it is due by the light of nature 1 Cor. 9.9 The mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn must not be muzled and by the light of the Gospel vers 14. the Lord hath ordained that they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel Verse 11. The Priests that are sanctified The Priests were first to be separated Numb 8.14 Deut. 10.8 Heb. 5.1 and their separation was from common persons things and ends They were to be for an holy God holy services and for holy ends 2. They were to be sanctified and consecrated unto God Exod. 30.30 Levit. 21.10 3. They were to approach and come near unto God Levit. 31.17 Numb 4.19 Ezek. 43.19 4. They were to offer the sacrifice which the people were to bring unto them otherwise they were not accepted Levit. 5.8.10 Verse 15 16 17 18 19 20. And the five thousand that are left in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand shall be a prophane place for the City for dwelling and for suburbs and the City shall be in the midst thereof And these shall be the measures thereof the North side four thousand and five hundred and the South side four thousand and five hundred and on the East side four thousand and five hundred and the West side four thousand and five hundred And the Suburbs of the City shall be towards the North two hundred and fifty and towards the South two hundred and fifty and towards the East two hundred and fifty and towards the West two hundred and fifty And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy portion shall be ten thousand Eastward and ten thousand Westward and it shall be over against the oblation of the holy portion and the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the City And they that serve the City shall serve it out of all the Tribes of Israel All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand ye shall offer the holy oblation four square with the possession of the City THe place where the City was to be is called a prophane place not simply and absolutely so but respectively as compared with the possessions of the Priests and Levites for in Scripture sence that is counted common uncircumcised or prophane which is compared with that is more holy in Levit. 19.23 Israel prophanus est ad sacerdotem This place then though it were prophane in respect of the portion of the Priests and Levites yet was it holy in part for it was part of the holy portion Chap. 45.1 and a type of the Heavenly Jerusalem The City was to be in the midst of it and was four square having four thousand and five hundred Cubits say some reeds say others and so was of vast extent The Suburbs also on each part of it were alike of two hundred and fifty measures a piece It s said verse 18. that the increase of the ten thousand measures East-ward and West-ward shall be for food to them that serve the City God is careful of and bountiful to those shall serve him if any shall come to this City the Church of God and serve him and his people there they are provided for before hand God hath allotted out ten thousand reeds of land East and West which he will blesse so as it shall increase and that increase shall be for them in the Apostles times when the Church was grown numerous there was not any among them which lacked God provided for them by stirring up the hearts of owners to sell lands and houses Act. 4.34 35. and not onely here are we to look at the temporary provision God makes for the faithful but that eternal reward also which they shall have in Heaven the citie which hath foundations Heb. 11.10 where they shall have an exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4 17. The 19. vers dictates three things unto us First that the Citizens of this City are holy men not common prophane men they are Israelites not Gibeonites Sanctam urbem communes homines non inhabitabunt Oecol Rev. 21.27 There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that shall defile those that keep the Comands of God shall enter into this City Rev. 22.14 Dogs Sorcerers Whoremongers Murderers â—dolaters Lyars shall be shut out ver 15. Secondly that they are men chosen not out of one or two Tribes but out of every Tribe they that serve this City must be out of all the Tribes God did not take some onely out of Judah and Ephraim the great and more honourable Tribes but some out of the other and lesser Tribes God is a free Agent and may take where when and whome he pleases Rev. 7. some were sealed out of every Tribe Thirdly those that are of this City are to be serviceable they are to improve their Talents what ever they be for the good of the City they that serve the City shall serve it out of all the Tribes of Israel the Apostles were servants to this City and they went up and down into all the Tribes of Israel to serve this City Ministers and Christians should now expend themselves for the Church of God and labour to bring some into it out of all parts God gives gifts and graces to Ministers and others for this end that they should be serviceable to the City of God 1 Pet. 4.10 as every one hath received the gift of God even so minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God Vers 20. The whole of the holy oblation made a four-square every square being five and twenty thousand reeds The City which John saw lay four-square Rev. 21.16 such a figure hath beauty and stability in it and represented the beautifulness and stableness of the Church Cant. 6.16 Mat. 16.18 Verse 21 22. And the residue shall be for the Prince on the one side and on the other of the holy oblation and of the possession of the City over against the five and twenty thousand of the oblation towards the East borders and Westward over against the five and twenty thousand towards the West borders over against the portion for the Prince and it shall be the holy oblation and the Sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof Moreover from the possession of the Levites and from the possession of the City being in the midst of that which is the Princes between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin shall be for the Prince THe Prince here spoken of is the same with him Chap. 45.7 8. interpreted to be neither any civil Prince nor the high Priest but the Lord Christ who is King of Sion Whatever of the holy oblation was not for the Sanctuary Priests Levites and the City was the Princes and what was beyond the holy oblation was his His Territories extend far and such is the dignity of his person as that the father hath given
be Jehovah Shammah he will uphold and preserve that building Matth. 16.18 Vpon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail In ecclesia est Deus qui est suum esse omnium rerum esse praeservare He is the keeper of Israel Ps 121.4 I will keep this city from being besieged stormed or plundered 4. His making himself and his mind known in an especial manner as he did to Moses Exod. 6.3 I appeared to Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty but by my name Jehovah was I not known unto them but unto Moses he was known by that name and imparted his mind unto him above others So shall it be in this city Isa 11.9 The earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah Isa 52.6 My people shall know my name Isa 60.16 Thou shalt know that is the Church that the Lord I Jehovah am thy Saviour They in Judah Israel Salem and Sion had other knowledge of God and his Name then the Nations had and they of this city shall have peculiar knowledge of God what others had in the ear they shall have in the eye what others had in the head they shall have in the heart Christ will make great and glorious discoveries of himself and of his mind unto the citizens of this city Rev. 11.19 The temple of God was opened in Heaven and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of the Testament Christ is the Temple of God and his Temple was opened in Heaven that is the Church frequently called Heaven in this Book of the Revelation The Ark in the Old Testament-Temple which had the Table of the Law and the pot of Manna in it typed out Christ the Gospel and mysteries thereof which held out that Christ the spiritual Ark shall not be hid Jehovah Shammah God is present in Christ and Christ will so open himself to this city that himself Father and mysteries of the Gospel will be more plain and manifest then ever 5. His ruling and governing of this City and it s a happy city which hath Jehovah Christ the King of Righteousness to govern it Zech. 14.9 Jehovah shall be King over all the earth and in that day there shall be one Lord not many Lords but one Lord even the Lord Jesus Christ Ezek. 37.22 One King shall be King to them all to all the converted Jews and Gentiles which make this city of God Zech. 6.13 it is said of Christ there that he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall hear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his Throne Christ shall bear the glory not onely for building the Temple and the city but also for ruling because he will rule righteously and faithfully to the satisfaction of all Isa 11.5 Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins and faithfulness the girdle of his reins This girdle he never puts off but is girt therewith always shewing his readiness to be faithful and righteous in his government 6. The pouring out of his Spirit Jehovah is there to pour that out more fully what men had formerly was onely the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.23 A few had it poured out upon them but then will be a more plentiful effusion all the Citizens of this City shall be filled with the Spirit Zech. 12.8 He that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God and the Angel of the Lord before them then shall the weakest by the Spirit of Christ abound in gifts and graces and be as David who excelled all in his days and his house shall be as God that is full of the Spirit or as the Angels that is having such grace qualities and estimation 7. The making the City and Citizens honorable and glorious then shall it be the renowned royal and golden City guilded with the beams of Christs glorious presence from the head commeth glory to the body A Wife shineth radiis mariti Christ gloria patris sui and this City with the glory and beauty of Christ His presence made the glory of the latter Temple and City greater then the glory of the former and this presence in this Temple and City will make the glory of it grrater then that of the larter Temple and City for then he was there in a state of humiliation but he shall not be so in this he will be in his reigning state and his citizens will be honorable Zech. 9.16 They shall be as the stones of a Crown lifted up not as common stones but as the stones of a Crown and not as stones of a Crown falling to the earth but as stones of a Crown lifted up to be put on the head of a King O quanta dignitas horum civium How great is the honour of these Citizens They are brought in Rev. 5.10 speaking of it themselves Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the earth And this is not all the honour for besides this they shall have every one three honourable names for Christ Rev. 3.12 will write upon them the name of his God and the name of the City of God and his own new name 8. The keeping them in unity and love The Citizens shall then be of one minde Zech. 14.9 In that day there shall be one Lord and his name one the invocation and Worship of his Name shall be one then shall that be fulfilled Zeph. 3.9 Then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent The Hebrew is with One shoulder A metaphor taken ftom Oxen in the Yoke which draw together as with one shoulder so these Citizens shall joyntly and unanimously knit together and worship the Lord Christ There shall be no Schisms names of distinction as now there are far if when Christ left the World the Saints were all of one heart Act. 2.32 Much more so shall it be in this City when Christ shall be in the midst thereof and guide them by his Spirit into all truth 9. These words Jehovah Shammah import the great delight the Lord will take in this City and the Citizens threof in the Church and members thereof Isa 60.4 She shall be called Hephzi-bah that is my delight is in her Then it will appear the Church is his pleasant portion Jer. 12.10 And the dearly beloved of his soul Verse 7. His glory Isa 46.13 The throne of his glory Jer. 14.21 Yea the crown of his glory Isa 62.3 He will delight in them to do them good to communicate himself unto them Revel 7.15 16 17. He that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat For the Lamb which it in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall
Egypt was as women fearfull and weak like women Isai 19.11 12 13 14 15 16. God being against Pharaoh all his Councels Enterprizes were blasted all his forces broken all his Cities made desolate and all his people consum'd or carried into Captivity better he had had all the Princes of the world against him then God for whomsoever he is against must be ruin'd Fifthly observe The flourishing and perishing of Kings Kingdoms and Armies is from the Lord. I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon and put my Sword in his hand but I will break Pharaohs Arms and they shall fall down One of these great Kings should prosper his Kingdom flourish his forces stand and conquer the other should perish his Kingdom be laid waste and all his forces broken and scattered What King State or Army soever God is with he will strengthen uphold what King State or Army soever he is against he will break ruine and bring to nothing whatever their Strength Wealth or Councels are Sixthly observe Tyrannical wicked Kings oft come to very sad ends he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man Herodotus saith he was strangled by the Egyptians which had revolted from him to Amasis The Holy Scripture tells you what ends Adonibezek Athaliah Jezebel Ahab and Senacherib came unto Pilate who put Christ to death was deposed banished and at last slew himself at Lyons in France Of Thirty two Emperors who persecuted the Christians scarce any of them dyed a natural death some were poysoned some kill'd by the Soldiers some sentenc'd by the Senate and some slew themselves Galerius had such a Loathsome disease as that he could not indure the stink of it but slew himself to avoid it Vid. Fox Act. Mon. vol. 1. pag. 40 41. Seventhly observe God is the Author of Wars he sets one Tyrant against another and gives Commission how far they shall proceed I will put my Sword into the hand of the King of Babylon and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt Nebuchadnezzar was a great Tyrant and God set him upon Pharaoh another great Tyrant and ordered him how far he should go even over all Egypt Tyrants cannot stir till God move them the Sword is his if he will not put it into their hands they cannot take it up and when he hath put it into their hand they cannot go one foot further then he hath appointed them CHAP. XXXI Vers 1 2. And it came to pass in the Eleventh year in the Third month in the First day of the month that the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man speak unto Pharaoh King of Egypt and to his multitude Whom art thou like in thy greatness THis Chapter as the two former is a Prophesie against the King of Egypt and in it you have these parts First the Chronologie of the Prophesie ver 1. Secondly the occasion of it viz. His Pride and confidence in his greatness ver 2. Thirdly a confirmation of his ruine set out by an example a majori ad minus from the Third verse to the Eighteenth wherein is notably described the Glory of Assyria her sin and fall thereupon Fourthly the Application of all to Pharaoh vers 18. Vers 1. In the Eleventh year in the third month in the first day of the month The Prophet had not Prophesies given in every month it was a month and Twenty-four days from the last Prophesie to this which was one month and eight or nine days before the destruction of Jerusalem and in the Eleventh year of their Captivity the Third month and First day of the month The Hebrew for First day of the Month is una mensis one of the month is an Hebraisme common in the Scripture as in Gen. 1.5 The Evening and the Morning were one day so is the Hebrew that is the first day Luke 24.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon one of the week that is the First day of the week Vers 2. Speak unto Pharaoh King of Egypt and to his multitude Pharaoh was a great King and had a great Multitude of Men Horses and Chariots and conceited himself greater then he was but how great soever he were in realitie or conceit God orders a Prophet to speak to him and to demand a question of him The Prophet was in Babylon Pharaoh in Aegypt and how he could speak to him appears not It s impossible that he should undertake so long a journey as t is from Babylon to Egypt It s more consonant to truth that he pen'd this Prophesie and sent it unto him by one means or other Whom art thou like in thy greatness This was the Question Ezekiel must propound to him and it was an upbraiding question taxing him for his pride arrogancie and vain confidences He had like most Kings many Flatterers who flattered him into a conceit that he was greater then other Kings yea so great in power that he might incounter God himself The Lord therefore thought meet to take down his Spirit by this question Whom art thou like in thy greatness what like unto me thou art so far from that as that thou art not comparable to some mortal men What sayest thou to the King of Assyria art thou greater art thou stronger then he no he went far beyond thee in Power Dignitie and Greatness yet for his pride arrogancie and confidences in what he had he was utterly destroyed and thinkest thou who art inferior to stand and avoid the Judgements of God when they come thou deceivest thy self First observe Kings are prone to be lifted up with and confide in their greatness Pharaoh sweld with his honor and multitude puting too much confidence therein Chap. 29.3 he is call'd the great Dragon and he lay secure in the midst of his Rivers saying my River is mine own and I have made it for my self he was proud and confident thinking none greater then himself Nebuchadnezzar was lifted up with his greatness Dan. 4.30 so was Sennacherib Isa 37.11 12 13. And not only wicked Kings but good ones have been overtaken with this evill David numbers the people and was too proud of and confident in his Multitudes 1 Chron. 21. Princes have many things to puff up their Spirits but God knows how to bring them down Secondly observe God will have them told of their Sins and taxed for them Go speak unto Pharaoh and say whom art thou like in thy greatness Thou proud Tyrant thou shalt fall though thou be great strong there is a greater then thy self and one stronger then thou art who hath sent a Prophet to tell thee of thy pride and arrogancie and to foretell thee of thy destruction Kings are no more to God then the meanest peasants if they sin they shall hear of it and smart for it Vers 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Behold the Assyrian was a Cedar in Lebanon with fair branches and with a shadowing shroud and of an high stature and
Sodom and Gomorrah were never built again but the Cityes of Edom were as appears by Mal 1.4 Jer 27.7 All Nations shall serve Nebuchadnezzar and his son and his sons son untill the very time of his Land come and then many Nations and great Kings shall serve themselves of him Edom was afterwards possessed again and the Edomites so strong and malicious that they besieged the Israelites 1 Maccabes 5.3 By perpetual therefore we must not understand Eternall that which had no end but that which was for a long time so the word Olam doth usually signifie and it s rendred by some seculum I will make thee desolationes seculi the desolations of an age thirty an hundred or a thousand years for a long season thou shalt be desolate without Cityes and inhabitants And thy Cityes shall not return Not till after a long time and then they shall not return unto that glory strength and greatness which formerly they were in After Cityes and Countreys are once wasted they attain not to their former condition oft in many Generations First Observe Bloudy men frequently have bloudy ends Idumea was cruel and bloudy against the Israelites there God prepared her for bloud and said Bloud shall pursue thee sith thou hast not hated bloud bloud calls for bloud The Babylonians were bloudy and cruell to the Jews and hear what the Lord saith Jer 51.36 I will plead thy cause and take vengeance for thee vers 40. I will bring them down like Lambs to the slaughter like Rams with He-goats God would deal with them as Butchers do with such creatures they take away their lives and shed their bloud Hosea 1.4 I will avenge the bloud of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu He caused the seventy sons of Ahab to be beheaded by the Rulers of Jezreel 2 Kings 10.1.7 and this bloud did God avenge upon his house 2 Sam 21. 1. Sauls house was bloudy he slew the Gibeonites and seven sons of his were put to death for it vers 6. 9. so God pursued bloud with bloud In like manner was Joab dealt withall he shed innocent bloud and his bloud was shed at the horns of the Altar 1 Kings 2.29.31 Secondly Observe When God doth visit wicked ones for shedding of bloud he doth it fully and throughly God would make Mount Seir without inhabitant those that went out and those that came in should be cut off Such a slaughter would he make amongst them as that the Mountains Hills Valleys and Rivers should be fill'd with the slain bodies Isaiah speaking of Gods visiting the Edomites Chap 34.6 7. saith The sword of the Lord is fill'd with bloud it is made fat with fatnesse and with the bloud of Lambs and Goats with the fat of the Kidneys of Rams for the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah and a great slaughter in the Land of Idumea And the Vnicorns shall come down with them and the Bullocks with the Bulls and their Land shall be soaked with bloud and their dust made fat with fatnesse Great and small rich and poor noble and ignoble should be cut off Thirdly Observe That according to the time of mens sinning God doth lengthen out his judgements Edom had perpetual hatred and God saith I will make thee perpetual desolations Edoms anger did tear perpetually Amos 1.11 and Gods judgements upon Edom had a perpetuity Obadiah 10. she was cut off for ever Those that continue long in a course of sinning God causes sometimes to lye long under severe judgements the Jews were seaventy years in captivity they had lived long in idolatry Vers 10. Because thou hast said These two Nations and these two Countreys shall be mine and we will possesse it whereas the Lord was there The Idumeans had a fruitful Land of their own that satisfied them not covetousnesse and desire of rule possessed them they thought and said the whole Land of Judaea should become theirs The Babylonians would root the Jews wholly out leave the Land and so it would fall to their lot and possession These two Nations and these two Countreys When God brought the Jews out of Egypt into Canaan they were one Nation and it one Land and so continued till the rent made by Jeroboam 1 Kings 12. Then ten Tribes falling off from Rehoboam constituted a new Kingdome and so the people and Land were divided into two Nations and two Countreys the one sort were called Ephraim the house of Israel Samaritans and their Countrey Samaria the other sort were called Jews the house of David and their Countrey Judaea Shall be mine and we will possesse it Judaea and Samaria saith Edom shall be mine and we Edomites will possesse it and make it one Land again as it was at first none have so much right to it as we who are from the same stock Isaac and from the elder brother Esau whereas they were from Jacob and seeing the Babylonians are come to cut them off we will joyn with them to secure our selves and recover our right When the Temple and City were destroyed the Jews carried into captivity and the Land made desolate the neighbouring Nations gaped for and got what they could of their Countrey Jer 49.1 Concerning the Ammonites thus saith the Lord Hath Israel no sons hath he no heir why then doth their King inherit Gad and his people dwell in his Cityes Ammonites Edomites and others said Come let us cut them off from being a Nation and let us take to our selves the houses of God in possession Psal 83.4 12. Whereas the Lord was there The words may be read thus Though the Lord be there and so they set out the arrogancy and blasphemy of the Edomites who said They would possesse the Land though the Lord was there he would not hinder them from coming in sitting down and continuing in it or the word there may relate to the Edomites the Lord was there amongst them when they said These two Nations and these two Countreys shall be mine and we will possesse it He heard these words and was displeased at them coming from pride and bitterness of spirit Or Thirdly the words may be taken as we read them and afford this sense The Edomites have presumed much promised great matters to themselves to have the whole Land of Canaan in possession whereas the Lord was there and had that Land under his patronage reserving it for Temple-worship again as it had had it formerly That Land was Domicilium Dei The Habitation of God who would not suffer the bloudy Edomites whatever thoughts they had or attempts they should make to inhabit that Land and defile his holy Mountain with their idolatrous sacrifices though he did greatly afflict the Land yet he did not wholly desert it First Observe Wicked men the enemies of Sion do think and design to raise themselves by the ruins and spoyls thereof Edom said These two Nations and these two Countryes shall be mine Whatever is left of the Jews I will have if there
