for they are a rebellious house they did not profit under their judgements they still undervalued their Prophets they went on stubbornly in their wayes against God and this made God deny them the benefit of the Prophets labours unbelief irreformation and ingratitude are provoking sins and God punishes people for them and such like with the removall of his word and Prophets in Amos 8. the Lord tels them there shall be howlings in the Temple dead bodies in all places vers 3. that their Sun should go down at noon their feasts be turned into mournings and such mournings as are for an only son deep and lasting vers 8 9. and why so they had sinned greatly in sleighting and being weary of Gods Sabbaths and Ordinances they were covetous they oppressed the poore c. and now God would send a famine of the Word vers 11. and there would be howlings darknesse and death above measure it 's a dreadfull thing when people provoke God to take away his Prophets by death to command them silence or to remove them into corners The Prophets and Ministers are the light and salt of the earth if God take them away people will be unsavoury full of worms noysome lusts and corruptions they will be in darknesse and hasten to eternall darknesse it 's the Word that makes all sweet and comfortable if that go Gods face is hid his presence departed and all lyes open to ruine it 's the sins of the people that introduce such a judgement Idcirco tibi praedicationis sermo tollitur quia dum me in suis actibus plebs exasperat non est digna cui exhortatio veritatis fiat Greg. Hom. 17. in Evang. God takes away his Word and the preachers of it because the peoples lives are exasperating not conformable to what is taught This judgement wee may feare in this Land because the distance is exceeding great between Gods Word and our lives I will not prophecy but pray The Lord prevent and divert such a judgement from England if it should come it would be the most dreadfull that befell the Land these fourscore yeares afflictions you are like to meet withall and pressing ones but that I may not discourage your hearts cast your eyes and thoughts upon that promise in Isa 30.19 20. He will be very gracious unto thee at the voyce of thy cry when he shall heare it he will answer thee and though the Lord give you the bread of adversitie and water of affliction yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more The word in Hebrew is lo iicaneph thy teachers shall not be winged and fly from thee when danger is but thine eyes shall see thy teachers and thou shalt heare a voyce behinde thee c. This is spoken of the Church under the Gospel as well as before if you can therefore take hold of this promise and cry earnestly unto God you shall not lose your teachers and the truth though you lose your estates and outward comforts if God should take away your teachers from you Lam. 3.9 it would be an Argument of much wrath and that this people is unworthy of spirituall mercies VER 27. But when I speak with thee I will open thy mouth and thou shalt say unto them Thus saith the Lord God He that heareth let him heare and he that forbeareth let him forbeare for they are a rebellious house THe greatest part of this verse hath been spoken of in the 11th verse of this Chapter and fifth verse of the second Chapter and therefore shall not need now to be opened unto you Observ 1. All times are not times for the Prophets to speak in Thy mouth is now shut and it 's not seasonable for thee to prophecy but hereafter when I shall speak with thee I will open thy mouth Prophets must therefore waite upon God as for warrant to speak so for libertie and opportunitie of speaking Amos 5.13 The prudent shall keep silence in that time There be times when God in judgement to a people would not have them speak Eccles 3.7 There is a time to keep silence and a time to speak and both these the Lord will shew his servants 2. Neither the Prophets infirmitie nor the peoples sinnes shall alwayes keep the Prophets mouths shut When I speak with thee I will open thy mouth and thou shalt say unto them c. 3. God tryes many wayes with a sinfull wretched people to gaine them he sends them into Captivitie gives them a Prophet there shuts up his mouth opens it againe and all to see what this people will doe I will open thy mouth and thou shalt say thus saith the Lord He that heareth let him heare c. There are but few amongst you who will heare I am afraid but if any will heare let him heare c. God will try men whether they are curable or no. Ezekiel Chap. 4. Ver. 1 2 3. 1. Thou also Sonne of man take thee a tyle and lay it before thee and pourtray upon it the Citie even Jerusalem 2. And lay siege against it and build a fort against it and cast amount against it set the Camp also against it and set battering rammes against it round about 3. Moreover Take thou unto thee an iron pan and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the Citie and set thy face against it and it shall be besieged and thou shalt lay siege against it This shall be a signe to the House of Israel IN the three former Chapters you have had the Preface now we are to come to the Prophecie it self in this Chapter and the next is a prophecy against Jerusalem the chiefe Citie of the Jewes the besieging of it and miseries attend that condition are laid downe therein This Chapter hath in it these parts 1. A typicall besieging of Jerusalem in the 8 first verses 2. A great famine during this siege and that is in the 9 10 11 16 17 verses and this is aggravated from the eating of polluted bread bak't in dung ver 12 13 14 15. I shall begin with the typicall besieging of the Citie the Jewes that yet lived at Jerusalem trusted in their strength and priviledges were secure fearing no dangers they accounted them fooles and weak ones who had yeelded themselves into the hands of the Babylonians and because Jeremiah had counselled them to doe it and prophecied hard things against Jerusalem they dealt roughly with him and got him imprison'd Here therefore the Lord set our Prophet a work to lay siege against Jerusalem to batter it with warlike instruments that so the captives with him might not repent them of what they had done nor those at Jerusalem put off any longer the evill day cry Peace peace when destruction was at hand In the first verse the Prophet is commanded to draw the picture of Jerusalem and that upon a tile in the other two to represent the actions of men besieging a Citie Take thee a
the phrase is used oft in Scripture Psal 101.7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house the Hebrew is in the midst of my house so Gen. 18.24 if there be fifty righteous in the midst of the city that is in the city and Ezek. 1.1 as I was among the captives the Hebrew word is in the midst of them so that it frequently signifies in or among And so in this verse we may take it or thus thou hast chief nations and cities about thee very rich and noble as Asia minor Egypt Babylon c. and I have set thee chief in the midst of these chief ones thy prerogatives exceed theirs and what ever they can pretend unto thou canst pretend to more are they fruitfull rich honourable populous strong thou goest beyond them even in all these I have set thee in the midst of them that they may all behold thy beauty and excellencies Heathens call'd this city famous and chief of the Eastern cities well fortified c. The Psalmist sets it our best Psal 48. and 87. where are many Eulogies of it as The city of God The mountain of his holinesse The joy of the whole earth The city of the great King that kings saw and marvelled at Founded in the mountains Loved of God in a speciall manner Glorious things were spoken thereof and that which is above the rest God was known in her palaces not in the palaces of other cities and known for a refuge Ierusalem was exalted and priviledged above all cities and nations and set on an high hill that so the truth and worship of the true God might have been held forth to all round about her but Ierusalem was ingratefull she honoured not that God had so honoured her and therefore being set in the midst of the nations is brought in here not for Ierusalems praise but for a reproach and aggravation of her ingratitude This ingratitude is illustrated in the 6th verse two wayes 1. God gave them his judgements and they changed them into wickednesse 2. They did it more then the nations and countries about them Changed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is from Hemir and it 's feminine noting Ierusalems act which had caused Gods judgements to be changed she made a great and through change the word signifies commutare permutare to exchange one thing for another and to do it throughly Ier. 2.11 My people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit a great change they had made in exchanging glory for improfitables My judgements The word mishphat notes Commands Precepts Lawes Rules Wayes of God and his worship these had Ierusalem changed especially the Rites and Ordinances of his worship so the word is taken Psal 81.5 the blowing of the trumpet in the new moon was a mishphat a Rite an Ordinance due to the God of Iacob The word Statutes is much of the same nature noting Rules Decrees and Ordinances about the worship of God See Ainsw on Psal 2.7 and Leigh in his Critica sacra of the word chock it 's mentioned in the 119. Psal 22 times and notes the constancie of divine Decrees and Lawes and therefore is applyed to the heavens and waters which keep their place and course unchangeably Psal 148.6 Into wickednesse This is a high expression I think not in the whole Scripture again Ezek. 7.11 Violence is risen up into a rod of wickednesse it 's far short of this you have in Rom. 1.23.25 expressions suitable to this they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an Image and the truth of God into a lie and so in Jude Finxerunt novos cultus suo arbitrio ac novas leges The graec of God into wantonnesse vers 4. And Jerusalem changed Gods judgements which are his glory his truth his grace into wickednesse the inventions superstitions ceremonies lawes worship Idols of the Gentiles were taken in set up countenanced and Gods Judgements Statutes and worship thrust out laid aside This they did more then the nations and countries round about them they dealt worse with God then Heathens and wherein was that in the refusall of him and his wayes for they have refused my Judgements and my Statutes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word to refuse notes not a bare refusall but a rejecting and that with disdain Hos 4.6 they rejected knowledge and loathed the means of grace they dealt with Gods Ordinances and Worship contumeliously Prov. 3.11 The word is expressed by despising they made no account of Gods Statutes and Judgements and so despised and rejected them they did neither for their worship nor their lives regard his will Jerusalem having Gods Statutes should have so prized them stuck to and practised them that thereby she might have drawn the Gentiles round about her to knowledge and worship of the true God but she sinned more then the Gentiles and justified them in their wickednesse they sinned not out of ignorance and weaknesse but wilfully maliciously Observ 1. That the Lord gives to the sign the name of the thing signified this is Jerusalem it was only a sign and not Jerusalem it self yet God was pleased to call it so and the Scripture doth frequently speak in that manner Gen. 41.26 the seven good kine are seven yeers and the seven good ears are seven yeers they were not the yeers though so call'd but signes of yeers 1 Cor. 10.4 that rock was Christ a sign of Christ not Christ himself and Chap. 11.24 This is my body not his flesh and blood as Papists would have it but a sign of it 2. It is an honour for cities to be the head and chief of the regions where they are especially where the covenant truth and Church of God is in them Jerusalem was the head and God had made good his promise in Deut. 28.13 The Lord shall make thee the head and not the tail thou shalt be above only and shalt not be beneath if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God the way for cities to be honourable only above and alwayes above is to hearken unto God to cleave close to his wayes to exalt him in his worship but if they will go aside from his Word and Worship God will shave them their honour shall quickly be laid in the dust they shall be made the tail in stead of the head ver 43. The stranger that is within thee shall get above thee very high and thou shalt come down very low and vers 44. He shall be the head and thou shalt be the tail and this you may see fufilled Lam. 1.5 Her adversaries are the chief the Babylonians had shaved Jerusalem and brought her low which made Jeremiah say How doth the city sit solitary that was full of people how is shee become a widow that was great among the nations and Princess among the Provinces how is shee become tributary vers 1. 3. The Lord sets his Church and people among
