it is that Vision is put for prophecy Isa 1.1 3. In a Vision there is alwayes such an irradiation of the mind such divine satisfying over-powering strong light that the partie who hath the Vision is put out of all doubt and dispute concerning the truth of the thing he hath seene or is represented Moller Ps 89.20 4. There is in a vision a strong impulse upon the spirit of the partie to doe that which is the minde of God concerning that vision 5. It is when they are awake God speaks to men by dreames in the darke when they are asleepe but usually visions are when men are awake All these are found here in the Prophet Ezekiels vision 1. There are representations of diverse things to him he was an Hieroglyphicall Prophet he had more things presented unto him of that nature then any Prophet besides All that followeth here in this Chapter are representations of things to Ezekiel in this vision 2. It is of things to come for this Prophecie being either of the ruine of Jerusalem or of the state of the Church still it was of that which was not present but future 3. The Prophet he had strong inlightnings he had such irradiations of his minde that he was satisfied touching the thing therefore he saith The word of the Lord came expresly unto him the hand of the Lord came upon him in a great deale of strength 4. He had a mightie impulse though he was backward unwilling to goe on in the worke of God yet the Spirit came upon him with power and put him on And lastly it was when he was awake walking up and down by the river Chebar there he had these visions Thus much for the nature of a vision now these visions were visions of God I saw visions of God Not that he saw God oft and so every sight of God made a new vision for no man can see God and live but visions revealed to him by God which did in some measure set out the glory and majestie of God and so they are called visions of God Or visions of God by way of opposition and exclusion thus I saw visions of God I had divine visions not Satanicall delusions for Satan hath his Prophets and they have their visions whereby they delude the world not dreames and conceits of mine own no Angel no Devill no dreame no fancy of mine presented them unto me but they were propheticall visions such as God himselfe hath presented Or visions of God lastly in regard of the eminency of them I saw visions of God that is choice rare difficult transcendent visions Things that excell in Scripture-phrase usually are said to be things of God As the Mountains of God the Cedars of God the Citie of God as you may reade Psal 36.6 Psal 80.10 Jonah 3.3 1. Observe here the certaintie of the things contained in this Prophet He doth not say I heard but I saw visions of God The sense of sight is the most certaine most active most discerning most evidentiall of all the senses Therefore 1 Joh. 1.1.3 That which we have seene with our eyes which we have looked upon we declare unto you There was certaintie in that which they saw One eye-witnesse is more then ten heare-says then ten eare-witnesses Thales being asked the Question Quantum oculâ— ab auribus How much truth should differ from a lie his answer was As much as the eyes differ from the eares intimating that what you heare may be false but what you see that is certain The Prophet here saw visions of God to shew the certaintie of these visions and so of the whole Scriptures which are visions of God 2. See here the dignitie of these Visions they are visions of God such as are great glorious transcendent things Mens words works things are meane poore and worthlesse but the things the visions of God they are so high so excellent that few can reach them they are beyond the apprehensions of ordinary men yea the Prophets themselves did not see all that was in those visions God did vouchsafe unto them This shews the things of God have transcendency in them are of great authoritie and challenge answerable esteem These are visions of God and must with all Scripture be valued accordingly Hence the Ancients have called the Scriptures An Epistle of God sent from Heaven to the sonnes of men Therefore in them is nothing impertinent empty but all in them is glorious full of sense mysteries and Spirit this strengthens the authoritie of Scripture Ne titubet fides that our faith may not stagger at all but be confident and build upon them as visions and truths of God 3. See here that when God beginneth once to let out mercy to his servants he stints not presently but proceeds I saw not one vision but I saw visions of God hee had many choice ones It was kindnesse that Ezekiel had such a name The strength of God it was kindnesse that the Lord would open heaven to him it had been great kindnesse if he had seen but one vision but for Ezekiel to have heaven opened and to see visions of God many visions one after another this sheweth the great kindnesse of God When Rachel had her first son she called his name Joseph which signifieth adding or increase for she said The Lord shall adde to mee another son Gen. 30.24 Now God hath begun to shew kindnesse he shall not only give me this but he shall give me another son also When the Lord hath bestowed one mercy on you you may name it Joseph increase addition for God will bestow another upon you Abraham had many mercies from God one after another and Moses a multitude of mercies he converseth with God face to face he heareth God speak he hath Gods presence to go along with him yea he seeth all Gods goodnesse and glory to passe before him When mercies come forth God will not presently shut the door of mercy again Heaven is opened visions are presented one after another Psal 36.10 Continue thy loving kindnesse the Hebrew is draw forth or draw out thy loving kindnesse A metaphor either taken from vessels of Wine which being set abroach once yeeld not only one cup but many cups so when God setteth abroach the Wine of his mercy he will not fill your cup once but twice and seven times or taken from a Mother who hath her breasts full of milk drawes them out for her childe not once but often the child shall have the breast many times in the day and many times in the night so when God beginneth to shew mercy to you he will draw out his breasts of consolation and will bestow mercy after mercy upon you or from a line which is extended for so God being in a way of mercy will extend the line of mercy and measure out mercy after mercy for you Is not heaven now opened Do you not see visions of God this day How often is
of a people defending them that is the glory and excellency of a kingdome 2 Chron. 13.25 saith Abijah God is with us for our Captain this was more then all the strength of Judah beside when Jeroboam came against him with 800000 chosen men With you are the golden calves vers 8. you have a great number but God is not with you to be your glory and defence you have the calves which is your shame and nakednesse but God is with us who is our glory and defence And when Jerusalem fell to Idolatry God tels them that they had changed their glory for that did not profit Jer. 2.11 they had driven away their glory and here was the beginning of their woe That 's the misery of a kingdome to have God depart from it then publike enterprises prosper not 2 Chron. 22.24 then counsell failes 1 Sam. 28.15 protection is gone Isa 5.5 then peace loving kindnesse and mercies go Jer. 16.5 This is as taking the Sun out of the firmament the eyes out of the head or soul out of the body now a kingdome and people lie exposed to all evils and mischiefs Hos 9.12 Wo to them when I depart from them all mischiefes presently step croud in upon a people left of God famine wars captivity a perverse spirit and treacherousnesse one to another came upon this people when God left his place And so after Christs dayes when God left them and that voyce was heard in the Temple Migremus hinc Joseph de hel Jud. l. 7. c. 2. Lâ—b 11. which Tacitus in his Annals also mentions Auditâ— major hum ma vox exâ—edere Deos simul ingens motus excedentium after this dreadfull misery befell them war famine dispersion was their portion they are without God Christ and mercy to this day an undone and most unhappy people Wee had almost driven away God by our sins specially by our Idolatry superstitions but God and his glory are not quite gone Jer. 14.9 Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of us and we are called by thy Name leave us not 4. God is glory or glorious there is nothing in God inglorious as in the Son is only light so God is light and in him is no darknesse hee is all light all glory his Attributes are glory his Essence is glory his Life is glory God is only glory Blessed be the glory the Lord. 5. Under the Law God confined himself to a particular place to the Temple there he dwelt appeared received sacrifices gave answers c. So that the Temple was not only locus but medium divini cultus the Jewes were bound to set their faces towards it when they prayed 1 King 8.48 Dan. 6.10 it being also a type of the body of Christ Joh. 2.19 that sanctified their Assemblies and sacrifices Matth. 23.19 But it 's otherwise now under the Gospel neither Jerusalem nor Samaria is the place where God is fixed Joh. 4.21 but Gods habitation is in all places where hee hath Saints Matth. 18.