which signifies to make dark obscure black all the Trees in the Assyrian Empire or in that part of Lebanon which belonged thereunto I caused to be affected with the fall of this Cedar And all the Trees of the field fainted for him All other Kings saith Maldonate not only Kings but all sorts were involved in this common calamity they were so sensible of their sufferings thereby that they fainted the word for fainting is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to cover for grief and Metaphorically to faint When grief is great then it causeth deliquium animae Vers 16. I made the Nations to shake at the Sound of his fall When high and great Trees fall they make a great noise and so did this King when he fell his own Subjects and other Nations were much troubled at his fall When I cast him down to Hell with them that descend into the pit In ver 15. it s said he went down to the Grave or Hell and here that God cast him down to Hell it s the same word God brought him from his height to the state of the dead he made him like those that were in the pit And all the Trees of Eden the choice and best of Lebanon all that drink water shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth Those Kings and others which were gone before into the pit he speaks of as living and watered Trees when they should see this great Cedar cut down and brought into the same condition with themselves they should be comforted in that state they were in that is the common condition of great and small The Hebrew for choice and best of Lebanon is the Election and goodness of Lebanon Vers 17. They also went down into Hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword Those Trees before mentioned their condition was like theirs who were slain with the sword and so was this Assyrians he was cut off from all his glory and greatnesse and laid amongst the slain And they that were his arm that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the Heathen His Princes Nobles Councellours Souldiers and Confederates these suffered with him and had some comfort that they had him with them in the Grave or in Hell The Septuagint for those words were his arme read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his seed his posterity and friends were cut off with him First Observe The greatest Princes and Powers in the world have their day to leave their greatnesse and go down to the dust In the day when he went down to the Grave The King of Assyria had his day to come down from all his height and glory and to lye among the slain some dye natural some violent deaths be they great or small dye they must It s appointed unto men once to dye Heb 9.27 And as some have their day to grow high and great in the world so their day to descend into the Grave and be no more in the eye of God then a stinking carkasse Secondly Observe When great Monarchs and Princes are cut off the Lord fills all with mourning fainting and shaking When the Assyrian went down to the Grave the Lord caused a mourning made changes and alterations at Sea and Land He made Lebanon to put on black the Trees of the field to faint and Nations to quake at the sound of his fall so was it when the King of Tyrus was destroyed Ezek 26.15 16. ch 27.35 When the gods of the earth are slain and dye like men the earth and all other creatures have a kind of sense thereof and are affected at changes Thirdly Observe When great Oppressors and Tyrants fall it affords some kind of comfort to the dead All the Trees of Eden the choice and best of Lebanon all that drink water shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth c. You have this livelyly set forth Isa 14.9 10. Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming it stirreth up the dead for thee even all the chief Ones of the Earth it hath raised up from the Thrones all the Kings of the Nations All they shall speak and say unto thee art thou also become weak as we art thou become like unto us Whether this was Senacherib Nebuchadnezzar or Belshazzar it matters not whoever he was he was a great Tyrannicall Prince and when he fell the dead rejoyced at it and comforted themselves that he was become like unto them Vers 18. To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatnesse among the Trees of Eden yet shalt thou be brought down with the Trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the Earth thou shalt lye in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword this is Pharoah and all his multitude saith the Lord God This verse is the Application of the former example unto Pharoah The Protasis was from the 3. verse hither and in this 18. is the Apodosis The same Question is put here to Pharoah whâ—ch was in the 2. vers To whom art thou like in glory and in greatnesse among the Trees of Eden Look about Pharoah thou seest that thou art not like to the Assyrian in Lebanon Well who among the Trees of Eden art thou like for glory and greatnesse it may be thou equallest some of them be it so yet thou must be brought down with them to the nether parts of the earth to the Grave or to Hell thou that art like them in sinning must be like them in suffering Thou shalt lye in the midst of the uncircumcised In Cha. 28.10 It was said of the Prince of Tyrus Thou shalt dye the death of the uncircumcised that was without any hope of eternall life and here it 's said of Pharoah Thou shalt lye in the midst of those that are uncircumcised that is He should lye in a hopelesse and perishing condition of soul and body for ever as those did who were not in Covenant with God This is Pharoah and all his multitude saith the Lord God This is his condition and the condition of his Princes Nobles and People whatsoever thoughts he or they may have of themselves this must be their end Observe God teaches men by the examples of others what they must look for Here by the Assyrian Cedar the Aegyptian Pharoah is taught what to expect He being like the Assyrian in his sins had no cause but to conclude that Assyrian judgements would befall him What was he for his pride and wickednesse driven out destroyed brought down to the Grave Hell and an everlasting suffering so must I my wayes being the same with his like sins call for like judgements As the Assyrian was set out for the instruction of Pharoah so God sets up Pharoah for the instruction of all Princes and People to the end of the world This is Pharoah and all his multitude CHAP. XXXII Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. And it came
upon his people 595. bears long with the worst of men 420. determines things most free and contingent 208. discovers plots of enemies ibid. knows infallibly things to come 217. when God manifests his love and wrath 225. can easily raise forces against his enemies 229. and easily ruine Armies 227. hath various ways to do it 228. convinces the wicked when in afflictions 266. whom God will honor 391 Godly No condition so grievous to them but shall end comfortably 375 Godliness To whom a delight 361 Gog whom 488 489. whence he came 212. prophesied of before 216. not Antiochus 224. Dreadful judgement upon him 226. great 232. where buried 247 Goodmen must be good before they can do good 366 Gospel Christs voice in it strong irresistable efficacious 394. earth shines with the glory of it ibid. it preserves order is not levelling 405. like waters and wherein 550 551 552. into what parts it went first 555. it goeth where Christ wil 556 557. gradually 558. hath depths in it 560. its pure and sufficient of it self 561. brings men unto God 569. runs like waters 570. without it what men are ib. it cures and quickens 571. fruitful 572 Grace will appear where it is 367. work of it free 403 â—ikened to water and wherein 550 551 552. gradualness in graces 559. all in the Church of free grace 〈◊〉 it recals sinners 588 589 Great ones have no cause to glory 84. Greatest go the wrong way 93. shall bear their shame though after death ibid. those that joyn with them in evil must suffer 228. may lie unburied 260 Guilt an heavy and consuming thing 121 H HAnd stretching out what it imports 348 249. lifting up what 284 Gods hand in mens acting against the Church 237. filling the hand what it imports 376 Hailstones fire brimstone 223 224 Har-el and Hanriel what 371 372 Hatred the nature of it 253. twofold 263. it sets other affections on work 264 Hearers how they carry it oft towards them they hear 164. 165. what the preachers are to them 170 not rest in hearing ibid. Heart most looked at in worship 165 carnal in spirituals 166. Heart and new what they note 317 318. old by nature 322. it s like a stone wherein 330 331 332. the evil of it 333. how cured 336 Heart It s God prerogative to alter hearts 337. its great mercy to have stony hearts removed 338. excellency of a tender heart 340 mistakes about a tender heart 342 343. legal natural tenderness 24â— 244. characters of a tender heart 345 346. how to keep it tender 347 348. its a great mercy it s the gift of God 341 Heathens what convinces them 310 Hell poor comfort there â—5 96 High those highest meet with most storms 328 329 Hin How much it contained 420 Holy things to be laid in holy places 332 333. those who have charge of them must be exact 387. not to be bought and sold 392 Holiness the law of Gods house 368 Hope what 439 Horns of the Altar what they signifie 371 House of Israel 242 408 Husbandry Gods work 396 397 Hypocrites will be discovered 164 I IDols ruine States 25. defile 298. Idolatry loathsom to God 300. it defiles more then other sins 316. they are karcasses 355. a wall between God and man 357 Jealousie to speak in the fire of it what 282. what is in jealousie 225. it breaks through all 269 Jerusalem highly esteemed by the Lord 352 353. in new Jerusalem shall be no invention of men c. 357. no night there 358 New Jerusalem exceeds Ezekiels City 604 Jews there conversion we may expect and pray for 462. shall repossess their land 463 480. given to Idolatry 465. shall be fully gathered 270 271 there is a day of mercy for all the Jews 272. for lasting mercies 275 offers of mercy to them first 584. shall come to Sion 589 Ignorance remedy for the sin of ignorance 417 418 Impenitency excludes from Temple mercies 364 Impossibles to man not so to God 374 Infamous they that make so shall be made so 286 287 Inheritance one to Jew and Gentile 585 Institutions of God like posts and thresholds 356. men must not make any like them ibid. Interrogations argue not ignorance in God 426 Judgements publick troublesom to neighbour nations 13. they make God known 12. in the forest some escape ibid 143. former not to be forgotten 13. suitable instruments execute them 17. nothing can s cure from them 26 157. they convince of the equity of Gods ways 158. threatned take place 172. they are oft lengthned out answerable to the time of mens sinning 258. what ever they be God is righteous 301. end of them 230 262. they begin but end not at Gods house 395 396. God executes some signal judgement 258. impartial 259. judgements upon the wicked are ingaging mercies to the godly 263 Justification what 315 K KAdash notes sanctifying and polluting 546 Kings and Kingdoms there flourishing and perishing in from the Lord 34. tyrannical Kings oft have bad ends 35 Kings are apt to be lifted up with their greatness 38. 39. must be told of their sins 39. its the Lord makes them great 246. have need of money to uphold them ibid. what brings dreadful judgements upon them 53â— why destroyed 55 69. They are lights and when put our sad events follow 73. 74 Kingdom No succession in Christs Kingdom 479 Subjects of it holy ibid. Knowledge not all a â—once 553 564. L LAmentations for siâ—s and ruines of others are from the Lord 65 Land Land in league 6. God hath ways to empty lands 16. They are his to dispose of 18 261 262 376. he can deprive them of their princes 26. made exemplary with judgments 27. what wastes lands 157. what ever condition it s in God is there 262. your own sins brings desolation 274 301 3â—2 their fruitfulness depends upon the Lord 293. desolate shall not always lye so 39â— God hath a peculiarity in some lands 214 Last made first 587 588. Law what 363. of Gods house why to be made known 366. chiefly to be observed 368 Liberty of speaking is from God 145 Life in the hand of God and death also 112. what is the principle of spiritual life and motion 365. its short 539 Liâ—e 285. what 291. mens lines must not be in Temple measurings 292 Lion of God who 372 Loath what in it 384. when men loath themselves for their sins 385 Looks forbidden to priests 393 Lybia whence so called 5 Lydia whence so named ib. M. MAgistrates good what they are 413 Magnifie when God magnifies himself 229 Mathematicians who fit for spiritual ones 261 Man though spared long shall suffer 101 Marriage whom the Priests were and were not to marry 394 Materials of the Church must be holy 368 Means what ever used God doth all 434 435 Mercies temporal not merited 308. choice mercies make men renounce former defilements 468. mercies gradually carried on 450. work more then judgements 384 Messiah upon what account
multiplied under his protection as birds and beasts do in and under a great Tree In this verse and the former be three words which signifie Boughs and Branches The first is Sargnaphah which signifies a heap or thicket of boughs The second is Saiph or Sagniph which notes a top bough The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parah or porah from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to adorn because boughs are ornamenta arboris the glory and beautifying of the Tree Vnder his shadow dwelt all great Nations Either they were under his Authority or his Protection many great Nations were commanded by the Assyrian and others put themselves under his protection Vers 7. Thus was he fair in his greatness The Hebrew is vaiijph Pulchrum fuit in magnitudine suae he was a goodly thing in his greatness The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was beautie in his heighth and greatness not only beautifull but beauty greatness and height make things goodly and fair And in the length of his branches Here is another word for Brâ—nches dalijoth which is from dalah to draw because they draw juice from the Roots or because they move upwards and so the word dalah also signifies The Branches of this tree were the Provinces as before which extended far and added to the greatness and glory of the tree For his Root was by great waters These words correspond with those in the Fourth Verse the waters made him great When a tree is fixed in the earth where there is no want of moisture it grows it spreads it becomes great and lovely So this King being planted among great waters in the midst of much wealth and power grew spread and became fair in his greatness Vers 8. The Cedars in the Garden of God could not hide him The highest Cedars that were in any Garden or in Paradise it self did not exceed this Cedar and so obscure the glory of it but this Kingdom for the wealth strength and greatness of it went beyond all others and was for admiration The Firr-trees were not like his boughs Firr-trees are tall and stately yet none of the Firr-trees were comparable to the boughs of this tree The Kingdoms of other Princes were not like to the Provinces of Assyria And the Chesnut-trees were not like his branches The Chesnut-tree is lower then the Firr-tree but more branchie and spreading yet none of the Chesnut-trees did equalize any branch of the Assyrian tree Not any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty The Hebrew is every Tree in the Garden of God was not like to him in his beauty that is no tree therein no tree in Paradise no tree in the whole earth did equalize this Metaphorical Assyrian tree in the bulk arms branches or beautie of it Vers 9. I have made him beautiful in the multitude of his boughs A Tree is much beautified that hath abundance of boughs shooting out from it the more boughs the more beauty This tree wanted not for boughs it had many Provinces and every one added to its beauty So that all the Trees of Eden that were in the Garden of God envied him When other Trees that is Princes who were seated in pleasant rich and fruitful places saw how much the King of Assyria exceeded them in power wealth glory and greatness they envied him First observe It s the Lord who makes Kingdoms and Kings great and differences them from others The Assyrian was a Cedar in Lebanon exceeding all others in beauty branches height and thickness and how came he to be so ver 9. I have made him fair Whatever virtue glory excellencie inward or outward any Trees any Princes have it s all from the Lord. All Solomons greatness and wisdom was from him 1 Kin. 4.29 30 31. Secondly observe That as Trees have need of moisture and waters to make them grow and flourish so States and Princes have need of money to uphold their greatness they must have Revenues come flowing in like Rivers else they will soon wither The waters made him great the deep set him up on high the Rivers run round about his plants he had multitude of waters his Root was by great waters the Assyrian had great means which maintained his glory and greatness so Solomon had great means otherwise he could not have liv'd at that height he did 1 Kin. 4.22 23 26 27 28. Chap. 10.14 21 22 23. Thirdly observe Princes Monarchs States ought to protect those are their Subjects and to communicate good unto them This Cedar in Lebanon was a shadowing shroud all the Fowls of Heaven made their nests in his boughs under his branches did all the Beasts of the Field bring forth their young and under his shadow dwelt all great Nations All sorts had protection from the King of Assyria and not only so but those waters watered him were sent out unto all the Trees of the field he hoarded not up his wealth but it passed up and down for the good of all Isai 49.23 It s said of the Church Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers thy Nourishers that is they shall communicate good things unto thee as a Nurse doth milk unto the Child not only doth she protect the child from harm but see it want nothing that is good for it Fourthly observe Excellencie greatness transcendencie beget Envy This Assyrian Cedar excelled all the Cedars in the Garden of God none of the Firr-trees Chesnut-trees or any other did equalize him he out stripped all the Trees in bulk in height in branches in beauty and what then all the Trees of Eden that were in the Garden of God envied him Envie is against Superiors and Contempt is of Inferiors When Daniel was made chief of the Presidents and Princes then they envied him and sought occasion to ruine him Dan. 6. It s a grief springing up from another mans prosperity Power Honor Strength Riches Greatness are the causes and occasions of it There is always a malignance goes along with it taking pleasure in hurting though it gaine nothing thereby Envy is most prejudicial to the partie it dwels in for its the rottenness of the bones Prov. 14.30 It eats out the marrow and moisture of them and makes them putrifie Hence say the Hebrews oculus malus ingredi facit hominem in sepulchrum Buxtorf florilegium Heb. an envious eye brings a man to the grave Vers 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Therefore thus saith the Lord God because thou hast lifted up thy self in height and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs and his heart is lifted up in his height I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the Heathen he shall surely deal with him I have driven him out for his wickedness And strangers the terrible of the Nations have cut him off and have left him upon the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen and his boughs are broken by all the Rivers
with wealth honor greatness and such things as may puffe up trees by waters grow high and men in the midst of great means are in great danger to do so Neither their Trees stand up in their height all that drink water The Margent hath it or stand upon themselves for their height and so the sense is plain that none of the Trees should exalt themselves or stand upon themselves their own strength wealth and greatness they should not rest in themselves please themselves If we take the words as they are in the verse the sense is much the same neither their trees stand up in their height all that drink water that is Let none that have means despise others that are inferiour or let them not stand up in their height it will be but for a season and they must be cut down For they are all delivered unto death to the nether parts of the earth in the midst of the children of men with them that go down to the pit All the Assyrians were delivered up to the Chaldaeans to be slain by them or all the Princes Nobles and great Ones they shall dye go down into the earth among the meanest where no difference will be made therefore rich Ones great Ones should not exalt themselves above others or stand upon their height First Observe Pride and wickednesse causes God to bring dreadfull judgements upon Kings and their Kingdomes Because the King of Assyria's heart was lifted up in his height therefore God delivered him into the hand of a mighty enemy and drave him out for his wickednesse When Princes are in the seat of honour have great means coming in then they look big begin to Deifie themselves to do what they list not minding him who exalted them but confiding in their own strength power and greatnesse which makes way for their speedy ruine Solomon tells us that a man shall not be established by wickednesse Pro 12.13 Kings by their wicked pollices and practices cannot establish themselves their wickednesse overthâ—owes them their pride provokes God against them Da 4.25 It s good for Kings others to be humble in the midst of their injoyments and the greater abundance that they do possesse Qui humili est an mo dignus est honore Divinitas quiescit super eo Buxtorph to carry it still the more humbly for he that is of an humble mind is worthy of honour and hath God dwelling with him Secondly Observe God hath instruments for the doing of his work whatever it be and such instruments as will do it to purpose He had an Assyrian Cedar to cut down which was very great whose top was in the Clouds whose Boughes extended very farre in whose branches the Fowls did make their Nests and under whose shadow dwelt all great Nations and now who shall dare to meddle with this Cedar Yes the Lord had One that durst attempt and doe it he had a mighty One of the Heathens a God of the Nations into whose hand he delivered the great Cedar and he in doing did unto him all the mind of God he cut him down and laid him low Let Trees be deeply rooted grown exceeding great and high yet God hath Hewers to hew down such Trees Dan. 4.14 Thirdly Observe When great Trees are cut dâ—wn many other Trees suffer with them When Kings fall they break and undoe many When the King of Assyria was cut off his Nobles and great Ones yea all sorts suffered by him Vpon the Mountains and in all the Valleys his Branches are fallen his Boughs are broken and all the people of the Earth are gone down from his shadow All his Provinces Princes People met with hard things When Zedekiah was taken and carryed away captive did not the Princes Nobles and People suffer grievous things see 2 Kings 25. Jer 52. In our dayes we have seen many suffer by the fall of the King Fourthly Observe Neither Princes Nobles nor other People can tell who shall enjoy their wealth The King of Assyria had great revenues the Assyrians were well watred a rich people but who got all their wealth The Chaldaeans strangers the terrible of the Nations upon his ruine shall all the Fowles of the Heaven remain and all the Beasts of the field shall be upon his Branches Little did the Assyrians dream that the Chaldaeans should have their Jewels Gold Silver Plate Linnen Habitations and Lands Many hord and heap up for their enemies Many men are rich well fraught like Ships at Sea but whose hands their wealth may fall into they know not David calls it a vanity and its a deep excessive vanity that men disquiet themselves in heaping up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them Psal 39.6 Whether their children or strangers friends or foes Solomon was vexed to think he must leave all he had got or done he knew not to whom whether a wise man or a fool Eccles 2.18 19. Fifthly Observe God doth therefore destroy Kings and Kingdomes that rich Ones great Ones and all sorts may take heed of their sins pride wickednesse and self-confidence God cuts off the great Cedar the King of Assyria to the end that none of all the Trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height nor stand upon themselves for their height let them not slight other Trees which are not by the waters that are not so Bulky Branchy and Leavy as themselves nor conceit that their wealth and greatness will always last Vers 15. In the day when he went down to the grave I caused a mourning The word for Grave is Sheol which among other things signifies the state of the dead as Gen 37.35 saith Jacob I will go down into the Grave unto my Son By Grave he meant not Hell nor the Grave in a proper sense for he was perswaded some wild Beasts had devoured him but the state of the dead and so here when this high Cedar was cut down when the King of Assyria was slain and went down to the Grave that is the state of the Dead I caused a mourning Then there was a sad change trading ceas'd barrennesse came upon all the Land the Towns and Cityes were not frequented I covered the deep for him and I restrained the Floods thereof and the great waters were stayed If we take the words litterally the sense is the Sea and Rivers seem'd to mourn at the destruction and fall of this Cedar and so if you take the deep floods and waters for his riches abundance and great revenues they seem'd now to put on Sackcloath their Lord and Master being dead now there was no more flowing of those waters The deep the Rivers and waters had contributed to the greatnesse of the Cedar and they were affected with his fall I caused Lebanon to mourn for him In the 3d verse the Assyrian was call'd a Cedar in Lebanon and when this Cedar fell he made the rest of the Trees in Lebanon to put on black the word is Akdin
