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
upon me and brought me thither 2. In the Visions of God brought he me into the Land of Israel and set me upon a very high Mountain by which was as the frame of a City on the South 3. And he brought me thither and behold there was a Man whose appearance was like the appearance of Brass with a line of Flax in his hand and a measuring Reed and he stood in the Gate 4. And the Man said unto me Son of Man behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither declare all that thou seest to the House of Israel WE are come now to the last part of Ezekiel's Prophesie which is a Typical prophesie concerning Christ and his Church set forth under the Vision of the new Temple City and Kingdom comprehended in these nine last Chapters In which we have 1. The building of the new Temple with the several appurtenances thereof in the 40 41 and 42. Chapter 2. The Ministery Worship and Ordinances of this new Temple in the 43. 44. Chapters 3. The Restitution or Reformation of the whole Land the Common-wealth Kingdom and City with several Ordinances for the Prince and People in the 45 46 47 and 48. Chapters In describing of these the Prophet useth saith Huffâ—nrefferus words and phrases suitable to the state of the Jews he describes as it were the Temple Worship and Land of the Jews Whereas he aims at no such thing but intends the spiritual Kingdom of Christ and the Gospel The scope of this Vision was to comfort the afflicted Jews who being in captivity lamented the desolation of the Temple City and Common-wealth of Israel To the Prophet therefore the Lord shews in a Vision the restauration of them again and not only so but greater things are held out and promised under them as the greatness and glory of the Church under Christ in time of the Gospel of which John speaks Revel 21.22 It 's not an earthly City Temple Jerusalem we are to look at here but a spiritual City Temple Jerusalem viz. the Church of Chrâ—st whose Name is Jehovah-Shammah In this Chapter you have 1. A Preface or Introduction to the Vision 2. A Narrative of the Wall several Courts Gates the Porch of this new Temple and the measures of them In the Preface are five things The Time the Manner the Place the Author and End of the Vision Vers 1. In the five and twentieth year of our Captivity in the beginning of the year in the tenth day of the Moneth Here the time is pointed out when this Vision was presented to Ezekiel which was in the 25. year of his captivity so long it was since he with Jehoiakim was carryed into Babylon and kept there His first Vision was in the fift year of his captivity Ezek. 1.2 And this his last Vision was twenty years after in the beginning of the year the tenth day of the moneth which some make to be in the Autumn others in the Spring The fourteenth year after the City was smitten After Jehoiakim had been eleaven years in captivity the City was smitten and utterly laid waste which was in the eleventh year of Zedekiah 2 King 25.2 Jer. 39.2 52.5 From this period or Epoclea is the Vision reckoned fourteen years after the desolation of the City Ezekiel had it Some would prove this year to be the year of Jubilee because it was the 50. from the 18. of Josiahs reign when the Book of the Law was found But that year appears not to be a Jubilaean year Mestlinus makes the year of Jubilee to be in the 10. of Zedekiah's reign and if so this year of the Prophets Vâ—sion was but 16. years after the year of Jubilee and 34. years before the next Jubilee In the self same day The Hebrew is Beetzem haiom in the bone or essence of the day in the body of the day or in the strength of the day when the heat and light were greatest the same words are in Gen. 7.13 where the words are rendered the self same day being an Hebrew form of speech The hand of the Lord was upon me c. The Chaldee saith A Prophetical Spirit from the face of Lord resided upon me others The strength or divine virtue of the Lord was upon me These words we had in Chap. 1. v. 3. where they were opened Here the manner of the Vision is set forth it was by the Spirit of God upon the Prophet enlightning and informing his mind And brought me thither I was brought in mind not in body by the Spirit thither that is to the City that had been smitten but now seem'd to be re-built and so it follows Vers 2. In the Visions of God brought he me into the Land of Israel In those great glorious and wonderful Visions of God wrought in the Prophet by the Spirit of God he apprehended that he was in the Land of Israel beholding not only with the eyes of his mind the things presented unto him but also with the eyes of his body And set me upon a very high Mountain The place where the Prophet had this Vision was in the Land of Israel and upon Mount Sion or Mount Moriah where the Temple was built Moriah is from raah to see this Mount was the Mount of Vision and on it had Ezekiel this glorious Vision Kimohi saith This Mountain is the Mountain of the Temple and this City is Jerusalem on the South Lightfoot on the Temple ch 4. v. 13. The Rabbins conceive the Land of Israel to be the highest of all Lands and Mount Sion or Moriah the highest of all the Mountains in that Land It was a Type of the Church of Christ Heb. 12.22 and therefore it 's represented here to be a very high Mountain and so it was unto John also Rev. 21.10 which words allude to these of Ezekiel The Hebrew for set me is caused me to rest when the Prophet was brought to this Mountain he had rest there is no true rest but in the Church in the Mount of Vision By which was as the frame of a City on the South The Mount it self was South from Babylon and the Cities was on the Southside of the Mount which was smitten there now the Prophet sees in Vision as it were the model or frame of a City he had seen before the ruine of the City and now he sees the raising of it Vers 3. And he brought me thither That is the Spirit of God carryed him in Vision to that Mountain where he saw an Idaea of a City And behold there was a Man whose appearance was like the appearance of Brass Here the Author of the Vision is specified and described from his appearance the Instruments he had and the place where he stood This Man is made by some an Angel by others Christ It was the Son of God appeared in
they defiled Jerusalem what lay in them But of the New Jerusalem it 's written Kings shall bring their glory and honour into it Rev. 21.24 Nor by the Carkeises of their Kings in their high places The word for Carkeises is Pegerim from Pigger which signifies to be without strength sloathful so Carkeises are deprived of all strength and move not they lye where they are fallen cadaver à cadendo The Rabbies tell us that the Kings of Judah had an house near to the Temple yea joyning to it and that they were wont to bury their dead in a Garden belonging to it There they say Manasses and Amon were buried which they gather from 2 King 21.18 26. and that by their Carkeises being so nigh the Temple it was defiled But the places cited doe not say it was in the Garden of the House of the Lord they say it was in the Garden of Vzzah neither do they affirm that this Garden joyn'd to the Temple The Vulgar reads the words in ruinis Regum in the ruins of the Kings and so some Expositors refer it to what we find done by Jâ—siah 2 King 23.12 13. The Altars which were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz which the Kings of Judah had made and the Altars which Manasseh had made in the two Courts of the house of the Lord did the King beat down and broke them down from thence and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron And the High Places which were before Jerusalem which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption which Solomon the King of Israel had builded for Ashtoreh the abomination of the Zâ—donians and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites and for Milchom the abomination of the children of Ammon dâ—d the King d file And he brake in pieces the images and cut down the groves and filled their places with the bones of men vers 14. These Altars and Hâ—gh Places which Ahaz Manasseh and Solomon made were utterly destroy'd by Josiah and thereupon call'd The ruins of Kings Another exposition of these words is to understand them of the Children which were sacrificed to Idols and passing through the fire Both Kâ—ngs and others did so by their children 2 King 16.3 Chap. 17.17 Chap. 21.6 Jerem. 19.5 Chap. 32.35 Ezek. 16.20 21. This pâ—â—ctise of theirs greatly provoked God and therefoâ—e he saith Jerem. 16.18 I will recompense their iniquity and the r sin double because they have defiled my land they have 〈◊〉 â—ine inheritance with Carkeises of their detestable and â—bâ—minable things They are call'd Carkeises of their Kings either from the example of Kings who offered their children or from their authority commanding it or from the names of their Idols which were call'd Molâ—ch Milcom and Malchum 1 King 11.7 2 King 23.13 Zeph. 1.5 which signifies a King Moses calls Idols Carkeises Levit. 26.30 and such they are because liveless Psal 115.5 6 7. and loathsome Gillubin Ezek. 22.3 dunghill-gods and Ehikkutzim 2 Chron. 15.8 abominations in the abstract The Carkeises therefore of their Kings it 's not amiss to expound of those Idols they caused to be set up and countenanced The Annotations on this place say The Jews did deifie their dead Kings and kept their bodies for adoration but as Sanctius saith Nullum quod ego viderim extat in Scriptura tam impiae atque insanae adorationis vestigium That place they cite Psal 106.28 is impertinent They ate the sacrifices of the dead that is things offered to Baal Peor a dead God Vers 8. In their setting of their Threshold by my Thresholds and their Post by my Posts The latter part of the former verse Neither they nor their Kings c. together with this verse declare the cause of God's former departing from them God did not account the Temple defiled because the Kings had houses near unto it in which they did wickedly whereas they should have been more holy for their proximity to the Temple This sense some fasten upon the words But that hath more weight in it is Manasses built Altars in the house of the Lord and set a graven image of the grove there 2 King 21.4 7. In or near the house of God there was the image of jealousie Tammuz and other abominations Ezek. 8.5 10 14 18. so 2 King 16.11 12 14. Ezek. 23.39 These were the Threshold by God's Thresholds and the Post by God's Posts these things caused God to go far off from his Sanctuary vers 6. The precepts and traditions of men with their inventions and additions to the worship of God are styl'd Posts and thresholds The Authors of them do lean and stand much upon them and set them in the way to hinder others from injoyment of Temple-priviledges unless they will own and comply with them but such Posts and Thresholds are rotten and faulty The Lord's institutions and appointments are sound and good they bear up his name and worship they are strong and standing things and by them we have entrance into his presence To make any thing like the institutions and appointments of God is prohibited Exod. 30.32 33 37 38. None might make anointing oyle like the holy anointing Oyle which God had appointed if they did they were to be cut off And men may not make Thresholds and Posts like the Lord's Thresholds and Posts much less set them up with the Lord's impose them upon the conscience as the Lord's giving them equal honour and authority with them This is defiling the worship and holy name of God which he will avenge for he will admit no rival or proprietorie in the things of his worship he saith My Thresholds My Posts he will have no adding to or diminishing from what is his Deut. 12.32 The scope of God in these words is this that the worshippers in the new Temple shall do nothing of their own private spirits of their own heads there shall be no superstition idolatry or humane invention added to the worship of God there shall be no heresie no false doctrines no traditions or devices of men Such Thresholds and Posts shall not be set up by the Lord's they are defiling things and such things must not enter into the New Jerusalem Rev. 21.27 neither shall they by their sins cause God to depart from them but shall do all things according to the line of his word and apply themselves wholly to do his good pleasure And the wall between me and them There is but the wall between my Sanctuary and their houses I am but a little distanced from them and yet they have done these things they have forgotten me and defiled my holy name or their Altars Idols Traditions Inventions are a wall between me and them so that they neither come at me nor I at them Isa 59.2 Your iniquities have separated between you and your God they are a partition-wall so thick and high that there is no seeing or hearing one another Wherefore I have consumed them in
hands of the wicked The Lord gives he doth not sell The word for selling is Macar which signifies to give to deliver as well as to sell and the Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give the land those who sell do deliver what they sell into the hands of others and this is attributed to God metaphorically for that he disposed of the land of Egypt to others that is the Chaldeans who are called wicked the Vulgar hath it in manus pessimorum into the hands of the worst I will make the land waste and all that is therein Egypt was a land abounding with men horse charets wealth Cities and all desirable things but God would make it desolate and all the fulnesse of it so the words are in Hebrew for all that is therein it had a fulnesse of all things and by the hand of the Chaldean it was emptied who in the next words are called strangers because they were such to the Egyptians I the Lord have spoken it These words are a ratification of what is threatned Ezekiel hath not spoken a vision of his own or from his own spirit but what is said is the word of the eternal God I the Lord have spoken it I have determined it shall be so and nothing shall lett it Observe First God hath wayes to empty lands of their mâ—â—titude and fullnesse Egypt had her multitude of men of beasts of Cities of riches she had her fulnesse of all things and God had an Army a multitude of Souldiers to plunder and spoil her to empty her of all her multitudes and fulnesses Jerusalem had its multitudes and fulness but Nubuchadnezzar emtyed her and made her like an empty vessel Jer 51.34 Babylon had her multitudes and fulness of Treasure Jer. 51.13 and God had Fanners to fan her ver 2. and empty her land those Fanners were the Medes and Persians who scattered the Babylonians and made a Prey of their Treasures Secondly observe When God will execute severe Judgments he makes use of suitable Instruments He intended utter destruction to Egypt and the terrible of the Nations were brought to destroy it Nebuchadnezzar had men out of many Nations and the terrible ones of those Nations by the secret hand of God were brought to lay Egypt waste They roared like Lyons Isa 5.29 They were cruel and without mercie Jer. 6.23 They hanged Princes by their hands Lament 5.12 And here they fil'd the Land with the slain Thirdly observe Gods designs shall go on whatever lies in the way to hinder He was resolved upon the destruction of Egypt the Rivers of it lay in the way so that an Army could not get over Nilus that great river if gotten over it could not march and do the work appointed for the multitude of little Rivers were in the land shall these hinder the designe of God No he will dry up the Rivers to make way unto his designs the Babylonians shall pass over and pierce through the whole land When the Israelites were at the Red Sea that lay as an impediment unto Gods design which was to carry them to Canaan but did it hinder the same No speak to the Children of Israel that they go forward what go forward and be drowned in the Sea No because they had not Faith to go upon the waters therefore he divides the waters and makes a dry path for them through the midst of the deeps Exod 14. There were Mountains in the way hindering the building of the Temple but one great mountain above all the rest Zech. 4.7 Who art thou O great mountain whether it were the Persian Monarchy or Satan and all the enemies of the Jewes God made it a plain before Zerubbabel and notwithstanding all enemies and opposition he carried on the work of God Things may be too hard for men impossible for them but nothing is too hard for or impossible to the Lord. He enabled Nebuchadnezzar to take Tyrus to destroy Egypt all the Rivers thereof shall not hinder it God will dry them up rather then his designe shall faile Psal 74.15 Thou dryest up mighty rivers God hath divided Seas plained Mountains and dryed up Rivers in our days to make way for his designs and in due time he will dry up the great River Euphrates to make way for the Kings of the East Rev. 16.12 Fourthly observe All Lands are the Lords and he may dispose of them to whom he will even to the wicked he sold he gave the land of Egypt into the hands of the Babylonians who were wicked yea the worst of men Ezek. 7.24 Kingdoms are not such excellent things as we imagine were they so they would not be given to Gods enemies That Kingdom is of great worth which God gives to his children Luke 12.32 Vers 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. Thus saith the Lord God I will also destroy the Idols and I will cause their Images to cease out of Noph and there shall be no more a Prince of the land of Egypt and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt And I will make Pathros desolate and will set fire in Zoan and will execute Judgments in No. And I will poure my fury upon Sin the strâ—â—gth of Egypt and I will cut off the multitude of No. And I will set fire in Egypt Sin shall have great pain and No shall be rent asunder and Noph shall have distresses daily The young men of Aven and of Phibeseth shall fall by the sword and these cities shall go into captivity At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened when I shall break there the yoaks of Egypt and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her as for her a cloud shall cover her and her daughters shall go into Captivity Thus will I execute Judgments in Egypt and they shall know that I am the Lord. HAving formerly threatned destruction to Egypt and her Cities in general the Prophet descends now to particulars in the 13 14 15 16 17 and 18 vers and then in the 19. verse shews what is the end of God in his exercising judgments viz. That they may know him to be the Lord. I will destroy the Idols Egypt was the most idolatrous Land of any and God would now destroy the Idols out of it The word for Idols is gillulim which Piscator renders stercora dung filth so the word signifies and their Idols were dunghil filthy Gods fitter to be trodden under foot by Man and Beast then to be worshipped I will cause their Images to cease Elilim Images from Elil nihilum for an Image or Idol is res nihili a thing of no account 1 Cor. 8.4 It cannot profit therefore Isai 2.20 They shall cast away their Idols as useless things and God would make them to cease Out of Noph This Noph was a great city in Egypt very populous and famous for the Pyramids and Monuments of Kings who leaving Thebes made that the Royal City Isai 19.13 The Princes of Noph thither many
Cyreneans against whom Pharaoh led out an Army which they overthrew and the Civil Wars amongst them after that Victory they were so consum'd and weakened Chap. 29.4 vid. Juni that they had not hearts nor means to defend themselves against Nebuchadnezzar when he invaded them I will cause the Sword to fall out of his hand When an Arm is broken the hand is disabled from holding any thing so Pharaoh having his arms broken Syria and Egypt the Sword should fall out of his hand he should not be able any more to make war he should neither have forces in the one Kingdom or the other to do him service or thus if he did get up some forces and ingage with the Babylonians God would so order things that the Egyptians should be overcome throw down their Arms cry for quarter or fly for safety Vers 23. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the Nations The Hebrew word for to scatter is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 puts which signifies confringi cum dispersione to be broken and dispersed he spake before of the breaking Pharaohs forces and now saith they should be scattered some running one way some another some carried into one part of Babylon some into another And disperse them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sarah which is the Hebrew word signifies to disperse by breaking in pieces and also by fanning The Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will fan them And so Lavater Piscator and the vulgar render the word God would fan them as chaffe out of the Land of Egypt and drive them from country to country as the wind drives chaffe from place to place Vers 24. And I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon Chizzikti Montanus renders it comfortabo I will comfort Vatablus noborabo I will make strong Jun. and Pisca confirmabo I will confirm the French fortifiray I will fortifie The Septuag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will harden The word Chazak saith Kirker signifies properly firmam apprehensionem such a taking hold of a man as thereby to confirm his Spirits and to strengthen him God would take hold of Nebuchadnezzar and his forces so as to add spirit courage and strength unto them he would be on their side and make them victorious He was against Pharaoh brake his Arms weakened him but he would be with Nebuchadnezzar uphold him and make his Arms strong And put my Sword in his hand I will furnish him with all military instruments and sufficiency of power to execute my judgments upon Egypt and upon Pharaoh King thereof God would make the Sword fall out of his hand but he would put one into Nebuchadnezzars hand But I will break Pharaohs Arms. Let them be strong and brawnie I will break them as wood bones earthen vessels are wont to be broken he is proud confident and thinks himself able to withstand the King of Babylon but by him will I break all his forces and so breake them that He shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man The Hebrew runs thus He shall cry with Cries being deadly wounded before him Piscator looking to the former words I will break Pharaohs Arms renders them thus that he may groan before him as a man groans being deadly wounded When a man is Chalal thrust through or deadly wounded he fetcheth deep sighs and groans and Pharaoh should be so afflicted with the King of Babylons prevailing against him that he should greatly mourn and groan Noak notes such crying sighing groaning as men make when they are wounded unto death Vers 25. But I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon and the Arms of Pharaoh shall fall down c. In this verse and the last there is little but what was said before the Prophet repeats the same things that so he might awaken the Egyptians to consider what dreadful desolations were coming upon them and beat off the Jews from seeking help at their hands whose destruction was so certainly determined by the Lord. And he shall stretch it out upon the Land of Egypt This stretching out may either refer to the stroke as when men will strike strong and deadly stroaks they stretch out their arms that the stroke may be with more force upon the partie to be smitten or it may note the extent of the Sword it should be stretched out upon the whole Land of Egypt Wars should consume the whole Nation First observe Men in affliction strictly observe how the time passes away they mind the years months and days Ezekiel was a Captive in Babylon and he kept account of the time in the Eleventh year the first month and seventh day of it that was of their Captivity he slipt not a day but observed it and what fell out then the word of the Lord came unto him Afflictions make good Chronologers Secondly observe The Lord makes good his word he had said by the mouth of David Psal 37.17 The arms of the wicked shall be broken and here he saith I have broken the Arms of Pharaoh King of Egypt he was a wicked King and God broke his Arms. Kings who have great forces great wealth numerous Cities and strong Navies if they be wicked they and all they have are no more to God then one single man whose Arms God can easily break for he hath a mighty Arm Psal 89.13 And when he makes it bare then it breaks Kings and Kingdoms Arms and Armies in pieces it was his Arm that brake the Babylonian Persian Grecian and Roman Empires which were all wicked He break the Arm of Moab Jer. 48.25 He will break the Arm of Antichrist and of all the Princes of the Earth which help him Thirdly observe God sometimes so wounds Princes and States as that their wounds are incurable I have broken the Arm of Pharaoh and loe it shall not be bound up to be healed all the State-Chyrurgeons and Physitians could not set the bone again and heal the wound much art and industry was used many plaisters applyed but all to no purpose for God had said it shall not be healed Jer. 46.11 In vain shall they use many Medicines for they shall not be cured it s spoken of this Pharaoh and the wound he had received If God deny once to cure the wounds he makes those wounds prove deadly not all the Balm in Gilead will cure them not all the wisdom riches strength of Egypt could make Pharaoh whole again If the Lord himself do not binde up when he breaks heal where he wounds nothing but death and dissolution follows Fourthly observe It s a dreadful thing to have the Lord declare himself to be an enemie to a King to a State to any Behold I am against Pharaoh therefore what was broken could not be healed and what was whole should be broken he should be more and more disabled his Princes became fools his wise Councellors brutish a perverse and seducing Spirit was in the midst of them and
