so orders his judgements that they shall affect others and be had in remembrance This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her the Daughters of the Nation shall lament for her Destruction of great Kings and Kingdomes have many thiags considerable in them there is much of Gods power justice and severity in the same which God will have to be observed and remembred in the world Ezek. 19.14 When God destroyed the Princes of Israel and laid the Land of Judah waste what then This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation Verses 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. It came to passe also in the twelfth year in the fifteenth day of the month that the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man wail for the multitude of Egypt and cast them down even her and the Daughters of the famous Nations unto the nether parts of the earth with them that go down into the pit Whom dost thou passe in beauty go down and he thou laid with the uncircumcised They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword she is delivered to the sword draw her and all her multitudes The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him they are gone down they lie uncircumcised slain by the sword Ashur is there and all her company his graves are about him all of them slain fallen by the sword Whose Graves are set in the sides of the pit and her company is round about her Grave all of them slain fallen by the sword which caused terrour in the land of the living AT this 17. verse begins the second prophesie and general part of the Chapter in which these things are considerable 1. The Time of this Prophesie vers 17. 2. The Funeral of Egypt with the solemnity thereof which is commanded declared and confirmed vers 18 19 20 21. and so on to the 31. 3. The Conclusion of the prophesie vers 31 32. Vers 17. In the twelfth year the fifteenth day of the mouth It was in the twelfth year of their captivity and the fifteenth day of the twelfth month as it is vers 1. fourteen dayes after the former prophesie and upon the third Sabbath as Junius observes then came this Prophesie unto Ezekiel Vers 18. Wayl for the multitude of Egypt The word Nahah to lament signifies internal grief The Prophet is bid not to feign a grief or a Funeral complaint but to be reall to mourn or to prophesie what mourning should be at the Funeral of Egypt Cast them down even her and the Daughters of the famous Nations The Prophet was to do this Prophetically as Jeremy was to root out pull down to destroy and cast down Jerem. 1.10 He prophesied such things and thereupon was said to do them and so Ezekiel was to prophesie the casting down of Egypt her King and People and the Daughters of famous Nations those that did confederate with her Cityes or People and because of this he is said to cast them down its Gods work to cast down to throw into the grave and pit but his Prophets declaring what shall be are said to do the same Vnto the nether parts of the Earth The Hebrew is El Erez tachtijoth in terram inferorum into the Land of hell or into the lowest part of the earth Vers 19. Whom dost thou passe in beauty Egypt thou thinkest thy self more beautiful than other Nations that thou hast some excellency beyond them suppose thou hadst that must not exempt thee from the common condition of Nations but thou hast not any beauty excellency beyond them nay thou art short of them therefore lay aside such thoughts they who were more beautiful and pleasant than thy self they are gone down into the pit therefore Go down and be thou laid with the uncircumcised Thou must not look for any priviledge above other Nations thou mayest conceit thy counterfeit circumcision will advantage thee Erant Egyptii circumcifi ut Herodotus in Euterpe docet Junius but thou art deceived away down to the Grave and lye with the uncircumcised thy portion must be with the profanest The word for be thou laid signifies to sleepe also and may be thus rendred sleep with the uncircumcised Vers 20. They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword They that were confederate with thee and thou with them shall fall by the Chaldaean sword which hath commission to cut you all off and to send you to the state of those that formerly were slain by the sword you think your self invulnerable but you shall find the points of the Chaldaeans swords be sharp and will enter She is delivered to the sword Egypt or the multitude of Egypt is delivered to the sword appointed to be slain The Hebrew may be rendred thus The sword is delivered or given viz into the hand of the Babylonian to destroy the Egyptian withall Draw her and all her multitude Draw her Egypt and her People into the grave The Babylonians slay her and hers the sword is in their hand and then drag them into the pit But these and the former words may be taken otherwise as to note out the stately Funeral of Egypt She is delivered to the Sword or the Sword is laid under her head or by her side to shew that she was warlike Draw her and all her multitude Let her body being put into a Chariot be drawn in pomp and state Vide-Junium like unto the bodies of great Ones First Observe God made known his mind to his Prophets by degrees something they had in one year given out somewhat in another year sometimes in one month sometimes in another God spake unto them Here in the twelfth year the fifteenth day of the month the word of the Lord came unto Ezekiel God had appeared to him the first day and again the fifteenth day Secondly Observe There be seasons to mourn in as well as to rejoyce in Son of man wail for the multitude of Egypt The providence of God doth not act constantly in one way but it makes changes and alterations which afford occasion to mourn and to laugh When God carryed the Jewes into Babylon there they hung up their Harps and wept Psal 137. and when he brought them back again it was with singing Isa 48.20 Thirdly Observe That at the appointment of God we may lament for the sins and juâ—gements of God upon the Churches enemies secret or open The Egyptians were never reall friends to the Jews but were their secret if not their open enemies and now when Gods hand was heavy upon them for their sins the Prophet is commanded to wail for them When the Churches enemies suffer we are to rejoyce but if God calls to mourning for their sufferings we must do it Fourthly Observe The greatest in the greatest Kingdomes have no cause to glory and lift up themselves above others seeing they must come to the common
to sin to oppose him one ought to be subject unto such transgsessours were the Jews they opposed God Therefore hid I my face from them To hide the face from them imports 1. The denying of them his Favour his Counsel his Help and Secondly Declaring his Anger and Severity by sharp judgements Ps 80 3. Cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved God's face was clouded and hid from his Church so that it had neither Favour Counsel nor Help from him but sad afflictions and judgements for he was angry with the Prayers of his people he fed them with thc bread of Tears and gave them Tears to drink in great measure therein he sorely afflicted them And gave them into the hand of their enemies This followed upon God's hiding his face they felt acts of his displeasure he gave or delivered them up into the hands of their enemies he caused Nebuchadnezzar to come besiege Jerusalem and to take it and then God gives into the hand of others when his Providence acts and orders things so that men come under their power So fell they all by the sword Some were carried into Captivity some fled some were left in the Land after Nebuchadnezzar and his Forces returned to Babylon How then is it said They all fell by the sword The sense is They were all brought under by the Power of the sword not all kill'd that were made subject and some of all sorts kill'd Verse 24. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them Here God anticipates what Jews and Gentiles might Object viz. That he dealt very harshly yea cruelly with them in breaking them to pieces in un-Churching and un-Stating of them but he tells them What he did was according to their uncleanness and their transgressions he did nothing but what they had deserved First Observe God doth with-hold Mercies from his people and lay sad judgements upon them for their sins The house of Israel went into Captivity for their iniquities Because they trespassed against God Therefore did he hide his face from them Therefore did he give them into the hand of their enemies Therefore they fell by the sword and were brought into subjection If God's own people sin they shall smart for it he will not countenance them hear their Prayers give them Counsel nor put forth his hand to help them Isai 59.1 Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear but your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear Sin is of that nature that it turns away God's face from his own people that it stops his ear against their prayers and shrinks up his arm so that there is no help for them And not onely doth it keep good things from them Jer. 5.25 but draw evils upon them Neh. 13.18 It was Israels sins brought judgement upon them and their City Secondly Observe God will convince his enemies of the true cause of his executing dreadful judgements upon his people Thc Heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into Captivity for their Iniquity They thought there were other grounds for it That God could not preserve them against such a potent adversary as Nebuchadnezzar was that his Power and Wisdom was not such as was in their gods but the Lord made them know these were not the grounds why the house of Israel suffered such grievous things but that it was their Iniquities Transgressions and Uncleannesses which brought Judgements upon them When Heathens saw what was done to Jerusalem and being unsatisfied asked the Question Wherefore hath the Lord done this unto this great City What is he unfaithful to his people Could he preserve it no longer Are our gods stronger then the God of Israel No no these things are not the cause Tell them saith he what 's the true cause It 's Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God and worshipped other gods and served them Jer. 22.8 9. Thirdly Observe None have just ground of complaint whatsoever Judgements are upon them howsoever God deal by them According to their uncleannesses and according to their transgressions have I done unto them their sins have been great and I have executed great judgements upon them They fill'd up the Ephah with wickedness and I fill'd up the Vial with wrath They drove me out of my Sanctuary and I drove them out of my Land they turn'd their hearts from me and I hid my face from them Gods judgements are righteous he wrongs no man no Nation men have cause to complain of their sins not his judgements see Lament 3.39 Psal 145.17 Vers 25 26 27 28 29. 25. Therefore thus saith the Lord God Now will I bring again the Captivity of Jacob and have mercy upon the whole House of Israel and will be jealous for my holy Name 26. After that they have born their shame and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me when they dwelt safely in their Land and none made them afraid 27. When I have brought them again from the people and gathered them out of their Enemies Lands and am sanctified in them in the sight of many Nations 28. Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God which caused them to be led into Captivity among the Heathen but I have gathered them into their own Land and have left none of them any more there 29. Neither will I hide my face any more from them for I have poured out my Spirit upon the House of Israel saith the Lord God THe gracious goodness of God towards his people appears in these verses where we have 1. The Reduction and gathering of them into their own Land vers 25 27 28. 2. The Causes moving God to do so which are his Mercy and his Jealousie v. 25. 3. The Time when they shall be reduced v. 26. 4. The events following the same which are 1. Acknowledgment of God to be their God v. 28. 2. The Light of Gods Countenance v. 29. 3. Pouring out of the Spirit Vers 25. Now will I bring again the Captivity of Jacob. If we referr these words to the Captive Jews in Babylon the time was drawing nigh of their deliverance and therefore the Lord saith Now will I bring again the Captivity of Jacob that is the Posterity of Jacob being in Captivity but if we referr these words to what went before in the Chapter the sense is Gog and Magog being destroyed and their Funeral over Now will I bring again the Captivity of Jacob the dispersed Jews or Believers who were the seed of Jacob. A spiritual Reduction is here understood by some And have mercy upon the whole House of Israel Then God will have mercy not on two Tribes but all the Tribes on the whole House of Israel hitherto it hath not been but it shall be God will
Christ The Corrinthians were called out of the world to be Saints 1 Cor. 1.2 And the Macedonian Churches gave up themselves to the Lord 2 Cor. 8.5 So that all the Churches of God are a chosen generation an holy nation 1 Pet. 2.9 Cant. 4.7 Unholy ones who are without in the profane world should not enter into the Church God hath set a wall of discipline to keep them out that the Church may not be defiled by them It 's said of the New Jerusalem That there shall in no wise any thing enter into it that defileth the Angels will keep them out for at the twelve Gates thereof will be twelve Angels Rev. 21.12 who will let none in but Saints so that all her people shall be righteous Isa 60.21 The EXPOSITION continued upon the Remaining Chapters of EZEKIEL CHAP. XLIII Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. 1. Afterwards he brought me to the Gate even the Gate that looketh toward the East 2. And behold the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the East and his voice was like a noise of many waters and the earth shined with his glory 3. And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the City and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar and I fell upon my face 4. And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the Gate whose prospect is towards the East 5. So the spirit took me up and brought me into the inner Court and behold the glory of the Lord filled the house 6. And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house and the man stood by me THIS Chapter and the next in general speaks of the Ministery and Sacred Worship of the new Temple more particularly in this 43. Chapter we have 1. A New Vision in the first 6. verses 2. The speech of the Lord unto the Prophet from the 7. vers to the end of the Chapter Concerning the New Vision things considerable are 1. The time when it was 2. The place where it was 3. The object of this Vision where we are to note 1. The place whence it came 2. The sign of it 3. The effects of it 4. The resemblance of it 5. The receptacle of it 4. The Consequents of it which are 1. The Spirit 's raising up the Prophet 2. His leading him into the inner Court 3. The filling of the Temple with glory 4. The Lord 's speaking to the Prophet 5. The presence of Christ with the Prophet For the 1. When it was that Ezekiel had this Vision Not at his first coming to the Temple but after he had been led from place to place seen the several Gates Courts Chambers Parts Appurtenances Ornaments of the Temple and all exactly measured within and without after those things he had this Vision Which insinuates thus much that after men have waited upon Christ followed him and learned the nature and condition of the Church invisible and visible then the Lord affords Visions of himself and his glory when men come first to Sion enter into Church-fellowship they must not think to see the glory of God till they are acquainted with the inward glory and outward beauty of the Church till they understand the measuring of Christ therein Those that are in the Church in due time see glory It 's good to be there and to wait being there 2. The place was at the East-gate He was brought from the West-side of the Temple to the East-gate where he had this Vision coming out of the East Christ is Sol justitiae the Sun of righteousness and the Sun's motion is from the East Westward So here this glorious Vision came out of the East and entred by the East-gate which led directly to the Sanctum Sanctorum It 's the Lord Christ brings us out of darkness to light and shews us the way into the Temple and Most Holy place 3. The object Glory Behold the glory of the God of Israel That was some figure image or manifestation representing the glory of God In Chap. 1.26 27. Ezek. saw the likeness of a Throne of a man of fire And Chap. 8.4 Chap. 10.18 There were visions where he beheld the glory of the God of Israel and the glory departing that is some representation of his glories which was leaving the Temple and them signifying that God was wroth with them and departing from them But here the glory was coming to them importing that God's wrath was laid down their sins pardoned and he gratiously reconciled unto them It was sin caus'd the glory to depart mans wickedness draws the glory away but nothing in or of man caus'd the glory to return It 's said the glory came it came freely un-deservedly un-expectedly there was cause of great mourning when it departed and there was as great cause of rejoycing when it returned Whence came it from the way of the East Christ's star was seen in the East Mat. 2.2 His coming was from thence Zechar. 