light breakes out in sweet promises and they are these 1. A promise of mercy to them in Babylon vers 16. 2. Of returning thence from Babylon to Syon v. 17. 3. Of purifying them from their pollutions in the Land of Canaan vers 18. 4. Of regeneration or conversion vers 19 20. 5. A threat to those whose hearts should cleave to their detestable things which is comfortable to the godly For the 16. Verse the sum is this They at Jerusalem look upon you in Babylon as a forlorne and forsaken people without God and his worship they exclude you from all fellowship and communion with them yea from the Land of Canaan and condemne your act of leaving them as illegitimate but goe Ezekiel and tell them that it was my doings to remove and scatter you and that howsoever they looke upon this act of mine as a certain token of my vengeance upon you and tending to your utter destruction yet let them know that they are mistaken and that I am a father of mercies and will be a Sanctuary unto you in Babylon and have deserted them at Jerusalem that the glory is departed thence and come to you Goe declare this for their terrour and the comfort of you Captives The words in the Verse are most of them plaine and easie onely those must be opened I will be a little Sanctuary for there is some diffiâ—ulty about them being variously interpreted Sanctuary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word whence Mikdas comes is sometimes used in Scripture for cleansing and sanctifying as 2 Sam. 11.4 Shee was purified from her uncleannesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence some render the word here in sanctificationem thus I will be to you for a little Sanctification I will purge and cleanse them this Captivity shall be Ignis expurgatorius unto them seventy yeares they shall be in the fire and after that they shall câ—me forth as a Refiners Vessell well purified from its drosse be restored to their Land have a new Temple and pure worship So the vulgar hath it in sanctificationem modicam Jerome also takes it in this sense In Babylon I will sanctifie them divorce them from their Idols turne them from their Idolatry that they may worship me purely and it is observed they never fell to Idolatry more after their returne from the Babylonish Captivity In this sense it affords us this note the Lord doth sanctifie and purge his People by sharpe and long afflictions they had greatly defiled themselves with the sins of the Nations and especially with Idolatrie and now he threw them into the Furnace of affliction to melt and separate the drosse and tinne from them some conceive that in Is 1.25 Referrs to this Babylonish captivity A Lapiâ— I will turne my hand upon thee and purely purge away thy drosse and take away all thy tinne Senacheribs comming did onely scare them Nebuchadnezzars carrying them away and keeping them so many yeares in Babylon was the meanes through Gods blessing to Sanctifie them Gods hottest and fiery tryals are to purge Dan 11.35 God purges the Iniquity of Jacob by afflict on Is 27.9 And it 's all the fruit he gives in it to take away his sin not to take away his limbs or life but his sin when the Seraphin touched Isaiah's lips with a burning coale it was terrible to him but then he sayd Thy iniquity is taken away thy sin is purged Others take the word as here it s rendered Sanctuarie and so is frequently used in the Scripture as Jer. 17.12 Lament 2.7 Ezek. 9.6 The Septuagint read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Sanctuarium so Kerker not in sanctificationem and Suidas interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Templum And so Vatab renders it Mickdas and Montan. sanctuarium so Junius Pisc and Polan Castalio hath it thus Ero eis fanum I wil be to them a Temple a Sanctuary and this sense fits the condition of the Captives For 1. The Inhabitants of Jerusalem reproached them for going into Babylon and looked on them as having nothing to doe with the Temple God or his worship get you farr from the Lord against this evill God comforts them and sayth I will be a Sanctuarie unto you what ever your Brethren thinke or say 2. The Captives wept to thinke of their condition Ps 137.1 By the Rivers of Babylon there wee sat downe yea wee wept when wee remembred Sion When they cald to minde what a glorious Temple they had what solemn assemblies there what pretious Ordinances and comforts they found therein and now saw themselvâ— destitute of all they wept For their consolation saith God I wil be a Sanctuarie unto you and what ever benefit you found by the Saints at Jerusalem you shall finde in mee 1. The Sanctuary was a place of refuge and defence quasi sancta tueri a place to defend holy things for such things were layd up in Sanctuaries the Greeks cal it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a particle privative and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to spoyl rob take away for a Sanctuary was deemed a priviledg'd place from whence no thing or person might be taken away without sacriledge upon this ground Joab fled to the Tabernacle of the Lord 1 K. 2.28 and tooke hold of the hornes of the Altar Moses had his Citties of refuge and in reference to these many Princes appointed Sanctuaries to be priviledg'd places that those fled to them might be secure and this Land heretofore abounded with such places Churches Churchyards and other places were priveledg'd so that if fellons or Traytors did flye to them they were sheltred for 40. Dayes in which time they were to confesse their fault and to submit to banishment taking an oath of abjuration and during those forty dayes no man might take them thence without danger of excomunication or irregularity in this time any might feed them After the forty dayes if their Wives fed them or gave them any sustenance it was fellony Exposition of tearms of Law Stamf. This law was made by K. Edward the confessor grounded upon the Law of mercy and reverence he bare to holy places God would be a Sâ—nctuary to him in this sense Isa 8.14 Sanctifie the Lord of hosts himselfe let him be your fear and your dread A d he shal be for a Sanctuary that is for a defence unto you Jer 42.11 Be not afraid of the K. of Babylon of whom yee are afraid be not afraid of him sayth the Lord for I am with you to save you and to deliver you from his hand here God was a Sanctuary unto them The three Children when the fiery furnace was heat so hot and cast into it found God a Sanctuary unto them Isa 6.1 His traine filled the Temple 2. In it they had Gods speciall presence hence Sion where the Temple stood was cal'd the habition and rest of God Ps 132.13.14 Hence Gods goings and wayes are sayd to bee in the Sanctuary Ps 77.13.68.24
but doing the will of the Lord Christ 4. It is not from mans strength but Gods grace that any walke in his statutes keepe his Ordinances and doe them I will take away the stony heart give them an heart of flesh and put a new spirit within them that they may walk keep and doe Man is a feeble impotent Creature he cannot thinke a good thought make an haire white or black and how then can he walke in the Statutes of the Lord Satan is powerfull and politick he makes strong assaults and such as that if God did not assist by his grace we should fall every moment hence those expressions of David Ps 119.5.35.36 Moses and the Covenant of works cald for obedience contributed no strength but God in Christ gives strength to do what is cal'd for Ezek. 36.27 I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my judgements and doe them Heb. 13.20.21 5. Gods statutes and Ordinances are to be the Saints way to walke in and rule to walk by statutes Ordinances are cal'd wayes paths Jer. 6.16 Young men must cleanse their wayes according to the word Psal 119.9 David would have his steps ordered by the word vers 133. The word is the way to walke in and a rule to walke by we must try all spirits and doctrines by it Isa 8.20 1 Thes 5.21 1 Joh. 4.5 Acts. 17.11 All things we beleive Acts. 26.27 Ephes 2.20 John 20.31 Gal. 1.8 All things we practice 2 Tim. 3.15.17 Eccles 12.13 Mat. 28.20 What God and Christ command must we observe not what others Isa 8.11 Walk not in the wayes of this People not in the light of our owne fire Isa 50.11 Not after customes of men Acts 21.21 6. Those God reneweth by grace giveth newnes and tendernes of spirit unto he lookes they should make progresse in his wayes keepe in mind his Ordinances and doe them exactly fullfill them Deut. 6.17 You shall diligently keepe the Commadements of the Lord and his Testimonies and statutes Psal 119.4 Thou hast commanded to keepe thy precepts diligently The Hebrew is Valde greatly the Septuagint vehemently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Vulgar Nimis too much which Expressions shew that we should endeavour to the utmost to keep them God expected they should keep the Sabbath exactly Isa 58.13 And so the rest of his commands They shall be my People and I will be their God These words have two things in them 1. Gods asserting them to be his people 2. A gracious promise to be their God You have these words often mentioned in the Book of God once in Levit. 26.12 Seaven times in Jeremiah Chap. 7.23 11.4 24.7 30.22 31.1.33 32.38 Foure times in our Prophet Ezekiel Cha. 36.28 37.23.27 And here in this Vers Once in Zacharie Chap. 8.8 Twice in the new Testament 2 Cor. 6.16 Revel 21.3 In all they are 15 times set downe which intimates to us that there is great weight in them that they are of great consideration and use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall be my people Hebrew is they shall be to me in Populum for a People And so I will be to them Lelâ—him in Deum for a God I will shew you 1. What is imployed in these words They shall be my people 2. Whaâ— in the other I will be their Gâ—d They shall be my people 1. They shall acknow edge me to be their God they shall not owne any other God There is difference betweene knowing and acknowledging you may know such an one to be a child but not acknowledge him to be your child you may know such Townes Countries Kingdomes but not acknowledge them yours This phrase My people imports acknowledging God to be theirs Psal 48.14 This God that dwells at Jerusalem that breaks the Ships of Tarshish this God is our God for ever and ever Psal 77.13 Who is so great a God as our God Here is acknowledgement of God not onely to be great but to be their God Isa 25.9 This is our God and we have waited for him Exod. 29.45.46 I will be their God and they shall know that I am the Lord their God That is they shall acknowledge me to be so it s cald vouching God to be their God Deut. 26.17 2. They shall worship me onely Exod. 5.8 Let us goe and Sacrifice to our God not to other Gods when a people is Gods people they are possessed with apprehensions of his glory greatnesse authority over them and infinite worthinesse to be honour'd ador'd admir'd and magnified by them and will say as its Psal 95.6 Oh come let us worship c. And as its Hos 14.8 What have we to doe any more with Idols they would not meddle with the worship of the Nations their owne inventions but they would worship God and him onely Joel 2.27 1 Sam. 12.24 Psal 147.1 Rev. 19.1 3. They shall trust and rely upon me and not any other Gods or armes of flesh Hos 14.3 Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon Horses neither will we say any more to the worke of our hands you are our Gods for in thee the Fatherlesse find mercy Zeph. 3 12. Psal 9.10 4. They shall be a People unto me when God takes a people to be his they are holy unto him Deut. 7.6 Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God God separated them from the World and other Nations to be holy unto himselfe therefore it follows The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a speciall people unto himselfe Levit. 19.2 Hence they were cald an holy Nation Exod. 19.6 5. They shall hearken unto my voyce and doe my will and yeild obedience unto me Jer. 7.23 Obey my voyce and I will be your God and yee shall be my people Josh 24.18 We will serve the Lord for he is our God Deut. 6.17 Psal 50.7.81.8.13 6. They shall love me and lay out their strength for me Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might Mar. 12.30 is added With all thy mind If God be ours he must have all Psa 68.28 7. They shall stand for my glory and make my name honourable Isa 43.21 This people have I formed for my selfe they shall shew forth my praise I will be their God These are gratious words and they doe import much 1. The free grace of God in pardoning their sins Jer. 31.33.34 When he speaks of being their God he tells them he will forgive their Iniquity and will remember their sin no more Psal 85.2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people thou hast covered all their sin The word Forgiven signifieth to lift up and take away sin is a great burden when God becometh a God in mercy to a People then he takes off that great Burthen he lifâ— it up carries it quite away and it s hid out of sight and remembrance
or preaching the people will rebell and if he would not yeeld to the abridging of preachers why should any desire the abolishing of them and so make way for the people to be idle naked scattred rebellious yea for their perishing It was one of the saddest times that ever Israel had when Israel was without a teaching Priest 2 Chron. 15.3 then they had no peace within nor without but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the Countries even all the ten Tribes This being without a Teaching Priest was such an affliction as that the Lord promised his people afterwards that what affliction soever befell them this should not Isa 30.20 Though the Lord give you the bread of adversitie and water of affliction yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy Teachers This is a gratious promise for the continuance of the Ministerie They had the law and should have Teachers to instruct them therein Wee have the Gospel and Teachers to instruct us therein The Church and Ministerie may be hid Rev. 12.6 but not extinct Christ is a King the government is upon his shoulder he has a Kingdome and it knowes no end Isa 9.6 7. Luk. 1.32 33. his Throne is for ever Heb. 1.8 He therefore hath promised to be with his Church and the Ministerie thereof unto the end of the world Mat. 28.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not to the end of that age but of the world for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Math. 13.39 40. the harvest is the end of the world and so shall it be in the end of the world Christs Kingdome and Officers of it were not only for the Apostolicall and primitive times but for all times and ages Eph. 3.21 4 Chap. 11 12. Rev. 7.14 15 11.19 otherwise what hope were there for Jewes or Gentiles If one should leave the Jewish Synagogue and th' other Heathenisme whether should they come if Christ have no true Church no visible Kingdome Herein himself hath satisfied us Joh. 10.16 Other sheepe I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall heare my voice and there shall be one fold and one Shepheard The fold was the Church the sheepe to be brought in the Gentiles who were not brought in in Christs dayes nor all in the Apostles dayes or Primitive times some are yet to be brought in and therefore there is yet a fold and Ministers to cause them to heare the voyce of Christ that they may come into this fold For whom he predestinates he calls Rom. 8.30 and his calling is not immediate but by the Ministerie of the Word And though the Ministerie now be not infallible as the Apostles were but fallible yet their fallibilitie doth not make voyde their calling nor cause the Churches to be reputed false as not having the Word of God taught in them infalliblie For those holy men who were Prophets and Apostles you may finde sometimes fayling Nathan faild when he bid David goe and build the house of the Lord 2 Sam. 7.3 David was out when he said he was cut off from before the Lords eyes Psal 31.22 and when he said All men were lyars Psal 116.11 Jeremie spake like a man when he said I will not make mention of him nor speake no more in his name and especially when he cursed the day of his nativitie and the man brought tydings thereof Chap. 20.9.14 15 16. Jonas spake from himselfe not from God when he said Take my life from me for its better for me to die then to live and I doe well to be angry unto death Jon. 4.3.9 And Paul professes he had no Commandement of the Lord concerning Virgins but gave his judgement as one that had obteind mercy of the LORD to be faithfull 1 Cor. 7.25 Now though these men had such failings spake from their own spirits yet were neither the Churches falsified hereby nor their callings frustrated That which was needfull to be the Rule and Standard was given out by an infallible Spirit The Spirit of truth tooke of Christs shew'd it to them and led them into all truth And while the Ministers now doe bring that truth unto you they are infallible If in their constructions interpretations and expositions of the same they varie or be out you ought to try the spirits 1 Joh. 4.1 and to hold fast what is good 1 Thess 5.21 not despising prophecyings least you quench the Spirit It s ill when any destroy commands of God to maintaine their opinions Some would have the Word onely read and that there should be no preaching or â—xpounding of it It was not the Eunuches reading but Philips preaching that wrought faith in him Act. 8. The spices of the Scripture send forth the strongest and sweetest smells when they are bruised and broken The fire of the Sanctuary yeelds most heat and light when stirr'd up and blowne It s neither fleshly devillish nor teason to the Father to make constructions upon the Prophets and Apostles and expound their meaning If so then Ezra and others who read the Law and gave the sense of it Nehem. 8.8 sinned were fleshly devillish and traytors to the Father Then Paul gave ill counsell to Timothie to divide the word of truth aright 2 Tim. 2.15 How children should have their milke young men their bread old men their wine and that onely by reading I see not If that could be surely Christ needed not have appointed a wise and faithfull servant over his houshold to give them meat in due season Mat. 24.45 If wee may not expound the Word because we are fallible then why should any translate the Word out of the Originall Tongue into others seeing they are fallible and may yea have mistaken therein as well as others in expounding and preaching and because it is so some little regard the Scriptures Vid Hâ—nâ—â—◠〈…〉 Aâ—â—â— pro Ecâ—l 〈…〉 expecting Euangelium spiritus sancti tertium Testamentum The Jewes looke for Messias the Papists looke for Henoch and Elias but without warrant and so doe these men for another Gospel Gal. 1.8 9. and extraorâ—inary men who may raise up Churches and declare what is truth I beseech you be content with and thankfull for those precious glorious truths the Lord hath given you in the Law and Gospel studying to know them more fully and endeavour to yeeld unto the Author of them the obedience of faith acknowledging it an unspeakeable gift that you have them with Preachers and Expositors amongst you to further you in the knowledge and practise of them If this ensuing Worke shall contribute ought that way I shall be abundantly satisfied therein In hopes whereof I commend both it and you to the blessing of the Lord subscribing my selfe Septemb. 28. 1649. Yours in this Work of the Lord to love and serve W.G. An Exposition upon more Chapters of EZEKIEL CHAP. VI. 1. And the Word of the Lord
came unto me saying 2. Sonne of man set thy face towards the mountaines of Israel and prophesie against them 3. And say Ye mountaines of Israel heare the word of the Lord God Thus saith the Lord God to the mountaines and to the hils to the Rivers and to the Valleys Behold I even I will bring a sword upon you and I will destroy your high places 4. And your Altars shall be desolate and your Images shall be broken and I will cast downe your slaine men before your Idols 5. And I will lay the dead carkases of the Children of Israel before their Idols and I will scatter your bones round about your Altars 6. In all your dwelling places the Cities shall be laid waste and the high places shall be desolate that your Alters may bee laid waste and desolate and your Idols may be broken and cease and your Images may be cut downe and your workes may be abolished 7. And the slaine shall fall in the midst of you and ye shall know that I am the Lord. IN this Chapter you have First a command to Prophesie in the two first Verses Secondly the Prophesie it selfe in which are three thing First A threatning of desolation to the Land of Judea the Idolls Altars and men thereof in the 3 4 5 6 7 Verses Secondly a promise of mercy unto them in their scattered condition verse 8 9 10. Some should escape the Judgements repent of their evill waye and know the Lord. Thirdly a prefiguration of the griefe they should have for the Judgements to come upon them which are repented Verses 11 12 13 14. Junius observes this Prophesie to have been on the Sabboth day the one and twentieth of the fifth moneth in the sixth year of their Captivity and on the twenty eighth day of the same moneth the Prophesie in the next Chapter and on the fifth day of the sixth moneth the Vision in the eighth Chapter God honoured his owne day with giving out his Word by Revelations and Visions that day they rested from their labour and were fittest to heare see and receive divine thinge It was now above a yeare since Ezekiel had his first Vision for that was in the fifth day of the fourth moneth and fifth yeare of the Captivity this in the sixth yeare and fifth moneth The Prophets had not all communicated to them at once but by degrees as infinite wisedome saw best and the Church understands not all at once what they wrote but now a little and then a little as it pleases God to let in light Vers 2. Set thy face towards the Mountaines of Israel Turne thee unto them speake boldly and freely Prophesie their destruction The Mountaines of Israel were diverse There was Mount Ebal and Mount Gorizzim Deut. 27.12 13. Mount Carmel 1 Kings 18.19 Mount Horeb 1 Kings 19.8 Mount Zemâ—raim 2 Chron. 13.4 Mount Gilead Cant. 4.1 Mount Ephraim Joshua 17.15 Mount Naphtali and Mount Judah Joshua 20.7 Mount Hermon 1 Chron. 5.23 Mount Lebanon Judges 3.3 Mount Tabor Judges 4.6 Mount Bethel Josh 16.1 Mount Moriah 2 Chron. 3.1 Mount Zion Psal 125.1 Mount Olivet Luke 19.37 which is called the Mount of corruption 2 Kings 29.13 because Solomon had built there High places for Ashtoreth Chemosh and Mileome and not onely in that but diverse other of these Mountaines were Altars and Images which provoked the Lord and therefore he bids the Prophet to prophesie against them He speakes to the Mountaines Hills Rivers and Vallies to heare the Word of the Lord. This kind of speaking sets out the weightinesse of the Prophesie the vehemency of affection and seem'd to convince the Jews of their insensiblenesse and incurablenesse they were so hardened in sinne that there was as much hope of doing good to these creatures as to them by the Word Here is a Prosopopeia attribution of sense to dumbe creatures Res insensibiles videbantur suo modo sentire sensus autem compotes non sentichant which is frequent in Scriptures Deut. 32.1 Give eare Oh yee Heavens and I will speake heare Oh Earth the words of my mouth So Jer. 2.12 Isa 1.2 Hence the earth t is said to tremble the hills to move at the wrath of God Psal 18.7 Psal 76.8.114.7 Winds and Seas to obey Matth. 8.27 All creatures are more ready to obey the will of their Creatour then man it Apostrophees are therefore oft made from the sensible and rationall Creatures to those that are void of both to set out the stupidity of Man and his unworthinesse of the Word The Lord passes by the Masters and lookes to the Servants neglects Men and speakes to the Mountaines that so he might provoke them to consider To the Rivers The vulgar is Rupibus to the Rocks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aphikim in the Hebrew doth signifie Channells Isa 8.7 Psal 18.15 The King of Assyria shall come up over all his Channels and goe over all his banks 2 Sam. 16.22 The Channels of the Sea appeared It signifies also the waters that runne in the Channels Job 6.15 As the streame of brookes they passe away And Psal 126.4 As the streames in the South Hence it is rendred Rivers Joel 3.18 Ezek. 35.8 from Aphak which signifies to containe and corroborate and both these the Channels doe they containe the Waters keep them within their bancks and strengthen them being kept together so that they runne with force and beare burdens The Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which notes Thickets and woody places which use to be about waters Valleys By the water sides and in the Valleys they provoked God Jer. 49.4 Why gloryest thou in the Valleys They trusted in their flowing and fat Valleys Isa 57.5 They enflamed themselves with Idolls under every green Tree slaying the Children in the Valleys under the clifts of the Rocks And Jer. 32.35 They built the high places of Baal which are in the Valley of the sonne of Hinnon to cause their Sonnes and Daughters to passe through the fire unto Molech and this Valley was afterward called The Valley of slaughter Jer. 19.6 and the reason is given Jer. 7.32 33. they had slaine their Children there and God punished them with a great slaughter there and defiled the place with their blood which they had formerly defiled with their sinne A Sword upon you That is the Assyrians armed with instruments of Warre they should come and lay all waste breake downe Altars cut downe Groves digge downe Hils dry up their Channels and let out their waters The high places They are first mentioned in Leviticus Chap. 26.30 They were Mountaines or Hills where the people worshipped 2 Chron. 1.3 taken from the practice of Heathens who chose out pleasant places woody Hills and recesses where they built Chappels Temples and Altars to their gods Numb 22.41 Balack brought Balaam into the high places of Baal where there was a Temple or Chappell for the worship of Baal and therefore in the next Chapter
