Nations Heylin Cosmogrâ— Vide Lyra in Ezek. 20 6 besides women children and such as were not able to fight 2 Sam. 24. this land was the glory of all lands in regard of the fruitfulnesse and plenty of it of which see Deut. 8.7 8 9. cha 32.13 14. Isa 36.17 a land beyond Egypt though some have affirmed the contrary for Deut. 11.10 11 12. the land thou goest in to possesse is not as the land of Egypt from whence ye came out when thou sowedst thy seed and wateredst it with thy foot as a garden of herbes But the land whither thou goest to possesse it is a land of Hells and Vallies and drinketh water of the rain of Heaven A land which the Lord thy God careth for the eyes of the Lord thy God are alwaies upon it from the beginning of the year unto the end thereof This is a divine Testimony and an high praise of it and doth justly intitle it to bee the glory of all lands What our Prophet saith here of Canaan may bee suspected and seems to bee contradicted by Isaiah ch 13.19 where hee calls Babylon the glory of Kingdomes and if that be the glory of them how can Canaan bee the glory of all lands Hee speaks of the City Babylon which was the head of Chaldea and gave denomination to a great part of Mesopotamia and Assyria the walls whereof were two hundred foot high filty Cubits broad and sixty miles in Compass which the Babylonians counted the glory of Kingdomes and boasted of if it did exceed Jerusalem in its greatnesse richnesse strength and populousness yet it fell short of it in other things Jerusalem represented the true Church Gal. 4.26 Heb. 12.22 Babylon the malignant and false Church Rev. 17.5 glorious things were spoken of Jerusalem and it was the faithful City Isa 1.21 the Holy City Isa 52.1 the City of Truth Zach. 8.3 a City of Righteousnesse Isa 1 26. the City of the Lord of Hosts such things were never spoken of Babylon Again if Babylon bee the Glory of Kingdomes it s not said to bee of all kingdomes it might bee the glory of Heathenish Kingdomes it was not the glory of Canaan for there was the Idol Bel other Images and abominable Idolatry Jer. 51.44 47. which eclipsed the other glory it had Again if it bee granted that Babylon was the glory of all Kingdomes and so of Judea or Canaan yet take Canaan in its latitude with all its excellencies and so considered it is the Glory of all Lands and beyond Babylon taken for the City or the Countrey for besides its milk and honey its fruitfulnesse and plenty there was something of an higher nature which made it so For 1 It was the land of promise Heb. 11 9. 2 A type of Heaven Heb. 3.11 3 The land God chose to dwell in Ps 132.13 14. Exo. 15.17 4 In it was the Temple Worship Ordinances and Oracles of God 1 Kin. 6. 8. chapt Whence it was called the Holy Land Zach. 2.12 holy Habitation Exod. 15.13 the land of the Lord Isa 14.2 Ps 85.2 the land of uprightnesse Isa 26.10 the land of Immanuel Isa 8.8 and upon this account it was the glory of all lands For no land besides in all the world was so called as this or had such prerogatives Obs 1 Old mercies should bee minded not onely by those they were first bestowed upon but also by their posterity who had benefit by them also In the former vers and this God mindes them of Old mercies his choice of them his making known himself unto them his professing himself to bee their God his bringing them out of Egypt which were some eight or nine hundred years before and his espying out a land for them which was four hundred years before that for it was in Abrahams daies that God took notice of that land Gen. 12. get thee to a land that I will shew thee vers 7. unto thy seed will I give this land These Old mercies God would have them to mind though they were in Babylon and deprived of that good land God had given them Let men bee in what condition they will Old mercies should not bee forgotten especially signal great emphatical mercies When God shall publikely own a people deliver them from great slavery put them into a state of freedome safety and honour provide all good things for them such mercies ought not to bee forgotten but to bee remembred from generation to generation This was done in Davids dayes Ps 44.1 2. Wee have heard with our ears O God our fathers have told us what worâ— thou didst in their daies in the times of Old how thou didst drive out the Heathen with thy hand Judges 6.13 Fathers told their children of the miracles God had wrought for them and how hee brought them out of Egypt and because men are apt to forget former mercies when they grow old they grow out of minde the Lord laid a charge upon the Jews that they should not forget them Deut. 6.10 11 12. And commanded them to remember the daies of Old and to consider the years of many generations and to inquire of the ancient what he had done for them Deut. 32.7 There bee no works like unto Gods works and they ought to bee had in remembrance David kept them in mind for hee professes to the Lord himself I remember the daies of Old I meditate on all thy works I muse on the work of thy hand he looked back to the daies of Noah of Abraham of Joseph of the Israelites and of Gods dealing with them because the heart is not quickly affected with old mercies and works of God he meditated and mused on them and that till his heart was warmed and stirred up to praise as it is Psal 105.5 remember his marvellous works that hee hath done his wonders and the judgements of his mouth O yee seed of Abraham his servant Obs 2 That Lands Countries and Habitations of People are appointed ordered and disposed of by the Lord hee brings them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that hee had espyed for them All souls and all lands are the Lords and whom hee will hee plants where hee pleases Hee distributes lands and habitations to whom hee thinks meet The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Psal 24.1 hee is the sole owner thereof the true Lord of the soil and all it brings forth and hee hath given it to the children of men Psal 115.16 hee hath assigned them their several portions Deut. 32.8 the most high divided to the Nations their inheritance when he separated the Sonnes of Adam the most high God being Lord paramount would not have the Sonnes of Adam to live all in one Country or Land but appointed them several lands and Countries to dwel in and set them their bounds and limits as you may see in Gen. 10. especially vers 25. where Eber names his Son Peleg which signifies division because the earth was divided in
naked for hee shews that all they did was either lost labour as the blessing of an Idol or abomination as swines bloud or dangerous as cutting off a dogges neck or deadly as killing of a man thus God polluted them in their own gifts and doings and made them desolate Thus Christ dealt with the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23.13 14 15 16 23 25 27 29. they look for blessings not for woes but they were polluted what ever their confidences were and Christ declares them to bee so and makes them desolate Obs 3 The Lord stripes men of their righteousness and beats them out of their confidences that they might come to him bottome upon him and find him a sure foundation God would make them desolate to the end that they might know that hee was the Lord that they might not trust in their sacrifices but in him the God of them and their sacrifices in him that could shew them their errors and pardon them being shewn when men are deprived of their supposed comforts convinced of the falsenesse of their confidences surrounded with the guilt and evil of their waies they beginne to look where succour is to bee had to runne from the sand to the rock from themselves and al that is their own unto the living God and look at his promises to beleeve them and his Statutes to obey them and so imbracing him for the all-sufficient good abide with and build upon him alone Vers 27 Therefore Sonne of man speak unto the house of Israel and say unto them thus saith the Lord God yet in this your fathers have blasphemed mee in that they have committed a trespass against me 28 For when I had brought them into the Land for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them then they saw every high hill and all the thick trees and they offered there their Sacrifices and there they presented the provocation of their offering there also they made their sweet savour and powred out there their drink offerings 29 Then I said unto them what is the high place whereunto ye go and the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day Having spoken of the proceedings between God and this People in Egypt and the wildernesse wee are come now to the passages between them in the land of Canaan For the Lords part hee brought them into the Land ver 28. which is the onely mercy mentioned but it was such a mercy as included a multitude of mercies in it for it was a land flâ—wed with milk and honey the glory of all lands as twice you have it in this Chapter and something of the goodnesse of this Land you may see Deut. 8.7 8 9. and ch 6.10 11. it was the Land that God had lifted up his hand and sware to give them and hee brought them into it without the help of any other people even by his own arme for he destroyed the seven Nations in it Act. 13.19 and he gave them the Lands of the Heathen and they inherited the labour of the People Psalm 105.44 and why did the Lord bring them into this Land the next verse shews that they might observe his statutes and keep his Laws Which thing they did not for 1 They blasphemed him vers 27. 2 They fell to Idolatry vers 28. 