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
affliction he looked upon them and pitied them yea he made their enemies to pity them ver 46. In the book of Judges Chap. 10 16. you have a notable expression to this purpose it 's said there His soul grieved for the misery of Israel Tikzar naph 〈◊〉 abbreviata est anima ejus His soul was shortned When things are laid to heart they dry and shrink up a mans spirits God laid their misery so to heart that his soul was as it weâ—e shrunk up and shorten'd Seventhly Observe There is no state of affliction sin or death but God can and will raise his people out of the same O my peâ—ple I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves Though they had layen 70 years in their graves God would open them When earth lies long undigg'd when graves continue long unopen'd it 's the harder to remove the earth and open the graves What difficulty soever there was in the way God would step over it and do the thing Job lay buried in the grave of Affliction a long season but at length God opened his grave and led him out Job 42.10 The Lord turned the captivity of Job David was in the grave of affliction but God raised him out of it Psal 40 2. He brought me up out of an horrible pit Elacu stupendo saith Munster Out of the miry clay that is out of the deepest and extremest misery Mary Magdalen lay in the grave of sin was in a state of spiritual death and Christ he quickned her he forgave her sins Luke 7.48 The Ephesians did among other Gentiles lie in their graves of sin they were shut up under unbelief that was a weighty grave-stone that kept them under but God rolled away that stone opened their graves and brought them forth Ephes 2.1 You that were dead in sins and trespasses hath he quickned Those aâ—e in a literal sense dead and in their graves God can open their graves and bring them forth also Lazarus had lain four dayes in his grave he was corrupted therein and stunk yet when Christ said Lazarus come forth the grave did open the dead man heard liv'd and came forth Joh. 11.43 44. The keys of life and death are in the hand of Christ be it a grave of affliction a grave of sin or a grave of the body Christ can turn the key open the grave and bring out thereof At last he will open the graves and bring foâ—th all the dead bodies Eightly Observe Nothing in men moves God to put his Spirit into them These Jews were in a despairing condition they said Our bones are dryed our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts They dispair'd dishonour'd God highly thereby and deserv'd to be cut off and perish for ever but see how God dealt with them he promises to put his Spirit in them ver 14. The giving of his Spirit is an extraordinary mercy and he gives it freely Their goodness did not encline God to give nor their sin hinder him from giving Gods choisest gifts are freest as Christ the Spirit and Gospel they are the acts of His good pleasure Ninthly Observe Spiritual life and comfort are from the Spirits indwelling in men I shall put my Spirit in you and you shall live Then they shall live as they had never lived they should live Spiritually Comfortably Natural life in its kind hath an excellency but it 's far beneath a Spiritual life which is call'd the life of God Ephes 4 18. So the comforts of a Natural life may have some sweet and pretiousness in them but they are comfortless comforts to those of the Spirit and Spiritual life Men destitute of the Spirit are dead men and have but dead comforts Those have the Spirit are living-men and have living-comforts The Spirit is a Spirit of life and comfort and wherever it comes it makes men lively and comfortable Tenthly Observe When the people of God are gathered into Canaan they shall have rest there God would bring these Jews out of Babylon into their own Land which was Canaan and there they should rest there 's no rest in Babylon God is gathering his people out of Babylon dayly He saith unto them as it is in Micah 2.10 Arise ye and depart for this is not your rest He is drawing and driving them out of Babylonish and Antichristian conditions and bringing them into Sion where there is true rest though not perfect rest that will be in the Heavenly Canaan whither in due time we shall come Vers 15 16 17 18 19. 15. The Word of the Lord came again unto me saying 16. Moreover thou Son of man take thee one stick and write upon it For Judah and for the children of Israel his companions then take another stick and write upon it For Joseph the stick of Ephraim and for all the house of Israel his companions 17. And joyn them one to another into one stick and they shall become one in thine hand 18. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee saying Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these 19. Say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will take the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim and the Tribes of Israel his fellows 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 THe Vision of the dry bones and Interpretation of them being ended here the Typical work of two Sticks and the uniting of them succeeds In the three first verses you have the Author of the Type and the Type it self in the two last direction what to say upon inquiry made after the meaning of the Type Vers 16. Moreover thou Son of man take thee one stick The Prophet before had a Vision here he hath a Command He must take a stick the Chaldee saith a Table the Septuagint a Rod the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lignum Wood. Wood or Stick is by a Metonymy of the matter put for a Table or Tally whereon something might be written So it was here he must write upon it For Judah and the children of Israel his companions These were the words to be written upon the Stick In the 17. of Numb v. 2. the Loâ—d commanded Moses to take twelve rods according to the number of the Tribes and Princes and to write every mans name upon his rod. To this doth the Lord allude here commanding the Prophet to take a Stick or Rod and write upon it For Judah that is let Judah the royal and noble Tribe be signified thereby And the children of Israel by these the Tribe of Benjamin is meant which clave to the house of David and fell not from Rehoboam to Jeroboam 1 King 12.23 2 Chr. 11.12 as the other Tribes did This Tribe did wholly adhere to Judah and some also out of other Tribes did some out of Levi and some out of
another to hear what word the Lord gave out to the Prophet and they come being excited one by another and sit before the Prophet as Gods people they attended to what he said as if they meant punctually to observe the same but they did not do what he said their hearts were not in the business what worshipping was this of God to give him an ear and the world their heart So to speak against the Prophet behind his back and to speak fair shew much love to his face was not this hypocrisie did they not carry it religiously towards God and cunningly towards the Prophet However they carryed it the Lord saw their hypocrisie and discovered the same The Scribes and Pharisees wore long robes made long prayers and under pretence of them devoured widowes houses but the Lord Christ knew their hypocrisie and made it known though religiously and craftily carryed Matth 23. Fourthly Observe Many hearers pretend much love and kindnesse to the Prophets and yet behind their backs afford them not a good word When these Jews came to the Prophets house they shew'd much love with their mouths but when they were by the walls and at their own doors they shew'd as much ill will with their mouths they spake against him they slandered him they disgraced him out of the same mouth came bitter and sweet The Jews and Herodians pretended much love to Christ and said Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth neither carest thou for any man for thou regardest not the persons of men tell us therefore what thinkest thou is it lawfull to give Tribute to Caesar or no Matth 22.16 17 18. Here they shewed much kindness with their mouths when there was gall and bitterness in their hearts Fifthly Observe