Idolaters to know the true God from the false When Gods hand is upon the Mountaines Hils Valleys Cities High places Altars and their slain fallen then shall they know that I am the Lord Jehovah not an Idoll god but the true the living God that have being of my selfe that give being to my promises and threats that take being from others you would not beleive my Prophets but you shall know there was truth in their threats and power in me to make them good CHAP. VI. 8. Yet will I leave a remnant that yee may have some that shall escape the Sword among the Nations when yee shall bee scattered through the countries 9. And they that escape of you shall remember me among the Nations whither they shall be carryed captives because I am broken with their whorish heart which hath departed from mee and with their eyes which goe a whoring after their Idols and they shall loath themselves for the evills which they have committed in all their abominations 10. And they shall know that I am the Lord and that I have not said in vaine that I would doe this evill unto them HERE is the second part of the Prophesie viz. A promise of mercy The eighth Verse is of the nature of the third Verse in the fifth Chapter where the Prophet was bid to bind up a few haires in his Skirts And here GOD would leave a remnant the Sword and dispersion should not devoure all Gods wrath is never so hot against his people Obser but he will shew mercy to some God would bring a sweeping Judgment lay Mountaines Hils Rivers Valleys Cities High places Altars Idols Images waste and desolate yet he would leave a remnant preserve some when in the midst of their enemies amongst Babylonians and other Nations In the fifth Chapter verse 12 God would scatter them and draw out a Sword after them It was great wrath to be driven out of their Countrey to be in banishment which Lawyers call a civill death because men in it are divided from their friends liberties and comforts which sweeten their lives but to have the Sword at their heels added to the weight of wrath threatens all their lives yet notwithstanding this condition God reserved some from the Sword in their banishment They might upon this severe prophesie thinke what will become of the Church shall all perish and Gods faithfulnesse faile No God would have a care of that a remnant he would save Stormes may be so terrible and lasting that the C urch may be brought low not be visible yet it shall never be extinct when the Prophets were cut off by Jezabel there were a hundred hid in Caves by Obadiah 1 Kings 18. When Elijah thought himselfe alone and his life at the stake too the Lord told him there were seven thousand in Israel lay dormant which had not bowed their knees to Baal 1 Kings 19.18 When Herod slice all the children in Bethleem and all the coasts thereof from two yeares old and under yet Christ escaped he was preserved And as in that storme God preserved the head so in every storme he will preserve the body At the Massacre in France all Protestants were not cut off and the Warres of Ireland have not devoured all The Church shall never cease being the gates of Hell shall never prevaile against it 9. And they that escape of you shall remember me c. In this verse is the fruit of divine mercy towards them First They shall remember me Secondly Loath themselves for the evils they have committed Thirdly the ground of both these Because I am broken with their whorish heart and whorish eyes Fourthly the place where they should doe it Among the Nations Remember me They shall know then that I am God infinitely differing from the gods that they have chosen that my woâ—ship is spirituall and admits not mixtures of men they shall remember my holinesse that I hate all false wayes of worship my Justice that I have not done any wrong to them in ruining their Countrey and Temple and scattering them in all quarters they shall remember my bounty and love to them and how they forgate me and abused all they shall remember my mercy in preserving them from the Pestilence the Famine the Sword and their taunting Adversaries and say we all deserved to have been destroyed and rooted out for ever but the Lord is gracious haâ—h had compassion on us and spared our lives we will therefore repent of our ways returne to him trust in him and give glory to his name all which are implyed in the word Remember So it is used Psal 137.1 There is remembrance and weâ—ping joyned together Psal 22.27 there is remembrance and â—urning Psal 20 7. Remembrance is there for trusting Psal 63.5 6. Praising and remembring goe together and when men fall to Idolatry they are said to forget God Judges 3.7 implying that remembring of God is to worship him his owne way and so to glorifie his name Broken with their whorish heart The Vulgar reads it Actively I have broken their heart The word is Passive Nishbarti I am broken Here is great difference and the Vulgar is corâ—upt and the Greek mistakes which reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have sworne to their hearts the ground of which error is they took it to be Nishbagnti for Nishbarti Some would have it I have bought their whorish hearts that were for Idols and any thing but me because the word is twice or thrice in the Scripture used in that sense Gen. 41.57 All Countries came into Aegypt to Joseph for to buy Corn. Hishbar ad frangendum Montanus reads it Hammashbir faciebat frangere Montanus And 42.6 Joseph sold to all the people of the Land and so in the fifth verse But the common sense of the word is to break and it s truly rendred I am broken with their whorish heart God had taken this people to be his as a Man takes a Woman to be his Wife but they had whorish hearts and went out from God to Idolls they had a spirit of whoredomes in them that caused them to erre and goe a whoring from under their God Hos 4.12.9.1 They were not content with Gods love his Ordinances his worship but they would try what the gods of the Heathen were what their way and worship was prostitute themselves to them and this troubled the sight of God afflicted hiâ— soule brake his heart as a mans is by the whorish acts of his Wife We say a Man or Woman break much that have much trouble jealousie care sorrow God was troubled with jealous of carefull and sorrowfull for his people above all others and this even brake the heart of God Their courses grieved him exceedingly great griefe vexeth the heart and lyeth like a mighty weight upon it Hence that in Amos 2.13 Behold I am pressed under you as a cart is pressed with sheaves The griefe God took at their courses was as a
preserved they being under heavy pressures from God and man yet they are brought to know God to loath themselves and their former wayes these were times wherein they had no sacrificing little or no helpe for their soules but lay in darknesse and notwithstanding all this God shewed mercy neither their sinnes nor the sinnes of the place both which were great nor the time of wrath they were under for so it s cal'd Isa 54.8 could obstruct the free grace of God but some he spares some he touches with the lively sense of their sins and puts into a state of grace in the midst of enemies of sins of judgements God could shew mercy in Babylon as well as Zyon let the holy Land holy City holy Temple holy Altar holy Sacrifices and all the holy things be layd waste and persons be brought to the greatest improbabilities of finding mercy be as great sinners as any living as these were and in Babylon yet God is free can will doth shew mercy even to such in such a place and at such a time when his wrath is powring out Manasseh was a great sinner a Murtherer an Idolater a Sorcerer carryed into Babylon and in the eye of all in a hopelesse condition yet there God visits him his spirit breaths and blows upon him 2 Chron. 33.11 12 13. he humbles his soule greatly prayes effectually is returned to Jerusalem and knowes the God of his Fathers Nothing could keep off God from shewing mercy God tooke Abraham the Father of the Faithfull from Vr of Chaldaea he found favour among Idolaters and God shewed mercy to his Posterity Gen. 6. Acts 2. even in that Land When all flesh had corrupted its wayes yet mercy was showne to Noah Yea those put Christ to death had their hearts pricked To the Gentiles that had lived in abominable Idolatries God granted repentance unto life Acts 11.18 There is nothing in man in any place or time that can impede God from shewing mercy that is an act of his will nothing in us moves him to it nothing in us hinders him from it I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compâ—ssion on whom I will have compassion Rom 9.15 Obser 3 3. That often God shews the choisest mercy when he hath cause to execute the sharpest judgement they shall remember me because I am broken with their whorish hearts had they broken Gods heart he had cause to have broken their bones and destroyed them utterly but the Lord would deale graciously with them and in stead of destruction cause them to remember him to loath themselves and to come in to feare and serve him They would not feare remember and honour God in Zyon where they had the Prophets the Ordinances of God and mercies of all sorts but provoked God to plague them and when they were ripe for destruction and nothing to be expected but severity even then doth God deale graciously with them Isa 57.17 18. saith God For the iniquity of his covetousnesse was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart He adds sin to sin in a presumptuous manner and what could be looked for now but destruction Doth the great and glorious God smite and doth man sin more Yes he doth and God sees it and what then I have seene his wayes and will heale him Not wound him more not destroy him but I will heale him I will lead him also and restore comforts to him and to his mourners Isaiah 43.24 25. Thou hast made me to serve with thy sinnes thou hast wearyed me with thine iniquities And what then I even I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes Gods thoughts are not as mans that which is argument of death in mans apprehension is argument of mercy and life in Gods Psal 25.11 David knew it therefore presseth God with an argument might have undone him in the judgement of reason O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great God might have said therefore will I not pardon thee because thy sinne is great I have suffered much by thee by thy murther and adultery and thinkest thou that I will pardon such great sins Is this an argument to come to mee withall I have as great wrath as thou hast sins thou art a man of death for what thou hast done thou shouldest dye by the Law for thy murther and dye for thy adultery and thou hast given the sentence thy selfe The man that hath done this shall surely dye and bound it thou hast with an Oath as the Lord liveth 2 Sam. 12.5 and therefore dye thou must thou shalt Such language as this might David have looked for but he heares of pardon and that from the mouth of a Prophet and when he mov'd God with the argument of the greatnesse of his sinnes he did it in the judgement of faith knowing it would be much for the honour of God to pardon great sinnes that he was as ready to shew mercy as his sinnes had made him ripe for judgement Hosea 2.13 14. Israel followed Baalim and forgate God had hee not now cause to destroy her It was Gods way to destroy such Psal 73.27 Yet it follows Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the Wildernesse and speake comfortably unto her Because shee had foâ—got God God would remember her because shee had been drawne away by Idols God would allure her from Idols because shee had vexed God he would comfort her Here God lets out choise mercy when he had cause to execute severe wrath When Peter had denyed Christ thrice and forswore him and the knowledge of him was there not cause that Christ should have renounced him smitten him with some great Judgement Matth. 26.72 74. and made him an example for Selfe-confiders and Christ-denyers to the end of the World Surely Christ had cause enough and the opportunity for it was faire before him but Christ turned and look't upon Peter and in stead of ruining him rayses him Obser 4 4. False worship doth most afflict God I am broken with their whorish heart Their Idolatries Superstitions and corruptions did not simply displease or grieve God but oppressed afflicted broke the heart of God great injuries enter deep worke strongly eate up the spirits of any they are done unto and what greater wrong can be done to God then to set at naught his counsels to forsake his Worship to withdraw from his Government and to proclaime to the World that there are better ways then his and better Gods then himselfe Those are Idolatrous and worship God a false way they doe so by God therefore Jer. 3.5 it s sayd of them that they did speak and doe evill as they could men cannot doe more to breake God then to worship Idols wrong gods or the true God a wrong way Such sins breake Gods Covenant Deut. 31.16 This
and bee filled with their owne devices What fruit doe mens sinfull wayes bring forth even sower and bitter fruit guilt feares sorrows afflictions ruine upon such fruit they must feed with such fruit they shall be filled Hos 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe Israels sinnes were her wounds they were the Plague Famine and Sword that ruined them the iniquities of a Kingdome are the deaths of a Kingdome their sinnes will find them out Numb 32.23 They are like Blood-hounds that hunt out the Authors of them and cease upon them hence Isa 59.12 It s sayd Our transgressions are with us to weary us to wound us to destroy us men cannot shake off their sinnes they have committed they will follow them seaze upon them hold them fast Prov. 5.22 His owne iniquities shall take the wicked himselfe and he shall be holden with the Cords of his sinnes he shall dye without instruction wicked mens sinnes may take others and sometimes doe but they certainely take themselves they twist Cords to bind but it is themselves it s to make themselves burnt sacrifices for Hell 6. When God comes in judgement upon a Nation he will deale throughly with it visit for all sins I will recompence upon thee all thine abominations God tooke notice of what was done in the darke in the light upon Mountaines in Valleys under every green Tree no Idols false Worship inventions of theirs but the Lord observ'd them reserv'd them in mind and rendered unto them answerable for them before he had dealt with them for some now he would deale with them for all their abominations and bring them as an unsupportable burden upon them Vers 4. And mine eye shall not spare c. Much is sayd in the sacred Scriptures of the great and tender mercies of the Lord and many patterns of his mercies are to be found therein and the sinners in Zyon conceited God to be all mercy sinn'd securely and fear'd no judgements upon this great abuse of Divine mercy saith the Lord Mine eye shall not spare neither will I have pity you shall find me all justice consuming fire without any sparing or pitying judgement after judgement shall come upon you till you are destroyed you thinke to goe on in your sinfull wayes and find me mercifull but I am provok't and you shall feele me dreadfull nothing shall prevaile to draw me to any remorse or pity the consideration you are my people not reproach of Heathens round about you not your prayers teares sufferings blood not that you are Abrahams and Davids posterity not the dishonour my Name shall have by you I am now hardened against you and will punish thee openly according to thy abominations thou shalt have great punishments in the middest of thee which will evidence the greatnesse of thy sins and cause thee to acknowledge me to be a just God of the words in this Vers have been spoken Chap. 5.11 8. Vers Chap. 6.7 and in the precedent Verse of this Chapter CHAP. VII 5. Thus saith the Lord God An evill an onely evill behold it is come 6. An end is come the end is come it watcheth for thee behold it is come 7. The morning is come unto thee O thou that dwellest in the Land the time is come the day of the trouble is neer and not the sounding againe of the Mountaines 8. Now will I shortly poure out my fury upon thee and accomplish mine anger upon thee and I will judge thee according to thy ways and will recompence thee for all thine abominations 9. And mine eye shall not spare neither will I have pity I will recompense thee according to thy wayes and thine abominations that are in the middest of thee and yee shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth SOMETHING I shall open in these Verses not much In the 5. An onely evill Evill befell them before but none like this none so great so destructive to the Jewish Church and State it hath reference to that in the 5. Chap. 9. Vers I will doe in thee that which I have not done and whereunto I will not doe any more the like No such extreame and deadly destruction shall befall thee I have one evill now left for thee which shall be without all comparison there shall need none after this to make a full Ruine of thee God hath evils to doe his will at once and so it may be called an onely evill 1 Sam. 26.8 saith Abishai to David Let me smite Saul with the speare even to the Earth at once and I will not smite him the second time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At once it s the same word with onely in this Verse he would utterly slay Saul at one stroke and God with one judgement would utterly destroy the Jewes such a phrase you have in Nahum 1.9 He will make an utter end affliction shall not rise up the second time God would bring such a judgement upon Niniveh that at once it should be destroyed a second affliction should not be needfull the evill of that day should be sufficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Caldee reads it otherwise Evill after evill shewing the succession of evils that should follow one after another till they were destroyed as wave follows wave one cloud another c. so affliction should come after affliction sinnes goe linked together and so doe afflictions Levit. 26.18 21 24 28. they goe by sevens God can at one judgement at once destroy sinners Hosea 5. Kingdomes Cities he can at pleasure bring many one after another destroy by degrees be a moth rottennesse a Lyon to Israel and Judah we should take heed how we offend such a God Verse 6. It watcheth for thee Thou thoughtest judgement slept but it is awake and waits for or against thee thou thoughtest it a dead thing but it is alive and making hast towards thee The Hebrew word signifies to be weary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if judgement were weary with staying so long or God weary with deferring it now there should be no more delay it notes also to excite a man asleep one dead as in the 2 Kings 4.31 The Child is not awaked that is not raised from the dead So here God had threatned them by his Prophets Isaiah Jeremiah others many years and they thought the Prophets words winde because nothing was done at least that such a judgement would not befall them in these dayes as they had foretold Ezek. 12.21 27. as if the judgement they spake of was asleep or as a thing dead therefore it s said it lives is awake and watcheth as a theife to spoyle as a Lyon for a prey and hereby is poynted out the suddennesse of its comming and intention of God to destroy them This Verse the former and that follows are full of Divine Rhetorick Asyndeton Anadiplosis Epanalepsis Metaphoraes Paronomasia Apostrophe and others are evident in them the Scripture hath as great Elegancie as
any Authours whatsoever Obser 1 1. In case of peoples security repetition of the same thing is necessary they were fearelesse of judgements secure of their Estates put farre off the evill day and see how the Lord doubles and trebles his threats An evill an onely evill an end the end is come is come is come is come is come is come six times and further behold behold it s come the severall expressions of the season the morning the time the day of trouble and then it watcheth is come is neare why doth the spirit of God repeate all those even to awaken them out of their security to convince them as of the certainty so the suddennesse of the judgement and to make the greater and deeper impression upon them things once spoken passe away but being iterated are like to take some hold of mens eares and affections this Prophet is very repetitious of Threats and Judgements and presseth them frequently they were neer finall destruction and therefore the spirit of God urgeth such things oft in the mouth of this Prophet that so no meanes being left unattempted he might awaken all and gaine some Christ pronounces the same words eight times in one Chapter Woe unto you Scribes Pharises Hypocrites Matth. 23.13 14 15 16 23 25 27 29. to affect them with the eminencie of their danger and others with the evill of their wayes Obser 2 2. Gods judgements may seeme to linger but they doe not slumber wicked men God beares with and forbeares long even so long that they thinke his judgements are layd to sleep or dead as in the 2 Pet. 3.4 Where is the promise of his comming For since the Fathers fell asleepe all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation There is no Christ to Reigne or Judge the Flood is dryed up and the fire to consume the World is not yet kindled but Verse 10. The day of the Lord will come as a thiefe in the night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with great noyse and the Element shall melt with fervent heat Chap. 2. Ver. 3. Whose judgement lingereth not and their damnation slumbereth not Gods judgements what ever sinners thinke are awake and footing of it and hastening to their Ruine That which the wicked call a lingering and slumbering judgement Gods spirit cals in the 1. verse Swift destruction it will be upon them before they see their doings or repent of their Sinne Revel 6.2 4 8. you shall finde that judgements come riding in they make haste Obser 3 3. That God keeps judgements quiet till he please It may watch but cannot walke or worke till he seale a Commission God hath variety of judgements creatures in a readinesse to doe him service he hath Angels Stars Winds Waters Sword Famine Pestilence c. but no one stirs till he say goe they watch to heare his voice to doe his will they move not at the call of man their motion is onely at the appointment of their great Creator If he bid Nebuchadnezzar Nebuzaradan with thousands of Babylonians to arise and hasten to the Ruine of Jerusalem they are watchfull swift and active to execute his commands All creatures are Gods Army and have cause sufficient to watch for the Ruine of man because mans sin hath subjected them to ruine and imbondag'd them to corruption but here is the wisedome power and mercy of God he keeps all in their banks and without warrant from the great Generall the Lord of Hosts no attempt is made against any The morning is come unto thee That they might be affected he tels them the Day is broke the morning is come and the day of trouble beginneth he would have them be no longer in the darke but to look abroad to see how providences were working to fulfill Prophâ—siâ—â— The Originall word is diversly rendered Some thinke he alludes to the practice of the Jewes who executed Delinquents in the morning according to that in Jer. 21.12 Psal 101.8 God would early bring the Sword upon them and there is an emphasis in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Morning which was the most observable and deplorable morning that ever they had such a morning was Sodoms when fire and brimstone rain'd upon it Gen. 19.23 24. Such a morning was the King of Israels Hos 10.15 it comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maturare mane surgere and signifies Matutinum quid some morning some early thing Ex usu Chaldaeo and Alapide interprets it Primum germen the first bud that is upon any tree the early the morning bud and so the sense is Judgements are budding breaking forth appearing and as near as Spring and Summer is when a Tree buds and blossomes or as the word is The morning is come you have thought judgement slept that it was still evening not past midnight but the morning is come judgement not onely watcheth but is rising risen comming forth and it will be early upon thee The Septuagint implies there was a connexion and series of evills comming upon them Aquila hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nexus complicatio prospectionem as if the evill they had foreseen and feared were now comming upon them the Chalde Coronam diadema so the word is used in Isa 28.5 and because it notes Royall power it s thought the King of Babylon is here meant the Vulgar is Contritio breaking into pieces La sentence du matin in the margent of the French grinding to dust is come upon thee Maldonat Contractio besieging is come and thou must be in a narrow compasse Shindler Revolutio ad te Nebuchadnezzar shall returne compasse thee about as a Crowne and carry thee into Captivity The day of trouble is neere The Hebrew word notes great trouble vexation with tumult and destruction Haiom Mebumah or a day of sore trouble you may hear the Prophet Isaiah describing such a day Chap. 22.5 It is a day of trouble and of treading downe of perplexety by the Lord God of Hosts in the Valley of vision breaking downe the Walls and of crying to the Mountaines God hath dayes of trouble for Kingdomes and when they come there is great distresse and great destruction 2 Chron. 15.5 6. In those times there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in but great vexations were upon all the Inhabitants of the Countries and Nation was destroyed of Nation and City of City for God did vex them with all adversity This was a time or day of trouble for Israel In Scripture is mentioned a day of Calamity Psal 18.18 a day of Wrath Job 20.28 a day of Battell Psal 140.7 a day of Vengeance Jer. 46.10 a day of evill Prov. 16.4 of Rebuke Hos 5.9 of Slaughter Jer. 12.3 of Burning Mal. 4.1 of Destruction Job 21.30 And all these may be in a day of trouble You shall find many of them together in the 1 Zeph. 14 15 16
for God denounces fix woes against them in the Chapter afterwards Wary he would take heed how he bestowed his choise mercies upon such people others that would be more fruitful and thankful should have them Mat. 21.43 The Kingdome of heaven shall be taken from you and given to another Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Not their own fruits but such as Christ and the Gospel appointed Alap in Es This sin was so prodigious that Lycurgus would make no law against it but God hath made a law Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the Nations that forget God Ingratitude is the greatest and worst forgetfulnesse Judas forgat the kindnesse and bounty of Christ he betrayed him and therefore was turned into hell Verse 21. And I will give it into the hands of strangers for a prey c. They had sin'd shamefully and God would punish them severely Strangers that is Chaldeans should come and have Temple City them and all they had in their hands and God whom they flatter'd themselves in thought stil to be their friend their help even he would give all into their hands These Chaldeans he cals the wicked of the earth David calls such men of the world Psal 17.14 Men of the earth Psal 10.18 That is base and vile men as it 's in Job Children of base men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viler then the earth fit for any cruell and bloody designes The Septuagint hath it pestilentiis terrae the plagues of the Earth The King of Babylon and his cursed crow went up and downe in the world plundering Nations shaking Kingdoms and laying all wast Isa 14.16 17. They were the pests and vipers of the earth and into their hands must the Jewes Gods owne people fall they must spoil the Temple have all the ornaments vessels and treasures in it all the pictures of silver and gold They shall pollute it The Temple was an holy place the habitation of the holy God had in much reverence by all sorts of people but now they should see it not regarded as a thing consecrate to God now Heathens uncircumcised ones should enter it which was against law Ezek. 44.7 Now their blood should be spilt in it now it should be made a prison a stewes a stable the Jews had polluted it with Images and these Barbarians should pollute it many other wayes Obser 1 The abuse of spiritual mercies causeth God to take them a-away Jer. 11.15 Their lewdnesse caused the holy flesh to passe from them they had the Temple the beauty and worship of it for their glory to make them glorious within as wel as glorious without but they abus'd their mercies polluted Gods Ordinances and therefore he removed the Temple farre from them He tooke it away the Lord had set his Name at Shilo pitched his Tabernacle there Josh 18.1 and they abus'd his name and worship as you may see Psal 78.58 Then he was wrath and greatly abhorred Israel Then he forsooke the Tabernacle of Shilo and delivered his strength into captivity and his glory into the enemies hands vers 59.60 61. which some interpret of the Arke taken by the Philistines 1 Sam. 4.11 And in Jer. 7. when they liv'd loosely and blessed themselves with their carnall confidence in the Temple and worship of it vers 4.9 10 11. God sends them to Shilo and bids them search and see what he did there for the wickednesse of his people and threatens to do so by them even destroy their Temple worship them and their seed they sin'd in special things and God punished them in that wherein they sin'd they pollute the Temple and God causes the Chaldeans to pollute it they confide in the Temple and God laies it wast they make an Idol of it and set it neer their hearts and God removes it far off they look upon it as cleane as their glory and God removes it as vomit as a polluted loathsome thing It s a dreadfull thing when God gives up a Church a State either or both to the wils of wicked men I will give it into the hands c. Vers 21. I have set it far from them If evill come to the gates of Jerusalem and doors of the Temple it 's from the Lord Mica 1.12 And it 's very grievous when God judges Kingdomes and Churches First They fall into the hands of men strangers they know not the wicked of the earth such as neither feare God nor regard Men Buls Lyons Dogs Psal 22.12 13.16 2. They are for a prey and spoile their names estates habitations chastity children limbs consciences lives are prey'd upon they eate up Gods people as they eate bread Psal 14.4 They make them meate to the fowles of heaven and beasts of the field They crush their bones and shed their blood like water Ps 79.2 3. 3. Prophaning and polluting of holy things They shall pollute it Gods holy name is blasphemed Psalm 79.10 Where is their God why doth he not now help them they have prayed fasted hoped in him made lheir boast of him why comes he not to help them all holy things are defiled and therefore Asaph in that 79. Psal vers 1. made upon the destruction of Jerusalem cries out O God the heathen are come into thine Inheritance thy holy Temple have they defiled This came first and struck deepest into the heart of this holy man that heathnish idolatrous bloody prophane persons should come and pollute the holy ordinances of God The Church laments this as a dreadful evill Lam. 1.10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things for she hath seene that the Heathen entered into her Sanctuary whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy Congregation 4. Removal of all true worship Divine ordinances I will set it far from them Now they should be without God the meanes to know him and way to worship him Now God would have no Oblationt Incense new Moons Sabbaths solemn Feasts or any worship at Jerusalem There only was he knowne worshipped and now Temple Ordinances and all must down be taken away God be unknown unworshipped in the world no publique place for him left Isaiah foreseeing this saith Chap. 42. This is a people robbed spoiled and hereupon having a speciall quere to make he cals for attention Who among you wil give eare to this and hearken for the time to come Ver. 23. and make use of it will any of you doe it Then thus Jacob is spoiled but who gave Jacob for a spoile and Israel to the robbers Was not Jacob the beloved of God his excellency his glory c. Did not the Lord doe it he against whom we have sinned for they would not walke in his wayes nor be obedient to his lawes therefore he hath powred upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battaile and it hath set him on fire round about yet he knew not it burned him round
