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
before the Lord from one New-moon to another and from one Sabbath to another intimating thereby that God in times of the Gospel would accept of true and spiritual Worship performed in the name of Christ in all places and at all times as he did the Jewish VVorship at Jerusalem and on the Solemn Feast days Or these New-moon days and Sacrifices may point out the renewing of the Church and the joy thereupon The Church after Christs time was oft in the wane in a suffering and declining condition but when it hath rest edification comfort and multiplication Acts 9.31 then its New-moon with it and in a short time it becomes fair as the Moon Cant. 6.10 and shall be fill'd with light and joy as saith Isaiah Chap. 60.20 The eighth Verse is an Ordinance about the Princes going in by the porch of the gate and going out by the same way There were divers gates to enter into the inner Court by the North-gate the South-gate as well as the East-gate and this gate was both for the Prince and the Priests to go in and out at Hence two things are observable 1. That Princes are to walk according to Divine Appointment especially in matters of VVorship they must look unto God who hath prescribed the way they should walk in it had been sinful for them to have gone to the North-gate or South-gate and worshipped their Princes must not do ought of their own wills in the things of God It might seem a bondage to be tied up to the East-gate onely and never to have ingress and egress at the other but however Princes themselves must be subject to the Ordinances of Heaven 2. That Princes and Priests Magistrates and Ministers should mutually minde and care for the things of God countenance and encourage one another therein and each put to their helping hand to preserve the purity and power of Religion VVhen the Pavers go one way and the true Ministers of God another way Religion doth not shine when Josiah and the Priests went together hand in hand one way then there was great Reformation in Israel the VVorship of God was pure and Religion did flourish Supposing this Prince to be the Lord Christ whose ingress and egress was at the same gate then it notes his coming from Heaven and returning thither again according to that of John 6.62 and 3.31 and 16.28 Acts 1.11 Verse 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. But when the people of the land shall come before the Lord in the solemn Feasts he that entreth in by the way of the North-gate to worship shall go out by the way of the South-gate and he that entreth by the way of the South-gate shall go forth by the way of the North-gate he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in but shall go forth over against it And the Prince in the midst of them when they go in shall go in and when they go forth shall go forth And in the Feasts and Solemnities the meat-offering shall be an Ephah to a Bullock and an Ephah to a Ram and to the Lambs as he is able to give and an hin of oyl to an Ephah Now when the Prince shall prepare a voluntary burnt-offering or peace-offering voluntarily unto the Lord one shall then open the gate unto him that looketh towards the East and he shall prepare his burnt-offering â—nd his peace-offerings as he did on the Sabbath day Then he shall go forth and after his going forth one shall shut the gate Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt-offering unto the Lord of a Lamb of the first year without blemish thou shalt prepare it every morning or as the Hebrew morning by morning And thou shalt prepare a meat-offering for it every morning the sixth part of an Ephah and the third part of an hin of oyl to temper with the fine flower a meat-offering continually by a perpetual Ordinance unto the Lord. Thus shall they prepare the Lamb and the meat-offering and the oyl every morning for a continual burnt-offering THe ninth Verse contains an Ordinance concerning the peoples coming to and departing from the publique Worship they must not come to the East-gate but the side-gates the North and South they might and this order they were to observe viz. to go out at that gate was over against the gate they came in at he that entred by the North-gate must go out by the South-gate and he that entred by the South-gate must go out by the North-gate Hence observe 1. The Lord expects not onely Prince and Priests to worship him in a publique way but the people also When the people of the land shall come before the Lord in the solemn Feasts God looks not for great ones learned ones rich ones but all sorts and all of all sorts to come before him to acknowledge him to be their God Creâ—tor and Law-giver he is honored by the worship of the meaner if sincere as well as by the worship of â—â—e Prince or Priest he is no respecter of persons 2. That the way of Gods servants is a strait and right-forth way There is no crookedness in it Isa 26.7 the way of the just is uprightness there is no turning aside to the temptation of Satan to the beggarly elements of the world to the inticing delights of the flesh or any vanity whatsoever That soul that is in Gods way must not look back to Sodom as Lots wife did and suffer for it but it must go forward Matthew being called from the receit of Custom into the way of Christ Mat. 9.9 might not return but follow Christ For whosoever puts his hand to the plough and looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God Luke 9.62 Such an one must not look back to his old courses customs company principles or errours but leaving them must go strait on in the way of God from darkness to light from imperfection to perfection Those that come to be the Lords servants must continue in his service and perfect holiness in his fear 2 Cor. 7.1 Heb. 12.1 2 3. Phil. 3.13 14. 3. The shortness of mans life is here represented unto us he enters into the world goes on a little way and then goes out of it again So that mans life is quasi transitus quidam a porta una ad alteram they came in at a North-gate went on a little while and a little way and then went out at a South-gate c. it s no long passage from the doors of the womb to the gates of death Psal 103.15 16 Job 14.1 2. The tenth Verse is an Ordinance for the Prince shewing when he is to come to the publique Worship and when he is to depart from it When the people go in at the gate appointed for them then must he go in at the gate appointed for him and so when they go out he must go out Those words In the midst of them are not to be taken as if the Prince
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
Burdens Tributes and Taxes are laid upon people by oppressing Princes and Rulers when I shall break there the Yoaks of Egypt The Rulers of Egypt decreed unrighteous things opprest the men of Tehaphnehes suckt their blood by hard Rates and Taxes burdened them with difficult and dangerous Services and made them groan under their Yoaks as they did so do the Princes and Rulers of most Nations in the world but as they have their times to make and increase such yoaks upon the people so God hath his time to take them off Levit. 26.13 I have broken the bands of your yoak and made you to go upright The Jews were under the Egyptian Yoak a long time but at last he break the bands of the Yoak those Laws Decrees that kept them in Egypt held them to hard labor causing them to stoop and made them free so that they could go upright Bondage makes men to bow but Liberty to go upright Heavy burdens upon people make them sigh presse them down to the Earth and when they are eased they rejoyce and look up It s God breaks the Yoaks off whoever puts them on Isa 10.27 It shall come to pass in that day that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulders and his Yoak from off thy neck and the Yoak shall be destroyed because of the anointing The King of Assyriâ—s Burdens and Yokes lay heavy and hard upon the Jewish State but for Hezekiahs sake or rather Christs who is called the anointing he would break the Yoaks and take off the Burdens Fifthly observe God makes some Nations exemplarie with his judgments Thus will I execute Judgments in Egypt thus as becomes me a provoked God thus as an Idolatrous profane guilty Nation deserves thus as themselves and all Nations round about shall know that I am the Lord they shall see that in my Judgements which shall convince them that no hand but mine could do such things take such Strong Holds ruine so many Cities and lay waste such a land as Egypt was Some Lands are Theaters of Gods severe Judgements we have been made Monuments of Gods choice Mercies wonderfull Deliverances Let us fear the Lord and his Goodness least he turn our Mercies into Judgments Vers 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. And it came to pass in the Eleventh year in the First Month in the Seventh day of the Month that the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man I have broken the Arm of Pharaoh King of Egypt and loe it shall not be bound up to be healed to put a Roler to binde it to make it strong to hold the Sword Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold I am against Pharaoh King of Egypt and will break his Arms the strong and that which was broken and I will cause the Sword to fall out of his hand And I will scatter the Egyptians among the Nations and will disperse them through the Countrys And I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon and put my Sword in his hand but I will break Pharaohs Arms and he shall groan before him with the groaning of a deadly wounded man But I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon and the Arms of Pharaoh shall fall down and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall put my sword into the hand of the King of Babylon and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt And I will scatter the Egyptians among the Nations and disperse them among the countries and they shall know that I am the Lord. THese seven Verses are the second general part of the Chapter and Treat of two great Kings Pharaoh King of Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon Concerning Pharaoh two things are threatned against him First Diminution of his power vers 21 22 24. Secondly Dispersion of his people vers 23.26 Concerning Nebuchadnezzar he is the instrument God will use and promiseth to strengthen in doing his work vers 24 25. and both these are illustrated from the Chronologie of this Prophesie Vers 20. In the Eleventh year in the First month the seventh day of the month That was in the Eleventh year of Jehoiakins Captivity the First month and the seventh day Ezekiel had this Prophesie given in it was three months and two days before the takeing of Jerusalem Jer. 52.5 6. for it was taken the Eleventh year the Fourth Month and the ninth day This Prophesie though it be set after that in chap. 29.17 yet was sixteen year before it The Penmen of the Scriptures do not exactly observe the order where every thing should come in among the Psalms you have the third Psalm which was made at that time when David fled from Absolom set before the 34 51 56 57 59 60. and others which were made before that as appears by their Titles Vers 21. I have broken the Arm of Pharaoh King of Egypt By Arme the forces and power Pharaoh had are intended Vatablus saith the Preter Tense is here put for the Future Tense I have broken that is I will break but Pharaoh had his arme broken before when the Babylonian forces beat him and his Army by the River Euphrates in Charchemish which was in the fourth year of Jehoiakim Jer 46.2 And at that time he took from him all that he had between Nilus and Euphrates 2 Kings 24.7 which was the breaking of his Arme and such a breaking as it could not be cured But notwithstanding this breaking Pharaoh got up forces again and when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem he came forth out of Egypt whereupon Nebuchadnezzar raised his Siege went to meet Pharaoh and caused him to retreat Jer. 37.5 7. as having a broken arm and not being able to encounter with him And loe it shall not be bound up to be healed c. That wound and loss which Pharaoh received by overthrow of his army he never could cure and recover neither his own people nor his Confederates could set him into his former condition he is here resembled to a broken Arme which cannot be bound up or if bound up not be healed so as to be usefull any more Pharaoh could never recover his strength and greatness again Vers 22. Behold I am against Pharaoh King of Egypt Here is the cause of Pharaohs breakings his not binding up and healing the Lord was against him not only the Babylonians and Cyreneans were his enemies but the Lord himself when he breaks in pieces who shall bind up when he wounds who shall heal when he is an Enemie who can stand before him The Loâ—d makes himself Author of all the Judgements fell upon Pharaoh And will break his Arms the strong and that which was broken Pharaohs Arms were Egypt and those Territories he had from Egypt to Euphrates His Arme was broken already by the Babylonians as you have it before One Arm yet remain'd and that is call'd a strong one viz. Egypt with all her strength This Arm God break by the