3 They Persisted in it vers 29. Yet in this your Fathers have blasphemed me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew for yet in this is moreover this adhuc hoc Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even to this they sinned and dealt ingratefully not onely till they came to Canaan but in Canaan they were not content with what they had done in Egypt and the wildernesse against me but they continued in their wickednesse and added sin to sin doing worse and worse daily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or Moreover in this and so it notes some hainous and great offence viz. what he mentions in the end of the verse Have blasphemed me invectus est in aliquem atrocibus verbis prebris affecit contumeliâ—si in me fuerunt Cal. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word signifies to revile with words to reproach and blaspheme The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they provoked me they were contumelious disgracing me The French others and our Translation have it blaspheme which is to hurt the name or fame of any and is a kinde of evil speaking derogating from the glory of God quantum in ipsa est Gods glory or name in it self is inviolable but blasphemy doth what it can to violate it Aquinas makes it to consist Blasphemia est attribuere deo quod ei non convenit vel detrahere ab eo quod ei convenit 1 In attributing to God what is not congruous to him as to say hee is the author of sin Hee sees not hee hath forsaken the earth Ezek. 8.12 hee is like unto man Psalm 50.21 2 In detracting from him what belongs unto him as to deny his providence his omniscience his omnipotence as can hee provide a Table in the Wildernesse Psal 78. â—9 if hee should make windows in heaven could this thing be 2 King 7.2 to which may bee added 3 The doing of such things as cause Gods name to be blasphemed as Rom. 2.24 the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as there is practical Atheisme Tit. 1.16 so practical blasphemy In that they have committed a Trespass against me The Hebrew is In their prevaricating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prevarication against mee The doubling of the word intends the signification and notes the greatnesse of their sin and progress in their wickednesse The Vulgar is seeing that despising they have despised me Cum sprevissent me contemnentes Quandile sesont desbonche contre moy Fr. Transcensio volens contra conscientiam ex contemptu temeritaâ—e contumacia Kirk Invehâ—nces in cultus meâ— veritatem The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notes such prevarication and sinning as hath the will in it hence Piscator renders the words here Prevaricati sunt contra me perfidissime they have perfidiously sinned against me They sinned not ignorantly or of common infirmity but with an high hand Calvin saith it was Delâ—berata insolentia dum ita improbe in deum surrexerunt ac si conspuerent in ejus faciem Jun. saith their sin was speaking against the truth of Gods worship for when People fall to false worship they will disparage if not wholly despise the worship they had before So then here wee may understand both their speaking against the true worship of God and practising contrary thereunto Obs Wilful sinning is a Reproaching a blaspheming of God and provokes him greatly In this your Fathers have blasphemed mee in that they have committed a trespass against mee they have spoken against my worship and runne out to other waies which I forbad them other sinnes they have committed which I could have winked
that which redounds to his honour and praise Laudabor propter meam erga vos misericordiam atque beneficentiam Piscator Gentes laudabunt me propter liberationem vestram Vatablus Cum omnes nationes viderint vos a me esse liberatos sanctum me justum que judicabunt quod facerim quod promiseram Maldon Glorificabor sanctus potens mirabilis predicabor Pradus So A Lapide Pintus Lavater and thus diverse interpreters take it in this place I will bring you out of Babylon into your own Countrey unite you into Church order give you another Temple with all the Ordinances of it sanctify you by my word and Spirit cause you to worship mee with pure worship bringing me the best you have for Sacrifices that so you may praise mee for my goodnesse unto you and the Nations for the great things done for you The Lords bringing them out of the countrys where they were scattered was a great work and filled the Heavens with admiration making them to say The Lord hath done great things for them Psalm 126.2 and the Jews also to say The Lord hath done great things for us v. 3. when the Jews were brought out of Egypt it s said Psa 114.2 Judah was his Sanctuary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Sanctitatem ejus or Sanctificatio ejus and so the French read it Juda fut sa sainctete God separated them from the Egyptians as these from the Babylonians to inhabit their praises and to bee worshipped by them and so they were his Sanctuary and Sanctification God doth Sanctify himself when he doth vouchsafe a people manifestations of his goodnesse wisdome mercy love and faithfulnesse and God is sanctified when a people doth that is pleasing and acceptable to God Numb 20.12 Because ye beleeve not to sanctify mee in the eyes of the children of Israel unbeleef is a non sanctifying of God and beleeving is a sanctifying of him Obs 1 God accounts not Apostates and Idolaters but those are true Israelites to bee his people his Church for in mine holy mountain there shall all the house of Israel bee those were Rebels and would serve wood and stone that would not hearken unto him hee purged out and the house of Israel purged must bee in his holy mountain God esteems those who are Godly true Beleevers Israelites indeed to bee his There bee none but such in the invisible Church Rom. 11.26 Gal. 6.16 but in the visible there bee tares and wheat yet God doth not reckon the tares to bee wheat they are Satans not the Lords Mat. 13.38 there be goats and sheep yet the Lord reckons not the goats to bee sheep Matth. 25.33 Psal 15.1 Lord who shall dwell in thy holy hill hee that walketh uprightly and worketh c. Obs 2 Where-ever Gods people are scattered hee will bring them and all of them into or unto Sion to serve him In mine holy Mountain c. There shall all the house of Israel all of them in the Land serve mee God would bring them out of Babylon into Canaan from Heathenish mountains to his holy Mountain from the World and Synagogues of Satan into the true Church Where-ever God hath any sheep hee will gather them and all of them into his fold These verses do speak and hold out Gods dealing with his People under Christ and the Gospel wherein God would bring them from all Nations to enjoy the great and good things provided for them of which the Evangelical Prophet Isay speaks at large chap. 60. so Zach. ch 8.20 21 22. and hereof spoke our Lord Jesus Christ when hee said John 10.16 Other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice When the Prodigal was in a far Countrey did not the Lord order things so that hee returned to his fathers house when the sheep was strayed and lost did not the Lord seek it out and bring it home to the fold Luke 15. and did not Christ send out his Apostles into all Nations to gathet in those were given him of the Father Mat. 28.19 20. Obs 3 The Lord is to bee worshipped especially in Sion in his holy Mountain in the solemn assembly There shall all the house of Israel serve mee It s not sinful to worship God any where 1 Tim. 2.8 or alone Matth. 6.6 but chiefly in the Congregation it should bee where his worship is publikely held forth and with the harmoniousnesse of many spirits held up where strangers may come in and see yea say God is here 1 Cor. 14.25 For hee is in the assembly of the Saints Psalm 89.7 This made the Prophet say Isa 2.23 it shall come to pass in the last daies that the mountain of the Lords house shall bee established in the top of the Mountains and shall bee exalted above the hills and all Nations shall flow unto it and many people shall go and say Come yee and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and hee will teach us of his waies and wee will walk in his paths But in our daies this gracious prophesy hath been greatly crossed for many have said Come let us go from the Mountain of the Lord from the house of the God of Jacob Let us go to our own Mountaine follow our own Teachings and walk in our own paths but God hath made it evident that their mounts are mounts of Corruption their Teachings Delusions their paths crooked and cursed Let us therefore take the Apostles counsel Heb. 10 13 24 25. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is Nor let us meet as the manner of some is viz. to wickednesse Let us fulfill the Prophesy call upon one another to go up to the Mountain of the Lord c. And say he will teach us his waies and wee will walk in his paths Obs 4 In the Lords mountain in the Church God will shew favour and mercy to his people There will I accept them That is pardon approve of and receive them when wee come to serve the Lord after his own way in Gospel congregations meeting in this name of Christ to know the mind of God and glorify him God is the Master of such assemblies hee dispenseth many mercies and distributes sweetest comforts therein Isa 60.7 they shall come up wâ—th acceptance to mine Altar is spoken of the Gospel times men should come from several quarters to the Christian congregations with acceptance God would meet them there welcome them thither there hee would blesse them see Jer. 31.12 Isa 66.18 2 Cor. 6. as every Christian so every congregation is the Temple of the living God therefore hee told the Church of Corinth hee would dwell in them bee their God and father and they should bee his people his Sonnes and