their hands as being their owne 1 Cor. 7.30 Let them that buy be as if they possessed not Possessors look upon things as their own and to continue with them here by the Chaldeans possessing their houses is closely pointed out the 70. yeares captivity all which time the land and habitations left should be in the Chaldeans power I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease What ever lifts up and causes the spirits of men to swell it is Pomp so the word is used Jer. 12.5 In the swelling of Jordan when the waters increased and made the River swell over its bancks which Jordan alwayes did in harvest time Josh 3.15 Strong or Potent mâ—n whence great ones are called Potentates their riches attendance honours places allyances and the like doe make them proud stately selfe-confident but their pomp power magnificence excellency shall all cease and come to nothing It 's not their Armes or Armour their big lookes insolent speeches rich attire honourable Titles or any thing wherein they glory that shall advantage them be it their Souldiery their strong and stout men their pomp shall cease I will crush their Crests and bring them low Pintus understands it of Zedekiah and the Nobles of Jerusalem Their holy places shall be defiled The holy places were the Court the Temple and the holyest of all some refer these words to personâ— and not to places and read them thus They shall see prophaned defiled which sanctifie them noting the Priests who sanctified the people by their offerings and prayers for them they sh uld not be regarded as Priests of the highest God but because they had dealt deceitfully with the people corrupted the Covenant of Levi therfore they should be slain as other persons or led into captivity with them Others read the words thus They shall inherit their holy places the Chaldeans shall come and take possession of them because it 's said here Their holy places and not Mine Theod. Lavat It 's conceiv'd by some that these were Chappels or oratories which they had made in severall places in or neer to their houses and consecrated to God Obser 1 That God can use the worst of men to accomplish his holy designes and execute his righteous judgements The Chaldeans he brings to afflict chain and captive the Jewes Wicked men have wicked ends answerable principles and mediums to attain those ends Isa 10.7 But they are as staves and rode in the hand of God with which hee corrects hypocriticall Nations vers 5.6 They are Gods sword Gods hand Psalm 17.13 14. and he knows how to use both to effect his own pleasure and to execute judgements upon sinners and that without sin Hath not God brought in and set on worke the worst of men among us What Miscreants Blasphemers Plagues Vermine what Aegyptians Chaldeans and bloody mercilesse wretches have wee doing mischief in this Land men that justifie Chaldeans that are skilfull to shed blood to cheat a Nation of its God and Religion to betray and undoe Kingdomes many wonder such vile wretches should live and have a being upon the earth many are troubled that God uses such filth and scum to doe him any service but we must know that there is use of Thistles Scorpions and Serpents and God would not use such men if there were not good to be done by them Isa 10.12 It shall come to passe that when the Lord hath performed his whole worke upon Mount Zion on Hierusalem I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high lookes 2. That houses lands and good things of this world wee should not much seeke after seeing they may fall into the hands of the worst men I will bring the worst of the Heathen and they shall possesse your houses All they had gotten fell into the hands of Chaldeans 3. That no external excellency or pomp is to be confided in God will make the pomp of the strong to cease policy power riches honours strength of Armies are not pillars of brasse to confide in they are glasse mettall soon broken and blowne away by the breath of the Lord when he is in a way of wrath Nebuchadnezzar was a proud Tyrant that with his plundering made the world a wildernesse Isa 14.17 That exceeded most Princes of the world in greatnesse in Kingdomes tributary Princes honour strength of Souldiers c. See in vers 11. what is said of him Thy pompe is brought down to the grave 12. How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer sonne of the morning how art thou cut down to the ground which didst weaken the Nations So for Aegypt that abounded in horses Isa 31.1 and trusted in their strength Ezek. 30.18 The pomp of her strength shall cease in her And Chap. 32.12 By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall They shall spoil the pomp of Aegypt and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyâ—d God would destroy them with a great destruction and then mercy should come in then neither the foote of man nor beast should trouble them any more then would the Lord make their waters deepe and make their rivers run like oyle ver 13.14 Neither Babylonish nor Aegyptian pomp endure long God makes the arrogancy of the proud to cease and layes low the haughtinesse of the terrible Isa 13.11 This God hath done lately before our eyes Victory at York 2. of July 1644. he hath made the pomp of the strong to cease there were the Potentates of the Earth Honours Riches Strength Arms Horses what ever might make them pompous was with them great hopes and hearts they had they looked for the day and thought not only the North but the South should be theirs not Yorke but London yea England to be theirs but they are disappointed their honour is laid in the dust their pomp ceaseth Wee may say according to that in Zech. 11.2.3 Howle Fir-tree for the Cedars are fallen the mighty are spoiled howle O ye Oaks of Bashan for the forrest of the vintage is come downe their strength and comforts are abated There is a voyce of the howling of the Shepheards that is Princes which should feed and seek the good of the people for their glory is spoiled a voice of the roaring of young lions for the pride of Jordan is spoyled The ceasing of their pomp should be the beginning of our praise Psal 98.1 O sing unto the Lord a new song for hee hath done marvellous things his right hand and his holy arme hath gotten him the victory We may sing with Moses Exo. 15.6 7. Thy right hand O Lord is become glorious in power thy right hand O Lord hath dashed in pieces the enemy and in the greatnesse of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee Thou sentest forth thy wrath which consumed them as stubble And with David Ps 136.1 2 3 4. O give thankes unto the
Lord for he is good for his mercie endureth for ever c. And Psal 107.8 O that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men 4. Unspirituall worship pleases not God neither profits the worshippers they had the Temple ordinances of it appeared oft before God brought their Sacrifices but God threatens them and all their worship their Civill estate and Ecclesiasticall also should be ruined God in worship lookes at the hearts and spirits of men if they be absent from but halfe or in part in the worship God regards it not Their oblations are vain oblations Isa 1.13 Their fasts and prayers are a trouble a weariness to God v. 14. And he tels them that he had mouth-neerness heart-farnesse lip labour heart-dishonour Isa 29.13 yea Ezek. 33.31 He had mouth-love mouth-worship when their silver and gold had heart-love Cor est principium vitae cogitationis omnis voluntatis actionis heart-worship It 's the heart is the principall thing in Gods eye My son give me thy heart Prov. 23.26 If that be not given him in worship nothing is given nothing is accepted that we think given David therefore prays Ps 119.80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed If a man have a deceitfull spirit a rotten heart hee will be asham'd when he shall find that all his prayers fasts services shall be thrown back as dung in his face Oain gave the fruit of the earth not the fruit of his heart and it was not accepted neither doe they gaine ought at Gods hands who worsh p him carnally 1 Tim. 4.8 Bodily exercise profits little 5. Men are apt to rest in outside worship blesse themselves for it they cryed the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord c. Jer. 7.4 They look at the Temple and worship of it and hence concluded safety to themselves they thought it not probable that ever destruction should come to them their City State Church they looked upon their Temple as a glorious thing and that worship therein would secure them from all but God oft threatens the defilement removal and destruction of it from this 20. vers to the 25. The Pharisee went up to the Temple he fasted prayed gave tiths of all and in such out-side services did he rest Men now have their Chappels and Chaplains and think that by the prayers of the one and holinesse of the other they shall be fitted for heaven CHAP. VII 25. Destruction commeth they shall seeke peace and there shall be none HE told them before that the worst of the Heathen should come and now that destruction was comming and annexeth a new calamity their vain expectation and reall disappointment of peace Destruction The Sept. is quite out in rendring it mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praecisio venit propitiation commeth Others read it thus A straight griefe commeth The Heb. signifies more a breaking a cutting off so the word is used Isa 38.12 The Chaldee hath it precision or forecutting Piscator excisor The cutter up the destroyer or man of destruction commeth and he proves it must be taken so because it s joyned with a verb masculine and so the sense is Nebuchadnezar the destroyer the man that cuts down Nations that breaks Kingdomes in pieces is comming upon you even Nebuchadnezzar who is destruction it selfe They shall seeke peace God had threatned by his Prophets the utter ruine of Jerusalem which they would not believe the false Prophets suggested the contrary they cryed peace peace Jer. 8.11 Ezek. 13.10 Seduced the people so that they feared not they considered the strength of their Scituation Tower Temple Souldiers and what these Prophets had said and would not believe that Enemies should come within their gates Lam. 4.12 But when the Enemy was come they sought for peace and safety but found it not Ezek. 38.22 They excus'd Zedekiah that he brake with Nebuchadnezzar in the point of Tribute they tendered silver and gold to buy a peace and that would not doe it Isa 13.17 Ezek. 7.19 They conceiv'd that men come farre could not lye long before their Walls and Gates but that they would be consum'd or glad to retire with shame so they should be safe Or if things came to the worst that the City must be yielded yet it should be upon good and honourable terms at least with security of life and liberty but neither their money their policy their prayers or ought else could prevaile for peace or safety they had found them perfidious would hearken to no terms of peace the Chaldeans were Cockatrices and would not be charmed Jer. 8.17 Therefore it s said v. 15. We looked for peace but no good came and for a time of healing but behold trouble Some refer this seeking of peace to God they should in their streights at the destruction by Nebuchadnezzar cry to God make many fasts and prayers in the time of the siege and seeke for peace with God whom they had offended with their grievous sins and he would not heare them peace they should not finde Jer. 14.12 Ezek. 14.17 18. Obser 1 That wicked men in time of Divine judgements when they come upon them are peacelesse destruction commeth and they should seeke peace they had neither peace within nor peace without wars were in their gates and wars in their hearts their own consciences did accuse smite condemn them Common calamities rous'd their sleepy consciences they saw themselves in ill case from Nebuchadnezzar in worse by reason of God the one threatning their lives the other their soules So that which way soever they looked peace they saw none The winds of affliction stir'd the waves of their corruption Isa 57.20 21. The wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt When the great winds are abroad the Sea hath no rest it cannot rest it rages and throws up and out mire and dirt So when great and death-threatning calamities are abroad wicked men rest not they cannot rest they are mire Isa 10.6 And their expressions are miery and what 's the conclusion there is no peace to the wicked saith the Lord. They may say they have peace others may confirme their assertion but God saith they have none nothing of that is included within the sweet name of peace is to be found in them You may find Sathan there a hellish conscience there sinfull lusts there fears sorrows terrors there but no peace there The way of peace they know not there is no judgement in their goings they have made them crooked paths whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace Isa 59.8 2. Great necessities and streights cause sinners to seek for that they formerly neglected violated viz. peace with God and peace with man Zedekiah these Jews had broken the Covenant made with Nebuchadnezzar they provoked God 2 Chron. 36.12 13. And now when destruction was
upon them they seeke peace from heaven and earth in their prosperity they regarded neither God nor man but when both were against them then they sue they seek for peace at their hands Wen Herods displeasure was upon the Tyrians and Sidonians they sought for peace at his hands Acts 12.20 and Hos 5. In their afflictions they wil seeke meearly and earnestly too Jer. 11.14 They cry in their trouble and saith the Lord I will not heare them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble 3. That States may seek too late for peace with God man they may defer so long that their seeking may be in vain their endeavours frustrate and hopes disappointed they shall seeke peace and there shall be none neither God nor man will give in any peace The date of mercy was out the door of hope that therfore Jer. 12.12 God tels them the spoilers were come the sword devouring and no flesh should have peace neither young nor old though they sought it earnestly In stead of peace they should be in travell as one with child their hands should be upon their loyneâ— their faces pale and cry out Alasse for that day Jer. 30.5 6 7. The time was come that God had taken peace from the Land Jer. 16.5 I have taken away my peace from this people even loving kindnesse and mercies God had taken it away and now it was too late for them to seek after it too hard for them to bring back or any friend they had If they looked that Jeremie who was a Prophet acquainted with interessed in God should do it he was forbidden to pray for them Jer. 14.11 Pray not for this people for their good If he prayed against them God would hear him but not if for them It would be sin in him so to do if they looked for others that they had better thoughts of then Ieremie Gods tels them that if they had as good men as Noah Daniel Iob who were acquainted with great afflictions could pray very powerfully being precious men righteous perfect desirable as Gods testimony is of them yet they should not help them with their prayers at all Ezek. 14.14 Nay if they should set upon fasting and praying themselves God would not heare or give in any peace Ier. 14.12 When they fast I will not heare their cry and when they offer burnt offerings and an oblation I will not accept them but I will consume them They beg peace I will send the sword They aske bread I will send a famine They desire health I will bring the pestilence and these shall consume them It 's dreadfull when any come too late unto God then in stead of mercy they meete with judgements Hence Ier. 8.15 We looked for peace but no good came and for a time of health but behold trouble When it will be thus with a Land see Ezek. 14.13 Prov. 1.24 c. Matth. 23.37 38. CHAP. VII 26. Mischiefe shall come upon mischiefe and rumour shall be upon rumour then shall they seek a vision of the Prophet but the law shall perish from the Priest and counsell from the Antients HERE is more woe yet discovered not single but maltiplyed woes one mischiefe at the heels of another no sooner shall one be over but they shall hear of another one mischiefe in the morning and presently newes of another before noon-tide or evening and after that another by midnight and so they were never free from feeling and fearing miseries Newes they should have of the Chaldeans comming with fury and for spoile beset they should be with mischiefs and when they looked for comfort and counsell from the Prophets Priests and Antients there should be no vision no law no counsell These who had holpen them in former times should now faile them Mischiefe Contrition trouble woe Montanus this word mischiefe sometimes notes sinne as Psalm 36.4 and 140.2 Acts 13.10 Sometimes an ill accident befalling one 2 Kings 7.9 If we tarry till morning some mischiefe will befall us Sometimes judgement Isa 47.11 Mischiefe shall fall upon thee and thou shalt not be able to put it off The stroke of God shall come unavoidably they were a people set on mischiefe Exod. 32.22 Set upon sinning and God told them he would be set upon punishing Deut. 32.23 I will heape mischiefs upon them Which here in the Text were comming one after another and crowding in upon them Mischiefe upon mischiefe notes multiplicity and coherence of Judgements Sword Plague Famine and those evils attend them which are not a few Job 19.12 You have a like phrase his troopes came together There was a multiplicity of calamities troops and coherency they came together Rumour shall be upon rumour The newes shall be brought them of the Chaldeans comming from severall quarters and by severall messengers to their City their eares shall be fill'd with tidings and reports of their drawing neere It 's conceiv'd the Jewes had their Scouts and Spies abroad that watched on the tops of mountaines and places suspected and when any danger appeared they gave notice thereof and so Rumour was upon Rumour one brought newes that the King of Babylon was in Armes such a day with so many thousands a second that he had march'd so far a third that he had invaded the borders of their Land a fourth that he had taken some Towns put most to the sword and burnt the Townes c. Another that they would presently be at the gates of Jerusalem Then shall they seeke a vision of the Prophet Finding no peace seeing mischiefs multiply and hearing sad Rumors from all parts they had one refuge left and that they make use of viz. They seek to the Prophet for a vision surely thought they we shall have some good tidings from heaven when we have none from earth the Prophet will help us when all others faile us In our great streights we shall have some Counsel or Comfort But either there was no vision or such as was in no stead to them The false Prophets had nothing to say the true they hated and what they said would not be believed or practised Jer. 38.14 c. Zedekiah speaks to Jeremiah for a vision he makes known the minde of the Lord tels him what he must doe to save himselfe and the City yeeld up himselfe into the hand of the King of Babylons Princes and then he should live and the City be unburnt this vision was sad not entertain'd and so as none Zedekiah and the rest would have had a vision that is Ver. 27. a word of God by the Prophets to have freed them from the misery and streights they were in and there was no such vision But the law shall perish from the Priest And the law shall perish many read it so noting out a further degree of their misery Prophesie shall not only faile them which is extraordinary but even that which was ordinary the preaching and expounding of
Some are so prophane and atheisticall that they thinke God sees regards not the things done here below Psal 94.5 6 7. They breake in pieces Gods people afflict his heritage slay murther widows and fatherlesse ones yet say the Lord shall neither see nor regard it And in Psal 10.11 He saith God hath forgotten he hideth his face and will never see it and not only Gods actuall seeing but his power of seeing and knowing things here is denyed Jab 22.13 How doth God know can he judge through the darke clouds Some have confidence to say God sees no sin in his children and others blush not to say he sees not the sins of and in the wicked and so God shall see no sin at all they make him an unseeing and unknowing God David cals this brutishnesse Ps 94.8 9 10 11. He that made the eye shall not bee see He that teacheth man knowledge shall not be know Yea saith he the Lord knoweth the thoughts of men and that their thoughts are vanity What is most remote from mans eye and knowledg that God knows exactly afar off Psal 139.2 And denounceth a woe to men of such thoughts and practises Isa 29.15 Woe to them that seeke deep to bide their counsell from the Lord and their workes are in the darke and they say who seeth us and who knoweth us God seeth them God knows them and pronounceth a dreadfull woe against them because mens lives doe proclaim that they believe not Gods Omnisciency therefore God professeth it openly Isa 66.18 I know their workes and their thoughts He had observ'd all within and without therefore they should be consum'd Gods eye is upon all our wayes and works let us every day do as God did review them and see that they be good 6. God in his judgments will proceed with sinners according to their ways and deserts Job 34.10 11 12. Elihu proves there that God will not doe wickedly nor pervert judgement and why for the worke of a man shall be rendered unto him and cause every man to find according to his wayes God is most just therefore takes notice of all thoughts counsels projects attempts and actions that so he may deal answerably with men Jer. 32.19 His eyes are open upon all the wayes of the sons of men to give every one according to his wayes That in Revel 18.6 seemes to crosse this truth when God will judge Babylon shee must have double punishment her cup must be doubled God doth not command here that Babylon should be twice punished for the same sin that were not according to the rules of Divine Justice Double here hath reference to Babylons dealings with the Church She did greatly afflict Sion and now God would have Babylon to have double afflion to that Babylon did injustly in oppressing Sion Sion should do righteously in destroying Babylon and observe the word double render unto her double according to her works If she have twice as many strokes judgments twice as much blood shed as Sion had its according to her workes she deserves it and nothing can be too much for her therefore Jer. 51.49 As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall so at Babylon shall fall the slaine of all the earth The Babylonian Empire was a little world to Israel and cal'd it's selfe the universall Empire and Babylon said shee was the Queen and the only City of all others Isa 47.7 8. The golden City Isa 14.4 But now when God would punish Babylon for her bloodinesse against Sion not only should Babylon's chldren that dwell in her be destroyed but all her Subjects in her great Territories should be slain for her sake Alapid understands it of Rome heathnish or together with her which sets out the greatnesse of her punishment suâ—table to her deserts and is well cal'd double for the death of one Israelite deserves the death of two Babylonians 7. They that will not know God in the way of his mercies they shall know him in the way of his judgments God had walked in paths of mercy amongst this people many years and they minded not God honoured him not in the middest of mercies but fed according to their pastures and forgat God therefore he brought heavy judgments upon them and saith They shall know that I am the Lord. This phrase is used above 50. times in this Prophet and assures us that God will be known and that amidst his enemies and with an experimentall knowledge for that is the meaning of the words not a literal and brain knowledg Isa 26.11 When thy hand is lifted up they will not see But they shall see They will not see to fear to repent but they shall see that is have experience of the strength of his hand to their shame and destruction The phrase of knowing I am the Lord sometimes refers to mercies as Exod. 6.6 7. God would bring them out from the burthens and bondage of Aegypt take them for his people then they should know him to be the Lord. So in Exod. 16.12 1 Kings 20.28 God would give them Manna deliver up enemies into their hands And they should know c. That is have experience of his mercy truth and loving kindnesse Sometimes and mostly it refers to Divine judgment especially in this our Prophet God would bring in the Chaldeans with the sword and those grievous calamities attend it and they should know that he was the Lord that is they should have reall experience of his Authority and power over them they should feele the bitter fruits of his displeasure in them CHAP. VIII VERSE 1. And it came to passe in the sixth yeare in the sixth moneth in the fifth day of the moneth as I sate in mine house and the Elders of Judah sate before mee that the hand of the Lord God fell there upon mee IN this and the three next Chapters you have the grievous sinnes and answerable punishments of the Jewes at Jerusalem laid downe with some other things considerable This eighth Chapter hath three things in it 1. An Introduction to a new Vision vers 1. 2. The Vision it selfe from the beginning of vers 2. to the end of vers 17. 3. A Declaration of Gods severe dealings with them vers 18. In the Introduction to this Vision you have these particulars 1. The time exactly set downe when it was in the 6. yeare the 6. moneth the 5. day 2. The place where it was As he sate in his house 3. The persons before whom it was The Elders of Judah sate before me 4. The cause of it The hand of the LORD fell there upon mee For the time It was now the sixth yeare of Jehoiachins cptivity and in the sixth moneth The Jewes first month is Nisan the second Jiar the third Sivan the fourth Thamuz the fifth Ab and the sixth Elul and answereth to that is called August The fifth day of this moneth had hee this vision which Junius saith was the Sabbath
hee told men in his preaching of the particular things they did It 's the Spirit helps in studying and in preaching The Spirit convinces the world of sinne John 16.9 and the Ministers of the sins of the world that so they may abhor those sinnes and denounce the judgements of God against them 4. Wicked men are wise and take their advantages to promote their superstitions they set their Images of Jealousie at the Inner gate Northward that way was the greatest concourse of people and so the advantage great for their worshipping of or before this Image Men are wise to doe evill Jer. 4.22 They set up Altars in all the streets to Jerusalem to burne incense to Baal that shamefull thing Jer. 11.13 They could not suffer any street to be without an Altar they were wise and zealous to promote sinne Jeroboam feared lest the people should goe from him and therefore in his witty wickednesse to prevent it sets up the Calves at Dan and Bethel 1 Kings 12.29 The Papists have had repute for such wisdome they had their Crosses in high wayes and in publique places where people most frequented 5. When Images go up then the worship of God goes down Ahaz sets up Baal and brought the Altar of the Lord to it Baal was regarded and the true God and his worship neglected 2 Kings 16.14 Men are zealous for their own Inventions and jealous left they should suffer 6. Superstition and Idolatry are provoking sins they provoke God who is a God of patience to jealousie Deut. 32.16 They provoked him to jealousie with strange Gods strange inventions Sins of this nature are called provocations Nehem. 9.18 great provocations No sinnes provoke God more then idolatry and false worship 1. It 's a breaking of Covenant with God who had taken people in to be his as a Husband doth a Wife and when shee breaks Covenant forsakes the guide of her youth and is for others this provokes the Husband more then any thing besides Nos adoramus adoratione latriae imaginem Christi Parte 3. q. 25. a. 3. 2. Because it 's a giving Gods honour and glory to Idols Aquinas saith we adore the image of Christ with divine worship * Tom. 1. Controv 7. l. 2. c. 23. Bellarmine with many others acknowledge that the Image of Christ may in some kind be honoured cultu laâ—riae when Gods glory is given to creatures this provokes the eyes of his glory as it is Isa 3.8 And he will not â—ndure that his glory and praise be given to another Isa 42.8 3. They that are guilty this way hate God Exod. 20.5 Being provoked therefore and the spirit of Jealousie kindled in him he will not put it up he will not spare according to that in Prov. 6.34 Jealousie is the rage of a man and therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance And Cant. 8.6 Jealousie is cruel as the grave no mercy will be shewn God will stir up jealousie and prevaile against his enemies Isa 42.13 Devour whole lands by the fire of his jealousie Zeph. 3.8 VERSE IV. And behold the glory of the God of Israel was there according to the vision which I saw in the Plain OUr Prophet being visionally brought to Jerusalem Christ by his Spirit shews him glory which is set forth 1. Absolutely The glory of God The glory of God that is the glorious God was ther manifesting his glory to him in some visible way 2. Relatively The God of Israel 3. The place There at the Inner gate 4. The manner According to the vision he had seene In Chap. 3. vers 23. The Prophet saith he arose and went into the Plain and behold the glory of the Lord stood there as the glory which I saw by the River of Chebar He had twice before seene the glory of God and now here again he sees it There is nothing difficult in the words one thing is considerable in them why the Prophet had now a third time the glory of God presented to him 1. To keepe his heart in an humble and reverentiall frame that what ever God revealed to him about the utter ruine of the Jewish Nation he should not stâ—ck at it decline the revealing of it because hee saw that God was a glorious and dreadfull God 2. To let him see what unspeakeable wrong the Jewes had done him to forsake the glorious God to serve base shamefull dunghil-idols this made God complain Jer. 2.11 They have chang'd their glory for that which doth not profit the God of Israel for the gods of the Nations 3. To kindle the zeale of the Prophet when he had seene God so glorious once twice or thrice and also what they had done to this God this could not but fire his Spirit and make him burning with zeale in justifying God and denouncing threatnings against such Idolaters 4. To let the Prophet see that he was going away from his Sanctuary and from his people and therefore it s said the glory of the God of Israel was there there at the inner gate looking North-ward where the Image which provoked so much was not that the glorious God would have Communion with the Image but to evidence that seeing they had brought in a false god the true God would leave them 5. To confirm the Prophet in the truth of this prophesie and make way for the high esteem of it in after Ages being brought in with so many glorious visions God of Israel Jacobs name being chang'd to Israel Gen. 32.28 in time the Jewes came to be called Israelites Exod. 9.7 The people of Israel Exod. 19.3 And God taking them for his people is frequently stiled the God of Israel Exo. 5.1 Josh 7.29 And he is so stiled here to put them in mind of two things 1. The Covenant that he made with their Fathers Abraham Isaac Jacob and Moses Deut. 29.12 13. God tooke them to be his people and became their God 2. The great things hee had done for Israel above all other people none of the Nations had such a God as their God was the Nations Gods were impotent impure perishing Gods but the God of Israel was the Lord of Hosts Jer. 7.3 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel He had all power command of all creatures and could doe enough for them he was the holy One of Israel Isa 5.19 and would not endure iniquity in Jacob and Israel The excellency of Israel 1 Sam. 15.29 and never fail'd and did wonderfull things for them hee brought them out of Aegypt c. Micha 6 4 5. He had known them above all families of the earth Amos 3.2 That the true God the God of Israel is a gloriouâ— God he is a glorious Essence and essentiall glory Psal 29.3 He is the God of glory And Psalm 24.7.9 10. Hee is thrice called the King of glorye Not onely hath he glory to dispose of to others but hee is a King all of glory and glorious excellencies his