When men draw neer to God in any duty of his worship he principally looks which way the heart stands whether that be real and towards him Their heart saith God goeth after their covetousness It went not after the word after God himself Isa 29. This people draw neer me with their mouth and with their lips do honour me but have removed their hearts far from me When their bodies were in the Temple their hearts were in their shops when their lips were speaking to God their hearts were conversing with the creatures Gods eye was upon their hearts The heart is the principal part in man and its the principall thing God aims at Prov 23.26 My son give me thine heart not thy hatt thy hand thy tongue thy foot but thine heart Whatever he hath without the heart is nothing but having the heart he hath all whatever is wanting let the eye be wanting a man is blind let the leg be wanting a man is lame let the whole body be wanting a man is sick yet if God have the heart he hath all Delilah had Sampsons bodily presence yet that sufficed her not because she thought she had not his heart Judg 16.15 How canst thou say I love thee when thine heart is not with me God hath no love from us nothing of us when our hearts are not with him Sixthly Observe Men have carnall hearts in spiritual duties These men were hearing Ezekiel prophesie and whilest they were hearing their hearts went after their covetousness the word was in their ears and the world in their hearts Ezekiel tells them of the things of God and they mind the things of the earth To be earthly minded at any time is blameable Phil 3.19 but to be so in spiritual things is grievous it s a despising a debasing of them when the things of God of Christ Heaven Salvation Life Grace and Glory are presented unto us which should take up our thoughts abundantly affect our hearts powerfully for us then to mind the dust sticks straws and pebbles on the earth to have our hearts upon them this is Zimmah a great wickedness horrible ingratitude Rom 8.6 To be carnally minded is death it argues a dead soul it tends unto death and ends in eternall death Seventhly Observe Covetousnesse is a sin adheres to Professors These that came to hear the Prophet and sat before him as the people of God their hearts went after their covetousness they had hearts exercised with covetous practices as it is in 2 Pet 2.14 The Pharisees made profession of religion they were hearers of Christ but the Text saith they were covetous Luke 16.14 Judas an Apostle and follower of Christ had a covetous heart and sold his Master for 30 pieces of silver Mat 26.15 Demas forsook Paul having loved the present world 2 Tim. 4.10 While he was with Paul his heart was in the world John seeing this evill incident to Christians disswades them from the love of the world by a strong argument 1 John 2.15 Love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him He doth not know God to be his father and love him as a Father that loves the world he may think say and swear that he loves the Father but the Spirit of truth saith The love of the Father is not in him Let Christians therefore take heed of this sin for besides that it argues the love of God is not in us it choaks the seed of Gods word which should beget grace in us Matth 13.22 it makes us idolaters Eph 5.5 yea Covetousâ—esse unfits us for Church communion 1 Cor 5.11 it shuts us out of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.10 it exposes us to wrath Col. 3.5 6. to Gods hatred Psal 10.3 to a curse 2 Pet. 2.14 Verses 32 33. And lo thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument for they hear thy words but they do them not And when this cometh to passe lo it will come then shall they know that a Prophet hath been among them Vers 32. Thou art unto them as a very lovely song THe Hebrew is Ceshir agavim sunt canticum amantium as a song of Lovers so the word is rendred Jerem 4.30 Thy lovers will despise thee it s the same word Lovers have delightfull songs to please their ears and pass away time so the Prophets preaching was delightfull unto them to hear but as in musick and singing there is nothing comes of it when done so they heard the Prophet but nothing came of their hearing The Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the voice of a Psaltery which was an instrument to sing unto The French is Comme une chauson de plaisanterie as a song of jesting or scurrility which greatly affect carnall hearts Some render the words eris illis canticum subsannatorum thou wilt be to them a song of scoffers that is however they seem to be greatly pleased and affected with thy prophesying yet in their hearts they laugh at thee and deride thee Of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play
can weep shed tears in abundance for losse of Relations Estates Favours of great Ones yet never wept for sin these have a natural tenderness not a spirituall Besides what may be gathered from what is said I shall give some Characters of a tender heart First It s sensible of the Churches and Saints afflictions it mourns for and with them a tender heart bleeds when it goes ill with Sion and the people of God When the men of Ai smote but thirty six Israelites how was Joshua affected with it He rent his clothes and fell to the earth upon his face before the Ark of the Lord untill the even tide Josh 7.6 You may read Ps 79. 80. how greatly David or Asaph were affected with the desolation of Jerusalem and miseries befell the Church These were men of tender hearts and sensible of evils at a distance Such was Paul 2 Cor 14.29 and Jeremy whose eyes ran down with tears because the Lords flock was carryed away captive Jer 13.17 Secondly Where an heart hath a gracious and spiritual tenderness it s affected with the perishing condition of others it grieves to see men impenitent unbelieving going on in the broad way to be in a state of irregeneracy and pityes them Rom 9.2 3. Paul had great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart and why for his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh they rejected Christ and his Gospel through unbelief and hardnesse of heart they were in the broad way to destruction Christ seeing Jerusalem insensible of her own good he wept over her Luke 19.41 And in former times Jeremy had manifested the tenderness of his heart toward the Jews when he said unto them thus Hear ye and gâ—ve ear be not proud for the Lord hath spoken Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darknesse and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains and while ye look for light he turn it into the shadow of death and make it grosse darknesse but if ye will not hear it my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride Jer 13.15 16 17. Thirdly A tender heart dare not go out from God in any case but commits it self and way to him it consults with God and leans upon him for counsel and direction Josiah when the Law was found and he understood from it what wrath was due to the breach of it presently sends men to enquire of the Lord for himself and others what to do he took counsel of God and not of man 2 Chron 34.21 So Jehoshaphat he sought not to Baalim but to the Lord God of his fathers and David made Gods Testimonyes his Counsellers Psal 119.24 Hard hearts dare presume and venture to go out from God and into wayes he hath not warranted so did Gehazi Judas and Demas they followed the imaginations of their own hearts and declared that their hearts were Brasse Those that have hearts of flesh say with them in Isa 2.3 Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths not in our own Fourthly It s affected presently at the frowns and chidings of God at the appearance and shaking of the Rod. A child of a tender nature will melt when the Parent begins to manifest displeasure as to chide or take the Rod into his hand but it s not so with a stubborn nature that will hear bitter words and endure many stroaks before it will melt Jer 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a rock they have refused to return These had no tender hearts in them When Absolom had driven David out of