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
Political Rulers were wicked and the Ecclesiastical Rulers were such also They are called Shepherds but they did not the office or work of Shepherds they were generally naught The Shepherds of Israel did not feed the flock Ezek 22.25 26 27 28. you may see what the Prophets Priests and Princes were not a true Shepherd amongst them Thirdly Observe See here the true Characters of wicked Shepherds in Church or State and they are three First They feed themselves they were covetous self-seekers they did eat the fat cloath themselves with the wool and kill'd them that were fed full of fat and flesh they made a prey of the rich and wealthy The politicall Shepherds were selfish and covetous Micah 3.1 2 3. Hear O heads of Jacob and ye Princes of the house of Israel is it not for you to know judgement who hate the good and love the evill who pluck off their skin from off them and their flesh from off their bones who also eat the flesh of my people and flay their skin from off them and they brake their bones and chop them in pieces as for the pot Look how Butchers deal with Oxen and Sheep killing slaying chopping in pieces breaking their bones selling some and eating other parts and whatever they do is for their own interest so deal these State-Butchers with the people The Ecclesiastical Shepherds were selfish and covetous Isa 56.11 speaking of the watchmen he saith They are greedy dogs which can never have enough and they are Shepherds that cannot understand they all look to their own way every one for his gain from his quarter Ones gain come from one quarter a seconds from another quarter a thirds from a third and their eyes were upon their gain and nothing else Micah 3.11 The Heads of Jerusalem judge for reward the Priests teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for money Thus all sought themselves and thereby declared what they were Secondly They fed not the flock A good Shepherds care and delight is to feed his flock and manifest it by strengthning the weak by healing the sick by binding up the broken by bringing back what is gone astray and by seeking up what is lost these Shepherds did none of these things The State Shepherds neglected the flock the Church Shepherds did so the weak were not strengthned c. Thirdly Harsh and cruel usage of the flock With force and cruelty have ye ruled them These Shepherds did not distinguish between the weak and strong the sound and sick and so rule them wisely gently compassionately but they were rough rigid bitter and cruel unto them The politicall Shepherds shut up the doors of the Temple and would not let them come in to sacrifice or worship there 2 Chron 28.24 They compelled the people to serve idols 2 Kings 21.11 They revolted from under Nebuchadnezzar and so brought wars and heavy taxes upon the people Ezek 17.15 The Princes in the midst of Jerusalem were like Wolves ravening the prey to shed bloud and to destroy souls to get dishonest gain Ezek 22.27 The Ecclesiastical Shepherds also ruled after their own wills the Prophets were roaring Lyons ravening the prey they devoured souls they took the treasure and precious things they made many widdows in the midst of Jerusalem the Priests violated the Law of God and so wronged the people Ezek 22.25 26. The Prophets and Priests conspired together to tyrannize over the people who were so accustomed to it that they were content to have it so Jerem 5.31 The Prophets prophesie falsely and the Priests bare rule by their means and my people love to have it so The word for bearing rule is i jrdu which imports rigorous dealing they took too much upon them which you may see Jerem 26.8 The Priests and the Prophets took Jeremy saying thou shalt surely dye They were bitter enemies to Jeremy and those believed his prophesies Jer 50.6 My people hath been lost sheep their Shepherds have caused them to go astray c. Fourthly Observe Such is the condition of Gods flock here that it hath need of Shepherds to look after it There be in it some diseased or infirm some sick some broken some driven away some stragling and in danger of loosing Gods sheep are subject to many evills distempers and dangers to vain customes Jer 10.3 to bruising and breaking Jer. 6.14 to hunting like wilde beasts Ezek 13.18 to beating and grinding to pieces Isa 3.15 to devouring Psal 14.4 to errors heresies corrupt opinions and practices Matth. 24.5 2 Pet. 2.2 to backsliding Jer 8.5 to mistakes and all sorts of evills Isa 5.20 It s mercy yea great mercy that God hath appointed Shepherds for his flock Civill and Spiritual to provide for the weaknesses maladies and dangers of the soul as well as of the body Where these be wicked it goes ill with the flock if they be selfish negligent rigid in ruling the flock will suffer much O pray unto God earnestly that he would give us good Shepherds There is a choice promise or two in Jer 23.4 I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them and they shall fear no more nor be dismayed neither shall they be lacking And Jer 3.15 I will give you Pastors according to mine heart which shall feed you according to knowledge and understanding These promises speaks of good Shepherds for State and Church Let us improve them and presse God for the fulfilling of them Fifthly Observe That wicked Magistrates and Ministers in Gods account are as no Magistrates no Ministers They were scattered because there is no shepherd There were many