Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	accept_v	offering_n	zion_n	17	3	9.0158	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85668	An exposition continued upon the XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII, XXIV, XXV, XXVI, XXVII, XXVIII, and XXIX, chapters of the prophet Ezekiel, vvith many useful observations thereupon. Delivered at several lectures in London, by William Greenhill.	Greenhill, William, 1591-1671.	1658 (1658)	Wing G1856; Thomason E954_1; ESTC R207608	447,507	627

Daughters God would accept of them as a Father doth of his Children take pleasure in them and let out choice mercies unto them When the Disciples were met Jesus came to them bestowed his peace and Spirit upon them John 20.19.21 22. and see what mercies they met with who served him in his Temple Rev. 7.15 16 17 18. Obs 5 Where the person is accepted of God there the Actions and Sacrifices of that person are acceptable also There I will accept them and there will I require their offerings In Sion God would accept the men and in Sion hee would accept their services If Persons or Congregations bee not accepted of God themselves nothing they do or tender is welcome unto him Gen. 4.5 but if the parties bee under Divine favour their presents and duties are grateful Isa 56.6 7. those that joyned themselves to the Lord and took hold of his Covenant Them saith the Lord Will I bring to my holy Mountain and make them joyfull in my house of prayer their burnt offerings and their Sacrifices shall bee accepted upon mine Altar They being in Covenant with God and offering in Sion unto God he was pleased with them and their offerings Mal. 3.1 3 4. when Christ the messenger of the Covenant should come refine them and bee delighted in by them then should the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem bee pleasant unto the Lord. God is desirous of the prayers praises and almes of a good man who is reconciled unto him they are sweet odours unto him so they are call●d in the next vers I will accept you with your sweet savour or savour of rest when God hath these his spirit is at rest being in a manner troubled when hee hath them not Hence prayers of the Godly are likened to incense Psalm 141.2 their bounty to the odour of a sweet smell Phil. 4.18 and their praise is preferred before the sacrificing of an Oxe Psal 69.31 Obs 6 God must have the best tendred up to him in our Sacr●fices and Service● hee cal●● for and expects the best from his people I require the first fruits of their Oblations the chief principal and best you have in all your holy ●hings If God have lean lanke lame imperfect Sacrifices offered to him it s a dishonour and offends him Mal. 1.8 if ye offer the blinde for sacrifice is it not evil and if ye offer the Lame and sick is it not evil yes it s very evil it s extreamly evil the interrogation it self portends so much and being a double interrogation doubles the evil What offer it to mee man wo●ld not accept of such offerings go try Offer it now unto thy Governour that is brought unto mee Go tender it to him will hee bee pleased with thee or accept thy person no I know hee will not and if man sorry sinful man like thy self will not accept such things should I the great God do it God is so far from accepting and shewing favour in this kinde that hee poureth out a curse upon him that doth so ver 14. Cursed bee the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing men think if they do something in religion give God a Sacrifice though it be blind lame sickly they shall have a blessing but see how the Lord brands them they are deceivers and whom do they deceive not God but themselves for instead of a blessing they meet with a curse such dealings with God cause him even then when hee uses to bee most propitious to throw forth curses Suitable hereunto is that in Hos 8.13 They Sacrifice flesh for the Sacrifices of mine offerings and eat it but the Lord accepts them not now will hee remember their iniquity and visit their sins if they did bring the best they had yet they had no respect to God but to their own bellies Obs 7 When the Lord brings his People out of a scattered Captive condition into Church order hee expects they should set up all his Ordinances I will require your offerings and the first fruits of your Oblations with all your holy things Circumcision Passeover Sacrifices c. Their being in Babylon was a representation of the Churches condition under Antichrist and as then they being freed from the Babylonish Captivity fell into the waies of worship formerly given out so now Christians being brought out of spiritual Babylon should do the like Neither let any say those gifts are lost which the Churches once had c. Ezra 2.63 those Priests that were put from their places because their Names were not found in the Genealogies the Tirshatha or Governour said They should not eat of the most holy things till there stood up a Priest with the