sufferings would be lost have you suffered so many things in vain When men in war forsake their colours and run to the other side all the good services they have done are forgotten and they are accounted traytors to their Countrey and Cause and so it is when men run from God and his Truth to the worlds and Satans service Lumb l. 4. d. 14. Inanis est poenitentia quam sequens culpa coinquinat But this is not all that his righteousnesse shall not be remembred for him but it will be remembred against him 2 Pet. 2.21 It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousnesse then after they have known it to turn from it and why better because they now sin against righteousnesse and that way they have affected and profest and their righteousnesse will be a witnesse against them Let us all take heed lest there be an evill heart in any of us to depart from the living God Heb. 3.12 4. Mans ruine is from himself he departs from his righteousnesse commits iniquity and God layes a stumbling block this in justice he doth because man hath sinned but who causes him to fall not God that is mans own act he looks not to his way it 's his own lust drawes him aside inticeth him Jam. 1.14 the cause is from within only the occasion is from without riches honour friends peace credit parts beauty truths Christ are the good and great blessings of God and God in his wise disposition of things may lay these as occasion of stumbling before us but if we do stumble that is mans not Gods fault Hos 13.9 O Israel thou hast destoyed thy self but in mee is thy help destruction is mans salvation is the Lords Man fell by his own free will but if ever he be raised it 's by Gods free grace and if God will not have mercy he will turn their iniquity upon them Psal 94.23 Hee shall bring upon them their own iniquity and shall cut them off in their own wickednesse yet Prov. 1.32 it 's said The turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fooles shall destroy them 5. Gods proceedings with the wicked and godly are divers Here he speaks of laying a stumbling block before the wicked man and in Jerem. 6.21 Behold I will lay stumbling blocks before this people the father and the sonne together shall fall upon them the neighbour and his friends shall perish yea Isa 8.14 God himself will be a stone of stumbling a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Jerem. 46.6 They shall stumble and fall but it 's otherwise with the godly touching them he saith Take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people Isa 57.14 hee will remove what offends and indangers them and Isa 63.13 Lest they should stumble hee leads them and Prov. 4.12 when they turn they shall not stumble and Psal 119.165 Great peace have they which love thy Law and nothing shall offend them God is carefull of the godly that they be not offended if they should be so offended as to stumble and fall at any time Psal 37.24 He shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand and keepeth them that they dash not their feet against the stones if God do lay stumbling blocks at any time before his it is in the wayes of sin as Hos 2. I will hedge up thy way but for the wicked he layes stumbling blocks in the way of mercies they stumble at the Word 1 Pet. 2.8 it 's the savour of death to them 2 Cor. 2.16 they stumble at the Lords Supper they eat and drink damnation there 1 Cor. 11.39 they stumble at Christ himself 1 Cor. 1.23 6. An unfaithfull Minister is perfidious to God and man because thou givest him not warning he shall die in his sin and his blood will I require at thy hands God hath put honour upon the Minister set him in a great place made him a watchman trusted him with souls and hee now through sloth feare inconsideratenesse intanglements in the world neglects to warn the sinner hereby souls are lost Satan robs God of them is diligent to get and keep them this will be treachery and sacriledge too at last and fall heavie upon him is guilty if a band of men be slain through the Captains fault or taken through falshood all cry out of it and when souls perish through the fault and falshood of the Prophet it 's dreadfull Mont. in loc Zeph. 3.4 Her Prophets are light and treacherous persons the word treacherous in Hebrew is viri praevaricationum qui debitam Deo populo fidem pariter violaverint such as falsifie their faith to God and man and it 's the highest treachery that can be to be false to God and to rob him of the souls of men 7. That if a Minister may perish for not warning of sinners much more for incouraging them by corrupt doctrine and by a lewd life if death be in an omission much more in positive evils corrupt doctrine and a corrupt life are strong traces to draw men to perdition 2 Pet. 2.1 hee speaks of false teachers that bring in damnable heresies and withall that bring upon themselves swift destruction but their damnable heresies and opinions prevail with the people they follow their pernicious wayes and meet with their destructive ends Isaiah 9.16 The leaders of this people cause them to erre and they that are led of them are destroyed VER 21. Neverthelesse if thou warn the righteous man that the righteous sin not c. THe words need little opening He shall surely live in living he shall live he shall have his life for a prey in time of danger or he shall live comfortably that persists in this righteousnesse he shall be secure for feare of death Observ 1. A Minister or Prophets care must extend to all sorts of people before he had said the wicked must be warn'd here he saith the righteous also must be warned good and bad fall under admonition and circumspection of the Prophets both are committed to their charge and they must warn them give account of them and if they fail of their duty die for it the best and worst they must tell of their sins 2. The Ministery of the Word is very needfull wicked righteous must be warn'd that they may not sin return when they have sinn'd escape death and be saved the warnings of the Prophets are salutarie remedia adversus mortem animarum not only the ministery of the Word in generall but admonitions and reproofes are means through God to prevent the death of souls Prov. 15.31 it 's call'd the reproof of life there is life in reproofes as death in sin increpationes sunt salutares vivificatrices they teach the way to live and lead to eternall life hence you have such expressions as that
wills and power are no rules they may sin we must give account and therefore may and must examine prove all things and hold fast that which is good humane things it 's our duty it 's wisdome and safety to question and search into but divine things are without dispute and all questioning to be believed and obeyed therefore saith Christ Yee are my friends if yee do whatsoever I command you Joh. 15.14 then we shew the greatest love to Christ when we give him absolute obedience 2. That the symbols and truths which Christ gives are the meat that the souls of Prophets and Ministers must feed upon Eat what thou findest eat this roul it 's this emphatically other rouls and books they may look into but this they must eat the Book of Christ is the book for their studies many Schollers study other books more then the Scriptures then the rouls of Christ they are Heluones librorum book-eaters Fathers School-men Historians Poets and Pamphlets they devoure and are least acquainted with the Scriptures but Christs command is to eat this roul search the Scriptures meditate in the Law night and day hee sends us to no other A young disciple asking an old Rabbi whether he might not have time to learn the Greek tongue said if hee would do it neither by night nor by day he might because by night and day he was to study the Law hereby he intimated that schollers greatest study should be in the Word of God Paul therefore exhorts Timothy to give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine hee bids him meditate upon these things give himself wholly to them 1 Tim. 4.15 his whole strength and time should be in them mans life is short and if it were never so long it should be spent in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures when Paul was at the gates of death 2 Tim. 4.6 you shall find hee sends for the Books and Parchments Paul would study them over again it 's said of Ambrose that to his death he ceased not to write Commentaries and expound Scriptures and dyed at that in the Psalme Great is the Lord Epistola Dei ad hom nes missa Aug 2. serm in Ps 90. Omnia etiam minima plena sunt sensu mysterio spiritu Bas Hom. 6. and greatly to be praised This Book they must eat read study with great diligence and make it their own Alphonsus King of Aragon read over the Scriptures some twelve or fourteen times notwithstanding his great and publique imployments and one of note read over the new Testament with Beza's larger notes sixteen times in three yeers the Scriptures are heavens Epistles sent to men it cannot be read too often being full of divine mysteries 3. That when Ministers and Messenges of God have eaten and digested the truths of God then they are fit to go and preach them to the people of God Eat this roul and go first eat then go Elijah must eat and then take his journey and so Ministers must first eat themselves then feed others if the Nurse her self do not eat shee will have no milk for her child if shee eat and do not digest turn it into blood and milk all is in vain so the Messengers of God must turn what they eat what they read in succum sanguinem and then being their own in their hearts and bowels they will speak from the heart 4. That faith is requisite to the receit of spirituall things he opened his mouth and eat the roul he received the truths and believed look how necessary a mouth is to take in the meat of the body to chew it and send it down to the other parts else there is no benefit comes to a man by it so necessary is faith to take in the spirituall food of the soul Faith is the mouth and stomach of the soul if that receive in truths digest and send them to the organs of actions benefit accrues to the man if not prejudice Joh. 6.35 36. Christ tels them that he is the Bread of life that hee comes to him shall never hunger and that he believes on him shall never thirst but yee have seen mee and believe not though Christ were Bread and Water of life because they had no faith no mouth to eat and drink thereof therefore they had no benefit and as a man that can receive no food must die so here Joh. 8.24 If yee believe not that I am hee you shall die in your sins here is prejudice irreparable death eternall for want of faith our Prophet received the fruits Christ tendered and got by them all Believers are or may be gainers by the truths of Christ 1 Thes 2.13 The word wrought effectually in them that believed Faith makes good concoction of that meat and answerable operation But Heb. 4.2 The word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it where is no faith to receive into the soul there is no profit the eare may set it into the head but faith must bring it into the heart and keep it there till it be spirit and life to the man The originall is the word of hearing did not profit them being not united by faith to them that heard Observ 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies sculpere as well as aperire God open'd the roul for mee to read and I open'd my hart for him to write The godly must act and put forth their graces towards farther reception of spirituall things when Christ will give Ezekiel donum Prophetiae a Roul to eat hee opens his mouth he sets awork his faith to receive this gift of Prophesie faith in the habite is like the mouth shut up nothing enters but in exercise it 's like the mouth open and ready to receive it 's infinite mercy that God at any time will offer us spirituall favours and excellencies wee should therefore be forward and stir up our souls and graces to the receit of such mercies It 's a lazie and ill excuse for godly ones to say they can do nothing Grace is an active and an inabling thing and where there is a principle of life as all godly men have there is a specificall difference between that man and another hath it not a man without it cannot act and stir up himself to a further reception of spirituall things because hee is dead but a man hath it can and ought to quicken up his own soul to spirituall things The Prophet had received the Spirit that entred into him and hee opened his mouth exercised his faith to take what the Lord should give the Apostle Paul bids Timothy stir up the gift of God that was in him 2 Tim. 1.6 hee would have men deal with their gifts and graces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they do with fire under the ashes they blow them off and blow the fire up and there is a flame fit for service sloth feare infirmitie carnall reason are ashes that