Whale in the Red Sea Thirdly Observe God designes the place of Tyrants suffering and divides the spoyle of them to whom he pleases I will leave thee upon the Land I will cast thee forth upon the open field I will cause all the Fowls of the Heaven to remain upon thee and I will fill the Beasts of the whole earth with thee God drew this Whale out of his Waters unto the place where he and all the Fish adhered unto him were slain and made a spoil to all sorts of people Fourthly Observe When God is in a way of judgement with wicked Princes sometimes he shews exceeding great severity towards them and theirs I will lay thy flesh upon the Mountains and fill the valleys with thy height Thou and thine shall be slain in all places no safety in the Mountains or Vallyes I will also water with thy bloud the Land wherein thou swimmest their bloud should be so shed as to make the Land drunk with it in Vatablus it is inebriabo terram cruore sanguinis tui Vers 7. And when I shall put thee out I will cover the Heaven and make the stars thereof dark Here the Prophet comes to shew the events of this dreadfull and severe judgement of God When I shall put thee out because to shew in extinctione tua Cava or Caba notes such a putting out as is of fire or a Candle when God should extinguish Pharoahs life then should there be no quiet peace joy safety but altogether fighing weeping complaining howling and sad lamentations so great should be the grief and misery of the Egyptiaâ—s that all things should seem dark unto them In extream sorrows visus deficit and persons think the day to be night are destitute of counsel and know-not which way to turn them It s usual in Scripture to set out times of mourning and misery by such expressions as you have here and in the following verse as Joel 3.15 Isai 13.10 Mark 13.24 25. Luke 21.25 Amos 8.9 I will cover the Sun with a cloud and the Moon shall not give her light God hath the power over the Clouds and he can call them forth at his pleasure to do him what service he please he would keep the comfortable beams of the Sun and Moon from them they had darknesse on every side the very Heavens Sun Moon and Starres hid their faces from them Vers 8. All the bright lights of Heaven will I make dark over thee The Hebrew is all the lights of light they should have no benefit by these bright and shining lights of Heaven Mourners use to cover their heads and faces and so the lights of Heaven are as darknesse unto them or they shall seem affected with the sore judgements are upon thee The Vulgar is Omnia luminaria Coeli merere faciam super te I will make all the lights of Heaven to mourn over thee Septuagint All the bright lights of Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And set darknesse upon thy Land Darknesse is frequently in the word used for affliction and grief a sad condition and God would set Egypt yea settle it under darknesse it should be kept in a mourning and miserable condition Vers 9. I will also vex the hearts of many people The word for to vex is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caass which signifies not only to move to anger but also to grieve when people should hear how Pharoah a great King was conquered and his Kingdom laid utterly wast this would grieve vex them especially when they consider how great Nebuchadnezzar became hereby having all Egypt and the adjacent parts under him When I shall bring thy destruction among the Nations The word for thy destruction is Shibreca Contritionem tuam thy breaking for which the Septuagint hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy captivity The French Ta ruine Thy ruine The Nations thought Egypt impossible to be totally broken and ruined being fortifyed so with Cityes Rivers and the Sea The News of its destruction would vex them to the heart Vers 10. Yea I will make many people amazed at thee When Gods dealings with Pharoah his severe judgements upon him and his came abroad among the people they were amazed not knowing what to think speak or do When strange and dreadful things come suddenly to us they surprise our judgements and we are at a stand And their Kings shall be horribly afraid for thee The People should be amazed and the Kings afraid Chap. 30.4 The Sword shall come upon Egypt and great pâ—in shall be in Ethiopia so in Lybia Lydia and Chub they and their King should be horribly afraid The word to fear is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saor which notes great fear even such fear as is cum erectione pilorum as makes the hair to stand up and the Word is double here They shall fear with a fear be exceedingly afraid for Nebuchadnezzars prevailing over Pharoah When the great Whale is taken the lesser fishes have cause to fear When I shall brandish my Sword before them The Hebrew is Begnophphi Charbi When I shall cause my Sword to fly before them that is in military Language When I shall brandish my Sword before them When Nebuchadnezzar came with his forces to Egypt at the appointment of God and subdued it then he brandished his sword before them And they shall tremble at every moment These words we had in the Chap. 26.16 where they were opened they shall be in a continued fear trembling from day to day least Nebuchadnezzar should fall upon them and bring them to Pharoahs condition Every man for his own life in the day of thy fall When the Sword is abroad mens lives are at stake and when it hath shed so much bloud as to water a Land to fill up valleys and make it reach to mountains who would not fear least his life and bloud go next When a great King and Kingdome falls by the Sword its matter sufficient to make neighbouring Kings and Kingdomes to fear themselves First Observe Great Ones are lights in the world and God extinguisheth those lights at his pleasure When I shall put thee out Princes and great Ones are examples which most follow Beacons upon a Hill Suns in their Orbs which many admire and follow though they light them downward towards the pit of darknesse These be such great lights that men dare not snuff reprove them but God he extinguisheth them he lighted them up and he puts them out Secondly Observe When God puts out great lights breaks the Candlesticks they stood in that is destroyes great Kings and their Kingdoms then sad events do follow then the living and senselesse creatures are troubled Heaven and Earth affected those neer and those far off disquieted Dreadfull judgements have dismall consequents When God destroyed Pharoah and his Army laid waste Egypt then darknesse was upon the Heavens Sun Moon and Stars then darkness was upon the Land then the hearts of many were vexed then Kings were horribly
condition of all even to the Pit and Grave The King of Egypt with his Princes Nobles and confederates of famous Nations must come down to the nether parts of the earth Egypt was a potent flourishing Kingdome Pharoah mighty But whom dost thou passe in beauty Thy beauty glory strength wealth greatnesse are nothing thou must go down and lye with the uncircumcised In a moment at the beck of the Lord Kingdomes are made desolate Kings cast into the Grave and all their pomp buried in the dark let none despise others and exalt themselves Vers 21. The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of Hell Here and so on the Prophet by a Figure call'd Prosopopaeia represents unto us what entertainment Pharoah should have among the dead the Tyrants and great men of the world that were in the Grave or Hell before shall speak unto him and Congratulate his coming unto them in a taunting way what Pharoah hast thou who wert so great and glorious left the earth art thou come to us weak and wounded stript of all and art become like us thou art welcome to Hell and the condition we Tyrants are in be not troubled here are many great ones before thee both of the uncircumcised Nations and also of the circumcised With them that help him They should speak to him and those were his helpers Pharoah had many helpers to carry on his designes on earth many Confederates and they should be welcom'd to Hell also They are gone down they lye uncircumcised slain by the sword The Egyptians they are gone down to the Grave they lye or sleep with the uncircumcised or are in no better condition then uncircumcised Ones are in being slain with the Sword These words may be understood of other Nations Vers 22. Ashur is there and all her company Here the Prophet begins the enumeration of particular Nations whose Kings and People were gone to Hell before-hand and would give entertainment to Pharoah The first he mentions is Ashur the Assyrian Monarch was the most ancient of great power and extent and the King thereof was in Hell and all the Assyrian company all his Attendants and Followers His Graves are about him The King of Assyria is gone down to the Grave and so are his Princes Nobles and People which were slain by the sword they are in their Graves near unto him round about him and these will speak to Pharoah at his coming into the Grave or Hell Vers 23. Whose Graves are set in the sides of the pit The Vulgar reads the words thus whose Graves are in novissimis laci in the bottom of the lake importing that they sell from the height of honour into the depth of misery Which caused terrour in the Land of the Living When the Assyrians were destroyed by the Chaldaean or Babylonish sword it was dreadful to those that were living or thus these Assyrians while they were in the Land of the living they caused terrour they were tyrannical cruel fill'd all with fear Some restrain the Land of the Living only to Judaea because there the Jewes only worshipped the living God and those were right amongst them were to enjoy the living God eternally but we may take the Land of the Living here in opposition to the state of the dead and so other Lands are included yea all where be any living Vers 24 25. There is Elam and all her multitude round about her Grave all of them slain fallen by the sword which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth which caused their terrour in the Land of the Living yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the Pit They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude her Graves are round about him all of them uncircumcised slain by the sword though their terrour was caused in the Land of the Living yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the pit he is put in the midst of them that be slain The Elamites were the Persians and Medes and what he said of Ashur that he now saith of Elam The King of the Medes and Persians with his multitude who living were terrible unto many were now in Hell ready to give entertainment to Pharoah who was coming thither Of Elam you may read Jer 49.34 to the end of the Chapter Vers 24. Yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the pit They were tyrannical and so a terrour to others but they were cut off by the Scythians saith Polanius and carried the shame of their tyranny and wickednesse with them or they dyed ignominiously Vers 25. They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude When great Ones remove preparations are made for them whither they remove so here even in the Grave and Hell a bed was provided for Elam In the bed in darknesse and rest such was the Grave Vault or Sepulchre oâ— Elam In this verse there is an Enallagie of Genders and Numbers Verses 26 27 28. There is Meshech Tubal and all her multitude her Graves are round about him all of them uncircumcised slain by the sword though they caused their terrour in the Land of the Living And they shall not lye with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised which are gone down to Hell with their weapons of war and they have laid their swords under their heads but their iniquities shall be upon their bones though they were the terrour of the mighty in the Land of the Living Yea thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised and shalt lye with them that are slain with the sword HEre the Prophet brings in a third kind of Examples which are Meshech and Tuball Vers 26. There is Meshech Tubal and all her multitude By Meshech some Expositers understand the Scythians others the Cappadocians and by Tubal the Iberians and Albanians which were neer together and both of them in the Eastern parts All these may be understood for the Scythians passing through Cappadocia Iberia and Albania had many of those Countries joyning with them when they brake into Asia between Pontus and the Caspian Sea and so plagued the Elamites the Kings of these places were not yet slain and gone down to the pit though the words import it done because of the certainty of it but it was near at hand and to be effected before the death of Pharoah whom they were to speak unto at his coming down to the Grave Her Graves are round about him c. The Graves of the men of each Countrey were round about the King of that Countrey they were people uncircumcised out of Covenant with God slain by the sword notwithstanding they were terrible to others Vers 27. And they shall not lye with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised which are gone down to Hell with their weâ—pons of war Among the Heathens
verse that we may see by whom the enmity was taken away and from whom the reconciling virtue came even from the Lord Christ whose bloud made the attonement Ephes 2.13 14 15 16. How should this teach us to honour and prize the Lord Christ by whom so difficult so great and glorious a work was wrought Fourthly Observe Those that are received to God by the mediation of Christ shall be preserved from all hurtfull things receive all good things needfull and enjoy much security When men are in the Covenant of peace then God will cause the evill beasts to cease out of the Land then no creatures no enemies no Devils shall do them harm Job 5.23 Pro 16.7 Rom 16.20 Then there will be a communication of all good things needful they shall dwell in the wildernesse there they shall have blessings so as they shall not be put to remove their dwellings for want Psal 34.9 10. Psal 23.1 Psal 84.11 Then shall they dwell safely in the wildernesse and sleep in the woods nothing without or within shall create any fear or cause any solicitousness in them they shall have perfect peace and be as in the suburbs of Heaven Jer 23.4 Verses 26 27. And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing and I will cause the showre to come down in his season there shall be showres of blessing And the tree of the field shall yeeld her fruit and the earth shall yield her increase and they shall be safe in their Land and shall know that I am the Lord when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them IN these verses as in the former the Lord promises sweet mercies unto his people First A blessing in generall vers 26. Secondly Particular blessings and they are these 1. Seasonable showres from Heaven vers 26. 2. Fruitfullnesse of the earth and that both of the Trees and Land vers 27. 3. Safety ibid. 4. Acknowledgement of God ibid. 5. Freedom ibid. Thirdly The time when all these shall be ibid. Vers 26. I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing The Jews being in Babylon were for a proverb a reproach a taunt and a curse Jer 24.9 Chap 25.18 Chap 29.18 but God would roul away their reproach and make them a blessing The Chaldee is erunt benedicti they shall be blessed its usuall in Scripture to put the Abstract for the Concrete as Gen 12.2 Thou shalt be a blessing the Vulgar there is benedictus thou shalt be blessed take the word blessing here for the Concrete and the sense is they shall be blessed with abundance and variety of blessings they shall be happy and prosperous in all things but take the word as it is in the Abstract a blessing the sense is they shall be a blessing unto others they shall be a blessing unto the Nations as they were a curse in the Nations so they should be a blessing unto them Zech 8.13 It shall come to passe that as ye were a curse among the Nations O house of Judah and house of Israel so will I save you and ye shall be a blessing that is a blessing unto the Nations round about them The word Hill must be interpreted before we can well understand this place By Hill is meant Mount Sion where the Temple was and Jerusalem there God recorded his Name set up his Worship and therefore saith My Hill Now these were Types of Christ and the Church in his time as the Jews therefore came out of Babylon and other places to Mount Sion to Jerusalem and the Temple when rebuilt so to Christ and the Evangelicall Church Gentiles flocked out of several Nations and so the Church and Members of it were a blessing unto them as Mount Sion and the Inhabitants of it together with them dwelt round about it in Judaea or Canaan were a blessing unto the Nations The blessing here I conceive principally referrs to spiritual blessings he spake before of a Covenant of peace wrought by Christ and now of blessings they should have by him the Church under Christ should be blessed with all spiritual blessings according to that Ephes 1.3 And I will cause the showre to come down in his season The word for Showre is Geshem which notes a great and vehement rain as Kirker saith even such as shakes the earth Most make it signifie a strong rain but Ramban a gentle rain be it great or gentle God would give them rain in season In Deut 11.14 you read of the former rain and the latter rain the former rain was in October or September which was upon the sowing of their Corn and this rain came moderately Joel 2.23 That so the Corn might swell with moisture root and grow Lente descendebat ut semina terris imprimerentur imabuerenter humore ad gorminationem Martin the latter rain was in the first month as Joel 2.23 that which we call March though some others put it in May and it was ut grana turpida redderet to make the ear full their harvest was sooner then ours their Countrey being hotter Under these showres Heavenly things are figured unto us as in Deut 32.2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain my speech shall distill as the dew as the small rain upon the tender hearb and as the showres upon the grasse Here Heavenly Doctrine is likened unto rain dew showres and in our Prophet is set out by showres Heavenly Doctrine and influences of the Spirit which do make Gods people fruitfull in all good works as the rain doth the earth and trees in all kind of Hearbs Corn and Fruit. In Christs time there were many such showres he rained Heavenly ones oft upon the people In 2 Pet 2.17 Jude 12. false teachers are said to be Wells without water and Clouds without rain but Christs Apostles were Wells full of water and clouds full of rain and by those did Christ water divers persons and places There shall be showres of blessing The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rain of blessing or blessed rain Piscator renders the words Erunt pluviae largissime there shall be plentifull rains They may be call'd showres of blessing because they are from the blessed God have a blessing in them and benefit them they fall upon some rains are so great that they do much harm and little good these should not be such they should be seasonable and moderate they should have Heavenly Doctrines and blessings seasonable and as they were capable of them Vers 27. And the Tree of the field shall yeeld her fruit After the Heavens have sent forth their showres the Trees and earth do send forth their fruit Not only the Tree of the garden but the Tree of the field being watered brings forth The Hebrew for Tree is Etz which signifies any wood and Synecdochically a Tree because it is wood And the earth
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
'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
of the land and all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow and have left him Vpon his ruine shall all the Fowls of the Heaven remain and all the Beasts of the field shall be upon his branches To the end that none of all the Trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height neither shoot up their top among the thick boughs neither their trees stand up in their height all that drink water for they are all delivered unto death to the neither parts of the Earth in the midst of the children of men with them that go down to the pit Thus saith the Lord God In the day when he went down to the Grave I caused a mourning I covered the deep for him and I restrained the floods thereof and the great waters were sâ—â—â—â—â— and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him and all the trees of the field fainted for him I made the Nations to shake at the sound of his fall when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit and all the trees of Eden the choise and best of Lebanon all that drink water shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the Sword and they that were his Arm that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the Heathen HAving set forth the greatness and Glory of the King of Assyria in the former Verses under the Allegorie of a Tree here he comes to shew the cutting down and destruction of this Tree with the causes events and end thereof Vers 10. Because thou hast lifted up thy self in height These words are an Apostrophe to the King of Egypt as Junius and Piscator observe Here is a sudden interruption and turning of the Speech unto Pharaoh who was proud and haughtie like the Assyrian God by this gives him a hint to look to himself and so turns again to the Assyrian And he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs He that is the King of Assyria he was growne very high and so high that his heart was lifted up in his height propter altitudinem suam saith Piscator by reason of his height his height heigthned his Spirit he thought himself to have aliquod numinis in him and fit to be worshipped Vers 11. I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen The Hebrew is future I will deliver him and so Munster reads it For the better understanding of these words we must know that the Kingdom of Assyria and Chaldaea were distinct The Metropolis of Chaldaea was Babylon the Metropolis of the Assyrian was Ninive the ten Tribes were carried away by the Assyrians the other two Tribes by the Chaldaeans Dissentions arising between these two God delivered the King of Assyria into the hands of the King of Chaldaea who was Nebuchadnezzar as Expositors say and is here call'd the mighty one of the Heathen he subdued all Assyria and made that and Chaldaea one Empire and afterwards the people were called sometimes Assyrians sometimes Babylonians sometimes Chaldaeans Polanus and others interpret these words of Esarhaddon who after Sennacherib was King of Assyria Isa 37.38 Whom God delivered into the hand of Berodach-baladan or Merodach-baladan being then King of Babylon Isa 39.1 2 Kin. 20.12 Who is here called the mighty One of the Hethen the Hebrew is be ia d el goijm into the hand of the God of the Nations so Montanus renders the words now whether Berodach-baladan were such a God or mighty One of the Heathen is doubted because he was but Praefectus Babyloniae He shall surely deal with him In Hebrew its he shall by doing do with him that is celeriter absque sudore saith Chrolampadius he shall without difficulty or delay deal with him he shall deal with him according to his own mind do what he lift unto him he shall take away his life and kingdom from him This and the former word is future put for preter Tenses which is usual among the Hebrews I have driven him out for his wickedness The word for to drive out is gerash which notes not only a simple ejection a bare driving out but a disgrace â—â— one such a casting or driving out as is with disgrace as when a wife is divorced she is judged unworthy of Bed Board or Cohabitation Gen. 3.24 God drove out the man that was with disgrace and so here I have driven him out with disgrace for his wickedness Vers 12. And strangers the terrible of the Nations have cut him off and have left him Here he shews the ruine and downfal of the Cedar which was so high and extended its boughs so far strangers the terrible of the Nations that is the Chaldaeans who were cruel and merciless Jer. 6.23 they cut him off the King of Assyria and left him not affording the honor due to a dead King Vpon all the Mountains and in all the Valleys his branches are fallen and his boughs are broken by all the Rivers of the land When great trees are cut or blown down then the branches or arms are broken and pul'd off When the King of Assyria was slain his Princes Nobles Provinces and people all suffered with him some were slain upon the Mountains some upon the Valleys and by the Rivers all the land over there were dead and slain persons And all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow and have left him Those which formerly were his Confederates and depended much upon him for Counsel and help seeing him ruined by the Chaldaeans they fell off and would not assist him or divers of his own seeing how things went with him deserted him Vers 13. Vpon his ruine shall all the Fowls of the heaven remain and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches When a Tree is pull'd up or cut down the fruit leaves and branches gone there remains the body or Trunk deformed and spoiled of its beauty and glory that 's the ruine so here the King of Assyria being taken and slain his Crown Glory and Greatness laid in the dust his dead body was the ruine and now the Fowls of Heaven the Nobles and great Ones of Chaldaea and all the Beasts of the field the meaner sort made a Prey of him and his him they scorn'd and vilified and what was his they seiz'd upon Lavater saith his body lay unburied that Crows Ravens Vultures and such like Flesh-Fowls fed upon it Vers 14. To the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height neither shoot up their top c. This too sets out the end of Gods heavy Judgments upon the King of Assyria that other trees seeing Gods dealings with that high Cedar for its pride and loftiness they might take heed of exalting themselves Men grown great are apt to grow proud Trees by the waters that is men abounding