Urim and with Thummim that was never They lost at the Babylonish captivity 1 The Ark with the Mercie Seat and Cherubims 2 The fire from heaven 3 Sheimoh or Divine presence 4 The Urim and Thummim 5 The Spirit of Prophesy These all were wanting in the Second Temple yet they did not forbear to set up and use the Ordinances of God which formerly were appointed Obs 8 The Lord doth those things for his People which makes him honourable amongst them and others I wil bee sanctified in you before the Heathen The mercy and kindnesse he shewed them in bringing them out of Babylon and restoring to them their former injoyments set them on work to praise the Lord and made the Heathens acknowledge that God was faithful to them in keeping his promise Vers 42 And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I shall bring you into the land of Israel into the Countrey for the which I lifted up my hand to give it to your fathers 43 And there shall yee remember your waies and all your doings wherein yee have been defiled and yee shall loath your selves in your own sight for all your evils that yee have committed 44 And yee shall know that I am the Lord when I have wrought with you for my names sake not according to your wicked waies nor according to your corrupt doings O yee house of Israel saith the Lord God In these verses you have the event and sequel of the Lords gracious dealings with this People in bringing them out of their Captivity into their own land again which is 1 Experimental acknowledgement of God and his goodness unto them v. 42.44 2 Con●●dera●ion of their former waies v. 43. 3 Humiliation and Repentance for them And ye shall know that I am the Lord. They knew the Lord by the works of creation by the Prophets by the severe judgements he had executed upon them but that knowledge had not affected their hearts and brought them to fear worship and serve the Lord answerably but now upon that great mercy of being delivered out of Babylon which seemed a thing unpossible to them Ezek. 37.11 and being brought into Canaan they should have such knowledge of God as should descend to their

Tim. 2.8 I will that men pray every where lifting up holy hands and Psal 88.9 Heman saith he called upon God daily and stretched out his hands unto him Lamen 2.19 Lift up thine hands unto him for the life of thy children Levare manum est signum gratiae auxilii sumpta figura d●cendi a porrigentibus manum infirmioribus ad opem ferendam Pradus Gestus est ejus qui potentiam robur suum exerit Vatablus 3. It notes open mercy favour aid Isa 49.22 I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles that is I will reach unto them the Gospel and by the power and grace of it bring them to Sion In this sense it is to bee taken Psal 10.12 O God lift up thy hand forget not the humble that is evidence thy power and help the humble and afflicted against their oppressors 4 To lift up the hand imports threatning hurting smiting Psal 106.26 hee lifted up his hand against them to overthrow them in the wilderness when men are angry with others and threaten to do them harm to ruine them they oft lift up their hands and fists against them thus it signifies in Mich. 5.9 Ezek. 44.12 5 To lift up the hand implies swearing it was a gesture used in that sacred act Gen. 14.22 Deut. 32.40 it is expressed so in Esa 3.7 in that day shall hee swear the Hebrew is lift up the hand The first and second sense pertains not to this place and though some would have it meant of Gods lifting up his hand to help the Israelites out of their bondage by the smiting of Pharaoh and the Egyptians yet to mee the last sense seems most suitable and lifting up the hand here imports swearing the Chaldee is juravi it referres to what you have Exod. 6.8 I will bring you to the Land concerning which I did swear or lift up my hand to give it to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. God had promised and sworn to them that hee would bring their seed out of Egypt into Canaan Gen. 50.24.15.7.14.16 Unto the seed of the house of Jacob. Montanus reads the words for the seed of the house of Jacob Super semen domus Jacob. Vatablus upon or on the seed Here it s unto the seed Gods promise and oath was for them over them and unto them By Seed is meant the posterity of Jacob. God had told Jacob that his seed should bee as the dust of the earth Gen. 28.14 and his seed did greatly multiply in Egypt Exo. 1.7 and his seed is called sometimes the seed of Israel Isa 45.25 and seed of the house of Israel Jer. 23.8 sometimes the seed of Jacob Psal 22.23 and here the seed of the house of Jacob because Jacob or Israel was the root stock family out of which the Jews in Egypt sprung And made my self known unto them Great were the afflictions of the Jews in Egypt they were like men in a storm at Sea and that in a dark night when day breaks it is some refreshing and such was Gods making himself known unto them This making himself known unto them