Egypt was as women fearfull and weak like women Isai 19.11 12 13 14 15 16. God being against Pharaoh all his Councels Enterprizes were blasted all his forces broken all his Cities made desolate and all his people consum'd or carried into Captivity better he had had all the Princes of the world against him then God for whomsoever he is against must be ruin'd Fifthly observe The flourishing and perishing of Kings Kingdoms and Armies is from the Lord. I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon and put my Sword in his hand but I will break Pharaohs Arms and they shall fall down One of these great Kings should prosper his Kingdom flourish his forces stand and conquer the other should perish his Kingdom be laid waste and all his forces broken and scattered What King State or Army soever God is with he will strengthen uphold what King State or Army soever he is against he will break ruine and bring to nothing whatever their Strength Wealth or Councels are Sixthly observe Tyrannical wicked Kings oft come to very sad ends he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man Herodotus saith he was strangled by the Egyptians which had revolted from him to Amasis The Holy Scripture tells you what ends Adonibezek Athaliah Jezebel Ahab and Senacherib came unto Pilate who put Christ to death was deposed banished and at last slew himself at Lyons in France Of Thirty two Emperors who persecuted the Christians scarce any of them dyed a natural death some were poysoned some kill'd by the Soldiers some sentenc'd by the Senate and some slew themselves Galerius had such a Loathsome disease as that he could not indure the stink of it but slew himself to avoid it Vid. Fox Act. Mon. vol. 1. pag. 40 41. Seventhly observe God is the Author of Wars he sets one Tyrant against another and gives Commission how far they shall proceed I will put my Sword into the hand of the King of Babylon and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt Nebuchadnezzar was a great Tyrant and God set him upon Pharaoh another great Tyrant and ordered him how far he should go even over all Egypt Tyrants cannot stir till God move them the Sword is his if he will not put it into their hands they cannot take it up and when he hath put it into their hand they cannot go one foot further then he hath appointed them CHAP. XXXI Vers 1 2. And it came to pass in the Eleventh year in the Third month in the First day of the month that the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man speak unto Pharaoh King of Egypt and to his multitude Whom art thou like in thy greatness THis Chapter as the two former is a Prophesie against the King of Egypt and in it you have these parts First the Chronologie of the Prophesie ver 1. Secondly the occasion of it viz. His Pride and confidence in his greatness ver 2. Thirdly a confirmation of his ruine set out by an example a majori ad minus from the Third verse to the Eighteenth wherein is notably described the Glory of Assyria her sin and fall thereupon Fourthly the Application of all to Pharaoh vers 18. Vers 1. In the Eleventh year in the third month in the first day of the month The Prophet had not Prophesies given in every month it was a month and Twenty-four days from the last Prophesie to this which was one month and eight or nine days before the destruction of Jerusalem and in the Eleventh year of their Captivity the Third month and First day of the month The Hebrew for First day of the Month is una mensis one of the month is an Hebraisme common in the Scripture as in Gen. 1.5 The Evening and the Morning were one day so is the Hebrew that is the first day Luke 24.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon one of the week that is the First day of the week Vers 2. Speak unto Pharaoh King of Egypt and to his multitude Pharaoh was a great King and had a great Multitude of Men Horses and Chariots and conceited himself greater then he was but how great soever he were in realitie or conceit God orders a Prophet to speak to him and to demand a question of him The Prophet was in Babylon Pharaoh in Aegypt and how he could speak to him appears not It s impossible that he should undertake so long a journey as t is from Babylon to Egypt It s more consonant to truth that he pen'd this Prophesie and sent it unto him by one means or other Whom art thou like in thy greatness This was the Question Ezekiel must propound to him and it was an upbraiding question taxing him for his pride arrogancie and vain confidences He had like most Kings many Flatterers who flattered him into a conceit that he was greater then other Kings yea so great in power that he might incounter God himself The Lord therefore thought meet to take down his Spirit by this question Whom art thou like in thy greatness what like unto me thou art so far from that as that thou art not comparable to some mortal men What sayest thou to the King of Assyria art thou greater art thou stronger then he no he went far beyond thee in Power Dignitie and Greatness yet for his pride arrogancie and confidences in what he had he was utterly destroyed and thinkest thou who art inferior to stand and avoid the Judgements of God when they come thou deceivest thy self First observe Kings are prone to be lifted up with and confide in their greatness Pharaoh sweld with his honor and multitude puting too much confidence therein Chap. 29.3 he is call'd the great Dragon and he lay secure in the midst of his Rivers saying my River is mine own and I have made it for my self he was proud and confident thinking none greater then himself Nebuchadnezzar was lifted up with his greatness Dan. 4.30 so was Sennacherib Isa 37.11 12 13. And not only wicked Kings but good ones have been overtaken with this evill David numbers the people and was too proud of and confident in his Multitudes 1 Chron. 21. Princes have many things to puff up their Spirits but God knows how to bring them down Secondly observe God will have them told of their Sins and taxed for them Go speak unto Pharaoh and say whom art thou like in thy greatness Thou proud Tyrant thou shalt fall though thou be great strong there is a greater then thy self and one stronger then thou art who hath sent a Prophet to tell thee of thy pride and arrogancie and to foretell thee of thy destruction Kings are no more to God then the meanest peasants if they sin they shall hear of it and smart for it Vers 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Behold the Assyrian was a Cedar in Lebanon with fair branches and with a shadowing shroud and of an high stature and
afraid and quaked every moment for fear of their Kingdoms and lives When Lyons and Whales are caught and kill'd it makes the other Beasts and Fish to fear When the high Cedars fall all the other Trees tremble Verses 11 12 13 14 15 16. For thus saith the Lord God The sword of the King of Babylon shall come upon thee By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall the terrible of the Nations all of them and they shall spoyl the pomp of Egypt and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from besides the great waters neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them Then will I make their waters deep and cause their Rivers to run like Oyl saith the Lord God When I shall make the Land of Egypt desolate and the Countrey shall be destitute of that whereof it was full when I shall smite all them that dwell therein then shall they know that I am the Lord. This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her the Daughters of the Nations shall lament her they shall lament for her even for Egypt and for all her multitude saith the Lord God THese verses belong to the first prophesie in this Chapter and they set out First The Instruments God used in executing the judgements threatned against Pharoah and the Egyptians vers 11 12. Secondly The Facts of these Instruments the King of Babylon and his Army ver 12 13. Thirdly The Events following ver 14 15. Fourthly The Conclusion of the Prophesie vers 16. Vers 11. The Sword of the King of Babylon shall come upon thee I will stir up and bring the King of Babylon with a great army who shall come furnished with all Military preparations against thee and cut thee off Vers 12. By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall The word for mighty is Gibborim Gibbor signifies properly miles robustus as fortis saith Drusius The Septuagint have it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the sword of the Giants Egypt had multitudes but they should fall by the power of these mighty and Giant-like men The Terrible of the Nations all of them This expression The terrible of the Nations we had thrice before Chap 28.7 30.11 31 12. Those men were most barbarous and bloudy tyrannical and pestilent should be imployed in his work The Septuagint calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pestes such as were the plagues of the Countrey such as went up and down robbing stealing and murthering the Vulgar is inexpugnabiles And they shall spoyl the pomp of Egypt There is pomp in Titles pomp in Buildings pomp in feasting and furniture of houses pomp in apparrel pomp in funeralls pomp in worships pomp in multitudes of men Horses and Charets whatever the Egyptian pomp were it should be spoyled Vatablus interprets their pomp to be their dignity or beautifull things Munster makes it Magnificentiam their state and greatnesse Junius makes it the excellency of Egypt that is Kingly Majesty with all the glory and greatness attending the same Vers 13. I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from besides the great waters Egypt abounded with Cattel especially Horses which were serviceable for war and other uses those fed neer to the Rivers cut out of Nilus to water the Land what Beasts soever they were God by the Chaldaeans would destroy them and they should not be any longer nigh the many waters so is the Hebrew Neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them The destruction should be so great that man and beast should be cut off as was said Chap. 29.8 These oft troubled the waters with their feet and hoofs the one with digging the other by trampling in them Vers 14. Then will I make the waters deep and cause their Rivers to run like Oyl Man and Beast being taken away nothing shall trouble the waters but they shall be quiet cleer and smooth as Oyle The Hebrew word for to make deep is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shakah to drown'd to sink faciam ut profundum petunt I will cause their waters to go to the bottom which Piscator interprets of the mud wherewith they had been troubled that should sink and the waters became pure The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will make quiet their waters When they are clean and quiet they run without noise then they are like Oyle The waters of Egypt and of other Nations whom the Egyptians troubled Vers 15. When I shall make the Land of Egypt clesolate and the Countreys destitute He shews when the waters shall be pure and quiet even when the Land is made desolate Hebrew is a desolation And all carryed away with which the Countries abounded Hebrew is shall be destitute of its fullness When I shall smite all them that dwell therein All were not smitten by the sword and destroyed but some were carryed away Captives and that was a smiting Vers 16. This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her This prophesie which I have delivered is the lamentation wherewith Egypt shall be lamented not only I Ezekiel must lament for her but all Nations shall do it The Daughters of the Nations shall lament her they shall lament for her The Cities and people of the Nations hearing of the dreadful judgements of God upon Egypt that that populous strong and flourishing Kingdome is brought to utter ruine and desolation they shall be affected therewith and lament her condition First Observe God makes use of the King and People of one Nation to execute his judgements upon the King and People of another Nation The sword of the King of Babylon shall come upon thee and by the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall Kings and their People are at the dispose of God to call out and imploy where and in what service he pleases he serves himself fulfills his wills and counsels by Kings and great Ones overthrowing one Kingdom by another laying all their pomp and glory in the dust Secondly Observe The sins of Kings and People cause God to execute his sore judgements not only upon themselves but also upon the bruit creatures and things inanimate God would not only destroy Pharoah and his multitude but the Beasts the Cityes and all the fullnesse of the Land in the destruction of these God punished the owners Thirdly Observe By the destruction of Tyrants and their Kingdomes God quiets Nations they by their Power Counsels or Agents trouble their own Kingdomes and others Then will I make their waters deep and cause their Rivers te run like Oyle when I shall make the Land of Egypt desolate When Pharoah and his were cut off they should trouble the waters no more at home nor abroad all should be quiet peaceable oleo tranquillius Fourthly Observe God in his wise providence
