law was given of which the next verse speaks Into the wilderness God did bring them to try them to humble them and do them good at their latter end Deut. 8.16 Obs 1 That God for the honour of his name shews mercy after mercy to his people deserving no mercy yea deserving destruction In the former verse to prevent the dishonour of his name hee spared them made himself known to them and here hee goes on adding mercy to mercy wherefore I caused them to go forth Obs 2 No length of time no depth of misery no power or policy of adversaries whatsoever can hinder God from delivering his people when his time is come The Jews had been long in Egypt suffered very hard things for the space of one hundred and sixteen years or one hundred twenty one from the time of Josephs death till their departure out of Egypt that house of bondage which was thereabout they were under heavy pressures and great tyranny Pharaoh that great Dragon used all his cunning and power to keep them longer in that condition but notwithstanding all these the Lord caused them to go forth his time was come The like did God for this People when they had been in Babylon seventy years were as dry bones and out of hope Ezek. 37.11 hee opened their graves and caused them to come up out of them and come to the land of Israel vers 12. There is no thing too hard for the Lord to do hee can and will remove all obstructions break through all difficulties and shake the foundations of heaven earth and hell to bring to pass his good pleasure in the time thereof The state of the Jews in Egypt represents mens condition under sin and Satan that in Babylon the condition of Gods Servants under Antichrist Now let men bee never so long in bondage to either or both of them suffer never such hard things let Satan that red Dragon and Antichrist that man of sin improve all their craft skill and power to hold men in darknesse and waies of false worship yet when the Lords day is come hee will cause them to come out of Egyptian bondage and Babylonian darknesse hee will fetch them off from all sinfull practises all invented waies of worship and bring them into his marvellous and glorious light Obs 3 When God doth shew his people special mercy in freeing them from old and special miseries hee doth not wholly exempt them from new miseries though hee caused them to go forth of Egypt yet hee brought them into a Wilderness where they met with hunger thirst danger and death they were freed from Egyptian miseries not from wilderness miseries They thought if once they were freed from their making brick gathering straw and rigid Task-masters they should bee happy but they met with new-hardships new-miseries they did ride upon the back of mercy out of old miseries into new out of an house of bondage into a wildernesse an howling wildernesse a wildernesse that made them howle many a time It s Gods method oft to mingle water with our wine miseries with our mercies crosses with our comforts to lead us out of great streights in much mercy and to lead us into others for tryal David was delivered oft out of streights but shortly after hee was freed from one he was brought into another and that by the same hand which made him say thou hast shewed mee great and soar troubles Psal 71.20 sometimes hee was on the mount of mercies and sometimes in the valley of miseries yea in the valley of the shadow of death take it in a spiritual sense when men are converted do they not meet with hard things are they not brought out of Egypt into a wildernesse where are dangers fiery Serpents Scorpions c. Vers 11 And I gave them my statutes and shewed them my judgements This people being brought out of Egypt and freed from great bondage being in a wildernesse might now phansy a total liberty to themselves and exemption from all obedience to prevent this some fifty daies after their comming out the Lord at Mount Sinai gives them out his Law by which they might be ordered and regulated Of statutes and judgements hath been spoken formerly by them both Morals and Ceremonials are comprehended Shewed them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew is I made them to know that is I caused them to bee written in the Tables of stone and proclaimed amongst them yea I caused them to bee opened and expounded unto them The Lord made known his mind unto them though not so efficaciously as in these daies Which if a man do he shall live in them In eis or propter ea The doing here is mans keeping observing and obeying these Statutes and judgements and if so hee should not bee punished as transgressors are but live a long and prosperous life and not onely so but an happy and eternal life for if the keeping Gods Statutes and Commands Hebrei de vita eterna intelligunt q.d. qui ad impleverit haec precepta credens in Christum ventutum vivet viâ—a aeterna Varabl Hoc modo etiam Chaldaeus paraphrastos id should reach but unto a temporal prosperous life what benefit had the Jews thereby above the Gentiles who by their justice Civility and Moral vertues obtained great prosperity and length of daies The Lord Christ clears it up unto us that by life promised upon keeping the Law is meant eternal life Luke 10.25 saith a Lawyer to Christ Master what shall I do to inherit eternal life Christ saith What is written in the Law how readest thou hee tells him vers 27. what hee found there and Christ upon it tells him vers 28. that if he did so hee should live that is live eternally There was a righteousnesse of the Law which if men came unto the Law conferred life upon them Gal. 3.12 Rom. 10.5 Lev. 18.5 there was life in them life by them and life from them but because no man could attain unto the righteousnesse of the Law through the weaknesse of the flesh Rom. 8.3 Therefore the Law was so farre from conferring eternal life upon man that it excludes him from that life Rom. 3.20 and takes away the life hee hath Rom. 7.10 the Commandement which was ordained to life hee found to bee unto death that which in it self held out life accidentally and eventially proved death unto him Paul seems to deny any power to be in the Law of giving life Gal. 3.21 if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the Law The impotency is not Originally and intrinsecally in the Law for that is perfect and able to give life to aâ—â—â— to all that keep it Mat. 19.17 Christ makes the keeping the Commandements the entrance into life the fault is in us not in the Law which is Holy just and good if we could keep the Law it could give us life Obs 1 When God brings
King of Babylons setting himself against Jerusalem 3 The Prophesy it self in the 3 4 5. ver 1 In the ninth year the tenth month and the tenth day thereof Our Prophet being in Babylon reckons from the ninth year of the Captivity the time that Jehoiachin himself and others were brought into Babylon Ezek. 1.2 ch 8.1 and not from the Time of Zedekiahs reign though it were the ninth year tenth month and tenth day thereof for that day the one was carried away the other was made King It concerned them in Babylon to keep account of their captivity The word of the Lord came unto me saying Hee had nothing of his own to give out that day but the word of the Lord came to him the spirit of the Lord brought it and with such power that he must write and speak 2 Write thee the name of the day even of this same day The Hebrew is Write the name of the day and the body or substance of the same day it was a day wherein something considerable and substantial was acting God would have the Prophet write the day not onely to adde weight to his Prophesy but to stir them up to bee affected and to see how the providential hand of God ordered things at a great distance The King of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day Here was the Occasion or cause of his writing down the day and so prophesying upon it Nebuchadnezzar was that day sitting down before Jerusalem as you may clearly see 1 King 25.1 Jer. 39.1 ch 52.4 when Nebuchadnezzar was upon a warlike expedition hee knew not whether he should go to Rabbath or Jerusalem chap. 21.21 but hee was ordered by a divine hand to lay siedge to Jerusalem the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year