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
strength Chap 24.21 The mountain of Israel shall be desolate that none shall passe through The Land of Israel was full of mountains which were not barren but some for Pasture some for Vines some for Cedars and other Trees and some for Cattle when they were so many paths were made to the mountains and they were frequently visited but they should be desolate without Cattle Trees Vines or any to passe by or through them none should come over the mountains to worship at Jerusalem Vers 29. Then shall they know that I am the Lord when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed Here the finall cause of Gods destroying them and their Land is pointed out and that is the glory of God in their acknowledging his just proceedings before they said His wayes were not equall but now they should acknowledge the equity of his wayes and that they had deserved such things First Observe When God is resolved upon punishing a people there is no place or refuge to secure them from his stroakes and judgements Here were men got into waste places into open fields into forts and caves yet none of these secured them the Lord had sworn to destroy them and the sword finds out those in the waste and ruinous places the wild beasts finding others in the open fields devoure them and those were got into the forts and hid in caves the pestilence and famine consum'd they thought to flye and hide themselves from the vengeance of God but it could not be had they gone down to the bottome of the Sea yea down to Hell God would have met with them there Amos 9.2 3 4. No Town no Fort no Field no Cave can protect that person whom God pursues if men and beasts cannot come at him God hath the Arrowes of famine and pestilence to shoot into his sides and liver Let us take heed how we offend God and provoke him to set upon our destruction there is no place person or priviledge can protect us from his stroke let us get into Christ hide our selves in him in the clefts of that rock then we shall be safe whatsoever storms are abroad Secondly Observe It s mens sins which lay Lands waste and bring remarkable judgements upon them Canaan was laid desolate the pomp of her strength ceased the mountains had none to pass by or over them yea The Land was laid most desolate and why because of all their abominations Their sins exceeded the sins of the Heathens and they had answerable judgements their manifold abominations brought manifold judgements They had the best Land in the world and should have been the best people but they degenerated and provoked God so by their abominations that he made their plagues wonderfull great and of long continuance Deut 28.59 Seaventy years did they suffer and the Land also which suffering they brought upon themselves and the Land as the Lord tells them Zech 7.14 They laid the pleasant Land desolate they by their abominations did it they caused the Temple to be burnt the testimonies of divine presence to be removed the Cityes fields and mountains to be desolate Thirdly Observe By severe judgements God convinces men of the equity of his way and causes them to give glory to his name Then shall they know that I am the Lord when I have laid the Land most desolate because of all c. Severe judgements awaken conscience sharpen the understanding and cause men to search judge and condemn themselves and withall to justifie the Lord they have influence into Heathens Jer 22.8 9. Many Nations shall passe by this City and they shall say every man to his neighbour wherefore hath the Lord done this unto this great City Then they shall answer because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God and worshipped other gods and served them Thus they justified God and gave him glory when they saw his terrible judgements upon Jerusalem and the Land of Canaan Verses 30 31. Also thou son of man the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses and speak one to another every one to his brother saying Come I pray you and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. And they come unto thee as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness IN these verses and the rest to the end of the Chapter is contained a reproof or complaint of the captives in Babylon for their detraction hypocrisie and covetousness 1. Their detraction in the 30. Vers 2. Their hypocrisie in the end of the 30. and most of the 31. 3. Their covetousness in the end of the 31. Vers 30. The children of thy people It s not the children of my people God would not own them they were so wicked but the children of thy people Of these words before vers 2. Still are speaking against thee by the walls and in the dores of the houses To speak against God or man is to detract from them and disparage them 2 Chron. 