Vers. 1. The Word of the Lord came again unto me.

This Preface is to many Chapters before; it adds weight to the prophesie, making those concern'd to mind it more seri­ously: When the Lord speaketh, who can but prophesie? Amos 3.8. And who can but mind what is prophesied?

Vers. 2. Son of Man, prophesie.

The immortall God speaks to a mortall man, honours him with Divine Revelations; and that he might not be exalted therewith, he minds him of his meannesse and mortality, saying, Son of Man, prophesie. Prophesying was not at the will of man, but when the Spirit mov'd them to it, 2 Pet. 1.21.

Thus saith the Lord God.

What the Prophets gave forth as Prophets, was not from their own hearts and heads, some humane thing, but it was altogether Divine, from Jehovah, Adonai, whose Being is of himself, and hath Dominion over all: What they and the Apo­stles writ, was the word of God, and so ought to be esteemed and received, 1 Thess. 2.13.

Howl ye.

He speaks to the Egyptians and others, upon whom sad judg­ments were coming, he calls to them to lay to heart, and la­ment for the evils were at hand. The Hebrew Jalal hath agreement with Alal, which signifies in nihilum rediger [...], to reduce a thing to nothing, because when men do mourn and lament greatly, it wastes and consumes them, so as it well nigh brings them to nothing.

Woe worth the day.

The words may be read, Ah the day, alas for the day, as [Page 3] Joel. 1.15. Or, O the woe of the day, an unhappy day wherein thy Cities shall be made heaps, man and beast destroyed, all laid waste and desolate. The French is malediction, sur ta journee, a curse be upon that day.

Vers. 3. The day is near, even the day of the Lord is near.

Day here is put, not for a day in strictnesse of sense, but for the time wherein those judgements should befall Egypt and other parts; and its call'd the day of the Lord, because of his special manifestation of himself: When God doth either in mercy or judgement declare himself Emphatically, that is said to be the day of the Lord. Other dayes are his dayes, but such in a special manner. The duplication of the day here, is to make the deeper impression both upon the Jews, who rested too much upon Egypt, and also upon the Egyptians, who were secure and feared not; he tells them of the nearnesse of it, that they may be awakened; & that they might the more fully be awake­ned, he tells them what kind of day it will be.

A cloudy Day.

The Hebrew is Dies Nubis, a Day of a Cloud, there will no Sun shine that day, a black thick dark cloud will arise that day, and make a terrible tempest. Gods judgements are like­ned unto clouds and rain for the sadnesse and terriblenesse of them, Psal. 11.6. He shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest. The French is iour tenebreux.

It shall be the time of the Heathen.

Heathen may be taken either for the Babylonians who should come and conquer Egypt, and then do what they pleased there­in, and so it should be their day; or for the Egyptians, and the Nations adhering to them, and so it should be their day to be spoiled, and suffer grievous things; it was a time of undoing these, and a time of making the other: God had appointed that time for them both.

Vers. 4. The sword shall come upon Egypt.

The Chaldean Army shall come and make war [...]e upon [Page 4] the Egyptians, and they shall be under all the miseries and mischiefs which attend warre, and they are many.

And great pain shall be in Ethiopia.

The word for pain in Hebrew is Chalchalah, which Monta­nus renders Vacillatio, shaking, the Septuagint [...] trouble or perturbation, the Vulgar pavor fear, others dolor magnus, great grief, which the word imports, for its from [...] parturire to bring forth, & notes such grief and pain as women have when they are in travail: When the King of Babylon came into Egypt, Ethiopia was in travail.

When the slain shall fall in Egypt.

It were better rendred when the wounded shall fall; men slain are fallen, men wounded are ready to fall or falling: The Hebrew word [...] Chalal signifies one wounded, and so the French hath it, qui seront naurez tomberont en Egipt.

And her foundations shall be broken down.

By Foundation [...], Cityes, Towers, Forts, Castles, any strong holds may be understood. Some make the foundations of Egypt to be their riches, forces, and confederates, but the first sense of the Word is more Genuine, because he speaks of breaking down, which is proper to the one, and not the other.

Vers. 5. Ethiopia.

In Hebrew Chus, so call'd from Chus the Son of Cham, Gen. 10.6. who first inhabited that part of Africa, and from him the people were called Cussites; from the Grecians it re­ceived the name of Ethiopia, which is from [...] to burn, and [...] the countenance, because the heat of the Sunne there, is such as it scorcheth the faces of the people. This Country is judged to be as large as Germany, France, and Italy, but not very populous, because of the extream heat: they circumcise their Males and Females, baptizing the Males fourty dayes, and the [...]emales eighty dayes after their Circumcision, and they rebaptize themselves in Lakes and Ponds every year on the day called Epiphany, Heylin in his Microcosm. because they conceive that the Lord Christ was baptized by John in Jordan that very day: [Page 5] But whether this was the Ethiopia Nebuchadnezzar should spoil, some question, because it is said chap. 29.10. That Egypt should be made desolate, from the Tower of Syene unto the border of Ethiopia, that is, to the Asian Ethiopia; Syene was at the front of the African Ethiopia; and whether Nebuchadnezzar entred that Ethiopia, is doubtful:In locum. Quistonpius is peremptory in it, and saith, he never passed beyond Sy [...]ne in­to it.

Lybia.

In Hebrew Phut, from Phut the son of Cham, Vid. suum in Gen. 10.6. Gen. 10.6. and the inhabitants thereof, were at first called Phuthaei or Phut­tians, and afterward Lybians, the Country being named Lybia from Lybs a King of Mauritania, or from Lybs the Southwind which gently breatheth there, or from Lybia a Queen thereof; it's now call'd Sorra, which signifies a Desert, because its a Coun­try full of sandy Deserts: And Varro will have it called Lybia, Heylin in Mi­crocos. quasi [...] because it wants raine. Heretofore all Africa was called Phut, afterwards only the Western Parts of Africa as Mauritania and Tingitana, Shindler. Martinius. where the Kingdome of Fez or Lybia now is.

Lydia.

The Hebrew is Lud, from Lud the Son of Shem, Gen. 10.22. as some will have it; or from Ludim the Son of Mizraim, as others affirme. This Lydia was a Region of Asia the less, for­merly called Maeonia, in it were those famous Cities Phila­delphia, Sardis, Pergamus, Thyatira, and Laodicea: Alapide would not have it to be this Lydia, Heylin ubi an­te. because those Lydians were too farre off to be helpfull to the Egyptians, he therefore makes it to be Lydda, Acts 9.32. where Peter heal'd Aeneas: This City was in the Tribe of Ephraim near unto Joppa; It was there­fore taken by Nebuchadnezzar before, when he took Jerusalem, and made the whole Land Tributary unto him. The distance of Lydia was not such as to hinder the Egyptians from confederat­ing with them; they were on the one side of the Mediterranean Sea, and the Lydians on the other.

And all the mingled people.

Montanus saith, All the Vulgar. The Hebrew is Col haeref, which Junius Piscator and Others render tota miscellanea turba, all the mixt Company, that is, those that came from other Parts to be milltes conducti, to serve the Egyptians for pay: When Wars are among Nations, strangers will flock out of all Parts unto them, to be their Auxilaries. — Some make them the Arabians.

Chub.

This word is no where else in holy Writ. Symmachus thought it to be Arabia; but Interpreters by it understand the Cubaeans & people in the inward Lybia, near unto the River Nigris, where Ptolomy in his Geography places the City Cuphe.

The Men of the Land that is in League.

The Hebrew is Filii terrae foederis, the Sons of the Land of League. Piscator translates the words thus, Qui degunt in ter­ra confederata, those who live in a Land confederate, that is, these were confederate with the Egyptians. Some put these words upon the Nations which had engaged themselves to help the Egyptians: Others more probably put them upon Judaea, which was the Land in League with God, for God promised it to Abraham and his Posterity, whereupon the Jewes were cal'd the Children of the Covenant, Acts 2.25. And the Septuagint here have it [...] the Sons of my Testament or Covenant. The Jewes were in League with the Egyptians, and after the destruction of Jerusalem, Gedaliah being treache­rously slain by Ishmael and others; Johanan carryeth the Jewes the Sons of the Land in League, into Egypt, where they suffered by Nebuchadnezzar what the Egyptians did, Jer. 43. and 44. Chapters. Some fell by the sword, some were carryed Cap­tive.

First, Observe.

After dayes of mirth come dayes of sorrow. Egypt had seen many dayes of prosperity and rejoycing, and now howle ye, woe worth the day: Her Summer was over, and Winter coming up­on [Page 7] her, black, cloudy, stormy, terrible days were at hand. As there is a change in things, so in times; Eccles. 3.4. There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance: These succeed each other, and neither keeps possession long; mirth and jollity is thrust out of doors after a few dayes, by its contrary. Babylon had her dayes of delight, she was given to pleasure, Isa. 47.8. but suddenly there was a change, Jer. 51.8. Babylon is suddenly fallen, and destroyed: Howle for her.

Secondly, Observe.

The approaching of those dayes, wherein God will visit and punish sinners, is just cause of mourning. Howle, for the day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day: The Judgments of God were at hand, ready to take hold of the Egyptians, therefore they had sufficient cause to howle: Isa. 13.6. Howl ye, for the day of the Lord is at hand; It shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Its spoken of the Babylonians, who thought themselves safe, strong, having subdued most Nations, but they must howl, for that the day of the Lord drew near; it should be a day for destruction and not an ordinary destruction, but as a destruction from the Almighty; it should be such a destruction as should proclaim to the world that the hand of God was eminently in it. Joel 2.1. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord comes, for it is nigh at hand. The time of Nebuchad­nezzar's coming to execute the judgements of God upon Jeru­salem and Judaea drew nigh, and thereupon the Prophet calls upon all the inhabitants of the land to tremble, to repent and mourn; there is great and just cause so to do at such times, be­cause thereby judgements may be averted, delayed, mitigated, or sanctified unto us.

Thirdly, Observe.

God hath his times to visit heathens, it shall be the time of the heathens. If heathens do God any service, he hath a time to reward them, as he did Nebuchadnezzar, by giving him the spoil of Egypt; if heathens do provoke him by their pride, idolatry, profaneness, oppression of his people, or any other way, he hath his time and day to punish them, Jer. 46.8, 9, 10. Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up and cover the earth, I will de­stroy [Page 8] the City (that was Carchemish by the river Euphrates) and the inhabitants thereof. Come up ye horses, and rage ye chariots, and let the mighty men come forth, the Ethiopians and the Lybians that handle the shield, and the Lydians that handle and bend the Bow: For this is the day of the Lord God of Hosts, a day of ven­geance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries. The Egyp­tians, Ethiopians, Lybians and Lydians were all heathens, and God had his day to visit them; when they went to Euphrates to fight the Babylonians, he made the Babylonish sword drunk with their blood: Not long after, God had a day for the Babylonians, Jer. 50.27. Slay all her bullocks, let them go down to the slaugh­ter; w [...] unto them, for their day is come, the time of their visitati­on. The Princes, Nobles, great Ones who were the Bullocks of Babylon, had their day of slaughter.

Fourthly, Observe.

Where publike judgements come, they are troublesome to neigh­bor Nations. The sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia. The evil of the sword was not confined within the Egyptian borders, it reached to the Ethiopians and others, they were filled with fear, they were in pain, as a woman in travail; when evil borders upon us, some evil or mischief is to be feared from thence;Aliquid mali propter vici­t [...]m malum. if our neighbors house be on fire, we may fear some sparks of that fire may fall on ours. The wars of England have made the Nations about us to be in pain.

Fifthly, Observe.

Wars lay all waste, the sword makes no difference between things or persons: The sword shall come upon Egypt, and her foundati­ons shall be broken down, and the men of the land that is in league shall fall with them by the sword: As the sword spared no City, Towers, Castles, so no persons, even those Jews that fled to Egypt for safety, should not escape; what Jews, what mingled people it found in Egypt, they all suffered alike, the sword pittyed, spared none.

Vers. 6. They also that uphold Egypt shall fall.

The Hebrew word is Somechee, which Montanus renders ful­cientes, the Septuag. [...] fundamenta, the foundation of Egypt. These upholders or foundations were not the titular gods, but the Princes, Nobles, Rulers and confederates, who by their power, pollicy, persons and estates, did assist the King of Egypt.

The pride of her power shall come down.

Egypt had strong Towns, Castles, men, and presumed upon, was proud of them, but these should be destroyed and taken away, so should her pride come down: The Vulgar is destruetur superbia Imperii ejus, the pride of her Empire shall be destroy­ed. What ever Egypt confided or gloryed in, that should be brought low. Egypt was lifted up with her power, and sate like one on the top of a Mountain, and God by his judgements would bring her down.

From the Tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword.

Of the Tower of Syene or Sevene was spoken, Chap. 29. 10. The meaning is, that the sword should pass through all Egypt, from one border to another.

Vers. 7. And they shall be desolate in the midst of the coun­tries that are desolate.

This verse is the same with the 12. verse of the 29. Chap. Egypt and her Cities should be like other Lands and Cities which were extreamly wasted.

Vers. 8. When I have set a fire in Egypt.

When God brought the Caldean Army into Egypt, there was a fire in it dreadful and consumptive: The wars were ter­rible, and devoured all things like fire, and its probable many strong Cities and Holds were burnt with fire.

When all her helpers shall be destroyed.

Egypt being rich, powerful and renowned, had many confe­derates which here are called helpers. The French is, Tous teux qui luy donno yent aide, are those that gave her aid, they should all be vain helpers, for they should not secure or save themselves.

Vers. 9. In that day shall messengers go forth from me in Ships.

In that day when Egypt was conquered, Messengers, not Chaldeans, but Egyptians or some that escaped the sword, fled into Ethiopia to inform them what the Chaldeans had done, and in what case they left Egypt. They are said to go forth from God, because they went by his counsell and providence, or be­cause they fled from his angry countenance, which appeared in the destruction of Egypt, for the original is from my face. God sent them to carry tydings of his dreadful judgements to the Ethiopians: They went in Ships, Batzim, in some vessels that were for speed; the Septuag. is [...] hastening.

To make the careless Ethiopians afraid.

Nebuchadnezzar passed through the oriental Ethiopia to come to Egypt, and these Ethiopians seem to be the African E­thiopians; and when Egypt was spoiled from one border to ano­ther, even to Syene, he was near it, his passage lay fair open and easie into it, and its not said that Nebuchadnezzar should not go beyond Syene, but that Egypt should be made desolate from the Tower of Syene to Cush that was the other Ethiopiae. The messengers hasted to this Southern Ethiopia (the inhabi­tants whereof were a secure careless people) & assured them the sword had devoured Egypt, and was come to their gates; this struck fear into them. The Hebrew word to make afraid, is, Charad, which notes, externam commotionem ex metu mali, out­ward trembling from fear of some suddain evil, such tydings put all Ethiopia into trembling.

And great pain shall come upon them, as in the day of Egypt.

When sad and grievous judgements are upon a place, that is called the Day of that place, as the day of Jerusalem, Psal. 137.7. In the day of Jerusalem, the Edomites said, rase it, rase it, even to the foundations thereof. When Nebuchadnezzar be­sieged, took, spoyled and burnt Jerusalem, that was the day of it; so here, in the day of Egypt, that was, when the plagues were upon it, especially when their first born were slain, then were they in great pain. When the land was in travail, and when they were all drowned in the red Sea, then great pain was upon all the Nations round about: so here Ethiopia should be in tra­vail, filled with feares, and shaking fits, as Egypt and the Na­tions then were.

Observe, First.

When God will visit a Nation, it's not their great Ones in it, or confederates with it, which can secure it. They that uphold Egypt shall fall; the Princes, Nobles, Counsellors, Associates, and whosoever were in league with her, should all feel the hand of God, and be crushed with her: when men do storm a City, it's not her Out-works, her Walls, her Gates, her Tow­ers [Page 12] that can preserve her, and when God will destroy a Nation, it's not outward, nor inward helps can uphold. No pollicie, no power, no number can stand it out against God.

Observe, Secondly.

States are not to confide in power, but pride and confidence there­in, hastens their ruine. Egypt had power, was proud thereof, and confided therein, and the Lord said, the pride of her power shall come down, Is. 16.6. We have heard of the pride of Moab (he is ve­ry proud) even of his haughtinesse and his pride; but his lies shall not be so. He thought himself strong, secure, but his pride & confidence did deceive him: For vers. 7. Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, every one shall howl: The Moabites amongst themselves should howl one for, and with another; for the foun­dations of Kir-hareseth shall ye mourn, surely are they stricken. Kir-hareseth was a chief City for strength, in which they placed much confidence, and to which they fled in their streights; but her foundations were stricken, and their hopes disappointed, and the pride of their power brought down. Its the pride of States and Princes which levels them with others. Isa. 10.12. I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. Senacherib prided himself in his great Army, and presumed he should take Jerusalem, and eat up all the prey thereof, but his high looks were abased, & his confi­dences his ruine. 2 Kings 19.35.36, 37.

Observe, Thirdly.

God sends dreadful and consumptive judgements upon Nations, and makes himself known thereby. They shall know that I am the Lord, when I have set fire in Egypt, and when all her help­ers are destroyed: It's God kindles fires in Nations, and King­domes, to consume Towns and Cities: Men, and their habita­ons, they are all his, and he may do to them what he pleases, having transgressed his lawes. By fire and sword did the Lord plead with the Egyptians, laying all wast, and by so doing, made himself known to be a powerful, righteous, and dread­full God.

Observe, Fourthly.

In the soarest judgements of God upon men, usually some escape. God threatned Egypt, Chap. 29.8. that he would cut off man and [Page 13] beast, and make it utterly wast from one end to another; verse 10, yet here in the ninth verse he saith, Messengers shall go forth, some should escape to carry tydings of his severe judgements.

Observe, Fifthly.

Those things which seem accidentall and casual unto us, are or­dered by the wise Counsel, Power, and Providence of God: In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships. When all Egypt was in a confusion, some running one way, and some another, to secure themselves; and some hastening unto ships to tell others what the Chaldeans had done, in the midst of these hur­ries and disorders, God saw, acted, sent out messengers: they went not, however the appearance was to men; without Gods ordering hand; themselves thought of no such thing, nor those they went unto; they dreamed not that they were sent forth of God, that they came from him; it was lookt upon as a meer contingencie, but Gods hand was in it. Things may be contin­gent to us, they are not so to God.

Observe, Sixthly,

Such is the efficacy of Gods judgements made known, that they do afflict those are at a distance from them, and fill the most se­cure with fears and pains. The Ethiopians were absent from the judgements executed upon the Egyptians, they were secure, carelesse people, but when the messengers told them their Ci­ties were burnt, their men slain, their foundations and helpers destroyed, they were afraid, and great pains came upon them, they were in travail for their Lives, Liberties, and Estates. There is a mighty power in the judgements of God to terrify sinners even at a distance. When Tyrus understood such was the efficacy of that judgement upon those afarre off, that its said, all the Princes of the Sea clothed themselves with trembling, Ezek. 27.35. so that we may say of Gods judgements as David, Psal. 10.11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? who knows what efficacy it's of, and how far it extends?

Observe, Seventhly. Former judgements are not to be for­gotten: As in the Day of Egypt. God had visited Egypt many hundreds of years before, and now he minds them of that visitation. So Isa. 9.4. God mentions the dayes of the Midi­anites, minds them of the great destruction of the Midianites [Page 14] by Gideon, Judg. 7 and 8 chap. God mindes the dayes of mens sinning, Hos. 9.9. they have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the dayes of Gibeah, and therefore he would visit their sins; and when he hath visited for sins, he would have us remem­ber those visitations, Jer. 7.12. Go to Shiloh, and see what I did to it for the wickednesse of my people Israel. As we should re­member ancient and former mercies to strengthen out faith, so ancient and former judgements to quicken our fears.

Vers. 10. I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease.

The Hebrew word for multitude is hamon, which signifies both multitude and noise, for where there is a multitude there will be a noise. Egypt was populous, and God would diminish the people, they should be slain, and carried away captives, so should both the multitude and noise cease. Increase of peo­ple is a blessing, the lessening of them a judgement.

By the hand of Nebuchadrezzar.

Hand here notes power, as in 2 Chron. 2 [...].10. and Job 1.12. all that he hath is in thy power, the Hebrew is in thy hand. Ne­buchadrezzar by his mighty powerfull arm should come and lay all Egypt waste, and make it like a wildernesse. Armies are the hands of Princes, by which they doe great and dreadfull things.

Vers. 11 The terrible of the nations shall be brought to destroy the land.

The word for terrible is arizze from [...] araz to deal vio­lently, to terrifie, which Piscator renders crudelissi [...] the most cruell, the Septuagint [...] pestes, the French les plus hide [...], the most hideous; and Junius the most violent; Vatablus cals them Tyranni Gentium, the Tyrants of Nations; those were most Tyrannical and terrible God brought and set on work to destroy the land. The Chaldeans were a bitter nation, terrible and dreadful, Hab. 1.6, 7. these words we had chap. 28.7. so terrible they were that they should fill the land with dead bo­dies. When an Army of friends passe through a Countrey no hurt is done, but when an army of Tyrants of strong and ter­rible enemies come to spoil, what mischief will they not do?

Vers. 12. And I will make the rivers dry, Heb. drought.

Though the Chaldean Army was great, yet not so great as to drink up all the waters of Nilus, which is one of the chiefest rivers in the world. Nilus had many rivulets cut out of it, whereby the land was watered; all those might they stop up with earth and other materials, for their better passage, and so the rivers were made dry: Or by rivers we may understand that benefit came by them; the Chaldeans should take away all the wealth of Egypt which came by the rivers, and so the ri­vers were as dry things to the Egyptians: So Maldonate and some others interpret the words; but rather thus, God would send great spoil and desolation into Egypt, whereby the rivers [Page 16] might become uselesse unto them: or should we take the words literally, as some Expositors are of the minde, viz. that for the great wickednesse of the Egyptians God dried up Nilus, and punished them with sore famine, as in the dayes of Joseph it was when there were seven years of famine; This sense may be safe: or we may take rivers for the people and their power.

And sell the land into the hands of the wicked.

The Lord gives, he doth not sell: The word for selling is Macar, which signifies to give, to deliver, as well as to sell, and the Septuagint saith [...] I will give the land; those who sell do deliver what they sell into the hands of others; and this is attributed to God metaphorically, for that he disposed of the land of Egypt to others, that is the Chaldeans, who are called wicked, the Vulgar hath it in manus pessimorum into the hands of the worst.

I will make the land waste and all that is therein.

Egypt was a land abounding with men, horse, charets, wealth, Cities, and all desirable things, but God would make it deso­late, and all the fulnesse of it, so the words are in Hebrew, for all that is therein, it had a fulnesse of all things, and by the hand of the Chaldean it was emptied, who in the next words are called strangers, because they were such to the Egypti­ans.

I the Lord have spoken it.

These words are a ratification of what is threatned. Ezekiel hath not spoken a vision of his own, or from his own spirit, but what is said is the word of the eternal God, I the Lord have spoken it, I have determined it shall be so, and nothing shall lett it.

Observe, First.

God hath wayes to empty lands of their m [...]titude and fullnesse. Egypt had her multitude of men, of beasts, of Cities, of riches, she had her fulnesse of all things, and God had an Army, a multitude of Souldiers to plunder and spoil her, to empty her [Page 17] of all her multitudes and fulnesses: Jerusalem had its multitudes and fulness, but Nubuchadnezzar emtyed her, and made her like an empty vessel, Jer 51.34. Babylon had her multitudes and fulness of Treasure, Jer. 51.13. and God had Fanners to fan her, ver. 2. and empty her land; those Fanners were the Medes and Persians, who scattered the Babylonians, and made a Prey of their Treasures.

Secondly, observe;

When God will execute severe Judgments, he makes use of suitable Instruments: He intended utter destruction to Egypt, and the terrible of the Nations were brought to destroy it. Ne­buchadnezzar had men out of many Nations, and the terrible ones of those Nations, by the secret hand of God, were brought to lay Egypt waste. They roared like Lyons, Isa. 5.29. They were cruel and without mercie, Jer. 6.23. They hanged Princes by their hands, Lament 5.12. And here they fil'd the Land with the slain.

Thirdly, observe;

Gods designs shall go on whatever lies in the way to hinder. He was resolved upon the destruction of Egypt, the Rivers of it lay in the way, so that an Army could not get over Nilus that great river; if gotten over, it could not march and do the work appointed for the multitude of little Rivers were in the land; shall these hinder the designe of God? No, he will dry up the Rivers to make way unto his designs; the Babylonians shall pass over, and pierce through the whole land. When the Israelites were at the Red Sea, that lay as an impediment unto Gods design, which was to carry them to Canaan, but did it hinder the same? No, speak to the Children of Israel that they go forward; what go forward and be drowned in the Sea? No, because they had not Faith to go upon the waters, therefore he divides the waters, and makes a dry path for them through the midst of the deeps, Exod 14. There were Mountains in the way hindering the building of the Temple, but one great mountain above all the rest. Zech. 4.7. Who art thou, O great mountain? whether it were the Persian Monarchy, or Satan and all the ene­mies of the Jewes, God made it a plain before Zerubbabel, and notwithstanding all enemies and opposition, he carried on [Page 18] the work of God. Things may be too hard for men, impossible for them, but nothing is too hard for, or impossible to the Lord. He enabled Nebuchadnezzar to take Tyrus, to destroy Egypt; all the Rivers thereof shall not hinder it, God will dry them up rather then his designe shall faile. Psal. 74.15. Thou dryest up mighty rivers. God hath divided Seas, plained Mountains, and dryed up Rivers in our days, to make way for his designs, and in due time he will dry up the great River Euphrates to make way for the Kings of the East, Rev. 16.12.

Fourthly, observe;

All Lands are the Lords, and he may dispose of them to whom he will, even to the wicked; he sold, he gave the land of Egypt into the hands of the Babylonians who were wicked, yea the worst of men. Ezek. 7.24. Kingdoms are not such excellent things as we imagine, were they so, they would not be given to Gods enemies. That Kingdom is of great worth which God gives to his children, Luke 12.32.

I will destroy the Idols.

Egypt was the most idolatrous Land of any, and God would now destroy the Idols out of it. The word for Idols is gillulim, which Piscator renders stercora, dung, filth, so the word signi­fies, and their Idols were dunghil filthy Gods, fitter to be trod­den under foot by Man and Beast, then to be worshipped.

I will cause their Images to cease.

Elilim Images, from Elil nihilum, for an Image or Idol is res ni­hili, a thing of no account. 1 Cor. 8.4. It cannot profit; therefore, Isai. 2.20. They shall cast away their Idols as useless things, and God would make them to cease.

Out of Noph.

This Noph was a great city in Egypt, very populous and fa­mous for the Pyramids and Monuments of Kings, who leaving Thebes, made that the Royal City. Isai. 19.13. The Princes of Noph; thither many of the Jews fled, Jeremie 44.1. It was seated on the west side of Nilus over against Cairo; though it was once the Metropolis of Egypt, now nothing remains but the meer ruines. The vulgar renders it Memphis, and so it was commonly call'd by Heathen Writers, and Hos. 9.6. Memphis shall bury them. The Hebrew word for Memphis is Moph litterarum N. & M. facili permutatione, Jun. in Isai. 19.13. by the chang-of N into M. saith Martinius, and hence Memphis but Ju­nius makes it so call'd from Moph a Mountain near unto it. In this City was that Idol Apis in the form of an Ox worshipped, like unto it was the Calf the Jews made when Moses was in the Mount, and those Calves Jeroboam set up at Dan and Bethel.

And there shall be no more a Prince of the Land of Egypt.

God would so visit Egypt that he would either cut off all the Royal Blood, not leaving any of the Egyptian race to reign, or which is more consonant to truth, he would keep Egypt a long time without any Prince: He had threatned in the former Chap­ter, ver. 11, 12. That Egypt should be desolate Forty eight years, and that is the time here meant, there shall be no more a Prince of the land of Egypt. Lavater extends these words no more beyond the Forty years, saying, that for a long time they had no Kings, for after that time the Macedonians, Romans and Sarazens ruled over them.

And I will put a fear in the land of Egypt.

The Egyptians were like the Ethiopians, a secure careless people, they trusted in their Rivers, their Cities, their Horse, their Foot, their Confederates and wealth; therefore God would awaken them, and put a fear into all sorts; they should f [...]ar the issue of things, an enemy being at hand, and ready to lay all waste.

Vers. 14. And I will make Pathros desolate,

Of Pathros was spoken Chap. 29. 14. There its joyned with the Land of Pathros; there its reckoned amongst Cities; and Junius saith its likely to be that City which afterwrds men commonly called Herculis parvam urbem, the little City of Hercules, because it was strong, and scituate in the Front of Egypt for defence of it. When Nebuchadnezzar came into Egypt, he made desolate both Pathros the Country, and Pathros the City.

I will set fire in Zoan.

Zoan was a City in Egypt very antient, built seven years after Hebron, Num. 13.22. a Royal City where the Princes resi­ded, Isa. 19.11. to it came Princes from Judaea for help. Isa. [Page 21] 30.4. The Septuagint calls it Tanis, and because it was not far from Nilus one of the mouths of Nilus was called Ostium Tanicum or Taniticum. Among Authors there is mention of Tanis in Goshen, and Tanis on the other side Nilus, where Memphis was; and because the Jews dwelt in Goshen, I con­ceive Tanis in Goshen is sometimes meant in Scripture, and not always the other Tanis or Zoan, as Psal. 78.12. & 43. vers. God did marvelous things and wonders in the [...]ield of Zoan or Tanis, that might be that where the Jews inhabited. By Fire here may be understood fire materially, which consum'd Zoan to ashes; or fire Metaphorically, Gods vengeance upon it by the Sword.

and will execute Judgments in No.

