is likelyest to make way for the message they bring of what kind soever Here the Prophet was to warn them to tell them of their sins and the danger of them and who would not receive an admonition from God when it comes in his name backed with his authority when God in it seeks our good the freedom of us from death and damnation the bringing of us unto glory and salvation and especially when the soul of the watchman lyeth at stake for the sinner if he do not admonish the sinner Can any sinner be so obstinate as not to consider relent and return when God shall send one in his name unto him and the Prophet shall say Sir I come from God unto you and my life is at stake for you if I tell you not of your sins I am a lost man give me leave therefore to deal plainly with you you are covetous unclean proud froward ignorant unbelieving having a form of Godl nesse without the power and unlesse you take another course and serve the living God otherwise the you do you will perish soul and body eternally but if yâ—u will hearken I will shew you the good and right way the way everlasting which will make you blessed for ever When a watchman comes and deals thus with a sinner hath he cause to be angry No he hath cause to fall down and say Of a truth God is in you and with you I thank you for your counsell and seasonable admonitions and through the grace of God I will improve them and turn to that God who is so gracious and would have sinners come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved Ninthly Observe The Lord knowes who are wicked When I say to the wicked man The world calls them wicked who are righteous and those righteous who are wicked but it is not so with the Lord he knows who is an hypocrite who is covetous who is a lyar a formalist an enemy to grace and holinesse Known unto the Lord are all his works Acts 15.18 And he knoweth who are his 2 Tim 2.19 and who are not his there is not one Goat in the world but the Lord knows him not a Wolfe or Lyon but he takes notice of them he knew the house of Israel better then Ezekiel who dwelt amongst them whom he said was wicked was so indeed It matters not much what the world saith of men it call'd Paul a Babler Acts 17.18 An Heretick Acts 24.14 A Pestilent Fellow vers 5. But what said God of him Acts 9.15 He is a chosen Vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel Jobs friends and the Devil said Job was an hypocrite but God said He was a perfect man fearing God and eschewing evill Job 1.1 That men are what God who cannot lye who cannot be deceived pronounces them to be if he in his word do call a â—an for an hypocrite an unbeliever covetous proud c. he is so Tenthly Observe The Power of life and death is in the hand of the Lord. When I say unto the wicked O wicked man thou shalt surely dye God hath authority over the lives of men and can pronounce a sentence of death upon them at his pleasure He Commission'd Saul to smite Amalek to slay man and woman infant and suckling Oxe and Sheep Camel and Asse 1 Sam. 15.3 Whâ—n Ahab let Benhadad go a man that God had appointed to destruction therefore saith he Thy life shall go for his and thy people for his people 1 Kings 20.42 The power of life and death God challengeth to himself Deut. 32.39 I kill and I make alive I wound I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of mine hand By this argument he proves himself to be God and it s none but God that kills or gives life Psal 68.20 Vnto God the Lord belong the issues from death The Hebrew is Lammaneth Totzaoth Exitus ad mortem the goings out to death its God that turns the key and le ts out the breath it s he puts a period to the life of the Creature would any live let them fear the Lord and depart from evill for The fear of the Lord prolongeth dayes Prov 10.27 Moses uses this argument to perswade them to love obey and cleave to the Lord He is thy life and length of thy dayes Deut. 30.20 Men have their lives from God and he draws the thread of them out to what length he please and therefore men should love fear obey and cleave to that God if they do not he will cut the thread of their lives asunder Prov. 10.27 The years of the wicked shall be shortned by one sicknesse judgement or other their dayes and years shall be shortned of what they might have been Eleventhly Observe Those watchmen that are unfaithfull in their places and do not tell the people of their sins and danger their account will be dreadful If thou doe not speak to warn the wicked from his way his bloud will I require at thy hand If a politicall watchman be unfaithful so that a man perish by the sword without warning his bloud lyeth upon the watchmans head and if the Ecclesiastical watchman be unfaithful and do not warn the wicked upon what pretence soever the bloud of that wicked man dying in his sins will be required of the watchman it lyes upon his head and he must answer for it the case of this latter watchman will be more dangerous then of the former because the one is to answer for the life of a man the other for the soul of a man which is of great price Let lazy sleepy perfidious watchmen look to it they suffer men to perish through their default and their bloud lives souls stand ingaged for the sâ—me Twelfthly Observe The failing of the watchman will not excuse or priviledge the wicked man If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way that wicked man shall dye in his iniquity Though he be not told that he is in a wrong way though he pretend ignorance that will not serve turn he shall dye in his iniquity warn'd or unwarn'd the watchman hath not done his duty what then must this exempt the wicked man from punishment No he hath not done his duty he should have minded studyed the Law of God walked according to that and have made it a Lamp unto his feet and a light unto his paths Psal 119.105 But his neglect of his duty and ignorance rather will aggravate then extenuate his fault the Law was near unto him and he might have known what was forbidden and so have avoided the same Thirteenthly Observe Those that regard not the warning of the watchmen they bring certain destruction upon themselves Whosoever hears the sound of the Trumpet and takes not warning his bloud shall be upon his own head If the enemy cut off that man he himself is guilty of his own death not the political
The end of Gods blessings is that we may acknowledge and honour him for them I will cause the showres to come in season I will make the Trees fruitful and the earth encrease I will make them safe in their Land and they shall know that I am the Lord. Gods blessings have something of God in them they are glasses and shew us his power wisdome goodnesse and loving kindnesse each of which oblige us to acknowledge him the Authour of them and to honour him for them Fifthly Observe Gods people are sometimes in subjection and bondage to their enemies who make them to serve and serve themselves of them The Jews were under the Babylonish yoke they served and suffered hard things under the Babylonians Jer 50.33 they were oppressed held under and put to do servile things God had told them by the mouth of Jeremy chap. 17.4 that they should serve their enemies and their enemies made them to serve and advantaged themselves by their service Lamen 5.4 5 6. We have drunk our water for money our wood is sold unto us they could neither have water nor fire unlesse they bought or earn'd the same with hard labour Our necks are under persecution we labour and have no rest this iron yoke of Captivity is upon us we labour and serve these Babylonians and yet we have no rest We have not bread to satisfie our hunger They made the young men grinders in the mill ver 13. This was the condition of Gods people in Babylon under Nebuchadrezzar and Belshazzar their grand enemies and such hath been the condition of Gods people since Christs time they have been often in subjection and bondage to Antichrist to Princes and Prelates who have tyrannized over their souls and bodies Sixthly Observe God hath his time to set his at liberty to bre ak te bands and yokes which his are held in When I have broken or shall break the bands of their yoke and deliver them out of the hands of those that made them to serve The Jews found their bands and yokes so strong and fast tyed about their necks that they were without hope of ever having them loosed or removed Ezek 37.11 Our hope is lost this captivity we shall never shake off nor our posterity and the Babylonians they held them fast and refused to let them go Jer 50.33 But when the seventy years were expired when Gods time was come he brake the yokes and bands he knockt them off and set them at liberty for ver 34. Their Redeemer is strong the Lord of Hoasts is his name Let enemies strength be great let their yokes be of iron which they put upon his peoples necks and let them be tyed on with the bands of humane Laws yet God is stronger then they he will break Empires and Emperors in pieces abrogate their Laws loose the bands pull off the yokes and set his people at liberty he will throughly plead their cause give them and their Land rest and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon We were under Romish Antichristian yokes a long time the bands of which were loosened somewhat under Edward the sixth and Queen Elizabeth but they were tying fast again by their Successors and became so heavy that multitudes of our brethren were glad to flye for the burdensomness of those yoaks others cryed unto God to break them in pieces and his time being come he hath done it our Antichristian bands and Babylonish yokes are loosened and knockt off our necks let us take heed least through the abuse of our liberty the Lord cast us into a worse and greater bondage then ever Seventhly Observe Eminent works of God do cause eminent knowledge of God And they shall know me when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them ouâ—â—f the hands of those that served themselves upon them This was an eminent work of God to bring them out of Babylon and this bred eminent knowledge of God in them then they had large experience of Gods power faithfulnesse and goodness unto them that they said The Lord liveth which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the North Countrey and from all Countries whether the Lord had driven them Jer. 23.8 When their captivity was turned then they had such apprehensions of God as fiill'd their mouths with laughter and their tongues with singing Psal 126.1 2 3. then they said The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad Vers 28. And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen neither shall the beasts of the Land devoure them but they shall dwell safely and none shall make them afraid The Jews had oft been a prey to the Heathen the Egyptians Amorites Moabites Midianites Philistims Babylonians and others had oft spoyled and served themselves of them which the Lord laying to heart doth here graciously promise That they shall no more be a prey unto the Nations The Hebrew word for prey is Baz from Bazaz to spoyl to pluck from and the English word is from praeda which some make to be corpora rerum captarum the bodies of things taken or thus a prey is that which men get and devoure Praeda est quam alius paedit cui non parata Martinius for whom it was not prepared or intended as Heb 10.34 They took joyfully the spoyling of their goods their goods were not prepared or intended for those that gat them The word for spoyling is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a prey because it s violently gotten and taken Neither shall the beasts of the Land devoure them The Land of Canaan was the glory of all Lands Ezek 20.6 yet was it not without wild beasts which did tare and devoure 2 Kings 2.24 2 Kings 17.25 But now God would chain up the Bears and Lyons so that they should do no harm There is another sense to be made of the words which is that God would so order the spirits of wicked Magistrates false Prophets and vile turbulent spirits that they should not harm his flock such men formerly had eaten up many of Gods people Ezek 22.25 27 29. But they shall dwell safely and none shall make them afraid To dwell safely is a great mercy to dwell so safely that none shall make afraid is extraordinary mercy Men are subject unto fears even the best of men and that severall wayes when fire breaks out in a Town when famine or plague are in a City when storms and tempests are abroad when wars begin persecution imprisonment bannishment and death are threatned then fears seize upon persons and prevail too far with many but here the Lord promises that his shall be free from all fears none shall make them afraid The word for making afraid is from Charad which notes not a slight fear but such as is with trembling outwardly manifested and it ariseth either from inward solicitousnesse of mind or from apprehension of evill impending and at hand Observe
hands of the wicked The Lord gives he doth not sell The word for selling is Macar which signifies to give to deliver as well as to sell and the Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give the land those who sell do deliver what they sell into the hands of others and this is attributed to God metaphorically for that he disposed of the land of Egypt to others that is the Chaldeans who are called wicked the Vulgar hath it in manus pessimorum into the hands of the worst I will make the land waste and all that is therein Egypt was a land abounding with men horse charets wealth Cities and all desirable things but God would make it desolate and all the fulnesse of it so the words are in Hebrew for all that is therein it had a fulnesse of all things and by the hand of the Chaldean it was emptied who in the next words are called strangers because they were such to the Egyptians I the Lord have spoken it These words are a ratification of what is threatned Ezekiel hath not spoken a vision of his own or from his own spirit but what is said is the word of the eternal God I the Lord have spoken it I have determined it shall be so and nothing shall lett it Observe First God hath wayes to empty lands of their mâ—â—titude and fullnesse Egypt had her multitude of men of beasts of Cities of riches she had her fulnesse of all things and God had an Army a multitude of Souldiers to plunder and spoil her to empty her of all her multitudes and fulnesses Jerusalem had its multitudes and fulness but Nubuchadnezzar emtyed her and made her like an empty vessel Jer 51.34 Babylon had her multitudes and fulness of Treasure Jer. 51.13 and God had Fanners to fan her ver 2. and empty her land those Fanners were the Medes and Persians who scattered the Babylonians and made a Prey of their Treasures Secondly observe When God will execute severe Judgments he makes use of suitable Instruments He intended utter destruction to Egypt and the terrible of the Nations were brought to destroy it Nebuchadnezzar had men out of many Nations and the terrible ones of those Nations by the secret hand of God were brought to lay Egypt waste They roared like Lyons Isa 5.29 They were cruel and without mercie Jer. 6.23 They hanged Princes by their hands Lament 5.12 And here they fil'd the Land with the slain Thirdly observe Gods designs shall go on whatever lies in the way to hinder He was resolved upon the destruction of Egypt the Rivers of it lay in the way so that an Army could not get over Nilus that great river if gotten over it could not march and do the work appointed for the multitude of little Rivers were in the land shall these hinder the designe of God No he will dry up the Rivers to make way unto his designs the Babylonians shall pass over and pierce through the whole land When the Israelites were at the Red Sea that lay as an impediment unto Gods design which was to carry them to Canaan but did it hinder the same No speak to the Children of Israel that they go forward what go forward and be drowned in the Sea No because they had not Faith to go upon the waters therefore he divides the waters and makes a dry path for them through the midst of the deeps Exod 14. There were Mountains in the way hindering the building of the Temple but one great mountain above all the rest Zech. 4.7 Who art thou O great mountain whether it were the Persian Monarchy or Satan and all the enemies of the Jewes God made it a plain before Zerubbabel and notwithstanding all enemies and opposition he carried on the work of God Things may be too hard for men impossible for them but nothing is too hard for or impossible to the Lord. He enabled Nebuchadnezzar to take Tyrus to destroy Egypt all the Rivers thereof shall not hinder it God will dry them up rather then his designe shall faile Psal 74.15 Thou dryest up mighty rivers God hath divided Seas plained Mountains and dryed up Rivers in our days to make way for his designs and in due time he will dry up the great River Euphrates to make way for the Kings of the East Rev. 16.12 Fourthly observe All Lands are the Lords and he may dispose of them to whom he will even to the wicked he sold he gave the land of Egypt into the hands of the Babylonians who were wicked yea the worst of men Ezek. 7.24 Kingdoms are not such excellent things as we imagine were they so they would not be given to Gods enemies That Kingdom is of great worth which God gives to his children Luke 12.32 Vers 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. Thus saith the Lord God I will also destroy the Idols and I will cause their Images to cease out of Noph and there shall be no more a Prince of the land of Egypt and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt And I will make Pathros desolate and will set fire in Zoan and will execute Judgments in No. And I will poure my fury upon Sin the strâ—â—gth of Egypt and I will cut off the multitude of No. And I will set fire in Egypt Sin shall have great pain and No shall be rent asunder and Noph shall have distresses daily The young men of Aven and of Phibeseth shall fall by the sword and these cities shall go into captivity At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened when I shall break there the yoaks of Egypt and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her as for her a cloud shall cover her and her daughters shall go into Captivity Thus will I execute Judgments in Egypt and they shall know that I am the Lord. HAving formerly threatned destruction to Egypt and her Cities in general the Prophet descends now to particulars in the 13 14 15 16 17 and 18 vers and then in the 19. verse shews what is the end of God in his exercising judgments viz. That they may know him to be the Lord. I will destroy the Idols Egypt was the most idolatrous Land of any and God would now destroy the Idols out of it The word for Idols is gillulim which Piscator renders stercora dung filth so the word signifies and their Idols were dunghil filthy Gods fitter to be trodden under foot by Man and Beast then to be worshipped I will cause their Images to cease Elilim Images from Elil nihilum for an Image or Idol is res nihili a thing of no account 1 Cor. 8.4 It cannot profit therefore Isai 2.20 They shall cast away their Idols as useless things and God would make them to cease Out of Noph This Noph was a great city in Egypt very populous and famous for the Pyramids and Monuments of Kings who leaving Thebes made that the Royal City Isai 19.13 The Princes of Noph thither many