to pass in the Twelfth year in the Twelfth month in the First day of the month that the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man take up a lamentation for Pharoah King of Aegypt and say unto him Thou art like a young Lyon of the Nations and thou art as a Whale in the seas and thou camest forth with thy rivers and troubledst the waters with thy feet and fouledst their rivers Thus saith the Lord God I will therefore spread out my net over thee with a company of many people and they shall bring thee up in my net Then will I leave thee upon the Land I will cast thee forth upon the open field and will cause all the fowls of the Heavens to remain upon thee and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains and fill the valleys with thy height I will also water with thy blood the Land wherein thou swimmest even to the mountains and the rivers shall be full of thee And when I shall put thee out I will cover the Heaven and make the stars thereof dark I will cover the Sun with a cloud and the moon shall not give her Light All the bright lights of Heaven will I make dark over thee and set darknesse upon thy Land saith the Lord God I will also vex the hearts of many people when I shall bring thy destruction among the Nations into the Countreys which thou hast not known Yea I will make many people amazed at thee and their Kings shall be horribly afraid for thee when I shall brandish my sword before them and they shall tremble at every moment every man for his own life in the day of thy fall THis Chapter is of the nature of the three former and contains in it two Prophesies both of them against Pharoah and the Egyptians The 1. Is from the beginning to the 17. vers 2. From the 17. to the end of the Chapter In the first of these we have First The time of the prophesie vers 1. Secondly The Tyranny and cruelty of Pharoah vers 2. set out by way of lamentation Thirdly Gods judgements against him declared in an allegoricall way ver 3 4 5 6. Fourthly The events thereupon which are 1. Darkness vers 7 8. 2. Vexation vers 9. 3. Astonishment fear and trembling Vers 1. And it came to passe in the twelfth year in the twelâ—th month in the first day of the month This was not in the time of Zedekiah who reigned but eleven years It was in the twelfth year of Jehoiachims captivity the twelfth month and first day not long after the taking of Jerusalem and burning it with fire The Lord gave out this Prophesie then that the Jews might be taken off from trusting in the Egyptians having cause sufficient to believe that Ezekiels prophesies against them should be made good as well as Jeremies against themselves for it was the same Spirit which breathed in them both and that they might reap some comfort after their sufferings in considering God would deal so roundly with the Egyptians who had deceived them Vers 2. Take up a lamentation for Pharoah King of Egypt Take up a lamentable prophesie declare what sad things are coming upon Pharoah whether the Prophet were to lament for the destruction of Pharoah and the Egyptians is questionable for he and they had oppressed others deceived the Jewes and these judgements of God coming upon them for their wickedness were just and righteous and so matter of rejoycing yet because he was to utter dreadfull and lamentable things rejoycing became him not but he was to be affected sutable to the matter delivered Thou art like a young Lyon of the Nations Wherein Tyrannical Kings and Princes are like unto young Lyons hath been shewed in the 19. Chapter The meaning of these words is that look what a Lyon is among the beasts of the fields and woods viz terrible and cruel the same was Pharoah among the Nations Young Lyons are fierce and devoure their prey with greedinesse so are young Tyrants And thou art as a Whale in the Seas In the 29. ch ver 3. Pharoah is call'd Hattannim the Dragon or Crocodile here Cattannim as the Whale it s Tannim in both places and signifies a Dragon Whale or Sea-monster and such as a Whale is in the Seas viz troublesome dreadfull and devouring such was Pharoah on the deeps a Lyon at Land a Whale at Sea His Dominion was large and where-ever it was he minded the prey And thou camest forth with thy Rivers The Septuagint have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Vulgar following render Ventelabas cornu in fluminibus tuis Thou didst horn it in thy Rivers the Whale spouts waters so out at her Nostrils that falling it makes a kind of horn and Pharoah digging or cutting Rivers out of Nilus they were winding like a Horn. Those are for this sense Devine Tagach in the Text from Nagach which is to strike with the Horn or Lascivire cornu and so Vatablus turns the word Lascivisti in fluminibus tuis thou hast tumbled up and down and sported thy self in thy Rivers and waters Others derive the word Tagach from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to come forth or cause to come forth thou didst invite other Nations to revolt from Nebuchadnezzar or thou didst come forth with thy people and trouble other Nations with invasions and wars And troubledst the waters with thy feet and fowledst their rivers He troubled all at home and all abroad as the Whale or Crocodile troubles the Seas and the Rivers and lets not the Fish be quiet any where they mud the Rivers make the waters boyle so did this Egyptian Pharoah he was like Nilus which had turbidas aquas troublesome waters He troubled the waters when he constrained the people to leave their own Land and to go up to Carchemish by Euphrates Jer. 46.2 and as they went they must needs fowl the Rivers make their comforts as dead and uselesse First Observe That times of publique calamities are specially to be noted Ezekiel sets down the year month and day when the Lord told him what dreadfull things should befall Pharoah and the Egyptians In the twelfth year the twelfth month the first day of the month he must take up a lameâ—tation Gods judgements sometimes are lasting and the duration of them cannot be known unlesse the beginning of them be taken notice of Secondly Observe Lamentations for the sins and destructions of others is from the Lord. Son of man take up a lamentation for Pharoah King of Egypt The Prophet took it not up of himself but at the command of the Lord. Chap. 19.1 God bid him take up a lamentation for the Princes of Israel Chap. 27.2 He is injoyn'd to take up a lamentation for Tyrus Chap 28.12 He must take up one for the King of Tyrus Lamentations for Princes and states are at Gods appointment Proâ—hets are
the 30. vers to the end Vers 1. Again the word of the Lord came unto me saying Vers 2. Son of man speak unto the children of thy people Ezekiel being taken off by the Lord from prophesying to the Jews Ch 24.27 he was imployed two years upwards in prophesying to other Nations as appears by comparing Ch 24.1 with Ch. 32.1 having done with them here he is Cōmission'd again to prophesie to the Jews Son of man speak unto thy people cease now to speak any more to the Nations which are strangers to thee speak to thine own people to the Jews which are of the same root stock and kinred with thy self The Hebrew is to the sons of thy people It s observable God saith not to the children of my people or to the Jews but to thy people God did disown them they were so stubborn and disobedient that he would not acknowledge them for his Oft in this prophesie they are call'd Ezekiels people Chap 3.11 Chap 13.17 and four times in this Chapter in this 2. vers the 12.17 30. in all these verses its the children of thy people When the Jews sinned that grievous sin in making the Calf God disown'd them and said to Moses Go get thee down for thy people have corrupted themselves Exod 32.7 Sin makes breaches between the nearest relations and causes God to disown his own people and his own institutions Isa 1.14 The new Moons and the appointed Feasts my soul hateth When I bring the sword upon a Land By sword is meant war and the evils do attend it as Chap. 6.3 14.17 29.8 30.4 32.11 The Hebrew is thus A Land when I shall bring upon it the sword here is a Nominative Case viz Erez put absolute and Sanctius saith when a Pronoun follows that Nominative must be put in the place and Case of the Pronoun as our translation hath done saying I will bring a sword not upon it but upon the Land Land is not put for Judaea but indefinitely for any Land If the people of the Land take a man of their Coasts and set him for their watchman When a Land is in danger of being invaded the peoples care is to chose out one or other to set him in some eminent place for a watchman Montanus and the Vulgar render the word Mikzehem de novissimis suis They take one of the lowest and meanest rank but Katzah notes the border and extream part of a Land or any other thing It s better as our translation hath it a man of their Coasts or borders where the enemy was like to make his first approach A watchman Tzopheh is from Tzaphah which is accurately to observe to open the eyes and fixedly to behold an object and take special notice thereof so is a watchman to do 2 Sam. 13.34 The young man that kept the watch lift up his eyes and looked and behold there came much people He did not barely look but lift up his eyes and looked he made an accurate observation So 2 Sam. 18.24 The watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall and lift up his eyes and looked and behold a man running alone he put forth himself to the utmost to make a discovery his eyes were intent upon it Vers 3. If when he seeth the sword come upon the Land c. This verse sets out the office of the watchman which is 1. To look diligently about him whether there be any danger approaching any enemy neer at hand coming to invade or make attempts against the Land 2. If so he is to blow the Trumpet presently and to give warning thereof stirring up all to procure publique safety He blow the Trumpet The Hebrew word to blow is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Takah which signifies to fasten but when it s joyn'd with the word Manus it notes to strike the hand or strike hands when with the word Shophar a Trumpet it signifies to blow as 2 Sam 2.28 Joab blew a Trumpet so 1 Sam. 13.3 Saul blew the Trumpet and Joel 2.1 Blow the Trumpet in Zion Trumpets of old were made of the horns of Beasts of Brasse and Silver And warn the people The blowing of the Trumpet was a warning to the people to look to themselves but this warning was not only by the voice of the Trumpet but also by the voice of the watchman for having blown the Trumpet upon the discovery and approach of an enemy the watchman was to shift for his life and liberty by returning to his people and so to call upon them to provide for publique safety The word in Hebrew for warning is Zahar which signifies to shine illuminate and metaphorically to warn because when a man is warned he is instructed and hath light given in unto him Vers 4. Then whosoever heareth the sound of the Trumpet and taketh not warning if the sword come and take him away Many are so taken up with the world that though they hear of danger at hand yet they will not hear but venture so long that they are caught the sword comes and takes them away The Hebrew is he that hearing heareth His bloud shall be upon his own head He hath no cause to blame the watchman he blew the Trumpet and warned him the fault is in himself that he took not the warning that he made not haste to secure his own life he is guilty of his own death and hath voluntarily brought it upon himself the whole fault is his own that is the meaning of this phrase His bloud shall be upon him or upon his own head which is frequent in Scripture Josh 2.19 It shall be that whosoever goeth out of the doors of thy house into the street his bloud shall be upon his head and we will be guiltlesse that is he shall be guilty of his own death not we 1 Kings 2.37 On the day thou goest out and passest over the Brook Kidron thou shalt surely dye thy bloud shall be upon thine own head thou shalt be the cause of thine own death not I said Solomon to Shimei Vers 5. He heard the sound of the Trumpet and took not warning his bloud shall be upon him Here the reason is given why he is guilty of his own death because he was within the sound of the Trumpet he heard it that proclaimed the danger was at hand but he was secure minding his profit or pleasure and took not warning But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul He that gives heed to the blowing of the Trumpet and presently hastens into the City or flyes for his life he shall deliver his soul from the hands of the enemies coming he shall be safe the word for to deliver is from Malat which signifies fuga sibi Consulere to provide for ones self by flight saith Avenarius he doth so deliver his soul that is himself for soul here is put by a Synecdoche for a mans selfe Vers 6. But if the watchman