which Ezekiel could not possibly know had not the Lord revealed it This was a businesse of high concernment to the Jews in Judea and those in Babylon The Hebrew for set himself is Samach which Montanus renders adjunxit se Others Corroboravit se fulcivit se and the French Est fortifié he joyned strengthened and fortified himself against Jerusalem Obs 1 The Lord takes notice of what men do and can make known the same to whom hee pleases at what distance soever Nebuchadnezzar and his Forces were in Judea sitting down before Jerusalem and this the Lord revealed to Ezekiel being in Babylon It was declared to Elisha whether the King of Syria would march and where hee would pitch his Campe 2 Kin. 6.9 10. The death of Herod in Judea was discovered to Joseph being in Egypt Mat. 2.19 20. and when Moses was in Midian the Lord told him that all the men were dead in Egypt which sought his life Exod. 4.19 Obs 2 There bee some things and times the Lord would have his take special notice of and keep the Chronology thereof Ezekiel must write the year the month and day of Jerusalems besiedging In the ninth year the tenth month the tenth day the King of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem that was a sad businesse and a sad time When God hath been upon executing great judgements or shewing great mercies the daies and months have been recorded The day and Month of Noahs entrance into the Ark and of his comming out again are mentioned Gen. 7.11 chap. 8.14 16. The Time of the Jews going out of Egypt you have punctually set down Exod. 12.41 42. so the Time of their passing over Jordan Josh 4.19 of Solomons building the Temple 2 Chron. 3.2 Of Hamans plot to destroy the Jews Esth 3.8 13. and several other things the year month and day stand recorded Which shews they were providential not casuall that the wisdome and power of God were interested in them whoever were the instruments and that being so exactly set down Posterity should not forget them And questionlesse the Lord expects that wee should keep a Chronology of the great and remarkeable things done by him for us as the fight at Marston-more July 2.1644 at Naseby the 14. of June 1645. at Maidstone 2 June 1648. Scots routed in England August 17. 1648. Ormond beaten from Dublin August 2. 1649. c. 3 Utter a Parable unto the rebellious The Hebrew is Speak thou parabolically to the house of rebellion a parable That is speak thou darkely unto them that they may the better attend and make the more diligent inquiry after the meaning of what thou deliverest Of Parable and Proverbs formerly have been spoken chap. 17.2 and of the rebellious house chap. 2.5 Set on a Pot set it on It s for Cooks to set on Pots put in water then the meat Ezekiel hee must bid them set on a Pot a strange work for a Prophet and because strange it would make the People minde it the more and search out the mystery By this Pot is meant Jerusalem Ezek. 11.3 This City is the Caldron Hassin it s the same word is here for Pot which notes strength comprehensivenesse and Durablenesse so Jerusalem was strong comprehended much and was more durable than other places when besiedged Not Jerusalem simply but under judgement was the Pot. And also pour water into it When Pots are set over the fire they put in and fill them with water that so what ever they please may bee boiled therein By this water is meant the afflictions and Judgements in which as in water God would boil Jerusalem Now the King of Babylon was set down round about it had straitly besiedged it and variety of Calamities were upon it and the waters of affliction begun to be hot So Calamities are called Isa 8.7 4 Gather the peeces thereof into it When the Cook hath set on the Pot filled it with water then hee takes the several peices of flesh which are to bee boiled and puts them into the Pot and they are called the peices thereof because they are to be boiled therein Even every good peice the thigh and the shoulder Here the people or Commonwealth of Israel is likened unto a body dissected as the Levites Concubine was Judges 19.29 and they must take the good or principal peices those that were the strength and support of the body and head as the thighs and Shoulders that is the Nobles Councellors Priests and chief Souldiers amongst them Fill it with the choice bones The Hebrew is Electione ossium imple fill it with the choicenesse of bones which Rabbi David interprets as wee do fill it with choice bones that is with choice peices because the peices saith hee are cut secundum ossa according to the bones This Pot must not have a peice or two a bone or two put into it but must bee filled with the choicest peices and bones were in all the body 5 Take the choice of the Flock By the Choice may bee understood the King himself who is the Head of the flock or the fat and wealthy ones The Vulgar hath it Pinguissimum pecus assume take the fattest of the Cattle
These words may bee taken two waies rither thou shalt dy by the hand of those that are uncircumcised thou shalt not have the honour to dye by the hand of the Jâ—ws who by Circumcision are distinguished from all other thou shalt dye by Chaldaeans a prophane and barbarous people or thou shalt dye the death of the uncircumcised that is thou shalt so dye as to perish soul and body for ever thou hast exalted thy self to bee a God and thou shalt bee cast into hell The Nations who were uncircumcised were without God without Christ Eph. 2.12 and so perished For I have spoken it saith the Lord. Thou maiest contemn this Prophesy and think there is nothing in it but know it s not the voice of man like thy self but the voice of God who will fulfil it and make thee know that thou art man and not God that thou hast sinned greatly in comparing thy self with God Obs 1 Haughtinesse and Pride of Spirit provokes God to deal severely with men Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God Therefore will I bring strangers upon thee the terrible of the Nations God stirred up led out the most terrible of the Babylonians to punish the Prince of Tyrus for his Pride and insolency Theudas boasted himself to bee some body drew followers after him but hee and they were all slain by the just judgement of God Act. 5.36 Zeba and Zalmunna said let us take to our selves the houses of God in possession Psalm 83.12 they had aspiring spirits but the Lord cut them off by the hand of Gideon Judg. 8.21 proud spirits the Lord will meet with and break in pieces hee hath said it Isa 2.11 The lofty looks of man shall bee humbled and the haughtinesse of men shall be bowed down Ne ascend as cacumen montis cum fueris ornatus ne forte cadâ—s Hoffinâ— geru Let those that have much look to it that they bee not lifted up least they fall bee broken and rise no more Obs 2 That which is the glory and delight of men is subject to spoil and prophanation They shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdome and they shal defile thy brightnesse they laid all the glory of Tyrus and of the Prince thereof in the dust there was beauty brightnesse in the Court in the City in the Navy in the Armory in the treasure but when the Chaldaean came he spoiled he stained all it was not the wisdome of the Tyrian nor the beauty or brightnesse of the things that could keep off the enemies from plundering and prophaneing they minded not beauty or brightnesse wisdome real or pretended but they lay all waste cut off the Prince and make a beautiful glorious City as an heap of rubbish or as nothing Obs 3 Approachings of death will make men know themselves When this Prince of Tyrus should bee in the hand of his enemies and at deaths door then hee should see that hee was no God but a poor miserable mortal man vexatio dat intellectum when death comes and strikes upon our walls then wee understand our selves Psalm 9.20 Put them in fear O Lord that the Nations may know themselves to bee but men When Nations prosper have all things as heart desires they judge themselves more than men they are quasi dii minores petty gods but let the Lord send in some sore judgements that carry death in their foreheads then the Nations will know themselves to bee but men that is sorry fading perishing things though death