Shepherds in the State and many in the Church yet all these were as none because they were wicked sought themselves fed not the flock but ruled with cruelty when Shepherds degenerate so far as to be contrary to what they should be then they are as none before God Such in Zech. 11.17 are called idoll shepherds idols are nothing 1 Cor 8.4 and so were they as nothing in the sight of God and when it is so then the sheep are scattered Sixthly Observe That as God eyes the great ones in State or Church so he deals impartially with them being wicked He observed what Magistrates and Ministers did in their places and seeing them selfish negligent cruell he threatens them all Wo to the Shepherds of Israel he saw they were all guilty of grievous sins amended not after his long-forbearing them and therefore without respect denounces judgement against them God is greater then the greatest and fears not the faces of Princes or Prophets let them have what pretences they will to colour their wayes the Lord discernes them let them be never so terrible unto men the Lord will be a terrour unto them let them continue in their wickedness never so long at last God will be avenged on them Verses 7 8 9 10. Therefore ye shepherds hear the word of the Lord As I live saith the Lord God surely because my flock became
rejoyced O ye destroyers of mine heritage because ye are grown fat as the Heifer at grasse and bellow as Bulls your mother shall be sore confounded that is the City Babylon or the Land of Chaldaea or both because the Babylonians had dealt so by the people of God and their Land God would not only confound them but sorely confound them Fourthly Observe Those that make the people of God infamous shall themselves be made infamous The Nations made the Jewes the infamy of the people they loaded them with reproaches and shame and God sweares Surely the Heathen shall bear their shame Do you mock and hiss at my people ye shall be mocked and hissed at In Lam 2.15 16. You have the carriage of all towards Jerusalem they clapt their hands they hissed they wagged their heads they opened their mouths and gnashed their teeth and said Is this the City men call the perfection of beauty we have swallowed her up this is the day we have looked for In other places you may observe how God returned their revilings upon their heads Jerem 49.17 Edom shall be a desolation every one that goeth by it shall be astonished and shall hisse at all the plagues thereof Nineveh was proud and insulted and God made her infamous All that passed by hissed and wagged the hand at her Zeph. 2.15 Babylon had the same measure Jer 51.37 She was made an hissing without inhabitant so Chap 50.13 And Isaiah tells us the insulting proverb which was used against the King and City of Babylon when they were destroyed Isa 14.4 How hath the oppressor ceased the golden City ceased Verses 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. But ye O mountains of Israel ye shall shoot forth your branches and yeeld your fruit to my people of Israel for they are at hand to come For behold I am for you and I will turn unto you and ye shall be tilled and sown And I will multiply men upon you all the house of Israel even all of it and the Cityes shall be inhabited and the wastes shall be builded And I will multiply upon you man and beast and they shall increase and bring fruit and I will settle you after your old estates and will do better unto you then at your beginnings and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Yea I will cause men to walk upon you even my people Israel and they shall possesse thee and thou shalt be their inheritance and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men Thus saith the Lord God Because they say unto you Thou Land devourest up men and hast bereaved thy Nations Therefore thou shalt devoure men no more neither bereave thy Nations any more saith the Lord God Neither will I cause men to hear in thee the shame of the heathen any more neither shalt thou bear the reproach of the people any more neither shalt thou cause thy Nations to fall any more saith the Lord God THese eight verses are the 2d. general part of the Chapter containing rich promises of favour and mercy unto the afflicted Jews and they are 1. Fruitfulness of their Countrey vers 8. 2. Return into it ibid. 3. Gods turning unto them vers 9. 4. Multiplication of men and beasts ver 10 11. 5. Rebuilding of their Cityes waste places and reinhabiting of them vers 10 12. 6. Setling them in a better condition then ever vers 11. 7. Freedom 1. From destruction vers 12 13 14. 2. From the reprochings of enemies v 15. Vers 8. But ye O mountains of Israel ye shall shoot forth your branches In the time of Jerusalems siedge the Land of Israel was much wasted the fruitfull and usefull Trees cut down and during the Captivity it was over-run with Bryars and Thorns Isa 5.6 Chap 33.13 Yea all the Land was so Chap 7. 