of the Prophet Micah Chap. 7.1 Woe is mee for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruit as the grape gleaning of the Vintage there is no cluster to eate 5. The Lord hath a speciall care of his Saints when dreadfull and destroying judgements are comming upon others Goe set a marke upon them that sigh c. provide that they be secured distinguish them from all the rest and let them have mercy in the common calamity It appears 1. From the person employed to doe it and that is the Lord Christ who was the man with the Inkhorn by his side when God shall employ not a Prophet not an Angell but his owne deare son to doe this work to mark the godly it 's argument of tender care towards them 2. He must goe through the middest of the City and looke into every place make an exact search and find them out where ever they were hid God would not have him neglect any place lest he should passe by any Saint Math. 28. Herod would have the wise men make diligent search for the young child and God would have Christ here make diligent search for mourning S t s they are his treasure and Christ would search for them as for hid treasure 3. He must surely mark them vehithvitha Taf you shall sign them wish a signe that is certainly signe them the doubling of the word notes Gods intention and care to have it done It might have sufficed to have said you shall signe them but hee adds with a signe to put it out of doubt 4. From the persons sealed 1. Men it 's put indefinitely not confin'd to noble wise rich learned but any condition of men that were godly any poore man any servant any child any little one let their grace be never so mean if they had any grace at all they should have the seale as well as the best 2. Mourners when fil'd with sorrow for the sins of the land with feares for the judgements were comming upon the land all in a confusion every one at a losse not knowing what to doe which way to turne themselves Liberties Ordinances City Sanctuary all comforts all friends being upon departure now to be marked out for life eternall now to have the conscâ—ence sprinkled with the blood of Christ the spirit to bear witness and seale up the soule with assurance of Gods love this shewes God hath a great care of his in time of dangers Not only at this time but in all times of judgments God hath been carefull of his Lots righteous soule was vexed at the unclean conversation of the Sodomites and when fire brimstone scorched consum'd Sodome God sent his Angels to finde Gen. 19. hasten and force Lot out of that wicked place The flood that drown'd all the world could not hurt Noah Gen. 7. God put him into the Arke shut him in and kept him safe there When the destroying Angel comes forth to destroy the first-born of Aegypt Exod. 12.22 the Israelites posts were sprinkled with blood and no blood must be shed there they were marked for deliverance When Jericho was taken and destroyed Josh 2. and 6. Chap. the scarlet thread in the window was a signe of deliverance to her and hers Rev. 7.2 3 4 5. Christ the Angell of the East who had the seale of the living God viz. the Spirit forbids the Angels to hurt any till the 144. thousand were sealed in their fore-heads When Paul was brought before Nero and all left him in the jawes of that roaring lyon the Lord stood by him and strengthned him the more carelesse others were of Paul the more carefull was God of him A little before Jerusalem was taken by the Romans a voyce was heard Mal. 3.16 17. Ite Pellam the faithfull no sooner escape thither but the City was ruined and all the fore-told woes accomplished in it 6. It is the Lord Christ who is the marker of the Saints all power in heaven and earth is given to him sealing and saving power as well as rejecting and destroying power He is said to have the seale of the living God Rev. 7. and to take order for the sealing the servants of the Lord Rev. 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall goe no more out and I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the City of my God which is new Jerusalem which commeth down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new name Christ makes him a pillar in the Temple that is great honour but that is not all Christ writes three names upon that man the name of his God of new Jerusalem and his owne name hee causeth him to know he is the Sonne of God a Citizen of the heavenly City and should have interest in the glory and dignity of Christ Phil. 2.9 Heb. 2.7 which Divines call the new name given him after his passion and ascension such marking have the Saints and faithfull servants of Christ The Scripture tels us of another marker besides Christ and it 's the Beast mentioned Revel 13.16 17. who causeth all to receive a mark in their right hand fore-head Christ had seal'd his Rev. 7. to separate them from the world and danger and the Beast seals his to separate them from Christs seal'd ones for the world that they might buy sell this sealing was not for deliverance but for destruction Rev. 14.9 10. If any man receive the beasts marke in his hand or fore-head the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God and be tormented with fire and brimstone Rev. 19.20 The beast with his marke ones are cast into hell Here was a dangerous mark whether it was the masse signe of the Crosse profession of Popish worship subjection to the Pope as head of the Church obedience to his canons decrees observation of his fasts dayes riteâ—s whether auricular confession Popish orders any vows or oaths to maintain the Pope and his power such as Otho took in the year 960. 7. God and Christ are not asham'd of theirs in the worst times and greatest dangers God will have them marked Rev. 22.4 His name shall be in their fore-heads the beast had mark'd and own'd those were here Christ would doe so by his it was vindicationis nota and Christ doth mark them in the fore-head In Sodome God own'd Lot in Rome he stood by Paul 2 Tim. 4.17 When 4. destroying Angels were come abroad the Lord Christ seals 12000. of every Tribe in their fore-heads Revel 7.3.5 6 7 8. Christ ownes his here and hereafter see John 10.3.14.27 He calls them his sheepe his friends Chap. 18.15 his brethren I ascend to my father and your father to my God and your God John 20.17 When Christ was in heaven he own'd Steven being amidst his enemies Acts 7.55.56 And he promises Math. 10.32 to
my Text and that is spare in my Text is pitty here And Deut. 7.16 Thine eye shall have no pitty upon them The Heb. is the same word thou shalt not spare upon them spare to execute vengeance upon them so that they are used promiscuously one interprets the other an eye not sparing is to shew no mercy no pitty That in 1 Sam. 24 10. clears it when some bade David kill Saul when he cut off the skirt of his garment saith he but mine eye spared thee that is had pitty on thee and I kil'd thee not if mine eye had not spared thee I had killed thee without pitty without mercy Jer. 21.7 He shall not spare them neither have pitty nor have mercy lo jachum velo jachmol velo jerachem the two first words are in my Text and they are both interpreted by the last not to spare not to pittie is to have no mercy what ever motives be thereunto Slay utterly olde and young In the Heb. it 's the old man the young man the maiden and little child all in the singular number which is put for the plurall Q. Here a great question is moveable how it stands with the justice of God to give charge for the destruction of little children which were innocent A. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for little children some take to be meant of such as could play in the streets and were under 20. years Gen. 47.12 Joseph nourished his Father and his brethren and all his Fathers houshold with bread according to their families 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the little ones Ad os parvuli they were not sucking children but such as could run up and down that Joseph nourished now if the little children be taken for such they might be guilty of great sins as the children that mocked the Prophet and so deserve death But take little children for such as have not committed actuall sinne even babes new born in the womb of which sort many perished in the flood and many in Sodome such God may cut off without impeachment of his justice 1. He hath an absolute dominion over his creatures hee is the potter and we are the clay if he make the vessell hee may break the vessell shall he not doe with his own as he please hee gives life to babes and he may take it from them when and how he pleases 2. They were defiled with originall sin and deserved death the wages of sinne be it originall or actuall is death and it matters not whether a naturall or a violent death therefore he forbade Jeremie to take a wife to have sonnes and daughters in Jerusalem and as for those sonnes and daughters should be borne there they and their fathers and mothers should be consumed by the sword and by famine Jer. 16.2 3 4. 3. They are parts of their parents part of their family part of their substance and God may punish the sinning parent in his child as well as in his stock 4. Had they lived it 's likely they would have trod in their fathers steps and sinn'd those great sinnes they did like them in Jer. 7.18 Children gather wood and the fathers kindle the fire and the women knead the dough Neither doth God punish upon prevision of future sinne but takes them away from present and future pollution 5. God might notwithstanding this outward temporal judgment have mercie on their soules questionlesse many children dye more terrible deaths then by the sword and yet perish not eternally Come not neare any upon whom is the marke Q. If this marke were not a visible marke how should they know them and spare them A. The Lord knew who were his though men knew them not and it 's probable such is the rage of the wicked against the godly that if they had had a little distinguishing character from others they would the rather have fallen upon them and cut them off but the Lord ordered the judgement so and their spirits so that they came not neare them The mark was inward in the fore-heads of their consciences and providence watched and wrought for them without God might dart a feare into them disable them from doing the mark'd ones any hurt divert them to other families and persons and this manner of speech is more then if he had said doe not kill them they might doe much hurt to them yet not kill them but when he saith Come not neare them God doth make a fence about them and compasseth them with this command and his favour in it as with a shield against all evill and wrong This deliverance of the mark'd ones from the slaughter-men is a type of Gods preserving his in all great and generall calamities and especially of freeing his Elect ones from hell and the furies thereof The Chaldeans must not come-neare the mark'd ones to destroy them and Devils must not come neare those Christ hath sprinkled with his blood to ruine and destroy them They are freed from the power of Sathan and eternall death Begin at my Sanctuary This was the holy place the habitation of God where his worship was where he gave out gracious answers unto them yet here they must begin Why here 1. They trusted in the holinesse of this place Jer. 7.4.10 When they had sin'd grievously they thought that if they came and worshipped there all was well they were delivered and cried out the Temple of the Lord God would begin with their confidence 2. They had greatly polluted that holy place there was the Idoll of Jealousie there was the forme of every creeping thing and abhominable beast pourtraied upon the walls there were men offering incense to those Idols there was the filthy Idoll Tammuz and women weeping for it there were men with their backs towards God the Arke and worshipping the Sun Eastward there they put the branch to their nose great abhominations were gotten into the Temple they must therefore begin there 3. The sins of the Priests and Prophets who belonged to the Temple were exceeding great they were messengers of God to the people and mouths of the people to God and above others should have been cleane holy gracious free from the sins of the times they should have been exemplary unto others but if you observe the Scripture a little you shall find they were patterns of all impiety to the people they were ignorant blinde dumb drunken Isa 28.7.56.10.12 Unclean filthy strengthening the hands of the wicked Jer. 23.14 Covetous cruell Isa 56.11 Micah 3.5 Conceited of their owne abilities Jer. 8.8 Flatterers and dealt falsely with the people Jer. 6.13 14.27.15 They perverted the word of the Lord Jer. 23.36 They rejected his word Jer. 8.9 They prophecyed their own dreames Jer. 23.7 and put it upon God saying he saith v. 31. They ruled with rigour Ezek. 34.4 They reproached slandered and complain'd of the true Prophets stirring up enemies against them and seeking their liberties and lives Jer. 26.8 9.11
Amos 7.10 This made Jeremie conclude Lam. 4.13 that Jerusalem was destroyed chiefly for the sins of her Prophets and the iniquities of her Priests that shed the blood of the just in the midst of her Obser 1. When God is upon executing judgement he first manifests yea vouchsafes mercy to his friends before hee lets out wrath upon his enemies Goe yee after him one was sent to marke the mourners before those with the slaughter-weapons had commission to destroy the rest His mercy acts before his justice he separates the righteous Mal. 3.17.4.1 before he destroys the wicked he makes up his Jewels before the day comes that burnes like an oven Hee prepares an Arke for Noah before hee sends a flood upon the world God sends an Angell to fetch Lot out of Sodome before he raines fire and brimstone upon them And at the last great judgement the Sheep shall have mercy before the Goates shall have judgment Matth. 25.34.41 Come yee blessed that joyfull sound shall be heard first and after depart ye cursed Mercy is Gods first-born and visits the Saints ere judgments break out 2. When the godly are secured then judgement delays not when the mourners are neer marking then the sixe men follow him presently that marks them and they doe their office When Lot is out of Sodome fire and brimstone comes into Sodome God could doe nothing while he was there Gen. 19.22 But when he was gone he consum'd them with the vengeance of eternall fire Judgments sometime do linger and what 's the cause some servants of God are not marked secured got into their chambers of safety if they were judgement would quickly be upon the backs of the wicked Isa 26.20 21. Come my people enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doores about thee hide thy selfe as it were for a little moment untill the indignation be overpast For behold the Lord commeth out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity When once they were got into safe places then would indignation come upon the wicked When swallows and other birds flie from us it is a signe of Winter approaching and when good men are removed out of places are driven into corners it 's a signe of of judgement upon that place 3. Sinners may so provoke God that hee will neither shew them mercy himselfe nor let others doe it no pitty no mercy should they have from God or man Goe through the City from one street to another from gate to gate and smite smite every one of them slay utterly doe not wound or weaken but tahargu lemaschith slay to perdition and though they fall upon their knees begge hard for their lives promise you great matters yet spare them not neither have pitty be not affected with ought they say doe or suffer God harden'd them here against them but might they not find some sparing and pittying from God if none with man Ezek. 5.11 Mine eye shal not spare neither will I have any pitty and hee ratifies it with an oath there What were their sinnes which made the LORD deale thus severely with them 1. Their defilement of the Temple with such abhominations as they had done provoked desperately they despighted God thereinto his face there he vouchsafed his presence heard their prayers accepted their sacrifices bestowed choise mercies upon them and yet to defile that with their abominations this greatly provoked 2. Their abuse of the true and faithfull Prophets Jeremiah forbid to prophesie left he dye for it Jer. 11.21 They laid hands on him and said he should dye Jer. 26.8 2 Chron. 36.16 They mocked the messengers of God despised his words and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people These sins made it rise to a great height even such a height that all pitty and mercy were laid aside 3. Their great unfruitfulnesse under means and mercies Jer. 20.8 9. They reproached and derided the word and those that believed and obeyed it Isa 8.18 You know what paines God took with his Vineyard he gathered out the stones planted it with the choisest vine built a tower in it made a wine-presse did all which was doe able for it and now he looked for grapes and it brought forth wild grapes this kindled Gods wrath and banished pitty mercy from his heart I will take away the hedg break down the wall lay it wast it shall have no digging pruning clouds or raine but it shall be troden down and eaten up by whom by Chaldeans those bryars and thorns should scratch and teare it in pieces Mans unfruitfulnesse makes God merciless Luke 13.7 when the Lord came to the Fig-tree planted in his vine-yard and found no fruit on it what saith he cut it downe why cumbers it the ground 4. Pittilesnesse to one another Mic. 3.2 3. The Princes Rulers did plucke off the skinne and flesh from the bones of the people they brake their bones and chopt them in pieces In their skirts was found the blood of the soules of poore innocents Jer. 2.34 and Manasses had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood which made the Lord to say Ier. 15.5 Who shall have pitty upon thee O Ierusalem neither God nor man 4. Nothing will priviledg sinners in the day of Gods wrath when he gives out commission to destroy there will be a generall destruction Old young maids children and women they must all suffer all dye In their military oath this was one branch Ne quis laedat faeminas pueros senes aegrotos even nature pleads strongly for such who are fearfull and feeble not able to help themselves Deut. 20.14 When the Iewes tooke a City they were to spare the women and the little ones and when they tooke Midian they spared the maids and the little ones Numb 31.9.18 But here neither oath nor nature should take place neither age sex or condition should advantage or secure them not the hoary head of the aged not the beauty of the virgins not the teares of the mothers nor the tendernesse of the babes but all must dye So 1 Sam. 15.3 Samuel saith to Saul goe smite Amelech utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not but slay both man and woman infant and suckeling oxe and sheepe camell and asse Amalech sought the ruine of Israel therefore God would have him utterly ruin'd when judgements are generall sinnes are grievous 5. Open sins involve not only themselves but those are dearest to them into open destruction The antients offered Incense to Idols the women wept for Tammuz others worshipped the Sun and these brought famine and sword not only upon themselves but upon the young maids and little children which were free from those sinnes the parents sins ruin'd the children and wrap'd them up in an open and publique calamity Corah Dathan and Abiram rebell against Moses and the earth swallowed up them their houses and all belonged to them Numb 16.31 32. The Sodomites sins
have shem punished When Ahab had murthered Naboth 1 Kings 21. this message was sent unto him In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogges licke thy blood even thine vers 19. and it was made good Chap. 22.38 2 K. 9.26 10. Gods judgments are as extensive as sinners sins they must slay not only Sanctuary-sinners but City-sinners they had sin'd every where the Land was full of violence and now the Land City Sanctuary were full of bloody men and bloody judgements and as they had fil'd all with sinne so they must fill all with slain ones When sins are generall judgements are answerable Isa 8.8 speaking of the King of Assyria it 's said he shall passe through Judah he shall overflow and goe over he shall reach unto the necke and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadths of thy land This is spoken of Senacherib who like a flood over all the land came up to the necke viz. Jerusalem but Nebuchadnezzar came not only up to the neck to Jerusalem but into it and overflowed the head he drowned all in blood where there was no mark there was no mercy to be shewed 11. God after long forbearing is intense upon and speedy in his judgements observe the phrases in these verses which shew it Goe ye through the City spare none slay utterly begin at my Sanctuary defile the house fill the courts with the slain goe ye forth These expressions set out the bent and intensivenesse of Gods spirit in this work he would have his executioners hasten about it and dispatch all out of hand 12. Gods instruments do readily obey his commands of what nature soever they be here they are appointed to harsh bloody services to destroy utterly all sorts and conditions of men women children without pitty and they went forth and slew in the City God commanded and they presently obey'd not holinesse of the place multitude of persons to be destroyed or danger of mistaking the mark'd ones did retard them VERS 8. And it came to passe while they were slaying them and I was left that I fell upon my face and cryed and said Ah Lord God wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in the pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem THis verse is the second generall head of the Chapter and contains the Prophets intercession for Israel when he saw what bloody doings was in the Temple and City by the slaughter-Angels he is affected therewith he cannot hold but falls down and cryes out Ah Lord God c. In the verse you may consider 1. The occasion of the Prophets interceding or moving cause thereof which is double 1. The peoples slaughter 2. His owne solitarinesse I was left 2. The circumstances or adjuncts thereof which are 1. Falling upon his face 2. Crying 3. The intercession it selfe where you have 1. A patheticall invocation of God Ah Lord God 2. An efficatious deprecation of judgement wilt thou destroy all the residue c. For opening of the words 1. We must enquire how the Prophet here saith I was left There were many seal'd and spar'd which makes the difficulty Some think the Septuagint passed by these words and left them out left they should seem contrary to what went before Theodoret adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was left alone but the Hebrew is I was left 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For understanding of this phrase you may take notice that its usuall in Scripture when great destructions are to say few or none are left Judg. 4.16 All the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword and there was not a man left yet Sisera if no others was fled So in 1 Kings 19.14 Elijah saith They have slain thy Prophets with the sword and I even I onely am left when there were 7000. that bowed not their knees to Baal If this satisfie not 2. I was left That is left with the seal'd ones all were destroyed besides or 3. Of these in the Temple or belonging to it I was left Our Prophet saw them all slain and the slaughter-men were gone out into the City and there they were destroying and as they had spared none in the Temple so he might feare there would be few spared in the City and so safely say I am left That they in the Temple were not spar'd appeares thus they were not seal'd and all such were to suffer the destroyers commission was not to come neare the mark'd ones but to slay without pitty all others And besides the man that mark'd them was bid to goe through the City and mark there not to come at the Temple at all there were none to be mark'd there they practised justified abhominations they did not mourn for them Those had to doe with the holy things were most unholy and suffered in the Temple yet it 's not safe to think or say that all the Leviticall race were cut off at this time and in this place for Jer. 52.24 Seraiah the chiefe Priest and Zephaniah the 2d Priest and three keepers of the door with others were carryed to the King of Babylon and put to death in Riblath I fell upon my face Falling upon the face in order to prayer notes great sorrow and humiliation Numb 14.5 when the people would make a Captaine and return to Aegypt Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the Assembly they were deeply affected with that evil So Moses when hee heard what Corah and those of his faction said he fell upon his face Numb 16.4 And Joshuah when Israel fell through Achans sin he fals to the earth upon his face prayes Chap. 7.6 Sometimes they stood and prayed 1 Kings 8.22 Sometimes fitting Neh. 1.4 So Christ sitteth at the right hand of God and makes intercession for us Sometimes kneeling Dan. 6.10 Sometimes prostrate upon their faces as here and when it comes to this posture it argues great griefe and sorrow as in Christ Matth. 26.38 My soule is exceeding sorrowfull And v. 39. He fell on his face and prayed So Ezekiel being fill'd with sorrow that all sorts were now a slaying that no mercy must be shewed he falls upon his face and cries out Ah Lord God The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a token of griefe and used in such cases as they cryed out for griefe Jer. 1.6.4.10 and is sometime exprest by alas Josh 7.7 Judg. 6.22 Joel 1.15 Sometimes by woe as Ezek. 30.2 Woe worth the day where it 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These be two chiefe names of the most High the one noting his Dominion the other his Essence the Prophet had an eye to these seeing God about to destroy as if hee should have said thou hast being of thy selfe and hast given being to these thou that art Soveraign over all and canst call backe the destroyers ah Lord God doe it It s Jehovih not Jehovah and some observe