Cyreneans against whom Pharaoh led out an Army which they overthrew and the Civil Wars amongst them after that Victory they were so consum'd and weakened Chap. 29.4 vid. Juni that they had not hearts nor means to defend themselves against Nebuchadnezzar when he invaded them I will cause the Sword to fall out of his hand When an Arm is broken the hand is disabled from holding any thing so Pharaoh having his arms broken Syria and Egypt the Sword should fall out of his hand he should not be able any more to make war he should neither have forces in the one Kingdom or the other to do him service or thus if he did get up some forces and ingage with the Babylonians God would so order things that the Egyptians should be overcome throw down their Arms cry for quarter or fly for safety Vers 23. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the Nations The Hebrew word for to scatter is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 puts which signifies confringi cum dispersione to be broken and dispersed he spake before of the breaking Pharaohs forces and now saith they should be scattered some running one way some another some carried into one part of Babylon some into another And disperse them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sarah which is the Hebrew word signifies to disperse by breaking in pieces and also by fanning The Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will fan them And so Lavater Piscator and the vulgar render the word God would fan them as chaffe out of the Land of Egypt and drive them from country to country as the wind drives chaffe from place to place Vers 24. And I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon Chizzikti Montanus renders it comfortabo I will comfort Vatablus noborabo I will make strong Jun. and Pisca confirmabo I will confirm the French fortifiray I will fortifie The Septuag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will harden The word Chazak saith Kirker signifies properly firmam apprehensionem such a taking hold of a man as thereby to confirm his Spirits and to strengthen him God would take hold of Nebuchadnezzar and his forces so as to add spirit courage and strength unto them he would be on their side and make them victorious He was against Pharaoh brake his Arms weakened him but he would be with Nebuchadnezzar uphold him and make his Arms strong And put my Sword in his hand I will furnish him with all military instruments and sufficiency of power to execute my judgments upon Egypt and upon Pharaoh King thereof God would make the Sword fall out of his hand but he would put one into Nebuchadnezzars hand But I will break Pharaohs Arms. Let them be strong and brawnie I will break them as wood bones earthen vessels are wont to be broken he is proud confident and thinks himself able to withstand the King of Babylon but by him will I break all his forces and so breake them that He shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man The Hebrew runs thus He shall cry with Cries being deadly wounded before him Piscator looking to the former words I will break Pharaohs Arms renders them thus that he may groan before him as a man groans being deadly wounded When a man is Chalal thrust through or deadly wounded he fetcheth deep sighs and groans and Pharaoh should be so afflicted with the King of Babylons prevailing against him that he should greatly mourn and groan Noak notes such crying sighing groaning as men make when they are wounded unto death Vers 25. But I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon and the Arms of Pharaoh shall fall down c. In this verse and the last there is little but what was said before the Prophet repeats the same things that so he might awaken the Egyptians to consider what dreadful desolations were coming upon them and beat off the Jews from seeking help at their hands whose destruction was so certainly determined by the Lord. And he shall stretch it out upon the Land of Egypt This stretching out may either refer to the stroke as when men will strike strong and deadly stroaks they stretch out their arms that the stroke may be with more force upon the partie to be smitten or it may note the extent of the Sword it should be stretched out upon the whole Land of Egypt Wars should consume the whole Nation First observe Men in affliction strictly observe how the time passes away they mind the years months and days Ezekiel was a Captive in Babylon and he kept account of the time in the Eleventh year the first month and seventh day of it that was of their Captivity he slipt not a day but observed it and what fell out then the word of the Lord came unto him Afflictions make good Chronologers Secondly observe The Lord makes good his word he had said by the mouth of David Psal 37.17 The arms of the wicked shall be broken and here he saith I have broken the Arms of Pharaoh King of Egypt he was a wicked King and God broke his Arms. Kings who have great forces great wealth numerous Cities and strong Navies if they be wicked they and all they have are no more to God then one single man whose Arms God can easily break for he hath a mighty Arm Psal 89.13 And when he makes it bare then it breaks Kings and Kingdoms Arms and Armies in pieces it was his Arm that brake the Babylonian Persian Grecian and Roman Empires which were all wicked He break the Arm of Moab Jer. 48.25 He will break the Arm of Antichrist and of all the Princes of the Earth which help him Thirdly observe God sometimes so wounds Princes and States as that their wounds are incurable I have broken the Arm of Pharaoh and loe it shall not be bound up to be healed all the State-Chyrurgeons and Physitians could not set the bone again and heal the wound much art and industry was used many plaisters applyed but all to no purpose for God had said it shall not be healed Jer. 46.11 In vain shall they use many Medicines for they shall not be cured it s spoken of this Pharaoh and the wound he had received If God deny once to cure the wounds he makes those wounds prove deadly not all the Balm in Gilead will cure them not all the wisdom riches strength of Egypt could make Pharaoh whole again If the Lord himself do not binde up when he breaks heal where he wounds nothing but death and dissolution follows Fourthly observe It s a dreadful thing to have the Lord declare himself to be an enemie to a King to a State to any Behold I am against Pharaoh therefore what was broken could not be healed and what was whole should be broken he should be more and more disabled his Princes became fools his wise Councellors brutish a perverse and seducing Spirit was in the midst of them and
condition of all even to the Pit and Grave The King of Egypt with his Princes Nobles and confederates of famous Nations must come down to the nether parts of the earth Egypt was a potent flourishing Kingdome Pharoah mighty But whom dost thou passe in beauty Thy beauty glory strength wealth greatnesse are nothing thou must go down and lye with the uncircumcised In a moment at the beck of the Lord Kingdomes are made desolate Kings cast into the Grave and all their pomp buried in the dark let none despise others and exalt themselves Vers 21. The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of Hell Here and so on the Prophet by a Figure call'd Prosopopaeia represents unto us what entertainment Pharoah should have among the dead the Tyrants and great men of the world that were in the Grave or Hell before shall speak unto him and Congratulate his coming unto them in a taunting way what Pharoah hast thou who wert so great and glorious left the earth art thou come to us weak and wounded stript of all and art become like us thou art welcome to Hell and the condition we Tyrants are in be not troubled here are many great ones before thee both of the uncircumcised Nations and also of the circumcised With them that help him They should speak to him and those were his helpers Pharoah had many helpers to carry on his designes on earth many Confederates and they should be welcom'd to Hell also They are gone down they lye uncircumcised slain by the sword The Egyptians they are gone down to the Grave they lye or sleep with the uncircumcised or are in no better condition then uncircumcised Ones are in being slain with the Sword These words may be understood of other Nations Vers 22. Ashur is there and all her company Here the Prophet begins the enumeration of particular Nations whose Kings and People were gone to Hell before-hand and would give entertainment to Pharoah The first he mentions is Ashur the Assyrian Monarch was the most ancient of great power and extent and the King thereof was in Hell and all the Assyrian company all his Attendants and Followers His Graves are about him The King of Assyria is gone down to the Grave and so are his Princes Nobles and People which were slain by the sword they are in their Graves near unto him round about him and these will speak to Pharoah at his coming into the Grave or Hell Vers 23. Whose Graves are set in the sides of the pit The Vulgar reads the words thus whose Graves are in novissimis laci in the bottom of the lake importing that they sell from the height of honour into the depth of misery Which caused terrour in the Land of the Living When the Assyrians were destroyed by the Chaldaean or Babylonish sword it was dreadful to those that were living or thus these Assyrians while they were in the Land of the living they caused terrour they were tyrannical cruel fill'd all with fear Some restrain the Land of the Living only to Judaea because there the Jewes only worshipped the living God and those were right amongst them were to enjoy the living God eternally but we may take the Land of the Living here in opposition to the state of the dead and so other Lands are included yea all where be any living Vers 24 25. There is Elam and all her multitude round about her Grave all of them slain fallen by the sword which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth which caused their terrour in the Land of the Living yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the Pit They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude her Graves are round about him all of them uncircumcised slain by the sword though their terrour was caused in the Land of the Living yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the pit he is put in the midst of them that be slain The Elamites were the Persians and Medes and what he said of Ashur that he now saith of Elam The King of the Medes and Persians with his multitude who living were terrible unto many were now in Hell ready to give entertainment to Pharoah who was coming thither Of Elam you may read Jer 49.34 to the end of the Chapter Vers 24. Yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the pit They were tyrannical and so a terrour to others but they were cut off by the Scythians saith Polanius and carried the shame of their tyranny and wickednesse with them or they dyed ignominiously Vers 25. They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude When great Ones remove preparations are made for them whither they remove so here even in the Grave and Hell a bed was provided for Elam In the bed in darknesse and rest such was the Grave Vault or Sepulchre oâ— Elam In this verse there is an Enallagie of Genders and Numbers Verses 26 27 28. There is Meshech Tubal and all her multitude her Graves are round about him all of them uncircumcised slain by the sword though they caused their terrour in the Land of the Living And they shall not lye with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised which are gone down to Hell with their weapons of war and they have laid their swords under their heads but their iniquities shall be upon their bones though they were the terrour of the mighty in the Land of the Living Yea thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised and shalt lye with them that are slain with the sword HEre the Prophet brings in a third kind of Examples which are Meshech and Tuball Vers 26. There is Meshech Tubal and all her multitude By Meshech some Expositers understand the Scythians others the Cappadocians and by Tubal the Iberians and Albanians which were neer together and both of them in the Eastern parts All these may be understood for the Scythians passing through Cappadocia Iberia and Albania had many of those Countries joyning with them when they brake into Asia between Pontus and the Caspian Sea and so plagued the Elamites the Kings of these places were not yet slain and gone down to the pit though the words import it done because of the certainty of it but it was near at hand and to be effected before the death of Pharoah whom they were to speak unto at his coming down to the Grave Her Graves are round about him c. The Graves of the men of each Countrey were round about the King of that Countrey they were people uncircumcised out of Covenant with God slain by the sword notwithstanding they were terrible to others Vers 27. And they shall not lye with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised which are gone down to Hell with their weâ—pons of war Among the Heathens
the rest 2 Chron. 11.13 14 16 17. Chap. 15.9 and these are call'd the children of Israel his companions that is Judah's companions because they forsook him not as others did All these were represented by this first Stick Then take another stick and write upon it For Joseph the stick of Ephraim Having finished the first Stick he is bidden to take another The Hebrew is take one stick that is one more and write upon it For Joseph As the other Stick was for Judah so this for Joseph viz. to represent the Tribe of Joseph which was the principal of the ten Tribes and his Stick is call'd the stick of Ephraim Ephraim was the Son of Joseph and the ten Tribes are usually call'd in Scripture by the name of Ephraim as Hos 4.17 Chap. 5.3 9 11 12 13 14. But here the Tribe of Ephraim is meant The Chaldee saith Lignum Ephraim est Tribus Ephraim Jeroboam who made the great rent in the house of David was of the Tribe of Ephraim and to him did the other Tribes adhere And for all the house of Israel his companions This Stick was for the whole ten Tribes which are call'd the house of Joseph Amos 5.6 The seed of Ephraim Jer. 7.15 Samaria Hos 8.5 And here The house of Israel All these did side with Jeroboam when he revolted and so were Companions with him with Ephraim and Joseph Long before this time the ten Tribes were carryed into Captivity by Shalmanezer King of Assyria but here the Lord thought upon them and ordered the Prophet to take a Stick for them Vers 17. And joyn them one to another into one stick The Hebrew is and make them come one to one to thee into one stick Those two Sticks he must joyn together and make one Stick of them Some do make a Miracle here saying That as Moses Rod was turn'd into a Serpent and Aarons blossom'd Exod. 4.3 Numb 17.8 by a miraculous work of God So did Ezekiel's Sticks unite together in his hand It 's true God by his Divine Power could unite them into one but here he bids the Prophet joyn them one to another into one Stick which he might do by some artificial means or else hold them together in his hand which might suffice for the purpose intended And they shall become one in thine hand They shall be Vnum in maâ—â—bus tuis so Montanus renders the Hebrew not they shall become but they shall be one thing or stick in thine hand they should no more appear to be two Sticks but one and the Characters writ upon them visible for every man to read The old Translation hath it They shall be as one in thy hand While he held them they were as one but had he let them go they had fallen asunder and been two Sticks as before Verse 18. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee saying In the 12 and 13. verses God had said O my people He own'd them for his here He terms them the Prophets people The children of thy people They were Ezekiels people because he was set of God a Watchman over them Chap. 3.17 Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these The Hebrew is Wilt thou not shew us Mah elleh lack What these things are to thee So the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is thine intention in taking these Sticks and holding them in thine hand what is the Interpetation thereof It is a Riddle unto us let us know the sense and meaning thereof Verse 19. Behold I will take the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim and the Trâ—bes of Israel his fellows The Stick of Joseph that 's the Tribe of Ephraim which was in Jeroboam's hand who was of that Tribe and not only that but nine more were under him and his Successors a long time 260 years or thereabout These ten Tribes made up the Kingdom of Israel which was divided from the Kingdom of â—â—dah and therefore are call'd Ephraim's fellows not Judah's All these represented by the Stick God would take and what would he do with them And will put them with him even with the stick of Judah and make them one stick and they shall be one in mine hand God would make these two Sticks one not one Tribe but one Kingdom They had been two Kingdoms at great enmity and were at this time scattered abroad among the Nations but the Lord promises to gather them together and to unite them so that there shall not be a Kingdom of Israel and a Kingdom of Judah but the Stick of Ephraim shall be united to the Stick of Judah they should be but one Stick one Kingdom and one King and that in the hand of the Lord the Septuagint saith in the hand of Judah First Observe True Types have God for the Author of them God bad the Prophet here take one Stick and another Stick and write upon them and thereby to type out the houses of Judah and Israel Had he taken these of his own head they had been nothing bastardly Types not true Types When Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of Iron saying Thus saith the Lord With these shalt thou push the Syrians untill thou have consumed them 1 King 22.11 This was a bold presumption of him to make Horns Typical without Command from God The event shew'd him to be a false Prophet and his Type to be a lying Type It 's peculiar unto God to make Divine Types Secondly Observe God can and doth make use of mean things to honourable purposes Sticks are mean and contemptible things trodden under foot yet God orders Sticks here to be taken writ upon to represent the two principal Houses in the World the house of Judah and the house of Israel and their uniting together here was high honour put upon these Sticks God made use of a Tile to pourtray Jerusalem upon Ezek. 4. And of Hair to Type out his Judgements Ezek. 5. which was a great honour unto such despicable things What honour did God put upon the Brazen Serpent to represent Christ thereby Numb 21.9 Joh. 3.14 As God puts honour upon mean thâ—ngs so upon mean persons 1 Cor. 1.28 The base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are He exalted Gideon and did great things by him Judg. 6. God took Amos an Heardman a gatherer of Sycamore fruit in vested him with the honour of a Prophet Amos 7.14 15. and by him confounded Amaziah the Priest of Bethel and Jeroboams Chaplain Thirdly Observe God hath a care of his people be they in never so poor broken scattered or despicable a condition The house of Judah had been now in Babylon upon 70 years the house of Israel 204 years if not more they were despised of men and seem'd forgotten of God but the Lord had them in remembrance and bids the Prophet write upon one stick For
Judah and his Companions and on another stick For Joseph Ephraim or the house of Israel and his companions not one of them were out of Gods thoughts Their forefathers had been 400 years in Egypt were tyrannized over by cruel Task-masters lookt upon as contemptible but the Lord had an eye to them cared and wrought for them They have now layen 1600 years in darkness in a desolate and despised condition yet doubtless they are not forgotten Gods thoughts are upon them to do them good again Fourthly Observe Typical and obscure things will excite men to inquire after the sense of them This is intimated in the 18. ver When the children of thy people shall speak unto thee saying Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these God knew they would inquire Common things are neglected but things strange and mysterious are dived into sought after When Ezekiel was to dig through the wall cover his face and remove his stuff then the people were stirr'd and said What doest thou Chap. 12.9 Those typical actions bred inquisitiveness in their spirits When the Lord Christ spake Parables they sought to him to know the sense and meaning of them Fifthly Observe God is pleased to direct his Prophets and Servants what to say unto the People when they come to question with them about things If this people come to Ezekiel to know what he meant by the two Sticks his writing upon them and holding them in his hand the Lord tells him what he shall say unto them say Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will take the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim c. When God sent Moses unto the people he was timorous lest he should not know what to say to the people how to answer their questions but see how God directs and instructs him Exod. 3.13 14. Moses said unto God when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you and they shall say unto me What is his name what shall I say unto them I know not how to answer that question See what now follows And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM And he said Thus shalt thou say I AM hath sent me unto you Thus God taught him what answer to give the people So Ezek. 14. when the Elders came to inquire somewhat of Ezekiel God told him what answer to give them It was given in of God by his Spirit to the Apostles what answer to give Governors and Rulers when they â—ere brought before them Mat. 10.19 Vers 20 21 21. 20. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes 21. And say unto them Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the Heathen whither they be gone and will gather them on every side and bring them into their own Land 22. And I will make them one Nation in the land upon the Mountains of Israel and one King shall be King to them all and they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be divided into two Kingdoms any more at all THe Explication of the Typical Sticks is laid down in these and the subsequent verses Vers 20. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes The Prophet was not to do this privately but to write upon the sticks and to hold them in his hand so that all might see them and hereby be provoked to inquire what the mystery of them was and so become partakers of the consolation intended thereby Vers 21. Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the Heathen whither they be gone 〈◊〉 this verse is promised the reduction of the twelve Tribes comprehended under these words the children of Israel out of all Countries where they were scattered into their own Land Not only Judah and Benjamin should be gathered up and brought into Canaan again but the rest of the Tribes also This is a great and gratious Promise And will gather them on every side The ten Tribes being carryed away by Shalmanezer were placed in Haloth and Habor by the river Gozan and in the cities of the Medes 2 King 17.6 they were seated in the utmost parts of his Dominions North and East and the other Jews whom Nebuchadnezzer led away captive were scattered up and down his manifold Provinces as appears Esth 3.8 Now God would look on every side and gather them up out of all Quarters Vers 22. And I will make them one Nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel Being brought into their Land here God adds three great Promises more The first is uniting of them into one Nation who had some hundreds of years been divided and at bitter enmity one against another And one King shall be King to them all After the division made by Jeroboam you read of several Kings they had Kings of Judah and Kings of Israel There were two Kingdoms and divers Kings of them both but the Kingdoms being united into one the Lord promiseth them not a succession of Kings over them but one King to Rule over them both They should be one Kingdom and have one King This is the second great Promise And they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be divided into two Kingdoms any more at all This is the third Promise and it 's a great one also viz. they shall continue a Kingdom one Kingdom and never be torn or rent in pieces any more There shall be no Rehoboam's or Jeroboam's to cause divisions in it It will add some light to the words under consideration if we make inquiry Whether the Type of the two Sticks be fulfilled by the incorporating of the two Nations into one and making of them one Kingdom It 's affirmed by some that this Hieroglyphical Prophesie was fulfill'd at the Return of the two Tribes out of Babylon For then Cyrus King of Persia made a Proclamation throughout all his Kingdom to this purpose Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia All the Kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem which is in Judea Who is there among you of all his people the Lord his God be with him and â—â—t him go up 2 Chron. 36.22 23. The Proclamation excepts no persons no Tribes but gives full liberty unto all The ten Tribes having been now 204. years or there abouts in Captivity it 's likely were weary of their condition and so willing to return into their own Countrey and so they took the opportunity before them For it 's evident that some of the ten Tribes did â—eturn to Jerusalem Of the Levites there were 74. Ezra 2.40 Nehem. 7.43 and of the Priests who were of that Tribe as appear 1 Chron. 24.1 2 7. Exod. 6.16 18 20. Nehem 7.39 there were 973. Paul was of the Tâ—â—â—e of Benjamin
of that which he had as Man but of that he had as Redeemer of men and obtained by his Sufferings and Resurrection In lecumâ— saith Maldonate It 's clear then Christ was not King over the Jews before his death because he had not his Power then and how he was their King afterward when he quickly left the World and went up into heaven I desire to learn 3. The Power and Laws here mentioned are Spirituall and refer to the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ viz. His Church as Teach all Nations and baptize them in the name c. These are Spiritual Laws and Ordinances proceeding from that power Christ had given him to gather out of all Nations those He had Redeemed by his death Here he appoints means for the gathering preserving and ruling his Church But this is not the Power our Prophet speaks of that is a Political Power such as David had and therefore it 's said He shall sit in the Throne of David his father Luke 1.29 Act. 2.30 David's Throne was an external visible political Throne Christ's Throne in Heaven his Throne in the hearts of Believers his Throne in the Church is not the Throne of David you may judge what kinde of Throne David's was by Jer. 13.13 Chap. 17.25 Chap. 22.4.30 1 King 2 12 24. When David Solomon and others sate in that Throne they put men to death and made Wars which Christ did not when he was here on earth Vers 25. And they shall dwell in the Land that I have given unto Jacob my servant wherein their Fathers have dwelt This is spoken of the ten Tribes together with Judah and Benjamin who should return from their Captivity and repossess the Land of Canaan That Judah and Benjamin did is clear from the Scriptures and granâ—ed on all sides but that the ten Tribes returned is generally denyed and expected to this day to be made good The promise here is That the whole body of the Jews even the house of Judah and the house of Israel shall come thither and dwell there Jer. 3.18 In those dayes the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel and they shall come together out of the land of the North to the land that I have given for an inheritance to your fathers See Jer. 50.45 Ezek 9.13 Jer. 30.3 Let not man think because Christ hath said Mat. 23.38 Your house is left unto you desolate that therefore there is no hope of their returning to their Land for this is not spoken of the ten Tribes they were not there at Jerusalem and Revel 14.1 The Lamb stood on mount Sion with 144000 which were gathered out of all the Tribes of Israel and the time is coming when the Jews shall see Christ and say Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord Matth. 23. And they shall dwell therein even they and their children and their childrens children for ever Not only will God bring them into their Land but continue them and their's therein for ever The house of Judah after her return from Babylon continued in the Land of promise some 600 years For from the time of Cyrus Proclamation to Christ was 560 and about 40 years after the death of Christ was Jerusalem destroyed and the Jews wholly scattered These 600 years the house of Judah and her children injoyed but they fall short of what is promised here unto both houses viz. Inheriting of the Land for ever And my servant David shall be their Prince for ever David was dead long before Messiah the Lord Christ is pointed out by David who should be their Prince and rule them as David did David was meek and gentle in his Government 1 Chr. 28.2 Faithful and wise Psal 78.72 Righteous and just 2 Sam. 8.15 Such a King shall Christ be Psal 45.4 Isa 11.4 5. Jer. 23.5 And whereas David's Kingdom was for a time some 40 years the Kingdom of Christ shall have no end he shall be their Prince for ever All the Kings the Jews ever had reigned not 500 years it was about 493 but this Prince should exceed them all Luk. 1.33 First Observe There is a time wherein Christ must reign over the Jews they must be gathered into one body and Christ must be their King David my servant shall be King over them not only in a special way which hitherto he hath not been but also in a visible political way for he must sit in the Throne of David Hence it is that Christ said Luke 22.29 unto his Apostles I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me He doth not say He had a Kingdome but that a Kingdome was appointed them and such a Kingdom as should be visible for ver 30 it follows that they may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel There is no Tables no Eating no Drinking no Tribes no Judging of them in heaven In Matth. 19.18 Christ speaks of twelve Thrones whereon the Apostles shall sit and rule the twelve Tribes of Israel together with himself being in the Throne of his Glory And when shall this be in the Regeneration when the Jews shall be regenerate when the time of restitution of all things shall be For the words should be rendred thus They which have followed me and there stop in the Regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the Throne of his Glory c. Then shall the twelve Tribes be there I be their King and you Judges or Rulers under me Grotius reads the words so and conceives them to be spoken of the Kingdom of Christ Whose Kingdom shall not be of Jews only but of Gentiles also they shall be under this King Psal 72.11 All Kings shall fall down before him all Nations shall serve him so that the Lord shall be King over all the earth Zech. 14.9 Secondly Observe There shall be no changes and alterations in the Kingdom of Christ by succession of Princes there they all shall have one Shepheard one Prince We see great changes in Kingdoms where they have King after King be it by Election or Succession When Rehoboam succeeded Solomon what tumults and stirs were then in the house of David so afterwards in the house of Joseph when Baasha and Jehu were chosen Kings There shall be no such thing here One Shepheard shall they have who shall Rule them with Righteousness and feed them with Knowledge Isa 40.11 He shall deal like a good Shepheard by them Ezek. 34.23 Thirdly Observe The Subjects of Christ's Kingdom shall be holy They shall walk in my Judgements and observe my Statutes and do them They who do the will of God they who keep his Laws they be innocent undefiled Psal 119.1 They are holy ones The 144000 which stood with the Lamb on Mount Sion were Virgins without guile without fault before the Throne of God Revel 14.1 4 5. Isa 60.21 Thy people shall be all righteous See Zach.