evill wayes and will judge you accordingly this is the conclusion the Lord draws up upon the premises First Observe Wicked men are apt to complain of and carp at the wayes of God They said the way of the Lord is not equall Job 21.15 What is the Allmighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him We get nothing by his service by calling on his name he is a hard Master he regards not our labour or prayers These were of the same spirit with them in Malachie's dayes who blusht not to say It s in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hoasts Mal. 3.14 We were told that no service was like unto the Lords that thosâ— that did mourn for their sins and walk in his wayes should be blessed and live comfortably but we find no such thing we have tryed him and find that he regards exalts and blesses those that never minded him or his wayes vers 15. therefore It s in vain to serve him In the 5. of Jeremy is a notable instance to this purpose vers 11 12 13. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me saith the Lord. They have belyed the Lord and said it is not he neither shall evill come upon us neither shall we see sword nor famine And the Prophets shall become wind and the word is not in them They said God had no reason to threaten them with sword or famine they deserved no such judgement at his hands and therefore the Prophets that prophesied such things were not sent of God his word was not in them they brought windy doctrines of their own and should together with their doctrines become wind evill shall not come upon us but upon them When Christ was on earth how did the Scribes and Pharisees carp at him his wayes and doctrine see Matth 12.22 John 5.10.18 Chap. 8.48 Cha 10.32 33. In our dayes do not men carp at the Scriptures Ordinances Providences and dispensations of God Such is the pride and arrogancy of man that he dares blame and condemn the wayes and things of God Secondly Observe Men have no cause to complain of or cavill against the wayes of God For First His wayes are equall just righteous however they appear to men he is God and cannot do unjust things He is light and in him is no darknesse at all 1 John 1.5 Just and true are his wayes Rev 15.3 He is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Psal 145.17 The just Lord is in the midst of the City he will not do iniquity Zeph 3.5 Shall not the judge of all the earth do right Gen 18.25 Yes though men do wickedly God will not Habak 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evill and canst not look on iniquity he cannot look on it to approve it much lesse to act it Secondly Our wayes are unequall and shall the guilty complain of the innocent Had the Sodomites any cause to complain of God who were so wicked Had the old world which was so corrupt cause to cry out of Heaven which was pure No man hath just ground to quarrel against Gods dispensations when himself walks unevenly before God and his paths are crooked If just men sin and step aside Eccl 7.20 What do wicked men they are altogether out of the way Ps 14.3 They do no good their lives are a constant sinning or a continued sin and should God punish him daily for so doing he had no just cause to fault the Lord Lament 3.39 Wherefore doth a l ving man complain a man for the punishment of his sins Thirdly Upon comparing of his dealings with the righteous falling to commit iniquity and the wicked turning from iniquity it appears to all unprejudiced men who are not blinded with iniquity the one is punished for his apostacy the other is pardoned upon his repentance judgement is the portion of the one mercy the portion of the other If God should punish the repenting wicked man and spare the apostatized righteous man then there were cause of complaint but its contrary therefore his wayes are equall and there is no cause to complain of them Fourthly God hath power over the sons of men they are his family and he may exercise Discipline in his family the house of Israel the Jewes were Gods house he Master of that family and when any sin'd in it he had power to correct them or turn them out of dores and who should fault him it is not childrens duty to complain of their Parents nor for servants to complain of their Lord and Master Fifthly Complaints in this kind will do us no good they will harm us rather for God is judge yea the highest judge and will not only judge us for our other evill wayes but for this very way of charging him to be unjust and cavilling at his dispensations he will judge every one after his wayes neither great nor small can avoide his judgement Let us all therefore take heed how we fault the wayes of God how strange or grievous soever they appear or be unto us Thirdly Observe When men have once taken up prejudice against God and his wayes it s not easie to be remov'd The Jewes had drunk in this conceit Chap. 18. That the wayes of God were not equall and much of that Chapter is spent in proving the contrary to extirpate that mis-conceit but it took not effect they let passe Gods Arguments whereby he cleared himself and carryed along with them their prejudice against him and his wayes as appears in this Chap vers 17. 20. Yet ye say The way of the Lord is not equall When weeds are gotten into the ground and rooted there it s not easie to cleanse that ground from them when errors delusions corrupt opinions and prejudice against the truth are gotten into the head or heart it s not an easie thing to get them out Many wonder that Ministers should not convince unlearned and weak men of their errors and take them off from their opinions and prejudices but they should consider some men will not be convinced either by God or man These here were not convinced by God nor the Pharisees by Christ John 15.6 7. 10. Chap nor the Athenians by Paul Acts 17. Verses 21 22. And it came to passe in the twelfth yeer of our captivity in the tenth month in the fifth day of the month that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me saying The City is smitten Now the hand of the Lord was upon me in the evening afore he that was escaped came and had opened my mouth untill he came to me in the morning and my mouth was opened and I was no more dumb HEre the 3 general part of the Chapter takes place and is a denunciation of judgement against those that
verse that we may see by whom the enmity was taken away and from whom the reconciling virtue came even from the Lord Christ whose bloud made the attonement Ephes 2.13 14 15 16. How should this teach us to honour and prize the Lord Christ by whom so difficult so great and glorious a work was wrought Fourthly Observe Those that are received to God by the mediation of Christ shall be preserved from all hurtfull things receive all good things needfull and enjoy much security When men are in the Covenant of peace then God will cause the evill beasts to cease out of the Land then no creatures no enemies no Devils shall do them harm Job 5.23 Pro 16.7 Rom 16.20 Then there will be a communication of all good things needful they shall dwell in the wildernesse there they shall have blessings so as they shall not be put to remove their dwellings for want Psal 34.9 10. Psal 23.1 Psal 84.11 Then shall they dwell safely in the wildernesse and sleep in the woods nothing without or within shall create any fear or cause any solicitousness in them they shall have perfect peace and be as in the suburbs of Heaven Jer 23.4 Verses 26 27. And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing and I will cause the showre to come down in his season there shall be showres of blessing And the tree of the field shall yeeld her fruit and the earth shall yield her increase and they shall be safe in their Land and shall know that I am the Lord when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them IN these verses as in the former the Lord promises sweet mercies unto his people First A blessing in generall vers 26. Secondly Particular blessings and they are these 1. Seasonable showres from Heaven vers 26. 2. Fruitfullnesse of the earth and that both of the Trees and Land vers 27. 3. Safety ibid. 4. Acknowledgement of God ibid. 5. Freedom ibid. Thirdly The time when all these shall be ibid. Vers 26. I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing The Jews being in Babylon were for a proverb a reproach a taunt and a curse Jer 24.9 Chap 25.18 Chap 29.18 but God would roul away their reproach and make them a blessing The Chaldee is erunt benedicti they shall be blessed its usuall in Scripture to put the Abstract for the Concrete as Gen 12.2 Thou shalt be a blessing the Vulgar there is benedictus thou shalt be blessed take the word blessing here for the Concrete and the sense is they shall be blessed with abundance and variety of blessings they shall be happy and prosperous in all things but take the word as it is in the Abstract a blessing the sense is they shall be a blessing unto others they shall be a blessing unto the Nations as they were a curse in the Nations so they should be a blessing unto them Zech 8.13 It shall come to passe that as ye were a curse among the Nations O house of Judah and house of Israel so will I save you and ye shall be a blessing that is a blessing unto the Nations round about them The word Hill must be interpreted before we can well understand this place By Hill is meant Mount Sion where the Temple was and Jerusalem there God recorded his Name set up his Worship and therefore saith My Hill Now these were Types of Christ and the Church in his time as the Jews therefore came out of Babylon and other places to Mount Sion to Jerusalem and the Temple when rebuilt so to Christ and the Evangelicall Church Gentiles flocked out of several Nations and so the Church and Members of it were a blessing unto them as Mount Sion and the Inhabitants of it together with them dwelt round about it in Judaea or Canaan were a blessing unto the Nations The blessing here I conceive principally referrs to spiritual blessings he spake before of a Covenant of peace wrought by Christ and now of blessings they should have by him the Church under Christ should be blessed with all spiritual blessings according to that Ephes 1.3 And I will cause the showre to come down in his season The word for Showre is Geshem which notes a great and vehement rain as Kirker saith even such as shakes the earth Most make it signifie a strong rain but Ramban a gentle rain be it great or gentle God would give them rain in season In Deut 11.14 you read of the former rain and the latter rain the former rain was in October or September which was upon the sowing of their Corn and this rain came moderately Joel 2.23 That so the Corn might swell with moisture root and grow Lente descendebat ut semina terris imprimerentur imabuerenter humore ad gorminationem Martin the latter rain was in the first month as Joel 2.23 that which we call March though some others put it in May and it was ut grana turpida redderet to make the ear full their harvest was sooner then ours their Countrey being hotter Under these showres Heavenly things are figured unto us as in Deut 32.2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain my speech shall distill as the dew as the small rain upon the tender hearb and as the showres upon the grasse Here Heavenly Doctrine is likened unto rain dew showres and in our Prophet is set out by showres Heavenly Doctrine and influences of the Spirit which do make Gods people fruitfull in all good works as the rain doth the earth and trees in all kind of Hearbs Corn and Fruit. In Christs time there were many such showres he rained Heavenly ones oft upon the people In 2 Pet 2.17 Jude 12. false teachers are said to be Wells without water and Clouds without rain but Christs Apostles were Wells full of water and clouds full of rain and by those did Christ water divers persons and places There shall be showres of blessing The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rain of blessing or blessed rain Piscator renders the words Erunt pluviae largissime there shall be plentifull rains They may be call'd showres of blessing because they are from the blessed God have a blessing in them and benefit them they fall upon some rains are so great that they do much harm and little good these should not be such they should be seasonable and moderate they should have Heavenly Doctrines and blessings seasonable and as they were capable of them Vers 27. And the Tree of the field shall yeeld her fruit After the Heavens have sent forth their showres the Trees and earth do send forth their fruit Not only the Tree of the garden but the Tree of the field being watered brings forth The Hebrew for Tree is Etz which signifies any wood and Synecdochically a Tree because it is wood And the earth
He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil those that laboured and travelled he said unto them come unto me and I will give you rest Matth. 11.28 You shall rest under my Shaddow and be refreshed by eating of my fruit There must needs be excellency and sweetness in the fruit of this plant because all desire to have it Hag 2.7 He is the desire of all Nations let him be the desire of our souls and let them feed more upon the fruit this plant of renown bears so shall we live and live more abundantly Thirdly Observe That the Church under Christ shall be freed from those evils it hath formerly been subject unto and shall enjoy the contrary good I will raise up a plant of renown and they shall no more be consumed with hunger they had been but now they should have plenty especially of spiritual food they thould know God from the least to the greatest out of their bellies should flow rivers of water Neither should they bear the shame of the heathen any more they should not be under their reproach but should be honourable God hath promised to take away reproachful tearms Isa 62.4 and to give glorious titles to Zion thou shalt no more be called Forsaken desolate but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah Beulah yea he hath said She shall have abundance of glory Isa 66.11 Whether the Church hath had such glory is questionable Christ was reproached himself when on earth call'd a Samaritan a Seducer a Devill and what not so the Christians in the Primitive times were said to be factious infant-killers c. and to this day the Church of Christ hath layen under the reproach of Heathens and Antichrist but the time is coming that reproaches shall be wiped away and the Church have abundance of glory Rev 21.3 4 10 11. Vers 30. Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them that they even the house of Israel are my people saith the Lord God Here is a further blessing viz Conviction of the Heathens that God is the God of that flock that hath suffered so much and is with them When God should gather his flock out of the Countreys where it was scattered set up one shepherd even his servant David to be a Prince over it make a Covenant of peace with the same set it at liberty from all enemies cause it to be in safety on all sides take away its reproach put honour upon it and satisfie it with blessings temporal and spiritual when these things were done then should they that is the Nations know that the Lord their God was with them and thus should they know By those gracious acts of God and great mercies bestowed upon the house of Israel they should be convinced as when God begun the work in the Type bringing them out of Babylon the Heathens said The Lord hath done great things for them Psal 126.2 The Babylonians and others said God had cast off his people exposed them to reproaches and cursing that he regarded them not but had left them to be a prey to all the world but when they saw God appear so eminently for them then they understood that God had not left or cast off his people so but that he was still their God and they his people The house of Israel The first mention of the house of Israel is in Exod 16.31 and the last is in Heb 8.10 it s most mentioned in our Prophet Ezekiel well nigh as often as in all the Holy Scriptures besides if not more often Gen 32.28 tells you how Jacobs name was turned into Israel whence his sons and posterity were call'd the house of Israel and in process of time not only those descended from his loyns were so called but all that beleeved in the seed promised to Jacob were Israelites and the house of Israel It s not here to be confined to the Jews but to extend to all believers First Observe God hath a people in the world whom he doth own and afford his presence in a special manner I the Lord their God am with them and the house of Israel are my people God own'd the Jews of old above all the people of the earth Deut 7.6 The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all people upon the face of the earth There were multitudes of Nations all which or any of which he might have taken and left the Jews but he chose only that Nation Deut 10.15 and therefore saith Amos 3.1 You only have I known of all the Families of the earth that is You only have I known to be your God to be with you to be mine others I have known but not to be in Covenant with them not to afford them my special presence and favours Levit 26.11 12. God did dwell with and walk amongst them And as then God had the Jews so now he hath the Christians for his people whom he owns and is present with in a peculiar manner 2 Cor. 6.16 18. Rev 2.1 Acts 18.9 10. where you may see how God was with Paul incouraging him to preach and upon what ground For I have much people in this City it was in Corinth Rev 21.3 Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God God dwels in the Christian Church and is with it to bestow variety of choice blessings upon it and to protect it Secondly Observe Sometimes Gods dealings with his people are so distinguishing that Heathens are convinced that they have God on their side and enjoy speciall favours from him Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them and that they even the house of Israel are my people Thus that is by my dealings with them which are different from my dealings with others Dan 3. When God preserved the three children in the fiery Furnace delivered them from that Hell then was Nebuchadnezzar mightily convinced and said Blessed be the God of Shadraeh Meshach and Abednego who hath sent his Angel and delivered his servants that trusted in him and have changed the Kings word and yielded their bodyes that they might not serve nor worship any God except their own God Therefore I make a Decree that every People Nation and Language which speak any thing amisse against the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a dunghill because there is no other god which can deliver after this sort vers 28 29. So in Christs time and the Apostles times the miracles done by them in several places convinced unbelievers that God was with them The great things done in our dayes have made enemies to say God hath done great things for them Vers 31. And ye my flock the flock of my pasture are men and I am