8.3 Hee hath in this tenth Chapter a vision much like that mentioned in the first Chapter yet with some difference as will appear in the opening Three things chiefly are observable in this Chapter 1. The scattering of burning coales over the City Jerusalem which some call the vision of coales v. 2 3.6 7. 2. The Lords change of his place 4.18 19. 3. A description of the Cherubims in the 5.8 9 10 c. The scattering of the coales is specified in the 2d vers and prefigured the burning of Jerusalem and this is set out to us 1. From the Author commanding who is the Lord in the 〈◊〉 vers 1. 2. From the instrument acting the man cloathed with linnen vers 2. 3. From the command it selfe where we have 1. The place whither he was to goe in between c. 2. What to doe 1. Fill his hand with coales of fire 2. Scatter them over the City 4. The execution of the command vers 2.6 7. He went and this is illustrated 1. From the witnesse thereof Ezekiel in my sight 2. From the place where the Cherubims stood on the right side of the house v. 3. 3. From the event the cloud fill'd the inward Court Ibid. 4. From the manner of conveying of the fire vers 7. A Cherubim put forth his hand tooke fire and put into the hand of him cloathed with linnen In the first vers the Majesty and greatnesse of him commands is set out 1. By the Firmament above 2. By the Cherubims underneath 3. By a throne which was of Saphir In the first Chap. 22. hath been spoken of the firmament Rachiah from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to extend expand expansum because stretched out over the whole earth The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of it's strength and firmenesse not melted or changed by its motion This firmament the footstool of the Lord was over the head of the Cherubims Cherubims This word is not in the first vision Chap. 1. there they are cal'd the living creatures here Cherubims which is evidence that they are the same and may strengthen the interpretation given to be of the Angels There is a difference between the words Chap. 1.22 where it 's said the firmament upon the heads of the living creature And the words here which are the firmament that was above the head of the Cherubims there its living creature and heads here its Cherubims and head which may mind us of their onenesse and consent in judgement and operations If there be heads it s but as one living creature acts from those heads if there be Cherubims they have all but as one head Why are they cal'd Cherubims here and not living creatures as before I suppose the reason is this The former vision was at Chebar in the open field by a rivers side this was in the Temple where the Cherubims were 1 Kings 8.6 7. and so that notion suited with them there 2. In Babylon a prophane land the Prophet sees living creatures he had a generall and confus'd apprehension of them but when he is in the Temple he hath a more cleare and distinct knowledge of them Hence you have this note The Lord did more clearely make known himselfe and mysteries in the holy land then in other places Psal 76.1 In Judah is God knowne more fully and familiarly then elsewhere A vision in Babylon is not so cleare as a vision in Sion Psalm 29.9 In his Temple doth every one speake of his glory A saphir stone Jerome derives it from shaphar pulcher because these stones are faire and pleasant to the eyes Coelesti Colore conspicui sunt Ruens The Saphir notes 1. Liberty Exod. 24.10 God appeared to them with a paved work of Saphir under his feet when the Israelites were going from bondage to liberty 2. Purity therefore it s brought in a foundation stone of the new Jerusalem Rev. 21.19 3. Of chastity Cant. 5.14 Christs belly is overlaid with Saphirs and his Spouse must be chast 4. Glory greatnesse among the Aegyptians the chiefe Priests being Judges wore a Saphir about their necks these and some other particulars were spoken of in the first Chapter vers 26. Throne A Throne is a seate of Majestie and belonging to Kings and great Governours John 3.6 2 King 11.19 Neh. 3.7 and therefore 1. are call'd Kingly Dan. 5.20 and put for Kingdom Prov. 20.28 for government Heb. 1.8 2. Glorious Isa 22.23 and hence are put for Angels Col. 1.18 for heaven Acts 7.49 for great dignity Job 36.7 Here it notes a seate of judgement according to that in Psalm 122.5 There are set thrones of judgement Here was a Throne of judgement set and that of Saphir holding out the Majestie power and greatnesse of him sate in it who was in a readinesse to give out sentence against Jerusalem The Firmament Cherubims Saphire Throne are mentioned but not he sate in it that one was in it is evident from the next vers He spake unto the man cloathed c. that was hee in the Throne In the first vision one like the appearance of the Sonne of man was in the Throne and because no such appearance is here it s conceived to be Jehovah Obser 1. The Lord is King and hath Kingly power he hath a throne and Isa 66.1 Heaven is my Throne And hee sitteth King for ever Psal 29.10 He hath a double Throne 1. A throne of justice Psal 9.7 Hee hath prepared his throne for judgement and this throne is terrible Dan. 7.9 10. It 's like a fiery flame and sends out a fiery stream to scorch and consume delinquents The law is cal'd a fiery law Deut. 33.2 and the breath of him sits in this throne its fire and kindles upon those appeare before it unquencheablie 2. A throne of mercy and grace Heb. 4.16 no sinners dye before this throne they may come boldly to it and finde yea obtaine mercy and grace to help in time of need Jerusalem was at the throne of justice and coals of fire were giving out to burn her to ashes 2. His throne is the chiefest of thrones it s in the Firmament Psal 11.4 The Lords throne is in heaven it s above all thrones he hath Angels men and Dâ—vils under his command the Cherubims heads were under the firmament whereon his throne was those immortall and glorious spirits He is King of nations Jer. 10.7 Of all the earth Psal 47.7 A great King above all gods Psalm 95.3 They have their expansums over their heads of some rich stuffe which shewes their subjection to some other but it s otherwise with God he is above the expansum Hee is the blessed and only potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6.15 3. The Lord who hath so glorious a throne is much more glorious himselfe his throne is saphirine very beautiful like the colour of the heavens If an earthly throne be a throne of glory as Hannah stiles it 1 Sam. 2.8 what is this
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby God was propitious unto them and so was ignis reconciliatorius but this fire here is mentioned in opposition to such an effect and was ignis exitialis a destructive fire like that went out from the Lord and destroyed Nadab and Abihu It sets out Gods wrath which is frequently in Scripture expressed by fire Fill thy hand Hee must not take a coale or two but his hand full neither one hand but both for the word is in the duall number and notes the hollow of the hands the most capacious parts those he must fill 3. And scatter them over the City He must take his hands full of coales and what then not keep them in his hands but scatter them not upon a house or two one street or two but over the whole City Gods intentions was to destroy the City by fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and here it s represented to Ezekiel by coales and those scattered over the City the Hebrew is emphaticall This part of the vision with that in Ezek. 9.4.15 where Christ is brought in marking the mourners and here scatering the coals of fire over Jerusalem seems to represent the double comming of Christ 1. That comming of his in mercy when he tooke our nature upon him and sought out that was lost heal'd the broken hearted preached deliverance to the Captives set them at liberty were bruised and refreshed those were weary and heavy laden 2. His comming in judgement which will be in flames of fire to take vengeance on them that know not God then Christ will come with both his hands full of fire 2 Pet. 3.10.12 and scatter those coales all the world over and set it on fire and sentence the reprobate to eternall fire God looks upon and after the things of the world Obser 1. the ways of men what ever the thoughts of men are concerning him In Chap. 9. vers 9. They said the Lord had forsaken the earth the Lord sees not but here you may see he saw the wheels all the motions of things in the world and especially at Jerusalem where they thought themselves secure the Lord saw into their hearts knew their thoughts and heard their atheisticall speeches 2. Christ receives authority and commission from the Father for what he doth He in the Throne said to the man cloathed goe John 5.19 The Sonne can doe nothing of himselfe And v. 22. The Father hath committed all judgement to the Son Hee hath the keyes of hell and death in his hand Rev. 1.18 and they were put into his hand Matth. 28.18 All power in heaven and earth is given unto me 3. The Cherubims or Angels have power over the wheels they move not of themselves they are under the Cherubims under their command at their disposing Angels have great interest in the affairs of the world there are scarce any naturall motions but they have influence into them winds tempests thunders earth-quakes plagues famines so for other wheels in Kingdomes and Churches which have voluntary motions as wars tumults divisions changes c. these be not accidentall casuall but have superior agents 4. The Lord doth use the Ministery of Angels in the execution of his judgements especially his fiery judgements The fire was between the Cherubims God had given them charge of the fire and they were to kindle a fire in Jerusalem You heard in Chap. 9. of the 6. Angels that had their slaughter-weapons and were sent out of God to destroy utterly man woman maid and child they are ready to execute his judgements they are flames of fire Heb. 2.7 and its suitable to them to be employed in fiery judgements 5. The Lord Christ hath power over the Angels and all inferiour creatures the Cherubims are over the wheels and Christ is over them and the wheels too he goes in between the wheels and takes fire that is between the Cherubims Let services of what nature soever be in the hands of the creatures men or Angels Christ can step in and do what the Father hath appointed over-rule the motions of the highest and lowest wheels of the noblest or meanest creatures 6. Christ hath variety of dispensations hee is a dispenser of judgment as well as mercy he dispenseth the favours of the Father and the wrath of the Father In Chap. 9. he marks the mourners and here he scatters coals of fire He represents severall persons sometimes the same man hath sate in Parliament hath been a Warriour in the fields a Father in the family and acted answerably A Steward provides for those in the family and punisheth those are Delinquents in it So Christ is sometimes upon the Throne doing acts of mercy sometimes acts of justice and sometimes he is off the Throne acts as a servant 7. When the Lord is wrath with a people and intends judgments he turns those creatures have been very comfortable and usefull unto them to a terrour unto them Fire what a necessary what a refreshing creature is it and now fire must be taken to fire their City to burn down all that through the help of fire was built they had abused fire to maintain their gluttony for fulnesse of bread was one of their sins they burnt Incense to Idiot and abused the Altar fire which had been the greatest refreshing to their soules their sacrifices were by fire and were consumed by fire they had acceptance with God attonement was made and now even this fire kindled upon them 8. Terrible judgements are in the hand of Christ and come out from him Fill thy hand with coales and scatter them over the City This is spoken humanitus not that Christ tooke coals but hee hath that is analogous unto coales fiery vertue creative power of any dreadfull judgements When Christ said to the man had not on the wedding garment friend how c. take him bind him hand and foote cast him into utter darkenesse this was dreadfull In Chap. 1.27 and Chap. 8.2 Christ appeared like a man of fire And Rev. 1.14 15. Christs eyes and feete were like unto fire in the two first places hee was in a way of judgement against Jerusalem in the last against the Churches had fiery judgements in his hand They are in his power to produce to encrease to order and moderate he can make a judgement terrible and fiery continue it as long as he pleases He hath fire in his hand and can scatter it when and where he pleases hee scattered it upon Jerusalem here upon it afterward when Titus besieged it he scattered fire upon the Jewes which consumes and wasts them to this day he scattered fire upon the 7. Churches which dissolv'd them and hath he not scattered coales of contention and warre among us which burn and consume us daily and threaten the foundations of Church and State We may think its this man and that man that throws the coals but its Christ doth it Luke 12.49 I am come to send fire on the earth
remembred Chap. 9.5 6. the commission given to the slaughtering Angels to be without pitty to slay old and young maids women children and now seeing the judgement begun upon Pelatiah he knew not but that it might proceed to the destruction of all and he therefore saith ah Lord God c. Hee had received in this vision much matter for prophesie which was not yet given out and hereupon seeing Pelatiah smitten he cryed out so Q. 6. should not Ezek. have rejoyced in the death of Pelatiah Ps 58.10 The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance Did not he neglect a duty and so offend seeing he wept and mourned A. We are to rejoyce at the ruine of the wicked Exod. 15. when Pharoah and his hoast were drowned in the red Sea and Aegypt howling for their losse then Moses and the Israelites sang unto the Lord when Sisera was slain Baruch and Deborah sang to the Lord Judg. 5. and Solomon layeth it down for a maxime Prov. 11.10 When the wicked perish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cantus exultatio ovatio there is shouting great joy The Saints may rejoyce at the deaths of wicked ones be they naturall or violent 1. As it sets out the glory of his justice hee hath threatned sinners in his word when he executes his threats upon them gives them according to the nature of their sin then his justice is glorious 2. As way hereby is made for the spreading of truth inlargment of the Gospell and Kingdome of Christ 3. As their death tends to the clearing of the godly David was suspected yea accused by Nabal to be some run-agate 1 Sam. 25.10 God smites Nabal with death v. 38. when David heard it he blesseth God for it that he had pleaded the cause of his reproach from the hand of Nabal and returned his wickednesse upon his head v. 39. 4. As by their deâ—th the godly gain liberty so when Haman was hanged and his 10. sonnes and other enemies of the Jewes put to death they feasted and rejoyced Est 9.19 They were freed from their vexations oppressions cruelties plots 5. As there is a stop made to wickednesse Prov. 21.11 When the scorner is punished the simple is made wise Sinne ceaseth in the scorner being cut off and others cease their wickednesse and grow wise by their stroak Now Pelatiah's ill counsell example power and what ever he had to promote iniquity withall ceased So then we may rejoyce upon those grounds but not out of any private respect or revengefull apprehension But there is also matter of griefe and mourning God delights not in the death of a sinner neither should any godly man As therefore Pelatiah was a wicked man dyed in his sinnes was suddenly cut off ran a hazard of his eternal condition so it was matter of mourning Our Prophet therefore might rejâ—yce upon the grounds first mentioned and mourn upon these last named but as I hinted in the former qâ—estion he looked beyond this one man to the state of Israel Obser 1 How dreadfull Gods judgements are upon evill Counsellors and scoffers though never so great Pelatiah a Prince of the people gave ill counsell in the Citie scoffed at the Prophesie of Jeremie this Citie the cauldron and we are the flesh and here God smites him The dreadfulnesse of the judgement is seene in four things 1. In that hee smites his life not his estate not his liberty not his near friends not any limb but his life he smote him in that was dearest of all his life with that was most feared of all death the King of fears 2. It was sudden When judgements are sudden they note severity Deut. 7.4 when Gods wrath is kindled and kindled very hot against idolatry who expresses the heat and severity of it this way he will destroy thee suddenly And Pro 6.14 15. A wicked man deviseth mischife soweth discord therefore shall his calamity come suddenly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suddenly shall he be broken without remedie Sudden judgements are unthought of such men are unprepar'd for here are two words to express suddenly pithom pethah quae rem maxime improvisam subitam denotant and therefore Isa 29.5 God tels Jerusalem that her judgement should be at an instant suddenly yea as sudden as thunder and lightning v. 6. And Chap. 30.12 Scoffers despisers of Gods word shal have momentanous judgements 13. Because they despised the word of God hee tels them their judgement should be as a swelling in a high wall whose breaking commeth suddenly at an instant Magnum est subito opprimi when judgements are graduall they are admonitorious and there is hope but when they are so sudden all hope is cut off and râ—medie prevented 3. Immediate from Gods hand it was the immediate hand of God upon him What ever is immediate from God mercie or judgement hath the more comfort or terrour in it In hell is immediate wrath from God and therefore it 's more dreadfull so when fire and brimstone came upon Sodom Gomorrah this made it so terrible that it was immediately from the Lord Gen. 19.24 When judgements come immediately from God they come with a greater weight of wrath upon them then others 4. It 's exemplary a great man a Prince of the people Great men have great sinnes and great judgements some men are not only hanged or beheaded but they are also quartered their heads and quarters are set up on the gates of Cities and made spectacles to all that passe by so here Pelatiah is made a spectacle of divine vengeance Solomon told us long since that judgements are prepared for scorners Prov. 19.29 and stripes for the backe of fools 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word for stripes imports graves percussiones quibus res quassatur contunditur such stripes as shiver and break a thing Ahitophel caused Absolom to goe in to his Fathers Concubines he gave him ill counsel against David 1 Sam. 16.17 Chap. and you know what a sad and dreadfull judgement befell him The Captainâ—s with their fifties scoffed at Elijah when they said thou man of God 2 Kings 1. thou sayest thou art a man of God and the foolish people thinke so of thee but we know thou art a deceiver and the King hath sent for thee come down or we will fetch thee down but before they could fetch him down he fetches down fire from heaven which consum'd these scoffâ—rs to ashes The children that mock'd the Prophet 42. 2 Kings 2. of them were torn in pieces by two shee bears Lucian falling off from Christianity grew a scoffer and said se nihil habere ex christianismo quam cum antea Lucius vocatus est nunc Lucianus vocaretur but Suidas tels us he was eaten up of dogs Julian would take away the Christians wealth and say that he took this ut centuplum juxta servatoris sui doctrinam reciperent but the Lord struck him from heaven and he dyed
blaspheming The story of Nightinghale is known which Mr. Fox relates how abusing that Scripture he that saith he hath no sin is a lyar and the truth is not in him he fel out of the Pulpit brake his necke Another making mouths at a godly Minister preaching had his mouth drawn greatly awry and so dyed One present in this congregation was an eye-witnesse of a woman scoffing at another for purity and walking holily had her tongue strucken immediately with the palsie and dyed thereof within two days Take heed of jeering and scoffing the penitent Thiefe was admitted into Paradise when the scoffing one was sent to hell 2. Princely and high conditions are quickly laid in the dust Pelatiah a Prince of the people in great honour all things about him as heart could wish likely to have continu'd long here is brought in a dead corps there is no certainty in any condition Acts 12. Dan. 5. Exod. 14. how suddenly was Herod eaten of worms Nebuchadnezzar driven from his Palace and Pharoah drowned in the bottom of the sea 1 Thes 5.3 When they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction c. And Christ said yee know not what houre the Lord will come watch So we know not what hour death will come therefore let us watch The Papists call upon St. Christopher to keep them from sudden death let us call upon Christ to prepare us for and preserve us in death 3. God sometimes meetes with wicked men when his Ordinances are dispensing When I prophecyed then Pelatiah dyed it was at the time of prophesie when the word is preached other Ordinances administred then doth God smite sinners sometimes present at the Ordinance and sometimes absent as Pelatiah was Ezek. 37.7 As I prophecyed there was a noise and behold a shaking and the bones came together This was done as he prophecyed there was great vertue and efficacy in his words so here when he prophecyed a noyse was heard and behold a shaking Pelatiah shakes and shakes to pieces the power of Ezekiels prophesie in Babylon slayes Pelatiah at Jerusalem There is a converting power in the Word which converts when men are present but there is a wounding and confounding power in it also when men are absent and present When the Apostles preached sometimes the holy Ghost fell upon men Acts 10.44 and sometimes heavy judgements Elimas the sorcerer is smitten blind Ananias and Saphira are strucken dead if not in the time of the Ordinance yet immediately thereupon Jeroboam thrusts out his hand to take hold of the Prophet which prophecyed against the Altar at Bethel and his hand was dryed up 1 K. 13. When Paul was preaching Eurichus sleeps falls downe and is taken up dead Acts 20.9 at that time he fell down when the ordinance was dispensing and certainly when the servants of God doe preach and prophecy against sinners present or absent sometimes God smites them Hos 6.5 I have hewed them by the Prophets the word was an axe in their mouths and every time they prophecyed judgement they hewed the state and particular persons 1 Kings 19.17 They escape the sword of Hazâ—el and Jehu shall Elisha slay how by his prophecying and preaching This God doth to put honour upon his word that so men may feare respect his Ordinances and take heed how they heare 4. Not only judgements themselves are to be observed but the circumstances of them also When I prophecyed then Pelatia dyed he notes the time in a speciall manner Circumstances of time place person do adde much weight to the judgments of God and truth of a story here you have all the time when Ezekiel prophecyed the place the doore of the Eastern gate of the Temple at Jerusalem v. 1. the name Pelatiah These adde strength to the judgements and prophesie Circumstances commend mercies and aggravate judgements to be smitten when the Prophet was prophecying against him sets out the judgement with life and terrour Circumstances help to serue the thing into the heart and to fasten it upon the memory the time of things is much mentioned in the word be it of sins Jer. 11.15 When thou dost evill then thou rejoycest or of mercies when Manasseh was brought back to Jerusalem then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God 2 Chron. 33.13 or of judgements Judg. 5.8 They chose new gods then was warre in the gates Numb 11.33 While the flesh was between their teeth ere it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and he smote them with a great plague So Dan. 4.30 While the word was in the Kings mouth the voyce was heard thy Kingdome is departed from thee And Dan. 2.5 Whiles Belshazzar tasted wine in the bowles of the Temple in the same houre came forth fingers that writ letters of death upon the wall And of Vzziah it 's said then he was wroth and whiles hee was so the leprosie even rose up in his forehead 2 Chron. 26.19 The Prophets observed the times of Gods giving out the threatnings and the times of execution 5. Holy and good men feare when the judgements of God fall heavily and suddenly upon wicked men Psal 52.6 When Gods hand should fall upon Doeg saith David the righteous shall see and feare what shall they see to make them feare the glory and power of God in executing justice in cutting off delinquents Psalm 9.16 The Lord is knowne by the judgements hee executeth known to be most powerfull glorious dreadfull he is present in them and the godly have eyes to see much of him When Angels appeared Gideon a man of valour and others feared much more when God appears in thunder lightning in sudden and grievous judgements there is cause of feare When Vzzah was smitten with a sudden stroak David was affraid of the Lord 2 Sam. 6.9 this might occasion that in the 119. Ps 120. My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am affraid of thy judgements Gods judgements are now abroad and not only wicked men but good also are cut down suddenly Let us fear and not only that but doe as the Prophet and other holy men did at such a time Isa 26.8 9. Let us wait for God let the desire of our soules be to his name let us desire him in the night seeke him early with our spirits for now is the time that the inhabitants of the world should learn righteousnesse 6. Suddain or great judgements doe put the Saints and servants of God upon humble earnest and argumentative prayer humble Then fell I down upon my face earnest and cryed with a loud voyce argumentative Ah Lord God wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel Judgements look'd upon by the Saints are of an humbling nature prompt them with arguments to wrestle with God and that earnestly Josh 7.5 6 7 8 9. 7. When God begins judgements with some are wicked among them the godly look upon it as an inlet to publique misery wilt thou