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am there in the midst of them 2 Cor 6.16 Yee are the Temple of the living God and what saith God I will dwell in them and walk about in them that is in the Church of Corinth and so in all Congregations Now the Congregations are Gods habitation he walks amongst the golden Candlesticks there is the glorious God seen the glorious God heard But the place now where the meetings are be neither means nor parts of worship no types of Christ nor do they sanctifie the people or service done in them rather do the people and Ordinances while they are there sanctifie them and yet when the Ordinances are ended and people gone no holinesse abides in them but they are as other places 6. The Lord is worthy of praise when he is in a way of judgement Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place now he was departing from Jerusalem all woes and miseries taking hold of them yet was he a God deserving praises Gods judgements are deep we oft know not the reasons of them see not the equity of Gods proceedings in them yet wee should be so far from murmuring that we should count him worthy of honour and praise when he deserts Churches and kingdomes Exod. 15.11 God is fearefull in praises 7. It 's the work and office of Angels to praise God the living creatures here said Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place and Rev. 5.10 11. There were many Angels about the Throne and what did they they sang Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing So the Seraphims in Isa 6.3 their song was Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory Angels are musicall creatures and make the best melody Arias thinks it was an Angel dictated the Song of Deborah unto her A. Lapid on Judg. 5.23 Luke 2.13 14. there was a heavenly Chorus and sang a heavenly song Glory to God in the highest on the earth peace and good-will towards men this was a short but a sweet song when great things have been done by God the Angels have been brought in praising God as when God created the world Job 48.4.7 Where wast thou saith God to Job when I laid the foundations of the earth When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy that is the Angels as Interpreters observe who at the sight of that great and glorious work were much affected and sang the praises of God so at the birth of Christ and here at the departure of God out of the Temple the great God doing great works must have great praises even the praises of Angels praise is an Angelicall work and the office of Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. and the Spirit calls for it at their hands Psal 148.2 Praise him all his Angels and they do it when he is in his judgements The Jewes thought God dealt hardly in punishing them but Angels saw cause to praise God for his departure from them and vindicating his glory in the punishment of hypocrites 8. God doth his works without motion or mutation Here it 's said from his place there is a shew of motion and change but no such thing befalls God his works make motions and changes in the creature not in himself he is infinite fils heaven and earth and never removes from one place to another he is immutable and not subject to changes For the 13th Verse of the wings wheels and noyse of them I have spoken in the first Chapter largely yet a little I shall speak of the Verse it 's said that the living creatures touched one another The Hebrew is from Nashash to kisse and each other in the Hebrew is a woman to her sister Observ 1. God makes use of Angels
in legally uncleane Ezek. 44.7 Yee have brought into my Sanctuary strangers uncircumcised in heart and in flesh to pollute it With all thy detestable things Shikkutzim The word notes not offensive things simply but so offensive as to offend the senses and the minde and so to offend them as it causeth an abhorring with execration and such things are Images and Idolls 2 King 23.24 those had familiar spirits the Wisards the Images the Idolls and all the abominations The word is Shikkutzim all the detestable and execrable things did Josiah put away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God speaks of them with detestation Jer. 11.13 Yee have set up Altars to that shamefull thing even Baal Act. 15.20 Pollution of Idolls dunghill or Jakesie gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the word Gillulim signifies Ezek. 22.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are terror to them that worship them 1 King 15.13 Maachah made an Idoll a thing to terrifie the word is and Psal 135.15 The Idolls of the Nations it 's the griefe torment of the Nations These names expresse the detestation of God against Idolls and should quicken us to the detestation of them according to that in Deut. 7.26 Thou shalt utterly detest or utterly abhorre an Idoll or any part of it the Originall is In detesting thou shalt detest and in abhorring thou shalt abhorre noting the great detestation and abhorrency should be in Gods people to Idolatry for they defile mens consciences Gods worship and Sanctuary therefore the Septuagint renders the word abominations or detestations in Jer. 22.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pollutions Therefore will I also diminish thee The Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Vulgar renders confringere I will break thee and then the sense runs thus My purpose was to have preserv'd the Temple safe from all violation if so be you had kept it unpolluted but now seeing you have defiled it with your detestable things I must and will break it down as being no better then a common prophane house It signifies also to shave as in Jer. 48.37 Every beard shall be clipt or shaven the Nazarites were holy to the Lord and if by the sudden death of any they were defiled their cleansing was by shaving of their heads Num. 6.9 So also was the Leper to be cleansed by shaving off his hair Lev. 13 33.14.8 And so here they were defiled and God would cleanse them by shaving and so it corresponds with the razor men trimmed in the first verse and both these senses fall in with the word diminish which the Hebrew word also denotes diminuere detrahendo so is contrary to Joseph which is to add to a thing God would not add any more mercies but take away their mercies and diminish them they had diminished his honour hee would diminish their comforts they had stain'd his glory and he would take away their glory the Temple and City Some render it succidam I will cut down God would deal with Jerusalem as an Husbandman doth with a barren or rotten tree Neither shall mine eye spare This kind of expression is much used in this Prophecie more seldome in others The eye is the Index of the minde the disposition whereof is seen discern'd there as in a looking glasse anger joy love grief are inmates yet visible in the eye that is the casement they look out at the hidden things of the heart are revealed by the eye pity sparing compassion are affections of the heart and mind and God speaking after the manner of men saith Mine eye shall not spare as it 's in Isa 13.18 Their eye shall not spare children there should be no sign of pity or remorse in them sparing is given to the eye as the sign of it From the eye is intelligence given of mercy or severity within you shall not have the least hint of mercy from mine eye but evidence of wrath only and whereas others were wont to be affected with the miseries they behold their eye affects their heart Lam. 3.51 I will not be at all affected with their miseries let a great army sit down before them let famine plague sword devoure let all mischiefe be upon them mine eye shall not affect mine heart I will not repent I will not have any pity What could have been said more dreadfull the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to be of a prone pitifull affection towards any though they deserve ill Joel 2.18 Gods people had sinned greatly were under sore judgements deserv'd utter destruction but let them fast pray and turn then will the Lord pity them though they deserve no mercy yet hee will shew them mercy so in 2 Chron. 36.15 they were exceeding ill yet God had compassion on them it 's the same word and hath a contrary signification to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to destroy without mercy and so the word in this place when it hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyn'd unto it signifieth as much as I will not have any pity that is I will destroy without mercy 1 Sam. 15.3 Smite Amalek utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not that is have no pity on them and when God ceaseth to pity a people it 's sad then no redemption for them Isa 63.9 God will deliver them into the hands of their enemies Zach. 11.6 hee will harden others against them when God pities not yet if men will it 's some comfort but men shall not do it Jer. 21.7 When in Nebuchadnezzars hands he shall not spare pity or shew mercy when they should fall down beg for their lives at the hands of Babylonians they should finde no mercy only bitter words and bloody deeds in Amos 1.11 it 's said Edom cast off all pity and his anger did tear and so God he cast off all pity and destruction followed Jer. 13.14 I will dash them one against another even the fathers and the sons together I will not pity spare nor have mercy but destroy them and you may see this fulfill'd in the Lamentations Chap. 2.2 The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob and hath not pitied as a wilde beast doth his prey as a Sea doth ships God left not one no pity at all see vers 17.21 Observ 1. That sin defiles the holy things of God they defiled not only themselves but the Sanctuary and worship of God in it the land of Canaan was holy and sin defiled that Jer. 16.38 the Temple was holy and sin defiled that Ezek. 23.38 the Altar was holy and sin polluted that Mal. 1.7 the Sabbaths were holy and sin prophaned them Neh. 13.17 the Priesthood and Covenant was holy and sin defiled them Neh. 13.29 Gods name is holy Ezek. 20.39 sin pollutes that 2. That defilement of Gods worship brings certain and severe judgements they had defiled his Sanctuary with Idols superstitions polluted bread blind lame corrupt sacrifice by suffering unclean and uncircumcised persons to
goes on by degrees in his wrath against a people he did not accomplish his anger and fury at first he began with lesser judgements but at last came up to a perfection before he had whipt them with scourges now hee would do it with Scorpions he had formerly done much vexed them with wars famine plague but never laid waste their city ruin'd their Temple scattered them into the four winds as now he would do hee had in times past corrected them like a father he would now execute them like a Judge the drops of his wrath had done no good now they should have the full vials all the wrath conceived against them should be inflicted accomplished 2. That wrath let out against a sinfull people oft times lies long upon them I will cause my fury to rest upon them they were 70. yeers under Gods displeasure in Babylon Gods wrath hath been upon the Jews that rejected the Gospel these 1600. yeers they would not be under the blessing of Christ they are under the curse of God his wrath abides upon them Gods anger and fury hath rested upon Germany above twenty yeers these kingdomes of Ireland and England are under it fervent prayer is requisite that God would remove his wrath and not let it rest upon us It 's a dreadfull thing to have settled plague or war amongst us The Barons wars in King John's Henry the third's and Edward the second 's dayes made sad times Gods wrath rested then for a long season upon this kingdome the choycest blood of it was let out and it brought a deplorable condition Let us repent and reform that wrath may not rest upon the kingdome and let us believe that wrath may not abide upon us John 3.36 He that believes