was for their deliverance God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and told him who hee was and what hee was about to do Exod. 3.2.6 7 8. hee had promised Abraham Isaac and Jacob to give their seed the land of Canaan and now he was come to give being to that promise to make himself known by his name Jehovah which they knew not in this sense they saw not that promise fulfilled but Moses Aaron and their seed should now see it chap. 6.3.8 God would put forth his mighty power and by a strong hand bring them forth ver 1. God made himself known to them by Moses who was Gods messenger and instrument to speak and do what hee pleased Psal 103.7 he made known his waies unto Moses his acts unto the children of Israel Gods pitty faithfulnesse and power were abundantly made known After the Lord had appeared to Moses answered all his Objections hee made against undertaking the difficult work of delivering the People and joynd Aaron with him for his assistant In the 4. chap. they gather all the Elders of Israel together they told them all the words God had spoken and did the signs by which God had confirmed the words concerning their deliverance which the people beleeved bowed and worshipped God ver 29 30 31. here God was made known unto them I am the Lord your God Hebrew is I Jehovah your God The first is absolute the second relative Of Jehovah I have spoken heretofore it notes Gods nature and being which is of its self within its self and dependent upon none all other beings are from him and depend on him according to what you have Rom. 11.36 of him through him and to him are all things and Act. 17.28 in him we live move and have our beings Your God This is a great word and hath great mercy in it an ingageing word tying God and all his attributes to them your God to counsell you your God to protect you your God to deliver you your God to comfort you your God to plead for you your God to teach you your God to set up my name and worship among you your God to bless you with the dews of heaven and fulness of the earth your God to hear your prayers and to make you happy While they were in Egypt God professed himself to bee their God Exod. 6.7 I will take you to mee for a people and I will bee to you a God and yee shall know that I am the Lord your God Hee would not bee a Titular God unto them like the Heathens Gods but they should have experience of him and his Attributes hee would do by them and for them as a God in Covenant Obs 1 There bee times when the Lord is pleased to shew mercy to people in misery and great afflictions In the day that I chose thee Israel was in a distressed condition in Egypt in a very low estate Their lives were imbittered with hard bondage insomuch that they sighed and cryed Exod. 4.23 and now at this time and being in this condition God heard their groanings looked upon and had respect unto them now hee chose them ver 24 25. therefore Isaiah saith cha 48.10 God chose them in the furnace of affliction times of misery are times of Gods shewing mercy when they were in a hot fiery furnace ready to bee consumed to ashes no likely-hood of escaping yet even then did the Lord appear and manifest his choice of them Ezek. 16. when this people were in their bloud filth nakedness saith God I passed by thee and looked upon thee and behold thy time was the time of love I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednesse vers 8. at that time God took this people into favour God hath his day to bind up the breach of his people and to heal the stroak of their wound Isa 30.26

his daies After the flood at the building of Babel God confounded the languages and dispersed the posterity of Noah into diverse Lands and set them their bounds Gen. 11.9 and so when hee brought the Israelites into the land of Canaan hee gave them their bounds according to what you find Psal 78.55 Hee cast out the Heathen before them and divided them an inheritance by line and made the Tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents hee drove out and destroyed the Hittites the Girgashites the Amorites the Canaanites the Perizzites the H●vites and the Jebusites seven great and mighty Nations Deut. 7.1 and gave the land unto his people the Jews If God now will drive out the bloudy perfidious and Idolatrous out of Ireland and give it unto others that the seed of his servants may inherit it Martin in the lives of the Kings of England Heylin in his Cosmograph Fox in Act and Monum Grafton Speed and that those which love his name may dwell therein who shall fault and blame him for it and that England hath had right thereunto not onely from Henrie the eighths days who was proclaimed King thereof in Parliament here and in an Irish Parliament likewise if Heylin say true but also from Henry the Seconds Time yea from Edgars who was long before appears by English History Obs 3 The Lord provides and bestows the choicest mercies upon his own people If there bee a land in the