shall give account of himselfe unto God God will say to us Come give account of your Stewardships Luk. 16.2 Every one hath a talent is a Steward hath some trust committed to him and he must not thinke to run and never returne let men act how they will returne they shall be they never so great be they Princes Magistrates Commanders c. Eccles 12. God shall bring every worke unto Judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or evill both the work and the workman must be questioned Mat. 12.36 Of every idle word that men shall speake they shall give an account of in the day of Judgement 3. That Angels are lively and unweariable in their negotiations they run and returne as a flash of lightning when they had done great service in the world they were as lively at the end of it as at the beginning they return back with as much life and speed as they went forth and were ready for new imployments they return'd as to give account of what was done so to receive new commands and worke This is a good patterne for us all that in the workes of God those imployments he calls us to we grow not weary of one sinne fits for another and men are unweariable in that trade So one dutie should fit for another and wee should never be tyred in our spirits Ad laetitiam et animi pacem magnum pondus habent rectae actiones though we be in our bodies Gal. 6.9 Let us not be weary in well-doing the wicked are weary of and in well-doing What profit is it say they that wee keepe his Commandements and that we walke humbly before the Lord of Hosts Mal. 3.14 When will the new Moone be gone that we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth Wheat Amos 8.5 Psal 36.3 He hath left off to be wise and to doe good Mal. 1.13 They said What a wearinesse is it and snuffed at it and brought that was torne lame sicke but the godly are never weary of Gods work Desidia est mors superstes Vacua est vita though sometimes they are weary in it through the strength of the flesh weaknesse of grace and other discouragements but they having tasted how gracious the Lord is are not will not cannot be weary of his service his Commandements are not grievous to them 4. That they seek not themselves but the honour and glory of their Master they stay not when their work is done upon pleasure curiositie to see or know any thing but immediately returne and are taken up wholly with the glorifying of God they are attent watching his Commands for they look up they are intent upon his work they turne not to either side look not backe but goe streight forward they contend for his glory they runne returne and give account and would have new Commissions be at work againe and have God to be glorified to their utmost abilities Isa 6.3 Holy holy is the Lord of Host the whole earth is full of his glory they see God so glorious excellent and holy in himselfe so glorious in all his works that they minde not themselves but God and make it their onely and great designe to glorifie God Rev. 4.8 9. And this is our duty and comfort if done 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether you eate or drinke c. The glory of the infinite holy wise and great God should be precious to us we should attend his commands intend his worke contend against all lets within or without and promote his worke and glory to our utmost That worke is not referr'd to Gods glory but our gaine credit or profit is a dead work Omnibus operibus nostris coelestis intentio adjungi debet Aquinas The School-men call for a right intention in every work as that which animates and inlivens the same and though we cannot actually intend Gods glory alwayes in every thing yet there should be a vertuall intention of it A bowle runs an arrow flies by vertue of that arme first sent them forth and all our actions should proceed in the strength of a morning or primary intention of Gods glory One thing yet remaines touching the motion of Angels namely the efficient cause of their motion and it 's the Spirit set down in these words VER 12. Whither the Spirit was to goe they went SOme doubt there is what is meant by the Spirit here not the counsell or will of the Angels and so the sense to be that they went which way they had a minde whither their own wills and spirit carried them and my reason is because they are brought in here as servants and officers and therefore not to be left to their own wills but to be under command and at the will of another Souldiers goe not where they please but where their Generall pleaseth By Spirit we are to understand neither the will of Angels nor winds nor the soule of man for Spirit in Scripture doth signifie all these but the essentiall and eternall Spirit of God and this is evident by the 20th verse Whithersoever the Spirit was to goe they went it 's not said whithersoever their Spirit was to goe they went but whithersoever the Spirit that is the Holy Ghost coessentiall and coequall with the Father and the Sonne whither that Spirit of wisdome and power led them thither they went when that Spirit bad them returne they returned as that Spirit moved them so they moved Object The Spirit of God neither goes nor moves from place to place being infinite how then can this be meant of the Spirit Ans This is spoken humanitùs after the manner of men in regard of the vision Ezekiel had Non mutatione loci aut essentiae sed declaratione potentiae gratiae it seemed so to him but the Spirit being infinite neither goes nor moves by reall change of place or essence but by declaration of its power and grace When the Spirit or God doth that is unusuall then they are said to come and be present Againe the Spirit went in the Angels not simply in it selfe there was in the Angels imperium impetus Spiritus the imposition and impression of the Spirit which carried them on Observ That Angels although exceeding wise full of knowledge active and able to doe great service yet are not at their own dispose they move not at their own pleasure they went not where they listed Let the abilities of the creature be never so rare excellent they must be under the power of a Superior they must be ordered and directed by a higher cause Angels themselves are not Lords of themselves they are not sui juris much lesse men that are lower then Angels 1 Cor. 6.19 Men are bought and they must be his servants at his dispose that hath bought them and that is God And therefore they must not abuse their bodies and soules to fornication any sinne but glorifie God with both 2. That it
the Angels that in reverence to them the women are to be vail'd and it 's a great honour to Christ that Angels reverence and adore him 6. They are carefull to prevent all offence in their ministrations either of God or man of Christ or any creature they cover up their bodies their feet that nothing obscene may be seen and give distaste nothing excellent be seen and draw to an over-valuing and Idolizing of them so wise and cautious they are and this addes much to the glory of Christ that his servants the Angels never give advantage to men or devils to reproach their Lord and Master Alas how much doth Christ suffer by us even by Ministers and others in their ministrations Men see our weaknesse our pride our vain-glory miscarriages many wayes and rejoyce in our flesh even when Christ is reproached But Angels passe through all their imployments so that they are blamelesse and Christ made beautifull whom they serve 7. That Angels are furnished for their ministrations they have wings to flie and wings to cover their bodies what ever may make them and their services acceptable speedy successfull they have it and this is for the honour of Christ those he imployes in his work hee inables and accommodates they go not forth empty unqualified he sent Apostles and fill'd them with his Spirit hee gives gifts to men and wings to Angels VER 24. And when they went I heard a noyse of their wings like the noyse of great waters as the noyse of the Almighty the voyce of speech as the noyse of an host when they stood they let down their wings HEre is a farther description of the Angels by their going their noyse their standing and letting down their wings The principall is the noyse of their wings and that I shall make most inquiry into A difficulty incounters us in the beginning of the Verse when they went I heard the noyse of their wings rather when they did fly was the noyse of their wings then when they went The originall will help us something in this strait it 's otherwise there thus the words are read And I heard the noyse of their wings like the noyse of great waters as the voyce of the Almighty when they went so that there the originall brings it in and so wee may take it thus the noyse of their flying was as the noyse of great waters and the noyse of their going as the voyce of the Almighty or rather thus by going we may understand their motion the execution of their office and that made a great noyse which is amplified and set out by divers similitudes The first similitude is of great waters waters that run among the stony and rocky mountains make a terrible noyse gulling into the earth and threatning the foundations of the mountains hence Job 14.19 the waters are said to weare the stones they eat into them making concaves and chambers therein and for their noyse in the 46. Psalm v. 3. there it 's no gentle murmuring but a roring the Sea roares so that it 's heard in some places many miles The second similtude is as the voyce of the Almighty or the voyce of God some understand hereby a great voyce because it 's the usuall dialect of the Hebrew tongue to expresse great things by saying they are things of God as Cedars of God for tall and great ones Psal 80.10 11. Rivers of God for great rivers and full of waters Psal 65.10 Mountains of God for high ones Psal 36.6 so a trembling of God 1 Sam. 14.15 for a very great trembling and in like propriety of speech the voyce of the Almighty