not the wrath of God abideth on him man came into the world a childe of wrath an heir of wrath Christ is a remedy propounded for removall of that wrath if men believe not the wrath of God abides still on them goes along with them and will eternally sink them 3. God takes pleasure in executing judgement in accomplishing his wrath and causing his fury to rest upon impenitent and incurable sinners he will be comforted in it Prov. 1.26 I will laugh at your calamity God would bring calamities upon them just judgements for the setting at naught his counsels refusing his reproofs and rejoyce in them for as judgements are satisfaction to divine justice they are delightfull unto God Isa 30.32 in every place where the grounded staffe shall passe which the Lord shall lay upon him it shall be with Tabrets and Harps when God should destroy the Babylonians and Assyrians it should be with delight which the Tabrets and Harps expresse which were musicall Instruments used in wars and victories Exod. 15.20 And when God executed judgement upon spirituall Babylon Rev. 18.20 it was with joy therefore the Spirit of God calls for it Rejoyce over her thou heaven and yee holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you and himself on her also which was a comfort and ease a delight to God hence judgements in Scripture are term'd his pleasure Isa 46.10 11. I will do all my pleasure Calling a ravenous bird from the East and Chap. 48.14 Hee will do his pleasure on Babylon 4. The Word of God may be preached among a people and they through ignorance and malice not know it nor entertain it they shall know that I the Lord have spoken it they conceived not that it was the word of God which the Prophets delivered they thought them to be no more then other men and their word humane and therefore sleighted it there was much affected ignorance in them Isa 27.11 it 's a people of no understanding Jer. 4.22 My people are foolish they have not known me and as many were blind so many were malicious against the Prophets and their messages they brought from God Jer. 44.16 As for the words which thou hast spoken in the name of the Lord wee will not hearken unto thee but wee will do whatsoever thing goeth forth of our own mouth Christ came and preached to his own and they received him not they neither knew him nor his doctrine or if they did they maliciously rejected both 5. That wicked men shall be convinced and left without excuse they shall know that I the Lord have spoken they eyed men and not me they deem'd it mans voyce not heavens but they shall find that it was the voyce of God amongst them and what can men say when God hath spoken and hath not been hearkened unto every mouth will then be stopt they would not know but they shall know they would not own my truths but they shall feel my judgements and when they are upon them then will they remember the Prophets and their words which will be as burning coals in their bosomes then they will see what desperate revolts they have made from God how they are besieged with his power and cannot escape the stroke thereof when men shall see it 's the infinite great and glorious God that they have sleighted in the Prophets in the Ordinances then they will be struck dumb and fall under the wrath of that God 6. God will justifie his servants in their zealous labors for him They shall know that I have spoken it in my zeal it 's God speaks in the Prophets it 's his zeal they expresse let men be zealous against sin the iniquities of the times they are counted mad fiery fellows troublers of Israel seditious factious c. Paul was a zealous man and not only Festus an Heathen counted him mad Act. 26.24 but even the Christian Corinthians 2 Cor. 5.13 thought him besides himself and such conceits had the people of Christ who was a man of zeal they thought him too hot that his zeal was beyond his judgement Mar. 3.21 they plainly said he was besides himself Michal scoft at David as one of the fools for his zeal Let the world passe what censure it will upon Gods Ministers God will justifie those who are sincerely zealous and count their zeal his zeal 7. That the Lord is intense and will not recall his indignation when he deals with unfaithfull covenant-breaking persons as in Gods zeal there is intense love towards his Church when God promises mercy to his people it 's seal'd with this The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall do it 2 King 19.31 so here is intense hatred wrath against his enemies therefore God beats them off from their own inventions in the second command by this consideration that he is a jealous God and his jealousie extensive to the 4th generation and Deut. 32.22 saith God A fire is kindled in mine anger and shall burn unto the lowest hell and shall consume the earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the mountains and what 's the reason of this indignation it's given in vers 21. they have moved me to jealousie with that which is not
of all Ordinances stript of all our comforts wee are sold into the hands of enemies wee are become captives to a heathen Prince our bondage is grievous and must continue seventy years It is the fruit of our sinne God is righteous in all his judgements and if we willingly accept the punishment of our iniquitie he will in wrath remember mercy regard us in our low estate he will sweeten and sanctifie our captivitie to us Such thoughts as these were in the breast of the Prophet And I incline the rather to thinke so because it was upon the Sabbath day as I shall shew you afterwards when I come to open some things that follow when he was meditating on this manner Also you shall finde in Scripture relatives used without antecedents as Psal 87.1 His foundation is in the holy Mountaines Here is a relative without any antecedent yet the antecedent is supposed and easily found out His foundation whose foundation the foundation of the Temple the foundation of the Citie is in the holy Mountaines The Scripture doth sometime lay downe things relatively and conjunctively when the antecedent may be supposed and found out with a little inquiry So here And it was thus and thus with the Prophet he was meditating there was the Word in his bosome and the particle And connects that with this Word of God revealed to him and exprest by him Hence then take this note That the hearts of the servants of God are exercised with thoughts of Gods dealings with the Church and themselves Their thoughts are better exercised then the world thinks Ezekiel here had his thoughts busied about his former and present condition his heart was exercised that way I have other meate to eate saith Christ then yee know of So the Saints they have other meat other thoughts to feed upon then the world takes notice of It is oft unknown how their thoughts are exercised Eli thought Hanna madde when he saw her lips goe but her heart was better employed then he fancied Many thinke Gods people melancholy and not worthy of their company they are but heavy pieces when their hearts are in heaven and they are at solid and serious converse with God You have an expression to this purpose in Cant. 1.2 Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth The Spouse had not spoke of her Beloved before It is a strange speech to begin thus Let him kisse me with c. Who should kisse her here is no mention of Christ no mention of God no mention of any before but on a suddaine Let him kisse me with c. Though Christ had not been mentioned by her lips yet Christ was deep in her thoughts and in her desires shee had meditated on Christ before and so breakes out into this speech Let him kisse me with c. And Ezekiel having his heart meditating and taken up with the thoughts of his former and present condition of the Church in generall of Gods wrath to them and Gods mercy in the middest of his wrath breaks out And or now in the thirtieth yeare it was so and so This then instructs us what is the practice of the choice Worthies of God their hearts are meditating and taken up with divers things that the world is not aware of It is good for us to be in meditation this way Isaac he went out to meditate in the evening and while he was meditating cometh Rebekah the desire of his soul and the Prophet being in that posture hath visions of God to cheare his soul and the souls of his people If you would be meditating you may see heaven opened and God coming down into your bosomes In the thirtieth yeere This time doth trouble Interpreters very much It is not said in the thirtieth yeere of what or of whom but barely in the thirtieth yeere Here is an uncertain Chronologie which makes a difficulty in the Prophet 1. In the thirtieth yeer not the thirtieth yeer from the Jubilee as some do make it for the fifth yeer of Jehoiachins captivity corresponds not with the thirtieth from the Jubilee for as Junius and some others that take pains in searching out the truth herein do observe that falls in but with the ninth yeer from the Jubilee therefore we let that pass 2. In the thirtieth yeer Some make this to be the thirtieth yeer of his age the Prophet was thirty yeers old and then he began to prophecy But this is not the practice of the Pen-men of Scripture to compute the prophecies from their own age and birth and there is good reason for it because prophecies and things that do concern the good of the Church so neerly and so much do receive witness and strength from the time wherein they are extant and those times must not be particular times times of particular men that are not known but the times must be such as arr known to the world that all may be convinced the thing was done at such a time now the birth of one that afterward was to be a Prophet is not like to be a time so noted in the world that the world then should take notice that Ezekiel was born and did begin the computation of his prophecy from thence It is not like therefore that this should be the meaning of the thirtieth yeere If so he would have said in the thirtieth yeere of my life 3. In the thirtieth yeer That is in the thirtieth yeer since the Law was found in Josiah his dayes and since that great Passeover which was kept by him In the 2 King 22. there is mention of finding the book of the Law and in Chapt. 23. of the great Passeover and this was in the eighteenth yeer of Josiah his reign verse 33. Now if we compute the time from the eighteenth yeer of Josiah it doth amount even to the thirtieth yeer in which our Prophet had his vision and began his prophecy For Josiah reigned thirteen yeers after this as you may observe in the Story hee raigned thirty and one yeers in all 2 King 22.1 and then Iehoahaz his son raigned three moneths Chapt. 23.31 then Iehoiakim reigned eleven yeers vers 36. and Iehoiachin his son reigned three months before he was carried captive into Babylon 2 King 24. and five yeers of his captivity was past when Ezekiel began his prophecy So then take the thirteen yeeres of Josiah the eleven yeers of Iehoiakim there is twenty four then adde the five yeers of Iehoiachins captivity that makes twenty nine and then tahe three moneths that Iehoahaz reigned and the three moneths that Iehoiachin reigned before hee was carried captive it makes up twenty nine yeers and six moneths therefore saith he in the thirtieth yeer it was the thirtieth yeer current and so Iâ—positors do for the generality put it And whereas some would have it to be the thirtieth yeer of the â—haldean account it being according to them thirty yeers from the beginning of that Monarchy from Nebuchadonosor