escaped as the destruction of Jerusalem from the 21. vers to the 30. and this is set out or amplified 1. From the time and occasion of it vers 21. 2. From the efficient cause vers 22. 3. From the moving causes vers 24 25 26. 4. From the finall cause which is in the 29. vers Vers 21. In the twelfth year of our captivity in the tenth month in the fifth day of the month How long this was after the taking and smiting of Jerusalem will appear by comparing Jerem. 52.5 6 7. with this verse In the eleventh year of Zedekiah in the fourth month in the ninth day of the month the City was broken up The captivity of the Jewes began with Zedekiahs reign for that time he was made King Jehoiachin was carryed away captive into Babylon 2 Kings 24. Now this was in the twelfth year of the captivity the tenth month in the fifth day of it so that it was a year and six months wanting four dayes before this tydings of Jerusalems being smitten came to Ezekiel One that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me saying Many perished in Jerusalem by the famine and plague in the time of the Siedge many were slain at the taking of it yet some escaped and its probable they hid themselves in holes woods among the mountains or fled to Aegypt one of which after so long a time as a year five months and sixteen dayes came to Ezekiel and told him The City was smitten it s without question he and others had heard somthing of Jerusalems condition before but no certainty The City is smitten The word for smitten is from Nacah which notes so to smite as not to misse it was certainly smitten The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The City is taken The Vulgar Vastata est civitas The City is laid waste Broken up as in Jerem 52.7 This was sad News he brought that Jerusalem that famous City that City of God was destroyed Vers 22. Now the hand of the Lord was upon me This expression we had in the 1. Chap 3. Chap 3.14 The hand of the Lord was strong upon me And here by the hand of the Lord is meant Vis Prophetica or Afflatus Propheticus Prophetical breathings of Gods Spirit were upon the Prophet whereby he was inabled to speak freely and boldly concerning the state of the Jews in Judaea that had escaped God informed the Prophet how things were at Jerusalem before the Messenger came In the evening afore he that was escaped came The evening was the beginning of the day among the Jews and so of much esteem and God then by his Spirit visited the Prophet And had opened my mouth untill he came to me in the morning In the 24. Chap God had told the Prophet that one should escape and bring him tydings of things at Jerusalem and that in that day his mouth should be opened and here it s made good The opening of the mouth implyes 1. Materiam loquendi Matter of speaking 2. Libertatem loquendi Freedom of speaking 3. Occasionem loquendi Opportunity of speaking All these concur'd here he had matter given in to speak unto those that were escaped and flattered themselves they should live and recover their losses he had freedom Jerusalem being smitten boldly to maintain what he had formerly prophesied against Jerusalem and occasion Ministred unto him from the mans coming The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad fer untill were better rendred when so Sa in his notes upon the place hath it donec procum saith he There was a sweet harmony and correspondency between what the Prophet received from the Spirit of God and that which this Messenger faithfully related unto him My mouth was opened and I was no more dumb After this he was so fill'd with the Prophetical Spirit that he was silent no more but prophesied freely and frequently unto them First Observe Gods people are sometimes under long afflictions In the twelfth year of our captivity They had endured many miseries in a forraign Land amongst a barbarous people twelve years Numb 20.15 We dwelt in Aegypt a long time and the Aegyptians vexed us and our Fathers Aegypt was an house of bondage and vexation unto them and when they were brought out God threatned them that if they would not observe all the words of his Law to do them and fear his glorious name he would make their plagues great and of long continuance Deut. 28.59 And this captivity of theirs was so long that they thought God had forgotten them Lament 5.20 Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever and forsake us so long time Seventy years time they lay in Babylon which was no better then an iron furnace Ezekiel Daniel and other Godly Ones were in this condition Secondly Observe That when utter dessolation comes upon places and Gods judgements are severe yet some have their lives for a prey One that had escaped came Ezek 9.5 The slaughter-men are commanded to shew no pity but to slay utterly old and young both maids little children and women only the marked ones they must not touch its probable this man that escaped was one of the marked Ones for he had a special care to come and inform Ezekiel what had befallen them and the City that so he might bear witness both to the truth of Jeremies and Ezekiels prophesies had he been a wicked man he would hardly have come to the Prophet into Babylon but whoever he was he escaped famine plague and sword which cut off thousands of others Thirdly Observe Ancient renowned and priviledged Cityes have their periods and dissolutions Jerusalem was very ancient there is mention of it in Joshuah's dayes Josh 15.8 She was famous throughout the earth call'd the Gates of the People for the resort unto her Ezek 26.2 She had choice priviledges she was the holy City Isa 48.32 The City of the Lord of Hoasts Psal 48.8 The City of Solemnities Isa 33.20 The valley of Vision Isa 22.1 The perfection of beauty Lament 2.15 The City judged by all to be impregnable Lament 4.12 But whatever Jerusalem was here 's the conclusion Jerusalem is smitten broken in pieces and laid utterly waste Kings Princes Nobles Counsellours Judges Prophets Priests People all were smitten In Rev 8.12 it s said The Sun Moon and Stars were smitten a third part of them but here the Sun Moon and Stars and Orbs they were in were wholly smitten O what darkness was then upon the face of the Jewish earth All created and artificiall glory is subject to smiting let not your hearts be taken with Sun Moon or Starres with Cities and the glory of them c. Fourthly Observe The faithfulnesse of God in performing what he foretells and promises Chap. 24.26 27. It was hinted to the Prophet that one should escape the fury of the Babylonians and bring the news of Jerusalems destruction and that That day his mouth should be opened and he should speak and is it not
here fulfilled punctually that day the party escaped came with that sad News of Jerusalems being smitten was the mouth of the Prophet opened and mark how forward God is to make good what he promises He opened not his mouth at the end of the day but the evening before the man came which was the beginning of their day he came in the morning by what time the Prophet might be up but God had been with the Prophet before Exod 12.41 Let us learn to be faithfull and perform to a day what we promise rather be before-hand with men then behind with them Fifthly Observe God is pleased sometimes to confirm the truths delivered by his servants by witnesse and signs Here was a witnesse came from Jerusalem to assure the Prophet and others that what had been prophesied against Jerusalem was true and made good here was sign upon sign he was as dumb before and now his mouth was opened which was a confirmation to him and others likewise Isa 44.20 He confirmeth the word of his servant and performeth the counsels of his Messengers Many would not believe Ezekiel not Jeremy touching the destruction of Jerusalem but God confirmed their words Sixthly Observe Liberty to speak the things of God is from the Spirit of God No man can prophesie or declare the things of the Lord unless the Spirit of God breath upon him and open his mouth The hand of the Lord was upon me and opened my mouth and I was no more dumb He had great freedom and boldnesse of speech when the Spirit of God came upon him that fill'd him with Sanctuary water and made the waters flow strongly before the Spirit waters them Prophets are dry before that speaks they are dumb but when the hand of the Lord is upon them then they cannot but speak and distill Heavenly dews or poure out great rains 2 Cor 6.11 O ye Corinthians Our mouth is open unto you our heart is inlarged The Spirit had fill'd his heart with divine things and his mouth was open freely and boldly to communicate the same unto them Verses 23 24 25 26. Then the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man they that inhabit those wastes of the Land of Israel speak saying Abraham was one and he inherited the Land but we are many the Land is given us for inheritance Wherefore say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Ye eat with the bloud and lift up your eyes toward your idols and shed blood and shall ye possesse the Land Ye stand upon your sword ye work abomination and ye defile every one his neighbours wife and shall ye possesse the Land THese words contain the causes that occasioned and moved God to denounce judgement against the Jews who escaped the Babylonish sword when Jerusalem was smitten The cause occasioning God to threaten them with destruction was their vain confidence that they should possess the Land still vers 24. The causes moving God to destroy them were their sins which are mentioned vers 25 26. Vers 23. Then the word of the Lord came unto me saying When the hand of the Lord was upon him when the Spirit of prophesie was upon him then the word of the Lord came unto him the Spirit brings the word of God unto men Prophets spake as they were inspired by the Spirit of God not of their own heads Ezekiel would rather be silent and dumb then speak from himself Vers 24. They that inhabit those wastes of the Land of Israel Nebuchadnezzar having been a year and half as appears by 2 Kings 25.1 2 3. Jerem 52.4 5 6. before Jerusalem with a great army of the worst of men Ezek 7.24 the Land of Israel oâ— Judah for Israel here is put for Judah could not but be greatly spoiled laid waste when once the Temple City were burnt and ruined then was the Land as a wilderness Zephany calls that day A day of wastnesse and desolation Chap. 1.15 And Jeremy saith The Land was then a desolate Wildernesse Chap 12.10 Some were left by Nebuzaradan to inhabit the waste and desolate places of the Land Jer. 39 10. He left some poor people gave them Vineyards and Fields to labour in and live upon and Gedaliah being made Governour many flocked unto him who had hid themselves in woods holes among the mountains and fled to neighbouring Countries for security Jer 40. 2 Kings 25.22 23. Speak saying Abraham was one and he inherited the Land The Land of Canaan was promised to Abraham and his seed Gen 12.7 Chap 15.18 26.4 Abraham did not inherit it personally he had not so much as one foot of ground in it Acts 7.4 5. He dwelt in it Gen 13.12 but had no inheritance in it therefore they here were mistaken to say He was one and he inherited the Land Abraham was one yea one that believed one that feared loved and obeyed God yet for his onenesse had he not the Land God gave him the Land having an eye to his faith and obedience Gen. 15.6 7. Chap. 22.16 17 18. But we are many the Land is given us for inheritance This was the argument with which they flattered themselves who were now remaining in Judaea that they should still possess the Land and recover themselves again The Land said they was given us for inheritance who are many as well as Abraham who was one if he enjoyed it being but one shall not we much more being many and being his Seed what reason hath God to cast us out of that inheritance he gave our father and us his children He will not do it we shall dwell here grow up quickly being many and recover our former liberty and glory But these men deceived themselves by this foolish reasoning for God did not give Canaan to Abraham because he was one and so principium numeri but propter foedus because of the Covenant which he made with him Gen 15.18 Chap 17.7 8. which Covenant Abraham kept living by faith in God and bringing forth fruits sutable thereunto which themselves did not For had they been the children of Abraham they would have done the works of Abraham as Christ said John 8.39 But you may see what their works were in the two verses following this we are speaking of Besides they had forgotten what God had threatned against those he gave the Land unto if they did forsake and disobey him Deut. 28.63 Chap 30.18 God told them they should not prolong their dayes but perish or be pluckt off the Land Little reason had they also to argue that they should be spared and possesse the Land because they were many for that as Junius well observes A greater number then they who had possessed the Land were cut off or removed out of the Land Vers 25. Wherefore say unto them thus saith the Lord God Their vain confidence provoked the Lord and therefore here he commissions the Prophet to tell them what he judged of them and their sayings His thoughts were
in take up all places and sit in expectation to hear somewhat that may please or to catch somewhat they may carp at and make advantage of which some Expositers affirm to be the end of their coming here The Hebrew for as the people cometh is according to the coming or entrance of the people some come for to hear notions and novelties some to scoffe some to censure few come upon right grounds or for right ends They sit before thee as my people They carry it before thee as my people they hearken to what thou sayest and make as if they would not loose one truth but lay up all and do as my people ought to do viz practice what they hear they seem before thee to be Saints the people of God as those that would learn righteousnesse They hear thy words but they will not do them They took pains to hear the Prophet they came to his house as Chap 8.1 Chap. 14.1 It was not likely that they had publique places of meeting the Babylonians did not favour them so much as to indulge them with such liberty where-ever it was they heard the Prophet they did not do what he said they obeyed not him nor the Lord who sent him For with their mouth they shew much love From the teeth outwards they professed much kindness to the Prophet they gave him smooth and good words The Hebrew for much love is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agavim from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agat which signifies to be much in love with one to be taken with the sight hearing or company of one and Agavim is amatoria they make as if they were deeply in love much affected with the sight and hearing of thee when it was not so here was their hypocrisie The Septuagint hath these words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because there was a lye in their mouth they dissembled with the Prophet Arias Montanus renders the word Agavim subsannationes which is mockings with bending the Browes and snuffing the Nose the Vulgar is to that purpose in canticum oris sui vertunt illos they turn thy words into a song they jeer at what thou sayest so that translation Vatablus follows Cantiones edunt ore suo that is saith he Rident doctrinam tuam they laugh at thy doctrine The French likewise is of this nature Itz en font une chauson de plaisanterie de leur bouche they make scoffing songs with their mouth The word for shew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Osim from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asah which usually signifies to do to effect to perfect but here hath a differing signification viz. to shew declare or professe and so Polanus tells that the word in Matth. 12.33 is to be taken either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt for the Tree is known by his fruits Look upon the works which I have done and by them profess declare what I am if I have done evill works declare me â—nd my works to be evill if I have done good declare me and my works to be good for such as the Tree is such is the fruit But their heart goeth after their covetousnesse They looked upon the Prophet and listned to his words but their hearts looked another way The word for Covetousness is Bitzha from Batzha to wound break damnifie and metaphorically to be covetous given to get and gain intimating that covetous men do wound break damnifie themselves and others The Septuagint have these words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their heart goeth after their pollutions Covetousness is a defiling thing The Greek word for Covetousnesse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a desire of having more not simply of having more but more then God allows us when we go beyond the bounds he hath set us which bounds are in 1 Tim. 6.8 Heb 13.5 If we be not content with food rayment and such things as we have but let out our desires to more we are covetous They being in captivity having little in respect of what they once had in their own Land they were not contented with what they had but let out their minds and hearts to more and so were covetous First Observe It s the portion of Gods servants to be ill spoken of and that from time to time by those they live amongst and do good unto The children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of their houses They had spoken ill of Ezekiel before they did it still openly and secretly David met with such a portion from many Psal 41. All that hate me whisper together against me Psal 69.12 They that sit in the Gate speak against me Psal 109.2 The mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitfull are opened against me they have spoken against me with a lying tongue Psal 119.23 Princes also did sit and speak against me Great and small publiquely and privately did defame David Jeremy escaped not the lash of the tongue Chap 18.18 Come let us smite him with the tongue Paul that precious servant of Christ how was he spoken against he saith He was made as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor 4.13 Look what filth is washed out of or rust scoured off from Pots and thrown out of doors such was Paul and his name made It s the basest Office to set our tongues on work to detract from the worth of any if there be evill in men our charity should cover it if vertue our wisdome should commend it 'T is a Devilish sin to speak evill of others he first brought this sin into the world by speaking evill of God Gen. 3.4 5 and too many are like unto him in speaking ill of the servants of God but we must steel our selves to pass thorow bad report 2 Cor 6.8 Rom 3.8 Secondly Observe Whatever wicked men speak against the Prophets and servants of God he knowes and takes notice of the same Son of man They speak against thee by the walls and in the doors of their houses Let them speak openly or secretly God hears them when they said Come let us devise devices against Jeremy come let us smite him with the tongue and let us not give heed to any of his words Chap 18.18 God heard them and revealed to Jeremy what they said There is not a word spoken by any but the Lord is privy to it and not only words but thoughts also Isa 59.7 Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity Let us look narrowly to our hearts and tongues for God knows the thoughts of the one and the words of the other Thirdly Observe How religiously and cunningly soever hypocrites do carry it their hypocrisie is known to God and shall be discovered Hypocrisie is a doing or speaking that to God or men wherein the heart and spirit of a man is not Those men pretended religiously they call upon one
