn and encrease it Though the Land have kept her Sabbaths hath not been ploughed or sown in many years yet I will cause it to bring forth and that richly I will multiply the fruit of the Tree the Vine Fig-tree and the Olive shall be laden with fruit and that ye take no pains for the tender Grasse and Herbs the encrease of the Field These even all these are from the call benediction and bounty of God which we should take notice of and be thankfull for All the Corn we have for bread all the Fruit we have for delight all the Herbs we have for Physick and all the grasse and fodder we have for Cattle are all from the Lord and if we do not use all for his glory but abuse the same as Ephraim did God will deal by us as he did by Ephraim Hos 2.8 9. even take all from us I will take away my Corn in the time thereof c. Fifthly Observe God takes notice how wicked ones reproach his children being under his judgements and will cause their reproachings to cease Ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen It was a vile thing for the Babylonians to cast it in the Jews Teeth That their Land was a Land of famine and so to reproach them for that judgement which God for their sins did oft lay upon them this was inhumane barbarous to adde affliction to the afflicted God observed it and to comfort them against so soar an affliction he gives in a promise of a plentifull maintenance I will call for the Corn and multiply all things so that there shall be no occasion for an enemy for any Babylonian to say so any more Ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen Vers 31. Then shall ye remember your own evill wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations THis Verse is the last of the speciall Promises made here unto this people and it is a promise of repentance Something like part of this vers we had Chap. 6.9 almost the same words we had Chap. 20.43 Then shall ye remember When I have broken the Babylonish yoke off their necks brought you into your own Land and done great things for you Then ye shall remember that is not simply to call to mind what ye have done but to rowle up and down in your thoughts seriously to muse upon and ponder for so much the word Zacar signifies and so to ponder as to do something thereupon Your own evill wayes and your doings that were not good In Chap 20.43 it s your wayes and all your doings wherein ye have been defiled and here it is Your own evill wayes and your doings that were not good What their wayes and doings were you may see Ezek 22. throughout the whole Chapter they did speak and do evill as they could Jer 3.5 They were worse than the Nations and Countreys round about them Ezek 5.6 than Sodom and Samaria Ezek 16.47 And shall loath your selves in your own sight Montanus renders the Hebrew thus Reprobabitis vos in faciebus vestris Ye shall reprobate your selves in your own sight ye shall judg your selves worthy to be cut off and to be made a curse so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies saith Maldonate The Vulgar is your iniquities shall displease you there is more in the word than displeasing Fastidio eritis vobis ipsis Ye shall be for a disdain a loathing to your selves Compungemini saith Aecolampadius Ye shall be pricked at the heart ye shall see your selves so defiled and deformed through sin that ye shall loath and abhor your selves For your iniquities and for your abominations Iniquities are perverse crooked and unrighteous actions abominations things disaffecting and loathsome to the senses First Observe Gods loving kindnesses and mercies do work more with sinners than his judgements do All the time they were in Babylon their hearts were never so affected for their sins as after God brought them out setled them in Canaan and shewed much love unto them Then they should remember their evil wayes before they minded them no◠then they should loath themselves Mercies in Sion are more efficacious with sinners than judgments in Babylon Gods favour sooner melts hard hearts than the fire of his indignation his kindness is very penetrative it gets into the hearts of sinners sooner than his threats and frowns it is like a small soaking rain which goes to the roots of things when as a dashing rain runs away and does little good It was Davids kindness brake the heart of Saul 1 Sam. 24. And it is Gods kindnesse which breaks the heart of sinners The Milk and Honey of the Gospel affect the hearts of sinners more than the Gall and Wormwood of the Law Christ on Mount Sion brings more to repentance than Moses on Mount Sinai Secondly Observe When God brings his People out of Babylon into Canaan out of the world and Antichristian wayes into neer relation to himself and into Gospel order then he will frame their spirits so that they shall review their former wayes be ashamed of and loath themselves for them Vers 28. Ye shall dwell in the Land that I gave to your fathers and ye shall be my people and I will be your God and then shall ye remember your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and abominations When people are delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdome of Christ then they come to see what works of darkness they committed and so to abhorre and loath themselves for the same When men come out of Popish darkness or the profane courses they have lived in and are brought neer to God how do they judge condemn and loath themselves for the same When Paul was translated from his Pharisaisme into Christs unity then God moulded his spirit so that he saw and confessed what a Blasphemer Persecuter and injurious person he had been and loathed himself saying He was the chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 And when the Jews shall be brought out of that Babylonish condition they now are in and become a people neer to God being in the Church of Christ
abundantly Isa 30.2 Vers 36. Then the Heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places and plant that that was desolate I the Lord have spoken it and will do it GOd having through his grace pardoned his people brought them to Sion and bestowed many blessings upon them here the end of all is set down and that is the glorifying of God not only by the Jews but also by the very Heathens Then the heathen that are left round about you After Nebuchadnezzar had laid Jerusalem and Judea waste he fell upon the Ammonites Moabites Edomites Philistims Tyrians and Egyptians and spoyled them therefore our Prophet saith The Heathen that are left some escaped and remained untill the Jews restauration Shall know that I the Lord build the ruined Places They should be so convinced by the return of the Jews and the mercies they enjoyed that they should acknowledg it to be the hand of God that he was faithfull in making good his promise to his people able to save and bountiful in bestowing such mercies upon them The word to build is Banah which sâ—gnifies to build an house distinguished into it's several rooms and parts the Cityes Towns and Houses every where had been ruined and God raised them up again And plant that that was desolate The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to plant signifies the putting of Trees Vines Shrubs or any plants into the earth and to cover them so with earth that they remain fixt therein The Orchards Gardens Vineyards Olive-yards Places of pleasure and profit were laid desolate the Trees Plants Herbs and Flowers were all cut down or pulled up by the roots those place God did re-plant and made as usefull and delightfull as ever I the Lord have spoken it and will do it I have purposed it in my self I have spoken it by Ezekiel and I will do it the Hebrew is I have done it a Preter Tense for a Future which is frequent as Isa 46.11 I have purposed The Hebrew is Jatzarti I have formed I have created the Preter Tense for the Future as the former and following words do shew I have spoken it I will also bring it to passe I will form or create it I will also do it First Observe That though judgement begin at Gods house yet it ends not there The Babylonians first fell upon the Jews and destroyed them and after proceeded to the Heathens they cut off many Nations of them The Sword first did eat the flesh of Jews and then the flesh of Ammonites Moabites Edomites c. When the green Trees are lopped then the Axe cuts down the dry Trees wicked men and Nations are glad when it goes ill with the Church People of God but usually when God hath corrected his own he breaks the Horns the Back and Bones of their and his enemies The Cup of Gods fury began at Jerusalem but it stayed not there it passed thence to Egypt to the mingled people to Vz Philistia Ashkelon Azzah Ekron and Ashdod c. To all the Kings of the North and to all the Kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth Jer 25.15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. It were an unrighteous thing if God should judge his friends and spare his enemyes and this he acknowledgeth vers 29. Lo I begin to bring evill on the City which is called by my name and should ye the Heathens be utterly unpunished ye shall not be unpunished for I will call for a sword upon all the Inhabitants of the earth saith the Lord of Hosts Secondly Observe Some works of God are so convincing that they cause even Heathens to see and acknowledge the hand of God in them and so to glorifie him The bringing the Jews out of Babylon the re-planting them in Canaan the re-building of their waste places peopling of them re-built and making their Countrey like the Garden of Eden convinced the Heathens so that they said and acknowledged It was the Lord had done these things which was a glorifying of his name Psal 126.1 2. The Babylonians and others said The Lord hath done great things for them when he turned their captivity There is so much of Gods wisdome power mercy bounty in some of his works that they constrain all that behold them to acknowledge him in them see Nehem 9.16 Psal 98.1 2. Isa 52.9 10. Thirdly Observe That Architecture and Husbandry are the work of the Lord. I build the ruined places and plant that that was desolate There is no House no City built but the Lord hath the chief hand therein Psal 127.1 Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it All is nothing without the counsel assistance and blessing of God he teacheth the Carpenters and Masons their Art he inables them to work and blesses them working So for Husbandmen it is God that doth instruct them to discretion and teach them Isa 28.26 they have all their ploughing sowing and planting skill from him This cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts who is wonderfull in counsell and excellent in working vers 29. If a Land be well built with Houses Cityes Castles it is the Lord that builded them if it be well tilled and planted with Orchards Gardens Vineyards and Nurseries of young Trees it is the Lord that hath tilled and planted them mens Art and Industry are nothing without him Fourthly Observe Gods purposes and promises shall take effect and certainly be fullfilled God is faithfull in what he saith and will perform the same I the Lord have spoken it and will do it He will not go back from his word change his purposes and counsels or falsifie his promises Isa 31.2 He will not call back his words Isa 14.27 The Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disanull it Isa 46.10 My counsell shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Jer 32.42 I will bring upon them all the good that I have promised them There is none wiser than God to advise him so as to alter his purposes or counsels there are none stronger than God to hinder him from making good what he hath purposed and promised Isa 43.13 I will work and who shall let it All the Babylonians could not hinder Gods setting his people at liberty all the wild beasts bryars and thorns in Canaan could not hinder him from bringing them in and making the Land like Eden plentifull and pleasant all the policy and power of Tobiah Sanballat and others could not hinder the building of the Temple and Walls of the City God had promised Jerusalem should be re-built and fenced that the Jews should have their Temple to worship in again and they had them Vers 37. Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them I will increase them with men like a flock THe word iddaresh is from Darash which signifies to make
did not God destroy his Army and relieve them publickly and privately though there were now no Cityes left God could and did raise them up many Cityes though there were no people to inhabit those Cityes raised God could raise them up men and did make them exceeding populous even as populous as Jerusalem was at her solemn Feasts more populous than ever Fourthly Observe The end of Gods deliverances works and mercies is that God may be acknowledged and glorified When I have brought them out of Babylon planted them in Sion built their Cityes filled them with inhabitants and blessings of all sorts Then shall they know that I am the Lord that I am not like the heathenish gods and lords but that I am faithfull omnipotent gracious and merciful worthy to be honoured and adored by the house of Israel CHAP. XXXVII Verse 1. The hand of the Lord was upon me and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middest of the Valley which was full of bones 2. And caused me to pass by them round about and behold there were very many in the open valley and lo they were very dry IN the former Chapter he spake of the Jews Return out of Babylon and likewise of the Kingdom of Christ In this Chapter also he proceeds to comfort the Jews assuring them of their Return who well-nigh despaired thereof and of the union of the two houses Judah and Israel The parts of this Chapter are 1. A Vision of dry bones presented to the Prophet from the 1. ver to the 11. 2. The Interpretation and Application of this Vision from the beginning of the 11. to the end of the 14. 3. A Type of two Sticks and the uniting of them from the 15. to the 20. 4. The explication of the Type from the 20. ver to the end Vers 1. The hand of the Lord was upon me By hand of the Lord the Chaldee understands the spirit of Prophesie which did enlighten and affect the mind of the Prophet so also do divers others But some take it for the power of God upon him or a Divine instinct which like an hand pul'd or mov'd him to some other thing as Chap. 8.3 It was the Spirit of God came upon him as Chap. 3.14 And why it s called the hand of God see Chap. 1.3 And carryed me out in the Spirit of the Lord. The Hebrew may be read thus and is by Mâ—ntanus And the Lord carryed me out in the Spirit that is I was rapt out of my self and my spirit was carryed by the Lord to have a sight or view of Bones If we take the words as they are the sense is this The Spirit of God being upon me carryed me out in the spirit of Prophesie which is the Spirit of the Lord his body was not carryed from place to place He had a Prophetical Vision And set me down in the middest of the valley The Prophet seem'd to himself to see a Hand and to be led out by that hand into a certain Valley all which was Visional not real He names no particular Valley A-lapide saith it was in Campo Sennaar Mesopotamia and Chaldaea were Plains but whether it were in either of them is not specified In vallies Prophets were wont to have Visions Our Prophets first Vision was by the River Chebar and Rivers are alwayes in Vallies and in this Valley it s conceived by some as Lavater observes was this Vision but it s safer to judge that this Valley was also Visionall Which was full of Bones This Valley or Plain was no burying place for then the bones would not have layen upon the face of the earth and been exposed to view Some make these bones to be the bones of all Mankind being dead and to respect the general Resurrection but they are out nothing of that is here intended Some make them to be the bones of the Babylonians but the Prophets scope here is not to comfort them it s the Jews condition he points at and therefore by bones are meant the Jews as is clear v. 11. These Bones were Visional also not real for then they should not have him unburyed suffering reproach Some Jews have an Opinion that these bones were the bones of those Jews that dyed in Babylon and one Rabbi Jose a Galilaean saith That Ezekiel raised those dead Jews many of which return'd into the land of Israel and had children there that when this fell into controversie among the Jews one Rabbi Juda the Son of Bathira stood up and said Ego sum oriundus ex posteritate illorum quos Ezekiel in vitam revocavit I am of that race which Ezekiel raised and shewed the Phylacteries his Parent put upon him and had received from those were rais'd Verse 2. And caused me to passed by them round about The Lord would have the Prophet to take exact notice of them and therefore made him to pass Savif savif undique undique on every side on every side that so he might observe the number and quality of them and where they lay which he did for it follows And behold there were very many in the open valley The number of these bones was great pass'd number and they lay in open view in an open Valley where he had a full sight of them And loe they were very dry These bones were not cloath'd with flesh juycy and full of marrow which had been more easily rais'd to life if so but they were dry all the moysture was out of them they had lain long nigh 70 years in that condition and were almost become earth First Observe It was the Spirit of God mov'd the Prophets to give out those truths are now extant in the Scriptures that directed and enabled them to do what they did The hand of the Lord was upon me and carryed me out in the Spirit to see and give out what you have here The Prophets might not speak or act at their own pleasures but as the Spirit of God moved them 2 Pet. 1.21 so they spake so they acted It was the Spirit in the Prophets that testified against the Jews Neh. 9.30 The words of the Lord of hosts were in the hand and mouth of the Spirit before they were in the heads and mouths of the Prophets Neh. 7.12 The Apostles had the Spirit falling upon and filling them before they gave out Divine truths Act. 2.4 which verified what Châ—ist had said of the Spirit John 16.14 He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you All the truths Paul hath given forth for the Instruction Edification and Consolation of the Church of Christ he received from the Spirit of Christ Hence he saith 1 Cor. 11.23 I received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you And Chap. 14.37 The things I write unto you are the commandements of the Lord he had them all from his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.12 13. Secondly Observe The true Messengers and Servants of God come not
only with the Word of God but in the Spirit and Power of God Ezekiel had the hand of God with him So Paul 1 Cor. 2.4 5. His preaching was not with entising words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power False Teachers may come with the Letter but only those are the true Prophets the true Messengers of Christ that come in the Spirit and with the Spirit are carryed out by the Spirit Thirdly Observe God honours his servants sometimes so as to make them of his Counsel and Copartners with him in his works God makes known his mind here to Ezekiel and uses him in the work he was about Samuel was thus honoured God made him of his Privy-councel and told him what he would do to the house of Eli 1 Sam. 3. So he dealt by Abraham not only in the business of Sodom Gen. 18.17 but in that of his Posterity telling him His seed should be a stranger in a land not theirs 430 years and that afterwards they should come out with great substance Gen. 15.13 14. The Prophets and Apostles were Cabinet-men and knew the secrets of the Lord and were Co-workers with God The Apostle Paul is expresly for it 2 Cor. 6.1 they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that work together with God in the same work This is great honour and such honour as have not all the Saints Fourthly Observe Our God calls and moves his servants by his Spirit to do difficult things he orders them so as to do them safely It was somewhat averse to nature to go among dead bones and dangerous to the Prophet being many and scattered up and down the Valley for had he accidentally touch'd but one of them he had been unclean according to the Law Numb 19. but God caused him to pass by them so as he was preserved from pollution he saw the bones he touched none of them It was a sad and dangerous work God call'd Abraham unto viz. the Sacrificing of his Son but he ordered it so that Abraham came off not only without imputation of sin but with great honour for his obedience Verse 3. And he said unto me Son of man Can these bones live And I answered O Lord God thou knowest This verse is a Dialogue between God and the Prophet as Polanus calls it 1. God propounds a question 2. The Prophet answers it The question is this Son of man Can these bones live Ezekiel thou hast had a full view of them thou seest how dry they are in what condition they lie tell me thy thoughts what thy judgement is of them I am desirous to know thy mind Hast thou any art skill or power to quicken them or knowest thou any creature that hath To this Question the Prophet answers in the next words And I answered O Lord God thou knowest The Prophets answer is suitable unto the Lords question which was concerning the present life of these bones not future life at the General Resurrection which he doubted not of therefore he confesseth his ignorance I do not know O Lord what thy pleasure is Thou art able to put life into these dry bones in a moment though neither my self nor any other creature can do it our power is finite thine is infinite and thou canst do whatever thou pleasest but thy pleasure is held from me and others therefore O Lord God thou knowest First Observe Divine Interrogations argue not Ignorance in God but are instructory to the interrogated God knew what these bones could do before he propounded the question to Ezekiel It was therefore propounded for his Instruction to acquaint him with the power of God and his own weakness that so knowing the one and being sensible of the other he might be the fitter Instrument in the hand of God to work by Christs question to Peter Joh. 21.15 was of this nature Simon lovest thou me more then these It was not so much to prove him as to instruct and mind him of his former failing and to fit him for action viz. the feeding his Lambs and Sheep Secondly Observe God can easily non-plus or silence wise and holy men with a short question Here he puts Ezekiel to it Can these bones live The Prophet could not tell he was non-plus'd When God propounded some questions to Job was he able to answer him Job 38.3 4 c. He professes he was not able to do it but must be silent Chap. 40.4 Did not Châ—ist by a question put the chief Priests Scribes and Elders to silence He asked them Whether the Baptism of John was from heaven or of men This little question so perplex'd them all that they profess'd they could not tell Mark 11.30.33 Thirdly Observe It 's wisdom and duty in the Servants of God to resolve all they cannot reach or know not how to be effected into the knowledge and good pleasure of the Lord O Lord God thou knowest He resolves the question into Gods bosom He had Knowledge Power and Will to do what ever seem'd good to himself There be many things in the Word menâ—ion'd which man can say nothing unto but Lord thou knowest As where the Sepulchre of Moses was Deut. 34.6 The spreadings of the Clouds how they are Job 36.29 The wind whence it comes or whither it goes Joh. 3.8 Whether the seed sown in the evening or the morning shall prosper best or be both alike Eccles 11 6. What is the true interpretation of the number of the Beast 666 Rev. 13.18 Or of the two witnesses and the time of their prophesying in Sackcloth 1260. days when it began and when it ended or shall Rev. 11.3 These and other things be said Lord thou knewest Vers 4. Again he said unto me Prophesie upon these bones and say unto them O ye dry bones hear the word of the Lord. 5. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live 6. And I will lay sinews upon you and will bring up flesh upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you and ye shall live and ye shall know that I am the Lord. 7. So I prophesied as I was commanded and as I prophesied there was a great noise and behold a shaking and the bones came together bone to his bone 8. And when I he held lo the sinews and the flesh came up upon them and the skin covered them above but there was no breath in them 9. Then said he unto me Prophesie unto the winde Prophesie son of man and say to the winde Thus saith the Lord God Come from the four winds O breath and breath upon these slain that they may live 10. So I prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came into them and they lived and stood up upon their feet an exceeding great Army The Quickning of the dry bones is the great thing considerable in these verses and it 's set out From the Causes 1. The Efficient 1.