ordinarily grow great censurers and condemn those parties that are under them to be the greatest sinners of all others Take heed of this If you will draw such conclusions as these the hand of God is upon such in such a place there is the plague there is the sword cutting them off they are carried out of their countrey into captivity there they are imprisoned there they are held in great bondage surely these are none of Gods people these are naught vile persons reprobates If you will judge thus you will condemn the generation of the righteous For Ezekiel Daniel Mordecai the three Children and many others very godly were in the captivity as well as those that were very wicked such conclusions must not be drawn from the sufferings of the Saints you know the Prophets and Apostles met with very hard measure while they were in the world they were whipped stocked imprisoned stoned sawn asunder tempted tormented slain with the sword and evill intreated every where and if you should measure their condition by their afflictions condemnation must be their portion and they must be in the catalogue of delinquents Have not some in our dayes been slayed roasted alive cut in pieces thrown into the river have not their houses and many in them been burnt together in Ireland Have there not been cruell and desperate things done Ireland now is full of blood sculs and graves shall we say they are the greatest sinners that have suffered such great things When Pilate had mingled the blood of some of the Galileans with their sacrifices there were those that presently thought them greater sinners then the rest but Christ hath taught them and us Luke 13. what use to make of judgements upon others not to censure them but to repent our selves Except you repent you shall all likewise perish think not that they are greater sinners then others think not now that the Jewes in Babylon are greater sinners then all others think not those in Ireland are greater sinners then your selves If hee be a wicked man that meets with great afflictions then Christ must be the wickedest man that ever was for he was vir doloris a man of sorrows and had the greatest affliction that ever befell any As it was no argument of Zedekiah his goodnesse who at this time was in Jerusalem drank wine in bowles and had a great deal of felicity so it was no argument of Ezekiels guiltinesse and sinfulnesse that he was in a strange land in Chaldea among the captives by the river Chebar Paul when he was at the barre with Iron fetters about his heels was a better man then Agrippa with his Crown on his head and his Scepter in his hand and sitting in judgement to condemn him Dan. 9. Daniel in his captivity is said to be a man of desires a man that God tooke great delight in when Jeconiah a King and dwelling at Jerusalem is a despised broken Idol a vessell in which there is no pleasure Jer. 22.28 Those that are in great affliction may be greatly beloved when those who are in great prosperity may be greatly hated Vse That the wicked fare the better for the godly There were many godly now in captivitie as well as there were many wicked ones and because of the godly that were there God powreth out the Spirit of prophecy upon Ezekiel and by that means the very wicked come to have the benefit of his prophecy and partake of his visions Many wicked ones have a share in the publique duties of Gods worship when the godly meet together in those Exercises Ezekiel in Chap. 33.32 is said to be unto them as a sweet song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument he was a sweet song to sweeten their bitter captivitie Joseph being in Potiphars house bringeth a blessing and Jacob in Labans family increaseth the stock of his Master and Joseph in Egypt saveth the Egyptians and almost the whole world Godly men and women are great advantages to the wicked how ever they hunch and punch at them Were the godly once out of the world God would soon put fire to the foure quarters thereof and the wicked should presently feele it Which was the fifth yeare of King Jehojachins captivitie Touching Jehojachin there are many things remarkeable As 1. In 2 Chron. 36.9 it is said that he was eight yeares old when he began to reigne and in 2 King 24.8 it is said he was eighteene yeares old when he began to reigne Here seems to be a great difference in the Scripture hardly to be reconciled and it hath puzled many This difference is thus reconciled The Kings of Iudah when they were in imminent danger did use to declare their sonnes to be their successors and so Iehojakim the father of this Iehojachin being beset by Nebuchadnezzar about the second or third yeare of his reigne did declare his sonne Iehojachin to be his successor Now in the book of Chronicles he speaks of the time from the first declaration which was about the eight yeare of Iehojachins age and the booke of the Kings mentions the time when he came to reigne alone and reckons from thence For Iehojakim reigned divers yeares after his sonne was declared to be King and reigned with his Father So that the one book speaks of the time he reigned with his Father the other of the time that he reigned alone in the Throne 2. It is remarkable touching Iehojachin that he had other names As 1 Chron. 3.16 he is called Ieconiah and Ier. 22.24 in disgrace Coniah He was a wicked King and God cut off the first part of his name a sad presage that ere long he would cut him off Evill Kings who have had Gods name joyned with theirs when they have rent themselves from Gods commands and worship he hath cut off his name from theirs and taken mercy and peace from them This you shall see in Eliakim he was a wicked King and in 1 Chron. 3.15 he is called Ioakim El that signifieth God and was joyned to his name is taken away God would not suffer his name to be joyned with the name of so wicked a King any longer So here in Ieconiah Iah which is one of the names of God is taken away and in hatred and contempt he is called Coniah God was taken from his name and departed from him too When God will honour a man he addes letters of his owne name to theirs As Abram afterward was called Abraham ×” a letter out of Gods name was put into his Gen. 32.28 and so Iacob his name was changed to Israel a Prince of God or one that prevails like a Prince with God When God changeth names in mercy and makes an addition of letters of his own name unto mens Magnae benevolentiae pondus it is an argument of Gods great love of great esteeme and great honour to the partie but it is an argument of disgrace when
flesh then went out glory John 1.14 and grace Vers 16. Then was Sol in nube the most glorious Rain-bow that ever was or shall be in the world he was not a signe of peace but our Peace Ephes 2.14 By his blood we are brought nigh for he is our peace 2. God hath his dayes of Rain When the flood was then there was rain to purpose forty dayes together If God hath rained bread Exod. 16. he hath rain'd wrath Job 20.23 snares storms fire brimstone Psal 11. God rains blood upon kingdomes Ezek. 38.22 I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood and I will rain upon him and his bands and the many people with him over-flowing rain great hailstones fire and brimstone 3. That the Lord Christ in wrath remembers mercy he mingles mercy with judgement hee sits as Judge upon the Throne hee pronounces sâ—â—tence against a sinfull kingdome executing the vengeance written against sinners and yet here hee is compassed with the Rain-bow shewing that hee will not utterly destroy the Jewes a remnant should be spared When the great deluge of water was drowning the world yet Noah and his were saved there was mercy in the midst of judgement and here is a Judge with a Rain-bow over his head to assure the godly they should not perish in this flood of wrath now powring out upon the Jews Jerome saith of the Bowe it is a sign of mercy and the covenant which God made with man that when it appeared in the cloud we might know we should not perish by a flood and much more when Christ sits in judgement with the Rain-bow about him may the godly know that they shall not perish by the wrath of God if the glory of his Majesty statelinesse of his Throne terror of his Justice and the greatnesse of his Power do at any time discourage us wee must looke at the Rain-bow round about him and remember his Throne is compassed with mercy It 's said of the Jews when they see the Rain-bow they go forth confesse their sins but will not look upon it Confession of sins or any duty whatsoever will do us no good unlesse wee look upon the Bowe the mercy of Christ now was a storm and in it a Rain-bowe for the Prophet and godly to looke at it 's said in the Text the Bowe in the cloud in the day of rain then it 's a rainy day when God rains snares fire and brimstone and horrible tempest upon the wicked even then the bow is in the cloud and the righteous should look for it and look to it they should remember the covenant and mercy of it Is it not a rainy and stormy time now is not this great Prince angry with the kings and kingdomes of the earth doth he not frown chide and smite and that with deadly strokes in many places Let us look at the Rainbow now and know if there should come an overflowing scourge a deluge of wrath upon the world yet the Noahs shall be arked and safe the righteous shall be hid Christ will manifest mercy to them Saith John Rev. 4.2 I was in the Spirit and behold a Throne was set in heaven and there was a Rain-bow round about the Throne no sooner was John in the Spirit but he saw the Throne and the Rain-bow let us now be in the Spirit look with eyes of faith and wee shall see the