for a great voyce some truth in this may be granted but somewhat more then a great voyce in generall is to be looked at Psal 18.13 it being a Vision and Hieroglyphicall things presented to the Prophet therein we must therefore refer it to that in Psal 29. even the thunder which is called the voyce of the Lord vers 4. The voyce of the Lord is powerfull the voyce of the Lord is full of Majesty it breaks the Cedars yea the Cedars of Lebanon and so to that Ps 18.13 The third Similitude is the voyce of speech some mystery lies in this that their noyse should be like an articulate voyce the speech of man And two things may be intended in it either the speech of man that is upon some terrible designe and so speaks grievous words even words of death and so it holds analogie with the other similitude of Waters and of Thunder or else by voyce of speech the noyse of their wings the judgements they executed did speak and proclaime Gods commands his wrath and the peoples sins if the judgements seemed terrible as they were indeed the cutting down of a kingdome the ruine of the chiefest City and people in world the voyce of speech was God commands God is angry you are guilty and we must proceed The 4th and last similitude is as the noyse of an host this is a dreadfull noise there is beating of Drums sound of Trumpets clattering of Armour jumping of Chariots rattling of wheels neighing stamping prauncing and rushing of Horses the roaring of Cannons the clamors of men wounded groanes of men dying Carry me out of the Host for I am wounded saith Ahab O the dolefull complaints that are there such as would astonish a man of spirit to heare the noyse of the Angels was such a noyse Observ 1. That the judgements of God executed upon kingdomes cities persons are very dreadfull they are like roarings of the Sea when great storms be and mighty Navies are dashed in pieces and sunk into the deeps they are formidable as the noyse of an Army marching or fighting How dreadfull were the plagues of Egypt that in Exod. 9.23 24. when hail thunder and fire were mingled together was very grievous such as never was the burning of Sodome was dreadfull yet Jerusalems judgement was sorer Lam. 4.6 all their pleasant things were spoyled women and maids ravished in the streets their mighty men troden under feet young men and virgins crushed troden down as grapes in the Wine-presse Priests and Elders dyed for famine children swooned in the streets powred out their souls in their mothers bosomes for want of bread and water pitifull women sod their children of a span long and made meals of them they were slain in the Sanctuary terrors were round about and no way to escape left if they looked for comfort there was none to give it Princes were hanged up by the hands those did weare scarlet imbraced dung-hils Sabbaths Sanctuary Law Vision all failed prevailing fire was in their bones death they longed for and found it not God was against them their enemies prospered and mockt at them and their Sabbaths Where 's your God what 's become of all your worship sacrifice prayers fastings they clapt their hands hissed wagged their heads and said of Jerusalem Is this the perfection of beauty the joy
unpreaching Doctors and Prelates 4. That the gift of Prophecie is from Christ hee reached out a Hand and gave the roul of a Book hee is the great Prophet and hath all Prophecie and propheticall power in himself and whom he pleaseth hee can make a Prophet and inspire with propheticall vertue and where hee pleases even in Babylon as well as in Canaan VERS 10. And hee spread it before mee IN this Verse yee have the opening of the Roul the fulnesse and contents of it Hee spread it before me that is unrouled it and laid it open before me The word in the originall signifies to expound and interpret and wee may conceive that Christ did not only spread the roul before his eyes Expanditur quando hoc quod obscure prolatum fucrat per latitudinem intellectus aperitur Greg. but caused him to understand it by this spreading he saw it was written within and without but by Christs interpretation of it hee knew that there were written in it lamentations mourning and woes It was written within and without The Hebrew is in the face and in the back that is on both sides such writings the Greeks call Opisthographa that is writings writ on the backside fill'd within and without Lavater thinks that on one side were writ their sins and on the other Gods judgements this fulnesse of the Roul intimates either the length of the prophecie as Vatablus conceives or a multitude of evils hanging over the heads of the Jewes as Maldonate thinks or the abundance of revelations committed to the Prophet as Jun. not what Jerome and Bellarmine conceit that the writing within and without should note the literall and mysticall sense of the Scripture Lamentations mourning and woe Here is the contents of the Roul bitter and sad things Amara moesta the burning of the Temple the overthrow of Jerusalem the captivity of the Jewish nation and all the evill should befall them the word Kinim Lamentation noteth a plain complaint a sad speech testifying the sorrowes of mind as David in the case of Absalom O Absalom Absalom c. this was a naturall complaint and simple lamentation suddenly breaking forth without all premeditation Mourning is more it 's deeper and upon consideration the word in the Hebrewis from Hagah to meditate and noteth suspirium ab imo pectore tractum when one hath mused much and seriously upon the cause and matter of grief and then fetcheth deep sighs such as are inditiall of intense and bitter sorrowes that is the mourning here Isa 38.14 I did mourn like a Dove the Hebrew is I will meditate noting mourning that comes from meditation the Doves mourning is inward Cranes chatter and lament Doves mourne Woe This word vehi noteth not only the voyce in lamentations and grones in mourning but knocking of the breast and clapping of the hands together as is used in greater afflictions thus some Interpreters understand it but I conceive by Woe here is meant the threatnings of Judgement or Judgements threatned according to those woes in Matth. 23. and the fruit of them as it 's Lam. 5.16 Observ 1. That divine mysteries are unknown to men though very easie and familiar till they be unfolded this Roul could the Prophet never have comprehended the meaning of if Christ had not opened it take all the types and ceremonies of the Law there were mysteries wrapped up in them which neither Aaron nor Moses had known if they had been left to their own abilities those elements used in Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord we should never have known the mysteries of them if heaven had not helped us would we think the Rain-bow an Embleme of mercy if Scripture had not held it out to us Indians Heathens do not cannot so apprehend it take any divine mysteries they are too transcendent for our capacities there be depths in them that wee cannot fathome 2 Cor. 2.14 the naturall man cannot know the things of God they are spiritually discerned there must be a great mysterie wrought in him before he can discern mysteries 2. It 's the Lord Christ that opens and interprets mysticall things efficaciously unto the faithfull hee spread the Roul before Ezekiel and made him to understand the mysteries of it what is the Scriptures but a roul folded up a book sealed till Christ open it we may all say as the Eunuch being demanded if he understood what he read said How can I except some man guide mee Act. 8.30 31. so unlesse Christ guide us and lead us into the mysteries of the Word wee cannot understand Rev. 5.5 When none could open the booke sealed up the Lion of the tribe of Judah could do it He hath strength to untie all knots and a spirit to search all deeps Christ himself is the greatest mysterie and he is the great opener of mysteries Matth. 11.27 All things are delivered to mee and my Father and no man knowes the Father save the Son and hee to whom the Son will reveal him if ever God be made known savingly to the soul it must be by the Lord Christ and hee doth not reveal unto all but to whomsoever hee will to his Elect ones from others hee conceals him they have the Letter the Roul but not the mysterie thereof their light is darknesse But there be some in the world that Christ doth interpret the riddles and dark things of the Scripture unto see that place in Joh. 15.15 Hence first saith Christ I call yee not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have call'd you friends for all things that I have heard of my father I make known unto you these were Christs friends Christ revealed all to them but from other all was kept it was Christ revealed unto the Prophets what they had and to the Apostles what they had the Scripture may well be call'd the Revelation of Christ you have one Book call'd so Rev. 1.1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his servants that is his faithfull ones if we would therefore understand the Roul of the Book the mysteries in the Scripture wee must look up to Christ and intreat him to spread them before our eyes and to interpret them to our hearts 3. That the servants of God must not refuse to receive and propound large and sad messages to the people Here is a Roul writ within and without and fill'd with lamentations mourning and woe Here was liber mortis a book of death and deadly things this the Prophet must receive and declare to the people how ever they take it people would gladly heare from the men of God good tidings they would have a law of kindnesse in our lips our mouths to drop honey they would have us sons of consolation but wee must speak what our great Lord and Master puts into the â—oul if hee bid us preach lamentations mournings and woes we must do it 4 That the Lord gives
