Exposition of Ezekiel 14-19, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 14
CHAPTER XIV.
1. Then came certain of the Elders of Iſrael unto mee, and ſate before mee.
2. And the Word of the Lord came unto mee: ſaying;
3. Sonne of Man, theſe men have ſet up their idolls in their heart, and put the ſtumbling block of their iniquitie before their face; ſhould I be inquired of at all by them?
4. Therefore ſpeake unto them, and ſay unto them; Thus ſaith the Lord God; Every man of the houſe of Iſrael that ſetteth up his idolls in his heart, and putteth the ſtumbling block of his iniquitie before his face, and cometh to the Prophet, I the Lord will anſwer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idolls.
5. Thar I may take the houſe of Iſrael in their own heart, becauſe they are all eſtranged from mee through their idolls.
IN the 12th Chapter our Prophet treated of the King and his Nobles, their ſins and judgements: in the 13th of falſe Prophets and Propheteſſes, and how the Lord would puniſh them; here of the Elders and body of the people, and what ſore plagues ſhould befall them.
There be three parts of this Chapter.
1. A conference of God with hypocriticall Elders, and falſe Prophets, to the 12th verſe.
2. A threatning of ſore judgements againſt a ſinning Land; from the 12. to the 22.
3. A reſpiting of ſome from thoſe judgements, from v. 22. to the end.
In the firſt part, viz. that of it which concerns the Elders; you have
1. The occaſion of it, that is, the coming of theſe Elders to the Prophet, v. 1.
2. Gods complaint of them, v. 3.
3. A charge to the Prophet what anſwer to give unto theſe men, from the 3. to the end of the 8. verſe.
Then came certain of the Elders of Iſraell.
After Ezekiel had declar'd the minde of God againſt Zedekiah, the Princes, the falſe Prophets and Propheteſſes, who drew many to ſinfull practiſes, and eſpecially to truſt in vaine divinations; ſome of the Elders of Iſrael thought in themſelves to goe to Ezekiel and heare what he would ſay; he hath cryd downe all other Prophets, and thinks himſelfe the onelyonly true Prophet; come let us goe to his houſe, and hearken what he will propheſie unto us.
Elders of Iſrael.
Theſe men are cald Elders, not onelyonly becauſe they were aged, but becauſe they were in ſome place of authoritie, which required men grave in age and counſell. Jer. 26.17. Then roſe up certain Elders of the Land, and ſpake unto all the aſſembly of people. Theſe were ſuch Elders. Its queſtioned whither theſe Elders were Elders of thoſe in Babylon, or of thoſe in Jeruſalem. The moſt Interpreters agree that they were of the Elders of Judah in Babylon: Chap. 8. 1. its ſaid; The Elders of Judah ſate before the Prophet: and Jer. 29.1. tells you that there were Elders carried away captive. But judicious & learned Junius is of another mind, who thinks theſe Elders were Embaſſadors ſent from Zedekiah into Babylon to treat of State-affaires between him and Nebuchadnezzar, as Jer. 51.59. Seraiah went with Zedekiah into Babylon in the 4th yeare of his reigne: its no where extant that Zedekiah ever went into Babylon till he was carried thither, and that was in the 11th yeare: the meaning then of the words is, he went in the behalfe of Zedekiah, ſo its in the margent, and being a quiet Prince, endeavoured to keepe a peaceable correſpondencie between Zedekiah and Nebuchadnezzar: ſo in Jer. 29.3. Elaſah and Gemariah were ſent by Zedekiah unto Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon; its ordinary for Kings to ſend Embaſſadors to other States,The Elders of Iſrael in Jeruſalem were greatly corrupted with idolatry, Chap. 8.11, 12. and eſpecially when a part of their people live in that State, as here, and when they ſend, its ſome, or diverſe of the Elders and Nobles that are ſent; and of theſe, certain came to the Prophet; its likely ſome of thoſe were formerly brought hither, might accompany them, & the judgements ſpoken of in the Chapter concernd thoſe belongd to Judea rather then thoſe captives in Babylon.
Sate before mee.
To converſe with the Prophet about the great affaires of the King and Kingdome. They were in ſtreights, full of doubts and feares, and came to feele the Prophet, to inquire of him what would be the event of things; its like they had no good tydings from Nebuchadnezzar, they would try what was to be had from God: or thus, they had heard what the falſe Prophets and Propheteſſes had ſaid, how they concurd in their Propheſies, and now they would try Ezekiel, whither he propheſied the ſame, or differing things. And ſo came not to him animo ſincero, but fallaciouſly, if what he had ſaid had lik'd them, then they would have affirm'd he was of the ſame judgement the falſe Prophets were, if otherwiſe, that he was a lying and falſe Prophet, that he and Jeremie were ſingular, diſſenting in their Propheſies from all the other Prophets.
Obſerv. 1. When the true Prophets detect and diſparage thoſe are falſe, then thoſe adhere to them are offended at it, & ſeek advantages againſt them; as here the Elders of Iſrael came to Ezekiel, they could not beare it that he had ſaid their Prophets were fooliſh, followed their own ſpirits, play'd the Foxes, were liars, ſeducers, daubed with untempered morter, that they and their Propheſies ſhould periſh, for the Lord was againſt them. Great perſons will take part with falſe Prophets, and appeare for them, and ſeeke to intrap thoſe have diſcoverd them. When Micaiah diſcoverd the falſe Prophets, 1 Kings 22.22, 23. then Ahab appear'd for them, and commands Micaiah to be impriſond, fed with bread and water of affliction, 26, 27. verſe.
Obſ. 2. Many profeſſe love to the true Prophets, and to Religion yet are falſe-hearted to both; theſe Elders of Iſrael came to the Prophet, ſate before him, pretended to learne & obey, but their intentions look'd another way. Not all who ſeeme religious, frequent the ſolemne Aſſemblies, and heare the Word from the mouths of the Prophets, are truly godly: Ezek. 33.31, 32. ſaith God of the people; They ſit before thee, as my people, and they heare thy words, but they will not doe them; for with their mouth they ſhew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetouſneſſe. And loe thou art to them as a very lovely ſong of one that hath a pleaſant voice, and can play well on an inſtrument; for they heare thy words, but they doe them not. This people were as glad to heare Ezekiel Propheſie, as men to heare muſicke, and ſongs, at marriages or feaſts, and yet their hearts were unſound; ſee Iſa. 29.13.58.2, 3, 4, 5. Jer. 7.9, 10.11. where you may finde their profeſſions were pious, but their ſpirits and practiſes impious; profeſſion is eaſie in all ſorts, Elders, and Elders of Iſrael can doe that, but the practiſe of what men profeſſe is difficult; men reſt in formes of godlineſſe, and deny the power, 2 Tim. 3.5.
Obſerve from the ſecond Verſe.
That much of the Scripture hath been given out upon ſinfull occaſions: when theſe Elders came to the Prophet, the word of the Lord came unto him, and he gaue it out to them and us. Mens ſins have open'd the windows of heaven for much divine light to ſhine into the world: the Propheſie of Haggai, was occaſioned by the neglect to build Gods houſe, as you may reade in the firſt Chapter, 2, 3.4, &c. Ninivehs ſin drew out the Propheſie of Jonah, Chap. 1.1, 2. Davids murther and adultery were occaſions of ſome, if not of all the Penitentiall Pſalmes: The Levite cutting his Concubine, who was forc'd to death, into twelve pieces, and ſending her into all the coaſt of Iſrael, occaſion'd ſome part of the Book of Judges to be written. The Goſpel of John, its conceiv'd by the learn'd, was written by the occaſion of Cerinthus, Ebion, and ſome others, who did deny the divine nature of Chriſt; therefore in the beginning, viz. Chap. 1. he ſpeaks much of his God-head, Son-ſhip, and Eternall Generation. It was the diſorders, diviſions, ſcandalls, and corruptions, which ſet Paul on worke to write his two Epiſtles to the Corinthians, as you may obſerve throughout the Epiſtle. The doctrine of falſe teachers amongſt the Galatians, gave birth to that Epiſtle, Chap. 1.6. and in ſeverall parts of the Epiſtle it clearely appeares. The danger of the Jewes forſaking their profeſſing of Chriſtianitie, and revolting to Moſaicall Ceremonies, open'd the doores for the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes to enter into the world. The faultineſſe of the Angels in the Churches, made way for the ſeverall Epiſtles to be writ and ſent unto them.
VER. 3.
Sonne of Man, theſe men have ſet up their idolls in their hearts, &c.
HEre is firſt Gods complaint of them: and that
1. Of their hypocriſie.
2. Of their idolatry; which is the argument he proves their hypocriſie by. Thus, thoſe that ſet up idolls in their hearts, and put the ſtumbling blocks of their iniquitie before their faces, foreign Hominibus iſtis ſui ſtercorei divi cordi ſunt. Ces hommes ci ont mis leurs idoles en leurs caeurs.and come to inquire of mee, they deale hypocritically with mee; but theſe men doe ſo.
2. Gods indignation againſt them for theſe ſins, Should I be inquired of at all by them?
Have ſet up their idolls in their heart.
The Hebrew is, Have made their idolls to aſcend upon their heart; The Septuagint is, They have put their thoughts upon their hearts. Caſtalio. Their dunghill gods are for a delight to theſe men. Fr: Theſe men have put their idolls in their heart, or as its in the margent of the French, Have ſubjected their hearts to idolls. The word for idolls foreign is from foreign filth,Shindl: pentaglott. dung, which defiles, and therefore is rendred by ſome ſtercora, by the Vulgar immunditias; ſo metaphorically is applyed to idolls, becauſe as dung is offenſive to the eye, being an excrement, and to the ſmell being unſavoury, ſo idolls are offenſive unto God: this word you had before, Chap. 8.18. where it was opened unto you. If one ſhould now for the ſenſe of theſe words tell you they had the pictures of their idolls at their hearts, it may be, you would not altogether condemne it, for it ſuits with the Hebrew, they made their idolls to aſcend upon their hearts. And ſuch a practiſe the Scripture ſeemes to hold forth, Hoſ. 2.2. Let her put away her adulteries from between her breaſts; that is, ſuch pictures ſhee had of her idolls hanging at her breaſt: ſo that in Jer. 17.1. may be underſtood, The ſin of Judah is graven upon the table of their heart, they had a table, in the forme of a heart, hanging at their breaſt, in which was ingraven the effigies of their idoll god; and that which adds ſome ſtrength to this is the 20. verſe of the former Chapter, Shall a man make gods unto himſelfe? If this be part of the meaning, yet, I conceive, not all.
They ſet up their idolls in their heart; that is,
1. They gave them entertainment in their hearts, and made them the Temples and Altars for them, before, they ſet them in Gods houſe, Jer. 7.30. to pollute that; now they ſet them in their own hearts, to pollute them; they minded and affected them, they were much in their thoughts and affections, and had the ſtrength and ſupremacy of them; and ſo judicious Calvin interprets the place; he ſaith, they were ſo addicted to ſuperſtition,Summumgradū obtinere in ipſorum cordibus. that their idolls & rites about them had made deepe impreſſions upon their hearts, and had the command of their thoughts & affections. Pſal. 62.10. If riches increaſe, ſet not your heart upon them, that is, doe not minde and affect them, let not them ſway, command your thoughts or affections, but here their idolls were ſet up in their hearts, and their hearts were ſet upon their idolls.
2. They purpoſed to honour them with Dulia and Latri… ſervice and worſhip, and to continue in their idolatry; when the Calves were ſet up at Dan and Bethel, it was for to worſhip them; when Amaziah ſet up the Edomites gods, he bowed downe to them, 2 Chron. 25.14. and the ſetting theſe up in their hearts, notes their intention to perſiſt in their way of worſhip.
3. They reſolv'd not to part with them; what men ſet up in their hearts, they count as their gods,Judg. 18. they will be at any coſt to maintaine them, venture their credit, limbs, lives, ſoules, in defence of them. You know how Micah was affected when the Danites tooke away his idoll gods; you muſt remember they were ſet up in his heart aſwell as in his houſe, and therefore he gets men together, purſues the Danites, and ventures his life to recover them. When any thing becomes an idoll in the heart, as covetouſneſſe, wantonneſſe, ceremonie, any way of falſe worſhip, any fooliſh or blaſphemous opinion, its no eaſie matter to get downe that idoll.
And put the ſtumbling block of their iniquitie before their face.foreign a foreign impingere cadere pedibus offendere offenſionem praebere. foreign, detrimentoſum crimen. They were the occaſion of their ſins, and ſo cauſa vel unica, vel maxima ruinae tam florentis reipublicae. Prad.
The Hebrew for ſtumbling block is from a word ſignifies to fall, to daſh againſt any thing, or perſon, ſo as to receive hurt, or doe hurt. The Septuagint is, They have ſet the torment or puniſhment of their iniquity before them: Caſtal: their detrimentall evill. This ſtumbling block of their iniquitie was their idolls, which while they affected, reſpected, reverenced, they fell into idolatrie, cauſd many others to doe ſo; and therefore are calld the ſtumbling blocks of their iniquitie, they ſtumbled at theſe, fell from God upon theſe, and ſo wounded themſelves. Zeph. 1.3. idolls are cald ſtumbling blockes.
The putting them before their faces or eyes notes.
1. Delight in them; for uſually wee ſet ſuch things before our eyes as are pleaſing. Pſal. 26.3. Thy loving kindneſſe is before mine eyes: So wives and children are cald the deſire of mens eyes, Ezek. 24.16.25. becauſe they are pleaſing and delightfull; ſuch were their idolls unto theſe Elders of Iſrael, and diverſe others: hence is that phraſe, Ezek. 6.9. Your eyes goe a whoring after your idolls: that look how men are taken with a beautifull woman, ſo, &c.