No was another great City in Egypt, of which the Prophet Nahum speaks thus, Chap. 3. 8. Art thou better then populous No, that was scituate among the Rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose Rampart was the Sea, and her wall was from the Sea. The word for populous is Amon, which signifies nourishing. No was mater & nutrix totius Egypti, the Mother and Nurse of all Egypt, by reason of her great wealth and traf­fique, scituate amongst the Rivers, cut out of Nilus. The Septuag. terms it [...] the Chaldee Paraphrast, Rabbies, and most Expositors make it to be the City which in after-times was call'd Alexandria. Junius thinks it that City and Tract which Ptolomie calls Neuth. This City God did punish, for it was ido­latrous, Jerem. 46.25.

Vers. 15. I will pour my fury upon Sin the strength of Egypt.

Exod. 16.1. Mention is made of the wilderness of Sin, which some Expositors affirm had its name from this City here call'd Sin, which afterward obtained the name Pelusium, and was by that mouth of Nilus termed ostium Pelusiorum, over a­gainst Arabia Petraea, and is now called Damiata Castaldo Zei­glero, and Suidas names it, Clavis Egypti, the Key of Egypt, [Page 22] and our Prophet robur Egypti, the strength of Egypt; it was of grand import to hinder the coming in or going out of ships. So strong it was that God must pour his fury upon it, else it would not be ruined.

And wlll cut off the multitude of No.

This City No had great trading, and Idol Gods in it, both which drew Multitudes of people; but the Lord would cut them off, some by the Sword, some by captivity, and some by other Judgments.

Vers. 16. I will set fire in Egypt.

In ver. 14. he said, I will set fire in Zoan, and here in Egypt. The Babylonians were Fire-brands, whom God brought to con­sume all Egypt and her Glory.

Sin shall have great pain.

The Hebrew is dolendo dolebit, she shall be in such paine as women in travail are; God would pour his fury upon her, and that would paine her to purpose.

No shall be rent asunder.

Garments we use to rend in pieces, and weak materialls: Ci­ties are weak things when God comes to deal with them, he can rend them asunder; the strongest Walls, Towers, Hou­ses, he can in a moment pull in pieces, as easily as the strongest man can paper or cloaths.

And Noph shall have distresses daily.

Noph shall hear of, and meet with those things as should put her into continual streights; provisions should faile her, the spi­rit of her Soldiers and Inhabitants should faile her, her hope [Page 23] of help from Confederates should faile her, so daily she should have distress, and especially when besieged by the Enemy.

Vers. 17. The young men of Aven.

Aven the Septuagint, have it [...] Heliopolis, which is the City of the Sun, and Isa. 19.18. its call'd [...] Ir Cheres the City of the Sun, so its rendred in the Margent; and it was so cal'd, because it was simulachrum & templum solis, the Image and Temple of the Sun, it was sometimes in Holy Writ call'd On, Gen. 41.45. Pharoah gave Joseph to wife Asenath, the Daughter of Potiphera, Priest of On, of Heliopolis saith the Sep­tuag. It was after by the Graecians call'd Thebe, by the Arabians Bethsemes. The men of this City were accounted the wisest of all the Egyptians; neither their wisdom nor their strength could preserve them from falling by the sword.

And of Phibeseth shall fall by the Sword.

This City is affirm'd to be Bubastis or Bubastus, a City in Egypt, where Diana, whom the Egyptians call'd Bubastis, had a Temple; and there was once a year great solemnitie had in ho­norem Dianae, by some its call'd pubastum.

These Cities shall go into Captivity.

The Inhabitants of them shall be taken and carried away by Nebuchadnezzar and his forces, viz. The Citizens of Aven and Phibeseth.

Vers. 18. At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened.

Some make this City to be the same with Zoan or Tanis. In Je­remiah its call'd Tahpanhes: Chap. 44. 1. in it dwelt many of the Fugitive Jews; its thought to be so call'd from Tahpenes the Queen Wife of Pharaoh, 1 Kin. 11.19. In Isa. 30.4. Its nam'd Hanes on Chanes, in Jerem. 43.7. Tahpanthes, so its in the Hebrew, and it was a Royal City, ver. 9. Pharaohs house [Page 24] was there. Its by some Expositors said to be Daphnae or Daph­nis, which was in ostio Nili Pelusiano, of his Judgment was Ju­nius in his notes on Jer. 30.4. but in this place he makes Te­haphnehes to be in the remotest part of Egypt, Southward, above Syene, where Nilus makes an Island call'd Tacompso or Ca­compso, by Herodotus; Now there should the day be darkned, that is turned into night by reason of mourning and sadness; all their mirth should be taken away, Fears, Sorrows, Distresses, should come as thick Clouds upon them, and darken all.

When I shall break there the yoaks of Egypt.

The Egyptians held them there in great subjection, rul'd over them Tyrannically, they made them serve like Beasts with yokes on their necks, and burdens on their backs. God would set them at liberty, and put yokes upon the Egyptians own necks. Junius thinks there were some works or chains in those parts to keep out the Ethiopians from making incursions into Aegypt. Lavater reads the words, vectes Aegypti, the Bars of Egypt. The people thereupon were put to great Taxes, and hard Services, which were Yoaks: Some read the Scepters of Egypt, the word Mototh is rendred by some Scepters, by o­thers loca nigra vectes; where there be Scepters, Power, there will be heavy and burthensome things, such Lawes, Decrees, Or­ders, Taxes, Services imposed upon the people, as that they may well be call'd Yoaks, Bonds, Barrs, Lets to their Liberty and Comfort, these Yoaks would God break and remove from their necks and backs.

And the pomp of her strength shall cease in her.

The Hebrew is, the pride of her strength. Egypt had strong Cities, strong Garrisons, which made her proud, confident; The Septuag. is [...] the injury or violence of her power and strength; she abused her strength in oppressing others, and God would put an end unto it, he would destroy it, and she should no more glorie in her strong Holds, or in her Multitudes of men.

As for her a cloud shall cover her.

Here is a Nominative case absolute in the Hebrew [...] Hi ipsa, which is rendred as for her, that is Tehaphnehes, a cloud shall cover her. Nebuchadnezzars Army, which brought a cloud of fears, a cloud of sorrows, a cloud of perplexities, a cloud of reproach; Such a cloud was upon Worcester.

And her Daughters shall go into captivity.

By Daughters we may understand the women of Tehaphnehes, who properly were the Daughters thereof, or, the little Towns thereabouts, each were under the protection and power of Te­haphnehes, and so were her Daughters metaphorically: The In­habitants of them should be carried away into Babylon.

Vers. 19. Thus will I execute Judgments in Egypt.

Egypt was full of Sin, and God fill'd it with his Judgments from one end to the other, he said he would cut off man and beast, break down her Foundations, dry up the Rivers, lay all waste, fill the land with the slain, send Multitudes into Cap­tivity; and thus will I execute Judgment in Egypt.

First, observe;

Idols and Idolatrous worship are so far from benefiting a State, as that they provoke God to ruine them, and the State with them. Egypt had many Idolls, many Images, in most Ci­ties they were set up and worshipped, this caused God to de­stroy them, and Egypt with them. I will destroy the Idols, and will cause their Images to cease out of Noph, and I will set fire in Egypt. Idolatry is a Sin robs God of his Glory, and so provokes him to fury, to take vengeance on Idols and Idola­trous Kingdoms. Jer. 46.25. I will punish the multitude of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their Gods and their Kings. The Kings set up their Idol Gods, they commanded and countenan­ced the worshipping of them, therefore they should be puni­shed together. Idolatry is very destructive, it was the de­struction [Page 26] of the ten Tribes, 2 King. 17.7. and you may see how Judah suffered for this Sin, 2 Chron. 28.2. Ahaz made Moul [...]en Images for Baalim, and burnt incense to Idols, but what was the issue thereof? ver. 5. The King of Syria smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them Captives; Pe­kah also the Son of Remaliah slew in Judah 120000. in one day, which were all valiant men, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers; they fell to Idolatry. ver. 6. Besides the loss of those men, 200000. women, sons and daughters, were carried away captive, ver. 8. O what spoil was Judah brought unto for its abominable Idolatry!

Secondly, observe;

God may and can deprive Lands of their Princes at his plea­sure. There shall be no more a Prince of the Land of Egypt. P [...]inces have their Patents and Power from God. Prov. 8.16. By me Princes rule, and Nobles, even all the Judges of the earth. Its God sets them up, and he may and doth pull them down as he sees cause; he set up Saul and he rejected him, 1 Sam. 15.23. he planted Zedekiah, and pull'd him up, Ezek. 17.8, 9. He cuts off the spirit of Princes, he is terrible to the Kings of the earth, Psal. 76.12. He cuts them off as suddenly, as easily as the Vine-dresser doth branches off the Vine, he is terrible unto them. 2 Chron. 22.21. he sent an Angel and cut off all the migh­ty men of valour, and the Leaders and Captains in the Camp of the King of Assyria: The Angel made terrible work among them in one night. God is King of Kings, and in the day of his wrath he strikes through them, and deprives their Land of them. He can say to any Land, as he did to Egypt, there shall be no more a Prince there.

Thirdly, Observe;

There is nothing can secure a wicked Prince and Nation from the judgements of God. Egypt and her King had many Cities, Strong Cities, populous Cities, wealthy Cities, Men of wisdom and might in them, yet these could not keep off the Sword and Fire; I will make Pathros desolate, I will set fire in Zoan, I will execute judgments in No, and poure my fury upon Sin; Noph shall have distress, the men of Aven and Phibeseth shall fall by the Sword, and a Cloud shall cover Tehaphnehes. Men might [Page 72] run from one City to another, but Gods judgments would out­run them, if they escaped one Judgment, another would over­take them.

Fourthly, observe;

God hath his times to take off the heavy Burdens, Tributes and Taxes are laid upon people by oppressing Princes and Ru­lers, when I shall break there the Yoaks of Egypt. The Rulers of Egypt decreed unrighteous things, opprest the men of Te­haphnehes, suckt their blood by hard Rates and Taxes, burden­ed them with difficult and dangerous Services, and made them groan under their Yoaks, as they did, so do the Princes and Rulers of most Nations in the world; but as they have their times to make and increase such yoaks upon the people, so God hath his time to take them off. Levit. 26.13. I have broken the bands of your yoak, and made you to go upright. The Jews were under the Egyptian Yoak a long time, but at last he break the bands of the Yoak, those Laws, Decrees, that kept them in Egypt, held them to hard labor, causing them to stoop, and made them free, so that they could go upright. Bondage makes men to bow, but Liberty to go upright. Heavy burdens upon people make them sigh, presse them down to the Earth, and when they are eased they rejoyce and look up. Its God breaks the Yoaks off, whoever puts them on. Isa. 10.27. It shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulders, and his Yoak from off thy neck, and the Yoak shall be destroyed because of the anointing. The King of Assyri [...]s, Burdens and Yokes lay heavy and hard upon the Jewish State; but for Hezekiahs sake, or rather Christs, who is called the anointing, he would break the Yoaks, and take off the Bur­dens.

Fifthly, observe;

God makes some Nations exemplarie with his judgments; Thus will I execute Judgments in Egypt; thus as becomes me a provoked God; thus as an Idolatrous profane guilty Nation de­serves; thus as themselves and all Nations round about shall know that I am the Lord, they shall see that in my Judgements which shall convince them that no hand but mine could do such things, take such Strong Holds, ruine so many Cities, and lay [Page 28] waste such a land as Egypt was. Some Lands are Theaters of Gods severe Judgements; we have been made Monuments of Gods choice Mercies, wonderfull Deliverances. Let us fear the Lord and his Goodness, least he turn our Mercies into Judg­ments.

Vers. 20. In the Eleventh year in the First month, the seventh day of the month.

That was in the Eleventh year of Jehoiakins Captivity; the First month and the seventh day, Ezekiel had this Prophesie given in; it was three months and two days before the takeing of Jerusalem, Jer. 52.5, 6. for it was taken the Eleventh year, the Fourth Month, and the ninth day. This Prophesie though it be set after that in chap. 29.17. yet was sixteen year before it. The Penmen of the Scriptures do not exactly observe the order where every thing should come in; among the Psalms you have the third Psalm, which was made at that time when David fled from Absolom, set before the 34, 51, 56, 57, 59, 60. and others, which were made before that, as appears by their Titles.

Vers. 21. I have broken the Arm of Pharaoh King of Egypt.

By Arme, the forces and power Pharaoh had, are intended. Vatablus saith the Preter Tense is here put for the Future Tense, I have broken, that is, I will break; but Pharaoh had his arme broken before, when the Babylonian forces beat him and his Army by the River Euphrates in Charchemish, which was in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, Jer 46.2. And at that time he took from him all that he had between Nilus and Euphrates, 2 Kings 24.7. which was the breaking of his Arme, and such a breaking as it could not be cured. But notwithstanding this breaking, Pharaoh got up forces again; and when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem, he came forth out of Egypt, whereupon Nebuchadnezzar raised [Page 30] his Siege, went to meet Pharaoh, and caused him to retreat, Jer. 37.5, 7. as having a broken arm, and not being able to encoun­ter with him.

And loe, it shall not be bound up to be healed, &c.

That wound and loss which Pharaoh received by overthrow of his army, he never could cure and recover; neither his own peo­ple, nor his Confederates could set him into his former condi­tion; he is here resembled to a broken Arme, which cannot be bound up, or if bound up, not be healed, so as to be usefull any more. Pharaoh could never recover his strength and greatness again.

Vers. 22. Behold, I am against Pharaoh King of Egypt.

Here is the cause of Pharaohs breakings, his not binding up and healing, the Lord was against him; not only the Babylonians and Cyreneans were his enemies, but the Lord himself; when he breaks in pieces, who shall bind up? when he wounds who shall heal? when he is an Enemie, who can stand before him? The Lo [...]d makes himself Author of all the Judgements fell upon Pharaoh.

And will break his Arms, the strong, and that which was broken.

Pharaohs Arms were Egypt, and those Territories he had from Egypt to Euphrates. His Arme was broken already by the Babylonians as you have it before; One Arm yet remain'd, and that is call'd a strong one, viz. Egypt with all her strength; This Arm God break by the Cyreneans (against whom Pharaoh led out an Army which they overthrew) and the Civil Wars amongst them; after that Victory they were so consum'd and weakened,Chap. 29.4. vid. Juni. that they had not hearts nor means to defend them­selves against Nebuchadnezzar when he invaded them.

I will cause the Sword to fall out of his hand.

When an Arm is broken, the hand is disabled from holding [Page 31] any thing; so Pharaoh having his arms broken, Syria and E­gypt, the Sword should fall out of his hand, he should not be able any more to make war: he should neither have forces in the one Kingdom or the other to do him service; or thus, if he did get up some forces, and ingage with the Babylonians, God would so order things that the Egyptians should be overcome, throw down their Arms, cry for quarter, or fly for safety.

Vers. 23. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the Nations.

The Hebrew word for to scatter is [...] puts, which signifies confringi cum dispersione, to be broken and dispersed; he spake before of the breaking Pharaohs forces, and now saith they should be scattered, some running one way, some another, some carried into one part of Babylon, some into another.

And disperse them.

[...] Sarah, which is the Hebrew word, signifies to disperse by breaking in pieces, and also by fanning. The Sep­tuagint hath it [...] I will fan them: And so Lavater, Pis­cator, and the vulgar render the word. God would fan them as chaffe out of the Land of Egypt, and drive them from coun­try to country, as the wind drives chaffe from place to place.

Vers. 24. And I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon.

Chizzikti, Montanus renders it comfortabo, I will comfort; Va­tablus noborabo, I will make strong. Jun. and Pisca. confirmabo, I will confirm; the French, fortifiray, I will fortifie. The Septuag. [...] I will harden. The word Chazak saith Kirker, sig­nifies properly, firmam apprehensionem, such a taking hold of a man, as thereby to confirm his Spirits, and to strengthen him: God would take hold of Nebuchadnezzar and his forces, so as to add spirit, courage and strength unto them; he would be on their side, and make them victorious. He was against Pha­raoh, [Page 32] brake his Arms, weakened him; but he would be with Nebuchadnezzar, uphold him, and make his Arms strong.

And put my Sword in his hand.

I will furnish him with all military instruments, and suffici­ency of power to execute my judgments upon Egypt, and up­on Pharaoh King thereof. God would make the Sword fall out of his hand; but he would put one into Nebuchadnezzars hand.

But I will break Pharaohs Arms.

Let them be strong and brawnie, I will break them as wood bones, earthen vessels are wont to be broken; he is proud, con­fident, and thinks himself able to withstand the King of Babylon, but by him will I break all his forces, and so breake them, that

He shall groan before him, with the groanings of a deadly wounded man.

The Hebrew runs thus, He shall cry with Cries being dead­ly wounded before him. Piscator looking to the former words, I will break Pharaohs Arms, renders them thus, that he may groan before him, as a man groans being deadly wounded: When a man is Chalal, thrust through or deadly wounded, he fetcheth deep sighs and groans; and Pharaoh should be so af­flicted, with the King of Babylons prevailing against him, that he should greatly mourn and groan. Noak notes such crying, sighing, groaning as men make when they are wounded unto death.

Vers. 25. But I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon, and the Arms of Pharaoh shall fall down, &c.

In this verse and the last there is little but what was said be­fore; the Prophet repeats the same things, that so he might awa­ken the Egyptians to consider what dreadful desolations were coming upon them, and beat off the Jews from seeking help at [Page 33] their hands whose destruction was so certainly determined by the Lord.

And he shall stretch it out upon the Land of Egypt.

This stretching out may either refer to the stroke; as when men will strike strong and deadly stroaks, they stretch out their arms that the stroke may be with more force upon the partie to be smitten; or it may note the extent of the Sword, it should be stretched out upon the whole Land of Egypt; Wars should consume the whole Nation.

First, observe;

Men in affliction strictly observe how the time passes away, they mind the years, months, and days. Ezekiel was a Captive in Babylon, and he kept account of the time; in the Eleventh year, the first month, and seventh day of it, that was of their Captivity; he slipt not a day but observed it, and what fell out; then the word of the Lord came unto him. Afflictions make good Chronologers.

Secondly, observe;

The Lord makes good his word he had said by the mouth of David, Psal. 37.17. The arms of the wicked shall be broken, and here he saith, I have broken the Arms of Pharaoh King of Egypt; he was a wicked King, and God broke his Arms. Kings who have great forces, great wealth, numerous Cities, and strong Navies, if they be wicked, they and all they have are no more to God then one single man, whose Arms God can easily break, for he hath a mighty Arm, Psal. 89.13. And when he makes it bare, then it breaks Kings and Kingdoms, Arms and Armies in pieces; it was his Arm that brake the Babylonian, Persian, Grecian and Roman Empires, which were all wicked. He break the Arm of Moab, Jer. 48.25. He will break the Arm of Antichrist, and of all the Princes of the Earth which help him.

Thirdly, observe;

God sometimes so wounds Princes and States, as that their wounds are incurable. I have broken the Arm of Pharaoh, and loe, it shall not be bound up to be healed; all the State-Chyrurge­ons [Page 34] and Physitians could not set the bone again, and heal the wound; much art and industry was used, many plaisters ap­plyed, but all to no purpose, for God had said, it shall not be healed, Jer. 46.11. In vain shall they use many Medicines, for they shall not be cured; its spoken of this Pharaoh, and the wound he had received. If God deny once to cure the wounds, he makes those wounds prove deadly; not all the Balm in Gile­ad will cure them, not all the wisdom, riches, strength of E­gypt, could make Pharaoh whole again. If the Lord himself do not binde up when he breaks, heal where he wounds, nothing but death and dissolution follows.

Fourthly, observe;

Its a dreadful thing to have the Lord declare himself to be an enemie to a King, to a State, to any; Behold, I am against Pharaoh, therefore what was broken could not be healed, and what was whole should be broken, he should be more and more disabled; his Princes became fools, his wise Councellors bru­tish, a perverse and seducing Spirit was in the midst of them; and Egypt was as women, fearfull and weak like women, Isai. 19.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. God being against Pharaoh, all his Councels, Enterprizes, were blasted, all his forces broken, all his Cities made desolate, and all his people consum'd or carried into Captivity; better he had had all the Princes of the world against him then God, for whomsoever he is against, must be ruin'd.

Fifthly, observe;

The flourishing and perishing of Kings, Kingdoms, and Armies, is from the Lord. I will strengthen the Arms of the King of Babylon, and put my Sword in his hand, but I will break Pharaohs Arms, and they shall fall down. One of these great Kings should prosper, his Kingdom flourish, his forces stand and conquer; the other should perish, his Kingdom be laid waste, and all his forces broken and scattered. What King, State, or Army soever God is with, he will strengthen, uphold; what King, State, or Army soever he is against, he will break, ruine, and bring to nothing, whatever their Strength, Wealth, or Councels are.

Sixthly, observe;

Tyrannical wicked Kings oft come to very sad ends: he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man. Herodotus saith he was strangled by the Egyptians which had re­volted from him to Amasis. The Holy Scripture tells you what ends Adonibezek, Athaliah, Jezebel, Ahab, and Senacherib came unto. Pilate who put Christ to death, was deposed, banished, and at last slew himself at Lyons in France. Of Thirty two Em­perors who persecuted the Christians, scarce any of them dyed a natural death; some were poysoned, some kill'd by the Sol­diers, some sentenc'd by the Senate, and some slew themselves: Galerius had such a Loathsome disease, as that he could not in­dure the stink of it, but slew himself to avoid it. Vid. Fox Act. Mon. vol. 1. pag. 40, 41.

Seventhly, observe;

God is the Author of Wars, he sets one Tyrant against ano­ther, and gives Commission how far they shall proceed. I will put my Sword into the hand of the King of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar was a great Tyrant, and God set him upon Pharaoh another great Ty­rant, and ordered him how far he should go, even over all E­gypt. Tyrants cannot stir till God move them; the Sword is his; if he will not put it into their hands, they cannot take it up, and when he hath put it into their hand, they cannot go one foot further then he hath appointed them.

Vers. 1. In the Eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month.

The Prophet had not Prophesies given in every month, it was a month and Twenty-four days from the last Prophesie to this, which was one month and eight or nine days before the de­struction of Jerusalem, and in the Eleventh year of their Cap­tivity, the Third month, and First day of the month. The Hebrew for First day of the Month, is, una mensis, one of the [Page 38] month is an Hebraisme common in the Scripture, as in Gen. 1.5. The Evening and the Morning were one day, so is the He­brew, that is the first day, Luke 24.1. [...] upon one of the week, that is the First day of the week.

Vers. 2. Speak unto Pharaoh King of Egypt, and to his multitude.

Pharaoh was a great King, and had a great Multitude of Men, Horses, and Chariots, and conceited himself greater then he was; but how great soever he were in realitie or con­ceit, God orders a Prophet to speak to him, and to demand a question of him. The Prophet was in Babylon, Pharaoh in Ae­gypt, and how he could speak to him, appears not. Its impossible that he should undertake so long a journey as tis from Babylon to Egypt. Its more consonant to truth, that he pen'd this Prophe­sie, and sent it unto him by one means or other.

Whom art thou like in thy greatness?

This was the Question Ezekiel must propound to him, and it was an upbraiding question, taxing him for his pride, arro­gancie and vain confidences. He had like most Kings many Flatterers, who flattered him into a conceit that he was greater then other Kings, yea so great in power, that he might incoun­ter God himself. The Lord therefore thought meet to take down his Spirit by this question, Whom art thou like in thy great­ness? what like unto me? thou art so far from that, as that thou art not comparable to some mortal men. What sayest thou to the King of Assyria? art thou greater, art thou stronger then he? no, he went far beyond thee in Power, Dignitie and Greatness, yet for his pride, arrogancie and confidences in what he had, he was utterly destroyed; and thinkest thou who art inferior, to stand and avoid the Judgements of God when they come? thou deceivest thy self.

First, observe;

Kings are prone to be lifted up with and confide in their greatness. Pharaoh sweld with his honor and multitude, puting [Page 39] too much confidence therein, Chap. 29.3. he is call'd the great Dragon, and he lay secure in the midst of his Rivers, saying, my River is mine own, and I have made it for my self; he was proud and confident, thinking none greater then himself. Nebuchadnezzar was lifted up with his greatness, Dan. 4.30. so was Sennacherib, Isa. 37.11, 12, 13. And not only wick­ed Kings, but good ones have been overtaken with this evill. David numbers the people, and was too proud of, and confi­dent in his Multitudes, 1 Chron. 21. Princes have many things to puff up their Spirits, but God knows how to bring them down.

Secondly, observe;

God will have them told of their Sins, and taxed for them: Go speak unto Pharaoh, and say whom art thou like in thy great­ness? Thou proud Tyrant thou shalt fall, though thou be great, strong, there is a greater then thy self, and one stronger then thou art, who hath sent a Prophet to tell thee of thy pride and arrogancie, and to foretell thee of thy destruction. Kings are no more to God then the meanest peasants; if they sin they shall hear of it, and smart for it.

Vers. 3. Behold the Assyrian.

Some would have Pharaoh and the Egyptians to be under­stood by the Assyrian, and produce Isai. 52.4. for it, where its said, my people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there, and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause, that was Pha­raoh [Page 41] and the Egyptians, saith A lapide; but Interpreters generally understand Sennacherib or Nebuchadnezzar, and their people. By the Assyrian therefore, here is meant the King of Assyria, whom diverse Expositors make to be Esarhaddon, the third Son of Sennacherib, of whom see Isa. 37.38. He was King of Assur, Ezra 4.2. call'd also the great and noble Asnappar, ver. 10. He was King of Assyria and Babylonia, saith Ʋsher in his Chronologie. Lavater makes him only King of Assyria, Page 107. for he saith Ben-Merodach the Governor of Babylon, observing that his two Brethren who slew their Father, viz. Adramelech and Sharezer lying in waite to dispossess Esarhaddon of the King­dom, he made war upon him, overcame him, and so rejoyned the Assyrian Kingdom to the Babylonian. Whether, him, Sen­nacherib or Nebuchadnezzar, it was a King of Assyria, who was great and powerfull.

A Cedar in Lebanon.

That is, as a Cedar in Lebanon. Lebanon was a great and large Mountain in Canaan, full of Cedars; and this King of Assyria is likened unto the chiefest of them.

With fair Branches.

These Branches were not his Sons and Nobles, but the se­veral Provinces belonged unto the Kingdom of Assyria, over which his Princes and Nobles did reign. Himself was the Ce­dar, these the Branches or Arms.

And with a shadowing shroud.

The word for shroud, is Chorash, which Montanus renders Cae­dua Sylva. Buxtorf saith its Virgultum densum & implexum fa­ciendae umbrae commodum, shoots, sprouts, so thick and intangled together, as that they make it shadowie. The Septuagint hath the words thus, [...] thick in the covering; this Tree did afford cover and shade to others.

Of an high stature, his top was among the thick bowes.

The King intended Ezek. 17.6. was like a Vine of low stature; but this King was like a Cedar of high stature, glori­ous, great, and renown'd, so high that [...], his top was in the midst of the clouds, like the tree Dan. 4.20. whose height reached to Heaven.

Vers. 4. The waters made him great.

Some Trees prosper best in dry places, some by the waters side; the moisture they draw thence makes them to spread and flourish, Psal. 1.3. The Tree being here Metaphorical, so are the waters; waters signifie sometimes afflictions, Psal. 32.6. sometimes wholesome and good doctrine, Isai. 55.1. sometimes people, Rev. 17.15. here riches, power, victories, and such things quibus augenter & splendescunt imperia. The Assyrian wealth, Provinces, Victories, were as water to his Roots, and made him great.

The deep set him up on high, with her Rivers running round about his plants.

His vast Treasure, like a deep not to be drawn drie, raised him to such an height, as waters do a Cedar; He did abound with plenty of all things: As Plants which have rivers running round about them, do grow and spread, so did the King of As­syria, and his. His riches and greatness were like an Ocean, and the Provinces as so many Rivers brought in wealth continually, which supplyed them and others.

And sent out her little rivers unto all the trees of the field.

Some Commodities, some parts of the Assyrian Treasure [Page 43] were derived to other Nations, Princes, and People; or his own Subjects had some share with him in his wealth and great­ness; all at home, and many abroad, which were the Trees of the field, gained by the Assyrian waters.

Vers. 5. Therefore his height was exalted a­bove all the trees of the field.

There were diverse Trees in the field which were high, ma­ny Kings and Princes who were great, but the Assyrian was the highest, the greatest Cedar and Monarchie then in the world; His waters exceeded theirs, and they derived moisture from him.

His boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long.

The boughs and branches of this metaphoricall tree, were the Provinces and Countries belonged to the Assyrian Monarchie, which were many, and extended far, even to Media Eastward, to Mesopotomia Westward, to Armenia minor Northward, and to Susiana Southward.

Because of the multitude of waters; when he shot forth.

Where there is much water and moisture at the root of a Tree, there the branches and boughs do shoot forth faster and further then where its wanting: The Assyrian having multi­tude of waters, viz. Treasure, enlarged his Empire and borders thereby.

Vers. 6. All the Fowls of heaven made their Nests in his boughs.

By Fowls of Heaven some understand the Nobles and great Ones; they built them habitations in his Provinces and Domi­nions, which they peaceably enjoyed, as Fowls do their Nests in the boughs of high trees.

And under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young.

By Beast of the field A lapide intends the vulgar and more barbarous sort of people. The sense is, that all kinds of peo­ple, noble and ignoble, rich or poor, weak or strong, were in safety, and multiplied under his protection, as birds and beasts do in and under a great Tree.