Jerusalem he went up mount Olivet weeping He was presently affected with the hand of God 2 Sam 15.30 Moses was presently affected with the wrath that went out from God against the people Numb 16.46 Fifthly A tender heart feels much stoninesse in it self and complains of it O what a stony rocky Adamantine heart have I saith a tender hearted man its tendernesse discovers and feels hardnesse Eph 4.19 They were hardned in sin were past feeling Where hearts are all stone there is no sensibleness of the stonyness those have the tenderest hearts that feel most Brass and Iron in them David cryed oft to God for quickning Psal 119.154 156 159. Quicken me according to thy Word Quicken me according to thy judgements Quicken me according to thy loving kindnesse And why did he cry so for quickning because he felt much deadness and hardness in his heart A dead heart is an hard heart A man when dead is cold stiff and hard so a mans heart if dead within him is cold stiff and stony How may the heart be kept tender First By taking heed of every sin for its only sin that hardens the heart as the foot by treading hardens the earth so when sin walks up and down in the heart it hardens and obdurates the same Dan 5.20 Nebuchadnezzars mind was hardned in pride and the Apostle tells you Heb 3.13 That mens hearts come to be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin Men think little sins can do them little harm but they harden their hearts and is that no harm is that little harm its the greatest harm can be done you Secondly By searching and examining of your hearts frequently that is a special means to keep them tender it s like digging of the Garden and ploughing of the Earth which keeps it from hardning the more digging and ploughing the more tender and crumbly is the earth that is the chiefest way to preserve it so and they who are ever searching their hearts examining them daily have them in a tender frame David communed oft with his own heart and his spirit made diligent search Psal 77.6 That kept his heart in a tender frame Thirdly By studying the word much and minding it there is great virtue in the word it 's like fire and will not only thaw the icyness of their hearts but keep them unfrozen the hardest mettals while they are in the Fire are soft and whilest mens hearts are in the Divine fire of the Scriptures they will be soft The Word is like Water and Oyl which moisten and supple the heart so that the tendernesse of it is preserved Fourthly By meditating seriously on Gods love the heigths depths lengths and breadths of his love When a soul is taken up with thoughts of the freeness greatness strength sweetness everlastingness and fruits of Gods love it will be in a melting frame that fire works kindly upon the heart love apprehended makes the heart tender Fifthly Look much to Christ crucified Zech 12.10 When we consider what Christ hath suffered for our sakes it will make and keep our hearts tender First Observe A tender heart is a choice mercy As a stony
whereas the Rock did only signifie Christ So Gen. 41.26 The seven good kine are seven years and the seven blasted ears are seven years none of these were years but all of them signifie so many years So Dan. 4.22 The tree which Nebuchadnezzar saw whose top reached to heaven and branches to the ends of the earth is said to be Nebuchadnezzar himself It is thou O King that is it signified him it was not him himself The Papists trouble the world with their absurd sense of those words Mat. 26.26 28. This is my body and this is my bloud they will have them to be taken literally and make us lose our senses that we may believe the Bread and Wine are the very flesh and bloud of Christ but we neither see nor tast any such thing only we believe that they represent the same unto us and are to convey the fruit and benefit of Christs death unto us Thirdly Observe Gods people are sometimes brought into great streights and exigents they know not what to do they are heartless and hopeless Our bones are dryed our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts They saw nothing but destruction before them they saw no possibility of escaping they thought their condition desperate Such was Josephs condition when his Brethren cast him into a pit Gen. 37.24 Such was the Israelites condition at the Red-sea when the Egyptians were behind them the Sea before them and no door of hope left unto them Exod. 14. their hope was gone and nothing but death presented it self unto them ver 11. when the Anchor of hope is broken men are in a Sea of troubles tossed up and down ready to sink every moment Job himself was somtime in this case Chap. 7.6 My dayes are swifter then a Weavers shuttle and are spent without hope he had neither hope of restauration to his former condition nor of continuance of his life he looked only to make the grave his house and darkness his bed Chap. 17.13 14 15. His hope was gone and he thought he must go to corruption and the worms Fourthly Observe When men are in great Afflictions they manifest great weakness These Jews being in such an afflicted condition they forgot what Promises God had made to them of Returning after 70 years Jer. 25.12 13. Chap. 29.10 They minded not Gods Power or Faithfulness but said We are cut off for our part God hath cut us off from our Land and cast us into this Furnace of Babylon where we shall be consumed When Saul hunted David like a Partridge upon the Mountains and his life was in Jeopardy Did he not say in his heart I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27 1. Here he manifested his weakness greatly God had told him he should be King and sent Samuel to annoint him Chap. 16. but he forgot this and gave way to the reasonings of flesh Jeremiah being in a suffering condition scorn'd and defam'd by the People he resolves to cast aside his Commission and speak no more in the name of the Lord he curses the day of his Nativity and the man brought tidings of his Birth wishes He had slain him from the womb or that the womb had been his grave c. thus did he declare his infirmities Chap. 20.8 9 15 16 17. not considering what God had promised him Chap. 1.5 8 9 17 18 19. The like did Job Fifthly Observe There be states of men in this life which do resemble the dead and they are two especially both which are here held forth 1. The state of great and long Afflictions These Jews in their Captivity are likened unto dry bones men in their graves This made Jeremiah say Lament 3.6 He hath set me in dark places as they that be dead of old The state of Death is a state of Darkness and so is the state of Affliction Isa 59.10 We grope for the wall like the blind and we grope as if we had no eyes we stumble at noon day as in the night we are in desolate places as dead men They were in deep Affliction and destitute of all Counsel they saw no way or means how to get out of the same David being under great Calamities goes further and shews you that such a state is not only a state of Darkness but of Consumption of being Forgotten and Broken Psal 31.9 12. I am in trouble mine eye is consumed with grief yea my soul and my belly I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind I am like a broken vessel So Psal 44.19 Thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons and covered us with the shadow of death He calls great Afflictions the place of Dragons because they sting bite and indanger a mans life the shadow of death death is very near and overshadows the man is in them his grace is designing and he is ready to be put thereinto This consideration made Heman say his soul being full of troubles My life draweth nigh unto the grave I am counted with them that go down into the pit I am as a man that hath no strength free among the dead like the slain that lie in the grave whom thou remembrest no more and they are cut off from thy hand thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkness in the deeps He shews you clearly that great Afflictions especially Soulâ—â—fflictions are a state of Death 2. The state of Sin which these Jews were in for it 's said I will put my Spirit into you and ye shall live At that time they were dead being in an unregenerate estate Men being in their sins are no better then in a state of death They are in Darkness ignorant of Christ the Gospel and Mysteries thereof Ephes 5.8 They are in bondage to their Lusts and to Satan 2 Pet. 2.19 Rom. 6.16 2 Tim. 2.26 Joh. 8.44 They are senseless eyes they have and see not ears and hear not hearts and understand not Matth. 