a great burden A stone saith Solomon Prov 27.3 is heavy and the sand weighty but a fools wrath is heavier then them both and guilt is heavier then them all A wounded spirit who can bear Prov. 18.14 What is guilt then with punishment but a consuming a devouring thing When David had sinned and Gods hand was upon him what saith he Psal 38.3 There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin Mine iniquities are gone over my head◠as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me v. 4. I am feeble and soar broken I have roared by reason of the disquietnesse of my heart v. 8. Gods hand and his own guilt did eat up his spirit and bring him to the gates of death this made him to say Psal 39.11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth The word for beauty notes that is desireable in man whatever is desireable that melts away when God doth visit man for sin A little touch of a mans hand crusheth the wings and hazards the life of the moth a little touch of Gods hand where guilt is marrs the beauty strength and desireables of man Secondly Observe Sinners under sad judgements are apt to despond yea to despair If our transgressions and our sins be upon us and we pine away in them how should we then live They had greatly sinned against God stood it out against his Prophets threatning judgements and now the judgments were come upon them their hearts sunk within them and they conclude there is no mercy for them our sins are great Gods judgments heavy upon us he is resolved now upon our destruction and what course soever we shall take all is in vain What these said in Judaea the like said they in Babylon Ezek. 37.11 Our bones are dryed and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts We are like the bones in a Grave that have all the marrow dryed out of them or like a branch of a Tree cut off and all the sap dryed out of it there is no hope we should ever live go to Jerusalem and grow there again into a Church or State Not only the wicked but even a Godly man may be in a desponding yea a desparing condition as David himself Psal 31.22 I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes Thou wilt never look upon or favour me more So Asaph Psal 77.7 Will the Lord cast off for ever will he be favourable no more is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore hath he forgotten to be gracious c. What sad expostulations were these of a good man Thirdly Observe The cavills objections and unbelief of sinners put God unto his oath As I live saith the Lord it s not so as you fancy I have told you that if you turn from your evill ways you shall live that I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner Ezek 18.21 22 23 27 28 31 32. But ye believe not my word ye cavill against it and say ye shall pine away in your sins that what course soever ye take ye shall not live Men are backward to believe the word of God and deal worse with God then with man they will give credit to an honest man upon his word but not to God yea how many do believe the Devils suggestions and delusions who is the father of lyes and will not believe the word of God and what a harsh thing is it that men will not attribute so much to God as to the Devil Eve took the Devils bare word in Paradice she put not him to his oath when he said ye shall not dye your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods knowing good and evill She believed him presently But men will not take Gods bare word they put him to his oath As I live saith the Lord. It s a great thing for God to speak but more for him to swear he that made the world with a word is not believed upon his word he must take his oath upon it so that it stands God in more to be believed in the world then it did to make the world his single word sufficed for the one his oath was required for the other O beatos nos quorum causa Deus jurat O miserr imos si nec juranti Domino credimus Tertul Si non credimus promittenti Deo credamus juranti Deo Jerom And here appears the great goodnesse of God that for the good of man will please to take an oath O happy we for whose sake God swears O most unhappy we if we believe not God swearing Having therefore Gods word and oath let us believe firmly and stagger no more Fourthly Observe Sinners in what condition soever they be have no cause to despond or despaire of mercy so that they turn from their evill wayes Let them be great sinners old sinners sinners under judgements ready to be destroyed and cut off by the hands of enemies as these were yet if they turn from their sins there is hope of mercy for them For First God takes pleasure rather in their conversion and salvation then in their death and destruction I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked-turn from his way and live If a State say to a company of its Subjects who are Traytors and upon trayterous designs I have no pleasure in your wayes which lead unto death but my pleasure is that you turn from them and live is not here a large door of hope opened unto them whatever their Treasons be Secondly Least men being deeply guilty should suspect the reallity of God herein for guilt is full of jealousies the Lord sweares to it and that by his life which is the most unquestionable thing of all for none doubts whether he be the living God As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure c. So that here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods word and oath two sufficient bonds to secure it Thirdly Here is Gods command and earnest desire of their turning Turn ye turn ye from your evill wayes When a mans servant is abroad in some dangerous design and his Master commands him again and again to leave it off and come home to him or if the servant be in a deep water and the Master sees he will be drown'd if he come not back again he calls to him and commands him to return is not this an argument that he seeks his good and would have him safe Fourthly God sets the strongest arguments before them that can be thought of life and death If ye go on there is no hope of mercy you must dye if you will turn here is life ye shall live here is great mercy They are not left unto uncertainties whether they shall
the Word of the greatest King no earthly King hath fertility or sterility at his Command as God hath Haggai 1.11 He called for a drought upon the Land it came 2 Kings 8.1 He called for a famine and it came and sojourned seaven years with them If God call for a judgement or a mercy it comes presently Let us fear to offend him least he call for a famine the pestilence or a sword let us improve mercies for his honour that he may call for the Corn and Fruit and continue the same unto us Fourthly Observe Whatsoever plenty is in a Land it is from the power blessing and bounty of the Lord. I will call for the Corn and encrease it Though the Land have kept her Sabbaths hath not been ploughed or sown in many years yet I will cause it to bring forth and that richly I will multiply the fruit of the Tree the Vine Fig-tree and the Olive shall be laden with fruit and that ye take no pains for the tender Grasse and Herbs the encrease of the Field These even all these are from the call benediction and bounty of God which we should take notice of and be thankfull for All the Corn we have for bread all the Fruit we have for delight all the Herbs we have for Physick and all the grasse and fodder we have for Cattle are all from the Lord and if we do not use all for his glory but abuse the same as Ephraim did God will deal by us as he did by Ephraim Hos 2.8 9. even take all from us I will take away my Corn in the time thereof c. Fifthly Observe God takes notice how wicked ones reproach his children being under his judgements and will cause their reproachings to cease Ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen It was a vile thing for the Babylonians to cast it in the Jews Teeth That their Land was a Land of famine and so to reproach them for that judgement which God for their sins did oft lay upon them this was inhumane barbarous to adde affliction to the afflicted God observed it and to comfort them against so soar an affliction he gives in a promise of a plentifull maintenance I will call for the Corn and multiply all things so that there shall be no occasion for an enemy for any Babylonian to say so any more Ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen Vers 31. Then shall ye remember your own evill wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations THis Verse is the last of the speciall Promises made here unto this people and it is a promise of repentance Something like part of this vers we had Chap. 6.9 almost the same words we had Chap. 20.43 Then shall ye remember When I have broken the Babylonish yoke off their necks brought you into your own Land and done great things for you Then ye shall remember that is not simply to call to mind what ye have done but to rowle up and down in your thoughts seriously to muse upon and ponder for so much the word Zacar signifies and so to ponder as to do something thereupon Your own evill wayes and your doings that were not good In Chap 20.43 it s your wayes and all your doings wherein ye have been defiled and here it is Your own evill wayes and your doings that were not good What their wayes and doings were you may see Ezek 22. throughout the whole Chapter they did speak and do evill as they could Jer 3.5 They were worse than the Nations and Countreys round about them Ezek 5.6 than Sodom and Samaria Ezek 16.47 And shall loath your selves in your own sight Montanus renders the Hebrew thus Reprobabitis vos in faciebus vestris Ye shall reprobate your selves in your own sight ye shall judg your selves worthy to be cut off and to be made a curse so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies saith Maldonate The Vulgar is your iniquities shall displease you there is more in the word than displeasing Fastidio eritis vobis ipsis Ye shall be for a disdain a loathing to your selves Compungemini saith Aecolampadius Ye shall be pricked at the heart ye shall see your selves so defiled and deformed through sin that ye shall loath and abhor your selves For your iniquities and for your abominations Iniquities are perverse crooked and unrighteous actions abominations things disaffecting and loathsome to the senses First Observe Gods loving kindnesses and mercies do work more with sinners than his judgements do All the time they were in Babylon their hearts were never so affected for their sins as after God brought them out setled them in Canaan and shewed much love unto them Then they should remember their evil wayes before they minded them no◠then they should loath themselves Mercies in Sion are more efficacious with sinners than judgments in Babylon Gods favour sooner melts hard hearts than the fire of his indignation his kindness is very penetrative it gets into the hearts of sinners sooner than his threats and frowns it is like a small soaking rain which goes to the roots of things when as a dashing rain runs away and does little good It was Davids kindness brake the heart of Saul 1 Sam. 24. And it is Gods kindnesse which breaks the heart of sinners The Milk and Honey of the Gospel affect the hearts of sinners more than the Gall and Wormwood of the Law Christ on Mount Sion brings more to repentance than Moses on Mount Sinai Secondly Observe When God brings his People out of Babylon into Canaan out of the world and Antichristian wayes into neer relation to himself and into Gospel order then he will frame their spirits so that they shall review their former wayes be ashamed of and loath themselves for them Vers 28. Ye shall dwell in the Land that I gave to your fathers and ye shall be my people and I will be your God and then shall ye remember your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and abominations When people are delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdome of Christ then they come to see what works of darkness they committed and so to abhorre and loath themselves for the same When men come out of Popish darkness or the profane courses they have lived in and are brought neer to God how do they judge condemn and loath themselves for the same When Paul was translated from his Pharisaisme into Christs unity then God moulded his spirit so that he saw and confessed what a Blasphemer Persecuter and injurious person he had been and loathed himself saying He was the chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 And when the Jews shall be brought out of that Babylonish condition they now are in and become a people neer to God being in the Church of Christ
gather thee Berachamim gedolim When God gathers his out of Babylon a state of confusion that is mercy and when he brings them into Sion to behold the order beauty and glory thereof that is great mercy and God will not leave them there but go on with them and heap great mercies still upon them see Isa 49.18 19 20 21 22 23. Jer. 32.37 38 39 40 41. Secondly Observe Justification is a gracious act of God upon a sinner I will sprinkle clean water upon you It s Gods prerogative to forgive and blot out sins Mark 2.7 Isa 43.25 and this he doth freely it s an act of grace and mercy Rom 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace Now in this act nothing is done in a sinner there is no grace infused no change made in the heart by it there be no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therein it s upon a sinner justifying grace is subjectively in God objectively on man for its a judicial act of God which puts nothing into the creature Rom 3.22 It s upon all them that do believe Thirdly Observe The bloud of Christ applyed by the Spirit of God is efficatious to free sinners from the guilt of their sins and of all their sins of what bind soever they be I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean Their sins were great very great they were guilty of bloud oppressing the widow and fatherless of idolatry of despising and profaning holy things Ezek 22.8.26 They were under the guilt of all crying and notorious sins Ezek 16.47 worse then Sodom or Samaria then the Nations Ezek 5.7 yet the Lord would cleanse them by the bloud of Christ there was virtue in that to cleanse them from their old spots from their deep guilt yea from all their guilt they should be clean from all their filthinesses As water washeth all the filth out of a cloath so doth the bloud of Christ all sin out of the soul 1 Joh 1.7 The bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin the guilt of our thoughts words acts neglects there is no sin defiles the conscience so but the bloud of Christ will purge it away Heb 9.14 Chap 1.3 Christs bloud is of great virtue it purges away all sin and procures peace Coloss 1.20 So that being justified by his bloud we shall be saved from wrath as it is Rom 5.9 Fourthly Observe All sin defiles and makes guilty before God yet some sins defile more then others and make more deeply guilty God would cleanse them from all their filthinesse from every sin that had poluted them and made them guilty and from their idols which had made them more deeply guilty Idolatry hath more guilt adhering to it then many other sins that 's a sin breaks Covenant with God deposes God and sets up an Idoll in his stead Verse 26. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh THis is another great promise even a promise of Regeneration and in it there is considerable 1. The party promising I I I I. 2. The things promised 1. A new heart 2. A new spirit 3. Removall of the stony heart 4. An heart of flesh 3. The parties to whom the Lord will do these things You You You. 4. The manner of Gods doing these things which is by giving putting and taking away A new heart also will I give you By heart in Scripture is signified the judgement and understanding Eph 4.18 The will and affections Prov 23.26 and the conscience 1 John 3.20 all which are here comprehended in the word heart New notes sometimes that which is for substance new totally new as new ropes Judges 16.11 12. A new wife Deut 24.5 New gods Deut 32.17 And sometimes that which is only for quality new as the new Moon Isa 66.23 From one new Moon to another The Moon is not new for substance but renewed with light new in regard of quality so New tongues Mark 16.17 They had not their old Tongues plucked or cut out of their mouths and other new ones put in but these Tongues they had before had new Languages put into them new gifts and graces Here then by A new heart is not intended one new for substance or nature of it but the same heart altered for the qualities of it renewed and indued with other qualities then it had before such qualities are wrought in the heart that a man thereupon is said to be regenerate or born again John 3.3 5 6 7. and to be a new creature Gal 6.15 This new heart lyeth not in those common gifts which many have yet without alteration in their hearts Judas had a covetous an earthly an old heart notwithstanding those great gifts he had He could cast out Devils and heal all manner of sicknesses Matth 10.1 4. And those Matth 7.22 23. Who had the gift of prophesie of casting out Devils and working wonders had no new hearts for Christ sends them going for workers of iniquity but it lyeth in grace infused which is a principle of light and life supernatural and permanent Man since the fall of Adam is in a state of darknesse and death Ephes 5.8 Chap 2.5 and when grace is infused that brings light and life unto the heart John 8. â—2 it s call'd The light of life and when a blind heart sees a dead heart lives there is a great and glorious alteration so that it is become a new heart it hath a new principle which is supernatural and permanent call'd The Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Divine to shew the supernaturalnesse of it and Nature to shew the permanency of it And a new spirit will I put within you These very words we had Ezek 11.19 where they were largely opened New spirit there was interpreted to be those excellent qualities and graces God put into the soul and shewed upon what account they were call'd Spirit and New Here I conceive a new spirit is added Exegetically being the same with a new heart This new heart or new spirit causeth the partie in whom it is to look at God as a Father and so to honour him Mal. 1.6 To love him 1 John 5.1 To fear him 1 Pet. 1.17 To yield obedience to him Rom 6.17 1 Pet 1.14 15. Patiently to bear his chastisements Heb 12.6 7 8 9. To eschew sin and work righteousnesse 1 John 5.18 Chap 3.9 10. To acknowledge how he hath offended him Luke 15.18 To pray fervently unto him Rom 8.15 To be like unto him in mercifullnesse and doing of good Luke 6.36 To delight in his wayes and to have communion with him and his Son Christ 1 John 1.3 To worship him in spirit and truth John 4.23 To be thankfull alwayes unto him for all things Ephes 5.20 To live nobly and spiritually minding the things of Heaven Rom 8.5 1 Pet 1.14 John 3.6 2 Cor