to bewaile the sins and ruines of Princes and their Kingdoms when God calls them thereunto Thirdly Observe The evill quallities and manners of men do make them like unto Beasts of the field and fish of the Sea Thou art like a young Lyon of the Nations Pharoah's roaring and ravening his terribleness and cruelty made him like a Lyon And thou art as a Whale in the Seas Pharoah's tumbling up and down disquieting the people and making a prey of them as fishes transformed him into a Whale or Sea-monster Subtle persons are tearmed Foxes Luke 13.32 Lascivious persons are like pampered Horses Jer 5.8 Oppressing Princes and Judges to Lyons and evening Wolves Zâ—ph 3.3 The wicked qualities of men do make them brutish Solomon tels you in favour of this truth That the wickednesse of those in the place of judgement made them beasts Eccl 3.16.18 Fourthly Observe God hath Prophets to tell the worst of Princes of their wickednesse Pharoah was a great King terrible as a Lyon dreadfull as a Whale yet God had an Ezekiel to send to him and to tell him of his Tyranny and cruelty Go say unto Pharoah thou art as a young Lyon of the Heathen and as a Whale in the Seas God sent him to deal sharply with him notwithstanding his greatness Prophets must not spare Princes when sent of God to reprove them Fifthly Observe Wicked Kings are great troublers of their own and others waters They trouble their own people their own Kingdoms and others also Thou camest forth with thy Rivers and troubledst the waters with thy feet and fowledst their rivers Pharoah was neither quiet in Egypt nor would let others be quiet he sent out his Embassadours to other Nations which were as his feet they troubled the waters the people in drawing them into League with Pharoah in causing them to raise forces to assist him and so fowled their Rivers unsetled their peace troubled their spirits and Countries Whales are not more troublesome to the Seas Crocodiles to the Rivers of Egypt Lyons and wild Beasts to the Land than Tyrants are to their own Kingdoms and those that are near unto them Ahab was a troubler of Israel 1 Kings 18.18 and of Judah also in that he drew Jehosaephat and his people to joyn with him 2 Chr. 1.8 to go up to Ramoth Gilead where it had like to have cost him his life Solomon tells us He that is cruel will trouble his own flesh Pro 11.17 Tyrants are cruel and they do trouble their own flesh their own Subjects and people yea and the Flesh of strangers they make their own Rivers and others to be muddy Vers 3. I will therefore spread out my net over thee These words you had Chap 17.20 and Chap. 12 13. A Net is to catch Birds or Fish Here God represents the person of a Fisher-man and would spread out his Net to take this Whale The word for Net is Resheth from Jarash to possesse retain because a Net keeps what it catcheth and retâ— some derive from retinendo from its holding and retaining This Net with which God would catch the Whale must be a great Net and so it was for it was the Chaldaean Army which was great strong and sufficient to spread over all the Rivers of Egypt With a company of many people When Lyons or Whales are to be taken multitudes of people get together and so here multitudes of Chaldaeans came to take this Lyon and Whale They shall bring thee up in my Net Thou lyest in thy Rivers and deep waters thinking thy self safe without the reach of any but my Net shall be so thrown as to incompasse and catch thee and these Chaldaans shall draw thee up out of thy Nilus yea out of thine Egypt Vers 4. Then will I leave thee upon the Land c. When this great Whale shall be drawn out of his waters and Country God will deal by him as Fisher-men do by the Whale drawn to the shoar they leave him upon the dry ground in open view exposed to the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Earth they cut him in pieces whereof some are carried away others are thrown here and there so God dealt with Pharoah he brought him to open shame and ruine He made him and his wealth a prey to all sorts of people Like unto this verse is that you had Chap 29.5 Vers 5. I will lay thy flesh upon the Mountains Thou or thy Souldiers being overcome some of you will fly to the Mountains for releef but even there shall they be destitute of help they shall be slain on the Mountains And fill the Valleys with thy height I will make such a slaughter of thy men as that they shall fill up the Valleys the bodies shall lye so thick one upon another as to make a height Munster interprets it of the swelling of the bodies Dead bodies do swell much and increase height The Vulgar read the words thus Implebo colles tuos sanie tuo I will fill thy hills with the corruption flowes from the dead bodies Vers 6. I will also water with thy bloud the Land wherein thou swimmest When Nilus overflowed then Egypt was full of water so that this Whale might swim up and down in the same God would cause such a destruction to be among the Egyptians that there should be a River of bloud which should water the Land hereby is set out the great abundance of bloud that should be shed in Egypt the Land was made drunk with it Even to the Mountains and the Rivers shall be full of thee Not only the lower places should be sâ—ll'd with the bloud of the slain but it should reach to the Mountains and run into the Rivers Sanctius thinks this not to be verified in Egypt where were no Mountains but in some other place where the Egyptians were drawn out to fight First Observe That because Kings keep not within their bounds but are troublesome to their own people and others therefore the Lord destroyes them and their Kingdoms Thou camest forth with thy Rivers and troubledst the waters with thy feet and fowledst their Rivers I will therefore spread out my Net over thee The ruine of Princes and States are no casuall things they are effected by the Counsell Providence and Power of God punishing them most justly for their sins Secondly Observe God hath his Nets to catch Whales and great Fish in I will spread out my Net over thee It s not every Net will catch Whales and great Fish they will break ordinary Nets but God hath Nets to take them he wants not means to bring the mightiest unto punishment Pharoah was a Lyon a Dragon a Crocodile a Whale and God had a Net in the North the Babylonish Army which he sent for and caught this Egyptian Whale with God had a Net to catch chat old Whale and Sea-monster who devoured so many of the Israelites children he made a Net of the Waters and not only caught Pharoah but drowned that
a prey and my flock became meat to every beast of the field because there was no shepherd neither did my shepherds search for my flock but the shepherds fed themselves and fed not my flock Therefore O ye shepherds hear the word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord God Behold I am against the shepherds and I will require my flock at their hand and cause them to cease from feeding the flock neither shall the Shepherds feed themselves any more for I will deliver my flock from their mouth that they may not be meat for them THese verses set out the judgments threatned against the shepherds of Israel for their prementioned sins In the words take 1. Gods particular Application of himself to the shepherds vers 7 9. 2. The certainty of their punishment vers 8. As I live c. 3. A Repetition of their former sins vers 8. 4. A Specification of their judgements or punishments vers 10. Vers 7. Therefore ye shepherds hear the word of the Lord. These words are again in the 9. ver and shew the great indignation was in the breast of God against these shepherds O ye Princes Priests and Prophets seeing ye have done such things and neglected what you should have done hear the word of the Lord he is vehemently displeased with you and can hold no longer Vers 8. As I live saith the Lord God surely The Hebrew is I living if not the sense whereof is this Let me not be the living God but be laid aside as some idol or false god if I do not punish these Shepherds which have dealt so with my flock Because my flock became a prey The word for prey is Baz which signifies spoyling and such spoyling as is cum conculcatione despectu direpti Kirker with treading down and despising the thing spoiled they vilified the flock of God and spoyled them of what they had And my flock became meat to every beast of the field Wicked men are here call'd beasts and beasts of the field for that they range up and down to get a prey and when they have gotten it tear and rend it in pieces as a Lyon or Bear doth a Lamb or sheep There was no Shepherd Not simply no shepherd but no shepherd that did his duty as the next words shew Neither did my shepherds search for the flock he saith My shepherds because they were in Gods stead to look after his flock but they fed themselves not the flock they made Laws imposed burthens and found out wayes to enrich themselves and impoverish the people Vers 10. Behold I am against the shepherds In this verse the punishments of these shepherds are enumerated and this is the first viz Gods enmity against them they being great Princes Priests and Prophets kept all in such awe that none durst appear in word or action against them if any did they were soon crushed Wherefore saith the Lord Behold I am against the shepherds I that am the Governour of Nations the Lord of Heaven and Earth and so the Dread Soveraigne of Princes Priests and Prophets even I that am Jehovah that gave being to all creatures and can take away all again am against them The Hebrew is Behold I to the shepherds that is I come to set my self against them the Vulgar is Behold I am above them others have the words thus Ecce ego contra istos Pastores Behold I am against these shepherds I will require my flock at their hand Not only will I have account of them what is become of my flock but I will have recompence for every one that is wounded weak lost or slain I will require at your hand limb for limb blood for blood and life for life This is the second punishment mentioned And cause them to cease from feeding the flock Here is a third punishment and it s no less then displacing of them some were cut off by the hand of justice Jer 52.10 11 24 25 26 27. Lamen 5.12 Others were carryed away captive and held in chains and bonds as Zedekiah Jechoniah and many besides Neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more Here is a fourth punishment they should be depriv'd of those opportunities they had to enrich themselves they made a prey of the flock eating the fat cloathing themselves with the wool and killing those that were fed they made advantage of the flock only seeking themselves not the good of it but they should not do so any longer For I will deliver my flock from their mouth They have been feeding upon and devouring my flock a long time but now I will do by them as a shepherd doth by a Lamb in a Lyons or Bears mouth Amos 3.12 1 Sam 17.34 35. David delivered the Lamb so God would pull his flock out of these Lyons and Bears mouths which is a gracious promise of the deliverance of his people That they may not be meat for them Being once delivered they shall no more be spoiled and devoured by such Tyrants as they were but shall enjoy liberty and safety First Observe When there are no faithfull shepherds the flock is a prey to all sorts of beasts My flock became meat to every beast of the field because there was no shepherd The Princes Nobles Priests Prophets and all their under Officers made a prey of the flock The flock was amongst wild beasts of all sorts and they did eat the Milk sheer the Fleece and devour the flesh of the Flock No State-Officers no Church-Officers were faithfull unto the Flock but all in place and power made a prey of it it s the nature of Dogs Foxes Wolves Bears Lyons and such Beasts to suck the bloud crush the bones and devoure the flesh of the Lambs and Sheep Kings in Daniel 7.17 are call'd beasts Rev 13.1 there is mention made of a Beast which rose up out of the Sea having seven heads and ten horns and of a beast rose up out of the earth which had two horns like a Lamb but spake like a Dragon these two Beasts denote the Ecclesiastical and Political powers and how they dealt with the people you may read in that Chapter When Gods Flock is without faithful shepherds they are a spoil to Sea-Beasts and Land-Beasts to all Beasts whatsoever Secondly Observe That the sins of Magistrates and Ministers in seeking themselves neglecting and wronging the flock do greatly provoke God bring certain and severe judgements upon themselves Behold I am against the shepherds I that am higher stronger greater then them all even I and all my attributes are against them I will call them to account and have satisfaction for all the wrong and violence they have done I will deprive them of their sweet Morsels and throw them with shame out of their places These are severe judgements which God swears by no less thâ—n his own life that he will bring upon them God commits great trust unto them and when they are unfaithful God visits severely for it
green pastures for me if I be thirsty he hath still waters if my soul droop he restores it if I know not the way he leads me in the paths of righteousness O happy man and happy people who have the Lord for their shepherd and happy are those Magistrates and Ministers who are vigilant faithful and tender hearted shepherds over the flock doing to the same as God himself doth But I will destroy the fat and the strong Here God declares how he will deal with those that were injurious to others some amongst them were fat and strong they were rich and potent Men in place and abounding in wealth are in Scripture language said to be fat Psal 22.29 Jerem 46.21 and when they are fat they grow wanton Deut. 32.15 Jesurun waxed fat and kicked then they kick at God and his Ordinances and at their fellows which are lean Amos. 4.1 The Kine of Bashan oppressed the poor and crushed the needy In Gen 41. The lean Kine did eat up the fat but here the fat did eat up the lean and because they did so the Lord would destroy them The Hebrew for destroy is Shamad which signifies so to destroy a thing Vt ejus nihil reliquum maceat as that there shall be no remainders thereof God would make a total abolition of them The Septuagint mistaking the word Shamad for Shamar do render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the Vulgar Custodiam I will keep the fat and the strong that is keep them in and restrain them I will feed them with judgement Montanus saith I will feed them in judgement Bemishphat which the Septuagint renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with judgement The words may import either Gods judgements and plagues which he would bring upon the fat and strong as Jer 23.15 Behold I will feed them with wormwood and make them drink the water of gall or Gods wisdom and judiciousness in feeding of his flock Foolish shepherds distinguish not between the weak and strong the sick and sound they drive they meat they govern all alike but a wise shepherd considers the nature of his flock what condition every sheep is in what its capable of whether Milk or Strong meat Oyle or Wine and so applyes himself accordingly to each Thus would God do with them Isa 40.11 and so 1 Thessa 2.7 8 11. did Paul with them Vers 17 18 19 20 21 22. And as for you O my flock thus saith the Lord God Behold I judge between cattel and cattel between the rams and the he-goats Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures and to have drunk of the deep waters but ye must foul the residue with your feet And as for my flock they eat that which ye have troden with your feet and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them Behold I even I will judge between the fat cattel and between the lean cattel Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder and pusht all the diseased with your horns till ye have scattered them abroad Therefore will I save my flock and they shall no more be a prey and I will judge between cattel and cattel THese verses exemplifie what was said in the latter end of the 16. verse 1. Declaring how God would deal with the rich who oppressed the poor vers 17 20 22. 2. Setting out the causes moving God thereunto vers 18 19 21. Vers 17. As for you Oâ— my flock thus saith the Lord God Here is an Apostrophe God turns his speech unto his flock and shews himself very sensible of their condition breaking out into a pathetical exclamation O my flock Thou art oppressed and sufferest hard things which I see am sensible of and will speedily remedy Behold I judge between cattel and cattel I know the Cattel are not all of one nature some are strong and some are weak some are clean and some unclean and behold I take notice thereof and put a difference between one and the other The word for cattel is Seh which signifies the small cattel as Lambs and Kids Tzon the greater sort of that kind as sheep and goats and Bakar signifies Majora animalia as Oxen Asses and the like Between the Rams and the he-goats The word for Rams is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of their strength they are very strong creatures The word for he-goats is Gnattud â—â— which notes the greater goats those which lead the floâ—k and metaphorically the Rulers and leaders of the people as Isa 14.9 Col gnattu de eretz all the great goats of the earth is the Hebrew all the chief Ones of the earth saith our Translation By Rams some understand the good gentle and meek ones by he-goats the vile wicked and unquiet ones Diodate interprets Rams to be the violent and Goats the filthy ones I conceive by Rams He-goats are meant the leaders of the flock the Rulers of the people which differed ingenio moribus factis as Polanus saith God would distinguish between the good and bad of these and so of the people which are set out by the name of Cattel and deal with them according to their wayes and works where by Cattel are meant the meaner and poorer sort of people by Rams and He-goats the rich and great ones Vers 18. Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good Pastures Here again by way of Apostrophe God speaks to the Rams and He-goats which had good pastures plenty of all things great blessings Milk Honey and fat of the Land they had the chief places Lands and fruits of the earth they had gotten all considerable in Church or State into their own hands they lived deliciously and oppressed others which they thought to be nothing but saith God Seemeth it a small matter unto you you deceive your selves it s a grievous crime and that you shall know But ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures Wanton Sheep when they are full run up and down treading upon the pastures so that they become uneatable or lesse pleasant and nourishing being eaten so did the rich and great in State and Church they corrupted justice and the word of God with their inventions and traditions so that the people were not fed or fed with that which was unsavoury and unprofitable Or thus they troubled the poor and suffered them not quietly to enjoy that little they had they were cruel to the Godly and poorer sort though they had abundance serving their pride and lusts therewith or having the principal of all things they slighted and vilified the rest And to have drunk of the deep Waters but ye must foul the residue with your feet The word for deep is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mishkah which properly is sedimentum whatever settles and goes down to the bottom so
shall yeeld her increase When there have been seasonable rains the earth hath brought forth abundantly in some places thirty in some sixty in some a hundred fold The word for increase is Jebul from Jabal to bring because the earth doth bring profit to the owners thereof By Tree and Earth we may understand the higher and meaner sort of people who under the Gospel and showrs of it should become fruitfull And they shall be safe in their Land In the 25. vers it s said They shall dwell safely in the wildernesse and here They shall be safe in their Land they should have safety every where and the words are repeated to shew the certainty thereof When I have broken the bands of their yoke This yoke was the Babylonish captivity which is call'd a yoke Jerem 30.8 and it lay heavily upon them Isa 47.6 The bands of this yoke were the Babylonish powers Nebuchadrezzar his Princes and Officers but God did break the Babylonish Empire in pieces by Cyrus and Darius and so took the yoke off their necks setting them at liberty Yokes are burdensome restrictive and reproachfull this breaking yokes and bands and bringing the Jews out of Babylon typed out the spiritual liberty of the Church in Christs time when Antichristian bands and yokes should be broken and people brought out of spiritual Babylon And delivered them out of the hands of those that served themselves of them The Hebrew is And shall deliver them out of the hands of them who made them to serve the Babylonians made the Jews to serve and work for them being captives among them Exigebant servitutem ab ipsis they exacted service of them their dealings with the Jews were like the Egyptians who were cruel taskmasters over them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Avad saith Lavater saevitiem in aliquem exercere significat tanquam in servam First Observe Temporal and Spiritual blessings are from God he makes people blessed and gives them what blessings he pleases I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing Gen 9.1 God blessed Noah and his sons and said unto them be fruitfull multiply and replenish the earth here God is the Authour of temporal blessings Gen 12.2 Of Abraham God said I will blesse thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing and I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all familyes of the earth be blessed Here God shews himself Authour of temporal and spiritual blessings its peculiar unto God to blesse Balak was out when he said of Balaam I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed and he whom thou cursest is cursed Numb 22.6 No it s not in the power of any creature to blesse or curse men and Devils may utter words of blessing or cursing but they cannot make blessed or cursed its God who turns blessings into curses Mal 2.2 and curses into blessings Nehem 13.2 Secondly Observe Others faire the better for the Churches sake I will make the places round about my hill a blessing On the Hill of Sion was the Temple the place where God recorded his Name there were the solemn assemblies the divine ordinances Gods presence and all that were near in Judaea yea the Nations round about had some blessing and benefit thereby they heard of the God of Israel that he differed from all idol gods they heard of his Laws that they were more righteous then the Laws of the Nations they saw his Sabbaths how strictly they were kept they heard of the Prophets that were in Jerusalem and Israel did not Naaman a Syrian get a blessing from Elisha 2 Kings 5. The wisdome of Solomon had influence into all the places round about Sion yea into all the Countries far off The Queen of Sheba heard thereof and it was a blessing unto her from any Nation they might come to Sion become Proselites and enjoy what mercies the Jews themselves enjoyed Micah 4.1 2. In the last dayes it shall come to passe that the Mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the Mountains and it shall be exalted above the hills and people shall flow unto it and many Nations shall come and say Come let us go up unto the Mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his Statutes for the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem These things are spoken of Christs times when the Church should be very eminent and conspicuous like the highest of hills when the Law of faith and the Gospel should go out of Sion and Jerusalem and be a blessing unto all Nations Thirdly Observe Gods blessings are seasonable both temporal and spiritual are in due time I will cause the showre to come down in his season when it shall be a blessing do much good there shall be showres of blessing Levit 26.4 I will give you rain in due season and the Land shall yield her increase and the Trees of the field shall yield their fruit Those rains are seasonable which cause fruitfulness those are unseasonable rains which hinder or destroy the fruit of the Trees and encrease of the earth The Lord observes times and seasons to do sinners good both for body and soul Isa 30.18 He waits that he may be gracious he waits for fit seasons wherein his mercies may come with advantage and acceptance unto men Isa 55.10 11. As the rain cometh down and the snow from Heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud which is an argument it came in season so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it God gives his word seasonably as he doth the rain Tit 1.3 God hath in due times manifested his word through preaching the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his own times and those are the due times the seasonablest times Gal. 4.4 When the fullnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman Christs birth was at the fullness of time when it was most seasonable so his death Rom 5.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in due time or according to the season Christ dyed for the ungodly Psal 72.6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grasse as the showres that water the earth As Solomon was to the people by his wisdome and justice like seasonable rains to the grasse and earth much more is God and Christ so to the Church what seasonable dews droppings and influences of the Spirit hath it from them which make it to grow green and flourish Let us wait for his showres and influences none can give them but himself and when he gives them it s in season Fourthly Observe
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