first is they were diseased Sheep are liable to various diseases faintings weaknesses Montanus renders the word Hannocheloth languentes those languish and are feeble those languished in their estates or spirits were not strengthned those wanted bread for their bodies and for their souls were not looked after The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The weak ye have not strengthned and the French is Vous n'anet point Comforte ' celle quiestoit affloiblie You have not comforted that which was made feeble Neithea have ye healed that which was sick A Sheep may be diseased yet not be sick that is sick Cui totum corpus dolet when the whole body is pained saith Lavater the whole body is so distempered that the members of it cannot perform their Offices There were many among the Jews who were sick in their estates and spirits and could not perform the duties of their generall or particular callings who had none to heal them This was the second thing Neither have ye bound up that which was broken The third thing is brokenness some Sheep had their flesh torn by Dogs or Bushes their leggs and other bones about them broken or put out of joynt divers amongst them had broken estates broken spirits and none bound them up The word Chabash signifies binding as men are bound in prison binding as men bind packs to horses binding as men are bound by laws to obey or suffer binding of ornaments to the head and binding up of wounds to cure and heal them as here Neither have ye brought again that which was driven away Here is the fourth thing concerns the Sheep some were driven away Storms Dogs Wolves and other wild beasts oft times cause the Sheep to run this way and that way to fall into ditches and pits which if looked after might be preserved and reduced The warres and other evills forced many Jews to flye into other Countries and none in Place did think of them that they might be brought back Neither have ye sought that which was lost Sheep being wandring creatures are oftentimes lost Luke 15.4 Among the Jews there were some had stragled from the rest and were lost lost through corrupt opinions and practices they left the wayes of God and wandred in by-paths which led to utter destruction such a losing the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies They were not sought after they did not make diligent enquiry search after them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Septuagint Non summo studio quaerebant they did not seek earnestly after them But with force and cruelty have they ruled them They dealt not as Patres patriae Fathers of their Country but as Tyrants which are Pestes humani generis the very plagues of the earth they dealt not as Shepherds with their Sheep but as cruel Task-masters over Servants The word for ruling is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Radah which notes such ruling as a Master doth exercise over a Servant rigorous ruling therefore the Jews were forbid to rule over a poor brother Levit 25.43 Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour Here they ruled with rigour they put forth their power to the breaking and ruine of the people they were rough and cruell in their government The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye weary wear out yea murther the strong with vexation and labour Vers 5. And they were scattered because there is no Shepherd The Shepherds being either negligent or tyrannical the Sheep were scattered through default of their Political Shepherds they were scattered into waste places into the open fields into forts and caves Chap. 33.27 and into other Countries Had Zedekiah and the Nobles been faithfull to God to Nebuchadnezzar and the People ruling as he and they should have done the People had not been so scattered and through default of their Ecclesiastical Shepherds they fell into errours superstitions and idolatrous practices Justice Laws and Religion being laid aside there was nothing remain'd but confusion disorder and dispersion The Hebrew is They were scattered without a Shepherd which may be taken thus Being scattered they had no Shepherd or thus they were scattered because or for that they had no Shepherd that is no faithfull Shepherd this is the better sence and so the Septuagint speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that they had no Shepherds that is no such shepherds as cared for their good civilly or spiritually And they became meat to all the beasts of the field when they were scattered When the Sheep are scattered into Caves Woods upon Mountains and Hills they become a prey to Dogs Swine Wild Beasts so the Jews being scattered into severall parts of the world were exposed to the injuries of strangers and a prey unto them Vers 6. My sheep wandred through all the Mountains and upon every high Hill They went from Mountain to Mountain and from Hill to Hill and set up Altars Jer 2.20 Vpon every high Hill and under every green Tree thou wanderest playing the Harlot so Jer 3.6 Or they were forced to fly to the Mountains and Hills in the time of war and danger which their Rulers brought upon them Yea my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth and none did seek or search after them The Hebrew is upon all the faces of the earth every Countrey hath a severall face in a Metaphorical sence as one man hath from another Egypt had one face Babylon another the Countries about Judaea their distinct faces or superficies now they were scattered abroad upon them all and none did search or seek them Here be two words signifying the same thing Bikkesh and Daresh the first signifies to seek or search summo studio the second summo judicio First Observe Those that are set over the people in Church or State are Shepherds and ought to be like unto them towards their flocks They should govern them gently protect them constantly provide for them carefully and feed them faithfully and seek their good diligently God who is the great Shepherd doth so Isa 40.11 He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd he shall gather the Lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosome and shall gently lead those that are with young Isa 27.3 Least any hurt it that is his Vineyard his People I the Lord will keep it night and day Psal 23.1.2 The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want He provided green pastures and still waters for him and for all his Jer 5.7 He fed them to the full He gave them David for a Shepherd to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance and he fed them according to the integrity of his heart Psal 78.71 72. he sought their good Micah 6.5 he turned curses into blessings for them Deut 23.5 here was a good Shepherd Magistrates and Ministers should be like unto God in all these Secondly Observe Few of those that are over Gods flock in Church or State do prove such as they ought to be The
that by a figure call'd Hyppallage Sedimentum aquarum is put for aquas sedimenti waters of setling that is pure and clear waters and so divers Expositors render the words Some cattel when they have drunk stamp and stir the mud in the waters and so foul them that others cannot drink thereof so did these Rams and Goats so mud and foul the waters of the Sanctuary and of the Civil state that the City of God was not made glad with them there was no true justice nor pure religion Vers 19. And as for my flock they eat that which ye have troden with your feet and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet By feet are expressed mens lusts whereby they do defile things Mark 9.45 If thy foot offend thee cut it off Foot is not to be taken litterally but for any lust that bears up a mans spirit for the present and carries it up and down as the feet do the body they out of will humour lust mingled their traditions with the word of God and corrupted justice so that the flock had nothing pure in Church or State they laid heavy burdens and taxes upon the people and the commodities the Lord gave which troubled their spirits and sowered their comforts unto them Such interpretations they gave of the Law as made it void and violated it Ezek 22.26 Vers 20. Therefore c. Behold I even I will judge between the fat Cattel and between the lean Cattel Seeing ye deal thus with my Flock saith God I even I that am the great shepherd will distinguish and put a difference between Cattel and Cattel There be fat ones and lean ones the one doth wrong and abuse the other the fat and strong carry it proudly and arrogantly against the lean and weak which ought not to be The Septuagint hath it between the strong sheep and the weak sheep The Chaldee is Between the rich man and the poor man The word for fat is Biriah from Bara to create because there is a creating power put forth in making Cattel fat and men rich Vers 21. Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder and pusht all the diseased with your horns c. Here he describes the nature and manners of the fat Cattel they being strong were unkind yea cruel towards the rest and thrust them out of the fold out of the flock and pastures also The Noble men the rich and those in power and place dealt sometimes cunningly sometimes openly and violently with the poorer sort thrusting them out of their possessions yea out of the Land Ezek 11.15 There were those in Jerusalem said Get ye far from the Lord unto us is this Land given in possession Isa 66.11 Their brethren hated them and cast them out The word to push is Nagach which signifies to push with the horn as Oxen and Rams do Exod 21.29 Now besides this word is added Bekarnechem which intends the sense you have pushed with your horns you have goared and hurt them greatly you left not pushing at them till you had slain them or driven them quite away Vers 21. Therefore I will save my flock Seeing men are so unkind and cruel to my flock using all their Art and power to do it mischief therefore will I take care of it and deliver it their sides shoulders and horns shall harm it no more I will judge between Cattel and Cattel I will bring judgement upon those that have intreated my flock so ill and it shall no longer be a prey unto them First Observe All in Gods Flock are not good they are not all of one sort there are some fat some lean some strong some diseased there be He-goats and Rams as well as others There were in Moses dayes them that said All the Congregation is holy every one of them Numb 16.3 but they that said so were unholy themselves He-goats and strong Rams As it was with Jeremies figs there were good and bad Jer 24. so was it with the flock of God there were good and bad in it there were Lyons Wolves Goats and Swine mingled with the sheep Jer 7.9 10. Thieves murtherers adulterers perjured persons and idolaters came to the Temple with those that were innocent In the waters are fish and frogs in the field wheat and tares and in the Flock of God goats and sheep Secondly Observe Wicked men may have choice outward blessings and that in abundance They had good pastures and in such abundance as that they trod them down with their feet the fat and sweet of the Land was theirs the best of all things places and preferments were in their hands honour power wealth they abounded with Nabal that stony-hearted-man was very great he had three thousand sheep one thousand goats 1 Sam 25.2 and Job tells you that wicked men are mighty in power Job 21.7 have houses full of good things Job 22.18 And David saith They are fat yea inclosed in their own fat Psal 17.10 They have the choicest of all things round about them Ahab and Ahaz were both very wicked yet one was King of Israel and the other King of Judah though all things come alike to all yet usually wicked men have the fattest pastures for their portion is in this life Psal 17.14 Thirdly Observe Wicked men being fat and full in place and power do abuse the blessings of God are disquieting and harmful unto others They are injurious to God and those they dwell amongst When their own turns were served they trod down the residue of the pastures they fowled the waters they were unthankful for the best mercies and made the rest unfit for others and this was not all they thrust with their sides and shoulders and push't with their horns their strength wealth honour power were all abused to the dishonour of God and prejudice of others Thus was it of late amongst us the fat ones in State and Church did abuse the blessings God had given them corrupting justice and religion disquieting the inhabitants of the Land with their inventions superstitions oppressions innovations c. And because many would not bow to theiâ— wills they thrust sorely at them with their sides and shoulders and push'd them so with their horns that they drave them out of the Land It s hard in prosperity to carry it rightly towards God or man Fourthly Observe Though men think unthankfullnesse towards God and uncharitableness towards men a small matter yet it is not so in Gods account Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture but ye must tread down c. Must my flock eat drink that which is troden down and fouled and do you think it a small matter I tell you my thoughts are far otherwise it s a provoking sin calls for a weight of wrath which when you feel ye will confesse your sin was not little Many deal untowardly with men and God and when they have so done make slight of it Isa 7.13
The end of Gods blessings is that we may acknowledge and honour him for them I will cause the showres to come in season I will make the Trees fruitful and the earth encrease I will make them safe in their Land and they shall know that I am the Lord. Gods blessings have something of God in them they are glasses and shew us his power wisdome goodnesse and loving kindnesse each of which oblige us to acknowledge him the Authour of them and to honour him for them Fifthly Observe Gods people are sometimes in subjection and bondage to their enemies who make them to serve and serve themselves of them The Jews were under the Babylonish yoke they served and suffered hard things under the Babylonians Jer 50.33 they were oppressed held under and put to do servile things God had told them by the mouth of Jeremy chap. 17.4 that they should serve their enemies and their enemies made them to serve and advantaged themselves by their service Lamen 5.4 5 6. We have drunk our water for money our wood is sold unto us they could neither have water nor fire unlesse they bought or earn'd the same with hard labour Our necks are under persecution we labour and have no rest this iron yoke of Captivity is upon us we labour and serve these Babylonians and yet we have no rest We have not bread to satisfie our hunger They made the young men grinders in the mill ver 13. This was the condition of Gods people in Babylon under Nebuchadrezzar and Belshazzar their grand enemies and such hath been the condition of Gods people since Christs time they have been often in subjection and bondage to Antichrist to Princes and Prelates who have tyrannized over their souls and bodies Sixthly Observe God hath his time to set his at liberty to bre ak te bands and yokes which his are held in When I have broken or shall break the bands of their yoke and deliver them out of the hands of those that made them to serve The Jews found their bands and yokes so strong and fast tyed about their necks that they were without hope of ever having them loosed or removed Ezek 37.11 Our hope is lost this captivity we shall never shake off nor our posterity and the Babylonians they held them fast and refused to let them go Jer 50.33 But when the seventy years were expired when Gods time was come he brake the yokes and bands he knockt them off and set them at liberty for ver 34. Their Redeemer is strong the Lord of Hoasts is his name Let enemies strength be great let their yokes be of iron which they put upon his peoples necks and let them be tyed on with the bands of humane Laws yet God is stronger then they he will break Empires and Emperors in pieces abrogate their Laws loose the bands pull off the yokes and set his people at liberty he will throughly plead their cause give them and their Land rest and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon We were under Romish Antichristian yokes a long time the bands of which were loosened somewhat under Edward the sixth and Queen Elizabeth but they were tying fast again by their Successors and became so heavy that multitudes of our brethren were glad to flye for the burdensomness of those yoaks others cryed unto God to break them in pieces and his time being come he hath done it our Antichristian bands and Babylonish yokes are loosened and knockt off our necks let us take heed least through the abuse of our liberty the Lord cast us into a worse and greater bondage then ever Seventhly Observe Eminent works of God do cause eminent knowledge of God And they shall know me when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them ouâ—â—f the hands of those that served themselves upon them This was an eminent work of God to bring them out of Babylon and this bred eminent knowledge of God in them then they had large experience of Gods power faithfulnesse and goodness unto them that they said The Lord liveth which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the North Countrey and from all Countries whether the Lord had driven them Jer. 23.8 When their captivity was turned then they had such apprehensions of God as fiill'd their mouths with laughter and their tongues with singing Psal 126.1 2 3. then they said The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad Vers 28. And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen neither shall the beasts of the Land devoure them but they shall dwell safely and none shall make them afraid The Jews had oft been a prey to the Heathen the Egyptians Amorites Moabites Midianites Philistims Babylonians and others had oft spoyled and served themselves of them which the Lord laying to heart doth here graciously promise That they shall no more be a prey unto the Nations The Hebrew word for prey is Baz from Bazaz to spoyl to pluck from and the English word is from praeda which some make to be corpora rerum captarum the bodies of things taken or thus a prey is that which men get and devoure Praeda est quam alius paedit cui non parata Martinius for whom it was not prepared or intended as Heb 10.34 They took joyfully the spoyling of their goods their goods were not prepared or intended for those that gat them The word for spoyling is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a prey because it s violently gotten and taken Neither shall the beasts of the Land devoure them The Land of Canaan was the glory of all Lands Ezek 20.6 yet was it not without wild beasts which did tare and devoure 2 Kings 2.24 2 Kings 17.25 But now God would chain up the Bears and Lyons so that they should do no harm There is another sense to be made of the words which is that God would so order the spirits of wicked Magistrates false Prophets and vile turbulent spirits that they should not harm his flock such men formerly had eaten up many of Gods people Ezek 22.25 27 29. But they shall dwell safely and none shall make them afraid To dwell safely is a great mercy to dwell so safely that none shall make afraid is extraordinary mercy Men are subject unto fears even the best of men and that severall wayes when fire breaks out in a Town when famine or plague are in a City when storms and tempests are abroad when wars begin persecution imprisonment bannishment and death are threatned then fears seize upon persons and prevail too far with many but here the Lord promises that his shall be free from all fears none shall make them afraid The word for making afraid is from Charad which notes not a slight fear but such as is with trembling outwardly manifested and it ariseth either from inward solicitousnesse of mind or from apprehension of evill impending and at hand Observe
your God saith the Lord God This ver is the key to open what was said before the Lord had spoken oft of his flock lest any should take the same litterally here he unfolds his mind and tells us plainly his flock are men not bruit creatures The Hebrew word for flock is twice and ye my flock the flock of my pasture Some read the words in the Future thus Ye my flock of my pasture shall be men hitherto ye have been brutish ye have favoured the things of the earth and followed after carnall things but henceforward ye shall be men cleaving to God and heavenly things We may take them as they are and find that sense in them which Sanctius hath I have told you of great things that my servant David shall be your Shepherd and a Prince among you that ye shall dwell safely in wildernesses sleep in woods and that none shall make you afraid yea I have told you that I will free you from bondage shame famine and that I will make you renowned blessing you with variety and plenty of temporal and spiritual good things but you see not how these things can be accomplished you are men full of infirmities shallow of understanding apt to doubt and make objections but I am God and your God I have promised and will perform saith Adonai Jehovah my word is truth and my power shall give being to whatsoever I have said There is yet another sence of these words ye the flock of my pasture are men that is men call'd out of the world men renewed by the transforming of your minds men walking in the Spirit not after the flesh men given up to me and my wayes men dealing justly and honestly men fearing God and pursuing holinesse men of choice spirits and practices this sence I should approve of but that the word for men is Adam which rather imports men with their frailties then men with their excellencies My flock of my pasture God calls them the flock of his pasture because he provided for them food for their bodyes and souls as a Shepherd doth provide pasture for his sheep he gave them Manna from Heaven in former dayes and now he gives them his Ordinances his Word the flesh and bloud of his Son Gods flock is different from other Flocks and hath different pastures they are of the world and feed upon the Acorns and Husks of the same but Gods Flock is picked out of the world separate from it and feeds on Heavenly dainties I am your God This is a great and gracious word what can the Lord say more then this to any I am your God what can any desire more then to have God theirs Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee saith Asaph Let others desire what they will in Heaven or earth I desire nothing but God himself Asaph knew that in having him for his God he should have all things When the Lord saith so he doth ingage himself all his attributes and whatsoever he hath unto the people or person he so saith First Observe God hath a peculiar people on earth which he owns and feeds Ye my flock the flock of my pasture God hath elect call'd justified and adopted Ones which make up his flock see 1 Pet 2.9 10. Titus 2.14 Zech. 13.9 I will say it is my people God hath a people refined and tryed in the furnace of affliction which he is not ashamed of but owns openly and this people he provides for Isa 65.13 Behold my servant shall eat but ye shall be hungry behold my servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty behold my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed Gods people shall have meat and drink and that with gladness Acts 2.46 They have hidden Manna Rev 2.17 They are fed by the Lamb and drink of living Fountains of waters Rev 7.17 They are a peculiar people and have peculiar meat and drink Secondly Observe That of whomsoever Gods Flock doth consist yet they are weak and frail creatures The Flock of my pasture are men Noah Lot Abraham Jacob Job David Jeremy Peter Paul John who were Worthies in Israel yet had their weaknesses and shew'd themselves to be men Can God prepare a Table in the Wildernesse said the house of Israel and Mary whom all generations call'd blessed we may call an Adamite the Daughter of Adam for she shew'd her weakness when she said How can this be seeing I know not a man Luke 1.34 Thirdly Observe The happinesse and comfort of Gods flock lyeth in having God to be their God and his manifestation of it Ye are men feeble helpless things but I am your God saith the Lord whatsoever is defective in your selves is redundant in me as there is nothing but impotency and misery in you so there is nothing but power grace and happiness in me I have loved you freely and taken you to be my flock I have given my self unto you and all I have with my self and this I make known unto you CHAP. XXXV Vers 1 2 3 4 5. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man set thy face against Mount Seir and prophesie against it And say unto it Thus saith the Lord God Behold O Mount Seir I am against thee and I will stretch out mine hand against thee and I will make thee most desolate I will lay thy Cityes waste and thou shalt be desolate and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred and hast shed the bloud of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity in the time that their iniquity had an end THE Lord having in the former Chapter laid down many precious promises for the restauration freedom and comfort of his afflicted Flock here he comes to deal with the enemies of his Church and in the Chapter are 1. Threatnings of punishments vers 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 14 15. 2. The sins moving God thereunto vers 5 10 11 12 13. 3. The end of those threatnings and punishments vers 4 11 15. Verses 1 2. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man set thy face against Mount Seir. The Prophet received the word from and was impowered by God to prophesie against Mount Seir. Of setting the face towards or against was spoken before Chap 20.46 Chap. 21.2 Chap 25.2 where there is a prophesie against Moab and Seir. He must turn himself another way and speak boldly against Mount Seir. that is against Idumea wherein Mount Seir was between the Lake Asphaltites and Egypt where Esau and his posterity dwelt Gen 32.3 who were called Edomites or Idumeans Vers 3. Behold O Mount Seir I am against thee Here is a sad message for Mount Seir or rather the inhabitants of Idumea who by a Metonymie are understood thereby they had God against them and this
