seventh day and sanctified it surely this blessing and sanctifying of it was for mans use God needed no day therfore in that place Exod. 16.29 hee saith The Lord hath given you the Sabbath alluding to the first institution and the word Remember which beginnes the Fourth Commandement imports that the day was given before though much forgotten and neglected And what if there bee no particular testimony which mentions the patriarchs keeping of it before the Law it doth not follow therefore it was not kept There is no mention of keeping it in Joshuah in Judges in Samuel is it therefore a warrantable or good argument to conclude that it was not kept yea if it were granted that they did not keep it doth this prove that they were not required to keep it For Justin Martyr Ireneus Doceant in preteritum justos sabbatizasse aut circumcidisse sic amicos Dei effectos esse Tertul. adversus Iudaeos and Tertullian their scope is to shew that none of the fathers of those times were justified or obtained salvation by keeping of the Sabbath If the Sabbaths were given before how are they said to be given when they were in the wilderness this is answered in the next words To be a sign between me and them The first giving of the Sabbath was to bee a memoriall of the Creation Gen. 2.3 and therefore was observed by the Primitive Fathers whom the Creation of the World did most nearly concern and was in use before Moses daies who was above two thousand years after But when God gave it out again by Moses it was upon another account viz. to bee a sign between him and his people the Jews whom he brought out of Egypt and that upon the Sabbath day as Junius observes A sign The Sabbath was a signe of the true Sabbath wherein we shall rest from the labour of this world So Jerome a sign of love and reconciliation so Vatablus a signe of Holinesse that by the time dedicated to God we might know our selves dedicated to God So Cajetane a sign of difference between the Jews and all other People who were prophane and derided the Jews for loosing the seventh part of their time So Tostat and Sanctius They were distinguished from other Nations by Circumcision and by meats but these were not so visible observable in the eye of the world as their Sabbaths A sign that God had taken this people to himself separated them from Egyptians and others and would have them in a special manner remember their Egyptian deliverance on that day as formerly the Creation It was a sign between God and them they glorified him owning him for their God and he sanctified them owning them for his people So that here was a second edition and as it were a new institution of the Sabbath Because hee brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand therefore hee commanded them to keep the Sabbath Deut. 5.15 I am the Lord which sanctify them Sanctifying as it referres to God notes sometimes preparation to some special service as Jer. 51.27 28. Prepare the Nations against them the Hebrew is Sanctify the nations against her that is Babylon preparing of the Nations to the destruction of Babylon is sanctifying of them sometimes it notes separation to an holy use as Joel 1.14 Sanctify yee a fast that is separate a time from common imployments to Religious So Christ is said to bee sanctifyed John 10.36 Sometimes it notes making holy Levit. 21.23 I the Lord do sanctify them that is make them holy so John 17.17 Rom. 15.16 we are here to take it in the two last senses I have given them my holy-daies times separated from all Common use and worldly imployments times for drawing near to and worshipping of mee times wherein they ought to bee holy and to minde holy things and so know that it is I which separate them from others and do make them holy a peculiar People unto my self Quest. Whether was not the Sabbath a mutable Ceremony seeing he calls it a sign here Answ That proves it not to bee so for Gen. 9.12 the Rain-bow is called a Token or sign between God and man and that was no mutable Ceremony but continues to the end of the World Besides it s not a sign or type of future Grace something to come but a signe of their deliverance out of Egypt or of the Creation which were things past or a signe of Gods sanctifying them at the present when they met before him on those daies And further signe here by some is put for argumentum or documentum it s a note of your distinction from others of your being my people and of my sanctifying of you Obs 1 When God is in a way of mercy with a people hee hath his moreovers Moreover I gave unto them my Sabbaths Neh. 9. hee reckons up many mercies and vers 22. hee saith Moreover thou gavest them kingdomes and nations so in Isa 30. hee tells them of what mercies they shall have and vers 26. Moreover the light of the Moon shall be as the light c. God doth alwaies perform his promises shewing his faithfulnesse and many times hee gives more than he promises good measure pressed down and running over to shew his bountifulness Obs 2 That of holy times and daies God is the Author I gave them my Sabbaths God blessed and sanctified the seventh day and gave it unto the Jews Gen. 2.3 it is his prerogative to make persons things or times holy it is not in the power of man or any sort of men to make days holy It was no small sin in our fore-fathers that took upon them to make Lent and other times holy and some daies more holy than the Lords day it self The Jewes had no holy daies but at the Lords appointment Obs 3 The Lord gave forth and appointed holy and resting daies upon weighty and considerable grounds alwaies after some great mercy some special thing or other which hee had done As here when hee had brought them out of Egypt drowned Pharaoh and his Host in the deeps then hee gave them out the Sabbath again At first it was instituted after that great and glorious work of the Creation God would have great works and mercies to bee kept in memory So the day wee keep was appointed in memorial of that great work mans redemption by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and therefore is honoured with the Title of Lords Day Rev. 1.10 Obs 4 The Sabbath is a day of special concernment to God and his people I gave them my Sabbaths to bee a signe between mee and them As the Rain-bow is a sign of special concernment between God and the world so is the Sabbath It s an argument and evidence that God looks upon them as his People where his Sabbath is and that they acknowledge God their God who keep his Sabbaths By it God keeps alive the memory of his glorious great and gratious works
plague vers 49. and many by the Amorites in Sâ—ir Deut. 1.44 now notwithstanding so many were destroyed yet all were not he did not make an end of them in the Wildernesse hee did not consummate and perfect his wrath upon them his eye sâ—ared them hee was moved to mercy and had compassion on them Though men have sinned much and God have let out much wrath yet neverthelesse hee hath an eye to spare and an heart to pitty If hee should punish destroy none hee would bee thought to bee like unto sinners Psalm 50.21 if hee should destroy all hee would bee thought to bee cruel to shew therefore that hee is a just God hee cuts off some and to shew he is a mercifull God he spares some In the late powder blow some were destroyed It was the 4th of Jan. 1649. about eight a clock at night some were spared yea wonderfully spared and preserved Vers 18. But I said unto their children in the wildernesse walk yee not in the statutes of your fathers neither observe their Judgements nor defile your selves with their Idols Vers 19 I am the Lord your God walk in my statutes and keep my judgements and do them In the 18. vers God dehorts them from following their fathers waies In the 19. hee exhorts them to follow his waies and shews them the reason why they should do so because he is their God Where the Lord spake thus unto them in the Wilderness is not recorded by Moses but that hee did speak what is in the 18. vers Our Prophet assures us who spake as he was moved by the Spirit you have that is aequivalent thereunto Deut. 5.32 You shall observe to do as the Lord your God hath commanded you you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left not to your Fathers on the right hand nor to the Heathen on the left The 19. vers you have Levit. 