captivity therefore the Heathens reproached Canaan and said Thou Land devourest men and hast bereaved thy Nations They called Emanuels Land a cursed and bloudy Land that did eat up her own children this was a great reproach to Heaven and Earth Gods judgements should have caused fear and taught them to have learned righteousnesse For if God spared not the green Tree what will become of the dry Trees Seventhly Observe Such is the goodnesse of God that he takes occasion from the wickedness of his Peoples enemies to do his People good Because the Heathens said Thou Land devourest up men and hast bereaved thy Nations Because they reproached the Jews and their Land thus therefore saith God Thou shalt devoure men no more neither bereave thy Nations any more I will blesse thee with peace plenty and safety there shall be no wars no famines no plagues nor other judgements to devoure the people of the Land Eighthly Observe God in his time takes way the evills that are upon his People and turns them into blessings 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 These evils will I take away from thee and not only so but I will bring in the contrary blessings instead of shame and reproach thou shalt have honour praise and renown instead of destroying thy people and Nations thou shalt multiply thy people and have Nations to serve thee Isa 60.12 13 14. Verses 16 17 18 19 20. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man when the house of Israel dwelt in their own Land they defiled it by their own way and by their doings their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the Land and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it And I scattered them among the heathen and they were dispersed through the Countreys according to their way and according to their doings I judged them And when they entred unto the heathen whither they went they profaned my holy Name when they said to them These are the people of the Lord and are gone forth out of his Land MEn being apt to make perverse constructions of the judgments of God and to censure his wayes to be unequall here he gives account of his proceedings towards his people and shews the true grounds and causes why he drave them out of their Countrey which are set down 1. In generall vers 17. amplified by a similitude 2. In particular vers 18. Bloud and Idolatry which are repeated in generall terms vers 19. 3. After these he shews what their carriage was in their enemies Land vers 20. Vers 16. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying The Prophet having declared Gods jealousie and fury against the enemies of his people comforted them being in captivity with many choice promises here he is commissioned by the Lord to speak out the causes which moved God to cast them into that condition Vers 17. When the house of Israel dwelt in their own Land By house of Israel understand not the two or ten Tribes but the whole twelve Tribes who possessed Canaan which is called their own Land because promised and given unto them by God for their inheritance Psal 105.10 11. They defiled it by their own way and by their doings The Hebrew is In their own wayes and in their own doings they followed their own devices inventions desires customs manners they did what was right in their own eyes and so defiled the Land The French is Par leurs maeurs par leurs actes Their way was before me as the uncleannesse of a removed woman Their way was very loathsome before the Lord he greatly abhorred their manners and practices as man doth the filthiness and uncleanness of a woman Laborant is menstruo sanguine A woman in that condition defiles all she toucheth see Levit 15.19 20 21. and so to the end of the Chapter Vers 18. Wherefore I poured my fury upon them They had committed hainous sins and continued long in them without repentance is evident from the Lords fury he is not in fury for small sins nor presently furious for great sins but when men go on from day to day in them his anger grows hotter and hotter and at last riseth up into fury and this being increased the Lord would not let it out in petty judgements as it were drop by drop but poure it out in greater judgments like as the Sea poures out water when a breach is in the Banks it poures out water with violence and drowns up all the adjacent Countrey For the bloud that they had shed upon the Land They shed the bloud of the Prophets 2 Chron 24.21 Matth 23.37 Of innocent ones 2 Kings 21.16 They had unjust and unnatural wars 2 Chron 28.9 and so shed bloud in abundance Ezek 7.23 They poured out bloud upon the Land and God poured out fury upon them it s the same word in the Hebrew for shedding and pouring out And for their idols wherewith they had polluted it They had many idols the Land was full of them Isa 2.8 which they worshipping defiled the Land The word for idols is Gillulim which Junius renders Dii stercorei Dunghill gods and Piscator stercora dunghils excrements for that no dunghill or excrement of any creature doth so defile a Land as idols and idolatry hence idolls are called abominations Jer 32.34 Shames Hos 9.10 Devils Deut. 32.17 Vers 19. And I scattered them among the heathen They had learned the manners of the Heathen got their idols and served them and for it God scattered them among the heathens they had heathenish spirits chosen heathenish gods and so deserved to be driven into heathenish Countries And they were dispersed through the Countreys The Hebrew word for disperse is Sarah which signifies to disperse by fanning God had fanned them out of their own Land and dispersed them as chaffe before the wind into divers Lands they went from Countrey to Countrey yea through whole Countries into Chaldaea According to their way and according to their doings I judged them Men might wonder God should deale so with his people as to poure out his fury upon them drive them out of their own Land and disperse them amongst heathens who were his and their enemies this might carry a face of cruelty but the Lord clears himself and shews the equity of his proceedings I judged them that is I dealt with or punisht them according to their wayes and doings had they not deserved such hard things at my hands I should not have executed them they drave me out of my Sanctuary and far from it Ezek 8.6 They cast me off Jer 2.13 and is it not equall that I should drive them out of my Land and cast
Will his Attributes his Works his Word are his Name All these set out God make him known and so are his name even the name of his holinesse or his holy name There is no name under Heaven like unto the Lords it s an holy name and so glorious a great name and so dreadful We should sanctifie the name of God which is done by believing Num. 20.12 When Moses and Aaron did not believe God they did not sanctifie his name but when men believe Gods Word then they sanctifie his name It s done also by fearing to displease him Isa 8.13 Isa 29.23 It s done also by acknowledging his name to be holy Math 6.9 when men praise him Secondly Observe The profaning of Gods holy name as it is a trouble unto him so it sticks and abides upon him Other provocations passe away but this settles upon his spirit see here what hold it took vers 20. They profaned my holy Name and vers 21. The house of Israel profaned my holy name among the heathen vers 22. Mine holy name which ye have profaned among the heathen Thrice the Lord mentions their profaning of his name yea in the next verse as if he could not shake this act of theirs out of his mind he mentions it twice more My name which was profaned which ye have profaned Gods name being holy is dear unto him and the profaning of it makes deep impressions in his heart Thirdly Observe Temporall mercies are not merited at Gods hands by men I do not this for your sakes O house of Israel What was it God did not for their sakes viz deliver them from their Babylonish bondage and bring them into their own Countrey these were temporal mercies and though there were Godly men amongst them as Ezekiel Daniel Mordecai Ezra Nehemiah and others yet with all their prayers fastings suffering and holinesse they did not merit these outward mercies liberty safety plenty possessions are not the merit or purchase of the creature but the gift of God 1 Tim 6.17 He giveth us all things richly to enjoy Have men more or lesse of these outward things they are upon free gift not any defert and if we deserve not temporal things much lesse do or can we deserve spiritual and eternal things which are of a transcendent nature if we do not deserve an outward deliverance an earthly Canaan how shall we deserve a spiritual deliverance an Heavenly Canaan all things of that nature are free gifts Luke 12.32 Rom 6.23 Fourthly Observe The good God doth unto his Church be it temporal or spiritual is for his own sake What I do saith God I do it for mine holy names sake there is nothing to move me but my own name that is holy great and glorious and I will for my names sake do much for my Church and People That they were preserved in Babylon was for his holy names sake that they were brought out of Babylon was for his holy names sake that they were replanted in Canaan was for his holy names sake that they had a Temple Sacrifices Priests Prophets Ordinances again was for his names sake when they were neer to destruction often in former dayes God wrought for his names sake Ezek 20. so Isa 48.8 9. It s not for the enemies sake that God doth preserve or deliver his people nor for their sakes their prayers tears faith obedience holinesse that he doth great things for them bestow great mercies upon them but it is for his own names sake For mans sake God cursed the earth Gen 8.21 but it s for his names sake that he blesseth it the choicest mercies Gods people have are for his names sake they have pardon of sin for his names sake Psal 25.11 1 John 2.12 Purging of sin for his names sake Psal 79.9 Leading in the paths of righteousnesse for his names sake Psal 23.3 Quickning of their dead and dull hearts for his names sake Psa 143.11 Though his people much offend him yet he forsakes them not for his great names sake 1 Sam 12.22 The Lord doth all freely and for the honour of his name let us then say with the Prophet Whatever we have not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy name be the glory Not unto us who are thy creatures not unto us who are Tools in thy hand but to thy name which is the ground root and spring of all our mercies be the glory all the glory and that everlastingly Fifthly Observe God will not suffer his holy and great name alwayes to lye under aspersions and reproaches of men I will sanctifie my holy and great name which was profaned among the heathen even in the midst of them He will vindicate his honour and glory Great men when their names are blemished do stand upon it and will vindicate them with much cost and labour so God when wicked ones have profaned his name and darkned the glory thereof will stand upon it and do that which shall clear his name before all his enemies Goliah for many dayes defyed the God of Israel and the Armies of Israel but not long after the Lord vindicated his holy and great name by stirring up and strengthning of David to take off his head 1 Sam 17.45 51. When the King of Assyria and Rabshakeh blasphemed the name of God as they did Isa chap. 36. 37. did not the Lord quickly send an Angel and destroy their great Army of one hundred fourscore and five thousand and so by this stroke of his made his holy and great name glorious and dreadful He will scatter the smoak and venemous vapours that ascend from the tongues and lives of profane persons to hinder the beams of his glorious name from shining as the wind scatters clouds from before the Sun and as by destruction of his enemies so by delivering of his servants Sixthly Observe When God doth great things for his people and they honour his name for them then very heathens will be convinced acknowledge God and give glory to his name The heathen shall know that I am the Lord when I shall be sanctified in you that is in your deliverance before their eyes then you will magnifie my name and they will magnifie my name which hath been profaned then they will see and say that I am another kind of God then their idol gods are that I am omnipotent faithfull holy wise Psal 126.2 When the Lord turn'd the captivity of his people as they said The Lord hath done great things for us so the heathens said The Lord hath done great things for them So much of God appear'd in taking them out of Babylon that Jewish and Babylonish Tongues were constrained to speak out the power truth and goodnesse of God Seventhly Observe Things difficult and in the eye of man impossible are facile to and feasible by the power of God The Jews were among the heathens who by their Laws power and vigilancy kept them in great bondage they were scattered into
can weep shed tears in abundance for losse of Relations Estates Favours of great Ones yet never wept for sin these have a natural tenderness not a spirituall Besides what may be gathered from what is said I shall give some Characters of a tender heart First It s sensible of the Churches and Saints afflictions it mourns for and with them a tender heart bleeds when it goes ill with Sion and the people of God When the men of Ai smote but thirty six Israelites how was Joshua affected with it He rent his clothes and fell to the earth upon his face before the Ark of the Lord untill the even tide Josh 7.6 You may read Ps 79. 80. how greatly David or Asaph were affected with the desolation of Jerusalem and miseries befell the Church These were men of tender hearts and sensible of evils at a distance Such was Paul 2 Cor 14.29 and Jeremy whose eyes ran down with tears because the Lords flock was carryed away captive Jer 13.17 Secondly Where an heart hath a gracious and spiritual tenderness it s affected with the perishing condition of others it grieves to see men impenitent unbelieving going on in the broad way to be in a state of irregeneracy and pityes them Rom 9.2 3. Paul had great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart and why for his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh they rejected Christ and his Gospel through unbelief and hardnesse of heart they were in the broad way to destruction Christ seeing Jerusalem insensible of her own good he wept over her Luke 19.41 And in former times Jeremy had manifested the tenderness of his heart toward the Jews when he said unto them thus Hear ye and gâ—ve ear be not proud for the Lord hath spoken Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darknesse and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains and while ye look for light he turn it into the shadow of death and make it grosse darknesse but if ye will not hear it my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride Jer 13.15 16 17. Thirdly A tender heart dare not go out from God in any case but commits it self and way to him it consults with God and leans upon him for counsel and direction Josiah when the Law was found and he understood from it what wrath was due to the breach of it presently sends men to enquire of the Lord for himself and others what to do he took counsel of God and not of man 2 Chron 34.21 So Jehoshaphat he sought not to Baalim but to the Lord God of his fathers and David made Gods Testimonyes his Counsellers Psal 119.24 Hard hearts dare presume and venture to go out from God and into wayes he hath not warranted so did Gehazi Judas and Demas they followed the imaginations of their own hearts and declared that their hearts were Brasse Those that have hearts of flesh say with them in Isa 2.3 Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths not in our own Fourthly It s affected presently at the frowns and chidings of God at the appearance and shaking of the Rod. A child of a tender nature will melt when the Parent begins to manifest displeasure as to chide or take the Rod into his hand but it s not so with a stubborn nature that will hear bitter words and endure many stroaks before it will melt Jer 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a rock they have refused to return These had no tender hearts in them When Absolom had driven David out of Jerusalem he went up mount Olivet weeping He was presently affected with the hand of God 2 Sam 15.30 Moses was presently affected with the wrath that went out from God against the people Numb 16.46 Fifthly A tender heart feels much stoninesse in it self and complains of it O what a stony rocky Adamantine heart have I saith a tender hearted man its tendernesse discovers and feels hardnesse Eph 4.19 They were hardned in sin were past feeling Where hearts are all stone there is no sensibleness of the stonyness those have the tenderest hearts that feel most Brass and Iron in them David cryed oft to God for quickning Psal 119.154 156 159. Quicken me according to thy Word Quicken me according to thy judgements Quicken me according to thy loving kindnesse And why did he cry so for quickning because he felt much deadness and hardness in his heart A dead heart is an hard heart A man when dead is cold stiff and hard so a mans heart if dead within him is cold stiff and stony How may the heart be kept tender First By taking heed of every sin for its only sin that hardens the heart as the foot by treading hardens the earth so when sin walks up and down in the heart it hardens and obdurates the same Dan 5.20 Nebuchadnezzars mind was hardned in pride and the Apostle tells you Heb 3.13 That mens hearts come to be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin Men think little sins can do them little harm but they harden their hearts and is that no harm is that little harm its the greatest harm can be done you Secondly By searching and examining of your hearts frequently that is a special means to keep them tender it s like digging of the Garden and ploughing of the Earth which keeps it from hardning the more digging and ploughing the more tender and crumbly is the earth that is the chiefest way to preserve it so and they who are ever searching their hearts examining them daily have them in a tender frame David communed oft with his own heart and his spirit made diligent search Psal 77.6 That kept his heart in a tender frame Thirdly By studying the word much and minding it there is great virtue in the word it 's like fire and will not only thaw the icyness of their hearts but keep them unfrozen the hardest mettals while they are in the Fire are soft and whilest mens hearts are in the Divine fire of the Scriptures they will be soft The Word is like Water and Oyl which moisten and supple the heart so that the tendernesse of it is preserved Fourthly By meditating seriously on Gods love the heigths depths lengths and breadths of his love When a soul is taken up with thoughts of the freeness greatness strength sweetness everlastingness and fruits of Gods love it will be in a melting frame that fire works kindly upon the heart love apprehended makes the heart tender Fifthly Look much to Christ crucified Zech 12.10 When we consider what Christ hath suffered for our sakes it will make and keep our hearts tender First Observe A tender heart is a choice mercy As a stony
in you than he that is in the world The Devil had been in them before but was now driven out of them into the world by the spirit which was in them and their lusts were mortified by the same spirit Rom 8.13 Fourthly The Spirit put into man takes the rule and government of that man into his own hand he must no longer be under the dominion of sin or Satan but under the conduct of the spirit he and all in him must bow to that great Person When a great man cometh into the Countrey to dwell he looks for all about him to bow unto him and to be at his command hence men that have stout and stubborn spirits which cannot bow use to say Magnum vicinum nolumus We care not for a great Neighbour The spirit is greater than all men and when he is put into men it 's to rule he is there not to be checked controled opposed but to bear sway to have the Keyes of every Room delivered up unto him he must be and will be Soveraign in the soul before him every Mountain and Hill must be brought low yea every creature must swear fealty unto him Rom 8.14 They are lead by the spirit of God The spirit is the Commander and Leader of those it dwells in they follow him and not others whereas those that are without the spirit are led away with diverse lusts 2 Tim 3.6 or drawn away with their own lust James 1.14 and so follow Satan 1 Tim 5.15 It 's not so with those that have the spirit that is call'd A Guide John 16.13 and such a Guide as guides into all truth and orders them so as that they shall not miscarry for its a spirit of wisdome Ephes 1.17 of counsell Isa 11.2 of power 2 Tim 1.7 so that he must rule and where he rules he doth it wisely Fifthly He frames them to his own mind and transforms them into his own likenesse as a Graft put into a Stock turns the sap of the Stock and assimilates it and the Stock to it self so doth the spirit in the parties where it is 2 Cor 3.18 We are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord or by the Lord the Spirit so the Greek will bear it we are selfish sinfull natural morall and the spirit makes us spiritual The husband frames the mind of his wise suitable unto his own when a man comes into an old house he pulls down and sets up he takes away and adds what he pleases and fits the house to his own mind so doth the spirit being in our earthly Tabernacles it abrogates the Laws of the flesh it throws out the Principles of Satan and the world it sets up new Laws and works new Principles Rom 3.27 Chap 8.2 Sixthly The spirit being put into man and man becoming his Temple he doth beautifie and adorn that Temple and make it glorious Solomon over-laid the Temple with pure gold 1 Kings 6.21 the inside was very glorious and the spirit trims up its Temple with pure graces with love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance c. Gal 5.22 23. Ephes 5.9 The spirit garnished the Heavens with those greater and lesser Lights Job 26.13 which fill this lower world with their glory It s the spirit which reneweth the face of the earth Psal 104.30 and makes it beautifull and its the spirit reneweth and garnisheth the soul making it glorious and beautifull with all graces Psal 45.13 The Kings daughter is all glorious within and the spirits Temple is no lesse glorious If Solomons Temple were call'd The holy and beautifull house Isa 64.11 much more may the Temple of the spirit be so called Seventhly It being in man enables him to do many things it strengthens him with might to do that which otherwise he could not do Eph 3.16 As First To discern between the things of men and the things of God between the things of Christ and those of Antichrist between true and counterfeit graces 1 Cor. 2.15 He that is spiritual judgeth all things He hath the spirit enabling him to make a difference and to see the reallity beauty and excellency of some things above others The High Priests Scribes Pharisees saw no beauty in Christ that they should desire him but the Apostles who had the spirit in them did John 1.14 We beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father and Paul saw so much in Christ and the knowledge of him That he counted all things but lasse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Phil. 3.8 Secondly It enables them to pray spiritually Rom. 8.26 The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought The spirit tells us what to pray for and helps us to bring forth those Petitions it hath formed in us Zech 12.10 it s call'd The spirit of supplication because it teaches us what to supplicate God for and assists us in supplicating Both Paul and Jude exhorts those they write unto To pray in the spirit Ephes 6.18 Jude 20. That is in the strength and help of the spirit not in their own strength Thirdly It enables to stand in time of trouble persecution and sufferings The spirit prompts answers unto those that are questioned for truths sake and helps them against all their opposers see Mark 13.11 Matth 10.19 20. Luke 12.11 12. When they were lead before Magistrates and Powers they must take no thought before hand what to speak nor premeditate the spirit should help them encourage and uphold them not an Angel but the spirit Acts 6.10 Stephen was so mightily assisted by the spirit that his opposers viz the Libertines Cyrenians Alexandrians and others were not able to withstand him Fourthly It enables to bring forth good fruit If there be no sap in a Vine it will bear no fruit if there be only our own sap it will yeeld sowre fruit but if the sap of the spirit be there then it will afford good fruit speciall fruit Acts 10.38 Christ being anointed with the holy spirit and with power he went about doing good so the Apostles Acts 1.8 Ye shall receive power after the holy spirit is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth The spirit impowered them to walk up and down in the world to preach the Gospel convert souls plant Churches and to do them good so did Paul Rom. 15.19 Where the spirit is it enables and provokes unto good John 7.38 39. Fifthly The spirit enables men to keep the Word of God and yeeld obedience unto it 2 Tim. 1.14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the holy spirit which dwelleth in us Timothy saith Paul thou hast that which is of great concernment committed to thy keeping viz the Gospel the form of sound words and thou