And David professeth he had seene God in the Sanctuary Ps 63.2 God would be a Sanctuary to them in this sense they should have his special presence he had left the Temple at Jerusalem the glory was gone and now he was with them in Babylon Ezekiel had the Heavens opened to him by the River Chebâ—r saw visions of God God did manifest himselfe in a speciall manner to him and to Daniel even in Babylon God had no Church elsewhere and now he was with his people there and calls them his flock foure times in one v. Ezek. 34.8 and twelve times his flocke in the whole Chapter 3. Acceptance in the Temple and sanctuary their persons and prayers were accepted there Hence was it that they freequented the Temple so much for prayer Acts 3.1 Luke 18.10 And that David intimates Ps 20.3 that the Offerings and Sacrifices in the Temple were accepted He heard my voyce out of his Temple Ps 18.6 So Jer. 6.20 When they had corrupted the worship of God he tells them there burnt Offerings were not acceptable nor their Sacrifices sweet before they were and the Prophesie is Isa 60.7 That they shall come with acceptance to Gods Altar Where his Altar was setled there was the acceptance this they had likewise in Babylon When Daniel made his prayer to God for himselfe and his People Chap. 9. Gabriel comes and tells him he was greatly beloved of God a man of desires So when Mordecai and Esther fasted their persons and prayers were regarded accepted in Babylon 4. Incouragement and helpe Ps 20 2. Helpe came from the Sanctuary and strength from Sion Strength and beautie are in his Sanctuary Ps 96.6 There they had councell to direct them Ordinances to Sanctifie them and promises to comfort them These they should not want in Babylon God would be to them such a Sanctuary as should afford them helpe Therefore he stirred up the Spirit of Jeremiah to write to the captives and to counsell them what to doe Jer 29.5 6.7 Build you houses and dwell in them plant Gardens and eat the fruit of them take Wives beget Sonnes and Daughters and take wives for your Sonnâ— and give your Daughters to Husbands that they may beare Sonnes and Daughters that yee may be increased there and not diminished And seeke the peace of the City whether I have caused you to be carryed away Captives and pray unto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall yee have peace And God gave them prophets in Babylon Though they had no materiall Temple to worship God in yet God would sanctifie them and give them grace to worship him metu interno Ezekiel and Daniel by whom he counseld them from tyme to time some Ordinances they had what they wanted God made up himselfe being a speciall Sanctuary unto them he also made Babylon an ordinance to cleanse them and for promises they had many divers in this Chapt. and others as the 34. the 36. Which is full of sweet gracious and comforting promises A little Sanctuary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some take this word Adverbially and render it Paulisper So Polanus Junius and Castal God would be a Sanctuary to them a little time and so to point out the shortnesse of the time they should be in Babylon and thereby to comfort them against their Captivity 70 Yeares was not long and all that time they should have God a Sanctuary Others take the word adjectively Sanctuarium parvum or modicum so Montanus Pisc the Vulgar and the French Why his expression is layd downe a little Sanctuary we must inquire 1. In opposition to that they had at Jerusalem that was very beautifull rich and glorious set in Ivorie Ezek. 7. â—0 eyed of all resorted unto by all the Jewes and famous throughout the Earth God would be a Temple to them but not such a materiall conspicuous Temple You think upon that great glorious Temple are troubled for it I will be a little Temple to you 2. Little in regard of the paucitie that were there you are but a feâ— and a little Temple will suffice you Vatab. hath it Templum paucâ—rum Here they have no great Congregations but Exiguae domunculae supersunt in quibus congregatis adero Aecolamp and Calviâ— Sanctuarium paucitatis many fell to the wayes of the Heathens being mingled with them they learned their wayes and served their gods few were godly 3. In regard of the hidden vertue power and goodnesse conveyed unto them which Babilonish eyes saw not they thougth their God had wholly forsaken them d d nothing for them but he was an invisible spirituall wonderfull and strange Sanctuary unto them all which was little to that they had in their owne Land there they had mercy more openly and more plentifully Will bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et fui I have beene a little Sanctuary and will be Ps 69.11 I became a Proverb to them the word is Vaaebi I have been its future yet rendered in the preter tense and so much it sheweth here that God had been and would be a Sanctuary to his people in Babylon Obser 1 The harsh dealing of wicked and corrupt men with the godly occasions God to give out comfortable tru hs and promises unto them they at Jerusalem that were very evil said get yee farr from the Lord unto us is this Land given in possession therefore say thus saith the Lord c. because they spake so bitter therefore God speaks so comfortably because they rejected them denyed them to have to do with God or the land therfore God receives them tells them he will be a Sanctuary unto them When others beat the Child the Parents Bowells yerne especially if unjustly and shew the more kiâ—dâ—esse When Rabshakeh rayld against Hezekiah Gods People and blasphem'd from thence did the Lord take occasion to signifie by Isaiah to Hezekiah and the rest things very comfortable 2 Kings 19.6 Thus saith the Lord Be not affraid of the words which thou hast heard with which the servants of the King of Assyria have blasphemed me Behold I will send a blast upon him and he shall heare a rumor and returne to his owne Land and I will cause him to fall by the Sword in his owne Land God tooke a rise from the enemies blasphemies and rough proceedings against his people to give in promises of mercy to his and of destruction to them when the enemy had dealt barbarously with Rachell slaine and captiv'd her Children and she refused to be comforted because they were not hereupon the Lord steps in and saith Refraine thy voyce from weeping and thine eyes from teares for thy works shall be rewarded and they shall come againe from the Land of the enemy because they have destroyed thy Children therefore will I give thee Children because they are scattered abroad therefore they shall returne When the Pharisees had cast out the blind man Jesus sought him out found him and told him who he waâ—
bloody and bitter it were well there were no Sons of Esau in our days men bloody and bitter seeking the ruine of plaine hearted Jacobs If others by their rough speeches and dealings doe shew the hardnesse of their hearts let us by the softnesse of our tongues and bounty of our hands shew the tendernesse of our heartâ— Ephes 4.32 Be kind one to another tender hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you 8. It enterteines and reteines the motions and truths of Gods spirit a tender heart will not suffer the spirit to knock long at the doore Bereans received tke word with all readinesse of minde Acts 17.11 and then goe away grieved but it opens quickly and receives the message When the spirit came to Peter Acts 10.19 20. and bade him goe to Cornelius and Preach Christ unto him he went immediately When the Gospell was Preached to the Thessalonians in demonstration of the spirit it s sayd They received it with joy of the holy Ghost That joy of the holy Ghost may as well referre to the holy Ghost it selfe who rejoyced at their speedy receiving the word and spirit in it as to the Thessalonians who had joy wrought in them by receiving of the word 2 Cor. 3.3 the Corinthians had fleshy hearts and they are cald the Epistle of Christ and why because the spirit had writ the Gospell in them with ease Moses had much adoe to write the Law in the Tables of stone but the spirit did it easily in the fleshy Tables of their hearts those truths are written in the heart are held so fast that men will rather loose their lives then loose them Obser 1. A Tender heart is a choice and great mercy where this is the understanding is apprehensive of Divine things the Lord Christ who was without sin and so nothing but tendernesse was quick of understanding Isa 11.3 and the more free from sin our hearts are the quicker our understandings will be Mat. 13.15 Where there is a grosse and hard heart there is an un-understanding heart an unperceiving heart Mark 8.17 On the contrary where a tender heart is there is the clearest understandâ—ng The will is plyable to the truth of the Gospel Rom. 6 1â— Yee have obeyed from the heart that forme of Doctrine which was delivered you and into which yee were delivered The conscience is awake and will not indure the guilt of any sin to lye upon it Peter had sin'd but he goes out and weepes bitterly The affections are lively and stir much towards God David had a tender heart and how strongly did his affections stir after God Psal 42.1.2 As the heart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soule after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appeare before God Psa 63.8 My soule followeth hard after thee and the zeale of thy house c. It s that the Lord intends to write his whol will in Jer. 31.33 I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts first he will make them soft and then write in the Law and Gospell It receives discipline correction Jer. 5 3. Thou hast stricken them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder c. An hard heart doth not receive correction but a tender one doth 2. It is the gift of God he gives this tender heart unto us we can harden our hearts through sining but we cannot soften them being once hardned by any meanes we use Tendernesse of heart is a speciall grace so iâ— onenesse of heart newnesse of spirit and all these are from God who is stiled The God of all grace 1 Pet. 5.10 There is not any grace but what is from God he is the author of it In this case of an heart of flesh he puts his hand into the heart and pulls out the stone and puts in tendernesse He that can turne stones into children Mat. 3.9 is he that turnes stony hearts into flesh and this he doth freely there is no motive of his will Phil. 2.13 His working is of his good pleasure James 1.18 Of his owne will begat he us Not the pleasure of man or his will appeares in this worke God consults not with man about it but doth the work himself I will take away the stone c. It is exclusive and shuts out all Isa 44.3 I will poure floods upon dry ground hence those sweet promises Isa 41.18 I will open Rivers in high places and Fountaines in the mid'dst of the Valeys I will make the Wildâ—rnesse a poole of water and the dry Land springs of water I will plant in the windernesse the Cedar the shittah trees the mertle and the oyle tree I will set in the desart the firre tree the pine and the boxe tree together that they may see know consider understand together that the hand of the Lord hath done this and the holy one of Israel hath created it God softens the heart by dropping his word upon it Deut. 32.2 My doctrine shall drop at the raine c. By the blood of Christ by revealing his free grace c. VERS 20. That they may walke in my statutes and keepe mine Ordinances and doe them and they shall be my people and I will be their God c. HEre is the end of Gods grace and goodnesse towards them with an asserting of such to be his and his promise to be their God Obser God multiplies mercies when he is in a way of mercy when he is giving out promises he gives not one or two but many Jer. 31.33.34 There is an heape of promises so in Ezek. 36.25.26.27.28.29 There be eight or nine promises together Hos 14.4.5.6.7 Promise after promise is given out Isa 60. Is full of sweet promises one after another This is a sweet Subject to meditate upon but I come to open the words That they may walke Walking here is metaphoricall taken from the motion of the body moving by steps from place to place and is applyed to the conversation and life of man in a spirituall sense and imports progresse in the way of God Psal 119.1 In my statutes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word Chukkim notes rites pertaining to the Ceremoniall Law cald also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not onely â—o but Chukkim includes the whole Ceremoniall Law the Seaventie doe sometimes translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commandement which Mitzuoth properly signifies containing the Morrall Law or Tenne Commandements and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Deut. 4.40 They render Mitzuoth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Chukkim by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 2.15 Paul calls Chukkim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law of Commandements in Ordinances Mine Ordinances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mishphatim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judgements these some refer to the outwaâ—d policie of Israel their civill estate but statutes and
Sam. 12.22 When Heaven and Earth shake the Lord will be the hope of his people Joel 3.16 The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the place of repaire or harbour 3. It is free grace and favour that God doth take any people to be his and becometh a God unto people chuse not God he saith They shall be my people and I will be their God We are vile in our natures wicked in our works no lovelinesse or profitablenesse is in us or by uâ— Ezek. 16.5.6 When thy person was loathed and thou wast polluted in thy blood I sayd unto thee live There is nothing in a Nation that sets his heart a work to doe a people good it was not their greatnesse moved him Deut. 7.7 They were the fewest of all people nor their goodnesse for what was their father Abraham Josh 24.2.3 Terah Abraham and Nachor were idolaters they served other Gods saith the text and I took your Father Abraham so when God tooke his seed in Aegypt they were idolatrous Ezek. 20.5.6.7 There is no righteousnesse in people to moove God neither can any sin in them hinder God from putting forth acts of his free grace Dâ—u 32.10 Speaking of Israel he found him in a desart Land and in the wast howling Wildernesse to which some allusion may be Cant. 8.5 God found out and tooke this people in a wicked lost distressed condition and brought them out by his power and made them his people by his grace 1 Sam. 12.22 It pleased the Lord to make them his people 4. God doth not equally dispense his grace and favour some are his people and he is their God others are not many Nations were left when the Jewes were taken yea all other Nations Amos 3.2 You onely have I knowne of all the Families of the Earth The Lords favour fell upon the Jewes and not others Some infer from Gen. 22.18 In thy seed shall all Nations of the Earth be blessed that God loves all equally at that time he did not the words are a promise of what should be not of what was neither is it so now for if he lâ—ves all alike why doth he deny the means of grace to many Nation why doth he not blesse and make the same effectuâ—l equally to al where they are Besids such an opinion over â—â—ow Election Gods dominion over the Creatures and his freedome in dispensation of grace and mercy John 10.26 Acts 13.48 5. Those are the Lords have a strong ground to plead with God in prayer for any mercy Where is relation and intrest there is encouragement to aske if God be ours and we his surely we may plead with him for great things in our prayers The people of God did so of old Jer. 14.9 Psal 80.4 Isa 64.9 Deut. 9.26 2 Chron. 20.12 Chap. 14.11 VERS 21. But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their dteestable things and their abominations I will recompence their way upon their owne heads saith the Lord GOD. THis Verse is a threatning to those should persist in their evill wayes yet a comfort to the godly that the Lord would judge them and ease them of them Detestable things and abominations These words have been opened in the 18. vers and Chap. 5.11.7.20 Quorum cor ambulat ad cor Heart of their detestable things Hebrew is their heart going to the heart of their detestable things Aprez le desire de leur infametes Idolls have an interpretative desire to be worshipped Heart is sometimes put for the midst of a thing Exod. 15.8 The heart of the Sea Which is cald Ezek. 27.4 The midst of the Sea So their heart was in the midst of their Idols or amongst their Idols what was delightfull in them that was as the heart of the Idoll and their hearts were carryed thereunto Or thus you may take the words they conceiv'd some deity to be in their Idols and they labourd to please and doe those things delighted the heart of that deity Those rites ceremonies wayes whereby they worshipped their Idolls may be cald the heart of their detestable things It was a law among the Heathens that every God should be worshipped as he thought good and the way prescribed by him of worshipping was as the heart and life of the Idoll and the Idolatry I will recompence their way upon thtir owne heads Of these words see what hath been said Chap. 9.10 Chap. 7.3.4.8 That when the Lord makes gracious promises to a people Obser 1. they doe not refer to and fetch in all This Observation rises from the two former Verses this laid together God promises to give them onenesse newnesse tendernesse of heart he promiseth that he will be their God and they shall be his people These promises were absolute yet made good unto some of the Captives not unto all But as for them whose heart walketh after c. They should not come within the compasse of them Many promises of the Lord are delivered indefinitely without restriction and absolutely without condition and yet are made good onely to some even those are given of the father unto Christ many of these after the Captivity never had these promises made good unto them yet God was faithfull in that some had the fruit and comfort of them 2. Tares Hypocrites and naughty ones will be in the Church alwayes some had new spirits tender hearts and walkt in Gods Statutes others had old spirits hard hearts and walked after detestable things some threw away all abominable things and others there hearts went after them They comming out of Babilon and laying the foundation of a new Church it was probable that none but choice ones should have been of it or in it but their were Usurers Sabbath-breakers and such had mingled themselves with strange Wives Nehem. 5. 13. C ham was in the Aâ—ke Judas among the Apostles the Church abounded with Hypocrites in Christs dayes Matth. 13.30 there will be Tares among the Wheat to the end of the World 3. Afflictions great and long doe not sanctifie they were to be in Captivity and that seventy yeares yet after their returne the hearts of many would be carryed to their detestable things It s granted that after they came out of Babylon they never fell to Idolatry that is the body of them did not but doubtlesse some particulars did their hearts went to the heart of their detestable things when they saw some of the old Idols or relicks of them they were affected with them Affl ctions of themselves purge not out corruption nor take the heart off from evill things 4. Mens hearts are in false wayes and worship they take pleasure in superstitious and idolatrous practices Things invented by men and brought into the worship of God are pleasing to humane senses to carnall reason mens corruptions and so take their hearts when the Calfe was made Exod. 32.19 they were greatly affected with it and danced about it 1 Pet. 4.3 Lasciviousnesse
lust Wine revelling banquetting and Idolatries are joyned together False worship and false wayes of worship are set out by such expressions as shew their hearts were taken therewith Numb 15.39 Isa 57.5 Chap. 66.3 Acts 17.16 2 Kings 21.21 Psal 97.7 Ezek. 16.17 18 19 20. 5. That is an object of hatred to the godly is an object of delight unto the wicked in the 18. Verse when the godly should come to the Land againe they would take away all the detestable things but the wicked their hearts would goe after them The hearts of the one sort were for them of the other were against them 6. God takes notice which way the heart lookes how it stands affected As for them whose heart walketh after c. Ezek. 20.16 Chap. 33.31 in the 14 Chap. 3 4 7. thrice God observes They had set up Idolls in their hearts The heart is the principall thing in man that God calls for Prov. 23.26 and therefore he lookes after it Revel 2.23 All the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reines and the heart 7. Things men are much taken with are detestable in the sight of God they affected detestable things Luke 16.15 That is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination with God When men bring into his worship things of their owne he accounts it iniquity Exod. 20.5 and the Authors thereof haters of him 8. Superstitious and Idolatrous persons shall not goe unpunished I will recompence their wayes upon their heads when they had made a calfe quickly after 3000 were slaine for it and though Moses mediated for them yet God tells Moses that in the day he visits he will visit their sin upon them Exod. 32.35 And verse the last The Lord plauged the people because they made the calfe which Aaron made God is jealous and cannot indure his glory should be given to another 9. When ever God punisheth or whom ever he punisheth he is just in his punishment I will recompence their way upon their owne head They shall have the fruit of their owne labours and its certaine thus saith the Lord you thinke your selves safe if vou can avoyd my stroke that your false gods shall secure you but it shall not be I will recompence your wayes upon your heads God may punish men sometimes lesse then they deserve but never more he is just and returnes their owne doing upon them Psal 7.16 VERS 22. Then did the Cherubims lift up their wings and the wheeles besides them and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above HEre begins the fifth part of the Chapter which is a further description of the Lords leaving the City The Cherubims wheeles and glory were at the East gate of the Temple Chap. 10.19 where you have the very words of this Verse Cherubims note out Angels and superiour causes Wheeles inferiour things with the motions of them and by the glory of the God of Israel is meant either the glorious Lord himselfe or somâ— visible signe of his glorious presence Obser All things are under the God of Israel he hath the eminence he is above wheeles and Angells are under him at his dispose if he give out the word the Cherubims move lift up their wings and order the wheeles VERS 23. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City and stood on the mountain which is on the East side of the City HEâ—e you have Gods departure from the City To leave the Temple was greivous had he staid at the gates of it or in the City it selfe any where within the wals it had been mercy but he leaves the East gate which he calls the midst of the City and goeth forth unto the mountain which shewed God would now expose the City to the fury and spoyle of the Babylonians The glory of the Lord. Of this see before Chap. 10.4.18.19 Chap. 9.3 Chap. 8.4 Chap. 3.23 And stood upon the mountain There were many mountains about Jerusalem Psal 125.2 It was compassed about with them the mountaine which the glory went to and stood upon was mount Olivet or mount Olives Zach. 14.4 This mountain was before Jerusalem on the East and the glory of the Lord stood before at the East gate whence it removed and went up this mountaine for it was high and had ascents 2 Sam. 15.30 The standing of the glory upon this mountain may be eyther to see the ruine and destruction of the City and so to weepe over it as Christ did upon or neare the same mount Luke 19. or Secondly to upbraid them for their wickednesse there because they did abominable things in that mount whence it was cald the mount of corruption 2 K. 23.13 or Thirdly to make it typicall to represent the â—scending of Christ to Heaven which was from that place Acts 1.12 These things being granted yet I conceive there was somewhat else in it The glory of God had made severall stands before which they had not much minded now it goeth from the Temple and City to an high conspicuous mountain that they might take notice of Gods departure repent of their sins and use all possible meanes for recalling recovering and keeping the glory with them and Zach. 14.4 The promise is of returning and standing upon the same mount God is unwilling to forsake that people he hath vouchsafed his presence Obser 1. and communicated his favour unto no people in the World had God so nigh them as this people Deut. 4.7 Here God goeth out of the City but not quite away nor quite out of sight he steps to the mountain over against the City Before he had removed to the side of the Temple then from within the Temple to the threshould after that to the East gate and from thence â—o mount Oliv â— and God pauzed at every stand whether he should goe any further The Lord is loath to leave hâ—s people they put him upon it Ezek. 8.6 Seest thou the great abominations that they commit here that I should goe farre off from my Sanctuary they forced God out of all wheâ—as seeing him upon the leaving them thâ—y should have purg d the Sanctuary from all Idolls and false worship and have importun'd the Lord to stay among them when a frieâ—d is lâ—aving his freinds what intreaties what teares many times are used to stay him Acts 21.12.13 Jer. 14.7.8.9 2. God is not tyed so to any place or people buâ— when they grow wicked and defile his worship he may leave them and thâ— place where he hath recorded his name Mount Sion God hâ—d chosen above all places to dwell there Psal 132.14 This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it For ever is a long timâ— in Scripture sense and God had dwelt a long time with them but now the time was come of his departure now the holy Temple holy City holy people were all prophanenes unto him they had corrupted his worship polluted themselves and therefore
they said What doest thou God mindes the Servants he imployes there words and actions shall not be in vain He makes speedy inquiry here after all In the morning came the word of the Lord unto me saying Sonne of man hath not the house of Israel said unto thee c. If they understood them not it was their duty to come to the Prophet for resolution and his duty to resolve them VERS 10 11 12 13 14. Say thou unto them Thus saith the Lord God This burden concerneth the Prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel that are among them Say I am your signe as I have done so shall it be done unto them they shall remoove and goe into captivity And the Prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twylight and shall goe forth they shall dig thorow the wall to carry out thereby he shall cover his face that he see not the ground with his eyes My net also will I spread upon him and he shall be taken in my snare and I will bring him to Babylon to the Land of the Chaldaeans yet shall he not see it though he shall die there And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to helpe him and all his bands and I will draw out the Sword after them IN these Verses you have the application of the type to the Prince and all the house of Israel which is in generall laid downe in the 10. Verse then the common calamity of both in the 11. Verse They shall goe into captivity Then a more speciall application of it to the King in the 12. 13. Verses where his bearing stuffe upon his shoulder his flight digging through the wall and covering his face are set downe together with his apprehension excaecation deportation into Babylon and death there This burden Hâ—mmassa from Nasa to lift up a word so rich in signification and efficacy Vt vix centum aliarum linguarum verbis explicentur ejus divitiae Pradus it may be rendered this burdensome doctrine or prophecy which these types doe speak by burden is meant the typicall signe of captivity which was a burden to the Prophet to act to open unto them a burden to them to hear and especially to bear grievous prophesies are cald burdens in scripture Nabum 1.1 Hab. 1.1 so Isa 15.1.17.1.19.1 The Prince It was Zedekiah a wicked and timerous King the Hebrew is Hannasi from Nasi to lift up either because he is lift up above the people or should populi onera levare ease and lighten the greivances of the people as they in Exod. 18.22 But if they grow tyrannicall and impose heavy burdens upon the people the Lord hath a burden for them as here Zedekiah must dig through the wall carry forth on his shoulder flye c. This you may see fullfill'd Jer. 52.7.8.9.10.11 Where you have his flight mentioned the Chaldaeans persuit and apprehension of him his carrying to Riblath where his eyes were put out and after to Babylon where he dyed Say I am the signe c. This relates to the few in Babylon they conceiv'd there should no judgemtnt befall Jerusalem nor the men there by this typicall worke of the Prophet the Lord shewes them their error that it should not be well with them at Jerusalem its true they condemne you for remooving into Babylon and justifie themselves that they are the onely people righteous and acceptable unto me and therefore are safe in Jerusalem but you shall see and they shall know how vaine and foolish their thoughts and reasonings are as I have dealt with you so will I doe by them they shall be made Câ—ptives very speedily and meet with sorer judgements then you did My net alsa will I spread upon him and he shall be taken in my snare These words you have again in the 17. Chap. 20. Verse The Chaldaeans here are likned unto Fisher men who usually dwell by the water sides now Babylon was among the waters Euphrates and Tygris running by it or through it hence Jer. 51.13 O thou that dwellest upon many waters Therefore fitly are they compar'd to Fisher-men and the Armie was the net a net spreads abroad compasses and catches by this net was Zedekiah the Princes City and all pretious things therein taken In my snare Lam. 3.13 He hath spred a net for my feet Snares are for the Land and its thought to be a hunters snare such as is set for wild Beasts which beeing hunted and chased hard are driven into snares and so taken they are set secretly catch suddenly hold certainly The hebrew word Meizudab as Junius observes signifies also a strong hold and in this sense it may represent to us Riblath whether Zedekiah was carryed where he receiv'd judgement and had his eyes put out or that hold he was put â—nto in Babylon Obser 1. The great mercy and goodnesse of God who takes occasion from their sin to afford them this mercy the exposition of this type they were stupid and minded not the Prophet and his actions or if they did they derided him as a foolish or madd man to doe such things hence the Lord is pleased to take an advantage to acquaint them with it have they not asked thee what doest thou Say thou unto them thus saith the Lord this burden concerns the Prince c. Hos 2.13.14 Isa 57.17.18 Gen. 8.21 In those places God takes occasion from mans sin to shew mercy So in Joh. 20.25.27 From Thomas his unbeleife c. Takes an opportunity to come and shew his wounds c. 2. To secure and confident sinners God will render judgement most certainly and impartially Say to them as I have done so shall it be done unto you What ever their thoughts are at Jerusalem or yours here their condition shall be like yours have you been afflicted with Warre Famine Plague have you lost the Temple City your Countrey and estates are you brought into an Heathenish Land so shall it be with them 3. The Lord hath burdens for Princes if they be wicked there be burdensome Prophecies against them and burdensome judgements for them Zedekiah did evill in the sight of the Lord 2 K. 24.19 And you may see what burdens he had 1. A burden of fear he durst stay no longer and Jer. 38.19 I am afraid of the Jewes fallen unto the Chaldaeans least they deliver me into their hand 2. A burden of shame he covers his face he will see none nor be seen of any he leaves Jerusalem in a shamefull manner carrying some burden upon his shoulder as if he were some vulgar man he is disguised as being asham'd of a Princely title 3. A burden of flight he is put to it to flie for his life 4. A burden of darknesse in the evening or night he steales away 5. A burden of difficulties he must dig through a wall goe in by-wayes 6. A burden of sad judgements 1. He is taken by