Sodom and Gomorrah were never built again but the Cityes of Edom were as appears by Mal 1.4 Jer 27.7 All Nations shall serve Nebuchadnezzar and his son and his sons son untill the very time of his Land come and then many Nations and great Kings shall serve themselves of him Edom was afterwards possessed again and the Edomites so strong and malicious that they besieged the Israelites 1 Maccabes 5.3 By perpetual therefore we must not understand Eternall that which had no end but that which was for a long time so the word Olam doth usually signifie and it s rendred by some seculum I will make thee desolationes seculi the desolations of an age thirty an hundred or a thousand years for a long season thou shalt be desolate without Cityes and inhabitants And thy Cityes shall not return Not till after a long time and then they shall not return unto that glory strength and greatness which formerly they were in After Cityes and Countreys are once wasted they attain not to their former condition oft in many Generations First Observe Bloudy men frequently have bloudy ends Idumea was cruel and bloudy against the Israelites there God prepared her for bloud and said Bloud shall pursue thee sith thou hast not hated bloud bloud calls for bloud The Babylonians were bloudy and cruell to the Jews and hear what the Lord saith Jer 51.36 I will plead thy cause and take vengeance for thee vers 40. I will bring them down like Lambs to the slaughter like Rams with He-goats God would deal with them as Butchers do with such creatures they take away their lives and shed their bloud Hosea 1.4 I will avenge the bloud of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu He caused the seventy sons of Ahab to be beheaded by the Rulers of Jezreel 2 Kings 10.1.7 and this bloud did God avenge upon his house 2 Sam 21. 1. Sauls house was bloudy he slew the Gibeonites and seven sons of his were put to death for it vers 6. 9. so God pursued bloud with bloud In like manner was Joab dealt withall he shed innocent bloud and his bloud was shed at the horns of the Altar 1 Kings 2.29.31 Secondly Observe When God doth visit wicked ones for shedding of bloud he doth it fully and throughly God would make Mount Seir without inhabitant those that went out and those that came in should be cut off Such a slaughter would he make amongst them as that the Mountains Hills Valleys and Rivers should be fill'd with the slain bodies Isaiah speaking of Gods visiting the Edomites Chap 34.6 7. saith The sword of the Lord is fill'd with bloud it is made fat with fatnesse and with the bloud of Lambs and Goats with the fat of the Kidneys of Rams for the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah and a great slaughter in the Land of Idumea And the Vnicorns shall come down with them and the Bullocks with the Bulls and their Land shall be soaked with bloud and their dust made fat with fatnesse Great and small rich and poor noble and ignoble should be cut off Thirdly Observe That according to the time of mens sinning God doth lengthen out his judgements Edom had perpetual hatred and God saith I will make thee perpetual desolations Edoms anger did tear perpetually Amos 1.11 and Gods judgements upon Edom had a perpetuity Obadiah 10. she was cut off for ever Those that continue long in a course of sinning God causes sometimes to lye long under severe judgements the Jews were seaventy years in captivity they had lived long in idolatry Vers 10. Because thou hast said These two Nations and these two Countreys shall be mine and we will possesse it whereas the Lord was there The Idumeans had a fruitful Land of their own that satisfied them not covetousnesse and desire of rule possessed them they thought and said the whole Land of Judaea should become theirs The Babylonians would root the Jews wholly out leave the Land and so it would fall to their lot and possession These two Nations and these two Countreys When God brought the Jews out of Egypt into Canaan they were one Nation and it one Land and so continued till the rent made by Jeroboam 1 Kings 12. Then ten Tribes falling off from Rehoboam constituted a new Kingdome and so the people and Land were divided into two Nations and two Countreys the one sort were called Ephraim the house of Israel Samaritans and their Countrey Samaria the other sort were called Jews the house of David and their Countrey Judaea Shall be mine and we will possesse it Judaea and Samaria saith Edom shall be mine and we Edomites will possesse it and make it one Land again as it was at first none have so much right to it as we who are from the same stock Isaac and from the elder brother Esau whereas they were from Jacob and seeing the Babylonians are come to cut them off we will joyn with them to secure our selves and recover our right When the Temple and City were destroyed the Jews carried into captivity and the Land made desolate the neighbouring Nations gaped for and got what they could of their Countrey Jer 49.1 Concerning the Ammonites thus saith the Lord Hath Israel no sons hath he no heir why then doth their King inherit Gad and his people dwell in his Cityes Ammonites Edomites and others said Come let us cut them off from being a Nation and let us take to our selves the houses of God in possession Psal 83.4 12. Whereas the Lord was there The words may be read thus Though the Lord be there and so they set out the arrogancy and blasphemy of the Edomites who said They would possesse the Land though the Lord was there he would not hinder them from coming in sitting down and continuing in it or the word there may relate to the Edomites the Lord was there amongst them when they said These two Nations and these two Countreys shall be mine and we will possesse it He heard these words and was displeased at them coming from pride and bitterness of spirit Or Thirdly the words may be taken as we read them and afford this sense The Edomites have presumed much promised great matters to themselves to have the whole Land of Canaan in possession whereas the Lord was there and had that Land under his patronage reserving it for Temple-worship again as it had had it formerly That Land was Domicilium Dei The Habitation of God who would not suffer the bloudy Edomites whatever thoughts they had or attempts they should make to inhabit that Land and defile his holy Mountain with their idolatrous sacrifices though he did greatly afflict the Land yet he did not wholly desert it First Observe Wicked men the enemies of Sion do think and design to raise themselves by the ruins and spoyls thereof Edom said These two Nations and these two Countryes shall be mine Whatever is left of the Jews I will have if there
gather thee Berachamim gedolim When God gathers his out of Babylon a state of confusion that is mercy and when he brings them into Sion to behold the order beauty and glory thereof that is great mercy and God will not leave them there but go on with them and heap great mercies still upon them see Isa 49.18 19 20 21 22 23. Jer. 32.37 38 39 40 41. Secondly Observe Justification is a gracious act of God upon a sinner I will sprinkle clean water upon you It s Gods prerogative to forgive and blot out sins Mark 2.7 Isa 43.25 and this he doth freely it s an act of grace and mercy Rom 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace Now in this act nothing is done in a sinner there is no grace infused no change made in the heart by it there be no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therein it s upon a sinner justifying grace is subjectively in God objectively on man for its a judicial act of God which puts nothing into the creature Rom 3.22 It s upon all them that do believe Thirdly Observe The bloud of Christ applyed by the Spirit of God is efficatious to free sinners from the guilt of their sins and of all their sins of what bind soever they be I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean Their sins were great very great they were guilty of bloud oppressing the widow and fatherless of idolatry of despising and profaning holy things Ezek 22.8.26 They were under the guilt of all crying and notorious sins Ezek 16.47 worse then Sodom or Samaria then the Nations Ezek 5.7 yet the Lord would cleanse them by the bloud of Christ there was virtue in that to cleanse them from their old spots from their deep guilt yea from all their guilt they should be clean from all their filthinesses As water washeth all the filth out of a cloath so doth the bloud of Christ all sin out of the soul 1 Joh 1.7 The bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin the guilt of our thoughts words acts neglects there is no sin defiles the conscience so but the bloud of Christ will purge it away Heb 9.14 Chap 1.3 Christs bloud is of great virtue it purges away all sin and procures peace Coloss 1.20 So that being justified by his bloud we shall be saved from wrath as it is Rom 5.9 Fourthly Observe All sin defiles and makes guilty before God yet some sins defile more then others and make more deeply guilty God would cleanse them from all their filthinesse from every sin that had poluted them and made them guilty and from their idols which had made them more deeply guilty Idolatry hath more guilt adhering to it then many other sins that 's a sin breaks Covenant with God deposes God and sets up an Idoll in his stead Verse 26. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh THis is another great promise even a promise of Regeneration and in it there is considerable 1. The party promising I I I I. 2. The things promised 1. A new heart 2. A new spirit 3. Removall of the stony heart 4. An heart of flesh 3. The parties to whom the Lord will do these things You You You. 4. The manner of Gods doing these things which is by giving putting and taking away A new heart also will I give you By heart in Scripture is signified the judgement and understanding Eph 4.18 The will and affections Prov 23.26 and the conscience 1 John 3.20 all which are here comprehended in the word heart New notes sometimes that which is for substance new totally new as new ropes Judges 16.11 12. A new wife Deut 24.5 New gods Deut 32.17 And sometimes that which is only for quality new as the new Moon Isa 66.23 From one new Moon to another The Moon is not new for substance but renewed with light new in regard of quality so New tongues Mark 16.17 They had not their old Tongues plucked or cut out of their mouths and other new ones put in but these Tongues they had before had new Languages put into them new gifts and graces Here then by A new heart is not intended one new for substance or nature of it but the same heart altered for the qualities of it renewed and indued with other qualities then it had before such qualities are wrought in the heart that a man thereupon is said to be regenerate or born again John 3.3 5 6 7. and to be a new creature Gal 6.15 This new heart lyeth not in those common gifts which many have yet without alteration in their hearts Judas had a covetous an earthly an old heart notwithstanding those great gifts he had He could cast out Devils and heal all manner of sicknesses Matth 10.1 4. And those Matth 7.22 23. Who had the gift of prophesie of casting out Devils and working wonders had no new hearts for Christ sends them going for workers of iniquity but it lyeth in grace infused which is a principle of light and life supernatural and permanent Man since the fall of Adam is in a state of darknesse and death Ephes 5.8 Chap 2.5 and when grace is infused that brings light and life unto the heart John 8. â—2 it s call'd The light of life and when a blind heart sees a dead heart lives there is a great and glorious alteration so that it is become a new heart it hath a new principle which is supernatural and permanent call'd The Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Divine to shew the supernaturalnesse of it and Nature to shew the permanency of it And a new spirit will I put within you These very words we had Ezek 11.19 where they were largely opened New spirit there was interpreted to be those excellent qualities and graces God put into the soul and shewed upon what account they were call'd Spirit and New Here I conceive a new spirit is added Exegetically being the same with a new heart This new heart or new spirit causeth the partie in whom it is to look at God as a Father and so to honour him Mal. 1.6 To love him 1 John 5.1 To fear him 1 Pet. 1.17 To yield obedience to him Rom 6.17 1 Pet 1.14 15. Patiently to bear his chastisements Heb 12.6 7 8 9. To eschew sin and work righteousnesse 1 John 5.18 Chap 3.9 10. To acknowledge how he hath offended him Luke 15.18 To pray fervently unto him Rom 8.15 To be like unto him in mercifullnesse and doing of good Luke 6.36 To delight in his wayes and to have communion with him and his Son Christ 1 John 1.3 To worship him in spirit and truth John 4.23 To be thankfull alwayes unto him for all things Ephes 5.20 To live nobly and spiritually minding the things of Heaven Rom 8.5 1 Pet 1.14 John 3.6 2 Cor
5.16 And to love those that are regenerate 1 John 5.1 and these doing so God their Father hath a special care of them and love unto them Matth. 6.26.32 Luke 11.13 Chap 12.32 Will I give you will I put within you The new heart and new spirit comes from God he that to the Authour of every good and perfect gift is the Author of the same Now in the working of this new heart and new spirit there be several Attributes of God set on work As First His infinite mercy That he should mind sinners who have old rotten filthy hard dead hearts within them so at enmity with God that they would pull him out of Heaven had they power to do it for God to mind such hearts and spirits and make them new so as to affect him and his wayes argues unspeakable mercy loving kindness superabundant It was a time of love when God saw Jerusalem in her bloud and said unto her live Ezek 10. It was infinite love infinite mercy for him to pity Jerusalem in such a case and to say so unto her the same it is when God makes of an old heart a new heart of an old spirit a new spirit Secondly Gods infinite power is imployed in this work The making of a dead heart to live a blind heart to see an old heart and spirit to become new requires an omnipotent arm By the preaching of the word men have great convictions strong resolutions and are perswaded almost to be Christians but those convictions and resolutions dye away and they never come altogether to be Christians altogether to be new hearted and new spirited till the Lord put forth his allmighty power and create new hearts and spirits in them it s a work of creation Psal 51.10 2 Cor. 4.6 Eph. 2.10 And such hearts and spirits are call'd new creatures Gal 6.15 2 Cor 5.17 Thirdly Infinite wisdome The heart of man is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Jer 17.9 It s beyond the knowledge of man it hath so many windings turnings pretences shifts arguments wiles depths methods as that none but God knows it he being infinitely wise can answer all the objections arguments and subtle distinctions of the heart so that it shall be silent Mans heart whilest its old hath the cunning of the old Serpent in it and pleads hard to keep its old principles its old ungodly lusts its old ignorance its old darkness its old formal wayes of worship its old fleshly confidences its old delights and pleasures its old company its old customes its old aims and ends which were selfe it musters up many arguments to defend these and who can convince the heart of the evill of these and take it off from them but God by his infinite wisdome To make an heart or spirit which hath so many oldnesses in it new argues more skill and wisdome then dwels in any creature Fourthly His Infinite holinesse and purity When God takes an old heart which is as dark as hell as stinking as any Sepulchre Math 23.27 an old spirit which is as unclean and loathsome as the Devils are when he takes these and makes them new he scatters darkness abolisheth death separating filthinesse and instead thereof brings in marveilous light 1 Pet. 2.9 A glorious life Ephes 4.18 And true holinesse vers 24. which import that God is light without darknesse life without possibility of dying holinesse without any spot or imperfection When the wind cleanseth the aire infected pestilential and stinking it argues the wind is pure when a vessel or house is noysome and one cleanses and sweetens them as not enduring them in that condition it argues their cleanlinesse and if they could make them new it would argue it much more so here God makes them new He puts them into the fire that they may be refined and partake of his holinesse Heb 12.10 Its Gods holy arme which makes an unholy heart to become holy and glorious in holinesse The dignity and excellency of this new heart and new spirit is worthy the notice First It s that doth discriminate and difference a man from all others They that have old hearts old spirits and new hearts new spirits differ as much from them as light from darknesse life from death holinesse from filthinesse a man with a new heart a new spirit is a living man whereas others be dead Ephes 2.1 He is a seeing man whereas others be blind 1 Jok 5.20 1 Cor 2.14 He is pure whereas others are filthy 1 Pet. 2.9 Tit 1.15 Hereby a man is differenced from all profane civill and moral men from all gifted men from all hypocrites what specious forms of religion and holinesse soever they have whoever hath a new spirit is distinguished from all other spirits yea from the Devils who are but unclean spirits Secondly It doth ennoble a man A new heart and new spirit doth not only distinguish from others but makes more excellent then others Prov 12.26 The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour Righteousnesse is one of the qualities in the new heart in the new spirit Eph 4.23 24. and that Nobilitates a man such a one is born not of blood that is not of the Princes and Nobles of the world who stand upon their blood and greatnesse nor of the will of the flesh that is not in the ordinary way nor of the will of man viz not by education and School principles but of God John 1.13 He is descended from the highest the King of Kings he is of the most Royal blood even the blood of God Acts 20.28 Others are vile but he is precious Jerem 15.19 2 Pet. 1.1 He is partaker of the Divine Nature and lives the life of God 2 Pet. 1.4 Ephes 4.18 Thirdly It fills them where it is with new joyes New things affect much when the Apostles had new tongues given them they were greatly affected therewith and when men have new hearts new spirits they abound in joy the greater the mercy the more full the joy If when a sinner is converted there be joy in Heaven what joy is in the sinners heart then When Christ came to Zacheus and gave him a new heart a new spirit he was fill'd with joy Luke 19. and new joyes Before his joy was to get money by any means and treasure it up now his joy was to disperse make satisfaction and to give away vers 8 9. His new heart begat in him new joyes and inabled him to joy in that he could not do not think of before without sadness So Paul when he had a new heart and spirit he had new joyes fullnesse of them in those things he could not rejoyce in before 2 Cor. 7.4 I am filled with comfort I am exceeding joyfull in all our tribulations Chap 12.10 He took pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses Here 's the excellency of a new heart and a new spirit it fills with
new joyes in God in Christ in the Promises in the Saints and inables us to rejoyce and glory in tribulations Rom 5.3 Fourthly It intitles us to diverse new and excellent things As First To the New Covenant When a man hath a new heart and a new spirit he hath an interest in the New Covenant Jer 31.31 33. The law of sin and principles of Satan and the woâ—ld were writ in the old heart and old spirit and so the party was under the Covenant with death and hell Isa 28.15 but in the new heart is written the Law of God the Law of faith Rom 3.27 Heb 8.10 and so they are under the New Covenant which is call'd Grace Rom 6.14 Secondly To New Names Where there is newness of heart and spirit there they are sealed in their fore-heads with new Names their Title is New Creatures 2 Cor. 5.17 The Seed of Abraham Isa 41.8 Servants of Righteousnesse Rom. 6.18 Children of Light John 12.36 Conquerours Rom 8.37 Gods workmanship Ephes 2.10 Kings and Priests Rev 1.6 Temples of God 1 Cor 3.16 The glory of God Isa 4.5 New born Babes 1 Pet 2.2 His Saints Psal 149.9 Vessels of Gold and Silver 2 Tim. 2.20 Wise Virgins Matth 25. Heirs of Salvation Heb 1.14 Thirdly To a New Lord and Master When their hearts were old Satan was their Soveraign They walked according to the Prince of the aire Ephes 2.2 2 Tim 2.26 His lusts they did execute John 8.44 But having new hearts they have a new Lord a new Master and that is the Lord Christ Phil 1.1 Paul a servant of Christ He had a new heart and now he had a new Master which was Christ he would serve Satan no longer but Christ who dyed for sinners that they might live unto him 2 Cor. 5.15 When the hearts and spirits of men are new they are dead to their old Masters and have new Rom 7.4 Christ is the Husband and Head of every one renewed by his grace he is Lord and Master of all such 1 Cor. 7.22 Matth 23.8 Fourthly To a New Guard Such have a Guard of Angels about them before as they were without God so without the protection of his Angels exposed to all dangers but having new hearts and new spirits being new creatures they have a multitude of the Heavenly Host not only to praise God for their new-birth as they did at Christs birth Luke 2.13 but to attend and protect them Heb 1.14 Are not the Angels ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation and none shall be such but those that have new hearts and new spirits for flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor 15.50 Fifthly To New Alliance this change is wrought in them Blasphemers Idolaters Adulterers Drunkards Murtherers Lyars Vnbelievers Hypocrites and all profane ones they the very Devils themselves John 8.44 But when they have new hearts and new spirits then they have new kindred as a man that marries a woman all her kindred becomes his so here all that have new hearts and spirits are his kindred who hath a new heart he is allied unto them all Math 23.8 All ye are brethren All the Saints throughout the earth how great how learned how rich how gifted or gracious soever they be are all brethren yea the Angels are brethren unto those that have new hearts Rev. 19.10.22.9 and that which is beyond all Christ himself is their Brother and Father Math. 12.49 50. Heb 2.12 13. Sixthly To the New Mansions in the City made without hands John 14.2 saith Christ In my Fathers house are many Mansions and I go to prepare a place for you You have right and title to them ye have new hearts ye believe in God vers 1. and I go to prepare and fit places for you in those Mansions Fifthly The excellency of a new heart is this That it sets an high price upon the things of God and a low price upon the things of the world how goodly soever they appear whereas before the things of the world were magnified and the things of God slighted When Paul had another heart and another spirit then before then he had no confidence in the flesh then he did not value his great priviledges he counted them and all things but losse for Christ they did damnifie him rather then advantage him and therefore lookt upon them as dung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things of no worth chaffe dirt excrements in respect of Christ his righteousnesse and knowledge of him Phil. 3.7 8 9. all which had an excellency and were so prized by Paul that he was willing to lay down his life for them Acts 21.13 When Simon Magus offered the Apostles money for to have power to give the Holy Spirit by laying on of hands Peter in his own name and in the name of the rest said Thy money perish with thee we value not bags of gold and silver but the things of God Acts 8.19 20. When the Conjurers had the Devils cast out of them and new hearts given them they brought forth their books which they had highly valued and burnt them before all men and so many they burnt as came to fifty thousand pieces of silver Acts 19.19 and instead of these they prized the books of Moses the Prophets and Apostles A new heart sees excellency in spiritual things and saith It cannot over value them but for other things it puts them under its feet Sixthly It s excellent in that it doth really make God its end and aims at his glory in its operations before self was all now God is all Acts 20.23 24. Paul was told by the Spirit of God that bonds and afflictions did abide him every where that his life was in danger now had not Paul been a man of a new heart and spirit he would have shifted for himself and let the preaching of the Gospel have fallen but being such an one what saith he None of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my selfe so I may finish my course with joy and the Ministry I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the Grace of God That was Pauls end to make known the grace of God in the Gospel towards poor sinners that so they partaking of that grace might give glory to God and God be glorified by him God and his glory were so in his eye that he gave out a rule for all Christians to eye and mind God and his glory in all things 1 Cor. 10.31 Seventhly It s the principle of eternal life and happinesse When God puts life light and grace into the heart and so makes it new he hath begun our admission into Heaven and happinesse this new heart and spirit are the water springs up into everlasting life John 4.14 They are the Eagles wings will carry you not only up to Heaven but into Heaven Concerning this new heart and new spirit there be divers mistakes