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
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
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
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
toward his servants and his indignation towards his enemies God will put a difference between his people and his enemies for the one he will put forth his power for their good and for the other he will let out his indignation for their destruction Thirdly Observe God takes notice how the hearts of men stand towards his people whether they love them or hate them Esau and his posterity hated Jacob and his posterity and this the Lord noted not only doth he observe what they do to his but also what spirits they have towards his Esther 9.1 The Jews had rule over them that hated them The Lord regarded the spirits of the Babylonians how malicious they were towards the Jewes Fourthly Observe The nature of hatred is lasting and destructive Thou hast had a perpetuall hatred and hast shed the bloud of the children of Israel This hatred had lasted above 1200 years it was an hatred of Ages it ran through Generation after Generation and lasted from Esau's dayes to the Babylonish captivity and notwithstanding it was so old yet it had so much spirit and life in it as to shed the bloud of Israelites Hatred is implacable and seeks the utter extirpation of what it hates Cain hated Abel and slew him the Jews hated Christ and they were restless till they had cut him off from the Land of the living David tells you Psal 25.19 what is the true nature of hatred saith he They hate me with cruell hatred not that any hatred is gentle For the mercies of the wicked are cruell Pro 12.10 but all hatred is cruell and bloudy it would tear the party hated in pieces and shred him as hearbs for the pot Fifthly Observe God is much incensed against them who deal harshly with his people being in a suffering condition These Edomites were bitter and bloudy to the Israelites when they were in great affliction deprived of all their outward comforts and fled for their lives they being Cognati faederati vicini should upon those accounts have had pity on them or if not on those respects yet for that they were men and what befalls one condition of men may befall another but they shewed them no mercy they shed their bloud in the day of their calamity and therefore God was wroth laid waste their Cityes and shed their bloud Obad 10. For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off for ever Thus God made good what he gave out by the mouth of Solomon Pro 17.5 He that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished Verses 6 7 8 9. Therefore as I live saith the Lord God I will prepare thee unto bloud and bloud shall pursue thee sith thou hast not hated bloud even bloud shall pursue thee Thus will I make Mount Seir most desolate and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth And I will fill his mountains with his slain men in thy hills and in thy valleyes and in all thy rivers shall they fall that are slain with the sword I will make thee perpetuall desolations and thy Cityes shall not return and ye shall know that I am the Lord. IN these verses Gods proceeding against the Edomites is more particularly laid down 1. Here is the destruction of themselves vers 6. 8. 2. The desolation and misery of their Countrey vers 7. 9. 3. The confirmation of both these by an oath vers 6. Vers 6. Therefore as I live saith the Lord God Of this divine oath hath oft been spoken it s used sometimes to confirm promises as Isa 49.18 19. but most frequently to confirm threatnings which are hardly believed Seeing thou hast been unbrotherlike unnatural to the Jews in shedding of their bloud Therefore as I live as sure as I am the living God I will prepare thee to bloud thou thinkest thy self secure and that no mischief shall come upon thee but let not me be the living God if you escape so I will prepare thee unto bloud The Hebrew is Because I will make thee unto bloud that is I will fit thee prepare thee unto bloud I will order things so that thy bloud shall be shed Efficiam ut gladio cadas Thou shalt be cut off by the sword And bloud shall pursue thee Gods oath we may refer to these words and read the verse thus As I live saith the Lord God because I will prepare thee unto bloud even bloud shall pursue thee By bloud here we may understand either the bloud of the Jews which they had shed and cryed for vengeance like the bloud of Abel or by bloud may be meant bloudy men those are thine enemies they shall pursue thee and shed thy bloud without pity Sith thou hast not hated bloud The Hebrew is im lo dam sanetha si non sanguinem odio habueris so Montanus Some make these words im lo to carry the form of an oath thus If thou dost not suffer for thy hatred of thy brethren let me not be the true God Several wayes men render these words but Piscators the French and our translation are most approveable Because or Sith thou hast not hated bloud or If thou hatest not bloud The Edomites did not hate shedding of bloud but were glad of that opportunity they had to cut off the Jews that so they might ingratiate themselves with the Babylonians Vers 7. Thus will I make Mount Seir most desolate Mount Seir is put for the Land of Idumea which was a pleasant and fruitfull Land but this would God make desolation even desolation that is most desolate it should be void of inhabitants And cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth God would do by Idumea as men do by a Wood cut down the great Trees and the lesser even every Tree and every Bush so not only the great Ones in Idumea but the meaner sort such as travelled from place to place to get a living those that carried out commodities and those that brought them in they should all be cut off there should be none left to tread in her paths Vers 8. And I will fill his Mountains with his slain men Idumea had many mountains which formerly were fill'd with sheep and oxen but now they should be fill'd with the carkasses of slain men which shews the greatnesse of the slaughter that should be made of the Idumeans Such a generall destruction of them there should be as that in all places the dead should lye in the hills in the valleys and in the rivers they fled to those places to secure themselves from the Chaldaean Army and there they slew them and made them meat for the Fowles of Heaven and Fish in the waters Vers 9. I will make thee perpetual desolations There is another Scripture speaking thus much that Edom should not only be desolate but desolate for ever as Jerem 49.17 18. it should be made like Sodom and Gomorrah none should abide or dwell there
other affections to accomplish its ends Jealousie kindles anger and casts forth hatred fear sets grief and despair on work The affections are seated so near one another in the heart that if one move sinfully the rest are ready to stir and accompany the same Let us look well to our affections for they are dangerous things Solomon knew it and therefore Prov 4.23 counsels us to keep our hearts with all diligence Secondly Observe God will deal with men not only according to their evill actions but according to their evill affections also I will even do according to thine anger and according to thine envy Men are convinced they must be responsive for evill actions but not so for evill affections The Lord puts it out of doubt here and swears to it As I live saith the Lord God I will even do according to thine anger c. Mat 5.22 He that is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment Rev 21.8 The fearfull shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Edoms rejoycing is mentioned Obad 12. among the sins caused God to cut her off John 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse God will deal with men for their sinful fear sinful joy and sinful love for sinfull affections as well as sinfull actions Hence are we counselled to put away all bitternesse wrath and anger Ephes 4.31 To mortifie inordinate affection Coloss 3.5 Thirdly Observe After the insulting enemies of Sion are punished God will shew kindnesse unto Sion she shall have expressions of his love I will make my selfe known amongst them that is those of Sion after I have judged thee that is the Edomites they insulted over the Jews and added affliction to affliction which the Lord visited them for and then comforted his afflicted people The Babylonians were bitter enemies to the Jews they insulted over them and said Sing us one of the songs of Sion Psal 137.3 for which you may see how God would deal with them Isa 13. The Medes should destroy them and that without pitty and what then Chap 14.12 3. The Lord will have mercy on Jacob and will yet chuse Israel and set them in their own Land they shall rule over their oppressors and have rest from their sorrows After Sennacheribs Army was destroyed by the Angel of the Lord which insulted over the Jews and spake blasphemous things against God and Hezekiah did not God express love to Hezekiah and in him to all the Jews in granting him fifteen years more unto his dayes Isa 37. 38. When God had judged the Egyptians he brought forth the Jews seated them in Canaan and shewed them not a little kindnesse there Acts 7.7 Verses 12 13. And thou shalt know that I am the Lord and that I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel saying They are laid desolate they are given us to consume Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me and have multiplied your words against me I have heard them THeir blasphemies against God and Israel are here set down and the notice God took of them Vers 12. Thou shalt know that I am the Lord and that I have heard all thy blasphemies The Hebrew is thus Thou shalt know that I the Lord have heard all thy blasphemies The Edomites spake freely against the Jews thinking God had cast them off and cared not for them but when he should judge and punish them then they should be convinced that he had heard their blasphemies The word for blasphemy is Neatzah from Naatz to despise contemptuously to provoke Kirker saith it s to provoke contumeliis convitiis verbis maledicis with reproachful and cursed speeches Junius hath it omnes irritationes tuas all thy provocations the Septuagint French and others have it blasphemies Which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel By mountains of Israel the Land and people of Israel are intended that Land was full of mountains and among others there was the mountain of the Lord Psal 24.3 and they spake against that mountain with the rest Saying they are laid desolate Are these words so evill as that they should be judged blasphemy its not to be doubted but they said more though it be not here expressed Obad vers 12. Edom spake proudly in the day of Jerusalems distresse She insulted and gloryed in the sufferings and desolations of the people and Land Where is your Temple and City said they that stood on Mount Sion where are the Cattel that fed upon the Mountains and were for sacrifices They are laid desolate now where will you have sacrifices and whither will ye go to sacrifice Thus they spake blasphemously They are given us to consume The Jews are now destroyed and gone into captivity they shall never return to take possession of these mountains again they are now given to us to be a prey but who gave them they declare not God did not give them unto the Edomites and no other could for the Land was the Lords they took the Mountains of Israel their covetous hearts would have them vers 10. and what would they do with them Consume them saith our Translation but the Hebrew is Leaclah ad commedendum to eat that is to bring them under our power and to make use of for our good Vers 13. Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me Ye have magnified against me saith the Hebrew you have spoken great words your mouth hath been wide open against me and hath lift you up above me or against me Obad 12. is thus Thou hast magnified thy mouth which is rendred Thou hast spoken proudly Qui impudenter obloquuntur alteri subsannant illum jactando seipsos dicuntur magnificare os suum Jer 48.26 Moab magnified against the Lord that is magnified his mouth against him by speaking arrogant words Ezek 25.8 Moab said Behold the house of Judah is like unto all the Heathen When men speak proudly insolently against God or his people they do magnifie with their mouths or magnifie their mouths And have multiplyed their words against me They spake much more then is expressed They multiply words The Hebrew word for multiply here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athar which signifies Verba fundere magna copia verba fortia as in prayer these Edomites did multiply words words against the Lord and their words were stout against him I have heard them Though you thought me shut up in the Heavens that I could not hear at so great a distance or that I minded not the affairs of the world especially what words one Nation speaks against another yet saith God I have heard them First Observe The Lord takes notice of all the bitter reproachfull and provoking speeches which wicked ones do utter against the Church and People of God I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the Mountains