their own words and wholly have been taken up in the worship of God and the duties peculiar to the day Obs 1 Such is the corruption of mans nature that nothing will keep it within its bounds but it breaks out against God neglects and abuses the Ordinances and means hee hath appointed for mans salvation But the house of Israel rebelled against me they walked not in my statutes they despised my Judgements and they greatly polluted my Sabbaths These God gave them for their good life salvation but they sleighted perverted polluted them God had done great things for them hee provided for them in the wildernesse manna water shooes cloaths all in a miraculous way so that they could not subsist without him yet they rebell against him despise him Numb 11.20 Cast off his statutes and judgements and prophane his Sabbaths to his face Thus they dealt with the Lord when hee brought them out of Babylon Nehem. 13.15 16. they greatly polluted the Sabbaths of the Lord whereupon saith Nehemiah vers 18. did not your Fathers thus and so bring evil upon us and will you bring more wrath upon Israel by prophaning the Sabbaths Neither the mercies their fathers had when they were brought out of Egypt nor the mercies themselves had when they were brought out of Babylon kept in their Corruptions but they rose to a great height and brake out so farre as to set at nought all his counsels Prov. 1.25 to reject the word of the Lord Jer. 8.9 to mock and misuse his messengers and Prophets 2 Chron. 36.16 to speak stoutly against God Mal. 3.13 yea so strong grew their corruptions that their souls abhorred God Zech. 11.8 Is it not thus in our daies neither miraculous mercies nor wonderful judgements do keep men within bounds or chain up their corruptions but they break out greatly polluting the Lords day despising all or some Ordinances do they not set at nought and reject the whole Counsel of God the very Scriptures do they not mock and misuse the messengers and Ministers of God do they not blaspheme curse and glory in it do they not speak stoutly against Christ and God Do not some turn Jews and others Atheists denying Christ God Surely iniquity abounds and is within little of its perfection the harvest is near sinners are almost full ripe for judgement and ere long God will say thrust in the sickle Obs 2. When men do neglect despise and abuse the ordinances of God and means of grace they provoke God even to their destruction They neglected to walk in Gods statutes they despised his judgements they polluted his Sabbaths and what then Then I said I would pour out my fury upon them to consume them Men think that neglecting and slighting of Ordinances prophaneing of the Lords day and holy things is no such great evil if it bee an evil at all but there is hardly any thing kindles the wrath of God hotter than the casting off despising and abusing the Ordinances and mediums appointed of God for his worship our good comfort and salvation Their sins here of this nature put God into fury which is more than anger or wrath upon pouring out of fury and such pouring out as to consume them Heb. 10.25 26 27. hee tells you of some that did forsake the assemblies cast off the Ordinances of God which was a wilful and provoking sin excluding mercy and hastening judgement and fierce indignation which should destroy When God in his infinite wisdome and mercy hath condescended to mans weaknesse given him Ordinances and mediums wherein hee will bee worshipped and through which hee will do good to the creature and now the foolish creature to neglect despise or prophane them this pierces Gods heart and transformes his patience into fury and puts him into waies of destruction Those despised Moses Law were to dye without mercy and what will be their portion who despise Christ the Gospel and Ordinances thereof see Heb. 12.25 Act. 2.23 every soul that will not hear Christ shall bee destroyed that is whosoever shall not hearken to Christs voice in the Gospel submit to the Ordinances appointed by him therein and worship the Father the way hee hath prescribed hee shall bee destroyed The Corinthians abused and prophaned the Supper of the Lord and were they not smitten and destroyed for that sinne 1 Cor. 1â— 30 Moses had the sword drawn upon him by the Lord himself because he neglected the Circumcision of his Son Exod. 4.24 Vers 14 But I wrought for my name sake that it should not be polluted before the Heathen in whose sight I brought them out Whilest they were in the wildernesse and Moses in the Mount they made a Calfe and fell to Idolatry which exasperated the Lord so that hee thought to destroy them and had not Moses interposed and pressed God with the honour of his name hee had done it Exod. 32.12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak and say for mischief did hee bring them out to slay them in the Mountaines and to consume them from the face of the earth turn from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evill against thy people God did so and wrought for his name sake Of these words was spoken in the ninth vers Vers 15 Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wildernesse that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them flowing with milk and honey which is the glory of all lands 16 Because they despised my Judgements and walked not in my Statutes but polluted my Sabbaths for their heart went after their Idols 17 Neverthelesse mine eye spared them from destroying them neither did I make an end of them in the Wildernesse In the 15. verse you have mention of Gods swearing that hee would not bring them into Canaan in the 16. the reason thereof In the 17. his indulgence and pity towards them I lifted up my hand unto them c. This was when upon the ill report the Spies had brought upon the land of Canaan the Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron as you may see Numb 14.28 29 30. and ch 26.65 But here a difficulty ariseth in the 6. vers of this Chapter it s said that God had lift up his hand and so sworn to bring them not onely out of Egppt but into the land of Canaan and here it s said hee had lift up his hand to the contrary that he would not bring them into the land hee had given them so that it seems here is one oath against another and in Numb 14.34 God acknowledges his breach of Promise for hee saith yee shall know my breach of promise I have promised and sworn to bring you into the land of Canaan but you have so sinned against and provoked mee that I will not do it yea have sworn you shall not enter into my rest Psalm 95.11 This difficulty is removed by considering that God did not make promise or swear to those individual men that were
at but when they sinne wilfully despising mee my Laws my worship they reproach blaspheme provoke mee so that they shall hear of it Son of man go and speak to the house of Israel go and tell them how they have dealt with mee and how I take it Such sins did deserve death Num. 15.30 31. The soul that doth ought presumptuously whether he be born in the Land or a stranger the same reproacheth the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s the same word is here for Blasphemed and may as well bee rendred so as reproacheth for hee that reproacheth the Lord blasphemes him and hee that blasphemes him reproacheth him they are joyned together 2 King 19.22 and what then That Soul shall bee cut off from among his people because hee hath despised the word of the Lord and hath broken his Commandement that soul shall utterly bee cut off There was no mercy for those sinned in that manner Heb. 10.26 28. many I fear commit such trespasses in these daies by speaking against Providence Ordinances Scriptures Angels Christ God himself and so sin away mercy and their own souls at once David prayed that God would keep him back from presumptuous sinnes Psal 19.13 and wee had need do it for there is that in our natures which carries us on strongly towards them as much as they did him remember what Solomon saith Prov. 28. Happy is the man that feareth alwaies but hee that hardeneth his heart that presumeth that is wilful pertinacious shall fall into mischief into mischievous sinnes into mischievous judgements chap. 13.13 Who so despiseth the word shall bee destroyed but hee that feareth the Commandement shall bee rewarded hee that sleights the word and waies of God destruction is his portion but he that fears to violate the command of God shall bee rewarded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee shall have peace safety a man by despising or fearing the word command of God doth neither hurt the one nor advantage the other but hee may hee doth hurt or advantage himself and that greatly 28 Then they saw every high Hill c. In this verse you have the Idolatry they fell into when they came into the Land of Canaan with the degrees thereof First Their Leaving of God and looking unto the Hills Iis locis arboribus quae prae caeteris erant insignes aliquid divinitatis in esse purabant Gentes Ideo ibi idolis sacrificabant Mariana yea every high hill and all the thick trees they gave liberty to their eies to spy out places suitable to their Idolatrous thoughts on hills and places beset with thick trees the Heathens worshipped and their Hearts and eyes were towards such places 2 Their making Altars and sacrificing there they offered there their Sacrifices c. they should not have sacrificed any where but in the place God appointed which was first the Tabernacle afterwards the Temple but they spied out hills groves thickets set up Altars and sacrificed on them those offerings which were peculiar unto God 3 Their Continuance and expencefulnesse therein they offered Sacrifices They poured out there their drink offerings 4 Their Content and delight they took therein there also they made their sweet savour The provocation of their Offering The Hebrew is The indignation and anger of their Corban 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Korban omne donum significat quod ad sacros usus offertur de pecoribus frugibus aliisque rebus Mincha Non tam late patet sed de frugibus terrae tantum