3.8 Chap. 6.12 Christ is call'd Tzemach which the Septuag render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vulg. Oriens that is the East Because Christ should come from heaven and inlighten the dark world as the Sun doth when it riseth in the East Luke in his 1. Chap. vers 78. calls Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render the Day-spring and may be rendred the East for the day springs in the East first be it East or day-spring it 's from on High Christ came from heaven to bring light into the blind world Hence saith Christ Joh. 8.12 I am the light of the world the great light the Sun of it which râ—sing in the East shines into the utmost parts of the West The next thing it the sign of the glory And that was a voice such a voice as was like the noise of many waters in the 1 Chap. vers 24. When the Cherubims went the noise of their wings was like the noise of great waters As the voice of the almighty waters use to roar and make a great noise Jer. 31.35 and 51.55 Such waters are strong and there is no resistance of them men cannot row or sail against them This voice minds us of the voice of Christ in the Gospel The sound whereof went into all the earth Rom. 10.18 Rev. 1.18 Christ's voice is said to be as the sound of many waters it was strong and irresistible He taught them with Majesty and Authority Mat. 7.29 They were not able to answer him Mat. 22.46 Joh. 8.9 not to withstand the wisdome and truths he put into his disciples Luk. 21.15 Act. 6.10 Rev. 11.5 Christ's voice in the Gospel is an efficacious voice The Effects of it were two First The earth shined with his glory Before the coming of Christ the world was full of Heathenish and Hellish darkness and Canaan was full of Types Ceremonies and Shadows
475 476. There is a time for Christ to reign over the Jews 478. In his kingdom no succession of Princes 479. He is chief builder of the Church 288 he is the way the do or 289. he is the altar table sacrifice 322. stands by his servants in Temple-work 349. an Altar Harel and Haariel 371 372. he measures all 556 Christians liked to trees in eight respects 565 566. true ones are fruitful 576. always fruitful ibid. 577. what makes them so ib. Christianity not against Magistracy 412 413 Church God hath a special care of it being exposed to many dangers 108. others fare the better for the Churches sake 228. freed from former evils 240 241. when most afflicted most cared for 285. Church subject to calamities 202. what shall comfort her 203. God will revenge her wrongs 213. Cared for in lowest estate 287. what its called ibid. and 288. it s well seated and ordered ib. it s an house not a tabernacle 291. the greatness of it 302 314. visible and likned to visible things 326 327. under various dispensations 327 328. It s an exact building 336. the extent and latitude of it 337. stability lustre safety and holiness of it ibid. and 338. God made known there 348. Church-work must be according to the pattern God gives 164. hath distinct laws of its own 365. what it shall be ibid. made up of holy ones 368. it s holy most pure part of the world 404. It s large ibid. in is provision and protection 405 407 594. it Christs portion ibid. it s large under the Gospel 582. Who members of it ibid. and 583 priviledges of it equal to all 583. all blessings of it of free grace ibid. Gentiles of it 584 Church-state preserves propriety and mens rights 405 City Citizens what and what to do 595. description of it 599 500 601. c. difference between Ezekiels City and Johns 602 603. what meant by it ibid. it s well founded great receives many 604 c. Cities have their periods 143 Communion with God exprest by eating 382 Complaint no cause to complain of Gods dealings 226 Condition none so desparate but God can bring out of 402. see State Confederates with great ones must suffer 228 Contradictions seeming in Scripture 236 362 411 Controversies how and by whom to be determined 396 Conversion of sinners a gradual work 559. Covenant Of making or cutting a Covenant 218 481 condescention in God to enter into Covenant with man 220. what it should work 221. those in covenant nothing shall hurt 223. God doth much for them 380 Covetousness what it doth 162. its professors sin 166. evil of it 167. men coveting what is others lose their own 273 Court of aid 301. what the Courts represented ib. and 302 Cuhit the legal and Sanctuary one differ and wherein â—91 D DAy of the Lord how taken 3. sad days succeed merry ones 6. approach of such days matter of mourning 7. the day of a place 11. of recompence to godly 245. Lords day the eighth and first 377 Daughters how taken 25 David Christ so called upon what account 471 472 Dead to be buried after great victories 252. ignominious to be unburied 260 Death no defence against it 92 Deliverance is from the Lord 469 Desert men think they deserve 387 Design Gods designs go on whatever obstacle be in the way 17 496 Difference to be made in things and persons 395 Divine things our hearts and minds should be upon them 289 380. attained by degrees by labour by progress 295 those have the charge of them must be exact 387 546 revealed by degrees 564 Doing of the word is expected by the Lord 171 366 Dâ—ors of the temple what they note 322 Doubling of words in Hebrew note a superlative 366 Dwellings God knows them and what sins are acted in them 468 E EAst notes spiritual things West temporal 293. east-gate 343. Christ from thence ibid. Eastern worship not allowed 554 Eating bread before the Lord what it imports 382 383 Edomites 254 255 Enemie 235. God is an enemy to his peoples enemies 252. harsh dealings insences him 253. they add affliction to the afflicted 285 286. Enemies are from all quarters 496. make great preparation 497. they watch and seek occasion to ruine the Church 209. have helpers to do it 214. their coming against the Church not casual 218 Envy whence it ariseth 47 the nature of it 263 Ephah what 411 Ethiopia whence so named 4. Ethiopians baptised rebaptise themselves yearly ibid. two Ethiopia's 11 Exactions 410 Examples are to teach 60 Expectation of the wicked disappointed 259 F FAce Hiding of Gods what 264 Family God may dispose of families where he pleases 497 Favour Gods not alike dispensed to all 376 Fâ—ast of Tabernacles 420 Fish their properties 568 569 Flock such as have need of shepherds 186. where faithful ones are what is a prey to all 191. it meets with scattering storms sometimes 199. God a good shepherd over it 200. in the flock are fat and lean goats and Rams 206. God will distinguish between the good and the bad 208. his flock is peculiar owned fed 245 consists of weak ones 246. its comfort lieth in manifestation 246. the holy flock 400 Forms of the house what they note 362 Foundation what 4 Funeral of what dead the priest might be at 397 Fury what 282 220 G GAtes of the Temple what they hint 294 of East gate 343. gate shut what 380 381. wherefore shut 381 382. when shut and when to be open 530 531. Heaven gate when open ibid. gate standing open till even what it imports 533 Gerash what driving out it notes 51 Glory there is glory in the Church 337. We must be acquainted with that glory before we see the glory of God 342. glory of God what 343. receptacle of it 345 346. when glory departs its but for a season 346 sight of glory an humbling thing 347. filled with glory 348 God he breaks the urms of the great ones 33. he wounds them incurably ibid. dreadful to have him an enemy 34. he hath instruments fit for his work 54. prophets to tell the worst of Princes their wickedness 66 God makes use of one King to punish another 78 79. he is faithful in performing his word 144. confirms truths by witness and signs ibid. Gods condescention vide Covenant He takes notice of all that is thought and spoken aganist his 268 269. rejoycing at the calamities of his people provokes much 286 when reconciled to his he multiplies blessings 224. he deals best with his at last ibid. turns evils into blessings 295. what God doth for his own sake 309 when he doth great things for them 315. its his mercy to retake a revolted peoyle 376. happy whom God owns 377. accepts according to mens abilities 535. God a free agent nothing moves him 449. when he begins to shew mercy he multiples it 467. he makes clean 469. takes pleasure in cleansed ones 470. at his pleasure can bring Armies
THE EXPOSITION CONTINUED UPON The Nineteen last Chapters of the PROPHET EZEKIEL WITH Many useful OBSERVATIONS thereupon DELIVERED In several LECTURES in London By WILLIAM GREENHIL Prov. 23.26 Buy the truth and sell it not Veritas est animae Pabulum Lact. Sponsa intellectus Mirand Cujus aures veritati sunt clausae ab amico verum audire nequeat hujus salus desperanda est Cicer. de Amiciti LONDON Printed for â—homas Parkhurst at the three Crowns in Cheapside overagainst the great Conduit 1662. TO THE Christian Reader AND Especially to those who helped on and countenanced THE EXPOSITORIE-WOORK THis is the fift and last part upon Ezekiel which was finished in the latter end of the year 1654. and hath been latent full seven years like Josiah in the Temple but now through the instigation of learned and godly Ministers some others and considerations of mine own cometh to publick view Ezekiel prophesied unto the Jews who were then the only people God had in the world and honoured with singular Titles Sons of the living God (a) Hos 1.10 his first born (b) Exod. 4.22 his inheritance (c) Isa 19.29 his peculiar Treasure (d) Ps 134 â— his pleasant Portion (e) Jer. 12.10 a noble Vine (f) Jer. 2.21 the holy flock (g) Ezek. 36 38. a chosen generation h Isa 41.11.9 1 Pet. 2 8 the Lords glory i Ps 78.61 the dearly beloved of his Soul k Ier. 12.7 indued with great Priviledges l Rom. 9 45. yet were they not exempted from afflictive and severe sufferings they were a Reproach to the Heathen a mocking to all Countries and much vexed m Ezek. 22.15 The Pestilence Sword and Famine consumed them so that the pitiful women did eat their own children n Lam 4.10 and pluckt off their own breasts o Ezek. 23 3â— the Priests and Elders gave up the ghost while they sought for meat to releive their souls p Lam. 1.19 those brought up in Scarlet imbraced dunghils q Lam. 4.5 the women were ravished in Sion the maids in the Cities of Judah and Princes were hanged up by their hands r Lam. 5.11.12 they could not walk safely in the Streets Å¿ Lam. 4.18 their necks were under persecution t Lam. 5.5 Lyons Tiglath-pileser and Shalmaneser took away the ten Tribes and Nebuchadnezzer broke the bones of Judah and Benjamin u Ier. 50.17 He burnt the Temple and Citie he ruined Church and State and carried the Jews into Captivity where they suffered unspeakable miserie The Prophet tels us that their punishment was greater then the Sodomites w Lam. 4 6. That which chiefly provoked God to deal thus severely with them as Ezekiel and others testifie was their leaving his pure worship Ordinances and Institutions falling to false wayes of worship and compliance with the Nations They had the Image of Jealousie x Ezek. 8.3 the Altar of Damascus y 2 King 16. the Statutes of Omri z Mic. 6.16 High places a 2 Chron. 20.33 Traditions and Statutes of their Fathers b Ezek. 20.18 Ier. 9.14 customes of the Nations they set their posts with Gods posts worshiped with their faces toward the East c Ezek. 8.16 they would be as the Heathens and walk after their own Imaginations e Ier. 18 12. whereas they should have walked in Gods Laws Statutes f Ezek. 20.19 when therefore the house of Israel degenerated into dross d Ezek. 20.32 God gathered them into the Furnace poured out his fury upon them g Ezek. 22.19.20.21.22 Apostatizing from the pure worship of God to the superstitious Rites and Ceremonies of men provokes bitterly It is a Reproach to God his Worship Truth and Ordinances it is a violaon of former promises it is high Ingratitude and Rebellion against God it is a great scandal to all the godly especially the weak it encourages justifies and hardens the wicked it ruines souls gratifies Satan it exposeth men to visible and unavoidable judgements When the Jews purposed to leave the Lords Tents and fall to Babylonish Temples Ezek. 20.22.23 Then did he swear that he would rule over them with Furie This should caution us to keep distance from inward approbation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellatione omnia ea intelliguntur quae homines coleâ—do aut representando numini solent comminisci Bez. vid. Leigh in Verbo and outward compliance with either Jewish Ceremonies or Romish Rites The first are abrogated by the Lord and it may be Jericho work to raise them up again The other are the Mark of the Beast and it s not safe to bear that Mark Rev. 14.9 16.2 God is a jealous God and would not have his to Symbolize with Idolatrous or superstitious practices He forbad his people to take or desire in their hearts the silver and gold was upon Idols 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they might not touch with their hearts or hands any thing belonged to them they might not do as other Nations Deut. 7.25 nor enquire after their gods Levit. 18.2 and mode of worship Deut. 12.30 In Treatise of Idoâ—â—tr chap. 11. §. 1. They might not be like the Nations in Apparrel and Hair saith Maymonie much more not in the service and Worship of God we should not be as other Nations but keep Gods Ordinances and walk therein Levit. 18. Symbolizing with Idolatrous worship persons or things Isâ— 52.11 God allows not In Babylon they might not touch any unclean thing and shall we in Sion where all is to be pure according to the mind of the Holy one of Sion This made that great Apostle Paul say 2 Cor. 6 17. touch not the unclean thing whatsoever is from man in the worship of God hath aliquid faecis terrae like the man whence it comes and is an unclean thing if non-touching do cause Suffering casting out or off God wil receive be a Father recompense sufferings God would not have his touch or countenance any corruption in worship When the Damascene Altar was in the Temple â—ings 16.14 Ezek. 9.2 and Gods Altar removed out of its place our Saviour and those with him did not appear at that Altar lest they should seem to countenance it but at the Brason Altar though deserted and despised As Christ will own nothing but what is appointed of the Lord so those are with him will not own the susuperstitious appointments of men but cleave to the Institutions of God though out of place and despised The Papists say of the Protestants that in matters of Religion in praying reading their books hearing their Sermons Rehmist on epist of Iohn v. 10 presence at their service partaking of their Sacraments and all other communicating with them in spiritual things is a great damnable sin If they hold it so sinfull to communicate with us in the