shut all mens eyes yet the approach of death opens them oft to see more of themselves than ever before Obs 4 That wicked Princes and others how ever they may flourish in the world for a season yet their ends will bee miserable Thou shalt dye the death of the uncircumcised a temporal death here eternal death hereafter therefore envy not great ones who flourish here in the world for a season and after go down to the pit where they shall suffer sufficiently for their demerit Vers 11 Moreover The word of the Lord came unto me saying 12 Son of Man take up a Lamentation upon the King of Tyrus and say unto him Thus saith the Lord God Thou sealest up the sum full of wisdome and perfect in beauty 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God every precious stone was thy covering the Sardius Topaz and the Diamond the Beril the Onix and the Jasper the Saphire the Emeraud and the Carbuncle and gold The workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created 14 Thou art the annointed Cherub that covereth and I have set thee so thou wast upon the holy mountain of God thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire 15 Thou wast perfect in thy waies from the day that thou wast created till iniquity was found in thee Here beginnes the second general part of the Chapter viz. a Lamentation for the Prince of Tyrus and the corrupting of his glory Besides the Lamentation and authority of it in the 11 12. ver you have 1 The State of this Prince set out from his power wisdome wealth delights and greatness v. 12 13 14 15. 2 The Cause that his state and glory were destroyed v. 15. 12 Take up a lamentation upon the King of Tyrus In chap. 27.2 the Lord bade him take up a lamentation for Tyrus and here he bids him take up one for the King of Tyrus bewail his condition for hee should suffer as well as the City and though hee were an Heathen King yet the Lord would have him to be lamented the Prophet must weep over him The French is Eslene la plainte contre le roy Thou sealest up the sum The Hebrew is Attah chothem tachnith which Montanus renders Tu sigillas dispositionem Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Vulgar Tu signaculum similitudinis Junius Tu obsignas summam Piscat Tu obsignator summae Lavat Tu sigillas summam Vatabl. and the Trigurine Tu es omnibus numeris absolutum exemplar The Fren. is Tu accomplis le tout or tu es venu an comble de perfection Ours is Thou sealest up the sum Thou having power over all the Commodities to bee carried out or brought in sayest how much and how little shall bee exported and imported Thou sealest up the sum thou puttest the last hand to the businesse and doest compleat it thus some expositors interpret the words Others considering Tachnith is from Tachan to weigh to measure and notes a thing measured secundum omnes ejus dimensiones according to all its dimensions they make the sense this Thou art an absolute and compleat King whatever is wanting in others is found in thee Thou sealest up the sum others want wisdome riches power friends thou hast all that conduceth to the greatnesse and happinesse of a Prince When bags have all the monie in them they
seventh day and sanctified it surely this blessing and sanctifying of it was for mans use God needed no day therfore in that place Exod. 16.29 hee saith The Lord hath given you the Sabbath alluding to the first institution and the word Remember which beginnes the Fourth Commandement imports that the day was given before though much forgotten and neglected And what if there bee no particular testimony which mentions the patriarchs keeping of it before the Law it doth not follow therefore it was not kept There is no mention of keeping it in Joshuah in Judges in Samuel is it therefore a warrantable or good argument to conclude that it was not kept yea if it were granted that they did not keep it doth this prove that they were not required to keep it For Justin Martyr Ireneus Doceant in preteritum justos sabbatizasse aut circumcidisse sic amicos Dei effectos esse Tertul. adversus Iudaeos and Tertullian their scope is to shew that none of the fathers of those times were justified or obtained salvation by keeping of the Sabbath If the Sabbaths were given before how are they said to be given when they were in the wilderness this is answered in the next words To be a sign between me and them The first giving of the Sabbath was to bee a memoriall of the Creation Gen. 2.3 and therefore was observed by the Primitive Fathers whom the Creation of the World did most nearly concern and was in use before Moses daies who was above two thousand years after But when God gave it out again by Moses it was upon another account viz. to bee a sign between him and his people the Jews whom he brought out of Egypt and that upon the Sabbath day as Junius observes A sign The Sabbath was a signe of the true Sabbath wherein we shall rest from the labour of this world So Jerome a sign of love and reconciliation so Vatablus a signe of Holinesse that by the time dedicated to God we might know our selves dedicated to God So Cajetane a sign of difference between the Jews and all other People who were prophane and derided the Jews for loosing the seventh part of their time So Tostat and Sanctius They were distinguished from other Nations by Circumcision and by meats but these were not so visible observable in the eye of the world as their Sabbaths A sign that God had taken this people to himself separated them from Egyptians and others and would have them in a special manner remember their Egyptian deliverance on that day as formerly the Creation It was a sign between God and them they glorified him owning him for their God and he sanctified them owning them for his people So that here was a second edition and as it were a new institution of the Sabbath Because hee brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand therefore hee commanded them to keep the Sabbath Deut. 5.15 I am the Lord which sanctify them Sanctifying as it referres to God notes sometimes preparation to some special service as Jer. 51.27 28. Prepare the Nations against them the Hebrew is Sanctify the nations against her that is Babylon preparing of the Nations to the destruction of Babylon is sanctifying of them sometimes it notes separation to an holy use as Joel 1.14 Sanctify yee a fast that is separate a time from common imployments to Religious So Christ is said to bee sanctifyed John 10.36 Sometimes it notes making holy Levit. 21.23 I the Lord do sanctify them that is make them holy so John 17.17 Rom. 15.16 we are here to take it in the two last senses I have given them my holy-daies times separated from all Common use and worldly imployments times for drawing near to and worshipping of mee times wherein they ought to bee holy and to minde holy things and so know that it is I which separate them from others and do make them holy a peculiar People unto my self Quest. Whether was not the Sabbath a mutable Ceremony seeing he calls it a sign here Answ That proves it not to bee so for Gen. 9.12 the Rain-bow is called a Token or sign between God and man and that was no mutable Ceremony but continues to the end of the World Besides it s not a sign or type of future Grace something to come but a signe of their deliverance out of Egypt or of the Creation which were things past or a signe of Gods sanctifying them at the present when they met before him on those daies And further signe here by some is put for argumentum or documentum it s a note of your distinction from others of your being my people and of my sanctifying of you Obs 1 When God is in a way of mercy with a people hee hath his moreovers Moreover I gave unto them my Sabbaths Neh. 9. hee reckons up many mercies and vers 22. hee saith Moreover thou gavest them kingdomes and nations so in Isa 30. hee tells them of what mercies they shall have and vers 26. Moreover the light of the Moon shall be as the light c. God doth alwaies perform his promises shewing his faithfulnesse and many times hee gives more than he promises good measure pressed down and running over to shew his bountifulness Obs 2 That of holy times and daies God is the Author I gave them my