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
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
the Word of the greatest King no earthly King hath fertility or sterility at his Command as God hath Haggai 1.11 He called for a drought upon the Land it came 2 Kings 8.1 He called for a famine and it came and sojourned seaven years with them If God call for a judgement or a mercy it comes presently Let us fear to offend him least he call for a famine the pestilence or a sword let us improve mercies for his honour that he may call for the Corn and Fruit and continue the same unto us Fourthly Observe Whatsoever plenty is in a Land it is from the power blessing and bounty of the Lord. I will call for the Corn and encrease it Though the Land have kept her Sabbaths hath not been ploughed or sown in many years yet I will cause it to bring forth and that richly I will multiply the fruit of the Tree the Vine Fig-tree and the Olive shall be laden with fruit and that ye take no pains for the tender Grasse and Herbs the encrease of the Field These even all these are from the call benediction and bounty of God which we should take notice of and be thankfull for All the Corn we have for bread all the Fruit we have for delight all the Herbs we have for Physick and all the grasse and fodder we have for Cattle are all from the Lord and if we do not use all for his glory but abuse the same as Ephraim did God will deal by us as he did by Ephraim Hos 2.8 9. even take all from us I will take away my Corn in the time thereof c. Fifthly Observe God takes notice how wicked ones reproach his children being under his judgements and will cause their reproachings to cease Ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen It was a vile thing for the Babylonians to cast it in the Jews Teeth That their Land was a Land of famine and so to reproach them for that judgement which God for their sins did oft lay upon them this was inhumane barbarous to adde affliction to the afflicted God observed it and to comfort them against so soar an affliction he gives in a promise of a plentifull maintenance I will call for the Corn and multiply all things so that there shall be no occasion for an enemy for any Babylonian to say so any more Ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen Vers 31. Then shall ye remember your own evill wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations THis Verse is the last of the speciall Promises made here unto this people and it is a promise of repentance Something like part of this vers we had Chap. 6.9 almost the same words we had Chap. 20.43 Then shall ye remember When I have broken the Babylonish yoke off their necks brought you into your own Land and done great things for you Then ye shall remember that is not simply to call to mind what ye have done but to rowle up and down in your thoughts seriously to muse upon and ponder for so much the word Zacar signifies and so to ponder as to do something thereupon Your own evill wayes and your doings that were not good In Chap 20.43 it s your wayes and all your doings wherein ye have been defiled and here it is Your own evill wayes and your doings that were not good What their wayes and doings were you may see Ezek 22. throughout the whole Chapter they did speak and do evill as they could Jer 3.5 They were worse than the Nations and Countreys round about them Ezek 5.6 than Sodom and Samaria Ezek 16.47 And shall loath your selves in your own sight Montanus renders the Hebrew thus Reprobabitis vos in faciebus vestris Ye shall reprobate your selves in your own sight ye shall judg your selves worthy to be cut off and to be made a curse so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies saith Maldonate The Vulgar is your iniquities shall displease you there is more in the word than displeasing Fastidio eritis vobis ipsis Ye shall be for a disdain a loathing to your selves Compungemini saith Aecolampadius Ye shall be pricked at the heart ye shall see your selves so defiled and deformed through sin that ye shall loath and abhor your selves For your iniquities and for your abominations Iniquities are perverse crooked and unrighteous actions abominations things disaffecting and loathsome to the senses First Observe Gods loving kindnesses and mercies do work more with sinners than his judgements do All the time they were in Babylon their hearts were never so affected for their sins as after God brought them out setled them in Canaan and shewed much love unto them Then they should remember their evil wayes before they minded them no◠then they should loath themselves Mercies in Sion are more efficacious with sinners than judgments in Babylon Gods favour sooner melts hard hearts than the fire of his indignation his kindness is very penetrative it gets into the hearts of sinners sooner than his threats and frowns it is like a small soaking rain which goes to the roots of things when as a dashing rain runs away and does little good It was Davids kindness brake the heart of Saul 1 Sam. 24. And it is Gods kindnesse which breaks the heart of sinners The Milk and Honey of the Gospel affect the hearts of sinners more than the Gall and Wormwood of the Law Christ on Mount Sion brings more to repentance than Moses on Mount Sinai Secondly Observe When God brings his People out of Babylon into Canaan out of the world and Antichristian wayes into neer relation to himself and into Gospel order then he will frame their spirits so that they shall review their former wayes be ashamed of and loath themselves for them Vers 28. Ye shall dwell in the Land that I gave to your fathers and ye shall be my people and I will be your God and then shall ye remember your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and abominations When people are delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdome of Christ then they come to see what works of darkness they committed and so to abhorre and loath themselves for the same When men come out of Popish darkness or the profane courses they have lived in and are brought neer to God how do they judge condemn and loath themselves for the same When Paul was translated from his Pharisaisme into Christs unity then God moulded his spirit so that he saw and confessed what a Blasphemer Persecuter and injurious person he had been and loathed himself saying He was the chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 And when the Jews shall be brought out of that Babylonish condition they now are in and become a people neer to God being in the Church of Christ
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
diligent and careful inquiry The Vulgar is Adhuc in hoc invenient me domus Israel moreover in this shall the house of Israel find me when they pray and seek me I will be found of them they shall prevail with me to do this for them Vatablus in his Notes hath the words thus Ero requisitus à domo Israel I will be required by the house of Israel they shall come and mind me and intreat me to do this for them Junius is otherwise Expositus ero domui Israelis ut hoc faciam eis I will be exposed to the house of Israel that I will do this for them Piscator is more plain Inveniendum me exhibebo Domui Israelis I will shew my self to the house of Israel to be found of them that I may do this for them Lavater and the French is I will be required I will have the house of Israel sue unto me for it What it is that God will be enquired of for is next to be spoken of Maldonate makes it Quicquid petiverint whatsoever they shall ask Some refer it to all the promises mentioned before but both these are too large and the words would not have been for this but for these things or these promises will I be enquired of Lavater makes for this to be Vt multiplicentur that they may be multiplyed and increased again or For this viz which I have spoken and said I will do I have said I will return rebuild replant them and make their desolate Land like the Garden of Eden so that the Heathens shall wonder at my dealings with them now for this will I be enquired of by the house of Israel I will increase them with men like a flock The Hebrew may be read thus I will increase them like a flock of men The Septuagint is I will increase the men themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as sheep I will so multiply them that they shall be like a flock The Jews greatly desired issue alwayes and it is probable more strongly after their reduction from Babylon then ever that so they might plant build and fill the Land again Vers 38. As the holy flock as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn Feasts so shall the waste Cityes be filled with flocks of men and they shall know that I am the Lord. IN the Hebrew it is As the flocks of holinesses or holy things The Jews besides other feasts had three great solemn Feasts every yeer at Jerusalem 1. The Passeover 2. Pentecost 3. The Feast of Tabernacles unto which the people came up from all parts of the Land and for their use at those times great flocks of sheep and herds of Cattel were brought to Jerusalem In Josiahs time there were 30000 Lambs and Kids besides Oxen and small Cattel which were for holy services and therefore here are called The holy flock and flock of Jerusalem John 15.2 You read of a sheep Market and by it a Pool great flocks of sheep were brought unto that Market and they were washed in that Pool before they were used in holy services Jerusalem at these Feasts were filled with flocks of sheep and men and God here promiseth That the waste and desolate places of Judea should be filled with men and made to abound with inhabitants again how improbable soever it seemed to the Jews or Heathens And they shall know that I am the Lord. They shall acknowledge that my thoughts are not theirs nor my wayes theirs and that I am faithfull and able to do great things First Observe God expects that his People should seek to him for performance of those Promises he graciously makes them I will for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them It is tender mercy and loving kindness in God to make promises unto sinners and it is duty in man to mind them being made and to sue them out by prayer David did so Remember saith he the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Psal 119.49 And again Quicken me according to thy Word vers 154. He minded God of his word and promises and pressed him by hearty prayer to make the same good So Jacob Lord didst not thou bid me return unto my Countrey and saidst thou wouldest deal well with me deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau for I fear him Gen 32.9 11. Had not Jacob improved the promise he might have gone without deliverance Promises as they are foundations for faith so they are incentives unto prayer and provoke those to whom they are made to sue them out O Lord God said Solomon let thy promise unto David my father be established 2 Kings 1.9 Thou didst promise him that I should sit upon the Throne Lord make it good Jeremy holds out this truth most cleerly That God expects to be sought unto for the performance of what he promiseth Chap 29.10 11. After seaventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return to this place for I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evill to give you an expected end Here is the promise what now follows in the 12 13 14. verses Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you c. See it put in practice Dan 9.2 3 4 c. God tells them Isa 43. That he blots out transgressions for his own sake and will not remember their sins but then it is added Put me in remembrance vers 25 26. Secondly Observe That the increase of Children is the blessing of God and he can increase them in a short space to become like a flock They multiplyed and filled the Land after their return and were as the Stars of Heaven the Sand of the Sea-shore and Dust of the earth the Key of the womb is in Gods hand and he maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyfull Mother of children Psal 113.9 And he makes the fruitfull woman to be more fruitfull He multiplyed his People as the Bud of the field Ezek 16.7 Thirdly Observe How desperate soever the conditions of men and things are the Lord can restore them to their Pristine estate yea to a better They were in a low and lost condition in Babylon all their Cityes laid waste in their own Land and never like to be built or inhabitated but God delivered them and restored them to their Primitive state and made all their waste Cityes populous Jerusalem formerly was filled with men now the waste Cityes should be also filled abounding with men now their Land should be planted and inhabited things in that Land were often at the point of ruine and incurable in the eye of men but God relieved them raised and restored them When Sennacherib was there with his great Army and all seemed lost