32.16 Senacherib by his servants spake against the Lord and against Hezekiah and that they said was detracting from the power of God and truth of what Hezekiah had said Acts 28.22 As concerning this Sect we know that it is every where spoken against that is it s disparaged and condemned for a wicked Sect. Numb 12.1 Myriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman and said hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses hath he not also spoken by us Their speaking against Moses was detracting from him So here their speaking against Ezekiel was to defame and disparage him and this they did openly and privately by the walls where any met and in their dores where friends met Some take the words thus the children of thy people are speaking of thee by the walls and in their dores they give thee good words and consult of coming to thee but I conceive the former sense best And speak one to another every one to his brother saying Come I pray you and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. Though they vilified the Prophet yet now one being come to him that had escaped at the destruction of Jerusalem they excite and stir up one the other to go to the Prophet and hear what he had to say The smiting of Jerusalem was a great affliction unto them and they hoped to hear somewhat from him to refresh and comfort them especially seeing that he had spent three years in speaking against the Nations and said nothing unto them Vers 31. And they come unto thee as the people cometh They flocked to the Prophet in Troops as people use to do to publique places for religion or pleasure they hasten thither crowd
shall yeeld her increase When there have been seasonable rains the earth hath brought forth abundantly in some places thirty in some sixty in some a hundred fold The word for increase is Jebul from Jabal to bring because the earth doth bring profit to the owners thereof By Tree and Earth we may understand the higher and meaner sort of people who under the Gospel and showrs of it should become fruitfull And they shall be safe in their Land In the 25. vers it s said They shall dwell safely in the wildernesse and here They shall be safe in their Land they should have safety every where and the words are repeated to shew the certainty thereof When I have broken the bands of their yoke This yoke was the Babylonish captivity which is call'd a yoke Jerem 30.8 and it lay heavily upon them Isa 47.6 The bands of this yoke were the Babylonish powers Nebuchadrezzar his Princes and Officers but God did break the Babylonish Empire in pieces by Cyrus and Darius and so took the yoke off their necks setting them at liberty Yokes are burdensome restrictive and reproachfull this breaking yokes and bands and bringing the Jews out of Babylon typed out the spiritual liberty of the Church in Christs time when Antichristian bands and yokes should be broken and people brought out of spiritual Babylon And delivered them out of the hands of those that served themselves of them The Hebrew is And shall deliver them out of the hands of them who made them to serve the Babylonians made the Jews to serve and work for them being captives among them Exigebant servitutem ab ipsis they exacted service of them their dealings with the Jews were like the Egyptians who were cruel taskmasters over them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Avad saith Lavater saevitiem in aliquem exercere significat tanquam in servam First Observe Temporal and Spiritual blessings are from God he makes people blessed and gives them what blessings he pleases I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing Gen 9.1 God blessed Noah and his sons and said unto them be fruitfull multiply and replenish the earth here God is the Authour of temporal blessings Gen 12.2 Of Abraham God said I will blesse thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing and I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all familyes of the earth be blessed Here God shews himself Authour of temporal and spiritual blessings its peculiar unto God to blesse Balak was out when he said of Balaam I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed and he whom thou cursest is cursed Numb 22.6 No it s not in the power of any creature to blesse or curse men and Devils may utter words of blessing or cursing but they cannot make blessed or cursed its God who turns blessings into curses Mal 2.2 and curses into blessings Nehem 13.2 Secondly Observe Others faire the better for the Churches sake I will make the places round about my hill a blessing On the Hill of Sion was the Temple the place where God recorded his Name there were the solemn assemblies the divine ordinances Gods presence and all that were near in Judaea yea the Nations round about had some blessing and benefit thereby they heard of the God of Israel that he differed from all idol gods they heard of his Laws that they were more righteous then the Laws of the Nations