Sabbaths God blessed and sanctified the seventh day and gave it unto the Jews Gen. 2.3 it is his prerogative to make persons things or times holy it is not in the power of man or any sort of men to make days holy It was no small sin in our fore-fathers that took upon them to make Lent and other times holy and some daies more holy than the Lords day it self The Jewes had no holy daies but at the Lords appointment Obs 3 The Lord gave forth and appointed holy and resting daies upon weighty and considerable grounds alwaies after some great mercy some special thing or other which hee had done As here when hee had brought them out of Egypt drowned Pharaoh and his Host in the deeps then hee gave them out the Sabbath again At first it was instituted after that great and glorious work of the Creation God would have great works and mercies to bee kept in memory So the day wee keep was appointed in memorial of that great work mans redemption by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and therefore is honoured with the Title of Lords Day Rev. 1.10 Obs 4 The Sabbath is a day of special concernment to God and his people I gave them my Sabbaths to bee a signe between mee and them As the Rain-bow is a sign of special concernment between God and the world so is the Sabbath It s an argument and evidence that God looks upon them as his People where his Sabbath is and that they acknowledge God their God who keep his Sabbaths By it God keeps alive the memory of his glorious great and gratious works
at but when they sinne wilfully despising mee my Laws my worship they reproach blaspheme provoke mee so that they shall hear of it Son of man go and speak to the house of Israel go and tell them how they have dealt with mee and how I take it Such sins did deserve death Num. 15.30 31. The soul that doth ought presumptuously whether he be born in the Land or a stranger the same reproacheth the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s the same word is here for Blasphemed and may as well bee rendred so as reproacheth for hee that reproacheth the Lord blasphemes him and hee that blasphemes him reproacheth him they are joyned together 2 King 19.22 and what then That Soul shall bee cut off from among his people because hee hath despised the word of the Lord and hath broken his Commandement that soul shall utterly bee cut off There was no mercy for those sinned in that manner Heb. 10.26 28. many I fear commit such trespasses in these daies by speaking against Providence Ordinances Scriptures Angels Christ God himself and so sin away mercy and their own souls at once David prayed that God would keep him back from presumptuous sinnes Psal 19.13 and wee had need do it for there is that in our natures which carries us on strongly towards them as much as they did him remember what Solomon saith Prov. 28. Happy is the man that feareth alwaies but hee that hardeneth his heart that presumeth that is wilful pertinacious shall fall into mischief into mischievous sinnes into mischievous judgements chap. 13.13 Who so despiseth the word shall bee destroyed but hee that feareth the Commandement shall bee rewarded hee that sleights the word and waies of God destruction is his portion but he that fears to violate the command of God shall bee rewarded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee shall have peace safety a man by despising or fearing the word command of God doth neither hurt the one nor advantage the other but hee may hee doth hurt or advantage himself and that greatly 28 Then they saw every high Hill c. In this verse you have the Idolatry they fell into when they came into the Land of Canaan with the degrees thereof First Their Leaving of God and looking unto the Hills Iis locis arboribus quae prae caeteris erant insignes aliquid divinitatis in esse purabant Gentes Ideo ibi idolis sacrificabant Mariana yea every high hill and all the thick trees they gave liberty to their eies to spy out places suitable to their Idolatrous thoughts on hills and places beset with thick trees the Heathens worshipped and their Hearts and eyes were towards such places 2 Their making Altars and sacrificing there they offered there their Sacrifices c. they should not have sacrificed any where but in the place God appointed which was first the Tabernacle afterwards the Temple but they spied out hills groves thickets set up Altars and sacrificed on them those offerings which were peculiar unto God 3 Their Continuance and expencefulnesse therein they offered Sacrifices They poured out there their drink offerings 4 Their Content and delight they took therein there also they made their sweet savour The provocation of their Offering The Hebrew is The indignation and anger of their Corban 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Korban omne donum significat quod ad sacros usus offertur de pecoribus frugibus aliisque rebus Mincha Non tam late patet sed de frugibus terrae tantum in elligitur that is their approaching gift or offering Jun. hath it irritamentum oblationis suae the irritation of their oblation Piscat Oblationes irritantes provoking oblations because by them they did provoke God to anger to judgements There is a figure in these words called Hyppalage which is such a transposing of words as that is said of one which should bee said of the other as here provocation of offerings for Offerings provoking There also they made their sweet savour The Original for sweet savour is Reach nichochehem The Odour of their rests Odores grotos suos their acceptable odours when they had offered these they thought the Lord smelt a sweet savour was well pleased with them and so rested in them which phansied rest was pleasing to them though it lasted not neither had reality in it for their incense or sweet savour was a provocation to God Obs 1 That what the Lord promiseth hee makes good how difficult or impossible soever it seems to man The Lord had promised them Canaan and how should they come to it they were bond-men in Egypt there is a red Sea a vast wildernesse between Egypt and Canaan and beside Canaan had strong men in it sonnes of Anack Cities walled and great several Kings to oppose and keep them out but notwithstanding all these difficulties God having promised to bring them in hee did it when I had brought them into the Land for the which I lifted up my hand to give it to them His hand that was lift up to confirm them it should be done was let out for the doing thereof that hand could take away all doubts could also take away all difficulties There is nothing too hard for the Lord hee will work and who shall who can let it Isa 43.13 As hee is gracious to Promise so faithfull and able to perform and doth in due time make good whatever hee hath promised though it seem impossible hee said a Virgin should bring forth Isa 7.14 and was it not made good Mat. 1.18 that Abraham who was aged should have a Childe and his seed bee as the starres of Heaven and were not both made good Gen. 21.2 Exod. 12.37 Numb 11.21 not one word fail'd of all that God promised Moses 1 King 8.56 this should make us beleeve the promises of God what ever flesh and bloud objects Obs 2 Mens habitations are given and assigned unto them of the Lord I brought them into the Land I gave it them If men bee removed from place to place seated here or there the hand of the Lord is in it if they have commodious pleasant gainful habitations if they dwell safely under vines and fig-trees as it is 1 King 4.25 it s the Lords doing his providence disposed it so and wee should be thankful in and for our habitations and minde the heavenly Canaan and those mansions mentioned Joh. 14.2 prepared for those do beleeve and glorify God out of which when once we are possessed of them wee shall never bee removed Obs 3 Circumstances of time and place do aggravate mens sinnes and make them hainous When I had brought them into the Land then they saw every high hill there they offered sacrifices there they presented the provocation of their offerings there they made their sweet savour there they poured out their drink offerings here bee four theres every one aggravating and accenting their sinnes This was ingratitude with a witnesse that the Lord should