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
Judah and his Companions and on another stick For Joseph Ephraim or the house of Israel and his companions not one of them were out of Gods thoughts Their forefathers had been 400 years in Egypt were tyrannized over by cruel Task-masters lookt upon as contemptible but the Lord had an eye to them cared and wrought for them They have now layen 1600 years in darkness in a desolate and despised condition yet doubtless they are not forgotten Gods thoughts are upon them to do them good again Fourthly Observe Typical and obscure things will excite men to inquire after the sense of them This is intimated in the 18. ver When the children of thy people shall speak unto thee saying Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these God knew they would inquire Common things are neglected but things strange and mysterious are dived into sought after When Ezekiel was to dig through the wall cover his face and remove his stuff then the people were stirr'd and said What doest thou Chap. 12.9 Those typical actions bred inquisitiveness in their spirits When the Lord Christ spake Parables they sought to him to know the sense and meaning of them Fifthly Observe God is pleased to direct his Prophets and Servants what to say unto the People when they come to question with them about things If this people come to Ezekiel to know what he meant by the two Sticks his writing upon them and holding them in his hand the Lord tells him what he shall say unto them say Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will take the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim c. When God sent Moses unto the people he was timorous lest he should not know what to say to the people how to answer their questions but see how God directs and instructs him Exod. 3.13 14. Moses said unto God when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you and they shall say unto me What is his name what shall I say unto them I know not how to answer that question See what now follows And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM And he said Thus shalt thou say I AM hath sent me unto you Thus God taught him what answer to give the people So Ezek. 14. when the Elders came to inquire somewhat of Ezekiel God told him what answer to give them It was given in of God by his Spirit to the Apostles what answer to give Governors and Rulers when they â—ere brought before them Mat. 10.19 Vers 20 21 21. 20. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes 21. And say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the Heathen whither they be gone and will gather them on every side and bring them into their own Land 22. And I will make them one Nation in the land upon the Mountains of Israel and one King shall be King to them all and they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be divided into two Kingdoms any more at all THe Explication of the Typical Sticks is laid down in these and the subsequent verses Vers 20. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes The Prophet was not to do this privately but to write upon the sticks and to hold them in his hand so that all might see them and hereby be provoked to inquire what the mystery of them was and so become partakers of the consolation intended thereby Vers 21. Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the Heathen whither they be gone 〈◊〉 this verse is promised the reduction of the twelve Tribes comprehended under these words the children of Israel out of all Countries where they were scattered into their own Land Not only Judah and Benjamin should be gathered up and brought into Canaan again but the rest of the Tribes also This is a great and gratious Promise And will gather them on every side The ten Tribes being carryed away by Shalmanezer were placed in Haloth and Habor by the river Gozan and in the cities of the Medes 2 King 17.6 they were seated in the utmost parts of his Dominions North and East and the other Jews whom Nebuchadnezzer led away captive were scattered up and down his manifold Provinces as appears Esth 3.8 Now God would look on every side and gather them up out of all Quarters Vers 22. And I will make them one Nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel Being brought into their Land here God adds three great Promises more The first is uniting of them into one Nation who had some hundreds of years been divided and at bitter enmity one against another And one King shall be King to them all After the division made by Jeroboam you read of several Kings they had Kings of Judah and Kings of Israel There were two Kingdoms and divers Kings of them both but the Kingdoms being united into one the Lord promiseth them not a succession of Kings over them but one King to Rule over them both They should be one Kingdom and have one King This is the second great Promise And they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be divided into two Kingdoms any more at all This is the third Promise and it 's a great one also viz. they shall continue a Kingdom one Kingdom and never be torn or rent in pieces any more There shall be no Rehoboam's or Jeroboam's to cause divisions in it It will add some light to the words under consideration if we make inquiry Whether the Type of the two Sticks be fulfilled by the incorporating of the two Nations into one and making of them one Kingdom It 's affirmed by some that this Hieroglyphical Prophesie was fulfill'd at the Return of the two Tribes out of Babylon For then Cyrus King of Persia made a Proclamation throughout all his Kingdom to this purpose Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia All the Kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem which is in Judea Who is there among you of all his people the Lord his God be with him and â—â—t him go up 2 Chron. 36.22 23. The Proclamation excepts no persons no Tribes but gives full liberty unto all The ten Tribes having been now 204. years or there abouts in Captivity it 's likely were weary of their condition and so willing to return into their own Countrey and so they took the opportunity before them For it 's evident that some of the ten Tribes did â—eturn to Jerusalem Of the Levites there were 74. Ezra 2.40 Nehem. 7.43 and of the Priests who were of that Tribe as appear 1 Chron. 24.1 2 7. Exod. 6.16 18 20. Nehem 7.39 there were 973. Paul was of the Tâ—â—â—e of Benjamin
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
sanctified in thee O Gog before their eyes IN these words we have the place whence Gog should come the manner of his coming the persons he should come against the author and event of his coming Vers 14. In that day when my people Israel dwelleth safely shalt thou not know it When my people are come to their Land dwell safely in Towns without walls gates or barrs shalt thou not know it Yes thou wilt take notice thereof and be incouraged thereby to come against them The Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou wilt be stirred up this sense of the words some make Others thus Thou hast a wicked thought in thy heart and doest purpose to invade my people being unarm'd and dwelling safely and shalt thou not know that is Thou shalt know what it is to invade my people thou shalt feel my judgments my fury will appear and fall upon thee to thy destruction v. 16 18. Piscator renders the word thus Annon experieris Shalt thou not have experience Vers 15. Thou shalt come from thy place out of the North parts thou and many people with thee c. Some conceive that Gog with his great Army came out of Scythia others out of Babylon which lay Northwards from Jerusalem That he came from those parts is not clear but most certair that he came from the Northern parts or sides of the North and having drawn many to his assistance they all came riding upon Horses They were all Horse-men for speed the charges of such an Army being all Horse-men must be exceeding great This Army came into the Land of Israel and cover'd it like a Cloud as we heard v. 9. Vers 16. It shall be in the latter dayes In the 8 vers it was said in the latter years and here it 's said in the latter dayes or as Montanus reads them in novissimo dierum or as Piscator in novissimis diebus in the last dayes In the latter dayes did Antiochus vex the Jewes and in the last dayes shall Antichrist vex them and the Church When I shall be sanctified in thee O Gog. God is said to be sanctified when he manifests himself to be an holy and just God by inflicting punishment upon evil doers whereby others are made to fear and say O what an holy what a just what a dreadfull God is he who executes such judgments Ezek. 28.22 we had the same words First Observe When Gods people are in Canaan then have they safety In Babylon they had none in Egypt they had none in the Wilderness they had little but when in Canaan then they had their greatest safety In that day when my people Israel dwelleth safely They had a day a time of safety which was when they were setled in Canaan In Canaan was the Church and where that is in safety there God is City Walls Gâ—tes and Barrs himself He is the keeper of Israel Ps 112.4.5 Secondly Observe Thâ—se that design and attempt mischief against the people of God they shall experimentally know that God is their Protector and the Revenger of their wrongs Gog thought evil against Israel and came up against it And what saith God shalt thou not know it This I 'le make thee to know that I am Israels Keeper and that thou hast done wickedly to invade them God made Senacherib know what it was to design and attempt evil against Jerusalem when he smote 185000 of his Souldiers in one night Isa 37.36 When the Ammonites Moabites and Seirites thought and attempted mischief against the Jewes viz. to cast them out and possess their Land did not God avenge his people of them and manifest himself to be their Protector 2 Chron. 20.23 24 Thirdly Observe The secret Plots and deep Designs of men do at length break out into Action Gog had long thought of invading Israel and at length he comes from his place out of the North parts and puts his design into execution Hidden things of dishonesty sleep not alwayes they may be dissembled long but at last they issue into action The Spanish-plot lay in the dark long but at last it visited our English Coasts where they were made to see that their Armado was not invincible The Massacres of France and Ireland were secret though Plotts at first but in process of time they came to bloud Fourthly Observe The great enemies of the Church have many Helpers and Adhaerents and those fitted to further their wicked Designs Gog had many people with him and all of them riding upon Horses a great company and a mighty Army so numerous they were that like a Cloud they covered the Land So Antichrist now hath many Assistants to promote his wicked and bloudy designs against the Saints Rev. 19.19 I saw the Beast and the Kings of the Earth and their Armies gathered together to make warr against him that sate on the Horse and against his Army that is against Christ and his Church Fifthly Observe Though all people and Lands in the World be the Lords yet some people and Lands are his in a more peculiar manner Thou shalt come up against my people and against my land Where God is own'd his Ordinances and Worship set up maintain'd in purity and power His interest and glory advanced there is a people God calls his people and a land God calls His land there God dwells peculiarizing both People and Land to himself Sixthly Observe God takes occasion from the attempts of the wicked to execute his just judgements upon them and so to get glory to his Name even from Heathens Gog took occasion from the Jewes weakness they were in unwalled Villages to invade and destroy them and God takes occasion from his unjust invading the Jewes to inflict dreadfull judgments upon him and his that the Heathen might know him when he should be sanctified in Gog They seeing such just judgments upon Gog should fear the God of Israel and learn righteousness God is known by executing of judgment Ps 9.16 Thereby he is known to be the most High over all the Earth Vers 17. 17 Thus saith the Lord God Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the Prophets of Israel whâ—ch prophesied in those dayes many years that I would bring thee against them THe things concerning Gog were neither Novelties nor Incertainties but such as God foreknew would be and the Prophets had Prophesied of and that long before and not once or twice but often even many years It is of grand importance to inquire what Prophets hâ—ve spoken of Gog and his proceedings Some would have Moses to speak of him Numb 24.7 where it 's said his King shall be higher then Agag that is Jacobs King shall be higher then Gog The Sâ—ptuagint reads it Gog and so doth Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His King shall be exalted above Gog Though Gog be great yet shall he be greater But in the Original it is Agag not Gog. Jerom hath it Gog and interprets it of