heaven opened I saw visions of God and the Word of the Lord came expresly to mee and the hand of the Lord was there upon mee Here were strong evidences of his Call to the work he was to go about Ministers are to be the mouth of God to the people and the mouth of the people to God both are weighty businesses they deal about the eternall truths of the eternall God your immortall souls and the everlasting condition of them The glory of God is concredited in a great measure unto them the great things of the Kingdome of Christ are put into their hands to dispense as God shall move and give them opportunity Had they not need therefore to see to it that their Call be right and to make it out strongly and clearly that God hath sent them If they can clear it up that God hath sent them they may expect his assistance his blessing his protection and successe in their labours How ever things prove this will be their comfort in the midst of opposition reproach persecution hazard of liberty and lives I was called of God I am in his work in his way he brought me into his Vineyard hee will stand by mee I will go on let him do with me what he pleaseth The clearnesse of a mans Call will add much comfort to a mans spirit in a black day it makes conscientious pitifull and painfull a Ministers call being evident the peoples consciences will be satisfied will receive his doctrine then will they look upon him as their Pastor and Teacher reverence him for his works sake and are likely to receive much good by him Whereas otherwise if the Calling of Ministers reach no higher then a Patron or Prelate there is seldome any good comes either to Ministers or people therefore it concernes them to look narrowly to it that their Calling be of God cleare and strong to themselves else they cannot make it out to others neither shall finde that comfort nor do that good which otherwise they might 3. That in corrupt times when Religion the Chuâ—ch and Gods glory are greatly indangered God then takes care to raise up some extraordinary servants to vindicate his truth in his people his glory all was brought now to a desolate condition false Prophets prevailed Religion suffered Gods honour was low and now God takes Ezekiel that was one of the ordinary Priests before and bestowes a larger measure of his Spirit upon him and raiseth him up to be a Prophet and sets him awork to do great things in Babylon Though now men be not called immediatly by the voyce of God and Christ as of old yet by extraordinary instincts and motions of Gods Spirit they were heretofore and are still put upon great services Philip was a Deacon by his ordinay Calling but by extraordinary instinct and hints of Gods Spirit he was raised up to be an Evangelist and to do greater service unto the Church of God So Luther that was a Frier at first by extraordinary instinct of Gods Spirit was raised up to purge errors out of the Church and to glorifie God especially in clearing the doctrine of Justification by Free grace So Zwinglius Wickliffe and others in our dayes God hath not left himself without witnesse at this day he hath stirred up the spirits of some to do him great and extraordinary services 4. That those Ministers are fittest to speak to the people that finde the Word of God to have being in them The Word of the Lord came expresly to mee the Word of the Lord had being in him was ingraffed in him When the Word is a word of being in our hearts then it will be a word of power in your consciences That which comes from our hearts will reach to yours and will be effectuall in you otherwise the Word is but an empty sound it cometh from the teeth outward and reacheth but to your eares and seldome goeth down into your souls 5. Take this note that there are principles of opposition in the dearest servants of God to the work of his Spirit It is said the hand of the Lord came upon mee invaded mee so some render it I stood out against God I had my carnall reasonings I had stubbornnesse and opposition in my will I said there was a Lion in the way and I pleaded hard against this work and service But the Spirit of God came upon me came mightily upon me came with a strong hand upon me as he saith came so upon me that it subdued all my carnall reasonings subdued the stubbornness of my will it removed all my shifts and pretences and brought me off to go about the Work of God Is it not thus with most Christians When you would pray when you would do good is not evill present with you But when the Spirit of God cometh upon you it will overcome that indisposition that sluggishness that opposition it will work down distempers and frame you sweetly to go about the work of a God as it did Ezekiel 6. That the Word and Ordinances of it that visions and revelations do the heart of man reall good when divine vertue goes along with them otherwise not What if Ezekiel had seen never so many visions what if God had spoken never so expresly unto him unlesse the hand of God had been upon him too unlesse the Spirit of God had improved those visions and ingraffed those words in him all had been as an empty sound all had been as meer shadowes and sights to him But when the Spirit of God goes along then there is efficacy and benefit in any Ordinance take away the Spirit from the Word and Ordinances of God and they will be but dry bones without meat or marrow take the Gospel which is called the ministration of the Spirit if the Spirit be not in it the choisest promises the sweetest truths there what are they they are Literae damnatoriae and Leges mortis they are letters and lawes of death to the soul When the hand of the Lord is upon an Ordinance and upon a man in that Ordinance then is there good gotten and then doth the soul gain 2 Cor. 10.4 Our weapons are mighty through God 7. That all spirituall good received and done by the Saints is from the operation of Gods Spirit which therefore is called Gods hand Luke 11.20 If I by the finger or hand of God cast out devils this finger Mat. 12.28 is called the Spirit of God If I by the Spirit of God cast out Devills That which is called finger in one is called the Spirit in the other Now doe men receive any good have you faith have you love patience meeknesse understanding zeale godlinesse any all graces It is this hand of God that hath wrought them Doe you doe any divine good unto others It is this Spirit of God that workes by you and inableth you to doe that good Act. 6.10 They were not able to resist the wisedome and Spirit by
the vexation of it Shall wee let out our hearts to that runs from us like a rolling thing and if wee overtake it runs into us like a thorn they that will be rich catch the world pierce themselves thorow with many sorrowes 1 Tim. 6.9 10. and breake upon this wheele Because it runs smoothly sometimes men are taken with the motions of the world but at length you shall find its motion rough swift ready to overthrow and break you all in pieces they are broken in Ireland and wee are breaking here now let the Apostles counsell be acceptable 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. Brethren the time is short let them that have wives be as if they had none let them that weep be as if they wept not and them that rejocye as if they rejoyced not and they that buy as if they possessed it not and they that use this world as not abusing it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeterit decipit and why all this for the fashion or shew of this world passeth away it acts otherwise then you expect if you affect the world wives children or any part of it it will deceive you you think to hold it and it 's but a shadow no substance and a shadow a shew going away let us therefore not look at this wheel but at him that moves the wheel who is unchangeable unmovable of infinite being in comparison of whom the world is a drop a little dust let us with David say Whom have we in heaven but thee and there is none in earth we desire in comparison of thee let us let go our hold of the world draw in our affections from it hopes after it and look only after that City Heb. 11.10 Having given you the signification of the Wheels the next thing premised is the description of them and now I come to the particular handling of the Wheeles where we shall meet with difficulties and excellencies VER 15 16. Now as I beleld the living creatures behold one wheele upon the earth by the living creatures with his four faces The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a Berill and they four had one likenesse and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of of a wheel IN these Verses they are described 1. From their number implyed in the 15th expressed in the 16th verse foure 2. The place where they were and that is the earth 3. Their colour they were like a Berill 4. Their likenesse between themselves they foure had one likenesse 5. Their form was as it were a wheele in a wheel Touching the first viz. the number of the wheels they were four mention is made of one in the 15th verse but it 's one with four faces not the faces of the four Cherubims but of four wheels which wheels were so like that they are said to be one wheel hee that saw one saw all As in some picture of a Prince when wee have seen the same in divers places or oft in the same wee say this is one and the same picture so here our Prophet saith hee saw all the wheels but they were so like that they might well be called one and the same for the Prophet mentions in the 16th verse wheels and four wheels and one likenesse of them Here by a figure called Hypallage we may make the sense more easie thus there appeared one face in the four wheels for one wheel having four faces In the 10th Chapt. it 's out of all dispute that there were four wheels Verse 9. When I looked behold the four wheels by the Cherubims one wheel by one Cherub and another wheel by another Cherub These wheels being four represent to us the four parts of the world Eastern Western Northern Southern that in them are great stirs and changes The next thing in this verse is the place I saw one wheel upon the earth how could that be when Ezekiel saw the vision in heaven Answ This is a vision and it appeared to him to be on the earth not the true earth but the earth in a vision as in pictures if a wheel a Chariot a City be drawn and presented to the eye they are presented as being upon the earth Observ 1. That all inferiour causes wheels instruments agents whatsoever are but as one wheel before the Lord. All things in the four quarters of the world were presented by God to the Prophet as one wheel to us they are many mighty divers contrary infinite but unto God they are otherwise all the Armies Parliaments Kingdoms Crowns Agents in this world are but one cause one wheel before the great God they are a small thing to him Isa 40.15 16 17. Behold the nations are as the drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance behold hee taketh up the Isles as a very little thing Lebanon is not sufficient to burn nor the beast thereof sufficient for a burnt offering all nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity 2. That changes stirs and tumults are here on the earth not in heaven the Prophet saw the wheels on earth not in heaven there be no wheelings no turnings no troubles no wars no deaths no diseases no sins no feares no teares no wicked men no wicked thing and so no changes it 's only the prerogative of heaven to say I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3.6 the world cannot say it Jam. 1.17 With him is no variablenesse or shadow of turning in God and heaven there is nothing of the wheel all is constant immutable but on earth it 's contrary the things under the Sun are vanity inconstancy and change it self 3. That all the inferiour agents and causes are at the dispose of the superiour of Angels they have a great interest in the government of the world the wheel is by the living creatures at their feet to move and turn it which way they please if they will bespeak wars in the North or South if they will have the world in an uproare it 's done Angels are Gods hands and deputies in the administration of all things here below in the world God supports and subverts kingdomes by them Dan. 10. Gabriel tels Daniel that hee withstood the Prince of Persia 21. dayes and his counsellers that sought to oppresse the people of God and that hee would go again and fight with him Kingdomes and the affaires of them yea the quarters of the world under God are ordered by Angels and while Angelicall and divine protection are over kingdomes they prosper but when God is provoked by the sins of a people hee leaves the wheels of that Kingdome to men and devils it runs to ruine Then the Princes and Potentates are deluded with strong delusions grow tyrannicall Idolatrous false hostile c. then the kingdome growes weak without spirit counsell strength successe and is infinitely intangled with
within shee was all glorious within so if Christs Throne the outside of it be so glorious what is hee in the Throne all glorious all glory Joh. 1.14 Wee beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten If Apostles saw glory in him being on earth in his low condition what did our Prophet see in him being above the firmament in his Throne and glorious condition The Scriptures set him out not only to be glorious but glory Psal 24.8 King of glory Jam. 2.1 Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory in respect of persons The word Lord in the second place is not in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thus it stands there have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the glory so that Christ is glory and the glory the glory of heaven the glory of the world the glory of Sion the glory of the soul and not only is Christ glorious and glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but hee is Heb. 1.3 the brightnesse of glory that is spotlesse perfect intense exceeding glory hee is the brightnesse of the glory of the Father or the Fathers glory shines out most brightly and intensly in the Son the Fathers glory in the whole creation is but darknesse to his glory in Christ and therefore he is brightnesse of glory and every thing that comes from Christ hath some beames of glory in it his works are called glorious Luke 13.17 they rejoyced for all the glorious things done by him the liberty he purchased is glorious liberty Rom. 8.21 his Church is glorious Ephes 5.27 his Gospel is glorious 1 Tim. 1.11 6. That Christs Throne must not be of common stone but precious ones of Saphires the pavement of God was of stones or bricks of Saphire Exod. 24.10 and Christs throne must be of Saphires the Church is Christs Throne visible and conspicuous as the heavens Jerem. 