13.14 15. They have hearts of stone and are past feeling Ephes 4.18 19. They are corrupt and unsavory Ephes 4.22 Rom. 3.13 This is the condition of sinners which the Gospel accounts and calls A state of Death Mat. 8.22 Joh 5.25 Ephes 2.5 Col. 2.13 Sixthly Observe God is afflicted with the afflictions and sufferings of his people O my people you are in your graves here in Babylon you are afflicted reproached oppressed but I am sensible thereof and do sympathize with you in that condition not a word is spoken against you not an unjust act done unto you but I hear I feel the same The words are twice mentioned O my people O my people in the 12. and 13. verses to shew the Lord was much affected with their calamities and languishing condition When the Jews were in Egypt that house of Bondage and in the Wilderness they were like men in their graves oft covered with the shadow of death and Did not God pity them Psal 106.44 He regarded th ir
's God kindles fires in Nations and Kingdomes to consume Towns and Cities Men and their habitaons they are all his and he may do to them what he pleases having transgressed his lawes By fire and sword did the Lord plead with the Egyptians laying all wast and by so doing made himself known to be a powerful righteous and dreadfull God Observe Fourthly In the soarest judgements of God upon men usually some escape God threatned Egypt Chap. 29.8 that he would cut off man and beast and make it utterly wast from one end to another verse 10 yet here in the ninth verse he saith Messengers shall go forth some should escape to carry tydings of his severe judgements Observe Fifthly Those things which seem accidentall and casual unto us are ordered by the wise Counsel Power and Providence of God In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships When all Egypt was in a confusion some running one way and some another to secure themselves and some hastening unto ships to tell others what the Chaldeans had done in the midst of these hurries and disorders God saw acted sent out messengers they went not however the appearance was to men without Gods ordering hand themselves thought of no such thing nor those they went unto they dreamed not that they were sent forth of God that they came from him it was lookt upon as a meer contingencie but Gods hand was in it Things may be contingent to us they are not so to God Observe Sixthly Such is the efficacy of Gods judgements made known that they do afflict those are at a distance from them and fill the most secure with fears and pains The Ethiopians were absent from the judgements executed upon the Egyptians they were secure carelesse people but when the messengers told them their Cities were burnt their men slain their foundations and helpers destroyed they were afraid and great pains came upon them they were in travail for their Lives Liberties and Estates There is a mighty power in the judgements of God to terrify sinners even at a distance When Tyrus understood such was the efficacy of that judgement upon those afarre off that it s said all the Princes of the Sea clothed themselves with trembling Ezek. 27.35 so that we may say of Gods judgements as David Psal 10.11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger who knows what efficacy it 's of and how far it extends Observe Seventhly Former judgements are not to be forgotten As in the Day of Egypt God had visited Egypt many hundreds of years before and now he minds them of that visitation So Isa 9.4 God mentions the dayes of the Midianites minds them of the great destruction of the Midianites by Gideon Judg. 7 and 8 chap. God mindes the dayes of mens sinning Hos 9.9 they have deeply corrupted themselves as in the dayes of Gibeah and therefore he would visit their sins and when he hath visited for sins he would have us remember those visitations Jer. 7.12 Go to Shiloh and see what I did to it for the wickednesse of my people Israel As we should remember ancient and former mercies to strengthen out faith so ancient and former judgements to quicken our fears Vers 10 11 12. Thus saith the Lord God I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon He and his people with him the terrible of the nations shall be brought to destroy the land and they shall draw their swords against Egypt and fill the Land with the slain And I will make the rivers dry and sell the land into the hands of the wicked and I will make the land waste and all that is therein by the hand of strangers I the Lord have spoken it THese words hold out unto us the efficient and instrumentall causes of the forementioned judgments which are in part repeated The efficient cause is God himself ver 10 11. The instrumental are Nebuchadrezzar and his people ver 10 11. The judgements repeated are the destruction of Egypt and the Egyptians putting the land into the hands of others with an addition of drying up the rivers Vers 10. I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease The Hebrew word for multitude is hamon which signifies both multitude and noise for where there is a multitude there will be a noise Egypt was populous and God would diminish the people they should be slain and carried away captives so should both the multitude and noise cease Increase of people is a blessing the lessening of them a judgement By the hand of Nebuchadrezzar Hand here notes power as in 2 Chron. 2â— 10 and Job 1.12 all that he hath is in thy power the Hebrew is in thy hand Nebuchadrezzar by his mighty powerfull arm should come and lay all Egypt waste and make it like a wildernesse Armies are the hands of Princes by which they doe great and dreadfull things Vers 11 The terrible of the nations shall be brought to destroy the land The word for terrible is arizze from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 araz to deal violently to terrifie which Piscator renders crudelissiâ—â— the most cruell the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pestes the French les plus hideâ—â— the most hideous and Junius the most violent Vatablus cals them Tyranni Gentium the Tyrants of Nations those were most Tyrannical and terrible God brought and set on work to destroy the land The Chaldeans were a bitter nation terrible and dreadful Hab. 1.6 7. these words we had chap. 28.7 so terrible they were that they should fill the land with dead bodies When an Army of friends passe through a Countrey no hurt is done but when an army of Tyrants of strong and terrible enemies come to spoil what mischief will they not do Vers 12. And I will make the rivers dry Heb. drought Though the Chaldean Army was great yet not so great as to drink up all the waters of Nilus which is one of the chiefest rivers in the world Nilus had many rivulets cut out of it whereby the land was watered all those might they stop up with earth and other materials for their better passage and so the rivers were made dry Or by rivers we may understand that benefit came by them the Chaldeans should take away all the wealth of Egypt which came by the rivers and so the rivers were as dry things to the Egyptians So Maldonate and some others interpret the words but rather thus God would send great spoil and desolation into Egypt whereby the rivers might become uselesse unto them or should we take the words literally as some Expositors are of the minde viz. that for the great wickednesse of the Egyptians God dried up Nilus and punished them with sore famine as in the dayes of Joseph it was when there were seven years of famine This sense may be safe or we may take rivers for the people and their power And sell the land into the