be nothing but the very Land I will take that for a possession so shall I enrich my self inlarge my borders and become great Such thoughts and hopes were once in Tyrus she looked to be made by the sufferings of Jerusalem Ezek 26.2 Tyrus said against Jerusalem she is broken that was the Gates of the people she is turned unto me I shall be replenished now she is laid waste Tyrus expected that Jerusalem being ruined all the trading should come to her that the great concourse of people Jerusalem had should enter her Gates and tread her Streets Obadiah tells us that the Edomites laid hands on the Jewish substance in the day of their calamity vers 13. They coveted their wealth thirsted after their Land and sought to advance themselves by their ruins Secondly Observe The desires hopes and expectations of the wicked come to naught The Edomites coveted Canaan hoped and waited for it but the Lord was there and disappointed them they were shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem destroyed by the Babylonians Jer 27.3 6. God had given them into Nebuchadnezzars hand David tells you Psal 112.10 That the desire of the wicked shall perish and Solomon saith Prov 10.28 That the expectation of the wicked shall perish they desire and expect the fulfilling of their desires but themselves their desires and expectations come to naught in Prov 11.23 Solomon hath a strange expression it s this The expectation of the wicked is wrath Do men look for wrath No but the event of their expectation is such they meet with the wrath of God these Edomites looked for the Land of the Jews and lost their own Thirdly Observe The Lord keeps and disposes of Lands as he pleases He was in Canaan The Lord was there he was patron of it he kept it out of the Edomites hands he reserved it for his people again Hence Obadiah ver 17. saith The house of Jacob shall possesse their possessions They shall come again and inhabit their Countrey which God reserved for them Jer. 49.1 2. When the ten Tribes were carryed away the Ammonites who dwelt neer the Tribe of Gad intruded into it and the Cityes of it but see what God saith in vers 2. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will cause an Alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites and it shall be a desolate heap and her Daughters that is lesser Towns shall be burnt with fire then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs Israel shall return out of captivity and possess his own Land and the Ammonites also which for a season got part of his Fourthly Observe Whatever the fate of a Land is whatever calamities it lyes under yet the Lord is not far from it he is in it Judaea was laid waste the Temple and Cityes in it ruined man and beast cut off enemies on all sides seeking to get it in whole or in part and notwithstanding it was in such a case in such danger The Lord was there God is said to dwell in darknesse Ps 18.11 He made darknesse his secret place Here was a Land of darknesse and God hid himself in it he was there though the Edomites saw him not When Babylonians lay waste Sion drive out the inhabitants thereof yet they cannot drive out God he is in Sion and will abide in Sion The Bear out of the wood not long since was wasting and the wild beast of the field devouring they drove many out of our Sion but they could not drive God out he was here when the face of all things was lamentable Vers 11. Therefore as I live saith the Lord God I will even do according to thine anger and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them and I will make my self known amongst them when I have judged thee In this and the two next verses you have a further discovery of Mount Seirs sins and how God would deal with the inhabitants thereof and all confirmed by oath I will even do according to thine anger Thou hast been angry with my people yea angry unto death and I will do accordingly not that God would be angry but he would punish them severely for their anger Anger is not a boyling of the bloud and spirits about the heart as some have made it for that is rather an effect then the nature of it Ira est appetitio reddendi malum ei qui malum retulit It s an inordinate desire of returning evill to him whom we conceive hath wronged us And according to thine envy The Edomites envyed the Jews who prospered into a Kingdom and grew renowned Ezek 16.13 14. The nature of envy is to grieve at the good of another man and to think it an evill to our selves that we are exceeded by others in any thing Invidia est tristitia de bono alieno aestimato ut malo proprio quatenus per bonum alienum apprehendimus nos ab altero superci an envious man is afflicted that any is equall to him or above him Which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them Hatred is an enmity of the appetite to things or persons apprehended contrary to its good and contentment The Edomites looked at the Jews as enemies as contrary to their good and content and so hated them There is a twofold hatred or rather two degrees of hatred the first is aversion which only flies from what is hated we hate Toads Serpents and such venomous creatures and flye from them the second is persecution which pursues the thing hated to destruction the one respects the evill simply the other the thing or person in which the evill is apprehended to be with this last kind or degree of hatred were the Edomites infected and so envying them sought their ruine And I will make my self known amongst them when I have judged thee I will execute judgement upon thee deliver thee and thy wealth into the hands of thine enemies and my servants shall behold my glory in punishing thee and my mercy in delivering them my people shall know what a God I am when I have visited you for your hatred envy and wrath against them they shall find me a God exercising mercy as you have found me a God executing judgements as I have made my self known to you in my power and justice so I will make my self known to them in mercy and loving kindness First Observe One sinful affection sets others on work The Edomites hatred set their anger envy on work They used these out of their hatred of the Jews they hated them and that hatred stir'd up their anger to do them harm and their envy to persecute them unto death The Apostle saith of love 1 Cor. 13.4 5. It envies not it is not easily provoked it thinks no evill But hatred envies is easily provoked and thinks nothing but evill it s a root of bitterness and brings forth bitter fruit it makes use of
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
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
upon me and brought me thither 2. In the Visions of God brought he me into the Land of Israel and set me upon a very high Mountain by which was as the frame of a City on the South 3. And he brought me thither and behold there was a Man whose appearance was like the appearance of Brass with a line of Flax in his hand and a measuring Reed and he stood in the Gate 4. And the Man said unto me Son of Man behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither declare all that thou seest to the House of Israel WE are come now to the last part of Ezekiel's Prophesie which is a Typical prophesie concerning Christ and his Church set forth under the Vision of the new Temple City and Kingdom comprehended in these nine last Chapters In which we have 1. The building of the new Temple with the several appurtenances thereof in the 40 41 and 42. Chapter 2. The Ministery Worship and Ordinances of this new Temple in the 43. 44. Chapters 3. The Restitution or Reformation of the whole Land the Common-wealth Kingdom and City with several Ordinances for the Prince and People in the 45 46 47 and 48. Chapters In describing of these the Prophet useth saith Huffâ—nrefferus words and phrases suitable to the state of the Jews he describes as it were the Temple Worship and Land of the Jews Whereas he aims at no such thing but intends the spiritual Kingdom of Christ and the Gospel The scope of this Vision was to comfort the afflicted Jews who being in captivity lamented the desolation of the Temple City and Common-wealth of Israel To the Prophet therefore the Lord shews in a Vision the restauration of them again and not only so but greater things are held out and promised under them as the greatness and glory of the Church under Christ in time of the Gospel of which John speaks Revel 21.22 It 's not an earthly City Temple Jerusalem we are to look at here but a spiritual City Temple Jerusalem viz. the Church of Chrâ—st whose Name is Jehovah-Shammah In this Chapter you have 1. A Preface or Introduction to the Vision 2. A Narrative of the Wall several Courts Gates the Porch of this new Temple and the measures of them In the Preface are five things The Time the Manner the Place the Author and End of the Vision Vers 1. In the five and twentieth year of our Captivity in the beginning of the year in the tenth day of the Moneth Here the time is pointed out when this Vision was presented to Ezekiel which was in the 25. year of his captivity so long it was since he with Jehoiakim was carryed into Babylon and kept there His first Vision was in the fift year of his captivity Ezek. 1.2 And this his last Vision was twenty years after in the beginning of the year the tenth day of the moneth which some make to be in the Autumn others in the Spring The fourteenth year after the City was smitten After Jehoiakim had been eleaven years in captivity the City was smitten and utterly laid waste which was in the eleventh year of Zedekiah 2 King 25.2 Jer. 39.2 52.5 From this period or Epoclea is the Vision reckoned fourteen years after the desolation of the City Ezekiel had it Some would prove this year to be the year of Jubilee because it was the 50. from the 18. of Josiahs reign when the Book of the Law was found But that year appears not to be a Jubilaean year Mestlinus makes the year of Jubilee to be in the 10. of Zedekiah's reign and if so this year of the Prophets Vâ—sion was but 16. years after the year of Jubilee and 34. years before the next Jubilee In the self same day The Hebrew is Beetzem haiom in the bone or essence of the day in the body of the day or in the strength of the day when the heat and light were greatest the same words are in Gen. 7.13 where the words are rendered the self same day being an Hebrew form of speech The hand of the Lord was upon me c. The Chaldee saith A Prophetical Spirit from the face of Lord resided upon me others The strength or divine virtue of the Lord was upon me These words we had in Chap. 1. v. 3. where they were opened Here the manner of the Vision is set forth it was by the Spirit of God upon the Prophet enlightning and informing his mind And brought me thither I was brought in mind not in body by the Spirit thither that is to the City that had been smitten but now seem'd to be re-built and so it follows Vers 2. In the Visions of God brought he me into the Land of Israel In those great glorious and wonderful Visions of God wrought in the Prophet by the Spirit of God he apprehended that he was in the Land of Israel beholding not only with the eyes of his mind the things presented unto him but also with the eyes of his body And set me upon a very high Mountain The place where the Prophet had this Vision was in the Land of Israel and upon Mount Sion or Mount Moriah where the Temple was built Moriah is from raah to see this Mount was the Mount of Vision and on it had Ezekiel this glorious Vision Kimohi saith This Mountain is the Mountain of the Temple and this City is Jerusalem on the South Lightfoot on the Temple ch 4. v. 13. The Rabbins conceive the Land of Israel to be the highest of all Lands and Mount Sion or Moriah the highest of all the Mountains in that Land It was a Type of the Church of Christ Heb. 12.22 and therefore it 's represented here to be a very high Mountain and so it was unto John also Rev. 21.10 which words allude to these of Ezekiel The Hebrew for set me is caused me to rest when the Prophet was brought to this Mountain he had rest there is no true rest but in the Church in the Mount of Vision By which was as the frame of a City on the South The Mount it self was South from Babylon and the Cities was on the Southside of the Mount which was smitten there now the Prophet sees in Vision as it were the model or frame of a City he had seen before the ruine of the City and now he sees the raising of it Vers 3. And he brought me thither That is the Spirit of God carryed him in Vision to that Mountain where he saw an Idaea of a City And behold there was a Man whose appearance was like the appearance of Brass Here the Author of the Vision is specified and described from his appearance the Instruments he had and the place where he stood This Man is made by some an Angel by others Christ It was the Son of God appeared in
the first Vision unto Ezekiel and so he doth in this last he was a Master-builder and appointed of God to build the House Zech. 6.12 13. Thus speaks the Lord of Hosts saying Behold the Man whose Name is the Branch that is Christ he shall grow up out of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord even he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory And that this Man was Christ his appearance declares for it was like the appearance of Brass and so Christ Revel 1.15 is said to appear His feet were like unto fine Brass and here his countenance or whole body appeared like unto Brass that is free from spot beautiful bright and shining Christ was without blemish or spot 1 Pet. 1.19 He was holy harmless undefiled Heb. 7.26 He was fairer then the children of men Psal 45.2 With a line of Flax in his hand and a measuring Reed These be the Instruments which this man had a Line and a measuring Reed Such Instruments are proper to Architects and Master-Builders and being in the hand of Christ do demonstrate him to be the chief Builder of the Church The line of Flax was to measure the great spaces of the ground viz. the Floors Court and Compass of the Buildings and Walls The Reed was to measure the Buildings the thickness length and breadth of them Of such a Line and Reed is spoken of in Zech. 2.1 2. Rev 11.1 Chap. 21.15 A Reed is smooth round and light and therefore fit for measuring they were plentiful in those parts And he stood in the Gate The Hebrew is he standing in the Gate His posture was * Stabat quasi ad Ministerium accinctus Standing his place was in the Gate He stood there to direct the Prophet to shew him the measures of the Temple and other things to manifest he hath command of the Temple and may keep out and let in whom he pleased Versâ— 4. And the Man said unto me Son of Man Behold with thine eyes c. In this verse the end of the Vision is held forth which is that Ezekiel throughly understanding the things comprehended in it might communicate them to others Here the Lord Christ is call'd Man for that in time he was to be incarnate and the Son of Man speaks to Ezekiel and commands him two things 1. To give the most diligent and best attention as possible might be and therefore calls for not only the eyes and ears but the heart also Behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee his heart must go with his senses and seriously ponder what was presented Some things were to be seen some things were to be heard and all to be considered and why he was brought thither for that end 2. To make known what he should see hear and observe Declare them to the House of Israel he must not keep things to himself but publish them to others to the Church and People of Israel First Observe The Lord keeps an exact account of the time of his Church and Peoples sufferings He is the best and most punctual Chronologer of all in Heaven and Earth Men and Angels may mistake misreckon but the Lord doth not cannot In the 25. year of our captivity in the beginning of the year in the 10. day of the month in the 14. year after the City was smitten in the self same day Here the Years the Months and Days of the Jews captivity was observed of the Lord. When we are in misery and suffering conditions we think God forgets us Psal 79.5 Psal 89.46 but he takes notice of every Hour Day Month and Year Secondly Observe When the Church is low in the worst most desperate and deplorable condition even then the Lord hath a care of his Church Now the Temple City and Land of Canaan were utterly laid wast the people many of them destroyed the rest in Babylon without hope of ever seeing their own Country ch 37.11 In this condition the Lord appears to Ezekiel and gives him a most singular and excellent Vision concerning the Restauration of the Church the Extent Dignity and Glory of it whereby he shewed both the Prophet and the People whose hearts were fill'd with sorrow When the Church is in the Wilderness under persecution in Egypt or Babylon the Lord is solicitous for it Zech. 1.14 I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousie Thirdly Observe The Church is Mount Sion or Mount Sion is the Church wherein God makes known his mind for the comfort of his Ezekiel was carried in spirit into the Land of Israel and set there upon a very high Mountain viz. Mount Sion which typed out the Church of God and there he had this glorious vision there sweet consolation was given forth for the afflicted The Church is sometimes call'd a Garden and Fountain sealed as Cantic 4.12 Sometimes a Vineyard Mat. 20.1 Sometimes an House 1 Tim. 3.15 Sometimes a City Psal 46.4 Isai 60.14 Sometimes a Mountain Psal 2.6 And it 's so call'd for the hieghth the glory and the strength of it Mountains are high conspicuous and strong and so is the Church On Mountains is good aire so likewise is in the Church Hills are nearer heaven then other places they are below the Church is above the World Fourthly Observe The Church is well seated and well ordered Vpon which was as the frame of a City it 's seated upon a Mountain the Mountain of Gods Decree Power and Truth it 's well ordered for it 's as the frame of a City where every thing is in his right place and all fitly joyned together Psal 122.3 Jerusalem is builded as a City that is compacted together and the Church is a body fitly joyned together and compacted Ephes 4.16 Hence strength and beauty are to the Church it being so seated and so united The one made Christ say The gates of hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16. and the other made Salomon to say It was beautiful as Tirzah and comely as Jerusalem Cant. 6.4 Fifthly Observe The Man Christ who is sinless and glorious is the chief Builder and exact Measurer of the Church and things belonging to it Behold a Man whose appearance was like the appearance of Brass with a Line of Flax in his hand and a Measuring-reed Christ without spot full of glory and wisdome is the Master-builder Mat. 16.18 chap. 21.33 Hab. 3.3 Prophets Apostles Ministers are his Servants Under-officers instructed directed and rewarded by him He is Architectus the Line and Reed are in his hand he measures all the Trees and Stones used in this Building the outward and inward Courts with all their appurtenances He was the Son of Joseph a Carpenter and some mystery might lye in that Sixthly Observe The way into Sion and unto the Father is by Christ he stands in the gate of the Temple ready to receive any
Lord and it shall be a place for their houses and an holy place for the Sanctuary 5. And the five and twenty thousand of length and the ten thousand of breadth shall also the Levites the Ministers of the house have for themselves for a possession for twenty Chambers 6. And ye shall appoint the possession of the City five thousand broad and five and twenty thousand long over agatnst the oblation of the holy portion it shall be for the whole house of Israel HAving laid down the Platform and Measures of the Temple he comes now to the division and measureings of the Land Wherein things are dark difficult and deep not to be attempted by humane strength but by the help of Christ's Spirit which maketh dark things light difficult things easie and sounds the greatest depths In this Chapter are two principal parts 1. The Partition of the Land which is in the 8. first verses 2. Ordinances Political and Ecclesiastical to the end of the Chapt. from the 8. verse For the First the division of the Land is fourfold 1. A Portion for the Sanctuary and the Priests in the 4. first verses 2. A Portion for the Levites vers 5. 3. A Portion for the City or People vers 6. 4. A Portion for the Prince vers 7 8. For the Second The Political Ordinances which concern the Prince are from the 9. verse to the 13. The Ecclesiastical which concern the People the Prince and the Priests are from the 13. to the end of the Chapter There was a distinction of the Land of Canaan in Moses and Joshuah's days Num. 34. 35. Chap. Josh 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. 21. Chap. But this division differs much from the same And when the Jews return'd from Babylon there was no such division made of the land Had it been Ezra or Nehemiah would have made mention thereof This division therefore is not to be understood litterally but spiritually and the compleating thereof to be look'd for in the Church of Christ not in the Jewish State or Temple Here then seems to be a spiritual lotting and bringing men out of Judaisme and Heathenisme into the Kingdome of Christ and fellowship of the Gospel These words When ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance are thus in the Hebrew When ye shall make the land to fall into inheritance that is when ye shall make the lot to fall upon the land to divide it into inheritances He alludes herein to the antient division of the land by lot That which is by lot is free when the lot fell upon Matthias it was free and declared whom God had chosen Act. 1.24 26. The work of grace and bringing of men into the Church is free nothing in man or from man procures it 2 Pet. 1.1 To them who have obtained like precious faith with us The word for obtain is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which notes Aliquid sine debito cuipiam obveniens That which comes freely to a man that which being no debt nor desert is lotted out to a man as God gives faith to whom he pleases We have nothing disposes us for grace or intitles us to any heavenly inheritance Col. 1.12 It 's the Father who makes us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light He regenerates adopts and sanctifies and so makes us meet for spirtual enjoyments and priviledges and then lots them out for us and us for himself so that true believers are God's lot portion and inheritance Ye shall offer an oblation unto the Lord an holy portion of the land The Hebrew is Ye shall Elevate an Elevation unto the Lord that is consecrate or dedicate a portion of the land unto the Lord that it may be holy This portion of land was large five and twenty thousand reeds in length not so many Cubits as some would have it For the measuring was by a reed of six Cubits Chap. 40.5 And ten thousand reeds in breadth And of these five hundred in length and five hundred in breadth were for the Sanctuary with fifty Cubits round for the Suburbs thereof This holy portion of land as it was for the Sanctuary so for the Priests and their houses the Levites and their Chambers Here the first care is for the house-service and servants of the Lord. It 's the duty of Christians to promote the worship of God in the first place and to provide for those are officers in his house who are not to be non-resident but to live in the houses near to their charge Some Expositors as Junius and Polanus inform us that a new form and state of the Church is here represented unto us viz. the abrogation of the Jewish and bringing in of the Christian which was done by Christ and his Apostles By the portion of land the holiness and amplitude of it we may understand the Church under the Gospel with the holiness and largeness thereof 1. The Church is holy and an holy Offering unto God Ye shall offer an oblation unto the Lord. Sanctitatem de terra Holiness from the earth that it separate from the same or Holiness of earth that is holy earth Such is the Church holiness from the earth or holy earth Ephes 5.27 It 's the most glorious and pure part of the world it consists of those are virgins redeemed from the earth whose mouths are guileless and persons faultless before the Throne of God Rev. 14.4 5. 2. The largeness of it under Christ the Church is greatly inlarged and extends to all parts The Thessalonians faith spread far 1 Epist 1.8 And Paul saith That in every place they called upon the name of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1 2. Peter brings Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia within the bounds of the Church 1 Pet. 1.1 Not onely Asia Europe and Africa but even America hath Sanctitatem de terra some holy ones to be an Offering to the Lord Rev. 7 9. there were some out of all Nations We may also here Observe That in the Church of Christ there is provision and protection for his There is a portion for the Priests possessions for the Levites and the whole house of Israel there be portions of land for them with Houses Chambers and a City Those who come to Sion shall not be destitute but meet with maintenance and safety Jer. 31.12 They shall come and sing in the height of Sion and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord. He will be their shepheard and provide for them wheat wine and oyle that is bread and water of life with the comforts of the Spirit and make their souls as a watered garden green and growing fat and flourishing fruitful and very fruiful and being in that condition he will defend them from wild beasts and spoyl of any they are his garden inclosed and fenced about with his power see Ezek. 34.26 27 28. Again Observe The true Church-state takes not away propriety neither consists of levelling principles
Tribes written upon them Rev. 21.12 3. It s discribed from the compass of it ver 35. It was round about eighteen thousand measures Take measures for Cubits and then it was not above six Miles in compass but if we take them for reeds as divers do then the compass of this City is thirty two miles and almost an half But far short of the compass of the new Jerulalem that great City which was fifteen th◠〈◊〉 miles about for so many miles do twelve thousand furlongs amount unto both the City which John saw measured and that Ezekiel saw measured were four square comely firm and durable the Court is four-square Ezek. 40.47 the holy oblation was so Ezek. 48.20 and so was the City 4. It s discribed from the name verse 35. The name of the City from that day shall be Jehovah Shammah The Lord is there From the day of its building and inhabitation it shall be called so Many Cities have had glorious and significant names as Nicopolis Tit. 3.12 which signifies the Victorious City Nazareth Luk. 4.16 notes sanctified or separated Bethsaida Mat. 11.21 the house of fruits or meats Bethlehem Luke 2.4 the house of bread Jerusalem the Vision of peace but they fall short of this name Jehovah Shammah Some make the meaning of these words the name of the City shall be The Lord is there to be this that God would be in the City not that the City was or shall be ever called so as it is said of Christ his name shall be called Wonderful Councellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace he was so but not called by those names and so this City it shall have God in it there present yet not be so named but I see nothing hinders but it may both be so called and have God in it and because God is there therefore to be so called The name Jehovah is a glorious and fearful name Deut. 28.58 Junius hath the words thus nomen gloriosissimum summe reverendum istud that name most gloriously and highly to be reverenced Bernard calls it Nomen Majestatium a Majestical name Philo lib. 3. de vita Mosis saith quod si quis nomen Dei blasphemaverit hominum deorumque domino abusus fuerit vel nomen ejus intempestive protulerit noxam luat capite and presently after Quomodo meretur veniam qui 〈◊〉 abutitur sanctissimo dei nomine tantum ad explendum sermonem non aliter quam prophanis vocibus Some observe that the Jews after their return from Babylon had such high reverential thoughts of the Name Jehovah that they thought it not fit to be pronounced but used the name Adonai in the stead thereof least it should be prophaned This glorious majestical and most holy name is given to this City What is meant by this City is of concernment to know Some by it understand Jerusalem litterally as it was rebuilt by the Jews after their return together with the civil state in which the Prince governed by civil Laws just Weights and measures but such a City as is here described was never built by the Jews after their captivity To let that opinion pass some do make this City Ezekiel saw to be a moddle and platform of that City the Jews who should be called converted and brought to their own land again should build and inhabit but because the Jews return to their own land is denyed by some questioned by many and doubted by most whither ever a City as that here is held out viz. of thirty two miles compass shall be built by them it is safest to interpret this City typically and in this sense Interpreters are not all of a mind for some make it to be a representative of Heaven and the amplitude or graces thereof others make it to be a representation of the Church under the Gospel in the former times thereof especially yet short of that City the Heavenly Jerusalem which John saw Chap. 21. for though this City and that agree in some things yet they differ in many I shall shew you some difference between them 1. The gates of Ezekiels City had no Angels to keep it in but at the twelve gates of Johns City there were twelve Angels to keep them Rev. 21.12 2. In Ezekiels City there was a Temple but in Johns there is none Rev. 21.22 3. The materials of Ezekiels Cities were inferiour to those of Johns which were gold pearl and precious stones Rev. 21.18 to 22. 4. The Waters of this City came from under the Threshold of the Temple and from the Southside of the Altar but Johns City had a pure River of Water of life clear as chrystal which proceeded from the throne of God and of the lamb Rev. 22.1 5. Ezekiels City had all trees for meat and medicine on both sides of the banks of the River Johns had one by the tree of life which bears twelve manner of fruits Rev. 22.2 6. The light and glory of Ezekiels City fell short of that which Johns had Rev. 21.23 for it had no need of the Sun nor of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof 7. Ezekiels City was not half so great as Johns the one being onely eighteen thousand measures in compass and the other twelve thousand furlongs in length breadth and height Rev. 21.16 8. Johns City had a Wall of twelve foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles Ezekiels City had a Wall Chap. 40.5 but no names in it of Prophets or Apostles Now notwithstanding this City John saw the new Jerusalem exceeded that our prophet saw very much yet they both represent the Church of Christ here on earth and it will not be denyed but that they may in part represent it in Heaven By this City of Ezekiel I conceive is pointed out into us the glorious state of the Christian Church in the latter days it hath been a long time said to war under Antichrist and his instruments the breaches and ruines of it at this day are great and the face of such a City hardly visible but when the times of Antichrists destruction and the Jews conversion do come then shall this City be built then shall Sion be in her glory the Christian Church shall be then in a greater glory then formerly If the coming in of the Gentiles at first began the foundation of this City what will the fulness of the Gentiles be when that is come Rom. 11.25 but a glorious addition to this City and then when the fulness of the Jews shall be added to the Christian Church to this City what will that be but life from the dead vers 15. The perfecting of this City wherein shall be a Temple suitable which John minds us of Rev. 11.1 Where the Temple Altar and Worshippers are measured and its observable where there is mention of measuring and so building a Temple respect is had
