When the Lord gathers up his People out of the world and brings them into near relation to himself into Canaan and Church order hee looks they should review their former waies and bee much affected with them and throughly repent for them There shall ye remember your waies and all your doings wherein c. When brought into Canaan they were not only to eat the milk and honey to behold the glory thereof but they were to remember daies of old their sinnes in Babylon compliances with Babylonians how they had polluted themselves and provoked the Lord and thereupon to mourn kindly for their unkindnesses to him who had shewed such marvellous loving kindnesse unto them When God brings men out of the World now into Sion gives them the Milk and Honey of the Gospel shews them the glory thereof then they look back wonder at their wickedness and loath themselves for it saying who is like unto us in sinne and wickedness and who is like unto our God in grace and goodnesse in pardon and forgivenesse Micah 7.18 when it shall please God to bring the Jews out of that Babylon they are now in unto the true Canaan the Church of Christ they will remember their iniquities their bitter and bloudy doings against Christ mourn and loath themselves for the same Zach. 12.10 Rev. 1.7 Obs 3 Where repentance springs from sense of Love and kindnesse as it is real and deep so its secret and universal they should being brought into Canaan not onely remember their sinnes but they should loath themselves bee displeased so with themselves that they should smite and abhorre themselves and that in their own sight and for all the evils they had committed when no eye saw them they would spread all their sinnes before them and in the sight and sense of them be vile in their own eyes Vers 44. And they shall know that I am the Lord. These words wee had in the 42. v. wherein they were opened and expounded of an experimental knowledge When I have wrought with you for my Names sake Of these words see vers 9.14.22 The Vulgar is Cum benefecero When I shall have done good to you The Hebrew is When I have done to you or With you for my Name sake That is when I have dealt graciously and mercifully with you out of my free grace and for the honour of my name Not according to your wicked waies Of wicked abominations was spoken chap. 8.9 of wicked counsel chap. 11.2 of Wicked way and waies chap. 13.22.18.23 Those are wicked waies which lead from God from truth from just honest and good things In such they had walked long but God would not deal with them according to the wickednesse of their waies Significat aliquid ad imum usque funditus perdere corrumpere depravare quocunque id fiat modo sine medio Nor according to your corrupt doings The word for Corrupt is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to Corrupt even to the bottome throughly and such were they they were not a Little corrupt but totally corrupted in their judgements wills affections words and actions they were like a corrupt spring that sends forth nothing but corrupt waters Ezek. 16.47 Thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy waies Obs 1 The Lord is gratious and merciful unto the Sonnes of men deserving ill at his hands hee deals with them upon the account of his grace not their deserts What did their wicked waies and corrupt doings deserve at his hands but that hee should have poured out his fury and accomplish his anger upon them as it is ch 7.8 but hee wrought with them for his Name sake that is out of his free grace and favour he spared them hee pardoned them hee delivered them out of Babylon and brought them into Canaan When God seeth nothing in the Creature to put him on to shew mercy hee findes enough in his own Name to provoke him thereunto you have it four times in this chapter thrice before and here that hee wrought for his Name sake whatever mercy this people had it was from Divine favour not their desert If it was free Grace brought the Jews out of Babylon into Canaan what is it but freenesse fulnesse and riches of grace to bring men out of the world into the heavenly Canaan Predestination Calling Justification and Glorification are acts of meer grace and favour Eph. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.9 Rom. 3.24 ch 8.30 1 Pet. 5.10 All the Sonnes of men injoy here or expect hereafter is from the bounty favour and mercy of God Psalm 103.8 9 10 11 12. Luke 12.32 to attribute ought to our own wills or indeavours is to derogate from God and darken the glory of his name and free grace Obs 2 God doth therefore deal gratiously with sinners that they may know him experimentally Yee shal know that I am the Lord when I have wrought with you for my Name sake c. God works and so works that hee makes the hearts of men affected with his works and to say Psal 86.8 Among the Gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any works like unto thy works none so full of Glory so full of grace and mercy none so influential and operative upon the heart It s Gods scope and aim in doing good so freely and fully as hee doth to make himself known to the hearts of his People that so they may bee knit to him provoke them to admire him and live more fully to him Vers 45 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto mee saying 46 Son of Man set thy face towards the South and drop thy word toward the South and Prophesy against the Forrest of the South-field 47 And say to the forrest of the South Hear the word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will kindle a fire in thee and it shal devour every green tree in thee and every dry tree the flaming flame shal not be quenched and all faces from the South to the North shal bee burnt therein 48 And all flesh shal see that I the Lord have kindled it it shal not be quenched These verses are the fifth general part of the chapter viz. a parabolical Declaration of the destruction of Judea and Jerusalem Some refer these words to the next Chapter and make the beginning of that at the 45. v. of this The 45. v. sets before us the Divine Authority of this Prophesy against the Jews that were yet in Canaan the Prophet received it from the Lord it came from God to him before it went out from him to men In this 45. v. wee have 1 The Compellation Son of man of which heretofore 2 A Command to declare and utter the word hee had received set thy face c. Set thy Face Of this Expression in Chapter 4. 3 7. ch 6.2 ch 13.17 Hac phrasi ostendit strenue precidandum ess◠ita ut nullis minis frangatur nec so
his daies After the flood at the building of Babel God confounded the languages and dispersed the posterity of Noah into diverse Lands and set them their bounds Gen. 11.9 and so when hee brought the Israelites into the land of Canaan hee gave them their bounds according to what you find Psal 78.55 Hee cast out the Heathen before them and divided them an inheritance by line and made the Tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents hee drove out and destroyed the Hittites the Girgashites the Amorites the Canaanites the Perizzites the Hâ—vites and the Jebusites seven great and mighty Nations Deut. 7.1 and gave the land unto his people the Jews If God now will drive out the bloudy perfidious and Idolatrous out of Ireland and give it unto others that the seed of his servants may inherit it Martin in the lives of the Kings of England Heylin in his Cosmograph Fox in Act and Monum Grafton Speed and that those which love his name may dwell therein who shall fault and blame him for it and that England hath had right thereunto not onely from Henrie the eighths days who was proclaimed King thereof in Parliament here and in an Irish Parliament likewise if Heylin say true but also from Henry the Seconds Time yea from Edgars who was long before appears by English History Obs 3 The Lord provides and bestows the choicest mercies upon his own people If there bee a land in the World that flowes with milk and Honey that exceeds other lands for plenty and pleâ—santnesse his people shall have it hee espies out Canaan for them that land was too good for Heathens his people must have it When God carried Jacob and his family into Egypt hee provided the good and fat of that land for them Gen. 45.18 yea they were placed in the best of the land chap. 47.11 God fed and filled his with the finest of the wheat Psal 147.14 Moses mentions seven things together in Deut. 32.13 14 15. as honey out of the rock Oyle out of the flinty rock Butter of Kine milk of sheep fat of lambs and Rams of the breed of Bashan and Goats fat of Kidnies of wheat the pure bloud of the grape these the Lord provided for his people and they had all an excellency in them When Gods gives honey oyle butter milk fat flower wine hee giveth the best and purest you may read what choice mercies God bestowed upon this people Ezek. 16.10 11 12 13. they had goodly pleasant things Joel 3.5 the Hebrew is goodly desirable things and David acknowledgeth hee had a goodly heritage Psal 16.6 God had not measured out to him a mean portion but a good yea a goodly heritage that which was so in the eies of all even a wealthy place Psal 66 12. God provided the best places in the Court for Esther and her maidens when in Babylon Esth 2.9.16 so likewise Daniel and the three Children were set in eminent places Dan. 2. 