in elligitur that is their approaching gift or offering Jun. hath it irritamentum oblationis suae the irritation of their oblation Piscat Oblationes irritantes provoking oblations because by them they did provoke God to anger to judgements There is a figure in these words called Hyppalage which is such a transposing of words as that is said of one which should bee said of the other as here provocation of offerings for Offerings provoking There also they made their sweet savour The Original for sweet savour is Reach nichochehem The Odour of their rests Odores grotos suos their acceptable odours when they had offered these they thought the Lord smelt a sweet savour was well pleased with them and so rested in them which phansied rest was pleasing to them though it lasted not neither had reality in it for their incense or sweet savour was a provocation to God Obs 1 That what the Lord promiseth hee makes good how difficult or impossible soever it seems to man The Lord had promised them Canaan and how should they come to it they were bond-men in Egypt there is a red Sea a vast wildernesse between Egypt and Canaan and beside Canaan had strong men in it sonnes of Anack Cities walled and great several Kings to oppose and keep them out but notwithstanding all these difficulties God having promised to bring them in hee did it when I had brought them into the Land for the which I lifted up my hand to give it to them His hand that was lift up to confirm them it should be done was let out for the doing thereof that hand could take away all doubts could also take away all difficulties There is nothing too hard for the Lord hee will work and who shall who can let it Isa 43.13 As hee is gracious to Promise so faithfull and able to perform and doth in due time make good whatever hee hath promised though it seem impossible hee said a Virgin should bring forth Isa 7.14 and was it not made good Mat. 1.18 that Abraham who was aged should have a Childe and his seed bee as the starres of Heaven and were not both made good Gen. 21.2 Exod. 12.37 Numb 11.21 not one word fail'd of all that God promised Moses 1 King 8.56 this should make us beleeve the promises of God what ever flesh and bloud objects Obs 2 Mens habitations are given and assigned unto them of the Lord I brought them into the Land I gave it them If men bee removed from place to place seated here or there the hand of the Lord is in it if they have commodious pleasant gainful habitations if they dwell safely under vines and fig-trees as it is 1 King 4.25 it s the Lords doing his providence disposed it so and wee should be thankful in and for our habitations and minde the heavenly Canaan and those mansions mentioned Joh. 14.2 prepared for those do beleeve and glorify God out of which when once we are possessed of them wee shall never bee removed Obs 3 Circumstances of time and place do aggravate mens sinnes and make them hainous When I had brought them into the Land then they saw every high hill there they offered sacrifices there they presented the provocation of their offerings there they made their sweet savour there they poured out their drink offerings here bee four theres every one aggravating and accenting their sinnes This was ingratitude with a witnesse that the Lord should
When the Lord gathers up his People out of the world and brings them into near relation to himself into Canaan and Church order hee looks they should review their former waies and bee much affected with them and throughly repent for them There shall ye remember your waies and all your doings wherein c. When brought into Canaan they were not only to eat the milk and honey to behold the glory thereof but they were to remember daies of old their sinnes in Babylon compliances with Babylonians how they had polluted themselves and provoked the Lord and thereupon to mourn kindly for their unkindnesses to him who had shewed such marvellous loving kindnesse unto them When God brings men out of the World now into Sion gives them the Milk and Honey of the Gospel shews them the glory thereof then they look back wonder at their wickedness and loath themselves for it saying who is like unto us in sinne and wickedness and who is like unto our God in grace and goodnesse in pardon and forgivenesse Micah 7.18 when it shall please God to bring the Jews out of that Babylon they are now in unto the true Canaan the Church of Christ they will remember their iniquities their bitter and bloudy doings against Christ mourn and loath themselves for the same Zach. 12.10 Rev. 1.7 Obs 3 Where repentance springs from sense of Love and kindnesse as it is real and deep so its secret and universal they should being brought into Canaan not onely remember their sinnes but they should loath themselves bee displeased so with themselves that they should smite and abhorre themselves and that in their own sight and for all the evils they had committed when no eye saw them they would spread all their sinnes before them and in the sight and sense of them be vile in their own eyes Vers 44. And they shall know that I am the Lord. These words wee had in the 42. v. wherein they were opened and expounded of an experimental knowledge When I have wrought with you for my Names sake Of these words see vers 9.14.22 The Vulgar is Cum benefecero When I shall have done good to you The Hebrew is When I have done to you or With you for my Name sake That is when I have dealt graciously and mercifully with you out of my free grace and for the honour of my name Not according to your wicked waies Of wicked abominations was spoken chap. 8.9 of wicked counsel chap. 11.2 of Wicked way and waies chap. 13.22.18.23 Those are wicked waies which lead from God from truth from just honest and good things In such they had walked long but God would not deal with them according to the wickednesse of their waies Significat aliquid ad imum usque funditus perdere corrumpere depravare quocunque id fiat modo sine medio Nor according to your corrupt doings The word for Corrupt is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to Corrupt even to the bottome throughly and such were they they were not a Little corrupt but totally corrupted in their judgements wills affections words and actions they were like a corrupt spring that sends forth nothing but corrupt waters Ezek. 16.47 Thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy waies Obs 1 The Lord is gratious and merciful unto the Sonnes of men deserving ill at his hands hee deals with them upon the account of his grace not their deserts What did their wicked waies and corrupt doings deserve at his hands but that hee should have poured out his fury and accomplish his anger upon them as it is ch 7.8 but hee wrought with them for his Name sake that is out of his free grace and favour he spared them hee pardoned them hee delivered them out of Babylon and brought them into Canaan When God seeth nothing in the Creature to put him on to shew mercy hee findes enough in his own Name to provoke him thereunto you have it four times in this chapter thrice before and here that hee wrought for his Name sake whatever mercy this people had it was from Divine favour not their desert If it was free Grace brought the Jews out of Babylon into Canaan what is it but freenesse fulnesse and riches of grace to bring men out of the world into the heavenly Canaan Predestination Calling Justification and Glorification are acts of meer grace and favour Eph. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.9 Rom. 3.24 ch 8.30 1 Pet. 5.10 All the Sonnes of men injoy here or expect hereafter is from the bounty favour and mercy of God Psalm 103.8 9 10 11 12. Luke 12.32 to attribute ought to our own wills or indeavours is to derogate from God and darken the glory of his name and free grace Obs 2 God doth therefore deal gratiously with sinners that they may know him experimentally Yee shal know that I am the Lord when I have wrought with you for my Name sake c. God works and so works that hee makes the hearts of men affected with his works and to say Psal 86.8 Among the Gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy works none so full of Glory so full of grace and mercy none so influential and operative upon the heart It s Gods scope and aim in doing good so freely and fully as hee doth to make himself known to the hearts of his People that so they may bee knit to him provoke them to admire him and live more fully to him Vers 45 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto mee saying 46 Son of Man set thy face towards the South and drop thy word toward the South and Prophesy against the Forrest of the South-field 47 And say to the forrest of the South Hear the word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will kindle a fire in thee and it shal devour every green tree in thee and every dry tree the flaming flame shal not be quenched and all faces from the South to the North shal bee burnt therein 48 And all flesh shal see that I the Lord have kindled it it shal not be quenched These verses are the fifth general part of the chapter viz. a parabolical Declaration of the destruction of Judea and Jerusalem Some refer these words to the next Chapter and make the beginning of that at the 45. v. of this The 45. v. sets before us the Divine Authority of this Prophesy against the Jews that were yet in Canaan the Prophet received it from the Lord it came from God to him before it went out from him to men In this 45. v. wee have 1 The Compellation Son of man of which heretofore 2 A Command to declare and utter the word hee had received set thy face c. Set thy Face Of this Expression in Chapter 4. 3 7. ch 6.2 ch 13.17 Hac phrasi ostendit strenue precidandum ess◠ita ut nullis minis frangatur nec so