breath so that they lived stood up and were full of vigour When God accompanies his Word it is a Creating-word an Inlivening-word yea and a Killing-word Ezek 11.14 It came to passe when I Prophesied that Pelatiah died It 's said of Elisha that he should slay those escaped the sword of Hazael and Jehu 1 King 19.7 But how should that be for he was no sword-man it was to be done by his Prophesying which was sharper then their Swords Fifthly Observe In the Resurrection men shall have their own bodies and souls again This Vision of the dry bones is by the Fathers and others held to be a lively representation of the Resurrection And see here the bones came together bone unto his bone the same bones which were united before were united again in this Resurrection and the sinews the flesh the skin belonged to them formerly the same came and covered them again so the same souls the same breath came and entred into them and they lived The Father had not the soul or body of the Son or the Daughter the soul or body of the Mother but every one had their own bodies and souls Job was of this faith saying Though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold Job 19.26 27. Sixthly Observe The souls of men do no sleep with their bodies in the dust nor vanish into nothing The Prophet calls for the soul of every body here to come from the four winds that is from those parts where they were Had they been in the bones or dust of the earth or vanished into nothing the Lord would not have directed the Prophet to have call'd for them from all parts of the world Verse 11. Then he said unto me Son of man these bones are the whole house of Israel behold they say Our bones are dryed and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts 12. Therefore prophesie and say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Behold O my people I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves and bring you into the land of Israel 13. And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves O my people and brought you up out of your graves 14. And shall put my Spirit in you and ye shall live and I shall place you in your own land then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it and performed it saith the Lord. The Vision being related to the Prophet here Application of it is made by God himself to the house of Israel And here we may consider 1. The Complaint of the house of Israel ver 11. 2. Gods gracious Promises unto the house of Israel ver 12 14 3. The event or sequel thereof ver 13 14. Verse 11. These bones are the whole house of Israel The Bones themselves were not the house of Israel but they signified and represented the Condition of the house of Israel which being captive in Babylon were like unto the dry Bones in the open Valley To insist a little upon the Resemblance between them 1. The Bones were many very many the Valley was full of bones when they were quickned they made a great Army So were the Jews in the Valley of Babylon they were very many Those came out with Zerubbabel and Nehemiah were 49897. or Fifty thousand wanting One hundred and three Exra 2.64 65. Besides those that came with Ezra afterward Chap. 8. And many there were which never returned In those 70. years they were in Babylon they multipled into a great number 2. The Bones were without skin flesh and sinews the Worms Fowls or Wild beasts had eaten up them So the Jews were stript of Wealth and Substance the Babylonians had eaten up that Lament 1.10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her plâ—asant â—hings whatsoever Jerusalem had desirable the Babylonians laid their hands upon And ver 11. All her people sigh they seek bread they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul The Chaldaeans dealt hardly with them in the time of their Captivity Jerem. 50.17 33. They broke their bones they held them fast and wearyed them with burdens and Taxes they flea'd off their skins eat their flesh and suckt their bloud 3. The Bones were disjoynted and separated from their places one here another there So the Jews were rent from their Habitations and Countrey and were scattered all over Babylon Ezek. 34 6. My flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth that is chiefly the Babylonish earth They were forced out of Sion and dispersed into all parts of Babylon This made Jeremiah to say Chap. 50.17 Israel is a scattered sheep The Princes the Nobles the Priests the Prophets and the People were all scattered one from another the Bones of that Common wealth were pulled all asunder and thrown into several places 4. The Bones were dry yea very dry they had no moysture or Marrow in them Such was the house of Israel being in the furnace of Babylon Their long Captivity with the evils attending it had dryed up their moysture and marrow They wanted the Milk and Honey they had in Canaan for their bodies and the Manna they had for their souls they were without a Temple the Ordinances of it so that not only their bodies but their souls also were as dry bones for they said They were without hope 5. The Bones being uncovered lay exposed to the reproach and injury of any foot that passed by them And the Jews the time of their being in Babylon were exposed to scorns and injuries from all sorts Ezek 36.14 15 30. Lam. 5.1 Psal 137.3 The whole house of Israel was a derision and scorn to the Babylonians Behold they say Our bones are dryed This speech Our bones are dryed is Proverbial and notes a most miserable and forlorn condition such as those dry bones lay in so far off were they from life that the Prophet could not see a possibility thereof The Jews in Babylon were in such a condition they saw no possibility of their returning Captivitas est mors civilis Captivity and Servitude under enemies is a civil death such men are like those are dead and their bones dryed And our hope is lost Hope is the Element by which the afflicted live the Anchor of the soul in a storm the bladder keeps up a man from sinking when in deep waters and upholds a man in life when death knocks at the door but these Jews had lost their hope and were at the brink of despair they said We hoped a long time to return to our own land but we were deceived here we are held fast Jer. 50.33 Let who will hope to see Canaan again our hope that way is dead and in Babylon we must die We are cut off for our parts This is a Proverbial and Metaphorical expression taken either
Christ descended from their loins as well and really as from David's but it 's said David my servant shall be their King And the reason is because David was King over Israel and Judah which they were not and the first godly King they had My servant David did serve the Lord and fulfilled all his will Act. 13.22 and so Christ was his servant Isa 52.13 Behold my servant shall deal prudently and he did so for He fulfilled all righteousness Mat. 3.15 and Did the will of him that sent him Joh. 4 34 Being in the form â—f a servant Phil. 2.7 And shall be King over them The Jews had many Kings some were very good as David Solomon Jehâ—shaphat Hezekiah Josiah c. but none of them like unto this King the Lord Christ The Scepter of his Kingdom is a Scepter of Righteousness Heb. 1.8 Other Kings had crooked Scepters and much Oppression was in their Government but Christ's Scepter is a righteous Scepter and none shall be oppressed thereby Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins and Faithfulness the girdle of his reins Isa 11.5 He will break in pieces the Oppressour Psal 72.4 The Lord tells you in Jeremiah what a King this King should be Chap. 23.5 I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute justice and judgement in the earth So Psal 45.4 In thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness Most Kings of the earth because they were false rigid unrighteous did not prosper but Christ because of truth should be trusted because of meekness should be loved because of righteousness should be honoured and so should prosper And they shall have one Shepheard Of these words hath been spoken Chap 34 23. Tantae erit clementiae dicit Hyeronimus ut non solum Rex sed Pastor appelletur eò quòd superbum nomen Imperii vocabulo pastoris mitiget King and Shepheard are here equivalent They should not have many Shepheards as formerly who destroyed them Jerem. 12.10 but one Shepheard that is one better than them all One transcendent and incomparable a Shepheard after Gods own heart who should feed them with knowledge and understanding Jer. 3.15 who should gather the lambs with his arme and carry them in his bosome and gently lead those whâ—ch are with young Isa 40.11 They shall also walk in my judgements and observe my statutes and do them In Chap. 36.27 you had these words only here judgements are mentioned before statutes and there statutes are set before judgements The meaning is they shall no more live after the courses of men or imaginations of their own hearts but they should consult with the Word of God and frame their lives according to it they shall trust no longer in their Legal performances but look at David their King and call him the Lord our righteousness Some look upon this Promise of David to be King over the Jews as accomplâ—shed in the reign of Christ the Messiah when here on earth for He gave out his commands then and required obedience unto them Mat. 28.18 19 20. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Christ manifests himself here to be King of the Jews and of all Nations Others are of a different judgement and do believe that this great Promise made here to the two houses of Judah and Israel remains yet to be performed 1. Because the two Houses are not yet united into one as hath formerly been shewed which may further appear from that in Hosea Chap. 3. ver 4 5. The children of Israel shall abide many dayes without a King and without a Prince and without a Sacrifice and without an Image and without an Ephod and without Teraphim Afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his Goodness in the latter dayes This Prophesie refers to the latter dayes which are the dayes after Christ not before Christ and if the two houses were united before Christs coming in the flesh and so He King over them as the Promise is here How did the Scepter depart from Judah and a Lawgiver from between his feet In Gen. 49.10 the Promise is it should not be so till Shiloh that is the Messiah should come and then it should but if the Messiah were King in Israel King over both houses united into one the Scepter did not depart but was advanced This knot must be untyed before we can be of their mind who say This Prophesie and Promise was at Christs first coming fulfilled 2. Because the Jews do not own Christ neither one house nor the other do it neither Judah nor Israel acknowledged Christ to be the Messiah The Jews said He had a Devil Joh. 8.52 They sought to kill him Joh. 7.1 They took counsel together to put him to death Joh. 11.53 When Pilate said Behold your King they cryed Away with him Crucifie him John 19.14 15. They persecuted all them who did adhere unto him 1 Thess 2.15 16. 3. The Jews have been and are still under many Kings and Shepheards some are under Heathenish some under Christian Kings but when this Scripture is fulfilled they shall be under none but Christ One King shall be King to them all ver 22. David my servant shall be King over them and they shall have on Shepheard 4. They shall then walk in the wayes of Christ not in the wayes of Moses The Jews every where to this day stick unto Moses and reject the Gospel as in the Apostles dayes Act. 13.45 Act. 18.5 6. But when this promise is fulfilled then they shall walk in my judgments observe my statutes and do them saith the Lord that is those laws and rules which God should give out by Christ for their Government and so the name and worship of God and Christ should be one Zech. 14.9 that is between Jews and Gentiles For the Scripture and Argument us'd out of it Matth. 28.18 19 20. 1. Take another Scripture shewing Christ came not to be a King and reign at his first coming it is Mat. 20.28 The son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister He came not to sit in a Throne to take upon him the state of a Prince to exercise Dominion and Authority to be attended with a life-guard and Ministers of state He came not to assume any thing King-like but He came in the form of a servant Phil. 2.7 to minister unto and serve others yea to do the meanest office belonging to a servant as the washing of his Disciples feet John 13.12 2. The place in Matthew speaks of that Power was given unto Christ after his Death and Resurrection and so was the fruit and purchase of the same He speaks not of that Power which he had as God nor
14.20 21. There shall be no Canaanites then in the house of the Lord of hosts Then shall be the new Heavens and new Earth wherein shall dwell righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 that is Righteous persons such as shall do righteous things for there shall be no exacting no violence no destruction but salvation and praise Isa 60.17 18. There shall the righteous flourish Psal 72.7 Fourthly Observe We ought to think and speak honourably of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and Saints of God God thought and spoke honourably of David of Jacob He calls them His servants that is an honourable Title which he gives them Fifthly Observe The Jews and their Posterity shall inherit their Land again become a Kingdom and continue so under Christ for ever They and their children and their childrens children shall dwell in the Land and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever All other Kingdoms have been shaken broken but this shall abide Daniel speaks of it in his 2. Chap. ver 44. The God of heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever Revel 11.15 The Kingdoms of this World must become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Vers 26 27. 26. Moreover I will make a Covenant of peace with them it shall be an everlasting Covenant with them and I will place them and multiply them and will set my Sanctuary in the middest of them for evermore 27. My Tabernacle also shall be with them yea I will be their God and they shall be my people HEre are more Promises given forth to the houses of Judah and Joseph being gathered out of the Nations and united into one house As 1. Of a Covenant of Peace 2. Of placing or disposing them 3. Of multiplying of them 4. Of God's dwelling amongst them Vers 26. Moreover I will make a Covenant of peace with them The Hebrew is I will strike or cut a Covenant with them Caratti lahem berith shalom Carath signifies to cut and to cut off by death 1 Sam. 31.9 the Philistines cut off Sauls head And 1 Sam. 28.9 Saul cut off those had Familiar-spirits and the Wisards out of the Land also to cut off from place and power as 1 Sam. 2.33 But when it 's joyned with Berith it alwayes signifies to strike or make a Covenant because it was a custom when they made Covenants to kill some beast or other cut it in the midst and pass between the parts thereof manifesting by so doing that if they brake Covenant they deserved to be cut in pieces Gen. 15.9 10 18. Jerem. 34.18 This practise was among the Heathens who cut a Swine in pieces Stabant caesâ firmabant faedera porcâ Virg. Aeneiad lib. 8. pass'd between them and so made Covenants The Covenant here which God would make with the two houses was a Covenant of Peace The word for Peace is Shalom by which the Hebrews understand not only outward quietness but all kind of outward happiness Hac voce appellant quicquid in bonorum censu habetur hoc est quicquid expeti aut optari potest Grot. Whatsoever they count in the number of good things and desirable that they comprehend under the name of Peace and when they wish all happiness to a man they wish him Peace Maldonate tells us that the Covenant of Peace here is the Gospel wherein we see Christ hath pacified all things by the bloud of his Cross Coloss 1.20 And Lavater saith it 's call'd a Covenant of Peace Quia Christi merito pax inter Deum nos constituta est not only outward but inward Peace The Jews had some Peace at their return out of Babylon but in the time of the Macchabees they had long bitter and bloudy Wars When Christ came there was Peace for a time but not long after his death they and their Nation were destroyed by the Romans The Covenant of Peace here is promised to the two houses who were not then but still are to be united and when they shall be united God will make good his promise He will strike a Covenant of Peace with them which shall not be for a few years but as it follows It shall be an everlasting Covenant with them God will not make a Truce with them for dayes months and years but a Covenant for ever The Jews opposed Christ when he came first and had little outward or inward Peace but when he shall reign over both Houses they shall have everlasting Peace And I will place them In the Original it is Vnethattim Et dabo eos I will give them Piscator confesses he doth not ken the sense of these words Ghappe he saith this is it I will place them in the holy Land Vatablus is of the same mind interpreting them thus I will place them in my Land The Chaldee is Benedicam eis I will bless them And Mariana to that purpose saith Dabo eis sc Benedictionem I will give them a blessing The Vulgar is Fundabo eos which Pinus expounds thus I will place them in a firm Land where they shall have a solid foundation Oecolampadius more fully Dabo eos tali conciliatori qui est mea benedictio in gentes I will give them to Christ whom I have promised to be a blessing to the Nations which sense I conceive the best for he spake in the verse before of dwelling in the Land where their Fathers dwelt In that Land God would give them to Christ And multiply them This multiplication is not only in a Natural sense to be taken but in a Spiritual also Non tam secundum carnem quà m secundum spiritum promittit augendum Israelem saith Lavater Their increase will be great and they shall be Believers Sutable to which is that in Isa 54.13 All thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children And will set my Sanctuary in the middest of them for evermore The word for my Sanctuary is Mickdashi which Montanus renders Sanctificationem meam My Sanctification The Chaldee and others call it Sanctuarium meum My Sanctuary The Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My holy things Mariana saith Ecclesiam My Church After the return of Judah and Benjamin from Captivity they had the Temple rebuilt which in process of time was utterly destroyed but here the Lord speaks of setting his Sanctuary in the middest of the two houses being united God will have his Church and Worship eminently amongst them Oecolampadius saith Non aberit Templum divinitatis Christus Jesus They shall not be without a divine Temple viz. Christ Jesus He shall be the Temple amongst them Rev. 21.22 And as he shall be their Prince for ever so shall he be their Temple and Sanctuary for ever Vers 27. My Tabernacle
a great Army from all parts to assault and destroy the people of God and not knowing what the hazard of War might be he would prepare for himself consider and fit things for himself Thou and all thy company that are assembled unto thee Where is a great Army there had need to be great preparations for their pay quarters and protection They know not what obstructions and enemies they may meet withal And be thou a guard unto them Princes have great power and it lies much in them to keep their Armies safe Vigilantia ducis est salus exercitus The eye of the General is a special thing to keep an Army in Order The Vulgar reads the words thus Esto eis in praeceptum Do thou shew thy self an Emperour amongst them Command and Rule them or thus Thou wilt do thy endeavour to preserve them Junius thinks these words refer to the Jews That Gog with all his Forces compassing about the Mountains of Israel and concluding he had the Jews in his power as a bird in a cage to destroy at his pleasure he should be a guard unto them God can make those a defence to his who seek their destruction But the other sense is more genuine First Observe That after Prophesies of Grace and Mercy come tidingt of Affliction and Judgements In the former Chapter the Jews heard altogether of Mercies from God here they hear of Afflictions from Enemies There they heard of David their King and Shepheard who should do great things for them Here of Gog a Tyrant their enemy who should seek to destroy them God in his infinite wisdom orders it so that his Church and People should hear of and meet with not only good but evill not only comforts but crosses Should we only hear of comfortable things we should presume and should we only hear of sad things we should despond God presents some of both sorts unto us that so our Faith and Fear may be exercis'd and we kept in a more even frame Secondly Observe The great Princes of the earth being no friends to the Church of God have God for their enemy Gog was Prince of Meshech and Tubal an enemy to the Jews And Behold I am against thee O Gog how great soever thou art I the great God am against thee thou wilt oppose my people and I will oppose thee Most of the Princes of the earth have been against Christ and his Kingdom Psal 2.2 And God hath been against them and vexed them in his soar displeasure God was against the Prince of Tyre and against Pharaoh King of Egypt Ezek. Chap. 28. 29. Kings generally are Proud Profane Tyrannical false to the trust committed to them obstructing the way and work of Christ in the World what they can therefore God is against them He is terrible to the Kings of the earth Psal 76.12 And their ends have been dreadful Some have had their bones burnt to lime Amos 2.1 Some have been eaten with Wormes Acts 12.23 Some have been hanged up Lam. 2.12 Josh 10.26 Some have dyed of strange diseases 2 Chr. 21.18 Thirdly Observe The Lord at his pleasure can bring enemies and Armies upon his own people God would bring Gog forth and all his Army Horse and Horsemen a great company all of them armed with Bucklers Shields and Swords God is the author of Wars he calls forth what Princes and Nations he will to assault and vex the Church The ten Tribes Who brought enemies upon them was it not the Lord 1 Chron. 5.26 The God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul King of Assyria and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser King of Assyria and he carried them away c. 2 King 15.19 Chap. 17.6 It was God stirred up the spirit of the Philistines against Jehoram King of Judah so that they came and spoyled him of all his substance of his Wives and Sons 2 Chr. 21.16 17. Let Gods people take heed how they provoke God for he is the Lord of hosts and hath all Nations at his command and can call yea bring them forth to trouble Israel it self and that soarly Fourthly Observe The Lord can easily bring men to do his work and service what ever the difficulty or danger be Here was hard work for Gog to gather the Nations East West South and Northward together to come out of his Countrey and to invade Judaea a business which required much consultation admitted many Objections and Demurs but God would bring him to it and make him do it as easily as a man pulls up a fish out of the water I will put my hook in his chawes Let God put an instinct into a Prince or State once stir their spirits to make war upon others the work will go on with facility and expedition God hath hooks to draw on Princes to War and hooks to draw them off to draw them back from them 2 King 19.28 Fifthly Observe From all quarters of the World there be enemies ready to combine and act with Gog and Antichrist against the Church Truth and Christ himself Those of the East comprehended under Persia those of the South intended under Ethiopia those of the West included in Lybia and those of the North contained under Gomer and the house of Togarmah were all at the beck of Gog to go against Jerusalem the Servants and Worship of God therein The whole World saith Oecolampadius contradicts and observes Antichrist When Christ doth any eminent thing in his Church the Nations are quickly misled and joyn with some grand enemy to vent their malice see Rev. 20.7 8 9. Sixthly Observe The enemies of the Church do make great preparations against the same Be thou prepared This shews and assures that Gog would neglect nothing which might conduce unto the carrying on his designes against the Jews Isa 8.9 10. Those expressions Associate your selves Gird your selves Take counsel together Speak the word do hint to us the activity of the Churches enemies Psal 83.2 3 4 5. see it there to the life Thine enemies make a tumult they have lift up the head they have taken crafty counsel against thy people They said Come let us cut them off from being a Nation c. How did Zerah the Ethiopian and the Commanders of his Army bestir themselves when they brought an Army of a thousand thousand against Judah and with them 300 Charets 2 Chron. 14.9 Seventhly Observe Princes notwithstanding all their preparations cannot secure themselves nor those under their command Prepare for thy self be a guard to them Gogs number Power Policy Preparations did not advantage himself or his they went forth to their own ruine and destruction Vers 8. After many dayes thou shalt be visited in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword and is gathered out of many people against the mountains of Israel which have been alwayes waste but it is brought forth out of the nations and they shall dwell safely all of them THis