false Prophets and Prophetesses for sadding the hearts of the righteous and strengthening the hands of the wicked that hee should not return from his wicked waies by promising him life they did not distinguish between the pretious and the vile 2 Practically When any of the people were ceremonially unclean they were to be kept from the clean and from communion with them in the holy things No stranger no uncircumcised none that had any running issue that was leprous were to eat the passeover or joyn with the Congregation in their holy things Exod. 12.48 Levit. 22.3 and if Ceremonial uncleannesse did exclude Israelites from the holy things under the Law moral uncleanness may justly exclude Christians under the Gospel 2 Cor. 6.17 Come out from among them bee yee separate and touch not the unclean thing Idols and Idolaters are unclean things scandalous and ignorant persons are unclean things and we must come out from them if we will have God to receive us yea those are unbeleevers how civill and fair so ever their lives bee Aversam quod est plus quam devita Eras are unclean things Tit. 1.15 those that have a form of godlinesse and deny the power are also such and wee must turn from them 2 Tim. 3.5 from such as well as the others before mentioned you must turn away and not have communion with There is a prophesy in the 52 of Isaiah ver 1. that the uncircumcised and unclean should not come into Sion or the New-Jerusalem and it suits with what you have Rev. 21.27 There shall in no wise enter into it viz. the New-Jerusalem any thing that defileth Such must bee kept out as will defile there were porters at every gate of Jerusalem when the passeover in Josiahs daies was kept 2 Chron 35 and they suffered not unclean or uncircumcised ones to enter and the Annotations upon this place in the Revelations say in the last Church on earth discipline in likelihood shall be so strictly executed that no prophane persons shall be found there only elect persons so far as men can judge There shall be spiritual porters to keep out defilers dead stones must not be laid in a living Temple Obs 4 That the prophaning of holy things is a prophaning of God himself They have violated my Law prophaned my holy things c. and I am prophaned amongst them When holy things are not ordered and regarded as they ought as becomes them and him who hath made them holy it s a prophanation of both There is so near a relation between God and his Ordinances his holy things that the wrong done to them hee accounts done to himself and the prophaning of them the prophaning of himself When the Priests offered polluted bread upon the Altar they polluted God Mal. 1.7 they brought that was defective and not according to the Law and that polluted the Altar which God accounted polluting of himself and this dealing with God so offends him that sometimes hee breaks out and smites yea destroys persons for the same When the Bethshemites irreverently meddled with the Ark the Lord did smite fifty thousand and seventy men 1 Sam 6.19 it was a prophaning of the Lord so rudely to touch and peepe into the Ark. The Corinthians abused prophaned the holy things of God 1 Cor. 11. and for that very cause many were made weak and sickly and others were cut off by death Look to it then that you be holy if you will meddle with holy things and that you handle them holily least you prophane the Lord Eccl. 5.1 keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools Vers 27 Her Princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey to shed bloud and to destroy souls to get dishonest gain You had the Propphets and the Priests sinnes in the two precedent verses in this you have the Princes which are Violence Cruelty Covetousness Her Princes The Hebrew for Princes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 principem agere to act the part of a Prince to bear rule The Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her chief men her Rulers her Princes that should have been such as feared God men of truth hating Covetousnesse Exod. 18.21 they were now so degenerated that they were become like wolves Like Wolves Historia animalium Wolves for their outward shape are like unto dogs a creature that is strong swift fierce cruel and crafty as Franzius observes In them are seen notable resemblances of the Devil Hereticks Theives and Tyrants When Princes and rulers oppresse the people In lupis propositae sunt nobis insignes imagines diaboli baereticorum latronum tyrannorum id In lupo tanta est voracitas crudelitas ut non solum quod ad ventrem satis est interficiat sed nisi impediatur cotum gregem passim prosternat Imprimis humanae carnis solet esse avidus nihil tam apetit atque cruorem Franzius Herba quadam origano they are Tyrants and in Scripture language Wolves Now two things in wolves especially they resemble 1 Their Subtlety or craftinesse in getting the prey for the Wolfe animalia cornuta invadit a tergo ne possint sese defendere contra manifest as injurias hee comes behind horned beasts sets upon them unawares that they may not bee able to defend themselves So Tyrants deal craftily with the people take them suddainly in their stratagems and spoil them of the benefit of Law and other helps Exod. 1.10 Act. 7.19 Pharaoh that Tyrant dealt subtlely with the Jews so did Haman Esther 3.8 9. so did Ishmael Jer. 41.5 6 7. 2 Their Cruelty Wolves are very cruel and bloudy they will kill many Lambs many sheep and onely suck their bloods nothing do they desire more than bloud and mans flesh and when they go out to prey they do sharpen their teeth with a certain herbe they chew So Tyrants are Wolvish in this respect Adonibezeck was not hee such when he cut off the thumbs and toes of seventy Kings Judges 1.7 was not Herod a ravenous wolfe who suckt the blood of all the children in Bethlehem and the coasts thereof under two years old Mat. 2.16 what a she-wolfe was Athaliah who murthered all the seed Royal 2 King 11.1 what a cruel bloudy wolfe was Menahem who ript up all the women with childe in Tiphsah 2 King 15.16 and was not Manasses a mighty bloudy-sucking and ravenous wolfe who filled Jerusalem with innocent bloud from one end to the other 2 King 21.16 Jehoiachim and Jehoiachin were Lyons and wolves that catched the prey and devoured men Ezek. 19.3 6. and in Zedekiahs daies the Princes and Rulers were such as filled the land with bloudy crimes Ezek. 7.23 not unjustly therefore are they said to bee like wolves yea to bee wolves Zeph. 3.3 Ravening the prey These words wee had in the 25. ver the Prophets
mee When an Army is marching to a Town to destroy it if there bee a strong wall in their way that puts them to a stand and oft causeth them to give over their attempt So Prayers against judgements when God is marching out to destroy a people puts him to a stand and oft causes him to retreat into heaven 3 In putting things into their primitive condition When the bushes trod down and stakes pull'd out are put into their places again or new in their rooms then is the hedge made up When Josiah caused the house of the Lord to bee repaired the Covenant with God to bee renewed the Law to bee read and the Passeover to bee kept according to the institution thereof and all things were brought to their primitive condition 2 Chron. 34. 35. chapt then was the hedge made up then was there a man stood in the gap before the Lord. So when Jehoshaphat brought back the people from false doctrin and false worship to the Lord God of their fathers that was to the true Religion and worship and set Judges in all the fenced Cities of Judah and set Levites Priests and the chief of the Fathers in Israel in Jerusalem and instructed them to do all things faithfully with a perfect heart and for the Lord 2 Chron. 19.4 c. when hee brought things to the pattern in Moses's daies then was the hedge made up then God was with them and protected them against those wilde beasts the Ammonites Moabites and these of Mount Seir ch 20. For the Land that I should not destroy it By Land is meant the people of the land the inhabitants and their habitations which were all shortly after laid waste by the Chaldaean Army The Septuagint renders these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I should not destroy it That I should not leave it for ever God by degrees left the Temple the City the land and none of them intreated him to stay and when he was gone destruction came upon them But I found none Was there not Jeremy and Ezekiel who interceded with God for this people were there not many that mourned for the abominations that were amongst them Jerem. 