from one end to another were glad of the sad things befell the Jewes not some great Ones not one corner of the Land but all the Edomites throughout the Land Thus did the Ammonites also they generally concur'd in the same sin Ezek 25.3 They cryed Aha against the Sanctuary the Land of Israel and house of Judah when they were profaned and laid waste This was the practice of the Tyrians they all with one consent rejoyced at the sufferings of Jerusalem Ezek 26.2 When the two Witnesses were slain the inhabitants of the earth rejoyced over them made merry sent gifts one to another Rev 11.10 The greatest part of men are disaffected towards the people of God and when evill befalls them they are glad thereof Secondly Observe Men thirsting after what is others do lose what is their own The Edomites said These two Nations and these two Countreys shall be mine and we will possesse it vers 10. and not long after they lost their own Countrey it was made desolate Achan was not content with what he had his heart was upon the Babylonish garment the two hundred shekels of silver and the wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight and by so doing he lost both estate and life Josh 7. Pharoah-Necho was ambitious he sought to inlarge himselfe Jerem 46.2 but his Army was beaten and afterwards he lost his Countrey Ezek 30. Many Princes coveting and attempting to inlarge their borders by getting from others have lost themselves and what they had The Dog catching at the shadow lost what he had in his mouth many waste and lose their estates at Law while they seek to get that which is other mens Thirdly Observe The Lord in due time repayes the same or like things to wicked ones Edom rejoyced when the inheritance of the house of Israel was laid waste and God would lay Edom waste make her desolate and others should rejoyce at her So will I do unto thee thou shalt be desolate and meet with those that shall laugh at thy calamity In Obadiah's prophesie where the carriage of Edom towards the house of Jacob is fully set out the Lord saith plainly As thou hast done it shall be done unto thee Nebuchadnezzar he spoyled many Nations and had his pleasure on them and in due time he was spoyled by the Nations Jerem 27.7 And all Nations shall serve him and his son and his sons son untill the very time of his Land come and then many Nations and great Kings shall serve themselves of him Then they should do to him as he had done to them Jer. 50.15 Adonibezeck had his Thumbs and Toes cut off as he had served others Judg. 1.7 Many in our dayes have met with that measure they measured unto others Prov 26.27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein and he that rolleth a stone it will return upon him He that intends or doth mischief to others that mischief will fall upon himself Psal 9.15 The Heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made in the net which they hid is their own foot taken Here is Lex talionis Vide Quistorpius in Jer 50.15 the just judgement of God upon evill-doers all the enemies of Sion God will meet with in due time and return the same or like things into their bosoms Fourthly Observe It is Nations and Peoples own sins that brings desolation upon them Edoms rejoycing at Jerusalems calamities her anger envy and hatred her boasting and blasphemies caused God to lay her waste and utterly waste O Mount Seir thou shalt be desolate and all Idumea even all of it Had not these sins preceded that dreadful judgement had not followed it was wickednesse brought in the flood upon the whole world and its wickedness brings desolating judgements upon any part of it Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned for they would not walk in his wayes neither were they obedient unto his Law therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battel It was Jacobs and Israels sin that exposed them to spoylers and spoiling Isa 42.24 25. God was not forward to this work but would have had them prevented it Isa 48.18 19. O that thou hadst hearkned to my Commandements then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousnesse as the waves of the Sea thy seed also had been as the sand and the off-spring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me Fifthly Observe Gods great design in punishing the enemies of his people and of shewing kindness unto them is to make known himself experimentally unto them When the wicked feel the weight of his power strength of his wrath severity of his justice they will acknowledge God and God to be another kind of God then they imagined when he shall render to them the same or like things to what they have done they will be convinced of the equity of his wayes so when Gods people taste of his loving kindnesses partake of choice deliverances and find the sweetness of his dispensations towards them then they say Among the gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy works Psal 86.8 CHAP. XXXVI Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Also thou son of man prophesie unto the mountains of Israel and say Ye mountains of Israel hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God Because the enemy had said against you Alas even the ancient high places are ours in possession Therefore prophesie and say Thus saith the Lord God Because they have made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers and are an infamy of the people Therefore ye mountains of Israel hear the word of the Lord God Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills to the rivers and to the valleys to the desolate wastes and to the Cityes that are forsaken which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about Therefore thus saith the Lord God Surely in the fire of my jealousie have I spoken against the residue of the heathen and against all Idumea which have appointed my Land into their possession with the joy of all their hearts with despitefull minds to cast it out for a prey Prophesie therefore concerning the Land of Israel and say unto the mountains and to the hills to the rivers and to the valleys Thus saith the Lord God Behold I have spoken in my jealousie and in my fury because ye have born the shame of the heathen Therefore thus saith the Lord God I have lifted up mine hand surely the heathen that are about you they shall bear their shame THe Jews being deprived of their Comforts carryed into captivity
on those they apprehend have done them wrong and so God after the manner of men is said to speak in the fire of his jealousie against the Heathens who had wronged him his people and the Land Which have appointed my Land into their possession Judaea saith God was my Land I dwelt there and set up my worship there I gave it my people for a possession and though at present they be driven out for their sins yet I keep it for them and none ought to meddle with or challenge that Land how is it then that the Edomites and Heathens have consulted and determined to take my Land into their possession they are resolved to rob me and my people of our right to swallow up our inheritance With the joy of all their heart Joy is a dilatation of the heart from apprehension of good these Heathens apprehended it good that the Jews were cut off and carryed away that hereupon the Land should be theirs this fill'd them with joy and made them attempt with all their hearts the possession of the Land With despitefull minds to cast it out for a prey The words in the Hebrew are thus In contempt of mind for expulsion of it for a prey so Montanus Sheat signifies Depopulation as well as contempt and so Junius hath it Cum depopulatione animosa ut sedes expulsorum ejus fit direptioni with greedy depopulation they were very earnest and violent in depopulating the Land that the seat of its expelled ones might be for a prey Piscator saith that its fields or suburbs might be for spoyle The people being slain or carried away captive the Edomites and others did with malicious minds expose the Land to the spoyl of any Vers 6. Behold I have spoken in my jealousie and in my fury Here is an addition of fury to jealousie fury is fervor irâ—e or fera ira heat of anger or severe anger fury is ira cum vehementia when it s given to God it notes the severe holy and just indignation of God Because ye have born the shame of the heathen The Heathens have reproached you poured scorn and contempt upon you made you the filth of the world Zeph 2.8 10. they so reproached them that it affected God himself and Jeremy Lam 5.1 was so pierced with the reproachings of the Heathen that he complains and cryes out Remember O Lord what is come upon us consider and behold our reproach They jeer'd and scoff'd at them for their Temple Worship City Mountains Songs yea for their God Of bearing the shame of the Heathen see Chap 34.29 Vers 7. Therefore thus saith the Lord God I have lifted up mine hand Lifting up the hand was a gesture used by men in taking of oaths as Gen 14.22 Abraham lifted up his hand unto the Lord that was in swearing and this metaphorically is applyed unto God who when he swears is said to lift up his hand so that swearing and lifting up the hand are equivalent Numb 14.30 Doubtlesse ye shall not come into the Land concerning which I swear to make you dwell therein The Hebrew for I swear is I lifted up my hand So then Gods lifting up his hand here is his swearing that he would make the Nations bear their shame for reproaching his people Surely the heathen that are about you they shall bear their shame As sure as I am God the Heathen which have made you a reproach a proverb a taunt and a curse they shall be a reproach a proverb a taunt and a curse they have made you infamous and they shall be infamous they have covered loaded you with shame and they shall be covered and loaded with shame First Observe God hath a speciall care of his Church when it s in an afflicted condition The Jews were dispossessed of their Land carryed into captivity made infamous and their Land uâ—â—â—ped by others hereupon the Lord sends Ezekiel unto them to prophesie comfort unto them in the destruction of their enemies Son of man prophesie unto the Mountains of Israel and say Hear the word of the Lord. He hath a terrible word for your enemies a comfortable word for you threatnings for them promises for you Though men hated his people yet God himself pityed them though men swallowed up their habitation yet God would restore it to them again Jer 30.6 7 8 9 10. Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loyns as a woman in travel and all faces are turned into paleness Alas for that day is great so that none is like it it is even the time of Jacobs trouble but he shall be saved out of it For it shall come to passe in that day saith the Lord of Hoasts that I will break his yoke from off thy neck and will burst thy bonds and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him but they shall serve the Lord their God and David their King whom I will raise up unto them Therefore fear thou not O my servant Jacob saith the Lord neither be dismayed O Israel for lo I will save thee from afar and thy seed from the Land of their captivity and Jacob shall return and shall be in rest and quiet and none shall make him afraid The Church was in great affliction like a woman in travail and here the Lord shewed his goodness towards it and speciall care over it he would break Babylonish yokes and bonds set it at liberty restore it to the former yea a better condition viz such priviledges and security it never had Secondly Observe When Gods people are under affliction their enemies are glad thereof and take advantage to disgrace them and make a prey of what was theirs The Israelites suffered hard things by the Babylonians upon this the enemies cryed Aha they were glad at the heart they talked their pleasures of them and made them the infamy of the people they swallowed them up on every side and said The Mountains of Israel are ours and we will possesse the ancient high places When Sion goes down Babylon rejoyces the Heathens disgrace and â—â—â—â—ure it adding affliction to the afflicted see Zeph 2.8 Obad 10.11 12 13 14. All the enemies which heard of Sions trouble were glad Lam 1.21 They reproached Sion and her children Lament 2.15 16. and said They shall no more sojourn there Lam 4.15 Judaea shall never be repossessed by them it shall be ours Thirdly Observe That rejoycing at the sufferings of Gods people disgracing and wronging of them doth greatly offend the Lord. Because the enemy cryed Aha defamed the Jews arrogated the Land for their possession therefore the Lord spake against them in the fire of his jealousie and in his fury he was exceedingly wroth and would deal severely with them it went to his heart and inflamed his spirit that his people who were so dear unto him should be derided despitefully used what was theirs made a prey of and that by Heathens Jerem 50.11 12. Because ye were glad because ye
of God to be profaned by the heathens and so deserving nothing but confusion he pityed them and for his names sake delivered them which name of God is set out by two adjuncts or epithites 1. Holy 2. Great Vers 21. But I had pity for my holy Name The Hebrew is And I spared upon the Name of my holinesse that is I spared them upon the account of my holy Name I would not suffer that to be profaned so by the heathen and therefore did deliver them The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I spared them for my holy Names sake I had a tender respect unto my Name which being holy I would not suffer to lye under heathenish oblequies Which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen whither they went God is stiled in Scripture The Holy One of Jacob Isa 29.23 The Holy One of Israel Psal 78.41 The Holy One Isa 40.23 And the Jews above all Nations and People in the world should have had a special care of the name of their God that the holinesse thereof might have been maintained but they forgat God in Babylon did wickedly and so gave occasion to the heathens to blaspheme his holy Name Vers 22. I do not this for your sakes O house of Israel They deserved not such a mercy at the hands of God as reduction out of Babylon into Canaan they were defiled with bloud and idolatry which moved God to cast them out of their Land and scatter them among the heathen but they did nothing to incline God to shew them the least favour had they had according to their deserts they should never have been set at liberty but have perished utterly in their captivity They might think because they were circumcised came of David Abraham Isaac and Jacob and were the only people God had in the world that therefore God would do much for their sakes but to take them off from such conceits the Lord makes open profession that what he was about to do was not for their sakes But for mine holy Names sake Gods name is sometimes put for himself as Psal 33.21 We have trusted in his holy Name that is in God himself Sometimes it s put for his power Prov 18.10 The name of the Lord is a strong Tower that is his Omnipotence is such a Tower Sometimes it s put for the Attributes and divine perfections of God Psal 8.1 O Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth that is How excellent are thine Attributes Sometimes it s put for the fame and glory of God as 2 Sam 7.23 To make himself a name that was to make himself famous and glorious The two last may be understood here by name the heathens said God was not wise not faithfull not omnipotent that would let his people go into captivity and become servants unto us yea it s evident by his peoples doings what a God he is they are an unholy people and he is an unholy God and so his fame and glory were eclipsed therefore saith God For mine holy Names sake which ye have profaned among the Heathen I will vindicate my name and make heathens know and you know that I am a wise a faithfull an Allmighty and holy God Vers 23. And I will sanctifie my great name I will vindicate my name from all aspersions laid upon it and make it known to Heathens and to you O house of Israel by punishing them for their idolatry and other wickednesses and by bringing you out of captivity that I am a God of power wisdome faithfullnesse and holinesse God sanctifies his name when he clears it from disgrace and reproach cast thereupon and makes it appear as it is in it self glorious and holy Gods name hath many Epithites given unto it in the Word it s said to be glorious Ps 72.19 Excellent Psal 148.13 Dreadful Mal. 1.14 Holy vers 21. of this Chapter and here Great God hath done great and wonderfull things in the world whereupon he hath a great name not only in Israel Psal 76.1 but all the world over Psal 8.9 Many men have had great names yet nothing comparable to the name of the Lord. Which was profaned among the Heathen which ye have profaned in the midst of them The Jews being under the Babylonish yoke for their sins did not humble themselves before God repent and turn from their wicked wayes that so Gods name might have been sanctified among the Heathen but they persisted in their wicked wayes and were worse than the Heathens among whom they were scattered and so occasioned the Heathens to speak evill of their God their Religion and Worship and not only so but themselves profaned Gods name they rejected the God of Israel and his wayes saying We will be as the Heathen as the familyes of the Countryes to serve wood and stone Ezek 20.32 They made the God of Israel like the heathen gods and his wayes like theirs which was a great profanation of him and his name And the heathens shall know that I am the Lord saith the Lord God when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes When the Lord should manifest his mercy towards them and put forth his power to bring them out of Babylon then was he sanctified in the midst of them then he did vindicate his name from all aspersions and made the Jews and Babylonians know that he was an holy faithful wise merciful and an Allmighty God he would make his name honourable before them all which had been profaned Vers 24. For I will take you from among the Heathen The Heathen make full account you are theirs that you shall never get out of their borders or return into your own Land they think that their idol gods are stronger then I who am the God of Israel but they shall find it otherwise for I will by a strong hand take you from among the heathen And gather you out of all Countreys They were dispersed into divers Countreys into the 127 Provinces that were under Ahasuerus his government Esther 3.8 it seemed improbable that they should ever be gathered out of so many Countreys but the Lord tells them for their comfort that he would gather them out of all Countreys no distance of place or difficulty in any place should impede his Congregating of them And will bring you into your own Land After the seaventy years of their captivity were expired the Lord set them at liberty and brought them back to the Land of Canaan their own Land because they inherited it from their fathers unto whom the Lord had given it This was a glorious and great work viz the bringing the Jews out of Babylon and all the Countreys where they were scattered into Canaan and did prefigure the salvation of the Church by Christ and gathering of those that were his out of all Nations unto it according to what is in John 10.16 John 11.52 First Observe The name of the Lord is holy His Essence his