heart is a grievous plague so an heart of flesh is a great blessing its sensible of sin even secret sins it trembles at thoughts of God his Attributes and Word it understands divine things its teachable and obediential its compassionate and full of bowels towards all such an heart is rare to find but where-ever it is it 's a mercy of mercies a superlative mercy Secondly Observe It s a gift even the gift of God I will give you an heart of flesh None but he who can fetch water out of a Rock and turn stones into flesh Mat. 3.9 can give this tender heart we can make our hearts stony by sinning but we cannot soften them again It s Gods prerogative to make and give an heart of flesh he can make the hardest heart exceeding tender beg such an heart of him and presse him with his promise For faithfull is he who hath promised who also will do it Vers 27. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them IN the 35. verse remission of sins was promised in the 36. regeneration and in this infusion of the spirit is promised In the words are 1. The mercy promised viz the spirit 2. The parties recipient you 3. The effects of this reception walking in c. I will put my spirit within you By spirit here I understand not the new heart or new spirit mentioned in the verse before viz. the gifts and graces of the spirit but the spirit it self so Aecolampad Lavater Junius and Polonius and however it be a great dispute among School-men Whether the spirit it self be given unto men and dwell in them some conclude That the person of the spirit is not given but dwells in us only Mediantibus donis yet the Scripture is cleer That the spirit it self is given and dwells in the sons of men Rom 5.5 The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy spirit which is given unto us Here is a distinction made between the grace of the spirit and the spirit it selfe the grace of love is shed abroad 〈◊〉 the hearts of the Saints by the spirit and that spirit which â—â—keth that grace in them is given unto them the person of the spirit is distinguished from the gifts and graces he works in men 1 Cor 6.19 Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy spirit in you A Temple is not for gifts or graces but for a person a Deity and some speciall presence of that Deity the world hath God in it yet it is not call'd The Temple of God because he is in a general and common manner in the same but the spirit is in the bodyes of the Saints and that in a special manner 1 Cor. 2.12 We have râ—ceived not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God By spirit here cannot be meant gifts or graces but the person of the spirit who searcheth the deep things of God as it is vers 10. and makes them known by degrees unto those he dwells in discovering what God hath done for them Rom 8.11 If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you it s the spirit of God himself who dwells in beleevers and not only the gifts and graces of the spirit these are in them as qualities in a Subject but he is in them as an Inhabitant in an house The spirit by reason of its Infinitenesse is every where in Trees Worms Flowers waters all creatures is it any other wise in the Saints then in them True the spirit quoad essentiam is in all things yet First It s not in them per modum unionis by way of union a Fish is in the water but not united to the water the spirit is in the Saints by way of union therefore is said to dwell in them by his own gifts and graces we are united to the spirit and the spirit to us Secondly It s not in them per modum gratiosae operationis by way of gracious operation all he doth in other creatures is upholding their beings enabling them to put forth their natural power vigour virtue and ordering their motions to what ends he pleaseth he worketh nothing in them above their natures but in those he dwells he worketh gracious effects in those the Lord gives the spirit unto he worketh such operations as are not elsewhere even such as are aboue nature he is in them Speciali titulo ratione gratiae A Gardiner worketh curious Knots in the Garden which he doth not elsewhere God made other works and set other plants in Paradise than in the world Thirdly As the Deity of Christ is every where in every creature yet otherwise in Christs humane nature than in any creature Col 2.9 so the spirit though it be every where yet is otherwise in Believers than in other creatures it is in them as it is in Christ himself but not in the same measure What doth the spirit being within us First It unites the Lord Christ and the soul together it makes an happy union between them two The Corinthians were espoused to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 not only by the Ministry of Paul but by the spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit are we all baptized into one body that is the Church the body of Christ the spirit is the great Agent in this work Secondly The spirit gives out divine Oracles and Truths unto the soul As in the Temple God gave out his mind made known his will so doth the spirit in the heart of man Mat. 10.20 The spirit of the Father speaks in Believers 1 John 2.20 Ye have an anction from the holy One and ye know all things That unction is the spirit which makes known all needful things unto those it dwells in its needful to be instructed and armed against Antichrist and his seducements its needful to be directed in the way to Heaven they had the spirit which did teach them how to avoid the one and how to proceed in the other and so were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God and who teacheth like him Job 36.22 He teacheth inwardly infallibly powerfully Thirdly It conquers and drives out the enemies that had possession of and quartered in us There is no man the Lord puts his spirit into but the spirit finds the Devil there he hath possession of mens hearts and labours to keep the same there be also a multitude of base and ungodly lusts which fight for the Devils interest these the spirit sets upon subdues and casts out When Christ came into the Temple he whipt out all the money-changers when Joshua came into Canaan he drove out the Canaanites and other Nations and when the spirit comes into a man it beats down strong holds drives out Satan and his Troops 1 John 4.4 Greater is he that is
to sin to oppose him one ought to be subject unto such transgsessours were the Jews they opposed God Therefore hid I my face from them To hide the face from them imports 1. The denying of them his Favour his Counsel his Help and Secondly Declaring his Anger and Severity by sharp judgements Ps 80 3. Cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved God's face was clouded and hid from his Church so that it had neither Favour Counsel nor Help from him but sad afflictions and judgements for he was angry with the Prayers of his people he fed them with thc bread of Tears and gave them Tears to drink in great measure therein he sorely afflicted them And gave them into the hand of their enemies This followed upon God's hiding his face they felt acts of his displeasure he gave or delivered them up into the hands of their enemies he caused Nebuchadnezzar to come besiege Jerusalem and to take it and then God gives into the hand of others when his Providence acts and orders things so that men come under their power So fell they all by the sword Some were carried into Captivity some fled some were left in the Land after Nebuchadnezzar and his Forces returned to Babylon How then is it said They all fell by the sword The sense is They were all brought under by the Power of the sword not all kill'd that were made subject and some of all sorts kill'd Verse 24. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them Here God anticipates what Jews and Gentiles might Object viz. That he dealt very harshly yea cruelly with them in breaking them to pieces in un-Churching and un-Stating of them but he tells them What he did was according to their uncleanness and their transgressions he did nothing but what they had deserved First Observe God doth with-hold Mercies from his people and lay sad judgements upon them for their sins The house of Israel went into Captivity for their iniquities Because they trespassed against God Therefore did he hide his face from them Therefore did he give them into the hand of their enemies Therefore they fell by the sword and were brought into subjection If God's own people sin they shall smart for it he will not countenance them hear their Prayers give them Counsel nor put forth his hand to help them Isai 59.1 Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear but your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear Sin is of that nature that it turns away God's face from his own people that it stops his ear against their prayers and shrinks up his arm so that there is no help for them And not onely doth it keep good things from them Jer. 5.25 but draw evils upon them Neh. 13.18 It was Israels sins brought judgement upon them and their City Secondly Observe God will convince his enemies of the true cause of his executing dreadful judgements upon his people Thc Heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into Captivity for their Iniquity They thought there were other grounds for it That God could not preserve them against such a potent adversary as Nebuchadnezzar was that his Power and Wisdom was not such as was in their gods but the Lord made them know these were not the grounds why the house of Israel suffered such grievous things but that it was their Iniquities Transgressions and Uncleannesses which brought Judgements upon them When Heathens saw what was done to Jerusalem and being unsatisfied asked the Question Wherefore hath the Lord done this unto this great City What is he unfaithful to his people Could he preserve it no longer Are our gods stronger then the God of Israel No no these things are not the cause Tell them saith he what 's the true cause It 's Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God and worshipped other gods and served them Jer. 22.8 9. Thirdly Observe None have just ground of complaint whatsoever Judgements are upon them howsoever God deal by them According to their uncleannesses and according to their transgressions have I done unto them their sins have been great and I have executed great judgements upon them They fill'd up the Ephah with wickedness and I fill'd up the Vial with wrath They drove me out of my Sanctuary and I drove them out of my Land they turn'd their hearts from me and I hid my face from them Gods judgements are righteous he wrongs no man no Nation men have cause to complain of their sins not his judgements see Lament 3.39 Psal 145.17 Vers 25 26 27 28 29. 25. Therefore thus saith the Lord God Now will I bring again the Captivity of Jacob and have mercy upon the whole House of Israel and will be jealous for my holy Name 26. After that they have born their shame and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me when they dwelt safely in their Land and none made them afraid 27. When I have brought them again from the people and gathered them out of their Enemies Lands and am sanctified in them in the sight of many Nations 28. Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God which caused them to be led into Captivity among the Heathen but I have gathered them into their own Land and have left none of them any more there 29. Neither will I hide my face any more from them for I have poured out my Spirit upon the House of Israel saith the Lord God THe gracious goodness of God towards his people appears in these verses where we have 1. The Reduction and gathering of them into their own Land vers 25 27 28. 2. The Causes moving God to do so which are his Mercy and his Jealousie v. 25. 3. The Time when they shall be reduced v. 26. 4. The events following the same which are 1. Acknowledgment of God to be their God v. 28. 2. The Light of Gods Countenance v. 29. 3. Pouring out of the Spirit Vers 25. Now will I bring again the Captivity of Jacob. If we referr these words to the Captive Jews in Babylon the time was drawing nigh of their deliverance and therefore the Lord saith Now will I bring again the Captivity of Jacob that is the Posterity of Jacob being in Captivity but if we referr these words to what went before in the Chapter the sense is Gog and Magog being destroyed and their Funeral over Now will I bring again the Captivity of Jacob the dispersed Jews or Believers who were the seed of Jacob. A spiritual Reduction is here understood by some And have mercy upon the whole House of Israel Then God will have mercy not on two Tribes but all the Tribes on the whole House of Israel hitherto it hath not been but it shall be God will
many Chapters before it adds weight to the prophesie making those concern'd to mind it more seriously When the Lord speaketh who can but prophesie Amos 3.8 And who can but mind what is prophesied Vers 2. Son of Man prophesie The immortall God speaks to a mortall man honours him with Divine Revelations and that he might not be exalted therewith he minds him of his meannesse and mortality saying Son of Man prophesie Prophesying was not at the will of man but when the Spirit mov'd them to it 2 Pet. 1.21 Thus saith the Lord God What the Prophets gave forth as Prophets was not from their own hearts and heads some humane thing but it was altogether Divine from Jehovah Adonai whose Being is of himself and hath Dominion over all What they and the Apostles writ was the word of God and so ought to be esteemed and received 1 Thess 2.13 Howl ye He speaks to the Egyptians and others upon whom sad judgments were coming he calls to them to lay to heart and lament for the evils were at hand The Hebrew Jalal hath agreement with Alal which signifies in nihilum redigerâ— to reduce a thing to nothing because when men do mourn and lament greatly it wastes and consumes them so as it well nigh brings them to nothing Woe worth the day The words may be read Ah the day alas for the day as Joel 1.15 Or O the woe of the day an unhappy day wherein thy Cities shall be made heaps man and beast destroyed all laid waste and desolate The French is malediction sur ta journee a curse be upon that day Vers 3. The day is near even the day of the Lord is near Day here is put not for a day in strictnesse of sense but for the time wherein those judgements should befall Egypt and other parts and it s call'd the day of the Lord because of his special manifestation of himself When God doth either in mercy or judgement declare himself Emphatically that is said to be the day of the Lord. Other dayes are his dayes but such in a special manner The duplication of the day here is to make the deeper impression both upon the Jews who rested too much upon Egypt and also upon the Egyptians who were secure and feared not he tells them of the nearnesse of it that they may be awakened that they might the more fully be awakened he tells them what kind of day it will be A cloudy Day The Hebrew is Dies Nubis a Day of a Cloud there will no Sun shine that day a black thick dark cloud will arise that day and make a terrible tempest Gods judgements are likened unto clouds and rain for the sadnesse and terriblenesse of them Psal 11.6 He shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest The French is iour tenebreux It shall be the time of the Heathen Heathen may be taken either for the Babylonians who should come and conquer Egypt and then do what they pleased therein and so it should be their day or for the Egyptians and the Nations adhering to them and so it should be their day to be spoiled and suffer grievous things it was a time of undoing these and a time of making the other God had appointed that time for them both Vers 4. The sword shall come upon Egypt The Chaldean Army shall come and make warâ—e upon the Egyptians and they shall be under all the miseries and mischiefs which attend warre and they are many And great pain shall be in Ethiopia The word for pain in Hebrew is Chalchalah which Montanus renders Vacillatio shaking the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trouble or perturbation the Vulgar pavor fear others dolor magnus great grief which the word imports for it s from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parturire to bring forth notes such grief and pain as women have when they are in travail When the King of Babylon came into Egypt Ethiopia was in travail When the slain shall fall in Egypt It were better rendred when the wounded shall fall men slain are fallen men wounded are ready to fall or falling The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chalal signifies one wounded and so the French hath it qui seront naurez tomberont en Egipt And her foundations shall be broken down By Foundationâ— Cityes Towers Forts Castles any strong holds may be understood Some make the foundations of Egypt to be their riches forces and confederates but the first sense of the Word is more Genuine because he speaks of breaking down which is proper to the one and not the other Vers 5. Ethiopia In Hebrew Chus so call'd from Chus the Son of Cham Gen. 10.6 who first inhabited that part of Africa and from him the people were called Cussites from the Grecians it received the name of Ethiopia which is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to burn and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the countenance because the heat of the Sunne there is such as it scorcheth the faces of the people This Country is judged to be as large as Germany France and Italy but not very populous because of the extream heat they circumcise their Males and Females baptizing the Males fourty dayes and the â—emales eighty dayes after their Circumcision and they rebaptize themselves in Lakes and Ponds every year on the day called Epiphany Heylin in his Microcosm because they conceive that the Lord Christ was baptized by John in Jordan that very day But whether this was the Ethiopia Nebuchadnezzar should spoil some question because it is said chap. 29.10 That Egypt should be made desolate from the Tower of Syene unto the border of Ethiopia that is to the Asian Ethiopia Syene was at the front of the African Ethiopia and whether Nebuchadnezzar entred that Ethiopia is doubtful In locum Quistonpius is peremptory in it and saith he never passed beyond Syâ—ne into it Lybia In Hebrew Phut from Phut the son of Cham Vid. suum in Gen. 10.6 Gen. 10.6 and the inhabitants thereof were at first called Phuthaei or Phuttians and afterward Lybians the Country being named Lybia from Lybs a King of Mauritania or from Lybs the Southwind which gently breatheth there or from Lybia a Queen thereof it 's now call'd Sorra which signifies a Desert because its a Country full of sandy Deserts And Varro will have it called Lybia Heylin in Microcos quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it wants raine Heretofore all Africa was called Phut afterwards only the Western Parts of Africa as Mauritania and Tingitana Shindler Martinius where the Kingdome of Fez or Lybia now is Lydia The Hebrew is Lud from Lud the Son of Shem Gen. 10.22 as some will have it or from Ludim the Son of Mizraim as others affirme This Lydia was a Region of Asia the less formerly called Maeonia in it were those famous Cities Philadelphia Sardis Pergamus Thyatira and Laodicea Alapide would not have it to be this Lydia