18.4 5. I am the Lord your God ye shall therefore keep my Statutes and my Judgements Nothing in these verses requires explication Take these observations Obs 1 Children are prone to follow the corrupt decrees counsels and examples of their parents I said walk not in the statutes of your fathers That is in what they decree appoint observe not their judgements that is their Counsels and advisements nor defile your selves with their Idols that is follow not their examples They were addicted much to what their sinful Fathers said or did Of the Kings of Israel its said they did evil as their Fathers had done 2 King 15.9 ch 23.32 ch 24.9 and Jer. 44.17 the Children would sacrifice to and defile themselves with Idols as their Fathers had done Fathers Laws Customes Traditions Examples perswasions counsels are loadstones and draw them strongly to that is evill Obs 2 Posterity are not tyed to the statutes and Judgements of their Fathers or fore-fathers I said walk not in the statutes of your fathers neither observe their Judgements c. Though there bee a strong tye between Parents and Children and they bound by the Command of God to obey their Parents yet when they shal command or counsel them any thing unlawful contrary to the statutes and judgements of God they are not to hearken not to observe or obey them Here is Divine authority for it I said If it bee Gods Command that lead Children to obey Parents and People to obey Magistrates in Lawful things then Gods prohibition must keep them from obeying in unlawful things When Masters or Parents are so wicked as to put their Servants or Children upon lying or swearing to put off their commodities they should remember what God hath said Walk not in their statutes c. This holds especially in matters of Faith and worship mens statutes and judgements must not come in there what is not Divine is no matter for my faith nor rule for my worship Mens chaffe and bran must not come among Gods wheat their weeds and nettles must not come amongst his flowers It is not Popes decrees Canons of counsels judgements of Fathers Votes of Synods Customes of Churches Religion of Auncestors that must tye my Conscience or guide my practice in the worship of God He hath said it who is above them all Walk not in their statutes neither observe their Judgements and defile not your selves with their Idols Men have their Statutes their judgements their inventions and additions to points of Faith and matters of worship which are no other than Idols and will defile Obs 3 That wee are onely to walk in Gods statutes and to keep his Judgements Not mens statutes or judgements I am the Lord your God I have authority over you I am in Covenant with you I have given you statutes and judgements which are right Psalm 19.8 true and good Neh. 9.13 therefore walk in my statutes keep my Judgements when the Israelites walked in other statutes the statutes of the Heathen or the statutes that themselves made the Lord was wroth with them and afflicted them for it 2 King 17.8 19 20. and commanded them to observe his statutes and Ordinances and to do them for evermore vers 37. Josh 24.14 15. Vers 20. And hallow my Sabbaths and they shall be a signe between me and you that you may know that I am the Lord your God In this 20. verse the Lord proceeds in his exhortation of the Children of those rebellious Israelites in the wildernessâ— and exhorts them to hallow his Sabbaths which their Fathers had polluted Hallow my Sabbaths Not make holy but keep holy the Hebrew word is the same with that Exod. 20.8 The hallowing or sanctifying of the Sabbath here consisteth in two things 1 In resting from labour and work Servile work Levit. 23.7 8. that is such work as men may lawfully do on other daies works for gain and profit might not bee done on Sabbath days they were to rest from their own works words and pleasures Isa 58.13 see Exod. 20.10 Nehem. 13.15 Jer. 17.22 Exod. 16.29 cha 31.14 2 In doing those things which God required on that day as meditation on the works of Creation for which it was first instituted Gen. 2.23 remembrance of their servitude in Egypt and deliverance thence Deut. 5.15 meeting in solemn assemblies Levit. 23.3 in which the word was to be read opened and reverently heard Luk. 4.16 Act. 15.31 Ec. 5.1 prayer to be made Acts 16.13 God to be praised Psalm 92. Sacrifices to be offered Numb 28.2 10. and they were to exercise works of mercy on that day Mat. 12.10 11 12. John 5.9 and all these duties they were to do with delight Isa 58.13 They shall be a sign between me and you Of these words you heard in the 12. vers besides what was said there the Sabbath was a sign of the Covenant God made with them to bee their God and to own them for his people for it follows That you may know I am the Lord your God The Sabbath day was the time wherein
Nations Heylin Cosmogrâ— Vide Lyra in Ezek. 20 6 besides women children and such as were not able to fight 2 Sam. 24. this land was the glory of all lands in regard of the fruitfulnesse and plenty of it of which see Deut. 8.7 8 9. cha 32.13 14. Isa 36.17 a land beyond Egypt though some have affirmed the contrary for Deut. 11.10 11 12. the land thou goest in to possesse is not as the land of Egypt from whence ye came out when thou sowedst thy seed and wateredst it with thy foot as a garden of herbes But the land whither thou goest to possesse it is a land of Hells and Vallies and drinketh water of the rain of Heaven A land which the Lord thy God careth for the eyes of the Lord thy God are alwaies upon it from the beginning of the year unto the end thereof This is a divine Testimony and an high praise of it and doth justly intitle it to bee the glory of all lands What our Prophet saith here of Canaan may bee suspected and seems to bee contradicted by Isaiah ch 13.19 where hee calls Babylon the glory of Kingdomes and if that be the glory of them how can Canaan bee the glory of all lands Hee speaks of the City Babylon which was the head of Chaldea and gave denomination to a great part of Mesopotamia and Assyria the walls whereof were two hundred foot high filty Cubits broad and sixty miles in Compass which the Babylonians counted the glory of Kingdomes and boasted of if it did exceed Jerusalem in its greatnesse richnesse strength and populousness yet it fell short of it in other things Jerusalem represented the true Church Gal. 4.26 Heb. 12.22 Babylon the malignant and false Church Rev. 17.5 glorious things were spoken of Jerusalem and it was the faithful City Isa 1.21 the Holy City Isa 52.1 the City of Truth Zach. 8.3 a City of Righteousnesse Isa 1 26. the City of the Lord of Hosts such things were never spoken of Babylon Again if Babylon bee the Glory of Kingdomes it s not said to bee of all kingdomes it might bee the glory of Heathenish Kingdomes it was not the glory of Canaan for there was the Idol Bel other Images and abominable Idolatry Jer. 51.44 47. which eclipsed the other glory it had Again if it bee granted that Babylon was the glory of all Kingdomes and so of Judea or Canaan yet take Canaan in its latitude with all its excellencies and so considered it is the Glory of all Lands and beyond Babylon taken for the City or the Countrey for besides its milk and honey its fruitfulnesse and plenty there was something of an higher nature which made it so For 1 It was the land of promise Heb. 11 9. 2 A type of Heaven Heb. 3.11 3 The land God chose to dwell in Ps 132.13 14. Exo. 15.17 4 In it was the Temple Worship Ordinances and Oracles of God 1 Kin. 6. 8. chapt Whence it was called the Holy Land Zach. 2.12 holy Habitation Exod. 15.13 the land of the Lord Isa 14.2 Ps 85.2 the land of uprightnesse Isa 26.10 the land of Immanuel Isa 8.8 and upon this account it was the glory of all lands For no land besides in all the world was so called as this or had such prerogatives Obs 1 Old mercies should bee minded not onely by those they were first bestowed upon but also by their posterity who had benefit by them also In the former vers and this God mindes them of Old mercies his choice of them his making known himself unto them his professing himself to bee their God his bringing them out of Egypt which were some eight or nine hundred years before and his espying out a land for them which was four hundred years before that for it was in Abrahams daies that God took notice of that land Gen. 12. get thee to a land that I will shew thee vers 7. unto thy seed will I give this land These Old mercies God would have them to mind though they were in Babylon and deprived of that good land God had given them Let men bee in what condition they will Old mercies should not bee forgotten especially signal great emphatical mercies When God shall publikely own a people deliver them from great slavery put them into a state of freedome safety and honour provide all good things for them such mercies ought not to bee forgotten but to bee remembred from generation to generation This was done in Davids dayes Ps 44.1 2. Wee have heard with our ears O God our fathers have told us what worâ— thou didst in their daies in the times of Old how thou didst drive out the Heathen with thy hand Judges 6.13 Fathers told their children of the miracles God had wrought for them and how hee brought them out of Egypt and because men are apt to forget former mercies when they grow old they grow out of minde the Lord laid a charge upon the Jews that they should not forget them Deut. 6.10 11 12. And commanded them to remember the daies of Old and to consider the years of many generations and to inquire of the ancient what he had done for them Deut. 32.7 There bee no works like unto Gods works and they ought to bee had in remembrance David kept them in mind for hee professes to the Lord himself I remember the daies of Old I meditate on all thy works I muse on the work of thy hand he looked