World that flowes with milk and Honey that exceeds other lands for plenty and ple●santnesse his people shall have it hee espies out Canaan for them that land was too good for Heathens his people must have it When God carried Jacob and his family into Egypt hee provided the good and fat of that land for them Gen. 45.18 yea they were placed in the best of the land chap. 47.11 God fed and filled his with the finest of the wheat Psal 147.14 Moses mentions seven things together in Deut. 32.13 14 15. as honey out of the rock Oyle out of the flinty rock Butter of Kine milk of sheep fat of lambs and Rams of the breed of Bashan and Goats fat of Kidnies of wheat the pure bloud of the grape these the Lord provided for his people and they had all an excellency in them When Gods gives honey oyle butter milk fat flower wine hee giveth the best and purest you may read what choice mercies God bestowed upon this people Ezek. 16.10 11 12 13. they had goodly pleasant things Joel 3.5 the Hebrew is goodly desirable things and David acknowledgeth hee had a goodly heritage Psal 16.6 God had not measured out to him a mean portion but a good yea a goodly heritage that which was so in the eies of all even a wealthy place Psal 66 12. God provided the best places in the Court for Esther and her maidens when in Babylon Esth 2.9.16 so likewise Daniel and the three Children were set in eminent places Dan. 2. 3. ch God made his people to ride tread upon the high places of the earth and of their enemies Deut. 32.13.33.29 Obs 4. Spiritual mercies make a land glorious yea more glorious than all that lands want the same whatever mercies they else injoy Canaan was the glory of all lands not so much for its flowing with milk and honey its great plenty it had as for the spiritual mercies it injoyed There was the Lords presence his Prophets his worship his Oracles and his Ordinances and these made it glorious yea more glorious then all the Nations farre or near Psal 76.1 2. In Judah is God known his name is great in Israel in Salem also is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place is in Sion God was not known in Babylon in Egypt in other Nations his Tabernacle and dwelling place was not amongst them therefore they were not glorious but see what is in the 4. vers Thou art more glorious than the mountains of Prey Thou Judah thou Israel thou Salem thou Sion that hast spiritual mercies and blessings art more glorious than they whatever their glory bee have the Nations abroad goodly towers thou hast the Temple have they stately Cities thou hast Jerusalem the City of God have they wise men thou hast the Prophets have they gods of gold silver and stones thou hast the true living God Jehovah to bee thy God have they humane Laws that are good thou hast Divine Laws that excel have they temporal excellencies thou hast spiritual have they the glory of the world thou hast the glory of Heaven Psal 50.2 Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath shined what made Sion so glorious and beautiful it was the presence of God if hee had not been there Sion had been like other mountaines and Canaan like other Nations but his presence was like the Sunne darting out her beams and making all lightsome glorious and beautiful Spiritual mercies are beams and raies of that God who is ten thousand times more bright than the Sunne by these hee shined in Sion and made it the perfection or universality of beauty by these hee shined out of Sion and darkned all the glory of the Nations what or how great soever it was where God and his Ordinances are there is glory and where these are not there is no glory but Egyptian Darknesse a land without the Sun In Canaan was spiritual light and glory There were glorious appearances of God glorious praisings of God glorious conversions of sinners unto God glorious sabbaths and assemblies and glorious beauties of holinesse glorious types of Christ and people who were the glory of God Isa 4.5 and had glorious communion with God There were glorious Truths Ordinances and dispensations of God So then wise Counsellors good Magistrates stout Souldiers rich Merchants industrious Labourers strong Towns stately Houses high Mountaines fertile Vallies pleasant Rivers goodly Corn-fields heards of Cattle flocks of sheep with plenty of all outward things do not make a land so glorious as spiritual mercies do if God Christ Gospel and the Ordinances of it bee in a land they make it glorious and glorious beyond all other things and above all other Nations Let us learn to know our true glory even spiritual mercies and prize them highly though loathed by some like Manna of old and pray that such glory may ever dwell in our Land Vers 7 Then said I unto them cast yee away every man the abominations of his eyes and defile not your selves with the Idols of Egypt I am the Lord your God This Verse is a command wherein you have the Commander the things commanded and the reason thereof 1 The Commander Then said I unto them 2 The things Commanded which are 1 Casting away of abominations where 1 You have a specification of these abominations they are the abominations of their eyes 2 The extent of this act every man 2 Non-defilement of themselves with Egypts Idols 3 The reason I am the Lord your God Then said I to