Burdens Tributes and Taxes are laid upon people by oppressing Princes and Rulers when I shall break there the Yoaks of Egypt The Rulers of Egypt decreed unrighteous things opprest the men of Tehaphnehes suckt their blood by hard Rates and Taxes burdened them with difficult and dangerous Services and made them groan under their Yoaks as they did so do the Princes and Rulers of most Nations in the world but as they have their times to make and increase such yoaks upon the people so God hath his time to take them off Levit. 26.13 I have broken the bands of your yoak and made you to go upright The Jews were under the Egyptian Yoak a long time but at last he break the bands of the Yoak those Laws Decrees that kept them in Egypt held them to hard labor causing them to stoop and made them free so that they could go upright Bondage makes men to bow but Liberty to go upright Heavy burdens upon people make them sigh presse them down to the Earth and when they are eased they rejoyce and look up It s God breaks the Yoaks off whoever puts them on Isa 10.27 It shall come to pass in that day that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulders and his Yoak from off thy neck and the Yoak shall be destroyed because of the anointing The King of Assyriâ—s Burdens and Yokes lay heavy and hard upon the Jewish State but for Hezekiahs sake or rather Christs who is called the anointing he would break the Yoaks and take off the Burdens Fifthly observe God makes some Nations exemplarie with his judgments Thus will I execute Judgments in Egypt thus as becomes me a provoked God thus as an Idolatrous profane guilty Nation deserves thus as themselves and all Nations round about shall know that I am the Lord they shall see that in my Judgements which shall convince them that no hand but mine could do such things take such Strong Holds ruine so many Cities and lay waste such a land as Egypt was Some Lands are Theaters of Gods severe Judgements we have been made Monuments of Gods choice Mercies wonderfull Deliverances Let us fear the Lord and his Goodness least he turn our Mercies into Judgments Vers 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. And it came to pass in the Eleventh year in the First Month in the Seventh day of the Month that the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man I have broken the Arm of Pharaoh King of Egypt and loe it shall not be bound up to be healed to put a Roler to binde it to make it strong to hold the Sword Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold I am against Pharaoh King of Egypt and will break his Arms the strong and that which was broken and I will cause the Sword to fall out of his hand And I will scatter the Egyptians among the Nations and will disperse them through the Countrys And I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon and put my Sword in his hand but I will break Pharaohs Arms and he shall groan before him with the groaning of a deadly wounded man But I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon and the Arms of Pharaoh shall fall down and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall put my sword into the hand of the King of Babylon and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt And I will scatter the Egyptians among the Nations and disperse them among the countries and they shall know that I am the Lord. THese seven Verses are the second general part of the Chapter and Treat of two great Kings Pharaoh King of Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon Concerning Pharaoh two things are threatned against him First Diminution of his power vers 21 22 24. Secondly Dispersion of his people vers 23.26 Concerning Nebuchadnezzar he is the instrument God will use and promiseth to strengthen in doing his work vers 24 25. and both these are illustrated from the Chronologie of this Prophesie Vers 20. In the Eleventh year in the First month the seventh day of the month That was in the Eleventh year of Jehoiakins Captivity the First month and the seventh day Ezekiel had this Prophesie given in it was three months and two days before the takeing of Jerusalem Jer. 52.5 6. for it was taken the Eleventh year the Fourth Month and the ninth day This Prophesie though it be set after that in chap. 29.17 yet was sixteen year before it The Penmen of the Scriptures do not exactly observe the order where every thing should come in among the Psalms you have the third Psalm which was made at that time when David fled from Absolom set before the 34 51 56 57 59 60. and others which were made before that as appears by their Titles Vers 21. I have broken the Arm of Pharaoh King of Egypt By Arme the forces and power Pharaoh had are intended Vatablus saith the Preter Tense is here put for the Future Tense I have broken that is I will break but Pharaoh had his arme broken before when the Babylonian forces beat him and his Army by the River Euphrates in Charchemish which was in the fourth year of Jehoiakim Jer 46.2 And at that time he took from him all that he had between Nilus and Euphrates 2 Kings 24.7 which was the breaking of his Arme and such a breaking as it could not be cured But notwithstanding this breaking Pharaoh got up forces again and when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem he came forth out of Egypt whereupon Nebuchadnezzar raised his Siege went to meet Pharaoh and caused him to retreat Jer. 37.5 7. as having a broken arm and not being able to encounter with him And loe it shall not be bound up to be healed c. That wound and loss which Pharaoh received by overthrow of his army he never could cure and recover neither his own people nor his Confederates could set him into his former condition he is here resembled to a broken Arme which cannot be bound up or if bound up not be healed so as to be usefull any more Pharaoh could never recover his strength and greatness again Vers 22. Behold I am against Pharaoh King of Egypt Here is the cause of Pharaohs breakings his not binding up and healing the Lord was against him not only the Babylonians and Cyreneans were his enemies but the Lord himself when he breaks in pieces who shall bind up when he wounds who shall heal when he is an Enemie who can stand before him The Loâ—d makes himself Author of all the Judgements fell upon Pharaoh And will break his Arms the strong and that which was broken Pharaohs Arms were Egypt and those Territories he had from Egypt to Euphrates His Arme was broken already by the Babylonians as you have it before One Arm yet remain'd and that is call'd a strong one viz. Egypt with all her strength This Arm God break by the
desire love delight in a thing as Gen 34.19 Shechem delighted in Dinah he desired her loved her and took delight in her Chophetz notes the highest delight content that can be taken Psal 16.3 in whom is Col Cheph-Zi all my delight that is my greatest delight Now here it s said God hath not pleasure in the death of the wicked This is not an absolute negative denying God wholly to have delight in death or in the death of sinful wicked man or of any sinfull man for God took delight in the destruction of Pharoah and his Hoast in the red Sea which Moses shews saying Exod 15.1 He hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and his Rider hath he thrown into the Sea God sent Saul to smite Amaleck utterly to destroy him and all his when Agag was spared with the best of the sheep and oxen was he not wrath with him 1 Sam. 15.3.11.23 When Jehu cut off Ahabs house what said the Lord Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in my eyes and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart thy children of the fourth Generation shall sit on the Throne of Israel 2 Kings 10.30 The destruction of Ahabs house was pleasing to God he commended he rewarded it And that God takes no pleasure in the destruction of a sinfull wicked man is contrary to these Texts Deut. 28.63 Prov. 1.26 27. Isa 1.24 Jer 14.12 The words they are not to be taken as an absolute negative but comparatively thus I have pleasure in the turning of the wicked from his wayes rather then in his death or its more pleasing to me that a wicked man should turn and live then that he should continue and dye Such an expression is that in 1 Cor. 1.17 Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospell Not absolutely not to baptize but rather to preach then to baptize he had more pleasure in my preaching then in my baptizing and so here Let me not live if I have so much pleasure in the death of a sinner as in his turning from his sin By Death here some understand eternall Death and it cannot be otherwise saith Quistorpius for he speaks of that death which may be avoided by repentance and turning to God but temporal death cannot be avoided either by the penitent or impenitent But to him that well considers this place it will appear that here it s spoken of a temporal and violent death for vers 3. He speaks of the sword coming upon a Land They were at this time either straitly besiedged or newly taken by Nebuchadnezzars forces and complain'd that their sins were upon them provoking God to destroy them that they pin'd away and there was no hope for them of life though they should repent them of their iniquities this God answers unto and tells them if they turn from their evill wayes there is hope they shall live for repentance prevents and removes judgements that are destructive The Ninivites by their repentance prevented the destruction of themselves and their City at Davids repentance the plague was stayed Ahabs humbling himself prevented Gods bringing the evill in his dayes So that its true of natural death that cannot be avoided by penitency or impenitency but a violent death may a death by sword by famine by plague by wild beasts may 2 Chro 7.14 If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked wayes then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and wâ—ll heal their Land Had he spoken of eternall death it had been no answer to the Jews objection Lavater tells us that by Death is meant Malum and by Life Bonum Men by their sins bring sad calamities and judgements upon themselves they cause God to punish them with variety of evills which he hath no pleasure in nor they cause to complain of Lament 3.33 39. He had rather they should turn from their sins and live comfortably But that the wicked turn from his way and live The word for wicked is Rashang which the Septuagint renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the irreligious lewd ungodly man here wicked wicked in opinions wicked in practice troublesome to God and man running the wrong way The word for way signi ies a path which leads from place to place and men walk in it Metaphorically it s applyed to the customes manners actions religions and lives of men Jer. 16.2 Pro 1.19 Prov 21.2 of this before Chap. 16.61 The sense lyeth thus As I live I delight not in the death of the wicked but if the wicked turn from his way and live or shall live that is according to what I have prescribed in my word I shall delight in this or thus If he turn from his sinfull way that he may live and live comfortably I shall delight in it Turn ye turn ye from your evill wayes Here is an earnest exhortation of them unto repentance setting out the mercy and goodnesse of God who was ready and willing to pardon them upon their turning from their evil wayes The doubling of the word notes the earnest and reall intention of God in it The sum and substance of the words is to shew that if sinners repent of their former wickednesse he will forgive them and take pleasure in them Turn ye turn ye from your evill wayes If ye pine away under my judgements the fault is yours you turn not from your idolatries oppressions perjuries and profanations of my Sabbaths and Ordinances these are wayes of death but if ye would hearken to my wayes and turn unto them they are wayes of life Of turning hath been spoken Chap. 14.6 The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Turn you by turning turn throughly from your evill wayes For why will ye dye O house of Israel Ye are the Nation I took and brought out of Egypt by a strong hand Deut 4.34 Ye are the people that entred into Covenant with me avouched me to be your God Deut. 26.17 and I you to be my peculiar people vers 18. ye are they upon whom I have bestowed great priviledges holy Ordinances to whom I have shewed mercy and truth Ps 76.1 2. Ps 98.3 ye are the people I have taken most delight in of all people under Heaven whom I have most honoured done most for and made the greatest promises unto Jer. 31.33 34. Chap 33.8.14 Why therefore have you left me and my wayes and fallen into wayes of death why do you wound and stab your selves if you have no regard to me yet pity your selves cease from those wayes will be your death Why will ye dye O house of Israel Is it not better to live in my wayes then to dye in your own First Observe The guilt and punishment of sin are heavy and consuming things Our transgressions and our sins are upon us and we pine away in them Guilt alone is
have life or no but life is propounded and offered unto them and where that is promised there is a wide door of mercy opened God is troubled at it that sinners forsake mercy and embrace it not Why will ye dye Why will ye not turn from your evill wayes unto me the living God Am I so ill a God Have I dealt so unkindly with you as that you will not come unto me testifie against me tell me wherein Like that in Micah 6.3 O my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearyed thee testifie against me If there be any such thing lye in the way I am ready to remove it Fifthly Observe The nature of true repentance lyeth in turning Turn ye turn ye God at first made man upright with his face towards himself but he sought out inventions and turn'd away from God to the creature which was a madnesse to leave an universal everlasting and satisfying good for a particular fading and an unsatisfying good this madness is in the hearts of all men Eccl 9.3 till they come to repenting turning again unto God and setting him in his right posture to behold the Lord. This turning must be from his evil wayes Turn ye from your evill wayes and from all of them Ezek. 14.6 Chap. 18.21.31 Else it s no turning if the heart be towards any one sin lust creature or evill way it s not turn'd his back is towards God and not his face he prefers a creature a lust before God Sixthly Observe Sinners are the Authours of their own destruction Why will ye dye They went on in their idolatry profaness oppressions pollutions of Sabbaths c. and so brought judgement upon themselves 2 Chron 36.16 They mocked the Messengers of God despised his word and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy therefore he brought upon them the King of the Chaldaeans who slew their young men with the sword in the house of the Sanctuary and had no compassion on the young man or maiden c. So in Christs dayes he would have kept Jerusalem from destruction but Jerusalem her self would not she brought it upon her selfe Matth. 23.37 The Corinthians abuse of the Supper brought judgement upon them 1 Cor. 11.30 And the false Teachers brought swift destruction upon themselves 2 Pet. 1.1 Verses 12 13 14 15 16. Therefore thou son of man say unto the children of thy people The righteousnesse of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression as for the wickednesse of the wicked he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickednesse neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousnesse in the day that he sinneth When I shall say to the righteous that he shall surely live if he trust to his own righteousnesse and commit iniquity all his righteousnesse shall not be remembred but for his iniquity that he hath committed he shall dye for it Again when I say unto the wicked Thou shalt surely dye if he turn from his sin and do that which is lawfull and right If the wicked restore the pledge give again that he had robbed walk in the statutes of life without committing iniquity he shall surely live he shall not dye None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him he hath done that which is lawfull and right he shall surely live THese words do explain and confirm what God had said in the 11 vers and that by way of contraries 1. He sets a righteous man before them and bids the Prophet tell them That if a righteous man turn from his righteousnesse and become wicked his righteousnesse will not benefit him but his wickednesse will bring judgement upon him 2. He sets a wicked man before them and bids the Prophet tell them That if he turn from his wickednesse that shall not prejudice him he shall not fall thereby but he shall live Here is nothing in these verses of Gods decrees of life or death of salvation or condemnation and mens being under them It s said whilest they are righteous they are under the decree of life and salvation and when they cease from their righteousness they are under the decree of death and condemnation and so if a man be righteous one day and wicked another and that interchangeably all dayes of his life he doth daily passe from under one decree to another forward and backward I find no foundation in the words for such a conceit they hold out Gods dealings with men here in this world according to the conditions he finds them in if they be just and righteous he will bless them if they be unjust and wicked he will punish them the one shall live comfortably the other shall be cut off by some judgement here is nothing pointing at the decrees of God Vers 12. The righteousnesse of the righteous What righteous man is here meant the 15. verse informs us viz. a man legally righteous such a man as restores the pledge gives again what he hath robbed and walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity If a wicked man did these things he was righteous it s therefore a righteousnesse of the Covenant of works not the righteousnesse of faith here spoken of a moral not a Gospel righteousnesse which the 13. verse is clear for calling it his own righteousnesse Shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression The word for transgression is Poshang which signifies sin scienter contumaciter commissum presumptuous and wilfull sin rebellion apostacy Sometimes it is taken for any sin or failing as Lament 1.22 Do unto them as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions Jeremiah had no great sins against light he did not rebel against God his transgressions were such as are the ordinary failings of men so it s used Job 13.23 And the Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the day he shall erre Let him have done never so much good and continued long in so doing that shall not deliver him in the day of his erring transgressing fayling Had Adam stood many dayes months years and then eat of the forbidden fruit all his righteousnesse would not have delivered him and so here under the Covenant of works there is no deliverance upon any failing But rather it notes here some grievous sin and way of wickednesse which exposes unto and hastens Gods judgements As for the wickednesse of the wicked he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turns from his wickednesse Let the wickednesse of the wicked be great of what kind soever against God and man idolatry profaness oppression c. it shall not bring destruction upon him make him to fall and perish when he repents of it turns fom it and walks in those wayes that are contrary thereunto then his former sins shall not be imputed to him nor the judgements deserv'd