Will his Attributes his Works his Word are his Name All these set out God make him known and so are his name even the name of his holinesse or his holy name There is no name under Heaven like unto the Lords it s an holy name and so glorious a great name and so dreadful We should sanctifie the name of God which is done by believing Num. 20.12 When Moses and Aaron did not believe God they did not sanctifie his name but when men believe Gods Word then they sanctifie his name It s done also by fearing to displease him Isa 8.13 Isa 29.23 It s done also by acknowledging his name to be holy Math 6.9 when men praise him Secondly Observe The profaning of Gods holy name as it is a trouble unto him so it sticks and abides upon him Other provocations passe away but this settles upon his spirit see here what hold it took vers 20. They profaned my holy Name and vers 21. The house of Israel profaned my holy name among the heathen vers 22. Mine holy name which ye have profaned among the heathen Thrice the Lord mentions their profaning of his name yea in the next verse as if he could not shake this act of theirs out of his mind he mentions it twice more My name which was profaned which ye have profaned Gods name being holy is dear unto him and the profaning of it makes deep impressions in his heart Thirdly Observe Temporall mercies are not merited at Gods hands by men I do not this for your sakes O house of Israel What was it God did not for their sakes viz deliver them from their Babylonish bondage and bring them into their own Countrey these were temporal mercies and though there were Godly men amongst them as Ezekiel Daniel Mordecai Ezra Nehemiah and others yet with all their prayers fastings suffering and holinesse they did not merit these outward mercies liberty safety plenty possessions are not the merit or purchase of the creature but the gift of God 1 Tim 6.17 He giveth us all things richly to enjoy Have men more or lesse of these outward things they are upon free gift not any defert and if we deserve not temporal things much lesse do or can we deserve spiritual and eternal things which are of a transcendent nature if we do not deserve an outward deliverance an earthly Canaan how shall we deserve a spiritual deliverance an Heavenly Canaan all things of that nature are free gifts Luke 12.32 Rom 6.23 Fourthly Observe The good God doth unto his Church be it temporal or spiritual is for his own sake What I do saith God I do it for mine holy names sake there is nothing to move me but my own name that is holy great and glorious and I will for my names sake do much for my Church and People That they were preserved in Babylon was for his holy names sake that they were brought out of Babylon was for his holy names sake that they were replanted in Canaan was for his holy names sake that they had a Temple Sacrifices Priests Prophets Ordinances again was for his names sake when they were neer to destruction often in former dayes God wrought for his names sake Ezek 20. so Isa 48.8 9. It s not for the enemies sake that God doth preserve or deliver his people nor for their sakes their prayers tears faith obedience holinesse that he doth great things for them bestow great mercies upon them but it is for his own names sake For mans sake God cursed the earth Gen 8.21 but it s for his names sake that he blesseth it the choicest mercies Gods people have are for his names sake they have pardon of sin for his names sake Psal 25.11 1 John 2.12 Purging of sin for his names sake Psal 79.9 Leading in the paths of righteousnesse for his names sake Psal 23.3 Quickning of their dead and dull hearts for his names sake Psa 143.11 Though his people much offend him yet he forsakes them not for his great names sake 1 Sam 12.22 The Lord doth all freely and for the honour of his name let us then say with the Prophet Whatever we have not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy name be the glory Not unto us who are thy creatures not unto us who are Tools in thy hand but to thy name which is the ground root and spring of all our mercies be the glory all the glory and that everlastingly Fifthly Observe God will not suffer his holy and great name alwayes to lye under aspersions and reproaches of men I will sanctifie my holy and great name which was profaned among the heathen even in the midst of them He will vindicate his honour and glory Great men when their names are blemished do stand upon it and will vindicate them with much cost and labour so God when wicked ones have profaned his name and darkned the glory thereof will stand upon it and do that which shall clear his name before all his enemies Goliah for many dayes defyed the God of Israel and the Armies of Israel but not long after the Lord vindicated his holy and great name by stirring up and strengthning of David to take off his head 1 Sam 17.45 51. When the King of Assyria and Rabshakeh blasphemed the name of God as they did Isa chap. 36. 37. did not the Lord quickly send an Angel and destroy their great Army of one hundred fourscore and five thousand and so by this stroke of his made his holy and great name glorious and dreadful He will scatter the smoak and venemous vapours that ascend from the tongues and lives of profane persons to hinder the beams of his glorious name from shining as the wind scatters clouds from before the Sun and as by destruction of his enemies so by delivering of his servants Sixthly Observe When God doth great things for his people and they honour his name for them then very heathens will be convinced acknowledge God and give glory to his name The heathen shall know that I am the Lord when I shall be sanctified in you that is in your deliverance before their eyes then you will magnifie my name and they will magnifie my name which hath been profaned then they will see and say that I am another kind of God then their idol gods are that I am omnipotent faithfull holy wise Psal 126.2 When the Lord turn'd the captivity of his people as they said The Lord hath done great things for us so the heathens said The Lord hath done great things for them So much of God appear'd in taking them out of Babylon that Jewish and Babylonish Tongues were constrained to speak out the power truth and goodnesse of God Seventhly Observe Things difficult and in the eye of man impossible are facile to and feasible by the power of God The Jews were among the heathens who by their Laws power and vigilancy kept them in great bondage they were scattered into
hast a great helper to enable thee thereunto even the spirit of God which dwells in thee see therefore that thou keep it by the enabling power of the spirit which helps not only to remember truth but also to obey truth for Peter assures us That the beleeving Jews did obey the truth through the spirit that is through the assistance of the spirit This is that which follows in the next words to be opened And cause you to walk in my statutes The Hebrew word for cause is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faciam I will make effect or bring to passe by the operation of that spirit I put into you that you shall walk in my statutes Vatablus renders it efficiam which imports influence of power David Psal 143.10 prayes unto the Lord to teach him to do his will and Psal 119.35 he saith Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments both these the spirit being put into man performs it teaches him to do the will of God and causes him to go in the path of his Commandements To walk in Gods statutes implyes several things First The making of Godlinesse and Religion our chief work in this life other things are to be done as inferiour things this is to be the principal no work should be so minded as this saith Joshua Chap. 24.15 As for me and my house we will serve the Lord that shall be our great and chief businesse in this world He remembred what God had commended to him and all men Deut. 6.6 7 8 9. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine house and upon thy gates God would have us to be godly inwardly and outwardly at home and abroad night and day and to make our familyes religious and they are repeated again Deut 11.18 19 20. that so they might take the deeper impression upon the hearts of men David looked at this work above all others Psal 119.97 O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day To be godly and religious was his principal care that is the one thing necessary and Solomon hath drawn it up into this conclusion Fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man Eccles 12.13 Secondly Taking delight in the wayes of God His statutes commands and wayes are grievous to men naturally they walk not in them When men walk in any way they are delighted with and in that way so here walking in Gods statutes notes delight Psal 119.14 I have rejoyced in the way of thy Testimonies as much as in all riches Some rejoyce in fine houses some in fertile Lands some in great Flocks some in Silver and Gold but David rejoyced in the way of Gods Testimonies and as much as any of them or all of them in their riches he found more sweet in them then they in their wealth vers 143. Thy Commandements are my delights They were his chief his satisfying his sole and soul delights It was meat and drink to Paul to be doing the will and work of the Lord Acts 20.24 as it was unto Christ John 4.34 Thirdly It imports motion and progresse they should not stand still in contemplation nor sit still in meditation but they should proceed and go on in the wayes of God they should get neerer their journeys end be daily more knowing more holy more gracious and godly The Thessalonians faith did grow exceedingly and their charity abounded 2 Thess 1.3 They walked from faith to faith and from love to love When Paul was converted and brought into the way of Christ he encreased in spiritual strength Acts 9.22 He reached forward and pressed towards the mark Phil 3.13 14. He put on mightily for to get the knowledge of Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings he did not only walk but ran oft in the way of truth and godlinesse 1 Cor. 9.26 Fourthly Walking in Gods statutes imports perseverance in them they shall not apostatize and turn back from them but continue in them Of a wicked man destitute of Gods Spirit it s said He hath left off to be wise and to do good Psal 36.1 But of a righteous man it s said He shall hold on in his way Job 17.9 He knows he is in a safe and good way a way that will recompence him fully at the end whatever hardships or storms he meets withall and therefore will neither sit still nor go back he may be extra semitam sometimes but never turning back again Ye shall keep my judgements and do them Statutes and Judgements are comprehensive words and sometimes are used promiscuously as hath formerly been shewed in Chap 18. and 5. but here they may be thus differenced Statutes to signifie the duties of the first Table the things of Gods worship and manner of the same whether under the Law or Gospel and Judgements the duties of the second Table matters of equity and justice between man and man The word for keep is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which imports keeping with care and diligence they should not keep them in their houses or memories only but they should keep them practically they should do them First Observe Gods spirit differs from all other spirits Angels are spirits souls of men are spirits but these are below Gods spirit I will put my spirit Gods spirit is a spirit of holinesse Rom. 1.4 The power of the highest Luke 1.35 A spirit of truth guiding into all truth John 16.13 A spirit of grace Zech 12.10 The Oyl of gladnesse Heb 1.9 The Comforter John 14.16 A spirit of glory 1 Pet. 4.14 A spirit that is the Lord Isa 11.2 Ruach Jehovah The spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him Whatever excellencies may be in souls or Angels they are infinitely short of that that is in the spirit of God Psal 143.10 Thy spirit is good that is Thy spirit O Lord is transcendently good my own spirit is naught and all other spirits are nothing compared with thy spirit that and that only is good good originally good transcendently good infinitely Secondly Observe The putting in of the spirit into the sons of men is a free act of God He doth it not upon the account of the Covenant of works but by vertue of the Covenant of grace This verse is a branch of the Covenant of grace and agrees with that in Jerem. 31.33 I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts that God doth when he puts in his spirit 2 Cor. 3.3 for the spirit being within writes divine truths in the heart Adam had the
it 2 Chron. 36.22 23. and it was done The getting Peter out of Prison seemed a thing impossible he was in two Chains between two Souldiers keepers at the door a first and second Ward after these to passe by and then an Iron gate to open all these things were as nothing to God he sent an Angel who brought Peter out of Prison notwithstanding all these difficulties and as to men impossibilities Acts 12. God saith Jer. 32.27 I am the Lord the God of all flesh is there any thing too hard for me Many things are too hard for you but is there any thing in Heaven or earth too hard for me what cannot I bring the Jews again to Canaan vers 37. I will gather them out of all Countries whither I have driven them in mine anger and in my fury and in great wrath and I will bring them again to this place viz to Jerusalem Secondly Observe Lands are at the dispose of God Ye shall dwell in the Land that I gave to your fathers Canaan God first gave to the Canaanites for their iniquities God took it away and gave it to the Jews they provoking God by their idolatries and oppressions he took it from them and gave it to the Chaldeans who having possessed it for some years he took it from them and restored it again to the Jews not onely the Land of Canaan was disposed of by the Lord but all Lands and Nations are his and given to whom he pleases Jer. 10.7 He is King of Nations he rules in the Kingdomes of men and gives them to whom he will Dan. 4.32 All Kings are Gods Coppy-holders and he can turn them out of their Tenures at pleasure Jer. 27.5 6. I have made the earth and given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me and now have I given all these Lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon He turned out the King of Moab the King of Edom the King of the Ammonites the King of Tyre the King of Zidon and gave all their Lands into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar Thirdly Observe No condition of Gods people is so grievous but shall have a comfortable issue That the Jews were in captivity deprived of all those sweet enjoyments they had in the Land of Canaan was grievous that they were amongst Idolaters Blasphemers in a polluted Land and made to serve the enemies of God this was exceeding grievous unto them yet this condition was not to last alwayes it should have a comfortable end they should return and dwell in the Land of their fathers and enjoy their ancient honourable and comfortable priviledges In the Apostles dayes the Church was under great persecution and many suffered Acts 8. 9. Chap but the persecution and suffering of the Saints had an end yea a comfortable end for Chap 9.31 it s said Then had the Churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria and were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy spirit were multiplyed Here was a blessed conclusion of a sad persecution this blustering Winter had a sweet Spring following of it Fourthly Observe It is an act of grace in God to take any people to be his and a renewed act of grace to fall in again with those that have revolted from him and he hath cast off What was in this people of the Jews at first to move him to mind them to take them for his people they had that enough in them and as all other Nations have to make him abhor them but nothing to incline his heart towards them Ezek. 16.5 6. When thy person was loathed and thou wast polluted in thy bloud I said unto thee live vers 8. I entered into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine Here was an act of grace it was Gods pleasure made them his people 1 Sam. 12.22 and nothing else and when they had forsaken God Jer. 2.13 and he had cast them out of his sight Jer. 7.15 which was done when they were cast into Babylon to fall in again with these to own them for his people and to become their God again this was a renewed act of grace height of mercy strength of love God might have said Ye are weary of me and I am weary of you I know your thoughts and what comes into your mind that you would be as the Heathen as the Familyes of the Countrey to serve Wood and stone Ezek. 20.32 but God would not suffer it he would bring them out of Babylon be their God and take them to be his people which sets out the freeness and fulness of divine grace he would not let his people become heathenish and worship heathen gods Fifthly Observe All Nations have not an equall interest in God his favour and grace is not alike dispensed unto all God said not to the Babylonians Ye shall be my people and I will be your God This was spoken to the Jews and to no other Nation therefore saith God of that Nation You only have I known of all the familyes of the earth Amos 3.2 you have I taken into neerer relation than any other you have I known by way of Covenant you have I known so as to record my name among you and to dwell among you but so I have not dealt with other Nations They were without God in the world Ephes 2.12 They were far off ver 13. from God from the means of grace and salvation The Gentiles had not such interest in God as the Jews had they had common favour as they were his creatures under the Covenant of works these had speciall favour as they were his people under the Covenant of grace Isa 43.3 I am the Lord thy God the holy One of Israel thy Saviour I gave Egypt for thy ransome Ethiopia and Seba for thee God exposed them to destruction for the safety of the Jewes Sixthly Observe That people is honoured and happy whom the Lord owns to be his and vouchsafeth to be their God Ye shall be my people and I will be your God What greater honour could the Jews have in the woâ—ld then to be taken by the infinite holy great and glorious God to be his people It is a great honour when pooâ— beggaâ—ly people are taken into great mens and Princes services much more is it so when a sinfull Nation is taken in by God to be his people And not only is it an honour but an happiness Psal 144.15 Happy is that people whose God is the Lord is not that people happy which have peace and plenty of all good things Yes it is an humane a conceited happiness but it is not a reall a true happiness that lyeth in having God our God our Loâ—d propriety in a Deity makes a Nation or Peâ—son happy Psal 33.12 Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord and the People whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance David who was a Prophet and a man after Gods own heart
fixeth noâ— happiness upon riches honours peace parts multitudes of Souldiers Subjects or Counsellers but in mutual relation between God and a People the one owning the other When God owns a people to be his inheritance and a People own God to be their God and Portion this is true happiness such a people may plead with God for great things in prayer and expect them as Jehoshaphat did 2 Chron. 20.12 and as Asa did 2 Chron 14.11 and Moses Exod 32.11 12 13 14. Verses 29 30. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses and I will call for the Corn and will increase it and lay no famine upon you And I will multiply the fruit of the Tree and the encrease of the Field that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen THese two Verses hold out two more great Promises unto this people which are 1. Ablation of evills as uncleannesses famine reproach 2. Collation of good things Corn Fruit and encrease of the field Vers 29. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses This is a speciall Promise and of great concernment Some refer it to Justification and make it to be Gods free taking away the guilt and punishments deserved by their uncleannesses Some refer it to Sanctification and make it to be Gods cleansing them from the filth and delivering them from the power of sin They are mistaken who interpret the words of Babylonish uncleannesses as if God would deliver them out of Babylon and save them from the pollutions thereof if that had been the sence the words should have run thus I will save you from all their uncleannesses not from all your uncleannesses To let that Exposition passe we may take in here both their Justification and Sanctification and so make the sence full I will save you from all your uncleannesses by my pardoning grace that shall acquit you from the guilt and punishment of all your sins and I will save you from all your uncleannesses by my sanctifying grace that shall purge out all your defilements and spots The word for uncleannesses is Tumeoth which notes not only Ceremonial uncleanness but Moral also as Levit. 18.27 I will call for the Corn and will encrease it The Hebrew is I will call to the Corn I will command the Corn to grow and bring forth I will give but a word of power and as that hath caused all things to be and bring forth so shall it do with the Corn and not only cause it to grow but to encrease so that there shall be plenty and plenty continued for it follows And lay no famine upon you The Jews had oft been under grievous famines as appears 2 Sam. 21.1 2 Kings 6. 1 Kings 18. Joel 1. Amos 4.6 2 Kings 25.3 The Lord called for and laid famines upon them but here he promises not to lay any famine upon them they should be free from that judgement and live in the abundance of good things Vers 30. And I will multiply the fruit of the Tree Not only should the Corn thrive and bring forth but the Trees also they should be fruitfull yea very fruitfull God would multiply the fruit of all the Trees which used to bear fruit Some Trees are for ornament of the earth some for Timber some for Fire but most for fruit and those that were for fruit should bear fruit in abundance The encrease of the field These words are spoken of those things which sponte nascuntur do grow of themselves without setting sowing or planting they are properly the encrease of the Field That ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen The Heathens took occasion from the famines the Jews met with to reproach them and say What do you want bread is your God the chiefest and best of Gods and will he see you want is he hard-hearted and will not afford you necessaries to live surely our gods are better and more mercifull than the God of the Jews they suffer us not to want any thing we have no such famines as you Jews have you are hunger-starved wretches and beholding to us for bread These were grievous reproaches which the Lord promised here to take away by giving unto them plenty of all things for their maintenance They had upbraided the Jews vers 13. That their Land was a Land devoured men God therefore now told them Their Land should bring forth Corn fruit and other good things and so maintain the inhabitants of it First Observe When God enters into or renews Covenant with a People he will do much for them I will be your God I will also save you from all your uncleannesses and I will call for the Corn and encrease it and lay no famine upon you and I will multiply the fruit of the Tree c. Here God renewed Covenant with them and promised them spiritual and temporal mercies which in due time he gave them in so when he first entered into Covenant with them Ezek. 16.8 9 10 11 12 13 14. what great things did God do for them Then washed I thee with water yea I throughly washed away thy bloud from thee and anointed thee with oyl I cloathed thee also with broidered work and shod thee with Badgers skin and I girded thee about with fine Linnen and I covered thee with silke c. When God is once ingaged to a People he doth much for them and great things he layes out himself and his Attributes for their good Secondly Observe God is a perfect Saviour I will save you from all your uncleannesses They had many and variety of uncleannesses Ceremonial and Moral impurities inward and outward pollutions they had much guilt and much filth but God saved them from them all he doth perfectly justifie and will perfectly sanctifie in due time there is not one inherent corruption within cleave it never so fast unto the spirit of man but God will work it out He will take away all iniquity Hos 14.2 the guilt of sin the power and pollution of sin yea the very being of sin vers 13. of this Chapt I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthinesse and from all your idolls will I cleanse you God will do his work of this nature throughly and perfectly David acknowledged it Psal 103.2 3. Blesse the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases Thirdly Observe It is no difficulty unto the Lord to make plenty of things he can easily do it I will call for the Corn and will encrease it It is but calling for it and it comes if he call for fruitfulness of the Field or Tree or both they come as servants come at the call of their masters so any creatures Corn Wine Oyl come at the call of God if God do but say Let the earth bring forth it will bring forth there is power in his Word it is
