soundly salted with Gospel-truths shall never perish Vres 26. They shall consecrate themselves The Hebrew is They shall fill their hands Some by hands understand the sides of the Altar because Jad signifies both a hand and a side others take hands for the hands of the Priests which should be fill'd with Sacrifices that is with sacrificing-work and so prefigured the full imployments the Gospel-Ministers should have But the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifies to consecrate as learn'd Hebricians observe Exod. 28.41 Thou shalt anoint them and consecrate them the Hebrew is thou shalt fill their hand so Exod. 29.9 Nu◠3.3 1 King 13.33 Judg. 17.5 In these places the Hebrew is fill'd the hand which notes consecration according to the Hebrew dialect and so it imports the Ministers consecrating and dedicating themselves unto the work of Christ under the Gospel The 27. verse speaks of the daily sacrifices and work of the Altar One Sacrifice or other was to be offered daily Two Lambs one in the morning another in the evening were to be offered daily Exod. 29.38 39. these were for the Burnt-offering vers 42. Besides which here is mention of a Peace-offering of which they were neither to eat the fat nor the bloud Levit. 3.17 signifying that those who are at peace with God through Christ ought neither to be carnal nor cruel but to mortifie their carnal lusts and to be meek as Christ was The daily sacrificing of the Priests here shew'd the daily and constant work of the Ministers under the Gospel Preaching Administring of Sacraments Praying and Praysing of God is to be their daily work which being done according to rule and in the name of Christ makes them and the people accepted Vers 28. It shall be upon the eighth day Here is foretold saith Master Shepheard the continuance of the Sabbath in gospel-Gospel-days The eighth day from the Creation being the first of our Redemption Noah is call'd the eighth 2 Pet. 2.5 who was the first in regard of his years and dignity of person and first entred into the Ark Gen. 7.7 And so the Lord's day may be the eighth in one sense and the first in another The EXPOSITION continued upon the Remaining Chapters of EZEKIEL CHAP. XLIV Vers 1 2 3. 1. Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward Sanctuary which looketh toward the East and it was shut 2. Then said the Lord unto me This gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no man shall enter in by it because the Lord the God of Israel hath entred in by it therefore it shall be shut 3. It is for the Prince the Prince he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord he shall enter in by the way of the Porch of that Gate and shall go out by the way of the same THIS Chapter treats of the Priests and divers Ordinances concerning them 1. Sundry things are presented to Ezekiel touching the Priests 1. The priviledge of the High-priest in the three first verses 2. A reproof of the Priests for their profaness and neglect from the beginning of the 4. vers to the 9. 3. The exclusion of some and deposing of others from the Priest's office from the 9. to the 15. 4. What Priests God will accept of vers 15 16. 2. The Ordinances which concern the Priests are laid down from the 17. vers to the end Vers 1. Then he brought me c. The Prophet having seen the Altar for Burnt Sin and Peace-offerings with the Ordinances thereof is brought back to the East-gate or Gate of the outward Sanctuary that which separated the Priest's Court from the peoples or the outmost Gate of all We must follow Christ which way so ever he leads us be it backward or forward he hath something to reveal unto us which will be for our use Vers 1 2. It was shut What Gate so ever this was it was shut and therefore shut because the Lord had entred in by it and no man might but the Prince only Some take Prince literally for the governour of the people but the best Expositors take it for the High-priest who was preferr'd above and so Prince of all the rest For in this Chapter he speaks of the orders of the Priests This Prince or High-priest was a type of Christ The High-priest was to be without blemish anointed with holy oyle to be covered with clean linnen and cloathed gloriously on him was a plate ingraven with holiness to the Lord he had the Vrim and Thummim he bare the names of the 12. Tribes of Israel upon his Breast and Shoulders as appears Levit. 