and commanded it to be so Lam. 3.37 Who is he that saith and it cometh to pass When the Lord commandeth it not Vers 18 19 20 21 22. 18. And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel saith the Lord God that my fury shall come up in my face 19. For in my jealousie and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel 20. So that the fishes of the sea and the fouls of the heaven and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep upon the earth and all the men that are upon the face of the earth shall shake at my presence and the mountains shall be thrown down and the steep places shall fall and every wall shall fall to the ground 21. And I will call for a sword against him thorowout all my mountains saith the Lord God every mans sword shall be against his brother 22. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with bloud and I will rain upon him and upon his bands and upon the many people that are with him an overflowing rain and great hailstones fire and brimstone THe time and manner of Gods proceedings with Gog is set forth in these five Verses Vers 18. At the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel Time is not to be taken strictly for a day or an hour as if God should that very day Gog set out or invaded the Land fall upon him by his judgements and destroy him but largely for the time of that enterprise whilest he should be upon that design when he had fill'd up the measure of his iniquities My fury shall come up in my face Some read the words thus My anger shall come up in my face that is I will be furious and manifest hot displeasure for furor is fervor irae the heat and highth of anger We read the words My fury shall come up in my face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Af signifies Anger the face the nose also because Anger appears chiefly in them God speaking here after the manner of men saith My fury shall come up in my face Luther by Fury or Anger understands Gog himself who was Vas Irae Divinae by whom God powred out wrath upon the Jews Maldonate also makes the Fury here mentioned to be against the Church but rather its against Gog for at the same time that Gog should come against Israel at that time should Gods fury come up in his face he would be exceedingly displeased with Gog for attempting the destruction of his people And ver 21. God will call for a Sword against him Vers 19. For in my jealousie and in the fury of my wrath have I spoken The Lord being jealous over his people for their good and seeing what malicious designes Gog and his Confederates had against them was provoked much thereby and said in his Jealousie and Fury that is Promised or rather Threatned the Destruction of Gog and not only so but confirmed it with an Oath in the next words Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the Land of Israel These words Im lo carry the form of an Oâ—th with them as thus If not that is if there be not a great shaking let me not be God let me not be faithful so sure as I am God and faithful so sure and certain it is that there shall be a great shaking in the Land of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 raash signifies a Commotion an Earth-quake and in that day when Antiochus invaded Canaan there was a great commotion a great shaking And so there will be when Antichrist who is Gog mystical shall invade the Church which Maldonate saith will be in the end of the world Vers 20. So that the Fishes of the Sea and the Fowls of the Heaven the Beasts of the Field and all creeping things that creep upon the Earth and all the Men that are upon the face of the Earth shall shake at my presence Here is shewn the greatness of his shaking it should be such as should affect and astonish all creatures even the sensible and senseless As Gog should come like a storm so Gods judgements should come upon him and his like a storm When storms are the winds blow terribly so that the Air and Fowls in it are troubled the Sea works and rages so that the fishes in it are disquieted yea some storms do so afflict the Earth that Beasts creeping things and Men themselves are made to quake When God comes in a way of judgement it 's grievous All these expressions are ad significandam calamitatis vehementiam God would appear in some dreadful judgement against Gog and thereby shake all The Mountains shall be thrown down and the steep places shall fall Sometimes in Scripture by Mountains are meant Men in eminent places as Dan. 2.35 Isa 40.4 Sometimes the Church and Kingdoms as Isa 2.23 But here some take it literally and affirm there should be such an Earth-quake as should shake down Mountains Lavater by Mountains understands Towers built upon Mountains which then should be demolished The word for steep places is Hammadregoth which Cant. 2.14 is translated stairs the Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valleys the Vulgar is sepes the fences the translation Vatablus follows saith aggeres Bulwarks Piscator and the French say turres Towers OEcolampad and Lavater render it gradus the steps stairs or ascents whereby they went up Junius varies from them all and turns the word prcaeipitia which is Steep places by which he intends Rocks hanging as it were in the Air. The sense is that all Places of refuge and safety seemed they never so strong should fail And every wall shall fall to the ground So terrible shall be the shaking that the walls of Cities shall be overthrown all the Towers Forts and Defences whatsoever shall be levell'd with the ground and made useless Some understand this of Gogs prevailing against the Church laying all waste so that the people of God shall be in that distress till God come and execute judgement upon Gog and all his company Vers 21. And I will call for a Sword against him throughout all my Mountains saith the Lord God Sword here is put for Sword-men God would call forth men and stir up their spirits to oppose Gog and his company who filling all with fear thought to swallow up all but throughout Judea that mountainous Counrey he should meet with those would give check to his proceedings Judas Macchabaeus Jonathan Eleazer and others withstood Antiochus and his Forces as you may see in the Book of the Macchabees and therein was this Prophesie made good say Interpreters Every mans Sword shall be against his Brother Those of Gogs Army should through the just judgement of God upon them change their thoughts counsels intentions and instead of killing their
Enemies they should sheath their Swords in one anothers bowels God would order it so that one should destâ—oy another as the Philistines did 1 Sam. 14 16. Behold the multitude melted away and they went on beating down one another and Vers 20. Every mans sword was against his fellow They being full of discontent and perplexity thought it more honourable to dye then to fall into the hands of Enemies Vers 22. And I will plead against him with Pestilence and with Bloud He shews here what judgements God would bring upon Gog and his Armies judgements from beneath and judgements from above The first sort here are Pestilence and Bloud by the sword and slaughter The Hebrew is I will be judg'd with him by Pestilence and Bloud they shall declare that I am a strong and just God And I will rain upon him and upon his Bands c. an over-flowing Rain and great Hailstones Fire and Brimstone The second sort of judgements are Rain Hailstones Fire and Brimstone These words over-flowing showers and great Hailstones we had Chap. 13.11 13. In the 10. of Joshuah we read how God did cast down great Stones from Heaven upon the Amorites and slew more with Hailâ—tones then the Israelites slew with the Sword vers 10. To this place it 's conceiv'd our Prophet alludes foretelling that the Lord would deal with the Goggites as he did with the Amorites slâ—y them with extraordinary great Hâ—â—lstones from Heaven and not only so but with Fire and Brimstone which is poena damnatorum the punishment of the damn'd in Hell and was the punishment of Sodom and Gomorrha Some by these expressions understand manifold and grievous calamities which befell Gog and his and will not have them to be understood litterally that so the verification of them may fall upon Antiochus and his Forces who suffered very sad things for he was smitten by God with an incurable and invisible plague and torment in his bowels he fell from his Chariot and was bruised with his fall worms came out of his body in abundance his rottenness and stink was such as none could bear the same and while he was alive his flesh fell off for pain 2 Macc. 9. Let it be granted that these words are not to be taken literally but metaphorically for heavy judgements befalling Gog and his it will not follow thereupon that Antiochus was the man though he suffered such grievous things for it 's said of Gog that he should fall upon the Mountains of Israel he and all his Bands that he and his slain should have graves in Israel Ezek. 39.4 11. But as for Antiochus he dyed in his bed and that either in Babylon as 1 Macc. 6. or at Ecbatane in India as it 's 2 Macc. 9. Neither was there any such vast destruction of Antiochus Forces which came into Judaea under Lysias as these words hold out and is more clearly expressed in Ch. 39.12 Seven moneths shall the house of Israel be burying of them There must be a wonderful great slaughter which required so much time for their burial I conceive therefore that these words may be taken in the literal sense and are yet to be fulfill'd and that induceth so to judge is what you have Rev. 20.8 9. where it is said Satan shall gather Gog and Magog together to battail the number of whom is as the sand of the Sea and they went up on the breadth of the Earth and compassed the Camp of the Saints about and the beloved City and fire came down from Heaven and devoured them John saw this in Vision and spake of it as to come and puts it after the Saints rising and reigning a thousand years with Christ That time being expired some grand Enemies shall arise against the Jews and people of God whom he will destroy not only in an ordinary way but miraculously also by fire from Heaven First Observe When wicked men are plotting and attempting the ruine of the Church Gods wrath is kindled against them When Gog comes up against the land of Israel Gods fury comes up in his face Gog manifests himself to be an Enemy to Sion and God manifests himself to be an Enemy to Gog. Wicked men plot act proceed far oft-times and afflict the servants of God greatly but when they think to carry all God appears and that in fury In Nah. 1.2 it is said He reserveth wrath for his Enemies and when they declare their enmity against him and his he discovers his wrath against them Zerah had been long plotting against the Jews at last he comes against them with a thousand thousand and three hundred Chariots and thought to devour Asa his Army and Land in a day and whilest he had such apprehensions the Lord smote him before Asa and Judah 2 Chron. 14.8.12 Secondly Observe When mischief is intended against Gods people his love and indignation are manifested then his love to his people his indignation towards their Enemies In my jealousie and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken When Gogs Armies were to harm the Jews then was he jealous In jealousie there is ardent love and vehement indignation the one is towards his people the other towards them that wrong his people Zechar. 8. I was jealous for Zion with great jealousie and I was jealous for her with great fury He had strong love to Zion and great fury against the Enemies of Zion as a man hath ardent love to his wife and indignation against any should offer her violence God is jealous over his Church and therefore will never suffer it to be made a prey of by the wicked Gods love and indignation at such a time are so ardent that he swears he will be avenged on them that would wrong his Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the Land of Israel Gog and all his Forces shall fall Thirdly Observe The judgements of God are dreadful they affect all Creatures the Fishes of the Sea the Fowls of Heaven the Beasts of the Field all that creeps upon the Earth all men upon the face of the Earth shall shake Mountains Rocks Walls shall fall This judgement upon Gog shall be such as to astonish and trouble all sensible and insensible creatures so much of God shall be seen in it When the Lord destroyed Tyrus it was a dreadful judgement the Isles did shake at the sound of her fall the Princes of the Sea did tremble and were astonished Ezek. 26. But at the destruction of Gog Heaven Earth Sea all men other creatures shall shake There will be more of God seen in that judgement then in most before his presence power and severity will appear eminently in that Judgement it will speak aloud and fill the world with astonishment Fourthly Observe God can easily raise Forces against his and the Churches Enemies he can do it without any trouble I will call for a Sword against him throughout all my Mountains The Mountains of Israel were the Lords and all
the Inhabitants of them and if he did but call they came to his Standard presently The Princes of the Earth find it an hard business to get a great Army together and wait long for it after great consultation how to effect the same but the Lord only calls and iâ—'s done He is the Lord of Hosts he hath command of spirits and can with ease in a little time gather a vast Army The Centurion when he said to his servant Come he came and when God shall say to men Come they will come they must come out of all parts from all mountains Fifthly Observe As God can easily gather Armies for the good of his Church so he can as easily ruine Armies which are against his Church he can mingle a perverse spirit amongst them so divide them that they shall execute one another Every mans sword shall be against his brother One Goggite should destroy another they thought to have destroyed Gods people and they fell one upon the other 2 Chron. 20.22 23. The children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir came against Judah and thought to destroy them and take their possessions but God soon ruined their enemies he set them one against another for the children of Ammon and Moab stand up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir utterly to slay and destroy them and when they had made an end of the Inhabitants of Seir every one helped to destroy another the Ammonites destroyed the Moabites and the Moabites the Ammonites This great multitude for so they are called ver 2. did the Lord cause to fall by their own swords How easily did God scatter the Army of the Syrians which besieged Samaria He made them to hear a noyse of Charets and Horses whereupon they fled for their lives and left bag and baggage 2 King 7.6 7. Did not God at the prayers of a Christian Legion in the Army of Marcus Aurelius Emperour scatter and destroy that vast Army of the Marcomanni and Quadi which consisted of 977 thousand He sent rain at the same time to relieve the Emperours Army which was in danger of perishing by thirst and also thunder lightning and fiery hail which ruined the enemies God can with great facility overthrow the greatest Armies Sixthly Observe God hath variety of means and wayes whereby to destroy Armies and punish Enemies He hath the pestilence bloud an overflowing rain great hailstones fire and brimstone to do the same by He had an Angel to destroy Sennacheribs Army Isa 37.36 Stars to fight against Sisera Judg. 5.20 The shining of the Sun upon the water undid the Moabites 2 King 3.22 23 24. The sound in the tops of the Mulbery-trees did the Philistines no good 2 Sam 5.24 God hath Natural Casual and Divine means to plague his enemies with though they be in great Armies Seventhly Observe Those who joyn with Great ones in wicked enterprises must look to suffer grievous things with them I will rain upon him and upon his bands and upon the many people that are with him They thought themselves safe under Gog that they should get honour and wealth in that enterprize but the undertaking was unwarrantable Gog could not justifie his act nor protect them They were Co-actors in wickedness and so should be Co-sufferers It 's dangerous to adhere to Greatness in wicked designs Though hand joyn in hand the wicked shall not be unpunished Prov. 11 21. Let multitudes take Gog and Great men by the hand let them follow their counsels tread in their steps do their wills this cannot secure them they shall be punished God is no respecter of persons in every Nation he that doth wickedly and they that joyn with him shall be punished Vers 23. 23. Thus will I magnifie my self and sanctifie my self and I will be known in the eyes of many nations and they shall know that I am the Lord. THis Verse shews the end of Gods destroying Gog and in such a manner viz. That God may be honoured and known Thus will I magnifie my self The Septuagint and some others read the words passively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be magnified but Hith gaddilti is I will magnifie my self or I will make my self great and that is done when God doth such things as declare his Power his Faithfulness and his Justice when the Lord should execute his dreadful threatned-Judgements upon Gog then his great Power would appear that he had the Command of all Creatures that vast Armies are nothing to him so his Faithfulnesse to his people who owned him for their God and his Justice in destroying those would have destroyed his And sanctifie my self God is not unholy or polluted at any time but he is said to Sanctifie himself when he declares himself to be not Impotent not Unfaithfull not Unjust but a Powerfull Faithfull Righteous and Holy God Observe The end of Gods judgements upon the wicked is that he may be known and acknowledged among the Nations and so have a great and holy Name God is known by executing of judgements Psal 9.16 Known not to be like unto men as they conceived Psal 50.21 or a God that sees not as they said Ezek. 8.12 or a God countenancing and preferring evill-doers as they affirm'd Mal. 3.15 But to be a dreadfull God as when he visited Ananias and Sapphira for their sins Great fear came upon all that heard thereof Act. 5.11 To be an holy God as 1 Sam. 6.20 when he smote the Bethshemites 50000 of them with sudden death it was said Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God by his judgements he hath made his Name dreadful among the Heathen What a great and holy Name did the Lord make to himself by the destruction of Pharaoh and his host in the Red-sea CHAP. XXXIX Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 1. Therefore thou son of man prophesie against Gog and say Thus saith the Lord God Behold I am against thee O'Gog the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal 2. And I will turn thee back and leave but the sixth part of thee and will cause thee to come up from the north parts and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel 3. And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand 4. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel thou and all thy bands and the people that is with thee I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured 5. Thou shalt fall upon the open field for I have spoken it saith the Lord God 6. And I will send a fire on Magog and them that dwell carelesly in the isles and they shall know that I am the Lord. 7. So will I make my holy Name known in the midst of my people Israel and I will not let them pollute my holy Name any more and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord the holy One in
Exod. 23.22 I will be an Enemy unto thine Enemies and an Adversary unto thine Adversaries Whoever set themselves against Israel have the God of Israel against them Secondly Observe Wicked men may be in great honour and have great power Gog here one whom the Lord declared himself against was a Prince a chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal Ahashuerus an Heathen Idolater had honour and power enough when he had 127. Princes under his command Esther 1.1 Thirdly Observe There be seeming contradictions in holy Scriptures In one God saith Behold I am against thee O Gog In another I will cause thee to come up from the North parts or sides and will bring thee upon the Mountains of Israel God was with Gog and against Gog with him by his Providence to bring him forth to manifest his spleen and gall against the Land of Israel and against him by his Power and Justice to destroy him for his cruelty and bloudiness Gen. 14.14 It 's said Abraham pursued the Enemies unto Dan. And Josh 19.47 There was no Dan in Abraham's dayes for it was so call'd from Dan the son of Jacob who was long after him Moses who writ the Book of Genesis speaks of it as it was call'd in his days not as it was call'd in Abraham's dayes Joh. 1 21. When John was asked the question whether he were Elias he said I am not but Mat. 11.14 Christ saith of John This is Elias which was for to come John denies himself to be Elias personally which was the sense of the Questionists and Christ affirms that he was Elias mystically that Elias Malachy spake of chap. 4.5 There be many Scriptures seeming to destroy one another but if rightly understood they do sweetly comply and shake hands together Fourthly Observe Gods hand is in the undertakings of Enemies against the Church I will cause thee to come and bring thee upon the Mountains of Israel and if thou lingerest I have uncum seu avium a sixt hooked-hook to draw thee Warrs are not fortuitous but by a special hand of God he brings forth Enemies as to correct his Church by them so to destroy them in the presence and view of his Church being corrected Were not Gods hand there they would ruine the Church and because his hand is in such things therefore are they ruin'd After Pharaoh had afflicted the Jews the time appointed God drew him on into the Red-Sea and there in the face and view of them sunk him like lead into the bottom of the deeps Fifthly Observe It 's in the Lord to disable and disappoint Warriours when they are ready for battle When Gog and his Souldiers should have the Bow in the left hand and the Arrow in the right hand then I will smite the Bow out of the one and the Arrow out of the other hand saith the Lord. All military strength he can easily blunt and make all weapons of warr inefficacious he can take off the wheels of Charriots Exod. 14.25 He breaks the Bow he blunts the Sword and makes all weapons form'd against Israel unprosperous at his pleasure Isa 54.17 God stopt Rhehoboam when he was going with a great Army to fight Jeroboam and bring the ten revolted Tribes to himself 1 King 12. God hath oft put such fear into the hearts of Souldiers that when it hath come to a pitch'd Battail they have presently thrown down their weapons and call'd for quarter Sixthly Observe That in the same place where G d shews rich mercy to the godly even there he executes severe judgements upon the Enemies Thou shalt fall upon the Mountains of Israel Upon those Mountains in that Land the Lord had shew'd marvellous kindness to his people Psal 76 1 2 3 4. and there should Gog fall In the Red-Sea God preserv'd the Israelites and destroyed the Egyptians where the one met with signal mercy there the other had severe judgement so Joel 3.2 I will gather all Nations and will bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my people God would punish them even there where he had done much for his 2 Chron. 20 26. The Valley where Jehoshaphat blessed God for a Victory it 's conceived to be here meant and call'd the Valley of Jâ—hoshaphat The powers of darkness have oft and still do invade the Mountains of Israel the places and persons among whom God doth record his Name and there God overthrows them Seventhly Observe That Armies and others are exposed to publick shame and miserable ends is of God Thou shalt fall upon the open field and I will give thee to the ravenous Birds of every sort and to the Beast of the field to be devoured Want of buryal is amongst Gods judgements Jer. 8.2 14.16 To lye in open view dead and to be mangled torn by Fowls Beasts Swine and Dogs is a dishonourable and lamentable thing but how dishonourable or lamentable so ever it be it 's the Lords doings He makes wicked Armies and Persons sometimes as dung upon the face of the Earth They lye unburyed rotting and stinking Eighthly Observe What the Lord speaks that shall certainly take place Thou shalt fall upon the open field for I have spoken it saith the Lord God With God is not yea and nay what he saith is truth must infallibly be effected As nothing can be done unless the Lord speak so nothing can fail of being done when the Lord hath spoken Josh 21.45 There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel all came to pass God promised them to root out the Nations to plant them in Canaan and to do much for them and all God had spoken was made good so when God threatens evil whatsoever he speaks in that kind must be fulfilled because he is faithful and able to make good his word whoever opposes Ninthly Observe When God begins to visit the Enemies of his Church he makes progress therein Not only shall Gog fall and all his Bands and people but God will send a fire on Magog also and upon the Isles that dwell carelesly they thought themselves invincible being fortified by the Sea but when God arises to punish the Inhabitants of the Earth who are Enemies to his he goes from Countrey to Countrey at Land and from Isle to Isle at Sea When God draws the Sword and gives it Commission it proceeds from place to place and is restless till all at Sea and Land be cut off who are numbered out for destruction Jer. 47.6 7. O thou Sword of the Lord how long will it be ere thou be quiet put up thy self into thy scabbard rest and be still How can it be quiet seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Askelon and against the Sea-shore there hath he appointed it God appoints the Sword to visit at Land and at Sea when he begins with the Enemies of his People he will make an end with them Tenthly Observe