2. Inſatiableneſſe in that practiſe, they intend to looke conſtantly upon them, as not being ſatisfied with one, two, or ſome few acts, but they muſt have them ever in their eyes. Pro. 27.20. The eyes of man are never ſatisfied; the eyes and hearts of idolaters are never ſatisfied. Ezek. 16.28. Jeruſalem is ſaid to be inſatiable: and Chap. 23.11. Aholibah, which was Jeruſalem, was corrupt and inordinate in her love, that was to idolls.
Should I be inquired of at all by them?
Nunquid requirendo requiror eis? or Interrogando Interrogor.Hebrew is, am I inquired by inquiring, or am I aſked by asking? doe they not diſſemble? Ezekiel doeſt thou thinke they are in good earneſt now they are come, ſit before thee, and make as if they would hearken to what counſell ſhould be given? No, no, be not deceiv'd, they have idolls in their hearts, and before their eyes, and what ever pretences they have, all is fancied, and falſe. The words are an interrogation, diſcovering and reproving their hypocriſie and impudencie, that dare come to the Lord to inquire of him; Should I be inquired, &c. doe they thinke I will minde them, give them any comfortable anſwer, farre be it from mee.
Obſ. 1. That God takes notice of heart-idolatrie, not only what idolls are in Temples, in his worſhip, what innovations, corruptions, ſuperſtitions be there, but alſo what idolls are in mens boſomes.
Obſ. 2. Where ſuperſtition and idolatrie once get intereſt, they are not eaſily remov'd. Theſe Elders of Iſrael had turn'd aſide from the true God, and fell to idolatrie in Jeruſalem, Chap. 8. 11. and now being come into Babylon, they brought their idolls with them in their hearts; neither change of Countrey, nor company, did prevaile with their hearts, to let goe their idolls, they ſaw many of their Brethren in captivitie for that ſinne, they heard Ezekiel Propheſie againſt their practiſes, and thoſe upheld them in it, they underſtood Nebuchadnezzar had no good will to them, yet the idolls remaine firme and ſettled in their hearts: when idolls get into Bethel, Gods houſe, its a great difficultie to get them out, but when gotten into the heart, they become immoveable, you may as ſoone pluck out their hearts, as pluck out their idolls. The Papiſts hold faſt their images and idolatrous practiſes to this day, notwithſtanding all the judgements of God have been upon them. Acts of Authoritie may take downe Monuments of ſuperſtition, remove out of the publique worſhip, ceremonies, pictures, idolls; but can they remove them out of mens hearts? its not the power of man, change of place, company, or duties will doe it, till the Lord ſpeake to the heart with a ſtrong hand, the idoll got in, will ſtand; mens affections and corruptions are very tenacious of them.
3. Idolls ſet up in the heart, or elſewhere, prove ruine to the authors and fautors of them; the Text calls them ſtumbling blocks, by them they fell into ſinne, and that brought ruine upon them: Idolatry hath ſnar'd and ruin'd many. When Gideon made and ſet up an Ephod in the Citie, and in his heart, it became a ſnare to him and to his houſe, Judg. 8.27. ſo Pſal. 106.36. They ſerved idolls, and they were a ſnare unto them; it was their idolatry which brought their captivitie; and there is no idoll in ſecret or publique, but is cauſe of ruine; idolls in worſhip bring deſtruction upon Churches and States; idolls in heart bring deſtruction upon ſoules.
4. Men are active to their own deſtruction, they ſet up their idolls in their own hearts, and put the ſtumbling block of their iniquitie before their face. Mens deſtructions are from themſelves: Jeroboam ſet the calves in Dan and Bethel, 1 King. 12.29. He made Prieſts of the loweſt of the people; and what ſaith the Text; This thing became ſin unto the houſe of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to deſtroy it from off the face of the earth, Chap. 13.34. Hence God told them, Hoſ. 13.9. that they had deſtroyed themſelves; they ſet up the Calves at Dan and Bethel, and practiſed ſuch things as brought totall deſtruction upon them. Prov. 5.22. His own iniquities ſhall take the wicked himſelfe; and he ſhall be holden with the cords of his ſinnes.
5. However, hypocriſie may eſcape the eyes of men, yet it cannot eſcape the eye of God; theſe Elders carried it faire with the Prophet, but the Lord ſaw their hypocriticall and deceitfull hearts, and diſcovered them unto the Prophet; Gods eye is a piercing eye, and can diſcerne hypocriſie how deeply ſoever it be hid. The Scribes and Phariſees had their hypocriſie hid under long garments, long prayers, much zeale, and yet Chriſt ſaw it, and made it knowne: Mat. 23. Woe unto you Scribes, &c. What ever pretences men make, what ever they practiſe outwardly, if the heart be not cleare, if they goe after covetouſneſſe, whoredome, idolls, &c. its hypocriſie, ſeene of God, and ſhall be detected. Prov. 15.3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the good and the evill; He knows the ſecret counſells and plottings of men.
6. When hypocrites ſue unto God, they may rather expect wrath then mercy, theſe men came for counſell and comfort; but what ſaith the Lord; Should I be inquired of at all by them? They have no warrant to come at mee with hypocriticall hearts, with idolatrous ſpirits, and if they doe, ſhould I graunt their requeſts? No, no, I will manifeſt my diſlike of them, anſwer them in wrath, according to the multitude of their idolls; for bread I will give them ſtones; for fiſh Serpents. Would they have counſell from mee, I will give them up to their own devices, and leave them to ſeduction by their own thoughts and luſts. Hoſ. 8.13. They ſacrifice fleſh for the ſacrifice of mine offerings, but the Lord accepts them not: Now will he remember their iniquitie, and viſit their ſinnes. They came hypocritically to God, expected acceptation when they ſacrificed, but the Lord at that time remembred their ſinnes, and in ſtead of a gracious anſwer, they had a grievous judgement. Hence ſaith the Lord in Iſa. 66.3. He that killeth an Oxe is as if he ſlew a man, and he that ſacrificeth a Lamb, as if he cut off a doggs neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered ſwines bloud; he that burneth incenſe, as if he bleſs'd an idoll. What is the reaſon of this? why, They have choſen their own wayes, and their ſoule delighteth in their abomination; they have their idolls in their hearts, they are hypocrites, and come to mee, thinking to have favour of mee, and merciemercy from mee. They ſhall heare ſuch things as they would not heare. Ahab conſulted with Michaiah about regaining Ramoth Gilead, not out of conſcience to obey, but that he might have him ſpeake things ſutable to his heart, but he heard that diſpleaſed him.
7. God will give ſuch anſwer to hypocriticall heart-idolaters, as ſhall ſnare them; I will anſwer them come to inquire of mee according to the multitude of their idolls, that I may take the houſe of Iſrael in their own heart, in their own thoughts and devices. Their tongues aske for mercy, but their hearts call for judgement; there is hypocriſie and idolatry in their hearts, and ſuitable thereunto ſhall be my anſwer. God anſwers ſuch in juſtice, and ſends them ſtrong deluſions to beleeve lyes, 2 Theſ. 2.11. And to ripen their damnation, they bring matter of damnation in their hearts, and God ſeales it up.
Queſt. How are they ſaid to be taken in their hearts when God doth not anſwer their deſires or hopes, but gives out what is contrary there unto?
Anſw. 1. When God anſwers not ſuch men after their deſires and expectations, they frett and rage againſt God, as if he dealt not well with them, and ſo God takes them in their heart, and diſcovers them to the world.
2. God threatening judgements, takes the hearts of ſinners with feare, which holds them in dreadfull bondage night and day; famine, plague, ſword, and noyſome Beaſts, Captivitie, were threatened: and Chap. 12.13. God calls his judgements, nets, ſnares.
3. He convinces them that they doe not honour him by their falſe worſhip, but are guiltie of thoſe things do greatly offend him, they thinke he ſees not their idolls, becauſe ſhut up within in their hearts.
8. Idolatry of what kinde ſoever is a grievous ſinne, it eſtranges from God, they are eſtranged from mee through their idolls. Mans happineſſe lyes in his nearneſſe to God, …nion with him, and fruition of him; now idolatry, though …nely heart-idolatry, eſtranges, divides, ſeparates from God, …d that is the great miſery of the creature. They left the …innite, all-ſufficient, living, onelyonly good and wiſe God, for dunghill gods that had nothing in them,Dijs ſtercoreis. that could doe nothing for them, that brought a curſe upon them & theirs. Jer. 19.3, 4. Behold! I will bring evill upon this place, the which whoſoever heareth, his eares ſhall tingle, becauſe they have forſaken mee, and have eſtranged this place, and have burnt incenſe in it to other gods. They firſt eſtranged themſelves from God, then eſtranged the place of his worſhip. And then God dealt ſtrangely by them, he brought deſtruction upon them: People may thinke themſelves happie that they have communion with God in ſacrifice and worſhip, but if there be any idolls within or without, they are ſtrangers unto God, and God is a ſtranger unto them, and ſtrange judgements are in readineſſe for them.
9. Note here the right way of coming unto God to inquire of him; if you would have a gracious anſwer, you muſt come with hearts free from idolls, with pure hearts. Pſal. 66.18. If I regard iniquitie in my heart, God will not heare my prayer; if wee come with ſin in our hearts, (ſin approv'd, countenanced, delighted in), God will meet us with wrath in his hand, therefore the Scripture oft tells us of this dutie, how wee ſhould come to God. Heb. 10.22. Let us draw neare with a true heart. 1 Tim. 2.8. Let us lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting; there muſt be no wrath nor doubting in your hearts. James 4.8. Draw nigh to God, but how? cleanſe your hands yee ſinners, and purifie your hearts you double minded. Inwardly they muſt be cleanſed, and outwardly reformed, lives and ſpirits muſt be ſuitable unto God.
VER. 6.
Therefore ſay unto the houſe of Iſrael, thus ſaith the Lord God, Repent, and turne your ſelves from your idolls, and turne away your faces from all your abominations.
THis Verſe is part of the charge given the Prophet, which he was to deliver to the houſe of Iſrael, and in it i… a command, or an exhortation to repentance, which is …id downe.
1. In generall; Repent.
2. More ſpecially.
1. Turne your ſelves from your idolls.
2. Turne away your faces from all your abominations.
Repent.
foreign from foreign reverti, to returne, implying a going back from what a man had done; the Septuagint is,foreign. turne yee too, and turne from, turne to the Lord from your idolls. Caſtal. Redite & avertite: Fr: returnez vous. The Greekes have two words by which they expreſſe the nature of repentance; one is foreign, which is to be carefull, anxious, ſollicitous after a thing done, Ita ut in animo oriatur diſplicentia qua quis rem factam infectam eſſe exoptat; and ſo foreign is that wee call poenitentia. The other word is foreign mentem & conſilium in melius mutare ab foreign dementia & foreign poſt, it being the correction of mens folly & returning ad ſanam mentem, and foreign is that wee terme reſipiſcentia, a growing wiſe againe: Some expreſſe it by poſtmentatio, an after mind, an amendment of the mind. One of theſe, reſpects the change of the will, the other the change of the minde. Some Divines referre foreign to Legall repentance, and foreign to Evanlicall. The Hebrew word for repentance is foreign from the Word in my Text, and notes a returning, converting from one thing to another, from ſin to God. 1 King. 8.35. If they pray towards this place, and confeſſe thy Name, and turne from their ſinne when thou afflicteſt them, then heare thou in Heaven.
Queſt. Is not repentance the work and gift of God? if ſo how is it that man is commanded to repent?
Anſw. Repentance is of the Lord, Acts 11.18. God granted repentance to th… Gentiles unto life. 2 Tim. 2.25. Miniſters muſt meekly inſtruct thoſe that oppoſe, if God peradventure will give them …epentance. Its alſo the gift of Chriſt, Acts 5.31. He is exalted the a Prince and Saviour, to give repentance to Iſrael: yet God commands man to repent.
Becauſe man may doe ſomething that he may repent, as …ſt ſeriouſly conſider the na…re of his ſin, what circumſtances its cloath'd with, what aggravations it admits, how crimſon and skarlet it is, againſt what light, mercies, means, ingagements, &c. apprehenſion of ſin under falſe notions of profit or pleaſure, induceth to it, and conſideration of ſin in its owne nature, helpes to repent of it, and abhorre it. Did men lay to heart what wrong the infinite holy bleſſed God hath by ſinne, what mercies it keepes from them, how greatly it doth defile them, what miſeries and miſchiefes it brings upon them, what a weight of divine wrath hangs over their heads, it would have ſome operation upon their hearts.
2. They may confeſſe them before God; Joſh. 7.19. Give glory to God, and make confeſſion unto him. Prov. 28.13. Who ſo confeſſeth and forſaketh, ſhall have merciemercy. 1 Joh. 1.9. If wee confeſſe our ſinnes, &c.
3. God gives what he commands; Chap. 11.19. he had promiſed to take the ſtony heart out of their fleſh, and to give them a heart of fleſh, and therefore here might command them to repent. Mark. 1.15. Repent and beleeve the Goſpel; neither of theſe were in their power, they might as well create new heavens and new earths, as doe theſe acts, but God gives and workes them both in the hearts of whom he pleaſes, 2 Tim. 2.25. Phil. 1.29. Neither repentance nor faith, are naturall or any acquired habits by the induſtry and acts of men, but they are the efficacious worke of the Spirit in and upon the heart: God and Chriſt doe work repentance by the Spirit, and therefore its attributed unto them, and denied to be in the power of man. 2 Cor. 3.5. Wee are not ſufficient of our ſelves to thinke any thing as of our ſelves. Phil. 2.17. Its God that workes both to will and to doe of his good pleaſure. Commands argue not power and free will in man to repent.
There is an Uſe of theſe.
1. In regard of God.
2. Of Man.
Gerrh. de lib. arb. ſect. 72.1. In regard of God.
1. To manifeſt what the Lord may juſtly require … the hands of men, if they ſin unjuſtly, he may juſtly call …r repentance.
2. To cleare himſelfe, that it is not his fault if men cannot doe what they are cald upon for. The creditor may call for his debt of that man who is fallen into extreame poverty through his own ſinne.