overturn overturn overturn Overturn the Church overturn the State overturn them for a long time which was very sad and bitter yet even now when hee is in a full carriere of overturning hee tells them of the comming of Christ who should bee their King wear the Crown and raise up the Kingdome again This was great mercy in the depth of misery if they lost an earthly Kingdome they should have a spiritual one if they lost a prophane and temporal King they should have a King of Righteousnesse an eternal King It is the method of the Lord when hee is bringing in dreadful judgements upon his People that have provoked him bitterly to lay in something that may support and comfort those have served him faithfully Amos 9.8 9 10 11. Behold The eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinfull kingdome and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob saith the Lord There was mercy mingled with judgement so in the next vers For Lo I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all Nations like as corn is sifted in a sive yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth here again is mercy in the midst of judgement So again in the two next verses All the sinners of my People shall dye by the sword which say the evil shall not overtake nor prevent us and what then In that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof and I will raise up his ruines and I will build it as in the days of old here is goodnesse with severity Obs 5 That how contrary soever Gods actings appear yet he will make good his promises hee is mindful of them and will be faithful The Lord had promised to set up his Sonne Christ to bee King in Sion the hill of his holinesse Psal 2.6 that the Government should bee upon his shoulder Isa 9.6 that hee would cause a branch of Righteousnesse to grow up unto David and hee shall execute judgement and righteousnesse in the land Jer. 33.15 what likelihood was there that these things should bee when the Lord overturns the land plucks up all by the roots and laies all in a dead condition and that for many daies and years They might have thought and said surely This death of the Crown of Church and State will bee the death of all those and other Promises but it was not so though a sentence of death was upon the land upon the Jews yet the living God kept life in the Promises hee minded them and said I will give it to him hee shall have this land the Kingdome and the crown hee shall sit upon Sion reign and execute judgement The actings of God sometimes are such that to mans apprehensions they will make void the Promises of God Psal 77.7 8. saith Asaph will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his Promise fail for evermore Gods hand was heavy upon him his proceedings with him such as his soul was greatly afflicted questioned the truth of his Promises and was ready to despair but what saith hee in the tenth verse This was my infirmity There was no infirmity in God hee had not forgotten his Promise it was not out of his sight though out of Asaphs mans faith may fail him sometimes but Gods faithfulnesse never fails him Psalm 89.33 God will not suffer his faithfulnesse to fail Gods operations may have an aspect that way the Devils temptations and our unbeleeving hearts may not onely make us think so but perswade us it is so when as it cannot be so for the Lord will not suffer it hee will not make a lye in his Truth or faithfulnesse so the Hâ—brew is hee is a God cannot lye he is truth speaks truth and not one of his Promises can or shall fail which may afford strong Consolation unto all that are under any promise of God Vers 28 And thou Son of man prophesy and say Thus saith the Lord God concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach even say thou The sword the sword is drawn for the slaughter it is fourbished to consume because of the glittering 29 Whiles they see vanity unto thee whiles they divine a lye unto thee to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain of the wickâ—â—â— whose day is come when their iniquity shall have an end In these verses and the rest to the end is contained the Prophesy against the Ammonites Two waies were spoken of in the 19 20 and 21. vers One leading to the Ammonites the other to the Jews Nebuchadnezzar using divinations to discover unto which of these he should go Divine Providence over-ruled the Divination so that he was to make his military expedition unto Jerusalem Hence least the Ammonites should bee secure and insult over the Jews whose judgements were now comming upon them The Lord commands the Prophet to denounce judgement yea the same judgement unto them In his Prophesy we have 1 The judgement which is the sword ver 28. 2 The Causes of it 1 Reproach ver 28. 2 Impiety and inhumanity ver 29. 3 The place where it shall be vers 30. 4 The Similitudes to which the judgement is likened vers 31. 5 The Event thereof vers 32. 6 The Ratification of the Prophesy ibid. Concerning the Ammonites The Hebrew is Ad filios Hammon To the children of Ammon These Ammonites came of the Jewish Race for they were from Lot and his younger daughter Gen. 19.38 who being with child by him named her Sonne Ben-Ammi who was the Father of the Ammonites and for Lots sake who was the root of them the Lord shewed them kindnesse long after Deut. 2.19 when the Jews came into Canaan they must not distresse them nor meddle with them the Ammonites land was given to the children of Lot for a possession and so the Moabites vers 9. had their land upon that account but the Ammonites though descended from the Jews were bitter enemies to them and made war against them Judg. 11.4 1 Samuel 11.1 2. 2 Chronicles 20.1 They were notorious Idolaters they had Molech and Milchom among them 1 King 11.7 2 King 23.13 They were cruel and bloody Amos 1.13 Concerning their Reproach Some would have the words taken passively here for the reproach they suffred from the Chaldaeans but they are rather to be taken Actively for the Reproach which the Ammonites put upon the Jews So Vatablus understands the words and other interpreters A lapide affirms Opprobrium sive ignominiam Ammonitarum vocat quo Israelem affecerant that the Ammonites upbraided the Jews and their God as weak and unwarlike because Nebuchadnezzar was comming to them and durst not meddle with the Ammonites It s certain the Ammonites bare the Jews no good will and were glad of opportunities to vent that ancient
in their own phansies shifts evasions they have till their iniquity bee discovered and judgement surprizeth them Psalm 36.2 that wretched art they have of putting off the evil day of shifting the threats and judgements of God undoes them and many pretious souls are too well skilled in this wretched art and work of putting off the Promises and Mercies of God from themselves which greatly prejudice their Peace and Comforts and gratifies the enemy of their souls Those make conscience of their waies that desire to bee purged and wait on God in the use of means they lye not under these threats but are under many gratious Promises especially that Psalm 145.19 hee will fulfill the desire of them that fear him Obs 2 Those professe themselves Gods People may bee such sinners as that God resolves their destruction excluding all hope of mercy Jerusalem which was the Lords City and the People of it his had so sinned that God would irrevocably destroy both it and them I the Lord have spoken it it shall come to passe and I will do it I will not go back neither will I spare c. God was fully set upon it and therefore peremptorily cuts off all hope of mercy Jerem. 16.5 I have taken away my peace from this people saith the Lord even loving kindnesse and mercy Asaphti collegi I have gone up and down and gathered up my peace my kindnesses and mercies and carried them away from this people what hope was then left for them both the great and the small shall dye in this land Gods heart was so against them that Moses and Samuel could not incline it towards them if they should intreat for them chap 15.1 and therefore saith God cast them out of my sight I have no pitty no mercy for them Ezek. 9.30 As for mee mine eie shall not spare neither will I have pitty if God would not spare them who would if he would not have pitty on them who could they were hopeless their case was desperate chap. 5.8 11. Behold I am against thee I will not have any pitty Jer. 11.11 I will bring evil upon them which they shall not bee able to escape Obs 3 When God cuts off hope of mercy and brings sinners into a forelorn condition the fault is in their own not the Lords it s their own doings their own waies which bring irrevocable judgements upon them according to thy waies and according to thy doings shall they judge thee thou hast been irrevocable in thy sinnes and I am irrevocable in my judgements thou hast gone on to commit great iniquities and I am going on to execute answerable punishments I could not prevail with thee to desist from sinning and thou shalt not prevail with mee to desist from destroying thou by thine obstinacy madest me without hope of thy amendment and now by my threatnings I have made thee hopelesse of any mercy Jerusalem might thank her self that shee was brought to so desperate a condition Jerem. 13.22 if thou say in thine heart wherefore come these things upon mee why must I bee besiedged why must Plague Famine and Sword devour my Children why must I bee burnt to ashes and have no mercy shewed mee The Answer is for the greatness of thine iniquity and what that iniquity is you have specified cha 16.11 12. they forsook God worshipped other gods walked after the imaginations of their own hearts and did worse than their fathers they sinned till there was no remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 Jerusalem with her children provoked God so that his glory his Truth his Name his Prophets must have suffered if they had been spared therefore the Lions roared upon Israel yelled and made his Land waste when his Cities were burnt and without inhabitant what said God Jerem. 