upon me and brought me thither 2. In the Visions of God brought he me into the Land of Israel and set me upon a very high Mountain by which was as the frame of a City on the South 3. And he brought me thither and behold there was a Man whose appearance was like the appearance of Brass with a line of Flax in his hand and a measuring Reed and he stood in the Gate 4. And the Man said unto me Son of Man behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither declare all that thou seest to the House of Israel WE are come now to the last part of Ezekiel's Prophesie which is a Typical prophesie concerning Christ and his Church set forth under the Vision of the new Temple City and Kingdom comprehended in these nine last Chapters In which we have 1. The building of the new Temple with the several appurtenances thereof in the 40 41 and 42. Chapter 2. The Ministery Worship and Ordinances of this new Temple in the 43. 44. Chapters 3. The Restitution or Reformation of the whole Land the Common-wealth Kingdom and City with several Ordinances for the Prince and People in the 45 46 47 and 48. Chapters In describing of these the Prophet useth saith Huffâ—nrefferus words and phrases suitable to the state of the Jews he describes as it were the Temple Worship and Land of the Jews Whereas he aims at no such thing but intends the spiritual Kingdom of Christ and the Gospel The scope of this Vision was to comfort the afflicted Jews who being in captivity lamented the desolation of the Temple City and Common-wealth of Israel To the Prophet therefore the Lord shews in a Vision the restauration of them again and not only so but greater things are held out and promised under them as the greatness and glory of the Church under Christ in time of the Gospel of which John speaks Revel 21.22 It 's not an earthly City Temple Jerusalem we are to look at here but a spiritual City Temple Jerusalem viz. the Church of Chrâ—st whose Name is Jehovah-Shammah In this Chapter you have 1. A Preface or Introduction to the Vision 2. A Narrative of the Wall several Courts Gates the Porch of this new Temple and the measures of them In the Preface are five things The Time the Manner the Place the Author and End of the Vision Vers 1. In the five and twentieth year of our Captivity in the beginning of the year in the tenth day of the Moneth Here the time is pointed out when this Vision was presented to Ezekiel which was in the 25. year of his captivity so long it was since he with Jehoiakim was carryed into Babylon and kept there His first Vision was in the fift year of his captivity Ezek. 1.2 And this his last Vision was twenty years after in the beginning of the year the tenth day of the moneth which some make to be in the Autumn others in the Spring The fourteenth year after the City was smitten After Jehoiakim had been eleaven years in captivity the City was smitten and utterly laid waste which was in the eleventh year of Zedekiah 2 King 25.2 Jer. 39.2 52.5 From this period or Epoclea is the Vision reckoned fourteen years after the desolation of the City Ezekiel had it Some would prove this year to be the year of Jubilee because it was the 50. from the 18. of Josiahs reign when the Book of the Law was found But that year appears not to be a Jubilaean year Mestlinus makes the year of Jubilee to be in the 10. of Zedekiah's reign and if so this year of the Prophets Vâ—sion was but 16. years after the year of Jubilee and 34. years before the next Jubilee In the self same day The Hebrew is Beetzem haiom in the bone or essence of the day in the body of the day or in the strength of the day when the heat and light were greatest the same words are in Gen. 7.13 where the words are rendered the self same day being an Hebrew form of speech The hand of the Lord was upon me c. The Chaldee saith A Prophetical Spirit from the face of Lord resided upon me others The strength or divine virtue of the Lord was upon me These words we had in Chap. 1. v. 3. where they were opened Here the manner of the Vision is set forth it was by the Spirit of God upon the Prophet enlightning and informing his mind And brought me thither I was brought in mind not in body by the Spirit thither that is to the City that had been smitten but now seem'd to be re-built and so it follows Vers 2. In the Visions of God brought he me into the Land of Israel In those great glorious and wonderful Visions of God wrought in the Prophet by the Spirit of God he apprehended that he was in the Land of Israel beholding not only with the eyes of his mind the things presented unto him but also with the eyes of his body And set me upon a very high Mountain The place where the Prophet had this Vision was in the Land of Israel and upon Mount Sion or Mount Moriah where the Temple was built Moriah is from raah to see this Mount was the Mount of Vision and on it had Ezekiel this glorious Vision Kimohi saith This Mountain is the Mountain of the Temple and this City is Jerusalem on the South Lightfoot on the Temple ch 4. v. 13. The Rabbins conceive the Land of Israel to be the highest of all Lands and Mount Sion or Moriah the highest of all the Mountains in that Land It was a Type of the Church of Christ Heb. 12.22 and therefore it 's represented here to be a very high Mountain and so it was unto John also Rev. 21.10 which words allude to these of Ezekiel The Hebrew for set me is caused me to rest when the Prophet was brought to this Mountain he had rest there is no true rest but in the Church in the Mount of Vision By which was as the frame of a City on the South The Mount it self was South from Babylon and the Cities was on the Southside of the Mount which was smitten there now the Prophet sees in Vision as it were the model or frame of a City he had seen before the ruine of the City and now he sees the raising of it Vers 3. And he brought me thither That is the Spirit of God carryed him in Vision to that Mountain where he saw an Idaea of a City And behold there was a Man whose appearance was like the appearance of Brass Here the Author of the Vision is specified and described from his appearance the Instruments he had and the place where he stood This Man is made by some an Angel by others Christ It was the Son of God appeared in
of Ahab Jezabel and the instruments they set on work but in this new Political estate it must be otherwise Isa 60.18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land wasting nor destruction within thy borders Execute judgment and justice Princes and Magistrates are God's deputies they ought to be like unto him and to act for him they should be men of knowledge able to judge in controversies to discern where the right lies Deut. 1.16 17. And men of courage to rule for God executing judgment and justice impartially As David did 2 Sam 8.15 He raigned over all Israel and executed judgment and justice unto all his people and this was one of his last words He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God 2 Sam. 23.3 And when men rule so there will be no place for injustice and oppression Such we have warrant to expect for the Lord hath said I will make thine officers peace and thine exactors righteousness Isa 60.17 Take away the exactions from my people The Vulgar reads the words Separate confinia vestra à populo meo Separate your confines from my people When Princes and great men have fields and inheritances lying near to their inferiors grounds as Ahabs did to Naboths they covet the same and find out ways to get the same and in time eat up their possessions therefore to prevent this the Lord calls upon them to separate their borders from their neighbours Junius and Polanus read the words Tollite depastiones vestras They force men out of their houses and inheritances as it is Mic. 2.2 They covet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away So they oppress a man and his house even a man and his heritage These were exactions as we read it And of the great ones exactions you may see 2 King 15.20 Ch. 23.35 sometimes under pretence of law and necessity they did exact of the people But these must cease and when the new heavens and new earth come there shall righteousness be in them no exaction or oppression 2 Pet. 3.13 Vers 10. Ye shall have just ballances In this and the other two verses Ordinances are given out about Weights Measures and Money 1. Concerning Weights the ballances must be just In former days they did pervert or falsifie the ballances by deceit Amos 8.5 Which was abomination to the Lord Prov. 20.10 There was a law in Deut. against the same Chap. 25.13 14 15. it was against diverse weights and diverse measures tying them to one and that perfect and just so here just ballances are required God wouâ—â— have the people just and equal in their dealings not defrauding one another A just Ephah and a just Bath c. The Measures of the Hebrews were of dry liquid things both which are here mention'd To begin with the Homer which was the greatest measure they had and signifies an Heap it held so much Some make the quantity to be what a Camel or an Asse could bear and carry The Homer is the same with that measure call'd Cor or Corus as the 14. verse shews each of them containing ten Baths or ten Ephahs A-lapide makes the Bath and Ephah to contain three Bushels a piece and so the Homer to be thirty Bushels But if we make Mâ—dius to be but half a Bushel then the Ephah and Bath contain one Bushel and an half a piece and the Homer fifteen But Ainsworsh upon Levit. 27.16 makes the Homer to be ten Ephahs that is ten Bushels so that the Ephah and the Bath held the measure of a Bushel The Ephah was a measure for dry things Wheat Barley Meal Flower 1 Sam. 17.17 Judg. 6.19 Num 5.15 And it was the common-measure reliquarum omnium mensurarum quasi fundamentum There is a seeming contradiction between what you have in Exod. 16.36 where it 's written An Omer is the tenth part of an Ephah and what you have here in Ezek. who saith An Ephah is the tenth part of an Homer For answer Know the words Omer and Homer in the Hebrew differ The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omer with Ain which signifies an Handful Levit. 23.10 Ye shall bring a sheafe of the first fruits The Hebrew is an handful an Omer It 's conceiv'd the wheat beaten out of that sheafe did fill the Omer which contain'd above a pottle about five points and so was the tenth part of an Ephah which contain'd of our English-measure seven gallons and an half which makes our Bushel The second word Homer is written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cheth and is that great-measure containing ten Ephahs of which is spoken The measure call'd a 〈◊〉 was of liquid things and contain'd as much as the Ephah seven gallons and an half the tenth part of an Homer Wine and Oyl were usually measured by it as 2 Chron. 2.10 Ezra 7.22 In Isa 5.10 we find these words Ten acres of vineyard shall yield one Bath God would so blast their vines that ten acres planted with vines should not yield ten gallons they should fill but one Bath and the seed of an Homer that is ten Bushels should yield an Ephah that is one Bushel Here the Bath is the measure of Wine and the Ephah the measure of Corn. And the Shekel shall be twenty Gerahs Having spoken of the measures he proceeds to the Money that it might be of a just value The Shekel must be twenty Gerahs a Gerah was to weigh sixteen Barley-corns so that twenty Gerahs amounted unto three hundred and twenty barley corns and so much the Shekel was to weigh of it was spoken Chap. 4. v. 10. 8.60 Shekels made the Maneh or pound Some pieces of their money were twenty Shekels some twenty five some fifteen and these together made their Maneh First Observe Princes and Magistrates commonly are covetous and cruel The Princes of Israel used violence and spoil they exacted upon the people Zeph. 3.3 Jerusalem's Princes were roaring lyons her Judges evening wolves they were greedy of the prey Nero was a lyon to the people of God 2 Tim. 4.17 Nebuchadnezzar was both a lyon a bear and a dragon Jerem. 51.34 saith Jerusalem He hath devoured me he hath crushed me he hath made me an empty vessel he hath swallowed me up like a dragon he filled his belly with my delicates he hath cast me out His belly was so bigg his desires so inlarged that he eat up Citties Kingdomes and Nations As it was said of Pompey Nostra miseria tu es Magnus so of most Princes in the world may the peoâ—le say By our miseries ye are become great Secondly Observe Christianity doth not overthrow but establish Magistracy The Lord here speaking what reformation should be under the Messiah doth not take Magistrates away but corrects their exorbitances saying Remove violence and spoyle take away exactions He abridges them not of just power but decrys their Tyranny Paul approov's of Magistrates Rom. 13. 1 Tim. 2.1
upon his people 595. bears long with the worst of men 420. determines things most free and contingent 208. discovers plots of enemies ibid. knows infallibly things to come 217. when God manifests his love and wrath 225. can easily raise forces against his enemies 229. and easily ruine Armies 227. hath various ways to do it 228. convinces the wicked when in afflictions 266. whom God will honor 391 Godly No condition so grievous to them but shall end comfortably 375 Godliness To whom a delight 361 Gog whom 488 489. whence he came 212. prophesied of before 216. not Antiochus 224. Dreadful judgement upon him 226. great 232. where buried 247 Goodmen must be good before they can do good 366 Gospel Christs voice in it strong irresistable efficacious 394. earth shines with the glory of it ibid. it preserves order is not levelling 405. like waters and wherein 550 551 552. into what parts it went first 555. it goeth where Christ wil 556 557. gradually 558. hath depths in it 560. its pure and sufficient of it self 561. brings men unto God 569. runs like waters 570. without it what men are ib. it cures and quickens 571. fruitful 572 Grace will appear where it is 367. work of it free 403 â—ikened to water and wherein 550 551 552. gradualness in graces 559. all in the Church of free grace 〈◊〉 it recals sinners 588 589 Great ones have no cause to glory 84. Greatest go the wrong way 93. shall bear their shame though after death ibid. those that joyn with them in evil must suffer 228. may lie unburied 260 Guilt an heavy and consuming thing 121 H HAnd stretching out what it imports 348 249. lifting up what 284 Gods hand in mens acting against the Church 237. filling the hand what it imports 376 Hailstones fire brimstone 223 224 Har-el and Hanriel what 371 372 Hatred the nature of it 253. twofold 263. it sets other affections on work 264 Hearers how they carry it oft towards them they hear 164. 