many Chapters before it adds weight to the prophesie making those concern'd to mind it more seriously When the Lord speaketh who can but prophesie Amos 3.8 And who can but mind what is prophesied Vers 2. Son of Man prophesie The immortall God speaks to a mortall man honours him with Divine Revelations and that he might not be exalted therewith he minds him of his meannesse and mortality saying Son of Man prophesie Prophesying was not at the will of man but when the Spirit mov'd them to it 2 Pet. 1.21 Thus saith the Lord God What the Prophets gave forth as Prophets was not from their own hearts and heads some humane thing but it was altogether Divine from Jehovah Adonai whose Being is of himself and hath Dominion over all What they and the Apostles writ was the word of God and so ought to be esteemed and received 1 Thess 2.13 Howl ye He speaks to the Egyptians and others upon whom sad judgments were coming he calls to them to lay to heart and lament for the evils were at hand The Hebrew Jalal hath agreement with Alal which signifies in nihilum redigerâ— to reduce a thing to nothing because when men do mourn and lament greatly it wastes and consumes them so as it well nigh brings them to nothing Woe worth the day The words may be read Ah the day alas for the day as Joel 1.15 Or O the woe of the day an unhappy day wherein thy Cities shall be made heaps man and beast destroyed all laid waste and desolate The French is malediction sur ta journee a curse be upon that day Vers 3. The day is near even the day of the Lord is near Day here is put not for a day in strictnesse of sense but for the time wherein those judgements should befall Egypt and other parts and it s call'd the day of the Lord because of his special manifestation of himself When God doth either in mercy or judgement declare himself Emphatically that is said to be the day of the Lord. Other dayes are his dayes but such in a special manner The duplication of the day here is to make the deeper impression both upon the Jews who rested too much upon Egypt and also upon the Egyptians who were secure and feared not he tells them of the nearnesse of it that they may be awakened that they might the more fully be awakened he tells them what kind of day it will be A cloudy Day The Hebrew is Dies Nubis a Day of a Cloud there will no Sun shine that day a black thick dark cloud will arise that day and make a terrible tempest Gods judgements are likened unto clouds and rain for the sadnesse and terriblenesse of them Psal 11.6 He shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest The French is iour tenebreux It shall be the time of the Heathen Heathen may be taken either for the Babylonians who should come and conquer Egypt and then do what they pleased therein and so it should be their day or for the Egyptians and the Nations adhering to them and so it should be their day to be spoiled and suffer grievous things it was a time of undoing these and a time of making the other God had appointed that time for them both Vers 4. The sword shall come upon Egypt The Chaldean Army shall come and make warâ—e upon the Egyptians and they shall be under all the miseries and mischiefs which attend warre and they are many And great pain shall be in Ethiopia The word for pain in Hebrew is Chalchalah which Montanus renders Vacillatio shaking the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trouble or perturbation the Vulgar pavor fear others dolor magnus great grief which the word imports for it s from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parturire to bring forth notes such grief and pain as women have when they are in travail When the King of Babylon came into Egypt Ethiopia was in travail When the slain shall fall in Egypt It were better rendred when the wounded shall fall men slain are fallen men wounded are ready to fall or falling The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chalal signifies one wounded and so the French hath it qui seront naurez tomberont en Egipt And her foundations shall be broken down By Foundationâ— Cityes Towers Forts Castles any strong holds may be understood Some make the foundations of Egypt to be their riches forces and confederates but the first sense of the Word is more Genuine because he speaks of breaking down which is proper to the one and not the other Vers 5. Ethiopia In Hebrew Chus so call'd from Chus the Son of Cham Gen. 10.6 who first inhabited that part of Africa and from him the people were called Cussites from the Grecians it received the name of Ethiopia which is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to burn and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the countenance because the heat of the Sunne there is such as it scorcheth the faces of the people This Country is judged to be as large as Germany France and Italy but not very populous because of the extream heat they circumcise their Males and Females baptizing the Males fourty dayes and the â—emales eighty dayes after their Circumcision and they rebaptize themselves in Lakes and Ponds every year on the day called Epiphany Heylin in his Microcosm because they conceive that the Lord Christ was baptized by John in Jordan that very day But whether this was the Ethiopia Nebuchadnezzar should spoil some question because it is said chap. 29.10 That Egypt should be made desolate from the Tower of Syene unto the border of Ethiopia that is to the Asian Ethiopia Syene was at the front of the African Ethiopia and whether Nebuchadnezzar entred that Ethiopia is doubtful In locum Quistonpius is peremptory in it and saith he never passed beyond Syâ—ne into it Lybia In Hebrew Phut from Phut the son of Cham Vid. suum in Gen. 10.6 Gen. 10.6 and the inhabitants thereof were at first called Phuthaei or Phuttians and afterward Lybians the Country being named Lybia from Lybs a King of Mauritania or from Lybs the Southwind which gently breatheth there or from Lybia a Queen thereof it 's now call'd Sorra which signifies a Desert because its a Country full of sandy Deserts And Varro will have it called Lybia Heylin in Microcos quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it wants raine Heretofore all Africa was called Phut afterwards only the Western Parts of Africa as Mauritania and Tingitana Shindler Martinius where the Kingdome of Fez or Lybia now is Lydia The Hebrew is Lud from Lud the Son of Shem Gen. 10.22 as some will have it or from Ludim the Son of Mizraim as others affirme This Lydia was a Region of Asia the less formerly called Maeonia in it were those famous Cities Philadelphia Sardis Pergamus Thyatira and Laodicea Alapide would not have it to be this Lydia
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
sword saith the Lord God And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted And they shall know that I am the Lord when I have set a fire in Egypt and when all her helpers shall be destroyed In that day shall messengers go forth from me in Ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid and great pain shall come upon them as in the day of Egypt for lo it cometh IN these words is further set forth the destruction of Egypt with those that were her strength and confederates as also the events following thereupon Vers 6. They also that uphold Egypt shall fall The Hebrew word is Somechee which Montanus renders fulcientes the Septuag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fundamenta the foundation of Egypt These upholders or foundations were not the titular gods but the Princes Nobles Rulers and confederates who by their power pollicy persons and estates did assist the King of Egypt The pride of her power shall come down Egypt had strong Towns Castles men and presumed upon was proud of them but these should be destroyed and taken away so should her pride come down The Vulgar is destruetur superbia Imperii ejus the pride of her Empire shall be destroyed What ever Egypt confided or gloryed in that should be brought low Egypt was lifted up with her power and sate like one on the top of a Mountain and God by his judgements would bring her down From the Tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword Of the Tower of Syene or Sevene was spoken Chap. 29. 10. The meaning is that the sword should pass through all Egypt from one border to another Vers 7. And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate This verse is the same with the 12. verse of the 29. Chap. Egypt and her Cities should be like other Lands and Cities which were extreamly wasted Vers 8. When I have set a fire in Egypt When God brought the Caldean Army into Egypt there was a fire in it dreadful and consumptive The wars were terrible and devoured all things like fire and its probable many strong Cities and Holds were burnt with fire When all her helpers shall be destroyed Egypt being rich powerful and renowned had many confederates which here are called helpers The French is Tous teux qui luy donno yent aide are those that gave her aid they should all be vain helpers for they should not secure or save themselves Vers 9. In that day shall messengers go forth from me in Ships In that day when Egypt was conquered Messengers not Chaldeans but Egyptians or some that escaped the sword fled into Ethiopia to inform them what the Chaldeans had done and in what case they left Egypt They are said to go forth from God because they went by his counsell and providence or because they fled from his angry countenance which appeared in the destruction of Egypt for the original is from my face God sent them to carry tydings of his dreadful judgements to the Ethiopians They went in Ships Batzim in some vessels that were for speed the Septuag is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hastening To make the careless Ethiopians afraid Nebuchadnezzar passed through the oriental Ethiopia to come to Egypt and these Ethiopians seem to be the African Ethiopians and when Egypt was spoiled from one border to another even to Syene he was near it his passage lay fair open and easie into it and it s not said that Nebuchadnezzar should not go beyond Syene but that Egypt should be made desolate from the Tower of Syene to Cush that was the other Ethiopiae The messengers hasted to this Southern Ethiopia the inhabitants whereof were a secure careless people assured them the sword had devoured Egypt and was come to their gates this struck fear into them The Hebrew word to make afraid is Charad which notes externam commotionem ex metu mali outward trembling from fear of some suddain evil such tydings put all Ethiopia into trembling And great pain shall come upon them as in the day of Egypt When sad and grievous judgements are upon a place that is called the Day of that place as the day of Jerusalem Psal 137.7 In the day of Jerusalem the Edomites said rase it rase it even to the foundations thereof When Nebuchadnezzar besieged took spoyled and burnt Jerusalem that was the day of it so here in the day of Egypt that was when the plagues were upon it especially when their first born were slain then were they in great pain When the land was in travail and when they were all drowned in the red Sea then great pain was upon all the Nations round about so here Ethiopia should be in travail filled with feares and shaking fits as Egypt and the Nations then were Observe First When God will visit a Nation it 's not their great Ones in it or confederates with it which can secure it They that uphold Egypt shall fall the Princes Nobles Counsellors Associates and whosoever were in league with her should all feel the hand of God and be crushed with her when men do storm a City it 's not her Out-works her Walls her Gates her Towers that can preserve her and when God will destroy a Nation it 's not outward nor inward helps can uphold No pollicie no power no number can stand it out against God Observe Secondly States are not to confide in power but pride and confidence therein hastens their ruine Egypt had power was proud thereof and confided therein and the Lord said the pride of her power shall come down Is 16.6 We have heard of the pride of Moab he is very proud even of his haughtinesse and his pride but his lies shall not be so He thought himself strong secure but his pride confidence did deceive him For vers 7. Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab every one shall howl The Moabites amongst themselves should howl one for and with another for the foundations of Kir-hareseth shall ye mourn surely are they stricken Kir-hareseth was a chief City for strength in which they placed much confidence and to which they fled in their streights but her foundations were stricken and their hopes disappointed and the pride of their power brought down It s the pride of States and Princes which levels them with others Isa 10.12 I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks Senacherib prided himself in his great Army and presumed he should take Jerusalem and eat up all the prey thereof but his high looks were abased his confidences his ruine 2 Kings 19.35.36 37. Observe Thirdly God sends dreadful and consumptive judgements upon Nations and makes himself known thereby They shall know that I am the Lord when I have set fire in Egypt and when all her helpers are destroyed It
's God kindles fires in Nations and Kingdomes to consume Towns and Cities Men and their habitaons they are all his and he may do to them what he pleases having transgressed his lawes By fire and sword did the Lord plead with the Egyptians laying all wast and by so doing made himself known to be a powerful righteous and dreadfull God Observe Fourthly In the soarest judgements of God upon men usually some escape God threatned Egypt Chap. 29.8 that he would cut off man and beast and make it utterly wast from one end to another verse 10 yet here in the ninth verse he saith Messengers shall go forth some should escape to carry tydings of his severe judgements Observe Fifthly Those things which seem accidentall and casual unto us are ordered by the wise Counsel Power and Providence of God In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships When all Egypt was in a confusion some running one way and some another to secure themselves and some hastening unto ships to tell others what the Chaldeans had done in the midst of these hurries and disorders God saw acted sent out messengers they went not however the appearance was to men without Gods ordering hand themselves thought of no such thing nor those they went unto they dreamed not that they were sent forth of God that they came from him it was lookt upon as a meer contingencie but Gods hand was in it Things may be contingent to us they are not so to God Observe Sixthly Such is the efficacy of Gods judgements made known that they do afflict those are at a distance from them and fill the most secure with fears and pains The Ethiopians were absent from the judgements executed upon the Egyptians they were secure carelesse people but when the messengers told them their Cities were burnt their men slain their foundations and helpers destroyed they were afraid and great pains came upon them they were in travail for their Lives Liberties and Estates There is a mighty power in the judgements of God to terrify sinners even at a distance When Tyrus understood such was the efficacy of that judgement upon those afarre off that it s said all the Princes of the Sea clothed themselves with trembling Ezek. 27.35 so that we may say of Gods judgements as David Psal 10.11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger who knows what efficacy it 's of and how far it extends Observe Seventhly Former judgements are not to be forgotten As in the Day of Egypt God had visited Egypt many hundreds of years before and now he minds them of that visitation So Isa 9.4 God mentions the dayes of the Midianites minds them of the great destruction of the Midianites by Gideon Judg. 7 and 8 chap. God mindes the dayes of mens sinning Hos 9.9 they have deeply corrupted themselves as in the dayes of Gibeah and therefore he would visit their sins and when he hath visited for sins he would have us remember those visitations Jer. 7.12 Go to Shiloh and see what I did to it for the wickednesse of my people Israel As we should remember ancient and former mercies to strengthen out faith so ancient and former judgements to quicken our fears Vers 10 11 12. Thus saith the Lord God I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon He and his people with him the terrible of the nations shall be brought to destroy the land and they shall draw their swords against Egypt and fill the Land with the slain And I will make the rivers dry and sell the land into the hands of the wicked and I will make the land waste and all that is therein by the hand of strangers I the Lord have spoken it THese words hold out unto us the efficient and instrumentall causes of the forementioned judgments which are in part repeated The efficient cause is God himself ver 10 11. The instrumental are Nebuchadrezzar and his people ver 10 11. The judgements repeated are the destruction of Egypt and the Egyptians putting the land into the hands of others with an addition of drying up the rivers Vers 10. I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease The Hebrew word for multitude is hamon which signifies both multitude and noise for where there is a multitude there will be a noise Egypt was populous and God would diminish the people they should be slain and carried away captives so should both the multitude and noise cease Increase of people is a blessing the lessening of them a judgement By the hand of Nebuchadrezzar Hand here notes power as in 2 Chron. 2â— 10 and Job 1.12 all that he hath is in thy power the Hebrew is in thy hand Nebuchadrezzar by his mighty powerfull arm should come and lay all Egypt waste and make it like a wildernesse Armies are the hands of Princes by which they doe great and dreadfull things Vers 11 The terrible of the nations shall be brought to destroy the land The word for terrible is arizze from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 araz to deal violently to terrifie which Piscator renders crudelissiâ—â— the most cruell the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pestes the French les plus hideâ—â— the most hideous and Junius the most violent Vatablus cals them Tyranni Gentium the Tyrants of Nations those were most Tyrannical and terrible God brought and set on work to destroy the land The Chaldeans were a bitter nation terrible and dreadful Hab. 1.6 7. these words we had chap. 28.7 so terrible they were that they should fill the land with dead bodies When an Army of friends passe through a Countrey no hurt is done but when an army of Tyrants of strong and terrible enemies come to spoil what mischief will they not do Vers 12. And I will make the rivers dry Heb. drought Though the Chaldean Army was great yet not so great as to drink up all the waters of Nilus which is one of the chiefest rivers in the world Nilus had many rivulets cut out of it whereby the land was watered all those might they stop up with earth and other materials for their better passage and so the rivers were made dry Or by rivers we may understand that benefit came by them the Chaldeans should take away all the wealth of Egypt which came by the rivers and so the rivers were as dry things to the Egyptians So Maldonate and some others interpret the words but rather thus God would send great spoil and desolation into Egypt whereby the rivers might become uselesse unto them or should we take the words literally as some Expositors are of the minde viz. that for the great wickednesse of the Egyptians God dried up Nilus and punished them with sore famine as in the dayes of Joseph it was when there were seven years of famine This sense may be safe or we may take rivers for the people and their power And sell the land into the
hands of the wicked The Lord gives he doth not sell The word for selling is Macar which signifies to give to deliver as well as to sell and the Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give the land those who sell do deliver what they sell into the hands of others and this is attributed to God metaphorically for that he disposed of the land of Egypt to others that is the Chaldeans who are called wicked the Vulgar hath it in manus pessimorum into the hands of the worst I will make the land waste and all that is therein Egypt was a land abounding with men horse charets wealth Cities and all desirable things but God would make it desolate and all the fulnesse of it so the words are in Hebrew for all that is therein it had a fulnesse of all things and by the hand of the Chaldean it was emptied who in the next words are called strangers because they were such to the Egyptians I the Lord have spoken it These words are a ratification of what is threatned Ezekiel hath not spoken a vision of his own or from his own spirit but what is said is the word of the eternal God I the Lord have spoken it I have determined it shall be so and nothing shall lett it Observe First God hath wayes to empty lands of their mâ—â—titude and fullnesse Egypt had her multitude of men of beasts of Cities of riches she had her fulnesse of all things and God had an Army a multitude of Souldiers to plunder and spoil her to empty her of all her multitudes and fulnesses Jerusalem had its multitudes and fulness but Nubuchadnezzar emtyed her and made her like an empty vessel Jer 51.34 Babylon had her multitudes and fulness of Treasure Jer. 51.13 and God had Fanners to fan her ver 2. and empty her land those Fanners were the Medes and Persians who scattered the Babylonians and made a Prey of their Treasures Secondly observe When God will execute severe Judgments he makes use of suitable Instruments He intended utter destruction to Egypt and the terrible of the Nations were brought to destroy it Nebuchadnezzar had men out of many Nations and the terrible ones of those Nations by the secret hand of God were brought to lay Egypt waste They roared like Lyons Isa 5.29 They were cruel and without mercie Jer. 6.23 They hanged Princes by their hands Lament 5.12 And here they fil'd the Land with the slain Thirdly observe Gods designs shall go on whatever lies in the way to hinder He was resolved upon the destruction of Egypt the Rivers of it lay in the way so that an Army could not get over Nilus that great river if gotten over it could not march and do the work appointed for the multitude of little Rivers were in the land shall these hinder the designe of God No he will dry up the Rivers to make way unto his designs the Babylonians shall pass over and pierce through the whole land When the Israelites were at the Red Sea that lay as an impediment unto Gods design which was to carry them to Canaan but did it hinder the same No speak to the Children of Israel that they go forward what go forward and be drowned in the Sea No because they had not Faith to go upon the waters therefore he divides the waters and makes a dry path for them through the midst of the deeps Exod 14. There were Mountains in the way hindering the building of the Temple but one great mountain above all the rest Zech. 4.7 Who art thou O great mountain whether it were the Persian Monarchy or Satan and all the enemies of the Jewes God made it a plain before Zerubbabel and notwithstanding all enemies and opposition he carried on the work of God Things may be too hard for men impossible for them but nothing is too hard for or impossible to the Lord. He enabled Nebuchadnezzar to take Tyrus to destroy Egypt all the Rivers thereof shall not hinder it God will dry them up rather then his designe shall faile Psal 74.15 Thou dryest up mighty rivers God hath divided Seas plained Mountains and dryed up Rivers in our days to make way for his designs and in due time he will dry up the great River Euphrates to make way for the Kings of the East Rev. 16.12 Fourthly observe All Lands are the Lords and he may dispose of them to whom he will even to the wicked he sold he gave the land of Egypt into the hands of the Babylonians who were wicked yea the worst of men Ezek. 7.24 Kingdoms are not such excellent things as we imagine were they so they would not be given to Gods enemies That Kingdom is of great worth which God gives to his children Luke 12.32 Vers 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. Thus saith the Lord God I will also destroy the Idols and I will cause their Images to cease out of Noph and there shall be no more a Prince of the land of Egypt and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt And I will make Pathros desolate and will set fire in Zoan and will execute Judgments in No. And I will poure my fury upon Sin the strâ—â—gth of Egypt and I will cut off the multitude of No. And I will set fire in Egypt Sin shall have great pain and No shall be rent asunder and Noph shall have distresses daily The young men of Aven and of Phibeseth shall fall by the sword and these cities shall go into captivity At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened when I shall break there the yoaks of Egypt and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her as for her a cloud shall cover her and her daughters shall go into Captivity Thus will I execute Judgments in Egypt and they shall know that I am the Lord. HAving formerly threatned destruction to Egypt and her Cities in general the Prophet descends now to particulars in the 13 14 15 16 17 and 18 vers and then in the 19. verse shews what is the end of God in his exercising judgments viz. That they may know him to be the Lord. I will destroy the Idols Egypt was the most idolatrous Land of any and God would now destroy the Idols out of it The word for Idols is gillulim which Piscator renders stercora dung filth so the word signifies and their Idols were dunghil filthy Gods fitter to be trodden under foot by Man and Beast then to be worshipped I will cause their Images to cease Elilim Images from Elil nihilum for an Image or Idol is res nihili a thing of no account 1 Cor. 8.4 It cannot profit therefore Isai 2.20 They shall cast away their Idols as useless things and God would make them to cease Out of Noph This Noph was a great city in Egypt very populous and famous for the Pyramids and Monuments of Kings who leaving Thebes made that the Royal City Isai 19.13 The Princes of Noph thither many