3.17 Jerusalem is called the throne of the Lord and the Churches under the Gospel are the throne of Christ hee sits in the Congregations and bears rule in them Rev. 2.13 I know where thou dwellest where Satans seat or throne is there was a congregation of persecutors Idolaters and unclean parties for such sinners are mentioned in the 13. and 14. verses and this company was the seat and throne of Satan many congregations are thrones of iniquity and shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee Psal 94.20 But godly congregations are the Seat and Throne of Christ Now as the conscience which is the invisible seat of Christ must be pure 1 Tim. 3.9 holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience so must the visible Seat of Christ be pure the congregation where hee will sit and reigne therefore the promise is Isa 54.11 12. that the state of the Church under the Gospel shall be better then it was under the Law there all stones were laid in the building but here should be a difference made God wll lay stones with faire colours Saphires Agats Carbuncles and pleasant stones and that it 's meant of Gospel-times and Churches the words following in the 13. verse shew All thy children shall be taught of the Lord which Christ applies to these times Joh. 6.45 So then the Churches now are to be of Saphires such as have a heavenly vertue and purity in them not of Sand-stones Tode-stones or any High-way-stones they are fitter to make Satan a seat then Christ a Throne 1 Pet. 2.5 they are called lively stones not dead stones that have no true grace in them but lively ones they must be that make a house a throne for Christ Stones that it may be a solid building lively that it may be a usefull profitable building and Saphire that it may be a pure and glorious building 7. Judiciary power is put into the hand of Christ not only as God but as man there was the appearance of a man above upon the Throne there sate the Sonne of man Acts 23.3 and sitting upon the Throne imports power and power judiciall therefore when Christ tels his Disciples of sitting upon the twelve thrones hee tells them also of judging the twelve tribes of Israel Mat. 19.28 and that Christ had such power and that as Sonne of man appeares Joh. 5.27 The father hath given the Son authority to execute judgement because hee is the Son of man verse 22. hee hath committed all judgement to the Son both judgement of actions things and persons Acts 17.31 God will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man hee hath ordained the last judgement shall be by Christ even that great judgement So particular judgements here as now Christ sate in judgement upon Jerusalem and sentenced them to death and captivity And because judgement is opus potestatis an act of power therefore Christ himself tels us that all power in heaven and earth is given unto him Mat. 28.18 8. The Lord Christ actually ruleth the world and all things in it hee sits upon the Throne and exerciseth his power and authority 1 King 2.12 There sate Solomon upon the throne of David his Father that is hee ruled the kingdome and all the affaires of it so Christ sitting upon the Throne presents to us his active ruling the Prophet might see hee held the globe of the world in his hand that hee raised tempests out of the North sent abroad the four living creatures in the severall parts of the world that hee orders the wheels and causes them to stand or go at his pleasure the Lord Christ is not out of office or idle now in heaven though hee sits upon a Throne of glory at his Fathers right hand hee is not neglective of the world he upholds it by his power Heb. 1.3 hee sends out his Angels to minister unto his verse the last hee still gives gifts to men and provides for his Church Ephes 4. and makes the Word the favour of life or death to men hee restraines the wrath of enemies and hedges up their wayes hee makes use of them as rods to drive his stragling sheepe into the fold hee subdues hearts and spirits to himself and protects them being subdued hee discovers confounds the enemies plots and persons 9. The Lord Christ doth govern all with great tranquillity and with great facility hee sits upon the Throne and doth all that imployes quietnesse of mind A sedate temper there is no passion or perturbation in him hee is a Lion for his power a Lamb for his meeknesse hee rules by counsell and wisdome in much quietnesse Act. 17.31 he judgeth in righteousnesse and what hee doth is done without difficulty let him speak the word and presently it 's done if hee bid Nebuchadnezzar go and sack Jerusalem carry them away to Babylon hee goes hee accomplisheth his will fully 10. That Christ is ready ever to heare the causes and complaints of his Church he sits upon the Throne other Judges are of the Bench and Throne and parties agrieved
and so to impudencie when the Calves were first mentioned in Israel the people trembled at it but afterwards they could kisse Calves and sacrifice to Baal Hos 13.1 and out-stand the threats of the Prophet Sin banisheth shame from its habitation so that the sinner and shame are disacquainted Psal 52.1 Why boastest thou thy selfe in mischief O mighty man Doeg boasteth of his bloodinesse that hee had kill'd the Priests at the command of Saul Zeph. 3.5 The unjust knoweth no shame Though men foam out their shame Jude 13. and glory in their shame Phil. 3.19 yet they will know no shame It 's an exceeding evill to be past shame to be impudent in sinning if ever God shew mercie to such sinners they must be ashamed What fruit had you in those things whereof now yee are ashamed Rom. 6.21 yee were impudent in committing but now yee are ashamed in confessing and remembring of them 2. That where there is an impudent face there is a hard stiffe heart if the heart were not stony before God the face would not be impudent before man Act. 7.51 Yee stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart there was brawnishnesse within and impudency without and a hard heart is one of the greatest evills Mercies prevail not what mercies had they in the Wildernesse in Canaan and yet they did not move them Miracles will not do it when they took Christ hee said I am hee and they all fell backward to the ground after this Peter cuts off Malchus his ear Christ heals it here were two miracles yet they did no good upon their hard hearts they went on laid hands on Christ who wrought the miracles bound him as a malefactor and thought to make him sure for doing any more miracles Pharaoh saw ten miracles the Israelites woar a miracle about them fortie yeers their clothes and shoes ware not out they were new at fortie yeers end yet these wrought not upon their hard hearts Pliny tels of a river in Lucania that turns leaves and sticks into stones It is not fasting and prayer will do it many are hardened in them There be waters that what ever is cast in they turn into stone and some mens hearts grow stonie in what ever Ordinances they are A hard heart is a grievous disease worse then the stone in the reins or bladder It was Nabals disease and death and most men are sick and die of that disease 3. That God sends his Prophets and Ministers about hard services such as are full of discouragements when they are look'd upon with a carnall eye Ezekiel had presently to object Lord wilt thou send mee to a people that is impudent I shall never make them blush to a people hard-hearted I shall never make impression on their spirits by any truths I shall preach unto them my labour will be in vain are they a rebellious nation do they rebell against thee and will they not much more rebell against me this is a hard task if thou regard'st not me yet regard thy truths What shall they be cast away about such a people as this O spare me and spare thy truths No saith God I send thee unto them and thou shalt speak unto them they are hard tasks that God puts his servants upon Isaiah was called to a hard service Chap. 6.9 10. to preach ruine and destruction to a people and so unwelcome he was that he saith Chap. 8.18 I am for a signe and wonder in Israel Jeremiah is set over nations and kingdomes to root out Quid est praed care nisi furorem populi in se derivare Luth. to pull down and to destroy Chap. 1.10 the Kings of Judah the Princes Priests and People he was to deal withall and Vers 19. it 's said They shall fight against thee Preaching provokes all sorts of men and so hard did Jeremiah find his work although God promised to be with him he was so derided saw so little good come of his labours that he resolved to lay down his Calling and to speak no more in the name of the Lord Jer. 20.9 Knox when called to preach he burst forth into an abundance of tears and so withdrew himself to his chamber and was full of grief and troubled till he was compell'd to preach Preaching is a warring 2 Tim. 2.4 and Preachers are souldiers hence Paul calls Timothy a good souldier of Christ and when we come to spoil and plunder people of their goods their lusts wills humours opinions and to take away their strong holds their carnall reasoning against Christ in the Gospel and wayes of God they are in a rage take up arms against us Paul fought with Beasts at Ephesus 1 Cor. 15.32 and they gored him and sought his death The Galatians that would have at first pull'd out their eyes for Paul thrust out their tongues against Paul hee was their enemy because hee told them the truth those cryed Hosannah a little before were ready to cry Crucifie crucifie hardly a Prophet or an Apostle but suffered by the hands of their hearers 4. Ministers should not so much look at the persons they are sent to or the event of their ministerie as at their Call I send thee saith God look thou to that trouble not thy self at the persons that are so wicked nor at the successe of thy ministerie but consider I have call'd and sent thee Gods will and command must content us support us what if wee be scoffed at reviled made the off-scouring and filth of the world yet here is the comfort of a true Prophet of a true Minister Christ sent him and hee that set him awork will pay him his wages whether they heare or heare not to whom hee is sent the Nurse hath her wages whether the childe live or die and wee are a sweet savour of Christ unto God in them that are saved and in them that perish 2 Cor. 2.15 The souldier hath his respect and reward whether hee kill men or take them alive and wee are acceptable unto God as well in the deaths as the lives of men This consideration comforted Isaiah Chap. 49.4 5. I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought yet surely my judgement is with the Lord and my work with my God and though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength Hee would look at God and not at the difficulty of the work or discouragements from men and want of successe sometimes God gives large incouragement promises hope successe providing for our infirmities at other times bare a commission and command must suffice to do that would make ones heart ake it 's his prerogative to send whom he will and upon what service he will Let us lay aside all discouraging thoughts look to our Call rest in Gods will and know it's honour to be in his service though nothing come of it wee are acceptable to him if not to men and shall
found sweetnesse in the wayes of the flesh at last felt and acknowledged the bitternesse in sin and in that sin Eccles 7.26 I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is snares and nets Prov. 5.4 her end is bitter as wormwood The bitternesse in sin will be tasted at one time or other Jer. 2.19 It is an evill thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God 5. A rebellious people grow worse by the means of grace let them heare the Word or have it tendred to them they are more obstinate opposite then before the point rises thus Whether they will heare or no for they are a rebellious house they will not heare they will not receive thee nor thy message but out of their old malice and rebellious dispositions they will be the worse for a Prophet sent unto them more hardned they will be against thee thy person thy Doctrine thy conversation thy calling they will quarrell and question all Jer. 44.16 17. As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee but wee will certainly do what ever thing goeth out of our own mouth they were the worse for the Prophet Facier do sacâ—emus is the Hebrew more obstinate and set against him and the truths hee delivered in doing wee will do since thou hast spoken to the contrary we are more resolved and set upon it When Christ the great Prophet was sent unto the Jewes did they not grow more hard vile and opposite to him and his Doctrine did they not question his calling and quarrell at his conversation Luke 4.18 when Christ had told them that the Spirit was upon him and that hee was sent to preach the Gospel Deliverance Liberty the acceptable yeere and spake so as that they wondred at the gracious words proceeded out of his mouth yet in the 28th verse it 's said All they that were in the Synagogue when they heard these things were filled with wrath and rose up and thrust him out of the city and led him unto the brow of the hill that they might cast him down headlong Christ was a Nazaren and yet thus would the Nazarenites have served their Prophet their Messiah their own Citizen they would have thrown him down and broke his neck and bones together which made Ambrose say Est pejor magistro Discipulorum haeredâ—tas Ambr. That these men were worse then the devill because when hee had Christ upon the top of the pinacle hee offered not to throw him down but said Throw thy self down but these would have thrown him down with their own hands wicked men storm and rage against Christ his Doctrine and doings Luke 6.11 when hee had confuted their corrupt opinions about the Sabbath and heal'd the man with the withered hand it 's said They were filled with madnesse and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus you may see how the words of Christ ripened their corruptions the Gospel is like the Sun which ripens weeds as well as corn crabs as well as good fruit the vine of Sodome as well as the vine of Sibnah Deut. 32.32 Isa 16.8 and the Vineyards of Timnah amongst the Philistines Judg. 14.5 as the Vineyards of Engedi among the Israelites Can. 1.14 And so the Word of God and Gospel of Christ ripens the corruptions of the rebellious as well as the graces of the regenerate Judas treason the Pharisees hypocrisie are ripened by the Word as well John's love and Nathaniels sincerity in the hottest countreys are the rankest poyson the most venimous Serpents and in England which is zona torrida for the means of Grace is the bitterest enmity to godlinesse here are the rankest Serpents that ever lived 6. That God will leave wicked men without excuse it 's Gods intention they shall never be able to challenge mee nor to justifie themselves Gods primary intentions where hee sends Prophets and meanes of grace are the good of his elect their comfort sanctification and salvation but his secondary intentions are the inexcusablenesse of the wicked and their just damnation Hence is it that the Apostle saith wee are the savour of life unto life and the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 There is a sort of men that the Gospel is a sweet savour unto they smell life in it and it revives them it works unto life and these are the elect ones but there is another sort that the Gospel is a favour of death unto they smel death in it and find deadly effects from it they are hardned worsned imbittered and so it works unto death it 's like a strong Sent that kills immediatly and those it proves so unto are the reprobate the lost whose mindes the God of this world hath blinded 2 Cor. 4.4 Christ also tels us Joh. 9.39 For judgement I am come into this world that they which see not might see and that they which see might bt made blinde his first aim was at those under election to do them good to make them see the secondary end and aim was to make others blind that is such as were in a reprobate condition when God sends his Word to any place it shall and must prosper in the thing whereunto hee sends it Isa 55.11 be it to win and draw or to harden and make inexcusable see Isa 6.9 10. Go and tell this people Heare ye indeed but understand not see ye but perceive not make the heart of this people fat make their eares heavie and shut their eyes c. And this Scripture is six times in the new Testament repeated intimating that as people are hardened under the meanes so they are inexcusable having had the means and it 's a dreadfull condition to have Law or Gospel Prophets or Apostles and not to thrive by them Christ pronounces a woe to the Cities Matth. 11. that had the means of Grace and mighty works done in them and repented not he tells them it shall be more tolerable for Sodome then for them at the day of judgement cursed Sodomites that were destroyd with so dreadfull a judgement from heaven shall find more favour at the day of judgement and more ease in hell after that day then any that have had the Gospel and means of grace and not profited by them let us learn to tremble at the Word of God heare it as the Word of God as that Word shall judge us and receive the truths of God with love lest otherwise God sends us strong delusions and we be damn'd for not being the truth 7. Wicked men shall one day be awakened and see what mercy what means offers of grace they have refused and sleighted they shall know that there hath been a Prophet amongst them the time shall come that they shall see and feel that I was neer that my Word was among them that salvation was at their dores they shall finde mee a severe Judge that would not