Heylin ubi ante because those Lydians were too farre off to be helpfull to the Egyptians he therefore makes it to be Lydda Acts 9.32 where Peter heal'd Aeneas This City was in the Tribe of Ephraim near unto Joppa It was therefore taken by Nebuchadnezzar before when he took Jerusalem and made the whole Land Tributary unto him The distance of Lydia was not such as to hinder the Egyptians from confederating with them they were on the one side of the Mediterranean Sea and the Lydians on the other And all the mingled people Montanus saith All the Vulgar The Hebrew is Col haeref which Junius Piscator and Others render tota miscellanea turba all the mixt Company that is those that came from other Parts to be milltes conducti to serve the Egyptians for pay When Wars are among Nations strangers will flock out of all Parts unto them to be their Auxilaries Some make them the Arabians Chub. This word is no where else in holy Writ Symmachus thought it to be Arabia but Interpreters by it understand the Cubaeans people in the inward Lybia near unto the River Nigris where Ptolomy in his Geography places the City Cuphe The Men of the Land that is in League The Hebrew is Filii terrae foederis the Sons of the Land of League Piscator translates the words thus Qui degunt in terra confederata those who live in a Land confederate that is these were confederate with the Egyptians Some put these words upon the Nations which had engaged themselves to help the Egyptians Others more probably put them upon Judaea which was the Land in League with God for God promised it to Abraham and his Posterity whereupon the Jewes were cal'd the Children of the Covenant Acts 2.25 And the Septuagint here have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sons of my Testament or Covenant The Jewes were in League with the Egyptians and after the destruction of Jerusalem Gedaliah being treacherously slain by Ishmael and others Johanan carryeth the Jewes the Sons of the Land in League into Egypt where they suffered by Nebuchadnezzar what the Egyptians did Jer. 43. and 44. Chapters Some fell by the sword some were carryed Captive First Observe After dayes of mirth come dayes of sorrow Egypt had seen many dayes of prosperity and rejoycing and now howle ye woe worth the day Her Summer was over and Winter coming upon her black cloudy stormy terrible days were at hand As there is a change in things so in times Eccles 3.4 There is a time to weep and a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time to dance These succeed each other and neither keeps possession long mirth and jollity is thrust out of doors after a few dayes by its contrary Babylon had her dayes of delight she was given to pleasure Isa 47.8 but suddenly there was a change Jer. 51.8 Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed Howle for her Secondly Observe The approaching of those dayes wherein God will visit and punish sinners is just cause of mourning Howle for the day of the Lord is near a cloudy day The Judgments of God were at hand ready to take hold of the Egyptians therefore they had sufficient cause to howle Isa 13.6 Howl ye for the day of the Lord is at hand It shall come as a destruction from the Almighty It s spoken of the Babylonians who thought themselves safe strong having subdued most Nations but they must howl for that the day of the Lord drew near it should be a day for destruction and not an ordinary destruction but as a destruction from the Almighty it should be such a destruction as should proclaim to the world that the hand of God was eminently in it Joel 2.1 Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the day of the Lord comes for it is nigh at hand The time of Nebuchadnezzar's coming to execute the judgements of God upon Jerusalem and Judaea drew nigh and thereupon the Prophet calls upon all the inhabitants of the land to tremble to repent and mourn there is great and just cause so to do at such times because thereby judgements may be averted delayed mitigated or sanctified unto us Thirdly Observe God hath his times to visit heathens it shall be the time of the heathens If heathens do God any service he hath a time to reward them as he did Nebuchadnezzar by giving him the spoil of Egypt if heathens do provoke him by their pride idolatry profaneness oppression of his people or any other way he hath his time and day to punish them Jer. 46.8 9 10. Egypt riseth up like a flood and his waters are moved like the rivers and he saith I will go up and cover the earth I will destroy the City that was Carchemish by the river Euphrates and the inhabitants thereof Come up ye horses and rage ye chariots and let the mighty men come forth the Ethiopians and the Lybians that handle the shield and the Lydians that handle and bend the Bow For this is the day of the Lord God of Hosts a day of vengeance that he may avenge him of his adversaries The Egyptians Ethiopians Lybians and Lydians were all heathens and God had his day to visit them when they went to Euphrates to fight the Babylonians he made the Babylonish sword drunk with their blood Not long after God had a day for the Babylonians Jer. 50.27 Slay all her bullocks let them go down to the slaughter wâ— unto them for their day is come the time of their visitation The Princes Nobles great Ones who were the Bullocks of Babylon had their day of slaughter Fourthly Observe Where publike judgements come they are troublesome to neighbor Nations The sword shall come upon Egypt and great pain shall be in Ethiopia The evil of the sword was not confined within the Egyptian borders it reached to the Ethiopians and others they were filled with fear they were in pain as a woman in travail when evil borders upon us some evil or mischief is to be feared from thence Aliquid mali propter vicitâ—m malum if our neighbors house be on fire we may fear some sparks of that fire may fall on ours The wars of England have made the Nations about us to be in pain Fifthly Observe Wars lay all waste the sword makes no difference between things or persons The sword shall come upon Egypt and her foundations shall be broken down and the men of the land that is in league shall fall with them by the sword As the sword spared no City Towers Castles so no persons even those Jews that fled to Egypt for safety should not escape what Jews what mingled people it found in Egypt they all suffered alike the sword pittyed spared none Vers 6 7 8 9. Thus saith the Lord they also that uphold Egypt shall fall and the pride of her power shall come down from the Tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the
his top was among the thick boughs The waters made him great the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants and sent out her little Rivers unto all the trees of the Field Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field and his boughs were multiplied and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters when he shot forth All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young and under his shadow dwelt all great Nations Thus was he fair in his greatness in the length of his branches for his root was by great waters The Cedars in the Garden of God could not hide him the Firre-trees were not like his boughes and the Chesnut Trees were not like his branches not any Tree in the Garden of God was like unto him in his beauty I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches so that all the Trees of Eden that were in the Garden of God envied him IN these seven Verses is set forth the power of the King of Assyria who is compared here unto a Cedar which is described First from its place it was in Lebanon ver 3. Secondly from its beauty it had fair branches ver 3. and was fair in greatness and length ver 7. Thirdly from the benefit of it it was a shaddowing shroud Fowls Beasts Men were advantaged by it ver 3 6. Fourthly from the height of it it was very high ver 3. higher then all the trees of the field ver 5. Fifthly from the thickness he had thick boughs ver 3. Sixthly from the cause of all these viz. the Rivers and Waters he was planted by ver 4 5 7. Seventhly from his transcendencie above all other Trees in the Field or Garden ver 5 8 9. Vers 3. Behold the Assyrian Some would have Pharaoh and the Egyptians to be understood by the Assyrian and produce Isai 52.4 for it where it s said my people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause that was Pharaoh and the Egyptians saith A lapide but Interpreters generally understand Sennacherib or Nebuchadnezzar and their people By the Assyrian therefore here is meant the King of Assyria whom diverse Expositors make to be Esarhaddon the third Son of Sennacherib of whom see Isa 37.38 He was King of Assur Ezra 4.2 call'd also the great and noble Asnappar ver 10. He was King of Assyria and Babylonia saith Vsher in his Chronologie Lavater makes him only King of Assyria Page 107. for he saith Ben-Merodach the Governor of Babylon observing that his two Brethren who slew their Father viz. Adramelech and Sharezer lying in waite to dispossess Esarhaddon of the Kingdom he made war upon him overcame him and so rejoyned the Assyrian Kingdom to the Babylonian Whether him Sennacherib or Nebuchadnezzar it was a King of Assyria who was great and powerfull A Cedar in Lebanon That is as a Cedar in Lebanon Lebanon was a great and large Mountain in Canaan full of Cedars and this King of Assyria is likened unto the chiefest of them With fair Branches These Branches were not his Sons and Nobles but the several Provinces belonged unto the Kingdom of Assyria over which his Princes and Nobles did reign Himself was the Cedar these the Branches or Arms. And with a shadowing shroud The word for shroud is Chorash which Montanus renders Caedua Sylva Buxtorf saith its Virgultum densum implexum faciendae umbrae commodum shoots sprouts so thick and intangled together as that they make it shadowie The Septuagint hath the words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thick in the covering this Tree did afford cover and shade to others Of an high stature his top was among the thick bowes The King intended Ezek. 17.6 was like a Vine of low stature but this King was like a Cedar of high stature glorious great and renown'd so high that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his top was in the midst of the clouds like the tree Dan. 4.20 whose height reached to Heaven Vers 4. The waters made him great Some Trees prosper best in dry places some by the waters side the moisture they draw thence makes them to spread and flourish Psal 1.3 The Tree being here Metaphorical so are the waters waters signifie sometimes afflictions Psal 32.6 sometimes wholesome and good doctrine Isai 55.1 sometimes people Rev. 17.15 here riches power victories and such things quibus augenter splendescunt imperia The Assyrian wealth Provinces Victories were as water to his Roots and made him great The deep set him up on high with her Rivers running round about his plants His vast Treasure like a deep not to be drawn drie raised him to such an height as waters do a Cedar He did abound with plenty of all things As Plants which have rivers running round about them do grow and spread so did the King of Assyria and his His riches and greatness were like an Ocean and the Provinces as so many Rivers brought in wealth continually which supplyed them and others And sent out her little rivers unto all the trees of the field Some Commodities some parts of the Assyrian Treasure were derived to other Nations Princes and People or his own Subjects had some share with him in his wealth and greatness all at home and many abroad which were the Trees of the field gained by the Assyrian waters Vers 5. Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field There were diverse Trees in the field which were high many Kings and Princes who were great but the Assyrian was the highest the greatest Cedar and Monarchie then in the world His waters exceeded theirs and they derived moisture from him His boughs were multiplied and his branches became long The boughs and branches of this metaphoricall tree were the Provinces and Countries belonged to the Assyrian Monarchie which were many and extended far even to Media Eastward to Mesopotomia Westward to Armenia minor Northward and to Susiana Southward Because of the multitude of waters when he shot forth Where there is much water and moisture at the root of a Tree there the branches and boughs do shoot forth faster and further then where its wanting The Assyrian having multitude of waters viz. Treasure enlarged his Empire and borders thereby Vers 6. All the Fowls of heaven made their Nests in his boughs By Fowls of Heaven some understand the Nobles and great Ones they built them habitations in his Provinces and Dominions which they peaceably enjoyed as Fowls do their Nests in the boughs of high trees And under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young By Beast of the field A lapide intends the vulgar and more barbarous sort of people The sense is that all kinds of people noble and ignoble rich or poor weak or strong were in safety and
Whale in the Red Sea Thirdly Observe God designes the place of Tyrants suffering and divides the spoyle of them to whom he pleases I will leave thee upon the Land I will cast thee forth upon the open field I will cause all the Fowls of the Heaven to remain upon thee and I will fill the Beasts of the whole earth with thee God drew this Whale out of his Waters unto the place where he and all the Fish adhered unto him were slain and made a spoil to all sorts of people Fourthly Observe When God is in a way of judgement with wicked Princes sometimes he shews exceeding great severity towards them and theirs I will lay thy flesh upon the Mountains and fill the valleys with thy height Thou and thine shall be slain in all places no safety in the Mountains or Vallyes I will also water with thy bloud the Land wherein thou swimmest their bloud should be so shed as to make the Land drunk with it in Vatablus it is inebriabo terram cruore sanguinis tui Vers 7. And when I shall put thee out I will cover the Heaven and make the stars thereof dark Here the Prophet comes to shew the events of this dreadfull and severe judgement of God When I shall put thee out because to shew in extinctione tua Cava or Caba notes such a putting out as is of fire or a Candle when God should extinguish Pharoahs life then should there be no quiet peace joy safety but altogether fighing weeping complaining howling and sad lamentations so great should be the grief and misery of the Egyptiaâ—s that all things should seem dark unto them In extream sorrows visus deficit and persons think the day to be night are destitute of counsel and know-not which way to turn them It s usual in Scripture to set out times of mourning and misery by such expressions as you have here and in the following verse as Joel 3.15 Isai 13.10 Mark 13.24 25. Luke 21.25 Amos 8.9 I will cover the Sun with a cloud and the Moon shall not give her light God hath the power over the Clouds and he can call them forth at his pleasure to do him what service he please he would keep the comfortable beams of the Sun and Moon from them they had darknesse on every side the very Heavens Sun Moon and Starres hid their faces from them Vers 8. All the bright lights of Heaven will I make dark over thee The Hebrew is all the lights of light they should have no benefit by these bright and shining lights of Heaven Mourners use to cover their heads and faces and so the lights of Heaven are as darknesse unto them or they shall seem affected with the sore judgements are upon thee The Vulgar is Omnia luminaria Coeli merere faciam super te I will make all the lights of Heaven to mourn over thee Septuagint All the bright lights of Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And set darknesse upon thy Land Darknesse is frequently in the word used for affliction and grief a sad condition and God would set Egypt yea settle it under darknesse it should be kept in a mourning and miserable condition Vers 9. I will also vex the hearts of many people The word for to vex is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caass which signifies not only to move to anger but also to grieve when people should hear how Pharoah a great King was conquered and his Kingdom laid utterly wast this would grieve vex them especially when they consider how great Nebuchadnezzar became hereby having all Egypt and the adjacent parts under him When I shall bring thy destruction among the Nations The word for