back to the daies of Noah of Abraham of Joseph of the Israelites and of Gods dealing with them because the heart is not quickly affected with old mercies and works of God he meditated and mused on them and that till his heart was warmed and stirred up to praise as it is Psal 105.5 remember his marvellous works that hee hath done his wonders and the judgements of his mouth O yee seed of Abraham his servant Obs 2 That Lands Countries and Habitations of People are appointed ordered and disposed of by the Lord hee brings them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that hee had espyed for them All souls and all lands are the Lords and whom hee will hee plants where hee pleases Hee distributes lands and habitations to whom hee thinks meet The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Psal 24.1 hee is the sole owner thereof the true Lord of the soil and all it brings forth and hee hath given it to the children of men Psal 115.16 hee hath assigned them their several portions Deut. 32.8 the most high divided to the Nations their inheritance when he separated the Sonnes of Adam the most high God being Lord paramount would not have the Sonnes of Adam to live all in one Country or Land but appointed them several lands and Countries to dwel in and set them their bounds and limits as you may see in Gen. 10. especially vers 25. where Eber names his Son Peleg which signifies division because the earth was divided in
his people into streights he will not leave them destitute he will shew them some mercy in such a condition He brought them into the wildernesse and what then hee gave them his Statutes and shewed them his judgements When they were in the wildernesse they had the Cloud the Pillar of fire the Manna the Tabernacle the water out of the rock many great mercies did God bestow on them whilst they were in the Wildernesse Jacob by the hand of God was brought into streights hee must leave his fathers house to secure his life Gen. 27.42 43. lye in the open field all night where the earth was his bed and the stones his bolsters where the wild beasts might have found and devoured him but in this condition the Lord appeared to him and told him what hee would give and do for him it was a good night to Jacob hee met with sweeter greater mercies when hee lay without doors than ever he did by lying in his fathers house God brought Jerusalem into a streight by Senacherib and did hee leave it so and let him sack and spoil it No hee prepared an Angel that was both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a saviour to the Jews and a destroyer to the Assyrians Christ by the Spirit was led into the wildernesse where the tempter set upon him very fiercely and ceased not for forty daies together to shoot his fiery darts against him but did not the Lord mind him in that condition yes he sent Angels unto him Mat. 4.11 Behold Angels came and ministred unto him Obs 2 God is the Law-giver to his people I gave them my Statutes and shewed them my judgements God gave them Laws to govern and direct them both in their worshiping of him and carriage one towards another It was no small mercy that God gave them Statutes and Judgements for no Nation had the like mercy Deut. 4.8 What Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgements so righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day said Moses to them Other Nations had their Statutes and Judgements but either they were not righteous or at best not so righteous as theirs were if some were righteous others were not Here all were righteous Ps 119.128 They are called judgements of righteousnesse Psal 119.7 and Commands that are righteousness v. 172. They are the judgements and commands of the righteous God they are full of righteousnesse and make men righteous If the Law of the twelve Tables among the Romans did exceed all the libraries of Philosophers in weight and worth as Tully said what then did the Statutes and Judgements God gave to this people they exceeded all the Laws that ever were or shall be this made David to value them above thousands of Gold and Silver Psal 119.72 and to pray unto the Lord to open his eyes that hee might see the mysteries and depths were in them vers 18. and 129. and that he would incline his heart to keep them vers 36. God gave them these Laws to shew that hee would bee their governour that they ought to obey him Isa 33.22 The Lord is our Law-giver Obs 3. The great bounty and wisdome of God in making promise of an happy life here and eternal life hereafter to the keepers of the Law to those should observe his Statutes and Judgements 1 His great bounty for suppose a man could perfectly in all things keep the Law and that perpetually he deserves nothing thereby being Gods creature it s his duty to do what hee appoints and commands mans works do not excell nor carry that intrinsecal worth before God as to merit at his hands the life therefore attainable hereby is ratione pacti promissi not from the nature of mans obedience but of Gods promise and so is from his bounty and good-will For God to promise life to mans obedience was great mercy transcending what ever possibly or imaginably could bee therein whereas hee might have commanded all man could do without any promise of life at all neither let any say this Promise was to no purpose because man was not able to keep the Law The fault thereof was not in God nor in the Law but in man himself who had disabled himself and here appears Secondly the Great wisdome of God that made this promise of life to the keepers of the Law that so hee might draw out their indeavours to the utmost and that seeing when they were at the height they fell short of that perfection the Law required they might look for life upon another account viz. the righteousnesse of faith Deut. 30.12 13 14 15. with Rom. 9.30 31 32. and ch 10.5 6 7 8. Therefore the Law finding us uncapable of life through our sin directed us unto Christ where wee might have it through his grace Gal. 3.24 the Law was our Schoolmaster unto Christ that we might be justifyed by faith Vers 12 Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths to bee a sign between me and them that they might know that I am the Lord which sanctify them Here is another mercy which the Lord bestowed upon this people namely his Sabbaths which were 1 To be a sign between him and them 2 To Evidence that the Lord was hee which sanctified them My Sabbaths To status upon the second of Genesi saith Quod Deus non dederit preceptum illud de observatione Sabbati in principio sed per Mosen datum esse And â—eylin in his History of the Sabbath saith no Patriarks before Moses time did ever observe the Sabbath and he alledges Justin Martyr Ireneus and Tertul. for it He also cites Musculus and Hospinian saying it cannot be proved that the Sabbath was kept by any of the fathers before the Law Vide Ames Medul Theol. l. 2. c. 15. Nam 9.10 Vide Rivetum in decalog The word Sabbath signifies Rest and such Rest as work hath gone before from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cease to bee quiet and give over working it imports not a sitting still or doing nothing but a resting from what formerly was a doing Some by Sabbaths here understand not onely the Sabbath of daies but the Sabbaticall years also the seventh and fiftyeth years which were years of rest But it s more genuine to take Sabbaths here for Sabbatical daies One of which came every week and those Sabbaths were the signes between God and them It may bee inquired whether they had the Sabbath before they came out of Egypt because it s said that God brought them out thence into the wildernesse and gave them his Sabbaths and there bee some of Note who hold that the Sabbath was not given at first but in Moses daies To this inquiry the Answer is that they had the Sabbath before that time of Moses giving the Law at Mount Sinai as appears Exod. 16.23 25 26. On the Sabbath day there was no manna to bee found or gathered and Gen. 2.3 God blessed the