evill wayes and will judge you accordingly this is the conclusion the Lord draws up upon the premises First Observe Wicked men are apt to complain of and carp at the wayes of God They said the way of the Lord is not equall Job 21.15 What is the Allmighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him We get nothing by his service by calling on his name he is a hard Master he regards not our labour or prayers These were of the same spirit with them in Malachie's dayes who blusht not to say It s in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hoasts Mal. 3.14 We were told that no service was like unto the Lords that thosâ— that did mourn for their sins and walk in his wayes should be blessed and live comfortably but we find no such thing we have tryed him and find that he regards exalts and blesses those that never minded him or his wayes vers 15. therefore It s in vain to serve him In the 5. of Jeremy is a notable instance to this purpose vers 11 12 13. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me saith the Lord. They have belyed the Lord and said it is not he neither shall evill come upon us neither shall we see sword nor famine And the Prophets shall become wind and the word is not in them They said God had no reason to threaten them with sword or famine they deserved no such judgement at his hands and therefore the Prophets that prophesied such things were not sent of God his word was not in them they brought windy doctrines of their own and should together with their doctrines become wind evill shall not come upon us but upon them When Christ was on earth how did the Scribes and Pharisees carp at him his wayes and doctrine see Matth 12.22 John 5.10.18 Chap. 8.48 Cha 10.32 33. In our dayes do not men carp at the Scriptures Ordinances Providences and dispensations of God Such is the pride and arrogancy of man that he dares blame and condemn the wayes and things of God Secondly Observe Men have no cause to complain of or cavill against the wayes of God For First His wayes are equall just righteous however they appear to men he is God and cannot do unjust things He is light and in him is no darknesse at all 1 John 1.5 Just and true are his wayes Rev 15.3 He is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Psal 145.17 The just Lord is in the midst of the City he will not do iniquity Zeph 3.5 Shall not the judge of all the earth do right Gen 18.25 Yes though men do wickedly God will not Habak 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evill and canst not look on iniquity he cannot look on it to approve it much lesse to act it Secondly Our wayes are unequall and shall the guilty complain of the innocent Had the Sodomites any cause to complain of God who were so wicked Had the old world which was so corrupt cause to cry out of Heaven which was pure No man hath just ground to quarrel against Gods dispensations when himself walks unevenly before God and his paths are crooked If just men sin and step aside Eccl 7.20 What do wicked men they are altogether out of the way Ps 14.3 They do no good their lives are a constant sinning or a continued sin and should God punish him daily for so doing he had no just cause to fault the Lord Lament 3.39 Wherefore doth a l ving man complain a man for the punishment of his sins Thirdly Upon comparing of his dealings with the righteous falling to commit iniquity and the wicked turning from iniquity it appears to all unprejudiced men who are not blinded with iniquity the one is punished for his apostacy the other is pardoned upon his repentance judgement is the portion of the one mercy the portion of the other If God should punish the repenting wicked man and spare the apostatized righteous man then there were cause of complaint but its contrary therefore his wayes are equall and there is no cause to complain of them Fourthly God hath power over the sons of men they are his family and he may exercise Discipline in his family the house of Israel the Jewes were Gods house he Master of that family and when any sin'd in it he had power to correct them or turn them out of dores and who should fault him it is not childrens duty to complain of their Parents nor for servants to complain of their Lord and Master Fifthly Complaints in this kind will do us no good they will harm us rather for God is judge yea the highest judge and will not only judge us for our other evill wayes but for this very way of charging him to be unjust and cavilling at his dispensations he will judge every one after his wayes neither great nor small can avoide his judgement Let us all therefore take heed how we fault the wayes of God how strange or grievous soever they appear or be unto us Thirdly Observe When men have once taken up prejudice against God and his wayes it s not easie to be remov'd The Jewes had drunk in this conceit Chap. 18. That the wayes of God were not equall and much of that Chapter is spent in proving the contrary to extirpate that mis-conceit but it took not effect they let passe Gods Arguments whereby he cleared himself and carryed along with them their prejudice against him and his wayes as appears in this Chap vers 17. 20. Yet ye say The way of the Lord is not equall When weeds are gotten into the ground and rooted there it s not easie to cleanse that ground from them when errors delusions corrupt opinions and prejudice against the truth are gotten into the head or heart it s not an easie thing to get them out Many wonder that Ministers should not convince unlearned and weak men of their errors and take them off from their opinions and prejudices but they should consider some men will not be convinced either by God or man These here were not convinced by God nor the Pharisees by Christ John 15.6 7. 10. Chap nor the Athenians by Paul Acts 17. Verses 21 22. And it came to passe in the twelfth yeer of our captivity in the tenth month in the fifth day of the month that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me saying The City is smitten Now the hand of the Lord was upon me in the evening afore he that was escaped came and had opened my mouth untill he came to me in the morning and my mouth was opened and I was no more dumb HEre the 3 general part of the Chapter takes place and is a denunciation of judgement against those that
be nothing but the very Land I will take that for a possession so shall I enrich my self inlarge my borders and become great Such thoughts and hopes were once in Tyrus she looked to be made by the sufferings of Jerusalem Ezek 26.2 Tyrus said against Jerusalem she is broken that was the Gates of the people she is turned unto me I shall be replenished now she is laid waste Tyrus expected that Jerusalem being ruined all the trading should come to her that the great concourse of people Jerusalem had should enter her Gates and tread her Streets Obadiah tells us that the Edomites laid hands on the Jewish substance in the day of their calamity vers 13. They coveted their wealth thirsted after their Land and sought to advance themselves by their ruins Secondly Observe The desires hopes and expectations of the wicked come to naught The Edomites coveted Canaan hoped and waited for it but the Lord was there and disappointed them they were shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem destroyed by the Babylonians Jer 27.3 6. God had given them into Nebuchadnezzars hand David tells you Psal 112.10 That the desire of the wicked shall perish and Solomon saith Prov 10.28 That the expectation of the wicked shall perish they desire and expect the fulfilling of their desires but themselves their desires and expectations come to naught in Prov 11.23 Solomon hath a strange expression it s this The expectation of the wicked is wrath Do men look for wrath No but the event of their expectation is such they meet with the wrath of God these Edomites looked for the Land of the Jews and lost their own Thirdly Observe The Lord keeps and disposes of Lands as he pleases He was in Canaan The Lord was there he was patron of it he kept it out of the Edomites hands he reserved it for his people again Hence Obadiah ver 17. saith The house of Jacob shall possesse their possessions They shall come again and inhabit their Countrey which God reserved for them Jer. 49.1 2. When the ten Tribes were carryed away the Ammonites who dwelt neer the Tribe of Gad intruded into it and the Cityes of it but see what God saith in vers 2. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will cause an Alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites and it shall be a desolate heap and her Daughters that is lesser Towns shall be burnt with fire then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs Israel shall return out of captivity and possess his own Land and the Ammonites also which for a season got part of his Fourthly Observe Whatever the fate of a Land is whatever calamities it lyes under yet the Lord is not far from it he is in it Judaea was laid waste the Temple and Cityes in it ruined man and beast cut off enemies on all sides seeking to get it in whole or in part and notwithstanding it was in such a case in such danger The Lord was there God is said to dwell in darknesse Ps 18.11 He made darknesse his secret place Here was a Land of darknesse and God hid himself in it he was there though the Edomites saw him not When Babylonians lay waste Sion drive out the inhabitants thereof yet they cannot drive out God he is in Sion and will abide in Sion The Bear out of the wood not long since was wasting and the wild beast of the field devouring they drove many out of our Sion but they could not drive God out he was here when the face of all things was lamentable Vers 11. Therefore as I live saith the Lord God I will even do according to thine anger and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them and I will make my self known amongst them when I have judged thee In this and the two next verses you have a further discovery of Mount Seirs sins and how God would deal with the inhabitants thereof and all confirmed by oath I will even do according to thine anger Thou hast been angry with my people yea angry unto death and I will do accordingly not that God would be angry but he would punish them severely for their anger Anger is not a boyling of the bloud and spirits about the heart as some have made it for that is rather an effect then the nature of it Ira est appetitio reddendi malum ei qui malum retulit It s an inordinate desire of returning evill to him whom we conceive hath wronged us And according to thine envy The Edomites envyed the Jews who prospered into a Kingdom and grew renowned Ezek 16.13 14. The nature of envy is to grieve at the good of another man and to think it an evill to our selves that we are exceeded by others in any thing Invidia est tristitia de bono alieno aestimato ut malo proprio quatenus per bonum alienum apprehendimus nos ab altero superci an envious man is afflicted that any is equall to him or above him Which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them Hatred is an enmity of the appetite to things or persons apprehended contrary to its good and contentment The Edomites looked at the Jews as enemies as contrary to their good and content and so hated them There is a twofold hatred or rather two degrees of hatred the first is aversion which only flies from what is hated we hate Toads Serpents and such venomous creatures and flye from them the second is persecution which pursues the thing hated to destruction the one respects the evill simply the other the thing or person in which the evill is apprehended to be with this last kind or degree of hatred were the Edomites infected and so envying them sought their ruine And I will make my self known amongst them when I have judged thee I will execute judgement upon thee deliver thee and thy wealth into the hands of thine enemies and my servants shall behold my glory in punishing thee and my mercy in delivering them my people shall know what a God I am when I have visited you for your hatred envy and wrath against them they shall find me a God exercising mercy as you have found me a God executing judgements as I have made my self known to you in my power and justice so I will make my self known to them in mercy and loving kindness First Observe One sinful affection sets others on work The Edomites hatred set their anger envy on work They used these out of their hatred of the Jews they hated them and that hatred stir'd up their anger to do them harm and their envy to persecute them unto death The Apostle saith of love 1 Cor. 13.4 5. It envies not it is not easily provoked it thinks no evill But hatred envies is easily provoked and thinks nothing but evill it s a root of bitterness and brings forth bitter fruit it makes use of
they suffered hard things and lay under great reproach among the Nations whereupon the Lord here in this Chapter doth 1. Denounce judgement against the Heathen setting out the Causes moving him thereunto from the 1. vers to the end of the 7. 2. Promise mercy to the Land of Israel which is specified in severall particulars from the beginning of the 8. vers unto the 16. 3. Shew the causes why the Jews were driven out of their Countrey from 6. vers to the 21. 4. Set out the ground of their restauration from the 21. to the 25. 5. Multiply promises of spiritual and temporal things upon them and their Land from the 25. to the end Vers 1. Thou son of man prophesie unto the mountains of Israel In the former Chapter he prophesied against Mount Seir in this he is to prophesie to the mountains of Israel against that he prophesied judgement unto these he prophesieth mercies These Mountains of Israel by a Synecdoche are put for the whole Land of Judaea and by a Metonomie for the people contained therein or who had lived therein Hear the word of the Lord. The Land mourn'd because the profane Nations had laid it waste and taken possession of it the Lord therefore calls to the Land and People that had inhabited it to let them know that the one should not long lye in so desolate a condition nor the other alwayes be kept out by enemies from their inheritance Vers 2. Thus saith the Lord God These words are in the 3 4 5 6 7. verses also The Jewes being cast into so low a condition might think God had forgotten them and would leave them to perish in the hands of their enemies to take off such thoughts he commands the Prophet to say in 6 verses together Thus saith the Lord God It is not the voice of Ezekiel but of Jehovah who is affected with the insolency of your enemies and the grievous things you suffer Because the enemy had said against you Aha The Hebrew word for enemy is from Ajaf to bear ill will to hate This enemy principally was the Edomite who had a perpetual hatred against the Jewes Ezek. 35.5 and the Ammonite who cryed Aha Ezek 25.3 and entred upon the Jews inheritance Jerem 49.1 with the Moabite who reproached the people of God Zeph 2.8 10. These and others were disaffected to the Jews and hated them insulted in the day of their calamity saying Aha The Hebrew is Heach which to Mercer is vox insultantis and to others vox provocatoria cum contemptu an insulting provoking scornfull word The ancient high places are ours in possession Bamoth Olam Excelsa Saculi The ancient Mountains which have kept their station and height i nal ages Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The everlasting solitudes Vulgar Altitudines sempiterna The everlasting height French is Les hauts lieux du monde The high places of the world The Land of Israel had many high Mountains which being solitary and desolate the enemy said they are ours in possession we shall inherit them for ever The Edomites being from Esau Jacobs elder brother the Ammonites and Moabites from Lot Abrahams brother they challenged the ancient high places of Israel for their possessions call'd Excelsa Saeculi because God and his Worship had been there many years and the Land was promised the Jews for ever Because they have made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side The enemies of the Jews were bitter and bloudy they stript them of what they had and devoured them they did eat them up Shaaph signifies to draw in the aire to suck it up and metaphorically to swallow to devoure they did not like Caniball eat the flesh of the Jews but they dealt cruelly with them not in one place only but on all sides those that were their neighbours cut them off and destroyed them round about That ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen So little did they care for the Church of God his people and their inheritance they rule over these few Jews that were left This made Jeremy to complain Lamen 5.2 Our inheritance is turned to strangers our houses to aliens Ye are taken up in the lips of talkers In the Hebrew its thus And ye have ascended upon the lip of the tongue or ye are made to ascend ye are the common talk of men as we use to say Table talk They were made a reproach a proverb a taunt and a curse amongst the people according to what is written Jer 24.9 Junius and Piscator both have it Traducti estis in labia Nationum You are traduced and slandered through the tongues of the Nations they talk at large of you The lip of the tongue is an Hebraisme noting a talkative person as Job 11.2 A man of lips is the Hebrew that is A man of talk and Psal 140.11 Let not an evill speaker in Hebrew a man of tongue such an one utters much evill and falls under the denomination of an evill speaker And are an infamy of the people The word Dibbah infamy is from Davaf which signifies to speak and to relate the evills of others The enemies of the Jews related what evils they knew or heard of concerning them and made them infamous The Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reproach or scorn to the Nations Vers 4. Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills to the rivers and to the valleys to the desolate wastes and to the Cityes that are forsaken He mentioned the mountains of Israel before and the ancient high places here he adds Hills Rivers Valleys Wastes Cityes to shew that he would vindicate the whole Land from the possession of the Nations who did so greatly villifie his Church and people Which became a prey and derision unto the residue of the heathen The Heathen did not only spoile and make a prey of Judaea but also deride the Jews they scoffed at those that were left and those were carryed away The word for derision is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laag which notes deriding with scorn and contempt and therefore by the Septuagint is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conculcatio they derided them as worthy to be trodden under feet Vers 5. Surely in the fire of my jealousie have I spoken against the residue of the heathen c. The Hebrew for surely is Im lo which implyes an oath Si non or nisi unlesse I have spoken in the fire of my jealousie let me not be God let me never be believed To speak in the fire of jealousie is an Hebraisme saith Pintus Pro effundere verba cum stomacho it notes hot displeasure Psal 79.5 Shall thy jealousie burn like fire Here the Lords jealousie was on fire he was not only angry with the Heathen but in a fierie jealousie for jealousie is more then anger Deut 29.20 Men in their jealousie are extreamly mov'd and carryed out with heat and fury to be revenged