then they will remember their evill doings their bitterness against Christians and bloudynesse against Christ and loath themselves for the same Zech. 12.10 Rev. 1.7 Thirdly Observe Where repentance comes it makes a change in mens judgments affections and lives They should loath themselves in their own sight for their iniquities and for their abominations What they approved of before delighted in and practised that they should look upon as abominable loath and turn from Repentance begins in mens minds and judgements altering them and when they are altered the affections and conversation will alter when the Prodigall repented there was a change inward and outward Vers 32. Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes O house of Israel IN this Verse is comprehended the ground of all the gracious and great Promises specified in the words before and following And 1. It is expressed Negatively It is not for your sakes 2. Implyed Affirmatively It is for the Lords sake Not for your sakes do I this God saw nothing in them to move him to bring them out of Babylon or to do ought for them in Babylon but he beheld that in them which might have moved him to destroy them he saw how they profaned his holy name among the Babylonians vers 21. he saw how they intended to turn heathens and worship wood and stone Ezek. 20.32 Being Gods people they thought God was bound to do much for their sakes and that he should not deal justly with them if he did not mind them do for them see how they expostulated with God Isa 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest it not wherefore have we afflicted our soul and thou takest no knowledge They did in effect tell God he dealt not well with them they deserved better things at his hands than they had therefore said the Lord here Not for your sakes do I this Be it known unto you Take notice that what conceits soever ye have of your own worth or deserts because ye are my people and of the seed of Abraham my friend yet I do not bring you out of Babylon for your worth or merits sake I do nothing upon that account and proclaim it openly unto you and all the world Be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes Your wayes are so far from meriting at my hands that they merit not at the hands of men they are of that nature as you ought to be ashamed and confounded for them of the words ashamed and confounded was spoken Chap. 16.52 54 61. First Observe Men are apt to think they deserve something at Gods hands The house of Israel thought she had suffered a long and sore captivity and having fasted and mourned every fift and seaventh month throughout the seaventy years Zech 7.5 she conceived God now should deal unkindly yea unjustly if he should not do some great thing for her now it was just for him to remember all her tears sighs prayes fastings and sufferings to set her at liberty and give her repossession of her Land rewarding her with old and new priviledges Matth. 7.22 Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have not we prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out Devils and in thy name done many wonderfull works They thought they had merited Heaven by their doings and looked for some wonderful reward for their wonderful works The labourers which came into the Vineyard at the third and sixt hours thought they deserved more of the Lord of the Vineyard than they that went in at the ninth and eleventh hours Matth. 20. Prone is corrupt nature to conceit it merits somewhat at the hands of God But Secondly Observe Mens wayes are such as they ought to be ashamed of themselves and fear destruction from God for them Be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes O house of Israel they are such as you should blush at and loath to behold and make you fear least my judgements should sieze upon you for them Nehem. 9.30 31. What saith he of them Lord thou gavest them into the hand of the people of the Lands that is thou didst cast them into captivity for their own wayes and what then Neverthelesse for thy great mercies sake thou didst not utterly consume them They had cause to fear consuming had not mercy and great mercy stepped in they had been utterly consumed So Jeremy Lament 3.22 It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed If it be mercy that our persons are not destroyed what do our works or wayes deserve from him Thirdly Observe The Promises God makes unto and the mercies he bestows upon his people are free and for his own sake Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you I have promised To sprinkle you with clean water to put a new heart into you to give you my spirit to save you from all your iniquities to bring you again to Sion to give you many mercies there to do you much good but these I do not for your sakes you deserve them not but for mine own sake for mine own honour and name as vers 22. I do not this O house of Israel for your sakes but for mine holy names sake For mans sake come judgements the earth was cursed for Adams sake Gen 3.17 For Achans sake the Israelites fell and fled Josh 7. For Jonas sake the Sea was tempestous Jon 1.4.12 But when mercies come at Land or Sea it is for the Lords own sake He made all things for himself Prov 16.4 for his own names sake and what good soever he doth to any Nations or Persons is not for your sakes but for his own holy names sake When the Jews were neer destruction he wrought for his names sake Ezek 20.9 So when we were neer to destruction oft times in these Nations the Lord wrought for his own names sake not for our sakes Let us give God the glory of what he hath done for our Nation and for our selves and say Help us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy name and deliver us and purge away our sins for thy names sake Vers 33 34 35. Thus saith the Lord God In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the Cities and the wastes shall be builded And the desolate Land shall be tilled whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by And they shall say this Land that was desolate is become like the Garden of Eden and the waste and desolate and ruined Cities are become fenced and are inhabited IN these Verses the Lord proceeds in Temporal Promises and tells them what he will do for them after he hath cleansed them from their sins 1. Their Cityes and waste places shall be re-edified 2. Their Cityes shall be inhabited 3. Tillage of the Land 4.
abundantly Isa 30.2 Vers 36. Then the Heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places and plant that that was desolate I the Lord have spoken it and will do it GOd having through his grace pardoned his people brought them to Sion and bestowed many blessings upon them here the end of all is set down and that is the glorifying of God not only by the Jews but also by the very Heathens Then the heathen that are left round about you After Nebuchadnezzar had laid Jerusalem and Judea waste he fell upon the Ammonites Moabites Edomites Philistims Tyrians and Egyptians and spoyled them therefore our Prophet saith The Heathen that are left some escaped and remained untill the Jews restauration Shall know that I the Lord build the ruined Places They should be so convinced by the return of the Jews and the mercies they enjoyed that they should acknowledg it to be the hand of God that he was faithfull in making good his promise to his people able to save and bountiful in bestowing such mercies upon them The word to build is Banah which sâ—gnifies to build an house distinguished into it's several rooms and parts the Cityes Towns and Houses every where had been ruined and God raised them up again And plant that that was desolate The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to plant signifies the putting of Trees Vines Shrubs or any plants into the earth and to cover them so with earth that they remain fixt therein The Orchards Gardens Vineyards Olive-yards Places of pleasure and profit were laid desolate the Trees Plants Herbs and Flowers were all cut down or pulled up by the roots those place God did re-plant and made as usefull and delightfull as ever I the Lord have spoken it and will do it I have purposed it in my self I have spoken it by Ezekiel and I will do it the Hebrew is I have done it a Preter Tense for a Future which is frequent as Isa 46.11 I have purposed The Hebrew is Jatzarti I have formed I have created the Preter Tense for the Future as the former and following words do shew I have spoken it I will also bring it to passe I will form or create it I will also do it First Observe That though judgement begin at Gods house yet it ends not there The Babylonians first fell upon the Jews and destroyed them and after proceeded to the Heathens they cut off many Nations of them The Sword first did eat the flesh of Jews and then the flesh of Ammonites Moabites Edomites c. When the green Trees are lopped then the Axe cuts down the dry Trees wicked men and Nations are glad when it goes ill with the Church People of God but usually when God hath corrected his own he breaks the Horns the Back and Bones of their and his enemies The Cup of Gods fury began at Jerusalem but it stayed not there it passed thence to Egypt to the mingled people to Vz Philistia Ashkelon Azzah Ekron and Ashdod c. To all the Kings of the North and to all the Kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth Jer 25.15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. It were an unrighteous thing if God should judge his friends and spare his enemyes and this he acknowledgeth vers 29. Lo I begin to bring evill on the City which is called by my name and should ye the Heathens be utterly unpunished ye shall not be unpunished for I will call for a sword upon all the Inhabitants of the earth saith the Lord of Hosts Secondly Observe Some works of God are so convincing that they cause even Heathens to see and acknowledge the hand of God in them and so to glorifie him The bringing the Jews out of Babylon the re-planting them in Canaan the re-building of their waste places peopling of them re-built and making their Countrey like the Garden of Eden convinced the Heathens so that they said and acknowledged It was the Lord had done these things which was a glorifying of his name Psal 126.1 2. The Babylonians and others said The Lord hath done great things for them when he turned their captivity There is so much of Gods wisdome power mercy bounty in some of his works that they constrain all that behold them to acknowledge him in them see Nehem 9.16 Psal 98.1 2. Isa 52.9 10. Thirdly Observe That Architecture and Husbandry are the work of the Lord. I build the ruined places and plant that that was desolate There is no House no City built but the Lord hath the chief hand therein Psal 127.1 Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it All is nothing without the counsel assistance and blessing of God he teacheth the Carpenters and Masons their Art he inables them to work and blesses them working So for Husbandmen it is God that doth instruct them to discretion and teach them Isa 28.26 they have all their ploughing sowing and planting skill from him This cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts who is wonderfull in counsell and excellent in working vers 29. If a Land be well built with Houses Cityes Castles it is the Lord that builded them if it be well tilled and planted with Orchards Gardens Vineyards and Nurseries of young Trees it is the Lord that hath tilled and planted them mens Art and Industry are nothing without him Fourthly Observe Gods purposes and promises shall take effect and certainly be fullfilled God is faithfull in what he saith and will perform the same I the Lord have spoken it and will do it He will not go back from his word change his purposes and counsels or falsifie his promises Isa 31.2 He will not call back his words Isa 14.27 The Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disanull it Isa 46.10 My counsell shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Jer 32.42 I will bring upon them all the good that I have promised them There is none wiser than God to advise him so as to alter his purposes or counsels there are none stronger than God to hinder him from making good what he hath purposed and promised Isa 43.13 I will work and who shall let it All the Babylonians could not hinder Gods setting his people at liberty all the wild beasts bryars and thorns in Canaan could not hinder him from bringing them in and making the Land like Eden plentifull and pleasant all the policy and power of Tobiah Sanballat and others could not hinder the building of the Temple and Walls of the City God had promised Jerusalem should be re-built and fenced that the Jews should have their Temple to worship in again and they had them Vers 37. Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them I will increase them with men like a flock THe word iddaresh is from Darash which signifies to make
did not God destroy his Army and relieve them publickly and privately though there were now no Cityes left God could and did raise them up many Cityes though there were no people to inhabit those Cityes raised God could raise them up men and did make them exceeding populous even as populous as Jerusalem was at her solemn Feasts more populous than ever Fourthly Observe The end of Gods deliverances works and mercies is that God may be acknowledged and glorified When I have brought them out of Babylon planted them in Sion built their Cityes filled them with inhabitants and blessings of all sorts Then shall they know that I am the Lord that I am not like the heathenish gods and lords but that I am faithfull omnipotent gracious and merciful worthy to be honoured and adored by the house of Israel CHAP. XXXVII Verse 1. The hand of the Lord was upon me and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middest of the Valley which was full of bones 2. And caused me to pass by them round about and behold there were very many in the open valley and lo they were very dry IN the former Chapter he spake of the Jews Return out of Babylon and likewise of the Kingdom of Christ In this Chapter also he proceeds to comfort the Jews assuring them of their Return who well-nigh despaired thereof and of the union of the two houses Judah and Israel The parts of this Chapter are 1. A Vision of dry bones presented to the Prophet from the 1. ver to the 11. 2. The Interpretation and Application of this Vision from the beginning of the 11. to the end of the 14. 3. A Type of two Sticks and the uniting of them from the 15. to the 20. 4. The explication of the Type from the 20. ver to the end Vers 1. The hand of the Lord was upon me By hand of the Lord the Chaldee understands the spirit of Prophesie which did enlighten and affect the mind of the Prophet so also do divers others But some take it for the power of God upon him or a Divine instinct which like an hand pul'd or mov'd him to some other thing as Chap. 8.3 It was the Spirit of God came upon him as Chap. 3.14 And why it s called the hand of God see Chap. 1.3 And carryed me out in the Spirit of the Lord. The Hebrew may be read thus and is by Mâ—ntanus And the Lord carryed me out in the Spirit that is I was rapt out of my self and my spirit was carryed by the Lord to have a sight or view of Bones If we take the words as they are the sense is this The Spirit of God being upon me carryed me out in the spirit of Prophesie which is the Spirit of the Lord his body was not carryed from place to place He had a Prophetical Vision And set me down in the middest of the valley The Prophet seem'd to himself to see a Hand and to be led out by that hand into a certain Valley all which was Visional not real He names no particular Valley A-lapide saith it was in Campo Sennaar Mesopotamia and Chaldaea were Plains but whether it were in either of them is not specified In vallies Prophets were wont to have Visions Our Prophets first Vision was by the River Chebar and Rivers are alwayes in Vallies and in this Valley it s conceived by some as Lavater observes was this Vision but it s safer to judge that this Valley was also Visionall Which was full of Bones This Valley or Plain was no burying place for then the bones would not have layen upon the face of the earth and been exposed to view Some make these bones to be the bones of all Mankind being dead and to respect the general Resurrection but they are out nothing of that is here intended Some make them to be the bones of the Babylonians but the Prophets scope here is not to comfort them it s the Jews condition he points at and therefore by bones are meant the Jews as is clear v. 11. These Bones were Visional also not real for then they should not have him unburyed suffering reproach Some Jews have an Opinion that these bones were the bones of those Jews that dyed in Babylon and one Rabbi Jose a Galilaean saith That Ezekiel raised those dead Jews many of which return'd into the land of Israel and had children there that when this fell into controversie among the Jews one Rabbi Juda the Son of Bathira stood up and said Ego sum oriundus ex posteritate illorum quos Ezekiel in vitam revocavit I am of that race which Ezekiel raised and shewed the Phylacteries his Parent put upon him and had received from those were rais'd Verse 2. And caused me to passed by them round about The Lord would have the Prophet to take exact notice of them and therefore made him to pass Savif savif undique undique on every side on every side that so he might observe the number and quality of them and where they lay which he did for it follows And behold there were very many in the open valley The number of these bones was great pass'd number and they lay in open view in an open Valley where he had a full sight of them And loe they were very dry These bones were not cloath'd with flesh juycy and full of marrow which had been more easily rais'd to life if so but they were dry all the moysture was out of them they had lain long nigh 70 years in that condition and were almost become earth First Observe It was the Spirit of God mov'd the Prophets to give out those truths are now extant in the Scriptures that directed and enabled them to do what they did The hand of the Lord was upon me and carryed me out in the Spirit to see and give out what you have here The Prophets might not speak or act at their own pleasures but as the Spirit of God moved them 2 Pet. 1.21 so they spake so they acted It was the Spirit in the Prophets that testified against the Jews Neh. 9.30 The words of the Lord of hosts were in the hand and mouth of the Spirit before they were in the heads and mouths of the Prophets Neh. 7.12 The Apostles had the Spirit falling upon and filling them before they gave out Divine truths Act. 2.4 which verified what Châ—ist had said of the Spirit John 16.14 He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you All the truths Paul hath given forth for the Instruction Edification and Consolation of the Church of Christ he received from the Spirit of Christ Hence he saith 1 Cor. 11.23 I received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you And Chap. 14.37 The things I write unto you are the commandements of the Lord he had them all from his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.12 13. Secondly Observe The true Messengers and Servants of God come not