3. To ſet before us the corruption and impotency of our nature, by the Law wee come to the knowledge, not of our power, but our impotency. Rom. 3.20. By the Law comes the knowledge of ſin.
4. To adviſe us to looke out for helpe elſewhere, therefore where you have commands in one place of Scripture, you have promiſes in ſome other part.
2. In regard of Man.
1. That he may be more throughly ſenſible of the wretched corruption of his nature, and bewaile it more fully.
2. That he may be ſtirr'd up more effectually to beg of God that which he commands, for God commands nothing but that which is of great weight and advantage for man.
3. That wicked men may be inexcuſable. Joh. 15.22. If I had not come and ſpoken unto them, they had not had ſinne, but now they have no cloake for their ſinne.
Obſer. 1. Repentance is a turning from ſin to God, ſin turnes men from God, draws the ſoule into wayes that lead unto death. James 1.14. A man is drawne away of his owne luſt; drawne away from God, from his worſhip, truths, rules; but when repentance comes, he turnes back againe, he changes his thoughts, his minde, his will, he befooles, abhorres himſelfe for what he hath done, and ſo comes to God againe from whom he departed: the Prodigall was drawne away from his fathers houſe through his own luſt, and laid a long time in looſeneſſe and wantonneſſe; at laſt he chang'd his judgement, counſells, purpoſes, and returning to himſelfe, returnes to his father, Luk. 15.17. When he came to himſelfe, he ſaid, I will ariſe and goe to my father, and ſay, father, I have ſinned againſt heaven and before thee, &c. foreign, in ſeipſum reverſus, ad cor, ad mentem. Syrus ad animum ſuum, he was without himſelfe, &c. Sinners are ſaid to be mad, Pſal. 102.8. They that are mad againſt me: and Paul when he was in his courſe of ſinning, ſaith, he was exceedingly mad: Act. 26. 11. and Balaams ſin is cald madneſſe, 2 Pet. 2.16. Repentance brings a man to his right wits, he becomes wiſe, and turnes from his folly and madneſſe: its cald a turning of men from darkneſſe to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, Act. 26.18. Sin is darkneſſe, and when men ſin they know not what they doe; its the power of Satan holds them under his government; but repentance inlightens and ſets at libertie, ſo that men ſee and walke from under Satan unto God. Verſ. 20. Repentance and turning to God are put together, they are the ſame, but its not any turning, but a turning of the judgement, ſo that men judge otherwiſe of God, of his Lawes, wayes, of ſinne, of themſelves, then before, a turning of the will and affections, ſo that they are carried wholly and fully unto God. Joel 2.12. Turne you unto mee, even with all your heart: if it be with a piece, its partiall, its hypocriticall, its deceitfull.
2. Repentance is a continued act; the word repent, implies the continuation of it. Some have thought it one act, and that's ſufficient for a mans ſin, but repentance is a grace, and muſt have its daily operation as well as other graces; if faith, love, patience, humilitie, muſt continue, repentance muſt doe ſo likewiſe: where a ſpring breakes forth, its alwayes flowing: this is the ſpring of the ſoule, when God once ſmites the rockie heart, the water will flow: ſincere repentants can no moee content themſelves with one act of repentance, then with one act of faith, they oft iterate and renew their repentance. Hence is it that the Lord would not have us forget our old ſinnes, but to thinke of them and mourne for them. Deut. 9.7. Remember and forget not, how thou provokedſt the Lord thy God to wrath in the Wilderneſſe. Pſal. 25.7. Remember not the ſins of my youth, nor my tranſgreſſions. 1 Cor. 15.9. I am the leaſt of the Apoſtles, that am not meet to be cald an Apoſtle, becauſe I perſecuted the Church of God. Ezek. 16.62, 63. I will eſtabliſh my Covenant with thee, and thou ſhalt know that I am the Lord, that thou mayeſt remember and be conſounded, and never open thy mouth any more, becauſe of thy ſhame, when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou haſt done.
3. Sinners ſhould ſtirre up themſelves, and doe the utmoſt lyes in their power to further their turning unto God; turne your ſelves from your idolls foreign facite converti; uſe all arguments you can to cauſe your hearts to turne from idolls, and from other ſinfull wayes. Conſider
1. That they are ſeperated from the Lord; Iſa. 59.2. Your iniquities have ſeperated between you and your God, and your ſinnes have hid his face from you that he will not heare: for a woman to be ſeperated from her husband that is gracious, loving, and to joyne her ſelfe to ſome rogue, is grievous; ſo here are too ſad effects of it, they have nothing of Gods face, nor of Gods eare.
2. That mans life is ſhort, and the pleaſures of ſin but for a ſeaſon; let a man all his life injoy them, yet they end then, and man may be cut off before he is aware of it. Mat. 25.13. Watch, for yee know neither the houre, nor the day, wherein the Sonne of man cometh.
3. The daily treaſuring up of wrath, and danger of finall impenitency: Rom. 2.4. Thou treaſureſt up wrath unto thy ſelfe againſt the day of wrath. Its a ſeale of condemnation.
4. The condemnings of a mans own heart and conſcience; There is no peace to the wicked, but they are like unto the troubled Sea, when it cannot reſt; as Iſa. 57.20, 21.
5. Abſolute neceſſitie of repenting and turning unto God; Luk. 13.3. Except yee repent, yee ſhall all periſh.
6. The love of Chriſt, in laying downe his life, ſhedding his bloud, ſuffering ſuch hard things as he did: Zach. 12.10. They ſhall looke upon mee whom they have pierced, &c.
7. That its acceptable unto the Lord, he would not elſe call for it, as here, nor make ſuch promiſes unto it; as 1. King. 8.48, 49, 50. If they will returne to God with all their heart and ſoule, he will heare their prayers, maintaine their cauſe, forgive their ſinnes, and have compaſſion on them. Its acceptable to the Angels; repentance makes them rejoyce.
4. True repentance and turning to the Lord, doth manifeſt it ſelfe in the effects and fruits of it; it hath meet fruit, Mat. 3.8. worthy fruit, Luk. 3.8. Now here are three effects thereof in theſe words.
1. When the ſoule is truly turnd to God, it ſeeks to turne others, its not content that it ſelfe is come to God, but would have many come to him Vehaſhibu, facite converti, make your ſelves, make others to convert.
2. It diſpenſes with no ſin, it ſaith not, Lord be mercifull to mee in this, but turnes from all abominations, from every idoll, the moſt darling ſin ſhall then goe to it. Hoſ. 14.8. Ephraim ſhall ſay, What have I to doe any more with idolls.
3. It avoyds the occaſions of ſinne, and appearances of evill: Turne away your faces from all your abominations: if you ſhould looke upon idolls, they will indanger you, ſtirre up the old corruptions. Hence Solomon counſels men not to looke upon the wine, Prov. 23.31. when its red, and gives his colour in the Cup: Not to enter into the path of the wicked, Chap. 4.14.
VER. 7, 8.
For every one of the houſe of Iſrael, or of the ſtranger that ſojourneth in Iſrael, which ſeperateth himſelfe from mee, and ſets up his idolls in his heart, and putteth the ſtumbling block of his iniquitie before his face, and cometh to a Prophet to inquire of him concerning mee, I the Lord will anſwer him by my ſelfe.
And I will ſet my face againſt that man, and will make him a ſigne and a Proverbe, and I will cut him off from the midſt of my people, and yee ſhall know that I am the Lord.
IN the foregoing verſe he exhorted them to repentance, and to turne from their idolls and abominations; and here in theſe verſes he backs it with reaſons: thus if yee will not repent, but perſiſt in your idolatry and ſinfull practiſes, I will anſwer you by my ſelfe, and I will ſet my face againſt you, &c.
Every one of the houſe of Iſrael.
The Hebrew is, iſh, iſh, man, man; of the houſe of Iſrael, that is, every man of Iſrael that forſakes me to follow idolls, I will doe ſo and ſo by.
The ſtranger that ſojourns in Iſrael.
Heb. foreign which the Septu: render Proſelyte, foreign.of the Proſelytes that ſojourne. Thoſe came from the Gentiles, and imbraced the Jewiſh Religion; they were Proſelytes. There were two ſorts of Proſelytes; one ſort was cald foreign the Proſelyte of the Covenant; and theſe were to be circumciſed, and to keepe the Law: another ſort was cald foreign the Proſelyte of the Gate, from Deut. 14.29. theſe were not circumciſed, neither received the Law of Moſes, but the ſeven Precepts of Noah; one of which was, Ʋt non colerent idola; if therefore they ſhould come with idolls in their hearts, God would anſwer them.
And ſeparateth himſelfe from mee.
God had taken the Jews to be his people, and ſome of the Gentiles came in to joyne with them, yet theſe ſeparated themſelves from God to goe to idolls; like a Woman that leaves her husband, and follows other men, Hoſ. 9.10. When men leave the Law of God, and his pure worſhip, then they ſeparate from God.
Of ſetting up idolls in the heart, and putting the ſtumbling block of iniquitie before their face, wee have ſpoken in the fourth verſe.
And cometh to a Prophet to inquire of him concerning mee.
In the fourth verſe, its ſaid, and cometh to the Prophet; then he adds; to inquire of him. It was an ordinary thing for this people upon occaſions to goe to the Prophets; Exod. 18.15. The people came to Moſes, who was a Prophet, to inquire of God. They went to the Seer, 1 Sam. 9.9. to inquire: ſo 2 King. 8.8. Benhadad ſends to Eliſhah the Prophet, to inquire of him. Zedekiah ſent againe and againe to Jeremie, to inquire of the Lord for him, Jer. 21.2.37.7. When they came to the Prophets, or ſent to them, it was to know the minde of the Lord in their ſtreights, undertakings, deſires, and doubts.
I the Lord will anſwer him by my ſelfe.
The Hebrew runs thus; I the Lord, it ſhall be anſwered to him in mee, I will not let any anſwer him but my ſelfe. God ſpake himſelfe to Moſes, Numb. 12.7, 8. which was an argument of great love, and good will; and ſometimes its an argument of wrath and diſpleaſure, when he will not ſpeake by others but by himſelfe; as here, I will not anſwer him by the Prophet, whom he intreats to inquire for him, but by my ſelfe, whom he deſpiſes, by ſetting up idolls in his heart. I will anſwer him not with words but deeds, not with mercies, but with judgements; as the next verſe imports. God would not vouchſafe their queſtions they propounded any anſwer at all, but he would goe on in his judgements; not be inquired of by them, but anſwer them according to the multitude of their idolls.
VER. 8.
I will ſet my face againſt that man.
Heb. is, panim faces, the plurall for the ſingul: this phraſe is frequent in Scripture. The Targum expounds it, anger, which appeares in the face, and face is oft put for the wrath and anger of God: Jer. 3.12. I will not ſuffer my anger to fall upon you: Heb. is, my faces foreign Lam. 4.16. The anger of the Lord hath divided them: Heb. is, the face of the Lord. Pſal. 21.9. Thou ſhalt make them as a fiery Oven in the time of thine anger: Heb. is, in time of thy face; that is, when the wrath is in thy face, thou wilt conſume them as ſtubble in an Oven. So 1 Pet. 3.12. The face of the Lord is upon them that doe evill; that is, the anger, wrath, and furie of God is againſt ſuch: ſo then to ſet the face againſt a man, is to manifeſt himſelfe to be an enemy to that man, to perſiſt in that enmitie, and to act accordingly. You may ſee it in thoſe Scriptures where this phraſe is mentioned: Levit. 17.10. I will ſet my face againſt that ſoule which eateth bloud, and will cut him off from among his people. Chap. 26.17. I will ſet my face againſt you, and you ſhall be ſlaine before your enemies. Jer. 21.10. I have ſet my face againſt this Citie for evill, and it ſhall be given into the hand of the King of Babylon, and he ſhall burne it with fire. You ſee when God ſets his face againſt any perſon or thing, he is an enemy unto them, and gives not over his enmity, till he hath ruin'd them, and therefore it followes here.
I will make him a ſigne.
His puniſhment ſhall not be eaſie or common, but exemplary: the Vulgar is, in exemplum; ſuch judgements would God bring upon them, as that others ſhould be aſtoniſhed at them. Deut. 28.37. Thou ſhalt become an aſtoniſhment, a Proverb, and a by-word among all Nations.
A Proverb.
God would ſo deale with theſe men, as that they ſhould be talkt on every where: Jer. 24.9. Zedekiah, the Princes, and reſidue of Jeruſalem, God would remove them into all Kingdomes of the Earth for their hurt, to be a Reproach, a Proverb, a Taunt, and a Curſe in all places. Their puniſhment ſhould be Proverbiall. Calvin obſerves that Maſhal ſignifieth diſgrace, ſo that they ſhall not onelyonly be matter of talke to the people, but their names ſhall be infamous.
And I will cut him off from the midſt of my people.
God would not onelyonly make him a ſigne and talke to others; that were no great matter, but deſtroy him, cut him off: The Scripture oft ſpeakes of cutting off men, its not alwayes meant by death, but thought to be ſome cenſure whereby they were deprived of the priviledges of Gods people; but ſundry times its ſpoken of Gods cutting men off by death: Levit. 17.10. Chap. 20.3, 4, 5, 6. And its certaine, where God is ſaid to ſet his face againſt any, and then ſpeaks of cutting off from his people, that there its to be underſtood of cutting off by death, as in this place, they ſhould be cut off from his people, both by temporall and eternall death.
And yee ſhall know that I am the Lord.
Hypocrites pretend they are godly, they converſe with the Prophets, aske counſell of God; but yet they contemne the true Prophets, and the power of godlineſſe, they will chuſe their own wayes. Therefore ſaith God, Yee ſhall know that I am the Lord; you ſet up idolls in your hearts, make gods of them, but I will my ſelfe deale with you for them, and puniſh you ſeverely.