2.15.17 hast thou not procured this unto thy self in that thou hast forsaken God Vers 15. Also the word of the Lord came unto me saying 16 Sonne of man behold I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroak yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep neither shall thy tears run down 17 Forbear to cry make no mourning for the dead bind the tire of thine head upon thee and put on thy shooes upon thy feet and cover not thy lips and eat not the bread of men 18 So I spake unto the People in the morning and at even my wife dyed and I did in the morning as I was commanded The second general Part of the Chapter begins here being a Prophesy declaring the destruction of Temple and City represented under the Type of the suddain death of Ezekiels wife This Type is in the words read the interpretation is in the words following The parts of these verses are 1 The Divine Authority for this Type and for what is commanded and done thereupon v. 15. 2 The Narration of the Type ver 16. Son of man behold I take away from thee the desire c. 3 Several Commands laid upon the Prophet v. 16 17. 4 The Execution of the Type v. 18. 15 The word of the Lord came unto me The false Prophets ran when they were not sent and spake when they had no word but Ezekiel was sent cha 2.3 and hee had a word from God when hee spake hee durst not bee the mouth of God to others untill the Lord had opened his mouth to him the spirit of Prophesy brought the word to him and then moved him to utter it to others 16 Son of Man Hee saith not man of God or Sonne of God but Son of Adam for so the Original is that is son of him was made of the earth that had an earthly beginning Ezekiel thou art a weak worthlesse Creature that ere long must away to the earth from whence thou camest see thy heart do not swell with the Prophetical honour I have put upon thee the many appearances of my spirit unto thee nor bee thou refractary that I put thee upon hard services or command thee hard things when thy Father Adam disobeyed mee I turned him out of Paradise obey therefore my voice and do what I command thee therein shalt thou show thy self a Sonne of God Behold I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes By Desire of thine eyes is meant Ezekiels wife v. 18. The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The desires of thine eyes This Expression The desire of the Eyes Rem charam significat it imports a thing very dear to one and what is dearer to men than their wives There bee many things to indear a woman to her husband 1 She was made for man 1 Cor. 11.9 The man was not created for the woman but the woman for the man shee was made an help meet for man Gen. 2.18 2 She is a gift of God Prov. 19.14 3 She is joyned to man by a divine Ordinance and is made one with him thereby Gen. 2.24 Matth. 19.5 1 Cor. 6.16 Ephes 5.31 4 Shee is the glory of Man 1 Cor. 11.7 man represents
Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sublevationem the lifting up of your glory The Temple was their glory and that cheared and lifted up their hearts both Junius and Piscator have it gaudium ornatus eorum the joy of their ornament the Temple was their ornament Ezek. 7.20 nothing did so become and adorn them as their Temple did and that worship which God appointed to bee in it but they corrupted that worship stained their glory and joyed sinfully therein The desire of their eyes They took pleasure in beholding the Temple which was a stately building beautified with pretious stones and gold of Parvaim 2 Chron. 3.6 8. The second Temple took them much Matth. 24.1 Luke 21.5 yet that was inferiour to the first Temple The material Temples were very dear unto the Jews And that whereupon they set their minds In the Hebrew it is Veeth massa naphsham which Montanus renders Elevationem animae eorum the lifting up of their souls or minds id ad quod attollunt anâ—mam suam that unto which they lift up their soul So Junius The Vulgar Super quo requiescunt animae eorum That on which their souls do rest Stephen in phrasibus Hebraicis renders the place thus In quod elevatur animas eorum aut onus animae ipsorum That their hearts are lifted up unto or that which is the burden of their souls and pressed them most as the Temple and their children they were perplexed about the losse of these This phrase of setting the minde upon a thing imports 2 Sam. 18.3 1 Over-prizing of the thing when the mind is set upon a thing that is valued every man values what his lust is set upon 2 Adhering to it when the minde is set upon a thing it cleaves to it and fixes upon it 1 Sam. 9.20 set not thy minde on them 3 Taking content and delight in a thing seeking no further Col. 3.2 set your affections upon things above 26 Hee that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee to cause c. The Lord in his wise providence ordered it so that some three years after this Prophesy there came one who escaped at the delivery up of Jerusalem unto Nebuchadnezzar and brought tidings that the City was smitten Ezek. 33.21 which was half a year after the smiting of it if you compare this place in Ezekiel with Jer. 52.6 2 King 25.3 To cause thee to hear it with thine ears The Hebrew is To the hearing of the ears not to tell what hee hath heard as some Rabbins would have it but to tell in the ears of Ezekiel what hee had seen and been an eye witnesse thereof it s not improbable but that they had heard some rumor of it before it being half a year since the taking of that City and desolation of all things This man therefore came to inform Ezekiel of the certainty of all things had passed 27 In that day shall thy mouth bee opened to him that is escaped and thou shalt be no more dumbe That Ezekiel was dumbe and prophesied not at all till the man brought tidings of Jerusalems destruction is not the sense of this place for in the 26. chapter hee saith The Word of the Lord came unto him in the eleventh year in the first day of the month the meaning then is this that as to the Jews hee ceased Prophesying and was as a dumb man unto them God gave him not the gift nor called him to speak any more unto them they beleeved not what hee had prophesied unto them but gave ear to false Prophets who seduced them telling them that they should shortly return and Jerusalem should not bee destroied but when the news came to our Prophet that God had fulfilled what hee had Prophesyed against the City and Temple then God put his word into his mouth again and he spake freely and boldly And thou shalt bee a sign unto them As thou hast oft been a sign unto them sometimes representing an Army laying siedge against a City chap. 4. sometimes a Barber shaveing the hair chap. 5. sometimes a man removing his stuffe chap. 12. sometimes representing a mourner chap. 21.6 sometimes a condition wherein there must not bee mourning as vers 16 17 18. of this chapter so here hee must bee a sign unto them by his silence all the time from this chapter to the day that tydings came of the taking and smiting of Jerusalem he was for a sign unto them They shall know that I am the Lord. Those are here in Babylon those escape the Famine Pestilence sword shall know that I am the Lord and sent thee to Prophesy that I am the Lord and have made good what thou didst Prophesy that I am the Lord and have punished them justly for their iniquities Obs 1 That our Natures are prone to over-prize adhere to and rest in external priviledges and mercies The Temple they doted upon they made it their strength their glory the joy of their glory the desire of their eyes they set their minds upon that and their Sonnes and Daughters these had their thoughts affections and hearts they ran out strongly unto them their souls were lift up unto them they looked at their Temple as their strength against all enemies as their joy at home and their glory abroad so for their children they made idols of them setting them up in their hearts and their hearts upon them Hos 9.11 their children were their glory they gloried in them their hearts were set upon them because children are parts of their Parents coming out of their loines because they bear their image are their hopes perpetuate their lives names and memories therefore they let out their hearts too far towards them and set their minds upon them and not onely on these but on other things also as riches Psalm 62.10 If riches increase set not your hearts upon them as they increase usually mens affections and desires increase towards them so that they come to trust in them Psalm 52.7 Hee trusted in the abundance of his riches they were his security against all dangers all enemies There is scarce any thing wee have of any moment but wee are apt to set our mindes and hearts thereon hence wee are commanded to keep our hearts with all diligence Prov. 4.23 The Hebrew is above all keeping keep that The lesse wee set our mindes upon the creatures the longer wee are like to injoy them the more we set our minds upon them the sooner they may be pulled away God will not indure any thing to deprive him of his interest in the heart Obs 2 God hath his times to take away mercies priviledges idolized and confided in In the day when I take from them their strength the joy of their glory the desire of their eyes and that whereupon they set their minds c. God took away the Temple their children hee had his day for them both 1 Sam. 4.3 the Jews trusted in the Ark and idolized that Let