they saw his Sabbaths how strictly they were kept they heard of the Prophets that were in Jerusalem and Israel did not Naaman a Syrian get a blessing from Elisha 2 Kings 5. The wisdome of Solomon had influence into all the places round about Sion yea into all the Countries far off The Queen of Sheba heard thereof and it was a blessing unto her from any Nation they might come to Sion become Proselites and enjoy what mercies the Jews themselves enjoyed Micah 4.1 2. In the last dayes it shall come to passe that the Mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the Mountains and it shall be exalted above the hills and people shall flow unto it and many Nations shall come and say Come let us go up unto the Mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his Statutes for the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem These things are spoken of Christs times when the Church should be very eminent and conspicuous like the highest of hills when the Law of faith and the Gospel should go out of Sion and Jerusalem and be a blessing unto all Nations Thirdly Observe Gods blessings are seasonable both temporal and spiritual are in due time I will cause the showre to come down in his season when it shall be a blessing do much good there shall be showres of blessing Levit 26.4 I will give you rain in due season and the Land shall yield her increase and the Trees of the field shall yield their fruit Those rains are seasonable which cause fruitfulness those are unseasonable rains which hinder or destroy the fruit of the Trees and encrease of the earth The Lord observes times and seasons to do sinners good both for body and soul Isa 30.18 He waits that he may be gracious he waits for fit seasons wherein his mercies may come with advantage and acceptance unto men Isa 55.10 11. As the rain cometh down and the snow from Heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud which is an argument it came in season so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it God gives his word seasonably as he doth the rain Tit 1.3 God hath in due times manifested his word through preaching the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his own times and those are the due times the seasonablest times Gal. 4.4 When the fullnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman Christs birth was at the fullness of time when it was most seasonable so his death Rom 5.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in due time or according to the season Christ dyed for the ungodly Psal 72.6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grasse as the showres that water the earth As Solomon was to the people by his wisdome and justice like seasonable rains to the grasse and earth much more is God and Christ so to the Church what seasonable dews droppings and influences of the Spirit hath it from them which make it to grow green and flourish Let us wait for his showres and influences none can give them but himself and when he gives them it s in season Fourthly Observe
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
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
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
should be 360. to repentants Gods ways of his house are to be shewed 364. the nature of it lieth in turning 124. it makes a change in judgement affection and life 385 Reproach God notes the reproachings of his 382. Requital in the same or like kind 273 274 280 Resurrection in it men shall have their own bodies 437 Revealed things should content us 564 Revolters God hath no pleasure in nor will honor 391. have found mercy 588. its free grace when recalled ibid. Righteousness 127. legal 128 there is righteousness will not profit 132. what men are apt to rest in 132 133 Ruah what it signifies 432 S. SAbbaths to be sanctified 396 397. mercy on such days to be had 533 Sacrifices what properly 255. what they imply 305. several sorts 374 375. daily sacrifice what it implied 377 types of Christ 416 Salt what it doth is and notes 375. salting the sacrifices what it types out 376 Saints like Palmtrees 313 314. like trees in general 565 Sanctum Sanctorum what it signifies 316 317 Scripture in it order of things not exactly observed 29. shall be fulfilled 238 239 Shame to bear shame 269 when to be ashamed 360. of what and how ibid. Sheol what it signifies 55 56 Sin A City what now called 21 Shekel 412 Shepherds what and their duty 176. those over the people are and ought to be so 183. few such as they ought to be 184. Characters of ill ones ibid. and 185. wicked ones as none 187. God eyes and deals impartially with wicked ones ib. their sins greatly provokes and brings judgements upon themselves 192. those under oppressing shepherds shall be freed 193. God will require his flock at the Shepherds hand 199. God the best shepherd 198 200. See Christ Sin Sinners under judgement