dismay confound us if wee feare men Jer. 1.17 Be not dismayed at their faces lest I confound thee before them or break thee in pieces Jeremiah saith God If thou dost feare them and betray the truth I have committed to thee I will forsake thee leave thee to the hands malice cruelty and breake thee to pieces before their faces fearefulnesse doth much provoke God hee that sees not sufficiency in God to support him shall find enough to daunt and crnfound him but if wee go on with courage discharge the place and trust committed to us Stellae in nocte lucent in die latent Bern. in Cant. Videbis me plus posse dum torqueor quam ipse dum torques if wee should fall into the hands of wicked men and suffer God will own us let out himself unto us support us sympathize with us deliver us or make us and our sufferings glorious Stars shine in the night they are obscur'd in the day when Vincentius was tormented by the Tyrant hee said Thou shalt see mee more couragious in suffering then thy self in tormenting Some helps against feare 1. Let your feare be exercised about God he is an object fit to be feared all flesh is grasse all nations are a drop of the bucket and the small dust of the ballance Inhabitants of the earth are as a swarm of Flies a troop of Grass-hoppers and shall wee feare these little things the world is nothing unto God there is no greatnesse beside God himself hee hath made the world Nihil magnum nisi magnus Deus Psal 119.120 he hath dried up the Seas hee sends out the mighty winds hee changes times and seasons hee brings Princes to nothing makes Judges vanity hee tumbles nations into hell and can destroy the soul and body eternally him feare saith Christ Luke 12.4 5. not men that can but kill the body but feare him who after the body is dead can kill the soul and cast into hell I say unto you feare him and Isa 8.13 Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your feare let him be your dread let there be such a frame of spirit in you as becomes the Lord of Hosts sutable to his greatnesse his soveraignty and authority over you and all creatures then you will not feare when the feare of God is strong in your heart then the feare of man ceaseth when the Dictator rul'd at Rome then all other Officers ceased and when this feare of God rules all other feares will be husht and that 's not all if God be sanctified by us hee will be a Sanctuary unto us 2. Set faith a work men in publique place should have their hands at work on earth and their faith in heaven the just live by faith and will not die by feare Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32.7 8. when Senacherib was coming against Jerusalem and troubled the whole land hee set his hands awork to fortifie the City and his faith to fortifie himself Be strong and couragious be not afraid nor dismayed for the King of Assyria and his multitude for there be more with us then be with him with him is an arm of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battell here was an army of 185000. to affright him but here was faith in the Lord of Hosts to establish him Heb. 11.27 Moses feared not the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible by faith hee saw the invisible God and that made him hold out against the King though his wrath was hot his looks fierce his words terrible his face cruell Moses knew that what ever hee lost for God he should finde in God Prov. 29.25 The feare of man bringeth a snare but who so putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe mans feare brings a snare and so death had Moses feared Pharaoh hee had compounded with him and so ruin'd himself and others but hee that puts his trust in the Lord shall be safe The Hebrew is set on high like a bird upon the wing that is out of the reach of every snare and fowler though never so cunning Cardinall Borromaeus being told of great danger from some who lay in wait for him Si Deus mei curam non habet quid vivo said An Deus est in mundo pro nihilo Is God idle in the world and Jahannes Silentiarius being in the like case said If God take not care of mee why do I live 3. Labour for purity and holinesse the most holy men are the least fearing men Paul was of great courage hee had much holinesse 1 Thes 2.10 and when the Viper leapt upon his hand he feared not it could not kill him but he could kill it he shook it into the fire Adam at first no creature could harm him because holy in the lives of the Fathers mention is made of one Abbas Paulus who handled Serpents and Scorpions and cut them in pieces without any hurt and being asked how he came to this condition said If a man be holy all things are subject to him as to Adam before his sin in Paradise if our hearts and consciences be polluted we shall feare if not flie 1 Sam. 18.12 Saul was afraid of David hee had great riches many forces yet feares David a poor man a banished reproach't man and Herod feared John he was a holy man Magnas vires habet pietas Job 17.9 The righous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Prov. 28.1 The righteous is bold as a Lion a man that is truly and thorowly godly that knowes nothing by himselfe that hath purged out every spot and gotten off all guilt and needs not blush at any thing past or present hee is a Lion hee is a brasse wall nothing shall daunt him but the wicked flie when none pursue Nehemiah was a holy man and hee would not flie but Manasseh a wicked King hides himself among the thornes and Adam runs to the thickets they had prickings without and worse prickles within 4. Value not life too much let us be willing to lay out our lives in Gods service to spend and be spent for God Acts 21.13 Paul said I am ready not to be bound only but to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus he prized the name of Christ above his life and if wee would prize something above our lives wee should not so over-rate them as through feare of man to lose better things to keep them the Devill tels us skin for skin Job 2.4 and all that a man hath will he give for his life true all to save life but there are some things of more worth than mans life as the glory of God the favour of God the peace of God truth of God the name of Christ c. and wee should so account of them and be ready to sacrifice our lives for them Nehem. 6.11
hee would not go into the Temple to save his life he knew the glory of God the cause work and people of God should suffer by it and therefore he would venture his life So Basil when threaten'd with cruell usuage and death said to him had the power in his hand This body thou art Lord of only not of our faith or the cause we stand for and whereas swords wild beasts cutting of our flesh Potius nobis deliciae quam tormenta sunt c. are threaten'd these things are rather pleasures then terrors to us we look at better things then the world hath for which we are not unwilling to lay out our lives Rev. 12.11 the Worthies of those times loved not their lives unto the death they stood bled dyed for Christ and his Cause who had stood bled dyed for them Another observation is That it 's the lot of the righteous to dwell amongst the wicked the Prophet here dwelt amongst Scorpions and was amidst Briers and Thorns a sad habitation yet such as is common to the Saints Lot dwelt in Sodome and his righteous soul was vexed 2 Pet. 2.8 it was pained tormented as a man upon the rack and David dwelt among those were enemies to peace and it made him cry out Woe is me that I so journ in Mesech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar Psal 120.5 6. that is with ungodly and barbarous people and it 's not the condition of some few but the Church it self Cant. 2.2 which is as a Lilly among Thorns so was the Church in Egypt in Babylon in the Primitive times amongst the persecuting Emperours and their officers so in the time of Antichrist and at this day it is among Thorns and Scorpions but here is the comfort of it God takes notice thereof Rev. 2.13 The Church of Pergamus dwelt where Satans throne was where he bare most sway had most honour a multitude of servants where was great uncleannesse hot persecution there did the Church of Pergamus dwell and what saith the Text I know thy works and where thou dwellest I know that is I take speciall notice of all thy works wrongs how the Thorns do scratch the Scorpions sting thee and I will reward thee for all 2 Pet. 2.9 After mention being made of Lots being vexed with the Sodomites it 's said The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation he observes who they are among how they are tempted and knowes wayes of deliverance for them and appeares amongst them VER 7. And thou shalt speak my words unto them whether they will beare or whether they will forbeare for they are most rebellious THere is nothing difficult in this Verse the words they are most rebellious in the originall are they are rebellion in the abstract noting the strength and growth of their sin of which hath been spoken in the 5th Verse only observe from hence 1. That the Messengers of God must speak the word of God Thou shalt speak my words unto them not thine own not other mens but my words Gods words are divine verba vitae mortis and they must be spoken unto the people not our chaffy powerlesse words Matth. 28.20 Teach them to observe what ever I have commanded you they must speak only that and all that nothing must they dissemble or hide away 2. That God cares not whether wicked vile sinners hear or no it 's sufficient to him that they refuse offers of grace that 's enough to justifie him and condemne them whether they will heare or forbeare it matters not I shall have my glory and thou thy reward what ever becomes of them And God deals roundly with them so Christ in Mark 16.16 He that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned yea Joh. 3.18 He that believes not is condemned already and when Christ sent out his Disciples see how quick and round hee is with those should not receive them and their word Matth. 10.14 Whosoever shall not receive you and your words when yee depart out of that house or city shake off the dust of your feet as a testimony against them Mark 6.11 It shall be more easie for Sodome or Gomorrah then for that house or city VER 8 9 10. But thou Son of man heare what I say unto thee be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house open thy mouth and eat that I give thee 9 And when I looked behold a hand was sent unto mee and lo a roul of a booke was therein 10 And he spread it before mee and it was written within and without and there was written therein lamentations and mourning and woe IN these Verses besides Christ instructing of the Prophet you have his farther confirmation in his propheticall Office and that by a visible sign by which hee conveys the gift of prophecying unto Ezekiel and it 's by a roul of a book concerning which wee have these things considerable 1. The efficient cause or whence it came a hand was sent unto mee 2. The materiall cause a roul of a book 3. The opening of it it was spread before mee 4. The contents of it lamentations mourning and woe But before we come to this roul and the particulars of it wee must speak of Christs instructions to the Prophet In the 8th Verse where wee have First an exhortation Son of man heare what I say unto thee Secondy a prohibition be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house Thirdly a command open thy mouth and eat that I give thee The summe of the Verse is this Ezekiel saith Christ see thou hearken unto my voyce whatsoever I say to thee let that be acceptable regard not what men what thine heart and carnall reason say to thee but remember I am God and King I sit upon the Throne my counsels and words must stand be not thou rebellious as the Jewes are let not their example power relation to thee make thee refuse to heare what I say or to eat this visible and sacramentall sign which I give thee There is nothing difficult in the Verse to cleare up unto you only these words Open thy mouth you may think superfluous and that the word Eat had been enough but there is nothing idle in the Scripture all is of weight and such weight that heaven and earth shall passe away before one iota of Gods Word it 's a rule among the learned Vox qua videtur otiosa plurimum facit ad effectum it notes the ardent desire of Christ that the Prophet should have the benefit of this sacramentall sign and that hee should be forward and ready unto it do any thing conduced that way Obser 1. That those are to teach others must first heare and be taught themselves they must heare Christ and learne of him Ezekiel must heare what Christ saith unto him and then he would be fit to speak unto others when the Lord Christ sent out his Disciples he instructed them first Matth.