of the Jews fled Jeremie 44.1 It was seated on the west side of Nilus over against Cairo though it was once the Metropolis of Egypt now nothing remains but the meer ruines The vulgar renders it Memphis and so it was commonly call'd by Heathen Writers and Hos 9.6 Memphis shall bury them The Hebrew word for Memphis is Moph litterarum N. M. facili permutatione Jun. in Isai 19.13 by the chang-of N into M. saith Martinius and hence Memphis but Junius makes it so call'd from Moph a Mountain near unto it In this City was that Idol Apis in the form of an Ox worshipped like unto it was the Calf the Jews made when Moses was in the Mount and those Calves Jeroboam set up at Dan and Bethel And there shall be no more a Prince of the Land of Egypt God would so visit Egypt that he would either cut off all the Royal Blood not leaving any of the Egyptian race to reign or which is more consonant to truth he would keep Egypt a long time without any Prince He had threatned in the former Chapter ver 11 12. That Egypt should be desolate Forty eight years and that is the time here meant there shall be no more a Prince of the land of Egypt Lavater extends these words no more beyond the Forty years saying that for a long time they had no Kings for after that time the Macedonians Romans and Sarazens ruled over them And I will put a fear in the land of Egypt The Egyptians were like the Ethiopians a secure careless people they trusted in their Rivers their Cities their Horse their Foot their Confederates and wealth therefore God would awaken them and put a fear into all sorts they should fâ—ar the issue of things an enemy being at hand and ready to lay all waste Vers 14. And I will make Pathros desolate Of Pathros was spoken Chap. 29. 14. There it s joyned with the Land of Pathros there it s reckoned amongst Cities and Junius saith its likely to be that City which afterwrds men commonly called Herculis parvam urbem the little City of Hercules because it was strong and scituate in the Front of Egypt for defence of it When Nebuchadnezzar came into Egypt he made desolate both Pathros the Country and Pathros the City I will set fire in Zoan Zoan was a City in Egypt very antient built seven years after Hebron Num. 13.22 a Royal City where the Princes resided Isa 19.11 to it came Princes from Judaea for help Isa 30.4 The Septuagint calls it Tanis and because it was not far from Nilus one of the mouths of Nilus was called Ostium Tanicum or Taniticum Among Authors there is mention of Tanis in Goshen and Tanis on the other side Nilus where Memphis was and because the Jews dwelt in Goshen I conceive Tanis in Goshen is sometimes meant in Scripture and not always the other Tanis or Zoan as Psal 78.12 43. vers God did marvelous things and wonders in the â—ield of Zoan or Tanis that might be that where the Jews inhabited By Fire here may be understood fire materially which consum'd Zoan to ashes or fire Metaphorically Gods vengeance upon it by the Sword and will execute Judgments in No. No was another great City in Egypt of which the Prophet Nahum speaks thus Chap. 3. 8. Art thou better then populous No that was scituate among the Rivers that had the waters round about it whose Rampart was the Sea and her wall was from the Sea The word for populous is Amon which signifies nourishing No was mater nutrix totius Egypti the Mother and Nurse of all Egypt by reason of her great wealth and traffique scituate amongst the Rivers cut out of Nilus The Septuag terms it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Chaldee Paraphrast Rabbies and most Expositors make it to be the City which in after-times was call'd Alexandria Junius thinks it that City and Tract which Ptolomie calls Neuth This City God did punish for it was idolatrous Jerem. 46.25 Vers 15. I will pour my fury upon Sin the strength of Egypt Exod. 16.1 Mention is made of the wilderness of Sin which some Expositors affirm had its name from this City here call'd Sin which afterward obtained the name Pelusium and was by that mouth of Nilus termed ostium Pelusiorum over against Arabia Petraea and is now called Damiata Castaldo Zeiglero and Suidas names it Clavis Egypti the Key of Egypt and our Prophet robur Egypti the strength of Egypt it was of grand import to hinder the coming in or going out of ships So strong it was that God must pour his fury upon it else it would not be ruined And wlll cut off the multitude of No. This City No had great trading and Idol Gods in it both which drew Multitudes of people but the Lord would cut them off some by the Sword some by captivity and some by other Judgments Vers 16. I will set fire in Egypt In ver 14. he said I will set fire in Zoan and here in Egypt The Babylonians were Fire-brands whom God brought to consume all Egypt and her Glory Sin shall have great pain The Hebrew is dolendo dolebit she shall be in such paine as women in travail are God would pour his fury upon her and that would paine her to purpose No shall be rent asunder Garments we use to rend in pieces and weak materialls Cities are weak things when God comes to deal with them he can rend them asunder the strongest Walls Towers Houses he can in a moment pull in pieces as easily as the strongest man can paper or cloaths And Noph shall have distresses daily Noph shall hear of and meet with those things as should put her into continual streights provisions should faile her the spirit of her Soldiers and Inhabitants should faile her her hope of help from Confederates should faile her so daily she should have distress and especially when besieged by the Enemy Vers 17. The young men of Aven Aven the Septuagint have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heliopolis which is the City of the Sun and Isa 19.18 it s call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ir Cheres the City of the Sun so it s rendred in the Margent and it was so cal'd because it was simulachrum templum solis the Image and Temple of the Sun it was sometimes in Holy Writ call'd On Gen. 41.45 Pharoah gave Joseph to wife Asenath the Daughter of Potiphera Priest of On of Heliopolis saith the Septuag It was after by the Graecians call'd Thebe by the Arabians Bethsemes The men of this City were accounted the wisest of all the Egyptians neither their wisdom nor their strength could preserve them from falling by the sword And of Phibeseth shall fall by the Sword This City is affirm'd to be Bubastis or Bubastus a City in Egypt where Diana whom the Egyptians call'd Bubastis had a Temple and there was once a year great solemnitie had in honorem Dianae by
Burdens Tributes and Taxes are laid upon people by oppressing Princes and Rulers when I shall break there the Yoaks of Egypt The Rulers of Egypt decreed unrighteous things opprest the men of Tehaphnehes suckt their blood by hard Rates and Taxes burdened them with difficult and dangerous Services and made them groan under their Yoaks as they did so do the Princes and Rulers of most Nations in the world but as they have their times to make and increase such yoaks upon the people so God hath his time to take them off Levit. 26.13 I have broken the bands of your yoak and made you to go upright The Jews were under the Egyptian Yoak a long time but at last he break the bands of the Yoak those Laws Decrees that kept them in Egypt held them to hard labor causing them to stoop and made them free so that they could go upright Bondage makes men to bow but Liberty to go upright Heavy burdens upon people make them sigh presse them down to the Earth and when they are eased they rejoyce and look up It s God breaks the Yoaks off whoever puts them on Isa 10.27 It shall come to pass in that day that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulders and his Yoak from off thy neck and the Yoak shall be destroyed because of the anointing The King of Assyriâ—s Burdens and Yokes lay heavy and hard upon the Jewish State but for Hezekiahs sake or rather Christs who is called the anointing he would break the Yoaks and take off the Burdens Fifthly observe God makes some Nations exemplarie with his judgments Thus will I execute Judgments in Egypt thus as becomes me a provoked God thus as an Idolatrous profane guilty Nation deserves thus as themselves and all Nations round about shall know that I am the Lord they shall see that in my Judgements which shall convince them that no hand but mine could do such things take such Strong Holds ruine so many Cities and lay waste such a land as Egypt was Some Lands are Theaters of Gods severe Judgements we have been made Monuments of Gods choice Mercies wonderfull Deliverances Let us fear the Lord and his Goodness least he turn our Mercies into Judgments Vers 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. And it came to pass in the Eleventh year in the First Month in the Seventh day of the Month that the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man I have broken the Arm of Pharaoh King of Egypt and loe it shall not be bound up to be healed to put a Roler to binde it to make it strong to hold the Sword Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold I am against Pharaoh King of Egypt and will break his Arms the strong and that which was broken and I will cause the Sword to fall out of his hand And I will scatter the Egyptians among the Nations and will disperse them through the Countrys And I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon and put my Sword in his hand but I will break Pharaohs Arms and he shall groan before him with the groaning of a deadly wounded man But I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon and the Arms of Pharaoh shall fall down and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall put my sword into the hand of the King of Babylon and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt And I will scatter the Egyptians among the Nations and disperse them among the countries and they shall know that I am the Lord. THese seven Verses are the second general part of the Chapter and Treat of two great Kings Pharaoh King of Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon Concerning Pharaoh two things are threatned against him First Diminution of his power vers 21 22 24. Secondly Dispersion of his people vers 23.26 Concerning Nebuchadnezzar he is the instrument God will use and promiseth to strengthen in doing his work vers 24 25. and both these are illustrated from the Chronologie of this Prophesie Vers 20. In the Eleventh year in the First month the seventh day of the month That was in the Eleventh year of Jehoiakins Captivity the First month and the seventh day Ezekiel had this Prophesie given in it was three months and two days before the takeing of Jerusalem Jer. 52.5 6. for it was taken the Eleventh year the Fourth Month and the ninth day This Prophesie though it be set after that in chap. 29.17 yet was sixteen year before it The Penmen of the Scriptures do not exactly observe the order where every thing should come in among the Psalms you have the third Psalm which was made at that time when David fled from Absolom set before the 34 51 56 57 59 60. and others which were made before that as appears by their Titles Vers 21. I have broken the Arm of Pharaoh King of Egypt By Arme the forces and power Pharaoh had are intended Vatablus saith the Preter Tense is here put for the Future Tense I have broken that is I will break but Pharaoh had his arme broken before when the Babylonian forces beat him and his Army by the River Euphrates in Charchemish which was in the fourth year of Jehoiakim Jer 46.2 And at that time he took from him all that he had between Nilus and Euphrates 2 Kings 24.7 which was the breaking of his Arme and such a breaking as it could not be cured But notwithstanding this breaking Pharaoh got up forces again and when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem he came forth out of Egypt whereupon Nebuchadnezzar raised his Siege went to meet Pharaoh and caused him to retreat Jer. 37.5 7. as having a broken arm and not being able to encounter with him And loe it shall not be bound up to be healed c. That wound and loss which Pharaoh received by overthrow of his army he never could cure and recover neither his own people nor his Confederates could set him into his former condition he is here resembled to a broken Arme which cannot be bound up or if bound up not be healed so as to be usefull any more Pharaoh could never recover his strength and greatness again Vers 22. Behold I am against Pharaoh King of Egypt Here is the cause of Pharaohs breakings his not binding up and healing the Lord was against him not only the Babylonians and Cyreneans were his enemies but the Lord himself when he breaks in pieces who shall bind up when he wounds who shall heal when he is an Enemie who can stand before him The Loâ—d makes himself Author of all the Judgements fell upon Pharaoh And will break his Arms the strong and that which was broken Pharaohs Arms were Egypt and those Territories he had from Egypt to Euphrates His Arme was broken already by the Babylonians as you have it before One Arm yet remain'd and that is call'd a strong one viz. Egypt with all her strength This Arm God break by the
evill wayes and will judge you accordingly this is the conclusion the Lord draws up upon the premises First Observe Wicked men are apt to complain of and carp at the wayes of God They said the way of the Lord is not equall Job 21.15 What is the Allmighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him We get nothing by his service by calling on his name he is a hard Master he regards not our labour or prayers These were of the same spirit with them in Malachie's dayes who blusht not to say It s in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hoasts Mal. 3.14 We were told that no service was like unto the Lords that thosâ— that did mourn for their sins and walk in his wayes should be blessed and live comfortably but we find no such thing we have tryed him and find that he regards exalts and blesses those that never minded him or his wayes vers 15. therefore It s in vain to serve him In the 5. of Jeremy is a notable instance to this purpose vers 11 12 13. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me saith the Lord. They have belyed the Lord and said it is not he neither shall evill come upon us neither shall we see sword nor famine And the Prophets shall become wind and the word is not in them They said God had no reason to threaten them with sword or famine they deserved no such judgement at his hands and therefore the Prophets that prophesied such things were not sent of God his word was not in them they brought windy doctrines of their own and should together with their doctrines become wind evill shall not come upon us but upon them When Christ was on earth how did the Scribes and Pharisees carp at him his wayes and doctrine see Matth 12.22 John 5.10.18 Chap. 8.48 Cha 10.32 33. In our dayes do not men carp at the Scriptures Ordinances Providences and dispensations of God Such is the pride and arrogancy of man that he dares blame and condemn the wayes and things of God Secondly Observe Men have no cause to complain of or cavill against the wayes of God For First His wayes are equall just righteous however they appear to men he is God and cannot do unjust things He is light and in him is no darknesse at all 1 John 1.5 Just and true are his wayes Rev 15.3 He is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Psal 145.17 The just Lord is in the midst of the City he will not do iniquity Zeph 3.5 Shall not the judge of all the earth do right Gen 18.25 Yes though men do wickedly God will not Habak 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evill and canst not look on iniquity he cannot look on it to approve it much lesse to act it Secondly Our wayes are unequall and shall the guilty complain of the innocent Had the Sodomites any cause to complain of God who were so wicked Had the old world which was so corrupt cause to cry out of Heaven which was pure No man hath just ground to quarrel against Gods dispensations when himself walks unevenly before God and his paths are crooked If just men sin and step aside Eccl 7.20 What do wicked men they are altogether out of the way Ps 14.3 They do no good their lives are a constant sinning or a continued sin and should God punish him daily for so doing he had no just cause to fault the Lord Lament 3.39 Wherefore doth a l ving man complain a man for the punishment of his sins Thirdly Upon comparing of his dealings with the righteous falling to commit iniquity and the wicked turning from iniquity it appears to all unprejudiced men who are not blinded with iniquity the one is punished for his apostacy the other is pardoned upon his repentance judgement is the portion of the one mercy the portion of the other If God should punish the repenting wicked man and spare the apostatized righteous man then there were cause of complaint but its contrary therefore his wayes are equall and there is no cause to complain of them Fourthly God hath power over the sons of men they are his family and he may exercise Discipline in his family the house of Israel the Jewes were Gods house he Master of that family and when any sin'd in it he had power to correct them or turn them out of dores and who should fault him it is not childrens duty to complain of their Parents nor for servants to complain of their Lord and Master Fifthly Complaints in this kind will do us no good they will harm us rather for God is judge yea the highest judge and will not only judge us for our other evill wayes but for this very way of charging him to be unjust and cavilling at his dispensations he will judge every one after his wayes neither great nor small can avoide his judgement Let us all therefore take heed how we fault the wayes of God how strange or grievous soever they appear or be unto us Thirdly Observe When men have once taken up prejudice against God and his wayes it s not easie to be remov'd The Jewes had drunk in this conceit Chap. 18. That the wayes of God were not equall and much of that Chapter is spent in proving the contrary to extirpate that mis-conceit but it took not effect they let passe Gods Arguments whereby he cleared himself and carryed along with them their prejudice against him and his wayes as appears in this Chap vers 17. 20. Yet ye say The way of the Lord is not equall When weeds are gotten into the ground and rooted there it s not easie to cleanse that ground from them when errors delusions corrupt opinions and prejudice against the truth are gotten into the head or heart it s not an easie thing to get them out Many wonder that Ministers should not convince unlearned and weak men of their errors and take them off from their opinions and prejudices but they should consider some men will not be convinced either by God or man These here were not convinced by God nor the Pharisees by Christ John 15.6 7. 10. Chap nor the Athenians by Paul Acts 17. Verses 21 22. And it came to passe in the twelfth yeer of our captivity in the tenth month in the fifth day of the month that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me saying The City is smitten Now the hand of the Lord was upon me in the evening afore he that was escaped came and had opened my mouth untill he came to me in the morning and my mouth was opened and I was no more dumb HEre the 3 general part of the Chapter takes place and is a denunciation of judgement against those that
escaped as the destruction of Jerusalem from the 21. vers to the 30. and this is set out or amplified 1. From the time and occasion of it vers 21. 2. From the efficient cause vers 22. 3. From the moving causes vers 24 25 26. 4. From the finall cause which is in the 29. vers Vers 21. In the twelfth year of our captivity in the tenth month in the fifth day of the month How long this was after the taking and smiting of Jerusalem will appear by comparing Jerem. 52.5 6 7. with this verse In the eleventh year of Zedekiah in the fourth month in the ninth day of the month the City was broken up The captivity of the Jewes began with Zedekiahs reign for that time he was made King Jehoiachin was carryed away captive into Babylon 2 Kings 24. Now this was in the twelfth year of the captivity the tenth month in the fifth day of it so that it was a year and six months wanting four dayes before this tydings of Jerusalems being smitten came to Ezekiel One that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me saying Many perished in Jerusalem by the famine and plague in the time of the Siedge many were slain at the taking of it yet some escaped and its probable they hid themselves in holes woods among the mountains or fled to Aegypt one of which after so long a time as a year five months and sixteen dayes came to Ezekiel and told him The City was smitten it s without question he and others had heard somthing of Jerusalems condition before but no certainty The City is smitten The word for smitten is from Nacah which notes so to smite as not to misse it was certainly smitten The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The City is taken The Vulgar Vastata est civitas The City is laid waste Broken up as in Jerem 52.7 This was sad News he brought that Jerusalem that famous City that City of God was destroyed Vers 22. Now the hand of the Lord was upon me This expression we had in the 1. Chap 3. Chap 3.14 The hand of the Lord was strong upon me And here by the hand of the Lord is meant Vis Prophetica or Afflatus Propheticus Prophetical breathings of Gods Spirit were upon the Prophet whereby he was inabled to speak freely and boldly concerning the state of the Jews in Judaea that had escaped God informed the Prophet how things were at Jerusalem before the Messenger came In the evening afore he that was escaped came The evening was the beginning of the day among the Jews and so of much esteem and God then by his Spirit visited the Prophet And had opened my mouth untill he came to me in the morning In the 24. Chap God had told the Prophet that one should escape and bring him tydings of things at Jerusalem and that in that day his mouth should be opened and here it s made good The opening of the mouth implyes 1. Materiam loquendi Matter of speaking 2. Libertatem loquendi Freedom of speaking 3. Occasionem loquendi Opportunity of speaking All these concur'd here he had matter given in to speak unto those that were escaped and flattered themselves they should live and recover their losses he had freedom Jerusalem being smitten boldly to maintain what he had formerly prophesied against Jerusalem and occasion Ministred unto him from the mans coming The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad fer untill were better rendred when so Sa in his notes upon the place hath it donec procum saith he There was a sweet harmony and correspondency between what the Prophet received from the Spirit of God and that which this Messenger faithfully related unto him My mouth was opened and I was no more dumb After this he was so fill'd with the Prophetical Spirit that he was silent no more but prophesied freely and frequently unto them First Observe Gods people are sometimes under long afflictions In the twelfth year of our captivity They had endured many miseries in a forraign Land amongst a barbarous people twelve years Numb 20.15 We dwelt in Aegypt a long time and the Aegyptians vexed us and our Fathers Aegypt was an house of bondage and vexation unto them and when they were brought out God threatned them that if they would not observe all the words of his Law to do them and fear his glorious name he would make their plagues great and of long continuance Deut. 28.59 And this captivity of theirs was so long that they thought God had forgotten them Lament 5.20 Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever and forsake us so long time Seventy years time they lay in Babylon which was no better then an iron furnace Ezekiel Daniel and other Godly Ones were in this condition Secondly Observe That when utter dessolation comes upon places and Gods judgements are severe yet some have their lives for a prey One that had escaped came Ezek 9.5 The slaughter-men are commanded to shew no pity but to slay utterly old and young both maids little children and women only the marked ones they must not touch its probable this man that escaped was one of the marked Ones for he had a special care to come and inform Ezekiel what had befallen them and the City that so he might bear witness both to the truth of Jeremies and Ezekiels prophesies had he been a wicked man he would hardly have come to the Prophet into Babylon but whoever he was he escaped famine plague and sword which cut off thousands of others Thirdly Observe Ancient renowned and priviledged Cityes have their periods and dissolutions Jerusalem was very ancient there is mention of it in Joshuah's dayes Josh 15.8 She was famous throughout the earth call'd the Gates of the People for the resort unto her Ezek 26.2 She had choice priviledges she was the holy City Isa 48.32 The City of the Lord of Hoasts Psal 48.8 The City of Solemnities Isa 33.20 The valley of Vision Isa 22.1 The perfection of beauty Lament 2.15 The City judged by all to be impregnable Lament 4.12 But whatever Jerusalem was here 's the conclusion Jerusalem is smitten broken in pieces and laid utterly waste Kings Princes Nobles Counsellours Judges Prophets Priests People all were smitten In Rev 8.12 it s said The Sun Moon and Stars were smitten a third part of them but here the Sun Moon and Stars and Orbs they were in were wholly smitten O what darkness was then upon the face of the Jewish earth All created and artificiall glory is subject to smiting let not your hearts be taken with Sun Moon or Starres with Cities and the glory of them c. Fourthly Observe The faithfulnesse of God in performing what he foretells and promises Chap. 24.26 27. It was hinted to the Prophet that one should escape the fury of the Babylonians and bring the news of Jerusalems destruction and that That day his mouth should be opened and he should speak and is it not
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
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