Antichrist Some make David to be the Prophet prophesying of Gog Ps 9.5 Thou hast destroyed the wicked one that is thou shalt destroy Gog that or the wicked one call'd by some Antichrist whom Gog was a type of To this accords that in Isa 11.4 With the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked Gog in the Type and Antichrist in the Antitype 2 Thess 2.8 Beside this place in Isa some fix upon Isa 17.12 13 14. and make that a Prophesie of Gog. Some took Ps 68.14 When the Almighty Scattered Kings i. e. Gog and Magog Rivet in Lat. in locum Jerem. 1 14. Out of the North an evil shall break forth upon all the Inhabitants of the Land It 's granted Gog was to come out of the North quarters v. 15. of this 38 of Ezek. and so was Nebuchadnezzar Jer. 10.22 He speaks rather of Nebuchadnezzar than of Gog Moreover his Prophesie was but a little before Ezekiels dayes and much of it in his dayes whereas here it 's said Of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the Prophets of Israel Others therefore referr it to the Prophesie of Enoch mentioned Jude 14. who spake of the Lords coming with 10000 of his Saints but nothing of Gog is there specified That in Joel 3 is more satisfying as to the business in hand Viz. v. 2.9.11.14 I will gather all Nations and will bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the Nations and spoyled my Land c. This we may conceive was prophesied of Gog. 1. Because the Jewes were to come out of Captivity into their own Land before this was done It 's probable that therefore Gog and the Nations conspir'd together to invade and destroy them because they were setled safely in their Land v. 1. 2. Because Gog was to fall upon the Mountains of Israel to perish in the Land of Judaea Ezek 39.4 Thou shalt fall upon the Mountains of Israel thou and all thy bands and the people that is with thee To which agrees that of Joel 3.12 13. Let the Heathen be wakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat for there will I sit to judge the Heathen round about put ye in the sickle for the harvest is ripe c. 3. Because of the like effects Ezekiel saith when Gog and his Army shall be destroyed there shall be a great shaking in the Land of Israel v. 19. So Joel 3.15 16. at the destruction of the Nations and their Princes the Sun and the Moon shall be darkned and the Stars shall withdraw their shining The Lord also shall roar out of Sion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the heaven and the earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the Children of Israel If it be said Joel is but one Prophet and the Text speaks of Prophets and so of them as if it were a common thing amongst them to prophesie of or against Gog. To this may be answered that most of the Prophets might speak of Gog though they writ not of him for all which the Prophets prophesied did neither themselves nor others alwayes pen and here it 's said by whom I have spoken not by whom I have written Moses spake what was not written Hebr. 11.24 25 26 27. So Enoch Jude v. 14 15. as Christ himself did Joh. 21.25 By my servants in Hebrew is In or by the hand of my servants and for in those dayes many years it 's in the dayes of those years they did prophesie of Gog that God would bring him upon the Jewes First Observe The Lord doth infallibly kâ—ow things to come He revealed to the Pâ—ophets of old this Gog here spoken of hundreds of years before he was neither was God deceived for in the time appointed he came He whose understanding is infinite Psal 147.5 must needs know all things past present and to come should any thing be unknown to God his understanding should not be infinite Mans knowledge is borrowed from Creatures to which he gives neither beeing nor operation but God's knowledge is from himself He knows all that is possible in his Power and all that is future in his Will Creatures can neither bee nor operate without Him He hath such clear vision of all things that his knowledge must needs be certain Should he be deceived in any particular there should be darkness in him but He is light and in him there is no darkness at all 1 Joh. 1.5 Secondly Observe The Prophets delivered many things which were not recorded The Prophets of Israel spake of Gog and yet we cannot find any direct satisfying place in holy Writ concerning him In Mat. 27.9 you have words cited for Jeremie's which you cannot find in all his Prophesies the words are these Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the Prophet saying And they took the 30 pieces of silver the price of him that was valued whom they of the children of Israel did value Matthew saith not that which was written but that which was spoken Jeremy had delivered these words and many other doubtless which are no where to be found And if any ask How came Matthew by them He had them by Tradition say some others by Revelation which is safest to say Solomon he spake of Trees from the Cedar-tree that is in Lebanon even unto the Hysop that springeth out of the wall He spake also of Beasts and of Fowls and of Creeping things and of Fishes 1 King 4.33 but what he said of these is not to be found or known Had not Paul helped us to that blessed truth of Christ It is more blessed to give than to receive Act. 20.35 we had never met with it Thirdly Observe Those God sends to make known his mind to men he owns honours and protects My servants the Prophets of Israel Those had spoken against Gog and made known his mind teaching him God owns for his servants honours them with this Title Prophets of Israel and being his he hath a special care of them Psal 105.15 Do my Prophets no harm If the servants and Embassadors of Earthly Princes be honourable and have protection from them much more are the servants and Embassadors of the King of Glory honorable and under Divine Protection If David would not put up the wrong done to his servants he sent to Hanun 2 Sam. 10. Neither will God let the wrongs done to his servants the Prophets of Israel go unpunished 2 Chron. 36.16 Fourthly Observe It s not an accidental or casual thing that enemies do come against the Church The Lord brought Gog against this People and the Prophets had prophesied many years that God would do so They made it known to the world what God had decreed to do Gog could not have stir'd or mov'd one foot towards the Land of Israel unless God had appointed
When God shews mercy to his Church and destroyes the Enemies of it then he provides for his own honour sanctifies his Name and makes himself to be known distinct from all other gods When the Jews Church shall be at peace Gog and Magog be destroyed then God will be glorious all speak honourable of him and acknowledge him to be the holy One of Israel When God led the Israelites through the Red-Sea and took off the wheels of the Egyptian Chariots the Egyptians said Let us flee from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians Here they acknowledged Gods power and that he was a God distinguished from all their Idol-gods a God fulfilling his promises and threats a God able to save and destroy even the Holy one of Israel Vers 8. Behold it is come and it is done saith the Lord God this is the day whereof I have spoken HEre the certainty of Gog's overthrow and the rest with the time thereof is pointed out It is come it is done i e. This Prophesie is so certain as if it were come and done already It 's usual among the Hebrews to put preter-tenses for future and to speak of things as past which are certainly to come This is the day whereof I have spoken God had spoken of Gog and Magog by his Prophets formerly as was shew'd from the 17. verse of the 38. Chapter that they should come against Israel and utterly be destroyed in that attempt which the Lord speaking of here as done saith This is the day not designing the prefixed day when it should be It shall be but when that is hid First Observe There is a certain time determin'd for the destruction of the Churches Enemies which God looks upon as present and done Behold it is come it is done that is the day of Gog and Magog's ruine God fore-sees things to come as if they were present not by a presence of Existency from Eternity but in his Decree on that his fore-knowledge and the certainty of things is founded we should therefore firmly believe the same and not give way to dubious opinions thereabout Secondly Observe The particular time is hidden from mâ—n and known only unto God Mâ—n cannot say This is the day but the Lord can He knew the very moment when Gog and his should be destroyed and the Church set at liberty The thing and time indefinitely were revealed to the Prophet but not the particular punctual time The Lord kept that in his own breast his Infinite Wisdom saw it not meet to particularize the time the Prophets had spoken of a day that would be for Gog's invading the Land of Israel and of his falling upon the Mountains thereof but the exact time they knew not John unto whom the Lord Christ revealed much tells you that after 1000. years reign of the Saints with Christ it shall be Rev. 20.7 8 9. Vers 9 10. 9. And they that dwell in the Cities of Israel shall go forth and shall set on fire and burn the Weapons both the Shields and the Bucklers the Bows and the Arrows and the Hand-staves and the Spears and they shall burn them with fire seven years 10. So that they shall take no Wood out of the Field neither cut down any out of the Forrests for they shall burn the Weapons with Fire and they shall spoil those that spoiled them and rob those that robbed them saith the Lord God THe great victory over Gog and Magog begins in these verses which is set out by the burning of the Weapons and spoyling them of their Goods Who gate the victory is not mentioned it 's only said the Jews shall go out of their Cities and gâ—ther up the weapons and burn them c. It 's conceiv'd the Lord will deal with Gog and his Forces in some extraordinary way Vers 3. it 's said I will smite the Bow out of thy hand And Rev. 20.9 Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them but notwithstanding Gods extraordinary dealing with them the Jews were used of the Lord in this victory for Chap. 38.21 I will call for a Sword against him throughout all my Mountains saith the Lord God so that all Israel shall be in the field against him and be the Conquerors Vers 9. They that dwell in the Cities of Israel shall go forth and shall set on fire and burn the Weapons After this great and famous Victory the Citizens which dwell in the Cities of Israel will go forth Visendi Spoliandi gratia to see the slain and to get spoil and among other things they should take of their Weapons and make themselves Fire thereof The word for Weapons is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neshek which notes any kind of Weapon to oppose the Enemy It 's not from nasak to burn but from noshak to â—rm Both the Shields and the Bucklers the Bows and the Arrows and the Hand-staves and the Spears These latter were combustible but how they should burn the Shields and Bucklers is not apparent they being of solid metals It 's like something combustible was annexed unto them And they shall burn them with Fire seven years It must needs be a numerous or rather numberless Army whose weapons should suffice the Jews seven years for fireing John saith their Number shall be as the sand of the Sea Rev. 20.8 which exceeds all Arithmetick Some make it an Hyperbolical expression to shew the greatness of their overthrow and multitude of their warlike Instruments Others mind us of a certain time put here for an uncertain viz. seven years put for a long time The Jewish Writers do take the words literally concluding they shall have such a Victory over their Enemies as that for seven years they shall need no other materials to burn then their weapons and think their Messiah not come because they have not yet obtain'd such a Victory Sanctius thinks not that they were seven years in burning the weapons but that they had such store which might have served them for seven years fuel great store and therefore it 's said they should burn them with fire seven years How this was verified in Antiochus is hard to shew It 's nearer to truth to judge that this Scripture remains still to be fulfill'd Vers 10. So that they shall take no Wood out of the Field neither cut down any out of the Forrests These words taken absolutely do strengthen the literal acceptation of the former We may take them comparatively thus That in respect of what they did use to take out of the Field and cut out of the Forrest they should now cut and take little And why For they shall burn the Weapons with Fire They should so supply them for fuel that little other wood should serve This burning of Enemies Weapons conduceth much to peace Where warlike weapons are broken and burnt not reserved there Wars cease and Peace follows They shall spoil those that spoiled them and rob those