5.16 And to love those that are regenerate 1 John 5.1 and these doing so God their Father hath a special care of them and love unto them Matth. 6.26.32 Luke 11.13 Chap 12.32 Will I give you will I put within you The new heart and new spirit comes from God he that to the Authour of every good and perfect gift is the Author of the same Now in the working of this new heart and new spirit there be several Attributes of God set on work As First His infinite mercy That he should mind sinners who have old rotten filthy hard dead hearts within them so at enmity with God that they would pull him out of Heaven had they power to do it for God to mind such hearts and spirits and make them new so as to affect him and his wayes argues unspeakable mercy loving kindness superabundant It was a time of love when God saw Jerusalem in her bloud and said unto her live Ezek 10. It was infinite love infinite mercy for him to pity Jerusalem in such a case and to say so unto her the same it is when God makes of an old heart a new heart of an old spirit a new spirit Secondly Gods infinite power is imployed in this work The making of a dead heart to live a blind heart to see an old heart and spirit to become new requires an omnipotent arm By the preaching of the word men have great convictions strong resolutions and are perswaded almost to be Christians but those convictions and resolutions dye away and they never come altogether to be Christians altogether to be new hearted and new spirited till the Lord put forth his allmighty power and create new hearts and spirits in them it s a work of creation Psal 51.10 2 Cor. 4.6 Eph. 2.10 And such hearts and spirits are call'd new creatures Gal 6.15 2 Cor 5.17 Thirdly Infinite wisdome The heart of man is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Jer 17.9 It s beyond the knowledge of man it hath so many windings turnings pretences shifts arguments wiles depths methods as that none but God knows it he being infinitely wise can answer all the objections arguments and subtle distinctions of the heart so that it shall be silent Mans heart whilest its old hath the cunning of the old Serpent in it and pleads hard to keep its old principles its old ungodly lusts its old ignorance its old darkness its old formal wayes of worship its old fleshly confidences its old delights and pleasures its old company its old customes its old aims and ends which were selfe it musters up many arguments to defend these and who can convince the heart of the evill of these and take it off from them but God by his infinite wisdome To make an heart or spirit which hath so many oldnesses in it new argues more skill and wisdome then dwels in any creature Fourthly His Infinite holinesse and purity When God takes an old heart which is as dark as hell as stinking as any Sepulchre Math 23.27 an old spirit which is as unclean and loathsome as the Devils are when he takes these and makes them new he scatters darkness abolisheth death separating filthinesse and instead thereof brings in marveilous light 1 Pet. 2.9 A glorious life Ephes 4.18 And true holinesse vers 24. which import that God is light without darknesse life without possibility of dying holinesse without any spot or imperfection When the wind cleanseth the aire infected pestilential and stinking it argues the wind is pure when a vessel or house is noysome and one cleanses and sweetens them as not enduring them in that condition it argues their cleanlinesse and if they could make them new it would argue it much more so here God makes them new He puts them into the fire that they may be refined and partake of his holinesse Heb 12.10 Its Gods holy arme which makes an unholy heart to become holy and glorious in holinesse The dignity and excellency of this new heart and new spirit is worthy the notice First It s that doth discriminate and difference a man from all others They that have old hearts old spirits and new hearts new spirits differ as much from them as light from darknesse life from death holinesse from filthinesse a man with a new heart a new spirit is a living man whereas others be dead Ephes 2.1 He is a seeing man whereas others be blind 1 Jok 5.20 1 Cor 2.14 He is pure whereas others are filthy 1 Pet. 2.9 Tit 1.15 Hereby a man is differenced from all profane civill and moral men from all gifted men from all hypocrites what specious forms of religion and holinesse soever they have whoever hath a new spirit is distinguished from all other spirits yea from the Devils who are but unclean spirits Secondly It doth ennoble a man A new heart and new spirit doth not only distinguish from others but makes more excellent then others Prov 12.26 The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour Righteousnesse is one of the qualities in the new heart in the new spirit Eph 4.23 24. and that Nobilitates a man such a one is born not of blood that is not of the Princes and Nobles of the world who stand upon their blood and greatnesse nor of the will of the flesh that is not in the ordinary way nor of the will of man viz not by education and School principles but of God John 1.13 He is descended from the highest the King of Kings he is of the most Royal blood even the blood of God Acts 20.28 Others are vile but he is precious Jerem 15.19 2 Pet. 1.1 He is partaker of the Divine Nature and lives the life of God 2 Pet. 1.4 Ephes 4.18 Thirdly It fills them where it is with new joyes New things affect much when the Apostles had new tongues given them they were greatly affected therewith and when men have new hearts new spirits they abound in joy the greater the mercy the more full the joy If when a sinner is converted there be joy in Heaven what joy is in the sinners heart then When Christ came to Zacheus and gave him a new heart a new spirit he was fill'd with joy Luke 19. and new joyes Before his joy was to get money by any means and treasure it up now his joy was to disperse make satisfaction and to give away vers 8 9. His new heart begat in him new joyes and inabled him to joy in that he could not do not think of before without sadness So Paul when he had a new heart and spirit he had new joyes fullnesse of them in those things he could not rejoyce in before 2 Cor. 7.4 I am filled with comfort I am exceeding joyfull in all our tribulations Chap 12.10 He took pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses Here 's the excellency of a new heart and a new spirit it fills with
my judgements and do them He knows that to fear God and keep his Commandements is the whole duty of man Eccles 12.13 Twelfthly Observe That man that hath the spirit of God is for righteousnesse as well as holinesse He is a second Table man as well as a first Table man he is conscious towards man as well as towards God he keeps the judgements set between man and man as well as walks in the statutes which are between God and man as Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Rom. 13.9 Not to defraud thy brother in any matter 1 Thess 4.6 To do to others as we would be done unto our selves Luke 6.31 To condescend to those of low estate to recompence to no man evill for evill but to overcome evill with good Rom. 12.16 17 21. Blessing them that curse you and praying for them that despitefully use you Mat. 5.44 To forbear and forgive one another Col. 3.13 To bear one anothers burdens Gal. 6.2 Every man to possesse his vessel in sanctification and honour 1 Thess 4.4 To speak evill of no man to be no brawlers but gentle shewing all meeknesse unto all men Titus 3.3 To put away all bitterness wrath anger clamour and evil speaking with all malice and to be kind and tender hearted one to another Ephes 5.31 32. Not to lye but speak the truth every man with his Neighbour vers 25. To distribute to the necessities of Saints Rom. 12.13 To lend looking for nothing again Luke 6.35 c. These be judgements God hath set in his infinite wisdom between man and man and whosoever hath the spirit of God dwelling in him keeps these and many other mentioned in sacred writ David had respect to all the Commandements of the Lord Psal 119.6 Those which concerned men as well as those concern'd God for they are all of equall authority being from the same God and branches of his infinite wisdome the one tending to mans good and Gods glory as well as the other which David knew and therefore kept So Paul his care was not only to mind the duties of holiness towards God but those of righteousness towards men Acts 24.16 Herein saith he do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man Had he not kept the judgements set of God between man and man his conscience had not been innocent but because he did keep them therefore he could say Acts 25.10 To the Jews have I done no wrong and to the Corinthian Gentiles we have wronged no man we have corrupted no man we have defrauded no man 2 Cor. 7.2 He had the spirit within him which carryed him forth strongly to do just righteous and equall things and to move others thereunto Phil. 4.8 Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue and if there be any praise think on these things He writ these words unto the Philippians as his last words that so they might take the deeper impression in them knowing that if second Table duties were not done first Table duties would be in vain See how the Lord with indignation takes up the Jews for failing in their duties towards men though they did their duty towards him Jer. 7.6 9 10. Will ye oppress the stranger the fatherlesse and the widow will ye steal murder and commit adultery and swear falsly and come and stand before me in this house what do you come hither for to pray to hear the Law to offer Sacrifice and think I am pleased with these duties no no I will destroy the Temple where ye worship and I will cast ye out of my sight as I have done all your brethren even the whole seed of Ephraim vers 14 15. It is in vain to be religious if we be not righteous such Religion is a dreadful provocation of God as you may read Isa 1.10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Many are religious in these dayes but where is a righteous man He that doth righteousness just and equal things is righteous 1 John 3.5 Let us learn as to walk in Gods Statutes that is to be religious so to keep his judgements and do them that is to be righteous for of the three great things which God requires of man this is the first Micah 6.8 What doth the Lord require of thee O man but to do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Vers 28. And ye shall dwell in the Land that I gave to your Fathers and ye shall be my people and I will be your God THis verse comprehends in it both temporal and spiritual mercy as repossession of their Land and Gods renovation of Covenant with them And ye shall dwell in the Land which I gave to your fathers God had long before this time given Canaan unto Abraham and his posterity who through their sins were driven out of the same and made captives in Babylon but he would bring them back again and set them in it which resembled Gods gathering of his out of all Nations and bringing them into the Church of Christ the City of God the spiritual Canaan And ye shall be my people and I will be your God Like words to these we had Ezek. 11.20 Ch 14.11 Ch 34.31 and therefore shall not stand upon them The sense of them is this You being in Babylon think your selves cast off of God and that ye shall never again have the honour to be his people and to have him for your God but your thoughts are not as mine for ye shall come again to Canaan and there I will own you for my people and ye shall own me for your God ye shall be my people to worship me and I will be your God to blesse you ye shall be my people to depend upon me and I will be your God to protect you ye shall be my people to obey my Commands and do my Will and I will be your God to exalt and honour you ye shall be my people to love fear honour me and to stand for me and my glory and I will be your God to counsel comfort delight in and to deliver you and to plead your cause against all your enemies First Observe There is nothing difficult or impossible to God though it be so in the eye of man The Jews thought it an hard if not a thing impossible for them to get from under the Babylonish yoke into their own Countrey but God thought not so saith he Ye shall dwell in the Land that I gave to your fathers I will break off every yoke which hinders and remove every mountain which lets And this he did with ease for he did but stir the heart of Cyrus King of Persia to make a Proclamation to this purpose That whoever among the Jews had an heart to go up to Jerusalem might do
then they will remember their evill doings their bitterness against Christians and bloudynesse against Christ and loath themselves for the same Zech. 12.10 Rev. 1.7 Thirdly Observe Where repentance comes it makes a change in mens judgments affections and lives They should loath themselves in their own sight for their iniquities and for their abominations What they approved of before delighted in and practised that they should look upon as abominable loath and turn from Repentance begins in mens minds and judgements altering them and when they are altered the affections and conversation will alter when the Prodigall repented there was a change inward and outward Vers 32. Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes O house of Israel IN this Verse is comprehended the ground of all the gracious and great Promises specified in the words before and following And 1. It is expressed Negatively It is not for your sakes 2. Implyed Affirmatively It is for the Lords sake Not for your sakes do I this God saw nothing in them to move him to bring them out of Babylon or to do ought for them in Babylon but he beheld that in them which might have moved him to destroy them he saw how they profaned his holy name among the Babylonians vers 21. he saw how they intended to turn heathens and worship wood and stone Ezek. 20.32 Being Gods people they thought God was bound to do much for their sakes and that he should not deal justly with them if he did not mind them do for them see how they expostulated with God Isa 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted and thou seest it not wherefore have we afflicted our soul and thou takest no knowledge They did in effect tell God he dealt not well with them they deserved better things at his hands than they had therefore said the Lord here Not for your sakes do I this Be it known unto you Take notice that what conceits soever ye have of your own worth or deserts because ye are my people and of the seed of Abraham my friend yet I do not bring you out of Babylon for your worth or merits sake I do nothing upon that account and proclaim it openly unto you and all the world Be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes Your wayes are so far from meriting at my hands that they merit not at the hands of men they are of that nature as you ought to be ashamed and confounded for them of the words ashamed and confounded was spoken Chap. 16.52 54 61. First Observe Men are apt to think they deserve something at Gods hands The house of Israel thought she had suffered a long and sore captivity and having fasted and mourned every fift and seaventh month throughout the seaventy years Zech 7.5 she conceived God now should deal unkindly yea unjustly if he should not do some great thing for her now it was just for him to remember all her tears sighs prayes fastings and sufferings to set her at liberty and give her repossession of her Land rewarding her with old and new priviledges Matth. 7.22 Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have not we prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out Devils and in thy name done many wonderfull works They thought they had merited Heaven by their doings and looked for some wonderful reward for their wonderful works The labourers which came into the Vineyard at the third and sixt hours thought they deserved more of the Lord of the Vineyard than they that went in at the ninth and eleventh hours Matth. 20. Prone is corrupt nature to conceit it merits somewhat at the hands of God But Secondly Observe Mens wayes are such as they ought to be ashamed of themselves and fear destruction from God for them Be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes O house of Israel they are such as you should blush at and loath to behold and make you fear least my judgements should sieze upon you for them Nehem. 9.30 31. What saith he of them Lord thou gavest them into the hand of the people of the Lands that is thou didst cast them into captivity for their own wayes and what then Neverthelesse for thy great mercies sake thou didst not utterly consume them They had cause to fear consuming had not mercy and great mercy stepped in they had been utterly consumed So Jeremy Lament 3.22 It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed If it be mercy that our persons are not destroyed what do our works or wayes deserve from him Thirdly Observe The Promises God makes unto and the mercies he bestows upon his people are free and for his own sake Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you I have promised To sprinkle you with clean water to put a new heart into you to give you my spirit to save you from all your iniquities to bring you again to Sion to give you many mercies there to do you much good but these I do not for your sakes you deserve them not but for mine own sake for mine own honour and name as vers 22. I do not this O house of Israel for your sakes but for mine holy names sake For mans sake come judgements the earth was cursed for Adams sake Gen 3.17 For Achans sake the Israelites fell and fled Josh 7. For Jonas sake the Sea was tempestous Jon 1.4.12 But when mercies come at Land or Sea it is for the Lords own sake He made all things for himself Prov 16.4 for his own names sake and what good soever he doth to any Nations or Persons is not for your sakes but for his own holy names sake When the Jews were neer destruction he wrought for his names sake Ezek 20.9 So when we were neer to destruction oft times in these Nations the Lord wrought for his own names sake not for our sakes Let us give God the glory of what he hath done for our Nation and for our selves and say 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 Vers 33 34 35. Thus saith the Lord God In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the Cities and the wastes shall be builded And the desolate Land shall be tilled whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by And they shall say this Land that was desolate is become like the Garden of Eden and the waste and desolate and ruined Cities are become fenced and are inhabited IN these Verses the Lord proceeds in Temporal Promises and tells them what he will do for them after he hath cleansed them from their sins 1. Their Cityes and waste places shall be re-edified 2. Their Cityes shall be inhabited 3. Tillage of the Land 4.