In this verse and the former be three words, which signifie Boughs and Branches. The first is Sargnaphah, which signifies a heap or thicket of boughs. The second is, Saiph or Sagniph, which notes a top bough. The third is [...] parah or porah from [...] to adorn, because boughs are ornamenta arboris, the glory and beautifying of the Tree.

Ʋnder his shadow dwelt all great Nations.

Either they were under his Authority or his Protection; many great Nations were commanded by the Assyrian, and o­thers put themselves under his protection.

Vers. 7. Thus was he fair in his greatness.

The Hebrew is vaiijph, Pulchrum fuit in magnitudine suae, he was a goodly thing in his greatness. The Septuagint [...] he was beautie in his heighth and greatness, not only beautifull but beauty; greatness and height make things goodly and fair.

And in the length of his branches.

Here is another word for Br [...]nches dalijoth, which is from dalah to draw, because they draw juice from the Roots, or because they move upwards, and so the word dalah also signifies. The Branches of this tree were the Provinces, as before, which extended far, and added to the greatness and glory of the tree.

For his Root was by great waters.

These words correspond with those in the Fourth Verse, the waters made him great. When a tree is fixed in the earth where there is no want of moisture, it grows, it spreads, it becomes great and lovely: So this King being planted among great wa­ters, in the midst of much wealth and power, grew, spread, and became fair in his greatness.

Vers. 8. The Cedars in the Garden of God, could not hide him.

The highest Cedars that were in any Garden, or in Paradise it self, did not exceed this Cedar, and so obscure the glory of it; but this Kingdom for the wealth, strength, and greatness of it, went beyond all others, and was for admiration.

The Firr-trees were not like his boughs.

Firr-trees are tall and stately, yet none of the Firr-trees were comparable to the boughs of this tree. The Kingdoms of other Princes were not like to the Provinces of Assyria.

And the Chesnut-trees were not like his bran­ches.

The Chesnut-tree is lower then the Firr-tree, but more branchie and spreading; yet none of the Chesnut-trees did e­qualize any branch of the Assyrian tree.

Not any tree in the garden of God was like un­to him in his beauty.

The Hebrew is, every Tree in the Garden of God was not like to him in his beauty; that is, no tree therein, no tree in Paradise, no tree in the whole earth did equalize this Meta­phorical [Page 46] Assyrian tree in the bulk, arms, branches or beautie of it.

Vers. 9. I have made him beautiful in the multitude of his boughs.

A Tree is much beautified that hath abundance of boughs shooting out from it; the more boughs, the more beauty: This tree wanted not for boughs; it had many Provinces, and every one added to its beauty.

So that all the Trees of Eden, that were in the Garden of God, envied him.

When other Trees, that is, Princes, who were seated in plea­sant, rich and fruitful places, saw how much the King of As­syria exceeded them in power, wealth, glory, and greatness, they envied him.

First, observe;

Its the Lord who makes Kingdoms and Kings great, and diffe­rences them from others. The Assyrian was a Cedar in Lebanon, exceeding all others in beauty, branches, height and thickness; and how came he to be so? ver. 9. I have made him fair. What­ever virtue, glory, excellencie inward or outward, any Trees, any Princes have, its all from the Lord. All Solomons great­ness and wisdom was from him, 1 Kin. 4.29, 30, 31.

Secondly, observe;

That as Trees have need of moisture and waters to make them grow and flourish, so States and Princes have need of money to up­hold their greatness; they must have Revenues come flowing in like Rivers, else they will soon wither. The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high, the Rivers run round about his plants; he had multitude of waters, his Root was by great wa­ters, the Assyrian had great means which maintained his glory and greatness; so Solomon had great means, otherwise he could [Page 47] not have liv'd at that height he did, 1 Kin. 4.22, 23, 26, 27, 28. Chap. 10.14, 21, 22, 23.

Thirdly, observe;

Princes, Monarchs, States, ought to protect those are their Sub­jects, and to communicate good unto them. This Cedar in Leba­non was a shadowing shroud, all the Fowls of Heaven made their nests in his boughs, under his branches did all the Beasts of the Field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great Nations: All sorts had protection from the King of Assyria; and not only so, but those waters watered him were sent out unto all the Trees of the field; he hoarded not up his wealth, but it passed up and down for the good of all. Isai. 49.23. Its said of the Church, Kings shall be thy nur­sing Fathers, thy Nourishers; that is, they shall communicate good things unto thee, as a Nurse doth milk unto the Child; not only doth she protect the child from harm, but see it want nothing that is good for it.

Fourthly, observe;

Excellencie, greatness, transcendencie beget Envy. This As­syrian Cedar excelled all the Cedars in the Garden of God; none of the Firr-trees, Chesnut-trees, or any other did equa­lize him, he out stripped all the Trees in bulk, in height, in branches, in beauty, and what then? all the Trees of Eden, that were in the Garden of God, envied him. Envie is against Superiors, and Contempt is of Inferiors. When Daniel was made chief of the Presidents and Princes, then they envied him, and sought occasion to ruine him, Dan. 6. Its a grief springing up from another mans prosperity; Power, Honor, Strength, Riches, Greatness, are the causes and occasions of it; There is always a malignance goes along with it, taking plea­sure in hurting, though it gaine nothing thereby. Envy is most prejudicial to the partie it dwels in, for its the rottenness of the bones, Prov. 14.30. It eats out the marrow and moisture of them, and makes them putrifie. Hence say the Hebrews, [Page 48] oculus malus ingredi facit hominem in sepulchrum, Buxtorf. florile­gium Heb. an envious eye brings a man to the grave.

Vers. 10. Because thou hast lifted up thy self in height.

These words are an Apostrophe to the King of Egypt, as Junius and Piscator observe. Here is a sudden interruption and turning of the Speech unto Pharaoh, who was proud and haugh­tie like the Assyrian; God by this gives him a hint to look to himself, and so turns again to the Assyrian.

And he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs.

He, that is the King of Assyria, he was growne very high, and so high, that his heart was lifted up in his height, propter al­titudinem suam, saith Piscator, by reason of his height; his height heigthned his Spirit, he thought himself to have aliquod numinis in him, and fit to be worshipped.

Vers. 11. I have therefore delivered him in­to the hand of the mighty one of the hea­then.

The Hebrew is future, I will deliver him, and so Munster reads it: For the better understanding of these words, we must know that the Kingdom of Assyria and Chaldaea were di­stinct. The Metropolis of Chaldaea was Babylon; the Metropo­lis of the Assyrian was Ninive: the ten Tribes were carried away by the Assyrians; the other two Tribes by the Chaldaeans. Dissentions arising between these two, God delivered the King of Assyria into the hands of the King of Chaldaea, who was Nebuchadnezzar as Expositors say, and is here call'd the migh­ty one of the Heathen; he subdued all Assyria, and made that and Chaldaea one Empire, and afterwards the people were called sometimes Assyrians, sometimes Babylonians, sometimes Chaldaeans. Polanus and others interpret these words of Esar­haddon, who after Sennacherib was King of Assyria, Isa. 37.38. Whom God delivered into the hand of Berodach-baladan, or Merodach-baladan being then King of Babylon, Isa. 39.1. 2 Kin. 20.12. Who is here called the mighty One of the He­then; the Hebrew is be ia d el goijm, into the hand of the God of the Nations, so Montanus renders the words; now whether Berodach-baladan were such a God or mighty One of the Hea­then is doubted, because he was but Praefectus Babyloniae.

He shall surely deal with him.

In Hebrew its he shall by doing do with him, that is celeriter & absque sudore, saith Chrolampadius, he shall without difficul­ty or delay deal with him, he shall deal with him according to his own mind, do what he lift unto him, he shall take away his life and kingdom from him. This and the former word is future put for preter Tenses, which is usual among the Hebrews.

I have driven him out for his wickedness.

The word for to drive out is gerash, which notes not only a simple ejection, a bare driving out, but a disgrace [...] one, such a casting or driving out as is with disgrace; as when a wife is divorced, she is judged unworthy of Bed, Board or Cohabita­tion, Gen. 3.24. God drove out the man, that was with dis­grace: and so here, I have driven him out with disgrace for his wickedness.

Vers. 12. And strangers, the terrible of the Na­tions have cut him off, and have left him.

Here he shews the ruine and downfal of the Cedar which was so high, and extended its boughs so far; strangers, the terri­ble of the Nations, that is the Chaldaeans, who were cruel and merciless, Jer. 6.23. they cut him off, the King of Assyria, and left him, not affording the honor due to a dead King.

Ʋpon all the Mountains and in all the Valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the Rivers of the land.

When great trees are cut or blown down, then the branches or arms are broken and pul'd off. When the King of Assyria was slain, his Princes, Nobles, Provinces and people, all suffered with him; some were slain upon the Mountains, some upon the Valleys, and by the Rivers, all the land over there were dead and slain persons.

And all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have left him.

Those which formerly were his Confederates, and depend­ed much upon him for Counsel and help, seeing him ruined by [Page 52] the Chaldaeans, they fell off and would not assist him; or divers of his own, seeing how things went with him, deserted him.

Vers. 13. Ʋpon his ruine shall all the Fowls of the heaven remain, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches.

When a Tree is pull'd up or cut down, the fruit, leaves, and branches gone, there remains the body or Trunk deformed and spoiled of its beauty and glory, that's the ruine; so here the King of Assyria being taken and slain, his Crown, Glory, and Greatness laid in the dust, his dead body was the ruine; and now the Fowls of Heaven, the Nobles and great Ones of Chaldaea, and all the Beasts of the field, the meaner sort, made a Prey of him and his; him they scorn'd and vilified, and what was his they seiz'd upon: Lavater saith his body lay unburied, that Crows, Ravens, Vultures, and such like Flesh-Fowls fed upon it.

Vers. 14. To the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top &c.

This too sets out the end of Gods heavy Judgments upon the King of Assyria; that other trees seeing Gods dealings with that high Cedar for its pride and loftiness, they might take heed of exalting themselves. Men grown great, are apt to grow proud. Trees by the waters, that is, men abounding with wealth, honor, greatness, and such things as may puffe up; trees by waters grow high, and men in the midst of great means, are in great danger to do so.

Neither their Trees stand up in their height, all that drink water.

The Margent hath it, or stand upon themselves for their height, and so the sense is plain, that none of the Trees should [Page 53] exalt themselves, or stand upon themselves, their own strength, wealth, and greatness, they should not rest in themselves, please themselves. If we take the words as they are in the verse, the sense is much the same, neither their trees stand up in their height, all that drink water; that is, Let none that have means, de­spise others that are inferiour, or let them not stand up in their height; it will be but for a season, and they must be cut down.

For they are all delivered unto death to the nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit.

All the Assyrians were delivered up to the Chaldaeans to be slain by them, or all the Princes, Nobles and great Ones, they shall dye, go down into the earth among the meanest, where no difference will be made; therefore rich Ones, great Ones should not exalt themselves above others, or stand upon their height.

First, Observe:

Pride and wickednesse causes God to bring dreadfull judgements upon Kings and their Kingdomes.

Because the King of Assyria's heart was lifted up in his height, therefore God delivered him into the hand of a migh­ty enemy, and drave him out for his wickednesse. When Prin­ces are in the seat of honour, have great means coming in, then they look big, begin to Deifie themselves, to do what they list, not minding him who exalted them, but confiding in their own strength, power and greatnesse, which makes way for their speedy ruine. Solomon tells us that a man shall not be established by wickednesse, Pro: 12.13. Kings by their wicked pollices and practices cannot establish themselves, their wickednesse overth [...]owes them, their pride provokes God against them; Da: 4.25. Its good for Kings & others to be humble in the midst of their injoyments, and the greater abundance that they do [Page 54] possesse,Qui humili est an mo dignus est honore, & Divinitas qui­escit super eo. Buxtorph: to carry it still the more humbly; for he that is of an humble mind is worthy of honour, and hath God dwelling with him.

Secondly, Observe;

God hath instruments for the doing of his work, whatever it be, and such instruments as will do it to purpose.

He had an Assyrian Cedar to cut down which was very great, whose top was in the Clouds, whose Boughes extended very farre, in whose branches the Fowls did make their Nests, and under whose shadow dwelt all great Nations; and now who shall dare to meddle with this Cedar? Yes the Lord had One that durst attempt and doe it, he had a mighty One of the Hea­thens, a God of the Nations, into whose hand he delivered the great Cedar, and he in doing did unto him all the mind of God, he cut him down and laid him low. Let Trees be deeply rooted, grown exceeding great and high, yet God hath Hewers to hew down such Trees, Dan. 4.14.

Thirdly, Observe;

When great Trees are cut d [...]wn, many other Trees suffer with them; When Kings fall, they break and undoe many.

When the King of Assyria was cut off, his Nobles and great Ones, yea all sorts suffered by him; Ʋpon the Moun­tains, and in all the Valleys, his Branches are fallen, his Boughs are broken, and all the people of the Earth are gone down from his shadow. All his Provinces, Princes, People, met with hard things. When Zedekiah was taken and carryed away captive, did not the Princes, Nobles, and People suffer grievous things; see 2 Kings 25. Jer: 52. In our dayes we have seen many suffer by the fall of the King.

Fourthly, Observe;

Neither Princes, Nobles, nor other People can tell who shall enjoy their wealth.

The King of Assyria had great revenues, the Assyrians were well watred, a rich people; but who got all their wealth? The Chaldaeans, strangers, the terrible of the Nations, upon his ruine shall all the Fowles of the Heaven remain, and all the Beasts of the field shall be upon his Branches; Little did the Assyrians dream that the Chaldaeans should have their Jewels, Gold, Silver, Plate, Linnen, Habitations, and Lands. Many hord and heap up for their enemies: Many men are rich, well fraught, like Ships at Sea, but whose hands their wealth may fall into they know not. David calls it a vanity, and its a deep exces­sive vanity, that men disquiet themselves in heaping up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them, Psal. 39.6. Whether their children or strangers, friends or foes. Solomon was vexed to think he must leave all he had got or done he knew not to whom, whether a wise man or a fool, Eccles: 2.18, 19.

Fifthly, Observe;

God doth therefore destroy Kings and Kingdomes, that rich Ones, great Ones, and all sorts may take heed of their sins, pride, wickednesse, and self-confidence.

God cuts off the great Cedar, the King of Assyria, to the end that none of all the Trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height, nor stand upon themselves for their height; let them not slight other Trees which are not by the waters, that are not so Bulky, Branchy and Leavy as themselves, nor conceit that their wealth and greatness will always last.

Vers. 15. In the day when he went down to the grave, I caused a mourning.

The word for Grave is Sheol, which among other things signifies the state of the dead; as Gen: 37.35. saith Jacob, I will go down into the Grave unto my Son. By Grave, he meant, not Hell, nor the Grave in a proper sense, for he was perswaded some wild Beasts had devoured him, but the state of the dead: and so here, when this high Cedar was cut down, when the [Page 56] King of Assyria was slain, and went down to the Grave; that is, the state of the Dead, I caused a mourning; Then there was a sad change, trading ceas'd, barrennesse came upon all the Land, the Towns and Cityes were not frequented.

I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the Floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed.

If we take the words litterally, the sense is, the Sea and Ri­vers seem'd to mourn at the destruction and fall of this Cedar, and so if you take the deep floods and waters for his riches, abundance, and great revenues, they seem'd now to put on Sack­cloath, their Lord and Master being dead, now there was no more flowing of those waters. The deep, the Rivers and waters had contributed to the greatnesse of the Cedar, and they were affected with his fall.

I caused Lebanon to mourn for him.

In the 3d verse the Assyrian was call'd a Cedar in Leba­non, and when this Cedar fell, he made the rest of the Trees in Lebanon to put on black, the word is, Akdin, which signifies to make dark, obscure, black; all the Trees in the Assyrian Em­pire, or in that part of Lebanon which belonged thereunto, I cau­sed to be affected with the fall of this Cedar.

And all the Trees of the field fainted for him.

All other Kings, saith Maldonate, not only Kings, but all sorts were involved in this common calamity; they were so sen­sible of their sufferings thereby, that they fainted, the word for fainting is [...] which signifies to cover for grief, and Me­taphorically to faint: When grief is great, then it causeth deli­quium animae.

Vers. 16. I made the Nations to shake at the Sound of his fall.

When high and great Trees fall they make a great noise; and so did this King when he fell, his own Subjects and other Nati­ons were much troubled at his fall.

When I cast him down to Hell with them that descend into the pit.

In ver. 15. its said he went down to the Grave or Hell, and here, that God cast him down to Hell, its the same word; God brought him from his height to the state of the dead, he made him like those that were in the pit.

And all the Trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon; all that drink water shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth.

Those Kings and others which were gone before into the pit, he speaks of as living and watered Trees; when they should see this great Cedar cut down and brought into the same condi­tion with themselves, they should be comforted in that state they were in; that is the common condition of great and small. The Hebrew for choice and best of Lebanon, is, the Election and goodness of Lebanon.

Vers. 17. They also went down into Hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword.

Those Trees before mentioned, their condition was like theirs who were slain with the sword, and so was this Assyrians, he was [Page 58] cut off from all his glory and greatnesse, and laid amongst the slain.

And they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the Heathen.

His Princes, Nobles, Councellours, Souldiers and Confede­rates, these suffered with him, and had some comfort that they had him with them in the Grave or in Hell. The Septuagint, for those words were his arme, read [...], and his seed, his posterity and friends were cut off with him.

First, Observe;

The greatest Princes and Powers in the world have their day to leave their greatnesse, and go down to the dust.

In the day when he went down to the Grave. The King of Assyria had his day to come down from all his height and glory, and to lye among the slain: some dye natural, some vio­lent deaths; be they great or small, dye they must; Its appointed unto men once to dye, Heb: 9.27. And as some have their day to grow high and great in the world, so their day to descend in­to the Grave, and be no more in the eye of God then a stinking carkasse.

Secondly, Observe;

When great Monarchs and Princes are cut off, the Lord fills all with mourning, fainting, and shaking.

When the Assyrian went down to the Grave, the Lord cau­sed a mourning, made changes and alterations at Sea and Land, He made Lebanon to put on black, the Trees of the field to faint, and Nations to quake at the sound of his fall; so was it when the King of Tyrus was destroyed, Ezek: 26.15, 16. ch: 27.35. When the gods of the earth are slain and dye like men, the earth [Page 59] and all other creatures have a kind of sense thereof, and are affected at changes.

Thirdly, Observe;

When great Oppressors and Tyrants fall, it affords some kind of comfort to the dead.

All the Trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth, &c. You have this livelyly set forth, Isa. 14.9, 10. Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming, it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief Ones of the Earth, it hath rai­sed up from the Thrones all the Kings of the Nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? Whether this was Senacherib, Nebuchad­nezzar or Belshazzar, it matters not; whoever he was, he was a great Tyrannicall Prince, and when he fell the dead rejoy­ced at it, and comforted themselves that he was become like unto them.

Vers. 18. To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatnesse among the Trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the Trees of Eden unto the ne­ther parts of the Earth: thou shalt lye in the midst of the uncircumcised, with them that be slain by the sword: this is Pharoah and all his multitude, saith the Lord God.

This verse is the Application of the former example unto Pharoah. The Protasis was from the 3. verse hither; and in this 18. is the Apodosis: The same Question is put here to Pha­roah, wh [...]ch was in the 2. vers. To whom art thou like in glo­ry and in greatnesse among the Trees of Eden? Look about Pha­roah, thou seest that thou art not like to the Assyrian in Lebanon, [Page 60] Well, who among the Trees of Eden art thou like for glory and greatnesse? it may be thou equallest some of them; be it so, yet thou must be brought down with them to the nether parts of the earth, to the Grave, or to Hell; thou that art like them in sinning, must be like them in suffering.

Thou shalt lye in the midst of the uncircumci­sed.

In Cha. 28.10. It was said of the Prince of Tyrus, Thou shalt dye the death of the uncircumcised; that was without any hope of eternall life; and here it's said of Pharoah, Thou shalt lye in the midst of those that are uncircumcised, that is, He should lye in a hopelesse and perishing condition of soul and body for ever as those did who were not in Covenant with God.

This is Pharoah and all his multitude, saith the Lord God.

This is his condition, and the condition of his Princes, No­bles and People; whatsoever thoughts he or they may have of themselves, this must be their end.

Observe;

God teaches men by the examples of others what they must look for,

Here by the Assyrian Cedar, the Aegyptian Pharoah is taught what to expect; He being like the Assyrian in his sins, had no cause but to conclude that Assyrian judgements would befall him: What, was he for his pride and wickednesse driven out, destroyed, brought down to the Grave, Hell, and an everla­sting suffering? so must I, my wayes being the same with his; like sins call for like judgements. As the Assyrian was set out for the instruction of Pharoah, so God sets up Pharoah for the instruction of all Princes and People to the end of the world, This is Pharoah and all his multitude.

Vers. 1. And it came to passe in the twelfth year, in the twel [...]th month, in the first day of the month.

This was not in the time of Zedekiah, who reigned but ele­ven years; It was in the twelfth year of Jehoiachims captivity, the twelfth month, and first day, not long after the taking of Jerusalem and burning it with fire. The Lord gave out this [Page 63] Prophesie then, that the Jews might be taken off from trusting in the Egyptians, having cause sufficient to believe that Ezeki­els prophesies against them should be made good, as well as Jeremies against themselves, for it was the same Spirit which breathed in them both, and that they might reap some comfort after their sufferings, in considering God would deal so roundly with the Egyptians who had deceived them.

Vers. 2. Take up a lamentation for Pharoah King of Egypt.

Take up a lamentable prophesie, declare what sad things are coming upon Pharoah; whether the Prophet were to lament for the destruction of Pharoah and the Egyptians is questionable, for he and they had oppressed others, deceived the Jewes, and these judgements of God coming upon them for their wicked­ness were just and righteous, and so matter of rejoycing; yet because he was to utter dreadfull and lamentable things, rejoy­cing became him not, but he was to be affected sutable to the matter delivered.

Thou art like a young Lyon of the Na­tions.

Wherein Tyrannical Kings and Princes are like unto young Lyons, hath been shewed in the 19. Chapter. The meaning of these words, is, that look what a Lyon is among the beasts of the fields and woods, viz: terrible and cruel, the same was Pharoah among the Nations; Young Lyons are fierce, and de­voure their prey with greedinesse, so are young Tyrants.

And thou art as a Whale in the Seas.

In the 29. ch: ver. 3. Pharoah is call'd Hattannim; the Dra­gon or Crocodile; here Cattannim, as the Whale; its Tannim in both places, and signifies a Dragon, Whale or Sea-monster; [Page 64] and such as a Whale is in the Seas, viz: troublesome, dread­full and devouring; such was Pharoah on the deeps; a Lyon at Land, a Whale at Sea; His Dominion was large, and where­ever it was he minded the prey.

And thou camest forth with thy Rivers.

The Septuagint have it, [...] which the Vulgar following, render Ventelabas cornu in flumini­bus tuis, Thou didst horn it in thy Rivers; the Whale spouts waters so out at her Nostrils, that falling it makes a kind of horn; and Pharoah digging or cutting Rivers out of Nilus, they were winding like a Horn. Those are for this sense Devine Ta­gach in the Text, from Nagach, which is to strike with the Horn, or Lascivire cornu, and so Vatablus turns the word, Las­civisti in fluminibus tuis, thou hast tumbled up and down, and sported thy self in thy Rivers and waters; Others derive the word Tagach from [...] which is to come forth, or cause to come forth; thou didst invite other Nations to revolt from Nebuchad­nezzar, or thou didst come forth with thy people, and trouble other Nations with invasions and wars.

And troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fowledst their rivers.

He troubled all at home, and all abroad; as the Whale or Crocodile troubles the Seas and the Rivers, and lets not the Fish be quiet any where; they mud the Rivers, make the waters boyle; so did this Egyptian Pharoah, he was like Ni­lus, which had turbidas aquas, troublesome waters. He troub­led the waters when he constrained the people to leave their own Land, and to go up to Carchemish by Euphrates, Jer. 46.2. and as they went they must needs fowl the Rivers, make their comforts as dead and uselesse.

First, Observe;

That times of publique calamities are specially to be noted.

Ezekiel sets down the year, month and day when the Lord told him what dreadfull things should befall Pharoah and the Egyptians; In the twelfth year, the twelfth month, the first day of the month, he must take up a lame [...]tation. Gods judgements sometimes are lasting, and the duration of them cannot be known, unlesse the beginning of them be taken notice of.

Secondly, Observe;

Lamentations for the sins and destructions of others, is from the Lord.

Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharoah King of Egypt. The Prophet took it not up of himself, but at the command of the Lord. Chap. 19.1. God bid him take up a lamentation for the Princes of Israel; Chap. 27.2. He is injoyn'd to take up a lamentation for Tyrus; Chap: 28.12. He must take up one for the King of Tyrus. Lamentations for Princes and states are at Gods appointment; Pro [...]hets are to bewaile the sins and ruines of Princes and their Kingdoms when God calls them thereunto.

Thirdly, Observe;

The evill quallities and manners of men do make them like unto Beasts of the field and fish of the Sea.

Thou art like a young Lyon of the Nations. Pharoah's roaring and ravening, his terribleness and cruelty, made him like a Ly­on. And thou art as a Whale in the Seas: Pharoah's tumbling up and down, disquieting the people, and making a prey of them as fishes, transformed him into a Whale or Sea-monster. Subtle persons are tearmed Foxes, Luke 13.32. Lascivious persons are like pampered Horses, Jer: 5.8. Oppressing Princes and Judges to Lyons and evening Wolves, Z [...]ph: 3.3. The wic­ked [Page 66] qualities of men do make them brutish. Solomon tels you in favour of this truth, That the wickednesse of those in the place of judgement made them beasts, Eccl: 3.16.18.

Fourthly, Observe;

God hath Prophets to tell the worst of Princes of their wicked­nesse.

Pharoah was a great King, terrible as a Lyon, dreadfull as a Whale, yet God had an Ezekiel to send to him, and to tell him of his Tyranny and cruelty; Go say unto Pharoah, thou art as a young Lyon of the Heathen, and as a Whale in the Seas. God sent him to deal sharply with him, notwithstanding his great­ness; Prophets must not spare Princes when sent of God to reprove them.

Fifthly, Observe;

Wicked Kings are great troublers of their own, and others wa­ters.

They trouble their own people, their own Kingdoms, and others also. Thou camest forth with thy Rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fowledst their rivers. Pharoah was nei­ther quiet in Egypt, nor would let others be quiet; he sent out his Embassadours to other Nations, which were as his feet, they troubled the waters, the people, in drawing them into League with Pharoah, in causing them to raise forces to assist him, and so fowled their Rivers, unsetled their peace, trou­bled their spirits and Countries; Whales are not more trouble­some to the Seas, Crocodiles to the Rivers of Egypt, Lyons and wild Beasts to the Land, than Tyrants are to their own Kingdoms, and those that are near unto them. Ahab was a troubler of Israel, 1 Kings 18.18. and of Judah also, in that he drew Jehosaephat and his people to joyn with him (2 Chr. 1.8.) to go up to Ramoth Gilead, where it had like to have cost him his life. Solomon tells us, He that is cruel will trouble his own flesh, Pro: 11.17. Tyrants are cruel, and they do trouble their [Page 67] own flesh, their own Subjects, and people; yea, and the Flesh of strangers, they make their own Rivers and others to be mud­dy.

Vers. 3. I will therefore spread out my net over thee.

These words you had Chap: 17.20. and Chap. 12, 13. A Net is to catch Birds or Fish. Here God represents the per­son of a Fisher-man, and would spread out his Net to take this Whale. The word for Net is Resheth, from Jarash, to possesse, retain, because a Net keeps what it catcheth, and ret [...] some de­rive from retinendo, from its holding and retaining. This Net with which God would catch the Whale, must be a great Net, and so it was, for it was the Chaldaean Army, which was great, strong and sufficient to spread over all the Rivers of Egypt.

With a company of many people.

When Lyons or Whales are to be taken, multitudes of peo­ple get together; and so here, multitudes of Chaldaeans came to take this Lyon and Whale.

They shall bring thee up in my Net.

Thou lyest in thy Rivers and deep waters, thinking thy self safe, without the reach of any, but my Net shall be so thrown as to incompasse and catch thee, and these Chaldaans shall draw thee up out of thy Nilus, yea, out of thine Egypt.

Vers. 4. Then will I leave thee upon the Land, &c.

When this great Whale shall be drawn out of his waters and Country, God will deal by him as Fisher-men do by the Whale, drawn to the shoar, they leave him upon the dry [Page 68] ground in open view, exposed to the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Earth; they cut him in pieces, whereof some are carried away, others are thrown here and there: so God dealt with Pharoah, he brought him to open shame and ruine; He made him and his wealth a prey to all sorts of people: Like unto this verse is that you had Chap: 29.5.

Vers. 5. I will lay thy flesh upon the Moun­tains.

Thou or thy Souldiers being overcome, some of you will fly to the Mountains for releef; but even there shall they be de­stitute of help, they shall be slain on the Mountains.

And fill the Valleys with thy height.

I will make such a slaughter of thy men, as that they shall fill up the Valleys; the bodies shall lye so thick one upon ano­ther as to make a height. Munster interprets it of the swelling of the bodies; Dead bodies do swell much, and increase height. The Vulgar read the words thus, Implebo colles tuos sanie tuo, I will fill thy hills with the corruption flowes from the dead bodies.

Vers. 6. I will also water with thy bloud the Land wherein thou swimmest.

When Nilus overflowed, then Egypt was full of water, so that this Whale might swim up and down in the same. God would cause such a destruction to be among the Egyptians that there should be a River of bloud which should water the Land; here­by is set out the great abundance of bloud that should be shed in Egypt, the Land was made drunk with it.