Obſ. 1. That when men leave God, and his wayes, then they fall to idolatrous and other ſinfull practiſes, they ſeparated themſelves from God, and ſet up idolls in their hearts: when once corruption hath taken off the heart from the Lord, who is an infinite good, then it cleaves to any creature, any dunghill god, and deifies that; Hoſ. 9.10. They went to Baalpeor, and ſeparated themſelves unto that ſhame: it was a ſhamefull idoll, yet having left God, they could imbrace it: and Hoſ. 4.10, 11, 12. They have left off to take heed to the Lord; Whoredome, wine, and new wine, take away the heart; they aske counſell at their ſtocks, and their ſtaffe declareth unto them. Jer. 2.13. They forſooke God the fountaine of living waters, and then hewed themſelves Ciſterns that could hold no water. It was therefore good Counſell the Apoſtle gave, Heb. 3.12. Take heed leaſt there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe, in departing from the living God. Through unbeliefe men ſeparate from God, and that is the principle of all diſobedience, and lets the heart looſe unto any creature, to every ſinne.
2. Men exceeding ſinfull may put on a face of holineſſe, theſe men who were idolaters, come to the Prophet, inquire of God by him, as if they were pious men, intended to know the minde of God, and doe what he would have done. This was counterfeit holineſſe, they had idolls in their hearts, and meant to keepe them there. Saul was ſometimes among the Prophets; The Devill ſeems an Angel of light, and wicked vile men appeare Saints, 2 Tim. 3.5. Having a forme of godlineſſe. The worſt of men may make a cloake of Religion; Antichriſt ſits in the Temple, 2 Theſ. 2.4. Simon Magus beleeving, is baptized, and wonders at the miracles Philip wrought, Act. 8.13.
3. Looke what men are in coming unto God, the like ſhall they finde him unto them; they came to the Prophet fallaciouſly, and God would not anſwer them by the Prophet, but by himſelfe; he knew how to deale with them, he knew their hearts, and ſo what was fitteſt to be ſaid or done unto them. Pſal. 18.25, 26. With the mercifull thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe mercifull; with an upright man, thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe upright; with the pure, thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe pure; and with the froward, thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe froward, or wreſtle with them: ſo Levit. 26.23, 24. If yee will walke contrary to wee, I will walke contrary to you. If a people come humbly unto God, and ſue for mercy, he will ſave them; but if their hearts ſwell, riſe within them, he will bring downe their high lookes, Pſal. 18.27. As God finds men, ſo he will proceed with them; ſo he dealt with Pharaoh.
4. God will proceed impartially with every man, be he Jew or Gentile, all is one to God; Every one of the houſe of Iſrael, or of the ſtranger that ſojourneth in Iſrael, &c. God neither accepts nor reſpects perſons, Gal. 2.6. Act. 10.34. If a Jew be guiltie, he ſhall have an anſwer ſuitable; ſo if a Gentile be faulty, his Gentiliſme ſhall not excuſe him. Let mens conditions, nations, qualities, degrees, be what they will, it matters not, if they come to God with idolls in their hearts, the greateſt ſhall ſpeed no better then the meaneſt; the Jew no better then the Stranger.
5. Men ſet up idolls in their hearts, and God ſets his face againſt them, he becomes an adverſary unto them, looks ſeverely upon them, ſpeakes terribly unto them, and works powerfully againſt them. They had ſet their faces and hearts upon idolls for evill, and God ſets his face and heart againſt them for evill, and is reſolv'd to ruine them. Jer. 44.11. Behold, I will ſet my face againſt you for evill, and to cut off all Judah. To have God ſet his face againſt a people is very ſad.
There be ſeverall ſins mention'd in Scripture, for which God ſets his face againſt men, offering their ſeed to Molech, Levit. 20.2, 3. deſpiſing of his Statutes, and breaking his Covenant, Levit. 26.15.17. idolatrie and hypocriſie here in the Text.
6. When Gods face is againſt a people, his judgements upon them will be exemplary, he will make them ſignes and Proverbs in the world. Jer. 19.8. I will make this Citie deſolate, and an hiſſing; every one that paſſeth thereby ſhall be aſtoniſhed and hiſſe, becauſe of all the plagues thereof. Chap. 18.16. Every one that paſſeth by, ſhall wagge his head at it. Chap. 42.18. Yee ſhall be an execration, and an aſtoniſhment, and a curſe, and a reproach. Mens names are deare unto them, but God will blaſt their names, make them to be a Taunt and Proverbe, Jer. 29.22. It was a Proverbe among them; The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the King of Babylon roſted in the fire. And when they wiſhed hurt to any, they uſed this ſpeech; God make them a reproach among all Nations, Ezek. 5.14, 15. And when this is done, God cuts them off from the land of the living in that condition.
7. The end of Gods ſetting his face againſt ſinners, and proceeding ſeverely with them, is, that they may acknowledge his juſtice and power over them.
VERS. 9.
And if the Prophet be deceived when he hath ſpoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that Prophet, and I will ſtretch out my hand upon him, and will deſtroy him from the midſt of my people Iſrael.
FAlſe Prophets were both in Judea, and in Babylon, and the people had often recourſe unto them. They ſpake pleaſing things, they told them were in Judea that Nebuchadnezzar ſhould never ſubdue and carry them captives, as he had done Jechoniah, and ſome others with him; yea, they told them that thoſe in Babylon ſhould ſhortly returne; theſe were vaine, falſe, and deceitfull Propheſies, and Divine Providence ordered it ſo, and therefore God ſaith here; If the Prophet be deceived when he hath ſpoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that Prophet, &c.
In the verſe you have,
1. A Suppoſition.
2. An Aſſertion.
3. A Threatning.
For the Suppoſition, the falſe Prophets (for of them he ſpeakes) were deceived in what they ſpake to the people: Zedekiah, and the reſt of the Prophets which bad Ahab to goe up to Ramoth Gilead, and proſper, were deceiv'd, 1 Kings 22. Hananiah and Shelemiah made that people truſt in a lye, Jer. 28.15.29.31. They were deceiv'd in their Prophets, and deceive others; the things they ſpake came not to paſſe.
If a Prophet be deceived.
Heb. Originall word is foreign which being taken in the ill part, as here, notes a turning of the heart to that; Quod eſt praeter rationem veritatis & prudentiae. Septu. is; foreign ſi errabit: The Vulgar; Cum erraverit. foreign pyhal, i. e. phutteh.futur: Piſc: turns thus; Perſuaderi ſe paſſus fuerit, by thoſe idolaters and hypocrites which came to aske counſell of him, and deſired to have anſwer ſutable to their own wills, (as Ahab of his Prophets) or by his own corruption; for a man may be ſeduced in himſelfe by himſelfe: James 1.14. Every man is tempted, when he is drawne away of his owne luſt; his luſt is in him; by his luſt he is inticed, ſeduced,Jer. 14.14. and this ſeduction is voluntary, by his own act and will. So that in himſelfe is the true efficient cauſe of his ſeduction.
I the Lord have deceived that Prophet.
Heres the aſſertion: Theſe words found very harſh, and no man durſt have attributed them unto the Lord, had not he himſelfe ſaid ſo: Wee muſt inquire into the ſenſe of theſe, how God is ſaid to deceive a Prophet that ſpeakes falſely.
To ſay God declar'd him to be deceiv'd, or permitted him to be deceiv'd, comes not up to the expreſſion here; I have deceiv'd that, &c. foreign its active and notes action. This wee muſt lay downe that God neither is, nor can be the author of ſinne; for then he muſt act againſt ſome rule; Gods will, which is ever moſt holy, juſt, and wiſe, is his rule; and its unreaſonable impious, to thinke, that God ſhould worke or doe any thing againſt his own will: yet God wills ſin, not as good, but ſo farre as he intends, and is able to worke good out of it, and bring about his glory by it. Mr. Baynes, and ſome other hold, there is an efficacy of God reaching to the beginning of ſinne, though not to the eſſence of ſinne: and its no more then ſome Jeſuits acknowledge, who maintaine a deadly quarrell againſt Calvin, for making God the author of ſinne, when he ſaith for ſubſtance no more then they. A Lapid: ſaith, Gods permiſſion of ſin is an action, otherwiſe no ſin could be: Quia deus ad deceptionem, uti ad quemlibet actum peccati, generali ſuo concur ſu phyſice concurrere & cooperari debet, ſine hoc enim dei concur ſu nil effici nil produci poteſt. He ſaith further, this permiſſion is efficacious, and certainly ponit effectum. He inſtanceth in a Greyhound which a man lets looſe to purſue the haire, and ſets the dog upon the haire; ſo God lets Satan looſe upon men, and ſo is active to the beginning of ſinne. 1 King. 22.20. The Lord ſaid, who ſhall perſwade Ahab that he may goe up and fall at Ramoth Gilead? One ſaid on this manner, another on that manner. Verſ. 21. There came forth a Spirit and ſaid, I will perſwade him. And Verſ. 22. The Lord ſaith unto him, wherewith? I will goe forth and be a lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets; and he ſaid, thou ſhalt perſwade him and prevaile alſo. Goe forth and doe ſo. Here is ſome concurrence of God to the deception of theſe Prophets: and God might have ſaid of them as here; I have deceiv'd theſe Prophets.
The words, I have deceiv'd, are to be taken as a judiciall act of God, who dealing with them as delinquents, puniſheth them with this ſpeciall judgement of ſeduction; they were idolatrous and hypocriticall, and God puniſhed thoſe ſins with others, and ſo accidentally was the efficient cauſe of their deception. God finding thoſe men falſe and forward to deceive, hearkening to their own hearts, and following their own ſpirits. Ezech. 13.2, 3. He gave them up and over to vaine viſions and lying divinations; which was one puniſhment, and to perdition, which was another puniſhment following thereupon. Have you a minde to be Prophets, to propheſie lyes,? yee ſhall be ſo.
Queſt. Jer. 20.7. ſaith Jeremie a true Prophet; O Lord, thou haſt deceiv'd mee, and I was deceiv'd; thou art ſtronger then I, and haſt prevailed. What doth God deceive true Prophets?
Anſw. The deception here is no ſinfull deception, he had no vaine viſions, no lying divinations, what ever he propheſied was truth, from the God of truth, and came to paſſe: The meaning here is this; Jeremie was diſcontented, that he ſaw ſo little fruit of his Miniſtery, that he found ſuch oppoſition, that he was daily in deriſion and mocked of every one; and therefore ſaith; O Lord, thou haſt deceived mee, in making me a Prophet; I look'd for other things then I finde, but I am deceiv'd, and thou haſt done it: I was unwilling to be a Prophet, objected againſt it, Chap. 1.6. but thou laidſt thy charge upon mee, overpoweredſt mee, and prevailedſt againſt mee, making mee great promiſes, which yet I ſee not perform'd, verſ. 7, 8.18, 19.
2. The words may be read thus; Thou haſt perſwaded mee, and I was perſwaded; for when its taken in the better ſenſe, it notes to perſwade.
Queſt. Iſa. Chap. 63.17. O Lord, why haſt thou made us to erre from thy wayes? and hardened our hearts from thy feare. Did God make the Prophet and People to erre? did he harden their hearts?
Anſw. 1. The Prophet ſpeakes in the name of the people, not of himſelfe, he did not erre from the way of God, but reprov'd the people for it.
2. God did this in judgement to the people, who affected falſe Prophets, and choſe their own wayes, Iſa. 66.3. and delighted in their abominations, therefore God denied them his Spirit, and left them to their own ſpirits; he in judgement gave them up to their own wayes, and to hardneſſe of heart; and this was not ſinfull in the Lord. Pſal. 81.11, 12. My people would not hearken unto my voice, and Iſrael would none of mee; ſo I gave them up unto their own hearts luſt: and they walked in their own counſells.
I will ſtretch out my hand upon him.
God hath no hand to ſtretch out, he is without all parts, the words are metaphoricall, taken from the practiſe of men, who ſtretch out their hands to doe this or that. Gen. 22.10. Abraham ſtretch'd forth his hand to ſlay his ſonne. Jeroboam put forth his hand to lay hold upon the Prophet had propheſied againſt his Altar, 1 King. 13.4. So God would put forth his power to puniſh ſuch a Prophet.
Queſt. If God deceiv'd him, how can he in juſtice puniſh or deſtroy that Prophet?
Anſ. 1. The falſe Prophet did what ever he did freely, he was not forced by any power or act of God, his ſeduction was principally from himſelfe; and it was his owne fault that he was deceiv'd, that he deceiv'd others.
2. A man may ſerve Providence, and yet ſin againſt the Law of God: the ſecret Providence of God had ordred it that this people ſhould be ſeduced by falſe Prophets, yet God in his Word had forbid falſe Prophets and Propheſies, Deut. 13. And becauſe men are to looke at what is written, not what is ſecret and hidden, therefore if they violate the Law, God may juſtly puniſh thereupon. Act. 4.27, 28. Herod, Pilate, Judas, and the Jews, they did to Chriſt whatſoever God had determined to be done, yet were they not without ſin, nor without puniſhment, becauſe they tranſgreſſed the rule given them.
Obſer: 1. The Lord in his infinite wiſdome and juſtice doth make a puniſhment of ſin, and puniſh one ſin with another: Beſides corporall judgements he hath ſpirituall; if the Prophet be deceiv'd, I the Lord have deceiv'd him, I have laid this judgement upon him, that he ſhould be deceiv'd, led into errors, and deceive others; this he hath deſerv'd at my hands, and this puniſhment in juſt judgement I inflict upon him. The Scriptures hold out frequently this way of Gods proceedings with ſinners; his puniſhing of one ſin with another; 2 Chron. 25.17, 18, 19, 20. Amaziah provokes Joaſh to warre, he diſſwades him from it; but Amaziah would not heare; For it came of God that he might deliver them into the hands of their enemies, becauſe they ſought after the gods of Edom. Jer. 4.10. Then ſaid I, ah Lord God, thou haſt greatly deceived this people and Jeruſalem, ſaying, yee ſhall have peace, whereas the ſword reacheth unto the ſoule. They were deſirous of Prophets that might ſpeake pleaſing things unto them; they regarded not Jeremie, and Ezekiel; and God in judgement lets them have ſuch Prophets which cryed peace, peace, and gave them over to beleeve their lies; and this made Jeremie ſay; Thou haſt greatly deceiv'd, &c. Rom. 1.25, 26. They changed the truth of God into a lie; worſhipped and ſerved the creature more then the Creator: for this cauſe God gave them up unto vile affections: and verſ. 28. Over to a reprobate minde. 2 Theſ. 2.10, 11. Becauſe they received not the love of the truth, that they might be ſaved; for this cauſe God ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſion, that they ſhould beleeve a lie.