diligent and careful inquiry The Vulgar is Adhuc in hoc invenient me domus Israel moreover in this shall the house of Israel find me when they pray and seek me I will be found of them they shall prevail with me to do this for them Vatablus in his Notes hath the words thus Ero requisitus à domo Israel I will be required by the house of Israel they shall come and mind me and intreat me to do this for them Junius is otherwise Expositus ero domui Israelis ut hoc faciam eis I will be exposed to the house of Israel that I will do this for them Piscator is more plain Inveniendum me exhibebo Domui Israelis I will shew my self to the house of Israel to be found of them that I may do this for them Lavater and the French is I will be required I will have the house of Israel sue unto me for it What it is that God will be enquired of for is next to be spoken of Maldonate makes it Quicquid petiverint whatsoever they shall ask Some refer it to all the promises mentioned before but both these are too large and the words would not have been for this but for these things or these promises will I be enquired of Lavater makes for this to be Vt multiplicentur that they may be multiplyed and increased again or For this viz which I have spoken and said I will do I have said I will return rebuild replant them and make their desolate Land like the Garden of Eden so that the Heathens shall wonder at my dealings with them now for this will I be enquired of by the house of Israel I will increase them with men like a flock The Hebrew may be read thus I will increase them like a flock of men The Septuagint is I will increase the men themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as sheep I will so multiply them that they shall be like a flock The Jews greatly desired issue alwayes and it is probable more strongly after their reduction from Babylon then ever that so they might plant build and fill the Land again Vers 38. As the holy flock as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn Feasts so shall the waste Cityes be filled with flocks of men and they shall know that I am the Lord. IN the Hebrew it is As the flocks of holinesses or holy things The Jews besides other feasts had three great solemn Feasts every yeer at Jerusalem 1. The Passeover 2. Pentecost 3. The Feast of Tabernacles unto which the people came up from all parts of the Land and for their use at those times great flocks of sheep and herds of Cattel were brought to Jerusalem In Josiahs time there were 30000 Lambs and Kids besides Oxen and small Cattel which were for holy services and therefore here are called The holy flock and flock of Jerusalem John 15.2 You read of a sheep Market and by it a Pool great flocks of sheep were brought unto that Market and they were washed in that Pool before they were used in holy services Jerusalem at these Feasts were filled with flocks of sheep and men and God here promiseth That the waste and desolate places of Judea should be filled with men and made to abound with inhabitants again how improbable soever it seemed to the Jews or Heathens And they shall know that I am the Lord. They shall acknowledge that my thoughts are not theirs nor my wayes theirs and that I am faithfull and able to do great things First Observe God expects that his People should seek to him for performance of those Promises he graciously makes them I will for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them It is tender mercy and loving kindness in God to make promises unto sinners and it is duty in man to mind them being made and to sue them out by prayer David did so Remember saith he the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Psal 119.49 And again Quicken me according to thy Word vers 154. He minded God of his word and promises and pressed him by hearty prayer to make the same good So Jacob Lord didst not thou bid me return unto my Countrey and saidst thou wouldest deal well with me deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau for I fear him Gen 32.9 11. Had not Jacob improved the promise he might have gone without deliverance Promises as they are foundations for faith so they are incentives unto prayer and provoke those to whom they are made to sue them out O Lord God said Solomon let thy promise unto David my father be established 2 Kings 1.9 Thou didst promise him that I should sit upon the Throne Lord make it good Jeremy holds out this truth most cleerly That God expects to be sought unto for the performance of what he promiseth Chap 29.10 11. After seaventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return to this place for I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evill to give you an expected end Here is the promise what now follows in the 12 13 14. verses Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you c. See it put in practice Dan 9.2 3 4 c. God tells them Isa 43. That he blots out transgressions for his own sake and will not remember their sins but then it is added Put me in remembrance vers 25 26. Secondly Observe That the increase of Children is the blessing of God and he can increase them in a short space to become like a flock They multiplyed and filled the Land after their return and were as the Stars of Heaven the Sand of the Sea-shore and Dust of the earth the Key of the womb is in Gods hand and he maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyfull Mother of children Psal 113.9 And he makes the fruitfull woman to be more fruitfull He multiplyed his People as the Bud of the field Ezek 16.7 Thirdly Observe How desperate soever the conditions of men and things are the Lord can restore them to their Pristine estate yea to a better They were in a low and lost condition in Babylon all their Cityes laid waste in their own Land and never like to be built or inhabitated but God delivered them and restored them to their Primitive state and made all their waste Cityes populous Jerusalem formerly was filled with men now the waste Cityes should be also filled abounding with men now their Land should be planted and inhabited things in that Land were often at the point of ruine and incurable in the eye of men but God relieved them raised and restored them When Sennacherib was there with his great Army and all seemed lost
26 27 28 29 30. So Jerem. 32.37 38 39 40 41. When God is in a way of Judgements he adds judgment to judgement plague unto plague as you may read Levit. 26.18 21 28. And when he is in a way of Mercy He adds mercy to mercy as appears in the same Chapter from ver 4. to the 14. Secondly Observe False religious wayes of Worship are so far from advantaging men that they do defile them The Jews thought to better themselves by conforming to the Religion and Worship of the Heathens but thereby they defiled themselves And what is the favor or wealth of Heathens when the conscience is defiled before God Many among Papists when they have sinn'd run to their golden silver brassie stony and wodden gods thinking by offering unto them to be purged from their sins whereas thereby they do more deeply defile themselves Thirdly Observe When people afflicted receive choice mercies from God then they will take heed of and renounce former defilements Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their Idols nor with their Detestable things nor with any of their Transgressions When I shall shew them kindness and load them with mercies they will consider what offended me and ceasâ— from it then they will know me and my wayes and wâ—â—â— in the same abhorring Idols Hos 14.8 Ephraim shall say What have I any more to do with Idols When mercy comes it melts the heart makes a divorce between it and its Idols its beloved sins then it will have to do no more with heart or house Idols nor with any Transgressions Fourthly Observe God knows the dwellings of men wherever they dwell and the sins they commit in their dwellings These Jews were some in Egypt some in Babylon some in Media and Persia 2 King 17.6 yet he took notice of all their dwelling places wherein they had sinned There is not a Cottage in the Wilderness nor a Closet in the City not a Dungeon in the Earth but the Lord knows the same and what sins are acted there night and day Revel 2.13 I know thy works and where thou dwellest so saith God of Pergamos and may say it of every Man Family Church and Nation I know thy sins and wheâ—e thou dwellest Neither we nor our sins are hid from God dwell we in Canaan or in Babylon Let us look well to our selves and to our wayes for wherever we dwell whatever we are or do God's eye is constantly upon us Fifthly Observe Deliverance out of afflicted and sinful conditions is from the Lord himself I will save them out of all their dwelling places wherein they have sinned They were captives in Babylon and other places there they sinned and sinned greatly and who but God could deliver them either from their sins or their captivity Amos 9.14 I will bring again the captivity of my people God could break their bonds change the Laws of the Medes and Persians alter times and seasons remove all impediments and set his people at liberty Psal 107.19 He saveth them out of their distresses When men are distressed at Sea or Land if ever they get out of those distresses it 's by the hand of the Lord He saveth them He is the Saviour of Israel in the time of trouble Jer. 14.8 He saveth from uncleanness Ezek. 36.29 Salvation from affliction or from sin belongs to God and to him alone and he challengeth it to himself Isa 43.11 I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour Sixthly Observe It 's the Lord who makes defiled persons clean They were defiled with Idols Detestable things and Transgressions and what saith the Lord I will cleanse you When an house was defiled with Leprosie the Priest was to cleanse it with bloud and water Levit. 14.52 And when men are defiled the Lord cleanseth them with bloud and water with the bloud of his Son 1 Joh. 1.7 and with the water of his Spirit Joh. 7.38 39. These are the Iâ—op with which God cleanseth sinners Pharisees may cleanse the outside but it 's that God cleanseth inside and outside Jer. 33.8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned When God Justifies and Sanctifies a sinner then is a sinner cleansed indeed inwardly and outwardly 1 Cor. 6.11 Seventhly Observe God takes pleasure in a cleansed people and owns them for His. So shall they be my people and I will be their God that is when they should be cleansed God hath no delight in polluted ones He is an holy God and delights in holy ones David assures you hereof when he Psal 24.3 propounds the question Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place and gives answer ver 4. He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully Such a man and such a people God delights to have in his presence but the wicked what ever they be he puts away like drosse Psal 119.119 The Refiner takes pleasure in the pure mettal cleansed from the dross the one he priseth the other he rejects Vers 24 25. 24. And David my servant shall be King over them and they all shall have one shepheard they shall also walk in my judgements and observe my statutes and do them 25. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant wherein your fathers have dwelt and they shall dwell therein even they and their children and their childrens children for ever and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever GReat Promises are made unto the house of Judah and house of Israel being united 1. Of a King call'd David ver 24. 2. Of Holiness they shall also walk c. ibid. 3. Of inheriting the Land for ever ver 25. 4. Of having the same King rule over them for ever Vers 24. And David my servant shall be King over them By David cannot Zorobbabel be meant for he was not a King and had he been so yet he was not their Prince for ever as it 's said of this David David is here put for Christ which the holy Scripture doth frequently as Ezek 34.23 Hos 3.5 Isa 37.35 2 King 19.34 Jerem. 30.9 And that you may clearly see it is so compare Isa 45.3 where mention is made of the sure Mercies of David with Act. 13.34 and there it 's interpreted of Christ So that in Amos 9.11 The Tabernacle of David refers to Christ Acts 15 16. So then this David is the Lord Christ who is so called both because He descended from his loins Rom. 1.3 whereupon he is oft called The Son of David Mat. 1.1 Chap. 15.22 Mark 12.35 And because David was a Type of him in his slaying Goliah and in his Kingly and Prophetical Office It 's not said here Abraham my servant or Jacob my servant shall be their King although
a great Army from all parts to assault and destroy the people of God and not knowing what the hazard of War might be he would prepare for himself consider and fit things for himself Thou and all thy company that are assembled unto thee Where is a great Army there had need to be great preparations for their pay quarters and protection They know not what obstructions and enemies they may meet withal And be thou a guard unto them Princes have great power and it lies much in them to keep their Armies safe Vigilantia ducis est salus exercitus The eye of the General is a special thing to keep an Army in Order The Vulgar reads the words thus Esto eis in praeceptum Do thou shew thy self an Emperour amongst them Command and Rule them or thus Thou wilt do thy endeavour to preserve them Junius thinks these words refer to the Jews That Gog with all his Forces compassing about the Mountains of Israel and concluding he had the Jews in his power as a bird in a cage to destroy at his pleasure he should be a guard unto them God can make those a defence to his who seek their destruction But the other sense is more genuine First Observe That after Prophesies of Grace and Mercy come tidingt of Affliction and Judgements In the former Chapter the Jews heard altogether of Mercies from God here they hear of Afflictions from Enemies There they heard of David their King and Shepheard who should do great things for them Here of Gog a Tyrant their enemy who should seek to destroy them God in his infinite wisdom orders it so that his Church and People should hear of and meet with not only good but evill not only comforts but crosses Should we only hear of comfortable things we should presume and should we only hear of sad things we should despond God presents some of both sorts unto us that so our Faith and Fear may be exercis'd and we kept in a more even frame Secondly Observe The great Princes of the earth being no friends to the Church of God have God for their enemy Gog was Prince of Meshech and Tubal an enemy to the Jews And Behold I am against thee O Gog how great soever thou art I the great God am against thee thou wilt oppose my people and I will oppose thee Most of the Princes of the earth have been against Christ and his Kingdom Psal 2.2 And God hath been against them and vexed them in his soar displeasure God was against the Prince of Tyre and against Pharaoh King of Egypt Ezek. Chap. 28. 29. Kings generally are Proud Profane Tyrannical false to the trust committed to them obstructing the way and work of Christ in the World what they can therefore God is against them He is terrible to the Kings of the earth Psal 76.12 And their ends have been dreadful Some have had their bones burnt to lime Amos 2.1 Some have been eaten with Wormes Acts 12.23 Some have been hanged up Lam. 2.12 Josh 10.26 Some have dyed of strange diseases 2 Chr. 21.18 Thirdly Observe The Lord at his pleasure can bring enemies and Armies upon his own people God would bring Gog forth and all his Army Horse and Horsemen a great company all of them armed with Bucklers Shields and Swords God is the author of Wars he calls forth what Princes and Nations he will to assault and vex the Church The ten Tribes Who brought enemies upon them was it not the Lord 1 Chron. 5.26 The God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul King of Assyria and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser King of Assyria and he carried them away c. 2 King 15.19 Chap. 17.6 It was God stirred up the spirit of the Philistines against Jehoram King of Judah so that they came and spoyled him of all his substance of his Wives and Sons 2 Chr. 21.16 17. Let Gods people take heed how they provoke God for he is the Lord of hosts and hath all Nations at his command and can call yea bring them forth to trouble Israel it self and that soarly Fourthly Observe The Lord can easily bring men to do his work and service what ever the difficulty or danger be Here was hard work for Gog to gather the Nations East West South and Northward together to come out of his Countrey and to invade Judaea a business which required much consultation admitted many Objections and Demurs but God would bring him to it and make him do it as easily as a man pulls up a fish out of the water I will put my hook in his chawes Let God put an instinct into a Prince or State once stir their spirits to make war upon others the work will go on with facility and expedition God hath hooks to draw on Princes to War and hooks to draw them off to draw them back from them 2 King 19.28 Fifthly Observe From all quarters of the World there be enemies ready to combine and act with Gog and Antichrist against the Church Truth and Christ himself Those of the East comprehended under Persia those of the South intended under Ethiopia those of the West included in Lybia and those of the North contained under Gomer and the house of Togarmah were all at the beck of Gog to go against Jerusalem the Servants and Worship of God therein The whole World saith Oecolampadius contradicts and observes Antichrist When Christ doth any eminent thing in his Church the Nations are quickly misled and joyn with some grand enemy to vent their malice see Rev. 20.7 8 9. Sixthly Observe The enemies of the Church do make great preparations against the same Be thou prepared This shews and assures that Gog would neglect nothing which might conduce unto the carrying on his designes against the Jews Isa 8.9 10. Those expressions Associate your selves Gird your selves Take counsel together Speak the word do hint to us the activity of the Churches enemies Psal 83.2 3 4 5. see it there to the life Thine enemies make a tumult they have lift up the head they have taken crafty counsel against thy people They said Come let us cut them off from being a Nation c. How did Zerah the Ethiopian and the Commanders of his Army bestir themselves when they brought an Army of a thousand thousand against Judah and with them 300 Charets 2 Chron. 14.9 Seventhly Observe Princes notwithstanding all their preparations cannot secure themselves nor those under their command Prepare for thy self be a guard to them Gogs number Power Policy Preparations did not advantage himself or his they went forth to their own ruine and destruction Vers 8. After many dayes thou shalt be visited in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword and is gathered out of many people against the mountains of Israel which have been alwayes waste but it is brought forth out of the nations and they shall dwell safely all of them THis