thy destruction is Shibreca Contritionem tuam thy breaking for which the Septuagint hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy captivity The French Ta ruine Thy ruine The Nations thought Egypt impossible to be totally broken and ruined being fortifyed so with Cityes Rivers and the Sea The News of its destruction would vex them to the heart Vers 10. Yea I will make many people amazed at thee When Gods dealings with Pharoah his severe judgements upon him and his came abroad among the people they were amazed not knowing what to think speak or do When strange and dreadful things come suddenly to us they surprise our judgements and we are at a stand And their Kings shall be horribly afraid for thee The People should be amazed and the Kings afraid Chap. 30.4 The Sword shall come upon Egypt and great pâ—in shall be in Ethiopia so in Lybia Lydia and Chub they and their King should be horribly afraid The word to fear is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saor which notes great fear even such fear as is cum erectione pilorum as makes the hair to stand up and the Word is double here They shall fear with a fear be exceedingly afraid for Nebuchadnezzars prevailing over Pharoah When the great Whale is taken the lesser fishes have cause to fear When I shall brandish my Sword before them The Hebrew is Begnophphi Charbi When I shall cause my Sword to fly before them that is in military Language When I shall brandish my Sword before them When Nebuchadnezzar came with his forces to Egypt at the appointment of God and subdued it then he brandished his sword before them And they shall tremble at every moment These words we had in the Chap. 26.16 where they were opened they shall be in a continued fear trembling from day to day least Nebuchadnezzar should fall upon them and bring them to Pharoahs condition Every man for his own life in the day of thy fall When the Sword is abroad mens lives are at stake and when it hath shed so much bloud as to water a Land to fill up valleys and make it reach to mountains who would not fear least his life and bloud go next When a great King and Kingdome falls by the Sword its matter sufficient to make neighbouring Kings and Kingdomes to fear themselves First Observe Great Ones are lights in the world and God extinguisheth those lights at his pleasure When I shall put thee out Princes and great Ones are examples which most follow Beacons upon a Hill Suns in their Orbs which many admire and follow though they light them downward towards the pit of darknesse These be such great lights that men dare not snuff reprove them but God he extinguisheth them he lighted them up and he puts them out Secondly Observe When God puts out great lights breaks the Candlesticks they stood in that is destroyes great Kings and their Kingdoms then sad events do follow then the living and senselesse creatures are troubled Heaven and Earth affected those neer and those far off disquieted Dreadfull judgements have dismall consequents When God destroyed Pharoah and his Army laid waste Egypt then darknesse was upon the Heavens Sun Moon and Stars then darkness was upon the Land then the hearts of many were vexed then Kings were horribly
afraid and quaked every moment for fear of their Kingdoms and lives When Lyons and Whales are caught and kill'd it makes the other Beasts and Fish to fear When the high Cedars fall all the other Trees tremble Verses 11 12 13 14 15 16. For thus saith the Lord God The sword of the King of Babylon shall come upon thee By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall the terrible of the Nations all of them and they shall spoyl the pomp of Egypt and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from besides the great waters neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them Then will I make their waters deep and cause their Rivers to run like Oyl saith the Lord God When I shall make the Land of Egypt desolate and the Countrey shall be destitute of that whereof it was full when I shall smite all them that dwell therein then shall they know that I am the Lord. This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her the Daughters of the Nations shall lament her they shall lament for her even for Egypt and for all her multitude saith the Lord God THese verses belong to the first prophesie in this Chapter and they set out First The Instruments God used in executing the judgements threatned against Pharoah and the Egyptians vers 11 12. Secondly The Facts of these Instruments the King of Babylon and his Army ver 12 13. Thirdly The Events following ver 14 15. Fourthly The Conclusion of the Prophesie vers 16. Vers 11. The Sword of the King of Babylon shall come upon thee I will stir up and bring the King of Babylon with a great army who shall come furnished with all Military preparations against thee and cut thee off Vers 12. By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall The word for mighty is Gibborim Gibbor signifies properly miles robustus as fortis saith Drusius The Septuagint have it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the sword of the Giants Egypt had multitudes but they should fall by the power of these mighty and Giant-like men The Terrible of the Nations all of them This expression The terrible of the Nations we had thrice before Chap 28.7 30.11 31 12. Those men were most barbarous and bloudy tyrannical and pestilent should be imployed in his work The Septuagint calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pestes such as were the plagues of the Countrey such as went up and down robbing stealing and murthering the Vulgar is inexpugnabiles And they shall spoyl the pomp of Egypt There is pomp in Titles pomp in Buildings pomp in feasting and furniture of houses pomp in apparrel pomp in funeralls pomp in worships pomp in multitudes of men Horses and Charets whatever the Egyptian pomp were it should be spoyled Vatablus interprets their pomp to be their dignity or beautifull things Munster makes it Magnificentiam their state and greatnesse Junius makes it the excellency of Egypt that is Kingly Majesty with all the glory and greatness attending the same Vers 13. I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from besides the great waters Egypt abounded with Cattel especially Horses which were serviceable for war and other uses those fed neer to the Rivers cut out of Nilus to water the Land what Beasts soever they were God by the Chaldaeans would destroy them and they should not be any longer nigh the many waters so is the Hebrew Neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them The destruction should be so great that man and beast should be cut off as was said Chap. 29.8 These oft troubled the waters with their feet and hoofs the one with digging the other by trampling in them Vers 14. Then will I make the waters deep and cause their Rivers to run like Oyl Man and Beast being taken away nothing shall trouble the waters but they shall be quiet cleer and smooth as Oyle The Hebrew word for to make deep is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shakah to drown'd to sink faciam ut profundum petunt I will cause their waters to go to the bottom which Piscator interprets of the mud wherewith they had been troubled that should sink and the waters became pure The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will make quiet their waters When they are clean and quiet they run without noise then they are like Oyle The waters of Egypt and of other Nations whom the Egyptians troubled Vers 15. When I shall make the Land of Egypt clesolate and the Countreys destitute He shews when the waters shall be pure and quiet even when the Land is made desolate Hebrew is a desolation And all carryed away with which the Countries abounded Hebrew is shall be destitute of its fullness When I shall smite all them that dwell therein All were not smitten by the sword and destroyed but some were carryed away Captives and that was a smiting Vers 16. This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her This prophesie which I have delivered is the lamentation wherewith Egypt shall be lamented not only I Ezekiel must lament for her but all Nations shall do it The Daughters of the Nations shall lament her they shall lament for her The Cities and people of the Nations hearing of the dreadful judgements of God upon Egypt that that populous strong and flourishing Kingdome is brought to utter ruine and desolation they shall be affected therewith and lament her condition First Observe God makes use of the King and People of one Nation to execute his judgements upon the King and People of another Nation The sword of the King of Babylon shall come upon thee and by the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall Kings and their People are at the dispose of God to call out and imploy where and in what service he pleases he serves himself fulfills his wills and counsels by Kings and great Ones overthrowing one Kingdom by another laying all their pomp and glory in the dust Secondly Observe The sins of Kings and People cause God to execute his sore judgements not only upon themselves but also upon the bruit creatures and things inanimate God would not only destroy Pharoah and his multitude but the Beasts the Cityes and all the fullnesse of the Land in the destruction of these God punished the owners Thirdly Observe By the destruction of Tyrants and their Kingdomes God quiets Nations they by their Power Counsels or Agents trouble their own Kingdomes and others Then will I make their waters deep and cause their Rivers te run like Oyle when I shall make the Land of Egypt desolate When Pharoah and his were cut off they should trouble the waters no more at home nor abroad all should be quiet peaceable oleo tranquillius Fourthly Observe God in his wise providence
The end of Gods blessings is that we may acknowledge and honour him for them I will cause the showres to come in season I will make the Trees fruitful and the earth encrease I will make them safe in their Land and they shall know that I am the Lord. Gods blessings have something of God in them they are glasses and shew us his power wisdome goodnesse and loving kindnesse each of which oblige us to acknowledge him the Authour of them and to honour him for them Fifthly Observe Gods people are sometimes in subjection and bondage to their enemies who make them to serve and serve themselves of them The Jews were under the Babylonish yoke they served and suffered hard things under the Babylonians Jer 50.33 they were oppressed held under and put to do servile things God had told them by the mouth of Jeremy chap. 17.4 that they should serve their enemies and their enemies made them to serve and advantaged themselves by their service Lamen 5.4 5 6. We have drunk our water for money our wood is sold unto us they could neither have water nor fire unlesse they bought or earn'd the same with hard labour Our necks are under persecution we labour and have no rest this iron yoke of Captivity is upon us we labour and serve these Babylonians and yet we have no rest We have not bread to satisfie our hunger They made the young men grinders in the mill ver 13. This was the condition of Gods people in Babylon under Nebuchadrezzar and Belshazzar their grand enemies and such hath been the condition of Gods people since Christs time they have been often in subjection and bondage to Antichrist to Princes and Prelates who have tyrannized over their souls and bodies Sixthly Observe God hath his time to set his at liberty to bre ak te bands and yokes which his are held in When I have broken or shall break the bands of their yoke and deliver them out of the hands of those that made them to serve The Jews found their bands and yokes so strong and fast tyed about their necks that they were without hope of ever having them loosed or removed Ezek 37.11 Our hope is lost this captivity we shall never shake off nor our posterity and the Babylonians they held them fast and refused to let them go Jer 50.33 But when the seventy years were expired when Gods time was come he brake the yokes and bands he knockt them off and set them at liberty for ver 34. Their Redeemer is strong the Lord of Hoasts is his name Let enemies strength be great let their yokes be of iron which they put upon his peoples necks and let them be tyed on with the bands of humane Laws yet God is stronger then they he will break Empires and Emperors in pieces abrogate their Laws loose the bands pull off the yokes and set his people at liberty he will throughly plead their cause give them and their Land rest and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon We were under Romish Antichristian yokes a long time the bands of which were loosened somewhat under Edward the sixth and Queen Elizabeth but they were tying fast again by their Successors and became so heavy that multitudes of our brethren were glad to flye for the burdensomness of those yoaks others cryed unto God to break them in pieces and his time being come he hath done it our Antichristian bands and Babylonish yokes are loosened and knockt off our necks let us take heed least through the abuse of our liberty the Lord cast us into a worse and greater bondage then ever Seventhly Observe Eminent works of God do cause eminent knowledge of God And they shall know me when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them ouâ—â—f the hands of those that served themselves upon them This was an eminent work of God to bring them out of Babylon and this bred eminent knowledge of God in them then they had large experience of Gods power faithfulnesse and goodness unto them that they said The Lord liveth which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the North Countrey and from all Countries whether the Lord had driven them Jer. 23.8 When their captivity was turned then they had such apprehensions of God as fiill'd their mouths with laughter and their tongues with singing Psal 126.1 2 3. then they said The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad Vers 28. And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen neither shall the beasts of the Land devoure them but they shall dwell safely and none shall make them afraid The Jews had oft been a prey to the Heathen the Egyptians Amorites Moabites Midianites Philistims Babylonians and others had oft spoyled and served themselves of them which the Lord laying to heart doth here graciously promise That they shall no more be a prey unto the Nations The Hebrew word for prey is Baz from Bazaz to spoyl to pluck from and the English word is from praeda which some make to be corpora rerum captarum the bodies of things taken or thus a prey is that which men get and devoure Praeda est quam alius paedit cui non parata Martinius for whom it was not prepared or intended as Heb 10.34 They took joyfully the spoyling of their goods their goods were not prepared or intended for those that gat them The word for spoyling is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a prey because it s violently gotten and taken Neither shall the beasts of the Land devoure them The Land of Canaan was the glory of all Lands Ezek 20.6 yet was it not without wild beasts which did tare and devoure 2 Kings 2.24 2 Kings 17.25 But now God would chain up the Bears and Lyons so that they should do no harm There is another sense to be made of the words which is that God would so order the spirits of wicked Magistrates false Prophets and vile turbulent spirits that they should not harm his flock such men formerly had eaten up many of Gods people Ezek 22.25 27 29. But they shall dwell safely and none shall make them afraid To dwell safely is a great mercy to dwell so safely that none shall make afraid is extraordinary mercy Men are subject unto fears even the best of men and that severall wayes when fire breaks out in a Town when famine or plague are in a City when storms and tempests are abroad when wars begin persecution imprisonment bannishment and death are threatned then fears seize upon persons and prevail too far with many but here the Lord promises that his shall be free from all fears none shall make them afraid The word for making afraid is from Charad which notes not a slight fear but such as is with trembling outwardly manifested and it ariseth either from inward solicitousnesse of mind or from apprehension of evill impending and at hand Observe