your God saith the Lord God This ver is the key to open what was said before the Lord had spoken oft of his flock lest any should take the same litterally here he unfolds his mind and tells us plainly his flock are men not bruit creatures The Hebrew word for flock is twice and ye my flock the flock of my pasture Some read the words in the Future thus Ye my flock of my pasture shall be men hitherto ye have been brutish ye have favoured the things of the earth and followed after carnall things but henceforward ye shall be men cleaving to God and heavenly things We may take them as they are and find that sense in them which Sanctius hath I have told you of great things that my servant David shall be your Shepherd and a Prince among you that ye shall dwell safely in wildernesses sleep in woods and that none shall make you afraid yea I have told you that I will free you from bondage shame famine and that I will make you renowned blessing you with variety and plenty of temporal and spiritual good things but you see not how these things can be accomplished you are men full of infirmities shallow of understanding apt to doubt and make objections but I am God and your God I have promised and will perform saith Adonai Jehovah my word is truth and my power shall give being to whatsoever I have said There is yet another sence of these words ye the flock of my pasture are men that is men call'd out of the world men renewed by the transforming of your minds men walking in the Spirit not after the flesh men given up to me and my wayes men dealing justly and honestly men fearing God and pursuing holinesse men of choice spirits and practices this sence I should approve of but that the word for men is Adam which rather imports men with their frailties then men with their excellencies My flock of my pasture God calls them the flock of his pasture because he provided for them food for their bodyes and souls as a Shepherd doth provide pasture for his sheep he gave them Manna from Heaven in former dayes and now he gives them his Ordinances his Word the flesh and bloud of his Son Gods flock is different from other Flocks and hath different pastures they are of the world and feed upon the Acorns and Husks of the same but Gods Flock is picked out of the world separate from it and feeds on Heavenly dainties I am your God This is a great and gracious word what can the Lord say more then this to any I am your God what can any desire more then to have God theirs Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee saith Asaph Let others desire what they will in Heaven or earth I desire nothing but God himself Asaph knew that in having him for his God he should have all things When the Lord saith so he doth ingage himself all his attributes and whatsoever he hath unto the people or person he so saith First Observe God hath a peculiar people on earth which he owns and feeds Ye my flock the flock of my pasture God hath elect call'd justified and adopted Ones which make up his flock see 1 Pet 2.9 10. Titus 2.14 Zech. 13.9 I will say it is my people God hath a people refined and tryed in the furnace of affliction which he is not ashamed of but owns openly and this people he provides for Isa 65.13 Behold my servant shall eat but ye shall be hungry behold my servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty behold my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed Gods people shall have meat and drink and that with gladness Acts 2.46 They have hidden Manna Rev 2.17 They are fed by the Lamb and drink of living Fountains of waters Rev 7.17 They are a peculiar people and have peculiar meat and drink Secondly Observe That of whomsoever Gods Flock doth consist yet they are weak and frail creatures The Flock of my pasture are men Noah Lot Abraham Jacob Job David Jeremy Peter Paul John who were Worthies in Israel yet had their weaknesses and shew'd themselves to be men Can God prepare a Table in the Wildernesse said the house of Israel and Mary whom all generations call'd blessed we may call an Adamite the Daughter of Adam for she shew'd her weakness when she said How can this be seeing I know not a man Luke 1.34 Thirdly Observe The happinesse and comfort of Gods flock lyeth in having God to be their God and his manifestation of it Ye are men feeble helpless things but I am your God saith the Lord whatsoever is defective in your selves is redundant in me as there is nothing but impotency and misery in you so there is nothing but power grace and happiness in me I have loved you freely and taken you to be my flock I have given my self unto you and all I have with my self and this I make known unto you CHAP. XXXV Vers 1 2 3 4 5. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man set thy face against Mount Seir and prophesie against it And say unto it Thus saith the Lord God Behold O Mount Seir I am against thee and I will stretch out mine hand against thee and I will make thee most desolate I will lay thy Cityes waste and thou shalt be desolate and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred and hast shed the bloud of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity in the time that their iniquity had an end THE Lord having in the former Chapter laid down many precious promises for the restauration freedom and comfort of his afflicted Flock here he comes to deal with the enemies of his Church and in the Chapter are 1. Threatnings of punishments vers 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 14 15. 2. The sins moving God thereunto vers 5 10 11 12 13. 3. The end of those threatnings and punishments vers 4 11 15. Verses 1 2. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man set thy face against Mount Seir. The Prophet received the word from and was impowered by God to prophesie against Mount Seir. Of setting the face towards or against was spoken before Chap 20.46 Chap. 21.2 Chap 25.2 where there is a prophesie against Moab and Seir. He must turn himself another way and speak boldly against Mount Seir. that is against Idumea wherein Mount Seir was between the Lake Asphaltites and Egypt where Esau and his posterity dwelt Gen 32.3 who were called Edomites or Idumeans Vers 3. Behold O Mount Seir I am against thee Here is a sad message for Mount Seir or rather the inhabitants of Idumea who by a Metonymie are understood thereby they had God against them and this
declared Behold I am against thee Idumea I am against all thine inhabitants thou hast not Israel against thee but the God of Israel I that formed Israel that formed thee I that made all the world and can annihilate it at my pleasure even I am against thee to infatuate thy Counsels to weaken thy Forces to frustrate thine Enterprizes and to bring thee low I will stretch out mine hand against thee Stretching out the hand is sometimes in mercy as Pro 1.24 and sometimes in judgement as here and Chap 25.13 I will stretch out mine hand upon Edom and will cut off man and beast This posture of the hand imports vehement displeasure in the party doth it and readiness to strike God was very wroth with these Idumeans and would set his power on work to smite them with destructive judgements I will make thee most desolate The Hebrew is Shemamah Vmeshammah which Montanus renders desolation and solitariness The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will make thee a wildernesse and thou shalt be a wildernesse When the Hebrew is doubled that is instead of a Superlative here its desolation and desolation which implyes most desolatenesse Vers 4. I will lay thy Cityes waste Idumea had many Cityes as Teman Dedan Bosra Maresa Rhinocorura Raphia Gaza Authedon Ascalon and Azotus all which God threatens to lay waste Chap 25.14 God said He would lay his vengeance upon Edom and this was made good in the destruction of her Cityes and people And thou shalt be desolate God would by his judgements cut off man and beast Chap 25.13 and so made it desolate to purpose when there are neither men nor Cattel in a Land how desolate is it And thou shalt know that I am the Lord. When thy Cityes are laid waste when man and beast are cut off then shalt thou know that I am against thee and that I am the Lord Jehovah who have done such things Vers 5. Because thou hast had a perpetuall hatred The Hebrew is for that there is to thee an hatred or enmity of old This is the first sin mentioned which provoked God to proceed so severely against them viz their ancient hatred to the Israelites Gen 27.41 Esau hated Jacob and purposed in his heart to slay him because he had got the blessing This hatred descended to the posterity of Esau against the posterity of Jacob and began in the womb of Rebecca when the children strugled together Gen 25.22 The Edomites were ever enemies to the Israelites in their hearts and vented it as they had occasion When the Babylonians took Jerusalem they cryed Rase it rase it even to the foundation thereof Psal 137.7 And hast shed the bloud of the children of Israel by the force of the sword In the Hebrew its thus and hast poured out the children of Israel by the hand of the sword The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast sat down before the house of Israel by deceit or thou hast laid wait for the house of Israel by the hand of the enemies sword The Tigurine translation is Terruisti eos gladio thou hast terrified them by the sword The Vulgar is concluser is filios Israel in manus gladii Thou hast shut up the sons of Israel into the hand of the sword thou stoppedst their flight and so causedst them to fall by the enemies sword Junius Fecisti ut diminuerentur Israelitae per gladium By thy hatred thou effectedst it that the Israelites were diminished by the sword Munster differs somewhat from all these saith he Traxeris filios Israel super gladium Thou hast forced the Israelites upon the sword thou camedst out against them and dravedst them back when they thought to escape by thy borders The word Nagar signifies to flow to poure out and in Hiphel to make to flow the sence is Thou hast slain the children of Israel and hast made their bloud to flow or poured out their bloud That in Obadiah gives light to this vers 14. Thou shouldest not have stood in the crosse way to cut off those of his that did escape neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distresse When the Babylonians entred Jerusalem some Jews got away but the Edomites watched for them at a Crosse way and there cut them off and others they delivered up to be cut off By the hand of the sword that is the power of it In the time of their calamity Here is the aggravation of their sin that they were cruel when they should have been compassionate Job 6.14 To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed The Edomites being brethren should have pityed the Israelites when they suffered such hard things from the Babylonians but they were without pity Amos 1.11 Edom did pursue his brother with the sword and did cast off all pity He was so far from pitying that he was cruel even cruelty it selfe he cast off all pity puts on nothing but cruelty they fled to them for succour and they destroyed them In the time that their iniquity had an end Here is another aggravation Iniquity may be taken for sin or punishment if it be taken for sin the sense runs thus That the Edomites shed their bloud when their sins were come to the height and they put into a condition of sinning so no more now they should have shewed them kindness not have exasperated them If we take iniquity for punishment the sense is In the time that they had their utmost punishment for their sin when God dealt most severely with them when City and Temple were burnt laid levell with the ground when Church and State were wholly ruin'd even thou didst then shed their bloud and dealedst cruelly with them First Observe The Prophets were ordered by God to prophesie for or against whom he pleased Son of man set thy face against Mount Seir and prophesie against it In the Chapter before he had prophesied against the Shepherds of Israel and for Gods Flock which he did by divine appointment and here he is appointed to prophesie against the Edomites who were as Wolves to his Flock The Prophets spake as they were moved by the Spirit and unto whom they were directed by God Secondly Observe Those that are enemies to Gods people have God an enemy unto them The Idumeans were enemies to the Jews and God declares himself to be an enemy unto them Behold O Mount Seir I am against thee and thou shalt feel the force of mine enmity as thou hast made my people feel the force of thy sword thou hast stretched thy hand against them and I will stretch out my hand against thee thou hast cut them off and I will cut thee off I will lay thy Cityes waste and make thee desolate The effects of Gods enmity are dreadful woe to that Land those Cityes and People whom he is against see Ezek 25. Chap 26. Isa 66.14 it s said The hand of the Lord shall be known
toward his servants and his indignation towards his enemies God will put a difference between his people and his enemies for the one he will put forth his power for their good and for the other he will let out his indignation for their destruction Thirdly Observe God takes notice how the hearts of men stand towards his people whether they love them or hate them Esau and his posterity hated Jacob and his posterity and this the Lord noted not only doth he observe what they do to his but also what spirits they have towards his Esther 9.1 The Jews had rule over them that hated them The Lord regarded the spirits of the Babylonians how malicious they were towards the Jewes Fourthly Observe The nature of hatred is lasting and destructive Thou hast had a perpetuall hatred and hast shed the bloud of the children of Israel This hatred had lasted above 1200 years it was an hatred of Ages it ran through Generation after Generation and lasted from Esau's dayes to the Babylonish captivity and notwithstanding it was so old yet it had so much spirit and life in it as to shed the bloud of Israelites Hatred is implacable and seeks the utter extirpation of what it hates Cain hated Abel and slew him the Jews hated Christ and they were restless till they had cut him off from the Land of the living David tells you Psal 25.19 what is the true nature of hatred saith he They hate me with cruell hatred not that any hatred is gentle For the mercies of the wicked are cruell Pro 12.10 but all hatred is cruell and bloudy it would tear the party hated in pieces and shred him as hearbs for the pot Fifthly Observe God is much incensed against them who deal harshly with his people being in a suffering condition These Edomites were bitter and bloudy to the Israelites when they were in great affliction deprived of all their outward comforts and fled for their lives they being Cognati faederati vicini should upon those accounts have had pity on them or if not on those respects yet for that they were men and what befalls one condition of men may befall another but they shewed them no mercy they shed their bloud in the day of their calamity and therefore God was wroth laid waste their Cityes and shed their bloud Obad 10. For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off for ever Thus God made good what he gave out by the mouth of Solomon Pro 17.5 He that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished Verses 6 7 8 9. Therefore as I live saith the Lord God I will prepare thee unto bloud and bloud shall pursue thee sith thou hast not hated bloud even bloud shall pursue thee Thus will I make Mount Seir most desolate and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth And I will fill his mountains with his slain men in thy hills and in thy valleyes and in all thy rivers shall they fall that are slain with the sword I will make thee perpetuall desolations and thy Cityes shall not return and ye shall know that I am the Lord. IN these verses Gods proceeding against the Edomites is more particularly laid down 1. Here is the destruction of themselves vers 6. 8. 2. The desolation and misery of their Countrey vers 7. 9. 3. The confirmation of both these by an oath vers 6. Vers 6. Therefore as I live saith the Lord God Of this divine oath hath oft been spoken it s used sometimes to confirm promises as Isa 49.18 19. but most frequently to confirm threatnings which are hardly believed Seeing thou hast been unbrotherlike unnatural to the Jews in shedding of their bloud Therefore as I live as sure as I am the living God I will prepare thee to bloud thou thinkest thy self secure and that no mischief shall come upon thee but let not me be the living God if you escape so I will prepare thee unto bloud The Hebrew is Because I will make thee unto bloud that is I will fit thee prepare thee unto bloud I will order things so that thy bloud shall be shed Efficiam ut gladio cadas Thou shalt be cut off by the sword And bloud shall pursue thee Gods oath we may refer to these words and read the verse thus As I live saith the Lord God because I will prepare thee unto bloud even bloud shall pursue thee By bloud here we may understand either the bloud of the Jews which they had shed and cryed for vengeance like the bloud of Abel or by bloud may be meant bloudy men those are thine enemies they shall pursue thee and shed thy bloud without pity Sith thou hast not hated bloud The Hebrew is im lo dam sanetha si non sanguinem odio habueris so Montanus Some make these words im lo to carry the form of an oath thus If thou dost not suffer for thy hatred of thy brethren let me not be the true God Several wayes men render these words but Piscators the French and our translation are most approveable Because or Sith thou hast not hated bloud or If thou hatest not bloud The Edomites did not hate shedding of bloud but were glad of that opportunity they had to cut off the Jews that so they might ingratiate themselves with the Babylonians Vers 7. Thus will I make Mount Seir most desolate Mount Seir is put for the Land of Idumea which was a pleasant and fruitfull Land but this would God make desolation even desolation that is most desolate it should be void of inhabitants And cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth God would do by Idumea as men do by a Wood cut down the great Trees and the lesser even every Tree and every Bush so not only the great Ones in Idumea but the meaner sort such as travelled from place to place to get a living those that carried out commodities and those that brought them in they should all be cut off there should be none left to tread in her paths Vers 8. And I will fill his Mountains with his slain men Idumea had many mountains which formerly were fill'd with sheep and oxen but now they should be fill'd with the carkasses of slain men which shews the greatnesse of the slaughter that should be made of the Idumeans Such a generall destruction of them there should be as that in all places the dead should lye in the hills in the valleys and in the rivers they fled to those places to secure themselves from the Chaldaean Army and there they slew them and made them meat for the Fowles of Heaven and Fish in the waters Vers 9. I will make thee perpetual desolations There is another Scripture speaking thus much that Edom should not only be desolate but desolate for ever as Jerem 49.17 18. it should be made like Sodom and Gomorrah none should abide or dwell there
of Israel Whether Edom secretly muttered out or openly vented her blasphemies The Lord heard them Ammon said Aha against Gods Sanctuary when it was profaned and against the Land of Israel when it was desolate and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity Ezek 25.3 And Moab said the house of Judah is like unto all the Heathen When they said so was the Lord deaf Zeph 2.8 I have heard the reproach of Moab and the revilings of the children of Ammon whereby they have reproached my people and magnified themselves against their border The Lord heard and remembred what they said and made it known to all Ages so did he hear what Tyrus the Sea-City said insultingly against Jerusalem Ezek 26.2 He took notice of the Letter that Rehum the Chancellor and Shimshai the Scribe and the rest of their companions wrought against Jerusalem Ezra 4.8 There is nothing said or thought against the people of God but he is privy to it Lament 3.61 saith Jeremy Thou hast heard their reproach O Lord and all their imaginations against me God heard not only what their wicked tongues spake but also what their vile hearts imagined yea all that they imagined he hears imaginations Secondly Observe God will convince and make blasphemers know that he heard their blasphemies And thou shalt know that I the Lord have heard all thy blasphemies Men blaspheme Heaven and Earth they speak proudly against God Christ Scriptures Ordinances and flatter themselves that they shall never more hear of their blasphemies they think God minds them not but God hath times to make such black mouth'd wretches to know that he heard them even all of them when God visited Edom with the sword then they should know it when death comes or judgement after death then shall they know what they have said If men must give account of every idle word they speak Matth 12.36 much more of reviling and blasphemous words Thirdly Observe The revilings and blasphemies uttered against the people of God God accounts as spoken against himself The Edomites spake against the Jews and the mountains of Israel but thus saith the Lord With your mouth ye have boasted against me and have multiplyed your words against me It s my self you reproach and speak against when you deal so by my people What Moab said against the house of Judah Ezek 25.8 God saith was against himself Jerem. 48.26 42. Moab hath magnified himself against the Lord. When the wicked spake against Gods servants truth and Sanctuary David saith they reproached God Psal 74.22 Arise O God plead thine own cause remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily it was God they reproached As wicked men act against God when they act against his people 2 Chro 14.11 Numb 16.3 with Numb 27.3 so they speak against God when they speak against his people all the bitter reviling and provoking speeches they utter against them God hears reckons as vented against himselfe and will recompence into the bosomes of his enemies Verses 14 15. Thus saith the Lord God When the whole earth rejoyceth I will make thee desolate As thou didst rejoyce at the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate so will I do unto thee thou shalt be desolate O mount Seir and all Idumea even all of it and they shall know that I am the Lord. IN this Conclusion of the Chapter the Lord further declares his mind concerning Idumea and tells her she shall suffer when all others shall rejoyce and why because she rejoyced at the sufferings of the house of Israel Vers 14. When the whole earth rejoyceth If we refer the word earth to the Land of Judaea the sense may be this When I shall make that whole Land rejoyce or if we understand by earth the other parts of the world the meaning is When I shall bring my people out of captivity and cause the whole earth to rejoyce thereat then will I make thee desolate but Scriptures do hint it to us that Edom was made desolate before the return of the Jewes from Babylon Jerem 25. 27. Chap. tells us that Edom was given to Nebuchadnezzar and was to drink the Cup of Gods wrath like other Nations and sundry Expositers agree in this That shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem Edom was laid desolate Some other interpretation therefore of the words is to be looked out we may refer earth to Idumea and then the sense will be this As the whole Land of Idumea hath rejoyced at the desolation of the Israelites so will I make it wholly desolate The Hebrew favours this interpretation for it is thus As the whole Earth or Land hath rejoyced in desolation I will do unto thee Piscator goeth this way and saith Sicut laetatur tota ista terra seil Edomaea As all this Land namely Idumea hath rejoyced in desolation so will I do unto thee O Idumea Vers 15. As thou didst rejoyce at the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate The Edomites when they saw the Temple burnt Jerusalem made even with the ground and all the Land turned into a wilderness they rejoyced at it Obadiah 12. They of Edom rejoyced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction when they saw men and beasts cut off the Godly Cityes ruin'd and the pleasant Land laid waste they laughed at it and said Aha so would we have it The inheritance of the house of Israel This inheritance was the Land of Canaan which God gave to Abraham Gen 15.7 and to his seed Exod 32.13 To Jacob and Israel did God give Canaan the lot of their inheritance Psal 105.11 And this Land was the Lords inheritance Exod. 15.17 He dwelt in it and own'd it for his Land and when the wicked invaded it the Psalmist said O God the Heathen are come into thine inheritance Psal 79.1 and vers 10. of this Chapter it s said The Lord was there It was both the Lords and his peoples inheritance and when it was made desolate the Edomites were glad thereof So will I do unto thee Thou hast rejoyced at the calamities of others and others shall rejoyce at thy calamities thou didst insult speak proudly when the inheritance of the house of Israel was laid waste and thou shalt meet with such dealings when thine inheritance shall be laid waste thy Cityes shall be destroyed man and beast shall be cut off and the Nations shall be glad of it Thou shalt be desolate O Mount Seir and all Idumea even all of it When sad judgements are upon Lands some parts are spared as Strong Holds great Cityes Port Towns and the like but so severely should the enemy deal with Mount Seir and Idumea that nothing should be left all even all should be utterly ruin'd and made desolate First Observe The generality of people are apt to go the wrong way to rejoyce at the evill of Gods people All Idumea rejoyced The whole earth the people of it
from one end to another were glad of the sad things befell the Jewes not some great Ones not one corner of the Land but all the Edomites throughout the Land Thus did the Ammonites also they generally concur'd in the same sin Ezek 25.3 They cryed Aha against the Sanctuary the Land of Israel and house of Judah when they were profaned and laid waste This was the practice of the Tyrians they all with one consent rejoyced at the sufferings of Jerusalem Ezek 26.2 When the two Witnesses were slain the inhabitants of the earth rejoyced over them made merry sent gifts one to another Rev 11.10 The greatest part of men are disaffected towards the people of God and when evill befalls them they are glad thereof Secondly Observe Men thirsting after what is others do lose what is their own The Edomites said These two Nations and these two Countreys shall be mine and we will possesse it vers 10. and not long after they lost their own Countrey it was made desolate Achan was not content with what he had his heart was upon the Babylonish garment the two hundred shekels of silver and the wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight and by so doing he lost both estate and life Josh 7. Pharoah-Necho was ambitious he sought to inlarge himselfe Jerem 46.2 but his Army was beaten and afterwards he lost his Countrey Ezek 30. Many Princes coveting and attempting to inlarge their borders by getting from others have lost themselves and what they had The Dog catching at the shadow lost what he had in his mouth many waste and lose their estates at Law while they seek to get that which is other mens Thirdly Observe The Lord in due time repayes the same or like things to wicked ones Edom rejoyced when the inheritance of the house of Israel was laid waste and God would lay Edom waste make her desolate and others should rejoyce at her So will I do unto thee thou shalt be desolate and meet with those that shall laugh at thy calamity In Obadiah's prophesie where the carriage of Edom towards the house of Jacob is fully set out the Lord saith plainly As thou hast done it shall be done unto thee Nebuchadnezzar he spoyled many Nations and had his pleasure on them and in due time he was spoyled by the Nations Jerem 27.7 And all Nations shall serve him and his son and his sons son untill the very time of his Land come and then many Nations and great Kings shall serve themselves of him Then they should do to him as he had done to them Jer. 50.15 Adonibezeck had his Thumbs and Toes cut off as he had served others Judg. 1.7 Many in our dayes have met with that measure they measured unto others Prov 26.27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein and he that rolleth a stone it will return upon him He that intends or doth mischief to others that mischief will fall upon himself Psal 9.15 The Heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made in the net which they hid is their own foot taken Here is Lex talionis Vide Quistorpius in Jer 50.15 the just judgement of God upon evill-doers all the enemies of Sion God will meet with in due time and return the same or like things into their bosoms Fourthly Observe It is Nations and Peoples own sins that brings desolation upon them Edoms rejoycing at Jerusalems calamities her anger envy and hatred her boasting and blasphemies caused God to lay her waste and utterly waste O Mount Seir thou shalt be desolate and all Idumea even all of it Had not these sins preceded that dreadful judgement had not followed it was wickednesse brought in the flood upon the whole world and its wickedness brings desolating judgements upon any part of it Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned for they would not walk in his wayes neither were they obedient unto his Law therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battel It was Jacobs and Israels sin that exposed them to spoylers and spoiling Isa 42.24 25. God was not forward to this work but would have had them prevented it Isa 48.18 19. O that thou hadst hearkned to my Commandements then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousnesse as the waves of the Sea thy seed also had been as the sand and the off-spring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me Fifthly Observe Gods great design in punishing the enemies of his people and of shewing kindness unto them is to make known himself experimentally unto them When the wicked feel the weight of his power strength of his wrath severity of his justice they will acknowledge God and God to be another kind of God then they imagined when he shall render to them the same or like things to what they have done they will be convinced of the equity of his wayes so when Gods people taste of his loving kindnesses partake of choice deliverances and find the sweetness of his dispensations towards them then they say Among the gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy works Psal 86.8 CHAP. XXXVI Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Also thou son of man prophesie unto the mountains of Israel and say Ye mountains of Israel hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God Because the enemy had said against you Alas even the ancient high places are ours in possession Therefore prophesie and say Thus saith the Lord God Because they have made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers and are an infamy of the people Therefore ye mountains of Israel hear the word of the Lord God 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 which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about Therefore thus saith the Lord God Surely in the fire of my jealousie have I spoken against the residue of the heathen and against all Idumea which have appointed my Land into their possession with the joy of all their hearts with despitefull minds to cast it out for a prey Prophesie therefore concerning the Land of Israel and say unto the mountains and to the hills to the rivers and to the valleys Thus saith the Lord God Behold I have spoken in my jealousie and in my fury because ye have born the shame of the heathen Therefore thus saith the Lord God I have lifted up mine hand surely the heathen that are about you they shall bear their shame THe Jews being deprived of their Comforts carryed into captivity