base ones but the chiefest and so drink their bloud Of Rams of Lambs and of Goats of Bullucks all of them Fatlings of Bashan By these Metaphorical expressions are set out the dead carkasses of men who were of several dispositions and qualities some were like Rams and Lambs others like Goats and Bullocks some were sweeter and more tender flesh then others Rams and Goats or great Goats as the Hebrew word signifies were Leaders Lambs and Bullocks were those under the Leaders All of them were well flesh'd and fat like the Kine of Bashan Bashan was an high Hill Psal 68.15 beyond Jordan which yielded strong Oaks and fat Cattle Ezek. 27.6 Amos 4.1 Vers 19. And ye shall eat Fat till ye be full and drink c. The Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Field are resembled unto Men at a Fâ—â—st where having meat and drink which likes them 〈◊〉 eat and drink plentifully The fat flesh and bloud of men is sweet and so pleasing to Fowls and Beasts which should cram and fill themselves therewith Vers 20. Thus ye shall be filled at my Table The word for Table is Shulcan from Shalach to send because it 's sent out or extended at length so that it may contain many dishes and guests may sit down thereat to feed upon those dishes The Mountains of Israel were the Table here the Carkasses of Men were the Dishes the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Field the guests Such plenty and variety of dishes they should have as had not been seen at any Table before every Guest should be fill'd With Horses and Chariots with Mighty Men and all Men of Warr. In the Hebrew it is With Horse with Chariot with Mighty Man and all Man of War all singulars put for plurals here is declared who are meant by Rams Lambs Goats and Bullocks in the 18. verse Horse-men Chariot-men Men of Might yea all Men of Warr. Saith the Lord. Lest it should be thought an incredible thing the Lord ratifies it saying Thus saith the Lord God Jehovah who is able to make such preparations for the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Earth hath said it and will do it First Observe That all Creatures are at the command of God and ordered to do this or that according to his wise Providence Speak to every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field Were not these creatures at the beck of the Lord and subject to his over-ruling Providence it had been in vain for Ezekiel to have spoken so unto them In the 1 King 17.4 God commanded the Ravens to feed Elijah and they did come and bring him meat Morning and Evening duly v. 6. Psal 50.11 It 's said God knows all the Fowls of the Mountains and he calls them to what service he pleases He call'd tor Quails to satisfie the lustings of the Israelites Numb 11.31 God asked Job the question Whether the Eagle moun-fed up at his command Job 39.27 implying that though man hath no command over the Fowls of Heaven yet himself hath And so over Fishes and Beasts Jon. 1.17 Chap. 2.10 The Whale came and went at Gods command and did the service he appointed Levit 26.22 I will send wild Beasts amongst you which shall rob you of your children And this he did 2 King 2.24 The Lord caused two shee-Bears to come out of the Wood and destroy 42. of their children God is the Lord of Hosts and can command an Army of Creatures at his pleasure to benefit his Servants or to plague their Enemies Secondly Observe God doth execute some great and signal Judgement when he summons the Creatures to eat the Flesh and drink the Bloud of the Slain Oft-times the Bodies of Jews and Gentiles have been given for meat unto the Fowls and Beasts as Jer. 7 33. and Chap. 34.20 Ezek. 29.5 But they have not been summon'd and call'd by open Proclamation as here it is The Prophet must speak to every feathered Fowl and to every Beast of the Field and say Assemble your selves and come Gather your selves on every side Such a Proclamation you have but twice more in all the Scripture once in Jer. 12.9 Come ye assemble all the Beasts of the Field come to devour he speaks of that great destruction of the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar The other place is Rev. 19.17 I saw an Angel standing in the Sun and he cryed with a loud voyce saying to all the Fowls that flie in the midst of Heaven Come and gather your selves together to the great Supper of the great God that ye may eat the flesh of Kings and the flesh of Captains and the fl sh of Mighty Men and the flesh of Horses and of them that sit on them and the flesh of all men both free and bond both small and great This place runs parallel with Ezekiel and sets out the greatness and signalness of Gods Judgements upon the Enemies of the Church And it 's conceiv'd by some to be the very same Judgement Ezekiel speaks of viz. that of Gog and Magog Thirdly Observe It 's matter of delight and pleasure unto God to destroy the Enemies of his Church and People Come to my Sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you The Jews took great pleasure in sacrificing of Creatures unto God 1 Chron. 29.21 22. And God was well pleased with Sacrifices Gen. 8.20 21. Here he calls the destroying of Gog and Magog his Sacrifice his Feast or Table he took as much delight in their slaughter as in any Sacrifice or in any Feast Wicked men are Bryers and Thorns and God hath as much pleasure in the cutting down the one as the Husbandman hath in cutting down the other God delights in acts of Judgement as well as in acts of Mercy Isa 48.14 He will do his pleasure on Babylon and his arm shall be on the Chaldaeans The destruction of Babylonians and Chaldaeans God calls His pleasure the Hebrew is Chephzo Voluntatem ejus his will It 's Gods will to destroy all the Enemies of Sion and the doing of it pleases him Fourthly Observe God is impartial in his Judicial Dispensations he punisheth the great Delinquents as well as the lesser Mighty men Princes those that ride in Chariots Rams great Goats are slaughtered and given to the Fowls and Beasts aswell as the inferior sort the men of War Lambs and Bullocks They were all in the same confederacy in the same warr against the Land of Israel and God winked not at the greatest nor spared the meanest but made them all a Sacrifice God is a righteous God and executes his judgements without respect of persons Let not great men flatter themselves they will not be exempted when God comes forth to judgement though they be Princes Fifthly Observe Great men and vulgar ones also may be a prey to the Creatures and lye without burial for a season Princes Mighty men and others after their death lay upon the Mountains of Israel and had their flesh eaten and bloud drunk by Fowls and
Beasts which was another judgement added to the former and the greater to the Heathen because they thought their souls did wander up and down upon the Earth nisi corpora fuissent humata as Tertullian saith The Athenians had the buryal of the dead in such honour that if a Captain neglected to bury the dead which fell in warr they punished him with death for it It is a great ignominy to lye unburyed Hence the Beast when the Witnesses were kill'd would not suffer their bodies to be buryed but let them lye in the Streets that so they might be the more ignominious Sixthly Observe God provides for the brute and dumb Creatures and that abundantly Every feathered Fowl and every Beast of the Fiâ—ld shall be filled at my Table God doth not only feed the Creatures but sometimes feasts them This World is Gods Family whercin are millions of living Creatures and not one of them is neglected of God Psal 145.15 16. The Eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season they have their Break-fast Dinner and Supper and lest we should conceit one hath too much another too little it follows Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing he satisfies the Fishes of the Sea the Beasts of the Earth and Fowls of Heaven How should this teach men to depend upon God not giving way to distrust or discontent Matth. 6.26 Behold the Fowls of the Air saith Christ for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into Barns yet their heavenly Father feedeth them Are ye not much better then they He saith not the Fowls of the House they are cared for but The Fowls of the Air that have none to look after them unless it be Fowlers to take away their lives neither do they know where to get the next meal when they have gotten one nor what hole or bush to lodge in at night yet their heavenly Father provides for and feeds them Does he take care of such Creatures and will he not take care of you Yes certainly he will and why ye are better then they ye are rational they irrational ye are his sons they his servants Vers 21 22. 21. And I will set my Glory among the Heathen and all the Heathen shall see my Judgement that I have executed and my Hand that I have laid upon them 22. So the House of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward THe Lord having declared what destructive judgements he would bring upon Gog and Magog he comes here to make known the end of his so dealing with them viz. the manifestation of his glory amongst Heathens and his own People Vers 21. I will set my Glory among the Heathen I will give my Glory saith the Hebrew that is I will cause it to be evident amongst them By Glory understand the glory of his Justice and Power All the Heathen shall see my Judgement that I have executed These words give light to the former The Heathen seeing the dreadful judgements of God upon Gog and his should acknowledge the Justice and Power of God And my Hand that I have laid upon them They shall not only have a bare sight but experimental knowledg they shall find themselves concern'd therein and feel the hand of God heavy upon them for the strength wealth liberty and glory of the Heathen will be much impaired if not totally ruin'd by the overthrow of Gog. Vers 22. So that the House of Israel shall know that I am c. They did know the Lord to be their God before but this signal stroke of God upon their Enemies being a signal mercy unto them should so ingage them unto God that from that time forward they should afresh and eminently acknowledge God to be their God and none to be like unto him that he will not desert them in their streights but be their Deliverer First Observe The great end of Gods judgements upon sinful men is his Glory I will set my glory among the Heathens and all the Heathen shall see my judgement c. God doth therefore execute judgement that he may be glorified When sinful people will not give glory to God for his Mercies he will fetch glory out of them by his Judgements They are the work of his hand and what ever that be it 's honourable and glorious Psal 111.3 Not only his works of Creation but those of Judicial Providence Upon what Nation soever Army or Navy the Lord shall lay his hand he will work out his glory thereby that is the end of all his works and judgements Secondly Obsérve Dreadful judgements upon the wicked are ingaging mercies unto the godly So shall the hâ—use of Israel know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward The hand of God upon Gog and his should so affect their hearts that they should experimentally know and say The Lord is our God he hath laid low our enemies he hath freed us from their Insultations Threats Oppressions he is our Deliverer our Saviour our Redeemer Isai 25.9 It shall be said in that day Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation When God executed severe judgements upon the enemies of his people then were their hearts thus affected and engaged unto the Lord then they rejoyced in God their Saviour and said He will save He hath saved us and he will save us When the godly see that great judgements upon their enemies are great mercies unto them their faith is advanced thereby and they are perswaded God will never leave them their hearts are warmed and they cannot but own and praise him Vers 23 24. 23. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity because they trespassed against me therefore hid I my face from them and gave them into the hand of their enemies so fell they all by the sword 24. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them and hid my face from them THe Heathen had base and blasphemous thoughts of God they imagined he was not able to keep his people out of the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and his gods to vindicate himself therefore the Lord tells them the true cause why they were carried into Captivity namely for their iniquity It was not Impotencie in God but Iniquity in them which caused it 23. The house of Israel went into captivity for their Iniquity The Hebrew is the house of Israel were led into Captivity in their Iniquities God took them in their Iniquities and carried them away into Captivity in them or for them Boavonam the Septuagint saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their sins their crooked and perverse doings Because they trespassed against me The word Magnal or Maal signifies Stubbornly and Contemptuously
forgive the sins of the Jews in general and bring them out of their forlorn condition to glorious injoyments and liberty This word Richamti is from Racham which signifies Intimo commiserationis affectu aliquem amplecti to imbrace one with a most inward affection of bowels mercy or compassion God would be as merciful to them as a Mother to the fruit of her womb And will be jealous for my holy Name In the Hebrew it is I will be jealous or zealous for the Name of my Holiness I will not suffer my Name to be polluted as it 's vers 7. The mercies I have promised shall be performed whatever obstacle is in the way my holy Name is ingaged for it and the jealousie I have for my Name will provoke me to do the same Jealousie is such an ardent affection as will break through all would retard or frustrate an undertaking It is given to God more humano and nothing shall let him from accomplishing what he hath promised Vers 26. After that they have born their shame The Jews being a people distinguished from other Nations by their laws and worship should have so liv'd as never to have given God occasion to have cast them off but they sinning above the Nations were scattered of God into several parts of the World and there they were reproached by the Heathens for their God their Worship and their Laws and so did bear shame Or thus Shame may be put for the punishment of their shame viz. their sin that was their shame and sad judgements did they bear for the same which was also their shame And all their Trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me Trespasses here notes punishment they trespassed against God in Canaan and he punished them for those trespasses in Babylon and other places After they had born their shame and punishment the appointed time God would visit them in mercy bring them back to Sion and do great things for them When they dwelt safely in the Land and none made them afraid They had much peace were secure feared no Enemies nor Judgements and thereupon sinn'd freely and multiplyed transgressions without number The word for making afraid is Charad which signifies to be moved in body or mind Fear doth distemper both but the Jews had none to disaffect either by frighting of them Vers 27. When I am sanctified in them in the sight of many Nations In Chap. 38. vers 9. God saith he will sanctifie himself that is declare himself to be an holy God and here the word is passive When I am sanctified that is when I am openly acknowledged to be just in punishing of them and merciful in delivering of them Piscator carries the words actively thus I will demonstrate my Holiness and Majesty both by afflicting and by freeing of them Vers 28. Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God which caused them to be led into Captivity among c. After their suffering grievous and long afflictions and receiving choyse mercies they shall know and confess that it was the hand of God which led them into captivity and not the hand of man before their eyes were upon men Nebuchadnezzar and his Forces they looked not at God but when they should be throughly purged in the furnace of affliction and be brought out thence to partake of special mercies then they should see know and acknowledge that God did all that it was his hand did it that Nebuchadnezzar could not have done ought against them nor Cyrus ought for them without his Commission So when the Jews shall be gathered out of all parts they are now in they shall know it to be the hand of God The Hebrew for which caused them be led into Captivity among the Heathen is In my transferring them or causing them to be transferred to the Heathen And have left none of them any more there At the first gathering of the Jews out of Babylon many were left there Ezra 1.5 Not all the Fathers of Judab and Benjamin but the chief of the Fathers and such whose spirits God had stirred came thence not the rest But here is mention of such a gathering as that none shall be left None de praedestinatis saith Maldonate Not any one Vâ—lentem in Patriam redire saith Mariana But these senses do not come up fully to the words which are I will not leave of them any more formerly many have been left but there shall be such a gathering as none shall be left whole Tribes were then left in captivity Vers 29. Neither will I hide my face any more from them God hid his face seventy years from them in Babylon and since their crucifying of Christ he hath hid it from them 1600. years But he hath a time to let them see his face again and never more to hide it from them they shall have his favour his counsel his help and protection They shall not be under severe judgments but injoy sweet mercies For I have poured out my Spirit upon the House of Israel Junius hath the words Quum effudero When I shall pour out my Spirit upon them In the Hebrew it 's a pretertense for a future which is usual therein to shew the certainty of the thing The Septuagint saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because I have poured out my wrath upon them their sense is Seeing I have uttered and accomplished all my displeasure against them they shall henceforth have my face and favour The word for my Spirit is Ruchi the same with that in Chap. 36.27 which the Septuagint render there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Spirit and it 's so to be taken here God makes the House of Israel a great promise he will pour out his Spirit upon the same It shall have all spiritual blessings in abundance and the continuation of them First Observe The afflictions of Gods People they may be long and sharp yet they shall not be alwayes they shall have an end There is a time when they shall cease Now will I bring again the Captivity of Jacob. God brings his into captivity and out again in due time Some Vessels must be longer in the fire then others their dross and rust is so incorporated into them that they must not only be heatt but melted and when they are melted then they are taken out of the furnace and new moulded The Jews were long in the Wilderness but at length they were brought into the Land of the Amorites Josh 24.7 8. The Gentiles must tread down the Holy City 42 moneths or 1260. dayes and then it shall be freed Revel 11.2 3. God may be wroth with the Sheep of his Pasture his wrath may be hot may be long but it shall not be for ever Psal 103.9 Let us be patient under long afflictions and wait for deliverance it 's drawing nigh dayly and the set time will come ere long Heb. 10.37 Secondly Observe There is a day of mercy to come for the Jews