22.13 Exod. 29.7 Exod. 28.2 42.36 30.9 So Christ our High-priest was without blemish Heb. 7.26 Anointed with the Spirit Isa 61.1 He was holy glorious yea Holiness altogether Luk. 1.35 Mark 1.24 He had all perfection Col 1.19 Chap. 2.3 He bears all Israel in his Breast and on his Shoulders Isa 40.11 Heb. 7.25 What is meant by the Gate shut is necessary to inquire It was not the Womb of the Virgin which was shut up after the birth of Christ as Popish Interpreters expound it Some of the Antients make it to be Heavenly mysteries which none know but 〈…〉 the Father and the Son Some make it the Scripture or Book sealed with seven seals Rev. 5.1 which none could open but Christ This Gate shut rather notes the Gate or Entrance into heaven which Adam by his fall had shut so that no man whatsoever being sinful could open it or enter onely Jesus Christ our High-priest hath opened it and entred Heb. 4.14 We have a great High-priest who is passed into the heavens He hath broken all the bars locks and bolts which kept it shut and hath opened the same so that now sinners may have access to God The High-priest once in a year entred into the Most Holy place the door opened to none but him this typified Christ's opening of heaven and entrance in thither as is clearly exprest Heb. 9 7 8 11 12 24. The Tabernacle and Temple were representations of heaven and so was this Vision of Ezekiel and as the Gate here was shut so was the Gate of heaven till the Lord Christ the Arch-bishop of our souls opened the same and entred No man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of Man which is in heaven Job 3.13 No man ever by his own virtue or power ascended up to heaven but Christ Henoch and Elijah neither ascended nor entred by their own strength grace or goodness Christ's merits were the Key which opened heaven for them and others Christ is the door and the way and no man comes to the father but by him Job 14.6 It 's by Christ alone that we come to the knowledge and fruition of the Father he reveals him and his mysteries and brings us unto the injoyment of him Quest If Christ have entred in by this Gate why is
in the fifteenth day of the month shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days according to the Sin-offering according to the Burnt-offering and according to the Meat-offering and according to the Oyle Passing over the feast of Pentecost without any mention thereof he comes to the feast of Tabernacles which was to begin The fifteenth day of the seventh month Levit. 23.34 And as it was in the feast of the Passover so it must be here but it was not so in the time of Moses Levit. 23.39 40. This feast of Tabernacles or Booths cannot be understood literally for there is a Prophesie in Zach. 14.16 That those left of the Nations which came against Jerusalem should come to worship the King the Lord of Hosts and to keep the feast of Tabernacles which in the litteral sense was peculiar to the Jews It figures out therefore the gathering of the elect into particular Churches in this world into which they should come and in which they should have fellowship with the Saints and partake of the grace of God By these feasts and sacrifices also we are minded of the spiritual joy the Saints have in their communion together under the Gospel and spiritual-sacrifices they offer up to God by Christ The primitive Christians continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart praising God Act. 2.46 47. CHAP. XLVI Verse 1. Thus saith the Lord God The gate of the inner Court that looketh toward the East shall he shut the six working days but on the Sabbath it shall be opened and in the days of the new-moon it shall be opened 2. And the Prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without and shall stand by the post of the gate and the Priest shall prepare his burnt-offering and his peace offering and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate Then he shall go forth but the gate shall not be shut untill the evening 3. Likewise the people of the Land shall worship at the door of this gate before the Lord in the Sabbaths and in the New-Moons 4. And the burnt-offering that the Prince shall offer unto the Lord in the Sabbath day shall be six Lambs without blemish and a Ram without blemish 5. And the meat-offering shall be an Ephah for a Ram and the meat-offering for the Lambs as he shall be able to give and an hin of oyl to an Ephah 6. And in the days of the New-Moon it shall be a young Bullock without blemish and six Lambs and a Ram and they shall be without blemish 7. And he shall prepare a meat-offering an Ephah for a Bullock and an Ephah for a Ram and for the Lambs according as his hand shall attain unto and an hin of oyl to an Ephah 8. And when the Prince shall enter he shall go in by the way of the porch of that gate and he shall go forth by the way thereof THis fourty sixth Chapter contains 1. Ordinances about several gates the Prince and Peoples going in and out by them with their Oblations and Worship from the beginning to Verse 16. 2. Certain Laws are laid down concerning the Princes gifts unto his Sons and Servants in the 16 17 and 18 Verses 3. A description of the Courts and places where the Priests and Levites were to boil and prepare the Sacrifices from the beginning of Verse 19. to the end of the Chapter The first Verse speaks of the East-gate in the inner Court that was the gate next to the Temple By this gate the glory of the Lord came into the Temple Chap. 43.1 2 4. and it was to be kept shut all the six working days and onely to be opened on Sabbaths and New-Moons In Chap. 44. we have the reason why it was to be kept shut ver 2. Thus saith the Lord This gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no man shall enter in by it because the Lord the God of Israel hath entred by it therefore it shall be shut That is for the Prince c. and here it is The Prince shall enter by the