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
the first Vision unto Ezekiel and so he doth in this last he was a Master-builder and appointed of God to build the House Zech. 6.12 13. Thus speaks the Lord of Hosts saying Behold the Man whose Name is the Branch that is Christ he shall grow up out of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord even he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory And that this Man was Christ his appearance declares for it was like the appearance of Brass and so Christ Revel 1.15 is said to appear His feet were like unto fine Brass and here his countenance or whole body appeared like unto Brass that is free from spot beautiful bright and shining Christ was without blemish or spot 1 Pet. 1.19 He was holy harmless undefiled Heb. 7.26 He was fairer then the children of men Psal 45.2 With a line of Flax in his hand and a measuring Reed These be the Instruments which this man had a Line and a measuring Reed Such Instruments are proper to Architects and Master-Builders and being in the hand of Christ do demonstrate him to be the chief Builder of the Church The line of Flax was to measure the great spaces of the ground viz. the Floors Court and Compass of the Buildings and Walls The Reed was to measure the Buildings the thickness length and breadth of them Of such a Line and Reed is spoken of in Zech. 2.1 2. Rev 11.1 Chap. 21.15 A Reed is smooth round and light and therefore fit for measuring they were plentiful in those parts And he stood in the Gate The Hebrew is he standing in the Gate His posture was * Stabat quasi ad Ministerium accinctus Standing his place was in the Gate He stood there to direct the Prophet to shew him the measures of the Temple and other things to manifest he hath command of the Temple and may keep out and let in whom he pleased Versâ— 4. And the Man said unto me Son of Man Behold with thine eyes c. In this verse the end of the Vision is held forth which is that Ezekiel throughly understanding the things comprehended in it might communicate them to others Here the Lord Christ is call'd Man for that in time he was to be incarnate and the Son of Man speaks to Ezekiel and commands him two things 1. To give the most diligent and best attention as possible might be and therefore calls for not only the eyes and ears but the heart also Behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee his heart must go with his senses and seriously ponder what was presented Some things were to be seen some things were to be heard and all to be considered and why he was brought thither for that end 2. To make known what he should see hear and observe Declare them to the House of Israel he must not keep things to himself but publish them to others to the Church and People of Israel First Observe The Lord keeps an exact account of the time of his Church and Peoples sufferings He is the best and most punctual Chronologer of all in Heaven and Earth Men and Angels may mistake misreckon but the Lord doth not cannot In the 25. year of our captivity in the beginning of the year in the 10. day of the month in the 14. year after the City was smitten in the self same day Here the Years the Months and Days of the Jews captivity was observed of the Lord. When we are in misery and suffering conditions we think God forgets us Psal 79.5 Psal 89.46 but he takes notice of every Hour Day Month and Year Secondly Observe When the Church is low in the worst most desperate and deplorable condition even then the Lord hath a care of his Church Now the Temple City and Land of Canaan were utterly laid wast the people many of them destroyed the rest in Babylon without hope of ever seeing their own Country ch 37.11 In this condition the Lord appears to Ezekiel and gives him a most singular and excellent Vision concerning the Restauration of the Church the Extent Dignity and Glory of it whereby he shewed both the Prophet and the People whose hearts were fill'd with sorrow When the Church is in the Wilderness under persecution in Egypt or Babylon the Lord is solicitous for it Zech. 1.14 I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousie Thirdly Observe The Church is Mount Sion or Mount Sion is the Church wherein God makes known his mind for the comfort of his Ezekiel was carried in spirit into the Land of Israel and set there upon a very high Mountain viz. Mount Sion which typed out the Church of God and there he had this glorious vision there sweet consolation was given forth for the afflicted The Church is sometimes call'd a Garden and Fountain sealed as Cantic 4.12 Sometimes a Vineyard Mat. 20.1 Sometimes an House 1 Tim. 3.15 Sometimes a City Psal 46.4 Isai 60.14 Sometimes a Mountain Psal 2.6 And it 's so call'd for the hieghth the glory and the strength of it Mountains are high conspicuous and strong and so is the Church On Mountains is good aire so likewise is in the Church Hills are nearer heaven then other places they are below the Church is above the World Fourthly Observe The Church is well seated and well ordered Vpon which was as the frame of a City it 's seated upon a Mountain the Mountain of Gods Decree Power and Truth it 's well ordered for it 's as the frame of a City where every thing is in his right place and all fitly joyned together Psal 122.3 Jerusalem is builded as a City that is compacted together and the Church is a body fitly joyned together and compacted Ephes 4.16 Hence strength and beauty are to the Church it being so seated and so united The one made Christ say The gates of hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16. and the other made Salomon to say It was beautiful as Tirzah and comely as Jerusalem Cant. 6.4 Fifthly Observe The Man Christ who is sinless and glorious is the chief Builder and exact Measurer of the Church and things belonging to it Behold a Man whose appearance was like the appearance of Brass with a Line of Flax in his hand and a Measuring-reed Christ without spot full of glory and wisdome is the Master-builder Mat. 16.18 chap. 21.33 Hab. 3.3 Prophets Apostles Ministers are his Servants Under-officers instructed directed and rewarded by him He is Architectus the Line and Reed are in his hand he measures all the Trees and Stones used in this Building the outward and inward Courts with all their appurtenances He was the Son of Joseph a Carpenter and some mystery might lye in that Sixthly Observe The way into Sion and unto the Father is by Christ he stands in the gate of the Temple ready to receive any
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
God Princes may not change any thing in the Worship of God abrogate or institute ought by their wills or power Vzziah was smitten with the leprosie for medling 2 Chron. 26. and Ahaz for his adding 2 Kings 16. his altering detracting and abrogating 2 Chron. 28. was branded for his wickedness They kept not at the post and threshold of the gate but entred into the inner Court 2. They are to countenance and maintain the Worship of God The Prince must stand at the post of the gate and see the Priests do their Office He found the Burnt Peace and Meat Offerings and the Priests prepared them that is fitted them for Sacrifices The Princes and Powers of the Christian World should countenance preserve propagate and maintain the true VVorship of God in their Territories VVhen Joash was made King he had the Testimony given unto him 2 Chron. 23.11 that was the Book of the Law And why was this given him It was to inform Princes that they should rule according thereunto that they should countenance preserve propagate and maintain the same and the VVorship it held forth 3. That Princes must worship the Lord publiquely on Sabbath days and when special occasions are as well as other people He shall worship at the threshold of the gate Let Princes be never so great rich learned wise yet they must fall down at Gods foot-stool serve him with fear and kiss the Son they must observe the times of Gods VVorship bow to him and not leave all to their inferiors 4. They must not impede the Worship of God The Prince shall go forth but the gate shall not be shut where he hath worshipped he must not hinder othâ—rs It was a vile practice in those who shut up the doors of the Lords house and would not let the people or Priests come there to worship 2 Chron. 28.24 Princes should see to it that the door be open for publique Worship not onely at the appointed times but upon special occasions If we take the Prince here to be Christ as Oecolampad and Polanus do then his coming to and standing by the post of the gate his sacrificing and worshipping do prefigure his coming in the flesh and his standing at the gate of Heaven for us offering up Prayers and Supplications for us with strong crys and tears Heb. 5.7 Luke 22.44 and whereas it is said The Priests shall prepare his burnt-offering and his peace-offering this presignified the Priests delivering up Christ to be crucified for us Luke 24. â—0 The chief Priest and Rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and crucified him who was the Prince of life Acts 3.15 yet he laid down his life freely Joh. 10.17 18. And for his worshipping at the threshold of the gate it may point out that time when Christ being on the Cross said It is finished and so bowed his head and gave up the Ghost John 19.30 Now was he at the threshold of the gate for he said to the Thief immediately before This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23.43 Then his soul went forth of its earthly tabernacle and shortly after reassuming that he left the world and went to his Father John 16.28 The gates standing open until evening that so the people might come and worship at the door of the gate before the Lord this some interpret of the door of Mercy and Reconciliation which Christ hath set open for sinners during this life and if they come not thither before death and worship God then it s shut for ever against them On Sabbath days men should draw near to God seek Reconciliation with him for on such days the gate is widest open for Grace and Mercy On the six days it s shut that is comparatively shut Christians do celebrate Sabbaths and New-Moons when they have inward spiritual rest in their souls through faith in Christ and do receive light from him to see what is evil and so to avoid it and what is good and so to practice it In Vers 4 5 6 7. the Offerings Oblations and Sacrifices of the Prince for the Sabbath days and New-moons are mentioned The Olaâ— or Burnt-Offering for the Sabbath was to be six compleat Lambs without blemish and one Ram which differs much from the appointment in Moses days Numb 28.9 then there were but two Lambs here six are appointed And so the Meat-Offering is larger here then there but for the Offering in the day of the New-Moon it was short of that in Moses time for then two Bullocks seven Lambs and one Ram were appointed and here one Bullock six Lambs and one Ram are nominated for the Offering which shews the Levitical VVorship was to be changed And taking the Prince for one of the Princes of the earth it tells us he ought to provide for the VVorship of God But if we take this Prince to be Christ then it imports that Christ hath ordained more spiritual pure and efficacious VVorship on Sabbaths under the Gospel then was under the Law and more extensive then was before also that Jewish shadows are fled away by the coming in of the glorious light of the Gospel that old things are past away and all things become new Neomenâ—â— nostra est spiritualis est novum in Christo seculum saith Polanus These Sacrifices do point out Christ he was instar omnium he was the Lambs the Rams the Bullock the Meal the Flowre and the Oyl This Prince sacrificing of himself did more by that one and once Sacrifice then all the Sacrifices from the first to the last Hebr. 10.14 Verse 5. As he shall be able to give The Hebrew is the gift of his hand and so it s in the Margent in Verse 7. it is thus as his hand shall attain unto and in the eleventh as he is able that is as God hath blessed him God in that dispenced with mens disabilities in Moses Law Lev. 5.11 and 14.21 if they were poor and not able to bring Lambs or two Turtle Doves they must bring one Lamb or the tenth part of an Ephah of flower something he would have and to such a proportion But here it s left to mans liberty to give according to his ability no proportion is prescribed so men give freely what ever it be it shall be accepted God looks not for much where little is The grace and favour of God under the Gospel exceeds what was under the Law Verse 6. And in the day of the New moon New-moon days were holy and had special Sacrifices as in this ver 8. Numb 28.11 on those days they might not buy or sell or do worldly work Amos 8.5 but they were to look unto Christ of whom those days were shadows Col. 2.16 17. and to meditate of that light grace and comfort comes by him The gate of the inner Court was to stand open on these days as well as on Sabbaths ver 1. And Isaiah prophesied Isa 66.23 That all flesh should come to worship