god hee sealed up the sum hee was a compleat Prince he had choice indowments hee was full of wisdome perfect in beauty hee had outward glory and greatnesse as much as any hee was seated in a Paradise hee glistered with Pearles and pretious stones hee had as choice Musick as was to bee had yet notwithstanding all these hee was a wretched man under the curse of God and was to dye the death of the uncircumcised What vanity is it therefore to pride our selves in any humane excellencies to set our hearts upon or confide in any outward glory or greatnesse 14 Thou art the annointed Cherub Here the Prince of Tyrus is compared unto an Angel Angels in Scripture are called Cherubims Gen. 3.24 The resemblances between him and them take in these particulars 1 They are full of knowledge and wisdome 2 Sam. 14.20 and it s said of this King that he was full of wisdome 2 They are beautiful and glorious creatures Luke 9.26 Christ shall come in the glory of the Angels so this King was perfect in beauty and full of glory being adorned with such pretious stones as he was 3 They are high exalted about others having great power and command Dan. 10.13 20. 2 King 19.35 they are called principalities and powers Eph. 3.10 So this King was exalted above others hee had great power and command so that hee was dreadfull as the Cherubims that kept the way into Paradise Annointed The Cherubims above the Arke or mercy seat were annointed with oyle Exod. 30.26 to which here may bee an allusion thou art the annointed Cherub or thou thinkest thy self so or it may bee spoken in reference to the Kings of Israel and high Priest who were annointed and so had many prerogatives thereupon and this man being made King of Tyrus had great priviledges and prerogatives That covereth The Cherubims had wings which covered the Ark Exod. 25.20 and this King had wings of power stretched out at Sea and land to cover and protect his people The Hebrew word is Hashochech from Sachach which is to hide Kirker super-ponendo aliquid a Hen hides her chickens by putting her wings over them it notes also to protect when things are covered they are protected I have set thee so Thou wast made King hadst great honour priviledges and power thou wast above others and how camest thou to all this it was not by any other than my self I have set thee so The Hebrew is I have given thee that is into such dignity and greatnesse Thou wast upon the holy mountain of God Some refer this to Hyram furnishing Solomon with materials to build the Temple but this sense of the words is in no wise entertainable for Hyram was dead long before and here the Prophet speaks of one that was then to be destroyed Piscator senses the words thus Thou hast been so gorgeously attired as if thou wert the High Priest of my people when he is in his robes Others make this the sense Thou wast as one upon the holy mountain of God Tyrus is likened to Mount Sion the King to a Cherub in the Temple thereupon it s called the holy Mountain by way of resemblance or because Tyre belonged to the Tribe of Asher it was within their lot Josh 19.24 29. and therefore belonging to Gods people and being on the borders of Canaan it might be called holy If any should question whether Tyrus were on a Mountain know that in the Scripture Cities for their high buildings and strong defences are called Mountains though they bee not on Mountaines as Jerem. 51.25 Behold I am against thee O destroying Mountain it s spoken of Babylon which was not upon a Mountain but in a plain upon many waters v. 13. So Tyrus for its high buildings strong walls and defences may bee called a Mountain but Tyrus was upon a rock which was high above the waters if not above the rest of the earth Some tell us Tyrus was upon a great Mountain Tyrus supra montem excelsum exaedificaâ—a fuit Vilal and things which are great and goodly to see unto are said to be the Lords Thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire What these stones of fire are hath exercised the heads of men to finde out Some make them the Angels who Heb. 1.7 are called a flame of fire Some will have them to bee the two Tables of stone given at Mount Sinai in fire Some assert them to bee the people of the Jews who for their holinesse zeal and love are called stones of fire Some tel you they were the pretious stones in the Temple at Jerusalem or the common stones guilded over Others by these understand men of excellent parts spirits and abilities with whom the King of Tyre conversed but these have overlooked the truth lying near at hand for these stones of fire are the pretious stones mentioned in the former vers and are so called for their shining and glistering like fire especially the Carbuncles and Diamonds which sparkle and seem to cast out fire Sanctius saith hee walked in the midst of the stones of fire because his royal Pallace shined with such stones as might well bee called stones of fire The Jews at this time were not so holy Puta Tyri regem in mediâ— ignitorum lapidum ambulare quia regium conclave undique collucebat his lapillis qui suo jure vocantur igniti as to bee called or counted stones of fire they committed adultery with stones and stocks Jer. 3.9 and were stones of darknesse Job 28.3 rather than stones of fire 15 Thou wast perfect in thy waies The Septuagint hath the words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou wast faultlesse or spotlesse in thy daies thou keptst thy self free from those pollutions which Kings usually are defiled with The Hebrew is thou wast perfect in thy waies not in a moral sense as if hee were without sin but in a political sense he prospered in what he did in his Naval Military Court and State-affaires hee was successeful hee wanted nothing pertaining to Kingly greatnesse hee had all things which might make him compleat and glorious From the day thou wast created From the time of making thee King In the day hee was created all sorts of musick were used then vers 3. and from that time hee had all things conducible to Royal greatness Till iniquity was found in thee There were some sinnes in this Prince which were very provoking 1 His Insulting at the destruction of Jerusalem which you have chap. 26.2 Tyrus hath said Aha Shee is broken that was the gates of the people Tyrus that was the King of Tyrus and the people they insulted over the Jews in their misery 2 His excessive pride in making himself a god or as God These were iniquities and whilst he was free from them he prospered his actions were commendable but when these sprung up and were discovered then the Lord threatned him with destruction and hastened his
Gods judgements would cut off man and beast destroy her Cities and in effect dry up her Rivers they should bee made uselesse Egypt strugled to defend and secure her self but it availed not Jerem. 46.11 Go up into Gilead and take balm O virgin the daughter of Egypt in vain shalt thou use so many medicines for thou shalt not bee cured Egypt was yet a virgin unconquered and shee is bid to go to Gilead where the most pretious and soveraign balm was and to take thereof that is to use the best means shee could finde out to prevent her ravishing and destruction and when shee had tryed one means and another many medicines all were vain her wound was incurable shee had dealt deceitfully with the Jews and lift up her self against the Lord robbing him of his glory whilst shee said The river is mine I have made it for my self Gods judgements were of that power and so severe as Jerusalem with all her art and means could not prevent them or protect her self from them Jer. 2.22 Though thou wash thee with nitre and take thee much soape though thou hast many excuses shifts pretences for what thou doest though thou send to Egypt for help though thou fast and prâ—iest these things shall do thee no good thine iniquity is marked before mee and my judgements must come and lay thee waste yea utterly waste Obs 3 Gods judgements are often universal and sweeping God would lay Egypt universally waste and desolate and that from one border to another from the Tower of Syene to Arabia within which bounds all Egypt was comprehended Jer. 12.12 The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wildernesse for the sword of the Lord shall devour from one end of the Land even to the other end of the Land no flesh shall have peace The Chaldeans were Gods instruments hee put the sword in their hand which did eat and devout from one extream part of the Land to another no place so strong so secret but the sword found it out and spared neither things nor persons the judgement was so universal that no flesh had peace that is none of the Jewish nation the terror of the sword was every where Zeph. 3.6 I have cut off the Nations their towers are desolate I made their streets waste that none passeth by Their Cities are destroyed so that there is no man that there is no inhabitant God swept away from the Heathens their Towers their streets their Cities their men expecting his people would have learned to fear him received instruction and prevented an universal judgement at least v. 7. but they rose early and corrupted all their doings as Gods Mercies had not so his Judgements did not do them good Therefore hee complains thus Jerem. 44.7 8. wherefore commit ye great evils against your souls to cut off from you man and woman child and suckling out of Judah to leave you none to remain in that you provoke mee to wrath with the works of your hands they put God upon an universal judgement by their universal wickedness Obs 4 That the times of Kingdomes flourishings and Kingdomes desolations are in the hand of God hee sets the bounds and periods for their Prosperity and their Adversity Hee said The land of Egypt shall bee desolate hee put an end to its glory and greatnesse hee set the time how long it should prosper and when that time was come and it brought to desolation hee determined the time how long it should lye in that desolate condition It shall not bee inhabited forty years the Cities of it shall bee desolate forty years Isa 23.15 Tyre as it had its time for reigning so it s seventy years for suffering the same proportion of years the Lord allotted unto the kingdome of Judah and to diverse Nations Jerem. 