2. God will deale ſeverely with falſe Prophets; I will ſtretch out my hand upon him, and will deſtroy him from the midſt of my people Iſrael. He would make him Exemplary to all. Hannaniah was a falſe Prophet, and deceiv'd many: therefore ſaid God; Behold, I will cut thee from off the face of the Earth, and that quickly, this yeare thou ſhalt dye. God would not ſtay long from cutting him off. Jer. 28.15, 16. Shemaiah was another falſe Prophet, and God would deſtroy him and his ſeede; he ſhould not have a man to dwell among that people, Jer. 29.
VER. 10.
And they ſhall beare the puniſhment of their iniquitie: the puniſhment of the Prophet ſhall be even as the puniſhment of him that ſeeketh unto him.
THere being falſe Prophets among this people, they gave eare to them, reſorted unto them, tooke counſell of them; and here God tells Ezekiel, that not onelyonly the falſe Prophets ſhould be puniſhed for deceiving the people, but even they that by ſeeking to thoſe Prophets were deceived by them.
The Hebrew is thus; They ſhall beare their iniquitie; as the iniquitie of him that ſeeks is, ſo ſhall be the iniquitie of the Prophet. Where you have puniſhment, the Originall is iniquitie. This phraſe is much in holy Writt, to beare iniquitie, and is put for bearing of puniſhment, which iniquitie doth cauſe. Levit. 5.1.17. Chap. 20.17.19. They uncover the nakedneſſe of their kin, ſhall beare their iniquitie; that is, their puniſhment for it. This phraſe is applyed to Chriſt; Iſa. 53.11. He ſhall beare their iniquitie; which the fift verſe calls, wounding, bruiſing, chaſtiſement, ſtripes. Paul hath the like phraſe, Gal. 5.10. He that troubleth you ſhall beare his judgement; he ſhall have his puniſhment what ever he be.
The puniſhment of the Prophet, ſhall be even as the puniſhment of him that ſeeketh unto him.
It may ſeeme hence, that there is an equalitie in their ſin, and in the puniſhment; but ſins and puniſhment doe differ in Scripture. Matth. 5.22. Whoſoever is angry with his brother without a cauſe, ſhall be in danger of the aThis refers to the Judicatorie of 23.judgement: and whoſoever ſhall ſay, Racha, ſhall be in danger of the bThe Sanedrim which conſiſted of 71.Counſell: but whoſoever ſhall ſay, thou foole, ſhall be in danger of cAnathema, wch was the higheſt puniſhmēt.Hell fire. Here are diverſe degrees of ſin, and diverſe degrees of puniſhment. Mat. 12.45. The laſt eſtate of that man is worſe then the firſt: worſe for ſin, worſe for puniſhment. Joh. 19.11. Hee that delivered mee unto thee hath the greater ſin: His ſin that betrayed Chriſt, was greater then Pilates, and anſwerable ſhould be his puniſhment. Jer. 7.26. They did worſe then their fathers: ſo ſhould have worſe puniſhment then they God appointed puniſhment to be inflicted according to the nature of the ſin. Deut. 25.2. If the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, the Judge ſhall cauſe him to lie downe, and to be beaten before his face according to his fault. Rev. 18.7. How much ſhee hath glorified her ſelfe, and lived deliciouſly, ſo much torment and ſorrow give her. By theſe Scriptures you ſee that all ſins are not equall, neither all puniſhment, and that God doth proportion puniſhments to the nature of ſins. Wee are not here to conclude an equalitie of puniſhments upon the falſe Prophet, and thoſe that came unto him; for certainly his ſin in deceiving the people, pretending viſions and divinations from heaven, that he was ſent of God, &c. was greater then the peoples: even as, notes the qualitie and realitie of the puniſhment, not the degree.
Obſ. 1. The fruit or reward of ſin is burdenſome, They ſhall beare their iniquitie; that is, the fruit and effect of it; it lights and lies heavie upon the authors of it: guilt is a heavie burden for a ſoule to beare; it made a Prophet cry out, Pſal. 51.14. Deliver mee from bloud-guiltineſſe, O God, thou God of my ſalvation: Guilt lay like a mountaine of lead upon him: ſo any puniſhment for ſin is weightie; if God ſend a plague, a famine, or ſword, are they not heavie? when God brought tydings to David that one of thoſe judgements muſt be upon him for numbring the people, he was in a great ſtreight, 2 Sam. 24.14. And Pſal. 38.2, 3, 4, 5. Thine arrowes ſtick faſt in mee, and thy hand preſſeth mee ſoare; there is no ſoundneſſe in my fleſh, becauſe of thine anger, neither is there any reſt in my bones, becauſe of my ſinne: for mine iniquities are gone over my head, as an heavie burden they are too heavie for mee: my wounds ſtinck, and are corrupt, becauſe of my fooliſhneſſe. He had ſin'd, and found the burden of ſinne wonderfull grievous. The Church ſaith, Lam. 3.7. He hath made my chaine heavie; ſin had brought an iron heavie chaine upon her. Sin brings ſhame, and that is a burden. Ezek. 16.54. That thou mayeſt beare thine own ſhame. It brings ſorrows, feares, paines, loſſe, death, damnation, and all theſe are grievous. Ezek. 18.20. its ſaid, The wickedneſſe of the wicked ſhall be upon him; it ſhall be a burden upon him.
2. To ſeeke unto falſe Prophets, is a thing puniſhable before God; The puniſhment of the Prophet ſhall be as the puniſhment of him that ſeeks unto him. Men thinke its nothing to conſult with a wicked Prophet, but God will not ſo paſſe it over, he counts it a great ſin, and will lay upon him a proportionable burden; if Prophets be not ſent of God, if they give out erroneous and falſe things, if they be wicked in their lives, its a dangerous thing to have recourſe to them, God is againſt thoſe Prophets, and thoſe depend upon them. Jer. 23.32. I am againſt ſuch Prophets, ſaith God there, and they ſhall not profit this people at all; they thought by conſulting with them, that they ſhould gaine much, and its true, they gain'd the diſpleaſure of God, they brought exemplary judgements upon themſelves. God had commanded them not to hearken to ſuch Prophets, verſ. 16. as ſpake a viſion out of their owne heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord; yea, he had commanded ſuch Prophets to be put to death, Deut. 13.5. for them, therefore to conſult with theſe Prophets, to follow their counſells, and doe what they appointed; leaving the true Prophets, diſcountenancing and diſcouraging them, was a high provocation of God, and puniſhed anſwerably. Ahab ſought unto the falſe Prophets, but God remembred it, and viſited it upon his head. If God will puniſh thoſe ſeeke to falſe Prophets, ſurely he will not ſpare thoſe ſeeke unto Witches, Sorcerers, Aſtrologers, and Star-gazers, nor thoſe ſeeke unto another god. Pſal. 16.4. Their ſorrowes ſhall be multiplyed.
VER. II.
That the houſe of Iſrael may goe no more aſtray from mee, neither be polluted any more with all their tranſgreſſions: but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, ſaith the Lord God.
THis Verſe ſhewes the end why the Lord would puniſh the falſe Prophets, and thoſe conſulted with him, viz. to prevent the peoples ſinning againſt him by idolatry and other unlawfull practiſes. When they ſhould ſee God cutting off their Prophets, and thoſe had hearkened to them, this would breed feare in them, and put a ſtand to their ſinfull wayes, cauſe them to returne, and continue in the wayes of God.
Houſe of Iſrael.
By theſe wee are to underſtand the godly, thoſe were elected, the ſpirituall Iſraelites, not all after the fleſh; for the falſe Prophets, and thoſe clave to them were ſo of the houſe of Iſrael: When God viſited with great judgements, he ever reſerved ſome, that ſo his Covenant which he had made with Abraham might not faile; and they were the ſpirituall Iſraelites, not the carnall, who went no more aſtray.
May goe no more aſtray.
foreign non errent from foreign to erre, to wander; Septuag: foreign; its a metaphor borrowed from cattle which wander out of the right way, as Matth. 18.12. If a man have an hundred Sheepe, and one of them be gone aſtray. Exod. 23.4. If thou meet thine Enemies Oxe or Aſſe going aſtray. And is applyed unto man; 2 Pet. 2.15. Which have forſaken the right way, and are gone aſtray, following the way of Balaam. Here they had left the way of God, and followed lying Prophets.
No more.
Queſt. Doe the godly being once redeem'd goe aſtray no more? David went aſtray oft, and the Apoſtle ſaith, In many things wee ſinne all, James 3.2.
Anſw. Gods end in puniſhing the wicked, is to keepe his from ſtraying at all, as a Parent when he corrects the child for lying, would have it lye no more, though through that corruption is in it, it lye often.
2. That they goe no more aſtray from him in that way, and manner they did before, no more to falſe Gods, and falſe worſhipp; they goe not aſtray, pernitioſo errore.
From me,
The Hebr. is foreign a poſt me from after me: a ſequendo me Jun. Pol. ab eundo poſt me Piſc. Gods People are to follow him: but by hearkning to falſe Prophets, and the inticement of their owne hearts; they are turned aſide from following God.
Neither be polluted any more.
foreign Sept. foreign, ut non contaminentur, French Ne ſoit plus ſoviller, that they may no more be ſoyled; the originall word foreign is to pollute, defile, be uncleane;Avenarius Mercer. and ſome of the learned think the word tamino and contamino are from this word, and it is contrary to foreign which is to be cleane, innocent; and purus a ſordibus.
With all their tranſgreſſions.
Or prevarications, the word foreign notes not any tranſgreſſion, but ſuch an one, as hath much of the will in it, joyned with Pride and malice, and therfore is rendred defectio, rebellio, Pal. 5.10. Caſt them out in the multitude of their tranſgreſſions, for they have rebelled againſt thee. They were trangeſſions which had ſedition and rebellion in them. Job. 34.37. He addeth Rebellion unto his ſinne. foreign the vulgar hath it blaſphemiam.
But that they may be my People, and I &c. Heb. is, and they ſhall be to me for a People, and I will be to them for a God.
They were Gods people before, in Covenant, circumciſed, had the Temple, ſacrifices, &c. God ſpeakes thus, to ſhew they had made a defection from him, forfeited all, deſerved to be rejected, and had by their ſins bred a great ſtrangeneſſe between him and themſelves; for they had corrupted his worſhip, violated his Lawes, rejected his Prophets, polluted his Name and Temple, forſaken him, and followed after ſtrange Gods, and ſo done what was in them, to be none of Gods People: but if they would awaken out of their ſpirituall ſlumber, conſider, repent, and turne to him, he would manifeſt his faithfulneſſe, and loving kindneſſe unto them, They ſhould be his People, &c, The like words you had in the 11. ch. 20. They ſhall be my People, and I will be their God.
Obſer. 1. From the coherence with the two former Verſes.
That God makes uſe of ill meanes to accompliſh good ends; he lets errours, and ſtrange opinions, ſeducing Doctrines prevaile with falſe Prophets and People, that ſo they ſuffering proportionably for their evill, his People may be kept from ſuch wayes and ends: he in judgement ſent ſtrong deluſions to the Prophets and People, which they venting and embracing, he puniſhed them, that ſo the houſe of Iſraell might not go any more aſtray from him.
There is no Creature ſo poyſonous, but God makes uſe of it to ſome good end; and there is no Prophet or Teacher ſo corrupt, no opinions ſo damnable or blaſphemous, but the Lord by his infinite power, orders and workes it to ſome good end. 1 Cor. 11.19. There muſt be Hereſies among you, that they which are approved, may be made manifeſt among you. God makes uſe of Hereſies, Sects and Sciſmes, to diſcover who are ſound, who not: when it is a time of warre, men of valour and Counſell are made knowne. Deut. 13.3. When a falſe Prophet roſe up amongſt them, the Lord tells them it was to prove them, whither they did love the Lord, his Truthes, would hold them faſt and follow him; or whither they would be led aſide with erroneous doctrines, and follow ſeducing Teachers.
2. By judgements upon the wicked, God intends the good of his; he will deſtroy the ſeducing Prophet, and ſeduced People, that the Houſe of Iſrael may goe no more aſtray from him, that thoſe were godly People might awake out of their ſecure ſlumber, conſider what they had done, repent of it, and never doe the like; when the Prophets of Baal were ſlaine, then the People were freed from their haltings between God and Baal, and clave to the Lord. Pſal. 9.16. The Lord is knowne by the judgement he executeth, when he layes his hand upon ſinners, Saints tremble, conſider his power, Majeſty, greatneſſe, the nature of his judgements, and ſo judge themſelves, and remove out of the way, what ever may provoke. Pſal. 119.119, 120. Thou putteſt away all the wicked of the earth like droſſe, therefore I love thy Teſtimonies, my fleſh trembleth for feare of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgements. When God by his fiery judgements, ſeperated the droſſe from the gold, the wicked from the ungodly, David trembled, conſider'd the law of God more thoughly, and lov'd his teſtimonies, ſo Iſai. 26.9. When thy judgements are in the earth, the Inhabitants of the World will learne righteouſneſſe, Iſaiah knew that it was the mind of God, in his judgement to advantage his by them, and therefore ſaith, the Inhabitants of the Earth; that is, the godly Inhabitants Will learne righteouſneſſe, they will ſee the evill of ſinne hate it.