soul hateth they were the Lords people hee appointed the new moons and feasts but because they had corrupted them hee owns them not but calls them theirs so in Exod. 32.7 God bids Moses get him down from the mount what was the matter Thy people thou broughtest out of Egypt have corrupted themselves their corrupting themselves with Idolatry made God disclaim them they are thy people go look after them I will destroy them else he calls them Moses his people there and here he calls them Ezekiels to let them see how his heart was estranged from them while they were faithfull to God hee counted highly of them they were precious in his sight honourable beloved but when they went a whoring from God Isa 43.4 hee accounts not of them he calls them not his owns them not they had shamefully dishonoured God by their sins and he will not honour them with the title of his people 3. The servants of Christ must execute their Functions without respect of persons or regard to successe Speak to them what ever they be and tell them Thus saith the Lord that one greater then themselves hath sent thee and will call them to account and whether they will heare or forbeare let not that trouble thee do thy duty be not troubled at the oppositions of men or successesnesse of thy labours VER 12. Then the Spirit took mee up and I heard behind me a voyce of a great rushing saying Blessed is the glory of the Lord from his place 13. I heard also the noyse of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another and the noyse of the wheels over against them and a noyse of a great rushing 14. So the Spirit lifted mee up and tooke mee away and I went in bitternesse in the heat of my spirit but the hand of the Lord was strong upon mee 15. Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abid that dwelt by the river of Chebar and I sate where they sate and remained there astonished seven dayes THese words are the second part of the Chapter and contain in them a Declaration of what befell the Prophet being so call'd and the particulars are these 1. The work of the Spirit in taking and lifting him up ver 12th 2. The voyce he heard vers 12. and what it was Blessed c. 3. The noyse of wings and wheels vers 13. 4. The ablation of the Prophet vers 14. In the 12th was a sublation in this an ablation 5. The journey he went in the 14. and 15. verse And 6. His condition hee was in bitternesse of spirit hee sate and mourned seven dayes vers 14 15. The Spirit took me up By Spirit here we understand not the wind as if some great wind should take up the Prophet nor an Angel as if hee had been lift up by Angelicall vertue nor his own spirit as Jerome would have it but that Spirit which was in the living creatures and wheels Chap. 1.12 20. and led them that Spirit entred into Ezekiel and set him upon his feet Chap. 2.2 That Spirit which led Christ into the Wildernesse Matth. 4.1 even the eternall Spirit of God This taking up of Ezekiel by the Spirit of God was 1. To perfect and ratifie his Call to the Propheticall Office the Lord Christ had spoken much unto him about it and now the Spirit lifts him up and seals the same unto his soul strengthening him in the full assurance thereof when hee had heard Christs voyce and found his Spirit working so extraordinarily as to lift him up this could not but mightily prevail with and satisfie the soule of the Prophet 2. That hee might have a more cleer and full view of the glory of him that sate upon the Throne when wee would have one see things distinctly and fully wee set or lift him up on high The Devill carryed Christ unto an exceeding high mountain and shewed him the glory of the kingdomes of the world Matth. 4.8 3. To put honour upon him in letting him see that he was to be an organ of the Spirit for the future he was to be imploy'd in great service by the Spirit and that was a great honour Hee was to be the mouth of the Spirit unto that people to be wholly at the dispose of the Spirit 4. To avocate his thoughts from things below and to settle them upon contemplation of things divine a Prophet is not to look downward his heart should be lifted up to heaven and heavenly things And I heard behind me the voyce of a great rushing It was not the voyce of thunder or of an earth-quake but of the living creatures and the voyce some make to be the words Blessed is the glory of the Lord from his place which words are in the originall the blessed glory of the Lord from his place that is the glory of God is now going out of his place and it troubles the Angels that they lament and make a great noyse to behold so dreadfull a judgement to befall Jerusalem and the Jewes and so the voyce to be differing from these words If it be granted that these words were the voyce uttered yet may they be taken in that sense as is expressed to shew their sorrow for the ruine of the Church The blessed glory of the Lord is departing from its place God is leaving his habitation and people and all is hastening to spoyl and desolation this affected the very Angels when some great man that hath been a great Patron and friend to a place is going away what lamentation is made what a noyse and stir is there at it as in these dayes when some Ministers Magistrates and other eminent Christians are forced from their place by the enemies what complaint doth it cause what a noyse doth it make and so when God leaves a people that were beloved and deare unto him it fetches sighs and complaints not only from men but even from angels also the soul finds it a sad thing when God departs from it and oft mourns bitterly Some take the words for a Doxologie and make the sense this Blessed be the glory of God which is seen in punishing the wicked and delivering the Church God shewes himself just and righteous that he will no longer stay among a sinful people but be gone from them and render to them according to their wayes The Quere will be in what sense we may take the words both senses may without prejudice be admitted while the Angels looked upon the great losse the Jews should have by Gods departure the great evils would follow therupon they sympathized and were so affected with it that they brake out into these expressions The blessed glory of God is going out of its place and so it was vox lamentationis but when they look'd at Gods Justice and holinesse they said Blessed is or be the glory of the Lord. Though men be ruin'd Cities and Nations destroyed and God driven from his habitation yet let
five yeeers passed in that condition Chapt. 1.2 and yet their proud hearts not humbled their old enmity to the Prophets not worn out 2 Chron. 36.15 16 17. God sent them messengers Prophets and they mocked them misused them till the wrath came and there was no remedy and therefore he brought upon them the Chaldeans who led them into captivity where they were servants and slaves their wronging of the Prophets was the cause of their suffering and yet all their sufferings did not subdue their spirits and work them to entertain the truth and walk peaceably towards the Prophet they bind him in the land of bondage the Plough breaks the earth in many places but doth not better it but leaves it as it was nothing is put in by the Plough if the Master dung it and sow good seed in it when the Plough hath broken it then there is like to be a harvest but if nothing be sown weeds nettles thorns will grow where the Plough hath been and so afflictions may break our estates our bodies our sleep yet if nothing be added if God do not sanctifie them the harvest will be tares and not wheat 6. It 's no new thing for Prophets and Ministers to be roughly intreated and laid by as uselesse things Ezekiel 400. yeeres before Christ is shut up bound kept from coming among the people and this misery hath befallen the Prophets in severall ages 1 Kin. 18.4 Jezabel cut off the Prophets and then they were hid by fifties in caves Jeremy was shut up in the prison in the Kings Court Jer. 32.2 most of the Prophets and Apostles were restrained from their publique imployments shut up in prisons banisht or driven into corners and that proves oft a great sadding to ingenuous spirits not so much in that they suffer but because they are out of imployment but let those are in such conditions or may shortly be consider it 's no strange unwonted thing such afflictions have been formerly 1 Pet. 5.9 The same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world besides God hath need of no men nor any of their parts VER 26. And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth and thou shalt be dumb and shalt not be to them a reprover for they are a rebellious house HEre is a farther and full manifestation of his silence but there is doubt concerning the meaning of the words The Septuagint hath it I will bind thy tongue and this bond it 's conceiv'd was a divine precept God commanding him to be silent and thereupon it was that he forbare to speak unto them Others take the words literally and hold that the use of his tongue was taken away so that neither in publique nor in private hee might speak unto them but be a wordlesse and tonguelesse man amongst them whereupon they being troubled and wondring at what had befallen Ezekiel might search out the cause and become more willing to heare those sad messages he had to deliver But salve aliorum judicio I conceive the words are not to be taken in their literall sense 1. Because the Prophet is bid in the the next Chapter verse 9. to prepare him meat and to eat thereof which he could not do if his tongue had cleaved to the roof of his mouth the motion of the tongue is needfull to that action 2. It 's plain from the 14th verse of that 4th Chapter that it cannot be meant literally for there the Prophet speaks Then said I ah Lord God behold my soul hath not been polluted c. We are then to take the words figuratively thus Thou shalt be as a man whose tongue cleaves to his mouth as a man that is dumb such a one shalt thou be amongst them and this sense the words following infer Thou shalt not be to them a reprover they would not have thee to tell them of their sins of my judgements and the danger thereupon and thou shalt not be a reprover unto them and it 's the Scripture language to call them dumb that are in the place of Ministers and Prophets and preach not Isa 56.10 Observ 1. The Lord hath the power over Prophets lips to shut and open them at his pleasure I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth c. If God forbid the Prophets to speak they must be dumb as contrary if hee command they cannot be silent Amos 3.8 The Lord hath spoken who can but prophesie The Jewes objected against the Prophets that they prophesied no good unto them only sad things and were messengers of death the Prophet answers it 's true but God hath commanded hee hath spoken and who can be silent who shall dare not to deliver and heare his message he is a roaring Lion will tear in pieces disobedient Prophets and people he was to speak and to be silent when God would have it so Balaam knew this Numb 22.38 Lo I am come unto thee O Balak have I now any power at all to say any thing can I with canning do any thing so is the Hebrew the word that God putteth in my mouth that shall I speak it was in God to open or shut his mouth hee could not with all his canning do ought Prov. 16.1 The preparations of the heart in man and answer of the tongue is from the Lord and so the silence of the tongue and cessation of the spirit in man is from the Lord Prophets are to be silenced and suspended not when Prelates people will but when the Lord will 2. People are impatient of reproofs Thou shalt not be a reprover unto them for they are rebellious they would not indure him to deal roughly with them to convince them of their sins many affect the Prophets being shining lights but when they are burning lights they hate them when they scorchmen w th through reproofs and evident convictions of their guiltinesse then they hate them and seek to mischieve them Isa 29.21 Hee that reproved in the gate had a snare laid for him and Micaiah is a hatefull man to Ahab 1 King 22.8 because hee prophesied not good to him reproofs are veritates mordaces they have salt and fire in them which few men can indure especially being sore and therefore they wil imprison and murther the Prophets Put this fellow into prison saith Ahab vers 27. Let John reprove Herod and he is presently clapt into a prison Luke 3.19 Reproofs evidence to men that their sins are known awaken guilt and crosse them in the things they love and therefore they cannot indure them like Moses rod in hand it was without hurt but thrown down it became a Serpent so reproofs thrown forth prove Serpents to men they molest and sting them 3. The peoples sins do cause God to cut them short of spirituall mercies here was a Prophet furnished with the treasure of heaven and the Lord shuts up his mouth and makes him a dumb Prophet unto them and why so