that which redounds to his honour and praise Laudabor propter meam erga vos misericordiam atque beneficentiam Piscator Gentes laudabunt me propter liberationem vestram Vatablus Cum omnes nationes viderint vos a me esse liberatos sanctum me justum que judicabunt quod facerim quod promiseram Maldon Glorificabor sanctus potens mirabilis predicabor Pradus So A Lapide Pintus Lavater and thus diverse interpreters take it in this place I will bring you out of Babylon into your own Countrey unite you into Church order give you another Temple with all the Ordinances of it sanctify you by my word and Spirit cause you to worship mee with pure worship bringing me the best you have for Sacrifices that so you may praise mee for my goodnesse unto you and the Nations for the great things done for you The Lords bringing them out of the countrys where they were scattered was a great work and filled the Heavens with admiration making them to say The Lord hath done great things for them Psalm 126.2 and the Jews also to say The Lord hath done great things for us v. 3. when the Jews were brought out of Egypt it s said Psa 114.2 Judah was his Sanctuary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Sanctitatem ejus or Sanctificatio ejus and so the French read it Juda fut sa sainctete God separated them from the Egyptians as these from the Babylonians to inhabit their praises and to bee worshipped by them and so they were his Sanctuary and Sanctification God doth Sanctify himself when he doth vouchsafe a people manifestations of his goodnesse wisdome mercy love and faithfulnesse and God is sanctified when a people doth that is pleasing and acceptable to God Numb 20.12 Because ye beleeve not to sanctify mee in the eyes of the children of Israel unbeleef is a non sanctifying of God and beleeving is a sanctifying of him Obs 1 God accounts not Apostates and Idolaters but those are true Israelites to bee his people his Church for in mine holy mountain there shall all the house of Israel bee those were Rebels and would serve wood and stone that would not hearken unto him hee purged out and the house of Israel purged must bee in his holy mountain God esteems those who are Godly true Beleevers Israelites indeed to bee his There bee none but such in the invisible Church Rom. 11.26 Gal. 6.16 but in the visible there bee tares and wheat yet God doth not reckon the tares to bee wheat they are Satans not the Lords Mat. 13.38 there be goats and sheep yet the Lord reckons not the goats to bee sheep Matth. 25.33 Psal 15.1 Lord who shall dwell in thy holy hill hee that walketh uprightly and worketh c. Obs 2 Where-ever Gods people are scattered hee will bring them and all of them into or unto Sion to serve him In mine holy Mountain c. There shall all the house of Israel all of them in the Land serve mee God would bring them out of Babylon into Canaan from Heathenish mountains to his holy Mountain from the World and Synagogues of Satan into the true Church Where-ever God hath any sheep hee will gather them and all of them into his fold These verses do speak and hold out Gods dealing with his People under Christ and the Gospel wherein God would bring them from all Nations to enjoy the great and good things provided for them of which the Evangelical Prophet Isay speaks at large chap. 60. so Zach. ch 8.20 21 22. and hereof spoke our Lord Jesus Christ when hee said John 10.16 Other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice When the Prodigal was in a far Countrey did not the Lord order things so that hee returned to his fathers house when the sheep was strayed and lost did not the Lord seek it out and bring it home to the fold Luke 15. and did not Christ send out his Apostles into all Nations to gathet in those were given him of the Father Mat. 28.19 20. Obs 3 The Lord is to bee worshipped especially in Sion in his holy Mountain in the solemn assembly There shall all the house of Israel serve mee It s not sinful to worship God any where 1 Tim. 2.8 or alone Matth. 6.6 but chiefly in the Congregation it should bee where his worship is publikely held forth and with the harmoniousnesse of many spirits held up where strangers may come in and see yea say God is here 1 Cor. 14.25 For hee is in the assembly of the Saints Psalm 89.7 This made the Prophet say Isa 2.23 it shall come to pass in the last daies that the mountain of the Lords house shall bee established in the top of the Mountains and shall bee exalted above the hills and all Nations shall flow unto it and many people shall go and say Come yee and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and hee will teach us of his waies and wee will walk in his paths But in our daies this gracious prophesy hath been greatly crossed for many have said Come let us go from the Mountain of the Lord from the house of the God of Jacob Let us go to our own Mountaine follow our own Teachings and walk in our own paths but God hath made it evident that their mounts are mounts of Corruption their Teachings Delusions their paths crooked and cursed Let us therefore take the Apostles counsel Heb. 10 13 24 25. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is Nor let us meet as the manner of some is viz. to wickednesse Let us fulfill the Prophesy call upon one another to go up to the Mountain of the Lord c. And say he will teach us his waies and wee will walk in his paths Obs 4 In the Lords mountain in the Church God will shew favour and mercy to his people There will I accept them That is pardon approve of and receive them when wee come to serve the Lord after his own way in Gospel congregations meeting in this name of Christ to know the mind of God and glorify him God is the Master of such assemblies hee dispenseth many mercies and distributes sweetest comforts therein Isa 60.7 they shall come up w●th acceptance to mine Altar is spoken of the Gospel times men should come from several quarters to the Christian congregations with acceptance God would meet them there welcome them thither there hee would blesse them see Jer. 31.12 Isa 66.18 2 Cor. 6. as every Christian so every congregation is the Temple of the living God therefore hee told the Church of Corinth hee would dwell in them bee their God and father and they should bee his people his Sonnes and

hearts and cause them to hearken to and honor him they should know him practically do his will they should know him to be faithful in performing his Promises powerful and gratious in doing greater things than they looked for and so should set themselves to serve the Lord. Others knew him by his judgements v. 38. which knowledge produced no real effects in their hearts and lives but these by his mercies and goodnesse which knowledge rested not in their heads but was operative in their hearts and extant in their lives so knowing is to bee taken 1 Chron. 28.9 When I shall bring you into the Land of Israel c. Of these words or not much differing you heard in the 28. vers Though the Land of Israel were a fruitful Land flowing with milk and hony and so it was a great mercy to bee brought in upon that account yet that was not all It was the Land of Promise the inheritance of their fathers and their repossession of it evidenced that they were their children their heires the people of God Obs 1 Experimental knowledge of God affects the heart and makes obedient to his will to worship and honour God which other knowledge doth not What ever knowledge a man hath of God and his waies without this it s a form of knowledge rather than knowledge it self 1 John 2.4 Hee that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandements is a Lyar and the Truth is not in him that is hee hath no true knowledge of God in him for what hee saith of love ch 5.3 This is the Love of God that wee keep his Commandements that is true of knowledge there is no right knowledge of God if yee keep not his Commandements Hence saith the Lord Isa 1.3 Israel doth not know and Jer. 4.22 ch 8.7 my people know not the judgement of the Lord they had the Law the Prophets yet they did not know and why they did not keep his Commandements Violation of them is an argument men know not God where works of iniquity are committed there the knowledge of God is wanting Hos 5.4 the spirit of whoredomes is in the midst of them and they have not known the Lord and ch 4.1 when there was no truth nor mercy in the Land then there was no knowledge of God in it When men are disobedient to the Commands of God they are ignorant of God in their hearts deny God in their lives what ever knowledge they have of him in their heads you may finde it in holy writ that as those do evil are said not to know God Jer. 9.3 so those that do good are said to know him Jer. 22.16 and pure religion which is the right knowledge of God is put upon doing James 1.27 Daniel therfore tells us that turning from iniquity and so walking in the waies of God is the way to understand truth and so to know God Dan. 9.13 and Christ hath affirmed it that doing is the way to knowing Joh. 7.17 Obs 2 The Goodness mercy and kindnesse of God begets experimental knowledge of him in the hearts of men Yee shall know that I am the Lord when I shall bring you into the land of Israel When God should knock off the Babylonish yoak and replant them in Canaan then their hearts should taste and bee affected with the dealings of God Great mercies had great operations upon them and made deep impressions in them God teaches men by his works experimentall knowledge comes in that way when his word is fulfilled in Promises or threats in mercy or judgement