Throne him sits on it and the bow round about him and then though kingdomes lie under the floods of errors superstition and ungodlinesse though drown'd in troubles and blood yet wee shall see God and Christ in a way of love and mercy towards us 4. That Justice and Mercy do compasse the Throne of Christ there was brightnesse round about and the bow was round about go to Christs Throne any way there is nothing but justice for the sinner unlesse penitent and believing and if such nothing but mercy This was the appearance of the likenesse of the Glory of the Lord and when I saw it I fell upon my face and I heard a voyce of one that spake Here is the conclusion of the Vision and in it wee have the scope of all was presented to the Prophets view and it is to manifest the infinite glory of God and then followes a double effect First upon sight of it he fell upon his face And Secondly He heares a voyce and so a fit pass … is made to that which followes The first thing is the manifestation of Gods glory aâ—◠〈◊〉 glory of God is considerable 1. In God himself in the Divine 〈◊〉 and there it is infinite glorious exceeding glory 2. In the creation as it is expressed and opened in the volume of the creatures there Gods glory is greatly seen Isa 6.3 The earth is full of his glory the Hebrew is the fulnesse of the earth is his glory the world is glorious and filled with Gods glory it 's nothing else but Gods glory interpreted and opened unto us in the creatures Quid est mundus nisi Deus explicatus and divine providence about them 3. In divine dispensations towards his Church and people Gods glory is in the firmament in all the creatures but more specially and fully in the Church Psal 29.9 In his Temple doth every one speake of his glory there it is most visible affecting and provoking of every one to speak In the world few take notice of it but in the Temple every one sees it and speaks of it the world is God opened and so glorious the Church is Christ opened and so very glorious this made David long to be in the Sanctuary when hee was in the Wildernesse and why so to see thy power and thy glory Psal 63.2 Could not David see them in the heavens in the mountains in the goodly Cedars and other works of God Yes but not as in the Sanctuary and therefore hee saith to see thy power and glory so as I have seen thee in thy Sanctuary there I have seen thee otherwise then ever elsewhere there he saw the King upon his Throne and in his glory The glory of God in each of these is held forth in this Vision in some measure there was the Spirit in the wheels a fire within by which the glory of the divine nature appeared there was a whirlewind a cloud fire brightnesse living creatures wheels moving severall ways which represent the glory of God in the world and government of it there was a firmament and a throne one sitting upon it surrounded with a Rain-bow which sets out the glory of God in his severall dispensations towards his Church both in his judgements mercies and government thereof A Question is moved Whether our Prophet saw the glory of God The Answer is It was the appearance of the likenesse of the glory of the Lord he doth not say hee saw God in his essence it 's acknowledged by most that we cannot see Gods essence while wee are Pilgrims on earth In
into his mouth 3. In the whole race and work of his Ministery that hee might not be discouraged seeing that hee had seen such a vision heard such a voyce Thirdly to confirm the Jewes Gentiles all to whom this Prophecy should come of the Majesty reality and truth of it Note 1 God sets one sense awork after another his eye was taken up before with the sight of great and glorious things now his eares come to be exercised and fill'd with as choyce truths as the eye had objects and after there is a roll for his taste and touching God lets in mercy and goodnesse to us through every window and door Note 2 That grat feare doth astonish and hinder judgement hee heard a voyce but knew not whose it was feare doth disturb and surprize Ezekiel Chap. 2. vers 1. And hee said unto mee Son of man stand upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee IN the former Chapter wee met with great deeps and difficulties mysteries of a high nature and if any light have appeared in the opening of them let him that sits upon the Throne have the glory of it by his assistance we have gone over sundry rocks and through some deeps In quibus liberis gressibus locut onis nostrae inâ—repidum pedem ponamus Greg. Hom 9. in Ezek. and we desire by the same assistance to proceed and now wee are come from the Mountains to the Plains where wee may walk with more safety The glory of the Lord being set out in this government of the world in his dispensations towards his Church in the antecedent Chapter The scope of this Chapter is to corroborate Ezekiel smitten down with the sight of glory and to shew his Call unto his Propheticall Office the parts are the confirming sending and instructing of the Prophet 1. His confirmation and comforting is laid down in the two first verses 2. His sending in the three next to the sixth verse 3. His instructing from the sixth to the ninth after that mention is made of a roll in the two last verses and in the beginning of the next Chapter which is of much concernment as in its place may appeare The confirming of the Prophet is 1. By the Word of God in the first verse 2. By his Spirit in the second verse In the first verse are two things considerable 1. The party speaking 2. The matter spoken where you have 1. The Appellation Son of man 2. The Command Stand upon thy feet 3. The ground of it which is a gracious promise And I will speak unto thee It 's Christ who speakes and unto Ezekiel whom hee calls the Son of man the originall is the sonne of Adam that is of earthly man for as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15.47 The first Adam was of the earth earthly and Adam signifies earth or red earth whereof his body was made and when we read in Scripture this phrase it notes out to us 1. Our base beginning that we are of the earth there is no man be he never so excellent high wise honourable but hee is the son of Adam terrae filius a brat of the earth Psal 49.2 Both low and high Adam and Ish the base man and the noble man as the Chaldee renders it both the sons of Adam and the sons of Jacob are so they have all one father and all one mother and that is the earth 2. Our frailty that wee are earthen vessels and soon broken in pieces Psal 9.20 Put them in feare O Lord that the nations may know themselves to be but men they think themselves gods but shew them thy power thine iron Rod and Scepter bring a War a plague a Famine amongst them and then they will know that they are frail weak men 3. Our worthlesnesse and fitnesse to be rejected who amongst us regards a clod of the earth an earthen vessell silver or golden ones some prize and prize too much but earthly ones are contemptible Nations are as the drops of the bucket and small dust of the ballance Isa 40. and are not they contemptible things this made David to wonder and say Psal 144.3 Lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him or the son of man the son of earth that thou makest account of him that thou visitest him Psal 8.4 and Job 7.17 What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him these be high and great expressions to be bestowed upon so poor a thing as man is to take knowledge of him and such knowledge as to make account of him as to minde him visit him magnifie him to set the heart upon him this is exceeding much from an infinite great and glorious God towards worthlesse men and not credible if the Spirit of God had not revealed it 4. Our end that wee are earth thence wee came and thither we must Gen. 3.19 Dust thou art and unto dust thou must return This title of Son of man I do not find given to any but three in the Book of God once to Daniel Chap. 8. 17. Vnderstand O sonne of man forty times and upwards to Christ and above eighty times to this our Prophet but with this difference Ezekiel is called the Son of man by another Christ alwayes calls himself so Ezekiel is four times in this Chapter so called and it 's given him 1. To prevent pride say some Expositers hee had a glorious Vision was among Angels saw the Lord Christ and was to enter upon the Propheticall Function the least of which might stir corruption and make pride blossome when Paul had his rapture into the third heavens and heard things unutterable what saith he 2 Cor. 12.7 Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abunance of revelation there was given to mee a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me c. Paul was in danger of being lifted up but God prevented it and so here Ezekiel is minded of his mean originall his frailty worthlesnesse and end that he might not be exalted with his Vision or Office we are exceeding apt upon the receit of great mercies to grow proud and confident which are evill in any but worst in a Prophet and therfore to prevent these hee calls him Son of man 2. To frame his spirit to a right estimate of himself through out the whole course of his Office that what ever good was done Nihil supra naturae humanae vires sibi assumeret he should still remember he was the Son of man and it was God not he that did it It 's a hard thing to keep the heart in an humble frame and fitnesse to give unto God the glory of what he doth by us God helps our Prophet by this title which runs through the whole Prophecy and took such interest in his heart that whatsoever was seen heard said or done by him the Son of man the glory of all was given to Christ the Son of