weak and not to please themselves but to please and edifie their neighbour and what 's the ground of it Christ pleased not himself but for our sakes hee bare reproach 1. It 's in Gods power to blast the comforts of this life behold Vers 16 17. I will break the staffe of bread God gives bread drink clothes what ever sweetens the lives of sinfull sorry men here on earth and when he pleases he can take them or the blessing of them from us What are clothes if they keep not warm What is bread if it do not nourish it's the same as if you had nâ—â—â— God can break the stâ—ffe of bread so that all your comforts shall be broken comforts and hee can take away the staffe of bread so that your comforts shall be no more Amos 4.8 Two or three cities wandred unto one city to drink water but they were not satisfied the waters quenched not their thirst they were broken comforts and Hos 4.10 They did eat but had not enough they were not filled and satisfied the staff of bread was broken and the comfort of it too short for them but that is not all sometimes there is no water no bread left Lam. 1.11 Chap. 4.4 5. Chap. 6. there was not a little but none God can take away all the comforts of this life and leave us as naked as wee came into the world neithet is it only in his power to break the staff of naturall bread but of the spirituall also Behold I will send a famine not of bread and a thirst not of water but of hearing the Word of God and men shall wander and not find it Amos 8.11 12. This is the sorest famine and such a famine is in many places Let us take heed wee provoke not God to plague us with such a famine 2. The end of God in his judgements is to perplex and ruine wicked impenitent sinners God sends a famine that they may eat and drink with care with ashonishment and consume away in a loathsome manner What a miserable sight is it to see a man pin'd even to death for want of bread many in time of plenty are fill'd with care and feare about their backs and bellies what they shall eat and what they shall drink and how live the next day how much more men in the depth of a famine see what Isaiah saith Chap. 9.19 20. there was a civill war to be amongst them famine accompanying that and the wrath of God to consume them as fire doth fuell and what then no man shall spare his brother and he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry and he shall eat on the left hand and not be satisfied they shall eat every man the flesh off his own arm Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh when they could not consume one another fast enough they would consume themselves eat their own arms to save life and that eating was death 3. It is mens iniquities which bring such consumptive judgements upon them they shall consume away for their iniquity sin is poison and that makes languishing it eats up the strength of a man wears out all his comforts and brings him to the pit Lev. 26.31 they shall pine away in their iniquitie their flesh their spirits their hopes their lives may leave them but their iniquities will not Ezekiel Chap. 5. Ver. 1 2 3 4. And thou Son of man take thee a sharp knife take thee a Barbers razor and cause it to passe upon thy head and upon thy beard then take the ballances to weigh and divide the haire 2. Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city when the dayes of the siege are fulfilled and thou shalt take a third part and smite about it with a knife and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind and I will draw out a sword after them 3. Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number and bind them in thy skirts 4. Then take of them again and cast them into the midst of the fire and burn them in the fire for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the House of Israel THis Chapter carries on the Argument of the former Jerusalem's misery in that was presented to you under single types a siege and famine in this also under a complex type is set forth the judgements of God against Jerusalem I call it a complex type because it contains many judgements of God it 's generally propounded in the first verse particularly in the three next The matter of this type is here and touching it he is commanded 1. To take a knife or razor and to cut off the hair of his head and beard 2. To weigh it being cut off and 3. To divide it Something I must open in the words give you the sense of them and then the obsâ—â—â—â—tions Take to thee a sharp knife 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Hebrew it is a sword Chereb which signifies any instrument that cuts and divides of iron or stone in Josh 5.2 Make thee sharp knives Knives of flint is the originall what knife our Prophet meant is expressed a Barbers razor Hebrew a razor of Barbers such as they use when they trim men and they are very sharp most commodious and fit for that service This Razor here sets out the will and judiciary power of God in punishing the Jewes by Nebuchadnezzar who in Isai 7.20 is call'd a Razor and that is sharp strong and fit for shaving This Razor must passe upon the Prophets head and beard and take away the hair of both even close to the skin Head It types out unto us Jerusalem which had the regions round about subject unto it and now the chief city of Judah God would shave the head and beard of this city off The Citizens are resembled to hair of a mans head and beard 1. For their multitudes they are numberlesse and Jerusalem had multitudes in it of her own and thither was a conflux of all sorts from most parts 2. Hair is an ornament 1 Pet. 3.3 not only to women but also to men their hair doth become them Cant. 5.11 and people are a great ornament to a city a city unpeopled is a head without hair people are the beauty and glory of a city Prov. 20.29 Solomon saith gray hairs are the beautie of old men and gray-headed Counsellors are the beauty of cities A Lapid Barba est symbolum virilitatis Some by the hair of the head think the wise men of the City are figured out and by the hair of the beard are the strong men the beard is a token of manhood 3. Hair is a weak thing blown this way and that way with every wind and so it is with the people they are weak inconstant things Hebr. 13.9 They were carried about with divers and strange doctrines 2 Pet. 2.2 Many follow their pernicious wayes people are truly in this sense hair they move
with Jerusalem First They observed not the laws of God 2. Not the lawes of the Nations but multiplyed more then they and thirdly before them unto whom they should have been patterns of pietie Because thou hast multiplyed more then the Nations Some Expositors referre these words to their mercies not their sinnes and make the sense thus Because thou hast multiplyed in number in riches in honour and strength in victory in profits in ordinances in all blessings for which yee ought to have been thankfull fruitfull and obedient unto that God who blessed you thus above the Nations but in stead of this hast dishonoured God growne loose Idolatrous c. therefore will I deale accordingly with thee Take it thus and you have this note That prosperitie rather worsens then betters a people they had more mercies then the Nations and more sinnes then they as they abounded in Gods blessings so they abounded in ingratitude Deut. 32.15 Jesurun waxed fat and kicked c. Hos 13.6 But others referre this multiplying to their sinnes and the sense is this Because thou hast not satisfied thy selfe with a little wickednesse but multiplyed sinnes iniquities transgressions and that more then the Heathens that had not thy mercies nor thy light therefore will I judge thee and that they multiplyed sinne is evident Ezek. 16.25 Thou hast built thy high places at every head of the way thou hast opened thy feete to every one that passeth by and hast multiplyed thy whoredomes shee sinn'd with the Aegyptians Assyrians Chaldeans vers 26.28 29. The judgements of the Nations The Gentiles have their judgements their laws rules and wayes of living and worshipping Some understand here the lawes of nature what men have written in their hearts naturally according to what you finde Rom. 2.14 15. and the Jewes that had the laws of God superadded to the law of nature did not abstaine from those sinnes the Nations did They observ'd the Law the Jewes brake Others referre it to their laws decrees and practise touching their gods and the worship of them they were tenacious of both and would not alter their worship nor exchange their gods It was a Maxime among heathens Ne quid novarent in religionis forma and it was an Oracle of Apollo Eos deos rite coli qui traditi essent à majoribus and they thought it impious to depart from what they had received When Paul came to Athens they did and would worship their unknowne God Paul could not prevaile with them to exchange a lye for truth not all the miracles Moses did in Egypt prevail'd with Pharaoh the Egyptians to forsake their false gods so that these words are a reproach to the Jewes who were not so constant as the Nations to their god Observ 1. That God walkes not into the way of judgements till men doe walke out of the way of his statutes Because yee have not walked in my statutes nor kept my judgements therefore I will doe so and so by you God's delights are in wayes and works of mercy Judgements are his strange works and strange acts Isa 28.21 he is provoked unto them as a Bee unto stinging it 's the child's wantonnesse causes the father to use the rod. David's sin brought the sword to his owne house the plague to the people when the wickednesse of the earth was great then the windows of heaven were open and the flood came Gen. 6. 2. When God intends judgements he usually convinces sinners judgements and convictions are not far asunder God sets their sinnes before them they walked not in his statutes they sinn'd more then the Nations therefore he would proceed in judgement with them he convinces them of their sinne to make way for a farther conviction namely of the equitie of his judgements when the Lord shall convince a sinfull people to be guiltie and that of great sinnes it stops their mouths and proclaimes the equitie of his judgements which are ever short of the merit of mens iniquities Ezr. 9.13 Our God hath punish'd us lesse then our iniquities 3. That Heathens are oft more true to their principles then the people of God The Nations kept their judgements their gods their worship they would not suffer ought to be spoken against their gods Demetrius and others were in a rage against Paul and his companions for it Act. 19. They were free from many of those sinnes were practised and countenanced among the Jewes who kept neither to the true God nor to his statutes and judgements Ahaz is better pleased with an Altar from Damascus then that the Lord had appointed 2 King 16. Solomon that excell'd in wisdome shewed his folly in this that he built high places for Chemish and Molech and not onely a particular man but the body of the people turn'd aside from the true God Judg. 2.12 They forsooke God that brought them out of Egypt and followed the gods of the people that more round about them they bowed to them they served Baal and Ashtaroth and Chap. 10.6 it was an ordinary thing with them The Children of Israel did evill againe in the sight of the Lord and served Baalim Ashâ—aroth the gods of Syria the gods of Zidon and the gods of Moab and the gods of the Philistims They were not satisfied with one or two false gods but fetched in the gods of the Nations round about them Hos 4.12 Hence this people are said to goe a whoring from under their god his lawes statutes worship government would not suffice them but they would out and have strange gods and strange lawes 2 Chron. 12.1 Rehoboam forsook the Law of the Lord and all Israel with him Gods Law was exchanged for the lawes of men They kept the statutes of Omri and brake the statutes of Jehovah Mic. 6.16 The Jewes were as unconstant to their God and in his worship as any Nation under heaven God upbraids them for it Jer. 2.36 Why goddest thou about so much to change thy way God had given them a good way a way of life and they would not abide in it but hasten into wayes of sinne and death they loved to wander Jer. 14. Hath not England been weary of Gods wayes wandered to Rome and other parts to fetch in somewhat of theirs Have we not been upon conjunctures of Protestants and Papists in Doctrine Discipline and Ceremony Vers 8. In the 8. ver is laid down a dreadfull threatning Behold I even I am against thee and the denunciation of judgement runs on to the end of the Chapter with many aggravations Here the Lord is brought in a just and severe Judge and the chiefe Author of all the judgements were to come upon them I even I am c. It 's doubled and notes 1. Evidentiam That so they might be perswaded of it the Jewes thought that God would never be against Jerusalem but to convince them he tells them I even I am against thee 2. Certitudinem That whether they beleeved it or no