165. what the preachers are to them 170 not rest in hearing ibid. Heart most looked at in worship 165 carnal in spirituals 166. Heart and new what they note 317 318. old by nature 322. it s like a stone wherein 330 331 332. the evil of it 333. how cured 336 Heart It s God prerogative to alter hearts 337. its great mercy to have stony hearts removed 338. excellency of a tender heart 340 mistakes about a tender heart 342 343. legal natural tenderness 24â— 244. characters of a tender heart 345 346. how to keep it tender 347 348. its a great mercy it s the gift of God 341 Heathens what convinces them 310 Hell poor comfort there â—5 96 High those highest meet with most storms 328 329 Hin How much it contained 420 Holy things to be laid in holy places 332 333. those who have charge of them must be exact 387. not to be bought and sold 392 Holiness the law of Gods house 368 Hope what 439 Horns of the Altar what they signifie 371 House of Israel 242 408 Husbandry Gods work 396 397 Hypocrites will be discovered 164 I IDols ruine States 25. defile 298. Idolatry loathsom to God 300. it defiles more then other sins 316. they are karcasses 355. a wall between God and man 357 Jealousie to speak in the fire of it what 282. what is in jealousie 225. it breaks through all 269 Jerusalem highly esteemed by the Lord 352 353. in new Jerusalem shall be no invention of men c. 357. no night there 358 New Jerusalem exceeds Ezekiels City 604 Jews there conversion we may expect and pray for 462. shall repossess their land 463 480. given to Idolatry 465. shall be fully gathered 270 271 there is a day of mercy for all the Jews 272. for lasting mercies 275 offers of mercy to them first 584. shall come to Sion 589 Ignorance remedy for the sin of ignorance 417 418 Impenitency excludes from Temple mercies 364 Impossibles to man not so to God 374 Infamous they that make so shall be made so 286 287 Inheritance one to Jew and Gentile 585 Institutions of God like posts and thresholds 356. men must not make any like them ibid. Interrogations argue not ignorance in God 426 Judgements publick troublesom to neighbour nations 13. they make God known 12. in the forest some escape ibid 143. former not to be forgotten 13. suitable instruments execute them 17. nothing can s cure from them 26 157. they convince of the equity of Gods ways 158. threatned take place 172. they are oft lengthned out answerable to the time of mens sinning 258. what ever they be God is righteous 301. end of them 230 262. they begin but end not at Gods house 395 396. God executes some signal judgement 258. impartial 259. judgements upon the wicked are ingaging mercies to the godly 263 Justification what 315 K KAdash notes sanctifying and polluting 546 Kings and Kingdoms there flourishing and perishing in from the Lord 34. tyrannical Kings oft have bad ends 35 Kings are apt to be lifted up with their greatness 38. 39. must be told of their sins 39. its the Lord makes them great 246. have need of money to uphold them ibid. what brings dreadful judgements upon them 53â— why destroyed 55 69. They are lights and when put our sad events follow 73. 74 Kingdom No succession in Christs Kingdom 479 Subjects of it holy ibid. Knowledge not all a â—once 553 564. L LAmentations for siâ—s and ruines of others are from the Lord 65 Land Land in league 6. God hath ways to empty lands 16. They are his to dispose of 18 261 262 376. he can deprive them of their princes 26. made exemplary with judgments 27. what wastes lands 157. what ever condition it s in God is there 262. your own sins brings desolation 274 301 3â—2 their fruitfulness depends upon the Lord 293. desolate shall not always lye so 39â— God hath a peculiarity in some lands 214 Last made first 587 588. Law what 363. of Gods house why to be made known 366. chiefly to be observed 368 Liberty of speaking is from God 145 Life in the hand of God and death also 112. what is the principle of spiritual life and motion 365. its short 539 Liâ—e 285. what 291. mens lines must not be in Temple measurings 292 Lion of God who 372 Loath what in it 384. when men loath themselves for their sins 385 Looks forbidden to priests 393 Lybia whence so called 5 Lydia whence so named ib. M. MAgistrates good what they are 413 Magnifie when God magnifies himself 229 Mathematicians who fit for spiritual ones 261 Man though spared long shall suffer 101 Marriage whom the Priests were and were not to marry 394 Materials of the Church must be holy 368 Means what ever used God doth all 434 435 Mercies temporal not merited 308. choice mercies make men renounce former defilements 468. mercies gradually carried on 450. work more then judgements 384 Messiah upon what account
's God kindles fires in Nations and Kingdomes to consume Towns and Cities Men and their habitaons they are all his and he may do to them what he pleases having transgressed his lawes By fire and sword did the Lord plead with the Egyptians laying all wast and by so doing made himself known to be a powerful righteous and dreadfull God Observe Fourthly In the soarest judgements of God upon men usually some escape God threatned Egypt Chap. 29.8 that he would cut off man and beast and make it utterly wast from one end to another verse 10 yet here in the ninth verse he saith Messengers shall go forth some should escape to carry tydings of his severe judgements Observe Fifthly Those things which seem accidentall and casual unto us are ordered by the wise Counsel Power and Providence of God In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships When all Egypt was in a confusion some running one way and some another to secure themselves and some hastening unto ships to tell others what the Chaldeans had done in the midst of these hurries and disorders God saw acted sent out messengers they went not however the appearance was to men without Gods ordering hand themselves thought of no such thing nor those they went unto they dreamed not that they were sent forth of God that they came from him it was lookt upon as a meer contingencie but Gods hand was in it Things may be contingent to us they are not so to God Observe Sixthly Such is the efficacy of Gods judgements made known that they do afflict those are at a distance from them and fill the most secure with fears and pains The Ethiopians were absent from the judgements executed upon the Egyptians they were secure carelesse people but when the messengers told them their Cities were burnt their men slain their foundations and helpers destroyed they were afraid and great pains came upon them they were in travail for their Lives Liberties and Estates There is a mighty power in the judgements of God to terrify sinners even at a distance When Tyrus understood such was the efficacy of that judgement upon those afarre off that it s said all the Princes of the Sea clothed themselves with trembling Ezek. 27.35 so that we may say of Gods judgements as David Psal 10.11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger who knows what efficacy it 's of and how far it extends Observe Seventhly Former judgements are not to be forgotten As in the Day of Egypt God had visited Egypt many hundreds of years before and now he minds them of that visitation So Isa 9.4 God mentions the dayes of the Midianites minds them of the great destruction of the Midianites by Gideon Judg. 7 and 8 chap. God mindes the dayes of mens sinning Hos 9.9 they have deeply corrupted themselves as in the dayes of Gibeah and therefore he would visit their sins and when he hath visited for sins he would have us remember those visitations Jer. 7.12 Go to Shiloh and see what I did to it for the wickednesse of my people Israel As we should remember ancient and former mercies to strengthen out faith so ancient and former judgements to quicken our fears Vers 10 11 12. Thus saith the Lord God I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon He and his people with him the terrible of the nations shall be brought to destroy the land and they shall draw their swords against Egypt and fill the Land with the slain And I will make the rivers dry and sell the land into the hands of the wicked and I will make the land waste and all that is therein by the hand of strangers I the Lord have spoken it THese words hold out unto us the efficient and instrumentall causes of the forementioned judgments which are in part repeated The efficient cause is God himself ver 10 11. The instrumental are Nebuchadrezzar and his people ver 10 11. The judgements repeated are the destruction of Egypt and the Egyptians putting the land into the hands of others with an addition of drying up the rivers Vers 10. I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease The Hebrew word for multitude is hamon which signifies both multitude and noise for where there is a multitude there will be a noise Egypt was populous and God would diminish the people they should be slain and carried away captives so should both the multitude and noise cease Increase of people is a blessing the lessening of them a judgement By the hand of Nebuchadrezzar Hand here notes power as in 2 Chron. 2â— 10 and Job 1.12 all that he hath is in thy power the Hebrew is in thy hand Nebuchadrezzar by his mighty powerfull arm should come and lay all Egypt waste and make it like a wildernesse Armies are the hands of Princes by which they doe great and dreadfull things Vers 11 The terrible of the nations shall be brought to destroy the land The word for terrible is arizze from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 araz to deal violently to terrifie which Piscator renders crudelissiâ—â— the most cruell the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pestes the French les plus hideâ—â— the most hideous and Junius the most violent Vatablus cals them Tyranni Gentium the Tyrants of Nations those were most Tyrannical and terrible God brought and set on work to destroy the land The Chaldeans were a bitter nation terrible and dreadful Hab. 1.6 7. these words we had chap. 28.7 so terrible they were that they should fill the land with dead bodies When an Army of friends passe through a Countrey no hurt is done but when an army of Tyrants of strong and terrible enemies come to spoil what mischief will they not do Vers 12. And I will make the rivers dry Heb. drought Though the Chaldean Army was great yet not so great as to drink up all the waters of Nilus which is one of the chiefest rivers in the world Nilus had many rivulets cut out of it whereby the land was watered all those might they stop up with earth and other materials for their better passage and so the rivers were made dry Or by rivers we may understand that benefit came by them the Chaldeans should take away all the wealth of Egypt which came by the rivers and so the rivers were as dry things to the Egyptians So Maldonate and some others interpret the words but rather thus God would send great spoil and desolation into Egypt whereby the rivers might become uselesse unto them or should we take the words literally as some Expositors are of the minde viz. that for the great wickednesse of the Egyptians God dried up Nilus and punished them with sore famine as in the dayes of Joseph it was when there were seven years of famine This sense may be safe or we may take rivers for the people and their power And sell the land into the
hands of the wicked The Lord gives he doth not sell The word for selling is Macar which signifies to give to deliver as well as to sell and the Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give the land those who sell do deliver what they sell into the hands of others and this is attributed to God metaphorically for that he disposed of the land of Egypt to others that is the Chaldeans who are called wicked the Vulgar hath it in manus pessimorum into the hands of the worst I will make the land waste and all that is therein Egypt was a land abounding with men horse charets wealth Cities and all desirable things but God would make it desolate and all the fulnesse of it so the words are in Hebrew for all that is therein it had a fulnesse of all things and by the hand of the Chaldean it was emptied who in the next words are called strangers because they were such to the Egyptians I the Lord have spoken it These words are a ratification of what is threatned Ezekiel hath not spoken a vision of his own or from his own spirit but what is said is the word of the eternal God I the Lord have spoken it I have determined it shall be so and nothing shall lett it Observe First God hath wayes to empty lands of their mâ—â—titude and fullnesse Egypt had her multitude of men of beasts of Cities of riches she had her fulnesse of all things and God had an Army a multitude of Souldiers to plunder and spoil her to empty her of all her multitudes and fulnesses Jerusalem had its multitudes and fulness but Nubuchadnezzar emtyed her and made her like an empty vessel Jer 51.34 Babylon had her multitudes and fulness of Treasure Jer. 51.13 and God had Fanners to fan her ver 2. and empty her land those Fanners were the Medes and Persians who scattered the Babylonians and made a Prey of their Treasures Secondly observe When God will execute severe Judgments he makes use of suitable Instruments He intended utter destruction to Egypt and the terrible of the Nations were brought to destroy it Nebuchadnezzar had men out of many Nations and the terrible ones of those Nations by the secret hand of God were brought to lay Egypt waste They roared like Lyons Isa 5.29 They were cruel and without mercie Jer. 6.23 They hanged Princes by their hands Lament 5.12 And here they fil'd the Land with the slain Thirdly observe Gods designs shall go on whatever lies in the way to hinder He was resolved upon the destruction of Egypt the Rivers of it lay in the way so that an Army could not get over Nilus that great river if gotten over it could not march and do the work appointed for the multitude of little Rivers were in the land shall these hinder the designe of God No he will dry up the Rivers to make way unto his designs the Babylonians shall pass over and pierce through the whole land When the Israelites were at the Red Sea that lay as an impediment unto Gods design which was to carry them to Canaan but did it hinder the same No speak to the Children of Israel that they go forward what go forward and be drowned in the Sea No because they had not Faith to go upon the waters therefore he divides the waters and makes a dry path for them through the midst of the deeps Exod 14. There were Mountains in the way hindering the building of the Temple but one great mountain above all the rest Zech. 4.7 Who art thou O great mountain whether it were the Persian Monarchy or Satan and all the enemies of the Jewes God made it a plain before Zerubbabel and notwithstanding all enemies and opposition he carried on the work of God Things may be too hard for men impossible for them but nothing is too hard for or impossible to the Lord. He enabled Nebuchadnezzar to take Tyrus to destroy Egypt all the Rivers thereof shall not hinder it God will dry them up rather then his designe shall faile Psal 74.15 Thou dryest up mighty rivers God hath divided Seas plained Mountains and dryed up Rivers in our days to make way for his designs and in due time he will dry up the great River Euphrates to make way for the Kings of the East Rev. 16.12 Fourthly observe All Lands are the Lords and he may dispose of them to whom he will even to the wicked he sold he gave the land of Egypt into the hands of the Babylonians who were wicked yea the worst of men Ezek. 7.24 Kingdoms are not such excellent things as we imagine were they so they would not be given to Gods enemies That Kingdom is of great worth which God gives to his children Luke 12.32 Vers 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. Thus saith the Lord God I will also destroy the Idols and I will cause their Images to cease out of Noph and there shall be no more a Prince of the land of Egypt and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt And I will make Pathros desolate and will set fire in Zoan and will execute Judgments in No. And I will poure my fury upon Sin the strâ—â—gth of Egypt and I will cut off the multitude of No. And I will set fire in Egypt Sin shall have great pain and No shall be rent asunder and Noph shall have distresses daily The young men of Aven and of Phibeseth shall fall by the sword and these cities shall go into captivity At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened when I shall break there the yoaks of Egypt and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her as for her a cloud shall cover her and her daughters shall go into Captivity Thus will I execute Judgments in Egypt and they shall know that I am the Lord. HAving formerly threatned destruction to Egypt and her Cities in general the Prophet descends now to particulars in the 13 14 15 16 17 and 18 vers and then in the 19. verse shews what is the end of God in his exercising judgments viz. That they may know him to be the Lord. I will destroy the Idols Egypt was the most idolatrous Land of any and God would now destroy the Idols out of it The word for Idols is gillulim which Piscator renders stercora dung filth so the word signifies and their Idols were dunghil filthy Gods fitter to be trodden under foot by Man and Beast then to be worshipped I will cause their Images to cease Elilim Images from Elil nihilum for an Image or Idol is res nihili a thing of no account 1 Cor. 8.4 It cannot profit therefore Isai 2.20 They shall cast away their Idols as useless things and God would make them to cease Out of Noph This Noph was a great city in Egypt very populous and famous for the Pyramids and Monuments of Kings who leaving Thebes made that the Royal City Isai 19.13 The Princes of Noph thither many