will Ezekiel was in bitternesse in the heat of his spirit unwilling to be a Prophet to this people yet he went I went Jonas he goes to Ninive but his heart is not full on the work there was not a throughnesse in it he saw there was a necessity of it God had power to punish disobedience and could quickly crush him and therefore now in a prudentiall way hee would go and prophesie to Ninive there was in him an unwilling willingnesse his spirit was not totally willing as you may gather from Chapt. 4.1 2 3. He was against the sparing of Ninive it stuck upon his spirit that he should lie under the imputation of a false Prophet hee wishes death upon it which shewes that his spirit was not wholly in the service wee do the worke and will of God oft times with great unwillingnesse as women part with their joyntures or children as Merchants throw their goods overboard in a storm as many now assessed part with their goods to the publique service necessity is too strong for them and prudence puts them on and there 's a willing unwillingnesse so it is with the godly they pray and heare unwillingly they give unwillingly c. This is from the imbecillity of grace the power of corruption misapprehension of God and his wayes violence of temptations intanglements with the world pressures of guilt and unsuccessefulnesse of service let us be sensible of our unwillingnesses in Gods wayes be humbled for them and strive to do all animo prompto Deut. 28.47 48. Because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulnesse and gladnesse of heart for the abundance of all things therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies it 's good for us to have our wills and whole hearts in the works of God 8. The infirmities of Gods people do not interrupt his love and grace Ezekiel went in bitternesse in heat of spirit but the hand of the Lord was strong upon mee This great distemper in the Prophet did not distemper God it did not cause him to retract or divert his love but hee takes hold of him by his hand and upholds him as a parent would do to a childe falling or down the weaknesse or sicknesse of a childe doth not estrange the heart of the parent it rather inlarges and drawes out the bowels more fully and so it is with God Psal 103.13 14. As a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that feare him and why so Hee knowes our frames hee remembers wee are but dust the Lord knowes what weak and frail things we are The word for frame notes a formed vessell of earth and the Chaldee expounds it of our evill concupiscence which carrieth us into errour God knowes that wee are earthen vessels full of lusts and infirmities which lead us from him which disable us to serve him Now here is the love bowels goodnesse of a God because we are so therefore he pitieth us so Psal 78.37 38. Their hearts were not right nor stedfast with God but God was right and stedfast with them hee being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not Infirmities may bring crosses but cannot cut off from mercies this should strengthen our faith comfort our hearts and incourage us with a holy boldnesse to go to the Throne of Grace Hebr. 4.15 16. Christ saith the Apostle is a mercifull high Priest touched with the feelings of our infirmities and what infers hee upon it Let us go boldly to the Throne of grace that wee may obtain mercy and finde grace in time of need 9. The Spirit of Christ is the healer and helper of our infirmities Ezekiel was distempered and sick of the busines and the hand the Spirit of the Lord was strong upon him that helped that healed him Psal 107.20 He sent out his word and healed them the Spirit in that word did the cure and here he sent his Spirit to seise upon Ezekiel to work out the ill humour to settle his thoughts and sweeten his spirit that was so imbittered the Spirit is compared to oil Psal 45.7 1 John 2.27 and that is of a mollifying cleansing healing and quickning nature when Christ was anointed then he healed the broken hearted Luke 4.18 hee dropped that oile into their hearts and that did soften purge heale and quicken them Gifts of healing are attributed to the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.9 and helping our infirmities in prayer is the work of it Rom. 8.26 the Spirit brings the strength wee are infirm and can do nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Spirit together with us and for us takes up the work that wee faint not it answers to the word here was strong took hold on mee bound up my spirit together and strengthened mee not suffering my spirit to run out Lastly the Spirit works invincibly Ezekiel may strugle but the Spirit will overcome that was strong upon him men would not come in to Christ and do his work unlesse a Spirit mightier then their own come upon them Gods Spirit is a Spirit of power Luke 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee the Holy Ghost is the power of the Highest and when Paul preached it was in demonstration of Spirit and power 1 Cor. 2.4 and his Ministery was able to beat down strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 5. to cast down all high things and to captivate thoughts and spirits to the obedience of Christ the Spirit works invisibly it 's a hand under a wing and it works invincibly it 's a strong hand there is none can stand before the strength of it Antichrist shall be consumed by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Thes 2.8 This Spirit is fire to consume enemies it 's a hand powerfull to fetch in the friends under election the Jews are now stiffe enemies of Christ but when the Spirit of grace is poured out upon them when this hand takes hold of them then they will mourne come in submit to Christ no violence doth the Spirit offer to the wills of men Oportet non tantum moveri sed novum fieri Prosp notwithstanding it works invincibly it files off the enmity and aversnesse of our wills to God and inclines them to yeeld omnipotenti suavitate suavi omnipotentia VER 15. Then I came to them of the captivity of Tel-abib c. IN this Verse is the terminus of his journey and his condition at the end of it mourning and sadnesse The word Tel-abib signifies a heap of new fruits or green eares of corn A cervum novarū frugum Ad opera rustcana exercenda of TEL acervus ABIB spica maturescens Jerome and the Vulgar translate it a heap of new fruit or corne and Jerome thinks the Jewes were placed there to plough sow reap thresh and that now they were beating out the new corn but this opinion wee cannot admit for it was in the fourth moneth Chap. 1.1 that Ezekiel
winde that filled all the house and the Spirit with it that filled all them So when Cornelius and his company heard Peter preach in a private room the holy Ghost fell on them all Acts 10.44 As no place can include the Spirit of God so can none exclude it There were Saints in Neroes Court and this hand of God had been working there it 's not a dungeon any prison can keep out the Spirit of God from comming to and comforting of his servants Glover found the truth of it when he said O Austin he is come 4. The more separate from the world the more fit for communion with God Ezekiel must goe into the plain and there the Lord would talk with him hee could have conversed with him at Telabib among the people in his own habitation but the Lord declines that intimating that while we are conversant with worldly and wicked men wee are incapable of divine mysteries but when we are remote from them solitary and sedate we are fitter to heare God speake When the Church was allured into the Wildernesse Hosea 2.14 then God would speak and that comfortably unto her It was by the river Cbebar he had his former visions when he was absent from popular noyse domestick troubles his minde serene and contemplative then the Lord opened himselfe unto him Christ oft left the multitude and when he was gotten aside into the mount then was his transfiguration and the voyce This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him Matth. 17. VERS 23. Then I arose and went into the plain c. IF ought have need of opening in this verse it is the glory of the Lord and there is no cloud upon this The verse expounds it selfe it is the glory he saw before by the river Chebar that glorious vision he had there is represented again here unto the Prophet The Vision was not like the Temple fixed to a place but it was moveable it was first presented to him at Chebar and now again in this plain The reasons of this second apparition of the glory of God are First to possesse the heart of the Prophet with greater reverence of divine Majesty hee was unwilling to the service called to by God sought excuses thought to decline it which argued neglect of divine Majesty to strike out such distempers and to strike in a deeper impression of feare and respect to God This glorious vision is set before his eyes and frames him to a fitnesse for that imployment he might now see Christ sitting as Judge compassed about with glory having Angels ready to execute his pleasure power in and over all parts of the world and if hee should refuse the imployment appointed hee ran a manifest hazard of his life Secondly to confirme the truth of the Prophesie and him in it Thirdly to prepare the Church in all ages to an high esteeme of this Prophesie that was ushered into the world with such glorious vision Observ 1. Divine vertue makes men obedientiall unto the command of God The hand of the Lord was upon him hee bids him goe forth and presently he arose and went forth into the plaine If things enjoined suit not with our wills opinions and humours we deny them excuse and take off our selves from the doing of them or deferre them but let God enjoyn what hee will bee it harsh to flesh and blood contrary to our wills carnall reason c. if divine vertue once come upon us and the Spirit move in us wee will doe it God bid Abraham take his sonne his onely sonne Isaac whom he loved goe and sacrifice him upon a mountaine in the land of Moriah Gen. 22. Flesh and blood had much to object here but because hee was acted by divine vertue therefore hee obeyed presently he rose early took his sonne went to the place stretched out his hand to slay him and to make him a Sacrifice we stick oft at small things when nature only workes not at any thing when the Spirit of God works in us 2. They are obedient to God simply upon his command meet with mercies unexpected Ezekiel goes forth upon command not knowing what was to come what was to be done and hee meets with an extraordinary mercy he saw the glory of the Lord a ravishing a satisfying mercy Abraham obeying the command of God heares the voyce of an Angel twice and meets with a multitude of blessings Gen. 22.17 In blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the starres of heaven and as the sand of the sea shore and thy seed shall possesse the gate of his enemies and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast obeyed my voyce So Jacob returned from Laban to his fathers house upon divine command and he meets with Angels Gen. 32.1 hee met with God and like a Prince prevailed with him for a blessing vers 28. No man ever lost by his obedience unto God though we see no reason for things yet if we have the will of God that 's reason enough let us be tractable and forward to do the will of God and wee shall not lose our labour wee may meet with mercies unexpected as some by coming to the Ordinances have done 3. See the goodnesse of the Lord in two things First in that hee will manifest his glory to the view of mortall sinfull creatures his glory is precious a hidden thing and not obvious to creatures yet here as before he is pleased in a Vision to present it to the sight of Ezekiel it was to the Ambassador of a Prince that Hezekiah shewed the house of his precious things Isa 39.2 and it was a great favour to let them see such rarities it was a greater favour from God to let Ezekiel see this rarity of rarities his Glory Secondly that God should act over the same thing again present the same Vision in living creatures wheels eyes firmament a throne and one sitting upon it and give a sight of his glory the second time this sets out Gods goodnesse abundantly men are unwilling to do the same thing twice when as they may do it better the second time then the first and advantage themselves by it but God hath no advantage doth it perfectly at first yet simply for mans good he condescends to do the same thing again So Ezekiel may be brought to a fitnesse for divine dispensations incouraged too and in his work he shall have a sight of glory and a glorious Vision presented to him the second time by Gods own hand wee think repetitions of things in vain a Sermon twice over is stale unwelcome oft neither Minister nor people find any savour in it and so of other things but God repeats the Vision without prejudice to himself or damage to the Prophet 4. Sin makes us uncapacious of happinesse it 's mans happinesse to see the glorious God and have communion with him While Adam stood