apt to dispond 121 122 their unbeleif puts God to his oath 122. if they turn have no cause to dispond 123. they are authors of their own destruction 125. they lay lands wast 157. it distances sets at enmity 221 222. defiles 216. with holds mercies draws judgments 265. brings shame and punishment 273. what it causes 308. nothing of mans cleanses from sin 417 sins of ignorance ibid. Sion her enemies would rise by her ruine 260 261. when Sion shall have kindness 265. all is noted that 's thought or said against Sion 268. it s against God 269 270 when she goes down Babylon rejoyces 286. Gospel and grace from thence 553 Soul sleeps not 436 437 Spirit new Spirit what and what he doth 318 319 what attributes at work about it 319. dignity of it 321. and mistakes about it 325 326 c. not from mans power or will but from grace 329. whether it be in us and how 349 350. what it doth in us 351 352 353 354 it differs from other spirits 359. its freely put into us 357. a great gift and wherein 359. before had men are without life and motion 364 it s the principle of spiritual life 365. not leave all to the Spirit and sit still ibid. it manifests it self 367. inables to persevere 368. makes way of God delightful 369. he that hath it for both tables duties 371 372. it leads into the inner Court opens mysteries shews glory 347 Stairs of the Temple what they hint to us 294 295 States what ruine them 12 25. what upholds them in greatness 46. what States resemble the dead 445 446. no state but God can raise out of it 402 447 448 Statutes of God kept afford life 133. walking in them what it notes 355 356 Statutes and judgements differenced â—57 only to be walked in 370. Sticks used by God to honourable purposes 455 Storm how it comes 220 221 Strangers might not come into the Sanctuary 389 Sword makes no difference 8 Symbolizing not to be with Heathens or Idolaters 371 397 554 T TAble with dishes and guests 257. what the Tables in the Temple implied 305 306. first and second Table man 371 Tanis two of that name 21 Tehaphnehes what City and whence so named 23 Temple three parts of it 310 311. the signification of the Temple ibid. and 312 313 314 315. all things measured that are of it 319 materials of Christs Temple must be curious and carved work 323. filled with glory 358. Gods mind is made known from thence ibid. in the new Temple shall be no posts of men 357. God will not leave it but dwell there 358. no going back in it 363 Things difficult impossible to men not so to God 311. mean things used by God to honorable purposes 455. typical cause inquiries 456. great things done not for man but Gods sake 273 Thresholds what 356 Tidings after tidings of mercy come tidings of afflictions 494 Time to visit heathens 7. to take off heavy burdens 27 of publick calamities to be noted 65. times to mourn as well as rejoyce 83. there be times to deal with enemies of the Church but hid from us 240 241. God observes who are faithful who false in Apostatizing times 391. when princes shall no more oppress 408. but own Christ and submit to him 408. a time for the Jews coming in 589 Trade what is the spiritual mans 369 Transgression what 127 Trees when great ones fall many suffer with them 54. by their destruction God quiets Nations 79. for what use 379. Saints likned unto them 556 Tribes whether the ten Tribes did return and unite to the rest 459 460 461. Trumpets what made of 100 Types Tropes not to be taken literally 443. God author of true Types 454. typical things excite inquiries 456 Tyrants they suffer severely and where God appoints 70 V VAlleys of passengers where 247. of Haman Gog 228 Victory God gives great and incredible victories to his 244. procures names 252 253. after them ought to be cleansing ibid. Vision God the best interpreter of visions 443. why Ezekiel had the Temple vision 286 Visits now nothing secures against Gods visits 11 26. some are in mercy some in judgement 498. when God begins to visit his enemies he goes on 239 Vncleanness what 378 379 saved from all 381 Vnthankeful and Vncharitable not small on Gods account 208 Voice Christs like what 344 W VVAlking in Gods Statutes what it implies 355 356. the trade of a spiritual man 369 Wall of the Temple Gods Protection 290. substantial 318. Christ the wall 407 Wars lay all waste 8. God the authour of them 35 106 God disappoints Warriers 237 Watchmen who are such 107. what to do ibid. suppose dangers 108. they must depend upon God for more whatever they have 109. they must forewarn the people ibid. Act in Gods name 113. if unfaithful their account will be dreadful 112 113. those that regard them bring certain ruine upon themselves 113 114. its necessary that they deal faithfully 114. their warning secures 115. though spared long yet shall suffeâ— 201 Waters what they signifie 42. it notes the blood of Christ in three things 313 314. of sanctuary what 549 550. spiritual