25.11 God put an end to their dominion and determined the time of their subjection which was seventy years service unto the King of Babylon The life and death of States is in the hand of the Lord to lengthen and shorten at his pleasure Some states flourish four hundred some five hundred some six hundred years and then they are made desolate for their forty their seventy years or more as seems good unto the Lord Dan. 2.21 Hee changeth times and seasons hee removeth Kings from their glory and greatnesse and throws them into obscurity what time he hath determined for them Obs 5 In time of wars people are driven from their friends habitations and countries When the sword came upon Egypt the Egyptians were scattered among the Nations and dispersed through the Countries God made use of them abroad to declare their own misery and his justice It s a sad thing to bee amongst strangers whose language is not understood to bee exposed to the scornes frownes and harsh usage of enemies the smoak of ones own country is better than the fire of another Many in our late warres have met with this great evil and can experimentally tell you what it is to bee driven out of their own Country and habitations into forrein ones Vers 13 Yet thus saith the Lord God at the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the People whither they were scattered 14 And I will bring again the Captivity of Egypt and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros into the land of their habitation and they shall be there a base kingdom 15 It shall be the basest of the Kingdoms neither shall it exalt it self any more above the Nations for I will diminish them that they shall no more rule over the nations 16 And it shall bee no more the confidence of the house of Israel which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance when they shall look after them but they shall know that I am the Lord God These verses are a Promise of Mercy to the Egyptians where comes into consideration 1 The Time when this mercy shall be at the end of the forty years 2 The Mercy it self which is double 1 Revocation v. 13. 2 Restitution of their Kingdome v. 14 15. where the nature of the Kingdome is set forth it shall be base c. 3 The End and aime of God in so doing which is two-fold 1 That Egypt may bee no more the confidence of the Jews 2 Acknowledgement of God v. 16 13 At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians The Egyptians being notorious idolaters confiding in their own strength were scattered among the Nations where they wandred and lived without hope of seeing their own Country and becomming a people or Kingdome again but the Lord out of his abundant goodnesse beyond theirs and others expectation promiseth that after forty years expired he would gather them where ever they were scattered Forty years he would exercise them wiâ—h captivity and those hard things accompanied the same No vocabâ—â—â—r olim ca câ—â—â—â—s Egypti quaâ— postea ab Aâ—â—xandro magnâ— restaurata â—jus nomen accepit Maldonat but
to act against the promise 196 197. nothing hinders the making them good Pag 572 Persians souldiers Pag 458 Prosperity see riches wealth Providence runs through and over-rules sinful actions Pag 175 554 Punishments they are Gods pleadings 110. though hee forbear long yet hee hath times of punishing 205 246. punisheth where men sin 208. Gods method in punishing Pag 412 Purging evil ones shall bee purged out 114 115 231 343 344 R RIches 495. make proud Pag 497 Rich who their prey Pag 276 Raamah what Pag 475 Raine with-holden Pag 245 Rebukes Pag 417 Retaliation vexers vexed 218. their blood openly shed who shed blood openly 336 wrongers punished by the wronged 412. mockers mocked Pag 483 Reckoning God hath times of reckoning Pag 228 Rivers artificial in Egypt Pag 548 Rowers who meant by them Pag 481 Reproach Jews reproached 199 201. God takes notice of his peoples reproachings 202. punishes for it ibid. what exposes to reproach 216 217. reproaches bring judgements Pag 403 Rabbath 169. hew called and what made Pag 389 Rachil an Hebrew word what it signifies Pag 220 221 Righteous how taken 149. out-side Righteousness secures not Pag 150 Reed the nature of it Pag 556 557 Repentance what leads to it 135 136. When God specially expects it ibid. that from sense of Love is deep general c. 137. it may bee too late 347. How in God Pag 352 Rebellion what 40. It makes God more severe 102. Rebels how dealt with Pag 115 Robes Pag 433 Religion false Religion makes men unnatural 96. It s mad to serve mens interest Pag 99 Revenge see Vengeance Rods how taken 111. rods of tryal come before rods of destruction Pag 160 S. SAbbath whether it were before the Law was given 54. In what sense a signe 55. not a mutable ceremony 56. It s of special concernment 57. prophaneing it 220. hiding eyes from it 259. what was done on that day 58 5â— 70. Of Hallowing it Pag 69 70. Sacrifices services not to bee confided in 80. those may bee hateful to God wee judge grateful 88. they differ from oblations 125. best must the Lord have Pag 130 Sanctifying what it notes 56. its Gods work 58. its chiefly on his own day ibid. 70. of sanctifying and prophaning God 260 what Gods sanctifying himself is Pag 126 127 540 Scripture some parts thereof omitted in the place seemed most proper for them yet are occasionally given forth afterwards 31. that is the sense of it which the spirit intended 256. occasioned by mens sins Pag 332 Scum 334. when it boils in its dangerous Pag 337 343 Seba and Sheba Pag 475 Seeking what it notes Pag 277 Seir what Pag 399 Serving God what it implies Pag 123 Senir variously called Pag 447 Shebna his misery and end Pag 188 189 Sighing 151. a Prophetical sign Pag 152 Sign 374. godly for signes 375 379. what signes do Pag 376 Sion in it God is specially to be worshipped Pag 128 Sin it dis-appoints of mercies promised and near at hand 65. wilfull sinning provokes greatly 84. It s greatly aggravated by circumstances 87 292 301. what makes it bitter 135. It lyes not hid alwayes 178. former sinnes brought to remembrance and how 179. publike sins bring Publike judgements ibid. sin hastens judgement 216. brings sad afflictions 218. it makes gaps 283. open and impudent sinning causes God to renounce 303. its scum 334. open sinning provokes to vengeance 338. It defiles places and persons 340. It makes Cities base 398. sins of Princes shall bee searched out 516. spreads defiles 527. own sins undoe 528. It ruines Princes Pag 559. Sinners upon what account spared 43 44. how its honouring Gods name 44. Gods People may bee such sinners as no hope of mercy may bee left for them Pag 354 Silver Pag 465 Shaphat what it signifies and how taken Pag 211 Ships with oars 449. sailes 453. what 457. metaphorical ships Pag 481 Shiftings answered 349 350 351 352. shifting of judgements 353. shield 459. whence Pag 461 Spicing what Pag 339 Statutes not good what not and what Pag 76 State the glory of it in what Pag 463 Stranger how taken 219. sad to be amongst strangers Pag 568 Souldiers suffer hard things to please men and for little Pag 583 Sufferings God keeps account exactly of his Peoples sufferings 6 7. after sufferings comes mercy Pag 571. Streights Gods People not left in them 51. sinful evasion of them brings into greater 109. means to bee used in them 174. may bee such as men dare not shew sorrow Pag 375 Stones of the Sardius 505. the Topaz ibid. Diamond ibid. Beril Onyx Jasper 506. Saphir Emerald Carbuncle 507 508. of fire Pag 512 Superstition places names and waies superstitions once taken up are not easily laid down Pag 90 Sword what it notes 199 561 furbushing of it Pag 200 Syâ—ne where Pag 563 564 Syrians several sorts Pag 469 470 T. TEraphim what Pag 171 Tannim what it signifies Pag 548 Terumah Pag 124 Tarshish what Pag 463 464 Tabernacle man's Gods Pag 293 Tale-bearers Pag 220 Thoughts there be such in the heart are not of God Pag 99 Teman and Temanites Pag 409 Time of mens doings something is specially noted 7 330. there bee times of shewing mercy to the afflicted 18. when Gods time is come nothing can hinder deliverance 44. holy times are such not by mans but Gods appointment 57. they are upon weighty and special occasions 57. times of war not times of mirth 154. but of fears 158. times of punishing nations 205. reckoning with sinners 228. 246. sin dis-interests in God Pag 232 Trees what by green and dry trees 143. Fir-tree 447. Cedars Pag 448 478 Trembling Pag 434 441. 528. Tydings evil ones what they do Pag 152 Tyrus ancient strong c. 420 421. insultive 421. Tyrians jovial 430. a renowned City 436. her situation 445. by whom built 446. her men skilful in Sea affaires 456. who was Prince of it 488. His Pride Pag 487 Threatnings not beleeved Pag 204 Theevery what is so Pag 274 Tin Pag 465 Treasure Pag 495 Temple Prophaning of it 369 excellency 370 desirable Pag 371 377 Tubal who descended from him Pag 466 Togarmah who from him Pag 468 Thornes wicked men are such and wherein Pag 535 536 537 Trust apt to trust in an arm of flesh 576. See Confidence V. VEngeance what 409. it s ill to seek revenge Pag 411 Unfaithfulnesse in the things of God provokes Pag 261 Unwonted things awaken 369 Godly put upon them Pag 375 Unbeleef makes Prophets dumb Pag 382 W. WArning we should take warning by others sufferings Pag 300 Warres they are the Lords 150 566 his sword ibid. They are matter of mourning 158 distinguisheth not of persons ibid. who makes them successeful 166. They eat up 459. they drive from all Pag 568. Waies wicked waies what Pag 137 Waves Pag 423 Wearying what wearies God and man Pag 342 Weakness God stoops to humane weaknesse Pag 20 21 Wheat of Minnith Pag 471 Whoredome spiritual what it is