let that be the prayer of such which you find Psal 79.8 O remember not against us former iniquities Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us for wee are brought low and take heed of sinning for the future against God for be sure your sin will find you out Numb 32.23 and be thorns not in your flesh but in your consciences old sins will be old Serpents sting unto death Isa 10.3 What will you do in the day of visitation Ezek. 22.14 Can thine heart indure or can thine hanâ—s be strong in the dayes that I shall deal with thee 3. Such is the nature of States and Churches that falling into sinfull wayes they seldome return but proceed adding sin to sin filling up the measure of their iniquities Ieroboam makes a rent layes a foundation in Idolatrous practices and the House of Israel continue in that way three hundred and ninetie yeers not one king of Israel right Solomon he goes out by the inticing of his wives to false worship he corrupts Iudah leavens it w th Idolatry and not all the good Kings in Iudah could get out that leaven again perfectly if there were a stop of Idolatrous passages made in one Kings raign there was liberty granted in anothers Idolatry and other sins so abounded in Ahaz Manasses and Zedekiah's dayes that the Lord was weary of them and not quiet till he had rejected them And this is not only so in States and Churches but also in particular cases if men fall into any way of wickednesse so corrupt is nature so prone unto sin that it persists unto its own perdition rather then returns to its own salvation it must be a mercifull and powerfull hand of God that reduceth a straying sinner much more a straying State 4. That length of time is no good plea for errors false worship sinfull customes and practices they could plead hundreds of yeeres for their high places Calves Samaritan Rites Altars Priests c. yet antiquity would not exempt them from guilt and punishment he must bear the iniquity of the House of Israel they had sinned in the direction use and retention of these and God had visited and would yet visit more for them what if wee have had Prelacy and Popery Ceremonies and Superstitious Rites among us hundreds of yeers they are plants not of Gods planting and through age so rotten that they need plucking up and it will be his honour whose shoulder and strength is imployed that way 5. The Lord shewes more favour to his sinning great sins then he doth to others that are not his the House of Israel hath the left side is Loammi none of Gods people and therefore utterly rejected sent into captivity and return not the House of Iudah hath the right side God would shew them favour in their captivity and return them after seventy yeers correction in Babylon Gods carriage towards his is different from that towards others Psal 89.30 31 32 33. If his children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgements if they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes neverthelesse my loving kindnesse will I not utterly take from him here God took not away loving kindnesse utterly from Iudah sending her into captivity but it was utterly taken from Israel if the one be whipt with rods the other is whipt with scorpions Saul he sins in offering sacrifice 1 Sam. 13. in sparing Agag 1 Sam. 15. David he sins in the defilement of Bathsheba in the murthering of Vriah 2 Sam. 11. in numbring of the people 2 Sam. 24. Solomon he sins in hearkening to his wives in falling to Idolatry yet God dealt not with David or Solomon whose sins were greater then Sauls as he did with Saul thy kingdome shall not continue saith Samuel and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king and it repented God that he had set up Saul to be King 1 Sam. 15.11 and he dealt severely with him he would not answer him in his straits but cut him off by the Philistims and his own sword so that he and his were broken in pieces and rooted out by the wrath of God but David and Solomon were chastised with the rods of men 2 Sam. 7.14 and see what followeth in the next verse My mercy shall not depart from him meaning Solomon when he committed iniquity I took it from Saul whom I put away from before me God proceeds otherwise with wicked men then he doth with his children there is much love in all their afflictions and meer wrath in all the wickeds sufferings Peters sin in denying Christ was greater then Ananias and Saphira's in denying a portion of their goods and almost parallel with Iudas's yet he hath a gracious aspect from Christ fetching penitent tears from his heart when the others are smitten with strokes of death 6. The instruments God uses in the execution of his judgments shall be resolute ready and active Set thy face toward the siege and thine arm shall be uncovered and thou shalt prophesie The Chaldeans were resolute upon the siege came fitted every way to it and were active in the work Hab. 1.8 9 10. They shall flee as the Eagle hasteth to eat They shall gather the captivity as the sand They shall deride every strong hold for they shall heap up dust and take it When God will have any notable work done he raiseth up instruments for it 7. Gods power and providence over-rules secondary agents so that they shall execute his pleasure and not disappoint it God laid bands upon the Prophet and he could turn no way till he had accomplished the dayes of the siege and when the King of Babylon and his forces were come to the work God held them to it and executed his judgements by them Pilate would have quit his hands of Christs death but he was to be an instrument together with Iudas and others and they did what the hand and counsell of God determined to be done Act. 4.28 Moses would have declined the work of bringing out the Israelites from Egypt and bringing in of judgements upon the Egyptians but God ordered and over-rul'd his spirit VER 9 10 11 c. Take thou also unto thee the wheat and barley and beans and lentiles and millet and fitches and put them in one vessell and make thee bread thereof according to the number of the dayes that thou shalt lie upon thy side three hundred and ninety dayes shalt thou eat thereof 10. And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight twenty shekels a day from time to time shalt thou eat it 11. Thou shalt also drink water by measure the sixt part of an Hin from time to time shalt thou drink 12. And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man in their sight 13. And the Lord said Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled
made a fire in the midst of the Market place and first burnt that they had left and could not eat and then cast in themselves and children to put an end to their miseries whence arose that speech or proverb Saguntina fames noting extreme want It 's also related of Cambyses son of Cyrus that seeking to subdue the revolted Ethiopians his army was in such a strait for victualls that they were forc'd to tithe out every tenth man and to live upon them and that this continued so long that Cambyses feared himself and thereupon return'd It 's known what a grievous famine was at Sanserre in France when Charles the 9th besiged it in the yeere 1573. and shot against it in three dayes space 3500. great shot of Ordnance and killed not one by them yet almost all the people were consumed by the famine in the siege thereof having eaten up all things living and the leather off of Trunks and Saddles In Edward the second his dayes was such a famine as a Parliament was call'd to moderate the prices of things Speeds History Lib. 9. c. 11. such was the dearth that bread could scarce be gotten to serve the kings own family the famine grew so terrible that Horse Dogs yea men and children were stolen for food and thieves newly brought into the Gaols were torn in peices and eaten presently half alive by such who had been longer there The Scipture tells us of as great famine as we can read of A Lapid in loc When Hannib besieged Cassilinum a mouse was sold for 200. groats Val. Max. l. 7. the Samaritan famine was such as that like Vulturs Dogs and Swine they fed upon carkasses dung it self 2 King 6.25 the Assyrians besieged Samaria untill an Asses head was sold for 80. pieces of silver that is 80. shekels and that came to above 8â— of our money and the fourth part of a Kab of Doves dung for five pieces of silver a Kab contain'd four pound and five ounces and the fourth part was thirteen ounces and for this they gave ten shillings and upward some think is was the corn in the crop of the Dove which did flie abroad and came home full but the Text is plain it was the dung of Doves which whether they used for salt having an acrimonious humour in it or for food their distresse was very great but this of Jerusalem was the sorest that ever was they had course fare the food of beasts beans lentiles millet fitches and little of this bread and water were measured out unto them their bread was defiled dressed with dung their firing failed having burnt up all things combustible Gods curse was upon what they had he brake the staffe of bread no strength nourishment came from that they had Deut. 28.53 