and uncircumcised there were some mighty men which did notable exploits were famous in their generations and dyed honourably in the battel or of their wounds these had pompous and great Funerals Cum armis sepeliebantur ut significaretuâ— eos Vsque ad Mortem usque ad Sepulchrum arma non abjeisse Bab Salum and were buried with their armour they dyed honourably and their honour went with them to the Grave but these should not be reckoned or laid amongst them And they have laid their swords under their heads When Souldiers of note dyed the custome was to honour them with laying their swords under their heads or by their heads and not only so but they used to bury them with their Arms. Lavater tels us that Gyraldus in a book he hath written of Sepulchres and severall Rites of burying saith he saw Arms and Boots found in old Monuments or Sepulchres But their iniquities shall be upon their bones By iniquities is meant the punishment of iniquities Their bones shall be scattered upon the earth for their tyranny and cruelty which they have exercised be exposed to the Beasts and Fowls for a prey so their iniquities shall be upon their bones Oâ— thus they had their swords and arms go down with them to the Grave instruments of cruelty and bloud signifying that they carried their bloudy and tyrannical dispositions with them And their iniquities shall be upon their bones They shall suffer now they are dead and gone a full recompence of reward for all their sins or thus they lived wickedly and dyed cowardly and an ill name shall they leave behind them cursed shall be their memory Vers 28. Yea thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised and shalt lye with them that are slain with the sword Some interpret this verse of Meshech and Tubal that they should be broken in pieces but rather it is the application of the former examples instanced in viz Meshech and Tubal unto Pharoah Thou shalt be broken and become a Companion of the uncircumcised suffering such things as they do Thou shalt be equall to them in punishment who hast not been behind them in sin Vers 29. There is Edom her Kings and all her Princes which with their might are laid by them that were slain by the Sword they shall lye with the uncircumcised and with them that go down to the pit Esau the son of Isaac was call'd Edom who gave that name to the Country call'd Idumaea which had many Kings and Princes they were circumcised being the posterity of Abraham but notwithstanding their circumcision being wicked they obtained nothing thereby neither that not their might and power stood them in any stead but they went down to the pit and had the portion of uncircumcised ones Here the Prophet answers an Objection which the Egyâ—â—ans might make which was this We are circumcised and â—hat are like the Jews an holy people differing from the Naâ—â—re and therefore we lock for some priviledge thereby and cannot be perswaded that our condition shall be like unto the uncircumcised Nations Yes saith the Prophet your condition will not differ at all from theirs for the Kings and all the Princes of Idumaea who came of the Jewish race and had circumcision upon better grounds then you had it they are dead gone to the grave and laid among the uncircumcised Vers 30. There be the Princes of the North all of them and all the Zidonians which are gone down with the slain with their terrour they are ashamed of their might and they lye uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit The word for Princes in Hebrew is Nesichim Men anointed with oyl so Kings and Princes were These Princes of the North were not the Babylonians whom God used to execute his pleasure upon Pharoah and the Egyptians but the Tyrians those of Damascus and Syria together with the Zydonians The Princes of those places were North to Egypt and being men of might they were a terrour unto others but their might could not preserve them from death they were therefore ashamed of their might and are laid with the uncircumcised in the pit First Observe That Tyrants in Hell are glad when other Tyrants like themselves come thither The strong among the mighty shall speak unto him 〈◊〉 of the midst of Hell Whâ—n some great man comes to Court there is rising complementing and welcoming of him thiâ—ne so when great Tyrants come to the Court of Hell there be those rejoyce at it and congratulate their coming Secondly Observe No humane power can defend a man against death or keep him out of the pit Princes have the greatest power yet that prevail'd not the strong and mighty who were terrours to others were no terrours to death who came pluckt them out of their Armyes Thrones Castles Greatnesse and sent them down to the dead Ashur is there and all her company There is Elam and all her multitude There is Meshech Tubal and all her multitude There is Edom her Kings and all her Princes There be the Princes of the North all of them and all the Zidonians None of them all could exempt themselves from that condition it is not pollicy power or greatnesse can do it for the most wise most powerfull and most great God hath said Eccles 8.8 There is no man hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit neither hath he power in the day of Death and there is no discharge in that war neither shall wickednesse deliver those that are given to it Kings are strong but death is stronger than they Kings may make war with men and conquer or conclude peace but it s not so with death if they send out all their forces death fears them not but will slay them every one if they send men to treat and make a peace it will not be granted there is no discharge in that war death will have the bones and carkasses of Princes to gnaw upon as well as the meanest those that have been terrours made a great noise in the world death hath tamed and quieted them Thirdly Observe The greatest and most gâ— the wrong way and have the portion of Gods enemies Kings and Princes of Countreys with their companyes and multitudes go to Hell and lye with the uncircumcised Ashur Elam Meshech Tubal Edom with their Kings and people All the Princes of the North with the Zidonians and those that belonged to them went thither and had the reward of the uncircumcised of such as God owned not for his people but dealt withall as enemies Some there be that dye the death of the righteous Numb 23.10 that dye in faith Heb 11.13 and in the Lord Rev 14.13 and these are blessed their death is precious in the eyes of the Lord Psal 116.15 but as for others they dye in their sins and are accursed Fourthly Observe Mighty men who have ruffled it
righteousness which is of God by faith and that is only the righteousnesse will stand in stead against all sin and let us into Heaven Secondly Observe Its perseverance will Crown mens undertakings and make them acceptable It s not enough to begin well unless we go on if men be righteous and give over their righteousness falling to iniquity as those that are legally righteous may they lose their former righteousness and fall under judgement If a righteous man commit iniquity all his righteousnesse shall not be remembred but for his iniquity which he hath committed he shall dye Thirdly Observe Men are apt to rest upon a legall righteousnesse If he trust in his own righteousnesse When men restore the pledge make restitution for what they have gotten wrongfully walk in the statutes of life do that which is lawfull and right they are very prone to trust in this their own righteousness so did the Pharisees Luke 18.11 12. so did Paul while he was a Pharisee Rom. 7.9 but being become a true Christian and having obtained the righteousness of faith he had no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 but his whole confidence was in Christ Jesus Fourthly Observe Let the wickednesse of men be what it will if they turn from the same it shall not prejudice them but they shall live a comfortable life As for the wickednesse of the wicked he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickednesse If he turn from his sin and do that which is lawfull and right his sins shall not be mentioned unto him he shall surely live he shall live in living others by reason of their iniquities are dead in living they have no