3. ch God made his people to ride tread upon the high places of the earth and of their enemies Deut. 32.13.33.29 Obs 4. Spiritual mercies make a land glorious yea more glorious than all that lands want the same whatever mercies they else injoy Canaan was the glory of all lands not so much for its flowing with milk and honey its great plenty it had as for the spiritual mercies it injoyed There was the Lords presence his Prophets his worship his Oracles and his Ordinances and these made it glorious yea more glorious then all the Nations farre or near Psal 76.1 2. In Judah is God known his name is great in Israel in Salem also is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place is in Sion God was not known in Babylon in Egypt in other Nations his Tabernacle and dwelling place was not amongst them therefore they were not glorious but see what is in the 4. vers Thou art more glorious than the mountains of Prey Thou Judah thou Israel thou Salem thou Sion that hast spiritual mercies and blessings art more glorious than they whatever their glory bee have the Nations abroad goodly towers thou hast the Temple have they stately Cities thou hast Jerusalem the City of God have they wise men thou hast the Prophets have they gods of gold silver and stones thou hast the true living God Jehovah to bee thy God have they humane Laws that are good thou hast Divine Laws that excel have they temporal excellencies thou hast spiritual have they the glory of the world thou hast the glory of Heaven Psal 50.2 Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath shined what made Sion so glorious and beautiful it was the presence of God if hee had not been there Sion had been like other mountaines and Canaan like other Nations but his presence was like the Sunne darting out her beams and making all lightsome glorious and beautiful Spiritual mercies are beams and raies of that God who is ten thousand times more bright than the Sunne by these hee shined in Sion and made it the perfection or universality of beauty by these hee shined out of Sion and darkned all the glory of the Nations what or how great soever it was where God and his Ordinances are there is glory and where these are not there is no glory but Egyptian Darknesse a land without the Sun In Canaan was spiritual light and glory There were glorious appearances of God glorious praisings of God glorious conversions of sinners unto God glorious sabbaths and assemblies and glorious beauties of holinesse glorious types of Christ and people who were the glory of God Isa 4.5 and had glorious communion with God There were glorious Truths Ordinances and dispensations of God So then wise Counsellors good Magistrates stout Souldiers rich Merchants industrious Labourers strong Towns stately Houses high Mountaines fertile Vallies pleasant Rivers goodly Corn-fields heards of Cattle flocks of sheep with plenty of all outward things do not make a land so glorious as spiritual mercies do if God Christ Gospel and the Ordinances of it bee in a land they make it glorious and glorious beyond all other things and above all other Nations Let us learn to know our true glory even spiritual mercies and prize them highly though loathed by some like Manna of old and pray that such glory may ever dwell in our Land Vers 7 Then said I unto them cast yee away every man the abominations of his eyes and defile not your selves with the Idols of Egypt I am the Lord your God This Verse is a command wherein you have the Commander the things commanded and the reason thereof 1 The Commander Then said I unto them 2 The things Commanded which are 1 Casting away of abominations where 1 You have a specification of these abominations they are the abominations of their eyes 2 The extent of this act every man 2 Non-defilement of themselves with Egypts Idols 3 The reason I am the Lord your God Then said I to
iron rod and sword hee had in his hand The father speaks concerning his son to the Prophet and the 11. v. strengthens this interpretation Hee hath given it to be fourbished Who is that hee but the Son and who gave it into the hand of the slayer but he and that was Nebuchadnezzar Obs 1 Christ hath Rods and judgements in his hand the rod of my Son Christ is not all mercie though full of mercy the father hath committed all judgement unto him Rev. 6.16 the Lambe hath wrath in him as well as meeknesse Christ is a Lyon to tear in peices as well as a Samaritan c. Psal 2.12 Obs 2 When sinners profit not but are worse under lesser judgements this provokes Christ to bring forth more heavy judgements The Rod of my Son contemning every tree Though they stood it out against other rods they should not bee able to do so against this when the Axe comes to the root of Trees they must down a knife they may despise but an Ax despises them Obs 3 Some judgements are so grievous as they sweep away all This rod despised every tree the strongest Oakes the tallest Cedars the King Princes Nobles Counsellers Souldiers Artificers c. Obs 4 From the 11. v. Enemies cannot hurt unlesse they have power and furniture given them The Sword was fitted for and given into the hand of the slayer Nebuchadnezzar could not have stird destroyed a man in the Land of Israel unless Christ had impoured him Pilate had no power but what was given him No man or Nation hath power against another unlesse they bee armed from God or Christ Had the Jews kept in with them none should ever have harm'd them Vers 12 Cry and howl Son of man The word for Cry is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to cry out propter angustiam compressionem animi Jer. 30.15 why cryest thou for the affliction afflictions straitned and pressed the spirit of Jacob so that be cryed out you have the word in Ezek. 9.8 ch 11.13 where it notes crying from sorrow and pressure of minde Howle Beasts do howle when pinched with hunger or suffer some great misery The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Abenacius hath affinity with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words which signify night Quando aliquis est in summa augustia ut fere ad nihilum redigatur non habet preter noctem tenebras molestiatum tuâ—e incipit ululare plorare and reduction in a manner to nothing and when men are incompassed with great calamities and ready to perish then they howl Isa 65 14. they shall cry for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of spirit the Hebrew is for breaking of spirit when their spirits should bee broken and they ready to sink and be ruined then they should howle For it shall be upon my people The Hebr. is Hajetha it hath been upon my People its usual with the Hebrew to put a praeter-tense for the future to signify the certainty of the thing and so it s here The French is il est fait pour mon peuple The Sword is made for my people to eat their flesh and drink their bloud Upon all the Princes of Israel In the 11. Chapter 1. you have Princes of the People The word there is Sar whence our English word Sir which is as much as Prince or Lord here its Princes of Israel