When God shews mercy to his Church and destroyes the Enemies of it then he provides for his own honour sanctifies his Name and makes himself to be known distinct from all other gods When the Jews Church shall be at peace Gog and Magog be destroyed then God will be glorious all speak honourable of him and acknowledge him to be the holy One of Israel When God led the Israelites through the Red-Sea and took off the wheels of the Egyptian Chariots the Egyptians said Let us flee from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians Here they acknowledged Gods power and that he was a God distinguished from all their Idol-gods a God fulfilling his promises and threats a God able to save and destroy even the Holy one of Israel Vers 8. Behold it is come and it is done saith the Lord God this is the day whereof I have spoken HEre the certainty of Gog's overthrow and the rest with the time thereof is pointed out It is come it is done i e. This Prophesie is so certain as if it were come and done already It 's usual among the Hebrews to put preter-tenses for future and to speak of things as past which are certainly to come This is the day whereof I have spoken God had spoken of Gog and Magog by his Prophets formerly as was shew'd from the 17. verse of the 38. Chapter that they should come against Israel and utterly be destroyed in that attempt which the Lord speaking of here as done saith This is the day not designing the prefixed day when it should be It shall be but when that is hid First Observe There is a certain time determin'd for the destruction of the Churches Enemies which God looks upon as present and done Behold it is come it is done that is the day of Gog and Magog's ruine God fore-sees things to come as if they were present not by a presence of Existency from Eternity but in his Decree on that his fore-knowledge and the certainty of things is founded we should therefore firmly believe the same and not give way to dubious opinions thereabout Secondly Observe The particular time is hidden from mâ—n and known only unto God Mâ—n cannot say This is the day but the Lord can He knew the very moment when Gog and his should be destroyed and the Church set at liberty The thing and time indefinitely were revealed to the Prophet but not the particular punctual time The Lord kept that in his own breast his Infinite Wisdom saw it not meet to particularize the time the Prophets had spoken of a day that would be for Gog's invading the Land of Israel and of his falling upon the Mountains thereof but the exact time they knew not John unto whom the Lord Christ revealed much tells you that after 1000. years reign of the Saints with Christ it shall be Rev. 20.7 8 9. Vers 9 10. 9. And they that dwell in the Cities of Israel shall go forth and shall set on fire and burn the Weapons both the Shields and the Bucklers the Bows and the Arrows and the Hand-staves and the Spears and they shall burn them with fire seven years 10. So that they shall take no Wood out of the Field neither cut down any out of the Forrests for they shall burn the Weapons with Fire and they shall spoil those that spoiled them and rob those that robbed them saith the Lord God THe great victory over Gog and Magog begins in these verses which is set out by the burning of the Weapons and spoyling them of their Goods Who gate the victory is not mentioned it 's only said the Jews shall go out of their Cities and gâ—ther up the weapons and burn them c. It 's conceiv'd the Lord will deal with Gog and his Forces in some extraordinary way Vers 3. it 's said I will smite the Bow out of thy hand And Rev. 20.9 Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them but notwithstanding Gods extraordinary dealing with them the Jews were used of the Lord in this victory for Chap. 38.21 I will call for a Sword against him throughout all my Mountains saith the Lord God so that all Israel shall be in the field against him and be the Conquerors Vers 9. They that dwell in the Cities of Israel shall go forth and shall set on fire and burn the Weapons After this great and famous Victory the Citizens which dwell in the Cities of Israel will go forth Visendi Spoliandi gratia to see the slain and to get spoil and among other things they should take of their Weapons and make themselves Fire thereof The word for Weapons is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neshek which notes any kind of Weapon to oppose the Enemy It 's not from nasak to burn but from noshak to â—rm Both the Shields and the Bucklers the Bows and the Arrows and the Hand-staves and the Spears These latter were combustible but how they should burn the Shields and Bucklers is not apparent they being of solid metals It 's like something combustible was annexed unto them And they shall burn them with Fire seven years It must needs be a numerous or rather numberless Army whose weapons should suffice the Jews seven years for fireing John saith their Number shall be as the sand of the Sea Rev. 20.8 which exceeds all Arithmetick Some make it an Hyperbolical expression to shew the greatness of their overthrow and multitude of their warlike Instruments Others mind us of a certain time put here for an uncertain viz. seven years put for a long time The Jewish Writers do take the words literally concluding they shall have such a Victory over their Enemies as that for seven years they shall need no other materials to burn then their weapons and think their Messiah not come because they have not yet obtain'd such a Victory Sanctius thinks not that they were seven years in burning the weapons but that they had such store which might have served them for seven years fuel great store and therefore it 's said they should burn them with fire seven years How this was verified in Antiochus is hard to shew It 's nearer to truth to judge that this Scripture remains still to be fulfill'd Vers 10. So that they shall take no Wood out of the Field neither cut down any out of the Forrests These words taken absolutely do strengthen the literal acceptation of the former We may take them comparatively thus That in respect of what they did use to take out of the Field and cut out of the Forrest they should now cut and take little And why For they shall burn the Weapons with Fire They should so supply them for fuel that little other wood should serve This burning of Enemies Weapons conduceth much to peace Where warlike weapons are broken and burnt not reserved there Wars cease and Peace follows They shall spoil those that spoiled them and rob those
should come and be found fit for entrance he had his Line and Reed in his hand to measure them None unmeasured might enter Hence it is that Christ saith Joh. 14.6 I am the way and no man comes to the Father but by me And Joh. 10 9. I am the Door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find Pasture Christ is the Lord of the fold and field by him they enter in by him they are led out to the good Pastures and led in again He will not suffer any thing that defileth to enter into the Fold the Temple the New-Jerusalem Rev. 21.27 Seventhly Observe The Lord Christ when Divine things are presented unto us would have us Attent Intent and Apply the whole heart unto them Such things as are of weight slightness and trifling about them are intolerable therefore it 's said here Son of man behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears let thy senses be wholly taken up with these things and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee thine heart also must be fixed upon every thing shewn thee thou must let nothing pass without due observation As Ezekiel was to do thus about the things of his Vision so should all Ministers and Christians about the things of the Gospel which are Revelations of the mind of God by Christ It 's oft said therein Who hath eares to hear let him hear Mat. 13.9 43. Mark 7.16 Luke 14.35 and in other places intimating that if men have either inward or outward eares they should hearken to the things of God They are Divine and may infinitely advantage or infinitely prejudice us if they be not well heeded if we be not attent unto them intent upon them and heartily closing with them better we had never had them It will be easier for Sodome and Gomorrha at the day of judgement then for such let us mind therefore and mind to purpose all things shewn us of Christ let us set our senses and whole hearts upon them Eightly Observe What the Lord Christ reveales unto his servants the Prophets and Ministers they must not reserve to themselves but communicate to others for their Instruction Edification and Comfort Declare all that thou seest to the House of Israel he must not see hear observe for himself but for the House of Israel for the Church and People of God Mat. 10.27 saith Christ to his Disciples What I tell you in darkness that speak ye in the light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye upon the house-tops whatever I have imparted unto you that do ye impart unto others take the best advantages ye can to make the same known The servants of God and Christ must not onely utter what they receive but utter All they receive Act. 20.27 Paul kept back Nothing was profitable for them but declared to them all the Councel of God Vers 5. And behold a Wall on the outside of the house round about and in the mans hand a measuring-reed of six Cubits long by the Cubit and an hand breadth so he measured the breadth of the building one reed and the height one reed Great houses and Cities have walls 1 King 3.1 and 6.5 so this house had a Wall round about it By this wall we may understand the wall of Gods protection which is round about the Church This wall was in height and thickness alike 6 Cubits high and 6 Cubits thick it was strong securing the house Ezek. law God who is stronger then all is the defence of the Church Psal 125.2 Babylons wall which was 100. Cubits high and 30. Foot broad sufficed not to preserve her from ruins that wall was battred and level'd with the ground but Jehovah the Lord of Hosts is the wall about this building and such a wall as all the powers of the World and Hell cannot shake or batter Zech. 9.8 I will encamp about thine house And Zech. 2.5 I will be unto Jerusalem a wall of fire râ—und about saith the Lord. The Church of God having such a wall is secure and invincible The Church is call'd an House not a Tabernacle because of Gods inhabitation of it and his fixed abiding there Psal 132.13 14. The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it Sion notes the Church in all ages there is Gods house there is the desire of his soul there he rests he hath no rest in all the world but in Sion The measuring reed in the hand of the man is the same with the reed in John's hand Rev. 11.1 Those that exercise Architecture use lines and reeds to measure things therewith and so doth Christ here The line and reed in his hand is the Word or Everlasting Gospel which Rev. 21.15 is call'd a golden-reed right strong and inflexible with this he measures the Church and all things belong unto it by the Word he sets out the nature greatness power priviledges and characters of the Church by this he measures out the qualifications liberty and power of Members and Officers therein Hence the Word is call'd a Rule or Canon Phil. 3.16 The Hebrew is Kene hammiddah shesh ammoth baammah vetophath a reed of measure of six cubits in a cubit and of a hand breadth Whether these words an hand breadth should be joyn'd to the 6. cubits taken joyntly or to each cubit distinct by it self is doubtful that in the 43. Chap. v. 13. seems to make the hand 's breadth to be added to each cubit for it saith a cubit is a cubit and a hands breadth This we may understand of the Legal or Sanctuary cubit not the common one which was less by a hands breadth then the other this being 5. th' other 6. hands breadth Hence some deny that the hands breadth must be added to each cubit for then there will be 7. cubits those 6 hands breadth making another cubit They will have the reed 6 cubits long and an hands breadth over the 6. part of a cubit more A cubit is that length between the elbow and top of the middle finger now this space being longer in some men and shorter in others no certainty can be determin'd especially when men differ in their heads more then in their armes for some make a cubit to be 5. handfulls some 6. some a yard and some an ell or ells some a foot and half The line and reed are in Christs hand the virtue and benefit of them is from Him This line and reed being the Word hath it's efficacy from Christ out of his hand it 's un-efficacious un-beneficial but being in his hand his power and spirit going with it it measures out and fits materials for this spiritual Building The book written within and sealed with 7. seals could none open but Christ Rev. 1.3 5. and as none could open it but he so none can make it
length of the Temple-courts c. make 100. Cubits as Haffenrefferus exactly demonstrates Of the signification of this Temple Some make the Court belonging to it to represent the World and the Temple to represent Heaven It may be considered whether the Porch do not point out the common Professor the Temple true Saints who are Temples of the Spirit and the Sanctum Sanctorum the Saints in glory the condition of those made perfect The true representation of this Temple I take it is the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ both his Body Natural and his Body Mystical viz. the Church 1. It 's a representation of his Natural Body Solomons Temple and Zorobabells or the 2d Temple was so Joh. 2.19 saith Christ Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up And why Ezekiels Temple should not type out Christ I see no cause There be many things wherein it fitly doth so 1. This Temple was holy vers 3. This is the most holy place hence it 's evident the other part of the Temple was holy The Hecal was holy though not so holy as the Devir and the body of Christ was holy Luk. 1.35 That holy thing c. Act. 13.35 Thou shall not suffer thine Hâ—ly one c. 1 Pet. 2.22 Chap. 1.19 Heb. 7.26 He was holy harmless undâ—filed separate from sinners 2. It was very lightsome and beautiful within it was adorned with Cherubims and Palm-trees vers 18.19 so the Lord Christ was full of light Col. 2.3 In him were hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge He was adorned with all the graces of the Spirit He was full of grace and truth Joh. 1.14 Cant. 5.10 Psal 45.2 Thou art fairer then the children of men 3. By the Temple they came to know the mind of God one part of it was call'd Devir the Word or Oracle there God spake so by Christ we come to know the mind of God Joh. 1.1 He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word He brought the mind of God to us and declared it to the world Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son Christ was an Embassador sent from God to acquaint us with the mind of the King of Nations and he did it faithfully Joh. 15.15 All things which I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you 4. The Temple was God's delight it 's call'd an House for God dwelt in it and manifested his glory there Ezek. 43.4 5. The glory of the Lord came into the house yea the glory of the Lord filled the house And Psal 29.9 In the Temple doth every one speak of his glory There God's glory is seen Is not Christ such a Temple Did not God come into the Temple of his Body 1 Tim. 3.16 Col. 2.9 There the glory of God was seen fully Joh. 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Fathâ—r full of grace and truth The glory of God never appeared so evidently as in this Temple and God delighted therein Mat 3.17 This is my belâ—ved Son in whom I am well pleased See Rev. 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out And I will write upon him the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my Gâ—d which is New Jerusalem God is establishing and will establish New Jerusalem with Pillars daily more and more and therein is strength to be found not in the World or in Babylon 1 Tim. 3.15 5. There were Cherubims and Palm-trees in the Visional Temple vers 18 19 20 25 26. and in the Church of Christ there are Cherubims and Palm-trees These Cherubims may note the presence of the Angel in the Church 1 Cor. 11.10 There were Angels in the Church of Corinth And so in the Temple John speaks of Rev. 14.15 17. Each Cherubim had two faces one of a Man another of a Young Lion to signifie the wisdome strength and zeal of the Angels which are imploy'd for the good of the Church Or by Cherubims understand those Christians who were wise stout and zealous for the truth and cause of God such as loved not their lives to the death Rev. 12.11 But were beheaded for the Witness of Jesus and for the Word of God Rev. 20.4 These Cherubims looked to the Palm-trees they were patient under all crosses afflictions in hope of certain victory Rom 8.35 36 37. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword c. Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerors c. Their eyes were upon the Palm-trees And Rev. 9.7 they had Palms in their hands they were certain of victory whereof Palms and Palm-trees are emblems There be several things wherein the Saints do resemble Palm-trees 1. They are always green and growing so are the Saints Psal 92.12 14. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree They shall still bring forth fruit in old age 2 Palm-trees cannot endure dung Magnopere abhorrent à fimo they hate it So the Saints they hate Superstition Idolatry and all sin as dung they will dye rather then worship the Beast or his Image rather then receive his Mark in their foreheads or their hands Rev. 20.4 they watch and keep their garments undefiled 3. The Palm-tree bears up against all weight laid upon it and the Saints do the like in all their troubles and afflictions Paul met with sharp tryal's yet he fainted not but found more strength 2 Cor. 4.16 And Chap. 7.4 He saith I am filled with comfort I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation And Rom. 5.3 We glory in tribulation 4. These Cherubims and Palm-trees were the ornament of the Temple and Christians who are wise couragious and patient under all tryals are the ornaments of the Church of Christ 5. This Temple with the Porch and Buildings belonging to it was great and large vers 12 13 14 and 15. 100. Cubits in breadth 100. Cubits in length So the Church of Christ is great and large In the Apostles times there were thousands of the Jews believed Act. 21.20 It was Prophesied in Isays days that all Nations should flow unto the Mountain of the Lord that is the Church Isa 2.2 And in Daniels days Chap. 7.14 That all people languages and nations should serve Christ And John in the vision saw it made good Rev. 7.9 I beheld a great multitude which no man could number of all nations kindred people and tongues which stood before the Throne and the Lamb. 2. It 's the representation of Christs Body Mystical and that in several things 1. All things in this Temple were measured as in the 40. also the 41 42 43 and 47. Chapters appears So in the Church the Mystical Body of Christ Ephes 2.21 Paul tells the Ephesians that the Saints are a
Building and such a building as is fiâ—ly framed together and so framed together as to make a Temple all which could not be done without measuring Psal 45.10 11. Hearken O Daughter and consider and incline thine ear forget also thine own people and the Fathers house So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty for he is the Lord and worship thou him Here was measuring of the Church and fitting of her for her beloved So Rev. 11.1 John must measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein All in the Church must be measured by the Word 2. Christ was in this Temple and did all therein and shew'd all to the Prophet as in reading the former this and subsequent Chapters is clear So in the Church Christ is there and doth all Col. 1.18 He is the Head of the Body the Church and the Head doth all All influence all dominion all direction is from him Christ is in the midst of the Golden Candlestieks and walks up and down doing and declaring what he pleases there Rev. 2.1 Chap. 21.3 Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God 3. In this Temple were Chambers Galleries and Stories noe above another as vers 6 and 16. of this Chap. and vers 3 and 6. of the 42. Chap. So in the Church there are several ranks and degrees of Officers and Members 1 Cor. 12.28 Ephes 4.11 There be Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers Elders 1 Tim. 5.17 Deacons 1 Tim. 3.8 So for Membes some are Babes 1 Cor. 3.1 some are little Children some Young men some Fathers 1 Joh. 2.12 13. In the Church of Christ fome are higher then others in gifts and graces 4. In this Temple were Posts and Pillars strong and great Chap. 40.9 10 14 16 21 24 26 29 〈◊〉 33 34 35 37 48 49. and Chap. 41.1 3 21. Chap. 43.8 Chap. 45.19 Chap. 46.2 In Solomons Temple there were Pillars Jachin and Boaz by which was noted God's establishment of the Temple and the strength that was in it 1 King 7.21 2 Chron. 3.17 And in the Church of Christ are Posts and Pillars James Cephas and John were Pillars Gal. 2.9 And was not Paul a great and strong Pillar who had the Care of all the Churches upon him 2 Cor. 11.28 Are there not many Posts and Pillars in the Church of Christ Of it also Chap. 44.13 45. Of the Most Holy place In the 4 vers it 's described to be 20. Cubits long and 20. Cubits broad parallel to the Sanctum Sanctorum in Solomons Temple 2 Chron. 3.8 Which was 20. Cubits broad and 20. Cubits long and 20. Cubits high 1 King 6.20 And though there be no mention of the height of this Most Holy place it 's propable it was of the same height with Solomon's as well as of the same breadth and length This was call'd the inward or inward house or house within 1 King 6.15 Ezek. 41.3 The Oracle 1 King 6.20 And the Most Holy place 1 King 7.5 the inner house the Most Holy place This place leads us to the consideration of Heaven which is the Most Holy Place Psal 20.6 Deut. 26.15 Heaven is Holy and God's Holy habitation and our happiness is there Into this place the High Priest entred once a year and made intercession for the people Heb. 9.7 And Christ is passed into the Heavens and there intercedes for his Heb. 9.24 Chap. 7.25 From the Most Holy place was the mind of God revealed Psal 60.6 God hath spoken in his Holiness in his Sanctuary or Most Holy place Some render it There God dwelt between the Cherubims and opened himself unto them Psal 99.1 Num. 7.49 Moses heard the voice of one speaking to him from off the Mercy Seat that was upon the Arke of Testimony from between the two Cherubims So from Heaven the Most Holy place God makes known his mind Nehem. 9.13 Thou spakest with them from Heaven Dan. 4.31 There fell a voice from Heaven So Mat. 3.17 Loe a voice from Heaven From thence came both Law and Gospel which is call'd the Word of God Rev. 20.4 In the Most Holy place the Glory of God appeared most between the Cherubims and in the Highest and Most Holy Heavens There the Glory of the Lord is most conspicuous most eminent among the Angels and glorified Saints Again they used to pray and lift up their hands towards the Most Holy place Psal 28.2 David pray'd and lifted up his hands towards the Holy Oracle that was the Most Holy place as is clear from 1 King 8.6 And do not the Saints in their Worship especially in prayer lift up their hands and eyes unto Heaven that Holy place Psal 141.2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as Incense and the lifting up of my hands as the Evening Sacrifice Or this Most Holy place may prefigure the New Jerusalem which was to be so Holy that nothing staind corrupt and defiled might come there Ren. 21 27. There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lambs Book of Life When Aaron entred into the Holy place he must be wash'd with water and be clad with Holy garments Levit. 16. And all those that enter into the New Jerusalem must be cleansed from their sin and clothed with righteousness Rev. 14.4 Those that stood with the Lamb were not defiled ones but such as were clothed with white robes Rev. 7.9 Vers 5 6 7. The side Chambers were in three ranks one above another and the breadth of the house increased upward there were winding-stairs and the higher they ascended the wider was the house Those in the Church are not all of one rank whether Officers or others some are of the lower rank some in the middle and some uppermost There be children young men and old men and the higher any get the more inlargement and greater breadth do they see in the things of God and this Temple and notwithstanding this difference among them there is a sweet harmony between them and they serve one another Vers 8. The foundations of the side-chambers were a full reed of six great cubits Of the great Cubit see before Chap. 40.5 Here was good measure In things belonging to the Temple the Lord should have not common cubit measure but the great-cubit measure Vers 9. The thickness of the Wall was five cubits The breadth or thickness of the Wall say some was so many cubits from the Wall of the House not so thick in it self But the Hebrew is The thicknâ—ss of the Wall was five cubits It was substantial and so should Temple-work be That which was left Quod derelictum domus saith Montanus the empty or void place locus derelictionis There will be some void and empty rooms in the Church of God Vers 10.