comfort in their lives but pine away It s mens sins which make times evill and lives uncomfortable Psal 34.12 13 14. What man is he that desireth life and loveth dayes that he may see good Keep thy tongue from evill and thy lips from speaking guile Depart from evill and do good This is the way to live long and comfortably Righteousness exalts Nations Familyes and Persons Fifthly Observe Gods statutes punctually kept afford life he who walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity shall surely live Deut. 4.1 Hearken O Israel unto the statutes and unto the â—dgements which I teach you for to do them that ye may live and â—in and possesse the Land He speaks of a temporal life here â—ut in Matth 19.17 of an eternal life if thou wilt enter into ife keep the Commandements The young man spake of eternal life and Christ bids him keep the Commandements if he would have that shewing that if a man could personally and perfectly keep the Commands of God he should have eternall life Verses 17 18 19 20. Yet the children of thy people say The way of the Lord is not equall but as for them their way is not equall When the righteous turneth from his righteousness committeth iniquity he shall even dye thereby But if the wicked turn from his wickednesse and do that which is lawfull and right he shall live thereby Yet ye say The way of the Lord is not equall O ye house of Israel I will judge you every one after his wayes THe Prophet having vindicated the truth of God which the Jews calumniated he comes now to vindicate the justice which they likewise impeached saying his proceedings were not equall and that he doth in these verses Vers 17. The way of the Lord is not equall The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The way of the Lord is not right The French translation is La voye du Seigneur n'est point bieu reiglee The way of the Lord is not well regulated or ordered others thus Negant aequum justum esse quod facit Dominus Thy people deny that to be equall and just which the Lord doth They say he governeth the world unrighteously and doth not administer justice indifferently to all men but hath persons in respect and punisheth one for another this was that they charged God withall But as for them their way is not equall Here is answer to that unjust charge they charged God withall and it s by way of recrimination that they charged upon the Lord is recharged upon themselves you say The Lords wayes are not equall but he saith your wayes are not equall just right or well ordered Your Prophets have conspired against me and devoured souls your Priests have violated my Law and prophaned my holy things your Princes have been ravenous wolves to shed bloud and to destroy souls for dishonest gain The People of the Land have used oppression exercised robbery have vexed the poor and needy yea oppressed the stranger wrongfully Ezek 22.25 26 27 29. And now whose wayes are not equall yours or mine Of these words see what hath been said Chap. 18.25 Vers 18. When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity he shall surely dye You charge me that I respect persons and punish one for another the son for the father but it s not so in this ver the next the Lord doth clearly free himself from that imputation hereby shewing what his dealings are with a righteous man whatever he be father or son Prince or Subject if he turn from his righteousness and fall to wicked and vile practices he shall surely dye God will judge him for his wickedness and bring some judgement upon him and there is no injustice in that if men turn Traytors to a State its justice in that state to cut them off Vers 19. But if the wicked turn from his wickedness and do that which is lawfull and right he shall live thereby Here also the Lord vindicates himself by shewing what his proceedings are with a man that turns from his wickedness and doth amend his life by doing what is lawful and right that man whatever he be shall be spared he shall live and enjoy blessings from God it shall go well with the man that turns to God and ill with him that turns from God and doth evill Now if so what injustice is there in God what is the evill of his wayes Let them both speak and declare wherein God wrongs either of them if they can Vers 20. Yet ye say the way of the Lord is not equall Having made it evident by clear demonstration that his wayes are equall and that by two instances viz one of the righteous and the other of the wicked he here upbraids them for their stubbornness and impudency persisting in their perverse opinion and saying Yet the way of the Lord is not equall they might as well have said the sun was dark and the night was day O ye house of Israel I will judge ye every one after his wayes Seeing ye are so wicked perverse in your judgements as to condemn my wayes and sentence them to be unequall I will call every one of you to account for this evill way of yours and the rest of your
be in them The spirit in Scripture is compared to Fire Matth 3.11 to a mighty wind Acts 2.2 to a fountain or spring John 7.38 39. to an ointment 1 John 2.27 to the oyl of gladnesse Psal 45.7 All which things will be seen heard or smelt and set out the spirits manifestation of it self The spirit is an active thing and makes its inbeing-known by mens outward actions as the in-being of the soul is by speaking and walking the sap keeps not alwayes in the root but ascends disperseth it self into every branch and by leaves blossoms and fruit declares the life and nature of the Tree many whose lives do testifie what they are cheat their own souls with this delusion They have honest hearts and are inwardly good though they be not so gracious and holy outwardly as others yea though corruptions do break out sometimes inwardly they are good but let such know it is impossible there should be grace Christ or the spirit within them and these not appear in their tongues and lives For out of the abundance of the heart the tongue speaks and the hand acts The corruption breaks out testifies there is a corrupt graceless Christless and spiritless heart within Ninthly Observe When men have received the spirit of God they are assisted and enabled by it to proceed and persevere in the wayes of God I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements As the stonynesse of their hearts and power of their wills could not hinder God frâ—â—â—utting in his spirit so the stonyness being removed the liberty or power of the will cannot hinder the spirit from carrying on the men in whom it is in the wayes of God it complyes and co-operates with the spirit therein Mans Will after the spirits infusion and work upon it neither doth nor can hinder his proceeding and persevering in the wayes of God for if so mans will should frustrate the promise of God and make him in one part of it unfaithful for he that said I will put my spirit within you said also I will cause you to walk in my statutes to keep my judgements and do them he saith not If man will it shall be so but I will have it so The spirit of God is stronger than Satan 1 John 4.4 Stronger than mens wills and corruptions and will put forth his strength to maintain the truth and faithfulnesse of him who put him within men for that end that he should assist them against whatever should hinder their progress and perseverance in his wayes The spirit writes the Law of God in the hearts of men 2 Cor. 3.3 teaches them to understand the same 1 John 2.27 and enables them to obey all truth 1 Pet. 1.22 They obeyed the Truth through the spirit that caused them to walk in the way of truth notwithstanding Satans temptations the strength of their own corruptions and liberty of their wills Those that have the spirit are led by it and cannot be under the dominion of sin or Satan Rom. 6.14 They are under grace under the conduct of the spirit which will never let them apostatize and perish 1 John 3.9 There is a seed in them which will never suffer them so to degenerate as to become the seed of the Serpent Tenthly Observe Those that have the spirit in them do make godlinesse and the wayes of God their businesse and delight