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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	day_n	lord_n	sabbath_n	6,348	5	9.8380	5	true

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

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

When the Lord gathers up his People out of the world and brings them into near relation to himself into Canaan and Church order hee looks they should review their former waies and bee much affected with them and throughly repent for them There shall ye remember your waies and all your doings wherein c. When brought into Canaan they were not only to eat the milk and honey to behold the glory thereof but they were to remember daies of old their sinnes in Babylon compliances with Babylonians how they had polluted themselves and provoked the Lord and thereupon to mourn kindly for their unkindnesses to him who had shewed such marvellous loving kindnesse unto them When God brings men out of the World now into Sion gives them the Milk and Honey of the Gospel shews them the glory thereof then they look back wonder at their wickedness and loath themselves for it saying who is like unto us in sinne and wickedness and who is like unto our God in grace and goodnesse in pardon and forgivenesse Micah 7.18 when it shall please God to bring the Jews out of that Babylon they are now in unto the true Canaan the Church of Christ they will remember their iniquities their bitter and bloudy doings against Christ mourn and loath themselves for the same Zach. 12.10 Rev. 1.7 Obs 3 Where repentance springs from sense of Love and kindnesse as it is real and deep so its secret and universal they should being brought into Canaan not onely remember their sinnes but they should loath themselves bee displeased so with themselves that they should smite and abhorre themselves and that in their own sight and for all the evils they had committed when no eye saw them they would spread all their sinnes before them and in the sight and sense of them be vile in their own eyes Vers 44. And they shall know that I am the Lord. These words wee had in the 42. v. wherein they were opened and expounded of an experimental knowledge When I have wrought with you for my Names sake Of these words see vers 9.14.22 The Vulgar is Cum benefecero When I shall have done good to you The Hebrew is When I have done to you or With you for my Name sake That is when I have dealt graciously and mercifully with you out of my free grace and for the honour of my name Not according to your wicked waies Of wicked abominations was spoken chap. 8.9 of wicked counsel chap. 11.2 of Wicked way and waies chap. 13.22.18.23 Those are wicked waies which lead from God from truth from just honest and good things In such they had walked long but God would not deal with them according to the wickednesse of their waies Significat aliquid ad imum usque funditus perdere corrumpere depravare quocunque id fiat modo sine medio Nor according to your corrupt doings The word for Corrupt is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to Corrupt even to the bottome throughly and such were they they were not a Little corrupt but totally corrupted in their judgements wills affections words and actions they were like a corrupt spring that sends forth nothing but corrupt waters Ezek. 16.47 Thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy waies Obs 1 The Lord is gratious and merciful unto the Sonnes of men deserving ill at his hands hee deals with them upon the account of his grace not their deserts What did their wicked waies and corrupt doings deserve at his hands but that hee should have poured out his fury and accomplish his anger upon them as it is ch 7.8 but hee wrought with them for his Name sake that is out of his free grace and favour he spared them hee pardoned them hee delivered them out of Babylon and brought them into Canaan When God seeth nothing in the Creature to put him on to shew mercy hee findes enough in his own Name to provoke him thereunto you have it four times in this chapter thrice before and here that hee wrought for his Name sake whatever mercy this people had it was from Divine favour not their desert If it was free Grace brought the Jews out of Babylon into Canaan what is it but freenesse fulnesse and riches of grace to bring men out of the world into the heavenly Canaan Predestination Calling Justification and Glorification are acts of meer grace and favour Eph. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.9 Rom. 3.24 ch 8.30 1 Pet. 5.10 All the Sonnes of men injoy here or expect hereafter is from the bounty favour and mercy of God Psalm 103.8 9 10 11 12. Luke 12.32 to attribute ought to our own wills or indeavours is to derogate from God and darken the glory of his name and free grace Obs 2 God doth therefore deal gratiously with sinners that they may know him experimentally Yee shal know that I am the Lord when I have wrought with you for my Name sake c. God works and so works that hee makes the hearts of men affected with his works and to say Psal 86.8 Among the Gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy works none so full of Glory so full of grace and mercy none so influential and operative upon the heart It s Gods scope and aim in doing good so freely and fully as hee doth to make himself known to the hearts of his People that so they may bee knit to him provoke them to admire him and live more fully to him Vers 45 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto mee saying 46 Son of Man set thy face towards the South and drop thy word toward the South and Prophesy against the Forrest of the South-field 47 And say to the forrest of the South Hear the word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will kindle a fire in thee and it shal devour every green tree in thee and every dry tree the flaming flame shal not be quenched and all faces from the South to the North shal bee burnt therein 48 And all flesh shal see that I the Lord have kindled it it shal not be quenched These verses are the fifth general part of the chapter viz. a parabolical Declaration of the destruction of Judea and Jerusalem Some refer these words to the next Chapter and make the beginning of that at the 45. v. of this The 45. v. sets before us the Divine Authority of this Prophesy against the Jews that were yet in Canaan the Prophet received it from the Lord it came from God to him before it went out from him to men In this 45. v. wee have 1 The Compellation Son of man of which heretofore 2 A Command to declare and utter the word hee had received set thy face c. Set thy Face Of this Expression in Chapter 4. 3 7. ch 6.2 ch 13.17 Hac phrasi ostendit strenue precidandum ess● ita ut nullis minis frangatur nec so

treasure robur gloriam In iis robur hominum consistit tempore angustiae are called cosen because men put their confidence in them and make them their strength Prov. 10.15 Psal 52.7 the word is used for treasure and riches Prov. 15.6 in the house of the righteous is Cosen rabh much treasure much riches or much strength here its treasure and the French is Les richesses Aecolam Thesaurum and others Opes Pretious things Pretious things Jakar notes things much set by as a good name 1 Sam. 18.30 things beloved Jer. 31.20 Ephraim my dear son Ben iakkir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my dearly beloved son saith the Septuagint Things of great worth Prov. 20.15 Isa 28.16 Jerem. 20 5. here it notes things of worth and dear unto them These Prophets were false and would not Prophesy unlesse the people gave them and gave them choice things Hence Micah saith the Prophets divined for mony chap. 3.11 and prepared warre for them would not put into their mouths They did not take by force or steal away their treasures but they carried it so that the People must give and they had their treasure and pretious things They were not content with what was their stipends Varia habeban● pecuniae aucupia But as Lavater speaks they had waies arts devices to get such things The word Jakar signifies also glory and honour Dan. 26.37 Esth 1.20 and so its rendre● here by Montanus Lavater Aecolamp and the French Translation The sense then is this that these false Prophets were ambitious minding high places and popular glory They have made her many widows Those men would not bee of their mindes hearken to their Prophesies countenance and maintain them with their treasures and pretious things they prepared warre for them they stirred up the powers and people who were of their own way to hate them and deal unkindly with them Isa 66.5 Hear the word of the Lord yee that tremble at his word your brethren that hated you that cast you out for my name sake c. There were some trembled at the word of the Lord the word of the true Prophets and durst not side with the false Prophets their doctrines or practises these therefore were hated of their brethren that were their Disciples and cast out so Ezek. 11.15 They said get yee farre from the Lord unto us is this land given in possession You have nothing to do here in Judea or Jerusalem here is no liberty for you bee gone or dye for it Now because many did venture to stay they prevailed so that they were put to death and by this means they made many widows They also used to incourage the Princes to warre as 1 King 22. the false Prophets put on Ahab to go up to Ramoth Gilead and promised him successe