many think they have the same when they have it not There be several things which cause men to judge so First Outward Reformation When men cease from their former lewd courses when they give over their drunkenness whoredome swearing lying oppression and other scandalous practices they think themselves and are reputed of others to be new men and so to have new hearts but know A man may have escaped the pollutions of the world have changed his manners yet retain his old heart a Swine may be washed and yet reserve her Swinish nature Herod reformed in many things yet had an unreformed heart Mark 6.20 Luke 3.20 Chap. 9.9 The Scribes and Pharisees were whited Sepulchres they had beautifull out-sides they appeared righteous unto men but what were their hearts were they not full of hypocrisie and iniquity Matth 23.27 28. Shame among men fear of punishment death hell terrours of conscience afflictions strength of reason and hope of profits and reward may make a man reform his life and manners his heart being still naught a man formerly deboist and wicked may become a new man and yet not have a new heart Secondly Morall virtues cause many to be deceived about this new heart because they are temperate just prudent faithful to their friends true in their speeches patient under afflictions seek the publique good not their own interest are chaste and courteous unto all they thereupon conclude that they have the new heart and new spirit here spoken of but all these are no more then were found in heathens Scipio Aristides Cato Aemilius Lepidus Lucretia and others excell'd in morall virtues The Romane faith was in great esteem in all the world because the Romans kept their word and made good whatever they promised Many Heathens excell'd in morallities and did virtuous actions for virtues sake yet they had no new hearts or spirits they knew not what regeneration was they were strangers to the Life of God and Faith they attained to what they had by their own industry and what they did was not done according to the mind of God in his Word and so referring to his glory they sought their own glory in all Thirdly A form of godliness When men have left their old wayes of sin and taken up a way or form of godlinesse which is new to them they imagine themselves to be new and to have new hearts they read pray hear meditate and worship God with their hearts which they never did before and hence they ground a newness in their hearts The Jews have a form of godlinesse at this day yet are they cast off of God and numbred amongst unbelievers Rom 11.20 Such was their godliness as persecuted true godliness Acts. 13.50 1 Thess 2.15 The Heathens had forms of godlinesse Plato taught men not to sleep without repentance for their sins Hermes instructed them to pray earnestly unto God and continually for repentance to call upon him in the day and not to forget him in the night they worshipped by nature those were no gods Treatise of Moral Philosophy Gal. 4.8 Forms of worship they had though they worshipped blindly Socrates saw further then the most of them who said God must be worshiped only that way which he hath appointed yet neither Socrates nor the rest of the Heathens had new hearts Christians have forms of godlinesse yet all among them have not new hearts among Papists and Protestants are many religious but few pious they have the form of godliness but not the power Painted fire is not true fire and all that worship God do not worship him in newness of spirit the most do worship him with old hearts Fourthly Some are deceived upon this ground that they have the Law in their hearts approve of truth make conscience of their wayes have peace within and so determine their hearts are new But here is a great mistake the Law is in mens hearts by nature Rom 2.14 15. The Gentiles which had not the Law did by nature the things of the Law and so shewed the work of the Law written in their hearts When they did ill their consciences did accuse them and when they did well they did excuse them and so they had peace here was nothing supernatural where there is a new heart a new spirit there is something supernatural men have not these by descent from their parents but they are given they are put in by God I will give you a new heart and I will put within you a new spirit The Law that all men have in their hearts is by virtue of Creation not of the new Covenant that is another Law Jer 31.33 which is from grace not from nature where this Law is written the heart is new and so doth not only approve of truth in general but knows and approves of truth as it is in Christ Eph 4.21 and as it is according to godliness Truth in a new heart provokes unto Godliness and maketh conscientious towards God and men Acts 24.16 Looking at Christ for peace Rom 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God the conscience being purged from dead works by the bloud of Christ Men have sound peace in their new hearts It s false peace which men of old hearts have they bribe their consciences with doing something and that is their peace Fifthly New Relations make some to fancy they have new hearts and new spirits they are under Church priviledges they are Citizens of Sion inhabitants of Jerusalem in relation to Christ and his Ordinances this may be and yet without newnesse of heart or spirit Relations make not alterations in mens hearts Simon Magus was baptized stood in relation to Christ and the Gospel yet his heart was the same it was before Acts 8. The Jews gloried they were the seed of Abraham John 8.33 Yet they were of their father the Devill vers 44. and had bloudy hearts vers 40. seeking to kill Christ Rom 2.28 29. Outward priviledges may be as Circumcision of the flesh where there is no Circumcision of the heart and Paul tels us Gal 6.15 That Circumcision nor uncircumcision avail any thing but a new creature they may be where the new creature is not himself had many priviledges Phil. 3. when he was far from newness of heart Sixthly Gifts They breed mistakes in divers persons those that have choice and great gifts perswade themselves they have new hearts and spirits that they are gracious and good but there is a vast difference between gifts and grace 1. Gifts make not a man a Christian Heathens had great gifts as Tully Seneca Plato Aristotle Plutarch Its grace makes a Christian the Gentiles were not Christians and so not acceptable to God till they were sanctified by the Holy Spirit Rom 15.16 They may make a man an useful man not a good man Acts 11.24 It s faith and the graces of the Spirit make a good man 2. All gifts do seldome or never meet in one man but graces do
they are the fruits of the Spirit and grow all in a new heart John 1.16 Of his fullnesse have we all received and grace for grace Graces go together not Gifts 3. A man may have Gifts and not be saved Judas had gifts yet was a son of perdition The beast came up out of the earth had miraculous Gifts and the false Prophets also and notwithstanding their Gifts they were both cast into the Lake of fire burning with Brimstone Rev 13.11 13 14. Chap. 19.20 But he that hath a new heart and new spirit hath grace and so shall be saved John 3.6 2 Cor. 3.17 He that is born of the Spirit is a new creature he hath grace and shall be saved Acts 15.11 Seventhly Activeness Some men growing active for God and the publique Zealous against corrupt practices in Church or State gather from hence that they have new hearts and spirits they were not so before and how can it be that such new operations and activeness should be in them and from them and they not be men of new hearts When men are call'd to publique imployments they may have other hearts then they had before yet not such a new heart as is here spoken off Saul had another heart 1 Sam 10.9 when anointed to be King yet not a new heart Credit profit and conscience mis-informed may make men zealous and active when they have no other then their old hearts Paul before his conversion was very active and exceedingly zealous of the Traditions of his fathers Gal 1.13 14. How active are Jesuits how zealous are Papists and many others and that from erroneousness of their consciences not newnesse of their spirits First Observe Mens hearts and spirits by nature are old they are degenerated from that innocency simplicity and purity Adam was created in they are corrupted ever since he eat of the forbidden fruit Psal 14.1 Men are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doth good Psal 53.3 Every one of them is gone back they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one Such as their hearts are such are their actions old hearts have answerable operations Psal 58.3 They go astray assoon as they be born They brought corrupt hearts and natures with them into the world and their first actings were against God truth juâ—â—â—ce and holinesse men by nature have hearts full of old things 2 Cor. 5.17 Old things are not passed away but abide Old principles old lusts old desires old thoughts old reasonings old enmityes old confidences old hardness old deceitfulness old frowardness and old naughtiness are all found in mens hearts till they are made new Gen. 6.5 Math 15.19 Secondly Observe A new heart a new spirit is not from the power or will of man but from the grace of God A new heart will I give you a new spirit will I put into you God bade them Ezek 18.31 make themselves new hearts and new spirits but they were not able to do it he promises therefore to do it for them It s Gods way in his holy Word to command and call for that at the hands of men which he intends to give and work as Phil 2.12 Work out your own salvation and in the next verse its said Its God which worketh in you both to will and to do Isa 1.16 Wash ye make ye clean Ezek 36.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean Deut 10.16 Circumcise the foreskin of your heart they could not do it therefore Deut. 30.6 the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart These Scriptures evince that it is the Lord himself who performs what he commands it s not mans will or power which produceth the new heart it s the gracious and mighty hand of God which effects it and when he will work who shall let it shall mans will yes if God did only propound arguments command exhort invite encourage threaten it might but God doth promise to do the thing To give a new heart to put in a new spirit and should the liberty of mans will hinder it how should God be faithful but rather then he will be found unfaithful he will over-power the corrupt wills of men and make them flexible to his will The efficacy of grace depends not upon mans will embracing or refusing what is tendered but on the good pleasure and power of God Phil 2.13 When it pleases God to put forth his power the woâ—â—â—hall be done the new heart and new spirit shall be wrought in the man notwithstanding all the oldnesses therein And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh In Chap 11. vers 19. the words are I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and here they are I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh Much was spoken of them there something I shall speak now The stony heart The Hebrew is The heart of stone that is the heart which in a spiritual sense is like a stone First A stone is senselesse it feels or perceives nothing and so is a stony heart Ephes 4.19 Who being past feeling they were so accustomed to sin that they felt not any evill in sin Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati Zech 14.4 we read of a Mountain that cleav'd in sunder at the presence of Christ but the hearts of the Jews were so stony that they were not at all affected at the presence or voice of Christ Secondly A stone is hard and impenetrable a Knife a Sword a Nail will not enter into it so a stony heart is so hard that the Word of God hath no entrance into it Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy Words giveth light when it enters into the heart it doth so but though the Word be of a sharp and piercing nature yet it enters not into a stony heart its impenetrable Zech 7.11 They refused to hearken and pull'd away their shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear yea they made their hearts as an Adamant stone No truths no arguments no invitations no prayers no tears no mercies no threats no judgements do conquer or prevail with it neither wind rain thunder lightning sun-shine heat cold do change the nature of a Rock Thirdly A stone is unpolished and inept for building and other uses till it be hewn sawn and brought into some other form so a stony heart is an heart unpolished unfit to lye in any part of Gods building or for any service of his till it be polished hewn sawn hammered and brought into some other frame As a stone cannot change it self no more can a stony heart The Devil knew that the stones Matth. 4.3 could not turn themselves into bread therefore saith to Christ Command that they be made bread He knew they might be made bread meet to eat and so stony hearts though they cannot make themselves fleshy yet they may be made fleshy they may be brought to another form and so
heart is a grievous plague so an heart of flesh is a great blessing its sensible of sin even secret sins it trembles at thoughts of God his Attributes and Word it understands divine things its teachable and obediential its compassionate and full of bowels towards all such an heart is rare to find but where-ever it is it 's a mercy of mercies a superlative mercy Secondly Observe It s a gift even the gift of God I will give you an heart of flesh None but he who can fetch water out of a Rock and turn stones into flesh Mat. 3.9 can give this tender heart we can make our hearts stony by sinning but we cannot soften them again It s Gods prerogative to make and give an heart of flesh he can make the hardest heart exceeding tender beg such an heart of him and presse him with his promise For faithfull is he who hath promised who also will do it Vers 27. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them IN the 35. verse remission of sins was promised in the 36. regeneration and in this infusion of the spirit is promised In the words are 1. The mercy promised viz the spirit 2. The parties recipient you 3. The effects of this reception walking in c. I will put my spirit within you By spirit here I understand not the new heart or new spirit mentioned in the verse before viz. the gifts and graces of the spirit but the spirit it self so Aecolampad Lavater Junius and Polonius and however it be a great dispute among School-men Whether the spirit it self be given unto men and dwell in them some conclude That the person of the spirit is not given but dwells in us only Mediantibus donis yet the Scripture is cleer That the spirit it self is given and dwells in the sons of men Rom 5.5 The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy spirit which is given unto us Here is a distinction made between the grace of the spirit and the spirit it selfe the grace of love is shed abroad 〈◊〉 the hearts of the Saints by the spirit and that spirit which â—â—keth that grace in them is given unto them the person of the spirit is distinguished from the gifts and graces he works in men 1 Cor 6.19 Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy spirit in you A Temple is not for gifts or graces but for a person a Deity and some speciall presence of that Deity the world hath God in it yet it is not call'd The Temple of God because he is in a general and common manner in the same but the spirit is in the bodyes of the Saints and that in a special manner 1 Cor. 2.12 We have râ—ceived not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God By spirit here cannot be meant gifts or graces but the person of the spirit who searcheth the deep things of God as it is vers 10. and makes them known by degrees unto those he dwells in discovering what God hath done for them Rom 8.11 If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you it s the spirit of God himself who dwells in beleevers and not only the gifts and graces of the spirit these are in them as qualities in a Subject but he is in them as an Inhabitant in an house The spirit by reason of its Infinitenesse is every where in Trees Worms Flowers waters all creatures is it any other wise in the Saints then in them True the spirit quoad essentiam is in all things yet First It s not in them per modum unionis by way of union a Fish is in the water but not united to the water the spirit is in the Saints by way of union therefore is said to dwell in them by his own gifts and graces we are united to the spirit and the spirit to us Secondly It s not in them per modum gratiosae operationis by way of gracious operation all he doth in other creatures is upholding their beings enabling them to put forth their natural power vigour virtue and ordering their motions to what ends he pleaseth he worketh nothing in them above their natures but in those he dwells he worketh gracious effects in those the Lord gives the spirit unto he worketh such operations as are not elsewhere even such as are aboue nature he is in them Speciali titulo ratione gratiae A Gardiner worketh curious Knots in the Garden which he doth not elsewhere God made other works and set other plants in Paradise than in the world Thirdly As the Deity of Christ is every where in every creature yet otherwise in Christs humane nature than in any creature Col 2.9 so the spirit though it be every where yet is otherwise in Believers than in other creatures it is in them as it is in Christ himself but not in the same measure What doth the spirit being within us First It unites the Lord Christ and the soul together it makes an happy union between them two The Corinthians were espoused to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 not only by the Ministry of Paul but by the spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit are we all baptized into one body that is the Church the body of Christ the spirit is the great Agent in this work Secondly The spirit gives out divine Oracles and Truths unto the soul As in the Temple God gave out his mind made known his will so doth the spirit in the heart of man Mat. 10.20 The spirit of the Father speaks in Believers 1 John 2.20 Ye have an anction from the holy One and ye know all things That unction is the spirit which makes known all needful things unto those it dwells in its needful to be instructed and armed against Antichrist and his seducements its needful to be directed in the way to Heaven they had the spirit which did teach them how to avoid the one and how to proceed in the other and so were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God and who teacheth like him Job 36.22 He teacheth inwardly infallibly powerfully Thirdly It conquers and drives out the enemies that had possession of and quartered in us There is no man the Lord puts his spirit into but the spirit finds the Devil there he hath possession of mens hearts and labours to keep the same there be also a multitude of base and ungodly lusts which fight for the Devils interest these the spirit sets upon subdues and casts out When Christ came into the Temple he whipt out all the money-changers when Joshua came into Canaan he drove out the Canaanites and other Nations and when the spirit comes into a man it beats down strong holds drives out Satan and his Troops 1 John 4.4 Greater is he that is