then men come to know God Hee is known by executing of judgement Psal 9.16 and known by his mercies Psal 19.20 21 22. It s one thing to hear of Physick another to feel the workings of it in ones bowels One thing to hear of Wine another to finde the vertue of it in the stomach So it s one thing to hear of God and his mercies another to taste of the loving kindnesse of God in his mercies Psalm 34.8 taste and see that the Lord is good Gods goodnesse had bred experimental knowledge in David and hee could sensibly speak of it and provoke others to partake of what hee had Ver. 43 And there shall yee remember your waies These words wee had in the 16. chap. vers 61. the word remember notes remembring with affection so as to do something thereupon And all your doings wherein ye have been defiled The Septuagint reads the former words with a part of these thus There shal ye remember your waies wherein yee have defiled your selves and leave out these words all your doings but they are in the Hebr●w and import their Idolatries and other abominations They corrupted Gods worship fell to Babylonish practises and greatly defiled themselves And ye shall loath your selves in your own sight In the sixth Chapter vers 9. were these words opened where they are thus They sh●l loath themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aquil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Displicebitis vob●s Theod. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insensi critis Sym. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shal smite their faces Others you shal be displeased and wroth with your selves Symmachus hath it thus you shal be little in your own eyes for all the wickedn●sses ye have done The meaning of the verse is that they should seriously consider their waies bee ashamed of them tru●ly repent of them yea so repent as to judge themselves worthy to bee cut off from being Gods People and to be made a curse Obs 1 ●ense of Mercies rather than of Judgements makes sin bitter and le●ds unto Repentance Their Captivity and sad things they suffered therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excindere execrari significat saith Maldona did not imbitter their sinne unto them and break their hearts but Gods kindnesse in bringing them out of Babylon into the Land of Israel that prevailed with them when they had received marvellous kindnesse from God then they were marvellously affected greatly ashamed of their waies and loathed themselves Mercies in Sion produced that which judgements in babylon did not Quem vexatio non dat dat beneficentia intellectum Pradus Great mercies bestowed upon great sinners do preach the Doctrine of repentance most effectually convincing them strongly of their unworthy and vile carriages towards the Lord 1 Sam. 24. Davids kindnesse brake the heart of Saul and made him to weep and say Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rewarded mee good whereas I have rewarded thee evill If humane favour hath such influence into a sinfull heart what hath Divine Moses by his stroaks fetched water out of a Rock David by his kindnesse God somtimes by his judgements humbles men and brings them to repentance but mostly by his mercies The sweet influences of the Gospel have pierced deeper into sinners hearts than the terrours of the Law Obs 2

to bud In that day or after that time when his justice had fallen upon Egyptians then his Mercy should bee extended to Israel Jerem. 50.4 5. when the Medes and Persians should have laid Babylon waste and made her land desolate what then In those daies and at that time saith the Lord the Children of Israel shall come they and the children of Judah together going and weeping that is for gladnesse for the mercy vouchsafed them they shall go and seek the Lord their God they shall aske the way to Zion with their faces thitherward When the Babylonians were brought into bondage then God gave the Jews their liberty Isa 10.26 27. when the Assyrians should bee destroyed then should the Jews bee eased of their burdens Obs 2 How low weak afflicted soever the Church bee God is able to raise it up to bring it to glory strength and to a flourishing condition The house of Israel was low and much afflicted the Horn of it weak and hardly visible yet God caused the Horn thereof to bud When we look upon some beasts they have no hornes but in a short time their heads do bud and bring forth hornes which are their strength So God in a little time would cause the glory strength happinesse of his Church and People to appear though at that time they lay in the dust The Church of God looks oft times like a dry and dead tree but his divine influences makes it bud blossome and flourish Isa 35.1 the desert shall rejoyce and blossome as the rose it shall blossome abundantly When Sion was turned into a wildernesse he made it like Eden and her desert like the garden of God Isa 51.3 when the Church was in the most desolate