here in this world They walk in his statutes that 's their work trade recreation no businesse lyes more upon them than to be godly The world they are dead unto it Gal. 6.14 and use it as if they used it not 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. And sin they are dead unto they have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darknesse Ephes 5.11 but they are alive unto God Rom 6.11 They spend their time and strength for him they live to his praise and glory So Paul Phil. 1.21 saith To me to live is Christ Vita mea non nisi in rebus Christi occupatur My life is employed and laid out in the service and interest of Christ Those that have the spirit in them live in the spirit and walk in the spirit according to Gal. 5.25 They shew forth the vertues of him that hath put in the spirit within them and the vertues of the spirit being within them David had the spirit of God within him and he made godlinâ—â—â—e his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his principal businesse and the statutes of God his delight Psal 119.164 Seaven times a day do I praise thee vers 62. At midnight will I rise to give thanks unto thee vers 97. Gods Law was his meditation all the day Psal 71.15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousnesse and salvation all the day Psal 25.5 On thee do I wait all the day Psal 84. â—0 A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God than dwell in the Tents of wickedâ—esse Psal 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seek after That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Where is a King where is a Christian that mindeth godlinesse as David did or delights in the wayes of God as he did May it not be taken up for a lamentation that most Christians declare that neither Christ nor the spirit is in them because they neither seek the things of the one nor savour the things of the other Phil. 2.21 Rom. 8.5 Eleventhly Observe A man indowed with the spirit must walk in Gods statutes and in his only I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes they must not worship God any other way then he hath appointed in his word Inward and outward worship must be appointed by God for who knows what will please God but himself he is a glorious and holy spirit infinitely and only wise and that only must we stick unto as pleasing unto him which himself appoints Mens inventions and appointments in worship defile mens souls provoke divine Majesty a godly man therefore is very tender in point of worship and will practice nothing therein but what he hath found a cleer foundation for out of the word of God he knows that when Nadab and Abihu brought strange fire before God it brought a strange judgement upon them from God Levit. 10.1 2. He knows that all worship after the Commandements and Traditions of men is in vain Matth. 15.9 He knows no Coin is currant in the Court of Heaven but that which hath the Image and Superscription of God himself upon it he knows what God hath said Ezek. 20.18 19. Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers neither observe their judgements nor defile your selves with their idols I am the Lord your God walk in my statutes and keep
affords favour when they are dead Gog and all his expected to have had the Land of Israel in possession with all the desirable things thereof but God disappointed his expectation slays him and his and after death gives him and the rest a place of buryal in that Land which was favour Though they had not what they hoped for yet they had more then they deserv'd for such grand Enemies to have a burying place in that Land which was Emanuel's Land out of which they would have driven his people was no small favour especially if we add to it that the place was nam'd after his name The Valley of Hamon-Gog and this recorded in the Book of God and to remain forever Secondly Observe After great Victories wherein many are slain people should for publick good be careful to bury the dead though it require time be troublesome and chargeable Here they were seven moneths in burying the dead carkasses they appointed men to go throughout the Land to search for corps and bones which was a chargeable business and where-ever they found any to bring them unto the Valley of Hamon-Gog which was very troublesome These things they were to do for publick good that the Land might not be infected with those bodies and so infect the living Thirdly Observe By great Victories over Enemies God honours his own Name and makes his people to have a name It shall be to them a Renown the day that I shall be glorified That day my Power my Faithfulness my Justice my Mercy will be seen acknowledged and so I shall be praised made glorious And in that day my People will be spoken of for their Valour Faith and Humanity in burying the dead and so will be renowned When God destroyed Senacherib's Army God did not only make himself a name but he also made Hezekiah a name 2 Chron. 32.23 He was magnified in the sight of all Nations from thenceforth and that which was his magnification was the magnification of all his People The honor of the Head is the honor of the whole Body How renowned will New Jerusalem be when Gog and Magog Antichrist and all that adhere to them shall be taken away When the Lord shall destroy them by fire from Heaven and multitudes be cut off by the Sword then shall those multitudes be for a name to the City Fourthly Observe After conquering there ought to be cleansing When Gog and his shall be subdued then they must cleanse the Land not a dead corps not a bone must be left in it such things did defile We have had many Victories but What cleansing hath there been in this Land Dead bodies limbs and bones of men have been buryed but What dead works are cleansed out of this Land Do not all sorts of sins abound yea super-abound Had we cleansed the Land for each Victory God hath given us but of one common sin by this time we had been spotless we should not have had any visible iniquities amongst us but now we are like Golgotha a place of sculls and dead-men like Sodom and Gomorrah or the Valley of Hamon-Gog we stink so through our Blasphemies Errors and wicked Practises that passengers stop their noses and shake their heads Vers 17 18 19 20. 17. And thou son of Man Thus saith the Lord God Speak unto every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field Assemble themselves and come gather themselves on every side to my Sacrifice that I do Sacrifice for you even a great Sacrifice upon the the Mountains of Israel that ye may eat Flesh and drink Bloud 18. Ye shall eat the flesh of the Mighty and drink the bloud of the Princes of the Earth of Rams of Lambs and of Goats of Bullocks all of them fatlings of Bashan 19. And ye shall eat Fat till ye be full and drink Bloud till ye be drunken of my Sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you 20. Thus shall ye be filled at my Table with Horses and Chariots with Mighty men and with all men of Warr saith the Lord God THese Verses speak of a great Feast and the Invitation of Guests unto the same strange Guests the Fowls of the Heaven and the Beasts of the Field And they have as strange Dishes provided for them even the flesh of Mighty men and Princes Vers 17. Speak unto every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field The Hebrew for every feathered Fowl is Lezippor col canaph To the Fowl of every wing that is to what Fowl soever hath wing Let that Fowl be invited to come and eat of the Feast prepared and likewise Every Beast of the Field which is a Beast of prey Assemble themselves and come gather themselves on every side The Fowls and Beasts being void of reason could not understand what the Prophet said but God who had command over them as well as other creatures would cause them to come as if they had had reason and understanding This shews the certainty and greatness of the Victory the Fowls and Beasts are call'd to come and their coming shall not be in vain they must come on every side and therefore great provision shall be made for them To my Sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you