Rocks Thieves and Robbers in this way all which the Church of God meets with sooner or later Rev. 7.14 These are they came out of great tribulation these suffered heavy and many things for Christs sake they were in the one-Cubit-way Vers 5. The Galleries were higher then these The Hebrew is did eat up or prevaill that is as Montanus renders the word Capiebant angulos ex ipsis they took away some room from the uppermost Chambers There is difference between particular Churches some are higher some are larger then others Vers 6. Had not Pillars The strength of this Temple was not every where a like some parts had Pillars some had none or not equal to others the Chambers had not Pillars as the Pillars of the Court. So in the Church of Christ some parts of it have strong Pillars eminent Teachers whereas other parts are destitute wholly or have such as are weak the Church at Jerusalem had strong Pillars in it all the Apostles who were full of the Spirit and taugh infallibility Other Churches had not such Pillars Those in Macedonia wanted help and therefore Paul had a vision of a Macedonian in the night begging of him to come thether and help them Act. 16.9 The Primitive Churches had able gratious and wise Officers such as were Pillars of a truth in them and sometimes since have been strong Pillars in some parts of the Church Pillars of Marble Brass yea Gold but in others none or weak ones The Building was straitned more then the lowest and the middlemost from the ground Some Buildings are broadest at the top this was not so but more strait upwrtds It 's harder with some parts of the Church then others Those are highest in the Church meet with more storms troubles temptations then those are lower the upper parts of the house are more obnoxious to winds and weather Paul was high in the Church and what hardships what tempests did he meet with See 1 Cor. 4.11 12 13. 2 Cor. 4.8 9. Chap. 11.23 24 25 26 27. These Chambers were some greater some lesser vers 5 6. plainly intimating that in the Church of Christ from what part soever men came there should be entertainment and suitable accommodation for them If the Kings of the East come in Rev. 16.12 there shall be Chambers for them Let men come from North South or West there be Gates to let them in and Chambers to receive them when they are in Isa 60 8. Men shall come flying from all parts as Doves to a Dove-house in which are many Lookers Holes or Chambers for all the Doves So in the Church of Christ when men come thither they shall find Chambers good accommodation Vers 7. The Wall over against the Chambers the length thereof was fifty Cubits This Wall was answerable to the Chambers which were fifty Cubits in length vers 8. The Wall of God's protection extends as far as the Church doth or any part thereof Vers 8. Before the Temple were an hundred Cubits Fifty Cubits in the inner Court and fifty in the outer Court saith Junius Vers 9. The entry on the East-side Some read the words thus When he that brought me from the East The Prophet was led by a Divine hand from one place to another Chap. 40.3 Vers 10 11 12. There Chambers towards the East North and South are mentioned These Chambers were some greater c. Vers 13 14. 13. Then said he unto me The North-chambers and the South-chambers which are before the separate place they be Holy chambers where the Priests that approach unto the Lord shall eat the most Holy things there shall they lay the most Holy things and the Meat-offering and the Sin-offering and the Trespass-offering for the place is Holy 14. When the Priests enter therein then shall they not go out of the Holy place into the outward Court but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister for they are holy and shall put on other garments and shall approach to those things which are for the people Of the Chambers and the Priests in the 13 14. verses The Chambers and the Priests are the two principal things in these verses 1. For the Chambers they are described 1. From their situation they were North South and before the separate place 2. From their Holiness they were Holy Chambers 3. From their use which was 1. For eating of Holy things 2. For custody of Holy things 2. For the Priests here is 1. Their duty which is 1. To approach unto God 2. To lay up the Holy things 2. A direction what garments they are to Minister in how to dispose of them and what they must use at other times The building where these Chambers were was very large as appeareth from Chap. 41.12 it was seventy Cubits broad and the Wall of the Building five Cubits thick round about and the length thereof ninety Cubits and it was before the separate place Some make the separate place the Temple but it 's better understood of the space of ground at the West-end of the Temple and lay next to the Chambers joyned to the Temple or between those Chambers and the Priests-chambers In time of the Gospel great numbers in the Western parts from Jerusalem have come in to Christ and imbraced the Gospel which was prefigured by the great Building and the separate place which were at the West-end of Ezek. Temple and ever since the Gospel came into these Western parts and Christ hath had a Church here there hath been a thick wall of protection about it so that neither Heathenish nor Anti-Christian Powers could destroy it Here be many things considerable about the Ministers of the Gospel who are represented by the Priests what they did and had The Priests did approach unto the Lord it was their office to do so and to minister unto him Ezek. 43.19 Aaron and his Sons ministered unto God in the Priests office Exod. 28.1 41 43. And it 's the office of the Ministers under the Gospel to approach unto the Lord to offer up prayers unto him for the people 1 Tim. 2.1 They are so near unto God that they are call'd his Stewards Tit. 1.7 H s Servants Act. 16.17 They approach unto God as Stewards and Servants to their Lords and Masters The Elders were near the Lamb and had golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints Rev. 5.8 they presented the requests of the Saints unto the Lord In all administrations of the Gospel the Ministers approâ—ch near unto God and in all their approaches he looks to be sanctified by them The Priests who were in God's service had good accommodations they had Chambers and were to eat of the most holy things this signified the care God would have of the Ministers in the days of Christ and the good provision he would make for them they should not be without accommodations and means Gal. 6.6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that
teacheth in all good things Here is large Provision made for the Gospel Ministers Whatever good things people possess they ought to communicate a part thereof to their Teachers something is due to the Teachers and it's duty in the Taught to pay it The Ministers are to have Meat and Chambers accommodations to eat their Meâ—t in 1 Cor. 9 13 14. Do ye not know that they which Minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which Preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel Here is a Divine Ordinance for Minister's maintenance It 's also here hinted to us that the Priests were to eat of the best of the most holy things that it the Tythes and Offerings which were to be of the best Mal. 1.8 14. And certainly under the Gospel the Ministers of it are not to be turn'd off with the meanest and worst of things if you have choise spirituals from them is it not equal they should have answerable temporals from you Holy things were to be laid in holy places holy offerings and holy garments were not to be laid any where but in the holy place Under the Law some places were holy but under the Gospel holiness of places is taken away according to what was Prophesied Mal. 1.11 From the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering And according to that Paul gave out 1 Tim. 2.8 I will that men pray every where lifting up holy hands he makes all places alike for the outward Celebration of Worship yet the Truths and things of the Gospel are to be laid up in holy places that is in holy Hearts James 4.8 Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you cleanse your hands ye sinners and purify your hearts ye double minded Holy hearts are fit places for God Christ Spirit Gospel and all the Ordinances of it James 1.21 1 Pet. 2.1 2. 1 Cor. 11.28 Heb. 10.22 These plâ—ces shew that holy hearts are requisite for holy things So that of Christ Mat. 7.6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs neither cast ye your pearls before swine their hearts are foul and so uncapable of holy things they are not fit repositories for such things Here is in the 13. verse mention made of three Offerings The Meat-offeâ—ing the Sin offering and the Trespass-offering 1. The Meat-offering it was of fine Flower Oyle and Frankincense or onely of fiâ—e Flower and Oyle and then it was to be Bâ—ked Fryed or Sodden no Leaven or Honey was to be used therewith but every Meat-offering was to be seasoned with salt see Levit. 2. per totum Or it was of Ears of Corn the first-fruits Ears dryed by the fire even Corn beaten out of full Ears vers 14. Part of this Meat-offering the Priests were to burn upon the Altar for a sweet savour and the rest they were to eat in the holy place Levit. 6.15 16. 2. The Sin-offering whether a Bullock or any other beast was most holy yea whatsoever touched the flesh thereof was holy Some of the blood of it was to be brought into the Tabernacle of the Congregation to reconcile withall in the most holy place which was not to be eaten but burnt The Priests and all the Males among the Priests were to eat of this sacrifice c. Levit. 6.25 26 27 28 29 30. 3. The Trespass-offering There was one and the same Law for this and the Sin-offering it was to be kill'd where the Burnt-offering was and the blood to be sprinkled round about upon the Altar what was to be burnt and what to be eaten by the Priests you may see Levit. 7.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. These Offerings were types of Christ who is our true Meat-offering the bread of life the nourishment of every hungry and thirsty soul His flesh and his blood are meat and drink indeed at his Table we feed upon him crucified and so our Meat-offering he is our Sin-offering and Trespass-offering 2 Cor. 5.21 He was made sin for us that is a Sin offering that we might be made the righteousness of God in him See Heb. 10.12 14. In the 14. vers it 's said The Priests must not go out of the holy place into the outward Court which comprehends this mystery in it viz. That the Ministers of the Gospel those have given up themselves to Christ and the Church ought not go out from their spirituall imployment unto the world and worldly affaires but to mind that great work they are call'd unto For who is sufficiâ—nt for such things 2 Cor. 2.16 Paul instructed Timothy and in him all others in this truth 2 Tim. 2.4 No man that warreth intangleth himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a Souldier When men are call'd to be Souldiers they must mind their Souldiery not other things it will not please their Captains and Commâ—nders they cannot discharge their trust So Ministers having a great Captain and Commander the Lord Christ who hath chosen them to be his Souldiers they must mind their spiritual Souldiery they must not trouble or distract themselves with the cares or affairs of the world if they do they can neither be faithful to their interest nor please their Lord and Master Rom. 12.7 Those that Minister must wait on their Ministring and those that teach on their teaching they must not wait upon or meddle with other things Col. 4.17 Publicis insudare debent qui nomen dedêre militiae Souldiers might not intangle themselves about Husbandry Cattle Merchandising or other affairs but they were to mind the publick The Priests when they approached to God had other garments on then at other times they had holy garments on them they might not come nigh God but in holy garments afterwards they changed their garments when they were to deal with the people Which informs us that the Ministers of the Gospel ought to have other frames of Spirit in them when they are nearer unto God in the duties of his worship then at other times then they are to put on holy garments they should be cloath'd with zeal fear and other holy affections They are to discharge their office with gravity and authority that their Ministery be not despised God will be sâ—nctâ—fied in them that come near unto him they must not come in their old garments with old ordinary spirits but with holy garments holy spirits sâ—nctifying God in their hearts making him their fear and dread and carâ—y themselves as Ambassadors of God standing and pleading for him But when they are out of publique administrations they may put on other garments they must be cloathed with humility love bowels of mercy meekness long-suffering as 2 Tim. 2.24 25. In
Christ The Corrinthians were called out of the world to be Saints 1 Cor. 1.2 And the Macedonian Churches gave up themselves to the Lord 2 Cor. 8.5 So that all the Churches of God are a chosen generation an holy nation 1 Pet. 2.9 Cant. 4.7 Unholy ones who are without in the profane world should not enter into the Church God hath set a wall of discipline to keep them out that the Church may not be defiled by them It 's said of the New Jerusalem That there shall in no wise any thing enter into it that defileth the Angels will keep them out for at the twelve Gates thereof will be twelve Angels Rev. 21.12 who will let none in but Saints so that all her people shall be righteous Isa 60.21 The EXPOSITION continued upon the Remaining Chapters of EZEKIEL CHAP. XLIII Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. 1. Afterwards he brought me to the Gate even the Gate that looketh toward the East 2. And behold the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the East and his voice was like a noise of many waters and the earth shined with his glory 3. And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the City and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar and I fell upon my face 4. And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the Gate whose prospect is towards the East 5. So the spirit took me up and brought me into the inner Court and behold the glory of the Lord filled the house 6. And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house and the man stood by me THIS Chapter and the next in general speaks of the Ministery and Sacred Worship of the new Temple more particularly in this 43. Chapter we have 1. A New Vision in the first 6. verses 2. The speech of the Lord unto the Prophet from the 7. vers to the end of the Chapter Concerning the New Vision things considerable are 1. The time when it was 2. The place where it was 3. The object of this Vision where we are to note 1. The place whence it came 2. The sign of it 3. The effects of it 4. The resemblance of it 5. The receptacle of it 4. The Consequents of it which are 1. The Spirit 's raising up the Prophet 2. His leading him into the inner Court 3. The filling of the Temple with glory 4. The Lord 's speaking to the Prophet 5. The presence of Christ with the Prophet For the 1. When it was that Ezekiel had this Vision Not at his first coming to the Temple but after he had been led from place to place seen the several Gates Courts Chambers Parts Appurtenances Ornaments of the Temple and all exactly measured within and without after those things he had this Vision Which insinuates thus much that after men have waited upon Christ followed him and learned the nature and condition of the Church invisible and visible then the Lord affords Visions of himself and his glory when men come first to Sion enter into Church-fellowship they must not think to see the glory of God till they are acquainted with the inward glory and outward beauty of the Church till they understand the measuring of Christ therein Those that are in the Church in due time see glory It 's good to be there and to wait being there 2. The place was at the East-gate He was brought from the West-side of the Temple to the East-gate where he had this Vision coming out of the East Christ is Sol justitiae the Sun of righteousness and the Sun's motion is from the East Westward So here this glorious Vision came out of the East and entred by the East-gate which led directly to the Sanctum Sanctorum It 's the Lord Christ brings us out of darkness to light and shews us the way into the Temple and Most Holy place 3. The object Glory Behold the glory of the God of Israel That was some figure image or manifestation representing the glory of God In Chap. 1.26 27. Ezek. saw the likeness of a Throne of a man of fire And Chap. 8.4 Chap. 10.18 There were visions where he beheld the glory of the God of Israel and the glory departing that is some representation of his glories which was leaving the Temple and them signifying that God was wroth with them and departing from them But here the glory was coming to them importing that God's wrath was laid down their sins pardoned and he gratiously reconciled unto them It was sin caus'd the glory to depart mans wickedness draws the glory away but nothing in or of man caus'd the glory to return It 's said the glory came it came freely un-deservedly un-expectedly there was cause of great mourning when it departed and there was as great cause of rejoycing when it returned Whence came it from the way of the East Christ's star was seen in the East Mat. 2.2 His coming was from thence Zechar. 3.8 Chap. 6.12 Christ is call'd Tzemach which the Septuag render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vulg. Oriens that is the East Because Christ should come from heaven and inlighten the dark world as the Sun doth when it riseth in the East Luke in his 1. Chap. vers 78. calls Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render the Day-spring and may be rendred the East for the day springs in the East first be it East or day-spring it 's from on High Christ came from heaven to bring light into the blind world Hence saith Christ Joh. 8.12 I am the light of the world the great light the Sun of it which râ—sing in the East shines into the utmost parts of the West The next thing it the sign of the glory And that was a voice such a voice as was like the noise of many waters in the 1 Chap. vers 24. When the Cherubims went the noise of their wings was like the noise of great waters As the voice of the almighty waters use to roar and make a great noise Jer. 31.35 and 51.55 Such waters are strong and there is no resistance of them men cannot row or sail against them This voice minds us of the voice of Christ in the Gospel The sound whereof went into all the earth Rom. 10.18 Rev. 1.18 Christ's voice is said to be as the sound of many waters it was strong and irresistible He taught them with Majesty and Authority Mat. 7.29 They were not able to answer him Mat. 22.46 Joh. 8.9 not to withstand the wisdome and truths he put into his disciples Luk. 21.15 Act. 6.10 Rev. 11.5 Christ's voice in the Gospel is an efficacious voice The Effects of it were two First The earth shined with his glory Before the coming of Christ the world was full of Heathenish and Hellish darkness and Canaan was full of Types Ceremonies and Shadows
transfiguration Peter and John saw it whch was a favour unto them to see such glory and the greater because none of the other Apostles did see the same The 4. Step is the Lords speaking unto him being compassed about with glory To have heard the voice of an Angel had been mercy but to hear the voice of the great and glorious God out of the Temple this was a height of mercy such as Moses had Exod. 33.11 The 5. and last Step is the presence of Christ he stood by him Here was another mercy and no mean one Christ In whom were hid all treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2.3 So then here was the whole Trinity imploy'd at once about Ezekiel which was transcendent and superlative mercy Those are call'd to be agents in Temple-work have need of the whole Trinity help of the Spirit to raise or led them of a sight of glory to darken all humane and mundane glory before their eyes of hearing God speak that they may be taught of him and of having Christ present with them that they may be inabled to go through their work John in the Revel was led from mercy to mercy from vision to vision as appears throughout that book and especially in the 21. Chap. 1 2.3 c. The time will come when the Spirit will lead the Saints into the inner Court where they shall see the glory of God hear his voice and find Christ standing by them Vers 7 8 9. 7. And he said unto me Son of man the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever and my holy name shall the house Israel no more defile neither they nor their Kings by their whoredome nor by the carkeises of their Kings in their high places 8. In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds and their post by my posts and the wall between me and them they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger 9. Now let them put away their whoredome and the carkeises of their Kings far from me and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever The 2. part of this Chap. being the speech of God to the Prophet begins at the words read and in them we have 1. A promise of Gods abiding with his people and the effect thereof viz. Sanctification 2. A declaration of the cause why God formerly departed from them 3. A duty or charge laid upon them vers 9. The promise of Divine presence and continuance is partly in the 7. verse viz. in these words The place of my Throne and the place of the soles of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever and partly in the 9. verse the last words of it viz. I will dwell in the midst of them for ever By the place of God's throne and of the soles of his feet is meant the Temple and City of Jerusalem where God had formerly dwelt Jer. 17.12 A glorious high Throne from the beginning is the place of thy Sanctuary it was God's Throne and it was the footstool of God 1 Chron. 28.2 It 's granted by all that Jerusalem having the Temple in it represented the Church of God under the Gospel in which the promise here is that God will dwell for ever The Christian Church shall have the presence of God in it and abiding with it for ever Mat. 28.20 I am with you always even unto the end of the world John fixes this presence of God in the New Jerusalem Rev. 21.2 3. When New Jerusalem came down from heaven then he heard a voice saying behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God So Chap. 22.3 The Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it There both God and Christ will be and dwell This sets out the great esteem God had of and the great complacency he had in Jerusalem he esteem'd it as his Throne and took delight in it as in his chiefest dwelling Isa 69.1 God saith Heaven is his Throne and earth his Footstool this is the honour he puts upon heaven and earth and the same he puts upon Jerusalem and now puts upon the Christian Church It 's his Throne his Footstool the place he esteems above all others the place he takes more complacency in then all others Such shall be the presence of the Lord in it that it shall be call'd Jehovah-Shammah that is The Lord is there Ezek. 48.1 And such shall be his content and delight therein that Jeremy tells you it shall be call'd the Throne of the Lord Jer. 3.17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord and all the Nations shall be gathered unto it The effect of God's presence viz. sanctification is comprehended in these words My holy name shall the house of Israel no more defile neither they nor their Kings by their whoredome c. Of prophaning and defiling God's holy name was spoken Chap. 36.20 To let that pass the sense here is they shall avoid all things which do defile and sanctifie God's holy name they should keep the worsh p of God keep from idolatry and all arbitrary inventions of men which Jerome and Maldonate refer to the state of heaven ad Templum Coeleste and not to the Temple built after the Babylonian captivity because that was oft defiled by Antiochus Pompey and Titus and deserted by the Lord. Others refer it as is here said to that Temple because the Jews after their captivity did for ever hate idolatry and serve the true God though not in a right manner If these words do in part refer to the state of the Church after the captivity yet principally they refer to the state of it after Christ and that time too when New Jerusalem shall be extant for Anti-christ hath greatly defiled the holy name of God with his idols and will-worship but then nothing that defileth shall enter Rev. 21. 27. then shall be made good that in Zech. 14.21 In that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord they shall be all true Israelites Nor their Kings by their whoredome By whoredome the Prophet understands Idolatry which is spiritual whoredome of which hath often been spoken Not onely the people but even Kings and Princes were given much to idolatry in Israel and in Judah they caused idols and altars to be set up in most places and countenanced them they imitated the very heathens and became like yea worse then them Ezek. 5.6 7. Chap. 16.47 2 King 21.2 3 4 5 6 7 9. It 's said of Jehoahaz or Jehoiakim and Jehoiakim that they did evil in the sight of the Lord according to all that their Fathers had done