in you than he that is in the world The Devil had been in them before but was now driven out of them into the world by the spirit which was in them and their lusts were mortified by the same spirit Rom 8.13 Fourthly The Spirit put into man takes the rule and government of that man into his own hand he must no longer be under the dominion of sin or Satan but under the conduct of the spirit he and all in him must bow to that great Person When a great man cometh into the Countrey to dwell he looks for all about him to bow unto him and to be at his command hence men that have stout and stubborn spirits which cannot bow use to say Magnum vicinum nolumus We care not for a great Neighbour The spirit is greater than all men and when he is put into men it 's to rule he is there not to be checked controled opposed but to bear sway to have the Keyes of every Room delivered up unto him he must be and will be Soveraign in the soul before him every Mountain and Hill must be brought low yea every creature must swear fealty unto him Rom 8.14 They are lead by the spirit of God The spirit is the Commander and Leader of those it dwells in they follow him and not others whereas those that are without the spirit are led away with diverse lusts 2 Tim 3.6 or drawn away with their own lust James 1.14 and so follow Satan 1 Tim 5.15 It 's not so with those that have the spirit that is call'd A Guide John 16.13 and such a Guide as guides into all truth and orders them so as that they shall not miscarry for its a spirit of wisdome Ephes 1.17 of counsell Isa 11.2 of power 2 Tim 1.7 so that he must rule and where he rules he doth it wisely Fifthly He frames them to his own mind and transforms them into his own likenesse as a Graft put into a Stock turns the sap of the Stock and assimilates it and the Stock to it self so doth the spirit in the parties where it is 2 Cor 3.18 We are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord or by the Lord the Spirit so the Greek will bear it we are selfish sinfull natural morall and the spirit makes us spiritual The husband frames the mind of his wise suitable unto his own when a man comes into an old house he pulls down and sets up he takes away and adds what he pleases and fits the house to his own mind so doth the spirit being in our earthly Tabernacles it abrogates the Laws of the flesh it throws out the Principles of Satan and the world it sets up new Laws and works new Principles Rom 3.27 Chap 8.2 Sixthly The spirit being put into man and man becoming his Temple he doth beautifie and adorn that Temple and make it glorious Solomon over-laid the Temple with pure gold 1 Kings 6.21 the inside was very glorious and the spirit trims up its Temple with pure graces with love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance c. Gal 5.22 23. Ephes 5.9 The spirit garnished the Heavens with those greater and lesser Lights Job 26.13 which fill this lower world with their glory It s the spirit which reneweth the face of the earth Psal 104.30 and makes it beautifull and its the spirit reneweth and garnisheth the soul making it glorious and beautifull with all graces Psal 45.13 The Kings daughter is all glorious within and the spirits Temple is no lesse glorious If Solomons Temple were call'd The holy and beautifull house Isa 64.11 much more may the Temple of the spirit be so called Seventhly It being in man enables him to do many things it strengthens him with might to do that which otherwise he could not do Eph 3.16 As First To discern between the things of men and the things of God between the things of Christ and those of Antichrist between true and counterfeit graces 1 Cor. 2.15 He that is spiritual judgeth all things He hath the spirit enabling him to make a difference and to see the reallity beauty and excellency of some things above others The High Priests Scribes Pharisees saw no beauty in Christ that they should desire him but the Apostles who had the spirit in them did John 1.14 We beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father and Paul saw so much in Christ and the knowledge of him That he counted all things but lasse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Phil. 3.8 Secondly It enables them to pray spiritually Rom. 8.26 The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought The spirit tells us what to pray for and helps us to bring forth those Petitions it hath formed in us Zech 12.10 it s call'd The spirit of supplication because it teaches us what to supplicate God for and assists us in supplicating Both Paul and Jude exhorts those they write unto To pray in the spirit Ephes 6.18 Jude 20. That is in the strength and help of the spirit not in their own strength Thirdly It enables to stand in time of trouble persecution and sufferings The spirit prompts answers unto those that are questioned for truths sake and helps them against all their opposers see Mark 13.11 Matth 10.19 20. Luke 12.11 12. When they were lead before Magistrates and Powers they must take no thought before hand what to speak nor premeditate the spirit should help them encourage and uphold them not an Angel but the spirit Acts 6.10 Stephen was so mightily assisted by the spirit that his opposers viz the Libertines Cyrenians Alexandrians and others were not able to withstand him Fourthly It enables to bring forth good fruit If there be no sap in a Vine it will bear no fruit if there be only our own sap it will yeeld sowre fruit but if the sap of the spirit be there then it will afford good fruit speciall fruit Acts 10.38 Christ being anointed with the holy spirit and with power he went about doing good so the Apostles Acts 1.8 Ye shall receive power after the holy spirit is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth The spirit impowered them to walk up and down in the world to preach the Gospel convert souls plant Churches and to do them good so did Paul Rom. 15.19 Where the spirit is it enables and provokes unto good John 7.38 39. Fifthly The spirit enables men to keep the Word of God and yeeld obedience unto it 2 Tim. 1.14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the holy spirit which dwelleth in us Timothy saith Paul thou hast that which is of great concernment committed to thy keeping viz the Gospel the form of sound words and thou
hast a great helper to enable thee thereunto even the spirit of God which dwells in thee see therefore that thou keep it by the enabling power of the spirit which helps not only to remember truth but also to obey truth for Peter assures us That the beleeving Jews did obey the truth through the spirit that is through the assistance of the spirit This is that which follows in the next words to be opened And cause you to walk in my statutes The Hebrew word for cause is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faciam I will make effect or bring to passe by the operation of that spirit I put into you that you shall walk in my statutes Vatablus renders it efficiam which imports influence of power David Psal 143.10 prayes unto the Lord to teach him to do his will and Psal 119.35 he saith Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments both these the spirit being put into man performs it teaches him to do the will of God and causes him to go in the path of his Commandements To walk in Gods statutes implyes several things First The making of Godlinesse and Religion our chief work in this life other things are to be done as inferiour things this is to be the principal no work should be so minded as this saith Joshua Chap. 24.15 As for me and my house we will serve the Lord that shall be our great and chief businesse in this world He remembred what God had commended to him and all men Deut. 6.6 7 8 9. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine house and upon thy gates God would have us to be godly inwardly and outwardly at home and abroad night and day and to make our familyes religious and they are repeated again Deut 11.18 19 20. that so they might take the deeper impression upon the hearts of men David looked at this work above all others Psal 119.97 O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day To be godly and religious was his principal care that is the one thing necessary and Solomon hath drawn it up into this conclusion Fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man Eccles 12.13 Secondly Taking delight in the wayes of God His statutes commands and wayes are grievous to men naturally they walk not in them When men walk in any way they are delighted with and in that way so here walking in Gods statutes notes delight Psal 119.14 I have rejoyced in the way of thy Testimonies as much as in all riches Some rejoyce in fine houses some in fertile Lands some in great Flocks some in Silver and Gold but David rejoyced in the way of Gods Testimonies and as much as any of them or all of them in their riches he found more sweet in them then they in their wealth vers 143. Thy Commandements are my delights They were his chief his satisfying his sole and soul delights It was meat and drink to Paul to be doing the will and work of the Lord Acts 20.24 as it was unto Christ John 4.34 Thirdly It imports motion and progresse they should not stand still in contemplation nor sit still in meditation but they should proceed and go on in the wayes of God they should get neerer their journeys end be daily more knowing more holy more gracious and godly The Thessalonians faith did grow exceedingly and their charity abounded 2 Thess 1.3 They walked from faith to faith and from love to love When Paul was converted and brought into the way of Christ he encreased in spiritual strength Acts 9.22 He reached forward and pressed towards the mark Phil 3.13 14. He put on mightily for to get the knowledge of Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings he did not only walk but ran oft in the way of truth and godlinesse 1 Cor. 9.26 Fourthly Walking in Gods statutes imports perseverance in them they shall not apostatize and turn back from them but continue in them Of a wicked man destitute of Gods Spirit it s said He hath left off to be wise and to do good Psal 36.1 But of a righteous man it s said He shall hold on in his way Job 17.9 He knows he is in a safe and good way a way that will recompence him fully at the end whatever hardships or storms he meets withall and therefore will neither sit still nor go back he may be extra semitam sometimes but never turning back again Ye shall keep my judgements and do them Statutes and Judgements are comprehensive words and sometimes are used promiscuously as hath formerly been shewed in Chap 18. and 5. but here they may be thus differenced Statutes to signifie the duties of the first Table the things of Gods worship and manner of the same whether under the Law or Gospel and Judgements the duties of the second Table matters of equity and justice between man and man The word for keep is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which imports keeping with care and diligence they should not keep them in their houses or memories only but they should keep them practically they should do them First Observe Gods spirit differs from all other spirits Angels are spirits souls of men are spirits but these are below Gods spirit I will put my spirit Gods spirit is a spirit of holinesse Rom. 1.4 The power of the highest Luke 1.35 A spirit of truth guiding into all truth John 16.13 A spirit of grace Zech 12.10 The Oyl of gladnesse Heb 1.9 The Comforter John 14.16 A spirit of glory 1 Pet. 4.14 A spirit that is the Lord Isa 11.2 Ruach Jehovah The spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him Whatever excellencies may be in souls or Angels they are infinitely short of that that is in the spirit of God Psal 143.10 Thy spirit is good that is Thy spirit O Lord is transcendently good my own spirit is naught and all other spirits are nothing compared with thy spirit that and that only is good good originally good transcendently good infinitely Secondly Observe The putting in of the spirit into the sons of men is a free act of God He doth it not upon the account of the Covenant of works but by vertue of the Covenant of grace This verse is a branch of the Covenant of grace and agrees with that in Jerem. 31.33 I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts that God doth when he puts in his spirit 2 Cor. 3.3 for the spirit being within writes divine truths in the heart Adam had the
did not God destroy his Army and relieve them publickly and privately though there were now no Cityes left God could and did raise them up many Cityes though there were no people to inhabit those Cityes raised God could raise them up men and did make them exceeding populous even as populous as Jerusalem was at her solemn Feasts more populous than ever Fourthly Observe The end of Gods deliverances works and mercies is that God may be acknowledged and glorified When I have brought them out of Babylon planted them in Sion built their Cityes filled them with inhabitants and blessings of all sorts Then shall they know that I am the Lord that I am not like the heathenish gods and lords but that I am faithfull omnipotent gracious and merciful worthy to be honoured and adored by the house of Israel CHAP. XXXVII Verse 1. The hand of the Lord was upon me and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middest of the Valley which was full of bones 2. And caused me to pass by them round about and behold there were very many in the open valley and lo they were very dry IN the former Chapter he spake of the Jews Return out of Babylon and likewise of the Kingdom of Christ In this Chapter also he proceeds to comfort the Jews assuring them of their Return who well-nigh despaired thereof and of the union of the two houses Judah and Israel The parts of this Chapter are 1. A Vision of dry bones presented to the Prophet from the 1. ver to the 11. 2. The Interpretation and Application of this Vision from the beginning of the 11. to the end of the 14. 3. A Type of two Sticks and the uniting of them from the 15. to the 20. 4. The explication of the Type from the 20. ver to the end Vers 1. The hand of the Lord was upon me By hand of the Lord the Chaldee understands the spirit of Prophesie which did enlighten and affect the mind of the Prophet so also do divers others But some take it for the power of God upon him or a Divine instinct which like an hand pul'd or mov'd him to some other thing as Chap. 8.3 It was the Spirit of God came upon him as Chap. 3.14 And why it s called the hand of God see Chap. 1.3 And carryed me out in the Spirit of the Lord. The Hebrew may be read thus and is by Mâ—ntanus And the Lord carryed me out in the Spirit that is I was rapt out of my self and my spirit was carryed by the Lord to have a sight or view of Bones If we take the words as they are the sense is this The Spirit of God being upon me carryed me out in the spirit of Prophesie which is the Spirit of the Lord his body was not carryed from place to place He had a Prophetical Vision And set me down in the middest of the valley The Prophet seem'd to himself to see a Hand and to be led out by that hand into a certain Valley all which was Visional not real He names no particular Valley A-lapide saith it was in Campo Sennaar Mesopotamia and Chaldaea were Plains but whether it were in either of them is not specified In vallies Prophets were wont to have Visions Our Prophets first Vision was by the River Chebar and Rivers are alwayes in Vallies and in this Valley it s conceived by some as Lavater observes was this Vision but it s safer to judge that this Valley was also Visionall Which was full of Bones This Valley or Plain was no burying place for then the bones would not have layen upon the face of the earth and been exposed to view Some make these bones to be the bones of all Mankind being dead and to respect the general Resurrection but they are out nothing of that is here intended Some make them to be the bones of the Babylonians but the Prophets scope here is not to comfort them it s the Jews condition he points at and therefore by bones are meant the Jews as is clear v. 11. These Bones were Visional also not real for then they should not have him unburyed suffering reproach Some Jews have an Opinion that these bones were the bones of those Jews that dyed in Babylon and one Rabbi Jose a Galilaean saith That Ezekiel raised those dead Jews many of which return'd into the land of Israel and had children there that when this fell into controversie among the Jews one Rabbi Juda the Son of Bathira stood up and said Ego sum oriundus ex posteritate illorum quos Ezekiel in vitam revocavit I am of that race which Ezekiel raised and shewed the Phylacteries his Parent put upon him and had received from those were rais'd Verse 2. And caused me to passed by them round about The Lord would have the Prophet to take exact notice of them and therefore made him to pass Savif savif undique undique on every side on every side that so he might observe the number and quality of them and where they lay which he did for it follows And behold there were very many in the open valley The number of these bones was great pass'd number and they lay in open view in an open Valley where he had a full sight of them And loe they were very dry These bones were not cloath'd with flesh juycy and full of marrow which had been more easily rais'd to life if so but they were dry all the moysture was out of them they had lain long nigh 70 years in that condition and were almost become earth First Observe It was the Spirit of God mov'd the Prophets to give out those truths are now extant in the Scriptures that directed and enabled them to do what they did The hand of the Lord was upon me and carryed me out in the Spirit to see and give out what you have here The Prophets might not speak or act at their own pleasures but as the Spirit of God moved them 2 Pet. 1.21 so they spake so they acted It was the Spirit in the Prophets that testified against the Jews Neh. 9.30 The words of the Lord of hosts were in the hand and mouth of the Spirit before they were in the heads and mouths of the Prophets Neh. 7.12 The Apostles had the Spirit falling upon and filling them before they gave out Divine truths Act. 2.4 which verified what Châ—ist had said of the Spirit John 16.14 He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you All the truths Paul hath given forth for the Instruction Edification and Consolation of the Church of Christ he received from the Spirit of Christ Hence he saith 1 Cor. 11.23 I received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you And Chap. 14.37 The things I write unto you are the commandements of the Lord he had them all from his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.12 13. Secondly Observe The true Messengers and Servants of God come not
only with the Word of God but in the Spirit and Power of God Ezekiel had the hand of God with him So Paul 1 Cor. 2.4 5. His preaching was not with entising words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power False Teachers may come with the Letter but only those are the true Prophets the true Messengers of Christ that come in the Spirit and with the Spirit are carryed out by the Spirit Thirdly Observe God honours his servants sometimes so as to make them of his Counsel and Copartners with him in his works God makes known his mind here to Ezekiel and uses him in the work he was about Samuel was thus honoured God made him of his Privy-councel and told him what he would do to the house of Eli 1 Sam. 3. So he dealt by Abraham not only in the business of Sodom Gen. 18.17 but in that of his Posterity telling him His seed should be a stranger in a land not theirs 430 years and that afterwards they should come out with great substance Gen. 15.13 14. The Prophets and Apostles were Cabinet-men and knew the secrets of the Lord and were Co-workers with God The Apostle Paul is expresly for it 2 Cor. 6.1 they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that work together with God in the same work This is great honour and such honour as have not all the Saints Fourthly Observe Our God calls and moves his servants by his Spirit to do difficult things he orders them so as to do them safely It was somewhat averse to nature to go among dead bones and dangerous to the Prophet being many and scattered up and down the Valley for had he accidentally touch'd but one of them he had been unclean according to the Law Numb 19. but God caused him to pass by them so as he was preserved from pollution he saw the bones he touched none of them It was a sad and dangerous work God call'd Abraham unto viz. the Sacrificing of his Son but he ordered it so that Abraham came off not only without imputation of sin but with great honour for his obedience Verse 3. And he said unto me Son of man Can these bones live And I answered O Lord God thou knowest This verse is a Dialogue between God and the Prophet as Polanus calls it 1. God propounds a question 2. The Prophet answers it The question is this Son of man Can these bones live Ezekiel thou hast had a full view of them thou seest how dry they are in what condition they lie tell me thy thoughts what thy judgement is of them I am desirous to know thy mind Hast thou any art skill or power to quicken them or knowest thou any creature that hath To this Question the Prophet answers in the next words And I answered O Lord God thou knowest The Prophets answer is suitable unto the Lords question which was concerning the present life of these bones not future life at the General Resurrection which he doubted not of therefore he confesseth his ignorance I do not know O Lord what thy pleasure is Thou art able to put life into these dry bones in a moment though neither my self nor any other creature can do it our power is finite thine is infinite and thou canst do whatever thou pleasest but thy pleasure is held from me and others therefore O Lord God thou knowest First Observe Divine Interrogations argue not Ignorance in God but are instructory to the interrogated God knew what these bones could do before he propounded the question to Ezekiel It was therefore propounded for his Instruction to acquaint him with the power of God and his own weakness that so knowing the one and being sensible of the other he might be the fitter Instrument in the hand of God to work by Christs question to Peter Joh. 21.15 was of this nature Simon lovest thou me more then these It was not so much to prove him as to instruct and mind him of his former failing and to fit him for action viz. the feeding his Lambs and Sheep Secondly Observe God can easily non-plus or silence wise and holy men with a short question Here he puts Ezekiel to it Can these bones live The Prophet could not tell he was non-plus'd When God propounded some questions to Job was he able to answer him Job 38.3 4 c. He professes he was not able to do it but must be silent Chap. 40.4 Did not Châ—ist by a question put the chief Priests Scribes and Elders to silence He asked them Whether the Baptism of John was from heaven or of men This little question so perplex'd them all that they profess'd they could not tell Mark 11.30.33 Thirdly Observe It 's wisdom and duty in the Servants of God to resolve all they cannot reach or know not how to be effected into the knowledge and good pleasure of the Lord O Lord God thou knowest He resolves the question into Gods bosom He had Knowledge Power and Will to do what ever seem'd good to himself There be many things in the Word menâ—ion'd which man can say nothing unto but Lord thou knowest As where the Sepulchre of Moses was Deut. 34.6 The spreadings of the Clouds how they are Job 36.29 The wind whence it comes or whither it goes Joh. 3.8 Whether the seed sown in the evening or the morning shall prosper best or be both alike Eccles 11 6. What is the true interpretation of the number of the Beast 666 Rev. 13.18 Or of the two witnesses and the time of their prophesying in Sackcloth 1260. days when it began and when it ended or shall Rev. 11.3 These and other things be said Lord thou knewest Vers 4. Again he said unto me Prophesie upon these bones and say unto them O ye dry bones hear the word of the Lord. 5. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live 6. And I will lay sinews upon you and will bring up flesh upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you and ye shall live and ye shall know that I am the Lord. 7. So I prophesied as I was commanded and as I prophesied there was a great noise and behold a shaking and the bones came together bone to his bone 8. And when I he held lo the sinews and the flesh came up upon them and the skin covered them above but there was no breath in them 9. Then said he unto me Prophesie unto the winde Prophesie son of man and say to the winde Thus saith the Lord God Come from the four winds O breath and breath upon these slain that they may live 10. So I prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came into them and they lived and stood up upon their feet an exceeding great Army The Quickning of the dry bones is the great thing considerable in these verses and it 's set out From the Causes 1. The Efficient 1.