55. they went up and down distressed and dyed for hunger read the 4th of the Lam. 4 5 c. the tongues of the sâ—â—cking children did cleave to the roofs of their mouth other children asked bread and none brake it unto them The scarlet men of the City imbraced dunghills the beautifull Nazarites were blacker then coals the slain with the sword were preferred before the slain with famine the pitifull women sod their children they were their daily meat thus God brought down Jerusalem and quickly can do any let us acknowledge Gods mercy that we are not under such a judgement let us be humbled for abuse of his good creatures no more pamper the flesh with them let us not be proud of what we have hoord up Gods blessings but communicate and distribute to the necessities of others and use all to Gods honour 3. That hunger makes course and loathsome things pleasant bread polluted will down in a famine bread made of that which Horses and Swine eat of beans lentiles fitches c. and be as barley-cakes barley of it self is a sweet grain but being made into cakes it was more pleasant and such is ill diet in time of famine Prov. 27.7 To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet the sweetest thing is bitter to the ful the bitterest is sweet unto the empty when Esau was faint then red pottage was worth a birth-right Gen. 25.32 Artaxerxes being put to flight his Provisions taken away and he had only a few dry figs and a little barley bread said Cujusmodi voluptatis hactenus inexpertus fui hunger is the best Cook and the best sauce when Darius dranke puddle-water and that defiled with dead carkasses Cicer. 5. Tusc he said He never drank more pleasant drink As it 's with women in their longings any thing long'd for is pleasant not other things what ever they be so in famine any thing edible is longed for and that makes it pleasant even an Asses head Doves dung polluted bread mans flesh 4. Note here the conformity of the punishment to their sin they had sinned in excesse and God would take away their plenty Hos 13.6 According to their pastures so were they filled they had full pastures fed largely exalted their hearts and thought they should never want they forgat God in their fulnesse and he made them to remember him in a famine fulnesse of bread was the sin of Sodome and the sin of Jerusalem also God brake the staffe of bread they sinned in defiling themselves with Idols and offered meal and oyl honey flowre for a sweet savour to their Idols Ezek. 16. and now they must eat polluted bread among the Gentiles they had worshipped dunghill gods and should shortly eat dunghill bread they had been proud of their ornaments and those in scarlet should imbrace the dunghils Hab. 2.8 Because thou hast spoyled many nations all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee it 's spoken of the Chaldeans Pharaoh drown'd the Israelites children he and his were drown'd in the red Sea for it Solomon to please his Idolatrous wives divided the worship of God between God himself and Idols and God divided his kingdome between his son and his servant Socrates tels of Severianus a Bishop that call'd Chrysostom a kneelesse fellow because hee would not bow and crouch to good causes one trode upon his toe which rankled and he was forc'd to cut off that leg and the other and so became kneelesse himself Comment of of civill wars of France Charles the ninth who had been bloody in his life died of a bloody flux and the blood issued out of the severall parts of his body who in the bloody massacre had caused or suffered blood to be shed in the severall parts of his kingdome he used to blaspheme in his life and died blasphemously at his death A Romish zealot repin'd at the fuell burnt at the Kings return from Spain and said There was such waste of wood as shortly there would not be a faggot left to burn heretiques this party being at Black-friers when the downfall was received a mark of remembrance by a piece of wood Doctor Goad in his Relation of that
breaches of England let them be instructions unto us Let us all say with Isaiah 26.8 9. In the way of thy judgements O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our souls is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee with my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early for when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse Heathen inhabitants will do it and shall not Christians it's seasonable wisdome to learn by the blows of others An astonishment Not for stupifying and hardening which sometimes is the end and fruit of judgements but for admiration God would so deal with Jerusalem and her inhabitants that the nations round about should be astonished at his dealings God would make them an astonishment an hissing and a perpetuall desolation Jer. 25.9 yea the plagues of the city should be such that every one that passeth by should be astonished and hisse Jer. 19.9 yea many nations should say Wherfore hath the Lord done thus to this great city Jer. 22.8 Deut. 29.22 23 24. God saith The plagues of that land should be such as that it should be like Sodom and Gomorrah so great so strange that all nations should say Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land What meaneth the heat of this great anger God might have done thus with this great city with this pleasant land but he hath spared us and we have cause to be as much astonished at his mercies as they were at his judgements Let us fear reform lest our sweet mercies be turn'd into astonishing judgements When I shall execute judgement in thee in anger and fury and furious rebukes There is mention of executing judgement in the 8th and 10th verses and here in this verse with addition of anger fury and furious rebukes the Prophet may seem too repetitious and verbous but it 's otherwise repetitions of the same thing serve to confirm the truth of the matter to shew the speed of the event and to excite the minds of those the things concern all which fall in here the Prophet prophesying against the Jews at Jerusalem their city state and threatning destruction to all himself keeping in Babylon conceived that they would not believe what he said and fear what he threatned neither affected with what he delivered to prevent these evils he repeats the thing oft and strengthens it with variety of words that so his doctrine might be the more weighty the sooner believed they awakened and the judgement that was at hand feared In furious rebukes The Hebrew is in rebukes of heat Pradus observes that jacach notes rebuking before witnesse and God would do it before the nations and these rebukes were not to cure but to destroy I the Lord have spoken Lest they might think the Prophet and his Prophecy might die together and come to nothing the Lord tels them it was himself spake and that the Prophecy should take place what ever became of the Prophet because it was from him who was the living God and would see it fulfill'd at Jerusalem though uttered in Babylon VER 16. When I shall send upon them the evill arrow of famine which shall be for their destruction and which I will send to destroy you and I will increase the famine upon you and break your staffe of bread I Have spoken of famine and breaking the staffe of bread in Chap. 4.16 Only I shal open unto you that expression The arrows of famine they are either the arrows that bring famine or the arrows that famine brings The arrows that bring famine are great droughts Palmer-worms Locusts Canker-worms Caterpillers thunder lightning winds storms immoderate rains great hails long frosts murrains transportations of commodities monopolizing hoording up of creatures wars c. many of these are shot down from heaven by God and all are sent from God and cause famine and they are call'd arrows for that they do to the corn cattell fruits and State where they are what arrows do to the bodies of man or beast wound disquiet consume hence when mention was made of a famine in Habakkuks dayes Ch. 3.11 the Lord is said to march through the land in indignation ver 12. and his bow to be made quite naked then did God shoot amongst them the arrows of famine The arrows famine brings are leanness faintness sickness loathsomeness frettings fears of death longings for death gnawings of the stomach pinching of the wind got into the bowels eating of their own flesh thirsting and burning heat c. these are arrows that famine brings and kill like arrows shot into the liver which wounding deeply pain greatly and kill quickly and in this sense I rather take it here because the judgement spoken of concerning the Jews who were to be besieged if it be taken in the other sense it would have been a judgement to the besiegers who lay in the field and were not so well fortified against those arrows as they within it is therefore meant of the arrows famine brought upon them chiefly not excluding the arrows brought that famine namely war and these arrows were prepared in Moses dayes Deut. 32.23 I will heap mischief upon them I will spend mine arrows upon them and what arrows They shall be burnt with hunger and devoured with burning coals and with bitter destruction vers 24. Famine is like a multitude of hot coals in a mans bowels and bones that cause grievous pain even bitter destruction and therefore they are call'd here the evill arrows of famine because they bring many evils and at last a miserable death this Jeremiah acknowledges made good Lam. 3.12 13. speaking in the person of the Church and State Hee hath bent his bow and set me as a mark for the arrow he hath caused the arrow of his quiver to enter into my reins VER 17. So will I send upon you famine and evill beasts and they shall bereave thee and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee and I will bring the sword upon thee I the Lord have spoken it HEre is a repetition of the former judgment only one is new that is evill beasts some would have it meant of the Chaldeans that were like evill beasts that with their horns teeth heels hoofs should tosse gore rend and devoure them others understand it literally for evill and wilde beasts Lions Bears c. which were threatned Deut. 32.24 I will send the teeth of beasts upon them with the poison of the Serpents of the dust Lev. 26.22 I will send wild beasts which shall rob you of your children destroy your cattel make you few in number and your high way desolate see the truth of it 2 King 17.25 Lions were sent that slew them they feared not God But this was past and our Prophet speaks of that was to come Know then that as God sent Lions to destroy them there so he could send Lions to destroy