Even to the Mountains; and the Rivers shall be full of thee.

Not only the lower places should be s [...]ll'd with the bloud of the slain, but it should reach to the Mountains, and run into the Rivers. Sanctius thinks this not to be verified in Egypt, where were no Mountains, but in some other place where the Egyptians were drawn out to fight.

First, Observe;

That because Kings keep not within their bounds, but are trouble­some to their own people and others, therefore the Lord de­stroyes them and their Kingdoms.

Thou camest forth with thy Rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fowledst their Rivers, I will therefore spread out my Net over thee. The ruine of Princes and States are no casu­all things, they are effected by the Counsell, Providence, and Power of God, punishing them most justly for their sins.

Secondly, Observe;

God hath his Nets to catch Whales and great Fish in.

I will spread out my Net over thee. Its not every Net will catch Whales and great Fish, they will break ordinary Nets; but God hath Nets to take them, he wants not means to bring the mightiest unto punishment. Pharoah was a Lyon, a Dragon, a Crocodile, a Whale, and God had a Net in the North, the Ba­bylonish Army, which he sent for, and caught this Egyptian Whale with. God had a Net to catch chat old Whale and Sea-mon­ster, who devoured so many of the Israelites children; he made a Net of the Waters, and not only caught Pharoah, but drowned that Whale in the Red Sea.

Thirdly, Observe;

God designes the place of Tyrants suffering, and divides the spoyle of them to whom he pleases.

I will leave thee upon the Land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, I will cause all the Fowls of the Heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the Beasts of the whole earth with thee. God drew this Whale out of his Waters, unto the place where he and all the Fish adhered unto him were slain and made a spoil to all sorts of people.

Fourthly, Observe;

When God is in a way of judgement with wicked Princes, some­times he shews exceeding great severity towards them and theirs.

I will lay thy flesh upon the Mountains, and fill the valleys with thy height. Thou and thine shall be slain in all places, no safety in the Mountains or Vallyes; I will also water with thy bloud the Land wherein thou swimmest; their bloud should be so shed as to make the Land drunk with it: in Vatablus it is inebriabo ter­ram cruore sanguinis tui.

Vers. 7. And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the Heaven, and make the stars thereof dark.

Here the Prophet comes to shew the events of this dreadfull and severe judgement of God. When I shall put thee out, because to shew in extinctione tua: Cava or Caba notes such a put­ting out as is of fire or a Candle; when God should extinguish Pharoahs life, then should there be no quiet, peace, joy, safety, but altogether fighing, weeping, complaining, howling, and sad lamentations; so great should be the grief and misery of the Egyptia [...]s, that all things should seem dark unto them. In ex­tream [Page 71] sorrows visus deficit, and persons think the day to be night, are destitute of counsel, and know-not which way to turn them. Its usual in Scripture to set out times of mourning and misery by such expressions as you have here, and in the following verse, as Joel 3.15. Isai. 13.10. Mark 13.24, 25. Luke 21.25. Amos 8.9.

I will cover the Sun with a cloud, and the Moon shall not give her light.

God hath the power over the Clouds, and he can call them forth at his pleasure to do him what service he please; he would keep the comfortable beams of the Sun and Moon from them, they had darknesse on every side, the very Heavens, Sun, Moon and Starres hid their faces from them.

Vers. 8. All the bright lights of Heaven will I make dark over thee.

The Hebrew is all the lights of light; they should have no benefit by these bright and shining lights of Heaven. Mourners use to cover their heads and faces, and so the lights of Heaven are as darknesse unto them, or they shall seem affected with the sore judgements are upon thee. The Vulgar is, Omnia lumina­ria Coeli merere faciam super te, I will make all the lights of Heaven to mourn over thee; Septuagint, All the bright lights of Heaven, [...].

And set darknesse upon thy Land.

Darknesse is frequently in the word used for affliction and grief, a sad condition, and God would set Egypt, yea, settle it under darknesse, it should be kept in a mourning and misera­ble condition.

Vers. 9. I will also vex the hearts of many people.

The word for to vex, is [...] Caass which signifies not only to move to anger, but also to grieve; when people should hear how Pharoah a great King was conquered, and his King­dom laid utterly wast, this would grieve & vex them, & especi­ally when they consider how great Nebuchadnezzar became hereby, having all Egypt and the adjacent parts under him.

When I shall bring thy destruction among the Nations.

The word for thy destruction is Shibreca, Contritionem tu­am, thy breaking; for which the Septuagint hath [...] thy captivity; The French Ta ruine Thy ruine. The Nations thought Egypt impossible to be totally broken and ru­ined, being fortifyed so with Cityes, Rivers, and the Sea. The News of its destruction would vex them to the heart.

Vers. 10. Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee.

When Gods dealings with Pharoah, his severe judgements upon him and his, came abroad among the people, they were amazed, not knowing what to think, speak or do; When strange and dreadful things come suddenly to us they surprise our judgements, and we are at a stand.

And their Kings shall be horribly afraid for thee.

The People should be amazed, and the Kings afraid, Chap. 30.4. The Sword shall come upon Egypt, and great p [...]in shall [Page 73] be in Ethiopia, so in Lybia, Lydia and Chub, they and their King should be horribly afraid. The word to fear is [...] Saor which notes great fear, even such fear as is cum erectione pilorum, as makes the hair to stand up; and the Word is double here, They shall fear with a fear, be exceedingly afraid, for Nebu­chadnezzars prevailing over Pharoah. When the great Whale is taken, the lesser fishes have cause to fear.

When I shall brandish my Sword before them.

The Hebrew is, Begnophphi Charbi, When I shall cause my Sword to fly before them; that is, in military Language, When I shall brandish my Sword before them. When Nebuchadnezzar came with his forces to Egypt, at the appointment of God, and subdued it, then he brandished his sword before them.

And they shall tremble at every moment.

These words we had in the Chap. 26.16. where they were opened, they shall be in a continued fear, trembling from day to day least Nebuchadnezzar should fall upon them, and bring them to Pharoahs condition.

Every man for his own life in the day of thy fall.

When the Sword is abroad mens lives are at stake; and when it hath shed so much bloud as to water a Land, to fill up val­leys and make it reach to mountains, who would not fear least his life and bloud go next? When a great King and Kingdome falls by the Sword, its matter sufficient to make neighbouring Kings and Kingdomes to fear themselves.

First, Observe;

Great Ones are lights in the world, and God extinguisheth those lights at his pleasure.

When I shall put thee out. Princes and great Ones are exam­ples which most follow, Beacons upon a Hill, Suns in their Orbs, which many admire and follow, though they light them down­ward towards the pit of darknesse; These be such great lights that men dare not snuff, reprove them, but God he extingui­sheth them; he lighted them up, and he puts them out.

Secondly, Observe;

When God puts out great lights, breaks the Candlesticks they stood in, that is, destroyes great Kings and their Kingdoms, then sad events do follow, then the living and senselesse crea­tures are troubled, Heaven and Earth affected, those neer, and those far off, disquieted. Dreadfull judgements have dis­mall consequents.

When God destroyed Pharoah and his Army, laid waste Egypt, then darknesse was upon the Heavens, Sun, Moon, and Stars, then darkness was upon the Land, then the hearts of ma­ny were vexed, then Kings were horribly afraid, and quaked every moment for fear of their Kingdoms and lives. When Ly­ons and Whales are caught and kill'd, it makes the other Beasts and Fish to fear. When the high Cedars fall, all the other Trees tremble.

Vers. 11. The Sword of the King of Babylon shall come upon thee.

I will stir up and bring the King of Babylon with a great army, who shall come furnished with all Military preparations against thee, and cut thee off.

Vers. 12. By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall.

The word for mighty is Gibborim, & Gibbor signifies properly miles robustus as fortis, saith Drusius. The Septuagint have it here [...] by the sword of the Giants; Egypt had multitudes, but they should fall by the power of these mighty and Giant-like men.

The Terrible of the Nations all of them.

This expression, The terrible of the Nations, we had thrice before, Chap: 28.7. & 30.11. & 31, 12. Those men were most barbarous and bloudy, tyrannical and pestilent, should be im­ployed in his work. The Septuagint calls them [...] Pestes, such as were the plagues of the Countrey, such as went up and down robbing, stealing, and murthering; the Vulgar is inex­pugnabiles.

And they shall spoyl the pomp of Egypt.

There is pomp in Titles, pomp in Buildings, pomp in feast­ing and furniture of houses, pomp in apparrel, pomp in fune­ralls, pomp in worships, pomp in multitudes of men, Horses and Charets, whatever the Egyptian pomp were, it should be spoyled: Vatablus interprets their pomp to be their digni­ty or beautifull things: Munster makes it Magnificentiam, their state and greatnesse: Junius makes it the excellency of [Page 77] Egypt, that is, Kingly Majesty, with all the glory and greatness attending the same.

Vers. 13. I will destroy also all the beasts there­of from besides the great waters.

Egypt abounded with Cattel, especially Horses, which were serviceable for war and other uses; those fed neer to the Rivers cut out of Nilus to water the Land: what Beasts soever they were, God by the Chaldaeans would destroy them, and they should not be any longer nigh the many waters, so is the He­brew.

Neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more, nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them.

The destruction should be so great, that man and beast should be cut off, as was said, Chap. 29.8. These oft trou­bled the waters with their feet and hoofs, the one with digging the other by trampling in them.

Vers. 14. Then will I make the waters deep, and cause their Rivers to run like Oyl.

Man and Beast being taken away, nothing shall trouble the waters, but they shall be quiet, cleer and smooth as Oyle, The Hebrew word for to make deep is, [...] Shakah to drown'd, to sink, faciam ut profundum petunt, I will cause their waters to go to the bottom; which Piscator interprets of the mud, where­with they had been troubled, that should sink, and the waters became pure. The Septuagint, [...]; I will make quiet their waters; When they are clean and qui­et, they run without noise, then they are like Oyle: The wa­ters of Egypt, and of other Nations whom the Egyptians trou­bled.

Vers. 15. When I shall make the Land of Egypt clesolate, and the Countreys desti­tute.

He shews when the waters shall be pure and quiet, even when the Land is made desolate; Hebrew is, a desolation: And all carryed away with which the Countries abounded; Hebrew is, shall be destitute of its fullness.

When I shall smite all them that dwell there­in.

All were not smitten by the sword, and destroyed, but some were carryed away Captives, and that was a smiting.

Vers. 16. This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her.

This prophesie which I have delivered, is the lamentation wherewith Egypt shall be lamented; not only I Ezekiel must lament for her, but all Nations shall do it.

The Daughters of the Nations shall lament her, they shall lament for her.

The Cities and people of the Nations hearing of the dread­ful judgements of God upon Egypt, that that populous strong and flourishing Kingdome is brought to utter ruine and deso­lation, they shall be affected therewith, and lament her condi­tion.

First, Observe;

God makes use of the King and People of one Nation, to exe­cute his judgements upon the King and People of another Nation.

The sword of the King of Babylon shall come upon thee, and by the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall. Kings and their People are at the dispose of God, to call out and im­ploy where, and in what service he pleases; he serves himself, fulfills his wills and counsels by Kings and great Ones, over­throwing one Kingdom by another, laying all their pomp and glory in the dust.

Secondly, Observe;

The sins of Kings and People cause God to execute his sore judgements, not only upon themselves, but also upon the bruit creatures, and things inanimate.

God would not only destroy Pharoah and his multitude, but the Beasts, the Cityes, and all the fullnesse of the Land; in the destruction of these, God punished the owners.

Thirdly, Observe;

By the destruction of Tyrants and their Kingdomes, God quiets Nations; they by their Power, Counsels, or Agents, trouble their own Kingdomes and others.

Then will I make their waters deep, and cause their Rivers te run like Oyle: when I shall make the Land of Egypt desolate, When Pharoah and his were cut off, they should trouble the waters no more at home nor abroad, all should be quiet, peace­able, & oleo tranquillius.

Fourthly, Observe;

God in his wise providence so orders his judgements that they shall affect others, and be had in remembrance.

This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her, the Daughters of the Nation shall lament for her. Destruction of great Kings and Kingdomes, have many thiags considerable in them; there is much of Gods power, justice, and severity in the same, which God will have to be observed and remembred [Page 80] in the world, Ezek. 19.14. When God destroyed the Princes of Israel, and laid the Land of Judah waste; what then? This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation.

Vers. 17. In the twelfth year, the fifteenth day of the mouth.

It was in the twelfth year of their captivity, and the fifteenth day of the twelfth month, as it is vers. 1. fourteen dayes after the former prophesie, and upon the third Sabbath, as Junius ob­serves; then came this Prophesie unto Ezekiel.

Vers. 18. Wayl for the multitude of Egypt.

The word Nahah to lament signifies internal grief. The Prophet is bid not to feign a grief, or a Funeral complaint, but to be reall, to mourn or to prophesie what mourning should be at the Funeral of Egypt.

Cast them down, even her, and the Daughters of the famous Nations.

The Prophet was to do this Prophetically, as Jeremy was to root out, pull down, to destroy and cast down, Jerem. 1.10. He prophesied such things, and thereupon was said to do them; and so Ezekiel was to prophesie the casting down of Egypt, her King and People, and the Daughters of famous Nations, those that did confederate with her, Cityes or People; and because of this, he is said to cast them down: its Gods work to cast down, to throw into the grave and pit, but his Prophets decla­ring what shall be, are said to do the same.

Ʋnto the nether parts of the Earth.

The Hebrew is, El Erez tachtijoth, in terram inferorum, into the Land of hell, or into the lowest part of the earth.

Vers. 19. Whom dost thou passe in beauty?

Egypt, thou thinkest thy self more beautiful than other Nati­ons; that thou hast some excellency beyond them; suppose thou hadst, that must not exempt thee from the common condi­tion of Nations; but thou hast not any beauty, excellen­cy beyond them, nay, thou art short of them, therefore lay aside such thoughts; they who were more beautiful and pleasant than thy self, they are gone down into the pit; therefore

Go down, and be thou laid with the uncircum­cised.

Thou must not look for any priviledge above other Nations; thou mayest conceit thy counterfeit circumcision will advan­tage thee,Erant Egyptii circumcifi, ut Herodotus in Euterpe docet, Junius, but thou art deceived; away down to the Grave, and lye with the uncircumcised; thy portion must be with the pro­fanest. The word for be thou laid, signifies to sleepe also, and may be thus rendred, sleep with the uncircumcised.

Vers. 20. They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword.

They that were confederate with thee, and thou with them shall fall by the Chaldaean sword which hath commission to cut you all off, and to send you to the state of those that former­ly were slain by the sword; you think your self invulnerable, but you shall find the points of the Chaldaeans swords be sharp, and will enter.

She is delivered to the sword.

Egypt or the multitude of Egypt is delivered to the sword, appointed to be slain. The Hebrew may be rendred thus, The sword is delivered, or given, viz: into the hand of the Baby­lonian to destroy the Egyptian withall.

Draw her and all her multitude.

Draw her, Egypt and her People into the grave. The Baby­lonians slay her and hers, the sword is in their hand, and then drag them into the pit. But these and the former words may be taken otherwise; as to note out the stately Funeral of Egypt; She is delivered to the Sword, or the Sword is laid under her head, or by her side, to shew that she was warlike: Draw her, and all her multitude; Let her body, being put into a Chariot, be drawn in pomp and state,Vide-Junium. like unto the bodies of great Ones.

First, Observe;

God made known his mind to his Prophets by degrees; some­thing they had in one year given out, somewhat in another year; sometimes in one month, sometimes in another God spake unto them.

Here in the twelfth year, the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came unto Ezekiel: God had appeared to him the first day, and again the fifteenth day.

Secondly, Observe;

There be seasons to mourn in, as well as to rejoyce in.

Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt. The providence of God doth not act constantly in one way, but it makes chan­ges and alterations, which afford occasion to mourn and to laugh. When God carryed the Jewes into Babylon, there they hung up their Harps and wept, Psal. 137. and when he brought them back again, it was with singing, Isa: 48.20.

Thirdly, Observe;

That at the appointment of God we may lament for the sins and ju [...]gements of God upon the Churches enemies, secret or open.

The Egyptians were never reall friends to the Jews, but were their secret, if not their open enemies; and now when Gods hand was heavy upon them for their sins, the Prophet is com­manded to wail for them. When the Churches enemies suffer, we are to rejoyce, but if God calls to mourning for their suffe­rings, we must do it.

Fourthly, Observe;

The greatest in the greatest Kingdomes have no cause to glory and lift up themselves above others, seeing they must come to the common condition of all, even to the Pit and Grave.

The King of Egypt, with his Princes, Nobles, and confede­rates of famous Nations, must come down to the nether parts of the earth. Egypt was a potent flourishing Kingdome, Pharo­ah mighty, But whom dost thou passe in beauty? Thy beauty, glory, strength, wealth, greatnesse, are nothing, thou must go down and lye with the uncircumcised: In a moment, at the beck of the Lord Kingdomes are made desolate, Kings cast in­to the Grave, and all their pomp buried in the dark; let none despise others, and exalt themselves.

Vers. 21. The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of Hell.

Here and so on, the Prophet by a Figure call'd Prosopopaeia represents unto us what entertainment Pharoah should have among the dead; the Tyrants and great men of the world, that were in the Grave or Hell before, shall speak unto him and Congratulate his coming unto them in a taunting way; what Pharoah, hast thou, who wert so great and glorious, left the earth? art thou come to us weak and wounded, stript of all, and art become like us? thou art welcome to Hell, and the condition we Tyrants are in; be not troubled, here are many great ones before thee, both of the uncircumcised Nations, and also of the circumcised.

With them that help him.

They should speak to him and those were his helpers. Pharoah had many helpers to carry on his designes on earth, many Con­federates, and they should be welcom'd to Hell also.

They are gone down, they lye uncircumcised, slain by the sword.

The Egyptians they are gone down to the Grave, they lye or sleep with the uncircumcised, or are in no better conditi­on then uncircumcised Ones are in, being slain with the Sword. These words may be understood of other Nations.

Vers. 22. Ashur is there, and all her company.

Here the Prophet begins the enumeration of particular Na­tions, whose Kings and People were gone to Hell before-hand, and would give entertainment to Pharoah. The first he menti­ons is Ashur; the Assyrian Monarch was the most ancient, of great power and extent, and the King thereof was in Hell, and all the Assyrian company, all his Attendants and Followers.

His Graves are about him.

The King of Assyria is gone down to the Grave, and so are his Princes, Nobles and People which were slain by the sword; they are in their Graves near unto him, round about him, and these will speak to Pharoah at his coming into the Grave or Hell.

Vers. 23. Whose Graves are set in the sides of the pit.

The Vulgar reads the words thus, whose Graves are in no­vissimis laci, in the bottom of the lake; importing that they sell from the height of honour into the depth of misery.

Which caused terrour in the Land of the Living.

When the Assyrians were destroyed by the Chaldaean or Ba­bylonish sword, it was dreadful to those that were living; or thus, these Assyrians while they were in the Land of the li­ving, they caused terrour, they were tyrannical, cruel, & fill'd all with fear. Some restrain the Land of the Living only to Judaea, because there the Jewes only worshipped the living God, and those were right amongst them were to enjoy the living God eternally; but we may take the Land of the Living here in oppo­sition to the state of the dead, and so other Lands are included, yea all where be any living.

Vers. 24. Yet have they born their shame with them that go down to the pit.

They were tyrannical, and so a terrour to others, but they were cut off by the Scythians, saith Polanius, and carried the shame of their tyranny and wickednesse with them, or they dyed ignominiously.

Vers. 25. They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude.

When great Ones remove, preparations are made for them whither they remove; so here, even in the Grave and Hell a bed was provided for Elam. In the bed in darknesse and rest, such was the Grave, Vault, or Sepulchre o [...] Elam. In this verse there is an Enallagie of Genders and Numbers.

Vers. 26. There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude.

By Meshech, some Expositers understand the Scythians, others the Cappadocians; and by Tubal, the Iberians and Alba­nians which were neer together, and both of them in the Eastern parts; All these may be understood: for the Scythians passing through Cappadocia, Iberia, and Albania, had many of those Countries joyning with them, when they brake into Asia, be­tween Pontus and the Caspian Sea, and so plagued the Elamites; the Kings of these places were not yet slain, and gone down to the pit, though the words import it done, because of the cer­tainty of it, but it was near at hand, and to be effected before [Page 89] the death of Pharoah, whom they were to speak unto at his com­ing down to the Grave.

Her Graves are round about him, &c.

The Graves of the men of each Countrey were round about the King of that Countrey; they were people uncircumcised, out of Covenant with God, slain by the sword, notwithstanding they were terrible to others.

Vers. 27. And they shall not lye with the migh­ty that are fallen of the uncircumci­sed, which are gone down to Hell with their we [...]pons of war.

Among the Heathens and uncircumcised there were some mighty men which did notable exploits, were famous in their generations, and dyed honourably in the battel, or of their wounds; these had pompous and great Funerals,Cum armis sepeliebantur, ut significaretu [...] eos, Ʋs (que) ad Mortem, & us (que) ad Sepul­chrum, arma non abjeisse: Bab: Salum. and were bu­ried with their armour; they dyed honourably, and their ho­nour went with them to the Grave, but these should not be rec­koned or laid amongst them.

And they have laid their swords under their heads.

When Souldiers of note dyed, the custome was to honour them with laying their swords under their heads, or by their heads; and not only so, but they used to bury them with their Arms. Lavater tels us that Gyraldus in a book he hath written of Sepulchres and severall Rites of burying, saith, he saw Arms and Boots found in old Monuments or Sepulchres.

But their iniquities shall be upon their bones.

By iniquities is meant the punishment of iniquities: Their bones shall be scattered upon the earth for their tyranny and cruelty [Page 90] which they have exercised, & be exposed to the Beasts and Fowls for a prey; so their iniquities shall be upon their bones: O [...] thus, they had their swords and arms go down with them to the Grave, instruments of cruelty and bloud, signifying that they carried their bloudy and tyrannical dispositions with them. And their iniquities shall be upon their bones: They shall suffer now they are dead and gone a full recompence of reward for all their sins; or thus, they lived wickedly, and dyed cowardly, and an ill name shall they leave behind them, cursed shall be their memory.

Vers. 28. Yea, thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised, and shalt lye with them that are slain with the sword.

Some interpret this verse of Meshech and Tubal, that they should be broken in pieces, but rather it is the application of the former examples instanced in, viz: Meshech and Tubal, un­to Pharoah, Thou shalt be broken, and become a Companion of the uncircumcised, suffering such things as they do: Thou shalt be equall to them in punishment, who hast not been behind them in sin.

Vers. 29. There is Edom, her Kings and all her Princes, which with their might are laid by them that were slain by the Sword: they shall lye with the uncir­cumcised, and with them that go down to the pit.

Esau the son of Isaac was call'd Edom, who gave that name to the Country call'd Idumaea, which had many Kings and Princes; they were circumcised being the posterity of Abraham, but not­withstanding their circumcision, being wicked they obtained no­thing thereby, neither that, not their might and power, stood [Page 91] them in any stead, but they went down to the pit, and had the portion of uncircumcised ones. Here the Prophet answers an Objection which the Egy [...]ans might make, which was this, We are circumcised, and [...]hat are like the Jews, an holy people, differing from the Na [...]re, and therefore we lock for some privi­ledge thereby, and cannot be perswaded that our condition shall be like unto the uncircumcised Nations: Yes, saith the Prophet, your condition will not differ at all from theirs; for the Kings and all the Princes of Idumaea, who came of the Jewish race, and had circumcision upon better grounds then you had it, they are dead, gone to the grave, and laid among the uncircum­cised.

Vers. 30. There be the Princes of the North all of them, and all the Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain, with their terrour they are ashamed of their might, and they lye uncir­cumcised with them that be slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit.

The word for Princes in Hebrew is, Nesichim, Men anointed with oyl; so Kings and Princes were. These Princes of the North were not the Babylonians, whom God used to execute his pleasure upon Pharoah and the Egyptians; but the Tyrians, those of Damascus and Syria, together with the Zydonians. The Prin­ces of those places were North to Egypt, and being men of might, they were a terrour unto others; but their might could not preserve them from death, they were therefore ashamed of their might, and are laid with the uncircumcised in the pit.

First, Observe;

That Tyrants in Hell are glad when other Tyrants like them­selves come thither.

The strong among the mighty shall speak unto him [...] of the midst of Hell. Wh [...]n some great man comes to Court, there is rising, complementing, and welcoming of him thi [...]ne; so when great Tyrants come to the Court of Hell, there be those rejoyce at it, and congratulate their coming.

Secondly, Observe;

No humane power can defend a man against death, or keep him out of the pit.

Princes have the greatest power, yet that prevail'd not; the strong and mighty who were terrours to others, were no terrours to death, who came & pluckt them out of their Armyes, Thrones, Castles, Greatnesse, and sent them down to the dead. Ashur is there and all her company; There is Elam and all her multitude; There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude; There is Edom, her Kings, and all her Princes; There be the Princes of the North all of them, and all the Zidonians. None of them all could exempt themselves from that condition; it is not pollicy, power, or greatnesse can do it; for the most wise, most powerfull, and most great God hath said, Eccles. 8.8. There is no man hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit, neither hath he power in the day of Death; and there is no discharge in that war, neither shall wickednesse deliver those that are given to it. Kings are strong, but death is stronger than they: Kings may make war with men and conquer, or conclude peace; but its not so with death: if they send out all their forces, death fears them not, but will slay them every one; if they send men to treat and make a peace, it will not be gran­ted, there is no discharge in that war; death will have the bones and carkasses of Princes to gnaw upon, as well as the mea­nest; those that have been terrours, made a great noise in the world, death hath tamed and quieted them.

Thirdly, Observe;

The greatest and most g [...] the wrong way, and have the portion of Gods enemies.

Kings and Princes of Countreys with their companyes and multitudes go to Hell, and lye with the uncircumcised. Ashur, Elam, Meshech, Tubal, Edom, with their Kings and people, All the Princes of the North, with the Zidonians, and those that belonged to them went thither, and had the reward of the un­circumcised, of such as God owned not for his people, but dealt withall as enemies. Some there be that dye the death of the righteous, Numb. 23.10. that dye in faith, Heb: 11.13. and in the Lord, Rev: 14.13. and these are blessed, their death is precious in the eyes of the Lord, Psal. 116.15. but as for others, they dye in their sins, and are accursed.

Fourthly, Observe;

Mighty men who have ruffled it in the world, been dreadfull unto others, and go down to the Grave in pomp, or not, shall afterward bear-their shame and sin.

The mighty Ones of Ashur, of Elam, of Meshech, Tubal, Edom, those of the North and Zidon, who were a terrour in the Land of the living; some of them were buried in pomp, they went down to Hell with their weapons of war, and they had their swords laid under their heads; others had no Funerals, or no pomp at them, but they all did bear their shame, and their iniquities were upon their bones; they lived wickedly, oppres­sed grievously, played the Devills on the earth, they bear their shame, and God punished them for their iniquities. Tyrants are feared and honoured as gods while they live, but being dead, their names do stink, and their torments are terrible,Potens poten­ter punientur. pro­portioned to the power they have abused, and mischief done by them.

Fifthly, Observe;

Externall priviledges profit not Princes nor People unlesse they be Godly, they must perish like those that want those priviled­ges.

The Edomites were circumcised, which was a great privi­ledge in Pauls account, Phil. 35. a sign of the Covenant be­tween God and his people, Gen: 17.11. But because they and their Princes were wicked, circumcision profited them not, they were laid with the uncircumcised, they had no more favour from the hand of the Lord, then his worst enemies, then those that were out of covenant, and open enemies unto him. Let men take heed how they rest upon their priviledges and professions, it is not Baptisme, being in a Church, injoying of Ordinances, having of gifts, high notions, and admirable expressions, will advantage men or women at last; unlesse they be really Godly a thousand such priviledges will do them no good; Gal. 6.15. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncir­cumcision, but a new Creature.

Vers. 31. Pharoah shall see them, and shall be comforted.

When Pharoah shall come to Hell or the Grave, and see what Kings, Princes, and multitudes of people are there suffe­ring such things as himself must, this shall comfort him that he hath such companions, and so many: To lose his life, kingdom, and people, were sad things, bitter afflictions, but when he saw others had done so before him, and they as great as himselfe, this was as a Cordial unto him.

Pharoah and all his army slain by the sword.

Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon came shortly after this pro­phesie against him and the Egyptians, and made a great slaugh­ter amongst them, cutting off man and beast from the Land, as was said, Chap. 29.11.

Vers. 32. For I have caused my terrour in the Land of the Living.

Junius reads the words, when I shall put my terrour; Monta­nus, because I have put my breaking in the Land of the Living; a Preter Tense for a Future. The sense is this, when I shall cut off Pharoah and his army by the Babylonish sword, this judgement of mine upon them, will cause terrour in the Nations that are living, they will be afraid of my judgements. Pharoah made them afraid by his wars, and I shall make them afraid by my judgements.

First, Observe;

The comfort that wicked ones have after death in Hell is poor comfort, its imaginary comfort rather then reall,

What comfort is it to see many in Prison, in torment, suffe­ring proportionable punishment for their iniquities. Pharoah shall see them, and shall be comforted; he shall see the Kings of several Countries there, the great Tyrants of the world, and shall be punished like unto them; his comfort was in conceit, but his punishment in reallity. Polanus calls it Crudele solatium, Cruel Comfort. For a King to be in Fire and Brimstone with other Kings, People to be weeping and gnashing of their tee h with others is cold and cruel comfort. Many flatter themselves, that if they dogo to hell, they shall have companions there, which will be some ease, but it rather wil aggravate their misery to hear their dreadfull howling and yellings, their cursing one another, that ever they knew each other.