3. Gods owne People are apt to goe aſtray; that the houſe of Iſrael may goe no more aſtray; they had gone aſtray and were in danger to doe it againe. They are like Sheepe, and no creature apter to wander out of the right way, then that Pſal. 119.176. David confeſſeth he had gone aſtray like a loſt Sheepe, a Sheepe that hath loſt the Fold, and loſt the way. Adam who was the Ramme in the head of the flock, he went aſtray in eating the forbidden fruit, and the whole flock of mankind, have ever ſince followed him. Pſal. 58.3. The wicked goe aſtray as ſoone as they be borne, even from the belly, as the Hebrew is, and Iſay ſpeaking in the name of the better ſort, ſaith, chap. 53.6. All wee like Sheepe have gone aſtray, we have turn'd every one to his owne way. One hath a way of pride; another of wantonneſſe; a third hath away of coveteouſneſſe, &c. Yee were as Sheepe going aſtray, but now are returnd &c. A Sheepe is,
1. A fooliſh Creature.
2. Subject to many diſeaſes.
3. Obvious to much danger.
4. Apteſt to leave the good pathes, and good Paſtures. The fooliſh Galathians were ready to embrace another Goſpell, and to admit cirumciſion. Peter and Barnabas ſtepped awry, when they diſſembled with the Jewes. David, its ſaid, Turned aſide in the matter of Ʋriah the Hittite 1 Kings 15.5. And the People quickly turned aſide out of the way of God. Deut. 9.12.
4. When Gods People are once gone aſtray, they would never returne of themſelves, if God ſhould let them alone in their wrong wayes; he muſt reduce them by his owne hand, and keepe them in the right way, by his owne power; a Sheepe wanders further and further, and thinks not of returning; David when he had left the way of God, turn'd aſide to Bathſhebah, he goes further, he makes Ʋriah drunke, plots his death, rejoyces at it, takes the Widdow to be his Wife, and never conſiders all this time, that he is out of the way of God, and had not Nathan been ſent to him, to tell him how he had wandred, he had not returned; ſo Peter denyes his Maſter once, twice, thrice; and had not Chriſt looked upon him, he might have deny'd him for ever. This appeares in the Parable of the loſt Sheepe, the Shepheard ſtayes not for Sheeps returning,Matth. 18.12. but goes into the mountains, and ſeekes that is gone aſtray.
5. God would have his People to keepe cloſe to him, to follow him, to walke with him, that they may no more goe aſtray from after me. To go after God, is to worſhip him in his owne way, to have him in our eye, to doe things in order to him, to follow his directions, commands, to obſerve his operations in the world, to leane upon him for counſell, comfort, aſſiſtance, ſafety and bleſſings, to ſubmit to his will, to receive what he reveales, following on to know God, and to get further communion with him. God would have his People to doe thus, Hoſea 11.10. They ſhall walke after the Lord. He would goe before them, and they ſhould follow him. They ſhould not goe after other gods, after their owne eyes, hearts, inventions, but after him. God commends David for his following him, 1 Kings 14.8. he ſets him there before Jeroboam, and condemns him by his example. Thou haſt not been as my Servant David; who kept my commandements, and who followed me with all his heart, to doe that only which was right in mine eyes. He went not from after God but followed him cloſly, and its very pleaſing to God when his People doe ſo. Elijah knew it well, and therefore ſaid to the People. 1 Kings 18.21. If the Lord be God, follow him, doe not leave him to goe after any other.
God ſheweth mercy not only to little ſinners, but great ones, they were polluted with all their trangreſſions, with all their rebellious ſeditions: yet being the Houſe of Iſrael, his ſelect ones, he would pardon their ſins, though of an high nature; God is rich and great in mercy, and no ſinns can exceed his mercy, he would paſſe by their pollutions and tranſgreſſions, account them his People, and be their God, their ſins ſhould not obſtruct his grace. Iſai. 1.18. Though their ſins be as red as Scarlet, they ſhall be white as ſnow, though they be red like as Crimſon, they ſhall be as wooll. Scarlet and Crimſon are of a deepe die; ſilke and woll doe hold thoſe colours firmely; you cannot waſh nor weare them out, neither nature nor art can reduce them to their priſtin condition; but let ſoules be dyed, and ſtained with ſins moſt deeply, with the deepeſt and vileſt ſins, yet God can take out that helliſh die and tincture, he can make them wh…te as Snow, pure as wooll undyed. The wooll in thoſe Countryes was exceeding white, Pſal. 147.16. He giveth ſnow like wooll, and Daniel 7.9. it is call'd Pure wooll, in regard of the whiteneſſe, Revel. 1.14. the whiteneſſe of wooll and ſnow are put together, His haires were white like wooll, as white as ſnow. Now let a mans ſinne be willfull murder, which is very great, and his ſoule be dipt in bloud, yet God can, and doth take away ſuch ſins, and make white againe. Pſal 51.7. Waſh me ſaith David, whoſe ſoule had a double die, one of uncleanneſſe, another of murther, and I ſhall be whiter than ſnow. Manaſſes ſins were exceeding great, yet the grace of God ſurmounted them all, and they were ſwallowed up in a Sea of Mercy. Luk. 7.37. it is ſaid, A Woman that was a ſinner came to Chriſt. Was this ſuch a matter to be recorded in holy writ? Are not all men and women ſinners? Yes, but the word ſinner, notes a notorious ſinner, ſhe was ſuch a great and knowne ſinner, that the Phariſees wondred at Chriſt, that he ſhould ſuffer her to touch him, verſe 35.8. Her ſins were many, ver. 47. Yet mercy was reached out to her, ver. 48. Thy ſins are forgiven thee.
7. Sin is a polluting thing; Neither be polluted any more. Matth. 15.19, 20. Chriſt reckons up ſinns there, and ſaith, Theſe are they which defile a man; foreign; they make common, which in Scripture ſence, is to defile, to prophane, to make uncleane; ſo Peter expounds it, Act. 10.14. I have never eaten any thing common nor uncleane, foreign, and Eraſ. renders the word foreign Matth. 15.11. impurum reddere, its ſinne, and ſinne only which makes impure creatures; therefore in Scripture it is compared to bloud, Ezek. 16.6. to mire and dirt. Iſa. 57.20. to vomit, 2 Pet. 2.22. to filth, Iſa. 4.4. yea more, it is put in the abſtract, and cal'd filthineſſe, Prov. 30.12. 2 Cor. 7.1. foreign that defiles both fleſh and ſpirit 2 Pet. 2.20. foreign, Phiſitians ſay, that miaſmata are ſeminaria luis peſtilentialis in aere corrrupto, thoſe ſpreadings or ſeminaries of the peſtilence in a corrupt aire; you know in a peſtilence the aire is infected, & that infection in the aire ſpreads, and falling upon Subjects capable if it, infects and kills them: ſo pollutions in the world, are peſtilentiall, they ſpread, infect, and kill many. Seeing ſinne is ſuch a polluting thing, let us haſten to the fountain ſet open for ſinne and uncleanneſſe, let us get our ſouls waſhed in the bloud of Chriſt, Heb. 9.14. that bloud will purge, yea, purge out any ſpots, all defilements, 1 Joh. 1.7. Revel. 7.14. they had Waſhed their robes and made them white, in the bloud of the Lambe, bloud makes red, but the bloud of the Lambe makes white, takes away all ſinne, and makes innocent.
VERS. 12. &c.
12. The Word of the Lord came againe to me, ſaying.
13. Sonne of man, when the Land ſinneth againſt me, by treſpaſſing grievouſly, then will I ſtretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the ſtaffe of bread thereof, and will ſend famine upon it, and will cut off man and beaſt from it.
14. Though theſe three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they ſhould deliver but their owne ſoules by their righteouſneſſe ſaith the Lord God.
15. If I cauſe noyſome beaſts to paſſe through the Land, and they ſpoyle it, ſo that it be deſolate that no man may paſſe through, becauſe of the Beaſts.
16. Though theſe three men were in it, as I live, ſaith the Lord God, they ſhall deliver neither Sons nor Daughters, they only ſhall be delivered, but the Land ſhall be deſolate.
17. Or if I bring a Sword upon that Land, and ſay, Sword goe through the Land, ſo that I cut off Man and Beaſt from it.
18. Though theſe three men were in it, as I live ſaith the Lord God, they ſhall deliver neither Sons nor Daughters, but they only ſhall be delivered themſelves.
19. Or if I ſend a Peſtilence upon that Land, and powre out my furie upon it in bloud, and cut off from it man and beaſt.
20. Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, ſaith the Lord God, they ſhall deliver neither Sonne nor Daughter: they ſhall but deliver their owne ſoules by their righteouſneſſe.
12. For thus ſaith the Lord God, how much more when I ſend my ſoare judgements upon Hieruſalem, the Sword and the famine, and noyſome beaſts, and the peſtilence, to cut off from it man and beaſt.
THeſe words are the ſecond part of the Chapter, wherein.
1. The Lord ſhewes what he will doe with a ſinning People, he will ſend judgement after judgement, and here are foure laid downe
1. Famine, in the 13. verſe.
2. Noiſome beaſts in the 15.
3. A Sword, in the 17.
4. The Peſtilence in the 19.
And all theſe are threatned againſt Jeruſalem, ver. 21.
2. That he will not hearken unto the interceſſion of any, be they never ſo righteous, powerfull in prayer, in the behalfe of ſuch a People.
13. ver. By treſpaſſing grievouſly.
foreign prevaricando prevaricationem. Maal ſignifieth in generall, any diſloyalty of inferiours towards ſuperiours; yet eſpecially it notes thoſe ſins which are againſt the Lord, his Covenant, and holy things; as here, they had forſaken God, broken the Covenant, ſet up Idols in the Temple, worſhipped the Sun, &c. Theſe were grievous ſins, and therefore Piſcator renders the word, prevaricando perfide; by ſinning treacherouſly: the doubling of the word notes the affection to, delight, and continuance in ſinne, they were obſtinate.
Of breaking the ſtaffe of bread, and famine, hath been ſpoken in the 4. and 5. chapter; God breakes the ſtaffe of bread, when he either takes away the virtue of it, that it doth not nouriſh, but men pine away and come to nothing: or when he takes away the bread it ſelf, ſo that there is not ſufficient to nouriſh. This the Lord doth, by ſending unſeaſonable weather, by too much drought, too much raine, by Froſts, Haile, Mildews, Blaſtings, Caterpillers, locuſts, &c. And theſe are the hand of God ſtretched out, to breake the ſtaffe of bread.
15. ver. Noyſome Beaſts to paſſe through the land.
Some would underſtand by theſe Beaſts, the Babilonians who ſpoyled the Land, and laid all deſolate; and if we ſhould doe ſo, it were not much amiſſe; for wee doe not find that any wild beaſts were ſent as a judgement upon the Jews, before their going into captivity; yet becauſe he ſpeaks here of diſtinct judgements, and that which is to be exemplary for all, we ſhall take it litterally as the reſt are. It was threatned in Moſes Law, that evill beaſts ſhould be ſent amongſt them. Levit. 26.22. I will ſend wild beaſts amongſt you, which ſhall rob you of your Children, derſtoy your Cattell; make you few in number, and your high wayes ſhall be deſolate. And it was made good; The Lord ſent fiery Serpents amongſt them, which ſtung and deſtroyed many of them. Numb. 21.6. Beares which ſlew their Children. 2 Kings 2.24. Lyons which ſlew the men. Chap. 17.25, 26. and Joſh. 24.12. By the Hornet God drove out the two Kings of the Amorites. And it is probable, that when the Chaldeans came, many who fled into woods, mountaines, and by-wayes, were wounded and ſlaine by wild Beaſts.
17. If I bring a Sword upon that Land.
Sword is put for warre. Jer. 4.10. The ſword reacheth unto the ſoule, Chap. 25.29. I will call for a ſword upon all the Inhabitants of the earth, that is a warre; and ſo in this place, God would bring in an enemie, arm'd with the Sword, and other military inſtruments, and they ſhould make grievous work amongſt them. Of the miſery of warre, formerly hath been ſpoken.
19. ver. If I ſend a Peſtilence upon that Land.
Hebrew is, foreign from foreign to ſpeake; becauſe in this judgement the Lord ſpeaks aloud. Its a ſoare judgement, and becauſe it is amongſt us, I ſhall ſpeake ſomething of it. Philibertus Marchinus calls it bellum divinum; this judgement is more immediatly from God, and hath leſſe of man and ſecond cauſes in it, than others; and therefore when the murraine and plague was upon the Cattell, Exod. 9.3. There was no hand of Moſes or Aaron in bringing it in, as in other judgements, and Pſ. 91.5. It is cal'd an Arrow, not of mans, but Gods ſhooting, God ſhoots it into Cities, and Families, by wayes undiſcernable unto us.
That there are ſecond cauſes of it, we doe not wholly deny, but aſſert they are fewer, and hard to be found out; it puzzles the learned Phyſitians to expreſſe clearely what are the cauſes of it, ſome referre it to the indiſpoſition of the aire, by dryneſſe and heate; ſome to malignant, and occult qualities in the aire, or the body, or in the dyet men feed upon; ſome to corruption in the bloud; ſome to hunger; ſome to ſurfet:Lib. 4. chap. 10. but as Senertus, Qualis ſit peſtilentialis veneni natura, & quae ejus in qualibet peſtilenti conſtitutione differentia, nemo hactenus ſatis explicavit. So Fern. Quicquid aſſeratur, omnis peſtilentiae caeca & deliteſcens eſt cauſa, De abdit: re…um cauſ.& aliunde quam ex primis qualitatibus, aut ex putredine perfecta
Gods hand is ſeene much in this noyſome diſeaſe, ſome peſtilences kill cattell, and not men, ſome kill men, and not cattell, ſome kill one ſort of men, and not others, ſome kill women and not men, and ſome men and not women, ſome kill young, and not old people, ſome the ſtrong and healthfull, and not the weake and ſickly, ſome the rich, not the poore, ſome the poore and not the rich, as the learned have obſerved.