24. But here Gods promise is that the Mountains of Israel should be fruitfull they should shoot forth their branches Vines and other Trees full of branches should be planted there and thrive And yield your fruit to my people of Israel Strangers shall not eat your fruit as heretofore but my people shall have the benefit thereof Israelites shall eat your fruit not Edomites or Babylonians For they are at hand to come Here is the reason given why the Mountains and Land of Canaan should bring forth and yeeld increase it was because the time drew neer of the Jews returning out of captivity In the Creation God did bid the earth bring forth prepared a Paradice for man and then brought man into it so here he takes care that the Mountains and Countryes should bring forth for that his people were to come into it The Chaldee hath it Veniat dies redemptionis and the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seaventy years was but a little time unto God some part of which was expired and the time hastned for their deliverance Vers 9. For behold I am for you and I will turn unto you God had formerly been against them as appears Ezek 5.8 Ch 21.3 Ch 15.7 and they had found it so being driven out of their own Land into Babylon where God tells them to their comfort Behold I am for you and for the Mountains of Israel which have been laid waste I will turn unto you and look upon you in mercy Ye shall be tilled and sown Where Bushes Nettles and Bryars grew before there should be plowing sowing and Corn in abundance Vers 10. And I will multiply men upon you c. This verse and the next further sets out the effect of Gods turning to the Mountains they should abound with men and beasts the whole Land should be possest the waste places builded and the Cityes inhabited and both men and beast should be fruitfull All the house of Israel even all of it When this was fulfill'd doth not appear few of the 10 Tribes returned and not all of the other two Vers 11. I will settle you after your old estates The Hebrew is I will make you to dwell according to your antiquities as you dwelt in Joshuahs time or as you were settled before your captivity then you had peace plenty and many accommodations which you shall have again and more for it follows And do better unto you then at your beginnings God had done great things for them formerly they abounded so in riches stately buildings wise holy and strong men in famous victories and in plenty of all good things that they exceeded all people yet God promises here to do better unto them then at the beginning When this was made good is greatly questioned Some answer it thus That when they first came into Canaan they were low poor not in a capacity to build a Temple but when they returned out of Babylon they went about and built a Temple But this Temple exceeded not the former Temple in greatness richness Ceremony sanctity multitude of Priests or Prophets Ezra 3.12 Others say That after their return from their captivity their
can weep shed tears in abundance for losse of Relations Estates Favours of great Ones yet never wept for sin these have a natural tenderness not a spirituall Besides what may be gathered from what is said I shall give some Characters of a tender heart First It s sensible of the Churches and Saints afflictions it mourns for and with them a tender heart bleeds when it goes ill with Sion and the people of God When the men of Ai smote but thirty six Israelites how was Joshua affected with it He rent his clothes and fell to the earth upon his face before the Ark of the Lord untill the even tide Josh 7.6 You may read Ps 79. 80. how greatly David or Asaph were affected with the desolation of Jerusalem and miseries befell the Church These were men of tender hearts and sensible of evils at a distance Such was Paul 2 Cor 14.29 and Jeremy whose eyes ran down with tears because the Lords flock was carryed away captive Jer 13.17 Secondly Where an heart hath a gracious and spiritual tenderness it s affected with the perishing condition of others it grieves to see men impenitent unbelieving going on in the broad way to be in a state of irregeneracy and pityes them Rom 9.2 3. Paul had great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart and why for his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh they rejected Christ and his Gospel through unbelief and hardnesse of heart they were in the broad way to destruction Christ seeing Jerusalem insensible of her own good he wept over her Luke 19.41 And in former times Jeremy had manifested the tenderness of his heart toward the Jews when he said unto them thus Hear ye and gâ—ve ear be not proud for the Lord hath spoken Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darknesse and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains and while ye look for light he turn it into the shadow of death and make it grosse darknesse but if ye will not hear it my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride Jer 13.15 16 17. Thirdly A tender heart dare not go out from God in any case but commits it self and way to him it consults with God and leans upon him for counsel and direction Josiah when the Law was found and he understood from it what wrath was due to the breach of it presently sends men to enquire of the Lord for himself and others what to do he took counsel of God and not of man 2 Chron 34.21 So Jehoshaphat he sought not to Baalim but to the Lord God of his fathers and David made Gods Testimonyes his Counsellers Psal 119.24 Hard hearts dare presume and venture to go out from God and into wayes he hath not warranted so did Gehazi Judas and Demas they followed the imaginations of their own hearts and declared that their hearts were Brasse Those that have hearts of flesh say with them in Isa 2.3 Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths not in our own Fourthly It s affected presently at the frowns and chidings of God at the appearance and shaking of the Rod. A child of a tender nature will melt when the