the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nesiee from Nasa to prefer lift up set on high Montanus hath it in cunctis praelatis Israel upon all the preferred ones of Israel The Vulgar In cunctis ducibus Israel upon all the Dukes of Israel Others upon all the Princes Terrors by reason of the Sword The word for Terrors is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is variously rendered The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and referres it to all the Princes of Israel dwelling or sojourning there Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that dwell nigh me The Vulgar is qui fugerant the sword shall bee upon all the Princes and Potentateâ— that should fly Montan. hath it timores ob gladium fears by reason of the sword The French Crainte de glaive fear of the sword shall bee upon my people Castal Terrores a gladio imminent populo meo Terrors from the sword hang over the heads of my people Vatablus Pavores ingruent ab hoc gladio in Populum meum Aecolampad Formidines ad gladium erunt populo meo So Piscat Formidines propter gladium Lavater Terrores gladii erunt Populo meo Junius and Polanus read the word thus Detrusi in gladium sunt saith one erunt saith the other cum populo meo and in the margent of your Bibles it is So they are thrust down to the sword with my People that is the Princes shall fare no better than the People but together with them shall bee cut off The reading wee have I like best and most Expositors agree in it and so the word is rendred Lam. 2.22 Jer. 6.25 The sword of the enemy and fear is on every side Smite therefore upon thy thigh In the 6 Chapter 11. v. the Lord commanded the Prophet to smite with his hand stampe with his foot and here to smite upon his thigh which were gestures to expresse grief and sorrow Traxit ex intimo ventre suspirium dentibus frendit icit femur Plautus in Truculento in great and sad calamities Tundebant faemora palmis they smote upon their thighs with their hands Obs 1 The Calamities of wars are matter of great mourning and sad gestures cry howle smite upon thy thigh Jer. 4.6 7 8. God would bring evil from the North upon them Nebuchadnezzar the Lyon was comming for this gird you with sackcloath lament and howle Obs 2 The sword makes no distinction of Persons it shall be upon my People and upon all the Princes of Israel They should finde no more favor than others not any not the greatest of them should be exempted from the evils of the sword Jer. 52.10 the King of Babylon slew the Sons of Zedekiah before his eyes he slew also all the Princes of Judah in Riblah Then he put out the eies of Zedekiah Obs 3 Times of war are times of fears terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my People The sword drawn is a terrible thing Josh 2.9 ch 10.12 Jer. 15.8 chapter 46.3 4 5. chapter 49.24 29. The sword is Magor-missobib fear round about it makes families towns Cities Nations to fear and tremble when the sword is without there is terror within and such terrour oft times as is destructive Deut. 32.25 mens hearts meditate such terrors as bereave them of their wits senses lives 13 Because it is a tryal The word for Tryal is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bochan from Bachan to Prove examine Try By the Septuagint here it s rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is justified
Tim. 2.8 I will that men pray every where lifting up holy hands and Psal 88.9 Heman saith he called upon God daily and stretched out his hands unto him Lamen 2.19 Lift up thine hands unto him for the life of thy children Levare manum est signum gratiae auxilii sumpta figura dâ—cendi a porrigentibus manum infirmioribus ad opem ferendam Pradus Gestus est ejus qui potentiam robur suum exerit Vatablus 3. It notes open mercy favour aid Isa 49.22 I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles that is I will reach unto them the Gospel and by the power and grace of it bring them to Sion In this sense it is to bee taken Psal 10.12 O God lift up thy hand forget not the humble that is evidence thy power and help the humble and afflicted against their oppressors 4 To lift up the hand imports threatning hurting smiting Psal 106.26 hee lifted up his hand against them to overthrow them in the wilderness when men are angry with others and threaten to do them harm to ruine them they oft lift up their hands and fists against them thus it signifies in Mich. 5.9 Ezek. 44.12 5 To lift up the hand implies swearing it was a gesture used in that sacred act Gen. 14.22 Deut. 32.40 it is expressed so in Esa 3.7 in that day shall hee swear the Hebrew is lift up the hand The first and second sense pertains not to this place and though some would have it meant of Gods lifting up his hand to help the Israelites out of their bondage by the smiting of Pharaoh and the Egyptians yet to mee the last sense seems most suitable and lifting up the hand here imports swearing the Chaldee is juravi it referres to what you have Exod. 6.8 I will bring you to the Land concerning which I did swear or lift up my hand to give it to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. God had promised and sworn to them that hee would bring their seed out of Egypt into Canaan Gen. 50.24.15.7.14.16 Unto the seed of the house of Jacob. Montanus reads the words for the seed of the house of Jacob Super semen domus Jacob. Vatablus upon or on the seed Here it s unto the seed Gods promise and oath was for them over them and unto them By Seed is meant the posterity of Jacob. God had told Jacob that his seed should bee as the dust of the earth Gen. 28.14 and his seed did greatly multiply in Egypt Exo. 1.7 and his seed is called sometimes the seed of Israel Isa 45.25 and seed of the house of Israel Jer. 23.8 sometimes the seed of Jacob Psal 22.23 and here the seed of the house of Jacob because Jacob or Israel was the root stock family out of which the Jews in Egypt sprung And made my self known unto them Great were the afflictions of the Jews in Egypt they were like men in a storm at Sea and that in a dark night when day breaks it is some refreshing and such was Gods making himself known unto them This making himself known unto them was for their deliverance God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and told him who hee was and what hee was about to do Exod. 3.2.6 7 8. hee had promised Abraham Isaac and Jacob to give their seed the land of Canaan and now he was come to give being to that promise to make himself known by his name Jehovah which they knew not in this sense they saw not that promise fulfilled but Moses Aaron and their seed should now see it chap. 6.3.8 God would put forth his mighty power and by a strong hand bring them forth ver 1. God made himself known to them by Moses who was Gods messenger and instrument to speak and do what hee pleased Psal 103.7 he made known his waies unto Moses his acts unto the children of Israel Gods pitty faithfulnesse and power were abundantly made known After the Lord had appeared to Moses answered all his Objections hee made against undertaking the difficult work of delivering the People and joynd Aaron with him for his assistant In the 4. chap. they gather all the Elders of Israel together they told them all the words God had spoken and did the signs by which God had confirmed the words concerning their deliverance which the people beleeved bowed and worshipped God ver 29 30 31. here God was made known unto them I am the Lord your God Hebrew is I Jehovah your God The first is absolute the second relative Of Jehovah I have spoken heretofore it notes Gods nature and being which is of its self within its self and dependent upon none all other beings are from him and depend on him according to what you have Rom. 11.36 of him through him and to him are all things and Act. 17.28 in him we live move and have our beings Your God This is a great word and hath great mercy in it an ingageing word tying God and all his attributes to them your God to counsell you your God to protect you your God to deliver you your God to comfort you your God to plead for you your God to teach you your God to set up my name and worship among you your God