and by it the people are brought to glorify and magnify his name for those works by it hee distinguisheth his people from the Prophane and by it they distinguish him from the Idol gods in it the Lord sanctifies his People and they in it do worship him it s the day wherein they meet visit and make each other cheerful and glorious let us have more honourable thoughts of the Sabbath and not think it concernes not us if wee bee his people it s still a signe between him and them If wee have no Sabbath or no day answerable to it wee come short of the Jews who had it given unto them as a great mercy I gave unto them my Sabbaths my holy resting daies Obs 5 Sanctification is the work of the Lord and specially of the Lord when people meet on his day Hee gave them his Sabbaths and they were called holy Convocations because on them the people met Levit. 23.3 and why did hee give them those daies that they might know that hee was the Lord which sanctified them There is none which can sanctify persons by way of separation or inherent holinesse but the Lord. Hee assumes this power and priviledge to himself Levit. 20.8 Ezek. 37.28 and his sanctifying is chiefly when People meet on his day Then the Law was read and opened unto them Act. 15.21 Neh. 8.8 then did God appear amongst them and work by the means hee appointed for their sanctification Psal 89.7 God is greatly to bee feared in the Assembly of Saints there hee convinces them of their sinfulnesse and sinful practises there hee beats down their strong holds and captivates their thoughts to the obedience of his will what was it made David openly to proclaim it that a day in Gods Court was better than a thousand one Sabbath day wherein hee had communion with God and found him sanctifying his head and heart was more esteemed of him than a thousand other daies for the Lord saith hee is a sunne and a shield hee inlightens mee hee strengthens mee and so separates my darknesse and weaknesse from mee and makes mee more holy Let us therefore look unto God alone for sanctification and wait upon him on his daies in the solemn assemblies and hee will sanctify us those are daies of his special presence power and blessing Obs 6 Gods people should observe and take notice what God doth in them on Sabbaths when they appear before him they had the Sabbaths given them that they might know the Lord did sanctify them that they might have experience in themselves of the powerfull operations of God in them God observed what they did that day and they were to observe what hee did that day They read the Law and the Prophets and expounded them Act. 13.15 Neh. 8.8 they Prayed Act. 16.13 they discoursed reasoned and perswaded men out of the Scriptures Act. 18.4 they offered Sacrifices Numb 28.2.10 they did sing Psalm 92. the Title These things they did and God observed their spirits in the doing of them hee observed how they sanctifyed the day and himself in the duties of the day and they were to observe what hee did in the Assemblies and in their bosomes This David did Psal 96.6 strength and beauty are in his Sanctuary saith he and Psalm 63.2 hee confesses hee had seen Gods Power and glory there the strength and beauty in one place is the same with Power in the other it s a glorious beautiful work when God sanctifies a sinner it s a work of Power and strength when hee breaks the snares of our lusts the chains of unbeleef and inlarges our hearts quickens comforts strengthens and inlightens us It s a common sin and sicknesse amongst Christians that they heed not what the Lord does in his Ordinances for them and in them they cannot say from experience wee know it is the Lord that sanctifies us most can say this from the Tongue few from the heart 't was not without cause that Solomon said Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and bee more near to hear than to offer the sacrifice of Fools Eccl. 5.1 some thinke hee alludes to Exod. 3.5.30.19 and Josh 5. last Where is mention of putting off their shooes and washing their feet because they were to approach unto the holy God and surely wee had need look to our feet that is our affection foot is put for feet the singular for the plural for we approach near to God when we go to his house wee go to be sanctified and therefore should take heed we defile not our selves Vers 13. But the house of Israel rebelled against mee in the wildernesse they walked not in my statutes and they despised my judgements which if a man do hee shall even live in them and my Sabbaths they greatly polluted then I said I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness to consume them Having represented unto them the mercies he conferred on them in the wildernesse here hee declares what their carriage was towards him therein and what his purpose was towards them 1 Their carriage towards him is laid down 1 In General the house of Israel rebelled against me 2 In Special and that in three particulars 1 They walked not in my statutes 2 They despised my judgements 3 They polluted my Sabbaths and that greatly Now all these are aggravated 1 From the place where they were done in the wildernesse where they had special need of Gods protection and provision where they had and saw his miracles daily 2 From the nature of the statutes and judgements given which were such as if done kept they might have lived 2 The Lords purpose towards them was to pour out his fury upon them and consume them and that in the wilderness Little shall I speak of this Vers because in the 8. and 11. verses you have already had most things in it The house of Israel rebelled against me Of their rebellion in the wilderness you may read Deut 1.26.43 Exod. 17.7 with Numb 20.24.27 ch 14. Deut. 9.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reprobavit ex odio abjecit contempsit significat fastidio quodam rem aliquam aut personam ranquam vilem contemptam rejicere The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They despised my judgements The Hebrew word for despise notes rejecting hating villifying they looked upon them as contemptible things and threw them away they did not onely refuse to walk in his Law Psal 78.10 but they despised his judgements and abhorred his Statutes Levit. 26.43 it was such despising as had an abhorrency accompanying it My Sabbaths they greatly polluted Of their Polluting his Sabbaths you may read Exod. 16.27 they went to gather Manna on the Sabbath day one gathered sticks signifies cum sputo quasi rejicere Numb 15.32 they carried burdens and did servile work Jer. 17.22 23. whereas they should have highly prised the Sabbaths resting from doing their own waies finding their own pleasure speaking
hearts and cause them to hearken to and honor him they should know him practically do his will they should know him to be faithful in performing his Promises powerful and gratious in doing greater things than they looked for and so should set themselves to serve the Lord. Others knew him by his judgements v. 38. which knowledge produced no real effects in their hearts and lives but these by his mercies and goodnesse which knowledge rested not in their heads but was operative in their hearts and extant in their lives so knowing is to bee taken 1 Chron. 28.9 When I shall bring you into the Land of Israel c. Of these words or not much differing you heard in the 28. vers Though the Land of Israel were a fruitful Land flowing with milk and hony and so it was a great mercy to bee brought in upon that account yet that was not all It was the Land of Promise the inheritance of their fathers and their repossession of it evidenced that they were their children their heires the people of God Obs 1 Experimental knowledge of God affects the heart and makes obedient to his will to worship and honour God which other knowledge doth not What ever knowledge a man hath of God and his waies without this it s a form of knowledge rather than knowledge it self 1 John 2.4 Hee that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandements is a Lyar and the Truth is not in him that is hee hath no true knowledge of God in him for what hee saith of love ch 5.3 This is the Love of God that wee keep his Commandements that is true of knowledge there is no right knowledge of God if yee keep not his Commandements Hence saith the Lord Isa 1.3 Israel doth not know and Jer. 4.22 ch 8.7 my people know not the judgement of the Lord they had the Law the Prophets yet they did not know and why they did not keep his Commandements Violation of them is an argument men know not God where works of iniquity are committed there the knowledge of God is wanting Hos 5.4 the spirit of whoredomes is in the midst of them and they have not known the Lord and ch 4.1 when there was no truth nor mercy in the Land then there was no knowledge of God in it When men are disobedient to the Commands of God they are ignorant of God in their hearts deny God in their lives what ever knowledge they have of him in their heads you may finde it in holy writ that as those do evil are said not to know God Jer. 9.3 so those that do good are said to know him Jer. 22.16 and pure religion which is the right knowledge of God is put upon doing James 1.27 Daniel therfore tells us that turning from iniquity and so walking in the waies of God is the way to understand truth and so to know God Dan. 9.13 and Christ hath affirmed it that doing is the way to knowing Joh. 7.17 Obs 2 The Goodness mercy and kindnesse of God begets experimental knowledge of him in the hearts of men Yee shall know that I am the Lord when I shall bring you into the land of Israel When God should knock off the Babylonish yoak and replant them in Canaan then their hearts should taste and bee affected with the dealings of God Great mercies had great operations upon them and made deep impressions in them God teaches men by his works experimentall knowledge comes in that way when his word is fulfilled in Promises or threats in mercy or judgement then men come to know God Hee is known by executing of judgement Psal 9.16 and known by his mercies Psal 19.20 21 22. It s one thing to hear of Physick another to feel the workings of it in ones bowels One thing to hear of Wine another to finde the vertue of it in the stomach So it s one thing to hear of God and his mercies another to taste of the loving kindnesse of God in his mercies Psalm 34.8 taste and see that the Lord is good Gods goodnesse had bred experimental knowledge in David and hee could sensibly speak of it and provoke others to partake of what hee had Ver. 43 And there shall yee remember your waies These words wee had in the 16. chap. vers 61. the word remember notes remembring with affection so as to do something thereupon And all your doings wherein ye have been defiled The Septuagint reads the former words with a part of these thus There shal ye remember your waies wherein yee have defiled your selves and leave out these words all your doings but they are in the Hebrâ—w and import their Idolatries and other abominations They corrupted Gods worship fell to Babylonish practises and greatly defiled themselves And ye shall loath your selves in your own sight In the sixth Chapter vers 9. were these words opened where they are thus They shâ—l loath themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aquil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Displicebitis vobâ—s Theod. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insensi critis Sym. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shal smite their faces Others you shal be displeased and wroth with your selves Symmachus hath it thus you shal be little in your own eyes for all the wickednâ—sses ye have done The meaning of the verse is that they should seriously consider their waies bee ashamed of them truâ—ly repent of them yea so repent as to judge themselves worthy to bee cut off from being Gods People and to be made a curse Obs 1 â—ense of Mercies rather than of Judgements makes sin bitter and leâ—ds unto Repentance Their Captivity and sad things they suffered therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excindere execrari significat saith Maldona did not imbitter their sinne unto them and break their hearts but Gods kindnesse in bringing them out of Babylon into the Land of Israel that prevailed with them when they had received marvellous kindnesse from God then they were marvellously affected greatly ashamed of their waies and loathed themselves Mercies in Sion produced that which judgements in babylon did not Quem vexatio non dat dat beneficentia intellectum Pradus Great mercies bestowed upon great sinners do preach the Doctrine of repentance most effectually convincing them strongly of their unworthy and vile carriages towards the Lord 1 Sam. 24. Davids kindnesse brake the heart of Saul and made him to weep and say Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rewarded mee good whereas I have rewarded thee evill If humane favour hath such influence into a sinfull heart what hath Divine Moses by his stroaks fetched water out of a Rock David by his kindnesse God somtimes by his judgements humbles men and brings them to repentance but mostly by his mercies The sweet influences of the Gospel have pierced deeper into sinners hearts than the terrours of the Law Obs 2
Jerusalem Jer. 4.6 7 9 13. Jerem. 52.4 Zeph. 1.14 15. The ten Tribes not hearkning to the Prophets and Seers but proceeding in their wicked waies 2 King 17.12 13. found the Lord had a day to send Salmanaser who spoiled the Land besiedged Samaria three years and carried them away Captive into Assyria which was the verifying of Isaiahs prophesy against them chap. 17.4 In that day it shall come to pass that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean The glory and fat of Jacob were their Princes Counsellors Souldiers wealth and strong holds which the Assyrian deprived them of and made Jacob thin and lean God had his day to visit Egypt by shaking his hand over it Isa 19.16 The Lord had his day to make Tyre forgotten seventy years according to the daies of one King Isa 23.15 about that time which Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem hee also took Tyre and the great merchandizing of it was interrupted seventy years so long as the Jews were in Babylon which Isaiah calls the daies of one King The daies of Kings and so other men who lived at ease were usually counted seventy years or thus according to the daies of one Kingdome that is the daies of the Babylonian Kingdome from the time of taking Tyre for seventy years after that Kingdome ceased and Darius the Median took it Dan. 5.31 Obs 4 When a land and people retain their filthinesse and rest uncleansed after mercies judgements and means used to do them good God doth not onely with-hold mercy but deny hope of mercy Judea was the land uncleansed and shee should have no rain in the day of Indignation Her sinnes kept back the rain in a litteral sense Jer. 3.2 3. and cut off the hope of rain in a metaphorical sense Zeph. 1.17 18. I will bring distresse upon men that they shall walk like blind men because they have sinned against the Lord They shall see nothing tending to their comfort but all working against them for it follows Their bloud shall be poured out as dust and their flesh as the dung neither their silver nor their gold shall bee able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy Gold and silver will do much but nothing in the day of wrath Prov. 11.4 that place in Isa 8.21 22. is observable They shall passe through it hardly bestead and hungry and it shall come to pass when they shall bee hungry they shall fret themselves and curse their King and their God and look upwards and they shall look unto the earth and behold trouble and darknesse c. When Senacherib or Nebuchadnezzar should invade the Land the Famine should bee so great and the men of Judea so hungry that they should fret and curse their King their God The one because he prevented not their misery the other because he delivered them not out of it and they should look up to heaven down to the Church and find help from neither nor hope of mercy any where trouble darknesse anguish were before them and they should bee driven to them they disgrace the true Prophets vers 18. they listened to false Prophets and Lyars ver 19. they tryed not them and their doctrin by the Law and Testimonies ver 20. therefore God brought evil upon them yea such evil as they were helpless and hopeless Vers 25 Thero is a conspiracy of her Prophets in the midst thereof like a roaring Lyon ravening the prey they have devoured souls they have taken the treasure and pretious things they have made her many widows in the midst thereof In this vers and the 28. you have the sins of the Prophets expressed which defiled the land and made it to bee called the land uncleansed and they are 1 Conspiracy 2 Cruelty like roaring lyons c. 3 Murther and that of soules they have devoured c. 4 Covetousness they have taken the treasure and the pretious things 5 Inhumanity or impiety they have made her many widows 6 Flattery and lying ver 28. A conspiracy of her Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est ligare colligare metaphorice dicitur de animorum colligatione conjurare facere ligam The Hebrew for Conspiracy is kesher which is from a root or word which signifies to bind to tye together as Jer. 51.63 Isa 49.16 and metaphorically is referred to the minds of men combining together as 1 Sam. 18.2 The Soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David Nick-sherah ligata erat was united bound to inleagued with the soul of David and 2 Sam. 15.31 Ahithophel is among the Conspirators with Absolom backsherim in conspirationibus his minde with others were united in a conspiracy against David so 2 Kin. 12.20 Jehoash his Servants arose and made a Conspiracy The Hebrew is They conspired a Conspiracy they were all of one heart and minde and it was to kill their Master Here the Prophets had a Conspiracy it s spoken of the evil Prophets they met in Jerusalem they consulted and consented to prophesy the same thing that none should Prophesy otherwise Nequis secu◠doceat quam ipsi ita uno ore mentiantur utque oppugnent prophetas Dei. Lavat if they did they would cry them down and those should follow them thus they made a Conspiracy against the true Prophets and those were truely religious opposing God and godliness You may read how they set themselves against Jeremy chap. 26.8 and stirred up the Princes and people against him ver 13. how they prophesyed the same things Jer. 23.17 chap. 6.14 Like a roaring Lyon ravening the prey Lyons are fierce and cruel especially when hungry and it s observed of them that they first roar Vid. Sanct. in Isa 31.4 whereby they scare men and beast and then hunt after the prey So these Prophets did roar against the true Prophets and their followers Jer. 26.11 This man is worthy to dye not to bee silenced imprisoned or banished but to dye nothing but death will suffice them they were greedy of the prey and said he should surely dye ver 8. They have devoured souls Soules that is men Pestilentibus doctrinis aeternae damnationi bnoxios reddebant by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole They preached dreams and visions of their own heads whereby they seduced 〈◊〉 undid multitudes Ezek. 13.10 Jerem. 14.13 chap. 23.13 when Prophets do not tell people of their sinnes they destroy them Ezek. 3.18 and so when they present their own phansies instead of Gods word Jerem. 23.22 with 32. had they delivered the word of God they should have turned men from their evil waies but by their lies and dreams they made them to erre They have taken the treasure and pretious things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word for Treasure is Cosen which Montanus renders robur strength and so it s used Isa 33.6 and riches