there is an Angel at every gate to keep out the unworthy Isa 52.11 Vers 13 14 15 16 17. 13. And these are the measures of the Altar after the Cubits the Cubite is a Cubite and an hands breadth even the bottome shall be a Cubite and the breadth a Cubite and the border thereof by the edge thereof round about shall be a span and this shall be the higher place of the Altar 14. And from the bottome upon the ground even to the lower settle shall be two Cubites and the breadth one Cubite and from the lesser settle even to the greater settle shall be four Cubites and the breadth one Cubite 15. So the Altar shall be four Cubites and from the Altar and upwards shall be four horns 16. And the Altar shall be twelve Cubites long twelve broad square in the four squares thereof 17. And the Settle shall be fourteen Cubites long and fourteen broad in the four squares thereof and the border about it shall be half a Cubite and the bottome thereof shall be a Cubite about and his stairs shall look towards the East IN the 41. Chapt. 22. vers mention was made of an Altar which was of the Altar of Incense Here another Altar is presented to the Prophet which is Altare Holocausti the Altar of Burnt-offering which with the appurtenances of it is described and measured by the Cubit not the common Cubit which consisted of twenty four fingers breadth but the large or Royal Cubit which was an hands breadth more and is here said to be the Cubit that is a Cubit and a hands breadth by some call'd palmae Cubitus This Altar was a perfect square in length and breadth equal each was twelve Cubits the bottome breadth and border with the lesser and greater Settles have their several measures and distances it had Horns and Stairs The 15. verse in Hebrew is thus And the mount of God four Cubits and from the Lion of God and upwards four Horns so it is in the Margent Hareel the Mountain of God Some understand Focus Altaris the space where they put the wood which burn'd the Sacrifice Others make it the body of the Altar which being between two Settles or Benches was so tearm'd appearing like a little Mountain Haariel the Lion of God or of the strong God it 's conceiv'd was the Grate upon which the Holocaust was laid and this Grate was of the form of a Lion as Villalpandus saith but rather it was so call'd because as a Lion tears and devours the prey so the fire of this Altar did eat up the Sacrifices laid upon this Grate Whether the Apostle hath not some respect unto this or Solomon's Altar for Burnt-offerings when he saith Our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 is considerable This Altar had Stairs to go up unto it yet God had forbid Steps or Stairs to be make unto his Altar and gives a reason for it Exod. 20.26 which was to be observed of men when they made Altars unto God but when the Lord prescribed the form of an Altar for himself he might according to his own good pleasure have it with Steps or without It 's probable Solomon's Altar had Steps being ten Cubits high as Sanctius and the Annotators observe the Priests also were to wear linnen breeches when they were sacrificing These Stairs looked toward the East That so when they sacrificed and worshipped God their backs might be towards the East and their faces Westward which the wise God ordered so that he might keep his people from conforming to and symbolizing with the Idolatrous Nations who with their faces Eastward worshipped the Sun-rising This Altar for Burnt-offerings was a type of Christ as those of Moses and Solomon were Exod. 27.1 2 Chron. 4.1 1. This Altar was but one so Christ is our Altar and our onely Altar Heb. 13.10 The Christian Church knoweth no other 2. It had a Grate whereon the Sacrifice was laid and fire put to it whereby it was burnt So Christ had a cross whereto he was fastened and there the fire of God's anger did fall upon him which was due to us for our sins Isa 53.5 Mat. 27.46 3. It had four Horns at the four corners thereof which signified the strength and sufficiency of Christ for all who should come unto him from the four corners of the earth When men were in danger of their lives they fled to the Altar and took hold on the Horns thereof 1 King 2.28 Exod. 21.14 and if they were not willful and presumptuous sinners they were safe What sinners soever shall come from any part of the world unto Christ and take hold of him by the hand of faith he shall be safe The four corners of his Altar are his wisdome righteousness sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 and He is able to save them take hold of him to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 4. This Altar was to be seven days cleansed and purified vers 26. of this Chapt. and Exod. 29.37 and so it was holy and whatsoever touched it was holy Herein is figured the perfect holiness of Christ who was most holy Dan. 9.24 and sanctified himself for the service of the Church and whoever toucheth him by faith is made holy and whatever is offered up to God upon his Altar likewise is holy This Altar sanctifieth the gift Mat. 23.19 Heb. 13.15 5. It was glorious and durable being of Shittim-wood and Brass Exod. 27.12 Of Cedar and pure Gold 1 King 6.20 And herein it represented the Diety of Christ which is most glorious and eternal Heb. 1.3 Chap. 9.14 6. It was call'd the mountain of God being on Mount Sion he did as it were dwell there and took pleasure in the sacrifices offered on it And is not Christ Hariel the mountain of God is not he the Altar in the mountain of the Lord's House Mat. 10 11. Heb. 13.10 Isa 2.2 Doth not God dwell in him Col. 2.9 Was he not a Sacrifice well pleasing to God Ephes 5.2 Are not we the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Ephes 5.20 And not onely so but the Lion of the strong God And is not Christ Haariel the Lion of the mighty God He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Rev. 5.5 The Lion of God to whom God hath given all power in heaven and earth Mat. 28.19 This Lion hath rescued us out of the mouth of that roaring Lion who intended and endeavoured to make a prey of all mankind 1 Pet. 5.8 Heb. 2.14 This Lion hath spoiled principalities and powers Col. 2.15 Purged away sin Heb. 1.3 Made reconciliation to God Dan 9.24 Abolished death and brought life and immortality to light 2 Tim. 1.10 The exact measuring of this Altar dictates this that Ministers should have and hold forth the full knowledge of Christ and especially of him crucified as an offering for sin for therein lieth the benefit of sinners to know Christ crucified Hence Paul 1 Cor. 2.2 professeth he determined
Worlds Worshippers They worshipped with their faces towards the East that was the Nations practice The Heathen Idolaters had their backs to the West but here the front of the House stood East-ward that when they came to worship the true God their backs might be toward the East and their faces towards the Sanctum Sanctorum which was West-ward When some Jews degenerated into Heathenish customs did worship with their faces towards the East Ezek. 8.16 and their backs towards the Temple God counted it an abomination it did greatly provoke him causing him to deal in fury with them and to shew them no pity Ezek. 8.17 18. God must be worshipped according to his own order and not after the rites and customs of others Observ 5. The Gospel spread first into the Eastern and Southern parts of the World it is said the waters issued out Eastward and came down from the South-side They were dry and hot Countreys and God took special care of them that they should be first watered In Galilee did Christ first preach the Gospel Mat. 4.23 and so all Judea over and after from Jerusalem these Gospel-waters flowed into all Nations Mat. 28.19 Go and teach all Nations Mark 16.15 Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature The Apostles were spiritual clouds and they were to water not onely Jerusalem and Samaria but the uttermost parts of the earth Acts 1.8 Observ 6. Those who are Preachers of the Gospel must look for hardship for travel and trouble for much heat much cold for many storms and tempests They that carry these waters must travel into all quarters East South North where be fierce winds parching heats terrible storms Preachers must expect temptations persecutions reproaches accusations imprisonments c. And notwithstanding these they must go on and carry Sanctuary-waters to all places Endure hardness saith Paul to Timothy as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ Gospel Preachers must not be dismaid at Northern or Eastern blasts nor faint at Southern heats Observ 7. Sanctuary-waters are no common but choice Mercies they are Right-side Mercies South-side Blessings The Gospel is a right-hand mercy Some mercies are left-hand and left-side mercies they are those of an inferior nature Others are right-hand mercies and such are those of the highest nature amongst which is the Gospel Rev. 5.1 I saw in the right-hand of him who sate upon the Throne a book written within and on the back-side sealed with seven seals and ver 7. Christ who was the Lamb took this Book out of the right-hand of God and so handed it over to us acquainting us with the mysteries and mercies in it Observ 8. The glorious and blessed truths of the Gospel do come from Christ Jesus as Mediator and making Reconciliation for us with God the Father These waters are said to flow from the Altar which was a type of Christ The Sacrifices offered upon the Altar were for Reconciliation and Christ being both Altar and Sacrifice hath reconciled man to God and as he doth this so the Waters flow from him so Gospel-truths are given out by him The Gospel is the purchase of the death of Christ seal'd with his blood and holds out strong arguments of our being reconciled to God and therefore it is called The Gospel of peace Ephes 6.15 These are the Observations from the two first Verses Now for those that flow from the other three Verses Observ 1. The Lord Christ as he is the Ahchitector of the Church so the Measurer of all things belonging unto it He is the Man in this Vision with the line in his hand nothing is to be done in his spiritual Temple but according to his will and direction Moses measured out all in the Tabernacle David and Solomon all in the Temple but Christ is the onely Measurer in this House Gospel-measurings are committed to the Son Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son and he is over his own House Heb. 3.6 to order and dispose all things as himself pleaseth Observ 2. The motion of Sanctuary-waters is not accidental or Humane but according to Divine Appointment Christ goeth forth Eastward measures a thousand cubits and then the waters flow that way and then he measures a thousand cubits more and so they flow another way That way Christ went with his line measuring the waters still flowed which imports that the preaching of the Gospel in one place and not in another is not casual or as man will but the Appointment of Christ He forbad his Disciples to go into the way of the Gentiles and into the Cities of the Samaritans but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Mat. 10.5 6. Christ here measured out the cubits where these Gospel waters should flow Paul and those with him being forbidden to carry these waters into Asia and not suffered to go with them into Bythinia whither their wills were bent at length by a Vision they are directed into Macedonia assuredly gathering that the Lord had called them to preach the Gospel there Acts 16.6 7 8 9 10. Christ had measured out a thousand cubits there for these spiritual Waters to flow It is at the Appointment of Christ what Countreys what Cities what Towns and what Families shall have these waters Observ 3. That as it is at Christs Appointment to what places these waters shall flow so likewise how far therein they shall flow So many cubits as Chrâ—â—â— measures out so far they shall flow and not further If he measure out a thousand cubits they shall extend so far if he measure out but five hundred cubits or one hundred onely the waters shall run to the borders thereof and not one cubit beyond nor one short So far as Christs line is stretched over any place so far the waters of the Sanctuary will and must flow Observ 4. The Doctrine of the Gospel is never rightly understood unless we be taught it by Christ He led Ezekiel into the waters of the Sanctuary so is the Hebrew bammaiim and we read it through them He instructed him in the nature and qualities of them Whosoever understands the Gospel savingly is led into that knowledge by the Spirit of Christ The Apostles themselves had not understood the Gospel had not Christ sent them his Spirit John 16.13 When he the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth that is he will make you know all truth savingly The truths of Christ are spiritual and without the Spirit they are not discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 15. Many wade into these spiritual waters without Christ and his Spirit and they are of those who are said to be ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3.7 Observ 5. The Doctrine of the Gospel conversion of sinners and graces of the Spirit proceedeth gradually 1. For the Doctrine of the Gospel that went out gradually like water out of a fountain which
may be covered with ones hand or a dish but running a little way encreases the waters hereafter a little time and motion were up to the ancles after to the knees and then to the loyns The Gospel was not given out all at once but one truth thereof after another Christ himself first preached one part of the Gospel and then another he was four years and upwards in letting that sacred water run out of his lips it came from him by degrees And so the Apostles who were Coâ—â—uits of this Fountain let out that water little by little they went up and down preaching here and there writing an Epistle to one place and an Epistle to another place till they fill'd the World with these waters If you read the Book of The Acts of the Apostles you may see how the Gospel spread from place to place and what great progress it had in the world Paul saith Rom. 10.18 their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world and to the Colossians Chap. 1. v. 6. he declares the Gospel was come unto them and to all the world from small beginnings here was great encrease 2. The conversion of sinners is a gradual work Now one is converted then another afterward a third not all at once Though the Waters of the Sanctuary be living waters yet they do not beget life in all who taste of them Many Scribes and Pharisees and others heard Christ preach the glad tidings of the Gospel and speak as never man spake yet were not converted some few were wrought upon in Christs time in Judea and Jerusalem some by the Apostles in several places where they came as at Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippi and other places but the most part remained unconverted even in Jerusalem it self which made Christ weep over it Luke 19.41 and say O Jerusalem Jerusalem how oft would I have gathered thy children together even as an Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not Mat. 23. Conversion-work went out slowly in Christs days it was quicker in Peters time then ever since three thousand souls converted at a Sermon now three thousand Sermons hardly convert one soul Paul gat at one time a Lydia at another a Jaylor at a third time a Fugitive servant and so by degrees the waters of the Sanctuary did good 3. The graces of the Spirit have a gradualness in them Their knowledge their faith their hope their love are little at first but in time they encrease they grow from knowledge to knowledge from faith to faith from hope to hope and from love to love None are fill'd with Sanctuary-water at first they come into us little by little drop by drop Apollos was more perfectly instructed in the way of God by Aquila and Priscilla Act. 18.26 There be several ages in Christianity Babes Children Young Men Fathers Babes are onely sprinkled with these waters in Children they are come to their ancles in young men to their knees and in Fathers they are up to their loyns and drawing near to their chins they are almost come to perfection but they and the others must still grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ till they all come to a Perfect Man unto the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ Epes 4.14 Observ 6. The Gospel hath such depths and mysteries in it as no Humane understanding can sound or comprehend The waters of the Sanctuary did rise so high become so deep that they could not be passed over Swim in them Ezekiel might but he could neither finde the bottom of them nor get over them The Gospel is among the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 it is the richest box of the knowledge and wisdom of God and there is a depth in those riches Rom. 11.33 it is the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3 8. it is wisdom from above Jam. 3.17 it is a Doctrine of heavenly things John 3.12 Heb. 8.5 it is not known without the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Eph. 1.17 neither Christ nor his Doctrine are known without Revelation Mat. 16.17 Gal. 1.16 The flesh taught the Pharisees to call Christ Samaritan and to say he had a Devil John 8.48 but it is the Spirit which teaches men to own and acknowledge Christ for a Lord 1 Cor. 12.3 Are not these mysteries and depths in the Gospel that three should be one 1 John 5.7 that two should be one and yet continue two still that the Maker should be one with the thing made that he who blesseth all should himself be a curse that the Prince of life should dye that the debt should be paid and yet pardoned the fault be punished and yet remitted that the Head and Members of the same Body should be in Heaven and on Earth and in the several quarters of the World at the same time that God who is infinite should dwell in man These and such like deeps are in the Gospel Is not the Revelation alone a great River which none of our spiritual Mariners can sound or sail over That one place Rev. 13.18 hath put the skilfullest of them to it Let him that hath understanding count the number of the Beast for it is the number of a man and his number is 666. In Daniel there be depths and Peter saith That in the Epistles of Paul there be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3.16 Observ 7. The Doctrine of the Gospel is pure and sufficient of it self it needs no tradition or invention of men The waters of the Sanctuary are holy waters and a River great and deep which none can pass over No waters are like these for purity and perfection they are not like the muddy waters of Egypt or puddle waters of Rome they are pure without all mixture and sufficient for all that belong to the Sanctuary So that men need not run to pits or cisterns of their own or others The Doctrines of men are muddy waters compared to these and not sufficient to quench the thirst of any thirsting soul but these Gospel-waters are most pure sufficient and satisfying Observ 8. From this Vision of the waters That Sanctuary-waters afford comfort unto the Saints in their afflictions yea in their deepest distresses Ezekiel had this Vision in the time of his captivity and it was to comfort him and the Captives in Babylon with him and so to presignifie to us that the waters of the Gospel would yield choice comfort to the Saints in their sad yea saddest conditions they are living waters and do refresh dying souls the promises are bottles of this water and when those that are in the greatest afflictions drink the cordial water contained in them they forget their misery and are like Gyants refreshed with wine The comfort of the Scriptures is choice comfort Rom. 15.4 That in Psal 46.4 is verified in these Gospel-waters There is a River the streams