they should finde it so 3. Vehementiam To set out the intensivenesse of God in this thing he was serious and reall his heart was in it he was not words but weight I even I c. That so they might be the more affected The Vulgar reads it to thee in stead of against thee the Hebrew beares both and the sense abides the same I even I to thee that is coming to thee with my judgements I am hastning towards thee for thy ruine and destruction and so coming to Jerusalem is being against it That phrase in Levit. 26.24 of walking contrary to them and punishing them is the expository of this here God would come to them come against them and destroy them and this should be not in a private way but in the sight of the Nations it 's a sad thing to have God secretly out with one much worse to have him an open enemy as God professes he would be unto them all should see his dealings with them Judgements Here it 's not taken as in the 6. and 7. verse but notes wrath vengeance and punishment to be inflicted upon evill doers it 's the same word in the Hebrew that notes lawes and punishments and both are call'd judgements being from the infinite wisdome counsell and judgement of God Observ 1. That it's God is the great Agent in all Judgements befall Cities and Kingdomes Nebuchadnezzar Nebuzaradan and many thousand fierce bloudy Souldiers came against Jerusalem but God was in them acted and ordered them they were the rod and staffe in his hand with which he beate Jerusalem the Axe with which he hewed them the razor wherewith he shaved them and might have said It 's not wee but your God is against you he hath commanded us to come forth to plunder your Countrey to besiege take and burne your Citie though you yeelded not obedience to his commands to prevent the judgement yet wee must and will to execute the judgement appointed by him sufferers are apt to look at the next and second causes not at God but Armies plagues famines what ever judgements are extant they are in Gods hand he is the principall actor in them 2 Chron. 12.7 God calls the wrath his wrath and Shishach was to powre out upon Jerusalem Shishach was the vial God put in the wrath and powred it out at his pleasure Amos 4.6.10 God tells them it was he gave them cleannesse of teeth and sent the pestilence and it 's he breaks out like fire in the house of Joseph Chap. 5.6 and Isa 63.10 he fought against them it was God in their enemies did it 2. It 's a dreadfull thing to have God against a Citie or Kingdome Behold I even I am against you I that have loved you so dearly that have done so much for you that have been a friend a father a husband a deliverer a counsellor a God of salvation even I am against you The word Behold imports so much where that is prefixt usually some great strange and dreadfull thing follows and so here could a greater stranger or more dreadfull thing befall Gods people then to have God against them 1. All in God is against them all his attributes his wisdome holinesse mercy justice patience power c. working for their ruine Jer. 18.11 Behold saith the Lord I frame evill against you and devise a device against you Gods head and hand was at work against them and so in Micah 2.3 Behold against this family doe I devise an evill it was ill with the family of Jacob when God set his thoughts a work to devise judgements for them The infinite wise and powerfull God when he is once against a people improves his attributes for their ruine hence you have it in the Word that Gods face is against the wicked Psal 34.16 and set against them Levit. 26.17 and so his hand is against them Lam. 3.3 2. All from God as 1. All the creatures When the King himself is out with any all his officers and servants frowne also Angels are against a people when God is against them When two States fall out they call away their Embassadours and God calls away his Angels when he is wrath with a Nation and because their Lord and Master is wronged by that Nation they take part with him against it and stand ready to execute his judgements upon it when Christ was injuriously dealt withall Peter drew in his Masters behalfe presently when God was against Egypt the destroying Angel was quickly felt there Not onely Angels but all inferior creatures act answerably unto their Lord when he moves against a people they doe it also the starres fought against Sisera Judg. 5.20 the waters against Pharaoh Exod. 14.26 the earth against Corah Dathan and Abiram Num. 16.32 fiery Serpents stung the Israelites Numb 21.6 see Levit. 26.22 Ezek. 34.28 Chap. 14.15 Wilde beasts God would send amidst them and he did it 2 King 17.24 25. there were Lions and 2 King 2.24 there were Beares which did devoure Herod was eaten up by wormes Pherecydes with vermine Plinie tells that in Spaine they were constrain'd to forsake their Cities because undermin'd with Conies one in Thessal with Moules and in France many Townes were left because annoyed with Frogges Locusts Mice and Waspes God is the Lord of Hosts and can quickly muster up an Armie of the creatures against his enemies 2. All Ordinances the Word is the favour of death 2 Cor. 2.16 the Gospel is hid to them Chap. 4.3 Prayer and fasting witnesse against them Isa 58.5 Zach. 7.5 Passeover Circumcision Sacrifices Temple Sabbaths New Moones c. did them no good but encreased their woes Isa 1.11 12 13 14 15. and Chap. 6.9 10 11. Heare yee indeed but understand not and see yee indeed but perceive not Make the heart of this people fat their eares heavie shut their eyes lest they should see heare understand he converted and healed And why thus God was against them he would wast their Cities and make their Land desolate God was against the Jewes his purpose was to root them out and what did Christ his glorious Gospel and treasures of it profit them as Ahab said of Micaiah 1 King 22.8 he prophecied no good unto us so these prov'd no wayes good unto them 3. God â—ets a people he is against against it selfe he divides them Ephraim is against Mâ—nasseb and Manasseh against Ephraim and both against Judah Isa 9.21 When people will divide from God God will multiply their divisions he can and doth mingle a perverse spirit in the midst of a people he is against Isa 19.14 there shall be no agreement but in the ruine of one another Ver. 2. I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians and they shall fight Brother Neighbour Citie Kingdome each against another 4. All miseries plagues judgements curses break in quickly upon that people Levit. 26. When God is in march against a people he will appoint over them terrors consumptions burning agues
the more bitter were the Jewes against that way and that was antecedent to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus 6. He makes that people base and contemptible in the eyes of others they lose their honour and glory they were the head whilest God was with them but they became the tail when hee was against them Observ 3. That the Lord will be known by executing of judgements he will not smite in secret in a corner of the Land or City but in the midst of them and so as his judgements should come abroad be seen and heard of the nations the Jewes thought God like themselves Psal 50.21 because hee was silent they felt him not a revenger and therefore would make him a partaker in their sins God would vindicate himself and execute judgement in the midst of them the Gentiles were blind deeming judgements to be casuall but God would so deal with Jerusalem inflict such punishment as that they should see and say they were not accidentall but from the God of heaven so that here the equity and greatnesse of judgements are held out they sinn'd and grievously in the midst of the nations and are punished accordingly in the sight of the nations This was an addition to the Jewes misery that their enemies should be witnesses of what they suffered Ad Scapul c. 3. Tertul. tels of Claudius Hermianus who persecuted the Christians bitterly Nemo sciat ne gaudeant Christiani and the rather because his wife was turned to that sect as hee call'd it he being smitten with the just hand of God said Keep it secret lest the Christians rejoyce VER 9 10. And I will do in thee that which I have not done and whereunto I will not do any more the like because of all thine abominations 10. Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee and the sons shall eat their fathers and I will execute judgements in thee and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds THese verses contain further aggravations of Jerusalems miseries The 9th verse tels you they should be such the world had not seen nor should see the 10th verse specifies some particulars The 9th verse extends to the time past and to the time future and falls into examination whether true in either part First I will do in thee that which I have not done had not God dealt severely with the old world with Sodom and Gomorrah with the Egyptians who◠〈◊〉 drowned yes he had but their sins being not so grievous as the Jews their judgements were not so great the sorest was that of Sodom and Lam. 4.6 The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater then the punishment of the sin of Sodom that was overthrown in a moment it was a sharp but short punishment Jerusalem had severity and length of time therefore it 's added verse 9th That they be slain with the sword are better then they are slain with hunger their judgement is easie But was not the siege of Samaria as sad a judgement as this executed against Jerusalem 2 King 6.28 29. there the women eat their own children and suffered great distresse through famine Answ The women eat their children but it came not to that extremity as that the fathers should eat their sons and the sons the fathers as here it was And Secondly that was not taken as Jerusalem was and burnt many put to the sword many carried into captivity This part of the verse you see cleared that respects the time to come is more difficult I will not do any more the like Did God do his utmost now did he not do as much or more against Jerusalem and its inhabitants for putting Christ to death When Titus besieged Jerusalem did they not eat their children one another die with famine did not the plague and sword destroy ran not their blood down the streets out at the gates and affected their very enemies came not the wrath of God upon them to the utmost 1 Thes 2.16 and said not the Lord Christ Matth. 