they suffered hard things and lay under great reproach among the Nations whereupon the Lord here in this Chapter doth 1. Denounce judgement against the Heathen setting out the Causes moving him thereunto from the 1. vers to the end of the 7. 2. Promise mercy to the Land of Israel which is specified in severall particulars from the beginning of the 8. vers unto the 16. 3. Shew the causes why the Jews were driven out of their Countrey from 6. vers to the 21. 4. Set out the ground of their restauration from the 21. to the 25. 5. Multiply promises of spiritual and temporal things upon them and their Land from the 25. to the end Vers 1. Thou son of man prophesie unto the mountains of Israel In the former Chapter he prophesied against Mount Seir in this he is to prophesie to the mountains of Israel against that he prophesied judgement unto these he prophesieth mercies These Mountains of Israel by a Synecdoche are put for the whole Land of Judaea and by a Metonomie for the people contained therein or who had lived therein Hear the word of the Lord. The Land mourn'd because the profane Nations had laid it waste and taken possession of it the Lord therefore calls to the Land and People that had inhabited it to let them know that the one should not long lye in so desolate a condition nor the other alwayes be kept out by enemies from their inheritance Vers 2. Thus saith the Lord God These words are in the 3 4 5 6 7. verses also The Jewes being cast into so low a condition might think God had forgotten them and would leave them to perish in the hands of their enemies to take off such thoughts he commands the Prophet to say in 6 verses together Thus saith the Lord God It is not the voice of Ezekiel but of Jehovah who is affected with the insolency of your enemies and the grievous things you suffer Because the enemy had said against you Aha The Hebrew word for enemy is from Ajaf to bear ill will to hate This enemy principally was the Edomite who had a perpetual hatred against the Jewes Ezek. 35.5 and the Ammonite who cryed Aha Ezek 25.3 and entred upon the Jews inheritance Jerem 49.1 with the Moabite who reproached the people of God Zeph 2.8 10. These and others were disaffected to the Jews and hated them insulted in the day of their calamity saying Aha The Hebrew is Heach which to Mercer is vox insultantis and to others vox provocatoria cum contemptu an insulting provoking scornfull word The ancient high places are ours in possession Bamoth Olam Excelsa Saculi The ancient Mountains which have kept their station and height i nal ages Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The everlasting solitudes Vulgar Altitudines sempiterna The everlasting height French is Les hauts lieux du monde The high places of the world The Land of Israel had many high Mountains which being solitary and desolate the enemy said they are ours in possession we shall inherit them for ever The Edomites being from Esau Jacobs elder brother the Ammonites and Moabites from Lot Abrahams brother they challenged the ancient high places of Israel for their possessions call'd Excelsa Saeculi because God and his Worship had been there many years and the Land was promised the Jews for ever Because they have made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side The enemies of the Jews were bitter and bloudy they stript them of what they had and devoured them they did eat them up Shaaph signifies to draw in the aire to suck it up and metaphorically to swallow to devoure they did not like Caniball eat the flesh of the Jews but they dealt cruelly with them not in one place only but on all sides those that were their neighbours cut them off and destroyed them round about That ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen So little did they care for the Church of God his people and their inheritance they rule over these few Jews that were left This made Jeremy to complain Lamen 5.2 Our inheritance is turned to strangers our houses to aliens Ye are taken up in the lips of talkers In the Hebrew its thus And ye have ascended upon the lip of the tongue or ye are made to ascend ye are the common talk of men as we use to say Table talk They were made a reproach a proverb a taunt and a curse amongst the people according to what is written Jer 24.9 Junius and Piscator both have it Traducti estis in labia Nationum You are traduced and slandered through the tongues of the Nations they talk at large of you The lip of the tongue is an Hebraisme noting a talkative person as Job 11.2 A man of lips is the Hebrew that is A man of talk and Psal 140.11 Let not an evill speaker in Hebrew a man of tongue such an one utters much evill and falls under the denomination of an evill speaker And are an infamy of the people The word Dibbah infamy is from Davaf which signifies to speak and to relate the evills of others The enemies of the Jews related what evils they knew or heard of concerning them and made them infamous The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reproach or scorn to the Nations Vers 4. Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills to the rivers and to the valleys to the desolate wastes and to the Cityes that are forsaken He mentioned the mountains of Israel before and the ancient high places here he adds Hills Rivers Valleys Wastes Cityes to shew that he would vindicate the whole Land from the possession of the Nations who did so greatly villifie his Church and people Which became a prey and derision unto the residue of the heathen The Heathen did not only spoile and make a prey of Judaea but also deride the Jews they scoffed at those that were left and those were carryed away The word for derision is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laag which notes deriding with scorn and contempt and therefore by the Septuagint is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conculcatio they derided them as worthy to be trodden under feet Vers 5. Surely in the fire of my jealousie have I spoken against the residue of the heathen c. The Hebrew for surely is Im lo which implyes an oath Si non or nisi unlesse I have spoken in the fire of my jealousie let me not be God let me never be believed To speak in the fire of jealousie is an Hebraisme saith Pintus Pro effundere verba cum stomacho it notes hot displeasure Psal 79.5 Shall thy jealousie burn like fire Here the Lords jealousie was on fire he was not only angry with the Heathen but in a fierie jealousie for jealousie is more then anger Deut 29.20 Men in their jealousie are extreamly mov'd and carryed out with heat and fury to be revenged
cause our holy profession and the Lord Jesus Christ to be blasphemed Rom 2.24 James 2.7 Answ 4. It s a spirituall judgement which is worse then all other diseases then all other judgements a blind eye a deaf ear a dumb tongue a palsie hand a gouty leg a leprous head the stone in the kidneys or bladder are nothing to the stone in the heart no plague is like that plague those four sore judgments mentioned Ezek. 14.21 are not so ill as the stone in the heart men are sensible of those and tremble at them but the stonyness of their hearts they neither feel nor fear by reason of it Can there be a more dreadful judgement upon a man then to be given up of God to hardness of heart Psal 81.11 12. My people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me so I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own inventions They were stubborn and God punished their stubbornnesse with stonynesse Answ 5. It pleaseth it self in the wayes of wickednesse Prov 10.23 It is a sport to a fool to do mischief Chap 14.9 Fools make a mock of sin Fools that is wicked men whose hearts are hardned who know not the nature of sin who feel not the weight of sin they slight sin they sport themselves with sin they rejoyce to do evill Prov 2.14 They count it pleasure to ryot in the day time 2 Pet 2.13 There is no sin but men of stony hearts take delight in some in one some in another and if they can or cannot commit wickednesse themselves they take pleasure in them that can Rom 1.32 Answ 6. It s the seat of Satan he dwels in it A stony heart is the Devils Castle Ephes 2.2 He is in and works in the children of disobedience In their hearts he hath strong holds keeps possession and rules them at his pleasure they are his Subjects God dwels in a broken heart Isa 57.15 but the Devill in a stony heart Answ 7. That man that hath a stony heart increaseth his own woe daily Rom 2.5 Thou after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath that is thou causest God to treasure up more severe punishment for thee daily thou sinnest more and more daily and God heats the furnace hotter and hotter daily I will take away The word is in Hiphil and signifies thus much I will cause to depart or I will make to remove cause to be gone Montanus renders it amovebo I will remove it God doth this First By inlightning the blind heart to see Acts 26.18 1 Pet. 2.9 Eph 4.18 Chap 5.8 Secondly By inlivening the dead and senseless heart to feel its stonynesse When breath and life entred into the dry bones they were sensible Ezek 37. and when God breaths upon a stony heart it lives and is sensible What an Adamantine heart was in Paul who took pleasure in vexing imprisoning and murthering of the Saints but when Christ breathed upon him and put life into him he then became sensible of his hard heartedness Acts 9. Thirdly By the warmth of his Spirit and moisture of his grace love and mercy he melts the stony heart Some fire will melt brasse and iron and some waters dissolve any stone such is the fire of Gods Spirit there is not any iron or brazen heart but that can melt it such is the water of life there is not any stony heart but that will dissolve it there is an omnipotent power in the Spirit and grace of God to turn Mil-stones into wax and Rocks into streams it was verified in Paul who feeling the mighty power of Gods Spirit and grace in his heart had the milstonyness and rockynesse thereof removed for presently he cryed out Lord what wilt thou have me to do and fell to weeping and praying Out of your flesh By flesh here is not meant corrupt nature as Gal 5.13 but by it is meant man I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh that is out of you First Observe The hearts of men as they are in themselves are stony even stones senselesse of sin unyieldable to truth inept for spiritual imployments repelling and rejecting the counsel of God moving down wards and minding earthly things immoveable from their tenets cold and barren Such are all mens hearts naturally and the hardness of them is much increased by actual and customary sins when men consent to evill thoughts and lusts in their hearts vent them by actings and reiterate the same day after day they make their hearts more and more hard as the hand is by working and the foot by walking Jer 5.3 They have made their faces harder than a rock they have refused to return If their faces were hardned like rocks what were their hearts Zechariah tells you They made their hearts as an Adamant stone Zech. 7.12 which exceeds other stones in hardnesse and not some few of them had done so but even all of them Ezek 3.7 All the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted all of them had faces of rock and hearts of Adamant Secondly Observe Its the prerogative of God who hath dominion over the heart to alter the heart I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh They could not change their own hearts they were not able to get the stone out of them nor the Prophets who were their spirituall Physitians Kidney-stones and Bladder-stones men may remove heart-stones none can remove but God men cannot remove Mountains or Rocks but the Lord can he hath an arm of strength his Word is a Word of power when he commands it is done though a stony heart can stand it out against men yet it cannot stand it out against God he fetched water out of a Rock and God can make the hardest rocky heart in the world to melt repent and send forth floods of water Mary Magdalen had an impudent face and a hard heart but when God dealt with her he took away the hardness of her heart and impudency of her face she sat and wept at the feet of Christ Luke 7.38 The Lord can turn wildernesses into standing waters and dry ground into water-springs Psal 107.35 Thirdly Observe Its a great mercy to have the stonynesse of the heart removed The removall of any evill from the body of man is mercy as blindness from the eye deafness from the ear lameness from the leg weakness from the stomach much more then the removal of spiritual evil and that from the heart Stonynesse of heart is the greatest plague evill which can befall it and for God to take that away to cure it is a rich a wonderfull great mercy it s a mercy of the new Covenant it s more then Gods delivering Daniel from the Lyons Den Jonas from the Whales belly or the 3 children from the fiery Furnace they should have been saved had they died in those conditions but the man that
out against and removes them Some bodyes are so delicate that they feel every wind every little distemper and so fortifie themselves against them and some hearts are so tender that corruption or the Devil cannot stir but they discern feel and find them and so set themselves against them When Josephs Mistriss tempted him to folly his heart startled at it and caused his tongue to say How can I do this and sin against God Gen 39.9 A tender heart sticks at the appearance of evill and will not venture there Abraham would not take any thing of the spoyl recovered but returned all into the hands of the King of Sodom least he should say I have made Abraham rich Gen 14.23 This was an excellent frame of spirit and proceeded from the tenderness of his heart such tenderness Antidotes a man against the poyson of sin Jobs heart was flesh not stone and not his Friends Wife or Devil could draw him to commit sin his heart was sensible of his sons sinning and on their behalf he offered sacrifice continually Job 1.5 and that tenderness preserved him from sinning Davids heart smote him when he cut off but the lap of Sauls garment 1 Sam 24.5 Fourthly It s active for God When Pauls heart was turned into flesh presently saith he Lord what wilt thou have me to do I am now ready to do ought for thee Acts 9.6 And straight way he preached Christ in the Synagogues vers 20. Josiah was of a tender heart and he acted notably for God he destroyed the groves altars high-places images out of Judah and Jerusalem and other places he repaired the Temple he caused the Law to be read the people to enter into Covenant with God he kept a most solemn Passeover such as had not been from Samuels dayes before 2 Chron 34. 