into Heaven by vers 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Not any one which goes no further But he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven My father saith Christ hath made known his will he would have men do his will and then he will open unto them and let them into Heaven It s not mens hearing or saying but their doing what they hear which pleads stronglyest for their entrance into Heaven Many men commend the Preacher the Word with their tongues but disgrace both with their lives The best commenders of the Preachers and their doctrine are mens lives when they are doers of the word Matth 25.21 It s well done thou good and faithfull servant enter thou into thy masters joy Not well heard or well said but well done Let us see to it that we be not hearers only but doers of the word Rev 22.14 Blessed are they that do his commandements that they may have right to the Tree of life and may â—nter in through the gates into the City Fifthly Observe The judgements threatned by the Prophets of God shall certainly take place When this cometh to passe lo it will come He means the sword wilde beasts pestilence utter desolation which were threatned It seem'd somewhat unlikely that after a war a few poor people left in wastes holes caves forts woods fields should be cut off but the Lord had said it and he did effect it How improbable or impossible soever things appear to us what God threatens by his Prophets to doe without repentance intervene he will accomplish Sixthly Observe Whatever the thoughts of wicked ones are for the present of the Prophets the time will come when they shall have other kind of thoughts of them When this cometh to passe then shall they know c. When the sword wilde beasts pestilence utter desolation are upon them and the Land when they are in straits in the jawes of death then they will have other apprehensions of Ezekiel then now they have Ezekiel at present is a lovely song like a man that hath a pleasant voice some affect him some scoff at him others censure him but when death is before them then their thoughts will alter then they will say Ezekiel told us of these things that are come upon us and how to avoid them he call'd upon us to consider our wayes to turn from all our iniquities and to provide for our souls we then slighted him only gave him the hearing of what he said but now we see he was a Prophet of God delivered weighty things and we were fools that we hearkened not unto him doing what he said When young men who despise all the Preachers say against whoredom and wanton courses come to be in years find their flesh and bodies to be consumed then will they have other thoughts of them and what they preached then will they say How have we hated instruction and our hearts despised reproof we obeyed not the voyce of our Teachers nor inclined our ears to them that instructed us Prov. 5.11 12 13. There were Prophets amongst us who sought our good who tendred mercy and many precious truths unto us but we were so blinded with our lusts so conceited of our own wayes that we rejected them and whatever they tendred us Seventhly Observe The Prophets will be witnesses at last against disobedient hearers They shall know that a Prophet hath been amongst them They heard Ezekiel but did not what he said his person his doctrine did at last bear witness against them Where-ever the Lord sets a faithful preacher who takes pains among the people declaring the mind of God unto them and they do not practice what they are taught that Preacher will rise up in judgement against them his doctrine his prayers tears drops of sweat his life his sufferings reproaches death will all be witnesses against them If the rust of mens silver and gold will be witnesses against them and eat their flesh like fire James 5.3 because they let their silver and gold lye by them and did not improve the same for publique good and in charitable uses how much more will the truths of God which the Preachers have commended unto them being neglected and not improved to the good of the hearers and others bear witness against them and eat their flesh yea their souls like fire Thousands who have flocked after Ministers to hear them will find those Ministers witnesses against them because they heard them only and never did what they heard What a multitude of witnesses will London and England have against them at the latter day All the Godly faithful Ministers whose doctrine hath been heard but never obeyed CHAP. XXXIV Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. And the Word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man prophesie against the shepherds of Israel prophesie and say unto them Thus saith the Lord God unto the Shepherds Wo be to the Shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves should not the Shepherds feed the flock Ye eat the fat and ye cloath you with the Wool ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the flock The diseased have ye not strengthned neither have ye healed that which was sick neither have ye bound up that which was broken neither have ye brought again that which was driven away neither have ye sought that which was lost but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them And they were scattered because there is no Shepherd and they became meat to all the beasts of the field when they were scattered My sheep wandred through all the mountains and upon every high hill yea my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth and none did search or seek after them EZekiel having reproved and threatned the judgements of God against the people for their sins he comes in this Chapter to deal with the Governours and Rulers of them through whose default they became so wicked and suffered the Babylonish yoke In this Chapter are these things considerable 1. A reproof of the Shepherds and judgement threatned against them in the first 10 verses 2. Gods care of and comfortable provision for his flock from the 10. vers to the 23. 3. A sweet Prophesie of Christ and his Kingdom under the figure of David from the 23. vers to the end Vers 1. The Word of the Lord came unto me saying These words we have often had by them the Prophet declares himself to be a true Prophet false ones spake of their own heads they had no word from God they deluded the people with lying words but Ezekiel had a word from God and that word he commended to the people Vers 2. Prophesie against the Shepherds of Israel The Shepherds of Israel were the chief Rulers both Political and Ecclesiastical Princes Magistrates Prophets Priests and Levites Isa 44.28 Cyrus is call'd a Shepherd Zech 11.17 those in the
14.20 21. There shall be no Canaanites then in the house of the Lord of hosts Then shall be the new Heavens and new Earth wherein shall dwell righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 that is Righteous persons such as shall do righteous things for there shall be no exacting no violence no destruction but salvation and praise Isa 60.17 18. There shall the righteous flourish Psal 72.7 Fourthly Observe We ought to think and speak honourably of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and Saints of God God thought and spoke honourably of David of Jacob He calls them His servants that is an honourable Title which he gives them Fifthly Observe The Jews and their Posterity shall inherit their Land again become a Kingdom and continue so under Christ for ever They and their children and their childrens children shall dwell in the Land and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever All other Kingdoms have been shaken broken but this shall abide Daniel speaks of it in his 2. Chap. ver 44. The God of heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever Revel 11.15 The Kingdoms of this World must become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Vers 26 27. 26. Moreover I will make a Covenant of peace with them it shall be an everlasting Covenant with them and I will place them and multiply them and will set my Sanctuary in the middest of them for evermore 27. My Tabernacle also shall be with them yea I will be their God and they shall be my people HEre are more Promises given forth to the houses of Judah and Joseph being gathered out of the Nations and united into one house As 1. Of a Covenant of Peace 2. Of placing or disposing them 3. Of multiplying of them 4. Of God's dwelling amongst them Vers 26. Moreover I will make a Covenant of peace with them The Hebrew is I will strike or cut a Covenant with them Caratti lahem berith shalom Carath signifies to cut and to cut off by death 1 Sam. 31.9 the Philistines cut off Sauls head And 1 Sam. 28.9 Saul cut off those had Familiar-spirits and the Wisards out of the Land also to cut off from place and power as 1 Sam. 2.33 But when it 's joyned with Berith it alwayes signifies to strike or make a Covenant because it was a custom when they made Covenants to kill some beast or other cut it in the midst and pass between the parts thereof manifesting by so doing that if they brake Covenant they deserved to be cut in pieces Gen. 15.9 10 18. Jerem. 34.18 This practise was among the Heathens who cut a Swine in pieces Stabant caesâ firmabant faedera porcâ Virg. Aeneiad lib. 8. pass'd between them and so made Covenants The Covenant here which God would make with the two houses was a Covenant of Peace The word for Peace is Shalom by which the Hebrews understand not only outward quietness but all kind of outward happiness Hac voce appellant quicquid in bonorum censu habetur hoc est quicquid expeti aut optari potest Grot. Whatsoever they count in the number of good things and desirable that they comprehend under the name of Peace and when they wish all happiness to a man they wish him Peace Maldonate tells us that the Covenant of Peace here is the Gospel wherein we see Christ hath pacified all things by the bloud of his Cross Coloss 1.20 And Lavater saith it 's call'd a Covenant of Peace Quia Christi merito pax inter Deum nos constituta est not only outward but inward Peace The Jews had some Peace at their return out of Babylon but in the time of the Macchabees they had long bitter and bloudy Wars When Christ came there was Peace for a time but not long after his death they and their Nation were destroyed by the Romans The Covenant of Peace here is promised to the two houses who were not then but still are to be united and when they shall be united God will make good his promise He will strike a Covenant of Peace with them which shall not be for a few years but as it follows It shall be an everlasting Covenant with them God will not make a Truce with them for dayes months and years but a Covenant for ever The Jews opposed Christ when he came first and had little outward or inward Peace but when he shall reign over both Houses they shall have everlasting Peace And I will place them In the Original it is Vnethattim Et dabo eos I will give them Piscator confesses he doth not ken the sense of these words Ghappe he saith this is it I will place them in the holy Land Vatablus is of the same mind interpreting them thus I will place them in my Land The Chaldee is Benedicam eis I will bless them And Mariana to that purpose saith Dabo eis sc Benedictionem I will give them a blessing The Vulgar is Fundabo eos which Pinus expounds thus I will place them in a firm Land where they shall have a solid foundation Oecolampadius more fully Dabo eos tali conciliatori qui est mea benedictio in gentes I will give them to Christ whom I have promised to be a blessing to the Nations which sense I conceive the best for he spake in the verse before of dwelling in the Land where their Fathers dwelt In that Land God would give them to Christ And multiply them This multiplication is not only in a Natural sense to be taken but in a Spiritual also Non tam secundum carnem quà m secundum spiritum promittit augendum Israelem saith Lavater Their increase will be great and they shall be Believers Sutable to which is that in Isa 54.13 All thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children And will set my Sanctuary in the middest of them for evermore The word for my Sanctuary is Mickdashi which Montanus renders Sanctificationem meam My Sanctification The Chaldee and others call it Sanctuarium meum My Sanctuary The Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My holy things Mariana saith Ecclesiam My Church After the return of Judah and Benjamin from Captivity they had the Temple rebuilt which in process of time was utterly destroyed but here the Lord speaks of setting his Sanctuary in the middest of the two houses being united God will have his Church and Worship eminently amongst them Oecolampadius saith Non aberit Templum divinitatis Christus Jesus They shall not be without a divine Temple viz. Christ Jesus He shall be the Temple amongst them Rev. 21.22 And as he shall be their Prince for ever so shall he be their Temple and Sanctuary for ever Vers 27. My Tabernacle