to bless you with the dews of heaven and fulness of the earth your God to hear your prayers and to make you happy While they were in Egypt God professed himself to bee their God Exod. 6.7 I will take you to mee for a people and I will bee to you a God and yee shall know that I am the Lord your God Hee would not bee a Titular God unto them like the Heathens Gods but they should have experience of him and his Attributes hee would do by them and for them as a God in Covenant Obs 1 There bee times when the Lord is pleased to shew mercy to people in misery and great afflictions In the day that I chose thee Israel was in a distressed condition in Egypt in a very low estate Their lives were imbittered with hard bondage insomuch that they sighed and cryed Exod. 4.23 and now at this time and being in this condition God heard their groanings looked upon and had respect unto them now hee chose them ver 24 25. therefore Isaiah saith cha 48.10 God chose them in the furnace of affliction times of misery are times of Gods shewing mercy when they were in a hot fiery furnace ready to bee consumed to ashes no likely-hood of escaping yet even then did the Lord appear and manifest his choice of them Ezek. 16. when this people were in their bloud filth nakedness saith God I passed by thee and looked upon thee and behold thy time was the time of love I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednesse vers 8. at that time God took this people into favour God hath his day to bind up the breach of his people and to heal the stroak of their wound Isa 30.26
Nations Heylin Cosmogrâ— Vide Lyra in Ezek. 20 6 besides women children and such as were not able to fight 2 Sam. 24. this land was the glory of all lands in regard of the fruitfulnesse and plenty of it of which see Deut. 8.7 8 9. cha 32.13 14. Isa 36.17 a land beyond Egypt though some have affirmed the contrary for Deut. 11.10 11 12. the land thou goest in to possesse is not as the land of Egypt from whence ye came out when thou sowedst thy seed and wateredst it with thy foot as a garden of herbes But the land whither thou goest to possesse it is a land of Hells and Vallies and drinketh water of the rain of Heaven A land which the Lord thy God careth for the eyes of the Lord thy God are alwaies upon it from the beginning of the year unto the end thereof This is a divine Testimony and an high praise of it and doth justly intitle it to bee the glory of all lands What our Prophet saith here of Canaan may bee suspected and seems to bee contradicted by Isaiah ch 13.19 where hee calls Babylon the glory of Kingdomes and if that be the glory of them how can Canaan bee the glory of all lands Hee speaks of the City Babylon which was the head of Chaldea and gave denomination to a great part of Mesopotamia and Assyria the walls whereof were two hundred foot high filty Cubits broad and sixty miles in Compass which the Babylonians counted the glory of Kingdomes and boasted of if it did exceed Jerusalem in its greatnesse richnesse strength and populousness yet it fell short of it in other things Jerusalem represented the true Church Gal. 4.26 Heb. 12.22 Babylon the malignant and false Church Rev. 17.5 glorious things were spoken of Jerusalem and it was the faithful City Isa 1.21 the Holy City Isa 52.1 the City of Truth Zach. 8.3 a City of Righteousnesse Isa 1 26. the City of the Lord of Hosts such things were never spoken of Babylon Again if Babylon bee the Glory of Kingdomes it s not said to bee of all kingdomes it might bee the glory of Heathenish Kingdomes it was not the glory of Canaan for there was the Idol Bel other Images and abominable Idolatry Jer. 51.44 47. which eclipsed the other glory it had Again if it bee granted that Babylon was the glory of all Kingdomes and so of Judea or Canaan yet take Canaan in its latitude with all its excellencies and so considered it is the Glory of all Lands and beyond Babylon taken for the City or the Countrey for besides its milk and honey its fruitfulnesse and plenty there was something of an higher nature which made it so For 1 It was the land of promise Heb. 11 9. 2 A type of Heaven Heb. 3.11 3 The land God chose to dwell in Ps 132.13 14. Exo. 15.17 4 In it was the Temple Worship Ordinances and Oracles of God 1 Kin. 6. 8. chapt Whence it was called the Holy Land Zach. 2.12 holy Habitation Exod. 15.13 the land of the Lord Isa 14.2 Ps 85.2 the land of uprightnesse Isa 26.10 the land of Immanuel Isa 8.8 and upon this account it was the glory of all lands For no land besides in all the world was so called as this or had such prerogatives Obs 1 Old mercies should bee minded not onely by those they were first bestowed upon but also by their posterity who had benefit by them also In the former vers and this God mindes them of Old mercies his choice of them his making known himself unto them his professing himself to bee their God his bringing them out of Egypt which were some eight or nine hundred years before and his espying out a land for them which was four hundred years before that for it was in Abrahams daies that God took notice of that land Gen. 12. get thee to a land that I will shew thee vers 7. unto thy seed will I give this land These Old mercies God would have them to mind though they were in Babylon and deprived of that good land God had given them Let men bee in what condition they will Old mercies should not bee forgotten especially signal great emphatical mercies When God shall publikely own a people deliver them from great slavery put them into a state of freedome safety and honour provide all good things for them such mercies ought not to bee forgotten but to bee remembred from generation to generation This was done in Davids dayes Ps 44.1 2. Wee have heard with our ears O God our fathers have told us what worâ— thou didst in their daies in the times of Old how thou didst drive out the Heathen with thy hand Judges 6.13 Fathers told their children of the miracles God had wrought for them and how hee brought them out of Egypt and because men are apt to forget former mercies when they grow old they grow out of minde the Lord laid a charge upon the Jews that they should not forget them Deut. 6.10 11 12. And commanded them to remember the daies of Old and to consider the years of many generations and to inquire of the ancient what he had done for them Deut. 32.7 There bee no works like unto Gods works and they ought to bee had in remembrance David kept them in mind for hee professes to the Lord himself I remember the daies of Old I meditate on all thy works I muse on the work of thy hand he looked back to the daies of Noah of Abraham of Joseph of the Israelites and of Gods dealing with them because the heart is not quickly affected with old mercies and works of God he meditated and mused on them and that till his heart was warmed and stirred up to praise as it is Psal 105.5 remember his marvellous works that hee hath done his wonders and the judgements of his mouth O yee seed of Abraham his servant Obs 2 That Lands Countries and Habitations of People are appointed ordered and disposed of by the Lord hee brings them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that hee had espyed for them All souls and all lands are the Lords and whom hee will hee plants where hee pleases Hee distributes lands and habitations to whom hee thinks meet The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Psal 24.1 hee is the sole owner thereof the true Lord of the soil and all it brings forth and hee hath given it to the children of men Psal 115.16 hee hath assigned them their several portions Deut. 32.8 the most high divided to the Nations their inheritance when he separated the Sonnes of Adam the most high God being Lord paramount would not have the Sonnes of Adam to live all in one Country or Land but appointed them several lands and Countries to dwel in and set them their bounds and limits as you may see in Gen. 10. especially vers 25. where Eber names his Son Peleg which signifies division because the earth was divided in