35. Chap A hard heart is active against God and a soft heart is active for God Manasseh through the hardness of his heart did more wickedly then any 2 Chron 33. And David through the tendernesse of his heart fulfilled all the wills of God Acts 13.22 He durst not neglect any duty the Lord call'd for nor do it remisly when he went about it What are the mistakes about a tender heart First There is a legal tendernesse which arises from apprehension of Gods Soveraignty and Justice and his wrath due unto men for sin and their sinfull practices whereupon they humble themselves mourn sigh weep pray and so manifest some tenderness of heart such I conceive was the tenderness of Manasseh's heart when he was among thorns bound in fetters and in affliction then he besought the Lord humbled himself greatly and prayed 2 Chron 33.11 12 13. Such tendernesse had Judas who repented of what he had done saying He had sinned in betraying innocent bloud Mat 27.3 4. Terrours of conscience put him upon it This legal tenderness is not that here meant For 1. Apprehensions of Gods power justice wrath fear of death and hell do never melt the heart The Law judgements of God considerations of death and hell may break the stony heart into many pieces yet every piece remain a stone retain its hardnes when you break a Milstone or Rock into pieces with an hammer or pick-axe though broken yet there is no true softness in them 2. Legal tendernesse never loves God it loves it self and seeks it self but Evangelical or Spiritual tenderness carries out the heart to God and Christ Peter having hardned his heart by denyal of the Lord Jesus once twice and thrice and then being softned again by a look of Christ upon him Luke 22.61 62. he loved him dearly and that it might be known Christ asked him the question Simon lovest thou me more than these he saith not Peter dost thou love me but dost thou love me more than these I know these love me much how stands thy heart to me his answer was Yea I love thee and more than these do love thee and thou knowest it A tender heart is strongly in love with Christ Paul after his heart was regenerate and softned he was so in love with Christ that he wisheth Anathema Maranatha to that man which loves not the Lord Jesus 1 Cor 15.22 Secondly There is a naturall fleshliness or tenderness which is much in women and sometimes also in men as when Joseph made himself known unto his brethren he wept it was from a natural tenderness in him Gen. 45.1 2. Some are by nature very tender and pittyfull such tenderness is not what our Prophet aims at For 1. This natural tenderness is born with men they bring it with them into the world the other is a gift I will give you an heart of flesh the one is of nature the other of grace Parents procreate the one God creates the other the one is from constitution the other from regeneration 2. Where there is a natural tenderness it is flexible both wayes to good and evill Rehoboam who was a wicked King having a tender heart 2 Chron 13.7 he was for evill and for good he hearkned to the young mens ill counsel at one time and to Shemaiah's good counsel another time 1 Kings 12.14 24. he was easily drawn this way and that way like some in the Apostles time who were carryed about with every wind of Doctrine Ephes 4.14 They were children they had a natural tendernesse in them and bowed to sound and corrupt doctrine but a man that hath the tenderness of heart here intended is untractable towards evill and only flexible unto good 1 John 3.9 He cannot sin because he is born of God his heart is obstinate against sin he keeps himself from the touching of the wicked one Chap 5.18 But is plyable to the will of the holy one prepared unto every good work 2 Tim 2.21 Thirdly Natural tenderness is faint in the cause of God it hath no courage no magnanimity for God but spiritual tenderness hath Paul was tender hearted after his conversion and see what a spirit he had for God Acts 17.22 23. Ye men of Athens I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious c. He contested with the whole University of Athens The Bock of Martyrs tells of Alice Driver a tender hearted woman who said She would set her foot against the foot of any of them all she meant the Bishops and their creatures she had courage for God and his cause Fourthly Natural tendernesse is dulled by fasting prayer and humiliation but spiritual tenderness is sharpned and quickned by the same Esther after her fasting praying and humbling her soule was more sensible of the state of the Jews and the great danger they were in and ventured her life for them Esther 4. 5. Chap. Fifthly Afflictions crosses are very heavy to that heart that is naturally tender its restlesse unquiet under them but an heart spiritually tender welcomes afflictions receives them with joy Heb. 10.34 and finds sin heavier then afflictions There be some soft natures which
then they will remember their evill doings their bitterness against Christians and bloudynesse against Christ and loath themselves for the same Zech. 12.10 Rev. 1.7 Thirdly Observe Where repentance comes it makes a change in mens judgments affections and lives They should loath themselves in their own sight for their iniquities and for their abominations What they approved of before delighted in and practised that they should look upon as abominable loath and turn from Repentance begins in mens minds and judgements altering them and when they are altered the affections and conversation will alter when the Prodigall repented there was a change inward and outward Vers 32. Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes O house of Israel IN this Verse is comprehended the ground of all the gracious and great Promises specified in the words before and following And 1. It is expressed Negatively It is not for your sakes 2. Implyed Affirmatively It is for the Lords sake Not for your sakes do I this God saw nothing in them to move him to bring them out of Babylon or to do ought for them in Babylon but he beheld that in them which might have moved him to destroy them he saw how they profaned his holy name among the Babylonians vers 21. he saw how they intended to turn heathens and worship wood and stone Ezek. 20.32 Being Gods people they thought God was bound to do much for their sakes and that he should not deal justly with them if he did not mind them do for them see how they expostulated with God Isa 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest it not wherefore have we afflicted our soul and thou takest no knowledge They did in effect tell God he dealt not well with them they deserved better things at his hands than they had therefore said the Lord here Not for your sakes do I this Be it known unto you Take notice that what conceits soever ye have of your own worth or deserts because ye are my people and of the seed of Abraham my friend yet I do not bring you out of Babylon for your worth or merits sake I do nothing upon that account and proclaim it openly unto you and all the world Be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes Your wayes are so far from meriting at my hands that they merit not at the hands of men they are of that nature as you ought to be ashamed and confounded for them of the words ashamed and confounded was spoken Chap. 16.52 54 61. First Observe Men are apt to think they deserve something at Gods hands The house of Israel thought she had suffered a long and sore captivity and having fasted and mourned every fift and seaventh month throughout the seaventy years Zech 7.5 she conceived God now should deal unkindly yea unjustly if he should not do some great thing for her now it was just for him to remember all her tears sighs prayes fastings and sufferings to set her at liberty and give her repossession of her Land rewarding her with old and new priviledges Matth. 7.22 Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have not we prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out Devils and in thy name done many wonderfull works They thought they had merited Heaven by their doings and looked for some wonderful reward for their wonderful works The labourers which came into the Vineyard at the third and sixt hours thought they deserved more of the Lord of the Vineyard than they that went in at the ninth and eleventh hours Matth. 20. Prone is corrupt nature to conceit it merits somewhat at the hands of God But Secondly Observe Mens wayes are such as they ought to be ashamed of themselves and fear destruction from God for them Be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes O house of Israel they are such as you should blush at and loath to behold and make you fear least my judgements should sieze upon you for them Nehem. 9.30 31. What saith he of them Lord thou gavest them into the hand of the people of the Lands that is thou didst cast them into captivity for their own wayes and what then Neverthelesse for thy great mercies sake thou didst not utterly consume them They had cause to fear consuming had not mercy and great mercy stepped in they had been utterly consumed So Jeremy Lament 3.22 It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed If it be mercy that our persons are not destroyed what do our works or wayes deserve from him Thirdly Observe The Promises God makes unto and the mercies he bestows upon his people are free and for his own sake Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you I have promised To sprinkle you with clean water to put a new heart into you to give you my spirit to save you from all your iniquities to bring you again to Sion to give you many mercies there to do you much good but these I do not for your sakes you deserve them not but for mine own sake for mine own honour and name as vers 22. I do not this O house of Israel for your sakes but for mine holy names sake For mans sake come judgements the earth was cursed for Adams sake Gen 3.17 For Achans sake the Israelites fell and fled Josh 7. For Jonas sake the Sea was tempestous Jon 1.4.12 But when mercies come at Land or Sea it is for the Lords own sake He made all things for himself Prov 16.4 for his own names sake and what good soever he doth to any Nations or Persons is not for your sakes but for his own holy names sake When the Jews were neer destruction he wrought for his names sake Ezek 20.9 So when we were neer to destruction oft times in these Nations the Lord wrought for his own names sake not for our sakes Let us give God the glory of what he hath done for our Nation and for our selves and say Help us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy name and deliver us and purge away our sins for thy names sake Vers 33 34 35. Thus saith the Lord God In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the Cities and the wastes shall be builded And the desolate Land shall be tilled whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by And they shall say this Land that was desolate is become like the Garden of Eden and the waste and desolate and ruined Cities are become fenced and are inhabited IN these Verses the Lord proceeds in Temporal Promises and tells them what he will do for them after he hath cleansed them from their sins 1. Their Cityes and waste places shall be re-edified 2. Their Cityes shall be inhabited 3. Tillage of the Land 4.
abundantly Isa 30.2 Vers 36. Then the Heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places and plant that that was desolate I the Lord have spoken it and will do it GOd having through his grace pardoned his people brought them to Sion and bestowed many blessings upon them here the end of all is set down and that is the glorifying of God not only by the Jews but also by the very Heathens Then the heathen that are left round about you After Nebuchadnezzar had laid Jerusalem and Judea waste he fell upon the Ammonites Moabites Edomites Philistims Tyrians and Egyptians and spoyled them therefore our Prophet saith The Heathen that are left some escaped and remained untill the Jews restauration Shall know that I the Lord build the ruined Places They should be so convinced by the return of the Jews and the mercies they enjoyed that they should acknowledg it to be the hand of God that he was faithfull in making good his promise to his people able to save and bountiful in bestowing such mercies upon them The word to build is Banah which sâ—gnifies to build an house distinguished into it's several rooms and parts the Cityes Towns and Houses every where had been ruined and God raised them up again And plant that that was desolate The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to plant signifies the putting of Trees Vines Shrubs or any plants into the earth and to cover them so with earth that they remain fixt therein The Orchards Gardens Vineyards Olive-yards Places of pleasure and profit were laid desolate the Trees Plants Herbs and Flowers were all cut down or pulled up by the roots those place God did re-plant and made as usefull and delightfull as ever I the Lord have spoken it and will do it I have purposed it in my self I have spoken it by Ezekiel and I will do it the Hebrew is I have done it a Preter Tense for a Future which is frequent as Isa 46.11 I have purposed The Hebrew is Jatzarti I have formed I have created the Preter Tense for the Future as the former and following words do shew I have spoken it I will also bring it to passe I will form or create it I will also do it First Observe That though judgement begin at Gods house yet it ends not there The Babylonians first fell upon the Jews and destroyed them and after proceeded to the Heathens they cut off many Nations of them The Sword first did eat the flesh of Jews and then the flesh of Ammonites Moabites Edomites c. When the green Trees are lopped then the Axe cuts down the dry Trees wicked men and Nations are glad when it goes ill with the Church People of God but usually when God hath corrected his own he breaks the Horns the Back and Bones of their and his enemies The Cup of Gods fury began at Jerusalem but it stayed not there it passed thence to Egypt to the mingled people to Vz Philistia Ashkelon Azzah Ekron and Ashdod c. To all the Kings of the North and to all the Kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth Jer 25.15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. It were an unrighteous thing if God should judge his friends and spare his enemyes and this he acknowledgeth vers 29. Lo I begin to bring evill on the City which is called by my name and should ye the Heathens be utterly unpunished ye shall not be unpunished for I will call for a sword upon all the Inhabitants of the earth saith the Lord of Hosts Secondly Observe Some works of God are so convincing that they cause even Heathens to see and acknowledge the hand of God in them and so to glorifie him The bringing the Jews out of Babylon the re-planting them in Canaan the re-building of their waste places peopling of them re-built and making their Countrey like the Garden of Eden convinced the Heathens so that they said and acknowledged It was the Lord had done these things which was a glorifying of his name Psal 126.1 2. The Babylonians and others said The Lord hath done great things for them when he turned their captivity There is so much of Gods wisdome power mercy bounty in some of his works that they constrain all that behold them to acknowledge him in them see Nehem 9.16 Psal 98.1 2. Isa 52.9 10. Thirdly Observe That Architecture and Husbandry are the work of the Lord. I build the ruined places and plant that that was desolate There is no House no City built but the Lord hath the chief hand therein Psal 127.1 Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it All is nothing without the counsel assistance and blessing of God he teacheth the Carpenters and Masons their Art he inables them to work and blesses them working So for Husbandmen it is God that doth instruct them to discretion and teach them Isa 28.26 they have all their ploughing sowing and planting skill from him This cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts who is wonderfull in counsell and excellent in working vers 29. If a Land be well built with Houses Cityes Castles it is the Lord that builded them if it be well tilled and planted with Orchards Gardens Vineyards and Nurseries of young Trees it is the Lord that hath tilled and planted them mens Art and Industry are nothing without him Fourthly Observe Gods purposes and promises shall take effect and certainly be fullfilled God is faithfull in what he saith and will perform the same I the Lord have spoken it and will do it He will not go back from his word change his purposes and counsels or falsifie his promises Isa 31.2 He will not call back his words Isa 14.27 The Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disanull it Isa 46.10 My counsell shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Jer 32.42 I will bring upon them all the good that I have promised them There is none wiser than God to advise him so as to alter his purposes or counsels there are none stronger than God to hinder him from making good what he hath purposed and promised Isa 43.13 I will work and who shall let it All the Babylonians could not hinder Gods setting his people at liberty all the wild beasts bryars and thorns in Canaan could not hinder him from bringing them in and making the Land like Eden plentifull and pleasant all the policy and power of Tobiah Sanballat and others could not hinder the building of the Temple and Walls of the City God had promised Jerusalem should be re-built and fenced that the Jews should have their Temple to worship in again and they had them Vers 37. Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them I will increase them with men like a flock THe word iddaresh is from Darash which signifies to make