the enemies 2. His Sonnes are slaine before his face 3. His eyes are put out 4. He is led into captivity 5. He is imprisoned till his death And why all these burdens Because he had a burden of guilt in his conscience which was worse then all the rest and that burden brings the burdens of judgement for so it s cal'd 2 K. 9.25 When Jehu shot an arrow into the heart of Joram a wicked King he saith The Lord laid this burden upon him Such a burden laid the Lord upon Jezabel for her whoredomes and witchcrafts shee is throwne out at a window her blood sprinkled upon the wall trod underfoot by horses and eaten up all by doggs except her skull feet and palmes of her hands 4. Sinfull Princes cannot escape the judgements of God he hath nets and snares to surprize them to hold them Zedekiah thought by flight to get away but the Lord spread out his net upon him and took him in his snare the Chaldaeans Army was Gods net and snare to catch sinners Habbak 1.13 God makes men yea takes them as the Fishes of the sea and vers 15. They catch them in their net meaning the Chaldaeans which troubled the Prophet that such wicked men should catch and spoyle the Jewes but the Lord knows how to make use of the worst men to execute his judgements So the Goths and Vandalls of old Turkes now to scourge the Christian World c. What base spirits hath God set on worke to correct us c. If God will catch men he hath nets if he will hunt them he hath snares 5. The Lord makes sinners helps helplesse Zedekiah had some Nobles Councellers friends about him a life or person-guard bands of Souldiers but I will scatter all that are about him to helpe him and all his bands God would put him into a helplesse condition they should none of them be able to releive him Men are apt in times of trouble to look unto some helps and hopes but they are vaine things soon blasted scattered Take heed of making flesh your arme of creature confidences Wicked men expect helpe from things beneath from those about them but they are frequently disappointed and so perplexed take Davids counsell Psal 146.3 Put not your trust in Princes nor in the son of man in whom their is no helpe vers 5. Happy is he hath the God of Jacob for his helpe VERS 15.16 And they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall scatter them among the Nations and disperse them in the Countries But I will leave a few men of them from the Sword from the Famine and from the Pestilence that they may declare all their abominations among the Heathen whither they come and they shall know that I am the Lord. IN these two Verses you have two great ends of Gods judgements the first is that the wicked may be convinced from what they have felt and seen that it was the Word of the Lord which they despised that he spake by Jeremiah and Ezekiel that they were his threatnings and now made good by him and this is in the 15. Verse The second is confession of their sin and Gods righteousnesse in their judgements and this is in the 16. Verse Obser 1 That sinners are of as little account with God as dust and chaffe this is held out to us in the words Scatter and Disperse men are no more before God then a little dust before the wind or chaffe in a Fanne the Originall word for disperse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ventilavero Jer. 15.7 God sayd he would Fanne them with a Fanne and Isa 40.15 God counts the Nations as the small dust of the Ballance and Isa 41.2 Gave them as dust to the Sword 2. Judgements produce those effects which mercies doe not they had great means and mercies at Jerusalem in the Land City Temple but under those they did not know not confesse their sins and give glory to his Name but when they were deprived of their mercies under sad and sharpe judgements they should doe so Isa 26.9 When thy judgemâ—nts are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learne righteousnesse Vers 16. In trouble have they visited thee 3. The Lord in the midst of his judgements shewes some mercy I will leave a few men Hebrew is men of number that may quickly be numbred Though many were destroyed by the Sword Famine Pestilence yet some would the Lord leave VERS 17.18.19.20 Moreover the Word of the Lord came unto me saying Sonne of man eate thy bread with quaking and drinke thy water with trembling and with carefulnesse And say unto the people of the Land Thus saith the Lord God of the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and of the Land of Israel They shall eate their bread with carefulnesse and drinke their water with astonishment that her Land may be desolate from all that is therein because of the violence of them that dwell therein And the Cities that are inhabited shall be layd wast and the Land shall be desolate and yee shall know that I am the Lord. THese words containe the second generall part of the Chapter Viz. The sad condition of the people both before and after the Captivity of the King Having spoken of the Captivity of the King now he comes to the beseidging of the City In the 18. Verse a new Type is commanded in the 19. Verse it s applyed and there you have the end of its application which is desolation and vastation and the procreant cause of both Viz. the violence which was amongst them and in the 20. the end of Gods putting them into such an afflictive condition that they may know him to be the Lord. Eate thy bread with quaking Chald. In tre more Sept. In dolore Feare and perplexity of spirit makes men tremble and takes away the sweetnesse of any comfort present The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In commotione Cum tremore corporis such quaking as the earth quakes with or like unto Corne and Leaves so should the Prophet tremble quake in eating looking this way and that way as one affrighted Drinke thy water with trembling c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with torment affliction the Vulgar is in festinatione in haste as they did eate the Passeover This eating and drinking with quaking and trembling was to set out either the great feare should be upon them when the Babylonish Army should beseige them so that they should not injoy the comfort of those creatures without great trouble or the great Famine which should be in the Earth which should cause great feare and trembling least they should want and dye for hunger and thirst least others should snatch out of their hands or pull out of their mouths that little they had and so they were full of care in their eating and drinking Say unto the People of the Land That is those Jewes who were in the
have cald the people to repentance declared the judgements of God to have been at hand interceded mightily with the Lord for them and if possible have prevented judgement but these things they did not Ezek. 34.4 The diseased have yee not strengthened neither have you healed that which was sick neither have you bound up that which was broken nor brought againe that which was driven away nor sought up that which was lost When the people made a Calfe and worshipped it there was a great gap made in the Law in the true worship of God and now wrath was comming out and God would have destroyed them had not Moses stood in the breach to turne away his wrath Psal 106.23 Gaps therefore are the breaches which sins make Nor made up the hedges Hebrew is Non sepivistis sepem yee have not hedged a hedge Vulgar Non apposuistis murum yee have not set up a wall against all incursions This is a metaphor taken from Gardens Orchards Vineyards and Inclosures which having hedges made about them are secure from Swine and beasts breaking into them these Prophets in stead of making hedges for their defence they made gaps for their enemy The hedge about a Church and State is Divine protection sound Doctrine pure worship holinesse of life and execution of Justice and when there is a violation of either of these the hedge is broken downe and the way to make up the hedge againe is by fasting prayer and hearty repentance these Prophets minded neither sound Doctrine pure worship holinesse of life nor cald upon authority for execution of Justice there was a generall violation of all things in the Church and State and they layd it not to heart they neither fasted prayed nor repented but increased the violations trod downe the hedge more and made the gaps wider Ezek. 22.30 I sought for a man among them that should makâ— up the hedge and stand in the gappe before me for the Land that I should not destroy it but I found none To stand in the Battaile in the day of the Lord. Their care should have been for the peoples good that when the day of the Lords fury and judgements came he should war against his people they might have been able to stand By Battaile understand not onely the Seidge they endured by the Babylonians but all â—fflictions and miseries which befell them and had the Prophets been faithfull to them the day of the Lords wrath would have been their day of repentance and so they might have stood and not fallen Obser 1. That peoples sins make way for judgements to come in upon them they break downe the wall and the hedge they make gaps and breaches they unfortifie a City unhedge the Vineyard and unarme a State Exod. 32.25 When the people had sinned Moses saw that they were naked a City now without walls an Army without Armes they lay open to the winds and stormes of Divine wrath 2 Chron. 28.19 Ahaz made Judah naked and how he transgressed sore against the Lâ—rd by his sinfull courses he brake downe the hedges and walls of protection and so made them a naked people Gods people have their hedges and fences about them Job 1.10 Hast thou not made an hedge about him and his house Isa 5.2 His Vineyard was fenced and walled Vers 5. and if they were carefull to fly sin their hedges would be without gaps their walls without holes but when they sin they make gaps and holes and the greater their sinnes the greater breaches still are made in them When David fin'd in numbring the people 2 Sam. 24. what a wide gap made he for the pestilence to come in and destroy seventy thousand When Vzzah made a breach in Gods Law by his sinne he made a gap for Judgement to come in upon himselfe Sin is a breach Isa 30.13 and ever makes way for judgments to enter Psal 89.31 32. If they breake my Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgression with a rod and their iniquity with stripes When they breake Gods Laws he will break them with his rods Mich. 7.13 The Land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein for the fruit of their doings by their sinfull actions they breake the bounds and by my just judgements I will make them desolate Hos 12.1 Ephraim dayly increaseth lyes and desolation How desolation By his lyes his lying pretences and practices he makes breaches for desolation to come in Isa 42.24 Who gave Jacob for a spoyle and Israel to the Robbers Did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned For they would not walke in his wayes neither were they obedient to his Lawes 2. It s the duty of the Prophets and servants of the Lord when gapps and breaches are made to goe up into them and make them up they are to stand between the people and Gods judgements when the people had find greatly and made way for soar judgements to come in upon them Exod. 32. Moses ascends into the gapp and makes up the breach he sets upon God by prayer and uses strong arguments to dâ—vert his wrath he besought the Lord his God and said Lord Why doth thy wrath waxe hot against thy people which thou hast brought forth out of the Land of Aegypt with great power and with a mighty hand wherefore should the Aegyptians speake and say for mischeife did he bring them out to slay them in the Mountaines and to consume them from the face of the Earth Turne from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evill against thy people Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy servants to whom thou swearest by thine owne selfe and said'st unto them I will multiply your seed as the starrs of Heaven and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed and they shall inherit it for ever And the Lord repented of the evill which he thought to doe unto his people Here was a true Prophet that stood in the breach and turned away wrath It was the practice of the good Preists and Prophets to doe so Numb 16. When the people murmured made a breach for the plague to come in upon them Aaron tooke his Censer fire from the Altar put in Incense hasted into the Congregation and made an attonement for the people and stood betweene the dead and the living and stayed the plague see Deut. 9.24.25.26 When Ezekiel saw the Slaughter-men sent out to slay young and old without pitty he steps into the gapp and saith Ah Lord God wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel Ezek. 9.8 in thy powring out thy fury upon Jerusalem Jeremiah was so frequent in the gap deprecating judgements interceding for mercy that the Lord forbids him to pray for that people Chap. 14 11. Chap. 7.16 Pray not thou for this people neyther lift up cry nor prayer for them neyther make intercession to me He usd to pray to cry to intercede 1 Sam.
it provokes God greatly and lays all wast ibid. it s call'd whoredome and wherein that lyeth 14. Idolatry a God provoking sin 150. a grievous sin and wherein it lyes 164. a wrong to God 151. causes God to depart 152. Idolaters act closely 163. not so closely but some espiall ibid. Idolatry infatuates wise men 165. the cunning of idolators ibid. are expensive ibid. forget all modesty 170. spreads to both sexes 172. makes shameless ibid. Idols were wept for how much more for God wrong'd 172. Idols besot 173 Idolatry loathsom 178. God sets a speciall mark upon idolators 194. who are such 195. Idolatrous worship stinking 195. brings destruction ibid. no symbolizing with Idolators 219 220 Idolators shall not go unpunish'd 467 Jehovi when used 257 Jeremy why he purchased Hannameela land 56 57 Jewes under the Law saved as we under the Gospel 216 Images of the Sun 5. Image of jealousie what it was why so call'd how seated 147. Images pull down Gods worship 149 Incense made of sweet and costly things 163. a token of worship ibid. Infirmities God pitties infirmities 368 369. so should men 376 Ingratitude makes God appeale to man 166 Injustice abhomination to God 182. a crying sinne ibid. Israel put for Judah 345. Israelit es why so call'd 152. the God of Israel a glorious God ibid. why stiled the God of Israel ibid. 325. why the house of Israel 263. the land of Israel why not the land of Judah 388. a choise land ibid. their severall captivities 389. by whom gathered ibid. the land of Israel hath many Eulogies in Scripture 355 Jubile what they did that yeare 56 Judgements of God sudden 36. they are his messengers 38. just ibid. 132. they linger not 43. walke where God pleases 44. by degrees he comes to severitie of them 121. generall when sin is so 131. Judgements God makes them known before he executes them 205. and why 206. none come but at the Lords appointment ibid. a time when God hastens judgments 206 207. no escaping Gods judgements 212. when judgements are abroad Christ intercedes 216. The Lord proceeds to judgement judicially 230. judgement begins at Gods own house and why 247 253. God in executing them manifests mercy 248. a time when judgement delayes not 248. judgments an extensive at sinners sins 254. God intense upon judgements ibid. they puzzle Prophets 261 262. Gods punishments exceed not mens sins 270. judgements are in the hand of Christ 287. at his dispose 296. He proceeds considerately 296 297. declares the cause of his proceeding to judgement 394. no waving of judgements ibid. God can use any instruments to accomplish them 351. the ground scope and end of judgements 353. sudden notes severity 360. immediately from the Lord terrible 360 361. judgements falling whilst ordinances are administring 362. the godly feare when wicked fall 364. put the Saints upon prayer ibid. the beginning of judgements an inlet to misery 364. judgements sanctified 397. how evidenced 397 398. God just in his judgements 467. not discern'd by wicked men 476. the cause in themselves ibid. judgements produce those effects mercies doe not 487. God shewes mercies amidst judgements 487. 497. wicked mens thoughts about judgements vaine 505 K Kingdomes have an end 33. their ruine is in themselves 52 53 Knowledge those will not know God in a way of mercie shall know him in a way of judgement 133 L Law to perish from the Priest what 119 Left I was lest what it meanes 256 Light given and taken away at pleasure 125 Lord God what they denote 257 Love where love it God dwells 225. it unites 417. once commanded to take the shield of faith twice to put on love ibid. Lyes termed barres 372 M Man who the man was cloathed with linnen 283. men unspirited against evill 64 men chiefe in place usually corrupt 336 men of rigid spirits 370 corrupt men are glad to be rid of the conscientious 370 371 Mark set a mark of that phrase see 227 228. Christs marking of his what it intimates 228 229. who it is is the marker of Saints 234. God distinguishes between the precious and the vile 236. 246. the mark of Christ and of the beast different 234. the deliverance of the markt ones a type c. 246 Meanes God carries on his worke by weak meanes 479 480 Meetings private ones lawfull 138 God hath honour'd them 139 Mercie of God is free in regard of persons places times 17. mercie is oft shewed when there is cause of sharpe judgements 18. abuse of mercies defiles them 82. choicest mercies apt to be abused 92. abuse causeth losse of them 95. mercy acts before justice 248. mercies sanctified produce answerable effects 397. God when in a way of mercy multiplies mercies 452. mercies oblige to obedience 454 Ministers what they should be what not 247. must deprecate judgements comming 260 261. the Lord acquaints them with his proceedings 266. why he doth this ibid. Ministers must doe their office 344. God enables them to the work 345. must tell men of their sins 346 347. must speake to those they are intended for 473. must declare what they have heard ibid. must be faithfull ibid. not look at the successe 477. must open things mysterious 490. must stand in the gap 520 521. termed builders husbandmen 526 Mischief what it notes 117. one follows upon another 120 Mountaines of Israel 2. speaking to them 3 Mourne Gods people should mourne for sinne and judgements that come by them 29. There be-times for great ones to mourne 128 129. why the godly mourn 238. to 240. for what England should mourn 240. to 242 N Necessitie it makes men seeke what was neglected before 115 Nehemiah what that name signifies 399 New how taken in Scripture 425 Number of the number Seaventie 162 O Obedient an obedientiall spirit suitable to Christs commands 156. all creatures at Gods command 212. 313. Christ himselfe 213. 288. the end of mercy is obedience 454. obedience how qualified 455. an evidence of the worke of grace ibid. t is from God 456. tis mans duty 480 One how the word may be taken 399. one heart how meant from 399. to 401. its description ibid. oneness of heart diversly consider'd from 401. to 403. when this oneness was amongst the Jewes 403 404. one heartednesse whether attainable in this life 404. mens hearts of themselves not one 406. oneness a great blessing ibid. the good of it particularized the evill of its contrary specified 407. oneness invites others 408. improves grace 409. furthers prayers ibid. an honour to Christ 410. sympathizes with each other ibid. an evidence of grace 411. makes willing to doe for another ibid. Helps to this oneness or unitie 411. to 416. preservatives of it 416. to 418. Inducements to it 418. to 422. Oneheartednesse the gift of God 422 Oppression a spreading sinne 191. what the Hebrew for it signifies 192 State oppression and Church corruption got together 193. Causes God to deale in fury 198.
rending of the heart Joel 2.13 Plowing up of the fallow ground Jer. 4.3 Travelling in child birth Jsa 26.17 Pricking of the heart Acts 2.37 All which evidences that repentance is an heart businesse it workes strongly upon that and brings it up to loathing when the heart is truely penitent what it before loved and delighted in it loaths and abhorres the voyce of Ephraim repenting is Hos 14.8 What have I to doe any more with Idols I now loath them will not lift up mine eyes or hands unto them nor speake a word for them nor thinke of them Jer. 31.19 After that I was turned I repented I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth I had sin'd in my former dayes with Idols false worship satisfied my lusts but now I am confounded with the shame and reproach of them Now I loath them and cannot indure them Isa 31.7 when they are turned unto God In that day shall every man cast away his Idols of Silver and Gold they cannot stand before Repentance no more then Dagon before the Arke After God had scourged and purged them with the Babilonish Captivity it s observed that they could never abide Idols more nor would suffer any to come up unto the Temple When Caius Galigula sent his Statue to Pretronius President of Judea to honour it with a place in the Temple the Jewes professed they would dye rather then behold that abomination in the Temple if that came there they would not come there if that liv'd they would dye This is the nature of true Repentance that what ever Errours false Worship wayes lusts things it delighted in before now it loaths as dung as filth and abhorres as Pestilentiall and deadly The Jewes repenting cursed their Idols and their owne madnesse in running a whoring after them Here be three evidences of the reality and truth of this Repentance First Their loathing themselves it s a hard thing to bring a man to selfe-loathing every man loves exalts himselfe and labours to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 somebody in the World Diotrephes affects preheminence but true Repentance will make the greatest loath himselfe Repentance sees what black defiled creatures they are Ezek. 20.43 You shall remember your wayes wherein you have beene defiled and shall loath your selves in your owne sight A repentant eye sees matter enough of selfe-abhorrence Job 7.5 When Job saw his sores filth and wormes in his flesh he loathed himselfe but not so much as when he saw the sinnes sores 42.6 and lusts of his heart then he abhorred himselfe and all had excellency in it before he though fit to be buryed under dust and ashes Secondly For the evils which they have committed not for the evils which their sinnes had deserved or God had inflicted did they loath themselves but for the evill of their owne wayes so that they did mourn for sin as sin not for the evill of sinne but for the evill in sin which is the contrariety of it to Gods will the offence of Divine Majesty its burdening God himselfe breach of union between him and their soules its violation of his Law it pollutes the soule hardens the heart turnes the Gospell of Christ all mercies and meanes of Grace to our hurt and is a foundation of eternall Ruine It was the evill of sin and not of punishment that David prayed against 2 Sam. 24.10 17. Psal 51.2 Thirdly It s impartiall and universall They shall loath themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations It s not one or two but all comes into question when the heart is in a penitent way Ezek. 20.43 Then shall you remember your wayes and all your doings wherein you have beene defiled and yee shall loath your selves in your owne sight for all your evils that you have committed Sinnes great or small in any place with any person or thing but especially of worship come into fall under censure and are abhorr'd Manasseh when he was humbled in Babylon he loathed his practises in Zyon and took away all the Altars that he had built in the Mount of the House of the Lord and in Jerusalem and cast them out of the City 2 Chron. 33.15 Let us look back see the evill of our wayes especially in worship and loath our selves for the evill of them all that we have defiled Gods Name Ordinances our selves with Altars Crucifixes Cringings conformity to the Impositions Innovations of men Subscriptions Oaths of Canonicall obedience supporting of a false and Tyrannicall Government in the Church of Christ have been contented under a dull formall way of worship c. Ezek. 43.11 If they be ashamed of all that they have done shew them the forme of the House and the fashion thereof Shame for false corrupt worship opens a door for sight of and entrance in of true and pure worship 1. That before men are afflicted and humbled for their sin Obser Ver. 10. they refuse and sleight the Word of God let his Prophets come and Preach powerfully and terribly unto them lay Gods Judgements before them they mind it not at least tremble not but they shall know they have refused my word and messengers the time is comming they shall be in Babylon be sorely afflicted and then they shall know as for the precedent time their hearts were stout against God his truth his servants and they were secure Who hath beleeved our report saith Isaiah 53. chap. 1.2 and Chap. 44.4 I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for naught his hearers sleighted his Prophesies So in Zech. 7.11 12. They refused to hearken and puld away the shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare Yea they made their hearts as an Adamant stone least they should heare the Law and the words which the Lord of Hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former Prophets 2. That a heart under affliction broken for sinne and loathing its selfe for its owne sinnes will give due honour to the Word of God submit to it acknowledge him and his Prophets Then shall they know c. That is when they have smarted in the Captivity been cut to the heart for their sinnes loathed themselves for all the evils of them even then shall they know Affliction opens mens eyes blows beget braines and men come to see their Ingratitude towards God their abuse neglect contempt of meanes what great losse they have made thereby and so mourne for each prize the Word tremble at threatnings close with promises subject to commands honour the Lord and his Prophets The truest Penitent doth most abhorre himselfe his lusts his errours his owne wayes and the more abhorrencie of these the more complacency in Truth and the God of truth such an one understands the dealings of God acknowledges the Majesty of God in his Ordinances the equity of God in his Judgements the mercies of God in his deliverances