The Instrumental Prophesying v. 4 7 9 10. 2. The Principal v. 5. 2. The Formal which is expressed 1. By coalition of bone to bone v. 7. 2. By cloathing of the bones with flesh sinews and skin v. 8. 3. By the entrance of breath v. 10. Verse 4. Prophesie upon these bones and say unto them O ye dry bones hear the word of Lord. This seems an absurd thing that the Prophet should prophesie unto Creatures insensible unintelligible void of life It was as if God should bid a man preach unto an heap of stones or dry chips which are incapable of hearing But though these Bones were incapable of hearing Ezekiels voyce yet they were not incapable of hearing Gods voyce for all creatures even the most senseless hear the Lord when he speaks the stormy winds fulfil his word Psal 148.8 The Heavens and the Earth Isai 1.2 Whales and Ravens Jon. 2.10 1 King 17.4 The Lord intended to bestow life upon these bones and that they might have life they must hear his word which had inlivening vertue in it There is an obediential vertue in every creature to yield to the will and command of the Creator and when it doth so then it 's said to hear the voyce of the Lord then properly men hear God when they do what he requires Vers 5. Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live These words prevent an Objection which the Prophet might have made saying It s in vain for me to prophesie to these dry bones what ever I shall say over them or unto them will come to nothing and prove ridiculous if any take notice thereof No saith the Lord it shall not be so for Behold I will cause breath to enter into them and they shall live The Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold I bring upon you the Spirit of life Others render the words thus Behold I do make the Spirit to enter into you or I am about to bring the Spirit into you and ye shall live that is I am ready to breathe life into you or I will breathe the breath of life into you It 's life is here promised which he mentions first to encourage the Prophet though it were performed last for the bones must first be united then be cloathed with sinews flesh and skin before the breath of life enters Verse 6. And I will lay sinews upon you The Hebrew for Sinews is Gidim which is from Gadad Turmatim oonncurrere quia nervi in corpore ad sensus motus officia concurrant c. The nerves in the body do concur unto the duties of sense and motion Some Nerves are soft some are hard the soft are specially for sense and they come from the Brain the hard are chiefly for motion and they come from the Marrow in the back-bone Here God would cause these visional Bones to have visional Sinews which might fit them for sense and motion And bring up flesh upon you The word for Flesh is Basar which Synechdochically signifies sometimes Men and sometimes other living creatures but here it notes that part of mans body which is simplex mollis rubicunda simple soft and ruddiest such flesh would God bring up upon these Bones The Hebrew for bring up is I will make to ascend God would cause flesh to grow up and ascend out of those dry bones And cover you with skin When the bones had sinews and flesh God would not leave them so it 's unsightly to behold naked raw flesh He would give them a garment viz. cover them with Skin Incrustabo vos cute saith Montanus I will crust you over with skin Superextendam in vobis Cutem saith the Vulgar I will stretch over you a Skin The word for Skin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be naked Though the flesh were covered with skin yet was not the skin covered with any artificial covering And put breath in you and ye shall live These words are the same with those in the 5. verse Now when the bones had their sinews flesh and skin and were fitted for the breath of life they should have it The Septuagint is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give my Spirit upon you that shall beget life in you and cause you to live And ye shall know that I am the Lord. These dry bones being so Metamorphosed and raised to a living condition should acknowledge the mighty hand of the Lord and be convinced that he was able to do whatsoever he pleased Verse 7. So I Prophesied as I was commanded The Prophet stood not disputing the case with God but he understanding the mind of God presently set himself to fulfil it And as I prophesied there was a noise What Ezekiel Prophesied to these bones is not so much to be questioned he had direction from God what to say unto them even those words ye have in the 4 5 6 verses And as he was Prophesying before he had uttered all given him in commission there was a noise not of thunder or of Angels or of an Earthquake but of the bones themselves which being many dry and stirring could not but make a great noise This noise was an evident demonstration of Divine presence and power put forth in this Miraculous work And behold a shaking These bones that were dead and dry now began to stir and shake they moved from their places Maldonate thinks that the earth was moved that so the bones which were in the graves and under the earth might come forth but these were bones lay in an open valley not under the earth Their shaking or concussion was cum impetu with force It was Divine Power made them to shake and move Some refer this shaking to the invasion of the Babylonians by the Medes and Persians at what time the Jews obtain'd their liberty And the bones came together bone to his bone As timber in an house so are bones in the body the strength and support of all The Hebrew word for a Bone is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etzem from Atzam to corroborate and make solid Bones are robur soliditas corporis the strength and solidity of the body These bones came together not promiscuously the bones of one man or woman to the bones of another man or woman but bone to his bone that is every bone of the same man to his right place and every bone of the same woman to its right place the rib-bones thigh-bones and ancle-bones came every one to his proper place and so united together Verse 8. And when I beheld loe the sinews and the flesh came up upon them and the skin covered them above Here was a strange sight to see dry bones come creeping together every one to coalesce and joyn in his due place making up a perfect Skeleton and out of that sinews flesh and skin to ascend this was such a sight that neither Ezekiel nor any man had ever seen
a great Army from all parts to assault and destroy the people of God and not knowing what the hazard of War might be he would prepare for himself consider and fit things for himself Thou and all thy company that are assembled unto thee Where is a great Army there had need to be great preparations for their pay quarters and protection They know not what obstructions and enemies they may meet withal And be thou a guard unto them Princes have great power and it lies much in them to keep their Armies safe Vigilantia ducis est salus exercitus The eye of the General is a special thing to keep an Army in Order The Vulgar reads the words thus Esto eis in praeceptum Do thou shew thy self an Emperour amongst them Command and Rule them or thus Thou wilt do thy endeavour to preserve them Junius thinks these words refer to the Jews That Gog with all his Forces compassing about the Mountains of Israel and concluding he had the Jews in his power as a bird in a cage to destroy at his pleasure he should be a guard unto them God can make those a defence to his who seek their destruction But the other sense is more genuine First Observe That after Prophesies of Grace and Mercy come tidingt of Affliction and Judgements In the former Chapter the Jews heard altogether of Mercies from God here they hear of Afflictions from Enemies There they heard of David their King and Shepheard who should do great things for them Here of Gog a Tyrant their enemy who should seek to destroy them God in his infinite wisdom orders it so that his Church and People should hear of and meet with not only good but evill not only comforts but crosses Should we only hear of comfortable things we should presume and should we only hear of sad things we should despond God presents some of both sorts unto us that so our Faith and Fear may be exercis'd and we kept in a more even frame Secondly Observe The great Princes of the earth being no friends to the Church of God have God for their enemy Gog was Prince of Meshech and Tubal an enemy to the Jews And Behold I am against thee O Gog how great soever thou art I the great God am against thee thou wilt oppose my people and I will oppose thee Most of the Princes of the earth have been against Christ and his Kingdom Psal 2.2 And God hath been against them and vexed them in his soar displeasure God was against the Prince of Tyre and against Pharaoh King of Egypt Ezek. Chap. 28. 29. Kings generally are Proud Profane Tyrannical false to the trust committed to them obstructing the way and work of Christ in the World what they can therefore God is against them He is terrible to the Kings of the earth Psal 76.12 And their ends have been dreadful Some have had their bones burnt to lime Amos 2.1 Some have been eaten with Wormes Acts 12.23 Some have been hanged up Lam. 2.12 Josh 10.26 Some have dyed of strange diseases 2 Chr. 21.18 Thirdly Observe The Lord at his pleasure can bring enemies and Armies upon his own people God would bring Gog forth and all his Army Horse and Horsemen a great company all of them armed with Bucklers Shields and Swords God is the author of Wars he calls forth what Princes and Nations he will to assault and vex the Church The ten Tribes Who brought enemies upon them was it not the Lord 1 Chron. 5.26 The God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul King of Assyria and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser King of Assyria and he carried them away c. 2 King 15.19 Chap. 17.6 It was God stirred up the spirit of the Philistines against Jehoram King of Judah so that they came and spoyled him of all his substance of his Wives and Sons 2 Chr. 21.16 17. Let Gods people take heed how they provoke God for he is the Lord of hosts and hath all Nations at his command and can call yea bring them forth to trouble Israel it self and that soarly Fourthly Observe The Lord can easily bring men to do his work and service what ever the difficulty or danger be Here was hard work for Gog to gather the Nations East West South and Northward together to come out of his Countrey and to invade Judaea a business which required much consultation admitted many Objections and Demurs but God would bring him to it and make him do it as easily as a man pulls up a fish out of the water I will put my hook in his chawes Let God put an instinct into a Prince or State once stir their spirits to make war upon others the work will go on with facility and expedition God hath hooks to draw on Princes to War and hooks to draw them off to draw them back from them 2 King 19.28 Fifthly Observe From all quarters of the World there be enemies ready to combine and act with Gog and Antichrist against the Church Truth and Christ himself Those of the East comprehended under Persia those of the South intended under Ethiopia those of the West included in Lybia and those of the North contained under Gomer and the house of Togarmah were all at the beck of Gog to go against Jerusalem the Servants and Worship of God therein The whole World saith Oecolampadius contradicts and observes Antichrist When Christ doth any eminent thing in his Church the Nations are quickly misled and joyn with some grand enemy to vent their malice see Rev. 20.7 8 9. Sixthly Observe The enemies of the Church do make great preparations against the same Be thou prepared This shews and assures that Gog would neglect nothing which might conduce unto the carrying on his designes against the Jews Isa 8.9 10. Those expressions Associate your selves Gird your selves Take counsel together Speak the word do hint to us the activity of the Churches enemies Psal 83.2 3 4 5. see it there to the life Thine enemies make a tumult they have lift up the head they have taken crafty counsel against thy people They said Come let us cut them off from being a Nation c. How did Zerah the Ethiopian and the Commanders of his Army bestir themselves when they brought an Army of a thousand thousand against Judah and with them 300 Charets 2 Chron. 14.9 Seventhly Observe Princes notwithstanding all their preparations cannot secure themselves nor those under their command Prepare for thy self be a guard to them Gogs number Power Policy Preparations did not advantage himself or his they went forth to their own ruine and destruction Vers 8. After many dayes thou shalt be visited in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword and is gathered out of many people against the mountains of Israel which have been alwayes waste but it is brought forth out of the nations and they shall dwell safely all of them THis
sanctified in thee O Gog before their eyes IN these words we have the place whence Gog should come the manner of his coming the persons he should come against the author and event of his coming Vers 14. In that day when my people Israel dwelleth safely shalt thou not know it When my people are come to their Land dwell safely in Towns without walls gates or barrs shalt thou not know it Yes thou wilt take notice thereof and be incouraged thereby to come against them The Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou wilt be stirred up this sense of the words some make Others thus Thou hast a wicked thought in thy heart and doest purpose to invade my people being unarm'd and dwelling safely and shalt thou not know that is Thou shalt know what it is to invade my people thou shalt feel my judgments my fury will appear and fall upon thee to thy destruction v. 16 18. Piscator renders the word thus Annon experieris Shalt thou not have experience Vers 15. Thou shalt come from thy place out of the North parts thou and many people with thee c. Some conceive that Gog with his great Army came out of Scythia others out of Babylon which lay Northwards from Jerusalem That he came from those parts is not clear but most certair that he came from the Northern parts or sides of the North and having drawn many to his assistance they all came riding upon Horses They were all Horse-men for speed the charges of such an Army being all Horse-men must be exceeding great This Army came into the Land of Israel and cover'd it like a Cloud as we heard v. 9. Vers 16. It shall be in the latter dayes In the 8 vers it was said in the latter years and here it 's said in the latter dayes or as Montanus reads them in novissimo dierum or as Piscator in novissimis diebus in the last dayes In the latter dayes did Antiochus vex the Jewes and in the last dayes shall Antichrist vex them and the Church When I shall be sanctified in thee O Gog. God is said to be sanctified when he manifests himself to be an holy and just God by inflicting punishment upon evil doers whereby others are made to fear and say O what an holy what a just what a dreadfull God is he who executes such judgments Ezek. 28.22 we had the same words First Observe When Gods people are in Canaan then have they safety In Babylon they had none in Egypt they had none in the Wilderness they had little but when in Canaan then they had their greatest safety In that day when my people Israel dwelleth safely They had a day a time of safety which was when they were setled in Canaan In Canaan was the Church and where that is in safety there God is City Walls Gâ—tes and Barrs himself He is the keeper of Israel Ps 112.4.5 Secondly Observe Thâ—se that design and attempt mischief against the people of God they shall experimentally know that God is their Protector and the Revenger of their wrongs Gog thought evil against Israel and came up against it And what saith God shalt thou not know it This I 'le make thee to know that I am Israels Keeper and that thou hast done wickedly to invade them God made Senacherib know what it was to design and attempt evil against Jerusalem when he smote 185000 of his Souldiers in one night Isa 37.36 When the Ammonites Moabites and Seirites thought and attempted mischief against the Jewes viz. to cast them out and possess their Land did not God avenge his people of them and manifest himself to be their Protector 2 Chron. 20.23 24 Thirdly Observe The secret Plots and deep Designs of men do at length break out into Action Gog had long thought of invading Israel and at length he comes from his place out of the North parts and puts his design into execution Hidden things of dishonesty sleep not alwayes they may be dissembled long but at last they issue into action The Spanish-plot lay in the dark long but at last it visited our English Coasts where they were made to see that their Armado was not invincible The Massacres of France and Ireland were secret though Plotts at first but in process of time they came to bloud Fourthly Observe The great enemies of the Church have many Helpers and Adhaerents and those fitted to further their wicked Designs Gog had many people with him and all of them riding upon Horses a great company and a mighty Army so numerous they were that like a Cloud they covered the Land So Antichrist now hath many Assistants to promote his wicked and bloudy designs against the Saints Rev. 19.19 I saw the Beast and the Kings of the Earth and their Armies gathered together to make warr against him that sate on the Horse and against his Army that is against Christ and his Church Fifthly Observe Though all people and Lands in the World be the Lords yet some people and Lands are his in a more peculiar manner Thou shalt come up against my people and against my land Where God is own'd his Ordinances and Worship set up maintain'd in purity and power His interest and glory advanced there is a people God calls his people and a land God calls His land there God dwells peculiarizing both People and Land to himself Sixthly Observe God takes occasion from the attempts of the wicked to execute his just judgements upon them and so to get glory to his Name even from Heathens Gog took occasion from the Jewes weakness they were in unwalled Villages to invade and destroy them and God takes occasion from his unjust invading the Jewes to inflict dreadfull judgments upon him and his that the Heathen might know him when he should be sanctified in Gog They seeing such just judgments upon Gog should fear the God of Israel and learn righteousness God is known by executing of judgment Ps 9.16 Thereby he is known to be the most High over all the Earth Vers 17. 17 Thus saith the Lord God Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the Prophets of Israel whâ—ch prophesied in those dayes many years that I would bring thee against them THe things concerning Gog were neither Novelties nor Incertainties but such as God foreknew would be and the Prophets had Prophesied of and that long before and not once or twice but often even many years It is of grand importance to inquire what Prophets hâ—ve spoken of Gog and his proceedings Some would have Moses to speak of him Numb 24.7 where it 's said his King shall be higher then Agag that is Jacobs King shall be higher then Gog The Sâ—ptuagint reads it Gog and so doth Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His King shall be exalted above Gog Though Gog be great yet shall he be greater But in the Original it is Agag not Gog. Jerom hath it Gog and interprets it of
and commanded it to be so Lam. 3.37 Who is he that saith and it cometh to pass When the Lord commandeth it not Vers 18 19 20 21 22. 18. And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel saith the Lord God that my fury shall come up in my face 19. For in my jealousie and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel 20. So that the fishes of the sea and the fouls of the heaven and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep upon the earth and all the men that are upon the face of the earth shall shake at my presence and the mountains shall be thrown down and the steep places shall fall and every wall shall fall to the ground 21. And I will call for a sword against him thorowout all my mountains saith the Lord God every mans sword shall be against his brother 22. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with bloud and I will rain upon him and upon his bands and upon the many people that are with him an overflowing rain and great hailstones fire and brimstone THe time and manner of Gods proceedings with Gog is set forth in these five Verses Vers 18. At the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel Time is not to be taken strictly for a day or an hour as if God should that very day Gog set out or invaded the Land fall upon him by his judgements and destroy him but largely for the time of that enterprise whilest he should be upon that design when he had fill'd up the measure of his iniquities My fury shall come up in my face Some read the words thus My anger shall come up in my face that is I will be furious and manifest hot displeasure for furor is fervor irae the heat and highth of anger We read the words My fury shall come up in my face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Af signifies Anger the face the nose also because Anger appears chiefly in them God speaking here after the manner of men saith My fury shall come up in my face Luther by Fury or Anger understands Gog himself who was Vas Irae Divinae by whom God powred out wrath upon the Jews Maldonate also makes the Fury here mentioned to be against the Church but rather its against Gog for at the same time that Gog should come against Israel at that time should Gods fury come up in his face he would be exceedingly displeased with Gog for attempting the destruction of his people And ver 21. God will call for a Sword against him Vers 19. For in my jealousie and in the fury of my wrath have I spoken The Lord being jealous over his people for their good and seeing what malicious designes Gog and his Confederates had against them was provoked much thereby and said in his Jealousie and Fury that is Promised or rather Threatned the Destruction of Gog and not only so but confirmed it with an Oath in the next words Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the Land of Israel These words Im lo carry the form of an Oâ—th with them as thus If not that is if there be not a great shaking let me not be God let me not be faithful so sure as I am God and faithful so sure and certain it is that there shall be a great shaking in the Land of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 raash signifies a Commotion an Earth-quake and in that day when Antiochus invaded Canaan there was a great commotion a great shaking And so there will be when Antichrist who is Gog mystical shall invade the Church which Maldonate saith will be in the end of the world Vers 20. So that the Fishes of the Sea and the Fowls of the Heaven the Beasts of the Field and all creeping things that creep upon the Earth and all the Men that are upon the face of the Earth shall shake at my presence Here is shewn the greatness of his shaking it should be such as should affect and astonish all creatures even the sensible and senseless As Gog should come like a storm so Gods judgements should come upon him and his like a storm When storms are the winds blow terribly so that the Air and Fowls in it are troubled the Sea works and rages so that the fishes in it are disquieted yea some storms do so afflict the Earth that Beasts creeping things and Men themselves are made to quake When God comes in a way of judgement it 's grievous All these expressions are ad significandam calamitatis vehementiam God would appear in some dreadful judgement against Gog and thereby shake all The Mountains shall be thrown down and the steep places shall fall Sometimes in Scripture by Mountains are meant Men in eminent places as Dan. 2.35 Isa 40.4 Sometimes the Church and Kingdoms as Isa 2.23 But here some take it literally and affirm there should be such an Earth-quake as should shake down Mountains Lavater by Mountains understands Towers built upon Mountains which then should be demolished The word for steep places is Hammadregoth which Cant. 2.14 is translated stairs the Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valleys the Vulgar is sepes the fences the translation Vatablus follows saith aggeres Bulwarks Piscator and the French say turres Towers OEcolampad and Lavater render it gradus the steps stairs or ascents whereby they went up Junius varies from them all and turns the word prcaeipitia which is Steep places by which he intends Rocks hanging as it were in the Air. The sense is that all Places of refuge and safety seemed they never so strong should fail And every wall shall fall to the ground So terrible shall be the shaking that the walls of Cities shall be overthrown all the Towers Forts and Defences whatsoever shall be levell'd with the ground and made useless Some understand this of Gogs prevailing against the Church laying all waste so that the people of God shall be in that distress till God come and execute judgement upon Gog and all his company Vers 21. And I will call for a Sword against him throughout all my Mountains saith the Lord God Sword here is put for Sword-men God would call forth men and stir up their spirits to oppose Gog and his company who filling all with fear thought to swallow up all but throughout Judea that mountainous Counrey he should meet with those would give check to his proceedings Judas Macchabaeus Jonathan Eleazer and others withstood Antiochus and his Forces as you may see in the Book of the Macchabees and therein was this Prophesie made good say Interpreters Every mans Sword shall be against his Brother Those of Gogs Army should through the just judgement of God upon them change their thoughts counsels intentions and instead of killing their
Enemies they should sheath their Swords in one anothers bowels God would order it so that one should destâ—oy another as the Philistines did 1 Sam. 14 16. Behold the multitude melted away and they went on beating down one another and Vers 20. Every mans sword was against his fellow They being full of discontent and perplexity thought it more honourable to dye then to fall into the hands of Enemies Vers 22. And I will plead against him with Pestilence and with Bloud He shews here what judgements God would bring upon Gog and his Armies judgements from beneath and judgements from above The first sort here are Pestilence and Bloud by the sword and slaughter The Hebrew is I will be judg'd with him by Pestilence and Bloud they shall declare that I am a strong and just God And I will rain upon him and upon his Bands c. an over-flowing Rain and great Hailstones Fire and Brimstone The second sort of judgements are Rain Hailstones Fire and Brimstone These words over-flowing showers and great Hailstones we had Chap. 13.11 13. In the 10. of Joshuah we read how God did cast down great Stones from Heaven upon the Amorites and slew more with Hailâ—tones then the Israelites slew with the Sword vers 10. To this place it 's conceiv'd our Prophet alludes foretelling that the Lord would deal with the Goggites as he did with the Amorites slâ—y them with extraordinary great Hâ—â—lstones from Heaven and not only so but with Fire and Brimstone which is poena damnatorum the punishment of the damn'd in Hell and was the punishment of Sodom and Gomorrha Some by these expressions understand manifold and grievous calamities which befell Gog and his and will not have them to be understood litterally that so the verification of them may fall upon Antiochus and his Forces who suffered very sad things for he was smitten by God with an incurable and invisible plague and torment in his bowels he fell from his Chariot and was bruised with his fall worms came out of his body in abundance his rottenness and stink was such as none could bear the same and while he was alive his flesh fell off for pain 2 Macc. 9. Let it be granted that these words are not to be taken literally but metaphorically for heavy judgements befalling Gog and his it will not follow thereupon that Antiochus was the man though he suffered such grievous things for it 's said of Gog that he should fall upon the Mountains of Israel he and all his Bands that he and his slain should have graves in Israel Ezek. 39.4 11. But as for Antiochus he dyed in his bed and that either in Babylon as 1 Macc. 6. or at Ecbatane in India as it 's 2 Macc. 9. Neither was there any such vast destruction of Antiochus Forces which came into Judaea under Lysias as these words hold out and is more clearly expressed in Ch. 39.12 Seven moneths shall the house of Israel be burying of them There must be a wonderful great slaughter which required so much time for their burial I conceive therefore that these words may be taken in the literal sense and are yet to be fulfill'd and that induceth so to judge is what you have Rev. 20.8 9. where it is said Satan shall gather Gog and Magog together to battail the number of whom is as the sand of the Sea and they went up on the breadth of the Earth and compassed the Camp of the Saints about and the beloved City and fire came down from Heaven and devoured them John saw this in Vision and spake of it as to come and puts it after the Saints rising and reigning a thousand years with Christ That time being expired some grand Enemies shall arise against the Jews and people of God whom he will destroy not only in an ordinary way but miraculously also by fire from Heaven First Observe When wicked men are plotting and attempting the ruine of the Church Gods wrath is kindled against them When Gog comes up against the land of Israel Gods fury comes up in his face Gog manifests himself to be an Enemy to Sion and God manifests himself to be an Enemy to Gog. Wicked men plot act proceed far oft-times and afflict the servants of God greatly but when they think to carry all God appears and that in fury In Nah. 1.2 it is said He reserveth wrath for his Enemies and when they declare their enmity against him and his he discovers his wrath against them Zerah had been long plotting against the Jews at last he comes against them with a thousand thousand and three hundred Chariots and thought to devour Asa his Army and Land in a day and whilest he had such apprehensions the Lord smote him before Asa and Judah 2 Chron. 14.8.12 Secondly Observe When mischief is intended against Gods people his love and indignation are manifested then his love to his people his indignation towards their Enemies In my jealousie and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken When Gogs Armies were to harm the Jews then was he jealous In jealousie there is ardent love and vehement indignation the one is towards his people the other towards them that wrong his people Zechar. 8. I was jealous for Zion with great jealousie and I was jealous for her with great fury He had strong love to Zion and great fury against the Enemies of Zion as a man hath ardent love to his wife and indignation against any should offer her violence God is jealous over his Church and therefore will never suffer it to be made a prey of by the wicked Gods love and indignation at such a time are so ardent that he swears he will be avenged on them that would wrong his Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the Land of Israel Gog and all his Forces shall fall Thirdly Observe The judgements of God are dreadful they affect all Creatures the Fishes of the Sea the Fowls of Heaven the Beasts of the Field all that creeps upon the Earth all men upon the face of the Earth shall shake Mountains Rocks Walls shall fall This judgement upon Gog shall be such as to astonish and trouble all sensible and insensible creatures so much of God shall be seen in it When the Lord destroyed Tyrus it was a dreadful judgement the Isles did shake at the sound of her fall the Princes of the Sea did tremble and were astonished Ezek. 26. But at the destruction of Gog Heaven Earth Sea all men other creatures shall shake There will be more of God seen in that judgement then in most before his presence power and severity will appear eminently in that Judgement it will speak aloud and fill the world with astonishment Fourthly Observe God can easily raise Forces against his and the Churches Enemies he can do it without any trouble I will call for a Sword against him throughout all my Mountains The Mountains of Israel were the Lords and all
affords favour when they are dead Gog and all his expected to have had the Land of Israel in possession with all the desirable things thereof but God disappointed his expectation slays him and his and after death gives him and the rest a place of buryal in that Land which was favour Though they had not what they hoped for yet they had more then they deserv'd for such grand Enemies to have a burying place in that Land which was Emanuel's Land out of which they would have driven his people was no small favour especially if we add to it that the place was nam'd after his name The Valley of Hamon-Gog and this recorded in the Book of God and to remain forever Secondly Observe After great Victories wherein many are slain people should for publick good be careful to bury the dead though it require time be troublesome and chargeable Here they were seven moneths in burying the dead carkasses they appointed men to go throughout the Land to search for corps and bones which was a chargeable business and where-ever they found any to bring them unto the Valley of Hamon-Gog which was very troublesome These things they were to do for publick good that the Land might not be infected with those bodies and so infect the living Thirdly Observe By great Victories over Enemies God honours his own Name and makes his people to have a name It shall be to them a Renown the day that I shall be glorified That day my Power my Faithfulness my Justice my Mercy will be seen acknowledged and so I shall be praised made glorious And in that day my People will be spoken of for their Valour Faith and Humanity in burying the dead and so will be renowned When God destroyed Senacherib's Army God did not only make himself a name but he also made Hezekiah a name 2 Chron. 32.23 He was magnified in the sight of all Nations from thenceforth and that which was his magnification was the magnification of all his People The honor of the Head is the honor of the whole Body How renowned will New Jerusalem be when Gog and Magog Antichrist and all that adhere to them shall be taken away When the Lord shall destroy them by fire from Heaven and multitudes be cut off by the Sword then shall those multitudes be for a name to the City Fourthly Observe After conquering there ought to be cleansing When Gog and his shall be subdued then they must cleanse the Land not a dead corps not a bone must be left in it such things did defile We have had many Victories but What cleansing hath there been in this Land Dead bodies limbs and bones of men have been buryed but What dead works are cleansed out of this Land Do not all sorts of sins abound yea super-abound Had we cleansed the Land for each Victory God hath given us but of one common sin by this time we had been spotless we should not have had any visible iniquities amongst us but now we are like Golgotha a place of sculls and dead-men like Sodom and Gomorrah or the Valley of Hamon-Gog we stink so through our Blasphemies Errors and wicked Practises that passengers stop their noses and shake their heads Vers 17 18 19 20. 17. And thou son of Man Thus saith the Lord God Speak unto every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field Assemble themselves and come gather themselves on every side to my Sacrifice that I do Sacrifice for you even a great Sacrifice upon the the Mountains of Israel that ye may eat Flesh and drink Bloud 18. Ye shall eat the flesh of the Mighty and drink the bloud of the Princes of the Earth of Rams of Lambs and of Goats of Bullocks all of them fatlings of Bashan 19. And ye shall eat Fat till ye be full and drink Bloud till ye be drunken of my Sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you 20. Thus shall ye be filled at my Table with Horses and Chariots with Mighty men and with all men of Warr saith the Lord God THese Verses speak of a great Feast and the Invitation of Guests unto the same strange Guests the Fowls of the Heaven and the Beasts of the Field And they have as strange Dishes provided for them even the flesh of Mighty men and Princes Vers 17. Speak unto every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field The Hebrew for every feathered Fowl is Lezippor col canaph To the Fowl of every wing that is to what Fowl soever hath wing Let that Fowl be invited to come and eat of the Feast prepared and likewise Every Beast of the Field which is a Beast of prey Assemble themselves and come gather themselves on every side The Fowls and Beasts being void of reason could not understand what the Prophet said but God who had command over them as well as other creatures would cause them to come as if they had had reason and understanding This shews the certainty and greatness of the Victory the Fowls and Beasts are call'd to come and their coming shall not be in vain they must come on every side and therefore great provision shall be made for them To my Sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you even a great Sacrifice upon the Mountains of Israel The Hebrew word for Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zebach which signifies Sacrificium ex mactata pecude When a Beast was kill'd to be offered up to God that was a Sacrifice properly Sometimes it notes the killing of Men and Beasts as here which metaphorically is call'd a Sacrifice Gog with his Men and Horses were slain and these God calls his Sacrifice a great Sacrifice which he prepar'd for the Fowls and Beasts a great Feast or Supper and the place where this should be is upon the Mountains of Israel That ye may eat Flesh and drink Bloud In the former verse he spake of Gog's Funeral and those that were slain with him even the dead bodies and the bones How is it now that he speaks of eating their Flesh and drinking their Bloud after the seven Moneths were expired and the Searchers had gone through the Land It 's not probable that some were left unburyed and so the Fowls and Beasts iâ—â—â—ted to eat their flesh and drink their bloud but having touched a little upon this in the 4. v. he re-assumes the Argument again in this and the three next Verses and speaks more fully to it Vers 18. Ye shall eat the Flesh of the Mighty The Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gyants by these Mighty men or Gyants the Chief ones in the Army are pointed out men of Power and Command And drink the Bloud of the Princes of the Earth In this vast Army of Gog there were the Princes of divers Countries his Confederates Chap. 38.5.6 Their bloud should the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Earth drink being shed and spilt upon the ground They should feed upon not the vile and
Beasts which was another judgement added to the former and the greater to the Heathen because they thought their souls did wander up and down upon the Earth nisi corpora fuissent humata as Tertullian saith The Athenians had the buryal of the dead in such honour that if a Captain neglected to bury the dead which fell in warr they punished him with death for it It is a great ignominy to lye unburyed Hence the Beast when the Witnesses were kill'd would not suffer their bodies to be buryed but let them lye in the Streets that so they might be the more ignominious Sixthly Observe God provides for the brute and dumb Creatures and that abundantly Every feathered Fowl and every Beast of the Fiâ—ld shall be filled at my Table God doth not only feed the Creatures but sometimes feasts them This World is Gods Family whercin are millions of living Creatures and not one of them is neglected of God Psal 145.15 16. The Eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season they have their Break-fast Dinner and Supper and lest we should conceit one hath too much another too little it follows Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing he satisfies the Fishes of the Sea the Beasts of the Earth and Fowls of Heaven How should this teach men to depend upon God not giving way to distrust or discontent Matth. 6.26 Behold the Fowls of the Air saith Christ for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into Barns yet their heavenly Father feedeth them Are ye not much better then they He saith not the Fowls of the House they are cared for but The Fowls of the Air that have none to look after them unless it be Fowlers to take away their lives neither do they know where to get the next meal when they have gotten one nor what hole or bush to lodge in at night yet their heavenly Father provides for and feeds them Does he take care of such Creatures and will he not take care of you Yes certainly he will and why ye are better then they ye are rational they irrational ye are his sons they his servants Vers 21 22. 21. And I will set my Glory among the Heathen and all the Heathen shall see my Judgement that I have executed and my Hand that I have laid upon them 22. So the House of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward THe Lord having declared what destructive judgements he would bring upon Gog and Magog he comes here to make known the end of his so dealing with them viz. the manifestation of his glory amongst Heathens and his own People Vers 21. I will set my Glory among the Heathen I will give my Glory saith the Hebrew that is I will cause it to be evident amongst them By Glory understand the glory of his Justice and Power All the Heathen shall see my Judgement that I have executed These words give light to the former The Heathen seeing the dreadful judgements of God upon Gog and his should acknowledge the Justice and Power of God And my Hand that I have laid upon them They shall not only have a bare sight but experimental knowledg they shall find themselves concern'd therein and feel the hand of God heavy upon them for the strength wealth liberty and glory of the Heathen will be much impaired if not totally ruin'd by the overthrow of Gog. Vers 22. So that the House of Israel shall know that I am c. They did know the Lord to be their God before but this signal stroke of God upon their Enemies being a signal mercy unto them should so ingage them unto God that from that time forward they should afresh and eminently acknowledge God to be their God and none to be like unto him that he will not desert them in their streights but be their Deliverer First Observe The great end of Gods judgements upon sinful men is his Glory I will set my glory among the Heathens and all the Heathen shall see my judgement c. God doth therefore execute judgement that he may be glorified When sinful people will not give glory to God for his Mercies he will fetch glory out of them by his Judgements They are the work of his hand and what ever that be it 's honourable and glorious Psal 111.3 Not only his works of Creation but those of Judicial Providence Upon what Nation soever Army or Navy the Lord shall lay his hand he will work out his glory thereby that is the end of all his works and judgements Secondly Obsérve Dreadful judgements upon the wicked are ingaging mercies unto the godly So shall the hâ—use of Israel know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward The hand of God upon Gog and his should so affect their hearts that they should experimentally know and say The Lord is our God he hath laid low our enemies he hath freed us from their Insultations Threats Oppressions he is our Deliverer our Saviour our Redeemer Isai 25.9 It shall be said in that day Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation When God executed severe judgements upon the enemies of his people then were their hearts thus affected and engaged unto the Lord then they rejoyced in God their Saviour and said He will save He hath saved us and he will save us When the godly see that great judgements upon their enemies are great mercies unto them their faith is advanced thereby and they are perswaded God will never leave them their hearts are warmed and they cannot but own and praise him Vers 23 24. 23. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity because they trespassed against me therefore hid I my face from them and gave them into the hand of their enemies so fell they all by the sword 24. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them and hid my face from them THe Heathen had base and blasphemous thoughts of God they imagined he was not able to keep his people out of the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and his gods to vindicate himself therefore the Lord tells them the true cause why they were carried into Captivity namely for their iniquity It was not Impotencie in God but Iniquity in them which caused it 23. The house of Israel went into captivity for their Iniquity The Hebrew is the house of Israel were led into Captivity in their Iniquities God took them in their Iniquities and carried them away into Captivity in them or for them Boavonam the Septuagint saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their sins their crooked and perverse doings Because they trespassed against me The word Magnal or Maal signifies Stubbornly and Contemptuously
36. and Chap. 41.16 26. These Windows were narrow Windows that is narrow without and broad within that they might receive and let in the light more fully Such Windows were in Salomons Temple 1 King 6.4 skewed Windows By these Windows is signified the Spiritual light should be in the Church of Christ He is called Mal. 4.2 The Sun Isa 9.2 A great Light Joh. 8.12 The light of the world And by those Windows the Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers he bath and still doth let in light into the Church The Promise was that The earth should be full of the knowledge of the Lord Isa 11.9 That he would pour out his Spirit upon all flesh Joel 2.28 29. So that their Sons and Daughters should Prophesie their Old men dream Dreams and their Young men see Visions yea Servants and Hand-maids should have the Spirit and be full of light This is in part fulfill'd and shall be more and more for when the New Jerusalem comes down from God out of Heaven as it 's Rev. 21.2 then will the light be greater And the Nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it vers 24. Then will the Lamb be the light thereof Also that spiritual joy should be in the Church Act. 13.52 The Disciples were fill'd with joy Act. 9.31 The Churches walked in the comfort of the Holy Ghost To the little Chambers The least Churches and least Saints shall not be without Windows they shall have light and joy teaching and comfort In the 17. vers and 18. of this Chap. and 3. vers of the 42. mention is made of the Pavement of the outward Court The Hebrew word for Pavement is ritzpah which signifieth a burning-coal Isa 6.6 The Seraphim had a live-coal ritzpath in his hand the Pavement was of stones that seemed like burning-coals If the Pavement of this Temple were so glorious what was the Temple it self Salomons Chariot was pav'd with love this Temple with love and zeal These Stones which made the Pavement may shew what the meanest and lowest in the Christian Church should be viz. shining living and lively stones humbly submitting to the cross and content to be under as a Pavement Of the outward and inward Court Thirty five times the tearms of Court outward and inward Court are repeated in the 40 41 42 43 44 45 and 46. Chapters The outward Court was for the People the inward Court was for Priests and was holy Ezek. 42.14 it 's call'd the holy place There was another Court it 's observ'd by some viz. the Court of the Gentiles which it may be Ezekiel points at when he distinguisheth the Sanctuary from the prophane place Chap. 42.20 But it 's evident from the Scripture that Salomons Temple had an outward and inward Court and so had This. The outward Court there was great 2 Chron. 4.4 and the compass of this Temple and City which Ezekiel saw was eighteen thousand measures Chap. 48.35 The Courts of Salomons Temple were very large which comprehended most of the people of Israel who came thrice a year into them to worship 2 Chron. 23.5 All the people shall be in the Courts of the house of the Lord. This Court call'd also the great Court 2 Chron. 4.9 was between the Court of the Gentiles the outward Court and the Court of the Priests the inward Court and that great Court or Court of Israel was the Court of Aid so the word Haazerah signifies Thither they came there they pray'd for Aid and had it from the Lord 2 Chron. 20.4 There seems to be another Court belonging to the Temple of Salomon for 2 Chron. 20 5. mention is made of a new Court Some think this the Priests Court so call'd because of the Altar renewed therein by Asa 2 Chron. 15.8 But others make it to be the Court of the women the great Court of the people being divided into two one for the men and th' other for the women It was not so from the beginning In the outward Court the people stood and it represented the Nations which are out of the Church In the inward Court where was the Candlestick the Shew-bread and Altar of perfumes were the Levites and Priests and this Court represented the Church where the Word of God doth inlighten and nourish us and Christ is our Altar of perfumes The Sanctum Sanctorum represented Heaven into i◠the High Priest onely entred typifying our High Priest the Lord Christ his entrance in there alone by his own power to bring us thither So that the 1. signified the state of nature The 2. the state of grace The 3. the state of glory Hereby the greatness of the Church in the time of the Gospel and especially in time of the New Jerusalem is pointed out These Courts were of great Compass and had Gates looking to the several parts of the world In Peters time many thousands were added to the Church there were Graecians as well as Jews Act. 6.1 The extent and largeness of the Church is set out fully by Isa in his 60. Chap. So Rev. 7. from the 4. to the 10. and Chap. 21.24 25 26. The Nations of them that be saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it And the Gates of it shall not be shut at all c. This Church must needs be great For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering for my name shall be great among the heathen saith the Lord of hostes Mal. 1.11 In Salomons time many Gentiles came to the Jewish Church 153600. were found there at once 2 Chron. 2.17 Which shaddowed out the great access should come to the Christian Church Of the Palm-trees There were many Palm-trees seen by Ezekiel in this Temple vers 16 22 26 31 34 37. Palm-trees are Trees of great height and sink not with the weight of burthens but feruntur sursum they are carried upwards and being cut down grow up again from the root The branches are fair and always green Philo saith It is Arborum praestantissima quae aspectu pulcherrima fructum quoque fert optimum vitalem vim habet non in radicibus defossam ut caeterae sed in summum quasi cor sitam in ramorum medio à quibus circumquaque stipatur ceu Princeps à suis satellitibus vid. Philo. l. 1. de vita Mosis Plut. saith Plut. in Theseo Palmam esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Folia habere firma perpetuò durantia That the leaves of it are firm and always lasting It was sigum Victoriae When Theseus instituted games in Delos he gave the Conquerors Palmes The Proverb among the Latines Palmam reportare or obtinere was used pro Vincere to Overcome It notes out a flourishing condition These Palm-trees were for ornament
there was little light or lustre There But when Christ came the Oracles of the Heathen ceas'd and the Jewish shadows vanished and the earth shined with the glory of the Gospel Mat. 4.16 The people which sate in darkness saw great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow of death light hath sprung up When the Jews were under clouds and darkness then Christ came and brought the glorious Gospel to them When Christ was born Luk. 2.9 there was glory shone round about the shephards signifying that the glory of the Lord would fill the earth yea all the world Or this may refer to the destruction of Mystical Babylon and coming down of the New Jerusalem from Heaven for of the one it 's said Rev. 18.1 2. An Angel came down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightened with his glory And he cryed mightily with a strong voice Babylon is fallen c. And Chap. 21. of New Jerusalem it 's said v. 23. The glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof When these things be the earth will be fill'd and shine with glory 2. Ezekiel fell upon his face The lustre of Divine glory sense of his own frailty and weakness caused him to fall upon his face here I might inlarge but of this falling on his face was spoken Chap. 1.28 and the Observations rising thence are there to be seen The 4. thing concerning this glory is the resemblance of it vers 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 c. The Prophet being sent of God to prophesie the destruction of Jerusalem saith here when I came to destroy the City The Chaldee is when I prophesied then had he such a vision as this was Chap. 1. That which he declared to be done he saith he dâ—d The Prophet was in Babylon when the City was destroyed he did not put forth a finger towards destruction of it he onely prophesied against it So Jeremie was set over Nations and Kingdomes to root out to pull down and to destroy this he did by prophesying against them not otherwise The same Vision which at first appeared to the Prophet in a way of judgment appears now to him in a way of merit before it prefigured the destruction here the restauration of the Temple City and Land The Vision for outward appearance was like what he saw in the 1 8 9 10. Chapters but in the end and use totally differing from yea contrary unto the same There he saw God angry the glory departing from the Temple and going out at the East-gate Here he sees God smiling and the glory returning the same way it went out Here he beholds sweet reconciliation between God and the Church made up by Christ The 5. thing is the Receptacle of this glory and that was the Temple or House which had been measured vers 4. And the glory of the Lord came into the House This House or Temple as hath been shew'd before signified both the Body and Church of Christ for his Body-natural that was the Receptacle of glory Col. 2.9 Joh. 1.14 1 Tim. 3.16 For the Church his Mystical body that is a Receptacle of Glory also Isa 60.1 The glory of the Lord is risen upon thee And vers 19. The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory There is an estate of the Church to come wherein it shall be very glorious In Solomon's Temple there was glory but glory in a cloud 1 King 8.10 11. But in Ezekiel's Temple there was glory without a cloud a greater glory even such a glory as made the earth to shine This is the glory which the Saints look for and shall see in due time Rev. 21.3 Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God What is said of the Church is to be understood also of every believer who is a Receptacle of glory a Temple of the spirit of Christ and God 1 Cor. 6.19 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Cor. 13.5 Who ever Christ hath measured out to be a Temple shall receive glory 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the light to shine â—ut of darkness hath shined in our hearts saith Paul to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is a Glass in it we see the face of Christ and in his face the glory of the Lord and are changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 It 's observable here that when the glory of God departs from a Church or people it 's not for perpetuity but for a season The glory went out of the Temple and City at the beginning of Ezek. prophesie but he saw the same returning before the end of his prophesie The Arke when taken by the Philistines caused Phinehas wife to name her Son Ichabod saying The glory of departed from Israel 1 Sam. 4.21 But after seven Moneths the glory return'd again to Israel Chap. 6. The Arke was sent home God caus'd it to return again Long have the Jews now been without an Arke and without glory but in due time the glory of the God of Israel will return unto them for Rom. 11.26 There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And when the scaling of the 144000. out of all the Tribes shall be Rev. 7. then shall they stand on Mount Sion with the Lamb and so the glory will be in the midst of them Rev. 14.1 The consequents of this Vision or Glory returning come next to be considered and the first is the Prophets raising vers 5. So the spirit took me up He was fallen upon his face as not able to behold the brightness of that glory appeared and being in that posture the spirit took him up In Chap 2.1 2. the Spirit spake to Ezekiel being down upon his face entred into him and set him upon his feet But here he took him up he dealt with him as a man doth with his friend fallen Hence springs this consideration that those are humbled and humble with sense of their own vileness and weakness through apprehension of glory and greatness shall soon be raised and comforted Sight of glory is an humbling thing Ezek. Chap. 1.28 And here again he was humbled upon that account he saw so much lustre in that glory so much greatness in the Lord that convinc'd of his own vileness and nothingness he falls down upon his face as being wholly unworthy to behold such a sight to partake of such mercy but presently the spirit being full of love bowels and compassion steps to him and takes him up He suffers him not to lye affrighted with glory or affected with misery but is a speedy comforter