only with the Word of God but in the Spirit and Power of God Ezekiel had the hand of God with him So Paul 1 Cor. 2.4 5. His preaching was not with entising words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power False Teachers may come with the Letter but only those are the true Prophets the true Messengers of Christ that come in the Spirit and with the Spirit are carryed out by the Spirit Thirdly Observe God honours his servants sometimes so as to make them of his Counsel and Copartners with him in his works God makes known his mind here to Ezekiel and uses him in the work he was about Samuel was thus honoured God made him of his Privy-councel and told him what he would do to the house of Eli 1 Sam. 3. So he dealt by Abraham not only in the business of Sodom Gen. 18.17 but in that of his Posterity telling him His seed should be a stranger in a land not theirs 430 years and that afterwards they should come out with great substance Gen. 15.13 14. The Prophets and Apostles were Cabinet-men and knew the secrets of the Lord and were Co-workers with God The Apostle Paul is expresly for it 2 Cor. 6.1 they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men that work together with God in the same work This is great honour and such honour as have not all the Saints Fourthly Observe Our God calls and moves his servants by his Spirit to do difficult things he orders them so as to do them safely It was somewhat averse to nature to go among dead bones and dangerous to the Prophet being many and scattered up and down the Valley for had he accidentally touch'd but one of them he had been unclean according to the Law Numb 19. but God caused him to pass by them so as he was preserved from pollution he saw the bones he touched none of them It was a sad and dangerous work God call'd Abraham unto viz. the Sacrificing of his Son but he ordered it so that Abraham came off not only without imputation of sin but with great honour for his obedience Verse 3. And he said unto me Son of man Can these bones live And I answered O Lord God thou knowest This verse is a Dialogue between God and the Prophet as Polanus calls it 1. God propounds a question 2. The Prophet answers it The question is this Son of man Can these bones live Ezekiel thou hast had a full view of them thou seest how dry they are in what condition they lie tell me thy thoughts what thy judgement is of them I am desirous to know thy mind Hast thou any art skill or power to quicken them or knowest thou any creature that hath To this Question the Prophet answers in the next words And I answered O Lord God thou knowest The Prophets answer is suitable unto the Lords question which was concerning the present life of these bones not future life at the General Resurrection which he doubted not of therefore he confesseth his ignorance I do not know O Lord what thy pleasure is Thou art able to put life into these dry bones in a moment though neither my self nor any other creature can do it our power is finite thine is infinite and thou canst do whatever thou pleasest but thy pleasure is held from me and others therefore O Lord God thou knowest First Observe Divine Interrogations argue not Ignorance in God but are instructory to the interrogated God knew what these bones could do before he propounded the question to Ezekiel It was therefore propounded for his Instruction to acquaint him with the power of God and his own weakness that so knowing the one and being sensible of the other he might be the fitter Instrument in the hand of God to work by Christs question to Peter Joh. 21.15 was of this nature Simon lovest thou me more then these It was not so much to prove him as to instruct and mind him of his former failing and to fit him for action viz. the feeding his Lambs and Sheep Secondly Observe God can easily non-plus or silence wise and holy men with a short question Here he puts Ezekiel to it Can these bones live The Prophet could not tell he was non-plus'd When God propounded some questions to Job was he able to answer him Job 38.3 4 c. He professes he was not able to do it but must be silent Chap. 40.4 Did not Châ—ist by a question put the chief Priests Scribes and Elders to silence He asked them Whether the Baptism of John was from heaven or of men This little question so perplex'd them all that they profess'd they could not tell Mark 11.30.33 Thirdly Observe It 's wisdom and duty in the Servants of God to resolve all they cannot reach or know not how to be effected into the knowledge and good pleasure of the Lord O Lord God thou knowest He resolves the question into Gods bosom He had Knowledge Power and Will to do what ever seem'd good to himself There be many things in the Word menâ—ion'd which man can say nothing unto but Lord thou knowest As where the Sepulchre of Moses was Deut. 34.6 The spreadings of the Clouds how they are Job 36.29 The wind whence it comes or whither it goes Joh. 3.8 Whether the seed sown in the evening or the morning shall prosper best or be both alike Eccles 11 6. What is the true interpretation of the number of the Beast 666 Rev. 13.18 Or of the two witnesses and the time of their prophesying in Sackcloth 1260. days when it began and when it ended or shall Rev. 11.3 These and other things be said Lord thou knewest Vers 4. Again he said unto me Prophesie upon these bones and say unto them O ye dry bones hear the word of the Lord. 5. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live 6. And I will lay sinews upon you and will bring up flesh upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you and ye shall live and ye shall know that I am the Lord. 7. So I prophesied as I was commanded and as I prophesied there was a great noise and behold a shaking and the bones came together bone to his bone 8. And when I he held lo the sinews and the flesh came up upon them and the skin covered them above but there was no breath in them 9. Then said he unto me Prophesie unto the winde Prophesie son of man and say to the winde Thus saith the Lord God Come from the four winds O breath and breath upon these slain that they may live 10. So I prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came into them and they lived and stood up upon their feet an exceeding great Army The Quickning of the dry bones is the great thing considerable in these verses and it 's set out From the Causes 1. The Efficient 1.
terrifie men and so do great Armies of Heathens of vile and desperate persons of Goggites and Antichristians when they come with fury and violence they plunder spoyl and fill all with darkness they cover the Land Jer. 4.13 Behold he shall come up as clouds and his Charets shall be as a Whirlewinde his Horses are swifter than Eagles Woe unto us for we are spoyled It 's spoken of Nebuchadnezzar and his Forces who were to come up against Jerusalem The Church is oft afflicted and tossed with tempest but here is some comfort Storms tempests and clouds last not long they cease after a little time and the Sun shines again Secondly Observe The goodnesse of God in foretelling the Church what shall come upon it Viz. A Storm and Clouds and perplexity Gog and all his Bands and many people with him shall come as a Storm and be as a Cloud covering the Land It hath been usual with God to foretell his people what should befall them as Gen. 15.13 Jerem. 32.28 29. Dan. 10.14 Math. 24. and in the Book of the Revelations Christ doth tell them what sad things are to come upon his how potent violent subtle and destructive their enemies will be which he doth not to discourage them but to awaken them unto Prayer holiness of life and living by faith Vers 10 11 12 13. 10 Thus saith the Lord God It shall also come to pass that at the same time shall things come into thy minde and thou shalt think an evil thought 11 And thou shalt say I will goe up to the Land of unwalled Villages I will go to them that are at rest that dwell safely all of them dwelling without Walls and having neither Barrs nor Gates 12 To take a spoyl and to take a prey to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited and upon the people that are gathered out of the Nations which have gotten Cattle and Goods that dwell in the midst of the Land 13 Sheba and Dedan and the Merchants of Tarshish with all the young Lyons thereof shall say unto thee Art thou come to take a spoyl Hast thou gathered thy Company to take a Prey to carry away Silver and Gold to take away Cattle and Goods to take a great spoyl IN these words we have 1. The decree and purpose of Gog v. 10 11 which was to Invade 2. The inviting causes v. 11. 3. The end of his invading v. 12. 4. His assistance and Confederates in the work v. 13. Vers 10. At the same time shall things come into thy mind In Hebrew it is Words shall ascend or come upon thy heart Jagnalu debarim gual lebabeca which is an Hebraism and imports a mans thinking and consulting with himself When men are meditating various thoughts do rise in their mindes as Luk. 24.38 Why do thoughts arise in your hearts Debarim signifies words and things the French is Paroles words Thoughts are the words and things of the mind And thou shalt think an evil Thought The Hebrew for to think is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chashab which notes such a thinking as takes in the intention of the mind and exercises a mans head and heart Gog should bend himself to excogitate something and it should be an evil thought or purpose The French is Tres maunaises cogitations Very ill or wicked thoughts Vers 11. I will goe up to the Land of unwalled Villages This was the wicked thought Gog had in his mind he purposed in his heart to go and invade the Land of the Jewes and that which invited and incouraged him so to doe was 1. Their unfortifiedness they had no Walls about their Villages Thought Gog. I shall easily conquer and subdue the Jewish Nation and add it to my Territories for they have no places of strength Some Villages they have built but none of them are walled The Jewes were but lately return'd out of Babylon newly re-planted in their Land and could not fortifie Towns or Cities as formerly they were before Nebuchadnezzar demolish'd them being therefore without Walls they lay open to enemies and obvious to all Incursions I will goe to them that are at rest that dwell safely 2. Their security The Jewes being wearied with their 70 years Captivity and come again to their Land had rest and safety according to what God had promised them Jer. 30.10 46.27 Ezek. 34.25 28. and so manifested their dependance upon God trusting in him to protect them though destitute of Walls and Military defences Well might they be at rest and dwell confidently as the word signifies to whom God had said None should make them afraid It 's to be feared many of them abused his Promise degenerating into a sinfull security All of them dwelling without Walls having neither Barrs nor Gates Where there is fear of Enemies and Invasions people do fortifie themselves they wall about their Towns and Cities they make strong Gates and Barrs unto them and set Guards to look unto them The Jewes being fearless did none of these things They observed not the counsels and actings of their bordering Enemies which they should have done and for want thereof they exposed themselves to eminent dangers Vers 12. To take a spoyl and to take a prey The Hebrew is to spoyl a spoyl and to prey a prey this was the end Gog propounded viz. To impoverish the Jewes and enrich himself to deprive them of their Land and add it to his own Of the words spoyl and prey hath formerly been spoken To turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited and upon the people that are gathered c. Nebuchadnezzar had made the Land of Judea desolate for many years and the Jewes being returned from their Captivity inhabited the desolate places of the Land re-built them began to get something about them to live comfortably on but Gog now intended to come and lay his hand upon them that were spoyled before and to make another spoyling of them and to bring them again into bondage This was the aim of Gog. Which have gotten Cattle and Goods The Jewes dealt much in Cattle and by the increase of them they got not only necessaries to support them but also wealth and became rich which made them envyed That dwell in the midst of the Land For midst of the Land in Hebrew it 's the Navel of the Land Tabbur signifies a Navel also an high place and the Jewes would have the Land of Judah cal'd the Navel of the Earth because it 's the highest of Lands but others because it 's in the midst of the Earth as the Navel is in the midst of mans body It 's said of Jerusalem that she was set in the midst of Nations and Countreyes Ezek. 5.5 Hence the salvations God wrought in Judea and Jerusalem are said to be in the midst of the Earth Isa 4.12 Whether Jerusalem or Judaea be in the middle of the World is doubted by Navel or midst of the land here is meant
the Inhabitants of them and if he did but call they came to his Standard presently The Princes of the Earth find it an hard business to get a great Army together and wait long for it after great consultation how to effect the same but the Lord only calls and iâ—'s done He is the Lord of Hosts he hath command of spirits and can with ease in a little time gather a vast Army The Centurion when he said to his servant Come he came and when God shall say to men Come they will come they must come out of all parts from all mountains Fifthly Observe As God can easily gather Armies for the good of his Church so he can as easily ruine Armies which are against his Church he can mingle a perverse spirit amongst them so divide them that they shall execute one another Every mans sword shall be against his brother One Goggite should destroy another they thought to have destroyed Gods people and they fell one upon the other 2 Chron. 20.22 23. The children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir came against Judah and thought to destroy them and take their possessions but God soon ruined their enemies he set them one against another for the children of Ammon and Moab stand up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir utterly to slay and destroy them and when they had made an end of the Inhabitants of Seir every one helped to destroy another the Ammonites destroyed the Moabites and the Moabites the Ammonites This great multitude for so they are called ver 2. did the Lord cause to fall by their own swords How easily did God scatter the Army of the Syrians which besieged Samaria He made them to hear a noyse of Charets and Horses whereupon they fled for their lives and left bag and baggage 2 King 7.6 7. Did not God at the prayers of a Christian Legion in the Army of Marcus Aurelius Emperour scatter and destroy that vast Army of the Marcomanni and Quadi which consisted of 977 thousand He sent rain at the same time to relieve the Emperours Army which was in danger of perishing by thirst and also thunder lightning and fiery hail which ruined the enemies God can with great facility overthrow the greatest Armies Sixthly Observe God hath variety of means and wayes whereby to destroy Armies and punish Enemies He hath the pestilence bloud an overflowing rain great hailstones fire and brimstone to do the same by He had an Angel to destroy Sennacheribs Army Isa 37.36 Stars to fight against Sisera Judg. 5.20 The shining of the Sun upon the water undid the Moabites 2 King 3.22 23 24. The sound in the tops of the Mulbery-trees did the Philistines no good 2 Sam 5.24 God hath Natural Casual and Divine means to plague his enemies with though they be in great Armies Seventhly Observe Those who joyn with Great ones in wicked enterprises must look to suffer grievous things with them I will rain upon him and upon his bands and upon the many people that are with him They thought themselves safe under Gog that they should get honour and wealth in that enterprize but the undertaking was unwarrantable Gog could not justifie his act nor protect them They were Co-actors in wickedness and so should be Co-sufferers It 's dangerous to adhere to Greatness in wicked designs Though hand joyn in hand the wicked shall not be unpunished Prov. 11 21. Let multitudes take Gog and Great men by the hand let them follow their counsels tread in their steps do their wills this cannot secure them they shall be punished God is no respecter of persons in every Nation he that doth wickedly and they that joyn with him shall be punished Vers 23. 