Parent begins to manifest displeasure as to chide or take the Rod into his hand but it s not so with a stubborn nature that will hear bitter words and endure many stroaks before it will melt Jer 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a rock they have refused to return These had no tender hearts in them When Absolom had driven David out of Jerusalem he went up mount Olivet weeping He was presently affected with the hand of God 2 Sam 15.30 Moses was presently affected with the wrath that went out from God against the people Numb 16.46 Fifthly A tender heart feels much stoninesse in it self and complains of it O what a stony rocky Adamantine heart have I saith a tender hearted man its tendernesse discovers and feels hardnesse Eph 4.19 They were hardned in sin were past feeling Where hearts are all stone there is no sensibleness of the stonyness those have the tenderest hearts that feel most Brass and Iron in them David cryed oft to God for quickning Psal 119.154 156 159. Quicken me according to thy Word Quicken me according to thy judgements Quicken me according to thy loving kindnesse And why did he cry so for quickning because he felt much deadness and hardness in his heart A dead heart is an hard heart A man when dead is cold stiff and hard so a mans heart if dead within him is cold stiff and stony How may the heart be kept tender First By taking heed of every sin for its only sin that hardens the heart as the foot by treading hardens the earth so when sin walks up and down in the heart it hardens and obdurates the same Dan 5.20 Nebuchadnezzars mind was hardned in pride and the Apostle tells you Heb 3.13 That mens hearts come to be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin Men think little sins can do them little harm but they harden their hearts and is that no harm is that little harm its the greatest harm can be done you Secondly By searching and examining of your hearts frequently that is a special means to keep them tender it s like digging of the Garden and ploughing of the Earth which keeps it from hardning the more digging and ploughing the more tender and crumbly is the earth that is the chiefest way to preserve it so and they who are ever searching their hearts examining them daily have them in a tender frame David communed oft with his own heart and his spirit made diligent search Psal 77.6 That kept his heart in a tender frame Thirdly By studying the word much and minding it there is great virtue in the word it 's like fire and will not only thaw the icyness of their hearts but keep them unfrozen the hardest mettals while they are in the Fire are soft and whilest mens hearts are in the Divine fire of the Scriptures they will be soft The Word is like Water and Oyl which moisten and supple the heart so that the tendernesse of it is preserved Fourthly By meditating seriously on Gods love the heigths depths lengths and breadths of his love When a soul is taken up with thoughts of the freeness greatness strength sweetness everlastingness and fruits of Gods love it will be in a melting frame that fire works kindly upon the heart love apprehended makes the heart tender Fifthly Look much to Christ crucified Zech 12.10 When we consider what Christ hath suffered for our sakes it will make and keep our hearts tender First Observe A tender heart is a choice mercy As a stony
Law writ in his heart by the spirit but not as it is written by the spirit in the hearts of Believer who are under the new Covenant the spirit writ the Law in Adams heart as Concreator with the Father and the Son not by vertue of any Covenant but Believers receive the spirit and have the Law writ in them by vertue of Covenant God hath covenanted to put his spirit in them and they have the spirit from Christ and the Father Christ purchased of the Father the mission of the spirit therefore saith He will send the Comforter unto them John 16.7 And that he will pray the Father and he shall send the Comforter unto them John 14.16 So that Believers now have the spirit from God as a Father in Christ from Christ as Head of the Church and both these by vertue of the new Covenant Adam had not the spirit so and for those that had the spirit under the Law for some had it as you may see Psal 51.11 Nehem 9.20 Numb 27.18 Hagg. 2.5 they had it not by vertue of the Covenant of works Do this and live for none were able to keep the Law but by vertue of the Covenant of grace there was Gospel in the Law yea the whole Ceremonial Law was so The Apostle tells us that the Galatians received not the spirit by the works of the Law but by the hearing of faith Gal. 3.2 And look how the Gentiles received the blessing of Abraham viz. the spirit which was through faith and through Christ vers 14. so did the Jews likewise Neither Jews nor Gentiles do bring any preparations or qualifications towards the reception of the spirit God gives his spirit freely where there are no such things when men are in a state of sin and wickednesse the spirit is put in first it s there and then it works grace before they have new hearts new spirits the stone be taken out of the heart and there be an heart of flesh the spirit is put in and acts he finds not qualifications or dispositions but brings them works them The Bees when they come to the Hive find no wax no honey there but they bring the wax and honey so the spirit when it comes to mens hearts it finds no wax no honey no graces nor gracious dispositions there but brings