way c. The things here required are not to be found in the Mosaical Law they represented things under the Gospel that Jewish Worship should go down when Christ appeared in the flesh The shutting of the gate the six working days tells us that on those days we are to follow our callings and earn our daily bread Christianity doth not open a door to idleness We command and exhort saith Paul that with quietness men work and eat their own bread 2 Thess 3.12 Under Moses God allowed them six days to work Exod. 20.9 and the same allowance they have under the Gospel Luke 13.14 Some pervert Gods Order and make all days alike either all working days or all Sabbaths resting days but God hath distinguished them As there be working days wherein we must not rest so there be Sabbaths wherein we must not Work The opening of the gate on Sabbath days and New-Moons signifies unto us that the gate of Heaven is open unto us when we have solemn and publique Meetings on the Lords day and other special occasions to worship God When all the Disciples were gat together to serve and seek God then came a sound from Heaven and the Spirit fell upon them like fiery tongues Acts 2. So when Peter preached unto the great multitude the gate of Heaven was opened and power came down from above to convert three thousand ver 41. So when there was a solemn Meeting in the Centurions house the Word being preached by Peter the gate of Heaven was opened and the Holy Ghost fell on all that heard the Word Acts 10.44 Such times are times of grace and mercy God opens Heaven and gives out blessings These six days may denote the term of mans life here which is a time of labour and sorrow Job 5.7 and 14.1 He tumbles or is tumbled up and down from condition to condition and hath no rest but at the end of his life Heaven gate is opened and he hath a Sabbath an eternal rest where is no labour sin nor sorrowing Heb. 4.9 10. Then the gate of the inner Court is opened unto him and then he shall see as he is seen and know as he is known 1 John 3.2 1 Cor. 13.12 Here we see and know little and that little darkly as in a glass but then shall we see clearly and know perfectly the mysteries of this and other Visions and things The second Verse tells us of the Prince his entring by the way of the porch and standing by the post of the gate where he was to worship but come into the Court he might not If we understand this of the Secular Prince four things are here considerable 1. That the Prince must not enter into the inner Court he must not meddle with the Priestly Office or things of
God Princes may not change any thing in the Worship of God abrogate or institute ought by their wills or power Vzziah was smitten with the leprosie for medling 2 Chron. 26. and Ahaz for his adding 2 Kings 16. his altering detracting and abrogating 2 Chron. 28. was branded for his wickedness They kept not at the post and threshold of the gate but entred into the inner Court 2. They are to countenance and maintain the Worship of God The Prince must stand at the post of the gate and see the Priests do their Office He found the Burnt Peace and Meat Offerings and the Priests prepared them that is fitted them for Sacrifices The Princes and Powers of the Christian World should countenance preserve propagate and maintain the true VVorship of God in their Territories VVhen Joash was made King he had the Testimony given unto him 2 Chron. 23.11 that was the Book of the Law And why was this given him It was to inform Princes that they should rule according thereunto that they should countenance preserve propagate and maintain the same and the VVorship it held forth 3. That Princes must worship the Lord publiquely on Sabbath days and when special occasions are as well as other people He shall worship at the threshold of the gate Let Princes be never so great rich learned wise yet they must fall down at Gods foot-stool serve him with fear and kiss the Son they must observe the times of Gods VVorship bow to him and not leave all to their inferiors 4. They must not impede the Worship of God The Prince shall go forth but the gate shall not be shut where he hath worshipped he must not hinder othâ—rs It was a vile practice in those who shut up the doors of the Lords house and would not let the people or Priests come there to worship 2 Chron. 28.24 Princes should see to it that the door be open for publique Worship not onely at the appointed times but upon special occasions If we take the Prince here to be Christ as Oecolampad and Polanus do then his coming to and standing by the post of the gate his sacrificing and worshipping do prefigure his coming in the flesh and his standing at the gate of Heaven for us offering up Prayers and Supplications for us with strong crys and tears Heb. 5.7 Luke 22.44 and whereas it is said The Priests shall prepare his burnt-offering and his peace-offering this presignified the Priests delivering up Christ to be crucified for us Luke 24. â—0 The chief Priest and Rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and crucified him who was the Prince of life Acts 3.15 yet he laid down his life freely Joh. 10.17 18. And for his