on those they apprehend have done them wrong and so God after the manner of men is said to speak in the fire of his jealousie against the Heathens who had wronged him his people and the Land Which have appointed my Land into their possession Judaea saith God was my Land I dwelt there and set up my worship there I gave it my people for a possession and though at present they be driven out for their sins yet I keep it for them and none ought to meddle with or challenge that Land how is it then that the Edomites and Heathens have consulted and determined to take my Land into their possession they are resolved to rob me and my people of our right to swallow up our inheritance With the joy of all their heart Joy is a dilatation of the heart from apprehension of good these Heathens apprehended it good that the Jews were cut off and carryed away that hereupon the Land should be theirs this fill'd them with joy and made them attempt with all their hearts the possession of the Land With despitefull minds to cast it out for a prey The words in the Hebrew are thus In contempt of mind for expulsion of it for a prey so Montanus Sheat signifies Depopulation as well as contempt and so Junius hath it Cum depopulatione animosa ut sedes expulsorum ejus fit direptioni with greedy depopulation they were very earnest and violent in depopulating the Land that the seat of its expelled ones might be for a prey Piscator saith that its fields or suburbs might be for spoyle The people being slain or carried away captive the Edomites and others did with malicious minds expose the Land to the spoyl of any Vers 6. Behold I have spoken in my jealousie and in my fury Here is an addition of fury to jealousie fury is fervor irâ—e or fera ira heat of anger or severe anger fury is ira cum vehementia when it s given to God it notes the severe holy and just indignation of God Because ye have born the shame of the heathen The Heathens have reproached you poured scorn and contempt upon you made you the filth of the world Zeph 2.8 10. they so reproached them that it affected God himself and Jeremy Lam 5.1 was so pierced with the reproachings of the Heathen that he complains and cryes out Remember O Lord what is come upon us consider and behold our reproach They jeer'd and scoff'd at them for their Temple Worship City Mountains Songs yea for their God Of bearing the shame of the Heathen see Chap 34.29 Vers 7. Therefore thus saith the Lord God I have lifted up mine hand Lifting up the hand was a gesture used by men in taking of oaths as Gen 14.22 Abraham lifted up his hand unto the Lord that was in swearing and this metaphorically is applyed unto God who when he swears is said to lift up his hand so that swearing and lifting up the hand are equivalent Numb 14.30 Doubtlesse ye shall not come into the Land concerning which I swear to make you dwell therein The Hebrew for I swear is I lifted up my hand So then Gods lifting up his hand here is his swearing that he would make the Nations bear their shame for reproaching his people Surely the heathen that are about you they shall bear their shame As sure as I am God the Heathen which have made you a reproach a proverb a taunt and a curse they shall be a reproach a proverb a taunt and a curse they have made you infamous and they shall be infamous they have covered loaded you with shame and they shall be covered and loaded with shame First Observe God hath a speciall care of his Church when it s in an afflicted condition The Jews were dispossessed of their Land carryed into captivity made infamous and their Land uâ—â—â—ped by others hereupon the Lord sends Ezekiel unto them to prophesie comfort unto them in the destruction of their enemies Son of man prophesie unto the Mountains of Israel and say Hear the word of the Lord. He hath a terrible word for your enemies a comfortable word for you threatnings for them promises for you Though men hated his people yet God himself pityed them though men swallowed up their habitation yet God would restore it to them again Jer 30.6 7 8 9 10. Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loyns as a woman in travel and all faces are turned into paleness Alas for that day is great so that none is like it it is even the time of Jacobs trouble but he shall be saved out of it For it shall come to passe in that day saith the Lord of Hoasts that I will break his yoke from off thy neck and will burst thy bonds and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him but they shall serve the Lord their God and David their King whom I will raise up unto them Therefore fear thou not O my servant Jacob saith the Lord neither be dismayed O Israel for lo I will save thee from afar and thy seed from the Land of their captivity and Jacob shall return and shall be in rest and quiet and none shall make him afraid The Church was in great affliction like a woman in travail and here the Lord shewed his goodness towards it and speciall care over it he would break Babylonish yokes and bonds set it at liberty restore it to the former yea a better condition viz such priviledges and security it never had Secondly Observe When Gods people are under affliction their enemies are glad thereof and take advantage to disgrace them and make a prey of what was theirs The Israelites suffered hard things by the Babylonians upon this the enemies cryed Aha they were glad at the heart they talked their pleasures of them and made them the infamy of the people they swallowed them up on every side and said The Mountains of Israel are ours and we will possesse the ancient high places When Sion goes down Babylon rejoyces the Heathens disgrace and â—â—â—â—ure it adding affliction to the afflicted see Zeph 2.8 Obad 10.11 12 13 14. All the enemies which heard of Sions trouble were glad Lam 1.21 They reproached Sion and her children Lament 2.15 16. and said They shall no more sojourn there Lam 4.15 Judaea shall never be repossessed by them it shall be ours Thirdly Observe That rejoycing at the sufferings of Gods people disgracing and wronging of them doth greatly offend the Lord. Because the enemy cryed Aha defamed the Jews arrogated the Land for their possession therefore the Lord spake against them in the fire of his jealousie and in his fury he was exceedingly wroth and would deal severely with them it went to his heart and inflamed his spirit that his people who were so dear unto him should be derided despitefully used what was theirs made a prey of and that by Heathens Jerem 50.11 12. Because ye were glad because ye
rejoyced O ye destroyers of mine heritage because ye are grown fat as the Heifer at grasse and bellow as Bulls your mother shall be sore confounded that is the City Babylon or the Land of Chaldaea or both because the Babylonians had dealt so by the people of God and their Land God would not only confound them but sorely confound them Fourthly Observe Those that make the people of God infamous shall themselves be made infamous The Nations made the Jewes the infamy of the people they loaded them with reproaches and shame and God sweares Surely the Heathen shall bear their shame Do you mock and hiss at my people ye shall be mocked and hissed at In Lam 2.15 16. You have the carriage of all towards Jerusalem they clapt their hands they hissed they wagged their heads they opened their mouths and gnashed their teeth and said Is this the City men call the perfection of beauty we have swallowed her up this is the day we have looked for In other places you may observe how God returned their revilings upon their heads Jerem 49.17 Edom shall be a desolation every one that goeth by it shall be astonished and shall hisse at all the plagues thereof Nineveh was proud and insulted and God made her infamous All that passed by hissed and wagged the hand at her Zeph. 2.15 Babylon had the same measure Jer 51.37 She was made an hissing without inhabitant so Chap 50.13 And Isaiah tells us the insulting proverb which was used against the King and City of Babylon when they were destroyed Isa 14.4 How hath the oppressor ceased the golden City ceased Verses 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. But ye O mountains of Israel ye shall shoot forth your branches and yeeld your fruit to my people of Israel for they are at hand to come For behold I am for you and I will turn unto you and ye shall be tilled and sown And I will multiply men upon you all the house of Israel even all of it and the Cityes shall be inhabited and the wastes shall be builded And I will multiply upon you man and beast and they shall increase and bring fruit and I will settle you after your old estates and will do better unto you then at your beginnings and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Yea I will cause men to walk upon you even my people Israel and they shall possesse thee and thou shalt be their inheritance and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men Thus saith the Lord God Because they say unto you Thou Land devourest up men and hast bereaved thy Nations Therefore thou shalt devoure men no more neither bereave thy Nations any more saith the Lord God Neither will I cause men to hear in thee the shame of the heathen any more neither shalt thou bear the reproach of the people any more neither shalt thou cause thy Nations to fall any more saith the Lord God THese eight verses are the 2d. general part of the Chapter containing rich promises of favour and mercy unto the afflicted Jews and they are 1. Fruitfulness of their Countrey vers 8. 2. Return into it ibid. 3. Gods turning unto them vers 9. 4. Multiplication of men and beasts ver 10 11. 5. Rebuilding of their Cityes waste places and reinhabiting of them vers 10 12. 6. Setling them in a better condition then ever vers 11. 7. Freedom 1. From destruction vers 12 13 14. 2. From the reprochings of enemies v 15. Vers 8. But ye O mountains of Israel ye shall shoot forth your branches In the time of Jerusalems siedge the Land of Israel was much wasted the fruitfull and usefull Trees cut down and during the Captivity it was over-run with Bryars and Thorns Isa 5.6 Chap 33.13 Yea all the Land was so Chap 7. 24. But here Gods promise is that the Mountains of Israel should be fruitfull they should shoot forth their branches Vines and other Trees full of branches should be planted there and thrive And yield your fruit to my people of Israel Strangers shall not eat your fruit as heretofore but my people shall have the benefit thereof Israelites shall eat your fruit not Edomites or Babylonians For they are at hand to come Here is the reason given why the Mountains and Land of Canaan should bring forth and yeeld increase it was because the time drew neer of the Jews returning out of captivity In the Creation God did bid the earth bring forth prepared a Paradice for man and then brought man into it so here he takes care that the Mountains and Countryes should bring forth for that his people were to come into it The Chaldee hath it Veniat dies redemptionis and the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seaventy years was but a little time unto God some part of which was expired and the time hastned for their deliverance Vers 9. For behold I am for you and I will turn unto you God had formerly been against them as appears Ezek 5.8 Ch 21.3 Ch 15.7 and they had found it so being driven out of their own Land into Babylon where God tells them to their comfort Behold I am for you and for the Mountains of Israel which have been laid waste I will turn unto you and look upon you in mercy Ye shall be tilled and sown Where Bushes Nettles and Bryars grew before there should be plowing sowing and Corn in abundance Vers 10. And I will multiply men upon you c. This verse and the next further sets out the effect of Gods turning to the Mountains they should abound with men and beasts the whole Land should be possest the waste places builded and the Cityes inhabited and both men and beast should be fruitfull All the house of Israel even all of it When this was fulfill'd doth not appear few of the 10 Tribes returned and not all of the other two Vers 11. I will settle you after your old estates The Hebrew is I will make you to dwell according to your antiquities as you dwelt in Joshuahs time or as you were settled before your captivity then you had peace plenty and many accommodations which you shall have again and more for it follows And do better unto you then at your beginnings God had done great things for them formerly they abounded so in riches stately buildings wise holy and strong men in famous victories and in plenty of all good things that they exceeded all people yet God promises here to do better unto them then at the beginning When this was made good is greatly questioned Some answer it thus That when they first came into Canaan they were low poor not in a capacity to build a Temple but when they returned out of Babylon they went about and built a Temple But this Temple exceeded not the former Temple in greatness richness Ceremony sanctity multitude of Priests or Prophets Ezra 3.12 Others say That after their return from their captivity their
them into forraign Lands Let all the world judge Vers 20. And when they entred unto the heathen whither they went they profaned my holy Name When the Jews came amongst the Heathen they profaned his holy name which is done two wayes either formaliter when mens own words or actions are profane prostituting the name of God to dishonour or occasionaliter when occasion is given to others by their words and actions to profane the holy Name of God as David by his sinfull action with Bathsheba gave occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme 2 Sam 12.14 And this was the case here for the Babylonians said These are the people of the Lord and are gone forth out of his Land The Jews being under sad judgements of God should have learned righteousnesse but they being neither affected with the honour of God care of their salvation nor with fear of offending the heathens persevered in their wicked wayes and idolatrous practices Ezek 20.32 whereupon the Heathens said These are the people of the Lord. They boast of their God to be a holy omnipotent and faithfull God but you may know what their God is by their unholy practices had he been omnipotent as they say he would have kept them out of our hands but he could not which shews our gods are stronger than he or if he could he would not he was not faithfull unto his people as our gods are unto us They are gone forth out of his Land whereas we abide in ours had their God been such as ours are he would have protected them and prevented their casting out of his Land First Observe The wicked wayes of men especially those of bloud and idolatry are loathsome unto God Their way was before me as the uncleannesse of a removed woman that is extream loathsome All sin is defiling and so loathsome abominable unto God who is holy yea holinesse it self but murther and idolatry are most hatefull and most loathsome unto him Psal 5.6 The bloudy man is abhor'd of God and he lets him not live out halfe his dayes Psal 55.23 Jer 44.4 The Lord calls idolatry An abominable thing which he hates he hates and loaths it infinitely Secondly Observe Men by their own sinfull doings do bring evills mischief and destruction upon themselves When the house of Israel dwelt in their own Land they defiled it by their own way and by their doings wherefore I poured my fury upon them Had they not sinned nor walked in evil wayes they had not met with fury but because their wayes were wicked bloudy and idolatrous therefore they had fury and fury poured out abundantly their own evil doings brought destruction upon them Prov 11.5 The wicked shall fall by his own wickednesse Jer 2.19 Thine own wickednesse shall correct thee Jerusalems own sin was her ruine And David tells us how God will deal with wicked men Psal 94.23 He shall bring upon them their own iniquity and shall cut them off in their wickednesse It s ill work wicked ones are about they make Fetters for their own feet and build houses for to fall upon their own heads so mischievous is the nature of sin that it damnifies and destroyes the parents of it Thirdly Observe What judgements soever God brings upon sinners he is just and righteous in so doing God poured fury upon them he drave them out of their own Countrey he scattered them up and down among heathens whose language they understood not who were bitter and harsh towards them and all this was not more no not so much as their sins deserved According to their way and their doings I judged them saith the Lord I did them no wrong they had not any cause to complain of me the fault was their own Whatever Gods proceedings are with any Nation Family or Person he is righteous for Psaâ— 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works there is no spot cleaves to his hand or any action thereof Fourthly Observe Its a grievous provoking thing when Gods people who professe his truth and worship give occasion to the enemies thereof to blaspheme and speak reproachfully The Jews being among the Babylonians spake and did such things as gave occasion to them to blaspheme When they entered unto the heathen they profaned my holy name This was a great grief and provocation of God that his people being afflicted for their sins yet should carry it so sinfully as to give them advantage of dishonouring God his Truths Worship and Servants Isa 52.5 God complains that his name was blasphemed continually every day The Babylonians watched the Jews and catched all advantages to profane the name of the Lord this was their daily language These are the people of the Lord and are gone forth out of his Land he could not or would not keep them out of our hands he is a weak unfaithfull unholy God and his people are like unto him When David gave occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme it brought forth sad effects or rather had sad consequents the death of the child and sword at his dore for ever 2 Sam 12. Those therefore who professe the true Religion should be exceeding carefull whereever they be come that they walk answerable to the Religion they profess that they avoid all sin and do good that so the name of God may be glorified and not profaned or blasphemed Fifthly Observe Heathens and heathenish spirits are glad of occasions and advantages against the true God his wayes and people The Babylonians said These are the people of the Lord and are gone forth out of his Land They were glad they had matter to insult and blaspheme what 's your God better then ours ye do the things we do and what is his Land better then this Land have not we Corn Wine and Oyl Milk and Honey as well and as much as you had in that Land why is Canaan so cryed up and Jerusalem so magnified our Assyria and our City Babylon are as good as excellent as they yea far beyond them Verses 21 22 23 24. But I had pity for mine holy Name which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen whither they went Therefore say unto the house of Israel Thus saith the Lord God I do not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for mine holy Names sake which ye have profaned among the heathen whither ye went And I will sanctifie my great Name which was profaned among the heathen which ye have profaned in the midst of them and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord saith the Lord God when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes For I will take you from among the heathen and gather you out of all Countreys and will bring you into your own Land THese verses contain the ground of the Jews restauration which is the fourth general part of the Chapter they being in captivity and sinning there greatly they caused the name
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.
diligent and careful inquiry The Vulgar is Adhuc in hoc invenient me domus Israel moreover in this shall the house of Israel find me when they pray and seek me I will be found of them they shall prevail with me to do this for them Vatablus in his Notes hath the words thus Ero requisitus à domo Israel I will be required by the house of Israel they shall come and mind me and intreat me to do this for them Junius is otherwise Expositus ero domui Israelis ut hoc faciam eis I will be exposed to the house of Israel that I will do this for them Piscator is more plain Inveniendum me exhibebo Domui Israelis I will shew my self to the house of Israel to be found of them that I may do this for them Lavater and the French is I will be required I will have the house of Israel sue unto me for it What it is that God will be enquired of for is next to be spoken of Maldonate makes it Quicquid petiverint whatsoever they shall ask Some refer it to all the promises mentioned before but both these are too large and the words would not have been for this but for these things or these promises will I be enquired of Lavater makes for this to be Vt multiplicentur that they may be multiplyed and increased again or For this viz which I have spoken and said I will do I have said I will return rebuild replant them and make their desolate Land like the Garden of Eden so that the Heathens shall wonder at my dealings with them now for this will I be enquired of by the house of Israel I will increase them with men like a flock The Hebrew may be read thus I will increase them like a flock of men The Septuagint is I will increase the men themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as sheep I will so multiply them that they shall be like a flock The Jews greatly desired issue alwayes and it is probable more strongly after their reduction from Babylon then ever that so they might plant build and fill the Land again Vers 38. As the holy flock as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn Feasts so shall the waste Cityes be filled with flocks of men and they shall know that I am the Lord. IN the Hebrew it is As the flocks of holinesses or holy things The Jews besides other feasts had three great solemn Feasts every yeer at Jerusalem 1. The Passeover 2. Pentecost 3. The Feast of Tabernacles unto which the people came up from all parts of the Land and for their use at those times great flocks of sheep and herds of Cattel were brought to Jerusalem In Josiahs time there were 30000 Lambs and Kids besides Oxen and small Cattel which were for holy services and therefore here are called The holy flock and flock of Jerusalem John 15.2 You read of a sheep Market and by it a Pool great flocks of sheep were brought unto that Market and they were washed in that Pool before they were used in holy services Jerusalem at these Feasts were filled with flocks of sheep and men and God here promiseth That the waste and desolate places of Judea should be filled with men and made to abound with inhabitants again how improbable soever it seemed to the Jews or Heathens And they shall know that I am the Lord. They shall acknowledge that my thoughts are not theirs nor my wayes theirs and that I am faithfull and able to do great things First Observe God expects that his People should seek to him for performance of those Promises he graciously makes them I will for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them It is tender mercy and loving kindness in God to make promises unto sinners and it is duty in man to mind them being made and to sue them out by prayer David did so Remember saith he the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Psal 119.49 And again Quicken me according to thy Word vers 154. He minded God of his word and promises and pressed him by hearty prayer to make the same good So Jacob Lord didst not thou bid me return unto my Countrey and saidst thou wouldest deal well with me deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau for I fear him Gen 32.9 11. Had not Jacob improved the promise he might have gone without deliverance Promises as they are foundations for faith so they are incentives unto prayer and provoke those to whom they are made to sue them out O Lord God said Solomon let thy promise unto David my father be established 2 Kings 1.9 Thou didst promise him that I should sit upon the Throne Lord make it good Jeremy holds out this truth most cleerly That God expects to be sought unto for the performance of what he promiseth Chap 29.10 11. After seaventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return to this place for I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evill to give you an expected end Here is the promise what now follows in the 12 13 14. verses Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you c. See it put in practice Dan 9.2 3 4 c. God tells them Isa 43. That he blots out transgressions for his own sake and will not remember their sins but then it is added Put me in remembrance vers 25 26. Secondly Observe That the increase of Children is the blessing of God and he can increase them in a short space to become like a flock They multiplyed and filled the Land after their return and were as the Stars of Heaven the Sand of the Sea-shore and Dust of the earth the Key of the womb is in Gods hand and he maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyfull Mother of children Psal 113.9 And he makes the fruitfull woman to be more fruitfull He multiplyed his People as the Bud of the field Ezek 16.7 Thirdly Observe How desperate soever the conditions of men and things are the Lord can restore them to their Pristine estate yea to a better They were in a low and lost condition in Babylon all their Cityes laid waste in their own Land and never like to be built or inhabitated but God delivered them and restored them to their Primitive state and made all their waste Cityes populous Jerusalem formerly was filled with men now the waste Cityes should be also filled abounding with men now their Land should be planted and inhabited things in that Land were often at the point of ruine and incurable in the eye of men but God relieved them raised and restored them When Sennacherib was there with his great Army and all seemed lost