10. So the Apostles were in doctrinated forty dayes together in the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God Acts 1.3 The institution of Churches the Lawes Government Ordinances Offices and Officers of them they were instructed in and John in his first Epistle Chap. 1. v. 3. saith That which wee have seen and heard declare wee unto you and so it was of the Prophets what they heard that they spake Heb. 1.1 God spake unto the fathers by the Prophets he first spake to the Prophets and in them to the Fathers the Ministers and Messengers of God must heare Christ first and then declare his minde be obedient unto his commands and then mention and publish his Will 2. God looks for more from them he calls to any service then from others and thou Son of man be not thou rebellious I expect other things at thy hand I look thou shouldest be as tractable as they have been untractable as dutifull as they have bin rebellious you see who have been most active among them against me I look thou shouldest be as active in thy place for mee those God doth put honour upon and set in publike places it 's equall hee should have much from yea more then from others saith Paul The Lord Christ inabled me counted me faithfull put me into the Ministery 1 Tim. 1.12 and 1 Cor 15.10 His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly then they all God had done much for him expected it as his hands and hee deceived not expectation 3. See here what God accounts rebellion wee think it must be some great notorious thing that makes a Rebell or rebellious but there is great difference between the judgement of men and judgement of God If Ezekiel should be difficult and backward to his work hee call'd him unto he would count it rebellion if he would not heare and do what God bid him hee should be numbred among the rebellious if hee did not heare every thing that Christ spake quecunque ad te loquar audi so the words are read by Calvin and the originall beares it if there should be a crossing of Gods will in any thing in the least thing in refusing to heare or do it should be before him rebellion Isa 1.20 If yee refuse and rebell refusing to heare Gods Will and to do it being heard is rebellion against God so in 1. Sam. 12.15 If yee will not obey the voyce of the Lord but rebell against the Commandement not obeying God what ever precence we have is rebellion 4. That we must nor follow the examples and wayes of sinfull men be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house they have set an ill example before thee do not thou imitate them they have writ a foul copy write not after them they have walked in wrong paths do not trace their steps such men usually are as those they live with it 's easie to grow naught if wee live among those are naught Joseph learn'd to sweare in Pharaohs Court and Peter to Judaise among the Jewes Praecepta ducunt exempla trahunt Consent and example of others is like a mighty torrent that carries down all before it Example is a potent thing Gal. 2.14 Why compellest thou the Gentiles to Judaize Paul tells Peter that there was a compulsory vertue and force in his example to draw the Gentiles into evill and it 's certain the customes traditions perswasions and examples of friends are of much prevalency that Christ foresaw and arms the Prophet against them heare what I say not what they say let them say what they will regard it not only let my words have place in thee and power with thee But thou wilt object and say They are my friends that perswade mee my kindred mine own flesh and blood that counsell mee they are great ones yea all Prince and People that go that way they are my parents that command me to do so and I may sin in refusing to hearken unto them the Lord Christ takes off all these and other objections be not rebellious as they have been and are but consider are they friends kindred great Parents and have they and theirs long been in that way know that I that speak to thee am thy friend and best friend thou hast I am thy kinsman I am here in the form of the Son of man and to suffer in thy nature hereafter that thou mayest be the Son of God I am thy brother who hath redeemed thee from sin death and hell if others be great I am greater then they and my Throne is above all thrones if they be thy parents I am thy everlasting Father Isa 9.6 and as I have had everlasting care of thee so do give thee everlasting Lawes and Rules of worship and godlinesse in comparison of whose light and wisdome all men are darknesse and folly and what will you prefer friends kindred great ones parents any before me be not rebellious like them but hearken unto mee and let them go make no league with them that are wicked and rebellious Exod. 34.12 do not imitate their worship match not into their families feast not at their tables choose none of their wayes Prov. 3.31 and Rom. 12.2 Be not conformed to this world but be yee transformed by the renewing of your minde that is do not make the manners of the world the rule of your life nor the worship of the world the rule of your worship but look higher let not your corrupt minds that will cary you after a corrupt world a corrupt worship and corrupt manners prevaile with you but receive new light from Christ and the Gospel into your minds and then you will be transformed you will reject all old wayes old traditions and examples of men and will be lead by Christ and live by his Rules and Lawes and thus wee may be wiser then our forefathers and teachers Psal 119.99 100. I have more understanding then all my teachers saith David and I understand more then the Ancient Pro faecibus humanis Non tam spectandum quid Romae fiat quam quid fieri debeat and what was the ground of it hee made Gods Law and Word his meditation his Rule and those in these later dayes that have done so have got more understanding then their teachers and are wiser then the Ancients that are for humane inventions it is lawes not examples we must look too and the Lawyers have a rule very usefull men must consider not what is done but what ought to be done 5. That it 's the Lords prerogative to appoint significant typicall and sacramentall signes Eat what I give thee that was the roul which was sacramentall and signified the gift of prophecy No man may lift up a creature to a higher spirituall excellency then what God has set it in by nature what mortall had power to have put upon the brazen Serpent a typicalnesse to represent Christ who had power to
make the Rain-bow a sign of the Covenant between God and man who could make the Temple a type of Christ but hee that fill'd the Temple with glory and who can institute Sacraments ordinary or extraordinary but God and Christ in them alwayes is a Command and a Promise of grace which falls not within the compasse of mans power 6. That the Lord Christ provides meat for his servants Eat what I give thee Christ had propheticall meat for him a roul to give him It 's from Christ that truths come As a Nurse prepares meat for the child and puts it into the mouth of the child so doth Christ here he ever gives seed to his sowers he furnisheth his with abilities if they want books he will provide them VER 9. And when I looked behold a hand was sent unto mee and lo a roul of a book was therein HEre wee have the efficient instrumentall and materiall cause to treat of A hand was sent unto mee sent from Christ there could not be a hand without some Author hee that sate upon the Throne and made all he made he sent this hand no mention is made of any arm or body a hand might write it and reach it forth Dan. 5.5 there was in Belshazzars sad vision the fingers of a hand came forth and wrote upon the plaister of the wall nothing but a hand appeared had there been no hand the Prophet might have doubted whence it came taken it for some casuall thing but being reached out by a hand it was evident to him it came from heaven even him that he saw so glorious fell down before and was comforted by The materiall cause is A roul of a book Megillath Sepher the Ancients at first writ in barks of trees afterwards in skins of beasts which they call Pergamena vellum or parchment supposing them to be invented at Pergamus by King Attalus where was a famous Library of parchments and manuscripts but rouls of vellume or parchment were before that time Ezekiels vision was long before the Roman Monarchie Attalus lived when that flourished and having no issue made the Roman State heir to his crown but rouls were in Isaiah's dayes Chapt. 8.1 Take thee a great roul yea in Davids dayes Psal 40.8 In the volume of thy book Bimgillath Sepher in the roul of thy book They are very ancient and call'd rouls from the rouling them up about Cedar or some precious wood that they might be the better preserved The Law and Prophets were written in such rouls and when they unrouled them the Jewish Doctors used to expound them Nihil est vetustum in principum Archivis quod non sit scriptum in voluminibus Calv. as is gathered from that place Luke 4.17 These rouls are in practise to this day in the Jewish Synagogue and they have their Thorah or Law written in one volume and rouled up as Paraeus observes on the 5th of the Revel Kings have their Courts of Rouls And there is nothing antient in the Courts and Libraries of Princes in their Treasury of Monuments but is written in rouls or volumes For the signification of this Roul some make it to signifie the secret counsells of God it 's true they were written in it but not signified by it The Roul here is symbolum Prophetiae a typicall sign of the gift of prophecie to be given to the Prophet and in that sense wee are to take it Observ 1. That the Lord Christ doth at his pleasure put forth creative and infinite vertue to effect what hee speaks Eat what I give thee and presently a Hand is created a Roul is presented unto the Prophet which none could have done being destitute of divine power Christ hath a Hand in readinesse alwayes to do what he will have done he hath sometimes a visible hand to do it as here sometime an invisible when hee call'd Lazarus forth of the grave he had an hand invisible to effect it when he bid the dead to heare the dumb to speak the lame to walk Devils to depart their habitation hee had an invisible hand that effected those things so in Acts 11.20 21. when some of the Brethren had preached the Lord Christ and faith in him it 's said presently the hand of the Lord was with him and a great number believed there was a secret hand of divine power effecting that in their hearts which the Disciples preached in their ears And Acts 4.30 Christ hath a hand to stretch forth and to heal to heal soul diseases and bodily too to heal State and Church diseases Mat. 8.2 3. The Leper said to Christ Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and Jesus put forth his hand and touched him saying I will be thou clean and immediatly his Leprosie was cleansed if wee would look to Christ as this Leper did wee might find and feel the hand of Christ 2. That the Lord doth often times extraordinary things for the incouragement and confirmation of his servants in their Function Here is a Hand and a Roul reached out to Ezekiel Jeremiah is fearefull and backward to the work of God and God to incourage and establish him puts forth his hand Exod. 4. and toucheth his mouth Jer. 1.9 Moses hee is doubting and pleading with God to dismisse him but by the miracles of the serpentined and unserpentined rod of the leprozed and unleprozed hand he confirms in his call to that great and hard service Isaiahs lips are touched with a coal from the Altar in the hand of a Seraphim his iniquity is purged and so hee is heartened to his work Isa 6. Christ breathed upon his Apostles and said Receive the Holy Ghost Joh. 20.22 By these extraordinary things they were consecrated to and confirmed in their offices 3. That there is a neere conjunction and sweet Analogie between the symbols the Lord Christ useth and the things intended Christ intends here the gift of Prophecie to confirm that upon Ezekiel Now what is the externall sign or symbol it's a book written full of propheticall things and so did fitly resemble the thing intended in all the symbols that God had used in the old and new Testament in a sacramentall way there have been fit Analogies between them and the thing signified and intended by them Circumcision the Paschall Lamb water in Baptisme Bread and Wine in the Supper of the Lord do set out the manifold wisdome of God and Christ in accommodating symbols so neer to the truth and holding it forth so livelily and the wisdome of Christ appeared in conveying the gift of prophecie by a Roul of a book From this example of Christ giving a Roul to Ezekiel some conceive springs that custome in the Universities at the creation of Doctors it 's done by reaching them out a Book but how warrantable I leave to judgement they do it may give them volumen but not rem voluminis if they had given them the gift of prophecie wee should never had so many
do oft cover divine fire that it seems dead but wee must stir up our selves blow off those ashes and blow up the fire of grace that it may burn and shine be usefull to our selves and others The Prophet complains in Esa 64.7 There is no man that stirreth up himself to take hold of me they are like men asleep that sit still and do nothing The Vulgar is Non est quic onsurgat 6. When man hath done all hee can the efficacy and fruit is from God Ezekiel opened his mouth but the Lord Christ caused him to eat the roul hee makes it effectuall it 's not our stirring up our graces opening our hearts putting forth our selves to the utmost that will make an Ordinance effectuall without Christ it 's hee must do the deed Joh. 15. Without mee yee can do nothing Ezekiel could not eat the roul nor digest it being eaten not act being digested and so the Apostles though branches in the Vine could draw no sap from the root unlesse that sent it up when sent up could not send it forth without him if send it forth into clusters could not ripen it without him all is from him hee gives grace exercises strengthens and prospers grace Paul may plant but there is no rooting of those plants but by Christ Apollo may water but no growth no increase but by Christ 1 Cor. 3.6 7. Ministers and all should feed liberally upon the Word Fill thy bowels with this roul not taste of it a little but feed and fill themselves there is great variety in the rouls of God and wee may feed upon them all and fill our selves with divine truth Matth. 