went in the midst of the people to the Sanctuary but they denote that he went at that time and when come thither he was there with them or among them or at the East-gate which is between the Nortâ— and South 1. Here we may see Princes are bound to be present at the publique Worship of God and not onely to be present but to be present at the beginning and to stay till the end thereof They may not come and go at their own pleasure but at Gods appointment The presence of great persons at the Worship of God is of much concernment and hath great influence into the people it encourages them to come to hear to stay when greater then themselves do so people are led much by example of Superiors therefore Kings and Judges are commanded to serve the Lord with fear and to kiss the Son Psal 2. 2. Here we are informed taking the Prince for Christ that he is in the Assemblies of his people when the Saints meet together to worship the Lord he is in the midst of them He made a precious promise when he was here on earth and makes it good daily though he be in Heaven it s that Mat. 18.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my name I am there in the midst of them to observe to reward and punish The Church is call'd Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 and Christ is said to sing praise unto God in the midst of the Church Heb. 2.12 He being King of Saints loves to be with and among them he was in the midst of the 144000 Rev. 14.1 The eleventh Verse treateth of the Meat-offering which was to be at Feasts and Solemnities directing the particulars and quantities In Moses time the tenth part of an Ephah of flower and the fourth part of an hin of oyl was required Numb 28.5 Exod. 29.40 but here it s otherwise an whole Ephah of meal or flower is appointed to a Bullock an whole Ephah to a Ram and an whole hin of oyl to each onely the Lambs flewer or oyl to be offered was left to liberty or ability This may teach us that seeing our light and mercies are greater under the Gospel then theirs was under the Law therefore our obedience and service to the Lord should exceed theirs if they gave him but the tenth part of an Ephah we ought to give him an whole Ephah if they gave him the fourth part of an hin we must give him an whole hin The more God communicates to us the greater returns should be to him The twelfth Verse mindes us of the Princes Freewil-offerings Besides what was enjoyned he might voluntarily prepare a Burnt-offering or a Peace-offering at his pleasure and at his coming one was to open the East-gate unto him and at his going forth one was to shut the gate God looks for more from Princes and great ones then what is ordinary then what is commanded he looks for voluntary Sacrifices Freewil-offerings at their hands It s said of Josiah that he gave three thousand Bullocks three thousand Lambs and Kids for Passover-offerings and all of the Kings substance and that the Princes gave willingly 2 Chron. 35.7 8. so free and bountiful they were that the Lord took notice of it and hath recorded it in his Word that there was no Passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the Prophet neither did all the Kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah Vers 18. We may interpret this Verse of Christ and so it presents to us not onely that Christ hath freely and voluntarily offered up himself a Sacrifice to God for us Hebr. 9.14 and 10.9 10. but that he is the substance and quintessence of all Sacrifices and that the Father hath opened the gate of Heaven unto him and that by vertue of his merits and intercession the door of Reconciliation stands open unto us continually but should he leave Heaven that door should be shut No Patriarch no Prophet no Apostle no Martyr no Saint no Angel ever had this honor to have the door of Mercy and Grace opened and shut at their pleasure This is an honor peculiar to Christ The thirteenth fourteenth and fifteenth Verses declare what the daily Sacrifices should be every morning viz. A Lamb of the first year without blemish for a Burnt-offering and a Meat-offering with it the sixth part of an Ephah and the third part of an hin of oyl The daily Sacrifice here differs from that in Numb 28.3 4 5 6. Moses requires two Lambs the tenth part of an Ephah of flower and the fourth part of an hin of oyl Ezekiel speaks but of one Lamb the sixth part of an Ephah of flower and the third part of an hin of oyl And here is no mention of the evening which alterations imports that Mosaical Rites and Sacrifices should expire and that notwithstanding God would have a daily Sacrifice in the days of Christ that he would be worshipped not onely on the Christian Sabbath but other days also as was fore-prophesied Psal 72.15 Prayer shall be made unto him continually and daily shall he be praised Verse 16 17 18. Thus saith the Lord God If the Prince give a gift unto any of his Sons the inheritance thereof shall be his Sons it shall be their possession by inheritance But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants then it shall be his to the year of liberty after it shall return to the Prince but his inheritance shall be his Sons for them Moreover the Prince shall not take of the peoples inheritance by oppression to thrust them out of their possessions but he shall give his Sons inheritance out of his own possession that my people be not scattered every man from his possession THese Verses contain Laws to direct the Princes bounty and to keep him from oppression 1. Here is a Law about giving to his Sons ver 16. What he gives them must be their inheritance and possession for ever 2. Here is a Law about giving to his servants ver 17. If the Prince give a gift to any of his servants or subjects of his inheritance it must not be theirs for ever but onely to the year of Liberty that was the year of Jubilee for among the Jews every fifty year was a year of Jubilee Levit. 215.10 Ye shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof it shall be a Jubilee unto you and ye shall return every man unto his possession and ye shall return every man unto his family Whatsoever of mens possessions were sold or morgaged returned to the owners in the year of Jubilee see ver 13. and Levit. 28.25 and whatever the Prince here should give away to any but his own sons should return to him again at the year of Jubilee The Law to prevent oppression in the Prince is in ver 18. When Princes give gifts of inheritance to their sons
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
the rest 2 Chron. 11.13 14 16 17. Chap. 15.9 and these are call'd the children of Israel his companions that is Judah's companions because they forsook him not as others did All these were represented by this first Stick Then take another stick and write upon it For Joseph the stick of Ephraim Having finished the first Stick he is bidden to take another The Hebrew is take one stick that is one more and write upon it For Joseph As the other Stick was for Judah so this for Joseph viz. to represent the Tribe of Joseph which was the principal of the ten Tribes and his Stick is call'd the stick of Ephraim Ephraim was the Son of Joseph and the ten Tribes are usually call'd in Scripture by the name of Ephraim as Hos 4.17 Chap. 5.3 9 11 12 13 14. But here the Tribe of Ephraim is meant The Chaldee saith Lignum Ephraim est Tribus Ephraim Jeroboam who made the great rent in the house of David was of the Tribe of Ephraim and to him did the other Tribes adhere And for all the house of Israel his companions This Stick was for the whole ten Tribes which are call'd the house of Joseph Amos 5.6 The seed of Ephraim Jer. 7.15 Samaria Hos 8.5 And here The house of Israel All these did side with Jeroboam when he revolted and so were Companions with him with Ephraim and Joseph Long before this time the ten Tribes were carryed into Captivity by Shalmanezer King of Assyria but here the Lord thought upon them and ordered the Prophet to take a Stick for them Vers 17. And joyn them one to another into one stick The Hebrew is and make them come one to one to thee into one stick Those two Sticks he must joyn together and make one Stick of them Some do make a Miracle here saying That as Moses Rod was turn'd into a Serpent and Aarons blossom'd Exod. 4.3 Numb 17.8 by a miraculous work of God So did Ezekiel's Sticks unite together in his hand It 's true God by his Divine Power could unite them into one but here he bids the Prophet joyn them one to another into one Stick which he might do by some artificial means or else hold them together in his hand which might suffice for the purpose intended And they shall become one in thine hand They shall be Vnum in maâ—â—bus tuis so Montanus renders the Hebrew not they shall become but they shall be one thing or stick in thine hand they should no more appear to be two Sticks but one and the Characters writ upon them visible for every man to read The old Translation hath it They shall be as one in thy hand While he held them they were as one but had he let them go they had fallen asunder and been two Sticks as before Verse 18. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee saying In the 12 and 13. verses God had said O my people He own'd them for his here He terms them the Prophets people The children of thy people They were Ezekiels people because he was set of God a Watchman over them Chap. 3.17 Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these The Hebrew is Wilt thou not shew us Mah elleh lack What these things are to thee So the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is thine intention in taking these Sticks and holding them in thine hand what is the Interpetation thereof It is a Riddle unto us let us know the sense and meaning thereof Verse 19. Behold I will take the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim and the Trâ—bes of Israel his fellows The Stick of Joseph that 's the Tribe of Ephraim which was in Jeroboam's hand who was of that Tribe and not only that but nine more were under him and his Successors a long time 260 years or thereabout These ten Tribes made up the Kingdom of Israel which was divided from the Kingdom of â—â—dah and therefore are call'd Ephraim's fellows not Judah's All these represented by the Stick God would take and what would he do with them And will put them with him even with the stick of Judah and make them one stick and they shall be one in mine hand God would make these two Sticks one not one Tribe but one Kingdom They had been two Kingdoms at great enmity and were at this time scattered abroad among the Nations but the Lord promises to gather them together and to unite them so that there shall not be a Kingdom of Israel and a Kingdom of Judah but the Stick of Ephraim shall be united to the Stick of Judah they should be but one Stick one Kingdom and one King and that in the hand of the Lord the Septuagint saith in the hand of Judah First Observe True Types have God for the Author of them God bad the Prophet here take one Stick and another Stick and write upon them and thereby to type out the houses of Judah and Israel Had he taken these of his own head they had been nothing bastardly Types not true Types When Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of Iron saying Thus saith the Lord With these shalt thou push the Syrians untill thou have consumed them 1 King 22.11 This was a bold presumption of him to make Horns Typical without Command from God The event shew'd him to be a false Prophet and his Type to be a lying Type It 's peculiar unto God to make Divine Types Secondly Observe God can and doth make use of mean things to honourable purposes Sticks are mean and contemptible things trodden under foot yet God orders Sticks here to be taken writ upon to represent the two principal Houses in the World the house of Judah and the house of Israel and their uniting together here was high honour put upon these Sticks God made use of a Tile to pourtray Jerusalem upon Ezek. 4. And of Hair to Type out his Judgements Ezek. 5. which was a great honour unto such despicable things What honour did God put upon the Brazen Serpent to represent Christ thereby Numb 21.9 Joh. 3.14 As God puts honour upon mean thâ—ngs so upon mean persons 1 Cor. 1.28 The base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are He exalted Gideon and did great things by him Judg. 6. God took Amos an Heardman a gatherer of Sycamore fruit in vested him with the honour of a Prophet Amos 7.14 15. and by him confounded Amaziah the Priest of Bethel and Jeroboams Chaplain Thirdly Observe God hath a care of his people be they in never so poor broken scattered or despicable a condition The house of Judah had been now in Babylon upon 70 years the house of Israel 204 years if not more they were despised of men and seem'd forgotten of God but the Lord had them in remembrance and bids the Prophet write upon one stick For