This judgement, the plague, and peſtilence, ſpreads farre; it flies up and downe by night and day, it devoures multitudes ſuddenly; in Davids time 70000. were conſumed by it in three dayes.Euſeb. in Chronico. 2 Sam. 24.15. In Veſpaſians dayes, at Rome, there dyed 10000. a day, for many dayes together, and in the yeare 1345. it was ſo generall through the Chriſtian world, that it deſtroyed half mankinde; and in this City, thouſands have dyed in one week, and how ſuddenly men dye of it, is knowne unto many of you; ſome within few dayes, yea ſome within few houres.
The great cauſe of this judgement is ſinne. You may obſerve in Scripture ſome ſins, which brought in the plague or peſtilence, 2 Sam. 24. Davids heart wat lifted up, and he confided in the number of his People, and hereupon was the plague ſent, when Perſons in place have loftie ſpirits and pride themſelves, in what they have, they make way for this judgement; ſo oppreſſion of Gods People, Pharaoh would not let the Iſraelites have libertie, but hold them under; therefore the Murraine and plague of boyles came upon the Cattell and People, Exod. 9. When people ſinne grievouſly, then God is ready to ſend in the arrows of Peſtilence. Doe not many ſinne greatly, by pride in their Apparell, by exceſſe in their feaſtings, and pompe in the funeralls of their friends, by their bitterneſſe againſt thoſe differ from them: when the plague was much in France, eſpecially at Lyons, about 1629. the Propapiſts judg'd Calviniſme to be cauſe: thoſe Sectaries and Hereticks were tolerated; therefore Marchinus a Florentine, in his booke De bello divino, tells his Italian friends, that the Lords end in that plague, was to root out Calvianiſme.
An powre out my furie upon it in bloud.
To put this for bloud corrupted in the body by the plague, ſounds harſh, wee may take it for death, Ezek. 3.18. He ſhall dye in his iniquity, but his bloud will I require at thy hand, that is, his death.
14. ver. Though theſe three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they &c.
To ſpeake ſomething of each of theſe, Noah Gen. 6.9. Was a juſt man, and perfect in his generation, there was none like unto him in the world, in his dayes; and he walked with God, he had great familiaritie with him; his juſtice, ſincerity, and piety, were eminent. His name ſignifies Reſt or comfort, Gen. 5.29. Lamech call'd his name Noah, ſaying, this ſame ſhall comfort us concerning our worke and toyle of our hands, becauſe of the ground which the Lord hath curſed. Surely he was a great comfort both to God and man, being ſo holy as he was. Its conceived Lamech was a Prophet, or at leaſt uttered theſe words by a Propheticall ſtreine, intimating thereby, that Noah ſhould be a Type of Chriſt, and ſo he was in building the Arke, and offering ſacrifice, which was a ſweet ſavour in the noſtrils of God, and made him ſay, he would curſe the eatrh no more for mans ſake. Gen. 8.21.22. He was alſo a Preacher of righteouſneſſe, 2 Pet. 2.5. And the man with whom God made a ſpeciall Covenant, and gave the Rainebow for a ſigne thereof, Gen. 9 9.13. yet if this man ſhould pray for them, God would not heare.
Daniel.
He was a holy man, and would not defile himſelfe with the Portion of the Kings meate and drinke, Dan. 1.8. And he was a man of great wiſdome, Ezek. 28.3. Wiſer than Daniel, men that had great inſight into things, who knew ſecrets and myſteries were paraleld with Daniel, or preferred before him, but Daniel was the Standard. Daniel was alive at this time, and young, as will appeare, if you conſider this time: Ezekiel ſpak theſe words, in the ſixth yeare of Jehoiachins captivity, if you compare the 1. Chap. 2. verſ. with the 20. Chap. 1. ver. where he ſpeakes of the fifth, and ſeventh yeare; ſo that this was the time betwene, and Dan. 1.1.6. Its evident that Daniel was carried into captivity, the third yeare of the reign of Jehoaikim father to Jehoiachin: ſo that now Daniel had been 14. yeares in Babylon, eight yeares of Jehoiakims reigne, for he reigned 11. yeares, 2 Chron. 36.5. and ſix of Jehoiachins captivity: So that the learned think Daniel was not above 13. yeares of age, when he came into Babylon; therefore is it that the King ſpake to Aſpenaz to bring of the Children of Iſrael, and of the Kings ſeed, and of the Princes, whereof Daniel was one; and now at this time, when Ezekiel rankt him with Noah and Job, about 27. Surely Daniel was a choyce man, of ſingular wiſedome, and holineſſe, whom the ſpirit of God would thus joyne with Noah and Job, ſuch great worthies in their dayes. He was a man much given to prayer Dan. 6.10. Three times a day, he prayed in his Chamber, with his face towards Jeruſalem; and that when it lay upon the hazard of his life. His prayer and faſting are mentioned, Chap. 9.3. and 10.2, 3.
Job,
The Lord gives him this teſtimony, that he was Perfect and upright, one that feared God, and eſchewed evill; he was much in offering ſacrifice, for himſelfe and Family, Job 1.1.5. he was a man of much faith, great patience, Job 13.15.14.14. James 5.11. he was acceptable with God, and prevaild for his friends in prayer. ch. 42.8, 9. if theſe 3. men were in a Land that hath grievouſly ſinned, they ſhould not deliver it.
Some make great inquiry why theſe three men ſhould be mentioned, rather then others, and they give in their anſwer;
1. Its thought they are named, for that they could not divert Gods wrath by their holineſſe and prayers, from the people of their times. Noah could not keepe off the floud, nor Job the ſad things befell himſelfe and his, nor Daniel the captivity.
2. Others thinke they are named, becauſe they freed others in eminent danger in their times; Noah ſav'd his Family from the floud, Job prayed for his Friends, and they were ſpared. Daniel preſerved the Magicians and wiſe men. But rather they are named, becauſe they were men of great holineſſe, exerciſed with great tryalls, and ſo the more fervent in prayer: and what if theſe men, who were ſo acceptable to me, had ſo much intereſt in me, and often prevailed with mee ſhould pray for you, yet they ſhould doe nothing for your deliverance by their prayers.
Theſe were men in great afflictions,Noah in the floud; Job on the Dunghill; Daniel in the Den. and affliction is the whetſtone of prayer, the bellows to blow up that fire. David when he fled from Abſolom, then he cryed unto the Lord, and he heard him, Pſal. 3.4. Jonas when he was in the Whales belly prayed fervently, Jon. 2.2. I cryed by reaſon of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me. Surely Noah when the floud came, powred out a floud of teares in prayer; and Job, when Gods hand was ſo hard upon him, cryed aloud unto God: and Daniel among the Lyons; yet ſuch was the caſe here, that if theſe three men were amongſt them, they ſhould doe them no good.
16.18.20. They ſhall deliver neither Sons nor Daughters.
Children are very deare to Parents, they come out of their loynes are part of them, even the bowells; and holy Parents would ſtrive hard in prayer with God for them, are ſo deare unto them, they would invent arguments (for love is inventive) to move the Lord to ſpare them: yet if they ſhould bring the ſtrongeſt arguments, that nature, reaſon, or grace could finde out, ſaith God, They ſhould deliver neither Sonns nor Daughters, from any one of the judgements.
14.20. ver. They ſhall deliver but their owne ſoules by their righteouſneſſe.
You muſt not think hence, that their holineſſe or righteouſneſſe merited deliverance of themſelves: Mans goodneſſe is nothing to God; all he can doe is debt, and the beſt he doth is imperfect, no motive of Gods will; deliverance, ſalvation are acts of grace and favour Epheſ. 2.8. By grace are ye ſaved, and that not of yourſelves, it is the gift of God, not of workes, leaſt any ſhould boaſt. God hath out of his free grace promiſed to doe great things for his Elect, for the godly: and when he doth ought for them, it is not becauſe they deſerve it, or becauſe they are godly, but becauſe he hath promiſed. Many promiſes are made to godlineſſe, 1 Tim. 4.8. Bodily exerciſe profiteth little, but godlineſſe is profitable unto all things, having promiſe of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Pſal. 50.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, not without calling, yet not for calling but for his promiſe ſake.
Queſt. If theſe three men Noah, Daniel, and Job, who were ſo eminent in holineſſe, ſo fervent in prayer, ſhould not by their prayers and piety deliver any, to what end ſhould we deſire the prayers of any in our dayes, when they are neither ſo holy nor effectuall in prayer as theſe men were, is it not altogether in vaine to crave the prayers of others, whatever our condition be?
Anſ. 1. If God revealed our eſtate to be deſperate, and that he would not heare any praying for us here, then it were in vaine for us to requeſt any to ſollicite the Lord on our behalfe, 1. John 5.16. If a man have ſin'd a ſinne unto death, any prayer made for him by whomſoever, is to no purpoſe; I ſay not that you ſhould pray for it, for the pardon of it, who ever ſhould intreat you to doe it.
2. We have divine warrant for the pactiſe of it. 1 Sam. 12.19, All the People ſaid unto Samuell, pray for thy Servants unto the Lord thy God, that wee dye not, and 1. Theſſal. 5.25. Brethren (ſaith Paul) pray for us. Epheſ. 6.18, 19. he intreates them to pray for all the Saints, and for him. James 5.14. Is any ſick among you? let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him: and then ver. 15. The prayer of faith ſhall ſave the ſick, and the Lord ſhall raiſe him up. Eſt. 4.16. She would have all the Jewes gathered together, that were in Shuſhan, to faſt and pray for her.
Queſt. 2. Had theſe three men met together, and agreed to pray for this People, would God have denyed them? Doth not Chriſt ſay, Matth. 18, 19. If two of you ſhall agree on earth, as touching any thing that they ſhall aske, it ſhall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven.
Anſw. If two, three, or more agree to aske any thing, it muſt be in faith, Matth. 21.22. according to Gods will, 1 Joh. 5.14. which could not here have been, for God had declared his minde otherwiſe, and ſo they could neither in faith, nor according to his Will, have prayed; they would never have agreed together, to aske a thing contrary to his mind.
Obſer. 1. That Lands may ſinne grievouſly againſt God, provoke him greatly: ſo did the Jewes, Ezek. 7.23. their Land was ful of bloudy crimes, their City full of blackneſſe, they had variety of abhominations, ch. 8.4. Hoſ. 12.14. Ephraim provoked him to anger moſt bitterly, Iſai. 63.10. they rebelled and vexed his holy ſpirit, hereupon you finde Lament. 1.8. Jeruſalem hath grievouſly ſinned, and Amos 5.12. I know the mighty ſins, they did mightily provok, preſſe, and wearie God. See one place, in Jer. 2.10, 11. Paſſe over the Iſles of Chittim, and ſee, and ſend unto Kedar, and conſider diligently, and ſee if there be ſuch a thing. Hath a Nation changed their gods, which are yet no Gods? but my People have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Be aſtoniſhed O ye Heavens at this, and be yee horribly affraid, be ye very deſolate ſaith the Lord.
2. God hath variety of judgements to puniſh a ſinning People, he can ſtretch out his hand, bring in a famine, the noyſome beaſts, the ſword, and peſtilence; when men have grievous ſinns, God hath ſore judgements for them; reade the 28. of Deut. and 26. of Levit. Let Lands be never ſo full of People and Cattell, let their Townes and Cities be never ſo well fortified, God can quickly cut off man and beaſt, and lay all deſolate. Cardanus in his eight booke De varietate ch. 45. reckons up 7. judgements of a grievous nature, that doe befall the ſonnes of men, three more beſides thoſe here in our Prophet.
1. Earth-quakes, which ſometimes are very grievous, and ſhake downe whole Townes.
2. Inundations, when waters breake out and drowne up whole Countries.
3. Winds, which doe great miſchiefe, both at Sea and Land: and thoſe we have here mentioned, how grievous are they. In famines, parties have eate their owne fleſh, and Mothers their owne Children. Wild beaſts fill all full of feares, that none dare looke out of doores, or travell the highwayes, The ſword hath made ſore worke in Germany, Ireland, and England of late dayes. The Plague is amongſt us, and what it will doe ere it leave us, is unknowne; wee that have eſcaped the ſword, it may be are numbred out for the plague. O let us repent of our former and preſent ſinns, pride in apparrell, exceſſe in dyet, pompe in funeralls, bitter diviſions, unchriſtian carriages one towards another, unthankfulneſſe for mercies, our unworthy walking of the Goſpell, and take heed of all ſinne for the future.
3. Whatever the judgement be upon a ſinning Land, and people, God is the author of it, acts in, and orders it. I will ſtretch out my hand, and breake the ſtaffe of bread. ver. 13. If I cauſe noyſome beaſts to paſſe through the Land. ver. 15. If I bring a ſword upon that Land. ver. 17. If I ſend a peſtilence. ver. 19. Theſe judgements come not caſually, they are by divine power and providence; if man or beaſt fall by them, its God cuts them off, if the wild beaſts come here and there, its God cauſes them to goe thoſe wayes; he gives Commiſſion to the ſword, and ſaith, goe through the Land, it could not enter without God, much leſſe goe through a Kingdome, without warrant from him; if the plague wander up and downe in a Land, skip from ſtreet to ſtreet, from Family to Family; if it ſlay thouſands, and ten thouſands, the Lord bids it, orders it to do ſo: Therefore we ſhould looke at Gods hand in all judgements, quietly ſubmit to his ſtroake, and humble our ſelves under his mighty hand. I will ſtretch out my hand and breake, &c. Shall Gods hand be ſtretched out, and we not take notice of it, its argument of a prophane ſpirit not to doe it; Iſai. 26.11. Lord when thy hand is lifted up, they will not ſee, but they ſhall ſee and feele to their deſtruction.