before But there was no breath in them Here were perfect humane bodies as if they had been newly dead or newly formed out of the earth as Adams body was but there was yet no Life in them they were no other then dead carkasses The Coalition of the bones the ascension of sinews flesh and skin upon them argued not life in them but Divine Power acting and ordering them so Verse 9. Prophesie unto the wind Prophesie son of man and say to the wind The word Ruah or Ruach signifies several things Sometimes the Spirit of God as 2 Sam. 23.3 Sometimes an Angel as Job 4.15 Sometimes the soul of a Beast Eccles 3.21 Sometimes the Wind as Job 1.19 Sometimes the breath of Man as Job 12.10 And sometimes the Soul of Man Eccles 12.7 Zach. 12.1 In what sense it 's here to be taken is the question To let other senses passe I conceive here it notes the soul or spirit of Man which is call'd wind or breath here it expresses and declares it's self by breathing which is a wind When all other signes of life fail as speech sight hearing motion c. yet breath oft-times remains and so manifests the soul to be there which is Ruah Chajim the breath of life Gen. 6.17 These bones being brought into the forms of bodies lay destitute of souls and so of life the Prophet therefore is commanded to Prophesie unto their souls If any will understand here by Wind the Spirit of God which is in Scripture compar'd to wind Joh. 3.8 and gives life to the dead Psal 104.30 I shall not contend Come from the four winds O breath and breathe upon these slain that they may live The four winds note out here the four chief parts of quarters of the World East West North and South and the Prophet is commanded to call for the souls of these bodies to come from all quarters where ever they were to breathe upon them that is to enter into them and to cause them to live That he call'd wind before he calls breath now By slain are meant the visional carkasses which lay dead Verse 10. So I Prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came into them The Prophet doing his duty the effect followed he said Come O breath and the spirit soul or breath came into those bodies lay in his view they were animated and thereupon They lived and stood up upon their feet Immediately upon reception of their souls they had life and motion as every bone came to his bone and made up a body so every soul came to its own body and made it to live and to testifie its life by standing up upon its feet An exceeding great Army The bones were many and they being quickned and raised made an Army yea a great an exceeding great Army The word for Army is Chaiil which signifies Vertue Courage and so the words may be rendred They stood upon their feet being of very great Courage First Observe God sometimes puts his servants upon strange imployments even such as seem ridiculous unseasonable impossible He set Ezekiel on work to Prophesie over bones and to say unto them O ye dry bones hear the word of the Lord. This was as if one should water a dry rotten Stick and say Grow God said to Moses Lift up thy rod and stretch out thine hand over the Sea and divide it Exod. 14.16 Here was a strange command and strange work for Moses to do Could his rod or hand divide the Sea Was it not strange work God put Joshuah the men of War and the Priests unto when he appointed them to go seven dayes round about Jericho six dayes together once a day and the seventh day seven times with Trumpets and Rams-horns Joshua 6 So when God commanded Ezekiel to take a tile Pourtray Jerusalem upon it and lay siege against it with Battering-Rams then to set an iron Pan between him and the City for a wall after these things to lie upon his left side 390 days and after that on his right side 40 days were not these strange kind of imployments which God put the Prophet unto Ezek. 4. So Jeremiah must put bonds and yokes upon his own neck and then send them to Kings by their own Embassadors which came to Zedekiah at Jerusalem Jer 27. In all these things there was depth of Wisdom however they seemed unto men Secondly Observe Whatsoever means are used it 's God doth all Here was Prophesie used but that did not the work without God Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live God could have done this without Prophesie but that was the means he would use and work in or by We must not neglect means and leave all to God that is tempting the most High neither must we trust to means when used that is to idolize a creature but we must use means and look unto God to be all in them for without him nothing is done and if we make him all in the means we shall make him all after them Thirdly Observe How low deplorable or desperate soever the creature be God can alter it and that easily These dry bones were almost dust and come to nothing their condition was very deplorable and desperate the Prophet himself could not tell what to think of them And did not God alter their condition quickly and with ease He bids the Prophet Prophesie and say Hear the word of the Lord ye dry bones and that being done presently the bones shake come together are cloath'd with sinewâ— flesh and skin receive breath live and stand up Here was a wonderful sudden change wrought with great facility God can make the dry tree to flowrish Ezek. 17.24 Arons rod to bud and blossome Sarahs dead womb to conceive Rivers in high places and springs of water in dry lands Isa 41.18 If God speak but the word these things are done Rom. 4.17 He quickens the dead and calls those things which be not as though they were let God only give a Call and things without life have life and things without beeing have a beeing Jer. 31.15 16 17. Are we in bondage He can easily set us at liberty as he did Peter Are we sick unto death He can easily cure us as he did Hezekiah Are we poor and despicable He can easily inrich us and make us honourable as he did Job when stript of all Are we dead in sins and trespasses that we cannot stir at all towards God or are we dead hearted that we stir poorly towards him He can quicken us in a moment as he did these dry bones so that we shall live move and act vigorously Fourthly Observe There is a mighty efficacy in Gods word when he is pleased to concurr with it and to be present with it in his own Ordinance Ezekiel Prophesies and as he Prophesied there was a noise a shaking of the bones a Coalition of them a compassing them about with sinews flesh and skin an entrance of
from the branch of a tree cut off from the body or from the whole tree cut off from the earth which no sooner is done but they wither become fruitless and without hope of recovering their pristine condition So these Jews who were once Gods Vine and Olive-tree said now We are cut off from Canaan the land of the living where we had alimentum vitale such nourishment as made us grow and be fruitful but here in our captivity we have no City no Temple no Sacrifice and so we are as branches cut off and trees cut down never like to be replanted more See Chap. 17 9. Like hereunto is that of Job Chap. 19.10 He hath destroyed me on every side and I am gone and mine hope he hath removed like a tree that is as the e is no hope of a tree cut off from the earth so have I saith Job no hope of recovering my former condition Verse 12. Bâ—hold O my people I w ll open your graves In this verse God promiseth unto them removal of Impediments and reduction of them inâ—o their own Land The first is in these words I will open you graves Canaan was so dear unto the Jews Si transferre sedes cogerentur major vitae metus quam mortis Tacitus that they counted it death to live out of it they esteemed it only the land of the living and had rather have dyed then left their Countrey being therefore Captives in a stange land they were as dead men and that land as a grave unto them When a man is in his grave he is cut off from the Land of the living laid in darkness bound with grave-clothes and pressed down with earth So these Jews were cut off from their own Land had long been in Babylonish darkness were bound up by Babylonish Laws and Power and so oppressed and kept down by the Tyranny of the Babylonians that they were without hope of liberty Hereupon the Lord saith I will open your graves I will remove all that hinders ex parte Babyloniorum their Policy Power Law Oppression shall detain you no longer in Captivity yea I will remove all hinders ex parte vestra Your despair and unbelief are like grave-stones which keep you in a captive and dead condition but they shall be taken away and a door opened for your coming forth It 's not irrational to conceive some or many of them might be in prisons and Babylonish Families whom God would set at liberty And cause you to come up out of your graves c. When the graves are opened the dead cannot rise or come forth no more then the dry bones could move or stir of themselves The Jews deliverance out of Captivity is likened to the raising the deâ—d out of their graves God causeth the dead to rise Isa 26.19 and he would cause them to come out of Babylon and not only bâ—ing them out hence but also bring them into their own Land though they were cut off from their own Olive-tree God would ingraft them in again Verse 13. And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves c. When God should do this wonderful and great work viz. bring them out of their Captivity raise them from their dead condition in Babylon and restore them to life in their own Countrey then they should know and acknowledge God in a special manner Verse 14. And shall put my Spirit in you By Ruah or Spirit here is not meant breath or life as ver 9.10 for they were first to be brought up out of their graves and to have natural life before the Spirit should be put into them But by Spirit here we understand the holy Spirit of God even that Spirit spoken of Chap. 36.27 where are the same words Lavater saith Indam vobis alium Spiritum I will put into you another Spirit Oecolampad saith It 's Spiritus adoptionis moderator actor Filiorum Dei The spirit of Adoption which moderates and acts the Sons of God And ye shall live They lived before a natural life a sad and melancholy life but now they should live a spiritual life and comfortable and heavenly life they should forget their sorrows and rejoyce in their God You have been in a dying condition these 70 years of your Captivity but hence forward ye shall live I shall place you in your own Land The Hebrew is I will make you to rest upon your own Land The word Janach signifies deponere demittere God would dismiss them from Babylon carry them upon Eagles wings and set them down in their own Land where they should be at rest They had been disquieted and vexed in Babylon many years and suffered grievous things but God put an end thereunto and gave them rest in Canaan which types out Gods dealing with his people under the Gospel viz. The bringing them from under the Antichristian state into Sion Then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it and performed it Ye think it impossible that you should have the Babylonish yoke knockt off be set at liberty and planted in your own countrey but if I can give life to dry bones and cause them to stand up and become a great Army which is a more difficult thing and thou Ezekiel hast seen it then let the Jews be assured I can deliver them and return them into their own Land and will do it and when it 's done they shall know that I am a God of Truth and Power Something we shall observe in General from these words and something more specially First Observe That sense which God gives of Visions Types and Parables is sound and certain yea infallible Ezekiel had a Vision of dry bones and who could tell the meaning of this Vision Many have mistaken about it but God himself he told the Prophet and so all others what was the sense of that Vision Behold the bones are the whole house of Israel God who is the authour of Visions Types and Parables knoweth best what is the meaning of them He knew what the golden Candlestick and the two Olive trees on the right and left sides thereof meant and interpreted them unto Zechariah Chap. 4. Daniel's Vision of four Beasts Chap. 7. did the Lord open and make known unto him John's Vision of the woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured Beast full of names of blasphemie having seven heads and ten horns the Lord interpreted and made known unto him Revel 17. Christ uttered many Parables which were dark and when he gave the sense of them it was certain and infallible Secondly Observe Tropes and Types are not in sacred Scripture to be taken literally These bones are the house of Israel they were not the house of Israel in a literal sense but they signified the house of Israel It 's frequent in the Word to give the name of the thing signified to the thing signifying as 1 Cor. 10.4 That Rock was Christ here the Rock is call'd Christ
the higher or more inward parts of the Land where was most security Vers 13. Sheba and Dedan and the Merchamts of Tarshish These were Auxiliaries unto Gog and helped forward that damnable design he had to destroy the Church of God By Shebah and Dedan Polanus understands the Ethiopians and Arabians Junius the men of the South and East and by the Merchants of Tarshish the Tyrians Sidonians and Maritine Coasts which lay Westward these all confederated with Gog who lay Northward fom Judea In the 27 Chapt. Sheba Dedan and Tarshish were spoken of With all the young Lyons thereof The Septuagint saith all the Villages thereof the Chaldee all the Kings or Princes thereof but Cephir is the Whelp of a Lyon or a young Lyon Junius Piscator and Polanus make these young Lyons the Merchants who were as greedy of gain as Lyons are of their prey Others make them Sea-pirates and Robbers but it 's not improbable that by young Lyons should be meant the young men of those parts who are like Lyons for strength and courage as greedy of prey as Lyons are Shall say unto thee Art thou come to take a spoyl hast thou gathered thy Company to take a prey Seeing O Gog thou gatherest up Forces to warr against the Jewes to spoyl them and to make a prey of their wealth and Land lo we are for thee we will joyn with thee Some would have it that they envyed them and were against them but 1 Mach. 3. you shall finde that the Nations joyned with Lysias who was Generall of Antiochus his Army v. 24 and how he took away Silver Gold Women Children Cattle and Goods Chap. 1.22 23. to the 35. he rob'd the Sanctuary and fired the City This Antiochus do Expositors make to be Ezekiels Gog. First Observe God foreknowes and determines things to come even those things which seem most free and contingent as the thoughts of mens hearts He saith of Gog long before his existence in the world It shall come to pass that at the same time shall things come into thy minde and thou shalt think an evil thought Some would have God to permit only things to come not to determine them and conceive that Gods decree of permission supposes a necessity of their futurition and coming to pass but if God did only permit a thing to come to pass how could it come to pass without some action and Gods concurrence to that action For there is no action or cause producing any effect with which God doth not concurr Lament 3.37 Prov. 21.1 Prov. 16.1 Defects are permitted by God not Effects He concurrs to the production of them be they thoughts words or actions Gods wisdom power and providence hath influence into them Secondly Observe God doth not only foreknow but pre-discovers the purposes counsels and plots of his Churches enemies to evidence his care thereof He made known the design of Gog many years before it came to pass Thou shalt think an evil thought and say I will goe up to the Land of unwalled Villages The enemies of Sion are full of evil thoughts and designs to root out and destroy the Inhabitants thereof but God sometimes discovers them before-hand and oft prevents them Neh. 4.11 Our adversaries said They shall not know neither see till we come in the midst among them and slay them and cause the work to cease These thoughts and designs of theirs were discovered and prevented by the Lord. Herod thought and purposed to kill the Lord Christ when he was in the Cradle but the all-knowing God revealed it to Joseph and disappointed it God is very vigilant over his Church lest any hurt it he keeps it night and day Isa 27.3 Thirdly Observe The Enemies of the Church do watch and take advantages against the Church they wait for and seek occasions to ruine the same I will goe up saith Gog to the Land of unwalled Villages I will goe to them that are at rest that dwell without Walls Barrs or Gates Because he saw them unarm'd and secure a naked people destitute of humane helps therefore he resolv'd to invade plunder and destroy them When Saul was pursuing of David the Philistims invaded the Land 1 Sam. 23.27 And when Elisha was dead the Moabites did so 2 King 13.20 So Haman because Mordecai would not bow to him sought advantages to destroy all the Jewes Esth 3.6 The wicked are so strong spightfull and vigilant to seek and take advantages against Gods people that it were impossible for them to be in safety had they not a gracious God to take care of them They are weak and look not to arms of flesh but unto Jehovah the Rock of ages who is their shield and safety they dwell without walls but God is a wall of fire round about them Zech. 2.5 Fourthly Observe Wicked ones will undertake great matters and venture their lives to satisfie their lusts Gog and the rest undertake a Warr march many a mile and put their lives in their hands and wherefore to take a spoyl to get the prey to carry away Silver Gold Cattle and Goods All was to satisfie a base covetous humor Libido Dominandi cupido Divitiarum the lust after ruling and desire of riches hath stimulated many to attempt great matters to hazard their lives and souls to all eternity Wherefore did the children of Ammon Moab and Mount Seir undertake a difficult and dangerous Warr Jehoshaphat tells you It was for Dominion and Wealth 2 Chron. 20.11 Fifthly Observe The wicked confederate and combine together to mischief the Church of God Shebah Dedan the Merchants of Tarshish with all the young Lyons thereof fall in with Gog and his design The seed of the Serpent are unanimous to destroy the seed of the Woman Ps 83. Edomites Ishmaelites Moabites Hagarens Gebalites Ammonites Amalekites Philistims Tyrians and Ashurites joyn'd all together against Gods people and said Come let us cut them off from being a Nation Ezra 4.7 8 9 10. Bishlam Mithredath Tabeel Rehum the Chancellor Shimshai the Scribe and the rest of their Societies the Dinaites the Apharsathlites the Tarpelites the Apharsites the Archevites the Babylonians the Susanchites the Debanites the Elamites and the rest of the Nations did all conspire together to hinder the building of Jerusalem and the Walls thereof Wicked men are Thorns and they cleave together to scratch and vex the righteous Vers 14 15 16. 14 Therefore Son of man prophesie and say unto Gog Thus saith the Lord God In that day when my people Israel dwelleth safely shalt thou not know it 14 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the North parts thou and many people with thee all of them riding upon Horses a great Company and a mighty Army 16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel as a Cloud to cover the Land it shall be in the latter dayes and I will bring thee against my Land that the Heathen may know me when I shall be