them when the spirit comes to regenerate and sanctifie it finds nothing in men but darkness unbelief unholinesse and enmity by which its no more defiled than an Angel by coming into the world which lyes in wickednesse or the Sun shining upon a Dunghil but when it comes to be an Inhabitant a Comforter a spirit of glory to rest upon a man then it finds the heart prepared and made meet for its entertainment and abode Thirdly Observe The gift of the spirit is a great and excellent gift I will put or give my spirit within you The greatness and excellency of it appears in these following particulars First It s the person of the spirit which is a fundamental mercy and more considerable than all his gifts and graces which flow from him the Tree is better than all the fruit the Sun is of more worth than all his Beams Secondly It is the procreator of all grace in the soul Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the spirit is love joy peace faith Take but those four graces see how they are exalted faith is stiled precious 2 Pet. 1.1 peace is said to passe all understanding Phil. 4.7 joy to be glorious and unspeakable 1 Pet. 1.8 and love is magnified by Paul above all gifts and other graces 1 Cor. 13. What a gift then is the spirit which is the Parent not only of these but of all graces and all gifts Ephes 5.9 The fruit of the spirit it in all goodnesse Thirdly It is the Conservator of all grace and good things in us As God conserves the world which is his creature so the spirit conserves grace which is its creature the spirit as it gives being to all graces so it preserves them in their beings and operations It 's the spirit which mortifies lusts Rom. 8.13 And it is the spirit maintains graces John 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit As flesh brings forth flesh so it maintains the same and as the spirit brings forth spirit so it maintains the same each maintains their own off-springs The spirit is the Nurse of all those graces it hath brought forth in the heart of any 2 Cor. 4.13 it s called The spirit of faith not only because it creates faith in the heart but keeps it there so it s called The spirit of grace Zech. 12.10 not only because it works grace in men but also because it keeps grace in them hence those who are after the spirit are said to mind the things of the spirit their graces are maintained by the provision of the spirit Fourthly The spirit is he who actuates and consummates our graces the spirit doth not content it self to beget and preserve graces in mens hearts but improves and perfects them we and our graces would act very poorly did not the spirit assist us John 15.5 Without me saith Christ you can do nothing that is without my spirit concurre with your graces and actuate them you can do nothing The Mill may have all things fit for motion the Sails may be spread but if the wind blow not the Mill goes not so a man may through grace be prepared and fitted to every good work but if the spirit blow not he moves not John 6.63 It is the spirit that quickens it quickens us and our graces also 2 Cor. 3.6 The spirit gives life Life to mens persons and life to their graces it s the spirit makes lively and sets grace a work It 's the Sun and influences of Heaven which draw up the sap and make the Tree grow and it is the spirit and its influences which draw out our graces into act they lye still unless fresh blasts of the spirit come upon us and them And as the spirit acts our graces so it perfects them it adds supplyes unto them Phil. 1.19 and changes us into further glory day by day 2 Cor. 3.18 And what is said of Christ Heb 12.2 That he is the Authour and Finisher of our faith the same Christ doth by his spirit and so the spirit is the Authour and Finisher of all our graces Fifthly The spirit is a great and excellent gift in that it doth facilitate sweeten and make delightfull unto us all the wayes of God they are hard and harsh to flesh and bloud as to deny a mans self to passe by wrongs to forgive enemies to bear the Crosse cheerfully c. these are things corrupt nature cannot digest but where the spirit is given they become easie the spirit is the oyl of gladnesse and makes the soul cheerfully fall in with whatever is of God When a child hath
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
even all of them I will have mercy upon the whole House of Israel not one Tribe two or ten but upon the whole House of Israel I will pardon their sins gather them out of the Nations and make them a glorious people This promise was but in part fulfilled when Judah Benjamin and some of Levi return'd out of Babylon the compleat fulfilling of it remains yet The Jews do expect the making of it good to this day saying they are in vilissima durissima Captivitate and look for such a gathering as none shall be left Doubtless there is a time when God will smile upon the Jews shew them mercy and bring them unto Christ and make him Salvation unto them Hos 1.10 11. Rom. 11.15 24 25 26 27. Zech. 10.6 7. Thirdly Observe The great things God doth for his People are not done for their worth or merits but for his holy Names sake The bringing Jacob out of captivity and having mercy upon the whole House of Israel is upon that account I will be zealous or jealous for my holy Name God doth all for his Name sake Ezek. 36.32 Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you lest they should think there was something in them deserved at Gods hands and mov'd him