9.1 chap. 14.11 Ezek. 9 4.8 It s true Jeremy did appear for God hee opposed the false Prophets cryed out of their false and corrupt waies of worship the perverting of justice the iniquities of Priests Princes and People but they would not hearken to him Jer. 44.16 they devised devises against him and slandered him chap. 18.18 they sought to put him to death and cast him into prison chap 38.4.6 and God had forbid him to pray for them three times ch 7.16 ch 11.14 ch 14.11 and hee could prevail with none of them towards making up the hedge As for Ezekiel hee was in Babylon and the Lord looked for a man amongst them in Jerusalem so the Lord tells Ezekiel here I looked for a man among them not among you For the sighers and mourners that were in Jerusalem they did it in secret and durst not openly bee seen they had not spirits to contradict the wicked Prophets Priests and Princes or if they had yet they saw there was no good to bee done the times were exceeding and desperately wicked a man was made an offender for a word and a snare was laid for him reproved in the gate Isa 29.21 if any appeared openly to speak against them and their waies they were made a prey It was an evil time and the time for the prudent to keep silence Amos 5.12 13. So then there was none among the Prophets the Priests the Princes or people whom hee mentioned in the verses before that minded or made up the hedge or stood in the gap Obs 1 That sinne makes breaches and gaps In this chap. the Lord having enumerated the sins of all sorts in Jerusalem here hee tells them the hedge was down and gaps were in it Their sinnes brake down the hedge and made those gaps Isa 30.13 This iniquity shall bee to you as a breach ready to fall swelling out in an high wall as stormes warres do make breaches in a wall so doth sinne make breaches in a State Solomons sinnes made such a breach therein that ten Tribes were rent there-from and given to Jeroboam 1 King 11.31 whence it came to pass that Ephraim envied Judah and Judah vexed Ephraim Isa 11.13 Sinne made the breach between the Tribes Isa 9.21 the breach between them and other Nations Zedekiahs perfidiousnesse did it Ezek. 17.15 the breach between God and them Isa 59.2 their iniquities separated between them and their God and their sinnes hid his face from them that he would not hear and set God against them Ezek. 5.8 Sin makes breaches in Churches 1 Cor. 1.11 12. and breakes Churches Rev. 2.5 it makes breaches in Cities Luke 19.14 in families Ezek. 16.38 in mens names Prov. 6.33 in mens estates Deut. 28.15 16 c. Mal. 2.2 in mens consciences Mat. 27.3 4. Prov. 18.14 chap. 15.4 and between the chiefest friends Prov. 16.28 There bee some sinnes which make such breaches as shake the foundations Psalm 82.5 all the foundations of the earth are out of course The Laws were their foundations but the iniquitie of the Judges moved those foundations out of place and the State was like a bowing wall and tottering fence Psal 62.3 Religion was a foundation unto them but they had so corrupted the doctrine and the worship made such breaches therein that God was departing far from the Sanctuary and so from them Ezek. 8.6 Obs 2 When breaches and gaps are made by sinne the Lord hath a purpose to let in his judgements thereby and to destroy for the same They had trode down the hedge and God had thoughts to destroy the land to bring in a flood of wrath Ezek. 20.8.13.21 you may see how upon their making breaches upon the worship Statutes and Sabbaths of the Lord hee resolved to pour out his fury upon them and to consume them Isa 1.23 you have the gaps their sinnes made and vers 24. the resolution of God thereupon Ah I will ease me of mine adversaries and avenge mee of mine Enemies They had made breaches upon his Law and hee would make breaches upon them Therefore Isa 5.5 6. I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall bee eaten up They have trodden down the hedge of Justice made great gaps therein and I wil take away the hedge of my protection let in the wilde beasts and boars to tread them down and eat them up which the Lord did quickly after When lately the hedge was trodden down here in England and gaps made in it did not the Lord let in wilde beasts to devour were not our Princes roaring Lyons our Judges evening wolves did not the Prelates and Priests raven the prey Devour soules take the treasure and pretious things though now the wilde beasts bee destroyed or driven to their denns yet every gap is not stopt nor the
would have men so love their wives as to honour them whatever objection lies in the way 1 Pet. 3.7 though the wife bee the weaker vessel yet shee must bee honoured her weaknesse must not hinder her honouring a Venice Glasse is a vessel of more honour in the house than a brasse pot The Husband is to honour his wife by making known bosome secrets to her by taking her counsel and advice by speaking well of her as his glory and crown by trusting her by esteeming of her above others and by taking her part against all others If God did not approve of love in Husbands producing such effects hee would not have said Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times and bee thou ravished alwaies with her love Prov. 5.19 God would have men abound in their love to their wives and because they fall short therein he bids them erre in their love for so is the Hebrew Tishgeh Tamid errabis jugiter thou shalt love thy wife rather too much than too little And did Husbands consider besides Gods command and Christs example how it would further their prayers prevent temptations and honour a married condition they would love their wives more conscientiously sincerely spiritually strongly Obs 3 Our nearest and dearest comforts are in the hand of the Lord to dispose of as he please Behold I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes I have let thee injoy her thus long I have continued her with thee many daies and years but now I take her away shee shall abide with thee no longer a prudent wife is from the Lord given by him hee brought the woman unto Adam Gen. 2.22 and as hee gives hee takes at his pleasure hee took away Sarah from Abraham Gen. 23. Elijah from Elishah 2 King 2.3 and Rachel from Jacob Gen. 35. Wives Husbands Children Friends are onely lent us of the Lord for a season and when that season is expired hee takes them to himself wee should therefore in all such cases look unto the hand of God Obs 4 That God can and sometimes doth suddainly deprive us of our choicest comforts I take away the desire of thine eyes with a stroak There was no antecedent sicknesse no visible symptomes of death but in a moment was Ezekiels wife snatched away How suddainly was the fire kindled that consumed Nadab and Abihu Levit. 10.2 There went out fire from the Lord and devoured them presently was not Sodome overthrown in a moment Lamen 4.6 Did not the Lord strike fourteen thousand and seven hundred with the Plague in a moment Num. 16.44.49 were not all the first-born of the Egyptians smitten and destroyed in an hour at midnight Exo. 12.29 Was not Sisera in a minute deprived of his breath and head Judg. 5.26 God hath a scourge yea many scourges to slay suddainly Job 9.23 hee hath arrows to shoot which wound suddainly Psal 64.8 there is no foresight no preventing of them nor cure of their wound How unexpectedly was Rachel made childlesse Matth. 