even a great Sacrifice upon the Mountains of Israel The Hebrew word for Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zebach which signifies Sacrificium ex mactata pecude When a Beast was kill'd to be offered up to God that was a Sacrifice properly Sometimes it notes the killing of Men and Beasts as here which metaphorically is call'd a Sacrifice Gog with his Men and Horses were slain and these God calls his Sacrifice a great Sacrifice which he prepar'd for the Fowls and Beasts a great Feast or Supper and the place where this should be is upon the Mountains of Israel That ye may eat Flesh and drink Bloud In the former verse he spake of Gog's Funeral and those that were slain with him even the dead bodies and the bones How is it now that he speaks of eating their Flesh and drinking their Bloud after the seven Moneths were expired and the Searchers had gone through the Land It 's not probable that some were left unburyed and so the Fowls and Beasts iâ—â—â—ted to eat their flesh and drink their bloud but having touched a little upon this in the 4. v. he re-assumes the Argument again in this and the three next Verses and speaks more fully to it Vers 18. Ye shall eat the Flesh of the Mighty The Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gyants by these Mighty men or Gyants the Chief ones in the Army are pointed out men of Power and Command And drink the Bloud of the Princes of the Earth In this vast Army of Gog there were the Princes of divers Countries his Confederates Chap. 38.5.6 Their bloud should the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Earth drink being shed and spilt upon the ground They should feed upon not the vile and
companion of all them that fear thee Christs Disciples gate together Acts 1.15 Peter and John went to their own company Acts 4.23 Verse 10. The fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim Engedi was a Town neer unto the Dead Sea upon the coast of it having strong-holds 1 Sam. 23.29 called Hazazon-Tamar in Jehoshaphats days 2 Chron. 20.2 which A lapide interprets urbs Palmarum a City of Palm-trees because they flourished there â—t had several Vineyards belonging to it Cant. 1.14 From this place to Eneglaim should the Fishers spread their nets Eneglaim was seated at the mouth of the Dead Sea where Jordan emptied it self into it as Junius and Piscator observe and it was in the Eastern part as Engedi was in the Western Before we proceed further take some Observations from Verse 7 8 9 10. Observ 1. The waters of the Sanctuary the Doctrine of the Gospel doth powerfully and speedily beget and bring men to God Such was the vertue of the waters Ezekiel saw that presently they brought forth trees on each side their banks There were trees of Righteousness presently viz. true Christians When Christ preached and the Apostleâ— their Doctrine was received and divers believed John 4.41 7.31 8.30 12.42 Acts 17.11 12 18.8 The waters of the Gospel turn Thorns and Thistles into Vines and Fig-trees and make an Orchard for God where none was This was foretold by Isaiah Isa 41.18 19. I will open rivers in high-places and fountains in the midst of the valleys I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water I will plant in the wilderness the Cedar the Shittah-tree and the Myrtle and the Oyl-tree I will set in the Desart the Fir-tree and the Pine and the Box-tree together The meaning is God would cause the Gospel to be preached in dry and barren places and there should some of all sorts come in believe and grow up like trees of God Isa 44 3 4. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring and they shall spring up as among the grass as willows by the water-courses This water brings forth trees and makes them good being brought forth Observ 2. The waters of the Gospel have and will have their course they issue out who can keep them in and being out they go toward the East Countrey and go down into the Desart and so into the Sea who can stop them When the Gospel began first to be preached it spread Mark 1.27 28. What new Doctrine is this for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits and they do obey him And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the Region round about Galilee The Gospel did run like water from Countrey to Countrey and from Sea to Sea 2 Thess 9.1 Observ 3. That people without the Gospel are like unto the Dead Sea that lake of Sodom into which by our Apostasie from God we have cast our selves The Dead Sea in a spiritual sense is the lake of our sins where all things are loathsome dead and deadly whence nothing but corrupt and pestilent vapors do flow Men are children of wrath by nature dead in sins and trespasses Ephes 2.1 3 5. All men are gone astray and altogether become filthy Psal 14.3 Their throat is an open Sepulchre c. See Rom. 3.10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. they send forth mire and dirt as the Sea doth Isa 57.20 and nothing that is good lives in them they stifle all good motions being dead in sin abominable and reprobate to every good work Observ 4. The waters of the Sanctuary have curing and quickning vertue in them Where they came the waters were healed and every thing lived When they flowed into the Dead Sea that was healed by them ver 8. and every thing lived whither the River came ver 9. People in Scripture are compared to waters Rev. 17.1 15. but they are unsavoury corrupt waters like the Dead Sea sending out noysome vapors but when the Doctrine of the Gospel comes in power with the merits of Christ and graces of the Spirit it purges the head from infectious errors the conscience from dead works the heart from vile lusts and the life from base practices and begets life in the dead soul The Corinthians were a Sodomitical people given to uncleanness and all manner of wickedness 1 Cor. 6. having reckoned up a catalogue of sinners in ver 9 10. he saith in ver 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and hy the Spirit of our God How came they to be so it was by Pauls Preaching the Gospel Acts 18.1 7 8 9 10 11. he brought Sanctuary waters unto them which cured and quickned these Corinthians In the Pool of Bethesda God put forth his power and healed by those waters all manner of bodily diseases John 5. and in these Sanctuary or Gospel waters he puts forth his power and heals all spiritual diseases and quickens those that are spiritually dead ver â—5 These waters are living waters Zach. 14.8 and they beget life and encrease life John â—â— 14. and 10.10 Observ 5. The waters of the Sanctuary are fruitful waters they breed trees on each side and abundance of fish The Doctrine of the Gospel breeds Christians and Believers in abundance Acts 1.15 the number of Disciples was about a hundred and twenty Acts 2.41 Three thousand souls were added unto them Acts 4.4 the number of believers were about five thousand Acts 5.14 multitudes both of men and women were added to the Lord Acts 21.20 Thou seest how many thousand Jews there are which believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how many ten thousands and Rev. 7.9 I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number The trees and fishes multiplied so much in a little time that they exceeded mans Arithmetick Observ 6. The Preachers of the Gospel are fishers Verse 10. The fishers shall stand upon it that is the river and fish there Ye know Christ chose Fishmen to be his Apostles and told them That he would make them fishers of men Mark 1.17 Men are the fish and the Gospel is the net the Promises are the bait and Preachers aâ—e the Fishers Peter threw the net on the right side when he caught three thousand fishes at once Acts 2.41 which was prefigured in the great draught of fishes he took Luke 5.56 The preaching of the Gospel is compared to a net Mat. 13.47 it s good casting this net into the waters where there be store of fish and wise is that man who can catch them Prov. 11.30 he that winneth souls is wise Some Fishers toil all night and catch nothing but where there is wisdom to handle the net and bait the hooks well some fish will be caught Observ