The Instrumental Prophesying v. 4 7 9 10. 2. The Principal v. 5. 2. The Formal which is expressed 1. By coalition of bone to bone v. 7. 2. By cloathing of the bones with flesh sinews and skin v. 8. 3. By the entrance of breath v. 10. Verse 4. Prophesie upon these bones and say unto them O ye dry bones hear the word of Lord. This seems an absurd thing that the Prophet should prophesie unto Creatures insensible unintelligible void of life It was as if God should bid a man preach unto an heap of stones or dry chips which are incapable of hearing But though these Bones were incapable of hearing Ezekiels voyce yet they were not incapable of hearing Gods voyce for all creatures even the most senseless hear the Lord when he speaks the stormy winds fulfil his word Psal 148.8 The Heavens and the Earth Isai 1.2 Whales and Ravens Jon. 2.10 1 King 17.4 The Lord intended to bestow life upon these bones and that they might have life they must hear his word which had inlivening vertue in it There is an obediential vertue in every creature to yield to the will and command of the Creator and when it doth so then it 's said to hear the voyce of the Lord then properly men hear God when they do what he requires Vers 5. Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live These words prevent an Objection which the Prophet might have made saying It s in vain for me to prophesie to these dry bones what ever I shall say over them or unto them will come to nothing and prove ridiculous if any take notice thereof No saith the Lord it shall not be so for Behold I will cause breath to enter into them and they shall live The Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold I bring upon you the Spirit of life Others render the words thus Behold I do make the Spirit to enter into you or I am about to bring the Spirit into you and ye shall live that is I am ready to breathe life into you or I will breathe the breath of life into you It 's life is here promised which he mentions first to encourage the Prophet though it were performed last for the bones must first be united then be cloathed with sinews flesh and skin before the breath of life enters Verse 6. And I will lay sinews upon you The Hebrew for Sinews is Gidim which is from Gadad Turmatim oonncurrere quia nervi in corpore ad sensus motus officia concurrant c. The nerves in the body do concur unto the duties of sense and motion Some Nerves are soft some are hard the soft are specially for sense and they come from the Brain the hard are chiefly for motion and they come from the Marrow in the back-bone Here God would cause these visional Bones to have visional Sinews which might fit them for sense and motion And bring up flesh upon you The word for Flesh is Basar which Synechdochically signifies sometimes Men and sometimes other living creatures but here it notes that part of mans body which is simplex mollis rubicunda simple soft and ruddiest such flesh would God bring up upon these Bones The Hebrew for bring up is I will make to ascend God would cause flesh to grow up and ascend out of those dry bones And cover you with skin When the bones had sinews and flesh God would not leave them so it 's unsightly to behold naked raw flesh He would give them a garment viz. cover them with Skin Incrustabo vos cute saith Montanus I will crust you over with skin Superextendam in vobis Cutem saith the Vulgar I will stretch over you a Skin The word for Skin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be naked Though the flesh were covered with skin yet was not the skin covered with any artificial covering And put breath in you and ye shall live These words are the same with those in the 5. verse Now when the bones had their sinews flesh and skin and were fitted for the breath of life they should have it The Septuagint is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give my Spirit upon you that shall beget life in you and cause you to live And ye shall know that I am the Lord. These dry bones being so Metamorphosed and raised to a living condition should acknowledge the mighty hand of the Lord and be convinced that he was able to do whatsoever he pleased Verse 7. So I Prophesied as I was commanded The Prophet stood not disputing the case with God but he understanding the mind of God presently set himself to fulfil it And as I prophesied there was a noise What Ezekiel Prophesied to these bones is not so much to be questioned he had direction from God what to say unto them even those words ye have in the 4 5 6 verses And as he was Prophesying before he had uttered all given him in commission there was a noise not of thunder or of Angels or of an Earthquake but of the bones themselves which being many dry and stirring could not but make a great noise This noise was an evident demonstration of Divine presence and power put forth in this Miraculous work And behold a shaking These bones that were dead and dry now began to stir and shake they moved from their places Maldonate thinks that the earth was moved that so the bones which were in the graves and under the earth might come forth but these were bones lay in an open valley not under the earth Their shaking or concussion was cum impetu with force It was Divine Power made them to shake and move Some refer this shaking to the invasion of the Babylonians by the Medes and Persians at what time the Jews obtain'd their liberty And the bones came together bone to his bone As timber in an house so are bones in the body the strength and support of all The Hebrew word for a Bone is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etzem from Atzam to corroborate and make solid Bones are robur soliditas corporis the strength and solidity of the body These bones came together not promiscuously the bones of one man or woman to the bones of another man or woman but bone to his bone that is every bone of the same man to his right place and every bone of the same woman to its right place the rib-bones thigh-bones and ancle-bones came every one to his proper place and so united together Verse 8. And when I beheld loe the sinews and the flesh came up upon them and the skin covered them above Here was a strange sight to see dry bones come creeping together every one to coalesce and joyn in his due place making up a perfect Skeleton and out of that sinews flesh and skin to ascend this was such a sight that neither Ezekiel nor any man had ever seen
before But there was no breath in them Here were perfect humane bodies as if they had been newly dead or newly formed out of the earth as Adams body was but there was yet no Life in them they were no other then dead carkasses The Coalition of the bones the ascension of sinews flesh and skin upon them argued not life in them but Divine Power acting and ordering them so Verse 9. Prophesie unto the wind Prophesie son of man and say to the wind The word Ruah or Ruach signifies several things Sometimes the Spirit of God as 2 Sam. 23.3 Sometimes an Angel as Job 4.15 Sometimes the soul of a Beast Eccles 3.21 Sometimes the Wind as Job 1.19 Sometimes the breath of Man as Job 12.10 And sometimes the Soul of Man Eccles 12.7 Zach. 12.1 In what sense it 's here to be taken is the question To let other senses passe I conceive here it notes the soul or spirit of Man which is call'd wind or breath here it expresses and declares it's self by breathing which is a wind When all other signes of life fail as speech sight hearing motion c. yet breath oft-times remains and so manifests the soul to be there which is Ruah Chajim the breath of life Gen. 6.17 These bones being brought into the forms of bodies lay destitute of souls and so of life the Prophet therefore is commanded to Prophesie unto their souls If any will understand here by Wind the Spirit of God which is in Scripture compar'd to wind Joh. 3.8 and gives life to the dead Psal 104.30 I shall not contend Come from the four winds O breath and breathe upon these slain that they may live The four winds note out here the four chief parts of quarters of the World East West North and South and the Prophet is commanded to call for the souls of these bodies to come from all quarters where ever they were to breathe upon them that is to enter into them and to cause them to live That he call'd wind before he calls breath now By slain are meant the visional carkasses which lay dead Verse 10. So I Prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came into them The Prophet doing his duty the effect followed he said Come O breath and the spirit soul or breath came into those bodies lay in his view they were animated and thereupon They lived and stood up upon their feet Immediately upon reception of their souls they had life and motion as every bone came to his bone and made up a body so every soul came to its own body and made it to live and to testifie its life by standing up upon its feet An exceeding great Army The bones were many and they being quickned and raised made an Army yea a great an exceeding great Army The word for Army is Chaiil which signifies Vertue Courage and so the words may be rendred They stood upon their feet being of very great Courage First Observe God sometimes puts his servants upon strange imployments even such as seem ridiculous unseasonable impossible He set Ezekiel on work to Prophesie over bones and to say unto them O ye dry bones hear the word of the Lord. This was as if one should water a dry rotten Stick and say Grow God said to Moses Lift up thy rod and stretch out thine hand over the Sea and divide it Exod. 14.16 Here was a strange command and strange work for Moses to do Could his rod or hand divide the Sea Was it not strange work God put Joshuah the men of War and the Priests unto when he appointed them to go seven dayes round about Jericho six dayes together once a day and the seventh day seven times with Trumpets and Rams-horns Joshua 6 So when God commanded Ezekiel to take a tile Pourtray Jerusalem upon it and lay siege against it with Battering-Rams then to set an iron Pan between him and the City for a wall after these things to lie upon his left side 390 days and after that on his right side 40 days were not these strange kind of imployments which God put the Prophet unto Ezek. 4. So Jeremiah must put bonds and yokes upon his own neck and then send them to Kings by their own Embassadors which came to Zedekiah at Jerusalem Jer 27. In all these things there was depth of Wisdom however they seemed unto men Secondly Observe Whatsoever means are used it 's God doth all Here was Prophesie used but that did not the work without God Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live God could have done this without Prophesie but that was the means he would use and work in or by We must not neglect means and leave all to God that is tempting the most High neither must we trust to means when used that is to idolize a creature but we must use means and look unto God to be all in them for without him nothing is done and if we make him all in the means we shall make him all after them Thirdly Observe How low deplorable or desperate soever the creature be God can alter it and that easily These dry bones were almost dust and come to nothing their condition was very deplorable and desperate the Prophet himself could not tell what to think of them And did not God alter their condition quickly and with ease He bids the Prophet Prophesie and say Hear the word of the Lord ye dry bones and that being done presently the bones shake come together are cloath'd with sinewâ— flesh and skin receive breath live and stand up Here was a wonderful sudden change wrought with great facility God can make the dry tree to flowrish Ezek. 17.24 Arons rod to bud and blossome Sarahs dead womb to conceive Rivers in high places and springs of water in dry lands Isa 41.18 If God speak but the word these things are done Rom. 4.17 He quickens the dead and calls those things which be not as though they were let God only give a Call and things without life have life and things without beeing have a beeing Jer. 31.15 16 17. Are we in bondage He can easily set us at liberty as he did Peter Are we sick unto death He can easily cure us as he did Hezekiah Are we poor and despicable He can easily inrich us and make us honourable as he did Job when stript of all Are we dead in sins and trespasses that we cannot stir at all towards God or are we dead hearted that we stir poorly towards him He can quicken us in a moment as he did these dry bones so that we shall live move and act vigorously Fourthly Observe There is a mighty efficacy in Gods word when he is pleased to concurr with it and to be present with it in his own Ordinance Ezekiel Prophesies and as he Prophesied there was a noise a shaking of the bones a Coalition of them a compassing them about with sinews flesh and skin an entrance of
from the branch of a tree cut off from the body or from the whole tree cut off from the earth which no sooner is done but they wither become fruitless and without hope of recovering their pristine condition So these Jews who were once Gods Vine and Olive-tree said now We are cut off from Canaan the land of the living where we had alimentum vitale such nourishment as made us grow and be fruitful but here in our captivity we have no City no Temple no Sacrifice and so we are as branches cut off and trees cut down never like to be replanted more See Chap. 17 9. Like hereunto is that of Job Chap. 19.10 He hath destroyed me on every side and I am gone and mine hope he hath removed like a tree that is as the e is no hope of a tree cut off from the earth so have I saith Job no hope of recovering my former condition Verse 12. Bâ—hold O my people I w ll open your graves In this verse God promiseth unto them removal of Impediments and reduction of them inâ—o their own Land The first is in these words I will open you graves Canaan was so dear unto the Jews Si transferre sedes cogerentur major vitae metus quam mortis Tacitus that they counted it death to live out of it they esteemed it only the land of the living and had rather have dyed then left their Countrey being therefore Captives in a stange land they were as dead men and that land as a grave unto them When a man is in his grave he is cut off from the Land of the living laid in darkness bound with grave-clothes and pressed down with earth So these Jews were cut off from their own Land had long been in Babylonish darkness were bound up by Babylonish Laws and Power and so oppressed and kept down by the Tyranny of the Babylonians that they were without hope of liberty Hereupon the Lord saith I will open your graves I will remove all that hinders ex parte Babyloniorum their Policy Power Law Oppression shall detain you no longer in Captivity yea I will remove all hinders ex parte vestra Your despair and unbelief are like grave-stones which keep you in a captive and dead condition but they shall be taken away and a door opened for your coming forth It 's not irrational to conceive some or many of them might be in prisons and Babylonish Families whom God would set at liberty And cause you to come up out of your graves c. When the graves are opened the dead cannot rise or come forth no more then the dry bones could move or stir of themselves The Jews deliverance out of Captivity is likened to the raising the deâ—d out of their graves God causeth the dead to rise Isa 26.19 and he would cause them to come out of Babylon and not only bâ—ing them out hence but also bring them into their own Land though they were cut off from their own Olive-tree God would ingraft them in again Verse 13. And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves c. When God should do this wonderful and great work viz. bring them out of their Captivity raise them from their dead condition in Babylon and restore them to life in their own Countrey then they should know and acknowledge God in a special manner Verse 14. And shall put my Spirit in you By Ruah or Spirit here is not meant breath or life as ver 9.10 for they were first to be brought up out of their graves and to have natural life before the Spirit should be put into them But by Spirit here we understand the holy Spirit of God even that Spirit spoken of Chap. 36.27 where are the same words Lavater saith Indam vobis alium Spiritum I will put into you another Spirit Oecolampad saith It 's Spiritus adoptionis moderator actor Filiorum Dei The spirit of Adoption which moderates and acts the Sons of God And ye shall live They lived before a natural life a sad and melancholy life but now they should live a spiritual life and comfortable and heavenly life they should forget their sorrows and rejoyce in their God You have been in a dying condition these 70 years of your Captivity but hence forward ye shall live I shall place you in your own Land The Hebrew is I will make you to rest upon your own Land The word Janach signifies deponere demittere God would dismiss them from Babylon carry them upon Eagles wings and set them down in their own Land where they should be at rest They had been disquieted and vexed in Babylon many years and suffered grievous things but God put an end thereunto and gave them rest in Canaan which types out Gods dealing with his people under the Gospel viz. The bringing them from under the Antichristian state into Sion Then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it and performed it Ye think it impossible that you should have the Babylonish yoke knockt off be set at liberty and planted in your own countrey but if I can give life to dry bones and cause them to stand up and become a great Army which is a more difficult thing and thou Ezekiel hast seen it then let the Jews be assured I can deliver them and return them into their own Land and will do it and when it 's done they shall know that I am a God of Truth and Power Something we shall observe in General from these words and something more specially First Observe That sense which God gives of Visions Types and Parables is sound and certain yea infallible Ezekiel had a Vision of dry bones and who could tell the meaning of this Vision Many have mistaken about it but God himself he told the Prophet and so all others what was the sense of that Vision Behold the bones are the whole house of Israel God who is the authour of Visions Types and Parables knoweth best what is the meaning of them He knew what the golden Candlestick and the two Olive trees on the right and left sides thereof meant and interpreted them unto Zechariah Chap. 4. Daniel's Vision of four Beasts Chap. 7. did the Lord open and make known unto him John's Vision of the woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured Beast full of names of blasphemie having seven heads and ten horns the Lord interpreted and made known unto him Revel 17. Christ uttered many Parables which were dark and when he gave the sense of them it was certain and infallible Secondly Observe Tropes and Types are not in sacred Scripture to be taken literally These bones are the house of Israel they were not the house of Israel in a literal sense but they signified the house of Israel It 's frequent in the Word to give the name of the thing signified to the thing signifying as 1 Cor. 10.4 That Rock was Christ here the Rock is call'd Christ
forgive the sins of the Jews in general and bring them out of their forlorn condition to glorious injoyments and liberty This word Richamti is from Racham which signifies Intimo commiserationis affectu aliquem amplecti to imbrace one with a most inward affection of bowels mercy or compassion God would be as merciful to them as a Mother to the fruit of her womb And will be jealous for my holy Name In the Hebrew it is I will be jealous or zealous for the Name of my Holiness I will not suffer my Name to be polluted as it 's vers 7. The mercies I have promised shall be performed whatever obstacle is in the way my holy Name is ingaged for it and the jealousie I have for my Name will provoke me to do the same Jealousie is such an ardent affection as will break through all would retard or frustrate an undertaking It is given to God more humano and nothing shall let him from accomplishing what he hath promised Vers 26. After that they have born their shame The Jews being a people distinguished from other Nations by their laws and worship should have so liv'd as never to have given God occasion to have cast them off but they sinning above the Nations were scattered of God into several parts of the World and there they were reproached by the Heathens for their God their Worship and their Laws and so did bear shame Or thus Shame may be put for the punishment of their shame viz. their sin that was their shame and sad judgements did they bear for the same which was also their shame And all their Trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me Trespasses here notes punishment they trespassed against God in Canaan and he punished them for those trespasses in Babylon and other places After they had born their shame and punishment the appointed time God would visit them in mercy bring them back to Sion and do great things for them When they dwelt safely in the Land and none made them afraid They had much peace were secure feared no Enemies nor Judgements and thereupon sinn'd freely and multiplyed transgressions without number The word for making afraid is Charad which signifies to be moved in body or mind Fear doth distemper both but the Jews had none to disaffect either by frighting of them Vers 27. When I am sanctified in them in the sight of many Nations In Chap. 38. vers 9. God saith he will sanctifie himself that is declare himself to be an holy God and here the word is passive When I am sanctified that is when I am openly acknowledged to be just in punishing of them and merciful in delivering of them Piscator carries the words actively thus I will demonstrate my Holiness and Majesty both by afflicting and by freeing of them Vers 28. Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God which caused them to be led into Captivity among c. After their suffering grievous and long afflictions and receiving choyse mercies they shall know and confess that it was the hand of God which led them into captivity and not the hand of man before their eyes were upon men Nebuchadnezzar and his Forces they looked not at God but when they should be throughly purged in the furnace of affliction and be brought out thence to partake of special mercies then they should see know and acknowledge that God did all that it was his hand did it that Nebuchadnezzar could not have done ought against them nor Cyrus ought for them without his Commission So when the Jews shall be gathered out of all parts they are now in they shall know it to be the hand of God The Hebrew for which caused them be led into Captivity among the Heathen is In my transferring them or causing them to be transferred to the Heathen And have left none of them any more there At the first gathering of the Jews out of Babylon many were left there Ezra 1.5 Not all the Fathers of Judab and Benjamin but the chief of the Fathers and such whose spirits God had stirred came thence not the rest But here is mention of such a gathering as that none shall be left None de praedestinatis saith Maldonate Not any one Vâ—lentem in Patriam redire saith Mariana But these senses do not come up fully to the words which are I will not leave of them any more formerly many have been left but there shall be such a gathering as none shall be left whole Tribes were then left in captivity Vers 29. Neither will I hide my face any more from them God hid his face seventy years from them in Babylon and since their crucifying of Christ he hath hid it from them 1600. years But he hath a time to let them see his face again and never more to hide it from them they shall have his favour his counsel his help and protection They shall not be under severe judgments but injoy sweet mercies For I have poured out my Spirit upon the House of Israel Junius hath the words Quum effudero When I shall pour out my Spirit upon them In the Hebrew it 's a pretertense for a future which is usual therein to shew the certainty of the thing The Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because I have poured out my wrath upon them their sense is Seeing I have uttered and accomplished all my displeasure against them they shall henceforth have my face and favour The word for my Spirit is Ruchi the same with that in Chap. 36.27 which the Septuagint render there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Spirit and it 's so to be taken here God makes the House of Israel a great promise he will pour out his Spirit upon the same It shall have all spiritual blessings in abundance and the continuation of them First Observe The afflictions of Gods People they may be long and sharp yet they shall not be alwayes they shall have an end There is a time when they shall cease Now will I bring again the Captivity of Jacob. God brings his into captivity and out again in due time Some Vessels must be longer in the fire then others their dross and rust is so incorporated into them that they must not only be heatt but melted and when they are melted then they are taken out of the furnace and new moulded The Jews were long in the Wilderness but at length they were brought into the Land of the Amorites Josh 24.7 8. The Gentiles must tread down the Holy City 42 moneths or 1260. dayes and then it shall be freed Revel 11.2 3. God may be wroth with the Sheep of his Pasture his wrath may be hot may be long but it shall not be for ever Psal 103.9 Let us be patient under long afflictions and wait for deliverance it 's drawing nigh dayly and the set time will come ere long Heb. 10.37 Secondly Observe There is a day of mercy to come for the Jews