God Princes may not change any thing in the Worship of God abrogate or institute ought by their wills or power Vzziah was smitten with the leprosie for medling 2 Chron. 26. and Ahaz for his adding 2 Kings 16. his altering detracting and abrogating 2 Chron. 28. was branded for his wickedness They kept not at the post and threshold of the gate but entred into the inner Court 2. They are to countenance and maintain the Worship of God The Prince must stand at the post of the gate and see the Priests do their Office He found the Burnt Peace and Meat Offerings and the Priests prepared them that is fitted them for Sacrifices The Princes and Powers of the Christian World should countenance preserve propagate and maintain the true VVorship of God in their Territories VVhen Joash was made King he had the Testimony given unto him 2 Chron. 23.11 that was the Book of the Law And why was this given him It was to inform Princes that they should rule according thereunto that they should countenance preserve propagate and maintain the same and the VVorship it held forth 3. That Princes must worship the Lord publiquely on Sabbath days and when special occasions are as well as other people He shall worship at the threshold of the gate Let Princes be never so great rich learned wise yet they must fall down at Gods foot-stool serve him with fear and kiss the Son they must observe the times of Gods VVorship bow to him and not leave all to their inferiors 4. They must not impede the Worship of God The Prince shall go forth but the gate shall not be shut where he hath worshipped he must not hinder othâ—rs It was a vile practice in those who shut up the doors of the Lords house and would not let the people or Priests come there to worship 2 Chron. 28.24 Princes should see to it that the door be open for publique Worship not onely at the appointed times but upon special occasions If we take the Prince here to be Christ as Oecolampad and Polanus do then his coming to and standing by the post of the gate his sacrificing and worshipping do prefigure his coming in the flesh and his standing at the gate of Heaven for us offering up Prayers and Supplications for us with strong crys and tears Heb. 5.7 Luke 22.44 and whereas it is said The Priests shall prepare his burnt-offering and his peace-offering this presignified the Priests delivering up Christ to be crucified for us Luke 24. â—0 The chief Priest and Rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and crucified him who was the Prince of life Acts 3.15 yet he laid down his life freely Joh. 10.17 18. And for his worshipping at the threshold of the gate it may point out that time when Christ being on the Cross said It is finished and so bowed his head and gave up the Ghost John 19.30 Now was he at the threshold of the gate for he said to the Thief immediately before This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23.43 Then his soul went forth of its earthly tabernacle and shortly after reassuming that he left the world and went to his Father John 16.28 The gates standing open until evening that so the people might come and worship at the door of the gate before the Lord this some interpret of the door of Mercy and Reconciliation which Christ hath set open for sinners during this life and if they come not thither before death and worship God then it s shut for ever against them On Sabbath days men should draw near to God seek Reconciliation with him for on such days the gate is widest open for Grace and Mercy On the six days it s shut that is comparatively shut Christians do celebrate Sabbaths and New-Moons when they have inward spiritual rest in their souls through faith in Christ and do receive light from him to see what is evil and so to avoid it and what is good and so to practice it In Vers 4 5 6 7. the Offerings Oblations and Sacrifices of the Prince for the Sabbath days and New-moons are mentioned The Olaâ— or Burnt-Offering for the Sabbath was to be six compleat Lambs without blemish and one Ram which differs much from the appointment in Moses days Numb 28.9 then there were but two Lambs here six are appointed And so the Meat-Offering is larger here then there but for the Offering in the day of the New-Moon it was short of that in Moses time for then two Bullocks seven Lambs and one Ram were appointed and here one Bullock six Lambs and one Ram are nominated for the Offering which shews the Levitical VVorship was to be changed And taking the Prince for one of the Princes of the earth it tells us he ought to provide for the VVorship of God But if we take this Prince to be Christ then it imports that Christ hath ordained more spiritual pure and efficacious VVorship on Sabbaths under the Gospel then was under the Law and more extensive then was before also that Jewish shadows are fled away by the coming in of the glorious light of the Gospel that old things are past away and all things become new Neomenâ—â— nostra est spiritualis est novum in Christo seculum saith Polanus These Sacrifices do point out Christ he was instar omnium he was the Lambs the Rams the Bullock the Meal the Flowre and the Oyl This Prince sacrificing of himself did more by that one and once Sacrifice then all the Sacrifices from the first to the last Hebr. 10.14 Verse 5. As he shall be able to give The Hebrew is the gift of his hand and so it s in the Margent in Verse 7. it is thus as his hand shall attain unto and in the eleventh as he is able that is as God hath blessed him God in that dispenced with mens disabilities in Moses Law Lev. 5.11 and 14.21 if they were poor and not able to bring Lambs or two Turtle Doves they must bring one Lamb or the tenth part of an Ephah of flower something he would have and to such a proportion But here it s left to mans liberty to give according to his ability no proportion is prescribed so men give freely what ever it be it shall be accepted God looks not for much where little is The grace and favour of God under the Gospel exceeds what was under the Law Verse 6. And in the day of the New moon New-moon days were holy and had special Sacrifices as in this ver 8. Numb 28.11 on those days they might not buy or sell or do worldly work Amos 8.5 but they were to look unto Christ of whom those days were shadows Col. 2.16 17. and to meditate of that light grace and comfort comes by him The gate of the inner Court was to stand open on these days as well as on Sabbaths ver 1. And Isaiah prophesied Isa 66.23 That all flesh should come to worship
the Gentiles are in and of the Church of God The Gentiles had repentance granted to them unto life Acts 11.18 6. The tenders of mercy and invitations to Sion were first to the Jews and after to the Gentiles The Land of Canaan was first for Israelites and then for Sojourners Christ first tendred himself and all Gospel means unto the Jews John 1.11 Mat. 23.37 he sent his Disciples first to them Matth. 10.5 6 7. afterwards to the Gentiles Mat. 28.19 Hence said Paul and Barnabas Acts 13.46 It was necessary that the Word of God should first be spoken unto you but seeing ye put it from you lo we turn to the Gentiles The Jews were the seed of Abraham the friend of God Isa 41.8 They were his first-born Exod. 4.22 They were the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant and to them God first sent his Son to bless them Acts 3.25 26. 7. That one and the same inheritance belongs to the beleiving Jew and Gentile the same land was both the Jews and the strangers to inherit which prefigured their being in one and the same Church their having the same priviledges the same interest in Christ there is one and the same inheritance to both Col. 1.12 Give thanks to the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light All the Saints have but one inheritance and that is reserved in heaven 1 Pet. 1.4 This inheritance was typified by the â— and of Canaan So then the partition wall is broken down between Jews and Gentiles all former differences are taken away and they are no more two but one they are both one one new man one body Ephes 2.14 15 16. Jew and Gentile are so united as if there had been no distinction between them Col. 3.11 There is neither Greek nor Jew circumcision nor uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond nor free but Christ is all and in all The Lord Christ by his death and sufferings hath reconciled those who were at the greatest enmity CHAP. XLVIII Verse 1. Now these are the names of the Tribes from the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon as one goeth to Hamath Hazar-enan that border on Damascus northward to the coast of Hamath for these are his sides east and west a portion for Dan. 2. And by the border of Dan from the east side to the west a portion for Asher 3. And by the border of Asher from the east-side even unto the west a portion for Naphtali 4. And by the border of Naphtali from the east-side unto the west-side a portion for Manasseh 5. And by the border of Manasseh from the east-side unto the west-side a portion for Ephrahim 6. And by the border of Ephrahim from the east-side unto the west-side a portion for Reuben 7. And by the border of Reuben from the east-side unto the west-side a portion for Judah BEing come through the assistance of God to open the last Chapter of Ezekiels prophesie we have in it three parts 1. An assignation or destribution of particular portions to each Tribe in the first seven verses and in 23 24 25 26 27 28.29 verses 2. A description of the offering or holy portion of Land as it it is called chapter 45.1 with the bounds and parts allotted 1. To the Sanctuary ver 8 9. 2. To the Priests ver 10 11 12. 3. To the Levites ver 13 14. 4. To the City and suburbs v. 15 16 17 18 19. 5. To the Prince ver 21 22. Thirdly A description of the City 1. From the dimension of it on each side v. 30. 2. From the gates of it v. 31 32 33 34. 3. From the compass of it v. 35. 4. From the name of it ibid. Concerning the destributions of the Land to particular Tribes they differ much from those were made in Joshuahs days then the Tribe of Benjamins lot was between Judah and Joseph as it is Josh 18.11 but in this Chapter Benjamins lot is between Judah and Simeon vers 22 23 24. Then the Tribe of Simeon had its lot within Judah Josh 19.19 Here it is out of Judah and next to Benjamin v. 24. And so of other Tribes their lot is otherwise in this visional destribution of Ezekiel then it was formerly and many things he had concerning the Temple Sacrifices the lot of the Prince Priests and Levites which Solomon never had and never were had under the second Temple and therefore pointed out the change of Mosaical and Levitical ways and led to a new state of the Church Vers 1. These are the names of the Tribes from the North end c. Of the Twelve Tribes seven were in the North and five in the South as they are set down in this Chapter and the portion of the Sanctuary Priests Levites Cities and Prince lay between the Tribes thus divided Dan is the first Tribe mentioned in Ezekiels division it was not so in Joshua's then Dan was the last Tribe which had his portion as is evident Josh 19.40 49. and because it was too little for them the men of Dan took Leshem or Laish named it Dan and so enlarged their borders This Tribe first fell from God and imbraced Idols for after they had gotten Laish they set up a graven image Judg. 18.29 30 31. and therefore this Tribe is left out of the catalogue when the other Tribes are mentioned 1 Chron. 7. and Rev. 7. In the prophetical blessings of Jacob Dan and Issachar were in the midst Gen. 49.14 16. Here Dan is in the front which gives us to consider 1. The truth of what our Lord Christ hath given out Matth. 19.30 The last shall be first Dan was the last and here he is the first he hath the honor and preheminence above the rest David was the youngest and last of Jesses sons and he was made the first being anointed to be King by Samuel 1 Sam. 16.11 12 13 14. Those workers in the vineyard the Lord ordered that his Steward should pay the last first and the first last Matth. 20.8 16. Mark 10.31 Luk. 13.30 There are last which shall be first the Gentiles were last in the Jews account but God made them first and there are first which shall be last the Jews were first in their own eyes but they were made last and of no esteem in the eyes of God Luk. 18.14 The publican who was last in the account of the Pharisee was first in the account of God 2. Those that have deserted God and his ways gone far and long from him may find mercy repent and be received to favour These Danites met with mercy from God repented them of their Idolatry and returned to him again else they had never been honored so far as to be set in the first place When great sinners come unto God who were looked upon as the last and worst of men God doth not onely pardon them but oft-times honors them and makes them the first as Paul Acts
upon his people 595. bears long with the worst of men 420. determines things most free and contingent 208. discovers plots of enemies ibid. knows infallibly things to come 217. when God manifests his love and wrath 225. can easily raise forces against his enemies 229. and easily ruine Armies 227. hath various ways to do it 228. convinces the wicked when in afflictions 266. whom God will honor 391 Godly No condition so grievous to them but shall end comfortably 375 Godliness To whom a delight 361 Gog whom 488 489. whence he came 212. prophesied of before 216. not Antiochus 224. Dreadful judgement upon him 226. great 232. where buried 247 Goodmen must be good before they can do good 366 Gospel Christs voice in it strong irresistable efficacious 394. earth shines with the glory of it ibid. it preserves order is not levelling 405. like waters and wherein 550 551 552. into what parts it went first 555. it goeth where Christ wil 556 557. gradually 558. hath depths in it 560. its pure and sufficient of it self 561. brings men unto God 569. runs like waters 570. without it what men are ib. it cures and quickens 571. fruitful 572 Grace will appear where it is 367. work of it free 403 â—ikened to water and wherein 550 551 552. gradualness in graces 559. all in the Church of free grace 〈◊〉 it recals sinners 588 589 Great ones have no cause to glory 84. Greatest go the wrong way 93. shall bear their shame though after death ibid. those that joyn with them in evil must suffer 228. may lie unburied 260 Guilt an heavy and consuming thing 121 H HAnd stretching out what it imports 348 249. lifting up what 284 Gods hand in mens acting against the Church 237. filling the hand what it imports 376 Hailstones fire brimstone 223 224 Har-el and Hanriel what 371 372 Hatred the nature of it 253. twofold 263. it sets other affections on work 264 Hearers how they carry it oft towards them they hear 164. 165. what the preachers are to them 170 not rest in hearing ibid. Heart most looked at in worship 165 carnal in spirituals 166. Heart and new what they note 317 318. old by nature 322. it s like a stone wherein 330 331 332. the evil of it 333. how cured 336 Heart It s God prerogative to alter hearts 337. its great mercy to have stony hearts removed 338. excellency of a tender heart 340 mistakes about a tender heart 342 343. legal natural tenderness 24â— 244. characters of a tender heart 345 346. how to keep it tender 347 348. its a great mercy it s the gift of God 341 Heathens what convinces them 310 Hell poor comfort there â—5 96 High those highest meet with most storms 328 329 Hin How much it contained 420 Holy things to be laid in holy places 332 333. those who have charge of them must be exact 387. not to be bought and sold 392 Holiness the law of Gods house 368 Hope what 439 Horns of the Altar what they signifie 371 House of Israel 242 408 Husbandry Gods work 396 397 Hypocrites will be discovered 164 I IDols ruine States 25. defile 298. Idolatry loathsom to God 300. it defiles more then other sins 316. they are karcasses 355. a wall between God and man 357 Jealousie to speak in the fire of it what 282. what is in jealousie 225. it breaks through all 269 Jerusalem highly esteemed by the Lord 352 353. in new Jerusalem shall be no invention of men c. 357. no night there 358 New Jerusalem exceeds Ezekiels City 604 Jews there conversion we may expect and pray for 462. shall repossess their land 463 480. given to Idolatry 465. shall be fully gathered 270 271 there is a day of mercy for all the Jews 272. for lasting mercies 275 offers of mercy to them first 584. shall come to Sion 589 Ignorance remedy for the sin of ignorance 417 418 Impenitency excludes from Temple mercies 364 Impossibles to man not so to God 374 Infamous they that make so shall be made so 286 287 Inheritance one to Jew and Gentile 585 Institutions of God like posts and thresholds 356. men must not make any like them ibid. Interrogations argue not ignorance in God 426 Judgements publick troublesom to neighbour nations 13. they make God known 12. in the forest some escape ibid 143. former not to be forgotten 13. suitable instruments execute them 17. nothing can s cure from them 26 157. they convince of the equity of Gods ways 158. threatned take place 172. they are oft lengthned out answerable to the time of mens sinning 258. what ever they be God is righteous 301. end of them 230 262. they begin but end not at Gods house 395 396. God executes some signal judgement 258. impartial 259. judgements upon the wicked are ingaging mercies to the godly 263 Justification what 315 K KAdash notes sanctifying and polluting 546 Kings and Kingdoms there flourishing and perishing in from the Lord 34. tyrannical Kings oft have bad ends 35 Kings are apt to be lifted up with their greatness 38. 39. must be told of their sins 39. its the Lord makes them great 246. have need of money to uphold them ibid. what brings dreadful judgements upon them 53â— why destroyed 55 69. They are lights and when put our sad events follow 73. 74 Kingdom No succession in Christs Kingdom 479 Subjects of it holy ibid. Knowledge not all a â—once 553 564. L LAmentations for siâ—s and ruines of others are from the Lord 65 Land Land in league 6. God hath ways to empty lands 16. They are his to dispose of 18 261 262 376. he can deprive them of their princes 26. made exemplary with judgments 27. what wastes lands 157. what ever condition it s in God is there 262. your own sins brings desolation 274 301 3â—2 their fruitfulness depends upon the Lord 293. desolate shall not always lye so 39â— God hath a peculiarity in some lands 214 Last made first 587 588. Law what 363. of Gods house why to be made known 366. chiefly to be observed 368 Liberty of speaking is from God 145 Life in the hand of God and death also 112. what is the principle of spiritual life and motion 365. its short 539 Liâ—e 285. what 291. mens lines must not be in Temple measurings 292 Lion of God who 372 Loath what in it 384. when men loath themselves for their sins 385 Looks forbidden to priests 393 Lybia whence so called 5 Lydia whence so named ib. M. MAgistrates good what they are 413 Magnifie when God magnifies himself 229 Mathematicians who fit for spiritual ones 261 Man though spared long shall suffer 101 Marriage whom the Priests were and were not to marry 394 Materials of the Church must be holy 368 Means what ever used God doth all 434 435 Mercies temporal not merited 308. choice mercies make men renounce former defilements 468. mercies gradually carried on 450. work more then judgements 384 Messiah upon what account