out of Gods way is worse than all Obs 2 That Gods punishments are his pleadings when hee visits men for their sinnes he pleads with them Every rod of his hath a voice and pleads for God Quoties apparent aliqua signa irae Dei ipse discertat nobiscum Gods strikeings are real pleadings Isa 66.16 by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh His punishments are arguments hee uses to convince or confound sinners and whatsoever punishments hee inflicts upon any they are just and righteous for hee never pleads an ill cause they are judicia Dei hee is infinitely wise and as he judgeth aright so he executeth judgement righteously Obs 3 Those be like in sinning must bee like in suffering like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wildernesse of the Land of Egypt so will I plead with you These Jews were their Children and did as their fathers had done Their fathers shook off the God of Israel and chose them an Egyptian god Exod. 32.4 they mingled with the Heathen and learnt their works Psal 106.35 they polluted his Sabbaths caused their children to pass through the fire ver 13. and 26. of this chap. and these their posterity chose Babylonish gods became as the Heathen made their sonnes pass through the fire and trode in their fathers steps v. 30 31 32. Vers 37. And I will cause you to pass under the rod and I will bring you under the bond of the Covenant 38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels and them that transgresse against mee I will bring them forth out of the Country where they sojourn and they shall not enter into the land of Israel and yee shall know that I am the Lord. God being in a judiciary way pleading with this people here he proceeds further in the manner thereof 1 Hee would examine and reduce them to their former state ver 37. 2 Hee would make a Discrimination between them ver 38. I will cause them to pass under the rod. The Hebrew word for Rod is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in this place may signify either a Scepter as frequently it doth in Scripture and is so rendred chap. 19.11 14. or a Shepheards staffe or crook which hee useth among his sheep so it is used Psalm 23.4 If it bee taken the first way the sense is this that though they scattered themselves among the Babylonians and put themselves under Heathenish power yet the Lord would make them pass under the Rod that is come under his Kingly power hee would rule over them they should still bee his subjects But of this hee spake in the 33. vers therefore I conceive Rod here is to be taken in the latter signification that God would deal with them more pastorâ—tio like a Shepheard or Heardsman who were wont to number their Cattle with a wand or Rod which is called passing under the Rod Levit. 27.32 To this purpose is that of Jer. 33.13 In the Cities of the Mountaines in the Cities of the vale and in the Cities of the South and in the land of Benjamin and in the places about Jerusalem and in the Cities of Judah shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them When the flocks went into the field or fold and when they went out their practice was to tell them by a Rod in their hand and so they passed under the Rod. Hereunto Christ alludes John 10.3 when hee saith hee calleth his own sheep by name and leadeth them out The meaning then of the Lord here is that hee would take an exact account of them tell them as a shepheard doth his flock and see which were rotten and which were sound Gods rod are afflictions and judgements as you may see Psal 89.32 I will visit their transgressions c. Lamen 3.1 I will bring you under the bond of the Covenant You think to break the bond of the covenant made between me and your Fathers by becoming Babylonians and ceasing to bee my people but it shall not bee I will keep the Covenant and cause you to come under the bond of it and performe that obedience I look for The word for bond is Masoreth from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obstringere ad obedientiam or paenam to bind unto obedience or punishment when men are in Covenant they are bound to obey or to suffer if they disobey Vatablus and others carry it thus that God would deal with them as hee had done with their fathers that hee would make a Covenant with these as hee had done with them and so make it another covenant by which God would bind them up and refer it to the Covenant made in Ezraes daies but rather I conceive the Lord intends the former Covevant especially that mentioned Ezekiel 16.8 when God in a solemn manner took this People to be his in Moses's daies wherein he made good his Promise and Covenant with Abraham and bound them unto him by the Law The Covenant bound them from other gods and waies of worship And I will purge out from among you the Rebels The Septuagint and Vulgar read the words I will chase out the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both to chuse and purge God would number them distinguish them one from another and then purge out those were rebellious they should no longer bee in his flock but bee discovered and declared to the world what they were By Rebels hee means those that cast off God and his works and turned heathens I will bring them forth out of the Country where they sojourn and they shall not enter into the Land c. The Hebrew is Out of the Country of their sojournings or peregrinations I will bring them Some make these words to point out those were then in Judea whom God would bring forth and not suffer to return any more and not onely them but many of those were in Babylon before God suffered not to return into the land of Israel for if we understand these words of the return after the seventy years as they must long before that time were these Jews with Zedekiah brought out of the Land of their sojourning and they with many others were never suffered to enter into that land more for here is a comparing of their return from the Babylonish Captivity to that of their comming out of Egypt Then they were brought into a Wildernesse where their carkasses fell for their rebellions and so never entered the promised Land so here likewise God brought them into a wildernesse pleaded with and consumed many of them who by that means never returned to the land of Israel Obs 1 The Lord doth not onely know but takes special notice of his and doth distinguish them from others I will cause you to pass under the Rod I will examine which are sheep and which are goats and will sever the one from the other Christ knew his sheep his little flock from all the goats of the
heathenish opinions which they were in danger of having the Nations round about them but God had given them good doctrin Prov. 4.2 right words Psal 33.4 lively oracles Act. 7.38 faithful commands Psal 119.86 sure testimonies Psalm 93.5 such as they were to try all doctrines and opinions by Isa 8.20 2 Pure worship which was as a hedge between them and the Heathens Deut. 6.13 14. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and shalt swear by his name yee shall not go after other gods the gods of the people that are round about you verse 17 18. you shall diligently keep the Commandements of the Lord your God and his Testimonies and his statutes which hee hath commanded thee and thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord that it may bee well with thee 2 King 17.36 37. God had appointed them a pure way of worship which hedged them in from all false waies of worship from bringing in ought of their own and others 3 Good Laws Deut. 4.8 what nation is there so great that hath Statutes and judgements so righteous No Nation under heaven had such Laws to bee governed by as the Jews had and those Laws were hedges against all injustice they might not wrong one another nor strangers 4 God had given them good Prophets Priests and Princes for their safety to bee an hedge unto them The Prophets were to preserve the doctrine sound the Priests to keep the worship pure and the Princes to see justice impartially executed Elijah a good Prophet was the horseman and Chariot of Israel 2 King 2.12 chap. 13.14 the Priests were mediators between God and the people Joel 2.17 the Princes were the strength of the Land Prov. 29.4 Thus you see what the hedge was and if you would have it more briefly it was the Covenant made between God and this people hee had promised to be their God and to protect them they had promised to bee his people and to walk in his waies Now when they transgressed the Covenant the hedge was broken and gaps were made The Hebrew for Gaps is bapperetz in the breach from paratz to divide and break through They had now broke through the Hedge and made many Gaps which appears thus 1 The Doctrin was corrupted there was much chaffe mingled with the Wheat Jer. 23.28 false prophets gave in that to bee divine which was from their own hearts spirits heads Ezek. 13.2 3. They prophesied lies Jer. 14.14 the providence of God was denyed and his omnipresence Ezek. 8.12 The Lord seeth us not hee hath for saken the earth so his justice Ezek. 18. They said his waies were not equall the fathers had eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth were set on edge vers 2. 