2.16.18 when Herod slew the children God hath various stroaks and suddain ones to take away us and our comforts by gun-powder by fire c. Mans calamity comes suddainly and he is broken suddainly without remedy Proverbs 6.15 The consideration hereof should cause us 1 To fear the Lord that can strike such stroaks as to deprive us of our chief comforts in a moment wee should sanctify him in our hearts and make him our fear that so he may be a sanctuary unto us to defend us and not a hammer or sword to strike or destroy us 2 Not To promise long continuance of any creature comfort unto our selves use them for the present but expect not much nor long continuance of them 1 Cor. 7.29 The time is short let them that haâ—e wives bâ—e as if they had none Isa 3.22 Cease ye from man whose breath is in his c. 3 To prepare for death Men put off the evil day and are spared in an evil time when the stroak falls suddainly upon them Eccl. 9.12 They spend their daies in wealth and in a moment go down to the grave Job 21.13 which is a sad thing but if men spent their daies in getting grace labouring to win Christ and bee found in him their end would be happy though their death be suddain for blessed are those dye in the Lord Rev. 14.13 live every day therefore as your last day Obs 5 Bitter and great afflictions are not alwaies arguments of Gods hatred and indignation Ezekiel was a Prophet a choice servant of the Lords yet from him doth God take away the desire of his eyes which was a very bitter and grievous affliction if wee consider the aggravations were in it 1 Hee was now in Captivity among Babylonians where his wife was a sweet companion and comfort unto him in the midst of all the troubles reproaches and difficulties he met withall 2 Shee was taken away not in the common way of men and women but by a suddain stroak such stroaks go to the quick wound deep and might have sunk our Prophet had not the Lord given him a little notice of it 3 That it should bee to Type out the destruction of the Temple and City of Jerusalem that God should suddainly strike and take away his wife thereby to represent the suddain ruine of them could not but be grievous to him 4 Hee is forbidden to mourn weep or performe any funerall rites for her might hee have sighed mourned wept that would have eased his heart might hee have used the Jewish Rites and Customes at her death and burial that would have testified respect and love unto her but hee might not do either of them So then by these aggravations you see hee had no light affliction upon him and whatever they were in them was nothing of divine hatred and indignation Aaron was the Saint of the Lord Psalm 106.16 and him the Lord gave a bitter Cup to drink off hee slew two of his Sonnes at once both the eldest Exod. 6.23 and for offering a little kitchin or strange fire which was not prohibited though not commanded being the first time and then forbad him and his other Sonnes to mourn for them Levit. 10.1 2 6. Christ was more than a Prophet than a Saint hee was a Son the onely begotten the wel-beloved yet hee had a cup given him to drink which had more gall and wormwood in it than any yea than all the cups the Prophets and Saints had before or since Afflictions argue not Gods hatred if wee say so wee shall condemn the generation of the righteous and falsify the truth for it s said whom I love I rebuke and chasten Rev. 3.19 Those therefore that have bitter and heavy afflictions should take heed how they yeild unto the perswasions of Satan and corruption saying surely if God loved you hee would never deal so by you Obs 6 That mourning for the dead is not unlawful Ezekiel would have mourned wept and used
and States when he makes great changes in them or utterly ruines them then some lament and some laugh When Tyrus was besiedged stormed taken and ruined then the Rowers Marriners and Pilots cryed wept and wailed bitterly lamenting her destruction then the Merchants laughed and hissed at her When Jerusalem was taken burnt and nothing left but rubbish and ashes then Jeremy and many others lamented greatly for the ruine thereof and then the Ammonites Moabites and Edomites laughed thereat as you may see Ezek. 25. such is the condition of humane affairs and corruption of humane nature that what is matter of mourning and humiliation to one becomes matter of rejoycing and insulting to another but wisdome hath said he that is glad at calamities shall not bee unpunished Prov. 17.5 Obs 5 The righteous God doth sometimes recompence sinners in the same way they have sinned Tyrus laughed at the destruction of Jerusalem Ezek. 26.2 and here in this ch v. 36. Tâ—e Merchants of the people shall hisse at thee Hissing as it sometimes notes astonishment so sometimes gladnesse and insulting Lament 2.15 16. all that pass by clap their hands at thee they wag their heads and hiss and say this is the day we looked for c. at first these Merchants might bee astonished at the tydings of Tyrus her ruine and after rejoyce clap their hands and hisse at her Agag by his sword had made women childlesse and by Samuels sword his mother was made childlesse 1 Sam. 15.33 CHAP. XXVIII Vers 1 The word of the Lord came again unto mee saying 2 Son of man say unto the Prince of Tyrus thus saith the Lord God because thine heart is lifted up and thou hast said I am a God I sit in the seat of God in the midst of the Seas yet thou art a man and not God though thou set thine heart as the heart of God 3 Behold thou art wiser than Daniel there is no secret that they can hide from thee 4 With thy wisdome and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures 5 By thy great wisdome and by thy traffique hast thou increased thy riches and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches 6 Therefore thus saith the Lord God because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God 7 Behold therefore I will bring strangers upon thee the terrible of the Nations and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdome and they shall defile thy brightness 8 They shall bring thee down to the pit and thou shalt dye the death of them that are slain in the midst of the seas 9 Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee I am god but thou shalt bee a man and no God in the hand of him that slayeth thee 10 Thou shalt dye the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers for I have spoken it saith the Lord. IN this Chapter you have these general parts 1 A Prophesy against the King of Tyre in these 10. verses 2 A Lamentation for him and the spoiling of his glory from the 10. v. to the 20. 3 A prophesy against Zidon from the beginning of the 20. to the 24. 4 A Prophesy of mercy unto the people of God from the 24. to the end In the Prophesy against the King of Tyrus you have 1 The Authority of the prophesy in the 1. v. 2 The sin that brought destruction upon him which was his Pride v. 2. occasioned from his seat ibid. his wisdome v. 3 4. and his wealth v. 4 5. 3 The Instruments the Lord would use in his destruction and they were strangers v. 7. the manner of whose dealings with him is set out in the 8 9 10. v. 1 The word of the Lord came again c. Being to speak unto the King of Tyrus hee mentions his Commission that the Lord spake to him and sent him one greater than the King himself Hereby the Prophet made way for himself and his message to have the better entertainment had hee come of his own head delivered things from his own spirit hee had rendred himself contemptible what hee had to declare unto the King and against him was not humane but Revelation from the Lord. 2 Son of Man The Son of Man must utter the words of God Heavenly treasure is put in earthen vessels and makes them honourable Ezekiel though hee were the Son of Man yet herein hee was the servant of God Hee sent him and put his own words in his mouth full of Majesty and to bee beleeved notwithstanding his meannesse and frailty This Son of Man is made a Son of Thunder against a proud and haughty Prince Say unto the Prince of Tyrus Some of the Fathers do make this Prince of Tyrus to bee the Devil but they were much mistaken in so conceiting for here bee many things which are incompetent to him especially what is said in the 7 and 8. ver The words are to bee taken litterally of Ethbahal or Ithobalus who was at that time Prince of Tyrus unto whom this Prophesy was directed being in his glory and height whereas Satan was cast out and cast down into greater misery then here is mentioned long before Thus saith the Lord God Prophets being subject to the same infirmities and passions as others bee are little regarded in the