13.52 Every Scribe instructed to the Kingdome of heaven hath a treasury of things new and old as a Housholder hath all meats wines houshold-stuff and furniture that is needfull both old and new so should a servant of God have old and new truths those of Moses and the Prophets and the Mysteries of the Gospel also Col. 3.16 Let the Word of God dwell in you richly he means not some part of it but the whole Word of God it 's not limited to any part but spoken indefinitly and so includes all and it must not be in the Assemblies in the Houses only but it must be in you and dwell in you you must know it and have it in readinesse as you know those dwell in the house with you and are ready to do any service for you The Corinthians were inriched in all knowledge and wee should so abound with divine knowledge that there should be no place for errors in us the Word of God should be in our hearts in our heads in our lips in our lives wee all should be like Ezekiels roul written within and without 8. The Word of God is sweet and delightfull to the soul it was as honey for sweetnesse there is nothing more sweet then honey the word is as sweet as it yea Psal 19.10 Sweeter then the honey or the honey combe the greatest sweetnesse is in the Word of any thing in the world The sweetnesse is in the Revelations of the Counsels and Mysteries of God Christ which is sweet to know for knowledge is pleasant Prov. 2.10 And the more excellent the knowledge the more pleasant it is It 's a word of life Phil. 2.16 and life is sweet and the more spirituall the life is the more sweet still it converts the soul Psal 19.7 it 's Pabulum animae call'd by Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.2 sincere milk and that is sweet nourishing unto eternall life It 's the grace of God brings salvation Tit. 2.11 and the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 and herein is sweetnesse it sanctifies Joh. 17. it comforts the soul in all straits and afflictions Psal 119.29 I had perished in mine affliction unlesse thy Law had been my delight it satisfies the conscience which nothing else can do It shewes the equity of Gods judgements and dealings with wicked men and so the sharpest threats and most dreadfull judgements are sweet to a gracious heart here was a Roul full of lamentations mournings and woe and yet when the Lord commends it to Ezekiel he finds sweetnesse in it not that he was not sensible and affected with the miseries coming upon him for he was not withous naturall affection but seeing the righteousnesse of God in his judgements towards them hee could not but be affected with a spirituall joy and finde sweetnesse therein his Will being revealed and that which a gracious heart rests in VERS 4 c. 4. And hee said unto me Son of mâ—◠〈◊〉 get thee unto the house of Israel and speake with my words unto them 5. For thou art not sent unto a people of a strange Speech and of a hard Language but to the house of Israel 6. Not to many people of a strange Speech and of hard Language whose words thou canst not understand surely had I sent thee to them they would have hearkened unto thee 7. But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee for they will not hearken unto mee for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted 8. Behold I have made thy face strong against their faces and thy forehead strong against their foreheads 9. As an Adamant harder then flint have I made thy forehead feare them not neither be dismayed at their looks though they be a rebellious house 10. Moreover he said unto me Son of man all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart and heare with thine eares 11. And go get thee to them of the captivity unto the people and speak unto them and tell them Thus saith the Lord God Whether they will heare or whether they will forbeare IN these Verses is a renewall of the Prophets sending to his Propheticall Function and they have in them matter of incouragement and manifestation what he must expect 1. Matter of incouragement And 1. In that hee was not sent to a people of a strange language that understood him not Vers 5 6. that would be discouragement to preach to a people should not know what a man said this was not the Prophets case but he was to go to the house of Israel whom he knew whose language he understood who also understood his 2. In that Christ had strengthened and fitted him for that service Vers 8.9 and would yet do more for him give him more truths reveal more Propheticall things unto him Vers 10. 3. That it should be all one to him whether they heard the Prophet or not Vers 11. The other thing is manifestation what he must expect 1. More from Heathens then from them Vers 6. end surely had I sent thee to them they would have hearkened 2. Obstinate refusall of him and his Prophecy Vers 7. The house of Israel will not hearken unto thee and it 's proved by a double argument First they will not hearken unto mee is an argument from the
both they and he shall die if it be not done The second ab utili it may be they will turn upon admonition and so be saved if not yet the Prophet delivers his own soul and there is advantage by it The words in the 16th Verse have little difficulty in them At the end of seven dayes It 's probable the sitting still and silence of the Prophet was from Sabbath to Sabbath on that day he had his glorious Vision and seven dayes after he had a new Revelation Junius The Word of the Lord came to him all the six dayes hee was solitary mourning meditating and silent but on the seventh the Lord appeared again unto him and so after hee had upon Sabbaths revelations from God Observ 1. That God beares with the weaknesses and distempers of his servants Ezekiel declines the Call of Christ shew vs his great ingratitude having had such great favours from Christ seen so much glory and being commanded once twice to go and preach to the house of Israel yet hee sits down is silent and that seven dayes together this might have provoked the Lord to great wrath to have refused him as a stubborn self-willed man and made him to say hee would never admit him to be his Prophet put such honour upon him intrust him with such great matters but the Lord beares with his weaknesse yea his continued weaknesse sometimes Gods anger kindles and breaks out quickly and that for little things in our eyes and opinions as the man gathered a few sticks on the Sabbath hee must be stoned to death those peeped irreverently into the Ark the Lord smote 50000 and upward dead for it presently 1 Sam. 6. Ananias and Saphira a small matter in our conceits it was to keep back a portion of their goods and to excuse it with a lie for this God was wroth and they died Acts 5. but the weaknesses of his children hee beares with and those great ones 2. Mans will and weaknesse cannot hinder the efficacy and execution of Gods decree the Prophets spirit was against this work he refused sate still seven dayes together and would have frustrated Gods intentions if he could but it was decreed in heaven that decree was efficacious his will must be brought off and he must be the man to execute Gods pleasure in a propheticall way to the house of Israel Jonas departs will prejudice Gods designe concerning Ninive but the Lord knew how to humble him to fetch him back being fled and to make him instrumentall to his ends notwithstanding his wilfulnesse and weaknesse Psal 33.9 He commanded and it stood fast and vers 11. The counsell of the Lord standeth for ever let there be contrary counsels wills commands they stand not Gods brings them to nought hee makes them of none effect Prov. 19.21 There are many devices in a mans heart hee thinks not to do this and not to do that and it shall be so and so neverthelesse the counsell of the Lord shall stand he will perfect the work hee hath begun in men and by men notwihstanding their infirmities 3. Spirituall imployments must have sedate quiet well-composed affections and spirits the Spirit of Prophecy came not upon Ezekiel all the time he was distempered and discontented but when time had wrought off the distemper and the il humor was digested then was he stirred by the Spirit of prophecy when the Minstrell was tun'd then the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha 2 King 3.15 Mens hearts and spirits are like Minstrells out of order quickly and long in tuning and right setting but the musick is sweetest when the Instrument is best set then God delights to communicate his Spirit to us to imploy us In the night oft God appeared to the Patriarchs then were they most quiet and fittest to receive instruction In Augustus his dayes when there was peace throughout the world then was Christ given then was hee born When there is peace throughout the little world then are wee aptest for reception of Christ his instructions and readiest for his service God will not commit weighty and great things to men without due fitnesse for them The Prophet had this time deeply to consider of the businesse and to get himself into such a frame as might best sort with the Function he was to be in 4. The Lord doth not leave his long although they be in distempers at the end of seven dayes the Word of the Lord came unto him wee may by our failings and distempers drive away God from us but he will visit us again hee may be gone all the week but come again at the end of it Psal 30.5 Gods anger is for a moment our weeping for a night and joy in the morning it 's not long this good Physician will be absent from his Patient and when he comes he will comfort and cure 5. Our Prophet brought not his own but the Word of the Lord unto the people it 's his Word must be commended unto them Prophets Apostles Ministers are his Ambassadours and must speak what is given them in Commission If they go or speak of their own heads they provoke God and wrong the people Jer. 23.30 I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that steal my word every one from his neighbour the false Prophets would take some sayings of the true Prophets and mingle them with their own lies and errours to get the more credit unto them and sometimes by false interpretations they would wrest the Word to establish their own phantasies they would prophesie for their own glory and profit and this was stealing of the Word they did handle the Word alieno sensu spiritu fine then God or the true Prophets intended so that their word was not conceived to be the Word of God but their own and yet they would fasten it upon God vers 31. I am against the Prophets that use their tongues and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He saith The word is Lokekim which signifies lenire mollificari dulcorare they flattered and smoothed up the people speaking things pleasing and said He saith they made God the author of their dreams which the Lord reproves in the 32. verse and saith Behold I am against them that prophesie false dreames and do tell them and cause my people to erre by their lies and their lightnesse yet I sent them not nor commanded them therefore they shall not profit this people at all saith the Lord people had need look to their teachers what they are whether sent of God and such as speak the truths of God otherwise they can look for no blessing no profit but when men come in Gods name and with Gods Word you may looke for great benefit you must expect reality for here are two words which note reality and being debar is verbum res 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jehi factum est fuit Gods words are things of great weight and worth VER 17. I have made thee
or as it 's more fully in Chap. 2. ver 5. Regnum Dei non in eloquentia sed in fide constat that their faith should not stand in the wisdome of men it will go off from one to another as men are more witty and hold out the truth in siner and more inticing expressions which will prove evill therefore hee declined the wisdome of men and preached in demonstration of the Spirit that their faith might stand in the power of God in such conviction and operation of the Spirit as might breed invincible stedfastnesse in them Secondly not to please men Gal. 1.10 Do I seek to please men if that were my end I should not be the servant of Christ but he must serve Christ in saving of souls not in pleasing of men when that is propounded unto men they will subject truth to mens humor and become flatterers but Ministers must not doe so not frame their Sermons according to mens humors and minds Jer. 15.19 Let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them do not thou comply debase the truth to please them but speak as the Oracles of God and let them please or provoke it matters not the provoking of them may be the neerest way to their salvation and that is thy end Thirdly not to get a living that is not the end of a Prophets office it 's to make men living men to save their lives and souls Paul preached the Gospel without charge to any and told the Corinthians he sought them not theirs their souls not their substance yet he denies not but that they that preach the Gospel should live of it 1 Cor. 9.14 It 's fit Preachers should have maintenance and sufficient but the end of preaching is not a living but life Cadit Asina est qui sublevet eam perit anima nemo est qui reparet Bern. the life of sinners to save to deliver them seeing this is the end of their calling how should it quicken them to their work If a Sheep were in a pit a child in a fire what haste would wee make to pull them forth and shall wee see souls rushing into the eternall pit the eternall fire and not move our feet our tongues to help them 8. The office of a Prophet and Minister is honourable it 's to save life to save souls their Calling is conversant about the lives and souls of men the soul is the immediate work of God the Image of God of more worth then all the world it was for the souls sake Magna res anima quae Christi sanguine redempta est Bern. Ep. that Christ came down from heaven prayed preached wrought Miracles suffered death and gave his heart-blood this made the Father say Precious is the soul being redeemed with Christs blood and being a thing of such worth and consequence the Ministers work is to save it that very work which is the Lords and Christs therefore in 1 Cor. 3.9 the Apostle saith of himself and all Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee are labourers together with God co-workers concurrent with God in the salvation of sinners this is great honour In Obad. and made Jerome say Ipse Salvator Apostolos suos mundi esse voluit salvatores Christ hath made Apostles saviours of the world he calls them the light and salt of the world they inlighten the blind and season the unsavoury souls of men and so save them from corruption and perdition it 's an hard but an honourable work therfore saith James Let him know that hath converted a sinâ—â— that hee hath saved a soul from death Jam. 5.20 let him know it it 's a great and glorious work is done that he may be incouraged and God be praised 9. Ignorance will be no plea for wicked men if they be not warn'd not told of their sins they shall die men are apt to excuse themselves they are ignorant they knew not this or that to be sins their Teachers were insufficient or negligent and this may be truth but neither their fault nor thy ignorance will be a sufficient plea before God warn'd or unwarn'd the wicked shall die Isa 27.11 It is a people of no understanding therefore hee that made them will not have mercy on them and hee that formed them will shew them no favour Nescience may excuse in part but ignorance hardly at all that which men produce in favour of themselves God produces against them you are an ignorant people saith God of no understanding you know not prima principia neither God nor your selves and think because you are ignorant therefore to find mercy and favour at my hands but you are deceived your ignorance aggravates your woe ever therefore will I shew you no mercy no favour those are ignorant of God and his wayes God will be ignorant of them in their greatest straits Depart frm mee I never knew you Matth. 7.23 Ignorance is a great evill it makes men brutish like Nebuchadnezzar who had an Oxes heart in a mans shape ignorance is part of the Devils image as knowledge is of Gods wee should labour therefore to get knowledge savory and saving for it 's not good that the heart be without knowledge Prov. 19.2 10. See here who are the most cruell bloody and damning Ministers even those that are silent that warn not the people of their sins that preach flattering things or to no purpose let men be dumb and not speak at all or preach so as not to warn them of their sins and dangers they are who ever they be whether the greater or lesser Clergie as they use to distinguish themselves they are the bloody damning soul-murthering Ministers you cry out of those Ministers that tell you most of your sins that set judgement hell and damnation before you they be bitter harsh men cryed out of on all sides whereas they are the faithfullest friends that sinners have they would fain save your souls pull you out of the pit keep you out of hell and help you into heaven and are they censurable for this should one see a company of travellers going in a way they should fall into the hands of Cavaliers or Thieves and tell them the danger of it with great affection and compassion should another see them and say nothing or bid them go on and they do so are taken stript imprison'd starv'd to death you can easily tell which of these dealt most faithfully and friendly which treacherously and cruelly too many of the Ministers in England have been faulty this way and guilty of murthering multitudes if not millions of souls it 's one of the crying sins of the Land that wee have had such a dumb insufficient and consequently such a bloody soul-damning Ministery And many amongst them having slain souls now by putting on these wars seek to slay bodies also 11. There is a great necessity lyeth upon the Prophets and Ministers of Christ to preach and to preach home to