unto the Jews and the one thousand two hundred and sixty days put for years are drawing to an end and God is about some great things to be done in the world and will ere long break forth That by this City is represented the Church some Rabbins themselves do acknowledge for though they deny our Christ to be the Messiah because he never built them such a Temple and City as Ezekiel describes yet they acknowledge this City and Temple to be understood not corporally or literally but mystically and spiritually And the Talmudists affirm That by Jerusalem we are to understand the gathering of the Gentiles to Christ or the whole body of Christians There be several things observable concerning this City or Church of Christ 1. That it is well and strongly founded usually Cities are built upon hills and mountains which are the strongest parts of the earth and so was this City chap. 40.2 Ezekiel saw the frame of this City upon a very high mountain and on such a mountain is the Christian Cfiurch built on the mountain of Gods Decree and Power on the mountain of Righteousness and Truth it s built upon Christ the rock of ages such a rock as the gates of hell cannot shake or shatter John tells us of this City the new Jerusalem that it had twelve foundations three on every square which were sure firm and would never fail The Lord Christ the holy Scriptures and the Doctrine of the holy Prophets and Apostles must fall to the ground before the Church shall be ruined 2 Tim. 2.19 2. It is comely and beautiful Cities which are built four square especially are so and such was this City it had four thousand and five hundred measures on each quarter there was nothing unfightly on any of the four quarters they were all parallel and had gates alike in them which presented it very delightful to the eye the Church of Christ is comely and beautiful its built not of unhewen stones or timber but such as are well hewen and orderly laid together Hence the Church of Corinth is called Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 and the Church in general the City of the living God Heb. 12.22 The Church is such a building such a City as is full uf comeliness and beauty it s a congregation of Saints Psal 149.1 It s the garden of Christ Cant. 4.12 his Kingdom Matth. 13.41 his Spouse whom himself saith is fair yea the fairest among women Cant. 1.8 pleasant verse 16. and beautiful 7.1 the Church is Christs body Eph. 1.23 the Spirits Temple 1 Cor. 3.16 and therefore hath curious work in it very glorious and beautiful What David said of Sion Psal 50.2 that it was the perfection of beauty is most true of the Church under Christ and in Christ it s the perfection of beauty Heb. 10.14 By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified 3. The greatness and amplitude of this City it had four thousand and five hundred measures Eastward West North and Southward it was eighteen thousand measures in compass which sets out the greatness and vast extent of the Church of Christ Zach. 10.10 God saith he will bring the Jews from Egypt and Assyria and so multiply them that place shall not be found for them Isa 49.20 The children shall say in thine ears that is in the ears of the Church the place is too strait for me give place that I may dwell The Christian Church is spoken of which should multiply so that their habitation must be enlarged as it is Isa 54.1 2 3. Now the tents and curtains of Sions habitation are stretched to the ends of the earth Psal 2.8 Mal. 1.11 From the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof 4. The City hath access unto it from all parts great Cities have many gates East gates West gates North gates and South gates so had this City twelve gates in every quarter three which signifies unto us the great access should be unto the Church of Christ from all parts not onely Jews should come out of the twelve Tribes to enter and dwell in this City and be under the Government of it but multitudes of Gentiles out of all nations and quarters of the world should do so Rev. 7. John saw not onely twelve thousand Jews enter in at each gate but a great multitude also which no man could number of all Nations kindreds peoples Tongues The Jews were numerable forty four thousand but the Gentiles were above so many millions the number of them which entered by the gates was innumerable 5. The happiness of this City which is from the Lords inhabiting there and giving it its denomination the name of it shall be Jehovah Shammah The Lord is there Alexandria was not so happy in Alexander nor Constantinople so happy in Constantine nor Jerusalem in Solomon as this City shall be in Jehovah We read in sacred Scripture of a golden City Isa 14.4 of a Royal City 1 Sam. 27.5 of a renowned City Ezek. 26.17 But their glory and happiness was a shadow to the glory and happiness of this City they were cities without God Jehovah was not there but here will the Lord himself be These words Jehovah Shammah import 1. The presence of God in the Church and that is a happiness to have his presence when God left the Temple and City of Jerusalem that was their great misery Hos 9.12 His presence in Heaven makes it Heaven and his presence in the Church makes it happy Thus saith the Lord I am returned unto Sion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and Jerusalem shall be called a City of truth and the mountain of the Lord of Hosts the holy mountain Gods presence makes it a City of Truth and an holy mountain and that City is happy which hath truth and holiness in it Zech. 8.3 2. His continuance in it he will not be ut hospes in diversorio sed ut haeres in patrimonio he will dwell there he will not leave this city nor depart from it as he did from Jerusalem of old and as he did from the Jews after their captivity Jer. 32.40 I will not turn away from them to do them good Ezek. 37.26 I will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore Rev. 7.15 He that sitteth upon the throne shall dwell with them It is the happiness of a Saint to have the Comforter and his great happiness to have the same abide with him and that for ever Joh. 14.16 So it s the happiness of the Christian to have Christs presence and exceeding happiness to have it for ever 3. His upholding and preserving of it the Church is Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 He said in Isaiahs days I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with Saphires I will make thy windâ—ws of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy border of pleasant stones Isa 54.11 12. and when the Lord shall do this he will
waters from Christ 554. choyce mercies 555. from Christ as Mediator 556. comfort in affliction 561 observable things in them 563 Water the nature of it 560 551 Ways of God are without exception 137. Of godly streight 538. Of men such as should cause shame and fear 388 Wealth oft gotten for others 54 55 Wicked The Lord knows who are so 111. They are not excused if the Watchmen warn them not 113. Whatever turned from prejudiceth not 133 Carpers at Gods ways 136. They may have the good pastures 207. They abuse them and wrong others ibid. Their expectations fail 261 Reproach Gods people under judgements 295. by their own badness God doth his good 295. they venture their lives to satisfie their lust 210. combine to hurt the Church ibid. they are miry creatures 575 Will cannot hinder the Spirits operation 368. no motives of Gods Will 588 589 Windows what they signifie 300 Wine how forbidden 394 Word Gods word shall be performed 391. when powerful 436. Seeming contradictions in it 236. Shall be effected 238 239. called a reed and what it serves for 291. hath its efficacy from Christ 292 Works so much of God in some of his work as that they convince Heathen 396 World mistakes and miscalls the godly 111 Worship false advantages not but defiles â—68 in matters of it God should have good measure 317. Nothing warrants humane things in Worship 365. not worship Eastward 371. Priests might not act of their own head in it 396. Worship of God to be promoted in the first place 404. Prince to be present at and to continue to the end 535 to do more then ordinary 540 541 Y YOaks what they are 24 227. Upon Gods people 230. God hath times to break them off 231 Z ZAdock what kinde of man 374 High priest how he came to it ibid. The first in Solomons Temple 390 He and his Successors constant in ill times ibid. Zoan an ancient and royal City 20 21 Zacar what kind of remembrance it notes 383 Reader If thou finds not what thou lookest for in the first number which riseth to 389. thou wilt find it in the after numbers which begins at 202. or thereabouts Do likewise for the Scriptures and Errataes Book Printed for and sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the sign of the three Crowns over against the great Conduit at the lower end of Cheapside Folio's THe Anotations on the whole Bible or all the Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testament together with and according to their own Translation of all the Texts as both the one and the other were ordered and appointed by the Synod of Dort now faithfully translated for the use of Great Britain at the earnest desire of many eminent Divines of the Engl sh and Scotish Nation A Commentary upon the three first Chapter of Genesis by John White The works of that famous and learned Divine Mr. William Pemble gathered into one volume The History of the Evangelical Churches in the Valleys of Piedmont containing a most exact Geographical description of the place and a faithful account of the Doctrine Life and Persecutions of the ancient Inhabitants Together with a most naked and punctual relation of the late bloody Massacre 1655. and a Narrative of all the transactions following to 1658. justified partly by divers ancient Manuscrips written many hundred years before Calvin or Luther by Samuel Morland Esq A Commentary upon the holy Writings of Job David and Solomon that is these five Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs being part of those which by the Ancient were called Hagrographa Wherein in the divers Translations and Expositions both literal and mystical of all the most famous Commentators both ancient and modern are propounded examined and censured and the Texts from the Original much illustrated by Iohn Mayor Doctor in Divinity A practical Commentary or an Exposition with observations Reasons and Vses upon the first Epistle general of John by that pious and worthy Divine Mr. John Cotton Pastor of Boston in New-England A learned Commentary or an Exposition upon the first Chapter of the second Epistle of St. â—aul to the Corinthians being the substance of many Sermons formerly preached at Grays-Inn London by that Reverend and Judicious Divine Richard Sibs D. D. sometimes Master of Katherine-Hall in Cambridg and Preacher to that honorable Society 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or divine characters in two parts accutely distinguishing the more secret and undiscerned difference between 1. The Hypocrite in his best dress of seeming vertue and formal duties and the true Christian in his real graces and sincere obedience As also between the blackest weeds of dayly infirmities of the truly godly eclipsing saving grace and the reigning sins of the unregenerate that pretend unto that godliness they never had by that late burning and shining Lamp Mr. Samuel Crook B. D. late Pastor of Wrington in Summersetshire Quarto's THe humbled Sinner Resolved what he should do to be saved or Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the only way of salvation for sensible sinners discovering the Quality Objects Acts Seat Subject inseparable Concomitants and degrees of Justifying Faith Wherein several Cases are resolved and Objections answered by Obadiah Sedgwick B. D. and late Minister of the Gospel in Covent Garden The Anatomy of Secret sins Presumtuous sins Sins in Dominion and uprightness Wherein divers weighty Cases are resolved in Relation to all those Particulars de ivered in divers Sermons preached at Mildreds in Bread-street London on Psalm 19 1â— 13. by the same Author The Fountain opened and the water of life flowing forth for the refreshing of thirsty sinners Wherein is set out Christs earnest and gracious invitation of poor sinners to come unto the Waters in several Sermons preached at Covent-Garden on Isa 55.1 2 3. by the same Author The plain doctrine of the Justification of a Sinner in the sight of God Justified by the God of Truth in his Holy Word and the cloud of Witnesses in all Ages Wherein are handled the causes of the sinners Iustification by Charls Chauncy President of Harvard Colledge in Cambridge in New-Enland Two excellent Treatises of Mr. Ieremiah Burroughs one on the fifth of Matthew being many Sermons preached at Cripplegate upon all the Beatitudes And Gospel-Revelation in three Treatises viz. 1. The Nature of God 2. The Excellency of Christ And 3. The excellency of mans immortal Soul both published by William Greenhil William Bridge Phylip Nye Iohn Yates Matthew Mead William Alderly Peoples need of a living Pastor at the Funeral of Mr. John Frost by Mr. Zachary Crofton Holy things for holy men or the Lawyers Plea nonsuited c. In some Christian reproof and pity expressed towards Mr. Pryns Book entituled Lords Supper briefly vindicated by S. S. Minister of the Gospel A Vindication of the Christians Messiah that Jesus is the true Messiah prophesied and foretold by all the holy men of God who were writers of the Old Testament as also proved out
righteousness which is of God by faith and that is only the righteousnesse will stand in stead against all sin and let us into Heaven Secondly Observe Its perseverance will Crown mens undertakings and make them acceptable It s not enough to begin well unless we go on if men be righteous and give over their righteousness falling to iniquity as those that are legally righteous may they lose their former righteousness and fall under judgement If a righteous man commit iniquity all his righteousnesse shall not be remembred but for his iniquity which he hath committed he shall dye Thirdly Observe Men are apt to rest upon a legall righteousnesse If he trust in his own righteousnesse When men restore the pledge make restitution for what they have gotten wrongfully walk in the statutes of life do that which is lawfull and right they are very prone to trust in this their own righteousness so did the Pharisees Luke 18.11 12. so did Paul while he was a Pharisee Rom. 7.9 but being become a true Christian and having obtained the righteousness of faith he had no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 but his whole confidence was in Christ Jesus Fourthly Observe Let the wickednesse of men be what it will if they turn from the same it shall not prejudice them but they shall live a comfortable life As for the wickednesse of the wicked he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickednesse If he turn from his sin and do that which is lawfull and right his sins shall not be mentioned unto him he shall surely live he shall live in living others by reason of their iniquities are dead in living they have no comfort in their lives but pine away It s mens sins which make times evill and lives uncomfortable Psal 34.12 13 14. What man is he that desireth life and loveth dayes that he may see good Keep thy tongue from evill and thy lips from speaking guile Depart from evill and do good This is the way to live long and comfortably Righteousness exalts Nations Familyes and Persons Fifthly Observe Gods statutes punctually kept afford life he who walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity shall surely live Deut. 4.1 Hearken O Israel unto the statutes and unto the â—dgements which I teach you for to do them that ye may live and â—in and possesse the Land He speaks of a temporal life here â—ut in Matth 19.17 of an eternal life if thou wilt enter into ife keep the Commandements The young man spake of eternal life and Christ bids him keep the Commandements if he would have that shewing that if a man could personally and perfectly keep the Commands of God he should have eternall life Verses 17 18 19 20. Yet the children of thy people say The way of the Lord is not equall but as for them their way is not equall When the righteous turneth from his righteousness committeth iniquity he shall even dye thereby But if the wicked turn from his wickednesse and do that which is lawfull and right he shall live thereby Yet ye say The way of the Lord is not equall O ye house of Israel I will judge you every one after his wayes THe Prophet having vindicated the truth of God which the Jews calumniated he comes now to vindicate the justice which they likewise impeached saying his proceedings were not equall and that he doth in these verses Vers 17. The way of the Lord is not equall The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The way of the Lord is not right The French translation is La voye du Seigneur n'est point bieu reiglee The way of the Lord is not well regulated or ordered others thus Negant aequum justum esse quod facit Dominus Thy people deny that to be equall and just which the Lord doth They say he governeth the world unrighteously and doth not administer justice indifferently to all men but hath persons in respect and punisheth one for another this was that they charged God withall But as for them their way is not equall Here is answer to that unjust charge they charged God withall and it s by way of recrimination that they charged upon the Lord is recharged upon themselves you say The Lords wayes are not equall but he saith your wayes are not equall just right or well ordered Your Prophets have conspired against me and devoured souls your Priests have violated my Law and prophaned my holy things your Princes have been ravenous wolves to shed bloud and to destroy souls for dishonest gain The People of the Land have used oppression exercised robbery have vexed the poor and needy yea oppressed the stranger wrongfully Ezek 22.25 26 27 29. And now whose wayes are not equall yours or mine Of these words see what hath been said Chap. 18.25 Vers 18. When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity he shall surely dye You charge me that I respect persons and punish one for another the son for the father but it s not so in this ver the next the Lord doth clearly free himself from that imputation hereby shewing what his dealings are with a righteous man whatever he be father or son Prince or Subject if he turn from his righteousness and fall to wicked and vile practices he shall surely dye God will judge him for his wickedness and bring some judgement upon him and there is no injustice in that if men turn Traytors to a State its justice in that state to cut them off Vers 19. But if the wicked turn from his wickedness and do that which is lawfull and right he shall live thereby Here also the Lord vindicates himself by shewing what his proceedings are with a man that turns from his wickedness and doth amend his life by doing what is lawful and right that man whatever he be shall be spared he shall live and enjoy blessings from God it shall go well with the man that turns to God and ill with him that turns from God and doth evill Now if so what injustice is there in God what is the evill of his wayes Let them both speak and declare wherein God wrongs either of them if they can Vers 20. Yet ye say the way of the Lord is not equall Having made it evident by clear demonstration that his wayes are equall and that by two instances viz one of the righteous and the other of the wicked he here upbraids them for their stubbornness and impudency persisting in their perverse opinion and saying Yet the way of the Lord is not equall they might as well have said the sun was dark and the night was day O ye house of Israel I will judge ye every one after his wayes Seeing ye are so wicked perverse in your judgements as to condemn my wayes and sentence them to be unequall I will call every one of you to account for this evill way of yours and the rest of your