transfiguration Peter and John saw it whch was a favour unto them to see such glory and the greater because none of the other Apostles did see the same The 4. Step is the Lords speaking unto him being compassed about with glory To have heard the voice of an Angel had been mercy but to hear the voice of the great and glorious God out of the Temple this was a height of mercy such as Moses had Exod. 33.11 The 5. and last Step is the presence of Christ he stood by him Here was another mercy and no mean one Christ In whom were hid all treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2.3 So then here was the whole Trinity imploy'd at once about Ezekiel which was transcendent and superlative mercy Those are call'd to be agents in Temple-work have need of the whole Trinity help of the Spirit to raise or led them of a sight of glory to darken all humane and mundane glory before their eyes of hearing God speak that they may be taught of him and of having Christ present with them that they may be inabled to go through their work John in the Revel was led from mercy to mercy from vision to vision as appears throughout that book and especially in the 21. Chap. 1 2.3 c. The time will come when the Spirit will lead the Saints into the inner Court where they shall see the glory of God hear his voice and find Christ standing by them Vers 7 8 9. 7. And he said unto me Son of man the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever and my holy name shall the house Israel no more defile neither they nor their Kings by their whoredome nor by the carkeises of their Kings in their high places 8. In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds and their post by my posts and the wall between me and them they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger 9. Now let them put away their whoredome and the carkeises of their Kings far from me and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever The 2. part of this Chap. being the speech of God to the Prophet begins at the words read and in them we have 1. A promise of Gods abiding with his people and the effect thereof viz. Sanctification 2. A declaration of the cause why God formerly departed from them 3. A duty or charge laid upon them vers 9. The promise of Divine presence and continuance is partly in the 7. verse viz. in these words The place of my Throne and the place of the soles of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever and partly in the 9. verse the last words of it viz. I will dwell in the midst of them for ever By the place of God's throne and of the soles of his feet is meant the Temple and City of Jerusalem where God had formerly dwelt Jer. 17.12 A glorious high Throne from the beginning is the place of thy Sanctuary it was God's Throne and it was the footstool of God 1 Chron. 28.2 It 's granted by all that Jerusalem having the Temple in it represented the Church of God under the Gospel in which the promise here is that God will dwell for ever The Christian Church shall have the presence of God in it and abiding with it for ever Mat. 28.20 I am with you always even unto the end of the world John fixes this presence of God in the New Jerusalem Rev. 21.2 3. When New Jerusalem came down from heaven then he heard a voice saying behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God So Chap. 22.3 The Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it There both God and Christ will be and dwell This sets out the great esteem God had of and the great complacency he had in Jerusalem he esteem'd it as his Throne and took delight in it as in his chiefest dwelling Isa 69.1 God saith Heaven is his Throne and earth his Footstool this is the honour he puts upon heaven and earth and the same he puts upon Jerusalem and now puts upon the Christian Church It 's his Throne his Footstool the place he esteems above all others the place he takes more complacency in then all others Such shall be the presence of the Lord in it that it shall be call'd Jehovah-Shammah that is The Lord is there Ezek. 48.1 And such shall be his content and delight therein that Jeremy tells you it shall be call'd the Throne of the Lord Jer. 3.17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord and all the Nations shall be gathered unto it The effect of God's presence viz. sanctification is comprehended in these words My holy name shall the house of Israel no more defile neither they nor their Kings by their whoredome c. Of prophaning and defiling God's holy name was spoken Chap. 36.20 To let that pass the sense here is they shall avoid all things which do defile and sanctifie God's holy name they should keep the worsh p of God keep from idolatry and all arbitrary inventions of men which Jerome and Maldonate refer to the state of heaven ad Templum Coeleste and not to the Temple built after the Babylonian captivity because that was oft defiled by Antiochus Pompey and Titus and deserted by the Lord. Others refer it as is here said to that Temple because the Jews after their captivity did for ever hate idolatry and serve the true God though not in a right manner If these words do in part refer to the state of the Church after the captivity yet principally they refer to the state of it after Christ and that time too when New Jerusalem shall be extant for Anti-christ hath greatly defiled the holy name of God with his idols and will-worship but then nothing that defileth shall enter Rev. 21. 27. then shall be made good that in Zech. 14.21 In that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord they shall be all true Israelites Nor their Kings by their whoredome By whoredome the Prophet understands Idolatry which is spiritual whoredome of which hath often been spoken Not onely the people but even Kings and Princes were given much to idolatry in Israel and in Judah they caused idols and altars to be set up in most places and countenanced them they imitated the very heathens and became like yea worse then them Ezek. 5.6 7. Chap. 16.47 2 King 21.2 3 4 5 6 7 9. It 's said of Jehoahaz or Jehoiakim and Jehoiakim that they did evil in the sight of the Lord according to all that their Fathers had done
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
from the right side of the house at the South-side of the Altar 2. Then brought he me out of the way of the gate Northward and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh Eastward and behold there run out waters on the right side 3. And when the man that had the line in his right hand went forth Eastward he measured a thousand cubits and he brought me through the waters the waters were to the ancles or waters of the ancles 4. Again he measured a thousand and brought me thorow the waters the waters were to the knees Again he measured a thousand and brought me thorow the waters were to the loyns 5. Afterward he measured a thousand and it was a River and I could not pass over for the waters were risen waters to swim in a River that could not be passed over IN this Chapter are two principal parts 1. A Vision of waters and the description of them from Verse 1. to Verse 13. 2. The bordering and dividing the Land from Verse 13. to the end Concerning the waters they are described 1. From their Original or Place whence they spring and flow ver 1 2. 2. From their increase ver 3 4 5. The man with the measuring line in his hand having led our Prophet up and down to view the Temple the parts and appurtenances of it brings him again to the door of the House that is to the door of the Temple or Sanctuary And behold waters issued out from under c. Vilalpandus makes these waters to be those subterraneal waters which were carried in pipes under ground and issued forth into the Priests Court to wash the Sacrifices and purge away the blood excrements and filth occasioned by the slaying so many Sacrifices for certainly had there not been aquaeducts about Solomons Temple to have cleansed the places where the Sacrifices were slain and prepared it would have been an unsavoury and unhealthful place These waters issued forth some from the threshold some from the South-side of the Altar and so ran away From these waters the Lord takes occasion to speak of spiritual waters The Water came down from under from the right side of c. The Temple was upon an high Mountain Ezek. 40.2 therefore the waters are said to come down and they came from the right side of the House that was the South-side for the front of the House standing towards the East when a man stood and lookt East-ward his right hand or side was towards the South The Altar for Burnt-offering was before the porch of the Temple and at the South-side thereof did these waters run Our Prophet having seen the spring and rice of the waters is led out of the inner Court by the way of the North-gate and brought to the uttermost East-gate where he first entred and it was to behold how the waters ran out there on the right side also The words in Hebrew are Maiim mepaccim aquae phialantes peccah signifies to flow but lente tanquam e phiala manando he saw the waters run there gently and pleasingly they run not fiercely as a torrent but gently as oyl poured out of a vial These waters though they run gently yet increased mightily for upon Christs measuring out a thousand cubits they became waters of the ancles upon his measuring out the two thousand cubits they rose to be waters of the knees upon his measuring out the third thousand of cubits they ascended to be waters of the loyns and upon measuring the fourth thousand they became waters for swimming they could not be waded through they were so deep even a great River impassible What these waters do signifie is worthy enquiry Some make these wate s to signifie the prosperity of the Church that great happiness which the Jews had after their return from Babylon This was an outward mercy and but for a little season for they suffered great and grievous things by Antiochus and others in the Maccabees times But here some spiritual mercy is intended by the waters others therefore understand by them the waters of Baptism which Christ instituted and so came from the Altar viz. the side of Christ but these waters are too shallow to be Ezekiels waters A third sort make them to be the Spirit and gifts of the Spirit It s true the Spirit is said to be poured out Joel 2.28 but it s not to be understood of the person of the Spirit which is infinite indivisible and immoveable but of the gifts and graces of the Spirit with such with him who saith Per aquas istas gratiae benedictiones divinae quibus in Ecclesia dei frumitur designantur A fourth sort interpret these Waters of the Gospel the glad tidings touching mans salvation by Christ which is compared to water frequently in Scripture Isa 11.9 The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea The knowledge of the Lord Jesus shall abound as the waters of the Sea see Joel 3.18 Zech. 14.8 We may take the Gospel with the gifts and graces of the Spirit to be these waters for the Gospel is veliculum Spiritus the ministration of the Spirit as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.8 And the Spirit with the graces and gifts are oft compared to water as well as the Gospel See Ezek. 36.2 Isa 44.3 and 41.18 Acts 2.17 John 4.14 and 7.37 38 39. Now it remains to shew wherein they are like unto water 1. Water cleanseth it purges away the filth of the body and other things So doth the Gospel with the gifts and graces of the Spirit cleanse the souls of men and purge their hearts from sin and filthiness John 15.3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you Christ spoke unto them the Gospel and that was the word together with the Spirit which made them clean from their unbelief disobedience and other sins 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit The Spirit accompanying the Gospel purified their souls and made them obedient to the truth Ezek. 10.36.25 2. Water moistens and softens the earth which before was dry and hard so that there was no entrance for the plow but being well watered with the rain of Heaven its soft and fit for the plow So the Gospel the Doctrine of Christ moistens and mollifies hard and heavy hearts Those that put Christ to death were hard-hearted sinners but when they heard Peter preach the Gospel and some of that water fell upon their hearts they were softned and became sensible of what they had done They were pricked in their hearts and said Men and Brethren what shall we do Acts 2.37 So Paul was a stout and stubborn fellow but the water of the Gospel did so supple him that it made him yield and say Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9.6 3. Water cools heat the heat of the earth and air
Worlds Worshippers They worshipped with their faces towards the East that was the Nations practice The Heathen Idolaters had their backs to the West but here the front of the House stood East-ward that when they came to worship the true God their backs might be toward the East and their faces towards the Sanctum Sanctorum which was West-ward When some Jews degenerated into Heathenish customs did worship with their faces towards the East Ezek. 8.16 and their backs towards the Temple God counted it an abomination it did greatly provoke him causing him to deal in fury with them and to shew them no pity Ezek. 8.17 18. God must be worshipped according to his own order and not after the rites and customs of others Observ 5. The Gospel spread first into the Eastern and Southern parts of the World it is said the waters issued out Eastward and came down from the South-side They were dry and hot Countreys and God took special care of them that they should be first watered In Galilee did Christ first preach the Gospel Mat. 4.23 and so all Judea over and after from Jerusalem these Gospel-waters flowed into all Nations Mat. 28.19 Go and teach all Nations Mark 16.15 Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature The Apostles were spiritual clouds and they were to water not onely Jerusalem and Samaria but the uttermost parts of the earth Acts 1.8 Observ 6. Those who are Preachers of the Gospel must look for hardship for travel and trouble for much heat much cold for many storms and tempests They that carry these waters must travel into all quarters East South North where be fierce winds parching heats terrible storms Preachers must expect temptations persecutions reproaches accusations imprisonments c. And notwithstanding these they must go on and carry Sanctuary-waters to all places Endure hardness saith Paul to Timothy as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ Gospel Preachers must not be dismaid at Northern or Eastern blasts nor faint at Southern heats Observ 7. Sanctuary-waters are no common but choice Mercies they are Right-side Mercies South-side Blessings The Gospel is a right-hand mercy Some mercies are left-hand and left-side mercies they are those of an inferior nature Others are right-hand mercies and such are those of the highest nature amongst which is the Gospel Rev. 5.1 I saw in the right-hand of him who sate upon the Throne a book written within and on the back-side sealed with seven seals and ver 7. Christ who was the Lamb took this Book out of the right-hand of God and so handed it over to us acquainting us with the mysteries and mercies in it Observ 8. The glorious and blessed truths of the Gospel do come from Christ Jesus as Mediator and making Reconciliation for us with God the Father These waters are said to flow from the Altar which was a type of Christ The Sacrifices offered upon the Altar were for Reconciliation and Christ being both Altar and Sacrifice hath reconciled man to God and as he doth this so the Waters flow from him so Gospel-truths are given out by him The Gospel is the purchase of the death of Christ seal'd with his blood and holds out strong arguments of our being reconciled to God and therefore it is called The Gospel of peace Ephes 6.15 These are the Observations from the two first Verses Now for those that flow from the other three Verses Observ 1. The Lord Christ as he is the Ahchitector of the Church so the Measurer of all things belonging unto it He is the Man in this Vision with the line in his hand nothing is to be done in his spiritual Temple but according to his will and direction Moses measured out all in the Tabernacle David and Solomon all in the Temple but Christ is the onely Measurer in this House Gospel-measurings are committed to the Son Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son and he is over his own House Heb. 3.6 to order and dispose all things as himself pleaseth Observ 2. The motion of Sanctuary-waters is not accidental or Humane but according to Divine Appointment Christ goeth forth Eastward measures a thousand cubits and then the waters flow that way and then he measures a thousand cubits more and so they flow another way That way Christ went with his line measuring the waters still flowed which imports that the preaching of the Gospel in one place and not in another is not casual or as man will but the Appointment of Christ He forbad his Disciples to go into the way of the Gentiles and into the Cities of the Samaritans but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Mat. 10.5 6. Christ here measured out the cubits where these Gospel waters should flow Paul and those with him being forbidden to carry these waters into Asia and not suffered to go with them into Bythinia whither their wills were bent at length by a Vision they are directed into Macedonia assuredly gathering that the Lord had called them to preach the Gospel there Acts 16.6 7 8 9 10. Christ had measured out a thousand cubits there for these spiritual Waters to flow It is at the Appointment of Christ what Countreys what Cities what Towns and what Families shall have these waters Observ 3. That as it is at Christs Appointment to what places these waters shall flow so likewise how far therein they shall flow So many cubits as Chrâ—â—â— measures out so far they shall flow and not further If he measure out a thousand cubits they shall extend so far if he measure out but five hundred cubits or one hundred onely the waters shall run to the borders thereof and not one cubit beyond nor one short So far as Christs line is stretched over any place so far the waters of the Sanctuary will and must flow Observ 4. The Doctrine of the Gospel is never rightly understood unless we be taught it by Christ He led Ezekiel into the waters of the Sanctuary so is the Hebrew bammaiim and we read it through them He instructed him in the nature and qualities of them Whosoever understands the Gospel savingly is led into that knowledge by the Spirit of Christ The Apostles themselves had not understood the Gospel had not Christ sent them his Spirit John 16.13 When he the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth that is he will make you know all truth savingly The truths of Christ are spiritual and without the Spirit they are not discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 15. Many wade into these spiritual waters without Christ and his Spirit and they are of those who are said to be ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3.7 Observ 5. The Doctrine of the Gospel conversion of sinners and graces of the Spirit proceedeth gradually 1. For the Doctrine of the Gospel that went out gradually like water out of a fountain which
may be covered with ones hand or a dish but running a little way encreases the waters hereafter a little time and motion were up to the ancles after to the knees and then to the loyns The Gospel was not given out all at once but one truth thereof after another Christ himself first preached one part of the Gospel and then another he was four years and upwards in letting that sacred water run out of his lips it came from him by degrees And so the Apostles who were Coâ—â—uits of this Fountain let out that water little by little they went up and down preaching here and there writing an Epistle to one place and an Epistle to another place till they fill'd the World with these waters If you read the Book of The Acts of the Apostles you may see how the Gospel spread from place to place and what great progress it had in the world Paul saith Rom. 10.18 their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world and to the Colossians Chap. 1. v. 6. he declares the Gospel was come unto them and to all the world from small beginnings here was great encrease 2. The conversion of sinners is a gradual work Now one is converted then another afterward a third not all at once Though the Waters of the Sanctuary be living waters yet they do not beget life in all who taste of them Many Scribes and Pharisees and others heard Christ preach the glad tidings of the Gospel and speak as never man spake yet were not converted some few were wrought upon in Christs time in Judea and Jerusalem some by the Apostles in several places where they came as at Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippi and other places but the most part remained unconverted even in Jerusalem it self which made Christ weep over it Luke 19.41 and say O Jerusalem Jerusalem how oft would I have gathered thy children together even as an Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not Mat. 23. Conversion-work went out slowly in Christs days it was quicker in Peters time then ever since three thousand souls converted at a Sermon now three thousand Sermons hardly convert one soul Paul gat at one time a Lydia at another a Jaylor at a third time a Fugitive servant and so by degrees the waters of the Sanctuary did good 3. The graces of the Spirit have a gradualness in them Their knowledge their faith their hope their love are little at first but in time they encrease they grow from knowledge to knowledge from faith to faith from hope to hope and from love to love None are fill'd with Sanctuary-water at first they come into us little by little drop by drop Apollos was more perfectly instructed in the way of God by Aquila and Priscilla Act. 18.26 There be several ages in Christianity Babes Children Young Men Fathers Babes are onely sprinkled with these waters in Children they are come to their ancles in young men to their knees and in Fathers they are up to their loyns and drawing near to their chins they are almost come to perfection but they and the others must still grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ till they all come to a Perfect Man unto the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ Epes 4.14 Observ 6. The Gospel hath such depths and mysteries in it as no Humane understanding can sound or comprehend The waters of the Sanctuary did rise so high become so deep that they could not be passed over Swim in them Ezekiel might but he could neither finde the bottom of them nor get over them The Gospel is among the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 it is the richest box of the knowledge and wisdom of God and there is a depth in those riches Rom. 11.33 it is the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3 8. it is wisdom from above Jam. 3.17 it is a Doctrine of heavenly things John 3.12 Heb. 8.5 it is not known without the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Eph. 1.17 neither Christ nor his Doctrine are known without Revelation Mat. 16.17 Gal. 1.16 The flesh taught the Pharisees to call Christ Samaritan and to say he had a Devil John 8.48 but it is the Spirit which teaches men to own and acknowledge Christ for a Lord 1 Cor. 12.3 Are not these mysteries and depths in the Gospel that three should be one 1 John 5.7 that two should be one and yet continue two still that the Maker should be one with the thing made that he who blesseth all should himself be a curse that the Prince of life should dye that the debt should be paid and yet pardoned the fault be punished and yet remitted that the Head and Members of the same Body should be in Heaven and on Earth and in the several quarters of the World at the same time that God who is infinite should dwell in man These and such like deeps are in the Gospel Is not the Revelation alone a great River which none of our spiritual Mariners can sound or sail over That one place Rev. 13.18 hath put the skilfullest of them to it Let him that hath understanding count the number of the Beast for it is the number of a man and his number is 666. In Daniel there be depths and Peter saith That in the Epistles of Paul there be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3.16 Observ 7. The Doctrine of the Gospel is pure and sufficient of it self it needs no tradition or invention of men The waters of the Sanctuary are holy waters and a River great and deep which none can pass over No waters are like these for purity and perfection they are not like the muddy waters of Egypt or puddle waters of Rome they are pure without all mixture and sufficient for all that belong to the Sanctuary So that men need not run to pits or cisterns of their own or others The Doctrines of men are muddy waters compared to these and not sufficient to quench the thirst of any thirsting soul but these Gospel-waters are most pure sufficient and satisfying Observ 8. From this Vision of the waters That Sanctuary-waters afford comfort unto the Saints in their afflictions yea in their deepest distresses Ezekiel had this Vision in the time of his captivity and it was to comfort him and the Captives in Babylon with him and so to presignifie to us that the waters of the Gospel would yield choice comfort to the Saints in their sad yea saddest conditions they are living waters and do refresh dying souls the promises are bottles of this water and when those that are in the greatest afflictions drink the cordial water contained in them they forget their misery and are like Gyants refreshed with wine The comfort of the Scriptures is choice comfort Rom. 15.4 That in Psal 46.4 is verified in these Gospel-waters There is a River the streams