reverently Gods Name is great glorious excellent holy and dreadful and ought to bee reverenced Psal 111.9 3 When Occasion is given to the wicked to speak evil of God and his waies as 2 Sam. 12.14 David by his sinnes gave great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme So Ezek. 36.21 the Jews by their sinful carriage caused the name of God to bee prophaned among the heathen Had the Lord then destroyed this people in Egypt according as he purposed the Egyptians and other Nations would have slighted him spoken evil of his doings blasphemed his name and wounded his honour Therefore though this people deserved to dye in the way of justice yet God spared them in the way of mercy for the honour of his name Quae. Seeing God purposed to destroy them and did it not is not his will alterable and inefficacious Ans The Counsels Purposes Decrees of God are unalterable and do take place Psal 33.11 Isa 14.27 ch 43.13 ch 46.10 Mal. 3.6 Heb. 6.17 for that said and done here it s more humano God saw cause sufficient to move him to their destruction but seeing what evil was like to come on 't he would not destroy them had the Lord decreed it before the world it must have taken place no change or alteration could have been Before the Heathen The Hebrew is in the eies of the Heathen God would not have them to see or behold any thing which might occasion them to dishonour him hee would not slay his people in their sight but made himself known by his word and mighty works unto the Jews in the sight of the Heathen so that hereby he was known unto both Obs 1 The Lord spares and saves sinners deserving death even for his name sake but I wrought for my name sake thou for thy Rebellion Idolatry and other sinnes didst deserve to dye and I could almost have cut thee off but for my mercy and name sake I spared and saved thee Jsa 48.8 9. I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously and wast called a transgressour from the womb that is worthy so to bee called seeing as soon as ever thou camest out of the womb of Egypt in which thou wast shut up as a child in the womb thou fellest to Idolatry here was enough to have caused God to stifle this childe but what follows For my name sake will I deferre mine anger and for my praise will I refrain for thee that I cut thee not off Nothing in this metaphorical childe this Jewish people moved him to shew mercy but his own Name his own Praise prevailed with him to preserve them from destruction Gods honour and glory are strong arguments to move him to shew mercy to his people This the servants of God have known and made use of in their streights when Jerusalem was in a manner laid desolate and the jealousy of God burnt like fire what argument did the Church use then to move God to shew mercy but his name and glory of it Psalm 79.9 Help us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy name and deliver us and purge away our sins for thy Names sake The Church was low weak beset with enemies and sinnes at once and now it would have help deliverance pardon and upon the account of Gods name for thy name sake help us for thy name sake deliver us for thy name sake purge away our sinnes What hurt would it be to Gods name if hee did it not it would not bee glorious but dishonoured for in the next verse its said Wherefore should the Heathen say where is their God they trusted in their God and hee is a non-helping God a Non-delivering God a Non-pardoning God This was the argument Joshuah used when Israel fell before their enemies Lord what wilt thou do unto thy great name Gods name was pretious to Joshuah but more pretious to God himself Josh 7.9 and he did great things for his name sake When the people forgat the multitude of great mercies they had in Egypt and provoked him at the Sea even at the red Sea and deserved to bee drowned in it and that their bloud should have skarletted the waters thereof what saith the Text Psal 106.8 Neverthelesse he saved them for his name sake When nothing induced him to do it Vide Muscul in locum the honour of his Name did that hee might appear faithful merciful powerful God did not save them for their prayers for their faith for their fathers sakes for their righteousnesse or for their enemies sakes being very malicious and wicked but for his own Name sake God doth more upon that account alone than upon the account of all the rest You may hear the Lord speak graciously to this purpose Isa 4.3.25 I even I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake here is I twice one I referring to them it s I that blot out their transgressions and none besides the other referres to God I blot them out for mine own sake not your sakes God doth all freely Obs 2 God's sparing of his people and preventing the reproaches blasphemies and mischiefes would come by his destroying of them is an honouring and sanctifying of his name I wrought satih God that my name might not bee polluted before the Heathen that is that it might bee honoured and sanctified in their sight God doth often spare his people being ripe for destruction that the enemy might not blaspheme and prophane his name and when hee doth so hee honours his name Deut. 32.26 27. God saith there hee would scatter and destroy his people but why did hee it not hee feared the wrath of the enemy least their adversaries should behave themselves strangely and least they should say our hand is high and the Lord hath not done all this God foresaw what they would say and do if he should have used them as instruments to punish his children they would have been very outragious bloudy and cruel and when they had vented all their malice against them and done whatever they would they would have denyed Gods hand to have been therein and arrogated all to themselves which had been a great dishonour to God hee therefore prevents their blaspheming by sparing of his people and so provides for the honour of his Name Moses once and twice put God upon it to take heed hee caused not the Egyptians to speak evil of him and his waies when hee was upon the designe of destroying his people for their sinnes Exod. 32.10 11 12. Numb 14.12 13 14 15 16. God deals with his people sometimes not after the ordinary rule and course of his proceedings but in a prerogative way hee spares them though their sinnes be great because their enemies would bee proud arrogant bloudy and blasphemous and hath hee not spared England upon this account Obs 3 That notwithstanding the sins of Gods people hee shews them kindness openly and in the face of their enemies though the
law was given of which the next verse speaks Into the wilderness God did bring them to try them to humble them and do them good at their latter end Deut. 8.16 Obs 1 That God for the honour of his name shews mercy after mercy to his people deserving no mercy yea deserving destruction In the former verse to prevent the dishonour of his name hee spared them made himself known to them and here hee goes on adding mercy to mercy wherefore I caused them to go forth Obs 2 No length of time no depth of misery no power or policy of adversaries whatsoever can hinder God from delivering his people when his time is come The Jews had been long in Egypt suffered very hard things for the space of one hundred and sixteen years or one hundred twenty one from the time of Josephs death till their departure out of Egypt that house of bondage which was thereabout they were under heavy pressures and great tyranny Pharaoh that great Dragon used all his cunning and power to keep them longer in that condition but notwithstanding all these the Lord caused them to go forth his time was come The like did God for this People when they had been in Babylon seventy years were as dry bones and out of hope Ezek. 37.11 hee opened their graves and caused them to come up out of them and come to the land of Israel vers 12. There is no thing too hard for the Lord to do hee can and will remove all obstructions break through all difficulties and shake the foundations of heaven earth and hell to bring to pass his good pleasure in the time thereof The state of the Jews in Egypt represents mens condition under sin and Satan that in Babylon the condition of Gods Servants under Antichrist Now let men bee never so long in bondage to either or both of them suffer never such hard things