let that be the prayer of such which you find Psal 79.8 O remember not against us former iniquities Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us for wee are brought low and take heed of sinning for the future against God for be sure your sin will find you out Numb 32.23 and be thorns not in your flesh but in your consciences old sins will be old Serpents sting unto death Isa 10.3 What will you do in the day of visitation Ezek. 22.14 Can thine heart indure or can thine hanâ—s be strong in the dayes that I shall deal with thee 3. Such is the nature of States and Churches that falling into sinfull wayes they seldome return but proceed adding sin to sin filling up the measure of their iniquities Ieroboam makes a rent layes a foundation in Idolatrous practices and the House of Israel continue in that way three hundred and ninetie yeers not one king of Israel right Solomon he goes out by the inticing of his wives to false worship he corrupts Iudah leavens it w th Idolatry and not all the good Kings in Iudah could get out that leaven again perfectly if there were a stop of Idolatrous passages made in one Kings raign there was liberty granted in anothers Idolatry and other sins so abounded in Ahaz Manasses and Zedekiah's dayes that the Lord was weary of them and not quiet till he had rejected them And this is not only so in States and Churches but also in particular cases if men fall into any way of wickednesse so corrupt is nature so prone unto sin that it persists unto its own perdition rather then returns to its own salvation it must be a mercifull and powerfull hand of God that reduceth a straying sinner much more a straying State 4. That length of time is no good plea for errors false worship sinfull customes and practices they could plead hundreds of yeeres for their high places Calves Samaritan Rites Altars Priests c. yet antiquity would not exempt them from guilt and punishment he must bear the iniquity of the House of Israel they had sinned in the direction use and retention of these and God had visited and would yet visit more for them what if wee have had Prelacy and Popery Ceremonies and Superstitious Rites among us hundreds of yeers they are plants not of Gods planting and through age so rotten that they need plucking up and it will be his honour whose shoulder and strength is imployed that way 5. The Lord shewes more favour to his sinning great sins then he doth to others that are not his the House of Israel hath the left side is Loammi none of Gods people and therefore utterly rejected sent into captivity and return not the House of Iudah hath the right side God would shew them favour in their captivity and return them after seventy yeers correction in Babylon Gods carriage towards his is different from that towards others Psal 89.30 31 32 33. If his children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgements if they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes neverthelesse my loving kindnesse will I not utterly take from him here God took not away loving kindnesse utterly from Iudah sending her into captivity but it was utterly taken from Israel if the one be whipt with rods the other is whipt with scorpions Saul he sins in offering sacrifice 1 Sam. 13. in sparing Agag 1 Sam. 15. David he sins in the defilement of Bathsheba in the murthering of Vriah 2 Sam. 11. in numbring of the people 2 Sam. 24. Solomon he sins in hearkening to his wives in falling to Idolatry yet God dealt not with David or Solomon whose sins were greater then Sauls as he did with Saul thy kingdome shall not continue saith Samuel and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king and it repented God that he had set up Saul to be King 1 Sam. 15.11 and he dealt severely with him he would not answer him in his straits but cut him off by the Philistims and his own sword so that he and his were broken in pieces and rooted out by the wrath of God but David and Solomon were chastised with the rods of men 2 Sam. 7.14 and see what followeth in the next verse My mercy shall not depart from him meaning Solomon when he committed iniquity I took it from Saul whom I put away from before me God proceeds otherwise with wicked men then he doth with his children there is much love in all their afflictions and meer wrath in all the wickeds sufferings Peters sin in denying Christ was greater then Ananias and Saphira's in denying a portion of their goods and almost parallel with Iudas's yet he hath a gracious aspect from Christ fetching penitent tears from his heart when the others are smitten with strokes of death 6. The instruments God uses in the execution of his judgments shall be resolute ready and active Set thy face toward the siege and thine arm shall be uncovered and thou shalt prophesie The Chaldeans were resolute upon the siege came fitted every way to it and were active in the work Hab. 1.8 9 10. They shall flee as the Eagle hasteth to eat They shall gather the captivity as the sand They shall deride every strong hold for they shall heap up dust and take it When God will have any notable work done he raiseth up instruments for it 7. Gods power and providence over-rules secondary agents so that they shall execute his pleasure and not disappoint it God laid bands upon the Prophet and he could turn no way till he had accomplished the dayes of the siege and when the King of Babylon and his forces were come to the work God held them to it and executed his judgements by them Pilate would have quit his hands of Christs death but he was to be an instrument together with Iudas and others and they did what the hand and counsell of God determined to be done Act. 4.28 Moses would have declined the work of bringing out the Israelites from Egypt and bringing in of judgements upon the Egyptians but God ordered and over-rul'd his spirit VER 9 10 11 c. Take thou also unto thee the wheat and barley and beans and lentiles and millet and fitches and put them in one vessell and make thee bread thereof according to the number of the dayes that thou shalt lie upon thy side three hundred and ninety dayes shalt thou eat thereof 10. And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight twenty shekels a day from time to time shalt thou eat it 11. Thou shalt also drink water by measure the sixt part of an Hin from time to time shalt thou drink 12. And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man in their sight 13. And the Lord said Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled
bread among the Gentiles whither I will drive them 14. Then said I Ah Lord God behold my soul hath not been polluted for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of it self or is torn in pieces neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth 15. Then hee said unto me Lo I have given thee cowes dung for mans dung and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith 16. Moreover he said unto me Son of man behold I will break the staffe of bread in Ierusalem and they shall eat bread by weight and with care and they shall drink water by measure and with astonishment 17. That they may want bread and water and be astonished one with another and consume away for their iniquity THe time of Ierusalems siege being typed out by the Prophets side-lying he comes hereto type out the grievous famine should be in that siege and this he doth 1. From the course materialls they should make their bread of in the 9th verse wheat barley beans lentiles millet and fitches 2. From the quantity they should eat vers 10 11. they must eat and drink by measure 3. From the quality of it vers 12. it should be bread baked with dung defiled bread this was to type out the Israelites eating polluted bread among the Gentiles where they were to be captives 4. From the Prophets deprecation against eating polluted bread vers 14. Ah Lord my soul hath not been polluted c. 5. From Gods answer yeelding to the Prophets request in the 15th verse giving him cowes dung for mans and then declaring his intention in the 16. and 17. verse that he would break the staffe of bread bring them to extreme want and cause them to pine away Something I must open before I come to the instructions arising out of the words Vers 10. Twenty shekels a day There were shekels of gold 2 Chro. 3.9 shekels of silver 2 King 15.20 shekels of brasse 1 Sam. 17.5 of iron also verse 7. some of these shekels are yet to be found amongst Antiquaries on one side they have stamped the omer of Manna which God commanded Moses to lay up in the Sanctuary and in Samaritan letters writ Sekel Israel and on the other side is stamped Aarons rod Vid. Noser um de Numis Hebra Pradum in Ezek. Rivet in Exod. flourishing with these words Ierusalem Kedoshah Because the Scripture mentions the shekel of the Sanctuary as Exod. 30.13 and Numb 3.50 The Rabbies and many others make a difference between shekels and say that of the Sanctuary was holy and of twenty gerahs others were common and of ten gerahs Shekel is a weight from Shakal to weigh from whence our word scale or scoal is taken half the weight of the other and this opinion hath prevail'd much amongst Authors but I find it by later Writers opposed and especially by Vilalpandus it 's call'd the shekel of the Sanctuary not because it differed from others but for that it was kept there to be a Standard and Measure for all the rest that there might not be great and small shekels at the pleasure of men and mischief accrue that way they hold that the shekels were all of one weight though not of one substance and that First because no just reason can be given why they should differ and so doubts be multiplied of what shekel it was meant when mention is made of shekels and half shekels as Exod. 30.13 and the third part of a shekel Nehem. 10.32 Secondly because the shekels that are now extant in the world are of the same weight Thirdly the Scriptures make the shekels that were in common use the same for weight with those of the Sanctuary observe two places and it 's evident Ezek. 45.9 10 11 12. he blames Princes there for violence and fraud and exhorts them to use just weights and measures See Lev. 27.25 Numb 3.47 and then mentions the shekel which shall be twenty gerahs this was the shekel in common use now see Exod. 30.13 where he speaks of the shekel in the Sanctuary and saith there a shekel is 20. gerahs and so the same with that in publike use A gerah weighed sixteen Barly corns Vide Ainsw upon Exod. 30.13 and twenty gerahs came to 320. Barly corns which made the weight of the shekel of the Sanctuary and other some render the word gerah by obolos for farthings some by stivers and was the value of two shillings or two four pence for the weight which is the thing wee are here chiefly to look at a shekel was the same with the stater among the Grecians and Romans Lib. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Eusebius calls shekels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a stater was four drams call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was half an ounce and so accordingly the twenty shekels weight was ten ounces so that the loaf or weight of bread here allowed to the Prophet day by day was of ten ounces only others that follow the opinion of the common shekel which was the fourth part of an ounce make the weight of his meat or bread only five ounces for so much do twenty shekels amount unto and this is so little that hardly life can be maintained by it I incline to the former opinion and leave it to your judgement Vers 11. The sixth part of an Hin From the bread he descends to the drink which was no better then fair water and not overmuch of that a Hin was a measure of liquid things Maimon in his Tract of Sacrifice Ch. 2. § 7. as of oil wine and water and it contain'd twelve of those measures are call'd logs of which you read in Lev. 14.10 one log of oil which Ainsworth saith is half a pint the Rabbies as much as six eggs but Pradus observes that the eggs in Palestina were greater then elsewhere and that six of them would fill the Rom. Sextarius and hee clears a common error about those eggs they are not to be taken for the eggs of fowles which are sometimes greater sometimes lesser but an Egge was a certain standing measure among the Jewes in the form of an Egg and the least measure they had six of these mad a Log and seventy two a Hin so that the sixt part of an Hin was two Logs that is so much as twelve egs would contain for their measure of an egge was after the proportion of ordinary eggs and came to no more then one pinte or six ounces as some conceive but a pinte of water weigh'd comes to sixteen ounces which was very little for four and twâ—â—ty hours Vires non tribuit sed mortem tantum prohibuit bread and water was so little that their hunger and thirst were rather increased then diminished thereby Vers 12. Thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man in their sight Poor people in many places use mean things for firing some burn straw some brakes some turfe some
thorns some dung but it is the dung of beasts which being dried by the wind and Sun burns well and supplies the necessity of the needy but the dung of man for firing hath scarce been heard of this he should take and in the embers and ashes thereof bake his miscell any bread to set out the great scarcity of fuell both in their fiege and in their captivity this was a very irksome businesse for a Prophet to gather the dung of men to dry it make fires with it and prepare his diet with such unsavory fire and that in their sight not privately this did much trouble him but especially to eat such bread this sets out also the great haste and hunger they should be in they should not stay till the bread was baked in an Oven but presently hastened their dough to the fire though never so unwholsome Vers 13. Defiled bread Because in Lev. 19.19 they were forbid to fow their fields with mingled seed it hath been conceived thence that this was call'd defiled bread because of the mixture of grain wheat barley beans c. but mingling of seeds neither made the ground nor the bread polluted for he is not after bid to change the seeds but the dung it was that made it polluted bread the baking of it in so noysome a fire and this set out the course and polluted diet they should eat not only when they were besieged in Ierusalem but when they should be in Babylon Vers 14. I have not eaten of that which dieth of it self or is torn in pieces neither came there abominable flesh in my mouth Whosoever toucheth or eateth of these was unclean Lev. 11.39 40.22.8 Deut. 14.21 and so for their excrements the Lord is carefull they should not be defiled with them Deut. 23.10 11 12 13 14. Lev. 5.3.7.21 It doth not appeare any where in Scripture that bread prepared thus is defiled only here in the former verse God calls it so and the Jewes had tender delicate stomachs which did abhor all unclean things and therefore they used much washing and oft washed their hands before meat The strength of the Prophets argument lyeth thus Lord I have never eaten any abominable polluting flesh and how shall I now eat defiled bread I have ever kept my self from what thy Law hath forbidden and how shall I now defile my self with that which nature it self abhors Vers 15. Cowes dung for mans dung This was lesse terrible to nature this relaxation was of advantage to the Prophet not to the people for when the siege came they did more horrid and unnaturall things then eat bread bak'd in Cowes or mans dung as you may read Lam. 4.10 Vers 16. I will break the staffe of bread The staffe of bread is a metaphoricall expression borrowed from staves used by those are weak sickly and aged by their staves they help and support themselves such a staff is bread to the frail nature of man and man that hath it blessed unto him finds it as a staffe to stay up his fainting spirit This phrase imports two things First the vertue and nourishment comes by bread and hence it 's said to strengthen mans heart Psal 104.15 Secondly the bread it self there may be much bread and little vertue in it and contrary little bread and much vertue in it as in the Widows meal and oil 1 King 17.14 But when God will break the staffe of bread hee ever takes away the one if not the other the plenty of bread if not the vertue of it Lev. 20.26 When I have broken the staffe of the bread ten women shall bake their bread in one Oven and they shall deliver