Secondly; Observe;

God cuts off Kings and Nations by his just judgements, that he might strike fear into the living, cause them to cease from sin, and learn righteousnesse.

When Pharoah and all his Army were slain by the sword, then the Lord sent his terrour in the Land of the living, then the Nations far and nigh trembled at the severe judgements of the Lord. Such judgements are awakening things, and call aloud to the Inhabitants of the earth to repent and reform their wayes.

Ezekiel being taken off by the Lord from prophesying to the Jews, Ch 24.27. he was imployed two years & upwards in pro­phesying to other Nations, as appears by comparing Ch: 24.1. with Ch. 32.1. & having done with them, here he is Cōmission'd again to prophesie to the Jews; Son of man, speak unto thy peo­ple; cease now to speak any more to the Nations which are stran­gers to thee, & speak to thine own people, to the Jews which are of the same root, stock and kinred with thy self. The Hebrew is to the sons of thy people. Its observable God saith not to the children of my people, or to the Jews, but to thy people; God did disown them, they were so stubborn and disobedient that he would not acknowledge them for his: Oft in this prophesie they are call'd Ezekiels people, Chap: 3.11. Chap: 13.17. and four times in this Chapter, in this 2. vers. the 12.17. & 30. in all these verses its the children of thy people. When the Jews sinned that grievous sin in making the Calf, God disown'd them, and said to Moses, Go get thee down, for thy people have corrup­ted [Page 99] themselves, Exod: 32.7. Sin makes breaches between the nearest relations, and causes God to disown his own people, and his own institutions, Isa. 1.14. The new Moons, and the ap­pointed Feasts my soul hateth.

When I bring the sword upon a Land.

By sword is meant war and the evils do attend it, as Chap. 6.3. & 14.17. & 29.8. & 30.4. & 32.11. The Hebrew is thus, A Land when I shall bring upon it the sword; here is a Nomina­tive Case, viz: Erez put absolute; and Sanctius saith, when a Pronoun follows, that Nominative must be put in the place and Case of the Pronoun, as our translation hath done, saying, I will bring a sword (not upon it, but) upon the Land. Land is not put for Judaea, but indefinitely for any Land.

If the people of the Land take a man of their Coasts, and set him for their watchman.

When a Land is in danger of being invaded, the peoples care is to chose out one or other to set him in some eminent place for a watchman. Montanus and the Vulgar render the word Mikzehem, de novissimis suis, They take one of the lowest and meanest rank; but Katzah notes the border and extream part of a Land, or any other thing: Its better as our translation hath it, a man of their Coasts or borders, where the enemy was like to make his first approach.

A watchman.

Tzopheh is from Tzaphah, which is accurately to observe, to open the eyes, and fixedly to behold an object, and take spe­cial notice thereof; so is a watchman to do: 2 Sam. 13.34. The young man that kept the watch, lift up his eyes and looked, and be­hold there came much people. He did not barely look, but lift up his eyes and looked, he made an accurate observation. So 2 Sam. 18.24. The watchman went up to the roof over the gate [Page 100] unto the wall, and lift up his eyes, and looked, and behold, a man running alone; he put forth himself to the utmost to make a discovery, his eyes were intent upon it.

Vers. 3. If when he seeth the sword come upon the Land, &c.

This verse sets out the office of the watchman; which is,

• 1. To look diligently about him, whether there be any danger approaching, any enemy neer at hand, coming to invade or make attempts against the Land.
• 2. If so, he is to blow the Trumpet presently, and to give warning thereof, stirring up all to procure publique safe­ty.

He blow the Trumpet.

The Hebrew word to blow, is [...] Takah, which signifies to fasten, but when its joyn'd with the word Manus, it notes to strike the hand or strike hands, when with the word Shophar, a Trumpet, it signifies to blow, as 2 Sam: 2.28. Joab blew a Trumpet; so 1 Sam. 13.3. Saul blew the Trumpet, and Joel 2.1. Blow the Trumpet in Zion. Trumpets of old were made of the horns of Beasts, of Brasse, and Silver.

And warn the people.

The blowing of the Trumpet was a warning to the people to look to themselves; but this warning was not only by the voice of the Trumpet, but also by the voice of the watchman; for having blown the Trumpet upon the discovery and approach of an enemy, the watchman was to shift for his life and liberty, by returning to his people, and so to call upon them to provide for publique safety. The word in Hebrew for warning, is Zahar, which signifies to shine, illuminate, and metaphorically to warn; because when a man is warned, he is instructed, and hath light given in unto him.

Vers. 4. Then whosoever heareth the sound of the Trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come and take him away.

Many are so taken up with the world, that though they hear of danger at hand, yet they will not hear, but venture so long that they are caught, the sword comes and takes them away. The Hebrew is, he that hearing heareth.

His bloud shall be upon his own head.

He hath no cause to blame the watchman, he blew the Trum­pet and warned him, the fault is in himself, that he took not the warning, that he made not haste to secure his own life, he is guilty of his own death, and hath voluntarily brought it upon himself, the whole fault is his own; that is the meaning of this phrase, His bloud shall be upon him, or, upon his own head, which is frequent in Scripture, Josh. 2.19. It shall be, that who­soever goeth out of the doors of thy house into the street, his bloud shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltlesse; that is, he shall be guilty of his own death, not we; 1 Kings 2.37. On the day thou goest out, and passest over the Brook Kidron, thou shalt surely dye; thy bloud shall be upon thine own head, thou shalt be the cause of thine own death, not I, said Solomon to Shimei.

Vers. 5. He heard the sound of the Trumpet, and took not warning; his bloud shall be upon him.

Here the reason is given why he is guilty of his own death; because he was within the sound of the Trumpet, he heard it, that proclaimed the danger was at hand; but he was secure minding his profit or pleasure, and took not warning.

But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

He that gives heed to the blowing of the Trumpet, and pre­sently hastens into the City, or flyes for his life, he shall deliver his soul from the hands of the enemies coming, he shall be safe; the word for to deliver, is from Malat, which signifies fuga sibi Consulere, to provide for ones self by flight, saith Avenarius; he doth so deliver his soul, that is himself, for soul here is put by a Synecdoche for a mans selfe.

Vers. 6. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the Trumpet, and the people be not warned.

All watchmen are not faithfuil, some are sleepy and careless, they see not the sword coming; some are perfidious, they see it coming but blow not the Trumpet, they warn not the people; and what then?

If the sword come and take away any person from among them.

That is, if any man being not warned by the watchman shall be surprized and cut off, as frequently in such cases it is, his bloud will lye upon the watchman. The Hebrew for any person, is a soul, if the sword come and take a soul from them.

He is taken away in his iniquity.

He is found in his sin and is cut off for his sin; most Interpre­ters render the words propter iniquitatem suam, for his iniquity: He was wicked, and for his wickednesse justly cut off.

But his bloud will I require at the watchmans hand.

Here is the punishment laid down of an unfaithfull watch­man; through his sleepinesse, negligence, or treachery, a soul is taken away, a man is slain by the adversary, who if the watch­man had given warning, might have lived, and therefore be­cause he did not, he is guilty of the mans bloud, and must an­swer for it, at his hands will God require it.

Vers. 7. I have set thee a watchman.

I have given thee to be a watchman unto the house of Israel, that thou shouldest look about, search the Scriptures, find out what is evill, sinful, and what's the punishment due thereunto, what wrath God hath revealed from Heaven against all unrigh­teousnesse, and tell the people thereof.

Therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth.

Thou must not speak of thine own head, or out of thine own hearr, but thou must take all up from me; either what I have given out by Moses and other Prophets already, or what I shall give out immediately to thy self. Thus Habakkuk did, Ch. 2.1. I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the Tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me. He would have the word from Gods mouth.

And warn them from me.

Thou must not warn them in thine own name, but in my name, whose Prophet thou art, whose words thou hast received, and who hath impowered thee to tell men of their sins and dangers.

Vers. 8. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely dye.

Where God sayes so is hard to find in all the book of God. You have not O wicked man, thou shalt surely dye; but in gene­rals there's that is equivalent; as, the soul that sins shall dye; The wicked shall be turned into Hell; Ʋpon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and Brimstone, and an horrible tempest; And the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all unrighteous­nesse of men. These and such other places are Tantamount.

If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way.

When the watchman sees a wicked man in a wicked way, as in a way of drunkenness, whoredom, idolatry, oppression, or any profanesse, he is to warn him, and tell him of the danger of his wayes; if he through fear or favour, incogitancy or careles­nesse, neglect to do it, the danger is great.

That wicked man shall dye in his iniquity.

The wicked man might object and say, Why should I dye? I was never warned by the watchman, he saw me daily living in such courses; and had he told me the danger of them, I should have considered my wayes and turned from them. This Objection is an­swered; Thou art a wicked man, thou hast lived in iniquity, and now thou shalt dye in, and for thine iniquity; the light of Nature, the dictates of thy Conscience, the example of others, might have taught thee to have done otherwise: though the Prophet have neglected his duty, thou shalt suffer for thy sins, and he for his.

His bloud will I require at thy hand.

I set thee to be a watchman over him to observe his wayes, to tell him of his sins, to invite and provoke him to repentance by promises of mercy, and threatning of my judgements, that so he might have been saved; but because thou wast unfaithfull, and didst not thy duty, he is lost, and his bloud will I require at thy hands, and recompence it upon thine head.

Vers. 9. Neverthelesse, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it.

If thou be faithful in thy place and tell the wicked of his sins, [Page 106] calling upon him to turn from them unto me the living God; if this hath been thy care and practice, thou hast done well.

He shall dye in his iniquity, but thou hast de­livered thy soul.

What ever befalls him, death temporal, or death eternal, thou hast freed thy self, and shalt nor be responsive for him at all, his bloud shall be upon his own head, and not upon thine.

First, Observe;

Wars come not upon any people casually, but by the providence of God.

When I bring the sword upon a Land. Its God calls out the sword, and causeth it to come; he is the Lord of Hosts, and Commissions Armies to make invasions where he please.

Secondly, Observe;

In case of common danger, the people have liberty and power to set up a politicall Officer, for their good and safety.

When the sword is coming upon the Land, if the people of the Land take a man of their Coasts, and set him up for their watch­man. God expects they should do it, and approves of it done; they do not their duty, unless they do it; they must not stay till those in authority do it, the Land may be invaded, many lose their lives upon that account: but its their priviledge, and in their power, presently to appoint a man who may discover dan­ger and give them notice of it. Every man is a part of the whole, and when that is indangered, every one is to put forth himself to the utmost for security thereof; Suprema lex est salus popu­li.

Thirdly, Observe;

That in the Ecclesiastick State its Gods Prerogative to set up Offices and Officers.

Son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel. He might not set himself a watchman, nor the people set him to be one; 1 Cor. 12.28. God hath set some in the Church: first, Apostles; secondly, Prophets; thirdly, Teachers; af­ter that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, government, diversitie of tongues. In the Political state, men may make what Offices and Officers they please; but in the Ecclesiastick State its not so: Man must not meddle; God only is the Au­thour of all Offices in the Church extraordinary or ordinary, and no man ought to come into any of them, without Commissi­on and Direction from God; true Ministers are to be call'd by the Church according to Gods will, and not by the will of a State. The making of Ministers is Church-work, and not State-work.

Fourthly, Observe;

Those that are called to office by men or God, in State or Church, they are watchmen.

They must have eyes in their heads, lift up their eyes and look about them most diligently and conscientiously, least any mischief come to the one or the other; They are to be men of understanding, especially the spiritual watchman, his lips must preserve knowledge, Mal. 2.7. He is set to watch, sleepinesse and drowsinesse do not become him; there is great danger therein, Math: 13.25. While men slept the enemy came and sowed tares; Whilest the watchmen slept, the Devill and his Instruments took the opportunity and advantage to sow Tares, Errour, Heresies and Damnable Doctrines. Isa. 56.10. you may see what watchmen the Lord had in Isaiahs time. His watchmen are blind, they are all ignorant, they are all dumb Dogs, they cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to s [...]umber. [Page 108] The State and Church watchmen were such: therefore idolatry, murder, oppression and profanesse abounded amongst them; they sought themselves and their ease, not the State or Churches good. Watchmen should not be for themselves, but for the publique good, enduring any hardship rather then the Publique should be endangered; they must not shrink at wind or wea­ther, but bare the cold of the night, and the heat of the day, watching alwayes. Isa. 21.11. Watchman, what of the night? watchman, what of the night? The watchman was at his work in the night, as well as in the day.

Fifthly, Observe;

God hath a special care of his Church and People, being exposed to many dangers.

I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel. Where watchmen are, dangers are supposed. There be Church-Rob­bers abroad, that would rob it of the Scriptures, of Ordinances, Officers, of Christ, and of Heaven it selfe. There be those who would bring in damnable Heresies, as of old, 2 Pet. 1.1. Yea the Church is apt of it self to breed Vipers, Acts 20.30. Thorns, Bryars, Weeds, Nettles, do grow up in Gods Gardens: What Errours, Heresies, Blasphemies, are not revived in our dayes? Are they not grown up to that height and strength, as to threaten and indanger the foundation? If ever the Church is as a Lilly among Thorns, as a Lamb among Wolves and Lyons that seek to tare in peices and devoure, it is now. Truth goeth with a scratch't face every where, and is so scratched and dis­figured that many know her not; she hath many enemies, few friends, and cannot dwell quiet in Sion it self; erroneous Opinions are ready to assault her in her own house: there is need therefore of watchmen to discover and prevent dangers; and God hath manifested his care of his Church and Truth, that he hath given watchmen for the preservation of them, and left it upon Record that himself is the watchman of his Vineyard, Isa. 27.3. Least any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. The fire of Contention, the floods of Iniquity, and winds of strange [Page 109] Doctrine cannot harm Gods Vineyard, he is the Keeper thereof.

Sixthly, Observe;

What Gifts or Graces soever Prophets and men in Ecclesiastical places have, they must depend upon God for more, and receive from him before they give out to others.

No Prophet, no Apostle, ever had such a sufficiency of light, knowledge, or grace, as to stand in need of no more. God had set Ezekiel to be a watchman to the house of Israel, he had heard much from God, the Spirit entred into him, he had eaten the rowle, and yet he must attend the Lord, therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth; even therefore because he was Gods Prophet, he was to hear the word at his mouth, not to trust to what he had, not to give out of his own, but constantly to look unto the Lord, to hearken what he would say, and then what he said to make that known unto others. Gods Prophets, Gods Ministers must speak his words, deliver his message; There is a Majesty, an Efficacy in his words, which are not in the words of men, Heb. 4.12. The words of false Prophets were chaffe without virtue, but the words of true Prophets were wheat, full of vertue, for they were the words of God, Jer: 23.28.

Seventhly, Observe;

That as its the duty of watchmen to foresee danger, so to fore­warn the people of it.

The State-watchman ought to do both, and so the Church-watchman. The one when he sees the sword to come, is to blow the Trumpet and warn the people, that they secure their lives; the other when he sees mens lives are wicked, tending to the destruction of their souls, when he sees Errour, Heresies, coming to infect and indanger the souls of men, he is to blow the Trumpet of the Lord, and to warn them that they take heed of the one, and desist from the other; Isa: 58.1. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voyce like a Trumpet, and shew my people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins. Isaiah was a [Page 110] watchman to the house of Jacob, and he fore-saw they were in danger of being ruin'd and carryed into captivity; and what must he do in this case? be silent, no, Cry aloud, make them to hear, spare not thy lungs, thy strength, lift up thy voice like a Trumpet, louder and louder, make all the house of Jacob to hear it; and shew my people their transgressions, present unto them the Na­ture and danger of them, let them not rest or sleep, but tell them of their sins in publique, in private, sollicit, importune them to cease from their evil wayes, and to secure their souls. It's not enough for a spiritual watchman to warn his people once or twice in a year, of the dangerous evils their sins will bring upon them, but he must do it frequently, constantly; this warning must be dayly: let the persons be of what rank soever, if they live in wayes of wickednesse, which may hazard their souls; the watchman must tell them of their sins and danger, admonish them seriously, reprove them sharply, and threaten them with death eternal, if they persevere in their wayes.

Eightly, Observe;

That Prophets, Ministers, and Watchmen in Sion, are to act in the name and authority of God.

Thou shalt warn them from me. They must let them know that God hath sent them, that they speak from him, not from themselves, not their own words; and this is likelyest to make way for the message they bring, of what kind soever. Here the Prophet was to warn them, to tell them of their sins, and the danger of them; and who would not receive an admonition from God, when it comes in his name, backed with his authori­ty, when God in it seeks our good, the freedom of us from death and damnation, the bringing of us unto glory and salva­tion, and especially when the soul of the watchman lyeth at stake for the sinner, if he do not admonish the sinner. Can any sinner be so obstinate as not to consider, relent, and return, when God shall send one in his name unto him, and the Pro­phet shall say, Sir, I come from God unto you, and my life is at stake for you, if I tell you not of your sins, I am a lost man: give me leave therefore to deal plainly with you; you are covetous, un­clean, [Page 111] proud, froward, ignorant, unbelieving, having a form of Godl nesse without the power, and unlesse you take another course, and serve the living God otherwise the you do, you will perish soul and body eternally; but if y [...]u will hearken, I will shew you the good and right way, the way everlasting, which will make you blessed for ever. When a watchman comes and deals thus with a sinner, hath he cause to be angry? No, he hath cause to fall down, and say, Of a truth God is in you, and with you, I thank you for your counsell, and seasonable admonitions, and through the grace of God I will improve them, and turn to that God who is so gracious, and would have sinners come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved.

Ninthly, Observe;

The Lord knowes who are wicked.

When I say to the wicked man. The world calls them wicked who are righteous, and those righteous who are wicked; but it is not so with the Lord, he knows who is an hypocrite, who is covetous, who is a lyar, a formalist, an enemy to grace and holi­nesse; Known unto the Lord are all his works, Acts 15.18. And he knoweth who are his, 2 Tim: 2.19. and who are not his; there is not one Goat in the world, but the Lord knows him, not a Wolfe, or Lyon, but he takes notice of them: he knew the house of Israel better then Ezekiel who dwelt amongst them; whom he said was wicked, was so indeed. It matters not much what the world saith of men, it call'd Paul a Babler, Acts 17.18. An Heretick, Acts 24.14. A Pestilent Fellow, vers. 5. But what said God of him? Acts 9.15. He is a cho­sen Vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and the children of Israel. Jobs friends and the Devil said, Job was an hypocrite; but God said, He was a perfect man, fearing God, and eschewing evill, Job 1.1. That men are what God, who cannot lye, who cannot be deceived, pronounces them to be; if he in his word do call a [...]an for an hypocrite, an unbelie­ver, covetous, proud, &c. he is so.

Tenthly, Observe;

The Power of life and death is in the hand of the Lord.

When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely dye. God hath authority over the lives of men, and can pro­nounce a sentence of death upon them at his pleasure. He Com­mission'd Saul to smite Amalek, to slay man and woman, infant and suckling, Oxe and Sheep, Camel and Asse, 1 Sam. 15.3. Wh [...]n Ahab let Benhadad go, a man that God had appointed to destruction, therefore saith he, Thy life shall go for his, and thy people for his people, 1 Kings 20.42. The power of life and death God challengeth to himself, Deut. 32.39. I kill, and I make alive, I wound, I heal, neither is there any that can deli­ver out of mine hand. By this argument he proves himself to be God, and its none but God that kills, or gives life, Psal. 68.20. Ʋnto God the Lord belong the issues from death. The Hebrew is Lammaneth Totzaoth, Exitus ad mortem, the goings out to death; its God that turns the key, and lets out the breath, its he puts a period to the life of the Creature; would any live? let them fear the Lord, and depart from evill; for The fear of the Lord prolongeth dayes, Prov: 10.27. Moses uses this argument to perswade them to love, obey, and cleave to the Lord, He is thy life, and length of thy dayes, Deut. 30.20. Men have their lives from God, and he draws the thread of them out to what length he please; and therefore men should love, fear, obey and cleave to that God, if they do not, he will cut the thread of their lives asunder; Prov. 10.27. The years of the wicked shall be shortned; by one sicknesse, judgement or other, their dayes and years shall be shortned, of what they might have been.

Eleventhly, Observe;

Those watchmen that are unfaithfull in their places, and do not tell the people of their sins and danger, their account will be dreadful.

If thou doe not speak to warn the wicked from his way, his bloud will I require at thy hand. If a politicall watchman be unfaith­ful, so that a man perish by the sword without warning, his bloud lyeth upon the watchmans head; and if the Ecclesiasti­cal watchman be unfaithful, and do not warn the wicked upon what pretence soever, the bloud of that wicked man, dying in his sins, will be required of the watchman, it lyes upon his head, and he must answer for it: the case of this latter watch­man will be more dangerous then of the former; because the one is to answer for the life of a man, the other for the soul of a man, which is of great price. Let lazy, sleepy, perfidious watchmen look to it, they suffer men to perish through their default, and their bloud, lives, souls, stand ingaged for the s [...]me.

Twelfthly, Observe;

The failing of the watchman will not excuse or priviledge the wicked man.

If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall dye in his iniquity. Though he be not told that he is in a wrong way, though he pretend ignorance, that will not serve turn, he shall dye in his iniquity, warn'd or un­warn'd; the watchman hath not done his duty, what then? must this exempt the wicked man from punishment? No, he hath not done his duty, he should have minded & studyed the Law of God, walked according to that, and have made it a Lamp unto his feet, and a light unto his paths, Psal. 119.105. But his neglect of his duty, and ignorance, rather will aggravate, then extenuate his fault; the Law was near unto him, and he might have known what was forbidden, and so have avoided the same.

Thirteenthly, Observe;

Those that regard not the warning of the watchmen, they bring certain destruction upon themselves.

Whosoever hears the sound of the Trumpet, and takes not warn­ing, his bloud shall be upon his own head; If the enemy cut off that man, he himself is guilty of his own death, not the politi­cal watchman: And so in the Church-State; if the wicked man be warned of his way, and turn not from it, he shall dye in his iniquity, his bloud lyes at his own dore, upon his own head, the watchman is free.

Fourteenthly, Observe;

There is great necessity that the watchmen deal faithfully, and tell the people of their danger and sin.

Their souls, their bloud lye at stake upon it; if they be not faithfull, their lives, their souls go for it. Those watchmen that are silent, are cruel, bloudy, and soul-murthering men, they murther the souls of the people, and their own souls also; those that speak, that cry aloud, that tell the people throughly of their sins, not fearing their frowns, nor respecting their fa­vours, that so if it be possible, they may save their souls; these are the most faithful watchmen. Many wonder that the spiritu­al watchmen are so zealous, particular, that they open the nature of sin so much, threaten such terrible judgements of God against sinners, and preach damnation unto them, that they are so frequent in such wayes; but cease to wonder, their souls are in jeopardy if they do it not. If a mans whole estate were in hazard if he did not tell such a man that he were a lyar, a drunkard, and would he forfeit his estate through silence? No, he would tell him of his sins again and again. The watch­mans soul lyeth at pawn, and he forfeits that if he should not tell sinners of their sins, and warn them to turn from them: Hence was it that Paul said, Necessity is laid upon me, and we un­to me if I preach not the Gospel, 1 Cor. 9.16. he preached, and warned sinners night and day, Acts 20.31.

Lastly, Observe;

That the watchmen warning the people, and the people taking warning, they do both secure themselves:

If the wat [...]hman Politic [...]l or Spi [...]itual blow the Trumpet, warn the [...]ople, he shall deliver his own soul; if the people take wa [...]ning, they deliver their souls. Safety lyes in warning, and it hearkning to wa [...]ning; let not the watchmen of God be sleepy or silent, but warn the people constantly, that so they may save themselves and others.

Vers. 10. Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel.

God had set Ezekiel to be a watchman unto the house of Israel, to observe their sins and tell them thereof; and here he commands him to do his duty, speak unto the house of Israel, thus; The house of Israel was not now the 10 Tribes, but the 2 Tribes left of the 10.

If our transgressions and our sins be upon us.

Jerusalem being now taken, or upon the taking, the Jews were more sensible of their sins, and so felt the weight of them in that sad judgement was upon them, or coming upon them. By transgressions and sins, not only the guilt, but the pu­nishment of them is meant; they had felt much in the time of Jerusalems siedge, and more now in the taking of it: God visi­ted their iniquities upon their heads.

And we pine away in them.

When Gods hand is upon persons for their sins, they con­sume and moulder away; the pain and anguish they are under melts their fat, eats up their strength, and brings them to skin and bone. Nemakkim it is from Muk, or Makak, which is to grow lean, to become feeble, to be dissolved in Mareo­rem, into corruption or rottenness.

How should we then live?

The Jews seeing Jerusalem now in the enemies hand, and themselves going into captivity, speak desparingly; saying, We are like never to see good day, but must pine away under the judgements that are upon us; how should we then live? its in vain to warn us, and tell us of repenting and turning to the Lord, we must dye in the condition we are in.

Vers. 11. Say unto them, As I live saith the Lord God.

This oath of God hath been spoken of, Chap. 16.48. & Ch: 5. vers. 11. Its the oath which God most uses. Life is the most precious of all things, and that God swares by; as sure as I live, or am the living God, it is true which I say; or, let me not be the living God, if I speak false: you think I am a hard Master, that you shall pine away in your sins, and find no mercy, though you should repent and return; you are greatly deceived: As I live, saith the Lord, &c. He swares not by a truth that was questi­on, Numb. 14.11. Nor by his Omnipotency, for that was doubted of, Ps. 78.19. but by his life which was never in que­stioned. The Learned observe, that when this word Chai is re­ferred to God, so that himselfe swares, or men sware by him, its written with Patach under it, as here and in other places; but when it is referred to men, then its written Chai with Tzere, as Gen: 42.15. [...] By the life of Pharaoh, or as sure as Pharaoh lives; So in 2 Sam. 11.11. You have them both together; in 1 Sam. 20.3. Chai Jehovah vechei, Naph shecha, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth.

I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that &c.

The Septuagint reads the words, [...], I will not; The Vulgar is Nolo mortem impit, I am unwilling the wicked should dye; the French ie u'appette point; I covet not, am not gree­dy of the death of the wicked; Junius, Si delector, If I de­light in the death of the wicked; Vatablus, Piscator, Non de­lector, I delight not in the death of the wicked; or I am not delighted therewith. Montanus hath it, Si volam in morte im­pii, If I shall will in the death of the wicked, for so runs the Hebrew, Im Echphotz bemoth Harashang. The word Cha­phetz signifies to desire, love, delight in a thing, as Gen: 34.19. Shechem delighted in Dinah; he desired her, loved her, [Page 118] and took delight in her. Chophetz notes the highest delight & content that can be taken, Psal. 16.3. in whom is Col Cheph-Zi, all my delight, that is, my greatest delight. Now here its said, God hath not pleasure in the death of the wicked; This is not an absolute negative, denying God wholly to have delight in death, or in the death of sinful wicked man, or of any sin­full man; for God took delight in the destruction of Pharoah and his Hoast in the red Sea, which Moses shews, saying, Exod: 15.1. He hath triumphed gloriously; the Horse and his Rider hath he thrown into the Sea. God sent Saul to smite Ama­leck, utterly to destroy him and all his, when Agag was spa­red with the best of the sheep and oxen? was he not wrath with him? 1 Sam. 15.3.11.23. When Jehu cut off Ahabs house what said the Lord? Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in my eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart; thy children of the fourth Generation shall sit on the Throne of Israel, 2 Kings 10.30. The destruction of Ahabs house was pleasing to God, he commended he rewarded it. And that God takes no plea­sure in the destruction of a sinfull wicked man, is contrary to these Texts, Deut. 28.63. Prov. 1.26, 27. Isa. 1.24. Jer: 14.12. The words they are not to be taken as an absolute ne­gative, but comparatively, thus, I have pleasure in the turning of the wicked from his wayes, rather then in his death, or its more pleasing to me, that a wicked man should turn and live, then that he should continue and dye. Such an expression is that in 1 Cor. 1.17. Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospell; Not absolutely not to baptize, but rather to preach, then to baptize; he had more pleasure in my preach­ing, then in my baptizing: and so here, Let me not live, if I have so much pleasure in the death of a sinner, as in his turning from his sin.

By Death here some understand eternall Death, and it can­not be otherwise, saith Quistorpius; for he speaks of that death, which may be avoided by repentance and turning to God; but temporal death cannot be avoided, either by the penitent or impenitent. But to him that well considers this place, it will appear that here its spoken of a temporal and violent death; [Page 119] for vers. 3. He speaks of the sword coming upon a Land. They were at this time either straitly besiedged, or newly taken by Nebuchadnezzars forces, and complain'd that their sins were upon them, provoking God to destroy them, that they pin'd away, and there was no hope for them of life, though they should repent them of their iniquities; this God answers unto, and tells them if they turn from their evill wayes, there is hope they shall live, for repentance prevents and removes judge­ments that are destructive: The Ninivites by their repentance prevented the destruction of themselves, and their City; at Davids repentance the plague was stayed; Ahabs humbling himself prevented Gods bringing the evill in his dayes. So that its true of natural death, that cannot be avoided by penitency or impenitency, but a violent death may, a death by sword, by famine, by plague, by wild beasts may. 2 Chro: 7.14. If my peo­ple which are called by my name shall humble themselves & pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked wayes, then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and w [...]ll heal their Land. Had he spoken of eternall death, it had been no answer to the Jews objection: Lavater tells us, that by Death is meant Malum, and by Life Bonum; Men by their sins bring sad calamities and judgements upon themselves, they cause God to punish them with variety of evills which he hath no pleasure in, nor they cause to complain of, Lament. 3.33, 39. He had rather they should turn from their sins and live com­fortably.