worshipping at the threshold of the gate it may point out that time when Christ being on the Cross said It is finished and so bowed his head and gave up the Ghost John 19.30 Now was he at the threshold of the gate for he said to the Thief immediately before This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23.43 Then his soul went forth of its earthly tabernacle and shortly after reassuming that he left the world and went to his Father John 16.28 The gates standing open until evening that so the people might come and worship at the door of the gate before the Lord this some interpret of the door of Mercy and Reconciliation which Christ hath set open for sinners during this life and if they come not thither before death and worship God then it s shut for ever against them On Sabbath days men should draw near to God seek Reconciliation with him for on such days the gate is widest open for Grace and Mercy On the six days it s shut that is comparatively shut Christians do celebrate Sabbaths and New-Moons when they have inward spiritual rest in their souls through faith in Christ and do receive light from him to see what is evil and so to avoid it and what is good and so to practice it In Vers 4 5 6 7. the Offerings Oblations and Sacrifices of the Prince for the Sabbath days and New-moons are mentioned The Olaâ— or Burnt-Offering for the Sabbath was to be six compleat Lambs without blemish and one Ram which differs much from the appointment in Moses days Numb 28.9 then there were but two Lambs here six are appointed And so the Meat-Offering is larger here then there but for the Offering in the day of the New-Moon it was short of that in Moses time for then two Bullocks seven Lambs and one Ram were appointed and here one Bullock six Lambs and one Ram are nominated for the Offering which shews the Levitical VVorship was to be changed And taking the Prince for one of the Princes of the earth it tells us he ought to provide for the VVorship of God But if we take this Prince to be Christ then it imports that Christ hath ordained more spiritual pure and efficacious VVorship on Sabbaths under the Gospel then was under the Law and more extensive then was before also that Jewish shadows are fled away by the coming in of the glorious light of the Gospel that old things are past away and all things become new Neomenâ—â— nostra est spiritualis est novum in Christo seculum saith Polanus These Sacrifices do point out Christ he was instar omnium he was the Lambs the Rams the Bullock the Meal the Flowre and the Oyl This Prince sacrificing of himself did more by that one and once Sacrifice then all the Sacrifices from the first to the last Hebr. 10.14 Verse 5. As he shall be able to give The Hebrew is the gift of his hand and so it s in the Margent in Verse 7. it is thus as his hand shall attain unto and in the eleventh as he is able that is as God hath blessed him God in that dispenced with mens disabilities in Moses Law Lev. 5.11 and 14.21 if they were poor and not able to bring Lambs or two Turtle Doves they must bring one Lamb or the tenth part of an Ephah of flower something he would have and to such a proportion But here it s left to mans liberty to give according to his ability no proportion is prescribed so men give freely what ever it be it shall be accepted God looks not for much where little is The grace and favour of God under the Gospel exceeds what was under the Law Verse 6. And in the day of the New moon New-moon days were holy and had special Sacrifices as in this ver 8. Numb 28.11 on those days they might not buy or sell or do worldly work Amos 8.5 but they were to look unto Christ of whom those days were shadows Col. 2.16 17. and to meditate of that light grace and comfort comes by him The gate of the inner Court was to stand open on these days as well as on Sabbaths ver 1. And Isaiah prophesied Isa 66.23 That all flesh should come to worship
Beasts which was another judgement added to the former and the greater to the Heathen because they thought their souls did wander up and down upon the Earth nisi corpora fuissent humata as Tertullian saith The Athenians had the buryal of the dead in such honour that if a Captain neglected to bury the dead which fell in warr they punished him with death for it It is a great ignominy to lye unburyed Hence the Beast when the Witnesses were kill'd would not suffer their bodies to be buryed but let them lye in the Streets that so they might be the more ignominious Sixthly Observe God provides for the brute and dumb Creatures and that abundantly Every feathered Fowl and every Beast of the Fiâ—ld shall be filled at my Table God doth not only feed the Creatures but sometimes feasts them This World is Gods Family whercin are millions of living Creatures and not one of them is neglected of God Psal 145.15 16. The Eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season they have their Break-fast Dinner and Supper and lest we should conceit one hath too much another too little it follows Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing he satisfies the Fishes of the Sea the Beasts of the Earth and Fowls of Heaven How should this teach men to depend upon God not giving way to distrust or discontent Matth. 