4. The ſinnes of a Land or People may be ſo great and grievous, that the Lord will ſhew them no mercy, but proceed irrevocably to their deſtruction, what meanes ſoever be uſed for their helpe; you have ſin'd ſo againſt me, ſaith the Lord, that though Noah, Daniel, and Job were here, men of renowne for their piety and prayers, though they ſhould ſinglie or joyntly powre out their hearts before me, uſe all their intereſt in me for you, yet ſhould they doe no good; they ſhould not change my thoughts, my heart, in the leaſt degree, they ſhould not obtaine at my hands, to abate ought of my furie; all the judgements intended ſhould come, not one of them ſhould be withheld; Jer. 15.1, 2. Though Moſes & Samuell ſtood before me, As I live ſaith the Lord, &c. verſe 18.yet my mind could not be towards this People. Moſes was the man of God, Pſal. 90. title; the man of Gods choyce, love, honouring, the man of his counſell, that did his worke, that rul'd his people; the man that was ſo potent in prayer, that he held Gods hands, and kept him from deſtroying the Progenitors of this people here ſpoken of, and brought God to repent of the evill he thought to do unto them; Exod. 32.14. and Samuel was a man, had the eare and heart of God very much, when he cryed for Iſraell God heard him, 1 Sam. 7.9. yet if theſe two men ſtood before him, and mediating for theſe people, ſhould produce their ſtrong arguments as of old, Gods minde could not be towards them, but he would ſay as it there followes; Caſt them out of my ſight & let them go forth, ſuch as are for death to death ſuch as are for the ſword to the Sword ſuch as are for the famine, to the famine, ſuch as are for the captivity to the captivity; and I will appoint over them foure kinds ſaith the Lord, the ſword to ſlay, the Dog to teare, and the fowles of the Heaven, and the Beaſts of the earth to devoure. Their ſin was ſo high, that the prayers of the holy, yea the holieſt men would doe them no good. Jeremie was a praying and a weeping man, much affected with the condition of this People, Jer. 9.1, 2.14.7, 8, 9. and was much in prayer for them, but God was ſo farre from hearing him for them, that he forbad him to pray for them, chap. 7.16. Pray not thou for this People, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make interceſſion to me, for I will not heare thee. So in chap. 14.11. Pray not for this People for their good; as if the Lord had ſaid, Jeremie, I know thou wilt be praying, wearie and weare out thy ſelfe, but pray not for their good, if thou wilt pray for their deſtruction, that I would haſten in my judgements upon them I will heare thee ſo praying, otherwiſe not.
Queſt. But what if they prayed themſelves?
Anſw. It followes in the next verſe, When they faſt, I will not heare their cry, and when they offer burnt offrings as an oblation, I will not accept them, but I will conſume them by the Sword famine and peſtilence. In James 5.16. you finde the effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much;foreign. if of one righteous man, ſurely the working prayers of many righteous men ſhould doe more, you have ſix mentioned in Ezekiel and Jeremiah; Noah, Daniel, Job, Moſes, Samuel, and Jeremiah himſelfe, yet if all theſe ſhould make the moſt fervent prayers that ever were made, God would not heare, but proceed in his intended judgements againſt this People. Their ſinnes had ſuch malignity in them, as that they out-cryed the prayers of all the righteous, yea the very mercies of God.
5. Righteouſnes is advantage to men in times of common calamity, Noah, Daniel, Job, were righteous perſons, and if they had been in the Land or Citie, when theſe ſoare judgements were come upon it, they ſhould have been delivered, verſ. 14, 16, 18.20. though their righteouſnes could not profit others, yet it ſhould profit themſelves; Prov. 11.4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath, but righteouſneſſe delivereth from death: and verſ. 6. The righteouſneſſe of the upright ſhall deliver them. When men are holy, praying, upright men, God hath a ſpeciall care of them in times of danger, Noah when the floud came, he had an Arke to be ſecure in, when Sodome was deſtroyed, Lot was pul'd out by an Angel.
VER. 22, 23.
22. Yet behold, therein ſhall be left a remnant, that ſhall be brought forth, both Sonnes and Daughters, behold they ſhall come forth unto you, and yee ſhall ſee their way and their doings: and yee ſhall be comforted concerning the evill that I have brought upon Jeruſalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.
23. And they ſhall comfort you, when yee ſee their wayes and their doings, and yee ſhall know that I have not done without cauſe, all that I have done in it ſaith the Lord.
THeſe two verſes are the third part of the chapter, and conteine a reſpiting of ſome from the judgements there mentioned; you have here,
1. A gratious promiſe of preſerving a remnant; Therein ſhall be left a remnant.
2. A Declaration what ſhould bee done with that Remnant, They ſhall bee brought forth, and come to Babylon.
3. The Events following hereupon, and they are theſe.
1. They ſhould ſee their wayes and doings, what the judgements upon Jeruſalem, and their deliverance from them, wrought in them.
2. Be comforted,
1. Touching Gods dealings with Jeruſalem, And yee ſhall be comforted concerning the evill, &c.
2. Inlargement of their comfort from the ſight of their Brethrens wayes and practiſes, and they ſhall comfort you when you ſee, &c.
3. Acknowledgement of the equity of Gods dealing ſo with Jeruſalem.
There were ſundrie things which ſadded the hearts of the Captives in Babylon much.
1. That God ſhould ſo forget his Covenant made with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, and his oath to David, Pſal. 89.28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36. as to root out their ſeed from the Land of the living.
2. That they had hearkned to the voice of Ieremie and yeelded themſelves up into the hands of Nebuchadnezar, who had brought them thither; whereas their Brethren ſtill inhabited Jeruſalem, had the benefit of the Temple, and poſſeſſed their lands and habitations in Judea, themſelves being deſtitute of all.
3. That the Temple, Citie, and pleaſant Land, ſhould be laid waſt, by ſuch ſoare judgements brought upon them at once, as famine, wilde beaſt, ſword, and peſtilence.
Againſt theſe ſad apprehenſions the Lord here layes in comfort. And
For the firſt, he tels them there ſhall be left a remnant, that God will be mindfull of his Covenant and oath, that he will preſerve a ſeed from the loynes of their fathers, have a Church and number to worſhip him.
For the ſecond, he certifies them that thoſe eſcaped ſhould be brough forth unto them in Babylon, and ſo, they ſhould not have cauſe any more to complaine, that they had liſtned to Jeremie, and were brought into Babylon, for by this meanes, they had eſcaped the ſoare judgements their brethren met withall, and by this time were well accommodated in Babylon, and fitted in ſome meaſure, to entertain their deſolate brethren, and ſhould ſee the judgements threatned by Jeremie, accompliſhed fully, and what mercy it was they were brought hither beforehand.
For the third, that all ſhould be laid waſt, he aſſures them, that he hath had juſt cauſe for it, that he hath not in his furie done ought unadviſedly to be repented of, but conſidered the cauſe throughly, viz. the grievouſneſſe of their ſins, which deſerv'd to the full, all that he had done, and more; Therefore ſaith, ye ſhall know that I have not done without cauſe all that I have done in it. What ever I have done againſt the Temple, Citie Land, and People, I had ſuch cauſe for it, as will ſtop your mouthes for ever; what if my judgements have been ſoare upon them? yet there is this good come by them they acknowledge me juſt and righteous, are aſham'd of, and mourne for their wayes, and will tell you, when they come, amongſt you, that in the midſt of wrath they have met with merciemercy; For they ſhall comfort you, when you ſee their waies and doings.
Their wayes.
Some underſtand hereby, their former courſe of life at Jeruſalem, which they ſhould ſtill walke in, which when the others ſhould ſee, they ſhould be comforted in the heavie hand of God upon them. Others underſtand by their wayes, that ſad courſe of life they ſhould lead in Babylon: the primitive captives thought them happy who were at Jeruſalem, and themſelves the moſt miſerable; but now when they ſhould ſee them in captivity with themſelves, and ſuffering as hard, if not harder things then themſelves,foreign the Babyloniſh yoak would ſeeme eaſier. Conſorts in miſery are comforts to each other.
Junius interprets their wayes and doings of the confeſſion of their ſinnes, and repentance;Solamen miſeria ſocios habuiſſe doloris. the ſoare and heavie judgements of God, convinc'd them of the greatneſſe of their ſinnes, caus'd them being now ſtript of all, and in the hands of a potent and barbarous enemie, to confeſſe their iniquity and repent of their former wayes and doings, and that induceth me, to cloſe with this Expoſition in thoſe words; They ſhall comfort you, when yee ſee their wayes and doings. Thus though we have met with grievous judgements, have loſt Citie, Temple, Country, all; are become captives like yourſelves, yet God is juſt in all he hath done, he hath made good the word of his ſervant Jeremiah and Ezekiel, brought us to you, but withall, he hath broken our hearts for our ſinnes, made us to abhorre and loath our former wayes and doings, ſo that we muſt ſay in wrath, he hath remembred merciemercy, and recompenced all our temporall loſſes, with ſpirituall advantages, and this was a comfort to the hearts of the former Captives, when they ſaw their wayes changed. Doubtleſſe the firſt captives were a great comfort unto them, when they came into Babylon naked, and ſpoyld of all, and when they had told them of the ſevere judgements befell them, how that ſome did eate their own children, &c. certainly they were aſtoniſhed at it, but when they told them what good they had gotten, by the dealings of God with them, they were comforted againe.
Obſer. 1. When Gods judgements are ſoareſt, yet then he ſhewes mercy to ſome, when God brought his foure ſoare judgements upon Jeruſalem; viz. the ſword, famine, noyſome Beaſt, and peſtilence; yet a remnant is preſerved, each judgement devoured its number, hundreds, thouſands, and ten thouſands; but all thoſe judgments deſtroyed not all the People; God had ſome elect ones amongſt them, and the election obtaines mercy, and together with them, ſome others. The Lord never powred out his wrath ſo fully, as that no drams of mercy were mingled with it. In the floud of wrath which drown'd the world, were drops of mercy which ſav'd Noah. In the Brimſtone and fire, which burnt up Sodome and Gomorah, were ſparkes of divine love, to deliver Lot; he ever hath in wrath remembred mercy, and will do it to the end, the world ſhall not have advantage to charge him with crueltie, had none been ſpared, they might have ſaid ſo; a remnant is left, and the mouth of iniquity is ſtop't.
2. The Lord will ſatisfie and comfort the hearts of his againſt the evill and ſcandall that comes by any of his judgements; when Jeruſalem was deſtroy'd, the Jewes rooted out and carryed to Babylon what joy was there in the Nations? what reproachings of the Jewes? where now is their God? what now is become of their holy City and Temple, are not all laid waſt, &c? at theſe things the Jewes hearts in Babylon, were grieved, offended, therefore the Lord tels them, They ſhall be comforted concerning all the evill he hath brought upon Jeruſalem, they ſhall know the greatneſſe of their ſinnes, which mov'd him to doe ſo, they ſhall know the fruit of his judgements, how they have caus'd thoſe brought unto them, to confeſſe their ſinnes, to repent of their wayes, and turn to the Lord.
3. That the Lord is righteous and juſt in his judgements,foreign I have not done without cauſe, all that I have done in Hieruſalem, he cut not off man or beaſt without cauſe, its the Devils deſigne to doe ſo, therefore ſaith God, Job 2.3. Thou movedſt me againſt him, to deſtroy him without cauſe, but God would not doe it; what ever he doth, he hath great cauſe for; he is the only & infinitly wiſe God, and doth all things upon the height of reaſon. Their ſinns were ſuch as impeach't his honour, corrupted his worſhip, brake the Covenant, queſtioned his providence, violated juſtice, and conform'd them to the heathen, he had cauſe enough therefore to deſtroy them, and doe what he did, namely, to vinicate his honour, worſhip, covenant, providence, juſtice, and to ſhew that his People, if they will ſinne with the world, muſt ſuffer grievous things for it, Jer. 22.8, 9. when the Nations ſhould paſſe by the City and ſay, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this great Citie; God will have the cauſe knowne, then they ſhall anſwer, Becauſe they have forſaken the Covenant of the Lord their God, and worſhipped other gods and ſerved them: and chap. 19.13. God ſaith he would make Jeruſalem as Tophet (that is, fill it with bloud, and the bodies of ſlaine men) and why would he doe ſo; Becauſe of all the Houſes upon whoſe roofes they have burnt incenſe unto all the Hoſt of heaven, and have powred out drinke offrings unto other gods.
4. Men ſhall know in due time the equity of Gods judgements, And ye ſhall know that I have not done ought without cauſe. Gods judgements are a great depth, Pſal. 36.6. men cannot ſound or meaſure them, the nature of them, the ſuddennes and ſeveritie of them; the frequencie and continuance of them, doe puzzle men, and eſpecially the cauſes of them, which are hidden from the eyes of moſt. Jobs friends miſtook the cauſe of Gods dealing ſo ſharpely with Job, but afterwards they underſtood it; they in Babylon, and others, were aſtoniſhed at the ſoare judgements of God, but God let them know the cauſe of it, and ſo they were brought to juſtifie God, 1 Kings 9.7, 8, 9. I will cut off Iſrael, out of the Land which I have given them, and this Houſe which I have hollowed, for my name, will I caſt out of my ſight, and Iſrael ſhall be a Proverb, and a by-word, among all people, and at this Houſe which is high, every one that paſſeth by it ſhall be aſtoniſhed, and ſhall hiſſe, and they ſhall ſay, why hath the Lord done thus unto this Land, and to this Houſe: and they ſhall anſwer, becauſe they for ſooke the Lord their God, tooke hold upon other Gods, worſhipped and ſerved them, therefore hath the Lord brought upon them all this evill. God proclaimes the cauſe of his ſevere judgements, that ſo men may ſee the equity of them, that he is righteous in all his wayes, and holy in all his works; Pſal. 145.17. when we heare of the bloudy doings have been in Germany ſo long, and of thoſe in Ireland, we are amazed, wonder what is the cauſe, that God proceeds ſo ſeverely with them; there is cauſe ſufficient for it, and if we know it not, God wil in his time cleare himſelf, and make it knowne to us.