Between the chambers was the widness of twenty cubits Not between the side-chambers themselves but between them and those over against them Some had better entertainment then others some were to be in the chambers others in the widness or empty place Vers 11. Toward the place that was left See before vers 9. It was five cubits round about Vers 12. The building that was before the separate place Piscator makes the separate place to be Spatium resectum The Hebrew is ante faciem segmenti before the face of the Partition for it was particula respecta è suo atrio Toward the West Hebrew i s the Sea that is the Mediterranean-sea which lay Westward Vers 13 14 15. Containing the measures of the house the building before the seperate place the Walks Galleries and Porches of the Court and they were 100. cubits in length and 100. cubits in breadth Every thing here was measured and nothing neglected so exact was the Lord in Temple-work Vers 16. The Windows were covered Solomon made for the Temple Windows of narrow lights but not covered Sanctius saith they were covered Quia in retis modum erant fabricatae cancellato ordine aut in pertuso ligno frequentibus perfossae foraminibus They might be covered with lettises shuttings or curtains which might be remov'd at pleasure Vers 17. Within and without by measure Hebrew is measures Not onely the outside but inside also is measured the heighth breadth and length The Lord Christ will measure Christians of what heighth breadth and depth they are Their actions affections and graces will be measured Rev. 11.1 Vers 18. And it was made with Cherubâ—ms The Cherubims import the presence of the Angels in the Church 1 Cor. 11.10 Their Communion with the Saints in worship 1 Cor. 10.20 Rev. 5.11 7.11 12. Their Ministration unto or for them Heb 1.14 They are for the Lord of the Temple and those wait upon him there They look towards the Palm-trees and their wisdome and strength is laid out for their good Vers 19. So that the Face of a Man was toward the Palm-tree on the one side and the Face of a Lion c. Of the Cherubims faces see Chap. 1.10 what is said there In the 18 19 20 25 26. the Palm-trees are mentioned again which are ever green growing tending â—â—wards though pressed down with weight and signs of victory and great joy being carried in the hand or worn on the head and are ornaments to the place where they are figuring what the persons in this Temple should be Psal 92. 12 13 14. Joh. 12.13 Rev. 7.9 by sufferings and pressures they mount upwards overcome are fill'd with joy 2 Cor. 1.5 Acts 5.41 and so are great ornaments to the Church of God Of the Altar In the 22. vers it 's said The Altar of wood was three Cubits high and the ength thereof two Cubits and the corners thereof and the length thereof and the walls thereof were of wood and he said unto me This is the Table that is before the Lord. This Altar was the Altar of Incense and stood before the Oracle or Sanctum Sanctorum Such an Altar was in Moses days made for the Tabernacle Exod. 37.25 He made the Incense Altar In the Temple of Solomon also there was an Altar of Incense 2 Chron. 26.16 Vzziah went into the Temple of the Lord to burn Incense upon the Incense-Altar This Altar was a representation or Type of Christ who is said to be our Altar Heb. 13.10 and in many things it did represent him 1. Though it were of wood yet it was Of Shitten wood Exod. 30.1 which the Septuagints render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of incorruptible wood So Christ his humane nature was incorruptible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it saw no corruption Act. 13.35 2. This Altar of Incense which Ezek. saw was larger then that under the Law it was two Cubits in length that but one it was three Cubits in height that but two as appears Exod. 37.25 This held out that the worship of God in Christs time should be inlarged it was among the Jews onely before but then it should be among the Gentiles also Mal. 1.11 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offered to my name 1 Tim. 2.8 I will that men pray every where Under Christ the Incense-Altar was to be every where 3. Sweet Incense was offered up to God pure Incense Exod. 37.29 upon this Altar Exod. 30.7 8. where the people pray'd the Priest offered Incense Luk. 1.9 10. and when we pray Christ offers up our prayers with the Incense and perfume of his merits Rev. 8.3 4. The prayers of the Saints ascend up before God out of the Angel's hand who was Christ The Golden Altar for so the Altar of Incense is call'd Num. 4.11 Christ perfumes the prayers and services of his Saints with his merits and so presents them unto his Father It 's said Eph. 5.2 Christ hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour So that what ever he presents to the Father or is presented in his Name from the Saints is pleasing and acceptable to him All the imperfections and impurities of them are done away by him 4. Upon this Altar was incense morning and evening it was a perpetual Incense Exod. 30.7 8. So Christ our Altar offers up prayers perpetually for us Heb. 7.25 He ever liveth to make intercessiom for his 5. This Altar of Incense had horns Exod. 30.2 3. At every corner thereof was an horn which sets out the strength and power of Christ Rev. 9.13 I heard a voice from the four horns of the Golden Altar which was Christ whose power is in all the quarters of the World Christ's intercession with the Father is powerful to descry the enemies of his people and to deliver them This Altar is said to be the Table that is before the Lord. There is something in this expression worthy consideration 1. That poor sinful weak unworthy creatures may come to Christ not onely as an Altar to have their prayers presented unto God but as a Table to have refreshing for their souls There the hungry may have meat and the thirsty drink He is the bread and water of life His flesh is meat indeed his blood is drink indeed Joh. 6 35.55 He hath a Kingdome and a Table for his Luk. 22.30 He feeds them and leads them to living fountains of water Rev. 7.17 He hath hidden Manna for his and a Tree of Life to refresh them with Rev. 2.7 17. 2. That the Lord himself is delighted and satisfied in and with Christ as we are with a Table full of dainties having the choisest meats and choisest drinks Mat 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whâ—m I am well pleased with his person with his graces with his offices with his actions with his sufferings with
there was little light or lustre There But when Christ came the Oracles of the Heathen ceas'd and the Jewish shadows vanished and the earth shined with the glory of the Gospel Mat. 4.16 The people which sate in darkness saw great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow of death light hath sprung up When the Jews were under clouds and darkness then Christ came and brought the glorious Gospel to them When Christ was born Luk. 2.9 there was glory shone round about the shephards signifying that the glory of the Lord would fill the earth yea all the world Or this may refer to the destruction of Mystical Babylon and coming down of the New Jerusalem from Heaven for of the one it 's said Rev. 18.1 2. An Angel came down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightened with his glory And he cryed mightily with a strong voice Babylon is fallen c. And Chap. 21. of New Jerusalem it 's said v. 23. The glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof When these things be the earth will be fill'd and shine with glory 2. Ezekiel fell upon his face The lustre of Divine glory sense of his own frailty and weakness caused him to fall upon his face here I might inlarge but of this falling on his face was spoken Chap. 1.28 and the Observations rising thence are there to be seen The 4. thing concerning this glory is the resemblance of it vers 3. And it was according to the appearance of the Vision which I saw even according to the Vision that I saw when I came to destroy the City c. The Prophet being sent of God to prophesie the destruction of Jerusalem saith here when I came to destroy the City The Chaldee is when I prophesied then had he such a vision as this was Chap. 1. That which he declared to be done he saith he dâ—d The Prophet was in Babylon when the City was destroyed he did not put forth a finger towards destruction of it he onely prophesied against it So Jeremie was set over Nations and Kingdomes to root out to pull down and to destroy this he did by prophesying against them not otherwise The same Vision which at first appeared to the Prophet in a way of judgment appears now to him in a way of merit before it prefigured the destruction here the restauration of the Temple City and Land The Vision for outward appearance was like what he saw in the 1 8 9 10. Chapters but in the end and use totally differing from yea contrary unto the same There he saw God angry the glory departing from the Temple and going out at the East-gate Here he sees God smiling and the glory returning the same way it went out Here he beholds sweet reconciliation between God and the Church made up by Christ The 5. thing is the Receptacle of this glory and that was the Temple or House which had been measured vers 4. And the glory of the Lord came into the House This House or Temple as hath been shew'd before signified both the Body and Church of Christ for his Body-natural that was the Receptacle of glory Col. 2.9 Joh. 1.14 1 Tim. 3.16 For the Church his Mystical body that is a Receptacle of Glory also Isa 60.1 The glory of the Lord is risen upon thee And vers 19. The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory There is an estate of the Church to come wherein it shall be very glorious In Solomon's Temple there was glory but glory in a cloud 1 King 8.10 11. But in Ezekiel's Temple there was glory without a cloud a greater glory even such a glory as made the earth to shine This is the glory which the Saints look for and shall see in due time Rev. 21.3 Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God What is said of the Church is to be understood also of every believer who is a Receptacle of glory a Temple of the spirit of Christ and God 1 Cor. 6.19 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Cor. 13.5 Who ever Christ hath measured out to be a Temple shall receive glory 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the light to shine â—ut of darkness hath shined in our hearts saith Paul to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is a Glass in it we see the face of Christ and in his face the glory of the Lord and are changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 It 's observable here that when the glory of God departs from a Church or people it 's not for perpetuity but for a season The glory went out of the Temple and City at the beginning of Ezek. prophesie but he saw the same returning before the end of his prophesie The Arke when taken by the Philistines caused Phinehas wife to name her Son Ichabod saying The glory of departed from Israel 1 Sam. 4.21 But after seven Moneths the glory return'd again to Israel Chap. 6. The Arke was sent home God caus'd it to return again Long have the Jews now been without an Arke and without glory but in due time the glory of the God of Israel will return unto them for Rom. 11.26 There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And when the scaling of the 144000. out of all the Tribes shall be Rev. 7. then shall they stand on Mount Sion with the Lamb and so the glory will be in the midst of them Rev. 14.1 The consequents of this Vision or Glory returning come next to be considered and the first is the Prophets raising vers 5. So the spirit took me up He was fallen upon his face as not able to behold the brightness of that glory appeared and being in that posture the spirit took him up In Chap 2.1 2. the Spirit spake to Ezekiel being down upon his face entred into him and set him upon his feet But here he took him up he dealt with him as a man doth with his friend fallen Hence springs this consideration that those are humbled and humble with sense of their own vileness and weakness through apprehension of glory and greatness shall soon be raised and comforted Sight of glory is an humbling thing Ezek. Chap. 1.28 And here again he was humbled upon that account he saw so much lustre in that glory so much greatness in the Lord that convinc'd of his own vileness and nothingness he falls down upon his face as being wholly unworthy to behold such a sight to partake of such mercy but presently the spirit being full of love bowels and compassion steps to him and takes him up He suffers him not to lye affrighted with glory or affected with misery but is a speedy comforter
before the Lord from one New-moon to another and from one Sabbath to another intimating thereby that God in times of the Gospel would accept of true and spiritual Worship performed in the name of Christ in all places and at all times as he did the Jewish VVorship at Jerusalem and on the Solemn Feast days Or these New-moon days and Sacrifices may point out the renewing of the Church and the joy thereupon The Church after Christs time was oft in the wane in a suffering and declining condition but when it hath rest edification comfort and multiplication Acts 9.31 then its New-moon with it and in a short time it becomes fair as the Moon Cant. 6.10 and shall be fill'd with light and joy as saith Isaiah Chap. 60.20 The eighth Verse is an Ordinance about the Princes going in by the porch of the gate and going out by the same way There were divers gates to enter into the inner Court by the North-gate the South-gate as well as the East-gate and this gate was both for the Prince and the Priests to go in and out at Hence two things are observable 1. That Princes are to walk according to Divine Appointment especially in matters of VVorship they must look unto God who hath prescribed the way they should walk in it had been sinful for them to have gone to the North-gate or South-gate and worshipped their Princes must not do ought of their own wills in the things of God It might seem a bondage to be tied up to the East-gate onely and never to have ingress and egress at the other but however Princes themselves must be subject to the Ordinances of Heaven 2. That Princes and Priests Magistrates and Ministers should mutually minde and care for the things of God countenance and encourage one another therein and each put to their helping hand to preserve the purity and power of Religion VVhen the Pavers go one way and the true Ministers of God another way Religion doth not shine when Josiah and the Priests went together hand in hand one way then there was great Reformation in Israel the VVorship of God was pure and Religion did flourish Supposing this Prince to be the Lord Christ whose ingress and egress was at the same gate then it notes his coming from Heaven and returning thither again according to that of John 6.62 and 3.31 and 16.28 Acts 1.11 Verse 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. But when the people of the land shall come before the Lord in the solemn Feasts he that entreth in by the way of the North-gate to worship shall go out by the way of the South-gate and he that entreth by the way of the South-gate shall go forth by the way of the North-gate he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in but shall go forth over against it And the Prince in the midst of them when they go in shall go in and when they go forth shall go forth And in the Feasts and Solemnities the meat-offering shall be an Ephah to a Bullock and an Ephah to a Ram and to the Lambs as he is able to give and an hin of oyl to an Ephah Now when the Prince shall prepare a voluntary burnt-offering or peace-offering voluntarily unto the Lord one shall then open the gate unto him that looketh towards the East and he shall prepare his burnt-offering â—nd his peace-offerings as he did on the Sabbath day Then he shall go forth and after his going forth one shall shut the gate Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt-offering unto the Lord of a Lamb of the first year without blemish thou shalt prepare it every morning or as the Hebrew morning by morning And thou shalt prepare a meat-offering for it every morning the sixth part of an Ephah and the third part of an hin of oyl to temper with the fine flower a meat-offering continually by a perpetual Ordinance unto the Lord. Thus shall they prepare the Lamb and the meat-offering and the oyl every morning for a continual burnt-offering THe ninth Verse contains an Ordinance concerning the peoples coming to and departing from the publique Worship they must not come to the East-gate but the side-gates the North and South they might and this order they were to observe viz. to go out at that gate was over against the gate they came in at he that entred by the North-gate must go out by the South-gate and he that entred by the South-gate must go out by the North-gate Hence observe 1. The Lord expects not onely Prince and Priests to worship him in a publique way but the people also When the people of the land shall come before the Lord in the solemn Feasts God looks not for great ones learned ones rich ones but all sorts and all of all sorts to come before him to acknowledge him to be their God Creâ—tor and Law-giver he is honored by the worship of the meaner if sincere as well as by the worship of â—â—e Prince or Priest he is no respecter of persons 2. That the way of Gods servants is a strait and right-forth way There is no crookedness in it Isa 26.7 the way of the just is uprightness there is no turning aside to the temptation of Satan to the beggarly elements of the world to the inticing delights of the flesh or any vanity whatsoever That soul that is in Gods way must not look back to Sodom as Lots wife did and suffer for it but it must go forward Matthew being called from the receit of Custom into the way of Christ Mat. 9.9 might not return but follow Christ For whosoever puts his hand to the plough and looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God Luke 9.62 Such an one must not look back to his old courses customs company principles or errours but leaving them must go strait on in the way of God from darkness to light from imperfection to perfection Those that come to be the Lords servants must continue in his service and perfect holiness in his fear 2 Cor. 7.1 Heb. 12.1 2 3. Phil. 3.13 14. 