and hopelesse condition hee made it glorious beautiful and strong when the Tabernacle of David was quite fallen nothing but ruines and breaches discernable what said the Lord in that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof and I will raise up his ruines and I will build it This was done litterally after their return out of Babylon when the second Temple was built and the two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin grew up into one body but spiritually in Christs time not in the resurrection of his body from the grave but in bringing in the Gentiles after his ascention to make up all the breaches and ruines were made in the Jewish state so it s applyed Act. 15.16 God that gives being to things that are not can give more glorious and excellent beings to things that are Obs 3 When God shews kindnesse to his Church hee gives his Prophets and Servants matter freedome and opportunity of speaking and professing the true faith publikely When the Lord caused the horn of the house of Israel to bud when he shewed favour to his people then hee gave Ezekiel the opening of the mouth In the times of enemies prevailing Prophets are silent or prophesy faintly if they have matter to utter they want freedome they whisper mutter and speak as it were clauso ore and oft have not opportunity to do so much Amos 5.13 they are necessitated to be silent but when times grow better and God shines upon his people then the Prophets are full of matter free to speak and want not seasons to declare the goodnesse of God then they are not afraid or ashamed openly to professe the Truth and to praise the Lord. The opening of the mouth is the gift of God the illnesse of the people and times may shut the mouths of Prophets but none can open them but God Since God began to shew mercy to his people in this land hath he not vouchsafed the opening of the mouth to his Prophets their mouths were shut in the Prelates daies but now there is a great opening Blessed be the Lord for it Obs 4 The end of Gods shewing kindnesse to his Church and opening the mouthes of his Prophets is that hee may have honour and glory thereby from all sorts And they shall know that I am the Lord They Babylonians they Jews shall acknowledge that I have done these things and that I am the Lord. FINIS A Table containing the Principall things in the precedent Expositions A ABomination of the Eyes what Pag 31 32. Abundance happinesse lies not in it 479. Dangerous Pag 525 Abstract oft rendred by the concrete Pag 121 122 Accepting what it imports Pag 123 124 Action Actions of men are over-ruled by the Lord. 175. see youth Pag 554 Adultery The Punishment thereof Pag 307 Adonai what it notes Pag 486 Affliction God hath times to shew mercy in them 18. hee reveals himself by one way means or other to the afflicted 19. what brings sad afflictions 218. may bee long yet are not endlesse 571. in them persons do strange things 311. they are cups 312. bitternesse argue not hatred Pag 365 366 Aholah what Pag 291 Aha what it notes Pag 386 Aholibah what Pag 292 Agate whence named Pag 471 Alienate what Alienates God Pag 303 Altars high places Pag 89 Affections Conjugal ple●sing to God Pag 363 Ammonites their Original 198 386. Enemies to the Jews ibid. they reproached them 199. insulted over their miseries 387. how called 389. their despight Pag 391 Arme stretching out of Gods arm what it notes Pag 101 Army nothing without Gods assistance 554. it and its Commanders may labour serve and suffer much and yet bee disappointed 584. they are Gods instruments Pag 585 Apostates their punishment and evil of Apostacy 103. God accounts not them his Pag 127 Aram who descended from him Pag 469 470 Arvad a City and where Pag 455 B BAbylon a description of it Pag 25. Babylonians how called Pag 388 Bamah what Pag 89 Baalmeon Pag 401 Bashan Pag 448 Blasphemy wherein it consists Pag 83 Balm Pag 472 Best God must have the best sacrifices and services Pag 130 Bed the bed of love what 299. when defiled 302. two sorts of beds Pag 322 Bethie Shimoth a City and where Pag 401 Boiling-pot 329 331. sinners boiled in it to purpose Pag 333 Beauty of wisdome what 498 subject to spoil 501. perfection of beauty in what 50● marr'd by what Pag 525 Bryars who are such Pag 534. 535 536. C CAlamus what Pag 474 Calamity suddain and what it should work 365. laughing at Calamitie grievous 395. why we should not Pag 396 397 Chronology of some things and times specially to be ●oted 330 546. best kept in adversity Pag 582 Carim what it signifies Pag 173 Camels their strength and nature Pag 390 Captivity what the Jews lost then Pag 132 Cassia what Pag 473 Chittim and the Isles thereof Pag 450 Canaan upon what account said to flow with milk and honey 22 23. of what length and breadth 24. Commendations of it ibid. wherein it excelled Babylon 25 26. what sorts of people in it 271 differenced from other lands 443. Godly shall bee brought in to it Pag 541 Christ hee hath