But that the wicked turn from his way and live.

The word for wicked, is Rashang, which the Septuagint ren­ders [...], the irreligious, lewd, ungodly man, here wicked, wicked in opinions, wicked in practice, troublesome to God and man, running the wrong way. The word for way signi ies a path which leads from place to place, and men walk in it: Metaphorically its applyed to the customes, manners, actions, religions and lives of men, Jer. 16.2. Pro: 1.19. Prov: 21.2.[Page 120] of this before Chap. 16.61. The sense lyeth thus, As I live, I delight not in the death of the wicked, but if the wicked turn from his way and live, or shall live; that is, according to what I have prescribed in my word, I shall delight in this; or thus, If he turn from his sinfull way, that he may live, and live comfortably, I shall delight in it.

Turn ye, turn ye from your evill wayes.

Here is an earnest exhortation of them unto repentance, setting out the mercy and goodnesse of God, who was ready and willing to pardon them, upon their turning from their evil wayes. The doubling of the word notes the earnest and reall intention of God in it. The sum and substance of the words, is to shew, that if sinners repent of their former wickednesse he will forgive them, and take pleasure in them. Turn ye, turn ye from your evill wayes. If ye pine away under my judgements, the fault is yours, you turn not from your idolatries, oppressions, perjuries, and profanations of my Sabbaths and Ordinances, these are wayes of death; but if ye would hearken to my wayes, and turn unto them, they are wayes of life. Of turning hath been spoken, Chap. 14.6. The Septuagint is [...], Turn you by turning, turn throughly from your evill wayes.

For why will ye dye O house of Israel?

Ye are the Nation I took and brought out of Egypt by a strong hand, Deut: 4.34. Ye are the people that entred into Co­venant with me, & avouched me to be your God. Deut. 26.17. and I you to be my peculiar people, vers. 18. ye are they upon whom I have bestowed great priviledges, holy Ordinances, to whom I have shewed mercy and truth, Ps. 76.1, 2. Ps. 98.3. ye are the people I have taken most delight in of all people under Heaven, whom I have most honoured, done most for, and made the greatest promises unto, Jer. 31.33, 34. Chap: 33.8.14. Why therefore have you left me, and my wayes, and fallen in­to wayes of death? why do you wound and stab your selves? if [Page 121] you have no regard to me, yet pity your selves; cease from those wayes will be your death: Why will ye dye O house of Israel? Is it not better to live in my wayes, then to dye in your own?

First, Observe:

The guilt and punishment of sin are heavy and consuming things.

Our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we pine away in them. Guilt alone is 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; [Page 122] 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, its 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 [Page 123] 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. Its 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 have life or no; but life is pro­pounded and offered unto them, and where that is promised there is a wide door of mercy opened; God is troubled at it, that sinners forsake mercy and embrace it not: Why will ye dye? Why will ye not turn from your evill wayes unto me the living God? Am I so ill a God? Have I dealt so unkindly with you, as that you will not come unto me; testifie against me, tell me wherein. Like that in Micah 6.3. O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearyed thee? testifie against me. If there be any such thing lye in the way, I am rea­dy to remove it.

Fifthly, Observe;

The nature of true repentance lyeth in turning.

Turn ye, turn ye. God at first made man upright, with his face towards himself, but he sought out inventions, and turn'd away from God to the creature, which was a madnesse, to leave an universal, everlasting, and satisfying good, for a particular fading, and an unsatisfying good; this madness is in the hearts of all men,Eccl: 9.3. till they come to repenting & turning again unto God, and setting him in his right posture to behold the Lord. This turning must be from his evil wayes; Turn ye from your evill wayes, and from all of them, Ezek. 14.6. Chap. 18.21.31. Else its no turning; if the heart be towards any one sin, lust, creature, or evill way, its not turn'd; his back is towards [Page 125] God and not his face; he prefers a creature, a lust before God.

Sixthly, Observe;

Sinners are the Authours of their own destruction.

Why will ye dye? They went on in their idolatry, profaness, oppressions, pollutions of Sabbaths, &c. and so brought judge­ment upon themselves; 2 Chron: 36.16. They mocked the Messengers of God, despised his word, and misused his Pro­phets, untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy; therefore he brought upon them the King of the Chaldaeans, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of the Sanctuary, and had no compassion on the young man, or maiden, &c. So in Christs dayes, he would have kept Jerusalem from destruction, but Jerusalem her self would not, she brought it upon her selfe, Matth. 23.37. The Corinthians abuse of the Supper brought judgement upon them, 1 Cor. 11.30. And the false Teachers brought swift destru­ction upon themselves, 2 Pet. 1.1.

Vers. 12. The righteousnesse of the righteous.

What righteous man is here meant the 15. verse informs us, viz. a man legally righteous, such a man as restores the pledge, gives again what he hath robbed, and walks in the sta­tutes of life without committing iniquity; If a wicked man did these things, he was righteous; its therefore a righteousnesse of the Covenant of works, not the righteousnesse of faith, here spoken of; a moral, not a Gospel righteousnesse, which the 13. verse is clear for, calling it his own righteousnesse.

Shall not deliver him in the day of his trans­gression.

The word for transgression is Poshang, which signifies sin, scienter & contumaciter commissum, presumptuous and wilfull sin, rebellion, apostacy; Sometimes it is taken for any sin, or failing, as Lament: 1.22. Do unto them as thou hast done unto me, for all my transgressions. Jeremiah had no great sins against light, he did not rebel against God; his transgressions were such as are the ordinary failings of men, so its used, Job 13.23. And the Septuagint hath it [...], In the day he shall erre. Let him have done never so much good, and continued long in so doing, that shall not deliver him in the day of his erring, transgressing, fayling. Had Adam stood many dayes, months, years, and then eat of the forbidden fruit, all his righ­teousnesse would not have delivered him; and so here under the Covenant of works, there is no deliverance upon any failing. But rather it notes here some grievous sin and way of wick­ednesse, which exposes unto, and hastens Gods judge­ments.

As for the wickednesse of the wicked he shall not fall thereby, in the day that he turns from his wickednesse.

Let the wickednesse of the wicked be great, of what kind so­ever, against God and man, idolatry, profaness, oppression, &c. it shall not bring destruction upon him, make him to fall and perish; when he repents of it, turns fom it, and walks in those wayes that are contrary thereunto, then his former sins shall not be imputed to him, nor the judgements deserv'd executed upon him. As the righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he sins, so the wickedness of the wicked shall not damnifie him when he turns. Here is a No­minative Case put absolute, the wickednesse of the wicked.

Neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousnesse in the day that he sinneth.

His righteousness shall not uphold him, do him any good, when he falls into sin, his sin will be the death of him, and his righteousness, he cannot live in it, or for it.

Vers. 13. When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live: if he trust to his own righteousnesse.

Here the case of the righteous man is further amplified and ex [...]ounded; let me make him a promise of life, and say; That in living, he shall live, (so the Hebrew is) yet if he trust to his righteousness and commit sin, he shall not live. When men have a Legall righteousness, they are apt to trust in it, to think it makes them acceptable to God, that it will answer Justice for their sins, divert wrath, procure favour, and so presume to take liberty, and please the flesh in many things; but their righ­teousness will not stand them in stead.

And commit iniquity.

Of this see Chap. 3.20. & Chap. 18.24. where much hath been said of this expressions, The will, affections, and heart are in committing iniquity, it's making a trade of sin, such men are workers of iniquity. Pharisees had a legall righteous­ness, but they devoured widows houses, made Proselytes, and them twofold more the children of the Devill then themselves, Matth. 23.14, 15. These committed iniquity.

All his righteousnesse shall not be remembred.

That is, none of his righteous deeds shall be so had in re­membrance, as to have any acceptance or reward, they shall be laid by and forgotten; instead thereof, he shall have judge­ment for his wickedness, that shall be remembred and rewar­ded.

But for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall dye for it.

The reward of his iniquity is death: either he shall pine away under some stroak of God, which is Mors minor, a lesser kind of death; or he shall be cut off by some judgement which is a death indeed, a death with a witness.

Vers. 14. Again, when I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely dye: if he turn from his sin, &c.

In this vers. and the two following, the case of the wicked man is further explained; as the promise to the righteous was with condition, so the threatning of the wicked is with excep­tion, He shall surely dye, unlesse he repent and turn, and testifie the reallity of the same, by doing that which is lawfull and right, [Page 130] Or as it is in the Hebrew, By doing judgement and justice, by giving unto God and man what is prescribed: of these words see Chap. 18.5.

Vers. 15. If the wicked restore the pledge.

Pignus est quod propter rem credi tam datur, cujus possessionem so­lum ad tempus consequitor creditor, sed dominium penes debitorem est.A Pledge is something pawned for a thing borrowed, the possession whereof for the present is in the hand of the Lender, but the right is belonging to the Borrower. Chabol is from Chabal, to bind, because Pledges are strong Bonds and Obligati­ons. Poor people were often necessitated to pawn their gar­ments, Beds, Cattle, & Utensils, which wicked men would keep and make their advantage of, which they ought not to have done, Deut: 24.10, 11, 12, 13. Therefore its said here, If the wicked restore the pledge; if he be mercifull to those that be poor and afflicted.

Give again that he had robbed.

Robbers seldome make restitution of what they get by vio­lence. The word Gazal signifies to spoil a man of what is his, Vi & aperte, as High-way Robbers do, and also any violent wresting, and forcing mens right out of their hands: Now if the wicked did make restitution of what he had so gotten, and

Walk in the statutes of life without committing iniquity.

The statutes of life are the statutes of God, which being ex­actly kept, afford life to the keepers of them, Ezek: 20.13. They walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgements; which if a man do, he shall even live in them, or live by them; as its Levit: 18.5. If a man walk in these from day to day, and keep them perfectly, committing no iniquity; what then?

He shall surely live, he shall not dye.

This and the like promises are legall, and made to legall righteousness, and clearly evince that the Prophet speaks of a legall righteous man. The Gospel saith not, that a just man shall live by doing, but that the just shall live by faith, and that the law is not of faith. If men could keep the Law, do what it requires they should live by it; but (except Christ) none ever did, and so none was ever justified by the Law, Gal: 3.10, 11, 12. If a man could be found that walked in the Statutes of life without sinning, he should surely live, and live as comfort­ably as Adam did in Paradice, and should not dye.

Vers. 16. None of his sins that he hath commit­ted shall be mentioned unto him.

The Hebrew is, all his sins which he hath committed, shall n t be mentioned unto him; that is, None of his sins shall be imputed or charged upon him: Vid. Chap: 18.22.

He hath done that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live.

The Life here spoken of, cannot be eternal life; because 1. A mans turning from his former wicked wayes, and making restitution to men for wrongs done, is no satisfaction to the justice of God for the breach of his Laws: And 2. No man can so keep the law or statutes of life, as thereby to obtain life eternal. Here is no mention of Christ, or faith in him, without which eternall life cannot be had; I conceive its meant of a temporal life; he that ceases from his wicked wayes, that lives honestly, doing lawfull and right things, he shall not have cause to complain, as the Jews did, That they pined away under their iniquities; but he should live in living, as the He­brew is, and that is, he should live a very comfortable life.

First, Observe;

There is a righteousnesse will not profit a man when he hath most need.

When a man sins, then he hath most need of righteousness to cover his sin, to prevent judgement; but then his own righte­ousness, a legal righteousness, a duty righteousness will stand him in no stead; The righteousnesse of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; he shall not be able to live in the day that he sinneth. Let us therefore look after an Evangelicall righteousness, for Christ hath told us, That except our righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees, we shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, Matth: 5.20. They had a legal, a duty, an own-righteousnesse but they had not the righteousness of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith; and that is only the righteousnesse will stand in stead against all sin, and let us into Heaven.

Secondly, Observe;

Its perseverance will Crown mens undertakings, and make them acceptable.

Its not enough to begin well, unless we go on; if men be righteous, and give over their righteousness, falling to iniquity; as those that are legally righteous may, they lose their for­mer righteousness, and fall under judgement: If a righteous man commit iniquity, all his righteousnesse shall not be remembred but for his iniquity which he hath committed he shall dye.

Thirdly, Observe,

Men are apt to rest upon a legall righteousnesse.

If he trust in his own righteousnesse. When men restore the pledge, make restitution for what they have gotten wrongfully, walk in the statutes of life, do that which is lawfull and right, they are very prone to trust in this their own righteousness; so did the Pharisees, Luke 18.11, 12. so did Paul while he was [Page 133] a Pharisee, Rom. 7.9. but being become a true Christian, and having obtained the righteousness of faith, he had no confidence in the flesh, Phil. 3.3. but his whole confidence was in Christ Jesus.

Fourthly, Observe;

Let the wickednesse of men be what it will, if they turn from the same, it shall not prejudice them, but they shall live a com­fortable life.

As for the wickednesse of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickednesse. If he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawfull and right, his sins shall not be mentioned unto him, he shall surely live, he shall live in living; others by reason of their iniquities are dead in living, they have no comfort in their lives, but pine away. Its mens sins which make times evill, and lives uncomfortable; Psal. 34.12, 13, 14. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth dayes that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evill, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evill, and do good. This is the way to live long and comfortably. Righteousness exalts Nati­ons, Familyes and Persons.

Fifthly, Observe;

Gods statutes punctually kept afford life: he who walks in the sta­tutes of life without committing iniquity, shall surely live.

Deut. 4.1. Hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes, and unto the [...]dgements which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and [...]in and possesse the Land. He speaks of a temporal life here; [...]ut in Matth: 19.17. of an eternal life; if thou wilt enter into ife, keep the Commandements. The young man spake of eternal life, and Christ bids him keep the Commandements if he would have that; shewing, that if a man could personally and per­fectly keep the Commands of God, he should have eternall life.

Vers. 17. The way of the Lord is not equall.

The Septuagint is [...], The way of the Lord is not right. The French translation is La voye du Seigneur n'est point bieu reiglee, The way of the Lord is not well regulated, or ordered; others thus, Negant aequum & justum esse quod facit Dominus, Thy people deny that to be equall and just which the Lord doth: They say, he governeth the world unrighteously, and doth not administer justice indifferently to all men, but hath persons in respect, and punisheth one for another; this was that they charged God withall.

But as for them, their way is not equall.

Here is answer to that unjust charge they charged God with­all, and its by way of recrimination, that they charged upon the Lord, is recharged upon themselves; you say, The Lords [Page 135] wayes are not equall, but he saith, your wayes are not equall, just, right, or well ordered. Your Prophets have conspired against me, and devoured souls; your Priests have violated my Law, and pro­phaned my holy things; your Princes have been ravenous wolves to shed bloud, and to destroy souls for dishonest gain: The People of the Land have used oppression, exercised robbery, have vexed the poor and needy, yea, oppressed the stranger wrongfully, Ezek: 22.25, 26, 27, 29. And now whose wayes are not equall, yours or mine? Of these words see what hath been said Chap. 18.25.

Vers. 18. When the righteous turns from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, he shall surely dye.

You charge me that I respect persons and punish one for another, the son for the father; but its not so: & in this ver: & the next, the Lord doth clearly free himself from that imputati­on, hereby shewing what his dealings are with a righteous man whatever he be, father or son, Prince or Subject; if he turn from his righteousness, (and fall to wicked and vile practices) he shall surely dye; God will judge him for his wickedness, and bring some judgement upon him, and there is no injustice in that: if men turn Traytors to a State, its justice in that state to cut them off.

Vers. 19. But if the wicked turn from his wick­edness, and do that which is lawfull and right, he shall live thereby.

Here also the Lord vindicates himself by shewing what his proceedings are with a man that turns from his wickedness, and doth amend his life, by doing what is lawful and right; that man whatever he be shall be spared, he shall live and enjoy blessings from God, it shall go well with the man that turns to God, and ill with him that turns from God and doth evill. Now if so, what injustice is there in God? what is the evill [Page 136] of his wayes? Let them both speak and declare wherein God wrongs either of them, if they can.

Vers. 20. Yet ye say, the way of the Lord is not equall.

Having made it evident by clear demonstration, that his wayes are equall, and that by two instances; viz: one of the righteous, and the other of the wicked; he here upbraids them for their stubbornness and impudency, persisting in their perverse opinion, and saying, Yet the way of the Lord is not equall; they might as well have said, the sun was dark, and the night was day.

O ye house of Israel, I will judge ye, every one after his wayes.

Seeing ye are so wicked, perverse in your judgements as to condemn my wayes, and sentence them to be unequall, I will call every one of you to account for this evill way of yours, and the rest of your evill wayes, and will judge you accordingly; this is the conclusion the Lord draws up upon the premises.

First, Observe;

Wicked men are apt to complain of, and carp at the wayes of God.

They said the way of the Lord is not equall. Job 21.15. What is the Allmighty that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him? We get nothing by his service, by calling on his name, he is a hard Master, he regards not our labour or prayers. These were of the same spirit with them in Malachie's dayes, who blusht not to say, Its in vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances, that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hoasts? Mal. 3.14. We were told that no service was like unto the Lords, that thos [...] that did mourn for their sins, and walk in his wayes, [Page 137] should be blessed and live comfortably, but we find no such thing: we have tryed him, and find that he regards, exalts, and blesses those that never minded him or his wayes, vers. 15. therefore Its in vain to serve him. In the 5. of Jeremy is a no­table instance to this purpose, vers. 11, 12, 13. The house of Israel, and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the Lord. They have belyed the Lord, and said, it is not he, neither shall evill come upon us, neither shall we see sword nor famine: And the Prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them. They said God had no reason to threaten them with sword or famine, they deserved no such judgement at his hands; and therefore the Prophets that prophesied such things, were not sent of God, his word was not in them, they brought windy doctrines of their own, and should together with their doctrines, become wind; evill shall not come upon us, but upon them. When Christ was on earth, how did the Scribes and Pharisees carp at him, his wayes, and doctrine? see Matth: 12.22. John 5.10.18. Chap. 8.48. Cha: 10.32, 33. In our dayes do not men carp at the Scriptures, Ordinances, Providences and dispensations of God? Such is the pride and arrogancy of man, that he dares blame and condemn the wayes and things of God.

Secondly, Observe;

Men have no cause to complain of, or cavill against the wayes of God.

For,

First, His wayes are equall, just, righteous, however they appear to men; he is God, and cannot do unjust things; He is light, and in him is no darknesse at all, 1 John 1.5. Just and true are his wayes, Rev: 15.3. He is righteous in all his wayes, and holy in all his works, Psal. 145.17. The just Lord is in the midst of the City, he will not do iniquity, Zeph: 3.5. Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? Gen: 18.25. Yes, though men do wickedly, God will not. Habak: 1.13. Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evill, and canst not look on iniquity; he cannot look on it to approve it, much lesse to act it.

Secondly, Our wayes are unequall; and shall the guilty complain of the innocent? Had the Sodomites any cause to complain of God, who were so wicked? Had the old world which was so corrupt, cause to cry out of Heaven which was pure? No man hath just ground to quarrel against Gods dis­pensations, when himself walks unevenly before God, and his paths are crooked. If just men sin and step aside; Eccl: 7.20. What do wicked men? they are altogether out of the way, Ps. 14.3. They do no good, their lives are a constant sinning, or a continued sin, and should God punish him daily for so doing, he had no just cause to fault the Lord; Lament: 3.39. Wherefore doth a l ving man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

Thirdly, Upon comparing of his dealings with the righteous falling to commit iniquity, and the wicked turning from iniqui­ty, it appears to all unprejudiced men who are not blinded with iniquity; the one is punished for his apostacy, the other is pardoned upon his repentance; judgement is the portion of the one, & mercy the portion of the other. If God should punish the repenting wicked man, and spare the apostatized righteous man, then there were cause of complaint; but its contrary, there­fore his wayes are equall, and there is no cause to complain of them.

Fourthly, God hath power over the sons of men, they are his family, and he may exercise Discipline in his family; the house of Israel, the Jewes were Gods house, he Master of that family, and when any sin'd in it, he had power to correct them, or turn them out of dores, and who should fault him? it is not childrens duty to complain of their Parents, nor for servants to complain of their Lord and Master.

Fifthly, Complaints in this kind will do us no good, they will harm us rather, for God is judge, yea the highest judge, and will not only judge us for our other evill wayes, but for this very way of charging him to be unjust, and cavilling at his dis­pensations; he will judge every one after his wayes, neither great nor small can avoide his judgement. Let us all therefore take heed how we fault the wayes of God, how strange or grievous soever they appear or be unto us.

Thirdly, Observe:

When men have once taken up prejudice against God and his wayes, its not easie to be remov'd.

The Jewes had drunk in this conceit, Chap. 18. That the wayes of God were not equall; and much of that Chapter is spent in proving the contrary, to extirpate that mis-conceit; but it took not effect, they let passe Gods Arguments, whereby he cleared himself, and carryed along with them their prejudice against him and his wayes, as appears in this Chap: vers. 17. & 20. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equall. When weeds are gotten into the ground, and rooted there, its not ea­sie to cleanse that ground from them; when errors, delusions, corrupt opinions, and prejudice against the truth, are gotten into the head or heart, its not an easie thing to get them out. Many wonder that Ministers should not convince unlearned and weak men of their errors, and take them off from their opi­nions and prejudices, but they should consider some men will not be convinced, either by God or man. These here were not convinced by God; nor the Pharisees by Christ, John 15.6, 7. & 10. Chap: nor the Athenians by Paul, Acts 17.

Vers. 21. In the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month.

How long this was after the taking and smiting of Jerusalem will appear by comparing Jerem. 52.5, 6, 7. with this verse. In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the City was broken up. The captivity of the Jewes began with Zedekiahs reign; for that time he was made King, Jehoiachin was carryed away captive into Baby­lon, 2 Kings 24. Now this was in the twelfth year of the cap­tivity, the tenth month, in the fifth day of it, so that it was a year and six months wanting four dayes before this tydings of Jerusalems being smitten, came to Ezekiel.

One that had escaped out of Jerusalem, came unto me, saying,

Many perished in Jerusalem by the famine and plague in the time of the Siedge, many were slain at the taking of it, yet some escaped, and its probable they hid themselves in holes, woods, among the mountains, or fled to Aegypt; one of which, after so long a time as a year, five months, and sixteen dayes, came to Ezekiel, and told him The City was smitten; its with­out [Page 141] question he and others had heard somthing of Jerusalems condition before, but no certainty.

The City is smitten.

The word for smitten, is from Nacah, which notes so to smite, as not to misse, it was certainly smitten; The Septuagint is [...] The City is taken; The Vulgar Vastata est civitas, The City is laid waste, Broken up, as in Jerem: 52.7. This was sad News he brought, that Jerusalem that famous City, that City of God was destroyed.

Vers. 22. Now the hand of the Lord was upon me.

This expression we had in the 1. Chap: 3. & Chap: 3.14. The hand of the Lord was strong upon me. And here by the hand of the Lord is meant, Vis Prophetica, or Afflatus Prophe­ticus, Prophetical breathings of Gods Spirit were upon the Prophet, whereby he was inabled to speak freely and boldly concerning the state of the Jews in Judaea, that had escaped; God informed the Prophet how things were at Jerusalem be­fore the Messenger came.

In the evening afore he that was escaped came.

The evening was the beginning of the day among the Jews, and so of much esteem, and God then by his Spirit, visited the Prophet.

And had opened my mouth untill he came to me in the morning.

In the 24. Chap: God had told the Prophet, that one should escape and bring him tydings of things at Jerusalem, and that in [Page 142] that day, his mouth should be opened, and here its made good. The opening of the mouth implyes

• 1. Materiam loquendi, Matter of speaking.
• 2. Libertatem loquendi, Freedom of speaking.
• 3. Occasionem loquendi, Opportunity of speaking.

All these concur'd here, he had matter given in to speak un­to those that were escaped, and flattered themselves they should live and recover their losses; he had freedom, Jeru­salem being smitten, boldly to maintain what he had formerly prophesied against Jerusalem, and occasion Ministred unto him, from the mans coming.

The word [...] ad fer untill were better rendred, when & so Sa: in his notes upon the place, hath it donec procum, saith he. There was a sweet harmony and correspondency between what the Prophet received from the Spirit of God, and that which this Messenger faithfully related unto him.

My mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.

After this he was so fill'd with the Prophetical Spirit, that he was silent no more, but prophesied freely and frequently un­to them.

First, Observe;

Gods people are sometimes under long afflictions.

In the twelfth year of our captivity. They had endured many miseries in a forraign Land amongst a barbarous people twelve years, Numb: 20.15. We dwelt in Aegypt a long time, and the Aegyptians vexed us and our Fathers; Aegypt was an house of bondage and vexation unto them, and when they were brought out God threatned them, that if they would not observe all the words of his Law to do them, and fear his glorious name, he would make their plagues great, and of long continuance, Deut. 28.59. And this captivity of theirs was so long, that they thought God had forgotten them, Lament: 5.20. Wherefore [Page 143] dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time? Seventy years time they lay in Babylon, which was no better then an iron furnace; Ezekiel, Daniel, and other Godly Ones were in this condition.

Secondly, Observe;

That when utter dessolation comes upon places, and Gods judge­ments are severe, yet some have their lives for a prey.

One that had escaped came, Ezek: 9.5. The slaughter­men are commanded to shew no pity, but to slay utterly; old and young, both maids little children and women, only the marked ones they must not touch; its probable this man that escaped was one of the marked Ones, for he had a special care to come and inform Ezekiel what had befallen them and the City, that so he might bear witness both to the truth of Jeremies and Ezekiels prophesies; had he been a wicked man, he would hardly have come to the Prophet into Babylon; but whoever he was, he escaped famine, plague and sword, which cut off thousands of others.

Thirdly, Observe;

Ancient, renowned and priviledged Cityes have their periods and dissolutions.

Jerusalem was very ancient; there is mention of it in Joshu­ah's dayes, Josh: 15.8. She was famous throughout the earth, call'd the Gates of the People, for the resort unto her, Ezek: 26.2, She had choice priviledges, she was the holy City, Isa: 48.32. The City of the Lord of Hoasts, Psal. 48.8. The City of Solem­nities, Isa. 33.20. The valley of Vision, Isa. 22.1. The per­fection of beauty, Lament: 2.15. The City judged by all to be impregnable, Lament: 4.12. But whatever Jerusalem was, here's the conclusion, Jerusalem is smitten, broken in pieces, and laid utterly waste; Kings, Princes, Nobles, Counsellours, Jud­ges, Prophets, Priests, People, all were smitten. In Rev: 8.12. its said, The Sun, Moon and Stars were smitten, a third part of them; but here the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and Orbs they [Page 144] were in, were wholly smitten, O what darkness was then upon the face of the Jewish earth? All created, and artificiall glory is subject to smiting; let not your hearts be taken with Sun, Moon, or Starres, with Cities and the glory of them, &c.

Fourthly, Observe;

The faithfulnesse of God in performing what he foretells and promises.

Chap. 24.26, 27. It was hinted to the Prophet, that one should escape the fury of the Babylonians, and bring the news of Jerusalems destruction, and that, That day his mouth should be opened, and he should speak; and is it not here fulfilled punctual­ly? that day the party escaped came with that sad News of Jerusalems being smitten, was the mouth of the Prophet open­ed; and mark how forward God is to make good what he pro­mises, He opened not his mouth at the end of the day, but the even­ing before the man came, which was the beginning of their day, he came in the morning by what time the Prophet might be up, but God had been with the Prophet before. Exod: 12.41. Let us learn to be faithfull, and perform to a day what we pro­mise, rather be before-hand with men, then behind with them.

Fifthly, Observe;

God is pleased sometimes to confirm the truths delivered by his servants, by witnesse and signs.

Here was a witnesse came from Jerusalem to assure the Pro­phet and others, that what had been prophesied against Jerusa­lem was true and made good; here was sign upon sign, he was as dumb before, and now his mouth was opened, which was a confirmation to him and others likewise. Isa. 44.20. He con­firmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsels of his Messengers. Many would not believe Ezekiel, not Jeremy, touching the destruction of Jerusalem, but God confirmed their words.

Sixthly, Observe;

Liberty to speak the things of God is from the Spirit of God.

No man can prophesie or declare the things of the Lord, un­less the Spirit of God breath upon him, and open his mouth; The hand of the Lord was upon me, and opened my mouth, and I was no more dumb. He had great freedom and boldnesse of speech, when the Spirit of God came upon him, that fill'd him with Sanctuary water, and made the waters flow strongly; be­fore the Spirit waters them Prophets are dry, before that speaks they are dumb, but when the hand of the Lord is upon them, then they cannot but speak and distill Heavenly dews, or poure out great rains; 2 Cor: 6.11. O ye Corinthians, Our mouth is open unto you, our heart is inlarged. The Spirit had fill'd his heart with divine things, and his mouth was open freely and boldly to communicate the same unto them.

Vers. 23. Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying.

When the hand of the Lord was upon him, when the Spirit of prophesie was upon him, then the word of the Lord came unto him: the Spirit brings the word of God unto men; Pro­phets spake as they were inspired by the Spirit of God, not of their own heads; Ezekiel would rather be silent and dumb, then speak from himself.

Vers. 24. They that inhabit those wastes of the Land of Israel.