25. they taught the people to swear by a false god even by Baal Jer. 12.26 2 For the Worship That was greatly corrupted The Sanctuary was defiled with detestable things Ezek. 5.11 they had brought Images and Idols near to the Temple and into the Temple Ezek. 8. they had high places and Altars in every street Ezek. 16. they burnt incense to other gods and worshipped the works of their own hands Jerem. 1.16 The Statutes of Omry were kept and the works of the house of Ahab Micah 6.16 and the fear or worship of God was taught by the precepts of men Isa 29.13 3 The Laws were wrested and perverted so that there was no justice Mic. 3.9 They abhor judgement and pervert all equity all that was right equal just they oppressed or suppressed and would not let it take place so that according to Isaiah judgement was turned away backward and justice stood farre off they thrust them out of doors out of their gates and Cities and when they pressed hard to come in there was no admission the doors and gates were lockt and bolted upon them equity could not enter Isa 59.14 only oppression was let in Isa 5.7 4 For The men who should have been as strong stakes to keep up the hedge they were rotten The Prophets were Lyons Jer. 23.14 the Priests corrupters and wicked Lam. 4.13 the Princes were rebellious and companions of Theeves Isa 1.23 and all of them brake Covenant with God Ezek. 16.59 so that its evident the hedge was broken and gaps made To make up the hedge and stand in the gap What that is falls in now to be considered and it lies in these things 1 In publike opposing those corruptions were crept in and practised amongst them When of old the Jews had broken down the hedge by making a Calfe Moses appeared for God against this wickednesse hee seized upon the Calf Exod. 32. burnt it ground it to powder made the people drink it sharpely reproved Aaron and stood in the gate of the Campe saying who is on the Lords side let him come unto mee and when the Sonnes of Levi came to him he commissioned them to slay the Idolaters and this was the beginning of making up the breach so when Josiah beganne to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places the groves images and Altars that were therein then was the hedge making up which they had broken down 2 Chron. 34.3 4. In Nehemiahs daies when the hedge was new made about them there were some began to tread down the hedge and make a gap therein by doing unlawful things on the Lords day whereupon the zeal of Nehemiah was kindled so that hee contended with the Nobles of Judah who countenanced them and did violence to the Sabbath themselves Saying what evil thing is this that yee do and prophane the Sabbath Neh. 13.15 16 17 18. 2 In mourning for such breaches and deprecating the wrath and judgements due for the same When the Calfe was made and the people worshipped it now the hedge was down Gods wrath ready to break in upon them and to consume them Exod. 32.10 but Moses being affected much with what they had done and with what God was about to do he falls to praying and interceding for the People Lord why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people c. wherefore should the Egyptians speak and say for mischief did hee bring them out to slay them in the mountains c. turn from thy feirce wrath and repent of this evil against thy People and he did so vers 14. now this act of Moses was standing in the breach and making up the hedge Psalm 106.23 it kept out the fury of the Lord from breaking in upon them The intercession of Gods servants is a strong hedge and wall to prevent judgements Therefore when the Lord was resolved upon the destruction of the Jews he forbade Jeremy to pray for them ch 7.16 Pray not thou for this people neither lift up cry nor prayer for them neither make intercession to me for I will not hear thee Intercession or deprecation is an obstructing of God in his way The Vulgar hath it Ne obsistas mihi do not thou stop or oppose
ruine The words are spoken of God humano more as men search and find out things so God is here said to do his finding out is making known things Obs 1 Princes and men in supream power are honourable they are Cherubs or Cherubims next unto God In whose word they have many honourable Titles given them They are called shields Hos 4.18 the word for Rulers is shields in the Hebrew and shields of the earth Psalm 47.9 they protect the state where they live Ezek. 17.3 they are named Eagles and Cedars Psal 82.6 they are termed gods and children of the most high God ownes them for his children and calls them Gods which is an height of honour Obs 2 That Kings and potentates have their places priviledges and power that they may bee protectors of the people Thou art the annointed Cherub that covereth hee was on the throne that hee might spread his wings of protection over his subjects both at Sea and land Magistrates should bee as Hens to the Chickens as fathers to their children they are called not onely Fathers but Nursing fathers Isa 49.23 the word in Hebrew is Omenajick thy Nursers or Nourishers and notes faithful nursing they should make it their businesse to preserve and provide for their people as Nurses do for their Nurse-child seeing daily that it bee kept from dangers and want nothing such a Nurseing-father was David Psal 78.72 hee fed them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skilfulnesse of his hands Davids heart and hands were at work for the good of the people Such a Nursing Father was Moses whom the Lord would have to carry the People in his bosome as a Nursing father beareth the sucking childe Numb 11.12 God would have Kings Princes Magistrates to deal tenderly with the People they should bee as Cherubs unto them spreading the wings of protection and justice over them and when they do otherwise hee is wroth with them Zeph. 3.1 2 3. Mic. 3.1 2 3 4. when instead of fathers they are Lyons instead of Angels they are Devils to the people God is sorely displeased and will destroy them Obs 3 That Princes are exalted by God and depend upon him I have set thee so its God that raises them and cloaths them with honour and Majesty Prov. 8.15 16. By mee Kings reign and Princes decree justice by me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the earth Here is mention of Kings Princes Nobles Judges what Power soever any or all of these have the highest or subordinate they have from God who is the fountain of all power as well as of being Hee is Lord of heaven and earth hee is chief governour among Angels and men Psalm 22.28 and he sets up in Tyrus and in Babylon in Egypt and in Jerusalem whom hee pleases They should consider who sets them up on whom they depend and serve him with fear ruling for the Lord Which because they do not they grow proud insolent tyrannical and therefore the same hand that set them up throws them down Dan. 2.21 Obs 4 God mindes the places were Princes dwell and the pompe they live in Thou waste upon the holy Mountain of God thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire Thine habitation hath been in a strong fortified City thou hast lived in great state and glory having thy Pallace glistering with Carbuncles and other pretious stones 1 King 22.39 God took notice of the Ivory house which Ahab built for his state Solomons house throne overlaid with the best gold his Pompe and State God observed and caused to bee recorded 1 King the 7. and 10. chap. and because great ones pride themselves in their seats and Palaces God threatens to smite their winter houses and their summer houses and tells them that their ivory houses shall perish and their great houses have an end Amos 3.15 Obs 5 Princes and States are prosperous and successeful in their undertakings whilst they are free from iniquities Thou wast perfect in thy waies from the day thou wast created till iniquity was found So long as thou keptst thy self from unjust and wicked acts thou didst speed well in all thy enterprises at Sea and Land The Lord blesses Heathen Kings while they do just things It s righteousnesse exalts a Nation even any Nation Prov. 14.3 4. David told Solomon what was the way for him and his Kingdome to prosper 2. Chron. 22.13 hee must fulfil the Statutes and judgements of the Lord and then hee should prosper in all that hee did and whither soever hee turned himself 1 Kin. 2.3 Hezekiah was free from iniquities unjust and cruel acts and hear what the Spirit of the Lord saith of him 2 Chron. 