6.26 Behold the Fowls of the Air saith Christ for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into Barns yet their heavenly Father feedeth them Are ye not much better then they He saith not the Fowls of the House they are cared for but The Fowls of the Air that have none to look after them unless it be Fowlers to take away their lives neither do they know where to get the next meal when they have gotten one nor what hole or bush to lodge in at night yet their heavenly Father provides for and feeds them Does he take care of such Creatures and will he not take care of you Yes certainly he will and why ye are better then they ye are rational they irrational ye are his sons they his servants Vers 21 22. 21. And I will set my Glory among the Heathen and all the Heathen shall see my Judgement that I have executed and my Hand that I have laid upon them 22. So the House of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward THe Lord having declared what destructive judgements he would bring upon Gog and Magog he comes here to make known the end of his so dealing with them viz. the manifestation of his glory amongst Heathens and his own People Vers 21. I will set my Glory among the Heathen I will give my Glory saith the Hebrew that is I will cause it to be evident amongst them By Glory understand the glory of his Justice and Power All the Heathen shall see my Judgement that I have executed These words give light to the former The Heathen seeing the dreadful judgements of God upon Gog and his should acknowledge the Justice and Power of God And my Hand that I have laid upon them They shall not only have a bare sight but experimental knowledg they shall find themselves concern'd therein and feel the hand of God heavy upon them for the strength wealth liberty and glory of the Heathen will be much impaired if not totally ruin'd by the overthrow of Gog. Vers 22. So that the House of Israel shall know that I am c. They did know the Lord to be their God before but this signal stroke of God upon their Enemies being a signal mercy unto them should so ingage them unto God that from that time forward they should afresh and eminently acknowledge God to be their God and none to be like unto him that he will not desert them in their streights but be their Deliverer First Observe The great end of Gods judgements upon sinful men is his Glory I will set my glory among the Heathens and all the Heathen shall see my judgement c. God doth therefore execute judgement that he may be glorified When sinful people will not give glory to God for his Mercies he will fetch glory out of them by his Judgements They are the work of his hand and what ever that be it 's honourable and glorious Psal 111.3 Not only his works of Creation but those of Judicial Providence Upon what Nation soever Army or Navy the Lord shall lay his hand he will work out his glory thereby that is the end of all his works and judgements Secondly Obsérve Dreadful judgements upon the wicked are ingaging mercies unto the godly So shall the hâ—use of Israel know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward The hand of God upon Gog and his should so affect their hearts that they should experimentally know and say The Lord is our God he hath laid low our enemies he hath freed us from their Insultations Threats Oppressions he is our Deliverer our Saviour our Redeemer Isai 25.9 It shall be said in that day Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation When God executed severe judgements upon the enemies of his people then were their hearts thus affected and engaged unto the Lord then they rejoyced in God their Saviour and said He will save He hath saved us and he will save us When the godly see that great judgements upon their enemies are great mercies unto them their faith is advanced thereby and they are perswaded God will never leave them their hearts are warmed and they cannot but own and praise him Vers 23 24. 23. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity because they trespassed against me therefore hid I my face from them and gave them into the hand of their enemies so fell they all by the sword 24. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them and hid my face from them THe Heathen had base and blasphemous thoughts of God they imagined he was not able to keep his people out of the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and his gods to vindicate himself therefore the Lord tells them the true cause why they were carried into Captivity namely for their iniquity It was not Impotencie in God but Iniquity in them which caused it 23. The house of Israel went into captivity for their Iniquity The Hebrew is the house of Israel were led into Captivity in their Iniquities God took them in their Iniquities and carried them away into Captivity in them or for them Boavonam the Septuagint saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their sins their crooked and perverse doings Because they trespassed against me The word Magnal or Maal signifies Stubbornly and Contemptuously