let Satan that red Dragon and Antichrist that man of sin improve all their craft skill and power to hold men in darknesse and waies of false worship yet when the Lords day is come hee will cause them to come out of Egyptian bondage and Babylonian darknesse hee will fetch them off from all sinfull practises all invented waies of worship and bring them into his marvellous and glorious light Obs 3 When God doth shew his people special mercy in freeing them from old and special miseries hee doth not wholly exempt them from new miseries though hee caused them to go forth of Egypt yet hee brought them into a Wilderness where they met with hunger thirst danger and death they were freed from Egyptian miseries not from wilderness miseries They thought if once they were freed from their making brick gathering straw and rigid Task-masters they should bee happy but they met with new-hardships new-miseries they did ride upon the back of mercy out of old miseries into new out of an house of bondage into a wildernesse an howling wildernesse a wildernesse that made them howle many a time It s Gods method oft to mingle water with our wine miseries with our mercies crosses with our comforts to lead us out of great streights in much mercy and to lead us into others for tryal David was delivered oft out of streights but shortly after hee was freed from one he was brought into another and that by the same hand which made him say thou hast shewed mee great and soar troubles Psal 71.20 sometimes hee was on the mount of mercies and sometimes in the valley of miseries yea in the valley of the shadow of death take it in a spiritual sense when men are converted do they not meet with hard things are they not brought out of Egypt into a wildernesse where are dangers fiery Serpents Scorpions c. Vers 11 And I gave them my statutes and shewed them my judgements This people being brought out of Egypt and freed from great bondage being in a wildernesse might now phansy a total liberty to themselves and exemption from all obedience to prevent this some fifty daies after their comming out the Lord at Mount Sinai gives them out his Law by which they might be ordered and regulated Of statutes and judgements hath been spoken formerly by them both Morals and Ceremonials are comprehended Shewed them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew is I made them to know that is I caused them to bee written in the Tables of stone and proclaimed amongst them yea I caused them to bee opened and expounded unto them The Lord made known his mind unto them though not so efficaciously as in these daies Which if a man do he shall live in them In eis or propter ea The doing here is mans keeping observing and obeying these Statutes and judgements and if so hee should not bee punished as transgressors are but live a long and prosperous life and not onely so but an happy and eternal life for if the keeping Gods Statutes and Commands Hebrei de vita eterna intelligunt q.d. qui ad impleverit haec precepta credens in Christum ventutum vivet viâ—a aeterna Varabl Hoc modo etiam Chaldaeus paraphrastos id should reach but unto a temporal prosperous life what benefit had the Jews thereby above the Gentiles who by their justice Civility and Moral vertues obtained great prosperity and length of daies The Lord Christ clears it up unto us that by life promised upon keeping the Law is meant eternal life Luke 10.25 saith a Lawyer to Christ Master what shall I do to inherit eternal life Christ saith What is written in the Law how readest thou hee tells him vers 27. what hee found there and Christ upon it tells him vers 28. that if he did so hee should live that is live eternally There was a righteousnesse of the Law which if men came unto the Law conferred life upon them Gal. 3.12 Rom. 10.5 Lev. 18.5 there was life in them life by them and life from them but because no man could attain unto the righteousnesse of the Law through the weaknesse of the flesh Rom. 8.3 Therefore the Law was so farre from conferring eternal life upon man that it excludes him from that life Rom. 3.20 and takes away the life hee hath Rom. 7.10 the Commandement which was ordained to life hee found to bee unto death that which in it self held out life accidentally and eventially proved death unto him Paul seems to deny any power to be in the Law of giving life Gal. 3.21 if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the Law The impotency is not Originally and intrinsecally in the Law for that is perfect and able to give life to aâ—â—â— to all that keep it Mat. 19.17 Christ makes the keeping the Commandements the entrance into life the fault is in us not in the Law which is Holy just and good if we could keep the Law it could give us life Obs 1 When God brings
at but when they sinne wilfully despising mee my Laws my worship they reproach blaspheme provoke mee so that they shall hear of it Son of man go and speak to the house of Israel go and tell them how they have dealt with mee and how I take it Such sins did deserve death Num. 15.30 31. The soul that doth ought presumptuously whether he be born in the Land or a stranger the same reproacheth the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s the same word is here for Blasphemed and may as well bee rendred so as reproacheth for hee that reproacheth the Lord blasphemes him and hee that blasphemes him reproacheth him they are joyned together 2 King 19.22 and what then That Soul shall bee cut off from among his people because hee hath despised the word of the Lord and hath broken his Commandement that soul shall utterly bee cut off There was no mercy for those sinned in that manner Heb. 10.26 28. many I fear commit such trespasses in these daies by speaking against Providence Ordinances Scriptures Angels Christ God himself and so sin away mercy and their own souls at once David prayed that God would keep him back from presumptuous sinnes Psal 19.13 and wee had need do it for there is that in our natures which carries us on strongly towards them as much as they did him remember what Solomon saith Prov. 28. Happy is the man that feareth alwaies but hee that hardeneth his heart that presumeth that is wilful pertinacious shall fall into mischief into mischievous sinnes into mischievous judgements chap. 13.13 Who so despiseth the word shall bee destroyed but hee that feareth the Commandement shall bee rewarded hee that sleights the word and waies of God destruction is his portion but he that fears to violate the command of God shall bee rewarded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee shall have peace safety a man by despising or fearing the word command of God doth neither hurt the one nor advantage the other but hee may hee doth hurt or advantage himself and that greatly 28 Then they saw every high Hill c. In this verse you have the Idolatry they fell into when they came into the Land of Canaan with the degrees thereof First Their Leaving of God and looking unto the Hills Iis locis arboribus quae prae caeteris erant insignes aliquid divinitatis in esse purabant Gentes Ideo ibi idolis sacrificabant Mariana yea every high hill and all the thick trees they gave liberty to their eies to spy out places suitable to their Idolatrous thoughts on hills and places beset with thick trees the Heathens worshipped and their Hearts and eyes were towards such places 2 Their making Altars and sacrificing there they offered there their Sacrifices c. they should not have sacrificed any where but in the place God appointed which was first the Tabernacle afterwards the Temple but they spied out hills groves thickets set up Altars and sacrificed on them those offerings which were peculiar unto God 3 Their Continuance and expencefulnesse therein they offered Sacrifices They poured out there their drink offerings 4 Their Content and delight they took therein there also they made their sweet savour The provocation of their Offering The Hebrew is The indignation and anger of their Corban 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Korban omne donum significat quod ad sacros usus offertur de pecoribus frugibus aliisque rebus Mincha Non tam late patet sed de