should come and be found fit for entrance he had his Line and Reed in his hand to measure them None unmeasured might enter Hence it is that Christ saith Joh. 14.6 I am the way and no man comes to the Father but by me And Joh. 10 9. I am the Door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find Pasture Christ is the Lord of the fold and field by him they enter in by him they are led out to the good Pastures and led in again He will not suffer any thing that defileth to enter into the Fold the Temple the New-Jerusalem Rev. 21.27 Seventhly Observe The Lord Christ when Divine things are presented unto us would have us Attent Intent and Apply the whole heart unto them Such things as are of weight slightness and trifling about them are intolerable therefore it 's said here Son of man behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears let thy senses be wholly taken up with these things and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee thine heart also must be fixed upon every thing shewn thee thou must let nothing pass without due observation As Ezekiel was to do thus about the things of his Vision so should all Ministers and Christians about the things of the Gospel which are Revelations of the mind of God by Christ It 's oft said therein Who hath eares to hear let him hear Mat. 13.9 43. Mark 7.16 Luke 14.35 and in other places intimating that if men have either inward or outward eares they should hearken to the things of God They are Divine and may infinitely advantage or infinitely prejudice us if they be not well heeded if we be not attent unto them intent upon them and heartily closing with them better we had never had them It will be easier for Sodome and Gomorrha at the day of judgement then for such let us mind therefore and mind to purpose all things shewn us of Christ let us set our senses and whole hearts upon them Eightly Observe What the Lord Christ reveales unto his servants the Prophets and Ministers they must not reserve to themselves but communicate to others for their Instruction Edification and Comfort Declare all that thou seest to the House of Israel he must not see hear observe for himself but for the House of Israel for the Church and People of God Mat. 10.27 saith Christ to his Disciples What I tell you in darkness that speak ye in the light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye upon the house-tops whatever I have imparted unto you that do ye impart unto others take the best advantages ye can to make the same known The servants of God and Christ must not onely utter what they receive but utter All they receive Act. 20.27 Paul kept back Nothing was profitable for them but declared to them all the Councel of God Vers 5. And behold a Wall on the outside of the house round about and in the mans hand a measuring-reed of six Cubits long by the Cubit and an hand breadth so he measured the breadth of the building one reed and the height one reed Great houses and Cities have walls 1 King 3.1 and 6.5 so this house had a Wall round about it By this wall we may understand the wall of Gods protection which is round about the Church This wall was in height and thickness alike 6 Cubits high and 6 Cubits thick it was strong securing the house Ezek. law God who is stronger then all is the defence of the Church Psal 125.2 Babylons wall which was 100. Cubits high and 30. Foot broad sufficed not to preserve her from ruins that wall was battred and level'd with the ground but Jehovah the Lord of Hosts is the wall about this building and such a wall as all the powers of the World and Hell cannot shake or batter Zech. 9.8 I will encamp about thine house And Zech. 2.5 I will be unto Jerusalem a wall of fire râ—und about saith the Lord. The Church of God having such a wall is secure and invincible The Church is call'd an House not a Tabernacle because of Gods inhabitation of it and his fixed abiding there Psal 132.13 14. The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it Sion notes the Church in all ages there is Gods house there is the desire of his soul there he rests he hath no rest in all the world but in Sion The measuring reed in the hand of the man is the same with the reed in John's hand Rev. 11.1 Those that exercise Architecture use lines and reeds to measure things therewith and so doth Christ here The line and reed in his hand is the Word or Everlasting Gospel which Rev. 21.15 is call'd a golden-reed right strong and inflexible with this he measures the Church and all things belong unto it by the Word he sets out the nature greatness power priviledges and characters of the Church by this he measures out the qualifications liberty and power of Members and Officers therein Hence the Word is call'd a Rule or Canon Phil. 3.16 The Hebrew is Kene hammiddah shesh ammoth baammah vetophath a reed of measure of six cubits in a cubit and of a hand breadth Whether these words an hand breadth should be joyn'd to the 6. cubits taken joyntly or to each cubit distinct by it self is doubtful that in the 43. Chap. v. 13. seems to make the hand 's breadth to be added to each cubit for it saith a cubit is a cubit and a hands breadth This we may understand of the Legal or Sanctuary cubit not the common one which was less by a hands breadth then the other this being 5. th' other 6. hands breadth Hence some deny that the hands breadth must be added to each cubit for then there will be 7. cubits those 6 hands breadth making another cubit They will have the reed 6 cubits long and an hands breadth over the 6. part of a cubit more A cubit is that length between the elbow and top of the middle finger now this space being longer in some men and shorter in others no certainty can be determin'd especially when men differ in their heads more then in their armes for some make a cubit to be 5. handfulls some 6. some a yard and some an ell or ells some a foot and half The line and reed are in Christs hand the virtue and benefit of them is from Him This line and reed being the Word hath it's efficacy from Christ out of his hand it 's un-efficacious un-beneficial but being in his hand his power and spirit going with it it measures out and fits materials for this spiritual Building The book written within and sealed with 7. seals could none open but Christ Rev. 1.3 5. and as none could open it but he so none can make it
efficacious besides him All the efficacy of the Word is from Christ by his Spirit 2 Cor. 10.4 Our weapâ—ns are mighty through God All things in the Church must be exact and according to Divine order things must not be jumbled but fitly framed and joyn'd together Ephes 2.21 Chap. 4.16 nothing is left in this house to the Wills Inventions and Humors of men all things must be measured and measured by the line and reed of Christ no men may bring their own reeds or lines to measure ought Mat. 15.9 In vain do they c. this is dangerous Mat. 17.5 Hear him Act. 3.23 Every soul that will not c. Timothy must not do what he pleas'd in the House of God but he must proceed according to rule according to what Paul the Servant of Christ had writ unto him 1. Tim. 3.14 15. The breadth of the building one reed and the heighth one reed Here were small beginnings at first the building was but one reed in breadth and height This seems to point out the smallness of the Christian Church at first it was onely in Judaea and Jerusalem Of little breadth and low in gifts and graces it knew little of the Mysteries of the Gospel and so as little in height but after it extended in bredth and height Vers 6. Then came he unto the Gate which looketh toward the East and went up the Stairs thereof and measured the Threshold of the Gate which was one read broad and the other Threshold of the Gate which was one read broad There is frequent mention of the Gates belonging to this Temple and the Courts of it as the East-gate vers 6 32 44. the North-gate vers 20 35 40 44. the South-gate vers 24 27 28. And there were divers East-gates North-gates and South-gates as there were divers Walls and Courts so in Solomons Temple and in that built after the Captivity Christ came from the Gate of the outward Wall where he first stood vers 3.5 and came to an inward Gate which Expositors make to be the Gate of the Temple He passed through the first Court which some call the Court of the Gentiles and came unto the next Gate Why Christ came to the East-gate rather then to the North gate this being nearer the Gate of the Wall which he entred by then the other is questioned It 's probable 't was because the face of the house looked that way as it 's Chap. 47.1 The forefront of the house stood towards the East and that Gate is counted the principal which stands before the face of an house The outward Wall had but one Gate the other Walls of the inward Courts had 3. Gates a piece one East-ward one North-ward and one South-ward but no Gate was West-ward The Jews call'd the East anterior pars coeli the forepart of heaven and the West posterior pars coeli the backpart of heaven by the first they note spiritual things by the second temporal and earthly things Those that come into this Temple must mind spiritual things they must not let out their hearts unto the world and worldly delights they are Western things and there was no door in the West They must go upwards not downwards keep within not go out The Prophet being to measure the Gates was brought first to those of the outward Court and first to the East-gate then to the North-gate and lastly to the South-gate but when he came to the Gates of the inner Court he begins with the South-gate then the East-gate and last of all the North-gate There was a differing order in measuring these Gates ver 28 32 35. These Gates doe hint unto us the readiness in Christ and God to receive comers and the confluence of them from all parts This Temple hath many Gates and those looking to the several quarters of the world If men come from any of them there is a Gate before them and admittance for them Isa 60.3 4 5 6 7 8. The Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightness of thy rising Lift up thine eyes round about and see all they gather themselves together they come to thee thy sons shall come from far and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side c. He goes on there and shews what flowing and flocking shall be to the Church even as doves to a window and vers the 11. it 's said of this Jerusalem Her Gates shall be open continually they shall not be shut day nor night and that this is meant of New Jerusalem John satisfies us Rev. 21.25 where he brings in these words speaking of the New Jerusalem The Gates of it shall not be shut It had 12. Gates vers 13. and not one of them should be shut Went up the Stairs thereof There be Stairs and Steps spoken of in the 6 22 26 31 34 37 49. verses The Temple being upon a Mountain the ascent must needs be by Stairs and Steps for the number of them in the 6. vers the Septuagint saith they were 7. but the Hebrew mentions not the number in that place In the 22. and 26. verses you hear of 7. Steps and in the 31 34 and 37. of 8. Steps but these were in several places and served for several ascents For that is the use of Stairs and Steps Three things I conceive are bereby held out unto us 1. That we come to the knowledge of Spiritual things by degrees they are not known at once but successively Temple-Mysteries we come unto by Steps Christ leads his on from one thing to another from faith to faith from strength to strength Those that come to the Temple proceed by degrees first one step then another Ezekiel was carried on in the sight of his Vision gradatim he had not the sight of all at once but one thing after another 2. The knowledge of Divine things is not attain'd without labour and difficulty There be Steps and Stairs in this Temple and those will behold the glory and understand the Mysteries of it must go upward first one step then another and it 's difficult to go up Stairs and Steps it hath cost many hot water who have been going up these Steps to find out the Secrets comprehended in this Vision 3. In Temple-work we must make progress It 's not sufficient to go up a Step a Stair or two and then stand still or descend we must go forward go up higher to the top It 's not enough to go up two or three Rounds in Jacobs ladder and look about but if ever men will get into heaven they must go to the top of the Ladder Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne Christ overcame the difficulties he went up all the Stairs and persevering to the end was Crown'd And measured the Threshold of the Gate which was one read broad and the other Threshold of the
from the right side of the house at the South-side of the Altar 2. Then brought he me out of the way of the gate Northward and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh Eastward and behold there run out waters on the right side 3. And when the man that had the line in his right hand went forth Eastward he measured a thousand cubits and he brought me through the waters the waters were to the ancles or waters of the ancles 4. Again he measured a thousand and brought me thorow the waters the waters were to the knees Again he measured a thousand and brought me thorow the waters were to the loyns 5. Afterward he measured a thousand and it was a River and I could not pass over for the waters were risen waters to swim in a River that could not be passed over IN this Chapter are two principal parts 1. A Vision of waters and the description of them from Verse 1. to Verse 13. 2. The bordering and dividing the Land from Verse 13. to the end Concerning the waters they are described 1. From their Original or Place whence they spring and flow ver 1 2. 2. From their increase ver 3 4 5. The man with the measuring line in his hand having led our Prophet up and down to view the Temple the parts and appurtenances of it brings him again to the door of the House that is to the door of the Temple or Sanctuary And behold waters issued out from under c. Vilalpandus makes these waters to be those subterraneal waters which were carried in pipes under ground and issued forth into the Priests Court to wash the Sacrifices and purge away the blood excrements and filth occasioned by the slaying so many Sacrifices for certainly had there not been aquaeducts about Solomons Temple to have cleansed the places where the Sacrifices were slain and prepared it would have been an unsavoury and unhealthful place These waters issued forth some from the threshold some from the South-side of the Altar and so ran away From these waters the Lord takes occasion to speak of spiritual waters The Water came down from under from the right side of c. The Temple was upon an high Mountain Ezek. 40.2 therefore the waters are said to come down and they came from the right side of the House that was the South-side for the front of the House standing towards the East when a man stood and lookt East-ward his right hand or side was towards the South The Altar for Burnt-offering was before the porch of the Temple and at the South-side thereof did these waters run Our Prophet having seen the spring and rice of the waters is led out of the inner Court by the way of the North-gate and brought to the uttermost East-gate where he first entred and it was to behold how the waters ran out there on the right side also The words in Hebrew are Maiim mepaccim aquae phialantes peccah signifies to flow but lente tanquam e phiala manando he saw the waters run there gently and pleasingly they run not fiercely as a torrent but gently as oyl poured out of a vial These waters though they run gently yet increased mightily for upon Christs measuring out a thousand cubits they became waters of the ancles upon his measuring out the two thousand cubits they rose to be waters of the knees upon his measuring out the third thousand of cubits they ascended to be waters of the loyns and upon measuring the fourth thousand they became waters for swimming they could not be waded through they were so deep even a great River impassible What these waters do signifie is worthy enquiry Some make these wate s to signifie the prosperity of the Church that great happiness which the Jews had after their return from Babylon This was an outward mercy and but for a little season for they suffered great and grievous things by Antiochus and others in the Maccabees times But here some spiritual mercy is intended by the waters others therefore understand by them the waters of Baptism which Christ instituted and so came from the Altar viz. the side of Christ but these waters are too shallow to be Ezekiels waters A third sort make them to be the Spirit and gifts of the Spirit It s true the Spirit is said to be poured out Joel 2.28 but it s not to be understood of the person of the Spirit which is infinite indivisible and immoveable but of the gifts and graces of the Spirit with such with him who saith Per aquas istas gratiae benedictiones divinae quibus in Ecclesia dei frumitur designantur A fourth sort interpret these Waters of the Gospel the glad tidings touching mans salvation by Christ which is compared to water frequently in Scripture Isa 11.9 The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea The knowledge of the Lord Jesus shall abound as the waters of the Sea see Joel 3.18 Zech. 14.8 We may take the Gospel with the gifts and graces of the Spirit to be these waters for the Gospel is veliculum Spiritus the ministration of the Spirit as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.8 And the Spirit with the graces and gifts are oft compared to water as well as the Gospel See Ezek. 36.2 Isa 44.3 and 41.18 Acts 2.17 John 4.14 and 7.37 38 39. Now it remains to shew wherein they are like unto water 1. Water cleanseth it purges away the filth of the body and other things So doth the Gospel with the gifts and graces of the Spirit cleanse the souls of men and purge their hearts from sin and filthiness John 15.3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you Christ spoke unto them the Gospel and that was the word together with the Spirit which made them clean from their unbelief disobedience and other sins 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit The Spirit accompanying the Gospel purified their souls and made them obedient to the truth Ezek. 10.36.25 2. Water moistens and softens the earth which before was dry and hard so that there was no entrance for the plow but being well watered with the rain of Heaven its soft and fit for the plow So the Gospel the Doctrine of Christ moistens and mollifies hard and heavy hearts Those that put Christ to death were hard-hearted sinners but when they heard Peter preach the Gospel and some of that water fell upon their hearts they were softned and became sensible of what they had done They were pricked in their hearts and said Men and Brethren what shall we do Acts 2.37 So Paul was a stout and stubborn fellow but the water of the Gospel did so supple him that it made him yield and say Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9.6 3. Water cools heat the heat of the earth and air
in Summer and heat of the body in hot weather Many bathe themselves in the water to cool them Dives begg'd a little water to cool his tongue Luke 16.24 The waters of the Gospel have a cooling vertue in them they cool the heat of persecution Mat. 5.11 12. they cool the heat of our passions James 3.20 Mat. 5.22 they cool the heat of temptations Rom. 16.20 1 Cor. 10.13 James 12.12 they cool the heat of our lusts 1 Pet. 2.11 Rom. 8.13 1 Tim. 6.9 10. they cool the scorchings of a guilty Conscience and fire of Hell Matth. 12.31 and 11.28 1 John 1.7 4. Water makes the earth fruitful When they wanted rain there was barrenness and famine Jer. 14. but when they had the former and latter rain all things flourished and abounded Ezek. 34.26 27. I will cause the shower to come down in his season there shall be showers of blessings and the tree of the field shall yield her fruit c. Litterally these words are true and spiritually also and set out the fruitfulness of those who were to live under the sweet showers of Gospel Doctrine They should be like a watered garden Jer. 31.12 The doctrine of the Lord is as the rain and dew which falling upon the tender herbs and grass causes them to grow Deut. 32.1 When Zacheus was watered with this water he became very fruitful and gave half of his goods to the poor Luke 19.8 others sold all and laid the money down at the Apostles feet Acts 4.35 They were abundant in love and in good works 5. Water quencheth thirst satisfies and revives the thirsty soul It was their drink in the infancy of the World and is still in some hot Countreys Sampson when like to perish for thirst having some water out of the jaw-bone of an Ass he revived and was satisfied Judg. 15.18 19. The waters of the Gospel have this property also when the soul is a thirst there is no water quenceth that thirst but the water of life which the Gospel sheweth and conveyeth unto us The Gospel hath this water of life in it Christ and the Spirit which it makes men partakers of The great and precious promises are satisfying things the righteousness and Spirit of Christ are satisfying and reviving things Peter found it so when he said to Christ Lord to whom should we go thou hast the words of eternal life Let others go to what Brooks Pits or Cisterns they will to quench their thirst we will never go from thee who hast the words of eternal life who art the Fountain of living Waters and canst satisfie us for ever John 6.68 This Water quencheth unlawful desires and satisfieth Spiritual desires 6. Some waters have a curing and healing vertue The Pool of Bethesdah healed all manner of diseases Joh. 5.4 There be waters in our Land which have healing vertue in them Such be the waters here mentioned for they healed other waters v. 8. Gospel waters will heal sick souls and bodies The Centurion said to Christ Lord speak thou but the wâ—rd onely and my servant shall be healed and it was so Mat. Mat. 8.8 13. Christ cast out Devils with his word and healed all that were sick ver 16. The Gospel is not onely a pattern of wholesome words but of healing words also there is no spiritual disease in the soul but the Gospel hath healing vertue to cure it therefore it is called the Gospel of Salvation Ephes 1.13 and the power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 7. Some waters are very cordial and do greatly comfort the spirits of man None more then the waters of the Gospel by which the Spirit the true solid eternal Comforter flows into the heart The Gospel and good things of it are set out by Water Milk and Wine Isa 55.1 all which are comforting things The Gospel is glad-tidings and affords strong and everlasting consolation to the soul 2 Thess 2.16 2 Cor. 3.5 Jeremiah saith the Word of God was the joy and rejoycing of his soul chap. 15.16 David professes he had perished in his affliction had he not drunk of these Cordial Waters Psalm 119.92 To come to those Observations which we may pick out of these Verses Observ 1. That as it is Christ who makes known the things of the Temple so he doth the same not all at once but he makes known some at one time some at another Formerly Christ had revealed much to the Prophet and here he brings him again to the door of the House and shews him waters he had not seen before We are not capable of much at once like children we must have line upon line precept upon precept here a little and there a little Ezekiel is instructed a little in one place and a little in another place as he was capable So Christ the wise and chief Builder of the Temple deals with him and revealed one thing after another unto him and so he dealt with his Disciples John 16.12 Observ 2. The waters of the Gospel the gifts and graces of the Spirit do flâ—w from Sion from Jerusalem where Ezekiel had his vision Chap. 40.2 The bitter waters of the Law flowed from Mount Sinai but the sweet waters of the Gospel flowed from Mount Sion Isaiah long before prophesied whence these waters should come Isa 2.3 Out of Sion shall go forth the Law that is the Law of Faith not of Works and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem So in Zach. 14.8 And it shall be in that day that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem half of them towards the former sea that is East-ward and half of them towards the hinder sea that is West-ward In Summer and in Winter shall it be there shall be no time wherein these Jerusalem-waters shall cease flowing It is not Rome or any other City in the World which hath the honor to send out these waters but Jerusalem onely where was the true Church of God Observ 3. These spiritual waters although they flowed from Sion and Jerusalem yet Christ himself was the Fountain and Original of them they came from the door and threshold of the house Christ tells us He is the the door John 10.7 All spiritual water is in him all Heavenly Doctrine all gifts and graces When the Spirit moved holy men to speak as it is 2 Pet. 1.21 it received of Christ and shewed unto them John 16.14 and all the waters which flowed from the Apostles they received from Christ The Spirit was given them to fill their vessels and fitted them to carry these living waters from Jerusalem to all parts Acts 2.8 and Christ sent them forth to preach the Gospel all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in him Col. 2.3 and he that believes in him receives living waters from him all gifts graces and divine truths are from him The waters of the Sanctuary flow from the Lord of the Sanctuary Observ 4. God would not have his Worshippers to conform to and comply with the