Beasts which was another judgement added to the former and the greater to the Heathen because they thought their souls did wander up and down upon the Earth nisi corpora fuissent humata as Tertullian saith The Athenians had the buryal of the dead in such honour that if a Captain neglected to bury the dead which fell in warr they punished him with death for it It is a great ignominy to lye unburyed Hence the Beast when the Witnesses were kill'd would not suffer their bodies to be buryed but let them lye in the Streets that so they might be the more ignominious Sixthly Observe God provides for the brute and dumb Creatures and that abundantly Every feathered Fowl and every Beast of the Fiâ—ld shall be filled at my Table God doth not only feed the Creatures but sometimes feasts them This World is Gods Family whercin are millions of living Creatures and not one of them is neglected of God Psal 145.15 16. The Eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season they have their Break-fast Dinner and Supper and lest we should conceit one hath too much another too little it follows Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing he satisfies the Fishes of the Sea the Beasts of the Earth and Fowls of Heaven How should this teach men to depend upon God not giving way to distrust or discontent Matth. 6.26 Behold the Fowls of the Air saith Christ for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into Barns yet their heavenly Father feedeth them Are ye not much better then they He saith not the Fowls of the House they are cared for but The Fowls of the Air that have none to look after them unless it be Fowlers to take away their lives neither do they know where to get the next meal when they have gotten one nor what hole or bush to lodge in at night yet their heavenly Father provides for and feeds them Does he take care of such Creatures and will he not take care of you Yes certainly he will and why ye are better then they ye are rational they irrational ye are his sons they his servants Vers 21 22. 21. And I will set my Glory among the Heathen and all the Heathen shall see my Judgement that I have executed and my Hand that I have laid upon them 22. So the House of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward THe Lord having declared what destructive judgements he would bring upon Gog and Magog he comes here to make known the end of his so dealing with them viz. the manifestation of his glory amongst Heathens and his own People Vers 21. I will set my Glory among the Heathen I will give my Glory saith the Hebrew that is I will cause it to be evident amongst them By Glory understand the glory of his Justice and Power All the Heathen shall see my Judgement that I have executed These words give light to the former The Heathen seeing the dreadful judgements of God upon Gog and his should acknowledge the Justice and Power of God And my Hand that I have laid upon them They shall not only have a bare sight but experimental knowledg they shall find themselves concern'd therein and feel the hand of God heavy upon them for the strength wealth liberty and glory of the Heathen will be much impaired if not totally ruin'd by the overthrow of Gog. Vers 22. So that the House of Israel shall know that I am c. They did know the Lord to be their God before but this signal stroke of God upon their Enemies being a signal mercy unto them should so ingage them unto God that from that time forward they should afresh and eminently acknowledge God to be their God and none to be like unto him that he will not desert them in their streights but be their Deliverer First Observe The great end of Gods judgements upon sinful men is his Glory I will set my glory among the Heathens and all the Heathen shall see my judgement c. God doth therefore execute judgement that he may be glorified When sinful people will not give glory to God for his Mercies he will fetch glory out of them by his Judgements They are the work of his hand and what ever that be it 's honourable and glorious Psal 111.3 Not only his works of Creation but those of Judicial Providence Upon what Nation soever Army or Navy the Lord shall lay his hand he will work out his glory thereby that is the end of all his works and judgements Secondly Obsérve Dreadful judgements upon the wicked are ingaging mercies unto the godly So shall the hâ—use of Israel know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward The hand of God upon Gog and his should so affect their hearts that they should experimentally know and say The Lord is our God he hath laid low our enemies he hath freed us from their Insultations Threats Oppressions he is our Deliverer our Saviour our Redeemer Isai 25.9 It shall be said in that day Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation When God executed severe judgements upon the enemies of his people then were their hearts thus affected and engaged unto the Lord then they rejoyced in God their Saviour and said He will save He hath saved us and he will save us When the godly see that great judgements upon their enemies are great mercies unto them their faith is advanced thereby and they are perswaded God will never leave them their hearts are warmed and they cannot but own and praise him Vers 23 24. 23. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity because they trespassed against me therefore hid I my face from them and gave them into the hand of their enemies so fell they all by the sword 24. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them and hid my face from them THe Heathen had base and blasphemous thoughts of God they imagined he was not able to keep his people out of the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and his gods to vindicate himself therefore the Lord tells them the true cause why they were carried into Captivity namely for their iniquity It was not Impotencie in God but Iniquity in them which caused it 23. The house of Israel went into captivity for their Iniquity The Hebrew is the house of Israel were led into Captivity in their Iniquities God took them in their Iniquities and carried them away into Captivity in them or for them Boavonam the Septuagint saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their sins their crooked and perverse doings Because they trespassed against me The word Magnal or Maal signifies Stubbornly and Contemptuously
not to know any thing among the Corinthians that is to make known any thing to preach any thing save Jesus Christ and him crucified That should be his work to measure out Christ to them So Philip preached Christ to the Samaritans Act. 8.5 And Peter preached Christ unto the Jews and others Act. 2. The virtue of Christ crucified is to be made known fully Vers 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27. 10. And he said unto me Son of man thus saith the Lord God These are the ordinances of the Altar in the day when they shall make it to offer Burnt-offerings thereon and to sprinkle blood thereon 19. And thou shalt give to the Priests the Levites that be of the seed of Zadock which approach unto me to minister unto me saith the Lord God a young Bullock for a Sin-offering 20. And thou shalt take of the blood thereof and put it on the four horns of it and on the four corners of the settle and upon the border round about Thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it 21. Thou shalt take the Bullock also of the Sin-offering and he shall burn it in the appointed place of the house without the Sanctuary 22. And on the second day thou shalt offer a Kid of the Goats without blemâ—sh for a Sin-ffering and they shall cleanse the Altar as they did cleanse it with the Bullock 23. When thou hast made an end of cleansing it thou shalt offer a young Bullock without blemish a Ram out of the flock without blemish 24. And thou shalt offer them before the Lord and the Priests shall cast salt upon them and they shall offer them up for a Burnt-offering unto the Lord. 25. Seven days shalt thou prepare every day a Goat for a Sin-offering they shall also prepare a young Bullock and a Ram out of the flock without blemish 26. Seven days shall they purge the Altar and purifie it and they shall consecrate themselves 27. And when these days are expired it shall be that upon the eighth day and so forward the Priest shall make the Burnt-offerings upon the Altar and the Peace-offerings and I will accept you saith the Lord God HAving prescribed the form of the Altar the Lâ—rd gives out to Ezekiel the Ordinances thereof the Lâ—ws and Rites which concern'd the Sacrifices and Priests shewing him what Priests he would have imployed in the service of this Altar as also what Sacrifices and how the Altar is to be purified which things extend to the 27. vers and therein the daily work and worship of the Altar is appointed Although the chief scope of this Vision be to set out the glory and greatness of the Church under the Gospel and among the Gentiles yet because the Jews at this time being in Babylon were to return unto Jerusalem therefore the Lord alludes to Ordinances Rites and Ceremonies which were well known among the Jews holding out under them the spiritual worship of the Gospel The Priests to be in the service of this Altar and to draw near to God were to be of the seed of Zadock David being on his death-bed Abiathar the High-priest sided with Adonijah the eldest Son to make him King but Zadock was for Solomon whereupon after the death of David Solomon obtaining the Kingdome Abiathar was put out of his place and Zadock made High-priest 1 King 2.36 Zadock was constant and faithful a just and upright man as his name signifies and such men were to serve at this Altar such as are constant to Christ faithful just sincere ought to be in Gospel administration and to draw near to God in these Ordinances which belong to the Gospel which differ from the Judaical Here are three sorts of Sacrifices mentioned the Burnt-offering the Sin-offering and the Peace-offering vers 18 19 27. of which and their different Rites you may read Levit. 1. per totum Levit. 6. from the 24. to the end Levit. 3. per totum with Chapt. 7. from the 11. to the 22. These Sacrificee were not sufficient to expiate sin but they were media cultus leading them unto Christ So Baptisme and the Supper are not of great validity as to purge away sin but they are means of worship leading unto Christ who onely is the expiatory Sacrifice for sin Heb. 7.27 Chap. 10.10 11 12 14. Concerning the Bullock for the Sin-offering two things are proposed 1. That the blood thereof be taken and put upon the four Horns of the Altar and upon the f ur Corners of the Settle and upon the Border round about vâ—rs 20. And the like wâ—s to be done with the Kid of the Goats vers 22. This presignified the abundant shedding of the blood of Christ which cleanseth from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 Rev. 1.5 â—nd that Christ crucified should be preached to the four corners of the earth Mat. 28.19 1 Cor. 1.23 2. This Bullock was to be burnt in the appointed place of the house without the Sanctuary which shadowed out the place of Christ's suffering as it 's written Heb. 13.11 12. The Sin-offering was burnt without the Camp Wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctifie the pe ple with his own blood suffered without the Gate even in the place appointed Luk. 23.33 As for the Burnt-offering of a young Bullock and a Ram out of the flock both without blemish the Priests were to cast salt upon them vers 23 24. In Leviticus they were commanded with all their Offerings to offer salt Chap. 2.13 Salt makes all things savory and preserveth from corruption by the heat and shâ—rpness of it and therefore salt was accounted an embleme of duration and eternity 2 Chron. 13.5 Num. 18.19 We read of a covenant of salt which notes an inviolable incorruptible and perpetual covenant Sanctius thinks salt was used in Sacrifices because it notes prudence and wisdome without which Sacrifices are unsavory Without question it notes the wholesome doctrine of the Gospel gratious words and seasonable reproofs Col. 4 6. Eph. 4.29 which are savory to God and Man This salting the Sacrifices by the Priests types out the office of Gospel Ministers who are styled by the Lord Christ The salt of the earth Mat. 9.13 and are to season others with wholsome doctrine and sharp reproofs Titus must rebuke the Cretians sharply that they may be sound in the faith Tit. 1.13 The salt of the Gospel will eat out those ill humors are in men Christ saith Mark 9.49 Every â—ne shall be salted with fire that is with the fire of the Spirit the fire of afflâ—ctions or the fire of hell and every Sacrifice shall be salted with salt that is with grace and especially the grace of mortification which will eat out and consume those lusts which are offensive to God to themselves and others and the grace of zeal which will make the affections mount up to the Lord. True Christians are sacrifices well season'd uncorrupt doctrines will make uncorrupt souls and bodies the salt makes both immortal men
in the fifteenth day of the month shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days according to the Sin-offering according to the Burnt-offering and according to the Meat-offering and according to the Oyle Passing over the feast of Pentecost without any mention thereof he comes to the feast of Tabernacles which was to begin The fifteenth day of the seventh month Levit. 23.34 And as it was in the feast of the Passover so it must be here but it was not so in the time of Moses Levit. 23.39 40. This feast of Tabernacles or Booths cannot be understood literally for there is a Prophesie in Zach. 14.16 That those left of the Nations which came against Jerusalem should come to worship the King the Lord of Hosts and to keep the feast of Tabernacles which in the litteral sense was peculiar to the Jews It figures out therefore the gathering of the elect into particular Churches in this world into which they should come and in which they should have fellowship with the Saints and partake of the grace of God By these feasts and sacrifices also we are minded of the spiritual joy the Saints have in their communion together under the Gospel and spiritual-sacrifices they offer up to God by Christ The primitive Christians continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart praising God Act. 2.46 47. CHAP. XLVI Verse 1. Thus saith the Lord God The gate of the inner Court that looketh toward the East shall he shut the six working days but on the Sabbath it shall be opened and in the days of the new-moon it shall be opened 2. And the Prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without and shall stand by the post of the gate and the Priest shall prepare his burnt-offering and his peace offering and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate Then he shall go forth but the gate shall not be shut untill the evening 3. Likewise the people of the Land shall worship at the door of this gate before the Lord in the Sabbaths and in the New-Moons 4. And the burnt-offering that the Prince shall offer unto the Lord in the Sabbath day shall be six Lambs without blemish and a Ram without blemish 5. And the meat-offering shall be an Ephah for a Ram and the meat-offering for the Lambs as he shall be able to give and an hin of oyl to an Ephah 6. And in the days of the New-Moon it shall be a young Bullock without blemish and six Lambs and a Ram and they shall be without blemish 7. And he shall prepare a meat-offering an Ephah for a Bullock and an Ephah for a Ram and for the Lambs according as his hand shall attain unto and an hin of oyl to an Ephah 8. And when the Prince shall enter he shall go in by the way of the porch of that gate and he shall go forth by the way thereof THis fourty sixth Chapter contains 1. Ordinances about several gates the Prince and Peoples going in and out by them with their Oblations and Worship from the beginning to Verse 16. 2. Certain Laws are laid down concerning the Princes gifts unto his Sons and Servants in the 16 17 and 18 Verses 3. A description of the Courts and places where the Priests and Levites were to boil and prepare the Sacrifices from the beginning of Verse 19. to the end of the Chapter The first Verse speaks of the East-gate in the inner Court that was the gate next to the Temple By this gate the glory of the Lord came into the Temple Chap. 43.1 2 4. and it was to be kept shut all the six working days and onely to be opened on Sabbaths and New-Moons In Chap. 44. we have the reason why it was to be kept shut ver 2. Thus saith the Lord This gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no man shall enter in by it because the Lord the God of Israel hath entred by it therefore it shall be shut That is for the Prince c. and here it is The Prince shall enter by the way c. The things here required are not to be found in the Mosaical Law they represented things under the Gospel that Jewish Worship should go down when Christ appeared in the flesh The shutting of the gate the six working days tells us that on those days we are to follow our callings and earn our daily bread Christianity doth not open a door to idleness We command and exhort saith Paul that with quietness men work and eat their own bread 2 Thess 3.12 Under Moses God allowed them six days to work Exod. 20.9 and the same allowance they have under the Gospel Luke 13.14 Some pervert Gods Order and make all days alike either all working days or all Sabbaths resting days but God hath distinguished them As there be working days wherein we must not rest so there be Sabbaths wherein we must not Work The opening of the gate on Sabbath days and New-Moons signifies unto us that the gate of Heaven is open unto us when we have solemn and publique Meetings on the Lords day and other special occasions to worship God When all the Disciples were gat together to serve and seek God then came a sound from Heaven and the Spirit fell upon them like fiery tongues Acts 2. So when Peter preached unto the great multitude the gate of Heaven was opened and power came down from above to convert three thousand ver 41. So when there was a solemn Meeting in the Centurions house the Word being preached by Peter the gate of Heaven was opened and the Holy Ghost fell on all that heard the Word Acts 10.44 Such times are times of grace and mercy God opens Heaven and gives out blessings These six days may denote the term of mans life here which is a time of labour and sorrow Job 5.7 and 14.1 He tumbles or is tumbled up and down from condition to condition and hath no rest but at the end of his life Heaven gate is opened and he hath a Sabbath an eternal rest where is no labour sin nor sorrowing Heb. 4.9 10. Then the gate of the inner Court is opened unto him and then he shall see as he is seen and know as he is known 1 John 3.2 1 Cor. 13.12 Here we see and know little and that little darkly as in a glass but then shall we see clearly and know perfectly the mysteries of this and other Visions and things The second Verse tells us of the Prince his entring by the way of the porch and standing by the post of the gate where he was to worship but come into the Court he might not If we understand this of the Secular Prince four things are here considerable 1. That the Prince must not enter into the inner Court he must not meddle with the Priestly Office or things of