the faithfulnesse of God in his Word and his infinite love in Christ 3. What God doth in the world he doth to fulfill his word the providences now extant are accomplishmēts of the word of God in Prophesies Promises 3. The Lord will not leave his Word what ever it be unaccomplished They shall know that I have not sayd in vaine I would doe this evill that I would afflict them A word is in vaine when it s not fulfilled inefficaciously fulfilled or unseasonably fulfilled none of all these befall the Word of God threats or promises Isa 55.11 The word that 's gone forth of my mouth shall not returne to me voyd but it shall accomplish that which I please it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it If God give out a word for Warres for destruction of Cities Kingdomes Churches for carrying into Captivity that word shall take place and be effectuall Zech. 1.6 My words and my statutes did they not take hold of your Fathes They overtooke them and Arrested them CHAP. VI. 11. Thus saith the Lord God Smite with thine hand and stampe with thy foot and say Alas for all the evill abominations of the house of Israel for they shall fall by the Sword by the Famine and by the Pestilence 12. Hee that is farre off shall dye of the Pestilence and hee that is neer shall fall by the Sword and hee that remaineth and is besieged shall dye by the Famine thus will I accomplish my fury upon them 13. Thou shall yee know that I am the Lord when their slaine men shall be among their Idols round about their Altars upon every high Hill in all the tops of the Mountaines and under every greene Tree and under every thick Oake the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their Idols 14. So will I stretch out mine hand upon them and make the Land desolate yea more desolate them the Wildernesse towards Diblath in all their habitations and they shall know that I am the LORD HERE is the third part of the Prophesie which sets out the great griefe they should have for the sore Judgements of God upon them which Judgements are againe mentioned Sword Famine Pestilence Desolation In the 11 Verse their griefe is set out by Symbolicall expressions as Smiting with the hand stamping with the foote and crying Alasse And the cause of these First their sins Secondly their punishments Smite with thine hand and stampe with thy foot such Gestures have been used in contrary cases as well in great Joy as in great Griefe Ezek. 25.6 Because thou hast clapped thine hands and stamped with thy feet and rejoyced in heart with all thy despight against the Land of Israel It s spoken of Ammon who used those Gestures in an Insulting way against the Jewes but in this place these Gestures declare their unspeakable griefe for their sinnes and judgements and were usuall in case of sorrow Jer. 31.19 The Prophet brings in Ephraim repenting and that is a Declaration of it I smote upon my thigh and was ashamed and when God would bring terrour upon his people he bids the Prophet Smite upon his thigh Ezek. 21.12 Sometime in their griefe they did smite upon their thigh sometimes the brest sometimes the other hand Smite thine hands together So Balack did Numb 24.10 sometimes the head Homer hath it often Lib. 3. Tuscul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He smote on his thigh And Tully mentions among other kinds of mourning their smiting of the cheeks their brest their thigh their head Stampe with thy foot In cases of great and suddaine griefe men use to stamp upon the Earth Odyss l. 6. Homer speaking of Irus about drawing of Teeth saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He stampt the earth with his foot And Cicero in Bruto saith Nulla pedum supplosio There was no stamping with the feet Alas In Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Septuagint and Theodotian renders it Euge and make it a note of rejoycing and exalting because Idols were destroyed and Gods Judgements executed but it s upon mistake of Ach for Heach which is Euge but Ach is alwayes a note of griefe and that exposition of theirs suits not with the subject matter which is Sinne and Judgement It s well rendred by Jerome Heu and by our Translation Alas a word constantly used to note griefe Josh 7.7 Israel fell before Ai Joshua rends his Cloaths fell on the earth and cryed Alas O Lord God c. Joel 1.15 Amos 5.16 Revel 18.10 In cases of great sorrow they used this word These outward signes of sorrow are commended that the people might be awakened out of their security that they might be more affected with the calamities were comming and their sinnes that hastened such calamities upon them words are transient and leave little impression but visible signes worke more strongly affect more deeply and draw the spirits of beholders into a Sympathy Obser God would have those are his to mourne for the sinnes and judgements are comming upon a Land and people for them the Prophet must Smite with the hand stampe with the foot and cry alas for all the evill abominations of the house of Israel and for their calamities Some doe mourne for calamities few for sinnes of the people but here their sinnes come in first and afflicts the Prophets spirit most the Judgements afterwards Psal 119.136 Rivers of water runne downe mine eyes because they keepe not thy Law And ver 158. I beheld the transgressours and was grieved It s safe doe it Ezek. 9.4 Goe through Jerusalem and set a marke upon the foreheads of them that sigh and cry for all the abominations 1 Cor. 5.2 The Apostle blam'd them that they did not mourn for the incestuous Corinthians Ver. 12. Of these sore Judgements hath been formerly spoken in the fifth Chapter that there is no escaping them and of Gods accomplishing his fury he would beare no longer but utterly destroy them Obser 1 1. That God doth often punish men where they sinne Ver. 13. Their slaine should be among their Altars Idols in the place where they offered their sweet savour Sennacherib was slain in the house of his God Nisroch as he was worshipping Isa 37.38 2. That Idolatry and false Worship is costly They offer sweet savour every where to all their Idols they think nothing too much for their false way the sweet Incence was very costly and only for Gods use not their owne houses yet their Idols shall have it men will part with much this way Isa 46.6 They lavish Gold out of the Bag c. Wildernesse towards Diblath Vers 14. Some make it to be the same with Riblah in the 2 Kings 25.6 and Jer. 34.5 Mentioned also in Numb 34.11 This may well be Munster following Rabbi David saith is put for Riblah because of the likenesse of ד and ד in the Hebrew tongue and Jerome conceives it is the same with Riblah
cry in mine eares with a loud voyce yet will I not heare them HEre is a sad Epiphonema or conclusion hee had oft in the Chapter cal'd upon Ezekiel to see the doings which being shewn unto him the Lord sounds in his eares what dreadfull things he will doe Deale in fury c. The Scripture mentions Gods anger Psal 30.5 his indignation Psal 69.24 his wrath Isa 54.8 and his fury Jer. 10.25 and these exceed each the other Anger is the displeasure of God against sinne indignation is anger more intense therefore Isa 30.30 it s cal'd indignation of his anger Wrath is yet higher and permanent according to that in Nahum 1.2 He reserveth wrath for his enemies Arist 4. Ehic c. 5. and fury is highest Job 20.23 The fury of his wrath It s ira nunquam conquiescens donec sumatur vindicta In Jer. 21.5 Fury and great wrath goe together and when God is in his fury he rests not till he be revenged Jer. 7.20 My fury shall be powred out upon this place upon man and beast upon the trees fruit and ground and burne unquencheably Ezek. 16.41 42. When Jerusalem should be destroyed then God would make his fury to be at rest Mine eye shall not spare neither will I have pitty Of these words hath been spoken before Observ 1. There is a time when God who is patient gracious and slow to wrath will deale in fury he that delights in exercising mercy hath a time for fury and trading in it hee that is patient and long-suffering hath times of being furious When is it that God will deale in fury 1. When lesser judgements will not serve turne if he threaten in anger smite in his indignation and wrath and there be no good use made of those stroaks then will the Lord appeare in fury Levit. 26. God threatens them with sundry inferiour judgements and if they do not work but still walk contrary to God vers 28. then saith God I will walke contrary unto you also in fury If they grew worse God would be more violent and furious 2. When a reformation is offered and râ—fused Jer. 51.9 We would have healed Babylon but she is not healed forsake her for her judgement reacheth to heaven and is lifted up to the skies So much fury should be poured out upon Babylon that heaven aire and earth should wonder at it Ezek. 24.13 14. Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthinesse any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee I the Lord have spoken it c. When God tenders a Reformation to a people it 's great love rich mercy and mercy refused is mercy abused and that turnes into fury and Gods fury shall not only be powred out against such a people but rest upon them which is much more 3. When men are furious against God his servants ways when they cannot endure his Prophets Saints and Ordinances then is a time for Gods fury to break out When the Husbandmen in the Parable would not endure Christs servants nor himselfe but beate and ston'd them then fury came forth and miserable destruction was the portion of those men Mar. 21.35 36.38.41 When righteous Lot being abus'd was got out of Sodom then God sent fire and brimstone upon it and poured out his fury like fire as it is in Nahum 1.6 and 2 Chron. 36.16 17 18. They mock'd the messengers of God despised his words misus'd his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose and it rose very high even to the height of fury for he brought the King of Babylon in fury upon them who slew their young men in the Sanctuary who had no compassion upon man or maiden young or old all men and things were given into his hand all their glorious things were burnt and laid wast 4. When there is a generall corruption in State Church then the fury of the Lord will appeare then will he deal in fury Gen. 6.5 6 7.13 This will appeare more fully in the next obseâ—vation 2. Oppressions in a State Superstition and Idolatry in the Church doe cause God to deale in fury there was violence in the land and the branch at their nose and therefore God would deale in fury Jâ—r 21.12 O house of David thus saith the Lord execute judgement in the morning and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor lest my fury goe out like fire and burnt that none can quench it Where there is want of Justice there will be plenty of Oppression and where that is the doore is open for Gods fury it 's kindled and will breake out against such a State whatever it be and for Idolatry see Ezek. 16.36 Because thy filthinesse was poured out and thy nakednesse discovered through thy whoredomes with thy lovers and with all thâ— Idols of thine abhominations Vers 38. I will judge thee saith God as women that breake wedlocke and shed blood are judged And how is that Levit. 20.10 Gen. 9 6. They were without mercy to be put to death and so God would doe I will give thee bloud in fury and jealousie If these sinnes be amongst us we have cause to tremble for they will cause God to deale in fury to cast upon us the fury of his wrath as it 's Job 20.23 They will cause fury to be upon our Armies Isa 34.2 and Jer. 21.4 5 6. Behold saith the Lord I will turne backe the weapons of Warre that are in your hands wherewith you fight against the King of Babylon and against the Chaldeans which beesige you without the walls and I will assemble them into the midst of this City and I my selfe will fight against you with an out stretched hand with a strong arm even in anger and in fury and in great wrath And I will smite the Inhabitants of this City both man and beast and they shall dye of a great pestilence And those dye not shall be madde when they are made to drinke of the cup of Gods fury Jer. 25.15 16. Gods fury is a trampling thing Isa 63.3 A bloody thing Ezek. 16.38 Fiery and plentifull he powrs it out like fire Lam. 2.4 therefore let us tremble and prevent Gods fury which is so terrible and doe as is written Jer. 4.3 4. Breake up the fallow ground sow not among thornes circumcise your selves to the Lord and take away the foreskin of your hearts yee men of Judah and Inhabitants of Jerusalem lest my fury come forth like fire and burne that none can quench it because of the evill of their doings 3. Gods dealing in fury is dreadfull he will not spare not pitty nor be moved to mercy And is not this dreadfull You may think it 's never so with God but the Scripture saith it here and in other places Ezek. 24.13 14. Thou wilt not be purged I will cause my fury to rest upon thee and what ever you commit I the
LORD have spoken it it shall come to passe and I will doe it I will not goe backe neither will I spare neither will I repent according to thy wayes and according to thy doings shall they judge thee saith the Lord God Men are apt to thinke GOD is all mercy but they will finde it otherwise His eye that spared them in Egypt that looked upon them and pittyed them there his eye will not spare himselfe will not pitty them in Sion Their provocations were great he that spared Nineuites will not spare Israelites When God deales in fury there is no dealing with him then hee is a consuming fire and nothing will prevaile with him What if they cry will not that prevaile Is not God a God hearing prayer doth he not heare the cry of Ravens Jer. 11.11 Though they cry unto me I will not hearken unto them Isa 1.15 Mic. 3.8 Deut. 1.45 What if Noah Job and Daniel should pray would not God be intreated pitty and spare them see Ezek. 14.14.18.20 God forbade Jeremiah Chapter 7.16 to pray for them Pray not for this people neither lift up crye or prayer for them neither make intercession to me for I will not heare His eare is deafe his heart is hardned when he is in fury and deales in it fury lyes in severity where there is no sparing in implacability where is no hearing 4. That wicked men in their streights will cry to God and cry aloud When Nebuchadnezzar came besieg'd the Citie when Pâ—â—gue and Famine encreased then they fell upon their knees cryed to God for help as Mâ—lefactors when the Judge is ready to give sentence cry out and importune him to spare their lives Such prayers are the voyce of the flesh not of the spirit forced not free faithlesse and unseasonable prayers comming too late and therefore unacceptable Let men therefore not deferre seeking of God till necessity puts them upon it CHAP. IX VERSE I. He cryed also in mine eares with a loud voyce saying cause them that have charge over the City to draw neere even every man that hath his destroying weapon in his hand IN the eighth Chapter Ezekiel saw in a vision the sinnes of the City Jerusalem here the vision proceeding he sees the judgements of God to be executed upon them for those sins and by whom The Chapter conteins 1. A narration of judgement to be executed upon Jerusalem in the first seven verses 2. The Prophets intercession for Israel vers 8. 3. An answer thereunto vers 9 10. 4. A report of what was done vers 11. In the Narration you have 1. A commission given to the Prophet to cause Military men to appeare vers 1. 2. Their number and manner of appearing vers 2. 3. A mandat given 1. To mark the mourners vers 4. 2. To slay the rest vers 5 6 7. 4. Mention of the glory of God departing vers 3. The first verse hath in it 1. The author of this Commission He. 2. The manner of giving it out by way of cry and that with a loud voyce 3. The witnesse before whom it was done and that was Ezek. In mine eares 4. The Commission it selfe Cause them that have c. Where we have 1. The persons specified and they are such as have charge over the City 2. What they are to doe to draw neare 3. The manner with a destroying weapon in each hand He cryed Not an Angell but the Lord whose glory he had seen at the Temple who had shewn him the severall abhominations â—f the people and who had authority to call for excutioners of his fury upon these notorious delinquents He cryed Crying in man is intense or loud speaking when it 's expres'd by a loud voyce but God cryeth not as man His crying is the efficacy of his Spirit or force of his providence strongly moving the creature to the execution of his will Zech. 7.7 The Lord cryed by the Prophets his Spirit mov'd them to cry unto the people And 2. Sam. 16.10 God said unto Shimei curse David that is Divine providence mov'd him to doe so God cryes to the Ministers of Justice when he moves their wills to come and do execution upon a sinfull people Here God spake to the Prophet not providentially but by the inward language of his Spirit and visionally The reasons of his calling or crying aloud were 1. To declare the weightinesse of the thing hee was now about namely to bring a final destruction upon Church and State according to that Chap. 7.6 An end is come and this was a businesse of high concernment that that people which had beene so belov'd so honour'd so deliver'd so observ'd in the world should now be utterly ruin'd So when the 7. thunders were to be the Angell Rev. 10.3 cryed with a loud voyce 2. Gods serious intentions to destroy them he was impatient now of bearing any longer with them he was burthened wearied with their iniquities therefore cried out of them and called for destroyers Isa 1.14 Ah I will ease meâ— of mine Adversaries 3. To quicken and hasten the instruments hee should use in that service When great persons are intense in their voyces and commands it edges their spirits who are employed and makes them quick active loud cries leave deep impressions 4. In reference to the wickeds sins and mourners prayers the sins of the one and prayers of the other cryed aloud in Gods eares and now God cries too and addes cry to cry they cryed for vengeance and vengeance they shall have Come Ezekiel send for such and such men which may destroy the wicked and deliver the mourners In mine eares That iâ— I hearing the Lord spake aloud and the Prophet heard him So the like phrase in Gen. 2.8.44.18 is to be understood God honour'd Ezekiel here with the knowledge of what he was about and singled him out to be a witnesse of his proceedings Cause them that have charge over the City to draw near The Hebrew is the visitations of the City have drawn neare or let the visitations of the City draw neare Here is the abstract put for the concrete Visitation for visiters which is frequent in Scripture as Col. 1.16 Thrones are put for Kings Dominions for Lords Rulers Principalities and powers for them are in chiefe places Isa 60.17 I will make thy Officers peâ—ce The Heb. is thy visitation in the abstract and rendered in the concrete officers or visiters and so here Some read it the men of visitation others the visiters of the City our translation Praefecti urbiâ— those have charge over the City especially the Military affairs Who these were is to be examin'd not the Antients of Israel mentioned in the former Chapter who were to be destroyed and not to destroy but they were certain Angels or Arch-Angels to whom the Lord had committed the custody of Jerusalem For Angels have the care of Kingdoms Provinces and Cities Angels or Chaldeans they were such as were appointed to execute
this and hath weight in it Our Prophet was now in a vision at Jerusalem and as hee had had many things offered to his sight so many things were yet offering and to be offered to his view all which had beene disturbed and prevented if there had been present execution of the command he could not have seen what follows here in the vision nor that in the next Chapter Further I conceive sometime was allotted between the command and execution for repentance Obser 1. Angels watch and take opportunites to serve Christ he comes unto them to take fire and presently one of them takes the fire and puts it in his hand being glad of such an opportunity to doe him service Angels are vigilant creatures and wait for opportunities and when they come they will not lose them Psal 103.20 They hearken to the voyce of his word they neither slumber nor sleep but hearken constantly what the Lord will say what opportunity there will be for action so in Ezek. 1.11 they are described with their wings stretched upward manifesting their watchfulnesse and readinesse for service When Christ was born a multitude of them appeared and celebrated his nativity Luke 2.13 When Christ was taken by Judas and his traine Peter drew his sword in his Masters defence but what saith Christ put up thy sword it 's not a time now to fight but to suffer thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father he shall presently give me more then 12. legions of Angels It 's not a time now to pray for helpe I must dye Scripture must be fulfilled but if I would my Father would bid the Angels to aid me and they presently would come whole legions of them yea all the Angels in heaven Let us learne of Angels watch opportunities and take them There be nicks of time wherein to doe the works of Christ Eccles 3.1 To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven It 's wisdome to observe those seasons and times Rom. 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Angels doe honour the Lord Christ exceedingly to their utmost they resigne up themselves and all they have to the will and command of Christ their wings hands feet faces their natures their knowledge zeale active vertue shall be all for Christ One tooke fire and put into his hand This is great honour to Christ when any creature gives up what it is what it hath and what it can doe unto him fully More cannot be required or expected by any superior and divine power more cannot be performed by any creature They are Angelicall who can resign up all into the hand of Christ Let us learn this duty The Scribe Matth. 8.19 said well Master I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest I will trace thy steps learn thy doctrine doe thy will be at thy dispose And Isa Chap. 6.8 Here am I send me Lord I give up my selfe unto thee all the fire in mee all my knowledge zeale active vertue are at thy dispose So Paul Acts 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have me to doe I have been against thee I will now be for thee I give up my selfe to thee wholly If Angels did it whose nature Christ tooke not for whom he dyed not how much more should we doe it whose nature he took for whom he did and suffered all 3. Things done seasonably are acceptable to Christ the Angel observ'd Christ comming for fire to demand their service and he takes fire and puts into Christs hand and Christ tooke it which notes his acceptance He neither reprov'd nor rejected the Angel or his service but was well pleased the putting fire into his hand was seasonable and so acceptable There be seasons which if taken sweeten actions and open the doore for their better entertainment Prov. 25.11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver The Heb. is a word spoken upon its wheels Fit times and seasons are wheels to carry words with great advantage and so for actions when things are done in the due time they are beautifull acceptable when God gives raine to a Land in season how acceptable is it when a tree bears fruit in its season its gratefull So when Angels or men do things seasonably its pleasing to the Lord Christ there be idonea tempora which if we misse actions are unlovely and misse of their aimes Psal 32.6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou maist be found There be times if we have the wisdome to discern them when prayer will be seasonable acceptable effectuall VERS 8. And there appeared in the Cherubims the forme of a mans hand under their wings OUr Prophet having seene the Cherub stretch out a hand take fire and put it into the hand of the man cloathed with linnen here hee describes what kind of hand it was and where it was For the kind it was a mans hand there appeared the form of a mans hand for the place it was under their wing I have spoken hereof Chap. 1.8 There is mention of hands here of a hand not that they had only one hand but under every wing was a hand they had wings and under them he saw the form of a hand Their wings set out not only their swiftnesse in motion but also their divine instinct and secret guidance of God which carries them as wings this or that way to this or that action and hand imports both vigour to act and action active vertue and the activity it selfe Oeserv 1. Angels are furnished with abilities and are fitted for employments they have hands and wings what ever the Lord calls them to doe they want not ought tending to the accomplishment thereof If speed be required they have wings to flye If work be to be done they have hands and can doe much in a little time 2. They doe not things rashly but advisedly judiciously they have the hands of a man mens hands are ordered by judgment in their operations and so are Angels they doe all things wisely understandingly they observe the best seasons and all circumstances which may adde beauty and advantage to their actions and therefore vers 12. it 's said their hands were full of eyes they see into all the intrinsicals or extrinsicals of any businesse 3. The works of God are done by hidden and secret meanes by ways unthought of by hands under wings Here a Cherub stretches out a hand from under a wing takes fire and puts into the hand of Christ God hath secret hands to do his work somtimes angels hands sometime the hand of providence sometime the hand of his spirit Angels are invisible agents and we have unknown mercies from their hands an Angel rol'd away the great stone from the Sepulchre they remove many difficulties out of our way it was the hand of an Angel that brought the Apostles out of prison Act. 5.19.12.9 Angels encamp round about
them that feare the Lord Psal 34.7 They are invisible guards and do invisible things for us their hands work when we feel them not so the hand of providence is doing when wee slumber and discern it not Joseph is sold into Aegypt and it was not discern'd by the sellers or the sold what work God was about the hand of providence was secret but wrought strongly for the raising of Joseph and safety of Jacob and many thousands besides Mordecai will not bow to Haman was the hand discern'd here which was working Hamans ruine I believe not Haman goes on plots the death of all the Jewes had almost accomplished his desire but providence acts in an unexpected way and cuts off this bloody man A secret hand of heaven hath done the great things in all ages invisible vertue hath done more then all visible instruments In our Counsels Armies undertakings had not Gods hand of Providence wrought we had been ruin'd Was it not a strange hand of Providence that began the work in Scotland If ought be done in the work of Reformation amongst us is it not the hand of God rather then the hand of man Isa 1.25 I will turne my hand upon them and purely purge away their drosse Math. 8.3 Jesus put forth his hand and healed the leper If our leprosie he healed or healing it 's by the hand of Christ put forth The safety of this Nation is from a secret hand we are held and hid in the hollow and shadow of an invisible hand So the hand of the Spirit doth secret work in Sion Christ by the finger of God Luk. 11.20 by the spirit of God Mat. 12.28 cast out Devils It s this hand that mortifies and kils the lusts Rom. 8.13 It 's this hand which quickens and brings life Job 6.63 It 's this hand works holinesse in you that comforts and supplyes you that guides and seales you it s this hand that brings you out of the ways of sin errour death into the ways of Christ truth and life it s this hand makes all ordinances effectuall 2 Cor. 10.4 Our weapons are mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds Through God that is through the spirit of God weapons must be in some hand or other these were spirituall weapons and in the hand of the Spirit as well as in the Apostles hand else had they not been able to pull down strong holds 4. When Gods work is done we should hide up our hands that doe it the Cherub stretched out his hand took fire put it into Christs hand and what then the hand is hid under the wing Angels are not vain-glorious they seek not themselves but the honour of him they serve they say not this have I done hath my hand wrought they hold not forth their hand for mortals to admire or adore but rejoyce the work is done and hide up their hands This is a good president for us who are apt to be puft up with what we doe and to expose not onely the work but the hand also too much to view If actions be done and others reap the good thereof without selvish respects of ours it is Angelicall Paul was of this judgment and practic'd answerably 1 Cor. 15.10 I laboured more aboundantly then they all yet not I. See here how he hides up himselfe and puts all upon God Not I but the grace of God which was with me It was not Paul but Gods grace that did all the work So Isa 26.12 Thou hast wrought all our works in us we have done nothing but thou hast done all VERS 9 10 11 12 13. And when I looked behold the four wheels by the Cherubims one wheele by one Cherub and another wheele by another Cherub and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a berill stone And as for their appearances they four had one likenesse as if a wheele had been in the midst of a wheel When they went they went upon their four sides they turned not as they went but to the place whether the head looked they followed it they turned not as they went And their whole body and their backs and their hands and their wings and the wheels were full of eyes round about even the wheels that they four had As for the wheeles it was cryed unto them in my hearing O wheele IN these verses and most of the rest to the end is a description of the wheels and Cherubims which represent things earthly and heavenly and both under the command and dispose of Divine Majesty take things below in States or Churches they passe not without the interposure of Providence the hand of heaven acts in them takes things above they are not absolute there is one in the Throne over-rules them For the wheels which are the Principall subject of these verses and note out inferiour things and causes unto us they are 1. Described 2. Explained They are described 1. From their number four wheels 2. By their reference dependency or scituation they were by the Cherubims 3. By a particular and speciall distribution of one to another the 4. wheels were not altogether by the 4. Cherubims but one wheel by one Cherub another wheel by another Cherub 4. From their appearance or likenesse which was as the colour of a berill stone and those foure are in the ninth verse 5. From their likenesse and coherence among themselves they 4. had one likenesse c. vers 9. 6. From their motion vers 11. They went which is set out 1. From the way they went to those parts were upon their sides into those quarters of the world which were next them whither the head looked 2. Their progresse they turn'd not backe but went on 7. From their eyenesse vers 12. Their whole body backs hands wings were full of eyes 2. The explication of the wheels and that is in the 13. verse it was cryed O wheel O world I have spoken largely of the wheeles in the first chapter and therefore now shall say little of them the most will be of those particulars wherein there is difference from what is there set downe In the first Chap. mention is made 1. of the living creatures and then of the wheels Here the wheels are first set down and after them the Cherubims or living creatures Why there is a great inversion and change made in the vision I finde no reason given neither do I conceive any satisfactory reason can be given but the will of the Lord it pleased him to represent the vision in that way to the Prophet and that may suffice us Yet if we may conjecture the wheels are set first here for that changes motions of 2d causes in the world are more obvious unto our eyes wee observe them first and that vertue acts them is more out of sight In the first Chap. v. 15. there is one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures here in the 9. vers are 4. wheels by the Cherubims