to do for them he openly declares against it Be it known unto you and to all the world that it is not for your sakes for any excellency or good I see in you but it is for mine Own sake for the honour of mine own holy Name which is so dear and preâ—ious unto me that I am jealous of any thing tends towards the disparagement of it and zealous to do whatever I have promised and may promote the Glory thereof Isa 9.7 The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this Kinath the zeal or jealousie of the Lord will do it he had made many great promises before of Christ and his Government for ever and if any thing should rise up to hinder the same the Lord of Hosts would be zealous to see it performed otherwise his holy Name would suffer Gods Name is the great motive to him to do for his This Jeremie knew full well and therefore presseth God to do for them upon that account Chap. 14.7 O Lord though our Iniquities testifie against us do thou for thy Names sake there was a great Famine and they deserved not a drop of rain or bit of bread but Gods Name was a strong Argument to provoke him to do for them Fourthly Observe Sin brings men to shame and punishment which they must undergo one where or other After they have born their shame and trespasses They sinned in Canaan and were sham'd and punished in Babylon and other places It 's only sin which makes men blush and smart Fifthly Observe In times of peace and safety usually men forget God and sin against him When the Jews dwelt safely and none made them afraid then they trespassed against God At such times men are scornful and proud Psal 123.4 they trust in Mountains Amos 6.1 they live sensually vers 4 5 6. they increase the affl ctions of the afflicted Zâ—ch 1.15 When men are in peace and without danger they have opportunities for hearing of Gods Word by his Servants but Jer. 22.21 saith God I spake unto thee in thy prosperity but thou saidst I will not hear Jerusalem and her children had deaf ears and obstinate hearts in their prosperity Solomon who had peace on all sides round about him 1 King 4.24 forgat the Lord marryed strange wives and did strange things for them he built high places for their Idol-gods and went himself after other gods 1 King 11.15 7.10 Great is the danger of Prosperity yet all desire it That caution which God gave his people when they were to come into Canaan where they should have peace and plenty is needful for all in a prosperous condition Deut. 6.12 Beware lest thou forget the Lord Men are very apt then to forget him Sixthly Observe The Lord by open delivering of his People from an afflicted condition doth sanctifie his own Name and hath it sanctified by others His gathering them out of Enemies hands declared his power his faithfulness his mercy and thereby he sanctified his own Name and these Attributes being acknowledged by those that are delivered and by the Nations from whom they are delivered his Name is sanctified Gods People are oft under great and long afflictions and when ever he sets them at liberty he sanctifies his Name and his Name is sanctified he declares himself and is declared by others to be a gracious God When the Jews were brought out of Babylon they said The Lord hath done great things for us and the Babylonians said The Lord hath done great things for them Psal 126.2 3. Thus did God sanctifie and men sanctifie the one by declaring his Omnipotency Faithfulness and Goodness the other by acknowledging the same Seventhly Observe There is a time when the Jews shall not only have mercy but abundant and lasting mercy God will gather them pour out his Spirit upon them and never hide his face from them any more This time will be an happy and glorious time for the house of Israel to be enriched with the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit which are excellent and to have the light of Gods countenance shining upon them and that alwayes What can be more desirable This condition as Paul saith will be life from the dead Rom. 11.15 Now they are like dead trees without any sap in them but then they will be like Trees well-rooted full of sap and in their greatest glory full of branches leaves blossoms fruit and the Sun shining upon them The EXPOSITION continued upon the Remaining Chapters of EZEKIEL CHAP. XL. THat there be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Sacred Scriptures these nine last Chapters as well as the beginning of Ezekiel do abundantly testifie and such difficult things are in these last that they have made many men of the greatest parts to tremble at the thought of Interpreting them The Rabbins say that the first of Ezekiel and these last Chapters are Arcana inexplicabilia à nemine intellecta and therefore forbid Theirs to read them adding Cum venerit Elias solvet omnia Jerome that great light in his time In Prâ—oemio ad Eustochium professes his trepidation hereat that he did clausam pulsare januam Gregorie the Great when he went about this work Prooem in 2. l. super Ezek. praefat ad c. 40. said Nocturnum iter agimus Maldonate affirms that this last Prophesie of Ezekiel is so difficult and dark ut vix intelligi posse videatur Oecolampadius tells us that in the 42. Chapter there is Summa difficultas which ancient Expositors understood not and he brings in Rabbi Solomon who writ upon the whole Talmud saying that he thinks there is not any thing extant Quod hujus adjuvet intelligentiam and
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