did not God destroy his Army and relieve them publickly and privately though there were now no Cityes left God could and did raise them up many Cityes though there were no people to inhabit those Cityes raised God could raise them up men and did make them exceeding populous even as populous as Jerusalem was at her solemn Feasts more populous than ever Fourthly Observe The end of Gods deliverances works and mercies is that God may be acknowledged and glorified When I have brought them out of Babylon planted them in Sion built their Cityes filled them with inhabitants and blessings of all sorts Then shall they know that I am the Lord that I am not like the heathenish gods and lords but that I am faithfull omnipotent gracious and merciful worthy to be honoured and adored by the house of Israel CHAP. XXXVII Verse 1. The hand of the Lord was upon me and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middest of the Valley which was full of bones 2. And caused me to pass by them round about and behold there were very many in the open valley and lo they were very dry IN the former Chapter he spake of the Jews Return out of Babylon and likewise of the Kingdom of Christ In this Chapter also he proceeds to comfort the Jews assuring them of their Return who well-nigh despaired thereof and of the union of the two houses Judah and Israel The parts of this Chapter are 1. A Vision of dry bones presented to the Prophet from the 1. ver to the 11. 2. The Interpretation and Application of this Vision from the beginning of the 11. to the end of the 14. 3. A Type of two Sticks and the uniting of them from the 15. to the 20. 4. The explication of the Type from the 20. ver to the end Vers 1. The hand of the Lord was upon me By hand of the Lord the Chaldee understands the spirit of Prophesie which did enlighten and affect the mind of the Prophet so also do divers others But some take it for the power of God upon him or a Divine instinct which like an hand pul'd or mov'd him to some other thing as Chap. 8.3 It was the Spirit of God came upon him as Chap. 3.14 And why it s called the hand of God see Chap. 1.3 And carryed me out in the Spirit of the Lord. The Hebrew may be read thus and is by Mâ—ntanus And the Lord carryed me out in the Spirit that is I was rapt out of my self and my spirit was carryed by the Lord to have a sight or view of Bones If we take the words as they are the sense is this The Spirit of God being upon me carryed me out in the spirit of Prophesie which is the Spirit of the Lord his body was not carryed from place to place He had a Prophetical Vision And set me down in the middest of the valley The Prophet seem'd to himself to see a Hand and to be led out by that hand into a certain Valley all which was Visional not real He names no particular Valley A-lapide saith it was in Campo Sennaar Mesopotamia and Chaldaea were Plains but whether it were in either of them is not specified In vallies Prophets were wont to have Visions Our Prophets first Vision was by the River Chebar and Rivers are alwayes in Vallies and in this Valley it s conceived by some as Lavater observes was this Vision but it s safer to judge that this Valley was also Visionall Which was full of Bones This Valley or Plain was no burying place for then the bones would not have layen upon the face of the earth and been exposed to view Some make these bones to be the bones of all Mankind being dead and to respect the general Resurrection but they are out nothing of that is here intended Some make them to be the bones of the Babylonians but the Prophets scope here is not to comfort them it s the Jews condition he points at and therefore by bones are meant the Jews as is clear v. 11. These Bones were Visional also not real for then they should not have him unburyed suffering reproach Some Jews have an Opinion that these bones were the bones of those Jews that dyed in Babylon and one Rabbi Jose a Galilaean saith That Ezekiel raised those dead Jews many of which return'd into the land of Israel and had children there that when this fell into controversie among the Jews one Rabbi Juda the Son of Bathira stood up and said Ego sum oriundus ex posteritate illorum quos Ezekiel in vitam revocavit I am of that race which Ezekiel raised and shewed the Phylacteries his Parent put upon him and had received from those were rais'd Verse 2. And caused me to passed by them round about The Lord would have the Prophet to take exact notice of them and therefore made him to pass Savif savif undique undique on every side on every side that so he might observe the number and quality of them and where they lay which he did for it follows And behold there were very many in the open valley The number of these bones was great pass'd number and they lay in open view in an open Valley where he had a full sight of them And loe they were very dry These bones were not cloath'd with flesh juycy and full of marrow which had been more easily rais'd to life if so but they were dry all the moysture was out of them they had lain long nigh 70 years in that condition and were almost become earth First Observe It was the Spirit of God mov'd the Prophets to give out those truths are now extant in the Scriptures that directed and enabled them to do what they did The hand of the Lord was upon me and carryed me out in the Spirit to see and give out what you have here The Prophets might not speak or act at their own pleasures but as the Spirit of God moved them 2 Pet. 1.21 so they spake so they acted It was the Spirit in the Prophets that testified against the Jews Neh. 9.30 The words of the Lord of hosts were in the hand and mouth of the Spirit before they were in the heads and mouths of the Prophets Neh. 7.12 The Apostles had the Spirit falling upon and filling them before they gave out Divine truths Act. 2.4 which verified what Châ—ist had said of the Spirit John 16.14 He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you All the truths Paul hath given forth for the Instruction Edification and Consolation of the Church of Christ he received from the Spirit of Christ Hence he saith 1 Cor. 11.23 I received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you And Chap. 14.37 The things I write unto you are the commandements of the Lord he had them all from his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.12 13. Secondly Observe The true Messengers and Servants of God come not
26 27 28 29 30. So Jerem. 32.37 38 39 40 41. When God is in a way of Judgements he adds judgment to judgement plague unto plague as you may read Levit. 26.18 21 28. And when he is in a way of Mercy He adds mercy to mercy as appears in the same Chapter from ver 4. to the 14. Secondly Observe False religious wayes of Worship are so far from advantaging men that they do defile them The Jews thought to better themselves by conforming to the Religion and Worship of the Heathens but thereby they defiled themselves And what is the favor or wealth of Heathens when the conscience is defiled before God Many among Papists when they have sinn'd run to their golden silver brassie stony and wodden gods thinking by offering unto them to be purged from their sins whereas thereby they do more deeply defile themselves Thirdly Observe When people afflicted receive choice mercies from God then they will take heed of and renounce former defilements Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their Idols nor with their Detestable things nor with any of their Transgressions When I shall shew them kindness and load them with mercies they will consider what offended me and ceasâ— from it then they will know me and my wayes and wâ—â—â— in the same abhorring Idols Hos 14.8 Ephraim shall say What have I any more to do with Idols When mercy comes it melts the heart makes a divorce between it and its Idols its beloved sins then it will have to do no more with heart or house Idols nor with any Transgressions Fourthly Observe God knows the dwellings of men wherever they dwell and the sins they commit in their dwellings These Jews were some in Egypt some in Babylon some in Media and Persia 2 King 17.6 yet he took notice of all their dwelling places wherein they had sinned There is not a Cottage in the Wilderness nor a Closet in the City not a Dungeon in the Earth but the Lord knows the same and what sins are acted there night and day Revel 2.13 I know thy works and where thou dwellest so saith God of Pergamos and may say it of every Man Family Church and Nation I know thy sins and wheâ—e thou dwellest Neither we nor our sins are hid from God dwell we in Canaan or in Babylon Let us look well to our selves and to our wayes for wherever we dwell whatever we are or do God's eye is constantly upon us Fifthly Observe Deliverance out of afflicted and sinful conditions is from the Lord himself I will save them out of all their dwelling places wherein they have sinned They were captives in Babylon and other places there they sinned and sinned greatly and who but God could deliver them either from their sins or their captivity Amos 9.14 I will bring again the captivity of my people God could break their bonds change the Laws of the Medes and Persians alter times and seasons remove all impediments and set his people at liberty Psal 107.19 He saveth them out of their distresses When men are distressed at Sea or Land if ever they get out of those distresses it 's by the hand of the Lord He saveth them He is the Saviour of Israel in the time of trouble Jer. 14.8 He saveth from uncleanness Ezek. 36.29 Salvation from affliction or from sin belongs to God and to him alone and he challengeth it to himself Isa 43.11 I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour Sixthly Observe It 's the Lord who makes defiled persons clean They were defiled with Idols Detestable things and Transgressions and what saith the Lord I will cleanse you When an house was defiled with Leprosie the Priest was to cleanse it with bloud and water Levit. 14.52 And when men are defiled the Lord cleanseth them with bloud and water with the bloud of his Son 1 Joh. 1.7 and with the water of his Spirit Joh. 7.38 39. These are the Iâ—op with which God cleanseth sinners Pharisees may cleanse the outside but it 's that God cleanseth inside and outside Jer. 33.8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned When God Justifies and Sanctifies a sinner then is a sinner cleansed indeed inwardly and outwardly 1 Cor. 6.11 Seventhly Observe God takes pleasure in a cleansed people and owns them for His. So shall they be my people and I will be their God that is when they should be cleansed God hath no delight in polluted ones He is an holy God and delights in holy ones David assures you hereof when he Psal 24.3 propounds the question Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place and gives answer ver 4. He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully Such a man and such a people God delights to have in his presence but the wicked what ever they be he puts away like drosse Psal 119.119 The Refiner takes pleasure in the pure mettal cleansed from the dross the one he priseth the other he rejects Vers 24 25. 24. And David my servant shall be King over them and they all shall have one shepheard they shall also walk in my judgements and observe my statutes and do them 25. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant wherein your fathers have dwelt and they shall dwell therein even they and their children and their childrens children for ever and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever GReat Promises are made unto the house of Judah and house of Israel being united 1. Of a King call'd David ver 24. 2. Of Holiness they shall also walk c. ibid. 3. Of inheriting the Land for ever ver 25. 4. Of having the same King rule over them for ever Vers 24. And David my servant shall be King over them By David cannot Zorobbabel be meant for he was not a King and had he been so yet he was not their Prince for ever as it 's said of this David David is here put for Christ which the holy Scripture doth frequently as Ezek 34.23 Hos 3.5 Isa 37.35 2 King 19.34 Jerem. 30.9 And that you may clearly see it is so compare Isa 45.3 where mention is made of the sure Mercies of David with Act. 13.34 and there it 's interpreted of Christ So that in Amos 9.11 The Tabernacle of David refers to Christ Acts 15 16. So then this David is the Lord Christ who is so called both because He descended from his loins Rom. 1.3 whereupon he is oft called The Son of David Mat. 1.1 Chap. 15.22 Mark 12.35 And because David was a Type of him in his slaying Goliah and in his Kingly and Prophetical Office It 's not said here Abraham my servant or Jacob my servant shall be their King although
When God shews mercy to his Church and destroyes the Enemies of it then he provides for his own honour sanctifies his Name and makes himself to be known distinct from all other gods When the Jews Church shall be at peace Gog and Magog be destroyed then God will be glorious all speak honourable of him and acknowledge him to be the holy One of Israel When God led the Israelites through the Red-Sea and took off the wheels of the Egyptian Chariots the Egyptians said Let us flee from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians Here they acknowledged Gods power and that he was a God distinguished from all their Idol-gods a God fulfilling his promises and threats a God able to save and destroy even the Holy one of Israel Vers 8. Behold it is come and it is done saith the Lord God this is the day whereof I have spoken HEre the certainty of Gog's overthrow and the rest with the time thereof is pointed out It is come it is done i e. This Prophesie is so certain as if it were come and done already It 's usual among the Hebrews to put preter-tenses for future and to speak of things as past which are certainly to come This is the day whereof I have spoken God had spoken of Gog and Magog by his Prophets formerly as was shew'd from the 17. verse of the 38. Chapter that they should come against Israel and utterly be destroyed in that attempt which the Lord speaking of here as done saith This is the day not designing the prefixed day when it should be It shall be but when that is hid First Observe There is a certain time determin'd for the destruction of the Churches Enemies which God looks upon as present and done Behold it is come it is done that is the day of Gog and Magog's ruine God fore-sees things to come as if they were present not by a presence of Existency from Eternity but in his Decree on that his fore-knowledge and the certainty of things is founded we should therefore firmly believe the same and not give way to dubious opinions thereabout Secondly Observe The particular time is hidden from mâ—n and known only unto God Mâ—n cannot say This is the day but the Lord can He knew the very moment when Gog and his should be destroyed and the Church set at liberty The thing and time indefinitely were revealed to the Prophet but not the particular punctual time The Lord kept that in his own breast his Infinite Wisdom saw it not meet to particularize the time the Prophets had spoken of a day that would be for Gog's invading the Land of Israel and of his falling upon the Mountains thereof but the exact time they knew not John unto whom the Lord Christ revealed much tells you that after 1000. years reign of the Saints with Christ it shall be Rev. 20.7 8 9. Vers 9 10. 9. And they that dwell in the Cities of Israel shall go forth and shall set on fire and burn the Weapons both the Shields and the Bucklers the Bows and the Arrows and the Hand-staves and the Spears and they shall burn them with fire seven years 10. So that they shall take no Wood out of the Field neither cut down any out of the Forrests for they shall burn the Weapons with Fire and they shall spoil those that spoiled them and rob those that robbed them saith the Lord God THe great victory over Gog and Magog begins in these verses which is set out by the burning of the Weapons and spoyling them of their Goods Who gate the victory is not mentioned it 's only said the Jews shall go out of their Cities and gâ—ther up the weapons and burn them c. It 's conceiv'd the Lord will deal with Gog and his Forces in some extraordinary way Vers 3. it 's said I will smite the Bow out of thy hand And Rev. 20.9 Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them but notwithstanding Gods extraordinary dealing with them the Jews were used of the Lord in this victory for Chap. 38.21 I will call for a Sword against him throughout all my Mountains saith the Lord God so that all Israel shall be in the field against him and be the Conquerors Vers 9. They that dwell in the Cities of Israel shall go forth and shall set on fire and burn the Weapons After this great and famous Victory the Citizens which dwell in the Cities of Israel will go forth Visendi Spoliandi gratia to see the slain and to get spoil and among other things they should take of their Weapons and make themselves Fire thereof The word for Weapons is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neshek which notes any kind of Weapon to oppose the Enemy It 's not from nasak to burn but from noshak to â—rm Both the Shields and the Bucklers the Bows and the Arrows and the Hand-staves and the Spears These latter were combustible but how they should burn the Shields and Bucklers is not apparent they being of solid metals It 's like something combustible was annexed unto them And they shall burn them with Fire seven years It must needs be a numerous or rather numberless Army whose weapons should suffice the Jews seven years for fireing John saith their Number shall be as the sand of the Sea Rev. 20.8 which exceeds all Arithmetick Some make it an Hyperbolical expression to shew the greatness of their overthrow and multitude of their warlike Instruments Others mind us of a certain time put here for an uncertain viz. seven years put for a long time The Jewish Writers do take the words literally concluding they shall have such a Victory over their Enemies as that for seven years they shall need no other materials to burn then their weapons and think their Messiah not come because they have not yet obtain'd such a Victory Sanctius thinks not that they were seven years in burning the weapons but that they had such store which might have served them for seven years fuel great store and therefore it 's said they should burn them with fire seven years How this was verified in Antiochus is hard to shew It 's nearer to truth to judge that this Scripture remains still to be fulfill'd Vers 10. So that they shall take no Wood out of the Field neither cut down any out of the Forrests These words taken absolutely do strengthen the literal acceptation of the former We may take them comparatively thus That in respect of what they did use to take out of the Field and cut out of the Forrest they should now cut and take little And why For they shall burn the Weapons with Fire They should so supply them for fuel that little other wood should serve This burning of Enemies Weapons conduceth much to peace Where warlike weapons are broken and burnt not reserved there Wars cease and Peace follows They shall spoil those that spoiled them and rob those
professes that neither by his own study aid of Ministers or by his own reading he attain'd any help in Aedificio hco intelligendo but only what he had from Heaven and of himself he saith Chap. 45. Hoc loco praecipuè pauperem meum intelligentiam profiteor Hujus loci mysteria tacitus vereor c. It is good to tremble at the Word of God both what we understand and what we understand not for all is of equal authority and to him that trembles thereat the Lord looketh and will let in light The Vision is dark but God dwells in darkness the Temple and City are dark but Jehovah-Shammah The Lord is there whom we most humbly desire to let out some beams of light whereby we may come to understand something of the incredible sweetness of these dark and deep things It 's not to be expected that I should proceed here as in the former Chapters by speaking to every verse Some I shall pass over Oecol in c 42. and say with Jerome Scio quod nescio Some would have this Temple represented to Ezekiel to be that built by Zorobabel and the Jews after the Captivity but there is much to be said to prove it not to be so 1. That Temple was built in Jerusalem in the place where Solomon's Temple stood but this Temple Ezekiel saw was to be without the City as Interpreters observe from the 45. and 48. Chapters 2. That Temple was for the two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin This of Ezekiel is for the whole body of the Jews all the Tribes are mentioned Chap. 47 48. And strangers had Inheritance here amongst the Israelites Ch. 47.22 Which was not so in Moses Solomon's or Zorobable's time 3. In Zorobabel's Temple there was no such River nor Trees yielding new fruit every moneth as is spoken of Ezekiel's Ch. 47.12 4. God promised Ch. 43.7 to dwell among the Israelites of this Temple for ever which cannot be verified of Zorobabel's Temple and City for the Lord forsook both and delivered them up to the Romans who destroy'd them 5. The Temple our Prophet speaks of was not to be defiled nor the holy Name of God by the House of Israel which should then be Chap. 43.7 8. But Zorobabel's Temple was defiled as you may read in the Macchabees and the Jâ—ws who returned from Babylon defiled the Name of God by their Iniquities as appears Neh. 13. 6. The twenty five thousand Reeds being the length of the holy Portion offered to the Lord and the breadth ten thousand Reeds Ezek. 45.1 cannot be understood of any City or Temple which the Jews should build after their captivity for the twenty five thousand Reeds make forty five miles in length say some fifty and upwards say others and the ten thousand sixteen or eighteen miles in breadth never was any such City built There be many other things differing from what was in Moses Joshuah and Solomon's dayes The measures differ much from those of the Tabernacle and Temple The Land was not divided in Joshuah's time as here it is to the Tribes The Priests and Levites had no portion of Land as here they have There was no such Portion or Oblation for the Prince Their Sacrifices and Oblations are not after the same manner The Altar Chap. 41.22 differs from the Altar of Incense Exod. 30 2. The cleansing of the Sanctuary and putting the bloud of the young Bullock upon the posts and corners of the settle of the Altar Chap. 45.18 19. is a new Ordinance not to be found in Moses Law In Ezekiels division of the Land were no Cities of refuge appointed there would be no need of them Ezek. 44.25 This Vision therefore points out the Introduction of a better hope viz. the Church of Christ under the Gospel Alapide tells us that many Rabbins and Jews referr this Temple and City to the Messiâ—h expecting that he should build them and because this third Temple and new City are not yet built they think the Messiah is not yet come Quod Messias nondum venerit quia tertium Templum nondum est aedificatum In Apocal. 12. Sect. 33. This argument was objected by the Jews to Galatinus who answers it in his 5. Book Ch. 10. and concludes thus Jerusalem Templum de quibus loquitur Ezekiel mysticè intelligenda esse Of that mind is Viega who saith This Vision of Ezekiel's Temple and City nullo pacto ad materialem illam Hierosolymorum Vrbem Templumque illud à Salomone aedificatum sed ad Ecclesiam à Christo in terris fundatam pertinere atque adeo non mysticè sed secundum litteram omnia quae de ejusmodi aedificiis à Propheta describuntur de Ecclesia esse intelligenda quamvis in multis ad Civitatem illam materialem Templumque Salomonis fiat allusio It 's conceived therefore that in this Vision is represented the restitution of the Jewish Church their Temple City and Worship after the captivity not simply but as they were Types of the Church under the Gospel for as we must not exclude these so we must know this is not the principal thing intended That which the Vision doth chiefly hold out unto us is the building of the Christian Temple with the worship thereof under Jewish expressions which began to be accomplished in the Apostles days Act. 15.16 And that the spiritual Temple consisting of believing Jews and Gentiles is chiefly intended we may see from that correspondency between Ezekiel and John in his Gospel and Revelation There be many parallel places in them as Ezek. 37.22 Compared with Joh. 10.16 37.27 Rev. 21.3 Ezek. 38.2 Rev. 20.8 39.1 40.2 Rev. 21.10 40.35 Rev. 11.1.21.15 43.2 Rev. 1.15.14.2 47.1 2.12 Rev. 22.1 2. 48.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Rev. 7.4 5 6 7 8. 48.31 32 33 34. Rev. 21.12 13 16. There is one thing more also intended viz. the restoring of the Christian Church after its Apostasie and suffering in Spiritual Babylon under Antichrist Many are the breaches rents and ruines of the Christian Church to this day and we may see the Tabernacle of Christ is fallen But it is expected that he Whose appearance was like the appearance of brass with a measuring line in his hand Ezek. 40.3 should come and raise it up and build the ruines thereof bringing in the fulness of Jew and Gentile that so the state of the Church may answer those Prophesies made of it Isa 60.17 18. Ezek. 45.8 There shall be no violence no oppression by Princes or others Hitherto there hath been little else but oppression in all lands and the new Heaven and new Earth wherein dwells Righteousness have not yet been created but are to be expected as things intended in this Vision Vers 1 2 3 4. 1. In the five and twentieth year of our Captivity in the beginning of the year in the tenth day of the moneth in the fourteenth year after the City was smitten in the self same day the hand of the Lord was
should come and be found fit for entrance he had his Line and Reed in his hand to measure them None unmeasured might enter Hence it is that Christ saith Joh. 14.6 I am the way and no man comes to the Father but by me And Joh. 10 9. I am the Door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find Pasture Christ is the Lord of the fold and field by him they enter in by him they are led out to the good Pastures and led in again He will not suffer any thing that defileth to enter into the Fold the Temple the New-Jerusalem Rev. 21.27 Seventhly Observe The Lord Christ when Divine things are presented unto us would have us Attent Intent and Apply the whole heart unto them Such things as are of weight slightness and trifling about them are intolerable therefore it 's said here Son of man behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears let thy senses be wholly taken up with these things and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee thine heart also must be fixed upon every thing shewn thee thou must let nothing pass without due observation As Ezekiel was to do thus about the things of his Vision so should all Ministers and Christians about the things of the Gospel which are Revelations of the mind of God by Christ It 's oft said therein Who hath eares to hear let him hear Mat. 13.9 43. Mark 7.16 Luke 14.35 and in other places intimating that if men have either inward or outward eares they should hearken to the things of God They are Divine and may infinitely advantage or infinitely prejudice us if they be not well heeded if we be not attent unto them intent upon them and heartily closing with them better we had never had them It will be easier for Sodome and Gomorrha at the day of judgement then for such let us mind therefore and mind to purpose all things shewn us of Christ let us set our senses and whole hearts upon them Eightly Observe What the Lord Christ reveales unto his servants the Prophets and Ministers they must not reserve to themselves but communicate to others for their Instruction Edification and Comfort Declare all that thou seest to the House of Israel he must not see hear observe for himself but for the House of Israel for the Church and People of God Mat. 10.27 saith Christ to his Disciples What I tell you in darkness that speak ye in the light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye upon the house-tops whatever I have imparted unto you that do ye impart unto others take the best advantages ye can to make the same known The servants of God and Christ must not onely utter what they receive but utter All they receive Act. 20.27 Paul kept back Nothing was profitable for them but declared to them all the Councel of God Vers 5. And behold a Wall on the outside of the house round about and in the mans hand a measuring-reed of six Cubits long by the Cubit and an hand breadth so he measured the breadth of the building one reed and the height one reed Great houses and Cities have walls 1 King 3.1 and 6.5 so this house had a Wall round about it By this wall we may understand the wall of Gods protection which is round about the Church This wall was in height and thickness alike 6 Cubits high and 6 Cubits thick it was strong securing the house Ezek. law God who is stronger then all is the defence of the Church Psal 125.2 Babylons wall which was 100. Cubits high and 30. Foot broad sufficed not to preserve her from ruins that wall was battred and level'd with the ground but Jehovah the Lord of Hosts is the wall about this building and such a wall as all the powers of the World and Hell cannot shake or batter Zech. 9.8 I will encamp about thine house And Zech. 2.5 I will be unto Jerusalem a wall of fire râ—und about saith the Lord. The Church of God having such a wall is secure and invincible The Church is call'd an House not a Tabernacle because of Gods inhabitation of it and his fixed abiding there Psal 132.13 14. The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it Sion notes the Church in all ages there is Gods house there is the desire of his soul there he rests he hath no rest in all the world but in Sion The measuring reed in the hand of the man is the same with the reed in John's hand Rev. 11.1 Those that exercise Architecture use lines and reeds to measure things therewith and so doth Christ here The line and reed in his hand is the Word or Everlasting Gospel which Rev. 21.15 is call'd a golden-reed right strong and inflexible with this he measures the Church and all things belong unto it by the Word he sets out the nature greatness power priviledges and characters of the Church by this he measures out the qualifications liberty and power of Members and Officers therein Hence the Word is call'd a Rule or Canon Phil. 3.16 The Hebrew is Kene hammiddah shesh ammoth baammah vetophath a reed of measure of six cubits in a cubit and of a hand breadth Whether these words an hand breadth should be joyn'd to the 6. cubits taken joyntly or to each cubit distinct by it self is doubtful that in the 43. Chap. v. 13. seems to make the hand 's breadth to be added to each cubit for it saith a cubit is a cubit and a hands breadth This we may understand of the Legal or Sanctuary cubit not the common one which was less by a hands breadth then the other this being 5. th' other 6. hands breadth Hence some deny that the hands breadth must be added to each cubit for then there will be 7. cubits those 6 hands breadth making another cubit They will have the reed 6 cubits long and an hands breadth over the 6. part of a cubit more A cubit is that length between the elbow and top of the middle finger now this space being longer in some men and shorter in others no certainty can be determin'd especially when men differ in their heads more then in their armes for some make a cubit to be 5. handfulls some 6. some a yard and some an ell or ells some a foot and half The line and reed are in Christs hand the virtue and benefit of them is from Him This line and reed being the Word hath it's efficacy from Christ out of his hand it 's un-efficacious un-beneficial but being in his hand his power and spirit going with it it measures out and fits materials for this spiritual Building The book written within and sealed with 7. seals could none open but Christ Rev. 1.3 5. and as none could open it but he so none can make it