Nebuchadnezzar having been a year and half (as appears by 2 Kings 25.1, 2, 3. Jerem: 52.4, 5, 6.) before Jerusalem with a great army of the worst of men, Ezek: 7.24. the Land of Israel o [...] Judah, (for Israel here is put for Judah) could not but be greatly spoiled & laid waste; when once the Temple & City were burnt and ruined, then was the Land as a wilderness: Zephany calls that day A day of wastnesse and desolation, Chap. 1.15. And Jeremy saith, The Land was then a desolate Wilder­nesse, Chap: 12.10. Some were left by Nebuzaradan to inhabit the waste and desolate places of the Land, Jer. 39, 10. He left some poor people, gave them Vineyards and Fields to labour in, and live upon; and Gedaliah being made Gover­nour, many flocked unto him, who had hid themselves in woods, holes, among the mountains, and fled to neighbouring Countries for security, Jer: 40. 2 Kings 25.22, 23.

Speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inhe­rited the Land.

The Land of Canaan was promised to Abraham and his seed, Gen: 12.7. Chap: 15.18. & 26.4. Abraham did not inhe­rit it personally, he had not so much as one foot of ground in it, Acts 7.4, 5. He dwelt in it, Gen: 13.12. but had no inheri­tance in it; therefore they here were mistaken to say, He was one, and he inherited the Land. Abraham was one, yea one that believed, one that feared, loved, and obeyed God, yet for his onenesse had he not the Land; God gave him the Land, having an eye to his faith and obedience, Gen. 15.6, 7. Chap. 22.16, 17, 18.

But we are many, the Land is given us for inhe­ritance.

This was the argument with which they flattered themselves, who were now remaining in Judaea, that they should still possess the Land, and recover themselves again; The Land (said they) was given us for inheritance, who are many, as well as Abra­ham who was one; if he enjoyed it being but one, shall not we much more being many, and being his Seed? what reason hath God to cast us out of that inheritance he gave our father, and us his chil­dren? He will not do it, we shall dwell here, grow up quickly be­ing many, and recover our former liberty and glory. But these men deceived themselves by this foolish reasoning; for God did not give Canaan to Abraham because he was one, and so principium numeri, but propter foedus, because of the Covenant which he made with him, Gen: 15.18. Chap: 17.7, 8. which Covenant Abraham kept, living by faith in God, and bringing forth fruits sutable thereunto, which themselves did not; For had they been the children of Abraham, they would have done the works of Abraham, as Christ said, John 8.39. But you may see what their works were in the two verses following this we are speaking of. Besides they had forgotten what God had [Page 148] threatned against those he gave the Land unto, if they did for­sake and disobey him, Deut. 28.63. Chap: 30.18. God told them they should not prolong their dayes, but perish or be pluckt off the Land. Little reason had they also to argue that they should be spared and possesse the Land, because they were many, for that as Junius well observes, A greater number then they who had possessed the Land were cut off, or removed out of the Land.

Vers. 25. Wherefore say unto them, thus saith the Lord God.

Their vain confidence provoked the Lord, and therefore here he commissions the Prophet to tell them what he judged of them and their sayings. His thoughts were far differing from theirs; and Ezekiel must declare the Lords, not his own thoughts unto them. And

• 1. He charges them with their sinfull practices.
• 2. Denyes them the possession of the Land.

Ye eat with the bloud.

It was commanded before the Law was given, That they should not eat bloud, Gen: 9.4. Levit: 19.26. That is, neither bloud let out from the flesh, nor bloud with the flesh; one reason is given, Levit. 17.14. Ye shall eat the bloud of no man­ner of flesh, for the life of all flesh is the bloud thereof; The He­brew is Nephesh, the soul of all flesh is the bloud thereof. Ne­phesh is put sometime for the whole man, as Gen: 46.26. All the souls of the house of Jacob, that is, all the persons; sometimes for the more noble part of man, viz: the reasonable soul, Mat. 10.28. Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; Sometimes for the affections, as Deut: 6.5. Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy soul; Sometimes for the life, as Isa: 53.12. He hath poured out his soul unto death, that was his life, John 10.15. and so its rendred and to be taken in the place cited; the life of all flesh is the bloud thereof; bloud properly is not the life or soul of flesh, but [Page 149] the life or soul is said to be in the bloud, or bloud, Propter spiritus vitales & animales, qui animae organa, & virtutis ejus vehicula sunt, & sanguine evaporant. Another reason why they might not eat bloud,Duet. in Gen: cap. 9.4. is in the 11. vers. of that Chap. I have given it to you upon the Altar, to make an atone­ment for your souls; for it is the bloud that maketh an atonement for the soul. The bloud being to be offered upon the Altar re­presented the bloud of Christ, which was to be shed for the remission of sins, Matth. 26.28. and therefore not to be eaten. A third reason was, that they might not be cruell and bloudy minded, but might in a special manner take heed of shedding mans bloud, which is the ground of the prohibition, Gen: 9.4, 5. But they minded neither the prohibition it self, nor the reasons of it, they did eat with the bloud, that is, they did eat the flesh with the bloud in it, or they did eat the bloud drawn out from the flesh.

Some make question in these dayes, whether they may eat bloud, and the ground of it is from Acts 15.29. where its or­dered that Christians should abstain from bloud and things strangled; But those that scruple eating of bloud, do not scru­ple the eating of things strangled, as Fowls and Rabbits; and there is as much reason for that as the other; as for the thing it self, I shall only say what Christ saith (Matth. 15.11.) Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. And Paul Titus 1.15. Ʋnto the pure, all things are pure. And 1 Tim. 4.4. Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.

And lift up your eyes towards your idols.

Idolatry was forbidden in the Law with great severity, Deut: 17.2, 3, 4, 5. Exod: 22.20. Chap: 20.4, 5. yet these Jews minded idols and affected them. Of lifting up the eyes to Idols, see Chap. 18.6. it notes adoration of them, and ex­pectation of help from them.

And shed bloud.

Shedding of bloud was a grievous sin; and here it may be un­derstood either of their oppressing innocent ones, taking away their lives illegally, or else of their children which they offered to Molech, which was forbidden unto them, Levit. 18.21. of which bloudy sacrifices was spoken, Ezek: 16.20, 21.

And shall ye possesse the Land?

This is a stinging interrogation, intimating that whoever possessed it, they should not. What do you look to possesse the Land that do such things, that are so impious and prophane? Did I n [...]t cast Heathens for their wickedness out of the Land you are in? and do you think to continue in it that have exceeded them in wickednesse? Ezek: 5.6. No, no, the Land is not for you; Abraham did not such things, you are not his seed, therefore you shall not inherit the Land.

Vers. 26. Ye stand upon your sword.

Not you are in arms to defend your selves against Babyloni­ans, but you trust in your strength, are ready for spoil, vio­lence, and shedding of innocent bloud. When any offended them in word or deed, they meditated revenge, and laboured by the sword to right themselves, there was no place for justice, but the Land was full of bloody crimes, Ezek: 7.23.

Ye work abomination.

Of Abominations, and what sins are so call'd, was spoken, Chap: 5. vers. 9. Chap: 18. vers. 12, 13. In the 3. Observa­tion: Ye do that is detestable and loathsome to the very senses.

And ye defile every one his neighbours wife.

Adultery was a grievous sin, and punishable with death, Levit. 20.10. Deut. 22.22. yet this sin was frequent amongst them, Jer: 5.7, 8. Cap. 7.9. & 9.2. That honourable state of marriage was abused, and the bed defiled, and it was a com­mon and universal practice amongst them, every one defiled his neighbours wife.

And shall ye possesse the Land?

Do ye trust in your swords, violate all justice, shed innocent blood, do abominable things, defile your neighbours wives, and yet presume you shall possesse the Land? O impudent creatures, brazen-faced sinners, what vain perswasions have you taken up? its madness for you to dream of possessing the Land; rather then such as ye shall inherit it, it shall lye desolate with­out inhabitant. The word here for to possesse is Jarash, which is a word contrariae significationis, that signifies contrary things, as to possess and dispossess. Josh: 23.5. The Lord shall drive them from out of your sight, and ye shall possesse their Land: Here Jarash signifies to drive out and to possess: when the Lord saith, Shall ye possesse the Land? his meaning is, they shall be dis­possessed of it, and driven out of it.

First, Observe;

Men in great misery, under grievous afflictions, are apt to flat­ter and deceive themselves with one vain confidence or other.

These Jews were conquered by the Babylonians, had their City, Temple, Strong holds, and pleasant places, all laid waste; they were a company of poor people that inhabited the wastes of the Land, yet they flattered them­selves with this conceit, that they should inherit and possesse the Land; and why? there was a number, a multitude [Page 152] of them; Abraham was one, and he inherited the Land; we are many, and its given to us? Their afflicted condition might have wrought other apprehensions in them, and made them see and say, All the chief Ones of the Land are cut off, or carryed away captives, the Land is fallen into Nebuchadnezzars hands, we are his servants and slaves left to Till the Land and dresse the Vineyards, that so a revenue may be raised for him; but as for our selves, we are like to be miserable all our dayes, yea, and our poste­rity after us; but their thoughts were otherwise, they looked to inherit the Land, and be great Ones in it because of their number. Men in straits, and out of straits, make lyes their re­fuge, which prove their ruine, Isa: 28.15, 17, 18. Jer: 7.4. & 14.15. Chap: 27.14, 15, 16, 17.

Secondly, Observe;

Expectation of Promises to be perform'd unto us, not performing the conditions required, is foolish and vain.

The Land is given us for inheritance, the Lord hath promised us that we shall inherit the Land; they minded the promise, but forgat the condition, which was, That they should keep his judge­ments, Levit: 25.18. Walk in his statutes, Levit: 26.3, 4, 5, 6. then they should be blessed in the Land, and dwell safely in it. Yea, they were to observe all the statutes and judgements of the Lord, Deut: 11.31, 32. and if they did not, the Lord threatned to cast them out of his sight, Jer: 17.15. and out of the Land, Jer: 16.13. These things they forgot, catch­ing hold of the promise, saying, The land is given us for inheri­tance. Its madnesse and folly to look that God should perform what he hath promised, when we perform not the condition of the promise. When God promises a thing conditionally, the condition must be performed, else the Lord is not obliged; 2 Chro: 7.14. If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked wayes; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land: Had they performed the con­ditions here required, their Land had been healed, and not laid waste.

Thirdly, Observe;

The way multitudes go, is no argument for the rightnesse and warrantableness of that way.

These Jews were absolutely mistaken, yet they were many, the most judged the same thing, and went the same way. The greatest part of people every where mistake, cry peace, peace, when war and death are at the dores. The old world could not justifie its way, because all walkt in it, except Noah and two or three more: its not safe to be of the multitudes mind, and to tread in their steps; For broad is the way that leads unto de­struction, and many there be go in thereat. Argumentum turpissimum est turba. The Prophet counsel'd the Jews, Ezek: 20.18. not to walk in the statutes of their Fa­thers, nor to observe their judgements, but to walk in the Lords statutes and judgements, and to do them; better be alone in Gods way, then be with multitudes in a false way.

Fourthly, Observe;

The true children of Abraham may be known by their works.

These Jews stuck upon this much, that they were Abrahams seed: Abraham was one, and we are many; We come from his loyns, and the Land was given to his seed for an inheritance, and who should inherit it, but we who are his seed, and so the right heirs unto it? If it be true which you assert, you shall inherit the Land, if you be the seed & heirs of Abraham it shall be so; but come let us try that by your works, (saith God) Ye eat with the bloud, and lift up your eyes towards your idols, and shed bloud; ye stand upon your sword, work abomination, and defile every one his neighbours wife; And are these the works of Abraham? he did no such things; were you the children of Abraham, ye would do the works of Abraham, keep the Covenant as he did, ye would fear, honour, love and obey me, deal justly, live chastly, and do good in your Generation: These things you do not, therefore you are not his children, his heirs, have no right to the Land.

Vers. 27. As I live.

The vain confidence of these Jews so provoked God, that he swears they shall not inhabit the Land, and that by his life, As sure as I am the living God, ye that are so guilty of such great sins, and so unlike unto Abraham, shall be rooted out and de­stroyed.

Surely they that are in the wastes shall fall dy the sword.

After the destruction of Jerusalem many got into other Cities and Towns, which had been plundered, fired and spoyled, thinking that there would be safety for them; but God would cause some to search those places, and sheath their swords in the bowels of the Jewes hid in them. The Hebrew for by the sword, is Bachereb, in the sword, but ב here is by.

Him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured.

Some in this time of common calamity kept in the open fields, or in the face of the fields, as the Hebrew is, fearing to venture into any Town or City, and so promised to themselves security there; but the fields were no shelter unto them, God had Lyons, Bears, Wolves, and such wilde beasts, which found them out, teared them in pieces, and devoured them.

They that be in the forts and in the caves, shall dye of the pestilence.

Some were got into strong forts, others were hid in caves of the earth where none could find them, or come at them; these seem'd to be out of all danger, but the pestilence and famine could reach them there. In that Land were forts, rocks, holes to hide men in, Isa: 2.13. 1 Sam: 13.6. Josh: 10.16. 1 Sam: 24.3. Judges 6.2.

Vers. 28. For I will lay the land most desolate.

Canaan was a land abounded with all good things, it flowed with milk honey, and was the glory of all Lands, Ezek: 20.6. [Page 156] Yet this Land would God lay most desolate; Shemamah Ʋme­shammah, desolation, desolation, it should be a wilderness, ex­treamly desolate.

The pomp of her strength shall cease.

In the 7. Chapter 24. vers. we had these words, I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease: and Chap: 30.18. The pomp of her strength shall cease. The Land shall be so battered, wasted, consumed, that she shall no more trust in any strength of hers. Junius refers it to the Ark or Sanctuary, call'd the excellency of their strength, Chap: 24.21.

The mountain of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall passe through.

The Land of Israel was full of mountains which were not barren, but some for Pasture, some for Vines, some for Cedars, and other Trees, and some for Cattle; when they were so, many paths were made to the mountains, and they were frequently visited, but they should be desolate, without Cattle, Trees, Vines, or any to passe by or through them; none should come over the mountains, to worship at Jerusalem.

Vers. 29. Then shall they know that I am the Lord, when I have laid the land most desolate, because of all their abominations which they have com­mitted.

Here the finall cause of Gods destroying them and their Land is pointed out, and that is the glory of God in their ac­knowledging his just proceedings; before they said His wayes were not equall, but now they should acknowledge the equity of his wayes, and that they had deserved such things.

First, Observe;

When God is resolved upon punishing a people, there is no place or refuge to secure them from his stroakes and judge­ments.

Here were men got into waste places, into open fields, in­to forts and caves, yet none of these secured them; the Lord had sworn to destroy them, and the sword finds out those in the waste and ruinous places; the wild beasts finding others in the open fields, devoure them; and those were got into the forts, and hid in caves, the pestilence and famine consum'd; they thought to flye and hide themselves from the vengeance of God, but it could not be; had they gone down to the bot­tome of the Sea, yea, down to Hell, God would have met with them there, Amos 9.2, 3, 4. No Town, no Fort, no Field, no Cave can protect that person whom God pursues; if men and beasts cannot come at him, God hath the Arrowes of famine and pestilence to shoot into his sides and liver. Let us take heed how we offend God, and provoke him to set upon our destruction; there is no place, person, or priviledge, can pro­tect us from his stroke; let us get into Christ, hide our selves in him, in the clefts of that rock, then we shall be safe, whatso­ever storms are abroad.

Secondly, Observe;

Its mens sins which lay Lands waste, and bring remarkable judgements upon them.

Canaan was laid desolate, the pomp of her strength ceased, the mountains had none to pass by or over them; yea, The Land was laid most desolate, and why? because of all their abo­minations, Their sins exceeded the sins of the Heathens, and they had answerable judgements; their manifold abominati­ons brought manifold judgements. They had the best Land in the world, and should have been the best people, but they de­generated and provoked God so by their abominations, that he made their plagues wonderfull great, and of long continuance, [Page 158] Deut: 28.59. Seaventy years did they suffer, and the Land also, which suffering they brought upon themselves and the Land, as the Lord tells them, Zech: 7.14. They laid the pleasant Land desolate; they by their abominations did it, they caused the Temple to be burnt, the testimonies of divine presence to be removed, the Cityes, fields and mountains to be desolate.

Thirdly, Observe;

By severe judgements God convinces men of the equity of his way, and causes them to give glory to his name.

Then shall they know that I am the Lord, when I have laid the Land most desolate, because of all, &c. Severe judgements awa­ken conscience, sharpen the understanding, and cause men to search, judge and condemn themselves, and withall to justifie the Lord; they have influence into Heathens, Jer: 22.8, 9. Many Nations shall passe by this City, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, wherefore hath the Lord done this unto this great City? Then they shall answer, because they have forsa­ken the Covenant of the Lord their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them. Thus they justified God, and gave him glo­ry, when they saw his terrible judgements upon Jerusalem, and the Land of Canaan.

Vers. 30. The children of thy people.

Its not the children of my people; God would not own them, they were so wicked; but the children of thy people: Of these words before, vers. 2.

Still are speaking against thee by the walls, and in the dores of the houses.

To speak against God or man, is to detract from them, and disparage them; 2 Chron. 32.16. Senacherib by his servants [Page 160] spake against the Lord, and against Hezekiah, and that they said was detracting from the power of God, and truth of what Hezekiah had said: Acts 28.22. As concerning this Sect we know that it is every where spoken against; that is, its dispa­raged and condemned for a wicked Sect. Numb: 12.1. Myriam and Aaron spake against Moses, because of the Ethio­pian woman, and said, hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not also spoken by us? Their speaking against Moses was detracting from him: So here their speaking against Ezekiel was to defame and disparage him; and this they did openly and privately, by the walls where any met, and in their dores where friends met. Some take the words thus, the children of thy people are speaking of thee by the walls, and in their dores; they give thee good words, and consult of coming to thee; but I conceive the former sense best.

And speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord.

Though they vilified the Prophet, yet now, one being come to him that had escaped at the destruction of Jerusalem, they excite and stir up one the other to go to the Prophet, and hear what he had to say. The smiting of Jerusalem was a great af­fliction unto them, and they hoped to hear somewhat from him to refresh and comfort them, especially seeing that he had spent three years in speaking against the Nations, and said nothing unto them.

Vers. 31. And they come unto thee as the peo­ple cometh.

They flocked to the Prophet in Troops, as people use to do to publique places for religion or pleasure, they hasten thither, crowd in, take up all places, and sit in expectation to hear somewhat that may please, or to catch somewhat they may [Page 161] carp at, and make advantage of, which some Expositers affirm to be the end of their coming here. The Hebrew for as the peo­ple cometh, is, according to the coming or entrance of the peo­ple; some come for to hear notions and novelties, some to scoffe, some to censure; few come upon right grounds, or for right ends.

They sit before thee as my people.

They carry it before thee as my people, they hearken to what thou sayest, and make as if they would not loose one truth, but lay up all, and do as my people ought to do, viz: pra­ctice what they hear; they seem before thee to be Saints, the people of God, as those that would learn righteous­nesse.

They hear thy words, but they will not do them.

They took pains to hear the Prophet, they came to his house, as Chap: 8.1. Chap. 14.1. It was not likely that they had publique places of meeting; the Babylonians did not favour them so much as to indulge them with such liberty; where­ever it was they heard the Prophet, they did not do what he said, they obeyed not him, nor the Lord who sent him.

For with their mouth they shew much love.

From the teeth outwards they professed much kindness to the Prophet, they gave him smooth and good words. The He­brew for much love, is [...] Agavim, from [...] Agat, which signifies to be much in love with one, to be taken with the sight, hearing, or company of one; and Agavim is amatoria; they make as if they were deeply in love, much affected with the sight and hearing of thee, when it was not so; here was their hypocrisie. The Septuagint hath these words thus, [...], because there was a lye in their mouth; they dissembled with the Prophet. Arias Montanus renders [Page 158] [...] [Page 159] [...] [Page 160] [...] [Page 161] [...] [Page 162] the word Agavim, subsannationes, which is mockings, with ben­ding the Browes, and snuffing the Nose; the Vulgar is to that purpose, in canticum oris sui vertunt illos, they turn thy words into a song, they jeer at what thou sayest; so that translation Vatablus follows, Cantiones edunt ore suo, that is, (saith he) Ri­dent doctrinam tuam, they laugh at thy doctrine; The French likewise is of this nature, Itz en font une chauson de plaisanterie de leur bouche, they make scoffing songs with their mouth.

The word for shew is [...] Osim, from [...] Asah, which usually signifies to do, to effect, to perfect, but here hath a differing signification, viz. to shew, declare, or pro­fesse; and so Polanus tells that the word in Matth. 12.33. is to be taken, either make the tree good, and his fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt; for the Tree is known by his fruits. Look upon the works which I have done, and by them profess, declare what I am; if I have done evill works, declare me [...]nd my works to be evill; if I have done good, declare me and my works to be good, for such as the Tree is, such is the fruit.

But their heart goeth after their covetous­nesse.

They looked upon the Prophet and listned to his words, but their hearts looked another way. The word for Covetous­ness is Bitzha, from Batzha, to wound, break, damnifie, and metaphorically to be covetous, given to get and gain, inti­mating that covetous men do wound, break, damnifie themselves and others. The Septuagint have these words thus, [...]. Their heart goeth after their pollutions: Covetousness is a defiling thing. The Greek word for Covetousnesse is [...], a desire of having more; not simply of having more; but more then God allows us, when we go beyond the bounds he hath set us, which bounds are in 1 Tim. 6.8. & Heb: 13.5. If we be not content with food, rayment, and such things as we have, but let out our desires to more, we are covetous. They being in captivity, having [Page 163] little in respect of what they once had in their own Land, they were not contented with what they had, but let out their minds and hearts to more, and so were covetous.

First, Observe;

Its the portion of Gods servants to be ill spoken of, and that from time to time, by those they live amongst, and do good unto.

The children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls, and in the doors of their houses. They had spoken ill of Ezekiel before, they did it still, openly and secretly. David met with such a portion from many, Psal. 41. All that hate me whisper together against me; Psal: 69.12. They that sit in the Gate speak against me; Psal: 109.2. The mouth of the wicked, and the mouth of the deceitfull are opened against me, they have spoken against me with a lying tongue; Psal. 119.23. Princes also did sit and speak against me. Great and small, pub­liquely and privately, did defame David. Jeremy escaped not the lash of the tongue, Chap: 18.18. Come let us smite him with the tongue. Paul that precious servant of Christ, how was he spoken against? he saith, He was made as the filth of the world, and the off-scouring of all things, 1 Cor: 4.13. Look what filth is washed out of, or rust scoured off from Pots, and thrown out of doors, such was Paul and his name made. Its the basest Office to set our tongues on work to detract from the worth of any; if there be evill in men, our charity should cover it, if vertue, our wisdome should commend it. 'Tis a Devilish sin to speak evill of others; he first brought this sin in­to the world by speaking evill of God, Gen. 3.4, 5, and too many are like unto him, in speaking ill of the servants of God, but we must steel our selves to pass thorow bad report; 2 Cor: 6.8. Rom: 3.8.

Secondly, Observe;

Whatever wicked men speak against the Prophets and servants of God, he knowes and takes notice of the same.

Son of man, They speak against thee by the walls, and in the doors of their houses. Let them speak openly or secretly, God hears them; when they said, Come, let us devise devices against Jeremy, come let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words, Chap: 18.18. God heard them; and revealed to Jeremy what they said. There is not a word spoken by any, but the Lord is privy to it, and not only words, but thoughts also, Isa. 59.7. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity. Let us look narrowly to our hearts and tongues, for God knows the thoughts of the one, and the words of the other.

Thirdly, Observe;

How religiously and cunningly soever hypocrites do carry it, their hypocrisie is known to God, and shall be discovered.

Hypocrisie is a doing or speaking that to God or men, where­in the heart and spirit of a man is not. Those men pretended religiously, they call upon one another to hear what word the Lord gave out to the Prophet, and they come, being excited one by another, and sit before the Prophet as Gods people, they attended to what he said, as if they meant punctually to observe the same; but they did not do what he said, their hearts were not in the business: what worshipping was this of God to give him an ear, and the world their heart? So to speak against the Prophet behind his back, and to speak fair, shew much love to his face, was not this hypocrisie? did they not carry it religiously towards God, and cunningly towards the Prophet? However they carryed it, the Lord saw their hypocrisie, and discovered the same. The Scribes and Phari­sees wore long robes, made long prayers, and under pretence of them devoured widowes houses, but the Lord Christ knew their hypocrisie, and made it known, though religiously and craftily carryed, Matth: 23.

Fourthly, Observe;

Many hearers pretend much love and kindnesse to the Prophets, and yet behind their backs afford them not a good word.

When these Jews came to the Prophets house they shew'd much love with their mouths; but when they were by the walls, and at their own doors, they shew'd as much ill will with their mouths, they spake against him, they slandered him, they disgraced him, out of the same mouth came bitter and sweet. The Jews and Herodians pretended much love to Christ, and said, Master, we know that thou art true, and teach­est the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the persons of men; tell us therefore what think­est thou, is it lawfull to give Tribute to Caesar or no? Matth: 22.16, 17, 18. Here they shewed much kindness with their mouths, when there was gall and bitterness in their hearts.

Fifthly, Observe;

When men draw neer to God in any duty of his worship, he principally looks which way the heart stands, whether that be real and towards him.

Their heart (saith God) goeth after their covetousness; It went not after the word, after God himself, Isa: 29. This peo­ple draw neer me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their hearts far from me. When their bodies were in the Temple, their hearts were in their shops; when their lips were speaking to God, their hearts were con­versing with the creatures: Gods eye was upon their hearts. The heart is the principal part in man, and its the principall thing God aims at, Prov: 23.26. My son give me thine heart; not thy hatt, thy hand, thy tongue, thy foot, but thine heart; Whatever he hath without the heart is nothing, but having the heart, he hath all, whatever is wanting; let the eye be wanting, a man is blind; let the leg be wanting, a man is lame; let the whole body be wanting, a man is sick; yet if God have the heart he hath all. Delilah had Sampsons bodily presence, yet that sufficed her not, because she thought she had not his heart, Judg: 16.15. How canst thou say I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? God hath no love from us, nothing of us, when our hearts are not with him.

Sixthly, Observe;

Men have carnall hearts in spiritual duties.

These men were hearing Ezekiel prophesie, and whilest they were hearing their hearts went after their covetousness; the word was in their ears, and the world in their hearts. Ezekiel tells them of the things of God, and they mind the things of the earth. To be earthly minded at any time is blame­able, Phil: 3.19. but to be so in spiritual things is grievous, its a despising, a debasing of them; when the things of God, of Christ, Heaven, Salvation, Life, Grace and Glory are pre­sented unto us, which should take up our thoughts abundantly, affect our hearts powerfully, for us then to mind the dust, sticks, straws and pebbles on the earth, to have our hearts upon them, this is Zimmah, a great wickedness, horrible ingrati­tude, Rom: 8.6. To be carnally minded is death; it argues a dead soul, it tends unto death, and ends in eternall death.

Seventhly, Observe;

Covetousnesse is a sin adheres to Professors.

These that came to hear the Prophet, and sat before him as the people of God, their hearts went after their covetousness, they had hearts exercised with covetous practices, as it is in 2 Pet: 2.14. The Pharisees made profession of religion, they were hearers of Christ, but the Text saith, they were cove­tous, Luke 16.14. Judas an Apostle and follower of Christ, had a covetous heart, and sold his Master for 30 pieces of silver, Mat: 26.15. Demas forsook Paul, having loved the present world, 2 Tim. 4.10. While he was with Paul, his heart was in the world. John seeing this evill incident to Christians disswades them from the love of the world, by a strong argument, 1 John 2.15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world; if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. He doth not know God to be his father, and love him as a Fa­ther, that loves the world; he may think, say, and swear that he loves the Father, but the Spirit of truth saith, The love of the [Page 167] Father is not in him. Let Christians therefore take heed of this sin, for besides that it argues the love of God is not in us, it choaks the seed of Gods word, which should beget grace in us, Matth: 13.22. it makes us idolaters, Eph: 5.5. yea Covetous [...]esse unfits us for Church communion, 1 Cor: 5.11. it shuts us out of Heaven, 1 Cor. 6.10. it exposes us to wrath, Col. 3.5, 6. to Gods hatred, Psal. 10.3. to a curse, 2 Pet. 2.14.

Vers. 32. Thou art unto them as a very lovely song.

THe Hebrew is Ceshir agavim, sunt canticum amantium, as a song of Lovers; so the word is rendred, Jerem: 4.30. Thy lovers will despise thee, its the same word: Lovers have de­lightfull songs to please their ears and pass away time; so the Prophets preaching was delightfull unto them to hear, but as in musick and singing, there is nothing comes of it when done, so they heard the Prophet, but nothing came of their hearing. The Septuagint hath it [...], as the voice of a Psaltery, which was an instrument to sing unto. The French is Comme une chauson de plaisanterie, as a song of jesting or scurrility, which greatly affect carnall hearts. Some render the words eris illis canticum subsannatorum, thou wilt be to them a song of scoffers, that is, however they seem to be great­ly [Page 168] pleased and affected with thy prophesying, yet in their hearts they laugh at thee and deride thee.

Of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument.

When one both playes well, and sings sweetly, that musick of all others is most taking, affects the ear, and stirs the spi­rits; so Ezekiels voice was pleasing to them, and he handled his matter well, they were, or seem'd to be stirr'd and affe­cted with what he delivered. The Hebrew for can play well on an instrument, is Ʋmetib naggen; which Montanus renders, Bene scientis pulsare, of one that knows well how to play; Nagan signifies to play upon a musicall instrument, and also to sing to it.

For they hear thy words, but they do them not.

Some heard not at all, those that heard rested in what they heard, or abused it, jeering and scoffing at the Prophet as a pleasant Songster, they were not doers of what was taught them, They received not the truth with love, they mingled it not with faith, they yielded not obedience to it, which things do make a Doer of the word, 2 Thess: 2.10. Heb: 4.2. Rom: 5.17.