evill wayes and will judge you accordingly this is the conclusion the Lord draws up upon the premises First Observe Wicked men are apt to complain of and carp at the wayes of God They said the way of the Lord is not equall Job 21.15 What is the Allmighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him We get nothing by his service by calling on his name he is a hard Master he regards not our labour or prayers These were of the same spirit with them in Malachie's dayes who blusht not to say It s in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hoasts Mal. 3.14 We were told that no service was like unto the Lords that thosâ— that did mourn for their sins and walk in his wayes should be blessed and live comfortably but we find no such thing we have tryed him and find that he regards exalts and blesses those that never minded him or his wayes vers 15. therefore It s in vain to serve him In the 5. of Jeremy is a notable instance to this purpose vers 11 12 13. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me saith the Lord. They have belyed the Lord and said it is not he neither shall evill come upon us neither shall we see sword nor famine And the Prophets shall become wind and the word is not in them They said God had no reason to threaten them with sword or famine they deserved no such judgement at his hands and therefore the Prophets that prophesied such things were not sent of God his word was not in them they brought windy doctrines of their own and should together with their doctrines become wind evill shall not come upon us but upon them When Christ was on earth how did the Scribes and Pharisees carp at him his wayes and doctrine see Matth 12.22 John 5.10.18 Chap. 8.48 Cha 10.32 33. In our dayes do not men carp at the Scriptures Ordinances Providences and dispensations of God Such is the pride and arrogancy of man that he dares blame and condemn the wayes and things of God Secondly Observe Men have no cause to complain of or cavill against the wayes of God For First His wayes are equall just righteous however they appear to men he is God and cannot do unjust things He is light and in him is no darknesse at all 1 John 1.5 Just and true are his wayes Rev 15.3 He is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Psal 145.17 The just Lord is in the midst of the City he will not do iniquity Zeph 3.5 Shall not the judge of all the earth do right Gen 18.25 Yes though men do wickedly God will not Habak 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evill and canst not look on iniquity he cannot look on it to approve it much lesse to act it Secondly Our wayes are unequall and shall the guilty complain of the innocent Had the Sodomites any cause to complain of God who were so wicked Had the old world which was so corrupt cause to cry out of Heaven which was pure No man hath just ground to quarrel against Gods dispensations when himself walks unevenly before God and his paths are crooked If just men sin and step aside Eccl 7.20 What do wicked men they are altogether out of the way Ps 14.3 They do no good their lives are a constant sinning or a continued sin and should God punish him daily for so doing he had no just cause to fault the Lord Lament 3.39 Wherefore doth a l ving man complain a man for the punishment of his sins Thirdly Upon comparing of his dealings with the righteous falling to commit iniquity and the wicked turning from iniquity it appears to all unprejudiced men who are not blinded with iniquity the one is punished for his apostacy the other is pardoned upon his repentance judgement is the portion of the one mercy the portion of the other If God should punish the repenting wicked man and spare the apostatized righteous man then there were cause of complaint but its contrary therefore his wayes are equall and there is no cause to complain of them Fourthly God hath power over the sons of men they are his family and he may exercise Discipline in his family the house of Israel the Jewes were Gods house he Master of that family and when any sin'd in it he had power to correct them or turn them out of dores and who should fault him it is not childrens duty to complain of their Parents nor for servants to complain of their Lord and Master Fifthly Complaints in this kind will do us no good they will harm us rather for God is judge yea the highest judge and will not only judge us for our other evill wayes but for this very way of charging him to be unjust and cavilling at his dispensations he will judge every one after his wayes neither great nor small can avoide his judgement Let us all therefore take heed how we fault the wayes of God how strange or grievous soever they appear or be unto us Thirdly Observe When men have once taken up prejudice against God and his wayes it s not easie to be remov'd The Jewes had drunk in this conceit Chap. 18. That the wayes of God were not equall and much of that Chapter is spent in proving the contrary to extirpate that mis-conceit but it took not effect they let passe Gods Arguments whereby he cleared himself and carryed along with them their prejudice against him and his wayes as appears in this Chap vers 17. 20. Yet ye say The way of the Lord is not equall When weeds are gotten into the ground and rooted there it s not easie to cleanse that ground from them when errors delusions corrupt opinions and prejudice against the truth are gotten into the head or heart it s not an easie thing to get them out Many wonder that Ministers should not convince unlearned and weak men of their errors and take them off from their opinions and prejudices but they should consider some men will not be convinced either by God or man These here were not convinced by God nor the Pharisees by Christ John 15.6 7. 10. Chap nor the Athenians by Paul Acts 17. Verses 21 22. And it came to passe in the twelfth yeer of our captivity in the tenth month in the fifth day of the month that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me saying The City is smitten Now the hand of the Lord was upon me in the evening afore he that was escaped came and had opened my mouth untill he came to me in the morning and my mouth was opened and I was no more dumb HEre the 3 general part of the Chapter takes place and is a denunciation of judgement against those that
in take up all places and sit in expectation to hear somewhat that may please or to catch somewhat they may carp at and make advantage of which some Expositers affirm to be the end of their coming here The Hebrew for as the people cometh is according to the coming or entrance of the people some come for to hear notions and novelties some to scoffe some to censure few come upon right grounds or for right ends They sit before thee as my people They carry it before thee as my people they hearken to what thou sayest and make as if they would not loose one truth but lay up all and do as my people ought to do viz practice what they hear they seem before thee to be Saints the people of God as those that would learn righteousnesse They hear thy words but they will not do them They took pains to hear the Prophet they came to his house as Chap 8.1 Chap. 14.1 It was not likely that they had publique places of meeting the Babylonians did not favour them so much as to indulge them with such liberty where-ever it was they heard the Prophet they did not do what he said they obeyed not him nor the Lord who sent him For with their mouth they shew much love From the teeth outwards they professed much kindness to the Prophet they gave him smooth and good words The Hebrew for much love is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agavim from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agat which signifies to be much in love with one to be taken with the sight hearing or company of one and Agavim is amatoria they make as if they were deeply in love much affected with the sight and hearing of thee when it was not so here was their hypocrisie The Septuagint hath these words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because there was a lye in their mouth they dissembled with the Prophet Arias Montanus renders the word Agavim subsannationes which is mockings with bending the Browes and snuffing the Nose the Vulgar is to that purpose in canticum oris sui vertunt illos they turn thy words into a song they jeer at what thou sayest so that translation Vatablus follows Cantiones edunt ore suo that is saith he Rident doctrinam tuam they laugh at thy doctrine The French likewise is of this nature Itz en font une chauson de plaisanterie de leur bouche they make scoffing songs with their mouth The word for shew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Osim from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asah which usually signifies to do to effect to perfect but here hath a differing signification viz. to shew declare or professe and so Polanus tells that the word in Matth. 12.33 is to be taken either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt for the Tree is known by his fruits Look upon the works which I have done and by them profess declare what I am if I have done evill works declare me â—nd my works to be evill if I have done good declare me and my works to be good for such as the Tree is such is the fruit But their heart goeth after their covetousnesse They looked upon the Prophet and listned to his words but their hearts looked another way The word for Covetousness is Bitzha from Batzha to wound break damnifie and metaphorically to be covetous given to get and gain intimating that covetous men do wound break damnifie themselves and others The Septuagint have these words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their heart goeth after their pollutions Covetousness is a defiling thing The Greek word for Covetousnesse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a desire of having more not simply of having more but more then God allows us when we go beyond the bounds he hath set us which bounds are in 1 Tim. 6.8 Heb 13.5 If we be not content with food rayment and such things as we have but let out our desires to more we are covetous They being in captivity having little in respect of what they once had in their own Land they were not contented with what they had but let out their minds and hearts to more and so were covetous First Observe It s the portion of Gods servants to be ill spoken of and that from time to time by those they live amongst and do good unto The children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of their houses They had spoken ill of Ezekiel before they did it still openly and secretly David met with such a portion from many Psal 41. All that hate me whisper together against me Psal 69.12 They that sit in the Gate speak against me Psal 109.2 The mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitfull are opened against me they have spoken against me with a lying tongue Psal 119.23 Princes also did sit and speak against me Great and small publiquely and privately did defame David Jeremy escaped not the lash of the tongue Chap 18.18 Come let us smite him with the tongue Paul that precious servant of Christ how was he spoken against he saith He was made as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor 4.13 Look what filth is washed out of or rust scoured off from Pots and thrown out of doors such was Paul and his name made It s the basest Office to set our tongues on work to detract from the worth of any if there be evill in men our charity should cover it if vertue our wisdome should commend it 'T is a Devilish sin to speak evill of others he first brought this sin into the world by speaking evill of God Gen. 3.4 5 and too many are like unto him in speaking ill of the servants of God but we must steel our selves to pass thorow bad report 2 Cor 6.8 Rom 3.8 Secondly Observe Whatever wicked men speak against the Prophets and servants of God he knowes and takes notice of the same Son of man They speak against thee by the walls and in the doors of their houses Let them speak openly or secretly God hears them when they said Come let us devise devices against Jeremy come let us smite him with the tongue and let us not give heed to any of his words Chap 18.18 God heard them and revealed to Jeremy what they said There is not a word spoken by any but the Lord is privy to it and not only words but thoughts also Isa 59.7 Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity Let us look narrowly to our hearts and tongues for God knows the thoughts of the one and the words of the other Thirdly Observe How religiously and cunningly soever hypocrites do carry it their hypocrisie is known to God and shall be discovered Hypocrisie is a doing or speaking that to God or men wherein the heart and spirit of a man is not Those men pretended religiously they call upon one
another to hear what word the Lord gave out to the Prophet and they come being excited one by another and sit before the Prophet as Gods people they attended to what he said as if they meant punctually to observe the same but they did not do what he said their hearts were not in the business what worshipping was this of God to give him an ear and the world their heart So to speak against the Prophet behind his back and to speak fair shew much love to his face was not this hypocrisie did they not carry it religiously towards God and cunningly towards the Prophet However they carryed it the Lord saw their hypocrisie and discovered the same The Scribes and Pharisees wore long robes made long prayers and under pretence of them devoured widowes houses but the Lord Christ knew their hypocrisie and made it known though religiously and craftily carryed Matth 23. Fourthly Observe Many hearers pretend much love and kindnesse to the Prophets and yet behind their backs afford them not a good word When these Jews came to the Prophets house they shew'd much love with their mouths but when they were by the walls and at their own doors they shew'd as much ill will with their mouths they spake against him they slandered him they disgraced him out of the same mouth came bitter and sweet The Jews and Herodians pretended much love to Christ and said Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth neither carest thou for any man for thou regardest not the persons of men tell us therefore what thinkest thou is it lawfull to give Tribute to Caesar or no Matth 22.16 17 18. Here they shewed much kindness with their mouths when there was gall and bitterness in their hearts Fifthly Observe When men draw neer to God in any duty of his worship he principally looks which way the heart stands whether that be real and towards him Their heart saith God goeth after their covetousness It went not after the word after God himself Isa 29. This people draw neer me with their mouth and with their lips do honour me but have removed their hearts far from me When their bodies were in the Temple their hearts were in their shops when their lips were speaking to God their hearts were conversing with the creatures Gods eye was upon their hearts The heart is the principal part in man and its the principall thing God aims at Prov 23.26 My son give me thine heart not thy hatt thy hand thy tongue thy foot but thine heart Whatever he hath without the heart is nothing but having the heart he hath all whatever is wanting let the eye be wanting a man is blind let the leg be wanting a man is lame let the whole body be wanting a man is sick yet if God have the heart he hath all Delilah had Sampsons bodily presence yet that sufficed her not because she thought she had not his heart Judg 16.15 How canst thou say I love thee when thine heart is not with me God hath no love from us nothing of us when our hearts are not with him Sixthly Observe Men have carnall hearts in spiritual duties These men were hearing Ezekiel prophesie and whilest they were hearing their hearts went after their covetousness the word was in their ears and the world in their hearts Ezekiel tells them of the things of God and they mind the things of the earth To be earthly minded at any time is blameable Phil 3.19 but to be so in spiritual things is grievous it s a despising a debasing of them when the things of God of Christ Heaven Salvation Life Grace and Glory are presented unto us which should take up our thoughts abundantly affect our hearts powerfully for us then to mind the dust sticks straws and pebbles on the earth to have our hearts upon them this is Zimmah a great wickedness horrible ingratitude Rom 8.6 To be carnally minded is death it argues a dead soul it tends unto death and ends in eternall death Seventhly Observe Covetousnesse is a sin adheres to Professors These that came to hear the Prophet and sat before him as the people of God their hearts went after their covetousness they had hearts exercised with covetous practices as it is in 2 Pet 2.14 The Pharisees made profession of religion they were hearers of Christ but the Text saith they were covetous Luke 16.14 Judas an Apostle and follower of Christ had a covetous heart and sold his Master for 30 pieces of silver Mat 26.15 Demas forsook Paul having loved the present world 2 Tim. 4.10 While he was with Paul his heart was in the world John seeing this evill incident to Christians disswades them from the love of the world by a strong argument 1 John 2.15 Love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him He doth not know God to be his father and love him as a Father that loves the world he may think say and swear that he loves the Father but the Spirit of truth saith The love of the Father is not in him Let Christians therefore take heed of this sin for besides that it argues the love of God is not in us it choaks the seed of Gods word which should beget grace in us Matth 13.22 it makes us idolaters Eph 5.5 yea Covetousâ—esse unfits us for Church communion 1 Cor 5.11 it shuts us out of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.10 it exposes us to wrath Col. 3.5 6. to Gods hatred Psal 10.3 to a curse 2 Pet. 2.14 Verses 32 33. And lo thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument for they hear thy words but they do them not And when this cometh to passe lo it will come then shall they know that a Prophet hath been among them Vers 32. Thou art unto them as a very lovely song THe Hebrew is Ceshir agavim sunt canticum amantium as a song of Lovers so the word is rendred Jerem 4.30 Thy lovers will despise thee it s the same word Lovers have delightfull songs to please their ears and pass away time so the Prophets preaching was delightfull unto them to hear but as in musick and singing there is nothing comes of it when done so they heard the Prophet but nothing came of their hearing The Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the voice of a Psaltery which was an instrument to sing unto The French is Comme une chauson de plaisanterie as a song of jesting or scurrility which greatly affect carnall hearts Some render the words eris illis canticum subsannatorum thou wilt be to them a song of scoffers that is however they seem to be greatly pleased and affected with thy prophesying yet in their hearts they laugh at thee and deride thee Of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play
common conversation and converse with the people they ought not to be high and haughty lording it over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5.3 but to be ensamples to the flock of wisdom charity patience faith and holiness They are to become all things to all men that they may win some to Christ Vers 15 16 17 18 19 20. 15. Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house he brought me forth toward the Gate whose prospect is toward the East and measured it round about 16. He measured the East-side with the measuring reed five hundred reeds with the measuring reed round about 17. He measured the North-side five hundred reeds with a measuring reed round about 18. He measured the South-side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed 19. He turned about to the West-side and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed 20. He measured it by the four sides it had a Wall round about five hundred reeds long and five hundred broad to make a separation between the Sanctuary and the prophane place THe 15. vers shews us how exact a Building the Church is it 's an house measured within and without When Christ had done measuring the inner house he comes forth and measures the outward parts Nothing is left unmeasuâ—ed Solomons House or Temple was not so exactly built and measured as the Church of Christ is That is God's Building 1 Cor. 3.9 and he exceeded Solomon in wisdome and so in building See what a structure the New Jerusalem is Rev. 21.10 c. which makes good that Psal 102.16 When the Lord shall build up Sion he shall appear in his glory There is difference among Interpreters about the reeds mentioned in the 16 17 18 19. vers Some would have them to be so many cubits onely from that in Ezek 40.47 where it 's said the Courts was an hundred cubits long and an hundred cubits broad Others would not have five hundred reeds or cubits to be on any one side but that all the sides measured made up the sum be it five hundred cubits or five hundred reeds But most interpreters are of the mind that each side was not onely of five hundred cubits but five hundred reeds The words for measuring reed are Bickushi hamiddah In calamo mensuâ—ae which was the great reed saith Alapide of six cubits whereas the vulgar reed was onely of five cubits that this reed was six cubits is clear from Chap. 40.5 So that the five hundred reeds were three thousand cubits and the four sides came to twelve thousand cubits which shews how spatious and vast the Temple was From these verses are presented to us 1. The Extent and latitude of the Church which should be in all quarters of the world under Christ He measur'd the Gate to the East and the East-side to make known the Eastern people should be of the Christian Church He measured the North-side shewing thereby that the Northern parts should come thither He measured the South and West-sides assuring us thereby that the people of those parts should come unto Sion Christ sent his Apostles to all Nâ—tions Mat. 28.19 They went East West North and South inlarging the borders of the Gospel inviting and bringing in the Gentiles daily Mark 16.15 Goe into all the world and Preach the Gospel to every creature The Church of Christ is all the world over The sound of the Apostles went into all the earth that is all parts of the earth and their words to the end of the world Rom. 10.18 2. The Stability and Firmness of the Church The Temple here measured was a perfect square five hundred reeds on the East-side five hundred reeds on the West-side five hundred reeds on the North-side and as many on the South-side Buildings which are four square are most stable firm and lasting Things or persons who are firm constant and compleat are tearm'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such is the Church 't is stable and permanent The gates of Hell cannot prevail against it Mat. 16.18 It 's built upon Christ the chief corner stone Ephes 2.20 And is established in righteousness Isa 54.14 3. The Lustre and Beauty of the Church Great buildings in the form of a Square are beautiful and gloriors such was that Ezekiel saw it was a Quadrature every side proportionable holding forth beauty and glory Cant. 6.4 saith Christ of his Church Thou art beautiful O my Love as Tirzah comely as Jerusalem Tirzah and Jerusalem were chief Cities in Canaan for at one Kings of Israel kept their Courts 1 Kings 14.17 And at the other Kings of Judah dwelt These Cities had much beauty and comeliness in them and unto them Christ likens his Church Certainly the Church is the most beautiful and glorious thing in the world to them who have eyes to see it many saw no beauty in Christ Isa 53.2 but Christ was beautiful and glorious to them who had eyes to see it Joh 1.14 And many see no beauty no glory in the Church of Christ but where spiritual eyes are there they are seen The Church it set out by a Golden Candlestick Rev. 1.20 and that hath lustre beauty and glory It 's set out by a woman cloathed with the Sun Rev. 12.1 and what lustre beauty and glory can there be wanting It 's set out by a Bride the Lambs Wife When the Bride of a great Prince hath on her royal apparel and is deck'd with all her Ornaments and Jewels Is she not beautiful glorious and shining Such is the Church arayed with fine linnen the righteousness of Saints Rev. 19 8. Such is New Jerusalem having the glory of God Rev. 21.9 10 11. 4. The Safety of the Church This Temple had a wall round about five hundred reeds long and five hundred reeds broad sufficient for the defence of it on every side And the Church in the Gospel-times hath a wall about it long and broad a wall thai reacheth from East to West from North to South a wall higher then the Heavens deeper then Hell and broader then the Earth viz. The power and providence of God Isa 27.3 I the Lord do keep it lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day Here is a wall better then that of Wood Ezek. 41.22 then that of Stone Prov. 24.31 then that of Iron Ezek. 4.3 then that of Brass Jer. 1.18 Such walls have been battered and broken undermin'd or climb'd over but this wall is not subject to any of them The wall of New Jerusalem is great and high Rev. 21.12 sufficient to secure all that be within 5. The Sanctity of the Church This wall as it was a wall of security so of separation it was to separate between the Sanctuary and the profane place that those in the profane place might not come into the Sanctuary where the holy ones and holy things were The Church of God is a company call'd out of and separate from the world who have given up themselves unto God and