you their bread again by weight and yee shall eat and not be satisfied The Greek for breaking the staffe of bread renders it afflicting with penury of bread as breaking of bread Act. 2.46 notes plenty and communicating of food so breaking the staffe of bread implies want and scarcity Psal 105.16 He called for famine upon the land and brake the whole staffe of bread so that the land could not sustain them and Isa 3.1 The Lord of Hosts doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staffe the whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water God would take away the plenty and the vertue hee would not blesse either unto them hence it 's said Hos 4.10 They shall eat but not have enough not be satisfied Mich. 6.14 to drink and not be filled to cloath themselves and not to be warm Hag. 1.6 Some would here understand by breaking the staffe of bread to be meant only a deficiency not an insufficiency but I conceive God would take away both their bread and the blessing of that remain'd according to that in Deut. 28.17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store God would take away panem nutrientem panis nutrimentum that the blessing being remov'd they might be weakned and the bread being remov'd they might be consum'd The word Makak signifies contabescere to pine away Vers 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a man in a consumption and not only so but foetere foetidum fieri to become noysome and loathsome and so it 's us'd Psal 38.5 My wounds stink and are corrupt so they should not only consume but grow loathsome and unsavory as it 's usuall with those are almost famished Observ 1. That Gods judgements upon a sinfull people are seldome single but one succeeds in the neck of another before the Prophet had been put upon a siege and now he must expresse a famine and mind them of eating polluted bread in another land In the 28. Deut. and 26. of Lev. God threatens judgement after judgement till he hath consum'd them it 's long before God begins to strike but when he once strikes he will go on and dispatch his work and make an end of an impenitent people and so recompence his slacknesse to punishment with severity and succession of judgements Amos 4. God had judgements which like fish-hooks should snatch them away cleannesse of teeth droughts blastings pestilence c. Ezek. 14. God hath sword famine pestilence and noysome beasts to send one after another and what one leaves the other shall devour God smote them with the sword in Ireland and hath not the famine followed it we are under the edge of the one and shall be I feare under the teeth of the other 2. That a famine upon any is a distressing judgement if God send it upon Jerusalem they shall find it very heavie when David was put to that hard choyce 2 Sam. 24. hee would not have the sword or famine to come upon him or his Curtius reports of Alexander Lib. 6. that warring against the Bactrians hee and his were besieged with such a famine as they were forc'd to eat up their horses that carryed their necessaries when the Carthaginians besieged Saguntus in Spain they were brought to such miseries with a famine that they
accident 5. The afflictions and judgements befall Gods people are not casuall but providentiall If the Jewes be besieged famished taken carried away into other lands and eat polluted bread there Gods eye hath directed his hand hath acted and therfore he saith Whither I shall drive them what Nebuchadnezzar and his Army did was the work of God so Joseph said of the dealing of his brethren selling him into Egypt Gen. 45.5 That it was God sent him thither it 's the power and providence of God that acts in all troubles and circumstantiates them for time place measure Observ 1. Vers 14. That the Saints of old were carefull to walk according to the prescriptions of the Law The Law forbid eating of those things dyed of themselves what ever was torn in pieces every abominable thing and our Prophet was carefull to observe such and other prescriptions it was the Saints duty to live after the directions of the Law what God had written to them therein they were bound to observe and did exactly David had respect unto all the commands of God Psal 119. Moses was faithfull in all the House of God 2. A gracious heart will deprecate that is contrary to its sanctification Ah Lord my soul hath not been polluted thou art the author of honlinesse and I have walked holily hitherto and now must I defile my self ah Lord let it not be The words are very patheticall he saith not Jehovah in the originall but Jehovi which the servants of God have used in their most patheticall prayers and speeches as Abraham Gen. 15.2 8. Deut. 3.24.9.26 I prayed unto the Lord saith Moses and said O Lord God destroy not thy people and thine inheritance Moses spirit was exceedingly affected and in such cases he and others call'd God Jehovi and so doth Ezekiel here he was intense in deprecating defilements so Peter Acts 10. when the sheet was let down with all beasts fowls and creeping things in it and the voyce said Rise Peter kill and eat his heart was stirred What shall I eat that is common unclean and pollute my soul not so Lord vers 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in no wise Lord what ever becomes of me though I starve I will not eat any thing shall defile me 3. The godly are carefull not only to abstain from great sins but from little ones also it was no great matter to eat bread baked with a fire made of mans dung and that in a time of necessity but even this would not Ezekiel yeeld unto there was evill in it so Daniel would not defile himself with the portion of the kings meat Chapt. 1.8 Moses would not leave a hoof in Egypt Job made a covenant with his eyes not to look upon a maid and therefore â—ave not sway to his mind to think upon one Job 31.1 thinking is lesse then looking and this he would not allow himself Joseph abhorr'd the act and Job the thought of uncleannesse Paul would not be subject one hour unto false brethren Gal. 2.5 and he bids the Thessalonians to abstain from all appearance of evill not only evill but the appearances of it Bern. de consid Quicquid male fuerit coloratum this made Paul to blame Peter for yeelding to Jewish Ceremonies when they carried a face of evill Gal. 2.14 and to say rather then he would offend his weak brother by eating he would eat no flesh while 〈◊〉 world standeth 1 Cor. 8.13 The Primitive Christans would not throw a little Frankincense into the fire nor bow before an Idoll though their lives lay at stake upon the refusall 4. That the Saints through darknesse and doubts do stick at that which is lawfull and warrantable God bids Ezekiel bake his bread with mans dung and eat it here was warrant sufficient for him Gods command makes a thing holy Act. 10.13 kill and eat said the voyce to Peter no saith Peter and why the creatures in the sheet are common and unclean but it was replied what God hath cleansed that call not thou unclean or common How came all to be clean in the sheet when by the judgement of the Law there were creatures unclean in it it was the command of God made all so kill and eat Peter without doubting or questioning might have killed and eaten any creature there without polluting his spirit and so Ezekiel might have eaten such bread without defilement Gods command legitimates any thing Abrahams sacrificing of his son Gen. 22.2 Hosea's marrying a wife of whoredome Hos 1.2 the brother marrying with the brothers wife carrying of the bed on the Sabbath day Deut. 25.5 Joh. 5.11 Where there is a word from heaven for any thing we need not fear defiling our selves the Saints of God stuck at things when they had a word no marvell if Saints now stick at things when they have no word Vers 15. Note that God doth condescend to the weaknesses of his servants and mitigates what seems grievous unto them mans dung was very irksome to the spirit of the Prophet the Lord dispenseth with his command and gives him cowes dung for mans The Saints are precious in Gods eye and rather then grieve and displease them he will oft upon their petitioning to him dispense with his own will but take it up warily when the dispensation is in things that are not prejudiciall to his glory his wisdome his truth or his justice and here it was not God suffered no way in mitigating the sentence and giving cowes dung for mans it rather magnified God that he will yeeld to the desires of his when he is in a way of judgement Ioshuah when Israel had sinned and God smote them he falls down he weeps and laments beseeches God in behalf of the people and what saith God to him Iosh 7.10 Get thee up wherefore liest thou upon thy face I will have thee mourn no longer I will not destroy Israel so that in Amos 7. there is a sore judgement of Grasse-hoppers that eat up all the grasse of the Land the Prophet is grieved and prayes Oh Lord God forgive I beseech thee by whom should Iacob rise for he is small and ver 3. it 's said The Lord reported for this and said it shall not be and so a second time after he yeelded to the request of the Prophet This should incourage us to sue to God in these times of distresse without doubting for a mitigation of our miseries if not a removall he is a God hearing prayer a God that will mitigate his own judgement rather then exasperate the spirits of his people Let it also lesson us to a condescension one to another let us not be rigid and stick to our wils and think it disparagement to abate of our wills and right and yeeld to others when God who is infinitely above us can yeeld to us and doth so daily bearing our infirmities remember that place Rom. 15.1 2 3. where the strong are bid to bear the infirmities of the
is abominations Idols are meer abominations Milchom was the abomination of the Amorites Chemosh of Moab and Molech of Ammon 1 King 11.5 7. Idols make nations abominations to God and man they are a shame Hos 9.10 an accursed thing Deut. 7.26 such abominations as these mentioned and others they were guilty of Vers 10. Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of c. Here the dreadfulnesse of Gods judgements are in part expressed fathers should eat their sons and sons their fathers not as Pradus would have it they eat the food of one another that should have preserved life and so became the death of each other It was a reall eating Laâ— 4.10 The pitifull women have sodden their own children they were their meat and may it be thought their hungry husbands shared not with them in those Viands what was threatened was made good and certainly the fathers did eat their own children at that time and the children the parents If tender mothers did this much more fathers Qui solent esse seneriores in filios so extreme was the famine that it made them do acts against piety honesty humanity light of nature necessity breaks all bands in the Samaritan famine they did eat their children 2 King 6.29 you may read a lamentable discourse of a mother killing and eating her child for hunger in Joseph l. 7. bel Judaic c. 8. when Titus besieged Jerusalem it was Mary the daughter of Eleazar a noble woman she boiled one part and kept the other some smelling flesh asked What was done she tells the fact and attoniti recesserunt they went away amazed In Honorius time there was such a famine at Rome that there was a publike cry Pone pretium humana carnis set the price of mans flesh Observ 1. When God is become an enemy to a people hee doth unheard of things such severity is in his judgements as is not ordinary their abominations had made the Lord against them and therefore would do as he had not done send a sharper sword and famine then ever Lev. 26.30 31 32. My soul shall abhorre you and I will make your cities waste bring your Sanctuaries and land into desolation and your enemies that dwell therein shall be astonished at it they shall wonder at the severity of God towards his people and not only inmates but forrainers shall wonder Jer. 19.3 Behold I will bring evill upon this place the which whosoever heareth his ear shal tingle and Jerem. 22.8 9. nations shall say Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this great city Then they shall answer Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God c. Gods judgements would be so hard and heavie that the nations should marvell and be unsatisfied at them till they should heare how they had dealt with God Hath not God of late been against Germany and executed extraordinary judgements there such as cause astonishment have not mens eyes been twisted out with cords their skins flead off alive their faces plain'd with chesils their noses and ears cut off to make hatbands Lament of Germany their mouths gagg'd pisse filthy liquids powred down Have not men been hung up by the hands in the smoak put into hot ovens rosted with straw fires have not Divines been cut in pieces and their limbs thrown to dogs have not many fed and liv'd upon the flesh of dead men and women eaten their own children kill'd one another for relief against hunger strange judgments God brought upon Germany and as strange upon Ireland hath it not been the land of Gods ire and the people the generation of his wrath and felt more for so short a time then Germany or other nations have not women with childe been ravish'd then ript open the bed of conception viewed the child taken out and thrown into the fire have not the Protestant Ministers been stript bound to trees or posts their wives and daughters ravished before their faces then hang'd up before them so ravished cut down half dead quartered and dismembred have not many been turn'd out naked forc'd into waters famished to death under hedges some have been mortally wounded their bellies ript bowels let out and left upon dunghils that they might not be soon out of their misery VER 11. Wherefore as I live saith the Lord God surely because thou hast defiled my Sanctuary with all thy detestable things and with all thine abominations therefore will I also diminish thee neither shall mine eye spare neither will I have any pity IN this verse are two farther aggravations of Jerusalems judgements and the cause of them The first aggravation is the inevitablenesse of them surely I will diminish thee and that confirmed by an oath as I live saith the Lord I 'll do it The second is the disposition of God punishing them and that is dreadfull hee will neither spare nor pity them and then the cause is their defilement of his Sanctuary with their detestable things and abominations As I live It 's the form of an oath and is much used in the old Testament as in Zeph. 2.9 Jer. 46.18.22.24 Isai 49.18 Deut. 32.40 Numb 14.21.28 but it 's more in our Prophet then in all the Scripture besides fourteen times I find it men are hardly perswaded to believe God in his way of judgements and therefore being in that way in this Prophecie he swears oft You have this oath Chap. 14.16 18.16.48.17.19.18.3.20.3.31.33.33.11.27.34.8.35.6.11 It 's a weighty oath and imports that which followes it is not comminatory but absolute without evasion without revocation as sure as I live and am God it shall be done Psal 110.4 The Lord hath sworn and will not repent a thing is ratified and cannot be altered when it 's confirmed by an oath which is an immutable thing Hebr. 6. Let mee not live let me not be God if I do not diminish you but be as an Idoll god without sense understanding or life the sign of an oath anciently was the lifting up the hand to heaven and this is given to God when he swears also Deut. 32.40 I lift up my hand to heaven and say I live for ever This way of swearing hath lately been renewed at our taking the Covenant and is to be wished that it may be used when there is just occasion of swearing rather then laying the hand upon a book and kissing it afterwards such a way of taking an oath the Scripture holds not out and the lawfulnesse thereof is questioned by many Thou hast defiled my Sanctuary The word Mikdash notes sometimes a holy place for refuge and referres to God himself Isa 8.14 Hee shall be for a Sanctuary here it notes the Temble the place of Gods worship from Kadash to separate and consecrate to divine use the Sanctuary or Temple was consecrate Schindl ad doctrinam ad precationem ad cultum divinum it was only for holy uses some divide the Temple into the porch Weems palace