world especially by Princes Ezekiel therefore must not speak his own words but say Thus saith the Lord God The Hebrew Adonai Jehovah are very significant words Jehovah imports Gods being and giving being unto all things Adonai his supporting all in their beings for it s from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Pillar or foundation Thus saith hee who hath his being of himself and hath given being to heaven and earth and all creatures therein that upholds all by his power even thee thy self O Prince of Tyrus thus saith he unto thee Because thine heart is lifted up By heart understand not that little part of flesh in man wherein is sedes vitae the seat of life but the Thoughts Counsels reasonings Designes Wisdome Workings and Contrivances of the heart so Heart is oft to bee taken in scripture and it s lifted up when it s carried out after high and great things Psalm 131.1 Lord mine heart is not haughty nor mine eies lofty neither doe I exercise my self in great matters or in things too high for mee Here you may see what it is to have the heart lifted up or to bee haughty its Javah in both places and it is to have aspiring thoughts to minde high things to bee designing and reaching after them to have a high conceit of ones self as this Prince of Tyre had who thought himself above the condition of mortall men and so the Counsels reasonings designes and workings of his heart were to become a God and he blushed not to say it Thou hast said I am a God Not thou hast thought so which had been too much but
Gods judgements would cut off man and beast destroy her Cities and in effect dry up her Rivers they should bee made uselesse Egypt strugled to defend and secure her self but it availed not Jerem. 46.11 Go up into Gilead and take balm O virgin the daughter of Egypt in vain shalt thou use so many medicines for thou shalt not bee cured Egypt was yet a virgin unconquered and shee is bid to go to Gilead where the most pretious and soveraign balm was and to take thereof that is to use the best means shee could finde out to prevent her ravishing and destruction and when shee had tryed one means and another many medicines all were vain her wound was incurable shee had dealt deceitfully with the Jews and lift up her self against the Lord robbing him of his glory whilst shee said The river is mine I have made it for my self Gods judgements were of that power and so severe as Jerusalem with all her art and means could not prevent them or protect her self from them Jer. 2.22 Though thou wash thee with nitre and take thee much soape though thou hast many excuses shifts pretences for what thou doest though thou send to Egypt for help though thou fast and prâ—iest these things shall do thee no good thine iniquity is marked before mee and my judgements must come and lay thee waste yea utterly waste Obs 3 Gods judgements are often universal and sweeping God would lay Egypt universally waste and desolate and that from one border to another from the Tower of Syene to Arabia within which bounds all Egypt was comprehended Jer. 12.12 The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wildernesse for the sword of the Lord shall devour from one end of the Land even to the other end of the Land no flesh shall have peace The Chaldeans were Gods instruments hee put the sword in their hand which did eat and devout from one extream part of the Land to another no place so strong so secret but the sword found it out and spared neither things nor persons the judgement was so universal that no flesh had peace that is none of the Jewish nation the terror of the sword was every where Zeph. 3.6 I have cut off the Nations their towers are desolate I made their streets waste that none passeth by Their Cities are destroyed so that there is no man that there is no inhabitant God swept away from the Heathens their Towers their streets their Cities their men expecting his people would have learned to fear him received instruction and prevented an universal judgement at least v. 7. but they rose early and corrupted all their doings as Gods Mercies had not so his Judgements did not do them good Therefore hee complains thus Jerem. 44.7 8. wherefore commit ye great evils against your souls to cut off from you man and woman child and suckling out of Judah to leave you none to remain in that you provoke mee to wrath with the works of your hands they put God upon an universal judgement by their universal wickedness Obs 4 That the times of Kingdomes flourishings and Kingdomes desolations are in the hand of God hee sets the bounds and periods for their Prosperity and their Adversity Hee said The land of Egypt shall bee desolate hee put an end to its glory and greatnesse hee set the time how long it should prosper and when that time was come and it brought to desolation hee determined the time how long it should lye in that desolate condition It shall not bee inhabited forty years the Cities of it shall bee desolate forty years Isa 23.15 Tyre as it had its time for reigning so it s seventy years for suffering the same proportion of years the Lord allotted unto the kingdome of Judah and to diverse Nations Jerem. 25.11 God put an end to their dominion and determined the time of their subjection which was seventy years service unto the King of Babylon The life and death of States is in the hand of the Lord to lengthen and shorten at his pleasure Some states flourish four hundred some five hundred some six hundred years and then they are made desolate for their forty their seventy years or more as seems good unto the Lord Dan. 2.21 Hee changeth times and seasons hee removeth Kings from their glory and greatnesse and throws them into obscurity what time he hath determined for them Obs 5 In time of wars people are driven from their friends habitations and countries When the sword came upon Egypt the Egyptians were scattered among the Nations and dispersed through the Countries God made use of them abroad to declare their own misery and his justice It s a sad thing to bee amongst strangers whose language is not understood to bee exposed to the scornes frownes and harsh usage of enemies the smoak of ones own country is better than the fire of another Many in our late warres have met with this great evil and can experimentally tell you what it is to bee driven out of their own Country and habitations into forrein ones Vers 13 Yet thus saith the Lord God at the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the People whither they were scattered 14 And I will bring again the Captivity of Egypt and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros into the land of their habitation and they shall be there a base kingdom 15 It shall be the basest of the Kingdoms neither shall it exalt it self any more above the Nations for I will diminish them that they shall no more rule over the nations 16 And it shall bee no more the confidence of the house of Israel which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance when they shall look after them but they shall know that I am the Lord God These verses are a Promise of Mercy to the Egyptians where comes into consideration 1 The Time when this mercy shall be at the end of the forty years 2 The Mercy it self which is double 1 Revocation v. 13. 2 Restitution of their Kingdome v. 14 15. where the nature of the Kingdome is set forth it shall be base c. 3 The End and aime of God in so doing which is two-fold 1 That Egypt may bee no more the confidence of the Jews 2 Acknowledgement of God v. 16 13 At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians The Egyptians being notorious idolaters confiding in their own strength were scattered among the Nations where they wandred and lived without hope of seeing their own Country and becomming a people or Kingdome again but the Lord out of his abundant goodnesse beyond theirs and others expectation promiseth that after forty years expired he would gather them where ever they were scattered Forty years he would exercise them wiâ—h captivity and those hard things accompanied the same No vocabâ—â—â—r olim ca câ—â—â—â—s Egypti quaâ— postea ab Aâ—â—xandro magnâ— restaurata â—jus nomen accepit Maldonat but