3. The shortness of mans life is here represented unto us he enters into the world goes on a little way and then goes out of it again So that mans life is quasi transitus quidam a porta una ad alteram they came in at a North-gate went on a little while and a little way and then went out at a South-gate c. it s no long passage from the doors of the womb to the gates of death Psal 103.15 16 Job 14.1 2. The tenth Verse is an Ordinance for the Prince shewing when he is to come to the publique Worship and when he is to depart from it When the people go in at the gate appointed for them then must he go in at the gate appointed for him and so when they go out he must go out Those words In the midst of them are not to be taken as if the Prince
9.15 He is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel He had been a great persecutor blasphemous injurious but when he embraced the Faith of Christ he was made the cheif of the Apostles 3. God of his good pleasure and free grace calls and recalls whom he will These Danites had nothing in them to move God to own them for his people at first nothing to move him to recall them being degenerate and fallen into idolatrous passages unless we make wickedness an argument thereunto and if so there is sufficient of that in the Devils to move the Lord to shew mercy but wickedness provokes to destroy not to shew mercy The best thing in man induceth not God to shew mercy that is from his will Rom. 9.15 It was Gods free grace which took Abraham at first out of an Idolatrous Counrry and Faâ—ily Josh 24.23 It was free grace that he took Isaac not Ishmael Jacob not Esau and so that he took Dan at first and recalled him at last and so the Prodigal Dan and the rest of the Tribes had their several portions being all in captivity both Judah and Benjamin at this time allotted unto them which may represent unto us what the condition of the Jews shall be under Christ however now they be scattered yet doubtless there is a time wheâ— they shall come to Sion and have their several portions in the Church of Christ Johns Vision Rev. 7. addâ— great weight to this Tenet He saw twelve thousand sealed out of every Tribe which he distinguishes from those of other nations who are not said to be sealed hereby strongly intimating they were Jews whose conversion Paul had spoken of Rom. 11.26 So all Israel shall be saved that is all the twelve Tribes shall come in and stand with the Lamb on mount Sion Rev. 14.1 These Tribes had their portions from East to West all of them which was the length of this Land of Canaan and their breadth from North to South which informs us of the large extent of the Church of Christ it reaches to the ends of the earth for the Father gave him the Heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession Psal 2.8 His dominion was to be from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth Psa 72.8 He was to be Governour among the Nations Psal 22.28 and not onely of some few or many of them but of all them that shall inherit all Nations Psal 82.8 And be King over all the earth Zech. 4.9 He was from eternity appointed heir of all things Heb. 1.2 And he must have possession of all which John in his vision saw accomplished Rev. 11.15 The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ So that Christs Church and Kingdom is large and extends to all quarters The Portion here given to the seven Tribes Dan Asher Naphtali Manasseh Ephraim Reuben Judah and to the other five Tribes Benjamin Simeon Issachar Zebulun Gad in the 23 24 25 26 27 28 and 29 verses of this chapter besides the largeness and unlimitedness of the Church do here inform us 1. That there is sufficiency of meâ—ns and mercies for all that have part in the Church and Kingdom of Christ Rev. 7.15 16 17. 2. That what portion soever any one hath is by divine appointment The Lord allots every one his portion of what kind soever Rom. 12.3 Luke 19.19 and 22.29 3. That there ought to be communion between those who are of Christs Kingdom The Tribes lay near together and their portions and were to have communion one with another Eph. 2.19 4. That as there be several portions here for the Tribes so there are several Mansions for them in the Heavens Joh. 14.2 And not onely for beleeving Jews but Gentiles also Rev. 7.9 Verse 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. And by the border of Judah from the East side unto the West side shall be the offering which they shall offer of five and twenty thousand reeds in breadth and in length as one of the other parts from the East side unto the West side and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it The oblation that ye shall offer unto the Lord shall be of five and twenty thousand in length and of ten thousand in breadth And for them even for the Priests shall be this holy oblation toward the North five and twenty thousand in length and toward the West ten thousand in breadth and toward the South five and twenty thousand in length and the sanctuary of the Lord shal be in the midst thereof It shall be for the Priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok which have kept my charge which went not astray when the Children of Israel went astray as the Levites went astray And this oblation of the Land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites And over against the border of the Priests the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length and ten thousand in breadth and the length shall be five and twenty thousand and the breadth ten thousand And they shall not sell of it neither exchange nor alienate the first fruits of the Land for it is holy unto the Lord. THe offering of five and twenty thousand reeds of land in length and breadth for the Sanctuary the Priests the Levites the City and the Prince we had in the five and fortieth Chapter â—nd therefore shall say little unto these things Verse 8. The Sanctuary shall be in the midst of it The Sanctuary is the habitation of God and it s in the midst that all may equally have access unto it Ver. 9. The oblation to the Lord was five and twenty thousand reeds in length and ten thousand in breadth which was a great compass and sets out the largeness of the Church in the times of the Gospel The Priests had a large portion ver 10. five and twenty thousand reeds of land in length both Northward and Southward and ten thousand in breadth both Eastward and Westward This large provision was made for the Priests who were holy from Zadock which had kept Gods charge and been faithful and constant in Apostatizing times Verse 11. The Levites also had the same length and breadth of Land assigned them vers 13. Now neither Priests nor Levites might sell exchange or alienate the first fruits of the Land because it was holy ver 12 14. So that holy things which are the Lords and not mens are not to be bought and sold and diverted to other uses Those who sell holy things sell what is the Lords not their own and there is no justice in that By these portions of the priests and Levites is prefigured the increase and maintenance of the preachers of the Gospel for as maintenance was due to the Priests by the Levitical Law so now
unto the Jews and the one thousand two hundred and sixty days put for years are drawing to an end and God is about some great things to be done in the world and will ere long break forth That by this City is represented the Church some Rabbins themselves do acknowledge for though they deny our Christ to be the Messiah because he never built them such a Temple and City as Ezekiel describes yet they acknowledge this City and Temple to be understood not corporally or literally but mystically and spiritually And the Talmudists affirm That by Jerusalem we are to understand the gathering of the Gentiles to Christ or the whole body of Christians There be several things observable concerning this City or Church of Christ 1. That it is well and strongly founded usually Cities are built upon hills and mountains which are the strongest parts of the earth and so was this City chap. 40.2 Ezekiel saw the frame of this City upon a very high mountain and on such a mountain is the Christian Cfiurch built on the mountain of Gods Decree and Power on the mountain of Righteousness and Truth it s built upon Christ the rock of ages such a rock as the gates of hell cannot shake or shatter John tells us of this City the new Jerusalem that it had twelve foundations three on every square which were sure firm and would never fail The Lord Christ the holy Scriptures and the Doctrine of the holy Prophets and Apostles must fall to the ground before the Church shall be ruined 2 Tim. 2.19 2. It is comely and beautiful Cities which are built four square especially are so and such was this City it had four thousand and five hundred measures on each quarter there was nothing unfightly on any of the four quarters they were all parallel and had gates alike in them which presented it very delightful to the eye the Church of Christ is comely and beautiful its built not of unhewen stones or timber but such as are well hewen and orderly laid together Hence the Church of Corinth is called Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 and the Church in general the City of the living God Heb. 12.22 The Church is such a building such a City as is full uf comeliness and beauty it s a congregation of Saints Psal 149.1 It s the garden of Christ Cant. 4.12 his Kingdom Matth. 13.41 his Spouse whom himself saith is fair yea the fairest among women Cant. 1.8 pleasant verse 16. and beautiful 7.1 the Church is Christs body Eph. 1.23 the Spirits Temple 1 Cor. 3.16 and therefore hath curious work in it very glorious and beautiful What David said of Sion Psal 50.2 that it was the perfection of beauty is most true of the Church under Christ and in Christ it s the perfection of beauty Heb. 10.14 By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified 3. The greatness and amplitude of this City it had four thousand and five hundred measures Eastward West North and Southward it was eighteen thousand measures in compass which sets out the greatness and vast extent of the Church of Christ Zach. 10.10 God saith he will bring the Jews from Egypt and Assyria and so multiply them that place shall not be found for them Isa 49.20 The children shall say in thine ears that is in the ears of the Church the place is too strait for me give place that I may dwell The Christian Church is spoken of which should multiply so that their habitation must be enlarged as it is Isa 54.1 2 3. Now the tents and curtains of Sions habitation are stretched to the ends of the earth Psal 2.8 Mal. 1.11 From the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof 4. The City hath access unto it from all parts great Cities have many gates East gates West gates North gates and South gates so had this City twelve gates in every quarter three which signifies unto us the great access should be unto the Church of Christ from all parts not onely Jews should come out of the twelve Tribes to enter and dwell in this City and be under the Government of it but multitudes of Gentiles out of all nations and quarters of the world should do so Rev. 7. John saw not onely twelve thousand Jews enter in at each gate but a great multitude also which no man could number of all Nations kindreds peoples Tongues The Jews were numerable forty four thousand but the Gentiles were above so many millions the number of them which entered by the gates was innumerable 5. The happiness of this City which is from the Lords inhabiting there and giving it its denomination the name of it shall be Jehovah Shammah The Lord is there Alexandria was not so happy in Alexander nor Constantinople so happy in Constantine nor Jerusalem in Solomon as this City shall be in Jehovah We read in sacred Scripture of a golden City Isa 14.4 of a Royal City 1 Sam. 27.5 of a renowned City Ezek. 26.17 But their glory and happiness was a shadow to the glory and happiness of this City they were cities without God Jehovah was not there but here will the Lord himself be These words Jehovah Shammah import 1. The presence of God in the Church and that is a happiness to have his presence when God left the Temple and City of Jerusalem that was their great misery Hos 9.12 His presence in Heaven makes it Heaven and his presence in the Church makes it happy Thus saith the Lord I am returned unto Sion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and Jerusalem shall be called a City of truth and the mountain of the Lord of Hosts the holy mountain Gods presence makes it a City of Truth and an holy mountain and that City is happy which hath truth and holiness in it Zech. 8.3 2. His continuance in it he will not be ut hospes in diversorio sed ut haeres in patrimonio he will dwell there he will not leave this city nor depart from it as he did from Jerusalem of old and as he did from the Jews after their captivity Jer. 32.40 I will not turn away from them to do them good Ezek. 37.26 I will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore Rev. 7.15 He that sitteth upon the throne shall dwell with them It is the happiness of a Saint to have the Comforter and his great happiness to have the same abide with him and that for ever Joh. 14.16 So it s the happiness of the Christian to have Christs presence and exceeding happiness to have it for ever 3. His upholding and preserving of it the Church is Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 He said in Isaiahs days I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundations with Saphires I will make thy windâ—ws of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy border of pleasant stones Isa 54.11 12. and when the Lord shall do this he will