32.30 he prospered in all his works Ob. 6 Great and grievous sins may bee in Princes and States undiscovered but the Lord will search them out and make them known Till iniquity was found in thee The Prince of Tyrus his sinne was secret and hidden from the world kept within doors in his own chamber Palace City or Territories but the Lord found it out and made discovery of it to the Prophet and the Prophet to the world The great ones of Judah thought themselves innocent yet God found the bloud of innocents upon their skirts and hee found it not by secret search by digging that is by taking much pains to find it out but so soon as hee came hee spied it upon their skirts and made it known Jerem. 2.34 men plot mischief do works of darknesse and think they shall not bee seen Isa 29 15. but the Lord sees will finde it out and bring it into the light David sinned in secret but the Lord saw it and proclaimed it to the world Obs 7 Wickednesse blasts prosperous Princes and flourishing States Thou wast perfect in thy waies till iniquity was found in thee That caused all to wither His exalting himself to bee as God his insulting over others in their misery and his injust actions caused the Lord to threaten and bring desolation Iniquity is the canker and plague of prosperity Many Princes and States which were fat and flourishing have been made lean thereby Jeroboams iniquities lost him five hundred thousand men at once 2 Chron. 13.8 9 17. When iniquity was found in Zedekiah breaking with Nebuchadnezzar and relying upon the King of Egypt what said the Lord shall hee prosper or shall hee scape that doth such things Ezek. 17.15 no hee shall never prosper more It s said of Jotham that hee became mighty hee prospered greatly and what was the cause 2 Chron. 27.6 it was because hee prepared his waies before the Lord or established them before him hee lookt to it that hee did nothing but what God commanded and approved hee would not defile his heart or hands with iniquity therefore hee grew mighty and left a flourishing Kingdome But when Ahaz his Son came to it who did wickedly you may see how the Syrians Israelites
was between the shoare and Tyrus with solid materials so that the Souldiers might foot it even to the walls of Tyre which cost much sweat and labour and was a great service besides all the rest of their labour watchings and sufferings of heat and cold To lye so many winters and Summers there doing ordinary and exâ—raordinary things was a great service especially their filling up the Sea which the Tyrians laughed at and thought impossible Every head was made bald The Hebrew for bald is Mukrach from karach to pull off the haires and it notes natural baldnesse as well as accidental the shedding of the hair and the plucking off the hair The Souldiers by continual wearing their head-peices did shed and wear off their hairs Some through sicknesse and upon other occasions might become bald And every shoulder was peeled By the daily carrying of stones timber earth and other things necessary for the siedge and taking of Tyrus their shoulders were peeled Cethepth signifies not onely the shoulder but the side also and Piscator renders the words omne latus every side was made naked their garments were worn out and their sides bare worn and peeled Yet had he no wages nor his Army for Tyrus This long siedge cost Nebuchadrezzar dear it exhausted the Babylonish Treasure greatly insomuch that had hee taken Tyrus with all the wealth of it it would hardly have recompenced his vast expences but the Tyrians when they saw themselves in danger conveighed away by Sea their choicest things to Carthage and neighbouring Islands as Lavater insinuates and when they could hold their City no longer threw their remaining substance into the Sea so that when it was taken Nebuchadrezzar and his Army found little or nothing considerable therein therefore it s here said he had no wages nor his Army For the service he had served against it The King and Souldiers having lain thirteen years before Tyrus which shewed their resolutenesse and looked for answerable recompence for so long difficult dangerous and expensive service but because they were disappointed in Tyrus therefore the Lord thought upon them and provided for them elsewhere 19 Behold I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar Egypt was a rich Countrey abounding with Corn Cattle and wealth of all sorts this Countrey did the Lord give unto Nebuchadrezzar and his Army for that they had done him service in executing his judgements upon the Tyrians He shall take her multitude Multitudes of men were worn out and consumed in the long siedge of Tyre and therefore God would give the King of Babylon Egypts multitude shee was populous and her multitude must serve him forty years The Hebrew word Hamon signifies multitude of people and multitude of riches Nebuchadrezzar should take both And take her spoile The Hebrew is Shalal Shelalah spoliabit spolium ejus hee shall spoile her spoil Spoile is whatsoever may bee removed taken or driven away as Corn Cattle housholdstuffe garments Jewels plate plants ware c. The Babylonian should strip Egypt of all her glory And take her prey In Hebrew its bazaz bizzah praedabitur praedam ejus hee shall prey her prey The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall captivate her Captivity The French is Ravira but in he shall take away the booty or prey The words being doubled before and here import that Nebuchadrezzar should throughly spoil and prey upon Egypt It shall be the wages for his Army Seeing his Army had so little in Tyre it shall have enough in Egypt nothing here shall bee conveyed away imbezelled or kept from him and his Army the whole wealth of Egypt shall be theirs 20 For his labour The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peullah sometimes signifies the thing produced by work and labour as Psalm 17.4 but here and in other places it notes ipsam operationem the very working and efficiency it self 2 Chron. 15.7 your work shall be rewarded that is your labour and pains Because they wrought for me They looked at their King who commanded and carried them forth to that work not unto Jehovah the Lord of heaven and earth who set both him and them on work to execute his judgements threatned against Tyre and in that they did fulfil them they are said to work for God Materially they did serve his purpose and providence in the destruction of Tyre but formally and intentionally they did serve their own wills and lusts God had a righteous end and attained it by them they had an evil end and obtained it vitioso modo Vid. Aquin. 1. 2 q. 114. in an ill way Isa 10.6 7. the ssyrians had one meaning God another yet he wrought for the Lord. Obs 1 That men in misery keep account exactly of their sufferings Ezekiel was in Captivity and many other Jews who diligently heeded how the years passed in the 27 year that was of the Captivity Ezekiel and the rest forgot not how long they had been under the Babylonish yoke Men are best Chronologers in adversity Obs 2 When God is upon doing great things usually hee doth make them known unto some of his servants one way or other When hee was upon destroying Sodome hee made it known unto Abraham Gen. 18.17 when about to destroy Elies house hee revealed it to Samuel 1 Sam. 3.11 12. the strange things befell Nebuchadnezzar were revealed to Daniel chap. 4. and the Lord shewed John things to come Rev. 1 1-and here hee hides not from Ezekiel that hee will give all Egypt to Nebuchadrezzar This was so frequent of old that Amos said surely the Lord will do nothing but he revealeth his secret to his servants the Prophets Amos 3.7 hardly did God ever any considerable things but hee gave some hints of it to his servants The drowning of the world the Jews Captivity in Egypt their comming out of it their suffering by Nebuâ—hadnezzar their return out of Babylon c. were all hinted and made known to Noah Abraham Moses Isaiah Jeremy and others Obs 3 Princes have power to lead out and imploy their subjects against forrainers when there is cause of warring with them The King of Babylon caused his Army to serve against Tyrus and before that against Jerusalem many hundred of miles did he bring out his Army to do him service against the Jews and Tyrians Had hee no particular cause this was cause enough that God stirred up his spirit to execute his judgements upon those had desperately provoked him Obs 4 That Heathenish souldiers have undergone very hard things yea hazarded their lives to please their heathenish Commanders and all for a temporall reward Nebuchadrezzars Army served a great service thirteen years together to lye before a City was hard their heads were made bald their shoulders were peeled they laboured hard carried heavy burdens they watched they suffered heat and cold and all this for hope of good plunder in Tyrus If Heathens would do and indure so much for their Commander who was an Idolater an