whereof shall make glad the City of God Let the City of God be in never so great straights or distresses the River of the Sanctuary Gospel-waters will make it glad Verse 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. And he said unto me Son of man hast thou seen this then he brought me and caused me to return to the brink of the River Now when I had returned behold at the bank of the River were very many trees on the one side and on the other Then said he unto me These waters issue out towards the East Countrey and go down into the Desart and go into the Sea which being brought forth into the Sea the waters shall be healed And it shall come to pass that every thing that liveth which moveth whithersoever the Rivers shall come shall live and there shall be a very great multitude of fish because these waters shall come thither for they shall be healed and every thing shall live whither the River cometh And it shall come to pass That the fishes shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim they shall be a place to spread forth nets their fish shall be according to their kindes as the fish of the great Sea exceeding many But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed they shall be given to salt And by the River upon the bank thereof on this side and on that side shall grow all Trees for meat whose leaf shall not fade neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed it shall bring forth new fruit according to his moneths because their waters they issued out of the Sanctuary and the fruit thereof shall be for meat and the leaf thereof for medicine VVE have heard whence these Visional waters did spring and of their great encrease into a River and here we have a description of this River 1. From the trees were about it with their leaves and fruit ver 7 12. 2. From the place into which it flows ver 8. 3. From the effects in ver 8 9 10. 4. From the fishers and nets ver 10. 5. From the adjunct places ver 11. In Verse 6. the Lord puts a question unto Ezekiel and it is this Son of man hast thou seen this Hast thou seen these waters whence they spring Hast thou seen which way they flow Hast thou seen their great encrease and unpassibleness If thou hast not see now fully and observe them more exactly that is the intent of the question There is a Corporal fight and there is an intellectual sight see with the eye of thy body and with the eye of thy minde Note hence That the waters of the Sanctuary have that in them which is observable to be considered and seriously weighed Hast thou seen this How suddenly these waters break forth how they have followed the measuring line which way soever it went how in a little time they have risen up to a River and such a River as is impermeable Hast thou seen the mysteries contained in these waters As the waters abound so the mysteries thereof abound The Gospel is full of mysteries and depths the beginnings encrease and success of it are wonderful things and ought to be minded the spreading converting and edifying power of the Gospel Christians should take special notice of rejoyce at and bless God for It is a choice mercy to have the waters of the Gospel in a land or in a town and what a mercy is it when these waters prove waters of life to convert and edifie those that are there If Middletons and Thames waters are observable much more mystical waters After this question comes action the Lord brought him and caused him to return to the brink of the River or tip of it Hitherto he had seen the waters now the Lord would have him to see what was upon the banks or sides of the River for as there were things considerable in the waters so on the banks Observ 1. Christ reveals and makes known the mysteries of the Sanctuary by degrees and one after another Ezekiel sees the waters and being taught something concerning them he is brought to the brink of the River and hath new mysteries presented to him he is held from seeing the waters of the Sanctuary to behold the trees thereof Observ 2. The Scholars of Christ ought to be content with what it pleases the Lord Christ to make known unto them and to rest satisfied therewith Ezekiel troubles not himself or Christ about the depth of the River the multitude of waters and several measurings but being set down on the brink of the River he is content to see and hear what the Lord should shew him and speak unto him There is an itch in man to know things kept secret and hidden Many through curiosity prying into such things have prejudiced themselves and others Gen. 3.6 Eve did so Let us acquiesce in what Christ reveals and not thirst after hidden secrets lest we meet with Satanical delusions and be given up to believe lyes In Verse 7. the River is described from the multitude of trees on each side of it There was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etz cab meodh lignum multum valde or arbor multa valde very much wood or very many trees as Piscat or very great trees as Junius and Tremellius hath it As the watres were mystical so are these trees and they have a mysticall and spiritual signification They signifie the Saints under the Gospel those that are true Christians and such are not unfitly compared to trees for they resemble them in many respects 1. Trees have life in them so true Christians have life in them When the Romans were become Christians then they were alive unto God through Jesus Christ Rom. 6.11 before they were dry and dead trees as the Ephesians were Ephes 2.1 When men are once true Christians they have life from Christ John 10.10 20.31 1 John 5.12 Gal. 3.20 2. Trees are rooted in solido in the firm earth in Rocks and Mountains and true Christians are rooted in Christ who is a firm and solid Rock The Colossians were ooted in Christ not in Plato Aristotle or Humane Philosophy but in Christ and his Doctrine they were established in the faith of Christ so that none could pull them from him John 10.28 3. Trees draw sap moisture and vertue from the earth and the waters they are near unto Jer. 17.8 Psal 104.16 The trees of the Lord are full of sap they draw strongly And so it is with true Christians Metaphorical trees they draw sap from Christ Vertue from his Promises and Moisture from his Ordinances Faith and Love are like the little fibres which are upon roots those strings veins or sinews draw mightily and communicate to the whole so doth Faith and Love abundantly bring in spiritual sap into the soul John 1.16 Of his fulness have we all received John 15.5 4. Trees do grow upwards Gen. 2.9 every tree grew and the Saints are of a growing
nâ—ture Psal 92.12 The righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Palm-trees and Cedars especially grow very high Amos 2.9 their tops reached to Heaven And did not the Thessalonians grow exceedingly in Faith and Charity 2 Thess 1.3 Did not Paul grow greatly when hâ—s Conversation was in Heaven daily Phil. 3.20 The Saints grow up into Christ in all things Ephes 4.15 5. Of Trees some are strong some are weak some are high some are low So is it with Saints some are strong and high as the Centurion Mat. 8.10 the Woman of Canaan Mat. 15.28 James Cephas and John Gal. 2.9 some are low and weak as the Corinthians 1 Cor. 3.1 and the Hebrews Heb. 5.12 13. John hath ranked these spiritual trees into three sorts 1 John 2.12 13 14. Little Children Young Men and Fathers 6. They are fruitful and bear several kindes of fruit Hence the tree of the field is said to be mans life Deut. 20.19 that is it brings forth fruit of several kindes whereby the life of man is preserved and true Christians are not barren trees or trees which bring forth sowre or corrupt fruit but they are fruitful and their fruit is good fruit The Philippians were filled with fruits of righteousness Phil. 1.11 Dorcas was full of good works and alms-deeds which she did Acts 9.36 the Churches of Macedonia abounded in liberality 2 Cor. 8.2 and the Church of Corinth in every thing v. 7. some had tongues some interpreted some wrought miracles and some prophesied Those Widows which were to be taken into the Church had fruit much and variety of it they brought up children they lodged strangers they washed the Saints feet they relieved the afflicted and they diligently followed every good work 1 Tim. 5.9 7. Some trees are very fragrant well sented they perfume the air where they grow Hos 14.6 His smell shall be as Lebanon In Lebanon which was a great Mountain and fruitful Forrest were fair trees Cedars and Almuggin trees which filled the air with a sweet sent and like unto Lebanon Israel should be And Christ saith of his Spouse Cant. 4.11 The smell of thy garments is as the smell of Lebanon The Churches garments are the graces and gifts with which the Spirit hath adorned her as Knowledge Faith Love Humility Zeal Wisdom c. These yield a good savour From the Church of Philippi was an odour of a sweet smell Phil. 4.18 The Church of Rome in Pauls days had a good sent her faith was spoken of throughout the whole World Rom. 1.8 Gaius was a tree very fragrant 3 John 2 5 6. and Demetrius alone had the smell of Lebanon of Firre-trees Cedars and Almuggins for he had good respect of all men and of the truth it self v. 12. 8. Trees are exposed to all winds weathers storms to heat and cold so are Saints Jer. 17.8 The man that trusts in God shall be as a tree planted by the waters and what though heat and drought come he shall be prejudiced by neither his branch is green before the Sun Job 8.16 There will be scorching heat and terrible blasts Christians do meet with Satans fiery darts the Dragons floods reproaches afflictions tempations troubles of all sorts they are exposed unto Psal 34.19 2 Tim. 3.12 Verse 8. These waters issue out towards the East-Countrey and go down into the Desart These are the places into which the waters of the Sanctuary did run Some render the Hebrew words Haggelilah hakadmonah into Galilee of the East Montanus Arith ad revolutionem orientalem or terminum orientalem to the Eastern border Galilee was Eastward from Jerulem and in it was Lacus Asphaltites the Lake of Sodom or Mare mortuum so called because no fish could live in it nor birds fly over it but dyed so deadly were the waters and vapors thereof Hither the Sanctuary waters came and they went down also into the Desart that is say some Expositors into the Mediterranean Sea which was in the West suitable to which interpretation seems that in Zach. 14.8 where living waters are said to go out from Jerusalem half of them toward the former sea that is the Salt or dead sea and half of them towards the hinder sea that is the Mediterranean sea Others conceive these waters of Ezekiel did run onely East-ward first into the dead sea and then out of that into the Desarts or Plains of Moab for here is not mention of several seas but there is of rivers ver 9. Nachalaim duo torrentes The effects of these waters are 1. Healing When they came into the dead sea they healed the waters thereof the Sanctuary waters made those deadly waters salubres utiles wholesome and profitable as the bitter waters of Marah were healed by a tree thrown in Exod. 15.25 and the waters of Jericho by a cruse of salt 2 Kings 2.20 21. 2. Production of Fishes and them in abundance These waters were fruitful waters ver 9. they begat life in dead creatures and caused Fish to abound as the Fish of the Sea exceeding many as it is in the end of ver 10. By Fish understand those that are wrought upon and brought in by the Gospel And they are so called 1. Because as Fish are generated of Spawn or Seed and Water so Believers are born of Water and the Spirit John 3.5 2. Fish it s conceived were not under the curse that fell upon the earth and things upon it not on the waters and fish therein so Believers are not under the curse of the Law Unbelievers are under condemnation and wrath John 3.18 36. but Believers are free from both 3. They keep fresh in salt and brackish waters and true Converts do so When there are brackish corrupt doctrines abroad hot and fierce persecutions by reason of them the sound Believer is not tainted with them Arianism Pelagianism Familism Rantism and Quakerism do not corrupt them and the greater troubles they meet with the more lively they are 4. Some Fish swim constantly against the stream Such are true Christians they swim against the stream they are not led by the multitude There be several streams one of Prophaness another of Flattery a third of Superstition a fourth of Lukewarmness and Formality a fifth of Carnal policy a sixth of Self-seeking Against all these and many others doth the sincere Christian swim and row daily 5. Fish live in and by the waters they cannot live in arido they presently dye without water And true Christians they live in and by the waters of the Sanctuary they live in and by the Spirit they drink in the waters of the Gospel These spritual Fish cannot live without them Rev. 22.1 there is a pure River of water of life wherein these live and swim 6. Fish of the same kinde do sort together It is so with true Converts they leave their old company and sort with those that are regenerate and godly David saith Psal 119.63 I am a
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
so orders his judgements that they shall affect others and be had in remembrance This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her the Daughters of the Nation shall lament for her Destruction of great Kings and Kingdomes have many thiags considerable in them there is much of Gods power justice and severity in the same which God will have to be observed and remembred in the world Ezek. 19.14 When God destroyed the Princes of Israel and laid the Land of Judah waste what then This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation Verses 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. It came to passe also in the twelfth year in the fifteenth day of the month that the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man wail for the multitude of Egypt and cast them down even her and the Daughters of the famous Nations unto the nether parts of the earth with them that go down into the pit Whom dost thou passe in beauty go down and he thou laid with the uncircumcised They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword she is delivered to the sword draw her and all her multitudes The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him they are gone down they lie uncircumcised slain by the sword Ashur is there and all her company his graves are about him all of them slain fallen by the sword Whose Graves are set in the sides of the pit and her company is round about her Grave all of them slain fallen by the sword which caused terrour in the land of the living AT this 17. verse begins the second prophesie and general part of the Chapter in which these things are considerable 1. The Time of this Prophesie vers 17. 2. The Funeral of Egypt with the solemnity thereof which is commanded declared and confirmed vers 18 19 20 21. and so on to the 31. 3. The Conclusion of the prophesie vers 31 32. Vers 17. In the twelfth year the fifteenth day of the mouth It was in the twelfth year of their captivity and the fifteenth day of the twelfth month as it is vers 1. fourteen dayes after the former prophesie and upon the third Sabbath as Junius observes then came this Prophesie unto Ezekiel Vers 18. Wayl for the multitude of Egypt The word Nahah to lament signifies internal grief The Prophet is bid not to feign a grief or a Funeral complaint but to be reall to mourn or to prophesie what mourning should be at the Funeral of Egypt Cast them down even her and the Daughters of the famous Nations The Prophet was to do this Prophetically as Jeremy was to root out pull down to destroy and cast down Jerem. 1.10 He prophesied such things and thereupon was said to do them and so Ezekiel was to prophesie the casting down of Egypt her King and People and the Daughters of famous Nations those that did confederate with her Cityes or People and because of this he is said to cast them down its Gods work to cast down to throw into the grave and pit but his Prophets declaring what shall be are said to do the same Vnto the nether parts of the Earth The Hebrew is El Erez tachtijoth in terram inferorum into the Land of hell or into the lowest part of the earth Vers 19. Whom dost thou passe in beauty Egypt thou thinkest thy self more beautiful than other Nations that thou hast some excellency beyond them suppose thou hadst that must not exempt thee from the common condition of Nations but thou hast not any beauty excellency beyond them nay thou art short of them therefore lay aside such thoughts they who were more beautiful and pleasant than thy self they are gone down into the pit therefore Go down and be thou laid with the uncircumcised Thou must not look for any priviledge above other Nations thou mayest conceit thy counterfeit circumcision will advantage thee Erant Egyptii circumcifi ut Herodotus in Euterpe docet Junius but thou art deceived away down to the Grave and lye with the uncircumcised thy portion must be with the profanest The word for be thou laid signifies to sleepe also and may be thus rendred sleep with the uncircumcised Vers 20. They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword They that were confederate with thee and thou with them shall fall by the Chaldaean sword which hath commission to cut you all off and to send you to the state of those that formerly were slain by the sword you think your self invulnerable but you shall find the points of the Chaldaeans swords be sharp and will enter She is delivered to the sword Egypt or the multitude of Egypt is delivered to the sword appointed to be slain The Hebrew may be rendred thus The sword is delivered or given viz into the hand of the Babylonian to destroy the Egyptian withall Draw her and all her multitude Draw her Egypt and her People into the grave The Babylonians slay her and hers the sword is in their hand and then drag them into the pit But these and the former words may be taken otherwise as to note out the stately Funeral of Egypt She is delivered to the Sword or the Sword is laid under her head or by her side to shew that she was warlike Draw her and all her multitude Let her body being put into a Chariot be drawn in pomp and state Vide-Junium like unto the bodies of great Ones First Observe God made known his mind to his Prophets by degrees something they had in one year given out somewhat in another year sometimes in one month sometimes in another God spake unto them Here in the twelfth year the fifteenth day of the month the word of the Lord came unto Ezekiel God had appeared to him the first day and again the fifteenth day Secondly Observe There be seasons to mourn in as well as to rejoyce in Son of man wail for the multitude of Egypt The providence of God doth not act constantly in one way but it makes changes and alterations which afford occasion to mourn and to laugh When God carryed the Jewes into Babylon there they hung up their Harps and wept Psal 137. and when he brought them back again it was with singing Isa 48.20 Thirdly Observe That at the appointment of God we may lament for the sins and juâ—gements of God upon the Churches enemies secret or open The Egyptians were never reall friends to the Jews but were their secret if not their open enemies and now when Gods hand was heavy upon them for their sins the Prophet is commanded to wail for them When the Churches enemies suffer we are to rejoyce but if God calls to mourning for their sufferings we must do it Fourthly Observe The greatest in the greatest Kingdomes have no cause to glory and lift up themselves above others seeing they must come to the common
in Summer and heat of the body in hot weather Many bathe themselves in the water to cool them Dives begg'd a little water to cool his tongue Luke 16.24 The waters of the Gospel have a cooling vertue in them they cool the heat of persecution Mat. 5.11 12. they cool the heat of our passions James 3.20 Mat. 5.22 they cool the heat of temptations Rom. 16.20 1 Cor. 10.13 James 12.12 they cool the heat of our lusts 1 Pet. 2.11 Rom. 8.13 1 Tim. 6.9 10. they cool the scorchings of a guilty Conscience and fire of Hell Matth. 12.31 and 11.28 1 John 1.7 4. Water makes the earth fruitful When they wanted rain there was barrenness and famine Jer. 14. but when they had the former and latter rain all things flourished and abounded Ezek. 34.26 27. I will cause the shower to come down in his season there shall be showers of blessings and the tree of the field shall yield her fruit c. Litterally these words are true and spiritually also and set out the fruitfulness of those who were to live under the sweet showers of Gospel Doctrine They should be like a watered garden Jer. 31.12 The doctrine of the Lord is as the rain and dew which falling upon the tender herbs and grass causes them to grow Deut. 32.1 When Zacheus was watered with this water he became very fruitful and gave half of his goods to the poor Luke 19.8 others sold all and laid the money down at the Apostles feet Acts 4.35 They were abundant in love and in good works 5. Water quencheth thirst satisfies and revives the thirsty soul It was their drink in the infancy of the World and is still in some hot Countreys Sampson when like to perish for thirst having some water out of the jaw-bone of an Ass he revived and was satisfied Judg. 15.18 19. The waters of the Gospel have this property also when the soul is a thirst there is no water quenceth that thirst but the water of life which the Gospel sheweth and conveyeth unto us The Gospel hath this water of life in it Christ and the Spirit which it makes men partakers of The great and precious promises are satisfying things the righteousness and Spirit of Christ are satisfying and reviving things Peter found it so when he said to Christ Lord to whom should we go thou hast the words of eternal life Let others go to what Brooks Pits or Cisterns they will to quench their thirst we will never go from thee who hast the words of eternal life who art the Fountain of living Waters and canst satisfie us for ever John 6.68 This Water quencheth unlawful desires and satisfieth Spiritual desires 6. Some waters have a curing and healing vertue The Pool of Bethesdah healed all manner of diseases Joh. 5.4 There be waters in our Land which have healing vertue in them Such be the waters here mentioned for they healed other waters v. 8. Gospel waters will heal sick souls and bodies The Centurion said to Christ Lord speak thou but the wâ—rd onely and my servant shall be healed and it was so Mat. Mat. 8.8 13. Christ cast out Devils with his word and healed all that were sick ver 16. The Gospel is not onely a pattern of wholesome words but of healing words also there is no spiritual disease in the soul but the Gospel hath healing vertue to cure it therefore it is called the Gospel of Salvation Ephes 1.13 and the power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 7. Some waters are very cordial and do greatly comfort the spirits of man None more then the waters of the Gospel by which the Spirit the true solid eternal Comforter flows into the heart The Gospel and good things of it are set out by Water Milk and Wine Isa 55.1 all which are comforting things The Gospel is glad-tidings and affords strong and everlasting consolation to the soul 2 Thess 2.16 2 Cor. 3.5 Jeremiah saith the Word of God was the joy and rejoycing of his soul chap. 15.16 David professes he had perished in his affliction had he not drunk of these Cordial Waters Psalm 119.92 To come to those Observations which we may pick out of these Verses Observ 1. That as it is Christ who makes known the things of the Temple so he doth the same not all at once but he makes known some at one time some at another Formerly Christ had revealed much to the Prophet and here he brings him again to the door of the House and shews him waters he had not seen before We are not capable of much at once like children we must have line upon line precept upon precept here a little and there a little Ezekiel is instructed a little in one place and a little in another place as he was capable So Christ the wise and chief Builder of the Temple deals with him and revealed one thing after another unto him and so he dealt with his Disciples John 16.12 Observ 2. The waters of the Gospel the gifts and graces of the Spirit do flâ—w from Sion from Jerusalem where Ezekiel had his vision Chap. 40.2 The bitter waters of the Law flowed from Mount Sinai but the sweet waters of the Gospel flowed from Mount Sion Isaiah long before prophesied whence these waters should come Isa 2.3 Out of Sion shall go forth the Law that is the Law of Faith not of Works and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem So in Zach. 14.8 And it shall be in that day that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem half of them towards the former sea that is East-ward and half of them towards the hinder sea that is West-ward In Summer and in Winter shall it be there shall be no time wherein these Jerusalem-waters shall cease flowing It is not Rome or any other City in the World which hath the honor to send out these waters but Jerusalem onely where was the true Church of God Observ 3. These spiritual waters although they flowed from Sion and Jerusalem yet Christ himself was the Fountain and Original of them they came from the door and threshold of the house Christ tells us He is the the door John 10.7 All spiritual water is in him all Heavenly Doctrine all gifts and graces When the Spirit moved holy men to speak as it is 2 Pet. 1.21 it received of Christ and shewed unto them John 16.14 and all the waters which flowed from the Apostles they received from Christ The Spirit was given them to fill their vessels and fitted them to carry these living waters from Jerusalem to all parts Acts 2.8 and Christ sent them forth to preach the Gospel all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in him Col. 2.3 and he that believes in him receives living waters from him all gifts graces and divine truths are from him The waters of the Sanctuary flow from the Lord of the Sanctuary Observ 4. God would not have his Worshippers to conform to and comply with the