in Summer and heat of the body in hot weather Many bathe themselves in the water to cool them Dives begg'd a little water to cool his tongue Luke 16.24 The waters of the Gospel have a cooling vertue in them they cool the heat of persecution Mat. 5.11 12. they cool the heat of our passions James 3.20 Mat. 5.22 they cool the heat of temptations Rom. 16.20 1 Cor. 10.13 James 12.12 they cool the heat of our lusts 1 Pet. 2.11 Rom. 8.13 1 Tim. 6.9 10. they cool the scorchings of a guilty Conscience and fire of Hell Matth. 12.31 and 11.28 1 John 1.7 4. Water makes the earth fruitful When they wanted rain there was barrenness and famine Jer. 14. but when they had the former and latter rain all things flourished and abounded Ezek. 34.26 27. I will cause the shower to come down in his season there shall be showers of blessings and the tree of the field shall yield her fruit c. Litterally these words are true and spiritually also and set out the fruitfulness of those who were to live under the sweet showers of Gospel Doctrine They should be like a watered garden Jer. 31.12 The doctrine of the Lord is as the rain and dew which falling upon the tender herbs and grass causes them to grow Deut. 32.1 When Zacheus was watered with this water he became very fruitful and gave half of his goods to the poor Luke 19.8 others sold all and laid the money down at the Apostles feet Acts 4.35 They were abundant in love and in good works 5. Water quencheth thirst satisfies and revives the thirsty soul It was their drink in the infancy of the World and is still in some hot Countreys Sampson when like to perish for thirst having some water out of the jaw-bone of an Ass he revived and was satisfied Judg. 15.18 19. The waters of the Gospel have this property also when the soul is a thirst there is no water quenceth that thirst but the water of life which the Gospel sheweth and conveyeth unto us The Gospel hath this water of life in it Christ and the Spirit which it makes men partakers of The great and precious promises are satisfying things the righteousness and Spirit of Christ are satisfying and reviving things Peter found it so when he said to Christ Lord to whom should we go thou hast the words of eternal life Let others go to what Brooks Pits or Cisterns they will to quench their thirst we will never go from thee who hast the words of eternal life who art the Fountain of living Waters and canst satisfie us for ever John 6.68 This Water quencheth unlawful desires and satisfieth Spiritual desires 6. Some waters have a curing and healing vertue The Pool of Bethesdah healed all manner of diseases Joh. 5.4 There be waters in our Land which have healing vertue in them Such be the waters here mentioned for they healed other waters v. 8. Gospel waters will heal sick souls and bodies The Centurion said to Christ Lord speak thou but the wâ—rd onely and my servant shall be healed and it was so Mat. Mat. 8.8 13. Christ cast out Devils with his word and healed all that were sick ver 16. The Gospel is not onely a pattern of wholesome words but of healing words also there is no spiritual disease in the soul but the Gospel hath healing vertue to cure it therefore it is called the Gospel of Salvation Ephes 1.13 and the power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 7. Some waters are very cordial and do greatly comfort the spirits of man None more then the waters of the Gospel by which the Spirit the true solid eternal Comforter flows into the heart The Gospel and good things of it are set out by Water Milk and Wine Isa 55.1 all which are comforting things The Gospel is glad-tidings and affords strong and everlasting consolation to the soul 2 Thess 2.16 2 Cor. 3.5 Jeremiah saith the Word of God was the joy and rejoycing of his soul chap. 15.16 David professes he had perished in his affliction had he not drunk of these Cordial Waters Psalm 119.92 To come to those Observations which we may pick out of these Verses Observ 1. That as it is Christ who makes known the things of the Temple so he doth the same not all at once but he makes known some at one time some at another Formerly Christ had revealed much to the Prophet and here he brings him again to the door of the House and shews him waters he had not seen before We are not capable of much at once like children we must have line upon line precept upon precept here a little and there a little Ezekiel is instructed a little in one place and a little in another place as he was capable So Christ the wise and chief Builder of the Temple deals with him and revealed one thing after another unto him and so he dealt with his Disciples John 16.12 Observ 2. The waters of the Gospel the gifts and graces of the Spirit do flâ—w from Sion from Jerusalem where Ezekiel had his vision Chap. 40.2 The bitter waters of the Law flowed from Mount Sinai but the sweet waters of the Gospel flowed from Mount Sion Isaiah long before prophesied whence these waters should come Isa 2.3 Out of Sion shall go forth the Law that is the Law of Faith not of Works and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem So in Zach. 14.8 And it shall be in that day that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem half of them towards the former sea that is East-ward and half of them towards the hinder sea that is West-ward In Summer and in Winter shall it be there shall be no time wherein these Jerusalem-waters shall cease flowing It is not Rome or any other City in the World which hath the honor to send out these waters but Jerusalem onely where was the true Church of God Observ 3. These spiritual waters although they flowed from Sion and Jerusalem yet Christ himself was the Fountain and Original of them they came from the door and threshold of the house Christ tells us He is the the door John 10.7 All spiritual water is in him all Heavenly Doctrine all gifts and graces When the Spirit moved holy men to speak as it is 2 Pet. 1.21 it received of Christ and shewed unto them John 16.14 and all the waters which flowed from the Apostles they received from Christ The Spirit was given them to fill their vessels and fitted them to carry these living waters from Jerusalem to all parts Acts 2.8 and Christ sent them forth to preach the Gospel all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in him Col. 2.3 and he that believes in him receives living waters from him all gifts graces and divine truths are from him The waters of the Sanctuary flow from the Lord of the Sanctuary Observ 4. God would not have his Worshippers to conform to and comply with the
an honor to the place where they grow Observ 4. True Christians are always fruitful and nothing can hinder their fruitfulness They are trees that bring forth fruit according to their moneths and seasons neither heat nor cold doth blast their leaves no wind or weather doth consume their fruit but they go on and are fat and flourishing and still bring forth fruit in old age Psal 92.14 they are daily adding to their faith vertue to their vertue knowledge to their knowledge temperance to their temperance patience to their patience godliness to their godliness brotherly kindeness and to that charity These things are in true Saints and abound in them 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8. The Corinthians abounded in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 Christians must always profess godliness and always practice it their leaf must always be green and their fruit always ripe there should not be a day or an hour wherein they should not be doing good or ready to do good and bear new fruit Jer. 17.8 Observ 5. The true cause of fruitfulness and such fruitfulness in Christians is the Doctrine and Grace of the Gospel Every tree brought forth fruit according to his moneth because the waters issued out of the Sanctuary Other waters had not such vertue such efficacy in them those sit under the heavenly dews and droppings of the Gospel they feel the influences of the Spirit they are most fruitful Observ 6. The holy profession and gracious language of true Saints are medicinable they heal the sores and bruises of sinners Their examples their savoury speeches do good like a medicine Prov. 12.18 The tongue of the wise is health and Prov. 15.4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life it yields good fruit And Women who are gratious win their husbands to the faith 1 Pet. 3.1 2. by their examples and good conversations and so they are healed and brought to Christ their leaves are for medicine Verse 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. Thus saith the Lord God This shall be the border whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve Tribes of Israel Joseph shall have two portions And ye shall inherit it one as well as another Concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers And this land shall fall unto you for inheritance And this shall be the border of the land toward the North-side from the great Sea the way of Hethlon as men go to Zedad Hamath Berothah Sibraim which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath Hazar Hatticon which is by the coast of Hauran And the border from the Sea shall be Hazar-enan the border of Damascus and the North Northward and the border of Hamath and this is the North-side And the East-side ye shall measure from Hauran and from Damascus and from Gilead and from the land of Israel by Jordan from the border unto the East Sea and this is the East-side And the South-side Southward from Tamar even to the waters of Strife in Kadesh the River to the great Sea and this is the South-side Southward The West-side also shall be the great Sea from the border till a man come over against Hamath this is the West-side So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the Tribes of Israel And it shall come to pass that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you and to the strangers that sojourn among you which shall beget children among you and they shall be unto you as born in the Countrey among the children of Israel they shall have inheritance with you among the Tribes of Israel And it shall come to pass that in what Tribe the stranger sojourneth there shall ye give him his inheritance saith the Lord God THese Verses are the second part of the Chapter and contain 1. The bordering of the Land from ver 13. to ver 21. 2. The dividing of it from verse 21. to the end Something was said of the Land Chap. 45. and here that subject is proceeded in Verse 13. speaks in the general and saith the order whereby they were to inherit the Land must be according to the twelve Tribes of Israel East West North and South It is true that Levi had no border no possession Ezek. 44.28 yet twelve lots are spoken of because the Sons of Joseph Ephraim and Manasseh come in for portions Josh 14.4 The children of Joseph were two Tribes Manasseh and Ephraim therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the Land See Josh 17.17 18. 1 Chron. 5.12 They had two portions the Hebrew is Lines because the portions were measured out by lines Verse 14. And ye shall inherit it one as well as another The Hebrew for one as well as another is a man as his Brother which is usual among the Hebrews For when they speak of two or more in the masculine gender they say vir frater ejus and when they speak of two or more in the faeminin gender they say uxor soror ejus the sense here is that they should all aequo jure possess the Land and each Tribe have an equal portion which differs much from the division made of old for Numb 33.54 Ye shall divide the Land by lot for an inheritance among the families and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance And if we grant with some that it was so here that a greater portion of land was given to the greater Tribe yet it is conceived from these words of Ezekiel that every one in each Tribe had an equal portion which was not so of old Concerning the which I lifed up mine hand to give it c. Of the Lords lifting up his hand mention was made Ezek. 20.56 15.28.42 and 36.7 and 44.12 and it notes Gods swearing that he would give the Land of Canaan unto their Fathers as Exod. 6.8 I will bring you in unto the Land concerning which I did swear to give it to Abraham to Isaak and Jacob the Hebrew is I did lift up my hand Vers 15. This shall be the border of the land toward the North-side from c. He describes first the borders of the whole Land and so makes way to the division of it more particularly He begins with the North border which was from that part of the great Sea viz. the Mediterranean Sea which lay Northward and so proceeded to Mount Hor and from thence to Hamah and so to Zedad-Ziphron and terminated in Hozar-enan Numb 34.7 8 9. which was in the North-East In this description of the Northern border more Towns are mentioned then in Numbers as Hethlon Berothah Sibraim Hazer Hatticon Henram and Damascus but the extension is the same from the great Sea to Hazar-enan ver 15 16 17. The East border is laid down ver 18. and that is that space which lies between Hauran Damascus Gilead and the Land of
be Jehovah Shammah he will uphold and preserve that building Matth. 16.18 Vpon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail In ecclesia est Deus qui est suum esse omnium rerum esse praeservare He is the keeper of Israel Ps 121.4 I will keep this city from being besieged stormed or plundered 4. His making himself and his mind known in an especial manner as he did to Moses Exod. 6.3 I appeared to Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty but by my name Jehovah was I not known unto them but unto Moses he was known by that name and imparted his mind unto him above others So shall it be in this city Isa 11.9 The earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah Isa 52.6 My people shall know my name Isa 60.16 Thou shalt know that is the Church that the Lord I Jehovah am thy Saviour They in Judah Israel Salem and Sion had other knowledge of God and his Name then the Nations had and they of this city shall have peculiar knowledge of God what others had in the ear they shall have in the eye what others had in the head they shall have in the heart Christ will make great and glorious discoveries of himself and of his mind unto the citizens of this city Rev. 11.19 The temple of God was opened in Heaven and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of the Testament Christ is the Temple of God and his Temple was opened in Heaven that is the Church frequently called Heaven in this Book of the Revelation The Ark in the Old Testament-Temple which had the Table of the Law and the pot of Manna in it typed out Christ the Gospel and mysteries thereof which held out that Christ the spiritual Ark shall not be hid Jehovah Shammah God is present in Christ and Christ will so open himself to this city that himself Father and mysteries of the Gospel will be more plain and manifest then ever 5. His ruling and governing of this City and it s a happy city which hath Jehovah Christ the King of Righteousness to govern it Zech. 14.9 Jehovah shall be King over all the earth and in that day there shall be one Lord not many Lords but one Lord even the Lord Jesus Christ Ezek. 37.22 One King shall be King to them all to all the converted Jews and Gentiles which make this city of God Zech. 6.13 it is said of Christ there that he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall hear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his Throne Christ shall bear the glory not onely for building the Temple and the city but also for ruling because he will rule righteously and faithfully to the satisfaction of all Isa 11.5 Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins and faithfulness the girdle of his reins This girdle he never puts off but is girt therewith always shewing his readiness to be faithful and righteous in his government 6. The pouring out of his Spirit Jehovah is there to pour that out more fully what men had formerly was onely the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.23 A few had it poured out upon them but then will be a more plentiful effusion all the Citizens of this City shall be filled with the Spirit Zech. 12.8 He that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God and the Angel of the Lord before them then shall the weakest by the Spirit of Christ abound in gifts and graces and be as David who excelled all in his days and his house shall be as God that is full of the Spirit or as the Angels that is having such grace qualities and estimation 7. The making the City and Citizens honorable and glorious then shall it be the renowned royal and golden City guilded with the beams of Christs glorious presence from the head commeth glory to the body A Wife shineth radiis mariti Christ gloria patris sui and this City with the glory and beauty of Christ His presence made the glory of the latter Temple and City greater then the glory of the former and this presence in this Temple and City will make the glory of it grrater then that of the larter Temple and City for then he was there in a state of humiliation but he shall not be so in this he will be in his reigning state and his citizens will be honorable Zech. 9.16 They shall be as the stones of a Crown lifted up not as common stones but as the stones of a Crown and not as stones of a Crown falling to the earth but as stones of a Crown lifted up to be put on the head of a King O quanta dignitas horum civium How great is the honour of these Citizens They are brought in Rev. 5.10 speaking of it themselves Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the earth And this is not all the honour for besides this they shall have every one three honourable names for Christ Rev. 3.12 will write upon them the name of his God and the name of the City of God and his own new name 8. The keeping them in unity and love The Citizens shall then be of one minde Zech. 14.9 In that day there shall be one Lord and his name one the invocation and Worship of his Name shall be one then shall that be fulfilled Zeph. 3.9 Then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent The Hebrew is with One shoulder A metaphor taken ftom Oxen in the Yoke which draw together as with one shoulder so these Citizens shall joyntly and unanimously knit together and worship the Lord Christ There shall be no Schisms names of distinction as now there are far if when Christ left the World the Saints were all of one heart Act. 2.32 Much more so shall it be in this City when Christ shall be in the midst thereof and guide them by his Spirit into all truth 9. These words Jehovah Shammah import the great delight the Lord will take in this City and the Citizens threof in the Church and members thereof Isa 60.4 She shall be called Hephzi-bah that is my delight is in her Then it will appear the Church is his pleasant portion Jer. 12.10 And the dearly beloved of his soul Verse 7. His glory Isa 46.13 The throne of his glory Jer. 14.21 Yea the crown of his glory Isa 62.3 He will delight in them to do them good to communicate himself unto them Revel 7.15 16 17. He that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat For the Lamb which it in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall