called the perfection or universality of beauty Psalm 50.2 There was all beauty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee set it in Majestie In magnificent pomp or for Majesty Glory and Excellency God set the Temple among the Jewes that it might be their glory excellency and make them glorious and excellent among all Nations Isa 60.15 is the same word and it 's rendered an excellency it might wel be for so ל is rendered thrice in one vers Exod. 28.2 Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron for glory for beauty Or hee set it into Majesty into excellency the majesty and excellency of the Temple was not onely the statelinesse of the structure the strength and scituation of it on a hill but in that it was sanctified and bare Gods name 1 Kings 9.7 Chap. 8.29 It was a type of Christ and the Church a part of their worship in it their gifts and sacrifices were sanctified and accepted Matth. 23.19 2 Chron. 7.1 Fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifice There was the Arke of the Covenant a signe of Gods presence 1 Kings 8.6 In it were glorious visions of God Isa 6.1 Filled with glory 2 Chron. 7.1 The people prayed towards the same 1 Kings 8.38 The eye and heart of God was there perpetually 1 Kings 9.3 It was exceeding magnificall of fame and of glory throughout all Countreyes 1 Chron. 22.5 In these and such things consisted the Majesty glory and excellency of the Temple and therefore it 's cal'd their excellency Ezek. 24.21 The excellency of Jacob Amos 6.8 Vide Drus in locum Some refer it to the holy land to their own habitations to the City If these any or all of them were the excellency of Jacob much more the Temple Psalm 47.4 The Temple and worship of it distinguished them from and made them excell all others But they made the Images of their Abhominations and of their detestable things therein Here is the cause of all their miseries God had dealt bountifully with them set his Ornaments amongst them put glory upon them and distinguish'd them from all Nations but they forgate God prov'd ungratefull and polluted their glory even the Temple with superstition and Idolatry These words Abhominations and Detestable things have been opened before Therefore have I set it farre from them Here is one part of their Calamity God had set the Temple amongst them a Divine Ornament for his owne honour their good and glory but they corruptd themselves dishonoured God and defiled his worship his holy place with their own inventions abhominations and detestable things and therefore I have set it far from them or as the Hebrew is I have made it to them an uncleane thing or given it to them for separation it shall now be for their reproach rejection and destruction it shall be taken from them and destoyed out of my sight as a polluted thing Obser 1 The chiefe ornaments and glory of a people are the ordinances of God and his presence The Temple where God manifested himselfe and the Divine Ordinances were to be performed was their beauty their glory Zech. 2.5 I will be the glory in the middest of her meaning Jerusalem Other things may be some ornament to a people as riches peace liberty Cities well built peopled and fortified Arts and Sciences wise Counsellours strong Souldiers just Judges good Laws prudent Governors these adorne a people but their chiefe Ornament is true Religion and divine presence The Gentiles had those fore-mentioned ornaments yet because they had not the true God and true worship of his amongst them they were unlovely accounted of as dogs Mat. 15.26 An unhappy a hopelesse people Ephes 2.12 Without Christ without God David tels you what people is happy even that people whose God is the Lord. Not those have a false God and false worship among them but they have Jehovah his Temple and Ordinances with them Moses knew that the presence of God and his Ordinances were the honour and chiefe ornament of a Nation and therefore makes a challenge Deut. 4.7 What nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is God was nigh them in the pillar of fire in the Cloud in the Tabernacle in the Arke and other ordinances and no Nation under heaven had God so neer them and gloriously amongst them as the Jewes had No nation though never so wise wealthy or honourable had such statutes and righteous judgements as they had Moses tels God that his presence would be an argument they had found favour in his sight and were a people separated from all people on the earth Exod. 33.16 Divine ordinances and God in them is the glory of any people Jer. 2.11 Psal 106.20 Therefore when the Arke was taken a symboll of Gods being amongst them and before which they worshipped Phineas wife said the glory is departed from Israel 1 Sam. 4.22 But when God manifests his presence with a people then are they glorious Isa 59.21 He speaks of his Covenant with them and Spirit upon them And Chap. 60.1 He saith Arise shine for the light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Darkness shall cover the earth and gross darknesse the people but the Lord shall arise upon thee and his glory shall be seen upon thee Others had darknesse but the people where God and his wayes were had light and glory when new Jerusalem comes down from heaven she is said to have the glory of God Revel 21.10 11. Pray that New Jerusalem may come among us that so glory may dwell in our Land Psalm 85.9 2. It belongs to God to appoint worship and the beauty of it he set the ornament and beauty of it not Moses in the Tabernacle nor Solomon in the Temple might prescribe any substantiall or ceremoniall worship Exod. 35.10 Every wise-hearted among you shall come and make all that the Lord hath commanded not what I have commanded but what the Lord hath commanded though they were wise yet they might not do ought after their owne hearts or heads no not Solomon the wisest of men 2 Chron 3.3 He was instructed for the building of the house of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew is founded hee had a foundation laid in him by the Spirit of God before he laid the foundation of the Temple or did any of the work thereof What God appoints is an Ornament hath beauty is for glory but let men set up ought in the worship of God it hath no beauty but blacknesse no holinesse but iniquity and God must be worshipped in the beauty of holinesse 1 Chron. 16.29 Not in the blacknesse of Iniquity men thinke that Ceremonies do decore the worship of God that Pictures Altars golden Vessels doe make it glorious but all is deformity which God hath not set up and set up for glory 3. The people to whom God vouchsafeth his presence his ordinances they are his
the work now intended Appearances in fire have been formerly Christ appeared to Moses in a flame of fire Exod. 3.2 The Angell there Interpreters make to be Christ and God led the Jewes in the wildernesse by a pillar of fire Exod. 13.21 And he was in that pillar Exod. 14.24 Christ is likened to fire 1. It 's a shining glorios thing so Christ is glorious John 1.14 We beheld his glory as the glory c. And Titus 2 13. his appearing wil be glorious and so glorious as to lighten the world When men come to judgment they come with some glory and Majestie 2. He is likened to fire to set â—ut his knowledge and discovery of things Fire is of a discovering nature and makes manifest Rev. 1.14 Christs eyes are like a flame of fire they see into every place and here Christ discovers to the Prophet the sinnes of Jerusalem the hidden Abhominations there 3. To shew the active vertue is in Christ fire is a lively and purging thing separating drosse from the precious mettals and Christ is of infinite vertue he distinguisheth between the precious and the vile Mal. 3.1 2. He is like a refiners fire exceeding active and discretive he burns with zeale and jealousie 4. The severe punishment he would inflict upon this people fire notes revenge destruction Psal 18.8 Fire out of his mouth devoured Isa 66.15 16. Fire there notes severe punishment and utter destruction and Christ now would make a finall end of this sinful people he would be a fire unquencheable If they look'd to him upwards they should finde him a fire hee would plead with his Father for their destruction If they looked downewards they should see him kindling a consuming fire amongst them The law was given in fire Deut. 4.33.5.4 and therefore called a fiery law and Christ appears in fire when he comes to revenge the breaches of the law In the first Chap. vers 27. Christs appearance from his loynes upward and downeward is the same here downwards he appeares as fire upwards as brightnesse fire noting his anger brightnesse his clemency as some conceive The word for brightnesse notes such brightnesse as is from the morning the Firmament the Sunne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore some render it As the appearance of the bright Sunne Solis rutili Take the Sun when in it's greatest lustre and glory such was the appearance of Christ upwards and may note the glory of Christ in execution of judgement in giving out his threatnings to the Prophets against sinners As the colour of Amber Of thâ—s hath beene spoken Chap. 1.4.27 The Hâ—b Chasmal signifiâ—â— a coale intensely hot and â—uch as a coale is at the height of its heat in a fiery furnace such was the appearance of Christ at this time he was in a way of wrath and giving out th eats gainst this people and filled with the fire of zeal and jealousie for the Lâ—rd If the appearance of Christ be fiery glorious Obser the presence of him will be so much more appearances are not perfect expressions of that they resemble The appearance of fire upon the Tabernacle Num. 9.15 had not that vertue and glory in it which reall fire had If reall it would have consumed the Tabernacle The appearance of lightning Dan. 10.6 is not so glorious as lightning it selfe and what the Prophet saw here of Christ was appearance onely little to that is in Christ When Christ shall really be seene not in visions but as hee is he will be very glorious Mar. 13.26 When Christ comes it will be with great power and glory Great refers to glory as wel as power Matth. 24.30 There it 's with power and great glory And if you demand how great even so great as cannot be greater Matth. 16.27 He shall come in the glory of his Father and no glory can exceed that VERSE III. And he put forth the forme of an hand and tooke me by a looke of my head and the Spirit lift me up between the earth and the heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem to the doore of the inner gate that looketh towards the North where was the seate of the image of jealousie which provoketh to jealousie IN the former verse you had Christs person described in this are his actions commended to us which are these 1. The putting forth of his hand 2. The employment thereof By it he tooke our Prophet by a locke 3. The lifting him up between Heaven Earth by his Spirit 4. The bringing him to JERVSALEM where is considerable 1. The manner of his bringing In the visions of God 2. The speciall place He was brought to the doore of the inner gate that looketh towards the North. 3. The nature of this place It was the seate of an Image which is described 1. From its name An image of jealousie 2. From the effect It provokes to jealousie He put forth his hand He that appear'd like fire that had such brightnesse and was so glorious he put forth his hand sent out his hand is the Originall Not a reall hand but the former likenesse of a hand It was the likenesse and appearance of a man that he saw and such was the hand here not a substantiall fleshy hand And tooke me by a locke of mine head By the haire the word signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which growes out of the head flourisheth there as grasse out of the ground or boughs out of a tree The Spirit Lift me up between c. It was said the hand took hold of him did not the hand lift him up If not to what end tooke it hold That hand was the holy Spirit of Christ which in these visions of Ezek. is oft called a hand Chap. 1.3 3.14 The Spirit that lifted him up is called the hand of the Lord because Christ by his Spirit doth what ever the hand of man can doe And brought me in the Visions of GOD to Jerusalem The Prophet thought himselfe like a Bird or an Angel flying through the Aire and carryed to Jerusalem this was no reall elevation or corporeall transportation of the Prophet to Jerusalem as will appear thus 1. It 's said it was the forme of a hand the likenesse of one not a hand it selfe 2 Had be been really taken up by a lock it would have been exceeding grievous and tormenting to him if not deadly 3. He saith he was brought in the visions of God to Jerusalem not in the reality of his person all was done as he sate in his house and the Elders of Judah before him The Antients say it was in his spirit not in his body that he was translated a mentall not an ocular vision Our Prophet being in a rapture or extasie seem'd as a man dead and had secret things revealed unto him which he cals visions of God Whether these were to his spirit in the body or called out of it is uncertain 2
caused themselves and their little ones to be roasted in fire and brimstone so Princes their sinnes bring down vengeance upon themselves their posterity and Subjects All sorts should therefore take heed of sinning against divine Majesty who is so dreadfull in his judgements If they will not pitty themselves yet they should pitty those are theirs and deare to them 6. The lives and comforts of all Gods marked ones are deare unto him he gives order that they should not onely not take away their lives but also that they should not indanger their comforts Come not near any upon whom is the marke do not fright them with your stern looks bitter words rough handling keep your distance they are very deare to me and I am very tender of them The mark'd ones are a people neare to God Psalm 148.14 and he will not suffer them to be wrong'd Psal 105.14 15. He suffered no man to doe them wrong he reproved Kings for their sakes saying touch not mine anointed Gods anointed ones are his mark'd ones and they must not be touch'd which is as much as come not neare them God doth not onely keepe the wicked from harming them keepe off judgements and blows from them which is call'd sparing them Mal. 3.17 But hee makes them up as his jewels they lye scattered as common stones here and there but God hath his dayes to make them up to set them in ranks and orders that they may shine more gloriously and live more comfortably Or thus when a house is on fire the owners will be sure then to looke after their jewels and to take and make them up above all the rest So God when judgements are upon Cities Townes Kingdomes will have speciall care of his jewels and peculiar treasure Luke 17.34 35. Two men shall be in one bed the one shall be taken c. 7. See the order of Divine judgement here those were ring-leaders to others and drew them to sin by their place authority counsell example they must first be slain Begin at my Sanctuary there were the 70. Antients of the house of Israel mentioned Chap. 8.11 There were the Priests who had the charge of the holy things and should not have suffered such corruptions pollutions to have come neare the Temple but both the Princes and Priests were foremost in iniquity they should have preserv'd the worship of God pure kept the people from idolatrous practises into which they drew them and made Isaiah say twice that their leaders caused them to erre Isa 3.12.9.16 there was inforcing vertue in them constraining the people to erre run upon their destruction and therefore now seeing they were first and deepest in sinning they should be first and deepest in punishment the slaughter-men representing the Chaldeans must begin there while they were fresh strong they must bath their swords in the bowels and blood of Princes and Priests Many times it s so that those are great first in wickednesse are first smitten Numb 25.4 Take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the Sunne They had been principall actors in whoredome and idolatry led others to those sins and their heads must off first Numb 16. So Corah Dathan and Abiram they were prime Rebels made seditious work amongst the people and went not they down first alive into the earth and did not fire from heaven consume the 250. Princes that offered Incense It 's too well known that men eminent in place are eminent in sin be they in the State or in the Church and it 's just they should be eminent in punishment Our Prelats who were Sanctuary-men and pretended divine institution for their standing declared by their fruits that they were not from above but from beneath an earthly generation that hath been eminent in Treasons Conspiracies Rebellions seditious Innovations and corruptions of Religion as ever was but God hath found them out powred contempt upon them plucked them up by the rootes Strafford and Canterbury were heads of wickednesse in the Church and State and God hath lopped off their heads Great ones make great breaches for others to perish in and God begins with them to stop those breaches and prevent open ruine The Devill carryed Christ to the Temple and the pinacle of it and tempted him from thence to cast himselfe downe knowing that the sins of those belong to the Temple are most conspicuous and beneficious to him and his Kingdome 8. It 's not the holinesse of any place can mitigate or avert the wrath of God when those belong to it have defil'd the place with their abhominations The Temple was the holiest place in the world 2 Chron. 36.14 All the chief of the Priests and people transgressed very much and what was their transgression they polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed not which men had hallowed but which he had hallowed in Jerusalem Judgement begins at Gods house Isa 10.12 No where else had he hallowed any any place yet that holy place they polluted and the Lord therefore bids the slaughter-men begin there and defile it they had defil'd it with sinne and now God would have it defil'd with the comming of Heathens into it with blood with dead corps c. which made Jeremie to sigh and say The Lord hath cast off his Altar he hath abhorred his Sanctuary he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her pallaces they have made a noise in the house of the Lord as in the day of a sollemn feast Lam. 2.7 It was musicke to the enemie to slay them in the Temple it selfe to dash out their braines against the Arke and Altar 2 Chron 36.17 They slow their young men with the sword in the house of their Sanctuary and had no compassion on young man or maiden olde man or him that stooped for age As they regarded not sexe or condition of men so not the place though holy Holy places were wont to be refuges unto those fled to them even heathens would spare those betook themselves to the Temples of their gods when they tooke the City Hostes qui ceperant civitatem parcerent eis quos ad deorum suorum Templa censugisse compererant August de civ dei l. 1. c. 2. but in this destruction of Jerusalem those fled to the Temple sound no favour from God or man Slay them utterly said God defile the Temple with their carkasses bloud dung and they did it and fill'd the Temple with such sacrifices it never had 9. Divine justice oft smites sinners in the place where they have sin'd they had defi ' d the Temple with their abhominations with idolatry false worship hypocrisie vain confidence in it and there God commands them to be put to death God had manifested great love bestowed great mercies imparted much light to them heard their prayers accepted their sacrifices in the Temple and now seeing there they sin'd against him there hee would
he bids him make seven Altars that they might worship their god Baal there Heathens had many such places Deut. 12.23 Yee shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the Nations served their gods upon the high Mountaines the Hils and every greene Tree you shall overthrow their Altars breake their Pillars burne their Groves with fire hew downe the graven Images of their gods and destroy the names of them out of that place God would not have his people to worship him in any heathenish wayes or with heathenish Rites but they built themselves High places Images and Groves on every high hill and under every greene Tree 1 Kings 14.23 Jeroboam made an house of high places 1 Kings 12.31 They were to sacrifice in the Tabernacle when they had speciall and propheticall warrant they might sacrifice any where and after the Arke was taken which had stood at Shiloh 343 yeares and was moveable from place to place then it was lawfull for the people to offer in the high places Before the Temple was built notwithstanding the destruction of the High places threatned by Moses Levit. 26.30 By Amos Chap. 7.9 by Hosea 10.8 and other Prophets many of Gods people sacrificed in the high places under Trees and elsewhere as Gideon Judges 16.19 Samuel 1 Sam. 9.19 David 2 Sam. 24.25 Solomon 1 Kings 3.4 Manoah Judges 13.19 Elijah 1 Kings 18.31 32 c. God accepted their sacrifices and wincked at this errour but their sacrificing after in the high places did bitterly provoke God and the complaint was that the high places were not taken away 1 Kings 22.43 1 Kings 15.14 They continued till Hezekiah's dayes who removed them 2 Kings 18.4 But Josiah utterly destroyed them out of the Land 2. Chron. 34.3 Yet those Kings that came after restored them againe It is said of Jehoahaz He did evill in the sight of the Lord according to all that his Fathers had done 2 Kings 23.32 Vers 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Your Images shall bee broken Hebrew Chammanechem the Sunne Images Chammah is a name given to the Sunne Job 30.28 from Chamam calere because of the great heat thereof and Chammanim is Sunne Images Hence Jupiter Hammon who had a famous Temple in Affrica wherein was the Image of the Sunne as A Lapid in Levit. 26.30 hath it Macrobius lib. 1 Saturn c. 23 and Macrobius shewes that Jupiter and the Sun were the same The Idolatrous Jewes were accustomed to worship the Sun 2 Kings 23.5 Ovid. l. 2. Metam They burnt incense to the Sunne And because the Heathens were wont to worship the Sunne under the figure of a Charriot and foure Horses it is said The Kings of Judah gave Horses and Charriots to the Sunne v. 2. The Rabbies thinke these were living Horses which drew a Charriot dayly toward the East and some fitting in it did salute the Sunne in the Kings name others more probably conceive these Horses and Chariots were pourtrayed Effigies set up at the entring in at the house of the Lord in honour of the sunne and so set above their Altars 2 Chron. 34.4 Buxtorf and Junius call them Subdiales statuae Statues that stood a broad and were exposed to the Sun Aben Ezra thinkes they were houses or Chappels made for the worship of the Sunne I conceive they were Images set up for that purpose you have mention made of them in Isa 27.9.17.8 Some thinke they were little Courts wherein were Altars and fire preserved upon them in honour to the Sunne Calvin thinkes them so cald ab aestu because Idolaters runne after them as Adulterers doe after Whores Others from Chemab furor Deod on Levit 26.30 because they are carryed with fury to that service Vid. Buxtorf in Chamam Isa 57.5 Inflaming your selves with Idolls I will cast downe the slaine men This seemeth a strange speech slaine men are not standing It is also to prophane pollute need not casting downe The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Vulgar renders interfectos vestros They are slaine men that fall downe to Idolls that serve other Gods men appointed to be slaine or confossos vestros your wounded men For Shalal is perforare and its probable that many being wounded by the Chaldeans would flye out of Jerusalem to the Hils Altars Groves and Idols for safety and there the Lord would destroy them before the Idols their enemies should find them out and make an end of them Hosea 10.8 They shall say to the mountaines cover us and to the Hills fall on us They were in great feare distresse and hid themselves yet that prevented not their death Jer. 12.12 The spoylers are come up upon all high places through the Wildernesse for the Sword of the Lord shall devour from the one end of the Land even to the other end of the Land and no flesh shall have peace They should finde no favour at their Altars in fight of their Idolls Idolaters conceit that the gods in honour of whom they set up their Altars and Images will relieve them in distresses and turne aside evill from them but it should not be they should find no mercy Sennacherib was slaine before Nishrosh his god Isa 37.38 It is also in the 5. and 6. verses Before their Idols Gillulim dunghill gods excrementitious Deities from Galal dung So it s rendred in the 1 Kings 14.10 Quod circumvolutions emittitur even mans dung which is most loathsome and unsavoury This name is put upon Idols to shew how they doe stinck in the nostrills of God and make the Worshippers of them filthy stinking creatures they are like Swine that feed upon and wallow in dung Idolls defile the soule and body both for usually spirituall uncleannesse and bodily doe goe together Idolatry and Adultery are companions Jer. 5.7 8. They worship other gods and neigh after their neighbours Wives Idols doe defile and cause defilement Ezek. 22.3 Thou makest Idols against thy selfe to defile thy selfe V. 5. Altare polluitur contactu cadaveris Calv. I will lay the dead carkasses of the Children of Israel c. They should want buriall be exposed to open shame their Altars be defiled with blood and bones Josiah polluted the Altar with the bones and carkasses of dead men 2 Kings 23.16 20. And Jeremy tells of the bones of Kings Princes Priests Prophets Bones blood carkasses pollution because they are signs of death and fruits of sin and Inhabitants of Jerusalem that should be taken out of their Graves be spread before the Sunne Moone and host of Heaven whom they worshipped and not to be buryed but should be for dung upon the face of the Earth They had served dunghill Idolls and God would make them dung yea in the place where they had so sinned should they suffer this heavy judgement even before the Idols The Jewes used to bury the bones of their Kings with Gold Silver costly Garments Crowne Scepters and Armes Prophets and other chiefe men had some pretious things
they wanted not Men Means Munition Horses Chariots Spears Shields they had but hearts they had not no courage to fight with their Adversaries to stand for Religion their Countrey liberty or lives Observ 1 That when God is wrath all preparations and attempts are in vaine They blow the Trumpet make ready for Warre and none stirs to goe forth and what is the reason the wrath of God is upon the whole multitude God was not with them to counsell to encourage them to prosper their attempts and so nothing came of all Humane endeavours sinke when they are not sâ—conded by God aeconomicall and politicall affaires fall to the earth when they are not upheld by heaven Psal 127.1 Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it 'T is not man and wife can build up a family without God This the Elders knew that said to Boaz Ruth 4.11 The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah which two did build the house of Israel So except the Lord keepe the City the watchmen watch but in vaine Let Cities States Kindoms have many watch-men let them be faithfull and industrious yet if God watch not more then they doe more then they all is lost Cities have been suddenly surprized Kingdoms over-run notwithstanding all the art vigilancy and industry of men It s not the Counsell Militia Magistracy Ministry of a City or Kingdom that can secure them if Gods wrath be upon them Observ 2 2. That it 's a dreadfull evill when the heart and spirit of a people is taken away Here was danger calling to arme and goe forth but none went forth they were heartlesse unspirited men It 's a great mercy among other necessaries to Warre to have men of valour If there be money armes skill men and not courage all is nothing When Goliah defied the Armies of Israel 1 Sam. 17.10 11. They were dismayed their hearts failed within them and had not God put courage into David all Israel had lain under the reproach of one Philistine It 's observable in Scripture that in Judah were many valiant men 2 Sam. 24.9 There were 500000. such in Davids days In Abijah's days there was an Army of 400000. valiant chosen men 1 Chron. 13.3 In Asa's dayes was an Army of 580000. out of Judah and Benjamine and all of them were mighty men of valour 2 Chron. 14.8 In Ahaz dayes were 120000. valiant men of Judah slaine in one day 2 Chron 28.6 The men of Judah were famous for their valour yet now there were no valiant men left there were none had hearts to goe forth and give the enemie battle The promise was that one of them should chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight Deut. 32.30 The meaning is they should mightily prevail in battle this was in case they provok'd not God against them And therefore it follows except their Rock had sold them and the Lord had shut them up if it were come to that then they should be faint-hearted and feeble and so was it now God their Rock was against them he had sold them into the hands of the Chaldeans and shut up their spirits and the strong were become as tow Isa 1.31 They were heartlesse headlesse armlesse none durst oppose the stout and proud adversary God hath variety of wayes to frustrate the endeavors of men and one among other and of the saddest nature is to unspirit men It 's a wonderful judgement when the wisdome of the wise doth perish when the understanding of the prudent is hid Isa 29.14 And it 's as heavy strange a judgement when the mettle and courage of valiant Souldiers in time of neede is not to be found The Germans were a warlike people and Lavat observes that after the Councel of Constance their spirits failed them there they dealt unfaithfully with Husse and after cruelly and shamefully they put him to death and attempting to bring the Bohemians to the old way of worship they were easily overcome and sometimes fled at the sight of their enemies Observ 3 3. Apprehension of Divine wrath discern'd and approaching dispirits strong men there were without doubt many strongmen in Judah as at other times but they were without spirit their sins had stirred up God to bring the Northern Force upon them Nebuchadnezzar with all his Forces they were now entring their land ready to sit down before Jerusalem and they saw now the sad threats of the Prophets fulfilling God even fighting against them and this sunk their guilty hearts Deut. 32.25 Terrour within shall destroy the young man The young men that are full of blood spirits lively even terrour within shall destroy them Their guilt wil not only unspirit them but unlife them Job 15.20 The wicked man travaileth with paine all his dayes He hath prickings stingings within And vers 24. Trouble and anguish shall make him affraid they shall prevail against him as a King ready to the battle There is power in these to destroy a sinner as in a King arm'd attended with a multitude of Souldiers to ruine his wounded his flying adversaries Jeremie knew the power of Divine wrath and therefore prays Chap. 17.17 Be not thou a terrour unto me thou art my hope in the day of evill Hee feared left hee that was his hope should be his terrour the day of evill awakens sleepy guilty dead works and then God before trusted in becoms dreadfull look well to your hearts and consciences get off the guilt upon them and get out the filth in them Heb. 9.14 The blood of Christ doth purge the conscience from dead works That is all sins and all guilt which works death and binds over to death but that 's not all they lie as dead things in the soule and upon occasion revive have their resurrection and slay us anew CHAP. VII 15. The sword is without and the pestilence and the famine within hee that is in the field shall dye with the sword and hee that is in the City famine and pestilence shall devour him OF Sword Famine Pestilence I have formerly spoken God hath these Judgements in his hand and can let them out when and where he pleases and when Gods publique Judgments are abroad there is no safety for sinners in their Cities in the Fields God will pursue them though they flie and slay them though they be never so stout He will not only scare them with these but he will destroy them by these CHAP. VII 16. But they that esacaped of them shall escape and shall be on the mountaines like doves of the valleys all of them mourning every one for his iniquity 17. All hands shall bee feeble and all knees shall bee weake as water 18. They shall also gird themselves with sack-cloath and horrour shall cover them and shame shall be upon all faces and baldnesse upon all their heads 19. They shall cast their silver in the streets and their gold shall be
Cor. 8.1 2. When Paul had his Revelation and visions Râ—ptus est ab eo quod est secundum naturam in id quod est supra naturam ex vi superioris naturae elevatis Thom. In raptu abstrahitur anima a sensibus phantasmatibus whether it was in the body or out of it himselfe could not tell visions they both had and they were visions of God not delusions of Sathan who can be a lying spirit in the hearts and mouths of false Prophets 1 Kings 22. Nor were they fancies of their own for when men are in Divine raptures there is a cessation of all sensible and naturall actions Nature contributes nothing thereunto In some diseases there is a stilling of all natures Organs and operations as when deliquium animae siezeth upon any but there is nothing then offered to the soule as here such visions had our Prophet as were cleare and without all doubt he knew them to be visions of God The doore of the inner Gate Rev. 11.2 Mead on Rev. The Temple was yet standing and had two Courts one called the outer Court which was the place whether the Israelites assembled for Divine exercise and an inner Court 1 K. 6.36 which was the Priests Court 2 Chron. 4.9 The other was the great Court and called Solomons porch saith Maldonat Into this Court was Ezekiel brought and set at the door going into the inner Court That looketh towards the North. In the Courts about the Temple there were gates and doores towards the four quarters of the world which included this mistery that in due time the partition wall should be broken downe that stood between Jewes and Gentiles and all sorts from all parts should come into the true worship of the true God came they from East or West South or North there should be a doore open to let them in at this North-gate was the Image seated that the Prophet did first see Image of Jealousie Two things are to be opened here 1. What this Image was 2. Why cal'd an Image of Jealousie First It 's doubted amongst the Learned what Image this should be The most agree it was the Image of Baal it 's true that Josiah had taken away Baal and his Altars 2 Chron. 34. But Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin and Zedekiah had restored them again as is gathered from 2 Kings 23.37 and 24.9.19 2 Chron. 36.1.4 2. Why called the Image of Jealousie The Heathens had no Idols or Gods of that name nor is it so cal'd In reference unto them but 1. From the wicked zeale of Ahaz who as you read 2 K. 16. sent the pattern of an Altar at Damascus to Vriah who set it up for the honour of Baal at the North gate of the inner Court and to this Altar did Ahaz bring the Altar of the Lord vers 14. here was his zeale for Baal 2. Because it provoked God to Jealousie when God saw his owne Altar and Word to be so abused subjected to Baal that his people went a whoring from him to that shamefull thing he would beare no longer but was jealous for his honour discovers to the Prophet their great sin and his jealousie burning now against them This Image made the people forsake their God commit spirituall Adultery Jer. 7.30 and God would recompence it now unto them It was seated at the gate North-ward Because that way was the most frequent passage to the Temple Prado the ascent being not so steepy and difficult as other sides of the hil on which the Temple stood and for that Sacrifices came mostly from that side The Spirit is the agent of Christ by which he doth his works Obser 1. He put forth his hand and tooke hold of me The hand of a man is that which doth immediately take hold of a thing so the Spirit being the immediate agent which Christ useth is called a hand and doth what ever the Lord Christ will have done If he would have men walke in his Statutes keep his Judgements he puts his Spirit into men and by it causeth them to doe so Ezek. 36.27 That is the hand which over-acts them If he would have young or old prophesie it 's done by his Spirit Joel 2.28 And the Prophets gave out what the Spirit gave in to them Zech. 7.12 If the Lord Christ would not have Paul preach in Asia the holy Ghost forbids him if hee would goe into Bethynia the Spirit suffers him not Acts 16.6 7. If hee should preach the Spirit presseth him in his spirit Acts 18.5 Iâ—s Christs Spirit that mortifies our corruptions Rom. 8.13 which helps us to pray vers 26. It s the Spirit workes all graces in us Gal. 5.22 It 's not by might or power but by the Spirit Christ doth all Zech. 4.6 2. That holy men must be lift up out of themselves and above themselves if they would participate of Divine things The Spirit lift up the Prophet between earth and heaven Paul 2 Cor. 12.4 was caught up into Paradise where he heard the unspeakable words the Spirit of God had lifted him up above himselfe and all worldly things and then God spake such things to him as he never heard Revel 1.10 John was in the Spirit when he had those great and glorious Revelations Extra mundem peregrinabatur cum Domino he was in the Spirit that is in the hand of the Spirit and by the power thereof lift up and carryed above and out of himselfe There was not onely a pressure of the Spirit but a comprehension the Spirit comprehended him he was in a manner all Spirit and the more spirituall any is the more fit for converse with God and to have visions of God The naturall man receives not the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 It s not flesh and blood that reveales receives and judges of them men must be lifted up by the Spirit from the earth their earthly dispositions and affections before they are fit for Divine excellency Those have left the earth as Paul did and have their Conversations in heaven as he had they are fitted to know and partake of the great mysteries of Christ Selfe is the great lâ—tâ— to Divine things therefore Apostles were usually wrapt out of themselves when they had their visions 3. Christ by his Spirit makes known to the Prophet the sins of men the Spirit shewed him the Image of Iealousie and the Abhominations the people committed at Jerusalem Ezekiel was in Babylon and yet by the help of the Spirit he comes to see and know the doings of sinners at Jerusalem When they should heare Ezekiel had Prophesied or preached of their sins particularly they would wonder who had inform'd him of them as now when Ministers preach conscientiously and meet with the particular sinnes of men and women they think some or other have inform'd them told tales of them when it 's onely the Spirit of God hath directed them A godly Minister was charg'd to be a Conjurer because
swifter for wing or foote then the Eagle or Leopard yet the Chaldeans judgement was swifter then they Jeremiah Lam. 4.19 Our persecuters are swifter then the Eagles of heaven they made great hast Sinners are secure and dunk judgments slumbâ—r when they are upon their march upon the wing Jerem. 48.16 Moabs affl ction hasted fast it came flying And Isa 5.26 God hissed for the Chaldeans and they came with speed swiftly God hastneth judgement and no marvail he is provoked to it as an Army is provoked sometime to fight when there was no intention or if intention being stir'd fals to fight immedia ly Isa 5.19 Wicked men say let him make hast and hasten his work that we may see it and let the Counsell of the holy one of Israel draw nigh and come that we may know it They mocked the Prophet that told them of judgement captivity and destruction You say such things are decreed in heaven and must take place let us see them let them come Jerusalem is strong wel fortified c. As these provoke him by their sins so the godly importune him by their prayers Luke 18.8 He will avenge them speedily 5. That Angels have the care of Cities Kingdomes Communities committed to them Cause thâ—se have the charge over the City That was the Angels say interpreters and in the opening of the first Chapter I shewed you that Angels were employed in the government of the world Deut. 32.8 Juxta numerum Angelorum dei He set bounds according to the number of the childâ—en of Israel The Sept. hath it according to the number of the Angels of God as if they had the land divid d first among them and then the people were setled according to those divisions That in Dan. 10.20 Per gentes civitates divisae sunt Angelorum praefecturae Clem. Alex. l. 6. Sâ—rom l. 7. jussu divino antiquo per gentes sunt distributi Angeli is more cleare and full where the Angel tels Daniel that hee would fight with the Prince of Persia he would prevent his hindering their return to Jerusalem and when he should goe forth and leave the care of that Country the Prince of Greece should come namely Alâ—xander the Great and overthrow that Monarchy Clemens saith the charge of Angels was divided by Nations and Cities And Epiphan Hores 51. regna gentes sub Angelis posita sunt 6. When God calls Angels or any creatures at his command they come and are willing to contribute any power or strength they have to damnifie and destroy Gods enemies Psal 78.49 2 Chron. 32.21 2 Sam. 24.16 It was at Gods command that the waters drown'd the world that fire and brimstone consum'd Sodome that the starres fought against Sisera and that the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram VERS 2. And behold sixe men came from the way of the higher gate which lyeth toward the North and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand and one man among them was cloath'd with linnen with a writers inkhorn by his side and they went in and stood beside the Brazen Altar IN this verse you have the effect of the former command those had the charge of the City being call'd appeare and here is considerable 1. How they are cal'd Men. 2. Their number 6. men 3. Whence they came From the way of the higher gate c. 4. The manner of their appearance Every man with a slaughter weapon in his hand 5. Another man added and described 1. From his place among them 2. From a double adjunct 1. Of his cloathing he was cloathed with linnen 2. Of an Inkhorn he had a writers inkehorn by his side 6. What they did They went and stood at the Brazen Altar Men. They were Angels but are call'd men because they appeared in humane shape which was ordinary in antient times Gen. 18.2 3. Angels like 7. men appeared to Abraham the Angels came to Lot were like men Gen. 19.5 And Gabriel that came to Daniel is called the man Gabriel Dan. 9.21 They have not the true bodies of men but are reall bodies form'd into the likenesse of mens bodies which are easily assum'd and easily depos'd for the union between the Angel assuming the body and the body assumed is not substantiall like the union between mans soule and body nor hypostaticall like the union betweene Christs humane and divine nature nor accidentall but it is assistentiall Suarez de Angel l. 5. c. 36. the Angel is in the body per intimâ—m substantialem presentiam tanqum motor ad mobile cum particulari respectu ad peculiarem usum ejus As the body holds out something of the soule so doth the body assum'd hold out somewhat of an Angell and therefore when Angels appeared they feared they knew them to be more then men Sixe men Sixe Devils saith Jerom sixe Angels saith Theodoret and most Interpreters goe that way Some think by these sixe were represented the principall leaders of the Chaldean Army mentioned Jer. 39.3 Nergal Sharezer Samgar-Nebo Sarsechim Rabsaris Nergal-Sharezer Rabmag But here were 7. or 8. as the Originall runnes and other Princes beside Others interpret these sixe of the Kingdomes that helped Nebuchadnezzar in this service as the Elomites Ammonites Idumeans Moabites Midianites and some of Palestine Oâ—hers to whom the chiefe care of the War was committed More probable it is that sixe are named in reference to the three parts of Jerusalem and the chiefe gates therein 2 Kings 14.13 There you have the gate of Ephraim and the corne gate and these were in oppido Benjaminis Neh. 12.39 Zach. 14.10 You have the olde gate Jer. 1.16 and the fish-gate and those were in the City of David Neh. 3.14 The dung gate and porta gregis and they were in oppido Judae these were the chiefe gates and ledde into the chiefe streete To these its likely do the six Angels referre intimating that a destroyer should come in at every chiefe gate of Jerusalem these six Angels should bring in the chiefe leaders of the Chaldean forces with their Regiments at these gates Or by these sixe you may understand the whole Army of Nebuchadnezzar a part being put for the whole Came from the way of the higher gate towards the North. This gate was a Temple-gate not a City-gate 2 Chron. 27.3 Jotham built the high gate of the house of the Lord and this was cal'd the New-gate also Jeâ— 20.2 Jer. 26.10 The Princes sate downe in the new gate of the Lords house This gate looked North-ward toward Chaldea and that way these six men came pointing out whence their misery should come and where it should begin Jer. 6.2 Evill appeareth out of the North and great destruction Pradus in loc On the Northsid Nebuchadnezzar made his entrance and not onely he but Antiochus and Titus as Josephus observes Every one appeared with a slaughter-weapon in his hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
God for â—â— as man but he mediated then ut homo promissus now hee mediates ut homo exhibitus Isa 53.5 The Prophet speaking of Christ saith he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed The Prophets faith and in his the faith of the Jewish Church looked upon Christ as already wounded slain and fetched healing vertue from his stripes Christs death was their life his Crosse their crown 2. That the Lord Christ is the chief Commander of all Angelicall and humane forces he was in the midst of these six military Angels that were to bring in the Chaldean forces at the severall gates of the City Hee was their Generall from him they had their Commissions and without a word from him they could not stirre All power in heaven and earth was given him Math. 28. His prerogative it was and is to call forth Angels and send out Armies Rev. 19.4 The Armies which were in heaven followed him that is Christ hee was their Leader and his name is King of Kings and Lord of Lords vers 16. And certainly where Christ goes in the head of Armies there will bee great slaughter 3. When judgements are abroad and the godly are in danger Christ mediates and intercedes for them Now the Jewish Church and State were at the doore of destruction and publâ—que calamities ready to involve all Christ he appears like a Priest with linnen cloaths to offer sacrifice on their behalfe and to mediate for them When imminent dangers were at hand or judgments upon the people the Pâ—iests were to appear to stand between the Lord and them making intercession for them Num. 16.47 And so in Joel 2.17 Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weepe between the porch and the Altar and say spare thy people O Lord. And here Christ being a merc full h gh Priest shewes himselfe and interposeth for the Saints who were to meet with a terrible tempest The like did Christ when he was in the flesh on earth he saw what a storm was comming upon Jerusalem what persecution upon the Saints and therefore John 17. he intercedes with his Father for Apostles and believers vers 16.20 When Steven was questioned and in jeopardy of his â—if heaven was opened and he saw Christ standing at the right hand of God Christ pleaded his cause propitiated for his sins and incouraged him in his sufferings 4. Christ hath a speciall care of his in times of trouble he appears with an Inkhorn to write down wâ—â—â— is said and done against them to make known the mind of Gâ—d to them to seal and discriminate them from others to givâ—â— mâ—â—â—ssi â—s to those he employes to cut off the enemies of â—is peoâ—lâ— Rev. 7 2 3. There were four Angels had power given them to haâ—â— the earth sea but there was another Angell ascending from the East having the seal of the living God viz. Christ for so Expositors understand it and this Angell the Lord Christ cryed with a loud voyce saying hurt not the earth neither the sea nor the trees till we have sealed the servants of God in their fore-heads Christ had great care of his Churches for by Earth Sea Trees some of the learned understand the Church in severall places by Earth the Inland Churches by Sea the Maritime and by Trees the mountaine and woodland Churches Christ would not have these hurt till all the godly in them were sealed It s prophecyed in Mal. 4.1 2. That when it 's a fiery day of the LORD the Sonne of righteousnesse shall rise with healing in his wings to them that feare the LORD Chap. 1.3 4. When the locusts came out of the bottomlesse pit and had power like Scorpions given them to sting and doe hurt there was a command that they should not hurt the grasse of the earth nor any green thing nor any tree That is No Christian that had life in him weak or strong but only those had not the seale of God in their fore-heads that is those had no life no greennesse in them and they were subject to hurt others Mar. 4. when the Disciples were in a grievous storm the waves beat so into the shipp that they fill'd it they were affraid and suspeâ—ted the care of Christ and therefore said Mr. carest thou not that we perish Yea saith Christ I have a speciall care of you and presently you shall see it he rebuked the winds said to the sea peace he still and immediately the wind ceased and there was a calme And from rebuking the winds Seas he fals to rebuke them for their fear and faithlesnesse they perceiv'd not yet that he cared for them aswell sleeping as waking though his body slept yet his spirit was awake his care for his is constant and intense When he was to leave the world how full of trouble were the hearts of his Apostles and how full of care and compassion was Christ towards them laying down severall grounds of comfort for them in the 14 15 16 and 17. Chapt. of John 5. Those are upon great and publique designs should begin with God consult with him These 7. here go in and stand by the Altar enquire of God what his pleasure is whither he will send them what he had to doe for them and what ever it was that hee would counsell and prosper them So have the Worthies of God done Ezra 8.21 When he was to come from Babylon about the great work of the Temple he sought God extraordinarily for direction assistance and protection which he obtain'd of God vers 23. Jehoshaphat when the Moabites Ammonites and others came out to warre against him hee began with the Lord in prayer and fasting and from him had encouragement and successe 2 Chro. 20. So Asa he began with God when Zerah had a thousand thousand in the field against him he knew that the Lord was the Lord of Hosts and that thâ—â—e uncircumcised ones came against him therefore lookes up to him and saith O Lord thou art our God let not man prevaile against thee and hereupon the Lord smote the Ethiopians 2 Chron. 14.11 12. One reason why Armies miscary is because they confide in their owne strength and policy and leane not wholly upon the Lord seeking to him in the first place Joshuah miscaryed in a great businesse in making peace with the Gibeonites Josh 9. and the reason is given they asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord vers 14. All businesses for the right managing and successe of them depend upon the Lord it 's he blesses or curses therefore it 's wisdome it 's necessary to looke up to him at the beginning lest through neglect of Divine Majesty wee lay the foundation of our enterprizes in wrath Christ being to choose Apostles which was a great work he prayed all night before Luke 6.12 13. And the Angels that were to powre out the vials
confesse and own the man before his Father in heaven who shall confesse and own him here on earth It s a great priviledge to be owned by the Lord Heb. 11.16 God is not asham'd to be called their God Notwithstanding all the Saints sinnes and infirmities God is not ashamed of them When they were in Aegypt God owned them Ezod 3.6 7. he tels Moses he was the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and that he had surely seene the affliction of his people Victoria a holy Virgin under Dioclesian being asked by the Proconsul if shee would goe with her brother Fortunatianus a Heathen answered no because I am a Christian and they are my brethren which keepe the commands of God Let not us be asham'd of God and his cause but openly and truly professe him and his wayes wee shall loose nothing by it 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I wil honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed If we have shame with men and honor with God vilified on earth be accepted in heaven we have no cause to be discouraged It s likely the godly here were reproached threatned hardly used but because they honour'd God God own'd them and who ever honour'd God and was not honour'd by him The 3. children would not obey Nebuchadnezzars command nor worship his image Dan. 3. but honour the God of Israel trust in him for help rather dye in his cause then dishonour him at all and did not the Lord honour them with his presence Acts 3.18 19 20.31 with safety and deliverance VVhen Peter and John were bold in the cause of Christ and would preach the truth notwithstanding the command of Rulers to the contrary presently after God honour'd them miraculously shaking the house and filling them all with the holy Ghost and if you ask how you shall honour God it 's answered by purging your selves from the corruptions of the times 2 Tim. 2.20 If a man purge himselfe he shall be a vessell unto honour and by standing for the truths of the times 7. Another observation is that the faithfull are so far from complying with the wickednesse of the times that they sigh and cry for the abhominations thereof 1. They comply not wickednesse is powerfull and hath its arguments of pleasure profit countenance to draw good men to side with her but they are things intractable How can I doe this wickednesse Gen. 39.9 and sinne against God David hee would not sit with the wicked he hated the congregation of evill doers Psalm 26.5 And see what he resolved upon Psal 101.4 5 6 7 8. he would rather cut them off then countenance them Grace is as strong in the Saints as corruption is in the wicked The vigor of faith 1 John 5.4 The power of the Spirit 1 John 4.4 And the efficacy of Christs prayer John 17.15.20 doe keep the servants of God from complying with the wicked When all flesh had corrupted its wayes yet Noah was incorrupt Gen. 6.9 Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation Ahab could not get Micaiah to comply with the Court and suit with the humour of the times Godly are like fish in salt waters they grow not brackish they loose not of their sweetnesse Zacharie and Elizabeth in the great corruptions at Christs comming in the great scarcity of good men yet they walked in all the commandements of the Lord blamelesse not in the commands of the high Priests and Pharisees Isa 8.11 God hath spoken to the righteous with a strong hand and instructed them that they should not walke in the wayes of the wicked here the godly did not bow to the Image of Jealousie joyne with the 70. Elders in offering Incense they wept not for Tammuz they put not the branch to their nose 2. They sigh and cry for the abhominations are in their times they bewaile the sins of others Psal 119.53 Horrour hath taken hold on me because of the wicked that forsake thy law vers 158. I beheld the transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy word Lot 2 Pet. 2.7 was vexed with the filthy conversation of the Sodomites Yea vexed from day to day what he saw and heard was a continuall vexation unto him The Lord Christ Mar. 8.12 He sighed deeply in his spirit said why doth this generation seek after a signe when they honour'd him with their garments cast in the way when they acknowledged him King and magnified him Luke 19.36.38 even then he weeps over Jerusalem for her impenitency others sins and the judgments of God comming upon her vers 41. The two witnesses Rev. 11.3 prophecy in sack-cloath which was the habit of mourners Mordecai Daniel the Ninevites and others when they mourn'd wore sack-cloath so did these witnesses bewailing the abhominations and tyranny of Anti-christ the desolations of the Church and delusions of the people 2 Cor. 12.21 When I come again I feare my God will humble mee among you and that I shall bewaile many which have sinned already and have not repented of the uncleanness fornication and lascivious which they have committed This mourning is 1. hearty reall they sigh they groane it 's not a light matter the abhominations were weighty and pressing upon their spirits 2 Pet. 2.7 the word there for vexed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud Laert in lycone Morbo ◠confectus debilitatus is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it s then to be rendred word for word oppres'd under the conversation of the ungodly in wantonnesse the ungodli's wanton wicked conversation is an oppressing evill unto the godly and afflicts their hearts as the Aegyptians afflicted the Israelites Acts 7.24 Moses avenged the oppressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lots soul was vexed vers 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he tormented wracked his soule a metaphor taken from engines they did torment withall his soule was troubled as a man upon the wrack Ier. 4.19 My bowels my bowels I am pained at my very heart What was the matter there was the sound of the trumpet and war 2. As it was cordial so it was constant and great griefe they sighed and cryed a little sufficed not it continued Ier. 9.1 2. Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountaine of tears that I might weepe day and night The Prophet wished himselfe turned into waters into a fountain that weeping day and night he might with a flood of teares carry downe the floods of iniquity which he saw So Ezra 9.3 when he saw the holy seed match with strangers the Princes and Rulers to be chiefe in the trespasses he rent his garments plucked off the haire of his head and beard and sate downe astonied his grief was such as made him astonied 3. It s inward and outward they sigh they cry there are expressions of their griefe it was not hidden but ev'dent they declared how their soules were oppressed how they were fil'd with griefe and could not forbeare Christ
wept over Ierusalem Micah when hee considered the sinnes of Samaria and Ierusalem with the heavy judgements were comming Chap. 1.8 saith I will waile and howle I will goe stript and naked as if sorrow had bereft him of his wits I will make a wailing like the Dragons and mourning like the Owles Vid. a Lapid Sanct. what they say of the Dragon and Owles mourning great mourning with outward expressions are set out thereby Iob 30.29 I am a brother to Dragons and a companion to Owles or Ostriches 4. Universall not for some few or great abhominations but for all the abhominations Church State City Family-abhominations they laid all to heart and left none unbewail'd Why doe the godly sigh and cry 1. God is dishonoured by the sins of others as well as by our owne and the godly are grieved when God is dishonour'd by any Psalm 119.136 Rivers of waters run down mine eyes because they keepe not thy law Davids afflictions drew not so many tears from him as the sins of others not his banishment by his sonne as the breach of Gods law by the wicked Nothing went so to his heart as the dishonour of God whose glory shining in his word and Ordinances is dearer to the godly then their lives Elijah desired to dye when he saw God so dishonoured by Ahab and Iezabel The eye is for two things for sight and tears if we see God dishonoured presently our eyes should be filled with teares 2. If we mourn not for the sins of others we draw them upon us we make them ours they mourned here for all their abhominations left they should be found guilty of any And 1 Cor. 5. The Corinthians were d filed with the sin of the incestuous person because they did not mourn and doe their duty to affect his heart or remove him from their body Bradford praid the Lord to forigve him his other mens sins 3. It 's argument we mourn for sin as sin when we mourn for it in others Sinne is the breach of the Law any where and if I grieve sigh cry for it in my selfe and not in others it s some selvish respect not the nature of sinne which causeth that mourning he hates poison as poison hates it every where in whose handsoever it be and he mourns for sinne as sin would neither himselfe nor have others violate the law of God 4. The sins of others are of a destroying nature as well as our own they may destroy Armies States Churches Councels Eccl. 9.18 One sinner destroyeth much good One Achan one murtherer may undoe a land he defiles it brings perill upon it 2 Sam. 21. 1 2 3. God appointed a speciall sacrifice to expiate murther Deut. 21. and no satisfaction was to be taken for a murtherers life Numb 35.31 Saul slays the Gibeonites unjustly and the 3. years famine is upon David and his people The death of the Levites Concubine and Benjamins refusall to deliver up the Delinquents to justice caused a bloody Warre and the death of above 65000. men 5. It argues strength of grace to mourn for others sins censuring and reproaching of others for their sins argues strength of corruption and mourning for them argues strength of grace a sound spiritual constitution such an one was in Christ he prayed for the hardnesse of others hearts Mar. 3.5 6. They mourn for abhominations they doe great service for the places where they live they stand in the gappe they keep off Gods judgements When the people had sinn'd in making a Calfe and Gods judgments were breaking in upon them did not Moses mourn weepe pray before the Lord and keepe off the sad things were hastning towards them Psal 106.23 He said he would have destroyed them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath least he should destroy them Mordecai is bitternesse he mourned for Hamans villany bloodines evil befalling Gods people and prov'd a deliverer of them he was a son of contrition and after a sonne of consolation The mourners teares oft quench the fire of Gods wrath divert judgements if not but destruction comes as here yet the mourners have this testimony in their breast that they drew not down the vengeance on the Church or State 7. They are blessed that mourn Math. 5. These here were marked had testimonies of Gods good will towards them Jeremie was a mourner Chap. 9.1 and Chap. 15.11 saith God there I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evill Here was a blessing promised and the faithfull God could not but perform it When the earth is watered by the heavens its blessed but when the earth waters the heavens when we put tears into the Lords bottle when wee mourn and weepe for the abhominations of the earth there is a greater blessing Psal 12.5 For the sighing of the needy I will arise and set c. Isa 57.18 I will restore comfort unto him and to his mourners 8. Others mourn for the sins of men that are not men The land mourns because of swearing Ier. 23.10 The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in paine Rom. 8.22 For what should we mourn 1. For effusion of so much blood in the Kingdome and spoiling so many Townes when Ziklag was burnt it s said David and those with him wept till they had no more power to weepe 1 Sam. 30 4. What would David do if he were now alive amongst us to see Countries and Kingdomes consum'd with civill wars Isa 22.4 Looke away from me I will weepe bitterly labour not to comfort me because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people For it is a day of trouble and treading downe Josh 7.9 and of perplexity by the Lord God of hoasts in the valley of vision breaking downe the walls and flying to the mountaines Ier. 31.15 A voyce was heard in Ramah lamentation and bitter weeping Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted because they were not Rachel was buryed in Bethlehem Gen. 35.19 and Rama was not far from it she is put for the Bethlemiticall women who wept bitterly for their children were slain and carried that way into captivity and should not England weep because thousands of her children are not many precious ones are gone the sword hath drunk their blood If Martha and Mary wept for one Lazarus the friend of Christ why should not all our Martha's and Maries weepe when so many Lazarusses so many friends of Christ have been cut off Isa 57.1 The righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart 2. That Justice takes not place but rather injustice and oppression Isa 59.11 We roare all like beares and mourn sore like doves we looke for judgement but there is none And vers 14 15. Justice stands afar off equity cannot enter he that departs from evill makes himselfe a prey and the Lord saw it and it displeased him that there was no judgement The oppressed cry 3. For
first Cherub went thither went all the rest but the Text will not indulge this interpretation for it 's said they went upon their four sides that is into the severall ways their sides were towards and so could not follow one another Others understand by head the Cherub design'd to each wheele as vers Caput cujusque so Pisc renders the word 9. the four wheels were by the Cherubims One wheele by one Cherub and another wheel by another Cherub so that every wheel had his head that is his Cherub and whither that head looked thither went that wheele but we may ascend some-what higher and make the head either he sate in the Throne and spake to the man cloathed with linnen or the spirit who guided the motions both in the living creatures and the wheels Ch. 1.12.20 whither the spirit was to goe they went Here the Spirit was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the head or first mover and I conceive there is no danger in putting it higher then the Cherubims Obser 1. The motions of all inferiour things are directed by a superior Head which is over them they move not when and whether they lift but as their Head will have them be the Head the Cherubims the Spirit or Jehovah It 's the head regulates and orders them they cannot move of themselves they goe whether the Head looks whither the Spirit will have them goe when the Lord commands The body of man goes that way and then when the head will have it and so it 's with all wheels all creatures their motions are at the Lord will have them If Angels move the wheels the Spirit and the Lord move the Angels and they cannot but make such motions and commotions in the world If there be great winds tempests wars bitter divisions falshood and treachery plundering burning oppression c. the wheels move that way their head looks and follow their head a superiour guide leads them If they break some raise others if their motions be swift dangerous bloody they are moved by one is over them 2. That the wheels are constant in and intent too their motions appointed they turn not as they goe they keep on their way and it 's twice mentioned they turned not as they went they followed their head they turned not as they went Which double mentioning of their not turning sets out their intentnesse upon their way and work and that wee should take speciall notice of it because we think the wheels may move otherwise and other ways but they cannot the Lord sits in the Chariot commanding the wheels what way and how to move the Spirit is in them and carries them on the Cherubims are by and help forward the motions so that the wheels must oppose the Angels and God himselfe if they move otherwise then they doe they cannot stop their motions much lesse turn their motions The 12. verse tels you of their eyenesse body backs hands wings wheels Bodie In the Hebrew it's flesh Some expound Vulg. corpus earum all said here of the wheels both Jerome and others by body or flesh they understand the bulke of the wheeles by backes the rings about the wheels so they are call'd Chap. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Hebrew word is backs By hand and wings they mean the spokes of the wheeles which extend themselves like hands feathers from the gnavestock to the circumference By the wheele some intend the Globe or Gnavestock in the midst in which is the Axletree Others the whole Chariot and the only reason I find given is this He had spoken immediately before of the wheels and after in this verse is mention of them and why the Cherubims should be brought in here seemeth not so reasonable But it 's not so harsh as to expound flesh hands and wings of the wheels and we know that he had spoken not long before of the Cherubims vers 9. And if head refer to the Cherubims as some make it then they are spoken of in the 11. vers immediately before this and if because eyes were given to the wheels in the 1. Chapter and not to the Cherubims therefore here they must be confin'd to the wheels upon the same ground Their hands and wings because they are given to the Cherubims in the 1. Chapter and not to the wheels must here be confin'd to the Cherubims I doe therefore fall in with them who doe refer Body Backs Hands Wings unto the Cherubims which in these visions doe more properly belong to the Cherubims then to the wheels Full of eyes round about Here is a difference from that in the 1. Chap. vers 18. It 's said there the Rings were full of eyes here that all even wheels and Cherubims were full of eyes and he that sate in the Throne even the Lord he is full of eyes Obser 1. That the motions of causes and creatures here below are not casuall or disorderly the wheels and Cherubims are full of eyes they see and know their way the worke they have to doe the place they are to goe unto the eye of providence is in every creature and every motion Things appeare to us very casuall and disorderly but there be eyes in the wheels no motion of them is injudicious or out of course If these eyes were blind sleepy vitiated or shut then there would be strange motions just ground of complaint but the eyes of Providence are ever open they slumber not they are not corrupted with any vitious humours they see clearly and distinctly and in what ever they are as they are in all wheels publique or private little or great they make the motions judicious and orderly When things fall out contrary or besides your expectations you say they are mischances but you are mistaken In Sea or Land affairs in Martiall Magisteriall or Ministeriall yea domestick affairs what ever falls out is an act of Providence surprizing or sinking of ships disappointment of Counsels defeating of Armies escape of Prisoners interception of Letters firing of Towns drownings selfe-murtherings divisions of brethren clandestine marriages abortions divorces the eyes of Providence are in them all and heavens intentions are accomplished in them 2. There is much glory and beauty in the workes of Divine Providence all the wheels and Cherubims are full of eyes the wheels have eyes round about not in one place but in every place the Cherubims their bodies backs hands and wings are full of eyes And Rev. 4.8 They are full of eyes within they are inwardly and outwardly glorious beautifull Mans eyes adde not so much beauty and glory to his face as these eyes do to the works of God in the world The Peacocks train which is full of eyes how beautifull and glorious is it yet farre short of the beauty and glory is in Gods government of the world When the Queen of Sheba saw so much wisdome in a man so much glory and beauty in the order of his house
contritio aedificemus igitur domus and so Vatablus onely igitur he leaves out Contrition destruction is not near let us therefore build houses this interpretation we condemn not Montanus goeth that way The Sept. have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and addes contritio in the margent Nonne neviter aedificatae sunt domus are not houses lately or newly built The Heb. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not near to build houses here is an infinitive put for an imperative to build for let us build or let houses be built It is not near what is not near the desolation threatned that they said was not near Jer. had told them of the Lords wrath and that a sore captivity was at hand and because God had forbade him to marry and beget children because they should be destroyed as you have it Jer. 16.2 3. Thou shalt not take thee a wife neither shalt thou have sonnes or daughters in this place For thus saith the Lord concerning the sonnes and concerning the daughters that are born in this place and concerning their mothers that bare them and concerning their fathers that begat them in this land they shall dye of grievous deaths they shall not be lamented neither shall they be buried but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth and they shall be consumed by the sword and by famine and their carkasses shall be meat for the fowls of heaven and for the beasts of the earth These sad tidings had Jeremy made known as being given not only for himselfe but others and hereupon he writ to the captives in Babylon that they should build houses plant gardens Non prope est construantur domus Castal Procul absunt qua minantur vates Idem take wives to themselves and sonnes that they might encrease and not diminish as they were like to doe at Jerusalem Jer. 29.5 6. Because of these things the people were full of feares refused to build and plant hereupon these Princes of the people counselled things contrary to God and the Prophet and said it is not neare what Jeremie threatens or any other Prophet those things they speak of are far off according to that in Ezek. 12.22 The dayes are prolonged and every vision faileth And v. 27. Hee prophecieth of the times that are afar off therefore fall a building plant multiply and increase there is no such danger as you dream of Some carries iâ— thus houses are not to be built in nearnesse to the City and so make it military counsell as if these Princes would not have any Suburbs or neighbouring villages which might advantage the enemy if hee should come and take them and so shut up the City therefore they conceive these words import thus much houses are not to be built neare that is they are to be pull'd downe and the rubbish removed This Citie is the cauldron and we be the flesh These words have their difficulty in them If you take the last sense of the former words then you may understand these thus wee are threatned to be boil'd in the siege of this City by the Chaldeans as flesh is boil'd in a cauldron but we will take a course to prevent that we will pull down all the houses without the walls of the City and near hand so that the enemy shall not come neare us and then we shall see what truth is in it that this City is the cauldron and we the flesh Had they such an opportunity to sit downe in the houses they would besiege us streightly presse us with famine be as a fire to this City and consume us to nothing Others think these words spoken scoffingly against Jeremiah who Chap. 1.13 had said I see a seething pot it 's the same word is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and here it 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cauldron the seething pot Jeremie had prophecyed that the enemy shâ—uld come from the North and besiege them in the City that they should be as flesh in a cauldron boiled with the Chaldean fire till they were consumed this they mock at This City is the cauldron and we are the flesh saith that false and lying Prophet for you see wee are as before we neâ—d not fear Chaldeans A cauldron 1. is made of strong materials as brasse or the like 2. It will endure the fire many yeares before it be consum'd 3. It conteins the flesh put into it and that is not to be taken out till it be throughly boyl'd Hence upon these grounds they scoffed at Jeremie If the City be the cauldron it 's a strong City and hath brazen walls it will endure the fire let the Chaldeans come as thou sayest if we be a cauldron their fire will not melt us and though they doe boile us yet we shall not be taken out of this cauldron to be eaten before we are throughly boyl'd till old age death it selfe take us out of it Thus did these Princes prophane that Prophesie bred security in the hearts of the people fed them with hopes of liberty and long life Or thus you may take it if this Citie be the cauldron and we the flesh we will rather be boyled in it then be destroyed by the sword we wil rather dye in the fire be boyl'd to death then fall into the hands of our enemies we will rather dye here then yeeld our selves into their hands be slain out of the City or be carryed into Babylon but we feare no such thing Thus these Princes eluded the Propheticall threats hardned the people in their ill waye and ripen'd them for destruction Our Prophet was acted in these visions by the Spirit Obser 1. sometimes it entered into him sometime it fell upon him and sometime it lifted him up Chap. 2.2 Chap. 3.24 The spirit entered into me Chap. 1.3.8.1 The hand of the Lord that is the Spirit came upon me fell upon me and Chap. 3.12 The spirit tooke mee up and here the spirit lift me up The Spirit had much to doe with our Prophet and so with all the Prophets they were acted by the Spirit in all their visions and prophesies they were lift up above themselves and out of themselves when they were to have cognizance of Divine things 2. The Spirit is God it knows men and their ways it discoverd them unto the Prophet Here the Spirit took notice of these men what devises they had in their heads what counsell they gave and acquainted the Prophet with them so before in the 8. Chap. the Spirit shewed him the Image of Jealousie the 70. men that were offering Incensâ— to the Idolls the women that wept for Tammuz the 25. men that worshipped the Sunne and put the branch to their nose as it 's said of the Sun Psal 19.6 there is nothing hid from the heate thereof So much more of the Spirit there is nothing hid from his knowledge 1 Cor. 2.10 The spirit searcheth all things all in heaven
make a full end of the remnant of Israel Joshuah when the men fell before Aâ— and Israel fled look'd not onely at the losse of those men fell but as the hazard of all Josh 7.7 Hast thou brought this people over Jordan to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us So when Gods wrath brake in a little upon the people in Moses dayes hee feared lest the sea of Gods wrath should come in at once upon them therefore he stood in the bryars Psal 106.23 to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them When a cloud riseth droppeth a little they fear a great storm a deluge and therefore looke at the publique they know what God hath said when I begin I will make an end VESS 14 15 Again the word of the Lord came unto me saying Sonne of man thy brethren even thy brethren the men of thy kindred and all the house of Israel wholly are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said Get ye farre from the Lord unto us is this land given in possession THese words are an answer to the Prophets deprecation of judgement he had pleaded with God to spare the residue of Israel the Lord tels him that the inhabitants of Jerusalem looked upon them as none of the Lords people upon the Land City Temple Ordinances as theirs only they thought the captives had nothing to doe with God but were an abject people like the Babylonians and Heathens cut off from God the holy Land and holy things now saith God see whom thou hast interceded for are these fit to be spared wilt thou have those that hate thee and the rest of the captives to lye at peace in Jerusalem The Lord sets them out before the Prophet what kind of persons they were and leaves it upon his thoughts to consider of them and gives not in the compleat answer till after in vers 21. Or thus the Prophet feared lest God would now destroy all and so his Church perish altogether but God here intimates to him that the residue of Israel lay not in the 25. mentioned before nor in them that were in Jerusalem but rather in those who were gone into captivity thy brethren even thy brethren the men of thy kindred c. He calls his thoughts to them would rather have him look at them the seed of the Church the persons to whom the promises belonged of whom should come the Messiah then the others Thy brethren The word brethren hath divers acceptions in Scripture 1. It notes the common nature of man as in Gen. 29.4 saith Jacob Whence are ye my brethren 2. Those are born of the same parents one or both Gen. 37.11.23 Mat. 20.24 3. Such as are of kindred by consanguinity or affinity so Christs kinsmen were call'd his brethren 1 Cor. 9.5 4. Those agree together and are partners in any businesse at Simeon and Levi were brethen in iniquity in murthering the Shechemites Gen. 49.5 5. Those are godly true believers that doe the will of God Mat. 12.49 Heb. 2.11 1 Tim. 4.6 1 Thes 5.27 6. Them that are of the same calling Numb 18.2 Ezr. 6.20 2 Cor. 8.23 Lastly Those are of the same Countrey and Nation Rom. 9.2 Paul could wish himselfe accurs'd for his brethren who were Israelites of the Jewish nation In what sense to take brethren is doubtfull because the verse speaks afterwards of the men of his kindred and all the house of Israel so that hereby two acceptions of the word seem to be excluded and the 1.2 d and 4th are not intended We may take brethren here for those of the same calling French is lez hommes de ton parentage Cast Tuae consanguinitatis homines Pisc Consanguinei tui Vulg Propinqui tui Jun. tre necessarij tui The heb is viri redemptionis tui MoÌ„t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as were Priests and Prophets few the Levites but because these were few wee may take in also the kindred of the Prophet for the words are not thy brethren and the men of thy kindred as making a difference betweene these but thus are the words thy brethren even thy brethren the men of thy kindred Men of thy kindred Heb. is the men of thy redemption The law of redemption was that if a man were waxen poore and had sold his house land or any person some kinsman was to redeem it as you may see Levit. 25.25 and usually the nearest Kâ—nsman was to doe it and the words if any of his kin come to redeem it in the Hebr. are ubà goalo bakkarob elas venerit redemptor ejus ille qui propinquus ad eum he that is neare to him it lay upon him was nearest of blood to redeem house land or persons and also to revenge the blood of persons if slain Numb 35.12 and therefore is rendred here by some viri vindiciarum tuarum the men of thy avengements Both these do set out near kinsmen and therefore it 's likely here are meant some speciall kindred of the Prophets All the house of Israel All that were in Babylon carryed away with Jechâ—niah it 's spoken synechdochically Israel for Judah Are they These words are not in the Originall but here are many nominative cases absolute without any verb to referre to or depend upon Thy brethren even thy brethren the men of thy kindred and all the house of Israel wholly This is usuall in the holy writ Psal 11.4 The Lord in his holy Temple the Lords throne in heaven So Ephes 3.1 For this cause I Paul a prisoner of Christ for you Gentiles It 's so in many places which may be to make us heed the more what we read Vnto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said get ye farre from the Lord c. In this part of the verse is laid down the unjust proceedings of the men at Jerusalem against those in Babylon and it appeares in these things 1 They judge them not the Lords people and so deny them communion with God and his wo ship therefore say Get ye far from the Lord. 2. They arrogate Gods Temple and the worship of it to themselves which is implyed 3. They challenge the land and all in it to be theirs To us is this land given in possession 4. They spake those words with disdain and scorn against the captives they said get yee far from the Lord yee are none of our brethren none of the Church yee are of Babylon we are of Sion yee were a foolish and timorous company void of counsell and spirit in leaving your own Countrey this City and Temple Get yee farre from the Lord. They deemed God was no where but in the Temple And Chap. 8.6 their abhominations had caused God to goe farre from his Sanctuary it 's probable that from this phrase the Heathens took up those passages of thir◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 procul este prophani Schotti adagia sacra p. 19. Lavat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
John 9.35 and Isa 66.5 When their Brethren that hated them cast them out then was the gracious promise given in he shall appeare to your joy and they shall be ashamed Ill manners occasion good Lawes and rough dealings have drawne forth sweet promises 2. Afflictions be they of what nature soever are the acts of God they were deprived of their Countrey all their comforts there they were in a sad Captivity mingled among the Heathen but who did this Was it their owne act The Babylonians or any others No the Lord takes it upon himselfe I have cast them a farre off I have scattered them it was his counsell power and providence did it who ever were the instruments The Scripture denyes afflictions to be from beneath they spring not out of the dust Job 5.6 the root of them is not in the earth but in Heaven it therefore attributes all of them to God Mich. 1.12 Evill came down from the Lord unto the Gate of Jerusalem It s evill indefinitely what ever evill came nigh that City is came from the Lord he created it he sent it and not onely what was without the City but all in the City Amos 3.6 Shall there be evill in a City and the Lord hath not done it It s an interrogation and vehemently affirmes that all is the worke of God Men take not notice of the hand of God in affliction and therefore the Lord is oft brought in and presented as the true and onely Author of them the instruments are eyed by us and we are vexed at them and greatly perplex our selves that creatures of the same ranke and condition we are in should harme us and afflict us but did we see the Lord in all it would qu et and still our spirits whatever the agents were God would have us to take notice of this Isa 45.6 7. That they may know from the rising of the Sunne and from the West that there is none besides me I am the Lord and there is none else I form the light and create darknesse I make peace and create evill I the Lord doe all these things Man doth none of them 3. God is mindfull of his threats and faithfull in performing of them He had long before in the dayes of Moses told them that if they sinned against him they should be plucked off the Land they possessed and be scattered awong the Heathen Dan. 28.63.64 Levit. 26.33 and see it here performed I have cast them out I have scattered them among the Countries God is not forgetfull of what he hath threatned against sinners he hath his times to fulfill his threats though some thousand yeares after There is a Propheticall threat in Hag. 2.22 which is probable that the Lord is now thinking of and fulfilling I will overthrow the throne of Kingdomes and I will destroy the strength of the Kingdomes of the Heathen I will overthrow the Charriots and those that ride in them the Horses and their riders shall come downe every one by the Sword of his Brother Some interpret this place of Zerubbabel literally and some shaking of Heaven and Earth was then some great changes were made but the most interpret it of Zerubbabel mysticall of Christ and his Kingdome so Dâ—odate takes it God for the advance of his Church under the Gospell will overthrow the throne of Kingdomes all power and greatnesse that is against the Kingdome of his Sonne and how shall it be done by Warres mostly by civill Warres Every one by the Sword of his Brother God in his wise providence shall stirre up Kingdomes and Kings one against another and they shall break themselves and each other in pieces that his truth and faithfulnesse may be seen 4. Afflictions are not alwayes arguments of Divine hatred God had cast them a farr off and scattered them among the Countries this the Inhabitants of Jerusalem tooke to be an argument of Gods hatred that he had forsaken them that now they were none of his people they conceived such great judgements upon them could not stand with Gods love but the Lords thoughts differ from mans he look'd upon them as his people as the true Church as dearer to him then they at Jerusalem as those he would be a Sanctuary unto If great afflictions were arguments of the Lords hatred and wrath then Noah Job and Daniel were hated of God they had exceeding great affl ction Noah saw a World drown'd Job had all pluckt from him his Friends and Wife against him yea God also in appearance Daniel was a Captive cast into the Lyons Den yet how deare were these to the Lord Noah God accepted his Sacrifice Gen 8.21 Blessed him Chap. 9.1 made a Covenant with him vers 8 9 So Job how doth God justifie him Chap. 42.7 You have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath Job was Gods servant spoke what was right of God Job must pray for his three Friends him God will accept God gave Job twice as much as he had before and Daniel was a man greatly beloved Dan. 9.23 Christ was Vir dolorum yet the man in whom Gods soule delighted Isa 42.1 Afflictions are arguments of lâ—ve Prov. 3 12. Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth even as a Father the Sonne in whom hee delighteth God loves not affliction but he loves his Children and his bowels cause him to correct it were cruelty not love in a Father that would suffer his Child to dye for want of a little Physick if Physick will doe a Child good a loving Parent will be at any cost that way Take heed how you censure those that suffer afflâ—ctions are not alwayes wounds of an enemy but arguments oâ— love especially when they break the stubbornnesse and pride of our hearts purge out our pollutions cause us to seek the face of God quicken our endeavours after more holinesse cause us to mind the things of Eâ—ernity more make the Word and Christ more sweet and precious to the soule really and seriously 5. What ever others think or say of Gods people whithersoever they are driven whatsoever they loose or suffâ—r God will be a little Sanctuary unto them these men were hardly thought of yea rejected and condemned of those at Jerusalem carryed Captive into Babylon they had lost all Countrey-comforts City-priviledges Temple-Ordinances Estates and Liberties they had hard bondage when they were yet now in this case God was a Sanctuary unto them he preserved them vouchsafed them his presence accepted their persons and prayers gave them counsell sanctified and comforted them he was a speciall Sanctuary unto them and in stead of all Ordinances Take Sanctuaâ—y for the Land of Canaan as some thinke its taken Exod. 15.17 God would be a Land of Canaan to them or take it for Sanctification as some doe here and in Psal 114.2 God would be their Sanctification or take it for Heaven as it is Psal 102.19 God would be a Heaven unto them However the Jewes in
Sam. 12.22 When Heaven and Earth shake the Lord will be the hope of his people Joel 3.16 The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the place of repaire or harbour 3. It is free grace and favour that God doth take any people to be his and becometh a God unto people chuse not God he saith They shall be my people and I will be their God We are vile in our natures wicked in our works no lovelinesse or profitablenesse is in us or by uâ— Ezek. 16.5.6 When thy person was loathed and thou wast polluted in thy blood I sayd unto thee live There is nothing in a Nation that sets his heart a work to doe a people good it was not their greatnesse moved him Deut. 7.7 They were the fewest of all people nor their goodnesse for what was their father Abraham Josh 24.2.3 Terah Abraham and Nachor were idolaters they served other Gods saith the text and I took your Father Abraham so when God tooke his seed in Aegypt they were idolatrous Ezek. 20.5.6.7 There is no righteousnesse in people to moove God neither can any sin in them hinder God from putting forth acts of his free grace Dâ—u 32.10 Speaking of Israel he found him in a desart Land and in the wast howling Wildernesse to which some allusion may be Cant. 8.5 God found out and tooke this people in a wicked lost distressed condition and brought them out by his power and made them his people by his grace 1 Sam. 12.22 It pleased the Lord to make them his people 4. God doth not equally dispense his grace and favour some are his people and he is their God others are not many Nations were left when the Jewes were taken yea all other Nations Amos 3.2 You onely have I knowne of all the Families of the Earth The Lords favour fell upon the Jewes and not others Some infer from Gen. 22.18 In thy seed shall all Nations of the Earth be blessed that God loves all equally at that time he did not the words are a promise of what should be not of what was neither is it so now for if he lâ—ves all alike why doth he deny the means of grace to many Nation why doth he not blesse and make the same effectuâ—l equally to al where they are Besids such an opinion over â—â—ow Election Gods dominion over the Creatures and his freedome in dispensation of grace and mercy John 10.26 Acts 13.48 5. Those are the Lords have a strong ground to plead with God in prayer for any mercy Where is relation and intrest there is encouragement to aske if God be ours and we his surely we may plead with him for great things in our prayers The people of God did so of old Jer. 14.9 Psal 80.4 Isa 64.9 Deut. 9.26 2 Chron. 20.12 Chap. 14.11 VERS 21. But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their dteestable things and their abominations I will recompence their way upon their owne heads saith the Lord GOD. THis Verse is a threatning to those should persist in their evill wayes yet a comfort to the godly that the Lord would judge them and ease them of them Detestable things and abominations These words have been opened in the 18. vers and Chap. 5.11.7.20 Quorum cor ambulat ad cor Heart of their detestable things Hebrew is their heart going to the heart of their detestable things Aprez le desire de leur infametes Idolls have an interpretative desire to be worshipped Heart is sometimes put for the midst of a thing Exod. 15.8 The heart of the Sea Which is cald Ezek. 27.4 The midst of the Sea So their heart was in the midst of their Idols or amongst their Idols what was delightfull in them that was as the heart of the Idoll and their hearts were carryed thereunto Or thus you may take the words they conceiv'd some deity to be in their Idols and they labourd to please and doe those things delighted the heart of that deity Those rites ceremonies wayes whereby they worshipped their Idolls may be cald the heart of their detestable things It was a law among the Heathens that every God should be worshipped as he thought good and the way prescribed by him of worshipping was as the heart and life of the Idoll and the Idolatry I will recompence their way upon thtir owne heads Of these words see what hath been said Chap. 9.10 Chap. 7.3.4.8 That when the Lord makes gracious promises to a people Obser 1. they doe not refer to and fetch in all This Observation rises from the two former Verses this laid together God promises to give them onenesse newnesse tendernesse of heart he promiseth that he will be their God and they shall be his people These promises were absolute yet made good unto some of the Captives not unto all But as for them whose heart walketh after c. They should not come within the compasse of them Many promises of the Lord are delivered indefinitely without restriction and absolutely without condition and yet are made good onely to some even those are given of the father unto Christ many of these after the Captivity never had these promises made good unto them yet God was faithfull in that some had the fruit and comfort of them 2. Tares Hypocrites and naughty ones will be in the Church alwayes some had new spirits tender hearts and walkt in Gods Statutes others had old spirits hard hearts and walked after detestable things some threw away all abominable things and others there hearts went after them They comming out of Babilon and laying the foundation of a new Church it was probable that none but choice ones should have been of it or in it but their were Usurers Sabbath-breakers and such had mingled themselves with strange Wives Nehem. 5. 13. C ham was in the Aâ—ke Judas among the Apostles the Church abounded with Hypocrites in Christs dayes Matth. 13.30 there will be Tares among the Wheat to the end of the World 3. Afflictions great and long doe not sanctifie they were to be in Captivity and that seventy yeares yet after their returne the hearts of many would be carryed to their detestable things It s granted that after they came out of Babylon they never fell to Idolatry that is the body of them did not but doubtlesse some particulars did their hearts went to the heart of their detestable things when they saw some of the old Idols or relicks of them they were affected with them Affl ctions of themselves purge not out corruption nor take the heart off from evill things 4. Mens hearts are in false wayes and worship they take pleasure in superstitious and idolatrous practices Things invented by men and brought into the worship of God are pleasing to humane senses to carnall reason mens corruptions and so take their hearts when the Calfe was made Exod. 32.19 they were greatly affected with it and danced about it 1 Pet. 4.3 Lasciviousnesse
lust Wine revelling banquetting and Idolatries are joyned together False worship and false wayes of worship are set out by such expressions as shew their hearts were taken therewith Numb 15.39 Isa 57.5 Chap. 66.3 Acts 17.16 2 Kings 21.21 Psal 97.7 Ezek. 16.17 18 19 20. 5. That is an object of hatred to the godly is an object of delight unto the wicked in the 18. Verse when the godly should come to the Land againe they would take away all the detestable things but the wicked their hearts would goe after them The hearts of the one sort were for them of the other were against them 6. God takes notice which way the heart lookes how it stands affected As for them whose heart walketh after c. Ezek. 20.16 Chap. 33.31 in the 14 Chap. 3 4 7. thrice God observes They had set up Idolls in their hearts The heart is the principall thing in man that God calls for Prov. 23.26 and therefore he lookes after it Revel 2.23 All the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reines and the heart 7. Things men are much taken with are detestable in the sight of God they affected detestable things Luke 16.15 That is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination with God When men bring into his worship things of their owne he accounts it iniquity Exod. 20.5 and the Authors thereof haters of him 8. Superstitious and Idolatrous persons shall not goe unpunished I will recompence their wayes upon their heads when they had made a calfe quickly after 3000 were slaine for it and though Moses mediated for them yet God tells Moses that in the day he visits he will visit their sin upon them Exod. 32.35 And verse the last The Lord plauged the people because they made the calfe which Aaron made God is jealous and cannot indure his glory should be given to another 9. When ever God punisheth or whom ever he punisheth he is just in his punishment I will recompence their way upon their owne head They shall have the fruit of their owne labours and its certaine thus saith the Lord you thinke your selves safe if vou can avoyd my stroke that your false gods shall secure you but it shall not be I will recompence your wayes upon your heads God may punish men sometimes lesse then they deserve but never more he is just and returnes their owne doing upon them Psal 7.16 VERS 22. Then did the Cherubims lift up their wings and the wheeles besides them and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above HEre begins the fifth part of the Chapter which is a further description of the Lords leaving the City The Cherubims wheeles and glory were at the East gate of the Temple Chap. 10.19 where you have the very words of this Verse Cherubims note out Angels and superiour causes Wheeles inferiour things with the motions of them and by the glory of the God of Israel is meant either the glorious Lord himselfe or somâ— visible signe of his glorious presence Obser All things are under the God of Israel he hath the eminence he is above wheeles and Angells are under him at his dispose if he give out the word the Cherubims move lift up their wings and order the wheeles VERS 23. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City and stood on the mountain which is on the East side of the City HEâ—e you have Gods departure from the City To leave the Temple was greivous had he staid at the gates of it or in the City it selfe any where within the wals it had been mercy but he leaves the East gate which he calls the midst of the City and goeth forth unto the mountain which shewed God would now expose the City to the fury and spoyle of the Babylonians The glory of the Lord. Of this see before Chap. 10.4.18.19 Chap. 9.3 Chap. 8.4 Chap. 3.23 And stood upon the mountain There were many mountains about Jerusalem Psal 125.2 It was compassed about with them the mountaine which the glory went to and stood upon was mount Olivet or mount Olives Zach. 14.4 This mountain was before Jerusalem on the East and the glory of the Lord stood before at the East gate whence it removed and went up this mountaine for it was high and had ascents 2 Sam. 15.30 The standing of the glory upon this mountain may be eyther to see the ruine and destruction of the City and so to weepe over it as Christ did upon or neare the same mount Luke 19. or Secondly to upbraid them for their wickednesse there because they did abominable things in that mount whence it was cald the mount of corruption 2 K. 23.13 or Thirdly to make it typicall to represent the â—scending of Christ to Heaven which was from that place Acts 1.12 These things being granted yet I conceive there was somewhat else in it The glory of God had made severall stands before which they had not much minded now it goeth from the Temple and City to an high conspicuous mountain that they might take notice of Gods departure repent of their sins and use all possible meanes for recalling recovering and keeping the glory with them and Zach. 14.4 The promise is of returning and standing upon the same mount God is unwilling to forsake that people he hath vouchsafed his presence Obser 1. and communicated his favour unto no people in the World had God so nigh them as this people Deut. 4.7 Here God goeth out of the City but not quite away nor quite out of sight he steps to the mountain over against the City Before he had removed to the side of the Temple then from within the Temple to the threshould after that to the East gate and from thence â—o mount Oliv â— and God pauzed at every stand whether he should goe any further The Lord is loath to leave hâ—s people they put him upon it Ezek. 8.6 Seest thou the great abominations that they commit here that I should goe farre off from my Sanctuary they forced God out of all wheâ—as seeing him upon the leaving them thâ—y should have purg d the Sanctuary from all Idolls and false worship and have importun'd the Lord to stay among them when a frieâ—d is lâ—aving his freinds what intreaties what teares many times are used to stay him Acts 21.12.13 Jer. 14.7.8.9 2. God is not tyed so to any place or people buâ— when they grow wicked and defile his worship he may leave them and thâ— place where he hath recorded his name Mount Sion God hâ—d chosen above all places to dwell there Psal 132.14 This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it For ever is a long timâ— in Scripture sense and God had dwelt a long time with them but now the time was come of his departure now the holy Temple holy City holy people were all prophanenes unto him they had corrupted his worship polluted themselves and therefore
Land of Chaldea he must tell the Captives what should befall the Jewes at Jerusalem and in the Land of Israel They shall eat their bread with carefullnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It notes care griefe feare which commonly attend one the other the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with want before they rendered this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 want is a great affliction And drinke their water with astonishment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stupescere admirari The Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum interitu desparing of deliverance and life Chalde Cum stupore the French En desolation That her land may be desolate Judaea was the choycest of Lands a paradise to other Countries it abounded with milke honey corne oyle wine cattel silver gold and other pretious things but now it was to be laid wast now it should be stript of its inhabitants of its plenty and treasure the Hebrew is a plenitudine sua Because of the violence of them that dwell therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notes injury Tyranny spoyle The Septuagint renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the wickednesse of them c. The Lord puts his servants oft upon troublesome service Obser 1. and sad actions for the conviction and benefit of others here Ezekiel must eat his bread with quakeing and drink his drinke with trembling he must dig through the wall and bear his stuffe upon his shoulder goe out at even cover his face remove his stuffe which were burdensome actions and Chap. 4. He must lye upon his left side three hundred and ninety dayes and then upon his left side forty dayes he must eat bread bak'd with Cowes dung and Chap. 5. He must shave his head and his beard make himselfe bald and unsightly So Hosea he must marry a Wife of whoredomes Chap. 1.2 Jer. 27.2 He must make yokes and bonds and put upon his neck These things were to signify what God would doe unto the Nations bring them into subjection to Nebuchadnezzar 2. It s Divine pleasure that when typicall and dark things are given out to the Prophets that they should make them knowne to the People Ezâ—kiel must tell the people what was in it that he eat his bread and drank his drinke in such a manner So for his digging and removing he must tell them what Mystery was wrapt up in it Say unto them this burden concerneth the Prince vers 10. here vers 19. Say to the people c. It s the duty of those are teachers in the Church to open things are mysterious what they meane and signify 3. God can mingle sorrowes with our comforts and make our choice comforts comfortlesse comforts they shall eat their bread with carefullnesse and drinke their drinke with astonishment God wouâ—d bring an enemy to the gates of Jerusalem and put them to such streights that they should neyther eat nor drinke with any comfort feare carefullnesse and astonishment would be gravell in there bread and gall in their drinke Adams comforts in Paradise were soone dampt Psal 127.2 To eate the bread of sorrowes Gen. 3.17 In sorrow shalt thou eat bread of sorrows was his bread and is his Childrens bread to this day onely some times God puts in more sorrow then at others there is bread of affliction 1 K. 22.27 Bread of mourners Hos 9.4 Here God would put in much sorrow affl ction and mourning quakeing trembling care and astonishment should possesse them their plenty should be turn'd into scarcity for wine they should have water and very little of that too for the finest of the wheat flower they should have bran and not their bellies full of that 4. It s sin the sin of Injustice oppression which cause God to lay wast a plentifull land that her land may be desolate from all that is therein because of the violence of them that dwell therein It s observ'd that the Jewes were and still are a covetous people It was their covetousnesse put them upon unjust acts of oppression and violence and God upon just judgements of Famine and desolation Psal 107.34 He turnes a fruitfull land into barrennes for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Mans wickednesse moves the Lord to lay plentifull and pleasant lands wast yet it s made their act Zech. 7.14 They layd the pleasant land wast they were the procreant cause they begat sin sin begat judgement and judgement begat desolation VERS 21.22.23.24.25.26 27 28. And the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man what is that proverb that yee have in the land of Israel saying the dayes are prolonged and every vision faileth Tell them therefore thus saith the Lord God I will make this proverb to cease and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel but say unto them The dayes are at hand and the effect of every vision For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel For I am the Lord I will speak and the word that I shall speak shall come to passe it shall be no more prolonged for in your dayes O rebellious house will I say the word and will performe it saith the Lord GOD. Againe the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man behold they of the house of Israel say the vision that he seeth is for many dayes to come and he prophecyeth of the times that are far off Therefore say unto them Thus saith the Lord GOD. There shall none of my words be prolonged any more but the word which I have spoken shall be done saith the Lord God IN these verses you have the third part of the Chapter a confutation of those made an ill construction of the Prophets Prophesieâ— One kind of men gave no credence at all to what was Prophecyed but derided the Prophets saying when were you in Heaven or who told you the mind of God you are deceivers if any such thing had been as you speak of it had taken place ere this but nothing is done therefore we will not beleeve you Another kind of men were perswaded the Prophets spake truth but it was at a great distance long ere it was to take place and therefore grew secure Hence the Lord commands the Prophet to let them know that his words should certainly and shortly come to passe In the words consider 1. A complaint of a Proverbe What is that Proverbe which you have in the Land of Israel Vers 22. 2. The mention of the Proverb The dayes are c. V. 22.28 3. The confutation of it Vers 23. I will make this Proverbe to cease and they shall no more use it as a Proverbe in Israel c. 4. A confirmation of that confutation 1. From the Lords proceeding with the false Prophets and their vaine visions and flattering Divinations They should cease Vers 24. And 2. From the promise of making good his word and that speedily
given touching the King and people Temple City and Land and this would put an end to all the vaine visions of the false Prophets Nor flattering divination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divinatio blandientis Miksam is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 futura praedicere to foretell things to come to Divine good or evill it s taken both wayes and when in the evill sense it comprehends what ever is done by Witchery Sorcery Astrologie or the â—ike 1 Sam. 28.8 Saul comes to the Witch and saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divina quaeso mihi in Pythone I pray thee Divine unto me by the Familiar Spirit So 2 Kings 17.17 they used Divinations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They Divined Divinations that were wicked ones Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for a Soothsayer Joshua 13.22 Balaam the Sonne of Beor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illum magum and Numb 23.23 Balaam saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surely there is no Inchantment against Jacob nor any Divination against Israel No Soothsaying Charming Prognostication had power against Israel the false Prophets being addicted to Magick Astrology and such wicked Arts told them that what ever was Prophesied by the other Prophets of the King of Babylons comming and taking Jerusalem yet all should be well which they gathered from the Starres and Planets Divinations were sometimes from the entrailes of Beasts or Birds as Ezek. 21.21 The King of Babylon stood at the parting of the way at the head of the two wayes to use Divination he consulted with Images he looked in the liver Lavater thinkes their Divinations were Astrologicall Acts 13.6 They found a certaine Sorcerer a false Prophet a Jew whose name was Bar. Jesus and that they had taken up the practice of Heathens who looked at and consulted much with the Stars Isa 47.13 Let now the Astrologer the Stargazers the monthly Prognosticators stand up and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee these things were spoken of Babylon who made use of such Artists but in vaine and it was the use of the Jewes to doe so likewise 2 Kings 17.16 17. They worshipped all the Hoast of Heaven and used Divinations and Inchantments To these the people hearkened therefore Jer. 29.8 Let not their Prophets and Diviners which are in the midst of you deceive you Hence I might take a hint to speake against that part of Astrologie as unlawfull yea damnable which is judiciall and Prognosticative From the Conjunction of Planets the benigne and oblique Aspects of them men gather and foretell things to come yea some thinke that all materiall contingent accidents which concerne man are written in the face of Heaven and that God sets the Stars in Heaven to signifie such things If Deodate goe too farre in his Annotations that way our Learned Divines in their Annotations on the place Gen. 1.14 correct that errour and give no allowance to judiciall Astrologie they say the place giveth no warrant to the presumption of Prognosticators or judiciary Astrologers to foretell the fortunes of men These men as Nazianzen saith are like a man that seeing the Pallace or Throne of a Prince take upon them thereby â—o tel what the thoughts and Counsells of the Prince are or fates of civill estates by the Stars or to make any Prediction of any other supernaturall events from the face of the Heavens or the impression of the Planets or from the temperature figure colour or posture of the Celestial bodies for such Arts of Divination are condemned by the Word of God Deut. 18.10 There shall not be found among you any one that useth Divinations or an Observer of times such men are good such are bad for Vers 12. Those that doe those things are abomination unto the Lord. Listen not therefore to their lying observations it matters not what the Conjunctions and Aspects of Planets and Stars are reason and Religion will qualifie them Sapiens yea Sanctus dominabitur astris if holy men have shut and opened Heaven with their prayers if they have cast out Devils they may stop the influence of Starrs Starrs are made for man not man for Starrs if the Lord be with us let Saturne Jupiter Mars c. Be against us one of note saith of the Astrologers and time observers either they tell you of things adverse or prosperous if prosperous and deceive you you are miserable by expecting if adverse things and false you are miserable by fearing if they tell you true things and not good you are presently miserable before they come if they foretell good things to come your expectation will weary your hope and your hope will defloure yea devoure the future fruit of your joy Phavorin lib. 14. Nullo igitur pacto utendum est hujusmodi hominibus res futuras praesagientibus Flattering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blandientis nor divination of a flatterer the Hebrew word originally signifies smooth plaine even and properly refers to things concerne the touching as any thin plate butter oyle and metaphorically is transferd to the speech and instruments of it not ng out the sweetnes smoothnesse and flattery thereof Psal 5.9 They flatter with their tongue Hebrew is the same and may be rendered they smooth with their tongue and make smooth their tongue that is they give flattering and deceitfull words so the Apostle hath it Rom. 3.13 With their tongues they have used deceit so Psal 55.21 The words of his mouth were smoother then butter but war was in his heart that is his words were flattering and deceitfull the singular number is put here for the plurall flatterer for flatterers they promised the people a happy condition of things and fed them with smooth words the Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those things which seem gratious which are acceptable make way for favour which please the Vulgar reads it Neque divinatio ambigua no more doubtfull divination such as the Oracles were which might be taken diverse yea contrary wayes False Prophets have pretences and cunning wayes to prevayle with the people Obser 1. the Verse poynts out the practice of such and what is that they had visions and divinations and when they came to the people and told them of these they were taken therewith Jer 14.14 They prophecyed lyes in the Lords name they said he sent them he commanded them and so by these pretences made way for their lyes 1 K. 22.24 Zedekiah smites Micaiah on the cheek and saith which way went the spirit of the Lord from me unto thee He pretended he had the spirit spake by it and so gain'd upon those heard him Mat. 7.15 Beware of false Prophets which come unto you in sheeps cloathing they seeme harmelesse their countenance words and carriage doe plead for them and usher in their false opinions no false teachers but have some pretences to ingratiate themselves with the people Ephes 4.14 Paul speaks of the condition of the people how they were carryed about with
treasure and pretious things those they would be sure to lay hands on Isa 56.11 They are greedy doggs which can never have enough and they are Shepheards that cannot understand they all looke to their owne way every one for his gaine from his quarter the words for Greedy in the Hâ—brew are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strong of soule appetite stomack they presently concoct digest whatever they take in Soules Ezek 22 25. Widows houses Matth. 23.14 It s knowne what great revenues the Popish Priests and Prophets have had in the Kingdomes under the Popish jurisdiction in King Johns days his Revenues were sixty thousand Marks and their 's seventy thousand Balaam was a false Prophet and he lov'd the wages of unrighteousnesse he would have cursed the people of God for reward if God himselfe had not withheld Numb 22. A Cardinall comming to Rome and seeing nothing but offering of moneys at the Election of a Pope sayd Ad hunc modum fiunt Pontifices Romani 4. Foxes are timerous creatures and when danger comes they runne to their holes When storms come they run to covert and shift for themselves so are false Prophets and Teachers 1 Kings 22.25 when trouble came Zedekiah fled into his holes he went from Chamber to Chamber to hide himselfe John 10.12 He that is an hireling and not the Shepheard whose owne the sheepe are not seeth the Wolfe comming leaveth the sheep and fleeth By Wolfe you may understand persecution danger when these approach and looke sternely upon the man hee fleeth nequitia semper est timida 5. The Fox runs up and downe from place to place doing mischiefe night and day Cantic 2.15 Take us the Foxes the lrttle Foxes that spoyle the Vines They ranne from Vineyard to Vineyard they spoyled the Grapes and Vines themselves so false Prophets and Teachers are like them in this they went up and downe in Israel they were at Samaria at Jerusalem Jer. 23.13 14. in Babylon Jer. 29.25 In Pauls dayes there were such who went up and downe from house to house and subverted whole houses teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucres sake Tit. 1.11 and Christ tells us of such who compasse Sea and Land to make one Proselite are not Jesuits and Priests sent into most parts of the World to make Proselites and to spoyle the tender Vines and Grapes where they are 6. The Fox keeps his nature what ever you doe to him or doe with him you may chaine him up but you cannot change him it s questioned whether he can be tam'd if he get loose he is the same againe that ever he was so false Prophets In the Desarts Bacharaboth in the ruptures and breaches of the Hedges through which the Foxes and other beasts entred into the Vineyards some think there is nothing peculiar in these words its ordinary to say the beasts of the field the birds of Heaven and so the Foxes of the Desart but Desart notes places neglected without any fence in those places the Foxes abounded were most hungry and ravening It s a sad judgement to a people Obser 1. when the Prophets degenerate and become Foxes Foxes you know are a cumber a plague to the Countrey where they live and so are false Prophets where ever they come they caused the people to erre and destroyed the way of their paths Isa 9.12 They perverted and gainsayed what the true Prophets gave in they flattered the people and concealed their sins and judgements due to them Lamen 2.14 Thy Prophets have seene vaine and foolish things for thee and they have not discovered thine iniquities to turne away thy Captivity but have seene for thee false burdens and causes of banishment Jer. 50.6 Their Shepheaâ—ds have caused them to goe astray and sobrough destruction upon them Isa 9.16 The Leaders of this people that is Prophets and Priests cause them to erre and what then They that are led of them are destroyed Jer. 12.10 Many Pastors have destroyed my Vineyard they have trodden my portion under foot Foxes destroy Lambs poultry Vines but those destroy soules Bernard sets downe many qualities of false Prophets and Teachers In vita Malachiae they love to heare rule Fastum quaestum aestimant pietatem they thinke them selves happy if they may inlarge their borders they build stately Houses love full Tables exact of the poore looke strangely or bigg upon the inferiour sort and honour great ones they either teach not or teach for their bellies such Prophets are a burden if not destruction to those they are among and when the prophets are Foxes the Princes are Lyons and Judges Wolves Zeph. 3.3 4. 2. It s matter of greife and complaint to Heaven it selfe when the Prophets are subtile coveteous cruell O Israel thy Prophets are like unto Foxes God laid it to heart to see such Prophets amongst them as sought themselves and prey'd upon the people Isa 3.12 O my people they which lead thee or call thee blessed cause thee to erre and destroy the Way of thy paths Their leaders the Preists Prophets Princes did that which affected Heaven and provoked the Lord to cry out O my people Yee have not gone up into the Gapps c. Here the Lord proceeds in accusing these Prophets and this accusation respects 1. Their duty 2. The end of their duty 1. They are accus'd first not to doe their duty and that is set downe in two metaphoricall expressions 1. They went not up into the Gapps 2. They made not up the hedge 2. Not to have minded the end of their duty which was that the people might stand in battaile in the day of the Lord. Into the Gapps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In fracturas intercisiones Aun bresches in French Cast in ruinas It s judged by diverse of the Learned that this metaphor is taken from a Seidge where the Seidgers labour to make breaches in the Fortifications and walls of the place or City beseidged and it s their duty within who have the command and power to make up those breaches and stand for the defence of the people and place where they are but the Prophets did not this when judgement came in upon the people they stood not in the breaches to divert them had he spoken before of military men I should have rested in this sence of the word but having spoken of false Prophets and here by an Apostrophe turning to them we may consider a metaphoricall warre God was out with them against them Ezek. 5.8 He was the Enemy bringing judgements upon them the people the City Religion and their Laws the walls their sins the gapps which set in wrath upon them These Prophets did not oppose the sins of the people convince them of their idolatrie oppression security hypocrisie prophanenesse c. But eyther sin'd with them or winkt at their sins and so went not up into the Gapp to keepe out the severe judgements of God from crouding in upon them they should
have cald the people to repentance declared the judgements of God to have been at hand interceded mightily with the Lord for them and if possible have prevented judgement but these things they did not Ezek. 34.4 The diseased have yee not strengthened neither have you healed that which was sick neither have you bound up that which was broken nor brought againe that which was driven away nor sought up that which was lost When the people made a Calfe and worshipped it there was a great gap made in the Law in the true worship of God and now wrath was comming out and God would have destroyed them had not Moses stood in the breach to turne away his wrath Psal 106.23 Gaps therefore are the breaches which sins make Nor made up the hedges Hebrew is Non sepivistis sepem yee have not hedged a hedge Vulgar Non apposuistis murum yee have not set up a wall against all incursions This is a metaphor taken from Gardens Orchards Vineyards and Inclosures which having hedges made about them are secure from Swine and beasts breaking into them these Prophets in stead of making hedges for their defence they made gaps for their enemy The hedge about a Church and State is Divine protection sound Doctrine pure worship holinesse of life and execution of Justice and when there is a violation of either of these the hedge is broken downe and the way to make up the hedge againe is by fasting prayer and hearty repentance these Prophets minded neither sound Doctrine pure worship holinesse of life nor cald upon authority for execution of Justice there was a generall violation of all things in the Church and State and they layd it not to heart they neither fasted prayed nor repented but increased the violations trod downe the hedge more and made the gaps wider Ezek. 22.30 I sought for a man among them that should makâ— up the hedge and stand in the gappe before me for the Land that I should not destroy it but I found none To stand in the Battaile in the day of the Lord. Their care should have been for the peoples good that when the day of the Lords fury and judgements came he should war against his people they might have been able to stand By Battaile understand not onely the Seidge they endured by the Babylonians but all â—fflictions and miseries which befell them and had the Prophets been faithfull to them the day of the Lords wrath would have been their day of repentance and so they might have stood and not fallen Obser 1. That peoples sins make way for judgements to come in upon them they break downe the wall and the hedge they make gaps and breaches they unfortifie a City unhedge the Vineyard and unarme a State Exod. 32.25 When the people had sinned Moses saw that they were naked a City now without walls an Army without Armes they lay open to the winds and stormes of Divine wrath 2 Chron. 28.19 Ahaz made Judah naked and how he transgressed sore against the Lâ—rd by his sinfull courses he brake downe the hedges and walls of protection and so made them a naked people Gods people have their hedges and fences about them Job 1.10 Hast thou not made an hedge about him and his house Isa 5.2 His Vineyard was fenced and walled Vers 5. and if they were carefull to fly sin their hedges would be without gaps their walls without holes but when they sin they make gaps and holes and the greater their sinnes the greater breaches still are made in them When David fin'd in numbring the people 2 Sam. 24. what a wide gap made he for the pestilence to come in and destroy seventy thousand When Vzzah made a breach in Gods Law by his sinne he made a gap for Judgement to come in upon himselfe Sin is a breach Isa 30.13 and ever makes way for judgments to enter Psal 89.31 32. If they breake my Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgression with a rod and their iniquity with stripes When they breake Gods Laws he will break them with his rods Mich. 7.13 The Land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein for the fruit of their doings by their sinfull actions they breake the bounds and by my just judgements I will make them desolate Hos 12.1 Ephraim dayly increaseth lyes and desolation How desolation By his lyes his lying pretences and practices he makes breaches for desolation to come in Isa 42.24 Who gave Jacob for a spoyle and Israel to the Robbers Did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned For they would not walke in his wayes neither were they obedient to his Lawes 2. It s the duty of the Prophets and servants of the Lord when gapps and breaches are made to goe up into them and make them up they are to stand between the people and Gods judgements when the people had find greatly and made way for soar judgements to come in upon them Exod. 32. Moses ascends into the gapp and makes up the breach he sets upon God by prayer and uses strong arguments to dâ—vert his wrath he besought the Lord his God and said Lord Why doth thy wrath waxe hot against thy people which thou hast brought forth out of the Land of Aegypt with great power and with a mighty hand wherefore should the Aegyptians speake and say for mischeife did he bring them out to slay them in the Mountaines and to consume them from the face of the Earth Turne from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evill against thy people Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy servants to whom thou swearest by thine owne selfe and said'st unto them I will multiply your seed as the starrs of Heaven and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed and they shall inherit it for ever And the Lord repented of the evill which he thought to doe unto his people Here was a true Prophet that stood in the breach and turned away wrath It was the practice of the good Preists and Prophets to doe so Numb 16. When the people murmured made a breach for the plague to come in upon them Aaron tooke his Censer fire from the Altar put in Incense hasted into the Congregation and made an attonement for the people and stood betweene the dead and the living and stayed the plague see Deut. 9.24.25.26 When Ezekiel saw the Slaughter-men sent out to slay young and old without pitty he steps into the gapp and saith Ah Lord God wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel Ezek. 9.8 in thy powring out thy fury upon Jerusalem Jeremiah was so frequent in the gap deprecating judgements interceding for mercy that the Lord forbids him to pray for that people Chap. 14 11. Chap. 7.16 Pray not thou for this people neyther lift up cry nor prayer for them neyther make intercession to me He usd to pray to cry to intercede 1 Sam.
worke to deceive the Nations in the foure quarters of the Earth 4. What ever false Teachers promise they cannot performe Will you save alive the soules come unto you will you keep off Warre Plague Famine when Nebuchadnezzar shall come about the walls c. 5. False Teachers prophane Gods Name and he takes it very ill at their hands Will yee pollute me among my people to make God the Author of their dreameâ— lyes c. to pretend they are sent of him and cause his people to câ—nceâ—ve he deludes them and tells them contraries one thing by Jeremiah other things by them and that for such poor things as Barley 6. Covetousnesse basenesse of spirit makes merchandise o Gods Name truth and the soules of persons Mic. 3.5 He that puts not into their mouthes the Prophets he means they even prepare War against him Judas sold Christ c. a Woman to prostitute her chastiâ—y for handâ—us of Barley is base much more to serve soules so 2 Pet. 2.3 With fained words they make merchandise of you 7. That they kill whom God would not have killed and spare those whom God would not have spared they curse whom God blesses and blesse whom God curses In the 20 21 23. Verses he sets downe Gods proceeding with these false Prophetesses he will be against them teare their Pillowes and Ketchleses deliver his out of their hands and destroy them and their divinations To make them flee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piscator hath it In floribus hortis they were wont to sacrifice in Gardens Isa 1.29 65.3 66.17 these Prophetesses with their flatteries drew in young Maids to Prophefie smooth and pleasing things and they drew in the men and so great lewdnesse and filthinesse was amongst them and they were charmed with their divinations We may take it thus they hunted them they used seducing wayes by their Prophefies promises and flatteries to make them flee from the truth Those expound the words of their soules fleeing out of their bodies or of fleeing into Babylon certainely mistake and true Prophets to take them off from Jeremiah and Ezekiel and so should be like birds that flye from bough to bough or beasts that run from place to place and abide no where I will let the soules goe even the soules that you hunt The meaning is I will free them from the delusion of their false Prophefies they shall goe Captive into Babylon and be no longer in their hands With lyes yee have made the hearts of the righteous sad The Hebrew is Conterere to weare to make contrite Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee have perverted the heart of the righteous There were some among them who hearkened to the true Prophets and it was in their hearts to yeild to the Chaldeans as Jeremiah counselled but when they heard the false Prophets and Prophetesses incouraging the people not to feare Nebuchadnezzar but promised safety to them that should stay in the City they were troubled sadded and knew not what to doe and by this meanes also they strengthened the hands of the wicked who gave heed to their lying Prophefies and slighted what ever Jeremiah sayd You shall see no more vanity nor Divine divinations There was no weight no truth in what they sayd who ever received their Prophefies were deceived the time was approaching which would discover the vanity of their visions and cut them off from seeing any more for they should perish The Lord is against false Prophetesses and will destroy their Prophefies Ceremonies they use and them too Behold I am against your Pillowes I will teare them from your armes and the Kerchiefes from your heads and yee shall see no more vanity nor Divine divinations God will not let such persons and practises goe unpunished as intrude into the Propheticall Office abuse his Name Authority Truth and People 2. Women teachers and Men teachers also are very subtill to seduce the people they had their Pillowes and Kerchiefes their flatteries pleasing Prophefies and promises to keep them In security to hunt them into the Gardens to commit spiritual and corporall whoredome Calvin judges that they pretended altas speculationes some transcendent matters thereby to arise the expectations of of the people who were weary of Jeremiahs Prophefie being of a lower straine then Isaiahs and some others and were tainted with curiosity and itching eares They were not content with wholesome and plaine Doctrine but would be wise beyond sobriety and God suffered subtill and false Teachers to hunt and snare them Sometimes fowls are snared in flying where no danger is suspected and these were deluded by those speculations were given out by false Prophetesses How were the Popish spirits taken with the tenet of Dionysius touching the heavenly Hierarchie so with the Jesuits Dalilab de media scientia and at this day are not multitudes taken with speculations and novelties doe they not despise wholesome Doctrine and lysten to erroneous Teachers both Men and Women 3. Gods people may be taken with some errours of the times and of false Teachers I will deliver my people out of their hand and they shall be no more in their hand they were then in their hands they had hunted them into their nets and caught them with their inticeing Prophesies and brought them over to be of their mind Jezabel did seduce the servants of Christ Rev. 2.20 you know Peter and Barnabas were drawne into an errour Gal. 2.12 13 14. and Christ hath told you Matth. 24.11 That many false Prophets shall ryse and deceive many They ryse from the Earth or out of the bottomlesse Pit and do much hurt with their smoaky Doctrines they darken the Heavens so that the Saints mistake their way There were those constreined the Galatians to be Circumcised Chap. 6.12 Acts 20.30 Of their owne selves shall men aryse speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them The old lying Prophet deceived and drew the young Prophet into a snare cost him his life a Lyon devoured him 1 Kings 13. I feare there are young Prophets drawne away into dangerous errours and many others about this City whom I hope God will keep from the roaring Lyon and deliver in due time from the errour of their wayes Let the counsell of Salomon to his Sonne Prov 19.27 be welcome to you Cease to heare the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge and hearken to Peter 2 Epist 3.17 18. Seeing you know these things before beware least yee also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your owne stedfastnesse but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 4. The Doctrines of false Teachers doe prejudice both the godly and the wicked they sadden the hearts of those should not be sadded and they strengthen the hands of the wicked which should be weakened When false Teachers give out their lyes corrupt truths and opinions they weaken the authority of the true Prophets