in that warre but he fell and many other with him and hereby they made many widows Obs 1 In Jerusalem were wicked and false Prophets Jerusalem was the holy City the City of God the place where Gods name was recorded a type of the Church of God in all ages yet there even there were such Prophets and holds it out clearly to us that there will be false Prophets in the Church of God alwaies In Christs time there were such Mat. 7.15 Beware of False Prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing In Pauls time there were such Act. 13.6 There was one Bar-jesus a Jew and a false Prophet In Johns time there were such 1 John 4.1 Many false Prophets are gone out into the world so many went out then that there is a generation of them to this day and that generation will not cease so long as the Lord hath a Church in this world there will bee found false Prophets even at dooms day Obs 2 Jerusalems Prophets may be yea sometimes are against Jerusalem There is a conspiracy in her Prophets in the midst thereof Those thought themselves the chief Prophets in Jerusalem met consulted and agreed together to preach the same things to set themselves against the Prophets and Professors differed from them as being unsafe and unsound and to stir up authority against them The meetings of Prophets are not alwaies for the welfare of Sion here was a Councel of them but it was for mischief That they thought was very lawful the Spirit of God calls a Conspiracy Such was that meeting of the chief Priests Scribes and Elders in the palace of the High Priest where they consulted against Christ Matth. 26.3 4. and that wherein they agreed that if any did confesse that hee was Christ hee should bee put out of the Synagogue John 9.22 was not the Council of Trent a conspiracy of Prophets who pretended they were for Jerusalem but were in truth against Jerusalem Did not they agree together that who ever preached any thing contrary to their Canons and Articles should bee anathematized did they not stir up Princes and Powers of the world to punish those they judged Sectaries Schismaticks and Heretical Mr. Foxes Acts and Monuments do testify the truth thereof Have not the Prophets of our Jerusalem gone too far this way Obs 3 God takes special notice of the sinnes of Prophets they are first mentioned in the general Corruption that was of all sorts There were Priests Princes Peoples sins but the Prophets are set in the front they provoked God greatly they did most hurt Jer. 23.15 From the Prophets of Jerusalem is prophaneness gone forth into all the land They were corrupt springs that corrupted the whole Jewish earth with the streames of their false doctrines and example of their sinful practises Their sins are very much spoken of in the word and set upon record they dealt falsely Jer. 6.13 they belyed the Lord Jer. 5.12 13. they taught rebellion against the Lord Jerem. 28.16 ch 29.32 they strengthened the hands of evil doers so that none returned from his wickednesse Jer. 23.14 they were light and treacherous Zeph. 3.4 they deluded the people and murdered their souls Jerem. 8.11 Ezek. 12.10 they were exceeding Covetous and greedy of gain from every quarter Isa 56.11 Micah 3 5. they made the people forget the name of the Lord Jer. 23 27. they were Foxes and dealt very su●tlely Ezek. 13.4 They being defiled with such sins defiled the land thereby kindled the indignation of the Lord and made him to say concerning them Behold I will feed them with wormwood and make them drink the water of gall Jer. 23.15 and would consume them by sword and famine chap. 14.15 Obs 4 That the men who should openly declare against sin do openly commit sinne There is a conspiracy of her Prophets in the midst therof They roared like Lyons not caring who heard or saw them they made many widows in the midst of Jerusalem They sinned notorious sins and were not ashamed of them Jer. 23.11 Both Prophet and Priest are prophane in mine house have I found their wickednesse saith the Lord in the Temple the most publike

us fetch the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us that when it commeth amongst us it may save us out of the hand of our enemies But God had a day quickly after that to deprive them of it vers 11. The Ark of God was taken the Philistims took it and slew thirty thousand footmen Ephraim gloried in his children but God had his time to pluck them away Hos 9.11 12. Their glory shall flee away like a bird from the birth and from the won be and from the conception though they bring up their children yet will I bereave them and there shall not bee a man left their priding themselves in their children and increase made the Lord to diminish them hee took his times for that purpose when Jonas idolized the gourd the Lord had his day to smite it Jon. 4.7 Jacob was over fond of Joseph and God had his day to send him far from him Gen. 37. Obs 3 That when God is most angry executing his severest judgements then even then some are spared some finde mercy When the Lord should take away the Temple City their Sonnes and daughters and make good all the dreadful threatnings given out by Jeremy and Ezekiel against the Jews by Plague Famine Sword Wilde Beasts which was as black and sad a time as ever they saw even then some escaped Hee that escapeth in that day It was hard for any to escape when such an Army of Babylonians so cruel and bitter had lain so long round about Jerusalem watching as Lyons for the prey yet some did escape Jeremy saith Lament 2.22 in the day of the Lords anger none escaped or remained hee doth not mean absolutely none for himself escaped and divers others his meaning is that they were few in comparison of those who suffered Since the beginning of the World hath it been heard that God was so severe in any judgement executed upon the Sonnes of men as to shew no tokens of Mercy when hee drowned the World hee shewed great mercy to Noah and his Family when hee consumed Sodome and Gomorrah to ashes hee gave Lot and his Daughters their lives for a prey and when hee made Jerusalem here a spectacle of his vengeance hee made an out-let and escape for some he is a God that in wrath remembers mercy and doubtlesse in that great overflowing and drowning made in the low Countries at this time as he hath shewed much severity so he hath not forgotten mercy Obs 4 God at his pleasure puts singular honour upon his faithful servants the Prophets Hee tells Ezekiel that when hee shall have accomplished what hee had prophesyed against Jerusalem that hee should bee informed thereof that hee would give some or others their lives for a prey that they might bring him tydings thereof and so lift up his head against all his adversaries who looked upon and counted him a false Prophet Herein was great honour put upon the Prophet hee that escapeth shall come unto thee to cause thee to hear it c. So God honoured Abraham in telling him what hee was about to do unto Sodome Gen. 18.17 Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do no hee is a Prophet a friend of mine my faithful servant and hee would not conceal the matter from him So Amos 3.7 The Lord revealeth his secrets to his Servants the Prophets hee sends a messenger unto them even his holy Spirit to acquaint them with what hee is doing and with what hee hath done so hee sent an Angel to Joseph to tell him that Herod was dead who sought the life of the young child Mat. 2.20 Obs 5 God hath his times of shutting and opening the mouths of his Prophets Thou shalt speak and bee no more dumbe after this time the Prophet was as a dumb man towards the Jews because they beleeved not his Prophesies entertained him not as a Prophet but sleighted mocked and scorned him for those unusual Passages of his which the Lord put him upon therefore the Lord took him off from being a Prophet unto them he had no more word for them the false Prophets went on still but the true Prophet is silenced mens sinnes do cause the Lord to stop the mouths of his Prophets their unbeleef unprofitablenesse perverse constructions they make of what is said and done by them their hearkening to lies errors and vain visions of false Prophets do discourage them and cause them to bee silent Thus Peoples untoward carriages made Jeremy resolve to bee silent and Preach no more in the Name of the Lord Jerem. 20.9 The Prophets then had and the Prophets now have great discouragements and cause enough to bee silent and God may cause them to bee as dumb unto them removing them into corners or taking them away the peoples sinnes rob them of spiritual mercies Ezek. 3.26 I will make thy Tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth that thou shalt be dumbe and shalt not be to them a reprover for they are a rebellious house Their sinne deprived them of Prophesy and made the Prophet dumb Let us look to it that our sinnes deprive not us thereof and make our Prophets dumbe God may in justice make them dumb to us and open their mouths to others If you would still hear the Prophets speaking unto you let the Lord see you practising what they present unto you in his name yea let the Lord hear you praying for them and then see what is written and promised Isa 30.19 20 21. then your Teachers shall not bee removed into corners but your eyes shall see them and your ears shall hear them Obs 6 That Prophets when they are discouraged silenced and become signes unto the People they are to be patient waiting upon the Lord to make good what they have spoken in his name and for the opening of their mouths again Ezekiel was a sign unto them being silenced and discouraged hee was patient expecting that God should accomplish what hee had prophesyed and open his mouth again which hee did In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him that is escaped CHAP. XXV Vers 1 The word of the Lord came again unto me saying 2 Son of Man set thy face against the Ammonites and Prophesy against them 3 And say unto the Ammonites hear the word of the Lord God Thus saith the Lord God Because thou saidst Aha against my Sanctuary when it was prophaned and against the land of Israel when it was desolate and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity 4 Behold therefore I will deliver thee to the men of the east for a possession and they shall set their Palaces in thee and make their dwellings in thee they shall eat thy fruit and they shall drink thy milke 5 And I will make Rabbah a stable for Camels and the Ammonites a couching place for flocks and yee shall know that I am the Lord. 6 For thus saith the Lord God because thou hast clapped thine

Hosea tells you that after two daies hee will revive his people and in the third day raise them up though they bee like men dead and buried yet God hath his time to revive raise and to cause to live in his sight They were as dry bones in Babylon and served a hard service there but there was a day wherein God gave them rest from their sorrow fears and servitude Isa 14.3 4. The Gentiles were a long time in the wildernesse in a lost and perishing condition Eph. 2.12 there was a time they were without Christ without hope without God in the world but God had a day to manifest his choice of them vers 13. but now in Christ Jesus they who were sometimes a farre off are made nigh there was a now a time a day for them So Zeph 3.16.19 20. Obs 2 The taking of a people to be the Lords is of meer grace and mercy It is Gods own free act In the day when I chose Israel Israel did not chuse him Israel had nothing to affect him but out of his good pleasure hee chose Israel The Lord makes open protestation Deut. 7.7 8. that hee did not set his love upon them nor chuse them because they were more in number than other people but because he loved them and what made God love them were they better than other Nations they came of the Amorites and Hittites they were in their bloud when hee said unto them Live Ezek. 16.3 6. did hee foresee they would beleeve repent and persevere in keeping his commands and honour him above the rest of the world no hee foresaw that they would bee more wicked than the Nations and Countries round about them Eze. 5.6 7. and exceed Sodom Samaria in wickednesse as it is Ezek. 16.47 51 52. what was it then caused God to love chuse this people nothing without God himself all was within doors that stirred him up to do it I will say to them which were not my people thou art my people Hos 2.23 Gods will is the cause and nothing else Rom. 9.18 Hee will have mercy on whom hee will Isa 41.9 I have chosen thee and not cast thee away Obs 3 When Gods people are in troubles he discovers and reveales himself unto them one way or other by one means or other I made my self known unto them in the land of Egypt that was a land and house of bondage to them they met with reproaches threats stripes rigour and hard labour there and when the case was so with them then God unmaskes and shews himself unto them When Josephs brethren were in great trouble then hee made known himself unto them Gen. 45. and so did God unto his people by Moses and Aaron hee made known what Promise and Oath hee had made to Abraham Isaac and Jacob hee made known his tender-heartednesse to them that their cries came up to his ears and that he was affected with their sorrows and would no longer indure the Egyptians to oppress them he made known his mighty power unto them that hee was stronger than Pharaoh and all his strength Deut. 4.34 35. hath God assayed to go and take him a Nation from the middest of another Nation by temptations by signs and by wonders by warre by a mighty hand by a stretched out arm and by great terror according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes unto thee it was shewed that thou mightest know that the Lord hee is God The Lord made himself known by these in an eminent manner unto them It is Gods way and wont to appear to his in the time of their calamitie and darkness Isa 54.11 12 13 14. O thou afflicted tossed with tempests and not comforted Behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with Saphires I will make thy windows of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant stones And all thy Children shall bee taught of the Lord and great shall bee the peace of thy Children in righteousnesse shalt thou be established c. What a precious glorious discovery of God was here unto the Church being in a storm So when Rachel wept for her Children and refused to bee comforted because they were not how did the Lord break out of the Clouds and shine when hee said to her refrain thy voice from weeping and thine eyes from tears for thy work shall bee rewarded saith the Lord and they shall come again from the land of the enemie In the time of affliction Gods words and works are more observed take deeper impression indear more unto him therefore hee loves to manifest himself in them Obs 4 God knowing mens weaknesse condiscends for to strengthen and establish them in the assurance of his favour towards them Not onely by word and works did God evidence it that the seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob were his chosen ones his people which might have sufficed but hee took his oath on 't I lifted up my hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob yea that it might bee the more firm hee doubled it When I lifted up my hand unto them Saying I am the Lord your God For God to tell any people hee hath chosen them argues great favour then to appear unto them and make large manifestations of himself and his good will unto them by words providentiall and wonderful working for them argues more and more favour and then to swear unto them or declare hee hath sworn unto them and not onely to do some few things for them but to bee their God this is height of favour wonderful stooping on Gods part and this hee did to confirm their hearts in assurance of his love God cannot falsify his word much lesse his Oath God did swear that Abraham and his seed might have strong consolation not stagger question his love any more and the Apostle applies it to himself Heb. 6.17 18. to all beleevers who are heirs of the promise and under the oath of God that we might have strong consolation Vers 6 In that day that I lifted up my hand unto them to bring them forth of the Land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them flowing with milk and honey which is the glory of all lands God having chosen the Jews to bee his people made himself known unto them and professed himself to be their God here hee tells them of the good promise hee made unto them which was to bring them out of Egypt into Canaan The praise and encomium whereof is set out more fully in this ver than in any part of holy writ besides its threefold 1 From the discoverer it was a land of Gods looking out for them 2 From the Commodities it had that in plenty it flowed with milk and honey 3 From the eminency of it above other Lands it is the glory of all Lands Of Lifting up the Hand hath been spoken in the former

God being his image and glory and woman represents man and so is his image and glory 5 She is a Crown to her Husband a great ornament unto him Prov. 12.4 6 She is the builder of the house Ruth 4.11 Rachel and Leah did build the house of Israel 7 She is a companion in all conditions the wife of thy youth and the wife of thine age Prov. 5.18 8 Shee is a bosome friend in whom the heart of her Husband may safely trust Prov. 31.11 9 She is an heir of the grace of life together with her Husband 1 Pet. 3.7 These things besides beauty amiablenesse and sweetnesse of nature do indear wives to Husbands and so cause them to eye and minde them the more for Oculos conjicimus in rem ceu personam nob●s charam things or persons which are dear to us our thoughts our eyes are upon where Love is there will bee the eye Christ loved his Church dearly and therefore said Cant. 2.14 Let me see thy countenance the Church was black chap. 1.5 yet the delight of Christs eyes because shee had inward glory beauty excellency so many wives though they bee not outwardly so amiable and beautiful as others yet they may have inward vertues excellencies and those graces which may make them the desires of Husbands eyes if gratious themselves and if such inward attractives bee wanting propriety may do it Every one affects what is his own a peece of Land a House a Ship a Childe that is ones own is more delightful to the owner then what is anothers Doubtlesse Ezekiels wife was amiable vertuous gratious indeared much unto him upon several grounds so that shee was a delight unto and the desire of his eyes else the Lord would not have forbidden him to mourn and weep for her His love was such to her that it would have carried him out strongly thereunto if the Lord had not prohibited it With a stroak The Hebrew is Bemaggepheh which Montanus renders in percussione in striking or by a stroak it s from Nagaph which signifies to beat to smite yea ad internecionem percutere to smite unto death it hath some affinity with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to touch or hurt more lightly but this notes hurting more vehemently and is applied in scripture to Gods striking with extraordinary judgements as Exod. 8.2 I will smite all thy borders with Frogs 1 Sam. 4.2 Israel was smitten before the Philistims 2 Chron. 13.15 God smote Jeroboam and all Israel Exod. 12.29 At midnight the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt Hence the Nowns Negeph and Maggephah signifie a stroak and the heavy stroaks of God Exod. 9.14 I will at this time send all my Plagues upon thy heart and upon thy servants and upon thy people the word for Plagues is the same with that here the ten Plagues of Egypt were ten stroakes of God sometimes the word is put for that sad stroak of God viz. the Plague Numb 16.46 Hechel Hannageph the Plague is begunne Some think the stroak here was the Plague but whether that an Apoplexy Impostume or Palsy is not set down this onely wee have for certain that it was suddain whatever it was she did not lye long with a pining disease but was suddainly snatched away from Ezekiel Yet neither shalt thou mourn The Jews were wont to honour their dead with great mourning when Aaron dyed they mourned for him thirty daies Numb 20.29 and so many daies they mourned for Moses Deut. 34.8 Joseph mourned forty daies for the death of his Father Jacob in Egypt and seven daies after that in the Land of Canaan Gen. 50.3 10. and seven daies mourning for the dead was the ordinary practice as Ecclesiasticus observes cha 22.12 but Ezekiel is here forbid to mourn at all in a publike and solemn manner The Hebrew word for mourning is Suphad which notes mourning by striking the head or breast and refers most Ad Pompam funebrem Nor weep neither shall thy tears run down The word for weeping in Hebrew is Bacah which signifies weeping cum elevatione vocis as Judges 2.4 Job 2.12 They lift up their voices and wept and herein it differs from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to weep also but silently without noise Weeping oft is a great ease to the heart but Ezekiel must not testify any grief by voice tears or any outward gesture 17 Forbear to cry The Hebrew is Heaneck dom tace clamando hold thy peace from crying The Vulgar is Ingemisce tacens sigh holding thy peace so sigh as none may hear thee Others allow not so much as sighing but read the words thus a gemitu tace let there be no sign of any sigh Make no mourning for the dead The Jews were wont to bewail their dead 2 Chron. 35.24 25. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah Jeremy lamented for him and all the singing men and singing women Abraham mourned for Sarah Gen. 23.2 they were wont to cry Ah my Brother Ah my Sister Jerem. 22.18 to cut and make themselves bald in their Lamentations for their dead Jer. 16.6 which was forbid the Priests Levit. 21.5 though they might mourn for their near kindred ibid. v. 23. but Ezekiel must make no mourning he must not put on Sackcloath shave his head or the corners of his beard nor cut his flesh at all he is forbid all funeral pompe and expressions Binde the tire of thine head upon thee It was in practice among the Jews sometimes to cover their heads in their mournings as being unworthy to see the light or any creatures and sometimes to uncover them as not being worthy of any Ornament 2 Sam. 15.32 David and those with him had their heads covered and went weeping Levit. 10.6 When Nadab and Abihu were destroyed by fire and Aaron with his remaining Sonnes had great cause to mourn Moses commands them not to uncover their heads or rend their cloaths clearly demonstrating that that was their custome in their mournings They made bare their heads and laid ashes or earth upon them as you may see 1 Sam. 4.12 Lament 2.10 This Ezekiel might not do hee must not throw off his head tire The word is Peer or Pear which signifies Gloria ornamentum decus what ever the Prophet did wear upon his head hee must keep it on and not lay it aside And put on thy shooes upon thy feet In their mournings and funerals they went bare-foot 2 Sam. 15.30 David was bare-foot when hee went up the ascent of Mount Olivet Antonius Margarita who of a Jew became Christian and writ of the Rites of the Jews saith that the kindred at the death of a friend do tear their garments eat nothing that day in that house but abroad that they eat no flesh drink no wine unlesse it be upon the Sabbath and that they follow the Hearse nudis pedibus To this agrees what Leo Modena hath lately commended to the world The nearest kindred of