24.21 that there should be at that time such tribulation as was not from the beginning of the world nor ever should be how then is it truth in our Prophet that God saith I will not do any more the like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. The Hebrew word for no more doth not alwayes signifie perpetuity but sometime a long tract of time or a considerable space 2 King 6.23 the heads of Syria came no more into the land of Israel that was for a certain time they did not but yet afterward they came again as appears in the next verse so Isa 2.4 Nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learn war any more it 's spoken of Christs time and for some yeers there was quietnesse in the world but after the Gospell spread wars were learned and practised again one place more in Gen. 46.29 Joseph fell on his fathers neck and wept on it a good while it 's the same word so then God would not do so any more that is for a good while a long season for that age and generation 2. We do not find that ever there was such a hand of God upon a people that the fathers should eat their sons in an open visible way and the sons the fathers as there it was The Scripture mentions not the like again scarcely any story in the world and in this particular it may exceed all that ever God had done or would do God never would do Chemohu like that again No such president should be after it and so that they should be scattered into all parts of the world 3. Some Interpreters conceive the words that which I have not done and whereunto I will do no more the like to be an usuall phrase amongst the Hebrewes to set out the greatnesse of the judgement Because of all thine abominations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word signifies a hatefull thing such as is loathsome and dangerous The Septuagint do frequently render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a thing so detestable as Propter foeditatem nemo non aversatur a wickednesse of which ne-fari liceat it 's so offensive unsavory the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abominari signifies such a thing as a man omibus sensibus abhorreth that a man indures not patiently to heare see or speak of it points out notorious sins of all kinds I shall name some unto you the counterfeiting of the sexes men by wearing the womens and women the mens apparell this was an abomination unto the Lord Deut. 22.5 incestuous marriages Adulteries Sodomie Buggery Lev. 18.26 27. he had mentioned the sins and then calls them abominations falshood in weights and measures Deut. 25.14 15 16. Idolatry as 1 Pet. 4.3 Abominable Idolatries and so odious are Idols that they are call'd abominations 2 Chron. 15.8 Asa put away the abominable Idols the Hebrew
in legally uncleane Ezek. 44.7 Yee have brought into my Sanctuary strangers uncircumcised in heart and in flesh to pollute it With all thy detestable things Shikkutzim The word notes not offensive things simply but so offensive as to offend the senses and the minde and so to offend them as it causeth an abhorring with execration and such things are Images and Idolls 2 King 23.24 those had familiar spirits the Wisards the Images the Idolls and all the abominations The word is Shikkutzim all the detestable and execrable things did Josiah put away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God speaks of them with detestation Jer. 11.13 Yee have set up Altars to that shamefull thing even Baal Act. 15.20 Pollution of Idolls dunghill or Jakesie gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the word Gillulim signifies Ezek. 22.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are terror to them that worship them 1 King 15.13 Maachah made an Idoll a thing to terrifie the word is and Psal 135.15 The Idolls of the Nations it 's the griefe torment of the Nations These names expresse the detestation of God against Idolls and should quicken us to the detestation of them according to that in Deut. 7.26 Thou shalt utterly detest or utterly abhorre an Idoll or any part of it the Originall is In detesting thou shalt detest and in abhorring thou shalt abhorre noting the great detestation and abhorrency should be in Gods people to Idolatry for they defile mens consciences Gods worship and Sanctuary therefore the Septuagint renders the word abominations or detestations in Jer. 22.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pollutions Therefore will I also diminish thee The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Vulgar renders confringere I will break thee and then the sense runs thus My purpose was to have preserv'd the Temple safe from all violation if so be you had kept it unpolluted but now seeing you have defiled it with your detestable things I must and will break it down as being no better then a common prophane house It signifies also to shave as in Jer. 48.37 Every beard shall be clipt or shaven the Nazarites were holy to the Lord and if by the sudden death of any they were defiled their cleansing was by shaving of their heads Num. 6.9 So also was the Leper to be cleansed by shaving off his hair Lev. 13 33.14.8 And so here they were defiled and God would cleanse them by shaving and so it corresponds with the razor men trimmed in the first verse and both these senses fall in with the word diminish which the Hebrew word also denotes diminuere detrahendo so is contrary to Joseph which is to add to a thing God would not add any more mercies but take away their mercies and diminish them they had diminished his honour hee would diminish their comforts they had stain'd his glory and he would take away their glory the Temple and City Some render it succidam I will cut down God would deal with Jerusalem as an Husbandman doth with a barren or rotten tree Neither shall mine eye spare This kind of expression is much used in this Prophecie more seldome in others The eye is the Index of the minde the disposition whereof is seen discern'd there as in a looking glasse anger joy love grief are inmates yet visible in the eye that is the casement they look out at the hidden things of the heart are revealed by the eye pity sparing compassion are affections of the heart and mind and God speaking after the manner of men saith Mine eye shall not spare as it 's in Isa 13.18 Their eye shall not spare children there should be no sign of pity or remorse in them sparing is given to the eye as the sign of it From the eye is intelligence given of mercy or severity within you shall not have the least hint of mercy from mine eye but evidence of wrath only and whereas others were wont to be affected with the miseries they behold their eye affects their heart Lam. 3.51 I will not be at all affected with their miseries let a great army sit down before them let famine plague sword devoure let all mischiefe be upon them mine eye shall not affect mine heart I will not repent I will not have any pity What could have been said more dreadfull the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to be of a prone pitifull affection towards any though they deserve ill Joel 2.18 Gods people had sinned greatly were under sore judgements deserv'd utter destruction but let them fast pray and turn then will the Lord pity them though they deserve no mercy yet hee will shew them mercy so in 2 Chron. 36.15 they were exceeding ill yet God had compassion on them it 's the same word and hath a contrary signification to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to destroy without mercy and so the word in this place when it hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyn'd unto it signifieth as much as I will not have any pity that is I will destroy without mercy 1 Sam. 15.3 Smite Amalek utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not that is have no pity on them and when God ceaseth to pity a people it 's sad then no redemption for them Isa 63.9 God will deliver them into the hands of their enemies Zach. 11.6 hee will harden others against them when God pities not yet if men will it 's some comfort but men shall not do it Jer. 21.7 When in Nebuchadnezzars hands he shall not spare pity or shew mercy when they should fall down beg for their lives at the hands of Babylonians they should finde no mercy only bitter words and bloody deeds in Amos 1.11 it 's said Edom cast off all pity and his anger did tear and so God he cast off all pity and destruction followed Jer. 13.14 I will dash them one against another even the fathers and the sons together I will not pity spare nor have mercy but destroy them and you may see this fulfill'd in the Lamentations Chap. 2.2 The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob and hath not pitied as a wilde beast doth his prey as a Sea doth ships God left not one no pity at all see vers 17.21 Observ 1. That sin defiles the holy things of God they defiled not only themselves but the Sanctuary and worship of God in it the land of Canaan was holy and sin defiled that Jer. 16.38 the Temple was holy and sin defiled that Ezek. 23.38 the Altar was holy and sin polluted that Mal. 1.7 the Sabbaths were holy and sin prophaned them Neh. 13.17 the Priesthood and Covenant was holy and sin defiled them Neh. 13.29 Gods name is holy Ezek. 20.39 sin pollutes that 2. That defilement of Gods worship brings certain and severe judgements they had defiled his Sanctuary with Idols superstitions polluted bread blind lame corrupt sacrifice by suffering unclean and uncircumcised persons to
God when God is in his jealousie hee speaks dreadfull things and doth answerably to speak in zeal is to decree an irrevocable and bloody sentence Hence Josh 24.19 hee is a jealous God and then followes and will not forgive your transgressions and Deut. 29.20 The Lord will not spare his jealousie shall smoak against that man and all the curses in this Book shall lie upon that man What man the man that breaks covenant with God gâ—ing out to false worship and thereby putting him into jealousie which as it 's the rage of a man and makes him cruell in the day of vengeance so it 's the rage of God and makes him without pity or mercy when hee executes vengeance he will then accomplish his wrath and not spare powre out all his wrath and vengeance VER 14 15. Moreover I will make thee waste and a reproach among the Nations that are round about thee in the sight of all that passe by 15. So it shall be a reproach and taunt an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee when I shall execute judgement in thee in anger and fury and furious rebukes I the Lord have spoken it IN the 14th Verse are two judgements more laid down desolation and reproach this last is aggravated from the extent of it to the nations round about and all that passed by In the 15th you have the repetition of the last judgement and the ends of both annexed which are First for information Secondly for astonishment I will make thee waste That is Jerusalem with the Villages and all the land adjacent Judah was a fruitfull land Isa 5.1 the glory of all lands flowing with milk and honey Ezek. 20.6 Moses calls it a good land a land of brooks waters fountains deeps that spring out of vallies and hills a land of Wheat and Barley Vines Fig-trees Pomgranats a land of Oil Olives and honey a land where nothing was lacking the stones of it were iron and in the hils was brasse Deut. 8.7 8 9. it was the Lords land Hos 9.3 Immâ—â—uels Isa 8.8 a land that God cared for and watched over all the yeere long Deut. 11.12 Egypt was an inconsiderable land to this vers 10. that was prophane this was the holy land Zach. 2.12 the pleasant land Zach. 2.14 it was well built well till'd and greatly peopled yet this land must be laid waste they should be in ariditatem like a river dried up that if you looke for water in it there is none so if look for a Temple Worship or Ordinance c. in Jerusalem there is none their cities and habitations are burnt their gardens unfenced their trees cut down their Vines undressed their fields untilled and all made a wildernesse a land of briers and thorns Isa 7.24 And this was fulfill'd as you may see in Nehem. 