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
it preserves mens rights and the different degrees and orders that are set amongst men Here was a portion of land for the Priests a portion for the Levites and a portion for the Citizens the one might not seize upon the others here be distinct orders of Men Priests Levites People and Prince The order of the Gospel is to preserve order not to bring in confusion or levelling Act. 5.4 Chap. 28.30 Philem. 1.8 1 Cor. 12.28 29 30. 1 Tim. 2.2 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Vers 6. And ye shall appoint the possession of the City Provision being made for the Church and these served in it the next care here is for the People they must have their portion and possession The Lord's goodness extends to them as well as those are nearest to him in office Vers 7 8. 7. And a portion shall be for the people on the one side and on the other side of the oblation of the holy portion and of the possession of the City before the oblation of the holy portion and before the possession of the City front the West-side Westward and from the East-side Eastward and the length shall be over against one of the portions from the West-border unto the East-border 8. In the land shall be his possession in Israel and my Prince shall no more oppresse my people and the rest of the land shall they give to the house of Israel according to their Tribes THe Prince was to have a portion as well as the rest and it was to be on both sides on the West-side and on the East-side it was to compass in the other portions intimating to us thereby that the Prince and his estate should be for the preservation of the whole A Prince is to be Reipulicae defensor murus The Defendor and bulwark of the Common-wealth himself and his estate should rather suffer then it Who this Prince was is doubted for after their return from Babylon they had neither Kings nor Princes Zerubbabel was Governour of Judah not King or Prince Hagg. 2.21 Some make him to be the High-priest and the 17. ver induceth to believe so for it saith It shall be the Princes part to offer Burnt-offerings and Meat-offerings and Drink-offerings in the Feasts and in the New Moons and in the Sabbaths in all solemnities of the house of Israel He shall prepare the Sin-offering and the Meat-offering and the Burnt-offering and the Peace-offering to make reconciliation for the house of Israel To sacrifice was Priest-work not Prince-work Civil Princes might not sacrifice had they had them In the time of the Macchabees they had High-priests who were over them both in Church and State-affairs and these here it 's conceiv'd are honour'd with the Title of Prince But it 's questionable whether the High-priest be the Prince here spoken of because in Chap. 46.2 the Prince there is distinguished from the Priest It is better to understand it of Christ who was the great High-Priest Heb. 4.14 And Prince of the Kings of the earth Rev. 1.5 Rabbi David in his commentary upon this place saith that the Hebrews interpret this Prince to be the Messiah so doth Jerom and some late Expositors And Chap. 34.24 God had promised the Jews that his servant David should be a Prince among them that was Messiah This insinuates thus much unto us that the Church is Christ's portion and Christ the Protector of it His possession lieth in the land of Israel the Saints the true Israelites are his portion his possession he is on the one side and on the other of them even from West to East He reigns and is round about the Church he compasses it with his favour and his power New Jerusalem had a wall about it Rev. 21.17 Christ the Prince he is the wall to the whole Church and all he parts of it to Apostles Pastors and People Not Peter Popes or Priests are Protectours thereof My Prince shall no more oppress my people These Princes whether those be chief in the Church of Christ or those be chiâ—f in the Civil State they shall not be covetous and oppress the people This was too common before the Captivity as appears Mic. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. Zeph. 3.3 Amos. 4.1 Jerem. 6.13 Ezek. 1.22 23 24 25 26 27 28. And after the Captivity the Nobles and Rulers exacted upon their brethren and oppress'd them Nehem. 5.7 8. But there must be a time for fulfilling this truth that Princes shall no more oppress the people Hitherto it can hardly be made out that ever there were such Princes or times wherein the people were not oppressed But such are promised as shall be far from oppression as shall not take away but give unto the house of Israel according to her Tribes The house of Israel is the whole Church of Christ and the Tribes thereof are the particular Churches therein and those Princes are the Lord's for he saith my Princes shall give unto Him their Titles Rights and Priviledges they shall acknowledge the Lord Christ to be Prince and submit unto him Rev. 21.24 Vers 9 10 11 12. 9. Thus saith the Lord God Let it suffice you O Princes of Israel remove violence and spoyl and execute judgment and justice and take away the exactions from my people saith the Lord. 10. Ye shall have just ballances and a just Ephah and a just Bath 11. The Ephah and the Bath shall be of one measure that the Bath may contain the tenth part of an Homer and an Ephah the tenth part of an Homer the measure thereof shall be after the Homer 12. And the Shekel shall be twenty Gerahs twenty Shekels and twenty Shekels fifteen Shekels shall be the Maneh THese verses contain Political Ordinances which are for just and righteous proceedings between Prince and people and people amongst themselves Vers Let it suffice you O Prince of Israel Ye have been long given to covetous practises and thereby increased your revenues to the prejudice of others but now let what is past suffice you let there be no more such doings amongst you The Political Estate must be reform'd and with you Princes the reformation must begin The Princes of Israel were very covetous Isa 1.23 Thy Princes are rebelliâ—us and companions of thieves every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards They were no better then thieves robbing the people perverting all justice through their covetousness This God complain'd of them and minds them of it here saying Let it suffice or thus the words may be taken Be content with the revenues legal tributes and customes thirst after no more rest satisfied with what you have and covet no more let the portion you have please you Remove violence and spoil When Princes use violence to fetch in their Revenues Taxes Customes and to satisfie their desires spoyl follows upon it men suffer in their estates by those who are imploy'd by them and oft are undone Naboth loses his Vineyard and life too through the violence
of Ahab Jezabel and the instruments they set on work but in this new Political estate it must be otherwise Isa 60.18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land wasting nor destruction within thy borders Execute judgment and justice Princes and Magistrates are God's deputies they ought to be like unto him and to act for him they should be men of knowledge able to judge in controversies to discern where the right lies Deut. 1.16 17. And men of courage to rule for God executing judgment and justice impartially As David did 2 Sam 8.15 He raigned over all Israel and executed judgment and justice unto all his people and this was one of his last words He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God 2 Sam. 23.3 And when men rule so there will be no place for injustice and oppression Such we have warrant to expect for the Lord hath said I will make thine officers peace and thine exactors righteousness Isa 60.17 Take away the exactions from my people The Vulgar reads the words Separate confinia vestra à populo meo Separate your confines from my people When Princes and great men have fields and inheritances lying near to their inferiors grounds as Ahabs did to Naboths they covet the same and find out ways to get the same and in time eat up their possessions therefore to prevent this the Lord calls upon them to separate their borders from their neighbours Junius and Polanus read the words Tollite depastiones vestras They force men out of their houses and inheritances as it is Mic. 2.2 They covet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away So they oppress a man and his house even a man and his heritage These were exactions as we read it And of the great ones exactions you may see 2 King 15.20 Ch. 23.35 sometimes under pretence of law and necessity they did exact of the people But these must cease and when the new heavens and new earth come there shall righteousness be in them no exaction or oppression 2 Pet. 3.13 Vers 10. Ye shall have just ballances In this and the other two verses Ordinances are given out about Weights Measures and Money 1. Concerning Weights the ballances must be just In former days they did pervert or falsifie the ballances by deceit Amos 8.5 Which was abomination to the Lord Prov. 20.10 There was a law in Deut. against the same Chap. 25.13 14 15. it was against diverse weights and diverse measures tying them to one and that perfect and just so here just ballances are required God wouâ—â— have the people just and equal in their dealings not defrauding one another A just Ephah and a just Bath c. The Measures of the Hebrews were of dry liquid things both which are here mention'd To begin with the Homer which was the greatest measure they had and signifies an Heap it held so much Some make the quantity to be what a Camel or an Asse could bear and carry The Homer is the same with that measure call'd Cor or Corus as the 14. verse shews each of them containing ten Baths or ten Ephahs A-lapide makes the Bath and Ephah to contain three Bushels a piece and so the Homer to be thirty Bushels But if we make Mâ—dius to be but half a Bushel then the Ephah and Bath contain one Bushel and an half a piece and the Homer fifteen But Ainsworsh upon Levit. 27.16 makes the Homer to be ten Ephahs that is ten Bushels so that the Ephah and the Bath held the measure of a Bushel The Ephah was a measure for dry things Wheat Barley Meal Flower 1 Sam. 17.17 Judg. 6.19 Num 5.15 And it was the common-measure reliquarum omnium mensurarum quasi fundamentum There is a seeming contradiction between what you have in Exod. 16.36 where it 's written An Omer is the tenth part of an Ephah and what you have here in Ezek. who saith An Ephah is the tenth part of an Homer For answer Know the words Omer and Homer in the Hebrew differ The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omer with Ain which signifies an Handful Levit. 23.10 Ye shall bring a sheafe of the first fruits The Hebrew is an handful an Omer It 's conceiv'd the wheat beaten out of that sheafe did fill the Omer which contain'd above a pottle about five points and so was the tenth part of an Ephah which contain'd of our English-measure seven gallons and an half which makes our Bushel The second word Homer is written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cheth and is that great-measure containing ten Ephahs of which is spoken The measure call'd a 〈◊〉 was of liquid things and contain'd as much as the Ephah seven gallons and an half the tenth part of an Homer Wine and Oyl were usually measured by it as 2 Chron. 2.10 Ezra 7.22 In Isa 5.10 we find these words Ten acres of vineyard shall yield one Bath God would so blast their vines that ten acres planted with vines should not yield ten gallons they should fill but one Bath and the seed of an Homer that is ten Bushels should yield an Ephah that is one Bushel Here the Bath is the measure of Wine and the Ephah the measure of Corn. And the Shekel shall be twenty Gerahs Having spoken of the measures he proceeds to the Money that it might be of a just value The Shekel must be twenty Gerahs a Gerah was to weigh sixteen Barley-corns so that twenty Gerahs amounted unto three hundred and twenty barley corns and so much the Shekel was to weigh of it was spoken Chap. 4. v. 10. 8.60 Shekels made the Maneh or pound Some pieces of their money were twenty Shekels some twenty five some fifteen and these together made their Maneh First Observe Princes and Magistrates commonly are covetous and cruel The Princes of Israel used violence and spoil they exacted upon the people Zeph. 3.3 Jerusalem's Princes were roaring lyons her Judges evening wolves they were greedy of the prey Nero was a lyon to the people of God 2 Tim. 4.17 Nebuchadnezzar was both a lyon a bear and a dragon Jerem. 51.34 saith Jerusalem He hath devoured me he hath crushed me he hath made me an empty vessel he hath swallowed me up like a dragon he filled his belly with my delicates he hath cast me out His belly was so bigg his desires so inlarged that he eat up Citties Kingdomes and Nations As it was said of Pompey Nostra miseria tu es Magnus so of most Princes in the world may the peoâ—le say By our miseries ye are become great Secondly Observe Christianity doth not overthrow but establish Magistracy The Lord here speaking what reformation should be under the Messiah doth not take Magistrates away but corrects their exorbitances saying Remove violence and spoyle take away exactions He abridges them not of just power but decrys their Tyranny Paul approov's of Magistrates Rom. 13. 1 Tim. 2.1
him the ends of the Earth to possess Psal 2.8 Not only Canaan which typed out the Church was his Dominion bu even the Nations and whole earth Psal 82.8 Zach. 14.9 The Sanctuary the City the Priests and the Levites were in the midst the Princes portion was on both sides of them he was their security and defence Christ is the defence of his Church and people he is on both sides of them round about them he is a wall of fire round about Jerusalem Zech. 2.5 He is the Watchman thereof and keeps it night and day Isa 27.3 That is his glory and himself is the defence of his glory Isa 4.5 Verse 28. By the border of Gad at the Southside South-ward the border shall be c. When Jacob did prophetically bless the Tribes Dan and Gad went together Gen. 49.17 19. but here they are placed opposite Dan in the utmost part of the North ver 1. Gad in the utmost part of the South for Tamar which signifies a Palm Tree and after was called Palmira was the furthest Town South-ward in Judea near the Lake Asphaltites or the Dead Sea This portion of Gad reached unto Meribah Kadesh which was in the Wilderness of Zin Deut. 32.51 There was another Meribah in Rhephidim Exod. 17.7 where the Israelites did chide with Moses for want of wâ—ter after they came out of the Wilderness of Zin ver 1.2 The Lord may dispose of Tribes and Families and seat them in North or South or whereever he please in hot or cold Countries in Fruitful or baren Lands Verse 29. This is the Land which ye shall divide by lot unto the Tribes of Israel for inheritance The Hebrew is thus This is the Land which ye shall make or cause to fall from or for the inheritance to the Tribes of Israel That is by lot you shall make the inheritance fall unto every Tribe none were to choose what inheritance they would have but to take that where the lot fell This as Oecolampadius saith is the conclusion of the whole Chap. and that which follows is the Situation and measures the gates and Ministers of the City their maintenance and use These are their portions saith the Lord God the Hebr. is Adonai Jehovah the Lord Lord the Lord who is Soveraign of all the Lord who gives being to all things and to his word Verse 30 31 32 33 34 35. And these are the goings out of the City on the North side four thousand and five hundred measures And the gates of the City shall be after the names of the Tribes of Israel three Gates northward one Gate of Ruben one Gate of Judah and one gate of Levi. And at the East side four thousand and five hundred and three gates one gate of Joseph and one gate of Benjamin and one gate of Dan. And at the South-side four thousand and five hundred measures and three gates one gate of Simeon one gate of Issachar one gate of Zebulun At the West side four thousand and five hundred with their three gates one gate of Gad one gate of Asher one gate of Napthali It was round about eighteen thousand measures and the name of that City from that day shall be The Lord is there Verse 30. These are the goings out of the City Some understand by the goings out the gates but Jerom makes them to be the compass of the City a quatuor ejus lateribus from its four fides for not the gates but the sides had four thousand and five hundred measures at these goings out was the utmost term and extent of the City Verse 31. The gates of the City shall be after the names of the Tribes of Israel c. In the distribution of the portions of land Levi was left out he must not be troubled with the things of this world but in the assignment of the gates there is one of Levi or for Levi he had right to the City and all the priviledges of it as much as the other Tribes In the 45. chapter and several verses of this 48. mention is made of the City but in the sixteenth verse and these last six verses is the fullest description of the City and it s described 1. From the measures which were on each side for as the goings out of the City northward were four thousand and five hundred measures so were the goings out of the South East and West and that we may not question it the sixteenth verse asserts it in terminis These shall be the measures thereof the North side four thousand and five hundred and the South side four thousand and five hundred and on the East side four thousand and five hundred and on the West side four thousand and five hundred they were all alike in their measures What these measures were is of moment to enquire We have onely two mentioned in this vision Reeds and Cubits by these the Temple City and thingr pertaining unto them were measured chap. 40.5 The measuâ—ing reed in the mans hand was six cubits long and a handful breadth and if we take measures here for reeds viz. four thousand and five hundred reeds in all they come to eighteen thousand reeds which make one hundred and eight thousand cubits and eighteen thousand hands breadth and after this account every side of the City is eight miles and one hundred paces for eighteen thousand reeds make thirty two miles and four hundred paces as A Lapide observes So that this City was very large Others lessen the City greatly and make the measures to be onely cubits and so each side of the City comes to be a mile and almost a half long which was no great length nor breadth being both equal Naffenrefferus makes the measures to be cubits and insists upon it much but others are of a different judgement from him And seeing the City in the Revelations was measured by the reed it seems also more then probable that this also was measured by the same measure Rev. 21.15 16. he measured the City with a reed twelve thousand furlongs As Ezekiels City exceeded the former City much so Johns City exceeded Ezekiels far more for being square as the other was it had three thousand furlongs on each side which make three hundred seventy and fivemiles reckoning eight furlongs to a mile So that this City being three hundred seventy and five miles in length and as many in breadth was the best City that ever was 2. It s discribed from the gates of it This City had twelve gates three on every side and these gates were according to the names of the Tribes of Israel Ruben Judah Levi had the North-gates Joseph Benjamin Dan had the East gates Simeon Issachar Zebulon had the South gates Gad Asher Naptali had the west gates The several names of the Tribes were written upon the gates Herein Ezekiels and Johns City the new Jerusalem do fully agree for Johns had twelve gates three on each quarter and the names of the twelve
unto the Jews and the one thousand two hundred and sixty days put for years are drawing to an end and God is about some great things to be done in the world and will ere long break forth That by this City is represented the Church some Rabbins themselves do acknowledge for though they deny our Christ to be the Messiah because he never built them such a Temple and City as Ezekiel describes yet they acknowledge this City and Temple to be understood not corporally or literally but mystically and spiritually And the Talmudists affirm That by Jerusalem we are to understand the gathering of the Gentiles to Christ or the whole body of Christians There be several things observable concerning this City or Church of Christ 1. That it is well and strongly founded usually Cities are built upon hills and mountains which are the strongest parts of the earth and so was this City chap. 40.2 Ezekiel saw the frame of this City upon a very high mountain and on such a mountain is the Christian Cfiurch built on the mountain of Gods Decree and Power on the mountain of Righteousness and Truth it s built upon Christ the rock of ages such a rock as the gates of hell cannot shake or shatter John tells us of this City the new Jerusalem that it had twelve foundations three on every square which were sure firm and would never fail The Lord Christ the holy Scriptures and the Doctrine of the holy Prophets and Apostles must fall to the ground before the Church shall be ruined 2 Tim. 2.19 2. It is comely and beautiful Cities which are built four square especially are so and such was this City it had four thousand and five hundred measures on each quarter there was nothing unfightly on any of the four quarters they were all parallel and had gates alike in them which presented it very delightful to the eye the Church of Christ is comely and beautiful its built not of unhewen stones or timber but such as are well hewen and orderly laid together Hence the Church of Corinth is called Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 and the Church in general the City of the living God Heb. 12.22 The Church is such a building such a City as is full uf comeliness and beauty it s a congregation of Saints Psal 149.1 It s the garden of Christ Cant. 4.12 his Kingdom Matth. 13.41 his Spouse whom himself saith is fair yea the fairest among women Cant. 1.8 pleasant verse 16. and beautiful 7.1 the Church is Christs body Eph. 1.23 the Spirits Temple 1 Cor. 3.16 and therefore hath curious work in it very glorious and beautiful What David said of Sion Psal 50.2 that it was the perfection of beauty is most true of the Church under Christ and in Christ it s the perfection of beauty Heb. 10.14 By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified 3. The greatness and amplitude of this City it had four thousand and five hundred measures Eastward West North and Southward it was eighteen thousand measures in compass which sets out the greatness and vast extent of the Church of Christ Zach. 10.10 God saith he will bring the Jews from Egypt and Assyria and so multiply them that place shall not be found for them Isa 49.20 The children shall say in thine ears that is in the ears of the Church the place is too strait for me give place that I may dwell The Christian Church is spoken of which should multiply so that their habitation must be enlarged as it is Isa 54.1 2 3. Now the tents and curtains of Sions habitation are stretched to the ends of the earth Psal 2.8 Mal. 1.11 From the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof 4. The City hath access unto it from all parts great Cities have many gates East gates West gates North gates and South gates so had this City twelve gates in every quarter three which signifies unto us the great access should be unto the Church of Christ from all parts not onely Jews should come out of the twelve Tribes to enter and dwell in this City and be under the Government of it but multitudes of Gentiles out of all nations and quarters of the world should do so Rev. 7. John saw not onely twelve thousand Jews enter in at each gate but a great multitude also which no man could number of all Nations kindreds peoples Tongues The Jews were numerable forty four thousand but the Gentiles were above so many millions the number of them which entered by the gates was innumerable 5. The happiness of this City which is from the Lords inhabiting there and giving it its denomination the name of it shall be Jehovah Shammah The Lord is there Alexandria was not so happy in Alexander nor Constantinople so happy in Constantine nor Jerusalem in Solomon as this City shall be in Jehovah We read in sacred Scripture of a golden City Isa 14.4 of a Royal City 1 Sam. 27.5 of a renowned City Ezek. 26.17 But their glory and happiness was a shadow to the glory and happiness of this City they were cities without God Jehovah was not there but here will the Lord himself be These words Jehovah Shammah import 1. The presence of God in the Church and that is a happiness to have his presence when God left the Temple and City of Jerusalem that was their great misery Hos 9.12 His presence in Heaven makes it Heaven and his presence in the Church makes it happy Thus saith the Lord I am returned unto Sion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and Jerusalem shall be called a City of truth and the mountain of the Lord of Hosts the holy mountain Gods presence makes it a City of Truth and an holy mountain and that City is happy which hath truth and holiness in it Zech. 8.3 2. His continuance in it he will not be ut hospes in diversorio sed ut haeres in patrimonio he will dwell there he will not leave this city nor depart from it as he did from Jerusalem of old and as he did from the Jews after their captivity Jer. 32.40 I will not turn away from them to do them good Ezek. 37.26 I will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore Rev. 7.15 He that sitteth upon the throne shall dwell with them It is the happiness of a Saint to have the Comforter and his great happiness to have the same abide with him and that for ever Joh. 14.16 So it s the happiness of the Christian to have Christs presence and exceeding happiness to have it for ever 3. His upholding and preserving of it the Church is Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 He said in Isaiahs days I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with Saphires I will make thy windâ—ws of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy border of pleasant stones Isa 54.11 12. and when the Lord shall do this he will