23. Thus will I magnifie my self and sanctifie my self and I will be known in the eyes of many nations and they shall know that I am the Lord. THis Verse shews the end of Gods destroying Gog and in such a manner viz. That God may be honoured and known Thus will I magnifie my self The Septuagint and some others read the words passively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will be magnified but Hith gaddilti is I will magnifie my self or I will make my self great and that is done when God doth such things as declare his Power his Faithfulness and his Justice when the Lord should execute his dreadful threatned-Judgements upon Gog then his great Power would appear that he had the Command of all Creatures that vast Armies are nothing to him so his Faithfulnesse to his people who owned him for their God and his Justice in destroying those would have destroyed his And sanctifie my self God is not unholy or polluted at any time but he is said to Sanctifie himself when he declares himself to be not Impotent not Unfaithfull not Unjust but a Powerfull Faithfull Righteous and Holy God Observe The end of Gods judgements upon the wicked is that he may be known and acknowledged among the Nations and so have a great and holy Name God is known by executing of judgements Psal 9.16 Known not to be like unto men as they conceived Psal 50.21 or a God that sees not as they said Ezek. 8.12 or a God countenancing and preferring evill-doers as they affirm'd Mal. 3.15 But to be a dreadfull God as when he visited Ananias and Sapphira for their sins Great fear came upon all that heard thereof Act. 5.11 To be an holy God as 1 Sam. 6.20 when he smote the Bethshemites 50000 of them with sudden death it was said Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God by his judgements he hath made his Name dreadful among the Heathen What a great and holy Name did the Lord make to himself by the destruction of Pharaoh and his host in the Red-sea CHAP. XXXIX Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 1. Therefore thou son of man prophesie against Gog and say Thus saith the Lord God Behold I am against thee O'Gog the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal 2. And I will turn thee back and leave but the sixth part of thee and will cause thee to come up from the north parts and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel 3. And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand 4. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel thou and all thy bands and the people that is with thee I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured 5. Thou shalt fall upon the open field for I have spoken it saith the Lord God 6. And I will send a fire on Magog and them that dwell carelesly in the isles and they shall know that I am the Lord. 7. So will I make my holy Name known in the midst of my people Israel and I will not let them pollute my holy Name any more and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord the holy One in
upon his people 595. bears long with the worst of men 420. determines things most free and contingent 208. discovers plots of enemies ibid. knows infallibly things to come 217. when God manifests his love and wrath 225. can easily raise forces against his enemies 229. and easily ruine Armies 227. hath various ways to do it 228. convinces the wicked when in afflictions 266. whom God will honor 391 Godly No condition so grievous to them but shall end comfortably 375 Godliness To whom a delight 361 Gog whom 488 489. whence he came 212. prophesied of before 216. not Antiochus 224. Dreadful judgement upon him 226. great 232. where buried 247 Goodmen must be good before they can do good 366 Gospel Christs voice in it strong irresistable efficacious 394. earth shines with the glory of it ibid. it preserves order is not levelling 405. like waters and wherein 550 551 552. into what parts it went first 555. it goeth where Christ wil 556 557. gradually 558. hath depths in it 560. its pure and sufficient of it self 561. brings men unto God 569. runs like waters 570. without it what men are ib. it cures and quickens 571. fruitful 572 Grace will appear where it is 367. work of it free 403 â—ikened to water and wherein 550 551 552. gradualness in graces 559. all in the Church of free grace 〈◊〉 it recals sinners 588 589 Great ones have no cause to glory 84. Greatest go the wrong way 93. shall bear their shame though after death ibid. those that joyn with them in evil must suffer 228. may lie unburied 260 Guilt an heavy and consuming thing 121 H HAnd stretching out what it imports 348 249. lifting up what 284 Gods hand in mens acting against the Church 237. filling the hand what it imports 376 Hailstones fire brimstone 223 224 Har-el and Hanriel what 371 372 Hatred the nature of it 253. twofold 263. it sets other affections on work 264 Hearers how they carry it oft towards them they hear 164. 165. what the preachers are to them 170 not rest in hearing ibid. Heart most looked at in worship 165 carnal in spirituals 166. Heart and new what they note 317 318. old by nature 322. it s like a stone wherein 330 331 332. the evil of it 333. how cured 336 Heart It s God prerogative to alter hearts 337. its great mercy to have stony hearts removed 338. excellency of a tender heart 340 mistakes about a tender heart 342 343. legal natural tenderness 24â— 244. characters of a tender heart 345 346. how to keep it tender 347 348. its a great mercy it s the gift of God 341 Heathens what convinces them 310 Hell poor comfort there â—5 96 High those highest meet with most storms 328 329 Hin How much it contained 420 Holy things to be laid in holy places 332 333. those who have charge of them must be exact 387. not to be bought and sold 392 Holiness the law of Gods house 368 Hope what 439 Horns of the Altar what they signifie 371 House of Israel 242 408 Husbandry Gods work 396 397 Hypocrites will be discovered 164 I IDols ruine States 25. defile 298. Idolatry loathsom to God 300. it defiles more then other sins 316. they are karcasses 355. a wall between God and man 357 Jealousie to speak in the fire of it what 282. what is in jealousie 225. it breaks through all 269 Jerusalem highly esteemed by the Lord 352 353. in new Jerusalem shall be no invention of men c. 357. no night there 358 New Jerusalem exceeds Ezekiels City 604 Jews there conversion we may expect and pray for 462. shall repossess their land 463 480. given to Idolatry 465. shall be fully gathered 270 271 there is a day of mercy for all the Jews 272. for lasting mercies 275 offers of mercy to them first 584. shall come to Sion 589 Ignorance remedy for the sin of ignorance 417 418 Impenitency excludes from Temple mercies 364 Impossibles to man not so to God 374 Infamous they that make so shall be made so 286 287 Inheritance one to Jew and Gentile 585 Institutions of God like posts and thresholds 356. men must not make any like them ibid. Interrogations argue not ignorance in God 426 Judgements publick troublesom to neighbour nations 13. they make God known 12. in the forest some escape ibid 143. former not to be forgotten 13. suitable instruments execute them 17. nothing can s cure from them 26 157. they convince of the equity of Gods ways 158. threatned take place 172. they are oft lengthned out answerable to the time of mens sinning 258. what ever they be God is righteous 301. end of them 230 262. they begin but end not at Gods house 395 396. God executes some signal judgement 258. impartial 259. judgements upon the wicked are ingaging mercies to the godly 263 Justification what 315 K KAdash notes sanctifying and polluting 546 Kings and Kingdoms there flourishing and perishing in from the Lord 34. tyrannical Kings oft have bad ends 35 Kings are apt to be lifted up with their greatness 38. 39. must be told of their sins 39. its the Lord makes them great 246. have need of money to uphold them ibid. what brings dreadful judgements upon them 53â— why destroyed 55 69. They are lights and when put our sad events follow 73. 74 Kingdom No succession in Christs Kingdom 479 Subjects of it holy ibid. Knowledge not all a â—once 553 564. L LAmentations for siâ—s and ruines of others are from the Lord 65 Land Land in league 6. God hath ways to empty lands 16. They are his to dispose of 18 261 262 376. he can deprive them of their princes 26. made exemplary with judgments 27. what wastes lands 157. what ever condition it s in God is there 262. your own sins brings desolation 274 301 3â—2 their fruitfulness depends upon the Lord 293. desolate shall not always lye so 39â— God hath a peculiarity in some lands 214 Last made first 587 588. Law what 363. of Gods house why to be made known 366. chiefly to be observed 368 Liberty of speaking is from God 145 Life in the hand of God and death also 112. what is the principle of spiritual life and motion 365. its short 539 Liâ—e 285. what 291. mens lines must not be in Temple measurings 292 Lion of God who 372 Loath what in it 384. when men loath themselves for their sins 385 Looks forbidden to priests 393 Lybia whence so called 5 Lydia whence so named ib. M. MAgistrates good what they are 413 Magnifie when God magnifies himself 229 Mathematicians who fit for spiritual ones 261 Man though spared long shall suffer 101 Marriage whom the Priests were and were not to marry 394 Materials of the Church must be holy 368 Means what ever used God doth all 434 435 Mercies temporal not merited 308. choice mercies make men renounce former defilements 468. mercies gradually carried on 450. work more then judgements 384 Messiah upon what account
condition of all even to the Pit and Grave The King of Egypt with his Princes Nobles and confederates of famous Nations must come down to the nether parts of the earth Egypt was a potent flourishing Kingdome Pharoah mighty But whom dost thou passe in beauty Thy beauty glory strength wealth greatnesse are nothing thou must go down and lye with the uncircumcised In a moment at the beck of the Lord Kingdomes are made desolate Kings cast into the Grave and all their pomp buried in the dark let none despise others and exalt themselves Vers 21. The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of Hell Here and so on the Prophet by a Figure call'd Prosopopaeia represents unto us what entertainment Pharoah should have among the dead the Tyrants and great men of the world that were in the Grave or Hell before shall speak unto him and Congratulate his coming unto them in a taunting way what Pharoah hast thou who wert so great and glorious left the earth art thou come to us weak and wounded stript of all and art become like us thou art welcome to Hell and the condition we Tyrants are in be not troubled here are many great ones before thee both of the uncircumcised Nations and also of the circumcised With them that help him They should speak to him and those were his helpers Pharoah had many helpers to carry on his designes on earth many Confederates and they should be welcom'd to Hell also They are gone down they lye uncircumcised slain by the sword The Egyptians they are gone down to the Grave they lye or sleep with the uncircumcised or are in no better condition then uncircumcised Ones are in being slain with the Sword These words may be understood of other Nations Vers 22. Ashur is there and all her company Here the Prophet begins the enumeration of particular Nations whose Kings and People were gone to Hell before-hand and would give entertainment to Pharoah The first he mentions is Ashur the Assyrian Monarch was the most ancient of great power and extent and the King thereof was in Hell and all the Assyrian company all his Attendants and Followers His Graves are about him The King of Assyria is gone down to the Grave and so are his Princes Nobles and People which were slain by the sword they are in their Graves near unto him round about him and these will speak to Pharoah at his coming into the Grave or Hell Vers 23. Whose Graves are set in the sides of the pit The Vulgar reads the words thus whose Graves are in novissimis laci in the bottom of the lake importing that they sell from the height of honour into the depth of misery Which caused terrour in the Land of the Living When the Assyrians were destroyed by the Chaldaean or Babylonish sword it was dreadful to those that were living or thus these Assyrians while they were in the Land of the living they caused terrour they were tyrannical cruel fill'd all with fear Some restrain the Land of the Living only to Judaea because there the Jewes only worshipped the living God and those were right amongst them were to enjoy the living God eternally but we may take the Land of the Living here in opposition to the state of the dead and so other Lands are included yea all where be any living Vers 24 25. There is Elam and all her multitude round about her Grave all of them slain fallen by the sword which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth which caused their terrour in the Land of the Living yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the Pit They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude her Graves are round about him all of them uncircumcised slain by the sword though their terrour was caused in the Land of the Living yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the pit he is put in the midst of them that be slain The Elamites were the Persians and Medes and what he said of Ashur that he now saith of Elam The King of the Medes and Persians with his multitude who living were terrible unto many were now in Hell ready to give entertainment to Pharoah who was coming thither Of Elam you may read Jer 49.34 to the end of the Chapter Vers 24. Yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the pit They were tyrannical and so a terrour to others but they were cut off by the Scythians saith Polanius and carried the shame of their tyranny and wickednesse with them or they dyed ignominiously Vers 25. They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude When great Ones remove preparations are made for them whither they remove so here even in the Grave and Hell a bed was provided for Elam In the bed in darknesse and rest such was the Grave Vault or Sepulchre oâ— Elam In this verse there is an Enallagie of Genders and Numbers Verses 26 27 28. There is Meshech Tubal and all her multitude her Graves are round about him all of them uncircumcised slain by the sword though they caused their terrour in the Land of the Living And they shall not lye with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised which are gone down to Hell with their weapons of war and they have laid their swords under their heads but their iniquities shall be upon their bones though they were the terrour of the mighty in the Land of the Living Yea thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised and shalt lye with them that are slain with the sword HEre the Prophet brings in a third kind of Examples which are Meshech and Tuball Vers 26. There is Meshech Tubal and all her multitude By Meshech some Expositers understand the Scythians others the Cappadocians and by Tubal the Iberians and Albanians which were neer together and both of them in the Eastern parts All these may be understood for the Scythians passing through Cappadocia Iberia and Albania had many of those Countries joyning with them when they brake into Asia between Pontus and the Caspian Sea and so plagued the Elamites the Kings of these places were not yet slain and gone down to the pit though the words import it done because of the certainty of it but it was near at hand and to be effected before the death of Pharoah whom they were to speak unto at his coming down to the Grave Her Graves are round about him c. The Graves of the men of each Countrey were round about the King of that Countrey they were people uncircumcised out of Covenant with God slain by the sword notwithstanding they were terrible to others Vers 27. And they shall not lye with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised which are gone down to Hell with their weâ—pons of war Among the Heathens