2.17 Lam. 1.4 The wayes of Sion do mourn because none come to the solemn feasts 2.2 3.5.18 and the adversaries hand was upon all her pleasant things Lam. 1.10 Hence the Church complains Isa 64.10 11. Thy holy Cities are a wildernesse Sion is a wildernesse Jerusalem a desolation our holy and beautifull house where our fathers praised thee is burnt up with fire and all our pleasant things are laid waste see here the truth of divine threats and the mischief of sin it so exasperates God that he turns a fruitfull land even his own land into barrennesse saltnesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Psal 107.34 A reproach among the nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God would make them not only for a waste but also for a reproach Charaph is simply to reproach to disgrace and that 's not all they should have but they should be for a taunt also and that 's more Vide de Dieu in Mat. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Giddeph to blaspheme revile and so it 's used Mat. 27.39 for Matthew writ his Gospel in Hebrew where it 's said they reviled Christ and wagged their heads so should this people be reproached and revil'd have bitter taunts and sarcasms thrown at them Jer. 24. They shall be removed to all kingdomes of the earth for their hurt to be a reproach a Proverb a taunt and a curse hence grew those reproaches and imprecations Let it be with thee as it was with Zedekiah his family and followers Plaga Zedekia tangat tâ— fit frater servus Zedekia Vatab. and Jer. 29.22 the curse in the captivity was The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab whom the King of Babylon roasted in the fire this judgement was very sore reproaches and taunts are bitter things piercing deep scarce any thing afflicts an ingenuous spirit more then they do Zedekiah feared nothing more then reproach and mocking Jer. 38.19 I am afraid lest the Jews fall to the Chaldeans deliver me into their hand and they mock me it was a sad thing to be stript of all their cities the land to be laid waste but much more to be expos'd to scorn yea publikely of all and that by the appointment of the Judge even God whom they took to be their friend and that to the nations they had hated and held tributary many yeers this was exceeding pungent especially they being the top and glory of all nations it was fulfill'd Lam. 2.15 16. All that passe by clap their hands at thee they hisse and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem saying Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty The joy of the whole earth All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee they hisse and gnash their teeth they say We have swallowed her up certainly this is the day that we looked for we have found we have seen it The Lord hath done that which he had devised he hath fulfilled his Word An instruction The Vulgar is Exemplum this act of God upon Jerusalem exposed so to reproach should be an example to the Heathen The Hebrew is musar from jasar to bind to discipline to instruct the judgements of God upon his people are vincula bonds to bind up Heathens from their sins they are disciplinae reproofs unto them being guilty of great sins they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instructions to teach them to repent of their sins because the Jewes by their holy lives did not excite the nations to inquire after and serve the true God therefore their judgements shall be their instructions teach them to fear and forsake their Idolatry they could reason thus If God spared not the holy city the holy people the holy land when they fell to Idolatry uncleannesse and other vile sins how will he spare us if we be found in the same wayes his judgments are exceeding dreadfull we will take warning their sufferings shall be our safety if judgements were to be instructions to Heathens and wrought upon them shall they not much more be so to Christians the ruines of Germany the blood of Ireland the
breaches of England let them be instructions unto us Let us all say with Isaiah 26.8 9. In the way of thy judgements O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our souls is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee with my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early for when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse Heathen inhabitants will do it and shall not Christians it's seasonable wisdome to learn by the blows of others An astonishment Not for stupifying and hardening which sometimes is the end and fruit of judgements but for admiration God would so deal with Jerusalem and her inhabitants that the nations round about should be astonished at his dealings God would make them an astonishment an hissing and a perpetuall desolation Jer. 25.9 yea the plagues of the city should be such that every one that passeth by should be astonished and hisse Jer. 19.9 yea many nations should say Wherfore hath the Lord done thus to this great city Jer. 22.8 Deut. 29.22 23 24. God saith The plagues of that land should be such as that it should be like Sodom and Gomorrah so great so strange that all nations should say Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land What meaneth the heat of this great anger God might have done thus with this great city with this pleasant land but he hath spared us and we have cause to be as much astonished at his mercies as they were at his judgements Let us fear reform lest our sweet mercies be turn'd into astonishing judgements When I shall execute judgement in thee in anger and fury and furious rebukes There is mention of executing judgement in the 8th and 10th verses and here in this verse with addition of anger fury and furious rebukes the Prophet may seem too repetitious and verbous but it 's otherwise repetitions of the same thing serve to confirm the truth of the matter to shew the speed of the event and to excite the minds of those the things concern all which fall in here the Prophet prophesying against the Jews at Jerusalem their city state and threatning destruction to all himself keeping in Babylon conceived that they would not believe what he said and fear what he threatned neither affected with what he delivered to prevent these evils he repeats the thing oft and strengthens it with variety of words that so his doctrine might be the more weighty the sooner believed they awakened and the judgement that was at hand feared In furious rebukes The Hebrew is in rebukes of heat Pradus observes that jacach notes rebuking before witnesse and God would do it before the nations and these rebukes were not to cure but to destroy I the Lord have spoken Lest they might think the Prophet and his Prophecy might die together and come to nothing the Lord tels them it was himself spake and that the Prophecy should take place what ever became of the Prophet because it was from him who was the living God and would see it fulfill'd at Jerusalem though uttered in Babylon VER 16. When I shall send upon them the evill arrow of famine which shall be for their destruction and which I will send to destroy you and I will increase the famine upon you and break your staffe of bread I Have spoken of famine and breaking the staffe of bread in Chap. 4.16 Only I shal open unto you that expression The arrows of famine they are either the arrows that bring famine or the arrows that famine brings The arrows that bring famine are great droughts Palmer-worms Locusts Canker-worms Caterpillers thunder lightning winds storms immoderate rains great hails long frosts murrains transportations of commodities monopolizing hoording up of creatures wars c. many of these are shot down from heaven by God and all are sent from God and cause famine and they are call'd arrows for that they do to the corn cattell fruits and State where they are what arrows do to the bodies of man or beast wound disquiet consume hence when mention was made of a famine in Habakkuks dayes Ch. 3.11 the Lord is said to march through the land in indignation ver 12. and his bow to be made quite naked then did God shoot amongst them the arrows of famine The arrows famine brings are leanness faintness sickness loathsomeness frettings fears of death longings for death gnawings of the stomach pinching of the wind got into the bowels eating of their own flesh thirsting and burning heat c. these are arrows that famine brings and kill like arrows shot into the liver which wounding deeply pain greatly and kill quickly and in this sense I rather take it here because the judgement spoken of concerning the Jews who were to be besieged if it be taken in the other sense it would have been a judgement to the besiegers who lay in the field and were not so well fortified against those arrows as they within it is therefore meant of the arrows famine brought upon them chiefly not excluding the arrows brought that famine namely war and these arrows were prepared in Moses dayes Deut. 32.23 I will heap mischief upon them I will spend mine arrows upon them and what arrows They shall be burnt with hunger and devoured with burning coals and with bitter destruction vers 24. Famine is like a multitude of hot coals in a mans bowels and bones that cause grievous pain even bitter destruction and therefore they are call'd here the evill arrows of famine because they bring many evils and at last a miserable death this Jeremiah acknowledges made good Lam. 3.12 13. speaking in the person of the Church and State Hee hath bent his bow and set me as a mark for the arrow he hath caused the arrow of his quiver to enter into my reins VER 17. So will I send upon you famine and evill beasts and they shall bereave thee and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee and I will bring the sword upon thee I the Lord have spoken it HEre is a repetition of the former judgment only one is new that is evill beasts some would have it meant of the Chaldeans that were like evill beasts that with their horns teeth heels hoofs should tosse gore rend and devoure them others understand it literally for evill and wilde beasts Lions Bears c. which were threatned Deut. 32.24 I will send the teeth of beasts upon them with the poison of the Serpents of the dust Lev. 26.22 I will send wild beasts which shall rob you of your children destroy your cattel make you few in number and your high way desolate see the truth of it 2 King 17.25 Lions were sent that slew them they feared not God But this was past and our Prophet speaks of that was to come Know then that as God sent Lions to destroy them there so he could send Lions to destroy