Vers. 33. When this cometh to passe (lo, it will come)

When the judgements threatned shall be made good, viz: That those in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and those in the open fields shall be devoured by the beasts, they in the forts and caves shall dye of the famine and pestilence, when the Land and mountains shall be laid most desolate, which things will certainly come to pass whatever thoughts they have, or false Prophets say to the contrary; for I have determined these things against [Page 169] them, commission'd thee to declare them, and I being omnipo­tent will in due time accomplish them.

Then shall they know that a Prophet hath been among them.

The execution of what is threatned shall convince them, and make them say, we were deceived about Ezekiel, he spake not out of ill will to us, or of his own head, but he was sent to denounce the judgements of God against us for our sins, which he faithfully did, and we now feel the weight of them, and find he was a Prophet, not a Songster, that his matter had dread in it, and was not to be sported withall.

First, Observe;

That men may be much affected with hearing the Prophets and Preachers of God, and yet be vile hypocrites, very wicked.

These men that flocked to hear Ezekiel, and unto whom he was as a very lovely song, as a song of one that hath a pleasant voyce, and can play well on an instrument, they were backbiters & covetous; there was none in Babylon pleased them like Ezeki­el, they said, Come, come let us go and hear Ezekiel; they were as much taken with him, as any are with musick, with pleasant voices, tunes and songs, which oftentimes ravish the hearers; yet they were unsound at heart, the word did them no good, they amended not their lives, they parted not with their lusts. In Christs time, the people flocked to hear him, were affected with him, Mark 12.37. The common people heard him gladly; & Chap: 14.43. Judas and a great multitude with him, came to take Christ, and laid hands on him, vers. 46. & Chap: 15. vers. 8.13, 14. The multitude cryed, Crucifie, crucifie him. Many of them that heard him gladly before, were much affected with his Heavenly Doctrine, now cryed out crucifie him, and so shewed what vile hypocrites they were. In our dayes some Preachers are as a pleasant song to some persons; they are affected with their voice, notions, gestures, expressions, matter, arguments, stories; they sigh, they weep sometimes, [Page 170] and are ravished at other times, they never heard such a man, such a Sermon, such things, and yet are not changed in their hearts, reformed in their tongues or lives, but are notorious hypocrites.

Secondly, Observe;

When people hear the Preacher, and do not practice what is taught, the word is no more to them then a song, or a fit of musick, nor the Preacher more then a Musician or Fidler unto them.

Thou art unto them as a lovely song of one that can play well on an instrument; for they hear thy words, but they do them not. These words are a proof and reason of the former. Should we tell people, You esteem the word preached no more then an idle, amorous, witty, scurrilous song, nor the Preacher any more then he that sings such a song, they would think themselves much wronged; but it is so in Gods account, when they hear the Preacher, and do not practice what they hear: A fit of musick affects for the present, but quickly passes away, and both the musick and the man are forgotten; so is it here, peo­ple are affected somewhat at a Sermon, but Sermon and Preach­er are quickly forgotten.

Thirdly, Observe;

Hearing of the word is good, but not to be rested in.

They are not blam'd for hearing, that is a duty belongs to all; James 5.19. But they rested in their hearing; they made not the word a Lamp unto their feet, and a light unto their paths, as David did, Psal. 119.105. They did not meditate on it, digest it, turn it in succum & sanguinem, into good nourishment, that so they might express the virtue of it in their lives; they heard the word, and that was all; of such that is verified, Matth: 13.13. Hearing they hear not. The word hath no influence into them, impression upon them, expression from them; they are no better then those that never heard; they are like men that observe wind and tide, but never make a voyage. 2 Tim: [Page 171] 3.7. There were women ever learning, but never attained to the knowledge of the truth; and many are ever hearing, and never come to practice. Luke 13.26. Thou hast taught in our streets. They had heard Christ, rested in their hearing, and that was their undoing.

Fourthly, Observe;

God expects men should be not only hearers, but doers also of his word.

They hear thy words, but they do them not. Hearing alone pleases not God; he gave not his word to be heard only, but to be heard and practiced; they are good hearers qui verba vertunt in opera, who turn words into actions, James 1.22. Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. He tells them they deal fallaciously, they baffle and delude themselves, not others, if they hear the word, and do it not; though there be power in the word to save your souls, yet if ye be not doers of it, ye deceive your selves, and will lose your souls; Matth: 7.26, 27. Every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them not, shall be likened unto a foo­lish man, which built his house upon the sand, and the rain descen­ded, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. He that hears Christs Heavenly Doctrine and doth not practice it, is not built upon the rock, but upon the sand; and when the tryall comes, will be deceived of his expectation, his house will down, his soul will be lost. It is not hearing, it is not crying, Lord, Lord, that will open a door for a man to enter into Heaven by; vers. 21. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven; Not any one which goes no further: But he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. My father (saith Christ) hath made known his will; he would have men do his will, and then he will open unto them, and let them into Heaven. Its not mens hearing or saying, but their doing what they hear, which pleads stronglyest for their entrance in­to Heaven. Many men commend the Preacher, the Word with their tongues, but disgrace both with their lives: The best [Page 172] commenders of the Preachers and their doctrine are mens lives, when they are doers of the word; Matth: 25.21. Its well done thou good and faithfull servant, enter thou into thy masters joy: Not well heard, or well said, but well done. Let us see to it, that we be not hearers only, but doers of the word. Rev: 22.14. Blessed are they that do his commandements, that they may have right to the Tree of life, and may [...]nter in through the gates into the City.

Fifthly, Observe;

The judgements threatned by the Prophets of God, shall certain­ly take place.

When this cometh to passe (lo, it will come.) He means the sword, wilde beasts, pestilence, utter desolation, which were threatned: It seem'd somewhat unlikely, that after a war, a few poor people left in wastes, holes, caves, forts, woods, & fields, should be cut off; but the Lord had said it, and he did effect it. How improbable or impossible soever things appear to us, what God threatens by his Prophets to doe (without repen­tance intervene) he will accomplish.

Sixthly, Observe;

Whatever the thoughts of wicked ones are for the present of the Prophets, the time will come when they shall have other kind of thoughts of them.

When this cometh to passe, then shall they know, &c. When the sword, wilde beasts, pestilence, utter desolation are upon them and the Land, when they are in straits, in the jawes of death, then they will have other apprehensions of Ezekiel then now they have: Ezekiel at present is a lovely song, like a man that hath a pleasant voice, some affect him, some scoff at him, others censure him; but when death is before them, then their thoughts will alter, then they will say, Ezekiel told us of these things that are come upon us, and how to avoid them, he call'd upon us to consider our wayes, to turn from all our iniquities, and to provide for our souls; we then slighted him, only gave him the hearing of what he said, but now we see he was a Prophet of God, delivered weighty things, and we were fools that we hearkened [Page 173] not unto him, doing what he said. When young men, who de­spise all the Preachers say against whoredom and wanton courses, come to be in years, find their flesh and bodies to be consumed, then will they have other thoughts of them and what they preached, then will they say, How have we hated in­struction, and our hearts despised reproof? we obeyed not the voyce of our Teachers, nor inclined our ears to them that instructed us, Prov. 5.11, 12, 13. There were Prophets amongst us, who sought our good, who tendred mercy and many precious truths unto us, but we were so blinded with our lusts, so conceited of our own wayes, that we rejected them, and whatever they tendred us.

Seventhly, Observe;

The Prophets will be witnesses at last against disobedient hearers.

They shall know that a Prophet hath been amongst them. They heard Ezekiel, but did not what he said; his person, his doctrine, did at last bear witness against them. Where-ever the Lord sets a faithful preacher, who takes pains among the people, declaring the mind of God unto them, and they do not practice what they are taught, that Preacher will rise up in judgement against them; his doctrine, his prayers, tears, drops of sweat, his life, his sufferings, reproaches, death, will all be witnesses against them. If the rust of mens silver and gold will be witnesses against them, and eat their flesh like fire, James 5.3. because they let their silver and gold lye by them, and did not improve the same for publique good, and in charitable uses, how much more will the truths of God which the Preachers have com­mended unto them, (being neglected, and not improved to the good of the hearers and others) bear witness against them, and eat their flesh, yea, their souls like fire? Thousands who have flocked after Ministers to hear them, will find those Mini­sters witnesses against them, because they heard them only, and never did what they heard. What a multitude of witnesses will London and England have against them at the latter day? All the Godly faithful Ministers whose doctrine hath been heard, but never obeyed.

Vers. 1. The Word of the Lord came unto me, saying.

These words we have often had; by them the Prophet de­clares himself to be a true Prophet: false ones spake of their own heads, they had no word from God, they deluded the people with lying words; but Ezekiel had a word from God, and that word he commended to the people.

Vers. 2. Prophesie against the Shepherds of Is­rael.

The Shepherds of Israel were the chief Rulers, both Politi­cal and Ecclesiastical, Princes, Magistrates, Prophets, Priests, and Levites. Isa. 44.28. Cyrus is call'd a Shepherd; & Zech: 11.17. those in the Church are call'd Shepherds, Jer: 25.34. Howl ye Shepherds and cry, wallow your selves in ashes ye prin­cipal of the flock; that is, as the flock is considered Political­ly and Ecclesiastically, ye are the Shepherds, the principal there­of; howl ye, &c. They are call'd Shepherds because they are to govern, protect, provide for, and to feed them.

Wo be to the Shepherds of Israel.

Herein generall judgement is threatned against these Shep­herds, Wo be to them. This word is a Comprehensive word, and includes variety of evils in it, not some one, but divers sad [Page 177] judgements should come upon them. The word for Shepherds is [...] Rohe, from [...] Rahah to feed, and metaphorically to govern, teach, and so to feed men.

That do feed themselves, shoold not the Shep­herds feed the flock?

Here was their sin, they fed themselves, not the flock; those are Shepherds in State or Church, are set up for the good of the people, to benefit and advantage them, not to seek them­selves, to draw from the people what they can to make them­selves great; they should be content with their allowance, and lay out themselves fully and wholly for the good of them that are committed to their trust. This interrogation, Should not the Shepherds feed the flock? Sets out the hainousness of their sin, and the indignation of God against it; What you Shepherds, and not feed the flock? you pervert the course of nature, and vi­olate the order which God hath set, and that is intollerable, he will visit severely for it.

The word for Flock, is Tzon, which signifies a multitude of Sheep or Goats. The Septuagint render it [...], Sheep, and in a metaphoricall sense its put for the people, Zech: 9.16. Micah 7.14. People are resembled unto Sheep.

First, Sheep are foolish, silly creatures, not like Foxes, Lyons, Lybards, which are subtle and crafty; so are people for the generality of them. Jerem: 5.21. Hear now this, O foo­lish people, and without understanding, which have eyes and see not, which have ears and hear not. They had no ears to hearken unto the word of God, no eyes to see the hand of God, no un­derstanding to discern the mind and dealings of God; so Deut: 32.28. They are a Nation void of counsell, neither is there any understanding in them; they act like foolish silly peo­ple that know nothing of God.

Secondly, Sheep are apt to go astray, 1 Sam: 1.7.20. David left the Sheep with a Keeper; he knew they would wander, had [Page 178] they not a Keeper: so people are apt to stray from that that is just and equall, to turn aside from the wayes of God. Isa: 53.6. All we like Sheep are gone astray; & Jerem: 2.13. My people have forsaken me the fountain of living waters; that is, They have forsaken me their Shepherd, who provided all good things for them.

Thirdly, When one Sheep goes out of the way, many follow, run after that one; so it is with the multitude. 2 Sam: 20.1, 2. One Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite, blew a Trumpet, saying, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his Tents O Israel. So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. Here was a Ram led all Israel into rebellion. So Theu­das stept out of the way, and presently 400 others joyn'd them­selves unto him; And Judas of Galilee drew much people after him, Acts 5.36, 37.

Omnino sese praebent proe­dam homini­bus & bestiu.Fourthly, Sheep are exposed to much danger, they are a prey to Dogs, Lyons, Wolves, Foxes, Bears, and such wilde Beasts; so are the people exposed to spoyl, and to be prey'd up­on by the great Ones: Zeph: 3.3. Jerusalems Princes within her are roaring Lyons, her Judges are evening Wolves; they prey'd upon the poor people: Jerem: 50.17. Israel is a scattered Sheep, the Lyons have driven him away: first the King of Assyria hath devoured him, and last this Nebuchadrezzar King of Babylon hath broken his bones.

Fifthly, They are subject to many diseases, and apt to infect one another. Its observed that of all creatures a man, an Horse, and a Sheep are subject unto most diseases, and quickly doth one Sheep communicate his infection unto another; so people are subject to many distempers, seditions, insurrections, rebel­lions, errors, heresies, superstition, idolatry, and what not? Ezek: 2.3. The children of Israel are a rebellious Nation; Jer: 6.28. They are all grievous revolters, they walk with slan­ders; they are brasse and iron, they are all corrupters; one in­fected [Page 179] another. Jer: 5.23. This people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart: The disease was come to their hearts. Isa. 1.4. Ah sinfull Nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evill-doers, children that are corrupters; They corrupted one another with evill opinions and practices.

Vers. 3. Ye eat the fat, ye cloath you with the Wool.

The Septuagint, Vulgar, and French have it, Ye eat the milk: The Hebrew word is Chelef, which signifies fat, because its made of Milkine fatness; what they feed upon hath a fatty milkiness in it which turns to fat. The word for Milk is Chalof, and that for fat Chalef, which also notes the principal of every thing. By these expressions of eating the fat, and cloathing them­selves with the Wool, the Prophet taxeth the covetousness of the Princes, Priests, and false Prophets, who pretended the pub­lique good, but were intent upon their own profit and pleasure; they were not content with what stipends were allowed them, but devised wayes and means to draw the wealth of the people into their own Coffers, which is here call'd the fat and the wool. The word for wool is Tzemer, which notes all sorts of wool, even Cotten wool which grows upon Trees; Had they any wool upon their backs (as our Proverb is) these Gover­nours would fleece them of it.

Ye kill them that are fed; but ye feed not the flock.

The Hebrew for the first words is ye Sacrifice the thick; Ha­beriah is from Bara, to create, and [...] Bari, is far, flesh, be­cause a Sheep becomes fat and fleshy by a kind of creation, there is the power of God put forth in it; and when men grow weal­thy it is by the power of God; Deut: 8.17, 18. Its not mens power, and the might of their hands, that gives them their wealth, but it is the Lord gives power to get wealth. The false Prophets kill'd their souls with lyes, with corrupt doctrines; and [Page 180] the Magistrates found out wayes to cut off them, were rich for their estates: thus they sought themselves, but fed not the flock. The Princes and Rulers did not maintain justice, preserve the innocent, relieve the oppressed, nor the Priests and Prophets teach them sound and wholesome doctrine.

Vers. 4. The diseased have ye not strengthned.

Here be five particulars in this verse, concerning the Sheep which the Shepherds should have minded, but neglecting them all are severely taxed for them. The first is, they were disea­sed; Sheep are liable to various diseases, faintings, weaknes­ses. Montanus renders the word Hannocheloth, languentes, those languish and are feeble; those languished in their estates or spirits, were not strengthned, those wanted bread for their bo­dies, and for their souls, were not looked after. The Septuagint is [...], The weak ye have not strengthned; and the French is Vous n'anet point Comforte' celle quiestoit affloiblie, You have not comforted that which was made feeble.

Neithea have ye healed that which was sick.

A Sheep may be diseased, yet not be sick; that is sick, Cui totum corpus dolet, when the whole body is pained, saith Lava­ter; the whole body is so distempered that the members of it cannot perform their Offices. There were many among the Jews who were sick in their estates and spirits, and could not perform the duties of their generall or particular callings, who had none to heal them. This was the second thing.

Neither have ye bound up that which was broken.

The third thing is brokenness; some Sheep had their flesh torn by Dogs, or Bushes, their leggs and other bones about them, broken, or put out of joynt; divers amongst them had broken estates, broken spirits, and none bound them up. The [Page 181] word Chabash signifies binding as men are bound in prison, bin­ding as men bind packs to horses, binding as men are bound by laws to obey or suffer, binding of ornaments to the head, and binding up of wounds to cure and heal them, as here.

Neither have ye brought again that which was driven away.

Here is the fourth thing, concerns the Sheep, some were driven away. Storms, Dogs, Wolves, and other wild beasts oft times cause the Sheep to run this way, and that way, to fall into ditches and pits, which if looked after, might be preser­ved and reduced. The warres and other evills forced ma­ny Jews to flye into other Countries, and none in Place did think of them, that they might be brought back.

Neither have ye sought that which was lost.

Sheep being wandring creatures are oftentimes lost, Luke 15.4. Among the Jews there were some had stragled from the rest, and were lost, lost through corrupt opinions and pra­ctices; they left the wayes of God, and wandred in by-paths which led to utter destruction; such a losing the word [...] sig­nifies. They were not sought after, they did not make dili­gent enquiry, & search after them [...], say the Septuagint, Non summo studio quaerebant, they did not seek earnestly after them.

But with force and cruelty have they ruled them.

They dealt not as Patres patriae, Fathers of their Country, but as Tyrants which are Pestes humani generis, the very plagues of the earth, they dealt not as Shepherds with their Sheep, but as cruel Task-masters over Servants. The word for ruling is [...] Radah which notes such ruling as a Master doth exercise over a Servant, rigorous ruling, therefore the Jews [Page 182] were forbid to rule over a poor brother; Levit: 25.43. Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour. Here they ruled with rigour, they put forth their power to the breaking and ruine of the peo­ple, they were rough and cruell in their government. The Septuagint is [...], ye weary, wear out, yea, murther the strong with vexation and labour.

Vers. 5. And they were scattered, because there is no Shepherd.

The Shepherds being either negligent or tyrannical, the Sheep were scattered; through default of their Political Shep­herds they were scattered into waste places, into the open fields, into forts and caves, Chap. 33.27. and into other Countries. Had Zedekiah and the Nobles been faithfull to God, to Nebuchadnezzar and the People, ruling as he and they should have done, the People had not been so scattered; and through default of their Ecclesiastical Shepherds, they fell into errours, superstitions and idolatrous practices; Justice, Laws and Religion being laid aside, there was nothing remain'd but confusion, disorder and dispersion. The Hebrew is, They were scattered without a Shepherd; which may be taken thus, Be­ing scattered they had no Shepherd; or thus, they were scattered because, or for that they had no Shepherd; that is, no faithfull Shepherd; this is the better sence, and so the Septuagint speaks, [...], for that they had no Shepherds, that is, no such shepherds as cared for their good civilly or spiritu­ally.

And they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.

When the Sheep are scattered into Caves, Woods, upon Mountains and Hills, they become a prey to Dogs, Swine, Wild Beasts; so the Jews being scattered into severall parts of the world, were exposed to the injuries of strangers, and a prey unto them.

Vers. 6. My sheep wandred through all the Mountains, and upon every high Hill.

They went from Mountain to Mountain, and from Hill to Hill, and set up Altars, Jer: 2.20. Ʋpon every high Hill, and under every green Tree thou wanderest, playing the Harlot; so Jer: 3.6. Or they were forced to fly to the Mountains and Hills, in the time of war and danger, which their Rulers brought up­on them.

Yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did seek or search after them.

The Hebrew is upon all the faces of the earth; every Coun­trey hath a severall face in a Metaphorical sence, as one man hath from another; Egypt had one face, Babylon another; the Countries about Judaea their distinct faces or superficies, now they were scattered abroad upon them all, and none did search or seek them. Here be two words signifying the same thing, Bikkesh and Daresh; the first signifies to seek or search, summo studio; the second, summo judicio.

First, Observe;

Those that are set over the people in Church or State are Shep­herds, and ought to be like unto them towards their flocks.

They should govern them gently, protect them constantly, provide for them carefully, and feed them faithfully, and seek their good diligently, God who is the great Shepherd doth so; Isa: 40.11. He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd: he shall ga­ther the Lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosome, and shall gently lead those that are with young. Isa: 27.3. Least any hurt it (that is, his Vineyard, his People) I the Lord will [Page 184] keep it night and day; Psal. 23.1.2. The Lord is my Shep­herd, I shall not want. He provided green pastures and still waters for him, and for all his; Jer: 5.7. He fed them to the full. He gave them David for a Shepherd, to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance, and he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, Psal. 78.71, 72. he sought their good, Micah 6.5. he turned curses into blessings for them, Deut: 23.5. here was a good Shepherd; Magistrates and Mi­nisters should be like unto God in all these.

Secondly, Observe;

Few of those that are over Gods flock in Church or State, do prove such as they ought to be.

The 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 [Page 185] 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 [Page 186] 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. Its 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.

Vers. 7. Therefore ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord.

These words are again in the 9. ver. and shew the great indig­nation was in the breast of God against these shepherds; O ye Princes, Priests, and Prophets, seeing ye have done such things, and neglected what you should have done, hear the word of the Lord, he is vehemently displeased with you, and can hold no longer.

Vers. 8. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely.

The Hebrew is I living, if not, the sense whereof is this, Let me not be the living God, but be laid aside as some idol or false god, if I do not punish these Shepherds which have dealt so with my flock.

Because my flock became a prey.

The word for prey is Baz which signifies spoyling, and such spoyling as is cum conculcatione, & despectu direpti, Kirker. with tread­ing down, and despising the thing spoiled; they vilified the flock of God, and spoyled them of what they had.

And my flock became meat to every beast of the field.

Wicked men are here call'd beasts, and beasts of the field, for that they range up and down to get a prey, and when they have gotten it, tear and rend it in pieces, as a Lyon or Bear doth a Lamb or sheep.

There was no Shepherd.

Not simply no shepherd, but no shepherd that did his duty, as the next words shew, Neither did my shepherds search for the flock; he saith My shepherds, because they were in Gods stead to look after his flock, but they fed themselves, not the flock; they made Laws, imposed burthens, and found out wayes to enrich themselves, and impoverish the people.

Vers. 10. Behold I am against the shepherds.

In this verse the punishments of these shepherds are enume­rated, and this is the first, viz: Gods enmity against them; they being great Princes, Priests and Prophets, kept all in such awe that none durst appear in word or action against them, if any did, they were soon crushed; Wherefore saith the Lord, Behold, I am against the shepherds; I that am the Governour of Nations, the Lord of Heaven and Earth, and so the Dread Soveraigne of Princes, Priests and Prophets; even I that am Jehovah, that gave being to all creatures, and can take away all again, am against them. The Hebrew is, Behold, I to the shepherds, that is, I come to set my self against them; the Vulgar is, Behold, I am above them; others have the words thus, Ecce, ego contra istos Pasto­res, Behold, I am against these shepherds.

I will require my flock at their hand.

Not only will I have account of them, what is become of my flock, but I will have recompence for every one that is wounded, weak, lost or slain; I will require at your hand, limb for limb, blood for blood, and life for life. This is the second punishment mentioned.

And cause them to cease from feeding the flock.

Here is a third punishment, and its no less then displacing of them; some were cut off by the hand of justice, Jer: 52.10, 11, 24, 25, 26, 27. Lamen: 5.12. Others were carryed away captive, and held in chains and bonds, as Zedekiah, Jechoniah, and many besides.

Neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more.

Here is a fourth punishment; they should be depriv'd of those opportunities they had to enrich themselves: they made a prey of the flock, eating the fat, cloathing themselves with the wool, and killing those that were fed, they made advantage of the flock, only seeking themselves, not the good of it, but they should not do so any longer.

For I will deliver my flock from their mouth.

They have been feeding upon, and devouring my flock a long time; but now I will do by them as a shepherd doth by a Lamb in a Lyons or Bears mouth, Amos 3.12. 1 Sam: 17.34, 35. David delivered the Lamb: so God would pull his flock out of these Lyons and Bears mouths, which is a gracious promise of the deliverance of his people.

That they may not be meat for them.

Being once delivered, they shall no more be spoiled and de­voured by such Tyrants as they were, but shall enjoy li­berty and safety.

First, Observe;

When there are no faithfull shepherds, the flock is a prey to all sorts of beasts.

My flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd. The Princes, Nobles, Priests, Prophets, and all their under Officers made a prey of the flock. The flock was amongst wild beasts of all sorts, and they did eat the Milk, sheer the Fleece, and devour the flesh of the Flock. No State-Offi­cers, no Church-Officers were faithfull unto the Flock, but all in place and power made a prey of it; its the nature of Dogs, [Page 192] Foxes, Wolves, Bears, Lyons, and such Beasts, to suck the bloud, crush the bones, and devoure the flesh of the Lambs and Sheep. Kings in Daniel 7.17. are call'd beasts; & Rev: 13.1. there is mention made of a Beast which rose up out of the Sea, having seven heads and ten horns; and of a beast rose up out of the earth, which had two horns, like a Lamb, but spake like a Dragon; these two Beasts denote the Ecclesiastical and Politi­cal powers, and how they dealt with the people, you may read in that Chapter. When Gods Flock is without faithful shep­herds, they are a spoil to Sea-Beasts and Land-Beasts, to all Beasts whatsoever.

Secondly, Observe;

That the sins of Magistrates and Ministers in seeking them­selves, neglecting and wronging the flock, do greatly provoke God, bring certain and severe judgements upon themselves.

Behold I am against the shepherds; I that am higher, stronger, greater then them all, even I, and all my attributes are against them; I will call them to account, and have satisfaction for all the wrong and violence they have done; I will deprive them of their sweet Morsels, and throw them with shame out of their places: These are severe judgements which God swears by no less th [...]n his own life, that he will bring upon them; God com­mits great trust unto them, and when they are unfaithful God visits severely for it; Jer: 25.34, 35, 36. Howl ye shep­herds, cry and wallow your selves in the ashes ye principal of the Flock, for the dayes of your slaughter, and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. They should have no way to flee or escape, cry and howl they might, their Pastures should be spoiled, and themselves destroyed. The shepherds had been preserved like a pleasant vessel in the hand of God, he esteem'd them, but now being so vile they should fall, be broken, and not esteemed at all. See Jer. 23.1, 2. Zech: 11.17. This hath been made good in our dayes, against the Political and Ecclesiastical shepherds; have not our Prin­ces, Nobles, Prelates and their Officers, for their feeding themselves, not feeding the Flock, for their ruling them by force and cruelty, have they not had God against them, been [Page 193] deprived of their fat, and sweet morsels? have they not been turn'd out of their places, and suffered justly for their demerits? The oppressions in State and Church were such, that the Flock had perished, had not God appeared for it against those Lyons and Wolves; their sins were provoking, and drew the fury of God upon them.

Thirdly, Observe;

Those sheep that are under oppressing and devouring shepherds, God will relieve and set at liberty.

I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. Many years had his Flock been molested by wicked Princes, Priests and Prophets, they had eaten up many of his Flock, and the rest were in danger of devouring, but the Lord had a care of them, and pull'd them out of their jawes; the poor sheep could not withstand their violence, They were like young Lyons among the flocks, which go through, tread down, and tear them in pieces, and none can deliver, Micah 5.8. But though the sheep had no man able to deliver them from these Lyon-like shepherds, yet God was able to do it, and did it; he was a Lyon to these Lyons, and tore them in pieces, rescuing his Flock. Its not long since we were under such shepherds, who made us meat to their teeth, eating up our Estates, Liber­ties and Lives, they oppressed and devoured us, and who durst appear for us; if any did, they felt the jaws and claws of these Lyons: but God at last arose for us, and hath driven away those shepherds, and delivered us from being meat to their mouths.

Vers. 11. Behold, I, even I will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

You think much to look after my sheep, but Behold, I, even I that am the great shepherd, the great God, infinitely distanced from you, will both search and seek them out. The word for search is Bikker, which the Septuagint renders [...] I will require, it notes searching out what they had done with them, and requiring them at their hand. Junius hath it, Reposcam, and the French ie redemanderay mes brebis, I will earnestly ask again my sheep, and seek them out with understanding and judgement, so Darash signifies.

Vers. 12. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek, &c.

When some great storms by wind, rain, thunder, lightning, or wilde Beasts, have been in the field among the flock, and they are scattered here and there, then the shepherd hastens to them, sees whether any be wanting, and if so, seeks up and down till he finds them, and so brings them together again, which is a great mercy to the scattered sheep, and as great a comfort to the shepherd; so would God seek out his sheep that were scattered into severall places, and would deliver them: They had met with storms and wilde Beasts, which had devided and scattered them, and God like a choice shepherd would seek them out, and have a special care of them.

In the cloudy and dark day.

The Hebrew is Beiom gnanan vagnaraphel, In the day of a [Page 196] cloud and of darkness, thick darknesse, so the word signifies. It was a day of a cloud, or a cloudy day when the Chaldaean army besieged Jerusalem; then many were scattered and dri­ven into neighbour Nations: and it was a day of thick dark­nesse when the City was broken up, the Temple burnt, Zedeki­ah's eyes put out, the Princes and Nobles put to death, many carried captive into Babylon, and the rest dispersed into woods, caves, mountains and other places.

Vers. 13. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the Countreys.

God finding his sheep scattered into several Nations, where they met with hardships, he graciously promises to bring them out of those Nations, they should not alwayes be amongst their enemies, who were no better then wilde Beasts unto them. This hath an aspect to Gods gathering his Elect out of the several quarters of the world.

And will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers.

Being gathered out of forraign Lands, God would bring them into their own Land, viz: into Canaan, a Type of the Church; they should both possess their Land, and be put into a Church condition again, and he would feed them with his Word, Ordinances; and put them into a better State then ever. This refers to the times of Christ and the Gospel; then especi­ally did God gather his sheep out of Babylon and bring them to Zion then did he feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the Rivers. So that in this verse are three grand mercies; 1. Eduction out of a miserable condition: 2. Introduction into a good condition; 3. Preservation in that good condition.