frugibus terrae tantum in elligitur that is their approaching gift or offering Jun. hath it irritamentum oblationis suae the irritation of their oblation Piscat Oblationes irritantes provoking oblations because by them they did provoke God to anger to judgements There is a figure in these words called Hyppalage which is such a transposing of words as that is said of one which should bee said of the other as here provocation of offerings for Offerings provoking There also they made their sweet savour The Original for sweet savour is Reach nichochehem The Odour of their rests Odores grotos suos their acceptable odours when they had offered these they thought the Lord smelt a sweet savour was well pleased with them and so rested in them which phansied rest was pleasing to them though it lasted not neither had reality in it for their incense or sweet savour was a provocation to God Obs 1 That what the Lord promiseth hee makes good how difficult or impossible soever it seems to man The Lord had promised them Canaan and how should they come to it they were bond-men in Egypt there is a red Sea a vast wildernesse between Egypt and Canaan and beside Canaan had strong men in it sonnes of Anack Cities walled and great several Kings to oppose and keep them out but notwithstanding all these difficulties God having promised to bring them in hee did it when I had brought them into the Land for the which I lifted up my hand to give it to them His hand that was lift up to confirm them it should be done was let out for the doing thereof that hand could take away all doubts could also take away all difficulties There is nothing too hard for the Lord hee will work and who shall who can let it Isa 43.13 As hee is gracious to Promise so faithfull and able to perform and doth in due time make good whatever hee hath promised though it seem impossible hee said a Virgin should bring forth Isa 7.14 and was it not made good Mat. 1.18 that Abraham who was aged should have a Childe and his seed bee as the starres of Heaven and were not both made good Gen. 21.2 Exod. 12.37 Numb 11.21 not one word fail'd of all that God promised Moses 1 King 8.56 this should make us beleeve the promises of God what ever flesh and bloud objects Obs 2 Mens habitations are given and assigned unto them of the Lord I brought them into the Land I gave it them If men bee removed from place to place seated here or there the hand of the Lord is in it if they have commodious pleasant gainful habitations if they dwell safely under vines and fig-trees as it is 1 King 4.25 it s the Lords doing his providence disposed it so and wee should be thankful in and for our habitations and minde the heavenly Canaan and those mansions mentioned Joh. 14.2 prepared for those do beleeve and glorify God out of which when once we are possessed of them wee shall never bee removed Obs 3 Circumstances of time and place do aggravate mens sinnes and make them hainous When I had brought them into the Land then they saw every high hill there they offered sacrifices there they presented the provocation of their offerings there they made their sweet savour there they poured out their drink offerings here bee four theres every one aggravating and accenting their sinnes This was ingratitude with a witnesse that the Lord should
hearts and cause them to hearken to and honor him they should know him practically do his will they should know him to be faithful in performing his Promises powerful and gratious in doing greater things than they looked for and so should set themselves to serve the Lord. Others knew him by his judgements v. 38. which knowledge produced no real effects in their hearts and lives but these by his mercies and goodnesse which knowledge rested not in their heads but was operative in their hearts and extant in their lives so knowing is to bee taken 1 Chron. 28.9 When I shall bring you into the Land of Israel c. Of these words or not much differing you heard in the 28. vers Though the Land of Israel were a fruitful Land flowing with milk and hony and so it was a great mercy to bee brought in upon that account yet that was not all It was the Land of Promise the inheritance of their fathers and their repossession of it evidenced that they were their children their heires the people of God Obs 1 Experimental knowledge of God affects the heart and makes obedient to his will to worship and honour God which other knowledge doth not What ever knowledge a man hath of God and his waies without this it s a form of knowledge rather than knowledge it self 1 John 2.4 Hee that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandements is a Lyar and the Truth is not in him that is hee hath no true knowledge of God in him for what hee saith of love ch 5.3 This is the Love of God that wee keep his Commandements that is true of knowledge there is no right knowledge of God if yee keep not his Commandements Hence saith the Lord Isa 1.3 Israel doth not know and Jer. 4.22 ch 8.7 my people know not the judgement of the Lord they had the Law the Prophets yet they did not know and why they did not keep his Commandements Violation of them is an argument men know not God where works of iniquity are committed there the knowledge of God is wanting Hos 5.4 the spirit of whoredomes is in the midst of them and they have not known the Lord and ch 4.1 when there was no truth nor mercy in the Land then there was no knowledge of God in it When men are disobedient to the Commands of God they are ignorant of God in their hearts deny God in their lives what ever knowledge they have of him in their heads you may finde it in holy writ that as those do evil are said not to know God Jer. 9.3 so those that do good are said to know him Jer. 22.16 and pure religion which is the right knowledge of God is put upon doing James 1.27 Daniel therfore tells us that turning from iniquity and so walking in the waies of God is the way to understand truth and so to know God Dan. 9.13 and Christ hath affirmed it that doing is the way to knowing Joh. 7.17 Obs 2 The Goodness mercy and kindnesse of God begets experimental knowledge of him in the hearts of men Yee shall know that I am the Lord when I shall bring you into the land of Israel When God should knock off the Babylonish yoak and replant them in Canaan then their hearts should taste and bee affected with the dealings of God Great mercies had great operations upon them and made deep impressions in them God teaches men by his works experimentall knowledge comes in that way when his word is fulfilled in Promises or threats in mercy or judgement then men come to know God Hee is known by executing of judgement Psal 9.16 and known by his mercies Psal 19.20 21 22. It s one thing to hear of Physick another to feel the workings of it in ones bowels One thing to hear of Wine another to finde the vertue of it in the stomach So it s one thing to hear of God and his mercies another to taste of the loving kindnesse of God in his mercies Psalm 34.8 taste and see that the Lord is good Gods goodnesse had bred experimental knowledge in David and hee could sensibly speak of it and provoke others to partake of what hee had Ver. 43 And there shall yee remember your waies These words wee had in the 16. chap. vers 61. the word remember notes remembring with affection so as to do something thereupon And all your doings wherein ye have been defiled The Septuagint reads the former words with a part of these thus There shal ye remember your waies wherein yee have defiled your selves and leave out these words all your doings but they are in the Hebrâ—w and import their Idolatries and other abominations They corrupted Gods worship fell to Babylonish practises and greatly defiled themselves And ye shall loath your selves in your own sight In the sixth Chapter vers 9. were these words opened where they are thus They shâ—l loath themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aquil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Displicebitis vobâ—s Theod. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insensi critis Sym. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shal smite their faces Others you shal be displeased and wroth with your selves Symmachus hath it thus you shal be little in your own eyes for all the wickednâ—sses ye have done The meaning of the verse is that they should seriously consider their waies bee ashamed of them truâ—ly repent of them yea so repent as to judge themselves worthy to bee cut off from being Gods People and to be made a curse Obs 1 â—ense of Mercies rather than of Judgements makes sin bitter and leâ—ds unto Repentance Their Captivity and sad things they suffered therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excindere execrari significat saith Maldona did not imbitter their sinne unto them and break their hearts but Gods kindnesse in bringing them out of Babylon into the Land of Israel that prevailed with them when they had received marvellous kindnesse from God then they were marvellously affected greatly ashamed of their waies and loathed themselves Mercies in Sion produced that which judgements in babylon did not Quem vexatio non dat dat beneficentia intellectum Pradus Great mercies bestowed upon great sinners do preach the Doctrine of repentance most effectually convincing them strongly of their unworthy and vile carriages towards the Lord 1 Sam. 24. Davids kindnesse brake the heart of Saul and made him to weep and say Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rewarded mee good whereas I have rewarded thee evill If humane favour hath such influence into a sinfull heart what hath Divine Moses by his stroaks fetched water out of a Rock David by his kindnesse God somtimes by his judgements humbles men and brings them to repentance but mostly by his mercies The sweet influences of the Gospel have pierced deeper into sinners hearts than the terrours of the Law Obs 2
overturn overturn overturn Overturn the Church overturn the State overturn them for a long time which was very sad and bitter yet even now when hee is in a full carriere of overturning hee tells them of the comming of Christ who should bee their King wear the Crown and raise up the Kingdome again This was great mercy in the depth of misery if they lost an earthly Kingdome they should have a spiritual one if they lost a prophane and temporal King they should have a King of Righteousnesse an eternal King It is the method of the Lord when hee is bringing in dreadful judgements upon his People that have provoked him bitterly to lay in something that may support and comfort those have served him faithfully Amos 9.8 9 10 11. Behold The eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinfull kingdome and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob saith the Lord There was mercy mingled with judgement so in the next vers For Lo I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all Nations like as corn is sifted in a sive yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth here again is mercy in the midst of judgement So again in the two next verses All the sinners of my People shall dye by the sword which say the evil shall not overtake nor prevent us and what then In that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof and I will raise up his ruines and I will build it as in the days of old here is goodnesse with severity Obs 5 That how contrary soever Gods actings appear yet he will make good his promises hee is mindful of them and will be faithful The Lord had promised to set up his Sonne Christ to bee King in Sion the hill of his holinesse Psal 2.6 that the Government should bee upon his shoulder Isa 9.6 that hee would cause a branch of Righteousnesse to grow up unto David and hee shall execute judgement and righteousnesse in the land Jer. 33.15 what likelihood was there that these things should bee when the Lord overturns the land plucks up all by the roots and laies all in a dead condition and that for many daies and years They might have thought and said surely This death of the Crown of Church and State will bee the death of all those and other Promises but it was not so though a sentence of death was upon the land upon the Jews yet the living God kept life in the Promises hee minded them and said I will give it to him hee shall have this land the Kingdome and the crown hee shall sit upon Sion reign and execute judgement The actings of God sometimes are such that to mans apprehensions they will make void the Promises of God Psal 77.7 8. saith Asaph will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his Promise fail for evermore Gods hand was heavy upon him his proceedings with him such as his soul was greatly afflicted questioned the truth of his Promises and was ready to despair but what saith hee in the tenth verse This was my infirmity There was no infirmity in God hee had not forgotten his Promise it was not out of his sight though out of Asaphs mans faith may fail him sometimes but Gods faithfulnesse never fails him Psalm 89.33 God will not suffer his faithfulnesse to fail Gods operations may have an aspect that way the Devils temptations and our unbeleeving hearts may not onely make us think so but perswade us it is so when as it cannot be so for the Lord will not suffer it hee will not make a lye in his Truth or faithfulnesse so the Hâ—brew is hee is a God cannot lye he is truth speaks truth and not one of his Promises can or shall fail which may afford strong Consolation unto all that are under any promise of God Vers 28 And thou Son of man prophesy and say Thus saith the Lord God concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach even say thou The sword the sword is drawn for the slaughter it is fourbished to consume because of the glittering 29 Whiles they see vanity unto thee whiles they divine a lye unto thee to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain of the wickâ—â—â— whose day is come when their iniquity shall have an end In these verses and the rest to the end is contained the Prophesy against the Ammonites Two waies were spoken of in the 19 20 and 21. vers One leading to the Ammonites the other to the Jews Nebuchadnezzar using divinations to discover unto which of these he should go Divine Providence over-ruled the Divination so that he was to make his military expedition unto Jerusalem Hence least the Ammonites should bee secure and insult over the Jews whose judgements were now comming upon them The Lord commands the Prophet to denounce judgement yea the same judgement unto them In his Prophesy we have 1 The judgement which is the sword ver 28. 2 The Causes of it 1 Reproach ver 28. 2 Impiety and inhumanity ver 29. 3 The place where it shall be vers 30. 4 The Similitudes to which the judgement is likened vers 31. 5 The Event thereof vers 32. 6 The Ratification of the Prophesy ibid. Concerning the Ammonites The Hebrew is Ad filios Hammon To the children of Ammon These Ammonites came of the Jewish Race for they were from Lot and his younger daughter Gen. 19.38 who being with child by him named her Sonne Ben-Ammi who was the Father of the Ammonites and for Lots sake who was the root of them the Lord shewed them kindnesse long after Deut. 2.19 when the Jews came into Canaan they must not distresse them nor meddle with them the Ammonites land was given to the children of Lot for a possession and so the Moabites vers 9. had their land upon that account but the Ammonites though descended from the Jews were bitter enemies to them and made war against them Judg. 11.4 1 Samuel 11.1 2. 2 Chronicles 20.1 They were notorious Idolaters they had Molech and Milchom among them 1 King 11.7 2 King 23.13 They were cruel and bloody Amos 1.13 Concerning their Reproach Some would have the words taken passively here for the reproach they suffred from the Chaldaeans but they are rather to be taken Actively for the Reproach which the Ammonites put upon the Jews So Vatablus understands the words and other interpreters A lapide affirms Opprobrium sive ignominiam Ammonitarum vocat quo Israelem affecerant that the Ammonites upbraided the Jews and their God as weak and unwarlike because Nebuchadnezzar was comming to them and durst not meddle with the Ammonites It s certain the Ammonites bare the Jews no good will and were glad of opportunities to vent that ancient